Just My Thoughts

I generally use Facebook and Blogger to share the funny stuff of life. This one is a little out of my comfort zone. I'm not going to debate with anyone, but just wanted to share my convictions.

**This is not a political post**

Several years ago, I felt a really strong conviction to pray for our leaders. It didn't matter if I had voted for these particular people or not...I was to pray for them in their capacity as a leader. I prayed for everything from leadership at home, school, and church to state and federal leaders. I'm sure it wasn't a coincidence that at about that same time, a Bible study I was listening to had much to say about our willingness to be obedient and respectful of our leaders. God is, after all, completely in control...even of the leaders you and I may or may not have voted for.

In this history-making time, I have felt a need to revisit those feelings and important parts of that study. Sometimes, we don't see the abundance of work that has gone on behind the scenes. Sometimes, the leaders make suggestions that mess with our plans. How dare they ask us to stay away from others over Spring Break? How dare our leaders tell us not to be in crowds? How dare they suggest that play dates are not a good idea? How dare they act as if God can't take care of this virus?

It's taken me a lot of years to see that God is in complete control of EVERYTHING, and he uses many methods to show that control. We don't get to choose how we are healed in any situation. Sometimes, we wear glasses to heal our eyes...glasses God makes available to us. Sometimes, we take life-saving medicine for diabetes or high blood pressure or cancer or...goodness, what a list this could be...medicine God makes available to us. And, sometimes, our healing takes place on the other side of this life. But here on earth, the "doctor-oriented" healing is STILL given to us by God. He uses the doctors and expects us to follow instructions.

Over the last few days, I've read about an amazing movement. Christians are anointing their doors and tying red ribbons on the doorknob.I absolutely love it. It's a reference to the tenth plague in Egypt when Moses was sent to lead the Israelites out after four hundred years in captivity. Those who had the blood of the lamb over the door would be passed over by the death angel.

So...and I know you are ready for me to get to my point...this morning, this thought came to me: What if the Israelites had said, "God knows where I live. It'll be fine." Or "I already had plans made for tonight. We will be ok. We're right in the middle of all the other Israelites. He can't miss us." Or "Really?? Right now? I JUST sacrificed a lamb last week. And now I'm to do it again?" Or "God is bigger than the Egyptians. I'm sure he knows where my house is. I'm not worried."

I'm convinced a major point of God's decree at that time was OBEDIENCE. God told his leader, Moses, what to tell his people, and Moses obeyed. God expected complete obedience from his people and they obeyed. We all know the great miracle that came about because of their obedience!

I'm not a medical professional. I'm not a scientist or researcher who has been working behind the scenes. But I am a Christian who knows the importance of faith and obedience. If we will only listen and obey, we will have our own Big Miracle Story to tell...the pandemic that we stopped in its tracks in 2020.

Or, we can keep ignoring the danger and disregard our leaders. Let's not talk about where that is likely to lead us

Looking Back ...And Lessons Learned

Well, it’s the last day of 2018. I had big plans to blog more often this past year. Oh, well :)

I know that the end of the year is a time for most people to make New Year’s resolutions. I try to be careful of those because I tend to overestimate my abilities and then I get frustrated and feel like a failure. Instead, I like to look back over the year ending and see what I’ve learned, what worked, what I need to do better, and what I need to add. Let’s face it, the old me has handled some pretty tough stuff over the years, so I have to celebrate the person God made me a little bit. And we all know there are areas to improve, so I’ll look at those, too.

Maybe everything I want to remember and do can be summed up in this list (yes, Mama, I even make a list about these things).
1. Self-care is never selfish. Taking care of myself makes me more able to take care of others.
2. It’s never a bad idea to evaluate and re-evaluate how I’m doing a job. Making changes is hard, but often so rewarding.
3. Drama is draining...for everyone. If you want less drama in your life, be sure not to be the instigator if it. If you’re not the instigator, walk away. No drama.
4. What we say is not nearly as important as how we say it. Ever.
5. No amount of money is ever so small that it is not worth saving. Trust me on this one.
6. A good night’s sleep (whatever that means for you) works wonders. You can never “catch up” on sleep lost.
7. As you listen to a person talking about someone else, one thought should be at the front of your mind: This person talks about me, too, when I’m not here.
8. There aren’t enough encouragers in the world. Try being one. You’ll enrich so many lives that way.
9. Some things are worth the money and just cannot be considered a waste. Crock pot liners would be an example.
10. Never underestimate the value of extra toilet paper in the bathroom. Just because you know where you keep the extra doesn’t mean others do.
11. Value those who will be with you the most. Don’t talk more kindly to or treat strangers better than you do your own family members.
12. Discipline is important. Discipline yourself. Discipline your children. Be receptive of discipline yourself. It’s the best way to see and experience growth.
13.  Set a few goals and work to achieve them. The feeling of accomplishment is amazing.
14. Organization brings peace. This one is hard for me, but I’m working on it constantly.
15. Declutter. I think this goes along with organization. Decluttering calms and brings peace to a messy world...my messy world.
16. Meal planning is worth it’s weight in GOLD. It helps with grocery shopping and with having good meals done at normal meals times.
17. Every day, multiple times a day, pay attention to the ways God is working in your life and in those around you.
18. I want my prayers to be more prayers of thanksgiving and less of “I want/need.”
19. Gossip is a terrible and powerful weapon. Don’t use it. Its effects can never be undone.
20. Remember that it’s never too late to make something better. We don’t have to wait for a certain day, month, or year to start over. Mistakes happen only when we don’t learn from them and grow from them.

Mother's Day 2017

Happy, happy news!!! I FINALLY figured out my blogger password!! Yay!! It was an older account and I thought it was gone forever! Oh, my goodness! I'm sooooo excited!! ( I know I have to update my picture, but I had to have one that had all of the babies in it!)

Now, on to the important stuff...

First, for Mama:

How awesome is it that we have a special day to celebrate our mothers?? Isn't that just perfect? I think so. Sometimes days go by...sadly, even weeks...that we don't have a chance to really sit and talk. Life has us just passing by, calling to get a question answered, setting up babysitting help, but not really taking time to say all the important things. A day like Mother's Day (and Father's Day later on) gives all of us the opportunity to celebrate the mothers in our life.

This morning I was looking through some images, and I found one that was just perfect for my feelings about Mama. Many times I've said that I want to grow up to be like Mama and Daddy. Look!!! I have hope!! I mean...it's in the Bible, so...it's happening, y'all.

