Prayers needed for 2 little boys!

The first is the 4 year old son of a long time online friend, Lori. Her Dalton was diagnosed with LCPD, he will likely have to use braces, crutches, bed rest, therapy or possibly even surgery none of which would be easy for any young child. Here's Dalton's blog to read all about him, his LCPD, and for updates as they get more information. http://www.dalton-lcpd.blogspot.com/

The second prayer request is for the little 8 week old MckMiracle named Stellan. I have been following MckMama's blog for a while now. Stellan had some severe heart trouble while in the womb, he was treated and was born with no signs whatsoever of any problems with his heart. Well now he has RSV and is having a very rough time with it and needs LOTS of prayers.

Not only do both of these precious boys need prayers but their mamas do as well. Please pray that both of these boys are completely healed with no lasting affects. And pray that their mamas have the strength that they need to get through these trials and come through it as stronger ladies (if that's even possible with either of these ladies).

OMG!!! Broken hearts, santa, snow and other misc. stuff

OMG! As in OH MY GOSH, what was that?!?! Today I heard a crash and turned around to find this...

Yes, that's our Christmas tree laying on the floor. I am not real sure how it happened, Elianna and Alyvia (my niece that I babysit for) were standing by the tree. Elianna was pulling the string on the one ornament to make it play music and somehow it just happened. It resulted in a broken antler

A couple broken hearts

And I thought my heart was going to be broken because Bethanie's first Christmas ornament was headlessIt's a Precious Moments baby girl that says Baby's first Christmas and has the year. My grandma got it for her. When I saw it laying there I could feel the tears coming to my eyes and I had to walk away for a minute, Elianna was already really upset, she didn't need to see me getting really upset too. THANKFULLY, it was a clean break, a little super glue and other than a couple little shiney spots from the glue, you can't even telll the difference. My tree looks awful now and it's really wobbly ( I think I may have cracked the stand when I stood it back up) but you know I am just REALLY thankful that none of the kids were hurt and there wasn't more damage to my onaments.

I tried to post yesterday but blogger would not let me to the posting page. Yesterday Elianna had her preschool class party. Santa came and she SAT ON HIS LAP and SMILED ABOUT IT!!!! This is the first time she has ever happily sat on his lap.

She was even scared to death of him as a baby...

And just so you can get a better look at that face...

LOL!!! Look at those chubby cheeks. I just noticed that she has the same dress on in both of those pictures, hand me downs are great.

On Tuesday we woke up to about 4 inches of snow. Both of the girls schools were closed so I bundled them all up (took about 20-30 minutes) headed out side, took a few pictures, the girls played a minute or 2, then one needed to use the potty. Took her in, unbundled her, she used the potty, bundled her back up (another 10 minutes) she went back out side. I fixed the baby a bottle and as soon as I went to sit down to feed her...here they came, they were done playing in the snow already! Why do I always spend more time bundling them up than they actually spend outside playing?!?! Oh well, at least they enjoyed it for a few minutes.

Oh, and would you look at this...

Yes, those are EMPTY clothes baskets, my laundry is ALL done. Well the clothes are anyway. It's been so long since I have had ALL my clothes done that I just washed a pumpkin shirt...that hadn't been worn since Halloween!!!!

What I'm gonna miss...

Time for Pam's You're Gonna Miss This Moment once again. I missed last weeks and the week before so I've missed that for sure! I've had lots of moments that I will miss but didn't write them down :( so now I can't remember them. But here is what I will miss tonight.Tonight the girls went to bed really late, as is becoming the norm for weekends, but they were still in the bed talking and giggling (that was a previous YGMT, that I will miss the giggles). So I went in there and sat with them for a while. I was telling them they need to get their room cleaned up before Christmas because Santa sure wouldn't leave many presents if he saw how messy their room is. So they were talking about how many, "maybe only 2 or 3 or maybe even just 1". Well that wasn't the way I wanted the conversation to go! So I told them that I thought 3 presents was a good number for Santa to bring since that's how many Jesus got when he was born (I am borrowing that idea from someone else but can't remember who it was that said it, Thanks if it was you). You would have thought I had said 30 gifts each, lol. Both of their eyes lit up and they both said YEA! Then Elianna started asking how many she got on her birthday, lol. I told her her birthday was different than Jesus' birthday, she said "yea, cause we don't have cake or anything", lol. I said well we could, I said I thought that was a good idea to make a cake or cupcakes and write Happy Birthday Jesus on it on Christmas morning. They LOVED that idea too. I'll really miss the excitement they show toward the little things, I really hope they never loose that though. I'll also miss, when they are grown and out of the house, getting to go sit with them in their beds just chatting. Oh, and the hugs and kisses, I got LOTS of them tonight while I sat with them in the bed, I will definetly miss those. For more You're Gonna Miss This Moment go visit Pam's blog.

I am really striving hard to not make Christmas about the gifts they get this year. We haven't went to all the "santa" things (breakfast with santa, special trip to the mall to visit him, etc) this year like we usually do and although I thought we would really miss them and feel like we were skipping a big part of Christmas, we really haven't. We are planning to go to at least 1 Christmas program at one of the churches in the area (our's doesn't have one, we really don't have enough people, it's just a small church). And we are going to be going to 2 Christmas parties that friends are having for the kids, and of course both girls will have class parties at school. So we have plenty to do without getting overwhelmed with SO much. They both know that we celebrate Christmas because of Jesus, I just want that to be a much bigger part of Christmas this year. And really, I just want this Christmas to be simpler, more about the important things. I am also trying really hard to not make Christmas about money, how much we spend on gifts for people. I always seem to stress over that part. This year we are making a good bit of our gifts. I sometimes find my mind drifting to what else could I get xxx, me making this for them just isn't enough. But you know, it really is enough. The girls have been working on gifts and they are LOVING it. They kept asking tonight, when can we sew? lol. Yes I am really letting them sew (simple things), even Elianna who is not even 4 yet, and surprisingly enough, she does quite well, they both did much better than I expected. I'll be sure to get pictures and show them of the gifts we are making. I am excited to see peoples reactions. Hopefully I can get everything I have planned finished in time.

Been meaning to...

A while back I was tagged by Jen at Against All Odds To find the forth picture in the forth folder, post it and explain it. I was all excited about this until I went to the picture files. The first I went to under My Pictures, the forth file only had 2 picture. So I went to "Sarah's" files (that's the place I use to save pictures) and the picture isn't one I took, heck it's not even of one of my girls :( But I will post it anyway.

