Daddy's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Kevin!

We are so lucky to have you as Daddy in our family!  Today we honor you as well as all the happy memories we have of Grandpa Murray!  We are blessed!

3's Program - Preschool Graduation

This face might say more about Clara's first year of preschool graduation than I ever could with words.  We decided that we would make a big deal out of her special achievement.  Kevin, who had been in Philadelphia, stayed home from work, we dressed up, had worked together on gifts for Clara to give her teachers and I even rushed through the hour before the ceremony making a candy lei to give her after she "graduated".  I was looking forward to all these cute photo opps...  Then we walk in and immediately Mrs. Mac greets me and says that Clara is upset in the bathroom after getting bumped in the mouth by another kid and warned that she was a little upset.  That was an understatement!  Clara was, by her standards, hysterical!  I thought I was able to get her cleaned up and calm before the ceremony but when the marched in, with her classmates (to the graduation song) one look at us, and she started wailing, WAILING.  We had to take her out into the hall for the majority of the performance.  Eventually, she was able to pull it together in time for the individual presentation of the graduates.

The last graduate marching in...

Little sister watching on with concern.

According to Clara, her favorite things about preschool are,  "playing and learning to read", when she grows up she wants to be "a teacher," and it also should be noted that she believes her hair color is "golden yellow!"

Clara & Mrs. Mac

The piece of chocolate cake seemed to help her mood quite a bit!

Clara & friend, Aspen

Clara LOVES these amazing teachers! 

Amazing how fast this year flew by!  Here is the photo of Clara with Mrs. Mac & Mrs. Joanne at the beginning of the year.  Looking back, even though it felt like yesterday, she does seem so much younger!

Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma Elaine!

Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma Elaine!

In your 90 years you have created so much LOVE!!

We celebrated Grandma's birthday fairly simply, at least for the big milestone, but being together was what really mattered!  She loved seeing the girls and laughed often! 

Grandma was doling out snacks while we waited for our table.  This time the snacks were from my bag, but it made me remember how often she would have snacks, usually candy, in her purse.  She'd pull it out in the car, church, or anywhere we'd be waiting with a playful smile on her face.  With the circumstances the way they are with Grandma's health, these little moments become even more special for me.  Our girls won't get to experience Grandma the way that I have but in these moments they can know a little pieces of who she really is.

Princess Party for C & J

Clara in awe of the beautiful Belle cake!

Last weekend both Clara & Janie were invited to their pal Ava's 3rd birthday party.  It was a grand princess affair!  A few days before the party, a package arrived on our doorstep including these adorable pink and yellow tu-tus for the girls to wear to the party.  Both girls wanted to try them on immediately and couldn't wait until the party. 

Honestly, it ended up being a bit of a job keeping track of both girls and having a few (mini) conversations with my girlfriends, so I didn't get to take as many photos as I would have liked.  Queen Esmari had so many beautiful details that came together for a super special day for all the little princesses that attended. 

I can't help but snicker when I think back to how "anti-princess" I used to be compared to the princessy world we now live in.  And then I can't help but recognize that someday the girls will have moved on from all the tiaras, tu-tus and pink fluff.  How is it that that is what I now dread!?!

How sweet do these sweeties look with their matching tu-tus!

Girls (at this age) and a pinata crack me up... Instead of diving in and grabbing up everything quickly, they were more like shopping and selecting a few items.  Nonetheless, there was a lot of fun energy!

Janie was so pumped to find this ball!  And somehow, without me realizing, she got into that candy bracelet and bit into many of the bits of candy and because she couldn't chew them, set them in a sticky mess on the table in Ava's playhouse! 

We got about 2/3rds of the group in the same general area for the photo in front of the castle! 

Best Buds - Clara & Davis

These kids always have SO much fun together!

Sweeties in the Lupines

One of my favorite books that Clara & I enjoy reading together is Miss Rumphius. The book is about a lady who makes the world more beautiful by planting lupines across the countryside. Over the past few years more and more lupines have popped up in a field in our neighborhood and driving by one random day after reading the book, I became determined to try and take a few shots of the girls in the flowers. That day, Janies nap went long and the photo opportunity was cut short by Clara's need to use the restroom but I think I captured a few cute expressions that represent them well at this point of their childhood. 

I think Kevin & I have done our part in making the world a better place in raising our two amazing daughters!

Happy Birthday, G.G.!

While Daddy was in London (at some fancy schmancy resort, playing golf), Mommy and the girls had a nice visit to Chehalis.  Our first night we celebrated G.G.'s birthday with a fun little party! 

Clara associates every birthday with a party of some sort, and is happy as long as we sing and there is dessert! 

Grandma Jan gave everyone fun party hats to make it extra festive!  Pop makes it look pretty dapper, wouldn't you say!?!

G.G. blowing out her candles with the help from Clara & Janie

And Janie was hitting up Grandma Wanda for "bites"!  So sweet!

We were glad when Daddy came home, but we managed to change up our routine enough that the week went by quickly and we had some fun, too!