I truly do want to wish Mama a happy Mother's Day. I remember once when she was taking care of Zack and she got a pan of water to wash his little feet before they went back in. Zack said, "Oh, Nannie, you look just like Jesus." What a precious thing to say, but it's oh so true. Mama has the kindest, gentlest, most sacrificial spirit. I go to her for advice, for support, to see how she would handle things, to tell my funnies, to ask for prayer, for babysitting help...for everything. For all you do and all you are, Mama, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Next, my other mama...

Robbie's mother, my mother-in-love, has taken me on as her own daughter and loved me unconditionally. We had an awesome day yesterday. We, just the two of us (first time in 37 years) spent a whole day shopping for her. She told me early on that I had one job: find stuff and bring it to her to try on. Her job was to try on and pick what she liked. Ha! That system worked perfectly! If I had a fitbit, I think it might would have exploded yesterday. The highlight of the day was when she decided she really should have gotten a shirt she put back. I ran back in the store to pick it up from the "I am not getting this so you can put it back" rack...and IT WASN'T THERE!! Nooo!! So I started frantically searching for the table where I had seen in...and then I saw a lady carrying it around. I ran her down...she was quick...and noticed her name tag. Thank the Lord she was an employee, but I was not above asking a random person if I could have it back. Got the shirt, checked it out, and back to the truck I went. Win!!  

She also helps with the babies if our schedules mean that we need a little backup with babysitting. Our grands truly are the joy of her life, and they are all so lucky to have her!

Finally...my girls

I am not sure that words can truly express how proud I am of my girls and the mothers they are. All of them are hard working, dedicated mothers who absolutely put their children first in every way. They bless us with allowing us to spend time with the children, and they bless us by being the strong mothers they are. All of them have been through tough times and good times and hard times and hilarious times...and all of them continue to amaze us with their resilience and God-given talent for raising their children. 

Lauren is the daughter God blessed us with at birth, and Vicki and Kandace are the daughers God blessed us with through our sons. We love each one of you, and we love you BIG. We pray for each of you daily in all ways and in everything you do, especially in the raising of your sweet babies. Carsyn and Clay, Grace and Asher, and Dylan, Daniel, and Kaylee are precious and growing so fast, and we are so proud to have you three sweet mamas leading them as they grow. Happy Mother's Day to my sweet girls!

And in the end, all that I've said about all these amazing women can be summed up in 24 words...

My Month of Thankfulness

Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? As much as I love blogging, and as much as I've missed it, there have been days when I honestly just didn't have time. Or I didn't take time. So it's been on my mind for some time now to get started back. I decided that instead of doing the month of thankfulness by posting each day, I would do mine in blogger form at the end if the month. Here goes:

In this month of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for
1. ...my very real relationship with Jesus and the salvation He offers all of us. I do not understand how people get through the things life throws at us without Him.
2...grandparents I was so fortunate to have as a part of my life well into my adult years. They set a Godly example for me and my children and I have been so blessed by that.
3...parents who raised us with a love for each other and for others, who took us instead of sending us to church, and who continue to parent us even as we are grandparents ourselves.
4...a sister and brother I would do anything for. Their children are like my own, and I love both of them dearly.
5...cousins who were a part of my growing up years. Many memories of my childhood include these wonderful people.
6...my sweet husband. Robbie is the love of my life, and I am a better person because of him. Married life with two careers and three children has never been easy, but it has always been so worth it.
7...my brother and sister by marriage. Kenny and Kathy came right in to our family and became one of us.
8...my second set of parents. Robbie's mother and daddy have truly been a blessing to us and our children.
9...my children. Josh, Lauren, and Robert have taught me far more than I have ever taught them. God truly blessed me by allowing me to be their mama.
10...my in-loves. Vicki, David, and Kandace have added to our family and brought joy to our children., and we love them like our own.
11...my sweet grandchildren. Grace, Dylan, Daniel, Kaylee, Carsyn, and soon-to-be-here Peanut give us a new perspective. To be able to be a part of their lives at a time that is slightly less stressful in our lives is such an incredible joy.
12...Sweet Home Baptist Church. It is the church of my childhood, the church of my adulthood, the
church of my family, and the church I will always love.
13...Children's Church. Oh, my goodness...the stories I could tell about Children's Church. Sweet, funny, enlightening, challenging, and, most of all, rewarding.
14...the absolutely wonderful years I have had at Crenshaw Christian Academy. Both administrators
I've worked under have been much more than my boss. They have been my mentors, my friends,  my
confidantes, my encouragers, my teachers. I would not be the teacher I am without them.
15...my home. Yes, I live in a pasture. No, I am not close to any town. And I LOVE it. This is the place that recalibrates , refreshes, and renews my heart and soul.
16...Greenville Gymnastics. To be able to work with the girls on the team and the recreational classes is rewarding and pushes me to be better, find better ways to teach them, and help each one find joy in
her abilities.
17...cheese. I mean, it really is my only condiment.
18...people who accept that cheese is my only condiment and do not harass me with the usual "You'd like it if you tried it. Why don't you like it? You don't eat what?? You've never had a pickle?? You don't know what you're missing!"
19...friends. True friends do not have to talk every day or spend a whole lot of time together. In fact, some of my best friends are long distance friends, and yet I know I can call on them any time.  My hope is that they would know the same is true for me.
20...allergy medicine. Seriously,yesterday would have been a disaster without it.
21...pajama pants. They make time at home after work but before bed completely manageable.
22...Aleve. Used along with the pajama pants, it can set the world right again.
23...Christmas. My whole family plans on it all year, counts down the months, weeks, days, and hours, shop for it, decorates for it...all while celebrating the true meaning of Christmas and sharing that with the children.
24...books. They have taken me places I will never physically go, introduced me to people I will never really meet, taught me things I would never have known, and given me an outlet that nothing else does.
25...apostrophes...and the people who know how to use them. You just cannot make a case for using an apostrophe to make your family name plural.
26...commas...and the people who use them well. It's the difference in We've already eaten Grandpa and We've already eaten, Grandpa. Without the comma, Grandpa doesn't stand a chance.
27...my embroidery machines. I have loved learning the whole new world of machine embroidery. I like to call myself a thread artist.
28...technology. I love being able to look things up on the computer, program the DVR to record our favorite shows, and design things I need.
29...chocolate. It should be included as a separate food group with a recommended number of servings per day.
30...an incredible run for an unbelievable touchdown in the most exciting Iron Bowl I've watched in a long time. War Eagle!

The Faster I Go, the Behinder I Get...

Well, technically, "behinder" is not a word, but it sounds so good right now.

I have really good intentions every single day. In my mind, I can lay my whole day out and I see everything getting done. And then, life happens.

You know what I mean...little bumps that come along that throw everything off track and out of kilter. But I am determined that this week will flow smoothly and lots will get done.

