Birthdays are good for you! Statistics show that the more you celebrate then longer you live!

Whew! This has been a very busy 2 weeks! 6th wedding anniversary- 30th birthday celebrations- Kris Allen Concert- Mothers Day. I will just hit a few of the highlights. Pictured above are my two favorite smiles in the world. Tuesday night my OBU girls helped me celebrate my big birthday and we were so busy (doing what we do best- talking, laughing, and eating) I didn't get a single picture! Love you girls! Wednesday night Ashley and I snuck away for 2 whole hours to celebrate both of our birthdays and I think we said enough words for a month into those 2 precious hours together. Then Friday Amber's firm hosted a Kris Allen watching party on their deck. It was so fun just to see the crowd and hear him sing!

His motorcade came right underneath us!

Kris! Up here!!! I have voted every week multiple times for you!

Welcome back home!

Saturday morning we hosted a sip-n-see for Julia and Spencer. The hostesses...

With Julia...

The man of the hour. Isn't he ADORABLE??!?!?!?!! He is just 9 weeks :)

John Austin came by for a second to say hi and snag a cookie. I am so impressed at what a big boy he is walking and talking. Thank you for being such a sweet heart on the plane for your Mommy!

My favorite part- these sugar cookies were at the door as a party favor. Beautiful and yummy!

Then Saturday night we had a great dinner to celebrate my 30th birthday at my favorite restaurant- Capeo!! There was even Carrot Cake :)

I am so thankful for the cards, phone calls, messages (OK Face book on your birthday makes you feel like a rock star!), gifts, laughs, and most of all, to be surrounded by so many wonderful friends and family members who took time out of their busy lives to make silly ole' me feel loved and celebrated.

Disney On Ice :)

Watching intently for most of the show

Gigi and Grandaddy took us to Disney On Ice this afternoon. Needless to say, she loved Mickey and Minnie. However, she did fall in love with a needlessly marked up Tinkerbell wand, so maybe we will have a new favorite coming up. Thanks for the fun afternoon Mom and Joe!

Happy 6th Anniversary!

We had a yummy dinner to celebrate our anniversary. And guess what? We didn't have a high chair or a hungry toddler at the table!!! She ate at Gadwalls with my dad and step mom and had a great time too! Thanks for a great night out guys!

Trip to NW AR

We had a wonderful weekend at Mimi's! Thank you for everything!
We love you!!!

Saturday night we went to a Naturals baseball game with the Boyds and several of their friends. Brent said "Boy, when you and Keri are together you guys talk a lot" :).

Sweet friends. Funny story- Caroline got 2 fish Saturday morning and when Keri asked her what she wanted to name them, she said "Baby Sydney" and "Her Mommy". I am hoping it sticks- not that I am biased or anything!!!

Easter Sunday

OK, so next year I will have the family dress up the week before Easter and try and get a decent picture then. Easter morning was a little crazy to try and get a cute picture!

Love Affair with Dogwoods

"Our" Dogwood Tree- Easter Weekend 2009

I have always had a slight love affair with Dogwoods. I remember in the 6th grade, one of my independent study projects was a book with pressed flowers in it. My mom and I drove around town looking for the perfect Dogwood in bloom to pick just one flower from for my book. Then 4 years ago this month, Brent and I were house shopping and we stumbled into a small cul-de-sac with a beautiful white Dogwood in full bloom in the center of the circle and directly behind it was a house for sale. I think that was one of the major reasons I fell in love with our current home! Now every year, "our" beautiful white Dogwood celebrates Easter weekend in full bloom with us. How could I have just this year learned of the legend of the Dogwood tree??!?!?!?

The Dogwood tree is also the subject of an old Christian legend. According to the old stories, the Dogwood tree used to grow large and tall. It was compared in size and shape to an oak tree. At the time of the Crucifixion, it was said that wood from the Dogwood tree was selected to fashion the cross. This distressed and saddened the Dogwood tree so much that Jesus took pity on the tree, and promised that Dogwood trees will never again grow large enough to use the wood for a cross. It will be twisted and bent. The four petals of the flowers will form the shape of a cross, with two long petals and two short ones. In the center of each petal edge, a rusty nail mark will be cut, the bracts in the center will resemble a crown of thorns, with blood-red berries the result.

May any beautiful Dogwood Tree that crosses your path this Easter remind you of the beautiful grace bought on a cross by our Savior Jesus.

Dinner time sillyness

"Easter Paw-de"

One of our neighborhood churches has amazing festivals for the community and this morning their "Eggstravaganza" was no exception. Sydney was dancing around the house chanting "Easter Paw-de" as we got ready. Great free food and fun for families to celebrate Christ- now that is a ministry! Ms. Kaylee, Sydney's favorite babysitter, came with us.

Since there is an 80% chance of rain tomorrow, after nap we had an outside egg hunt. Since the birthday party/school Easter egg hunt, she is quite the pro. But there had better be a treat involved!

Happy Easter 2009!

That sneaky Easter bunny already hopped by the house and put a few treats out for the Princess. Looking forward to plenty of summer fun on the back deck with the water table and toys!

Easter Eggs with Erin

So, if you know Erin, you know she doesn't do anything just OK. If she is organizing anything, she will do it perfectly and all out. Easter Eggs on Sunday afternoon was no exception. We walked in and she had Sydney a whole Easter present with a few of our favorite things (bubbles, sidewalk chalk, play dough, and stickers). And 3 different kinds of egg dye and 18 eggs of our very own for the occasion!! It was so thoughtful and fun, and anyone who knows Erin also knows that her house is spotless and not exactly 2 year old proof. Things went really well for about 14 eggs. You can see the progression for yourself...

Whoops! Sydney started the spill and then I didn't help the situation trying to grab the paper towels. Oh well! The eggs turned out exactly how Sydney wanted- beautiful! Thank you Erin!!!

Jackson and Sydney- 24 months

The Birthday Twins spend Saturday morning at the zoo and Chick Fil A. Jackson showed Sydney how to do the slide all by herself. He climbed up and she followed, but then after he slide down we waited and waited for her to let go and come down. I hope I always remember her face as she slide down the first time- PRIDE all over it!!!!! I sincerely love Chick Fil A- they are a company that promotes morals, has amazing food, and caters so well to children with their sticky placemats, indoor playgrounds and balloons. OK, so there is my free promotion (as if they even need it!)

It's a Barbie Jeep thing... you wouldn't understand :)

Dear Santa,
Please notice how happy I am in Emma and Elli's Barbie Jeep (hint hint hint).
Love, Sydney


PS Thank you Eatons and Nagels for sharing how much fun peeling out of a cul de sac in an almost all terrain vehicle is!!!

Reese,
Thank you for including me in your super fun birthday party at the gym! I had so much fun my mom didn't get any good pictures because she was my full time spotter/catcher. Happy Birthday!

Maybe it has been the time change, more sun in a day, warm weather, spring fever- something. I have not been in the mood to see the world from behind my camera lens. We are loving the warm afternoons!! Hope you are too and Happy April!!! It is my finally my favorite time of the year- spring/summer/Razorback football/fall/holiday extravaganza stretch of months (also know as April through December)!!! Yay!!!!!