Courageous Ella!

I received the below e-mail on Monday, October 12th:

I’m excited to tell you that Ella is the ‘courage’ character trait recipient for the month of October. Each month, the school focuses on a character trait and each homeroom teacher looks for a student who especially exhibits this behavior.

This is a surprise; students will not know who is selected until the assembly.

Ella definitely does a wonderful job demonstrating this month’s trait. She will be honored with a medal at the next school assembly this Tuesday, October 13th from 1:30-2:20 in the gym. You are invited to attend and you may check in at the gym.

Thanks! Kyndall Thomas

The 6th Grade Courage Winners

Her friend Teagan also got the Courage award for her class

My Angel Girl

Ella with her 6th grade homeroom teacher, Mrs. Kyndall Thomas

"Thank you!!! I love it and adore you daughter.. she is kind and sweet, and oh so creative! Takes a lot of courage to stay original!!

Thank you,

Kyndall Thomas"

Proud Mom and Dad with their Baby Girl

A great example of Ella's courageous creativity: 

a plain, brown bag she dolled up to take her lunch in one day for school

Ella's Night In

Our Marvelous Mimi took each of our children out for a one on one dinner on a Sunday night throughout the early Fall months. When it came time for Ella's turn, being the creative cat that she is, Ella asked to instead go grocery shopping and make Mimi dinner at her house.

So, of course, Mimi, being the easy going gal that she is, said "Sure!" :-)

Ella made Mimi a lil' flower vase - of which all the flowers (freshly cut from our rose bush), died on the route to Mimi's home b/c Ella added scented hand lotion to the water to make them smell even better. :-)

Ella's planning menu and recipes:

La Cheese Dip

Turkey and Avocado Salad with Berry Smoothies

Joyous Ella with her Happy Mimi 

~ so grateful for sweet relationships and for special time with each of my children

(FYI: Will chose Pei Wei, Abby chose Cheddars and Owen chose El Chico as their nights out)

The Grand Recital

Thursday, May 14th, 2015

Oma & Grandpa, along with Nana & Grandad came to support my dd's

Aunt Lynn & Mimi excited to hear the girls play

The Twinsies (made us all smile) :-))

The girls' spunky teacher, Miss Margie

The adoring Daddy with his baby girl

Ella was 1st up, and she did wonderful!

Abby was further down the list, and also did wonderfully!

(Greg and I just love that our kids play music...

praying they take long enough to have the skill for a lifetime!)

Her & Rachel Schlitter did a beautiful duet just following Abby's solo performance

Owen, the world's silliest photo bomber!

The cutest, and funniest, part of the duet was right before starting your song, you both flipped your long hair in the air...so we reenacted later that evening :-)

Abigail Kathryn

Ella Marie

My girls

Love a Grand Piano

One of Abby's besties, Avery (a.k.a. "Ave Dog") surprised her and came to watch her perform

~ so stinkin' sweet!!

My sweet family ~ love when they all come to support each other

Reception Time! No skimping for this gang!

It was such a lovely evening...truly "Music to my ears!"

Yellow*Rose

Tuesday, May 12th, 2015

Jenks East Intermediate 5th Grade Musical

 Ella has been talking about this for weeks, maybe months. She tried out for the part of Yellow Rose and got it! She was so super excited!

 She couldn't have been cuter in the homemade (with LOVE) dress that 

Oma made for her to wear for the performance. 

(although she cried earlier that afternoon because she thought the dress was too big and the sleeves too puffy; thus, we belted it up!)

 Grant Slater & her were about adorable

 Ella knew all of her lines perfectly

Teagan the Sailor with Yellow*Rose

The adoring Fam

Miss Yellow*Rose in all her glory!!

Macy, Maura & El

 Ella, Jordan & Ella :-)

Yee Ha!!!!!

We were "Nothing Bundt" proud of our lil' Yellow*Rose!

(Ella enjoying her fave...white chocolate raspberry bundt cake)