This is a picture that was emailed to me back in 2006. This is my DH's, step dad's, daughter's daughter. SFIL (step father in law) didn't even know this daughter of his existed till about 7 years ago. One day she just contacted him and said you might be my father, they met, he and her look just alike, she met the family, she was VERY friendly and everyone liked her and welcomed her into the family...except MIL! MIL was jealous of her for some unknown reason. She would contact her behind SFIL's back and say really mean things to her and overall just treated her like crap. Finally the long lost daughter just quit calling and coming around MIL and SFIL. MIL would always try to act like the victim by saying things to me about how she doesn't understand why she ever wanted to meet SFIL if she didn't want to be a part of the family and that she didn't understand why she wouldn't come around...she didn't know that I knew the things she had said to her in private. I use to keep in touch with her and she would send me pictures of her little girl all the time but then she moved to Florida. I still get emails from her every once in a while but not often. ANYWAYS, this is her little girl Hailey, who was absolutely cute as a button with big pretty eyes and long beautiful hair, on her first day of dance class :)

Something else I have been meaning to do is post the words to this song that I posted a while back. I realized when I replayed it that you really can't hear the words too well, and they are worth hearing/reading. I just LOVE this song!! I really am going to have to buy this CD.

Here's the video of the song


Here's the words:
"A Baby Changes Everything" by Faith Hill

Teenage girl, much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything

Not a ring, on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his trust
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries, oh she cries

She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything

She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place, there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

And she cries and she cries O she cries

Shepherds all gather 'round
Up above the star shines down
A baby changes everything

Choir of Angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

My whole life is turned around
I was lost and now I'm found
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything

I'm getting frustrated!!!

UPDATE: I kinda feel bad for this post so had to update. Dr. L who I asked for help with my class schedule emailed me TODAY...on a SUNDAY, he really must have been busy last week. And the other guy, well...I realized after I wrote this post that....the email I sent him never went through. So I sent it again and am hoping to hear from him tomorrow or at least this week. I know they are both good people who are really willing to help me I was just getting frustrated because I feel like I am at a standstill with not much time left.

I just need to vent a minute! I am HOPING to start back to school in January. Classes start January 12th so just over a month. Yet I still don't know if everything is going to work out or not. Because I am over the number of hours for finacial aid (student loans is all we qualify for) I need the one guy in the education department to fix my degree audit. I have called the office several times, he always either has someone in his office or he's out at the moment. I have left messages a couple of times with the one girl who sounds young, she's probably a student. Yet he has never called me back! Finally I emailed him. Then I am really needing to go ahead and schedule my classes before the ones I need are filled up and I am left with nothing to take. So I contact my advisor, called, he was out of town so they tell me to email him. I do, he sends me a quick message saying he doesn't have time to look at it right then but he would for sure on Thursday and/or Friday. Well here it is almost 6 pm on Friday, no calls or emails from either one of them!! I am just frustrated. Both of the men I am refering to were so nice and willing to help me however they could back a couple months ago when I first contacted them. UUUGGGHHHHH!

2 posts from me in one day...can you believe it?!?! Well now I am off to START my Christmas shopping.

Traumatizing accident...or maybe not.

Yesterday on the way to school someone hit the side of Bethanie's school bus. The school called on my way to pick Elianna up and left a message telling us the accident happened and that all the kids were checked by the school nurse and everyone was fine. So I just let it go. Then a little over an hour before she got home I started to worry. Bethanie has only been in one car accident and that was back when I was pregnant with Elianna, I was stopped at a stop sign, thought the car in front of me had gone, took my foot off the break and rolled into the car in front of me, it was SO minor that she didn't even know it happened but the cops had to be called because it left a pencil sized dent in the other guys bumper and he had just gotten the car. I doubt she even remembers it. So I worried, almost called and asked her teacher how she had acted all day (thinking she may have been distracted and worried all day) but decided I wouldn't call till after she got home. She comes home, I was waiting at the door for her, here's how our conversation went:

Me: So how was your day?
B: Good
Me: anything exciting happen?
B: XXXX's birthday, we had a party!
Me: Oh, how exciting! Anything else?
B: I buyed presents (at Santa's secret shop that they had going on this week and she got them out to show me what she got for everyone)
Me: Is that all that happened? (realizing she wasn't traumatized like I was worried she was going to be)
B: YYYEEEEAAAA? (thinking hard)
Me: How about on your way to school this morning?
B: (thinking hard for a moment, then her face lights up with a HUGE smile) Somebody hit the side of the bus!!!! (like it was the most exciting thing that had happened all year)
Me: Did it scare you?
B: NO!! (in a "are you crazy mom" kinda voice)
Me: Did you feel it hit the bus?
B: No, but we heard it, it was a loud CCRRRRRRRRUUNNNNNNCCCCHHHHHHH! The police had to come and we had to be quiet while we waited for him to get there.
Me: So it didn't scare you at all?
B: NNNOOOO!


So every things fine, wasn't traumatizing like I had thought, I worried for nothing. THANK GOD it was just a very mild accident and everyone was fine but I sure hope and pray it never happens again, no matter how exciting it was for the kids.

This post is for Lori!

Lori at TAFKA requested ideas for Christmas themed craft ideas to do with her boys. WOOOHOOO right up my ally (however I am failing miserably as a babysitter because I couldn't tell you the last time we did a craft at my house :( maybe this will get me motivated)

Have you ever visited the Family Fun web site? They have a TON of crafts, recipes, fun ideas, printables...anything to make family life fun ;D

So here are a few of my favorites ~ just click the picture to go to the instructions.

My girls have never made these yet but they LOVE using a hole punch because of Polar Express (think of the tickets) so I am sure they would love these.

These don't look that cute but just using holiday color beads would be cuter. And I know for my kids (the ones I babysit, in Sunday School/Bible school, and Girl scouts) concentrating on putting beads on a pipe cleaner or sting, keeps them VERY quiet and still for quite a while :)

We have never tried these either but I think they are REALLY cute! I even saw them on some other web site where they cut out words and strung them together for a garland and it was CUTE!

These are much cute, IMO, painted red, and you can put their names and the year on them when they are finished.

I think these are cute. Have you ever heard of the Jesse Tree? These would be perfect for this.

Here are a few cards but the idea doesn't have to be used for a card, just on paper would be cute too.

Another hand print idea, which I could not find a picture of, is for a reindeer. You can use paint and actually do prints OR you can just trace on construction paper and cut it out (good cutting practice for them :) ) Do one foot print for the face and 2 hands for the antlers, then a red pom-pom for the nose and wiggly eyes.

