Because...I love her!

After spending those few days in Phenix City with Brett's family, we headed to LaGrange to spend some time with Virginia! Eric and Linds had gone off for a short weekend trip to celebrate 5 years of marriage so LiLi, JimPa, Sam, Brett, and I got to hang with Miss Priss. I know, I blog about this child as if she is mine. I'm just trying to help her momma out by capturing every second of her life that I am with her. Enjoy the pictures of this beautiful, brilliant child. Seriously, she can spell her name, count, say her colors, and is basically a parrot and says anything we say! Yes, I might be slightly partial...

We really liked Santa from a distance....a little more nervous the closer we got...

 She loves to beat on her "pups" as she calls them!

 Pretty girl...

Lookin' at her LiLi

Don't worry Linds! I'll get these pictures to you soon!! I promise to document all of your children just like I document this one! :)

I will be back later with a recipe and early Christmas presents! :)

A Tribute to Pudge....

A beautiful poem for my sweet brother-in-law...written by yours truly! :)

Happy Birthday!

His name is Jeff

What else can I say?

He's my brother-in-law

And his birthday is today!

I've known him a while

It has been about eight years

We've been through so much

Many laughs and many tears....

He used to be large

But then so did I...

Now he is small

And I still eat pie.... :) 

So Pudge, this is your day

I hope it has been great

Now this poem has to end

Before it is too late

Okay...I'm no poet but I love you. Here is a picture to remind you of the good ole days! You are totes the bestest brother-in-law everrrr....even if you do say I'm not getting married until 2058. Just remember....it's all because of me that you are in this family. You needed me as an excuse to come and play ping pong with so you could hang with Mangs.

Love you!! Happy Birthday!!

Thanksgiving Break In Pictures...Maybe a few words!

First of all, I am thankful for breaks. Yes, most of these pictures will be of the cutest little girl you've ever seen....but my break was spent playing with her and I loved every second of it.

Every morning after breakfast we were sure to hear...."Ahh...WEEE!!!!" This let us know that she was ready to go out and swing! She could stay out here all day long!

Hey Uncle Brett!

Beautiful little girl

Look at that face... :)

She loved stacking these up and knocking them down...

Hey sweet girl!

We also had a little visit from Addison Tew..

Addison is Makenzi's little girl and getting a picture of them together was about impossible! They played sweet together and Virginia loved meeting her new friend!

LiLi feeding V her breakfast....

I mean....she is constantly in a good mood! :)

Silly Uncle Sam......

Loves her Aunt AAAAMMMYYY!!

Oh Mommy! You are so funny!

Behold our turkey carver....

Beautiful table...

So much food....

My contribution....haha....isn't it a cute little turkey?

Hey Ms. V!!

Just my brother in-law....

Lovin' her LiLi!

Trying to get a decent Christmas card picture.....what a precious family!

So, in all reality my break was great. We had a fabulous thanksgiving and I am so grateful for each face that you saw in these pictures. I have the most precious family in the world. We love each other and have the best time when we are together. Mostly, I am thankful for the fact that the Lord chose to save me and call me His own. I am thankful for the love and blessings that He pours all over my life each day. I am so undeserving. Hope your week was as good as mine!

Thank you Thanksgiving Break!

Well, today I started Thanksgiving break and it has started out just wonderful! Unfortunately, this was my last night with Brett before he goes home for a few days but we definitely had a fun night together. Go ahead and get out the wine cause it's about to get cheesy. We got up on the roof of my house to star gaze. Haha. Cheesy? Yes. Do we do this often? Absolutely not. So is it okay? Well, I think so.

It was a bit cloudy but a beautiful moon!

Sweet boy set it all up for us!

Such a fun last night together!

What a lovely evening! I am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of Eric, Lindsey, and Virginia!! Ahh....I cannot wait to squeeze that little girl and take a million pictures of her!

Hopefully we will have more blogging over the next couple of days!

I hope your Thanksgiving break is starting out as great as mine!

The Windy City is Mighty Pretty....

WARNING: Long Post. Lots of pictures!

Sorry it has taken me a while to blog about the Chicago trip. Last Wednesday night we packed up and headed to LaGrange for the night then woke up bright and early Thursday morning to head to Atlanta for our flight. We arrived in Chicago at about 8:45ish. We grabbed our luggage and went to the train. We spent the morning and most of the afternoon shopping and seeing some of the sights.

Mangs and Pudge

Cool fountain that randomly spit water out...kids EVERYWHERE!

Ah...Michigan Avenue

Giant Bean...? Apparently a big deal...

