Flashback Friday for just a minute:::  This is Kale and Molly. They were born a day apart. Jamie came to see us before she checked in to her room. We visited Kale while we were still in the hospital.  It was February 2011. 

Here they are at the Christmas parade 2013. Sweetness!!! 

Speaking of hospitals....I think if these two little girls lived in the same town, they would have to be surgically removed from each other. They are tight I tell you!! Like peanut butter and jelly. Macaroni and cheese. Coke and Reeses. It's just special like that. 

In other news, we missed a big snow/ice storm. I am glad we missed it, but I love to see snow falling. This is the only snow we got. I didn't even get to see it falling. 

And the moment we all have been waiting for...... This big girl is sleeping in her own bed!! Well, at least most of the night. Some nights she comes and gets in the bed with us in the middle of the night. Baby steps right? 

Ella is back and sneaking around. Sophie absolutely loves her and still believes. Molly has really gotten interested and she looks for Ella first thing every morning when she gets up. It's pretty neat watching them. 

Christmas is almost here. I love the season!! 

Trying to play catch up, I'm throwing a few random thoughts together. 

 

1.  Life is a bowl of cherries.  I don't even like cherries.  But I learned how to tie a cherry stem in my mouth without using my fingers years ago.  I can't think of anything that's good for now.

 

2.  When the circus comes to town, I am always disappointed.  Maybe because my mother took me to  The Barnum & Bailey Circus when I was little and that it my norm.  I didn't even bother to go this year when the "circus" came to town.  Sophie was invited to go with Madison.  She reported that a magician and SpongeBob were there.  What????  They had fun so I guess that's all that matters. 

 

3.  Prayers work.  I started a prayer journal several months ago.  Although I don't write it in as often as I intended, it's pretty cool to look back and see the praises too for answered prayers. 

 

A few weeks ago, a friend of Sadie's (Kelli) and a classmate of mine (Nova), were in a serious car accident.  Nova's oldest daughter, Kayla, and step-son, Sawyer, died in the accident.  Nova and Kelli are still in the hospital, but are recovering now from their injuries.  Sadie was extremely worried about Kelli and Nova.  She sent me several text messages during the day for the first few days in a row, just to ask me to pray for them.  Sadie told Sophie about the accident, which brought back memories for Sophie of her Daddy's accident.  Sophie was so worried about Nova and Kelli and had never even met them.  That night I sent the girls to bed, they asked me if they could pray together.  I left them alone with their request.  Sadie posted on Facebook after they had prayed:  "Feeling so blessed right now.  Sophie prayed with me.  Her words: 'God, please take care of Kelli and her mom.  And Daddy, please take care of Kayla and Sawyer...'  Bless her sweet heart.  God is in this house tonight." 

 

 

4.  We have made it two whole months without Molly being sick.  The last set of tubes were put in the end of July.  This past weekend, snot was dripping again.  I think it is allergies. 

5.  These next few photos were from when we went to the zoo in July.  Honestly, I was quite disappointed in the zoo too.  It has been a few years since I have been, but I remember it being better than it was.  I won't give up on it quite yet.  They were doing some remodeling, so we will chalk it up and give it another chance.   

6.  Next year I would like to plan a trip to the beach with my girls.  I don't know if Larry would want to go or not, but I am willing to let him stay home if he would rather.  I don't really like the thought of a family vacation without the whole family, so we will see.

7.  I didn't know penguins could live in Arkansas. Now that I know, I think it would be cool to have one for a pet.  They have less hair that cats, like none, and I don't think a penguin would pounce on my lap uninvited.  I shouldn't be allergic to penguins.   Hmmmmm, I wonder if the zoo would take a trade-in for a green eyed black cat?

8.  Larry and I have been married for 1141 days today.  It seems a lot longer than that.  He is a good man and a good Dad to all three of the girls.  I am so thankful he is in our lives.  I love him. 

