Buenas Noches

This is how we find the little girls sleeping. Every. Single. Night. 

Lucy- sprawled out like a rockstar on her belly, on top of the covers, underpants showing for the world to see

Hattie- stuffed animals kicked to the floor (the same ones she insists on getting tucked in with), usually "upside down" in bed and also on top of the covers

Play hard. Sleep hard. I guess it's better they're falling asleep like rockstars now.... 

then finding them like this when they're in college. 

The Park

After dinner tonight, Dan took the big girls to a program at the public library, while Hattie and I stayed home to clean up the kitchen and hang out. We headed outside to water the flowers and ended up taking a walk to the park. The park is only about 2 blocks away, but the walk there (and the walk back) took almost 20 minutes each way. For once, we had nowhere else to be. No one else to "keep up" with. Nobody but me and my baby girl.... and boy, two year olds notice EVERYTHING. Every robin tweet ("Mommy, what's dat? A buh-dee?") Every dandelion ("Look at dat, mommy! A fwower!) Every ant ("Mommy- look at dat 'pider! It's cwawing all ober!") 

I realized tonight how much I miss in the hustle and bustle of life. I am always "hurrying" my kids along to do the next thing or go to the next place. It took this simple walk to remember that sometimes the "getting there" is half the fun. Little ones have no concept of "hurry up" other than what we tell them to do. It was so awesome and refreshing to just kind of hang back and watch her explore on her own. 

 I didn't bring my camera. For a moment I wish I would have, but then I realized I would have been more concerned with taking pictures than enjoying the moment. For such a gorgeous night, we were the only people at the park. It was perfect. 

Relay For Life

Maggie's Track and Field day was yesterday. This year her school had a "Relay Field Day," which combined the yearly field day with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life fundraiser. In the week's leading up to field day, they learned about cancer prevention and what the Relay signifies, etc. The students were also encouraged to raise funds for the ACS... which Maggie was so excited about! Unfortunately, even at seven years old, Maggie knows of far too many people in her life that have been affected by cancer, and she felt strongly about wanting to help in her own way. While setting up for our annual rummage sale a few weekends ago, Maggie asked if she could save the money from her water/popsicle stand to give to the Relay... and she made almost $50!! 

And, in true Relay for Life fashion, the first lap was a Survivor Lap, where cancer survivors are invited to walk in celebration. Maggie invited her papa and her great-Aunt Kathy to walk. She decorated a luminaria bag in honor of both of them. 

I'm so incredibly proud of my girl... and super impressed with the way her school brought the Relay to level that was relatable even to first graders...teaching about cancer awareness and community involvement at the same time. Oh, and my kid? She raised almost $1000 for the American Cancer Society. She rocks. 

 Maggie, Aunt Kath, and Papa after the Survivor Lap

This girl loves her papa....

Lilacs

Back in the spring of 2006, one of my first graders brought me a vase of cut lilacs one day. I wrote a thank you note to her family, explaining how happy they made me as they reminded me of my gramma because they are usually at full bloom right around her birthday at the end of May. That same family showed up on the last day of school that year with a gorgeous lilac bush for our yard. Fast forward 8 years, and that same bush (has survived a transplant to our current house!) blooms full with the most gorgeous lilacs each spring. 

This year my gramma would have celebrated her 90th birthday... so Hattie and I cut some lilacs in her honor. 

FIVE!

Last Wednesday, we celebrated Miss Lucy's 5th birthday! Seems like just yesterday I was waddling OUT of the hospital, unable to deliver because baby had "flipped" and was no longer head down when I went in for an induction on June 1, 2009. Two days later, after an uncomfortable evening of an active, full-term baby somersaulting around in my belly, I returned to the hospital. Shortly after midnight (12:09 to be exact!) and minutes after the nurse who checked me said it would be "several more hours" until I delivered, Lucy Elizabeth arrived! She's been keeping us on our toes ever since!

Ready for school...as a 5 year old!

Wednesday was a school day and Lucy chose to bring chocolate donuts in for her classmates. 

After school, her great Uncle Dan picked her up for an "ice cream" date. They headed to Andrea's, where they got to sit at the counter and eat hot fudge sundaes... it was QUITE the experience! Later that evening, we had dinner (tortellini and salad- Lucy's choice!) and enjoyed cake while opening presents. Lucy was quite indecisive this year as to what kind of cake she wanted, so I took it upon myself to try something different and came up with this tie-dye cake. It was so much fun! 

 She was soooo proud of this cake!

Even the INSIDE was tie-dye! 

Along with birthday money, lots of new summer clothes, a Frozen beach towel and Barbies galore, Lucy also got gymnastics classes for the summer.... She is THRILLED and can't wait to start! She is quite the gymnast and has taught herself how to cartwheel. I can tell you firsthand that she's been somersaulting since before she was born!