Keys to my heart

Shelby turns 11!

2012-01-21T10:53:00.003-05:00

For Shelby's birthday this year, we decided to do a small dinner with family. She chose to have cash to save toward a Kindle Fire and requested crab legs with keylime pie. Now, in order to fully understand our birthdays in the Powers' house, you need to know about my tradition. Our celebrations begin about a week ahead of time and last until a good week after. If we go out to eat, we always get the birthday dessert. We pretty much celebrate eachother as much as possible. So Shelby also has a sleepover with two friends, dinner out with dessert, and cupcakes at Nana'a with her Aunt Nilsa. She has yet to have her 1 on 1 time with Mom and Dad for turning 11. Shane is going to take her out and we plan to get our nails done. It is a life well worth celebrating!

Shelby's 11th birthday - free slideshows with music

December 2011

2012-01-05T10:43:00.000-05:00

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November 2011

2012-01-05T10:42:00.001-05:00

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October 2011

2012-01-05T10:39:00.000-05:00

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New School, New Year!

2011-08-19T10:15:00.008-04:00

The girls started the school year at Kennesaw Charter and we have high hopes that it will be a great year! Shelby starts fifth grade and Emma is a first grader. I always love to support the teachers my kids have, so Friday the girls took in goodies. Emma gave her teacher a candy bouquet and Shelby treated her 3 teachers to Chinese take out boxes filled with candy bars.

Compton Elementary Murals

2011-07-25T22:43:00.005-04:00

Beginning Thursday and lasting until Sunday, I was busy drawing and painting at an area elementary school for our annual Community Makeover our church organizes. We had over 100 churches participate this year and Compton Elem was on the list for murals just like last year. I met with the principal, Liz Murphy, who is now truly a friend of mine. We sat down and organized our ideas and I got to work creating the quotes and designing how each mural would look. Just like last year, we searched through books the kids have read or are familiar with to get ideas. Friday I had two fabulous sisters show up to help who helped me last year. I also had new friends come which allowed us to get most of the painting done. I really was so busy touching up lettering and finishing some of what was started that I did not get a chance to actually paint until after lunch. I worked on the very last mural with the mouse and the violen...my favorite. Most of the time when I paint, I don't get a chance to do a lot of creating and shading. Most of the time I paint exactly what people want and it is more of a job. But when I was able to sit and work on the stone wall and then the mouse, I really got lost in it all. Saturday people came to help who had never really painted on walls so I can say with a giant sigh of relief, they got the large quote done in the cafeteria and it looks great. Sunday we finished all we had started but one. I am hoping to get over there in the fall and attempt that one. It is a big one and a bit complicated so it will be a challenge. I can truly say today I am wiped out, but I know the kids and staff will have brighter days because of the hard work my crew put in painting beautiful and lasting murals.

Compton Murals 2011 - making a free slideshow

Emma's 6th Birthday

2011-07-20T17:19:00.006-04:00

After teaching for years, you would have thought I would not be so wiped out after a group of kids flooded my house with giggles and screams. But I am ready for a good nap. The morning began with stations where we graphed gummy bears, made binoculars and teddy bear puppets, and ate smores. It was much like the way I would have planned a center day in my classroom. Having all of the supplies on hand since I did a "Camp Learned A Lot" unit at the end of the school year is one little perk from teaching. We ate hot dogs, cupcakes, and did our best to crack open a pinata. Thanks to Shelby, Steven, and Cayden, it busted open and the girls had to use their bug tweezers to get what they wanted to fill their bug catchers. After that we took a seat by the "campfire" and opened gifts. Emma was thrilled with all of her friends and the gifts they brought. The big hit was the Barbie iphone. Whatever happened to the rotary phone I used to play with? The girls finished up by playing in the tent that is sitting in my living room right now. Nana and Gaga were able for the first time to attend a birthday party here in Acworth together. They may have not enjoyed the centers, but just knowing they were here was heartwarming. Another year has passed, another bunch of planning and preparation has come and gone. Now on to the next adventure!

Emma's 6th bday 2011 - slideshow dvd

Finally! The first tooth is out!

2011-05-10T20:42:00.003-04:00

After trying to pull it herself, allowing me to tie floss around it to try to pull it, and using a tissue the other night to try once again, it is out! Her tooth had already started growing in behind the baby tooth so it needed to come out. I guess the only way to do it was to invite a friend over to play, grab a microphone to sing a song, and bump your mouth on the microphone just as your friend hands it to you for your turn. Emma dropped the microphone, grabbed her mouth, and looked down to see a tooth in her hand. It was surprising but kind of funny.

Easter 2010

2011-04-24T18:10:00.003-04:00

I always loved looking back at my Easter pictures when I was a little girl with my dress, gloves, purse and Easter bonnet. It was always an important day to dress up and then take some pictures to remember those moments when I was not digging in the dirt. So today, after church, we stopped by a lake to take a few pictures of the girls. I had already taken a few of Emma before we left this morning, thank goodness. Just as I took one picture of Emma, who was not cooperating, with Shelby, Emma blasted out a heap of throw up right down her dress and on the ground by her shoes. So the one picture i got will always have a story just like all the years before. This story just did not have a happy ending. I just wanted to share how beautiful both my girls were today even if it ended in driving home topless with a smelly dress in the back.

Our Day

2011-02-15T16:28:00.005-05:00

Whew! It has been a day. I began by dropping Emma off at her new school for the third day. It was her first time walking in alone and I sat and shared with Shelby how I felt watching her walk in when she was that age. It takes such bravery to do that all on your own, such independence, and such trust. My heart filled with joy and pride for my little girl going into that big world of school and braving the transition so wonderfully. Shelby and I got busy with school and had some bumps along the day. After a spat, I prayed God would help me know what to do with this situation we have found ourselves in and He did as always. I walked into her room and wrapped my arms around her, told her she was safe at home with me, and promised to do everything I could to make this work. She needs reassurance right now. She and I worked on learning the 10 commandments, kid's style, this morning as well as a weekly verse. We made headway with some Spanish, a leveled reader, and a new math concept. After she finished her independent work, we went to pick up our Emma. She got in the car and wanted to read her sight words to me. I have to say I am exhausted but just really wanted to share our day. So I end my post with pictures of a beautiful room my hardworking husband painted with me this weekend. In some of the pictures of the hallway and living room, you will see the old paint color which is fine but too light for me. Hope you enjoy!

Bedroom new paint - free slideshow

Laundry Room

2011-02-05T23:36:00.002-05:00

I have recently finished a project in my laundry room that I have been wanting to do for a while. It was derived from another mom's blog where I found the cutest little menu board. So I tweaked it to fit my style, and here is the finished product.

Emma's Bedroom

2011-01-22T09:04:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to share Emma's bedroom since I am almost completely done decorating it. All I have left to find is a chair for her desk by the bed. I painted the tree behind her bed. I found her lamp for $11 on clearance and painted it green. The handprint and footprint (Emma's) are framed in frames I found at a garage sale. They were extremely gold so I painted them cream and rubbed them with some brown. They're one of my favorite things. On her shelf there is a book she loves to read named Emma's Story beside one of my favorite pictures of her as a toddler at the beach. I made the curtains out of silk and covered her lampshade by the bed with the leftover fabric. I made little flowers to place onto the shade. I added little touches of birds through her room and a couple of birdhouses. Above her shelf I painted her a canvas with her monogram. In her bathroom, I found some great accessories, but my favorite is the bird dish by her sink she uses for soap. Above her toilet is another project I completed. A lady was throwing out some old hydrangea pictures from the 90's so I took them home, painted them and added Emma's Chinese name to them. The top one says "beautiful" and the bottom one says, "heart". I really would love to find some Chinese fabric to make a shower curtain for her bathroom. I have been looking but have had no luck. She loves it and so do I. Hope you like it too.

