Happy 13th Birthday Natalie

Dear Natalie,
You're a teenager!  How did that happen?

I look at you and see what a beautiful amazingly intelligent young woman you are turning into.  It's almost hard to remember you as a baby some days.

There is so much ahead for you over the next few years.  While I know you're terrified of the change I know that you will handle it with grace and beauty because that's how you handle everything.

You have so much passion in you.  So much love.  Continue to grow and nurture that passion and love.  Share it with as many people as you possibly can.  The light that shines from you is the most amazing gift anyone can receive from you and anyone who doesn't appreciate that about you is not worthy of having you in her life!

Don't be fearful of what is to come.  Because everything that is out there for you is a wonderful amazing adventure that I will walk right along side of you for.  This time of your life is about fun and trying new things.  So don't be afraid to try anything new.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for you.  Will you be a teacher like you have talked about for so many years or a detective like you discovered this year matches your personality and interests?  Or maybe something else entirely.  Only time will tell, but I'm sure whatever you do you will be great at it.

Thank you for being such a wonderful, caring, loving daughter.  I cherish our moments together and I love watching you care for your little brother and sisters.  They all look up to you so much and with good reason.  I know it's not always the greatest having all those little eyes watching everything you do, but you are a wonderful role model for them.

Welcome to the teen years!  I know you're going to love this time in your life.  Keep on smiling!

Happy 13th Birthday Natalie, I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Happy 13th Birthday Natalie!

To My Angel, Celeste Alia

Rainbow (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear Celeste Alia,
Today could possibly be your 3rd birthday.  It is hard to believe that we have lived over 3 years without you here on earth with us.  While I never knew I wanted you until I didn't have you you were very much loved!

I wonder what your interests would be.  Would you love playing Barbies with your sisters and brother?  Or maybe you would be more of a tom boy and like trucks and guns like your brother.  I think the two of you would be magical together no matter what you would have loved.

I think of you every day.  Who would you look most like?  Would you love to cuddle or would you be more of a loaner.  Would you talk a lot or be quiet?  So many unanswered questions about who you would have been.

Instead you are our Angel in heaven.  Watching over us.  Someday we will meet again.  Someday all of my questions will be answered.  Someday I will get to hold you in my arms again and kiss you on the forehead.  Someday we will be together again.  Until then I will continue to dream about you my sweet angel.

Happy Due Date Day!  Mommy and Daddy love you!

Love,
Mommy

As usual there will be a letter for Natalie on here.  It doesn't go live until 11:17 p.m. when she was born.  So check back later tonight or tomorrow for my letter to her.

A Sleepover Party

So what's more fun to do on a Friday the 13th than have a sleepover party for a just turned 10 year old?  Well, nothing of course so that's exactly what we did.  Kaitlyn had 3 friends over and two spent the night.  Natalie and CJ had a sleepover downstairs at our neighbors house that night.  They just couldn't take all those preteen girls.  So everyone had a blast.

Eating the pizzas they made

Too hot can you cool it off?

Digging in!

The birthday girl enjoying her pizza

An icecream cake

Happy Birthday to you!

Present time!

It's Tinkerbell!

I love it!

A giant pencil

Silly scissors

A journal

More markers

Colored pencils

Tiny notebooks

Glue!

Pencil pouch

Construction paper

A makeup bag

What do we have here?

All sorts of goodies

Oooh what a pretty color

Which one do you like?

Her friends know her well!  Tinkerbell, art supplies, and nail polish.  She was a happy little girl!

After presents we started watching a movie, but no one seemed interested.  They were doing each others hair while the movie was on and then we decorated some hair clips.  Then one of her friends left.  The other two got into their PJs and they did some crafts with Kaitlyn's new craft stuff.  We sent them to bed and they were up really late.

I got up the next morning and made pancakes for breakfast and had to wake them up to eat and get ready to be picked up.  Kaitlyn didn't want it to end.

Kaitlyn's 10th Birthday

The next day after Kaitlyn was on stage she turned 10. What an exciting week for her. Double digits. She was spoiled rotten with cupcakes for school, cake for home, her favorite dinner (lasagna), and a surprising birthday present. An all around great day!

Orange frosted cupcakes

Cake

Singing Happy Birthday

Alyssa was singing too

Blowing out the candles

Reading her card

I can't believe you got me this!

Opening it up

Her very own big girl camera!

And she has been snapping pictures like crazy ever since she got this camera.  Look at how excited she is.  Happy 10th Birthday Kaitlyn!

Kaitlyn's Clarinet Concert

Yet again I am behind. Tons going on. I have many pictures and videos to share with you. We'll start where we left off. On Tuesday April 10th Kaitlyn had a small concert for her clarinet. She had to try out to be a part of this and her and a friend played Old McDonald together on the clarinet. They did a great job. She's really enjoying playing the clarinet! I hope you enjoyed that mini concert!

Barnes Family Easter

So yet again I am behind in sharing on here.  So much going on with birthdays and holidays and other writing commitments.  I have 3 giveaways going on right now on Monica's Mom Musings if you'd like to go check those out, please do!  And then here let me share with you some pictures over the past week or so starting with Easter.

 Dying Easter Eggs!

Alyssa waiting to get started!

CJ waiting to get started!

Kaitlyn waiting to get started!

Natalie washing dishes before we can get started!

Take the egg in your hand like this...

And put it in carefully like this!

What no egg for Alyssa?

Concentrating hard on painting that egg!

This is hard work!

Hey, I like this spoon never mind those silly eggs!

Look what I did Mommy!

Don't take a picture of me Mom!

Oh all right see here's my egg!

CJ's blue egg!

Look at all of those shiny eggs!

 Then it was off to bed so the Easter Bunny could come and leave them all of these awesome buckets filled with everything their little hearts could desire!

Easter Bunny was here!

 Easter Morning!

What do we have here?

Oooh a sun catcher!

Alyssa loves her bunny!

Silly girl what's wrong with this ball?

Natalie putting on her new bracelet!

What did you get CJ?

Tasting some of the candy!

Easter Bunny cake

Once we were done checking out the loot I made breakfast for everyone, the three big ones painted their sun catchers and Alyssa broke into the candy.  This is what happens when Daddy's not feeling well and Mommy has a million balls in the air.  All was fine after a bath and then we sent her out to find more candy...
 
Easter Egg Hunt!

Waiting on CJ to get started!

On your mark, get set, GO!

Natalie's hunting down those eggs

Does Alyssa have anything in that basket?

Alyssa waiting for people to bring her more eggs!

Oh look, here's an egg!

Kaitlyn hurry up Natalie's gonna get them!

Hmmm, are there any over here?

Daddy helping Alyssa get an egg!

You can look at my eggs, but don't look at me!

Happy Easter Barnes Bunch Style!

So after the Easter egg hunt festivities we went inside and I started cooking dinner.  We had ham, cheesy scalloped potatoes, and green beans.  Our neighbor came up and brought sausage bread and corn casserole, and my parents joined us for the day too.  It was a beautiful day and it was great spending it with all of the people I love!