Happy Father's Day!

Andy had a great Father's Day this year. His best friends from TCU have been staying with us, and the guys went to see A-Team on Sunday night.
Here are some pictures from the morning when Audrey gave Daddy his present, another knife.... that looks an awful lot like one he already has, but what do I know :)

BIg Girl Bed

We have been blessed with a child who does not climb out of her crib, so we were not in a rush to switch her to a big girl bed. However, she'll be three next month, so it's time.
This was her reaction when she saw her new big girl bed.

She really likes it! I wanted to keep with the same color scheme of pinks, lime green and red mainly so I wouldn't have to buy new curtains. Her red curtains are black out curtains... and not cheap. Do you know how hard it is to find cute bedding with these colors that does not cost $200? Well, we did it... with a little help from "Aunt" Cindy.

Sorry for the wonky angle. Andy was trying to avoid the crib which was still in her room. We have some adjusting to do. We just put it together quickly last night, so she could sleep in it.

Not that easy getting into, but she can do it.

"Just my size." Well, times 2. We only got a double bed because we found the headboard first for only $50. The plan is for it to hold us over until Andy can make a headboard to match her dresser, so we were thrilled to find something inexpensive.

Ready for bed. She did not want the pillow or the blanket, but she'll get used to it.

The night was a success!!! She did not wake up, fall off or get out of bed. This morning, she woke us up with her typical call: "Mommy! Mommy?"I went to get her and she stood up in bed and shouted, I slept in my big girl bed!" She was so proud, and we are, too. Right now, she's taking her first nap in her bed. It has been successful, too.

What a great year

Back in September, we sent this baby girl off to preschool:

And we got this beauty in return:

Today Audrey and her classmates sang, "If You're Happy and You Know It" during the end of the year ceremony. I'd post the video of it, but somehow she ended up behind the line of everyone else and could not be seen on the video. But she sang!!

After the chapel service, we went back to her classroom where her teachers gave her a certificate.

Mrs. Bedford and Mrs. Oxendine

House Painter

While I was putting on my make-up, this was happening in Audrey's room:

Did you see the empty white rack in the closet? That's where all the colored bins are SUPPOSED to be. Here's the story: Audrey comes into my bathroom and wants to "paint" with my make-up brushes. Not a good idea because make-up will get on the walls. So I say, "Go look in your room for something to paint with." She comes back and says she needs "paint cup." I say, "Go look in your room for something to put paint in." My clever little painter found LOTS of containers to put paint in!!! After dipping her light stick/paintbrush in a few colors, she would then "paint" her closet door. And the camo hat made a perfect painter's hat, too!! I just adore this little girl and her amazing mind. 

Easter Morning

*** This is my 5th post today, so scroll down to "Meet BearTeam" for the first of today's posts.***

Audrey woke up to find a trail of eggs leading to her basket.

Yes, you saw 2 chocolate bunnies. Actually, there's another one in the living room. Daddy for some reason thought I might not have gotten Audrey a chocolate bunny, so he bought one for her and for me. Silly man, I'm the Momma..... I won't forget to fill the basket.

We squeezed in a little more chocolate with storytime just before nap. Two books later, her hands melted a hole through the bunny.

We went out to lunch after church and tonight we're grilling hot dogs. Since we can't be with our family and the Wynnes are out of town, we decided to forgo all tradition so I wouldn't be sad. But then the preacher mentioned deviled eggs...... boo hoo. We hope you all had a wonderful Easter filled with renewed hope because the Savior is more powerful than the death our sin required.

Coloring Eggs

I told Audrey it was time to color eggs, so she got out her crayons. I giggled and said, "Baby, we're not gonna color them with crayons." And she said, "Markers?"

Pre-Easter Photo Shoot

I confess: Audrey's wearing last year's Easter dress.... for several reasons. First, I am VERY picky when it comes to Easter and Christmas dresses. Can't explain it, but most of the ones in stores just won't do. I start my search as soon as the first seasonal dresses hit the stores. This year's search was not good because nothing could top last year's dress. That got me thinking.... we were rushing to church last year and did not get any great pictures of Audrey in this fantastic dress. (By the way, Andy came home from deployment exactly a year ago today... YAY!) And she will not see anybody this year that saw her last year since we are in a new state, so why not wear it again? But this time, I want great pictures. So we did a photo shoot yesterday in our neighborhood.... and oh, we are sooooo happy. You'll see why.

Here she's calling the horses to come over. The were nowhere to be seen, but still.... "Horsey!!"

blowing kisses

Just for fun!

Kings Dominion

On Friday (April 2), Audrey and I went to Kings Dominion with the Wynnes. Daddy couldn't get off work (long story). We had an idea that Audrey liked rides because she liked the few she rode at Disney. But now we know that the girl LOVES rides. She wants to do them over and over and actually cried once when she couldn't. Again, I had to post the pix small, so click on them to see larger.

This was no sissy coaster. It had lots of dips (notice her sweet head flung back). This might have been Audrey's favorite. She's riding with Sadie, the oldest Wynne daughter.

She rode it two more times before leaving the park. The girl in the red taught her to raise her hands on the roller coaster. So cute, I cried. Audrey dropped her hands to the bar after the first dip though.

Audrey really wanted a hat, and kind of needed one, too. She was thrilled I found this "cowgirl" hat. That's "Uncle" Lee.

This is on top of the park's Eiffel Tower replica. Audrey walked straight up to the grated walls and looked down. No fear whatsoever. Meanwhile, my legs are tingling thinking that grate could give way any minute, and she could shrink inexplicably and slip through those bars.

This is KD's version of Disney's Grand Prix cars. Audrey would not stop squealing on this ride. She loves to "drive" Daddy's truck.... and this car actually moved. BONUS.

You'll see that this car is on a loose track, so you have some leeway to swerve left and right. Imagine a two-year-old behind the wheel...... lots of swerving and squealing at every bump.

My family went to Kings Dominion when I was around 10. I don't remember much about it except for two rides. I remember riding this ride with my Mom. They were brightly painted parrots back then, and I remember them soaring much much higher and farther over the "lake." The lake turned out to be a small pond with a fountain. Now I've gotta dig up that picture of me and my mom on this ride :)

I also remember this wooden roller coaster. It's still a great roller coaster with lots of dips, but I remember it being higher and the dips deeper.

Our little thrill seeker.

Fun day!! We can't wait to go back!