One TERRIFIC KID

At Bailey's school, they recognize students as being Kiwanis Terrific Kids. We have had McKenna and Bailey receive the honor in the past, but this is the first year that the school has honored them in a reception. We also got to see our good friends' daughter, Addie, receive the honor for her class. Way to go Addie! I, along with Quinn, attended the ceremony today. Jeff couldn't go due to responsibilities at work, so we are posting some pictures for Daddy to see, as well as you, our friends and family. We are very proud of all of our girls, Terrific Kid award or not. In our eyes, they are all terrific!! We love you Bailey!!

Toothbrushes, Hannah Montana, and Silly Faces!

The Hickman House is, once again, not well today, but over the last couple of days, we thought normalcy had returned, so we snapped a few pictures of some random moments with our girls.
Hope you enjoy and are somewhat amused at the plethera of activities and happenings that occur on a daily basis here at the Hickman Home.

Quinn enjoys her brand new toothbrush
Bailey practices her Hannah Montana moves
Quinn decides to practice "her" Hannah Montana moves!

This is what happens when you leave your camera lying around!


My personal favorite...

Friends that Make you Laugh

Well, I love my friends so much. Not often enough do I have the opportunity to kick back for a little girl time, but yesterday, the opportunity came my way and I seized it. Tina, Amy D., Beva, Barbie, Misty and I went to Tina's house to hang out. Tina had an awesome lasagna ready for us. Amy D. added a salad, I added the bread, and Barbie brought a killer dessert. We started off right with fork and knife in hand, chowed down, and some people had seconds, but I can't say who! Maybe me...maybe not! It was our time, so it's really none of your business, OK?!!
After dinner, we went to Tina's gameroom and started the competitive part of the night with a little Guesstures and Taboo. Ok, well, this is where I have a dilemma. I ended up a loser! I don't like to lose, ya know? I do mean loser in the truest sense of the word, too! I was not part of one team that won! What? Was it me? I think NOT! That's just the way it happened. I was a winner, though in laughing so much my sides hurt and I am actually sore today because of it! You cannot play Guesstures and not laugh and along the way, you learn a little about yourself, too. My nugget of newfound wisdom is that I discovered that I have the capabilities of Rockette! That's right. I kicked a leg up pretty good if you ask me! I know that my friends laughed at me, and that is quite alright, because I felt invigorated! I felt as though I had embodied the life of a Rockette, if not but for a few short seconds! It was worth it...impersonating a Rockette, just so my team would give the answer. However, they didn't get it right! The other team guessed for them! Oh, well...whatever! We had fun laughing at one another. Beva with her chocolate teeth. Amy D. just being herself. Tina using the same red plastic cup to demonstrate every word she had to describe, even if it didn't make sense. Barbie doubled over in laughter just because it felt good. Misty trying to describe the word "kamakazi".
These are just a few of the highlights of the night. I love my friends for making me laugh, giving me some good memories, and giving me a lot to look forward to as we go back to Tina's next year I hope! What a great weekend it's been. Thanks for the laughs!

Random Happenings

Well, it's been a week. Ok, no, let me correct that! It's been a couple of very long months for us. Since Christmas, we have had one of the Hickman's sick! I am SICK to death of it all! Certainly, I need to reconsider my stock options and acquire stock in Tylenol, Lysol, Sprite, and the list could go on and on! Maybe God is trying to tell me something, and right now I think that 'something' is to "SLOW DOWN"! Ok, Lord, I am listening. This week, I have stayed at my house everyday...YES, EVERYDAY! I am typically a homebody, but I've had enough. I haven't even gotten my Target fix this week. For those of you who know me really well, pick yourselves up off the floor from shock, and read that line again. That's right, NO Target! I think this is what a person going through detox must feel like. I think I noticed a case of the shakes last night.
Really, though, I am tired of the sickness. We have had enough. Quinn went to the doctor Monday, and quite frankly, scared me half to death. From what my Mom tells me, I had the croup at lot as a little person. Well, let me tell ya...it's very different when it's not you and it's your child. I did the whole rushing Quinn outside thing just so she could breathe. It was not fun. To top things off, she has a double ear infection. She also had to get a shot of steroids for the croup. What?? Did I mention we've had enough?!
Well, today is a new day, and we hope we are on the road to recovery. In an effort to bring back some normalcy to the home, I tried to capture some video of returning to normal. Quinn is becoming quite the walker, so enjoy this video of her walking some more "Big Girl" steps. The bottle in her hand may dispute that title, but that bottle was completely her Mommy and Daddy caving in just so we could baby her while she is sick. She has been completely rid of the bottle for a while now, but we just felt sorry for her.
Also, enjoy these pics of her enjoying her new wagon she got from Meme and Papa for her birthday. She enjoys a spin in the wagon each day when we get home from school pick-ups. Her sisters take her on a ride before even coming into the house for snacks and homework. Not sure who is having more fun with it - them or Quinn!

