Fishing "Lure"

While cleaning Sweet Pea's room, we called her in to her room to try on a couple of articles of clothing. Her comment: "Why are you always trying to lure me away from my game?" (referring to Webkinz). She is such a ham.

True Story

My best friend's daughter just turned 14! She is a very sweet, beautiful, and sometimes intelligent young lady. I say sometimes because she often has those moments that leave you thinking, "what?!" She had one such moment several days ago. Bean went to get her belly button pierced for her birthday. When the piercer person (don't know correct term) asked if she was there to get her navel pierced, Bean responded with, "No, I'm getting my belly button pierced." What's even sadder than that...I started to ask her what she thought a navel was and then thought better of it because I did not want to hear her response.

Happy New Year

The house is clean (and I do mean clean), with the exception of the play room! We have spent the past couple of days cleaning and organizing every inch of the house-shampooing carpet, scrubbing floors, cleaning baseboards, etc...just because I have this weird belief that I need to start the new year off fresh, with the house clean and organized.
I hope that each of you have a wonderful and blessed new year. I do plan on creating some new year's resolutions but I want to put some thought into it first. I would like to see what everyone else is planning on accomplishing this year!

I'm addicted

Saturday afternoon, it started! My Wii addiction is now full blown. I have never been a big video game person anyway. We played about seven hours of video games with the kids. Normally, I would not have allowed this because I think they need other interactions. However, I made excuses for this system--the kids are getting activity, we are spending family time, blah, blah, blah. I guess it is the holidays and it is all right to be flexible right now. I will overcome my addiction when I have to start back to work, maybe!

Sweet Pea and Sugar Cookies

Christmas was very pleasant this year! We opened gifts with the kids on Christmas Eve (as we do each year). The girls loved their presents, of course. Christmas day, we spent the afternoon with my grandparents, mom, brother, aunt, and cousins. That evening, we visited with my mom.

We spent last weekend with my husband's side of the family. His mom stayed all night Friday. We traveled to visit all of his mom's family on Saturday. His aunt, uncle, and cousin came over on Tuesday for dinner. The girls have been blessed with so much family that loves and spoils them.

To the sugar cookie story...Sweet Pea asked my mom to get her sugar cookies for Christmas. My mom purchased and wrapped the cookies and then told Sweet Pea that she could only afford one present for her this year. Sweet Pea opened the sugar cookies and graciously said, "thank you" and "it's all right that you could only afford to get me cookies for Christmas this year. I still love you." Pumpkin Pie, on the other hand (thinking that was the only present), states, "what, I don't even get a present?" It amazes me that they are so different but I was very touched by Sweet Pea's ability to be thankful for the cookies, thinking that was all that she was getting. I would have been more like Pumpkin Pie! The children were excited that they received many other presents.

Tonight, we visited with some very close friends to just hang out and play Wii. The girls love spending time with close friends. We have many other things planned for this week- Dollywood, ice skating, playing with the new items, and just enjoying some family time. I need much more family time than I get and I think the kids are looking forward to the extra attention as well. I am also hoping to get together with a few other friends that we so greatly miss, so be expecting a phone call from me to make some plans.

I hope that everyone's Christmas was as wonderful as mine! I am so thankful for the family and friends that God has placed in my life.

The Mouse part 2

So my mom caught the mouse. It was tiny but a messy little thing. She will (or may have already by this time) shampoo the carpet in her vehicle to get the mouse droppings and germs out of the vehicle. But I promised at least one funny story...
My mom keeps hard candy in her vehicle (the little bags of loose cinnamon candy). A day or two after discovering that she had a mouse in her vehicle, because it was not evident right away, she got a piece of candy out of her bag and placed in it in her mouth. After doing so, she realized that the rather new bag of candy didn't quite feel as heavy as it should. Looking down to see if the bag had a hole in it, she caught the view of mouse droppings inside her hard candy bag. But what was she to do at that point, the candy was already in her mouth (she threw the candy away). I know, it is gross!

What if an angel visits you?

As I listened in church recently, I thought about the common place of angels coming to visit people on Earth. How many people in the Bible were visited by angels?! Would we recognize an angel if they came to visit us? What does an angel look like? Is it the depiction that we often see of the white robed, halo above their head, and lights surrounding them? Or is it something more commonplace? Do we pass angels on the street everyday?
I would like to think that I come across an angel everyday. I think about each child that I work with and how I can learn something from them. I think about how I can help them and be their angel in return. I think about the messages that the angels in the Bible brought and how we don't hear those same kind of messages anymore. Maybe it is because we doubt. Maybe it is because if someone were to say that they were visited by an angel, we would call them crazy. Maybe it is because we don't deserve the privilege of being graced with the presence of an angel.
What would you do if an angel visited you?

What was Mary thinking?

I often think that others must think like me. I know that isn't the truth or my husband would be a much better husband! But, what was Mary thinking? Throughout her life, she suffered so much, yet received such a great blessing.
At learning that she was pregnant, imagine what others thought of her and her claims that she was a virgin. Think about teenagers at the present time...how many of us would believe a pregnant girl, if she claimed that she is a virgin? How many of us would laugh at her and tell her that she is crazy? Not only did Mary have to deal with that, she sure wasn't wealthy so she surely stressed about where food, shelter, basics of life were going to come from. Some may argue that she was carrying Jesus and had to feel so blessed and know that she was going to be cared for. I argue differently. Mary was human and a mother. Flesh gets in our way and being a loving mother brings on a world of concerns that others could never know. She had to be concerned about how she was going to face each day, plus concern for the things that her son was to face.
Mary was on display almost as much as Jesus. Imagine the tongues wagging at the town square when Mary lost her cool or displayed the slightest bit of doubt. What did other women (and men) say if she and Joseph had a disagreement? It must have been a huge burden for her to carry to be an example for every other woman. Or did the other women comment about how easy Mary had it because her son is "perfect"?
How many parents could live with each day of their child's life knowing that their baby was sent to Earth for the purpose of dying? I know that many of us believe that we are placed here for a purpose...how many of us face each day knowing that our purpose/our child's purpose is simply to die?
I have so many more questions but...

Was He a boy like me?

I promised more posts and I will try to break them up into pieces for you. I have had a lot of things on my mind lately. Our pastor is a very thought provoking guy...or maybe I am using my brain for something. Either way!

I don't know how many people have heard the song, "Was He a boy like me?" We have the Veggie Tales CD and Sweet Pea loves that song. It made me think about what kind of kid was Jesus. He is sinless so did He get into trouble as a child? Did He lie to his mom before He realized that lying was wrong or did it simply mean that He was never into any trouble at all? Did Mary feel obligated to watch over him all of the time or did she let Jesus run about without any cares? On one hand, Mary seems to have panicked when she couldn't find Jesus when He was in the temple teaching the other men. On the other hand, she wasn't watching over him too close or she would have noticed that He was missing sooner. Times were also different then and parents had different styles then too.
What did Jesus like to do as a child? Was He a normal child that liked to play in the dirt and jump in mud puddles? Did He try to convince his parents that He didn't need to do chores? Did He like receiving presents from his parents? I guess that if I close my eyes and think back, my kids have always brought joy to my life, even when they are misbehaving. How hard was it for Mary to know that Jesus was coming into this world, would suffer such persecution, and would die just for her (the rest of us too, but you know what I mean)? What kind of burden was that for her?
Now that you have a little piece of my brain...

