Two hands.

It takes two hands to show your age.

TWO HANDS!

And that is certainly something to celebrate.

That, and your kind heart, your joy for life, your inquisitive mind and your creative self. I am not even sure how you are six years old my girl, but somehow I blinked and time pulled a fast one on me.

You are so very loved my big kiddo.

On your birthday, and every day.

Birthday donuts!

Helping Grammie get the cupcakes all set for your friend party...

We celebrated with so many of your favorite little buddies at Fox Hollow Farm, on possibly the hottest day of the year so far. My good luck birthday weather girl.

I will not say the party was relaxing, but it was such fun to see you girls running all around, giggling and exploring the farm. I think we were all exhausted by the end!

Right after finding a peacock in the upstairs of this play house! 

That smile. The one when your nose crinkles you are so happy. It's the best my girl. 

The next afternoon we continued the sweating, I mean celebrating, with a family gathering at our house-- we were so happy to have so many who were able to join for your special day!

Six looks good on you kid. Excited to share this next year with you!

xoxo

I left my heart in Walla Walla.

 

Gosh darn you Walla Walla.

You seriously make a girl want to pack up her bags and never look back, running straight into your gorgeous, slow paced, nostalgic, welcoming arms.

 

What a treat you are.

Every single time.

 

A night our at Abeja for our belated anniversary celebration!

Park time with Grammie! 

75th Anniversary Gala Auction.

Until this year, Nick and I hadn't been auction goers.

Until this year, I'd never co-hosted the décor for a gala of nearly 300 people.

But it was a year of new beginnings for all of us...and through it all we had SO much fun! After months and months of planning, brainstorming, meeting, executing...it was so incredibly rewarding to see everything come together for the 75th Anniversary Gala Night for our St. Catherine's school!

It truly takes an army of people to pull off our biggest fund raiser of the year...and my heart was touched many times during the process, seeing everyone come together.

 

It's all for the kids...but it sure is fun to have a grown up night, celebrating them and the future of our school!

Family Night on Cinco de Mayo!

Future kindergarten class of 2018-2019!

 

Helpful 8th graders...the set up begins! 

 

We did it!! 

 

My auction gals!

 

Like sand through the hourglass...

...these are the days of our lives.

 

And at the risk of sounding incredibly cliché, that sand is slipping through the hourglass at an alarming rate these days. I want to yank it and turn it back over...to make the sand start over.

To hold my little babies again, cradled in my arms and rock them to sleep.

 

But then again...I don't.

 

It's such a funny thing, watching your kiddos start to grow up.
In a mama's eyes, I think we always see that tiny baby gazing up at us to some extent. We do a double take every morning as they crawl out of bed and come barreling over to hug us, no longer little legs- but long legs, wrapping all the way around our waist.

 

"Did you grow again last night?!" I often as the girls.

They giggle with excitement at the idea of getting bigger. Stronger.

And I stare at them in wonder, and hold them a bit tighter.

 

While it can certainly pull on the heart strings to say goodbye to certain phases...it is also so much fun to explore, and participate, and grow right along with these two. Three and five (almost 6) are such special ages, and I just find myself daily so thankful for this current phase (even with it's challenges).

 

Three Is:

Independent. Confident. Sometimes shy. Sassy. Easily frustrated. Quick to cry. Quick to recover. Animated story teller. Amazing interpretive dancer. Particularly in the kitchen. Snuggler. Beautiful singer. Baby doll lover. Big sister obsessed. Opinionated dresser. A girl who loves "her whole flamily".

 

Five (almost Six) Is:

Kind. Smart. A lover of learning. A lover of friends. A lover of her puppy. Sensitive. Talker. Helper. A bit dramatic. Extremes. Tiny toy collector. Artistic. T-Ball fanatic. Little sister's leader. A listener. An observer. Hair goals. A reader. Huge heart.

 

 

 

My girls. It is such an incredible honor and privilege to be your mama.
You are my greatest adventures...and I love you more through each phase of this journey together.

But if we could just slow down that sand a bit, that would be nice too.