Quick Week Review

Here are some pictures of the kids at Grammy's funeral service... it's rare to have them all together... and even more rare for them to all look so pretty! :)

My handsome boys!

The girls, from the top, left: Heather (complete with Build A Bear), Maggie (in turquoise shirt), Delaney (black boots and white shirt), Ashton (holding Itty Bitty), and the Diva herself, Ava Sophia.

The boys, from the top: Donovan, Fletcher, Bryant, Tres, and my driver for the week, Ryan.

This week, we have been having a blast with Hank's sister Jackie and her family in Chattanooga. Aunt Jackie signed Tres us to go to Art Camp with his cousin Donovan and we decided to make a week of it. Lots of laughs... and I mean lots. My face hurt the other day from laughing so much!

Here's a quick story for you: The other night, Sophie was trying to listen to Delaney's Ipod, so Delaney found her a song. Here's how the conversation went:
Delaney: Do you like it, Sophie? [Sidenote: These children are so good with Sophie!]
Sophie: uh, huh!
Delaney: It's about Mickey Mouse.
Me: [straining to hear, but already smiling cause I think I know what song is playing] Let me hear that.

Then I hear, "Hey, Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind!" coming out of the headphones and started laughing!

Me: That's now about Mickey Mouse, Laney.
Delaney: It's not?

That's just a small taste. We went for a walk the other night, and because I am ever so graceful, I slipped in mud and landed on my hiney in it... so I limped back to Jackie's house with mud on my feet, my butt, and my arms. And that was the day that Sophie decided to take off her poopie diaper in the backyard. The kids were FREAKING out, let me tell you! And my nephew Donnie Mac (AKA Donovan) was heading for the slip n slide and went down a good two feet in front of it and got a mouthful of grass... I laughed until my side hurt on that one! Anyway, I could go on and on, but I digress.

This week, we have been dropping kids off at camp and then doing some random things... grocery shopping, going to Wal-Mart, Target, the mall... just wherever we wanted. Now get this... most of the time, we were being driven around by my 15 year old nephew, Ryan! Talk about making sure your life is right with your Maker before getting in! Lol! Just kidding, Ryan. He takes it very seriously and is doing very well.

Once we pick the kids up from Art Camp, we usually head back to Jack's house for some backyard fun.



Slip 'n Slide, trampoline, badmitton, tetherball, super soaker... and then there's always Wii, games, movies, and toys inside too!

Here is a random shot for you guys! I forgot to bring any little swimmers with me, so Soph's bottoms wouldn't stay on! Love it!


I am bringing my two nieces, Delaney and Maggie, home with me for a week, then I'm gonna give them back to their Momma and take Donovan! I love family.

Grammy Margaret

My husband's grandmother, Grammy Margaret passed away last week. She was nearly 90 and lived a very long, full, and happy life. I have every confidence that we will see her again! She was such a sweet, quiet lady and while her death makes us sad, we-- her family-- rejoice in her life. In her lifetime she had five children, four grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren!

Her service was a small, intimate gathering with mostly family, extended family and a few family friends. The priest talked about how she loved to make things... she loved to work with ceramics and stain glass... some things that her children and grandchildren will cherish now more than ever knowing she lovingly (and with painstaking detail) created such things as full navity sets, stainglass flowers, and Christmas ornaments and household decorations. And while, the physical inheritance will remind us of her daily, it's the memories that we cherish-- Sunday dinners, loud family holidays, shopping trips, vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and peanuts, and a grandmother's laugh that makes you smile just thinking of it.

Rest in peace, Grammy! We love you and we will see you soon.

Do Not Disturb!

Hank and I are heading out of town to his 20th high school reunion this weekend. The kids are hanging with Grandma and Grandaddy here. We are excited to invest some time in each other as a couple and not just parents! No what I mean? I think any couple who has children would feel the same way.

I'm sure we'll have tons of pics to post when we get back.. until then, we will be... uh umm... unavailable! Wink!

Sophie's Room Make-Over

We have been talking about doing Sophie's room since Christmas. The little stinker never liked sleeping in a crib, so she was in the co-sleeper until about 2 months ago in our room. We went ahead and got her a full size mattress set and I started collecting little odds and ends that we planned to eventually use. This past weekend, we got a wild hair and actually put it all together and WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MADE!! It literally transformed her room into a little girl's dream room! And she LOVES to be in her big girl 'pin-siss' bed!

We picked up the canopy and the wall flower lights at IKEA for next to nothing! We've had them since Hank and I went to IKEA during volleyball season in February. The light switch is on the green cord that runs down the wall like the stem, so Soph can turn them off and on herself, which she likes. At night, we have to be stern with her to get her to leave them alone. And she loves the cocoon effect the canopy gives. I think it makes her feel cozy. We got the comforter from Wal-Mart for about $30. There is a sheet set to match, which I believe she will get for her second birthday in two months (please God! I'm waiting on that pause button!). We decided not to do a character theme, since we felt like these things could realistically be used for 7-10 years depending on her taste. Melanie sent these letters as a gift when Soph was literally my itty bitty! And we've had them on the wall ever since, but we gave them an upgrade as well.

We measured and blocked off a section of the wall, then went to Lowe's and got one of their sample cans of paint ($3) in pink. We painted it, then Hankie framed it out for me! It's on the wall you see when you walk in her room.
Then on the wall opposite where he bed is, her dresser sits with her princess TV set passed down from her cousin (we love cousin hand me downs!). We picked up the shelves and brackets and got a little organized... she has aquired two Holiday Barbies (or 'darbees' as Ava Sophia calls them), and I got out two of my collectibles that went with her room for the top shelf. The lower one holds a few decorative items a Minnie Mouse princess lamp and her DVD's. You can also see the organza type lavender curtain we hung up.

Add all of that to her little pink chair she got last year for her birthday and her dollhouse shelf and her room is complete!

Now we just want to add crown... well we want to do that to all the bedrooms, but those are projects for another weekend! :)