And the 5th and final kid....JOHN DAVID!

I will be shocked if this lil dude doesn't grow up and own some type of heavy machinery....bulldozer, tractor, excavator, something with an engine that makes a loud noise. Or a race care, monster truck or motor cycle....John David is obsessed with "riding" his four wheeler/ motorcycle! From the moment he awakes until the sun goes to sleep, he is usually begging to be outside "riding"...He also loves to play Legos. This kid will sit and play Legos for hours. Legos is the only activity he will do on his own for a long extended period of time.

Recently, I walked outside to find him rearranging all of Daddy's pine straw in the back of his truck and pushing his dump truck around filled with his sisters' socks, shoes, headbands, and whatever else garbage he could find in the backyard...

John David doesn't love school like his brother. He doesn't complain about going, but definitely doesn't ask to go all the time like James does. John David says most days, "I gonna stay with my mommy all day, forever and ever because I love my sweet and precious mommy!" He definitely has the "momma's boy" syndrome!

John David loves to EAT...he grazes around the kitchen ALL THE TIME...He loves peanut butter (probably a little too much) and eats it out of a jar at least once a day. We are currently working on instilling in him healthy food habits, because his addiction to sugar is making him (and ME) completely crazy. He wants to eat junk food constantly, so trying to find healthy foods to fill him up is my current challenge. He is a very picky eater, won't hardly do any veggies or meats.


John David loves to watch TV too much...just like a guy, huh! His favorite shows are Little Bear and Jake and Never Land Pirates. He is terrified of witches and scary things, but wants to hear stories about them all the time...He also enjoys playing the Ipad...Umi Zumi is his favorite one. He asks to go to his Mamaw's house and Nana's house at least once a day. Every single time we pass an eighteen wheeler on the road, he asks to fly to his Becky's house in Utah so he can ride "some-pin" (something) at Becky and Rosey's house!

Legos with Momma one morning!

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

Typical...he ate his whole pancake and  half of his brother's pancake!

Watching Jake and the Never Land Pirates...

Preciousness....

Would have eaten every single piece of candy from his bucket if I let him!

LOVE

Every single morning....either on the patio or in  Mommy's quiet time chair!

Bliss....Krispy Kreme Doughnut~

I am so thankful for John David Pate. Thankful I have a lil boy who loves me so much and wants to hang on my leg when I am cooking dinner, one who wants to whine for chocolate milk after I have told him NO 100 times, thankful for the shouts and screams and stomps when he doesn't get his way, thankful for the pile of pine straw, dirt and rocks he drags into the house (for the 100th time) AND thankful for his need to cuddle with his Momma every single day....AND to hear him say "I love my family and tank-ful (thankful) for my sweet and precious Mommy"....because I know these days are fleeting and one day the quiet house will surely make my heart cry.

And the next kid....JAMES D.

So updating this kid is easy.....He has been such an easy "kid" to raise thus far.Very little drama or demands in his day to appease him. This lil boy loves to dress up in his best pirate/hunter/cowboy attire. . To say that he wakes up and within 10 min., has on some type of accessory or dress up on, is an understatement. This kid always has on a hat, belt, gloves, jacket, glasses....etc.

James has adjusted well to his new school this year. He loves Mrs. Melodie and asks to go to school every morning. He is dressing himself from head to toe, and most mornings he wants to pick out his own clothes, socks and shoes (which is fine with me, I love the independence he is showing). James is gifted in music. I know that sounds crazy for an almost 4 yr old, but I have never seen a kid at 3 pick up a guitar and strum tune the way he does. He has the body positioning and strums natural rhythmic beat when he plays it. Recently we heard the piano keys tuning away and assumed it was Ellie practicing, until she rounded the corner in the kitchen and said, "Will you please tell James Daniel to GET OFF MY PIANO!"....LOL!

We see wonderful creative strengths in James Daniel right now, and I am giddy to see what else transpires for him as he grows and develops into his own little person. My favorite "James funny" recently was watching him oooh and ahhhh over our baby cousin we kept a few days ago. He looked at me with very sincere eyes and said, "Momma, can we go to the baby store or Walmart and get one of these girl babies for me and John David?"...He is such a cool kid, loving, kind, creative and even manipulative some days....I love HIM to pieces. I am so very grateful for James Daniel and God's chosen miracle of health for him.

James loved the Spain Park games this season.
He would always say, "I need to see Jaggie (the mascot) and let him see me!"

Picture worth a thousand words....This one is priceless!

Reading in Jenna's bed with Momma one night. Love our time together when we just snuggle and read...

