My little girl turns 11

My baby is growing up. She hasn't been a baby for awhile, most days she acts like she is 15. But today, is a beautiful day, the day she was born. It was a long day, don't need to share the details, but she made it, we both did.

She is the life of the party. She cues in to little details and can always make you laugh with them. Like the lines or characters from a movie, that she will randomly say. She loves to imitate people dancing which always brings a smile to your face. Or she will just make up her own funny moves, just to get you to smile.

Her eyes are the most beautiful blue you have ever seen. They are bright and almost electrifying with intensity. I have never seen another person with eyes that color. She has recently figured out that wearing certain color makes her eyes really pop, yikes.

She has an uncanny knack of picking out clothes for her dad and I. He always get her approval on ties before going to work. Before our cruise I was trying on dresses for our formal night. Her eyes couldn't have rolled back in her head any further when I came down the stairs. But in her defense, some of this stuff was old, and I have since gotten rid of it.
She is competitive in everything she does, from learning all her multiplication tables first in her classroom, to being the first home from Dairy Queen on our walks. To pretty much anything with her brother.

Her drama queen comes out from time to time and she sheds some tears, luckily she gets over it quickly. This is the girliest thing about her.
She does not hold grudges and makes friends easily, she is strong and independent and everything I could ask for in my 11 year old girl.

So today, on her birthday, she wanted to go buy her hamster. She has been saving up money to get all the things she will need to bring this little furry creature into our home. He is pretty cute and he is in a cage, so I am ok with this. The smile on her face when she got him home was priceless and I am so glad I saw it.

My wish for her on this special day is everything she could ever want or need. I know all her dreams come true, she will make that happen.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter. I love you forever. Mom

Sailing the Baltic Sea

Sunset in St. Petersburg, Russia at 11:42 p.m. Loved it

John and I were offered the trip of a lifetime and we took it. His boss called and asked if we wanted to go on a cruise to the Baltic Sea...in 7 days. Umm, YEAH!!!! babysitters lined up, schedule in place, passports at the ready and we were off. Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Talliin, Copenhagen. We were on board the most beautiful ship ever, first class all the way. We were pampered and treated like royalty.

Here we are standing at the Nieve River in St. Petersburg. The Cathedral of St. Isaac in the background.

The trip was a once in a lifetime, and we are so fortunate to be able to go. The places we visited were unbeileveable. The history is just so beyond our imagination, seeing things built and REBUILT in the 1400's. These places might not have been on our bucket list, but we are sooo glad we got to see them all. The food was amazing, the people we met were so fun and there were no computers, tvs or cell phones for a week. It was bliss.
I have nearly 150 pics, to many to post, but would love to share with you all sometime.

God Bless, have a great day!!
John and Laura