HOORAY! We have a closing date! We are closing on both houses next Thursday! It is so nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. Of course, we are just jumping back into another "tunnel" as we begin the building of the new house...but at least it's a different one!
FYI: Brooklyn now refers to her friends as her peeps. You can imagine the laugh I got when she told me "what her and her peeps did at school today." For those of you who are not quite "with" the vocabulary of this generation...peeps is a slang for friends...not just Easter candy!
MATT is excited to say that he just bought his first John Deere riding lawn mower! This will be a lifesaver since we are now mowing acres at a time!
GRANT starts school next Tuesday at the preschool he went to this summer. I went to open house and met his teachers on Monday and they seemed really sweet and friendly. I am looking forward to having those 2 days to get things done and go to aerobics again. The only weird thing is though, they make them take their naps on the floor on a little mat instead of in cribs...!!?? I DON'T see how that is gong to work...but whateva!
As for me...I am just trying to get everything in this house packed into the last few boxes that I have so we can get outta here. We are completely moving out on Monday, so there may be a break in my blogging entries until I can get the internet up and going at Mom and Dad's house. My dad left with his crew from work for Louisiana today to help with the hurricane situation. As you can imagine, most everyone is out of electric around there. Hopefully Matt won't have to go since we have a lot going on right now...but we'll see! Bye ya'll! Hope you have a great hump day!
Is this fast enough posting for you K.? This is a picture from tonight...when we went to our friends house to play Bunco. I promise it wasn't planned, but we both ended up wearing pink and white tonight. Don't we make a cute couple? By the way, I got the first Bunco of the night and got to wear a funny toucan hat.
Okay K. here is a post for you! Ha ha! I haven't been updating much lately because there isn't a whole lot going on. I got some discouraging news today that it could possibly be another two weeks before we can close on our (current) house and get started building the new one! At this point, I am so tired of waiting and thinking that we are SO close only to find out that it's gonna be "another two weeks" that I am about ready to just throw the towel in and say WHATEVER!!!
This is going to be a really busy weekend for us. Tonight we are joining 5 other couples to play Bunco. I am SO looking forward to it, since it has been a really stressful day. Plus, it will be SO fun to have some time with people over the age of 5!
Tomorrow we are hoping to get most of our stuff moved into the storage building so that we won't have to do so much at the last minute---whenever that might be! ha ha I have almost everything packed except for the stuff we have to have to live day-to-day.
Sunday is our day to bring breakfast for our Sunday School class AND will also be my first day to volunteer in Grant's class at church. Then when we get home from church, we are planning to take the kids to the water park. This is the last day of the season that they are open and this will be our 4th time to attempt going. If it rains on Sunday...I will know it is not meant for us to ever go there! Also on Sunday is the 50% off sale at JBF that I was hoping to go to with my friend, Jaye...although, as I sit here typing this..I just don't see how I am gonna crunch all that into one day.
On a more positive note, Matt's little sister, Tara, is getting married next June and she has asked me to be a bridesmaid! I am really excited. She said the dresses will be lime green and lemon yellow. She has extraordinary taste so I know they will be beautiful.
Another thing we are SO excited about is welcoming back our friend and babysitter, Kendra. She has been in CA for the summer with her family and will be back next weekend to attend another year of bible college. We have really missed her this summer and can't wait to have her back with us!
Lastly, I am going to include a couple of pictures from last weekend. We went to see my niece, Rachael, get her final graduation pinning. She is a REAL respiratory therapist now! Woo-hoo! Way to go, Rach!! I am SO proud of you!
Okay...that's all for now folks!
