Last Day of School

And just like that the school year is done...and I now have a first grader and a kindergartener.  I don't know if this mama's heart can handle it!!  Both of the girls have done so well over the last year.  They have learned so much and both have thoroughly enjoyed school!  For that I am so thankful!  Fullerton has been an awesome school; filled with amazing people.  I think saying goodbye to Fullerton was and will be one of our toughest good byes.  Our new school will have a lot to live up to :).  

My first grader

My kindergartener

Last Gymnastics Class of the Year

This was one of the "lasts" over the last week.  And I know there will still be many more to come!  The girls wrapped up their second year of gymnastics this last Monday.  They have both made so much progress and both are sad that the year is over.  We'll definitely have to find a new gym in Olathe.  

Evie, Ava, and Ella

Ava's Field Trip to the Zoo

Matt and I were able to join Ava and her classmates at the zoo for an end of year field trip.   We all had so much fun!  It's fun to watch Ava interact with her friends and to meet more parents.  

Claira, Ava, Sophia, and Victoria

Evie and Ava

Ava, Josie, and Sophia

It was so hot that we let the kids cool off at the splash pad!

And So It Begins...

Packing again.  We are preparing to move again but this time to Kansas where we will be much closer to family.   So we we are excited...and sad...and nervous!  I'm sure these are normal moving to another state feelings, right?!!!  We have loved Omaha and mostly loved our friends who have made Omaha our home for 12 years.   We are going to miss them all so much and are vowing to stay in touch and visit as much as possible.  But we are so excited to be 10 minutes away from my brother and 2 hours away from Matt's siblings (that's 4 hours closer!!).

Matt and I have been talking about moving back to Kansas for 5 years but always said no.  But now that the girls are getting a little older and LOVE their time with family and cry when they have to leave their cousins; it was time to jump in with both feet and make the change.  Family is everything to us!!  And we do not want to miss out on things when it comes to family.

We bought a house in Olathe and are closing on it next week!!  And so we are in full packing mode!

The Best Day of the Year...Mother's Day!!

I love Mother's Day so much!  I'm certain it's because I waited so long to become a mom.  For so many years Mother's Day was a reminder that I was not a mom; something I longed for more than anything else.  I knew I was meant to be a mom and couldn't understand why I was having to wait; why it was so difficult for me to be a mom; and why it seemed like everyone else around me was easily becoming a mom.  Looking back I am so thankful that I went through those times (most days, anyway ;)).   I want to be the best mom I can be everyday.  I never want to take these days with my babies for-granted.  I am blessed and thankful that they call me Mama!!

This year I got an extra special surprise with a Mother's Day Tea and program with Ava's class in school.  I may have teared up several times :).  They sang several songs and each kiddo read their writing on why their mama is special.  So special!!

My second special date for this Mother's Day was a painting class with both my girls and some great friends.  We had a blast.  I loved every minute with my little artists!!

And then came Mother's Day!!  We loaded up for the zoo for some family time in the sun!!

petting sting rays

spoiled Mama here!!

In Other News...

Ava lost her 3rd tooth on Cinco De Mayo but this is the first tooth that we've been able to put under her pillow.  Her first tooth she swallowed.  The second her either swallowed or it's lost in the dress up clothes!  LOL!  No letter needed to explain to the tooth fairy this time :)

AND...
I got to see Justin Timberlake in concert in Tulsa with my Fuller sisters and a friend!  We had so much fun!! 

Jessie, me, Sarah, and Jen

School BBQ

Matt and I joined Ava and Ella at school for their school picnic/BBQ!  We enjoyed burgers and the fixings.  It's so fun to see them in their environment, loving on their friends!

Ella and her buddy Amelia.  They were together in day care and now are in the same pre-K.  They are silly together!!

Ava and Claira

Claira, Evie, Ava, Kori, and Emilia

Ella Turns Five

My baby is 5 years old and had her 3rd birthday party with her forever family!!  We will celebrate this girl for the rest of our lives!  At these times I find myself wondering what life looked like for the girls before we were a family...did they celebrate birthdays?  If they did celebrate, what did it look like; sound like?  So thankful this beautiful girls is in our lives forever now and we'll get to celebrate her birthday every year from now on.  Thank God you were born and thank God you're ours.  

Your 5th birthday in our house means your first friends birthday party.  So Ella has been planning her party for an entire year!!  She invited her entire Pre-K Class and a few other friends to Pump it Up (an indoor inflatable fun house).  She had a great turn out and her grandparents and aunt and uncle got to come join in the fun too!!

We all had a blast playing!!!

For dinner we celebrated with family and a couple of good friends; Suzi and Darlene.  One of Ella's favorite meals is spaghetti and meatballs from Carrabas; so that's what we ordered.  Delicious!!

Ella received her jade "year of the snake" necklace from Lau Lau and Pappy.  Ava received her's on her 5th birthday 2 years ago.  Very proud of these treasures.

Suzi lives above us in the apartment

Our sweet Darlene!

A new bike from Mama and Baba!

On Ella's actual birthday, we loaded up and headed to Southern Kansas to celebrate with more family and all of her cousins.  This girl loves her buffalo chicken wings so that's we ordered...buffalo wings and pizza.  She was one happy girl!

Happy Birthday sweet Ella!!  We love you to the moon and back!!