Signs of Spring

This is my absolute favorite time of year! The signs of new life are all around us. And that just makes me smile! I hope these pictures bring a smile to your corner of the world today.

Ten Years Ago...

Ten years ago, I was presented with a lovely red satin box. Inside lay a beautiful diamond ring that changed the course of my life. Ten years ago, my prayers of many years were answered when the man of God's choice proposed to me on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We celebrated with champagne that he had so romantically placed in the truck of his car and called our families and friends to share our most exciting news. We listened to a Vivaldi CD all the way home. I doubt that I stopped smiling for days!

For the next five months, I dreamed and planned for the day when I would become Mrs. Philip Girard. And, amazingly, the story got even better! God blessed us with three beautiful babies that have grown into three amazing children. We've seen God's faithfulness as we have experienced job changes and moves. Ten years ago, we began a journey together...and today I thank God for that special moment when Phil asked for my hand in marriage. It was a dream come true - and still is!

Roller Skating!

Today the girls had their annual school skating party at Roller Towne. The kindergarten - 3rd grade classes came on the busses at 12:45 and were able to skate until 2:30. Although I didn't skate, it sure brought back memories of junior high skating parties! Just imagine over 200 children (and quite a few parents) skating at the same time... it was a bit overwhelming, but the girls and I had a great afternoon! (I doubt any of us will have trouble sleeping tonight...)

Here are the girls hanging on to the wall while playing the corner game.

Beth was SO excited! Yesterday she announced, "Tomorrow will be the best day of my entire life!" I was worried that she would be disappointed, but she had a ball.

Allie burst into tears when we approached the skating area. After a few moments, she decided she was ready to give it a try. After holding my hand for a few laps, she wanted to do it by herself! Then after that one time, she asked, "Can you just walk next to me so you can pick me up when I fall down? I was glad to oblige - and so proud that she had stuck with it, even when she was scared at the beginning. She didn't even want to stop skating when it was time to go home! I think we'll be making another visit to Roller Towne sometime soon.

The Great Outdoors

We have been enjoying beautiful Spring weather for the last couple of weeks. The kids head into the backyard every day after the girls return home from school. While Beth and Nathan played on the swings and slide, Allie sat on the patio and wrote a story!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! The girls went to the dentist this morning and got their teeth nice and clean - so they could eat plenty of candy this afternoon! Allie drew this happy picture that we thought you'd enjoy...

We actually began celebrating Valentine's Day last night. We were too lazy to cook so Phil picked up a heart-shaped pizza. It was a treat!

We made heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast this morning. Allie especially loved them but refused to let me cut them. Instead, she dipped them in syrup!

There was a sweetheart luncheon at school today, so Phil went to have lunch with the girls. He surprised them by bringing them each a rose. They enjoyed their Daddy/daughter date!

Tonight we had spaghetti (with cute heart shaped pasta!) and ate by candlelight. It was a fun way to end a busy day! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Valentine's Day Preparations

We've been busy getting ready for Valentine's Day! I refused to buy Valentine's Day cards this year. Instead, we made our valentines.

The girls chose to make heart-shaped crayons, using broken old crayons. We had a great time watching them melt and seeing how they ended up! Then we just cut out circles of pink cardstock and attached the hearts with double-sided foam tape. Easy and fun!

For Nathan's valentines this year, we made pink playdough and cut out hearts. We put them in cellophane bags and put labels on them. Voila! Our valentines are done!

Nathan's Quote of the Day

As we were getting into the van to leave the Outlet Center and head home, I told Nathan he should go potty just in case he fell asleep. He said, "That's okay, Mommy! I can fold it!" He certainly keeps us laughing!

World Ag Expo

Today we headed to Tulare for the largest farm equipment show in the world. I always knew that this was a big deal, but let me tell you - after being there today for only two hours, it is a BIG DEAL! Thousands of people were milling around this enormous place. It was all a little crazy, but I'm glad we experienced it! We were smart enough to catch an Orange Belt bus at the Tulare Outlet Center and ride the bus to and from the farm show. That worked out great for us! And, as it turns out, it was Nathan's favorite part of the entire day! The girls weren't that thrilled with all the farm equipment and Beth announced after an hour, "This really isn't very fun, Mommy!" But she was a good sport. And Allie's favorite part? The ice cream! (That really shouldn't surprise anyone!). Some of the highlights for me: seeing Nathan's eyes light up as he saw the huge tractors and diggers, enjoying the beautiful weather, and seeing a classmate from my elementary school years. What a small world!

(Oh! Just in case you were wondering, the girls had the day off from school today - specifically for the Farm Show! That's life in an agricultural community!)

A Day Filled with Fun!

On Saturday, Beth and I were invited to go see "Disney on Ice" with some friends. Since the two of us were heading off for a day of fun, Phil took Allie and Nathan out to lunch and to Chuck E. Cheese. Yes, my husband is quite the trooper! The three of them had a great day together - although Phil was looking pretty tired by the time Beth and I returned home! I'm not sure he'll be braving Chuck E. Cheese on a Saturday again!

Beth and I had a great time watching "Disney on Ice" with her friend Baylee and Baylee's mom, Wendy. It was a magical performance and the girls were completely enthralled! It was very kind of them to invite us!

A Boy and His Cow

There is just something about the bond between my little boy and his cow that melts my heart.

At the Park

It was a beautiful afternoon, so the kids and I headed to the park after school today. The kids had a great time playing - and I enjoyed some quiet moments soaking up the sunshine and contentedly reading my book. What a treat!

You'll notice that Nathan is only wearing one sock. Apparently one of his socks disappeared during naptime at preschool this afternoon. When I asked him what happened to it, he replied, "A monster sneaked in and took it while I was sleeping!" It's obvious that the loss of his sock didn't upset him one bit! (I attempted to get a picture of Nathan several times, but he was so busy playing that this was the best I could do!).

Penguin Fun

Both of our girls are thrilled to have art class this semester. The second graders made penguins with paper mache. Beth was so proud to bring her little penguin home! She did a great job!

Even Superheroes Get Tired...

I discovered my sweet little superhero sleeping on the recliner at 9:30 in the morning. He woke up with a fever, but it lasted less than 24 hours. I asked him if he wanted Mommy and he answered, "Even superheroes need mommy's arms." What a sweetie!

100th Day of School

For the 100th day of school, Allie had to make some sort of display using one hundred items. She chose to use buttons and we strung them on yarn so we can use them again for other craft projects later. She was so excited about the 100th day of school and had a great time!