Diagnosis

After years of countless Doctors and specialist, they've finally figured out whats wrong with me...

Falling Back Into Fall

Look at me, I'm all the way into October.  I just might make it through last years haps before this year is half over.

My glittery pumpkin was cute huh?  But we'll talk about that later.

Brooke with her new "Best BFF" friend, Kaelyn at their school's Fall Festival.

The girls both got their faces painted.

Ava riding Parker's bike down the neighbors driveway.  That girl flies.  I love that face.

These next two pictures have nothing to do with anything but they were in the same folder and I kinda sorta like them.

The cutest little Puppy ever.

And this one well, I just like the color contrast.

Halloween came and went before I knew it.

But I did find time to squeeze in some craft time.  I made that orange wreath.  Not to shabby huh? 

I did NOT make that black bow.  That bow came off of a flower girl dress Brooke wore a few years ago.  I'm all about re-purposing.

Then there was the glitter pumpkin.  The kids had a blast doing this.

 I love the way the stem turned out.

Sometimes I go a little nuts when it comes to Fall decorations.

Just a little...

Currently

Recently I read a friends blog and she had this idea that I just love.  Things have been busy and as you can tell I haven't been the best at keeping up with things round these parts.  I am going to try to make it a point to at least once a week jump on here and give a quick update.  So you might be seeing a lot more "currently"s around here.

This is one of the things that have been keeping me busy.  The remodel of our Church's children's wing is moving right along.  It's exciting to see it all coming together.

Here's a little story about painting those mats this week that I know I'll want to look back on and laugh about one day.  So earlier this week I was up there priming the mats to be painted and at one point I look up and Parker had walked across the mat to hand me his empty juice box...  Seriously Son?  So yeah we threw away his socks and rolled up his newly reined pants.

A little while later, in a different room, Ava ran into show Parker (He was sitting in a crib playing with his Leap Pad while I was working in there so he would stay out of trouble) something and she honestly forgot about the wet mat.  She took a few steps and started sliding on the wet paint.  Then she fell... then she rolled over to get up... then she quick jumped off the mat and took a couple steps on the nice brand new wood floor...

Ofta!

After the whole paint debacle we went home and got cleaned up so we could head to Brooke's Open House for school.

It was fun.  She got to be our tour guide and she took that very seriously.  

Parker had Firemen come visit his school this week.  He was very excited about it and they even got to make fun Fireman hats.  When I asked him about the Fireman he told me "Yeah.  That's a cool guy Mama!"  

Here's another story I may or may not want to remember one day.

Parker goes to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Well this Tuesday while he was at school I was busy at the church.  But it was nice because there's a sweet girl who was at the church who is homeschooling and Ava just loves her.  She tells me all the time "Mom, when I'm big can I have braces like Olivia too?"  Anyways, so Ava was busy playing with Olivia most of the day and it was nice because I didn't have to worry about if she was walking across wet paint or something like that.  Before I knew it I looked up at the clock and it was 1:30.  I remember thinking "Gee, I better get Ava home for a nap before we have to pick up Brooke and head to soccer..."  

I wrapped up some last minute things and headed out.  When I got in the car I remembered that my friend's daughter had just had her first day at a new preschool and I wanted to see how it went.  I called her and the conversation went something like this:

"Hey girl.  How was Olivia's first day at school... Oh wait, it's 2:10.  You are probably picking her up right now since that's the same time Parker's school gets out..."

That's about the time that I looked in my rear view mirror and realized Parker IS at school!  And he should have been picked up 10 minutes ago!

"Parker's at school!  There goes my Mother of the Year Award!  I'll call you back."

I promptly called Parker's school to let them know that I was on my way but I was still about 10 minutes away.  They were very sweet about it.  In fact I guess a few other parents were late as well.  They asked if I was stuck in the "train traffic."  I guess there was a train stuck and blocking the road across town.  I thought about saying "Um yeah, sure... that's what happened."  But I couldn't lie.  I just said "Nope, I'm just a bad Mom and forgot about my kid."  

When I got there Parker was having the time of his life.  He was playing on the indoor playground happy as a clam.  He had no idea what was going on.

So yeah from now on can someone call me at about 1:30 every Tuesday and Thursday please?  Kinda like "It's 1:30.  Do you know where your children are?" kinda thing.

Yesterday Ava finally got to play soccer too!  Every Friday there is a soccer clinic that the girls can both participate in.  Ava was all about it.

There's the backpack picture for you Grandma Cindy.

She even got her uniform last night!  She was so excited that she asked to put it on right away even though they weren't required to wear them until April.  

