field day 2011!

Today was the little pumpkin's first field day...another sweet milestone!As silly as it may sound, I'm going to be transparent here and say that as I was driving her to school this morning I was a bit teary-eyed. There's just something about experiencing all these milestones with your firstborn that makes you realize time is so very fleeting. It feels like just yesterday I was bringing home this tiny little baby and now her first year of school is almost over. *sniff, sniff*

Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels like this, am I? I did keep it together out on the field so as not to embarass her - HA!

Her class minus one.
(McKinley, we missed you! Feel better SOON!)
Scenes from field day...1. "Wow, that's a lot of ribbons!"
2. Hudson tries an unpeeled apple for the first time.
3. Our little preschooler.
4. "Mama, I need fast shoes for field day. These are the perfect fast shoes."
{first pair of athletic shoes...bought the day before}

In line for the opening ceremonies...
(love the anticipation!)Picnic with family & friends...First up...Egg Race Relay!
Grace is the last player for her team...Blue Team wins - Yay!!! Her favorite event...The Tricycle Race! Time to head outside for the Pony Race!
{"Mama, it's not the 'Pony Race', it's called galloping"...well, excuse me!} After the Baton Relay and the Bean Bag Pick-up/Drop-off Race, it was time for the Kangaroo Hop - my favorite! Sooooo cute!!! Blue Team with their ribbons!
(Grace, Julien, Solomon, Emma, Kennedy & Ruby) We're so proud of you, Grace!!!
Thank you for the popsicles, Emma & family!! With her sweet teacher, Mrs. Bryan... Celebrating with Lovi, Noonie & Hudson!Out before we even got out of the parking lot! ;)What a fun day!
Way to go Bryan's Bears!!

{vintage cards}

I'm always on the lookout for unused vintage cards...

Just found these two sweet ones yesterday!

For the little pumpkin's first day of school next year...
hmmm...doesn't the little girl remind you of a certain french schoolgirl ;)For preschool or kindie graduation...The inside reads: without hesitation, best wishes on this day of days & hearty congratulations!

It pays to buy when you find them, especially if they don't have any writing in them because they keep getting harder and harder to find these days.

Lucked out with these two for just a couple of dollars each! Yay!

Now, go scour those vintage & thrift shops, estate & tag sales...or just etsy from the comfort of your couch ;)

{easter} at home

Easter Sunday was one of those gorgeous days that makes you just look up at heaven and say, THANK YOU! Thank you to our everlasting God for His abundant grace, for His Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, and for our blessings here on earth, which for me include these two littles that fill my heart with love and joy like no other!Noonie & Papa J came by around 9:30a so we could all go to Mass together. We attempted a family photo, but BRIGHT sun and littles do not mix...actually, silly mamas that want outdoor pics looking straight into the sun + littles is what doesn't mix. Boo! As you can see we didn't get the best pic, but we're all there, together, and that's what matters. Noonie & Papa J with Hudson After church, we headed home to open easter baskets and enjoy lunch. On each birthday and holiday, I like to write the littles a sweet love note using my vintage cards...I hope one day these little notes will mean as much to them as they mean to me as I write them.

Grace's card had a frilly "lace" hat - so appropriate for my girly girl who loves to play dress-up! I couldn't find a really boyish card that had a sheep on it - and Hudson is all about sheep right now! {Says "Ba (pause) ah ah ah" in the cutest little voice anytime you ask him how the sheep goes} - so this one with a little lamb seemed just right... Grace checking out all her goodies...
{I love that her smile is still one part "baby" in that bottom right picture!}
Hudson mesmerized by his new trains... More sweet treats from Noonie & Papa J! My sweet girl... My baby boy (itching to get on the floor to play with his new toys!)... And then it was time for lunch! Take out lunch! Avocado burgers & ice cream sandwiches - completely unconventional! HA! Lance & Papa J went and picked it up for us - yay! I set up a simple table using the eggs we dyed the day before. Grace and Hudson were so proud to have their eggs front and center! Crayons and sketch paper (and a little sticker surprise hidden under their plates!)...to keep those busybodies happy. {Family} is what it's all about! When Papa J & the little pumpkin team up, the laughs are never far behind... The sweetest little chuckles... And because the best memories are made out of the silliest moments...Yes, pop rocks! We all took a turn crunching the cotton candy pop rocks from the littles' baskets...funny stuff! {Life is good} God is GREAT!

Happy Easter!

the saturday before easter...

...was super busy!
(warning: picture overload!)

After dyeing eggs in the morning, we joined our dear friends, the Anderson's, for their neighborhood's Easter party and then headed to Mimi & Pop's house for dinner.

First up, face painting!We tried Hudson first, but he was not having it! I remember when Grace wouldn't have anything to do with face painting...maybe Hudson will be up for it next year. Grace's pick.....a unicorn, of course ;)Emily's pick...LSU! Yay, Emily! Hmmm...are you trying to subconsciously help your brother make his college decision? ;)Next up, the sweet bunnies!!! The bunny kept trying to jump out of Grace's lap...he he he...I think he could tell she was a wee bit nervous. Emily held on to that bunny like a pro! And then it was time for the long anticipated... On the hunt... There's just something about easter eggs that makes littles and grown-ups alike smile BIG! And while the girls ran from one activity to the next, this little guy had the most fun doing this...Yup, the jumpy jump! HA! Right as we were leaving, the little pumpkin ran into one of her little friends from school...Kennedy! She was so excited!!! Such sweet friends! Thank you Anderson's for inviting us! We had the best time!!

We were hoping the littles would nap on our drive to Mimi & Pop's but nope...they were much too excited for that.

They loved hanging out with their cousins... And looking for more EGGS! This time Hudson got into it too! Memema has been a little under the weather so we were soooooo happy to see her there feeling a bit better! In all the commotion I didn't get pics of the littles with Mimi & Pop - boo! - we'll have to make up for that really soon!

Thank you for the yummy dinner and sweet easter goodies Mimi & Pop, Aunt Lexi & Jade, Aunt Tammie, Aunt Marilyn & Memema!!! We had a great family night!