this will be a long-winded one

Here I am again, months later. Bad, Ginny! So much has happened! That'll show me not to wait so dang long!

The girls started gymnastics. Here they are looking so adorable:

Right?

Both girls absolutely love it and get to do it with some of their buddies, Alys and Charlie. So that's been fun!

School is going exceptionally well for everyone (including mom :)). Grace has really picked up on the reading, which was going a little slow this summer. Sydney seems to like school as well. She is still quite the little mommy's girl, and would much rather be with me, but is also meeting some fun new friends and gaining some much needed "socialization". Damn wild animal!

Wade and I got to go to Chicago for a tiny vacation and we had so much fun. I kept thinking to myself, "why did we leave?" There is so much to do! and see! and eat!

And then I remembered:

Wow, traffic is UGLY there. But we had so much fun reminiscing, seeing our good friend Maja, driving by our old apartment and a few of my old job sites. It was a fabulous birthday gift for Wade, who turned 30 (really 38--seriously how is life happening so fast? He was 23 when I met him!) September 10.

The girls also had fun at Annaliese's birthday party~~~ she had real, alive ponies! Which the kiddos loved.

Let's continue this epic post with a little soccer update! When I was having quite a heated debate with my friend Ashli and my brother regarding Grace and her "non-interest" in sports, team or otherwise, she decided to sit on the foam cooler and proceed to break it into a million pieces! Good job, Grace. You make your momma proud. Plus, you made me look right, which everyone knows how much I love to be right!

And last, but most definitely not least, Grace had a little, um, accident.

Yeah, she broke her wrist falling off the monkey bars at school.

So, allll that stuff I just reported on! Yeah, it really doesn't apply anymore.

She can still do choir though?!?!??!?! *gulp*

Thank the heavens for school. Do not get me wrong, it has been an amazing summer, but I'm feeling this whole school thing. Here is the first day pic:

And yes, they are BOTH going to Westminster (feel free to send cash) this year. It is slowly and methodically killing me that Sydney is old enough to do this. But, whatever, everyone says that! And technically, this picture was Grace's 2nd day of school, but WHO CARES, right? It's all about the pic.

In other news, our beloved Lily B was almost a "goner"(the words of our vet). She suffered a back injury and actually couldn't walk for 2 days. It was a miserable time. But, alas, church has paid off, and she is going to be okay. She is on doggie bed rest, which is as impossible as it sounds.

And finally, today is our 9th anniversary, Whew! If you are interested in taking a peek down our memory lane, feel free to do so here. Good times I tell ya.

Peace and Love y'all~

californication

The trip was fantastic, the weather was beautiful (even a little chilly) and it was SO GOOD to see my friend Meredith and her kiddos. We had a phenomenal time. Wade and I only had a handful of fights, KIDDING!! It was very relaxing and low stress. Here are some of the highlights.

Sydney: still a little bratty, but overall pretty good. She actually enjoyed the beach this time, LOVED swimming in the heated pool, thought the animals were rad at the zoo and really liked the penguins and Shamu at Seaworld. Although she wanted us to buy her something at EVERY gift shop there, which there a like a bazilion gifts shops, so she heard a lot of "no" that day. Which is good for her.

that is a panda in between them, so cute!!!!!
She didn't get a single nap the entire trip, except this one and it didn't really count, y'know?

Grace: ever the rockstar she declared (same as last year) that she wants to move to San Diego. The child loves all things California.

Boogie Boarding (which I did with her, thank God there are no pictures to prove that!!)

Feeding the Sea Lions

And it just so happens that she got to spend time with a boy that wants to marry her. The cutest boy ever, might I add.

Can't wait til next year....

sassy new do and such

Well, here I am again for my monthly check-in. Grace has been dyyyyying for bangs, so she got her hair did! And here is the result!!

She looks older, but I think it's pretty cute!! And she lurrrrves it!

Sydney has really started growing up this summer, of course we are still dealing with a lot of yelling and whining, but in general she has matured quite a bit. She started her warm-up preschool at Westminster and absolutely loved it! She never cried and actually skipped her little self right in there. Oh the sadness...

She also finally got to participate in Grace's beloved theatre camp last week. She really liked it as well. All week she was telling me that she was going to sing and dance for us. It was sooooo cute and I nearly died. She really got into it and was actually the loudest camper. She and her friend Alys were the youngest ones and they did awesome. More sadness...

Here she is, in all her glory. It's a little long, but you get the general idea. Grace would have NEVER been this vocal. So cute.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
And finally, we are off for our annual San Diego trip tomorrow. WOOHOO!!!!

Wish me luck!!!

numero 3

Happy Birthday to the orneriest, bossiest and most delightful girl I know.

Here's hoping the third year is filled with less whining!

4th 'o July

This year our block partook in the annual July 4th float contest. We did some funny olympic things.

Here is Sydney as an olympic gymnast:

and Grace was an olympic soccer player:

they looked sooooo cute! And it really was very fun and not quite as hot as some years past. Just a mere 90 degrees. Hey, that's good people.

After the parade we had a dog contest at our park. Lily B got the prize for cutest smile! I'm pretty sure she got that last year as well.

And as for fireworks, we had an amazing time watching them at the Sportsman's. The show started at 9:45 and only lasted about 20 minutes. Perfect...

...and priceless!

mid-summerish checkin

It's a summer of highs and lows so far...

Highlight #1: summer is here and Grace continues to want to be entertained at theater camp ALL DAY LONG, just like last year. And I have to say, she was unbelievable in her first performance. Sorry, I don't have any picture or video, which leads me into the...

Lowlight #1:
my purse and all its contents were stolen from my car. Yes, the window was shattered and my precious coach bag, coach wallet, brand spankin new camera, car keys, checkbook,$100 and other important things were ripped from my life forever. And yes, you heard that correctly, the car keys, the ones that could have been inserted into said car and driven off. And yes, the checkbook, with the home address typed on the front. but....

Highlight#2: the next morning an amazing human that is going straight to heaven, found my keys, checkbook, drivers license! and miscellaneous items. The man actually called my bank to report that he had found these things dumped in a trash can. Good people.

Highlight #3:
Sydney is officially pee-pee potty trained. I was always going to try the week of Memorial Day, but she decided to do it on her own the week before. Words cannot describe how exciting this time is. She has only had 1 accident since the last week in May. Seriously amazing. We are working on the poop thing now.

Lowlight #3:
Sydney's anesthesiologist took his own life a couple weeks ago. Apparently he was pretty deep into drugs and alcohol. Good to know.

Highlight #4:
My social/lazy life abruptly ended the first week of June when I was 2nd in charge of the vacation bible school at my church. WOW. It was the busiest I've been in a very long time. When I left around 12:30 everyday, I could have gone home and slept for the rest of the evening. But my kids weren't allowing that. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers--KJ I'm talking to you! I'll be in charge of it next year. Lord, help me. No, really, Lord, I need helppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!

Lowlight #4:
Sydney is still scared of all bugs living on this planet. Upon seeing them they are met with blood curdling screams. Good God child it's a flippin beetle.



Highlight #5:
We were at the park the other day for a fourth of July float meeting, which included some chips,lemonade and random neighborhood children when Sydney shouted at me from across the park, "Mom, is this my birthday party???" Funniest thing I've heard since Grace's wedding observations.



Lowlight:
We decided last minute not to go to the Death Cab for Cutie show in Dallas. Me=Sad.



I believe that wraps it up thus far. So, until the next installment...