Lucky.
Often strangers approach and say to me, "Your girls are so lucky to have you."
Family and friends have said the same thing.
And me, I want to look at them and say, "Let's sit down and talk," because, ultimately, we are the lucky ones.

So thankful for my two beautiful girls!

 "We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they’re not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” – Radical by David Platt.

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.  

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!"  

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

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!"