January is FLYING by

Well, it's not really flying by, actually, but we did fly last week so I felt the title was appropriate.  We didn't do much out of the norm the first part of the week last week.

One night while Jon and I cooked dinner, the girls worked together on a little building project.  It was so cute!

On Thursday, we woke the girls at 6:30 and headed to the airport.  Jon helped us get checked in, but then he stayed behind while the girls and I took off to Houston.

The first flight to DFW was  a wrestling match because Annabel wanted down, which was not allowed.  Thankfully we found this play area while we waited for our next flight.

Then little Annabel passed out before we even took off and slept the whole 2nd flight to Houston.

My mom picked us up from the airport and we got to my great aunt Judy's house around lunch, and the girls got a little nap.  Afterwards we explored her neighborhood and played in her backyard.

My cousin Mike and his son, JT came over that evening.  We had to get a picture to send to Mike's brother, Dustin in California and tell him what fun he was missing out on.

JT will be five in May.  He and Adeline had such a fun time together.

Friday morning we went to the Children's museum in downtown Houston.  The girls really loved it.  I think we all had a great time.

That night my aunt and uncle and some cousins from my dad's side of the family came over for dinner. The next day we lounged around in our pjs for a while.

Then, after naps, we all headed to Lyla's 2nd birthday party at The Little Gym.

Since we were in south Texas, I had to have a tex-mex fix.  We all went out to dinner with Amber's family after the party.  Then on Sunday it was time to head back to NWA.

Poor Annabel had been up most of the night on Saturday with teething.  She slept all the way to the airport.  I knew that wasn't a good sign.

Then when she laid like this for 10 minutes before boarding, I knew we were in for it.

The first flight was like being in a cage fight.  I don't think she was trying to hurt me, but she was NOT happy.  She scratched, pinched, pulled hair, kicked, screamed, wiggled the entire hour.  I was exhausted!

The next flight was much better.  Annabel fell asleep before we even taxied away from the gate.  Adeline was excited because she got to have a Sprite and use her tray table.

We had such a great time visiting family, but were also very glad to be home.  We were all in bed by 8:15 last night.  I love traveling and adventure, but I always need a few days to catch up on sleep afterwards.

My fast is over...

So my 21 day fast from social media is over.  I am so glad I did it.  I feel like I've really matured in my walk with God during that time.  A few things I learned during that time are:

1. A daily relationship and time spent with God is required in order to live a Christian life.
2. I can't do what I set out to do each day with help from the Holy Spirit.  I strive to be a loving, patient, kind wife and mother, but when things get rough, I can't do that from my own willpower.  I need Christ's gentle spirit to help me.
3. I did not miss social media nearly as much as I thought I would.  I did, however, long for and look forward to my early morning time with God, my Bible, and my coffee cup.
4. Prayer is so very powerful.

I learned so many other small things and I'm so very thankful I took part in this fast.  I am, however, back on all social media, but I do hope to keep it in check and in perspective from now on.  Thanks for your prayers and support!

January = COLD

Last week it was bitterly cold.  Like so cold I didn't even want to leave the house because that meant walking from the car to a building in the freezing cold.  But, like I told my mom when she was here last month, if you wait around until it's warm enough to leave the house, then you'd be stuck inside for three months, here in NWA.

Monday the girls finally started back to school after their winter break.  This is the note I received in Annabel's bag.  I love how they felt the need to capitalize and underline ALL.  That girl likes to eat!

 

We've been going through some hard times here at the Richey house.  Hard times that involve naps and bedtime.  If Adeline naps during the day, she gets out of bed no less than three times every night before she finally falls asleep.  This is rough on Jon and I.  We get up at 5:00 every weekday.  We are TIRED by 9:00 and we want to get in bed and go to sleep!  It is so exhausting to get up several times after that to take a crying toddler back to bed.  BUT, I relish nap times.  I need that time to get things done.  I WANT that time to get things done, or just relax myself.  So, we've tried a few things.  I put this Rapunzel nightgown on her Tuesday to see if this would convince her to stay in bed.  I told her if she got up, we had to take off the nightgown and put on pajamas.  It lasted about 10 minutes, then she came in our room saying, "I'm not Rapunzel anymore."  I think I've just decided on enforcing a 45 minute quiet time each afternoon, then she can get up after that.  The only problem is, when I've tried to implement this, she always falls asleep and I hate to wake her up.  Then we're right back to staying up until 10:00pm.  Any advice?

Wednesday we stayed home and crafted and played while we anxiously awaited the news of our new niece/cousin's arrival in Dallas.

Annabel tore up strips of paper, while Adeline snipped them with scissors...

Then they placed them on their Valentines.  They loved it!

Then, finally, after 36 hours of labor, we got word that our new niece, Margot Ruth had arrived via c-section.  Poor Kiersten & Emil!  But she was well worth the wait.  Margot weighed 8lbs 6oz & is 21in long.  Welcome to the family, precious Margot Ruth!  We love you!

On Thursday we had a play date with Ava & Landon.  Poor little Landon was surrounded by girly girls.  

My one year old thinks she's three.  She colored at the table longer than Adeline and Ava did.  Stop growing so fast, Annabel!

On Friday, my mom came in town to stay with the girls so Jon and I could go to a marriage retreat in Branson that our church was doing.  It was our first time to Branson, and we really enjoyed it.  It was nice getting away and focusing on each other.  Thank you, Nana!

We got lots of cute pictures like this while we were away.