Emma's bedroom - slideshow dvd

Shelby's Map

2010-11-14T20:09:00.000-05:00

Our Weekend

2010-11-14T19:33:00.004-05:00

We had a busy weekend. It began with a soccer party for Shelby where she had a session with Atlanta Beat player, Angie Kerr. She received her trophy and scored 28 of the team's 47 goals for the season. Saturday we went to the Etowah Indian Mounds. Shelby has a map project due Tuesday. We recreated the Mounds and included pictures and descriptions. Mound A, where the chief lived, was 6 stories tall. We walked the steps and I never looked behind me. I really had no idea we were walking up 6 stories but I can say I felt like I could fall backwards at any point. We made it up and the view was amazing. We then walked to the Etowah River and saw the fish trap that still exists. It was amazing to think of the Indians who once walked the same ground. We finished our tour with the video segment, in which I felt like I was back in high school. Shelby and I got home and worked until 10 o'clock creating her masterpiece map. Of course, it was supposed to be on posterboard. But you know me, we just had to think outside of the box. We then practiced spelling words Sunday for Shelby's spelling bee. If she makes it this week, she will be in the school's spelling bee. What a busy weekend, only to end with 3 hours of lesson planning for me...yipee!

Shelby's Soccer Season

2010-11-05T22:23:00.000-04:00

Fort Walton Beach

2010-09-23T11:38:00.003-04:00

We have had a relaxing time at the beach. The kids have played and played. It is so nice to get away.

Shelby's painted flowers by Mommy

2010-07-02T18:55:00.003-04:00

After getting Shelby's room decorated I added some painted flowers with The Fruit of the Spirit scattered around her room. It is one of Shelby's first verses she learned and her favorite. Galatians 5:22

Shelby's bedroom and bathroom

2010-06-28T19:10:00.002-04:00

I am just about finished decorating Shelby's bedroom. I completed her name above her bed, covered her lampshade, and finished her bedskirt. Now I just need to sew her curtains and paint her mural. I plan to begin painting tomorrow and then get the curtains done this weekend. I love her room and will be so excited to see it all decorated. Then I plan to move on to finish Emma's room. I love this process!!!

An Afternoon at the Lake

2010-06-02T10:54:00.002-04:00

We spent some time recently with some friends at the lake. Emma rode on a tube for the first time and Shelby went fishing and caught a tiny fish before throwing it back. They were thrilled with their new adventures.

2010-05-17T21:50:00.001-04:00

Emma's Haircut and Shelby's Awards Day

2010-05-17T21:44:00.002-04:00

2010-05-01T19:32:00.000-04:00

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2010-03-27T14:13:00.001-04:00

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A Review of Pics-Nov 09 to Feb 10

2010-02-14T16:45:00.001-05:00

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2009-12-25T22:21:00.001-05:00

Flag Football

2009-11-16T10:18:00.002-05:00

Shelby finished her season of Flag Football yesterday. She enjoyed herself and learned how to run plays, catch the football, and rush the quarterback. The field conditions were never quite right due to so much rain and the disorganization of the league left much to be desired. But she had fun. Her team did not win one game although they tried so hard and came close so many times. Initially I was concerned since the director placed Shelby in the age bracket of 9-14 year olds. When I called to speak to him about my concerns, he pointed out that she was so tall and would tower over the 5-8 age group. I was not happy but decided to let it go when Shelby said she wanted to stay on her team. Considering she played against a few boys in 7th grade and kept up makes me very proud of her. The best moment was yesterday during the last game when Shelby rushed the quarterback and got his flag before he threw the ball. I cheered so loudly and will never forget the pride on her face. She had tried all season to get his flag and finally did it. Did I mention he was one of the 7th graders?

Scrapbooking Lately

2009-11-11T16:13:00.001-05:00

Halloween 09

2009-11-01T19:21:00.000-05:00

Flooding

2009-09-21T18:22:00.003-04:00

After days of taking turns with Shane with the shop vac, we have finally found relief. The rain may not be stopping yet, but our neighbor showed us the issue, a buried drain pipe. Shane dug it out and now the water is flowing away from our basement like it should. I pray it works since he is set to go out of town this week. If you have not watched our local news, you may not know how bad things are in the ATL area. 8 deaths, including a 2 yr old, bridges falling, mudslides, 15 inches of rain in the last 2 hours.Please pray for this area.

Tellus Museum in Cartersville, GA

2009-08-11T17:30:00.002-04:00

Last week I took the girls and some friends to the Tellus Museum in Cartersville. We had a great time. It was an extremely nice museum with lots to do and see. The most fun was panning for stones that the kids we able to bag and keep. We ate a picnic lunch and went back inside for more.

Shelby's First Day of 3rd Grade

2009-08-10T17:16:00.001-04:00

Emma's 4th Birthday

2009-07-29T11:38:00.001-04:00

Emma's 4th Birthday

2009-07-29T11:10:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Emma turning four last Saturday with her Princess friends. We started the party with a special gift presentation from our new neighbors, Mr. Bob and Mrs. Cathy. They just love Emma and Emma just loves to examine Mrs. Cathy's jewelry each time she sees her. So they gave Emma her first locket. Mr. Bob presented her gift dressed in his tuxedo. It was the sweetest gift presentation I have seen. She was certainly the center of attention and loved the necklace. We then moved to Princess centers. The kids stamped cards, had their faces painted, nails painted, and made Princess Wands. After we ate some "P" Princess Food off of the "Puffett", we had cake. I branched out once again and made a castle cake for Emma. Last year I made her a ladybug cake but, unfortunately, never got a piture of it from a friend who took pics for me. So, I made sure I had my camera charged and I took several. After all of that hard work, you want a picture to remember it by. I learned my lesson. We then went on a gift scavenger hunt. We went in search of Cinderella's glass slipper and found gifts scattered throughout the house. Emma loved it but wondered where the slipper was since we never found it. I guess Cinderella left with it after all. We played some games and the little Princesses all left with a pink carnation in hand and the placemat I hand painted with each girl's name. It was a bunch of work, but it made for a great party with sweet memories. The best thing is, I don't have to ask anyone for the next 9 months for a picture of my daughter's birthday cake. If you are reading this and happen to feel compelled, just send that picture through e-mail. Just had to try one last time!!!! :)

2009-06-16T21:24:00.002-04:00

The girls love the pool and want to swim all day. I love the fact that Emma did not hesitate this summer and got right into the water. She swims from one end of the pool to the other with her floaty of course. What a difference from last year! Shelby is our little fish. She jumps in, does hand stands, swims underwater, and loves her goggles. Thank goodness for the pool both at Grandma's in Jax and here in our neighborhood!

