Oh May! Oh My!

Alternately Titled:

Seriously, it's July already?

because I actually started writing this post in mid May and today I realize that June must have been even busier than May because it came and went and I didn't even know it!

At any rate,

I'll go ahead and post my "May" post...

even though it is now JULY...
because there were just too many wonderful things that happened in May 
and they need to be documented and celebrated!


*****

Oh May!  Oh My!  

May has been BUSY!  Really, really busy.

Actually, life has been busy for quite a long time, 
but May... Oh My!  

With as many "things" that we packed into the first 23 days of May, it turned out to be the busiest month of the year thus far!  So here is a little recap of all the big (and little) things that happened in May (with LOTS of pictures!)...  

{Noah's Music Program - 5.1.12}
Noah's entire school kicked off May with a music program and May Crowning celebration.  Noah was literally front and center and sang his sweet little heart out!  Every time I see one of my kids singing in a program, I can't help but get a lump in my throat.  Their little voices are so sweet and innocent... I just love it!  And Noah's school sang the sweetest songs about Mary and

{Noah's Baptism Celebration - 5.8.12}
On Mother's Day, 7 years ago, our firstborn baby became a child of God when he was baptized.  We celebrated his "New Birth" Day this year by lighting his baptismal candle for him to blow out, followed by chocolate cupcakes and a small gift of a new children's bible and VeggieTale movie.

{Teacher Appreciation Week - 5.9.12}
I was a total rookie parent this year and went overboard (or at least I think I did!) on my Teacher Appreciation gifts.  They were quite a bit of work, but they turned out really cute and all the teachers loved them!

Pencil Vases with Flowers for Noah & Emily's Principals

Godiva Chocolate Bars for the Staff at Saint Catherine's

POPcorn and POP for Noah's POPular teacher!  Movie passes too!

Tea for the St. Catherine's Staff

Pencil Vase with Apple Cake Pops for Emily's teacher & Noah's teacher

Our contribution to the staff lunch at St. Catherine's... cake pops and chalkboard cookies!

{Emily's PreSchool Graduation - 5.9.12}
Emily "graduated" from her first year of preschool at the beginning of May.  She was super excited to sing her songs in her program, but she was sad and didn't understand why school was over.  She loved going to school!  I'm not sure she learned very much, but she certainly seemed to have fun while she was there!  And she knew every single word and corresponding action to every song... and the songs were so sweet!  That lump in my throat... it was definitely there as I watched my big four year old (how did that happen?) girl walk onto the stage for her first school performance.

Waiting for her diploma

Isn't she cute... and PROUD!

Emily and her BFF, Mary

Dance class buddies...
little girls holding hands is super cute!

Emily and her teacher, Miss Brenda

{Dance Recital Mania! - 5.4.12 & 5.13.12}
Emily was literally in Dance Heaven this month!  She truly LOVES dancing and was sad when the recital mania was over.  Because she takes dance at two different places, she had two different recitals.  All in all, she performed in a total of four recitals and two dress rehearsals over the span of two weekends.  And she literally loved every.single.second of it!  When we got home from the recitals, at a very late hour, she immediately put her dance shoes on and started imitating the dances that the big girls did.  I think she has a bit of a talent for dance... she knew her dances well and has a gracefulness about her.  To say that I enjoy watching her perform is quite the understatement!  I tried not to be too much of a "dance mom", but I will admit that I was in the front row imitating the dance moves with her!  It was pretty special and beyond CUTE!

 

{Mother's Day - 5.13.12}
I celebrated my first Mother's Day as a mother to FOUR children!  Sometimes I can hardly believe that I have been so blessed to have four beautiful, healthy children.  They challenge me and push me to my limits often, but I am fully aware of how lucky and blessed I am to be called "mother" by these four sweet and funny smiling kids!

{Molly's First Manicure - 5.14.12}
Due to schedule conflicts, I had to take Molly with me to my nail appointment one day.  Because she asked so sweetly (and had a pretty cute and earnest look in her eye), Miss Ginger painted her fingernails too!  It was her first official mini manicure!  And oh boy... she felt like a big and pampered girlie!

{Noah's First Sleepover - 5.18.12}
Noah was invited to his first sleepover this month.  He was so excited and was eager to get his backpack packed in anticipation of this milestone.  I thought he might get homesick as he tends to be somewhat shy and often clings to me in school situations.  Boy was I wrong!  He didn't even pause to tell me goodbye before quickly running into his friend's house for the night!  According to his mom, there wasn't much sleeping that happened during this sleepover as was evidenced by Noah completely falling asleep on the way home the next day!

Drop Off

Pick Up... fell asleep on the ride home!

{Last Day of 1st Grade - 5.23.12}
Just as quickly as it started, Noah's first grade year ended.  While it might have started off with a bit of a bump, it quickly smoothed out and became a truly wonderful year.  Noah adored his teacher and made lots of new friends.  He easily picked up on all of his classwork and had perfect behavior the entire year... he never had to pull a red card!  I couldn't have asked for a better year for my big boy!

Teacher gift for Ms. Feuerborn and her kids

{Leaving on a Jet Plane - 5.23.12}
We left for our first big family vacation soon after Noah's field day ended on his last day of 1st grade.  We spend the rest of the days of May enjoying the beaches of South Carolina!  But that is a "celebration" that deserves its own post!

Oh May!  Oh My!

You wore me out.. big time!
But you also gave me LOTS of reasons to smile :)

(and now back to JULY!)