Happy Valentine's Day!

I'll be frank, I think Valentine's Day is a bit silly, and certainly is not a happy anything for many people.  I'd rather have surprise flowers on a rainy April day, or chocolates during an impromptu stop at my favorite chocolatier downtown.  And love notes are more meaningful when they happen out of a compulsion to express one's emotions, rather than because marketers flood store shelves with pre-packaged sentiment.  However….Valentine's Day is wonderful to a child.  Making cards for friends, decorating a "mail box" for class parties, sweet treats to share.  I remember it well.  Anna has enjoyed every card she has received, and even more, every one she has given.  Her hands are as colorful as stained glass, as she has broken out every marker to decorate cards for her friends.  We also had Doctor Who Valentine's printed, which was fun.  It's a privilege to be a parent to a child like Anna. That's what Valentine's Day means to us.

Since it's been a while since I've logged in, here are some highlights.

For Anna's birthday party, she and her friends made confections at Hazel Hill Chocolate.

Monopoly, National Parks Edition with GrandDad and Nana.

"The Wizard of Oz" musical at Starlight Theatre.
It was Girl Scout night, so Anna brought her friend, Katelyn.

King Tut exhibit at Union Station.

School's Out for Summer!

Ballet recital.

Petaluma, CA

Vacation!

Seal-spotting on the Pacific.

Happy Independence Day!

Anna was in her first real stage performance, "The Little Mermaid".
Posing with new friends "Sebastian" and "Scuttle".

Anna (and Alex) were chosen out of the audience to help at BuskerFest.

Back to School

Took a long weekend trip to Eureka Springs with a side trip to
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Feeling the love - Crystal Bridges

Family

Ready for a ride around the lake.

Anna with her mermaid kin at the Renaissance Festival.

Anna takes her rightful place on the Throne of Swords
Renaissance Festival

Annual Farm Tour - a favorite tradition!

Shenanigans at our annual Soup Party - Giant Jenga!

Silents in the Cathedral - Another favorite fall tradition!

Anna realized her dream of being a Dalek for Halloween.  EXTERMINATE!

Dias de los Muertos festival

Anna completes her first 5K.

Making gingerbread houses at the Performing Arts Center.

Snuggles.

Just a second, Santa.  Your elves are texting me.

Anna trying out her new golf clubs.

Our Brownie.

Thanks for being part of our year and our lives!

8

Anna turned 8 about a week ago.  Of course, I barely noticed.  You will note this by the fact I had her pose by the oven clock at the exact time of her birth 8 years prior.  

Truth be told, I believe birthdays are kind of a big deal when you're under the age of 21, 

and should be treated thusly. 

Pink Velvet Cake

Anna gets what she's always wanted…a Camelback.

Moving up in the world…Anna's first mountain bike.

Yep…ANOTHER CAKE!

Anna's friends learn how to make fudge at Hazel Hill Chocolate.

This smells amazing!

Pouring the fudge onto the marble slab.

The birthday girl gets to add all the extra ingredients.

Making fudge is a serious workout!  The girls (and adults) were impressed.

10 pound chocolate bar!!!

After making fudge, chocolate-dipped pretzels and chocolate bark, Anna is one of the team!

Spoon-lickin' good!  Yum.

Having a party at a chocolatier was a great educational experience, 

AND you get to eat what you learn.   

One more year of amazing memories to add to the books.  #lovelife 

A little something

Anna lost another tooth today.

She was home sick with a doozy of a head cold.  As I was "resting my eyes" on the couch, I heard her shout out something.  She ran up to me with a tiny tooth between her pinched fingers.  Smiled a huge smile, and immediately called Dad at work to share the exciting news.  Then she got serious with preparations for the tooth fairy's visit.

She wrote a  weep-worthy note to the tooth fairy.

She made a fairy house and invited her to come back and enjoy it at her leisure.

She placed her infinitesimal tooth into the pocket of her tooth fairy pillow 

and carefully placed it upon her pillow.

Then we read "Fancy Nancy and the Too-Loose Tooth" and "Silverlicious".

Each lost tooth is bitter-sweet.  One more exciting moment of celebration. 

Once more lost piece of childhood.  

Aint life grand?

2013 in Review

  2013: Condensed Version

(Photos are placed in no certain order, as moving pictures around on Blogger 

will make you want to chew your arm off - maybe both of them.)

January 2013

Tooth fairy put in overtime this year

Happy 7th birthday!

Making wishes

My Mom made me drink from this hose as a photo op, which seems ridiculous.
I never do this in real life.

Mom is in Public Health, yet still let me drink from this unsanitary hose.

The Carnival Comes to Town

Carnival Magic

Our backyard garden harvest

Slacklining at Lake Michigan

Making friends at Pendleton Farm butterfly house

Chunking pumpkins

Finding the "One"

Merida says, "This is what a feminist looks like."

Anna honors her Sailor Papa at a Veteran's Day school assembly.

Fall Tradition - Bury the child and see if they find their way back home.

Anna contemplates her future plans to eat one of these fellows.
Kaw Valley Farm Tour 2013

Strawberry Fields Christmas Tree Farm

Now let's go home and put together our artificial tree!

Brrrrrr!

Wonderstruck

And….we're back to summertime!

Against my better judgement, I let our child play with fire.
Thankfully, resulting burns were superficial.

Picking grapes at Davenport Orchards winery.

Anna saves a sea star.

Mother's Beach at Kennebunk, Maine

Our family vacation at Bluebrier House, Kennebunk ME

Whaaa???  Back to snow?  This is so confusing.

Unfortunately, these baby bunnies Anna has found will probably play
"Peter Rabbit" to my "Mr. McGregor" this summer.

Time of Wonder

Skipping stones

I love that I smell like pie.  Perhaps that is my superpower.

Anna got a playset for her birthday.

Spring ballet recital - Anna was an ice skater

The play's the thing!

Anna makes stuff at the local art festival.

Kite flying at the lake

Collins Park Parade on July 4th

Anna gets her own library card

Kayaking the Kennebunk river with Dad

Potion making is Anna's new hobby.
Mermade Juse is sure to be a hit.

First day of 2nd Grade

New wall deal in Anna's bedroom.  This sums her up perfectly.

Huff-n-Puff hot air balloon rally - The Glow

Halo Amok puppet installation - Beyond cool @ OKCMOA

Anna and Dad biking the Katy Trail

Anna finds her first ever geocache on the Katy Trail.

More geocaching at home

Anna in the role of Chinese Attendant for Nutcracker performance

Well, that's the year in review. We're on to new adventures.  Happy New Year!