The Owens Family

Go, team, GO!!!

2011-01-30T12:42:00.004-06:00

Well, basketball season has started & this year, Abby is playing basketball & Audrey & Adrienne are cheerleading. This is a first for all of them, so the house was full of nervous energy the morning of our first game. They all did GREAT! Audrey especially had fun showing her spunk & cheering for her twin. Adrienne showed off her stellar jumps & Abby rocked it as she drove the ball down the court. A GREAT game!

2011-01-28T16:32:00.002-06:00

Here are some of my recent favorites: Clay & Addison on a "lunch date,"--I'm so enjoying this last year with her at home. She is so fun! Abby & Adrienne fixing breakfast-- They are turning out to be quite the little chefs, really! & Audrey with an apple-smile-- She continues to brighten our days with her crazy humor! I don't think my days were EVER this interesting!

Our Family... UPDATED

2011-01-28T14:04:00.003-06:00

OK, so I KNOW it's been a LONG time since I've even looked at this blog, but I will happily excuse myself with investing that time with my family, making all these memories you see in the pictures. :) The girls are growing like weeds (even to me)! And each week seems to be filled to the brim with crazy adventures & hilarious bedlam. Here are some of our latest memories...

Happy 7th Birthday, Audrey & Abby!

2010-02-04T10:45:00.003-06:00

CANNOT believe the twins are 7! For their birthday, they wanted to have their party at Chuck E. Cheese's, so here it is! Everyone had a great time (even Addison, who was a little scared of a 7-foot rat!).

A Trip to Kemah Boardwalk

2009-12-04T10:09:00.005-06:00

Just before Thanksgiving, Clay's parents & brother came down to Texas for a visit. We took a day trip to Kemah Boardwalk on the gulf and had a great time! The girls loved riding the train & double-decker carousel. Addison had her first experience with Dippin' Dots, which she did not believe was real ice cream. One FUN day! Thanks for coming, Mimi, GrandDaddy & Uncle Clint! We love you!

Not Your Ordinary Gingerbread Man...

2009-12-04T09:15:00.004-06:00

When is a gingerbread man not a gingerbread man? When she's a ballerina, of course! Like the twins' Turkey Lurkey project, Adrienne had a gingerbread person she got to dress up. I think she did a fantatic job (& I STILL have super-glue on my fingers!)!

Can You Spot the Turkey?

2009-11-11T16:47:00.005-06:00

Audrey & Abby had a Thanksgiving week project: Turkey Lurkey doesn't want to be Thanksgiving dinner, so he needed a clever disguise! Abby's turkey was a "hula dancer," complete with lei & poms, and Audrey's was "Cowboy Lurkey," who, of course, has leather boots & a Texas-size belt buckle! I did help a little by cutting out the parts to use, but they did most the work (honest!). I think they look TUR-riffic!

Our Li'l BOO's!

2009-11-03T13:31:00.003-06:00

Happy Halloween, everybody! This year, we had an Audrey pumkin, an Abby bunny, an Adrienne puppy & an Addison kitty! We even had a "couch potato!" The girls had fun & got WAY too much candy, which they're still munching on. Here are some pictures from the Fall Festival.

First Day of School

2009-09-08T12:12:00.004-05:00

New place, new house, new school! That was what was in store for us as we moved to Alvin, TX in Mid-August. We're staying at the church parsonage while we're waiting to close on our Arkansas house & look for a house here.
The twins started first grade and Adrienne started Kindergarten at Hood-Case Elementary on the 25th of August. (Actually, Adrienne started a day later--we had to get shots on the 25th.) They love it and are doing so well.
Clay loves his new place of ministry, as well. The church has been great and he's adjusting well. After being hospitalized for a bout of staph during the move, he's bounced back & is going full-force.
Addison & I stay at home (most days, when we're not out trying to find out what's around us, or going to Wal-Mart for the necessary moving-essentials) and swim through the boxes on treasure hunts for our stuff!
I included a picture of Addison and our cat, Handsome, as I found them (only asleep) after a nap.

A Lot of Catching Up to Do!

2009-09-08T11:27:00.005-05:00

OK, OK. So I KNOW it's been ages since I've updated the blog. NO, the girls are NOT in their teens yet! Since the last time I've blogged, Audrey & Abby have graduated Kindergarten, Adrienne graduated Pre-K and had her 5th birthday (July 25), we've taken numerous Summer trips, moved to Texas and started school again! WHEW! Here are some highlights in pictures. I WILL try to keep this updated... promise! :)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Addison!