Another thing the kids love to do is give them a big piece of green construction paper and let them cut out a tree (fold paper in half and cut on fold, you can even just draw a simple triangle for them to cut out). Give them glue and little pompoms, glitter, stickers, cereal, etc. and let them decorate their tree.

For food there are these ideas. We make these at Christmas party about every year but we use just round regular sugar cookies. You can also make them with cupcakes using chocolate icing on top with the same features as the cookie.

I think these are adorable, and quick and easy to make!

Oh and you can't forget the gingerbread houses and stuff. You can do the actual gingerbread ones.

And these trains are SOOOOO cute, especially for boys

Or here is an easier house using Graham crackers and all the goodies, including people and reigndeer, to go along with the house

Or the un-edible variety

Well I had planned to find some other ideas to share as well from somewhere other than family fun but this is getting quite long so here are some places I go to for ideas

Kaboose

Free Kids Crafts

Creative Kids At Home

DLTK

The Craft Crow Blog

Crayola (I've never had much luck with the Crayola website, maybe it's just me, but it's not real user friendly but it looks like maybe they have changed it some so maybe it's better now)

I know there are more but this should get you started at least :D

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a WONDERFUL day!!! We really, REALLY did, I have really enjoyed today.

Every year Thanksgiving is exhausting for us. All our family lives within 40 minutes of us and all expect us to come for dinner on Thanksgiving. Every year I kind of dread it, wishing there was some way to get around it but never finding a way. This year I was hoping my mom could do it on a different day. But then her DH's two kids made plans to come to town Thanksgiving evening, they wanted us all together, so we agreed. Our plans were Dinner at MIL sometime between 1 and 2. Mamaw's (my dad's mom's where my dad and other aunts, uncles, and cousins would be) at 5pm but had planned to arrive early to spend some time with them. Then off to mom's for dinner at 7. From the time all arrangments were made, I secretly dreaded it. I just don't enjoy the rushing, eating and leaving, on the road traveling from place to place all day. Then around Tuesday it came to me, Thanks to God, HOW BLESSED AM I!!! I have family living close and lots of it, they all love us enough that they WANT us to come over for dinner! We get to eat 3 wonderful meals in one day. I have a good vehicle to get us safely from one place to the other. I shouldn't dread it or get frustrated, I should just be Thankful, very, very THANKFUL. And so I decided from that point on I would be Thankful AND I would enjoy the day to it's fullest. And I did. Yes, I am exhausted (Thanks to the Pepsi I am not sleeping yet though) and STUFFED but I did not feel stressed or even rushed today, I just felt loved and very very THANKFUL for all the Lord has given us. All the food was great and the time with all the family was wonderful. The girls were one their absolute best behaviour and had lots of fun.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

Another great song!!

My mom sent me this one in an email! Thanks Mom!!

In God We Still Trust by Diamond Rio. I went to a free Diamond Rio concert MANY years ago but haven't regularly listened to Country Music for quite a while even though I still like it. Enjoy this one, it's Great!!

I LOVE this song!

No school today for either of the girls due to icey rain last night/early morning. Four kids here all day, Bethanie has been drawing and doing math problems (I think she is missing school but would never admitt to it), Elianna and Alyvia are playing nicely together (hope it continues), and the baby is sleeping. I decided to do some surfing (you know since the house is all sparkly clean, with no dirty clothes or anything, HAHAHAH) and ran across this song from Faith Hill. WOW! I have never posted a video before so hope it works. Enjoy!




WooHoo!!! Had to go to the help link but I figured it out!!!

You're going to miss this

This week I thought I would write about something I already miss. Actually I hadn't really thought about it until lately and since then I have really been missing it. It's how simple life use to be. When I got married and even when I became pregnant with Bethanie, I was a full time college student and I worked full time as a manager at a fast food resturaunt, I was always on the go doing something. Then my pregnancy took a turn for the worse. Over the summer things continued to go down hill with my pregnancy and I ended up having Bethanie by emergency c-section at 27 weeks (13 weeks early) because of Preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. She was born weighing 1 pound 12 ounces and only 12 1/2 inches long at a hospital 90+ minutes from our home. The next 3 months we lived at the Ronald McDonald house so we could be with her. Life was pretty simple at that time. We were staying in a house with 9-11 other families who were complete strangers but some became friends over time. There were only 2 tvs in the entire house, we didn't have one in our room. So we spent our days visiting Bethanie in the NICU during visiting hours, and during non visiting hours we would eat meals, sit on the lovely porch swing, take naps, make phone calls to update family (calls were limited though to 10 minutes), and I would pump. We went home a total of 2 times during her whole NICU stay. We had so many people help us out it was amazing. It was stressful though because as anyone who has went through an NICU stay knows it's a roller coaster ride with many up and downs, 1 step forward then 2 steps back the next day. When she would have good days, life was great, but on her bad days I would sit and cry. Finally after 85 days, 8 years ago this Wednesday to be exact, at 4 pounds even, we were finally able to bring her home. She came home on Oxygen through nasal canula and many medicines. We were also warned to keep her away from crowds, kids, or anyone who was or had been sick because if she were to get sick she would end up back in the hospital or even worse. It was decided then that I would HAVE to stay home with her. So at the moment we brought her home I officially became a Stay-at-home-mom, and I LOVED it!! My days were spent completely centered around her. I woke for the day when she woke up, I could nap if I was tired when she took a nap. At first it was a little stressful simply because I was completely in control of her care, and there was no nurse near by like there was in the NICU. But as time went on I grew more confident and she grew stronger, the oxygen was no longer required, and eventually she didn't even need meds anymore. Surprisingly she was VERY healthy. I spent my days holding her, singing and reading to her, and just enjoying the calmness that had become my life. After RSV season was over (mid April) I was able to take her out. We started off slowly but by summer we went anywhere and everywhere. Life was fun and simple. I so enjoyed that time with her. Then I became pregnant with Elianna, I am not real sure when exactly life quit being so easy and simple. It may have started when Elianna was born (full term 8 pounds 1 ounce by the way), I had the perfect pregnancy and family got to be there when she was born but shortly after being born her true personality started showing through, she cried ALOT, she wanted to nurse CONSTANTLY. Life was a bit harder, but I expected that, many people had warned me 2 kids is much harder then 1. But just as she started getting easier, Bethanie started Pre-k and I started babysitting for my cousin's little girl who is 2 months older than Elianna. Suddenly our go with the flow life style had come to an abrubt hult. Now we had to be on a strict schedule for the first time ever. Then my sister had her first baby and I agreed to babysit her as well. Then a friend needed a sitter for her 2 kids...I volunteered. At first it was fun, but man was I busy ALL THE TIME. Now here we are today, life is anything but simple getting 2 kids up and ready for school, having to drive one everyday both ways 15 minutes each way, plus babysitting. Then after school activities, and homework, then cooking dinner, and trying to keep the house from becoming a disaster zone. Now with just over a month left before I start back to college, and Elianna starts going full time to preschool, I often wonder how crazy it's going to be. But this weekend, other than going to church today, we had a "do nothing" weekend. That is rare for us these days but man it was nice. And it just made me remember how much I miss those SIMPLE DAYS of just being a SAHM.