Great News

I know that I promised more and I do have several things that I want to blog about but things have been crazy around here lately. It is the holidays! I called today to check on all of the paperwork that had to be completed and sent in for my license application. The nice woman that I spoke with found some of the misplaced paperwork and looked over it, while on the phone with me. She then informed me that my license number will be sent out in the mail today. For those of you who aren't following: I GET MY LICENSE! I will now have my license to go into private practice, if I so chose to do so. I am thrilled to have this all over with and feel like I have made it to the peak of the mountain.

The Mouse

My mom came to visit today. I offered to put some items that were graciously donated for my Papaw into my mom's vehicle. A local guy gave us some items for my Papaw's medical care because he no longer needed them. But I digress...my Mom then informs us to not place the items in her vehicle because she has a pet mouse that is keeping her company. (it is not really a pet mouse but one that seems to have found its way into the trash that she was taking to the dump and he just happened to find his way into her vehicle) So she has placed traps in her vehicle, with peanut butter, cheese, etc...but he keeps managing to escape and is obviously living off the items that she is attempting to lure him with. Tonight, Matt carried some items out to her vehicle and warmed her vehicle up. My mom requested that he crack a window, when he cranked the car up. I jokingly commented that she did not want the mouse to die from the heat in the car. Practicality wins though and a dead mouse in a car will stink for some time (although she just didn't want her keys accidentally locked in). So, this will make for many fun jokes in the future, as I have already made many today. I promise to share more about the mouse soon, as I have more funny incidents.

Saturday disappointments

So I previously mentioned my desire to have family traditions and I made yet another attempt, which failed miserably. I wonder if God is trying to give me a sign?! We planned to take the girls to the Vol walk on Saturday, as we typically try to go at least once a year (plus the orange and white game) and then we planned to go Ice Skating downtown. I was so looking forward to it- had the kids dressed warm, camera packed, feeling good about the day... and on our way there, what happened? IT STARTED RAINING and I'm not just talking about a sprinkle; it poured! I am so sad about it but I'm not giving up that easy. It is too late to go to a Vol walk but I still plan to take the kids ice skating. I guess God is no match for my stubbornness, yet!

Day after Thanksgiving

Happy Day After Thanksgiving. I really did mean to post yesterday but...we did stay pretty busy. I thought about the things that I am thankful for and I had the typical list: freedom, God, family, etc...so I started thinking about the smaller things. I am thankful that Walmart was open yesterday because it meant that I could do my grocery shopping without having to fight the huge after Thanksgiving crowds (especially since we always go as a family). I am thankful for the friends that I have and that they understand my weird sense of humor. I am thankful that my husband puts up with my crazy ideas and babies me. I am thankful for the church service that we had Sunday morning and the pastor preaching on the religious beginnings of Thanksgiving. It didn't just start with the pilgrims! As I spoke with people throughout the day, I thought about how many of my friends aren't nearly as blessed as I am with the friendships that they have. After all, they did get stuck with me. My list goes on and on.

But on to other things...Wednesday, we went to Dollywood with some friends and had a wonderful time hanging out, riding rides, and looking at all of the beautiful scenery. We took some very cute pictures of the kids hanging out together. This trip to Dollywood also got me to thinking about my influence on others, as sad as that thought is. I often make fun of others, only in good humor but I do struggle with thinking nice thoughts all of the time. I noticed that my dear friend made a "negative" comment about someone while we were there. My thought is this...Does everyone think the negative thoughts (like I do) and refrain from stating them out loud or do they simply become negative thinkers (so to speak) because of my influence? I think that it is human nature to mentally form an opinion of someone else (be it positive or negative) but we tend to only verbalize those things around those that it is safe to do so with (with me as an exception to the rule).

Tradition is something that was never really big in my family. Since getting married and having my own family, I've attempted to get some traditions for us to have and pass on to our children and grandchildren. However, I am struggling. I tried to get the girls to watch the Macy's Parade but they became bored. I have attempted the Christmas tree decorating, wrapping presents, adopting a family, etc...the list goes on and on, but none of these things seem to stick or work for us. I am continuing with the struggle to find traditions that are right for my family so if you have suggestions or words of encouragement, I am all ears.

One tradition that has seem to have lasted for several years now is that my dear sweet husband shops on Black Friday so I don't have to get out of bed or out in the crowds. Most of you know that I struggle with being nice. This mornings journey only included Toys R Us to purchase Eyeclops for Sweet Pea, since she has requested it for a year now and I couldn't stand the thought of paying $60 for a toy that I doubted she would play with too much. My husband also made a trip to GameStop for himself but I don't really consider that as a favor for me (ha ha).

So far, that has been our break. We plan a few shopping places tomorrow and I am getting a haircut (hopefully). I would also like to take the girls ice skating and bake cookies so we will have to see what the future holds.

Celebration

Just wanted to share the good news that I received in the mail yesterday...I passed my last exam that I had to take for my license. My application has been submitted and I am now following through with the little tasks that are required to have it fully processed. I will be so happy to have this over with.

Just wanted to also say thanks to our dear friends who came over to visit Saturday. It was very nice having you guys over and you putting up with my still not feeling great. I really do miss hanging out with you all.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie has become much more motivated in her piano playing since her sister has been taking violin lessons. You have to admit she has improved since her last recital.

Sweet Pea

It is hard to believe that she has only been in violin for 2 months. Do not turn the speakers on too loudly but enjoy the effort and skill that she is already exhibiting.

Our Christmas Tree

I convinced Matt that we needed to put the Christmas tree up last night. The girls enjoyed it and I have to admit that it looks quite lovely.

Couple of Pics from Disney On Ice

I want a bathtub for Christmas

If you will recall, Sweet Pea requested a hot air balloon for her birthday (which she got). I spoke with her the other night about what she is wanting for Christmas and she informed me that she wants a bathtub to go downstairs, because she might want to take a bath downstairs sometime. I'm betting she will not get that wish!

Don't try this at home

Matt was giving Sweet Pea her bath tonight. While playing with her swim pup, she was coaxing him with, "Come to mommy! Come to mommy! Good job!" Of course this was in her sweet voice. She continued to play and then came out with the following: "Do not try this experiment home." Matt asked her where she came up with that and she stated, "Mythbusters!" I guess she watches television with her daddy a little too frequently.

What are they teaching our kids

I picked Sweet Pea up from school this past Tuesday. On our way home, I ask about her day and what she has learned. She stated the following: "Today, we learned about Thanksgiving, Indians, and I learned what a SPORK is." Of all things for her to learn about and to stick out in her mind...I guess that knowledge has to come from somewhere.

