Love, love these two!

Don't need to say much here.  These pictures say it all.  Children really are love made visible.  Because of them, I know how much my parents love me.  I know how much my heavenly Father loves us.

And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.  

1 Corinthians 13: 12, 13

Sweatheart Dance

One of our Relay for Life fundraisers that's a huge hit, is the Daddy Daughter Dance.  Last year was the first time we had one for our school, and it was a huge success!  And this year's dance was just the same!  The girls had a great time, and I think their dads did too!

Not sure which she loves most - Daddy or those fingers!

Twirling

Moving and shaking

Maeve with all of mama's "friends" who were at the dance

Maeve's daddy is the DJ, so he doesn't get to dance too much.  She didn't mind.  She finally got her second wind and started feeling the music vibes.  She loved making her puffy dress spin!

Sweet, sweet time!

Art Smart

Cam had his first project.  In their study of community helpers, they had to decide on a future job.  Cam decided he wants to be an artist one day.  So, he wrote all about it, put all the items he might need to use one day in his "briefcase," and dressed like an artist.  Here he is in his artist's attire:

It was his idea for the mustache!  Maybe one day he'll take us to France to see art first-hand!  He also made his palette to carry.

And, of course, Little Sister had to pretend to be an artist too.  She "painted" all of the chairs in the kitchen for us.

I.N.K.

This was our first trip to the Interactive Neighborhood for Kids!  I loved it just as much as I thought I would.  If only this had been around when I was a kid.  I would have asked to go every week I'm sure.

Cam down on the farm

Maeve filling up her shopping cart

This is what Cam tried out at the hospital

Maeve painting her fingernails

Cam and Maeve got to try out all kinds of stuff.   There was a grocery store, diner, music store, dentist, bank, salon, farm, hospital, school, and even a plane and police car!  Wow!  You know I wanted to plunge right into imagination too.  It was such a neat place.  Hope to go back soon.

CoCo Goes to Kindergarten

Part of being the student of the week means that your pet can come for a visit on Fridays.  Well, nothing would do but for our old CoCo Bean to come to class.  (Actually, Cam wanted Clayton and Carson to come too.  I don't think he thinks of them as pets, but he knows they are awesome and he would like to show them off to his friends!)

Moo and Doo loaded up the Bean and the Baby Girl to head to MBES.  Although it was a bit warm, Bean had to wear his sweater so that his old-age moles wouldn't scare the young children!  He was very patient and even got to come visit some third graders too.

Before leaving, he almost got in a little scrap with a dog who is a frequent visitor to one of the other kindergarten classes.  That Bean! - Really can't take him anywhere!

Much thanks to Moo and Doo who make the impossible possible on too many occasions to count.

SuperDooper Six

Cam has been counting down his birthday since his last birthday.  He loves getting older.  I think he feels like he is catching up to his boys.  This year we decided to do a combined birthday blast at Disney World.  So, that meant no big parties (less planning on my part for sure), but I couldn't let the day just go by.

One of the baloons that hung on his doorway.  The special 6 sticker compliments of Melissa.

Our bedroom is Cam's morning dressing room.  Had to decorate it too!

So, Cam had a special day from morning till night.  The day began with morning presents.  He tore into the three presents we had for him (one from each of us).  His daddy took him for a special before school breakfast.  Then, I ate pizza with him at lunch and helped him pass out his cookie pops to his class.  After school, CG picked him up, which is always a special treat.  When I got to her house to get them, he started asking about who all might be coming to our house tonight.  I tried to let him down gently, but as far as I knew, no one was coming.  He couldn't understand why everybody wasn't coming to our house for a birthday dinner.

Cam and his cookie pop

Little did he know, we were planning a little surprise for him.  This is something he had requested several times throughout the year: "Mom, I want a surprise party.  You should plan a surprise party for me."  I kept insisting that is he told me how to do a surprise party for him, that it wouldn't be much of a surprise.

The Family Dinner

When we went home, he was a little on the sad side because his daddy was at baseball, and as far as he knew, the three of us would be the only ones at home to help him continue his celebration.  He was feeling a little pitiful for himself.  He said, "Mama, you could have made dinner for everyone."  I played along and said, "I had not planned to make anything. What could make now?"  His quick response was, "Hamburger Helper!"  I told him that we would just go meet Daddy after his practice at the cheese dip store. He was very disappointed with this.  He really didn't want to leave the house just in case someone came by to wish him a happy birthday.

After going around to welcome his guests, he started to tear into presents.

I must say the pressure to reveal the surprise almost got the best of me.  However, I held strong under the most severe pressure.  In the car on the way, he was looking out the window and he said, "All I really wanted was a family dinner."  Poor thing!  He was experiencing his first ever birthday disappointment.

All of the Little Guests

Posing with his cake.  

Needless to say, we when arrived at the restaurant, he was thrilled to see a huge table of "family" sitting with his dad.  He was grinning from ear to ear and seemed to be pleasantly surprised with his surprise party. I was a little nervous about this part because he doesn't always do well without knowing what it coming. When we returned home that night, he said, "That was the best party for a six year old!"  Another successful celebration!

Showing out....just like his daddy!

Helpers x2

We are settling into our new routine that comes with baseball season.  If this is any indication, this might just be our best one yet.  Although it is crazy just getting in the door some days with our many bags and then trying putting something nutritious in their mouths and call it supper, I do think I have more help than I accounted for this season.

Just before Cam's birthday, I was actually thinking of putting off the last step to the cookie pop decorating.  I could just envision crumbled cookies and a mess of sprinkles everywhere.  Sometimes I just don't give them much credit.  I had the best little helpers.  Cam and Maeve carefully iced each cookie.  Then I added the sprinkles.  Our assembly line proved to be very productive.  And they loved doing such a big, grown-up thing like icing cookies.

Perhaps my days of waiting till bedtime to accomplish my tasks are becoming not necessary.  I might can actually go to bed when they do.  

Skate Night

Cam looked forward to Mother-Son Skate Night for weeks before the event.  I thought he was looking forward to it so much because it was on the eve of his birthday.  I am not much of a skater (actually not one at all...never have been one) and since I was still recuperating for my classroom wipe-out injury, I decided definitely to spare us both insult and injury.  Luckily, Nonna came to the rescue and enjoyed some rink time with her favorite little McCullers.

Ready to break in his new skates

Come to find out, he must have been looking forward to it because of his serious skating skills!  He was so impressive for a six year old.  It wasn't his first time skating, but it was my first time seeing him skate.  (Yep.  I still avoid it like the plague.  Only his Uncle Tommy and Kim have taken him before.)  Nonna let him open an early birthday present before coming so he was sporting his very own skates!  He had so much fun!  He fell many times but nothing too serious.  He would get right back up and at it.

Eager to get out on the rink - didn't even need a buddy

I have a hard time believing that my child has skating abilities.  He definitely didn't get those from his mother!

No skates on this mama's feet!