Celebrating 5

I cannot believe that my baby is 5.YEARS.OLD.  The day before her Birthday, I instagrammed this collage of some of my favorite photos of her:

It really does seem like just yesterday that I was holding her in my arms for the first time--falling completely in love with this little person, my Addison Camille.

On the day before her Birthday, I made some castle and crown princess cookies and took them to school to share with her class (on Sofia napkins to boot). She was excited to get to wear her special hat and have Mrs. Carrie do the Birthday "cha-cha-cha" with her.

After school we went to our favorite park, Pinkerton, for a play date with Savannah that she had been begging for. Savannah brought her an early birthday surprise too--a Sofia plush doll and...The.Amulet.Of.Avalar. All she has EVER wanted. ;) Loved letting these kiddos play with each other!

The next morning when she woke up, she requested Mickey Mouse pancakes. Of course I obliged the Birthday girl this request, and I surprised her when it came on an Ariel plate with an Ariel napkin and a "5" candle. I wish I had recorded the giggles.

Next she got to open her presents from her great grandparents: Ariel Lego Duplos, duh. The only OTHER thing she has EVER wanted. (We may have heard this a few times. ;) )

 We had to get ready for her 5-year-old well visit, and I let her pick out her clothes. She insisted on bringing Kit (in her Birthday dress--thanks, Mom!) and Sofia just in case she had to get a vaccine.  (I hadn't told her, but she was supposed to get 2. We got there, and they were out of vaccines... Special little Birthday surprise she didn't even know she got...)  She also orchestrated this picture. Bless.

We dropped Ansley off at my mom's since she lives down the street from our pediatrician, and it was Ansley's nap time. On our way there, my dad called and said he was coming home for lunch, so he and mom gave Addison her birthday presents: roller skates and an Alice in Wonderland dress (the ONLY other things she has EVER wanted). We had a quick lunch and went to the doctor where I learned that Addison is in the 95% for height and 65% for weight and is growing and developing as a little 5-year-old girl should.  She wouldn't stop talking to Dr. Leeper (who we love love love as a ped and even-more-so since he is a shepherd at our church)--even as he had a tongue depressor in her mouth. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, and I just shrugged. I did get tickled as I watched him fight getting tickled when she told him that she's really not eating her boogers anymore because they have dirt and germs in them... Bless...

When we picked Ansley up and got back home to make Addison her Birthday dinner of Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, rice, strawberries, and salad (her request), she immediately transformed into Alice and began signing autograph books, playing Disney World with her sister again.

As they waited for Patrick to get home, they stared longingly at her presents that she got to open AFTER dinner.

First she blew out candles again with another iced castle cookie (saving the cake for their little party).

Then she opened her card and money from her Nana and Pop, and by then, her sister was busting at the seams to give her the present that she got her.  She had already told her earlier in the day--I heard her whisper to her--that she had gotten her a new "Kit book," but Addison was sweet and still acted surprised.

Then we gave her our boring ones: clothes and shoes--things she NEEDS. ;)

Then she opened her remaining few things:

Patrick gave the girls a bath, and then Addison put BACK on her Alice in Wonderland dress to watch her movie of choice: The Little Mermaid, of course. ;) [Side note: She has worn this dress EVERY DAY since her Birthday.  Sometimes like this as Alice. Other times, she just wears the blue part, asks for a low ponytail and wears blue slippers as Wendy Darling. Other times, she tucks in the collar, wears princess shoes and a "half-tail" with a ribbon and parades around as Ariel-human. We had NO idea she would love a dress-up dress THIS much, but it has provided HOURS upon HOURS of entertainment.] 

It was the perfect ending to a special day.

At 5 years old, Addison loves princesses, fairy tales, Disney World, Kit Kittredge, playing dress up, writing and coloring, reading, riding her bike, roller skating, and playing soccer. She is starting to read more fluently and is picking up new words and sounds every day. She loves to eat and has been going through a growth spurt. She is trying new things like avocado, mango, other new vegetables, new casseroles, and chicken salad sandwiches from Meridees and the Puffy Muffin are her favorites. She also loves oatmeal cream pies and starbursts. She is very social and makes new friends wherever she goes. She is starting to get more self-conscious about her beautiful curls, and she is starting to evangelize. Her teacher told me last week that she overheard Addison asking one of her friends if she wanted to be a Christian and follow Jesus. ;) Addison told me last night that she "lives life with merriment," and that made my heart overflow with love.

