Fishin' Fun

A very dear friend got onto me this weekend for my lack of posting (Hey, Ashlie!  Love you!), and she is exactly right!  I've let life happen and I've not documented it well.  BOO.  This weekend was chock full of great fun and memories! 

Ellie and her Daddy did not let the yucky, dreary, rainy weather stop them from coming over for some fishing fun.  Molly got right in the middle of the mix, too, and they had a great time fishing together.

Ellie is quite the serious fisherman.  Patient?  Not at all.  After less than twenty minutes, she was huffing and puffing and saying, "dis hahd wuk, B."

Molly wanted to "do it", too, so she got a quick lesson from her second favorite man, Uncle Brian!

Fishing soon became a team effort for the girls, and they loved every second of it!

And, as with any fishing story, they almost caught a big one, but he got away. 

True Story.

There's always next time.

Happy Birthday, Ellie Grace!

Her actual birthday isn't for a couple of weeks, but we celebrated Ellie's 3rd birthday this weekend, and it was so much fun! 

Jennifer definitely channeled her inner craftiness for the whole party!  She did a fantastic job, and everything was just precious!  Lots of Ellie's friends from church and the neighborhood came, and they had plenty to play with!

Along with a bouncy house, plenty of riding toys, a wagon and side walk chalk, there was the Ring Toss Game....

and a Beanbag Toss Game...

But I think it's safe to say the best toy of all was Ellie's gift from her parents, Abby. 

Abby is a 12 week old shih tzu, and she is the most patient dog ever.  Ellie puts this poor dog in her baby doll stroller, in the high chair, wherever she can!  The kids definitely loved playing with Abby, and the big kids loved one her, too!

Ellie's friends gave her some great gifts, and Ellie had tons of fun opening them!  I'm not so such, though, she really appreciated the help of her friend!  Ellie's face makes me laugh!

Molly had a great time, too! I told y'all she's a Daddy's girl these days....

And everyone left with these fun favors to enjoy later!  What a great way to keep the party going!!



What a fun party!  Happy Birthday, Eleanor Grace!



Cooking with Ellie

Ellie and I had a little fun in the kitchen this morning.  We made some fun Halloween treats, and Ellie loved every second of being the cook!

She watched as each ingredient was poured into the big mixing bowl....

And she was super serious about watching the mixer do it's thing....

Aunt B may or may not have shown her the best part of cooking. I think her chocolate batter mustache gives it away...

Sweet Ellie was so proud of her work set out on the cookie sheet...

Yep, she definitely learned the best part of cooking is enjoying a little batter....

And then, we got to roll the cookies in sprinkles!  "Fun, Hay-o-ween Spinkles" according to the chef!

There was one little turkey who was Not. At. All. excited about our cooking fun....

Poor Molly pouted and cried the entire time we cooked!?!

Ellie, being the determined, dedicated, experienced chef that she is, was not deterred by little Molly's cries. She powered through, enjoying the fruits of her labor....

And here's the proud chef with her treats!

So, as Chef Ellie would say, "Happy Hay-o-ween, Y'all!"

Park Fun

I took the girls to the park in Jenn and Brian's neighborhood yesterday.  They absolutely love climbing all over everything and swinging.  It's so precious to watch them play together!

We played on the slide. . . 

We played on the swing. . .

We played peek-a-boo. . . 

And we played in a tree. . . 

And the girls were worn out by the time we left.  So worn out that Ellie had to stop and "rest a minute.  Hot, B" on our way home.  Mind you, her house is a stone's throw from the park.  Bless her dramatic little heart!

It's days like yesterday that I just don't want to end. That's the good stuff, for sure.

Ellie the Make Up Queen

It all started with painting her toesies....

And quickly turned into a make up party I obviously had no control over....

Apparently Ellie is a fan of the Mike Tyson look!!!

And it's just 9am.  Looks like this is gonna be a DAY, y'all!  If you need me, I'll be scrubbing make up off a certain little girl's face! 

Moments to Cherish

Every day is full of moments that take my breath away.  Moments that I want to freeze and savor for years to come.  I absolutely love being at home with Molly.  There's nothing like it, and it's a gift I cherish every single day. 

Having Ellie with us a couple of days a week is just the icing on the cake.  Ellie has a zest for life that is contagious.  Her smiles are infectious and she is such a lively little girl!

One of our favorite things to do is take wagon rides.  Both girls start out in the wagon while I pull them up and down the street. 

Pretty soon after we start our ride, Ellie decides she wants to "wak".  So, she hops out to help pull Molly in the wagon.  We march.  We run.  We walk backwards.  We jump up the street.  Ellie loves every single step!

And then we find dandelions!  And oh, my, does Ellie get excited!  Girlfriend loves to blow some dandelions!

