Back to school = Back to blogging

Oh hey there blog!  Sorry I have neglected you.  The sun came out and Spring and Summer happened and I fully enjoyed them leaving you in the dust.  So I will update you today, now that the kiddos are back in school (all except the baby!)

Lets begin with Miss J's b-day in the first week of May. 

OH. MY. 

The anticipation of this day nearly made this mama crazy.  Miss J had been planning her special day since the middle of February (right after my birthday).  I am not exaggerating in the least little bit when I say that she talked DAILY about her birthday from February 15 on.  She had a million plans and ideas.  Countless friends and family (near and far) were going to be invited to her "party."  She had numerous "theme" ideas and wanted all sorts of things for decoration.  She also began saving her own art for decoration. (read: big stack of paper and crafts piled up)  It all started out really cute, however by mid April I was as excited for her big day as she was just so that we could be done planning it.  Her expectations for the day were sky high and it left me so stressed out that I was going to permanently scar her with disappointment when they were not even remotely met. 

So the big day came:

I decorated the night before when she went to bed, however she wanted to add MORE of course.

She's excited! (Note the grand breakfast of bread and butter.  Yep.  I win the "Best Mom Award" on that one.  Not.)

 

Her decorations.  I strung up all her piled up artwork with some balloons.

 

After Preschool she had a friend over (and little sisters too) 

 

Later we had family over for dinner and presents.  She picked Dutch meatball soup for her birthday dinner.

Phew... that day is done and she seemed to enjoy it. I did!

My pesky sister made sure to point out to her that night that her "Golden Birthday" will be next year.  She has mentioned that several times already pointing out that it will have to be "extra" special. Heeeeere we go again.

New

A new year has begun.

Fifteen days later.  This is pretty par for the course for me. I am often fifteen minutes late. (or at least a good five)  Promptness is not one of my strengths.

I don't plan to put that on the resolution list either. That is, to be more prompt.  Not that I don't think I should work on improving.

The real reason would be that I did not make a list this year.  (last years list failed rather miserably... at least to put those things up on the blog.  many things on the list did get done eventually, just not well documented)  So I learn from past mistakes and  rather than making a specific list that I cannot keep up with I will take life as it comes.  As it is given to me, for the blessing of each day and seek what God is asking me to do, teaching me and molding me to be.  He is making all things new. 

A little recap of December:

A birthday girl.  She turned 8.  She had her favorite, strawberries, on her birthday cupcakes and a sleepover with three besties.

It is hard to come up with words to express how you love each child isn't it?  They are all so unique from each other, but my love for them is the same... unconditional.  This girl is sensitive, cheers for the underdog, has a stubborn streak, detail oriented (she is my girl that when emptying the dishwasher puts the plastic kid cups in rainbow order, love that.)  She is full of joy and can go from sulky and mad to giggling and smiling in 2.3 seconds. (and the reverse as well, ha ha) 

Happy birthday dear one. Eight will be great.

Another birthday girl.  Miss baby turned 3.  Her birthday was pretty low key (this mommy has learned to take advantage of those younger years when they don't really care if they have a big party complete with theme decorations or if a special auntie comes over to shares cupcakes and later a Skype date with Grandma D to open gifts) 

This girl has a sweetness about her.  Even through her toddler toughness where she tests every single possible boundary every single possible day she can turn on that little sweet smile and melt my heart.  She loves to be read to.  She loves tv. (uh oh)  She loves to play with her sisters and be included on their "big girl stuff."   She is sneaky and stealth and is often found with a candy she has stolen or in her sisters' room.  She is almost done with naps (this mommy is not ready for that, sigh.)  She loves to dance.  She puts on these ratty black ballet flats (that stink horribly thanks to her constant wearing of them with bare feet) and prances around the house, performing the occasional jump into the air with arms raised high... I imagine she is feeling like the most beautiful ballerina floating through the air as she does this. 
Oh and the other big news with her.... just before Christmas we officially purchased our last pack of diapers. WOW.  It has been over 10 years since we have not purchased a pack of diapers.  (there was a small window between daughters 2 and 3 that we were only buying pull-ups for a few months) AND I suppose to be totally honest, we still have to buy pull-ups for night time.  Yes, Miss baby is potty trained.  YAY! We are happy dancing around here. 

