The End of Another School Year {But this One is Different!}

It feels as if the months have flown, I've blinked and it's now June! The girls' school year end last week just as quickly and busy as it began.

Morgan

Morgan had such a great kindergarten year! She was able to learn so much and excelled at everything that was placed in front of here. The size of her heart showed as she walked into new friendships. 

Her sticker quote pretty much sums up her year and is so Morgan! I attribute so much of Morgan's success to her AMAZING Kindergarten teacher. We were very lucky this year to have the same Kindergarten teacher that Bekah had last year. She is the best teacher and now if officially part of life forever! I have prayed that she would move into teaching 1st or 2nd grade. 

Bekah

It was a good school year for Bekah. She did let herself relax {some} and really tried to focus on own learning instead of what others in her class were doing. I am so proud of how hard she works and how much she has learned this year.

Bekah's teacher was amazing, especially for her first year. Bekah adores her and thinks she's just the coolest person in the world.

Okay, so here comes the difference that I don't think I have fully accepted.

Shelby

Shelby had her last day of school...her very last day {as a non-adult} of school. Senior year was AMAZING and she also excelled while continuing to work. She fell in love with forensic science and now is on the path to enter into the criminal justice field {pray for me}. 

I will have a complete post about graduation and how fast these 12 years have flown by soon. 

Talented People and A Special Announcement - Friday Favorites

I haven't done a Friday Favorites in a couple of years, I think, but I have some awesome things to share with you!

~ONE~

Now don't judge me, but I didn't really care for the new Mary Poppins movie. It just took a long time, I felt, to get going and there were two scenes where I wasn't bored.  I love, love, love the original. As you remember I did throw Bekah a Mary Poppins theme party for her 6th birthday.   The littles loved the move and guess that's what counts, right?

I am saying all of this because I love Variety's Actors on Actors YouTube Videos and this one with Emily Blunt and Hugh Jackman is my absolute favorite!

~TWO~

Morgan mastered all her sight words and got into the Sight Words Club one day this week. Then, she mastered her letters and numbers which got her into that club as well.  I am so proud of her! She was so proud of herself, too! 

~THREE~

Now, something I've been excited about since before Christmas, but was unable to share! 

Yes, I was selected to be a contributor for Houston Moms Blog! Taking this step was something that I seriously debated about for maybe four years and this year I got up the nerve to submit my application. 

Make sure you follow Houston Moms Blog because I will be there starting in February!

https://houston.citymomsblog.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HoustonMomsBlog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonmomsblog/

Also, follow me on Instagram {https://www.instagram.com/danaraeblog/} to see behind the scenes of our photo shoot on Sunday, January 13th! 

And, today, I am linking up this Friday Favorites post with Andrea at Momfessionals, with Ericka at A Little Bit of Everything, and with Narci at Grace and Love. 

Highlight of Her Winter Break

During our Christmas break, my family did pretty close to nothing.  My mom came into and we had our Royal love tank filled at the Museum of Fine Arts experiencing the Tudors to Windsor exhibit.

I am so in love with this painting! I hoped they had it in a postcard or print, but they didn't. 

Other than that we put together four puzzles and watched three seasons of the Great British Bake Off. I wish I could say, "it was exactly as I had dreamed", but, honestly, I sat in mom guilt a majority of the time.

I really need traditions. 

Should we go somewhere? Do something? Should I come up with a group craft? 

All they've done is watch tv...I'm a great mom. 

Morgan's teacher gave her a packet of things to complete during the break and one of the assignments was to write about the highlight of her winter break.

I just knew the highlight would be her new bike or her American Girl things from Grammy, so I was shocked when said, "Spending time with my family".  Then, my heart melted.

There we are all festive and Christmas-y {color was added later}. I am cooking behind the kitchen counter.  I am not sure what is happening with Matt {he's the one with the spikey hair in the lower right}. Check out that Christmas tree - she had zero help and did it all in pen!

Then take a look at the girl front and center - that's Morgan!

She's meditating which is something that she is completely into these days. I looked over during church a few weeks ago to see her with her elbows on her knees and her palms up, humming during the sermon like something the pastor {not her grandad} was saying was severely stressing her out. I guess she needed to chill for a moment.

I love this memory. I love her heart. And I kind of really love that she was meditating!

Morgan's Magical Unicorn Birthday

Last weekend my dining room became magical as we celebrated Morgan's 5th Birthday!

 I had been collecting unicorn party supplies since the Fall and so many times I was tempted to change the color theme. Like, when I found these invitations.

Click Here to Find them on Etsy

 Matt was out the town the entire week before Morgan's party, so I decided to give myself a break and order her cake from H-E-B.

 Games didn't really happen this time, but we did have the traditional pinata.

 Morgan still gets super embarrassed when people sing Happy Birthday to her! Silly girl!

Presents followed cake which always causes some sisterly drama. 

Poor Bekah...it's hard to watch your sister open a cool new scooter. 

After the party, we tested out the scooter!

I can't believe she is five already. It was a rather emotional birthday for this mother...more on that later this week! 

Morgan's Minnie Mouse Birthday

Well about 18 months after the fact, but here is Morgan's 3rd Birthday Party! And really her first actual party for her birthday...thankfully my father in-law captured a bunch of pictures for me!

This was a super fun theme to work with and I had a blast making mini!

Coloring was a super easy activity for this age. 

Chatting with friends and family!

The super embarrassing part for her...she can't stand be sung to

And, yes, I made the entire family dress in theme...even Dad. That is just what I do!

We finished with bubbles and more conversations outside.

Okay, Mom guilt is officially over and I have now posted EVERYONE's birthday parties! Now onto Bekah's 6th which will be Mary Poppins and Morgan's 5th which will be Unicorns. And I am happy to say I have already started collecting the decor! Yes, my children normally request their theme a day or so after their last party.

Morgan's Vintage Puppy Party

As I was posting pictures from all our recent parties Mommy guilt kicked in because I never posted pictures from Morgan's 4th Birthday. Actually, I don't think I did her 3rd either. Yikes, you may have to sit through another party post tomorrow.

Morgan's 4th Birthday was on of my favorites and led me to collect ceramic dog figures for months prior to the party.

And, yes, I sewed Morgan a dress to match her party because that is just what I do!

We had a puppy Adoption. 

And painted puppies to take home.

Of course Morgan's was purple. 

And, of course, Bekah painted a Cat instead of a dog.

The, it was on to cake!

She still gets all embarrassed when people sing Happy Birthday. 

She loved opening presents her friends had picked out for her and then it was onto the piñata which has become a tradition for all Littles' parties at our house. 

I am about six months late with this post, but it's now done! I really do hope to post more "everyday" life over the next year.