Fourth of July 2017

With the girls at Camp Mimi/G-Daddy this week, Howie and I spent the Fourth of July for the first time alone in 12 years! We enjoyed our day going to wineries and an engagement party for friends. We missed the girls, but they had a fabulous time on the Emma-Caroline II watching the fireworks from the water.

Camp Mimi-G-Daddy!

The girls are headed on their first solo plane flight to Orlando to see their Mimi and G-Daddy. They will have a grand time sailing on the Emma-Caroline II, going to the Eau Galle Yacht Club and spending time at the beach front condo in Cocoa Beach. I can't wait to hear all about their travels when they return!

Sophie Turns 10!

Our little Sophie Rose is ten years old today! Sophie has been such a blessing to us since the moment she entered our lives. She has the most contagious laugh and is full of creativity. Sophie loves big and is kind to everyone lending a helping hand to both friends and strangers. Sophie loves dance and playing outdoors with her friends for hours and hours. We are so proud of our little "Rosie-Posie!"

Emma-Caroline's 12th Birthday!

Our sweet Emma-Caroline turned 12 years old today! It's so hard to believe we almost have a teenager in the house. She is now as tall as I am and wears a bigger shoe than I wear.

 She is a foodie and enjoys going to all kinds of restaurants. Emma-Caroline loves riding horses and singing in the choir at church and school.

We are so blessed every day to have her as our daughter. Happy birthday Emma-Caroline!

Time with Family

I was 11 years old when my first sister Katie was born. The day that she came into the world was so exciting and I could not wait to hold my baby sister. Our dad picked me up from school that day and on our way back to the house, we stopped at Target in order to purchase a baby bath and other essentials for my new little sister. I remember feeling so impatient as we walked up and down the aisles of Target placing things in the red plastic cart. Finally, we left and headed to the house. Seeing and holding Katie for the first time was amazing and I fell in love with her instantly! She became like a little baby doll for me and I loved taking care of her.

 Although we were far apart in age, we grew up and are very close to one another. Now 31 years later she has her own little girl, Kairi who is now 2 and looks just like Katie did at her age.

 Yesterday, we ventured to Culpeper, Virginia to meet up with Katie and Kairi and my youngest sister Kelly and brother-in-law Leif before Katie and Kairi move to Watertown, New York where Katie's husband Ryan is stationed.

It was such a wonderful visit and my girls loved playing with their baby cousin.

The First Snow of 2017

The first snow of the year with accumulation is always a big deal! No matter how much snow we get, if it covers the roads and grass turning our colorful world into a winter wonderland, it is super special.

 The first snow of 2017 began Friday evening. On Saturday, the girls woke up with peels of laughter and joyfully bounded down the stairs to pull on snow suits, boots gloves and hats over their pajamas in order to get out in the beautiful white fluffy snow.

 Sophie had a friend over who had spent the night so they were extra excited for the surprise snow they woke up to.

 Emma-Caroline too shelved her normal "tweeness" in order to get out in the fun of the snow. It was a wonderful snow day which turned into a day off from school this morning too.

Yay for snow! Now it can melt and we can savor our fun first snow memories of 2017!

Christmas Day, 2016

Time hopped in his race car and has zoomed near to finish line of the year 2016! Christmas this year was quiet but wonderful with just the four of us this year. The girls, Howie and I enjoyed our day opening gifts, playing gifts and eating breakfast and dinner together. We had a very blessed 2nd Christmas in Virginia together!

The Nutcracker!

As a little girl I took ballet and tap for two years before my mom and I moved away from Memphis to Livingston, Tennessee. My parents had remarried each other and we were beginning life as a family again. My parents divorced again two years later and my mom and I moved back to Memphis. I could not, however, continue ballet lessons because it just wasn't in the budget.

 I suppose many of the things that we wish we could have done as a child we somehow want to give to our own children. I did enroll both of my girls in ballet and other dance lessons when they were the age of 3.

 Both enjoyed dance as I had as a child, but I always told them if they wanted to stop dance, they could. Emma-Caroline ended her dance lessons while we were still in Knoxville after she had danced for 7 years. At that point she just wasn't enjoying it any more and so it was a good decision.

 Sophie, took a year off from dance when we moved here to Virginia but wanted to take it back up again this year.

 The studio where Sophie dance puts on two productions a year instead of just one large performance at the end of the year.

 At Christmas, Sophie participated as a "Royal Baker" in her studio's presentation of "The Nutcracker."

 The performance took place at the historic Wayne Theater in Waynesboro, Virginia which is not far from Crozet.

 Sophie and the entire studio did and amazing job!

We are so proud of Sophie and her hard work in ballet!

Pippin Hill

We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the country here in Virginia. There are countless wineries and breweries and cideries all around us nestled in the Shenandoah Mountains and valley. One of my favorites is Pippin Hill. Over the Thanksgiving break, we took my Dad and Pam and Kelly and Leif to Pippin Hill for an early afternoon lunch and wine tasting. It was a delightful way to spend our Friday instead of being in the mess of Black Friday shopping.

Thanksgiving Day

My Dad and Pam arrived the Sunday before Thanksgiving allowing our family to have a wonderful visit leading up to and after the day of the feast of giving thanks. I ordered our meal from Whole Foods this year and really feel it is the way to go in having a Thanksgiving feast. Don't get me wrong, I do love to prepare meals for my family, but the Whole Foods experience is quite delightful and super delicious too. And most important, it allows the cook to be able to enjoy her family instead of spinning a bunch of pots and pans around on her head all day ;-). Our day consisted of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the dog show, eating our wonderful dinner, talking, laughing, playing games, eating dessert, watching football and movies and thoroughly enjoying each other. I hope that all of our friends and family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day as well. This kind of day is what I feel is what "Thanksgiving" is all about.