a Christmas alphabet...

by Bella Reed age 8

A - is for advent calendar
B- is for baby Jesus is born
C - is for Christmas caroling
D - is for Deck the Halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la!
E - is for events and elves
F- is for family and friends
G- is for giving instead of getting
H- is for the Holy Spirit
I- is for icy icicles
J- is for Jolly old St. Nick
K- is for kindness
L- is for lights and lots of love
M- is for Merry
N- is for nice & naughty children
O- is for ornament
P- is for present
Q- is for quiet night
R- is for Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
S- is for Santa Clause
T- is for tinsel
U- is for unwrapped
V-is for voices singing
W- is for wishes
X- is for X-mas
Y- is for yuletide treasure
Z- is for zazzling dazzle

my fourth and final trip...

 Last Thursday, I had the great pleasure to go on my fourth, an final First Christian Pre-primary, annual pumpkin patch field trip! It was a bittersweet day, because I knew I would never again be a mom to a preschooler, and go on one of these fabulous fall outings!

 First off the kids got to play for a bit on the hay fort...

 Then off to line up wash hands, and get ready for a snack!

 This is Meritt's little friend Elsa. She is 3 days younger than Meritt. (although she was supposed to be a month older ;)) They were in the hospital nursery together - now look at them all big and four!

 I am AMAZED how well the teacher get these 16 spirited little individuals to behave. They lined up nicely for a class photo!

 Of course the kids want to see what the picture looks like!

 Then finally snack time - homemade cider donuts and fresh pressed cider... YUM! I got a snack too!

 Off on the wagon we went to hunt for the perfect pumpkin!

Friends gathered together in the front of the wagon, to ride back to the farm, and say 'see ya later alligator!'
It was the most perfect weather I have ever had on one of these trips... it was great!

eleven years ago today...

 Eleven years ago today, two baby faced kids said 'I do', with tear filled vows.

 People doubted that it was real. People thought we were too young. Some said it would never last...

Eleven years later, we have grown up together, learning along the way, and falling a little more in love each year.
God gave me the gift of marrying my best friend. He knew all along what our story would look like written out.

Dear Matthew, I look forward to growing old with you.
Thank you for putting up with me for the last 11 years, and for making my every wish come true!
Thank you for our amazing life, for our precious babies, and for loving me even when it's hard.


Love you, Manda

flippity flop feelings...

 I have approx. 1 and a half days at home with my girls before I work umpteen (8) days straight, we head for a quick labor day weekend getaway, and then it's BACK TO SCHOOL.

I am really not sure if I should feel sad (which I kind of am). Or be happy that we will get back to a routine, and friends, and art projects sent home, and homework, and back to school nights, and this and that, and the other. My feelings are flippity flopping all over the place!

My kids are getting so big, and I sometimes wish I could just freeze them where they are. ENJOY them just as they are in this moment, for a little bit longer. I guess, in a sense,  Summertime gives me this. It gives me endless days just them and me. No routine, just fly by the seat of our pants... I like it!

The girls (well Bella mostly) is getting antsy (actually crabby) - so I know that she is ready to be back at it! She gets bored easily if she isn't kept busy, so I know that Summer and it's easiness has begun to get to her.

One more year of preschool for Meritt, and boy I am going to SAVOR this year! My last year, with a kid at home (at least part of the day) and then she's off to get all grown up too!

Third grade and the second year of preschool, how did all this go by so fast?
They are getting too big I tell you...
What's next college?

Well, I guess, all I can do, is just enjoy them, and this lovely Summer while I can!

no one said this parenting gig was easy...

Where do I begin? When the doctor puts that baby on your chest, and you wait to hear that cry for the first time, you can't even imagine all the phases, stages, and trials you will go through now that you are a parent. That baby doesn't come with a handbook, and no one tells you about all the things you should and shouldn't do.

So, for the most part, it's a trial and error thing this parenting gig.
Most of all for the first child.
Because lets face it, we know nothing before the first kid enters our world.

My sweet Bella is eight. She is a good girl. I mean a really good girl. She has her moments of course, and don't mistake the word good for easy in that sentence up above, because easy she hasn't been, and I'm sure that will only grow as she does. This year, more than any other year of her life, she is stretching her wings a bit and looking for some independence. The hard part as a parent is to know, what you should let them do, and what you shouldn't.

Matt and I talked earlier in the Summer, and decided that she might be ready to walk to school come fall. She has a group of friends, and our plan (if agreed by the other parents) is to let them walk as a group, on the same route each day. We would have 'safe houses' marked along their route of neighbors that we know and trust, just in case they might have a problem along the way to or from school. Since she will be walking several blocks here soon, and had never been allowed to walk farther than around our block by herself. We decided that we would let her walk the 4 blocks to my parents house from time to time.

