Easter

"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”  ~ Matthew 28:5 - 7

What a special time Easter is.  I absolutely love celebrating our Risen Savior!  Church yesterday was flat out incredible.  Nothing like it!  We had a busy week last week celebrating Easter to the fullest!

I took tons of pictures of Molly and Ellie. . . 

Ellie and her basket from Aunt B, T and Molly

Our sweetest one

Sweet Ellie always helping Molly

We also went to an Egg Hunt at my dear friend's house.  It was just awesome!  Amy is a little Martha Stewart, really, so I knew the hunt would be amazing!  There were not only eggs everywhere, but the kids also heard the Resurrection Story through Resurrection Eggs.  The true meaning of Easter was impressed onto their precious hearts that day in the midst of fun egg hunting!

The Group ready to hunt!

Listening to the Resurrection Story

Wrapped tightly like Jesus' body was wrapped in the tomb

The kids broke out of their toilet paper and yelled, "He's alive!"  It was precious!

A woman after my own heart. . . Annalyn snuck away from her mom telling the Resurrection Story and broke into Harrison's eggs!

Sweet Ali was such a big help with the little girls.  Ali was a program attendant in mine and Tim's wedding!  I've watched her grow into a beautiful teenager, and I just love her precious heart and sweet spirit!

Even Molly listened to the Resurrection Story!

The girls had a complete ball at the hunt!  We had a picnic after the hunt and the kids played for a long while!  I had to beg Ellie to leave as it was nap time for both girls.  Ellie was having soooo much fun!  On the way home, Ellie asked for her window to be rolled down.  She loves to feel the wind blowing in her face!  We were about a quarter of a mile from her house when we stopped at a stop light.  Ellie started saying, "Shoe!  Shoe!"  I looked and she just had one sandal in her hand. I asked Ellie where her other sandal was and she just pointed to the window.  We got home and my fear was confirmed:  she only had one sandal.  I asked again where her sandal was, and she looked out her window like it would still be there.  I asked her if she threw it out the window, and she said, "Uh huh!"  so proudly!?!?!  Oh jeez!

I broke the news to her mommy who was so very sad.  They were the cutest sandals.  So. . .  after naptime, I loaded the girls up to go on the hunt for the wayward sandal.  

And I'm so happy to report I found it!

Sunday morning, we just took a few pictures of sweet Molly before we left for church.

Sweet girl with her basket of goodies

Molly Miller

I certainly hope y'all had a very happy Easter, too!  He is risen!  He is risen indeed! 





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

Molly ~ 10 Months Old

Our Dearest Molly,

You are ten months old!  TEN MONTHS!  Goodness gracious, I just cannot believe it!  You are one happy baby, and we cannot get enough of your giggles, laughs, smiles and toothy grins!

This month you have really started moving around.  But you're still not crawling!?!?!  Nope, instead you can turn all the way around while sitting on your bottom using your feet.  You move quickly that way, and your Lovie calls it your own sit 'n spin!  You've been rolling over, but just in the last week or so, you've realized you can roll to get to where you want to go.  You also just have started sitting up on your own from a laying position.  Now each time you wake up, you start crying and when I come get you, you're sitting up big as day in your crib.  And each time, you break out the biggest grin!  It's the best!  We think you're really close to crawling, and your Daddy and I are pretty sure you did a little tiny bit of a crawl this morning!

Speaking of your Daddy, you are crazy about him!  When he comes in the door from work, you just light up! Your little legs start going and your arms are moving all around like you just cannot contain your excitement! 

You are also pretty crazy about your cousin Ellie!  Y'all are the best of friends and have "conversations" often.  Those conversations get pretty intense with all of the squealing and giggling you two do.  It's priceless!

You eat pretty well, eating just about anything we give you.  If only your Mama were a little braver about giving you different foods to try!?!!?  I'm working on that, though, I promise.  Meanwhile, you're eating anything you can put in your mouth.  I have to keep the floors swept and vacuumed because you are forever grabbing anything you can and putting it into your mouth.  Just this week I've fished out a leave, a tiny stick, part of some old flooring (I think that's what it was) and the like out of your mouth.  YUCK!

So I won't forget, this month was the toughest month yet to get a good smile out of you for this picture.  People often say, "she is always so happy!  She always smiles!"  I just grin and agree, knowing full well there are usually a few of these what-are-you-doing-crazy-woman-faces among all the pictures I snap trying to get a good ole' toothy grin.

Or the pictures where I give you a toy to try to get a smile, and you promptly put it right in your mouth.

And then there's this picture where I figured your Daddy would be able to get you to smile, and you went right on and stood up beside him and gave me this look like, "yep, I did it.  Whatcha gonna say, mama?"