I love this little 5-year-old more than I could ever imagine, and Patrick and I are so thankful for, sometimes challeged with, but mostly blessed by this sweet, spunky, strong-willed, fun-loving, fierce, full-of-life, friendly little girl.

I cannot believe that my baby is 5.YEARS.OLD.  The day before her Birthday, I instagrammed this collage of some of my favorite photos of her:

It really does seem like just yesterday that I was holding her in my arms for the first time--falling completely in love with this little person, my Addison Camille.

On the day before her Birthday, I made some castle and crown princess cookies and took them to school to share with her class (on Sofia napkins to boot). She was excited to get to wear her special hat and have Mrs. Carrie do the Birthday "cha-cha-cha" with her.

After school we went to our favorite park, Pinkerton, for a play date with Savannah that she had been begging for. Savannah brought her an early birthday surprise too--a Sofia plush doll and...The.Amulet.Of.Avalar. All she has EVER wanted. ;) Loved letting these kiddos play with each other!

The next morning when she woke up, she requested Mickey Mouse pancakes. Of course I obliged the Birthday girl this request, and I surprised her when it came on an Ariel plate with an Ariel napkin and a "5" candle. I wish I had recorded the giggles.

Next she got to open her presents from her great grandparents: Ariel Lego Duplos, duh. The only OTHER thing she has EVER wanted. (We may have heard this a few times. ;) )

 We had to get ready for her 5-year-old well visit, and I let her pick out her clothes. She insisted on bringing Kit (in her Birthday dress--thanks, Mom!) and Sofia just in case she had to get a vaccine.  (I hadn't told her, but she was supposed to get 2. We got there, and they were out of vaccines... Special little Birthday surprise she didn't even know she got...)  She also orchestrated this picture. Bless.

We dropped Ansley off at my mom's since she lives down the street from our pediatrician, and it was Ansley's nap time. On our way there, my dad called and said he was coming home for lunch, so he and mom gave Addison her birthday presents: roller skates and an Alice in Wonderland dress (the ONLY other things she has EVER wanted). We had a quick lunch and went to the doctor where I learned that Addison is in the 95% for height and 65% for weight and is growing and developing as a little 5-year-old girl should.  She wouldn't stop talking to Dr. Leeper (who we love love love as a ped and even-more-so since he is a shepherd at our church)--even as he had a tongue depressor in her mouth. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, and I just shrugged. I did get tickled as I watched him fight getting tickled when she told him that she's really not eating her boogers anymore because they have dirt and germs in them... Bless...

When we picked Ansley up and got back home to make Addison her Birthday dinner of Poppyseed Chicken Casserole, rice, strawberries, and salad (her request), she immediately transformed into Alice and began signing autograph books, playing Disney World with her sister again.

As they waited for Patrick to get home, they stared longingly at her presents that she got to open AFTER dinner.

First she blew out candles again with another iced castle cookie (saving the cake for their little party).

Then she opened her card and money from her Nana and Pop, and by then, her sister was busting at the seams to give her the present that she got her.  She had already told her earlier in the day--I heard her whisper to her--that she had gotten her a new "Kit book," but Addison was sweet and still acted surprised.

Then we gave her our boring ones: clothes and shoes--things she NEEDS. ;)

Then she opened her remaining few things:

Patrick gave the girls a bath, and then Addison put BACK on her Alice in Wonderland dress to watch her movie of choice: The Little Mermaid, of course. ;) [Side note: She has worn this dress EVERY DAY since her Birthday.  Sometimes like this as Alice. Other times, she just wears the blue part, asks for a low ponytail and wears blue slippers as Wendy Darling. Other times, she tucks in the collar, wears princess shoes and a "half-tail" with a ribbon and parades around as Ariel-human. We had NO idea she would love a dress-up dress THIS much, but it has provided HOURS upon HOURS of entertainment.] 

It was the perfect ending to a special day.