There is sooooo  much I need to blog about...the trip to San Francisco I took with Lauren, summer fun with the babies, the beyond-awesome Kenny Seales Memorial 5K, Discover the Dinosaurs with the kids, weekends at the river with Robbie...

Now that brings to mind THIS past weekend. I missed the Labor Day weekend trip with my sweet family,so Robbie thought we could go this weekend  and enjoy some quiet time. To keep him from driving home and right back, I met him on Thursday night and came home today (Sunday). I will have to say it's been an eventful weekend. Friday while we were fishing, Robbie forgot to put the lid on the minnow cooler. So guess who gets hit in the mouth while going 25 miles an hour down the river?Yep...

And guess who spent almost all of Saturday repairing pipes and drains at the house?  Ummm hmmmm...

And guess who got 25 miles out today before realizing she had forgotten her purse and had to try around and go get it. Right again!


See what I mean about life happening?  I'm determined to have a smooth week, though!!

Signed, Sealed, Delivered...They Are Married!!

I absolutely LOVE planning, decorating for, and directing weddings. It is fun in the planning stages, exhausting in the carrying out of it, and so satisfying when everything comes together just as the bride wanted...or almost :)

Over the years I have developed a strong relationship with the Viers family. I grew up with Carleen, the family mom. My sister Pam and I were always close to her. In 2005, Carleen asked if I would be interested in helping with her daughter Tonya's wedding. Well, of course!! No problem, or so I thought. Turns out, Robert and Kandace had forgotten to tell me they changed the date of their wedding--moved it up a week. Yep, Tonya's week. There was one saving grace: Tonya got married on Friday night, so I was able to go to the rehearsal on Thursday and make sure everything was lined up. Lauren and Vicki filled in on Friday night while the rest of us hosted Robert's rehearsal supper. That was a bit nerve racking, but it worked.

Then Nikki Viers got engaged. Would I help? But of course. Time to redeem myself and actually be there for everything. Or that was the plan...

Robert and Kandace were expecting Daniel, who would be born in July. The wedding was June 10th. No problem. Until June 10th. At 2:00 A.M., Kandace called and said they were at the hospital, but was sure they would probably get to come home. Could we just go to their house and get their stuff just in case and bring it to the hospital?? Sure!

And we did. And she wasn't sent home. As the morning wore on, I got worried. It was 4th down, 25 to go, so what did I do? Yep. Time to punt. Good thing I have awesome receivers. Lauren and Vicki jumped right in and pulled everything off. Thanks to Mrs. Prissy for sending them on to the hospital when things did not go as well as planned there either.

After all that, can you believe the Viers family called me AGAIN, this time for Shannon's wedding?!?!?!?

And I'm soooooo happy they did! I had the BEST time. Shannon is definitely NOT in the running for Bridezilla...she is waaaaaaay too easygoing and sweet to be that. That is certainly not to say that we haven't had some interesting moments....

Like the time she told me they had decided to have barbeque sandwiches and chips at the reception...

Or when she showed me the beautiful teacart meant for the bride's cake...with only one wheel.

Or when the bakery that had agreed to make her cake and had taken her deposit informed her they would be closed the week of the wedding, but they would be happy to freeze her cake and let her pick it up. Hmmmm...

Seeing Shannon's little car literally FILLED with grapevine...the trunk and the backseat...and they still had three passengers in the car!

And then I was attacked by grapevine while we were decorating her arch...really, that stuff could easily win the war in the Middle East. I mean, the way it caught my hair and clothes and skin, I'm thinking all those loose-fitting clothes and some grapevine is a sure-fire trap. I can't believe that southern-grown grapevine is not being used as a weapon of mass destruction. Oh, well.


The groom's cake, supposed to be there at 8:00 A.M., arrived at 2:00 P.M.

Yes, there were some interesting moments before the wedding. And during...which is always the case when you have children in the wedding :) They were precious...and hungry...and wanted daddy...and just, as Noah, said "very, very tired." Smart 3-year-old :)

Sometimes you just know that everything is just the way the bride planned. That's how I felt about this one. Shannon had done so much herself, and she had given me such an awesome explanation of the vision she had. That made it really easy to bring this wedding to a perfect end. Even the one thing I thought I would not be able to give her was accomplished. She so wanted slices of wood for centerpieces and for the food table. Amazingly, the wedding of a former student was done with that very thing, so even that wish came true!!

Vicki and Karissa were invaluable help. We had to have walked the equivalent of a marathon over a few days. Lynn Williams Walker is an absolutely AWESOME caterer...I'd recommend her to anybody -- unless you want bbq at your wedding :)

I truly wish I had more pictures to post, because everything was soooo beautiful. I even got to work with the photographer and saw some of the shots he got...I cannot WAIT to see the actual photos!

Weddings are always emotional. They signal such a huge milestone in the lives of the bride and groom. This one is especially so ... Shannon's mom has shed many tears because the couple will be living in Seattle, Washington -- or, as Carleen tearfully put it, "They are leaving in the morning and moving to the MOON!!"

Shannon and Jacob are such a sweet couple, so very much in love and so ready to begin their life together. Please pray for them as they begin their new adventure, and pray for their families as they adjust to this "new normal."

The food was awesome! Everyone loved the ice cream bar, too!

The groom's cake ended up being two cakes, so a quick redo of the table was in order.

Guest tables were in the huge entry hall of the church...just beautiful. See the wood? She was so happy about that :)

Hugs and Kisses from the new Mr. and Mrs.-- how cute is that!

So simple. So elegant. So romantic. So Shannon :)

Love the pew decor...just perfect

Look Who Turned 2!!!

Yep, it's Carsyn!!! And she is still singing Happy Birthday to herself! Friday, she found a gift bag and started clapping and singing to herself. Too sweet :)

Lauren did and ice cream themed party, and it was a big hit. After all, who doesn't LOVE ice cream in summertime?!?!

Funny story...We decorated Friday night, and then I went back early Saturday morning to finish up. It had to be early-- the party started at 10:00. So I'm zooming around getting everything done, and headed over to the beverage table to "add a touch of pink." (Lauren noticed on Friday night that there was no pink factor on that table.) Never did I notice the big puddle of water on the floor. I really wish there had been a video camera set up somewhere, because I would have won some kind of award. Maybe the Surfing on Flip Flops across the Church Floor award, because that is EXACTLY what I did...arms out, knees bent, sliding across the floor. I absolutely do NOT know what kept me upright. When I caught my breath, I got towels, mopped the floor, and no one was the wiser...until now :)

Vicki did a great job with the treats and kids activities, the photo booth was a big hit, and Lori Mercer did an awesome job with pictures.

