May

May means riding bikes....this girl literally hopped on her sister's old bike and rode off into the sunset without ever looking back.  I didn't have to run behind her, I didn't have to hold the bike - she just did it and I was amazed!  We all were!  I am thinking her balance bike riding helped tremendously in this transition!

 May means celebrating Pryce.  Pryce turned 16 years old!  

 I am thinking all of his dreams came true....gifts, special dinner, time with friends...we were all full of smiles watching this guy enjoy his night!

May means the ending of baseball of your first high school baseball season!

 It was a season of phenomenal hitting, 3rd base playing and shortstop stopping!  

 May means Spring Formal...

 it's a favorite for all who live in our city....

 and a favorite for all who get to dress up and dance the night away with a thousand of your best friends while your parents try desperately to find you in the sea of formal evening wear that is amongst the arena floor.  

 May means Honors night....Beta Club inductions....and just celebrating your school year accomplishments!

 May means celebrating birthdays with friends....

 May means elementary chorus performances.....

 up this year? The Granny Awards!  

 May means end of school year pool parties....

 and pictures with your favorite teachers!

MK has been touched by this beautiful lady for two years!  Ms. V is a favorite for sure!  Each morning, MK insists that we arrive early to school so that she has time to go by and visit with Ms. V.  I am thankful for the time that she has taken to invest in our girl!  

May means strawberry picking....

 and not being so sure you even like the taste of strawberries!

May means your sister is going to turn all shades of reds because she positively, absolutely LOVES strawberries!

 May means being thankful for warmer temps and overcast skies!

May means Hawaiian themed nights at church....

 May means end of year ballet performances complete with lipstick....

 May means swimming, swimming, swimming.....with friends is the bonus!

April

MK is growing up.  11 years and counting.  She will begin middle school next year which is a bit frightening for the both of us....and it is for the same reason, it's different and new - it's change.

She has done beautifully in elementary school.  She went in as a girl of determination yet so shy.  She befriended some of the sweetest friends, who, over the last three years have become her bests.  These friendships have given her the confidence to speak up a bit more and to shine bright in her God-given talents.  She loves to be involved and right in the middle of it all, much like her mother.  She strives to make the best of grades but, thankfully, doesn't kill herself with guilt if they are less than stellar.  She has thrived in ballet, growing in responsibility for hair, makeup and making sure her mama doesn't forget a rehearsal or sign-up.  She's growing up and it has been a beautiful experience to watch.  

 And then there is Chapman.  Chapman is named after my grandfather, a man who was full of practical jokes and playfulness - and, Chapman lives up to this name.  She is always busy, always doing the silliest things that make us wonder where in the world she gets these ideas, she says the funniest things - she is just funny.  We all laugh daily, multiple times at her antics.  

 My girls love MJC trunk day....I get the clothes for the next release and they get to play with all of the boxes.  It's a win/win for all!

 This month they made a train, complete with all kinds of amenities for travel.  They even thought of an emergency phone!  

 Colin went to prom with some of his favorites!  They had a great time with the theme part this year....

 Maddox and her friend, Brooklyn, made a fairy house.  I love the creativity that little girls have!

 Chapman felt the need to wear her best winter cap while playing in the heat with her water table....

 There's a new girl in town!  This sweet baby went in for a trim and came out with a whole new look! We all agree that it is precious!

 Sometimes it is just nice to have a nap with the sisters.

 My little C.  She felt the need to dress in our graduation gear too!  With one sibling graduating from PreK, one graduating from middle school and one graduating from high school, this baby girl, the youngest of all, let the need to dress herself up too!  I am learning all too quickly that the years are so short!

 So, each morning, I have to leave before these two are awake in order to get two of the kiddos to school.....and these two have greeted me on several mornings when I returned, just like this - no clothing except socks.  I open the door, walk inside, and these two come tearing around the corner shouting, "We are skating!  Watch us skate!"

 Recovery from surgery means watching your favorite show in bed with your baby sister!

 5th Grade/6th Grade dance....

 She came home ready to take on middle school....thinking the fountain drink machine has something to do with this sudden desire to grow up! 

 Sadie Hawkins Dance

Pryce was invited by his friend, Maggie, to a Luau themed Sadie Hawkins dance for school.  It was great fun for this guy....dinner, dancing and hanging out around the fire pit chatting with friends well into the night! 

 One middle and two littles....they are my heart!

 We arrived home from California late Sunday evening.  Thankfully the children had Monday off from school so we had the blessing of a day to recoup and regroup before our next big adventure.

Our friend Daisy was in town.  Maddox and I could not wait to spend a moment of time with this sweet girl and her mama!  We arrived at the Ronald McDonald House just in time to see Daisy with some of her favorite friends, the therapy dogs.  The dogs and their owners were super sweet! The girls enjoyed playing with them, playing games and having dinner together!  They have become the sweetest friends and it is a beautiful thing that I am sure Maddox will cherish in years to come.

 Next up, Maddox's last day of second grade!

 Maddox attended the new charter school, SAIL, this year for second grade!  She has loved every.single.minute minus the super early wakeup calls to be sure she arrives on time!  Her teacher, Ms. Teagarden, was also her ballet teacher when she was a bit smaller.  She has made some of the sweetest little friends and grown so much.  We were thrilled to see that her initial scores on testing when she arrived have doubled at the end of the year putting this girl well above her grade level!  She is a light to all of her friends and they all gave her the sweetest farewell wishes as she packed her book bag and headed out!

 Summer birthday celebration for Maddox.....we found last year that celebrating her birthday with friends during the school year was a great solution to the summer birthday blues.  This allows her the best of both worlds....a celebration with friends AND then on her special day, a day of celebration with her family!  It's perfect in every way!  This year she asked for a roller skating party and her face was all smiles all.day.long.

 And then surgery.  It's been a long time coming.  Bone graft - most all cleft kiddos have to do it.  There is nothing pleasant about it.

 Bone from your hip taken and placed into the gumline of your mouth.  A six-ish week recovery.  No active playing.  No school.  No food that is not a liquid form.  Blah.

Of course, this girl rocked it!  She took it like a champ.  She never even needed more than Tylenol and Motin for pain.  She's been an amazing patient, though a bit sad at times which was hard for this mama to watch - my baby girl is usually the one who is picking everybody up and is happy more than sad.  BUT, six weeks later, she is doing so well.....just waiting for the all clear to eat chips!

California Day 9 and 10

 Santa Monica Pier was on our list to see.....Ryan and I had been once before but our memories were a bit fuzzy on what it was like....

 this sign at the end of the pier was a bit interesting....

 the drive in was a bit longer than we anticipated.....and the clouds were overtaking the sky making it a bit chillier than we were thinking.....

 and the crowd....wow, it was like a west coast Myrtle Beach....

 BUT, we loved the experience!  It's all in our book of memories for now....one thing less we need to do again yet we can all say we've been there and done that!

 The children enjoyed the famous pier ferris wheel ride, got their toes in the sand, and we all took in the beaches of Baywatch.  

Following our trip to Santa Monica, we enjoyed an evening of swimming and catching up with our California family where three of the family "Masons" were reunited!  

And then it was time to say goodbye to a state that has now won the hearts of all of our crew!  We awoke on Day 10, packed up super quick, made a quick jaunt to the beach for one last farewell, dashed over to grab In and Out Burgers, and then boarded our flight for home!  

The goal was to make memories.....and we succeeded!  So thankful I get to do life with these guys!