Chirps from the Tree ~ rest of July & August

Outside the Nest...

I'm sitting in the backyard watching one over sized child on a trike, a three year old balancing on a large rock & two little guys collecting sticks. It is actually (for the first time in a couple months) quite pleasant outside! There is a slight breeze & about 90 degrees.  Funny that is considered pleasant ; ) We love being outside & are thankful for a fence around the Nests' outdoor wonderland. Well that was a quick trip outside...headed back in for the next paragraph following some sister on sister fighting. 

I am thankful for...

brothers.  I love our brothers, I really do. Scott just came to spend about five days with us & we had a wonderful visit! He did more playing than I do on a regular day which is always entertaining to watch. The favorites this visit were "Child Catcher" where he walked around with the tunnel acting like it was a metal detector & when he would find a child he would release it to capture them....hilarious. Another was hide & seek that provoked so much squealing from two excited nieces. Uncle Scott read books, colored, fixed lunches, washed dishes & made sure I sat down here & there for a breather. He also picked up some Torchy's Tacos for lunch one afternoon...oh my goodness, it was delicious. The evenings were fun too, one night we watched a million & one funny YouTube videos, another we got a sitter for the kids & went out for a nice relaxing Sushi dinner & quite possibly my favorite evening we had Uncle Joe & Aunt Debbie over for a cheese & wine night. Not only was it cheese & wine but we got fancy with some sliced meats & baked brie with walnuts, apple & honey. I got full fast & enjoyed lots of laughing.  Spending time with one brother always makes me miss my other brother & then of course Robby's brother too. The kids & I will head down to Kingwood in October & are hopeful Uncle Kyle will sneak away to spend some time with us. Steve & his family will be arriving in the great state of Texas within the week & we have an extended weekend planned with their family for catching up.  Helping my four get along with one another is taxing but my prayer is that deep rooted friendships will grow over the years & they will experience the sweetness of siblings just as Robby & I do as adults.

One other particular person we are thankful for right now is Lydia, our new babysitter. She started about a month ago & continues to wow us every time she is here. I interviewed five women & she was the last. As I shared a bit about our hope for the person that would fill the role we needed, her eyes lit up when I told her that we were homeschooling. She along with her three brothers were home schooled & she has jumped right into finishing up lessons with Charlotte which is so helpful for me. She is a christian, has a clam & gentle way about her & interacts so sweetly with the kids. She is newly married & brought her hubby over to watch the kids the night we went out for Sushi with Scott. The girls have not ceased to talk about Jake & "Olydia" as Eloise says. It's tricky when your cousin is named Olivia : ) 

I am thinking about...

how tired I feel & how to rest in the Lord.  I have not worked full time since before Charlotte was born & at that point all I had was a self sufficient husband that did most of the cooking plus two pups that required snuggles on the couch whenever I could get there. Did I feel tired then? I am sure I did but this season I am walking through has been exhausting in comparison.  It's funny because even though we have an incredible woman watching the kids while I nap before or after work or Rob who does so well managing the kids & the house, my load feels about the same as it did when I was home six out of seven nights. My mind feels jumbled right now but writing is such a release valve for me so I will continue.  When I think back to the past couple years, I am reminded that two years ago last week it was confirmed there were two babies growing in my womb which started a wild pregnancy in every way imaginable. They were born the following March which started the four under four era in our life.  Just when things may have started to settle down at the start of 2014, Robby had some changes with his job which required me to begin working a bit more & prompted the move back to Texas. We arrived in May, I started full time work, we moved into our house at the end of June & Robby's appendix ruptured the next day followed by a month of recovery (ie no lifting over 10 pounds). August came & went with a visit to Kingwood, the start of our homeschooling year & Robby transitioning out of his old job.  At some point Robby & I have described ourselves as Lego's with a certain number of connectors on them for relationships.  When we arrived in Florida mine was gigantic with all sorts of possibilities for being filled. As children have been added, it has decreased & now I feel like I am one of those jumbo blocks that the boys use for building with only one circle available. I feel like I am doggie paddling to stay afloat while completing the necessary tasks to make it through the day (or night). As I think through this I am realizing that my "one connector" is best filled with the Lord.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

Rest sounds so amazing right now & when I imagine "rest" I automatically think of multiple full nights of sleep in a row & ample energy to take on the day but when I consider what "rest for your soul" might mean, it seems different. Could it mean that while my body feels tired, my soul is at rest knowing that God has provided all I need through his son? Could it mean that when I am abiding in Him the burdens that usually wear on me are lighter? Learning from him, a person who is gentle & lowly in heart has the potential to transform the learner. I don't expect the yawns to go away but I am asking the Lord to help me rest in Him in this period of weariness. 