Okay, so today was the third time we have tried to go to the water park that it rained! I am beginning to wonder if it's just not meant to be. It's crazy. When we got up this morning it was clear, bright and sun-shiny, so we put on our suits, packed our towels and got ready to go...when all of a sudden out of nowhere...it started pouring. Well, we ended up getting a babysitter and deciding to go to lunch and go pick up our new table and chairs that we ordered. We ate at the Elephant Bar and it was really good. I got a Philly cheese-steak sandwich and Matt got the Shrimp Adventure which had 3 kinds of shrimp, stir-fried veggies, and a salad. Then we shared a monstrous brownie thing for dessert which wasn't nearly as good as it looked..but still..satisfied our sweet tooth. Anyway, after lunch we went to get the table. It wasn't raining anymore and looked pretty clear. But, of course, as soon as we drove away with all of the stuff in our truckbed, it started pouring---and poured the whole way home. Such is life...I guess. So my new motto is "When life gives you rain---take a nap!"
This is Brooklyn with one of her first and best friends of her life. His name is Trey. Isn't he adorable? He's only 5 and he's already a hunk! They have been friends since they were about 1 1/2 years old. Brooklyn says she's "gonna marry him." I guess we'll see!?!?
I am beginning to wonder if I am not the equivalent of a skitzofrenic in the hair world. I change hair colors and styles about every other week. Whatever, though...it keeps things interesting for my hubby....one night he's with a brunette, the next night he gets to be with a blonde! Ha Ha!
Saturday Grant turned 15 months old and today was his well-child-check at the doctor's office. He weighed 22 pounds and was 31 1/2 inches long! This put him at the 25th percentile for his weight and the 70th percentile for his height. He's tall and thin...just like his daddy's side of the family. Too bad we can't all have that build! Anyhow, he got 2 shots today and took em' like a man. He hardly even cried...just a few little whimpers. He was probably just trying to show off for his daddy who came along this time! Ha Ha! He is also cutting 7 teeth right now! (4 molars, 2 incisors and one of his front, bottom teeth) You'd never know it though...he hasn't been fussy at all. The doctor was very sympathetic for him...saying his mouth must really be hurting...but he hasn't acted like it that we could tell. Once these are all in...this will give him a total of 13 teeth! Well, anyway...for all you Grant-Fan's out there....these are his latest stats! Love you all! J.
Brooklyn ended up coming with us. She LOVES hotels and I couldn't stand the thought of her missing out on the fun. The girl in the yellow is my niece, Toni. She is such a cutie. The one in the pink is my sister, Stephanie. She is such a sweetie...she is the reason we even got to have this fun night! Thanks Steph for paying for everything! 
Tonight my sister and my niece are coming in from Dallas and we are getting a hotel and having a Girls Night Out! YAHOO! Boy have I needed this! It was totally spur of the moment (like most things I do) but it seems to have worked out pretty well. The only problem is that Matt is staying home with the kids but we are almost certain he is going to get called out to work since we are having 60 mph winds and rain and possibly hail....so since he'll have the kids, I guess he won't get to go in..which stinks because Sunday's are double time. Anyhow, I am just waiting on her to get here now and then I'm Outta Here! I will take my camera and take some pictures of us having fun! Ciao!
Okay..so Brooklyn went to her new school today and she loved it. There was much less anxiety involved than yesterday...and it was a positive experience for both of us. It's going to take some getting used to--her going to school every day now (instead of only on Tuesday's and Thursday's) but I think it is going to be great for both of us. She said the cutest thing to me the other day out of the blue, she said, "Mom, I wouldn't sell you for any other mom in the whole world." Isn't that sweet? It's comments like that, that make it all worth it!
By the way...while we are on the subject of school...if any of you don't currently collect Box Tops for Education off of General Mills products...will you start saving them for us? We have 329 so far (I've been saving for about a year) and I'd like to get as many as we can so that when they take them up at the school...we can shock their socks off!
Well, that's about all for now, folks....goodnight!
Ps. We watched "Because of Winn Dixie" tonight....it was a really cute family movie...we definitely suggest it. It has a sweet, touching story.
