4.28.2010

WonderBoy's 11th Birthday: Choreographer of His Own Perfect Day

We gave WonderBoy carte blanche to decide

how we'd celebrate his special day.

He chose to do a few of his very favorite things!

(And they just happen to be ours too!)



WonderBoy's 11th Birthday Favorite Things

4.27.2010

Precious


In your face I see all the beauty of a flower
In your voice I hear
all the splendour
of the sweetest song.
-Jully

_-83


It's Black and White Wednesday
To see some fabulous images, join in the fun over at The Long Road to China

the long road



4.26.2010

Happy Birthday, WonderBoy



WonderBoy Texture


You were born 4,018 days ago today.
3,899 days ago, you made a crash landing straight into my arms.
On that day, I had no idea the immeasurable joy you would bring to my life;
all of our lives.

I have cherished every.single.day.

_-3-6

As I reflected this morning on all the WONDER that is you;
I re-read what I wrote about you exactly one year ago today.

One day you will read this blog yourself and you will know
that since the very first day you arrived on Earth, I have loved you.

There is not a moment of my life that goes by that I am not thinking of you
and loving you from the very core of my soul.

_-2-7

Today you are 11 years old...
and although I will never forget the precious little boy
that forever lives inside of you;

_-109

I stand in awe each day as I watch you grow
into a young man before my very eyes.

Today you insisted that we stand nose to nose and as I stared into those gorgeous midnight brown eyes of yours, incredulous at the rate you're growing,
I reminded you that height and authority do not go hand in hand.
I'm still the Boss, Baby!

_-9-3

These past few months you've actually skipped over whole clothing sizes.

Need I mention the shoe issue?
Your feet are growing at such a rapid rate
even I can't keep up with what size you're wearing.
It seems like I'm in the shoe aisle every week...the wrong aisle.

Try as I do, I still can't quite wrap my arms around the fact
that your foot is a Men's 10 and I can no longer shop in the Boy's department!

_-107

Your charm and charisma are no match for mere mortals.
Even the teachers that you drive crazy every single day
in school are powerless under your spell.
Believe me, I know because they always start the conversation out
with what antics you pulled that day and end with a smile and
glint in their eye telling me that even though you are such a little minx;
you are so smart and so much fun to have in their classroom.

_-6-4

That brings me to the way the girls in your school get so giggly around you.
I know you don't quite get it yet since you ask me
if they think you're that funny.
Actually, my dear, you're funny but you're not that funny.

It's your dangerously devastating good looks that are
leading them down the Giggle Path.
I'll bet your name is written on the inside cover
of every girl's notebook in the 5th Grade (a dozen times each!)
as they dreamily doodle what their own name
would look like with your last name attached to it.

_-106

Prince Charming, indeed.

So, we celebrated a little differently this year than we did
for last year's birthday and actually spent the whole weekend
just doing all your favorite things.
(pictures to follow)

Wouldya do me a favor, my Darling...SLOW DOWN!
I want to continue to savor every minute of your childhood
because as I have seen these last 11 years;
it is flying by at lightning speed.

_-2-5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOY WONDER!

We love you,
Mama, Papa and your little Sweetie Pie


Ni Hao Y'all

4.22.2010

Thankful Thursday


Thankful for this beautiful little smile
that succeeds every single time
in turning mine into an exact mirror
whenever I see her!


_-3-21

_-89


_-4-13

And thankful for the stellar Matilda Jane dresses
my little Fashionista received as a special gift from
the famed House of Addison Mooney.

Miss Addison is a pint-sized fashion icon who,
by reason of a growth spurt,
generously sent some of her closet East.

Boy, did Sweetie LUCK OUT!
You can visit the new Spring Line
of the Addison Mooney Collection HERE.

This is one of several frocks (whoo hoo!) completely
off the ADORABLE-O-METER
that Sweetie inherited.

I just can't get enough of her in these babies.
Keep an eye out 'cause there's several
more to come through the Summer and Fall!

Thankful....yep, thankful, indeed!
****

4.21.2010

Swimming

WonderBoy has been practicing Judo
three times a week for nearly four years.

He decided it was time to give Judo a rest for a while
so that he could experience some other activities.

This Spring he chose swimming.

Although he's a real fish in the water, especially underwater;
he doesn't know any of the formal strokes and can be a bit haphazard
when he swims above the water.

We thought he'd really enjoy going to a local University for swim lessons
especially given the chilly Winter we've had.

Turns out the President of his Fan Club sits front and center;
cheering him on the entire time and she can kick it up a notch...
don't let her tiny size fool you.

Though he pretends not to hear her across the pool;
that sly little smile of his begins to curl up the ends of his mouth
the second he gets out of the water as he makes
a mad dash right over to her.

