Here are some pics from the first day. They did pretty well with drop off - just a few tears from Nala when we left...she calmed/quieted down before we made it down the hall :) Nia was completely fine the whole time, she was off making new friends. Their end of the day report stated that they were both happy, quiet, and busy. Also, they told KT that they were pretty tired and very much ready for nap! Our girls are used to lots of resttime :)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
New School
NiNa started at a new school on Wednesday. A week ago Friday was their last day at their old school. I really hate that the scheduling didn't work out for us. We've had a wonderful experience for the last year. Thankfully we were able to find a place that we will prayerfully love just as much. The girls are enrolled two days at week to give daddy a little bit of much needed/deserved rest time.
Here are some pics from the first day. They did pretty well with drop off - just a few tears from Nala when we left...she calmed/quieted down before we made it down the hall :) Nia was completely fine the whole time, she was off making new friends. Their end of the day report stated that they were both happy, quiet, and busy. Also, they told KT that they were pretty tired and very much ready for nap! Our girls are used to lots of resttime :)
Here are some pics from the first day. They did pretty well with drop off - just a few tears from Nala when we left...she calmed/quieted down before we made it down the hall :) Nia was completely fine the whole time, she was off making new friends. Their end of the day report stated that they were both happy, quiet, and busy. Also, they told KT that they were pretty tired and very much ready for nap! Our girls are used to lots of resttime :)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Hannah's Shower
This past Saturday we had a shower for my friend Brandy. Unexpectantly, Brandy delivered a beautiful 2 lb baby girl at 26 weeks. Mommy and Baby are doing so well and have truly been a testament of God's blessings, favor, and grace. I'm so proud of Brandy for the way she has handled this with such strength!
Hannah has spent the last month in the NICU growing big and strong and today weighs over 3lbs. We are so excited about that. Her Aunt Hope is pretty thrilled that at 3.5 lbs she is going to get to finally get to wear some cute little outfits!! We are all so ready for her to come home - I personally can't wait to hold her cute little self.
At her shower, she got lots of cute little things - can't wait til she can enjoy them!

Hannah has spent the last month in the NICU growing big and strong and today weighs over 3lbs. We are so excited about that. Her Aunt Hope is pretty thrilled that at 3.5 lbs she is going to get to finally get to wear some cute little outfits!! We are all so ready for her to come home - I personally can't wait to hold her cute little self.
At her shower, she got lots of cute little things - can't wait til she can enjoy them!

Thursday, August 19, 2010
Summer's Over!!
I'm not sure how, but somehow the summer has come and gone. This summer, especially these last few weeks just completely flew by.
MacKenzie went back to school this week after having a very full and exciting summer. I can hardly believe that my baby is a 4th grader. She was thrilled to go back to school. She's been at her school since she was 4 and for her it is a 2nd "home". On Monday when she woke up she told me that she woke up every hour. I remember that exact feeling every first day of school. There is just something about coming back and starting it all over again. We are excited about this year for her. We think she has a terrific foundation and will do well - we are excited and hopeful that she will be challenged. This year she will have to manage her school work load, continuing to do Kumon and piano, but will have to manage this with three nights of gymnastics versus two (10.5 hrs vs 6hrs/ week). While I'm confident she can do it, I often offer up "outs"...she never bites :) ! Because she works so hard, I am willing to let her have this. She really enjoys it and for her it is a challenge. I love that she is working out and continuing to get strong and more so than anything that she LIKES it - but at anypoint she is ready to quit - I'm TOTALLY on board.
I asked her what she loved most about her summer. MacKenzie is very indecisive and is in general careful about commiting her choices. In the end, she said she basically LOVED it all - especially her summer trips - St. Louis, Fulton, Kansas City, and New Orleans. And as far as local camps she really like a Project Runway class she took at her school and one that she did just last week. Last week she went to a culinary camp. It was AWESOME - she learned to make so many things including quesadillas, baked chicken, roasted carrots and lots of yummy desserts including made from scratch cookies , molten chocolate cake, and cinnnamon rolls! I'm excited for her to try them out at home!
I'm prayerful that this year will be a good one for her and that she will continue to grow and mature as the little young lady she is becoming.