Feeling Bad

I am very sorry that I have not been keeping in touch with everyone. We have been pretty stressed out with some stuff and my chronic fatigue (if that is what it really is) has wore me out completely. We did go to Disney on Ice this past Saturday and out to eat with some friends. We also took the girls shopping for some "Angels", which Sweet Pea did not really get in to and Pumpkin Pie kept thinking about/talking about the things that she wants. I felt like it was a very unproductive trip in that aspect. I have almost convinced Matt that we need to put up the Christmas tree this weekend, which is always fun family time. I'm getting very excited about the celebrations coming up. That also leads me to another thing that I want to blog about as soon as I start feeling better. I will also post some pictures from Disney on Ice and hopefully from the Christmas tree soon.

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea (part 2)

We took Sweet Pea to violin lessons, which she done wonderfully at. Then, we went to Build-A-Bear, where she made Marshmallow (her new pet penguin). We had an absolutely wonderful evening. Several people called to sing Happy Birthday to her. That brings me to my next small story...while waiting on her violin teacher, Sweet Pea spoke with several people that passed by. She will talk to anyone! Anyways, she informed everyone that it was her birthday. When they did not offer to sing to her, she politely stated, "This is the part where you sing to me." She was very cute about it. She also used her birthday as an excuse to get sweets. It went something like this..."It is my birthday and you want me to have a happy birthday, don't you."
Sweet Pea is so much like me, yet I love her so much. I guess that is why we get along so much better than she gets along with her daddy. I really enjoyed our day together and look forward to many more happy birthdays with my baby girls.

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea

Today is Sweet Pea's birthday. I can't believe how big and beautiful she is and continues to grow more so each day. Her personality shines in everything that she does. I cannot believe the day that we have already had (and it is not even half over).
I woke Sweet Pea up with singing Happy Birthday and then let her open a couple of small gifts. We then went to the doctor's office because Pumpkin Pie is having some really bad headaches. After both girls got the flumist (and Sweet Pea pitched a fit), we ran some errands. While at the eye doctor's office, Sweet Pea told the receptionist that she was not very smart. Then we went by the sleep center, where she politely told a lady waiting on the doctor, "This is my mommy and you will never take me away from her." Almost sweet but not very nice! Then, while talking to her mamaw, she informed her about the fit at the doctor's office. She went on to say that she was not scared but her nose was. I really do not know where she gets this stuff from. We are now watching "Dora and the Snow Princess" and eating lunch, which consists of a cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, and chocolate ice cream. It's her birthday! We should all be so lucky to eat and watch what we want. We still have lots planned for the day so I will be sure to post more later.

The Red Boots

When I saw these boots, I knew that Pumpkin Pie would absolutely love them. She loves flashy things! I also knew that it would so totally go to her head. So, I delayed buying them, as I contemplated whether she would be able to handle the attention and desire to show them off to EVERYONE. I broke down last night and decided to buy them, thinking that if it was meant to be, they would be there. Of the five pair available, one pair was her size. I guess it was meant to be. The look on her face was priceless. She walked around the living room for about thirty minutes just admiring her new Red Boots!

Happy Birthday Kendra

Today is my very dear friend's birthday.

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Kendra!
Happy Birthday to you!

Tomorrow will be a Very Merry Unbirthday again! (5 points for anyone who remembers what childhood movie that song is from!!!)

Shout out to Brad, whose birthday was on the 25th! I hear he has a nice behind!

Birthday Party

We had a birthday party for the girls today. The kids absolutely loved it. We had so many close friends and family to join in the celebration and the girls got more gifts than they deserve. We are a very blessed family! We bought the girls MP3 players and accessories. Pumpkin Pie had been snooping in our bedroom though and had found it already (much to my surprise). Daddy had opened them to load them with goodies before they received them, so they would be ready to use. Sweet Pea received some activity stuff, Vera Bradley purse, some baby doll clothes, and her favorite gift- a hot air balloon kit. Believe it or not, at almost five years old, the one thing she has been requesting for her birthday is a hot air balloon. Her aunt found a science company that makes a hot air balloon kit for her to make her own really big balloon, which daddy gets to make with her. She also got the Swim to Me Puppy that she has been asking for, since it was advertised. Pumpkin Pie got a mentos experiment tube, a Vera Bradley eyeglass case, American Girl puzzle, DS game, AE hoodie, and several other wonderful presents. The girls also received the new Tinker bell movie and watched it while they were winding down, after the party.
The girls were very appreciative of all of their gifts, but mostly of the special people to celebrate with. They had so much fun spending time with family and friends. It was a beautiful day to spend outside. I have not had the opportunity to go through the pictures yet but may have a couple that I can post on here later.

Never wrong

Sweet Pea is so much like me! We went to Sam's today to pick up the girl's birthday cake. While there, mini-me-being her little social self, made friends with an older ZZ top looking feller. He introduced himself as "Billie." Sweet Pea informs me that her new friend is "Willie," but when daddy corrected her, she stated the following: "No his name is Willie but with a Bill!" She can just never be wrong. I don't know where she gets it from.

Chattanooga

I took my Jurisprudence Exam in Chattanooga today. Yeah!!! It was my last test before I can get my License to be a therapist. We decided to make a special trip of it since it was in between the girls birthdays. I thought I would share some of the neat pictures that I captured today (although I had many more that turned out horribly). The girls loved it. We started out at the Imax theater and watched Sea Monsters. We actually got a short visit in with my aunt from Georgia, whom I loved getting to visit with. Sweet Pea was terrified throughout the whole movie and kept saying that she just wanted to go home. Pumpkin Pie decided that she wants to be an archaeologist now though! That aspiration changed as our day progressed though. We visited all of the wonderful animals at the Tennessee Aquarium, which I would highly recommend. I wasn't that impressed with the ocean part but the River Journey was wonderful. After that, we journey over to the Creative Museum, where the girls tried out EVERYTHING! I so want to build one of these closer to home! I especially loved the upper level, which is dedicated to differently abled and what it would be like in their shoes. I got a couple of ideas for therapy too. My sweet husband allowed me to sleep on the way there and back and was so courteous to escort me around (he's behind me telling me what to say, ha, ha). Over all, the girls enjoyed the day immensely and I am looking forward to being slightly more lazy tomorrow.
By the way, the one picture of the fish- he was just playing dead! (joking, but that is what I told the kids)

Birthday balloons

I meant to post a picture of the "ice cream sundae" that I made for Pumpkin Pie. We sent it, along with some birthday balloons to school on Friday. I thought that it turned out cute, given that I am not a very creative person. She liked it!

Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea has been such a little sweetie recently. She knows how to sucker me into just about anything. I thought I would share a couple of things that she has said/done recently that are just super sweet.
While at Dollywood yesterday, I commented to Sweet Pea about her cheeks being red. She replies back, "it's because I love you so much."
While getting ready for bed this week, Sweet Pea comes in and requests to snuggle for a minute. I allowed her to climb up on my lap and talk for a minute. She looks me in the eye and says, "I love you so much and will always love you forever."

Now for the not so sweet story: Matt and I were struggling with keeping Pumpkin Pie on task the other morning. I commented that I do most of the discipline so he ends up looking like the good guy all of the time. When Sweet Pea came in, she asked what I was upset about. I stated that daddy was not being supportive. Sweet Pea went to school and informed her teachers that "my daddy is not supportive of my mommy. He never does anything to help her and he does not love her." I don't know how she got to that point but...her teachers got a kick out of it since they have known us for years now. I asked Sweet Pea about this and she informed me that she is upset with her dad because he is not "supportive." I realized that I will have to be much more careful about how I explain things to her in the future.

