Cadence is 9!

YOU GUYS.  I have a 9 year old.  It is great that she is becoming more independent everyday.  It is also hard that she is becoming more independent everyday.  Cadence is so full of thoughts and ideas and questions.  Here's her answers to the annual birthday questionnaire.  (And last year's, just for fun.)

Favorite color: Turquoise

Favorite book: Dolphin Tale and Warriors: Into the Wild

Favorite food: pizza

Favorite dessert: ice cream

Favorite song: "I have a lot!  Okay...Safe and You got me and Roar and Fireflies and Can't Stop the Feeling...okay...that's all."

Favorite subject at school: Reading

Favorite place to go: "The porch so I can play with Pumpkin and the aquarium and the beach house."

Favorite toy: All of them

Favorite Show: How to Train Your Dragon and Ever After High

Favorite Movie: Dolphin Tale


Favorite Bible Story: Esther - "she's cool."

Favorite Restaurant: Chik-fil-a

What do you want to be when you grow up?: A dolphin trainer or a vet

What is the best thing about being Cadence?: "Oh!  Um, this is a hard question.  There's so many good things about being me, but none of them are like the best thing.  Okay, that I live here.  And I have a pet cat.  And a zipline."

Piper is 6!

Really, it's a shame she has no personality. Geewhiz.

Piper is 6.  Wow!  Time flies when you are having fun, I suppose. She just started at a new school this week, the school where Matt and I work. All summer, she was not happy about it, but now she seems pretty cool with things.  Piper is great at sharing, expressing herself verbally (seriously, SOO expressive), and being super imaginative.  She loves animals and making unusual fashion choices.  Here is her birthday interview.  And her past interviews : Five, Four, Three, Two.

Favorite food: Fried Okra

Favorite dessert: "That is hard.  Ice cream."

Favorite animal: Cheetah

Favorite show: Lion Guard

Favorite Movie: Lion King

Favorite book: Animals Around the World

Favorite song: Roar 

What do you want to be when you grow up? Giggling - "I don't know!"

Where do you want to live when you grow up?  "In R-----, still.  I need somebody to move out so I can live here.  Unless there's any empty houses...I could live next door to you when I grow up." #boardingschoolkid4ever

Favorite thing to play: Be whatever you want

Favorite Color: Purple

What is the best thing about being Piper? "That I'm in kindergarten."

She is also very excited about her new backpack and matching lunchbox and dance bag.

what we're loving now {january 2017}

Here's what we've been loving in January:

Go Noodle - I'm not totally sure how to even describe these videos.  Many are intended for indoor recess, so we have fun with those when we've needed to get some energy out and it's too cold or rainy for outside play. Others are educational, like my favorite: Don't Read Like A Robot. Other favorites: The Llama Song and Peanut Butter in a Cup.

The Kingdom of Wrenly books - Cadence just started these but the pace at which she is reading could accurately be described as devouring them.  An 8 year old prince and his friend Clara have adventures and solve mysteries.  There's dragons and fairies, so it's exactly in C's wheelhouse.

Moana Soundtrack - We saw Moana during Christmas break and really enjoyed it.  Sooo nice to have a female protaganist who is not in any way involved in a romance.  Anyway, the songs are fun and catchy and we've been listening to the soundtrack on YouTube while we color or clean.