oh sweet caimbree rae

 This girl.  These blue eyes.  Oh, she is so cute and I really, really want time to stand still.  She has been such a delight from day 1.  She has dance on Monday nights and it is the highlight of her week.  She runs right in and is absolutely adorable following all of the steps.  She practices at home and talks about her dance class all week long.  On Monday when she got home she asked for a popsicle.  She got one and walked out to the bench on the front porch.  She is so independent and enjoys time alone.  I went out to check on her and she looked so adorable I had to start snapping pictures.  I hope I never forget the sound of her little voice and the funny things she says and does.  The other day she saw a picture of herself as a baby and was so concerned about how little hair she had.  She got really serious and said, "Was I...a boy??"  We laughed and laughed.  I love the way her little mind works.  She is so smart and pays attention to every little detail around her.  I wish time wasn't flying so quickly because I am going to miss these carefree days with popsicles on the porch.

solar eclipse 2017

 We had such a great time getting excited for and watching the solar eclipse.  We happened to be in the path of totality and there was so much hype and excitement leading up to the big day.  For at least the last two weeks at school they have been reading and talking about the solar eclipse and Heidi was so excited about it all.  She has such a good memory and would come home with loads of facts and explanations.  She would teach Caimbree and Savanna everything she learned and they actually had a pretty good understanding.  Savanna also learned quite a bit about it at preschool.

The day of the solar eclipse I gave Heidi the choice of going to school or having me pick her up beforehand.  She decided to stay at school, and while I was super sad I didn't get to watch her reaction, they did so many great learning activities and she was talking a mile a minute when she got home about what they did and what she saw.

When we got home Heidi rushed up to her room with Savanna and Caimbree to play school....a very typical after school activity at our house.  I coudn't get them in the bath they were so busy and when I went in, I saw they had made eclipse glasses for all of their stuffed animal students and were about to take them out to see the eclipse.  Heidi has the cutest imagination and she comes up with the most exciting games for her sisters and friends to play.  I absolutely love this about her!


At work Jeff was able to drive up with his coworkers to a place with greater totality and he said it was so cool.  I'm glad he was able to do that.

 It was such a cool day and all 3 of the girls were amazed at what they saw.  It was a neat day and when it was over Heidi said how sad she was that it wasn't going to happen again for so long.    We are so grateful such a special day!

celebrating heidi

Heidi had such a fun birthday!  It was a party year for her.  She had a really hard time deciding what and where to do her party, but finally decided on having Elsa come to help her celebrate.  Having Elsa did not disappoint!  She invited some of her best friends from school and all except for one were able to make it.  She was so excited to have her friends over to help her celebrate.  

The morning of her birthday she woke up happy and ready to party.  We had her party at 10 AM so she didn't have to wait too long.  Her friends arrived at 10 and Elsa came at 10:30.  

Elsa made Heidi feel like a real princess and it was so much fun to see her glowing.  Elsa sang her quite a few songs, taught the girls some dance moves, read some books, painted their faces or hands with snowflakes, helped sing Heidi her birthday song with her cupcake and even sang "When you Wish Upon a Star" after she blew out her candles.  She was so much fun!  

Heidi's friends were all gone by about 12:30 so we headed to lunch.  She picked Red Robin and said it was delicious.  We came back home and opened a few presents from grandparents and aunts and uncles and then we went to our neighbor's house to swim.  It was the perfect way to end a perfect day!  Heidi felt so loved the entire day.  People from our ward kept dropping by to tell her happy birthday and bring her little gifts.  I am so incredibly grateful for the family and friends that are 

 helping me raise this amazing girl.  

When Heidi went to bed she was a little sad and said she just wanted to do the day all over again.  She said she wished she had a machine with a button to turn back time.  Me too, baby girl.

We really had the best time celebrating our princess and we hope it is her best year yet!  We love you, Heidi bug!

happy 7th birthday, heidi

8.19.2010

8.19.2011

8.19.2012

8.19.2013

8.19.2014

8.19.2015

8.19.2016

8.19.2017

Happy 7th Birthday, Heidi!  Beautiful, smart, best friend to everyone, voracious reader, pianist, dancer, and soccer player!  We love everything about this kind hearted little girl!  Seven years have literally flown by and we love watching her learn and grow.  We love her more than words can say!

We love, love, love you baby girl!!

Happy lucky number 7! 

It's going to be a great year!

savanna's first day of pre-k

I cannot believe I only get one more year before this gorgeous little thing goes to kindergarten.  Savanna is an absolute joy and I can't get enough of her funny, spunky little personality.

One morning last week the girls were having a discussion about being "weird".  I am not even sure what brought up but Heidi said something like, "Well, dad said that everyone is weird so it doesn't matter."  Then Savanna, with great passion, said, "Well, I am not weird.  I am AMAZING!"  Oh Savanna, you ARE amazing and I hope that you never, ever let anyone let you feel otherwise.  I love that she stands up for herself and lets things roll off her back.  I love her passion.  I love that everything she does, she does at 110%.   I love her heart and her positive, happy little soul.

When I dropped Savanna off at school, she got nervous.  She was so excited to go and has been talking for months about what she will do at recess first.  As we got in the car she said, "I will talk to my teachers in a few months

 when I know them better."  It takes her a little bit to warm up to new people and new situations.  When we got in the room, she totally panicked.  She cried and didn't want to be left.  By the end of the day she was fine and she said she had a great day and has been asking when she gets to go back again.  I hope it's a good year for her and that she feels comfortable soon.  Her class is almost all girls, which is a welcome change from her almost all boy class last year.

The last picture makes me laugh.  The sun was in Savanna's eyes so I told her to close her eyes and open them on 3.  This is what I got on 3 hahaha!  I love those beautiful eyes on that beautiful girl with the most beautiful heart.

I hope you have the best year, Zanny Zoo!!!!  Your teachers and classmates are so lucky to have a precious girl like you in their class!

caimbree's turn for dance

This girl.  Oh she has been so excited and ready to start dance like her sisters.  She is so low stress when it comes to starting new things because she doesn't flip out when she tries something new or when she leaves me.  Watching her in her class was the absolute cutest and most enjoyable experience.  She participated like a champ, was grinning the whole time, and was sad when the 45 minutes was over.  I am so happy she gets to dance this year.  I am also very, very grateful for a go with the flow child...life with Caimbree is such a treat!

dental appointments

 I finally took the girls in for dental appointments right before school started.  We have the absolute best pediatric dental office in town.  They were so good with the girls, that as soon as we left, they asked when they would get to go back!  If you know my kids, you know that is huge!  I couldn't believe how stress free it was for me and I am so grateful we have a good place our kids love for their dental health!

lost pictures

 I found a few gems on my phone that I had never uploaded, but don't want to forget or lose. Before school started, I took the girls shopping to pick out one new outfit for school.  All 3 of them absolutely love shopping and love clothes.  We had so much fun together, even if I hardly ever brave the stores or the crowds with my 3 ladies...thank you online shopping haha.  Every time they would try something on they wanted their picture taken.  They each picked out a cute back to school outfit, we went to lunch, and then we sat in a lot of traffic to get home!  Their new outfit got them both super excited to start school, if they weren't excited enough already!

 Heidi didn't end up with any of her friends in her class this year, but on the first day she bumped into her very best and first friend from her class last year, Avery.  They are next door to each other and don't have recess together.  Heidi misses her a lot, but she said they get to pass each other in the hall.  The first week of school there was a mix up in the lunchroom and Heidi had to sit alone because of her peanut allergy.  Avery wanted to sit with her so she didn't have to sit alone.  Such a sweet girl from a sweet family and we are so grateful they found each other.  Hopefully next year they can be together.

 Heidi got the best teacher this year.  I mean, the BEST. We are so thrilled.  Look at that little school house she built over her classroom door above!!  She goes above and beyond and I have no doubt Heidi is going to absolutely soar this year!  We love Ms. Mandie and really feel like we hit the jackpot!

Ms. Mandie has an app and a facebook page where she shares pictures from the day.  This one she shared was so cute from the first day!  I am so proud of Heidi and I just love her excitement for learning and school.  

The girls were watching a movie and I caught them all cuddled up together.  It tugged at my heart strings.  I love that have each other and I hope they will see that having each other is such a gift.

first grade

 The new year has already begun!  Heidi was so excited.  She came down dressed and ready at 6:05 exclaiming, "It's FINALLY August 1!"  The rest of us were pretty sad about saying goodbye because we just like having her around.

She has a really great teacher this year and she is going to learn a lot.  She is disappointed none of her friends from last year are in her class, but with time I am sure she will make new friends.  She makes friends very easily so hopefully she

connects with someone soon!

I can't believe we are doing first grade already!  It seems like she was born yesterday and it makes me sad she is growing so fast.  She is such a good, responsible, and incredibly smart little girl and we could not be more proud of the amazing person she is!