tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46835149856066103122024-03-19T07:41:46.547-04:00A Mama's Drama by TammyA Mama's Daily Drama. Being a mama is like nothing you've ever experienced, and there is no way to prepare for it. Ultimately, you just have to sit back and laugh sometimes! This blog is an opportunity for me to do just that!Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.comBlogger215125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-86027209885782235132011-02-03T18:31:00.000-05:002011-02-03T18:31:23.814-05:00I'm Baaaaaaack!My intention was for the title to sound like that old scary movie. You know the one where they go, "They're BAAAaaack!" Okay, well, if you're still around after my six month sabbatical, then you might definitely check out after my explanation of my title! <br />
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I had fun playing with Picasa again making my header. We have had snow in Georgia...twice. Seriously, we usually have snow maybe once a year, but we have had it twice. Well, it started out as snow and ended as a big icy mess. They are talking another bout of snow coming before winter is over too. We just don't know what to do with all of that white stuff. Note to self, though, buy marshmallows for the fire BEFORE people clear of the shelves! I guess aside from stocking up on milk, bread, and eggs fellow shoppers had the same idea on did on yummy smores in an ice/snow storm.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UG08nxGRJTLH0TA2zdjXyTR40Dc-p6OZrJ6KxawOVeGWSfi6voO5OMuRBlHJpe8bqzlImdFbQQS2Fzw4ivsh7fbu7a8YroeEjrj9qEPxPgwKmMkz0Ng1NfO9ML8iXbPBttwP3ncuv-U/s1600/Christmas+2010+295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UG08nxGRJTLH0TA2zdjXyTR40Dc-p6OZrJ6KxawOVeGWSfi6voO5OMuRBlHJpe8bqzlImdFbQQS2Fzw4ivsh7fbu7a8YroeEjrj9qEPxPgwKmMkz0Ng1NfO9ML8iXbPBttwP3ncuv-U/s320/Christmas+2010+295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
These are my sweet girls peeking out the window waiting for the snow. They went to sleep, and they woke up to find the ground covered. Do you remember how magical that was when you were little? It's still pretty magical to me! A week later of missing both school and work resulted in all of us going a little crazy though. For the most part, I loved being "trapped" with my little girls. It was a great week...full of great memories.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It has definitely taken me the full six months to get acclimated to being a part time teacher and a full time mommy and wife. I can't even say that I have the hang of it quite yet! One week, I will be thinking I have got it all under control! Then, BAM (yes, I heard the chef, Emeril Lagasse, in my head when I wrote that!), something happens, and I begin to think what in the world am I doing?! Juggling a dozen balls is the best way to explain it! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Honestly, I love, love my new job. I love the kids and people that I am blessed to work with every week. They have proven to be hard workers and absolutely wonderful kids. I without a doubt have a great deal of passion for my role as mom, but it feels good to use that other passion that God gave me-passion to help kids that don't think or learn "inside of the box". </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">If I could create the ideal, perfect job, I pretty much have it. I'm not sure if it found me or if I found it! It is doing what I love at a great place....without taking too much time away from my two little priorities. I also have to remind myself that I'm doing it for those two little priorities. We do not have the best schools around where we live. I love being in the same building as my Charlotte. Best of all, by me working, my girls get to go to an awesome school. The education, the atmosphere, and their Christian focus are all what I want for both of them. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Although I haven't been blogging, I've been enjoying blogs. Let's face it...I know some of the people on the blogs I stalk better than some family! My husband, Robert, sometimes has to ask me if I'm talking about a "blog" friend or a "real" friend. There all "real" friends! Plus, blogging helps me keep accountable with what is going on in our lives. I want my girls to know all about their life and the "mama drama" that surrounded it! Being a mama is the most difficult job you'll ever have! I would have LOVE to know what my mom was thinking and going through on the nights I wouldn't sleep, as she juggled opening a business with my father, or the drama a day can bring. Hopefully, my girls will learn from my mistakes as a mama, laugh at our craziness, and be able to understand how wonderful and powerful the job is as a mama!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks for sharing in our drama!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Tammy</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>"A Mama With Plenty of Wonderful Drama!"</em></span> </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-48993815925966854382010-08-30T10:50:00.000-04:002010-08-30T10:50:09.848-04:00Are You Still There???Wow! Has it really been a month since I blogged? Let me start by saying, "HOW DO YOU WORKING MAMAS DO IT?!" That's my first question?! I am only working a little more than part time, and I feel like my lists are never done! I used to say that as a SAHM too? Are the lists ever done? I think part of my problem is I am used to doing everything...my way! Now, I am having to let go of that control...and settle for not perfection. I have a friend that works full time, teaches church nursery, dresses her little girl so cute, house is organized, sews, and is up to date on her kid's scrapbook...plus, she has a life with friends! How? How? How? <br />
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I love my friend, and I stand back at awe...a lot...at her abilities. Do you have a friend like that? Are you the friend like that? I think it is all about priorities. I'm working on figuring all of that out! Until then, I'm going to keep looking at my friend in awe. She looks at me funny when I ask her what the secret is?! <br />
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The other part of going back to work? There is mommy guilt regardless of what you do?! I had mommy guilt when I stayed at home. I have mommy guilt while I'm working. I have come to the conclusion that no matter what we do as moms, we will still be consumed by that mommy guilt. I feel guilty because I love my job so much. I know...crazy, right? I love the challenge and the break that it allows me to be a person rather a mom all of the time. Plus, eventually, it will allow us to give our kids the opportunity to attend a great private, Christian school. <br />
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You know what? I have to sit back and watch my kids sometimes. I try to remove my personal emotions from the situation and observe with an unbiased perspective. They do not seem irrevocably scarred or emotionally damaged. Their childhood is still magical and preserved. Mommy gets to go to school with LaLa three days a week, which she thinks is so "cool". Little Bit gets some one on one attention from her grandma three days a week. I think they might just make it out of this okay. I just have to remind myself that when I have a hard time remembering it! <br />
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I have some catching up to do! I have lots of Elmo party stuff from Little Bit's birthday. I'll post it on the blog soon if anyone is having an Elmo party soon. I'll probably sell it for ten dollars like I did the pirate stuff. I'll try to catch our family and friends up on our crazy, mama drama world! My goal is to post at 2-3 times a week! I'll try!<br />
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Be back soon!<br />
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TammyTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-61670190913164223912010-07-27T23:26:00.001-04:002010-07-27T23:31:27.977-04:00A Leap of FAITH!OK. Imagine putting a blindfold on. Do you see it completely dark? Now, follow my voice and continue taking large steps closer and closer. As you take each step, you desperately reach your hands out to feel in front of you to try to make your steps safer. You slowly point out your foot and consciously feel for strong footing before you put your weight down. You don't know where you are going. You don't know how far you have gone. You just continue to follow that voice. <br />
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Sometimes, that is exactly what we have to do in our lives. God just completely takes control. For a moment, we may not know where is taking us or why. It's really difficult to relinquish that control...and let Him guide us. We still may be cautious and put our hands out because we are hesitant, but we go step by step following Him where He is leading.<br />
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Well, that is what has been happening in my life. As most of you that know me or read the blog, you know that I have control issues. I know it. I can admit it. I like to do things my way. I like to plan. However, over the last few weeks, it has felt like I have been blindfolded and God is leading me step by step. <br />
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I have gone back and forth this summer about going back to work part time. Next year would probably work better because both of my girls would be in school, but God had other plans. As you know, we decided not to re-enroll LaLa in the private preschool she was at after K3. Our plan was for me to homeschool her. I had our "learning spot" set up in my office/craft room. I had ordered all of the K4 curriculum. I had the year mapped out with the themes and units. We actually started some of the curriculum over the summer because she loves doing "school work". We were ready and all set with our plan!<br />
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A few weeks ago (3 or 4...actually), I actually noticed that a wonderful, local private, Christian school was hiring a part time teacher. Here is the catch...it was a music position. I considered applying for it...because it was part time. I printed out the application, talked to a couple people, and never went any further because of several reasons. Well, I love kids and I love singing and such...but I am definitely not a music teacher. Also, several days later, the position changed to full time. See, I knew that wasn't for me is exactly what I told my husband. I forgot all about my thoughts on going back part time and engrossed myself in my summer projects and Little Bit's birthday party.<br />
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Well, several days later, a friend called me and said she had found the PERFECT job for me. I laughed and asked what in the world it was!?! She replied that it was a part time job for a Learning Lab Instructor. I was thinking, "what in the world is a learning lab?!" and "No schools have part time right now. Who in the world is posting a part time job?!" You'll never believe it. It was the SAME <a href="http://www.strongrockchristianschool.com/">school</a> that I had looked at the week before. Remember, the application I had printed off, and never finished? Consequently, I emailed a friend that worked at the school to see what the Learning Lab was exactly. It was described as a place that struggling students could go for extra academic support. Eventually, they hope that it will encompass enrichment for students that need enrichment as well. <br />
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I couldn't believe it. I have had the opportunity to work with students with special needs and gifted students. These two groups of students are each special and need unique support to meet their needs. Both of these groups are also often the children that fall through the cracks in a regular education classroom. This is where my passion is. This is where my dissertation focused. Once I heard more information about the program, I realized that not only was this job perfect. It was a dream job and a great opportunity. <br />
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Within a week from hearing about the job, I completed my application, interviewed, and began working. The environment is incredible! Everyone is so friendly, sincere, and Christ focused. We decided that since I would be at the school, we would go ahead and register LaLa for pre-k. She was very excited as she toured the school, and I feel like they will definitely give her a challenge and keep her focused, which were my goals in homeschooling her. I attended a couple days last week for new teacher orientation, and I have preplanning this week. Every day has been exciting. I L.O.V.E. what the school is trying to do for these struggling kids. I love the opportunities that this program can provide for kids! Plus, this dream opportunity still allows me to be mama. It is part time. Perfect, huh?<br />
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We went from no plan of me going back to work and homeschooling LaLa to me going back to work and enrolling LaLa into school within less than a week. We had to figure out childcare, pray about what to do, evaluate all the pros and cons, and so on...but amazingly, everything fell into place within 24 hours of the job being offered to me. Child care was offered to us (more on that later)! I even worried about a back up plan if our child care can't help one day! Within 24 hours, two different wonderful friends offered to be back ups. Let me point out that I didn't even ask...they offered. It gives me chills just thinking about how it has all worked out! Concern after concern was handled until we couldn't even make up a doubt. God had put this opportunity in front of us. Then, he takes any concerns we have and gives solutions. It has been a lot of changes...a lot of adjusting, but it has been amazing. Let me emphasize that again...it has been absolutely AMAZING what has happened over the last three weeks. <br />