Today was the open house for Brooklyn's new school. She is starting Pre-K at the public elementary tomorrow. She is totally fine with all this...but me...I'm not. School wasn't a particularly fun thing for me until about my junior year in high school. I always had major insecurity and felt inferior. It's been such a long time since I was in any kind of school, I thought I had outgrown all that...but today walking into that school....all those feelings came rushing back at me. I felt panicky because I couldn't find the right classroom and nervous about meeting all the new kids/parents. I was nervous that teacher wouldn't like me and I didn't feel as "cool" as all the other moms. Isn't that silly? It's not even me going to school...and I am still having all these crazy emotions. I just hope I don't rub off on Brooklyn. She is so much more confident than I ever was as a child and I definitely do not want to mess that up.
Also, running through my mind was the fact that up until now she has been attending Christian school...where they have Bible stories every day, don't promote things like monsters and goblins at Halloween and don't celebrate imaginary icons like santa and the Easter bunny. Everything there is focused on God...which we LOVE. Now that she'll be in public school...we won't have that anymore..plus, I don't like it that she is surrounded by bigger kids now instead children the same age or younger than her. Maybe I am just being an over-protective mom...but if you have a child entering school or have ever had..then I bet you have felt these same things. I mean, she's only 4...that seems so young to be out in the public world to fend for herself. Thank GOD.. for His protective angels that guard over us at all times! I don't know how people who don't know Christ can get through things like this. I'd be a nervous wreck. Well, anyhow, I guess I should try to get some sleep. It's gonna be a big day tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes. If you have any advice for me....I'd sure appreciate it. Sometimes I feel like a big kid trying to raise these little kids. I don't feel old enough and certainly not qualified enough to make these decisions regarding their futures! So if you've "been there" and "done that", tell me what worked for you! K? Thanks! Nighty night 2 U all!
The party was at Hunter Park...a really fun sprinkler park. The kids had a blast getting all wet and then busted open a "Cinderella" pinata and had "Princess" cake. It was a fun time! In the center of the picture you see, Jordan, Brooklyn and Luca, the birthday girl. They are all good buddies.
Originally our plans were to take the kids to the Muskogee water park today (Matt was going to take a vacation day) but thanks to our CRAZY weather in Oklahoma, we had a "storm" yesterday that kept my hubby at work for 26 hours straight. He got home at 6 am this morning and ended up sleeping until 3:00 this afternoon---at which time it started to "storm" again. I say "storm" because around here, if we get a lightening flash and a sprinkle or two, AEP calls it a storm! I wonder what the people in Florida who have suffered through those hurricanes would think of us calling our 15 minutes of rain a storm??? Anyway, don't know where that came from....but needless to say...we didn't make it to the water park. I guess there's always tomorrow.
Today Grant got his very first professional haircut. He looks like such a big boy now. All that wispy baby hair is now nice and neat and straight. I'll try to get a picture in the next day or two so you can all see. I also colored my hair today--back to boring old brown. I love having highlights --but my hair grows so fast that I'd be at the salon spending $75 every month and a half if I kept up with it.
Tonight Matt and I went and picked out a new dining room table and chairs. We had to special order it, so it will take 4-6 weeks for it to come in (which is fine with us since we don't have a house yet anyway). It is SO COOL though! It is taller than a normal table and a little shorter than a bar. It is a perfect square and it is a medium finish wood with a sort-of black stain rubbed over it. It is really funky and VERY unique. It also has a gorgeous buffet that goes with it that we are getting too. I am really excited. The best part is...we got it for a fraction of what we thought we were going to have to spend!!! YEAH!
I also bought Brooklyn a cute little chandelier for her new room today. How many 4-year-olds do you know who would BEG (literally) for a chandelier in their room? She is so ahead of her years, it's crazy. At 2 she was asking for a TV, at 3 for a DVD/CD player and at 4, she wants a chandelier and to re-do her room like a picture she picked out from a Pottery Barn TEEN magazine. I just have to wonder, if she is like this at 4...what is she going to be like at 14?
Thank goodness for God's promise that He never gives us more than we can handle!
Hope you have a great weekend with lots of play, little work and no stress!
This poem was written by a little girl, don't know her name. She has cancer and has only been given 6 months to live. She has such a better grasp on "priorities" than I seem to...so I wanted to share it with you all!
SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
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