Princess Party

Miss Jennifer, the wonderful teacher at The Little House of Learning, hosted a princess party for all of the girls in her school. Kate was PUMPED about this event. We borrowed Annie's Snow White costume again for this event. Completing the outfit are Belle princess shoes and a red bow (though in the movie, she has a blue one, Kate informed me this morning). I picked up pink balloons for the princesses and we went to the party. I cannot wait to hear about all of the fun things the princesses did today; I am sure Kate is in her element.

busy week and weekend

April flowers sure did bring May flowers, but it also brought tornadoes, heavy winds, flooding, and allergies! Ending the month is humid, 90-degree weather (and I don't like hot weather). Well, let me rephrase. I don't like hot weather when I cannot be poolside or, better yet, lakeside!

Kate had to cool off with a bottle of water after her last bike ride. It does get awfully hot wearing a princess helmet!

The weekend ushered in the idea of things to come: lazy mornings in bed, swimming, and play-at-home mornings. Sweet girl!

While I cleaned the kitchen, the faires (and one Blueberry Muffin) took a nap under the table runner.

The end of May also brought strawberry season! We canned 60+ jars of strawberry jam and finished the night off with a strawberry pie! Yea, MOM!

(I have signed on for 8 days of summer school. Though not completely excited about this choice, the time isn't bad - 8-12 - and the money is good. I will now be in school until June 17, however!)

double seater

Baby needed to be in a seat belt, too. Kate said.

May Day 5K

This past weekend was the May Day 5K at school. Kate really wanted to go to the race. She asked all week if it was race day. So, Matt and I let her go with us since we weren't doing this race for time. She had a ball. Matt pushed her in her stroller, and she waved at everyone coming in at the finish line. Since she crossed before him, she won the trophy in his age group, right? That is what she thought anyway. So, Kate found out that she had a trophy coming, so she waited...and waited...and waited. When it was time she owned it. Went down, got it and smiled the whole way back! So fun! Now the trophy resides next to Jesus, Mary, Jophus, and the parent unit next to her bed. A small shrine.

budding artist

This is the first time I have really seen the picture that Kate drew. She added to him and made a pirate, but for now, I am happy with whatever is going on in this picture. Not bad for a 3-year-old. She is just coming off of a black eye, and that might be why he has a purple eye.

Carri the Great

Once again, I am sitting at my desk on a Friday and these pictures come through via text. Carri and Kate are at it again...having fun. Carri said Kate had requested some sunglasses to wear while in her car seat. So, Carri gave her a pair. Thumbs up!

After lunch, they had to get some shaved ice (Kate did say Watermelon was not as good as she had hoped). I love that they have fun together!

I am one lucky mama

 I admit it.  I have the sweetest girl around.  I did not create this sweetness in her; it is part of her.  I am so thankful for it, too.  Grandaddy has been in the hospital and is now at home with care. Kate is also a caregiver for grandaddy.  She follows him back to his room when he is using his walker and claps when he gets there.  Last weekend, she took her coloring papers back with her and on her own got on his bed and sat to color.  This may not seem like something to blog about; I mean, who doesn't sit with their grandad and do these things, but Kate does it and doesn't mind that we are in the other room.  She doesn't notice that he might stumble, drop his food, etc.  She just shows love, and for that, I am lucky. 

I am reminded of the poem we read at camp:

The Little Boy and the Old Man by Shel Silverstein

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

ballerina in the making

Last night was parent visitation night for Kate's dance class. I was worried about reactions to her eye (and several kids talked about her boo-boo), but she was more interested in dancing and playing than talking about it. I decided to videotape the class, so I don't have good pictures of her moves; these were taken with my phone. It was so fun to see her in her element, and she almost forgot that I was there and that people were watching.

knockout

Kate loves to hide when people come in the door. In a mad rush at mom's last night, she dropped her pink bear. While picking it up, her face met the corner of the bookshelf. I have never felt so sick in my life. I know it is the first of many injuries I will have to see/hear (because, afterall, she is my daughter), but wow. She was the toughest girl, too. Immediately her eye swelled, her cheek bled, and she cried. This morning? After she looked at it, she was fine. It will be evne prettier, I am sure, by this afternoon. My poor girl!

grillin' and chillin' (and dancin')

spoon fed

Frannie was in this weekend and we decided to make Easter cupcakes since we had not the week before. Ok, so they were spring cupcakes. Whatever. Kate enjoyed getting to sample the icing, cake mix, and treats that went on each...

but the finished product was muuuuuch better!

love and tenderness

After a bike ride at mom's, Kate returned with some weeds/flowers that she picked. She lovingly "planted" them in the dirt.

With gentleness, she patted them down.

And she scooped dirt around the base of each. As I watched, I saw a little girl. No longer my baby, she was following through on this task and I was not needed. Great attention to detail, too!