Pretty sweet

Oh...DON'T WORRY! We found TJ MAXX!!

Pumped!

After we were shopped out we went back to the hotel to hang out for a bit before heading to dinner and the musical Shrek! We had the most amazing Italian food I have ever eaten in the Italian Village and Shrek was so much fun and so entertaining!

Mangs and Pudge and Sam and Cherry...she's great

The next day we woke up and went to Eggsperience for breakfast. Someone take me back right now.....I had chocolate chip pancakes and could taste every delicious calorie. We did a little more shopping then headed to Wrigley Field for the Cubs game. We were blessed to have amazing seats right behind home plate and in the shade!! Unfortunately the Cubbies had a not-so-great game but we still had a blast. After the game we headed to see more of Chicago and then to Giordano's for some pizza of course! So incredibly big and so incredibly delicious. By the way...we ate a lot of food while we were in Chi town. Whoops...

Check it out...Chicago knows what is up! Roll Tide

So good...

We shopped a little more the next day but most importantly we found my new love....Sweet Mandy B's. You don't understand. Best. Bakery. Ever. Their cupcakes, cookies, brownies.....heavenly. Must go back.....

For our last night we went to Navy Pier which was so fun and then had an even more fun cab ride home. Oh, and our driver was from Nairobi, Kenya! Crazy. We were able to talk about places we had seen while we were there and even gave him a thank you in Swahili on the way out!

We had such a fun time in Chi town! I hated to leave and come back. However, I hit the ground running on Monday morning. Student teaching pretty much has started. I am not required to go until the 23rd but I have gone to my school just so I could meet the kids and learn their routines. I have some adorable 1st graders and I am really enjoying it so far.

If you made it through that long post congrats! I promise I'll be back with my update about my book for July. Sorry it is taking me forever but I read such a great book so I'll have to share it soon!!

This Weekend

After spending time with Eric, Linds, and Virginia it was time to head home to Mobile. I had so much fun with them but was happy to be getting back. I had a special guy follow me home on Saturday and it was so so good to see him. I swear....three weeks is a long time! We spent Saturday afternoon being lazy and playing in the pool.

Sunday was my 22nd birthday. Not feeling too much older although 22 sounds a bit old to me. I suppose it is because there will be lots of changes that this next year will bring. Anyways, I am thankful for another year and I hope and pray I will be able to look back this time next year and say that I am closer to the Lord than I was. With all that said, the birthday was a success. I received a new mac from my parents. I was shocked. Yes, I had been needing a new computer but totally wasn't expecting to get it yesterday! Thanks mom and dad! And......from the best boyfriend ever.....Carrie Underwood tickets! I was pretty much shocked about that too. How unexpected! He is too good to me! October 23rd cannot get here soon enough!! Thanks love! So I spent the day with family and it was so nice. Perfect day.

This post is short and sweet and without photos. My apologies. I will be back with my book for July which I can hopefully write about before Thursday. This week is busy. I go and meet my teacher I will be student teaching for on Wednesday and that night we are heading to Atlanta and then to CHICAGO on THURSDAY! I am so excited!

Happy Monday Everyone!

A Season For Everything

It has been a while since I updated. I'll make this one short and sweet. Currently, I am in LaGrange visiting Eric, Linds, and Virginia. Tonight, Linds got a night out on the town. She has traveled to Atlanta to go to the Cheesecake Factory with some friends leaving V with Eric and I. This brings me to the title of this post. First of all, I cannot wait to be a mom. It has truly been all I have wanted to do forever. I want to be a wife and mom so badly.....BUT the Lord is sweet to remind me that there is a time and season for everything.

Lindsey got dinner mostly ready while I played with Virginia this afternoon. Let me preface this by saying I am not retarded in the kitchen. I am by no means Paula Dean but I love to cook. Lindsey turned on some peas and said "Just watch out for them cause they are on high right now and you can turn them down in a few...." So, I am playing with V and the next thing you know....the peas are about boiling over. I run to turn them down..run back to take care of V. :) Then, Linds leaves. I got to experience mommyhood with a 1 year old. I don't know if I thought it was easy or what but.....it certainly is draining!

Virginia is on table food now. I get dinner all ready while playing with her and then get her ready to eat. Naturally, she is just not feeling the table food tonight. Even those foods she normally loves are just not doing it for her tonight. So...back to baby food for the night. No harm done. :) Then out for an errand with daddy....home for a bath....the last bottle for the day...and off to bed. Done right? Nope..time for dishes! :) It's crazy and fun and exhausting. I can't wait to be a mommy but I know that the Lord has my days planned out and He knows that right now......I am just not ready. :) I love that He knows His daughter so well!

