Looking Back May Edition

Earlier this month we got to go to a small recital for Little girl. She has been in a 12 week piano course after school and learned a few songs during that time.

Her class also did a Wax museum project too. They each had to pick someone who was a leader and learn more about them. Since Little girl loves gymnastics all three of her choices were gymnasts. She ended up deciding on Simone Biles. She had to make a project board or diorama. She also had to memorize her part about Simone Biles. I was so proud of her. She worked on memorizing it and never looked at her notes about it once. 

One of my favorite things about how this was set up was that there was a play button at each station for the students. you can see her presentation below. It was really noisy with other kids doing their presentation down the hall and people watching them.

Her teacher also does this with the kids every year.

I love the way her teacher teaches the kids and shows them love. She had each one of them write about their favorite part of them. There were a ton of different things and reasons. I love her confidence here. I never want her to be prideful or conceited but there are so many girls who don't like the way God has made them. I pray that she always sees herself as beautiful. Just as God has made her.

My sister and brother in law had the chance to go to London for over a week and my mom went to keep her two boys. We went down for one night. We got to hang out with them and play. We also got to go to the little's tball game and eat at a yummy pastry place.

Little girl wasn't the only one to have performances this month. Golden boy had his class recorder program this month as well. I would post the performance but since there are other kids in the video i don't feel right about posting it. lets just say that it was way better then i could have imagined. they did such a great job with stage presence and learning the music.

On May 22 my Nana in law celebrated her Birthday in heave. Little girl asked last year if we could send her a balloon. I noticed that i had a note about buying a balloon on two of my calendars. I was out the night before and bought one. Then that morning i had them write her a little note and we released it to. it was sweet and a good way to keep her memory alive since my kids both have memories of her.

He makes parenthood fun. Sure, there are challenges but choosing to focus on the good stuff like watching him read (or look at pictures as he says but can then spout off football stats that had to come from reading) or his arms around my neck (at school, in front of all his friends) there are struggles but the good surely does out weigh them. Here we are waiting to go back to be fitted for new hearing aids. 

Here are a few other posts about our hearing aid journey

ears

tigger ears

Lost another tooth too

He is 10 and lost tooth #10

10 more left and then all big teeth

i'm not sure i can handle the teeth falling out.

stop the growing up

a post from when he got his first tooth

post from when he lost his first few teeth

we headed to the lake the weekend of Memorial day were Golden boy got to fish, fish, fish. he only caught one but was determined 

they both got the tube. Little girl was way more interested in tubing. Big brother went along. (remember he just wanted to fish)

And we ended the month with the anticipation of a new year. 

The count down is on. In just a few hours she goes from being 7 to 8. 7 has been a challenging year. A growing year for all of full us. A figuring some things out kind of year. I think it will also be one I look back on and smile. This girl is full if great things. If you take the time to look, see, know her.....your life will be greatly blessed.

16 years

we spent year 16 at my parents lake house.

we had coffee and breakfast then headed to the beach at the lake.

the kids tubed there and then there was sand digging with daddy.......

fishing with Bear.....

mud treatment spa time.............

i even got one.....

hanging out with my mom...........

we played ate lunch, Ticket to Ride and headed home sweet home.............

Day 5,844

and ate pizza in the van on the way home.

it wasn't a glamorous anniversary but was a great one.

time to hang out with family and have fun.

check out the link below (2017) to see us at day 1.

2017

#andylastdays

It may only be small changes but I see them. After today I will have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader.

looking back:

2017

2015

2014

Mother's Day 2018

2018

Mothers Days past:

2017

2016

2015

2014

2012

2011

I love looking back through Mothers day in years past and seeing how we have all grown.

This year was somewhat low key and i was fine with that. My hubby asked me just a few days before Mother's day if there was something that i wanted. well what i really wanted it would be too late for him to order. I have always wanted a Lisa Leonard stacking ring with the kids name on it. i have one from another company but the names aren't really all that well stamped and the black that is inside the etching as rubbed off. i knew that he couldn't get me that in time so i really didn't have an idea. 

We did end up going strawberry picking on Friday night. We have been strawberry picking close to or on monther's day the past few years. usually we go with friends but it didn't work out so it was just the four of us this year which was fun too.

this is what i wore all day on Friday

when it was about time to leave to pick strawberries she went in her room and changed to match me

i love that she still wants to match

it is so sweet

2014

We have been trying to get the laundry room more functional and accessible so we finally came to come decisions about it this weekend. We found a hall tree that we both liked and i went to Hobby lobby and bought the pieces which were significantly less that buying the piping from Home Depot

The we put it together and got it hung on Mother's day.

I am so happy with it now i can't wait until the hall tree comes in and we get that set up.

we took my mother in law to dinner and then we all went back to her house and got our first picture for our upcoming Disney/Sea World trip.

Looking Back April Edition

so i have occasionally done "What we learned....." with emily p. freeman here on the blog

i thought i would do a looking back on each month.

i am sure it will be filled with things i have learned and things i have done but i wanted to keep it a looking back post to try and start being better a blogging and writing and keeping track of what is going on in our lives at this time.

April started with Easter Sunday. I can't think of  a better way to start a month. 

Easter is my Hubby's favorite holiday to celebrate. We went to church and then took the kids out for brunch.

