Happy Birthday!

Evie made cupcakes for Papa's birthday. Since his birthday is on Valentine's Day they had to have heart sprinkles!
The traditional birthday meal at Wasabi with the family
Everyone had candles to blow out

Happy Birthday to Mimi too! Her birthday was Saturday, but we will have to celebrate it next month.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Evie's preschool class sent her a goody bag since she would be missing the party today. She was so excited to get valentines and treats. She left a bag of valentines for her preschool friends and she took boxes of conversation hearts to her gymnastics friends today. She was very generous and gave her 3 friends two boxes each and kept two boxes for herself, but a little boy came in early for the next class and she gave him one of her boxes. I was so proud of her for sharing without being asked to. She was definitely a cheerful giver today. I don't think Andrew cared much about the cards, but he loved getting the candy.

Good morning Valentine!

A treat bag from friends

We gave the kids sunglasses tonight...Andrew was loving his!

Playdate and a little nest

We met our friends this morning at Chuck E Cheese to play games. We had a talk in the car that we were going to stick together and walk. They did great at both of those for the first 45 minutes. Even after I let them go their separate ways they were very well behaved. This was the first time I had taken both of them alone, so I was nervous that they would take off running in opposite directions. It took an hour and a half to go through 80 tokens, and they loved every minute of it. Andrew has been fighting against his nap for awhile and today just flat out refused to get in bed. He was exhausted from his big morning and we have church tonight, so a nap wasn't optional today. I made him a little nest of blankets and pillows on the floor beside his bed. He curled up and went sound asleep.

Andrew picked one mole to whack over and over

Evie loved this monster truck!

Evie liked putting the puck into her goal slot, so Andrew won big time

So sweet! He put his sock on his arm before he went to sleep...don't know why.

Dinner & Basketball

Stanley, Lydia, William, and baby Shawn came over for dinner tonight. Andrew and William loved playing together. They get along so well and always have fun. Evie had so many questions about baby Shawn. She asked Ms.Lydia at least a dozen times why he couldn't eat. The answer: he doesn't have any teeth. Other than asking 10,000 questions, she was really sweet with the baby and tried to teach him how to roll over.

Baby Shawn hanging out in Andrew's chair

Dinner at the kiddie table

Train fun during the basketball game. GO VOLS!

Healthy Family

No, I'm not talking about ways to avoid the flu and stomach virus that are spreading through Knoxville right now. This is something much more important for young parents. I want to share with you a list of ways to create a healthy family that our MOPS speaker, Doris Moreland, gave us last night.

1. Showing and talking about your love for God

2.Showing and talking about your love for each other

3.Catch your child doing something right and praise them for it

4.Ruthlessly eliminate all hurry

5.Smile....and mean it

6.Pray for and with your children

7.Have family devotions every night

8.Show trust, respect, and forgiveness...expect it in return

9.Have a family fun night-mark it on the calendar and don't let anything get in the way

10.Do many things together as a family (camping, board games, travel, etc)

11.Pick a discipline plan, agree on it, implement it and follow through

Doris came up with this list after raising two kids, being in ministry for 30 years, working as a school teacher, and watching what has worked for successful families. This list isn't guaranteeing perfect children, but by following it when the day comes for you to let go of your children you will have no regrets. I absolutely loved this, and some of it is not going to be easy, but Phil and I realize this is Evie and Andrew's childhood and we only get one chance to do right by them. A huge thanks to Doris for sharing this blueprint!

Andrew is getting really good at talking on the phone

This outfit is just so Evie right now!

Backwoods Politics

I try to stay out of politics, but you would have had to be living under a rock in Knoxville to not know about the county commission disaster with term limits and appointments. Well, now the nation gets to be shocked and appalled by how it has been handled. The New York Times ran an article about our little city and its government, and it is not flattering (click on the word article to read it).

Like Father, Like Daughter

While Evie was staying with Nana and Papa last week she saw this picture on their refrigerator. She thought it was a picture of her with Nana. Phil is about Evie's age now in this picture, and the resemblance is amazing.

Phil and Nana

Playdate at Sprout

Meg, Sarah, and Evie in the tree house playing music and dressing up as princesses
Luke and Evie at the water table
The girls having lunch at the ladybug table

Update on Andrew

Andrew is doing much better today. His bleeding has definitely improved, and he seems to be healing well. Thank you all very much for the phone calls and emails to check on him! He is still a little clingy, but almost back to his normal self during the day. The nights have been rough. He is whining and moaning in his sleep, which just breaks my heart. I've been staying in his room to rock, pat, and hug on him. His doctor told us there is a possibility he will need this same surgery again when he is 4 or 5, but if we are looking at 2-3 years of him being well it is definitely worth it!

He is back to looking like the happy little guy we know and love!

Surgery Day

Andrew's surgery went really well this morning. Dr.Graves scraped his sinuses to open them up and allow for drainage and removed his enlarged adenoids to also help with drainage. He was in surgery for about an hour, which was exactly what we expected. We are home now and he is doing okay. He was extremely agitated as the anesthesia wore off in recovery. He tried to rip out his IV and just wouldn't calm down. They hurried us out there, and he is still emotional but happier at home. Thank you all for thinking of us today and praying for Andrew and his doctors. A huge thank you to Marie Carroll for spending an hour with us in the waiting room and keeping us distracted during the surgery so we couldn't worry too much.

Taking off Bear's ID bracelet

Drinking soy milk and hanging out on the couch