Nacho

I have referred to my best friend's youngest child as Nacho (for nacho baby-not your baby) from the time that she found out that she was pregnant. He is now 4 years old and the nickname has stuck. He also, in turn has called me "Nacho", nacho bell grande, and several other Taco Bell names. I tell you this to tell you the following story.
Last week, while eating lunch, Nacho tells his mommy to call me. When she asked him why he wanted to call me, he responds, "Cause I want to tell her that I am eating her family." (he was eating nachos for lunch) He is such a cute little booger!

Happy Birthday Pumpkin Pie

Today is Pumpkin Pie's birthday! She received breakfast in bed this morning and woke up to her mommy and daddy singing to her. That had to be a horrible way to wake up! We have celebrated all weekend long. Friday night, her mamaw came to visit. Saturday, we went to her best friend's birthday party, to the circus, and had dinner with her best friend. Sunday, (after church) we went to Dollywood. We planned to take her several places today but she decided that she wanted to spend the day at home, playing. Right now, she is having a tea party with her sister. Surprisingly, she has not questioned where her birthday presents are. She does not receive her big present until her birthday party though.

I love Pumpkin Pie so much! She is a precious young lady and has grown so much over the past year. This year, she got glasses and had her first broken bone. She is very much into name brands and feeling like she is always dressed in the "nice" clothing. She exerts her independence in making so many choices for herself (even the ones that I don't like) and trying to make her own rules. She negotiates with me and her dad on many things and becomes very emotional when things don't always go her way. She has kept the same friends since Kindergarten and the same crushes. She continues to improve with her piano lessons and is a very smart child. She is a loving and affectionate big sister. I could go on and on about all of the wonderful things that my sweet little girl can do (and things that I don't like her doing). She can be an angel and can be mean all at the same time. It saddens me to see my sweet daughter growing into a young lady but I am so proud of the young lady that she is becoming. I love you Pumpkin Pie!

weekend

Friday night, we went shopping. I bought the girls some new winter clothes. They still need a few more things (tights, pants, shoes, etc.) but I got some cute things. Saturday, we had birthday pictures made and I bought Sweet Pea some new to her doll clothes and American Girl Bitty Twins that are practically new. She has not let those two dolls (plus the one she already had) out of her sight. Today, we visited with my family and celebrated the girls upcoming birthdays. The girls got some other clothes (that I had picked out for them) and some new Barbie furniture. I have some organizing and going through some old toys to do this week, in effort to make room for the stuff they currently have and for birthday and Christmas gifts coming up.
I do have a prayer request. I went to the eye doctor on Saturday, and will be going back again in a few days. It seems that my eyes are getting worse and the eye doctor has some theories but isn't quite certain of why they continue to worsen as fast as they are. It was quite comical that I was so upset but he referred to me as his Mt. Everest, in that my eyes are really quite horrible and a challenge to figure out because the slightest movement at the machine and the computer gets all confused, plus it is hard to find the right fit of contacts, etc...I won't continue to put you to sleep. The point of the matter is that my eyesight is progressively worsening at a fast pace and a couple of these theories could mean some serious surgery. While it is hopefully not the case, I am quite scared. I think about all of the times that I take for granted that I can see my children playing, that I can drive, I can watch television, I can take pictures, you get the point. I could lose all of that at any second. I could miss out on seeing all of those special moments that I look forward to in my children's lives. So now that you hear my fear, pray about it.
We have a busy couple of months coming up, yes I said months, as it seems I am booked every weekend through the end of November at this point. Hopefully, I will have some pictures and stories to show soon.

ahhh!

I have had a headache for three days straight now. I am struggling with going each day but...
Sweet Pea is doing wonderfully with her violin lessons and Pumpkin Pie got her cast off today (and is doing well with her piano lessons). We have had a busy week so far and it looks as if it will continue that way.
I am planning on doing some shopping Friday evening (if I can get rid of this stinking headache) because birthdays are coming up. We are giving Pumpkin Pie a hair dryer and hair straightener on her actual birthday. It seems a little weird but she is really getting into this whole fixing herself up kind of stuff. For her birthday (party), we are buying her a MP3 player. Sweet Pea is a whole other story...we are struggling with what to get her for her birthday because she has all of Pumpkin Pie's hand me downs and gets other stuff along the way that she wants. We are completely open to suggestions. We are also planning a few other things for the girls this weekend.
We have friends going on a mission trip this coming week so keep them in your prayers.
Sweet Pea has been a hoot lately. Last night, she got mad at her dad and stared at him with that evil look for a whole 60 seconds and did not speak or budge the whole time. Matt laughed at her the whole time and commented about her acting just like her mommy but I don't know that I agree. We bought "Trouble" to play with the girls and we have had a good time teasing the girls when we send them back home. Pumpkin Pie does not find it funny but Sweet Pea has started plotting on how to send others back home. Sweet Pea has also been doing the new Krystal's commercial dance and it is hilarious.
Our trip to Georgia went fairly well but I am glad to be back home. We will be heading back out in a couple of weeks for my Jurisprudence Exam in Chattanooga so keep me in your prayers that I will pass my exam and be able to get my license soon. Also pray that we have a safe trip and the girls have fun.

Dentist trip

I know this is all out of order but I promised to tell about the dentist trip! Sweet Pea is so much like me. I have always hated going to the dentist and Sweet Pea has picked up on this tradition. I have been very careful to not let her see my emotions/fears about the dentist so that she could form her own opinion. Sweet Pea has been to the dentist on three previous occasions and had caps placed on her back four teeth because her enamel did not form on them. So the dentist was not a new event for Sweet Pea. However, you would never have known this! We went through the whole what to expect, what we expected, getting a reward for good behavior (I'm not above bribery), and all of that good stuff. When we got to the dentist office, everything was going well. Sweet Pea only gave a little bit of trouble when they did her X-ray's. When we got back to the teeth cleaning, Sweet Pea was completely different. She refused to open her mouth, she covered her ears and stated that she didn't have her listening ears on, and was humming to herself. After much persuasion, she finally got her teeth cleaned. Then, when it was time for fluoride, we went through the whole scenario again. I was more traumatized than she was but the whole thing was horrible. So we are now going to look for a new dentist office that may be able to give Sweet Pea a little bit more of specialized attention to help her through this. I am hoping that after a couple of years, she will be more capable of dealing with the dentist trip. I am older now and know that I have to go to the dentist but I would still rather go to the gynecologist!

