Promotion Sunday Pictures

Thanks, Amanda, for sending on these pictures!

Pretty Lauren

 The graduates to kindergarten!

 Our Sunday School groups, all together!

Happy 5th Birthday, Lauren!

8 weeks old

 Born Thursday, August 16, 2007 at 7:25 PM

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy 2nd Birthday!

 Happy 3rd Birthday!

Happy 4th Birthday!

And today, I wished my baby girl a happy 5th Birthday!

Wow!  The time has flown by!

Some Random Pictures

Here are some random photos from the last week. Suzy and I teach Sunday School and these 4 boys were in our group last year.  They were working with clay and were wearing these LOVELY plastic capes.  We said, "Smile, boys," they did, and we laughed devilishly and said, "Hahaha!  BLACKMAIL pictures for when they are teens!"

 August 12--Happy Birthday, Paul!  We spent Sunday in Downtown Newton because it was the start of Old Soldier's week.  Sunday is always the car show and the car cruise.  So of course we were there!  Lauren and Chatham enjoying the car exhaust fumes!

 When we got home, Paul gave Lauren another birthday gift--a kid's four-wheeler!  She jumped on that thing and told us that she now had one like Grandpa Wade!  She tore up and down the driveway and in the yard.  She went down a steeper part of our front hill and ran into the holly bushes (we laughed uncontrollably because it was something PAUL would have done, too!).

 August 13--Happy Birthday to me!  I am celebrating the 4th anniversary of my 29th birthday!  Paul and Lauren took me to Longhorn for Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Chocolate Stampede (the best cake EVER!).  Our waiter brought Lauren ice cream!

 August 15--Lauren wanted to polish my toes.  Since I was planning on wearing tennis shoes the next day, I agreed...Yes, I love the creativity, but I think there is more polish on my TOES than on the NAIL!

August 16--Happy Birthday, Lauren!  Old Soldier's is wrapping up with the 90+ minute parade, always on a Thursday, always begins at 5:00 PM.  Lauren was born on a Thursday, so we missed the parade that year, but she has not missed a parade since!  Benjamin and Chatham joined us for this picture.

 Benjamin, Lauren, Chatham, and Mary Grace were here for this!  The kids had SO much fun together!  (We all go to church/daycare together.)  They are able to sit still to watch the parade but not need to be under our constant stare.  Mommies took turns keeping an eye out!

 Another friend and church-goer, Amy, was selected as Drum Major this year!  Here she is, leading her section during the parade!

 Another friend, Nicholas, was asked to ride on the fire truck.  His little brother, Nate, who is in Lauren's kinder class, was invited, too, but did not go at the last minute.  

 In the bucket is Kaleb, ANOTHER church friend (as well as my assistant's son), with Fire Fighter Dave.

Lauren has shared that she's "nervous" about some parts of school.  I haven't been able to dig much because as I get close, she asked, "Can we stop talking about it right now, please?"  I'll try again later.  I may see if Carrie or Tracy can talk with her to find out more.

Lauren's 5th Birthday Party!

We celebrated Lauren's birthday party on August 11.  I had some GREAT help preparing for her party (especially Carrie, Josh, Shelly, Logan, and Leah and Tracy).  Paul had worked tirelessly for over a week to clean up the back yard, fix the retaining wall, put Ford truck parts near the shed, etc.  (The neighbors were worried we were putting a "For Sale" sign in the front yard after the party!)

For those of you who do NOT know Carrie, you are MISSING OUT!  She is one AWESOME party planner and came up with Lauren's theme, Apples/Back to School.  The ideas came from Pintrist (her passion!) and she created a GREAT party, including this banner!  (Which she put together backward a few times!)

 Devin was on Daddy patrol and enjoyed tossing the kids down the slip and slide.

 The mommies were supervising the lines.

Harper enjoying some pink tractor time! 

 Lauren and Cara snuggling!  What  a great picture!  (Thanks, Suzy!!)

 Her crown?  Or halo?  (Being held up by her horns...)

 Carrie's yummy Pintrist food ideas!  Popcorn/Apple Jacks snack balls and "apple" cupcakes with gummy worms!

 WOOOOOO!!!!!

