#doubledigits #Thisisevagrace #adorbs

Happy Double Digits, Eva Grace!  You are one beautiful, hilarious, determined, compassionate, smart little girl.  Keep growing into the young lady God wants you to be.  He has great things in store for you.  I'm glad you are our middle link, the glue to our Barrett 5.  I love being one of your cheerleaders.

You love softball and all sports.  You love drama (we are working on keeping this on stage only).  We all loved watching you in It's A Wonderful Life at the Forum this fall.  You love your close circle of friends, your ipod, your tv shows, and to read.  You love Grandma's cooking and Uncle Adam still sits high up on your pedestal.   You love to shop with Nanner (and picked out Emma's school clothes this year).  You love selfies and will not pass by a mirror without posing and checking yourself out.  Sparkles, sparkles and more sparkles.


Party Time:  Spa Theme
For her party she wanted her closest girls to be there and wanted it very small.  It was important that all technology went in the basket when the girls entered the room, and I have to brag that no one asked for any of it the entire time, nor was the television turned on.  We also made our traditional bday shirts with Sophie.

She had cookie cake, funfetti cupcakes with purple and turquoise icing (her favorite flavor and colors).  They swam and relaxed with peppermint foot baths, foot scrubs, face masks, cucumber eye masks, gelled eye masks, lip appeal and moisturizer.  Sophie got her a book on fancy nail painting and that kept the party entertained the rest of the evening.  They also made loom bracelets, made soap, told stories til late and laughed out loud until they finally crashed.  The next morning they ate breakfast at the hotel, we had cookie cake and painted more nails before the parents arrived.


Party Highlights: (written in secret by each friend)
Sadie- The whole spa
Peyton- Eating cookie cake for breakfast
Becca- Spa with friends
Chloe- Painting nails and spending time with my BFF's
Lucy- Hanging out with my friends
Sophie- The whole entire Spa
Emma Barrett- The spa and it's at a hotel!
Eva Grace- EVERYTHING

For your bday meal you ate at King Kohn.  Grandma took you on your traditional bday shopping trip and Nanner took you clothes shopping.  We brought donuts to school for your bday treat.

Ella's artwork :).

Ella, 6 years old

First Grade, UHE, Mrs. Smith's room

A drawing of what she was feeling.

Easter / Ethan's first bday / lots of festivities!!

Busy, busy weekend and so fun!  Most importantly, I think the girls understood the real meaning of Easter more than ever before.

Ella was SO excited when Mrs. Smith said she could bring the bunnies to school this week.  Her and Berkley loved taking them down the halls!

Our busy weekend started on Saturday with the church egg hunt.  We have this picture EVERY year of these 2 comparing candy from their baskets.  Don't know what was in this egg, but they didn't like it!

 Berkley, Ashtyn, Ella

 The Easter Bunny stopped by the church and the Littles let me get a picture.
Meanwhile, the bigs were busy finding new ways to "stuff" the eggs.

 Buddies- Paris, Ella, Berkley, Becca, Chloe, Cameryn, and EG.

Saturday afternoon, we went to Craighead for Ethan's first birthday celebration. Sarah and her brothers surprised her mom by all coming in this weekend and had a little bday party while they were in. There was also more egg hunting.  Look at this adorable one year old!!!

 The girls loved egg hunting, this one was a bit more challenging than the one at the church which they appreciated.  EG found a chauffeur, poor Martin.

 

 Eva Grace started this game with Ethan where she would fetch a balloon after he threw it on the ground.  He would do it over and over and she would retrieve it.  He cackled as she fetched it for him.  We were all laughing at his sweet laughter.

That evening, we went home and had a little egg dying contest. 

 I was talking some smack about my awesome eggs.  Turns out, I won!  First and second place!  Boo ya!  (The girls think the judge, Daddy, was prejudice.  I disagree).

 Ella with her, "I heart Dad," egg.  Trying to bribe the judge!!  It almost worked.

EG won the 3rd place award.

Sunday  morning

The girls woke up early to see their Easter baskets filled then they went back to bed.  When it was time to get up, their bunnies were delivered in their baskets.   

My beautiful girls.

After church, we went to Grandma's house for Sunday lunch.  We were joined by Uncle Adam, Aunt Andrea and Sadie, Uncle Mylo and Zeke, Nanner and Poppy, Mrs. Jane, Granddad and Grandma.  We had a delicious feast for lunch followed by more challenging egg hunting.  These eggs were filled with money!!