Picked the kids up from my mom's house. James was SO EXCITED to be in this authentic dress up. Lil Harry Potter!

Power Ranger for Halloween...a day he was actually suppose to dress up...LOL!

I could eat him up...seriously! Hat and glasses...always!

Hat, glasses, and gloves!

Hat and apron...oh and the gloves again, but they are actually toe socks from his sister's closet!

This makes me LAUGH out LOUD! His hat, is Claire's boot/leg covering for her Super Girl costume from last year's Halloween!

Goggles, hat, glove, and of course guitar...He said, "I am a loud rocker Mommy"

hat, gloves, Jenna's rain boots, within 5 min. of waking up!

God's beauty right here. I will never forget the pics of them sleeping like this as infants and wondering why a God who had the power to create all of existence would even care to meet me at my crisis and  save these lil boys. WOW! Humbling....

And the next kid...JENNA KAT!

Oh my sweet, sassy, sophisticated, spitfire....Jenna Kathryn Pate....only one like her in the world. I am thankful God chose me to be her mom!~

Jenna started Kindergarten this year, and it has been wonderful thus far. She has 15 beautiful friends in her class and a teacher who was designed by the Almighty to be a Kindergarten teacher. I tell ya, I subbed one day in Kindergarten and that is some serious business. I think I only made four our of 16 cry that day. One fourth is pretty good stats for Kindergarten meltdowns, don't ya think? Jenna always arrives home from the bus, barreling with excitement to share about her day. She smiles a lot, asks questions A LOT and shares "mis-in-mation" (aka information) that Mrs. Cvacho teaches her each day! I ask her often, "Have you ever been in trouble for not following directions or being disruptive?" and she always responds, "NO way  Mommy, I always mind Mrs. Cvacho!"

Jenna is still very much enthralled with baby dolls and "playing house"....This must stem from her earlier days of raising twin boys:-).....I am confident that Jenna has the skills to raise small children because she spent two years at a home daycare with many small children, tending to and taking care of their basic requests! Jenna is an awesome "helper" when she wants to be.

Most proudest mommy moment recently, Jenna was headed to her bedroom to get ready for bed and wait for me to come tuck her in. When I finally approached her room, I peered around the corner because I heard her talking to someone. Thinking to myself, she much be talking to a baby doll, I softly entered her room to find her perched on the side of her desk, with James Daniel, teaching him the bible verse 1Thessalonians 5:11...James was repeated after her as she ended with, "Great job buddy, Jenna is so proud of you!" #heartmelt!!!!! I wanted to freeze the moment. Actually I did. In my memory, I won't forget it. Another reason I document on this blog. I feel as though so much is flying by, raising these 5 blessings each day, and it makes my heart whimper at the thought of them growing up so fast.

Jenna loves to jump on the trampoline with her big sisters. Last week I walked out into the back yard to find Ellie spotting Jenna on a back handspring...ON THE GRASS! I said, "WHOA, WHAT ARE YALL DOING?" Ellie responds, "Oh we are doing Jenna's training on the grass because she passed the trampoline back handspring test!!" OH GEEZ! . Jenna also asked me a few weeks ago if she could take karate! I laughed OUT LOUD because honestly she would probably kick butt at karate! And the answer, of course, was....maybe later:-)


Here are some pics of Jenna Boo from the Fall season....

Art on the patio..

Jenna's best bud, Savannah Holder. 

Who teaches this child to pose like this....LOL! 

Saturday morning snuggle with Mommy on the patio. We LOVE our patio time!

Working hard on letters and numbers...

Waiting for the bus one morning. 

Toomer's Lemonade. After we endured a terrible loss, steamy hot, miserable loss to  Arkansas!

Hanging out on the old Pate corner of tailgating!

Monster pudding...spooky after school snack!
only because I don't have a job and can actually spend 5 min in the kitchen making fun after school snack!

Pink out at school for Breast Cancer Awareness month!

She LOVES nature, playing outside, just being outside. Digging up rocks, gathering acorns, etc. This particular day she found a rock shaped like a heart. Pretty cool. Had to take a picture!

crashed....this girl sleeps well....

Precious Ariel for Halloween....what a sweet innocent smile...(we practiced it!)

"Thank you Mommy for my new pink jacket that is just mine and not Claire and Ellie's"

Surprise visit at lunch with just one brother...John David!

PUFF...the famous friend from Kindergarten that each child gets to bring home for the weekend. She was SO EXCITED! Mrs.Cvacho calls the chosen child a 'Dear Heart'...so all weekend Jenna was the "Dear Heart"...

Puff also enjoyed the recording studio at Mr. Marc's house.
This was the morning of the recording of our scripture song CD, The Lil Sprouts. 