WooHoo

Can you say "good day"? Just wanted to let everyone know that I am a happy camper at this moment. We went to American Girl store today and bought Sweet Pea a new baby doll. All of you that know us know that Pumpkin Pie has never been a doll kind of girl so we didn't buy her a new doll (not to mention that they are $100). On to what made this a good day- We did not have much time for dinner after our trip to the mall, so we went to Taco Bell. Do you know what they had- pretend you can hear the excitement in my voice- Chili Cheese Burritos!!! TN used to have these and I loved them. Then they brought them back for a short time and took them right back away from me. I know that when I return home, I have to get back on track because I feel confident that I have gained weight and I've only been gone for a day. By the way, I had just reached my goal recently and achieved 50lb. of weight loss. My body sure doesn't look the way that I would like, but the journey has been a struggle at times, yet well worth it. I do feel better and the girls look at me differently. Moving on, we are going to Ikea and H&M tomorrow, before heading home. Pray that we have a safe trip back and find some good deals when shopping!
I know this message was all over the place but bare with me, it's the chili cheese burrito going to my head!

Oops

I know, I know!!! I said that I would do better about blogging but I have good reason. Saturday, we went to visit my grandparents and then my best friend (for just a few minutes, to drop off some shoes). We had a nice visit and then hung out with the kids that night. Sunday, we went to church but Sweet Pea and I had a horrible cold/allergies (which progressively worsened from Friday to Sunday). We vegged out the rest of the day, catnapping, sneezing, coughing, and snotting around. Sweet Pea had a dentist appointment on Monday, so I took the day off to get the house cleaned up and start packing for our trip to Georgia the later half of the week. The dentist visit is a whole other story that I will try to post tomorrow evening or Thursday morning. Today, we had to work, take Sweet Pea to violin lessons, finish cleaning the house, finish packing, and I am trying to get some work stuff done before leaving. I still haven't recovered completely from the yucky stuff we had but it is improving. Sweet Pea seems to be doing well and lucky for me, Pumpkin Pie hasn't caught it this time around. She has a horrible immune system and typically catches everything that makes its way into our home. We are going to Georgia for Matt's work and I am looking forward to visiting several stores that I have really wanted to go to (Ikea, H&M-thanks to Shannon and Lindsay's positive praise, and American Girl, plus many others). Pray that we have a safe trip and find lots of bargains!

I will try to post some more funnies soon!

TaDa! Must have been the operator that was the problem. Her cast has a lot more signatures on it now. This picture was taken a couple of days after she got it. The boys name in the middle is the kid that she has had a crush on since Kindergarten. At least she is consistent with who she likes, and he is cute!

I'm bad

I know I am a bad person. I haven't posted anything in so long. We have been extremely busy, so let me catch you up.
Friday, we spent time with the kiddies and gas was so expensive, we couldn't afford to go anywhere. Saturday, we did run a couple of errands and then some very dear friends of ours came over for dinner. Sunday, we went to church (loved the message) and Pumpkin Pie went to a birthday party. It doesn't sound like that much but...believe me, I am still tired.
Monday, we tried to recoup. Tuesday, Sweet Pea had her second violin lesson and she is so loving it. Her teacher is the sweetest thing and Sweet Pea has been very disciplined in practicing her violin every day (on her own)!!! Pumpkin Pie is moving up another level in her piano books and is doing well, despite only having one hand to play with. She has been a little more angry than usual though. Volleyball started last week and she has been unable to play. She will only get about two weeks of play time, after the cast gets removed.
I am really hopeful that we will get to visit with my grandparents this weekend, since it has been a few weeks. I do promise to try to post more little quotes and funnies from the kids soon.

I was going to post a picture of the cast on here but something is wrong with blogger right now; maybe later.

Babies and Men

Pumpkin Pie asked us, as we ate supper tonight, "Why can't men have babies?" Matt responded that men do not have the parts. Pumpkin Pie then said, "Oh, I get it. It would be hard to get the babies out."
I cracked up laughing at her as she made this connection of how babies come out.

A History of Firsts

Yes, Pumpkin Pie has her first broken bone. She has officially broken her right pinkie. But that isn't the whole story- you have to know how...My daughter does not typically have a lot of grace. This event amazes me though. My girls were picking up their Barbie toys in the playroom. Pumpkin Pie had been sitting in the floor and pushed off of her hand to get up, as we all typically do. She seems to have pushed a little too far. She did show me her finger and cry for a couple of minutes after hurting herself but she could wiggle it and seemed to be all right the rest of the evening. Monday morning was a different story. Pumpkin Pie came in to our room to show us that her pinkie still hurt and was a little swollen and slightly blue. Daddy took her to the doctor (because it is easier for him to get off of work) and they confirmed it. We are now waiting on the orthopedic pediatrician to determine if it needs to be set because it appears to have affected a growth plate in her finger. Pumpkin Pie is handling all of this very well and has not caught too much slack for breaking her finger while getting out of the floor. Just one more thing for me to tease her for- she hasn't lived down misspelling her name on a spelling test a couple of weeks ago.

On another note, Sweet Pea starts her violin lessons and is absolutely excited about it. She has dreams of being a famous musician. Let's see if she still feels that way after her first lesson.

Knocked up

No, I am not knocked up! My dear, sweet husband has been tivoing movies on HBO/Cinemax since this has been a free preview weekend. He was informing me of the movies that he has recorded for us to watch (and several for the kids) when he casually states, "I'm getting knocked up tonight." I also casually reply, "Really, I didn't know that you could do that." That would have made the last kid easier for me. He then realized what he said and laughed.

Joke of the day

Pumpkin Pie has recently gotten into telling corny jokes. I thought I would share the joke that she told us today.

Pumpkin Pie: What did the digital clock say to his mommy?



Answer: Look ma, no hands!

Come back

We had an outing today and stopped by Target on the way home. Matt commented that something was not surprising (I can't remember what now). My more serious child, Pumpkin Pie comments, "Yeah, your surprisingly not smart." Matt was very proud of her witty comeback at him and so was I.

Garbage

Matt took the girls to the "dump" with him today. Sweet Pea expressed concern about where the trash goes. Matt explained that it would go in the mountain and disintegrate over time (remember she is little and does not understand everything yet). She replied that she did not want it to go in the mountains. Matt replied that they might take it to a desert then. Sweet Pea then sweetly said, "I don't want it to go to the desert because it would stink and the camels would run away." I think she may turn into an engineer! She has such a need to create and fix the problems that she sees and by golly, we need to save those camels from stinky trash!

Your Hair

I have had to work over some this week because school has started and a lot of parents/teachers/kids are already feeling overwhelmed. Anyway...
I pulled in the driveway yesterday and the kids came running. Sweet Pea hopped up on my lap as soon as I opened the car door. I loved on her for a minute and then asked if we could go inside. She replied: "Just let me smell your hair first." She smelled that deep, intense breathe and then said that she was all better and could make the transition into the house then.
I just found her innocence to be so sweet and I know that it will not last much longer.

Our bedroom

Here are a few pictures to show off what we have accomplished with our bedroom. I haven't bought the shower curtain yet because I haven't found one that I really like. I also don't have the pictures up and we are going to purchase a love seat to go in the empty corner in our room. Let me know what you think.

Happy Boomsday!

