1st Grade Accolades

I wish I could bottle up 1st grade and keep it forever.

It was such a precious year for our big girl.

It starts with playful kindergarten babies and turns them into sweet, smart school kids. 

Aubrey absolutely adored her teacher, Ms. Gordon, who let her be the personal helper every morning before school started.
"When I get into the classroom, Mrs. Gordon lets me run all her errands before class starts: I go to her mailbox, stop by the copy room to pick up papers, drop notes off at the office, and if I'm reeeeeally lucky she lets me vacuum the classroom!"
Did I mention that Mrs. Gordon is a genius?

This school picture absolutely melts my heart. The missing two front teeth?! I could eat her up.

Her favorite class (besides recess) was science. She was always so excited to volunteer for experiments. Her science teacher sent me this picture one day from their static electricity lesson.

**Warning**
The following is going seem like major Mom Bragging, but I'm just stating the facts.
Okay, okay...maybe a little bragging too, but I can't help it! ;)

First grade is the first year students get "actual" grades. Aubrey made straight A+'s throughout the year, and she scored above the 99th percentile in all the national testing.

The one area that I feel like Aubrey truly excelled at this year was reading. She tested at / beyond a 5th grade reading level. The last week of school, she was awarded with a trophy for reading the most books / highest Accelerated Reading scores in the entire 1st grade!

Aubrey also loved writing her own "books" and reading them to her class.

Apparently it was so well received by the students, that they asked her to make her first book into a "series", so she did. I think she ended up with about 4 books. 

One day, she read a book about the Kids Care Club, and decided to start one of her own! She recruited kids on the playground, and they picked up trash all around the school. The principle found out, and awarded her with a prize, high-five, and encouraged her to keep it up! 

Miss Aubrey is also her school's fastest 7-year girl in the 200 yard dash! 

The blue ribbon might be upside-down, but that smile sure isn't! :)

GO AUBREY!

First grade, you are going to be hard to beat!

What Spring Break?

Spring Break 2016.
With both girls home 24/7 and Daniel working (and going out of town) for 16 days straight, there was really not much of a "break" for Mama.
But we all survived (even despite some sickness), and here are some pictures to prove it...

It started off low-key.
All day jammies. Non-educational app overload on the tablet.
Basically it was a full of day "lazin'" as Aubrey calls it. (Lazy + Relaxin' = Lazin')

And then came the junk food...

It wasn't all screen time and Happy Meals though -- Aubrey was super psyched that AR tests (Accelerated Reader) for her school were available 24/7 over the break. She devoured 17 chapters books! Go girl!

One day we drove a little out of town to eat lunch at the girls' favorite place...Patti's 1880's Settlement! 

We burned some energy at the jump park...

And at the park...

Then one day we drove to Union City, TN to the Discovery Park of America.

It's a science / history museum, which is Miss Aubrey's ultimate love. 

Unfortunately, about 12 minutes after we arrived, Mina had a horrific accident. There was a military helicopter that was open for kids (and adults) to go in and explore. Well, Mina-bug fell from the cockpit down the steel ladder and landed on her chin -- busting it right open.

Oh how I wish I could wrap this child up in bubble wrap. 

Thankfully no stitches were needed, just a good cleaning and butterfly bandage. When Mina sadly realized that the "butterfly bandage" didn't actually have butterflies on it -- Big Sis came to the rescue!

By mid-week, I needed a date night out. 

It was on this particular evening that I witnessed a man consume more sushi than I thought humanly possible. Oh Daniel-san. Your talents are truly endless. 

On the final stretch of Spring Break, Aubrey -- out of nowhere -- started feeling yuck.
Fever and stomach pains that turned into a nasty stomach virus that lasted 4-5 days.
I kept telling myself (and Aubrey), "At least we're not at the beach, and you're stuck inside with this yuckiness!" But we both had a good cry over the pitifulness of it all.

Meanwhile, Daniel was on a guy trip in NYC while I was home washing sheets and Clorox-ing everything in our house.

I had several pity-parties for myself at the end, but when Daniel finally got home (with a canister of Garrett's popcorn from his layover in Chicago) all was well. Health and happiness was restored.

But next year, I think we deserve a full family vacation! :)

First Snow Day in 2016

When it comes to snow days, Mina and I are very much alike.

We are enamored with the beauty of it, but when people make us get out IN it -- let's just say we're less than jazzed about it.

Daniel and Aubrey, on the other hand, love being out in the snow. It's as if the freezing temperatures and wetness from snow have no effect on their happiness. In fact, I often wonder if they realize those things are actually unpleasant. They're just so "okay" with it. You can even see it in their faces below.  "Ahh, just a regular lovely day outside. I am so comfortable and at peace with nature." 

Poor Mina is like, "Ehh, exactly how much longer do I have do this..."

After about 20 minutes (and that's being generous), Mina and I came inside and proceeded to drink our weight in hot chocolate. Which is everyone's favorite part of a snow day...

