All Cried out...

What a week!  I'm so glad it's finally Friday, and a 3 day weekend YAY!

It has been quite the week for the Votaws.  Summer has officially begun, which usually  means MAJOR excitement!  This year was different.  Our school, Linn Elementary, closed it's doors for good.  A small school, that I never imagined would be as great as it turned out to be for us.  The teachers & students there have touched our lives in a way that I can't even describe.  I enjoyed every day, as did my children.  I enjoyed serving on the DCAC committee and serving 2 years as PTO President.  I'm so glad we had faith & gave our little school a chance.  It was wonderful there!  Next year brings a new school, new teachers, new friends & new memories.  For now, we are totally going to enjoy our summer break!  Lots of fun adventures planned!

Carsen also had her 15 month pictures taken this week.

Kaydee had dance recital pictures as well.  

I'm a crier so it doesn't take much to get me going... here are a few pics from our week in Kleenex =)

This is Kaydee's 5th dance recital.  I love, that she loves it so much!

Tap dance!

Ty saying good bye to Ms. McCarty for the last time.  Wonderful Kindergarten teacher!  Every afternoon before dismissal she would line them up & tell them an "I believe in you" speech.  It was sad hearing it for the last time!

Kaydee with 2 of her good friends Jayden & Amayah =)

My overachiever!  Principals honor roll, #1 class reader, success maker award, homework award!  Go Girl!

My Kindergarten graduate!  He took a bite out of his diploma during the ceremony ( I suppose he got hungry ).

Have a great holiday weekend! The Votaw Family is heading camping tomorrow!

Fun Fridays Link-Up!

Summer's around the corner, our calendar is full to the max!  Most of it is fun though, which makes it worth all the crazy stress.  Here are a few things coming up that we are super excited about!  Link Up & share your Fun Friday !  Shout out to my blog friend Alison, to whom I spotted the link up!

Tonight, there is a carnival in town!  Or so we hear.  I sure hope so, otherwise these sweet little faces around here will drop!

Tomorrow?  Baseball!  My #12 is a stellar 1st baseman! I can't get enough!  He loves it, and takes it way too seriously... it's super cute =)

 

Saturday afternoon, we have a birthday party!  Ty's best friend (one of many) is turning 6!  I remember when these sweet boys were first born.  Boedi was born 12 days before Ty.  Our little guys are growing up fast!

Saturday night, we are going to help raise some money for our local Helping Hands Humane Society!  We just adopted our sweet girl Harlo a few months ago.  They were great to us, and we are happy to help!  Especially when "helping" means eating at Chipotle, Yum-O!  Come on out, 50% of earnings that night go back to HHHS!

Sunday is project day!  Our school is closing due to budget cuts at the end of the year (there are emotions building up about that, that I'm totally avoiding!).  My childrens teachers this year are more than amazing & have put a permanent stamp on their lives & learning!  I love them both!  We have developed such special relationships at that school, very sad to say good-bye.  I probably won't be able to blog or function at all through the tears on Wednesday.  My project for their gift is beyond cute, I can't wait to share next week!

Next weeks fun preview:

Monday is an ice cream party at school!

Tuesday is a pizza party at school + another baseball game!

Wednesday is  the last day of school.  The last day our school doors will be open for students education!  We are having the official ceremony & balloon release that morning.  I am proud, very proud, that I got to design the new shirt, that every student & teacher gets to wear that morning!  Go me!  I don't brag (or I try not to in an annoying way), & I can't stand braggers (who never quit!), but this is a proud moment for me =)  To see over 200 people wearing something (at the same time) that you created is sure to give me "goosies".  Thanks JLo for the new word in my life!  Can you tell I watch Idol?

Hope you have a great weekend, and find fun along the way!

What I'm Loving Wednesday - Etsy Style!

What am I loving today? All things Etsy!

Link up ----> WILW

I'm loving these collars for my Harlo girl!  She needs a pretty new one, we'll have to take a family vote on the listed choices =)

I love this!  I am a proud baseball (and football basketball) mom!  I can see Ty's name on one of these & the #12 for me to show off!

I love this flask!  Most are masculine & blah... but this one is super cute & girly!  I have suggested these to my sister-in-law to be as bridal party gifts =)

So. In. Love. With. This!  My 30th bday is coming up soon (hint hint)!

Love this!  It will match my brand new purse I got for Mothers Day!
(it's red but has the same exact zipper rosettes!)

Love these coasters!  Our wedding song (8 years ago!) was 'Me & You'.  My brothers wedding song (next year) is going to be 'You & Me'!

I'm a coffee mug junkie!  Love unique, odd & interesting ones =)

Ok, this was Kaydee's pick.  She thinks Carsen, her & I need matching flats =)  I can't argue with my fashionista!

I want this for the girls' room!  How sweet is this?!

I could search Etsy for days on end & never look at everything!  Love it!  What are you loving on this fine day?

Happy Wednesday!  I'm headed to field day & then the all school cook-out! Whoop!

Target Tuesday - Outdoor Edition

I devote my Target Tuesday Link-Up (Hosted By: fabulous but evil ) today to the great outdoors!

I love PROJECTS!  I actually love seeing an idea & putting my spin on it, for a much lower price tag!  We have several outdoor projects (which I am very excited about!) on the burner around here.  Including getting our pool up since school is out in 1 week!  I can't wait!

Colorful mini-planters! Love these! My kids will have so much fun planting & re-planting in these sweet things.

I love anything that glows!  My picnic table is just waiting for a couple of these cuties!

It's time to retire my bright blue storage tub & get this stylish & roomy storage box!