For more You're Going to Miss This Moments, visit Pam at http://pramom26.blogspot.com/

I am ashamed of myself!

This evening I threw a complete temper tantrum. I was not proud of it but I was so completely beyond frustrated with the old Frog, aka my DH, and that stupid World of War Craft game. Tonight was the Christmas parade in town. My Girl Scout troop decided to take part in it so I had to be at the meeting place by 5. So I am trying to get ready. I needed to find Bethanie and I some Christmas hats to wear so I needed to get up in the attic to get into the Christmas decorations. I get the baby to sleep (my sister's baby who I babysit for) but as soon as I go to lay her down she wakes up. So I let her play, ask DH to watch her and head to the bedroom. She starts fussing, I yell into to him asking if he could please deal with her so I can finish getting our stuff together. She continues to cry. Finally I get mad and go get her. I sit down and try to get her to go to sleep again. She did but again she woke up as soon as I layed her down. This time I put her in the swing in hopes that she would go back to sleep. She started fussing when she saw me come back into the room to get something. I again ask him to deal with her so I can finish getting ready. Then she starts crying, a minute or so goes by and he's not responding to her, a few more minutes and she is still crying he's still too busy playing that game. Finally I go in there, grab her out of the swing and tell him "This is the reason I always leave here on Thursdays furious at you." In a not so nice tone. He screamed at me (I couldn't tell you the last time we actually fought, especially in front of the kids but tonight I just couldn't take it anymore.) Told me it was my fault she was fussing because I had come into the room. Why she was fussing wasn't even the point it was that he wasn't helping me at all as usual! So I take her in the room with me, get my clothes changed, get the girls all ready, then I take her back into the living room with him so I can make the hot chocolate for the GS after the parade. I told the girls to get their shoes and coats on. Elianna starts crying because she can't find her shoes, The baby is crying again because she is just tired and wanting to be held. I finally just joined in with them and started crying too because there he still sat playing that game. I get so mad I yell at Elianna (which didn't help matters because it just made me feel even worse), start throwing stuff looking for Elianna's shoes, slam the door a few times, kick something out of my way on the floor. Finally, he helped...he got one of the girls coats down on the coat rack for them....I was in shock that his behind was off the couch! I finally finish getting our stuff together and take the kids to hook them in the van. I had forgotten my coat so I go back in the house, I told him I appreciate the little that he did do to help me but wished it didn't take me throwing a temper tantrum to get him to finally do it. Then I told him I despised that game and that I completely hated it ( I do not use "hate" often, I am trying to get Elianna to think of it as a bad word because I don't like hearing it come out of her mouth so I have been very careful not to say it lately). Then I left, got in the van and cried over half the way to the parade because I was so ashamed of how I acted in front of my girls. I told them I was really sorry, we went to the parade and we had a good time. After the parade we go out to eat. We finally got home at almost 9:30 and guess what the old frog was doing???? You guessed it.....still playing that game!!

I think the old frog has a very addictive personality. He gets hooked on something and it becomes the most important thing to him. Right now that thing is his game. I know I should be thankful that it is only his game, I know there are a lot worse things in this world to be addicted to that could easily tear our family apart. But I do really hate that game. This is how things go almost EVERY night. He gets home from work around 3:30, comes in takes off his coat, gets him something to drink, takes his boots and socks off. Then he takes his pants off and spends the evening in his boxers. Then he sits down on the couch, grabs his laptop, puts on his earphones and starts playing. He does NOTHING else the rest of the evening 'cept sit on the couch and play that game until it's time for him to go to bed. He turns it off and goes to bed, seriously no more than 5 minutes between the time the game is off and he is asleep. Any time I try to talk to him I usually end up saying something to him 2 or 3 times before he finally hears me. If I really need him for something, I have to wait till he is at a stopping point. Yet he doesn't understand why I get so frustrated at him. I believe he got that game back in April, maybe May and everyday but 2 has been just like I explained above. One was because the games server was down, can you say grouch city for him that night. The other night was because he had worked 16 hours that day, he came home and went right to bed. On the rare chance that he gets a day off, he is up for less than 5 minutes before he is right back at playing it. He is missing out on SO much yet I just can't get that through to him. Sometimes I wonder just how much longer I can take it. I have considered "accidentally" falling with a huge glass of something, spilling it right on his laptop. Or taking the thing and throwing it outside while he is at work. But I know all those things will just make things even worse.

Please, if you will, say a prayer for us, for our marriage, for him that he will open his eyes and see all that he is missing, and for me that I can make it through this. If you're still here reading this, THANK YOU for letting me pour my frustrations out on you.

Everybody wants to be a doughnut...

or a hot dog...

or a fork.....

Not sure where this came from but this is what Elianna was singing on her way to school today, lol. And let me tell you it was cracking her up even more than it was me ;D

Old pictures but the best ones I could find in a hury for portraying her silly faces.

You're going to miss this....

Today as I am working hard to get the dining room/living room cleaned (making room for the Chirstmas Tree, yipee!!) the girls are suppose to be in their room cleaning it up. I really don't like making them clean their room because it always gets so messy and them cleaning it always results in them fighting and me yelling at them way to much. Today has not been much different although I have decided I am not going to yell, I have made it clear to them that if they don't get it cleaned today we will not be able to get the Christmas tree out of the attic (the entrance to the attic is in their closet), the next 3 weekends we have plans so if we don't do the tree tomorrow it won't get done for several weeks. Does it help....well of course not, lol. They get workind really hard for a few minutes after I remind them, then they go right back to playing or fighting because Elianna won't help. But as I was putting more clothes into the washer all I could hear coming from the room was laughter, both of them laughing so hard. UUGHHHH, I got frustrated, why won't they keep on task and get the darn room cleaned up, but then....I got a huge smile on my face and tear in my eye...Oh, someday I KNOW I am really, REALLY going to miss that laughter coming from their room. Now back to work for me, after all I probably am going to have a little girls bedroom to clean when I am done with the living/dining room :)

For more You're Going To Miss This Moment posts go to: http://pramom26.blogspot.com/

Veteran's Day

To all Veteran's, whether you actually served or were the spouse or parent who supported those serving this country... THANK YOU!!!