On Saturday, Nana took them to Payton & Parker's 3rd birthday party at Boingo Bounce.  They had so much fun!

Jon and I got home Saturday evening.  The girls had a package from Aunt Kiersten with some fun dress-up items in it.  Every girl needs a faux fur stole.

This morning while we were getting ready for church, Annabel was entertaining herself with some peek-a-boo.

They had to try out the souvenirs we brought them on their way to church today.

Today was Sanctity of Life day at our church.  We celebrated all the children and Adeline and I got to stand on stage.  Children truly are a gift from God, right from conception.

We had a guest speaker for all parents after the regular service.  He was fantastic.  His name is Dr. Richard Ross and I may have liked him a little bit better just because he's from Fort Worth.  He talked about how a parent who doesn't believe in God has probably three top priorities for their children.

1. Be successful at what they do - make good grades, go to a good college, get a good job
2. Have a family or people around them that love them
3. Be a law-abiding, "good" person

A family who does believe in God should have one top priority for their children:

1. That God will live through them so that things happen that will glorify God and further His kingdom.

If that happens for your child, then nothing else matters.  Ways to promote this in your home are to pray with your kids every day, live MY life biblically so my kids can see it, and once a week, have a more lengthy conversation about faith.  All this is accepted by a child if you develop and maintain a good relationship with them, through discipline and encouragement.  

I'll leave you with my memory verse for the week that I've been praying over my children so that the powerful Holy Spirit will draw them to Him at an early age.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed.  You know those who taught you, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

Funny Things

This week was stressful in that Adeline had the flu and Jon worked nights Tuesday-Thursday, but otherwise, it was full of funny things.  Funny things Annabel did, and funny things Adeline said.  I'll try to recall them all.

 We watched church on the computer Sunday morning since Adeline was running a fever.  The girls were mesmerized by the worship music.

 We went shopping at Lowe's after lunch to buy some organizational items.  This might be the girls' new favorite store.

This is the organization we accomplished during naptime.  All the stuff on these shelves was either on the floor or piled on top of books in the bookcase.

 We did some shrinky dinks we got at Kellen's party.  Adeline was fascinated.

Annabel's canine teeth have been threatening to come in since November.  She's pretty much had a runny nose since then.  Adeline was helping me out by wiping it the other day.

Annabel brings this tutu to us daily and wants it on.  It's her favorite thing.  I think she's going to be our drama queen, girly girl.  Adeline was not opinionated about clothes until at least 2.  Every day Annabel wants to wear this, and when we leave the house she wants her light-up tennis shoes and her pink minky dot coat.

Jon made Adeline a hot drink with lemon & honey in it one night.  She was a fan!

Annabel thinks she's as big as Adeline.  She looks like it, in this picture.  Where's my baby?!?

She figured out how to unzip her sleep sack this week.

She puts her bowl in the sink when she's done eating her snack.

When Adeline started feeling better, we went to visit the Davises.  They made some Valentine puppets.

Westin and Adeline were like wild children the whole time we were there.  At one point they came running in the kitchen with these books and sat down side by side and looked at them, being completely silent for like 5 minutes.  Shannon and I were in shock.

I worked yesterday, so the girls spent the day at home playing dress-up with Daddy.

At one point after I got home, Annabel went in the playroom and was being very quiet.  She soon came out wearing every single one of the necklaces.  She was so proud of herself!

And just when we start thinking she's a genius, she comes up with this idea, and assures us she really is just 15 months old.  I recorded the absolute funniest video ever last night right after I took this photo.  I'm pretty confident it's going to win us a trip to Disney with AFV.  I'll try to upload it to youtube & link to facebook when my social media fast is over.  It involves her putting this trash can on her head and walking around with it on, and subsequently running into the bookcase.  Hilarious, I tell you.  Hilarious!

The Lorax was pretty entertaining for my bunch.

And it's not a fun Saturday night if it doesn't involve calling Poison Control after said 15 month old chews up and swallows the "Color My Bath" blue tab before it fully dissolves.

She's alive & well, though, with no apparent side effects.

I'll close with "Conversations with Adeline."

A: Hey!  That's my kitty cat!  You can't have it, Annabel!

Me:  Why don't you share it?  

A: It's my's!

Me: Well, really everything we have belongs to Jesus, so we should share everything because Jesus shares with us.

A: Well, I'll share the stuff in the playroom, but I can't share my kitty because it's my's!

Adeline wakes up one morning & comes in my room where I'm getting ready.  I'm dressed for the day & wearing a green shirt.

A: I don't like green.

Me:  So you don't like my shirt?

A: No

Me: Why don't you like my shirt?

A: I just don't, Sweetie.

Adeline sees a certain lovey in Annabel's crib.

A: Hey!  That's my giraffe!

Me: No it's not and Annabel really loves it.

A: Well I love it too and it's my's.

Me: No it's not.  How do you know it's yours?

A: (long pause) Well it doesn't have anybody's name on it!

We were talking about her friends one day and how we were going to see them the next morning.

A: Payton & Parker don't have a baby at their house.  I have a baby at my house.  Her name is Annabel.  My baby can walk.  Westin's baby can't walk.

So funny to me how she thinks Annabel belongs to her!

And I think she may have watched a little too much tv while she was sick this week.

A: I need your help to find Tulip!

We found Tulip.

A: Mission completion!

Oh how I wish I wrote them down every day, but that would just be one more thing added to my list.  Maybe what I need is like a film crew following us around recording all the hilariousness that happens daily.  But then again, maybe I don't need that.....