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.

 

A day at the fair....

Going into see the baby animals...

I have been very bad at updating the blog lately so I'm playing catch up over the next few weeks.
These are some pictures from the Mountain State Fair that comes to Asheville every September.  It is THE event of the year for our girls and EVERY year, we don't tell them where we are going and just end up at the fair.  And EVERY year, they are surprised!

So enjoy these pictures as much as they loved this day!

I may have actually kissed it.

They're filling up that tire more every year!

Already 3???

Lily.  Lil.  Lily Bean.  Lily Bear.  Teeny Tiny.  Sister.  Noonie.....

No matter what you call her- this little birthday girl will answer.  She's small but mighty and boy, have these 3 years been a blast!  We are so excited to what the Lord has in store for our Lily.

So what is it about her?

Maybe it's this face:

Or these ears....

Or how tough she is.

Or how full of life she is.

Or how creative she is.

Or how sweet she can be.

Or how mischievous she is.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WILD THING! WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED OR PROUD TO HAVE YOU IN OUR FAMILY.  WE LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK....