Gotta love spaghetti for dinner...

2 sisters + shaving cream =

The new bird

The other morning I heard a loud chirping in the tree out back. The girls and I...and Tookie we out there to try and talk the little cockatiel out of the tree, but it flew off. A half hour later we heard it again, this time in the front above Will's truck. I was able to climb up and reach it. The very tame bird hopped onto my finger and let me put it in an extra cage we had. It's been a couple days now and I keep forgetting to post a 'found bird' sign, and the girls are getting more and more attached to this bird. Caylin has already named it 'Lickus'. I really don't know where she comes up with these names. Anyway, it just may become a part of the family??

We love summer concerts in the park...

Wish we can make it to more. We always have a great time when we end our weekend/start our week by meeting our friends for a concert in the park. There's lots of dancing, fun music, eating, and relaxing!

Anika enjoying her first sucker!

This past weekend, we missed Aiana while she was camping up North with my mom. They have been doing an annual all girl camp out for the past 8 years with my aunt, and two cousins.

Little princesses

Anika's first time asking to dress up with sister...

Anika, 21 months and changing!

First of all, Anika has been without a pacifier for two days now! The other day I was talking with a friend of mine about her "ba ba" addiction and how I just don't know how I'm going to wean her off of it, but that I was going to get a plan in place when she turned two. That was that, I wasn't even going to worry about it for a couple months. Then while I was putting her to bed that night, I realized that she didn't have it with her and hadn't asked for it. She was more interested in taking 2 new buddies to bed with her. She slept great! She also didn't ask for her ba ba all the next day. At nap time she again was more interested in her 2 more buddies she was taking to bed. She now has about 6 stuffed animals in her bed but has not even cried once or asked for her ba ba! I keep thinking the time is coming when she is going to ask, but I've gone ahead and hid them all...and after this I'm going to go ahead and toss them. I'm so happy about this smooth transition! I was definitely imagining the worst. I'm also happy about no more pictures with a ba ba in her mouth!!

The other change is Anika's hair! She is becoming such a blondie! A lot of people think she is looking more like Caylin. She also makes the funniest faces.

Lemonade Stand

Ever since Aiana was about 5, she has loved to sell homemade goods...whether it be art, tomatoes, baked goods, popcorn, or lemonade. I remember a time when she was about 6, she got all dressed up and told me she needed me to take some pictures of her to put in the frames she made.

One of her favorites was always and still is setting up a lemonade stand. I'll never forget how excited she was the first time she set up a stand. She was so proud of her little pitcher of lemonade, table, cups, and sign. She had filled the pitcher so high that when she went to pour me a glass the top fell off and the lemonade spilled everywhere. But that didn't stop her! She was on a mission. She's a very determined girl! I love that about her!

Rooted in God's love

(Anika worshiping during the service)

This weekend we had Anika dedicated. Our friend Linda prayed over us during the service and gave us this beautiful verse:

Ephesians 3:14-20

Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth 14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

During this prayer I was filled with visions of the road Will and I have been on up to this point. It was very special to have Linda praying over us, as I remember she and Ed praying over us when we got engaged, and when Will and I exchanged wedding vows, and when Will and I had our big wedding a year later, then in the hospital when Caylin was born, then when Anika was born, and many more prayers in between, and may more to come. The road has been up and down and all around, but there is so much power and strength in this verse. It is God's love that has given us the strength to get to where we are and that will continue to strengthen us for all that is ahead.