We celebrated this guy's birthday! We truly are so blessed to have him in our lives. He brings so much laughter and fun to our family. He really is the best husband and daddy. We love you Derek!
I got these shoes for his birthday that he wanted to buy a couple of months ago, but he couldn't pay full price for a pair of shoes (all of his shoes are from DI). So I happened to luck out with getting the last pair in his size. He absolutley loves them!
Derek woke up to this adorable sign by the one and only Ashlyn.
Derek's staff decorated the office and this was the front door.
This made me laugh so hard. It reads Wait, wait, wait... you're how old?
Everyone comments that Derek looks so young to be a dentist.
To top off the night, we went to ride the ferris wheel that was happening at the mall. It was dusk and the lights where on and it was really fun to see the excitment in the kids. I looked online to see the price of the ferris wheel and it said $1.25 a ticket. Well it comes to find out that it cost 4 tickets to ride, which means $5/person for a 5 minute ride. Derek and I cracked down (because the kids would have been so heartbroken) and we had a fun ride on the ferris wheel. The girls squealed with excitment because they could see above all the buildings.
Desi didn't know what to think at the beginning.
Derek asked for a popcorn maker to continue the childhood memories of his Grandpa Robertson. The popcorn is delicious!
I completed my 7th Half Marathon! I made a goal at the beginning of the year to run one before I turned 31. I was training by adding a mile each week and when I ran 8 miles (training), my hip started really hurting. I did research and talked to a physical therapist in my ward and it is caused by an increase in milage that my body isn't ready yet to handle. Well I wasn't going to wait.... so I just ran the whole half marathon the next week. Ha ha.
I ran on the treadmill because I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a hurt hip and I watched Netflix!
I ran up to mile 7 and my hip started to hurt so I walked a mile. Well me being so stubborn I had to run an extra mile to make up the mile that I walked.
I felt so good at the end! I am so proud of myself. The last half marathon I ran was after I had Brinley, so it has been a long time. I may want to make this a yearly goal!
In the morning, these girls like to push Daddy's car when Ashlyn and Daddy go to school and work. After they wave us goodbye, the day is ours. They wanted to draw mermaids. I traced these girls and they colored themselves into mermaids.
(Brinley is upset that Claire is on her mermaid).
Ashlyn had Art Day at school and this was a portrait of her.
Daddy's helpers making "Nana's cookies".
Derek said this is the only way he would make cookies is if the girls help him.
Sunday selfies during church.
I am in a good groovy taking 3 of the 4 with me grocery shopping. We leave early in the morning (7:30-8) after we clean up breakfast. Well most of the time I try to avoid the fun of grocery shopping, but I couldn't resist. This cutie really wanted to ride (sit because he was broken) on Pumba. She was so delighted. It was a good reminder for me to stop and enjoy the moment, especially with the simple imagination that these little ones possess. I need to pause and enjoy the moment and not be so focused on my to-do list.
We are so blessed to have date night each week. We went on a Thursday night and we saw Beauty and the Beast (the night before opening night)! We had fun and enjoyed it. When we sat down, a guy next to Derek leaned over and said, "Hey man, you better not cry." As most of us know, Derek is a crier. So Derek moved and sat on the other side of me. Ha ha. I love my Disney Daddy Fan!
These girls found a secret spot and wanted to do a photo shoot during naptime.
Spring Break Adventures
We have been in Lufkin for 9 months now and we haven't really explored the local museums. So each day we went to a museum. It is fun to have Ashlyn home and create a lot of fun, adventure, and memories.
Dinosaur Museum
Dinosaur paintings
Diggin for bones
Coloring Dinos
Later that afternoon we went to chick-fil-a for ice cream and to play on the play toy.
Lufkin's Art Museum
This was so much fun! We walked around to see the different paintings and the girls stopped and posed. I couldn't help it...I had to capture this.
There was a room that they had open to do whatever art you want to do. We spent 2 hours just painting together and making sculptures with clay. We had a blast!
The walls in this room is just artwork.
Desi had a blast just scooting on her bum under all the chairs and tables.
My clay sea turtle.
Brinley's clay dog food
That afternoon we had a great time ride our toys in the driveway.
Grandma Martinson got this wiggle car for Claire for her birthday and it is in constant motion. This is the most wanted toy that we have right now. I thank my mom a lot for the toy that is most fought over. Her reply is laughter followed by, "This is payback."
In all sincerity, we are so thankful for this wiggle car!
Brinley is the one that probably rides it the most. When Claire is on it, Brinley will negotiate/trick Claire to get off so she can ride it. That silly girl!
Forestry Museum
They had an event where they had people from the community read every 20-30 mintures. It is a museum that is about the paper industry (Dad I think you may be interested in this.)
Train creation out of stickers
They loved playing with the trains.
We spent most of our time in a wooden cabin cooking meals, doing chores like ironing, and playing with olden day toys. It reminds me of Little House on the Prairie. Can't wait to read the books with the girls, like my mom did when I was a little girl.
This melts my heart watching my girls love book!
We meet Daddy for lunch at my favorite Mexican Restaurant Del Rio. It was fun because we never take the girls out to eat (except Chick-fil-a) during Daddy's lunch break.
The girls call it the little door restuarant and they love the ice cream they get when we leave.
Derek played Ultimate Freesbie with people from the ward and we came to watch. We played around in the field. I love watching how carefree these girls can be.
Daddy's Cheerleaders
Where's Derek?
I absolutely love the window that is above our sink. It is big and brings to much light into the kitchen, which is probably the room that i am in the most. I was washing dishes and all of a sudden I see all these birds on our lawn. They were there for a minute and then I captured this moment of them flying away. It was neat, but it was also a little eerie...(childhood memory watching the old movie The Birds (I think that is what it is called)).
Ashlyn had a playdate with a girl from the ward. They were busy playing and then they decided to read a book called The Bailey School Kids. It was fun to see them so into the book!
Happy St. Patrick's Day! The girls found a path of gold (chocolate of course) that lead them to this wonderful breakfast- chocolate and cereal!
Thank you Grandma Martinson for the St. Patrick's package! We love the dresses!
This picture cracks me up...Desi is more than half of Ashlyn's size.
Ashlyn went to a friend's birthday party! Lucy has been a sweet friend and Ashlyn had a great time!
My friend Merla got baptized and I had the privilege of speaking at her baptism. Our family has been to a lot of baptisms these past few months and so many wonderful memories of my mission are flooding back to me. I am truly blessed to have the gospel in my life and go serve a mission.
Our Stake is 2 hours away and once a year we have a Stake Youth Dance at our Church. It was Hollywood Theme. I sadly I couldn't go to the dnace because we had a wedding to go to, but I am sure it was great! The Young Women President did a great job coming up with the idea and decorations.
I adore these pictures. We love this cute Des! She is such a light of joy and happiness.
Daddy and Brinley went on a special date this week to pick out a bike! Brinley is going to learn how to ride a bike. She got to pick it out herself and she is excited!
We tried out a new park in a nearby city and it was so magical. The trees were growing fir plants on them and the kids had a lot of fun playing on the playground.
The girls found tons of furry caterpillars!
Claire could be on the slide for days!
Derek's Dental Hygienist got married and it was on a beautiful lake that is in the country (aka middle of nowhere). It was fun to go. We had a blast dancing, eating, and enjoying the company. I wish I would have taken a picture of my girls because they were all dressed in the dresses that were worn for Maren's wedding (before Des was born) and they all (barely) fit in them. Thank you Ruth Ann for the beautiful dresses.
Derek was nervous he was underdressed until we see most of the guys in jeans...ha ha. Texas Weddings!
