Great to be 8...

My sweet Caitlin Ruby just turned 8...  Here are a few of her favorite things:
* PINK, PINK, PINK
* Cheetahs
* Art
* hip hop dance class - she is doing "Thrift Shop" at the recital this weekend----  ADORABLE
* pedicures
* boating
* hangin' with BFF Claire
* her new iPad mini
* cats
* red velvet cake
* hula hoop queen
* having NO booster seat in the truck now
* wearing dresses and fake earrings...

I say this ALL the time... "Life is GOOD to be Caitlin"!!!  This little girl is just so happy all the time.
We also just redid her room.  She was tired of all the little girl things and butterflies :(  It turned out adorable...  She got a queen size bed and new dresser.  I tried to find the most pink that I could to accessorize with.  My sweet girl is growing up.  Everyone instantly falls in LOVE with Caitlin...

She still wants to be an artist and perform on stage!!!  Wow, what a combination...

We celebrated her birthday for several days and she loved every minute of it.  Friends' party at a salon for pedicures.  Lake day with good family friends.  Warner clan came to spend the night.  Red Robin with Grandma and Papa.  School celebration.

I made sparkly tutus for all 6 girls

Ava was able to come watch Caitlin play soccer

Cousin LOVE

SIMPLY ADORABLE...

I'd love to be 8 again!!!!

Birthday Princess

Beautiful toes

Caitlin's request.  Red velvet cupcakes, cheetah cupcake holders and pink sprinkles!

Actual birthday morning...  Our tradition to wake up to streamers, presents and  Sweetwater  donuts

YUMMY

Perfection...  Thank you Oma and Opa!!!!

Dad ROCKS...  finally her own iPad 

Party on the lake with family friends

mint oreo cake from stone cold

Off to school

Red Robin...  She reminded our server several times about it being her birthday...  CUTE

Girls on the RUN

Girls on the Run is so AMAZING...  I officially ended my second season of coaching yesterday.  We had our celebration with the girls.  I can never say enough wonderful things about this program.  EVERY girl should be a part of the program.  Thankfully Madison wants to do it again next year and Caitlin can also join us.

This year I had a few girls from my team last year and a few more new faces.  I meet with the girls for 20 lessons.  We quickly build a great little bond because we start right in on what makes us UNIQUE...  These girls walk away with a little more self confidence, skills to help with bullies, being grateful for friends/family, goal setting skills, dealing with emotions, being healthy and hopefully a desire to get out and exercise a little more.

I really do love doing this program with my own daughter...

Our community service project was OPERATION STICKY NOTE...  We placed tons of sticky notes around the school with positive sayings on them.  The girls loved every second of doing it.  Funny how some BOYS' lockers were covered with sticky  notes:)

We made a tutu for all the girls...  They loved them!

Getting ready

The Mattawan TEAM...

My running buddy...  Funny how this year she gave me encouragement to run.  My shoulder was not happy about running 3.1 miles :(  Half way though she even looked at me and said that her shoulder was hurting...  Love this kid!!!!!

Forever Friends....

I LOVE this girl...

Pink and purple hair

Great Mattawan MOMMIES!!!!

Thanks for coming DADDY!!!!

Madison rocked the house.  We ran the entire way!!!!!

Priceless MOMENT...  Mom and Daughter POWER!!!!!

Enough is ENOUGH

What a great weekend with friends and family...  However, I am pretty beat up this morning.  When will I EVER learn?????  I'm sure that this CRAZY, ADVENTUROUS side of me is exactly why I'm heading in for major shoulder surgery.

I had the best intentions to take it easy with the boat this weekend.  I was so excited to put the boat on the lake for the first time.  We had the whole LONG weekend with friends on the lake.  UGH...  Of course, I couldn't just sit back and relax...  I'm paying for it today.  I'm so looking forward to June 5!!!!!!

I actually was thinking that riding the wave runner would be ok.  OR if I hurt my arm more this is the best time to do it ... BEFORE surgery!    I guess I forgot about hurting other things in the process.  I'm sitting here with a super sore mouth, jaw, and butt :(  I've ridden things my whole life.  I was feeling so confident about taking Madison for a ride on the wave runner.  BOY was I wrong...  

