A Surprise . . .

. . . that sent me to my knees in tears.



Will You Go with Me?

Richard and I drove home from a date and he spotted a trail of glow sticks up to the front porch.

We went inside and told McKenna to check out front.

(She thought it was something had happened to her kitty!)

She found this sweet surprise.

She made a darling reply, but forgot to take pictures!!!

She covered a large plastic bin with brown paper and then decorated it with a farm scene;

a barn, some flowers, a picket fence, a haystack, a few sheep and cows.

Then, inside, she placed two large pink helium balloons on which she had drawn pig faces.

On the front of the bin, she wrote "I'll go to Homecoming with you when pigs fly."

Luckily, the helium didn't leak out, like her mother worried would happen.



Having A Ball

I shouldn't have been surprised that she wanted to play soccer again this year.

She loved it last year, even if she never (maybe once?) made contact with the ball.

But all that's changed.

Still no goals, but she definitely makes contact.

And she's almost made a couple of goals.

And she's keeping track of all the sweets that those add up to, per her daddy's promise.

(Mom has talked her into $10 in the bank, rather than a load of sugary treats for all the kicks.) 

She plays with a smile on her face.

And pink running shoes on her feet.



Never too big . . .

to play dress-up.

On McKenna's third birthday, she got her first dress up - a pink princess ballgown - sewn and given by Grandma (and Grandpa) Kappel. She's been wearing pretty things ever since.

I'll be putting her in charge of Ivy's and Maia's makeup for Halloween.

(They decided last year, that they want to be peacocks this year - so I don't see a way out of it.)



First Day of School

Mothers everywhere anticipate this day.

I dread it.

It is a sure symbol, garbed in bright new clothes and combed hair, that my babies are growing up and away from me.

It's an official declaration that they'll be ONE YEAR OLDER very soon, further away from preschool age, toddlerhood, and infant stage.
Further away from when they and I together were everything.
Further away from lisps and mispronunciations.
Further away from silly sayings and perpetual grins.
Further away from hand-holding and snuggling.
Further away from downy hair and naps on my lap.

But never further from my heart.

McKenna Ann - SENIOR!

Tessa May - 9th Grade

The Three Littles

Maia Rhynn - 6th Grade

Cooper Robert - 4th Grade

Ivy Franzis Sarah - 1st Grade

The Gang

Can you spot the one so cool for school?

Sweet Sixth Grader

Excited - but a tad nervous.

Growing up too fast.  Mom cried all morning.

What Do We Give?

These young men risked their lives

 - and their father gave his -

to help set their people free.

What are we willing to do for our people?



Snuggles

Somebody loves visiting Grandma and Grandpa . . . and the doggies.



Thanksgiving Point

Our friends, Matt & Kate, have their birthdays in April.

So we decided, instead of wrapping up trinkets and sweets, we'd take them to Thanksgiving Point.

From us, to them.

But April is cold in Utah.

And May is cold in Utah.

And even June brings days colder than Spring, and vacations . . . and life.

And so on.

In August, FINALLY, we were able to make good on our birthday promise.

 

Notes on a Recital

They practice diligently.

They put on their Sunday clothes.

And they do their best.

It is delightful to watch them perform their talents.

Mental Preparation

"When the Saints Go Marching," and others

Concerto with her teacher

Viva la Vida and Taylor Swift - amazing piece

Feeling good, and rightly so, about their accomplishments

So, should I mention that McKenna is missing? No? Okay.

But I should mention I failed to charge my camera battery, and so shot no video, and just these few pictures. sigh.