Brynn has suddenly developed an intense fear of the vacuum cleaner. This morning, she had an absolute meltdown, afraid that it would suck her up, along with Abby, Ivy, and their toys. Who knows where this came from, but it was a very real dilemma that we had to deal with. I can't just not vacuum my house! (Maybe not the best morning to also restart potty training!). I tried reasoning with her, explaining to her, even demonstrating that vacuums are nice and they don't suck up people.

Then, my sweet Abby said, "Do you know what I do when I'm afraid? I pray." Yeah, I felt like a loser for not suggesting the same thing, but I was also so proud of Abby and touched by her pure faith. So, we all knelt down and Brynn said the cutest little prayer about not being afraid that the vacuum will suck us up. And, I was reminded once again that when the Lord counsels us to "pray always", He really means it. It's amazing how the Lord teaches us.

So, I'm feeling selfish this morning...Just wondering: will I ever get any "me" time again?! It's amazing how my kids can perfectly time things so that at least one, if not all three, needs something at all times of the day. Trying really, really hard to be patient, but I think I may be losing the battle...

It's been a while, so here are a few random shots of the Andersons:

Yes, I promise, Ivy does love her daddy. =) (I think it had just been a long day...)


It's so nice to see our girls doing something together, voluntarily! They both love to color, and it's so cute.

They are even sharing the same coloring book...Amazing!

Yes, Lisa is occasionally in a picture, too. (Abby is getting pretty good at taking them. Thank goodness for digital cameras, though...When she gets a hold of the camera, she takes many, many pictures!)

Stretch! (Doesn't Ivy have the most luscious lips?!)
Our sweetheart at 11 weeks...it's so nice to now have a smiling baby!

This Saturday will be our 8th Valentine's Day, so here are 8 things I love about my James (in no particular order):

*His hair, gray or not (both looks are very handsome)

*His love of reading (thanks to him, I think we are going to have some smart kids!)

*His never-ending patience with all of his girls (myself included)

*His testimony of the gospel and his excitement to gain new insights

*His looks!

*His soft hands and feet (sorry to embarrass you, James, but I wish I had them!)

*His ability to tell a great story (his family can vouch for this one)

*His spirit

I love you, James!

James blessed Ivy in church last Sunday. It was a beautiful day and such a special one for us. She made it through the whole thing without a peep, and I was so proud. =) It was a special blessing .Ivy wore the same blessing dress that her sisters wore...It's funny how a JC Penney clearance dress has now become a family heirloom!

(We were lucky to get these pictures, since I completely forgot to take any video, pictures, etc. after the blessing. Oh, well. I guess that's what happens with most children after the first one. Abby's scrapbooks have many more pages than Brynn's, and poor Ivy will be lucky to even have one!)

What a cute daddy.

Our cute Ivy at 7 weeks...She's becoming pleasantly plump (I love it!). Yes, the scratch on her cheek was a reminder to me that she needed her nails clipped. Sorry, Ivy...my fault.

One night, Abby and Brynn decided that they wanted to be swaddled like Ivy...We definitely had to hunt around for some bigger blankets! Time flies so quickly...It seems like I really was swaddling them just yesterday.