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It has literally felt like I was blindfolded and took step by step without knowing if my next step was going to make me fall right off a cliff! God has really shown me that if you take that leap of faith and give up that control...that HE has great things ahead for you! I feel such peace about the way thing have worked out. Do you remember my "summer calendar and projects" that I have been working on all summer? I can even see how God knew that I'd be going back to work this fall...even though I didn't. Without even realizing it, I was getting our house and world in order so it wouldn't be hanging over my head or overwhelming me with projects undone! As we get settled, you'll have to forgive me for not blogging regularly, but I'll be back regularly when I get settled in a routine! I'll be sharing Little Bit's birthday pictures too!<br />
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Thanks for reading about our big changes and my leap of faith! I'll keep you posted!<br />
TammyTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-75955868415338240352010-07-15T16:27:00.000-04:002010-07-15T16:27:16.258-04:00My Little Bit is TWO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi409JSXFtzP-bcifQfdEiRQQFCQCNbnxsRavcNGqAl8lX1NCtvL1utJDifXohzW-2md_q_MV24j2rmk4PRMVXck1wZzIdqBMsM8lX53zIFf3sBEYHKFDwdJ7S1GvnuPUCl93rL9Ix-Aos/s1600/DSCN2889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi409JSXFtzP-bcifQfdEiRQQFCQCNbnxsRavcNGqAl8lX1NCtvL1utJDifXohzW-2md_q_MV24j2rmk4PRMVXck1wZzIdqBMsM8lX53zIFf3sBEYHKFDwdJ7S1GvnuPUCl93rL9Ix-Aos/s640/DSCN2889.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy Birthday, Little Bit!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You know, my goal as a mother from early on was to make sure that I treasured every single little moment. I did not want to look back one day with regrets. I didn't want to hear a little old lady tell me, "it's over in a blink of an eye" and worry that I was missing something. Although that was my goal, I still feel like these last two years FLEW by without me noticing. I was intentional with my moments where my children are concerned, yet despite my deepest efforts, here I am two years since Little Bit was born...shaking my head and wondering where the time went. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I think with your first born you are so excited to reach each and every milestone that you are looking ahead...not behind at phases that passed by you. I know that is the way I was with LaLa. Plus, as soon as LaLa passed this baby stage, I was so excited about what was just ahead...preschool, being able to be more independent, soccer, more talking, more active, etc.. I was pregnant when LaLa turned two. I think that helped too! I knew the "baby" world was still just around the corner. It is so odd to be excited over such a milestone, yet so sad when those milestones go by as well. Wow, what contradictory feelings!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Bit is so excited about her big party on Saturday. She is pointing at pictures of all her friends and family (hanging up on a board beside changing table) and asking, "they coming to my bertday?" She can also hold up two fingers when you ask her how old she is. However, she has to hold up one finger on each hand because she just hasn't grasped the concept of two fingers side by side on one hand! Regardless, it's cute!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfM5VHpdi4zNcOiRWiUP4kSF9t-wskuhzVzP8O3KdMzxMNEvjKqFgJXDwScnX4SgRhJXukDwKngm-gw9UcyDM1ySYetgInt1scgFQmpvbUDTriso9yKYapzYMN0WorG8NxqtUXbWQH4ZA/s1600/DSCN2890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfM5VHpdi4zNcOiRWiUP4kSF9t-wskuhzVzP8O3KdMzxMNEvjKqFgJXDwScnX4SgRhJXukDwKngm-gw9UcyDM1ySYetgInt1scgFQmpvbUDTriso9yKYapzYMN0WorG8NxqtUXbWQH4ZA/s320/DSCN2890.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LaLa has been a great big sister to Little Bit today. She woke her up by singing happy birthday! We spent the day as a family at Chuck-e-cheese, and the girls had a great deal of fun. I think they should hand prozac out to the parents when you leave. Needless to say, the grown ups are quite exhausted!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Can you guess what kind of party Little Bit is having!?:)Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-14721241632367310342010-07-14T22:11:00.000-04:002010-07-14T22:11:43.106-04:00My Sweet BallerinaThese are from LaLa's ballet recital...my sweet girl is growing up. I am having a difficult time realizing this for both of my girls. I love watching them grow and mature each and every day, but at the same time, I want to scream against Father Time because I feel cheated that my time with them "little" is so short. It's hard to explain. I think my baby, Little Bit, turning two is the source of all of this crazy emotions. Today is actually the LAST day that she will be one. The LAST day in my head of her being a "baby". <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7o1Okbr4bh36hQb7wkmQ5RxpMQTsbGkmJ-3JRC4oimLL_xzR74r6ksK_A7mQiFsLMC6q2uNEPj3mDmQZipYZpyjdaEBSHW7iNdrdqnPwO-5E4gujAC48QjF2zz8kmUioVQ8vZaBOshU/s1600/DSCN2750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7o1Okbr4bh36hQb7wkmQ5RxpMQTsbGkmJ-3JRC4oimLL_xzR74r6ksK_A7mQiFsLMC6q2uNEPj3mDmQZipYZpyjdaEBSHW7iNdrdqnPwO-5E4gujAC48QjF2zz8kmUioVQ8vZaBOshU/s320/DSCN2750.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting Dressed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuA86lvmlvdZalnMjxkj8pyrQG5coJS7Lm_atQP1NlKyunez7lkQqCbwbUz8Bwol_Ov8Msb6qEOgLweGEI-zNnljI3cosFqC6s2HxnsUdcy4Ksn9GrIVvADvb8bWPEI2n6hvQixN0erE/s1600/DSCN2769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuA86lvmlvdZalnMjxkj8pyrQG5coJS7Lm_atQP1NlKyunez7lkQqCbwbUz8Bwol_Ov8Msb6qEOgLweGEI-zNnljI3cosFqC6s2HxnsUdcy4Ksn9GrIVvADvb8bWPEI2n6hvQixN0erE/s320/DSCN2769.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tap...love those hats as props!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7RLS-HOJgj9INmAbLY2GauwWv-hpofrGczOBL6bWvUQhKOW7sj-yZ3dNZIBznsdPMDY0Y69qJMv6zVCYpoGz21YqkWVcqIItmko21Pug_5W4QEiJxdA5MaK9Xhx5E7t4j2_EztnVRk4/s1600/DSCN2765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7RLS-HOJgj9INmAbLY2GauwWv-hpofrGczOBL6bWvUQhKOW7sj-yZ3dNZIBznsdPMDY0Y69qJMv6zVCYpoGz21YqkWVcqIItmko21Pug_5W4QEiJxdA5MaK9Xhx5E7t4j2_EztnVRk4/s320/DSCN2765.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ballet...LaLa's little dance class was so sweet this year. She made some great friends (and the moms were great too!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqr-Rv9pVXziS1J-yrVBWRmi-0VnbpwjSsU5DottQIORYRjg0kiNQxj5TT7qj57b5yVL49t-4VXRFqFydd9GOtfCdY_Gv0j2yex1COiD0QdVCA_w60mCpgMVSdu4uK32dGxvqgVMHn9c/s1600/DSCN2784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqr-Rv9pVXziS1J-yrVBWRmi-0VnbpwjSsU5DottQIORYRjg0kiNQxj5TT7qj57b5yVL49t-4VXRFqFydd9GOtfCdY_Gv0j2yex1COiD0QdVCA_w60mCpgMVSdu4uK32dGxvqgVMHn9c/s320/DSCN2784.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You mean I get a trophy?! You should have seen her face! Her class is on the far left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xsl7FaXxIq_l0-H7pJ_s7S1s99VroLgfv_KQnPt9PAsHXhrzkp_3C5Rbq-D9qlFL4abZrjNJWGYbvxkR_CASXsroQzX42PQxt6hS84CVwCe7zsc3nhIaGcf7mytzacnO5OOIXgk6Z4M/s1600/DSCN2783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xsl7FaXxIq_l0-H7pJ_s7S1s99VroLgfv_KQnPt9PAsHXhrzkp_3C5Rbq-D9qlFL4abZrjNJWGYbvxkR_CASXsroQzX42PQxt6hS84CVwCe7zsc3nhIaGcf7mytzacnO5OOIXgk6Z4M/s320/DSCN2783.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How do you keep a busy toddler still during a recital? A "sugar" pacifier...aka...a ring pop!:)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArAiiYFOjhQEFm4mIz8HEUwUs4XypuVWDExFfkNuNQ8kg2bDXCZNbpv1zq9dSTJUYkXvNJ6BD9QPrnz3CW22YuaOW6uS4Im3MylwAxaXK7ABcZu7a7Ex77hFWnHoxSH9IKBf6LkZi_SQ/s1600/DSCN2794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArAiiYFOjhQEFm4mIz8HEUwUs4XypuVWDExFfkNuNQ8kg2bDXCZNbpv1zq9dSTJUYkXvNJ6BD9QPrnz3CW22YuaOW6uS4Im3MylwAxaXK7ABcZu7a7Ex77hFWnHoxSH9IKBf6LkZi_SQ/s320/DSCN2794.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LaLa's grandparents brought her a bouquet of flowers. She kept smelling them on stage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOZf7IaMVwTK1YfrXXw6mTs_79ggHS2z1I1gd7gm0m8c8FotV13GlMWhvw1m028Vh6fIqtNf2Mr4HNbc7vrGtjt1CyLO2SZFucTDeOZR4Mlf-uwHlhiw7Oo51p85ts8RLDPV7QE0qg7E/s1600/DSCN2807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrOZf7IaMVwTK1YfrXXw6mTs_79ggHS2z1I1gd7gm0m8c8FotV13GlMWhvw1m028Vh6fIqtNf2Mr4HNbc7vrGtjt1CyLO2SZFucTDeOZR4Mlf-uwHlhiw7Oo51p85ts8RLDPV7QE0qg7E/s320/DSCN2807.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One kid looking at that trophy (her favorite part of the night) and one kid that would not quit goofing off with that hat!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea7SwEXi9ZtZrPEveQNUJUPsqeSTj_f9NBPY94Sih4V7SHAvx49CuSMGzXexq5KKifWZecqv5nHbLbg_F2u1Y0kTQEF8fXhNcz-CB9uKPfCNYmVwmsioeTHEletYdjJGLjlY0xeKkfc4/s1600/DSCN2812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiea7SwEXi9ZtZrPEveQNUJUPsqeSTj_f9NBPY94Sih4V7SHAvx49CuSMGzXexq5KKifWZecqv5nHbLbg_F2u1Y0kTQEF8fXhNcz-CB9uKPfCNYmVwmsioeTHEletYdjJGLjlY0xeKkfc4/s320/DSCN2812.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My sweet big girl!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QzpZaT93sNFhuF0cbSIUvpD_U44kTofE-nRTkKQO8Kceqmrdsb-VHWX5cYmjbH5tqwUk5c57SE7un3mUmY-Ih9GkjQsRPhgGBLEkUWx3gzCvNbjpJBBuN5mMLsQU5FHECvAdWMxVpyg/s1600/DSCN2800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QzpZaT93sNFhuF0cbSIUvpD_U44kTofE-nRTkKQO8Kceqmrdsb-VHWX5cYmjbH5tqwUk5c57SE7un3mUmY-Ih9GkjQsRPhgGBLEkUWx3gzCvNbjpJBBuN5mMLsQU5FHECvAdWMxVpyg/s320/DSCN2800.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LaLa with Robert's parents, "Nana" and "Daddy Gene". They drove all the way from Dalton, Ga to come to her recital for a couple hours! That's grandparent devotion!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6PngYdtmIUo38NqG2bE7iV7_Nzj-lhR7HrEYUDxFykBnTRakj6QigOqb3JH6C_tUdrBy4em7U9aBAnk9-QFpp4bhvwR3UTpl9yOd892_jO6FqYXqz2gk7pgljynwSH0YpNb7Pr_ZsCo/s1600/DSCN2803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia6PngYdtmIUo38NqG2bE7iV7_Nzj-lhR7HrEYUDxFykBnTRakj6QigOqb3JH6C_tUdrBy4em7U9aBAnk9-QFpp4bhvwR3UTpl9yOd892_jO6FqYXqz2gk7pgljynwSH0YpNb7Pr_ZsCo/s320/DSCN2803.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My mom and dad with LaLa. (Gumpy and Mimi)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-82120883452120815002010-07-13T22:14:00.001-04:002010-07-14T22:25:25.138-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are some embroidery pictures from the summer. I have been embroidering and sewing alot on my project list. I have been sewing curtains for several rooms. Rooms that I bought curtain fabric for when we first moved in our house (6 years ago!). I have also been working on a lot of projects for Little Bit's birthday that I will share next week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98Sy5rBGz9dB-pOg-lp2-DsA57gsJrprw4gpM1Jurv4_Zcwx46MNVzn9JvZhpxuGoemTdHYXPCX1XLLtXpt0H2KI06bmaqdtqAflci90pbPQe6VM7zFPR27udUOQEs-899qtMcj49O5g/s1600/DSCN2826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98Sy5rBGz9dB-pOg-lp2-DsA57gsJrprw4gpM1Jurv4_Zcwx46MNVzn9JvZhpxuGoemTdHYXPCX1XLLtXpt0H2KI06bmaqdtqAflci90pbPQe6VM7zFPR27udUOQEs-899qtMcj49O5g/s320/DSCN2826.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzVotKYAOoChRpxhyphenhyphenC3sc5m8CvakKu5dVwO3OaLfxmeypaT3KBc-ZgbdetZG22jQYqjiGqrMePpYS7GT4PAhqA-3g2oc7M4-648gn4cIiwcjzpWE8avLE1AYWi_wwg4YGwb_uSF631qw/s1600/DSCN2820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzVotKYAOoChRpxhyphenhyphenC3sc5m8CvakKu5dVwO3OaLfxmeypaT3KBc-ZgbdetZG22jQYqjiGqrMePpYS7GT4PAhqA-3g2oc7M4-648gn4cIiwcjzpWE8avLE1AYWi_wwg4YGwb_uSF631qw/s320/DSCN2820.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5FzAzllfQzoUTyu_7mmTLaTpXiYy6XPiwFNVti-OsJ8sQ7f5K-fwvW8hCBJPu8Nc1bGdN002NnDH4-h3cZk_yF0PE_ZHJ4VRbfPJd5kILa1xz3DuNI5Cl1j9Tn206iiuJ3MsMJLanCs/s1600/DSCN2821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5FzAzllfQzoUTyu_7mmTLaTpXiYy6XPiwFNVti-OsJ8sQ7f5K-fwvW8hCBJPu8Nc1bGdN002NnDH4-h3cZk_yF0PE_ZHJ4VRbfPJd5kILa1xz3DuNI5Cl1j9Tn206iiuJ3MsMJLanCs/s320/DSCN2821.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOIHQNXdqqyezekTIChscXv_zblCSQlQfW0P8iHXfminxKT9DSxwBZJYlyDj0BmyvVaT6dqDJ-oKT5Wrokzih1b_mvbZAoN66cTK3dJer0MtLEHBvYGjc824IriXxVs5ub1RrotdSCHI/s1600/DSCN2668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOIHQNXdqqyezekTIChscXv_zblCSQlQfW0P8iHXfminxKT9DSxwBZJYlyDj0BmyvVaT6dqDJ-oKT5Wrokzih1b_mvbZAoN66cTK3dJer0MtLEHBvYGjc824IriXxVs5ub1RrotdSCHI/s320/DSCN2668.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beach Towels...I think I have monogrammed a few dozen beach towels since the beginning of summer! They are great for gifts, and they last forever! I still have mine that was a highschool graduation gift!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63pXg_2FLV-6n0zAliweGLzsdHMwc1XX6sbYDnHX2q3pp3VCIgPbiPQ4tNq2Y6zlBG-n7Rhtu78Etkzm9DrbEZfMkXDcavKUESUGFmkJYCn91gsPzJnODNZvUSzVqT5ulVai5zOe7XQ0/s1600/DSCN2611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63pXg_2FLV-6n0zAliweGLzsdHMwc1XX6sbYDnHX2q3pp3VCIgPbiPQ4tNq2Y6zlBG-n7Rhtu78Etkzm9DrbEZfMkXDcavKUESUGFmkJYCn91gsPzJnODNZvUSzVqT5ulVai5zOe7XQ0/s320/DSCN2611.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My poor girls are usually the last ones to get things monogrammed, but I did monogram their bathing suits and really liked it! It makes these Target bathing suits look extra cute!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Are all of my pictures driving you crazy yet? Just a couple more days!:) We are still getting ready for Little Bit's big party day on Saturday!</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-73964314367535051102010-07-12T12:21:00.001-04:002010-07-12T12:22:52.304-04:004th of July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have a ton of pictures to post. So, I am going to take the next couple of days and catch up! I know family will appreciate getting caught up with pictures, but it might be quite boring for some of you! My blog is usually the only "scrapbook" that I am always up to date on consistently. That is the best part of having a blog!! When it hits my one year mark of having the blog, I plan to make it into a book so my girls can have an entire year worth of a journal/scrapbook of sorts from mommy! Don't you just want to go start a blog RIGHT this second! Hence my guilt and need to catch up on posting pictures!