Monday, December 15, 2014

To Bella on your 5th birthday...

To my beautiful Bella Ann,
You may only be 5, but your joyful spirit is contagious.  Your smile lights up an entire room & makes my heart flutter.  I love you so much.  You are kind.  Always wanting to help.  You are smart.  This year at Mrs Betty's, you learned to read!  Yes...at 4 years old you can read the Dick and Jane book!  I'm so very impressed.

This is your 1st year taking dance. You enjoy twirling and dancing. You also love to sing.  You sing all the time.  I love it.  We sing together sometimes-usually songs from The Little Mermaid.  You also love to sing Amazing Grace and Baby Mine.  Those are our songs we often sing at bedtime.  

You are certainly a girlie-girl!  You want to wear a dress or skirt every day, no matter where we are going.  You like your long hair too, I french braid it often.  {{I am thankful that God sent me girls}} You carry around this cute pink purse that your Aunt T gave you a couple years ago for Christmas.  In your purse, you keep some coins, lip gloss, usually a stuffed toy, usually a beaded necklace, and an unused toothbrush-you use this to pretend like you are doing your eyelashes.  I recently bought you this thin scarf (because you loved mine so much)...now-a-days you wear it on your head with your crown over it.  It's like a long veil that drags the floor behind whatever dress you have on at the time. 

One thing we can't stand is your asthma that we battle with sometimes.  Any time you catch a cold, it flares up your asthma and you end up with a horrible cough and doing breathing treatments for weeks.  I am hoping you outgrow that!

We have a little secret...We are taking you girls to Disney in a month.  Your daddy and I went there on our honeymoon, 8 years ago, and had a blast!  As much as you and Lucy love princess, we KNOW y'all will love Disney World.  I am counting down each day and couldn't be any more excited!!  I have been planning this trip for almost a year.  We have been saving and scheduling dining reservations. Some people say that you and your sister are too young and you won't remember this trip.  But my response to them is that 'your daddy and I will remember this trip!  We know that both of you girls will have a blast.  We will just have to go on another family Disney trip when they get older!'

You call your daddy, sister and I-your "little family".  You call your extended family, your "big family". It's so cute to hear you refer to your family that way. 

You sweet little angel. I love you so much.
Mommy



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Monday, November 17, 2014

dreaming upon a star....

On Christmas Day last year, I started planning a Disney vacation for our 2 little girls.  I've dreaming about it close to a year now and we are just a couple months away now!  I couldn't be more excited.

I think they will be the perfect ages...3 & 5 years old.  {although I now know that younger than 3 is free :/  If I would've know that I probably would've planned it just a couple weeks before her 3rd birthday.

They are into all things princess and sparkly and magical.  My heart literally does a happy dance when I think of the memories we will make. Jacob and I shared our honeymoon there 8 years ago.  We both had a wonderful time.  That was an adult Disney trip.  This one we will be focusing on our girls and doing things as a family.  I have been planning and researching on how to make this a trip that we all will enjoy.  I'll share some of my planning strategies so far and would welcome any tips that you all might have!


We debated on whether to stay inside the park or out. At 1st I made condo reservations at this affordable and spacious condo only 2 miles from the parks. {same owners to this 3 bedroom condo} I had an easy and pleasant time with the owners booking our condo.  After thinking long and hard about to do the dining plan, we chose to stay on the Disney grounds and also do the dining package.  Jacob and I did the dining plan on our honeymoon- it was SO convenient to get expensive meals and just swipe our "magic keys" without thinking twice about the price of our entrees or desserts!  I knew this trip that I would want the girls to do the character dining and experience all their is to offer.  When we go to restaurants now-I am such a penny pincher-making them drink water and usually sharing a kids meal or just eating off of mine or Jacob's plate.  After wasted meals, I know better.

Our love of camping had us researching Fort Wilderness, which is Disney's campground and it looks fantastic and right up our alley!  So we booked a 7 night stay!

I have make all of our "table service" meal reservations.

I am wasting time to make it until 12:01am to book our Fast-pass reservations!

I cannot wait to see what fun these late night plans will turn into.................