2009-04-28T10:22:00.003-05:00

Well, I cannot believe my baby girl is about to turn 3! Thursday, April 30th is Addison's birthday, so we had a "ladybug tea party" (her request) last Saturday. She had a great time, even though it got "rained in." She loves all her baby dolls & WordWorld friends. Here are some party pics...

The Zoo-Part 2

2009-04-23T15:58:00.003-05:00

Here are some more pictures from the Zoo field trip: Audrey posing on a bench, Abby feeding the giraffe, the girls with Mrs. (Brenda) Blaylock (in the white shirt), the girls with Mrs. Rhonda (Lewis)(in the dark shirt), & a Kindergarten class picture.

Take me to the ZOO!

2009-04-23T15:35:00.003-05:00

Audrey & Abby had their Kindergarten class field trip today to Monroe Zoo in Monroe, Louisiana. We hadn't been to a zoo in a couple years, so it was fun now that the twins are a little older (and no strollers, diapers & bottles for me!). I think they all had a good time. We took the boat tour, but it was so bright outside, my poor babies couldn't see very much! Abby's favorite part was the "Creatures of the Night" exhibit that included owls, snakes & bats. Audrey liked the monkeys & also feeding the giraffe an ice cream cone!

"Fun in the Sun" Day at WSCS

2009-04-08T09:30:00.003-05:00

Today Adrienne has "Fun in the Sun" Day at her school. They get to dress in their favorite Summer outfits (including sunglasses) & play outside (virtually all day) today. They're also having their Easter party today. I was flattered that Adrienne wanted to wear the dress I just finished for her. She looks adorable in it!

Adrienne's New Dress

2009-04-07T11:26:00.003-05:00

Finally, the last one! Here's Adrienne's purple pillowcase dress, finished today. She hasn't seen it yet. Hope she likes it! :)

Audrey & Abby's New Dresses

2009-04-01T16:08:00.002-05:00

OKAY, 2 more down, 1 more to go! Here is a pic of one of Audrey's & Abby's pillowcase dresses I "whipped up" (aka. "slaved over!") yesterday. Believe it or not, these WERE pillowcases! I was kinda "iffy" on the wild brightness of the material, but I think they turned out cute! The twins like them a lot, too. :) (P.S.- No, I don't usually dress them alike, but I found this pair & it seemed SOOOO much easier to get them & the ribbon at once! Besides, all the girls have started wearing each others' clothes already!)

Addison's New Dress

2009-03-31T14:29:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited! I just made this dress for Addison today & it turned out SO CUTE! I'm working on some for the rest of the girls, but Addison is here during the day & I had a chance to measure her. It's actually made from a pillowcase I picked up at Goodwill & some ribbon. The whole thing cost less than $5! Addison keeps saying, "It's so friddy (pretty)!"

Cute Li'l Leprechauns!

2009-03-17T15:24:00.004-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone, from our 4 li'l leprechauns & a lepre-cat! We love ya!

Family Funny of the Week

2009-02-12T12:50:00.002-06:00

(It may help to remember that Audrey has a soft, slow sweet voice...)
Audrey: Momma, can we go to McDonald's for lunch?
Momma: No, Baby, I'm making lunch for you right now.
Audrey: Well, can we go to the circus?
(Where does she come up with this?!)

Outside Fun!

2009-01-23T18:47:00.003-06:00

I took this video with my camera while we were outside yesterday. It was so warm, I pulled the car to the end of the driveway, & the girls & I spent the next hour racing down it on the plasma cars. SOOOOO fun!
(Don't adjust your volume-- The video is silent because I didn't take it with the video camera, but my photo camera.)

"Cooking With Abby" & other adventures...

2009-01-22T12:39:00.004-06:00

On Monday the 19th, the girls were all out of school, so we had to find plenty of activities to keep the girlies busy! Our first project was baking strawberry muffins for breakfast, closely followed by the making of
a birthday gift: a chocolate house! Then Abby wanted to make cupcakes with her Cupcake Maker, so we turned that into a cooking show (see above picture)! We had so much fun making things and playing games all day long!

Happy 6th Birthday, Audrey & Abby!

2009-01-22T12:12:00.003-06:00

WHERE has the time gone?! I KNOW I just delivered these beautiful girls a few months ago! Audrey & Abby turned 6 last Monday, the 19th.