At Bethanie's school each year they have a big Veteran's Day assembly. I had never been to it till this year. This year my Girl Scout troop got to participate. They, along with all the other scouts in the school, got to help with the flags. I was so proud watching her, wearing her GS uniform for the first time, walk in right along side a boy caring a flag. All the scouts had a look of such pride to be able to help with such an important assembly. This assembly turned out to be much, MUCH more than I ever thought it would be. After the scouts brought the flags in and put them in their proper stands, every one attending stood and re-sighted the Pledge Allegiance to the Flag. Hearing all those voices, the children's echoing above the adults, in unison saying the pledge made my heart swell and brought tears to my eyes. A little later in the program, an invocation was given by a boy in 5th grade. The words he spoke to God were amazing...to be coming from a 5th grader at a PUBLIC school...it was just wonderful to hear! I went to high school with both his mom and dad, I can only imagine the immense pride they felt hearing him lead this whole gymnasium full of people in such an eloquent prayer. Then they honored the veterans that had been invited. Through out the program the 5th grade chorus performed 3-4 songs about America including the National Anthem. I was very pleasantly surprised at how great they sounded, it did not sound like a group of 10-11 year olds, they really sounded VERY good. Toward the end, they played a slide show of some of the students reading thank you notes that they had written with pictures of MANY veterans from our area, included in those pictures were my papaw "Popsie", one of my uncles, a cousin, and a cousin-in-law. My eyes feeled up with tears when I saw Popsie's picture pop on the screen, I could just picture him being there (he passed away in 2002), his eyes filled with tears, and the pride that would have been flooding his heart. I am so glad I went today, I was VERY impressed that an elementary school could put on such a great assembly honoring those who served this great country. And I was even more impressed by ALL 800+ students from grades preschool to 5th and how well behaved they were through the 90 minute program.
And Again....Thank You Veterans and those still serving!!

You're Going to Miss This....Moment

Can you believe it 2 posts from me in one night!! A few weeks ago I ran across this blog called You're Going To Miss This...Moment http://pramom26.blogspot.com/ I have really been enjoying reading her once a week Blog Carnival by the same name as her blog. It has caused me to many many times since finding it think to myself...I'm really going to miss it when.... or when something reminds me of the past to think...I reall miss.... So although I have thought up posts for weeks now that I could share on her carnival, I decided this week I WILL do it, then my internet wouldn't work last night so I am a day late but anyway.......

Two things this week have reminded me of things I am going to miss. In general I am going to miss my girls being toddlers. I don't plan to have anymore children so I will most likely never be a MOM to a toddler ever again and that makes me sad. This weeks reminders are one thing I miss the most, the things they use to say.

The other day I was looking for something in my jewlery box and found a necklace that Bethanie had gotten out of a bubble gum machine when she was about 2. It's a silver necklace that says Hottie. Now normally, I would have just threw it away, IMO no 2 year old should be considered a Hottie or even know what that word means BUT for Bethanie, it was perfect. See, at that time, Bethanie had a fasination with horses. She couldn't say horse though and her word for them was Hotties, lol. When she got that necklace and I told her what it said, she was so excited! I didn't let her wear into public but the whole family got a big kick out it. Finding that necklace brought back that memory.

This picture is of Bethanie right after her second birthday. Yes, it was her SECOND birthday, she didn't have much hair yet and was really small, she still didn't even weigh 20 pounds yet.

Bethanie was probably about 3 in this picture but I just had to share it too. When I was searching for that rocking horse picture I found this one. It reminded me of how much she LOVED that toy snake and those snow boots (notice she doesn't have a coat on and the grass is really green so it couldn't have been winter, lol). The snake she got when we went to a little farm festival. They had a booth set up selling all kinds of home made beanie baby animals. I let Bethanie pick out which ever one she wanted, they had a ton of animals in all kinds of bright colors...Bethanie picked that snake and you can't tell by the picture but it was shiney gray and black on the front side. She would even sleep with that silly snake, she LOVED it.

Now on to Elianna...the memory that came to me about things she use to say came when the lady bugs came back last week. When she was 2 (that was just last year but seems SO long ago) she use to call lady bugs...Teddy Bugs, lol. It got to the point that we ALL called them that. She had a love/hate relationship with those stinking teddy bugs. Late fall every year we get them really bad, and they like to get into our bathroom. Elianna loved to let them crawl on her and she would sit and watch them crawl around for long periods of time BUT if one would fly, she would freak out, I mean start histarically crying TEDDY BUGS GET ME. But as soon as they would land...she would be right back to loving them again. Now she seems to just ignore them.

Look at those dimples and chubby cheeks!!

Here she is feeding her baby pig, and oh yea...that's a piggy BANK, lol. I will definitely miss it if she ever quits being such a mommier. Thankfully she still feeds all her babies, only now she breast feeds them instead of sharing her sippy cups, lol.

Oh, I just miss them being little! But we have alot of fun at the ages they are now as well, I just wish they wouldn't grow up SO fast!!!!

I can't seem to get the little You're Going To Miss This Moment button to post on here, it may have to do with my mouse acting up. When I click on something it's like I click twice instead of once. Am I doing it right...I right click on the button on her blog, click copy, then come to my post, right click again and click paste. Will someone please tell me if I am doing it wrong? Thanks for doing this carnival Pam, I really enjoy it and it reminds me to enjoy the moments we are in now :)

Three months?!?!? And my personal goal for the month

Wow I can not believe it has been that long since I have posted on my blog! Things are just really busy around here. I haven't been babysitting as much (I have felt SO less stressed, it's been really nice) I have my 2 nieces, ages 2 1/2 and 9 months, everyday. Then I have one other little girl every now and then. I have only had her 1 time in the past 2 weeks but usually it's a little more than that. Bethanie and Elianna are both in school...Bethanie in second grade and doing great! Elianna in preschool and really loving it. I have to take her everyday then go back and pick her up about 2 1/2 hours later...15 minute trip each way. The baby naps both trips so then she is awake almost the whole time when we are at the house, so I get very little done. After the kids leave for the day, we get homework done, cook dinner, bathes, reading, and most of the time, the day is over! After the girls are in bed, I am usually SO tired, I do a little around the house, do some reading online, and then I hit the sack only to get back up the next day and do it all over again...but I wouldn't have it any other way. Last month we finished up soccer, both Bethanie and Elianna played for the first time, on seperate teams. That sure kept me hopping. Oh, and I forgot to mention trying to get all the "details" worked out for going back to school, making a million phone calls, filling out a bunch of paper work for finacial aid (student loans), and just trying to get things figured out. That scares me to death but I am beyond excited to get back.

