Life with the Bennetts: June 2011

Monday, June 13, 2011

Zoo Days

During Spring Break, we took advantage of the slower pace of life and headed to the Little Rock Zoo. Now, I must confess that we have never taken Mollie and Annie to the zoo. I feel like such a terrible parent. Our original plan was for me and the girls, Kelsey & Micah and Mandy and the boys to all go. It ended up that Kelsey, Micah and I took my girls and Noah. Mandy and Sam met us at the zoo. It was the perfect day for the zoo except for the fact that the temps decided to drop. It felt more like mid-February rather than late-March. Despite the cold, we had a great time. It was so fun to watch the kids as they explored all that the zoo had to offer. I have to admit that my favorite exhibit was the penguins. It was so fun to watch them interact with the kids.

Noah made sure that Annie didn't miss anything!

Annie loves helping take care of Sam. It is so sweet to watch them together.

No trip to the zoo is complete without.......

Mollie and Kelsey

Noah, Kelsey and Ellie

Mollie and Micah

Checking out the penguins

Annie and Noah - I love the way he is looking at her!

Annie and Mollie

Mollie and Kelsey

The kids were in heaven getting to spend time with Kelsey and Micah.

Thanks for a great day!

The Big "4"

Age "4" is an age that for me seems to signify a turning point. In a sense it is the age that means that one of my girls - this time Mollie - is transforming into a little girl, her own little person. Our little Mollie, our big little bundle of personality, turned 4 on March 29. Bless her little heart, she had waited and waited to be 4. She convinced me and Brian that she had to have her birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. So, I scheduled it. Now, Mollie's birthday always falls around Spring Break. I decided to have her party during Spring Break. I knew it would be easier on me to not be trying to do it in the middle of our regular schedule, and I knew that Kelsey & Micah would be home and could come. So, Chuck E. Cheese it was! I honestly thought that we probably wouldn't have many who could come. I was so wrong! We had a huge crowd. We loved having Mollie's teacher Miss Clements come too. It was so special!! It is evident that Mollie is so loved. What a blessing!!

Mollie's birthday balloon at Chuck E. Cheese.

Micah and Noah shooting a few hoops.

Anderson & Mollie playing air hockey.

Annie loved the school bus ride!

Mollie loved the horse.

It was so fun to have Kelsey, Alli and Anna at the party.

Heather helped Addi and Annie play ball together.
Addi and Annie are the best of friends! :)

The Birthday Gang - So fun to have so many friends!

Mollie, Kelsey and Noah enjoying their microphone cupcakes.

Miss Serious

Mollie got a little nervous about Chuck E coming out. Blake tried to help ease her fears.

Thank goodness Kelsey was there. She was a huge help!

Mollie showing off her birthday medallion.

Mollie was too nervous to get into the token machine (I can't remember the name. ha!) So, Ellie stepped in to see how many tickets and prizes she could win for her sister.

The birthday girl was in HEAVEN!

Ellie in the Birthday Blaster (maybe that was the name ha!)

Birthday Celebration #2

We celebrated Mollie's birthday with her Nannie and PawPaw the weekend before Mollie's actual birthday. The girls LOVE going to Nannie and PawPaw's.

Nannie lighting the candles.

Presents!! Mollie's new Barbie and the new Barbie movie were a big hit!

Mommy and the birthday girl!

Sisters!!

Birthday Celebration #3

The Sunday before Mollie's birthday we celebrated with Mimi & Papa Jim, Mom & Papa, Mandy and Josh, Noah, Sam and Kelsey & Micah. So fun to get to be with the entire family!

Mollie getting ready to blow out her candles.

Annie loves a party! :)

Noah - I love this little boy!

My Ellie Girl - she is growing up way too fast!

My little girls!

A bike!! Mollie was so excited to finally have a real bike! :)

I love the look on Mollie's face! She loved the bed for her American Girl doll.

All smiles!

Of course, we have to tell Kelsey all about it. :)

Sweet Sam and Kelsey

Ellie helped Annie open her present from Mimi and Papa Jim. The kids love getting a gift when it's not even their birthday!

People! Annie's favorite!!

Birthday Celebration #4

On Mollie's actual birthday, we celebrated with her class. She wanted me to make homemade cupcakes with white icing. If you know Mollie, you know that all she cares about is the icing. She is a girl after my own heart. She loved getting to take treats to school and to share them with her friends. We had a great time. Her friend Haven from MDO went down with us for the party. Mollie is so glad that she'll have Haven at "big school" with her next year!

Pretending to be shy!

Everyone got to blow out their own candle.

Birthday tickles from Mrs. Slayton.

I am so thankful for our Mollie Ruth. My best friend Karen says that what Mollie lacks in stature she makes up for in personality. I think that is one of the best descriptions of our Mollie. She is full of life and enthusiastic. She loves to dance to sing and to perform. She has a tender heart and wants to be friends with everyone. There's nothing too challenging for this girl. God has great thing in store for our precious Mollie Ruth and for that I am eternally grateful!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Where to begin??

