Much Time has Passed

Dear Felicia,

I hope you see this post. It has been 3 1/2 years since I last posted and that weighs on my heart 😰 Please comment when you've seen this.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you. We often talk about you and it feels that, as Aubry grows older, she is more and more curious about you 💖

I will post a few recent pictures so you can see how big Aubry is growing.

Our golden retriever had puppies this summer so that kept us busy. Quarantine made life interesting for a few months but we were still able to go camping close to home, bike riding, hiking and visit family. We homeschool so that routine hasn't changed much, thank goodness!

Aubry is so smart! She has a great imagination and our days are filled with her pretending and singing songs. She is definitely a leader amongst her friends but so kind and considerate that my heart swells with pride when I watch her. She is shy around new people but once she warms up she likes to tell jokes and play tricks on them. She loves her big sisters and sleeps in their beds every night. She loves to ride our mules with Ryan. Both Zoe and Aubry love archery hunting with Ryan, while Kaia and Aubry love to play LEGO together. 

That is such a simple, imperfect picture of who Aubry is growing into but she's loved and healthy and incredible.

We love you too and thank God every day for the incredible gift of life and love that you have given us 💝

Nov 2015 - March 2016

I've been teaching Spanish to my girls and a couple neighbor kids. Craft day is our favorite! (Nov. 2015)

Enough purses??

I hosted Thanksgiving for both of our families in 2015. I think there were 32 people. Good thing we have a big house!

Practicing important life skills

Can you tell Aubry has Harry Potter loving big sisters?! (Dec. 2015)

Someone got into mom's mascara!

Christmas at our house with my family

Playing with one of her Christmas presents...a screen-free sensory activity box. This has turned out to a favorite! (Jan. 2016)

Playing with make-up just like her big sisters

Even grocery shopping with her best friend (and cousin) is awesome! (Feb. 2016)

First haircut. Don't let her expression fool you. She wasn't scared or sad. Just totally zoned out on the movie that was playing for her

Thank goodness for Dollar Store props!

These two can be crazy together! (March 2016)

Last school year, I would watch Lily one morning a week while her mom would volunteer at the school. We had a tea party almost every time. (I learned quickly that a towel on the table was AWESOME for quick clean-up after 😆)

UK trip in June 2015

In the summer of 2015 (geez I'm terrible at keeping this blog up to date!), the girls and I and my sister and her son all went to England & Scotland. We traveled around the country for 2 weeks trying to see as much as we could. It was amazing! We all had such a fabulous time. Even though Aubry was young, she will see a picture of a castle in a book and say "We went there!" I don't know how much she actually remembers but I still think that's pretty cool!

On our way to London, England!!

Checking out the sights on the London Eye

Buckingham Palace. Sadly, we just didn't have time for tea with the Queen :)

The Tower of London

Stonehenge. This was a childhood dream of mine, to see this incredible site. And it was every bit as impressive in person.

Exhausted after long flights and busy days

Every time we would pass a busker on the street, Aubry would start dancing to their music. She LOVES music!

We toured the royal ship HMS Brittania. Aubry loved the little stuffed corgi dog they had on board to represent the Queen's beloved pets.

Pretty excited about her GIANT lollipop!

Inverness, Scotland

We all got pretty good at riding the public transportation

Dressed up in 18th century Scottish clothes at Culloden visitor center

The ruins of Urqhart Castle

Hanging out on the train

Sept. 2014 - June 2015

Our family picture from Thanksgiving 2014

Aubry has developed a love for shoes...so much that she likes to wear 2 different ones at a time! (Sept. 2014)

Crazy kids who were supposed to be getting ready for bed but instead decided that putting undies on their heads as hats was a lot more fun (Sept. 2014)

One of Aubry's favorite things: getting pulled around by Zoe (Sept. 2014)

Aubry & Lily, BFFs forever (Sept. 2014)

Matching sisters on a Sunday (Sept. 2014)

Growing up and eating cheeseburgers (Sept. 2014)

Aubry had smeared mashed potatoes all over her face and didn't think anything of it until we all noticed and started laughing. She was bawling by the time I got a picture. (Oct. 2014)

Cuddling with Kaia (Oct. 2014)

Celebrating Aubry's adoption finalization day (Gotcha for Good Day) (Oct. 2014)

Halloween with our friends Darth Vader, the Backpacker, the Police Man, Lloyd the Green Ninja, the Red Power Ranger, the Peacock, Captain America and Ariel the Little Mermaid (Oct. 2014)

Aubry the Owl with Auntie "Wenda"

Lily & Aubry, BFFs forever and ever (Nov. 2014)

I did a lot of volunteering at the girls' school last year. One day a week we'd make popcorn for the students and Aubry loved coming with me to help (and eat popcorn) (Nov. 2014)

Great Grandma with 10 of her grandkids (Nov. 2014)

Flash and Snowflake, our Christmas elves, were pretty mischievous and Aubry loved looking for them each morning (Dec. 2014)

Aubry isn't too sure about dead birds (Dec. 2014)

Grandmama with her kids at the school Christmas program (Dec. 2014)

Looking sleepy on Christmas morning (Dec. 2014)

Kaia, Aubry, Zoe, Easton and Gabriel

Auntie Kiana with Grumpy Aubry

I'm not sure she understands how to play with her new toy

Peek-A-Boo! (Dec. 2014)

Trying to watch a movie on the iPad isn't too easy with a toddler (Jan. 2015)

Reading comics while sitting on the toilet...she gets it from her sisters (Jan. 2015)

The girls made a party for me in the basement after I got really upset one day because they weren't listening at all. They decorated, had snacks and music. It was pretty sweet. (Jan. 2015)

Riding on the mules with Daddy (Jan. 2015)

Sharing Zoe's Valentine's candy (Feb. 2015)

Our town does a Sweetheart Run around Valentine's Day. I ran the 5K and the girls and Ryan and I ran the 1 mile Kids Run. Zoe came in 2nd!

Enjoying a rare sunny day in February

I already mentioned Aubry's shoe fetish, right? (March 2015)

Not very impressed with crabs (March 2015)

Chillin' with Grandpa while camping at the beach (March 2015)

We've got our sand buckets ready for the beach!!

Aubry LOVES pickles!! I took this picture when she was throwing a fit after I told her we had to wait until we got home to eat one. (April 2015)

Last spring we started redoing our backyard. It turned out to be a much bigger project than we anticipated but the final product was so worth it! (April 2015)

Looking for Easter eggs (April 2015)

The big kids got to ride a fire truck to school one day. There weren't enough seats for the little kids but they still thought the engines were pretty cool (May 2015)

Happy Mother's Day to you and me! (May 2015)

Absolutely beautiful! (May 2015)

Another shoe picture ;) (May 2015)

And another BFF picture ;) (May 2015)

Sleepy baby mouth (May 2015)

Birthday day dinner for Aubry and Gabriel (June 2015)

Happy Birthday Aubry!! Birthday breakfast muffin with messy hair and messy house...what could be better?!

Pure joy while playing with the water table (June 2015)