Now for my real reason for posting~my personal goals for November. Since I will be quiting babysitting when I start back to school in January and we will be paying more for Elianna to go full days to preschool (most likely depending on my classes), things will be a bit tight so to help get us ready for it, I am planning to make all the Christmas gifts we give this year (other than the girls, they want bunk beds and I don't think I could make those and feel safe about them, lol). So my goal is to work on some craft project each evening, get the things I have already promised done first then get the gifts started. I am excited, I just hope all the ideas I have in my head come out as nicely as I have invisioned. Then I will try (really hard) to post pictures here of all that I got done for the week. So help me out...If next monday comes and I haven't posted ask me...help keep me accountable for my goals! Thanks! Now I am off to make another post for tonight.

I know I have to do it, but I am not feeling good about it at all!!

Elianna, (huge sigh) Elianna I really don't know what I am going to do with this child. For one thing she is very strong willed child and she is going to be the life of me....she's only 3...what am I going to do when she is a pre-teen...or worse a TEENAGER. Heck what is it going to be like when she starts school??? Will I be going to the school everyday because she won't behave?

I know a family closely that has a little girl the same age as Bethanie. When she was younger, she misbehaved ALOT. She would scream at her mom, she would do things that she knew she wasn't alowed to do, she would sneak and get into things that were not hers or that could hurt her (such as vitamins, she got into them at least twice, once eating over half of a large bottle of gummy bear vitamins). I remember being on the phone or being around them and thinking they just need to discipline her and be consistant. The mom would constantly threaten conciquences, but never follow through. If she did follow through, like making her stand in the corner, she wouldn't pay close enough attention and the girl would sneak out and the mom wouldn't notice or make her get back in the corner if she did.

Bethanie was, and still is, always very well behaved!!! Thank GOD! Then I had Elianna...from the very beginning she was LOUD and cried alot, the mom I mentioned would always tell me "she reminds me SO much of "sis". WHAT??? no way, maybe as a baby but she will NOT act like sis when she gets older. A few days ago when I talked to her on the phone, she said it again..."She reminds me so much of sis at that age". It kills me to hear that! And it reminded me of all the empty threats that I heard that mom throw out when sis was around Elianna's age. Am I guilty of that??? I know it doesn't work, kids won't take you serious if you threaten but never do whatever it is that you threaten to do. So that leads us (finally) to the point of the title of this post...

Yesterday Elianna was horrible, several times through out the day she screamed at me (which I absolutely HATE!!!!! I feel so disrespected by my own child when she does it) and I thought I have got to do something to make her realize that I am serious when I say not to scream at me. So I told her she had 3 chances, if she screamed at me or completely defied what I tell her 3 times, she would not get to go to the fair on Monday. She had been really excited about going after we saw some of the rides being set up on Saturday. Well it lasted probably less than 2 hours from when I told her about the 3 chances. So tonight, to show her I am serious, Bethanie and I along with my sister and 2 neices, are going to the fair. Elianna gets to stay home with her daddy. She already doesn't like it but I can only imagine what it's going to be like when we actually leave. And let me tell you...it is killing me, I can feel the tears coming to my eyes as I write about it. I even gave her another chance last night, her and Bethanie got upset that Elianna wasn't going to be allowed to go today, Elianna told me she would be good, she promised. I told her she had one more chance. If she was good, I would go ahead and let her....about 10 minutes later, she screamed at me because she didn't want to go to bed, I reminded her about her promise of being good, so she hit me (I hate that just as bad as the screaming). So she is NOT going! I want my girls to have fun, to have great memories of their childhood, but it's no fun to any of us when her and I are constantly battling.

So tonight Bethanie and I will be going to the fair and we WILL have fun. Hopefully Elianna will understand and her behaviour will improve at least a little, so that we can all go to the fair at least one day this week. I hope if I see anyone I know at the fair that they don't ask where Elianna is, I would hate to start crying at the fair...oh or feel like the worst mom in the world!

Hair bow options

Here are the options for types of clips to put them on

Alligator clip

French clip

hair bands (for pony/pig tails)

Or I can put them on a strtchy lace head band for babies without much hair.

And the winner is......

It's the end of the Bloggy Giveaway carnival! So I go to have ONE of the girls pick a number out of a shoe box and they both wanted to...ok, I gave in, so we have TWO winners instead!!!!!

Here's all the #'s in a box, do you see yours?

I shook the box up real good, had the girls close their eyes Elianna picked:
#47 Gina

and Bethanie picked:



#49 Karen of Sillymonkeez



Congrats to both!!! Please give me a little while to get the bows done after contacting you both. This coming week is going to be a BUSY one, I am not sure I will be able to get them done but I will get them done as soon as I can.



Thanks to all of you for commenting!! I have really enjoyed reading your comments and your blogs (for those with blogs).

Bloggy Giveaway Carnival

Since I have discovered the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival at http://www.donttrythisathome.typepad.com/bloggy_giveaways/ I have really enjoyed myself going through some (not enough hours in the day to go through all of them) of the giveaways and entering to win a bunch of great stuff but I have felt bad that I was entering but not giving so decided I would try it.



I will give away a set of corker hairbows that I will make. Similar to the ones in the picture below. I will let the winner choose between a smaller pair or one larger bow. And I will also allow the winner to have some choise (from what I have on hand) in the colors of the hairbow(s).



To win simply leave a comment and let me know what color combinations your child wears the most. Anyone can win. Make sure there is a way to contact you if you are the winner. I will have one of my girls pick a number on Friday, August 1, 2008. Good Luck!

And for many, many, MANY more great giveaways visit http://bloggygiveaways.com/

Today is...