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am not doctoring these pictures at all! You will see dates, background, and completely unedited pictures!:) It's part laziness. It's part that dang project calendar keeping me busy. It's part distraction because of family coming in town. And the BEST part? It's my Little Bit's birthday week! She will be two on Thursday! We love birthdays here and celebrate big...meaning I have to do lists on top of to do lists!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are pictures from the fourth of July. That is my second favorite holiday...just love it! We had so much fun, especially since it was on Sunday. We had the opportunity to celebrate at my parents' house all weekend...lots of swimming, lake time, movies, playing, and enjoying the days! My parents live on the same lake we do...just on the other side. It makes visiting great because we are close enough to run home when we need to rest or get something. Plus, they have all the fun "big toys" that we get to enjoy like the pool and the boat!:) My mom is one of five girls in her family. When she cooks, she cooks for an army despite how many people will actually be eating. She and my dad shopped and had SO much food for the weekend! I think I ate and snacked all day...and probably gained a gabillion pounds! It was fun though!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX65ihIGADr9bP8WeJf5qbMdEkcF5wz08FnH3KRofLTgZbYjQh8tO-73eki_bUvFGAFf2KjV1Jdd1CEbWsVJP6PlhXoXvQ-U5vGenX7qjA_DRDKa_b5bTYDfrIvkCchRChp-34yGNkxfU/s1600/DSCN2924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX65ihIGADr9bP8WeJf5qbMdEkcF5wz08FnH3KRofLTgZbYjQh8tO-73eki_bUvFGAFf2KjV1Jdd1CEbWsVJP6PlhXoXvQ-U5vGenX7qjA_DRDKa_b5bTYDfrIvkCchRChp-34yGNkxfU/s320/DSCN2924.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Robert carrying our stuff in for the day! Kids are so little, but they NEED SO much stuff! It feels like we are moving no matter where we go because we pack so much stuff!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjHyOK2b_DTUPqcYKWUMAq8ul5fRG9hc4Ml1D9SYjcng4YLY1EmkUo8CEEhpUj-lC48TuMSz_L3L4xwwmTcbE00UMoGrQMeZS-y3Q0lpWRW7AIYcAAMwJ2xY_xzFoNkPgBQAJ4AOCW9o/s1600/DSCN2957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjHyOK2b_DTUPqcYKWUMAq8ul5fRG9hc4Ml1D9SYjcng4YLY1EmkUo8CEEhpUj-lC48TuMSz_L3L4xwwmTcbE00UMoGrQMeZS-y3Q0lpWRW7AIYcAAMwJ2xY_xzFoNkPgBQAJ4AOCW9o/s320/DSCN2957.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>LaLa and I made a yummy flag cake. She was great at decorating. I was throwing the blueberries on the top while she methodically placed each one! Little Bit was "fired" from helping by LaLa because she kept "accidentally" getting whip cream on her.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlvKuMMeCs9QJsrY0BYBweb7KebgFHanXHOlixvg8M-EMo4vOYeOPt5tgw0whDiqi3te1mObJFurnkkUJeDZopUsD1BYkHzE2JVZ9b6M_ZFYtpu7KYu1YO8OMFa_Vh5rwt0HGoIyOuL0/s1600/DSCN2941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlvKuMMeCs9QJsrY0BYBweb7KebgFHanXHOlixvg8M-EMo4vOYeOPt5tgw0whDiqi3te1mObJFurnkkUJeDZopUsD1BYkHzE2JVZ9b6M_ZFYtpu7KYu1YO8OMFa_Vh5rwt0HGoIyOuL0/s320/DSCN2941.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fun playing in the back yard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9jMqqsdsEhaI9euHloXFDRYquZ4sEcXgjKEaeWfVmY9yDlcdYYuinso_bUAcD_fpQKu37rFxb8qOCESUyKCA5r7wvmkwXKwXTURuNx6GG4MQe37vCC7nTRcQwyUn4shmykzT7XGWI9k/s1600/DSCN2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9jMqqsdsEhaI9euHloXFDRYquZ4sEcXgjKEaeWfVmY9yDlcdYYuinso_bUAcD_fpQKu37rFxb8qOCESUyKCA5r7wvmkwXKwXTURuNx6GG4MQe37vCC7nTRcQwyUn4shmykzT7XGWI9k/s400/DSCN2925.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was trying to pose the girls to get a few pictures in their "Dependents" Day dresses (their name for the 4th). You know how that goes...one looks while the other looks away!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGea0iyYo8BNFN4vBx0SUShTllimIKR7T-1nsb_3-rZ48nI6QhixeDhskBxMkXh68wR-ACsUgjdsiuuoOAC14xetYSMvKQ0tLNNtaVAJRSIWul2_MBFdcWOnuKWHBPnUlP83H_aI-pyAU/s1600/DSCN2930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGea0iyYo8BNFN4vBx0SUShTllimIKR7T-1nsb_3-rZ48nI6QhixeDhskBxMkXh68wR-ACsUgjdsiuuoOAC14xetYSMvKQ0tLNNtaVAJRSIWul2_MBFdcWOnuKWHBPnUlP83H_aI-pyAU/s320/DSCN2930.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looks so sweet! She was looking at the geese across the cove.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMaU6RRaG2Z4Ds78YBjF3k7d8HdcPib-ZHNE-lPrNp36MaDBhhGQkImlYTe8OoPPl9r_g4_-LlLH2ocAUNZZVoo9Onn3HGQEJj4FSWszS5utLx2io38N-Tm_HkUBIOGGiDRAaigqeKDI/s1600/DSCN2937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMaU6RRaG2Z4Ds78YBjF3k7d8HdcPib-ZHNE-lPrNp36MaDBhhGQkImlYTe8OoPPl9r_g4_-LlLH2ocAUNZZVoo9Onn3HGQEJj4FSWszS5utLx2io38N-Tm_HkUBIOGGiDRAaigqeKDI/s320/DSCN2937.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Bit is such a mess! She would have jumped in the lake if we would have let her. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRePPVWhMZZPyNdqjQk0I0f3H_UVWTfv0H9XES3-yJIlOYVgNkPDK5ksYCJzLwpW8Q9jH_6ALXon8TDd5Ve_FWoDETcdgevm5tc-jTayhZXJWbUzqV-HWRQ6VjZudqAYPeP3EMFXf__w/s1600/DSCN2929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRePPVWhMZZPyNdqjQk0I0f3H_UVWTfv0H9XES3-yJIlOYVgNkPDK5ksYCJzLwpW8Q9jH_6ALXon8TDd5Ve_FWoDETcdgevm5tc-jTayhZXJWbUzqV-HWRQ6VjZudqAYPeP3EMFXf__w/s320/DSCN2929.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hmm...almost a good picture! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWhspqc_SjvPu_qlYDC2WDIBKQYz-0WrfzzUoTUukRJdcURJbupo-idrapWgSEDeX5RWLeAimj1ZKr-WlfpbYQVU1iTNmWyrtIt9mFH1vOcHQeluJzZwxnUbiEFmaqlRPi-35y4e0ef8/s1600/DSCN2952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWhspqc_SjvPu_qlYDC2WDIBKQYz-0WrfzzUoTUukRJdcURJbupo-idrapWgSEDeX5RWLeAimj1ZKr-WlfpbYQVU1iTNmWyrtIt9mFH1vOcHQeluJzZwxnUbiEFmaqlRPi-35y4e0ef8/s320/DSCN2952.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fishing at the dock. LaLa caught a fish off the dock last year on Easter...the only fish she has ever caught off the dock. However, she never forgets that one time and always thinks that fish will bite her hook again! My brother "caught" my ear when we were little while fishing with our grandfather. My ears get the "ibbyjibbies" every time someone casts a pole...even years later!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1qTWekilkslu0pn6JHqD0ZXaUJCzuCn98mnsDEm1JQ5FpoBoBuvkDgZhLp4brjJOwb-wksvkXDlAPEWVhFqmobYR8JlS4-O-P4Q2HjPCTNsx9J35apm1sQvXMM685piTLx-mVj2R01g/s1600/DSCN2965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1qTWekilkslu0pn6JHqD0ZXaUJCzuCn98mnsDEm1JQ5FpoBoBuvkDgZhLp4brjJOwb-wksvkXDlAPEWVhFqmobYR8JlS4-O-P4Q2HjPCTNsx9J35apm1sQvXMM685piTLx-mVj2R01g/s320/DSCN2965.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Popsicles and waiting for the fireworks. I make the girls, especially Little Bit, wear swimmies on the boats...just in case. I keep their life jackets on hand too, but they will wear their swimmies longer. Our neighborhoods do something really cool. Everyone pays in a certain amount to go toward fireworks for the community. On the fourth, everyone goes out in their boats to see the firework display they do over the lake. It's great...no crowds, kids are contained (for the most part), and it is really a great show! I have great memories of doing this as I was growing up on the fourth...so it made it extra special to get to do it with my girls! Good things of that night? It didn't rain. Little Bit didn't try to jump off the boat (I was worried.). You dock your boat...walk up to the house...and go to sleep!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxOb7WOhcU9fpmgVxW3TF62owqHKU9LRcVXLBXKD5PK_zX3aMren4gWk2b5RBKpQ6Esdf-ggCKcp9B2MzZ9WPH7SI_WUOPr3KMboGT_-OLg3iF0GECVTWPNQVi-w-6d0rvxZSqEa-5JI/s1600/DSCN2963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxOb7WOhcU9fpmgVxW3TF62owqHKU9LRcVXLBXKD5PK_zX3aMren4gWk2b5RBKpQ6Esdf-ggCKcp9B2MzZ9WPH7SI_WUOPr3KMboGT_-OLg3iF0GECVTWPNQVi-w-6d0rvxZSqEa-5JI/s320/DSCN2963.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My two little fireworks on the boat. They were so excited for the fireworks. LaLa thinks Tinkerbell has something to do with ALL fireworks. Little Bit covered her ears and fell asleep during the fireworks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A great, great day!</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-79168281976956491832010-06-30T21:37:00.000-04:002010-06-30T21:37:02.624-04:00Summer Projects: The Girls' Room: French poodles...almost finished!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Things Done...</div><ol><li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Move out old stuff!</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Move in new stuff from craigslist (includes the two paintings, the two duvet covers (Little Bit's not shown), pillows matching theme, boxspring, new twin bed for LaLa, etc.)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Purchase needed items (new twin sheets, use crib sheets from nursery from LaLa's decor, etc.)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Use what we had (crib (matched perfectly!), changing table/dresser, bookshelf, toy box, table and chairs, etc.)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Paint (opposing walls are different colors)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hang pictures</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">paint eiffel tower (chalkboard paint)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">paint ceiling (darker shade of sky blue)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">paint clouds on the ceiling (if you look closely, some of the clouds take special shapes...a teddy bear, mickey mouse ears, the letter c, the letter s, a flower, etc.)</div></li>
<li><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">organize closet</div></li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9UcIIGrRv7EVF_O8h1nv6Uem_lpVy84tzN-St3grvhAxa7nhZrFjZdA_YmGLlbVjXLQmoEFUSdnOXANZ92xYAOsfpUB3USQLCQezDUhnNkcUxWco9eeJgIjqQL6sU1BC1gA2wughHm0/s1600/DSCN2850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY9UcIIGrRv7EVF_O8h1nv6Uem_lpVy84tzN-St3grvhAxa7nhZrFjZdA_YmGLlbVjXLQmoEFUSdnOXANZ92xYAOsfpUB3USQLCQezDUhnNkcUxWco9eeJgIjqQL6sU1BC1gA2wughHm0/s640/DSCN2850.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Still to do...<br />
1. Put sheets and bed ruffle on crib. Little Bit's nursery decor was brown/pink so it did not go with the new room. However, LaLa's nursery decor was pink and green...matched well! See, good thing that I save everything!<br />
2. Make curtains with the fabric that came with all of the wonderful craigslist goodies! It's not enough to do both windows. Instead, I put up Pottery Barn curtains that I had bought for LaLa's old room. They work for now until I can make the new ones. My girls like it dark when they sleep. I plan on using that striped fabric that you see on the bed in one of the pictures with solid dark pink. I'm trying to think of something I could embroidery on the solid portion of the curtains...poodles? french saying?<br />
3. Hang LaLa's collector's shelf beside her bed. (I'll have to tell you about that later! It is like the ones from pottery barn, but they are a fortune! I made it out of trash...basically!<br />
4. Hang LaLa's "princess" valance above her bed. It's from the nursery that both of the girls had from newborns. I want it to follow them as they grow up.<br />
5. Pull out all the 18 month clothes from the closet and drawers. When I started this project in April, Little Bit could still wear them! Now, I have to pull them out just about the same time I finally finished!<br />
6. See that white tall floor lamp? We had this lamp post in our front yard...until the contractor (from our kitchen remodel) hit it with his monster truck. It is unfixable. I plan on sweet talking my dad into using the "shell" of the lamp post that I would not let Robert throw out to make that floor lamp look like a lamp post in their room. I'm not even sure if that's possible!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACCFONFNUKD5wN6JPSBvwUnCXg0uzGg4ptawfMXmx8F2Ldx42HOkVaw6_xEsPls3j_xZToqlARZwulpFX5o9A-a2Bp33Sns4jFTFTfgA34mw5nQH41s1V_Mz_NN79qJtRP7QDEaaw_U0/s1600/DSCN2853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACCFONFNUKD5wN6JPSBvwUnCXg0uzGg4ptawfMXmx8F2Ldx42HOkVaw6_xEsPls3j_xZToqlARZwulpFX5o9A-a2Bp33Sns4jFTFTfgA34mw5nQH41s1V_Mz_NN79qJtRP7QDEaaw_U0/s400/DSCN2853.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LaLa's New Bed...hasn't even fallen off...YET! I love the sleigh bed! I love that it matches the crib so well! I couldn't have planned it if I would have tried!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngbmcUhMd03AGODaGFYN8R65evN4qPKk1yuH9dU5SEpBL2Qu55hpG1OKGf8jvPTTbVDIokO1Ks1RsfvMiT5ooPtLyCqJywtj2-0mv6LWOrDFQO4l5kFgbvqdd1kAjjxdYZpEqdk_OliE/s1600/DSCN2852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngbmcUhMd03AGODaGFYN8R65evN4qPKk1yuH9dU5SEpBL2Qu55hpG1OKGf8jvPTTbVDIokO1Ks1RsfvMiT5ooPtLyCqJywtj2-0mv6LWOrDFQO4l5kFgbvqdd1kAjjxdYZpEqdk_OliE/s640/DSCN2852.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First,, do not look at the curtains...still have to do that. Now, look at the Eiffel Tower out of chalkboard paint. The girls love it, but I have this thing about chalk EVERYWHERE...so I have to hide the chalk! Little Bit draws on EVERYTHING if you don't watch her closely!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love this table in their room! I might paint the top with chalkboard paint too. Why didn't I put a table in their room forever ago? We use it all the time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1upqdsHia8sZMc1ZFeCcOqZN-lqGaX7ULihohBtF2L8bPDVJlsfYPsBboaSv-bxLH_WnHwBRw7cOnA9NYeunb-uneC-wjglVUmFR41s4D23NfAyALOhe9WVqKCJOCmGW_QiqiDrTjZTE/s1600/DSCN2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1upqdsHia8sZMc1ZFeCcOqZN-lqGaX7ULihohBtF2L8bPDVJlsfYPsBboaSv-bxLH_WnHwBRw7cOnA9NYeunb-uneC-wjglVUmFR41s4D23NfAyALOhe9WVqKCJOCmGW_QiqiDrTjZTE/s400/DSCN2859.