My Sweet Amanda, 1985-2009

2009-06-06T10:36:00.005-04:00

After 17 months of battling 2 types of cancer, Amanda went home to be with Jesus on May 30th and was put to rest Thursday, June 4, 2009. I attended her funeral and witnessed what no mother would ever want to experience. Her mom, Kim, was beyond devastation. How do you say good-bye? Even when you know that the body you can still see is no longer your child, your heart tears in two. I could see the pain ripping through her soul. I wanted to take it all away for her entire family. I watched as they all cried and grieved. I had Shelby and Emma with me so I tried to keep it together the best I could. I suppose that was a blessing to have them there. I had planned for them to stay with my mom but it did not work out. Had I been alone I think the tears would have flooded my face. I have so many memories of babysitting these kids. When I look at pictures of these precious girls and their brother, Chad, I remember so many fun times. I was with the 3 of them every Saturday night of high school, had them on weekends when their parents would go away and at times for vacations. I watched them over the summer and spent so many birthdays celebrating their lives. I guess I was a "nanny" before it was the thing to be. Amanda was precious to me and always had a smile filled with sunshine. Her eyes would make those little upside down smiles and her giggle would make you laugh. God had a plan for her life that we could never have predicted. I am thankful for God allowing me to see Amanda in April as part of His plan before she left us. He knew when she would take her last breath. I had no idea when I hugged her bye after we shopped and ate lunch that it would be the last time. But, I am SO incredibly glad I had that time. As I looked at her in her casket, I mourned her loss but was comforted by the fact that she will no longer be in pain, will no longer have swelling beyond recognition, will no longer be poked with needles, and will no longer have to fight to stay alive. She was tired. Rest now Manda girl. You are safe from harm forever more. I love you and will see you again some day.

2009-05-02T19:04:00.003-04:00

It is over! After preparing for days, we had the garage sale. We actually made a lot of money. All of the hard work was nicely rewarded. So I am really wiped out tonight. The girls have had their baths and are ready for bed. Although they are not one bit tired. I could close my eyes and be asleep instantly. But, instead, I decided to check my email, which made me check blogs, which made me want to post. When I looked at the most recent pictures I have, I saw my beautiful girls having so much fun on their new driveway. I want to share this moment because it represents for me how I feel about our new house. Shelby and Emma can go outside and ride up and down the driveway onto the cul-de-sac all afternoon without me worrying one of them may loose control going down our old driveway. Shelby can play basketball without the ball rolling down the hill into the ditch across the busy road. We do not have much traffic at all, just a curious passer-by once in a while. I love that they can actually play outside safely and happily.They are enjoying that the most. We have met friends to play with not to mention our new neighbor across the way who loves my girls, Cathy. When I think about all of the things I love about living here, I think about so much. God has blessed us and I am so thankful. We are settled in and unpacked. I have made it past the garage sale and am happy to say I have no more "big" projects on my calendar. Now I can focus on putting the icing on the cake so to speak in our new home and finally getting into a set routine again. Hope you enjoy our girls playing. I sure do!

Emma the Princess Ballerina

2009-04-27T12:10:00.004-04:00

You know when some kids get so attached to one item of clothing that you cannot seem to pry it off their little bodies to even wash it? Well, Emma's favorite thing to wear every day is her pink tutu. She goes into her room after nap time and puts it on as often as possible. I did have to finally wash it several times to get chocolate ice cream off of the tummy and she checked each day to see if it was dry. I decided it was time to capture this little girl's excitement to share. She dances around and smiles so big. She is in love with being a ballerina. Excuse me, a Princess Ballerina that is!

Easter

2009-04-23T10:34:00.002-04:00

After we attended our wonderful church service on Easter Sunday, we took the girls to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. This was my second time eating there and the girls' first. Shane had received an amazing giftcard from one of his bosses so we thought we would use it to eat as a family on Easter. We had a nice meal and the girls loved the fancy dessert. We then walked around Centennial Olympic Park for a while. It was extremely breezy so I was cold considering I had not brought a sweater. But I was able to get some cute shots of the girls. Shelby has developed a love for posing. If you look closely you can see the hand on the hip. She looked beautiful in her dress and I think she felt it too. She smiled all afternoon. Emma is a ham most of the time and loves to have her picture taken if she is in the mood. She had a pink dress with earrings to match. She decided she did not want a hairbow, which Mommy so badly wanted to put in that pretty black hair. She is very picky about her hair already. Our girls had a lovely Easter and I enjoyed our time together.

Sisters

2009-04-17T22:37:00.003-04:00

As I was driving the other day, Emma tells me, "Mommy, Shelby is my sister. I love her." I almost cried. It just hit me so hard that she "knows". She actually understands, in her 3 year old way, what it means to love her as her sister. I thanked God right then that He has allowed Shelby and Emma to grow together as sisters. I never had the sisterly experience growing up with a brother. There is a different dynamic with a brother. He never wanted me to play with him and his friends but I would tag along anyways. I got on his nerves but I was always in his shadow b/c I thought he was so cool. I know there will be bumps along the road of sisterhood with my girls. But one day I pray that I look back and see a lifetime of bonding and love between two girls only God could have had the power to bring together. Emma loves her and she loves Emma. How awesome! Thank you Jesus! Thank you! Now that's a Mommy moment!

2009-04-13T21:40:00.000-04:00

Shelby completed her Fun Run at school and raised 175.00 for her school's track. She began her run around the gym rather quickly and soon slowed her pace as the room became extremely stuffy and warm. They were supposed to run outside but had to take it indoors due to rain. So with the boys sitting against the walls, the parents cheering on the girls, and the girls running, it was way too warm. Even so, Shelby worked so hard and was determined to make her 35 laps. I have to say, it almost brought me to tears I was so proud of her. As I watched her trudge along, I just wanted to go out there and carry her around for her last laps. Her little face was beet red and she was so sweaty. But she did it. I did put down my camera for her last lap and grabbed her hand to run it with her. She was exhausted but very happy she ran it all(in 20 minutes). I took her out for water and walked in the cool hallways until she felt better. Bless her heart, I know it was tough. I was so proud of her!!!!

Emma 3 Years Ago Today!

2009-04-05T21:19:00.000-04:00

2009-04-05T20:59:00.004-04:00

This evening as I was packing for Jax, I realized this is our Gotcha Day Anniversary. We have been so busy this weekend, the date just flew right by me. Saturday we celebrated Ella Kate's birthday party in Hartwell, GA with my very sweet friend, Shay. What makes that so much more special is the fact that 3 years ago, we visited with Ella Kate in China on the day Shane and I were scheduled to meet Emma for the first time ever. Let me explain; we were friends with Shay's family long before we all flew to China. But our trips just happened to overlap. When Shane and I entered the hotel lobby, looking for the elevator, we ran right into Shay and her family. We were exhausted but thrilled to see someone we knew. And, there was Ella Kate in her stroller. That was our first glimpse at their precious little girl they had waited so long for. We spent some time together until they had to leave for the USA and we so excitedly had to go meet Emma and keep her in our arms forever. Fast forward, 3 years later, we visited Ella and her family, celebrated her birthday, jumped on the trampoline, and hugged bye again for now. So that's why, on Emma's Anniversary, that you see another little Chinese girl in the collage of photos with Shelby and Emma. We have such a sweet connection with Ella Kate that's worth celebrating. We also are more than thrilled to celebrate 3 years of loving Emma as our daughter and witnessing Shelby growing into her role as a big sister.

Gotcha Day 3 Year Anniversary!

2009-04-05T20:58:00.000-04:00

Is she Chinese?

