July

 Zoe Anna attended her first cheer camp. She loved it 

and cannot wait to go back next year.  Heidi was too 

young to go this summer but she is already working

on her cheers so she will be ready next year :)!

 Caleigh also attended cheer camp.  This was to 

prepare her for her upcoming year of cheering for 

OPS!!

 Cody started a new job.  This means more

time at home which we are all really excited

about!!

TYBEE ISLAND

Here are just a few pics from our vacation to Tybee and 

beautiful Savannah.

Our absolute fave place to visit!!

This year we stayed in a house on the private

beach and will probably do the same from

here on out.  Loved it!!

Our trip wouldn't have been complete

without a trip to the Science Museum, Lighthouse

Downtown Savannah and of course The Crab Shack.

 River Street in Savannah

 The Crab Shack

 Downtown Savannah

 The Science Museum

 Alligator at The Crab Shack

 Love the trees!!!

The little girls just couldn't leave without

Hello Kitty tattoos ;)!!


{BTW!!  Cody lived in Arizona as a kid & is a huge
ASU Sun Devil's fan!! He does Not just go around
wearing shirts with a devil on them!! Just wanted
to clarify :-)!!!}

Fashion Show

For the past 3 years, Caleigh has participated in the

Brooke Hill Foundation Fashion Show to help raise

money for ovarian cancer research.  Here are just a few

pictures.  Isn't mimi Vicki so pretty :)!!

Spring Break in pics :)

Sisterly Love

Today I did something I'm not very proud of.  My little girls, on the other hand, made me so very, very proud.  Just by showing their love for each other.

We are smack dab in the middle of potty training.  With great days and not so great days.  I do not believe in disciplining with training.  I think encouragement works best and I tell Heidi that accidents happen and just try to remind her to "listen to her little body" next time and remember to go potty.

Earlier today the girls were playing dress up and Heidi was wearing a swimsuit without a pull-up on.  I reminded her to be sure and go to the potty if she had to go and not in her swimsuit.  It couldn't have been 5 whole minutes when she tells me she needs to change her shoes because hers were wet.  I lost my cool and I yelled. "Why did you do that?!  I just told you not to do that!!"  Well, her little face immediately puckers up and she starts crying.  I tell her "I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to yell at you, but I just don't understand why you did that right after we talked about going to the potty".  This didn't help at all and I know she could still detect the agitation in my voice.   I wanted to cry too because I had made her feel so bad!

I clean her up and begin to clean up the floor in the living room.  When I'm done I find her in the playroom.  I didn't realize she had gone to look for Zoe Anna and I walked in right as she found her.  She cries to Zoe "Mommy got mad at me cuz I tee-tee'd in my swimsuit!"  Zoe Anna gets closer to her and brushes her hair out of her face ever so gently and says "that's ok Heidi.  Accidents happen."  Then she gives her a big hug and continues to rub her hair or her arm.  Now I really want to cry!!! 

I really love that Heidi went to Zoe for comfort.  And I am thankful that Zoe was able to comfort her, and did so perfectly and so lovingly.  I messed up and Zoe was the one who was able to fix it.  Later I apologized to Heidi again (more sincerely) and of course she was ok and loved me once again.  It is such a comfort to me to know that if I mess up  they have each other to look to for comfort and understanding.  Hopefully I won't mess up too often, but I know that they will take care of each other no matter what the situation is. 

Later, I look out the window and see Caleigh and Zoe Anna playing on the trampoline.  Caleigh is very patiently teaching Zoe a cheer and Zoe is obviously trying her best to follow her directions to a T.  I watch them for the longest without them knowing.  I especially love to see Caleigh spending quality time with her sisters because there is such an age gap, 8 years between her and Zoe Anna and 10 years with Heidi.  Zoe and Heidi are 20 months apart, so they almost didn't have a choice whether or not they wanted to be close.  It takes more of an effort for Caleigh and it makes me so happy that she does make an effort.  Of course, her little sisters adore her (esp. Zoe)!!

After they come in, I tell Caleigh that I was watching and that she probably doesn't realize how big a deal that was to Zoe Anna.  These are the type of moments in childhood that you always remember, your big sis taking time to teach you a cheer or let you come play with her stuff or hang out with her and her friends or whatever.  No matter how small or insignificant something may seem, it is still a memory.

We are all so blessed!! My heart is happy :-)!!!!

Chillaxin'

Tootie-bug

Caleigh can't stop texting for even a minute

Melissa, Sophie and baby Cindy all

ready for bed.

I just love this!! Gotta wind down at night with

a little PB kids and Mini Boden.

I love this word! Mainly, because the Doc I

work for uses it and he is sooo not a chillaxin'

kinda guy.  In fact, quite the opposite.

Right now I have chili simmering on the stove,

texas caviar in the fridge, a clean(er) house and

Cody has taken the girls for some carousel rides

and a shopping trip to Claire's.

I plan to do some chillaxin' myself tonight!!

Maybe with a cocktail ;)



2011 So Far.....

Heidi went to school...

                                            

and this is what she did when she got home.

CRASHED!!

