Life With Our Little Ladies

Monday, August 22, 2016

Ella's Preschool Graduation

From the first day of school...

...to the last. Our sweet girl has grown so much in one school year!

It feels like just yesterday that this little love was starting three year old preschool. The year seems to go by so much more quickly now that the girls are in school. That, paired with the fact that I had a baby at the start of the school year made this year a total blur of sleep deprived goodness. The school year was filled with so many special moments. I did everything I could to take it all in and enjoy the gifts that they were.

We LOVE that our girls get to go to school together and Ella isn't even in Kindergarten yet. I love that they walk the halls and see each other. Or get to sit near each other in a school assembly. Or when Ella is graduating from preschool, Abby's teacher sends her down to watch the ceremony. Our school has been such a great fit for our family.

Did somebody say preschool graduation? I'm ready!

We got to school a little early, which gave us extra time to spend with some of our faves, Brinley, Raina and Nurse Alicia.

As expected, I didn't disappoint. I started tearing up as soon as this big girl walked into the room!

Ella had the best teachers. I think Mrs. M and Ella had a special connection. Ella adored her and really grew in her faith as a result of her influence. We watched throughout the school year as Ella's desire to pray for others became such a natural response for her. She started owning her faith in a new way and turning to God with her smallest and greatest concerns/needs. It's so rewarding to entrust your child into the hands of someone who points her to Jesus in real and relevant ways. The gospel was flowing in and through the preschool classroom all year and I'm confident many lives were impacted as a result.

Each child received a superlative award to end their year together. It's really sweet to see our little girl through another person's eyes. Ella received the "Faith" award. Mrs. M shared how Ella was often stopping the class to encourage prayer in different situations and for different people. She also shared Ella's love for and knowledge of Bible stories. As I listened to her teacher share these sweet truths about my little girl, I couldn't hold the tears back. It wasn't pride. In that moment, I was completely taken by a God (my God) who chose to rescue two teenagers, transform their stories with hope, redemption and purpose in a way that only Jesus can and then weave their stories together in marriage to create a godly legacy of love and family. Our little girl has a open heart to God and a growing faith because of Jesus. To realize that overwhelmed my heart with all kinds of joy and thankfulness. So thankful.

In case I thought I was doing a good job holding it together, the teachers started playing Nichole Nordeman's "Slow Down" during the slideshow and then I cried my mascara off.

My friend Sarah snapped this shot because as the kids watched the slideshow, everyone started excitedly shouting, "There's Ella!!", when her picture popped onto the screen.

Of course, I never wanted to forget the card and tissue paper flower bouquet Abby made Ella for her preschool graduation.

Lord, thank you that you change legacies!

Four year old class, here we come!

Juliet Grace: 9 months old

Juliet Grace: 9 months old

This month, you...

tried and LOVED watermelon
took your first trip to Lake Bluff
went to your sisters' dance recital
mastered your favorite sound, "the hairball"
fell in love with Elmo
popped out your first tooth
decided cheese was one of your very favorite things
became a goofy tease
started using your mesh fruit teether all the time
blew lots of bubbles

We love you, Julie Beany!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Happy Birthday to Mommy!

This year, I turned 31. I woke up to all the love, cards and gifts from my sweet family in the morning. A yummy birthday coffee and pedicure with Megan, followed by a birthday lunch and swim date with Heather and our little ladies, a surprise visit from Angela and then dinner and dessert with my loves. All that and the sweet calls and messages...I was feeling the love.

With my birthday just days away from the opening weekend of most pools, many of my favorite birthday memories involve swimming. Let's be real...anyone who knows me knows my happy place is poolside. So, when my sweet friend suggested we do a birthday lunch by her pool, I was so excited and started counting down the days until I would enjoy my first swim of the season. This is the stuff the best birthdays are made of! :)

Heather made a yummy lunch, complete with my other summer favorite...watermelon!

My watermelon cake!

Surprise! Ange couldn't spend the day with us because she had to work, but that didn't stop her from stopping by to surprise me and say, "Happy Birthday!" I'm so thankful for these friends!

In the Northeast, when a pool first opens, the water is cold! But, jumping in to a newly opened pool marks so many of my childhood birthday memories. SO, what better way to kick off 31?