At first, she would start walking before us, while we were on our way over.
Now, she is walking the dog over once or twice a day... asking permission before she leaves.

I walked to school every day since the 1st grade, and I walked a half a mile each day.
I did fine, and turned out fine. Others would say it's a different world we live in today, and that it's not safe.

The whole thing leaves this lingering question inside of me....
Should I shelter her, just in case something bad could happen?
Or should I teach her to be independent, and responsible, and capable, so that when she enters the real world; in not that long of time, she will be ready!

These decisions are hard.

I'm not sure if I should follow what others are doing; which seems to be playing it safe just in case... or let her fly a little bit?

What do you think?
Does the whole idea of letting an 8 year old walk a few block alone scare you? Or do you think it's a good idea to teach kids a little responsibility bite by bite, so that they are capable human beings by the time they leave the nest?

I know there are probably a lot of you out there reading this that have WAAAAYYY more knowledge and know how in this department. We've got 3 weeks until school starts, and this Mama could really use some advice! Please let me know what you think... What have you done? How do yo feel about this? Anything would be helpful!

I sure wish I would have gotten a parenting handbook when I left the hospital with my bundle of joys! :)

mama, I wish I had a time machine...

the other day Bella and I were talking, and she said out of the blue 'mama, I wish I had a time machine...' - I said 'oh, yeah, why?' and she replied simply, 'because I would turn my Buddy back into this...'



'He was so cute, and little mama, don't you remember?'- 'I loved when he was a baby...'

...I'll I could say in response, was, 'sometimes I wish I had a time machine too!'



...and then I said 'time goes by too fast sometimes, that's why we have to enjoy every minute of life while it's happening, because it will never happen again quite the same!'

how could I possibly forget...

...how did I forget, possibly the biggest progress made of all???
(if you have no idea what I'm talking about scroll down to my last post!)



On her fourth birthday, she bravely gave her collection of beloved binkies to other babies that would need them more! We boxed them, and 'sent them on to the hospital' where the babies are born.

No tears, no fits, no missed sleep... she did it with bravery and courage.

I am not kidding when I tell you I thought this binky baby, turned binky kid, would NEVER give up her 'BINK' willingly!...but she did!

With love, and a bit (slash that) a lot of nudging, she did it!

YAY Meritt!
She's quite the girl.
She can do anything! (as long as it's her idea ;) )

making such progress...

This kid is growing up so fast!
Six months ago, I was about ready to pull my hair out for the fact that this little girl, just didn't want to have any part in growing up...
With love, and some (slash that) A LOT of patience, she is and has made so much big girl progress!

Six months ago she:
wouldn't sleep anywhere but her crib
wouldn't stay in her crib without being tented in
wouldn't poop in the potty
wouldn't get dressed by herself
wouldn't go upstairs by herself

Now:
She has her very own BIG Girl bed and sleeps in it every night without wandering all through the house at all hours of the night.

Has conquered her fear of poop! This was a BIG ONE!!! Not only has she conquered her fear she now does it alone, without assistance! Whoo Hoooo

Gets herself dressed every morning, and then several changes through the day. (I try hard not to complain! - about the outfits or the extra laundry)

Now has a new room she feels safer in, and will play up there for quite a while without anyone upstairs with her!



I am SO proud of this girl!
At the beginning of the school year she was so afraid, she wouldn't stay in her class without someone with her.
Today, she went on a class field trip without anyone outside of school.
That's BIG stuff!

She has had a lot of hurdles to jump, but she's making great strides, and I am so proud that she is so brave to make such big changes at such a little age!



She is learning how to listen.
She is learning how to speak more clearly.
She is learning how to be a helper.
She is learning how to be a BIG little sister
She is learning how to paint, draw, and create.
She is learning how to play with other kids, and make friends.
She is learning how to pray, and has taught her family a new favorite in our house.
She now goes to pre-school, and Sunday-school and LOVES her Independence.
She will sit and do a puzzle, and finish it.
She will sit with a stack of books and read each page.



Some of this stuff written out might not seem like a big deal to those of you reading it out there, but it is!
It's a HUGE deal, because, she couldn't do it that long ago, and now she can!

She's growing up...
Right before my eyes.
She has shed her baby days and has embarked on her girlhood days.

I love her.
In every possible way.
She is a light in my life.
A joy. A ray of daily sunshine. A dose of happiness.

This girl has stretched me.
Challenged me.
At moments broken me.
But most of all she has grown my heart to be so much bigger and better than it was before she was in my world!

I am grateful.

Bella's little Rose...