In the schoolroom...
The Valentine Nest school for little children (just kidding, I have never called it that) is in full gear! I do need a name though...any suggestions? We are on week three at home & will attend day two of Classical Conversations on Thursday.  Our days are going alright for the most part. It is a bit tricky with younger siblings but thankfully Charlotte is a (mostly) attentive learner & is able to focus even if someone is screaming. I think it will serve her well in the years ahead. I mean really, mommies have to get things done when someone is screaming....Labor & Delivery nurses must do the same : ) I will elaborate more on our curriculum choices & daily routine in another post but will say that we are enjoying what we chose thus far.
I have gone a little crazy in collecting books to support the content we are covering, especially in American History. We all loves books here at the Nest so I am certain they will be well used by the time we are done with them.  I will add that I am thankful for writing in pencil & buying a fabulous eraser to use in the planner I took four weeks to gather the courage to write in.  There has been some erasing going on & I'm okay with that. At least that is what I keep telling myself, haha. We do love our canvas map that hangs over our table. The girls are always up on their chairs telling me what is located where & which animals live on which continent. I decided against hanging a magnetic dry erase board & instead, we just pull it out when we need it & lean it onto the table.  So far, so good even with difficult moments in the mix.

From the kitchen...
This mama has finally gotten back in the swing of things in the kitchen. I think Robby is really enjoying it after I was in a slump for our first month here.  We loved all the yummy foods Bob & Jeannine cooked us while we were in their home but I COMPLETELY got out of the mindset of meal planning & preparing! Once I was responsible again I entered a grieving period before coming out on the other side with meal plans coming out of my ears & lists for the grocery store free flowing from my pen. Well, it's not always like that but it has been a vast improvement from the first week we were on our own. I have even been doubling & freezing some batches which is something I love doing for those days that cooking just doesn't fit into the schedule. I even pulled up that Pinterest board that has more than I could ever cook in a lifetime under the title "Yummy in my Tummy" & tried a few new ones. Robby bought a grill over the weekend after being without one since we left Florida. He loves to grill & I love when he takes over : ) 

Mommy by day, nurse by night...
This section was seriously long last time so short & sweet is the way I'm headed this go-round.  I switched to a night shift schedule the week following Robby's ruptured appendix & feel like I got into the rhythm of nights quickly. I love the night shift crew & general feel of the unit while most physicians are sleeping.  I have met some super sweet patients, had some memorable experiences & even took care of a woman I went to high school with & another women that I was related to...our grandfathers were cousins! So strange & funny! After a long summer, I feel settled into the charting & the way things are done for the most part which is SO nice. I'm not a big fan of being the new girl!

I am creating...

Now that my craft table is set up again & mostly organized, I have some plans in the works that are actually feasible...I think.

• fall dresses or skirts for the girls
• fall centerpiece for kitchen table
• recovering seat cushions of dining chairs, just got the fabric today!
• four Halloween costumes...this is more of a brainstorming effort at the moment
• on the back burner we are kicking around the idea of making a dollhouse for a Christmas gift for the girls. The ideas I am hooked on have lots of ideas for handmaking many of the items in the rooms....let's see if we make the dollhouse first. 

Clicking around...

Oh Pinterest, I really enjoy Pinterest.

Craigslist- I am currently stalking dressers, desks & wooden train sets.

a patient I took care of a while back is fighting Inflammatory Breast Cancer & has blogged beautifully though it. It usually brings me to tears & to my knees in prayer for this sweet family. I walked into the room seconds after her baby was placed on her chest & was overcome with emotion knowing only part of the story. God is central to this couple & they are struggling well through this awful disease. Check it out here.

Living Well, Spending Less- a fun blog my mom sent me that I love to look at. It has great ideas!

I am reading...

The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer - I had skimmed the first few chapters of this book while contemplating a classical education at home for our kiddos but am really enjoying it now that it is entirely applicable. It is quite encouraging as well entering into a season (that looks really long) of homeschooling.

Her Daughter's Dream & Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers. The first fiction books I have read in YEARS!! I brought one to work & left it in my locker so I could read if I didn't have a patient. It was really fun to read without thinking much although her books really do provoke a lot of thought about God & family in this case. I found myself telling Robby stories from it like they were real people....he SO loves that ; ) I think it gave him flashbacks of when I read Marley & Me & told him stories everyday until he told me to stop talking about Marley. Then I switched to telling him about a "friends dog" but he would always catch me partway through & say "that sounds like something Marley would do...are you talking about him again?" haha! All that to say, I might keep a fiction read going just for enjoyment.

The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Vol. 3: Early Modern Times by Susan Wise Bauer, this is written by the same woman who wrote the first book listed. It is on most recommended reading lists that go along with our cycles for Classical Conversations. It is a narrative history of the world that is so well written. I am not reading straight through at this point but am reading the excerpts that match up with our history sentences each week. Today I read a page about Columbus aloud to the girls during their afternoon snack & they liked it. History was a class I always loved & remember barely anything from so I am excited to re-learn much of it while teaching the children.

a bit of Charlotte's Web to the little ladies & LOTS of Brown Bear Brown Bear to a certain little boy who is obsessed. Hint, we have referred to him as Chubby Bubby & he cracks us up with the way he puts it in reverse till he falls into my lap or the lap of whoever was already in mine.

