Seven

Last week my sweet Hattie Grace turned seven years old. I didn't get my usual birthday post out, because ... well ... it did not go as we had planned.

And ... well ... this mama was an emotional wreck over it all.

I don't know what it was about SEVEN that was so hard for me to take. I mean, it's a number, right? I expected five to be big. I mean, come on, that is a whole stinkin HAND!!! But, seven? What is so big about seven?

And, I think that that is EXACTLY what it was. Seven is big. Plain and simple. Seven is BIG. Which means that she is not a little girl anymore. She is a big girl.

See ... now, there I go again...

Anyway, this is how it went:

(I warn you, your eyeballs are about to be assailed with a whole slew of pictures. Continue at your own risk...)

She jumped in her bed a sweet six year old girl, pretending to be asleep.
But, when she realized that I had the camera out, she went into her Despicable Me, "look at me, I got the pyramid in my hands!!!" routine.

If you haven't seen this movie, you should! I had absolutely no desire to see it, but they got it for Christmas and we ALL love it!!!)
Then she shared a special bonding moment with Sophie. Although, I suspect it was more of a scheming moment, cause the next thing we knew they were doing this ...

... and we could not even get mad at em. They were having so much fun!!!

Once we calmed the party down and had our prayer time, she and daddy had some sweet time just snuggling. Well, snuggling and making shadow puppets on the wall.

Then, the Hubby and I began preparing for the big day. We decorated the place up right for our girl!!!


And I made cupcakes to take to school ...
... which overflowed and burned.

Lovely!

But then, when we went up to check on the girls before turning in, we found that Hattie had gotten sick in her bed.

On her birthday.

SO not fair.

This was all the celebrating that she had the energy to do on her day.

Break a mama's heart!
But She loved the flowers that Daddy brought her for her day.

And, on Sunday she was feeling well enough to party!!! So, I made her the requested Tangled cake!




She opened her gifts ...
... blew out her candles and had a GREAT day!!!!
And a good time was had by all.

Happy Birthday Hattie Grace!!! Enjoy seven, sweet girl, mama loves you!!!

Under Attack ... And LOVING It

Years ago, when Hubby and I were foster parenting two sweet boys (just before Hattie joined our world), we started a game with the oldest boy. "Nuggy" was just under two years old and loved all things wrestle. Physical touch was this boy's love language in a HUGE way. I can remember Hubby would come home and immediately lay down on the floor and Nuggy (and, eventually, all the children) would come running to climb on Mount Daddy! The game we started, way back then, was called Kiss Attack.

And it continues to this day.
A random family member is caught ...
... pinned down ...
... and attacked from both sides with kisses!!!
No family member is immune from these attacks ...
... or the rolling laughter that comes with them.
... Even hubby and I come under attack at times!
The girls will climb on chairs and assail US with their precious ammo.
And, as their mama, I pray that THESE ...
... are the moments that they will long remember.

A Date With My Valentine

Today is Valentine's Day ... but Hubby and I celebrated with a little "us" time yesterday!

The day started off at church, where we learned a little more about our ULTIMATE love - our Father - and His unrelenting pursuit of us. Pastor Andy gave an AMAZING message about the Lost and Found. He spoke of the sin that we get lost in and how we have a Father who continuously chases after us - not to condemn, but so we may be FOUND again ... in HIM! Oh, His mercy is good!

And, because He first loved us, we are able to love one another.

And there is NO ONE I love more than this guy!!
Here is a look at the day we spent together, celebrating our love ... and the top ten reasons that I LOVE being His date...

#1 - OK, I admit it, I just like the way he LOOKS!!!

Hubba Hubba!

#2 - He makes me laugh! My Funny Valentine!

(he is gonna HATE that I posted this, but it makes me smile!!!)

#3 - He knows my favorite places and he takes me there!

#4 - He ALWAYS orders iced tea - sometimes sweet tea, sometimes flavored, sometimes plain, but ALWAYS tea!

#5 - He holds my hand.

#6 - He has strong, caring hands that love me well!

#7 - He lets me appreciate simple things (like silly decorations) without making me FEEL simple!!

#8 - I love the way he looks at me ... like he KNOWS me, understands me and, yes, even likes me!

#9 - I love that he will relive our past with me! (we spent our first valentine's together here and he took me out walking on this frozen lake!!)

#10 - and I love that he is ALWAYS willing to take me on new adventures too ... even if it involves dollar stores (he loathes them, I love them!!).

But most of all, I just love HIM! I love to look at him, talk to him, be with him and spend my life with him.

I am ever more thankful that he chose me and that the One who chose us FIRST, saw fit to make a way to bring us together.

Happy Valentine's Farmboy!

I love you!
Buttercup

Project 365 - Week 6 and 7

Once again, I have two weeks worth of pictures saved up for you. Cause it has been NUTS here and I have had no time to blog ... which I HATE! Sorry!

Anyway, here is a look at the last two weeks...

Sunday: The girls wanted to play in the snow out back, so hubby took the opportunity to light up the chiminea!! Our shredder broke a few months ago, so he took all the papers he had been saving up and set 'em ablaze!

I must say, junk mail, credit card applications and old bills make some nice kindling!

Monday: Alexis, a Boppy and a blow up ball ... pretty sweet combo!

Tuesday: Time for a new memory verse!!!

Wednesday: Lots and lots of snow.

Thursday: Buddies! Sophie can make Eli smile like no one else!

Friday: Yep ... that is my girl eating a turkey sandwich! And, if ya look close enough you can see her black eye. Poor baby!

Saturday: We had a date with Sophie's Mama Kim at McD's - Hattie loved the slide I loved what it did for her hair.

Static anyone?!

Sunday: Sophie - seriously, that face? Who could resist that?

Monday: I LOVE sweet friends who love my children well! These were notes and goodies sent to my girls to encourage them on some big steps that they have taken recently. LOVE that!

Tuesday: A package ready to go out for Joanne!

She is doing amazing things, by the way. SOOOO proud of her!

Wednesday: Icesicles ... they fascinate me!

Thursday: Alexis is NOT a fan of the rice cereal ... this is her giving me a dirty look. Think it's time to try something a little more fun!

Friday: Sophie is trying so hard to be a big girl like her sister ... even trying to write her name.

Saturday: A little lap top in the windowsill. Love this!

Sunday - a Valentine date with my love! One of our fave places to eat (with leftovers for later too!) ...

... and a little bit of reliving our past. For our first valentine's together, he brought me here to meet his family. We took a drive and ended up at the lake where we were able to walk out on the ice. So, today, we went back to that spot and remembered.

I do love that man!!!

So, there ya have it. A look at our lives! Thank you Sara for hosting us again! I LOVE this project!

So ... how was YOUR week?