Alena talks

If you're not related to us in some way, then you can just skip this post because it's a video of a very dirty baby talking as a ten month old does - as a baby. For us however, hearing baby #3 talk is just as sweet as it was with baby #1. Oh, and try to ignore all the background noise including me trying to get Alena to talk, Nae cheering in the background, and Mya showing that she can say "Da-da and Ma-ma" too. We love our little "Alena Bena."

Soccer

Today was Gabe's very first soccer game, and boy did it go much better than Nae or I either one had anticipated. Let me give a little background: last March/April we went to see one of Gabe's good friends play soccer, and Gabe thought it was just wonderful. He repeatedly asked us when he could play and we told him when he was four we would sign him up. Well, when the time for spring sign - up comes he again says that he wants to play. We stress that if we pay for him to play then he is going to finish out the season, etc he assures us that he wants to play. So, the first practice rolls around, Nae is the assistant coach so he and Gabe head to practice and what does Gabe do - screams and cries the entire time; would not even go out onto the field until everyone had already left. As you might imagine, this did not go over well; however, after much talking, praying, and memorizing of Phillipians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." subsequent practices have gone much better. His first two games were canceled due to snow and rain which brings us to today. Gabe went to bed crying last night because he didn't want to play soccer today. We again prayed with him and this morning he seemed in better spirits but was still very hesitant once we arrived at the field. (And I might add it was cold today - not good for the spectators!) They first had to suffer through team pictures and getting ten 3 and 4 year olds to do anything is very difficult - getting them to sit still for a picture - impossible! After that torture, the game begins and Gabe, although very hesitant at first really started to do well after a few minutes. I'm not sure what he thought it was going to be like, but by the end he had scored 2 goals and said, "I didn't think I was going to like soccer, but actually , I love it!" We were very proud of him for giving it a shot even when he was afraid.

Hopefully, the rest of the season will go well but as we all know with kids you just never know what might happen next.

Sleeping and such...

Have you ever been so tired that you just lean over and fall asleep. I've found Alena napping in this position on more than one occasion but finally got a picture of it today. I'm not really sure why she does this but it must not be too uncomfortable since I had to wake her up at five this afternoon.

A couple shots of all three - looking at the camera. Thanks Noi for the shirts!

Easter Fun

We 've enjoyed another chilly Easter this year . Here's a few pictures from our celebrating.

This is going to look really nice with your dress, tomorrow, Mya. She thought it was more fun to dye herself than the eggs. Enjoying treats from our little egg hunt at home.

Gabe with all his eggs.

Easter morning

I love this picture - she's looking like such a big girl for her first Easter.

Mya's to that age when you ask her to smile that she tries so hard and it looks very unnatural. She was most excited about her little purse.
Look how big Gabe's getting too. He insisted upon wearing his shorts this morning despite the fact that it was forty degrees. He told me that he always gets hot in church anyway.
As hard as I tried, this was the only group shot that looked halfway decent - Mya looking at who knows what, Alena being choked, and Gabe showing off an Easter egg. It just wasn't worth trying anymore.

More pics from VA

We're back home now, and our floors look GREAT! Nae and friends did a great job and I 'm sure they got it done much quicker than if we had all been here. Here's a few more pictures from our time in VA.

Gabe has been wanting to earn money lately. He wants to buy a "big" marionette puppet so, Grandmama gave him some money for helping her plant some flowers. - he worked pretty hard. A happy gardener.

Chrisa and Mya with their hoods up because it was so windy. Mya has always disliked the wind and I guess having her hood up keeps it from blowing in her ears.

Me and Emma

One afternoon, Mom and I took the kids to a little museum. They had this neat wigwam set up you could go into, but Mya was very hesitant to do so - she didn't like all the animal skins.She did however like the dolls they had dressed in period costumes and called out, "Cinderella, a princess" every time she saw one.

This was actually at our house one day last week but it was Alena's first time on the swing and she loved it. Look at that happy face.

Enjoying Virginia

While Nae is at home in TN ripping up carpet and laying down hardwood floors in our house, the kids and I are here in VA visiting my family. It was fairly warm today so we went to the park for some playing and a picnic

Grandaddy, Grandmama, and AlenaGabe and Mya - they really do love each other!

It worked out well to come this weeks since Chrisa is home for her spring break. Here her and Mya pose.

Gabe and I

Grandaddy and Mya

Me, Grandmama and Alena

Chrisa's roommate, Megan, also was here (she left this afternoon) and here she is with Chrisa and Alena.

I should also mention that Emma had to work today and she did meet us for lunch but I have no pictures of that part :(

Why I love our van

We had to make a quick run to Target today and when the kids went outside and realized that Nae had driven his truck to work (if you saw this truck then you would understand why this doesn't happen very often) they wanted to ride in "Daddy's car." We have somehow managed to accumulate extra car seats which other's children have outgrown and it is very nice to have these in the car for errands when just one or two children are coming along. I did manage, however to get all three kids in car seats and buckled up but it was a very tight squeeze to say the least. Here's how they looked:
And, where they ever noisy. I was very glad it was a short trip, and I realize how quickly we have become spoiled by all the room and amenities our van has to offer.

More snow

Well, what was supposed to be a very busy Saturday, has now become a lazy, relaxed day thanks to a little more snow. While we certainly didn't get the promised 2 - 4 inches it was enough for everyone to get bundled up for some snow playing. I was especially glad that the snow came on a day when Nae was home so he went out with them. I had to stay inside with Alena, you know.

Alena did get to wear her very poofy coat for a quick picture then she came back inside. She can't stand to have a hat on her head. Alena, says she could see a lot better with out all this hair in her eyes.

Mya actually stayed out about 30 minutes which was a lot longer than I thought she would since she wouldn't even go out last time.

After Mya came in, Gabe and Nae built three snowmen - Mya, Alena and Gabe. By the time Gabe came in, his feet were frozen even though the rest of him seemed pretty warm. I guess that's what happens when you wear your rain boots out to play in the snow.

Random things...

After all the pictures I posted a couple weeks ago, we've had a kind of lull thus the lack of posts. It's not like things haven't been going on, though. My sister, Carrie had her baby last Sunday and we can't wait to meet baby Will. To see pictures, you can go to Carrie's Blog. Then, this past weekend, we all journeyed down to Athens, GA to see Chrisa perform her final piano concert. It was a very rushed trip, but it was a lot of fun for the kids to finally get to see "Georgia" and Chrisa did a wonderful job. We did take our camera, but did not take a single picture. To see some you can go to Emma's blog.

Back here on the home front, we've just been doing the usual. Alena's been under the weather again with another ear infection, but thankfully the worst is over with that and we're hoping for a nice calm week. This morning, as soon as Gabe and Mya got up they wanted to go out and blow the bubbles they received in their "treat bags" at a birthday party last night. Mya still had her pjs on, but I'm glad they went out then because it's rained the rest of the day.
I must comment that Alena does have toys, but she prefers to play with empty food packaging that's been set by the door to go out to recycling.

We're up to the letter L today. Here are my two ferocious lions