Cousins

Counting their loot 

BLESSED

Barrett Bunnies :)

Oh the cuteness!  I surprised the girls (and we all surprised Burt) with rabbits.  They had great grades and they had been doing a good job with their chores so I thought they needed a treat.  One afternoon, we drove to Paragould, they didn't know where we were going until we got there.  It was a barn full of bunnies, all different breeds.  The girls each got to pick one out.  We left with a flop eared (Emma), a lion head (EG), a flemish giant (Ella), and 4 excited girls (mama included).

 Ella's flemish giant can get up to 20-30 pounds!!  She named it Smalls.  It's ears are huge but it is so tame.  She wallers that thing everywhere and carries it on it's back like a baby.  It lets her do whatever.

 Look at those faces.  Hard to tell which is sweeter.  Both are a mess!  This lion head's name is fluffer chubbs.

 Emma's flop is so sweet and soft.  It is named Buttercup.

Emma's Cotillion Experience

August 2013
6th Grade
Continuing blog post...
Emma has started Cotillion.  We are both excited about this!  Dresses, hair, shoes, etc...

AUGUST- The first event in was the Back to School Social.  They learned how to get food at a snack buffet.  The girls learned how to sit in their chairs properly while holding their food.  They also learned the proper way to dispose of their trash.  Nothing ever goes on the floor!!  Everyone had to bring an item that described themselves and present it to the group.  They took a group photo as a party favor. :)
L-R, B-F Haley, MB, Claire, Kaira, Emily, Em, Olivia, Sophia, Parker, Ben, Mark Aaron, Mychal.

 They learn a dance every time and how to handle different social settings.  Tonight they learned how to do a line dance. :). (Emma and Kaira in center.  Olivia and Claire to the left).

SEPTEMBER-
Due to a huge fail on my part, we had our dates mixed up!!  By the time I realized it we had missed the preparty BUT we were able to pull it together and get Emma gorgeous in 15 minutes.  The event was held at Centennial Hall at ASU and the dance learned this month was the Foxtrot :).  Kids looked stunning and the momarazzi were in full force!

 Left:  Haley and Emma.

 Right:  Isabella Gibson and Emma.

  Above: Claire, Olivia, Emma.  Below:  Trey Norris and Emma.

This little hoochie mama decided to play dress up while we were getting Emma ready.  She put on some make up and grabbed her some heels without me knowing.  When we got to Centennial Hall to drop Emma off she didn't realize she had to get out of the car and I didn't realize how she was dressed!!  (This picture does not do the beauty school drop out job justice!).  She was a tad embarrassed to have to see all of EMMA's friends in her "fancy" set up.  Don't think she will do that again!!

October Cotillion:  There was a preparty at Claire McCord's house, then everyone headed to Centennial Hall for Cotillion.  Emma looked BEAUTIFUL!

Emma and Isabella...they were at the ballfields earlier this day with the little sisters.  They clean up very nice :).

NOVEMBER COTILLION:  

December Cotillion
After party at the Oliver's house. (Ben)

 Left:  Emma and Mollybeth
Above:  Our "accidental" coordinating picture with Trey.  (They are starting to catch on).
I chaperoned this Cotillion and the kids were taught the proper way to eat a 5 course meal and attend a dinner party. After Cotillion, we went to the party at the Oliver's home.  Then we stopped by Nanner and Poppy's.  Their tree made the perfect backdrop for some pictures.  Some of my favorites :).

January

Winter Ball

The girls got corsages and the boys got boutonnieres. Everyone got dance cards, an old southern tradition.  They all danced the dances they have learned over the past few months.

February- Parent/Child Dance on Valentine's Night.  She had the hottest date there :)

MARCH - missed due to JO volleyball.

APRIL- GRAND SPRING BALL
This was our favorite.  All the girls wore white dresses and the boys wore tuxes.  They looked so nice!!

  Emma dancing with Michael Golden.
Not sure who the young man is below.  There dance partners were always randomly selected.  This year they learned the Fox Trot, Waltz, Cha Cha, Fox Trot with turns, and the Shag.  (Emma rocked the Cha Cha).

Emma and Claire won awards for Most Courteous.  

 I am glad we invested the time and money in this experience this year.  Although shopping for the dresses was at the bottom of Emma's to-do list, she did enjoy getting to wear high heels (semi) for the first time, getting her hair done every month, wearing make up, and getting dressed up.  The pre /post parties were fun and a great way for the kids to practice the manner lessons they were learning and a great way for the momarazzi to get some pictures.  Emma also enjoyed getting together with her friends from other schools and seeing everyone else all dressed up.