9.  As much as I love summer and love the warmer weather, I admit I am looking forward to Fall.  I do not like when it gets too cold to be outside, but cooler temps I welcome anytime now.  I can't wait to make the first pot of potato soup.  Sophie can't wait either because she has been asking for it now for about 3 weeks straight.  It's not long now sister!!!

10.  The girls and I had a craft day this weekend.  We free handed some creations.  Molly even got to paint too.  She made her hand prints and her feet prints.  I loved all of our creations!

It is hard to believe that I started this blog almost five years ago.  It was July of 2007.  It was 237 posts ago.  That seems like a long time.  It was only me and my two girls.  This is how little they were.  Sadie was 9 years old and Sophie was 2 that July. 

I started this blog for many reasons:  

#1 because Julie had a blog and I thought it was the coolest thing.  

#2 because my mother had moved to Colorado and I thought this would be a good way to keep her updated on our happenings and to send pictures of the girls to her so she wouldn't miss them so much.  

#3 because I knew that if I didn't like it, I could delete it. 

I guess I liked it.

#1 because Julie still has her blog, but does a much better job at keeping hers up to date and coming up with things to post. 

#2 because my mother doesn't live in Colorado any more, but still doesn't live close enough to me to suit me. 

#3 I didn't delete my blog.  I am still around.  

The fact is, it does keep my mother up to date on the happenings in our little life.  It also gives her the opportunity to see pictures, and even copy my pictures if she wants.  And I like being able to just blab about anything and nothing whenever I want/can.  Eventually I would like to have a copy of my blog printed because it does show my girls growing up and some of the stages/ages of their lives. 

Wow, how things can change in five years!!!  My big girls are growing up, Larry is in our lives.  Marley and Molly came along.  I may have to keep blogging just so I can keep up!! LOL

You know how I like similes.  I like to compare a thought to another action, or a complex situation to a familiar daily activity.  Okay, well.  I feel a simile story coming on here and the pictures have nothing to do with this post, but mean everything to me.  (Plus, I like to have pictures in my posts.)

So, we have been going to church the last several months.  But when I say 'going to church' I don't mean, just going.  We have been going faithfully every week to Sunday School and to worship service.  We have been involved in other church activities and Larry and I have even been taking a Marriage Oneness Class on Sunday afternoons.  We have been involved. 

I want to say that my life is so much better.  My outlook on everything and everyone is so much brighter.  My attitude is so much better.  My family is so much more connected.  My marriage feels so much healthier.  My blessings are so bountiful.  I am hungry for more knowledge.  I am striving to be a better person in everything that I do.  I am praying more and worrying less.  I am getting closer to God every day and I am loving it. 

I used to think that you didn't have to go to church to have a relationship with God and believe in him.  My thought was that I was saved and my relationship with him was a private matter that I didn't have to show to the world.  I have always believed and had faith in God and prayed daily.  I have attended church in spurts during my life.  I have always tried to "do the right things," though I have failed many many times.  I just never put "church" on the top of my priorities. 

 

Here's where my simile comes in.  To me, my relationship with God is like the wind.  Although I can not SEE the wind, I can sit inside the house and see the effects of the wind.  I can see the leaves blowing on the trees.  I can see the blades of grass waving.  Sometimes if it is blowing really hard, I can see the chairs on my deck move and hear it.  But just looking out the window, you just don't get the full effects.  If the wind is not noticeably blowing, you don't know it is there because you can't see it or feel it or hear it.  But if I get off of my rear end and go outside, I can feel the wind in my face.  I can feel it blowing my hair.  I can truly connect with it because I am there with it.  Just as my relationship with God is more real when I get off of my rear end and go to church.  I learn more about His word.  I talk to Him more and really hear Him.  I can see Him in my life every day.  Even though life is just as busy, maybe even more right now, I have made this a priority and and am really seeing a difference. 

I see now that my relationship with God is important for me.  He loves me and accepts me for who I am, mistakes and all.  I am imperfect and full of sin and He loves me anyway.  But I do owe alot to Him.  The least I can do is get to know a man that died for my sins.  Thank you Jesus!

