We had a VERY special visitor today! My Uncle Steve was in Sarasota, FL visiting his mother n' law with my Aunt Katherine and he took today away and drove over 3 hours each way to come visit us!!! It meant so much to me!! We had such a wonderful time with him. The girls LOVE him and they were so excited to hear he was on his way :) Bentley was excited to meet him for the first time :) I have the best memories of my Uncle Steve from growing up. My sisters and I have always had a special bond with him...he is my moms only brother and we are his only neices. We were just always very close. He was always so much fun and so silly and loving. He still is and I am so thankful my kids get a chance to know him and love him the way I always have. We went to lunch and then we went to this really cool wildlife preserve...we even got a presentation where we got to pet an alligator, a skunk, a toad, and a snake...Mal LOVED it and Whit really was not pleased at all..but I did get her to pet the skunk :) What a wonderful afternoon. LOVE YOU UNCLE STEVE!

Look who is already 3 months old! I want to say I can't even believe he is already three months old but I really can't even remember what it was like without him. He is the perfect addition to our family and I love him more than words could ever say. Bentley was 14 lbs and 25 inches the last time we checked which was about a week after he turned 2 months...he will go again for a 4 month check up in late February. I am always excited to hear how he has grown :) He started rolling from his tummy to his back and his cooing noises are just the best and his giggle is truly heaven sent. Thank you Lord Jesus for this precious son you have trusted to our care. We adore him. We adore you.

Hello little lizard in our house....yes that is the doors out to the patio from INSIDE our bedroom...Whit and I did not think this was very cool...Mal on the other hand thought this was AWESOME and got Scott to catch it for her...

Here she is VERY excited...she enjoyed keeping him around for a bit and then decided it was time to send him back to his home outside...

She named it Lainie (like her american girl doll) gave it a few pets and watched it speed away...she has left the "home" ie gladware container with holes punched in it...outside with food inside so "Lainie" can return and get something to eat whenever she feels the need. Oh how I love my precious Mallory...heart of gold.

So while my mom was here (my dad had to leave 2 days before her) we went with my MOPS group to the Lion Country Safari...basically its a drive thru zoo where you see the animals up close and then it ends in a little mini amusment park. It was acutally pretty cool...the lions made me a little uneasy...especially when mom is in the back looking up some facts on the place and she is reading something like "this is the only one left...there used to be several..." and one of the comments on a page was "I remember when that one dude got eaten in 78" ahhhh!

Anyway...we had a good time and some good laughs

My favorite was mom and the girls feeding the giraffes...

Look at that tongue...and moms face is HILAROUS!!!

Bentley thought it was funny too...

Such a fun time...so thankful we were all together and had mimi with us too...she is the best! We are so truly blessed! LOVE YOU MAMA!!!!!!xoxoxoxo

 I apologize for slacking on entries the last 2 weeks...we had some very important visitors with us for a few days...

Thats right!! Mimi and Papi were here :) WE HAD A FANTASTIC TIME!

We spent a day at the beach soaking up the sunshine and fresh air and eating...

Ice Cream!!!!!!!!!!!

and just had a fabulous time!!!!!!!!!

This pic cracks me up...loving Mal's face...Whits dress covering Papi and Bentley completly hidden in his seat! Ha! :) Mom looks fab though! :)

We had a great time and Mimi and Papi couldn't get enough play time with the girls and cuddle time with this guy...

Love you so much mom and dad!!!!

After writing about the happenings of Whitney and Bentley yesterday I really just have it on my heart and mind to talk about my sweet Mallory. These aren't new pictures just some of my favorites from the last few months. Oh thank you Jesus I love this little girl! She is such a sweetheart and I am just so thankful for this wonderful time in our lives right now without lots of extra activities I am really getting to spend quality quiet time with each of our chidren and just really get to know their little hearts and personalities. Mallory is such a lover...she is silly and as I have mentioned is always coming up with "great ideas" these days. She loves her brother and sister like crazy...and she and Whitney for sure have their fighting moments but I just think it is so sweet how when Mal "shops" at the school store she brings something for Whitney every time. Mal is growing so quickly and I just love hearing her stories and watching her play. She is truly a treasure.

I love everything about her...even her drama and stubborn streak...maybe it's because she gets it from me :) ha!

I love watching her at the beach...so full of laughter and carefree happiness...I truly hopes she has this her entire life...

I have so much fun with Mallory and just adore our time together...one of my favorite conversations from this week was somthing like this..."mommy can we go to the dollar store soon"..."sure sweetie"...."I know its your favorite mommy because Whitney and I have fun and can shop a lot for cool things and it doesn't cost you all your money"...hilarious! Have I mentioned how much I love this little girl?!

I am so proud of her and how quickly she makes friends and what a positive attitude she has about moving. I really feel  prayers being answered as Mallory has done so great and has not struggled with her shyness at all. I thank God every day for all three of our children. They make me feel so overwhelmed with love...thank you Jesus.

"Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Hello from Bentley :)

Bentley turned 11 weeks old on Wednesday...he is SO stinkin' cute! I know I am a little bias having carried him around for 9 months and given birth to him and all that but I am pretty sure he is perfect ;)

Yesterday I let him try out the bumbo...he was really happy but he didn't have quite enough stregnth with his head and neck...

We will try it again in a few more weeks :)

So as I was taking pics of Whit working on her name yesterday I had Bentley playing on the floor...

He looked like he migh be up to something ;) then he started grunting and leaning really hard to the side...

and suddenly..

over he went :) YEAH Bentley! I can't believe I happened to have the camera and got him in action! So exciting!

He was pretty happy with himself :)

Did I mention how much I love him? ;)

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

I am so excited and so proud of Whitney!!! For months I have been working with her to help her get excited about letters and learning to write her name and she has not been interested at all. I have made trips to the teacher supply store and pulled out all my fun ideas from when I was teaching...she hasn't even given it a second glance...two of my favorite responses have been "no thanks mommy...want to play barbies?" and "no thats okay I am to little...I am busy playing"  hilarious! :) I love her more than I could ever put into words! Yesterday  I decided to make her a little name plate and create a desk area (she loves to play school with Mal) I made each letter in a different color so she could clearly identify each letter...something about it got her excited and VOILA...

She can't get enough of it...she loves to use the crayon that matches the sign and likes to keep trying and trying and hanging them on the fridge :) WOO HOO...I am so happy!! But she is still my girl...Scott came home and said...'Whitney will you write your name for daddy?"...and she replied "no thanks I am busy with the WIGGLES" Oh my goodness I LOVE HER! :)

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."

                                                                   Job 8:21

Santa brought the girls bikes for Christmas and they have been having SO much fun going out riding everyday. It is actually pretty hilarious because this is Whitney first time really riding a bike and teaching her is slightly frustrating but mostly hilarious. She spent the first day just saying "I can't and trying to go backwards" and then when she finally got the hang of it she kept stopping to adjust her baby in the back and apply lipgloss...when we got home she said "mom when we go riding tomorrow don't let me forget my lipgloss because it is important." oh wow...she is so funny :) Let me add that being out everyday in the winter walking with Bentley and the girls on their bikes is a piece of heaven...thank you Jesus!