My birthday! I am 34 today, I still feel young. So far today my sister brough me doughnuts this morning when she brought her kids, my favorite kind ;D they were YUMMMMMMY but I am sure not helpful on this road to loosing weight but oh well, you only have one birthday a year, right. I asked Elianna and Alyvia (my oldest niece) if they knew who's birthday was today. Alyvia yelled out "It MY birfay!!" followed by her jumping up and down saying it over and over again,lol. Then Elianna said "It Mommy's?" I just smiled real big at her and she said "I wanna buy mommy a dwess". I said ok then told her to ask Daddy for the money for it, lol. But she didn't like that (probably because daddy is at work and when she wants something she wants it NOW if not sooner) and said "No, mommy give me money!" In her usual demanding tone of voice.

My neices are the only kids I have today, other than my own of course. And it's a BEAUTIFUL day so we are headed to the park for a picnic lunch. I should have some pictures to share later today.

Me playing around and chores for the girls

For Mother's Day DH bought me Photo Shop Elements. I had been wanting something like it for a while but never knew which program would be easy enough, yet still do some of the "special" stuff that I was wanting it to. I haven't done a whole lot with it yet (just finally got it loaded on the computer about 2 weeks ago) but tonight I played around with it a bit. Here are some things I did.

This is the original picture

I just loved how "old fashioned" looking this water fountain looked so here are some things I did with the picture.... First turned it black and white then brought out the colors in the tiny flag and the fountain.

Then I really played around with the colors. I think I like this one best.

This one I didn't do tonight, I did it quite a while back when I had the free 30 day trial of PSE so I could see if it was for sure what I wanted. When I figured out how easy this was I was convinced. I had wanted to do this to my own photo's since Sears Portraits did this to a picture of Bethanie when she was 3. I think if I softened this picture a bit, it would make it even better. I just have to figure out how to do that now.

This one was really cool bringing the color out in it. To see it go from B&W to the bright colors of the rainbow and the girls skin and swim suits was like that one commercial on TV. This pic makes me think....Children bring color to our world :)

So the girls started doing chores tonight. I had wanted to start them at the beginning of summer but seemed like there was always something going on and the time never seemed right. So today Elianna put the clothes from the washer into the dryer. Both girls dried the dishes. And while I played with the pictures above, Bethanie washed the dishes from dinner. The funny thing about it...THEY LOVED IT...you would have thought they were given a new game to play. They even started to fight a little because they both wanted to dry the dishes :D I gave them both a towel and they went at it like it was the best game ever. WOO HOO, now if only their excitement for chores will last :) So why is it that all these years I have been doing it all????? Silly me, I could have been laying back, eating bonbons, watching my favorite tv shows instead, lol.

I'm SOOOO ticked off...

at my husband, the old frog!!! I usually don't vent about him on here but today I just have to! This week has been so busy for me and my girls. We had bible school at our church, I helped out ALOT with decorating, crafts, snacks, and I taught 2 nights. I only saw DH pretty much in passing the whole week. Then yesterday we (not him, he spent the day at home playing his game) went over 2 hours away to the Creation Museum (very, VERY cool place but PACKED on Saturdays) to wrap up the week of Bible school. Dh had gotten free tickets to a Cincinnati Reds game for Sunday (today). All week I had dreaded it, I knew I was just going to be really tired and didn't like the idea of driving over 2 hours each way again after just doing it on Saturday, also I was frustrated at him because everyday this week he had done something that he KNOWS I hate (I won't get into what IT is because that would just lead to this post being MUCH too long). BUT when I asked him a few times through the week about what day/days we were going (he got tickets for next weekend too) he kept saying he wanted to go to both. No hesitation, he acted like he was looking forward to it. So I sucked it up and actually started looking forward to it, after all it was going to be just me and him, a day with no children after a week centering around them, it would be a nice break, I was just going to over look the IT that he did all week.



We got home late last night, after midnight after a nonstop day of the museum, wet playground, walk by the lake to feed the geese, Chuckee Cheese, then the long drive home. Had to completely inconvenience my mom (who went with us yesterday) to take the girls home with her to spend the night. I was TIRED. But I set the alarm to get up early today. I SO didn't want to get up when it went off but I did. I took a shower, shaved my legs (I don't do this nearly as often as I should), got all lotioned up, and he came to the door. We ended up "spending some time together" and it was great. As he was walking out of the room I asked "so what time are we leaving?" and his response..."I don't really feel like going." WHAT???? he said it wasn't that he didn't WANT to, it was that we really didn't have the money to go. I tell him I already filled the van up with gas and I had some cash left over. He said he would rather save the gas and save the money for next weekend because he was really wanting to go to the night game. I told him I would be getting paid for babysitting before next weekend so I would have extra money. Nah, it had nothing to do with the money...he just didn't want to go, he wanted to stay home and play that stupid game of his (world of warcraft, I am REALLY growing to HATE that game). After about 2 minutes of sitting in the bedroom thinking about how I really NEEDED this day with him, I went in to find him ALREADY playing his game and told him "let's just go, we already got gas, we got a babysitter, we can eat at McDonald's or somewhere else cheap, we can do it with out spending much money at all today. Then next weekend we can spend a little more money. I just want to spend the day with you." No! So then I got ticked, he was putting that STUPID game before me again, seems to be happening more and more here lately. I go in, have a little cry, decide it's a huge waist of $45 tickets for really good seats (he got them free from work) so I go ask him if he's sure we aren't going, he just gives me a look. So I call my dad, he's out of town, call my brother-in-law, he can't find anyone to go with him, so I give up. Matt says something about do you have the directions, me still fuming say why, that ticks him off, I said so are we going to go, and he snaps "if your going to act like this all day, I guess I am going to have to." Oh no! That just ticks me off EVEN worse than I already was. So I storm out of the room.

The more I thought about it the madder I got. So finally I went in and went off on him. Told him exactly how I felt about not really wanting to go at first but then looking forward to going so we would have an "US" day. I told him how frustrated I was at him for the IT he did all week but how I was willing to just let it go so we could have fun together. I told him if it wasn't for him doing that we would have had plenty of money to go. He tries to deny it saying he didn't spend any money for it, I KNOW he was lying and told him so, he didn't deny it, he knew he was caught. I got on the computer for a little while to calm myself down, then went in and layed in bed. I fell asleep, woke up and it was 2pm! I had slept for over 4 hours. Called my mom to tell her we didn't end up going and told her I would come pick the girls up in a little bit. I felt better after waking up, didn't feel as mad. I thought we can still do something so the "us" day isn't completely lost. So I go in where he is and ask him if he wants to go get something to eat. "No, I'm not hungry" UGH, "well we don't have to go right now", "nah, I don't want to". UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! That just makes me mad all over again.

