Dance and Piano rectials

My beautiful girl is 8 years old and if I am allowed a moment to brag, she is just a really great kid. She is poised, confident and smart. But she still gets nervous and needs to hold me tight sometimes. She loves trying new things, but she is scared of failing. She has a hard time getting up when she's knocked down. She is a good friend, but tends to stay close to just a few. She is discovering sarcasm and nothing makes her happier than when she thinks she is in on the joke.

She butts heads with her brother but would defend him to the death if anyone else picked on him. Add she thinks her little sister is the funniest person on the planet. Nobody makes her laugh harder than Lainey. She is musical and graceful but is scared to step out of her comfort zone. She loves to read and draw. She gets bored if she has to do anything that she doesn't want to do. Her brother's soccer games are the bane of her existence.

She is delightful, stubborn, silly, brilliant, affectionate, strong-willed and it is an honor to raise this girl. I love her so.

The insanity otherwise known as May

I used to think December was the craziest month of the year. That was my thought for the first 33 years of life. That time before I had children involved in activities and school. And now I laugh at my former self.

My current self laughs and says, "You have time to drive around and look at lights while drinking hot chocolate? That's impossible! Nights to sit on the couch watching Christmas movies? Ridiculous!"

Yes, now I long for the days of December. They seem to crawl at a snails pace compared to May. The month of the year where I drink 5 pots of coffee a day and try not to put Will's soccer shin guards on Bennett while dropping Lainey off for a piano recital. It is that much of a blur that I wouldn't be surprised if that happened one year.

I will try to recap our month as succinctly as possible. And also know that I am fully aware that it will get worse as they get older and once Lainey joins in on the action. Then I will just curl in the fetal position and pray for June.

May started off with a bang and our children's choir at church performed their musical, Agape League." I directed the drama portion of the musical and we had dress rehearsals and the the performance the first weekend in May. I absolutely loved working with these awesome children.

Will's soccer team finished up their season and I was so proud of my buddy. He hasn't scored a goal in over a year and he could care less. He plays for the fun of it and he loves going to his games. I could not be more proud of his sense of teamwork and being a team player.

And I am also so proud of Coach Rob. If you want a kind coach who encourages the boys and motivates them, then this is your guy.

Somehow in the midst of all of the craziness, we snuck away for a fantastic performance of Junie B. Jones with our sweet neighbor, Kinley.

Some dear friends from Kansas City were in town for a few days so grabbing dinner with them was a no brainer. We love the Kannings!

We had open house at school. I didn't get any pictures of Bennett's room and this was the only one I took of Will's. It's shocking I got this one, really.

These kids. Together. Every single day. And I adore all of them.

Our outgoing 5th graders at church had their annual family olympics. Here I am with two of my all time favorites- Claire and Caitlin. I absolutely adore these girls.

Our fabulous 5th grade families.

And then there was Field Day.  Not sure why they couldn't have this in the far less crowded month of April, but here are a few shots nonetheless.

Bennett's sweet teacher let Lainey participate in the three legged race with her sister. 

Oh my word. How I love these two.

We also had their STEM Fair, because why not? Having this in April or March would make no sense whatsoever! Let's have it in May! Of course! But Will was a rockstar and absolutely loved telling every single person that walked by all about his experiment.

We think Bennett mainly enjoyed eating her props which just happened to be MnM's and Skittles. She takes after her mother.

I was able to spend some time with some sweet friends. I absolutely love the small group that I am in and these ladies are the main reason.

And then I had a great night celebrating Jennifer's birthday by going to a concert at the Dallas arboretum.

And look who finished an awesome year at pre-school! She rocked her very first year in the 2's class.

Thank you Mrs. Katie and Mrs. Joyce!!

I love this picture that we took while out for lunch on Mother's Day.

We squeezed in a trip to the Dallas Arboretum in the middle of all of the craziness. Such a cool place.

And a trip to some American Ninja Warrior gym. I can't keep track. I'm too tired.

And we finally made it to the last day of school! These best friends had such a great year together. Kinley, Adeline, Grant and Will. Friends for life.

A few of us decided a while back that we wanted to surprise the kids on the last day of the school and have a small block party waiting for them when they got out of school. We had water balloons, water guns, cupcakes, a bounce house and more ready for them when they rounded the corner. The look on Bennett's face said it all!

I don't know who had more fun- the kids or the Moms who planned it.

Best neighborhood ever!

And here we are on the very first day of summer. We went to the library and had lunch at Braum's. 

And then the neighborhood kids played for hours in our backyard. Bring on Summer of 2016! We're ready for you!!

We actually also had an economics fair, piano recital, dance recital and more, but I am saving that for another post because I need a nap.

Visit with my parents.

I refuse to let this blog go. I am going to document their childhood even if I have one child running around naked on the trampoline, one crying because another one hit them and one making an experiment in the kitchen with vinegar and baking soda. I am going to sit here and pretend none of that is happening and post pictures to this blog. Because..... memories! Anyway, I wanted to get pictures up of my parents visit to Dallas. It may or may not have happened 2 months ago, but that's besides the point.

We took my parents to see Texas bluebonnets. Definitely something you have to cross off the Texas bucket list.

 They were here for Easter and I was so grateful. It is hard spending holidays alone and I remember last year how much I missed them. I decided to see if they were possibly up for a visit over Easter and fortunately, they said, "yes."

Rob had to be at the church to play music for the sunrise service, so this was the best family picture we could get.

About to dig into our annual resurrection cake.

 My parents also got to come to the Throwback Thursday dance at our school. Will and Bennett dressed like people from the 1920's and Lainey just dressed like.... Lainey.

We also took my parents to Ft. Worth for this first time so they could check out the infamous Stockyards. Mommy and Daddy Suttle took a ride on a stagecoach with the kiddos. Rob and I considered running to the car as fast as we could once the stagecoach rounded the corner, but we waited for them to come back in spite of ourselves.

Lunch at the famous Joe T. Garcias.

Buying some treats at our favorite spot in downtown McKinney.

 And we were so thankful that Mom and Dad were here for their anniversary. It was so much fun getting to spend the day with them.

Sigh.... And then they were off. And we wouldn't see them again for nearly 3 months. I love living in Texas. I really do. But I hate living so far from my family. I will never get used to that.