At 5 years old, Addison loves princesses, fairy tales, Disney World, Kit Kittredge, playing dress up, writing and coloring, reading, riding her bike, roller skating, and playing soccer. She is starting to read more fluently and is picking up new words and sounds every day. She loves to eat and has been going through a growth spurt. She is trying new things like avocado, mango, other new vegetables, new casseroles, and chicken salad sandwiches from Meridees and the Puffy Muffin are her favorites. She also loves oatmeal cream pies and starbursts. She is very social and makes new friends wherever she goes. She is starting to get more self-conscious about her beautiful curls, and she is starting to evangelize. Her teacher told me last week that she overheard Addison asking one of her friends if she wanted to be a Christian and follow Jesus. ;) Addison told me last night that she "lives life with merriment," and that made my heart overflow with love.

I love this little 5-year-old more than I could ever imagine, and Patrick and I are so thankful for, sometimes challeged with, but mostly blessed by this sweet, spunky, strong-willed, fun-loving, fierce, full-of-life, friendly little girl.

A Very Merry Unbirthday Party

 With our trip to Disney this year, I said a big NO to a big Birthday party.

That was hard for me to do.

Even though our little family celebrated Addison and will celebrate Ansley on her upcoming day... even though extended family has and will celebrate them... even though Disney was the best imaginable celebration... It was hard for me...

So hard for me that I bent...just a little...and am having a few friends to the park after school to play and eat cake right smack in the middle of my September and October babies' birthdays. That's all. 1 gathering. The park. Cake. Candles.

But, I am a sucker for anything that warrants making a cute invitation and writing in pretty fonts on envelopes--even if it is just for a few of them. ;) And we had just returned from a magical adventure that had the princess love exploding, so how could I withhold my girls a princess party at the pinnacle of their obsessions, right!?!

So, tada.

It is documented, and the girls don't even know it is small scale. Love them for that.

I love Birthdays. What can I say? So celebrate we will!

 With our trip to Disney this year, I said a big NO to a big Birthday party.

That was hard for me to do.

Even though our little family celebrated Addison and will celebrate Ansley on her upcoming day... even though extended family has and will celebrate them... even though Disney was the best imaginable celebration... It was hard for me...

So hard for me that I bent...just a little...and am having a few friends to the park after school to play and eat cake right smack in the middle of my September and October babies' birthdays. That's all. 1 gathering. The park. Cake. Candles.

But, I am a sucker for anything that warrants making a cute invitation and writing in pretty fonts on envelopes--even if it is just for a few of them. ;) And we had just returned from a magical adventure that had the princess love exploding, so how could I withhold my girls a princess party at the pinnacle of their obsessions, right!?!

So, tada.

It is documented, and the girls don't even know it is small scale. Love them for that.

I love Birthdays. What can I say? So celebrate we will!

Soccer Saturdays

This season of life has been fun for us as Addison has entered into the world of team sports. Patrick and I both grew up playing sports, so when she expressed an interest in playing on a soccer team, we encouraged her and pursued it.

Williamson County has a top notch soccer association, and she was eligible to join the U5 league. She had participated in a soccer camp the summer before, so she had a ball, but we still needed to get her the rest of her gear, so we went to Academy Sports and got her the rest. We didn't know how she would do, if she would like it, or if she would do cartwheels and pick flowers, so we were looking for a deal. We found some--got her cleats for $6.99 and her bag for $3.97. Can't beat that! 

A few weeks later it was time for the soccer expo, and Ad was pumped to meet her team:

She loved practicing and playing all the creative games that soccer coaches come up with for little girls. Patrick was taking her to practice and helping out. He told me that she was doing well and having fun, but I had no idea what to expect for her first game.

Not only did she have a ball, but she scored 5 goals! My mouth was perpetually gaped open.

She had to miss a game because of Disney, and the next game was the day after her birthday, and it was more of the picking flowers variety, but today, she was back at it full force! And she was extra excited because her cousin came to watch. These are seriously two of the cutest soccer girls I have ever seen.

And these are two of the cutest fans--who wish they were out on the field themselves. 

Since Savannah and Addison's games were back to back, they got to watch each other, and then we celebrated with a Subway Lunch. My girls brought their Disney autograph books to show their cousins. Gotta keep that Disney love alive! ;)

It was a great day to celebrate soccer.

