Various June Pics

Our next door neighbor had a party for one of their kid's birthdays and they made this "water blanket" for the kids to play on.  Such a fun idea!

Before we left Virginia, one of Addysen's special friends from preschool, Emma, invited her to VBS at her church.  It turned out another one of their former classmates was there too...fun for them to get to do that together!   

(L-Kenstin, C-Addysen, R-Emma)

I was manually shredding old paperwork in preparation of moving and I asked Haven to help.  I'm quite sure she thought...I'm being asked to destroy things and not even get in trouble for it??  Count me in! :-)

Haven with her gymnastics coach, Janelle.

Her coach let her play in the pit for a few minutes after her last class

Brielle couldn't reach the compartments at the top of the art desk where we kept pencils and crayons.  Problem solved...move the art desk out, grab the stool, stand on it, and help yourself! :-)

Our next door neighbor moved away from Virginia about a week before we did.  Brielle loved their oldest daughter, Sierra!  Sierra was so sweet with the girls and always played with them when they were in the yard.  She also was our first babysitter as she watched the girls a few times the last year we were in Virginia!

After trying on socks and shoes for herself, Brielle realized Elmo's feet might be cold too!  He should have some socks as well! :-)

Addysen's preschool class (Addysen is the 2nd one in from the left in the 2nd row)

Cousins

One of the great things about moving back to Colorado...cousin time!!

First Days in Colorado

The first thing the girls wanted to do the morning after we got to Colorado...swinging!

Papa and Yia Yia got a play house for their granddaughters to play with on their porch...the girls were beyond thrilled when they saw it!

Addysen was so excited to see a bunny in the neighbor's yard!

All the girls were SO excited to be in a house with a cat!  My parent's cat Sacha might not have been quite as excited about the girls' presence in his formerly quiet house. :-)

The girl's lunch spot on the porch...perfect to enjoy the beautiful Colorado summer!

Moving

Our time in Virginia was a tough few years, but filled with many blessings from God...incredibly special relationships, an amazing church to be involved with, living in the same city with family for a period of the time, and the biggest blessing...the birth of precious Brielle!  As a result, despite looking forward to moving near family in Colorado, it was incredibly tough to move from Virginia. 

I had to take a couple pictures of the girls and their stick pile before moving.  This was a pile at the end of our street that the girls built up over our time in Virginia...a special thing they did primarily with Grampa and Gramma when they lived in Virginia and when they would come to visit after they moved away.  The girls would ask to go into our neighborhood "the stick pile way" every time we would be on the way home so they could check out their stick pile.

My Dad blessed us by fling to Virginia and then driving our van back to Colorado.  Before leaving, he told Addysen he would take "big bear" as a passenger on the drive back...so big bear and his friend were buckled in for the drive!  I chuckled thinking of people driving along side him on the highway and seeing this big stuffed bear buckled into the passenger seat! :-)  

And my Mom blessed us by helping me on the flight to Colorado!  Not an easy task with 3 little ones on my own so I was so thankful for her willingness to help!

Colorado...here we come!!

Girls Night

Before we left Virginia, some of my dear friends gave me such a special night together.  They made yummy food, we had great conversation, they gave great encouragement and then they prayed over me and our family.  While praying, they wrote on  these letters whatever God laid on their heart...verses, words, songs...it turned into an unbelievably special treasure that I will always hold onto. 

I feel so blessed to call these precious women friends and can't imagine the last few years without them in my life.  They have been such a source of encouragement, strength and have kept me pointed towards God.  I love these women so dearly and they will be forever friends!

Haven's 4 Year Stats

Haven is still my little peanut!  Her stats at 4 years old:

Height: 38.5 inches (25th percentile)
Weight: 34 lbs (25-50th percentile)
BMI: 16 (50-75th percentile)

Father's Day

The last day we were in Florida for Byron and Jessica's wedding was Father's Day.  So we celebrated at the hotel a bit before heading to the airport.  The girls giving Jeff their cards...

The girls helped me make a video for Jeff...

It was special that the girls got to be with Grampa on Father's Day!

And Jeff with his Dad

Florida Trip - Byron and Jessica's Wedding!

Jeff's sister, Jessica got married in June so we all flew down to Florida and spent a special week with family and celebrating Jessica and Byron's wedding!

The big girls had an interesting way of listening to their DVD on the plane :-)

We stayed at a hotel with a pool...the girls loved getting to swim!

One day at the pool, Brielle kept going in the pool for a minute, getting out and going to Gramma's lap for 10 seconds and going back in the pool...over and over and over.  Gramma may as well have gotten in the pool, how wet Miss Brielle got her!

Hotel breakfast...not every day we get to eat donuts for breakfast! :-)

The stunning bride

The flower girls

After the wedding, we had to drive a little ways to get to the reception.  Probably good to have a little break in the action since during that drive, this is what happened...

And this... :-)

Addysen dancing at the reception with Daddy

And Haven with Grampa