Anna's 9th birthday pics

Easter pics

Anna's 9th birthday letter

Wild, wild sunflower child Anna,

You make me happy. You are sunshine and you are thunderstorm. You are giddy and you are silly. Your sense of humor has developed and I'm beginning to wonder if you might not be destined for a career in stand-up comedy. You can seriously get on a roll!

Your heart has softened so much this year. So much less of the stubborn and so much more of the sweet. You say that you got saved this year at the patriotic concert at Gran's church. I don't know exactly when God changed your heart to flesh, whether then or when you first told me that you belonged to him many years ago, but I do know that He has definitely begun a good work in you, and I so love to watch His work in you progress toward that day of completion!

You learned to ride your bike all in one day. A nasty fall almost made you quit. But you're no quitter. You want to ride the best, climb the highest, and get the answers fastest. I love your sense of adventure and your competitive streak.

You've become quite crafty. Crocheting, knitting on your loom, sewing your own Barbie clothes, and always a creative artist. I want to do more needlework with you this year. It's going to be awesome.

Dolls are big this year. Your own first American Girl doll! Bought from a nice lady on Craigslist with your own money. Felicity has been a good friend. And today, the long awaited Hearts for hearts doll, Consuela. I'm going to be very sad when you're too old for dolls, but for this year, I think I'm safe.

Your woodland fairy party was wonderful. I love how you have very specific opinions and ideas when you're asked about things. I make myself crazy sometimes for asking, but you are so thrilled when your visions come to life. The best part of the party, though, was seeing you with all of your sweet friends. You've always been such a people person, and I'm glad that these special little girls value you as much as you value them. I look forward to lots more girl parties and lots more girlfriend time.

You are so thoughtful. You like to make surprises for people. I loved all of the little surprises that you made for my birthday. You want to help people feel better. I love your empathy.

You don't like to be too girly. You like to consider yourself a tomboy. But you love a new skirt or dress - just as long as it's comfy. And you do have a deep appreciation for a real haircut. You were so excited to cut off your long hair to a more medium long length. And it really does look great. We're long overdue. I'll take you with me soon. Promise. Oh, but one more thing. Keep your earrings in! If you read this again, and you're fifteen, and your holes have closed, and you're not happy because you want them now and have to be re-pierced, this is my proof that I TOLD YOU SO. Soooo, Anna girl, put in plain little earrings, if you must, but leave them in.

You are an amazing auditory leaner - and what a memory! You can give me back all sorts of detailed information from lessons I read to you (even from days before!), and you can answer all the questions Ethan misses. And you've pretty much caught up with his Scripture memory stride. You're doing great with that this year! Just no monotone. Let the meaning sink into you. Because this will be the most important thing you remember. I want you to memorize as many verses as your mind can hold. You've just about got Philippians in the bag. Can't wait to see what we'll learn next.

The piano. Don't know what lit the spark again. Maybe that competitive streak not wanting Rosie to pass you by. But either way, let's not let it die. I want to figure out how to use your ability to learn by ear to your advantage, but in the meantime, keep practicing! Let's get out of the kiddie books and into the real stuff. Be my pianist. You can do this. Then maybe we'll get to that violin...

Be nice to your sister. You broke her heart by not inviting her to your big girl friend party. But I'm pretty sure she'll forgive you. You've been friends for a long time. She'll be your friend when you're a mommy. She'll probably even babysit your kids. I bet you'll talk on the phone, or facebook, or whatever there is then, all the time. So try to forgive her for being so annoying sometimes. I know how much you love being Ethan's sidekick and how easy you find it to love cute little Bella no matter what trouble she causes. So try to remember how lovely it can be to have a Rosie girlfriend that you can share a room with, and holidays, and vacations, and maybe even your barrettes... One day you'll know I speak the truth. Listen to your mother. "For they will be a gracious ornament on your head and chains about your neck" - remember that?

Sweet Anna girl, I could write about you forever. You are precious to me. I love you. I value you. I enjoy you. I am so very glad that you're mine.