2009-01-30T11:33:00.006-05:00

It seems everytime I go someplace, someone will ask if Emma is Chinese. I am not the kind of person who has adopted from China only to have bitterness about people's curiosity. It does not bother me. I actually am proud of who she is, where she came from and why she is now my daughter. I never hesitate for a moment to say she is a gift from God b/c God had his hand completely in the mix when He gave us Emma. She could not be a better fit. But, she is so much more than what the eye can see. So for my daughter, I have taken pen in hand to complete a listing of what I would say to the next person who asks if she is Chinese. Of course, not being some whacked out crazy person, I would not ramble on like I did in my journal. It was just one of those inspirational creative flowing moments that happened to address an almost daily subject matter. Here's what I wrote: When we go places together, people sometimes ask, “Is she Chinese?” I answer, “Yes.” But what I need to say is , She’s also very artistic and loves to draw and color for hours on end. I happen to be an artist myself, so go figure. Her nose runs due to allergies from fall to spring much like mine. She talks non-stop always asking what I’m doing, where Shelby is, or if her Daddy is at work. She’s affectionate, always wanting a kiss-hug and telling me she loves me. I wuff you Mommy, words that melt my heart. She is not quite sure she likes characters and will shrink behind my legs when she’s scared. She loves TV, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Princess Barbie movies, and Cinderella and will drift off into her own little world when watching it. She doesn’t really like to eat meals but loves snacks. She loves hot tea and will play pretend in her kitchen just to serve me some. When you do something she likes or give her a compliment, she replies with a very articulate, yes. Though there have been times when she becomes bashful and does not like any attention drawn to herself. Barbie has become her favorite toy and she loves to carry purses, dolls, books or anything she fancies when we go bye-bye. She loves to wear Mommy's scarf and walk around the house in my shoes. She is a fashion clothes princess and says thank you with a hug anytime I buy her something new. Her favorite shoes are her black patten leather tap-tap shoes, as she has named them herself. So, yes, she’s Chinese. But she’s also so much more than what your eye can see. She’s my daughter who may not resemble me, but oddly enough, is so much like me!

Chinese Character Paintings

2009-01-23T20:45:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I will be attending a Chinese New Year Celebration. I plan to take my canvas paintings and set up as a vendor as well as oversee the craft area. After working as a volunteer to organize the crafts for the past few weeks, I hope this all pays off. I have shared my original canvases on my blog before but wanted to show you something special I created today. I am hoping I get a lot of interest in the Chinese Character paintings. We'll see! It just amazes me the talent God has blessed my fingers with. Each time I paint I am shocked at what I actually can produce. As I paint more, I gain more confidence in my ability and realize it is such a blessing to be able to pick up a brush and whip out something like these.

Shelby turns 8!

2009-01-23T20:30:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Shelby turning 8 three times this year. Nothing wrong with that! She had a family party in Jacksonville, dinner here with us where the servers sang out a loud rendition of the familiar tune, and a small party with some close friends. I ventured out and took the group of 8 to see Hotel for Dogs after cake, ice cream and pizza. We returned home after seeing a great movie to open gifts. Just check out that guitar cake! I am very proud to say I created that fabulous and extremely delicious guitar for my dear daughter who so badly wanted a guitar cake. It was one of those mom moments when you think to yourself, when you are elbow deep in icing, what was I thinking???? But it turned out to be a show stopper and Shelby loved it. She had an amazing birthday this year.

We got it! Here's our new house!

2009-01-07T14:17:00.002-05:00

I cannot begin to describe how relieved, excited, and thrilled I am to know the bank accepted our offer for this house. After years of looking for the "right one" with a flat driveway, flat backyard on a cul-de-sac, we did it! We will hopefully close by the end of February. It will be awesome to finally unpack all of the boxes that have been packed every since we had our old house on the market almost 2 years ago. I have felt so unsettled and now that will all change. What a blessing! Thank you Jesus! We will still be close enough to friends in our current area but far enough to experience new shopping and new restaurants. Shelby will finish her year at her school since she loves her teacher and classmates. She will go to her new school next year for 3rd grade. Emma's school is still pretty close to the new house. I hope you can feel the enthusiasm oozing out of the screen. I am escatic! So if you ever want to come over in the next few weeks to help pack, once again, please feel free to call! Since we just moved into this house at the end of October, I will certainly be open to anyone to help us move this time. Oh Happy day!

2009-01-05T16:21:00.003-05:00

We ended 2008 in Jax with family and friends and came home a few days ago. Unfortunately, we returned to Atlanta without Jingles, the hamster. Shelby found her dead last Monday morning in her cage. We took her to Petco. They looked her over and concluded she died from wet tail, which is due to the stress of changing environments. I have since learned that Teddy Bear hamsters are more prone to getting wet tail. Shelby cried some and quickly move on to wanting a guinea pig. After learning about their pet dander and high level of respiratory illnesses from a lack of vitamin C, we decided to move forward without a pet for now. On a brighter note, we have possibly found a house that we love. We made an offer on it and are waiting to hear from the bank. It is located in The Aviary off of Mars Hill Rd and is on almost 2 acres. It has a flat driveway on a flat cul-de-sac, which is rare in Georgia. The backyard is flat and private. It is a ranch plan so the girls will be on the first level with us. That also means no dragging the laundry basket up and down the stairs. Yahoo! If the deal goes through, we will move once again in Feb. I am looking forward to finally unpacking all of the boxes that I packed when we originally put our house on the market almost 2 years ago. It'll be like Christmas all over again just finding things we have not seen in a while. Shane has started his traveling again, Wisconsin, and Shelby resumes basketball this week. Emma has missed school and cannot wait to return. Tomorrow the alarm clock will sound very early and it all starts again. I plan to work on our family resolutions this week. One of my biggest goals for 2009 is to publish my book. Hopefully one day I will post about that. For now, I hope your holidays were filled with fun and look forward to 2009!

2009-01-05T16:19:00.001-05:00

Last Post of 2008!

2008-12-27T10:40:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite traditions around this time of year is making Pecan Balls. My grandmother made them when I was a little girl. They soon became my favorite cookie. Now I make them each year and share with everyone. Shane's dad loves to get his batch each Christmas. My Grandmother now gets excited when I give her the cookies. My parents enjoy nibbling on them for days as well. This year we have a new member of the Pecan Ball Cookie Loving Hall of Nibblers, Emma. She absolutely could not get enough. Her mouth was rimmed with powdered sugar. Her fingers were covered with little white flecks. Her toes even got a sprinkling as she ate each and every cookie that her belly could hold. I am sure one day she will take over the tradition of making our favoite cookie. But for now, I do not mind making everyone a batch for Christmas!

Only in Jax could the girls wash a car at Christmas!

2008-12-27T10:37:00.001-05:00

Introducing Jingle Bell, the Hamster

2008-12-27T10:21:00.002-05:00

Opening Gifts at Home and in Jax

2008-12-27T10:14:00.000-05:00

2008-12-27T09:56:00.002-05:00

Our Christmas was a little early this year. Santa came Monday morning so we could drive to Jax, FL Tuesday. Shane's vacation week is this week so he wanted to be able to spend some time off from work with his brother and parents. The girls did not seem to mind. We had e-mailed Santa and put in a request for Monday, but did not know for sure when he would fit us into his busy schedule. So it was a great big surprise when the girls walked downstairs to find the living room full of gifts. Shelby got a Hot Wheels Town complete with a garage and city streets. She also received a hamster cage with a coupon so she could go to the pet store to select her first pet hamster. Santa left a Wii game system for her and Emma with loads of games. Emma got a huge Princess Castle with a horse drawn carriage and PRINCESS BARBIE(all she actually wanted). She also received a Princess Karaoke machine. They had a wonderful morning playing and exploring their new gifts. Afterwards we all got dressed and visited 5 pet stores before Shelby found "the one". Pictures soon to come of that! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! We surely did!

