Jayce- His kindergarten production

Jayce's first "REAL" experience of school is over. I will now use my Mommy bragging rights card, and tell you.... he absolutely slammed it! He has learned so much, and created so many memories for us to look back on. His teacher thought he was one of a kind. She even asked me how did I get so lucky to get such a special kid. I don't know. I do know that I am one lucky mommy! I'm sure all moms out there feel the same way :)

I was privileged enough to do reading group with his class once a week, on Tuesdays. I loved every minute of it. It's amazing to see how your child interacts with his work, teachers, and classmates. One day he was sitting at his desk, and I was across the room with another group of students, I glanced over at him to find that he was blowing me a kiss. Yes, I melted. Plus, I really enjoyed getting to know all the other kids. There were some that I wanted to pinch and squeezed because they were so cute. It was also cool to see how 18 kids color, write, draw, and spell so differently. Jayce's first award given to him was the Good Character award. I think that pretty much sums him up. Brian and I are extremely proud of him. We really try to teach morals, integrity and character to both, Jayce and Jadyn. And for him to get that award put a big smile on our hearts. Jayce is a student that is on task and kind to others. He has grown so much in the last year that its unbelievable. I feel like he's a big kid now. He's lost his baby face and has this handsome boy look going on. He will always be my lil sunshine though! The first person who I absolutely fell in love with (effortlessly). The first person who showed me what a real heart beat was. The first person who called me mama. So, you see Jayce you may be this big kid now, but to me you will always be my lil baby boy who opened my world to everything that really matters! Here are a few pictures of his Kindergarten Production.

Jayce and Dawson. Best Friends. Dawson is an unbelievable artist!

Jayce saying his lines.

Nanny, Oma and Sis came to support Jayce. Daddy n O were working :(

Jayce and Bella.

Jayce with Mrs. Kell

She is amazing!

Mrs. Kell and the assistant teacher Mrs. Mariano sent their kindergarten kids home on the last day with books, worksheets, letters to them, a bunch of little things and a DVD set to music with all the pictures they took throughout the year. Who does that?! Thankful for this school and their teachers :))

Sissy Bella is on her way to Kindergarten

Ahhh, just to think that both of our children are now school- aged kids makes me want to grab a tissue. How did this happen so fast? :(  My days of babies n toddlers are long gone. I still have lots to look forward too but it is definitely bittersweet. I can't imagine my life with out my children in it. It wouldn't be as fun or meaningful. Nothing compares to a child flying into your arms and telling you that they love you. There are so many great moments that they bring to our lives and watching Jadyn graduate preschool was on top of the list. She was proud of herself, and you could see the happiness all over her little face.  Jadyn and I have a thing where we say...BFF's and Girls forever, always in our hearts. Its really sweet. It melts me every.single.time.

She is every thing I ever hoped for in a little girl and more. She makes everyone laugh, shes a free spirited soul. If you are not feeling good, shes the first one to kiss and rub your booboo! Her favorite color is green, and she loves to play puppies ( I mean, really loves to play puppies)! If you give her a cupcake, her face will light up! She might even say you are her new favorite person. If you get on to her she will cry, and say her heart is broke. She's good. Reeeal good. She knows how to play things to her advantage. My little drama queen who loves to be in the spotlight, but also has such a tender spirit is the star of our lives. She did so well in preschool. I know she will be a great student in kindergarten making her fellow students and teachers laugh. Where there is Joy, Jadyn is near!

She is showing us her shoes that she had to wear to her big show:)

Sissy loves her Oma and Opa

Reading her card

The Cothern Family <3

Austin giving Sissy a swirl

With their Dalton

Simply amazed with their love for our children. Thank you for being apart of their every day lives

The best Nanny ever!!! They love her sooooo much!

With Aunt T

With Uncle Ronnie

She thoroughly enjoyed this "muffin"....After her graduation and taking pics..she said "MUFFIN TIME" (what she calls cupcakes) She knew it was in the car waiting for her. I told everybody, I give her 10-15 min after the show is done till she says something about that cupcake. She didn't prove me wrong!

