10 years

Ten years ago today, Scott and I were married...

Ten Things I Love About You

1. I love how you scratch my hair when I've had a long day. I know that's not your favorite thing

to do but it makes me happy.

2. I love how loud you sing in the car. I'm sure it is to make the kids laugh or to annoy me but I secretly like it.

3. I love your sense of humor. You keep me laughing.

4. I love how your lips are in the shape of a heart. I look at Ella's lips and smile. She has your lips.

5. I love all of your spreadsheets and whatchamacallits. It really makes me roll my eyes but please know that I love this about you. I trust you completely with our money.

6. I love your family values. You always put your family first. We are important to you.

7. I love how you flit and flutter through life. I really envy this about you. Rarely do you get your feathers ruffled, me on the other hand, my feathers are always ruffled. Thanks for being the calm to my storm.

8. I love how slow you drive, well sometimes. Everyday with you in the car is a Sunday drive, even when we are late. You are never in a hurry.

9. I love how you treat others. You are kind and polite and considerate.

10. I love the father that you are. The kids adore you. They constantly run to the window to check and see if you are home yet. Ella's favorite sport by the way is biscuit which you play over and over again.

Over the past ten years we have been through alot. Two kids and a mortgage later things sure have changed since our wedding day. I have a few more wrinkles and more gray hair and you have less hair, (haha) but I love you just as much as I did then. Marrying you was the easiest decision I've ever made and it turns out that it was also one of the best! Happy Anniversary. Love you.

Michelle

A Big Week

Ella started preschool this week and Cole had his first day of Kindergarten. And I have a lump in my throat.

This was Ella's meet the teacher night. We were watching my neighbors little boy and so he came along too.
Ella has wanted to go to school for two years now. She would cry when we would drop Cole off at preschool. Tuesday of this week was finally her turn. She literally skipped into her classroom her first day and posed like, "Here I Am." When I went to pick her up, both teachers said she is something else. Not sure if they meant that as a good or bad thing. She did have to be moved at lunch for talking and cutting up so much with a little boy next to her. Oh my! She loves school and when we drive by she says "That's my school."

Ella has her own cubby.



Ella brings me such happiness and I'm so glad that I have three more years with her. Oh how I love that pickle of mine!

Cole had his first day of Kindergarten on Thursday of this week. Half of his class came. The whole class will be together on Tuesday and then its regular schedule from here on out. Aunt Lisa watched Ella down in her classroom so I could walk Cole to class by himself. He did so well but I could tell by the look in his eyes he was scared to death. His little lip was quivering while he was doing his color sheet. I knew he was trying hard not to cry and so was I. Several times Ella asked where Cole was and then she finally said, "I miss Cole." I told her that I did too. I said a little prayer for him throughout the day.

When I picked him up he said he had a fun day. His favorite part was when they looked around the school for a raccoon that had left clues all over. They never found him but he did leave Oreo cookies. He hated rest time on the floor. I am going to see if Nana B can make him a towel with a small pillow in it like we had when I was little. I know it is going to get easier for him but harder for me. It does help me to know that Lisa is there with him. She saw him and called me to tell me he looked like he was having fun.

Early morning for all of us.

Here he is holding back tears. Oh how I love him to pieces. We will miss him around here but I know he will make us proud. I do have to let him grow up I guess.

Five Years Old

Cole turned five June 11th. He has been waiting so long to be five. Oh five sounds so old. This is probably one of my favorite ages. He can dress himself. I can say, "Cole go put your bathing suit on" and he does. He can get in and out of the car on his own. He walks with me in the parking lot and doesn't just take off. He shops really well now. He understands we can't buy everything in the store. He is satisfied with just pushing the buttons on the toy aisle. He can go outside and I'm not worried that he will wonder off or get in the road.

Cole at five is really funny. He doesn't mean to be. He sounds like an old man the way he talks sometimes. He says "actually" alot. "Actually mama those are black ants not red ants." He still thinks Dalton hung the moon. The other day he told me Dalton had a billon dollars. I said Cole he does not. He continue to argue with me and said he saw it with his own eyes. It was in Dalton's wallet. If I don't know the answer to something he always says we will just have to ask Dalton. He loves to wrestle with Scott and his Papas. He always has some kind of stick in his hand, usually using it as some form of weapon. Since he was a baby he has loved sticks, broom handles, etc. He has just recently started being really afraid of bugs, spiders, bees. He has been known to go in from outside because he saw a mosquito. He is still very calm and laidback. He is much more like Scott than me. I can't believe he will be in Kindergarten next year. We are going to miss him.

We had his party at a jumphouse. He wanted an ice cream cake with Darth Vader. I think that's how you spell that.

Everyone that was at the party. Wild!! Poor Laundry and Ella. The only two girls with all of those boys.