We got our library card the week the arduous task of getting a Texas license was finally complete. In fact, I took my paper copy into the library...I was that excited. The girls & I went to an evening family read aloud for kids 3-7 which falls after the boys bedtime. It was perfect to give Robby a free evening & do something fun with the girls. The library has been a place we have avoided since the boys were born since one on four parenting makes it difficult to ensure quiet mouths or obedience for that matter ; ) This library is incredible. The entire first floor is Children/Juvenille sections & they have a play area with some toys the little guys enjoyed. There are lots of librarians around to help you find things & they don't seem to mind kids being kids. The girls LOVED filling up their basket & so did I! I had a list of school related books, history & science mostly & grabbed all sorts of things to go along with it. We have spent a lot of time reading or looking at books since our last trip & can't wait to go again!

I am praying for...

My friend Halie who is is about six months pregnant with twin baby girls (wahoo!) She is doing a lot of resting at the moment & we got to bring her a couple meals last week.  Two other friends I worked with at Parkland are also pregnant with twins right now, Ginny is expecting boy/girl twins and Tiffany is expecting boys.  Another friend that worked with us there also had twins early this year....as they say, there's something in the water or at least there was seven years ago ; )

That God would lead us to a body of believers near our home that we can partner in ministry with. We attended a Sunday worship service at a nearby church a couple weeks ago & felt refreshed & excited to return. The timing is a little difficult with my schedule right now but will hopefully be a good fit for us on the the weekends I am not working Saturday or Sunday nights. It is a church plant called Christ City Church. Feel free to read up...I enjoyed all the details! It felt very similar to Celebration Community Church & even had a logo that looked like theirs. We can't wait to feel connected again to other believers.

That we would develop friendships easily & quickly as we settle into a new neighborhood. It's hard to meet neighbors when we live on a busy street that we can't even let Eloise ride her scooter on let alone have the boys walking on the sidewalk without a one parent per child ratio. We have made friends with a girl that just started sixth grade & lives a couple doors down. She is adorable & is a perfect "mother's helper" for busy times of the day. She is hoping to come over one late afternoon a week & tag team kids with me. I love her company & the girls love it even more!

Ryan & Leah, our friends from Orlando that are now in New York City ministering to West African Muslims. We finally got to Skype with them over the weekend & were reminded of how much we enjoy their friendship. We were encouraged to hear of the relationships the Lord is building between them & those who need to hear the gospel. They have ministered to our children in such a special way by sending NY postcards & special notes to each of the four.  Charlotte & Eloise especially treasure their special notes. Leah & Ryan paid attention to every little seemingly insignificant thing the girls wanted to share with them on Skype making them feel important. It is a gift to be supporting this couple financially for many reasons, one being the up close & personal way to help our children understand our call to share about Jesus with the world & how it can be done even inside the US.

Steve & Jenny as they begin their two month support raising trip in preparation for their long term move to Poland next summer. They sold their home in Orlando within two days of listing which was quite incredible. They also sold many of the things inside their home & moved the rest to storage. They are headed out this week & have a long road ahead of traveling with three, four & under. We are excited to see how the Lord provides for them as they take the next steps in the process of moving over seas.

I am hearing...

Back to Ellie Holcomb & JJ Heller plus a bit of Seeds: Family Worship, a favorite way to get scripture stuck in our heads. Oh & that Timeline song for Classical Conversations....it never leaves my mind. 

        

Around the house...

We finally feel settled which is a wonderful thing. Once Robby could lift again, he tackled the garage & knocked out a bunch. He still has a bit more to do but we can actually walk through it safely now and/or find a tool we need. We have baby gated the front room at the entrance & exit to the kitchen so we have a large space to contain our little rascals. Sadly Daddy's bookshelves are in the "cage" & have been attacked by little hands. We are working on being diligent to correct but it is SO hard with two busy boys! Since it is now September I put out fall decorations & photos. I did this in Orlando too even though it never felt like fall till December but I am hopeful that Dallas will experience some fallish weather come next month.  Now that I have the fabric to cover the kitchen chairs I can hunt for some curtains for the window that opens directly into our neighbors window....awkward at night ; ) I wish I could say I am in a good cleaning routine but really I just make do & dream about the days when Maria the cleaning fairy remedied all messes old & new. The space is amazing though & we love this layout more than any other place we have lived. 

Plans for the rest of the week...

get outdoors with the kids, work a couple shifts, catch up with Grammy & Papa on Friday, send the girls to a sleepover with Auntie Deb & Uncle Joe over the weekend & start counting down for the arrival of Steve, Jenny, Karis, Isaac & Olivia!

