Memorial Day 2013

Memorial Day weekend was fun....  Always nice to have long weekends but somehow they are never long enough.  We spent time together as a family.  Saturday we spent the day at my mom's lake house, Sunday we had a picnic at the park/splash pad with our small group, and Monday we grilled out with Erik's family.  So, we had our share of outside time enjoying the absolutely perfect weather.  I only have pictures from Saturday though.  I didn't have my camera the other 2 days...

Mom's lake house is pretty fantastic.  They have done a lot of work to it over the fall and winter months.  Best addition to the house is the BOAT!!!  Woo hoo!!  You got to love a boat that you have access to yet don't have to maintain.  They got a canoe, kayak, and a real live ski boat.  No skiing was done this weekend but rest assured, there will be soon when the water warms up.  So excited about that.

We did enjoy time in the canoe and kayak (Quentin did) and we took a cruise down the lake on the boat.  Good times...

The Stringfellow family canoe trip through the cove

 

Quentin was the only one brave enough to try kayaking....maybe one day I will attempt it

Kate and Elaina

Pulling in to dock...

All smiles for the big voyage

That's a happy crew

Okay...that about sums it up....Until next time.

Kindergarten graduation

Elaina has had a pre-school graduation and now a Kindergarten graduation.  If she keeps this up by the time she has a graduation that really matters (not that these don't, but you know what I mean), she's going to be so over them that she won't want to go.  :)

Last week we kissed Kindergarten farewell.  It was a good day. Sort of sad for me.  I was more sad dropping her off the last day then I was the first day.  I am just that way. 

She is excited for the summer because she gets to go to Grace Place.  She has heard a lot from her friends about all the cool stuff they get to do at Grace Place so she is happy.  We have had a few tears about missing Mrs. Borden and her Kindergarten (mostly from just the change of it all) but I think she will be fine once she gets through the summer.  She also cried that 1st grade was going to be hard.  I am sure it's just nerves...

A picture from her 2nd to last day (the last day in Kindergarten in her uniform).  The last day was only a half day and no uniforms were required.

That night of her last day we went to her school for a ceremony.  It was great.  It was very well done - not too much but just enough to make is special.  They did a slide show of pics from the year, the kids sang a few songs.  Then, each kid was introduced and given a medal and their graduation cap (with a final hug from their teacher).  They said a little something about each kid.  For Elaina they said:

"Elaina Claire Stringfellow. 

Daughter of Erik and Erin Stringfellow. 

Elaina wants to be a teacher when she grows up. 

Her favorite thing to do is play games with her mom. 

Her favorite thing about Kingergarten was lunch."

Yep - about sums that little girl up.  Some of the things the kids said were cute.  One little boy in her class wanted to be a stay at home dad when he grew up.  Hilarious!

So, now on to pics from the night...

Elaina and her best friend Gracee from her class

Getting her metal from Mrs. Borden

I couldn't get her to turn around but on the left is the back of her in her garb

Elaina with her Granny

Elaina with Gracee again

Elaina with her mamaw and papaw

Afterwards we went to Brusters for ice cream to celebrate the night

silly kid

We are so proud of our wee one....  She did so great in Kindergarten.  She is such a great and fun kiddo.  Can't wait for a fun summer with her.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day weekend was fantastic....  On Saturday, we had a baby shower at my house for my little sister, Nell who is expecting her first child at the end of June.  My sister's Kate and Abby and niece Alexandra were a huge helping in throwing it all together.  It's a girl.  She doesn't have a name yet.  So, I like to call her ole baby girl whatshername.  We are excited for her arrival.  The shower was nice and since I don't yet have furniture in my living room, it made for a great space to set up tables and do a "cafe style" shower.  It was nice - everyone had somewhere to sit.  Nell and Dave were showered with all sorts of great stuff.....

Cafe Stringfellow :)

Nell requested carrot cake.  She is definitely my sister because I requested carrot cake at my baby shower.

My sis's and my mom

Elaina got to spend the weekend with her cousins (bonus for her).  She and her cousin, Celia.

My aunt Rhonda, Nell, and cousin Rebecca.

Nell and her pal (also preggers), Jenny

The next day was mother's day.  Erik got me a tree.....

He planted it for me :)  It's a crepe myrtle

My mammaw got us a dogwood tree....My favorite tree.  Erik planted it the same day.  I can't wait to watch it grow.  I have always wanted one but never got one.  So, now I have one - excited about that.

Mother's day we went to Erik's mom's house to visit.  While there I learned of a planned trip by Erik's sister, Melanie, and her daughter, Cassie, to Painting with a Twist.  I have never been and have always wanted to go.  So, I crashed their party (Elaina and I did).  I am so grateful because I had a great time.  I was worried Elaina wouldn't be able to paint but they assigned a person solely to the kids (which was just Elaina and Liana).  They did their own masterpieces...

 

Bottom line - I had a blast and so did Elaina, and I would do it again.  I walked away with a painting that is now on my wall.  Pretty cool.  Great way to spend Mother's day with my wee one.

 

Elaina and Liana getting ready to paint

The stencilled the paintings out

All our paintings....(mine, Melanie, Cassie, Liana, and Elaina)

Elaina's horse masterpiece - now hanging on her wall

All of us with our finished products.

She will kill me

Elaina will probably kill me when she gets older and sees this video but it makes me laugh.  Last night, she was in the bath while I cleaned up the kitchen and was getting stuff ready for the next day.  She was singing very loudly in the bathroom.  The tune of Amazing Grace was heard but the words were random.  It made me laugh at how loud and the vibrato she is using in her voice.  The high notes tickled me too.  Then, I thought to myself...."why am I not recording this?"  So....quick, grabbed the camera and this is what I got.  Don't worry...no embarrasing bathroom footage.  She's hidden. 

As I recorded, I noticed she was laying down in the water with ears submerged.  So, no wonder she was singing so loud.  She couldn't hear herself.  Anyway....enough of me babbling...

I hope this makes you smile like it did me.  Enjoy!

*Turn your speakers down.  She is pretty loud :)

 

 

The end is just her whispering something.  Sorry about that - I wanted to make sure she was done singing so the end is boring.

The final link..........

WE'VE MOVED!!!  That's all.  Very exciting. 

Elaina tore off her final link the morning of April 6....the day of the move. It was a very exciting thing for her to do.

The final link also makes a great headband :)

It's been just over a week and it already feels like home. It's been a busy week but all the boxes are unpacked and everything is in place (I am a crazy fool about things being in their place). Now, there is just a pile of stuff to hang on the wall remaining. But, we'll get to that. This past weekend we had several visitors. I love welcoming people into our home. Such a nice feeling.

Friday night before we moved in and after we closed, we went to the house and got some things settled for the next day.  Elaina ate mac and cheese on the counter since we had no chairs.  I told her no other time would she be allowed to eat on the counter :)  She seems to enjoy eating on the counter

A pic from the day before we moved in

A friend of mine, Janel, got me these beautiful flowers the day we moved in.  :)  Happy.

Elaina had her first overnight guest this past Saturday, cousin Liana.  Here they are in her room reading a daily devotion together.  This was totally unprompted.  I walked in to kiss them goodnight and they were doing this.  Precious.
 

And, just for fun.....Have you ever been flipping through the pics on your phone and found silly pics that your kid has taken. I do quite often. These 3 made me laugh. There were more but these are the best of the bunch. She did these upstairs of the new house before it was done. Not exactly sure when but I remember her asking for the camera to go take some pictures upstairs while we were checking stuff out downstairs.

her nose...I thnk?

Her teeth and tongue

And the classic "hold the camera out and point it towards your face" shot.  Can't forget the shades :)