Friendly Visit

The first full week of July we had guest-One of my closest, best friends Traci and her daughter Tori spent 5 days with us. The days were busy and fun and there was lots of giggling and fun! The girls put on at least 50 shows for us, had a great visit to the American Girl Store, swimming, trip to museum and Traci and I even got a night out just the two of us. thanks Charley! We had a fabulous time and I love having Traci in town. I also had so much fun helping her look for baby bedding and love the bedding she picked out. I can't wait to see it in person and meet baby Tessa:) The girls also loved eating at the American Girl store. It was so girly, pink everywhere,and special seats for the dolls. A Girls Dream!! Thanks for a great visit Traci and Tori!!

Wizard of Oz

My inlaws came in town for the Fourth of July weekend and we all went to see my neice Kayden and Sis in Law Jennifer in the play Wizard of Oz. Kayden was Todo so she was in most of the play and did a fabulous job and it was so fun. She was a precious Todo. My girls loved it and had the best time watching their cousin and aunt in the play. They also loved getting to see their Meme and Pops and cousin Tracy. So Fun!! We can't wait to see Kayden in more plays.

Happy 35th Birthday to Me!

I turned 35 a couple weeks ago and had a wonderful birthday. I really did dread turning 35. If you double it I will be 70,uuuggghhh! I had Charley take a picture of me so I would remember what I looked like then so I can look back when I am 70 and wonder why I thought 35 was getting old:) I am very content with my life and where we are right now. I did a lot of thinking around this birthday and want my girls to remember their mom at 35 as being in a good place with Charley and them. I want to show happiness, kindness, and graciousness to them and the people around me. I am so not perfect, not even close. I make mistakes daily and on some days hourly. I can be impatient, quick to anger, unkind, and the list could run on and on. Of course, these are not the things I like about myself but want to admit, confess, and let my girls know at no time do I claim perfection or expect it from them. If they read this one day what I want them to gain is that I strive to be a better person daily. I try so hard not to let pride take over when I mess up and say I'm sorry to them, Charley, and whoever I may need to say it to. I am so thankful for a God who loves me and all my imperfections and forgives me. On Charley and My anniversary we were talking to the girls about how when we got married we promised to stay married as long as we were here on Earth even on the times we got upset with each other, etc. Kylee said Yea, I know like when yall fight and mommy slams the door. Ouch!!! She then proceeded to demonstrate that. I really didn't know I did that enough that Kylee would even know I did it. Oh well, I admit it. I talked to her a lot about how that is not OK and I will work on it. So not good, and I was quite embarrassed. But again this is a good time to admit wrong and say I'm sorry, I make mistakes. This was probably a hourly mistake day:) I feel like I write a lot about this activity was so fun or this was great but this is our family journal/scrapbook and they need to know that I have bad days too and I am not perfect. But I feel strongly about confession, honesty, and forgiveness and we receive all that through our Lord and Savior. I write all this with hope of a future and hope of change in my heart. So at 35, I pray that I will show my Charley, my girls, and the people around me that I love dearly a person striving to be better daily and pray they can accept me when I make mistakes and know my heart is trying to be the person God wants me to be and created me to be. I pray that for my girls all the time and I am still working on it for me. I pray I will be the wife Charley deserves (who doesn't slam the door in anger)and the mom my girls deserve. I pray I will be the daughter, daughter in law, sister, sister in law, aunt, and friend that these precious people deserve. Happy 35th Birthday to me and I pray a new improved me!

Swim Lessons

We finished up our summer 2010 swim lessons. We took from a different place this year because Ms. Jody had a baby and wasn't teaching this summer. It was very different but the girls loved it and did great. I enjoyed visiting with the other moms and was really thankful for having friends there. My girls can swim really well. Kylee really worked hard on her strokes and tried hard at diving but didn't quite get that one but the rest was amazing. Katie is quite the little swimmer. She was jumping off the diving board and swimming freestyle and floating on her back the whole length of the pool without stopping. I was very proud of her. They worked on diving the last day with Katie's group and she didn't quite get it but had a precious diving pose that looked more like a ballet pose. The girls loved spending time with the other kids playing on iphones, trading silly bandz, and being silly. It was a fun 2 weeks for the girls and they are both swimmers and doing wonderful.