BIG days in May.

May was really an eye-popper for celebrations.

Mother's Day

May 19, also known as the day in which we celebrate our birthdays.

Eight years old. Gah!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even believe it.

Our celebration was pretty low-key this year but we returned to the same place we celebrated Ella's first birthday. It was perfect and Paco can't hold both girls in his arms anymore!

We celebrated our final Brownie meeting with a cook-out at the park.

I volunteered a few hours at the annual field day at Ella's school. Ella didn't have any fun at all.

And just like that, poof...second grade was ending. We both took her to school for drop off that day. For as grown up as she has become, she's still cool with holding hands.

The kids spent most of the day at the bowling alley on their last day and this girl had a better bowling score than me! (not saying a whole lot)

We had to do this too - say good-bye to the teacher who has impacted Ella's life in ways I can't even fully realize. They've been together for two glorious years. She didn't cry but dang if I didn't.

It only seemed fitting to remedy all that with a sleepover. So we did.

Let the summer fun begin and fun it was with our first neighborhood family group kids n' cocktails. Mama Michelle hosted the kick off and in usual form, outdid herself with good food. She made that fun layered rainbow jello stuff? You know what I'm talkin' about. My daughter ate square after square after square..

...and then downed it with massive amounts of lemonade with Piper.

You may have heard my applause a few weeks ago when Ella had Deb do this to her hair. Six inches later, and the entire hair situation is now a breeze. 

She looks 10 years older and certainly shed a few pounds with that haircut. We love it!

This summer will be a different one for Ella and Roz. Here they are with their matching broken heart BFF necklaces to keep them close to each other. Roz already has one two week vacation under her belt (Ella nearly died), is off in two days for another vacation and will leave again in July for another ten days. This is absolutely absurd in Ella's mind. We are thrilled they get to travel so much this summer, however. (Even though I am going to miss Katie horribly too.)

So, there's a lot more of Ella hanging with me this summer at home, while I work and on our adventure days (Thursday). Thank goodness my parents are still up to the task of keeping her busy two days a week where she spends too much time bossing them around.

~H