bloggin' 'bout the frog...

Why it is that my girls find creatures in my yard, I will never know! My dogs have found all kinds of things, but we have learned to expect that...especially from Star. But the girls? They don't even like bugs and such... But tonight Olivia ran inside and said she had caught a frog and needed a jar. If her jar didn't have a lid her "plans would be RUINED!". (sound like a Disney film?)

So, I found a plastic cup and the lid (amazing in itself) and by the time I went outside, Olivia had the 'frog' in the cup (yes, it was really a toad). He was jumping high to get out and she was squealing for us not to let it happen. She put grass inside for him and then wanted to bring it in. I said NO WAY (partly because I did not want one more 'thing' in the house, and partly because I knew he would die in that small cup). Brian and I told her it had to be released when it was bath time. She agreed.




When it was time to come inside, Brian took Olivia down the street to the creek to put it near the water. Olivia placed him in the water and he jumped right back out. Brian said it was funny.

And what was Isabella doing during all of this??? Staying away from him...she kept saying "I don't like it!"

Toothless

Well, you might have noticed in the previous post that Olivia is missing ANOTHER tooth! Yep, she now has a big hole where her top left tooth used to be. It is a pretty big hole, too! She pulled it right before rehearsal last Saturday. When Auntie found out about it, she called Olivia to ask if she would wait to give it to the Tooth Fairy so she could make her a tooth pillow. Olivia said sure.

Well, the day of the recital was pretty crazy for Emily too and it did not get finished. So, Olivia decided that night to make her own little pocket for the Tooth Fairy. She created it herself and only asked for help with the stapler when attaching the little pocket. Isn't it cute?



Come to find out, Liv is not the only toothless one in our family this week... I took Olivia back to the dentist for her teeth cleaning on Wednesday. I had talked to the dentist a few weeks ago at her exam about Isabella's tooth that has not come in yet and the big gap between her front teeth. She suggested I bring her during Liv's appointment and she would just look at her. After a quick check, the dentist seems to think that the baby tooth is not there at all! She said she'd never seen that before. The only way to know for sure is to do a panoramic x-ray, and they typically aren't done on children so small--because frankly, they can't sit still that long and they are scared of the machine clicking and buzzing around their head. Well, if the tooth is in fact NOT there at all, there is nothing we can do right now anyway. If the permanent tooth is not there behind it, we will be looking at braces to make room for some sort of fake tooth to be put in later in her life. Great. I guess we should start saving now. :)

I just hate that it is a front tooth instead of one in the back... So, as soon as she will tolerate the panoramic x-ray, we'll be doing that just to see what we are looking at in the future. Let's pray that permanent tooth is there!

We Are Family! (Recital Wrap-up)

Because Olivia is in the Company this year (the competing group), she had to be in BOTH dance recitals and finales. So, Saturday was an all day practice to prepare for the recitals. I was able to take a few pictures during the rehearsal (no cameras allowed during the recital itself. We purchased the DVD so if you want to see it, just ask!).

The first dance they did was Boogie Shoes and then the finale, We Are Family (they actually had a cute little dancing part in it--and Liv had her own little part where the others got to the side and all pointed at her 'wiggling'. She LOVED that part!) Then their group performed Walk the Dinoaur during the second recital, and the same part in the second finale. My mom came for both (well, about half-way through the second one she took Isabella home because that poor baby had HAD IT), and my sister came for the first half of the first recital.

I have to say I really did enjoy the day. I am really loving for her to be in dance. She has SUCH a stage presence. :) I can't WAIT for Nationals in 3 weeks!

Here are a few pictures from the rehearsal.


Olivia and Paige in their finale shirts


The whole finale group lined up practicing the bow...


Liv's group doing their finale dance


Olivia's 'wiggle'


...still wiggling...


Walk the Dinosaur from backstage...


Look at their jazz teacher, Ms. Jamie sitting by the curtain. She is so happy!


Their group afterwards...Olivia, Valerie, and Abbey on the back row. Caleb, Paige, and Kenny on the front.

We love you, Daddy!

This year, Father's Day is a little (well, ok, a lot) crazy for us. Olivia is in TWO dance recitals today...and had practice all afternoon yesterday. Talk about ruining a fun weekend, huh? :) (Well, it is still better than what 'I' got for Mother's Day--a sick house!)

