Preschool picture spring 2015. Anna 2.5 and Adeline close to 4.

Mother's Day tea party with Adeline. I went to school with Adeline on Friday morning and we had fun playing in her classroom for 45 minutes.  The teachers set up a tea party with lemonade and brownies.

There were 3 stations - make

Mom a necklace, paint mom a picture and decorate a picture frame for mom.  We started at the picture frame station and carefully selected our jewels to bedazzle Adeline's frame.  Then we moved on to the jewelry station where Adeline spent a long time stringing me the lovely necklace I am wearing in the picture.   She was very proud.  

We played with her friends including her very best pal, Reese.  The two of them were in class together last year and again this year.   I know Adeline will miss her dearly when she goes to holland hall in the fall.  

We played with Legos and magnatiles before the party was over.   Adeline made sure I wore my necklace out the door.  

Preschool tea party with my girl was very fun!

Mother's Day Picnic 2nd Grade

The Holland Hall second grade hosted a Mother's Day picnic.  We gathered in the gym and watched the kids do a cute musical number to "The Monkeys."   At the end of the show, the moms had to get up and dance with their child to the song.  It was great fun and William let loose.  He is a pretty good dancer, but lets his silly side shine with confidence.  So I was silly too!  He laughed and got such a kick out of me dancing crazy to the music. 

After the show, we found a spot outside for the picnic.  We sat with his friends and enjoyed hotdogs, chips and fruit.  Afterwards, all the kids headed to the soccer fields to fly kites with mom. 

William had great success flying his kite.  His kite was up in the air for a majority of the party.  Some people brought fancy kites, but William and I used a Dollar store kite and put them to shame. Ha. 

It was hot and muggy. But it was so fun watching William have a great time.  With sisters in the mix, our days together as a duo are rare.  It's something I dearly miss about those 4 years of his life when it was just the two of us at home.  I knew I was lucky then and I knew to savor those moments.  I am so glad I did.  

Days like today when I can give my full attention to William are just so important. I can't believe he is almost in 3rd grade. He was only 4 yesterday.  I can remember pulling up to HH for

The first time and glancing over at the far right side of the building.  There is a sign there that says "3rd grade entrance."  I vividly remember telling myself, "wow I wonder what William will be like when he is in 3rd grade.  It sounds so big and he will be 9."   In that moment, William was only 4 and he was heading to preschool 4s at the very left side of the building.  He could barely read.  That was the beginning of Primary School. And now we are almost at the end and he has read out of the highest level offered in 2nd grade.  

It's amazing to see how much he has grown and matured.  This Mother's Day was one for my heart.  We had fun!  

William- may you always soar swiftly like your kite, may you shine like the sun and may your gifts impact others like a gentle breeze that fills your soul. 

Anna Baby 1st haircut age 2.5 years

Anna got her first official haircut at Supercuts last week.  She was all business and asked for a sucker before she climbed in the chair.  She didn't miss a beat.  She has seen her siblings get haircuts for the last few years and knows the drill well.  The only time Anna looked scared was when the scissors cut her bangs.  I think she was nervous about getting cut herself.   But she held tight to her sucker and kept a brave face.  The hairdresser kindly gave me an envelope of blonde hair that I will treasure forever.  Ha. 

Hollis is 4

The girls and I drove to Dallas with Rachel and Bebe so we could celebrate our cousin, Hollis, turning 4 on May 2nd.  

Adeline and Hollis are buddies and I love that they enjoy each other even if we don't live in the same city.  

The party theme was "Run for the candles" since Hollis' birthday was the same day as the Kentucky Derby.  There were pony rides, make your own derby hat craft station, a bounce house and face painting.  The adults enjoyed mint julips and watched the race.  

Adeline and Anna had the time if their lives.  Anna stayed at the pony station almost the entire party.  She was out of her skin with excitement to ride Bonzo and Lady.  I bet she went around the circle 15 times.  I had to pry her away with brownies and ice cream!

Adeline loved the pony but also enjoyed face painting and the bounce house.  She was very proud of her sparkle face.  Anna wasn't quite sure about the face painting, but she was really curious.  She watched several kids ahead of her in line and then she realized she could just paint her arm.   That was perfect for her and so she asked for an Elsa Frozen arm.  She was pleased as punch with the results. 

Adeline and Hollis ran around and had a ball.  My girls were exhausted after a weekend of shopping and  the party.  

We had fun and miss Hollis!   Can't wait for our summer play date.  

Before church on a pretty spring day. William 8, Adeline 4 and Anna Elizabeth 2.5

Spring Sports Adeline starts soccer and William plays baseball - DUTCH RAINBOWS AND DUTCH BASEBALL

Adeline is on her first soccer team and guess who is coaching!?  ME!  So funny considering I have never played soccer in my life.  But, when you are 4, you don't care who is coaching because you don't even pay attention or try that hard!  We don't even keep score during the games.  It's been fun and her friends are really cute and love running around.  We are The Dutch Rainbows.  Adeline isn't all too interested in the game.  She kicks the ball and then says "oh man, that was close."  Or she gets tired of running and is hot.  Or she needs to know how much longer until its over.....lol.  Your typical 4 year old woes.   I have enjoyed coaching.  Mostly, I just teach the girls the basics of kicking into the goal, which direction we are going, where to stand, and most importantly, we have fun.  Her teammates are Ella Kate Herman, Morgan Lowery, Evy Elmberg, Lily Franden and Fia Groves.

William played baseball with his 2nd grade classmates.  They were The Dutch.  William was the best player on the team and I am not playing favorites.  He has worked so hard.  William asked to take baseball lessons last winter and so he's been practicing the game all year.   He played first base, pitcher and third base.  He even hit a home run!  The night he hit the home run, I was home with the girls but Dan got it on video.  I was so excited for him and decided to decorate the kitchen with signs.  He was thrilled when we got home.  His face never stopped smiling and he LOVED watching the video over and over again.