2008-12-27T09:38:00.002-05:00

Unbelievable!

2008-12-04T20:59:00.003-05:00

I thought for sure I would have to wait until next year to witness Emma sitting on the lap of a man with a big red suit and a white full beard. But it actually happened. After Shelby had her turn talking to Santa, I walked Emma over and squated in front of him. I asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she replied her usual, "Princess Annaleise Barbie". Then Santa asked if she would like to sit on his lap and tell him about the Princess Barbie. She blurted out a very happy, Okay!" and sat down. I was able to walk away and take a few pictures. I could not believe my eyes. We had tried a few weeks ago and she would not even look at him. I guess this was just the right time, the right place, and the right Santa. Unbelievable! Afterwards we enjoyed a very chilly ride in the carriage with a horsie named Monkey. Shelby got a kick out of that. It was a very successful Santa visit.

FSU GAME

2008-11-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

Disney On Ice

2008-11-03T19:07:00.000-05:00

Shelby and I went to see Disney on Ice at the Phillips Arena with Sarah and her mom. It was such an incredible show. We saw Cars, The Little Mermaid, Lion King and Tinker Bell. Shelby was thrilled when Lightning McQueen drove onto the ice. I loved watching her expression brighten and her eyes widen when she saw her favorite. We have been to a few Disney shows but this was by far the best.

Halloween

2008-11-02T11:19:00.002-05:00

Each year we go Trick-or-Treating with my friend Catherine and her girls, Lauren and Gabrielle. To stick with tradition, we met at our house and walked the neighborhood. Emma wasn't really wanting to participate so we pushed her around and at times tossed some candy in her pumpkin. Shelby & Lauren ran from house to house gathering all of the candy they could carry until their pumpkins were too heavy. Gabrielle started out strong going with the older girls but tuckered out and soon took a seat in her stroller as well. After about an hour of collecting treats, we retired to our house to look through the goodies.

2008-10-31T14:44:00.001-04:00

Halloween Sneak-a-Peek

2008-10-31T14:32:00.003-04:00

Here's a little peek for Nana & Grandma of their granddaughter's in costume for this evening. Emma is Cinderella and so perfect for such a costume. Shelby chose to be a police officer and actually fits the role well.

2008-10-29T16:32:00.000-04:00

2008-10-29T16:07:00.002-04:00

Okay, you know when you are sick and you have been in bed for a couple of days and cannot stand to see your pillow for another minute? Well, that's exactly how I feel right now. I actually feel more exhausted and sore all over than yesterday but could not make myself watch TV in bed any longer. So I got on the computer and scrapbooked. The girls and I went to Puerto Rico to visit my brother and sister-in-law this summer. I finally have gotten around to scrapping those pictures, well half of them anyway. I finished my 3rd LO this afternoon while I shivered and sniffled. But it sure did break up the boring ole sick in the bed routine. My nose is sore, my eyes are tired, and my kids are lively & loud. That certainly does not make for a recipe of afternoon napping. But at least I had enough quiet time to get some scrapping done. Back to those dreaded covers and tissues. One day soon I am sure I will want so badly to get into bed for a quick nap when I have had one of those busy mom kinda days. But for today, I will enjoy my time and make myself rest so I can get well.

My Girls Playing Ball

2008-10-27T17:58:00.000-04:00

I'm back . . .

2008-10-27T17:41:00.002-04:00

It has been a while since I have posted and I am ready to get going again. There is so much to catch up on with just selling our house and moving into a rental for the time being. Shelby is at the same school since we rented in the same area. Emma is still in pre-school and learning so much. Shane is back on routine and I am trying to get there. I was able to exercise in our old house but do not have room for my equipment here so I have to reconfigure my routine a bit. My kitchen is organized and I am actually cooking Shelby's favorite tonight, chicken pot pie. Our furniture is in place and everything that we want to unpack (for hopefully a short time) has been put in its place. I just wanted to post something and since I have not found the time to download recent pics yet, I am posting a few oldies but goodies of the girls in our old backyard playing softball. Well, Shelby was hitting and Emma was prancing around the yard trying to retrieve the balls for Shelby. It was a silly afternoon. After just taking Shelby to Disney on ice, I hope to scrapbook some pages soon and post them. That was a treat! I am so looking forward to this weekend too. Shane scored us some free tickets to the FSU vs GA Tech game. It will be Shelby's first college football game. Most of you may know Shane is the most extreme of FSU fans so she will be seeing another side of her Daddy. I plan to take my camera so I will share that day eventually. Hope to post soon!

2008-10-06T19:26:00.003-04:00

What do you get when you put 1 busted blood vessel on right hand, several bruises on thighs, 1 bump on the head, cuts, scrapes, soreness, aches and pains altogether? You get one extremely exhausted mover! I am sore from head to toe and have been making runs to the new house we are renting since a week ago Sunday. Shane and I along with our awesome friend, Carol, have spent our spare time taking boxes and misc things to get ready for the movers who come Friday. By Friday evening, hopefully our beds will be ready to have a restful sleep in while we put this move behind us. Of course, our next destination still remains a mystery. The bank did not take the offer on the house under foreclosure. So I guess they like it so much they want to hang onto that loan. It must not be the one for us. We plan to meet with another builder Thurs before closing to look at some lots. She said materials are as low as they were in the seventies so building from the ground up would not be bad. Sounds fun to me. Shane and I have built 2 houses and actually enjoyed the process of getting to choose everything. Gotta go and take a look at some floor plans! If you are in the area and would like to do some heavy lifting, give me a ring! BTW: I am so thrilled at the moment. My Mom flies in tomorrow for 7 days. Although, we are a bit nervous about her trip due to the fact that my Grandmother is in the hospital again with a bone infection in her new knee. My Mom does not want to leave her without knowing what they plan to do so pray for her recovery please. :)

October 10th!

2008-09-22T17:04:00.002-04:00

As of today, our house is officially sold! We will close on October 10th and start moving things to the house we are renting very soon. We'll be able to stay in this area so Shelby can go to the same school while we, hopefully, finish that house I had mentioned. I have been so busy packing and doing life in general that I have yet to scrapbook or even take pictures lately. I miss it. But I will return once we get settled. Update on the girls: Shelby has been getting boo-boo after boo-boo lately. It looks as if she has been beaten with a broomstick. She has bruises from new and old injuries. She fell while playing kickball on the road, which left a lot of road rash and scrapes. She came home today with clay from her waist to her toes, along with more scrapes. The Nikes I washed this weekend are now orange along with her shorts, leg and some of her shirt. Needless to say, I will be washing the shoes again and praying the stains will come out of everything. I love her so much and feel her pain when she falls. I too played hard like her and had legs that looked bruised all of the time as a child. Good thing they are so long and sexy now! LOL!Emma has been asking me to call her Princess. She gets up on her tiptoes and says, "I want to be Princess Mommy." As she walks away, she says, "Princes toes, princess toes." I don't know where that is coming from, but it's incredibly cute! I did learn the other day why she likes to spread out a napkin on the table under all of her meals. I picked her up early from school last week and saw that her teachers spread napkins out for the kids to eat thier lunches on. Ah-hah! I just thought I had a neat kid! Although Emma does not like anything on her hands or face and may go through 5 napkins in one meal. She is also trying so hard to count and say her ABCs. One of the latest statements she has come out with has been, "I got idea." Cute! They are both so loved! As most all of my friends know, Shane passed his Project Management Certification Exam. That was not only a big relief but a great accomplishement for him. I was and still am proud of his hard work! Gotta go. Hope to have pics to ost or new LOs soon.

