* Little House in the Country: So Many Happy Things!

The past few weeks for us have been filled with so many happy, wonderful, and fun things!

Let's start with the dance recital!

Eden and Ila had their end of the year dance recital on May 19th, and it was just as adorable as you can imagine! This was Eden's 3rd and Ila's 1st recital. I was a little unsure of how Ila would do because she tends to be more shy than Eden, and I was worried that she would get really nervous or upset when she got out on stage and saw all the people in the audience, but she was just fine! The theme of the recital this year was "Through the Seasons". The girls each had two dances - one ballet and one tap. I was a backstage mom again this year, and Dustin complained because he had to sit through a three hour show without me, but I told him "too bad"! I love being backstage with the girls! I love walking them to the stage, encouraging them right before they go on, watching them from the side, and then hugging them as soon as they walk off!

This year was definitely more chaotic than previous years when I just had Eden to worry about, and between costume changes, makeup touchups, bathroom trips, and keeping the eight girls I was in charge of happy, I didn't get very many pictures. Dustin took videos though, and I'm planning to order some of the professional pictures taken of the girls from when they were actually on stage through the studio.

my little beauties ready to head to the recital!

Eden and Ila are the farthest to the right. On the left is their cousin, Willow, and next is Lila, the daughter of some friends of ours. Eden's snowman costume is for her tap dance to Olaf's "In Summer", and Ila's bunny costume is for her tap dance to "Peter Cotton Tail".

Ila is on the left, now in her ballet costume, coloring with some girls from her class.

the girls receiving all their flowers from everybody who came to watch - my mom, my dad and Susie, my Grandma Jan, my Aunt Kristi and Uncle James, Dustin's parents, and our friends, Johnny, Brandi, Alexander, and Adrianna Garcia

I have to give a shoutout to my mom. Before the show, Eden said she was pretty nervous, and she wanted to know where Gamma would be sitting so that when she looked out into the audience, she could see her. To make sure she could get a seat in front, my mom got there two hours early. Therefore she sat in her seat for FIVE hours! She told me the next day that her hips were killing her, but she would do it all over again if it would make Eden happy and less nervous!

Next up - Eden graduated from kindergarten on May 21st.

Y'all, she kept blowing me kisses from stage! MY HEART!

I'm not gonna lie, the end of kindergarten made me very, very sad! And when Eden came walking down the aisle while Pomp and Circumstance played, there were definitely a few tears. But I know she's ready for the 1st grade. She grew and matured and learned all the kindergarten things. Now bring on the 1st grade things!

Just like we did last year, as soon as school was over, my mom and I took the kids to Houston, and we spent the morning at The Children's Museum and the afternoon at the butterfly room at The Museum of Natural Science. Our school always gets out a week before the Houston schools do, so we are able to beat the summer crowds!

This was James's first trip to The Tot Spot!

Sadly, I left my camera in the car when we went to the science museum, so I have no pictures of us in the butterfly room!

On May 31st, Dustin and I celebrated TEN YEARS of marriage!!! I absolutely love the life we have built together in these ten years! With everything else going on, we didn't do much to celebrate. Dustin cooked steak and lobster for us at home, and we have plans to do more later this summer!

On June 1st, our baby boy turned ONE!

We celebrated just the five of us on his actual birthday, and then we had a party for him the next day, June 2nd.

And I think out of all the parties I've thrown for my kids over the years, this is my favorite theme!