                                                                           Happiness

Sweet Kisses

2010 Terrific Turtles

Life

These last couple of months have been a struggle for me and Brian. The stress has been heavy and the tension tight. Luckily, the stress is not between us. We are fine. We are just processing a few things that have come our way. Unforeseen circumstances. Which is never fun. It causes you to question things like why try and do right or work so hard if this is going to keep happening. It causes doubt. It makes you want to whine and throw a fit saying things like this isn't fair, and why us. However, at the end of the day... I have to say I truly believe its because we are missing it some where. There is some thing we haven't learned in the process. If we keep going through the same thing every so often,  its because we haven't mastered it. So, I have asked myself what are we not learning?? There is still something we are not getting. I want to know what it is so, we can rectify the problem and get passed it.  I know there will still be "stresses" and "unforeseen circumstances", life isn't always fair. I get that. I do know though that we can be more prepared.  Even though our hearts and minds are heavy, I feel good that we are in a place where we don't take our stress out on each other. It has also made me notice how much I have grown personally. A couple of years ago, I started going on a private journey. Examining myself, changing things, trying different things. I have failed at some things and felt victorious in other things.  I will touch on this another day. Anyway, as I was saying we maybe stressed, but in the trenches is where I have seen just how remarkable we are as a team, the four of us. I know that we will get passed this... we always do. We have big dreams! One of our bigger dreams is to reach our full potential so we can help others reach theirs. It will happen......

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

We went canoeing with my best friend Mindy of 18 yrs, and her two children Angelyna and Anthony. It was so funny because we loaded the canoe on her van, strapped that sucker down, and laughed about how we should probably put a warning sign up on the window. We must have done a descent job because that baby didn't budge going down the street! It was a lot of fun. We had pizza at the park, then the kids went to the little private beach for a while. After that the kids rode their bikes, while we waited for Brian to get off work. He was dead set on us waiting there for the canoeing part of the day. He honestly thought we would not know how to do it. I guess he thought having all of us PLUS him in the canoe would be a better alternative!! This was a sight to see! I mean the water was leveled to right about the edge of the canoe. My son was sayin' this is not a good idea. Her daughter Angel started freaking out. Mindy and I could not stop laughing. I tried to get the kids thinking about something else, I said, "hey guys look at the fish jumping" Wellll.... Jayce wasn't hearing nothing about no kind of fish jumping!!! He didn't even turn his head, he looked straight on and said, "I don't care what those fish are doing, I don't want this canoe to sink or tip." Jadyn kept leaning over trying to catch some fish. She didn't care about the water splashing in! Ohh, it was funny! We eventually got to land. Brian and the kids played in the water while a manatee was swimming probably 15 ft away from them, no joke! I kept trying to take a picture of it, but I kept missing it. Mindy was able to get one, but who knows when I'll ever get a copy ;) Anyhoo, it was soo much fun! Oh yeah, the kids also fed some cows!

 

Mexico- Fun in the Sun

In April, we went on a cruise to Key West and Cozumel with the Nichols family for a few days. We had a blast! The kids already started saving for the next one! I love the wonder that the kids bring to our lives. I look at them, and wish I could still see things the way they do. The boat looked larger-than-life to them. It was so much fun watching them enjoy themselves. Even Jayce, the safety first kind of boy, was all over the place. He didn't even think about going down that gigantic slide on the ship, he just did it. He even went down the slide that went into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, granted he only did it once, but at least he did it! Sissy Bella loved going to kid's camp everyday. She made me laugh when she went down the slide in the Gulf, she came up from the water and said, "I'm sorry Mommy, I forgot to hold my nose".  We had the most fabulous waiters! They loved cutting up with us. Casa was the head waiter and he took to sissy. He almost cried hugging her goodbye. He has a daughter her age, and only gets to see her every 6-8 months. I can't imagine doing that, but he is trying to better their life in Haiti. He works all day and night with 2 breaks to eat. Just a great guy! It was a great experience for all of us! I want to do it again, soon! For now, I can just look over the 500 pictures that I took (yes, I am that person). Here's a few from our va-k!

Enjoyin' the Sun

Me and Jadyn in Key West

Our babies

Leavin' Miami

Goin' to dinner

Listening to the music on the street

They loved the slide on the ship

She jumped on me and was freeeeezing

They loved the towel animals

her "Lizzy" and "Ally" joined us for dinner every night

My beautiful family

Jayce enjoyin' the Gulf of Mexico

Dalton did too

Sliding into the Gulf of Mexico. Soo Fun

The kids getting ready to go down the slide on the boat

Lil' Cuties

Jadyn

Family <3

Sissy with her Godfather

Casa talking to Sissy's "Ally"

Last night on the boat.... wahhhh

What a fun vacation! Can't wait to do it again!!