welcome, first grade!

ohhhh, the first day of school. but not just any first day... the first day of first grade. did you hear me? first grade. it's a grade. the first one. that means there are only eleven more... we have entered the first of 12. that's it. think about how fast the last 11 or 12 years have gone by. for me, they've flown. especially the last six...

they're the reason why. the best reason... ever.

we're gonna blink and it'll be lily starting first grade. let's think about that... when lily starts first grade, gracie will be in 5th grade.
good heavens. changed my mind... let's just not think about it.

on we go... let's recap the morning...

and... in we go!

this is mrs. vogel... she's gracie's new teacher. apparently she had to get on to some of the kids who were "not obeying", but "mom, it was not me... really!" good to know.
they sorted school supplies, colored, played games, had lunch, went to art class, had recess, but she didn't get to look at her school books "cause we were too busy"!

in case you're wondering, i didn't cry. well, at least not until i got in the car... and yesterday, a little.

what a big (little) girl she is. i am in awe of the person she is and is growing into. what an amazing blessing God has given me.

oh, cale...

i was sitting at the table, finishing dinner (which was a very thrown together chicken enchilada casserole that was mighty tasty, i might add), and listening to gracie and cale banter. ok, so i wasn't really listening... it was more like tuning them out.

anywho, i tuned back in just in time to hear cale say to gracie,

"well, if you had kept your mouth shut, we wouldn't be in this mess"!

what the h-e-doublehockeysticks, you ask? that's what i said, too.

good night

you know i love a good sunrise, but i also love a good sunset. it is such a great way to end the day, especially when it's a aunt b's birthday sunset. tonight it was accompanied by some sprinkles... some "funder" as lily says. check it out...

happy birthday, aunt b! we love you!!!

the last supper

tonight we had our last dinner with lulu, at least for a while.oh, fine. i know the title may be a tad bit dramatic. wait... me, dramatic? never!!!

in a few short days she will be off to college... off to be a big girl... off to learn new things... off to meet new friends... off to start a new and wonderful adventure.

but, for tonight, it was circus as usual.

sunrise

sunrise... my daily reminder that i am His... that His love is infinite and unconditional... and that no matter how dark the night is, joy comes in the morning.

what does the sunrise make you think of?

(p.s. this is the part where you leave a comment... which i heart!)

a little anatomy lesson...

when cale opens his mouth, you never... ever... e-v-e-r... know what might come out. hence the following conversation...

mama: "bub... did you pee-pee in your pants?"

cale: "no."

mama: "really??? cause the front of your pants are wet."

cale: (with a straight face and blank stare) "what, mom?!?!"

mama: "did you pee-pee in your new shoes?"

cale: (still with the straight face) "no, mom! my junk isn't in my shoes!"

and that, folks, is why you should always expect the unexpected from cale... oh, and it's your anatomy lesson for the day.

... when eggs fly!

have you ever wondered what would happen if you put eggs on to hard-boil, and then forgot about them? yeah... me, neither. since you haven't, let me share so you don't feel the need to go experimenting...

apparently, when the water boils off, those eggs get a little sassy and jump right out of the pan. however, let me say, it's not as much fun as you think. it's stinky... messy to clean up... now my little pan is all burnt and stuff... really, don't bother trying.

minty fresh!!!

so we stop at mcalister's for tea, get back in the car, and the following conversation takes place...

gracie: "hey, guess what?"

cale: "what, grace?"

gracie: "i got four mints!"

cale: (loudly, which i know you cannot imagine) "hey!!!! no fair!!!!!"

gracie: "fine, cale. you can have one." (insert crackling mint paper sounds...)

mama: "gracie, i don't want him to have a mint." (as she is putting one in his mouth)

gracie: "why, mom?"

mama: "well, he almost choked on a mint in daddy's truck the other night."

gracie: (completely exasperated, mind you...) "great... cale, don't choke on that mint. cause if you do, we are gonna have to go to the emergency room, they'll have to cut your head off, take out the mint, and then sew your head back on."

cale: "that would not be good."

hello, stranger...

yeah, i know... it's been a while since i've blogged. i've been a little busy trying to earn the "mom of the year" award. take tonight, for instance...

cherryberry... for dinner... after church... at 8 p.m.

yep... i'm gonna win.

oh, happy day!

mornin' from the ranch...
where the chocolate milk is already on (and mama's coffee, too!), the mayo sandwiches are flowing (yes, you read it right... i asked cale 3 times if he was sure... whateva, boy.), the rain and thunder are much needed, and the sunrise was g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s!

have a happy day ~ anne

time to get pampered!

apparently, real men do get pedicures...