Yeah, I know it is technically the day after boomsday but we have been so busy. Friday night, we bought paint for our bedroom and then relaxed the rest of the evening. Saturday, we ran errands and started preparing ourselves to paint. It is a huge chore that I was sort of dreading. Sunday, we managed to clean out the garage (to prepare for the consignment sale and because it was bugging me), mowed the yard, cleaned up some toys that I had allowed the girls to leave out, and da, da, tada, we painted our bathroom and vanity. Monday, we painted our bedroom. I was inspired by my friend, Stacy. Stacy painted her living room a chocolate brown color and I loved it. This is unusual for me because I am not a brown kind of person. However, I loved it and now I have a brown room too (although mine is not as brown as Stacy's). My mom came to visit yesterday evening and the girls viewed some local fireworks being shot off in honor of Labor day.
I will post pictures of the room soon. I'm just short on time right now.

Please remember my Papaw. He is back in the hospital, AGAIN with pneumonia.

I hope everyone had a nice little break and I do plan to spend some time with friends soon as I am missing all of you (so be prepared)!

It's just bird poop

My mom and Mamaw took my Papaw out for a bit of fresh air today, as he is usually cooped up in the house all day, especially with the recent hospitalization and illness abundance. My Papaw insisted on going to see his head stone today. (yes, it sounds morbid) However, while there, he noticed some bird poop on the head stone, which is outside and is going to get pooped on. He insisted that my Mamaw get out some WetOnes and clean the poop off of his headstone. I found this hilarious, especially given my Papaw's personality and how he has never been a big clean freak. Just thought I would share, although it may not seem too funny to others. I just love my Papaw's little quirks.

Happy Birthday Rylan!

Happy 1st Birthday Rylan!
This is a picture of his individual cake (Cookie Monster with a Cookie in its mouth). Rylan immediately grabbed for the cookie and pulled it out. He made an absolute mess with the icing and cake but was too cute for words. He got so many sweet gifts and lots of love. It was very nice getting to spend time with my sister, as well. I am so proud of the responsibility that she is taking and person she is becoming. The party was a very memorable first birthday and I hope that he has many more wonderful birthdays ahead of him.

It's a Miracle

Sweet Pea came down with a stomach virus yesterday evening. She felt horrible and was vomiting everything she attempted to keep on her stomach. She stayed home with her daddy this morning, while I went to work for a few hours. Matt tried his best to keep her contained but any mom can tell you that children go through spells when they are sick. They will feel better for a little bit and be very hyper and then crash again. Sweet Pea was in one of the hyper stages and wanted to play with every toy she owns and Matt explained that she had germs on her hands so playing with all of the toys would keep the germs around, continuing to make her sick (he did pick out several for her to play with that could be easily cleaned). Sweet Pea took off upstairs and Matt soon followed. She then came out with her winter gloves on and expressed that it was a MIRACLE; her toys could be protected from the germs and she could play with everything now. Daddy did explain that it did not work that way but she sure seemed to put some thought into it.

A Busy Weekend

Me and my Best Friend from college












Wow! We stayed on the go this weekend. We started out Friday night with Pumpkin Pie's orientation for school, ice cream at Bruster's, and visiting with some close friends and letting the kids play together. Saturday morning, we had the pleasure of celebrating Beans birthday and getting to see all of her family, especially the other special guests that came in from Wisconsin (Lindsay and Eric) to celebrate the special day. Unfortunately, due to my poor planning, we had to leave early to get Pumpkin Pie's hair trimmed (as she really wanted this done before school started). By the time we were done there, the party was wrapping up. Saturday evening, we attempted a trip to Dollywood with my mom. It was soooo crowded! In the two hours we were there, the kids rode two rides so we decided to go shopping instead. We ate dinner at Cracker Barrel and headed back home.
Sunday, we skipped out on church. I know it is a horrible thing and I really do feel guilty about it. However, we were able to visit with some very dear friends of ours that we do not get to visit with that often. We went to Dollywood (again) and spent the day with my best friend from college and her family. Her and her husband actually introduced me to my husband because they just knew we would be perfect for each other. I am very thankful to have a few smart friends! (just joking to the others, and if you had to wonder if you are the non-smart one, you probably are) It was an absolutely wonderful trip, wonderful company, no crowds, and nice weather. Plus, I had two large cups of Frozen Cherry Lemonade (one of God's greatest gifts). I did, of course, have to share it with the girls because they also love it. The girls were absolutely worn out by the time we traveled home and were barely able to play when we got home. That was relaxing for me, at least!
So starts another week. My husband often comments that I pack our weekends full of things to do and on the weekends that I don't, something always comes up that we get to do. Poor thing never gets any rest. This weekend is going to be an adventure as well. We will be shampooing my Mamaw's carpet for her and celebrating my baby nephew's very first birthday! I guess Matt will have to wait for his relaxing weekend of doing nothing (unless I plan stuff on that weekend too).

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday Beans! Today is your special day- celebrate and have fun! I have been so blessed to have had the opportunity to share special memories with you over the past year and to be friends with your parents.
Shout out to Mrs.B, you are in our prayers and we hope for a speedy recovery and that the pain will become more bearable. We are here, if you need anything at all.

M&M's

These pictures are something that I did accomplish this weekend. The canvas' is still a work in progress. Both of these pictures were magazine ads that I acid proofed and framed. I thought they added a nice little touch to the childish kitchen that I have.

money

We went to visit my grandparents today. My grandmother's birthday is the 18th so we celebrated with her today. My grandparents have to be the worst people in the world to try to get gifts for because they have absolutely everything they need. This year, we bought Mamaw a new laundry basket (because she refuses to buy one until hers no longer carries laundry, even if she is holding it together around the laundry) and we gave her money. I know it seems thoughtless but...anyways. The Carpenter family has long been known in their small town and surrounding areas as being "tight" with their money. It comes from having big families growing up and making everything last as long as it could. It has obviously been passed down to Sweet Pea. She attempted to con my Mamaw into giving her the birthday money. She tried the whole looking sweet as she politely took the money from her and said "thank you." She tried asking nicely for the money. She tried running off with it (and was corrected for this one). My Mamaw is a sucker. She ended up giving Sweet Pea and Pumpkin Pie $5 each. Sweet Pea is saving her money for a swimming baby doll and Pumpkin Pie is saving her money for clothes (as if she does not have enough). It was a good day visiting with my family and Sweet Pea has proven once again that genetics outweigh environment.

several short funnies

I have several short funny stories to share today, along with some good news.
My Papaw was able to return home this weekend. He is still not fully recovered but please keep praying that he will do well. Matt and I have been visiting local churches for what seems like forever, trying to find one that we really felt at home in and wanted to raise our girls in. Well, it seems that we finally found one that has potential and plan to keep attending there and praying. We will see what happens.

Now for the funnies:
I have a friend that is teaching her preschooler nursery rhymes. As much as she has tried, he has fought her on one particular song and the wording. His version is: "...Jack fell down and broke his crayon." Too cute!

We made a quick run to Target yesterday to get a couple of items. While the girls were riding in the buggy, Pumpkin Pie and Sweet Pea were conversing, being sweet to each other, etc. While getting the stuff out of the buggy at the checkout, Sweet Pea stands up and starts speaking loudly: "I've gotta crap, I've gotta crap." Pumpkin Pie starts giggling and says, "Cramp, I said Cramp." I continued checking out and pretended that the children were on loan. Just joking, but I did correct Sweet Pea and went on about checking out.