She can barely contain herself out of excitement as he approaches.
I hope these two will cheer one another on and
be each other's biggest supporters throughout their lives.

It sure does my heart good!

_-8-3

_-6-4

_-30

_-7-3

_-4-6

_-5-6

There's no other love like the love for a brother.
There's no other love like the love from a brother.
~Astrid Alauda


_-2-7

It's one of my favorite days of the week:
Black and White Wednesday.

Hop over to The Long Road to China and join in on the fun.

the long road



4.18.2010

Easter Memories

Easter Sunday was as perfect as could be this year.

There was an abundance of food, wine and beautiful Spring weather
along with the opportunity to share the magnificent day
with those we love.

And a certain "Bunny" made his way here leaving an Easter egg hunt and
goodies behind for the the kids.

(Of course Kiddie got into the act too...since, he comes from a long line of bunnies himself
and loves a good carrot cake!)

_-6-2

_-10

_-5-2

_-2-3

_-3-3


_-7-2

_-2-2

_-4-2

_-9

_-4-3

_-6-3

_-4

_-8

_-7

_-5-3

_-3-2

_-6

_-3

_

_-5

4.14.2010

Busy Little Bee

Sometimes a girl's gotta keep her head down
and her nose to the grindstone....
but that doesn't mean she's gotta like it!

JRR BW Hat Blog

I've been busy getting acclimated to a new job this past week or two
and have been preoccupied with all that that entails.

I'm hoping to be back up to my usual blogging self very soon.

I sure do miss making the rounds and seeing all my favorite folks!
Can't wait to catch up on the happenings in your neck of the woods!
Soon...very soon!

In the meantime, it's Black and White Wednesday.

Click over to The Long Road to China HERE and join in on the fun.

the long road

4.07.2010

Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You


Enjoy the view, my Darling,

of all the hustle and bustle outside that window
and the fantasy that life is better out there.

_-81

However, don't underestimate the wonderfulness
of the here and now right where you are.

When tomorrow comes, today will be one more yesterday
you'll spend wishing would never have ended.


It's Black and White Wednesday.

Click over to The Long Road to China HERE and join in on the fun.

the long road

4.01.2010

Thankful Thursday: The Gift of Friendship

I don't have a little sister but, if I did...
I'd want her to be just like this special lady.

_-14

Three and a half years ago this stunning, young woman walked into my office and told me about herself. I knew instantly that she was not only the most qualified, polished, well-spoken and competent person we had interviewed for the open position, but that we were going to be fast friends.

Shortly after that first day, she and I decided to move to a new firm together and we have been working side by side there for the last 3 years. She saw me through my pregnancy and my whining while studying for the various licenses I needed to acquire in a short time frame for our new employer.

I smiled proudly as I watched her sail through her studies with ease and grace under pressure, as usual. I remember waiting in anticipation here (biting my nails) hoping all was going perfectly with the gorgeous ceremony she planned the week she and her fiance (now hubby) eloped to Mexico in a romantic whirlwind.

We share travel ideas, blog talk, Hollywood gossip, the love of photography and family, dieting and recipe ideas, fashion (her fashion sense and my fashion nonsense!) and so much more.

We've both had our ups and down in our own lives outside the office over the years but for me, I always knew I could count on Maddy being right there in my corner with just the right words and a hug...no matter what.

She is one of the most dedicated, hard working, honest, loyal, patient and genuinely kind people I know. She runs circles around everyone in the office both in skill and personality...but then again, she did that the first week we were there!

Capability and class...you either have it or you don't...
and this gal has ooddles of both to spare.

She is wise beyond her twentysomething years and
so truly thoughtful and generous.

She is a wonderful wife and the best big sister to her 3 younger siblings
that I have ever seen. EVER.

She is a role model for putting others before herself and that is her biggest flaw...that she often skimps on my friend Madeline in favor of others.

If I had to describe her in one sentence, I'd have to say she is a true gem;
one of those people who enriches your life just by being present in it.

Today, I am stepping out of my comfort zone
and moving on to a new adventure.

The hardest thing about doing this is knowing that I will not be
seeing my sweet friend Monday through Friday.
She has been the brightest and best part of each workday
and I always knew she had my back (both on and off the court)
no matter what was going on.

Lucky for me my MaddyGirl only lives a few minutes away from me and
I keep up to date on the happenings in her life by following her fabulous blog,

Madeline, I will miss you terribly but know this:
you're stuck with me forever and to me,
you will always be the little sister I never had.

Thank you for every single thing you have done for me these last 3 1/2 years.
Thank you for the wonderful gift of your friendship!

I love you dearly.

Dita Darling