They had their party on the Saturday before, at our house, which was SO FUN for everybody. We even set off a Mentos Rocket outside (thanks, Ro-Ro!). OK, so that was MY favorite part! It was great to see all the friends that came (even the Hooks family drove down to come!) and the ladies are still enjoying all their gifts.

It's hard to believe how far they've come since their tiny 1-pound selves came into this world. Watching Abby play soccer or listening to Audrey spout off a Bible memory verse, and of course, seeing their funny personalities come out & thinking, "Where did she come up with THAT?!" *sigh* Time sure does fly... Can't wait to see what this year will bring!

More Mayhem Pics

2009-01-05T18:57:00.004-06:00

These are some more pictures from our post-Christmas mayhem! Clay really likes his new phone; Sarah Hailey (and her family) came & visited after Christmas to share in some holiday leftovers (Sarah was so sweet to our kitten, Handsome, he fell asleep in her lap!); Abby is showing off the first of many cupcakes she'll be making with her new "cupcake maker". (Thanks, Mimi!) Way to go, Chef Abby!

Christmas Mayhem!

2009-01-05T18:36:00.005-06:00

Christmas was a BLAST at our house! The girls are really at that age where things are fun for Clay & me.

On Christmas Eve, the girls opened one gift-- a children's Bible-- and we read the Christmas story from it that night. Then, off to bed... not to wake up until---- 7:30am!!! Merry Christmas to me & Clay!

Adrienne was the "early riser" and came into our room whispering, "Wake up, it's Christmas!" Then she did the same thing in the twins' room. Abby jumped up & the two of them ran to the Christmas tree. Every direction that Abby looked, she would gasp in delight & say "Wow!" So funny! As they started playing with the big toys (see above) laid out, the sleepyheads, Audrey & Addison, made their way to the tree & played with them. We opened our wrapped presents & played & made a mess (!!!) & ate candy all morning/afternoon long! It was unseasonably warm outside, so the girls (and me!) got to ride on their new plasma-cars outdoors and in! SO FUN! They came inside for a Princess Lunch at the Castle where the "royal servant"--that would be me, of course, served them lunch and "tea" on a new tea set.

We wrapped things up with some yummy baked potato soup & grilled sandwiches for dinner (with Christmas sweets for dessert!). The girls had an even harder time going to bed that night than before!

Merry Christmas to You

2008-12-22T12:05:00.003-06:00

Now 4 days before Christmas, we are finally ready to come in from the rush & chaos & busyness & enjoy this time. Sad, isn't it? We had our Kids' Choir musical last night, Christmas at Bethlehem Gulch, in which all 6 of us participated. Clay ran sound, etc., I directed the songs, Audrey was a sheep at the manger, Abby was a pig at the manger (don't ask!), Adrienne was an angel (for 1 night of her life! Just kidding!), and Addison was a little lamb. Wish I had pictures.

The week before that was the Adult Choir musical, The Name...Jesus. Again, we all participated to some degree. Clay lead the multi-church choir, the Kids' Choir performed on one song, & I led them. It really was good (and I'm glad it's over!).

Before that, West Side Christian School (where Adrienne is) had their Christmas program. The K-4's did a nativity story, and Adrienne was Mary. I took video, but it's kinda long, so...

Intermingled in all of that is the Christmas parties, shopping, Christmas cards, and all the other things that occupy our time. (You all know how it is!) But, finally I have some peace, now with the groceries bought & the girls at home & no set agenda for the days leading up to Thursday. Now we'll bundle up & play in the yard, drink hot chocolate, watch the Grinch & Charlie Brown & take good naps in the afternoon. Sounds nice, huh? Hmmm...

So, merry Christmas to all of you, from us. Hope your Christmas & New Year hold blessings you couldn't dream of.

Turnabout's Fair Play!

2008-12-19T07:40:00.000-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2008-12-12T09:04:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Our New Kitty!

2008-12-06T13:34:00.004-06:00

So cute! Here's our new pet, an 8-week-old grey & stripey teeny little girl kitty! Abby, with the help of her sisters, named her Eloise. She is bound to be one tough kitty!

Owens Funny of the Week: We found out last weekend (Dec. 13) that our kitty, who was sick & went to the vet, is not a girl, but a BOY kitty! Ha-ha!! We thought we'd let Clay name him, but the best he could come up with was "Falwell" (after the late Pastor and President of Liberty University, Jerry Falwell). Adrienne decided on "Handsome-- because girls are pretty & boys are handsome!" she says. So now we have "Handsome Falwell!" Twisted, huh!?!