This season of life has been fun for us as Addison has entered into the world of team sports. Patrick and I both grew up playing sports, so when she expressed an interest in playing on a soccer team, we encouraged her and pursued it.

Williamson County has a top notch soccer association, and she was eligible to join the U5 league. She had participated in a soccer camp the summer before, so she had a ball, but we still needed to get her the rest of her gear, so we went to Academy Sports and got her the rest. We didn't know how she would do, if she would like it, or if she would do cartwheels and pick flowers, so we were looking for a deal. We found some--got her cleats for $6.99 and her bag for $3.97. Can't beat that! 

A few weeks later it was time for the soccer expo, and Ad was pumped to meet her team:

She loved practicing and playing all the creative games that soccer coaches come up with for little girls. Patrick was taking her to practice and helping out. He told me that she was doing well and having fun, but I had no idea what to expect for her first game.

Not only did she have a ball, but she scored 5 goals! My mouth was perpetually gaped open.

She had to miss a game because of Disney, and the next game was the day after her birthday, and it was more of the picking flowers variety, but today, she was back at it full force! And she was extra excited because her cousin came to watch. These are seriously two of the cutest soccer girls I have ever seen.

And these are two of the cutest fans--who wish they were out on the field themselves. 

Since Savannah and Addison's games were back to back, they got to watch each other, and then we celebrated with a Subway Lunch. My girls brought their Disney autograph books to show their cousins. Gotta keep that Disney love alive! ;)

It was a great day to celebrate soccer.

Tender-hearted Tears

Snuggled up on the couch--still in our pjs and covered in blankets--I felt Addy cling a little closer to me and felt some moisture soak into my shirt. I lifted her head to see tears streaming down her cheeks. She shyly whispered, "Mom, I think this movie is making me cry."

I nestled her back into position against my chest, held her a little bit tighter, and allowed some of my own sympathetic tears to fall. She was watching the film, the Lorax, and she was touched deeply by the plight of the Lorax his friends who were having to leave the forest after a final leaf fell.

Then I realized that this little person was feeling empathy--naturally, in a pure form that couldn't be taught or explained.

I thanked the Lord for the way that He is forming her tender heart and allowing her to really embrace how she feels. Then I thanked Him again for allowing me to slow down enough to share this moment with her. It was a good day.

Snuggled up on the couch--still in our pjs and covered in blankets--I felt Addy cling a little closer to me and felt some moisture soak into my shirt. I lifted her head to see tears streaming down her cheeks. She shyly whispered, "Mom, I think this movie is making me cry."

I nestled her back into position against my chest, held her a little bit tighter, and allowed some of my own sympathetic tears to fall. She was watching the film, the Lorax, and she was touched deeply by the plight of the Lorax his friends who were having to leave the forest after a final leaf fell.

Then I realized that this little person was feeling empathy--naturally, in a pure form that couldn't be taught or explained.

I thanked the Lord for the way that He is forming her tender heart and allowing her to really embrace how she feels. Then I thanked Him again for allowing me to slow down enough to share this moment with her. It was a good day.

Things I don't want to forget: snapshot of 4-year-old Addison

I feel like I did a much better job keeping up with my girls' milestones and funny stories during the first year of their lives with the monthly updates. Things keep getting funnier, but I have stopped recording them... I need to do better because there are just some things that I don't want to forget.

Here is a snapshot of Addison at age 4:

Addison loves life. She loves to have fun, and her eyes sparkle at the smallest pleasures. She makes life so much more interesting.

She is going through a growth spurt and is eating me out of house and home. Her current favorites are spaghetti, cheeseburgers, strawberries, bagels with cream cheese, bacon, and oatmeal pies.

Her extracurricular interest is dancing--ballet and tap each Monday with her cousin Savannah. She has mentioned wanting to play soccer again and take a drawing/art class, so we will see where her interests lead her. She loves to dance, though, and just this one little experience has given her more balance and coordination, rhythm and confidence.

She is going through a very fearful stage also. She doesn't like Lion King anymore because of Scar. She prays for Maleficient and Mother Gothel, and she doesn't even like Mulan anymore because of "John U" as she refers to the villain. It is very real to her. She has shown up in our room at 3 a.m. claiming to have seen shadows of wolves biting her hands off. Bless. her. heart. So we have put a nightlight in her room.

