sick day...

After Kate left for school I found this checklist that she made for the morning-

get up

eat Cherrios/raspberries

Sophie's note 

(a note to let Sophie know which of her stuffed animals she could play with while she was gone to school)

shoes

make lunch

bow bun :)

coat

:)

(smiley faces were written in all though her's were much cuter)

There is nothing quite like a list to get your head in the game! 

Sophie was home sick with a determined cold-

She and I finished the last pages of the novel

BECAUSE OF MR TERUPT

She listened attentively while a read the last pages through tears and sobs (what a great book).

She loved it so much that she grabbed the second in the series to read while she lay in bed with a kleenex box and a trash can close by.

dog sitting

time to get up

I wish she loved this cozy spot when I say "time for bed" as much as she does every morning---

"just a little longer" she pleads every morning...
"it's too cold" she complains as I gently tug on her covers
"5 more minutes" she begs

She takes after her Mom :)

STRETCH!!!!!!!!

It is Friday!!!!

Hooray!

Halloween 2014

become as a little child...

How readily they trust...

how freely they love...

how generously they forgive...

how effortlessly they seek joy...

What a privilege it is to love a child...

I am reminded so often Jesus' invitation-

BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN

picked peonies

Swing!

our routine

It has been her routine almost every school day this year-
wake up between 9 or 10...
eat breakfast...
take a bath...
get dressed...
head out the door for afternoon kindergarten.

We have loved our mornings together!
There were days when I would wake her up with the rest of the family so that we could get more done...
but most mornings I let her sleep.
When will she be able to have leisure mornings on a regular basis...?

This morning was a special morning...
she was preparing for kindergarten graduation!
She tried on a few different shoes---to make sure they wouldn't fall off while she danced with the program.
Her teacher, at one point in the graduation program, cried when she described how much she loved the students---I cried too.
She has been the VERY BEST kindergarten teacher.
I will miss these mornings with my littlest girl---

• listening to the water fill the bathtub while I clean up breakfast.
• waking her up by kissing her cheeks
• lifting her out of bed with her arms wrapped around my neck
• finding her cheerful every single solitary morning

Happy graduation sweet Sophie!

babysitting

...she even shared her baby blanket with him!

I think she likes him

xo

first lost tooth!

a new school year

enlarge her world

Sophie and I were both suffering from a bit of chill in the early afternoon.  I was craving a day at the beach-  sitting on warm sand listening to the ocean.  We decided to find the sunniest window in the house.  We grabbed her reading workbook and began.  It had been a week since we had picked this one up.  She was a bit rusty.   She was cold so she climbed on my lap and we made sure that we were in the most optimal spot for sun.  As she worked and read I saw a woman pass by outside our window on a walk.  She looked to be in her later 60s.  She had a big smile on her face as she advanced passed our house.  Initially I was a bit envious.  A brisk quiet walk on a sunny afternoon sounds like a treat to me.  Then as I listened to my little girl working...P A R K, D E E R, H U N T I N G, G I R L...I realized I was enjoying the highlight of my day at that very moment.  I also understood immediately that this time goes sooooooo fast and teaching my little girl how to read is really the biggest treat of all.

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world.  Love of books is the best of all."

Jacqueline Kennedy

Sophie is the biggest book lover in our house.  Every night, after she is tucked snugly in her bed, she climbs out and gathers piles and piles of books.  She turns on a little side light and quietly browses every page.  She sometimes reads them to the dolls or stuffed animals that have joined her on her bed.  It brings her so much joy.  I hope she holds a love of reading and books forever.

forever mine....

The girls and I were faithful to our tradition...

and made dinner for Danny on Valentine's day!

He loved it!

I bought 3 treasure box charms for us to give the girls and Danny wrote them each a personalized letter.

He wrote a nice card for me too.

Before dessert, they gave me much cooperation and we took pictures with my studio equipment in the family room.

I think that will be a new tradition!

We are so lucky to have each other forever...

I love each of them so much and feel so lucky to be loved by them!

xoxo

I just listened to this the day after Valentine's Day.

I love that idea of gift giving!