SICK DAYS!

Unfortunatly the past couple of days have been very uneventful! I have been horribly sick w/ one of those headaches that hurts so bad you can't even lift your head off the pillow, nausea, dizziness, and fever! I dealt w/ it all day yesterday and Joe had to go in to work late because I couldn't drive to go get the kids. I started to feel a little bit better later in the day so I went to go pick Aleigh up from dance and as I was waiting for her to get out of dance, my fever came back and it was a long and scary ride home w/ the girls in the car. I was about to pull over and call someone, but I made it! Well, my fever wouldn't break so I went to the doctors office this morning and after waiting for 2 hours the doctor concluded that I have a virus accompanied by both a sinus and ear infection! That would explain the fever! SO...now is the first time today that my fever has broke! It's almost 10pm and I pray that the fever is gone for good w/ the antibiotics. I have a jewelry show tomorrow and I really don't want to get someone else to go in my place. I should be much better by morning! Believe it or not, I am getting really sick of my bed and being in my pajamas! Never thought I would say that! I am ready to join the land of the living!

AUG 14TH - ALEIGH'S 5TH BIRTHDAY

I have, once again, fallen behind w/ my blogging! I am just now posting our sweet princesses 5th birthday! When I started searching for pictures from Aleigh's birthday, I realized we used my mom's camera, so I only have the ones we took in the morning when we gave her some of her presents. What Aleigh wanted, more than anything else, was to go to the beach! Well, we have a trip planned to Myrtle Beach for Labor Day weekend and Aleigh is counting down the days!

We gave her a few little things for her birthday. She got an "Enchanted" lap pad, "Enchanted" fleece throw, her High school Musical barbies that sing w/ you (her favorite), some American Girl Books, a ring, and a necklace. Madrina gave her a couple of "Fancy Nancy" books which have been a huge hit w/ a princess barbie. From Nana and Papa she got a porcelain tea set (that she has already played w/ SEVERAL times) and "Enchanted" silk pajamas w/ the matching robe and slippers. She wore it for 4 nights in a row, and sleeps w/ the robe! CLEARLY, she made out in gifts!

To celebrate her birthday she had the girls day w/ Chelsea that I blogged about, and then on her actual birthday we sent in homemade cupcakes w/ sprinkles (that was important to her) to her class and after school I surprised the kids w/ a trip to "Jumping Jellybeans" They got to jump until their hearts were content for 3 hours! We went directly to "Carabbas" for dinner because Aleigh wanted their noodles. The day ended w/ cake at my parents house. She had a great birthday and our trip to the beach is just around the corner! Believe me, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make for my children. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a lover of the beach! Put me in the snowy mountains! Myrtle Beach will be fun. My parents and Bryson will probably come w/ us as well, so the kids are super excited!

KIDS + WALMART = STRESS

Ok, so I have a few friends who dread the trip to Walmart w/ just one kid, especially if they are between 2-5 yrs old! Well, AJ is always a booger when we go to ANY store! He HATES shopping and will do his best to talk us out of going every single time we have to go...no matter what is in it for him! It NEVER works, but he still always tries to convince us that going to the store while he is at school is such a better idea! It's as if he is trying to make us hate taking him, so he acts out by fighting w/ his sister or he goes at his own pace and looks at anything and everything for as long as he wants...well he tries! He has been very successful at making me not want to drag him into any store! There are times, like today, where I HAVE to get to the store no matter how many kids I have w/ me.

Today I had Chelsea, AJ, Aleigh and Ansley. Ansley was already pretty fussy since she only had a 30 minute nap today! We were in Walmart for all of 5 minutes when AJ decided he was going to crawl into the back of the cart and sit on Aleigh who was comfortably stretched out. Well, of course that goes over like a lead balloon! That was just the beginning of what should have been a 20 minute trip into Walmart, but became at least an hour and a half! Ansley cried most of the time, AJ kept teasing the girls, and all of them were dissapearing left and right as well as taking their time looking at things and not hearing me when I said "Come on!"

As we stood in the checkout line the kids all go for this new type of candy called "sweet drops" or something like that. It's a sucker w/ the candy liquid that you drip onto the sucker...sounds horrible to me. However, I do remember begging my mom for candy when it was something new and unusual. Remember that candy liquid that came in a tube? It was like a liquid sucker in a horrible cherry flavor! I didn't even like the way it tasted, I just liked the idea. Totally stupid! Anyway they all grab their favorite flavor and turn to me w/ huge grins on their faces and ask if they can get this "sweet drops" junk. "Uh, no way! Nobody is getting anything after the difficult time all of you have given me through the store! None of you were listening to me." Well, AJ does his usual and tries to argue w/ me and justify why he did everything he did. Chelsea stands there w/ the angriest face she can come up with as though she would totally be pitching a fit if I were her mom. Then I look down at Aleigh who is crying. "Aleigh that's enough! Crying isn't going to make me change my mind. If you guys had listened w/ out giving me any trouble, I would love to buy you something. Maybe next time you will listen better." Then Aleigh turns on the drama by folding her arms and through tons of tears manages to say to me "Thanks a lot for ruining my birthday mom! I really appreciate it!" I stood there at first in shock, then I had to look away and laugh! Where does she get this from?! Not to mention her birthday isn't until Thursday! "Aleigh, today is not your birthday!" I told her. "But it's CLOSE!" she manages to say through her heavy tears!