December also includes Christmas of course.  It was wonderful.  I love having young kids at Christmas, their excitement and anticipation.  More importantly the opportunity to teach them about why we really celebrate, that the best gift is Jesus and his tremendous love for us. 

On Christmas Eve day we had relaxed and celebrated with just our little family.  We normally open gifts in the evening but since Chad had the whole day off we took advantage and opened gifts in the morning while everyone was still in their pj's. 

Christmas Day was spent with Chads side.  Lots of kids, lots of food, lots of fun.

That ends 2012.  I have been rather sparse in my updates on the blog, but as I stated in the beginning of this post, I don't have a resolution list so I make no promises of more frequent posts.  Then it will be a surprise if I do, right? 

Happy 2013!

Double Digits

So my eldest had her first "double digit" birthday.  A bit of a worrier by nature, she told me she was quite nervous to be turning 10.  "Never again will I be just one number."  I imagine she was mourning her childhood past?  Thinking that with two digits she was a quasi-adult?   There were even a few tears shed. 

On her big day I asked if she felt okay with it, now that she was officially 10.  She said "Huh, it really doesn't feel any different than 9."  Imagine that.

She had her ears pierced on her big day and then on the weekend she hosted a slumber party with some of her besties.   

looking a little worried... glad they do both ears at the same time!

ready to open gifts

a few handmade party details including rolo cupcakes

a couple weeks later she got to open her gifts from Grandma D

happy birthday dear girl.  even though you are in double digits you are still my little girl and i pray that all your double digit years are blessed beyond measure. here's to reaching those triple digits!

what i missed

so December was a pretty happenin month in our household.... and i missed blogging about most of it ;) 
so a little re-cap is in order:

first up is this girls b-day.  she's SEVEN.  she is fabulous. she is truly a sweetheart.  she is sensitive and caring to the underdog (however her 3 year old sister is NEVER the underdog. ever.)  she loves candy and sweets and dislikes green veggies.  she loves legos. i made her a giant chocolate chip cookie on her birthday.

then we have miss baby's b-day.  she is two. a baby no more (big sniff)  she is a darling.  sweet and adorable.  she talks like she is a grown up in a two year old way (can't explain that very well!)  she is hooked on junk food and refuses most healthy foods.  she is quiet and sneaky and gets into my sugar pot on a weekly basis.  she loves to watch the "12 Dancing Princesses" Barbie movie and dances around with her sister's black ballet flats on.

and then a plethora of wonderful Christmas parties with too many pictures to even begin picking and choosing a few to post.  so i go with none. 

life is fine at nine

my oldest girly girl is 9 today.


i know it sounds so cliche' but my life changed so profoundly on this day 9 years ago i can't even find the words to describe it.   

my heart is filled with pride for her.  she is a beauty, inside and out.  she loves fiercely, is sensitive, funny, creative and genuine.  she is full of awesome. 

i recall the day she was born, i could not take my eyes off her.  for real, no matter who was holding her in that hospital room i could not stop staring at her.  she had a head FULL of black hair, sweet rosy cheeks and intense eyes already so alert, taking everything in.  

and now she looks like this:

still a head FULL of hair (just not black), still sweet rosy cheeked, and beautiful eyes (slightly different colors) that take everything in.

happy birthday sweetheart!

i {heart} miss J

this girl is so full of life.  her smile lights up the room and she does everything with gusto.  if i could bottle up a 10th of her energy my house would be spotless each day and all those projects on my list would be finished.  she makes me laugh every day.  happy 3rd birthday my awesome, super, cool, pretty, sweet girl (she claims that she is not any of those things... "I not awesome.  I not cool.")