Addison loves school. She loves her friends, and she talks about Addison Adair, Ivy, and Kalli at home all the time. She even has pretend sleepovers with them. She loves doing the lessons and she especially loves coloring and writing. She is really learning a lot, and she constantly wants to learn more. I LOVE that thirst for knowledge and hope that it stays with her.

Her favorite toy right now is definitely Kit Kittredge. She takes her with her everywhere, changes her clothes every day, brushes her hair and teeth, and wants to be just like her. We read her chapter books outloud each night, and I hear her rereading her version of them outloud to herself.

Savannah is still her best friend, and I hope they will always love each other like they do now. It is so sweet and pure and innocent. She will come home and tell me that she "talked to Savannah and she said that when we go to Disney World, we need to stay in a hotel, and that our best chance of meeting the characters is by going to a breakfast." She has been really concerned about Savannah going to kindergarten next year because I think she imagines it as some boarding school where she will rarely see her anymore. It is a precious friendship that these two share.

She's been a trooper with her ear stuff. She failed her hearing screening when she was three, and everybody thought it was a fluke. When she failed it again at 4, we were sent back to our ENT doctor who put her tubes in. When he looked in her ear and removed the tube that was lying in her ear canal, he discovered a hole in her ear--probably something that never healed correctly from her tubes--that was impairing her hearing on the right side. We went back on Friday and since it hasn't healed any since the fall, she will have a tissue graft surgical procedure over Spring Break where they will take tissue from behind her ear and use it to hopefully cover and seal the hole in her eardrum.  If successful (75% success rate), then her hearing should be restored. Please pray for my little brave girl.

She loves church and lifegroup and being with her sweet friends, Lillly, Lane, Robert, Lauralee, and Ruth. She is learning so much about the Bible right now, and I am amazed at her ability to make the stories hers. She talks about Heaven and Jesus, and her prayers are so sweet and sincere. I know why Jesus loves the innocent, childlike faith of his little children.

She loves dress up. Here she is in her sister's Snow White dress with bows all in her hair. Her favorite princess changes daily.

She is trying to read and spell. She sounded out Snow White below, and she is constantly writing me real messages that are fairly close to what they should be.

Kit Kittredge introduced her to hobos, and she is obsessed. She constantly draws the hobo signs and leaves them places to send me on a trail.

At the end of the trail is usually a surprise--like a picture of me.

I love this little girl more each day, and I am so blessed to be her mommy.

I feel like I did a much better job keeping up with my girls' milestones and funny stories during the first year of their lives with the monthly updates. Things keep getting funnier, but I have stopped recording them... I need to do better because there are just some things that I don't want to forget.

Here is a snapshot of Addison at age 4:

Addison loves life. She loves to have fun, and her eyes sparkle at the smallest pleasures. She makes life so much more interesting.

She is going through a growth spurt and is eating me out of house and home. Her current favorites are spaghetti, cheeseburgers, strawberries, bagels with cream cheese, bacon, and oatmeal pies.

Her extracurricular interest is dancing--ballet and tap each Monday with her cousin Savannah. She has mentioned wanting to play soccer again and take a drawing/art class, so we will see where her interests lead her. She loves to dance, though, and just this one little experience has given her more balance and coordination, rhythm and confidence.

She is going through a very fearful stage also. She doesn't like Lion King anymore because of Scar. She prays for Maleficient and Mother Gothel, and she doesn't even like Mulan anymore because of "John U" as she refers to the villain. It is very real to her. She has shown up in our room at 3 a.m. claiming to have seen shadows of wolves biting her hands off. Bless. her. heart. So we have put a nightlight in her room.

Addison loves school. She loves her friends, and she talks about Addison Adair, Ivy, and Kalli at home all the time. She even has pretend sleepovers with them. She loves doing the lessons and she especially loves coloring and writing. She is really learning a lot, and she constantly wants to learn more. I LOVE that thirst for knowledge and hope that it stays with her.

Her favorite toy right now is definitely Kit Kittredge. She takes her with her everywhere, changes her clothes every day, brushes her hair and teeth, and wants to be just like her. We read her chapter books outloud each night, and I hear her rereading her version of them outloud to herself.