These three girls are enough to be thankful for.  I thank God every day for letting me be their mother.  I hope to be a good example to them and show them how to live a Christ centered life.

I have been so busy and focused on my challenge photos that I have putting my others to the side.  I needed to clean out my camera card because it was so full.  I wanted to share some of favorite snapshots over the last few weeks. 

This is her serious face!  This is a shot of the onsie dress that I made for Molly over the weekend.  It took a whole lot longer than it should have because it has been years since I have run my sewing machine.  I had to re-teach myself how to even thread the machine.  The dress is super darling, but there are many many flaws.  It is nothing to be proud of, yet somehow I am proud that I made the time and did it.  The truth is, all my kids will be grown before I can get enough practice to get good at these things.  But at least maybe my grandkids will have cute stuff. 

This shot of this little toot just makes me smile.  I was taking picture after picture of her and the flash was bothering her.  She squinted those eyes and would peek every few seconds to see if I was still there with the camera.  I bet I took 20 pictures of her little face like this because I loved it.

Sadie is much too busy to be my 'subject' anymore, so I guess I will have to pin her down to get shots of her more often.  She is busy.  She is very active in school and all of the school functions.  She is in student counsel and an 8th grade representative.  She is in FBLA and just got President of FCCLA. She is so outgoing.  She and I put together a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.  She wanted to do one for someone her age and for it to be personal.  I think she did a great job!  We are planning to put a box upstairs and add to it all year next year so we can make several boxes for several children. 

Sophie is so fun right now.  She is at the age where she loves her Momma and her Momma is the greatest thing in this world.  She is a funny girl and has a great personality.  She has way more energy than she knows what to do with.  She loves to be the center of attention, even in the middle of when the Hogs are playing.  She is everybody's cheerleader!

I wish I could say that Molly loves her Momma like Sophie does.  The fact is, she is a Daddy's girl.  I mean, she really could care less that I am around when her Daddy is there.  But I'm okay with that.  I love to watch Larry with her.  I love how it makes him light up when she goes to him instead of me.  I love how she has brought all of us closer together.  I love that she is loved. 

This is why I take a million pictures....because out of all of those snapshots, you get one that you are super duper proud of.  This one is one of those.  It almost looks professional. 

I say that, but I love the snapshots too.  The ones that are not posed.  The ones that timestamp your life.  The ones you can look at and it takes you back to that place for a minute.  

I have said many times over the last few weeks that I wish there were about four more hours in every day!!  It seems that I don't have time to do anything, but I do manage to get the important things done.  I got my excuse out of the way as to why it has been so long since I have posted, so here are a few pictures of the important things: 

We have been soaking up the hot summer sun.  It doesn't feel any hotter than it usually does in the summer here, but it seems like it got hot a wee bit earlier!! 

The girls have been enjoying the swimming pool as often as they can talk their momma into taking them down there.  (I still have not taken Molly in the pool yet.)  I know it is coming soon.  I just don't know how she will react.  She does like to sit and watch the girls splash around though. 

Molly will be 6 months old next week.  She is still such a good baby.  She is so easy going.  She has learned to make the cutest little raspberry sound that is not so cute when she is eating baby food. 

Sophie found out what teacher she got for first grade and is ready to start back to school now.  Sadie is still enjoying her summer and is not as anxious.  She is missing friends that she doesn't get to see regularly, but has stayed very busy this summer.  With only about a month left, they are trying to get in everything they can.