It started - Bella's little Rose, but in this picture the story seems to read that it should be: Rosie's Sweet Bella!

Sisters annoy, interfere, criticize. Indulge in monumental sulks, in huffs, in snide remarks. Borrow. Break. Monopolize the bathroom. Are always underfoot. But if catastrophe should strike, sisters are there. Defending you against all comers.
~Pam Brown

party favorites...

look who's four...

My baby girl turned four years old on Saturday...
Happy, and glad for the gift I have been given being this sweet girls mama.
She has brought more joy to my life in the last four years than I ever even knew was possible.
I have LOTS more pictures to share of her party... so when I get them edited you will be seeing many more!

my girl loves to read...

I am so thankful as a mom that I have raised a kid who loves to read. Since day one, it has been very important to me to instill a love of books, of the written word, of escaping into a page. I am happy to say, I think I've done it. She has exceeded my expectations, or desires. She blows me away. I think the day she was brought home from the hospital one of the first things we did was lay her down in the middle of our bed and read her a story.

At Christmas time in Kindergarten Bella couldn't read a word. By summer she was reading well. By first grade her reading took off. She was placed in the second grade class for reading. By second grade she was placed into a split class so that she could be in the level she needed to be at without having to leave her classroom. I am so thankful that she attends a (public) school that realizes the importance of placing kids where they need to be rather than where they just fit. She has an amazing teacher that encourages the love of books and reading as well. This year, she is reading all kinds of things. More chapter books than I have probably read in my lifetime. She can't get enough....

Her room is filled with books, stacks and stacks of books. Her shelves are PACKED, and organized just how she likes them. Her system (with a little help from me) is this: golden books, vintage books, story books, easy readers, chapter books, reference books, bible books & faith based books, horse books, and art books.

You might be wondering why I'm sharing this, and there are a few reasons. First because I'm really proud of her, and I want her to have proof of my pride written down for her to know and read (today or one day). Secondly, because, I would love to encourage you to read to your kids, to take them to the library, to surround them with books, because even if they don't pick it up right away, with time I can almost guarantee they will! Books are addicting, once you start it's hard to stop. They make your imagination come alive. It's a gift that can last a lifetime! Lastly, I am in no way trying to brag, or make you feel bad if your kiddo isn't a great reader... I promise! Every kid is totally different, trust me I know this first hand. So, I in no way am making any judgements. Just wanting to share my girl. My big, growing fast, seven-and-a-half year old girl... and her favorite thing in life, is her books. Don't get me wrong, she is still a totally regular kid who loves to run and play, draw, create, and be with her animals. But, even when she's doing all of those normal run of the mill things it wouldn't be odd to see her riding around the block with a book in her bike basket, or driving to the grocery store with her nose in a book. Her backpack is filled with books, her bedside is filled with books, her desk is stacked with books. Our house has baskets, and rows of books in nearly every room, and they are always being read. It's great. One thing I have yet to figure out is how she can read 7 or more chapter books at once and keep them all straight... I couldn't do it.

Bella, if you read this, which I know you like to do... know that I am VERY proud of the young lady that you're becoming. You are kind, and smart, and funny, and sweet, and I am so glad that your my kid!

she's got style, galore!

I love that Matt thinks to capture the everyday cute, funny, silly, memorable things that the girls do! These pictures are straight out of Matt's phone, and they plain old make me smile! How about you?

Almost every day Meritt graces us with one of her fashion ensembles...
She is always so proud of herself.
I love how she is able to show her big old personality, just by showing her style!
There is not one single thing about this girl that is boring. She is oozing personality. Her goofy ways make you totally fall in love with her.

This is some creativity isn't it???!!!

Storybook Land...

This evening we visited a place I've been visiting since I was a little girl...
A 34 year old tradition in our community, called Storybook Land.

For kids it is absolutely enchanting!
To hear the laughter, and squeals of delight.
To see the smiles from ear to ear.
To feel the happiness they were feeling.
It reminds me, about the magic that this season holds!

you are loved...

preschool

Finally, (I'm more than a bit behind) here are Meritt's first day of preschool pictures. Pretty cute if you ask me! :) So, preschool started out a little rough, but with love and patience, it is going MUCH better now. today we started week #3 of preschool, tonight we get to go visit school, for open house and dinner, and Rosie is soooooooo excited to show her school off! I still can't believe she is so big, but do have to admit my 2 hours of kid free time today (my first alone today) is pretty great! Just to have a little silence, peace, and me time, feels like a total gift! Cheers to preschool!

and so it begins...

