who needs a fancy dinner?

today my mom watched the kids (thanks mom!) while ben and i escaped on a much needed date day.

enter the national whitewater center in charlotte.   we did rock walls, zip lines and high ropes courses through the tree canopy.

we were geared up in harnesses all day so these are the only shots from my camera.

if you look closely you can see people on one of the zip lines. 

in the distance is part of a ropes course.   there were other courses in the trees with obstacles leading to zip lines that were also fun to conquer.  

we made some good good memories today.   

summer: day 1

hallie had her last day of preschool.

kinsley had her last day of kindergarten.  

it rained all day which was fine.  we get along great with arts and crafts.  

kinsley has been checking her frog hole multiple times a day.  

her theory that it comes out when it rains was proven correct.  

she was giddy.  

the release.  followed by an hour of playing in the pouring rain.  

a good start to summer.   

a beautiful goodbye

this converstion happened on february 23rd.  it was the week caroline was going through MRI's and testing.  it was a heavy week for kinsley for another reason too.

after she got off the bus we sat on our porch.  she sat on a chair and i knelt in front of her holding her hands.  it will always be etched on my heart.

me:  "sweetie, i have some really sad news to tell you."

kinsley: (in a paniked shaky voice) "is caroline okay, mommy?"

me:  (deep breath while realizing kinsley felt the weight of caroline's health)  "no, kins.  caroline is fine.  it's joey.  he died today, sweetie."

kinsley:  (a physical jolt.  eyes welled up immediately)  "is it because we didn't pray enough?"

me:  "oh, no honey.  god heard our prayers.  he loves joey and had a different plan for him than we prayed for."

kinsley:  "is he better now?"

me:  "he has a new body.  he has perfect joy."  the conversation continued that day and continues on.

i am in kinsley's class enough to hear his name woven into countless conversations.  he impacted his friends in a mighty way and i am completely honored to have known him.

today was the last day of kindergarten.  joey's classmates each wrote him a note and drew him a picture which they attached to balloons.  it was a beautiful tribute.

bird watching

who needs tv when there are tiny, brightly colored birds to watch at our bird feeder.

the best part is that every single time she sees a bird she excitedly yells, "mama!  mama!"  as if she has just witnessed the most spectacular thing ever.

i didn't know

sweet kinsley, you are 6 years old.  six.

this is the last picture taken of me before i became a mommy.

then, you made me a mommy.  

i didn't know i could love so fiercely.

i didn't know that even after exhausting days i would miss you so much once you were in bed.

i didn't know your dad and i would have detailed and descriptive conversations about your poop.  

i didn't know animal noises and small steps would make me so proud.  

i didn't know you would grow into this beautiful thing:

i didn't know we would be able to communicate so much through a glance and a smirk.

i didn't know you would be a bug-catching, lizard-hunting girly girl.

i didn't know you would be so artistic with a fancy imagination.

i didn't know you would be my best buddy.  someone who drops everything to run errands with me.

i didn't know you would be able to out eat your dad and i when it's spaghetti night.  

i didn't know i'd be saving things like this forever:  

happy 6th birthday, kinsley jane!

ben was outnumbered

these pictures don't remotely capture the heart-filling joy i got from a visit of sarah and brennan.   

when they arrived we all smothered them which kind of lasted throughout the week.  brennan was safest when she was in the high chair; all other times she was fair game.  

kinsley had to show off her reading skills to her auntie.   

   caroline was mesmerized by the baby.   she also "protected" brennan by taking away any and every toy she tried to play with.   

 they mostly just lived an everyday life with us but we went a few places around town.

one of the only ways i am ever captured on film.   

                         first time swinging; a little uncertain

just texting

baby profile

troll baby

2012 has been packed with visitors....mimi, uncle tommy, anne and makena, grandma & gramps & adalyn, sarah and brennan.   

who's next??  :)   

baking party

i was able to squeeze one more year of combining a birthday party for kinsley and hallie.   considering there was 9 girls with a slight age difference i am still marveling at how smoothly it went.  

it was super simple.  the girls rotated through different stations/games centered around the baking theme.

everyone made personal pizzas (look below to see the original version of kinsley and hallie's aprons)

the girls decorated cake boxes....i love the different decorating techniques between hallie's friend and kinsley's friend.  

each girl also got to decorate her own cake.  this was adorable.  

kins and her good friend maya eating their pizzas.  

caroline LOVES the camera.  this is how she smiles anytime i am about to take a picture of her.   

there is one reason this party was efficient.  there is one reason i could manage the kids and not worry about the pizza prep, cake prep, pouring drinks, and cleaning messes and more messes.  there is one reason i could enjoy snapping pictures of the kids during the party.  there is one reason i had the time to  love on kinsley and hallie during their party.   thank you, jane, for all the behind the scenes work you did.  i am beyond grateful for you.