Oh, What a Day

The 1st "sighting" - - - - - - Reversing into Honey...whoops!
I love Daddy's grin in this 1st pic, too :)

LG screamed, "wooohooo" the whole ride

The happy, satisfied grin!

Daddy & I surprised LG with a Barbie Jeep today...I have been looking for a while & everyone was sold out, even online. Honey & I found one today on "display" & I b-e-g-g-e-d the girl at WalMart to let me buy it - I had asked for a "display" at another WM & they told me they couldn't take the jeep down. After asking for the manager today, a nice man, named Chris, came, took it down (this consisted of 2 people unbolting it & cutting it off the rack), made sure it worked & loaded it in Honey's hybrid - yes, it fit! So, not only did we get a Jeep, but, it was already assembled, stickers applied, had a charged battery AND I got a discount since it was a "display" - yes, I ASKED for a "display" discount & it worked - I know, I'm ruthless! God is so Good!!! I called Daddy on the way home & he left work to meet me for the "presentation." HA! I think the pictures prove it was ALL worth it...We Love You, LG!

Too sweet for words

Story Time

Walking back to class

OK...I'm already "that" mom. I snuck these pics of LG & William while I was at school for her Christmas Program (that's why the last one is out of focus - I was walking & trying to "shoot").

Merry Christmas & Happy Birthday, Jesus '08

See the streamers in the air? - - - Just woke up from nap

Cookie time . . . . . . . . . . . . . Can Daddy have some?

UP?

I forgot my HoHoHo shirt

OH, YEH!!!

Eating the gingerbread house :)

Christmas Sisters - - - - - - - - - Swingin' with Honey

Mommy & Mini Me

Kisses

I LOVE this guy! - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mr. & Mrs. Claus

H & LG "reading" together

What a wonderful day of celebration. We woke up & opened gifts at home (we never got a tree this year, so Santa left the gifts in a chair along with his eaten cookies, milk & note he left for LG & MJ - we thought he may have left the gifts outside under our tree strung with lights, but, he decided to come on in).

We then headed to H & P's for some enjoyable "family" time & a delicious home-cooked lunch. For apps, Uncle Pi made stuffed mushrooms. Papa fried the turkey in the fryer outside, grilled tenderloin, made a delicious salad; Honey made squash casserole, green beans w. almonds, oyster dressing (yes, plain dressing for Chris, too), & I made hashbrown casserole. For dessert Honey made one of her famous homemade apple pies!

After MJ's 2nd nap at H & P's, we headed to Doc & Cha-Cha's around 6 pm for more celebration, good food & presents. C & D ate with the grandkids in the kitchen & let us eat in the dining room. We were having so much fun telling stories, we were lightly "scolded" for not using our "inside" voices...sorry :) ! The girls LOVED seeing their cousins.

Thanks for letting us help you celebrate your birthday, Jesus!

13 YEARS

Our sweet friends...

Down the aisle with Papa - - - Married to Daddy

Well, girls, your mama & daddy have been married for 13 years today. We met in highschool when mama was in 9th grade & daddy was in 10th grade. Daddy had just gotten his drivers license the week of our 1st date! Honey & Papa loved him from the moment he walked in our front door! When we broke up for a couple of months when I was a h.s. senior & daddy a freshman at GSU, daddy & Honey were secretly talking on the phone scheming on how to get us back together. Honey told him to have a date with a pretty girl, which he did, & it worked! I came sprinting back to him. Of course I didn't know any of this while it was taking place! Daddy "gave" me 1 quarter in college & then proposed to me out on a family trip in Steamboat, Colorado...I was SO EXCITED! Actually, I had a feeling that he was going to propose to me out there, so I acted like a spoiled brat until he actually proposed & gave me the ring - but that's a story for another day! We decided to get married in December & since daddy was playing football the date that worked was the 23rd - 2 DAYS before Christmas! It was such a festive time! Nay-Nay married us & I STILL remember what an amazing job he did - his words were so special that night. We celebrated at the reception, changed & then headed to atlanta for our honeymoon. We were so hungry we stopped at Burger King for our 1st "married" meal together...now that is true love!

I love your daddy & am truly blessed to have him as my husband. I thank the Lord for picking him out for me & bringing us together. My prayer is that the Lord will bring both of you a loving, christian, protective, supportive, humorous husband like Daddy!

Cricket

LG decided that she would "clean" the kitchen windows last night with a washcloth & some water. Since the windows are a above her head she had to "look up" to clean them. She came in the DR & said, "Mama, I have a cricket in my neck." And I said, "a what?" LG answered, "a cricket...you know from cleaning the windows." "Oh", I said, do you need me to massage your neck to get the cricket out?" Yeehhh!!! Ahhhhhh!!!

Happy 5th Birthday, Lola Grace

LG's Birthday WEEK...she's just like her Daddy!

TUESDAY

Lola Grace's birthday celebration started on Tuesday when I took a cake & Capri-suns to FPD for her class to enjoy. We had 5 "sparkler" candles & everyone sang to her...When I got there I winked at her as I quietly waited in the back of the room. She winked back & as the kids proceeded to do different things in the classroom she would look back at me with a grin on her face & wink.

