We are so thankful for Mrs. Paula and Mrs. Julie and their creativity, energy and love! Anna Kate has had the most positive first semester of preschool any parent could hope for, and we are so grateful!
What a fun idea! Mrs. Paula used boxes the whole last week of school before winter break for lots of fun activities for the kids. Anna Kate had a blast!
Pictures by: Mrs. Paula
We were off to a great start, headed to a wonderful Christmas production with Kay Kay and Grandpapa, until someone hugged Rose a little too tightly…
and then we were back to the real world, where Mike enjoyed the show from the foyer with this little diva! Get all the tantrums out Rose… let’s move on to more fun things, like is Santa “real” or not… lol!
The night ended on a fun note… the grandparents took us out for ice cream after the show!
This cake cracks me up! Mike ordered one with flowers and a peace sign, because he thought it would be colorful and cheery, but they surprised him with a retro car too. I loved it because I’m always driving the kids around. Perfect! I thought he did it on purpose and was a clever idea. Then when he got home from work, before I had even seen the cake, Rose reached up (we had no idea she could reach that high) and pulled the cake down to the floor… fortunately, it stayed in the box and just flipped over. We were lucky! Aunt Nancy always says, “You can’t have a birthday without a cake!” so no matter what, we always get a cake to celebrate birthdays around here. This one barely made it but will probably go down as one of my favorite! Thanks Mike for making my day so special! I love you!
For our summer project, Noelle did a little jingle for the company, The World’s Finest Chocolate! Their director of marketing asked us if we would do it, but I don’t think they’ve used it for anything. We always have fun doing creative projects with Noelle!
Of course, she enjoys the spotlight too. It turned out really cute… have a listen below!
Brylee and Cerly had such a fun pony party on Saturday! All the girls had so much fun, and the day was perfect!
We were all dressed up and ready to party with Brylee and Cerly!
This was Rose’s first pony ride! She held on and enjoyed the ride… she was just relaxing in the breeze!
Noelle was an old pro and let’s just say Anna Kate had to face her fears!
She didn’t want to ride at first, but I wanted her to know there was nothing to be afraid of, and she can always trust us…
This progression of pictures took place over a matter of 3 seconds and something clicked in her head that she was having fun and liked it after all! I know my Anna Kate and wanted her to be free from her fear of riding! I knew she would be so proud of herself, and she was!
And then we rode into the sunrise…
Noelle got her face painted, but Anna Kate didn’t want to, so that was that on that deal!
Anna Kate and Malia and Brylee and Noelle just chillin’
Rose was ready for a nap (like big time), but the face painting helped bring her out of her funk… for a little while anyway!
Rose and Cerly are big buds but are always on the go, so getting a picture of them together is hard at this age, lol!
My baby was being such a cute little toot! She was trying to decide if she was going to ignore Daddy or smile… I think she ended up choosing the former, ha!
What a fun birthday and magical memory with our friends! Happy Birthday, Brylee and Cerly!
We don’t have too many special requests for Santa this year. Noelle wants jewelry and make-up, Anna Kate wants a Jessie doll and costume, and Rose just wants to be right in the middle of it all… we can swing that!
Happy girls enjoying the holiday season!
The Pond girl line-up… I was chasing reindeer all night long, lol! Noelle and Georgia asked me to take this next picture. They are so fun!
Noelle has fun enjoying the traditions of Christmas even though she’s playing along with the rest of us! She’s so proud and trustworthy!
Mia and Georgia, our new across the street neighbors! Rose and Santa were chatting it up! They are bffs from last year!
Rose and Berkeley were getting sleepy toward with end of the party with their Daddies, Mike and Blake.
The Cunningham kids were so cute making memories with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and Noelle and Georgia are having fun finally being neighbors!
Julia, Noelle and Georgia having fun on the big stage! If you haven’t noticed yet, Noelle lost her third bottom tooth at school last week. She doesn’t show her bottom teeth a whole lot when she smiles for pictures, so it’s hard to tell unless she’s laughing… her top ones are wiggly, so it’s about to get fun!
Our little athlete! Go Malia… predicting right here, right now, we’ve got a future Olympian on our hands!
Malia, Anna Kate and Julia are getting so big!
Santa was so good with all the kids, and they had fun just hanging out with him!
A big thanks to Dr. Chris for bringing Santa all the way to Texas from the North Pole!!!
Rose telling Santa night night!
We had a blast on Noelle’s first grade field trip to Casa Manana to see the play, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. I have to be honest, I get a day away to share with my big girl, and what do I do during the play… fall asleep! Ha! It was just too dark and cozy (I brought a blanket for N and me to share). I guess that’s part of the memory!
We went to eat Mexican food afterward with Emerson, Georgia and their moms. The girls had so much fun giggling and being together and gave us moms a chance to visit… it was such a fun day!
*This was the day of the school shooting in Connecticut, and I didn’t realize what had really happened until we got home. It was such a relief to have Noelle with me that day, and my heart breaks for the parents whose lives will never be the same because of their indescribable loss. Our prayers are with them, and we are so sad!
Our pastor/mentor, Kyle Lake, wrote these words to read in his sermon that he never got to preach the day he died. For those of you new to our blog, he was electrocuted while baptizing a girl who hadn’t gotten into the water yet on October 30, 2005. He was a great friend to us and spiritual mentor. He performed our wedding vows and will always be a special part of our lives. Anyway, I have been reflecting on these words during the past few years, grieving through Curt’s illness and passing. The part that says, “If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well.” has set so well with me. It’s helped me realize that my emotions are real and valid; that if I press into them, I can work through them, and that is so much for healthy for me than pushing them down. Kyle was an amazing friend, just like Curt, and is still teaching me how to live to this day! Hope these words can help you where ever you are in your journey, in the words of Kyle… to “Love God, Embrace Beauty, and Live Life to the Fullest!”
“Live. And Live Well.
BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply.
Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.
On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day,
roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.
If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool autumn day to
FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.
Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.
If you bike, pedal HARDER and if you crash then crash well.
Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done-a paper well-written, a project
thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.
If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all
because soon he’ll be wiping his own.
If you’ve recently experienced loss, then
GRIEVE. And Grieve well.
At the table with friends and family, LAUGH.
If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke.
And if you eat, then SMELL.
The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven.
And TASTE.
Taste every ounce of flavor.
Taste every ounce of friendship.
Taste every ounce of Life.
Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift.”
? Kyle Lake
