Early Easter Morning

~This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it~



The day before Easter was filled with traditions.





And Noel (the Christmas bird) was with us in our sunny kitchen.





And suddenly it was Easter morning.  The promise of spring days ahead.  The the most important day in our faith, the promise of life eternal through His son, Jesus.  Alleluia, Christ is risen!



View of the kitchen before girls were awake.







The Easter bunny found a 'chocolate' bunny key chain, vintage Easter eggs, books, a sweet springtime jewelry box,



springtime washi tape, Royal Dalton fine bone china mugs, signs that sisters are best friends, and the softest Jesus doll.  (which Anna thinks is like the coolest thing ever...she comes up with the funniest {still respectful though} things he says at night... she has Scott and I cracking up at night)





While Santa leaves gifts in the living room under the tree, the Easter bunny leaves gifts in their baskets left out on their little pink castle chairs.







Always a book.







And something vintage.







And these 'Happy Go Luckys" from Hallmark were a huge hit!  Tiny fruit, and tiny animals, and tiny ready for this?  pancakes, and bacon, etc. to play with.  I didn't take pictures of them, just trust me, they are adorable!







Royal Doulton china mugs from England.





This one looks like such a good read aloud!





Sweet planner stickers.









And then it was off to get dressed and to Mass....

So Much to Look Forward To

I'm sad about Abigail growing out of elementary school.  She "graduates" in June.  In June I won't have a child in the safety of one teacher/one classroom all day.  I won't have a child with recess.

It bothers me so much that Anna is in high school.  And is taller than me.  And that the hard/wonderful days of them home with me all day are over.

Scott and I got away last weekend for an hour date.  We went into a cute tea shop, got tea to go, and walked around an antique store. I held his hand and we both agreed that we're going to be okay.

But we are **made** for parenting these two girls.  Made for it.  And we parent with our heart and soul, both of us.  I know many parents (even the wonderful ones) that actually look forward to the last one going off to college.  The new freedom.  Not Scott and I.  We hope it never happens.  That they'll never grow up.  That they'll be little forever.

But Scott reminds me that we'll be the 'kind of parents' who are with them every step of the way.  That we'll always be with them.  It'll just be different. He tells me that our new life will be all about the trip for the weekend to see them in college, being with them in the summer, things like that.

I trust God and I trust Scott of course, but I still wish Abigail would just stay in elementary school.

That she would keep forgetting her lunch box at school.

That she would keep having that one sheet of homework.

That she would keep needing her hair done by me each morning - braided or up in a bun.

There's a line I wrote on the bottom of my email to my classroom parents at the end of the first week of school.  "We have so much to look forward to...."

And I've written it on each email since that first day.

I believe that with my whole heart.  We have so much to look forward to.



But this backpack?  It fits her now.  And she knows this school.  Inside and out.  It 'belongs' to her.  She's not just following her teacher in like a little baby duck.



So I sigh, and tell my aching heart that wants her girls little forever, come on heart

Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me?  Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God. ~ Psalm 42:5 

and we have so very much to look forward to!

One More Wake Up

We are two days away from April break.  It's been a dozy of a week.  I hate the word but I can't lie.  It's been busy.  Like crazy busy.  The girls are in viola full time all year, Abigail has Irish dance, Inter Elementary orchestra and just this spring she did the science fair.

Last night I was mad at the science fair for stealing a crazy night and making it crazier.  "run to the car Abigail!"  actually came out of my mouth to get her to her private viola lesson as she ran out of the science fair she actually won!

I was tired, bone tired for holding the week together.  Teaching is marvelous but please, go buy your child's teacher a bouquet of spring gorgeousness and tell her you think she's amazing.  I'm going to save my 'elementary school teachers are amazing' post for another day when I'm not so tired from being one.

Sometimes I feel weary from my life.  I wonder about the choices we've made.  We live in this amazing town, with so so much to offer.  But there are times I'm tired from doing all this town has to offer.

This week Scott and I couldn't even begin to talk about the upcoming vacation week.  We lived one hour at a time.  And have {almost} made it to the end.

Just one more wake up!

I know it's not God's best for me but sometimes I drift; back to memories of being a stay at home like I was for 13 years.  Back to the comfort.  Back to the peace.  Back to the control.  I had everything under control.  I managed our little home like clockwork.  Now I have no choice but to hand the reigns to God and let Him guide us.  I can't do it all like I did "before".

And when I am sad that I'm not still 'there' I feel a nudge from the Holy Spirit telling me that I'm in the right place.  That the energy and peace I find in room 124 of my school is not one 'where' I'm supposed to be for me, but for all four of us. 

My feelings shift when I allow myself to feel God in a moment like that.  How very blessed I am.  How I adore my school.  How planning lessons, and teaching, and (I can't deny it) decorating my classroom brings me joy abundant.  I am so blessed. 

I have stars in my eyes about this nothing on the calendar week.  If someone calls me with an idea, I've already decided it's "no thank you".  The four of us just need to be.  Just need to be together. 

I started a little list of things I'd like to get to as our vacation week goes on.  Little things like a closet here or there.  Bigger things like our living room ... hoping for shaking things up a bit in there.  My house ideas give me energy to do .... just. one. more. wake. up. 

God of Miracles

"The thing about miracles is that they happen" ~ C.K. Chesteron

"Everything is possible for one who believes." Mark 9:23

May we never forget that we serve a God of miracles!

Irish Step Celi

In March Abigail's Irish dance school has their annual Celi. It is a wonderful evening that is part recital and part Irish party. There is a big band, lots of round tables with families, food, and laughter. All while we watch our daughters dance. A wonderful evening.



This year the dance school decided to tell an old Irish legend. And they 'told a story' as they weaved the dancing throughout. It was lovely. Abigail represented 'Queen Mauve" and played her viola throughout the show.

It so impressed me that she could easily play (flawlessly) in front of hundreds of people. Oh I could never do that at her age (or my age now).



























After the show was over the girls change into their party dresses from home and enjoy time with their family and friends.









So proud of her and so happy that she finds joy in dancing.





2013 is here

2014 is here

2015 is here 

2016 is here and here

2017 is here and here