Pumpkin Pie is often not the funny child. She is usually more serious about EVERYTHING. On her way home with daddy one day this week, she asks, "why do people not dress up to commit crimes anymore?" Yes, this question was out of the blue so Matt asks what she is talking about. She responds with, "the bad guys on Scooby Doo always dress up as monsters or ghosts. How come people don't do that anymore?" Matt had to explain that Scooby Doo is made up and people do things differently in real life.

I hope everyone has a great week and to all of our close friends, we miss you and hope to see or hear from you soon!

do it

Sweet Pea hurt her hand at school this week. It has required a band-aid, as all minor scrapes and bruises do with my children. Last night, Sweet Pea requested a band-aid and her daddy told her that he would get it for her in a minute, as he had his hands full when she asked. She then stated, "Hey, how about you get that band-aid you promised me." It was such a me statement so I could not necessarily laugh too much.

My BFF

K and I have been friends since I was in Kindergarten. (Not to be topped by being friends with P since we could walk, but...). We celebrated K's baby boy's fourth birthday Saturday at a place similar to Chuck E. Cheese. The girls had a great time and I enjoyed hanging out with my buddy. Baby boy seemed to enjoy all of his presents and friends. He struggled with blowing out the candle but it was a priceless moment. Matt took several pictures attempting to capture the one where the candle actually went out.

After leaving the party, we visited with my grandparents at the hospital. My Papaw is still not doing well but the doctors intend to send him home this week, instead of the 25 day treatment in Bristol that he really needs. He is still on the ventilator most of the day and his home oxygen tanks do not go up as high as the hospitals so they are working on that issue. My Mamaw has had the stomach bug, as well as my uncle, Papaw, and now my husband is showing signs of it. I went through and sanitized everything yesterday so pray that the kids do not catch it. I am very appreciative and thankful for all of the prayers that everyone has been praying for my family.

Sweet Pea pulled one on me the other day. She first started with how I didn't want her when she was born. After babying her and convincing her that I prayed, wished, and prayed some more for her and all of the things that I done to take care of myself and her, she was finally convinced. Turns out, she just wanted some special attention from me. She is getting good at this manipulation thing.

On a side note, Congratulations Izzy and Elainia on your precious new baby! You all are going to be wonderful parents and I can't wait to see the first pictures of the little cutie.

More birthday parties are coming up this month and early next month so stay tuned. I have been doing a lot of shopping for all of the little ones. First, its wedding and then the babies. Before I know it, we will be celebrating their graduations.

Update on Papaw

My Papaw had been released from the hospital on Sunday and then returned on Tuesday. He is currently still in the hospital but not doing well right now. He has now been on antibiotics for about three weeks, has been throwing up, and is currently on a ventilator. At this time, it is unclear if he will be placed in another hospital for an extensive stay or if he will be released to go home, or possibly another option. Please keep my family in your prayers.

No loving

Sweet Pea insisted today that she should get to live with a friend of mine for a year. She decided that since I was opposed to that idea, she was no longer going to allow me to give her "lovin". Her comments: "Fine, if you won't let me go live with Kari, I will not let you love on me anymore. (a pause) You can only hold me and give me on lovin every half day; that's it." I explained to her that meant she would no longer be able to snuggle with me when she goes to sleep at night and she decided that she would make an exception to that rule.

prayers

I need all of the prayers in the world going up to Heaven right now. I was just informed that hospice has been offered for my Papaw and my Mamaw refused it (of course). My Papaw is really worn down and sick. I pray that when he does pass away, it is peaceful and I pray that my family will have the strength to cope with the loss, specifically my Mamaw who has been by his side for over 50 years and cared for him through better and worse, sickness and health, richer and poorer. My Papaw has been the only consistent, positive male role model in my life and it has been hard seeing him lose everything that makes him so unique. I appreciate everyone's love, support, and prayers.

Fishing Trip

Matt enjoying the ride. He isn't much of a fisherman and could only handle actually fishing for a short time. Sweet Pea caught a fish and Pumpkin Pie caught a large "minnow". I had to give her a hard time about how small her fish is.















The scenery was beautiful. The lake was a little more crowded than I enjoy but it is summertime. The lake didn't get bad until that evening, when the bass boats started coming out (and showed no regard for anyone else's safety).

We all had a wonderful time. However, I don't think that the girls will be asking to go back fishing anytime soon. It is something that they have a short attention span for.
This was also Baby L's first time on the boat and she done so well. The only part that she seemed to hate was the old, hot life jacket. We are so glad we were there for her first boat trip.

Dollywood

We took the girls to Dollywood today. They had such a good time. Sweet Pea has grown a little bit and was tall enough to ride the swings and Blazing Fury (a roller coaster- if you want to call it that) for the first time. Pumpkin Pie is the one who convinced Sweet Pea to ride the Blazing Fury, despite my attempts to inform her that she would not like it. After the first big hill, Sweet Pea sweetly makes the hurling sound and says, "I'm going to Puke." I cup my hand under her mouth, with my hand tilted slightly up to protect those in front of us and convince her that the ride is almost over and to please hold the puke in. She did manage the next two hills very well and did not puke (thank goodness). The couple in front of us where also very appreciative that she held it in. Once off the ride, she comments to her sister that she can't believe Pumpkin Pie convinced her to ride that roller coaster and she must be crazy. Sweet Pea insists that she will not ride the roller coaster again anytime soon. After riding all of the rides that they "had" to ride today, we went by Tanger and bought Pumpkin Pie's school shoes. The original plan was to play putt-putt or visit the aquarium. However, due to extreme dry heat, we did not play putt-putt and the traffic going to Gatlinburg was hideous. We opted to come home and make home made lemon ice cream instead. The girls (and Matt and I) have thoroughly enjoyed these past two days. We are looking forward to our fishing trip tomorrow as well.

BEAVER! The girls thought that it was funny to see a real beaver (thanks to Shannon and the Hoyt gang). So this picture is for you all.


I realized yesterday on how many issues I really have. I thought I would include some of them in this post and then post again just to update you on our day.

1. I held the door open for numerous people yesterday at the zoo. Out of all the people, only one group of two children and a teenager had the manners about them to say thank you. I did commend them on their manners and how appreciative I am to have at least one group to say thanks. For all of the others that I held the door open for, smiled at, or attempted to be nice to- please realize that you are not the only person in this world and if you would like to see more people showing courtesy to you, please remember to mind your own manners.

2. Because of my fear of germs, my children did not pet the sheep walking around the zoo, play in the sand, water, petting zoo, or fort area and will probably hate me for all of those things later.

3. As I sat in the plush movie theater seats (that are fabric), I could not help but fear, throughout the movie, that we were all going to come home with lice.

4. Today, as I stood in line at Dollywood, with my children, I became angered with others. Several times, someone would attempt to cut line, stating someone was holding their place or they needed to get back in line where they were. Please remember, if you get out of line, I DON'T CARE. My kids are having to wait just like everyone else and I find it very rude that you think someone can hold your place in line or that you can leave line and come right back to where you were. I do make the exception for those with disabilities or trading out parents for small children, but so does Dollywood. They have parent swap for rides, line cutting for those with significant impairments, etc...

