2018 Calendar

Anne,  You are going to be a wonderful babysitter.  I love to watch you with your younger cousins.  Lucy and Lyra love your attention.  Oz likes that you have a similar interest in books.  Charlie loves to play games with you and Henry thinks you belong to him.   Thank you for your love and kindness to them.  Diva Anne, your great-grandmother ( grand Jan) still remembers your kindness to her.  When I tell her stories about you she smiles and says, “ She really liked me.  I don’t know why, but I am so glad she does. ”  Thank you for your kindness and love.  I am so proud of you.   Diva Anne, Poppa and I want to come and visit you.  We need to get our cold weather gear on and visit you and Poppy, see your new room and meet your friends.  Poppa calls it the Polar Bear Plunge.  Keep warm.  We miss you so much.  Diva and Poppa Don’t forget your crazy American family.  We love you and miss you.  I love being able to talk to you even though I know you are very busy.  Please be kind to your mom and take care of her for me.     Diva  and Poppa Anne, I need some new artwork for my refrigerator.  I love that you let us peek at your sketchbook on Skype.  You have real talent.  I am glad you have found so many ways to express yourself.  I love that you let me proudly display your work and brag about you to my friends.  Your Diva

Dear Anne, Your momma tells me that you wish to be called Anne.  I fully understand why you want to re-invent yourself and choose another name.  I have several names.  I'm Kate to Poppa, Mom to your momma, Diva to you and your cousins, Daisy to my blogging friends, Kathy to my friends, and Janet on all legal documents.  Please forgive me if I slip and call you Emmalee.  That is the name I called you when I first held you in my arms and fell instantly and hopelessly in love with you.  Diva

Anne, some girls are just born with glitter in their veins.  Remember you were born to shine so don't let anyone dull your sparkle.  Diva

Anne, this is your Auntie Anne, Poppa's big sister, and greatest fan.  She remembers all birthdays and sends cards and encouragement to all who know her.  She is your momma's favorite aunt and my favorite sister. (just don't tell my sisters Bobbie and Bev). I love the name, Anne.  Her official name is Cordelia Anne Bennetch Carpenter.  I hope you get to meet her one day.  Diva

Anne, " Beauty isn't about having a pretty face.  It is about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart and most importantly a beautiful soul."  I loved how you took care of your younger cousins this summer.  You made each of them feel special.

Anne, if you were a flower you would be a wildflower in the most beautiful meadow.  I am so glad you like to camp and be outside.  Diva

Anne, Smile!  Happy looks good on you.  You are sunshine, mixed with a little hurricane!   Diva

Anne, I love your blue hair.  You are an excellent builder.  It was fun watching you play 3 dimensional Jenga and beat both Poppa and Oscar.  Who knows, you might become a great engineer.  Diva 

Diva loves hearts

 

I am a very sentimental person.  I love watching Hallmark movies, even though I know how it will end.  I love happy endings, treats, thoughtfulness, hearts and flowers, and random acts of kindness.  I am definitely "a happily ever after" kind of girl.  

I was reading a devotion today from a book called "Devotions for the Hungry Heart" and she shared this story with her grandchildren that I would love to share with mine.

God shows us His love by showing us heart shapes in nature.  They are all around us and pop up in unexpected places.  I like to see them so He shows me them to me.  It's like a little note from heaven right in the middle of the day.  When I see it, I think about how much God loves us and I have a little party in my heart.

Had to laugh at the heart-shaped bum.













I loved the hearts on the wings of this butterfly.













Heart-shaped rocks.



So my darlings, I am hoping to have some heart adventures with you this summer.  I will start collecting some I can show you and start taking pictures of the ones I find.  Don't be surprised if we go on a heart hunt adventure.   I hope you know you are always in my heart and never far from my thoughts.

Advent Calendar 2017

Emma, when I asked your mom what you were going to dress like for Halloween, she said, “What does she always want to dress like?”  I immediately decided it was a cat costume.  Did Poppy like it?  I think you make a cute kitty.  Miss you.  Diva

Emma, Poppa and I are looking forward to meeting Poppy.  I am very glad you have your own cat to enjoy.  JJ and Lucy love to curl up on our laps by the fireplace or get between the computer screen and us.  We love our fur babies.  Diva

 

Emma, this is my favorite picture of my girls.  Miss you so much.  I love that you leave a little sparkle wherever you go.   Diva

 

Your great-grandmother (my mom) got to meet all her great-grandsons this summer. She will be 91 this January.  She asked about you and tells me how much she likes you.  When Henry first met my mom he was coloring a dinosaur picture.  He asked her, “Did you like Dinosaurs?”  She laughed and said, “I’m not that old!”