I must say as well, that I am so blessed to have a husband that is as precious as mine! He has really had the bad end of the stick lately with me working so much! We talk often about how much time it is taking of me to get my business up and running and I absolutely hate that, but he is so understanding and that means the world to me. :) He is such a fun daddy with the girls, too. They love to rough-house with him, dance with him, go places with him... (of course, he is the fun dad that always drives with the sun roof open and his iPod blaring Hannah Montana or High School Musical!)

The girls got him a new wallet for Father's day--just what he requested. Of course it wasn't wrapped because he can never wait till the day of for a surprise. (on Mother's day, he even tried giving it to me early while he was sick! I said no.)


Isabella made him an adorable card at daycare and Liv has been working for DAYS on a card for him...we've yet to see it. But you KNOW it must be special! We went to Outback Friday night (since we knew today would be crazy)--and after all, what man doesn't want steak? LOL. Love you, honey!






Well, I'm off to get Liv's make up and costume on...

Weekend get away...

Each summer, we have a little weekend trip with my mom, sister, brother-in-law...and now, Cooper. This year's trip was to Hot Springs Village. It was a great two story condo tucked away in the wooded area of HSV. The first night (Thursday), was a 'girls' night (except Cooper, of course). We ate at a little Mexican restaurant in town (after realizing that the Fiesta Bowl was actually a BOWLING ALLEY... What a laugh WE got out of that one!). Then the next day, we took the kids swimming (because that is ALL they talked about the ENTIRE time! Even Bella kept saying 'poool!'). Here are a few shots from that little trip out...

And oh, by the way, Cooper is trying to crawl...



Liv learned how to swim without her floaties about an hour after this picture was taken. I realized she was swimming underwater with her goggles in the kiddie pool. I took her to the big one to try it out and she did it no problem. I was so proud of her! She wasn't scared at all!





I had the hardest time getting a good shot of Bella. She kept turning away when she saw my camera... So these will have to do. :)




Then that evening (Friday), the guys came into town. We ate dinner and we pretty much crashed early. I was very exhausted...(Bella had been up since 4:30. Around 6:30 or so, mom got me up so I could be with her and she would not get quiet... After a VERY LONG and STRESSFUL week, that is NOT what I needed. I told Brian I had never been so glad to see him...LOL)

Then on Saturday, we spent most of the day (off and on--depending on naps) at the pool. Right before supper, Emily and I snuck off with the Cooper to get some cute shots of him for his 9 month pictures...and some special sweet ones of him with Emily. Here are a few that we got. Isn't he just the biggest ball of YUM?







Anyway, we had a great time. We even stayed up Saturday night playing Nerts and $100,000 Pyramid. It is kind of a tradition for us to play games while we're out. Not so sure the guys love it, but they do it anyway. :)

What time is it? (summertime...)

Ok, so if you aren't familiar with HSM2 (that would be High School Musical 2 for some of you...), you wouldn't get the title of this post. :) But for my Livie...it is QUITE appropriate!

Here are a few quick shots from her Kindergarten Graduation (but we couldn't call it that...)--one before the ceremony with a few girls in her class, and one that Brian took during. My mom took some during their song with her camera so I just KNOW she'll email me some to put on here as well...(hint, hint).




Next year, Olivia will be attending LISA Academy (a public charter 'college prep' school here in Little Rock. I am VERY excited about it--and so is she!)

Isn't potty training fun?

I just love a baby hiney in big girl panties! They make her look like she's still a baby...

The end of an era

This past weekend, we moved my Mamaw out of the house she has lived in for decades and into an assisted living facility. Her new 'home' is beautiful and perfect for an elderly person...but that doesn't make it easy to leave the place that so many have called home for so many years.

I think I had been thinking about the move for a while (knowing it was coming...just not knowing when) and I had decided that I wanted to photograph some of the landmark items in the house that I never wanted to forget. So this past weekend, I got my chance.







Mamaw's 1st grade picture



I always loved this picture of us.


Then there are memories I have that there are no photographs for...like the metal roller skates I loved skating up and down the driveway in...the little dog, Snowball, that I used to play with through the fence...playing badmitton over the cable lines...laying in bed with my sister as a little girl and listening to The Night Before Christmas and realizing for the very first time that it doesn't HAVE to snow ON Christmas...playing with the Simon game and yo-yos...eating butter cookies on my fingers...Papaw's tub of bubble gum...the deep freeze that ALWAYS had ice cream in it for us...taking a glass of orange juice to my Papaw in the mornings...watching him watch Love Connection at night...knowing where the spare key was...listening to the old record player play 'does your chewing gum loose its' flavor on your bedpost overnight?'...playing with the paddlepool games...eating at the 'kids' table for Thanksgiving meals...swinging on the porch drinking iced tea...watching the June Bugs buzz around outside while eating homemade ice cream... The list could go on and on. And I'll probably add to it as I go along.

