Happy birthday, Ainsley's Pa!

August 1 is a very special day. It is Ainsley's Pa's birthday!

A birthday message from Ainsley for her Pa:
"I love you very much and I hope you have a wonderful birthday."

Ainsley is blessed to have such a fun and loving grandfather. We love you, Tom!

I knew it was coming...

Ainsley just asked me the following question:
"If boys and girls look the same when they are born, how did you know I was a girl?"

My response?
"The doctor told us you were a girl."

Well...it's true!

(I also told her to ask her dad when he got home from work.)

Love, Ainsley

Ainsley has recently discovered the art of writing letters. Every day, she will sit at the table in her room and write letters to family and friends...and at least one or two for Dan and I.

This is another reason I love her. She is thoughtful and likes to do nice things for other people.

Here is a "love letter" she wrote for Dan a few days ago:
Makes my heart smile.

Wordless Wednesday

A new Sunday tradition

For the past month, our Sundays go like this...

1) Wake up
2) Go to church
3) Eat lunch
4) Listen to Ainsley ask us a few hundred times when the following show is going to be on...
(Translation: "Lawrence Welk".)

A few weeks ago, I was flipping through the channels and I came across "The Lawrence Welk Show" on PBS. Ainsley immediately stopped what she was doing and started watching it. She loved the accordian player...she loved the tap dancers...she loved the orchestra...she loved the bubbles...and most of all she LOVED the audience members dancing with each other.

So...if you ever try calling us on a Sunday afternoon and we don't answer you'll know why.

We're watching "The Lawrins Wilks Show".

(By the way... Ainsley made the sign pictured "so we will never forget to watch Lawrins.")

Arrrrrr me hearties!

~One of the many "visitors" we have every day.~

Little Painter

A few weeks ago, we stopped in the Thomas Kinkade gallery at our local mall. A lady who works there asked Ainsley if she would like to enter a contest...coloring a picture of Thomas Kinkade's most recent work.

When we got home, Ainsley decided instead of coloring the picture, she would paint it..."since he is a painter".

Here the finished picture:

Didn't she do a great job?! Dan and I were so impressed by her work. In fact, it was hard for me to see her turn in the picture for the contest. (I wanted to keep it.) Since we couldn't keep it, I decided to take a photo of her "masterpiece" so I could share it with you.

(See TK's original painting here.)

The Dancing Guy

I had never seen a guy dance in 42 countries...until now.

This video made me smile. :-)

Wordless Wednesday

Jedi Ainsley wants to be

On Saturday, Dan and I took Ainsley to a local bookstore so she could choose a book to take home. (as a reward for being such a good reader)

Here is the book she chose:

Ainsley has become rather "obsessed" with Star Wars lately. She has watched almost all of the movies with Dan and LOVES them.

She has read through the book several times over the past few days.

So...if you want to know anything about the Jedi order, Ainsley can probably help you.

God's birthday

So...do you know when God's birthday is?

Dan and I didn't know either until Ainsley told us today.

"Father's Day. Because God is our Father."

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you a very happy 4th of July!

"God bless America.
Land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
through the night with the light from above.
From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam.
God bless America.
My home sweet home.
God bless America.
My home sweet home!"

Wordless Wednesday

Watching fireworks

~Dan and Ainsley watch fireworks at Bellevue Baptist Church~
Sunday, June 29, 2008

A little privacy, please

On Saturday, Dan and I found the following signs on Ainsley's bedroom door:

Then we saw this sign on her playroom door:Just in case you are wondering...she does not have a sister
and
No! We are not expecting a little sister anytime soon.

Grizzlies' Draft Party

Last Thursday, Ainsley was VERY excited to be at FedEx Forum for the Grizzlies' Draft Party.

We had fun watching the NBA Draft live on the jumbotron. The Grizzlies' drafted Kevin Love as the fifth pick in the first round...only to trade him (and Mike Miller and Brian Cardinal) the next morning for O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur.

(Side note: I am sad to see Mike Miller leave Memphis. He was a good player and a very charitable person.)

Ainsley has started learning who the new players are so she will be ready to cheer for them when the season starts in a few months.

Go Grizz!