Happy Birthday, Nina!

  

Ten years ago, she was born just after 8am on a Tuesday, weighing 6lbs, 13oz, now look at her!  She loves to talk, she’s fun, athletic, kind, and smart, and it’s hard to believe she’s in double digits!  

She started off her birthday with a donut breakfat (of course) then had to get serious quickly because she had a big Virginia Standards of Learning test at school today.  I met her after testing and brought her lunch, the sun came out finally, and she didn’t have any homework, so with exception of testing, all was going quite well for her birthday.  We’ll celebrate again this weekend with friends and family, but we had our family celebration tonight.  As usual, the birthday kid gets to pick the dinner she wants, and Nina’s choice was mac ’n cheese, watermelon, chocolate milk, and chocolate cake for dessert.  When it’s your birthday, even meals like that are accpetable, so that’s what we did.  

 

Then as quickly as the day came, it was done.  Time is just flying.  It’s hard to believe we’ve been parents for ten years.  We don’t always get it right, but this girl is a pretty terrific young lady.  I pray that the Lord continues to bless her and guide her through her life - helping her through the trials and keeping her grounded in success.  We love her immensely and wish her the very happiest of 10th birthdays!

 

 

  

Last Game

This past Friday was Lyla’s last practice of the spring season.  She’s had a great couple months playing, but I have to say that I think we’re all going to be glad to have a break from Friday night practices and early Saturday morning games.  On Friday’s last practice, they had their “commencement” to bring things to a close.

The girls offiicially finished the season with their last game on Saturday morning.  As it has been for all but one game this season, it was raining and cold.  This particular morning, it was 8am, 53 degrees, and raining pretty hard at points, but Uncle Bo (who had told Lyla he was coming to her game), still showed up anyway.  He’s a good uncle!  We stopped off for donuts after the game, then Lyla got some rest that afternoon and had to head back (still in the rain) later that day for her last tryout.

The tryouts were for placement on a travel team in the fall.  There were a series of three tryouts on consecutive Saturday afternoons or evenings, so the past three Saturdays have been pretty tiring for Lyla.  After she got home from this tryout which was cold and rainy, she got a hot dinner, a shower, and this is how we found her - completely out on her bed.  The poor thing was just wiped out.  With all that done, she can sleep in and relax on Saturdays for awhile!

Art Show

 

Nina loves art, so it was no surprise that she was super excited when she found out that a few of the pieces she created in art class were going to be displayed at an art show for a few area schools.  On display she had a tree drawing, a 3-D sunset drawing, and a butterfly that she made out of art foil.  Mousey and Poppy came along to see the art show with us, then we all went out to Sweet Frog afterwards to celebrate the art show.  The year has gone by so quickly and the girls have both really enjoyed their teachers and their classmates. It’s hard to believe they only have a month left and next year we’ll have a 5th and a 3rd grader! 

  

 

   

 

                       
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mother's Day 2016

After record setting days of consecutive rain in the DC area, we actually got some sunshine and a nice day to celebrate Mother’s Day. The day started out nicely with a breakfast from Mark and the girls and lots of attention.  As all moms know, we don’t usually wake up in the morning with our children concerned about our needs. It all feels rather strange… On a serious note, I am very blessed with two wonderful daughters. They are growing up so fast, and I can’t imagine our life without them in it.  Although I had to practically command them to stop bickering so I could get a picture with them on Mother’s Day, I really value the relationship I have with them, and I know sisters close in age have a lot to bicker about, they are good friends when they want to be, and I know deep down they value each other as well..  They are so different - from their look, to their personality, to their strengths and weaknesses, but they both are loving girls with kind hearts and I am very thankful to celebrate having them in my life on Mother’s Day.  Also in my life, and clearly involved in the picture, is the baby dog.  She most definitely doesn’t understand her place as the family pet and quite certainly perceives herself as just one of the girls (sometimes even more needy than the 2-legged girls), but I’m thankful for her too…most of the time.

Later that afternoon we went out to Haymarket to celebrate Mother’s Day with the fam.  The guys made a great meal for us, the cousins played, the dogs ran, and it was a very nice way to round out the day.  It was a privilege to celebrate our amazing mom and all that she means to our family.  Her life as a mom has been characterized by dedication to her family, and she has done so with selflessness and sacrifice our whole lives.  She’s an amazing mother, friend, and grandmother, and we owe so much of who we are to the role she plays in our lives.  Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!  We love you!!

  

Puppy Camp

Last week we had Maggie here from Tues-Sat for puppy camp while my parents were away.  Since we didn’t have the greatest weather, I took the pups to the dog park twice during some non-rainy spells to let them run out all their energy.  They ran, chased, wrestled, and sped around the field at lightning speed.

  

 

Part of the field was covered in buttercups, and all that running through them even stained Maggie’s paws yellow! 

  

 

 

  

  

 

 

   

 

Other than the dog park, they begged for treats, wrestled, ate each other’s food, and had a good time.

    

Since Maggie has gone home, Cayenne has done a lot of this.  She’s completely exhausted.  Maggie left on Saturday night, and Cayenne is still recovering.  Rough life...