Instagram- July & August

Pre-K: a year in review

Knowing me, I HAD to write a Pre-K: year in a review post before writing about the start of Kindergarten. I also felt it was time to return to blogging after an abrupt & unplanned hiatus at the end of July. No real reason I halted writing other than the busyness of my bunch (which is always there) but, maybe working full time is requiring more energy than I expected & I have been in preparation mode to begin our school year at home. I guess those are decent reasons I have been a little short with computer time ; )

Backtrack with me to when Charlotte was a wee little three year old. I had a few close friends that were well into homeschooling their own children that encouraged me to at least consider the possibility to which I obliged. I spent time with that strong willed three year old & thought "there is NO way I could teach her at home." My friend Cathy said to give it a year & see how she matures knowing that three is challenging age. Sidenote:  We are in that difficult age again with Eloise & I am laughing a bit more (on the inside) when I think about adding her to the mix officially next year BUT after surviving age three with Charlotte, I know much changes in a short amount of time. I am trying not to think about having two three year olds hahaha! Anyway, after many a conversation with Robby, reading a bit about the classical method at home, seeking direction from the Lord in how to best educate our children we were confident in our decision to begin our journey in homeschooling & were excited to join a Classical Conversations Community in a nearby neighborhood.

I stole this next part from my post about the first day of Pre-K:

Many have never heard of this so, to quote the website:
Classical Conversations is a leader in the home-centered education movement. It is a mission: To know God and to make Him known. It is a model: Classical Conversations combines the classical method of learning with a biblical worldview. It is a method: Classical Conversations families meet in communities where parents train parents to implement home-centered education well.

Everything about it sounded appealing to us as we explored our options. A once a week commitment outside the home sounded just right for our family at this time, connecting with other families that are doing the same thing is a major plus but what really blew me away was the method & content.  

The classical method of learning begins with the grammar stage where students learn the terms & facts associated with a subject.  Each week a new set of memory work is introduced by the tutor. The memory work covers six subjects: timeline/history, geography, math, science, Latin, and English grammar.  Anyone that has a child around this age could say they have been surprised by their ability to retain information.  They remember all sorts of things...even things that have zero significance.  This memory work includes things I don't even know or don't remember, specifically the history sentence for each week. When I sat in on a class in January while considering enrolling Charlotte I thought "Why on earth would my preschool aged child need to learn to label a world map or memorize historical events & dates or the eight parts of speech?" 

To address this question, my favorite way it was explained to me was something like this: Imagine your child's mind is full of file folders. This method provides a framework for information intake. They memorize facts & file them away. They don't have to understand details about each subject but once the fact is committed to memory, it is there & ready to be explored in more detail as they mature. 

I mentioned the six subjects we focus on for memory work but while we are there we also get to do a hands on science project & study fine arts which includes drawing, music theory & exposure to classical composers. At home we add in reading, phonics & math which at this point I am still figuring out how that looks for us. One part I am really excited about is the History Timeline. It is 161 events in chronological order that integrate world history with bible & church history. Each event has it's own laminated card with a picture to cue the brain : ) We learn 7 or 8 new events each week with hand motions & it goes along with a Timeline song that may sound a little hokey but WOW, we (the whole fam or at least those who speak) already have it stuck in our heads all the time & can be found singing parts of it randomly.

Back to present typing...

Here is the lovely group of 4 & 5 year old kids we spent the year with.

Oh my goodness, I grew to love each one of these kids & their mamas as the weeks passed. One piece of this Classical Conversations Community is that our "teachers" are called tutors & as they present the memory work to our children along with exploring each subject a bit further they are actually tutoring the parents on how to implement what we are learning. It is a fabulous model & provides great classroom interaction with parents present to help their children stay engaged with the tutor.  It also really encourages community between the families.  It was so special to be there week after week & see Charlotte mature in that setting right before my eyes. The biggest change was watching her get more comfortable giving the weekly presentation.  She was close to terrified for the first twelve weeks & began to get more comfortable in the spring semester. The last week was a show & tell one & Charlotte decided to bring her rock collection. She could not stop talking : ) I'd say we came a LONG way from the first week where I basically gave her presentation.

The little guys stayed with me every week. Sometimes they were screaming, sometimes they were being strollered around the courtyard by our amazing director Ruthie & sometimes they were tired out enough to spend their time like this....

Hannah was Charlotte's best buddy all year long. These two could not be more different from each other. One touchy feely (Hannah) & one keep your hands on me (Charlotte). One extrovert in group settings (Hannah) & one introvert in group settings (Charlotte).  They learned to love each other though & Hannah is one little lady we are missing since moving back to the Lone Star State. Charlotte finally welcomed hugs partway through the year as I helped her understand that Hannah shows her affection for others with hugs & Annie (Hannah's mommy) helped her understand she needed to ask Charlotte if it was okay to hug her. Ha! What a cute pair!

Barely four at the start of the school year, Charlotte could not write her loooonnng name but after seeing other kids writing, she was determined & within a couple weeks it looked like this....

