The day has finally come!

After much anticipation, kindergarten started for Paige today. She could not have been more excited! She says she already LOVES school and likes making new friends. Perfect! Now there will be 8 hours a week that everyone will be in school. I have already warned my neighbors not to be alarmed if I am skipping around the block in pure gladness!

Somber Day

Today is a somber day. The calendar reminds me that 1 year ago, one of my most favorite people, Uncle Evan left us for his eternal home. I think of him often, but today is a firm reminder that he is gone. As much as I may miss him, my memories of him still make me smile. Uncle Evan's life lessons and abundant love are still very much felt and appreciated. For that fact, I am grateful. Big Ev- I miss you and I love you, and I know I am only one of many who feel the exact same way.
Ginn Family- Know I love you and am thinking of you-especially on this somber day.

And they're off!

Today was the first day of school for Brittany and Caroline. (Paige has to wait a week for kindergarten to start-bluh!, but we are excited for extra mommy-daughter time) Brittany -the mighty 3rd grader, had hardly any time for her mother to take pictures this morning. She willingly posed for this one, and then off to meet her friends so they wouldn't be late-a half hour early! She loved her first day, and thinks 'it will be fun to be in thrid grade'. Music to a mom's ears.
And our little Miss Caroline started her 3x a week preschool. She has been ready since school got out. Hard to believe our baby is so big!

I'll admit, I captured this photo with misty eyes!

Posing by her elephant, top left corner. She said good-bye, down the stairs she went and that was it. Off to being a big girl!

Conversation at Dinner

Paige- "Dad, are you a boy-e boy or a girlie girl?"
Brent- "What do you think I am?"
Paige- "I think you are a boy-e boy, because whenever you drink diet coke you burp."

I guess it's thank goodness for bad manners, if that is the deciding factor!

Little hints help!

Yesterday was my birthday! I don't know about the rest of you Moms out there, but I think that MY birthday should be as big of a deal as I make everyone elses in my family! Call that kind of thinking whatever, but I think it should be gospel-Mom's birthday is always a BIG deal! So a few weeks before my birthday I started dropping little hints like, not wanting to make my own birthday treat, gift ideas, and having my children be kind and loving all day on my birthday. Well 2 out of 3 ain't bad! Can you even guess which one didn't come true--DUH! Brent and the girls had a cheesecake decorated for me. Perfect for me, because I am not a huge birthday cake fan, and does it get better than cheesecake? Not in our little family.

And this is what I came home to find-my hints had been received! This is what my hints had been about for weeks. Putting it together was a pure nightmare, but Brent never even swore- at least not aloud! Hey that counts, way to go babe!

So the moral of the birthday story, never, ever give up--hints help sometimes.

What happens in Vegas... stays in Vegas!

all because I forgot my camera-Duh!
Amber and I headed to Las Vegas for a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing, non demanding, incredibly fun 4 days! Brent won tickets to see Mamma Mia from a golf tournament (and of course had NO desire to go), so he kindly gave to tickets to Amber and I for our 'Sisters Trip'. Highlights-flying with NO kids, pure amazement by the type of people you see on the Las Vegas strip, laying by the pool on my own terms, MAMMA MIA (fantastic!), dinner with our Dad (he was out in Vegas to playing in a golf tournament- perfect timing for all of us),and lots of serious shopping. We 'Rummage Girls' can shop, we had a great teacher and learned from one of the best-Mom that would be you! We were almost embarrassed as we lugged all our loot to our room. Thank goodness Amber brought an extra large duffel bag. We had an amazing time. It was SO nice to get away from our everyday and leave all our responsibilities at home for Brent and Dan to deal with:) Everyone one survived just fine! But the greatest highlight was being with my sister. Thank you Amber for a great trip, I love you, let's do it again!

Happy Birthday Caroline!

Sweet Caroline turned 3. Our baby is growing up so fast. She adds lots of spice to our life. Her favorite things are her Dada (dad), BeBe (Brittany), Pa-gee (Paige) and her mommy too! Can't go anywhere without her fingers and her silkies (and I am fine with them-they bring MUCH peace!) She always wants to be on the go and is beginning to discover the joy of friends. (Not a good thing, now that she can escape from the house. At least an hour of my day is spent looking for this girl). Her smiles, laughs, snuggles and "I wove uh"s make our days! Happy Birthday to our 'Sweet Caroline'! Solee, Caroline (nice hand position), Avery and Shelby

Paige got too big for her swimsuit with the water, so Dad had to put her back in her place, the pool!

The 3 amigos! Caroline says, "Can we just go play already?" Growing up feisty just like her sisters.

Caroline, Gavin, Sydnee and Aubrey playing on the swingset. Moments before the wasps invaded and stung poor Tai 9 times. Sorry, buddy and thanks for taking the stings for all the girls, that's a real gentleman.

Caroline and HER cake. Our dear friend Maxine makes the cutest cakes and this is the one Caroline wanted. Again Maxine never disappoints. Thank you, Max!

Getting ready for all the 'prez-ants'.

Caroline and Aubrey studying them out.

This is how the princess finishes her birthday! I left Caroline and Paige in the den playing while I went to get myself ready for bed (wash face, brush teeth, PJ's, etc.) I was gone maybe 5 minutes, and this is what I found when I came back. Paige had set up Caroline's bed in her new princess tent, and she was asleep with her new PJ's on, her new teddy bear 'Cute loop' and her new radio and of course her silkies and fingers (she's not giving those 2 up yet). And there she slept the entire night!