Adeline's Dance Recital

Adeline had her Spring dance recital last night.  The dress rehearsal was Thursday night and this is how she behaved.  Can you pick out which one she is?

When she didn't have her back turned pouting, she was crying.

But she posed so nicely for me.

I was really worried about how she was going to do at the actual recital.  However, bribery works wonders.  I had candy and a gift waiting for her and she did so well!

One line of the song was "He knows."  No matter how many times we practiced at home, I could NOT convincer her that she was not supposed to point to her nose at that part.  Hah!

I love how her teacher asks them before each time they dance, "Who are we dancing for?"  Jesus!

Aunt Juliet brought her some flowers.  She was so happy about that.

She had so many people come to watch her dance.  Both sets of grandparents, my grandmother, and her Uncle Shane, Aunt Juliet, and cousin Murry.  What a loved little girl!

Then we went out to eat afterwards and she got to open her presents.

A ballerina Barbie from Daddy & Mommy.

Her Tiny made her a ballerina shirt.

And we enjoyed some yummy cookie cake.

What a fun night praising Jesus and visiting with family.

Lately

It's been a while since I've caught up with all my pictures, so be prepared for lots of 'em.

I've started trying to push their naps back a little in hopes that they'd sleep longer and be happier in the evenings.  I'm not sure it's very effective.  I was trying to hold her off with some tv watching.

Adeline went on her first car date with the boy who lives behind us.  Up until this point they've just talked over the fence at one another from the tops of their play forts.  They took it to the next level with an outing for pretend ice cream last week.  He hasn't called...

Annabel took a tumble out of the little rocking chair right into the foot of the bunk bed the other day.  I watched it all happen in slow motion, but couldn't move fast enough to do anything about it.  The fall looked so terrible I was sure she was going to be a bloody mess and minus a tooth or two, but all she got was the goose egg and black eye.

I love this crazy bedhead.

We had a pj day full of fun fine motor activities.

She can't stand for her hair to be in her eyes.

The Bentonville CFA had a Princess Night this week complete with Miss Arkansas, Miss Teen Arkansas, a chocolate fountain, and balloon "animals" (a wand & a flower in our case).

 This girl is so happy most of the time.  She is starting to hit the "Terrible Twos" though.  She screams "Nooooo!" at me quite often these days.

I stopped putting her in the sleep sack this week because she's gotten too big for it.  I love that she sleeps with so many lovies and blankies.

Wednesday my MOPS group had a free babysitting morning, so we pampered ourselves.  So much fun!

Another pj day yesterday.  We read a bible story about Paul and decided to act it out with our toys.  There's Paul and his donkey traveling all over the world telling everyone he meets the Good News.  I know, it's quite hysterical, isn't it?  Adeline loved it, though.

My girls have an impeccable sense of style...

And Happy Spring to you!  My irises are starting to bloom!

 Whew!  That's it for now.  :)

Keeping it Real: A Confession

We live in a time of knowing way too much about other people's lives.  That can put a lot of pressure on some to live up to what others are posting all over social media.  I think it's important to remember that people are posting the things they want you to see, not everything.  I heard a quote not too long ago that is so very true.  "Don't compare your 'behind-the-scenes' to other people's hi-light reel."

I'm guilty of plastering my "hi-light reel" all over social media.  Not because I want people to think my life is perfect or I'm doing everything right.  I post what I post because those are the moments that things are going smoothly and I can appreciate the moment and think to myself, "I want to remember this someday" or "I want my friends & family to see this." I don't post the frustrating, messy, or difficult times because I'm not thinking about my camera or my phone during those.  I'm just trying to survive, clean it up, or not lose my cool.  But I promise you, I have way more "behind-the-scenes" moments than the ones I post all over social media.

My life is just as messy as yours is.  I make mistakes every single day.  We all do.  I love my kids just as much as you do.  They push me to the point of frustration every single day, just like yours do.  I am not a perfect mom, but I have a perfect God.  That is my saving grace.  Grace.  Have you ever really thought about what that is?  I haven't until recently.

The dictionary definition is "a favor rendered by one who need not do so; a reprieve."  That's what Jesus gave every single one of us when He died on the cross.  He didn't need to do that for us.  But He did. Because of what Jesus gave me, a sinner, I will live in eternity with Him.  I haven't done anything to deserve that grace, He gave it freely.  That's how I make it through every day.  That's how I can deal with every frustrating moment and try to find the joy in it.

It's a daily decision, a daily communication and time spent with God, that I thank Him for His grace and ask that He fill me with His Holy Spirit so that my sinful nature can die to His love.  With God in me, I can be His love and extend His grace to everyone.  Giving grace means that we share His love.

Rules, laws, and commandments all serve a good purpose, but we can't follow them on our own.  We are bound to sin and make mistakes every single day.  How frustrating and belittling that can be to someone who is striving so diligently to do everything right!  It is so freeing when I came to the realization that God doesn't expect me to do everything right.  God wants me to love Him and believe in Him and give myself over to Him.  When I do that, all is well with my soul.