We all accumulated massive amounts of facts over the school year. Here is a summary of all we learned in Cycle 2:

• 161 events & people in the timeline
• 24 history sentences including Renaissance period, Reformation & World Wars
• 44 US Presidents (we actually didn't make it through that song)
• Over 100 locations & geographic features in Europe & Asia
• 24 science facts including planets. laws of motion & thermodynamics
• Latin verb endings 
• English grammar facts
• Multiplication tables up to 15x15, squares, cubes, basic geometry & unit conversions
• Basic drawing
• Music Theory
• Exposure to orchestra & classical composers
• 12 science experiments & 12 science projects
• 24 oral presentations

Our days at home were not as structured as I originally planned but when it came down to it, we were ultimately in survival mode with twin newborns plus a four & two year old.....and we SURVIVED! Success! We did not do any math or reading curriculum but did work on counting, adding, Identifying & writing letters & learning some letter sounds along with keeping the peace.  We made it to April, the end of our CC year & had two smiling girls headed to the last day of school. Make that three smiling girls.... mama was a bit relieved for it to end when it did since we were in packing mode in preparation to move! 

Following the last day of school we had a celebration evening where all the classes performed on stage.  It was extra special for us because we had Grammy & Papa in town! We had a babysitter for the boys & spent the evening with our "big kids" plus some proud grandparents.

Charlotte's tutor Mrs. Liz was such a gift to us. She was incredible helping Charlotte break out of her shell a bit & did such a wonderful job engaging the hearts & minds of the kids in our class. It was her first year to tutor & she did great! Char requested to have her picture taken with her before the celebration began. 

Our class sang all the Latin songs we learned throughout the year.  The littlest bunch is always so cute no matter what they do with their teeny tiny voices & lack of stage etiquette.

Speaking of the lack of stage etiquette, Charlotte leaped off the stage in excitement as soon as their song ended! I never had a conversation with her because I did not think it was necessary because I found it more appropriate to coach her on bravery instead. Who knew this would happen?

Photo evidence of some growth in comfort level! I was proud of her in a way knowing all that we had been through in the anxiety department the months leading up to her "big debut" but we did talk about proper stage etiquette following the big leap, haha!

All said & done, it was a year that will not soon be forgotten.  It was the perfect introduction for our family to homeschooling & to Classical Conversations & solidified our decision to stay on board for Kindergarten!

Outside the New Nest

There are pictures being taken sporadically of the inside of the new nest but for now, we will focus on enjoying a new backyard.  We had a fabulous large grassy area behind our home in Orlando but were missing something quite important for safety....a fence! What we will dearly miss about our old yard was the steep hill that provided a perfect slope for a slip n' slide. It's just not quite the same on flat ground or on our front lawn, down the hill, into a busy street ; ) That being said, we are certainly loving having a yard WITH a fence this time around & have spent ample amount of time outside hunting for roly-poly's, playing, chasing & getting a little wet! It has been fairly hot but not unbearable yet minus a couple days. We have some swarms of mosquitoes that think the Fab Four are pretty delicious which is annoying but for the most part, we are loving the shade of our giant pecan trees & the comfort of playing in our own "mini" great outdoors.  

We have a nice covered area with an outdoor fan so mommy can sit with her camera while the rest of the crew splashes around. There is a flagstone patio just outside the back door & another large area of flagstone across the yard which made for the perfect location of our lemonade stand. The rock wall along the back is fabulous for pretending to be a gymnast on a balance beam then leaping off & crashing to the ground. Thankfully O&A aren't big enough to climb aboard yet but I fear my future ; ) 

The water table was given to Charlotte when she turned two & we have gone through phases of it being enjoyed then not cared about whatsoever. This was the first time the boys have played with it since they have been on two feet & I think it's safe to say Anson thought it was pretty exciting!

The girls decided that their scooters needed a bath & they did a great job scrubbing off all the dirt while the boys fought over a basketball in the background.

Then they realized there were bubbles in the bucket...

Oh Anson...

Bella was not left out of the fun. That dog absolutely loves water! She also loves the comfort of her own back yard with bits of sunshine coming through the trees.

After plenty of splashing & chasing around the backyard, these two decided to kick back & relax. I love how Anson is grinning at Owen like "that was fun huh bubs?" while Owen keeps his tough exterior.

Since the girls weren't up for taking a photo break from the action, I resorted to my other little guy in his relaxed state. Owen, who is looking just about as big as his bro these days even though he is still outweighed by a few pounds was paying attention to that big black thing on mommy's face. His grin truly melts my heart over & over & OVER.

Here's to many a fun play date in the great outdoors...outside our door. It's safe & cures all bad attitudes, even mine!

Celebrating Charlotte

Once the Lemonade Stand was closed for business, we enjoyed some dinner with the Ellis family followed by a good nights sleep for all in preparation for the official 5th birthday of our special girl. She crawled into our bed as the sun came up, we gave her a good snuggle & wished her a happy birthday.  What a great start to the day. 

Breakfast was served, pancakes & sausage balls...a go to for every celebration or just when it sounds good, which is often ; ) Char is always up for pancakes though so she was a happy girlie pie!

Ginger, her dog enjoyed breakfast too very quietly next to the table. This is her new stuffed pup that she purchased a $14 collar for & received all sorts of doggie accessories from GGran the day prior. Ginger liked his bowl & new snazzy rhinestone shirt. Eloise has a stuffed pup named Shadow that is also just as easy to care for. I'm really beginning to like these dogs a lot...they sure are easy to take care of!