Jesus Came Down

We had a great Valentine's Day. We celebrated as I thought. Our celebrations must include good food, so I made Jeff and me grilled teryaki pork chops drizzled in apple sauce, brussel sprouts in sauce (yes, we like them) and fettucine with homemade alfredo. The girls ate their favorite - yep, mac n' cheese and pigs in a blanket. We enjoyed spending time together as a family. We have a new game at dinner time where we have to out "silly-face" each other. I think I won last night because I smeared chocolate all over my teeth and smiled big at everyone. I think Quinn got scared, but the rest of us laughed.
I overheard the girls talking about Valentine's Day yesterday. They were telling Quinn that she was supposed to be born on Valentine's Day and that she was our Valentine Baby anyway. Avery said, "Yeah, you were supposed to be born that day, but it's also the day that Jesus Came Down", to which she began dancing around the room. Not sure where she got that from, but I will always remember that. Avery has a way of adding a new perspective to everything!
Enjoy your day today. If you enjoy some chocolate, make yourself laugh with a silly face for me!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

We sure do love our girls. Today is special for them. They love Valentine's day, and really, what child doesn't? I remember as a child being so excited to see what act of love my parents had for me on Love Day. Usually, it was a box of chocolates or candy hearts. More than that, though, I craved just knowing that they loved me something "extra special" on that day. There's never been a day I've doubted the love my mom and dad had for me, but had they not given me an visible act of love that day, I surely would have thought they didn't love me anymore! Now, years later, my girls feel the same. Just this morning they came downstairs without complaining they were sleepy, but rather, they went straight to the dining room table in hopes of finding a Valentine's treat! They found it. They got Valentine flip-flops (even though it's 30 degrees out), Hershey kisses, a Valentine pen, and even more candy! I was making lunches for school while they discovered their treats, and here come my girls to wrap their arms around me and thank me and tell me that they love me, too! It felt good! Funny how all these years later, I still want a visible act of love for me...even from my children. Nothing could've made my day more than their hugs and kisses this morning. Yep, I'm pretty sure that had they not, I wouldn't have thought they didn't love me like I would have as a child, but I definitely thought, "I am glad I didn't have to wonder how it felt!"
So, today in our family, we'll be giving plenty of love to one another. The girls will open up their lunch boxes and see heart shaped PBJ, and Jeff and I will probably share a steak dinner tonight, but tomorrow nothing will change if I can help it...we'll wake up again for another day and hug and kiss each other as always, but for today, we'll take the day and throw in a little extra love for good measure. We hope you have a wonderful day. We love you. To my mom and dad...I love you more with each day. Thank you for the love you give us so unconditionally. Thanks to Jeff's family for the same. Your love and support sustain us, and for it we are grateful. To all of you in our lives...we are better just for knowing you. Take a little time today to share a little love.

Quinn's Birthday Show

"Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to Me!"

Taking some steps on my birthday

"Oh, I just love birthdays!!"

Happy Birthday, Quinn!