Loving you lots and lots,
Mommy

Sneaky

Anna Kate, whose birthday is April 1, just handed me a paper, saying, "these are my fears". It reads as follows:

fires

that my mom wont Get my Doll on time for my Birthday

that I'll have a Bad jream

*****

Think she wants me to order her birthday present soon?

My beloved

He fell asleep tonight on the couch in my arms. Didn't want to leave to go to bed. I'm so thankful for this sweet man. I turned on my "Beautiful" YouTube playlist and the music fed my soul. And life was beautiful. There are moments in life when you once again realize that you have everything you've ever wanted.

Christmas update

How the Grinch Stole Christmas + green Grinch (mint) chocolate chip cookies + Grinch (green sherbet) punch = a fun Christmas family night. I gave up on the guy that was supposed to be selling me Ethan's gift on Craigslist and, thank you, Jesus! found an even better deal - Kodak Easyshare + case+ SD card for $20 - in pristine condition. I'm gonna have a happy boy. Oh, and a first attempt at sock buns for the girls - they're hoping for beautiful curls in the morning, but either way, they look so cute. And tomorrow morning is Polar Express morning. Big breakfast with my best friend and her family and then the movie with cocoa and popcorn - and, of course, a jingle bell craft! It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here!

My Bella

Last night she looked at me and said, "You are Pooh and I am Tigger." I admit it took me a minute to decipher what she was saying, I've been hearing a lot about Deepin' Duty and other princesses lately, so I wasn't following, but when I got it she then added that Gran was Piglet. When Pa walked into the room he volunteered to be Eeyore, but she picked up her nearby Winnie the Pooh book, flipped through it, then pointing to Rabbit, declared that to be Pa's new character. She hopped a good bit and had lots of carroty interactions with Rabbit too.

Today I was asking the kids what they wanted for lunch. Did they want turkey? Anna said, "I'm sick of turkey." Ethan added, "I don't really like turkey." (Really??) Rose, "No, I want peanut butter and jelly." And the whole time Bella is loudly declaring, "I like turkey. I like turkey!" Just in case you're wondering, we had arugula, green leaf salad with Chicken. And she didn't eat it. She did attempt to pick out some of the cheese and chicken :)

She can be a picky eater, but she still drinks copious amounts of chocolate milk. She also likes tea, her second choice beverage, as well as apple juice. She's also starting to eat sticky things, which she previously often avoided because she hates to have messy fingers. Now she eats them more often she just has to have her hands washed frequently while doing so. Apples are a new passion as well. She's been eating at least one a day lately - one day it was three! Every time I turned around she was eating another one!

She loves characters, still plays with her little plastic Lilo a lot, along with the doll house family, Little Peoples characters, her Mega Bloks princesses, and even Polly Pockets and Barbies. She even wore her first couple of princess dresses and watched Cinderella in the past couple of weeks.

Bella is such a cuddler. She is full of energy and often doesn't sit still when I need her to, but I love that she still loves to snuggle. She also still loves to sing. I just taught her "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah". I just had to hear her say that word. So cute. I really do think she may have perfect pitch.

And Bella Gracie is still a big helper. A couple of nights ago she "helped" Brian take apart her toddler bed for storage. She said to me, "Look at me, Mommy, I helpin' Daddy." I had to take her picture, so as she helped Brian carry one side of the frame down the hall (she was holding her end up!) she said, "Take a picture, Mommy!" And I had to take one of her carrying the headboard too.

I love that she's talking more and more. Finally. Her sweet little "you welcome"s and "I love you, too"s make my day.

Will Work For Food

What do you do when you see someone holding that sign?

My daddy, a preacher, always offered to buy them something to eat, sharing the gospel while they ate, if they accepted. I remember standing in a San Antonio square on vacation with my mom and six younger siblings one time while he carried this out. He also picked up hitchhikers when he was alone. To him the captive audience was more than worth the risk.

But what about me, a mom in a minivan?

Usually we have bottled water in the van to offer from the window. We've also gone through a drive-thru to come back with food. It never feels like enough. I always feel unprepared.

