Last Days of Summer 2010...

Changes...

I'll admit - I love change.  As the mom of 4 kids, I kinda feel like our life is pretty routine - school, activities, therapies, cook dinner, do laundry, clean - that's pretty much it.  So when something comes along to spice things up, I'm all for it!  Except for today ...

Maddie officially promotes to Middle School.  Seriously, Middle School.  This is one change I have been looking forward to and dreading all at the same time.  She's so little!  I mean, she's going to be dwarfed by all those bigger kids next year.  At least in elementary school, there were some kids her size, even if they were kindergartners :)  And we also have to say goodbye to her teacher and aide, whom she's had since kindergarten - that's 6 years.  They are like our family now. That is going to be the hardest part.

But with change comes the chance for new adventures and new friends, and hopefully everyone will welcome Maddie and see her for all the wonderful things she is - caring, kind, helpful, and funny ... and a bit of a prankster...

So tonight as I sit at her promotion ceremony in tears ('cause that's how I roll...), I will be thankful for all the great things she has experienced in elementary school, and especially for all the truly wonderful teachers, administrators, therapists and friends who have walked with her along the way...

Spring at our House

I love Spring in Louisville!  Everything seems to bloom overnight and the air is filled with sweet aromas.  Within about 3 days, my vibernum bushes next to the porch bloomed, the azaleas showed their color, the magnolia bush opened and the cherry tree bloomed.  I'm waiting patiently for my favorites, the peonies, to open up.  They are close!  Within a week, I should have a vase full of big, beautiful pink blooms to cheer up the inside of our home. For now, I will sit on the porch and enjoy the all-too-short season of my vibernums.

The cherry tree...

azaleas...

vibernum (wish you could smell them!)...

and the tulip magnolia...

Happy spring!

Sam's Big Boy Room

I started a little (or so I thought!) project in January.  I honestly thought it might only take me a weekend, two max, to get this finished.  Well, it took WAY longer than expected due to all the life interruptions, but I finally got Sam's alphabet headboard finished and hung up!  I am so happy with the project overall.  Of course, there are things I would do differently if I made another one, but that's the beauty of crafting and projects in general.

Bling-a-licious!!!

I am soooo excited!  I just got this cutie-patootie iPhone case in the mail today.  Finally, my favorite piece of technology gets a litlle "girly" upgrade :)

Things That Make Me Happy...

• fresh squeezed lemonade
• the smell of rain
• crunching through fall leaves
• my peonies when they are in bloom
• sitting on the porch at night
• catching fireflies
• a rainy day and a good book
• sun-dried sheets on my bed
• campfires
• purple ink pens (my favorite!)
• plain old chocolate ice cream
• my childrens' laughter, especially those baby belly laughs :)
• a brand new coloring book and a big, new box of crayons (for me, not the kids!)
• falling asleep to the sound of crickets

What makes you happy?

Tubing at Perfect North

On our last run of the day, I recorded us going down.  That's me, Lucy, Hannah, my mom and Amy!