Lunch Date with Friends

2008-11-14T13:33:00.002-06:00

As ordinary as this picture may seem, this is a rare occasion at the Owens house. You see, usually at meal times there are a lot more that ONE sitting at the table! I guess Addison felt a little alone & grabbed her friends for a lunch date! Ah... Addison, 3 babies, Tigger and Pinkie-Pie Pony... that's more like it!!!

We love you, Hooks Family! (aka: Ode to Girlfriends)

2008-11-07T16:19:00.003-06:00

Ok, I just don't even know what to say! Jenna & Andy Hooks & their sweet children, Russ, Henley & Will, are moving to Benton, AR tomorrow. They are such good friends & our whole family will miss them terribly! We sure will miss Andy's artistic abilities & Jenna's "being led" to say just the right thing!!! We hope you'll come and visit us soon & often. We just HAVE to have our girls nite/day out, & don't forget the new Wii-Smackdowns! We love you guys!!!

Halloween PM Pics

2008-11-01T15:53:00.003-05:00

Here are the cute pictures from last night! (Clay & I decided not to dress up this year, we're scary enough as it is!)

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-01T15:31:00.004-05:00

Here they are in all their glory! Halloween was so much fun this year! To start off the day, Adrienne had "Old McDonald Dress-up Day" where she chose to dress up as the farmer's wife. She looked too cute in her prairie dress, dishrag apron & wire-rimmed, lense-less (post-Audrey) glasses! The twins went to their school where they had their annual Fall Festival. One full hour was not enough for Abby, who wanted to do it ALL! Audrey got her hair sprayed hot pink, won a 2-liter sprite, & kept her helpers hoppin'! Addison got to stay home & play with Daddy (as I sold nachos all day at the Fall Festival!).

That evening, the girls got all dressed up for trick-or-treating! They all looked adorable, even in their craft-foam & felt costumes! Audrey stayed in full character, I don't think she spoke 10 "words" when she was in her puppy outfit! Abby went up to one house to trick-or-treat & when the man gave her a piece of candy, she looked at him & said "More!"

We all had a great time & got WAY too much candy. Maybe I should put some of this back for Christmas... Hmm... Do you think the girls would notice if they got "gummy bats & ghosts" in their stockings?!

Fall Fun!

2008-10-29T12:51:00.003-05:00

Well, since I haven't posted in weeks, I suppose I should catch up! My parents were able to come for a visit the week of the twelfth. It was great to have them out here & we had a great visit. The twins had a soccer game & my birthday was that Tuesday. There was no church that Wednesday, so we just played outside & visited. Addison especially enjoyed the daytime, as she was the only girlie here to soak up the grandparent attention!

Last Saturday, while I was grocery shopping, Clay & the girls carved a jack-o-lantern & roasted pumpkin seeds! The pumpkin looks great & the girls had a great time doing it--they filled me in on all the gooey details!

The girls are all excited about Halloween this Friday. Audrey's going to be a puppy, Abby is going to be a pig (surprise!), Adrienne will be Pocahontas & Addison will be a ballerina. Stay tuned for pics to come!

It's SOCCER TIME!!!

2008-10-09T11:25:00.006-05:00

Soccer season has officially started at our house! Audrey & Abby are going full steam ahead with their TOPSoccer team(the buddy-ball team sponsored by Hope Landing, like their T-ball team). Abby LOVES it; she gets in there with the big kids & has a blast! Audrey loves RUNNING AROUND THE FIELD!!! Here are some pictures of their latest game--they're kind of dark because it threatened to rain the whole evening, but held off until that night.

Such Progress!

2008-09-26T15:29:00.004-05:00

So I just have to sneak this post in... Audrey, as many of you know, has been struggling a little in school. Mainly with the routine & "tight schedule" of Kindergarten activities & dealing with the frustration of doing things that come easier for others... Throw in a little stubbornness & a strong will... Anyway, after a very trying week last week, we set 3 goals for Audrey. Her teachers said if she did well this week with her goals, she could get a stuffed puppy that Mrs. Rhonda (her para-pro) reserved just for her. WELL, I just have to say I'm so proud of her! She did it! She came home with a plushy, squishy soft white & lavender puppy she named "Snowy Day" (all on her own!). It's amazing what can spark an all-out celebration at our house! Yay, Audrey!