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Sunday, November 9, 2014

Lucy's 3rd Birthday Party

Today on November 9, 2014, we celebrated Lucy's 3rd birthday on her Granddaddy Dee's actual birthday.  We know that he was with us in spirit as he celebrated from heaven.

Lucy requested a mermaid birthday party this year....so a mermaid party it was!
It was a gorgeous fall day.  Unfortunately some of our friends and family did not make it; we understand that it is a busy time of the year.  Lucy had a blast and that's what matters most.

Mimi and Aunt Lulu

My mama and sisters always play such a huge role in making sure my little girls have a spectacular celebration.
Their birthdays are just as much of a holiday as any other.  We want them to feel super special on their big day!


Our menu was crab-wiches, ocean waves, sea snails, seaweed dip, shark bait, crab legs and octopus legs.



my gorgeous sisters

My beautiful mama and sisters.  They are the best.  They keep me sane....and make me a little crazy.
It's a beautifully balanced love.






After trying my best to get her to smile....I get this HUGE, cheesy grin!

I adore my "little family" as Bella calls us.






Oh, she is just such a blessing to our family



 So we played a little game where they sit on the balloon to pop it...
It ended up being quite funny as these little girls bounced on it, pinched it, poked it...







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Monday, November 3, 2014

To my lovely Lucy on your 3rd birthday

Dear Lucy, 
I just put you to bed for the last time as a 2-year-old.  Tomorrow when we wake up, you will be 3.  Since you slept for 3 hours this afternoon you didn't fall asleep while I was rocking you. Those crazy long naps are why we also call you Sleeping Beauty. Upon your request, like many nights when I rock you, you wanted me to play Baby Mine (the Alison Krauss version) on my phone and we both whisper-sang each word to one another. I love these moments the best.  After about 3rd time with it on repeat you got down and crawled under the quilt that your (great-grandmother) Ma-maw Crowe made you and gave to your on your 1st birthday.  You snuggle with "Tigy" which is only an infant, crinkle toy tiger that we have had since Bella was a newborn. But you have named it Tigy and are quite attached to it right now.  I ask you for the 2nd time if you're sure you don't want to take off the fancy black and white dress that you have on over your jammies.  You grin, tilt your head, nod and tell me "no mama, I alright".  I know you feel like a princess wearing it, so I cover you up, kiss you at least 20+ times, say a simple prayer while you wiggle and squirm around.  I stand at the door, blowing kisses with you and signing I love you for a while before I finally walk out your door to come type these details so they will forever be a reminder of how lovely my Lucy is at the young age of 2 years and 364 days old. We planned your party this year on your Grand-daddy Dee's birthday, November 9.

This year you have meet Jace & Brody, your 2 new cousins that you seem to love as much as you do Rylee.  Actually last night you, Bella and Rylee had a slumber party at Mimi & Pop's house.  Complete with pizza, movie and blow up mattress.  Your daddy and I enjoyed dinner and a movie, but as always, when you girls aren't home it just doesn't feel right.  We much prefer us all to be together.  You are doing good at Mrs Betty's.  You always come home telling us about your "best friends".  I wonder how you will do next year when Bella goes to big school?  I have a feeling that you will miss her quite a bit.  You two do absolutely everything together.  

You are a silly little girl!  You are always making me and your daddy laugh. I must say that you have THE BEST crazy-hair days! It cracks me up at how it will stand straight up most mornings. Your words and sentences are starting to make more sense.  We often ask Bella what it is that you are trying to say.  She can always interpret with no problems.  

I looked back at those pictures from the day you were born and I am grateful for those wonderful, precious moments and the past 3 years. You are such a blessing to our family and your daddy and I love you so completely.  My heart is filled with love and joy because of you and our family. 

Happy birthday to you.  
I will love you forever.
Mommy

The unexpected snowpocalypse.  
Halloween.  Mermaid and a fairy princess
snuggling with your sister watching Frozen after it released.
I love your lovin'
Best Bed-Head award...goes to LUCY!
A Royal tea party for the princesses!
You were so proud walking into Mrs Betty's with your 1st backpack!



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