I know I say it all the time, but each day truly is better than the day before with you.  Your Daddy and I love you more than words could ever express, and we are so very thankful for you, precious one!

Happy 10 Months, Molly Miller!

ABCs of Me

I've seen this a couple of times in blogland, and my new blog friend Kelly recently did it.  I figured it would be fun, so here goes!

(A) Age: 31. . . man that sounds old!

(B) Bed Size: Queen

(C) Chore You Hate: Cleaning showers and tubs.  I will scrub a toilet any day over cleaning the showers.  How weird is that?!?!?

(D) Dogs?:  We have two!  Belle is our black lab, and she's a sweet 6 year old.  Buddy is our mutt.  He's 14, can't see or hear well but is full of spunk when he gets back from being groomed!

(E) Essential Start Your Day Item:  A Diet Ginger Ale usually does the trick!

(F) Favorite Color: These days I'm digging yellow!

(G) Gold or Silver? Any of it!  Depends on what I'm wearing and my mood.  I wear both!

(H) Height: 5'3"

(I) Instruments You Play: Ha!  Nothing, really.  I took piano lessons for a few years when I was little.  I also was a band nerd for a few years; I played the clarinet.  But the thought of a reed in my mouth today makes my toes curl.  Ick!

(J) Job Title: Chief Operating Office of the Slocum House.  Best. Job. Ever.

(K) Kids: Miss Molly Miller!

(L) Live: Macon, Ga.

(M) Mom's Name: Jan

(N) Nicknames: I answer to B more than I do Bethany.  Thus the title of my blog! :)  When I was growing up, my momma called me Beffie Jill or BJ some.  I also had a good friend call me Beezers.

(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? When I was 29 weeks pregnant and showing signs of preterm labor I stayed two nights.  Then I stayed two nights when Molly was born.  That's it!

(P) Pet Peeve: The improper use of the apostrophe.  Seems people these days think a plural word needs an apostrophe.  It drives me batty! 
(Q) Quote from a Movie: "I love you more than my luggage!"  ~Clairee to Ouiser, Steel Magnolias
(R) Right or Left Handed? Lefty
(S) Siblings: My baby sisser, Jenn
(T) Time You Wake Up? Lately it's been 6 - 7am, depending on when Molly wakes up

(U) Underwear: Yep, I wear them!  :)
(V) Vegetable You Dislike: cooked carrots.  Ick.

(W) What Makes You Run Late: I always underestimate the time it will take to get us ready and out the door with Molly in tow!
(X) X-Rays You've Had Done: I once had a sinus xray for some random reason!?!?!

(Y) Yummy Food You Make: I recently made the strawberry cream cheese pound cake on the cover of last month's Southern Living magazine.  YUM!

(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: I'm always amazed at elephants!

That was fun!

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. 

Molly's 9 Months Old

My, my, my. . . I just can't believe Molly's 9 months old!

Molly is 16 pounds, 12 ounces (25th percentile) and is 28 inches long (90th percentile).  She eats well and has warmed up to some finger foods.  She will finally eat some puffs and just has learned she loves cinnamon toast, bananas, cheerios and english peas.

Molly's personality is in full bloom!  She chatters all the time and is quite the little drama queen.  She often fusses and coughs just to see what your reaction will be. 

And my goodness the child is nosey.  She will crane her neck in order to see what's going on around her in a red hot minute!  She is very perceptive and checks everything out.

Some of Molly's favorite toys these days are her blocks, her name puzzle, a musical bear (she prefers the drums) and anything in her little toy box.  She wants everything OUT of her box and will spend all her time pulling things out.

Molly and Ellie are best buds and typically squeal back and forth all day long.  It's the cutest thing to hear them "talk" back and forth. 

We attempted to have Molly's 9 month pictures last weekend, and after no more than 15 minutes, the session was deemed a bust.  Molly was tired, and she was fussy.  But we did get this one gem before rescheduling.

I think that picture's going to be tough to beat in the make-up session!

Happy 9 months, sweet Molly Miller!  We love you to the moon and back!

Sweetest Time

"As (we) were snuggling. . .  I breathed in a little,

'this must be like Heaven.'"

~ Jan Denise

The 6:00 hour each evening is typically my very favorite.  And that's true this Sunday as we find ourselves winding down from another busy day that's been full of family and fun.  Molly's no night owl, so she also heads to bed during the 6:00 hour.  And usually, when she's been down for no more than thirty minutes, I miss her already!  How could you not miss this precious face!

But before she goes to bed, we have lots of snuggle time with her. Tonight I grabbed the camera to capture some special moments we'll want to remember forever!

Molly loves to snuggle with her Daddy!  I'm not sure who enjoys this sweet time more:  Molly, her Daddy or me!

'Cause that?  That right there? That's the good stuff, y'all!

So, what's your favorite time of day?