Busy time for us...

2008-09-15T18:44:00.002-04:00

I know I have not posted in so long. Actually, I have not been scrapping either. We have been super busy with our house among other things. As of this moment, we have a contract on our house and have passed inspection. I am praying all goes well and we close on October 10th. We have found a foreclosure that is 76% finished and walked it with a builder we know. The surrounding houses have not sold but are listed in the high 600-700K. If we can get in this house, we will get such a deal that we'll already have lots of equity established. It is exciting but also stressful. We are thinking about putting in a pool while our yard is not completed. Shelby is thrilled about that. I am too personally. I had a pool when we lived in Fort Lauderdale, FL as a child. It was so much fun. I especially liked swimming at night. Speaking of night, Shane went by the house the other evening and saw two deer in the yard. It sits on 3/4 of an acre and has a flat driveway!! The road it is on is pretty flat too, which thrills this Florida girl. I just love to ride bikes and now I can with my girls and hubby again. I used to take Shelby on rides in Jax when she was a bitty baby. Now I can ride Emma while Shelby cruises along side of us. I know I seem to be getting ahead of myself, but I really feel like this is the place for us. Shelby will be able to go to school with her best friend, Laura Kate. So that is another plus! Selling a house and moving into a rental will make two moves for us, but it seems to be well worth it. I am so excited and pray things work for us. On another note, I have been taking a Bible study, actually two. Just having gotten over a stomach virus has put me behind on my homework. But it is still a treasure to be spending time in the Bible. I have already learned so many things I did not know before. One is a Beth Moore study I go to on Wed nights while the girls go to Children's Church. The other is Wed morning where I attend with other women. I love having the time to actually have adult conversation that is healthy and inspiring. Shane has been attending classes to get his Project Management Certification. He took his last of the four this past Saturday and plans to take his test Thursday. It is an extremely difficult test, maybe the equivalent to an attorney taking the bar. I am praying he passes. It will certainly better his career since not many people have this certification. Shelby and Emma are doing well. I just love them and hope to find time to scrapbook some of their beautiful pictures soon. Once we get going on the house, I will post some pics.

Love this!

2008-08-30T19:51:00.003-04:00

2008-08-29T08:49:00.000-04:00

Puerto Rico

2008-08-25T14:06:00.000-04:00

Girls Playing at Fort

2008-08-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

The Fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico

2008-08-22T13:50:00.000-04:00

My Girl

2008-08-22T08:42:00.003-04:00

This picture of Emma has got to be one of my favorites of all summer. I feel like it captures her innocence so vividly. It's an awesome thing when you can take a camera and record a photograph that moves you. I love this little girl of mine. I love her lips that kiss me goodnight 20 times before she finally gives in to Mr. Sandman. I love these little eyes that see this world as no adult ever could. I love the nose that scrunches up when she does not like something. I love the hands that take her Mommy's face when she wants to show me love. But most of all, I love that she's all mine!

Puerto Rico

2008-08-20T10:58:00.002-04:00

After getting settled into a new school year, I feel like I finally have time to download some pics from our travels this summer. The girls and I flew to Puerto Rico as many of you know to visit with my brother, Keith, and sister-in-law, Nilsa. We loved spending time with them since we had not seen them in a while after their move from Jacksonville. It did take some adapting to a different environment, but overall we accomplished what we went to do. We visited with two very special people in my life and my girls' as well. Even though my brother now lives a good distance away, I still want my girls to know their Uncle Keith and Aunt Nilsa as well. I don't have a great big family, so I need to remain in contact with the little bit I have. It was great to see Shelby & Emma having fun with them. Shelby met a little girl named Brianna who spoke Spanish mainly. Although they could not verbally understand each other, they played and had fun. One evening it rained and the girls played in the raindrops and puddles. I am sure it was refreshing because it was incredibly hot. It just goes to show you how much we value our air conditioning in the States. We went to the beach with Nilsa and her daughter Marie and saw some beautiful views. I took Marie and Shelby kayaking across the calm water of the bay. That was an great experience. I loved it. But since we were in the kayak which ws in the water, I could not take a picture. I will post more slide shows of other days we spent in Puerto Rico. But for now, enjoy!

2008-08-16T14:30:00.002-04:00

After suffering through my dental visit yesterday with 4 shots and some sensitivity medicine applied, all for a tiny cavity that the dentist said would be quick and easy to fill, I survived! I thought as I was positioned so akwardly in that chair that I could jump out within seconds to escape the pain that continued to shoot through my head when she drilled on that "tiny cavity". I actually began to cry and shake which led to me not being able to breath through my nose as I was attempting to make it through the experience. Today my cheek is very sore and it is difficult to open my mouth to eat. But I am thankful it is over. Now, I am a very good brusher/flosser so having been told I had a cavity was irritating to say the least. But, I am glad it was caught before I had to even attempt to make it through a root canal, which I have never had. Thank you Jesus! This story leads me to my daughter in a very funny way. As I sat there in pain I thought of her having to have a dosage of valume(sp?) to make it through her first filling. I suppose I am a future her, as she told me yesterday. Of course, she has no idea how her mommy cried in that chair. She was referring to our looks as she examined her face in the mirror. She then turned to me and said, Mommy you are a future me. (Great future scrapbook page!) It must be odd to look so much like another person that you can see how you may look as you get older. I am sure she will grow into her unique self, but for now I am honored that my daughter wants to be like her mommy, even if I cry in the dentist chair!

2008-08-11T14:00:00.002-04:00

There goes my baby! Shelby went off to 2nd grade today and is due home on the bus around 2:30. We have had a quiet day. Emma wanted to veg all day and watch TV(BB). For those of you who know Emma well enough, she would do that most days if Shelby was not around to arouse her. Tomorrow I plan to have a more structured day for her. But today was a lazy day for the sweet pea. Shelby did great going into her classroom. She is growing by leaps and bounds and is so independent. I was a proud Mommy. But that little feeling of emptiness was in my tummy just like it was the first day of Kindergarten. There's just no changing that. She's my girl and will always be my baby. The pride and love I have for her is overflowing. I cannot wait to see how her day went. Enjoy the LO of Shelby's first day of 2nd grade.

2008-08-03T10:18:00.001-04:00

Fun w/ new kit-French Countryside

2008-07-23T13:44:00.002-04:00

I have been scrapping with a new kit from Shabby Shoppe-French Countryside and loving it. I guess you can tell my newest LOs are all from that kit. I did a LO w/ Shelby & Emma celebrating 2 years together w/ the blue background. I then scrapped a double LO of Emma as a brown eyed girl, loved it! I used the same kit to do Emma w/her treats. She loves to eat "treats" as she calls them. Most of the time immediately after she has been practically forced to eat her meal. The last I completed was of Emma on the carousel. Look closely at them all. I really made them "works of art". Like the carousel one has a larger pic of Em that I lowered the opacity and tucked it behind layers just so her eye could be seen under the loop of the heart ribbon. Loved that too! I am so glad to be scrapping again. Of course, I am in Jax using my mom's computer that does have issues like mine.

