Mother's Day!

A few years ago Mother's Day took on a whole new meaning. Don't get me wrong, I always enjoyed Mother's Day and wanted to make sure that my Mom, Grandma's, Sister, etc. knew how much I loved them and what wonderful Mother's I thought they were, but once I became a Mom, this Holiday quickly shot it's way into the Top 5 on my Holiday list!-ha!

I was blessed with the World's Best Mother. Hand's down, I know she is! (and many would agree with me:) My Mom has ALWAYS put her kids first, even though we now take a back seat to the Grandkids-ha!, that is the way it will always be with Mom...Family First. Her family is her life. Even as a bratty teenager, I recognized this. I figure that if I can be just half the Mom that my Mom is, then I will do a good job. She taught me that the most important thing in life is to recognize and be grateful for your blessings, take nothing and no time for granted, and to enjoy every minute with the ones you love. I vividly remember sitting in the rocker with Abby when she was just days old thinking, 'My goodness, once upon a time my Mom sat and did this with me, she took care of my every need just like this.' You don't realize how selfLESS Mother's are until you become one. Now that I have the girls, I totally get it. Now I know why my Mom cried at every recital, every awards banquet, every graduation and every thing else I did-ha!. Now I know why Mom would drop everything and come if I needed her (even if I was hours away at college). Now I know why Mom talked endlessly, bragging to anyone that would listen about her family and her kids and her grandkids. Now I know why she makes sure she misses nothing, why she will drive all the way here to keep my girls for the night and then turn around the next morning and drive through 2 states to watch another grandchild at a cheer competition. It all makes sense, because that's what Mom's and Grandma's do...that's what we WANT to do, that's what we LOVE to do. I always made fun of my Mom and my Sister for being so sappy and crying over EVERYTHING, and now I am the same way. It's like you pop out a kid and you know longer have any control over your tear ducts! :)

So, Thank You, Mom for everything. For loving me unconditionally, for teaching me the important things in life. I love you!

And, with that, I give you this ridiculous picture of me and Mom. This was NOT planned, by the way. We got to Mom and Dads, I got out of the car, Mom came running to get Abby and we both just stopped and started dying laughing. Yes! We were wearing the SAME outfit! hahaha!
And, I will keep the following brief (well, breif for me-ha!), because I don't want to bawl like a baby and because I think it's clear to anyone that knows me, that my girls are my LIFE! I didn't know it, but I was born to me a Mom. They are the BEST, most AMAZING things I have ever done, or will ever do. There is nothing better than being their Mom and if I accomplish nothing else in this lifetime, as long as they know they were loved by me, then I will die a happy woman, knowing that I did what I was put on this Earth to do. This is one of my favorite pictures of me and Abby. I remember looking at this picture and thinking, 'Wow, I am a MOM and this is just one of MANY talks we will have!'

Me and Olivia! :) I remember being pregnant with her and thinking, 'how on Earth will I ever love anyone as much as I love Abby?' I was so worried, and everyone told me that I had NOTHING to worry about. All the love, joy, happiness...it all just doubles, and of course, they were right. :) This little beauty brings so much to this family. She is as sweet as they come, funny as can be and laughs and smiles more than any baby I have ever known. She adores her big sister and always wants to be right in the middle of us, taking it all in and having fun. She has helped me to let go and forget about what I can't control. She has assured me that, 'yes, I am actually quite good at this Mommy thing,' ;) Her hugs melt my heart and the fact that she chooses Mommy over anything else makes my every day!

Me and Abigail! :) My Abby! Abby, it will be years before you understand the power of this statement, but 'Thank You for making me a Mommy!' It's the greatest gift in all of the world. Abby has always been the other side of me. She has taught me more about myself in 3 yrs, than I ever figured out on my own in the 25 yrs. before she was here, and that is because she is EXACTLY like me! ha! All of you Moms know what I mean, but it's like the instant they are born, you get it...THIS is what life and love is all about. She is truly my best friend. I could go on and on about both girls all day, but I will stop with telling them again, I Love You and Thank You!

The Greatest Blessings in all of the world! I will never know what I did to deserve them.

