I am in love with the following pictures:

Another summer, another Chick-Fil-A day!

We do this every year...and I'm usually dressed in cow.  Today I took a break though.

 

After lunch we were on our way to get those goldy-locks cut OFF.  She was looking rough.  I hate scraggly hair.  Ugghh.  LeLe refused to cut it off...so on to Aunt Jo's.  Things started off ok.

 Then....

 Umm, I'm not sure she likes it....

 And most hilarious of all, this is what Aunt Jo looks like on the verge of a nervous break down.

I saw her losing her cool, one degree at a time.  LOL.

This was several weeks (ok, two MONTHS ago). 

So last week when she needed a trim, I just did it myself.

LOLOLOLOL!!

Grandparent Appreciation Dinner:
Do you see all the women at this table (specifically the OLD ones)? (haha)  Debbie, at 12 o'clock.  Then clockwise (skip Casey--he doesn't babysit, but I let him eat anyway, LOL!) Aunt Jo, DiDi, MawMaw, LeLe and Brooke.

And do you see that one right there in the purple?  That's our Honey.  (Don't worry about that crazy kid in the background.  I don't know her.)

 

Every one of these women have kept my children for me when I have needed them.  They have sacrificed, bent over backwards, stressed out, probably cried, and maybe even banged their heads on a wall, all for my kids, and ultimately, me.  One round of steak and potatoes isn't but a drop in the bucket to thank you as much as you deserve.  

I know you all are so excited Daniley is FINALLY off to school!

;-)

Let's not forget our GRANDPA's either.

GPaw, PawPaw, and Maurice:

You have sacrificed too.  Grandpa's don't get the spotlight they deserve.  Each one has sacrificed just as much as the grandma's.  GPaw is there every time we need him.  Every SINGLE time, without fail!  Maurice has contributed every Wednesday for the last 5 years.  PawPaw has assisted MawMaw by giving her little breaks, taking the kids for a ride on the gator, teaching them to plant a garden, taking them to feed chickens and collect eggs.  These are admirable grandfathers we have in our lives.  I know you do it because you love the kids just as much as the Grandmothers.

Thank you all.  You deserve more than I can give.

MCWANE SCIENCE CENTER.
MawMaw treated all three of us girls to the McWane Center a few Fridays back.  She wanted to do something special for Daniley before she started school.  Daniley LOVES the McWane Center, so that's what we picked.  MawMaw had never been either, so it was a treat for her as well.  She loves my babies absolutely to death.  Here are a few fun pictures from the day. 

Warning:  Picture overload!!
Today was Daniley's first day of Kindergarten.  It was a FABULOUS day.  I had breakfast with her in the cafeteria and then dropped her off in her room and got out promptly.  As I kissed her goodbye I could feel my eyes starting to well up but I did NOT want her to see my crying so I did my best to get myself under control.  I left the room and headed to work.

Daniley looked precious in her bookbag and lunchbox and I have never seen a cuter school kid in my whole life!!!  The glasses just make her look especially studios, which is exactly why I like to wear mine.  :-)

 

At work ALL DAY I could do not much more than think about Daniley.  I did not attempt any dangerous maneuvers and barely attempted anything requiring concentration at all.  I planned to get off early to meet her at the bus (this will be Daddy's duty starting tomorrow).  We waited and waited and waited.  The bus was 15 minutes late.  Then finally, it peeped over the hill top!!!  FINALLY.  DID I SAY FINALLY???!!!

 

And we waited, and waited, and waited.  The other girl got off, and walked all the way past me (and I was a good distance back) and still Daniley did not get off the bus.  Then FINALLY, she appeared!!  DID I SAY FINALLY???!!! FINALLY SHE JUMPED OFF THE BUS!!!

 

AND TOOK OFF RUNNING TOWARDS US!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

And after we got home I asked her what her FAVORITE part of the whole day was.

"NAPTIME."

What was your second FAVORITE PART?

"The BUS RIDE!"

And about 30 minutes later, yes it happened.  I got a call on my cell phone from Daniley's teacher.  Yes that's right, a phone call on her very first day. 

"Hi, This is Mrs. Howanitz.  We had a great day.  Daniley is so sweet and funny.  

She's hilarious.  I just love having her in my class."

Yes Mrs. Howanitz, you are blessed indeed.  Blessed indeed!

 Well the time has finally arrived.  My sweet little precious Sugar Booger is going into Kindergarten.  She and I are both excited about it.  We're ready for a new adventure.  Thursday we had orientation.  I got sad when we first went in together but it didn't take long for Daniley to have me cracking up.  Dan and I warned the teacher Tuesday at parent night that Mrs. Howanitz was going to have a little adventure on her hands.  It didn't take but just about 20 minutes for Daniley to prove me right.

 

We entered the classroom and the teacher had a little worksheet with some things on it for Daniley to do.  (Locate your birthday on the calendar, find your table color, located your bookbag storage, etc).  The last thing on the list was to let Mrs. Howanitz take your picture.  So here we are.  Everything went down with no problems.