So after we had Mamaw's things moved into her new apartment, we had a big cookout and a cake for her.




It was a long weekend for everyone involved, but I am so glad my family was able to be apart of it. I know my kids didn't meet my Papaw, but I never want them to forget being there with my Mamaw... There has been a lot of history and good memories in that house. It was always full of love and laughter (not to mention GREAT food). Everyone was welcome there, always. Truly, the more the merrier with them.



So goodbye, 1135 Gilbert Drive... I always want to remember you this way.

They're BAAACCCKKK!!!

Brian and Olivia returned today from being gone a few days to Atlanta to visit his mom and brother. Isabella and I had planned on staying home from the beginning, but we couldn't have gone if we wanted to because of the aforementioned Shigella...

Although I had a wonderful weekend with my baby girl, I did miss the other half of my family (Olivia has never LEFT me like that before...she was really FAR away!) But of course, I was glad they were able to go. They had an absolutely marvelous time!

Grammy took them to Babyland General where Cabbage Patch dolls are 'born'. What a memorable experience for Olivia! (Psst...she also had taken Brian and Alan there when they were little guys, isn't that funny?) Both of my girls got original Cabbage Patch dolls--Liv picked out a blonde fairy doll for herself, and a school-girl for her sister. Grammy INSISTED on having one that was NOT in a box...how cool is that?

The next day, they went to the Georgia State Aquarium and had a blast! We all went there two summers ago after it had opened and it was MASS CHAOS! Brian said that this time was the best...no long lines or anything.

Well, Brian and I talked off and on today on their way home (they drove) and they made great time, getting home as school was getting out. I dropped by daycare and picked up Belle before going home. When we got inside, Olivia had us sit on the couch and they brought out presents from their trip one at a time. Bella LOVED her doll and her Cabbage Patch Tshirt. She then saw her Aquarium sundress and had to put it on RIGHT then. She wore the hat that Grammy got her (that matched a dress she got as well) and was ready to go outside! :)







Brian showed me his new golf shoes, driver, and golf balls... Then he brought me a box from his mom. It was a small box, so I was thinking earrings or a flash drive or something... NO, it was an iPOD! I join the rest of the world with my new technology! I almost fell out of my seat! I couldn't believe it! (Brian knew I loved the one I got him for Christmas...) THANK YOU GRAMMY! I LOVE IT!



I've been spending my evening downloading some songs...and what songs you might ask? I am such a dork! :) I have just purchased: Pocket Full of Sunshine, Dancing Queen, some Cranberries (I LOVE the Cranberries...), Toby Mac, some Ashley Tisdale, a few Christmas songs (because I LOVE Christmas music) and the Witch Doctor by Alvin and the Chimpmunks... Hey, I've got kids you know? Ha!

Anyway, I have some great pictures to share, but I can't get them off of my card tonight...and Alan is SUPPOSED to be sending me some from this weekend so check back!!

Trying out the SAHM thing...

As some of you know, I tried the SAHM (stay at home mom) thing when Olivia was little. I thought that was all I ever wanted to do...and BOY was I WRONG! Neither of us could handle it. We were both used to being on go all of the time! Well, since Shigella has entered our lives (ha), Bella and I have been spending a lot of time together. She is so playful fun to be around--unless YOU have something YOU need to do. ha!

So this morning, I thought I'd get her interested in something completely different--I got out our Nemo hide-out and some toys. She went crazy inside (and laughed when I got in there with her). I wanted to take a few pictures, but it was so dark. So I got a lamp and moved it to the hallway real fast (so, sorry for the shadows...I figure technicalities should NOT interfere with memories on a family blog!). Here's what I got...






Then I went to take pictures of the tooth fairy note in the previous post and she was literally pushing herself BETWEEN the paper and my camera saying 'me! me!'. Seriously? The child NEVER asks for a picture. So, I did get ONE. After that she was done. Wouldn't let me get another...of course. :)



And all of this is AFTER we had watched Sesame Street together, cleaned the kitchen, did laundry, painted her fingernails and toe nails with "polish", changed clothes-and it was ONLY 9:30! :) Who needs a gym when you have a 2 year old?