Saturday, November 3, 2012

Our Peacock Princess

Our Peacock Princess made her ballet debut
 When one has a big sister who loves ballet, one wants to do ballet too....
 and, a little ballerina she is!  
 With every twirl and twist, and pointed toe that is ordered,....
 she does it all with a huge, proud smile!
But when she is done, she is done....and grace is out the door:)

Meow

Our Halloween Cat, ballet style
 Our little ballerina, who at the age of 2 insisted on taking ballet....
 so glad I listened to her request, her poise and grace is made for ballet.
 just the other day she said, "Mommy, I am still trying to decide if I will be a ballerina or a swimmer when I grow up."
 I told her she could be both, no worries.
She is growing up.  And as she grows, the more I appreciate her determined little spirit.  Kindergarten this year has been just what the doctor ordered - she LOVES every minute of her day and looks forward to the next morning when she can awake and do it all over again.  Her teacher understands her and describes her as "perceptive" and "an old soul." She has become very artistic, loving to draw and paint in her spare time.  Swimming continues to be second nature to her.  Recently she began swimming twice a week in a local year-round program.  One day she began to cry and was insistent that she was not going to get in the pool.  A bit irritated, I took her out and asked her what in the world was going on.  Her response, "I have to swim with the big kids and they are going to beat me!"  Our little one likes to succeed.  Hard for her to see that success is not always being first - she continues to swim with the "big kids" learning how to do flip turns and perfecting the butterfly stroke, definitely success for a 5 year old. So very thankful for this little one.  

Friday, November 2, 2012

Halloween 2012

Halloween 2012
 Pumpkin carving at its best.....the boys wanted buck teeth while MK had a princess in mind.
 MK created "Sally" all by herself.  Love that she included lipstick and blush.
 The annual Boo Bucket filled with gifts for everyone!  
 Mid-day, I was treated to spending some time in MK's classroom.  We danced, made a craft and ate a yummy little treat....
And the grand finale.....TRICK OR TREAT!!!  Our fab four plus one!  Memories to hold on this year include Colin stating that he was too old to trick or treat.  However, at the 12th hour, he decided maybe a borrowed black leather jacket, a pair of cool sunglasses and a flat bill cap would look "swag" enough for this almost-teenage kiddo to trick-or-treat in.  A pillow case full of candy later, and we had one happy guy!  Maddox flew from one house to the next yelling, "Trick or treat, please give me candy!"  

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Pumpkin Patch 2012

Wednesday morning we officially put away all Tylenol, Motrin, flashlights and thermometers and gladly began a time of wellness within our home!  Three weeks of a lurking throat/fever virus about the house was enough to make our heads spin.  
Everyone who knows our family knows we like a good reason to celebrate so on Friday that is exactly what we did....celebrated wellness.  We began our afternoon at our favorite little yogurt shop and then dashed off to the local pumpkin patch, an annual tradition.  
Maddox was all about the wagons on hand.....she pulled them, rode in them and loaded them full of her favorite pumpkins, big and small.  **Take note of her poor little eye - sweet girl walked right in front of her big sister on a swing, which is never a good combination.  
Our beautiful kindergartner.  She was so excited to find her very own pumpkin to carve.  
And Pryce....well, he was all about avoiding the camera and searching for the largest, most round pumpkin ever!  Eventually, I cornered him to capture a quick shot.  **He was given the Best Hitter award at his baseball party this week.  SO proud of this guy.  
And Colin....this kiddo is amazing.  Daily, he teaches me something new.  He is hilarious.  
The Fab Four

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

My favorite Maddox saying lately is when all is settling down at night and the girls are in bed waiting for me to lay with them and sing.  If I am not prompt enough, Maddox begins to say, ever so loudly, "Mommy, please goodnight me!"