After breakfast, Charlotte had a few gifts to open including Monopoly Jr. from Uncle Scott (woohoo, I love that game) & a baseball bat, ball & football from Uncle Kyle. She is surprisingly coordinated with the bat & within three days was devastated that Bella ate her ball. Again, I'm really leaning toward buying out all the breeds of Melissa & Doug stuffed dogs one of these days ; ) Paw Paw was a happy recipient of multiple shots during his visit....see below. 

Next up, our favorite gift that we have been SO excited about surprising Charlotte with. Uncle Scott was outside with the camera while Char got dressed. Anson, as you can see was more interested in photo bombing.

Charlotte's reaction was so Charlotte.  She got this grin across her face & was reserved as she frequently is. I think back to the home video of my fourth birthday when I snottily proclaimed "Hmm, I got my bike!" We were delighted to see such a sweet response from this girl : )

She was so content just sitting on her new bike on the front porch that we had to ask her if she would like to try it out on the sidewalk. Again, so cute. Eloise was excited for her & stayed as close as possible during the first ride.  She did get her feelings hurt when we asked her to back off a bit so she didn't get run over. Her pouting turned to smiles again when Paw Paw sweet talked her off of the neighbors grass.

Gaga, the uncles & the baby boas were out front watching. Here is a great picture displaying the massive trees over our new nest. They provide amazing shade compared to those two palm trees we had in Orlando.

Uncle Scott with the O-Meister riding up top & Uncle Kyle walking along with Handsome Anson.

The rest of the day was SO low key & perfect for relaxing. We played with lots of new toys & games, had dinner at home then enjoyed our first official bike/scooter/wagon ride/walk down to the bridge over the creek. LOVELY DAY! My Dad & brothers left by lunch time but my mom stayed to help for a few more days since Robby was still in recovery mode from his appendectomy. Before they left, we got a picture of the girls with my favorite baby boas ; )

Just three years ago....

Oh & I had to squeeze in for one too. Love these handsome men I call my little bros!

and...back to the birthday girl!

Dear Charlotte, 

As your Daddy & I shopped for your birthday gift we looked at two different size bikes. I was certain we needed the smaller one because surely our little Charlotte Grace was not tall enough to ride the bigger one. Daddy was right though & my heart felt a little heavy when I watched you climb on & ride down the sidewalk without hesitation. When did your legs get so long? When did you get so coordinated? Weren't you just snuggled on my chest yesterday at 8 pounds 4 ounces? 

We celebrated your 5th birthday just a couple weeks after moving into our new house in Texas. You have taken this crazy transition in stride & have impressed us with your excitement for change. You have grown up so very much this past year & we just laugh after you go to bed a night when your Daddy & I give each other the play by play of all the conversations we shared with you throughout the day. We love talking through all that you are experiencing in life & answering your many questions. We also have a giggle remembering the hilarious comments you make....you are quite the funny girl my darling. 

You are a simple girl right now, desiring to dress comfortably & never making a fuss over your hair unless I am trying to fix it any way other than down & straight as a stick. You LOVE Eloise, Owen & Anson so very much & care for them in the sweetest way. You talk a lot & laugh even more. You have great ideas of fun things for us to do during the day like have tea parties & play "tag your it" for hours on end. You are a collector of "treasures" that may seem meaningless to others but you find them to be very special. You have grasped the idea that God loves you more than Mommy & Daddy do & that there is nothing you can do that would take that love away. We hope you always remember that.

Although my heart felt heavy as I watched you with those long legs riding your first bike down the street, I felt deep joy as well.  We could not be more thankful for what God has given us in you my dear.  I look back at the five years of our many hours of playing together, snuggling together & sometimes even crying together as I adjusted to being a mommy not only to you but to your sister & brothers & am reminded of why we named you Charlotte Grace. You have been & will always be our undeserved gift that God is using to remind us of his faithfulness & to make us more like himself as we figure out how to be your parents. You are a delight Charlotte. We have loved your for a long time & will love you for even longer. Happy 5th Birthday sweet girl!

Love, 

Mommy & Daddy

Charlotte & her Lemonade Stand

Sweet Charlotte Grace celebrated turning the big FIVE on July 13th. For weeks on end she had been requesting to have a lemonade stand outside Grammy & Papa's house where we had set up camp for the first two months of our time in Texas.  I attempted to explain that lemonade stands are not quite as fun when no one buys your lemonade. I'm not sure it was ever really understood BUT she ceased with the asking when I mentioned having a lemonade stand at her birthday party. 

She was then quite excited & asked often about how things would work with the selling & our brains were working hard figuring out how to get our family moved to the new house, work two full time jobs, build a lemonade stand & make the birthday girl feel special. Cue ruptured appendix & emergency surgery just two days after moving in.....oh my! Thankfully with the help of friends & family, we were able to get fully moved, mostly unpacked & prepared for the party which happened to be exactly one week post discharge from the hospital. We considered postponing but decided to just go with the flow since that is our style & we were glad we did. I made the invite just one day before the attack of the appendix started.....

