Preschool Graduation #1

We have a graduate!! (Well she still has another year of preschool but she got to celebrate with the kids who ARE moving on! So I'm sure there will be a Preschool Graduation #2 next year!) The songs the kids sang were awfully cute and then she wanted us all to go out to Chipotle for lunch. We even took Ali out of school for the afternoon on this special day! :)

What a sweet 7 year old! Ali, you make us so proud! You are so good to your sister, dedicated in school, silly and playful, and you make our lives so interesting! We love you so much! It was a fun filled day with 7 girls over for cake and presents and then on to Build A Bear!

We are so lucky that Ali has met such sweet friends this year at school. We are thankful for this nice group!

Cousins!

We took a trip to Arizona and we got to meet our newest cousin, Charlie, who is Erin & Tony's little one (Nora's brother!) Here is Nora, Charlie, Ali, Finn and Lizzie. There is lots of activity at Grandpa and Grandma's house now!! :)

Here are the big girls swimming at Grandpa and Grandma's.....we LOVE going to Arizona when it is cold and snowy at home!! While the kids played at G & G's house, the adults went to hike the Grand Canyon.

4 Generations

I haven't been very motivated to update this blog...I guess because there seems to be such a glut of technological ways to be in touch with people, this little blog got neglected. But the other day Chris said that I should put some pictures up so that he can visit the blog when he needs to take a break at work. (I think he likes it too because I say nice things about him on the blog....but why wouldn't I? He is THE BEST husband and father to our girls anyone could ever ask for. And I'm not just saying that so that he can read this. I really mean it. We are so lucky to have him bring laughter and steadiness and lightness into our house.)

This picture is our 4 generation picture. I am AMAZED that my 90 year old Granny came all the way from Florida to visit us! What a trooper! She did great, too and it was an honor to host her at our house. I loved having her here for Ali's 7th birthday AND Mother's Day. So, my Granny has said before that she is amazed at how doting and attentive a father Chris is and she loves that he is still that way. But she also added this time that if Chris is the lungs in this family breathing life into our days, then Emily is the heart making everything work. That was the best compliment I could hear because I try really hard to make our home "work". I love making sure everyone is taken care of and that I have the time during my days to make sure the details aren't forgotten. I am so thankful that I don't have to work right now so that I can plan and organize and prepare. And it really does take a lot of time and effort. Hats off to all of the women who do all this AND work.

I'm so thankful for my little family and all of our extended families. We are so blessed.