Fifth Sunday Sing

2008-09-07T13:31:00.003-05:00

Every fifth Sunday at our church, we have a "Fifth Sunday Sing," where members can sing or play for evening service. Our last one was Aug. 31, and the "Li'l Ladies" sang "God is So Good" and "Zacchaeus." My friend Barbara got the last one on video for us.

P.S.-- Funny of the Week: So we're driving down the road one day last week and Adrienne slides open her cup holder on her booster seat (which is quite nasty from leftover food/drinks), then proudly exclaims, "Look! My cup holder just baked me a pretzel!!"

Audrey reading...

2008-08-19T15:57:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to get into a little routine of going over the girls schoolwork (forms, notes, etc.) right when they get home from school (so I don't have time to slack off). Audrey and Abby made a little booklet they read to me from today. Audrey's reading was just so adorable, I couldn't help but get the video camera to show you all. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes to think of how far she (and Abby) has come. (Plus, the video will give me something to look at when Mrs. Blaylock tells me she's been in time-out...again...)

First Day of Kindergarten!

2008-08-18T15:55:00.003-05:00

Well, the twins started Kindergarten today! Backpack clad and lunchbox laden, Audrey & Abby headed of to school. They are in Mrs. Brenda Blaylock's Zebra Class at Parkers Chapel Elementary School. Abby said she had a great day today, but forgot to eat her snack at recess. (I'm sure she was too busy playing, if they were outside.) Audrey likes her class (especially all the zebra paraphernalia), but has a hard time transitioning to a new routine in a new school. To tell you the truth, I'm having a hard time transitioning too! Here are some pics from this morning...

First Day of Pre-K!

2008-08-14T15:10:00.004-05:00

Today was Adrienne's first day of school! She's so big! She's in Mrs. Kristi Gunter's K4 class at West Side Christian School. She was excited this morning as she walked in and excited this afternoon when we picked her up. To put it in her words: "I just want to go to school all the time!" Here are the pictures from today (she requested the shot with Skecher!).

P.S.--This was also Audrey & Abby's last day of therapy at Hope Landing, where they have "Pool Day" on Thursdays, hence the picture with the twins in their swim suits & cover-ups.

VBS--Outrigger Island FUN!

2008-08-08T17:09:00.008-05:00

We just finished our church's Vacation Bible School, "Outrigger Island." Clay led the music & worship rallies, I helped with 3's-Pre K's (with my friends Jenna & Tina, pictured with Adrienne), and the girls had a BLAST all week. Here are some pictures from the week at VBS. Aloha!

The Latest Craziness (Our New Puppy)

2008-08-08T16:44:00.004-05:00

Well, since my last post, the Owens family has, once again, found itself hosting chaos. We (me & the girls) travelled (once again) to Georgia so I could be there when my mom had total knee replacement surgery. The girls got to spend some time with Clay's side of our family and even went to Chuck E. Cheese's! They also spent time with my side of the family as we spent the night with my sis, Beth, & her new husband, Jason (wedding pics to follow, hopefully!), and got to visit with Dunka while Nonni was resting in her room.

Today we made good on a promise to the girls to get them a puppy. She is a cute, 3 month old mutt that has fast become the 7th member of our clan! We haven't named her yet; we're still looking for the perfect name for her. Feel free to drop suggestions!

Happy 4th Birthday, Adrienne!

2008-07-26T13:57:00.003-05:00

She's our 4-year-old diva-momma-princess! Adrienne Grace celebrated her birthday yesterday, the 25th, surrounded by lots of Barbies & My Little Ponies, which she loves! The down-side of the day was spending most of the afternoon at the doctor's office for school check-ups and s-h-o-t-s! But they all did great and got to go to McDonald's for dinner (Adrienne's choice, of course).

Today we had a party with some of her friends. The Barbie cake was FANTASTIC (thanks, Tina!) and everyone had a blast. Adrienne is so excited to be 4 & looks forward to starting Pre-K next month. Happy Birthday, Sweet Thing!

The Trip Home

2008-07-22T13:39:00.003-05:00

Here are a few more pictures of our week in NM and the trip home. The sanctuary was so pretty; Clay got a pic while the orchestra rehearsed. Then he got one of me & my friend, Barbara Murchison, who plays violin (and anything that has strings!). The lake was muddy because we had isolated thunderstorms everyday. (We even lost power one night & had to take cold showers the next morning!) But even with the rain, there was no humidity there--Clay barely broke a sweat! We had no A/C, but we didn't need it, we just left our windows open. There's one of the whole group we took before we left. We really had a great time.