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Close up of her duvet covers...cute, huh? I can't wait until Little Bit can use hers on her bed, but then again...I'm not ready for her to be loose at night! That's the fabric that came with the bedding. I love all the colors that it pulls in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_b_I-G2Xx4hUr1vMktKta2ibInQI_h6wGv40tjC4oSh98AZflrgf-UAqvD5ShdyOaCaGnG69Rjs3mQvrvI6TFig3c-b_BHXacArE4JsUaqerHe9Qs8UbVayFpr1hlGaEpH4hjL2oMFs/s1600/DSCN2851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_b_I-G2Xx4hUr1vMktKta2ibInQI_h6wGv40tjC4oSh98AZflrgf-UAqvD5ShdyOaCaGnG69Rjs3mQvrvI6TFig3c-b_BHXacArE4JsUaqerHe9Qs8UbVayFpr1hlGaEpH4hjL2oMFs/s400/DSCN2851.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I need a new changing pad cover, but I am hoping to potty train in early fall. This is the changing table/dresser from the girls' nursery. I spray painted that previously white shelf, and of course, LaLa had to put her new ballet trophy on display! (Oops! I still need to post pics of my little ballerina!) I had the girls silouettes done a few months ago. I plan to frame them and put them up here as well. And, yes, they have a television in their room. It keeps me sane...they use it for rest/nap time. It only plays dvds...no cable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3VHQ9RPRcvZIjPNOHQxzodkap7T3L9lSa80JUHEc0WJXwgUtMKIIjWIqvcJPIrxZvJMECcDcY2w-BLBJoxRz82rU26ZpwnFx1aW_PAmySVHD22bt_TDWabOOoftyLmtXFeWdGgqRUNM/s1600/DSCN2855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3VHQ9RPRcvZIjPNOHQxzodkap7T3L9lSa80JUHEc0WJXwgUtMKIIjWIqvcJPIrxZvJMECcDcY2w-BLBJoxRz82rU26ZpwnFx1aW_PAmySVHD22bt_TDWabOOoftyLmtXFeWdGgqRUNM/s400/DSCN2855.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A new sign to welcome the girls into their new shared room!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJk684L6YMZC21E223iw1m80ogzFm69nM_zcs-Y4HnXEAV__4qXRR95w2hYZMk7UlQQa8Rb4v0vicxe_T0o2VM7HqnG58MqlXmAYR67NMuegJhtfzCC0EEdZ0wUoretw_Rq6IDIDN4Ng/s1600/DSCN2860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJk684L6YMZC21E223iw1m80ogzFm69nM_zcs-Y4HnXEAV__4qXRR95w2hYZMk7UlQQa8Rb4v0vicxe_T0o2VM7HqnG58MqlXmAYR67NMuegJhtfzCC0EEdZ0wUoretw_Rq6IDIDN4Ng/s400/DSCN2860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LOVE the details on the bed! Did I mention it matches the crib?! Ahhh...wonderful luck! All of these wonderful pillows came with the beds, bedding and such! LaLa puts them in special spots every morning...she may be a little type A like her mommy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UrMTukt_ltCCYY3K-h-1reKNWiQ7UnZ5OcyxIEjslwwkXZAFQCF1GFLidmjbMCyHMFZ4A9_cF9yPAHutNxsw7uSO56tpjz6sdemhyphenhyphenmuV_TBfIVzBy6dAUG2a44PA5WKIcOGn6ybnuWo/s1600/DSCN2854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UrMTukt_ltCCYY3K-h-1reKNWiQ7UnZ5OcyxIEjslwwkXZAFQCF1GFLidmjbMCyHMFZ4A9_cF9yPAHutNxsw7uSO56tpjz6sdemhyphenhyphenmuV_TBfIVzBy6dAUG2a44PA5WKIcOGn6ybnuWo/s400/DSCN2854.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's the ceiling...clouds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaWSYOwSbPo_S69pDhGIwLlCBOyWydzUCh-qrZA2fiqQc4Yvf2wJexgTSACT9a2BcTxzD1OYpA7fonmPGvM4XB1e8WwKHr2k3irdCVbDLMDWilipwrHJ7uXuKtRmlbyvFYgD7oAle2lg/s1600/DSCN2861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaWSYOwSbPo_S69pDhGIwLlCBOyWydzUCh-qrZA2fiqQc4Yvf2wJexgTSACT9a2BcTxzD1OYpA7fonmPGvM4XB1e8WwKHr2k3irdCVbDLMDWilipwrHJ7uXuKtRmlbyvFYgD7oAle2lg/s400/DSCN2861.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Toy box...found at as a "display item" of a boutique going out of business. It's the same cream color as the beds. It's where I hide the toys they leave all over the floor!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There is no more space in this room, but I desperately need a spot for the books, books and more books that the girls have. They inherited a lot from my teaching days. I don't have any floor space...hmmm...any ideas?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm so close to finishing...I just need to mark off those last things on that list!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you ask LaLa, she loves her new room because it's not just for her sister and her to share...they're best friends too! I hope they stay best friends forever!</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-77460133700325005102010-06-30T14:38:00.001-04:002010-07-01T08:31:05.776-04:00Summer Projects: My Girls' Room: Charlotte's Web & Growing Up Too Fast!I'm writing this post for two reasons. First, I am posting to share all the work and ideas that we did in my girls' new room. Second, I am posting because one day when I print my blog out for my girls to remember our little things everyday, I want them to remember how much they loved each other's company. Each of my little girls had their own room that I spent time working to make it special and individual. However, in November, LaLa began to insist that she had to sleep with her sister as you may remember <strong><a href="http://www.a-mamas-drama.com/2009/12/silent-nighta-mama-can-only-wish.html">here</a></strong>. Well, after a few weeks of sleeping on the floor, we moved our guest room bed in the nursery so LaLa would at least have a bed to sleep in at night. The nursery was quite small, and the girls were getting bigger every day. By March, we realized that this sleeping situation seemed to be sticking around our house. Now, both girls really enjoyed each other's company at night and during naps. They even began sleeping better! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJf_b99px7KUKwHjxdDywfsTi4TICfjcPmK5ZvMBxtGBCAnrtnmIE6ygK7eh5QAUN0qSmIAGahFtx6JLFF2gdDqb-QXJGhbj2MAAwPKQl515-SiTLL0iwo2brfZJbbYi2VDDiAkv4EMA/s1600/2010+369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJf_b99px7KUKwHjxdDywfsTi4TICfjcPmK5ZvMBxtGBCAnrtnmIE6ygK7eh5QAUN0qSmIAGahFtx6JLFF2gdDqb-QXJGhbj2MAAwPKQl515-SiTLL0iwo2brfZJbbYi2VDDiAkv4EMA/s400/2010+369.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We decided to change LaLa's unused room into the girls' new room they would share. It is the largest of the four bedrooms upstairs (excluding ours). It currently had a four poster queen size bed, a dresser, etc. Since two little girls were going to share, we had to look for furniture. We were right in the middle of the remodeling our kitchen...remember <strong><a href="http://www.a-mamas-drama.com/2010/04/i-dont-like-my-kitchen-results-in.html">here</a></strong>, <a href="http://www.a-mamas-drama.com/2010/04/get-control.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.a-mamas-drama.com/2010/04/kitchen-remodel-we-survived.html">here</a>when we were in the chaos of our kitchen and everything else in the house started falling apart?! I began to peruse Craigslist in January, but I was looking for something very specific. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrBbxWQAVeL0ufppLD1sHfcu_gcTX7lAEJc9hNgXEkahuukVmnAG8VLDvwrcujz62ZUPN6-Spn99WFFQc-mzs8fCMKR6kI2IwQbpkW3s8ai8508Uo5iq8e6BBX2DZyU2REY4XtBrG4Ic/s1600/2010+370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrBbxWQAVeL0ufppLD1sHfcu_gcTX7lAEJc9hNgXEkahuukVmnAG8VLDvwrcujz62ZUPN6-Spn99WFFQc-mzs8fCMKR6kI2IwQbpkW3s8ai8508Uo5iq8e6BBX2DZyU2REY4XtBrG4Ic/s400/2010+370.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After looking and calling around for several months, I happened to come across cute bedding on Craigslist. It had poodles and a French theme. The perfect colors and idea for a "sister" shared room that varied in ages! Here was the bonus...the seller even listed McDonough as her location...very close to me! I contacted her and didn't hear anything for several days. It was actually someone that I knew. She has four kids of her own. She has been involved with all kinds of things (like owning and running a successful baby gym business!) and has completely amazed me with how she juggles it all so well! She mentioned that she had two twin beds for sale as well. Now, I had in mind something....like bunk beds (but were nervous about my girls' ages) or loft beds, or a carriage bed...but I knew I was really limited with my resources too!<br />
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I looked at the beds...and looked...and looked...and asked everyone else what they thought about them...I deep down already liked them...A LOT. However, a friend's husband could make the beds in my "head" for about the same price. I could get the beds, but then I would not have all the bedding that I fell in love with! Or, I could get the bedding and have to wait a few months to save up for new beds. I made an offer on everything...and didn't tell Robert. She totally worked with me...within very close of where I was trying to get...pricewise! Then, I had to tell Robert. After the initial shock, he was okay. I couldn't even go the day we planned to pick up the beds because our sitter canceled and one of the girls were sick! I was so excited! <br />
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The girls helped choose the colors and shared ideas. It has been a slow process getting it all done, finding mattresses, moving everything out, and moving stuff back in the room. Now, the closet has both of the girls' clothes. We have another twin bed that is at my parents' house waiting until Little Bit needs a big girl bed, along with the mattresses (who knew mattresses were so expensive?!), and her new matching bedding. <br />
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Before we could start in the new room, we had to paint over the "charlotte's web" mural that I painted in her room when she was little (sigh, wipe a tear). A friend and I painted grass around the room and the ceiling light blue. Both of my girls loved running up to the animals and saying their names and sounds. I had to leave the room when Robert painted (three coats!) primer over it! First, before we picked up the new beds or anything, I had to snap a picture. Oh, sweet LaLa, if you only knew the time and love I put into your "big girl" room! I'll miss seeing you and your little animals, but I am so excited about your new room that you and your little sister will make many, many fun memories!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1juRBt2ShPl5Woyhob0mueVgIo0xup1AS525YWm7x8BrGSYb7nTEg0fDxe02QOiIxDThg1nPNev8gTVpf92FXDoKjfO2RDxfj9LwsRovp0l-eKD2GrokfwRIW_DervvSu7xQpVGI9Ts/s1600/2010+371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1juRBt2ShPl5Woyhob0mueVgIo0xup1AS525YWm7x8BrGSYb7nTEg0fDxe02QOiIxDThg1nPNev8gTVpf92FXDoKjfO2RDxfj9LwsRovp0l-eKD2GrokfwRIW_DervvSu7xQpVGI9Ts/s320/2010+371.JPG" /></a></div>I'll post more tomorrow. <br />
I have to go hug my girls...<br />
feels like I painted this just yesterday...<br />
time is going by way too fast!!!Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-81459950512865284832010-06-29T11:42:00.000-04:002010-06-29T11:42:49.696-04:00Enjoying the Backyard...Refurbishing our Swing<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxngOW6G1_yGOuH9UoguPktqcoww7wL5LXPCvvyBysXmJguzT3M5OKzXJnT5UfTjNvqBLDcs6u8WIrPFKoDAYeuBiQWCF6qzK9A0iAEEttKRgDAplKa5w0KOyeU3tEilOq6pN3NPgbh3k/s1600/before+swing+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxngOW6G1_yGOuH9UoguPktqcoww7wL5LXPCvvyBysXmJguzT3M5OKzXJnT5UfTjNvqBLDcs6u8WIrPFKoDAYeuBiQWCF6qzK9A0iAEEttKRgDAplKa5w0KOyeU3tEilOq6pN3NPgbh3k/s320/before+swing+1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Our backyard has this gradual slant to it. We never use this back corner in our yard that is shaded by large trees in our neighbors yard. In order to take advantage of space, Robert moved the swing in this back corner. (after trying it several other places...I'm visual!) It looked kind of lonely back there. We added jasmine plants on both sides of the swing. Hopefully, they will start vining around the swing eventually. Plus, they smell so good! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PMp6hZj4rbt4R8YkIjhI3Sw9-Wj3t43KDDQ8G53l3rR-9V8Q-hnJgtQBGyRp0a3KMSvnkPX74XFLGKZT6HztFn1pc_Cll0znreecfKKClL2RFH8jJxLmqvJEZa0z2LPhps6YJ0ftLqg/s1600/before+swing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PMp6hZj4rbt4R8YkIjhI3Sw9-Wj3t43KDDQ8G53l3rR-9V8Q-hnJgtQBGyRp0a3KMSvnkPX74XFLGKZT6HztFn1pc_Cll0znreecfKKClL2RFH8jJxLmqvJEZa0z2LPhps6YJ0ftLqg/s320/before+swing+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Covered in rust...this swing needed some TLC. It was a gift Robert and I got my grandmother. Since it was hers, I couldn't just get rid of it and get another. It has lots of memories of swinging and talking with her.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Magic Wands...</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">After just the first coat, it made a great difference. We put brick pavers around the jasmine plants and planted various plants that had color to make small flower beds. This has turned out to be one of my favorite spots in my backyard. Now, the girls and I can make our own memories swinging and talking in a part of our yard that we never used. If I could just figure out how to make new cushions, I would be set!:)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-85663668746415631862010-06-24T20:33:00.001-04:002010-06-24T20:34:02.857-04:00Any Complaints?My first thought on complaints...I don't complain. I just listen to complaints. Ummm...then again, that's not quite true. I just went upstairs where my husband had bathed the kids (don't give him too much credit yet...I was cleaning up dinner and making his lunch for tomorrow). I "tagged" him out as he brought them into their room to get their jammies on and teeth brushed so he could go <strike>play</strike> work in the yard with some new yard tools. After prayers were said, books read, multiple requests granted and denied, covers tucked and so on, I finally left the girls. I entered their bathroom to replace their toothbrushes from the counter, and I discovered clothes on the floor, the tub still filled, toys littering the floor and the tub, shampoo open in abandoned in the tub of water. <br />
