Making fun as much as we can.

We try to celebrate a lot because hey, everybody loves a party and it's fun to make really ordinary things special.  It's fun to create fun so we do that as much as we can and I'd love to do it way more than I do.  We do that through special meals (even with just a table cloth), fun music playing, picnics on the floor in our living room, breakfast in bed, etc.  Here's a glimpse at our girls always having fun no matter what's going on.  In this case, it's some college kids cooking chili in our house and our family Valentine's Day celebration.

That's a bunch of trouble and fun right there.

Being a big help to the Owen Young Life team.

Lily got bored of the cooking.

We try to use fancy glasses as much as possible- they make everything taste better.

Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like some champagne glasses, festive candles and hot dogs on heart plates.  The grown-up Valentine's meal came later after the kids went to bed.  We didn't eat hot dogs.  I have standards.

The Leprechauns played tricks on us on St. Patrick's Day so there will be pictures of those shenanigans coming soon. 

 Well, the day finally came where Lily's hair was a little too wild for even her to contain.  So we went from this........

 to this......

Please, appreciate this classic Lily face.

and this one.

 And a little of this.....

 All the way to get to this.....

Her wild hair may be gone, but I'm sure she'll find ways to make up for it.

Lily's party.

Every child dreams of a birthday party here while every parent grimaces and tried to block their child's eyes from this place of bliss as you hurriedly drag them past the happy storefront in the mall.  It was inevitable with a winter birthday that we soon would be privy to having a party here and Lily's dream came true.  Lily and 6 of her little friends got to pick out (the hardest part) and stuff their new little friends.  It was a fun party for a fun little girl.

Snapshots from Lily's big 3rd birthday!

 I told you I was catching up.  Lily's birthday was early January so I'm obviously a little behind!  Here are snapshots from her day: her birthday poster when she woke up, lunch at Chuck E. Cheese with Ron and then presents and birthday cake.  Will post pics from her party soon!

A family tradition with our girls.  You wake up every birthday to your birthday poster.

Birthday lunch with Ron!

 

We are so thankful for our Lily!

Brett's Ride 2011

This is from a bike ride, Brett's Ride, which supports pediatric cancer research.  It was sometime last Fall in Hikory, NC.  We got to stay with some dear friends, the Abel's and ride with our other great friends, the Darnell's.  Anne and Corey, my soon-to-be brother-in-law, also came!  It was a 32-mile ride, the longest I've done, and I was BEAT.  But it was a really fun weekend and experience.

The Darnell's, who took turns riding with the slow-poke (that's me!)

Picture is all funny but it really captures fun with old friends.  They're so big now!

Love these girls

Sweet baby in Piper's old sweater.

Ready for their own ride.

Into mischief.

Aunt Anne!

Go, Team Darnell.

Please, notice Team Tandem bike in the background.  They finished with me.  Great.

Our trip North.

 These are pictures from our trip to New Hampshire last October.  We had an awesome time exploring the town where I was born, visiting with a lot of old friends of my parents, exploring Boston, and most importantly, spending time with Great Grandpa and Grandma!  I love going up there and showing the girls where their grandparents met and where mommy was born and further exposing Phil to Northerners. (:

Picking McIntosh apples.  The smell still takes me back to being a little kid and seeing a box on our front step and knowing (by the smell) that it was a box of apples from Grandpa.

Teamwork

The covered bridge always meant we were close to Grandpa & Grandma's.

 

       

Hiking (and showing off their muscles)

Next to the swimming hole under the covered bridge.

 

 

Feeding the ducks.

With Grandpa Cushing.

In Grandpa's chair, the prized seat in the house.

A carriage ride in Boston

Fun in our hotel room.