big girl bikes

Ever since Kate and Annika turned three years old, they knew that when they turned four they could get big girl bikes. So last Sunday we went bike shopping, looking for the perfect bikes. We started at a "real" bike shop and couldn't believe our eyes at the prices for a little 20 inch girls bike. Yikes! We love you girls, but we have a budget. So then we headed to a local toy store. Kate was in heaven when she saw a green sparkly bike. I think her exact words were, "Oh my goodness!!!" There was no way we could leave the store without that bike, thank goodness it was more affordable. Annika also found a bike. You guessed it. Pink.

We got home, got out helmets on and away they went! They had so much fun on the path that is right near our house. I still can't believe that they are big enough for big girl bikes.

birthday pancakes

kate and annika {four years old}

kate elizabeth {6 months}

annika joy {6 months}

Happy Birthday to our beautiful gifts from God. The wait was worth every minute, knowing what we know now. You are both the light of our lives. God knew what He was doing sending us two daughters and our lives have never been the same.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:3-11

\kate and annika {4 years}

our week in review

Monday: Annika has surgery. She does great! What a trooper. Her doctors and nurses are all amazed at her progress and send her home early. Which meant a great night's sleep in our own beds, not a hospital bed.

Tuesday: Annika and mommy spend the day hanging out. Lots of movies and soft foods. Annika's new favorite food is soggy Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Yummy, don't you think? We even ventured out to Target, upon Annika's request to get out of the house.

Wednesday: Daddy's turn at home. Annika had a rough morning after taking some Tylenol with codeine. Yuck! She was dizzy and didn't eat hardly at all. Daddy switched over to regular Bubblegum flavor at noon and Annike miraculously recovered. They even made a trip to Ace Hardware and a park to play.

Thursday: Grandma Bakke arrives! Both Kate and Annika spend the day with Grandma and loved every minute of it.

Friday: Uncle Chad's birthday!! The girls spend another day at home with Grandma Bakke and Uncle Chad enjoying a beautiful Minnesota spring day outside in their fort. We wrapped up the day at Old Chicago where Annika ordered spaghetti and meatballs and devoured almost all of it. She has now mastered the slurpying of noodles, especially the super long ones!

Saturday: In the morning we brought Grandma Bakke to the Minnesota Zoo and had a blast seeing farm babies and Grandma's favorite.....the tigers!


Sunday, so far: Church, Sunday School, playing outside, washing windows and screens and now a good long nap. What could be better?

prayers for annika

Tomorrow morning we are heading into Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Annika is getting her tonsils and adenoids removed at 8:45 a.m.

She is SO excited to go.
She is SO excited to have a sleepover with mommy at the hospital.
She is SO excited to get rid of her ENORMOUS tonsils.

Please be thinking of our Annika. Prayers for a safe surgery. Prayers for healing and a speedy recovery.

happy easter

signs of spring

A sure sign of spring at our house is melted snow, mud puddles, rain boots, fleece jackets, digging out the bikes, making sand castles with your hats and mittens on and being able to swing again. Gotta love it!