We also ate Japanese on his actual birthday. Here he is with chopsticks. I'm sure trying to poke someone with them. We celebrated his birthday at the beach too with my family. He was loving all the different parties.

This picture sums up Cole at five. Patient, laidback, and watching TV.

My Baby Graduates

Cole's preschool had a graduation ceremony Thursday morning. Oh my goodness, I had a lump in my throat the whole time. It was the sweetest, yet saddest little program. I kept thinking of how I know Cole is ready for Kindergarten but I am so not ready. The thought of him being gone everyday breaks my heart. He really is my buddy and he keeps me company. Cole's music teacher (who he absolutely loves) sang "Jesus Loves Me." Then the students marched in like a real graduation. They sang several songs they have been learning. The sweetest song was titled, "Little Me."


I have got to get a better zoom on my camera. This is as close as I could get.

Cole would not stand still so I could take his picture. He thought it was hilarious to run around and hide from my camera.

Finally.

Cole,

We are so proud of the little person you are becoming. You are kind and friendly and I know that you can be anything that you put your mind to. Because I love you so much, you will never know how hard leaving you next year is going to be. I will be brave and send you on your way. I'm sure your Daddy would roll his eyes right about now. When I look at you, my eyes see a growing boy but my heart still sees my little baby. My cute little chunky monkey, whom I fell in love with at first sight. I love you with all my heart!

Love,

Mom

End of the Season

Cole just finished up his soccer season and Ella had her dance recital today. I have been terrible about taking pictures lately. I am constantly saying, "I wish I had my camera." We are excited about the summer. Can't wait to go to the beach and the pool.

Cole's team was called the Pirates. Thanks to the Lees who let us borrow their pirate costume.

Cole is obsessed with trophies. He is constantly counting his. He wanted more than Dalton, so Scott gave him his little league trophies and Cole counts those too. He was very excited to get his trophy. It's the whole reason he played. (Wasn't too into soccer.) The ball on top spins, pretty cool.

We had a picnic to celebrate the end of the season.

Ella has been taking dance, well its really a mama and me class. For her recital they wanted us to leave the girls on stage by themselves. Every time we practiced Ella would run off the stage to get me. One time I told her not to move off her X and she then pouted. She folded her arms and turned her back to the audience. I was very nervous about today. She really surprised me. She stayed on the stage and actually twirled her dancing worm and she even laughed at her teacher one time.

"I'm thinking. Should I stay on the stage or not."

Scott bought her flowers (because all dancers must have flowers) and a trophy. She couldn't believe she got a trophy. She was very excited about it.

Today she was definitely my sweet pickle.

FYI

If your child ever draws on themselves with marker, rubbing alcohol works miracles!

First Baptist Easter Egg Hunt - no sign of marker anywhere.

Oh My

When you see these pictures you are probably going to think I am a terrible mother and that I don't supervise my two year old very well. But I promise I watch Ella constantly and she can get into trouble so fast. Today I was changing the sheets on my bed and she was playing in my bathroom. She likes to hide under my sink. I knew there was nothing for her to get in to. All the medicine and other dangerous stuff are kept in the closet way up high. After a few minutes I start to think that she is too quiet and I go to check on her. She had covered herself in baby powder and unwrapped four boxes of soap. Tonight I go to check on her before I go to sleep and I could not believe what I saw. She had drawn all over herself with an Expo marker. She has an ABC book that you write on and then wipe off. She usually does great with this. She even puts the lid back on the marker. Tonight for whatever reason, she decides to draw on herself. I lifted up her blanket and she had colored her toenails, fingernails, hands and had drawn huge lines up and down her leg. We have church in the morning and I am just wondering how this is going to come off. Really I was horrified and laughing to myself at the same time. She is something else! I just took her to the doctor yesterday because she kept complaining of chocolate milk in her ears. They flushed her ears out with water and she seems fine. She keeps me on my toes!

You know, even if this comes off, it is bound to leave a stain.

Pickles

Pickles is Ella's nickname. She got this nickname because she can sometimes be quite a pickle. She doesn't really have temper tantrums. Its more like she knows what she wants and is very opinionated about it. Today in Target, Cole was swinging a bubble wand around and she told him, "No sir, you not do that." We jokingly call her this around the house. But if she ever catches you calling her that she will set you straight. "NO! I Yeda." That's what she calls herself, "Yeda." Every morning she wants Tiger Flakes for breakfast (Frosty Flakes). She came up with this on her own from seeing the commercials I guess. Who knows. She still lets me dress her but I'm waiting for that one to change really soon. She already wants to buckle herself in the carseat and put her shoes own with no help. It's just a matter of time before clothes become an issue. She really is something else and we love her to pieces. Even when she is being a pickle.


I thought she was in bed asleep but instead she was playing dressup. I'm sure laughing and taking her picture is not sending the right message. What would I do without her, my pickle?