joy to the world.

{my niece carolyn Christmas 2008.}

Merry Christmas

with heaps of Love.

xo-

& if your feeling a wee down, this is a wonderful reminder for you.  

p.s. (you are so loved.)

sunday sweet 3.

a memo for You, darlings: my sister & her hubby both happen to work the same weekend once a month, so i keep watch over their babes while they work.  seeing as how they live an hour away i just stay the weekend at their house.  so... this really stinks due to the fact i can't get a moment for the internet or my sunday sweets!  

so, i decided to do one sunday sweet on these weekends, & make them extra sweet. ; )

[julia (2), carolyn(3), nathan(4), noah(1), natalie(2). fall 2008.]

this picture is two years old.  these little babes have already grown up so much since this day. heaps & bounds... as much as i love watching them grow, i wish i could turn back time & snuggle them up like the first day i met them.  even as an aunt i feel like time is flying by far too quickly... i can't imagine how fast it goes when they are your own children.

this weekend, while i watched the three amigos, natalie, nathan & noah, we went on an adventure out to pizza in the city.  as we drove this song came on & it made me tear up.  i told them it was a song for them & they just nodded off to sleep while they listened- they know their aunt anna is super sappy.

having my oldest niece, Carolyn, turn six today also makes this song tug at my heartstrings that much more.

Never Grow Up

Taylor Swift

Your little hand's wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light
To you everything's funny, you got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off
At 14 there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots
But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember that she's getting older too
And don't lose the way that you dance around in your pj's getting ready for school

Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to, just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder that I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up

Oh I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
I could still be little
Oh I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, just stay this little
Oh darling, don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
And even though you want to, please try to never grow up
Oh, don't you ever grow up
Oh, never grow up, just never grow up

 Happy Birthday Carebear!

[me & carolyn. 2005.]

 xo-

a much needed laugh after a very rough day.

{Nathan walking Dot the dog. Oct. 2010.}

tonight on the phone with my sister emily.
[in the background...]

my sis: "hold on"- "nathan, go put on your new underwear!"

nathan [while wearing old, far too small pair]:"these are the new pair!  I just grew out of them super fast because of all my exercising today!"

i Love these silly kids.
xo-

natalie update: happiness.

{natalie.monday sept.6. 2010.}

we fetched miss natalie, & her mamma & daddy, up at the airport monday morning. my heart was giddy to see her run up to us to say "hello"- she RAN up to us!! 

needless to say, she is happy, healthy & back to her old sassy self.  

we keep our hopes high for her MRI check-up, in a few months,back in Dallas.  

we cannot thank you enough for your prayers & encouraging support. 

we are so blessed for having You all in our lives.

with Love & so many thanks- Anna.

to natalie: a note from your aunt "nina".

{natalie & julia. August 2010.}

sweet girl, 

i won't be there tomorrow to kiss you before you are wheeled into surgery- but as you close your eyes to dream, dream of hugs, snuggles & Love. (and story-times filled with cuddles from your aunt "nina".)

everyone is praying for you baby girl. 

all. around. the. world!

i will be thinking of you all day tomorrow- & you will be in my heart, as you always are.

And, when you get back, we will dance around & sing to mamma mia like we love to do together. ok? 

I love you, precious natalie. 

so many hugs & snuggles,

xoxo-aunt"nina".

Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.   -Fanny J. Crosby

update: our sweet girl, natalie.

[natalie & me. september 2009.] 

our hearts have been heavy this summer while my niece natalie has had various health issues.  

this thursday natalie will be undergoing spinal surgery performed in dallas, texas.  her brothers will stay at home, her mamma, dad, gma & gpa (my mom & pops) will be by her side, helping her heal along with the angels. i cannot be there for my goddaughter when she awakes, but my Love will be forever surrounding her. 

our hearts are anxious, but our prayers are endless.

your thoughts of hope are so very appreciated, as we have already been so gratefully affected by your kindness & Love.

thank you so much for taking a moment to rally for our sweet girl-

we are forever thankful.

xo-

Carolyn + Cameras= Love. (& an instant fit of giggles.)

my oldest niece Carolyn is not shy.

no, she is rather the exact opposite.

& one day i know she is going

to end up on tosh.o or some other

show featuring funny internet clips-

because she loves her some camera time:

i Love her!
xo-

on this day i know...

even receiving Lego flowers can make a girl's heart swell.

hugs from your nieces & nephews will always help cure any heartbreak. 

prayers are more powerful than we could ever believe.

Angels do guide us everyday, every minute of our lives. 
breaking-up, even if it is mutual & caring, is so, so hard.

the friends i have made blogging are amazingly wonderful.

my sisters really do know what's best for me when it comes to certain things.

i have the best friends a girl could have.

laughter really is the best way to get over something. (read: visit this website.)

 xo-

p.s. more updates on my darling niece natalie.  