at this stage in her life she loves to sing (at the top of her lungs of course).  her favorite songs: "Jesus Loves Me" and "Old McDonald" she loves her tot church class on Sundays and this past year attended "Little Lambs" class while I went to Coffee Break Bible Study and absolutely adored it. we are working on the potty training thing.  i warned her that 3 year olds do not wear diapers except for sleeping and so far we have pretty much held true to that.  we have only had 1 or 2 accident free days yet though.  she knows how to count to about 12 and can recognize numbers 1 - 10 written out.  she recognizes all the letters of the alphabet and knows all her colors.  she is still a pip squeak (cause the little bit that i do manage to get her to sit still and eat gets burned off within minutes)

her beautiful smile

perpetual motion

party guests (miss baby looks like she's takin' out g-ma D with an elbow side shot, lol)

ONE

miss baby had her first birthday!  (and i managed to get a picture of her each month... i only accomplished that with my first and last daughters) 

a little collage of her first year :)

and pics from her 1st b-day

opening gifts (what is with my finger looking freakishly long?)

the party guests (my sis and nephew)

new boots!

we're excited for the cupcake!

mmmmmmmmm

cheers!

cutie patootie nephew

showing off her new sweet ride from grandma d ;)

and previously:

at the hotel in okoboji celebrating with hubby's fam

great grandpa and grandma stopped in the week before her big day as well

well, this will be the last of the monthly updates of miss baby.  (can i still call her miss baby? yes. yes i can.  she will always be that, i believe)  big things this past month:  she is getting way more steady on her feet and when there is an open door that is usually shut she makes a speedy b-line for it, she transitioned to milk instead of formula without much fuss and is almost off the bottle too, she loves food (hmmm, sounds familiar), she loves music, she loves tv (yikes), and she loves her mommy (YAY!). well she loves her whole family but she loves me best and is a mama's girl.  i love you too baby girl.  my heart swells with pride as i look at you and your beautiful sweet face. happy birthday and many many more!

six is super-duper

dd #2 turned 6 this month

a tradition started several years ago with hubby's side of the family is to go to a hotel with a waterpark on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  since this always falls near dd's b-day we celebrate at the hotel with that side of the fam.  this year we went to Bridges Bay near Okoboji.  that place was AWESOME! and much quieter than the hotels in Sioux Falls that we usually go to.  so very much fun. 

and the pictures:

swimmin' in the lazy river



opening her gifts (miss baby eating the wrapping paper)
she was last in line to open as there are 4 december birthdays to celebrate



grandpa's favorite team... he is trying to coax all grandbabies to cheer for them as well

silly faces... this one cracks me up (check it out, even miss baby is doing the silly face thing, lol)

celebrating on her actual birthday

opening the gift from Grandma D... i love her face on this as she realizes what it is

her BEAUTIFUL quilt! Grandma D is amazing and once again pulls of a gorgeous quilt as a lifetime keepsake

she has always been so expressive... she can not hide her emotions which is great when she is truly excited for something :)  here is a long awaited Princess Jasmine "polly"

a few days after her b-day she got to have an all day play date with a friend :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet sweet girl.  You continue to bring such joy to our lives.  I love how you "notice" everything.  You take it all in and remember the tiniest details.  You truly care about others and have such a big heart an infectious laugh and smile to light up the room.  We pray blessings over you in this next year!

8 is great

our oldest turned 8 this fall.... 

the lucky duck got to celebrate the whole weekend before her birthday.   first a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese with 3 friends and her sister, the next day lunch at her grandmas where we celebrated with extended family, and then finally her actual birthday where she LOVED that everyone at school kept wishing her a happy birthday allll day long.  (in fact when she went to bed that night she was so sad that the next day no one would tell her happy birthday)

she amazes me.  my firstborn. the one who made me a mom. (a priceless gift) i know as the oldest we put high expectations on her and sometimes push her to grow up quickly.  but oh my dear daughter please don't grow up too fast.  i love how creative you are, always thinking up new crafts and stories to act out.  i love how sensitive you are to others around you.  you have such a soft heart.

trying out the new roller blades she got from us and sporting her birthday crown from school :)

i love you my sweet girl, may God bless you beyond measure this next year.