John David Pate-3years old

James Daniel Pate-3years old

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Easter, Jenna 5th Bday, Becky & Rosey Visit, Boston, Ellie 7th Bday! ALL IN ONE MONTH!!



Part of me wants to 'give up the blog' because I truly don't have the time to invest in it anymore, but part of me knows that this is the only record I have of keeping up to date with what is going on in our crazy family! Here are pictures from Easter, Jenna's birthday, Becky and Rosey's visit, Boston Marathon, AND Ellie's birthday!!!!. Beautiful memories...hundreds of pics to remember all the moments. Pure joy. A depth of thankfulness that is hard to put into words. As I continue to keep record of the beautiful moments we have as a family, I will always be reminded of the grace that we are covered in daily by our Savior.


EASTER
Easter Morning...

First Easter picture at our new house...love how natural Claire looks holding onto everyone!

Same spot we took Easter pic last year after church...

Egg hunt at our new neighbor's house...IN THE DARK! hahah




JENNA'S 5TH BIRTHDAY
Jenna Kat is 5 years old...officially:-)

Ellie making mango-berry smoothies for Jenna's tea party!

FIVE

Claire's precious friend Leah!

Sweet friends having SMOOTHIES!

Jenna and Hannah Grace (I cheered with her mom, Jane, 15 years ago)

Papa and Mamaw....grocery cart and baby doll....Happy GIRL!

Nana...keeping Jenna 'IN STYLE'....


 BECKY AND ROSEY VISIT
Yay! Becky and Rosey finally made it....all so happy to see them...look at  those smiles!
GREAT HUG! FEELS so wonderful!
Whooooohoooo.....
Becky and Rosey spent ALL day making sure these girls have their trampoline back at our new house!

Tradition....Jenna goes to build -a-bear with Becky and Rosey

A love that is 'indescribable'....






PRECIOUS!!!

Morning after they left...JD said, "Where is Becky and Rosey?" I told him they had to leave and he said, "DON'T tell me that@!@!@...I hide from you..UGH"

Jenna woke up to find Becky and Rosey had left.....picture worth a thousand words....Enough said!


BOSTON MARATHON 116TH
My 2nd Boston runner's shirt!

THE  BEST meal we had in Boston was at John Harvard's at Harvard Square. It was delicious!

Harvard Sq.

Going for a run together around the Charles River

Praising my Lord!

Acting like an idiot!

I love this guy. He is incredible to me!

Church near Boylston St.
Glad I know which race in life is truly most important!

Riding the bus to the start line!

FINISHED! 3:58....felt wonderful, no pain...just dehydrated!
AHHHHHH! SO thankful...thankful beyond words

LOVE
Penny from Heaven....Finding a penny by itself is a quiet  reminder and symbol that someone in Heaven is thinking  about you. My mom shared a story with me many years ago about "pennies from Heaven" and it is amazing where and WHEN we find them. It always seems to be during important, profound moments .....As soon as I stepped on the Subway train there was a single penny on the floor....gave me chills!

ON the train headed back to airport...20 min. after I crossed the finish line!!!
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We made it to the airport. Flight was leaving 1 hour after the time I completed the race. I even took a lovely bath in the airport sink!!!! But look at that medal hanging around my neck...WORTH IT!




 ELLIE'S BIRTHDAY

My beautiful girls....all dressed up for a party. Even Jenna has on her "princess cape"...hahah!


 









This picture is funny because the spray butter is right in the very center....




Officially THE BIRTHDAY morning! April 21, 2012! 7 years old..."FINALLY"


Birthday breakfast....4am....before Becky and Rosey left to fly back to Utah!

Ellie's first Spend the Night Birthday Party....
She asked for a "Kitchen" party. Those of you who know her well, know that she truly has a love for cooking (AND EATING) and also serving good foods to others. She asked for her four best friends to spend the night and "cook" yummy foods with her. She planned the menu herself. 
*Homemade Parmesan pizza 
*Smoked ham and cheddar croissant rolls
*Fresh strawberry and vanilla soy smoothies
*Brownie sundaes with cool whip and candy bar crumbles
*Dessert Cookie pizza with chocolate stuff Oreo crumbles iced in cool mint cream cheese with chocolate syrup drizzle.....
She is definitely ....ONE of a kind..kinda girl:-)


Chocolate stuffed Oreo with cool mint cream cheese icing,crushed on top of a sugar cookie....
yes, she created the recipe all by herself!
Show time....singing and dancing and "acting".....these girls were purely entertaining! 
Gourmet breakfast, planned and prepared by ELLIE PATE!
Making strawberry smoothies with Vanilla Soy, fresh strawberries and  Cool Whip!







So, as I reflect over this  month and all the "memories" we have created in our family....it is undoubtedly not an option to quit my blog. This blog began on account of our boys and the story we felt needed to be told to give other families who were dealing with high risk pregnancy or premature birth, inspiration and hope, however, it gradually evolved into a record keeping of what is going on in our family throughout the year. I would love to spend more time journaling on my blog, but the season I currently live in doesn't allow daily blog journaling...hahah....I will do my best to keep updated on here and just be thankful, VERY thankful for all the moments and memories I have to blog about!