This time last year I was in a hospital room watching pitocin drop slowly through an IV, awaiting the birth of our fourth daughter. I remember it like it was yesterday, giving me some hope that I am not as old as I really am if I can remember details so well. :) The day was beautiful, just like today. My doctor was generous and let me have an epidural pretty much immediately, so my pain was ....NIL, NADA, NONE! The only pain I felt all day was watching my two sisters eat Subway sandwiches and big cookies in front of me, while I munched on ice chips, pretending they were something else - a steak, maybe? Time came for some pushing, and just as quick as it started, it was over. Yep, that's right. I am a one pusher. I knew that one day these big hips would be good for something, and I have four gorgeous daughters to prove it. In one strong push, there she was...Quinn Olivia Hickman, 7 and 1/2 lbs, 20 in. long. Somewhat a surprise child, to say the least, but our fourth, precious daughter nonetheless. During my pregnancy with her, we were going through some changes in our family. We were leaving a church to begin another. As I recall, when God began to deal with our hearts about church planting, I remember hearing (let me just pause and say this was another CLEAR memory) my husband Jeff saying, "Amy, if for some reason you got pregnant, you know we can't start this new church. It would be too hard." What? Me? Pregnant? Why in the world would I be pregnant? Well, obviously, God had other plans, so on a sunny day on June 7th, I went to the movies with my sister, Missy, and I just had this feeling that something wasn't right and I just might be pregnant, so after the movies, we took our girls back to Missy's mother-in-law's house to swim, but not before I made a pit stop at CVS for a pregnancy test. I couldn't take the test fast enough. Before it even had time to register, there it was, clear as a bell...TWO LINES! Ughhhhh! All I could think of is, "Jeff is going to kill me!" As I recall, that's what I kept saying to Missy over and over. I could only hear his words of days earlier - "Amy, if for some reason you got pregnant, you know we can't start this new church." So, I did something I have never done before. I called Jeff on the phone to tell him the news. Nope, no in person telling of this news. I was terrified. Now, you know my Jeff. He doesn't really get angry very easy, so deep down, I knew I didn't have to worry, but nonetheless, I called with the news. It went something like this..."Jeff, are you sitting down? I have something to tell you and I am afraid you are going to kill me." Jeff replied, "It's ok, whatever it is...it's ok!" I said, "No, it's not ok. I'm preeeeeeegnnnnant!" He said, "Are you serious?" "Ummm, Yes I'm serious! Please don't be mad. You said we couldn't start the church if I was."
Jeff's words still ring in my ears to this day. "Let me tell you something. We are not going to worry, but instead we are going to celebrate life." You know what? That is exactly what we did. We started that pregnancy celebrating, and we are celebrating that little life today. Our Quinn is a pure joy. And, if you know her, you know that to be very true. When has there ever NOT been a smile on her face? She is a light to everyone that meets her. So, today, our sweet Quinn, we celebrate you. You are life to us, and you in your innocence, have healed the hearts of your mommy and daddy more than you will ever know. You gave us a confidence and a passion for our world through your coming. As you know, everyone, God still allowed us to start that church. Want to know the name? LifeSong! How's that for God's leading? Thank you Quinn for being a vessel of hope and love. Our prayer is that you grow to be a woman of God that changes lives, just like you've changed ours!

Do You Have a Sweet Tooth?

Our third daughter, Avery, is crazy serious about losing teeth right now. Everyday we have to wiggle the latest loose tooth and try to predict when we believe the tooth will make an exit. Today, Avery posed the question a little differently. The conversation with Mommy went something like this..."Mommy, do you have a sweet tooth?" Believing she was going to talk about the differences between liking salty foods better or sweet foods I answered, "No, I don't have a sweet tooth...I like salty...Do you have a sweet tooth?" Avery answered, "Yes, I have a sweet tooth, but I am about to lose it and I won't have one anymore...wiggle my tooth, Mommy, and see!" So, that's that. If you are having issues with your sweet tooth, try Avery's simple solution.....PULL IT!

A Baby No More!

We are just two days away from our baby turning one! I don't like it...NOT ONE BIT! Quinn has been a wonderful baby. In some ways she is still very much my baby, and always will be. She is not walking yet, but she wants to. Her sisters all walked at 8 and 1/2 months, but Quinn likes to take things in stride...you know, in her own time. Oh, and yes, another reason may be that her sisters do not LET her walk! For goodness sakes, she can't even cry without them picking her up, so the way I see it, Quinn has it pretty good. She always has someone to come to her rescue. I am sure that we will paying for this later, but for now, she is still a sweetie, so we'll let the girls keep spoiling her. Thought you might like to watch her successes so far with the walking thing. We've captured four steps on video. Who knows, we may have a great birthday surprise from her by Thursday. Look out world...here comes Quinn Olivia!!!!

What? A Blog?

Who would have ever thought that I would write a blog for us? The Hickman's? After writing for our women's ministry for a bit, I decided that there must be someone out there that wants to read what goes on in our lives. Now that I really think about it, I love reading what goes on in other families, so my prayer is that you will read our family blog and be uplifted, leave with a smile on your face, and most importantly, remembering to pray for us. We covet your prayers. So, come on in, we are glad to have you!