Summertime.....so glad you have finally made it!

School's out for summer! We are jumping for JOY! I took Emma and her friends out for a fun Sunday photo shoot. It was the last week of their Freshman year! Wow! How this year has flown by! We were all ready for summer break after the crazy-fun-Spring we have had!





Here is a glimpse of what the last month has held for the Green House!

Spring brings storms! We had a scary one! Tornadoes just down the road. This is one of the pictures we took after we got out of the shelter. I love the way the sun is breaking through while it was still hailing. That is so much like life! There will always be sunshine after the storm!Spring brings....flowers! Beautiful girls in the beautiful wildflowers of West Texas! Love these girls! My beautiful SOPHOMORE girl! A few of the great shots I got of her on the photoshoot! She is a beauty! Inside and out! I am so proud she is mine!

Spring brings GRADUATION! Pre-school graduation, that is. The caps. The gowns. The Pomp and Circumstance. Why?! To make mom's cry! That is their whole scheme! I was a mess from the moment the director said the title of her poem. "If I Had My Child to Raise Once Again"! Sigh...Their teachers said a little bit about each child. She said Seth was a leader, an artist and a very sweet boy. She pegged him perfectly!

They even got to turn their tassels.......look out kindergarten. The Canyon schools will never be the same!

Mommy and Daddy and the proud little graduate! Seth is going to "big school"!

Look out Canyon High! These boys are coming up...... It did my heart good to see my big, little boy climbing a tree. He really is still little....his daddy had to help him up.

Spring brings track meets.....end of school parties.....and lots of fun! We enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at Hanna's track meet. Hanna loves her brother.....and so does all of the boys in her class! (see them waiting for him behind her!) I don't know who they enjoy being with more.....Hanna or Seth.

They taught him how to dance. Hanna was a little embarrassed! (at least it wasn't me embarrassing her with MY dancing this time!) He entertained us all! And, for the event of the day.....

Hanna raced against 3 boys in the 200 meter dash...... and she beat them all! It was the talk of the school! She even got an award....for beating the boys!

Spring also brings ballet recitals.......

Lily and Emma both had recitals with Lone Star Ballet. They were on different days. This was meant to make it easier on parents....and to make the recitals not last as painfully long as years past. But, for this family, we got to go to BOTH of them. We are special! We have 2 ballerinas! 7 years apart!

My beautiful ballerina.....in the back right. She makes my heart skip a beat! I love watching her dance!

Emma and the girls.....they have been dancing together for several years. Beauties!

Lily and Seth love to watch their sisters perform, I don't know where Seth ran off to when it was time for a picture, but he really was there!

My little prima ballerina! What a beautiful, graceful child!

Grammy got to be here for the recitals. And, since they split them up, Emma even got to sit and watch Lily perform. It was a sweet time!

Sprng also brings.....baseball and softball and softball.......oh, my!

Seth got to play tee ball this year! He was the cutest little "Rockie" there was! I loved watching him and his friends play....and play in the dirt! They are precious! (I know Sean! But,I can call him precious for just a little bit longer!!!!) I can just imagine them in a few short years as Canyon High players. They will still be precious to mommy!

Seth the catcher.....mom's favorite part! He looked so little and cute in all of that gear! He was fearless when that ball came across the plate. He especially thought it was cool when it hit his mask!

Seth the batter.....his favorite part! He was good, too! They got 3 pitches from the coach and then they got the tee. He almost always got his hit off of the coach!

Seth the outfielder.....and the dancer!


He made us all laugh!

They got to play an exciting double header for the championship! The lost.....but, only because they were tired and the other team was fresh! For those of you with 5 year old boys, you will understand the need for a fresh boy to win a game. (or at least resist to play in the dirt for another hour!)


Proud Daddy moment!

Lily Hope took a swing at softball! It was machine pitch. A team of girls that love each other and go to school together. She got to be #7, just like her big sister! Go, Canyon Cuties!

Lily and Ally! Best friends.....and teammates!

She really is #1!!!!

The Canyon Cuties are 8U Champs!!!! An unlikely team of friends....with a coach that loves these girls....many first timers..... and that just goes to show that love and kindness really DOES make a difference!

And here is the 2010 Spring/Summer 12U Amarillo Lightning Storm team. They are fierce! They are friends! They are beauties! They've got game! Stay tuned for more Storm news....as tournaments are just now getting started! Off we gooooooo...............