And the next kid....ELLIE BUG

Update on Ellie Brooklyn Pate!

Ellie is sailing through school..So thankful for her amazing teacher and wonderfully kind friends. Ellie enjoys learning and has an immense desire to please her teachers. We knew when she was two years old sounding out letters that she would be an exceptional learner!

Ellie has lost MANY teeth in the last few weeks. I believe the count is up to 8 now. The top 6 are gone, AT THE SAME TIME...It is pretty hysterical when she smiles. NO TOP TEETH! Lol!

Ellie has begun piano lessons with our neighbor, Ms Angie. It has been wonderful thus far. Ellie loves it, practices all the time without even being asked. Looks forward to her lessons each week. Seems so enthusiastic about learning more. She has had 8 lessons and can play 4 songs. So proud of her. So very thankful for the piano my mom and step dad gave her. I do hope she continues with it and will continue to feed her hunger and love of music. I had to take a music appreciation course in college and nearly failed it. Worse class I had to complete. God didn't bless me with musical talent but He sure did bless two of my kids with it and I want to encourage them in every way I can.

Ellie also recently finished up her first cheer season with Spain Park Youth Football. Loved it! We had a blast spending time together cheering for our lil Jags. She did however miss her gymnastics, A LOT,  and I believe she will return ASAP! She told me multiple time during the cheer season that she loved cheering but she REALLY LOVED gymnastics. We are super proud of her recent cheer competition with UCA. Ellie Bug competed in the Individual Cheer Competition and won 1st Place. It was great finale to her season. She worked so hard and really did practice most every afternoon, on her own, without much of my persistent help at all. She told me one afternoon, "I just want to win that big trophy like Claire did last year!" Makes my  heart smile.

Lastly, Ellie is thriving in her spiritual walk with God. I am so thankful to see her growing in a relationship with Christ. She is asking us questions all the time, learning scripture all the time. Applying the scripture songs we sing on the Lil Sprouts CD (we recorded a CD last week of all the scriptures I teach our kids through song and chant) Anyway, Last week she bolted off the bus and ran to me shouting, "I have to tell you what happened on the bus!!!!" I assumed it would be something inappropriate...(bus talk is not the best)....but instead of negative talk she began explaining to me how she noticed a little boy who sat across from her (who seemed to need some scripture) ...She wasn't sure how to just tell him about Jesus but knew he needed to hear something nice about how God loves us so much through Jesus. So she pulled out a devotional book that said "God's Promises" and held it up so he could see it while she inconspicuously read a random page....and then the explanation of the scripture on the "page" she turned to was perfect..."OH my goodness, Mommy, I was just trying to show him a book that would encourage him to be nicer and the page I was reading talked about being Christ's light in a dark place and how we can share Jesus with others who need him just by showing them our love of Jesus.....Isn't that so cool how the words I turned to were just perfect for what I was thinking????"

Of course I was smiling ear to ear and beaming with such pride and joy to see her apply what she has been taught at home and church (share Jesus with others)....and then she said, "I can't believe God just put those words in front of me that said what I was trying to do for that little boy...!"

Such a full heart. A memory I will have forever. She is a precious representation of kindness and compassion for the hurting world around us. I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. Super smart and sassy, but so very sensitive to the needs of others. I hope and pray she keeps a heart for the hurting and selflessly loves those around her.

Loves it. 

This is a look that says, "What in the world has gotten into my mother...she is ROCKIN the breakfast today!"

Mamaw and Papa hanging out at the end of one of Ellie's games!

Just being her crazy self waiting on bus one morning!

she said, "I just HAVE to be one of them when I grow up, they are so AUsome!"

Headed to the AU game....took a picture on the corner where we tailgated when Rob played!

Eating lunch with her one day at school...surprised her!

Tea party. Checked her out of school (I know that is totally against teacher law) but she was so thrilled. Such a precious memory for us to keep tucked in our hearts forever. 

She was on cloud nine!

Lil Miss Paula Dean...
For the girl who just sits around and creates desserts in her mind, this was a monumental moment for her.
A plate with homemade delicacies.....

Sweet friends. Goofing off before our game against the Patriots. 

Hoover YMCA, one Saturday morning she hung out with me while I worked out. 

Cake Pop from Starbucks. They both said, "Oh my gosh, are you seriously going to let us have one!!!!!???"

Created a water color painting for her piano teacher's birthday. I thought it turned out great. She has been tinkering with these a lot lately. Might need to start selling them to help pay college one day:-)

Dorothy for Halloween.


I love this beautiful child. I thank God for her and the place she has in my heart.