Six Years Ago Today!

I can't believe it's been six years since this beautiful, little girl has joined our family. I vividly remember heading to the hospital bright and early to be induced after my due date. The waiting room was filled with family and friends all anxiously awaiting to meet our beautiful girl. We loved her before meeting her and love her even more now that we know her so well.



This past year has been filled with tons of new adventures for Mackenna. She has completed her first year in public school (I don't know if that's a good or bad thing). She has mastered riding a bike without training wheels. She is getting to become a stronger swimmer. She has learned to read. This little girl is so sweet and has a love for life. She has definitely found her attitude which can get her in to trouble.



Last night we put her to bed at her usual time, however, she had such a hard time getting to sleep because she was so excited about today. She woke up saying, "This is going to be the best birthday ever!". She woke up to balloons and the birthday banner up. She got served one of her favorite breakfasts(conference cake). She opened up her first present which was her birthday shirt to wear to school. The kids and I are going up to school to have lunch with her. We will also be taking a treat for Kenna to share with her class. She asked for fudge pops. We're going to have a small family birthday party for her tonight. Then on Saturday she'll have a swimming party with her friends from school. Then that evening Grandma & Grandpa Clinger will be coming out to celebrate both Kenna and Pierce's b-day(his is next week).

Mackenna continues to be a great example to her family. We love her and look forward to this next year with her.

Charlize finished her first year of preschool. She loved it! I loved it! She had a couple of great teachers, Ms Kary and Ms Mary. They did an excellent job at teaching her the things she needs to know for kindergarten, but also allowing her to have fun at the same time.

Here is Charly with her two teachers. I tried to get her to give me a serious picture, and this is what she gave me. That's our Charly.


Their graduation theme was Hawaiian. Most of the girls came dressed in Hawaiian clothes.


Her teachers spotlighted each kid. They gave them a binder full of pictures that were taken of them throughout the year. There was some of their artwork as well.


Several things that Charly has learned by the end of the school are:
The sounds that all the letters make
Recognizing her numbers
Counting to 100 by 10's and by 1's
Writing (still needs improvement on this one)
And the beginning stages of reading

We're so proud of her accomplishments and grateful for her loving teachers.

Pure Silliness!

Eric came back into town yesterday and we were so excited to have him back. Luckily traveling won't be happening a lot with this job. This morning the girls were ready to be silly with their dad. Charly started this silly pose. Dad joined in and then Kenna. I love my crazy family!

My Poor Child!!

Let's just say that Mackenna isn't the most coordinated one in our family. She comes home at least one day a week with one or two band-aids on her knees from falling. Well, thats what happened this Tuesday. After school the girls rode their bikes(both are riding without training wheels) and we went on our first walk/bike ride in our neighborhood. Towards the end of our bike ride Kenna thought it was wise to pop a curb and went right over the handle bars onto her forehead. Needless to say she has a nasty bruise to show for it.



We got home to clean her up and she saw hereself in the mirror. My baby was so worried that she looked wierd, she asked me if she could stay home from school the next day. Of course I had to say no, but it broke my heart that she would even think that. It makes me sad that at such a young age she's already worried about what other people think about her. It scares me. I hope that Eric and I, can and will instill in her enough love for herself that she can withstand all the bad things that will be said and thought about her in the future. We all know that we don't always think before saying hurtful things to others.

Kenna's 1st Field Day!

Kenna had her first field day last week and she had a great time! I went up and followed her group around. I didn't get too many pictures because my battery died, but here are the few that I have. She had four of her friends in her group: Ashley, Nate, Maya and Sophia. They were paired up with a fifth grader to walk around with them.

Here she is at the hoola hoop station.


Her and her friend Ashley having a very serious conversation.


This is her group working together to throw a rubber fish in the air with this round net. Then they were suppose to catch it.


They had two bounce house things for the kids to play on. They were the most popular with the kids. Mackenna starting to skale her way up the wall.


Here is Kenna with her friends Maya and Sophia.

Mother's Day 2009

Below is the poem that Eric wrote for me for Mother's Day.


Wa Tahelisa Mom
(Tagalog for Beautiful Mom)

She always laughs at your jokes
She kisses all your booboos.
She raises you to be respectful,
Although at times, you’re not.
Wa Taheliasa Mom.
She knows at timesyou will make mistakes,
But is able to love you anyway.
Despite the grief you give her
She never gives grief in return.
Wa Tahelisa Mom.
She keeps her distance
So you can learn.
And when you fell all alone
She is there.
Wa Tahelisa Mom.
She feeds you, clothes you,
Provides all you will ever need.
And if she doesn’t have much to give
She makes sure you have before her.
Thank you for being the Mother of my children.
Wa Tahelisa Mom.

Anyone that knows my husband should know that there is a hidden message behind Wa Tahelisa Mom since it's not a word. Well there is. It stands for
"Wa ta hel is a Mom". How creative is he!!