Build-A-Bear..and a memory or two!

(This picture is Jenna laughing REALLY LOUDLY every time I said, "Jenna what did you build today..hahaha!")



So today was a wonderful day filled with special memories of my Jenna girl. I was able to take her to the Galleria Mall to Build-A-Bear. She got a gift card from her Nana to spend at Build-A-Bear, and she had never been before. On the way there, I tried to explain to Jenna what it was going to be like, and she kept saying, "Mommy, I am so excited!"

Daddy met us there to have lunch as well. Jenna chose to have a McDonald's yogurt parfait of all the food court selections...I thought that was rather comical..I asked her more than once if she wanted a hamburger or pizza or even chicken nuggets from Chick Fil A and she was positive that the yogurt parfait was her choice made!

So Jenna built a bear (a very special pink, fluffy, soft bear), named her Emmy and hasn't put her down since we arrived back to the van with Emmy. She shared her lunch with Emmy, read a story book to Emmy in the car and even allowed Ellie to hold her for a brief moment. I savored the memories of today and will never forget my sweet Jenna's first trip to "Build A Bear"...

Oh yeah, and she chose to wear one of her new outfits that Mamaw got her for her birthday, and she has been so joyful to wear a new outfit each day since her party Saturday (I think Mamaw got her four outfits so we are on our third one so far) But as we were looking for an outfit for Emmy, Jenna turns to me and says, "Emmy wants a really pretty outfit and dress like the ones Mamaw got me"...:) The girl is only 3 and already shows so much excitement to put on a new outfit..we are DOOMED when the teen years hit the Pate house..for sure!

Birthday Party and Ballpark

We celebrated Jenna's birthday this past weekend. She will be three on April 5th. She had a magnificent time playing with her best buddies. It is wonderful to see the excitement and surprise on your little ones face as they get to be princess for the day. The morning of her party she woke up extremely early and started having a typical two year old meltdown moment (at like 6 am!) and I was preparing for a VERY busy day with taking kids to friends' houses, to and from ballpark for cookouts and games, needing to pick up cupcakes and balloons...yada yada! SO, as Daddy was pulling off to go to work til 12pm, I just had to call in back up! My mom and mother-in-law came to the rescue. Mamaw took Jenna for the day and my mom ran around from point A to point B to help me gather all the "stuff" for the party. Ya know, if everyone could go without eating, napping and being entertained all day...it would make for a much easier day...haha!
But what a joyous day we had together as a family. The weather was absolutely a blessing in itself..gorgeous (70 degrees..with a tad bit of wind, but beautiful nonetheless).

Claire also had a softball game on Saturday. She did a terrific job too. Two doubles and a home run! Way to go Claire!

Our weekend was filled with laughter and love and even a little bit of chaos (which is standard now in our family) but memories to remain forever...

Prayers for Cooper Jenkins!!

Here is a very special little boy named Cooper. He is my mother-in-law's nephew. Cooper lives in Mississippi. He fell into a boiling pot of crawfish boil yesterday and has just recently come out of surgery this morning. I am asking all my sweet followers to please, please, please pray for him. I can't imagine his pain, as I am sure he is in a lot of pain right now. For a 6 year old little boy, he is probably really scared as well. His mom and dad would appreciate your prayers so much. If you don't mind please share Cooper with other friends and family that you know and ask them to pray for him as well.

Cooper is very much like our Ellie. He is such a funny child...full of life. It breaks my heart to think of him in so much pain.

I know we all have so much going on in our daily lives, but if you are reading this now, please take an extra minute to pray for sweet Cooper. Thank yall so much for remembering Cooper in your daily prayers.

John David playing drums, James chasing a ball!

Video of these crazy little boys. Sorry the video is not very clear. It is taken with my phone, which is not the best of quality. Hopefully soon my loving and generous husband will purchase me a new video camera so I can capture these moments with high definition quality videography...hahaha! Until then, here ya go. Enjoy!





And by the way, we are extremely thankful for the good health our family has been blessed with lately. We have made it to (almost April 1st) without major sickness this winter. That would definitely be a an answered prayer.

Also, I promise to do a better job with my prayer request list on the side of my blog. But for now, until I update it, would you guys please keep two special friends of mine in your daily prayers. Kim Kelley lost all four of her quads about a week ago and she is really having a hard time. I can't even imagine the pain her heart deals with on a daily basis. She carried them to 23 weeks and delivered them all individually over the course of three days. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Also, a couple of twin baby boys fighting to survive at this moment in the NICU at Brookwood. They were born last weekend and weigh only 1 lb 4 oz...their mom's name is Krisit and dad is Darren. They need major prayer right now. Hoping for a miracle, and I trust our Lord with it.

Thank you guys for your love and support of our prayer request.

Video of John David WALKING

Thank you so much Missy for teaching me how to upload from youtube! You are seriously a great blogger friend and always have the answers to my questions.




Enjoy!

Now that I have figured out how to upload the videos better. I will try to get a good one of James tonight walking "around the house"...

John David WALKING!

Here is the boys' 1 year portrait. My great friend Whitney Wright (from our old cheering days in highschool) painted it for me. She also did the girls' portraits as well, so they are very special to me. Whitney is so talented and I am honored to have her work hanging in my home. Not only is she an amazing artist, she is an amazing person as well. Well, mister laid back decided it was time for him to use his feet and take of walking. He has been taking a few steps for several weeks now, but we don't consider it "walking" unless the kid makes it from mid living room to couch or something..hah! He still doesn't seem as interested as grazing all over the house like James, but he is technically walking now. James Daniel however, is a few steps from running. This boy is crazy. He is now walking ALL OVER THE HOUSE. It is quite comical to watch him drag toys out and displace them all over the main level living area of our home. My favorite, last night, he was carrying a stool around the kitchen and then dragging my 3 lb dumbbell weights from the living area to the kitchen!