Savannah is still her best friend, and I hope they will always love each other like they do now. It is so sweet and pure and innocent. She will come home and tell me that she "talked to Savannah and she said that when we go to Disney World, we need to stay in a hotel, and that our best chance of meeting the characters is by going to a breakfast." She has been really concerned about Savannah going to kindergarten next year because I think she imagines it as some boarding school where she will rarely see her anymore. It is a precious friendship that these two share.

She's been a trooper with her ear stuff. She failed her hearing screening when she was three, and everybody thought it was a fluke. When she failed it again at 4, we were sent back to our ENT doctor who put her tubes in. When he looked in her ear and removed the tube that was lying in her ear canal, he discovered a hole in her ear--probably something that never healed correctly from her tubes--that was impairing her hearing on the right side. We went back on Friday and since it hasn't healed any since the fall, she will have a tissue graft surgical procedure over Spring Break where they will take tissue from behind her ear and use it to hopefully cover and seal the hole in her eardrum.  If successful (75% success rate), then her hearing should be restored. Please pray for my little brave girl.

She loves church and lifegroup and being with her sweet friends, Lillly, Lane, Robert, Lauralee, and Ruth. She is learning so much about the Bible right now, and I am amazed at her ability to make the stories hers. She talks about Heaven and Jesus, and her prayers are so sweet and sincere. I know why Jesus loves the innocent, childlike faith of his little children.

She loves dress up. Here she is in her sister's Snow White dress with bows all in her hair. Her favorite princess changes daily.

She is trying to read and spell. She sounded out Snow White below, and she is constantly writing me real messages that are fairly close to what they should be.

Kit Kittredge introduced her to hobos, and she is obsessed. She constantly draws the hobo signs and leaves them places to send me on a trail.

At the end of the trail is usually a surprise--like a picture of me.

I love this little girl more each day, and I am so blessed to be her mommy.

Valentine Love: the wedding of Q and U, preschool parties, and pajamasall around

In my first year of the preschool world, the letter I was least excited about teaching was the letter Q. I was too short-sighted.  This week we rained on Noah's ark with q-tips, made quarter rubbings, took turns being the quarterback, wore queen crowns, and made quilts.

Today, however, on this lovely day of love, we did something extra special.  What better way to celebrate Valentines day than with a wedding--the wedding between the letters Q and U.  This was an impromptu wedding; I got excited while the kids were in chapel, and I hurriedly made cutouts of bow-ties and tulips, used the letter cutting machine to make q's and u's, and craft sticks to make bouquets for the girls and a way to hold the bow-ties for the boys (who, by the way, might have even loved this activity as much as or more than the girls). We lined them up, marched them in (to the Wedding March, of course), and then I officiated the ceremony wearing a queen's crown.  They giggled as they said, "I do," and told all their parents that they got married today at school as they showed up for the party.

After our wedding, my kiddos went to recess, and I snuck over to Ansley's party. Her sweet teachers made the menu completely Ansley-friendly--crustables, pretzels, grapes, oreos, and juice. They are so sweet and thoughtful. You see she eats in the high chair instead of the little table, and this is to prevent her from any milk or yogurt spills, or goldfish/cheese crackers that could come within her reach.  Thankfully, I don't think she even notices.

Her class activity was to make a Valentine's keep sake with all of the Valentine's from her friends.  She loves glue and is constantly asking to do a "project," so she was thrilled with this, and I was excited to get to do it with her.

Meanwhile, my party moms we decorating our table for my cute class.

The kids, of course, bypassed the "growing food" and went straight for the cupcakes. That made for a nice, amped up activity time. :)

These mustaches are all the rage, and my daughter has drunk the kool-aid.

Their crafts were to decorate their valentine bags, make monkey masks, and do these cool hearts with sticks. They played pin the heart on the heart, and then passed out their Valentines. That part was chaotic but fun. Ad is sitting with her two favorite buds below, Addison A and Ivy.

After school, we came home, and the girls were shortly surprised by these pretty tulips from their daddy. We have developed a tradition of getting Olive Garden take-out (we split the Tour of Italy and salad and breadsticks) and eating in the dining room on our fine China. Then we exchange our cards and treats.