And...there is my workin' girl!

Emma got her first job! (Even as I type that, it seems so surreal! This is a little hard for her daddy and I. How could she be old enough to be "at work" every night?!) She is working at the "TEXAS" production, down in the Palo Duro Canyon. She is on the Hospitality Crew and LOVES it! One day (probably next summer) she would love to perform in this production. It is a piece of Texas History that everyone must see!

So, now the relaxing begins! The lazy days of summer are here! Staying up late and sleeping in later. Pool time! Naps! Softball tournaments with Hanna and the Storm....

We are going to enjoy every minute of it!

This girl's got game!

Hanna Grace.....our softball player! The season is about to explode...........

I love this girl! I love how intense she can be about this sport....and then, in a blink of an eye, how kind and compassionate she can be towards her teammates. She's an awesome batter. A fast runner. The best centerfielder! She's a cheerleader! She's a team player! She amazes me with her ability. Her strength surpases all that I have ever seen in a 12 year old. The endurance these girls show on the field is that of Olympic ability. And, even better, the character she shows off the field is that to praised! It amazes me! It challenges me! It makes me so proud! I'm not kidding! This girl has GOT GAME!

Our life.....crazy, fun, busy, full and fast! Take a peek!

My 38th birthday was April 7th. This week was such a full and crazy week, Sean threw a surprise party for me on Sunday. My birthday didn't even phase me. In fact, it seems they are easier and easier every year. I love who I am becoming. I love that I see changes in my life every year. I love how God keeps coming after me harder and the way it becomes a challenge for everyday. This week was so busy, but it gave me an oppertunity to count my blessings....one by one! So, going backward in time, from this day........I will try to re-cap the highlights of our lives.....since Feb. :)Opening Day! What a fun time! I never thought the day would come when all four of my children had their thing going.....all at once! This weekend, it became a reality! It was Seth's turn! He is playing t-ball. I am loving every minute of it! Is there anything cuter than a proud 5 year old boy in his baseball uniform? If there is.....I have yet to see it! They put Seth in as catcher, his first time out on the field. I say, from behind the fence, "Seth has never practiced catcher!" His coach says back, as they are strapping him in his gear, "Noone has!" Alrighty then! Play Ball!And a fine catcher he was!Now it is his first "at bat". I know they have been practicing this......it's all we do at home! And, look out when several 5 year olds have a bat! WOW!He hits the ball.......a double!Made it to 2nd! Get ready to run, Seth! .....he runs to 3rd! And then HOME!!!!!And, big sister Hana approves! (Big sister, who just finished her softball practice, where she slid and tore up her knee! Good times!) The Rockies win their opening game! Whew! That was fun! (Next time, I will not forget my video camera!)

Friday Night at the ballet! "CINDERELLA"! We love OPENING NIGHT! The nerves, the excitement, the flowers, the pictures......
...and the dancing was spectacular! Emma is a Spring Fairy here, presenting Cinderella with her dress.



Here, she is an Arabian princess at the palace party.....



...and her first partnering lift on stage.....it was breathtaking! Literally! We gasped!

Mom, Gretch and Aly joined us on Saturday for the matinee. It was a fun day!

EASTER! Oh, how I love celebrating our Risen Lord! Dyeing eggs is one of our favorite traditions. I never really knew how it could tie in to the Resurrection story....until this year! Everytime Lily heard anything about "dyeing" eggs, she would say, "Jesus died on the cross!" I love that girl! She makes everyday worth living!

Seth and his turqouise egg!....anticipation!Easter Morning! Easter Baskets! my Easter Lily!

...and confetti eggs! Gotta love them~

Sweet Lily, ready for the hunt!

Oh, and by the way, somehow I forgot to blog this....and it is a very important and exciting event in our house! HANNA MADE CHEERLEADER FOR JR HIGH!!!! Yes, go ahead and add one more thing to this crazy schedule! We are thrilled! She has never wanted anything more (at least not right now!) than to be cheerleader. She made it, along with 3 other soon-to-be 7th graders and 4 soon-to-be 8th graders. We have already picked out and received 4 uniforms (yes, FOUR! I only had 3 as a college level cheerleader at Kansas State!) We are so excited to watch her shine! ......However, her High School softball coach has warned her "Get that out of your system now....before you get to High School!" I think he has his eye on her!!!

Until next time.............Happy Spring!