We sprinkled the jitter glitter and in the blink of an eye...
...it was Hudson's turn!
Last minute as I was about to snap the picture he decided he also wanted to be a NINJA, so an engineer ninja it is!
Official backpack pics!
Lunch packed with all his favorites...
...and he was ready to GO!
We had a bit of a rough morning. We're having some obedience issues. I know this is probably a phase, but boy, is parenting tough sometimes??!! Thankfully, by the time we got to school, he was all smiles again!
Be still my heart.
My loves!
A little pep talk from big sis...
Kindness with just a single touch...
{I'm so thankful for Ms. V!}
Today I dropped off the other half of my heart at school. I pray that others are gentle with his heart. He has a great big heart wrapped inside of a very busy and strong-willed little body.
Today, I'm praying these verses over my baby boy:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~Jeremiah 29:11
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:28
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~Philippians 4:8
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~Romans 12:2
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. ~Psalms 32:8
And just like that he was off...
I was so happy to see this sweet smile because just seconds before he had whispered to me, "I am a little bit nervous." My mama heart wanted to scoop him up and run. But instead I gave him a great big hug and hid my own tears behind a little "it's okay to feel a little bit nervous on your first day, but you are going to have so much fun" peptalk.
I know he's going to have a great year. He's at a great school with sweet, sweet teachers and new and old friends. I can't wait to see what God has in store for him this year. And even though I know all of that to be true, it was still so, so hard to send our baby off to big kid school. I fought the tears and the lump in my throat...at least until after I'd left the school. I even made it through the Boo Hoo Breakfast. *wink*
Hudson, 5 yr. 1 mo.
We love you so, so, so, so, SOOOOOO MUCH, Hudson!!
You're going to have a super fun kindergarten year in the Whale Tank!
XOXO,
Mama, Daddy and Grace
Today was a big day for my favorite 5 year old! Kinder testing with Ms. V! He wasn't excited or anything...he he he.
To start our day off on a good note, I decided to try a little waffle hack...cinnamon rolls in the waffle iron! Thank you Alicia for the idea! This was such a super fun {and EASY!} breakfast. Just plop a cinnamon roll in each square of the waffle iron and 3 minutes later you have these yummy mini cinna-waffles! Grace liked hers with just a few squirts of the spray butter and Hudson preferred his with a little of sugar glaze drizzled on top. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
This little guy sure knows how to win his mama's heart. Earlier this week, he had misbehaved and next thing I know, he comes over to me with his signature puppy eyes and a sheepish smile and hands me this sweetest of treasures! How can I stay mad??! I mean, LOOK at those flowers. And the EYELASHES!! He sure speaks my love language.
There's such a sweet side to this little guy. He sure likes to surprise you when you're not expecting it!
I love finding pockets of time when it's just me and him. He usually picks Legos for us to build, but truth is, I'm not very good at Legos. But makeshift racetracks? I've got that covered!
So back to kindergarten testing. We had to be there super early today, but the moment he spotted Ms. V, he ran right to her and gave her a great big hug and the little present we had picked out just for her. And then he was off to explore the Whale Tank!
I think he had fun because he kept talking about how cool Ms. V's room was! Thank you Noonie for meeting Lance and I at the school to pick up Hudson after his testing so that we could go to work! It really does take a village! I was excited to join them back for lunch. Hudson's choice. He picked his favorite local diner...for the pies, of course!
This little guy sure looooooves desserts! He gets it honest. Here he is savoring every.single.bite... eyes closed, a must!
Oh, my sweet dear Hudson. You make me smile from the inside out. God sure knew what He was doing when He blessed our family with a wild + crazy, supper cuddly little boy.
Please forgive me tomorrow if I shed a few tears after we see you off to kindergarten. You are SO ready. I am so NOT! I know you are going to have a great year. It's just that it feels like this was just yesterday...our Friday morning Mama + Hudson breakfast dates...and now you are heading off to big kid school. And I swear all I did was just blink.
