758

That is how many boxes of Girl Scout cookies Madi sold.

Yeah.  Seven hundred fifty eight.

Gulp. Can you believe it??  I couldn't!  Honestly, all along, I knew she was working hard and doing well, but I never thought she sold that many.  And much of her sales credits came from boxes donated to the military.

Thank you so much to all those who supported her efforts!  We can't wait to break this news to her after school today! 

 

  

 

Congratulations, Madi, on reaching your goal!  Every email you typed, every phone call you made, every order you touched, you did it!  Go Troop 20008!!

As for me...I'll be happy if I never hear the word "cookie" again. Or at least until next year...;)

My funny Valentines

Kids make holidays so special, don't they?  Valentine's Day, or should I say "week" was no exception.

Madi had a homework assignment of making a card box for school. Daddy took charge of this project last Sunday while I headed off to Mass. I must give Daddy the ultimate kudos, because Madi's Valentine box, constructed from a Girl Scout cookie case, was simply beautiful!  And they even made one for Charlie, too!

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The week brought several parties. Charlie attended two of them. One was hosted by his friend, Beck, and the other took place with his YMCA class.

 

Madi had her usual school party, and I had the pleasure of volunteering in the classroom. We made necklaces of heart-shaped cereal and cards for the children's loved ones. The kids enjoyed some yummy heart-shaped melon, too.

 

We enjoyed dinner at Bubba and Grandpa's house. We are so blessed to have them here to celebrate with!

Miss Ruby

This woman is a treasure.  She's a neighbor of ours, but more than that, she is definitely a friend. The kind you have for life.

Ruby has grown kids (two teenagers) and has been dedicated to caring for other people's little ones for the past ten years, if not more. But she doesn't just "watch" them...she truly adores them.

And they love her, too.

All three of our children have benefited from Ruby's love and kindness through the many festivities she's graciously hosted through the years...from Easter egg hunts to Christmas parties with Santa.

Last fall, Ruby offered to take Charlie as a "fourth" into her Fun Friday club. His best buddy, Mason, is in her care that day, along with two other sweet friends his age. They are a perfect group. 

It has been such a heartwarming feeling to watch Charlie proudly march down the street with his backpack on--a real "big boy"--and into Ruby's house, without any hesitation or separation anxiety, but with sincere enthusiasm and excitement to see his friends. Ruby and her Mom walk the kids to the nearby park as part of their normal everyday routine, and they play outside the way little kids should. The experience of consistent interaction with his peers has been so good for Charlie. He's learned many lessons about sharing with his buddies, and the time with them has definitely improved his language skills.

Last Friday was Charlie's last Friday at Ruby's, because she was given the opportunity to care for a new baby, which will require a lot more of her attention. We feel so blessed that Charlie could be a part of their Fun Fridays at all, and we are thankful that we will still be able to join them at the park on occasion.

Thank you, Miss Ruby, from the bottom of our hearts!  We love you!!