Morgan turns 8 (again...back in August....)

Oh sweet girl, You turned 8, 7 months ago! I am determined to get this post done though so here we go.

Right after your 7th birthday we got to have a special weekend at the beach house with all of Papa's family. You loved all the attention and you really liked pushing Grandma Great around in the wheel chair at the aquarium. This sums you up quite well, you are a helper and a giver. You like to make sure others are happy and you have no problem helping mommy around the house and making new friends feel comfortable.

Your pose for cowboy day in 2nd grade! your style and your confidence make me want to be you when I grow up. I love it!

Cheerleader camp with your sister. You had a blast but I'm not sure cheerleading will be your thing. You did a volleyball camp last summer and you loved that. I hope you keep that love because that's mommy's first sports love!

Rain, rain.....last year was another drought year so whenever it rained you guys were dying to go play in it. In this picture you are still in your pjs!

Silly family picture....We have lots of fun together. Daddy and mommy love to drag you all out for a hike or walk on a Sunday afternoon. You usually put up quite a fight about it, but then end up loving it by the time we get back. You are my chill at home girl through and through.

You are becoming quite handy in the kitchen! You like to make your own guacamole with only garlic salt. You can also make your own scrambled eggs. I see some dinner planning in your future!

You are still my crafty girl! You are becoming a little more focused with your crafts and not making as many random treasures to keep in your room. You are really taking to drawing and writing stories.

We got to spend Christmas in Canada the year you were 7. You guys all loved playing in the snow even though it was SO COLD! You loved eating the snow!

We wend to see Frozen on Ice in January. It was so fun to see that through your eyes. We went with some friends and had a blast.

You became the toothless wonder when you were 7...lots of teeth missing, but they take forever to come in! I think this one was missing for 9 months.

You ran in the Almond Blossom race again last year. You even won 1st place for 8 and under girls! You were so proud to earn a medal!

Second grade program. You had a great year with Mrs. Chapman. You learned a lot and had fun. This was the night of your open house and program, both of which are super fun.

During Spring break we went to a cabin in the mountains. You loved fishing, but we didn't catch anything. We explored Yosemite as well and you loved the hiking. You and daddy and Ethan went further then the rest of us and almost made it to the top of Vernal Falls. It was icy and slippery though so you guys had to turn around.

You girls are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. Thankfully you are friends more than enemies. You love to create, play school and play house together. I pray this friendship stays number one in your lives. A sister is so special.

You and Ethan dressed up for book character day. You were Pippy Longstocking and he was Harry Potter. You guys still lead the kids well and get along most of the time. Ethan still relies on your creativity to play what to play and you are learning to be tougher and get out and play with the boys. 

I got to go on your fieldtrip to the cactus farm. I love any chance I get to hang out with you and your friends at school. You have the best group of friends, mommy is so thankful for them and I hope you all stay sweet to each other.

I love to watch you grow up sweet girl. You really do have a tender heart and love to make people happy. You are learning so much and becoming more confident in school. You desire to do what is right and good and I pray that continues!

You still love to get dirty, especially at the beach. You and Brooklyn had a blast on this trip making a fire pit out of the rocks and just creating what you could. 

You loved meeting baby Sierra. You can't wait to be able to babysit and love babies and kids of all ages. 

Nana and Papa's pool is a favorite summer location and this particular day was a random quiet moment!

Treasures at the beach! You and Annika still have a special cousin friendship. I love to watch you two play and listen to you talk. You are very different, but somehow you two make it work. I am so thankful you get to grow up by cousins.

We started to rent wet suits last summer at the beach house. Now you guys love to play in the water because you are toasty warm! You are so brave out there in those cold, cold waves.

I even got you two to golf a few holes at Peter Hay last summer. So fun. You did awesome, but I don't think you love golfing. 

You and all your friends at your 8th birthday party. you had such a blast and it was hard to limit it to 11 girls! You truly have been blessed with so many great girls in your class. I am so thankful for their laid back and respectful personalities. You are blessed my girl.

Now that you are almost 9 I am so glad I got to remember your 8th year. I love you sweet girl!

Brooklyn turned six (In August!)

Oh my dear daughter, happy birthday! So sad that it is January and I'm finally writing this for you. I do believe this year's birthday letters on the blog will likely be my last. I am terrible about keeping up with it. So here are the memories of your sixth year...

