Strawberry Shortcake Party

Kate and I had a really good time planning her 6th Strawberry Shortcake Party!

Yummy sweets table!

As everyone was arriving, the girls painted flower pots and then planted seeds at the end of the party.

So happy her friends were arriving!

Kate asked for no gifts from her friends, but that they donate towards mosquito nets for children in Africa. We try to pick a charity that also goes along with the theme, so we were trying to keep bugs out of the berry patch! She thought of the mosquito nets on her own...we donated towards this organization a few years ago at VBS and she remembered.

She was very specific on what kind of cake she wanted...three layers, chocolate cake with strawberries inside, and pink icing with white polka dots. She isnt particular at all ;)

Old SSC and friends

We also hunted for strawberries.

We had a build-a-pie relay making blueberry, raspberry, lemon, and strawberry pies.

Audrie and Aunt Dee were in town too!

Grammy and PopPop made it for the party!

I also love making pinatas for their parties!

The pinata made Uncle Bretty a nervous wreck.

PapaQ and Ninabelle and the kids

Kate, you are an amazing little girl. You are determined, funny, smart, and sensitive. You love being with your family, plan play dates every day (and write out invitations to slip in your friends backpacks), and love alone time in your room with your Barbies. You have amazed me this year learning how to ride your bike, tie your shoes, read, and do math. You have lost 6 teeth already! You love your brothers and daddy, and I think you like having me around too. You have taught me so much about listening to other people. loving people for who they are, and patience!!! You have an incredible memory and help me with directions when I am driving. You love to sing and perform for our family, but you get shy around people you dont feel completely comfortable around. When you get uncomfortable or jealous you tend to lash out, but this is also something I have seen mature in you this year. Your meltdowns are farther and farther between, and it is usually because you feel unheard. I love listening to your imagination and the stories you write. You are so creative! In the morning, you like to know the plan for the day, and you appreciate it when we stick exactly to the plan. You like to have "acativities" to do, and you are really enjoying dance class. You have such a huge heart and are constantly worried about homeless people and sad things that your 6 year old brain shouldn't have to worry about yet. I love that about you. I know you are going to grow up to do great things for God, little girl. You make your mama and daddy proud every day just for being Kate.

My daughter, 

I wish you the strength to face challenges with confidence...

along with the wisdom to choose your battles carefully...

I wish you adventure on your journey and may you always stop to help someone along the way...

Listen you your heart and take risks carefully...

Remember how much you are loved...

I am so proud of you.

Patsy Grant

April

Well, it has been a while! I am going to try to get a few recaps of our year up before we hit 2015! 

April was spent...

at the park with friends,

looking at our friends new chickens and their eggs,

learning to cook,

selling our house and celebrating at Mellow Mushroom!

(We sold our home to the first buyers the first day it was on the market...I had prayed over every square inch of our two acres for the previous 18 months that God would send us the perfect new owners the first showing. He did, of course.)

celebrating life,

(Luke's Granny passed away and the funeral was on my birthday. She will be greatly missed by everyone she knew, but we love thinking of her and Luke's grandfather and uncle being reunited...and thinking of the mischief she is making in Heaven! Luke, Sam, and I ate at Harveys for my bday in Tupelo.)

stretching after cat naps,

offering sympathy after a spill in the driveway,

having fun at farm day at preschool,

being thankful for a daughter who takes pics on my phone without me knowing & capturing moments like these,

getting caught in Mommy's chocolate stash,

riding her new scooter she bought off Collierville resale (at the church egg hunt, Luke and I were still in Tupelo for the funeral and my mom took K&P. Kate found the egg with the cat poop in it which resulted in $5. She was so mortified she couldnt move, but then we got this scooter and she was happy...still cant talk about the cat poo though :)

enjoying our big yard,

stalking Jake (I was worried I wouldnt be able to find his car in the school lot...good thing he is uber conscientious and parks near NO ONE! Grandpa.),

getting spring hair cuts, (my friend who usually cuts the kids' hair was out of town, and we needed an Easter 'do. Kate told everyone she got her hair cut IN A STORE!!)

enjoying a date night

with friends (and Sam, of course),

enjoying Easter,

having a yummy lunch at the Thistledome Inn celebrating spring bdays with these lovely ladies,

meeting Mind that Bird, the KY Derby winner,

having our annual Bday Fish Fry,

hunting eggs on the square,

getting egged by friends (and then egging others!),

dying eggs,

celebrating Easter,

being mad the Bunny hid real eggs,

trying out Easter basket goodies,

getting an awesome family photo,

nailing that pinterest pose,

Oh yeah, and I packed our home, we moved in with my parents, and we bought a new home!