Blow it and make a wish, Ellie!

Keep blowing!

Great job!

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."  ~ Buddha

Lesson Learned

On St. Patricks Day, the Chick fil a in town offered free green ice cream to patrons wearing green.  We headed over after Bible Study for some chicken, time on the wee (what Ellie calls any playground), and fun with friends.

Now.  I'm a newbiew when it comes to things like this.  I just have one child, and she's 9 months old.  Yes, I keep Ellie a few days a week, and on those days we usually don't venture out for fear I'll lose my mind in the process.  I'm a chicken, I know.

So, taking both girls to Chick fil a after a morning at church is brave in itself.  Throw in the added excitement of free ice cream, and you've got yourself an interesting time to be had.

Maybe my first clue was Molly crying as we parked.  She was hungry, and I knew that.  I actually put the car in reverse, about to make my getaway as I saw my friend park.  I calmed down and pepped myself up for a fun time.

Heavens to betsy. . .  the trip involved a spilled drink that busted a cup and had sprite spewing all on the back of Molly, a CFA employee getting onto me for trying to clean up the sprite spill with napkins, Molly choking on a piece of carrot, Ellie going MIA in the playground for a minute or two (long enough to send this frazzled momma / aunt into a tailspin), my crawling under the chair and booth searching for Molly's bow and snacks.  And fun.  Loads of fun.

I would've never made it without my sweet friends who were there to help me and encourage me and promise me everything was going to be okay.  Even though I was sure we were tearing that poor restaurant apart.

We left full, fat and tired.  Or so I thought.  Both girls were WIRED.  It took a good 45 minutes to get Ellie calmed down enough to nap.  Molly?  She didn't nap for 2 more hours.

Which meant I never had both girls napping at the same time.

Whew!

Just when I think I might lose my mind, I'm greeted with this precious grin....

And this sassy little face....

And I am reminded that I have the best job in all of the world.  What a blast!

P.S. ~ Note to self:  Don't go ordering a salad when eating with both girls in a crazy busy place like CFA.  It's not even feasible to think you'll be able to use utensils and eat like a normal adult. 

The Good Stuff

I keep my niece, Ellie, on the days my sister works.  That typically means two days a week I have her. 

It's so much fun!  Ellie's no stranger to HappyascanB, and she will be two on Thanksgiving Day.  Full of personality, spunk, and love, Ellie has a zest for life that her aunt envies. 

She's also a wee bit mischevious.  Recently she got into my jewelry and came bounding down the hall with bracelets stacked all the way up her arm!  She was holding the necklace in her hand and couldn't wait for me to put it around her neck! 

Once I stopped giggling, I captured a few pictures for memory's sake. 

Oh how I love that precious little girl!  And I'm certainly not the only one who loves our days together.  Molly absolutely lights up when she sees Ellie!  Watching the two of them look at each other and giggle just makes my heart want to explode with love! 

Molly is really digging her exercauser these days.  She looks so big in it to me! 

It's these days, full of hugs, slobbery kisses, dirty diapers, spit ups and snacks that I find myself overwhelmed with pure gratitude that this is the life God's given me.  I often send Tim texts as simple as "thank you for working so hard so I can be home with MM every day!"  It's just better than I ever imagined!  Bless him for working so very hard to provide for our family of three!  I thank God for him always!

This afternoon held one of those precious moments that came out of nowhere but held feelings so special I never want to forget it.  Ellie was napping, and Molly had just woken up from a nap.  While changing Molly's diaper, I accidentally tickled the bottom of her foot.  She giggled a belly giggle that was one of the most precious sounds I've ever heard!  Wondering if it was an accident, I tickled her foot again and got the same precious reaction! 

And then, while on a high from my baby girl's precious little giggles, she proceeded to pass gas in a way that would make anyone in the room blush.  It was unreal! 

As I was laughing about that, she began laughing at me.  My heart absolutely melted, and as I picked her up, I was absolutely overcome with pure joy.  Unreserved gratitude.  Unbelievable love. 

There we stood, my 5-month-old blessing and me, in the middle of her nursery.  For just a moment the world stopped as I held her closely, swayed back and forth and praised my Heavenly Father for giving me the incredible honor of being her mother.  Tears streamed down my face during that amazing moment.  I never want to forget it.  Ever.

And all of this, every single bit of it, is the good stuff.





A Letter to Ellie

Dear Eleanor Grace,


You are 18 months old today! Your Aunt B is crazy in love with you, and I cannot believe how quickly you’ve grown! Just last night, I got out the bassinette you laid in when you were a newborn to get ready for Baby Molly, and your mommy and I exchanged gushy text messages that went something like this:

Aunt B: Bassinette is in our room! I just emailed you a picture!