Always a good time at the beach house with cousins. Your childhood will be saturated with those memories. You girls love to imagine, pretend and create together at the beach house and at home.

I must say it makes me a little sad that you do not like your curls AT ALL. You want a bun or a pony most days to keep those curls controlled. We have straightened your hair a handful of times but its a lot of work and doesn't last too long! I (and everyone else) think your curls are absolutely beautiful and one of the best parts of you!

You and Audrey have the best time together!

You and Annika were on the same soccer team this year. It was so fun that you got to play together. We loved being able to cheer you both on. You did great and scored a few goals. This year defense was your favorite!

You decided to get your ears pierced for your sixth birthday. Lots of tears with the anticipation of it all, but when they actually pierced them you said it wasn't too bad!

You and some fun first grade friends! We celebrated with a boy/girl pool party for both you and Hudson. You all had such a blast!

You are my emotional, dramatic, entertaining one my dear. you love to make others smile and you enjoy life to the fullest. You make everyone smile when  you enter the room!

You have come a long ways with your relationship to the ocean! You used to run in fear at any wave and this summer you let Ethan teach you how to boogie board! We decided to try out wetsuits which has helped a lot with the enjoyment of the ocean!

You are a very good helper Brooklyn. You are usually up for helping me with anything in the kitchen or around the house. 

You love babies and were so excited to meet Sierra De Jong this summer and get to cuddle and hold her. 

I love to watch you and your big sister Morgan. I am so glad you have eachother, a sister relationship is the best! You two really get along quite well...of course there are lots of moments of fighting but mostly you work together to play a game, create a game, imagine and play American Girl dolls.

In Kindergarten you each have a fifth grade buddy. Your buddy goes to chapel with you and does special projects with you throughout the year. Yours was a student that mommy actually tutors a couple times a week and you two got along perfectly. Your personalities just totally clicked.

Buds!!! You and Hudson have such a fun relationship. You get along great. You two fight the least in the family. Often you divide and play with Morgan while Hudson plays with Ethan, but the moments are super sweet when you play together and get your own thing going. You more or less ignore each other at school and stick to your own friends though.

You love spending time with me and I am so thankful! You have great questions and observations about life, relationships and spirituality. I love our discussions and time together. I hope we always have this easy relationship. You are however quite strong willed when you want to be, so mommy prays that I can help shape and mold that will to do great things for God.

Twins! 

I love the girl time the three of us have together. This past year we watched a lot of Fixer Upper together and I loved being able to do that with you girls.

You had the BEST kindergarten teacher and such a good year at school. You learned so much, mostly how to love others and love school! I was very sad when Kindergarten was over!

I love this pic because its one of the few high ponies you let me put in your hair. Those curls are just so cute!!

Independent spirit....This particular evening you grabbed the blanket at Spanish Bay and walked all by yourself around all the fire pits and down by the bag piper. You are so confident in who you are and I pray God continues to grow that in you, while keeping you humble to what he wants to do in your life.

You love life....especially at the beach!!

We had a blast in Canada for Christmas. You had fun sledding until you took a few face plants in that freezing snow!

You have a lot of fun with your daddy. You two love to have dance parties in the kitchen and color together too. This picture was taken at the hotel we stayed in before we flew out to Canada. You four loved exploring the hotel and experiencing something new.

Merry Christmas! You 4 are the best of friends and the biggest enemies all in the same hour sometimes. Mom and Dad are doing our best to help you navigate this world and praying we will all be more like Christ each day.

You had your first cavities filled this year and you literally giggled the whole time...for some reason you thought the drill was tickly...crazy girl!

Family fun-We do our best to make time to have fun together, explore and just enjoy each other. Some days are more enjoyable than others, but that is life. Dad and Mom pray that you will have memories of lots of fun and meaningful times together. 

Girls night out!!

This year you got to participate in a Jr Cheer camp. You loved every minute of it, especially the dance and watching the big cheerleaders do their thing. Your natural sense of rhythm and love of music has me wondering if you will be a cheerleader in high school!

Brooklyn Helena, you bring humor, dance, joy and wisdom into our family and we can't imagine life without you sweet girl!