Finally - when I dropped her off on Monday - she revealed that as excited as she was - she was going to miss being with her sisters. I LOVE it. I love that MacKenzie finally has that...
MacKenzie went back to school this week after having a very full and exciting summer. I can hardly believe that my baby is a 4th grader. She was thrilled to go back to school. She's been at her school since she was 4 and for her it is a 2nd "home". On Monday when she woke up she told me that she woke up every hour. I remember that exact feeling every first day of school. There is just something about coming back and starting it all over again. We are excited about this year for her. We think she has a terrific foundation and will do well - we are excited and hopeful that she will be challenged. This year she will have to manage her school work load, continuing to do Kumon and piano, but will have to manage this with three nights of gymnastics versus two (10.5 hrs vs 6hrs/ week). While I'm confident she can do it, I often offer up "outs"...she never bites :) ! Because she works so hard, I am willing to let her have this. She really enjoys it and for her it is a challenge. I love that she is working out and continuing to get strong and more so than anything that she LIKES it - but at anypoint she is ready to quit - I'm TOTALLY on board.
I asked her what she loved most about her summer. MacKenzie is very indecisive and is in general careful about commiting her choices. In the end, she said she basically LOVED it all - especially her summer trips - St. Louis, Fulton, Kansas City, and New Orleans. And as far as local camps she really like a Project Runway class she took at her school and one that she did just last week. Last week she went to a culinary camp. It was AWESOME - she learned to make so many things including quesadillas, baked chicken, roasted carrots and lots of yummy desserts including made from scratch cookies , molten chocolate cake, and cinnnamon rolls! I'm excited for her to try them out at home!
I'm prayerful that this year will be a good one for her and that she will continue to grow and mature as the little young lady she is becoming.
Finally - when I dropped her off on Monday - she revealed that as excited as she was - she was going to miss being with her sisters. I LOVE it. I love that MacKenzie finally has that...
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
She

1) is my sister
2) is one of my bestfriends
3) is absolutely stunning
4) let me practice shooting in manual
5) always has my back
6) is amazingly smart
7) is super skinny
8) is an awesome mother to Robin II & Cydney
9) is an excellent wife to Robin
10) has always been fiesty
11) loves God first and her family second
12) loves fashion and getting "dolled up"
13) is a true middle child
14) reminds me of my mother
15) is one of the strongest people I know
16) is very proud of her roots
17) is never afraid to speak her mind
18) chooses her friends wisely
19) never passes up a free meal
20) is affectionally called Maine
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
She
1) is Imani, known by most as MacKenzie
2) is my first born
3) has always been a very pleasurable child
4) was born 6lbs 7 oz, 19 1/2 inches long in 2001
5) is loved by many - but none more than her mommy and daddy
6) is a very fast learner - learned to read at 2, but still doesn't really know how to ride a bike
7) confessed that talking was her gift at the age of six
8) amazes me how fast she has grown up
9) is a natural born leader
10) was an only child for 8 years but loves her sisters like she'd never loved another before
11) can be silly at times
12) is a pianist, a gymnast, straight A student, and loves to dance
13) wants to be perfect and is dissappointed when she fails
14) enjoys spending time with her family - especially her cousins
15) is a friend to many, but calls Mia her best.
16) loves the color red on account of her daddy
17) motivates me to work - because if I could, I'd give her the world.
18) lacks fashion sense, it's not of concern to her
19) at age 9 can share my shoes
20) loves to read
21) will someday likely be my best-friend
22) rises early and goes to bed way too late
23) loves unconditionally
24) lives by faith and is my constant prayer partner
25) was unplanned but is so much more than i could ever dreamed or imagined that God would have given
me in a child.
2) is my first born
3) has always been a very pleasurable child
4) was born 6lbs 7 oz, 19 1/2 inches long in 2001
5) is loved by many - but none more than her mommy and daddy
6) is a very fast learner - learned to read at 2, but still doesn't really know how to ride a bike
7) confessed that talking was her gift at the age of six
8) amazes me how fast she has grown up
9) is a natural born leader
10) was an only child for 8 years but loves her sisters like she'd never loved another before
11) can be silly at times
12) is a pianist, a gymnast, straight A student, and loves to dance
13) wants to be perfect and is dissappointed when she fails
14) enjoys spending time with her family - especially her cousins
15) is a friend to many, but calls Mia her best.
