1st Day of 1st Grade

Maxwell Carter started school - he is in the 1st grade at North Daviess! He really, really enjoys school and jumps out of bed in the mornings to get ready. His teacher's name is Mrs. Ashby and several of his friends are also in his class! He is a great reader and now has homework to work on each night.  

He still goes to school each morning with Uncle Clay...Max really looks up to Clay, and wants to be a teacher one day just like his uncle. 

Last year at the beginning of kindergarten I did a short "interview" with Max, so I kept the same questions this year (and added a few) and plan to compare his answers thru the years! 

Max's favorites at the start of Kindergarten:

Color: Orange

Favorite school lunch: Pizza

Sport: Basketball

Toy: Legos

TV show: Power Rangers

Sports Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Insect: Ant

Books: Bearenstein Bears

Past time/Hobbies: Play basketball and baseball

Best friend: Landon Knepp

Quote: "You just got served!"

Dream Car: Lamborghini

Future Occupation: Professional basketball player like Micheal Jordan

Least favorite thing to do: Go to the dentist or eat vegetables

One Thousand Gifts

I just started reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I've been wanting to read it for awhile now, so I finally ordered it and found the time to read a few pages. The author already has me completely wrapped up - she writes beautifully and seamlessly weaves stories with scripture. Basically the author is writing about a time in her life that she feels ungrateful and selfish...but was prompted to make a list of one thousand gifts she has received from God. Daily she is jotting down little things she is thankful for, that she hadn't even noticed she was taking for granted. 

God's timing is impeccable. I know I am supposed to be reading this book, at this moment. Page by page it is leading me closer to my God, closer to a life of giving thanks in EVERY situation. I have decided to make my own list of one thousand gifts. I don't know how long it will take me or what it will look like, but I know I must make my own list. 
I bought a journal about 2 years ago and put it away...never knowing exactly what I wanted or needed to do with it. Today as I was reading, I realized exactly what its purpose would be. I knew where it was and I pulled it out...on the front it has a verse from the Bible:  The Earth is filled with Your love, O Lord.  Psalm 119:64
It doesn't get much more clear than that. So here I am...ready to start my list. I think I will start with being thankful for these 3 gifts: 

Callie's 1st Birthday

My little one has gone from this...

To this...

It just doesn't seem possible. I know I have said this before, but Callie has really just brought this completeness to our lives. When she was born, my heart almost burst with joy and I thought to myself - this is my family. 

Callie is completely and totally her OWN person. She is nothing like her brother - her personality is much more firey & spunky! She is fiercely stubborn and pushes the limits...we have our hands full:)  She is so much fun and we just can't get enough of her...she hands out kisses willingly! Did I mention that she is completely and totally a daddy's girl? When daddy is around, she wants nothing to do with me, or anyone else for that matter. It might have something to do with her getting anything and everything she wants when she is with him;) She loves the outdoors, just like her daddy, and once Gabe is home from work I usually don't see the two of them until bedtime. 

The day after her 1st birthday, we had a big party at the Loogootee swimming pool for her. The theme was "Our Little Miss Sunshine Is One!" I had so much fun ordering all kinds of yellow decorations and searching on Pinterest for ideas! Here is a photo of her invitation: 

Here are some of the decorations at the party: 

The guys grilled (thanks, honey!!) and we all ate, talked, swam, and just enjoyed celebrating Ms. Callie Catherine!

Then it was time to dig into the cake...she was so excited and kept laughing like "you guys are really gonna let me do this????" So cute!!

Callie fell asleep on the way home...we were all completely worn out - and happy as can be:)!!

Summer List 2012

Just like last summer, we decided to make a "Summer To-Do List!" At the beginning of our summer break from school, I sit down with Max and we create a list of things we would like to do throughout the summer. Some of the activities are very small, while others are bigger or more time consuming. I try to mix it up with both. I really love doing this with Max...I think it makes me more intentional with my time with my kids and gives Max lots to look forward to:)! We still have a few things we didn't get to mark off the list, but we might leave it up for awhile and try to finish it out. Here is our list this year - 

Last night we decided to mark something else off our list - we had a living room sleepover:) It ended up being just Max and I...Gabe was being a party-pooper and just wanted to sleep in his bed, and Callie is pretty attached to her crib:) So Max and I ordered pizza, watched a movie, snacked on popcorn, made a big bed on the floor, and slept like babies all night:) It was a really fun activity to do before heading back to real life - work and school. Max was super excited to get up this morning and put a check mark by "living room sleepover." He is like me in that way -we like to make lists and be able to mark things off.  

Here are some photos we took from our sleepover - me and my little man:)

I go back to work this week - so let the craziness begin!