Growing Up...Yet Young At Heart

Isabella Rose

So grown up now

at the ripe old age of nine.

I love that you still surprise me with your silliness,

and that you're keeping those creative juices flowing.

You are such a help at home,

and such a joy to have as a daughter.

I love you, my girl.

Always.

Love,

Mom

 

The Magic No. 9

For Bella-boo,

9-years old is pretty cool.

It's not the same as if were all crazy-silly over your birthday...
afterall, it's not like your turning five or something. 

But still, nine is pretty cool...

...

We started the day off with a few treats and

a really nutritious breakfast of...

D I N G - D O N G S !

{ Remember }

You're never too old or too cool for a Ding-dong!

Later came her favorite meal:

Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes (no gravy!)

And for dessert:

A Rich Chocolate Cream Pie!

On the weekend we invited some

friends and family over for a...

! Y T R A P  Y A D H T R I B  S D R A W K C A B

{ A Backards Birthday Party}

We sent out thank you notes for invites,

ate under the table,

and then they dragged themselves around the kitchen floor. 

Not that that had anything to do with the backwards birthday theme,

but it made them happy nonetheless.



We played a roaring game of reverse musical chairs,

and ended up with 10+ girls

on one poor chair!

Our sweet treat:

Upside-down Birthday Cake with an

Upside-down Cone!

Naturally,

they needed to burn off their sugar-high,

so we took to the green space near our home for some relay races

and the hands-down favorite game,

Reverse Tag!

There's nothing funnier than seeing one girl running like crazy

from the rest of the girls who are ALL it!

...

When all was said and done,

my baby girl,

my first girl,

is one year older.

She is far more talented, beautiful, and intelligent

than I could have possibly imagined.

She is heaven-sent.

Isabella,

We love you so!

Continue in good things, sweetheart...

for it is right.

Love always,

Mum & Dad



Isabella's Big Day: Pierced Ears

My mom had my ears pierced

when I was a whole three months old,

and when I had my girls I knew I wanted to wait

and let them be apart of the decision.

For Isabella,

my timid one,

the decision was easy.

It was always:

"Maybe next year..."

So when she came to me and said,

"I'm ready."

I smiled.

Because I knew she was.

Calm, cool, and collected.

Well, there was a little bit of nervousness!

Thank goodness for crazy little brothers

who provide plenty of distraction!

Once she was seated,

it was all over in a matter of seconds!

Of course,

she did great!

No tears...just smiles!

Congratulations Isabella! 

It was an interesting family outing.

Ava and Iris are even more convinced

that they'll pierce their ears later...

many years later!

As for Gabriel and Owen,

we'll just try to keep them from jumping off

the second story of the mall!

Hit the Road: The Last Day of School

Ava,
with one of her sweet classmates,
saying a final good-bye.

Ava is officially a 2nd grader...

Isabella a fourth grader (what?!?)...

And Iris joins the pack as an incoming kindergardener!

~

May this summer be long and sweet.

{Please}

"Charlotte's Web" Inspired County Fair!

Isabella's third grade class has been studying "Charlotte's Web",
and as a culmination to the school year they held a literary inspired
county fair!

Each classmate was charged with creating something from scratch,

and to my delight,

Isabella opted to bake a cake!

Using fresh cherries,

courtesy of her Uncle Joseph and Aunt Jessica,

she created a decadent concoction...

A Double-Chocolate Cake studded with Fresh Cherries
and drizzled with Chocolate Ganache!



Yum!

This takes home the blue ribbon, sweetheart!

And don't forget:

 Bring the leftovers home!

{I can't wait!}

Isabella's School Play: Vacation to Mars

And the Academy Award goes to...

Okay.

I'm may be completely biased.

But really, Isabella,

who played a lead role in her school play,

"Vacation to Mars",

did a phenomenal job!

Way to go Isabella!

This super-sweet and hilarious play is all about the solar system.  In 25-brief minutes they taught us about the sun, stars, and planets with quirky songs and catchy dialogue full of spunk!

Imagine Don Juan Jupiter boasting of his sixteen groupie-like moons...

Saturn intent on polishing her rings...

And Venus who thinks she SO hot (well, she IS at 900 degrees...)!

Initially I was weary,
you know how some school functions can draaaaag oooon...

But this play had everyone hanging on every word!

You are so beautiful and talented, Isabella!



This smile says it all! 

I had known she had been working on this play for sometime,

but I had no idea it was this grand. 

We are so proud of you, sweetheart! 

Enjoy your applause!

You earned it!

End-of-Year Luau

Nothing says summer like a Luau,

and this annual end-of-the-school year tradition at the girls school is a must for our family! 

Gabriel was a bit bewildered at all the commotion...

...but made for a great lap-buddy.

As the girls shook...

...and shimmied...

...they completely brought down the house!

Isabella welcoming the newest member of the school, Iris! 

She starts kindergarten in the fall,

and couldn't be more excited!

These guys have a little while (thank goodness),

before they fly the nest too. 

Though in the fall,

Owen will also start Joy School two times a week for a few hours of the day.

{Sigh}

What will Gabriel and I do with ourselves?



Mother & Daughter Tea

The girls school held their first annual Mother & Daughter Tea.  I volunteered to dress a table, and it was so fun getting out the nice dishes to create a whimsical setting for my daughters.

After setting up, there was a mad dash for home to get ready for the event.  This was real dress-up affair, and the girls and I had fun getting girly and posing for pictures on the lawn.

The tea party itself was amazing!  And I wish I took photos of all the delicious treats.  I don't think anyone managed to snap a photo though, in the blink of an eye they were all gone!

We had some great mother-daughter time, and this tradition is something we'll surely continue!  I especially can't wait for my youngest daughter, Iris, to join us.  She played tea-party at home with dad, but I know she'll be thrilled to join our table next year as an honest-to-goodness kindergartner!

Until then...

One lump or two?

2010 Open House

We had a great time visiting the girls classrooms for Open House.  

Ava, our proud first grader, loved showing us around, but was especially excited to take a picture with Mrs. Padilla!

On of my favorite projects on display were these darling pictures of the kids being whisked away by their giant kites!  

Bye Ava!

No sooner did we finish visiting one classroom, we had to bolt to another:  

Mrs. Manley's Third Grade Class! 

Isabella, likewise, loved showing us her around her room, and teaching us all that she has learned thus far!  

It was quite the exercise, 

and by the time we were done, 

I was relieved to be out of school!