 Callie, Lauren, and Jack

 Chatham, Cara, Nick, and Harris

 Happy Birthday, Big Girl!

 Paul had to fix the candle...it kept sliding off the top cupcake!

 Harper and her FIRST cupcake!!

 Hmm...squishy...weird...

 Okay, not so bad!  Yum!!

Lauren was spoiled, as usual, and got some cool gifts!  Some Barbies and clothes, a Ken doll and clothes for him, a garden apron, some jewelry.  Our favorite part was that Lauren played with some of her friends from school and some of her friends from baby-hood.

KINDERGARTEN!!!

My, oh, my!  How the time flies!  My baby has started KINDERGARTEN!!  Notices that happy smile, all ready to go!  She wasn't hesitating at all!!  She had her backpack (with embroidered name) and special lunch bag with her name, too!

 Lauren was the first student in her new class!  Here she is with her teacher, Mrs. Jones!!

 Lauren and Daddy went to the group time rug near the message board.

"Welcome to Jonesille"

Mommy and Lauren (Paul took another picture of us but cut off my head) 

Group hug!! 

Here is a picture of her class! 

LOGAN came in to wish Lauren a happy first day!  (Logan had Mrs. Jones in 3rd grade and LOVED her!)  Lauren was thrilled to see her cousin! 

I picked Lauren up after her first day.  I was told she ate her lunch and saw the playground.  She told me about a girl named Ariel who sits at her table (the person, not the little mermaid).  That was it.

PAUL got a BETTER story than me!  Lauren told him that Mrs. Jones read The Gingerbread Man, told Paul the story in detail, and that when Mrs. Jones pulled out her chair to sit down, she found COOKIES with ICING to share with the kids!

Seriously, why do I get shafted??  But I guess I'm too much of a teacher, even in my mommy time!

Today was Lauren's 2nd day of school.  She ate her lunch, went to computers, and did not talk to anyone (she says).  But her friend, "You know, Mommy, the boy in the green shirt?"  "Nate?" "YES, Mommy!  I saw him!  He is silly!"

We are blessed!!

Busy Wades!

I cannot take credit for Paul's work.  He has been a crazy mad-man lately trying to do OUTSIDE projects (not inside, like my kitchen!).  Here is the 100% completed patio!  Yea!  We even have protection from the sun, outdoor speakers, and a light over the table for nice nights to be out!  

 Paul started this project in June when Lauren and I were in the mountains.  This is the final project!  We got some plants for free from Granny Sue and Paul bought a few, too.  I wanted to wait for pictures until we got the mulch down and had some plant growth.  It really adds some pizzazz to the front lawn!

 July 30--Jinx NEVER lets Lauren near him.  She did a sneak attack and I got a picture!  

 Lauren's last week of preschool involved some fun activities.  They had costume day.  Funnily enough, ALL of Lauren's girls at school dressed up as, OH MY, PRINCESSES!  Two of the girls were not going to kindergarten.  One is at another school, but they get to hang out at the after school care.

 This is the FAMOUS Ms. Nancy!  We are going to REALLY miss all the loving Lauren got from her!

 August 4--Paul had the shingles, was out of work on the 3rd, and brought me home peaches on the 4th to can like Grandma Bunce used to do!  He had tomatoes and peppers for his salsa.  Paul helped me gently place the jars in my pot so I didn't break anything (like my stove top!).

 Here I am putting the peaches into the jars.

 Ta-Da!!  Two of the four jars I canned actually set.  The other two didn't seal properly so we had to eat them up pretty quickly.  They weren't exactly like Grandma's (I think because I used a light syrup), but I was happy!

Here is our buddy, Devin.  He likes to hold Harper upside down.  She LOVES it and squeals!  When she feels the need to sit properly, she uses those strong abs and moves to sit up!

Lauren LOVES to hold babies!!  Especially Harper!

 Aug. 5--We stopped in the nursery to get Harper after church.  Lauren BEGGED to hold her, so Carrie allowed it.  Harper wasn't too impressed and would not cooperate.  Notice the leg kick!

 Promotion Sunday--The kids had a ceremony in the church garden promoting the children to new Sunday School classes.  Lauren gets to move up the to K-1 class (which Suzy and I teach) with Kirsten and the other little girl I do not know.  Yea, kiddos!