Lauren has an amazing blog about the party here!
Thanks to all who came. If you missed it, you missed a treat!

A Day for the Record Books

It started out as a fairly normal day. Fairly normal—that’s my description for just about any day that doesn’t have weird things happening. Grace spent the night last night because Vicki had to open this morning. I got up to get ready and forgot to unlock the door, so David had to call me and tell me they were standing outside the door. See what I mean? Fairly normal.

Carsyn came in, she and Grace played and disagreed about a couple of things. Fairly normal.

I had to get gas before I could even go to Mama’s and drop Carsyn off. Fairly normal.

Grace wasn’t hungry at all…until we dropped Carsyn off. Then she wanted a sausage biscuit. Fairly normal.

See a pattern?

Don’t get too happy. Fairly normal ended here.

On the way to the gym, I got a call from Lauren. She had left her sinus medicine at home. Aleve Cold and Sinus has done wonderful things for her and David, so that’s what they use. She asked if I could run pick up some when I dropped Grace off. No problem. Fairly normal request. You just keep thinking that…

So I dropped Gracie off and headed to Wal Mart. I went there because I had two other things on my list and would just get it all at the same time. First to the pharmacy…

You know those medicines that are sold by taking a plastic card to the pharmacy and having your background check run? Aleve Cold and Sinus is one. I pulled out my license to scan…and it expired last week. Sigh…

Obviously I’m going to have to go the courthouse…but NOT in the shirt I wore. It was my favorite Greenville Gymnastics shirt---you know the kind: worn and washed until all the letters are almost gone.

Off to the clothing section…

New shirt purchase in hand, I changed clothes in the Wal Mart restroom and headed to the courthouse.

Did you know that at most courthouses you now have to go through a metal detector? Are you aware that 4 inch sewing scissors are considered a dangerous weapon?

Back to the truck to leave the scissors…

Back through the metal detector…

The sweet, kind, precious lady that takes those gosh-awful license pictures must have seen I was having a rough day. She offered to let me look at my picture and see if I wanted another. Once I approved the picture, all I needed was cash or a check.

Do you carry cash? I don’t. And we are out of checks. Sigh…

Off to the bank…

Back to the courthouse…

Back through the metal detector…

License renewed and paid for – check.

Off to the drugstore…it was closer than Wal Mart.

I grabbed the plastic card from the shelf and took it to the counter, proudly producing my brand new license. The clerk scanned my license, bagged the medicine, and then said (rather loudly, I think) in front of a CROWD of people: Oh, I can’t sell this to you…you’ve reached your limit for the month.

I should tell you here that David called a couple of weeks ago and needed me to pick him up some Aleve Cold and Sinus…

Not that anyone in that crowd knew that. All of them were looking at me like I had a microwave plugged in to the cigarette lighter in my truck ready to cook my next batch of meth. So embarrassing…

When I sent Lauren the text that I couldn’t get it, she decided she wouldn’t try it either since she just bought some yesterday. Wise decision.

Off to the carwash…it was on my to do list for the day.

This is the carwash that you can purchase inside or pay at the terminal…until now. Code only---purchase inside. Does it even bear mentioning that I was stuck behind another truck who was getting a wash and there is only one way out? Right---through the carwash. So, here I went—drove through the carwash like I knew what I was doing, drove around front, went inside, and purchased a wash. I did not have to get a background check for that.

Carwash done—check.

Off to get Grace…

At this point, the day has reverted to fairly normal.

It is 1:45.

I’m almost scared to post this. There’s no telling what will happen later in the day.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About...

... apostrophes. My goodness, at the mess apostrophes can make!

A few days ago, I wrote about how I sometimes really miss teaching literature. I gave a short summary of the Japanese work The Pillow Book and gave my thoughts in that form. I still miss it. You would probably get a kick out of the look on Carsyn's face when I recite the first eighteen lines of the "Prologue" to Canterbury Tales!

For today, though, it's a grammar issue that's just under my skin. So, let's talk about apostrophes, why don't we?

1. Apostrophes are used to form contractions. This particular concept is not a hard one. Most people do this one correctly. Basically, if you are putting two words together as a contraction, the apostrophe (a former student called it a "high comma") goes in place of the omitted letter(s). Hence, don't, weren't, doesn't, isn't (you leave out the o). One I see a lot of people making a mistake on is the Southernism y'all. This is a  contraction for you all. So you see, you wouldn't put the apostrophe after the a (ya'll) since that's not where the letters are left out. And the ONLY time you use it's is when you mean it is. Makes sense, right?

2. Now...this concept is a big one.  Apostrophes are used to show POSSESSION -- as in, the word with the apostrophe OWNS something. Examples: John's car; Tracy's jacket; Papa's pool; Nannie's Bible. If you are tempted to put an apostrophe+s, make sure you can answer this question: ____'s what?

This rule seems to freak people out if the word ends in s. No biggie. If the word is singular (only one), you would still use the apostrophe AND the s.  If the word is plural and ends in s, put the apostrophe after the ending s. Examples: boys' jackets; girls' basketball team; ladies' Sunday School class.

3. Apostrophes are generally NOT used to show that a word is plural. The only exception is when not putting an apostrophe would cause misreading. Example: His a's look like s's. Without the apostrophe, a's looks like as, and ss looks awkward.

So WHY, I ask you, WHY???? would names be any different?

If your last name is Smith, and there is more than one of you in the house, you are the Smiths.
If you are a Johnson, and there is more than one of you in the house, you are the Johnsons.
And if your last name is Williams, and there is more than one of you in the house, you are the Williamses -- NOT the Williams'.
If you are a Jones, your family would be the Joneses -- NOT the Jones'.

If the plural of the name owns something, then you use the apostrophe appropriately:
The Joneses' car (The car belongs to more than one of the Jones family)
The Lees' car (Family name is Lee-- plural is Lees  -- and they own something together).


If my daughter Lauren, who is a Smith, signs a note, a letter, an email, or a blog from her family, she would sign it as The Smiths (unless she wanted her mama the grammar nazi to hunt her down and lecture her).

If I want to sign anything from my house with our family name, I would sign is as The Williamses OR The Williams Family.

If I buy a Christmas ornament for Vicki and Josh, it will NOT say the Williams'. It WILL say The Williamses, or The Williams Family, or simply Williams.

If I buy something for Mama and Daddy, it will say The Campbells. No apostrophe -- they don't own anything in this case.

Clear as mud?

I'll bet you're running around right now looking at all your stationery, door signs, and email signatures :)


Will making a mistake like this send you to grammar jail? No.