Now I know that it could be a racket. That they could be a criminal. But what if they aren't? What if they just have no where to go and no one who loves them? Either way, don't they just need Jesus?

I saw a woman with a sign today. I didn't see her until I was passing her. She was facing the other way. The kids didn't see her, they would have insisted that I help. I wanted to help. But I was supposed to be at choir rehearsal soon and didn't have much to offer. I wished I could really get out of the car and find out what her story was and really help her. Would that be safe? Are we always called to do what's safe?

This idea is at least a step in the right direction. Blessings bags pre-filled with food and toiletries. Kept in the car for such a time as this. And I'm going to be sure to include the gospel as well. Because even if I can't find out everything that they need, I can give them what they need most of all.

^{Matthew 5:42} Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Bella loves spiders

We frequently hear her renditions of the "Tinky tinky pider going up the wahger 'pout". And this is the perfect season for a love of spiders. So far she's accumulated spider pants, shirt, socks, and purse, as well as a Ty beanie baby spider. She was thrilled today while sitting on the potty beside an open window, to watch a spider glide up it's thread and back out the window. Every book that has a spider in it is all about the spider. When she wants a picture drawn in her sketchbook, it's a spider. When she draws her own picture, it's a spider. Obsessed, do you think?

Of course, I love catering to my children's delights (thus the socks, purse, etc...), so I'm plotting a spider costume for Halloween, we printed these out today and adhered them to popsicle sticks, and I found so many other fabulous links that I thought I'd share them here.

And just for the record, she has a few other favorite songs too. Although she seems to have finally gotten tired of "Zaccheus", "Jesus Loves Me" is always sung with much enthusiasm. And the cutest is hearing her voice down the hall singing, "Walking on sunshine, oh-oh, walking on sunshine, oh-oh, walking on sunshine, oh-oh, and don't it feel good - WOO!"

• I'm thinking this could make a really cute t-shirt.
• I love this crocheted set, but I'm not that talented. I was thinking that maybe a few stuffed felt pieces in addition to her new stuffed spider might work.
• These look more doable. Finger puppets and a felt board set.
  

Want to Remember 9/11?

We'll also be taking cookies to the firehouse. That's our way of remembering each year to thank those who serve us.

How to Make the World a Better Place

After studying whales and watching videos about the challenges they face in a polluted world, I concluded by saying, "So we need to think about what we can do to make the world better."

Anna replied, "The best thing is that we don't need to think about it. We can pray and we can KNOW what we can do, because the Holy Father will tell us what to do."

Photo Shoot and Ethan's (very Late) 10 year pics

What I will do to win a fabulous mattress

Go to We Are That Family to see the object of my hopes and dreams. :) I seriously have very little hope of winning - there are some mattresses in desperate condition out there(actually my girls have one of those too), but I tried anyway for Brian because all of the angles you can adjust that bed to would probably mean that he would always be able to sleep in bed, maybe even comfortably. And maybe actually wake up in less pain. Like we'd hoped this one would. And did I mention that it massages?!

My Sound of Music Moment

Yesterday, out of the blue, I looked at my kids and said, "do, re, mi, fa, sol, and so on are only the tools we use to build the song. Once you have these notes in your head, you can sing a million different tunes, by mixing them up, like this: so, do, la, fa, mi, do, re. Can you do that?" And my kids did!! Then I sang, "sol, do, la, ti, do, re, do." They sang that too. I told them that I had been waiting for this moment my whole life. They thought I was weird. I don't mind.

Genius in Marketing

Not that anyone doesn't already think that Disney has marketing genius, but this trailer really exemplifies it. Someone should have gotten a raise.

Take a Winnie the Pooh movie that will appeal to preschoolers. We already have the original book, the Disney books, and videos on our shelves. And the new movie is just called "Winnie the Pooh". It's not "The Tigger Movie" or some other twist that might pique your interest. Seriously, are we really interested in going to see a Winnie the Pooh movie?