Thank You Scott, Abigail and Olivia for a fantastic Mother's Day! I guess I am pretty spoiled, though, because you all make every day amazing, and you show me how much you love me in all that you do. I could never thank God enough, I'm blessed beyond belief!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Mothers in my life. I am quite certain that I have been blessed with knowing the greatest group of Mothers EVER! I love you all!

MOTHERS
Real Mothers don't eat quiche; They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils Are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, Filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough Doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what The vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' And get their answer when a little Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

Real Mothers know that a child's growth Is not measured by height or years or grade.... It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...

The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, Because that is the doorway to her heart, The place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, But true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she Shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Last Day of School!

Last night was Abby's last day of school for this school year. She was SO excited. Her little friends that we hang out with all the time go to the program, too, and she just LOVES anything school related. (since she is 21, she told me the other day that she was going to be 21, NOT 4-ha!) Anyways, here is my big girl...gorgeous as ever!

The girls she is standing there with are her buddies. They call her Little Abby, even though they are all about the same age-ha!.

They will all be in school together. The one holding her hand will be in her class! Such sweet girls! :)

And.....GREATEST SURPRISE OF ALL!...Mrs. Taben arranged for a bus to drive them around and drop them off at the play-ground. Between the tu-tu and the bus ride, I am certain yesterday was the greatest day of Abby's life! :)

Stepping onto a bus...talk about a blast from your past...ha!

Of course, the play-ground is 100 times more fun when a bus takes you there!

And, they snuck away to make gifts for us for Mother's Day! So sweet! She was so proud of her flower. :) She kept telling me, 'I have a surprise for you!' She loved that she was able to keep it a secret, but you could tell it was killing her to not tell...ha!

Be still my heart...

Abby's first dance costume.......:)

Most beautiful dancer/butterfly EVER! :)

She begged all morning to put it on, so I told her if she ate lunch, she could wear it for a minute! She was SO excited. It's the most darling little tu-tu I have ever seen. They will be performing 2 dances at the recital next weekend. I really really hope she will do it. I am worried because they let the kids sit with their family until it's their number (for any of you that have any dance experience you know how STUPID this is, but I won't go into my feelings towards the studio and the owner today), but I am just hoping that she will leave everyone and go up there. Considering my parents, Scott's parents, my SIL and BIL, friends...everyone will be there, I can't see her wanting to leave all of them and go up on stage....we'll see.

Anyways, she had to test it out with some SERIOUS dance moves! ha!

Nice!

Not only is this her most prized possession, it is also her new best freind. Meet Sally The Tu-Tu! She was 'leading' it around and said, 'you have to come with me, Sally'! haha! Here she is having Sally sit down.

Cheese, Sally!

Then, the next thing I heard her saying was, 'here you go, Sally...I got you some eyes!' haha!

Some more classics!

Some of Abby's latest and greatest! ha!

**We are teaching her to say ma'am and sir, epecially when addressing strangers, older people, etc. (you would be SHOCKED how few children around here say that, and how many people are offended when you say it to them...strange, I tell ya'-haha!) Anyways, we are trying to stress the importance of that, along with other manners: please, thank you, excuse me. So, she had already watched her show for the morning and she was trying SO hard to talk me into watching a few more min. of High School Musical (her new favorite and the only thing she EVER wants to watch). I repeatedly told her 'no, no more shows, blah blah blah!' She finally turned around and said, 'Excuse me, ma'am...may I please watch another show, thank you!' hahaha! Nice try, kiddo!


**The other day we were washing hands and I said something about washing the swine flu away, and of course that prompted 500 questions. I told her swine means pig and that there is a flu going around that makes you sick, etc. She looks at me dead serious and says, 'THAT sounds complicated!' haha! Yes, it is, Abby. And, yesterday when we were leaving the park, I told her we need to wash hands before loading into the car and she again got real serious and said, 'yes, we have to get rid of that pig flu!' haha!


