Dear Lissie - Age Eight

Her first Waffle House experience, age 8

Dear sweet Lissie,

I just reread the letter that I wrote on your last birthday, and it's pretty identical to what I want to write today.

You simply amaze me.  You are generous and kindhearted (you and your brother spearheaded another fundraiser this year to donate a cow to a family through Catholic Charities, and you always want to do all you can for the area homeless).  You are so, so, smart.  Written expression comes so naturally to you (well, you are your mother's daughter), and your teacher always tells me how much you go above and beyond what is expected of you - including doing extra, more challenging work just for fun.  You are talented (despite having three different cello instructors in the last year and a half,  you have shown amazing growth!) and silly (your favorite school day ever is when you were introduced to the book I Need a New Butt, haha).  Basically, you are beautiful in every possible way -inside, outside, and everywhere in between.

It's no secret that I claim you as the "easy" child.  Everything about you has always been a breeze.  My pregnancy with you was thankfully uneventful.  Your scheduled c-section delivery was easy-peasy.  You were easy to sleep-train, potty-train, all-sorts-of-train.  Even today, as we went to Target to use up a few of your birthday gift cards, you did a cost-analysis of everything you thought you wanted before ultimately deciding to not spend anything and to save it all for another day (I mean, what eight-year-old has the foresight to do that?!?)  You are a model child all the way around.  That's not to say that you don't have your moments of course!

I am proud of who you are and of the bright young lady you are becoming.  I want you to know that no matter what, I will be your cheerleader every step of the way.

Love always,
Mommy

Lissie's likes from this past year:

• Books, books, books!  Your nose is always in them.  You can't be in the car, even on the shortest of rides, without a book in your hand.  Your current faves are the Little House on the Prairie series, the Who Was? books, and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid graphic novels.
• Road trips and vacations
• Dollywood
• Swimming
• Sleepovers
• Grilled cheese and chicken nuggets and anything that has sugar in it
• Riding your bike
• Trampoline Parks

Lissie's dislikes:

• When brother is being a pest 
• When plans go awry
• Talking to people you don't know
• Most vegetables and meats (my once-easy eater is turning pickier and pickier....)

Lissie's Birthday Interview Video: 

Here's how we spent your 8th birthday: You have been intrigued with Waffle House for a while (I honestly don't know why), so I finally agreed to let you go on your birthday after Mass.  We attempted to go to Target (see above letter for how that went, haha) before going to Above All to jump to our heart's content.  After getting slushies at Sonic, we went home so you could get started on your new ginormous Lego kit on your new ginormous Lego table.  We also played some games before your specially requested birthday dinner: Lola's pancit and egg rolls, egg drop soup, and butterfly shrimp.  And, of course, ice cream cake for dessert!  We even had the pleasure of having your friend come over in time for evening festivities!  Not a bad birthday, especially considering that in just a few months you'll have more celebrating when you make your First Communion!

One of the only requested items you had for your birthday.

So of course we splurged and also got you a new Lego table and set

So much fun at Above All!

Life!

All her birthday requests for dinner!



8 Going on 18.  You actually told us to hold off on your birthday cake until you finished texting your friend.

Finally, cake!!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Chilling with a few of her new e-books

And, lastly, here are some of my favorite pics to sum up the year you were 7:

Probably my favorite shot of the year.  

Belle at the Ball on our Disney Cruise

Typical summer moment

This pic has always made me smile.  I call it Pensive at the Pool

Pretty girl with her pretty face paint

I love me our mommy and me dates

The year you fell off your bike and got stitches

Documenting that you once requested that we dress alike

The year you made your First Reconciliation


Brave girl fighting your fears to perform at the school Talent Show

When I was 8, this pen is what I wanted.  So of course, I had to give you one.

 
How many girls can you pile in a car?
 If this is a premonition to the teenage years, oh, boy...

Daddy surprised you with lunch and took a selfie with the majority of your class, haha

February 2019

Remember my 2019 Word of the Year, Memories, and my goal to do at least a blog post a month to help me chronicle these memories?  Well, it's hard to believe that now it's time to officially document the month of February!  Two months done....time flies when you're keeping busy and having fun!

Yes, I know that February is the shortest month of the year.....but still, it came and went faster than ever!  The kids and I thought the month would feel so long because we would be missing Lolo and Lola (as they spent the majority of the month abroad in the Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand), but we tried our best to stay active and busy so it would go by more quickly!

This month's letter promised two events.  The first one, on a smaller scale, was spending the day in downtown Nashville.  I had gotten the kids tickets to the Nashville Symphony's special family event, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Music.  It was even better than I anticipated!  We got there early to partake in the crafts and musical petting zoo (the kids tried their hand at the harp, flute, and a few other fun instruments!) before the show.  Shortly after the actual performance began, I got worried because I could see my kids (mainly Xavier) start to get that glazed look of boredom.  But right when that happened,the conductor made it more interesting and interactive!  Someone had stolen the cellists' music, and they called Sherlock Holmes to investigate!  It was, overall, extremely witty and entertaining, and the music, of course, was phenomenal.  We all enjoyed it.  Afterwards, we headed across the street to the GooGoo Shop to get some treats and another restaurant to grab a pizza for lunch.  We had so much fun hanging out downtown!

The next event was a road trip!  We went with our good friends to Louisville for a night during Winter Break.  We checked out the Kentucky Science Center (which was quite amazing!), as well as a nearby chocolate shop on a friend's recommendation.  We stayed at an airbnb where the kiddos played, jumped, and had a great time.  When bedtime came, the  adults had our own little fun with some yummy carryout and a rousing round of Cards Against Humanity.  The next day, we ate a fabulous brunch (strawberry cheesecake French toast!!!) before heading to a trampoline park (it was, unfortunately, too cold to do any of the other fun Louisville-ness that we had intended) and then home.  It was a quick getaway, but we all had the best time hanging out with our friends and exploring somewhere new.

Introduced them to Mad Libs (and my fun 80s pen!) on the drive up.

The fun chocolate shop with amazing bourbon truffles (as well as the kid treats shown here, haha).

Our airbnb had a lot to offer for kid entertainment, including this fun trampoline.

How many kids can you fit in a slumberpod?

Hot chocolate cheers!

I love how they love each other!

Of course we needed a horse pic while in Louisville!

Here are pics of a few more fun February moments:

Went to a party at the Skate Center and was reminded of my 90s childhood.

X spent two days out of school sick.
By the end, you could tell he was definitely on the mend.....

Until he went back to school and crashed on the floor, backpack and all, while I was cleaning up our classroom.

X really grew in his basketball skills this year!

Lolo and Lola are back, bearing goodies of course!

Sweet sweet hugs - we missed them!

First grade celebrated the 120th day of school with a fashion show.
We wore matching shirts saying "I survived the 120th Day of School.....and so did my mom/son!"

L graduated to yet another bigger bike!  

Bring on March and all of the memories it has to offer (ahem, Spring Break!)......