Butterfly Release

So, it’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I am moved and awed by nature.  Just part of my crazy.  I am really happy to say that it seems as though both of my kiddos are the same way.  VICTORY!

This little friend came home with abi from school one day:

(oops – thought I had a picture of the chrysalis…imagine a chrysalis image here!)

Anyhow – a chrysalis came home from school – then traveled to Fort Worth (which was funny b/c that was a HOT day, but I wasn’t going to travel home first to drop off our little friend – so they had to brave it in the car with cracked windows – fingers crossed!).  With the Fort Worth experience, I didn’t know what to expect…I didn't want to build the whole thing up in case the heat was too much for our little butterfly.

BUT…one morning we woke up – and this is what we saw!

SO COOL!  We were all pumped!!  (Probably more than what is normal…but as stated earlier…we don’t really fall into the normal in this category!)

After school, we swung by the nursery and grabbed some butterfly-lovin’ plants - because we wanted our yard to be a haven for “abi the butterfly” (guess who named her?!) – and we were set for her release…

And she just needed a bit of coaxing  /we weren’t going to let Abi not touch (on her legs) her special butterfly!

The Ballet Recital

A few weeks ago Abi had her first ballet recital.  Oh my goodness.  So stinkin’ cute!!!

To make the occasion even better – the recital was held at Berkner.  Where Donald went to high school.  Talk about full circle.

Abi had a whole crew to wish her well – grandparents / great-grandma / and Houston family!!!

 

I should have brought a different lens…Abi is in the front-middle (the right of the three little cuties).  The whole dance they were looking off to the side, watching their teacher (who had her baby the next week – an impressive woman!) and trying to stay in proper place.  And (thankfully!  we would have been sad if there wasn’t one of these) there was a little girl who was totally dancing to her own soundtrack.  It was awesome.

We are so proud of our Abi-girl – her hard work – her growth in grace and confidence.  Much love, my little ballerina!

Nate the Great’s First Haircut!

Well, he’s needed it for a long time now.  Nate’s “party in the back” was becoming somewhat of a Dallas legend.

However, it’s all business now.

(a real team effort to keep him distracted)

As handsome as ever.  Thanks so much, Nanny!!!

Abi-babi ballerina

Abi really digs this book titled ‘Ella Bella ballerina’ and hence…the abi-babi.  Just a little bit o’ random.  But, we kind of like that around here.

I have not posted any pictures of my dancing queen.  And QUEEN she is.  She loves to dance, she loves to sing about dancing, I feel like there is something in her that is just released when she dances.  It is just so darn refreshing!

Abi started taking ballet this spring at a super casual rec center.  I think it was an awesome intro for her.  The teacher is organized and encourages excellence…but it’s all done with a layer of “hey, we’re all 3/4 and we’re learning.”  I have really appreciated that.  Who knows what lies in store for her next fall.  But for now…we’re dancing!

(I love these because they totally capture life post ballet lesson – abi stays in her attire as long as I’ll let her and they just play)

One of our post-class rituals is to crank up the classical music and abi will put on a mini show for nate & I.  (PS – N is not quite ready for the recitals yet, he’s not a very patient audience member)  The show usually includes some sort of dialogue that I make up that must involve a princess/a mean queen / the princess falling asleep / her prince waking her up (do you notice a theme here?)  Nate usually is the prince…what a trooper.

They change so quickly!!!  Towards the beginning of class and just a few weeks ago (abi is checking out her tear – the sidewalk won that battle)

The recital is coming soon!  I am prepared to laugh ALOT.  And so many smiles.  Lots of nostalgia and memory-clinging are on our way!

A little pj party for Nate

*Talk about WORST photo documentation of an event ever.  Oh well.  I guess that meant we were enjoying ourselves!!

We had SUCH a blast celebrating Nate with his/our friends!  The kiddos looked adorable in their pajamas (not to mention that is SO easy as a parent!  I may just insist that Abi & Nate always wear their pajamas to parties in the future…).  And a special thank you to the completely awesome adults who showed up in their pjs too.  You each have a special place in our hearts.

 

The party was super casual.  Come, grab some breakfast, bounce in the bounce house, and let your kiddos get some wiggles out on our driveway.  Classic.  The weather was amazing; and it was honestly just such a treat to have our lovely friends & family at our house enjoying one another and celebrating our Nate.  This what houses were meant for, I think.

 

Nate knows how to take care of a donut…

Cousins:

AHH!  How did I not get a picture of all of the cuties in their pajamas?!  This is obviously still bothering me…

Does this not just make you smile and wish that you were once again a little girl?  Oh my goodness.  (Clearly, pajamas could only last so long before princess dresses were brought out.)

Darling Nate…you are a joy to us.  We are thankful for your delightful life, for how you have changed our family, for how you challenge us and remind us in your delightful (and sometime goober-esque) way that you are the Lords – and we reaffirm our dependency on Him.  Happy 13 months, sweetest boy of ours!!!

Abigail: The Tulip

Beauty abounds at the arboretum in the spring.  Enough said.

How does one resist taking pictures of tulips that were “named after you?” (or so we’d like to think!)

The Wallace Babies

First in July 2008 there was this beautiful one:

And then in February of 2011 came this handsome one:

And soon in July 2012 there will be this darling one:

Oh Wallace babies – we love you!!