Preschooler

Sammie was so excited to start preschool, but not excited to take a picture before we left.

She eventually gave me a semi-smile...

Then a silly face.

She is so anxious to be like her big sister and do all the things she is doing. I was watching Sammie's excitement after her first day of preschool and it made me want to just freeze her in that moment. We had the funniest conversation.

Me: Sammie can you stop growing up? I want you to stay 4 forever.

Sammie : Then you have to pray for it.

Me: Really? So I should pray so that you will stay four.

(Sammie keeps eating her lunch then says with her mouth full.)

Sammie: It won't work though mom.

Me: It won't?

Sammie: I prayed in our old house that I wouldn't grow up and it didn't work. We just have to grow up.

(eating again...)

So when I grow up and you're a grandma I'll send you an invitation.

(Keeps eating then grins...)

You can come over and see my kids.

2nd Grader

The first day of school=excited nervous butterfly stomach
Olivia had a good first day of school at her new school. It's always hard to be new. You have to make new friends. The school is bigger and there are new rules, except for "Be Kind. That one is always the same. She was very cute when she got home. She told me all about her day and that she is nervous about making friends. She was really missing her friends and teacher from last year. I tried to tell her that it would be ok, but I know how hard it is to change. Today when she got home she gave me a sly smile and told me that she already made two new friends. I'm very proud of Olivia. We've had so much change in just these few months and a mommy who is not 100%. It's all a bit unsettling and Olivia has been doing such a great job. She's so sweet and I miss her when she's at school.

15 months

15 months:

It's all about

shoes

phones

purses

babies

and sunglasses

Little Kicker

It's funny how you just know things about your kids when they are really small. Sammie is such an active little girl and always has been. She loves to move. We signed her up for soccer this year and she seems to be in her element there. The first week she looked adorable in her pigtails with a huge smile on her face, and was so excited to go and do something just for her. She was beaming before she and Joey left. Her uniform is 2 sizes too big and her little legs make it hard for her to run fast, but she she just keeps going. I love watching her play because I can tell she really likes to do it.

The Boat

At my parents we went out on the boat. The girls have never been on a ski boat and I thought it would be a fun memory for the summer since we haven't really done a whole lot this summer. So then they could at least say, "I went on a boat." It was a beautiful morning and my memories of being out on the lake came back to me. The smell of the boat, the feel of the wind. I have so many memories of going out in the same boat and going skiing and wakeboarding early in the morning. I just love the feeling of being out on the lake. Sammie is still pretty scared of the water, so I was surprised when she wanted to ride on the raft thingy. Olivia was a little nervous about it too. You don't have to get in the water or even get wet at all to ride it. Besides, how can you be nervous with daddy right next to you? At one point one of them was giving a thumbs up for faster while the other was giving a thumbs down for slower. Sometimes they would smile and then look scared, but I think they had fun.

I asked Sammie if she had fun. "Well, it wasn't super fun. It would be super fun if you just went slow."...which we did do.

Abby had an adventure in her own raft.

I'll miss seeing my family. It was fun hangin' out.

I love...

I love how Olivia will snuggle in bed with me before bedtime and let me read to her for hours if my voice could take it.I love how Sammie will put her soccer shoes on and run all over the backyard and tell me what team I'm on and what position I am playing and then she will talk through each scenario.I love how Abby runs to me, holds out both of her arms, her fingers outstretched with a smile on her face ready to give me a hug.

I love my rays of sunshine :)

Where is the Summer going?

I am just realizing that it is August. This has been one busy summer. Sammie already started soccer and Olivia starts this week. That's another post. With moving and visiting family and having family come here, it's been flying by. I can't believe that school starts in just 2 weeks and hopefully life will get back to normal. Last week my mom was here and we sewed curtains for my kitchen. I love doing projects with my mom. I have to run all my ideas by her first for a second opinion. I wanted to make these cute cafe curtains like the ones in the Pottery Barn catalog.

CLOSED

OPEN

PS. Mine only cost $30 thanks to F & M Fabrics.

Now I need to change that light fixture...and paint.

While my mom and I were sewing up a storm, my nephew, Davonte, was visiting too. He's such a fun kid and my girls adored him. He was so good with them. They loved watching him skateboard and now they say "man" alot.

"Hey, man!"

"What are you doin' man?"

"That's cool, man."

It was nice having some more manhood around here.

Olivia went river rafting with Joey and Davonte. I was so surprised that she went through with it because she was terrified. By the end of the trip Joey said she was laughing and smiling. She was a sobbing mess at the beginning though. I'm so glad she toughed it out and realized that something scary for her wasn't so bad in the end. She's a brave girl and I'm proud of her

Abby looks huge in this picture. What happened to my baby?

.