 

Emma, I’m glad you have your mom’s spirit of adventure.  I love that you are willing to try new things.  How’s the skateboarding coming along?  Are you still thinking about competing in the Junior Spartan Games?  You are amazing.  Diva

Emma, something I just learned...Be a good listener.  Your ears will never get you in trouble.  Diva

Emma,  Our time together is never Quite Enough.  I miss you and love you to the moon and back again.  Your Diva

 

Emma, Henry keeps asking when you are coming back to see him.  Any time he sees a picture of you he says, “There’s my best friend.”  I hope he always thinks that.  You were very kind to him this summer.   Diva

 

Emma, you will be crazy happy with baby Lucy and bubbly Lyra.  They will enjoy having a big girl cousin to play with them.  Looking forward to having Diva Camp with all my grandkids.   Diva

Emma, love your Rainbow Dash hair color.  I am sure your mom probably told you about dying her hair purple for high school graduation.  I know where you get your fashion sense.  Miss you like crazy.   Diva

  Emma,  I can’t believe that you will be 11 this birthday.  Ask your mom about “now that you are 11 birthday” celebration she started when she turned 11.  If she says she doesn’t remember to ask me.  Diva

Emma, looking forward to some killer Uno family style this summer.  I miss all the laughter and crazy fun.  Diva

Christmas Advent Calendar 2016

Emma...Take good care of your sweet Momma for me.  Remember,  she is my baby girl, I miss you both so much. I love you to the moon and back again.  

Your Diva

Emmalee, this note on your door made me laugh and smile all day.  I am so glad you love Danny and get along so well together.   Diva

Emma...love the hair!  You put color inside my world. I love your artwork, your style,  your silliness, your incredible mind and your outrageous smile.  Miss you so much.  Diva

Emma I love that you leave a little Sparkle wherever you go.  You are my favorite Rainbow Dash!  I have loved being part of your world from Blue’s Clues, Dora, and My Little Pony!   Diva

Emma , I saw this the other day and it reminded me of you.  “ Be a pineapple, Stand tall, Wear a crown and be sweet on the inside.”   Diva

Emma here is some good advice:  “ You don’t need a cape to be hero.  You just need to care.”  I love your sensitive heart and kindness.  Diva

Even Pirates need to clean their room.  I am proud of you for doing your chores and helping around the house.  Diva

 

Emma….had to laugh when I saw this….It’s true my butt is bigger than my heart.  My you are always in my heart and in my thoughts.   Your Diva

Emma, I love that you enjoy reading.  Books can open a whole world of adventures to you.  I have read 50 books this past year and have really enjoyed it.  Diva

 

Emma, Poppa and I are looking forward to meeting Poppy.  We love seeing pictures of you together.  Tell Poppy thanks for the “Happy Birthday” song you sang together.  Diva

Emmalee,  Our time together is never Quite Enough.  We miss our Emma girl.  Poppa will see something when we are shopping and will say…”I bet Emma would really like that!”

 Miss you Darling Girl….your Poppa and Diva

Just think Emma...next time we all get together there will be  another baby girl Cousin.  You will have such a good time playing with Lyra and baby Lucy.  I can hardly wait to have some girl time together.   Your Diva

Happy 4th of July

Hey Sweetie....What do Divas love more than anything?  Having all our family together under one roof and getting a family picture.  Didn't everyone do a great job in their silly glasses and beads?  Thank you for coming all the way from Canada.  We miss you so much and are always glad when we get our special "Emma Time".

When it starts to get dark, Uncle Tim sets off fireworks in the back yard.  Baby Lyra didn't like the loud noises and it made her cry.  You and the boys like the sparklers and helping to set the fireworks off. Diva is like Lyra, in that I love the pretty sparkly effects, but not the loud explosions.

I had to laugh at your funny faces in this picture.  What fun to have everyone together again!  The glasses light up when it gets dark.

Your Momma started a new Bennetch family tradition and taught us how to make "Auntie Anne's famous pretzels"  I love seeing your Momma and Auntie Suzy laughing together like they did as little girls.  Your Momma still knows how to flip a pretzel to make the "x" in the middle.  The boys like making  pretzels too.  They especially like to eat them.

Charlie was really pleased at his finished pretzel.  What really made me laugh was Henry's funny face.  I think we have a new 4th of July family tradition.

Happy Canada Day

Dearest Emma,

          Today you got to teach Charlie and Oscar about Canada Day.  Tomorrow we will celebrate the 4th of July (or Independence Day) here in Tennessee with Auntie Suzy, Auntie Rachel, Uncle Tim and Uncle Andy as well as your cousins Oscar, Charlie, Henry, and baby Lyra.  Poppa and Diva are so happy to have all our family together again.  Your Tennessee cousins are so excited that you are here and have planned some really fun adventures for you. 

Diva and Poppa love our Canadians!

Lyra's first Birthday

Dear Emma Bug.  

What fun we had at Lyra's first birthday.  Auntie Suzy had the porch all decorated in red, white, and blue for our "littlest firecracker".  Your Momma bought Lyra the sparkly big bow. You and cousins helped decorate the high chair.  Lyra had a smash cake so she was dressed in a diaper for a quick clean up after the pictures.

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Everyone wore party hats to celebrate the big event.  You made and decorated cupcakes with the boys.  Lyra wasn't exactly sure what she should do with the cake so of course

her Daddy (Uncle Andy) thought he would help her out.

Poppa and Diva made her a treasure box with her name on it.  You gave her some board books on dogs, and Auntie Suzy made her a special book with her pictures in it.  I'm sure Lyra won't remember her special day but I will never forget it.  Thank you for helping make Lyra's first birthday special.  

I love you sweet girl.

Your Diva and Poppa