Ears Pierced!!!

Gracie has been wanting to get her

ears pierced. We set the end of 1st grade as our

target. Explained the procedure - she was still ok with it.

Finished 1st grade - she brought it up right away.

"When can I get them pierced, Mom?"

Sitting in the chair - smiling!

it's getting closer - not smiling and has a

firm grip on my hand :)

nervous - hold my hands, Mom.
(good idea to do both at the same time,
otherwise, I'm pretty sure we would've
walked out of there with only
one ear pierced :-)



Really - we're excited, you just can't tell yet.

Still recovering

All done - no more tears - very proud and pleased!

Haircuts - Summer Do's

What's the first day of summer

without a summer do?

Hope's "before" pic

Gracie's "before" pic - look how long it is!
Gracie finally grew out her bangs long enough to
cut the rest of her hair to one length. Don't worry,
we'll grow it again, but maybe we like the new do better???


before the snips

Gracie - post-snip - see the stacked bob!!! :)

Hope's darling little do

the two sisters - perfectly coiffed!!!

and light-headed :-)

Last Days

This is my new 2nd grader showing off her homework folder

which she diligently turned in EVERY Friday.

After all, her mom's a teacher and I hear she's

pretty strict :-)

Gracie was happy to start summer, but sad to

leave her friends and her teacher who she's

had for 2 years. It will be odd not to see Mrs. Acklin

every day, but we're looking forward

to meeting her new teacher in the fall!

Way to go Gracie!!!

(Now, could you slow down on the growing up part?)

We said goodbye to King of Glory Preschool

this spring. :(

It is wonderful! Hope had two years of incredible

loving teachers and lots of fun friends and playtime.

We will miss our KOG days and plan to visit often!

Mrs. Hawes and Hopi Roo


Sweet Mrs. Toni



best bud Oliva - these two made quite a team :)

Mom's Day

Mother's Day Tea at King of Glory Preschool

These were my beautiful gifts :-)

nice "smile" Hope

this was our meal :) Dirt!!
a flower pot full of ice cream and crushed OREOs
The kids thought it was so clever.
It was delicious :)


Mother's Day post is tardy :(
But still in the month of May!
I am honored to be a mom to my two
precious daughters, and blessed
to have a super mom and mom-in-law myself.
Couldn't be any luckier!!!

Hope is 5!!!!

Upon awakening this morning, Hope discovered a brand new, shiny princess bicycle outside her door. Her morning schedule was busy this morning going on a birthday donut run with Dad and taking numerous phone calls from her admiring fans. I spent the morning with her at preschool and marveled at how quickly five years passes. I've continued a tradition I started with Gracie and wrote a letter thanking God for the gift of Hope. Pun intended :-)

Dear Jesus,

What a beautiful gift you gave us five years ago when Hope Alyssa Cornelius arrived. She added more laughter and cuteness to our family, and has continued to do so. Hope got her name from some significant sources and she enjoys hearing the story. While I was pregnant with Hope, Brent's track coach from college was saying goodbye to his 15-year-old daughter Alyssa. She had a brain tumor and her parents chronicled her story throughout her ordeal. During this time, Brent was training for the 1/2 marathon and in the midst of his training runs he would pray for Alyssa - thinking it appropriate to pray while running - something his track coach would've approved of :-). He came up with the idea of Hope Alyssa in honor of Alyssa Smelley. She kept her hope in her Savior enduring a long and painful battle with cancer until she went to be with Jesus shortly after Hope's birth. We've told Hope about Alyssa and why she has her middle name, and she's gotten a chance to meet Coach Smelley and his wife as well. I'm always amazed at how kids like hearing stories about their birth and the circumstances surrounding it. We pray that their names, carefully chosen, will instill a sense of purpose in their lives.

Thank you for Hope's easy smile. She has a number of them - shy, goofy, toothy. She smiles easily and makes friends naturally. Thank you for her sense of humor. I often point to Brent and tell him that she's completely his child. She loves to make people laugh and occasionally will stretch the boundaries of courtesy to do so. Sound familiar?

Thank you for Hope's thoughtful heart. She is quick to pray for people who are sick and in need. Thank you for her inquistive nature. I believe she knows everyone's family tree backwards and forwards thanks to her curious questioning. "Who is your mom? Who is your dad? Who is your grandfather? Why is that his name?" These are questions that have been asked of all her preschool teachers and Sunday School teachers. Perhaps she'll one day report the news in a very detailed manner :-)

Thank you for Hope's strong will. (Yes, really, thank you). While it provides challenges and opportunities to be quite creative, it will serve her well throughout her life. Help us shape it and guide her regarding when to be stubborn and when to give in. Continue to grow in her a deep and abiding love for you as her Savior.

Bless her and keep her as she heads to kindergarten this fall. May she be a compassionate companion to those in her class, a curious student for her teacher, and maybe a little bit of a class clown to keep everyone laughing and smiling.

Thank you so much for entrusting her to us, Lord. Give us all we need for the journey.

Amen.

We love you, Hopi-Hopester!

Mommy & Daddy

Disneyland!!! (hey look at me, blogging after 2 months :-)

I am SOOOO proud of myself getting new pics and stories posted before the month of March is over. We had a fantastic time taking the girls to Disneyland and California Adventure for the first time. As you can see, our two "oldest" children also accompanied us (Carlos & Alecia). We had a super time - it was nice and warm, and while we were joined by virtually ALL of Arizona (quite crowded), the girls did awesome! They tolerated long lines patiently and were real troopers. Soooo glad we waited until this age to do it. Highlights were lunch at Ariel's Grotto (Brent's fav :), Thunder Mountain, Toy Story ride, Peter Pan - NOT Indiana Jones for Gracie and NOT Pirates of the Caribbean for Hope. (We thought it only fair to scar each of our children once on scary rides (they thought). We were also joined by a few of our California friends who came and visited us at the park and shopped and ate with us at Downtown Disney.

Belle, our favorite princess, because she loves to read! group pic at Ariel's Grotto - about six princesses came and visited us while we ate lunch - avoided the long lines at the Princess fantasy faire :-) Hope and I are prepared to "rocket" skyward.

my two cute toys with a scary ogre looming over them.

this is at the well behind Minnie's house

yeah! Princess Aurora!

this is Hope in line for Pirates - pre-shaking and crying.

Poor thing - she thought they were real and going to

come in the boat with her. :(

cute family shot - Brent sorta looks like Shrek there :)

CSI Preparation

Hope's self-portrait
very avant-garde if you ask me :)

Gracie added pink boots

and a sunset over her head.