Ashleigh's 5th birthday party at the park!

For about the last 100 days I was asked every day, "is this my birthday? Is today my birthday? When is my birthday?" She said, "everyone at school is 5, am I never going to be that number?" She was almost the youngest in her class, so the moments leading up to her official birthday celebration were filled with great anticipation!

let's get this party started!

I'm having fun Mama!

Wee! I love this sliding thing!
More pics?

After playing we decided to have some refreshments. Who needs plates? Everyone just ate out of the bowls.

some of my friends Sarah & Lea

Happy Birthday to Ashleigh!

Look at me, I'm finally 5. Yay!!!

thanks for the presents!!!

After cake we decorated our own goody bags using stickers & crayons. Then everyone's favorite part, we went shopping for candy & toys!

Thanks to all of my friends for coming! Turning 5 was so much fun!

Next we're off to Aunt Stacy's for another family celebration with our Tennessee family....what a busy day!

Ashleigh's 5th birthday party at Grandpa's & Granny's

Ashleigh is definitely treated like a royal princess at Grandpa's. We had a birthday feast, then her favorite, cherry cheesecake pie AND a birthday cake! Who gets 2 birthday cakes at the same party...that would be Ashleigh. We opened presents & played & played & played. Julia even received a gift. Stewart played on Granny's computer & her HIGH SPEED INTERNET. Yes it's available in Warrenton :). Grandpa had a great time, too. It's great to see him "light up" so around them.

one of Julia's 1st words....

I was just putting Julia down for her nap and said, "I love you. Jesus loves you." She then said, "Jesus."

little professor

Well, everything she sees has been a blur until now. In fact after we put them on for the first time she just stared at me for a minute. I just imagined she thought, so that's what you look like. Stewart lovingly refers to her now as the "little professor". Actually keeping the glasses on is no easy task though. I think I wash them like 20 times a day.

Ashleigh's 1st fishing trip with Daddy!!!

Ashleigh & Julia were so excited to go fishing with Daddy! We went on a nature hunt on the way to the lake looking for ants, ladybugs, birds, leaves, ducks, etc. We found everything on our list except for ladybugs. We had a low iodine picnic :). I think Julia ate her weight in strawberries!

Check out Ashleigh's 1st fish (which as released by the way)! She was just so excited to fish like Daddy!!!

We showed the fish to Julia & she touched it!

homework in preschool, YES!

This puppy is the class pet Puggles. It was Ashleigh's turn to take care of him for the weekend, take a picture with Puggles, then write a story of their weekend together.

Puggles went to Mary Claire's house, her neighborhood playground & our backyard playground. Ashleigh still talks about Puggles & how much she loves him.

Stew & Little Stew

On a recent day off, Stewart & "Little Stew" had great fun in the backyard. Julia loved swinging with Daddy...I think Daddy liked it too! After growing tired of swinging & sliding, Stewart wanted to see what Julia thought of the grass. Julia felt grass for the first time & had a fescue lesson. She would reach her little hand down to touch it, then get startled, then do it all over again. It was so cute.