B's Dance Recital

So not only was Saturday a big day with Carter's birthday but Brooklyn had her big dance recital show at the high school with an audience, this being a first for her. She was excited and had been practicing and singing her little heart out for weeks. She was adorable and I loved watching her dance. That girl has moves, especially at home. Not sure how she learned to shake her hips the way she does. But our fireplace floor ledge is no more but the girls permanentely turned it into a stage. So this may have been the big dance recital but if you live in our house you are invited most days to a private show or two reserved for only a select few. Keep dancing your little toes out Brooklyn, we love watching you shine! We thank God for those little legs of yours that can dance!

Three Generations Revisted

What a difference a year makes

Birthday Fit for a Queen

Well not quite, but the idea was there! So you know how it goes, as a mom we get these ideas in our head about the plan, the preparation, the result. And I can honestly tell you as a mom of three now the result is rarely what the original plan had envisioned. Things come up, sick kids, dr. appts that morning, field day for the oldest, mad dash to the grocery store after the airport run, exhaustion and the once plan of chicken piccata, spinach salad, asparagus, and banana pudding turns into pizza delivery, nude children, decorations created especially by the princesses running the show, and store bought airport cookies that the birthday queen brought herself. Sigh...here are the pictures that will give you the vision that words just cannot:






We did make it up to her two nights later. Nobody was nude, the chicken piccata was yummy, banana pudding even yummier and because of the change we were blessed with two celebrations!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Breakfast at 10:30am
Cheetos for lunch
Pool time at 3pm
Dinner at 8pm
Endless conversations
A full and HOT cup of coffee (or two) each morning
Walks on the beach morning and night
Sharing things about our family, dreams, future, parenting and each other, did I mention uniterrupted??

These are a few of my favorite things with one of my most favorite people in the whole wide world...we were blessed to be able to take a few days and getaway together for our anniversary.






Happy Anniversary to the man who first put me in my place...that was the moment I knew he could handle me :). To the man who loves his family more than anything (even golf most of the time). To the man who knew my dream of staying at home with the kids was the most important thing to me and made sure it happened from the beginning. To the man who listens, takes care, provides, protects, and loves fully happy anniversary. You are at the top of the list for my favorite things! Seven years later we found ourselves back on a beach, not Hawaii but close and I love you even more! I know that is cliche, but it's true!

you are invited

our own little mini is about to turn 1
so come and join us for some itty bitty fun

carter's miniature 1st
birthday party

saturday, may 15th, 2010
just a teeny bit past 4:00pm
the small tiny door on....

small regrets only.

Carter's own little mini house/door

the first party guests arriving

the mini little guests

the little mini himself taking it all in

and of course his little special birthday guest!


And the best part of any 1st birthday party...the cake!

not so sure at first...you want me to what????

And pretty much the party wouldn't have happened without this woman...

She came in, took right over in the kitchen and cooked every little mini food you could imagine! Mini hamburgers with mini buns, mini pigs in a blanket, mini pizzas, mini tacos! She cooked her little heart out, mind you in a walking boot with a stress fracture in her foot. She's a mom, and she's the one who taught me; you do it with love, with heart and because that's what mom's do ,all with a smile on their face! I love you mom and thanks for all you do!

Oh, but the best part of all and this you don't do mini...love my kids, frosting and all!

The BIG Day

The morning started out like any other morning

until the birthday boy woke up!

How fun was it to shop for a balloon with trucks on it instead of princesses...F.U.N!

A favorite for the birthday boy's breakfast...french toast!

Where to next to celebrate??? Where else would a little brother find himself on his birthday??? His sister's dance recital of course

Loving his present his sisters picked out

In fact I am not sure who liked it better, the recipient or the givers?

see girls, I told you I could do it myself!

A round of hoops with mom...loving his new basketball

And a nightcap to end the day...a scoop of ice cream for the birthday boy, his favorite.

A wonderful end to a wonderful day...

Catch Up

So much to catch up with and so many BIG milestones and events to record!

We have had a fun filled and busy May...throw that in with a computer that crashed and a mad dash to save all my pictures (and you know what I mean by ALL my pictures) left a lot of time with no computer. Thankfully the pictures were saved (I begged, pleaded and did a lot or bartering but in the end the computer genius came through). I did lose everything else, but all is well as long as I have my pictures. And that hard drive that had been sitting on the shelf full of dust was pulled out in a flash and hooked up immediately!

So be on the look out for Carter's 1st birthday and mini 1st birthday party, Brooklyn's 1st official dance recital, Mother's Day, a fun visit from my mom and aunt, Kennedy's cast came off, Tim and I took a little getaway for our anniversary and Carter was baptized...all that and it is only May 21st...WOW no wonder I am so behind. Can't wait to share pictures...in the meantime can't post without at least ONE picture, and this one for my special now ONE year old.

Today I Am ONE!

It's official, Carter turned ONE years old today. What a milestone and special day. I got choked up the few weeks leading up to it but the day was filled to the brim with celebration and song. I think we may have made a world record by singing this special little boy happy birthday more than a few times.







This sweet little boy who entered our world and hearts a year ago has sure made a difference in our family. There is something so full, so complete, so big being a family of five. Each one of our children offers something special and unique but this little boy, Carter, just gives this family life with joy! For me having a little boy just makes my heart melt...his smile, his kisses, his claps, his laughs and everything in between from his toes to his head of hair (curly now). His sisters adore, protect, wrestle, teach, read, hug, kiss, jump in his crib and include him in any and every little thing they are doing. So glad the poor kid doesn't realize that half the time he is playing barbies or doll house...he just watches and learns from them. And Tim's smile is enormous everytime he walks in the door and darts over to Carter. He asks each and every day on the phone from work how his buddy is doing and can't wait to play trains and trucks and ball when he gets home from work.





The things that make Carter so unique, lovable, and incredible at ONE years old...

*he can crawl SUPER fast. No walking yet, but who needs that when you are fast!
*his big brown eyes (both sisters have blue)
*can say mama, dada, ni-ni, yuk, dog, ball, BIG
*gives the biggest kisses to each of us
*kisses babies in all his books
*smells flowers in his books
*only baby to nurse this long
*has major seperation anxiety
*throws EVERYTHING...favorite lately is to throw everything out of his crib
*loves to be read to (when he can sit still long enough)

His favorite books at ONE...




Some of my favorite things...

*squeezing him first thing when he wakes up in the morning
*taking him to go find his sisters
*playing ball
*saying good night to the moon and him closing the shutters
*watching him explore the sand table
*seeing him eat sidewalk chalk, crayons and anything else he can get away from his sisters.
*rocking and holding him to sleep each nap and bedtime (I "listened" the first two times but this time, my last baby, I down right ignored all the should's)
*watching him throw every last piece of tupperware and cup/lid out of every cupboard while making dinner
*playing peek-a-boo around the house
*taking him to the park and swinging

And endless other things. Carter we love you and thank God that you are the baby of the family. You have amazing big sisters who care and love you to the moon and back and a mommy and daddy who think the world of you. Happy 1st birthday buddy!