full weekend...

as usual we managed to jam pack this weekend with music, play, worship, family fun & good eating....fun times!...my mom & sister came up to join me at my church's women's retreat....we had the amazing babbie mason leading us friday night & saturday morning...

we laughed, we cried, we sang, we danced, we worshipped the Lord....what a renewing, wonderful time!

brett was a PHENOMENAL daddy through this whole time....friday night he took all three kids (my niece isabella was here for the fun too!) to chuck.e.cheese...madness, shear madness he said....i can't even imagine...and then saturday morning he was back on duty with lunch and the park...i was so, so thankful for him...i am quite blessed :)

saturday concluded with softball tryouts for audrey & shopping for the rest of us....and then today we decided to get some practice time in now that softball season is getting closer...

grant is not going to miss out on anything....we picked him up a bat too so he could get in on the action...and after watching him today we realize he is ready for some t-ball!

audrey is all decked out with her new bag, batting gloves & practice clothes....her cleats, helmet & new bat are on order....we are getting smart though finally...no more pink....gender neutral on most stuff so brother can use it too!!

we were so proud of grant....he has great hand eye coordination!!....now we just have to teach him the rules of the game...you know like, we do not tackle the runner ~ we tag them...we must run to 1st base first, not second or third....we must drop the bat and not carry it while running the bases...

all packed up and ready for practice time!!....she has a pretty awesome coach again this year ~ her daddy!!

brett decided that since audrey could play down in 6U softball again he would coach one more year...i guess that also means one more year of team mom for me :)

this pic below is precious....looks like a big time ball player calling her hit!

and by this point grant is done....he's been a good sport but now he wants his gator!!

now that's a happy boy!!

i am so grateful to have a four day weekend....i am even more grateful for my new position at work but whew, i was one tired girl!!

hat parade...

today was audrey's 101st day of school....to celebrate the first grade put on a hat parade for the school....there was only one requirement when making your hat ~ it had to include 101 items...well we did it!!....101 flowers & butterflies...too cute :)

the actual hat is a felt bumblebee that i found at michael's on clearance for fifty cents!....the flowers were from the good ol' dollar store....and i thought her shirt was a perfect way to complete the ensemble...

though i must admit that she looks like she has a flower afro!!

by the end of the parade she was a bit lopsided....i guess 101 flowers and such get heavy!

class photo time....a few fun shots before they get set...

here they all are with their PRECIOUS hats!!

of course we have to get a view from the back too!

cold play...

...at the park yesterday!

we loaded up the bikes, scooters & such and made our way over to the park...though a few detours shopping searching for scrubs had the kids quite ready to be there...and when we did it was still quite cold...but they could care less!

they even rode their bikes/scooters into the park...nothing like getting a jump start!

grant has been a natural on his bike since christmas....i don't see those training wheels staying on long...

audrey is doing so much better riding her bike...proud, proud!!

after a few laps around the park it was time to play before the sun went down....but not before mom snapped a pic or two or three or...well who am i kidding?!?!...i snapped pics the whole time :)

there are two things to point out in these pics...

1. a LARGE amount of static electricity was around us!

2. grant's brand new, way too short for his momma's liking, haircut!

....yes, i am still dealing with this one.

we ended the day with fries and wings from exotic wings & things and a blazer basketball game....somehow i don't think that dinner was part of my special k plan but oh well...it sure was good!!

more winter fun....

....and this time it was SNOW!!

we went over to georgia last weekend to visit with family & friends and they still had several inches of snow on the ground....the kids were so excited to get to play in it!

...the kids got to build their most sought after snowman...or should i say snowpeople :)

this is hard work....

my snow beauty...

mimi and her grands...

audrey was finally able to make her snowangel...she actually ended up making about three that day!

grant was obsessed with the shovel....he loved shoveling the snow more than anything else!

grant got in on the snowangel action too...he wasn't nearly as impressed as audrey....such a boy!

my amazing snow babies...

putting the final touches on her snowgirl...

sorry for the obnoxious amount of pics but i was having way too much fun testing out my new lenses...and honestly, could my subjects get any cuter?!?!?

and below is part of the reason why my mother in law was stuck in her house for a week....a solid, thick sheet of ice in front of her garage!...that stuff was slick, brett and i slid several times...

also, let me add an apology for not posting more this week but i had a really good reason...

i was WORN OUT from working all week, yes i said all week, in my new role...i am now a clinical coordinator in the women's operating room...whoohoo!!...

so, yes i will still be blogging...but will it be a bit decreased??...maybe...i am hoping the quality of pics are a bit better though...now that i have my zoom lens & a neat 50mm lens...fun, fun!