Happy Birthday Sambo!

James or John David (I am really not sure) helping cousin Sam open his gifts.


Ellie hanging out with Uncle David..she adores him.


Jenna and Ella Mayfield indulging in birthday cake and ice-cream...YUM!



Sam..turning TWO years old..

My nephew, Sam, turned two years old last weekend. I am behind in postings, but I did want to post some pics from the day. Uncle David (Rob's older brother) was able to be there for the celebration, and the girls were so excited to see him. Uncle David lives in Costa Rica with his wife, Brenda and son Gael. We had a grand time visiting with family and friends, celebrating Sam's second birthday.

Another Day at the Park...

Seems as though we live at the park. If ever we have any time to wait (usually from one activity to the next) or waiting on Daddy to meet us for dinner, practice or to workout, we end up at the park. This day was especially fun because it was gorgeous weather and Jenna just recently had her cast taken off. So the girls were able to run and play, skip, slide and swing. One hour of exercise for the whole family, one entire bag of vanilla wafers later, and we were on our way to meet Daddy. As we left the park, Claire said, "Thank you mommy for making the afternoons kinda fun for us"...It really means alot when your children recognize the little fun things you do for them...I love my children and truly take advantage of making special memories with them. Today's most memorable moment....Jenna falling into a swampy, grassy, mud hole in her ALL WHITE dress and saying to me, "Uh oh mommy, I actually fell in this mud, can you believe it?"....and of course I can believe it!

A New Tradition!

Well, we are starting a new tradition for the Pate girls in our family! Mamaw (Rob's mom) took Claire and I to the Winter Jamm Christian Concert. Wowzers..it was so awesome. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Third Day was the best. Claire and I and Mamaw danced, sang praises to Jesus, shook out booties and waved our hands in the air. We had a blast. All I could think of was how unbelievably awesome it will be one day to be in the concert that will take place in Heaven as we are shouting and singing praises to God in His Kingdom. Very memorable experience and we plan to make this a tradition every year...WINTER JAMMIN WITH THE CHRISTIAN BANDS!

Just an "ordinary" day!

This is part of Ellie's take home papers from school. This is the four's chain she is learning, but the reason I wanted to post it, was because of what I noticed around the sheet...at the top in the right hand corner, it says, "I love you Jenna" with hearts drawn around it and then on the bottom, it says, "I hop (hope) your leg gets beter (better)" which is also written to Jenna and then she signs her name in cursive (too sweet and really cute).



Jenna showing off her muscles..



Playing at the park!


Jenna eating lunch with her buddy, Nathan Mullinax


Ellie "flying" through the castle, escaping from the ugly Troll who wants to steal the princess fairy's magical hair.



Ellie playing at the park!


John David enjoying his sprinkle cookie from Publix


The employees at Publix really are exceptionally nice. It is so much more pleasurable than shopping at Wal-Mart..even if you do have to pay a little more for your groceries.


Park...it was such a gorgeous weather day. Jenna said, "Prwaise the Lorwd" and Ellie said, "Amen"..


Shopping at Target for Mommy a swimsuit...HAH! I should know better..totally frustrating experience, the swimsuit and the kids:=)


Ellie before gymnastics class


John David happy about the "van picnic"


Claire studying SAT review worksheets (with her Ray Bans on of course)


Story Time at the "big rock" at Heardmont Park.

I wanted to document our "ordinary" day. I received a message from a faithful friend of four little boys, two of which are miracle twins like ours. Brooke posted on her blog a video of a woman describing what life is like AFTER her little kids became big, and independent and one day didn't need her so much. They grow up fast and her video sealed it for me.

I have tried to really take a step back and savor the simple little "ordinary" things in my day. This morning, I smelt John David a little longer under his yummy baby lotion scented neck, and held James a little longer while he was smiling at me saying "mama" and cuddled with Jenna a little longer on the couch when she first woke up. Then Jenna and I ate Peanut Butter Vanilla Wafers for breakfast...cause it sounded yummy to us!

Yesterday, I wanted to complain about being stuck in the van with four little kids while the biggest kid had softball practice, instead I read stories to the kids and we enjoyed a "van picnic" of Chick Fil A.

We spent the past two days at the park for at least an hour, sprawled out on a huge rock nestled underneath the big oak trees at Heardmont Park, Jenna and I listened to Ellie read "Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats. Fed the boys sprinkle cookies from Publix and took pictures of them riding in the "car buggy"...and my most proud moment of "enjoying the ordinary day" would be today as I was leaving Target at FIVE with FIVE little kids, both boys had major poops (I am trying to change them in the van with the doors open, wind blowing at an insane rate) with Jenna wailing in the back of the van (because she has not had a nap) and Ellie crying because she wanted to buckle Jenna in and Jenna said "NO LEAVE ME ALONE!" and Claire was tempting to whine about not wanting to go the YMCA (because that is where we were headed next)----I actually just laughed and tilted my head to Heaven and said, "Thank you my sweet Jesus, my ever so loving Father for granting me this life. I love these children more than my own self by far and I try my best every single day. I hope to have these memories to look upon one day when all these little babies have grown up into the amazing, unique, talented, God loving-fearing individuals and I desire to honor you with my life and theirs...AMEN"


This is a cute picture of the boys at the end of our day, in the parking lot of the YMCA, nursing in the front seat of the van, waiting on Daddy to arrive:)