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Did I complain? Yep...marched my five foot feisty self outside and tried to yell my complaints over the weed eater only to find that he still couldn't hear me between his singing and the IPod turned up to unbelievable decibels. Then, I complained that he is too old to be listening to music that loud. (My husband suffers from the delusion that he is a teenager at times rather than a man in his thirties...most of the time~emphasis on most~ I love that about him.) However, after discovering the bathroom mess was not a moment where that love for his lust at youth was inspired!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqrNSFTTdOhL46dx1xckvtbrjw7cuWsdz5AITFYKjatg8_dZMzG_2EC2l60Vk5doI8ycovjWuhMb6Q9w5H_46wS-ioO1M_KBEGcg65SQJn9L7SNlMuOcvnxLL_OqlnZhR8-kF8SSgxTI/s1600/DSCN28931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqrNSFTTdOhL46dx1xckvtbrjw7cuWsdz5AITFYKjatg8_dZMzG_2EC2l60Vk5doI8ycovjWuhMb6Q9w5H_46wS-ioO1M_KBEGcg65SQJn9L7SNlMuOcvnxLL_OqlnZhR8-kF8SSgxTI/s640/DSCN28931.jpg" width="457" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Did it do any good? Nope...not at all. Did I exemplify a servant’s heart? Nope...not at all. Did I feel better? Nope...maybe for a minute. Actually, I probably could have cleaned it up faster than going out to complain about it. Then, I find myself wondering where my kids learn to complain...about it being too hot, or being bored, or some food they don't like. I guess tonight I answered my question. I also remembered a Bible verse that I haven't thought of in a long time.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><br />
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<strong>Do everything without complaining or arguing (Ph. 2:14).</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">By the way, I went outside to snap a shot of him with my camera during his yard work and loud music escapade. He didn't even bat an eye. Without even inquiring as to why I was taking his picture, he stopped, looked at me, let me take the picture, and continued singing and weed eating. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">What can I say? Thanks God for the lesson!:) Seems like I'm learning several this week...</span><strong><br />
</strong>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-9452374451385907022010-06-23T22:21:00.001-04:002010-06-23T22:23:34.840-04:00A Mama's Blessings...focus on the Good ThingsBlessings...<br />
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I was just talking to a friend last night about some of the things that I posted yesterday. During our conversation, I realized that there is definitely drama in all of our lives. Whether it is mama drama or day to day drama or drama in our relationships...we all have drama.<br />
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Despite all of our drama, we all have blessings—Blessings that get pushed to the side and often forgotten because the drama and urgency of the day to day takes over. So, I am taking this day...this moment...to focus on the good things. <br />
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As I began writing this post, I remembered a <a href="http://kennyanderin.blogspot.com/">blog</a> that I genuinely enjoy will often do the same thing. The author, Erin, will periodically devote a post to the good things in her life...or her favorite things. Whatever they may be...when I have read her posts on good things, it has made me stop and focus on my good things as well. <br />
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I should really stop and do the same thing...talk about the good things...more often.<br />
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Good health...definitely at the top of my list.<br />
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These moments...with my girls.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilww3xHuabdEMDuSAWxWRwedRFzd6XLGzCxD7n1-z7a1rm5VnWdbwDS11NfMvDhU-4-U8zIoB9hHeHCS2lkbNcwkAn7XdSES6cHrhhJEKZfKo9ojzNw_IGMUMg_2uhgwNYNw5WVJM1_QA/s1600/sweet+hug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilww3xHuabdEMDuSAWxWRwedRFzd6XLGzCxD7n1-z7a1rm5VnWdbwDS11NfMvDhU-4-U8zIoB9hHeHCS2lkbNcwkAn7XdSES6cHrhhJEKZfKo9ojzNw_IGMUMg_2uhgwNYNw5WVJM1_QA/s640/sweet+hug.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>My dishwasher...really love my new dishwasher. I do not even have to prewash my dishes...seriously! Also, it has several compartments...even a perfect compartment for sippy lids. A mom must have created this dishwasher. The dishwasher also has a sanitize option...now, I will never need that bottle sanitizer again! It is so, so, so very quiet too! Ah...sweet dishwasher.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGykJRFirUA4PeyjPMXw2r6ZafeJLpg9GO1YxQ5c6odW7mt67it6TS_7HVZ-mfcHGTbe5GgprnVrFJlhqPVqMtGuRbAIIhJRIgJeiuTNKMBTDI3QjAsd6QmTjPiwVpNIVtRoGWi3StVWI/s1600/dishwasher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGykJRFirUA4PeyjPMXw2r6ZafeJLpg9GO1YxQ5c6odW7mt67it6TS_7HVZ-mfcHGTbe5GgprnVrFJlhqPVqMtGuRbAIIhJRIgJeiuTNKMBTDI3QjAsd6QmTjPiwVpNIVtRoGWi3StVWI/s400/dishwasher.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br />
My house...love my "right now" house. Of course, I'm always looking and wishing for what I want "one" day, but with the economy the way it is lately...I am blessed to have the security a home offers for me and my family. I love this picture of our house when it snowed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLdvZxyHVWVnCcF3UaS0TCFe26xjPO-xhwYvkqAihb_2H103nCjH1qBuJZK4_1ujB3ab2CClgsgW1haE3fWz-FLFANhQGNiKfjLpebEGwqTlqzEhkfm0DUG2Zziq_s5xQ0_yCdpJniOw/s1600/snowy+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLdvZxyHVWVnCcF3UaS0TCFe26xjPO-xhwYvkqAihb_2H103nCjH1qBuJZK4_1ujB3ab2CClgsgW1haE3fWz-FLFANhQGNiKfjLpebEGwqTlqzEhkfm0DUG2Zziq_s5xQ0_yCdpJniOw/s640/snowy+house.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My parent's (live a couple miles away) swimming pool...really enjoying it this summer!:)<br />
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Yep, I'm blessed.Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-37676173234125381922010-06-23T11:26:00.000-04:002010-06-23T11:26:08.060-04:00Summer Sanity?! Random Ramblings...I need ideas for keeping our summer fun and my sanity in check. We are, actually, having a super fun summer! We have been staying busy, playing, and enjoying each other. Schedule and routine has been the key for us so far! I should turn the television off a bit more, but I have to clean my house and make dinner sometime (right?!). I just cannot figure out how to do all the stuff I WANT to do with having the kids around ALL the time. When I say that out loud though, it sounds somewhat selfish. Not sure? <br />
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I miss blogging...desperately, miss blogging. My hubby misses me blogging. The way he has it figured out is the more I blog...the less I need to talk about EVERYTHING in my head to him!:) So, if your husband thinks you talk a lot and if he gets that glazed over look periodically, I highly suggest blogging. When I do have a few minutes to myself on the computer (now, kids are watching barney on tv!), I usually end up trying to get my blog fix on my blogs that I follow. I just HAVE to know what is going on in their worlds. Some blogs are my encouragement for the day...as a mom...as a woman...they send me these motivating ideas to keep my focus throughout the day. I think this is why blogs have gotten so popular for women...just my opinion. <br />
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What's even funnier? I could care less if anyone reads them. Honestly, I forget that whatever I write ends up on the Internet world. I love comments though...ahhh...so someone else is out there and doesn't think I'm kooky!:) Then, I will be at church or visiting some friends for a kid play date, and someone will mention something they saw on the blog. Ugh...my mind begins to randomly recheck past posts to see if I wrote anything in particular...something where I was ambitiously rambling. I have to be cautious that what's in my head doesn't immediately go onto this computer! Regardless, summer is definitely getting in the way of blogging. I guess that is understandable! <br />
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When I do something, I like to do it all the way. 100% devotion to the project. Thus, my frustration with not blogging consistently! I just tend to do too many things at one time. Then, I get crabby and stressed and overwhelmed in my home because I'm stretched too thin. I forgot a lot this past year that the REASON that I chose to be a stay at home mom is for the benefit of my kids. However, I would spend spare minutes devoted to all these other activities for church or preschool or people in general. (Not a bad thing...just in moderation!) I enjoyed it for the most part, but my family suffered. My energy and time was zapped. They only received the left overs. I have been a crazy woman fighting for simplicity this summer...convincing myself that we do not have to be on the go all the time. Now, if that would just rub off onto my expectations for myself, I would be set!<br />
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I received a couple emails about my calendar for my house when I was out of town (Again, that wonderful moment when you know you are not the only crazy mommy out there.) I'll post my calendar soon! I don't know if it will help or make you laugh, but I will post it regardless!:)<br />
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It's nice to know that someone is curious about my craziness in order to help their own chaos! More mommies need to be more open about our struggles and chaos with others! I don't think we would be as hard on ourselves...if we REALLY, genuinely knew what other moms were going through each and every day. <br />
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Okay...that's my random ramblings for the day! Thanks for listening!Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-45549315879403187962010-06-14T07:30:00.001-04:002010-06-14T07:30:01.795-04:00Little Bit...a FULL moon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzs9XD5GYdE3jYc7XDys-7EfSQq6-CuFddzf6h9OWa7hu3z-5ZuWUVbNgnpkIv6g3nD70hhYUGaUApAZa4sJC51ul2e14Hl8yIX2ZtgGQGlPxes9k9uSDUclGVzHQuGdLF5SI3pyBvb4/s1600/SG+sound+asleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzs9XD5GYdE3jYc7XDys-7EfSQq6-CuFddzf6h9OWa7hu3z-5ZuWUVbNgnpkIv6g3nD70hhYUGaUApAZa4sJC51ul2e14Hl8yIX2ZtgGQGlPxes9k9uSDUclGVzHQuGdLF5SI3pyBvb4/s640/SG+sound+asleep.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Bit has this issue with removing her clothes at any and all opportunities. She will remove her clothes and diaper and hide them somewhere. My only solution that works is to put pull ups on her. They tend to take a bit longer for her to figure out how to remove it. Once she figures that out, I'm out of ideas?! Let me know if anyone else has ideas! This is how I discovered Little Bit an hour or so after I had put her to bed. Her pants and diaper had been tossed out of her crib. She was sound asleep. I guess from a mama's perspective I can say...at least she was asleep...that's more important than being half naked!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since I am sharing Little Bit memories and thoughts, I am sad to say that she is no longer calling her big sister LaLa. I know sad, right? She can now actually say her name, Charlotte. It was so sweet as she tried to say it and came out with LaLa. She is still known as Little Bit to most around here, and that name just fits her perfectly. She is such a bundle of everything in this little body! Amazingly, after months and months of trying to get her to say her name, she finally said it a couple weeks ago. She says it pretty quickly, and it is still hard to understand unless you are listening for it. It is still quite cute though! She is really growing up! I think this (her being able to say the real names and not her "baby" names she created) has really made me realize how much she has grown up. Where has my baby gone? It is exciting and sad at the same time. Hard to explain...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When did you realize or what made you realize your little one grew up without your realizing it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-85333492189657067522010-06-10T00:44:00.000-04:002010-06-10T00:44:09.177-04:00Two Mommies and Three Little Ladies Going to the BEACH!I'm packed. I'm ready. I ask myself everytime I get to this point..."why did I wait until the last minute?!" Actually, I had everything in my head that I needed to pack. I bought food, snacks, and beach things days ago. I had some stuff put out here and there. I made a list. I printed out the directions. I printed out the weather for the next week. I closed up any house and family details. I have a restaurant bag for the kids. I have snack boxes for each kid. I have a bookbag with car toys for each kid. I have bag and bag and bag ready...YET...here it is 12:35 in the morning and I just finished packing except for a few last minute things to throw in the bag in the morning. Oh yeah, it is morning already. Did I mention my friend and her little girl that we are going to the beach with plans on being here at 5? FIVE. IN. THE. MORNING. <br />
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Between finishing preschool, working on my summer cleaning list, LaLa's dance practices and recital, and entertaining my girls...I genuinely figured the packing would all just come together! Maybe my friend will not notice if I just sleep ALL the way to Florida! I'm sure she can handle three little girls and driving...right? Well, she might not even be my friend anymore if I go that route! I'll post pictures of LaLa's sweet recital pictures soon and lots of fun and adventures from our trip! <br />
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Hopefully, the beautiful beach will not be ruined with oil...ugh...that's an entirely different rant for a different day!<br />
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Enjoy your weekend!<br />
TammyTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-48122302582020694192010-06-09T06:30:00.001-04:002010-06-09T06:30:00.441-04:00Lightning Bug Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp7EfSG71bUTXoe3YkzFjbzKnbYxQqekWAQzTeZzBsJ9JPvIqKHPl1hCuQWhZ0p0D6zGxpVsGUCYWqeOOGpOCO5YCRxmbSfA9jneRSWWwdIqnfrXJgnuEEAdzIoUEXYMXTbfn95xhyphenhyphenjs/s1600/lightning+bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp7EfSG71bUTXoe3YkzFjbzKnbYxQqekWAQzTeZzBsJ9JPvIqKHPl1hCuQWhZ0p0D6zGxpVsGUCYWqeOOGpOCO5YCRxmbSfA9jneRSWWwdIqnfrXJgnuEEAdzIoUEXYMXTbfn95xhyphenhyphenjs/s320/lightning+bug.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A priority this summer was to hunt and capture some of those magical lightning bugs that have started to grace our backyard. It's not truly summer until you have your lightning bugs lighting up your room on a hot summer evening. The way these little bugs light up as they fly around is magical and such a testimony to God's creation. I love that He wanted us to enjoy and be mesmorized over His handiwork of creation. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I was a child, we simply used mason jars with holes punched in the lid. Obviously, times have changed. LaLa has this little "bug house" that is meant to retain her bug creatures. Fancy, huh? Honestly, I think the mason jars worked better! We had to really pep talk those little bugs into agreeing to enter the bug house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She and Little Bit enjoyed the little bugs lighting up their room until they fell asleep. I think they were upset for a while and refused to light up for quite a bit...the bugs not the kids! Robert let them go shortly after so the bugs could continue their adventures. While LaLa was looking for lightning bugs (or "lighty" bugs as they called them), Robert and I took turns pushing Little Bit in the swing in the backyard. It is basically a baby swing on a huge tree. The swing is usually the first thing friends want to do when they visit. They are able to swing super high and still be secured with straps. Of course, Little Bit had been playing in the sandbox and is filthy! If there is sand or dirt around, she can find it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8R-0w2Y9x8ne3GaVA-Q3at0NLXa_oDv6nuCa7QXKHzTzaFKmlUqsxOQECRkC9X7EebwXVipeo5Ledf2Mn0VCvDjQhsCNDOnbnPhOSixN84wYdO5kmIzPdWx0RBYgVB7oCxZQNw_RWrM/s1600/sg+swing+summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8R-0w2Y9x8ne3GaVA-Q3at0NLXa_oDv6nuCa7QXKHzTzaFKmlUqsxOQECRkC9X7EebwXVipeo5Ledf2Mn0VCvDjQhsCNDOnbnPhOSixN84wYdO5kmIzPdWx0RBYgVB7oCxZQNw_RWrM/s320/sg+swing+summer.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9NNefhKvWt6rVBqpTDikdmdMrPdwCxVscDI7_2_UlRkEDBC9PhF5CmB5oY8XzT1mdJwlQb9m6HvRk7Uyewy4jHGj1Ywp4pFdLQ9RjQ-MRTg5I33Vx2g6CYJjwF7WO7WXBT-8V6nPcuw/s1600/SG+swing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9NNefhKvWt6rVBqpTDikdmdMrPdwCxVscDI7_2_UlRkEDBC9PhF5CmB5oY8XzT1mdJwlQb9m6HvRk7Uyewy4jHGj1Ywp4pFdLQ9RjQ-MRTg5I33Vx2g6CYJjwF7WO7WXBT-8V6nPcuw/s400/SG+swing.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Now for the best question of the night...how do "lighty" bugs light up?</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Hmmm...good question...go ask your daddy!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, I guess I have to go google the answer!;)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-59228899384223563452010-06-08T06:30:00.003-04:002010-06-08T06:30:01.468-04:00The Second Child Syndrome?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Uh...oh...I'm caught?! Run, run...hide...close my eyes. I can't be in trouble now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdU_wSITNSxePdGCsNkkwGPGkeGB-MvkY4LMGWjK-5PbH_e7dAI49zYfeze0_nJSI1IYMDTHp9u_wzN09fUpmcyO_F-u21evRaVl8emUNV1RPwNkX8-K5-6Yi37BrJFWaeavQMf3b4FY/s1600/SG+caught.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdU_wSITNSxePdGCsNkkwGPGkeGB-MvkY4LMGWjK-5PbH_e7dAI49zYfeze0_nJSI1IYMDTHp9u_wzN09fUpmcyO_F-u21evRaVl8emUNV1RPwNkX8-K5-6Yi37BrJFWaeavQMf3b4FY/s400/SG+caught.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Poor Little Bit simply looks pitiful in this picture! I snap pictures of my girls several times a week. The blog is great for holding me accountable to take pictures regularly. (Add that to the great reasons for blogging). Now, Little Bit is well taken care of, but she is a wild little monkey! She has no fear. She thinks she is as big and as tough as her big sister. She will climb anything. She makes the strongest willed child look like a piece of cake. She does everything with her whole heart. She loves her big sister like crazy. She copies her. She watches her. She adores her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Bit sings songs...any song. She loves to dance. She skips or gallops rather than just walk. In fact, she rarely walks anywhere. She rarely goes in the direction you want her to go. You will often see me walking our neighborhood with my girls, yet Little Bit must be strapped in the stroller or attached to one of those kid leashes (at least it looks like a puppy backpack)! She loves to play with dolls as babies. She loves to dress up. She walks better in princess "high heels" than I do in my high heels. We are working on sharing because her current favorite word is...MINE. She loves M&Ms...I mean loves them. She loves her dogs...when they do not run away scared of her. She loves to swing. She loves the park. She walked really, reallly early...even though I did not encourage it...at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Bit is the second child. With LaLa, I made sure she never left the house without being dressed just perfectly. I always had the diaper bag packed. I had a stash of toys for restaurants. We planned our day around naps and days around her schedule. She never played with markers...or even art supplies for that matter without 100% supervision. Have you ever heard of <em>Baby Wise?</em> I lived and breathed that book with LaLa. If she spilled something on her clothes, I changed her immediately. Well, take another look at this particular picture and notice the arrows!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dRxxllpERYkBxRhfJZhS5Hu0qFI89KJTG9a5Uup4Rw4bYmIfXUbgyYnbqQ7TP8IbEx3UCuvIS2-EXh9Vvtk0uIcYyK5hBV40740EJ0b2xw3g7YSJR22gPkFpvcGUxNlEC21Tx0w1sNw/s1600/SG+second+child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dRxxllpERYkBxRhfJZhS5Hu0qFI89KJTG9a5Uup4Rw4bYmIfXUbgyYnbqQ7TP8IbEx3UCuvIS2-EXh9Vvtk0uIcYyK5hBV40740EJ0b2xw3g7YSJR22gPkFpvcGUxNlEC21Tx0w1sNw/s640/SG+second+child.jpg" width="515" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">She is still so cute, but looking at this picture, it made me realize (once again) how I have changed as a parent. Do you see the arrows pointing at the spots on her shirt from lunch?! Did I change her? NOPE...we weren't going anywhere, and that would have been more laundry! Do you see the arrows around her little face? That is (once again) the result of a marker that she managed to snag from her big sister's stash. Fortunately, they are non-toxic because she colors on herself in her attempts to create her art! Despite the fact of the label declaring it is "washable". It is not. Markers on skin take several washes and a good day to get it off completely. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you notice her eyes are closed? Well, this is because I had just discovered the markers (with their tops off) in a trail straight to the culprit. Let me also mention that no matter how much I hide these stinkin' markers, she still FINDS them! What does she do when she knows she is in trouble? She finds a spot and closes her eyes. You see...in the mind of a one year old...or at least in the mind of my one year old...if she can't see YOU, she believes that YOU can't see HER! I continue to say, "I see you. Open your eyes. Did you get the markers out?" She never moves or opens her eyes. I give up and begin picking up the trail of markers and tops to hide them in an even more difficult hiding spot. She slowly opens her eyes and peeks to see if she is in the clear. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh well, choose your battles...yeah, she is definitely the second child!</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-20627403513188719652010-06-07T05:00:00.001-04:002010-06-07T05:00:02.445-04:00Our Summer List...What to do this summer?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CoS7PqOITfSyEC7r0dCWpy_my2z9fNlPjA5NbYEQR1MsII0TEKVSEu_qAzF5S6f8m0SWnF9iAF67I_9huUOoBQy3qg7v6AzEjCdN92V3JNtMwp5tvfaGsYJV3q_pBBgBe5Wln9zcGAs/s1600/DSCN2748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CoS7PqOITfSyEC7r0dCWpy_my2z9fNlPjA5NbYEQR1MsII0TEKVSEu_qAzF5S6f8m0SWnF9iAF67I_9huUOoBQy3qg7v6AzEjCdN92V3JNtMwp5tvfaGsYJV3q_pBBgBe5Wln9zcGAs/s320/DSCN2748.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I finally remembered to take a picture of our summer list. My mom would let my brother and I choose one fun "trip" or activity per week during the summer (water park, etc.). She would put it on the calendar, and we would look forward to that special day. It made summers fun and exciting! When I was a teacher, I would do this project as a writing activity at the end of the school year. It was always fun to see what the kids were looking forward to doing during their summer break. I would make my own list before my own children. I was facing several weeks of not teaching, and I wanted to make the most out of my summer and time off!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, it is a lot of fun to do it with my own children. We have been brainstorming for several weeks now. In fact, when we went to Panama City a couple weeks ago, we began the list. Each item was highly debated as of its importance to be included. Every family member made suggestions, but most of the items came straight from LaLa. She also made several ideas on Little Bit's behalf. Little Bit would agree or disagree with a YES! or NO! and thus our list making went on and on until it was finished! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It becomes easy to become lazy and let the summer and free time just slide right by you. Time goes so fast when we are adults! I want to make sure we take the opportunity to make memories. One mom mentioned that she wanted to be "intentional" with her time this summer. That is a great way to describe our goal. We want each moment to count! Of course, we do plan on having some of those lazy days along the way as well!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(By the way, I add this page to their scrapbook(s) at the end of the summer with pictures. It just makes it easier to go ahead and place it on a 12x12 piece of paper so it's ready to go!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What do you plan on doing this summer? Have you made a summer list with your kids? Post a picture or your link!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-84631545088643481392010-06-04T05:30:00.007-04:002010-06-04T11:23:08.060-04:00Fastest Way to Clean Out Closets?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is Robert. This is my husband over a decade past his highschool graduation. If you did not know him then, he will be the first to tell you and share with you his memories of his glorious time with his football team at Dalton High School. If you let him talk too long about these precious memories, he might even bring out these enormous scrapbooks the mothers of the football players made. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have you ever just gotten completely overwhelmed with things you want to do in your house? Maybe some things you want to decorate or organize or clean? I do...often! Well, as I've mentioned in the past, I am on my clearing through my house binge (I go through these periodically!). My kitchen remodel began the inspiration. Then, I realized I was simply at my wit's end on STUFF! I'm tired of stuff. My house felt like it was shrinking. In fact, my house is not shrinking. Our stuff is growing. My husband and I felt just fine in our house prior to children. We even had room to spare! Then, LaLa came...more stuff. Then, Little Bit...even more stuff. It's either stuff gets organized and cleared out...or we move out and our stuff stays in the house! I went room to room with a pen (okay, a pencil) and my "list" notebook (my spiral notebook designated for lists). As I went in every room, I considered how I could better use space. Did I love or have to have these items?! Do I need to paint something? Is there something that I have been wanting to change or decorate? I wrote details of what needs to be accomplished in every room...in every nook and cranny.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have a list. I have a calendar. I combined them. It's not as overwhelming because I focus on just that day or week. I have a mission. I am making progress. In fact, I cannot be stopped...yeah right! Has my little family not realized that I have a LIST on my CALENDAR? Did I mention it is written in pen?! Yeah, I knew that would really get me focused. When my family is around (believe or not...my husband is as bad as my children!), it takes me longer to get through my list because we have to stop and reminisce on each and every item! For example, the football helmet from Robert's <strike>glory</strike> football days in high school and my cheerleading megaphone from high school. I didn't even know we had these items still!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The first picture is Robert "trying" on his helmet and telling LaLa about what it meant to play football <strike>and how wonderful he was as a football player.</strike> ;) I convinced him to let me snap his picture assuring him that when he is in his old age wouldn't it be cute to still have it? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, on to the second picture (keep in mind...this is totally interrupting "the" time devoted to my mission). This is Robert TRYING to get the Helmet off. Hee Hee...laughed hard...really hard! Didn't quite fit like it used to fit in high school! Snapped this picture illegally without his permission during his efforts to remove it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXI32yKWTpWlb0RcyNgYshYyT79mXBCs1rSwZJ9S15nFFDUfEW_wwl_QTQB0spXT3yF_yyvb2RXPdTfiQkWN4oyg0iOWITkQuo6nwdpcV3qQ1-Mrzm9alpiriIHIOH-zhTOrQi8ZIUv8/s1600/ouch+robert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXI32yKWTpWlb0RcyNgYshYyT79mXBCs1rSwZJ9S15nFFDUfEW_wwl_QTQB0spXT3yF_yyvb2RXPdTfiQkWN4oyg0iOWITkQuo6nwdpcV3qQ1-Mrzm9alpiriIHIOH-zhTOrQi8ZIUv8/s320/ouch+robert.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now, LaLa gets her turn to try on her daddy's old helmet. It's, of course, huge on her. She also yells into my megaphone periodically to mix it up a bit. Hmmm...makes me wonder...in her future will she be a cheerleader or a football player or neither one? If you ask most people, she probably has a good chance of being either one! She's pretty tough for such a cutie!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWhIC_6miMjfWwtBLAyCUoQzpVeUWHLD6X5zbbA2ihCa6kMTw63RYz_3n_ZF3x9-JowlP2ZiqyUAdqspPmYERw9hX4xGA7FEt-jHxw7OhPd1XD7UlOxyJYGw9EdkZkOH-uouJBqO4fS8/s1600/Charlee+in+daddys+helmet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWhIC_6miMjfWwtBLAyCUoQzpVeUWHLD6X5zbbA2ihCa6kMTw63RYz_3n_ZF3x9-JowlP2ZiqyUAdqspPmYERw9hX4xGA7FEt-jHxw7OhPd1XD7UlOxyJYGw9EdkZkOH-uouJBqO4fS8/s320/Charlee+in+daddys+helmet.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">You may ask...where was sweet Little Bit? Well, she WAS sleeping until LaLa got a hold of the megaphone! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Off to finish the next room...maybe we will not get quite as distracted with our high school days on the next one!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-18636559131510336392010-06-03T05:00:00.001-04:002010-06-03T05:00:00.681-04:00Preschool MemoriesI haven’t shared any “inside” information on LaLa’s end of the year party last week. If I was this broken up on LaLa moving on to K4, what am I going to do when she graduates from kindergarten…or high school…or college?!<br />