Will it make me (or anyone else) not like you? No.

Will you feel better knowing you are doing it RIGHT? Oh, yeah.

Pillow Book Time

Sometime, I really miss teaching. Out loud teaching. That doesn't mean I don't LOVE what I do now, because I do. But for a born teacher, there's just something about seeing that light come on, or having students suddenly sit up after I say, "Guess what?" One of my very favorite classes to teach is World Literature. Sometimes students ask, "What's your favorite book? Who's your favorite author? How fast can you read?" To most of those I don't have an answer. But I have an answer for "What's your favorite literature class?" Again, that doesn't mean I don't LOVE English and American literature, but World Lit actually covers those too. I love it.

On another note, sometimes I struggle with blog posts. So very much can go on in one day that I'm afraid sometimes I seem to ramble if I talk about all of it. And I have so little time to post that I have to get a lot done at one time.

Today, I was going over some of my online English class assignments, and I remembered that I had, for the sake of space, had to leave out Chinese and Japanese literature. I know, I know...big whoop. But I love it, and I love teaching it...the why and where and meaning. One of my very favorite is The Pillow Book written by a lady-in-waiting to a Japanese empress, Sei Shonogan. Don't worry. They can't say our names either :) Anyway, there are lots of reasons The Pillow Book is interesting: It was one of the first books written in the Japanese language (they thought Chinese was a "smarter" language and usually wrote in Chinese), it was written by a woman (very rare), it shows details of everyday life in the palace, and, best of all, it's written in little bitty chapters about random thoughts or events that she dealt with. It's called The Pillow Book because Japanese women slept on hollow wooden boxes curved to the shape of the neck in order to support their elaborate hairstyles. Because the "pillow" was hollow, the woman could put her "treasures" or important documents into the pillow. Sei Shonogan's book was published from her diary-like entries that she stored in her "pillow." Each year, I ask my students to write a series of selections for their own "pillow book." I usually join them, because I love the release writing gives. If you don't write occasionally, you should try it! With all that being said (most of which I'm sure you were not the least bit interested in), here are my pillow book entries for now:

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE
I love when Carsyn says, "ZiZi, um here. Play. Otay?" I love waking up on Thursdays and knowing that Robbie's coming home that night.  I smile when Daniel asks for a snack -- right after he finishes supper :) ; when Kaylee says "Wub my peet" ; when I read Nicholas Sparks; when Grace watches herself in the mirror as she's talking; when Blair comes to gymnastics wearing a pink, floor-length, long sleeve Cinderella costume and high heels over her leotard; when Caroline looks at me with big eyes and says "How do you know what the roly poly's names are?"--and believes me when I tell her they have name tags; when Dylan calls my parents Swimming Nannie and Swimming Papa--not because they swim but because they have a pool; when Lily and Breanna sing sooooo loud in Children's Church--but don't know the words and/or timing :) when all the clothes are washed...and it's only Wednesday ; when I child says, "I want Jesus to live in my heart"; when a sewing project comes out even cuter than I imagined; when I hear the song "I Can Only Imagine"; when I listen to Carsyn sing "Peas Ike Ibba" ("Peace Like a River");  when Grace looks at the clouds for shapes and says she sees Uncle Kenny and Uncle BoBo in a boat...

THINGS THAT MAKE ME SAD:
The bridge of my nose stings and my eyes get leaky when Grace looks at the clouds for shapes and says she sees Uncle Kenny and Uncle BoBo in a boat...; when I hear that one of my babies has gotten hurt; when I hear that innocent children have been killed or abused; when I hear the song "I Can Only Imagine;" when I can find only one of my polka dot yellow boxes -- and they would perfectly match my outfit; when I have to leave Carsyn crying, even though I know she'll stop as soon as I'm gone; when I hear people being cruel about others--they way they look or talk; Nicholas Sparks books; Where the Red Fern Grows; when friends grow apart; when all I have left to do is put the elastic in the waistband...and I'm out of elastic and it's 2:34 A.M.

WHY I DON'T MIND EATING ALONE
When I eat alone (or only with close family), my whole meal is so much more peaceful. If I eat in a crowd, this is the way the meal goes: You don't eat ______? Have you tried it? Why not? Try a little bit. It won't hurt you! For real, this is wonderful! It tastes just like ______________. What?!?! You don't eat ______, either!? Where have you been living? What do you eat? Is something wrong with you?

Alone or with close family, this is what I get: This one is yours, Mama. It's not touching anything. I'll eat that one; it's more done than you like it. I cooked these for you because I know you don't like ______. I ordered one pizza with light/no sauce so it would be better. This dressing has pickles; the plain dressing is over there.

And that is why I like to eat alone or with close family.

THE PROBLEM WITH COOKING
Robbie can, without a doubt, outcook any restaurant we have ever visited. So why is it such a temptation to just pick something up while we are out? It's the dish gremlins that live in our house. While we are cooking the simplest of meals, the dish gremlins are messing up every available dish in the house! When we finish eating, the kitchen looks like General Sherman marched his army straight through it. So discouraging. And then of course it's late and we're full...not the best of conditions to foster a "jump up now and clean it up" feeling. So sometimes we go to a place where we leave all the mess. We can't do it all the time, but sometimes, it's just worth it to eat not-quite-as-good food and let them clean it all up :)

THE PROBLEM WITH TODAY'S KIDS
This is not going to sit well...

We always hear, or maybe are guilty of saying, that today's kids are a big problem. What in the world are they thinking? What's wrong with them? What's going to happen to our world if they are left in charge? Soooo...here's my answer:

What's wrong with today's children is yesterday's children. It's the adults who raise them. It's the parents who bail their children out of every scrape, give them the best of the best without their having to work for it, and make sure that they never have to suffer any consequences for their actions. Children are -- well, children. They are going to make mistakes. I'll be the first one to say that if a child doesn't have a good relationship with his parents, there will not be the openness needed for that child to come to the parent for help. But help does not necessarily mean "fixing it." It means guiding the child to do what is right; helping him carry that out; applying house rules consistently so that there is never a question that rules must be obeyed.

Children are not any different than they have always been...tiny humans who need help growing up. Adults, though--well, that's a different story.

TO BE CONTINUED...MAYBE :)

Summer So Far...

Lots of stuff going on here!!!

*I've been sewing garment bags and baby gowns and monogramming towels and making birthday outfits.

*Carsyn has learned to sing "Peace Like a River" (peas ike ibbe in my tole)

*I've been cutting car decals and planning weddings and buying flowers.

*I had to explain to Grace why the KJV is called the KJV -- because of the king who had it translated, not because Jesus spoke 16th century English. Seemed a bit early to have to have this conversation...