As soon as I climbed on I knew it was a little crazy.  It is weird how you are so much more clumsy when you can't actually use part of your body.  I can barely even use my arm for anything these days. I couldn't even actually open a bag of chips earlier that day.  We started off with no problem, UNTIL the fuel line was never turned on and we completely stopped.  That was flip #1...  I ended up freaking out when I knew that we were going over and put my face right in the back of Madison's head.  Thankfully she thought it was hilarious.  AGAIN, I should have called it quits...  I dragged myself back up on one handed and took off.  Of course I was a tad more nervous now because my lip was bleeding pretty badly and my shoulder was on fire.  I had Madison drive for a bit to give me a break.  THEN my visor flew off...  Madison was determined to go back for it.  Of course we flipped over again and I fell really hard on the side of the wave runner...  I did call it quits after that, but still had to get back up on and ride it in...

The sweet thing out of the horrible ride was how protective Madison was of me.  On the first flip, she quickly asked if I had a life jacket on...  I said, "Yes, Why???"  She said that she knew that I couldn't swim with my bad shoulder....  She turned around and saw my lip bleeding and asked me if you could bleed to death from your lip.  I quickly said, "I sure hope not"!!!!!  My kids are being so sweet with me....

I AM GOING TO LAY LOW FOR THE NEXT WEEK....

All ready for another great summer

Loving the new TOWER

My crazy 3 children

Never too old to fall asleep on the way home...

Parade

Claire and Caitlin... BFF's

Presidents on Parade

OMG...  My little sweet girl was born to perform.  Caitlin is so confident of herself!  I love this girl...  Her class, along with another second grade class put on the best performance this morning.  Several children memorized paragraphs about different presidents and performed patriotic songs as well.  Caitlin had James Buchanan.    She has had her part memorized for weeks.

She woke up early this morning and was waiting for me in the truck 15 minutes before we had to leave...  She is MY child!  I hate being late.  Actually I LOVE being very early.  She woke up early, took a shower, I did her hair and she begged me to get to school.  Madison of course woke up not feeling well and wanted to stay home sick today.  I did let her stay home because tomorrow is our BIG 5K event and I need her better!!!  It is ALWAYS something.

Caitlin and I picked up grandma on our way.  She did amazing.  That girl grabbed the microphone and clearly said her entire paragraph from memory without any problem...  Is it horrible that I wish I was as confident as my sweet Caitlin Ruby?!?!

Tomorrow is Madison's big day --- fingers crossed that she is feeling well :)

She is so excited about her high heels...

MY ANGEL!!!  I wish I could keep her forever almost 8 years old...

Not one nervous bone in her body!  She was amazing.

FAMILY

I am so thankful for family...  I have really been struggling with this shoulder.  I NEED to be able to function and most importantly run/exercise/work out.  That is MY stress reliever.  I have had several injuries in the past few years, but this one is by far the most debilitating.  I just found out that I will have surgery June 5.  It will be an open surgery and Dr. Sytsma will be cleaning everything up in there.  I have a bone spur, labrum tear, rotator cuff fraying, bicep tendon reattached.  However, my wonderful family has been exceptional lately.

* My sisters have offered to come and help me out with the kids and send me great text messages.
* My parents came to visit with me.
* My kids have been doing more and more for themselves - and giving me extra LOVING!!!!
* Brett has listened to me moan, groan, cry and LET IT ALL OUT.  He might deserve a medal:)
* My wonderful friends have dragged me out of my house to just hang out and take my mind of this.
* Chad/ Shannon and clan came last weekend.

Thank you to ALL of you...  There is light at the end of my tunnel - maybe a little darker for a few days after June 5, but then bring on the SUMMER!!!!

GOTR practice 5K...  We ran the WHOLE 3.1 miles!!!

Chad was finally able to get to Bell's

OBERON ---  

Caitlin and Ava ---  we barely see them when they are together...

TROUBLE ---  WAR

Friends...