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Here are some of the fun things we did for the end of the year…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK6zi4aRVa_hHSsVirYfEp03VcAvWusrFhIwt_1kztn6LIU2iOI22VT7ovTHyp21VuMp29kJ09cK0kI-rGYpvq3B5mdl5iaYVEGO20qJcaZRvmss0welfD998Rwxju3jOL6hzuDO4KoA/s1600/DSCN2681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK6zi4aRVa_hHSsVirYfEp03VcAvWusrFhIwt_1kztn6LIU2iOI22VT7ovTHyp21VuMp29kJ09cK0kI-rGYpvq3B5mdl5iaYVEGO20qJcaZRvmss0welfD998Rwxju3jOL6hzuDO4KoA/s320/DSCN2681.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are cards that we made for each student so they would have their friends' personal information. All of the parents signed a release at the beginning of the year allowing me to create and share a student directory for the parents. I would not share personal information without being sure it was alright with everyone...so always check first! Hopefully, this will encourage the preschoolers to keep in touch over the summer. They made some wonderful little friends. I always made books for my students when I taught, and I always included my address as well. I loved receiving and returning letters throughout the summer with them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbWGKibz29zRY_t_ydICurR7HBB6it1Afa8Kcsg2xqjL6A3yGdgJZMYGh7SGLsqbGSQLCfrIp-bUucZnOCwEDAp4oSLThyLQn0Ikqd1ekKqggRDfz4tOhUfoSEiGTCV2nleIikxNviiQ/s1600/DSCN2682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbWGKibz29zRY_t_ydICurR7HBB6it1Afa8Kcsg2xqjL6A3yGdgJZMYGh7SGLsqbGSQLCfrIp-bUucZnOCwEDAp4oSLThyLQn0Ikqd1ekKqggRDfz4tOhUfoSEiGTCV2nleIikxNviiQ/s320/DSCN2682.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These were just water bottles that we found at the dollar store. LaLa and I cut out the kids' first initial using my Sizzex (which is one of my all time favorite scrapbook toys). Just a tidbit of a secret...I use 'shelf liner' rather than the 'cricut' vinyl to make the letters. It works the same. Plus, you receive a lot more for a better price! I just look for good quality vinyl liner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkyMM7eL0oHno6E-_Lo0YROgFfNRamv9R6kVZm0fXpexoRBO2m6qaIFct5iXW_846kW2cDsyqICiOM_5ONmRBqAsYWVP1-SFEuis6xZychJxr-a1XHBf85wFabRfhpZ_HOhtsH2xZ0Bw/s1600/DSCN2679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkyMM7eL0oHno6E-_Lo0YROgFfNRamv9R6kVZm0fXpexoRBO2m6qaIFct5iXW_846kW2cDsyqICiOM_5ONmRBqAsYWVP1-SFEuis6xZychJxr-a1XHBf85wFabRfhpZ_HOhtsH2xZ0Bw/s320/DSCN2679.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LaLa's Preschool teacher's end of the year gifts. Now, she is ready for the beach...plus, she likes (amazing there are still people out there that like it and have time to do it!) cooking! The students also worked together to make their teacher and teacher's assistant flower pots out of their handprints and a scrapbook filled with their "thoughts on their teacher". I forgot to take pictures!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Prior to the party, the students had the opportunity to enjoy a field day of sorts. LaLa's favorite part was the "jumpy house". She also played with chalk, bubbles, beanbags, and hula hoops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCi5nuNKr4ZV897GP1Ma-exrCoa6lV4897K8JdajncoPl6Xap-4cuEe0fOhVullr7JBRV-eRBHPrvZ20PxC3IQTwEJ6umfNczGDUUU5-X87NY8bIfcg1ZOkDdTy06HA0pHE5wIj3odNeE/s1600/DSCN2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCi5nuNKr4ZV897GP1Ma-exrCoa6lV4897K8JdajncoPl6Xap-4cuEe0fOhVullr7JBRV-eRBHPrvZ20PxC3IQTwEJ6umfNczGDUUU5-X87NY8bIfcg1ZOkDdTy06HA0pHE5wIj3odNeE/s320/DSCN2686.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR55KLUPdBra1N5XO3_RC7WvHJvwWjQYKSYDFpXXZk_OpHJ2gMf-OxxF95-i57vzAo2zDpIxlaPIrJcE9-hNzUGYbYe-vapM77t4PqGsoteA6_VwKHFkf1zb4UNhB8jvLiN2rlKP3yXw/s1600/DSCN2696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPR55KLUPdBra1N5XO3_RC7WvHJvwWjQYKSYDFpXXZk_OpHJ2gMf-OxxF95-i57vzAo2zDpIxlaPIrJcE9-hNzUGYbYe-vapM77t4PqGsoteA6_VwKHFkf1zb4UNhB8jvLiN2rlKP3yXw/s320/DSCN2696.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love their little shirts. Aren't they cute? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7Qs3qmGAxs5zBU5njI9QSj0wYJZYg086tD2X_fNfAAhgxWERXf-NA2WV4pZQHlMMOpyXAZIJyCW-peW1ORhyv_3MwmmDv8aTigmcj279Spza0NdIlsr1U-ZlncmW6vydEK3utSvNiss/s1600/DSCN2700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7Qs3qmGAxs5zBU5njI9QSj0wYJZYg086tD2X_fNfAAhgxWERXf-NA2WV4pZQHlMMOpyXAZIJyCW-peW1ORhyv_3MwmmDv8aTigmcj279Spza0NdIlsr1U-ZlncmW6vydEK3utSvNiss/s320/DSCN2700.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Party time...picnic style!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KO8RIzkoE3hoJ-9NmesdzyRe1MwdZnGeI3ouuqrfZKjCixKE8QTDZprjyRwbkfbmshyP7HjN-w0FYK60zLyeTWuTStcw6V-aA3dKk1TdCOAllfSVEz57VE4PnP6zGrUIt6_L1aRcP98/s1600/DSCN2699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KO8RIzkoE3hoJ-9NmesdzyRe1MwdZnGeI3ouuqrfZKjCixKE8QTDZprjyRwbkfbmshyP7HjN-w0FYK60zLyeTWuTStcw6V-aA3dKk1TdCOAllfSVEz57VE4PnP6zGrUIt6_L1aRcP98/s320/DSCN2699.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Each parent sent in an "outdoor" item to go in the kids' goody bags. Here are some of the things that were included: the shovel and pail, a backpack, a bucket hat, bubbles, chalk, a bug catcher, a bug net, plastic bugs, a magnifying glass, a float for the pool, etc.. Now, LaLa has seen this bucket sitting on her classroom's shelf for several days, she has been chomping at the bit to get her "end of the year bucket". You would have thought it was pure gold. Every single day, she would ask if today was the day she received her bucket! Then, we got it home, and I think I intervened a gabillion times when Little Bit and LaLa were not wanting to share the items. Obviously, they both liked all of the items!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-_mVRTiM2U853vI3Fg3AU0uPZQjRmdb0fTAxtxo3YXUExeeIAPFnj9AicZAGnzYIqQ_wPAfSCkLsFwNkUqqsP22g7uQ0r2kgrABKMZq472PCqANPkqiA-h1ccRCjqR4DVQAX_YrMh10/s1600/DSCN2689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-_mVRTiM2U853vI3Fg3AU0uPZQjRmdb0fTAxtxo3YXUExeeIAPFnj9AicZAGnzYIqQ_wPAfSCkLsFwNkUqqsP22g7uQ0r2kgrABKMZq472PCqANPkqiA-h1ccRCjqR4DVQAX_YrMh10/s640/DSCN2689.JPG" width="478" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know I wasn't the student this year. I wasn't the teacher. I had a marginal part as just the mommy. However, on this last day, I wanted to pat myself on the back...and I still just might. This is the first year that I realized the parents' full perspective on the school year. Despite the marginal part, it is still a great deal of work as the mommy of the student. A lot of juggling your role as mommy and letting someone else have the control...ups and down of learning and behavior...your little one loving and disliking school from day to day...knowing how to handle a situation to not having a clue how to really handle it...learning when to say yes and when to say no to people...letting go (did I mention that yet?)...juggling picking up, dropping off, volunteering, schedules, and all while you have another little one very dependent on you...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">see, a great deal of work! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If I ever go back to teaching, remind me to give the mommies and the daddies a certificate of hard work at the end of the school year and not just the students!:) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I felt like we completed the school year successfully. Our first one...my first one...ever...as a mommy. I survived it...successfully...and LaLa did too, of course! </div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-17522089210116696172010-06-02T10:07:00.000-04:002010-06-02T10:07:53.650-04:00Ugh...Can you tell that I've been playing with my blog last night...late into the night? I do not think I have ever yelled at an inanimate object for such an extended amount of time. It is, actually, quite addicting. I want my banner to spread across the entire page. I also would like the center column to be wider. Why in the world is the end columns so wide when they serve absolutely no purpose? Most of the sites that assured me that they could remedy my problem...involved html codes and such. Scary for me. I'll keep working on it. My husband continued to ask why I invest so much time playing with my blog. Well, first of all, it's fun. Second, it's currently the only family scrapbook that I have up to date! <br />
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Aren't the pictures in the banner just great?! Not so bad for my itty bitty not-so-smancy camera! I think I went through the Picasa tutorial a dozen times! I love the picture of the girls facing away looking at the lake...so sweet. I just love pictures that catch that "moment"! My favorite is the one of Robert being "superman" for his girls! The girls were also showing their muscles and their unbelievable strength to save the world in the picture. Of course, I cropped them out and left Robert in all his glory...hee hee! Heck, if I worked as hard as he does to train for races and such, I'd show my "muscles" and "super strength" all the time! Better yet, I can't figure out how to change the pictures in the banner even if I wanted to! So, he's stuck seeing it anyway!:) That makes it even funnier!<br />
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Well, I shall be back to play around some more with these blog features! If anyone has any tricks, let me know! You may save me some sleep deprivation!<br />
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TammyTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-77323336546099742712010-05-29T21:45:00.000-04:002010-05-29T21:45:59.621-04:00Sex In the City...A Night with the Girls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">A friend is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. -Pam Brown</div><br />
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Last night was so so so so so (I could go on and on and on!) much fun! A bunch of girlfriends (and some of their moms and friends) and I all got together to go see Sex in the City...the sequel. Now, this is not a normal movie that I would even like. I never saw any of the shows when they were out on tv. However, the Christmas that I was pregnant with LaLa, Robert bought me the entire set of seasons of Sex in the City. Consequently, he went skiing with some friends for his birthday, and I was left to amuse myself at home and very pregnant. I literally snacked and watched every single episode from the very first season to the last. I was hooked, and I felt like I had met each character personally after our weekend of bonding. By the way, my daughter was named prior to knowing there was a character with her name on the series, but it was kind of fitting after my weekend marathon.<br />
