Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Today is Dan's Dad's Birthday. Happy, Happy Birthday to you! Hope you had a great birthday!(this is a picture of Jerry and Anna Kate on Grandparent's Day @ AK's school)

A tumbler you can't live without!

Have you ever had a Tervis cup? If not, you just don't know what you are missing. These have to be the best thing since sliced bread. They come in different sizes and you can get a variety of designs on the cups. Swoozie's (one of my most favorite stores) carries them now. I just couldn't resist and picked up one with my initial on it.

These cups do not sweat and will keep your drink ice cold in the hot sun! I use mine at the pool and when playing tennis. The lids and straws are an added bonus PLUS these cups fit in my car's cup holders. Can you tell I just love them?

Dance Recital 2009

The girls danced with Praise Him With Dance this year and had their dance recital on Saturday, May 30th. They performed at the Woodlands Performing Arts Center @ Woodlands High School. Emily performed a hip-hop/jazz routine and Anna Kate performed a ballet routine to Jesus Loves the Little Children. They both did a great job.

(excuse my pictures....I have dropped my camera two different times and in need of a new one...plus we couldn't use flash to take pics)

Anna Kate was most excited about getting flowers.....had I only known before the monthly dance fees, costume fee, recital fee, tickets, multiple pairs of tights....I could have purchased her a well established rose garden! :)

Emily really liked her flowers too. We are proud of both girls but Emily is just not as "showy" as Anna Kate....Emily did a great job on her routine! She really did enjoy dance this year.

The girls were happy to have their Grandmother & Poppa (my parents) and Mimi & Grandpa (Dan's parents) come watch them perform.

They are already planning for next year....Emily has decided she wants to take tap plus jazz/hip hop. Anna Kate says she wants to take ballet, tap & hip hop! Oh my.....what's wrong with just clogging?

Last Day of School ~ 2009

The end of this school year was bittersweet....Emily finished 5th and will be going into Middle school in the Fall. Anna Kate finished preschool and will be going to Elementary school in the fall.

Anna Kate's last day consisted of watching movies and playing with her friends in her PJs. She thought she was really something to leave our house in her pajamas.

Emily's last day of 5th ended with the "5th Grade" walk. All the 5th graders walked up and down the hallways of the school. They walked thru the hallways with pomp and circumstance playing. Em is so ready for Middle School...I just hope and pray that it is everything she thinks and hopes it will be!

Emily wanted to ride the school bus home. Most of the neighborhood kids got off at the pool. They were welcomed with silly string and water balloons. Most headed straight to the frigid waters of the pool to open it for the season.

School's out for Summer......YEAH!

Awards Day ~ 2009

Emily received an Outstanding Academic Excellence Award for the school year. You had to receive no more than 5 B's during the school year (w/ the rest being A's). She did it and was so proud of herself. This is extra-special this year especially after having such a rough year, in general. Anna Kate received two awards: Best Dressed and Most Dependable.

This is Anna Kate's translation:

"Best Dressed means that my mommy makes me match and put my clothes together so my Daddy can make me match too."

"Most Dependable means that I'm the best friend."

We are so very proud of both Emily and Anna Kate.

Lunch with the Girls

Just before school was out, a couple of the Phi Mu girls got together for lunch. Some of the girls I had NOT seen in approximately 15 years (last saw them when I got married).

Susan came with her little guys....

Amy came with the little princess, E and M securely tucked away in her tummy....

Chandra was there with Baby M....such a cutie!

Thanks Missy for planning and coordinating the luncheon. It was SO much fun to see you all. I can't wait to do it again!

Mother's Day 2009

I had a great Mother's Day. Sadly enough, I do not have ONE picture from Mother's Day. :( BUT I do have a some great memories.

Anna Kate has a really hard time keeping presents as a secret....when I was driving her to school the friday before Mother's Day, this was our conversation...

AK: "Mommy, we have you some presents in the basement!"
Mommy: "You do!"
AK: "Yes but Daddy and Emily will KILLLLL me if I 'teld" you!"
Mommy: "Okay, well, let's just wait to see what I get on Sunday"
AK: "Okay, I'm so proud of myself for not telling you that we got you a new purse, sunglasses and flip-flops".
Mommy: "I'm proud of you too."

And the flip-flops...yellow box! Big bonus, the flip flops were picked out by Emily and they fit her perfectly. :)

All in all, I did have a great day ~ I just love my girls!

Wheww.....One year down ~ One year to go!

Have you ever sat back and reflected on any of the really challenging and/or difficult things in your life and realized that those are really the best and most rewarding times of your life?

I took my Nurs 1102 final on Wednesday, May 6th. I have successfully finished my first year of nursing school (2 classes down ~ 2 classes to go). I will have to honestly say that this is the hardest thing I have EVER done in my life....the body is a complex thing but add full time mommy, full time employee, full time wife, taxi, short order cook, etc., etc....it is just plain HARD!

Fortunately, I do NOT have summer classes....until August, I will focus all of my time and energy on these three amazing people....

Big Sis ~ Lil Sis

I found these iron-ons and just couldn't resist. I know I need to stop dressing the girls alike BUT I'll try to get away with it as long as possible....I might have a chance as long as I can find things with rhinestones (Emily's fav).

Oh and for the first time, I straightened Anna Kate's hair. She just loved it but there is NO way that I can do this daily....and weekly is probably out of the question too. Needless to say, it took a lot of product and elbow grease to straighten!

Happy Birthday, Emily!

I'm still trying to catch up on my blogging scrapbook....

Emily turned 11 on tax day! I really just can't believe that she is 11 years old. It just seems like yesterday that she was born. Time has really flown by ~ This year she decided that she did not want a party....now coming from a Mommy who LOVES to celebrate with birthday parties, I was just heartbroken when she made the big decision of NO PARTY! :(

The only thing she wanted was to have a friend spend the night and eat dinner at the American Girl Store.

Emily started off with her favorite....pretzel bread.

Then came out the next favorite thing....PASTA!

And then came the polka-dot birthday cake....it was actually very, very good.

Emily was pleased with her birthday celebration this year. Matter of fact, she told me and her Daddy that this was the best birthday party she had ever had...I'm not surprised coming from a little lady that doesn't like to typically be the center of attention nor gets excited about much! :)

Happy Birthday, Emily! I still just can't believe you are 11!