Saturday, October 20, 2012

On my birthday each year, I always ask the children to pick something for us to do together.  MK's choice this year?  The Peter Pan ballet and a special Bruster's ice cream treat afterwards.  She knows the way to her mother's heart - theatre and ice cream, definitely two of my favorites!
 After having dinner with the entire family and doing a little shopping, we arrived at the theatre just in time to be seated and begin the production.  MK was literally on the edge of her seat.  Her smile was beautiful as she watched the performers fly across the stage.  Of course, the wand and pixie dust were a must! :)
 MK and I continued our weekend together by attending Emma's party.  MK and her doll went all dressed up and a fun day was had by all!
Fall ball is quickly winding down and Pryce continues to grow with each swing of the bat.....
This picture says it all.....Pryce is ready and on the move while the guy beside him is watching him like a hawk.....
And it would not be Fall in our home without a little illness to lurk around....Maddox began the rounds when she spiked a fever and developed a virus in her throat, similar to Hand, Foot and Mouth yet only on her throat - ulcers galore and several sleepless nights....ice cream and bubble baths were a must.  We naively thought this would just effect her; however, on Monday MK, who rarely complains of pain unless it is severe, told me her throat hurt as she was walking out of our front door to tackle her day at school.  A few hours later, our phone rang, I noticed the number and my heart sank - the school.  MK, with fever and tears, was in the nurses office and needed to come home.  Note, the tears were not from pain yet from her anger at being called out on not feeling well:)  
And so our week began, Maddox all better, MK not so much.  It is Saturday and MK has eaten absolutely nothing all week.  I have purchased ample amounts of milkshakes, Icees, pudding, grits - all to be thrown away.  So how has she survived???  Publix sweet tea - she is on her third gallon:)  Ryan, who makes awesome sweet tea, was a bit hurt when she announced that his tea would not do the trick.  There have been many "down" moments during her week but one of my favorite comments, made before the ulcers really set in, was on Tuesday morning.  She woke up feverish but said, "Mom, it is ok if you send me to school but please send soft foods for me to eat."  
Now, it gets better:)  Again, naively, I thought the virus would surely end there.
Nope.
Thursday, Colin suddenly declared he was not hungry.  When my 12 year old boy says he is not hungry, something is up.  Sure enough, he had the fever.  Ack.  A stubborn fever that would not break. Lovely.  So, I called my favorite nurse at our peds office and she advised me on what to do.  Lo and behold, an hour later it was down to 102....stubborn but it was much higher than that to begin with.  And the ulcers are forming ever so nicely on his throat in a pretty little patchy pattern.  
And as if that was not enough....
the dog.  
Poor Fin.  You know it isn't good when Ryan emails after a three hour marathon night of playing doctor and says, "....and the dog needs to go to the vet.  He has a goose egg thing on his back that is raw...."  Lovely.  Poor Fin.  His is not a virus but a bad infection so on antibiotics he goes.  
And through it all, we are thankful.  When one is sick, we must stay home and rest.  So, it hasn't been what you would think.  Yes, the pain is no fun and the fever management is interesting, but in some ways it is kind of nice to just be and have an excuse to slow down.  


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Happy birthday to me!  Yes, one more year of celebrating - from here on out we will just do a replay of this year:)  I awoke to a kitchen fully decorated in birthday decor and we spent the day doing what I love.....giving to others.  And, of course, I went to bed with a smile on my face after indulging in the strawberry cupcakes Ryan had purchased from my favorite little bakery....perfection.  
 On this rare evening, we were all home with no where to go and the children were finishing up school assignments together at our kitchen table.  
 With baseball in full swing, Pryce is showing off a bit.....two triples in one game made for a grasp on the ole game ball!  He was one happy guy!
 And our little Maddox Ren....October 13 marked another milestone in her life.  She has officially lived with us as long as she lived without us!  We are so thankful for our sassy little peanut.  The cutest thing she says to me lately is, "Mommy, I tell you sumpin...." and then she proceeds to inform me of her thoughts.  Our family would not be the same without this little one and we thank God everyday for her life!