Now, instead of doing a preschool-appeal preview, let's choose an already-familiar, but not too familiar, beautiful, contemplative song by Keane and add it as the soundtrack to the preschool movie. Suddenly, all the adults watching are feeling waves of nostalgia for the silly old bear and it doesn't seem nearly as insane to indulge your favorite preschoolers with overpriced tickets to the theatre. Mmmhmm. Genius.

Technical difficulties

Wow! I can publish again. For a while there I couldn't and I thought it was a somewhat permanent result of the mess by blog is in. Brian changed out plan with our ftp and all of my photos before the move to blogger disappeared. They are on a disc, but completely separate from the posts. Even if I wanted to engage in the days of work to unite them, I can't because less than half of them filled up my Blogger photo limit.

One reason I really like blogging is being able to click and see my kids on past birthdays, etc. But I do live in fear of losing all of my work and basically my life journal. So tell me, what are the best and most inexpensive ways to have space for lots of photos on your blog? Is a different blog platform better?

We tried moving the saved photos to a cloud and reconnecting them to blogger, but Blogger would only acknowledge photos with the same ftp name or something like that so it didn't work.

Do you somehow print and archive years of your blog? Is there a company out there that makes a year of your blog into a photobook? I get $50 each year for Christmas from Brian's dad and would gladly pay that to archive each year in print, but don't know if that's possible or in the price range.

Help me out. I've been on Facebook, which I love, but it's virtually impossible to revisit what you did in the less than recent past. I want a record, but I really don't have time for scrapbooking, digital or tangible. Blogging really was my speed. I'm about to start a traditional journal, so at least I've saved something. I feel like I've already missed recording so much just in the past few months...

Bella fingerpaints

Her first time!

Rosie's Kindergarten Graduation

reading her favorite Elephant and Piggie book

Gramma and Pap got to be here this time.

Sonnet 22

When our two souls stand up erect and strong,
Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,
Until the lengthening wings break into fire
At either curvèd point,---what bitter wrong
Can the earth do to us, that we should not long
Be here contented? Think! In mounting higher,
The angels would press on us and aspire
To drop some golden orb of perfect song
Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay
Rather on earth, Belovèd,---where the unfit
Contrarious moods of men recoil away
And isolate pure spirits, and permit
A place to stand and love in for a day,
With darkness and the death-hour rounding it.

~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Royal Wedding: Because it's not every day that a girl becomes a princess

Isn't this commemorative painting by Cath Kidston lovely? I found Cath's new US website, and you can find the design on various items.

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This is our last day of school this year and the girls want me to wake them at 5AM to watch the wedding live. I'm putting up some decorations and thought I'd share. :^)

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The Prince of Wales' website has a downloadable official program and route map. This is really an amazing resource. It includes full file portraits of the couple and an explanation of each of their coat of arms, as well as historical information about Wesminster Abbey.

Sparklebox has pictures of the famous spots along the wedding route to download.

Take a commercial break and check out National Geographic Kids' United Kingdom page.

Activity Village has a wonderful page for kids, including Kate and William royal wedding paper dolls, royal frame handwriting pages, and coloring pages.

Instant Display also has a very nice kids page with educational resources, including bookmarks, coloring pages, vocabulary cards, and Royal Wedding newspaper templates.

The Woodland Trust's Nature Detective's site has this free Royal wedding party kit, woodland picnic style.

Favorite items? A Union Jack pinwheel ( a drawing pin is a thumbtack) and Cupcake Crowns to fit around your cupcakes

Disney's Family Fun has gotten in on the party with a "Happily Ever After" royal wedding page. Don't miss the Princess Kate paper doll with Disney princess and wedding dresses.

Bride.com's Royal Sleepover party is so cute. Don't miss the excuse note, bunting (printing as I type), cupcake toppers, and drink flags.

Isn't this HappyLand Royal Wedding Set adorable? I think if I'd have found it a little sooner I might not have been able to help myself.

Design Editor has a great set Royal Wedding party printables including a banner and cup wraps.

And Boden USA has wedding bingo and for the littles (and those of us less familiar with British celebrities, wedding spotters.