**We were driving home from Mom and Dads and its an easy 3 1/2-4 hr trip. We had been driving about 30min. and she starts to hulk out. I am trying to reason with her (why we even attempt this with 3 yr. olds is beyond me) but, I told her, 'if you just close your eyes and go to sleep, when you wake up we will be at home.' She yells from the back seat, 'NOT gonna happen!' ha! (and, this is even funnier to us, because we can count on 2 hands the number of times the child has EVER fallen asleep in the car)


**I was in the bathroom getting Abby out of the bath and Scott yells in to me, 'can you get Olivia, she's getting close to Abby's potty!?' Abby yells back to him, 'you better get her, there is probably piss in there!' O-M-G! Yes, I realize she has heard the word from us at some point in time (or maybe my Dad, piss sounds like a Papaw word-ha!), but she just said it like it's part of her everyday vocabulary! I about died! I tried to tell her that it's pee, not piss and to not say the word again, but then that just gives her even more reasons to say it. UGH!

Our visit home!

Scott had to go to Washington DC last week for work, so the girls and I headed home! We had a great time and got to visit with so many freinds and family.

Tuesday night Tonya and her boys came over for dinner and to play. Abby had a BLAST! They are such sweet little boys!

Abby with a sword, that could be trouble! ha!
Dinner picnic out on the patio.

Attempt at a group pic, Take 1...we forgot Olivia. We really did. haha!

Alright, we have Olivia, Take 2...Gee, thanks, girls! Nevermind! ha!

My Dad got Abby the worlds greatest gift EVER...a light up gum ball machine! She LOVES this thing. Apparently, Timmie is a fan, too! :)

Nanny and Papaw had a bunch of pots ready for planting. Wednesday morning we got to work, bright and early. Abby didn't even have time to change out of her pj's! ;)

We watched for a while.....

then Olivia got in on the fun, too! :)

hahaha! Olivia's face in this picture is TOO much! I love it! Wonder if she will love playing in the dirt as much as her big sister, or if she will be the one that hates to be dirty!

Wednesday night we went to watch Timmie play ball. As always, he's one heck of a little ball player. Olivia got to see her first baseball game! :)

Abby and Timmie!...Best Buds!

Kelly, my couisn, came and spent some time with us, too! The girls LOVE Kelly and Nick (her fiance'!:)

Me and my littlest side kick! :)

We had a wonderful time. I just wish we would have had a little longer. I discovered the wonder that is Meijers. haha! I have ran in there once or twice with Mom while I was home, but I have never been in there to actually shop...LOVE it! We drank way too much Coffee Crossing. Abby now thinks that she needs to go get chocolate milk from the coffee shop every morning, but it was worth it. After all, Mom might as well take up stock in that place as much as she is there getting drinks for her and Grandma. I got to eat Sam's...seriously, there is NOTHING better than their fried veggies...YUMMMM! I even got queso from Tumbleweed. All of that along with seeing so many many loved ones, why would we be ready to leave? Oh, other than my husband that was waiting for us at home! :) Scott had a good time in DC, too. (as much fun as you can have while on a work trip) The Caridnals were playing the Nationals, so he went to the game with his co-workers. And, so far, no signs of swine flu from all his time in the airports, so that is ALWAYS good! haha!

Worlds Worst Blogger!

I can't believe it has been almost 2 weeks since I posted pictures of the girls. I'm a Blog Slacker-ha! We have been so busy. I have been taking pictures, just not as quick to get them uploaded. So, prepare for picture overload because I have weeks worth! :)


These are some pics from the week before last, I guess.

Olivia is now crawling EVERYWHERE. It's so cute to have her following us. I forgot how sweet it was when they crawl over and pull on you to pick them up! She thinks it is HILARIOUS when Abby crawls around with her.

Now that the weather is nice, we spend LOTS of time at the park. (I will be SO sick of the park by Novemeber..haha!)

Olivia says, 'hi!' :)


Playing in the stands at one of the bigger parks in the area.

Where's Waldo!? ha!

Worlds. Sweetest. Picture.

By the time we left that day, it was getting a bit windy in the shade. This was the only hat I had with me, it's Abby's. She looked SO cute. And, we don't have many Serious Olivia pictures!

Olivia + Prunes=HUGE mess. Actually, Olivia plus anything equals huge mess...ha!

I love checking the camera on the days after I go into work. You never know what Scott and the girls have been up to. For example, Abby riding a turkey! ha!

Or, Abby in the high chair! ha!

**I am working on getting the pictures from our time at home uploaded. They should be up later today...no promises, but I will try! :)