A Birthday, Bible School & Busy Times

The past week and a half have flown by, as they often do, but this time every minute was filled. 

We started out by celebrating my beautiful niece, Miss A's 7th birthday!

Per her request Aunt Amanda made strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing. :)

Miss A is beautiful inside and out. She lives her life with so much joy, people are just drawn to her. She has a megawatt smile. She is my oldest niece and is the one most like me. We are social girls, we love to talk...to pretty much everyone....we are emotional...we wear our hearts on our sleeves.  We share the same middle name and have the same initials. (Which is very cool to a seven year old, we will talk in ten years, I'm sure it won't be near as cool!) 

Speaking of cool...

My nieces think my 17 year old daughter is a rock star, so anytime she graces us with her presence is a big deal.  She gave up a Saturday night to celebrate Miss A's birthday, and a week of sleeping in to be a group leader at bible school. 

I think I'll keep her...and her giraffe...:)

She is a good cousin, and she is great with the girls!

Miss A and her sisters, Miss K and Miss T, don't live in Missouri. They live in another state, about 4 hours away. Miss A's birthday wasn't the only reason they made the trip though.  My older two nieces, Miss A and Miss K, stayed here for the week and we all went to bible school! I was the bible study teacher, my mom was the director, and my daughter was a group leader. It was so fun!

I love bible school, I always have! It is one of my favorite things about summer!

Miss T was not very happy that she didn't get to stay.

Miss T is my youngest niece. She goes 90 to nothing the entire time she is awake. I have no idea how my sister ever gets anything done! She hardly ever smiles for pictures, but she smiles all the time in real life! Miss T loves all things Elmo, and I love the way she says my name, "At Mana." :)

(The only "smiling" picture I got of her-and I had to trick her with food!) :)

Miss K is my middle niece, and she is a hoot. You never know what is going to come out of that child's mouth! She is witty and has great timing and she is only three!

All week I heard "My mom said" followed by some of the funniest things! I should have written them down! By the end of the week just hearing "My mom said" made me giggle!

Miss K also loved Aunt Amanda's high heels. Every time I turned around she had on a pair.

Who doesn't wear heels to bed? :)

The week with Miss A and Miss K flew by... bible school, visits to the park, swimming, playing Barbies, just playing. Miss A did some fishing with my dad while Miss K and I did some ice cream eating. (I think we got the better deal!)  On Saturday morning we packed up and headed to their home, where I stayed the weekend. (Miss K kept telling my sister, "Aunt Amanda is going to spend the night!")

I came home late Sunday night, and I think I could have slept all day yesterday if I had the chance. I was exhausted! But it was that life is good kind of exhaustion, so it was worth it.

I love being an aunt, and I love those girls so much! I treasure the time I get to spend with them. My sister is such a great mom. My nieces are three of the sweetest, most loving girls.

This week is going to seem super boring compared to the last one I bet! :)