Celebrating 5 Years with Natalie!

Every year Natalie picks a birthday party theme and mommy goes with it. So far we've had a luau, a train party, grocery shopping and a garden/vegetable party (which only won out over the haircutting party she wanted last year after lots of talking it through it with mom). This year, she wanted a watermelon party, so a watermelon party we had. She told both Nate and I on separate occasions, after the party, that she chose a watermelon party for her mommy. I have to admit, the only thing I have really craved with this pregnancy is watermelon, and lots of it. So, I can see where she'd get the idea. Pretty sweet that she thought of her mom when choosing the theme though. Nevertheless, it ended up being a great theme and a great time!

My sister-in-law, who now lives near us, is an incredible baker. She showed up at the party with this awesome watermelon cake!

 Tiny watermelons (jell-o filled lime slices). Cute to look at, but WAY too limey.

 Melon Matching game for a watermelon fairy sticker prize!

Making "one in a melon" frames. 

 Watermelon face paint. Not only can my sis-in-law Christy bake, she can face paint too!

 One of our smaller, happy guests!

 Melon ball toss. Think grand-prize game from the Bozo the clown days, only stickier.

 Watermelon roll relay race. It was a pretty big challenge, but they did it!

 Frozen watermelon pops. Delicious!

 Blowing out the candle in her ice cream cone filled with icing. Kids love the frosting, so we had cake cones instead of real cake! This was, hands-down, Natalie's favorite part of the party.

 We also had a scavenger hunt where kids ran around like crazy! Kids running around crazily is a sure sign of a time well had!

 Church friends!

 Grandaddy

 Kylee and Nat. One of her faves.

 After-party gift opening with a couple of besties.

 Almost forgot a family photo. As you can see, Sutton is as happy as Natalie about her birthday and was excited ALL week. He sang "happy birthday Sissy" all week, and still is.

 A replica of a photo from the early 80s. My kid, Leann's kid and Rachel's kid. All our mom's can't get over just how much these three remind them of us at their ages. Looks and personalities alike! More memories in the making.

Happy 5th Birthday Natalie Glenn! I pray the next 5 years goes a little slower. But even if it speeds by, I'm gonna try to enjoy every little second with you!!

Watermelon Party Prep

I will never take for granted the man God gave me. He is great all the time, but especially on party days. Natalie chose a watermelon themed party, so there was lots of scooping and cutting to be done.

 Luckily, we had a taste tester nearby as well.

Natalie's BirthDAY

Party pics will follow, but her actual day was pretty fun too. We celebrated all day, from sun up to sun down. After all, August 23, 2007 is certainly a day to celebrate in this house!!

Smiley face pancakes and gift from Granny before she even went to school.

 This little guy has been singing "happy birthday, sissy" for a few days now. He does LOVE that sister.

 Fourth day of school, and already a birthday to celebrate. 

 Can she really be big enough to eat lunch on her own?!

 Sutton sure thinks HE is!

 The best part of having birthday popsicles brought to lunch was that the birthday girl gets to pass them out. 

 For some reason, every little thing about their usual school routine was sentimental to me. Even lining up on the wall. They just seem so big now! Well, except that little one, second from the end.

 Birthday flowers and balloon from Daddy. 

Five roses for 5 years. She was really impressed, "Daddy sent them to me from his work." 

 Opened up "the best present ever" as soon as we got home. "I always love just what Mimi does," she says. Somehow Mimi always know JUST what to get. ;)

 And Sutton got a little something too. So sissy can play with her new stuff in peace. :)

No Rush

While we aren't rushing them into the dating scene, we couldn't help but photograph the cuteness of this moment! I stood in my kitchen and watched as Ethan and his little sister Avery drove up our driveway in his new wheels! Ethan encouraged Avery out and invited Natalie in for a ride. Their sweet family lives just down the street. Maybe after 11 more years of training these two up "in the way they should go...they will not depart from it" when they are truly old enough to go out together, as friends, of course!

First Day of Kindergarten

Where did summer go? Where did 5 years go?! Natalie is off to kindergarten. It took me an hour (literally) to pack that first lunch. Such pressure. Luckily, she told me she had the best lunch of the class! She knows how to warm her mama's heart. We will miss her while she's gone and squeeze her tighter when she's with us.

She wanted her photo "by the mini coupe." (laughing at Daddy, below)

 With her teacher, Mrs.Augst. And her seat is right beside her little friend, Chloe. 

In her own words, after the first day, "Being a kindergartener really IS the best!"

Little Me

Natalie took great joy in organizing the pantry with all the school snacks we'd just gotten from the grocery. Looks like I'm not the only one nesting around here. Sometimes we are too much alike.

First Family Vacation

Because we've always lived away from our families until recently, we've never really taken a family vacation just by ourselves, to a destination that didn't involve visiting family. I was SO excited while planning this trip.  And as it turns out, I had every reason to be. It was so nice not to have to fold laundry, clean the house or do any other busy work that I allow to get ahead of just playing with my kids. And Nate had no distractions either. The kids were amazing in the car. I could go on and on, but instead I'll let the photos do the talking.

After spending one night with some friends from our time in Africa, we headed out to Boone, NC to the Samaritan's Purse headquarters. It was fun seeing some friends from World Medical Mission (the group Nate volunteers with to do medical missions) and Operation Christmas Child (the group I work with collecting shoeboxes for kids worldwide). And the tour was quite informative as well. 

Checking out how the shoeboxes we pack at Christmas make it to kids around the world. 

From Boone to Blowing Rock. Natalie, especially loved seeing the mountains for the first time. Sutton's favorite (no surprise here) was the choo choo train place, Tweetsie RR! 

 Waking up, getting to watch Disney Jr. in bed right away! Now that's vacation.

 Back for another morning at Tweetsie.

 Sutton waving to all the characters. I continue to be amazed by just how much JOY the tiniest things about parenting can bring me. 

 Even a month ago, Sutton refused to get on a ride. On this vacation, he decided to hop on every ride there was, smiling all the way. He even rode the ferris wheel with Natalie and Daddy!

 From Tweetsie RR to the Great Wolf Lodge!

 Nat's first waterslide!

 She was very focused.

A hubby I adore. A happy, healthy family.  There are no words to describe how blessed I feel. 

Can't hardly wait for our next trip. Even if we have to pack a breastpump, tiny diapers and a pack-n-play!