Happy Memorial Day!

We are having a fun weekend with family and friends. Thank you to all of our Veterans, past and present!

Just for fun, our spunky girl

Reading time

Stephen and Daddy had some nice guy reading time while the girls were taking baths.

Miss Mischief

Anastasia is such a cutie...and it is a good thing. She is so mischievous. If she is quiet, you had better find out what she is up to or you are guaranteed to have a mess to clean up, something broken, etc.

Just for fun, here she is trying on Gloria's shoes

And this is after she was quiet for a few minutes, and I found her in the pantry. She found the bag of powdered sugar, managed to open it, and discovered that it was really yummy! I had to hide it because she kept going back for it. What a mess!

Water time

We've had some hot weather this week!

Happy Pentecost

We had Pawpaw and Manah to celebrate as well as some friends to dinner. So the girls and I made this Holy Spirit cake. The strawberry flames represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. We had lots of fun making and eating it!

Mariana's Dance Recital

Mariana had her big dance recital yesterday. She danced so beautifully! We were so proud.

This is her class minus Kennedy, who was sick :(. Davis, Katie, Jada, Kylie and Mariana

Her sparkly jazz costume

In her tap costume with her teacher, Miss Darby (a fellow redhead).

Flowers from Daddy

She also received a little bouquet from her friend Michael, whose sister was dancing, but he disappeared so quickly after delivering them that I couldn't get a photo!

Ready to go home with our beautiful ballerina for a celebratory dinner at Jason's Deli with Pawpaw and Manah.

And the videos...
Ballet (just an exerpt)


 Jazz (forgive my camera....it had trouble focusing with all the sparkles!) This video is actually from the rehersal. The little girl who leads them around the stage was sick for the recital. Her substitute almost ran off stage. Mariana grabbed her and pulled her back onstage, saving the dance! What a girl!


Tap

Soccer time

Allia had soccer today, after being rained out last week. She played great, but it was hot! She made some great stops as goalie, but right at the end started feeling sick (probably from dehydration) and couldn't get out of the game because another teammate was already on the bench. What a girl...she tried her best. Poor baby!

Water!

Things are heating up quickly here, so we had to hit the water yesterday at least for a little while.

So many "Last"s

May is a craaazy month with all the lasts. We had our last dance class this week and are gearing up for the recital tomorrow. Here are some photos from the end of year choir party and Gloria's last soccer class!

My children were sooo excited to be able to play on the church playground! (It is usually used for the daycare)

And Gloria with buddies William and J.P. showing off their patches. These guys had so much fun together!

Generous heart and desire for prayer

I was so proud of Mariana the other day. She received some money from Uncle James and Aunt Karen for her First Communion. She saved half, as is our family practice, and was so excited to spend the other half. We went shopping, and she only spent a little less than half of her money on herself and used the rest to buy each of her siblings something. It was so sweet to see her so eager to share her joy and good fortune with her brother and sisters. So proud!

After mass, I usually say a little prayer with the children that goes something like, "Dear Jesus, thank you for the mass. We love you. Mary, thank you for your son Jesus. Pray for us and help us to love him more. Amen." Admittedly, I have been less than consistent lately. Frequently, after juggling Anastasia for an hour plus on Sunday, I am ready to sprint down the middle aisle and out the door as soon as the priest pronounces the final blessing! Lately, when I forget, Gloria has been approaching me and asking to pray "that prayer that we say together" after mass.

It warms my heart to see virtue stirring in the hearts of my children. :) Thank you, Jesus!

Tough girl

Light saber fighting at age 16 months...she is gonna be a tough one!

Little reader

Anastasia has really taken to reading books in the last few weeks. She just looked so cute enjoying this one on the couch by herself.

Mama called the doctor (take 2)

and the doctor said, "Broken Wrist!"

After many of the guests left on Sunday, Austin, Uncle Matt, Allia and Mariana played a game of soccer. Right at the end, with Mariana as goalie, Austin kicked a hard one which she stopped with her wrist. Great stop, goalie! But...she came in screaming like crazy. We gave her ice, meds and a movie to watch. Then Manah found a wrist brace for her, and she seemed ok. But yesterday she started using it again and was complaining quite a bit about pain. Sure enough...she has a buckle fracture! Anyone have some good calcium supplement recommendations? Two broken bones in a month. Yikes!

Splish Splash

We received several inches of rain in a 24 hour period (yay!), and our yard looked like a pond! While there was no thunder or lightning, we sent the children out to enjoy. :)

It rained so much that Anastasia learned to say rain!

Playdough fun

I just love it when they all play together nicely (except for Allia who was inside practicing piano).

A few other moments

from our weekend...

 Looking at the doggies with Pawpaw (she started saying Pawpaw while he was here!)

And Mariana's flowers from Uncle Matt and Tia Nana.

First Communion Day!

We were sooo happy to celebrate Mariana's First Holy Communion this weekend. She and I went to the practice together yesterday...

 

 Several of Mariana's friends were receiving at the mass after hers, so we snapped a photo together at the dress rehearsal.

Pawpaw and Manah (her Godparents) came with this big green trike. Anastasia was thrilled to help with the assembly.

 I made two cakes and let Mariana pick everything for one of them. She chose red velvet with pink icing and helped me decorate it. Then she and Allia went off to the vigil Mass to sing for some of her peers.

 Apparently during the hubbub, somebody swiped my camera and had some fun. I found many interesting pictures on it. This was one of them. Lito and Lita brought Gloria this funny singing, dancing cow toy.

This morning, she received her special crucifix necklace from Austin, myself, Pawpaw and Manah.

 All ready to go...I love how you can see the excitement in her face!

 We were so blessed to have family and friends to help us celebrate. Uncle Trevor and Tia Becky came and played with the children. We sure have missed them!

Newlyweds! ;)

 Uncle Matt and Tia Nana relaxing out on the porch with Manah and our hidden nephew.

The other cake (dairy free for Allia and Tia Becky)

We had the blessing of a pop in visit from Fr. Curtis. He couldn't resist some new baby snuggles from baby Francis.

Little crocs

We found these tiny crocs (off brand) in our shoe stash. Anastasia really likes them. I am so surprised that she leaves them on her feet. She will even bring them to us to put them on for her!

My other soccer girl

I keep forgetting to bring my camera to Gloria's soccer, but I finally remembered today. :) She is so fun to watch because she just enjoys every minute...and you gotta love the dress and pink shin guards!