All that said, I love this little peanut and we have had so much fun! She brings me so much joy and is worth any exhaustion I felt tonight! Now, I know how Linds feels. (kinda!!)

On a different note...I can't wait to see my boy on Saturday! It has been far too long! Oh, and I turn the big 22 on Sunday! Exciting. Hope your week has been fabulous!

July 8, 2009

This was a very special date for our family. It was the day a precious girl entered the world. The first great granddaughter, the first granddaughter, and the first niece. She was bound to be a spoiled little girl. On Thursday she celebrated her 1st birthday and this weekend we traveled to LaGrange to celebrate with her at a special party just for her!

Virginia Louise, you have no idea what an incredible blessing you are to our family! You have brought so much joy to all of our lives and we are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with such a perfect, happy, healthy baby girl! I remember the day you were born. Unfortunately, I was on a different continent. You were supposed to hang on just a couple more days for me to get back! But, the Lord obviously had other plans. I hated not being there more than I can tell you! I remember hearing that your mommy had gone into labor. I remember getting several texts throughout the day updating me on your progress. And...I also remember talking to your daddy that night you were born. I remember him telling me how great your mom did and how perfect you were! He was so proud and I could not wait to meet you!

We had such a unique meeting. Being miles and miles away we had to get creative. We had a special skype date when you got home and you were just as perfect as could be. Finally, on July 16th I got to officially meet you! Your parents surprised me and I was so excited to finally hold you! Since then, you have been bringing me as well as the rest of our family so much joy!

Here are some photos from her special weekend. Unfortunately, this sweet girl got sick for the first time all year on her birthday. Smiles were few and far between cause we had a fever but she was still as precious as ever.

Sweet girl

Oh her many faces!

Precious little baby...

Daddy and V playing..

Mommy and Daddy gave her a wagon...

No detail was overlooked....

Yeah....Not sure what her wedding cake will look like? :)

She's 1!!

Yeah....we were party animals

Aunt Amy gave her some colorful ping pong balls!

I just don't know??

Sweet family

LiLi and JimPa gave Virginia that beautiful chair she is sitting on...so sweet!

Brett and Mom

Mangs and Pudge!

We didn't get to dive into the cake like we wanted to...she was just not feeling too good..

My boy even came to see me!! Oh but check it out...story of my life....he is checking out the tv....sports fanatic!

But....I still love him!!

She just loved her wagon!!

Happy Birthday sweet girl! We love you!

Land of the Free and the Home of the..Sick

Hello to you and yours! I hope that your 4th has been more eventful than mine. That's right....it has been an unfortunate day at my house. I was so looking forward to a relaxing Fourth of July in the pool. I was in Brazil last summer so we really didn't celebrate :) I spent the day on the couch. I have developed a cold in the last 48 hours and let me say....I don't do well being sick. I absolutely hate it. I hate spending the day on the couch, I hate not being able to breathe, and I hate the constant headache. I did get to spend some quality time with the Lord this morning which was wonderful and I did get out briefly for a meal with the family.

I also had a front row seat to one of the best firework shows. Our neighbors put on a ballin' show every Fourth of July and every New Years Eve.

Woo Hoo!

Jeff and Mangs

My sweet parents...

Technically, we are celebrating the 4th tomorrow since everyone is off. I am hoping I will be better by then. I would covet your prayers that I would feel better because I am supposed to have surgery on Wednesday and do not know if they will let me go in if I am sick. I do not want to put it off! Well, I am off to bed shortly if I can sleep through the continued fireworks show going on outside....

Happy Fourth of July!

Enjoying Summer

This past weekend was so much fun. I put my to-do list away for the most part and spent it with family. Eric, Lindsey, and Virginia came into town and therefore the camera was ready to go. Over 400 pictures...whoops! I won't share all of them although they surely wouldn't bore you. She is the most adorable child in the world. No joke.

Sweet faces...

Big girl!

Mmm...I so enjoyed cuddling with this little girl!

Look at that happy girl and those big blue eyes! She loved swimming in her pool!!

Laughing with Aunt Amy

There was a constant crowd surrounding this girl. 6 people surrounded her tiny pool! :)

It was a fun weekend to just kick our feet back and relax!

No, I am not her mother....just a very proud aunt....and who wouldn't be? She is simply perfect!

She is about to be 1 year old and I cannot believe it! I love her! I am also wrapping up my last week of teaching! I cannot believe it is over! It is definitely bittersweet. I will miss those kids but I am ready to relax....and have my gallbladder removed...haha! Hope everyone is having a good week! Happy Hump Day!