 

And then afterwards Daniley (60+ lbs) tackles her with a hug.  She didn't fall.  Phew!

 

Daniley then goes back to her seat and wastes a few more minutes.  Then after some time I told her it was time to go.  This, this is where it all changes.  Right here.

Daniley calls Mrs. Howanitz over for one last hug and a picture.  I snap the picture (and unfortanately turn off my camera and store it on my side).  Then suddenly Daniley takes both of her hands and grabs Mrs. Howanitz's face to give her a big smoocheroo.  Mrs Howanitz, who naturally wouldn't want to be kissed in the face by 20 strange children, turns her head and leans back to avoid what she knows is coming.  Daniley tightens her grip, and repositions her face back to the center.  Mrs. Howanitz turns the other way to again avoid as eloquently as she can, but it's no use.  Daniley further tightens her grip and by this time has pulled her skin and cheeks all out of position and

 LAYS ONE ON HER,

thankfully on the cheek on not square on the lips.  

I simply told Mrs. Howanitz, "I warned you."  

LOL.

Then I giggled all the way home.

  

Thank you Sugar Booger for making my day a little easier!

I love you and I know Mrs. Howanitz is going to too!!

I just got back from one of the best weekends of recent memory!  We went to Buffalo NY, partly on business, partly on pleasure.  We saw a Great Lake, Niagara falls, and hundreds of houses built in the 1800s.  I was so relaxed it must have been the closest thing possible to drugs!!!  Dan and I had no one to entertain but ourselves.  Wow I never realized just how HUGE that is. We had SUCH a good time, and I didn't realize just how bad I needed a break.  We had not a day but a WEEKEND to ourselves.  WOW.  I'm totally refreshed!!  I absolutely LOVED this trip. I love it up north.  This side of New York, the people are actually friendly.  :-)

One of these pictures shows me contemplating a trip into Canada, stamping my passport for the first time ever.  I've never really wanted to travel abroad.  I got a lump in my throat and nearly started crying when I thought about leaving the USA.  Not sure why but I know I am blessed to live here.  So, I just stayed on my side of the border.  I'll get a stamp another day.

I LOVED Niagara Falls, and not just the falls but the entire park.  I just kept imagining myself on an innertube drifting along....then BOOM DOWN I GO!  I loved the surrounding areas too.  All the houses were old.   I picked out 100 that I liked.  I would love to renovate an old house but I don't have time right now.  

Maybe another decade.

It's been a little while and I've never been busier.  Some time ago I got this idea that I wanted to do a craft show.  I want to "repurpose" little children's outfits.  So I gather gently used clothing items, and monogram them for their new home.  I sell the clothes cheaper than new clothes, and comparable or very slightly higher than consignment prices, and the monograms are free.  I make a few bucks per outfit, parents save money, and have great clothes.  Well about a month ago I thought I should quit dreaming about this one-day-craft-show and actually DO IT.  So I have applied for one, and it's not juried so I'm hoping I'll make it in.  Announcement later.  In the meantime, I decided I'd test the waters by dabbling in online sales, so I opened a free facebook page about a month ago.  I haven't rested since.  WHOAH!  www.facebook.com/impressedclothing if you dare to look.  So this is the reason for my lack of blogging.  Well this and the rest of "life" that is happening daily.

This past week was VBS in Shelby.  We went to the closing festivities Friday night and the leader called Daniley up to the front to pray.  He said he had been touched by her prayer earlier in the week.  So I'm absolutely sweating bullets as he hands a microphone to my 4 year old who is famous for saying all kinds of random (often hilarious but true) things.  Yes, the same 4 year old who told me going in to church the other day that "My daddy has a penis."  (Please send Thank You cards to the grandparents for the new terminology.)  So anyway, she stands there for a second, but she's not shy, so I KNOW she is going to say SOMETHING.....and then it comes out:  "Lord, thank you for everything you have given us.  Please forgive us for the things we do wrong.  Help us to grow into what you have for us.  Amen."  And I couldn't have said that any better myself.  I have never been more proud.

While we were there Danslen took the stage.  She didn't even go to VBS, hates going to church, and always says "I want go home."  She is not overly adventurous unless it involves getting into something.  So I was FLOORED when she hopped up on the stage and started dancing.  She had the cutest look on her face the whole time.  I suspect the whole church was smiling at her because you just couldn't help but notice her cuteness!!! 

Happy Independence Day

This weekend was Liberty Day, our favorite summer holiday.  It's always a busy day and this year was no exception.  At the parade, Danslen walked down the street like she owned it!  She had a bubble gun and I'll admit she pointed her gun at every person possible.  I'm not sure if she has ever had a toy she loved more.  The girls had crazy fun at the fireworks.  My brother was sitting in his chair and it all-of-a-sudden collapsed.  He hit the ground.  So hilaroius! I love hanging out with my sis and bro!! They are hilarious.  They love my kids like their own.  My, how life has changed for us!!

One snap, and we all were looking.  Never before.  Never again.

Happy Independence Day!!