The Big Graduation Day

Alexa Grace,

I can't believe that your Kindergarten year is over.  It has been so much fun to watch you grow in so many ways this year.  You were so excited to be a Kindergartner and that excitement continued through out the year.  You even said that Kindergarten was so much fun you would go back again next year.  Your teacher said you were a model student.  She said you listened well and were very respectful.  You were kind to others and eager to help her and others out.  You are very artistic and creative.  Your Handwriting is very neat probably because you practiced so much.  Your favorite past time for awhile was copying books.  You have moved into writing your own stories.  I loved reading your journal and seeing how much you grew in your writing this year.  You also have become quite the little reader.  I love that you love books and love to read.  I loved watching your grow in your understanding of God this year. It was fun to hear all the Bible Stories that you learned more and more in depth.  I loved listening to you pray for your day and your brother and sister on the way to school. I also love it when you pray for our whole families hearts and that Jesus will live in all of us!! Alexa it was fun to see you develop a wonderful friendship with Caitlin this year.  I know that you will miss her but I also know you will make new friends at your new school.  Alexa Grace we are so proud of the sweet girl that you are and way you have grown this year.  Am I really going to have a 1st grader next year?

Love Mom 

Alexa getting her Kindergarten certificate from the Principal and hugging her teacher!

Papa and Grammy came to celebrate Alexa's big day with her!

We gave Alexa a special heart necklace with  pink cross engraved on it to let her know how special she is and how proud her mom and dad are of her! 

Last Day of Preschool ... Kindergarten Here I Come

Emma Faith,

I can't believe that your are done with preschool.  You have grown and blossomed so much this year.  You have a love for life that is contagious.  You are smiles from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed.  There was not one day that you didn't want to go to preschool and everyday you said you had a great day!! That's just who you are Emma, life is good! You are a good friend to others in your class and people are drawn to you.  You loved to play dress up and store with your friends Liv and Kara.  You also loved to help Jordan the days he was in your class and you knew that he loved numbers so you would play numbers with him.  Emma you pick things up so easily and often times I catch myself saying "Where in the world did she learn that!"  It was fun to see you learn to write all your letters and learn all your letter sounds.  You have started reading and it comes so naturally for you.  You quickly memorized your address and phone number.  You loved learning about plants, animals, space, the rain forest and people in the community.  You also loved the days you had dance and karate.  What a great year you had Emma! We are so proud of you!  I can't believe my little girl is going to Kindergarten next year! 

Love 

Mom

Off To The Zoo

For Alexa's end of the year Field Trip we headed to the zoo.  It was a beautiful spring morning and we had a great time with her class celebrating a wonderful year in Kindergarten!

A highlight of the morning was seeing the 2 new baby cubs that were born this winter.

Also, the kids always love feeding the goats.  Shane was pretty excited he got to join Alexa on her last field trip too! He felt like a big boy with all the big school kids! 

The other little cutie that got a lot of attention was the baby monkey!! We can't wait to go back to see how the baby animals have grown! 

Alexa made a special friend at school this year.  Her and Caitlin were like two peas in a pod!! They were best friends from Day 1!! 

Emma's Preschool Celebration

Emma's preschool class spent one of their last days at the park.  It was a beautiful morning and a great way to celebrate the end of the year.   Often there are fun field trips or parties to celebrate the end of the year but this was a perfect way for the kids to enjoy a great morning together.  There were lots of smiles and laughs.  Emma had a great year!

Emma was all smiles on the swing!! I caught this picture of her while she was swinging!  I love my new camera! The color of these pictures is so amazing! 

For the past two years Emma and Kara have been best buddies.  They met at preschool last year and have developed a wonderful friendship.  Emma is very sad she is moving in July so we will have to plan some play dates before she goes! 

I usually find a place for Shane when the girls have field trips so I can just have a special time with them.  Shane thought he was pretty special that he got to join Emma and her class at the park! He had fun too!

Swinging at the park!!

Liv, Kara, Emma Shelby!! Four sweet girls that became good friends! 

Mother's Day Post A Little Late!!!

I had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.  I feel so blessed to be a mom to 3 wonderful children.  It is so much fun to watch them grow and blossom.  I also feel very blessed that I have a wonderful husband who supports me, encourages me and loves me on this mom journey.   I am so thankful that he shares the same passion for me being home with our kids.  

My 3 Blessings and Me on Mother's Day 2009! 