Easter 2017

Easter 2016

Easter 2015

before Christmas i bought a letterboard for my coffee bar

my sister sent me a text because she saw it on ig and was mad that i bought one because she had bought me one for my birthday in December. She said that she would just keep it for herself and has posted come pretty funny letterboards on her ig account.

in April this is the only one i posted and put on ig.

sometime i have some other funny ones at the #andyletterboard

but this month we kept it coffee related.

I got to attend a field trip to Montgomery with my oldest. We took a charter bus to the state capital and toured The Civil Rights Museum, Old town, The Capital and A museum. For lunch we did a river boat cruise.

Posted this photo on ig with this caption....."It's not kids moving but ripples.

Beautiful fountain memorial from the field trip i went on with my son. '....until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.' -Martain Luther King Jr. May our lives make ripples that affect others for good."

I had a friend call for me to keep her kids for her to attend a meeting. Her boys watched a new movie but her girls had a great time playing with Little Girls toys. Her youngest was fascinated with doing the dolls hair and getting them dresses. I noticed after helping her get her baby dressed that she put a pretend lip stick in the dolls pocket. she isn't wearing pants but she's got her rain boots, jacket and lipstick.  all a girl needs right!?!?

The school had Muffins for moms this month as well. We ended up holding up the wall this year with some friends. It was the most moms we have ever seen at Muffins for moms. it was great but very crowded, which seems like a good problem.

 The kids had a half day in April so we headed for the Lakehouse to see Honey and Bear

It was a fun weekend. Golden Boy caught a few fish and Mom did an Easter egg hunt for the kids even though it was a few weeks past Easter. We don't turn down the fun of an egg hunt though.

  

I have been communicating with a lady on Etsy about a weighted blanket for Golden boy. here is what i wrote about it on instagram......."There were years where I wondered if he could benefit from a weighted blanket. I would think about it but never really act. He doesn't seem to have a problem sleeping but likes pressure on him and night time can be an exhausting time where a weighted blanket could be beneficial. I am so thankful to have found the sweetest lady who communicated with me back and forth and answered all my questions and made this beautiful blanket. He picked the fabric after visiting hobby lobby and the colors."

Here is the link to the etsy page that i purchased the Weighted blanket from. Nancy was wonderful and very helpful.

We walked for my nephew and his daily fight with Type 1 diabeties.

Little Girl lost tooth #3

A field trip with Little Girl

And Camping with friends

Lastly the books that i read in April:

Miracle on the 17th Green by James Patterson and Peter deJonge

A Name Unknown by Roasnna M White

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Crossed by Ally Condie

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

The Christmas Wedding James Patterson

If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock

Wow 7 books. I had no idea. Yay. on my way to 52 in a year, i may even surpass it. I have a list of books that i have read every year since 2006 on the blog but i have been writing them down in a  notebook since 2004

If you want to see the list from last year it is here and at the bottom of that post there is a list from every year dating back to 2006.

April was a pretty eventful and GREAT month.

#3

They just keep growing and things keep happening that remind me daily they they are growing up. 

Little Girl has had a wiggly tooth for weeks now. Possible even over a month if I'm truly thinking about it. We have tried multiple times to pull it out but it just didn't seem ready. Maybe momma wasn't ready either. 

Sometimes another tooth is like another year of growing up. I'm just not ready for it. Sure I am trying to enjoy every stage but man the time sure seems to be flying. 

The tooth that came out the other night was #3. There is a really wiggly one on top. Oh boy. I wonder how long that one can hold on for this momma. 

She cracked me up though. I put the tooth in a Ziploc bag and put it under her pillow. When I went to check on her and of the bleeding had stopped after I tucked in big brother, She was gripping the bag. She looked up at me and said, "I'm holding on tight to the bag so that she doesn't take it. I want to keep my tooth to show my friends." 

She is full of so many surprises and delights.

Valentine's Week Post 3

Like marshmallows and campfires we're better together. 

Happy Valentine's day to my man. 

Excited to spend the rest of my valentines with you.

#andyletterboard

Valentine's Week Post 2

She is sparkle and sunshine.
Joy and delight.
Strong willed and determined.
She is half of me but more of him.
Passion all wrapped up in one small girl.
"Though she be but little, she is fierce." -Shakespeare
A little bit of Valentine for my BitBit, my #littlegirlandy #andyletterboard

Valentine's Week Post 1

It's Valentine's week and while my hubby and i have spent many valentine's day and sort of feel like it is just another day for people to go out and buy stuff and have huge expectations (wow doesn't that sound romantic, i sound cynical) and truthfully early on we have had some bad valentine's day experiences. but we want to celebrate in a fun way for and with the kids. 

since February i have been leaving them little hearts with things i love about them on their bedroom doors. with it being Valentine's week i thought i would leave them a quote on our Letter board.

Here is Golden Boys.....  

A letter board to the kid who made me a mom.
For the many many adventures you have taken us on
Sports, star wars, grooming, clothes and shoes scattered on the floor.......a little bit of childhood and growing up all tied together.
With three days till valentines I wanted to say i love you and i'm glad you are mine. (When "Winnie the Pooh" won't fit you improvise, "Pooh Bear") #andyletterboard