Gymnastics....again!

March 5th, 2012

I'm aware that I tend to go a little over~board when taking pictures!  I think I have at least a dozen posts of Savannah at Gymnastics, but I can't seem to make myself leave this beautiful little girl out!  She's doing SUCH a great job and if you've ever been at our house, I'm sure you've seen her cartwheeling herself ALL over the place!

 And, I LOVE this leotard!!

 Working on that upper body and core strength!

 We ALWAYS end with the "TA~DAAA"!!

And what would life be without our bestie, Grace!!  These girls are SO STINKIN' CUTE!  I love looking at the pictures of them in their leotards when they first started gymnastics together at @18 months of age!!  Your golden hearts are PRICELESS, girls!!

Sometimes....

Sometimes we feel blessed....blessed to have a warm roof over our heads...

blessed to have food to fill our tummies...

blessed to have our health and our family around us...

blessed to live in a community where we feel safe and we can have fun...

blessed to have a church community that loves and cares about us no matter what...

 and BLESSED to have AMAZING FRIENDS to be silly with, giggle with, run around with and play with!!  Look at these pretty girls who gave themselves makeovers during a sleepover!  They are making a "moon rock"!!

And these two knuckle~heads!  They made ALIEN FLAGS and are ready to DEFEND! 

Life is good and it's nice to "sometimes" remember to be thankful for all we have!

Parker's Basketball Season 2012

Winter 2012

6th Grade Basketball!  Parker really enjoys this sport and his team is working very well together!  Contrary to other schools, this class does not have a travelling basketball team so they started playing together last year.  Even had a new coach this year....one of the other boys' mom's and I ALMOST had to be the coaches, but that's another story ~ whew!!

 Parker is pretty tall so he is usually stationed under the basket!

 Getting F.A.N.C.Y!! 

 He's quite the little scrapper too!  Holdin' onto that ball and swingin those elbows!!  I think he gets that fighting spirit from me!  Hahahahahaa!

 NICE SHOT!

 You know me....I can't resist a back-side, black and white shot!!

 Time for free-throws!  If you ask Parker what I always tell him he'll tell you: "there is no excuse in missing free-throws, they are FREE POINTS!!"

 My little man is not such a "LITTLE" man anymore!

The team and their coach.  It was a good season and the boys did well together.  I can't wait until next year to see them play again!! 

GOOD JOB, PARKER!  I am PROUD OF YOU!!

SNOWMOBILE!!

February 26th, 2012

It's February, it's FINALLY SNOWING and what is there to do!?  Well, Chad had a GREAT IDEA!  He called one of his friends, Steve, & asked him if we could borrow his kids' snowmobile! 

Now, MY children have NEVER been on one before and now they were able to DRIVE one themselves!?!?!  Yep, I was WORRIED!! 

Turns out.....I was over~reacting (WHO, ME?!?) ~ THEY DID GREAT and had the time of their lives!!

 Parker helping Savannah get her helmet on and giving her a "pep~talk"!!  SO CUTE!!

 Parker is up first.....does he LOOK scared to you!?!  Me either!

 OF COURSE THIS IS AIDEN!!  He didn't even stay in the yard.....took off for the street to "open her up mamma!".  My little stunt~man!!

Even Savannah had a blast!  I think she has her mom's "need for speed".....lord help us!!

 Love you guys!  At first,  I was upset with Chad.....I really didn't want the kids on a snow-mobile!  But, they had SO MUCH FUN!!

Oh LOOK!  One of the neighbor girls brought over a SLED!  What to do with THAT?!  hehehehehehhehehehehe!  REALLY?  I'm letting AIDEN drive!?  YEP!

And then turn about is fair play, ladies and gentlemen!!

Uff~Da!!  Got her stuck!  Mom had to help out here!! 

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!  This is the FUNNIEST picture!!!!!  Aiden was mad that Chad jumped on the snowmobile....OH GOOD GRIEF!!  Are you giggling yet?!?!?!?  Big man on a little mobile.....little kid being DRAGGED behind!!  HAHAHA!!  LOVE IT!!

CLOSET FORT!

February 24th, 2012

Well....it's Friday night and I have to work this evening.  Parker was a little out of sorts from lack of sleep this past week and wanted a "place to go to relax that is small and cozy". 

SO!  He went through his closet and cleaned it out (let's NOT focus on the mess that ensued in the rest of the bedroom because of this....not in this post anyway!)

He moved out a 3 ~ shelved book case and gave books he is "too old for" to his brother and sister.  And in it's place, he set up a little shelf with the laptop, a couple of movies, blankets and pillows!  ALSO managed to get snacks in there too!! 

Did he keep this little "hidey~hole" to himself!?!?  NO WAY!  Both Aiden and Savannah were invited to "his place" for MOVIE NIGHT!!  Check it out!!

 Look how cute they are all snuggled up!

Laptop, movies, treats and ipods/phones!!  Wanna hear the BEST part!?! 