gracie's kindergarted graduation

(sniff, sniff)... well, it's official. gracie is a kindergarten grad! i'm not sure i can even make it through typing without crying. it's so hard to believe. how time flies!
it has been so unbelievable to watch gracie grow this year. she has made so many wonderful friends, her leadership qualities are bubbling over (catch that? it's the nice way to put it!), and she is reading so well! in light of just how well she's reading, watch what you text me. i see such my sweet little baby evolving into a fabulous little girl. what a blessing this journey is! ok, enough tears... i'll stop and just show you the pics.

at the beginning of graduation, each kindergartener was introduced.

then it was time to find mom, but only if you could get past all of the camera flashes!

oh, yes... there she is. 2011 kindergarten grad!

look, she seems older already!

mrs. bowers. i'm not sure i have the enough words to tell you how much we love her and what a blessing she has been to have as gracie's teacher this year.
a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

someday, cale... someday it will be your turn. for now, let's enjoy our today.

happy birthday, bug!

wow. how time flies. first you've got an unexpected positive test. the next thing you know...

bam. here she is... perfect. just what i needed and didn't know it. God did.

of course, He did. on the journey goes...

not only was she what i needed, but we all needed her. gracie has a little sister, cale gets to be a big brother, and daddy and i have another blessing.

a silly little look...

or a big 'ol grin. every day i look at her and am reminded that God's plan is so much better than mine.
happy 2nd birthday, my sweet girl.

what a good saturday!

i don't know what a good saturday looks like to others, but i know what a good saturday is to my babies. it starts with a late morning warm enough to break out the bathing suits and the sprinkler...

get ready...

cause it's c-o-l-d!

sweet little lily didn't think the water idea was as much fun as gracie and cale. i think it was a tad too cold. she mostly watched the fun.

when the sprinkler lost it's luster, we broke out the big guns... slip 'n' slide time!

look mom, i can go backwards!

in case you're wondering... it's still cold.

yay for the warm may day!

check out those muscles!

and if that's not enough fun, we've topped off the day our bff and a movie!

thank you jesus for our good day!

excuse me, ms. carpet-lady...

carpet. i'd like some now... and by "now" i actually mean 3 weeks ago. i'm sure bug would be a little more comfy with it between her and the concrete. i'm also pretty sure the echo in there will sound much less like we're at the grand canyon, and more like it's my little living room.

leave it to me to pick the one carpet that's on backorder. really... backorder?!?! how often are there carpet shortages? did a miss some big run on carpet? so, it's the middle of may, or so i'm told. it doesn't sound like it's that big of a deal now, cause it's may 2nd. however, it's been 3 weeks since i ordered it.

any day now. any day. so, i'm just waitin'...

so, did ya know?

did ya know that if you stick your head in the dryer and squeal really loudly that it echoes?

when there's two of you, it's twice as loud...

and way more fun!

by the way, it was all her idea!

easter 2011

tonight i sit at the computer contemplating an easter-themed blog. i've been trying to come up with the right words to show honor and worship God for the sacrifice of His son. a sacrifice that Jesus so willingly made so that we can spend eternity with Him... but all i can think about is the little voice in the next room yelling at me. it starts out really softly... "mama... ma-ma... ma-ma-ma... mama... MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and then, i am reminded... i don't need to have an eloquent speech. i don't need to know all the "right" words for someone else. what i need is to teach my babies that someday they won't yell for mama, but to call on Jesus! they not only need to learn it, but to see evidence of it every day. that's my job... to show them God, to teach them of His love, joy, peace, kindness, and to help them understand His mercy and grace. i mean, these are all things i know... and, i'm probably preachin' to the choir... but, sometimes i need a little reminder. this is one of those moments.

so now, let me show you how our easter morning picture taking went...

not so well...

apparently, bug didn't think it was as good of an idea as the rest of us did.

dang. those kids are so stinkin' cute.

awww... bug. ok, i'd better get her before she wakes up cale.

happy easter ~ anne

a couple of weeks ago, i found a groupon for horseback riding lessons. if you know me well, you'll know that it took me about a quarter of a second to jump on that one! i bought all i could... then kyle bought all he could... and then my mom bought all she could. some would call it "working the system". i call it completely worth it! gracie and i had our first lesson today. it was fantabulous (yes, i made that up)!

gracie leading prince in the arena. doesn't she look like she's been doing it her whole life? miss janel made her carry her own saddle to saddle up prince (ok, it was a whole 6 feet, but she seemed so big!).

here she is... first time on a horse. it was all fine and good until the horse flinched a little because of a fly... then she came undone. janel was wonderful... unbelievably patient. she talked gracie down from the rafters, talked her into letting prince take one little step, and finally to...

riding all by herself!

she l-o-v-e-d it! you know it makes my heart pitter-patter.

nice bull...

oh, and then there's blue... i'm in love.

ahhh... the pleasure of a good book!

The love of learning, the sequestered nooks,
And all the sweet serenity of books.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow