Sister Act

Getting ready for camp one day this summer (field trip to an indoor ice rink) I captured a typical sister scene around here.

All smiles

 Uh-oh, the drama begins due to big sis

She got her reaction 

Best fix it, kid 

 Trying

 Forgiving

 Success

 Sisterly love reigns

Sister Sweetness

All of my girls~ so in love.

 

Oh, what they do to my heart

Princess, Parfaits & Pedicures~ Sweet Seven for Audrey~ July 13

I did not think it would take me three months (plus) time to post about such a sweet celebration but here we are. 

This was my beautiful birthday girl.

She woke this birthday as she does each day~ with a smile.

Seeing her each morning still makes my heart sing as it did the moment I first held her. Audrey remains a constant joy.

She is smart as a whip~ oh, the math problems she solves!, the words she spells!, the books she can read!--she loves to learn and is a pleasure to teach.

She has a tender soul (sobs at movies, feels deeply when someone is in trouble, and can read your heart or feel your need sometimes before you are even aware).

She has a confidence that many only dream about (bullies beware--she is the girl that will stop you in your tracks and regale you with the right and wrong approach to treating others).

She is driven, competitive, madly in love with her mama, always wanting her papa home or nearby, Olivia's biggest fan, and the greatest addition our family of three could have imagined some seven years ago.


So, back to her birthday morning~ oh, I forgot to mention ~ she is all things girly, frilly, pretty, and sweet. Here's proof.

Big sister, Liv, left her a couple of stuffed animals that she had wanted for her birthday at the foot of her bed so as to surprise her when she awoke. It worked. Instant love. 

Her proud papa gave her an ice cream sundae for breakfast (as he does each birthday morning for us girls).

She had loads of wishes in her heart.

She savored every cool, creamy bite of her sundae.

Little Alice dressed for the occasion in a #7 cheerleader dress.

Then we were off to the salon to have the birthday girl's hair professionally done.

After admiring her lovely locks, she was whisked off to tea with Meme and Papa.

After seven years of waiting and wanting, she received a special gift ~ an American Girl doll from her grandparents (they present each grandaughter with one on their seventh birthday).

With a belly full of tea, cookies, and finger sandwiches we were off for the next adventure.

~Let the party begin~

A special Party Princess arrived and provided an afternoon of fun...

Magic Show~

Face Painting~

Balloon Hats~

Even Treasure the Princess’s bunny made an appearance~

The girls darling sitters came and provided pedis to party-goers

The party goers bid farewell

Audrey admired a dashing prince

Papa Frank and Audrey reviewed the day’s highlights

Audrey checked out her new gifts

And finally, over a pleasing cup of punch (complete with a bendy straw) the party girl declared the day a rousing success!

 

Audrey Elizabeth Wilkinson~ July 13.2003

happy

we are at the beach. it is overcast, chilly-- and perfect. i love everything about being here. the houses are charming. the air smells pure. the girls are active and giddy. eric is relaxed. dogs are playful by day and exhausted by night. cooking is pure joy when i am here as i find ways to make do with whatever we threw in the cooler. i love opening the girls beds and prepping the dogs blankets for slumber. doing the dishes is therapeutic as i run the water and listen to the girls and eric chatter. prepping for the walk to the market, packing the beach bag, sweeping the porch--i love it all. simple. easy. happiness. i have been saying repeatedly since we arrived "i am so happy".

and then i decided to download some pictures i snapped today and blog a bit about my happy place and i discovered wi-fi. (until i discovered i had access to wi-fi i had not tapped in to the fact that part of my over the top happiness was because i thought i was totally unplugged--not a chance for a signal). wrong. and because i have no willpower i checked email and i read one that upset me and my happy place immediately became a distant memory. boo. and then eric saw that there was in fact wi-fi and he started tweeting and emailing and the whole world came into my cozy cottage and they weren't invited. boo. again. but i am taking my black and white self and reclaiming bliss.

i trust these sweet shots of my boy and girls and beasts will bring me back there in no time.

bella & bliss beach bound

skateboarding sweetie

believe it

post-dinner spin

                                                                    my three loves