Pony Party!

 

It is painful to report, but Addison Kate turned six years old!   I can barely stand it.  

We had a gorgeous day for a birthday party and Addison had four "big kid" helpers to make the day even more special.  

 

Big girl and her daddy.

 

I mean really, how else would you celebrate turning six?  Of course, you get a pony!!  Actually we had two ponies and a horse come to the house!  

Addison and all of her kindergarten friends were literally bouncing with excitement watching the horses come off the trailer.  

 

Precious girl.  

 

Another birthday, another awesome cake not made by mommy.

 

My sweet baby girl is becoming such a big girl.  I wish I could freeze time.

 

Smiles and giggles were abundant all day.

 

Big brother took some time out from managing the games to take a ride.

 

We set up games and prizes for the kids as well so they could have oodles of fun!

Amelia and Luke and their friends were great at being in charge of the games and helping all the kindergartners win lots of prizes. 

 

Amelia still loves riding horses.

 

Happy Birthday to you!  Happy Birthday to you!

The start of a new year

 

This is one of the many reasons I love my coastal Mississippi home.  Because only here can we jump in the rain in our bathing suits (because it was in the 70's) in January and...

 

Dance and play with Olaf in the snow in the same week.  

When the rest of the country gets an arctic blast, we sometimes get it as well.  Granted, it is not as severe but it still can get cold here.  I was driving Addison to school the morning of the "cold day" and I noticed snow flying in the air in our downtown square.  So of course I could not pass that opportunity up and I pulled over to check it out.  Our sweet town, brought in a snow machine and Olaf for the kids to enjoy the snow!  So fun for Addison...

 

She made a snowball, played with some friends and then told me she was cold and ready to go to school.  Ha!  Enough of this cold stuff, I guess but it was cute.

 

Getting together with my girls, love them.

 

Notice both my dogs kissing Mary Claudia to death, they can always find the one that has a heart for dogs.  

 

Amelia's gifted and talented class has been studying underwater robotics this month. Each group got to design and build an underwater robot and then for the last few weeks, take it to the pool to test it out in different obstacles and tasks.  The above obstacle involves the kids manipulating the robot to slide the red ring across each bar.  I cannot even fathom controlling that thing, or designing it, or even dreaming about it.  

Love these kids brains.

 

 

Amelia got another awesome opportunity in January.  She and the rest of her youth group went to Twin Lakes camp up in Jackson for the "Polar Thang" middle school camp.  And look who went with her!!  Our wonderful and amazing Ashley is now one of the youth leaders as well; so Amelia gets lots of special time with Ashley and her two best friends, Mckenzie and Lizzie.  

 

Rock climbing, games, singing, bible studies, all that great bonding stuff.  She loved every minute.

 

Capped off by doing the "polar plunge" into the lake.  I put it in quotes because I think of a polar plunge as cutting a hole in ice and jumping in water while the air temperature is below zero.  It was like 65 degrees that day although Amelia did say the water was FREEZING!!

 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning 2014:

 love these smiles, love these kids, love this day, love these memories.

 

They were very excited, exceptionally excited really for 7:30 in the morning.

 

Santa knows books are a humongous winner for Addison.

 

Oh Santa...really?  Sigh. (Luke was thrilled)

 

Amelia patiently waiting for her turn to open a present. 

 

Cute, cute, cute.

 

Addison and Luke had the best expressions this year!  They were THRILLED about every present!

 

A microscope was on the top of Luke's Christmas list this year.

 

 

JOY

 

Santa really surprised Amelia with her own IPOD.

 

 

After all the Santa gifts, Mommy and Daddy had a surprise present for the girls-Taylor Swift concert tickets!  Every picture I took Addison was bouncing in excitement.  

 

We could never forget about our Luke so he headed outside to find his surprise gift.  A basketball hoop, which he spends every minute shooting at.  

Nothing says Christmas in Mississippi like Santa jammies and flip flops.  

 

After Santa presents and some breakfast and a nap for Daddy, it was time for opening all of the family presents.  Thank you so much to all of our family, the kids are very blessed to have so many people that love them.  

 

Then it was time to head to Grampy's house for Christmas dinner!

 

Yay!

 

The karaoke machine was a big hit!

Merry Christmas!   

Merry Christmas Eve

 

Christmas Eve was finally here!  The kids have been counting down the days until our annual Christmas Eve on the Lane church party.   Nell and I were well prepared this year for the 90 people in attendance.  The party went off without a hitch and it was actually even peaceful for Nell and I!  The invitation of course says, The Driggers and Boskovich Families, but let's get real people.  Our husbands get to just show up as well :)

And get ice.  Love you hubbies!

 

Addison posing with Happy Birthday Jesus cake.

 

Sweet buddies.

 

Their were so many kids outside that I don't think ever even made it inside this year!  They were having so much fun but they all needed a good hose down and wipe off before church.  Ewww.  These kids are getting older, and stinkier.  

 

Fellowship, friends, food and fun!  

What's not to like?

 

Love all these girls.

 

We were able to gather some of the kids for the annual singing of Happy Birthday to Jesus.

 

Merry Christmas Eve!  

 

The best presents that could ever be placed under my tree!

 

Time to get nestled all snug in their beds so Santa can make his big dropoff!