Mallory's birthday and Mallory's birthday!

Mallory is a lucky girl (I am actually the lucky one since she gets the friends by default!)! She has a lot of friends and that means a lot of birthday celebrations!

On her actual birthday, we met up with our playgroup friends at the splash park and brought popsicles for everyone. She had fun running around and playing with them. We went to, where else, Chick-Fil-A for lunch after!

Sydni and Mallory. I just think little girls hugging each other is so cute!

Morgan likes her popsicle!!


Some of the kiddos celebrating with Mallory. Bella, Mallory, Joshua, Sydni, Audrey, Maddie and Blythe. It was a fun morning!

Is Maddie not the cutest??

That night, Mallory got to pick out where to eat dinner. She picked Texas Roadhouse for the rolls. Seriously. Here she is after dinner, about to blow out candles and practicing "free"!

Last Saturday, we celebrated some more with our family and her "3 year old friends". We had a party at the local gymnastics place and it was perfect! Well, very HOT, but fun for the kids. They all had hot pink cheeks and were a sweaty mess by the time they went home. I think you can tell Mallory was having FUN!!

Serving up some ice cream with the cupcakes.

Morgan enjoying a cupcake with Mimi. I tell you what, siblings get the good end of the deal when it comes to birthdays!!

The mass of kids helping Mallory open her presents. She had a lot of fun!

Showing off her gift from Oscar and Laura. Soooo cute!

Tate and Mallory running on the trampoline. Mallory stayed here the majority of the time.

Kara and her girls came to the party! It was fun to see them again and have them stay the night. Here's "baby Sydney". She's a cutie too!


Big boy Johnathan! He and Morgan are just 6ish weeks apart.

It has been a fun month celebrating Mallory turning three! Sometimes, I still look at her, and it feels like yesterday we were taking her home from the hospital. Crazy.

Giveaways galore!

I have a lot of other things to blog about, but instead I'm posting about another giveaway! This one is near and dear to my heart.

My good friend (and college roommie), Sara, has been doing the photography thing for a while now. She has taken lots of pictures of our family over the past 3 years. I'd post them on here, but there would be too many!! Sara is a blast to work with. Layed back, professional and soooo easy to work with! I'd recommend her to anyone. She's located in the metroplex, but also comes to the Temple/Belton area often.

She started a blog recently, and is having a giveaway! It's a pretty good giveaway, too! Check it out and enter to win one of three prizes. And, even if you don't win, it's worth your $$$ to call her up and book a session!!

Another giveaway...

...on another fantastic blog!

If you are at all interested in making your home beautiful and wondering how to do it, you must go to Isabella and Max Rooms right now. After you're done looking at all of her great design ideas, enter to win a set of 6 adorable placemats and a table runner in Amy Butler fabric!

Home, sweet home

I feel like I'm back in college again. The girls are with my in-laws, Brad is out of town and I'm staying at my parent's house while I work this week. It feels like I'm home for the summer.

My "summer job" is working for my brother-in-law and his dad. Wade's dad has his own family practice and does clinical trials out of his office. I came to the metroplex this week to be the "IV nurse" for one of the trials. I was slightly nervous since I've been out of the nursing scene for 3 years. But, I'm happy to report, putting the patient's IV in was like riding a bike! Piece of cake! Granted, the patient has great veins and is young...but, I've still got it!

So, while the girls are with BMom and Pop having a blast, Brad is home alone enjoying the silence, I am living it up working 9-2 and sleeping uninterrupted!! It's wonderful! I do miss Brad (he's been gone since last Saturday) and the girls, but this break is really nice.

I've got plans to have dinner with some old friends, help Kelly line her kitchen cabinets in her new house (MUCH more fun without kids running around everywhere!), taking naps, taking more naps by the pool, maybe some shopping...I mean, it's a rough life people!! I just do what I have to do for my family:)

Fancy schmancy!

I so should be packing right now, but instead I'm on this stinkin' computer.

Anyone else like a giveaway like I do?? Go to this blog and you will fall in love with her stuff. Who doesn't love polka dots? Ummm, no one I know!! She's giving away a cake plate, but I guarnatee you'll find something else you love too!

New burpies!

I just posted some new custom burpies at Jelby's! Stop by and take a look!!

My God is so big!

Mallory had an absolute blast this morning at church! This was her first Sunday in a "real" Sunday School class (previously, she's just been in the nursery part). She was really apprehensive about going in (clinging to the door frame for dear life) until she saw her buddies, Bailey and Bella, in there too.

She was all smiles and chatty when I picked her up. Apparently, she was "Queen Esther" during the Bible story (hence the crown that she wore the whole morning and in the car home) and did hand motions and everything!

All of the classes go to Rally which is like a mini "big church"...or a chaotic 20 minutes with 100ish kids singing and dancing:) On the way home, I heard her singing a song that I knew I hadn't taught her. I looked back and asked her to sing it again, and she did, complete with hand motions. So, since Daddy didn't get to see it, I thought we'd take a little video when we got home. I think it's precious and so sweet! Morgan is picking up on it, too. During lunch, she was babbling and then pointed right at me! She's a quick learner!

Happy birthday Mallory Kate!

I just cannot believe Mallory is a whole whoppin' three years old today! Where has the time gone?

So much has changed...and in some ways, she is just the same as her first week at home!

I can't resist posting this video. This, unfortunately, is our welcome into her 3rd year of life. Please Lord, let this phase end quickly!!!

Mallory,


We are so thankful for you. You are your own person and we can't wait to see how you grow in the next year. Life with you is funny, challenging (sometimes), sweet, full and new everyday!

Some things about you at three years old:

You are a great big sister to Morgan. Most of the time you share your toys and enjoy playing with her. You make her smile the biggest and laugh the loudest. You guys just started giving each other spontaneous hugs. It's the sweetest thing to see. Morgan usually goes back for more! You are a good teacher too. Just today, I heard you singing the alphabet to Morgan and asking if she could do it.

You LOVE Strawberry Shortcake and can quote just about every line of it, plus singing all the songs. When I asked you what kind of birthday cake you wanted, I could barely get it out before you said, "Strawberry Shortcake!" To say that you are a fan is an understatement:)

Your favorite colors right now are pink and purple. Anything pink or purple is your favorite!

Along with loving pink and purple, you love princesses and love to dress like one! When you wear a dress, you will hold out the skirt and twirl saying, "I'm a princess!" Anytime you see a girl in a wedding dress, you call her a princess too. So sweet.

Your memory and ability to learn is amazing! You pick up songs, names, directions and so much more really quick. Sometimes we forget or miss something that you pick up!

At night, you love to sing songs (there are 8 that we HAVE to sing to you...in order or we start over), pray and hear a story of when you were a "tiny little baby". Your favorite story is of when you shooeyed on Daddy! You always crack up when we tell you that story.

Mallory, we love you so much and can't imagine our family without you!! Happy, happy birthday sweet girl!