Super Sleepover!

Last Friday night, one of Grace's dear friends spent the night with us. It was the first time Abby had stayed overnight at our house without her mom, and the girls were so excited about their sleepover! They felt so grown, I could tell! After a dinner of pizza and applesauce, then several rounds of tea party and dress up, they were ready for bath and bed.





We read some stories and the girls said their prayers. They were asleep by 8:45! It was the easiest sleepover in the world!



The next morning was our town's annual Gold Dust Parade, and we go every year. This was Abby's first year to go, and both girls loved getting the candy, beads, and popsicles given out. They each ate five or six pieces of candy and had 2 popsicles! After the parade, it was time for jumping in the moonwalks and riding the train. It was very hot, but the kids had a great time!













After the parade, the girls enjoyed playing for a while Saturday afternoon. Suddenly, in the middle of playing, our house was serenaded by the joyous sounds of the ice cream man. Naturally, both girls decided they needed a snack right then, so after much deliberation, they finally chose a huge blue popsicle...which they enjoyed very much.







I have a feeling Abby will come for another sleepover real soon!

GRANDparents- They really are grand!

Grace's Pre-K class hosted a Grandparent's Day Breakfast on Friday. The actual Grandparent's Day is Sunday, September 12, but we celebrated early. They all enjoyed a meal together, and then the kids performed songs for the grandparents. And as we all know, Grace can really perform! They sang and danced, and Grace was quite animated, to say the least. Her favorite song to sing is the Peanut Butter song, primarily because it has the word underwear in it. (Bathroom humor is apparently an absolute riot at this age) Her favorite dancing song is the Chicken Dance! Considering how many weddings we've been to this year, Grace was already a semi-pro at this dance, and has since perfected her moves. She certainly chicken danced with abandon, all over that cafeteria.











My parents have always been my biggest supporters and have pushed me to succeed and do what's right. They're my rocks, and I thank God everyday for giving me to such wonderful people! Thankfully, they're serving that role in my daughter's life as well. She gets a few more treats that I did and gets away with more stuff than I was allowed to, but no child could be more loved. They are awesome grandparents!



Grace is blessed with several sets of grandparents, but unfortunately, they mostly live too far away to be involved in her daily life. We're thankful for them all though!

Can I Slow This Ride Down?

Have you ever had one of those moments when you look at your child and SEE them? I mean, not see them as in you didn't know what they were wearing, or anything mundane like that...but rather, look at them and see your future?

I had one of those very moments this afternoon.

Grace, DJ, and I have been discussing for weeks the idea that she get a haircut. Her hair grows quickly, so any change we make is not going to be life altering. She has been in so many weddings this year (the one in October will be her FOURTH), that we have had to keep her hair longer. Finally, wedding or no wedding, we decided that it was time!

So, I called the salon that I use, and she fit us right in (because Jamie is awesome like that, and probably also because I teach at the school her son attends). Grace behaved beautifully, shockingly well as a matter of fact, and was charming as Jamie snipped and snipped. And snipped and snipped. And yes, she continued snipping until Grace had two lovely layers framing her equally lovely face.

And when Jamie spun the chair around, and I saw Grace full on with that very grown up hairstyle, I could do nothing but smile at her beauty and her obvious delight with her new "bouncy" hair. But internally, I sighed deeply with the realization that not only is my baby growing up, but I am probably going to have to hide the bodies of a few teenage boys once she turns sixteen.

Open Houses

This school year, we're all going back to school! Although this time, after finishing my Master's degree and gifted endorsement, I am not the one attending classes, but the one teaching them! Grace is starting Pre-K and DJ is starting law school!

DJ's Open House was at the end of July, and he and I both went. He is attending John Marshall Law School. It will take him 3 years, going full time, to complete his law degree. He has been studying and preparing for the last month. I'm so proud of him!




Grace is in Pre-K this year at Ithica Elementary with me. Her Open House was August 5. She loved her classroom, the Pink Pigs! There are 19 other children in her class, including several teachers' kids. She is very excited about school this year!

Grace at her cubby


She made a beeline for the kitchen!


Playing with Ricky, one of her oldest friends, who is also in her class this year

Grace's Pre-K Adventure Begins

Grace started Pre-K at the best elementary school in the county yesterday! Luckily, she was able to get in to Ithica Elementary, which is the school where I teach. She will come to school with me everyday, and stay all day, playing and learning. She has two very sweet teachers, and seemed to have a good first day yesterday. She picked out a new ladybug lunchbox, so we got a black and red backpack to match, both of which she enjoyed taking to school and showing off!

She told me she loves her classroom, and that she had a lot of fun. When asked what she learned, she replied that she learned to crawl under the bathroom door if you can't get the door unlocked! Bless her heart! Her teacher spoke to me afterschool and mentioned that Grace had a difficult time waiting patiently in line, and that she didn't understand why she had to wait for the rest of her class. Sounds like Grace, huh? DJ and I talked to her about waiting and about being patient, so maybe Monday will be better!













Grace and her teacher, Mrs. Lura




I can't believe she is actually going to school! She has grown up way too quickly, and makes me so proud. I pray that she will always love learning as she does now, and that this school year is full of fun and friends for her!

Every Cowgirl Needs Some Boots

If you know our family at all, then you know that our darling daughter is borderline obsessed with all things Toy Story, specifically Woody and Jessie, who are the cowboy and cowgirl components of the franchise. She talks to them constantly (They're her imaginary friends), plays with their figurines, and pretends to be Jessie with her jump rope/lasso and cowgirl hat. Well, today was one of the best days in Grace's young life, because she received cowgirl boots in the mail today from her Gammie (DJ's mom, who quickly surpassed us in the coolness department for giving Grace these boots) . And these are not just regular, run of the mill boots. No sirree, these are genuine pink boots with silver studs on them. They are precious...and she may never take them off.

Summer Happenings

This is going to be a combo post, kind of a recap of multiple summer days, all rolled in together! Here we go! :)

We went to Lake Hartwell to visit some of DJ's friends. DJ, Brandon, and Ashley all went to college together, and they have a sweet little girl now, so we spent the day with them on the lake. Grace enjoyed her first time on a boat, and DJ even took her out on the innertube. She had a great time, and loved when the boat went really fast!





















Here are some pictures from a doll birthday party that Tiffany hosted for Abby's favorite baby doll, Kayla. Grace and her two closest friends, Taylor and Abby, all enjoyed fruit, yogurt, and birthday cupcakes, as well as fairy princess crafts and stories. It was a sweet afternoon!












We had a bit of a yellow jacket problem in our backyard, and DJ got stung by one at the beginning of July. He had a bad reaction, and had a lot of pain and swelling, plus extreme tiredness and dizziness after getting stung. He and my dad decided to kill the yellow jackets by pouring gasoline down their hole, but DJ was taking NO chances in getting stung again, so he prepared himself with this outfit:

No stings! :)

Grace has enjoyed helping DJ and I take care of Daniel, my best friend's new baby. He was born at the end of April, and we have babysit him a few times this summer to help her out. Grace likes to help me feed him and put his pacifier in his mouth. Such a helper!



Finally, here we are at the end of summer, and I can't believe how quickly it has gone by. Grace is looking so grown up these days, and she brings such happiness to our lives.