Birthday Bash

 Sullivan poses with Birthday girl, Sarah Katharine.

 They loved watching Chuck blink, move and dance.

Sawyer rides the "Big Truck" and clutches her tickets.

Birthdays are big-time at our house these days. I had forgotten how important such things are for the 4-6 year old population! We recently celebrated the 4th birthday of our sweet fellowship-family friend, Sarah Katharine, at the local Chuck E Cheese. Sawyer loved the galloping horse ride, "big truck" and the animatron Chuck E Cheese, while Sullivan became a quick hand at thrills like Skee Ball, Waterguns, and bubble popping! She loved seeing those tickets pour out! We are so thankful to have great friends from fellowship here in Jackson! Thank you for a great party, Samantha!

Cheetos and Chocolate

Early loves.

Sawyer Mans Up

We have some kind neighbors across the street who have school-age kids that recently acquired a trampoline. Me and the girls went out for a walk the other day and the family was out jumping with some friends and invited Sullivan and Sawyer to join in. The friends were three rowdy boys, 7, 4 and 3 and as the girls hopped on Sawyer quickly got catapulted into the air several feet and landed roughly. Anticipating that this would happen, I was right there to scoop her into my arms to cuddle the tears away. But just as I was nestling in and giving her kisses, she took a deep breath and looked at me and said,
"I ok, Mommy. I ready. I do it."
And with that, she climbed back in and although she stayed on the periphery and the boys were very careful with her, she stayed on that trampoline shouting, "I jumping, Mommy! I like it! I jumping!"...So proud of herself!

Ash Wednesday

Yesterday I had a pretty neat conversation with Sullivan about Ash Wednesday and the marks on my forehead after receiving ashes at mass.
She is really beginning to ask lots of questions about our Catholic faith.

As I get out of the car to help get the girls from school...

Sullivan: Mommy! What is on your face! You're dirty!
Me: Sullivan, Mommy went to church while you were at school. Today is Ash Wednesday and the priest put ashes on my forehead.
Sullivan: I don't like it, you look bad. Take it off.
Me: No, not right now.
Sullivan: What is it? Can I taste it?
Me: It is ashes, like from a fireplace and no, you cannot taste it.
Sullivan: Why did you put it there?
Me: It's a symbol to remind me that I am small before God and that Lent begins now...Remember Advent to prepare for Christmas? Well, this is called Lent to prepare us for Easter.
Sullivan: Easter? What is Easter?
Me: Remember? Jesus was...
Sullivan: Oh yea! Jesus is Risen!
Me: Yes! That's right!
Sullivan: What is risen?
Me: It means that He came alive again, after He died...
Sullivan: Oh yea, like Humpty Dumpty?
Me: Well, not exactly...


These talks are getting trickier and trickier!

The Rainy Season

We have had rain, rain and more rain here in Jackson as of late. That is typical of a deep south winter, but as it is our first after years of time in the Carolinas, it strikes us anew in a way. It has made me so grateful for the sun! In the meantime, we have had to be a little creative in our play time...
Here are the girls in our backyard "swampland", during a moment of dry weather.

 Here are Poppy(the black one) and Snow (in white) above and below on our fence. These lovely felines belong to our neighbors but spend much time at our house seeking affection.

 Below, the girls take to playing "dentist" and then dressing up in costumes...

St. Luke's Circus

Tonight was one of the school-year highlights, as Sullivan's class performed their annual Circus performance. Each  four year-old had a part to play and Sullivan was one of the 3 Lollipop Girls in a full sequence of lions, tigers, bears and nursery rhyme skits. She has been looking forward to this for weeks and it was really a thrill to finally see her on stage. Lee could be there with us and Sawyer loved having Diet Coke and popcorn in my lap and shouting, "Yay Sissy!".

 Sawyer, enjoying the refreshments to the max.

The three Lollipop Girls: Maddy, Addison and Sullivan.

Halftime hilarity

I just ran into our bedroom to watch with Lee while Beyonce performed at the Superbowl halftime show. The girls were watching Winnie the Pooh in the den but Sullivan followed me in...I didn't protest and let her watch, but then it quickly ocurred to me that she had never seen such a performance before. Here are a few of the things she said:

-There are a ton of girls up there! A ton of girls!
-How does she have so many hands up there?
-Why don't they have pants on?
-When I grow up, can I be that for Halloween? I want to be her.
-Why do they have fire up there?

All solid questions.  Perhpas the viewing was a mistake.
Then again, I am pretty sure I watched "Dirty Dancing" regularly as a five-year-old...