Your Mommy: Beautiful! It makes me tear up! I can’t believe it’s almost here!

Aunt B: Awe, I feel like it was just last week Ellie was in it!

Your Mommy: So do I! Our little girls are gonna have SO much fun together!

You may not completely understand it now, but you and Molly surely will have so much fun together over the years. She’ll be like a sister to you, I’m sure of it. And if you two are anything like your mommy and me, well. . . . . you’ll have a blast together throughout your life!

I oftentimes look at you and wonder how I could possibly love you more! Your little mind is constantly expanding, and you are so very curious about everything. Just this weekend, you spent some time with Aunt B and Uncle Tim. We were swinging away while Uncle Tim was working in the flower beds. You were quite interested in all the digging he was doing. I was trying my best to get a good picture of your cheesy grin you sometimes show. I asked you where your smile was, and the picture below shows you really were not interested in showing your big smile, but you obliged. I love how your eyes are glued to your Uncle Tim. You sure do love him!

You love to eat, too! I often say you get that from me and not your skinny mother! While you were here Sunday, you went straight to our cabinets where you know we keep snacks you can enjoy. I pulled out a pretzel rod, and you shook your head no and kept pointing. Problem? I gave you part of a pretzel rod. You? Wanted an entire rod, thankyouverymuch. And they’re big!

Your Lovie (that’s my mom!) and I are both constantly teaching you how to sound out our names. Who would’ve ever thought “B” would be hard? I make the sound over and over and over again. Most of the time you respond with “Ball!” Lovie has worked tirelessly to get you to say Lovie, starting with the “La” sound. That was all well and good until you recently pointed to your Aunt LaLa (Lovie’s best bud) and said her name big as day while we can’t get you to say our names for anything! And, of course, Aunt La La was pleased as punch!

Ellie Grace, your Uncle Tim and I love you so very much, and we pray God will constantly protect and guide you all the days of your life. So very thankful He entrusted you to your Mommy and Daddy and that we can be a small part of your precious, precious life.

Love you dearly,

Your Aunt B

My New Running Coach

I went for a run Sunday afternoon with Ellie, and let me assure you, she is my newest running coach! It was the first time she'd been in her running stroller, and while she might look a little unsure of what's shakin' here, I assure you she loved it!

Sorry the quality is pretty bad; I took this on my phone and on the move! So, what makes this precious little girl my newest running coach? Because while running, she'd laugh and jabber away. But when her Aunt B slowed to a walk, Ellie was pushing her little head forward, moving her feet and grunting, "Uhh, uhh," doing whatever she could to get me to run again!

And if you know anything at all about this Aunt B, it's that I do whatever I can to make Ellie Grace smile. . . .

Probably why I'm still tired and sore two days later!

This ‘n That. . . And I Know He Di’ennn

It has really been one of those weeks. I’ve been so busy lately, I can’t believe it’s already Friday. So, in light of my busyness and my mind going here there and yonder, I’m giving you guys a good dose of this ‘n that.

First, check out my new button! I'm not sure how to get html text to it yet, but Christina over at Pooh's Corner held a great giveaway and gave me my own button! I heart it! Thanks, Christina!

I’ve really been thinking this week about being a Godly woman, being held accountable by others and holding others accountable. But I’m feeling like there’s a really thin line between holding others accountable and being self righteous or looking like a holier than thou girl. No? I really don’t have my thoughts together on this yet, but I do intend to do some studying and praying about this. Stay tuned for a post of that nature. I believe some of you might be my best resources for what I’m thinking and trying to figure out.

On a much lighter note. . .

I love summer time! I love driving to work and feeling the warmth of the sun through the windows of the car at an early hour. Fresh fruits are the yummiest! I love 8pm and still being able to be outside. I love the sound the crickets make at night. Lightning bugs take me back to my childhood. Ferns. There’s nothing like some good ole’ southern ferns to make a house a home. I love sitting in the sun. Beach time is my ultimate favorite. I love grilling out and having a nice dinner outside with fresh veggies, a glass of wine or a cold corona with lime. Is it just me or is beer better in the summertime?

Many of the blogs I read have been talking about creative ways to entertain the kids during the summer months. My cousin, who I’ve blogged about before, has these cool Family Nights at her house. Where she comes up with the themes, I have no idea. She’s so creative! Last night’s theme was top notch! I encourage you to check it out for ideas and details! The best part to me was that she spent very little on the supplies. Well, that’s a great part. The best part? Great family time making memories they’ll cherish forever! I pray anxiously for the baby they’re to adopt from Korea. What a blessing that awaits!!