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday night, Honey & Papa took the 3 of us to see ANNIE...it was amazing & LG LOVED it. Papa had 2nd row seats for us & LG loved being so close to the actors! Nay Nay & MB came to visit during intermission - I LOVE that LG brought Bunny & blankie & MB brought Doggy - still little girls!

FRIDAY

Let the Birthday fun begin

SILLY faces

Salon time

Birthday wishes

Talent show

Dollhouse fun

Nighty-night...yeh, right :)

Gingerbread creations

On Friday night LG had her 1st spend-the-night party! She invited 4 friends over and the night consisted of playing, squealing, Nemo, pizza, capri-suns, cake, dress-up, make-up, painting fingernails (yes, I found them in LG's bathroom painting their OWN nails - we then turned LG's room into the "birthday salon" & Mommy continued the make-up & fingernail painting :), tattoos galore, delivered pizza to the neighbor b/c we ordered too much - Terry's facial expression was priceless as 5 girls ran in his house with a box of pizza...He wasn't quite sure what he had opened his door to!, squealed some more - & I'm talking the HIGH pitched "girl" squeal...just want you to have the FULL effect!, opened presents, put in pink hair extensions - yes, I had these made for LG's bday - ok, I really want them for myself - ha, ran around, loved the balloons, played with LG's dollhouse, put on a talent show for us - yes, it's on video!, at bedtime we read Lola Goes to the Library, sprayed the No monsters/bad dreams "spray" & no, they didn't want to go to sleep & did I mention squealing? I think around midnight everyone had fallen asleep & one even ended up in our room on our pullout loveseat - so cute...

The girls woke up at 7:30 the next morning - I figured they would be up at 6 ready for the next adventure; daddy brought home Krispy Kreme for breakfast, the girls decorated gingerbread cookies, played with their icecream party favors - thanks Cha Cha, played outside & gave some last happy squeals...LG had an absolute blast & we are so thankful for her precious, special, sweet friends! Many thanks to H & P for picking up MJ for a spend-the-night at their house :)

SUNDAY - Your REAL Birthday!
Daddy went & picked up Moe's for your birthday lunch...you still LOVE Moe's. We have played with your new presents & you are enjoying a relaxing day watching tv (another of your loves).

Lola Grace...I am so happy that you are celebrating your 5th birthday! I thank the Lord for giving you to us while on this earth. We are blessed to be your parents and are so proud of the little girl that you are and look forward to many more special memories. Thank you for being YOU, LG! I love you...Mama

Bath Hands

As I was drying LG's hair tonight she was looking at her hands that were "pruney" from her bath...

LG: "Mama, why are my hands different & yours aren't?"

M: "Well, because you just got out of the bath."

LG: "Oh...my hands look like Nini's (her 80 something yr. old great-grandmother), don't they?"

M (with a smile on my face): "They sure do."

LG hasn't seen Nini in months & I was amazed that she thought of her hands...I love how her little 4 year old brain works!

Our Little Flower Girl

LG, Daddy & I took a little (ok, not so little...5 hours) roadtrip to Nashville, Tennessee this past weekend for Bill & Tyler's wedding. We left Friday morning & enjoyed a beautiful drive. LG watched dvd's, colored, ate & watched more dvd's. We showed her the mountains as we drove & even saw some snow. I told her to look at the snow, and she said, "mama, are you just teasing?" I don't think she's ever seen real snow?

Once we arrived in Nashville, we quickly got ready & rushed to the Church for the rehearsal. Afterwards, we made our way back to Gaylord for a beautiful rehearsal dinner where LG proceeded to fall asleep after eating. When she received her plate with a filet, chicken, mashed pots & green beans, she looked at me & said, "no thanks, mama...I just want a grilled cheese." (This polite attitude came AFTER they had served her a salad & she scrunched her nose up turned her head & said "I don't want that." I quickly told her that was not nice manners & just to tell me QUIETLY if she didn't want something...oh, the joys of 4 year olds...

Saturday morning we were up & off to the wedding day brunch. The food was delicious & Tyler looked amazing...as did Bill :-) As we left, they had wrapped iced cookies in the shape of a bride, a wedding cake with B & T's initials & a tux - so good! Daddy, LG, Cha Cha & Doc then went to see the "Leaf Lady."

By 1pm we were in the car leaving for the Church...once everyone was dressed, we drove to a field to take pictures - it was a little chilly - ok, really chilly, so LG ended up with my jacket & my boots, while I walked on the damp ground in my socks - yeh, my socks ended up in the trash. I didn't know we were taking pics outside, so I had not brought shoes for LG other than her ballet slippers that she wore in the wedding. What Mama's will do for their babies, right?



The wedding & reception were amazing! Tyler's sister, Cameron, sang with 2 other bridesmaids - it was unbelievable! Bill & Tyler are such a precious couple & their wedding was truly a celebration. Lola Grace did an outstanding job walking down the aisle...we were so proud of her! We then headed back to Gaylord, as LG serenaded the car with Christmas carols (thanks to Roonie's sister & husband). LG changed into her "musical" skirt that B & T gave her for being the flower girl (& yes, she still wanted to wear her "flower girl" headband) & off we went to watch the fountain show & returned to get a great night's rest...

This was LG's attire when we left the next morning - still a flower girl with bunny & blankie in tow...