Glorieta, NM ("A Little Bit of Heaven")

2008-07-22T13:21:00.003-05:00

We had a great week at Glorieta. The girls had fun classes every day, where they played putt-putt, fed ducks at a lake, sang, played & had "water day." They loved it! Clay & I also had a good time, too. Clay took sessions in leadership & I did the orchestra and children's choir sessions. We had awesome services in the morning & amazing concerts every night. Here are some pics from the week.

On the Road Again...

2008-07-22T12:30:00.006-05:00

Well, the Owens Family is back from the 2nd of our Summer trips. The girls and I (Laura) travelled to GA to, once again, participate in a wedding: my sister, Beth, and her new husband, Jason Yohe. (Pictures will soon follow in a later post.) The family then drove home to spend one night in our beds, only to get up & travel about 1,000 miles in the other direction, to Glorieta, New Mexico, for a music and worship conference. Here are some pics we took along the way. We went through Paris, Texas and stopped awhile at the Cadillac Ranch. The scenery in NM was awesome.

A Look Back at Easter...

2008-06-25T09:35:00.008-05:00

Our friend Dylan just gave us a copy of a video he made of our worship service on Easter morning. Here are a couple of highlights from that morning:

Mrs. Jenna and the Choir sang "Let the Veil Down." Great song!

And just before Bro. Mike was going to preach, Audrey and Abby's Choir helped everyone get their wiggles out!

Thanks, Dylan, for sharing your video!

Last stop before home...

2008-06-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

After the wedding and the beach trip, we came back to GA to see GrandDaddy (Clay's Dad) ordained into the ministry. After the service, the family gathered at Chad & Allison's house for pizza & visiting. The kids had a ball & we all had a good visit together.

Amy and Jeff's Wedding

2008-06-17T16:32:00.002-05:00

Amy and Jeff's wedding was just beautiful and (with a little help from some adorable flower girls) entertaining, too! After all, it isn't every day you get to see your husband marry his sister!!! (Ha ha! Clay performed the wedding ceremony.) Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day, guys. Here are some pics of the happy couple and the circus around them...

Buddy Baseball

2008-06-13T12:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, the twins had their first Buddy Baseball game. The team is sponsored through Hope Landing (where they get physical, occupational and speech therapy) and the Boys Club. Each child has a buddy who helps them play the game. Abby was especially attentive to the game. Audrey LOVED playing in the dirt! Both girls had a lot of fun and enjoyed a Sonic milkshake afterward!

More Beach Pics

2008-06-13T09:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a few more pictures of the beach trip and the beautiful families we enjoyed it with...

Beach Time!

2008-06-13T08:50:00.000-05:00

We had a BLAST at the beach! Our family plus the Hooks and Hailey families (that's 6 adults and 10 kids!) stayed at a condo at Orange Beach. The men took the kids to see the Blue Angels in Pensacola and we all went to The Track for some race-car fun. We caught jellyfish and rode waves & had a wonderful time with our friends!

Our First Summer Trip

2008-06-13T08:23:00.000-05:00

The Owens family has just returned from our first Summer excursion. This included time visiting our family in GA (and Addison getting a tooth pulled!) and participating in Amy (Clay's sister) and Jeff's wedding (ALL of us--it was a RIOT! We love you Aunt Amy & Uncle Jeff!). From there we went to Gulf Shores, AL for some fun in the sun! The girls loved the beach & had a great time, but after two and a half weeks away, we were all ready to be home in our own beds. These are some pictures of the fun we had at Nonni and Dunka's house.

Pre-K Graduation

2008-06-13T08:10:00.001-05:00

"It's off to Kindergarten!" Although Audrey and Abby didn't fully understand the concept of school promotion, the graduation ceremony was cute, nonetheless. Here the twins are with their teacher (who was also chosen Teacher-of-the-Year), Kristi Gunter. Audrey and Abby will surely miss her this Fall, but hopefully Adrienne will manage to get in her class!

Career Day

2008-05-13T10:14:00.000-05:00

When I grow up I want to be a...