Here's to 31, to jumping in and truly living! I don't want to miss what matters and I don't want to forget to have fun!

Perfect timing! I was cleaning and I found this gem just in time for my birthday. I'm guessing Cory made this for me about 15 years ago. This is proof that homemade cards are the best cards and that Cory thinks I'm the best sister a brother can have. :)

This year, I got this special note from Abby. I will keep this one forever too!

We finished out the birthday celebrations as a family at Chipotle, followed by ice cream at Cold Stone. Joe was there with us. I just didn't manage to get a picture!

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Memorial Day Weekend 2016

Memorial Day weekend at Lake Bluff was extra special this year. The weekend was filled with firsts. The first time all of the brothers were there together with their wives at the cottage. The first time we met our sweet little nephew, Johnny. The first time Nana met her two newest great grandchildren. Juliet's first time at Lake Bluff. We shared meals, spent time down on the dock and on the boat together, celebrated new babies and a new marriage...all while enjoying sunshine and sunsets throughout the weekend.

Little Johnny was born on April 19, making him and Juliet exactly seven months apart. We couldn't wait to snuggle all of his newborn sweetness!

Johnny meets his Uncle Joe

Meet your cousin! Buddies for life

best spot to sleep: close to his mommy's heart while on the dock

Juliet enjoyed her first afternoon on the doc

love this picture of Aunt Cyncy

Juliet loves Aunt Tori

First boat ride of the summer

hanging with Uncle Tommy

lake swim

Juliet cozied right in at bedtime and slept great at the Bluff.

Slow moving mornings in Grammy and G-Diddy's cottage are the best.

The girls asked G-Diddy if they could ride in the bed of his truck down the (private) dirt road to the wood cottage. Then, they glammed up with some sunglasses and broke out their best princess wave!

Juliet had her first boat ride. There were some tears and fuss, but she made it through. Here's hoping she'll be a bigger fan next time.

"What is this mom?"

Ella had a little too much fun with the stamp pad!

This one is living the life.

One of the reasons we were all at the Bluff for the weekend was to celebrate Tommy and Tori at Tommy's trash can shower. It's crazy to believe Joe had his trashcan shower almost exactly nine years ago to the day. It's such a fun family tradition/initiation for the men.

Aunt Tori gave Abby pretty french braids before the party.

Then, the moment we had all been waiting for...Nana arrived. Nana had a few health challenges earlier this year and seeing her walk through the cottage door was a special celebratory moment in all of our hearts. Our time in the cottage just doesn't seem complete without seeing Nana in her chair. As soon as her car pulled up, Ella ran out and hugged Nana before she could even get out of the car. Then, Ella helped Nana with her walker (as Ella has been doing since she started walking) and led Nana right to her chair.

Then, we lined up to introduce Nana to her newest great grandchildren. There is something really breathtaking about watching as a five week old is placed in the arms of his 93 year old great grandmother.

These were beautiful moments. Juliet meet your Nana.

What do you do when Carol comes to the door and says she has a giant box in need of some serious imaginations? If you are Abby and Ella, you squeal and follow Carol back to her cottage where they designed a really cool house/Starbucks with a drive thru/ice cream shop with windows to make sure there isn't a bad guy at the door and a pet door for Oliver to fit through. :) I'm pretty sure this is every little kid's dream come true! Thank you Carol!

Juliet kept Nana and the ladies company before the trash can shower.

We love Aunt Cyncy! Picture time!

We loved celebrating with these two lovebirds!

The new Mr. and Mrs.

Ella helped Uncle Tommy open his gifts. Abby sat nearby and watched intently. With each gift Tommy opened, her anxiety grew. When we got back to the cottage, she had such a concerned look on her face.

"Mommy, how are they going to know who to write thank you notes to? Nobody wrote their names on the gifts. After Uncle Tommy opened each gift, I tried to look around the room to see who was smiling the biggest, so I could tell who it was from, but Uncle Larry had a huge smile on his face the whole time. It was so confusing. I just don't know how they are going to do it."

I love her heart! Thankfully, thank you notes are not a thing for the trash can shower. Phew. Good job looking out, Abby Em!