This year, we did pjs all around. Patrick and I both needed some, and the girls legs have outgrown most of their pants, so we got them gowns.  We even got Kit one to match Addison and Ansley's baby doll some pjs also.

Ansley definitely loved her treat, but nothing could compare to sweet Addison's reaction. She got emotional and told us that she had happy tears in her eyes, and thanked us for including Kit on Valentine's Day. I have never seen a little girl more excited for bath time and so giddy as she put on her new gown. I have definitely drunk the kool-aid on this American Girl Doll world.

Here are my pretty flowers from my sweet husband. He knows that tulips and Italian food are the direct routes to my heart, and I loved waking up to these this morning.

We have had the chance to go through all of our loot (I got some from kiddos too!), and I picked these two as the most creative ones of the year.  The one on the left is a little hard to read in this picture, but Hayes' Valentines said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Love Bug." Ummm, precious.  The one on the right came from my sweet kiddo Josh. It is brownie mix and a spatula, and you can read the card. Again, too cute!

Now the countdown for Spring and Spring Break begins...

In my first year of the preschool world, the letter I was least excited about teaching was the letter Q. I was too short-sighted.  This week we rained on Noah's ark with q-tips, made quarter rubbings, took turns being the quarterback, wore queen crowns, and made quilts.

Today, however, on this lovely day of love, we did something extra special.  What better way to celebrate Valentines day than with a wedding--the wedding between the letters Q and U.  This was an impromptu wedding; I got excited while the kids were in chapel, and I hurriedly made cutouts of bow-ties and tulips, used the letter cutting machine to make q's and u's, and craft sticks to make bouquets for the girls and a way to hold the bow-ties for the boys (who, by the way, might have even loved this activity as much as or more than the girls). We lined them up, marched them in (to the Wedding March, of course), and then I officiated the ceremony wearing a queen's crown.  They giggled as they said, "I do," and told all their parents that they got married today at school as they showed up for the party.

After our wedding, my kiddos went to recess, and I snuck over to Ansley's party. Her sweet teachers made the menu completely Ansley-friendly--crustables, pretzels, grapes, oreos, and juice. They are so sweet and thoughtful. You see she eats in the high chair instead of the little table, and this is to prevent her from any milk or yogurt spills, or goldfish/cheese crackers that could come within her reach.  Thankfully, I don't think she even notices.

Her class activity was to make a Valentine's keep sake with all of the Valentine's from her friends.  She loves glue and is constantly asking to do a "project," so she was thrilled with this, and I was excited to get to do it with her.

Meanwhile, my party moms we decorating our table for my cute class.

The kids, of course, bypassed the "growing food" and went straight for the cupcakes. That made for a nice, amped up activity time. :)

These mustaches are all the rage, and my daughter has drunk the kool-aid.

Their crafts were to decorate their valentine bags, make monkey masks, and do these cool hearts with sticks. They played pin the heart on the heart, and then passed out their Valentines. That part was chaotic but fun. Ad is sitting with her two favorite buds below, Addison A and Ivy.

After school, we came home, and the girls were shortly surprised by these pretty tulips from their daddy. We have developed a tradition of getting Olive Garden take-out (we split the Tour of Italy and salad and breadsticks) and eating in the dining room on our fine China. Then we exchange our cards and treats.

This year, we did pjs all around. Patrick and I both needed some, and the girls legs have outgrown most of their pants, so we got them gowns.  We even got Kit one to match Addison and Ansley's baby doll some pjs also.

Ansley definitely loved her treat, but nothing could compare to sweet Addison's reaction. She got emotional and told us that she had happy tears in her eyes, and thanked us for including Kit on Valentine's Day. I have never seen a little girl more excited for bath time and so giddy as she put on her new gown. I have definitely drunk the kool-aid on this American Girl Doll world.

Here are my pretty flowers from my sweet husband. He knows that tulips and Italian food are the direct routes to my heart, and I loved waking up to these this morning.

We have had the chance to go through all of our loot (I got some from kiddos too!), and I picked these two as the most creative ones of the year.  The one on the left is a little hard to read in this picture, but Hayes' Valentines said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Love Bug." Ummm, precious.  The one on the right came from my sweet kiddo Josh. It is brownie mix and a spatula, and you can read the card. Again, too cute!

Now the countdown for Spring and Spring Break begins...