We sat down and wrote out a list of fun things to do this summer.  I initiated this because I wanted to take the girls somewhere fun and special before school started.  I made the list and let the girls alternate ideas from 1 to 20.  It ranged from Sophie wanting to clean the house or go to the zoo to Sadie wanting go to Vegas or go camping.  After the list was complete we went over it together and discussed each of their choices.  After I assured Sophie that she could clean the house every day until school starts and I assured Sadie that she is not going to Vegas any time soon, we settled on two choices that I would then pick.                                   Destination:  SeaWorld

If the beginning of our summer is any indication of what the whole summer is going to be like, this summer will be over with before I turn around twice.   There are so many things that I try to get done every day, and I just simply feel like I need about four more hours in every day.  There has been so much going on lately that I just know a random thoughts post is in order for today.  Incidently, I have no better recent pictures to go with this post, so these will just have to do.  They were taken with my cell phone. 

*Summer time...equals....swimming - The girls love, love, love swimming.  The pool is officially open and they would go every day if I would let them, which I don't, because we don't have TIME!

*It is hard to make grass grow when you want it to.  Especially with no rain.  We are watering every evening.

*My favorite thing besides my girls and my husband, is golf.  I would play every day if I could, so I squeeze it in any time I can. 

*The girls spent Memorial Day weekend with MeMe.  It was Molly's first sleepover.  She loves her MeMe already!  I missed her even more than I thought I would.  What did I do with no kids???? Played golf.

*I am looking forward to our vacation to Biloxi.  Four couples, three days of golf, beautiful courses, sun.  The girls are looking forward to MeMe's house again.  I hope I can last that long without them. 

*Molly hasn't been in the pool yet this summer, but it will happen.  This is what pool time meant to her last week! 



*Idabel Golf was fun this past weekend.  Jane and I didn't score as well this year, but we played good!  Had a really good time.  

*This week is VBS.  The big girls are loving it.  Sophie is sad because she wants VBS to last all summer!



*The school year went by fast this year.  I am proud of both school girls and their grades.  Sophie actually cried because Kindergarten was over and she was going to miss her teacher.  I actually cried the last day of school when I went in to pick her up because 1st Grade sounds so much older than Kindergarten. 

*Molly went for her 4 month checkup on Tuesday.  She weighed 16 lbs 7oz and was 27 3/4 inches long.  What a healthy happy baby she is!!  She is rolling over now. 

*Sadie has an overloaded schedule for the summer.  It's only going to get busier the older she gets.  She counted 10 days in the month of June that she didn't have something planned. 



Well, since Easter, we have had lots going on.  The following weekend we had a couples tournament at Nashville.  We got rained out on Sunday, so Larry and I finished 3rd.  We tied for second and got carded out to 3rd place.  We shot 6 under on Saturday.  I was really wanting to play on Sunday, but the monsoon came.

Then we had a wonderful visit with Kristi, Dylan, and Presley.  I love when they get to come in and I get to see them.  It is not as often as I would like, but I am just a little greedy I guess.  Dylan has grown a foot, I swear, and is so polite and just like Kristi in a little man's body.  Presley is at the fun age where she is talking and curious about everything.  She is pretty fond of Molly I think.  She likes to give her love.   Kristi brought me lots of goodies again.  That girl is spoiling Miss Molly!  I am so thankful for all of the things that she has brought for her.  Clothes, highchair, playpen, bouncie, car seat......almost every baby necessity I need has come from her, and then some.  What a lifesaver!!!

Tuesday night, Sadie had a musical.  She shined again.  Choir was not something that she chose to take in 7th grade.  Because of her schedule, it was the better of two options, but she has really enjoyed it.  This was the second musical that the choir has performed.  It was very good and Sadie did an awesome job!  I didn't get any pictures, but I did record the musical for her.  I might add that Sophie really enjoyed the show, but Molly not so much.  Larry had to take her outside in the middle of the first song. 

Saturday, Sadie and I played in a 2Lady Scramble at Prescott.  We had a really good time.  It is a small tournament that is only one day and every year it is on Mother's Day weekend.  I think we may have started a tradition.  Sadie played really good, and we did not finish last!  Sadie has played with Larry in the Adult/Child tournament here at home for the past two years.  But in the words of Sadie, "This was her first real money tournament." 