On the day prior to move in day, our friend Brad delivered Robby's safe that he had been storing for him & left us a pallet. I've always wanted one of those to tackle one of the thousand pins I have on Pinterest ; ) A lemonade stand seemed to be the perfect first project. I must give credit where credit is due though & say Robby made it workable, I made it cute. He abided by the rule of not lifting anything over 10 pounds... nobody ever said "don't swing a hammer!"  He just busted off 3 slats across, made a table top with two of those & added legs. It was beyond adorable & Charlotte just lit up when she saw the completed stand...

Charlotte went out into the backyard, walked across to the paved area & said "I think I would like to set up my lemonade stand here, this is the perfect place for it." She made the lemonade with the help of Uncle Scott & Crystal (Light that is). She taped on all the scalloped pieces of the banners inside & out. She asked me at least a thousand times "How much does it cost again?" & no matter how many times I said "25 cents" she said "25 dollars." Haha! We just love that girl.

My whole family came up from Houston & her uncles were happy to be photographed with the birthday girl along with me, the mother who can't believe that precious first baby is now FIVE years old!

and one more with the beloved GGran...

We had a sign inside directing those to the stand. It was a recent purchase & housewarming gift from my mom purchased at Home Goods, my new fave store that fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it)  is right down the street. I used chalk paint pens on it & today after attempting to wash it off, I gave up & added a new coat of chalkboard paint so it would not forever say...

SO many of our family & friends came making it so special for the birthday girl. After some playtime & visiting inside, it was announced that the Lemonade Stand was open for business & that Uncle Kyle had a jar of quarters since we were not equipped to take credit cards ; )

I'm pretty sure Uncle Mike was the first customer who may have slipped in more than a quarter in the jar. Seriously, that girl made some birthday cash! I think I may set it up one afternoon during naptime & fund a pedicure for myself! Anyway, back to the party. Charlotte was very serious about selling, meticulous with pouring & cute as a bug! She actually never spilled a drop. I was shocked & so proud of her mad lemonade skills!

Levi was there which made me (& Charlotte) smile since we love that family so much. He is the oldest son of my dear friend Jocelyn who is actually celebrating his 5th birthday today! He was a serious buyer being direct with his order but politely thanking the birthday girl.

Just four years ago, they looked like this....

Where has the time gone? Just kidding, I'm pretty sure I know it has gone to multiple pregnancies & babies for both Jocelyn & myself making those two seem SO old compared to younger siblings ; )

Cutie Patootie Eloise had more than a few cups of pink "yemonade" from "Chah's Yemen stand." I love how she talks & how she is in Lolo land sipping her pink drink.  For as much as this girl is sweet on her Gaga & Grammy, she enjoyed snuggling up on her Paw Paw for a bit.

Char was cracking me up with people who paid with a one dollar bill & were getting two cups which meant she was actually making a profit BUT if they weren't paying with individual quarters, she was questioning if they were paying at all.  Money is in our new math curriculum we will begin in August so that portion of the Lemonade business will make a whole lot more sense by next summer. What we do know at this point....Charlotte will not be one to get ripped off.

The Clark Crew minus their big bro Corbin were there to keep Charlotte in business. Kenzie, Karlee & Camden stayed close by, drank their fair share of lemonade & Cam even tried to take over the business for a bit. Charlotte & Camden really hit it off in the playing department & have had a wonderful time together so maybe there is a business partnership in the Lemonade world down the road for these two. We are living pretty close to one another....they can take over the neighborhood! 

At one point when someone came to order Charlotte looked at me & said "I have to take a break & drink some of this lemonade! This is hard work!" She lasted a good 45 minutes "working" before taking a break, a swig or two & heading inside for the celebration to continue. 

I was happy to sneak in a picture with Jocelyn (pregnant with another baby boy due in October) & Brooke, the mama to all those blondies that kept the stand in business. I have known both of them for about 12-13 years & had missed them very much while we were away. I wish we could have snagged Renata & Halie for this one but they were both busy chasing around their little ones.  I love these women & am thankful to have good friends to jump back into life with here in the Lone Star State. All four lovely ladies have husbands that my husband thoroughly enjoys spending time with which makes our friendships even sweeter.

Once back inside, the kids kept playing & adults kept chatting while we were getting ready for cupcakes. Toys everywhere & lots of noise= fun right?

Cupcake time came next. We came across some adorable paper cupcake holders that were striped & polka dotted...also at Home Goods. We snatched those up & I let my mom, Eloise & Grandma do the duties of mixing up the batter, backing & icing them. That's why they look so cute. I just put the lemon slices on top.

Charlotte has come a LONG way in a year. Last birthday we had our family, Steve, Jenny & the kids plus my brother celebrating with a birthday breakfast- 8 people total. We began singing "Happy Birthday" & she burst into tears, poor little dear. This year, I asked her how she felt about letting everyone sing to her & she quickly obliged. She endured 45+ people singing loudly & clapping for her as she blew out five candles. We were a little shocked & very excited to see her enjoying herself.