I had to leave early because I had a nail party to attend with some friends.  (Shameless plug: Go check out my friends awesome new business, Haute Nails.  She started her own line of press on nail polish.  It's fun!)  Before I left I got to see Ava start her practice and it was so cute.  They are all so little and trying their hardest to control the ball as they dribble it around.  

Apparently after I left is when Ava really shined though.  Brian said she is really pretty good.  He said at one point she took on a boy twice her size.  Somehow during the showdown the boy tripped and fell down and started bawling.  

Oh Ava.

  Ava, Ava, Ava.  

My sweet little Avers.  I expected nothing less from you.  You are your Mother's daughter.

So there you have it.  That's our week in a snapshot.  

Brooke's First Soccer Game

Saturday Brooke had her very first Soccer game.  She was excited and nervous all at the same time.  As we were walking in she asked with a lump in her throat and misty eyes, "Mom, are we playing against those big girls?"  Poor thing, she saw the older girls playing and she thought they were going to play against them.

Coach Sophia and Coach Chris giving the girls a quick review before the game.  

One last practice kick.

And they're off!

Look at that smile.  She was so happy.  

The final score ended up being 6-7 in favor of the other team but we didn't care.  None of us parent's knew the real score until the very end when the ref told us.  Partly because we were just having so much fun watching the girls out there and partly because they scored 4 goals on THEMSELVES.  We didn't care, we just cheered anyway.    

Brian said after the game, "You know, if our goals on ourselves would have counted we could have won 10-7.  So if you really think about it, they kicked butt."  Haha

Oh and as a little side note, who knew I was such a Soccer Mom?  We don't live far from the fields where they play and we can hear the parents cheering from our yard.  I used to think geeze people, it's just a game.  I guess it's contagious though because something happened to me when I stepped on that field in my homemade "Soccer Mom" shirt.  Something took over.  I was surprised I still had a voice left on Sunday... Just sayin'.  

September 13, 2011 Parker's 2nd Birthday

I am soooo far behind.  Still trying to play catch up from last Summer.  So let's go back and pretend it's Parker's 2nd Birthday again...  Shall we?

We started out the day at our favorite splash park with some friends.  He loves that place.  And since it was his special day he got his very own slushy.  He was really confused about that.  He kept looking at me like "Really?  This is all for me?"

For dinner he said he wanted tacos. 

This picture cracks me up.  This is the best one out of like 4,000.  You can't win them all.  

And look at that poor boys face.  I think he is allergic to the sunscreen.  He started breaking out like that every time we used it on his face.

Saying the prayer before dinner.  This is his new favorite thing.  It usually sounds something like "Tank you Mommy and um Dayee (Daddy) and ummmmm Book (Brooke) and ummm A-Ba (Ava) and ummmm Chesser (Chester) and ummmm Amen!"

Present time!

He's all about Lego's lately.  He takes after his Daddy.  

Speaking of Daddy, here he is helping the Birthday Boy with the candles.

After bath time someone noticed that there was a box out on the front porch.  It was from Uncle Chris and Auntie Jen and it was presents for the Birthday Boy.  He loved them all!  

Especially the bubble wrap.

ESPECIALLY the bubble wrap....

September 11, 2011 With A Flash Back To 9-11-01

Two days after that horrible day in 2001 I walked into the bank in my hometown to deposit a check.  The teller behind the counter had this picture hanging next to her computer.  I commented how much I loved it.  She went straight over to the copier and made me a copy and handed it to me.  

I glued it on the cover page of my Bible that very day and it has been there ever since.  

During that time there was a Police Chaplin that went to the Church I was attending.  Very soon after the attacks he went to New York to help in any way he could.  When he came back he told us all about it and asked us to pray for the people and the families he met.  He showed pictures and listed names.  With tears flowing I wrote the names all around the edges of the picture while he spoke about all he had seen and who all he had met. 

 

It's been awhile since that day. Most days I just open up my Bible and skim right past this cover page.  But every once in awhile I open it right up to that page and pray for those people and families all over again.  

"Where where you when the World stopped turning that September day?"

Soccer & Swim

 A few weeks ago Brooke started soccer.  She loves it.

 She has a few friends from school on her team so that's an extra bonus.

Go Fireflies!  

It's been fun watching them practice.  I wish I would have recorded the first practice.  It was priceless.  Every where the ball went, the whole team went.  At one point all the parents had to stand around the out of bounds lines and try to stop the heard from barging after the ball every time the ball went off the  field.  It was pure comedy.  

 And Ava started Swim Lessons.

She's a natural.  She is definitely a water baby and has no fear.  

She's such a cutie.  

Oh and this one is for Grandma Cindy.  Thanks for the backpacks!  We'll post a picture of Ava's when she starts Soccer next month.