Hope Gets Tatted Up

The Fab Four (and a half if you count Avery Kate)

So if the blue and purple hair wasn't wild and out of character for me then this sure is.  I have always wanted a tattoo but could never come up with something that I would want on my body for the rest of my life.  Then Katie Dorak happened.  Katie's story is inspiring.  Seeing her go through what she went through and continue to find the joy in everyday and seeing her get her "choosing joy" tattoo made me want one.  We have spent every Tuesday together for the past couple months and when the topic of getting tattoos together was brought up we were all in it together!  I searched and searched on Pinterest.  I wanted something simple that I knew I would love forever.  I chose a cross on my wrist. 

I tried to be tough.  Im not going to lie, it hurt.  Good thing it only took in a couple minutes to do it.  I can't imagine people sitting for hours going through that!

Its complete!

Chrissy was next.  She is a weenie and can't tolerate pain.  She has one other tattoo but didn't quite remember how that one felt.

Faith, Hope & Love

Katie contemplated getting her cross on her hand.  I really like it better on her arm and I'm glad she chose to place it there.  She sang in the choir shortly after getting it and that cross looked amazing!

This was not Katy's first tattoo rodeo.  She already has multiple and chose to put "be still" on the outside of her forearm!  I love the heart at the end!

I love these memories we are making together! Love you girls!

Life On the Highway

So during the first week of us being in the new house on the highway Bella gets hit by a car.  I get a call at work from Ryan that someone has hit her and doesn't think she is going to make it.  Next thing I know I am getting a text message with this picture...

Apparently she is part cat and has nine lives.  She checked out at the vet and took a couple days worth of muscle relaxers to help with her soreness.  

The boys have enjoyed all this space to ride their toys around!

So Reid has been sneaking gum from us when we aren't looking.  I was combing his hair one day and found this.  It was in the very back, right at the base of his scalp.  I wasn't even going to try to comb it out so I just cut it.

I participated in the Crossfit Open again this year.  I wasn't a team leader so it was less stressful for me this year.  I had a blast!

How breakfast usually goes!

Shayna moved to Florida so for a last hoorah before she moved we went out to eat at Demos' and to the Escape Room. We had a blast! 

Here lately since its been cold and rainy outside so we have been playing lots of games inside.  Yeti in my Spaghetti and Hungry Hippos are our favorites!

I ran the Special Kids 5K with some friends!

We passed Hope Hwy on our run.

There were lots of people running!

On our way to drop off Bella at the groomer we stopped at AEDC and let the boys get a close up look at the airplanes.

John Hardy and Anne Lousie tied the knot!  Welcome to the family Anne Louise!

Reid passed out! I wish I could sleep like that!

These girls right here have been each others rock for the past 5-6 months.  Im not sure if we would have been able to manage our trials like we have without each other.  You girls don't even know what you all mean to me! I love you!

Hardy Lee came over to play with her cousins!!!  Brasfield's - Hurry up and move to Manchester! 

Easter 2018

For breakfast one morning before Easter I made the twins some bunny pancakes.  Liam was at school so he wasn't able to get in on the fun!

The boys were SUPER excited about them!

After breakfast we made Bunny Bait.  

FBC had an Easter Egg-stravaganza.  They had a petting zoo and an easter egg hunt too!

Liam and Landon getting ready to dominate the hunt.

Our connection group at church is full of kids.  We had the fun idea of doing a glow in the dark egg hunt. We bought eggs and stuffed them with glow in the dark bracelets.  It was cold outside and the playground lights were too bright to see them glow, so we hid them in the gym.  

The kids had a blast and so did the adults!

When we got home I put the boys in the bathtub, threw the glow sticks in the tub and turned off the lights.  

Crossfit did the second annual Last Mile walk again this year.  We carried weight for a little over a mile around town while we reflected on what Jesus went through his last days before he was crucified.  

Helping the Easter bunny get set up for the morning....

He arrived!!!

Our family Easter picture at church.  Liam had a hard time smiling at the camera because he said the sun was too bright!

For lunch we went to my aunt and uncles house to eat.  We threw some eggs together and let them hunt eggs again.  Im so cheap I just put together the eggs they had recently hunted and hid the same ones again.  

For dinner we went to Ryan's parents house to hide and hunt more eggs and eat dinner.  They had to stop and take a quick pee break before they got started.  

... and they are off!!!!

All together they boys had 5 Easter egg hunts this year.  I didn't get any pictures of the ones they did at school.  They are at the age where it is so fun to watch.   I tried to make sure I explained to Liam the true meaning of Easter and that the egg hunting is for fun!  The twins are too young to really grasp the concept but they will one day!