My Latest LOs in Jax, FL

2008-07-23T13:43:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to Emma!

2008-07-13T20:44:00.037-04:00

Today we celebrate Emma's birthday. I tried diligently to download a pic of her today but had issues with my computer and camera. So I will try again after I buy a new cord tomorrow. Anyway, she loved when we sang to her at lunch after church. One would think she was a movie star with the love for attention. She beamed and smiled and never once showed an ounce of shyness. She later opened a couple of gifts from us and then wanted to play Memory Game. Shelby, our competive player, dominated and fussed when she was not finding matches. Emma, with a little help from us to learn how to play, made matches and giggled. Eventually Shelby started to "help" Emma find matches. It was funny to see how much Emma loved her matches b/c we tried to play again and she did not want to give her matches back. After bath tonight, Daddy & Mommy took the front part of her crib off to make it a daybed that she could get in and out of to go potty at night. We placed a Princess night light in her room as well. She was thrilled with the night light b/c it has princesses and got right up into her new bed to go to sleep. Shelby decided she needed to sleep on the floor next to Emma so she would not fall out and get hurt tonight. So sweet!! I love it when she loves Emma like that. Protector vs. Aggravator, I'd choose the first every time! Well, here comes Emma walking out of her room. Uh oh! What did we do? Tonight should prove to be very interesting. Hopefully I can get this computer in gear and download my Puerto Rico pics as well as some updated pics of the girls tomorrow. I'd also love to get some scrapbooking done. Computers! UGH! Busy week ahead, Emma's party is Tues. I promised I would take the girls to Chuck E Cheese and spend a gift card Emma won at church. I plan to take Shelby ice skating Wed for a Brownie patch. And, let's see, I know there's more. So hopefully I will fit in some me time to scrapbook and download. Talk soon!

This time tomorrow...

2008-06-25T21:18:00.002-04:00

This time tomorrow night Shelby, Emma, and I will be in Puerto Rico with my Mom, Dad, brother and sister-in-law. We are flying tomorrow morning for a 7 day stay with my brother who moved there about 4 months ago. I am so excited to see them both and spend some time touring. I cannot wait to take the girls to the beach to see the beautiful water. Believe me, I plan to take lots of pics. I really wanted to post pics of our most recent events, but ran out of time. So I will get back to scrapping and posting when we return. But to update you on the latest and greatest, Shelby rode a mechanical bull when we went to the rodeo Saturday night. She also got her ears pierced yesterday. I have videos of both and hope to load them. Emma has been fitting into the three year old image well lately, fussing and whining and more fussing. The word MINE has surfaced more than ever. I am just trying to love her and discipline at the same time. She, of course, had to show off her earrings when Shelby got hers done. So, obviously, she remains to be the girly girl we all love. We are all packed and hope to get a good night's sleep before that alarm goes off at 5:30am!

digital layouts

2008-06-25T08:42:00.001-04:00

Visiting Friends in Hilliard, FL

2008-06-19T22:42:00.003-04:00

One of my dearest and most missed friends from Florida is Marty. I went to college with her as part of a cohort group. So, needless to say, we were in the same classes at UNF and became very close friends. When I went to say good-bye to her before moving to Atlanta, she was pregnant with Mason(the little boy with Emma). We cried and hugged and cried some more as I drove off. I try to visit with her when in Jacksonville, but find it difficult with conflicting schedules. So this visit was very special to me. We had grabbed lunch here and there. But our kids had not played together since Shelby was much younger. She has no recollection of meeting baby Mason b/c she was just 15 months older. So to have seen them taking off and trying to pop wheelies on bikes, climb the treehouse ladder, and come in dirty and sweaty was a treat. They had a ball. Shelby requested several times to call Marty to see if Mason could play again. I guess that'll be one of those special memories for her now that she is old enough to rememebr times like these. Marty also has Caroline, who she was pregnant with in my wedding, & Grant, who is unbelievably 9. They are all so special to me and I miss seeing her. By the way, yes that is Emma with a baby deer. You probably cannot read the story on the layout, so here's a short version. Marty's family found this baby deer caught in a fence. They are taking care of it by feeding it bottles at night and letting it roam free during the day. When it gets mature enough, they will let him go. He just happened to walk up while we were playing outside. So Shelby & Emma had a special encounter with one of God's sweetest creations. Of course, once full grown, they would never be able to interact so sweetly. This was an unforgettable experience. (Shelby's layout coming soon.)

Coming Home

2008-06-18T11:42:00.004-04:00

This is my official last posting before hitting the road to head back home. I had a great time scrapbooking in Jax and love to share my layouts. I "scrap-lifted" the Rock Climbing layout idea from my friend but was able to do it without using the template. I love how it turned out. This morning I completed the Easter Basket layout and love how the colors came together with the girls' pajamas. I am getting much faster but still find the process more enjoyable than I had originally thought. It is different from traditional scrapping. But both have their perks!

Emma Language

2008-06-16T23:07:00.004-04:00

I love to journal after scrapbooking a page. Tonight I sat and thought about Emma's haircut she got in April. After creating her layout, I started to type. I want to capture those special moments in my girls' books that you tend to forget as time goes by. So I typed our typical conversation about haircuts. Emma seems to talk about things by stating the obvious and them forming it into a question, kinda like this: Mommy: Emma, did you get a haircut? Emma: Carecut Mommy. Mommy: I like your haircut. Emma: Carecut Mommy? Mommy: No, just Emma haircut. I love that as I type I can hear her little voice in my head. I know over time I will forget how that voice sounds as it changes, Shelby's has. And she will eventually talk with a more mature vocabulary. But for now, I will enjoy her statements turning into questions for as long as I can.

One of My Favorite Layouts

2008-06-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

2008-06-14T10:17:00.002-04:00

We have been in Jax, FL for about 9 days now. It has been a walk down memory lane for me. I have been able to visit some old friends and make new memories with my girls at the same time. I went to my friend Annette's house last week. I had not seen her in a very long time. She had last seen Shelby when she was a baby and had never seen Emma. We then went to Janice's house to play and swim. Normally we see her and her kids each visit. But with holidays, vacations overlapping and work, we have missed them for about a year. So it was nice to visit and play like old times. Shelby caught a tree frog there and Janice so graciously told us where to buy a "house". Pics coming soon of Freddy the Frog. Marty is my girlfriend from college, who I eat lunch with in Callahan every other visit or so. We met her and her husband, Neal, for lunch again but this time drove out to Hilliard to see their new house. We stayed and played until that evening. If she e-mails me the pics, I will be able to share with you Emma & Shelby's first close up encounter with a baby deer, Bambi as they named her. Bam-Bam as Emma said. As always, I have spent time with Mary Kay. We have shopped, gone to the beach, and went in her pool. I also got my haircut by Hope, my favorite hair dresser!!! I love it! Shane may be going to Detroit again Tues so we may stay another week. That's the great thing about summer and staying at home with your kids, no worries, just fun!

More Digital Scrapping

2008-06-14T10:15:00.002-04:00

2008-06-10T18:04:00.001-04:00

2008-06-10T17:55:00.000-04:00

Bad Case of Scrapbookingitis!

