Winter Snow

I have a new favorite Christmas song. The words are incredible. Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgU2YC0pnbI

The Christmas Card That Never Was

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm one of those mothers. I take zillions of pictures of my children around Christmastime, just so I can get that one shot that showcases my beautiful, perfect, pristine little girls. Because as you know, the purpose of a Christmas card is to show off the beauty and perfection of your children.....right? NO? Okay, well, perhaps I strive a little too hard for perfection. However, my children are NOT perfection. I had 5 different photo shoots with the girls this season. Some of them were planned, some of them were captured in a special moment. But try as I may, I cannot get the perfect picture! The girls either make crazy faces, M starts to cry, O and E start to fight, and inevitably, one of them walks off. In the meantime, Drew and I are doing every little song and dance that we know just to get them to give the slightest grin. Not happening. This year, we are sending out an "ok" picture. Though they don't look angelic in it or anything, in artistic black and white, or in beautifully smocked dresses, they at least are captured in a truly natural moment. So I'm pleased. So when you get your card, YOU be the judge. Perfect? Not at all. Perfect in their imperfect expressions of laughter and goofiness? Absolutely!
Alas....shortly after ordering my cards from Shutterfly, I snapped this impromptu picture the other day before church. And here it is, the perfect picture of my perfect little angels. Ain't that just the way it goes?

Gingerbread Creations

Last weekend, we spent some great family time together participating in some activities provided for us by our city. After the Tupelo Christmas parade, we headed over to make gingerbread houses. After we finished our creations, we got to make banana octopuses. As you can see, M was concentrating very hard, and I must say, did a fantastic job!

My little Panda Prize winner

It's talked about from week one in school. Panda Prize. The illustrious, exclusive award that rewards those students who excel, endure, and inhabit qualities like good attitudes, hard-working, and mannerly. And my E received it for October. Oh, the joy! Oh, the look of sheer rapture on her face, knowing she achieved her goal! Oh, the look of........

Boredom.....

Ho-hum.....

Yawn........

There it is! Happiness!

Congrats, E, for getting Panda Prize this month. As you told me on the day you received it-You are Positive, Impaired, and Polite.
Uh....I think you meant Positive, Prepared, and Polite.

Happy Halloween!! 2009

Well, Halloween was fun, but exhausting, as always, since my girls like to change their costumes mid-week. And the activities for Halloween crammed all in one week will take a wear on your costumes, I'll admit. So, you'll see below, A Dora Princess, A Geisha girl, Nancy Drew, Alice in Wonderland, Supergirl, and my most consistent child in the house, Nancy Drew (again). Thursday night we went trick-or-treating downtown, and ended the night with E throwing up in some bushes. I got a little worried, but she bounced back after a couple of days, and was hot to trot down Morning Glory to get her candy loot on Saturday. We ended the night with a hayride with friends. I'll have to update later to see the cavity damage that has been done to our youngest. M loves candy even more than I do!

M's first day of preschool, 2009

Here she is, my silly, party girl M, on her first day of preschool. She loves her teachers Toni and Debbie and is such a social butterfly at school. I get the privilege of being her teacher for music, and she really does great in my class.

E's Grandparent's day

Our local elementary school does a great job of honoring grandparents. A few weeks ago E was so pumped to have her Mimi and Nana at her school! Mimi and Nana loved seeing E's bright, fun school! They said it's a far cry from what their schools looked like! I'd agree the same thing about mine!

Hmmmm.....this is supposed to be E....didn't know she had her ears pierced!

How hilarious is this? And how typical is this view of a grandparent! They get to spoil them, I have to discipline them. Makes me excited about being a grandmom one day.

Happy Birthday Sis!

My sister Nancy turned the big 4-0 this year! (shhhh, don't tell!) The grandparents kept the kids and we went with several other couples to a posh hotel and celebrated the big event. I feel so blessed that not only is she my sister, she's my best friend. And I'll guarantee you I wouldn't have dreamed that to be true about 25 years ago when she aggravated me to death and called me "Jaggaba," and "Skeeter." Ohhh, how she tortured me. I love you sis!

