HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY SIS!!

Today my best friend and younger sister turns 30!  I am forever grateful for having a friend to grow up with, to share so many special moments, and to experience life's crazy roller coaster!! 

Fortunately we are blessed to have such a strong group of women in our family to surround ourselves with!  Happy 30th!!

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other. ~Carol Saline

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.  ~Author Unknown

When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?  ~Pam Brown

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.  ~Isadora James

To the outside world we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters.  We know each other as we always were.  We know each other's hearts.  We share private family jokes.  We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.  We live outside the touch of time.  ~Clara Ortega

Happy Birthday Sis!  I can't believe you are ........30!!!!!!

I love you.

Yeah for being 5!!!

Happy Day to Emily!!

Emily's favorite present.....her makeup!!

Turning 5 is HUGE!!!  A real milestone for any person:)  We started the day off with eating cake for breakfast and opening presents, then cupcakes for snack at school, two shots at her 5yr check up at the pediatrician, and ended the day with Grampa and Grandon with loads more presents!!  It's good to be 5!!

Things Emily accomplished/created/and loves:

• Read
• Write letters, numbers, your full name and basic sight words
• Add all numbers 1-10, add by 10's, tell me what 22+22, 44+44, 33+33
• Subtract 1 thru 10
• Multiply things by 0, 1, and numbers 1-5 by 2
• Swim laps and jump off the diving board
• Imaginary friend Marsha and siblings: Wendy, Harry and Noah
• Dogs......up until 2 weeks ago never wanted anything to do with the furry critters (did you notice her cake had a pic of dogs on it!)
• Flown on an airplane 12 times
• Disney World
• White water rafting in CO
• Dance and gymnastics
• Barbies....you have 43!!
• Swinging on swings
• Playing with her sister and brothers and many cousins!
• Swam in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
• Making up her own songs and performing them

Happy Birthday sweet girl!  Mommy and Daddy love you very much!  Hope this year brings you many new and exciting adventures!

RRRRRAAANNDDOMM!!

Here are some pics that just make my heart smile and I wanted to share them!

Aidan loves, loves, loves to learn, I pray he never looses that curiosity and excitement.

This is what happens when your 13yr old niece and two older sisters are babysitting you!

Emily and her great imagination!  Here she is a 'teacher of books.'

Hannah's favorite thing to eat.....Trix yogurt!

Who doesn't love this picture?!? ;)

Daniel's new best friend.... Molly Cookie Thomas Selter!  So sweet.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

While the boys were away in AZ, me and the girls had so much fun of our own!!  Emily had a play date, we went to the mall,  lots of cuddle time with mom, hanging out at a new friends house for the afternoon, and of course we went to STL to do some shopping.  We went out to eat and Bushia had to buy candy corn because Halloween is coming!!  Needless to say we all had fun 'girl time'!!

(These girls are rocking out to Barbie and the Diamond Castle!)

Happy Day......7!!!

Aidan spent his birthday weekend in AZ with his cousins.  He has been asking since our summer vacation in CO that all he wanted for his birthday was to 'hang' with Noah and Caleb:)  We had some airline tickets about to expire so Patrick and Aidan and Daniel flew to AZ for 4 days and had a blast. Click here to see pics of their trip!!  Thanks Chutka and family for making Aidan feel so awesome on his day!!

On the flight home the Southwest Airlines Crew went above and beyond making Aidan feel special on his birthday!  The flight attendants even had the entire flight shut all the windows, turn on their overhead lights, sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and Aidan pretended to blow out the candles....... SO COOL!  And as a  mother I am forever thankful to anyone who makes my child feel special on their birthday!!

Love Letter

Sunday was the seventh anniversary of my marriage to this handsome man!  Everyday I thank God for bringing me such a patient, kind, brilliant, incredible......(you get the picture) man into my life to experience the journey of what we call life.

Patrick, thank you for being you.  Thank you for loving me no matter what and loving me for who I am.  We have experienced so much together in such a small amount of time and I hope that our time grows to many more years of experiences, moments, and everlasting memories.  I have been praying for you my whole life and I thank God everyday for giving me..... you:)

Just wanted to share one of many love letters we write to each other, this one isn't too mushy.

Pre-School!!

Hannah had her first day of pre-school and she loved it!!!  Needless to say after a day of learning, she was exhausted!  I was very excited for Hannah to start; this school is just for her, something to call her own.  I'm finding that concept to be harder and harder, the further down in line you are in this family, something to call your own.  So I am going to make this as special as I can make this for Hannah!  Does that make any sense??  I suppose in my mind it does:)

Hannah, I am so excited to watch you grow this year!  You make so many people smile and you bring pure joy to your family!  We love you!!