*I've been making those huge feather flags you see beside the road.

*We had Vacation Bible School at our church and then Grace went to Grannie and Grandaddy's church for another fun week of VBS.

*I took Carsyn to the doctor and she had such a meltdown (she always does) that the doctor met us in the hallway and saw her there.

*Grace thought she would include Carsyn in her imaginary play the other day, but when she said, "Carsyn, where are your customers?" Carsyn looked around, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "I don't know!" Ha!

*I had a student email me to ask if I thought she would be ok if she used an American Literature book in place of a World Literature book and a vocabulary book by a different publisher. Ummm...no.

*Dylan, Daniel, and Kaylee came to play. Dylan went fishing with PopPop and Uncle David, so he was really anxious to get in the pool the next day. Really anxious. 8:00 in the morning anxious :)

I had a meeting in Montgomery, saw some great online teacher friends, had a wonderful lunch with Robbie, and spent the rest of an AWESOME day getting important stuff done -- like making sure Carsyn's Tiny Toms had both a left and right foot :) That was an interesting exchange.

Lots of fun going on this summer!

End of the School Year...And Beginning of Summer!

Goodness gracious, the end of this year was sooooo different! For the past 20+ years I have been wrapped up in Senior Awards Day, Class Day, Baccalaureate, and Graduation. Although I stayed in touch and helped out, it was certainly not as...busy...as previous years.

The seniors asked if I could help a little on Class Day, and I was glad to. They did such a good job!!! Their cute skits and ability to make fun of themselves was the perfect tone for Class Day. The next week was full of graduations and ceremonies. Lauren, Ashley, and I went to Richelle's graduation on Monday night. Mama, Carsyn, and I went to see Kaylee get her certificate for this year (she will stay in her preschool another year because of her birthday) on Tuesday morning,  and then Lauren and I went to Ashley's graduation on Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, Mama, Carsyn, and I went to Dylan's awards day, and then Daniel's kindergarten graduation immediately following. I'm sure this arrangement worked well for the school. It did not work quite as well for anyone managing a near-2-year-old. The mistake was probably mine. I said, "Let's go in the gym and watch Daniel." Carsyn misunderstood "gym." She spent the morning doing arabesques, walking on the "beam" (the lines on the court), and doing flips on the gym floor. And then, three minutes out of the parking lot, she was sound asleep. And she slept all the way home.

That's when the real fun began...Carsyn woke up when we got home, started to play, and suddenly started throwing up. Helloooooo, tummy virus. She was pitiful. I babied her. We stayed outside most of the afternoon, nearly naked and with a waterhose handy (not for her, silly- for the porch). I decided to hold onto Big Mama's declaration that a person cannot get sick from family.

And I held that notion until about 2:00 A.M.

Big Mama was right about a lot of things.

 This was not one of them :)

By Friday I was feeling much better and Grace came to stay with us. She was such fun!! I was just cracking up all day at the things she said. Lauren sent a text after I shared some things on facebook: "Ought to be a fun summer." Yes indeed, it will be fun!

Friday afternoon, Robbie and I left for a weekend at the river. I'm here to tell you, that is one peaceful place! Well, the six miles of dirt road getting there...not so peaceful. In fact, I posted this on facebook: "Sometimes when we are driving down---barreling down---careening down this river road, I can't decide if I want to keep my eyes open and see what's going to kill me, or close my eyes and die in ignorance. Hmmm..."

Anyone who knows our place on the river knows that the men believe that the way to get there is to hit just the tops of the bumps on the road---whether you can see through the red clay dust ahead of you or not. Several times I felt like I might have a heart attack. But all was well. We fished early and late (Robbie and I are both hot natured and cooking out on the open river is just not what we wanted to do). We did a few things around the house and yard, worked on the boat, picked up a few things in town, rested, cooked yummy stuff, and stayed cool as much as we could. Then we came home and made a brand new item for ZiZi's!! Rod covers! They are awesome, and Robbie was a lot of help.

So now, Memorial Day is over and the work week starts tomorrow. Carsyn will be up early, and Josh is dropping Grace off as he goes to work. We should have a blast!!

It's Not About Me

That's what Kenny used to say...even at his sickest. That was brought home to me today. I went to a blog I follow to find a tutorial I had seen, and read the saddest thing. It made me realize that my little problems are just that, little. I'm figuring out some way to help...

http://www.honeybearlane.com/2012/05/the-alice-hansen-family-fund.html

Multiplicity

I think there is a movie by that name. It's the story of a man who wishes there were more of him, and suddenly there are! So, I was thinking about that. I could certainly use more of me. Let's see...

1. I need one of me to take care of my house. This would include laundry, dishes, making beds (we do have little company often, you know), and the normal household chores. I believe Household Me would have time for grocery shopping, but if not, I'm sure we can whip up another me :)

2. The second me needs to take care of the outside. With an outside as big as ours is, I didn't feel it fair to put this on my household clone. Outside Me would take care of the porches, the arbor, the vegetables (don't choke...we really did plant some), and the flowers (I hear you sputtering-- stop it!) .This chick would also take care of washing the vehicles. She's a busy one!

3. The third me would be in charge of ZiZi's Stitch and Stick. This would definitely be a full time job, and therefore this clone would be unable to help out on other jobs. She would take orders, buy fabric, design items, sew, change thread...well, you get the picture. I would not see this clone very much because she would be constantly busy sewing and keeping the Den of Stitches clean.

4. The fourth me would be in charge of Carsyn. Now, this is no small task. Just yesterday, this happened:

Carsyn spotted a bag of candy she had left in the refrigerator. She ate all 8 Reese's pieces and looked for more. Then it happened--a nuclear meltdown the likes of which has rarely been documented: hands covering her face, massive tears, and screaming unintelligible words interspersed with "Nummy nummy!" "Moah!" "Anoah One!" And "ZiZi's baby!!" I would have taken a picture but I didn't take my phone into my fallout shelter. This is post fit/trip to store in the rain:

Obviously, this Me would need to be on her toes at all times, prepared with snacks, puzzles, a "nump nump" (trampoline--come on y'all-- get your toddler vocabulary on!), baby dolls, pop-tick (popsicles), and plenty of gas in the golf cart.

5. Cinco de Me (ok, I made that up) would handle Children's Church. Her time during the week would be spent studying the lesson, preparing craft and snack items, downloading and preparing songs and stories, and finishing the remodeling at church.

6. I would need one clone to help at the store. Country Farm Supply Me would be all over helping make orders, answering the phone, learning the ins and outs of the software, cleaning, putting up new stock, entering inventory in the computer, and making sure David does not completely dissolve from hunger (Thanks, Nannie, for the 911 run today).

