Strawberry Fun

We live close to a few orchards and pick-your-own farms.  This year we were lucky enough to go strawberry picking and blueberry picking (no pics from blueberry picking).  We are hoping to get back for more fruit (and veggies!) this summer.

Rose's Baptism

So...Rose was Baptized on May 18.  Our good friends Derek and Victoria are her Godparents.  We've known Derek for years and he is "Uncle Derek" to our children.  Although we haven't know Vicky as long, she is one of my closest friends and a wonderful guide for Rose.

Sweet Seven

 Happy 7th Birthday Norah!  Our birthday girl had many parties this year - all themed around the garden...one of her favorite places to be! 

Norah had a family party and a friend party- this year she chose to have an all girls party at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  The Children's Garden is so much fun and she and her friends had a blast running around, planting flowers, jumping from rocks, and eating cookies.  It was a beautiful day and our sweetie was surrounded by happiness and love.

Dear Norah,

I can't believe how fast the years are going by!  I am so proud of the little girl you are and the qualities you possess.  You are so kind, loving, smart, full of fun, joyous, and so many more I can't even list them all!

You are an incredible big sister to Isabella, William, and Rose.  You lead by example and show all of them how to love your siblings and how to be kind to each other.  You are learning how to express the range of emotions that flow through all of us without yelling or displaying too much attitude.  I am proud of the leader you are not only at home, but also at school.  You display these same attributes at school too.

This was a big year for you; you learned to read really well by yourself and love to read.  You have such a wide range of interests and are eager to read so many different types of books!  You are also so good at math and spelling, you are so smart my sweet Norah.

I love the time we get to spend one-on-one, I love hearing all the things that you are interested in and your thoughts on things around us.  You are full of wonder and awe.  I love seeing things from your point of view!

We are so blessed to have you as our child Norah.  Never forget how wonderful you are.  I love you.

Love,

Mommy

Three Months Old

 It seems just like yesterday that Rose came into our lives.  I remember breathing through the contractions and counting them while trying to decide if we should go to the hospital or if they would pass.  I remember the sweet sound of Rose's cry and the nurse saying the first words to her..."Happy Birthday Rose".  A moment that never ceases to bring tears to my eyes.  Rose is such a blessing and while it seems like yesterday that she was born, it also feels as if she has always been in our family.

Rose is surrounded by love and all of that love and happiness shines through in her.  She is such a happy baby; so eager to smile and coo to anyone who will spend some time talking to her.  She is just starting to laugh - a deep belly laugh that is so beautiful!  She's been trying to hold her head up since those days in the hospital and loves to look at everything she can all around her.

Happy Easter!

Easter is a time for celebration and rejoicing!  Here are our celebrations in photos:

Yo, Ho Mateys!

 Ahoy Mateys!  Our fun-loving, energetic little William turned 3 this year!  Pirates were the theme and gold doubloons were the booty.  We had hidden treasure and no one walked the plank celebrating his wondrous 3rd year.  Happy Birthday my sweet William!

Dear William,

You never cease to amaze me.  You are filled with so much wonder, love, kindness, laughter, and joy that you spread it everywhere you go.  You have so much love in your heart for your sisters.  They are so lucky and blessed to have you as their brother. 

Your favorite toys right now are a rope (yes, a rope!  It becomes anything you pretend it to become.  It is so much fun to see what you create it to be with in your playtime.), anything Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Legos, any art products (glaloo (glue) is one of your most favorite!): coloring, crayons, paint, cutting and gluing, drawing...anything artistic.  You love playing with your tractors and the sandbox.  For your birthday you received a lawnmower that blows bubbles and it is one of your favorite toys to play with.

You also love to read: you love to have books read to you but you also love to try to figure out the story for yourself.  You are so smart!

You are a very kind little boy.  You love to play with your friends and play so well with everyone.  You are just filled with so much happiness and are so laid back.  You love to play any game with anyone and enjoy even just running around!

I love you William.  I love all your hugs, kisses, and smiles.  I love your joy that surrounds you every day.  I love all that you are and rejoice in who God made you to be.  You are wonderful.

Love,

Mommy

To our children

To our children;

Our days are filled to the brim with play doh, crayons, paint, running, (and lots of running), laughter, and some tears.  There are days that feel overwhelmingly slow and spats with each other pop up seemingly out of nothing.  They roll into a short period of getting along, and right into another spat.  Those days are hard, really hard.  Thankfully, they are short and far apart from each other.  Most of our days are spent working together and through those spats and roll right into happiness the rest of the day.  Those days are awesome....you.are.awesome.

We try not to intervene too  much in those spats because we want you to know how to compromise with other people and how to work through the tough issues.  The best gift we could ever give you is the gift of each other, and we are so thankful that we could give you each other.  The love you four share is strong and fierce.  You are each others best friends and secret keepers.  You fight and love with the same intensity.  You are building such strong relationships with each other, don't ever let that go.  You are the doorway to each others past; and the pathway to each others futures.

I am so proud to be your mama.  I see individuality and so much goodness in each of you.  You have compassion for others, you understand injustice and step in to help, and you have so much love to give.  You are smart and so strong.  There is nothing that will be able to stop you in life if you stay true to your values and have determination to push through.  Life will not always be easy but it will always be worth it.  Each disappointment and setback will help you get to the right path.  Use those as stepping stone and learn from them.  There is nothing in life that you can't learn from. 

I love you so very, very much.

Love, Mama