Yesterday, I went to lunch with my sister and Ellie. Ellie was a complete ham! She laughed it up and carried on so much! Aunt B gave Ellie her first taste of lemon, and she LOVED it. I’m honestly not sure if it was really the taste of it or the fact that the cold felt good to her teething gums. But she couldn’t get enough of that lemon! As we were waiting to check out, we were standing in line with booths of folks on both sides of us. We were eating at Between the Bread (for you local readers, you know what I’m talking about), and it’s a very popular lunch spot. And crowded. People were all smiling and talking about how cute Ellie is (DUH!!!), and Ellie just hammed it up! She was kicking her chubby little legs, smiling and talking away to everyone. This couple behind us in line who were obviously traveling (thick European accents) were also chatting with us and Ellie.

All was well until the man behind us says, “She’s quite a hussy, isn’t she?”

The World Stopped.

WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?

He said it again! And Again! Jenn and I both had the dumbest looks on our faces. Then his wife chimed in, “Yes, she is a little hussy! We have two hussies at home!”

Can someone please enlighten us dumb southern girls on what in the heck he meant? Because if “hussy” to him is the same as it is for us, I’m going to track down his European self and kick . . . . . don’t mess with Aunt B’s Ellie.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

Aunt B Brags

I've been a little MIA this week, and I'm sorry! I had to go to a meeting out of town one day, which made for two really busy days at work. And today, I'm still a little behind, but I just can't resist: I gotta show off my precious niece! Here are some pics of Ellie on her first beach trip!

Welcome to E's humble oceanside abode . She greets you at the door with her favorite rattle in hand!

She's been preparing for your visit, as you'll see below. She's hard at work. . . . what, with the lifting and moving of the tent floor!! Every lady needs a sun hat, folks. We must protect our faces to maintain our true peaches and cream complexion!!

Not only is she the hostess with the mostest, but she also works the crowd, keeping smiles coming from all direction.

This is just a priceless picture to me. She truly loves her Daddy (my BIL). Look at that smile! And I love how her little hand is just below his cheek. Pure Admiration!

They had a ball at the beach, and at the pool as well. Ellie loved being pulled around the water in her pink boat!

Aunt B is ready for a beach trip herself!!! Aren't you?

Thankful Monday

So it’s not necessarily a catchy title, but it’s Monday and I’m thankful, so there you have it. I’m very thankful for a number of things today:

• Your encouragement and your support in the comments about my last post are appreciated more than you can know. I am so thankful for the insight some of you shared, for the additional scriptures you pointed me to, and the grace you all reminded me of! Tim said it best Thursday night, when I broke down over so much of it. Tim said, “B, we know the truth, and that’s all that matters!” Praise God it is!

• Our new lawnmower! The old one just kicked the bucket, so Tim spent Saturday researching online and visiting every Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sears, Sam’s in town. Thankfully we found the much desired mower (it had to have a Honda engine!?!?). It sounds like it runs like a top, but Tim cut the grass so I’ve not yet used it first-hand. Oh but I will. . . . I love cutting the grass!

• Belle finally completed her round of antibiotics. I never did post about the dogs escaping and Belle’s return home costing us $250 (or did I?). Her pink bandage has been removed, her stitches are gone, and her meds are completed! She’s back to her old self! YAY!

• The chance to watch Lawson play tee-ball Friday night. What a hoot! Imagine twenty four-year-olds all crammed in the infield of a baseball diamond. Some are throwing their glove in the air to see if they can catch it. One might decide he’s tired and lay down for a brief nap. Another little boy might decide he needs his Pop. Right. Now. (That was Lawson!) Imagine a pitiful mom realizing she’s not sure where her son is, only to find him in the wrong dugout. Dads and Moms alike are sprinkled throughout these kids encouraging them to hit the ball! catch the ball! throw it to first! and anything else imaginable. Only then have you begun to begin to imagine this fantastic, fun time!

• We also got to watch Lawson’s little sister, Bella, walk! She is sportin’ it all over the place! So cute!

• We have a new red door! Pictures to come, but it’s still under construction (Thanks, Tim!). We decided on Posh Red, and I just know it’s gonna be killer cute!!!

• A great dinner with Brian and Ellie Friday night while Jenn was working. Granted, Ellie refused to eat any of her squash from her Aunt B, but we got lots of giggles, smiles, coos and laughs! That little booger was wide eyed and bushy tailed when they left at 9! She heard she was headed to Lovie’s for a slumber party, I suppose.

*Please say a quick prayer for my friend, Jodi. She lost her Bible yesterday, and given the path she’s walked thus far in life, it was laden with notes, highlights, scripture references, and such. She’s so upset over losing it. But we’re hoping someone found it and will return it to the church’s lost and found.

*Why do people always have to enunciate intranet like this: in-TRA-net? Really? I mean why can’t we just say intranet like we say internet?