THEY STAYED IN THERE ALL NIGHT AND DIDN'T EVEN FIGHT ONCE!!  WHOOT~WHOOT!! 

They even had the closet doors pulled shut!  I would have LOVED to do this as a kid.....they did so much work, how could I get upset and make them take it down?? 

I'm lucky they have such great imaginations, that they pull together when it counts and that they are MINE!! 

Lucy Mae

It's VALENTINE'S DAY.

Please don't ask.  I'm not at a place where I can discuss this.  However.....we have a new puppy.  Her name is Lucy.

She is 3 months old at this point. She is 1/2 Toy Poodle and 1/2 Scottish Terrier (you know....the little "Scotty~dogs"!?!). 

I'm not, at this point, a fan. 

Bella is just a year and Maddi, who is, for the most part an outside dog, is 100% Yellow Lab and almost 8 years old.

I'm not sure I can do this.

I wanted another baby.

YES!!~ For ME~ another baby would have been ideal.

This is the end of this post!

She IS cute though......I guess.

Savannah's Dance Night

January 30th, 2012

Savannah's dance team got to show off a bit at the Moorhead High School with a BUNCH of other dance teams!

 They danced to a mixed song ~ Goin' to the Chapel and Do You Love Me

 They are SO STINKIN' CUTE!

And they did a GREAT job dancing!  This is a very large gym and it was PACKED!  But did these girls get shy or nervous!?  NO WAY!

 Here  she had a little solo part!!

 I just love their outfits!

WAY TO GO GIRLS!  You are SO FUN to watch!!

January Birthday Club!

January 2012

So...I'm part of a group of neighborhood ladies that get together once a month to celebrate our birthdays!  This month, it's mine & Trisha's time to be celebrated!

 We went for dinner at the Texas Roadhouse ~ I LOVE their steaks and mushrooms!  Since we are the birthday girls, we also got to sit on the SADDLE & have people sing to us!  This was fun to do in a dress!  We also got our choice between a free dessert or a free shot.....hmmmm.....I think you can see which one we chose!  CHEERS!!

 Part 1 of the group!

And part 2!  Aren't they cute!?

 My friend Nicole and I

 I LOVE this picture!  Aren't these girls SO PRETTY!?!  Above is Pat, Jenn, Trisha & Sara!

We were out at the Cadillac Ranch after dinner and this adorable little guy was twirlin' ALL the ladies around on the dance floor!  Turns out, he owns a dance studio and gives lessons!  He told us we should sign up cuz he needs some girls to dance with the NDSU football team.....ummm....WHERE DO I SIGN!?!  hehehehehee!

 Birthday Girls!!

 Jenn, Pat and I.  I think at this point we have moved to our favorite watering hole in D~town.  It's called the Corral and they have KARAOKE every Thursday!!  Yes, all of our birthday club's occur on a Thursday!

Another cute one of these FUN women!  Nicole, Sara, Stacie and Karen. 

Thanks girls for ALL the fun times and AWESOME memories!  I look forward to hanging out with you EVERY month!!

Savannah Initiates a Craft Project

January 15th, 2012

Savannah found some shells and rocks that have been collected by all of us over the years and decided to get her boys and make a craft project! 

She got to be the "instructor"!  I think they did a GREAT job!  And....it kept them BUSY and QUIET for about an hour!! 

Savannah is SEVEN!

NO WAY!  Can it be true?  Is this for real!?  Can my "baby" REALLY be SEVEN?  I'm just really not sure about this....wasn't it just yesterday, or last week that I brought her home from the hospital (actually, the NICU) in the middle of a snowstorm?!? 

Oh...no.  It wasn't.  Well then......

 Justin Beiber....not a fan.  My daughter is.  Go figure. 

We went to the "Y" this year....swimming, playground, cake, ice cream.....and an impromptu concert featuring these 6-7 year olds singing....you guessed it....JUSTIN BIEBER!  It really WAS cute....and my boys just egged them on! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTY SAVANNAH RAYNE!!  I am SO BLESSED to have you as a daughter!!  Just remember that when you are older!!  Hahahahahahaa!!

Makin' Hair Extensions

FASHION~ISTA!

Getting around to trying out the super-cool Barbie Hair Extension Maker Grandma Pam & Grandpa Emmett got Savannah for Christmas!  All you need is a printer, and LOOK at the fun you can have!

 There are SOOO many options, it's almost too overwhelming!

 ALOHA! 

These turned out GREAT!  She wore two of them to school the next day!  Thanks Grandma & Grandpa.....I LOOK GREAT!

New Year's Day 2012

I had to work this weekend so Chad and the kids decided to suprise me by making a SEA FOOD DINNER!  I'm not a big fan of lobster, but I could eat king crab legs ALL DAY LONG!  Savannah was actually the one that wanted the Lobster! 

 Poor lil' guy!

YUMMY!  Too bad it smells so AWFUL while cooking!

 A very happy girl!

No....he's not sucking his thumb....I think he is grossed out by the smell....AND THE EYES!!  Oh well, it was DELICIOUS!  Thanks guys!!