I have been doing a lot of praying lately that the first day of preschool would go well. That God would make it a seamless transition for Meritt and for me. Thankfully I think my prayers were answered. Today was our first day, (orientation) Monday marks the first official day of school. Meritt did well! She was slightly clingy in the beginning, but, was okay with her daddy and I leaving her in her class with her teachers Ms. Linda and Ms. Amber while we went and sat with the other parents at our own 'orientation'. By the time we got back to get her she was covered in crusty play dough, and playing nicely on the floor with another little boy. I sat back for a bit watching, until she noticed me, and ran joyfully up exclaiming "Mommy! I had FUN!"


Thank you Jesus, you are good!

Part of my nervousness has come from how she has reacted before to being left, but mostly because Matt and I are leaving Tuesday for seven days to celebrate our anniversary in Maui. While I am thrilled to go, getaway, and share some alone time with my honey. I didn't want to leave my mother in law (Grammy 'D') with her hands full with a unhappy kiddo situation. So far it looks like it's going to be smooth sailing, I'm just going to keep praying that it stays that way!

(I will post some preschool shots later, left my camera at my mom's this morning)

first day of second grade...

feeling a little sentimental tonight...

My girls are all tucked in and fast asleep. Matt is sleeping soundly next to me. As I lie here tonight thinking about tomorrow, the week ahead, and the days to come, I am feeling a bit sentimental. Maybe for a bunch of reasons...

The first of which is because tomorrow I will be taking my sweet Bella to the first day of her second grade year. When approaching big milestone days like this, I always have this feeling of disbelief wash over me. How can it be? Where has the time gone? Most of all I get this warm fuzzy feeling of love and thankfulness when I think about Bella. She is such a wonderful, sweet, warm, little girl. She is truly one of my most favorite people on earth, and when I think of her in this warm light, the disbelief fades into pure joy that she is mine. I have had the pleasure of enjoying two and a half months at home with her by my side, enjoying days filled with simple, good, pleasures. In these moments of gratefulness, I see God's love, his hand, and his delight casting down on our lives.

The second of which is because on Friday, I will be taking my baby, my little Meritt Rose to her very first day of Preschool. Wow. The baby days at our house are officially over. Any final pieces that I may have been holding onto are now fading away into the next chapter of her story. While my arms are emptier without any babies to feed or rock, my heart is full. Possibly more full than it has ever been.

Last, but most definitely not least, I have been thinking alot about what my marriage means to me lately. The sixteenth of this month marks Matt and my 10th wedding anniversary. Wow. Again. We were two young kids, who knew nothing. NOTHING... except for the fact that we were madly in love with the other, and that we had to be together, forever. Despite all the warnings of people much older than we were, despite the lack of money, the lack of insurance, the lack of material things or even direction. We just knew that when we were together anything was possible. We knew that we wanted to be right in the world, and the only way to do that was to be joined forever, as a family, the two of us, in front of God, our families, and everyone we loved. So we did. That was the beginning of our amazing adventure of life, side by side, and hand in hand. The last ten years haven't been perfect. I don't think I would have wanted them to be. There have been highs and lows, and days in between. But, still after all these years, when I quiet myself, and all the things around myself, I know without a doubt that he's the one for me. Perfectly designed just for me. Yep, we're imperfectly perfect matches for each other! God is good that way isn't he?!

So with all of these things twirling around me inside, and out, I just can't help but feel a little sentimental, thinking about all that has been, and all that is yet to come! It's gonna be a great week, heck let's go for a great month! :+)

Summer's Ending Road (three years later)...

Three years ago (almost to date) I started Bella's Little Rose, with a post called 'Summer's Ending Road' at that time Meritt was 6 months old, and Bella was a little more than 4. Bella was about to begin her second year at preschool, I hadn't even started a baby book for Meritt, and time was flying by me way too fast. So, I decided to start a blog. A place I could capture those memories, pictures, thoughts, and funny little things that were happening in our lives. Here we are almost 3 years later, and my six month old is now 3 and a half, about to start her very first year of preschool, and my four year old is seven, (going on seventeen) about to embark on second grade. Whoa, how did that happen??? Where does all the time go? They will be grown before I blink my eyes...

We are now coming to another Summer's Ending Road. This Summer that I have gotten to spend with my girls has been priceless. I have loved every (well almost every) moment of being at home with them. I have enjoyed the walks, the talks, the playing, the reading, the adventures, and even all the other stuff in between. I will never again have a 3 1/2 and 7 year old.

We are soaking up the last few days of our Summer together. Just a few more days and we'll be back to school, back to our routines, homework, play dates, and work for me. I hope that when my girls look back at their childhood memories, they remember these sweet days that we've spent, doing nothing important, but everything that means something. I know when I look back, that's what I'll remember!