At West Side Pre-K, the twins' class is having "Career Day" today. They've thought about it for a week and finally decided what to be (for today, anyway!). Audrey wants to be a doctor and Abby wants to be a momma! It's amazing what Daddy's old dress shirt, some construction paper, and aluminum foil can make! And Abby's all set with "everything she'll need for the day" in her diaper bag: diapers, a toy, sunglasses, a (play) banana, and a cell phone! I really wanted to put dark circles under her eyes & send her in PJ's, but Clay nixed that idea. (Being a momma is SO glamorous!) Anyway, here's to "Dr. Audrey" and "Abby-momma!"

Happy 2nd Birthday, Addison!

2008-04-30T16:20:00.000-05:00

Ain't she SWEET?! Our baby girl is now 2 (even though she thinks she's as big as her sisters)! She's had a great year, & she's just getting to be more fun to be around everyday (ok, maybe not EVERY day). She's the comic of the group, always looking to get a laugh, and usually succeeding. Good natured & easy-going, Addison had a great time at her birthday party, where it seemed like there were a million other kids unwrapping her gifts (especially including her sisters)! She loved the "chocky cake" & her favorite gifts were baby dolls & accessories (which was about everything). Oh, yeah and the SQUEAKY SHOES! She LOVES them (thanks a HEAP, Mimi!)

It was nice to visit with her cousins, Alyssa, Katie, Carter & Jillian (we missed you so much, Camden!) & she always loves to see her home-friends. Thanks a bunch, Wonder-Tina for the great pictures! You're so talented!

Happy Birthday, Clay!

2008-04-20T16:19:00.000-05:00

Happy 31st Birthday, Clay! The grey is starting to show!

He woke up to little girlies showering him with cards and gifts! The two of us then enjoyed a QUIET lunch out (thanks again, Super-Jenna!), then the whole family took a trip to Monroe, LA to shop for Addison's birthday present. I think he had a good day. When we got home, it was a little to late to eat his chocolate cake, but not to late to sing & blow out candles! (The girls insisted!) Happy birthday, Claybie! We love you SO much!

**P.S.--For those of you who were worried about Abby's precious ("fur-real friend") baby piggy, Wilbur, who was tragically washed in the washing machine: Poor Wilbur is doing OK. Not as many sounds or movements, but very clean, nonetheless. Abby says "he's just getting old." She still loves him. (Nonni thinks her psychology is funny, & wonders what she'll think when they "get old!" Don't worry, Nonni. You'll never be "old", and we'd never put you in the washing machine!)

Speed Demons!

2008-04-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

Wow, this blog has really gotten me taking more pictures! (But that's a good thing!) We were playing outside today & got out the two Power Wheels "Dune Bugs." I guess my sense of adventure (stupidity!) made me think it would be fun to take out that little screw that kept the car in low-speed gear. What was I thinking?! It WAS funny, though. Thank goodness we have a decent back yard. Once the girls got the hang of it (i.e.--after Momma got them "uncrashed" for the thousandth time) we all had fun. You can really get a glimpse into their different little personalities by looking at how they drive! Watch out for the Owens Girls in about 10-12 years!

Pizza Picnic on the Trampoline

2008-04-12T16:11:00.000-05:00

It's so refreshing to do something a little out of the ordinary! This weekend, the weather was so nice that we just had to get outside. We ended the day by having a pizza picnic on our trampoline. The girls LOVED it (plus, clean-up was a breeze--all the mess went to the weighted-down center!). Then we played awhile more & ended up all back on the trampoline lying down watching the stars come out. It was great!

**Life moment from Audrey** Last Wednesday, after having injured her big toe (pretty badly) AND slamming her hand in the car door (hinge side), Audrey was running around the church sanctuary after choir practice (a no-no). She fell, & her toe started to bleed again. She came to me to "fix it." I said "Audrey, what am I going to do with you?" to which she replied in her slow, soft voice, "Um, take care of me?" So sweet! How could I resist?

Our Easter Outfits

2008-04-08T16:47:00.000-05:00

We finally had a day nice enough to go outside and take pictures of everyone in their Easter outfits. The girls looked so pretty. They're growing up too fast.

Easter Celebration 2008

2008-04-08T15:35:00.000-05:00

The girls had a wonderful time coloring and hunting eggs this year. Addison was finally big enough to get in on the fun! Audrey discovered what was really inside a hard-boiled Easter egg. Adrienne loved the toy princess phone that was in her Easter basket. Abby couldn't eat enough chocolate!