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The first Sex in the City movie came out a couple years ago. My girlfriends and some of their moms (they all live a couple hours north of me) went to see the movie together. They were all dressed up, ate dinner, enjoyed some wonderful laughs and memories, and hired a limousine to make the night even more special. I, however, was very, very pregnant with Little Bit. I couldn't go. I know...sad, right? Fortunately, I did have a fellow pregnant friend of mine that went to see the movie with me at a nearby theatre. What is it with me being pregnant and my Sex in the City memories?! Funny, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBur8UBIyBPLxGNSw4V0bCc2yUPH6GCs241yFCw3KQbfX1Rb8dzY7fn0kPHgNnfze993CyBhV7aRdTtY9NiM42p44kc3UE1fVKxDzomhdw2ANaFg0RbbvjkxekqTucYn_Ipn9HWfNY90/s1600/DSCN2714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBur8UBIyBPLxGNSw4V0bCc2yUPH6GCs241yFCw3KQbfX1Rb8dzY7fn0kPHgNnfze993CyBhV7aRdTtY9NiM42p44kc3UE1fVKxDzomhdw2ANaFg0RbbvjkxekqTucYn_Ipn9HWfNY90/s320/DSCN2714.JPG" /></a></div>Well, this time...I was not pregnant. I hired a sitter (my marvelous cousin that my girls LOVE), drove a couple hours, and made it to enjoy the experience. We had an expedition limousine. We dressed up as glamorous girls. We transformed into normal women and left our "mom" brains behind for a night. I stayed the night with one of my best friends, Jennifer. She and I were college roommates. It was a great opportunity to actually play with her kids. I'm usually so busy with my own that I have never gotten that one on one time with them. Her husband's big breakfast was perfect too!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic21rB33oSHooVi0c7csQxKlAtlllq6h0VNGjT9fza6yvtx62N2RSJJu916m1nAvR97UkDZP8Im7s8uclq_oh3zvnRiMzJrsxczxv8spKSu_QTs25PNuEjp_f1_OvgnEeGGgC5UEBGCj4/s1600/DSCN2705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic21rB33oSHooVi0c7csQxKlAtlllq6h0VNGjT9fza6yvtx62N2RSJJu916m1nAvR97UkDZP8Im7s8uclq_oh3zvnRiMzJrsxczxv8spKSu_QTs25PNuEjp_f1_OvgnEeGGgC5UEBGCj4/s320/DSCN2705.JPG" /></a></div>I laughed all night. My face genuinely hurt from smiling and laughing. I realized that even after years...we are still the same girls we were five or ten years ago. The group was a combination of friends that have been friends for years, friends of friends, moms of friends, and new friends. Ultimately, I realized that we have gotten married, had kids, and started our lives and careers. Regardless if the girls were my age, younger, or older, if they had been in my life for a day or for years, or whatever...we were all friends. We were all women taking a break from life and enjoying "being women" (you have to see the movie to get that:)!) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV-2dmE1drS4cDWAykV7oXMvVJEhM_GZv2k2ZkwX5XNOyYKhry8Luj_qv3mVexDSjJ06ldDNEmiBeAy1I_pikxieC1kFL5QNT3jrSDEbdyzwyBhzgEI2KI2p16gNKlz1bIW_szM7-YSU/s1600/DSCN2711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV-2dmE1drS4cDWAykV7oXMvVJEhM_GZv2k2ZkwX5XNOyYKhry8Luj_qv3mVexDSjJ06ldDNEmiBeAy1I_pikxieC1kFL5QNT3jrSDEbdyzwyBhzgEI2KI2p16gNKlz1bIW_szM7-YSU/s320/DSCN2711.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was great to be reminded of that....</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is one of the blessings of friends is that you can afford to be stupid with them. - Ralph Waldo Emerson</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZLkS95QUfJoSFTa_-mUBrzoGjLk-n4xSikNqEQKfAwzN-GhcyzGtXWDLo2iEyEX7lM9rF9rHTITcMdfTRyEOfmzzOngDHSNmNy88kObPNtMAuwXzD5djm_UrtZ7I9pmP7hkQBUoJWOs/s1600/DSCN2708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZLkS95QUfJoSFTa_-mUBrzoGjLk-n4xSikNqEQKfAwzN-GhcyzGtXWDLo2iEyEX7lM9rF9rHTITcMdfTRyEOfmzzOngDHSNmNy88kObPNtMAuwXzD5djm_UrtZ7I9pmP7hkQBUoJWOs/s320/DSCN2708.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMffGKupiXjLq3NXD4Uqae2HwjPia8Ji9FGpnoZFzs4wYWskhBlQb4De9AC34wTk6xQXbbZ9k4BTYArpSzpm36L5oYOJOWMA6o26ZzTFikvM657drrTwc1iF2nQaSLkfNjEpcH1WiAhbo/s1600/DSCN2717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMffGKupiXjLq3NXD4Uqae2HwjPia8Ji9FGpnoZFzs4wYWskhBlQb4De9AC34wTk6xQXbbZ9k4BTYArpSzpm36L5oYOJOWMA6o26ZzTFikvM657drrTwc1iF2nQaSLkfNjEpcH1WiAhbo/s320/DSCN2717.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Did I mention that I laughed...all night?! I'm going to so be in trouble for this pic being posted...so enjoy it until she sees it and I'm forced to take remove it. Hee Hee:) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hold a true friend with BOTH your hands.-Nigerian proverb</div>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-36617575171865230642010-05-27T15:40:00.000-04:002010-05-27T15:40:57.713-04:00Personalized Beach Towels are EXTRA Special!I have almost used my entire inventory of beach towels! All I have left is a couple blue, teal, and white striped towels. They are the adult size and super soft. These would be perfect for a boy...or a little, spunky girl like my LaLa. Thanks to Jessica on facebook...my embroidery machine is not making sad noises any longer. Wow, facebook is so useful!:) I can put off service...a tad longer! <br />
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They are $15 with a name. If you would like to add an image with the name (i.e. dirt bike, butterfly, princess crown, dragon fly, sports, flower, hearts, etc.), they are $20. I get bored easily...so I thought I would move on through these beach towels and move on to another project! Let me know if you need pictures! Oh, I THINK I have paypal now...thanks to Brittan's help...I haven't tried it out yet!<br />
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<a href="mailto:drtammy@gilreath.com">drtammy@gilreath.com</a>Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-35736151209542453492010-05-27T13:14:00.000-04:002010-05-27T13:14:57.705-04:00Random Things...Random Ramblings...hmmmm....that sounds appropriate.<br />
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First, thank you for all of your ideas on getting the blood from poor Little Bit's boo boo out of my couch and her cute outfit. It worked wonderfully...the peroxide and the spray and wash (even though I couldn't throw my couch in the washer). Stitches have dissolved, and she is as good as new! I was even brave enough to leave her with my brother's girlfriend, Katie, while I enjoyed LaLa's end of the year party at preschool. She survived it without another head wound...maybe I will get to leave the house again in the near future without trips to the ER!<br />
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Ok, next, have you felt like your world is swirling around in chaos? Yep. Well, that is where I am! I love to organize...the key is...when I have time! I get giddy when I get to organize, yet I have realized with my kids I usually make a bigger mess trying to organize. Part of my chaos is starting and not finishing things. I think I could totally qualify for adult ADD! It amazes me every day that I used to be the most organized, efficient person. However, I am more often the complete opposite post children! I threatened encouraged my husband to sit down with me and create a calendar, list, and plan (yes, charts, lists and calendars make me so happy) for the summer and our to do lists. We have divided those BIG jobs up to be finished during specific times...for example, my garage. It's so scary lately. That's our job for the next week. This week I am diving into laundry (from our trip) and moving both girls’ current season clothes into their new (more later) room's closet. Sounds like it will work doesn't it? Well, let's hope. Otherwise, I am going to go crazy! I cannot stand chaos. I either go crazy and combat it or give up and give in. (I'm probably leaning into the crazy mode right now) It basically boils down to running around too much and not having the time to invest into keeping things in shape. One thing leads to another and you're swimming in chaos! Some people have recommended a house notebook. I have a skeleton of one, but it is not very efficient (it just looks cute!). So, anyone have ideas...let me know!<br />
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Our beach trip was wonderful. Too fast. Way to fast. The girls loved the water. I still hate driving THAT far with small children. Ugh...I just kept repeating that it is worth the drive!<br />
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I love Bewitched on TV land. However, poor Samantha usually looks wonderful in her cute outfits and twitching her nose. Have you seen the pregnant episodes? Her clothes look like a tent. I can't twitch my nose and make my dishes shine, but at least we have cute maternity clothes now. I'm still trying to convince Robert that I have so many maternity clothes that we just HAVE to have another baby (and adopt one too) in the next year. Two wonderful friends passed their clothes to me. I have more maternity clothes than regular clothes, but I haven't been pregnant since I inherited all of these clothes! See, it's just necessary...I know my reasoning has a few holes in it!<br />
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LaLa is officially a "K4er" as she says. Preschool is over. I had mixed emotions. It's one less place that we have to dash off to. It's more time that we can spend together. I can't slow down life, BUT I can reduce our running and invest more time in our family and our home. I'll share some cute pictures soon from her end of the year party and teacher gifts. I'm too lazy to download the pictures!:)<br />
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Three different people have commented on my voicemails. They all feel they are comic relief. I tend to leave long messages that include all the necessary information JUST IN CASE I don't get to talk to the actual person. My posts probably sound just like my voicemails. Oh well, at least there is a consensus that they are humorous. <br />
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I just realized that this particular post unintentionally supports my theory on ADD! Ok, enough ramblings for now, I mine as well, suck it up and get busy...you know on my "chaos" plan!<br />
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Thanks for listening! <br />
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TammyTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683514985606610312.post-35343505131461609012010-05-20T12:24:00.000-04:002010-05-20T12:24:45.469-04:00One phone call can change so much...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqBVqHUwfPgCQa-QbhuD-iuQjBqPDF58eQoSH2jA1WBXmZMhyphenhyphenFgC0sjvJf_5ktFRiNxYddRASe8RGIwFJiyr05dcfthU2_kaBfviis0YFGudI2nZdXqs49Ix7cWJzEXDp6x8ka0PimFY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrqBVqHUwfPgCQa-QbhuD-iuQjBqPDF58eQoSH2jA1WBXmZMhyphenhyphenFgC0sjvJf_5ktFRiNxYddRASe8RGIwFJiyr05dcfthU2_kaBfviis0YFGudI2nZdXqs49Ix7cWJzEXDp6x8ka0PimFY/s320/1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Yesterday, a friend and I thought we would steal a few minutes away from our families. I am off to the beach this week. She is off to the beach next week. We needed pedicures. Our husbands took on the role graciously of staying home and watching our girls. We sat down in these luxurious spa chairs, feet placed in warm sudsy water, and prepared for some girl chatting and some special treatment for our toes. About that time, my phone rang. It was Robert. All I gathered was panic in his voice (he never, ever panics), blood everywhere, my sweet baby crying, and that she had hit her head. My friend and I, literally, paid the lady something for the inconvenience, jumped out of the chairs, and ran to my car. Somehow I drove to my house without hitting anyone or anything. My friend did say a prayer for Little Bit, but I think part of her might have inwardly prayed for my driving!;)<br />
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As we pulled up to the house, my parents had just arrived as well. Robert called them to help with LaLa and for a car with seats if he had to run her to the hospital. Currently, my SUV is the only car we have with a backseat. Fortunately, the bleeding and crying had subsided by the time we arrived. <br />
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The story has varied according to who tells it, but from what I can gather, she was playing like the couch cushions were "lily pads" with her sister. Robert was doing the dishes (where he can still see them in the living room over the bar). She tripped in the midst of a jump and hit her head on the wall of the fireplace or coffee table...that's the sketchy part. The part where LaLa was the princess and Little Bit was the frog in the game prior to the accident is the only part that is accurate and consistent on everyone's account.<br />
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We decided to take her to Scottish Rite to make sure she was okay (concussion?) and to see if she needed stitches. They were incredible there. I was so shaken up I put her birth date as July 15, 2010...um...not quite, but they still looked at me concerned. I am somewhat of a germ fanatic and hospitals just freak me out a bit (okay, a lot). I did not want Little Bit to touch anything (not to mention that we had grabbed her and left without her shoes). We managed to keep her amused by walking and talking a lot. They checked her out immediately...head wound really gets you to the front of the line. They put this head band and numbing gel on her that had to stay on her for thirty to forty minutes. Hmmm....keeping an almost two year old from pulling it off...interesting. Then, we saw the doctor. He was great...absolutely great. I'm sure it was mostly due to my friend's prayers on the way to the house. He decided to put in a couple stitches because of its location. It would have continued to bleed and not have been able to "close" and "heal" properly. He said that there was no concussion and the wound was not too bad. He reassured us both (pale still, I'm sure) that head wounds bleed a great deal.<br />
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Then, the awful part. They swaddled her, wrapped her in a straight jacket, washed the blood out from her hair (right at her hair line), and cleaned the wound preparing it for stitches. She fought and fought to get out of that thing. She was crying, sweating, and pleading for "mama and dada to help". Heart breaking and breaking and breaking. Completely helpless. I am not good in emergencies. I cannot even sugarcoat the extent of my lack of ability to deal with them. I thought I was going to pass out when they took that thing and began to stitch her up. <br />
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Once it was over, she was fine. Her daddy handed her milk and her blanket, and she placed her head on my shoulder and fell asleep before we walked to the car. It had been an eventful day for a little girl....and me. <br />
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The first thing she said when she woke up was...ow...boo boo...hair hurt. Yes, baby, your "hair" will hurt for a couple days. You are just going to have stop being such a monkey! I think it is going to be Little Bit that gives me a heart attack and makes me gray WAY before my time. She has no fear. Sometimes, I want to be more like that myself. Sometimes, I long for the days when she didn't know how to be mobile yet and was safe!<br />
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The stitches should dissolve in a few days. Until then, we can't brush her hair. I can't remember whether or not we can wash it. Hats at the beach...she can't touch it...all that fun stuff. Do you see that girls crazy hair? Well, she will have that same crazy hair for a few days it seems!<br />
It just amazes me that ONE...one simple phone call...can change so much...so fast. Fortunately, it all worked out, and I can this blog post to her scrapbook. Let's just hope that it's the last entry that results in a head wound and blood. On another note...does anyone know how to get blood stains out of a cute Bailey Boys outfit and couch cushions????Tammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03146791120658597304noreply@blogger.com2