An Airplane Birthday Party and New Baby Gender Reveal

My third grandson, Lucas, turned one yesterday!

His mommy (my daughter Julia) and his Aunt Lydia put together an airplane themed birthday party for about 30 guests in a local park. What I didn't know ahead of time is that they were also revealing the gender of Alex and Julia's baby due in September. That's what they meant by "CO-PILOT INTRODUCTION" and "REPORTING 9/19" on this sign!

Lots of photos taped up
on the pillars in the
picnic pavilion

Time for the traditional 1st birthday smash cake!

The twist is that the color of the cake inside reveals the gender of the new baby!

PINK!!!! The new baby is a GIRL!!!!!! Little sister Lyla is our fifth grandchild, but our first granddaughter. On Alex's side of the family, there are two grandsons but nogranddaughters. You can imagine that everyone let out a roar of cheers - so much that Lucas was startled and began to cry for a few minutes. He just doesn't know what all the fuss was about.

Don't you just love these signs!
"Baggage Claim!" Ha!
He got lots of toys, clothes, and books!

Besides the blue ball and the froggy hat pictured above, I got him a train with pieces that stack and nest, and a sturdy plastic airplane toy that we had thought about putting on the cake. Instead we put it on the table along with two airplane banks and some vintage metal prop planes. My daughter Naomi hung a few inflatable ones from the pavilion roof, and Lucas's older cousins got to take those home!

And here I am with his
younger cousin.

Lucas with his two grandmas

Such a fun birthday for a sweet and fun little boy!

We love you, Lucas!

Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Images of My Month of May (So Far)

Our annual Mother's Day family photo -
two parents, seven daughters, three sons,
two sons-in-law, four grandsons,
and one unborn grandbaby due in September.

...and the silly version.

Picture frames from two of my grandsons

I just signed up as a
Compassionate Entrepreneur (CE)
with Trades of Hope,
a fair trade company which distributes
accessories and home decor
crafted by artisans in the Third World.
The goal? Empowering women
and ending poverty.
Check out the Trades of Hope story
and the products on my page:
Trades of Hope with Virginia Knowles
If you live near me,
I'd love to come do a home party.
Or you can do a Facebook party!
(I'll write more later about this!)

Andrew turned 18 this week!
He is deep and sweet,
and I love his hugs.

Joanna graduated from UCF
on Friday with a degree
in Interpersonal & Organizational
Communications.
She starts grad school in
counseling in August.

Joanna with her sweetheart David,
who graduated on Thursday.

One of my favorite UCF
graduation traditions -
a pair of bag pipers!

Lydia at her first piano recital
with her teacher Erin VanWinkle

Speech therapy at A.LL Therapy Connection
I love this place!

Reward for a
job well done -
the climbing wall
in the OT gym area
at A.LL Therapy

Sisters at soccer

In other news, Rachel and Joanna are leaving in two days for three weeks in Europe. I can't wait to see pictures of Iceland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales... So jealous. Cottages! Must see cottages!

I hope you enjoyed these pictures of my month so far.

If you would like to read a little more and see some links on motherhood, click here: Simply Spring #9: Mother's Day and Meltdowns.

Grace and peace,

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com

Florida Through My Lens: Garden Gathering on Lake Bell

Our friends Bart and Judy invited a bunch of us over for lunch after church. As usual, I walked in the front door and within a few minutes I was right out the back door with camera in hand. It's something of a tradition...

Lake Bell

Who moved the canoe?

Caladium in three color combinations...

Canna lily

Spathe flower

An old wheelbarrow

Not sure which tree,
but I'd recognize the
Spanish moss anywhere.

Fallen trunk, two views -
- notice the little details
of fibers like a broom
and holes like a sponge

I had a lovely time chatting, eating, and of course taking photos. Remember the kids leaning over the lake in the top picture? Yes, they caught plenty of polliwogs in cups to take home.

I am grateful for the hospitality and the fellowship of dear friends!

Other photo posts from Bart and Judy's house...

• Weekend Gratitude: Welcoming Touches
• Even More Weekend Gratitude
• When We All Get to Heaven (Strength in Hymn)
• Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (Strength in Hymn)

Virginia Knowles

www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com