Molly is growing so fast.  It is amazing how fast time goes by.  She is 3 and a half months old already.  She is sleeping like a baby and eating like a little piggy.  She loves to be outside.  She loves to be talked to.  She loves to watch TV.  It is funny because I have not changed a poopy diaper in over a month.  She always does it for Daddy.  He acts like he doesn't like it, but I know different.  I tell him that Molly and I talked about it and we made an agreement for her to wait until Daddy can change it.  It's too funny. 

Sophie has been busy too.  She had a birthday party sleep over last weekend and this weekend she got to go to the Peach Festival with some friends.  She had a good time.

It seems to me that Sophie has gotten alot bigger lately.  It may be because Molly is so small.  It may be because she is almost through with Kindergarten.  It may be because I am trying to cherish and remember every single day with these girls because it is going by so fast. 

Yesterday was Mother's Day.  I got the sweetest card from Kristi in the mail.  It talks about how best friends are just that..best friends no matter what.  How very thoughtful of her to send me a card on Mother's Day.  I know that she is missing her mother on Mother's Day and every day.  I feel for her that she can not just pick up the phone and call her mother and tell her that she loves her.  Chances are that we will all feel that one day, I just hate it was taken away from her so soon. 

I also got a Happy Mother's Day message from Diane's mom.  How very thoughtful!  She is a sweet lady and I don't think she has a mean bone in her body.  It was a wonderful surprise to hear from her out of the blue.

My big girls each made me cards for Mother's Day.  They were home-made.  To me those are the best kind.  It shows their creativity and it stamps their personalities at this age.  I also got a chalk message in the driveway.  It was absolutely beautiful.  It gives me another reason to hope for no rain for a day or two. 

In honor of Mother's Day, I will leave you with a couple of my favorite sayings that my mom says: 

Forty leven:  This is used as a number.  Example:  I didn't find any shoes, but I tried on forty leven. 

Nip it in the bud:   This means to stop it now before it gets out of hand. 

Study bout it:  This means that she has to think about it for a while. 

Play it by ear:  This means she doesn't know what she wants to do right now and she has to study bout it.

Look for me when you see me coming:  This means she doesn't know when she will be there, she's going to play it by ear. 

There are many more, but these are my favorites and I will admit....I have used each one of them a time or two.  At one point in my life I thought we might kill each other, but now I know that I wouldn't be who I am without her. I love her like a daughter should, with everything I have! I understand all the things that I didn't years ago. I will admit that she was right, just don't tell her I said that!!

Things I love on Thursday

I love staying home with Molly. Even though I am getting bored, I dread having to leave her to go back to work soon. That is always the hardest part.

I love that Sophie is feeling better and that she can hold and love on Molly again.

I love that Sadie is interested in church activities and attending 'Discipline Now' this weekend. She really enjoys it and looks forward to it every year.

I love Flo on Progressive Insurance.

I love that it is spring time weather and there is not snow on the ground. Although I usually love the snow, I'm really tired of it this year.

I love court TV, but am really tired of this trial that is going on. I have been watching the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' instead. They crack me up.

I love not having to get dressed everyday. I don't stay in my pajamas every day, but I don't wash my hair every day either.

I love my family and friends. They are so very special and precious to me.

Twas the night before Monday and I was sick as a dog.

No one was awake, but my potties were clogged.

With gallons of vomit and diareaha by the quarts,

I think I even left some in my shorts.

That bug that bit me, bit me real bad.

But now I am better and that makes me feel glad.

Without knowing I passed the bug to my dear.

He felt my pain, regretting he stayed near.

Please dear Santa, if this bug is on your sleigh,

skip our house this year and just be on your way!

My girls don't need it and I hate to see them sick.

I promise if we get nothing we will be happy with what we get.

I have been away so long. I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted. Things have been moving very fast and I guess I got caught up in all of it. Here are a few things that have been going on in our neck of the woods.

House...