To say that I am behind in my blogging is probably the absolutely BIGGEST understatement of the entire year. Yes, I realize that it now summer, and the last entry to my blog was dated December 30, 2010. Oh, my. How so very sad.

It has been a very interesting year thus far. Life seems to have moved at lightning fast speed. There are days I wonder how we survived! Here's a little recap.

In January, Brian headed to Phoenix, AZ, with his parents to watch his beloved Auburn Tigers win the NCAA National Championship! It was a great day to be an Auburn Tiger. Although, according to Brian, every day is a great day to be an Auburn Tiger.

Mr. Arthur, Brian and Mrs. Robbie cheering on the Auburn Tigers.

While Brian was celebrating a victory, the girls and I had a short vacay at Papa Jim and Mimi's. With snow predicted, I decided that I wasn't quite up for being at home by myself with the angels. So, we packed up and headed my parents. It was the best 3 days I had had in a long time. We were able to relax and just enjoy the opportunity to be together. The girls LOVED playing in the snow with Mimi and Papa Jim.

Ellie and Mollie

The snow as not the best for sledding; however, the box worked great as a sled.

The girls loved the Auburn jerseys that Daddy brought home for them.

Our snow in January wasn't the end of the white stuff for us. It snowed again and again and again! We never get that much snow here in Arkansas. I loved it, but Brian wasn't a huge fan.

My big girls...they LOVED the snow!

Ellie, Brian and Annie

My girls...Mollie, Annie and Ellie

The snow made Valentine's Day a little challenging. Mollie's class party was rescheduled due to all the white stuff. Ellie's class was able to have their party on the scheduled day. I was so glad for her especially since, as first graders, they were very aware of the date and the plans! :) Fortunately, I had a feeling we might be snowed in so I was prepared ahead of time. I have to say that that was one of the few times all school year that I was ahead of the game.

Ellie and her friend Olivia at their Valentine's Day Party.

My Ellie

Mollie and Ellie

Mollie, Annie and Ellie

Sweet Mollie at her Valentine's Day Party

Not totally sure why Mollie felt the need to wear her hood while she and Haven decorated their Valentine's boxes, but.....

We finished out February just being family, continuing to adjust to Brian's crazy schedule, enjoying a visit from Caleb and loving the weekends when Kelsey and Micah were home from Fayetteville.

And we always love playing with, watching and loving on sweet Sam!

Ellie, Kelsey and Mollie

Annie and Caleb....we loved having him home for a few days although we missed Stephanie.

Hanging out at Mimi's

Oh, Annie. How you make us smile!

My silly girls love to climb into Annie's bed!

As Spring approached and we prayed for warmer temps, Mollie's class enjoyed a visit from the firetruck and some LR firefighters. The kids thought it was so amazing! I was even able take some of my First Kids Day Out kiddos out to see the excitement. I knew that Noah would never forgive me if he knew what I allowed him to miss!

Mollie's K3 Class

Typically, we never go anywhere for Spring Break. This year, we made an exception and headed to Lanett and to Fayette to spend time with family. One of the challenges our family has faced this year is the declining health of Brian's aunt Sandy. We absolutely adore Granny. We have spent several weeks watching the phone and waiting for "the" call that we needed to come. When Spring Break came, Sandy was doing very well. We were so excited to get to see her and to spend some time with Brian's family. The girls LOVE to go to Lanett. They love to play with their cousins and to get to be on the farm. On our way to the Valley, we made a stop in Auburn. You see, we had a special guest on this trip - Flat Stanley. We took Flat Stanley to Auburn to see Jordan Hare and to check on Toomer's Corner. We had a great day doing a little sight seeing.

Ellie's Flat Stanley

Ellie, Annie and Mollie outside the new basketball facility at Auburn University.

Nannie, Mollie, Annie and Ellie outside Toomer's Corner.

While we were in Lanett, Mollie enjoyed a little taste of her upcoming 4th birthday!

Mollie and Claire playing...they had the best time together!

Mollie and Aunt Carolyn

Ellie and the sweet horse

Pretty sure this horse has the best disposition

Annie was memorized! She loved the horse!

Mollie helped Aunt Carolyn drive the Gator. She thought she was hot stuff!

After a couple of days in Lanett, we headed to Fayette to spend a couple of days with Brian's Mamaw. The girls always love going to Mamaw's house. We also got a chance to go out to her cabin and for the girls to do a little fishing.

Daddy and Annie doing a little fishing. Check out B's pink fishing pole. ;)

Ellie was in heaven!

Mollie and Daddy

Oh, sweet Mollie....

The whole gang enjoying a beautiful day at the lake!