                                               

I took Zoe Anna and Heidi to see

Tangled at the Monoco and then a

little shopping.  We of course couldn't

leave Bridge Street without a stop at

Maggie Moo's for ice cream and

marshmallows.  This was Heidi's very

first movie and she absolutely loved it!

Caleigh made her way back to Eastwood

to be the guest Emcee for Eastwood Idol.

                                       

She even got to perform her winning

song from last year.  She did a great job

and had a really fun time.

                                                                                             
                                               

With her Mimi Vicki afterwards.

                                               

Caleigh ready to go to her very

first 6th grade Valentine's dance.

                                                                            

Heidi gave herself a make-over :)

                                            

Sickness took over the entire household.

She wanted me to take a pic of her "sick

little eyes".

                                          
                                         

Getting through the sickness together.

                          

Lot's of pretty weather means lot's

of outside playtime.

Gotta wear shades!!

Modeling a little sidewalk chalk ;)

Procrastination

I keep singing this word - procrastination - in my head to the tune of Rod Stewart in-fat-u-a-tion, but yet I still don't do anything about it.  It is now nearing the end of February and I have yet to begin on my New Year's "to do" list.  It is a very, very long list too.  I am very aware of what I need to do and that I really need to get started since some things are time sensitive, but I just can't make myself do it... any of it.  Not really sure why either.  Hopefully, if I list them here I might get motivated.  We'll see!! Ok, here goes..  in no particular order..

1. Lose 15 lbs. This has been on my list for the past 2 years and last year I did lose 15 lbs, but I gained back 6 :(!
2. Start couponing again.
3. Get rid of all the excess "junk" in my house.  I have actually started this, but there is just. so. much!!!
4. Find more "me time".  This one is nice in theory but more than likely not gonna happen.
5. More date nights.  Which leads me to #6...
6. Find a good babysitter.
7. Do more for my friends.
8. Get the house ready to put on the market.  I have someone lined up to help with this.  I just haven't contacted him to get started so I really have no excuse for this one.
9. Register Zoe Anna for the "lottery drawing" for the Pre-K program I want her in.
10. Enroll Heidi at Westminster one day a week. I have actually done this one. Yay!!
11. Organize all photo's and video's.  This one is so hard for me for some reason.  I get caught up every 6 months or so and then get behind again.
12. Start cooking again. I started back this week.  I hadn't cooked at all since my mom passed away 5 month's ago.  Don't really know why.  Just find it so hard to do some of the normal, everyday things sometimes.
13. Wrap up the potty training.  We are so close on this one!!
14. Get Heidi to give up the paci.  Kind of sad to me, but I guess it's time :(.
15. Spend more one-on-one time with each of my children.  This is one of the most important ones and one of the hardest. Especially now that Cody's work schedule has changed and he is never home anymore.  I feel like a single mom lately :(.
16. More volunteer work.
17. Dedicate more time with God each day.  Time for just me with God and a more structured time for the girls.  Sadly, we just kind of do this wherever we can fit it into our day and I want to have a dedicated time for this. Plan our day around God instead of the other way around.
18. MOVE!! I could be doing this right now. Have not even begun to get anything ready.  Not really sure why.
19. Keep my blog current.  I bet that happens but at least I am putting in an effort on this one ;).
20. Work on ME!!

Ok, that's it.  I could list more and I'm sure you are all just dying to know, but I'll spare you ;)!!

A New Year

I have to say I have mixed feelings about the new year.  Looking back on 2010, we had lots of wonderful days and experiences.  In fact, in general it was a really great year.  I think though that I will always remember 2010 as the worst year of my life.  Losing my mother is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.  Not only did I lose my mama, I lost my best friend in the entire world.  I talked to her almost every single day and saw her at least 5 times a week.  I miss her so, so much!!!  I still cannot wrap my mind around it and I don't know if I'm dealing with it well or not.  Sometimes I think that I am, but the reality is that I am just keeping busy so that I can push it to the back of my mind.... not allow for time to think about it.  Then once I have a free moment, it just comes rushing back.  Hits me like a ton of bricks.  A punch to the gut that literally takes my breath away.  I now only have the occassional anxiety attack and no longer cry every day, but the pain has not dulled at all.  I know that it hasn't been that long since it happened and I will get better with time.... maybe. Not absolutely sure about that though.
That being said, you would think that I would be more than happy to leave 2010.  In actuality, I am afraid.  I know that sounds really weird.  I feel like I am being forced to move on.  A new year... a year in which I will never see or talk to my mama.  At least in 2010 I had more than 8 months with my mom.  I won't be able to say that about any year from here on.  It is just a really, really hard reality to face. One that I am not ready for.
 On the other hand, I am so ready for my children to not see their mommy cry so much.  While writing, I am crying.  Heidi just walked in and came over to rub my back and in the sweetest, most sympathetic voice she says " you miss mimi?" and leans in to hug me.  I seriously don't know if I could survive this without them. They are what keeps me going every single day.  The last time I talked to my mom, one of the things she told me was to always slow down enough to remember what a blessing children are.  It's so easy to get caught up in just raising children that sometimes we forget to enjoy them.  We can never get this time back.
Putting the selfish me aside, I am so very happy for my mom.  She has no pain or suffering.  Only the most wonderful, beautiful life imaginable.  I cannot wait to see her again!