June 2014 highlights

It doesn't seem like there was much going on in June.  School was finishing up and we were just on a lazy summer schedule. Also, Elly and I headed to Alaska around the 17th so it made our month in Germany seems even shorter. Here are a few of the highlights though.

After the preschool graduation, they went back to school for one more week. 

 This was the very last day of school

13 June 2014

Our wonderful neighbors who moved in August 2013 sent a box of goodies to Elly.  She loved them so much and misses them.  She loved getting a box from them.  

For her birthday Elly received a donut making kit.  She asked me constantly when she could make them.  Finally, the day arrived.  She had so much fun.  I didn't say it to her, but they were pretty disgusting.

Highlights for May 2014

May is always a busy month for us it seems.  Both my and Elly's birthdays, Mother's Day and now end of school year activities.  Elly's birthday party is a post in itself, so here is the rest of the highlights for the month.

Elly's preschool had a Mommy Spa Day in honor of Mother's Day.  Elly was simply in heaven being able to paint my nails.  It was so cute.  Messy....yes, but cute.  Almost as soon as the kids finished painting the mom's nails one of the caregivers brought nail polish remover around asking if we wanted to take it off.  Obviously, this young lady did not have children of her own.  We all looked at her horrified.  After all the care Elly took to paint my nails, she would have been heartbroken had I just wiped it off.  No, it stayed on through her birthday party, Mother's Day....all of it.  I was proud to have my nails painted crazy colors (and messy) because it meant that I have a little girl that took that job seriously and totally enjoyed making them pretty ☺

After Elly's birthday party we opened our gifts together.

 Elly was so proud of the wrapping she did on a gift my mom sent me.  

Mother's Day ~ 10 May 2014

Tripsdrill ~ 19 May 2014

Elly's Pre-school Graduation ~ 28 May 2014

Elly's 5th birthday party (May 2014)

Still catching up.  This was already in my drafts.

It's so hard to believe that my little girl turned 5 this year.  Where has the time gone?  On the one hand it seems like she's been around forever because I just can't remember life without her, but on the other it seems like yesterday that she was a tiny little baby.

 She has made our lives so much richer since coming into our family. She's such a beautiful little package of orneriness, sweetness, excitement and love with a good dose of sassy attitude mixed in.  She has a real need to talk constantly and tell me everything that's going on in her life. She's told me that she's like a volcano that has all these words inside her that just have to come out. I love that she wants to share it all with me, but at times she can try my patience and I'm constantly going to God in prayer for wisdom on how to parent her.

 I love that she gives me lots of snuggles and she's very free with her compliments.  Kids are so honest - for better or worse.  Her heart is tender towards God and I love that.  She has such a sweet way of expressing herself.  One day I asked her what was her favorite thing about herself. I fully expected her to say her hair was her favorite thing because she loves her long hair. She thought about it for a moment then said "I'm not mean".  That was her favorite thing about herself. I loved that and it's absolutely true.  She's very sweet and tries to be nice to all her friends.  I'm just very proud of my sweet little girl.

This year she wanted a Cinderella birthday party, so that's what we did.  Here are a few pictures from her day.

April update

Here's a quick overview for April 2014 ~ 

Our wonderful neighbors, who left last August, sent a box.  Elly had so much fun going through it.  We still miss them so much.  They were just the best.

Our German neighbors never fail to get Elly something special for certain holidays.  This time she got a chocolate bunny for Easter.  As you can see, she was pretty excited about that.

We went to a birthday party at a local farm,  The owner talked to the kids about taking care of the horses and introduced them to the baby donkey, then they were able to go on a trail ride.  It was a little cold that day, but Elly enjoyed it. 

Easter morning ~ 20 April

Elly had just woke up and was peeking at her Easter basket.

Easter play at church

Easter egg hunt at home after church.