Kindergarten Graduation

How is my sweet baby graduating from Kindergarten? He is growing up and changing into such a boy and not so much a baby anymore. Wow!
Carmel Christian School has the sweetest Kindergarten graduation for the kids. All the classes get up on stage and sing songs and some even have little parts they say...like Walter (of course then he gave the fist pump up on stage). So precious. Each class also recites a bible verse that they have learned, one of many that they learn. We are so blessed to have out kids at such a great school. I just can't believe that my baby will be in first grade.
Happy Kindergarten Graduation sweet Walter! We are so proud of you and everything that you have learned this year and how much your heart for God has grown.

2nd grade Manners Lunch!

Manners Luncheon is always a fun day in 2nd Grade that the kids are really excited about. They get to dress up and eat a "fancy" lunch (spaghetti), all while learning about manners and how to eat.
The boys of course laugh and act like boys, but the girls love it.
Ann Elizabeth loved it. She wanted to wear her fancy dress to school. She looked beautiful!

Prayer time in Chapel!

Each Thursday the students at CCS have chapel and one class is chosen each week to participate in doing all the pledges and the prayer. Mrs. Beerbower's class was asked to participate in chapel last week and Walter was to do the prayer. I tried to talk to him about what he was going to say and to help him practice, but he didn't want me to help and he kept saying that he had it all in his head. He was precious! He was the last to go and he walked right up to the microphone and said his prayer. It was the sweetest thing I have ever heard. This coming from the child who up until a few months ago didn't want to even say his prayers at night. Then he surprised us at the end of basketball season and wanted to pray in front of everyone at the start of the game. Of course I cried...and now this. I love his sweet little heart and it is so awesome to see how it has been changed in the last few months!!

Our sweet boy is 6 today!

Where has the time gone? 6yrs??? It is totally blowing my mind. I feel like it was yesterday about this time (8:27am) I was in the hospital waiting for our new bundle to make his (even though we didn't know if it was a boy) arrival. Now, he is in Kindergarten and running off with his friends in the morning before school so he can talk to them about his birthday party this afternoon.
Our little Bubba Bear is growing up. He is excelling in school and his personality is really coming out. He is so sweet, kind and caring and will give you whatever you need so that you are happy too and not upset. He loves with all his heart and is so tender. I hope that never changes. He loves God and is so great at memorizing bible verses for school. He also has the memory of an elephant. He never forgets anything, and some things that he remembers I don't!
He lights up the room and makes us laugh all the time. I have to say I think that he is a favorite in his class too because he is so sweet.
The Lord has really blessed us with 2 amazing children and he is really showing his work on their hearts.
6 years ago my sweet Walter Edward Nichols, Jr. came into our life radiating joy and love and he hasn't stopped yet!

Abigail Adams for the day!

Ann Elizabeth had to do a project in 2nd grade on a President or First Lady. They were to research the person they choose and then all dress up like he/she for Presidents Day. Ann Elizabeth choose Abigail Adams. Thanks to a wonderful friend we were able to borrow this amazing outfit. Ann Elizabeth researched Abigail Adams and wrote out a speech and did so good. She received high scores for her report. We were so proud of her.

Winterplace Fun 2012

This weekend we went back to our most favorite spot around and went snow tubing. We went to Winterplace, WV. What an amazing experience and show of God's beauty. We left Charlotte on Sunday morning and it was raining a little, fog was dense and we creeped our way up to the mountains. Once we hit Virginia, the snow started to come. By the time we hit West Virginia, it was like a winter wonderland. Like God had laid a blanket of snow down on over all the trees and everything in between. We have never seen such beautiful snow before. The kids were in heaven.
We went again this year with our friends The Mayhews. Their boys and our kids get along so great so it was such a fun and easy trip. The kids raced right up to get their tubes and off they went. We tubed for close to 7 hours. To say that we were exhausted was an understatment. I didn't get many pics with my good camera because it was snowing soooo hard.
Aftwards we went back to the hotel and let the muchkins get a little more energy out by swimming in the pool. They thought it was super cool that they could swim while it was snowing outside.
I love little trips like this with my family. It is amazing and so much fun. The kids are easy travelers and the love staying at a hotel.
We have been so blessed and we are so appreciative with all the Lord has done for us. Our life is just a little but fabulous but a lot Fun!!

Father Daughter Dance 2012

The annual Father-Daughter Dance was held in the neighborhood at the clubhouse. This is the most exciting event for Ann Elizabeth . She loves spending time with her Daddy and this just tops the cake.
This year she picked out what Daddy would wear because she didn't want him to be to dressy. She wanted to have fun, but didn't want it to be to fancy. They ate pizza and danced for a long time. She said that she had a really good time when she came home. It is so sweet to see she and her Daddy doing things like this together.

Great Wolfe Lodge

Great Wolfe Lodge for the weekend...what a fantastic place that is. It started out as just the boys and then us girls met them after the first night and spent another night. It was amazing. The kids actually got to spend 2 whole days enjoying the water park. It was crazy fun!
We will definitely be going back!

100th Day of School Celebrations!

This year both Walter and Ann Elizabeth were able to celebrate the 100th day of school. What an exciting day!! Walter's kindergarten class celebrated with lots of fun activities such as counting to 100 by 10's and 5's, receiving a giant 100 dollar bill, 100 glasses, and a special snack where each child was able to bring in a 100 pieces of a treat to add to the mix. He loved it.
Ann Elizabeth's 2nd grade was able to dress up as a 100 year old, a 100 day old or someone from 100 years ago. She was thrilled. She chose to dress up as a 100 year old woman and it was hysterical. Walter and I laughed because she looked just the part. She would play a great 100 year old in a play some day.
Fun memories made again in Kindergarten and 2nd Grade.

New Year's Eve 2011 into 2012

New Years this year we stayed close to home. We celebrated the night before with all our our Charlotte friends for our annual friends Christmas/New Years Dinner. It was great to have a night out before New Years and not fight all the crowds.
We spent New Years with the neighbors having dinner. The kids played and it was nice to just be low key and relax.
Once we got back home we did our annual "crackers" for our hats and treats. It's great to just lay low sometimes and start the year off with the family at home.
This was probably the best New Years we have had in a long time!