March 2016 Eden's 6th Birthday

Eden turned 6 or March 18, 2016. We celebrated on the 12th a week early because that was when Derek had the day off. She wanted an "ocean" birthday and her new favorite color is BLUE.

We have a tradition that the kids get to help decorate and design their birthday cake. Eden chose a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting and wanted her name and the ocean theme with a mermaid and sea horse picture on it. I think we delivered pretty good. The kids had fun putting brown sugar sand on the board and cutting out her letters from fondant. They made the sea creatures. Sea shell, and sting rays, and sand dollars, and star fish. 

Eden at 6:

Her favorite color is blue, golden, and pink and purple, but she loves all colors.

She is reading like a champ and reads level 1 or 2 readers like Pinkalicious. She LOVES animals. She wants a cat desperately, but Mom is allergic so she can't. She is Elara's best friend. She is the best of friends and knows everyone in her classes name and who their friends are and is a friend to everyone. Walking to the car from school the kids in her class always wave and shout at her. Especially the boys. She can't decide who she wants to marry yet, because that's a "big decision" Mom. She loves to roller skate. She loves playing on the trampoline. She loves her gymnastics class (except the bar because it hurts her stomach...). Eden wants to be a Mom and a ballet teacher when she grows up.

Eden is a joy to be around and is a friend to all. She is a social butterfly once you get to know her. She still gets nervous in front of an audience though. 

She is the prettiest blue eyed, brown hair girl you will ever meet. 

We love you to the moon and back Eden. We are proud of you and all of your accomplishments.

 Eden was spoiled and got a wiggle car and lip gloss for her presents.

 Elara made Eden a picture for her birthday. These girls are so sweet to each other.

 And Connor is a lucky boy and got some cake.

February 2016

Connor is 9 months old.

Connor has teeth!

He is the sweetest little boy. He officially started sitting up on his own the end of January about a week before he turned 9 months, and right in time for his 9 month well baby check up. The little boy isn't too keen on crawling quite yet, but he is making HUGE strides in his movement this month. He is eating solid foods and gets one bottle before bed to fill his tummy up. He still has really bad reflux that flairs up once he outgrows his medication. Connor weighed XX for his check up.

Connor has the sweetest disposition. He is such a happy baby and loves observing everything around him. We are so grateful he is a part of our family. He makes us all smile a little more and try to be a little better.

Kael lost another tooth. He really loves having us pull them out with dental floss. He lost his first top tooth. It really wasn't quite ready yet, but he was so excited and was tired of a wiggly tooth and so Derek yanked on that tooth 3 times and it finally came out. He was so brave but SO happy and excited when it was finally out.

We went to Corpus Christi the first weekend in February. It was such a fun and relaxing break. We stayed at a hotel and went to the beach the first day, swam in the indoor pool at the hotel, and the next day we went to The Texas State Aquarium. It was SO MUCH FUN! The kids love sleeping at a hotel and swimming in a pool. If that was the entire trip they would be so happy. Connor loved watching everyone at the beach from his neat tent, and the big kids loved finding treasures on the beach and playing in the water.

 Mine and Connor's view from the tent. Sand castles and family playing.

 My favorite boys!

 Our van need a LOT of repairs that were several thousand to fix. So, we traded it in and got a more reliable van. We call our old toyota sienna "Sienna", she was a great van. Now we have a "new" Toyota Sienna and we call "HIM" "YODA". We LOVE YODA.

 The girls had a great time digging in the sand this time.

All ready for the swimming pool at the hotel.

 The hotel room with all the kids tucked in.

Day 2 Texas State Aquarium

Derek was a good sport and voluneered during the bird show. A bird flew right up to his head. It was great. They wanted him to take a picture of the bird and it would come to his head every time. It was a big guy.

 February is fun for baking new things. I really got into this year. The kids helped me make chocolate covered strawberries and blackberries. I made my own homemade goldfish crackers with almond flour. They turned out pretty cute. And then I threw a baby shower for our sweet friend Jen Bell who is having twin boys. I totally got my craft on. 

Derek turned 32 on February 14th. He got me flowers for Valentines Day and I made him the BEST Texas Sheet Cake.

 On one of Derek's days off we took the kids to the Zoo. We love feeding the birds and the big fish. We went to the petting zoo for the first time and loved petting the goats.

Our friends the Woodruff's came to church with us one day and we got a picture with them and some church friends.

February was a very busy and fun month. It started with the van dying and getting a new van and Derek worked nights, Kael was finishing basketball, Eden was in gymnastics, Kael was doing karate, I had New Beginnings for Young Womens and learned to make amazing cupcakes, but it was a really great month. We can make life work and enjoyable even with a busy residency lifestyle.

January 2016

 Derek and I went on a double date with Casey and Cameron Nick. We saw Brian Regan at the Pantagus Theater. 

 Eden the artist using her chalk paint from Christmas.

Connor got his first tooth at only 8 1/2 months. So he got to try pancakes and loved them.

 Connor learned to sit up at 8 months.

 The kids bring home the neatest art projects from school. This one was Eden's.

 Brotherly love.

 Kael got to do his first ever pinewood derby. He named his car the red destroyer. It is the one on the far right.

 The end of January we were visited by Jerry and Cynthia Allison. I met them in the Philippines and it was so great seeing such wonderful friends and how amazing their daughters are. They live in Dallas which is only 4 hours driving and I'm glad they live so close!

10 years on April 15th

10 Years of happiness with this fellow. 

It is true that you can love someone more each year together. 

They haven't been easy, but they have been worth it!

Love you so much Derek David Bradley!