Gymnastics Expo time

Its another Expo time in the gymnastics world for Sophie.  This one moves her up to level 2 on mini team if she does well.   First she stretches her legs...

then back...

Time to march in...

Stuck that vault landing.

Time for some floor routine...

Waiting her turn for next apparatus...

She did it!!! Way to go Sophie.  You are even closer to pre-team.

Next is the level 3 mini team in May.

Happy Valentines Day

 The valentines we made for school were these.  They are holding their hands for the what happens next. 

We inserted suckers into their outstretched hands.  Pretty cute valentines but even cuter kids.

Have an amazing Valentines Day...

Our valentine gifts for our teachers

 We always try to do a bit more than the typical when it comes to teacher gifts.  Valentines in no different.  I had these buckets from Christmas Target dollar bin.  Perfect place to start.

I took off the ribbon trim and then used the crop-a-dile to make punched holes in the top of the bucket.

Next I used jewelry findings to add beads and then hooked the strands into the punched holes.

After that we added tons of candy and a new ribbon handle.  They can be reused as a pencil holder or whatever and the "bling" beads made it so much fun.

Sophie is 9

The princess is 9.  Almost a double digit girl.  We kept it just family this year...well she made it that way because she got in trouble.  Oh well - she still had fun.

Jack is preparing what she gets to open next.

The only thing she wanted was and Ipod.

My kids are not cake people.  She wanted cupcakes. We did strawberry cake and pink lemonade icing.  I thought they were tasty.  She - not so much.  So, after she tasted them we threw them away- why?  well I didn't want to be the one to eat them all. No willpower for sweets.

 
Thinking of the wish she wants to make.

Blowing out those candles and making that wish.  My wish for her is that she stays happy, kind and beautiful - inside and out. That she has a wonderful life full of love.

Happy Birthday my beautiful little girl.  I love you more than you will ever know. ~ Mommy

She's 9. Where has the time gone?

My girl is growing up so fast- too fast if you ask me.
She was my last child..the hold out for a girl.  We got a tiny princess.  After 4 large boys I was afraid to hold her as she felt so small and might break.  She didn't even fit her going home dress or diapers - too small.

She sure came into her own and proved she was not a tiny, breakable doll. She was a princess alright but a princess who was brave and daring with a bit of sass and tomboy thrown in.

Always one to rock the fashion world her own way.  You didn't know that a t-shrit, diaper and boots were the style did you?

She always provides humor- always loving life to the fullest. 

She is loving, caring and a wonderful person - inside and out.

A bit silly, daring and all around crazy - but in a good way.

All about the drama, high maintenance and truly beautiful.

Athletic and a wonderful little sister.

I can't believe she is 9.

You are truly a gift from God and I thank him everyday for choosing you to be my daughter.  I love you so much my princess.  Now slow down with this growing up stuff - please.

Another Texas snow day

Now we knew that we would have lots of hot weather here and some windy cold weather in winter.  But we never thought we'd get snow too. And definitely not more than once.

Sophie loves snow.  She will play all day in it if possible.

The beginnings of a snow man?

Boone the worlds woosiest dog loves to play in the snow.  He loves to play rough with Kirk.

Guess it was a snow woman that Sophie was creating.

 

Time to try to build a fort.  Using a big Home Depot bucket makes awesome bricks. 

Jack finally came out and joined in the fun.

He looks like he is up to something.

Bammmm attack.  Time to get the little sister.

Snowball in the hair trick.  Ohhh that is cold.

Oh its on.

Not sure who won this battle.  But they had an awesome time.

All the family is together - time for some pictures.

We rarely get time to be together as the whole family.  With two of the boys in NC at college and then the four of us here at Sheppard AFB in Texas it is hard to all be in the same room.  So when the opportunity raises itself we do pictures.  Now, doing pictures is a HATED thing by most of us.  But when mama only wants pictures for her Christmas present - who can deny me? 

Just the kiddos. 

Biggest boy- Josh - not sure why he likes the beard or why it is red, but he does.

Second son- Jon - he's our preppy one who loves clothing.

I love these kiddos.  Wish they were all at the same place.