2 please!  =) 

I've always wanted a front porch swing like this!  We're about to retire the green patio swing we currently have =)

Yes please!  Mama will be spending summer naptimes in the pool!

Again, I love anything that glows!  

Happy Tuesday All!  1 week until schools out, WooHoo!  Many summer adventures await =)

Our weekend in black & white

Well it was one of those weekends, I can't find a single thing I'd change or complain about (except maybe the weather)!  First & foremost I went to the opening of Bridesmaids with 2 of my own bridesmaids!  There are no words hilarious funny raunchy inappropriate vile abso-Effin-lutely to describe how amazing this movie is!  My face & stomach hurt from laughing OUT LOUD for 2 hrs & 20 minutes!  I didn't want to leave, I wanted to sit tight & watch it all over again!  Kristen Wiig is hands down the funniest lady in the world!  Ok, I think I've made my point =)  GO SEE IT!  

Chris spent Saturday with his "boys" at RockFest in Kansas City. He was definitly on the slugish side when he got home!  UnLucky for him, the yard work was calling his name Sunday.  We have a nice rider & it still takes him 3 hours to carefully trim, mow & then clear the sidewalks of our entire yard.  He's a trooper!
The kids & I had a chill day at home Saturday.  Considered shopping, but shopping with 3 kids isn't my kind of good time.  Kaydee & Ty wanted to make dinner (supervised of course).  Homemade pizza was on the menu.  Yum-O!  They are both obsessed with cooking or chopping or mixing or well... anything that requires making a mess.  We ate, we talked, we laughed Carsen cried & we cuddled up & watched How To Train Your Dragon for the 35th time.

Congrats to my 2 cousins on their graduations this weekend!  Rhiannon graduated from Seaman High School.  Jenna graduated with a masters from Rockhurst.  Go ladies!  I attended the Seaman graduation.  It took me back to my not so fun, awkward, lost in translation days at good old high school.  The 2 best things I got from those 4 years was my husband (different high school but still during that time) and my best friends.  I am so lucky to still call them my best friends 12 years after walking those halls.

NOTE: My Mothers Day flowers (both potted & vased) are still ALIVE!  I am a death wish for flowers & plants that find themselves in my possession.  It's been 1 week, and everything looks good.  Fingers crossed!

Pictures to wrap up our weekend in black & white:

 

This is her "cheeeeese" face =)

This is Kaydee's ballet costume (recital June 14th). She's dancing to the song 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift.  I cry every week at practice, so the recital will be major water works. She is so good!

Me & my baby girl.  I didn't say "cheese" which is why here eyes are amazingly still open for this picture.

Ty (and his basketball) laying down to watch the movie.

Well, I'm making the "stink" face & he's apparently wanting me to perform a "boogy check" or something?

My 2 cuddlers, fighting for room on my lap.

Kaydee was camera happy & I'm not even sure what that expression is on Carsens face.

Class of 2011!  I added the arrow pointing to Rhiannon =)

My guys, fresh hair cuts.  Ty has beautiful full hair for a boy.  In turn, he sweats to death when it gets hot.  Buzzzzed it off!  If it wasn't blonde we could have kept it & made a toupe for my hubs.

Happy Monday All!  I'll be going with Ty this morning to the All School Skating Party!  He is super excited.  As was Kaydee, until her recovery took a wrong turn this weekend.  She's feeling pretty crappy again & I'll be taking her to the dr later today =(  Missing this skating party has her hysterical. 

What I'm Loving Wednesday ( hospital edition )!

Man it feels good to link back up again!  Hello all!  Typing to you "live" today from room 827 @ St. Francis Hospital. 

 This morning around 9:15, my big girl, brave girl, beautiful girl had her adenoids removed ( once again ).  Darn things were blocking 70% of her airway.  She also has a deviated septum which they did work on but can't repair completely until she's a teenager.  Surgery went well, recovery has been shaky.  So here goes,

What I'm Loving Wednesday ( hospital edition ):

• I'm loving my Aunt Chrissy for keeping my baby girl all day, sending me cute pics of their day & telling me repeatedly that she doesn't want to give her back!
• I'm loving the staff here at the hospital.  Especially the nurses.  Such wonderful caring people!
• I'm loving that I got the employee discount in the cafeteria for lunch, even though in my jeans & basic t, I'm sure she knew I wasn't in fact an employee here.
• I'm loving the free coffee I've enjoyed all day.  Lets see if I sleep tonight.
• I'm loving the cute little homemade pillow case that was waiting for Kaydee when she got up here.  She gets to take it home when we leave.  It will match her room too, lots of bright pink, lime green & brown =)  so cute!
• I'm loving the free WiFi available here.  Which allows me to blog as my beautiful girl naps peacefully.
• And finally, I'm loving the volunteer who came up here with a ventriloquist puppet to cheer Kaydee up.  He was so funny, so kind & she was enjoying it until she started throwing up again!  Sorry "Doctor Rabbit" =)

I joined the LINK UP! Did you? =)

Happy Wednesday All!!

8 years ago, we said "I Do" =)

Weeks without a computer, meant weeks without blogging, weeks without jumping to answer emails or checking up on the life & times of my facebook friends.  It was so relaxing, at times annoying, but today on our 8th Anniversary, our new netbook is in!  Happy Anniversary to the love of my life Christopher Mark Votaw!  Our wedding color was red, our wedding song "Me & You" by Kenny Chesney, and infront of all our family friends & loved ones we made a commitment to eachother that I value above all.  I love raising our 3 beautiful babies together, love laughing together & love waking up next to eachother ( and usually the dog & a kid or two )!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY!

I am happy to be back on the blogger scene, lots of catching up to do!