Another bad trip to Walmart won't stop me from taking them back. They will eventually learn how to behave appropriatly and understand that I will recognize good behavior!

Meet Bosley

After stopping by Wal Mart the other day to see if he could find something for his vehicle, something REALLY cute caught my dad's eye! There was a younger couple setting up lawn chairs outside of their pickup truck w/ 4 pure bread golden lab puppies! There was one female and three males. My dad was immediately drawn to the male w/ the green eyes. He actually looked at them for a while, walked away, got in his car, and called my mom. He expected my mom to say no way to a new dog! Well, according to my mom, she could hear that he was in love. She told him to go for it! He was pleasantly surprised by her response. He turned around and went back to Wal Mart to get more information on the puppies. They had a whole portfolio on the puppies and were selling them for a very decent price!

He bought the male with the green eyes! He is so so cute! I am sure you all will agree by looking at the pictures. He is a sweetheart, and you can already tell how smart he is.

GIRLS DAY!

Today was a busy but fun filled day for Chelsea and Aleigh! Chelsea spent the night last night, so she got to go to church w/ us this morning.

















After church me, chelsea, and aleigh went to the Jasmine Tea Room, their food choice for lunch. We all ate soup and salad and muffins. The girls each ordered a slice of cake. Chelsea ordered strawberry cake, and Aleigh ordered lemon cake. They both loved their dessert, but neither one could finish. It was fun! The girls enjoyed their little tea pots and tea cups!

I told Chelsea and Aleigh that I would take them to American Girl, but would not be able to buy them a doll! The doll's start at $90 and neither one of them take enough care of their things to get a $90 doll! Once we go there and they saw all of the dolls w/ their accessories, furniture, and pets, I thought "Am I just cruel to be bringing them up here when they don't have a doll and aren't getting one?" They have a bistro where you can eat w/ your doll or borrow a doll to eat with. They also have a salon where you can get your doll's hair done! It's crazy! I know I would have been in heaven when I was a little girl! Aleigh really wanted me to buy her "Kit", but there was NO WAY! Chelsea wasn't really voicing what she wanted. She was just really dissapointed because she only had $20 that her parents had given her as spending money for American Girl...they didn't know how expensive it was! SO...after looking at everything in the store, they each picked out one of the dolls pets and I bought them a little accessorie and 2 books each....$112 LATER!!! After the girls each gave me $20 of their own money, my total went down to about $74. Aleigh ended up w/ Julie's pet bunny, Kit's dog "Grace", and 2 books. Chelsea ended up with a little white dog named "Coconut" and his house (each $20) and the 2 books I bought her. I am secretly hoping Aleigh lets go of her desire for an American Girl doll! If she REALLY wants one by Christmas, or chooses to use her birthday money on one, then that is something we will consider. A new doll would definitely be her big santa gift. I have to know that she will take care of it and I won't find it on her bedroom floor!

All in all the girls had a blast and Aleigh is sleeping w/ her new little $20 stuffed pets that probably cost $.25 to make!!!

The Wizard of OZ

To help celebrate Aleigh's 5th birthday (next week-Aug 14th) and Chelsea's 11th Birthday (Aug 7th) We have decided to make this weekend all about them! So tonight we went to the Legacy Theatre http://www.thelegacytheatre.org/ A local Theatre that produces AMAZING productions! The dance studio that Aleigh attends is actually located in the theatre. The Theatre is owned by one of Aleigh's dance teachers and her husband. They are both actors and have toured the country in several different productions. They actually hold auditions for their productions in New York City and set up housing for some of the actors, while a big majority of the people are local actors.

Aleigh really enjoyed the first half of The Wizard Of Oz (she fell asleep for the second half) because Mrs. Bethany (the owner/dance teacher) played the wicked witch and did an AMAZING job! Aleigh's tumbling/dance teacher (Mr. Dustin) played the Cowardly Lion and TOTALLY STOLE THE SHOW! He was AWESOME and had the whole audience rolling in laughter! My mom went with us and we all REALLY enjoyed it! It's so awesome to have such a neat theatre so close to home.

Tomorrow we will go to church, and then I will be taking the girls (Chelsea and Aleigh) to the Jasmine Tea Room for lunch and then up to Northpointe mall to the American Girl store! They both have been dying to go there since seeing the movie "Kit Kitterage an American Girl" We have also purchased the movie for "Molly" and "Felicity." I think I am looking forward to going as much as they are! I will post more pictures about our day tomorrow!

Day 2 of School

I just had to share this sweet picture of the kids walking to their class together this morning! Joe took the kids and wanted to walk them in, but AJ tried to assure Joe that he would get Aleigh to her class and then get to his w/ no problem. Joe insisted on going today and told AJ that he would let them walk in on their own tomorrow!Joe and I enjoyed a relaxing morning w/ Ansley. She is so much fun! We are really enjoying the one on one time we are able to get with her!