7. This clone would be in charge of school stuff. See, you just think I'm not there, but that is far from true. So Number 7 would handle all school-related questions. She could, in fact, just stay at school. No need for the drive and extra gas it would take, right? Right.

8. Number eight would have the honor of handling ZiZi/Mama stuff. She would have all items for babysitting, toys in the house and yard, and would handle pick-up and drop-off. This ZiZi would never be tired and could always play because the other Me's would have everything else under control! She would be available for her children and could do anything for them, as well as for the grands.

9. Ninth Me is all about gymnastics. She would teach not only the classes we have now, but private classes as well. She would get to the gym early to set everything up for class and stay late to prepare for the next day. The refrigerator would always be full of water and gatorade, and the bathrooms would always be stocked and clean. She would have a computer at the gym and could record payments to make it easier on the owner, and she would take care of the leotards and t-shirt sales.


10. Tenth Me would have Robbie as her only priority. And that's all I've got to say about that (I typed that in my best Forrest Gump voice--could you tell?)

11. This Me is for Meeeeee!!! Baths at a decent time, plenty of sleep, walking every day, regular haircuts, and maybe just a little shopping would be right up this Me's alley.

12. Dozen Me would be a standby to fill in wherever the other 11 of me might fall short. Dozen Me will be a lifesaver in many ways. Who doesn't want an extra one of you to answer the phone while you're in the bathroom, or one to dry your hair while you are putting on your make-up? Yep, that's what I thought...

Now some of you might be thinking that we would be awfully crowded, but I don't think so at all. Each Me would have her own job, so her stamina would stay high, and her focus would be on one thing. We would stay out of each other's way because, again, our jobs would be specific. I'm going to be doing some research on this clone thing...I'm thinking life would be a lot easier with a dozen of me :)

A Different Kind of Sign

So much is going on that sometimes I'm amazed when I have a minute to sit down to the computer. And then I have to figure out where I am in life...what I've blogged about...what I need to say...and to be honest, sometimes I get overwhelmed with it and just put it off until later.

Have I blogged about our sweet, sweet Grace winning her division of the Little Miss CCA pageant? I don't think so. We are so, so proud of her. Of course, we were ecstatic when her name was called, but I was so much prouder of her attitude. In her own words, "Winning is not important; having fun is what's important, and I did that." So sweet :)

Have I blogged about David opening Country Farm Supply? That may be one reason my computer time is shorter...NO.WIRELESS.INTERNET!!! Seriously. And blogging from my phone is hard. I do hope everyone will support David's new venture. I truly believe we are supposed to support those businesses in our area. My brother said it best just the other day. He said, "People say the 4-lane is killing  McKenzie. But it's not. People are killing McKenzie when they choose to go other places." Smart man, my brother.

Have I blogged about the spring competition season at Greenville Gymnastics? Lots of kids doing lots of amazing things. Grace competed with several other gymnasts in our very first Level 1 team. They were just the sweetest little girls. Other girls competed Level 3 and Prep Ops. We had so much fun--and stayed sooooo busy! And Ashley--sweet Ashley--competed in her last meet. I think it hit all of us at the same time. She is such and amazing young lady and a wonderful role model for our other gymnasts. More about that later. She deserves her own blog entry :)

Have I blogged about how I hate changing times? I mean, can't we just pick one and stick with it? It just messes up my whole schedule and body rhythm. And anybody that has, takes care of, or teaches small children can attest to the fact that changing the time and being expected to adjust in one day does evil things to a little person. Heck, it does evil things to a grown person! And why in the world, if time is going to change, can time not change on Saturday morning instead of Sunday morning? We would at least have the whole weekend to adjust. But nooooooo! One day. That's it. I vote no.

And now, the real reason for the title of this entry. I may have to explain a little. Those of you close to me know that three years ago,  Robert died in a car accident. I was so devastated--there is truly nothing to prepare a person for losing a child. Even though I've always considered myself a strong person (albeit with leaky eyes), that tragedy just really took rug out from under me. I remember sobbing uncontrollably on Daddy the day after the accident and saying that I would have thought I could be stronger. I'll never forget what he said: "It would take a mighty big oak not to bend in a wind like this." Whenever I find myself "leaking," I think about what Daddy said, and I know it's ok to bend. I just have to be willing to get back up when the "storm" is over. One thing I've found helps me get back up is the signs I believe I'm given all along.

The day of Robert's funeral, March 1, it snowed. SNOWED. In south Alabama. Robbie walked out on the back porch, snow swirling all around him, and said, "Well, hello, Robert." For the next two years, snow occured at unusual times. I feel with all my heart that the snow was for me...a sign from above. So this year I waited for snow. I was quietly sad when it didn't snow around Christmas. Around the three-year anniversary in February, I got concerned because there was still NO MENTION of snow. Then the anniversary of his funeral came. I think everybody wore shorts. People were going to the beach. No snow. I was beyond disappointed.

But then, just the other day, Carsyn and I were outside playing, and I glimpsed something -- a sign! Right after Robert died, we turned his basketball court into an arbor.  Not wanting anything ever to happen to the precious memories we had there, we put up a swing and moved the kids toys over there. Vicki ran across some azaleas and brought them home to plant in the trees near the arbor. But it snowed on them for two years and I  thought they had died. But this year, for the first time since they were planted, this is what happened:

Carsyn must surely have thought I had lost my mind. Who else dissolves into a puddly mess over blooming azaleas? Words cannot express the incredible peace and comfort those sweet blooms gave me. So I didn't get my snow; I got a surprise that was just as beautiful and maybe a different kind of sign. Those beautiful blooms gave me just a peek at what gorgeousness Robert is experiencing now, not in the cold world of snow, but in the warm garden of God's presence.

Talk About Totally Random...

Let me just say to start this whole thing off that I have a lot going on here. Some of it has to do with things that have been happening-- you know, the normal (or not so) goings on of life.

Other things are my very personal opinions about things. I've always told my school kids not to ask me something if they don't want to know the truth. I don't have a Krispy Kreme sign over my head. I don't know how or have a desire to learn how to sugarcoat the truth. It's just not me.

So fair warning-- You may not want to read past this point. If you do, please remember that these are MY thoughts and MY opinions. I have no desire to be talked out of either :)

So anyway...