When I think about what I want for my kids I can get bogged down in all the little things like, I want them to be nice, I want them to be smart, I want them to be happy, the list goes on and on.  Then I have to sit back and think to myself, really and truly, the only way they can be fully any of those things is to love God with all their hearts, with all their minds, and with all their strength.  So, let's focus on that.  That's my goal for these very few first years I have them with me more than they're with anyone else.  I try to permeate everything we do with God and Jesus.  I try to spiritualize everything.  It may seem a little cooky to some, but hey! I've only got 5 years!

A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart.  An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.  Luke 6:45

For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.  Matthew 12:34

That's why I daily ask God to fill me with the Holy Spirit.  What's in my heart naturally is not "good."  Only God can give me that.  I want my heart overflowing out of my mouth goodness and grace, and I can only do that with God.

I find myself often saying things like, "Mommy was wrong, too when I yelled at you for pushing your sister.  We both made a bad decision.  That's why we need Jesus.  He forgives us and He lives in our hearts to help us show love and kindness."  I know they don't really get that now, but my prayer is that they will someday.  We all need a savior.  We all need help.  We can't do this alone.

Wow, seems like I really digressed from the start of this post.  My main point is that I don't do everything right, but I do love God, and He does do everything right.  I am not a super mom, but I serve a Super God!

Calling all Adelines

Do you know someone who has an "Adeline" younger than mine (3 years)?  If so, please get her in contact with me: lindseyrichey@gmail.com

I'm about to sell some of her monogrammed things.  I'm finally facing the fact that I'll never have another Adeline.

Happy Birthday to Daddy!

Jon turned 31 yesterday.  I like to make a big deal out of birthdays, so we celebrated all weekend.

We started out by going on our first family trip to Branson.  We bought season passes to Silver Dollar City this year since Adeline LOVED the fair so much back in the fall.  We'd heard good things about SDC, so decided we'd try it out.  Friday afternoon we loaded up and got on the road with our sonic drinks and Elmo (among several others) DVDs.

That afternoon we did a bit of shopping at The Landing and ate some yummy Mexican food at Cantina Laredo. It's so nice that Branson is only an hour and a half from home.  We'll usually just go for the day, but we made it into an overnight trip this time since we were celebrating.  I found us a hotel with an indoor pool and we spent the whole evening swimming with the pool and hot tub all to ourselves!

The next morning we left the hotel and realized SDC wasn't quite open yet, so we stopped at Starbucks beforehand.  My favorite way to start the day!

Then it was time to ride the rides!  There weren't many that Annabel could ride, but she absolutely loved the ones she could ride.

Adeline even got to ride a few by herself.  What a big girl!

We all enjoyed the little train ride.

 We got home that night just in time to eat dinner, bathe, and put the girls to bed.  They were exhausted!  After they were in bed I prepped for Jon's birthday cake.  Then Jon and I had a little couch date and watched 007 Skyfall (his birthday, his pick).

Sunday was Jon's actual birthday.  We went to church and had our usual Sunday afternoon naps.  Adeline dictated what she wanted her card to say.  "Thank you for being my daddy.  I really much love you.  You are really nice and kind and you share.  Really I do love you."  So sweet!

Then she helped me make the rest of his cake.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!  We love you so much.  We are so blessed and thankful that God chose you for us!

Mid-April Randomness

Here we are in the middle of a month I feel like we just started.  Well, really, I feel like we should still be in February or March!  Time goes by faster every year.

In true springtime fashion, we have a few sunny and warm days, followed by cold and rainy.  We try to take advantage of the warm sunshine as often as possible.  For the first time I've actually enjoyed getting out the bubbles.  Adeline is old enough where she blows all the bubbles now and Annabel is perfectly content to chase them.  Makes it nice for me!

Annabel has grown so attached this doll.  Adeline named her Molly and it's so cute to hear Annabel say it.  She goes everywhere with her.

I guess it's the OT in me that tries to find a use for every old container.  I filled this old creamer bottle with warm water and dropped some bathwater color tabs in and let the girls pour it into the tub with them.  They thought it was so much fun.

We have felt so overwhelmed with love through this whole toe incident.  Adeline got yet another little care package this week, this time from my cousin, Kelly.  Isn't it great how God uses people to bring blessings during storms?

As I was getting ready on Saturday Adeline decided she needed some make-up too.  My little girl dressed in her sweet little smocked outfit, but already trying to act grown up.  That's why I think it's so important to try to dress them like children while you still can!

Later that day, we helped Reagan celebrate her first birthday!  Isn't she a cutie?

She tasted bit of icing with her finger, then decided she liked that and dove right in!

The best picture I got of my girls together.  They were enjoying all of Reagan's new toys.

Shannon took pictures of all the families and I asked her to get one on my camera.  This is what we got.  It cracks me up!

And here I am later that evening being such a mom...driving around in my minivan with one of the above balloons hitting me in the head.  I count it all joy!

I think even when my kids are teenagers I'll try to sneak in their rooms to watch them sleep.

And just look at my sweet, big girl in a vintage dress my friend found at Goodwill!  She was all dressed and ready for school this morning and being so cooperative for pictures.  

And while Adeline may be out of the tantrum phase, Annabel is just beginning.  She threw multiple screaming, kicking fits before school this morning.  Lord, help us!