Love you to the moon & back.
{and again and again and again...}
Mama
Since I still haven't found that time-stop machine, I guess I better go ahead and share these cute pics from this morning...
Ready to take on Grade 2!
I have no doubt that she will do great things in her life, but my prayer for the little pumpkin is this: Whatever she becomes, may she always keep God first in her life. Everything else will fall into place.
Grace, 7 yr. 5 mo.
So sweet!
Lunch packed with her favorites... red/yellow/orange peppers, 1/2 bacon-turkey-avocado-cheese sandwich, hard-boiled egg, cranberries, dark chocolate salted almonds, and a few mini choc. chip cookies I added as a treat. And of course, a little note of encouragement from mama.
A big hug from Daddy who had to leave for work early...
And she was ready to go!
But not before an official backpack picture!
She chose a 3-letter monogram rather than her first name...yet another sign my little pumpkin is growing up! *tear*
A little first day treat for her sweet teacher...we got her a dainty little gold first initial necklace...a fun layering piece - hope she likes it!
Quick pic with my best girl!
Pretty soon it'll be your turn, buddy!
Welcome to 2nd grade!
Feeling a little shy, but a sweet hug from her teacher took care of that!
Something new...LOCKERS!!
{that's big kid stuff right there! *more tears from this mama*}
I dropped off half my heart at school this morning. I am excited for the adventures that await the little pumpkin, but I'm also sad to see Summer come to an end. I love the extra time with my littles over the Summer.
As we begin a new school year, I'm praying for school safety, for teachers to feel supported and appreciated so that they will be able to use their gifts to instill a love of learning to all under their care; for the administration to lead with godly hearts; for the littles to be kind, respectful, honorable, good friends to others, and dedicated to learning; for kind and genuine friends; and for the littles to shine as beacons of light of Christ's love for others.
I am specifically praying these 4 verses over the littles and their 2014-15 school year...
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~Galatians 5:22-23
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. ~Proverbs 22:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Phillipians 4:6-7
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~Isaiah 30:21
Here's to a great 2nd grade year, sweet Grace!
We love you more than words can say.
XOXO,
Mama, Daddy and Hudson
Not gonna lie, as beautiful as these beaches are, by the end of the week, my own bed is always caaaaaaalllllllliiiiiinnnnnggg my name - ha!
We tried out a new restaurant this year at the recommendation of a friend and it was soooo good! The Perfect Pig in Seagrove. Yummy bbq and a beautiful setting!
Sassy little miss!
After lunch, Grace and I did a little shopping and we went to this little boutique whose owner has a fancy and very sweetly spoiled cat...sneaky too!
This sign is meant for the cat!!! The shopkeeper insisted we take a pic by it. The attitude was all Grace. She said she needed the sign for her room...for Hudson - ha!
One new thing we decided to do this year was let the littles paint their own pottery at Fired Up! as a souvenir.
Hudson went with a "ferocious piranha"...
Grace decided on a mermaid...
She was very particular about how she wanted Elsie, the Mermaid to turn out!
This little guy was done quickly and couldn't wait to go get a treat from Dawson's, our favorite!
Storytime on the Square in Seaside is so much fun. LOVE how the actors really get into it!
Love this park too!
Their souvenirs turned out so cute!
Check out the blood on his piranha - ha! All BOY, I tell ya!
Pretty little mermaid!
Oh, and one more souvenir...ANOTHER loose tooth!!
There is something so super special about finding out one of your very best school friends is at the beach at the very same time you are!! It calls for an early morning playdate!
Sweet girls!!
This year we decided to hire a photographer to take some family pics. Can't wait to see how they turned out!!! But here are a couple of phone sneaks - we went with C O L O R F U L - ha!
Happy littles telling silly jokes about toot-noises. Whatever it takes, right??!
Father & son...
And just like that our time was up. Goodbye Seaside! Until we meet again!
The littles get a kick out of waving at that yellow statue on our way out - ha!
