Training them early...

Here are 2 pictures I snapped of Lizzy today changing her baby's diaper...she insisted on using real wipes and the changing pad! Funny how the baby doesn't even have a diaper on! When she was all done she threw the wipe away like a big girl! I'm glad she didn't find the balmex or that would be another story...

She's wearing her new favorite shirt from AWANA. I told her earlier today she goes to Puggles tonight and she was on a mission! Went and got her bag, got her shirt out had to put it on! She absolutely loves this shirt, we've had to hide it from her or she would wear it every day!

AWANA time....

We started AWANA at our church about 3 1/2 years ago and tonight was our first AWANA meeting for the year! The girls were so excited and couldn't wait for tonight. Emma moved up from Cubbies (3 & 4's) and is now with me in Sparks (K-2nd grade)! She won't get her uniform, book and bag until she earns them by reciting a few verses (probably next week). Anna and Lizzy were also able to join AWANA this year as we added a new program called "Puggles" for 2 year olds (because of the cutoff ages they are both in the same class this year)! Anna and Lizzy looked so cute carrying their little bags and tried on their new t-shirts as soon as we got home tonight, they even went as far as wearing them to bed as jammies!!! I'll get a picture of all of them in their uniforms as soon as Emma gets hers....Here is a picture of them in the car before we left our driveway...

We are looking forward to another year in our AWANA program! Click here if you wondering what AWANA is!

Has it been 8 years???

Today Jody and I celebrate 8 years of marriage! It's hard to believe when we met in October of 1998 that 10 years later we'd be celebrating 8 years of marriage, have 3 kids and 1 in the oven (plus 2 dogs)?!?! I am very thankful for a great husband, dad, best friend and can't wait to see what the future holds for us!!! I thought you might enjoy a"fancy picture" (wedding) of us, Jody with hair and me before kids!

Kindergarten...already!!!

Emma began her "school career" today...it wasn't as emotional as you would think....because we are homeschooling her! Jody and I thought and prayed for a long time about this decision and feel it best for our family and Emma. We are not knocking the public, private or charter school systems, both Jody and I were in public schools our entire "school career" and we turned out great! I have talked to many different people and their opinions/views about homeschooling. I've also researched the whole idea because I myself had doubts, but we decided we would take it one year at a time and see how it goes! Emma has been so excited to start school, she is very eager to learn, even from a very young age! She could write her name by the age of 3 (she wasn't potty trained though :-( Once we sat down and talked with her about the fact that I would be her teacher she was ok with the idea. Our girls are very involved in various church activities and we often have play dates with friends. Both Emma and Anna want to start soccer and gymnastics in the fall, we are awaiting the registration for each....Emma has an outgoing personality anyway, basically anywhere we go she meets a new friend, so we aren't worried about the stigma of a homeschool child being a "social outcast who can't survive real life". Anyway...enough about homeschooling....you can call or email me.....here's her first picture at her new desk (she is very proud of her desk-Thanks Papa & Wanka!) we hung up the worksheets she did today on her bulletin board, also so excited to show all of you!!!

Krispy Kreme

We decided to take the girls to Krispy Kreme Wednesday morning, or Krismie Kleme as Anna kept calling it! They had never been anywhere to see how donuts were made (neither had I) and Jody thought it would be a great first homeschool field trip! The girls absolutely love donuts, what kid doesn't? They put their hats on and watched through the large glass window as the donut process was displayed before them. The dough was formed and rose from the heat, they were cooked in hot oil, flipped, cooked the other side, iced by an icing waterfall and then rode the conveyer belt to cool down all the way around the shop until they were placed in a box to be delivered! They of course were amazed, as I was...what a lengthy process just to make some donuts and mostly by machines! They were tasty...we got a few pictures of the girls having fun watching and then enjoying the tasty donuts!

I have never met Dan & Casey Chappell in person, but have heard so much about them I feel as though I know them. I heard about their story a few months ago, found their blog and have been following her pregnancy since. I along with so many others had been praying for their unborn baby "Asher" and longed so much for him to be ok and make it against all odds. Even in the midst of so many people praying God had a totally different plan and he lived only a few seconds after birth. I am so encouraged by their steadfast faith and strength.

Is it a boy or a girl...

Are these little girl feet or little boy feet???

And is this a little boy looking at you or a little girl???Ha-Ha-Ha...bet you thought we had changed our minds and knew what we were having!!! We did in fact go for our "big" ultrasound this morning (20 week, even though I'm only 18 weeks) and did NOT find out what the baby is! We did get a couple of cute pics in-utero that I thought you might enjoy....

By the way...many people have started calling "the baby" or "it" a boy (wishful thinking I guess) which really confuses our 3 girls as well as overhearers. If "it" is on fact a girl "it" has been insulted by people calling "it" a "he" when in fact "it" could be a "she"...or "it" could in fact turn out to be a boy and was not insulted at all, but that being said if you could refer to the baby as "it" or "the baby" we would greatly appreciate it (really I'm the only one bothered by this)!!! Just to clear the air too...Jody and I have always said we wanted to have 4 kids, from day 1. This baby is not our attempt to have a boy, like we didn't get it right 3 times before, simply our 4th like we've always wanted!

Whatever this child is (girl or boy), "it" will be well loved, there is even a bet running amongst "the sisters" as to what "it" is...1 for "girl", 1 for "boy", 1 for "mine"...we'll let you guess who wants what!

I'm an aunt....the girls have a cousin

Ashtyn Reese Goodew was born this morning, August 6, 2008 at 4:34 am! She weighed 7lbs 14oz and was 20 inches long! We haven't been able to met her in person yet, but here is a picture! We can't wait to meet our new niece and cousin!

Road Trip

This past weekend we took a last minute trip to Tennessee, we left Friday and got home last night. Jody's grandma "Mamaw" was recently diagnosed with stage 3 Large Cell Carcinoma and we wanted a chance to see her before she starts chemo and radiation this week. We also had a chance to visit with Jody's family and some friends we hadn't see in about 3 years!!! Take a look at the slideshow above to see some of what we did while we were gone!!!