Things with the house are moving right along. The outside is completely finished less the garage doors that should be in anytime. The painters started today on the inside. They are projected to be finished by next Monday, at the latest. Our builders say we should be in by the first of November. I started packing last night and plan to 'fill a box' each evening before bed so I won't have to do it all at one time.

Sadie...

Sadie is enjoying Junior High. She loves her classes and her teachers and has gotten into the swing of things. She says the difference between Elementary and Junior High is that at Elementary the teachers sort of "guide you" with everything and at Junior High you are sort of on your own.

Most clearly her favorite class so far this year is Choir. She really didn't even choose to take Choir initially, but I think she is really pleased that it worked out the way it did. She is practicing for their Christmas musical, in which she actually tried out for a solo and got it.

Sophie...

Sophie is loving Kindergarten. I was a little nervous about open house, but she got rave reviews when we went. She has gotten smiley faces every day on her take home folder. However, I have learned that you can still get a smiley face on your folder even if you have to pull a slip. It just depends on the color of the slip (which depends on the severity of the offense) whether you get a note sent home or not.

Dance has started again this year. Sophie loves dance. This year Sadie is taking it too. Every Wednesday after school until May we will trek to Ashdown for dance.

Sophie is also all about the SCRAPPERS! Much to my surprise, she is taking the cheer clinic this week and will be cheering at the Scrapper game Friday night. She is really excited about that too.

Baby...

I am 18 weeks this week. I am scheduled to go to Little Rock on the 27th for a Level II ultrasound. Here we should find out the sex of the baby and also look to make sure everything is okay. My quad test results were high so it warrants another ultrasound. I have learned that my age has alot to do with all of this testing and the high results I am getting. I am not too stressed yet about it because there are alot of false positives.

It is getting really close to the time where I am going to have to go buy some maternity clothes. I am still wearing my regular pants and blousy shirts, but it won't last much longer.

Larry...

We played in the fall couples tournament this past weekend. I played pretty good for me. Larry didn't play up to his standards. We finished 3rd in the First Flight.

Larry has been doing most of the work at the new house. He doesn't let me do a whole lot because he's afraid it is bad for the baby. So I have been picking everything out and he has been doing all the manual labor that is required.

Not a bad deal for me, huh?

He swears that I planned it this way...but I didn't.

Me...

I will have to admit that I have spent the majority of my time shopping and pricing. Building a house is hard work!!! Paint colors, faucets, cabinet colors, flooring, sinks, furniture, brick, lights, sheet rock, concrete, shelves, appliances---you name it---I have looked at it.

I went to Mom's weekend before last to get Mom and Trisha to help me pick out my tile.

I'm telling you this stuff is HARD WORK. I had a couple of things narrowed down to two choices and just couldn't force myself to choose between the two.

They saved the day!!

I probably still would be fretting about that tile.

I promise to update more and more often. Pictures coming soon of the house and the girls.

2nd Day of School pictures........

There are no 'first day of school pictures' this year, only tear filled memories in my head. I can describe what they wore, and the excitement on their faces, and the butterflies in their stomachs, but I lost the image of the first day of school.

I was so pumped up about the first days of school for the girls. For both of them. I thought I had prepared. I thought I was excited as they were.

But I didn't realize the impact that it would have on me when I dropped Sophie off in her Kindergarten room and Sadie at Junior High with all of those big kids.

I cried.

I cried off and on all day.

I was so distraught that I didn't realize that I didn't take any pictures until after I had left Sophie in the Kindergarten room with a teacher she had only met once and a school full of kids, who some of them will grow up to be criminals.


I have taken 'first day of school pictures' of Sadie since the day she started Kindergarten. How could I forget to take pictures of her before I left her at Junior High School? A hole of hormones, sins, and Algebra equations?

So, this morning.....I took 'Second day of school pictures.' Not quite as special. But still memorable.

Plus, Sadie let Sophie wear her Scrapper necklace that matched her Scrapper earrings that she was wearing. Pretty special stuff on the first day of Scrapper Fridays!!