1st day of school and Ellison's 8th birthday

To say this day was crazy would be an understatement! Birthdays and 1st days of school don't mix. Everyone is trying to get in routine but add a birthday in there, and there is no routine about it.

Part 1: 1st Day of School
Brooks on his way out the door at 6:25am - on his way to his very first 7th grade football practice. Not a great pic, but I grabbed the camera and took it quick because they were late. :/


birthday donuts


Happy Birthday Ellison!




laughing at me because I was snapping pics like crazy - I told them I was the paps.


This is the only pic that I could get of Halle Caroline diligently working on her locker (1st time for lockers). She pushed me away when I tried to take one in her classroom. She will be sorry one day!


Her teacher that I love! Halle Caroline had her for 4th grade last year.


Big 3rd grader at her desk


handing out cupcakes to her classmates


I had to take "after school pics" so that I could get them all 3 together.
7th, 3rd, and 5th grades


Part 2: Ellison's Birthday Evening
Now her American Girl Dolls can join us at every meal! :)


Very excited about her ipod that she has been wanting for a while!




She loved her bracelet and earrings Gram Pam!


Nene and Grandad came over with gifts!


Cake time just before bed!
One wild day! I'm glad it's over!

Ellison's 8th Birthday Party

What great fun we had at American Girl for Ellison's 8th Birthday Party! It was just precious and a true girly party. Ellison loved every second of it!

Ellison and her BFF forever, Cami Jo





Ellison, Cousin Emily, and Nene
Big Sister having fun too!







The party favors...monogrammed ribbons and pink gumballs. So cute!

Holes in her ears!

Sometime when Halle Caroline was about 4 or 5, she was absolutely BEGGING me to get her ears pierced. I finally told her that when she was 8 years old that she could get them pierced. At the time, "8" seemed so far away and I basically just said that to shut her up. Well, she never forgot.ever. So on her 8th birthday, we went to Sweet and Sassy and got her ears pierced. I wish I could show a picture here, but a week or so after that, hubby lost our digital camera at a Kenny Chesney concert. But that is neither here nor there. I just happened to NOT HAVE ANY PICS OF HALLE CAROLINE'S 8TH BIRTHDAY. No, I'm not bitter at all.
But that's not what this post is about....

So, of course Ella knows that on her 8th birthday, she gets to get her ears pierced too! Well her birthday is on Monday, the 1st day of school and she has gymnastics that day too. So it's gonna be a busy, crazy day. And we happened to be at Sweet and Sassy for haircuts, so guess what she talked me into? Big sister was a little bitter that she didn't have to wait until Monday on her actual birthday. But hey, it was convenient for momma!

16 Years of Wedded Bliss!

Happy Anniversary Babe!!! You're still the one!



look at us! We were babies...all of 23 years old - both of us.



and 16 years later, 3 kids, and a few more pounds!

I love you Derek!

A lot to be thankful for...

This week was another crazy week of summer. I was very bad...as I did not take ANY pictures...very unlike me since I started blogging. One huge thing that we had this week was football camp for Brooks. He is going into 7th grade, which means this will be his 1st time to play tackle football for his Middle School. (He has played flag football a couple of seasons when he was younger) So, a little background on sweet Brooks, lets just say that he has never been much for hot weather. For years we have joked that he melts if it is above 75 degrees. Although, he has been taking tennis and golf lessons this summer in some VERY HOT weather, so maybe he is getting better. Anywhoo, he survived football camp at the High School with the HS coaches. Yay! I am very thankful that Brooks made it through camp without passing out and he had fun. So thankful!

Now.... I have a HUGE delimma...here it is.... I have ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS taken pictures of my kids on their 1st day of school in their cute little 1st day of school outfits and their cute little monogrammed backpacks on our front porch.... Well guess what...because Brooks is now in Athletics...he has to be at school on the 1st day of school in his athletic clothes at 6:45am!!! Say what???? Ummm, doesn't that coach know that momma has 1st day of school pics to take on the front porch in cute outfits and NOT IN ATHLETIC CLOTHES...not to mention it's Ellison's birthday that day. We are gonna have to get up at 5 am to have birthday/1st day of school donuts, shower birthday blessings on Ella, lots of pictures taken, and get him to football practice all before 6:45! Whew! Not very happy at all with that dumb coach.

I am also so thankful for the fun family time we had this weekend. Friday night the kids swam and we cooked out steaks and then we all layed on the couch just horsing around. Saturday we swam, went to church and then Joe T's for dinner. Fun times!

Thank you God for the perfect family you gave us!

9 year old friend quote of the day

Last night my kids had 4 friends over to spend the night. Not sure what I was thinking, but that is beside the point. Little Meg, Halle Caroline's friend was telling me about the new house that her dad is buying and about her ginormous bedroom she is going to have. It is the top story of the house evidently. As I was flipping pancakes, she told us that there was a lot of alcohol in the room right now, but that the people are going to take it with them when they move out. One of my kids asked, "why do they have alcohol?" To which Meg replied, "because they are adults and THEY HAVE KIDS!" duh