5. I'm sure that I have many more but those are the main ones that have really pestered me. For those of you who were kind today (the family that was standing behind us to get the kids measured, the woman I spoke with while waiting on Matt and Pumpkin Pie at the roller coaster), thank you for being nice people.

Fun in the sun

I truly think that I will have to return to work just to get some much needed rest. Yesterday, we accomplished Chuck E. Cheese, Build A Bear (Sweet Pea chose a monkey and Pumpkin Pie chose a doll with purple, curly hair), then we got milkshakes. We made it to the zoo by about 1:30 and traversed the whole thing, including a couple of pictures of Beavers for someone special. Sweet Pea is a more thoughtful child. As we were looking at the turtles, she asked if we could have a turtle. I did not respond quickly, which obviously left just enough time for her to plot. Her next statement, "If we get a whole bunch of turtles and put them in the yard, dad won't have to mow ever, ever again." Dad was impressed by this logic; I was not. We simply said that we would check in to that and moved on. The girls loved the butterfly gardens but neither one could be still long enough to allow a butterfly to land on them. After completing our zoo journey, in the smothering heat, we went to the movies. We watched Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl Story. I highly recommend it but I have loved all of the American Girl movies so far. The girls really liked it as well but I am the only one that cried (I'm a sap). Sweet Pea did laugh out loud at one of the sweet moments towards the end because she said that it made her happy. This is the first time she has shown any significant emotions towards a movie. After the long day, I still managed to come home and do laundry. Matt was sweet enough to unpack some of the stuff and assist with the girls getting cleaned and ready for today's activities. Right now, we are looking at Dollywood and Shopping but we are not positive of what we will do with the rest of the day right now. Saturday, we are going fishing (if everything works as planned). I promise to post more soon and hopefully a couple of pictures to display our journey.

Busy, busy, busy!

Wow, I feel like I have done this before. We have been very busy with a week that we made no plans for. My grandfather is back in the hospital again (so please keep him in your prayers). Friday, we stayed at home and got a few things done that I had been putting off. Saturday, a friend came to visit. We went out to dinner with another set of friends. After dinner, the kids played together and then my mother-in-law came to visit (on her way back from the family vacation). Today, we completed the monthly grocery run and man, groceries are getting more expensive.
The girls are doing wonderfully. Sweet Pea's newest word is "awesome." She also likes to say, "that is the most awesomest." Pumpkin Pie has made some progress with some problems that she has been dealing with and I am so happy about that. I think that despite the upcoming adolescence, and her current sassiness, we are closer than ever. I really am looking forward to her going through puberty and growing up into a wonderful young lady. Sweet Pea is another story. I am starting to get baby fever and I really wish that she was just a little bit smaller and a little less independent.
The girls have not been in a funny mood lately. We are taking a mini-vacation at the end of this week and have lots of fun things planned (Chuck E. Cheese, Dollywood, Putt-Putt, Zoo, and much more). The girls are excited and I have to admit that I am really looking forward to it as well. Pray for some funny events this week!

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday was mine and Matt's six year anniversary. I can't believe that it has been six years since I walked down the aisle and said "I do" to the perfect man. What, no one laughed! It's not always been easy but it sure has been worth the journey and I look forward to a lifetime with Matt. He is wonderful in so many ways.

Speaking of wonderful, tomorrow is a Happy three year anniversary for two wonderful friends: Brad and Shannon! Happy Anniversary guys! I'm so glad to have a couple that I enjoy hanging out with just as much as Matt enjoys hanging out with. I hope you two have a wonderful day today and wish you many more years together.

Happy Independence Day

Wow, what a week and it is only Saturday! Thursday night, Matt's mom stayed all night and left early Friday morning to head out on the Ehresman family vacation. I am so thankful we are not going this year, despite missing the family. I don't think a 10 hour drive to go camping is my cup of tea. I'm just not an outdoor kind of girl and my girls are not either.
Friday, Brad, Shannon, and Beans came over to play in the water (we will go to the splash pad soon). The kids had a lot of fun. Sweet Pea gave up her fight early on and requested to go inside and lay down (she did proceed to fall asleep soon after). The girls watched fireworks last night from the kitchen because it was storming here. Pumpkin Pie fell asleep sitting up in the kitchen chair. I did get a couple of cute pictures of it. She was absolutely exhausted. Both girls slept until about 8:00 this morning, which is a miracle in this house.
Today, we are going out to eat to celebrate our 6 year anniversary. Big shout out to Brad and Shannon who will also be celebrating their anniversary! They are kind enough to trade out babysitting so we can have a meal without the kids (the second meal without the kids since Sweet Pea was born over 4 1/2 years ago). So this is a huge treat for us! That and I get to play with Beans later- we are going to work on learning to Moo for the Chick-Fil-A contest next week! We are also expecting a visit from my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins today and cannot wait to see them because they live over two hours away and only get to see them about once a month. Tomorrow, we will try to slow down and not do so much.
Forgot to mention that we made homemade ice cream for the first time on Wednesday with the girls. The chocolate ice cream was delicious but it came from a mix. Today, we are attempting homemade lemon ice cream from my Mamaw's recipe and I am very hopeful that it will be almost as yummy as hers. Yes, Brad we are making a gallon of it so there will be plenty for you!
I hope everyone had a great fourth of July!

Not for young eyes/ears

We were out Friday night, running an errand. While waiting for an appointment, Sweet Pea was playing with an animal puzzle. She was pretending that the animals were real and having me talk with each one. She brought over a parrot puzzle piece and pretended that he was pecking me on the shoulder. I commented, "He's pecking me." Sweet Pea replies, "Don't worry, his pecker isn't that big."

You do the math!

Matt and I were conversing with Pumpkin Pie tonight regarding a concern that she has. Pumpkin Pie commented that she trusts me more than she does her dad. Of course, her dad asks her what makes her trust me more than him. She replies, "Mom's a therapist; you work at (insert company name here). You do the math!" I attempted to hold in my laughter, but my eyes started watering. Matt did not find it amusing. I, on the other hand, could not be more proud that my daughter holds my job (which makes quite a bit less than my husband) at a higher standard than her dad's. She really is improving on the kiss butt factor.

Busy, busy, busy!

This week has been so hectic thus far... sorry for not posting more. Sweet Pea has been in a foul mood this week and I almost guarantee that if I charted it, I would be able to identify a cycle (every four weeks, she seems to go through a moody phase). Pumpkin Pie is doing wonderful right now, except for the minor things that all kids go through. We recently had a discussion about the name brand clothing and how clothing does not make a person pretty. It makes me wonder if I have encouraged her to be shallow but then I think, nahhh, she's a kid! Of course, I also couldn't take any of the blame for any "faults". I'm still working on getting the pictures ready for the kitchen and will post a picture of them when I get them done.
On a happier note, we completed our examination for our accreditation at work today. I'm so thankful to have that done. However, we will not know how we did (done, just for Shannon) for several weeks.