Smiles for the Birthday Girl.

Today we celebrated my darling niece Natalie's fourth birthday at Chuck E. Cheese with my immediate family.  Natalie's actual birthday is tomorrow, but she must have a few tests done at the hospital- so we celebrated a wee bit early. (You can read about that here & here.  I haven't been able to write about it in a coherent manner yet.  I am not nearly as strong as my big sisters... i admire them.)

So today i leave you with happy moments captured on a very happy day.  (and if you could, please send happy thoughts & prayers to my brave sister & her baby girl tomorrow.  Hopefully we will be out of the woods soon!)

 & for an extra chuckle or two... me & my big sisters. <3.

 [katie, me, emily. july 2010.]

xoxo-

the fourth of july in photos.

my niece julia was determined to swim- though the gray clouds above made it a bit chilly.

... 

carolyn popped fireworks wearing her sparkly red dorothy red shoes.

 ...

julia really dug the snap-n-pops-  she was super into it!

 ... 

aunt-hood is the best!

...  
 

the neighbor kids managed to make the best of
the sporadic downpours later that night,
admiring the fireworks any dry moment we happened upon!

...

xo-

giggles for this antsy monday.

silly noah at my brother's rehearsal dinner. 6.12.10

xo-

my big brother got married!

all of my nieces & nephews were adorable flower girls & ring bearers!

& the newlyweds were stunningly gorgeous!

we are so happy for our brother- & our new sister, of course!

after the beautiful ceremony we attended the amazing reception-best party ever!

the celebration continued well throughout the night...everyone had a blast.

by the end of the day some of us were tuckered out- sleepy, but oh so very happy.

congratulations christopher & rachel!

see more sweet photos here.

& a hilarious video of my cousins 
geoff & jon dancing at the reception here.

xo-

julia & the love bug.

{julia. december 2009.}

i giggled to myself when i read this in my sister's blog last night:

...then she (julia), too, began to look forward to tomorrow's chocolate, and her new found love "Eli" who is going to marry her someday. It's true, she tells us everyday.

oh sweet julia. how adorable can you be?
i love how honest & determined she is with everything in life. i admire that.
xo-

anna ballerina.

{via: weheartit.}

i try to get to my zumba class at least 10 minutes early so i can peek into the ballet studio located just down the hall from class. i stand there, giddy, watching the ballerinas gracefully move with the music from the piano. i love their leotards. i love their tights. i love their flats.

i once was a ballerina. i was four. maybe five. i can't quite remember... but i do remember that i insisted on wearing my underwear with my leotard. so, naturally, my muppet baby underwear remained in plain sight for all to see when prancing around.

my mom used to sit on the side with the other moms & whisper "come here!" coaxing me over to the side in between leaps & twirls. she would quickly try & adjust my leotard as to hide the fact my oversized underwear was hanging out.

i decided i had had enough & declared myself finished with ballet. i could not handle the constant shoving-of-the-underwear-back-into-my-leotard. personally, i didn't mind the extra fabric sticking out the sides.

perhaps that was a sign that "grace" is not my strong suit...

le sigh.
xo-

p.s. but my nieces are fabulous ballerinas!
p.p.s. there was once a show called ANNA BALLERINA! amazing? YES!

dear sunshine- we miss you.

[natalie. fall 2009]

[me & noah. fall 2009.]

[natalie & me. fall 2009]

see sun...?!
we had so much fun basking in your warm light.
please come out again soon.
pretty please, with cherries on top?

Love, Anna.

{to}: Nathan...{love}: Your Aunt Anna.

{via: weheartit.}

Oh, Nathan-- i can hardly believe you are SIX! six years ago we all fell in love with your big smile & corky sense of humor. six years ago you made me an aunt & showed me how much joy being an aunt could bring!







(your very awkward aunt anna as a teen, the day you were born.)


you have been the sweetest, cutest little boy since day one & you have supplied us with hours upon hours of endless giggles! we always knew you were going to be witty, especially since your mom is so sassy! ; ) stay that way, it keeps your mom on her toes. : )




your sweet smiles & big hugs have helped me remember how important it is to appreciate life & inspired me to be more positive-- you light up all of our lives!






so now you are six & seem so grown up--where does the time go?? keep on smiling, creating, imagining & dreaming, because you have the world at your fingertips, kid. you are a brilliant boy!





but always remember
how much we love you & how very special you are to us, you are our sweet nathan & love you more than you could ever know!



















Love always & forever-
Aunt Anna.


p.s. see pictures from nathan's 6th birthday party here...some ghostbusters stopped by! ; )

a holiday recap in photos...

featuring the nieces & nephews. : )

oh, how i do adore being an aunt!

xo-