2008-06-10T16:52:00.002-04:00

So after almost 15 years of going about scrapbooking in the traditional way of paper, adhesive, and embellishments, I have broadened my abilities. I have been given a very contagious bug of digital scrapbooking by my two friends, Deb and Shay. Deb introduced herself to the world of digi scrapping on her own and has become a master digi-scrapper in just a few months. Shay scrapped traditionally and made the transition a while back, which encouraged me. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. My first attempts were not fun and even bordered on the frustrating. But, now I am actually enjoying this. Since I still have an enormous amount of supplies at home, I can revisit the "traditional" way anytime. This has been a challenge; but if you know me I love a great challenge. I have much more to learn, but am so excited to dive deeper. Hopefully I have uploaded my images correctly so you can share in my fun!

We did it!

2008-06-03T11:57:00.003-04:00

Does anyone have a cure for Farmer's Tan? That's exactly what many of us suffered from after spending hours in the sun during the Fundraiser Garage Sale. Thursday we delivered most of the items to the site and Friday we set up the areas. I honestly looked at all of the stuff and felt so overwhelmed at various times during the day. It was a lot to sort through with little help. Thank you Leigh Ann, Emma & Noah's MMO teacher, for working so many hours to sort and sell. Thank you to Jen's Aunt Liz for sorting & sweating for hours. At one point it was Jen and myself until Sarah came to help. Thank you Sarah! So you can see the old saying of many hands make light work did not hold much water for us. We needed many hands but were extremely thankful for the few we had. Saturday was a different story! We had volunteers who put in so many hours. You never know who may be touched to help at an event like this. Thank you to Ramone(Atl Bread Co) and Tim for working the entire day. They also put together Kraft baskets(full of food products from Kraft) for the raffle. Judy, a parent from our soccer team, worked all day as well. She did not even know the Nails family but chose to take the day to support the sale. Thank you Judy! Many of our friends from 4Points Church came out to help. It's unbelievable that I have only known these people for a couple of months, but yet they supported this event more than anybody else. I love you guys! Denise(Chili's) showed up to help as well and had only met me one time. She had never met Jennifer and Jason until Saturday but gave of her day to help. Thank you! She is having heart surgery today so please pray for her. What a blessing to meet people like our new friends who helped with the sale. Instead of looking at his event and shrugging my shoulders to those who may have not helped, I choose to glorify God and say thank you to those who came out and put in the hours to make this work. I know I made some new friends through this and possibly have opened doors for some to come to 4Points Church. That would be an amazing thing. My good and faithful friend Carol came to help. My thankfulness for her comes from her watching my 2 children during this event. We worked so late Thursday so she helped with baths and pjs. Friday night they just spent the night with her. Sat. morning they stayed with her mom. Thank you Carol for being such a loyal friend! Trish came out and helped a lot as well. I truly appreciate her help. After all of the sweat and hours of work we pulled in $3,150.00! That is enough to pay for Mia's shell for her eye. Wow! To stand back and see the people, shoppers, and bags of items going home to new owners all for a wonderful cause made me cry at one point Saturday. It all came together. Thank you to everyone involved for jumping on board!

Fundraiser Garage Sale

2008-06-03T11:54:00.002-04:00

Lots of Pics Coming Your Way!

2008-05-16T14:56:00.002-04:00

Okay, so it has been a while since I posted. Because of my lack of posting, I have accumulated many pictures to share. So you may have to scroll up or down to catch a glimpse of what we have been doing lately. Like everyone, we are extremely busy at this time of year with school ending, parties, Mother's Day, the Garage Sale I am planning for the Nails family, Shelby's soccer games and end of season party, etc. Shelby will finish 1st grade next Friday. I cannot believe how grown up she looks in some of these photos. She had a great year with Mrs. Johnson. She learned to read on a higher level and gained so much knowledge in other areas. Most importantly, her teacher loved her. She knew it and so did I. That made a huge difference with her progress. I pray for her teacher next year to have that kind of rapport with Shelby. Emma finished Mother's Morning Out Thursday. Her teachers loved her so much. Emma may not know the year is over, but I am sure she will miss them once she realizes she is not going back. Mother's Day was a great day for us. We went to church, ate lunch together, and then went to Debi's for dinner. I enjoyed being with my kids, husband and friends on that day. The Garage Sale is coming along. I have gotten lots of donations of items to sell, things for the raffle, and feedback for volunteers. I hope you join me in praying for the Nails family, for the upcoming surgeries (Jason-June, Mia-August, Noah-TBA) I am praying for May 31st! If you have no idea what I am talking about, I will e-mail you the info. Shelby ended her soccer season Tuesday night with a winning game. She scored a goal and got so excited. She is undecided if she wants to play soccer again. She is such a great player. But she seems to be interested in softball. We'll see. Overall, we have been busy. Although hectic at times, it's been fun!

Brooke and Emma

2008-05-16T14:52:00.001-04:00

Soccer Season is Over!

2008-05-16T14:48:00.002-04:00

Cagle's Dairy Field Trip

2008-05-16T12:22:00.002-04:00

First Grade Program

2008-05-16T12:09:00.002-04:00

MacKenzie Day

2008-05-02T15:29:00.002-04:00

Today marks the tenth anniversary of my best friend's litle girl MacKenzie Rose's death. I have posted before about my relationship with Mary Kay. I cannot express how much I wish I were there to be with her during this time. But since I am not, I sent her 2 dozen roses (hope they made it okay) and made her a special card. After talking to her this morning, she and I had a moment together we did not even realize. She was sharing how her aunt was visiting and bought her a windchime with a rainbow on the top of it as well as a glass butterfly to stick in the ground by Kenzie's gravesite. I was stunned. So I had to let the cat out of the bag so to speak. I told her I had typed her a poem for Kenzie's Day and it referred to a rainbow, a butterfly, and a chime. She then told me she also wrote a poem about Kenzie. Writing is not her favorite subject so it had to be divine intervention. We calculated that we typed our poems on the very same day. You have to know that I had attempted to write her a poem for 2 hours previously and could not get it right. Now, I love writing so that was difficult for me. I also knew I had to get something done or I would not get it mailed in time for today. So on April 29th, I was trying to go to sleep and the words began to dance through my head. I knew I had to go type or it would be lost. Mary Kay also had her poem come to her in bed. Isn't that neat! She has such a great memory, she waited till the morning of the 29th to get up and type. Anyway, it took me just 20 minutes to type exactly what I was wanting. I do not have a picture of Kenzie to post(10 years ago we did not download photos)but I do have her poem. I really feel I was God's messenger for Mary Kay. The poem is what I think Kenzie would say to her if she saw her today. When you read it, you'll probably cry. I did. But what a wonderful feeling when you feel like God has placed something special on your heart and you share it with others.
I asked God to send you a rainbow one day
When it was tears I saw you had shed.

I asked for a butterfly to pass your way
When it’s the memories of today that you dread.

I requested he send a friend to hug you
When it’s your heart that’s breaking apart.

I saw that he did that just as I asked
Then I thought, “That’s a good start”.

I watched as you sobbed and cried for my love
That was taken away far too soon.

I noticed the days when you would wake and cry
When at times it lasted till noon.

I questioned how long it takes a mommy to heal
After losing a child so dear.

I listened as God kneeled and said to me
The pain could last for years.

I asked if you would ever be the same
He answered with a nod of his head.

I knew right away that the pain would ease
As would the tears that you shed.

I want you to know that it’s okay with me
If you cry less and less over time.

I know that your love will always be there
Like the breeze that moves through a chime.

I capture your love every time that you smile
It’s like a warm embrace.

I hold it so tight and won’t let it go
Until one day we meet face to face.

I love you Mary Kay and Kenzie does too!