Rori's 3 year old interview

I want to assure you that she knew the answers to all of these questions before we turned the camera on.

We love you, Rori!!!!

Don't Try This at Home Kids

Let's just say we did something this summer that we don't get to do everyday...  I apologize in advance for yelling in everyone's ear.

1st Day of School 2012

This is the day that makes me melancholy every year.  I don't enjoy not having my kids home with me.  I know it's good for them to go to school.  Trust me, I'm definitely not capable of teaching them at home.  I love my kids being home.  Yes, even on the days that they drive me crazy.

What makes me have lumps in my throat is that our oldest is in 10th grade this year.  Yeesh! Where have all these years gone? I mean, I still look 25 so why can't she still be a baby? :)

Enough of that..I don't want to cry (anymore).   Here are the annual 1st day back to school pictures.  We are so blessed.

10th grade

8th grade

had Shelby stand on top step so she could be taller than August

3rd grade

Reagan and Rori.  Rori will miss her big sissies.
 

Who knew we'd learn to sew!

I once made the statement, "I could live in Indiana for 40 years and not know how to sew".  At the time, that was my heartfelt feeling.  Weeelllll that all changed when my oldest daughter decided she wanted to learn how to sew.  I put the feeler out on facebook to see if anyone had a sewing machine that they didn't want anymore.  Lo and behold one of my friends did and she gave it to me for FREE! I brought it home and it sat on my counter for a few days.  I made the all important phone call to my reining "Elkhart County Homemaker of the year" friend and asked if she would be willing to help.  I'm pretty sure she had to pull herself off the floor from fainting to hear such a request from me, but she agreed to come.  We started at the happiest place on Earth (not Disney..Hobby Lobby:)) to get supplies and lessons on how to purchase a pattern.  We spent the afternoon at our house and had such fun!

Paying very close attention

Now to iron the seam

close up of her sewing

got to use the doohickie to make sure the hem matched the whole way around

she pinned it to mark the hem line

Isn't this cute!!

Don't you like how I used some sewing terminology?! I like the sewing word "doohickie".  Sounds so professional!

Shelby wore this to church recently.  Some would say "Now, Samantha, you didn't sew, Shelby did" and you would be correct.  I did, however, pay very close attention and think I could do a little of what she did.  If not, I always have my "Homemaker of the Year" friend. Friends are good to have. 

There's a waterfall where?!

We were pleasantly surprised to learn and explore a waterfall right in our own back yard in PA.  I grew up there and never even knew it existed!

 The girls maneuvering their way around the waterfall.

We had quite the downhill journey to get to the falls.  All of the girls passed right by this snake! Had to call them back to show them what they nearly stepped on!

Faith and Shelby striking a pose

Shelby checking to see if I was done taking pictures.  I find this very hilarious!

The girls at the top of the falls

Rori had to get some nourishment from a twinkie before she would even begin to consider approaching the water

But she gradually started her approach

she stepped in!

and took off her cover up!

crazy girls! This water was sooooo cold!

Oma with the girls

a picture to prove how crazy these 2 are.  They went the whole way in the water.  They came out nearly blue from how cold it was!

If I had a bucket list, this would be on it and I would be able to cross it off. 

Rori is "free" years old

Can't believe it, but it's true! Rori is 3 years old! She was able to blow the candles out this year (with the help from daddy). We are all so blessed by this little girl!

I enjoy making the cakes for the girls for their birthday.  As they get older, the cakes get simplier.  Rori wanted an "umi-zoomi" cake this year.  Please  don't look up the show because then you'll see how far off I was on my duplication.  But, for my 3 year old, it was perfect!

One of the highlights of Rori's birthday celebration was that her BFF Ruby was able to be with her!

When she got her wand she immediately said "bippity boppity boo!" A true princess in training.

She tested out how soft her new pillow pet was.

Riding her new scooter. 

Sharing her new scooter.

And since we had our family photographer at our house we thought we'd get a family picture in...

Then our honorary family member wanted to join in...

The final picture...