More Ella...

Ella told us she wanted to be a tattoo artist when she grew up. Burt told her how they do tattoo's (needles, painful, etc..).  Ella looks at him like he is crazy and says, "No, Daddy!  You use a washcloth!" She has also added that she is going to have her own business.  "Tattoos will cost $35 bucks each. Clients will pay her before she starts, then give her $1 when she is finished.  She is going to do this service at home and at CHURCH!  Only the good tattoos though (princesses, Star Wars for Daddy and Emma, footballs...)  no mean ones!"

ERB 5 years old

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She fell down the other day and said plain faced, "Oww, I think my butt cracked."
(we don't say butt in our house but it's hard to discipline when I can't keep a straight face...)

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Burt got some new underwear and he went with a colorful assortment this time.  Ella noticed and said, "Ohhh Daddy, you got new man panties."

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<-----"Ella what are you eating?"

"Squirrel feet."









She wears boots all the time- winter boots with sundresses, rain boots to play outside (so the chickens don't peck her feet- she taught her older sisters this trick), cowboy boots with anything... If you don't watch her, you will have her dressed and ready to go and somehow she WILL end up with boots on and in the car without you even knowing.  This has happened too many times to count. (It drives me CRAZY, but someday I might find it cute).

Typical Ella style.

This was Ella's tball group picture.  Can you spot her????? 

She is also terrified of automatic flushing toilets and has several bathroom phobias.  You never know what will trigger these phobias until you get inside the bathroom. We do know vents/fans in the ceiling, drains in the floor, and tin ceilings will do it every time. If something triggers this fear, she WILL NOT go to the bathroom.  This doesn't go well with her immature bladder. Other than this, she is pretty much fearless.

Ella thinks we need one of these for our car.  It isn't what you think.  This is a "potty chair sign."  According to Ella, cars that have this on them have a potty chair inside them.  I guess she got it because this is the bathroom we usually use (because they usually don't have the automatic flushers).

Ella Ruth, 5 years old

Word of Wisdom for my girls

Don't choose to surround yourself with people who will steal your joy or bring you down. 

Love,

Mama

Eva Grace, my Bible Scholar

Supergirl

Preparing for take off!

Summertime is HERE!!!

This was one of Eva Grace's writing exercises from school this week.  Sounds like a list to live by to me!   School is out, let the summer begin!                                                                            

written by EGB, 8 years old, as she was leaving 2nd grade

Ella's last day at Preschool, A chapter of our lives has closed

 My baby girl's last day of preschool was today.  This closes a chapter of our lives.  For the past 10 years I have had babies at home with me.  In August, she will start Kindergarten.  A wise person once stated, "The days are long but the years are short."  This is so true.  Some days have felt like weeks, but these years have gone by in the blink of an eye.  Who knows what the next 10 years will hold. Many new chapters of our lives will open and close and I know each will be treasured, but I have greatly treasured this chapter and am sad to see it go.

Ok, sniff, sniff... Enough about me!  Today was Ella's big day!   She gladly hopped out of bed for her last day of school. Daddy brought her Chick-fil-a for lunch, her favorite!  She got to wear her hair braided and she looked precious!  She was so excited she even cooperated for pictures, which is rare without a bribe! ha.

Telling me bye for the last time.  It was literally closing the door to this chapter of our lives...




















This is what I saw when I went to pick her up from her last day.  It was picture perfect and absolutely precious.  Today, Ella Ruth, was nothing short of sweet and innocent!

Ella had a music program tonight at school.  They all did so good and looked adorable in their white and yellow.  Ella loves to sing and looked forward to this for days.  

She is only wearing one shoe because she chunked the other one behind her before I took the picture...you can see it on the ground in the background.  The sweet and innocent from earlier is wearing off.  I think tomorrow we will be back to normal :)

Our Spring Schedule.. aka ball seaon

Whew!  This spring kept us running!!  Here is a glimpse into our weekly schedule..

Monday- Ella soccer practice 5-6pm,
Eva Grace soccer practice 6-7.
Or softball games, both girls.
Burt softball game

Tuesday- Eva Grace softball practice or ballgame, or karate
Ella tball games.
Burt softball game

Wednesday- EG batting practice 4:30
Emma ballet 5 (across town)
pick EG up (back across town)
pick Emma up (across town, again)
Church

Thursday- EG softball ball practice 4:45 or game.
Ella tball game,
Emma piano 5:30
EG soccer practice 6:00,
Tests tomorrow= study!!

Friday- softball tournaments

Saturday- Eva Grace softball tournaments
Ella and EG soccer games

Sunday- church/rest!

For May, in addition to this schedule, there were recitals, 2 birthdays with a big party, school award ceremonies, end of the year festivities, field trips, tournaments, and more...

Here are some of my favorite pictures of soccer and softball thanks to John Bunch and Carrie Tibbs!

Eva Grace & Chloe cheering on the littles! It was so cold!

Sometimes you just close your eyes and hope for the best....

These sisters were team favorites :)  Emma and Ella Kate became the best of friends and everyone loved Allison!

Eva Grace played short stop and catcher this season.  My little #5.

Ella loved tball.  Her team was named Plum Sweeties. Judd and Todd coached so she played with her best buddies Ella Mae and Berkley.  Our family has been doing tball for the past 7 years, but this is our last year which is exciting! Next year she can play real ball!  She is ready!

The church softball team (Burt's team) got 1st place in their league this season!   We all going to his games and watching him kick some tail.  Ella had a chant for when he got up to bat... "Hey Daddy, swing level, and run like the devil."  All the girls cheered for him, "GO DADDY!"  

Mother's Day 2012

I love Mother's Day!  Emma surprised me with breakfast this morning in the sunroom :)  She made buttered toast with jelly on the side and had made me coffee.  She arranged it very pretty on a wooden tray with a rose in a vase from her ballet recital flowers :)  It was a great start to the day!  For church, the girls and I matched, as we do every Mother's Day!  We surprised Grandma and went to church with her, then picnicked at her house for lunch.  Adam and Granddad grilled ribs :)  After lunch we all played a game of dominos (Emma won)!   That evening we celebrated with Nanner and Poppy at the movies.  We saw Avengers (again), it was just as good the second time!

My surprise yummy breakfast Emma and I shared :)

Party on ROCKSTARS! Eva Grace and Ella's BDay party

It's finally here!  I have 2 very excited little girls! (actually 3 because Em is pretty excited too)!  We had the party at Arkansas Cheer Company, which is a huge open space where the kids could run, jump on trampolines and in bounce houses, flip, and dance (we had music blaring)!  I set up a photo booth (which was my favorite).  Here are some favorite snapshots of the event.


<----- The amazing cake done by Jenny Box.  Strawberry and vanilla.  The cake matched both of their bday outfits!  Check out the turquoise drum in the middle.

Party favors - candy bars with personalized wrappers.

Ella and Faith

Emma and Ella Kate

EG and Emma King

Silly girls!
Chloe, EG, Avery, Emma, Abby,
Gracie Landreth, Peyton.

Most of the littles!
Berkley, Caroline, Ava Jones, Ella, Eliza, Faith, Addison and Zeke :)

Gracie Landreth, Becca & Eva Grace. :)

Most of the others...

It was a good paraty!  We are all exhausted now, but that is a huge sign of success! 

Staying dry and warm at the soccer games!

It was a rainy at the soccer fields this morning.  Em & I snuggled under a blanket & umbrella during Ella's game.  Then, the littles played in the rain during Eva Grace's game.  It was quite relaxing. (I enjoyed it!) Eva Grace played one of her best soccer games ever.  She LOVED playing in the rain!

Ella, Berkley and Caroline