Charlotte's Preschool Graduation

Today was Charlotte's final day of preschool!  Hallelujah!  We have been paying for preschool for three years and she is FINALLY done.  She is SO ready for Kindergarten it's not even funny.  Charlotte missed the deadline by a week and honestly, I think she would have been fine to go, but we couldn't.  Today's graduation ceremony took place in the Dairy Barn at the Anne Springs Greenway.  It was beautiful outside, perfect weather (actually, really hot, but no rain), and we must watch too much "Fixer Upper" because Charlotte said she wished the barn was our house! Josh joined us as well.  Perks to working in town, ran over really quick for the ceremony and then back to work.  We are excited to see what the future has in store for Charlotte.  She loves school, her friends and everything else that growing up entails, so far.  

   

Mother's Day

We were fortunate enough to have both of our moms in town over Mother's Day weekend.  On Sunday, we started with celebrating Eve and all went to the Cracker Barrell before everyone drove back home.  It was fun to spend some time just with the Whitmores.  And Cracker Barrell is ALWAYS a good idea. ;)

When we got home, we celebrated with my mom and siblings.  We gave her our cards and gifts.  Charlotte gave me a gift as well.  Something I've wanted for a while but didn't know if I'd have another baby.  I got two stacking rings with Charlotte and Naomi's name engraved on them.  I love them!!  This was also Naomi's first time to church.  We only stayed for the first hour because GERMS!  The primary children sang to all the moms so I didn't want to miss that!  For some reason, Josh had saved us seats smack dab in the middle of the congregation.  I was up a few times with both girls and it was rather embarrassing.  But I guess makes for an eventful Sacrament meeting.  Charlotte was the only one doing all the motions the chorister was doing to help the kids remember the words.  Haha.  It was cute.  

After church we had a chicken alfredo meal, one of my mom's favorite dishes, and I had ordered her a bundt cake.  It was a relaxing day overall...just what my mom wants anyway.  

I love this holiday because not only does it celebrate "moms" but it celebrates all women.  All women are naturally nurturing and to some capacity have helped in motherly ways to someone else, I believe.  I love being a mom to Charlotte and Naomi.  There is nothing that has ever been more or even equally rewarding.  I am grateful to my mom and all the sacrifice she has made for me and my siblings.  Living across the country is not easy for her situation and she always makes time for me and comes to visit me and my family.  We love when she comes.  It's always a party and always exciting.  I am so glad I got to celebrate with her in person this year!!  

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

The night of the baby blessing, we all went to the Charlotte Knights baseball team downtown.  The first 2,000 women received a baseball with pink stitching, that included us!  It was so hot when we first got there, and of course, our seats were in the sun, but it finally cooled off.  We ate some hot dogs (because it's not a complete without hot dogs) and walked around the stadium.  It's a smaller minor league team.  We have gone to these games when we lived in Charlotte before and hope to go to more this summer.  We all had fun, until the Knights weren't scoring and our car ended up leaving early.    

Naomi's Baby Blessing

As Latter-Day Saints, we bless infants and announce their name that they will be known throughout their life.  This is known as a blessing.  Josh performed this special blessing and she was blessed in the same dress Charlotte was.  This dress was made by Grandma Sheila from my wedding dress.  It is one of my most favorite possessions.  I love it so much.  The slip has both of their names and the blessing date embroidered on it.  

For this special occassion, we had several family members fly and drive into town.  We felt so much love, especially for our precious baby girl.  For most of our siblings, this was their first time meeting Miss Naomi.  

I probably sound like a broken record, but I really am so grateful for my family.  I take pride in my strong family relationships.  I feel like they take a lot of love and nurturing and I try to put my soul into that.  Relationships matter to me above anything else in this world.  Now that I have created my own family, I want to teach my girls by example just how important the family unit is.  Knowing that our families will perpetuate beyond the grave and that we can be an eternal family brings so much comfort to me.  I am grateful for the fulness of the Gospel that has been restored to the earth.  For the Priesthood Power, for my daughters to have the opportunity to be given these beautiful blessings as an infant, to set expectations how to live their life at such a young age and to be entrusted with so much potential.  I love listening to the words that Josh is inspired to say and think about all that our girls will accomplish in their lives.   

If you would like to learn more about our beliefs as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, feel free to click on our official website and request missionaries to come answer your individual questions in your home or read up on different topics.   

Moms with Muffins

Charlotte is in her third and FINAL year of preschool and I finally got to do "Moms with Muffins."  The last two years her class did "Dads and Donuts" but I'd see all these other preschools celebrate the moms.  Charlotte was looking forward to this day too.  Literally had a countdown.  Of course the morning of she had a horrible cough.  So we went only for the Mother's Day program and then left.

The kids all served their moms breakfast.  This is exactly what Charlotte brought to me.  One donut and pink lemonade.  Haha.  

All the moms socialized/tried to keep their other kids next to them. Then the kids had a little program for us.  They sang two songs and gave us a little gift.  It's always so fun to see what your kid thinks of you.  

Naomi finally wanted out of the stroller and joined the party.  I am so glad I get to experience these fun little moments with my girls.  

 

Birthday Fun!

 I have always looked forward to my birthday.  Josh does a good job at making it a special day, set a part from the rest, but also the older we get real life basically takes over.  So the morning of my birthday was just like any other day and because I was having a house full of guests the next day (Friday), I made sure my entire house was cleaned the day before (Wednesday).

My birthday was on the first Thursday Carowinds was open.  I picked Chartlotte up from     ggb ty6uschool and we went straight to Carowinds for lunch and a bunch of rides.  It was dead...and HOT!  It felt so great to be outside.  We met up with some friends that were there for a little bit and it just was a nice afternoon. 

She didn't want her picture taken. lol

After Josh got home that night, we tried a local burger joint, Hobo's, on Main Street right in Fort Mill.  It was delicious.  We are always up for a good burger.  After, we went back home and Josh had ordered a Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.  Yum!!

Since being pregnant and not being very active, my body has experienced a lot of aches and pains.  I am always complaining of mainly my back killing me.  Josh got me a day at the spa for my present.  
I am now counting each birthday as a miracle.  I am trying not to take my days for granted and really count my blessings along the way.