Ballerinas

 Ellie LOVES ballet and dancing in general. We have been lucky to know a sweet dance teacher, Miss Nanci, who teaches out of her home for two sessions a year. Ellie consistently looks forward to each session...hopefully we can still keep it up this spring with a homeschooler and a newborn in tow.

 The spring of 2014 was a lot of fun because we had so many friends in Ellie's class. Such cuties!

The girls always get a special gift from Miss Nanci at the end of the session. They love love love her!

Spring Cutenesses

Ellie enjoyed soccer each week on her very first team!

These are some shots Jared captured while at the playground at Lackland with the kiddies.

Isaac's service project for 2014 was to collect donations for Fischer House of Lackland.

Noah's lucky shamrock

Ellie's pretty toes, courtesy of Maria.

Playing with the apps at the restaurant while waiting for our food

Noah's fiesta parade float (an airplane carrier)

Isaac's soccer practice was over and he found the perfect reading spot during Noah's practice.

Every once in a while, these two actually get along...and are super cute.

What's wrong with the couch? Apparently the coffee table (what seems like an optical illusion here) was a better bet for snuggling during the movie.

A sample of some of the art that came home during fiesta season.

Isaac earned enough AR points (from reading books and testing on them) to get the highest reward available at his school: to be Principal's Helper for a day. He reached his year's goal of points months before school was out. So then he increased it, just for fun. What can I say? He loves to read.

Texas Friends

I have to include our wonderful friends because they have been such a part of our life. The Morrills are some of the coolest people we've known. We first met at the pool where the kids recognized me as their music leader at church. After that, there were play dates and much more activities for the short time they lived here. Ellie had Ryan for her nursery and then Sunbeam teacher at church. Then Su Ellen was the Primary president so we worked together a lot with the children of the church. The kids were on swim team together and then Su Ellen started a preschool which Ellie attended and loved. Our last shin-dig with them involved some amazing Cajun food and lots of fun times (what with all the gymnastic equipment and video game excitement around their place). We will miss them!

Spring Break Trip to Alabama!

One of the highlights of 2014 was our road trip to visit the Gibsons in Alabama. My sister Trace and her adorable family have lived just 3 states away since the summer of 2013...and it had been killing us not having seen them all since 2009! So we finally took a vacation during spring break to see them. It was so fun and so worth the drive!

My brother, David, also happened to be living in Alabama (for most of his life), and he took off a week of work and school to come up and see us while we were there. Uncle David's a favorite among the little people and big people alike.

It wasn't their Spring Break, so we had to say goodbye to those who had school and work (Adam, Trace and Kennedy)...but we got to hang out with Schaffer and Drew the whole time! We really enjoyed getting to know them--Schaffer was just a baby the last time we'd met, and this was our first time meeting Drew! 

We went to a fabulous children's garden to play one day.

Most of the time we didn't take pictures, but we had a great time on different Alabama adventures: a children's museum, thrift and discount store shopping, hiking trails, running trails near the Gibsons' home, and the boys' pirate birthday party. Here's a taste of what hanging out at their home was like, complete with cousin bonding, Uncle David's "the claw" and Adam's cooking. Such good times!

They, of course, had us leaving feeling fully blessed and fully loaded with presents by the end of the week. We weren't sure when we'd meet again, so it was hard to say goodbye.

On our way home we stopped by the COOLEST alligator place. It was super interesting and the kids LOVED interacting with all the critters.

It was definitely a trip to remember!

Feb-March 2014: School Stuff, Birthdays and Basketballs

I'm still a year behind, but I'm not giving up! Here is a look at what last February and March looked like in our lives.

One-Hundredth Day of School

Noah dressed as an old man for the hundredth day of school and Isaac decorated a shirt with 100 letters on it (because he loves to read so much).

 Rodeo Field Trip

Isaac loved his 2nd grade class, and they loved him. It was so fun to experience a field trip with him for the first time! We've never been to the rodeo here in San Antonio, despite living here for  several years. It's quite a production. Two of Isaac's classmates, Kaylee and Cody, are kids of two of my good friends, Aubrey and Claudia, so we mamas rode together to the grounds and had a good time.

Bike Rodeo

February is rodeo season around here...including bike rodeos! This year the boys had a great time and did a great job! It was our first time watching them. Isaac even got 3rd place in his grade!

Jared's Birthday

This handsome fella turned another year older. He's not a cake person; he loves pie. mmm...cherry pie....

Laurel's Birthday

And then the mama had a birthday. I got my hair cut that morning, to jazz things up (see before picture, top left). Then I got spoiled by kids and husband that night! Jared's cards are always winners.

Basketball

Isaac was on his first basketball team, which he enjoyed even though their team lost every game. He learned a lot and the team's color was his favorite--purple! Go, #6!

 Fire Station Field Trip

Ellie's adorable preschool group went to a local fire station and I got to come! It was the best educational experience I've ever had at a fire station and the kids loved it. 

  Making Stuff for/at School

Kindergarten is all about making stuff to take home, so Noah stars in most of these. But Valentines were quite enjoyable to prepare together, so I'm glad I snapped a shot of their diligence. They're getting so grown up.

Birthday Bash

On the morning of Noah's birthday...we had to keep calling to him to get up so he could encounter the balloons and presents! Usually I go in to wake him. But he was pretty happy once he woke up. I love his face as he's opening his present from Aunt Bobbie--an Air Hog! Just want he wanted (can you tell?).

The party at Pump It Up...

So. much. fun. 

for everyone!