Another BEAUTIFUL Weekend!

We are having the most gorgeous weather! The kids have had a BLAST with their friends OUTDOORS...yeah! I love it when they are out to play...they just exhaust themselves! It reminds me of when I was a kid. Man, we would be outside from early morning past dark! Good Times!

Saturday the girls had softball. They are loving it, boy do we have a lot to learn. It was hilarious to watch them hit a not know what to do next! The girls went over to our coach's house (his daughter is in Anna's class) for a play date. They had so much fun, Anna just adores Riley!




We then went to visit our little friend Gavin & his mommy Janelle. We spent some time posing and got some wonderful shots of the baby!

Today we went to church and then to the park. I ventured out to Jubilee State Park to take some shots of the girls on this beautiful day. I LOVE outdoor photos, and I am sure I will be taking A LOT this summer. I got some beautiful photographs- there are many sites that make unique shots. when I returned home the photos were not there. I had viewed them in the car, and now they are gone. I am just sick! Maybe another day....

Happy Birthdaty Pa-Pa!

Happy Birthday Pa-Pa!!!

The kids had GREAT time at grandma & pa-pa's house last night! They ran around the backyard and I shot photos. They enjoyed picking the spot to sit. They have turned into such photogenic little things!
Here is the link to the montage that I made of the pictures. Did I mention that I LOVE my new camera??

Mommy's Little Girls
We enjoyed a lovely dinner of BBQ ribs for pa-pa's birthday. It was YUMMY! Madi did wear half or more of her sauce!
After dinner we watched pa-pa opened his presents, which was driving Anna- well BANANAS! LOL

Water & Wine....just like Jesus!
Well...we will settle for St.John!

I love my Pa-Pa!

Happy LONG weekend everyone! Not too much longer and SUMMER begins!! YEAH!!!!

Love to you all!

YEAH for the weekend~!

WOW! What a busy week we had! Seems like the weekend could not get here fast enough! With the end of the school year rapidly approaching we have had lots of field trips, spring concerts and after school functions! Of course mom (Julie) has lots and lots of end of the year grading to get done...ikes! Needless to say Memorial Day festivities are already booked for her!

We are counting down the days to our "official" start to summer! Not much longer now! Madi wil begin her summer by having her tonsils removed. Yuck! After having multiple cases of repeat strep Dr thought it would be best to get those germ harboring pests out of there. Funny thing is she is rather exicited...oh she is so mislead!


After much anticipation, I finally got a new "used" DSLR camera! YEAH!!!! I plan on spending the first few weeks of summer taking a few classes on photography to help me venture into my new found hobby! Here are a few TEST pics from the kiddos today at the front door with friends!

Our next door neighbor Kourtney! So very pretty and growing up fast!

Dina lives across the street isn't she gorgeous? She is Madi's BEST friend!
The two are inseparable!

Kourtney...she is such a camera HOG! What are we going to do with the little ham???

More to come later after dinner with my folks....

Hittin' the Road...

Whew....what a weekend we had!

Friday night and Saturday I attended the 35th annual Young Authors conference at Illinois State University. This was a exciting time for the girls because they were able to go to Bloomington with me. We headed to our hotel after school....oh yeah HOTEL & SWIMMING....they were on cloud nine! Anna told me that she wanted to move in!?!?
After a SHORT night of sleep, I headed off to campus while the girls had a "Daddy Day!" They were thrilled to have their dad ALL to themselves (face it- they know he is a push over when it comes to the two of them!).

First the girls went swimming .....
Madi- Poolside

Anna- Ready to go!

Once the girls wore daddy out at the pool they were off to the Children's Museum! It has been a few years since the girls had been there..they were excited to go!

"I think you might need to lay off the suckers!"

BOO!

Today we were cleaning up around the house, and preparing for our garage sale when Anna called me up to her room. She had picked out ALL of her clothes for the week. She was VERY proud to have shirt, bottoms & shoes. She wanted me to know that it was "mostly a skirt kind of week". HAHA she is just a character.

She did have a change of mind (as girls often do)and chose to wear white tomorrow. Madi replies "Ohhhhh no, you better not, tomorrow is chicken nugget day , you are going to get BBQ sauce all over yourself & ruin your clothes!" --- Thank goodness I have her to make sure I am doing my job correctly! haha

Have a wonderful week!!!

These beautiful flowers were fresh-cut from our neighbors yard!

Happy Mudder's Day!

Wishing everyone a Happy Mudder's Day- as Anna says! We have been a bit busy this weekend, as every weekend seems to FLY right by! Isn't that how time moves by so fast?

The girls started softball this weekend. At first, Anna was NOT going! She had a major melt-down threw her sweet self on the ground, cried and told me "I am just a CHILD and I do not understand those big words you are using!" She is such a hoot, Brent and I looked at her,then each other and had a hard time not busting out in laughter. I stuck to my mommy "tough-love", made her get dressed and in the car. She put a forced smile on her face and had a blast! A bonus to the whole thing, we saw two of our babysitters from Washington school! The girls have been begging to see Amanda and Casey! Anna cannot wait for official practices to begin. (Hmmm...moms are never right?!?!)

Later in the day we ran a few errands and Anna spent a little of her birthday money she got from her uncles. She was so excited to ask the person at the store to hold it for her. We then went and got her money from home. she then went back in the store and paid for it herself. She felt like such a BIG KID! Thank you uncles, she is enjoying her Sharpey bedroom set. She found it on clearance for $15, already a bargain shopper like her mama!
Madi seems to have another cold. It has been a rough winter/spring for this one. She spent most of her afternoon on the couch. She was eating coffee ice cream and drinking hot tea when I got home with Anna- what a combo!!?!?

Even under the weather, Madi still has the energy to be GOOFY!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mudder's Day! Enjoy your family and don't forget to tell your family & your Mama you love em'!

One Day at a Time...

Daddy's Day-Part II

Okay...the cake! Well mom did lots of the work, but the kiddos were VERY helpful! I had a crew in the kitchen...

The kids took turns icing the cake, I am not sure who got more icing- the cake, counter, kids or me?!?!?

Happy Day Daddy! Enjoy!


Last week Dina (our neighbor) gave Anna a makeover. Here are the results!
Anna & Dina
Dina has her FULLY accessorized
.
Kareem's reaction when I told him he was getting a makeover next!