A Pretty Tune...

We got home late Wednesday night after an action packed week at Disney World.  While it was more fun than one can even describe, all four of us were running on fumes!  Disney zapped all the energy out of us.  That didn't stop reality from hitting us smack in the face on Thursday. 

Quinn had her very first band concert Thursday night. The band was absolutely sensational as a whole, but this girl shined even brighter than the rest!

Here is the full 6th grade band.  In case you can't find Quinn among the crowd, she is the one in the red circle with the arrow pointing to her! Ha!

Each section of the band was highlighted in the performance, each picking out a song they wanted to play for the audience.  Here are the trumpets being highlighted! 

The entire band played a myriad of great songs, but closed the evening with a great Star Wars number.  Check it out HERE.  

Quinn, with a couple of her fellow trumpet playing friends, Maddy and Maddie.

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To say that we are proud of Quinn's accomplishments in band this year is an understatement.  She has put in countless hours practicing and honing her skills, and her hard work has most definitely paid off.  She is truly amazing!

The Countdown....

14 days ago our house looked like this...

Our archways were decorated with balloons as a countdown to Disney!!!  

In each of those balloons were Disney trading pins.  The girls each got to pop a balloon every day and see what pin was in their balloon. It was the first thing the girls did every morning - in fact, a certain 8 year old woke up early every morning to partake in this activity. 

Apparently pin trading at Disney is a BIG deal and hands down, the most anticipated activity the girls are looking forward to doing while we are there.  (More to come on pin trading after we return.)

Today, 14 days later, our house looks like this...

No more balloons, no more countdown!  

We are off to the Happiest Place on Earth - Disney World!!!!

Yay!!!!!

Bound to Be Famous...

Quinn is bound to be famous some day.  It seems as though she has had a few opportunities that have put her in the spotlight - from the magazine cover a few years ago to the newspaper picture more recently.  Today we were made aware of yet another instance of her beautiful face out there for people to see.

I received an email from Quinn's 4th grade teacher today.    Mr. Stage had received a monthly newsletter from Rush Revere, which is a children's historical book series written by Rush Limbaugh.

To give you a bit of a back story... back when Quinn was in 4th grade, as part of a book review study, she wrote a letter to the author about the book.  In return, the author sent her some goodies.  You can read about that experience HERE.

I digress.  The newsletter....When Mr. Stage opened the newsletter this afternoon, he said that he was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face.  Quinn's adorable picture (from two years ago) was there for all to see.

She is such a cutie, but man alive, does she look young!  

Getting that email today was such an unexpected surprise, but it most definitely put a smile on my face to take a small stroll down memory lane!

Snow Dog?

Do you think Tessa likes the snow?

We aren't sure...LOL!

New Milestone....Gasp!

Last night, we had an open house at the Junior High for Quinn. (Gasp!) If you are thinking what I am thinking, you are asking yourself how in the world is Quinny already preparing for junior high? That thought nearly knocks my socks off!

As we walked into the open house, we jokingly asked Quinn if we could take her picture outside her new school.  Even though she knew we were joking, it was met with a resounding NO, DON'T YOU DARE!!! 

But you know us, we couldn't resist documenting the moment some way, some how.  While we didn't capture the staged picture, Ryan caught her off guard as we were walking in the building. 

Quinn took it in stride and was a good sport about the picture! Add it to the layers of thick skin she will one day develop for all the good-natured ribbing she endures!  

Who Likes It More?

Tessa had officially outgrown her crate weeks (if not months) ago.  We finally got around to ordering her a new crate, and it arrived today. 

We just aren't sure who likes it more... Tessa or the girls?!

Random Act of Kindness

Sullivan Grace surprised Ryan and I this past weekend with breakfast in bed.  This kind act was all her idea and she was so sweet for doing so.  She set her alarm early, woke up on her own to make breakfast, and brought us a delicious feast!

Her sweetness melts my heart!