Private

I decided with the girls getting older and the world getting crazier, it was a good idea to make this blog private. 

But if you're reading this, it means we don't mind you peeking into our everyday chaos! :)

7 years old

These photos were taken just a few months ago, and already they are dated.

(Such a harsh reminder to me that time is flashing before my eyes.)

There's a much larger gap on the top row of her teeth.

Her hair is a bit shorter after a much needed haircut.

But I absolutely adore these photos my dear friend Ann Wade snapped of Aubrey while we were on vacation this Summer. 

This one is my favorite.

It's her genuine smile mixed with a giggle.

She's something else, this one.

A leader, a friend, a perfectionist, a strategist, and a drama queen.

Aubrey continues to excel at school and was recently tested at a 3rd grade level in math and reading. 

She comes alive outdoors and requests a ponytail (or pigtails) every day for school.

She plays hard and out-runs all the boys on the playground.

Aubrey has never been one to snuggle or openly show affection, but I've noticed she secretly loves it when you love on her anyway.

She's talked frequently about wanting to get baptized and has told us that she's already accepted Jesus as her Savior. "Mom, I NEED to get baptized!" It's hard to know if a young child really "gets" it. Her two greatest fears in life right now: getting up in front of people and going under water without her goggles. Well, the actual baptism process is pretty much her worst nightmare, yet when I tell her that she'll be going in front of our entire church (one of the largest congregations where we live) and be "dunked" under water she has a total calmness about it. "I know, Mom. I want to get baptized." So, we're meeting with the youth minister soon. Kinda crazy (/awesome) to think of her as my sister in Christ...

These two are still quite the duo.

So alike in so many ways.

They are both major smarty-pants and ridiculously good-looking. 

I can hardly believe she is SEVEN. 

I pray every day for God's abundant love and grace over her, and that He would continue to draw her closer to Him.

___________________________________________________

Stats:

Weight: 64.6 lbs. (90%ile)

Height 54 inches / 4.5 feet (>99%ile -- off the chart)

Aubrey's Birthday Questionnaire...

Favorite color?  Blue and purple
Favorite toy? iPad / electronics

Favorite drink? Fanta

Favorite food? Chicken Noodle Soup
Favorite tv show?  Odd Squad

Favorite movie? How to Train Your Dragon

Favorite outfit? Long dresses
Favorite game?  Cards (Crazy 8s)
Favorite animal?  Cheetah
Favorite song?  I Want You Back by the Jackson 5
Favorite book?  Hugo
Best friend? Eliza
Favorite thing to do outside?  Play in my secret garden
Favorite holiday?  My birthday

What's one thing you like to do: Spend time with my family
What’s one thing you don’t like to do: Homework
What do you want to be when you grow up? Scientist

Aubrey's Science Spectacular

With Mina, she told me her sweet and simple little birthday party idea: Popsicles at the park with her friends. She loved looking up "party" stuff but was generally excited about any and everything when it came to her party. 

Aubrey, on the other hand, is and has always been one to have super detailed requests about how she'd like to celebrate her big day. This birthday was no different.

The day after Mina's birthday, she handed me a piece of paper with purple and blue colored lines and informed me that she'd like her party to be kept in this "color scheme". 

Um, yeah.

Every detail was her idea down to the gumballs in test tubes -- "I'd like gumballs, but not plain ones. I'd like ones with some shimmer to them. It will look more 'science-y' and kinda like space gumballs." 

Oooookay.

That's the thing with Miss A, you cannot put her in a box (or cube, for that matter... ;)). 

She is brains and beauty. 

Sassy and sporty. 

Girly and granola. 

I have yet to figure her out, and I pray I never do. She is such a fascinating enigma. 

So...enough blah blah blah...on to the party!

Oh, and this is "Skeley" -- she (he?) floated around in the pool during the party. 

For the first activity, Aubrey explained that all scientists need to be safe but not afraid to get messy. So the girls put on some lab coats and safety glasses. Then, we gave them all cans of silly string. :)

Next up, Break Your Own Geodes!

Then, after working up a thirst, we had a drink experiment!

Cotton candy + Sprite = Instant dissolving / color changing deliciousness

Cake time!

Aubrey told them there was a surprise with the cake, and the girls were all afraid it was going to explode! Ha!  They squealed with delight when the little chocolate candies poured out when the cake was cut...

After cake, it was time for the main event...

MR. SCIENCE from Hooked on Science came!

The girls had a BLAST with getting to participate in lots of different experiments.

We sent each of the girls home with a few goodies:

Grown your own crystals, rock candy sucker and chocolate rocks in a petri dish.

It was fun to see all of Aubrey's party "ideas" come to life.
Now if she could just come up with a machine to freeze time, it might help this lump in my throat go away...

Happy SEVENTH Birthday, Aubrey!
You shine bright like a rhombus!