Early Fall pics, 2009

I had to post these pictures, knowing they wouldn't be of interest to anyone else, but I wanted record of the fact that I had a successful landscaping experience this year. Last summer, I planted some begonias, impatients, etc, etc. They all got covered up with weeds an looked terribly puny in my flower bed. This year, I got some help at a local gardening store here, and planted what they recommended to me. I have no idea what these flowers and plants are called, but it ended up so darn pretty! This is late in the summer, so the purple flowers weren't as vibrant as they had been earlier, but you still get the idea!

And these last two pictures are just some favorites of early Autumn. We went to Nashville for the Ole Miss Vandy game and stayed with our Uncle James and Aunt Nina. We had a fabulous time, especially with their sweet dog!

Go Rebs!!!

More Birthday Pics

Had to share just a couple more pics from the birthday weekend. How cool is this cake? Cakes by Rita, for all you Tupelo folks.

I stole this idea from my awesomely creative friend Traci. We sent E on a hunt for her birthday gifts by guiding her through the house with yarn. It went very well!

Here she is opening one of her gifts. O was lovin' it and can't wait to experience the birthday yarn next year!

And....yet another child wanting margaritas on her birthday. I kid, I kid! Just another breakfast ice cream float! E prefers strawberries on her pancakes, though!

E the singer/songwriter

Happy 6th Birthday E! (exactly 1 month and 2 days late!)

Well, hello my 1 or 2 blog readers that may be possibly left. I won't spend much of this blog harping on this, but let's just say, life is good, life is busy, and life is moving along at a rapid pace. So sorry for my absence!
Here's my little 6 year old on her birthday! We went to A Cook's Place and made homemade pizzas and lemonade. Yummmm!! It was so much fun! My camera ran out of juice, so I got almost no pictures of the day. Excuse the low quality of these. I love my flour-coated girl, though. E loves to cook, and I even love to have her in my kitchen, mess and all! Happy Birthday, E!!!

Back to School 2009. A 3rd grader and a Kindergartener!

Sigh. Double Sigh. I can't even look at these pictures without getting teary. I've got 2 big school girls now, and I just don't know how to take it. O started 3rd grade at a new school, and E started Kindergarten at a new school. The morning of, we started off super-motivated. As you can tell, E was especially "jacked-up" (as Drew and O would say). She bounced all the way to school, and never looked back. I, on the other hand, couldn't keep my eyes from welling with tears the whole morning. E, I am so proud and excited for you girlie.

Now, O was also excited, but seemed a little anxious at the same time. She started a new school where noone from her other school transferred. Luckily, we have one friend we knew previously in her class. However, at dropoff, O did not do as well. Let's just say after the realization she was truly somewhere new, she just had to cry it out a little before she was ready to go in class. I'm pleased to say that she's doing well now, after 3 days of school. By the way, this isn't my choice of a first day outfit ( I know that sounds snooty-sorry!) but they had field day out side the first day and they had to wear play-clothes. I'm pretty sure she's not going to put any bows in her hair this year, though!

E and her new teacher, Mrs. Kingsley. We love you Mrs. Kingsley!

O and her new teacher, Mrs. Glover. We love you Mrs. Glover!

Ashley's wedding day, part 2

Ahhhhhh....it's over! Here we are relaxing at our table at the reception. Catching up with our Brookwood friends kept us from our food for quite awhile, but when we finally got to dig in....yummy, heavenly, scrumptious WEDDING FOOD! Am I weird? I really look forward to weddings because of the food! Shhh...don't tell the bride!

Dancing with Daddy. And who knew M was such a dancer? I have video, but it's too dark. I must post some soon, though, she's quite the mover and shaker!

Beautiful bride Ashley sweatin' in her wedding dress on the dance floor with the kiddos! What a fabulous night!