My weekend started with Starbucks in bed on Saturday morning.  As I relaxed I had so much fun listening to Eric and kids making a yummy breakfast for me.  They even made fresh squeezed orange juice! They were so cute and so excited to make a Mother's Day breakfast for mommy!  I enjoyed some family time with them and then enjoyed a wonderful pedicure.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather in the evening and Eric grilled some Halibut and grilled veggies.  

Alexa made this darling card for me.  She drew 8 of her favorite things to do with me.  Some of them were cooking, cuddling, fixing puzzles, reading books, shopping and going for bike rides.  I hope she never grows out of loving to do things with her mommy! 

Emma made a place mat for me at preschool.  She had to fill in some blanks.  I love that she thought I was only 16.  The colored words are the words she filled in.  

My Mom

My mother is the most wonderful mom in the whole world.  She's as beautiful as a mother.  She is also very pretty.  He favorite food is salad and her favorite TV show is the weather.  She is 16 years old.  In the good old days when my mom was a little girl she used to ride a gator.  I think my mom looks funny when she puts make up on.  My mom can do many things! She is the best at being a mom.  I wish Mom would go to the mall with me everyday.  I wouldn't trade my mother for candy.  I Love You! Happy Mother's Day! 

Love 

Emma

On Sunday the kids sang in church.  What a treat to watch them sing their hearts out!  

We tried to hit our favorite brunch spot after church but the wait was over an hour.  Chef Eric decided to make a yummy brunch for us at home.  Eric is such a wonderful cook and it is a treat to not have to think about cooking on the weekend and to have yummy food to eat. Monday was a little shock to the system when I had to think about what I was going to cook.  I got spoiled on the weekend. 

Eric is usually really creative with gifts.  If he asks for suggestions I can usually count on the fact that I won't get anything I suggest.  He likes to be creative and surprise me so I'm not sure why he even asks if there is something I really want.  He came up with a fun gift for me or for us as a family.  He knows my love language is quality time and I love doing things as a family that build memories.  You'll have to wait and see what our new family bonding activity is in some future posts.  

Boys are meant for kisses and hugs, watching rainbows and catching bugs ....

Shane is loving his new bug vacuum! 

Lovin' The Nice Weather

The girls are loving the nice weather with a little hula hoop ...

some softball ....

a little kickball ....

and some cute smiles!

Grammy's Birthday

It is Grammy's big birthday at the end of May.  We surprised her on May 1 with a little birthday party.  We contacted some of her family and friends a put a basket together for her Birthday Month.  She has something to open everyday this month.  

The kids are helping her open her first gift! 

The basket of fun!!!

Of course it was fun to hang out with cousins and see baby Bailey again.  I can't believe how big she is getting!

The kids had way too much fun with their cousins on the little 4 wheelers.  My brother has one and my parents so there are is enough fun to go around!!! 

The chickens were also a big hit! Alexa was all giggles as she tried to hold them and they would flap out of her hands!

Shane liked to squeeze them a little too tight!

I love this picture of Mia! 

Emma pretending her chicken was a baby! I'm sure those poor chickens were really glad when all 12 little hands were out of their coop!! 

She's Back .....

I am so excited to be back in the world of capturing pictures.  I am loving my new camera and also loving the budding trees of spring! 

A Trip To Second Chance Rescue

I love having the opportunity to go on most of the girls' field trips.  The kids always look forward to getting to leave school to go do some special.  Emma's field trip a couple weeks ago was to Second Chance Rescue.  It is an animal shelter that people can adopt pets from.  Emma was more than excited to go and that I got to go along.  I have to admit it was one of the Field Trips that I was not eagerly anticipating.  I love being with Emma and her friends but I am not an animal lover and a pet fish is about the extent of it in the house.  I know I someday may eat my words.  

This was a little box turtle that her class actually adopted and got to take back to their classroom.  The kids were very excited.

The cat room .... imagine 20 cats running around :)  Yes, probably my least favorite room but as you can see Emma was loving playing with the cats and giving them some love.

There were also guinea pigs and birds! 

At the end they got to play with some cute little lab puppies.  Yes, they were really cute!! 

Grammy Sue's Visit

Grammy Sue came to visit and the kitchen turned into a Salon!! She had book that had Nail Art in it so the girls picked stripes, ladybugs, dots and all kinds of other designs for their toes and fingers.  

Ten beautiful toes !

Grammy Sue, Aunt Lori, Cousin Callie and Zack came up to help with our garage sale.  It was our first "hot" day and the kids had so much fun playing outside together.  Notice all the red cheeks!

Grammy Sue with Alexa, Emma, Shane and Callie!