1. I can't talk. Seriously. My voice is gone. I don't feel really bad...just can't talk. In some ways this is a plus. The girls at the gym are very quiet because -- well, they have to be if they want to hear me :) But Carsyn is a different story. She SCREAMS at me because she doesn't like my new quietness. This frustration, on top of her cold and ear infection and a cough medicine that has her so hyper she can't stand it, has led to A LOT of screaming!!! I thought it was funny the other day when Mama called me on the house phone--the house phone, now-- and told me I needed to move around because she could hear only every other word. Not the phone, Mama. That was me :)

2. We have the sweetest little gymnasts competing right now! And they are doing so well!!! It's just so fun to see them at such a young age learning about being a team and cheering each other on. And we learn lots of things!! Funny story from today: One of our little girls announced that she has a boyfriend-- a wonderful boyfriend--one who NEVER does anything wrong. He doesn't even dig in the garbage!! Ha!

3. I think that people need to have some kind of wake up call about the clothes they wear. And the underwear they wear. This observation comes after several trips to Wal Mart. NOTE: Just because something is hanging on the rack and you have the money to buy it does not mean it will look good on you!! I almost wonder if, instead of a Wal Mart greeter, there needs to be someone at the door to make sure people look presentable. Now listen, I'm not talking about the man who's been working and comes in to pick up something, or the couple who are painting their house and need one more gallon of paint. I'm talking about the woman wearing white shorts (in February) with a lime green thong.Or the man shopping in Scooby Doo pajama pants. Or the girl walking around in flip flops with filthy toenails. I believe underwear and pajamas need to have a notice attached to the price tag: NOTICE--This item is sold with the intention of being hidden underneath other clothing or worn only at home. But then, that probably wouldn't help either. You just can't fix ... well, you know.

4. Now, I may step on toes here. Refer to paragraph #3 if you start getting angry. Or, you could quit reading. No difference to me...
First of all, there are many good things about Facebook. I am able to stay in touch with friends, family, and former students. I have a business page that allows those same people and others to order items from me--a free advertising page. I learn of prayer requests, events, and praise reports through Facebook. But Facebook is NOT the place to play out your relationship drama. I should not have to explain that statement. Over and over I see people declaring undying love for a person or expressing the blessings God has given them through their family. Those same people can, in less than a day, declare said Love of My Life the spawn of Satan and curse the mother they have been given. Really? Seriously? You know the things you write and the pictures you post ... they cannot be permanently removed. What? You didn't know that? Uh oh...

And speaking of pictures... OhMyGumdrops!!! I cannot BELIEVE some of the pictures I see. Most (but not all) of the pictures I speak of are posted by younger people. I understand there may be a maturity issue, but really, somebody needs to speak out about this. Let's say that somebody posts a picture of a couple kissing. Now that doesn't sound too bad. A friend caught a random shot of a sweet kiss. Or a photographer shared a picture of a wedding or an engagement picture. But no...that's not what I mean. You post a picture that YOU take yourself of said kiss. How does that happen, exactly? I mean, how into the kiss are you really if you are, at the same time, trying to hold your phone at just the right angle to get the picture? And if it doesn't turn out, or you cut your head off, what then? "Oh, wow, that didn't work. Let's try again." And if you DO get the picture, do you really want all your family and friends to see you with a tongue rammed down your throat? Just a thought, people: if those around you and the love of your life can't tell how you feel about each other without seeing physical evidence...well, you might want to reevaluate that relationship. You are welcome to disagree (refer to paragraph #3), but, just so you know, I'm right about this.


I believe that is all right now. Next time I may get on my soapbox about something else...or I may share a really good recipe. Who knows?

A Day in the Life of...ME

You know the deal about my taking some time off to keep Carsyn, right?

And you also know about my new sewing venture, right?

Are you're aware that I thought those two jobs might mesh? Ha!!

To be fair, they do sometimes...for a few minutes. I have learned to listen to her; if I ask if we can go sew and so vehemently says "Uh uh, uh uh, uh," well, we don't go. That's because I figured out a while ago that she MEANS it when she says "uh uh."

I have also learned that Mondays are readjustment days. She needs time to get acclimated to the "Mama and Daddy are at work and I'm staying somewhere else" schedule.

Some days are good, though...like today. She (surprisingly) said yes, we could go sew. Well, maybe she didn't say it, but she nodded really hard. Nodded up and down, not sideways. I took this as a good sign. As I always do, I asked what she wanted to take with her. That's where things got weird.

Carsyn wanted to take her little kitchen, a box full of play food and dishes, and a baby. I had to have my computer, some fabric and dresses I had bought, and, of course, Carsyn. It was quite the trick to get all of her toys, my supplies, and her somehow in my hands and head out.

Once we got there, she wanted the sewing machines rearranged. I had moved my small machines when one of the tables was needed elsewhere, but today she let me know that she wanted those back in the open living area of the Den of Stitches. That way she can play, I can sew, and we can see each other. You might wonder how she convinced me to do the moving. Maybe I should have taken a picture of the face-down position of the floor with both hands beating the ground. That would have explained. So I moved. We should be good, right? Right.

Until Bubble Puppy was turned into a frog by the witch. Another trauma.
And then the baby doll fell out of the chair. Horrors.
And the size 5 jeans she insisted on wearing wouldn't stay up. Terrible situation.

So we came back for nummy nummy. What? You don't know what nummy nummy is?

nummy nummy (noun) -- food, drink, or cup; may refer to a "real food" or a snack.
                           (adj)--the description of how said food, drink, cup, or snack tastes

Complete peace took over while she ate...for 8 minutes. As she threw her next hissy fit (and it was a doozie--you don't need the definition for that, do you?) I asked if she was ready to rock rock. And she said "Tease!!" That means "please" for those of you who have forgotten how to translate. So we did. And she was out in 3 minutes.

And these are the days of my life :)

Monthly Catch-up

You do NOT have to remind me that I was supposed to post more often.

I've been busy. Really busy. Super Really Busy.

We are doing Prep Op competions at the gym and have started a Level 1 group. We decided to let a few of them compete this spring (more for us than them--we needed to go and watch and evaluate).

Grace is competing this spring, and she and Claire went to Planet in Mobile with us. So sweet! So funny! So enlightening!!!

They had a blast!!

Emily, Anna, and Jami won the first place team award at the Planet meet. Sweet Hollan is their biggest cheerleader :)

Sydney and Mary Avery are competing at the Silver level...little gym monkeys :)

Faith is competing Level 3 and is doing an awesome job!

Ashley and Anna Blake did a great job too, but I didn't get a picture :( What was I thinking!

And I've been making these...

and these...

and birthday outfits,,,

I have no idea why this one is turned :(

 Carsyn got a pedicure...

Kaylee got a manicure...

the boys got dinosaur shirts...

and this cute little outfit is Grace's.

This is only a peek at what all has been going on here. And that's what has kept me from posting...just so you know!