Grammy & Papa swapped out with Gaga & Paw Paw on twin duty. O & A were happy to be coloring & showing off their new walking skills for all those in attendance.

Robby got to catch up with his buddy Eric who belongs to Halie. I think Mr. Valentine was looking pretty good post move, post appendectomy & post swinging a hammer!

Charlotte's birthday weekend happened to fall during a visit GG, Robby's grandmother from Michigan had already planned. It was really special to have the kids' grandparents & Great Grandma's all in the same place! We snapped a picture with GG, Aunt Anne & Caroline who was our flower girl nearly ten years ago. Again...another reminder of how quickly time is passing. Aunt Edna was there too but must have snuck out of that picture somehow. We always enjoy visiting with her too!

Since we were near the front porch, I thought we should get a lovely family picture of us outside our new place. It was the best we could do...as usual. 

Outback, the Loftin clan was hanging by the Lemonade Stand & wagon rides were in full gear thanks to Aubrey who was getting her work out hauling those boys & girl across the yard.

and the rides got progressively more fun....and more hilarious. I need to post a video : ) 

Uncle Kyle wasn't the only one giving rides...

Those busy little baby boas walked all over & fell all over the rocks before settling into laps of those Texans who have been awaiting snuggles for a long time.

Owen chose GGran which was not surprising. The boys pick her often. I remember enjoying snuggles in her lap too, probably even past the age of normal lap snuggles but hey, I was of small stature, she smelled good & she wore a wedding band on her necklace that I liked to put my finger in : ) We are thankful to be within quick driving distance of a Great Grandma that our family can enjoy time with often. The birthday girl received many gifts that we are still in the process of writing thank you notes for but the one that might have been the biggest hit was from GGran. Long story short, Charlotte has a stuffed dog named Ginger that she treats better than she treats Bella. GGran got Ginger a leash, a bed, three shirts & a dog bowl. These items have provided HOURS of entertainment (and laughter for us). I do love anything that encourages pretend play & I love that the girls are obsessed with fake dogs & not asking for a new puppy. GGran wasn't the only one getting attention on the back porch....Uncle Joe got a big hug from the almost five year old before they left.

Uncle Joe brought his very own "mini-me," his son Keaton. I mentioned in a blog around Christmas time that through some incredible circumstances the Lord reconciled relationships between Joe & his children Emma & Keaton. We had not seem them in years & are so thankful to have them back in our life. More than that, we are rejoicing that Emma & Keaton are experiencing life with a father who never stopped loving them while they were separated & is enjoying life in full gear as a parent of two college students. Keaton jumped right into playing with a 3 & 5 year old. At one point I heard Eloise say "Do you want to run in circles?" to which he responded "you want me to run in circles? Absolutely! Let's go!" as he chased them in a fairly small circle compared to the size of the backyard & his 6 ft 4in stature.. I think I might need to hire him for playtime once an afternoon ; ) Since then the girls have asked "Can that big, tall boy come play with us again?" Haha!

Eloise requested that her picture be taken with Gaga & Paw Paw. I love when they get to the age where they ask to have their picture taken & actually smile on command ; )

Uncle Mike brought Charlotte something that shoots...as usual. These toys are always entertaining. This time, it was a little rocket like thing with a parachute that apparently lights up in the night sky but there was some malfunctioning & much laughter as they attempted to shoot it off. There was even more laughter when a game of "Jail Break" ensued. Uncle Mike is the favorite warden & Charlotte & Eloise go crazy running about & squealing. In the process of ringing the "escape bell" ie the wind chime that Robby re- constructed for us sometime last year, he broke a piece off of it. I think it might have been captured on video. It was pretty hilarious & the game continued until the last moments of being outside.

What a full day of celebrating it was on the eve of her birthday. We ended the night with some Pappasito's fajitas at the house & a sleepover with my parents & brothers. I call it a sleepover but everyone slept in their own beds/couches. I fell asleep easily that night with a full heart & a smile on my face.

One last picture of our sweet Char & her stand.

As sweet as it was to celebrate her birthday here in Texas, we were reminded of the many celebrations we shared with our Florida family. God provided abundantly in every way for us during our time in Orlando but especially in the area of friends to share life with.  As happy as I felt celebrating that day, I was often thinking about the families we have always shared those special days with. Those were families that made Florida feel like home to us, families that loved our children & families that will be dear to us for years to come. We are thankful for the many seasons of life, how God provides different people to walk with us & still can't believe we are right smack in the middle of that parenting young children season! What a joy it is to be mommy & daddy to Charlotte as she begins Kindergarten next month, grows in her understanding of God & the world around her & makes us laugh when she tells us that after five she will be six, then seven, then eight, then nine, then ten & that ten is really old.

 If I had a cup full of Charlee's Pink Lemonade in my hand at this moment, I would raise it in a toast to many years of sweet celebrations of this even sweeter little lady! I think I have said "sweet" about 100 times...it's appropriate since it is the number one word that comes to my mind when I think of Charlotte Grace.