So I wait till I am not so mad and I leave to go pick up the girls. I kept thinking how, since he is such a butt, the girls and I will just go do something fun. I get to my mom's, walk in, Elianna sees me and says "uuuhhhh, I don't want to leave, mommy you leave, me stay here with mamaw". Bethanie doesn't want to leave either. Oh, I felt so loved and wanted today, NOT!!!! I seriously had to just walk out of the room and turn my head because I could feel tears coming to my eyes. Bethanie got her shoes on and went out when I said lets go, but Elianna well it was a battle, just as it usually is with her. She just kept crying and saying "I don't wanna go with you".

A couple miles down the road she fell asleep. Bethanie and I decide we want to go get something to eat and get ice cream. We get there and Elianna will not wake up. I ordered what I knew she would want then sat her down in a booth so I could carry the food. She screams. I fight with her for a few and finally am able to go get the food. Nothing made her happy, she didn't like the drink, she didn't want her hot dog on a bun, she wanted a spoon for her applesauce, etc. Finally she eats and starts acting better. Then it was time for ice cream. I give her the options for what she wants. She decides on a vanilla cone, I asked her a couple times if she was sure, told her what Bethanie and I were getting, yes, she still wanted a vanilla cone.....that is until she got it...."I don't want this, I want what Bethanie has" uugghhh.

As we were about to finish up Bethanie notices that the sky had turned really dark, she knew a storm was coming. She has recently developed a HUGE fear of storms, so she starts crying and pacing the floor. I gather up our left overs and trash so we can hurry up and get out of there before it starts raining. As soon as I was out on the road I knew I should NOT have left that building. It turned out to be a REALLY bad storm. The wind was blowing, the rain was coming down in sheets extremely hard. I was trying to listen to the radio to make sure there was no tornado warnings/watches but I guess the weather was so bad, the radio kept going to static when the weather advisories would come on. I had to pull over 4 times because it would get to raining so hard and the wind blowing that I couldn't see and didn't feel like I could control the van well enough. Bethanie in the mean time is all huddled in a little ball in her booster seat, with her head between her knees and her hands over her ears all while she is crying and rocking back and forth. I didn't let her see it but I was extremely SCARED too. There was a little pond a ways from the road in a field we passed (before the rain started coming so hard) that had WAVES, I mean it looked like the ocean the waves were so big, I had never seen anything like it. I reached back and held Bethanie's hand till the wind started blowing us so hard that I felt like I was loosing control. Finally we made it home, safe and sound. Bethanie and I cuddle on the couch to watch a movie all while DH is, 10 hours after he first started, STILL PLAYING THAT STUPID GAME!!!!! It was such a lovely day. The only good things....the snuggles with Bethanie and the Thin Mint GS cookie blizzard I got from DQ, YUMMMMY.

I just hope and pray that tomorrow is a better day.

What color should your blog be?

Your Blog Should Be Blue
Your blog is a peaceful, calming force in the blogosphere.You tend to avoid conflict - you're more likely to share than rant.From your social causes to cute pet photos, your life is a (mostly) open book.

I found this on a blog I just happened to run across, thought it was fun. Try it for yourself...
http://www.blogthings.com/whatcolorshouldyourblogorjournalbequiz/

July 4th Weekend!! What fun!

Happy Birthday America (a little late)!! Me and the girls had a very nice weekend. The night before the girls had spent the night with my mom, I stayed up REALLY late then slept in (till almost 1pm :0 ) then I met my mom and the girls at my cousin Hannah's house for a cookout and fireworks. I was a little disappointed going into the 4th because we would be missing the big show of fireworks that they put on at the river bank, but then it rained almost all day so the big show was postponed, YEA. It cleared up long enough for the cookout and most of the fireworks at Hannah's. We had a good time but I forgot to take my camera :(

See these pots? I just love them! I bought cheap ($1 I think, maybe $2) stone colored plastic pots, cut stars out of contact paper, stuck them to the pots then spray painted them red and blue. I think they turned out SO cute!!

Here are a few pictures of the girls in the yard on Saturday.

I love this picture! Elianna was refusing to look at me, I was following her around with the camera, finally told her just look over your shoulder at me PLEEEEEASE, this is the results.
Deep thought or angry??? with Elianna it's hard to tell, lol.

Then on Saturday the 5th we spent the day at home till evening. DH, the girls, and I went to Gatty's for dinner. They have a GREAT all you care to eat pizza/salad/pasta buffet, they had my favorite-Buffalo chicken pizza-YUMMY! After we ate we played for a while in their game room. Then me and the girls headed down to the river bank to get ready for the fireworks. We were really early so we just enjoyed the lovely evening, we went across the street for ice cream, and took a nice walk. Although the temp was very mild, our ice cream melted VERY quickly and we all 3 ended up with it all over us. So we walked to the nearby retirement center. Outside they have a beautiful area with a gazebo, fountain, and lots of flowers and greenery. It's just lovely! I told the girls they could wash themselves off in the fountain. I meant for just their hands to get in the water BUT....

They hopped right into it, shoes and all! Elianna stayed where she was just getting sprinkled on, Bethanie went around to the other side where the water was pouring down and got soaked! I had already decided I was going to enjoy my evening...so I just laughed :)There was also this drinking fountain there, you had to push a foot pedal to make it work, Bethanie had to hop on the pedal with both feet and jump to make it work, she's such a skinny Minni! Elianna's not, but she couldn't get it to work at all, lol.

Then we went down to the river bank. This was before the show and before the rest of the family we were meeting arrived. The girls were having a good time playing and dancing to the music from a local band. It's funny that it looks like there is hardly anyone there, there was actually a pretty big crowd.

Bethanie took this picture of Elianna and I as we waited for the show to start, I just love it!!! She did a GREAT job!

And Elianna took this picture of Bethanie and I, lol. My hand is out like that because I was signaling and telling her to RAISE IT UP.

The fireworks show wasn't anything great, rather short and not too exciting actually. After they were over we went home and went to bed.

Today we got up, went to church, went to a birthday party for my nephew, Nicholas, who turned 10 today!!! Left there and headed back to church. After services we had a little get together with sandwiches, wraps, and chips followed by a meeting to get things all finalized for VBS that will be the next week after this one. While the women were inside for the meeting the kids were outside playing in their new HUGE "sandbox" (it's actually a volley ball court :) ). We finally got home at a little after 10. We are all exhausted but wishing the long weekend didn't have to end. I'm dreading going back to the same old, same old. Hope everyone else enjoyed their long weekend as much as we did :D