First day of school 2012

A middle-schooler and two 4th graders

I'm probably more nervous today than any other first day of school -- ever. My baby boy goes to middle school today. MIDDLE SCHOOL! It doesn't seem possible. I wasn't this sad or scared when he started kindergarten and neither was he. I'm putting on a strong, happy face for him and praying like crazy. It will all work out, I know, but faith is a frightening exercise sometimes.

Note: I actually wrote this post on Monday. I'm just getting the pics off my phone and onto my computer. At least I'm doing it, right?

Much Love,
J 

A belated birthday wish for two early girls

The Birthday Girls with their first-ever Build-a-Bear friends

These two girls came into our lives 8 weeks earlier than planned. But, in many ways, they came right on time. In many ways, they saved me. Being a mother had been my life-long dream and when Holdy-boy was born part of me was so, so happy. And yet, I struggled. Looking back, I'm sure I was suffering from post-partum depression. I felt awful, lonely, and isolated. Holdyn was a terrific baby, K a terrific husband/daddy, and I was living my dream, but I just couldn't function much of the time. Slowly things got better (not great, just better). I was thrilled when I found out I was pregnant for a second time and terrified when told I was pregnant with twins! TWINS!

By the day the girls made their scary, early, and quick entrance something had changed in me. The hard pregnancy, the fear, something, had toughened me and made me realize that I couldn't wallow in self-pity or worry anymore. I had 3 little people who depended on me. It was time to step-up to the challenge and claim my blessings. And I did! Since then, I've still struggled periodically, but motherhood has given me strength and courage. Whenever I think I can't do something tell myself, "You can do this. You've birthed 3 children and 2 of those at once!" It may sound silly, but it works. Acknowledging that hard work gives me strength.

So, I'm wishing a belated Happy Birthday to my two early girls! Nine years ago you saved me, and you've saved me many more times since. I love you!!!!

I wrote this earlier in the week, but I'm slow in moving photos from the phone to the computer. So this belated birthday post is doubly belated. One day I'll get my self together, promise!

Much Love,
J  

Suicide Roll

Thursday and Friday were rather uneventful days. The second day of cooking class went off without a hitch. That was followed by swimming and then more swimming on Friday. Also on Friday, Evie decided she wanted "hair like the girl from Karmin." I knew what she meant, but had no idea how to do it. Thank goodness for YouTube! I found this tutorial by Amy Heidemann from Karmin for her trademark "suicide roll." So, after a try or two we ended up with this...

Our own little rockabilly girl!

Evie sported her roll to the pool and looked like quite the vintage bathing beauty! Now I'm trying to convince Kallie to try one so we'll have twin rolls. :)

Much Love,
J

Big Girls Now

Posting two days in a row?!  Shocking, I know.  But there's been some big time events the past few days and I'd be remiss if I didn't document them.  Last week, on the first day of school, my two sweet baby girls turned SEVEN.  I cannot believe they are seven years old!  We had a little pool party on Saturday complete with pink elephant cupcakes and a giraffe mini-cake.  Evie loves elephants and Kallie is my giraffe girl.  We had a great time with friends and family.  The girls got new bikes and some other great things, but they were most excited about this.....

Yep, my two babies got their ears pierced yesterday.  Now I've got two big girls complete with bejeweled ears.  There were a few tears (from them) and a little doubt (from all of us).  In the end, however, they are happy and I'm excited, too!
As my sisters can attest, this ritual was a big deal in our house growing up.  We had to wait until we were 10 to get earrings, but it meant we were big girls.  And they are big girls - sweet, kind, and helpful.  I love those two!

Evie didn't want me to take her picture just after the piercing.  She asked me to wait, "Until my face isn't so red and puffy from crying."  Seriously.  We are definitely raising a priss here!  Kallie wanted to choose skull studs.  "Ooooo, these are cool!", she said.  I convinced her to pick gold hearts with crystals in the middle.  Hint - She is NOT the priss we are raising.  Holdyn's only comment after the piercings was, "I'm glad I'm not a girl!"  This will not be the last time in his life he thinks that, I'm sure.

It's as crazy here as ever!

Tardy-Pants

Evie wasn't feeling well this morning. She convinced me that she had over-indulged in Valentine's candy and was tummy-sick. Of course, today is the day that I begin my independent teaching unit (Romeo and Juliet) so she had to go visit Mama Ford. After a frantic early-morning phone call I dropped her with my mom on our way to school. About 25 minutes later I get a call from Mom. She tells me Evie has eaten bacon, grits, and a biscuit feels better now and wants to come to school. WHAT?!

I rush to Mom's grab Evie, race home grab her backpack and snack, and we head back to school. As we're pulling into the parking lot Evie says in a completely serious voice, "Mommy, am I going to have to go to the office and get a tardy-pants slip?"

It was all I could do to hold back a laugh. Then my heart warmed; my sweet baby was worried about being tardy! She's never been tardy before and only knew that the "tardy-pants" in her class had to go to the office and get a "tardy-pants slip."

That and holding her little hand as we walked down the hall-way to her classroom made the rush, frustration, and worry all worth it!

So, just call us tardy-pants today.

Snaggles

We've been losing things around here lately. These lost items aren't the normal things a household may lose on a daily basis - car keys, socks, homework, everloving minds, etc. These lost items are special because they can only be lost once and never again...


Kallie Dec 09


Evie Jan 10

That's right, the girls' have reached another milestone - Snaggles. They've each lost their first tooth. As with all of their other milestones they are about 1 month apart. Coincidentally, they didn't lose the same tooth. True to their usual standards (one with long hair, one with short hair, one left handed, one right handed, one girly, one sporty) these girls lost OPPOSITE teeth. Too funny!

The Dinner Bell - Cooking with Evie and Kallie

Evie dreams of her own Food Network show. She loves to watch Food Network and her favorite cooks are Ina Garten, Racheal Ray, and Paula Deen. She practices talking to the "camera guys" while she helps me cook dinner at night. She even has named her show, "The Dinner Bell". Actually, she's really good at talking to the "camera" and explaining how to cut, dice, chop, fold ingredients, etc. For her birthday I bought her her own recipe box that I found at Home a la Mode.



She loves the box and tried out one of the recipies - Deviled Eggs. Evie and Kallie worked together (I helped a little) and the eggs turned out great!



Who knows, maybe my little chef will get her own cooking show one day!

A Budding Photog.

This is Evie. She loves to take pictures. She got a camera for Christmas that was a total dud. I found our old Sony 2 mega-pixel camera in the closet and gave it to her. These are some of her shots...

Marshal, the Lab.

Twin, Kallie's pretty pout.

Field trip to Noccalula Falls, Gadsden, AL.

"There's no place like home! There's no place like home!"