16) loves the color red on account of her daddy
17) motivates me to work - because if I could, I'd give her the world.
18) lacks fashion sense, it's not of concern to her
19) at age 9 can share my shoes
20) loves to read
21) will someday likely be my best-friend
22) rises early and goes to bed way too late
23) loves unconditionally
24) lives by faith and is my constant prayer partner
25) was unplanned but is so much more than i could ever dreamed or imagined that God would have given
me in a child.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
If you give a 3 year old your camera...
If you give a super adorable three year old your camera this is what she'll capture...
and then we simplified things and put it on auto mode...there you go Zoe...
Her Mom is laughing in the background in one of the images above because Zoe opted to "get low" to capture her images. She got down on one knee, tried different angles, and did her best to direct her subjects...it was hilarious...but who knows she may the next big photographer...
Look out!
Monday, July 5, 2010
4th of July & Waterplay
Yesterday, we took to the girls to see fireworks. Nala wasn't really feeling the loud booms. Nia didn't mind a bit, but ended up getting bored. She's something else! Unfortunately the show was a little weak, no offense to whomever but it on...LOL. Before we left, we pulled out some old firecrackers too. Mack didn't quite trust them...but eventually went out and joined in for some firecracker fun at home. Earlier in the day MacKenzie and I made some 4th of July cupcakes. To be perfectly honest they weren't the best, but it's the experience that counts. :) Also, all day long I sat around regretting not getting the girls cute 4th of July dresses. It was definitely in my heart, I just never quite got around to it. I always dressed MacKenzie up for the 4th when she was little. Second and third kiddos too often get the shaft! Sorry girls!
I was off today in celebration of the 4th of July so we took the girls to a splash pad at one of our parks here. They had a fantastic time. They had a waterplay day at school week before last too. I'm so glad they enjoyed playing in the water. It was a nice day to be out. It wasn't too hot nor crowded. In one of the pics below you'll notice Nia playing with a shovel and bucket of water. Um that wasn't ours. She took over this little boy's toy and had the nerve to get mad when we wanted it back...clinching her fist and the whole nine yards...again, she is something else!
Its been a fantasic weekend and there is truly nothing in the world I love more than spending time with my family. I'm grateful that this holiday weekend gave me an opportunity to do just that!
YES, Nala is VERY bowlegged and YES, I did attempt to put Nia's hair in a ponytail or two...and NO, they do not have on Swim Diapers, so YES, their Pampers Baby Dry diapers did blow up like balloons creating an illusion of much junk in the trunk!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Spaghetti Dinner
We had spaghetti last night for dinner. This evening, the girls enjoyed our leftovers. Nia doesn't normally eat pasta, but even she indulged! They went to bed full, happy...and on time. Night Night NiNa!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Meet Me in St. Louis
After I picked MacKenzie up from camp on Friday, I had a major surprise for her. I'd made plans with her best friend, Mia's mom for to have a meet up in St. Louis. Mia moved to Chicago two summers ago, but the girls still keep in touch. They met when they were four at school. They have a beautiful genuine friendship. I can so see them being life long friends. When Mia lived here, people often thought they were twins. They have so much in common too. Both girls are strong academic performers, are competitive gymnasts, play the piano, love to read, were only children for more than half of their lives, and are just really sweet girls! I'm so glad that Mia is in MacKie's life!
While in St. Louis, the girls spent Friday night at City Museum and had a great time with eachother, their other friend Sydney, and Mia's little brother, Myles. It was fun to get to see Myles. I haven't seen him in two years, and boy has he grown up! He is a character! On Saturday, we planned to wake up early eat breakfast and head out to Six Flags/Hurricane Harbour. Somehow, we didn't end up making it there until 4:00! It turned out perfect though, because, really it was just enough time. It was super hot, and I don't think I could have handled being there much earlier. The girls had a blast. Mia experienced her first roller coasterS and did quite well. MacKenzie is an old pro. We love amusement parks around here - (primarily for the thrill of roller coasters)!
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