Yum!

If you haven't discovered Confessions of A Pioneer Woman yet it is time to start reading - love the stories...pictures AND the cooking site!

We tried this for dessert tonight and EVERYONE loved it! It was so easy! You must add it to the menu this week!


*pic courtesy of the Pioneer Woman!

So good!

We have tried most of her recipes and love them all!

Oh...and we even had Carl's vanilla ice cream with it! Delicious!

A Trip to Maymont.

One of my favorite (free) places in Richmond to go and see is Maymont. I can remember going as a child. We try to take the girls every year atleast once and this year we were able to make the trip with our friends Maggie, Griffin and Palmer. The weather was beautiful...which was good because there is ALOT of walking...Afterwards we headed to Byrd park for a picnic...

Wish me luck!

What have we been up to??

So much has been going on - so many pictures have been taken...so I figured I would just get all caught up in one post....

1st there was Girl Scout cookie time....


Just a few of the boxes that we had to sort through!

Annie's birthday party at my parents! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of her party with her friends - it was a chaotic day! We took 12 girls to go see the Christian Youth Theater's production of Annie and then off to Friend;y's for ice cream! We all had a blast, but it was a long day. That night Tim and both girls had a daddy/daughter dance through the Girl Scouts!







Weecycled Sale....


Have many more clothes that I need to sort through...and then to get all the winter stuff in the attic!

Enjoying the wonderful weather with some friends!










More warm weather, More friends...



HMES Winter Field Day at the Field House! Emma and her classmates had so much fun!




Swim night at the Y with the Girl Scouts...



more to come...

A Fish Called Wanda

As most of you know I am NOT an animal person...just TOO much work! The last time I went in to read to Emma's class before spring break her teacher asked me if I would keep Wanda over Spring Break. It just so happens that Wanda belonged to Morgan, and Morgan was Emma's best school buddy. She moved away 4 weeks ago and left the class her pet fish, Wanda. So Mrs. Mann thought that Emma would like to take care of Wanda over break. I was a little hesitant at first, but I do have to admit it wasn't bad. I had even told Emma that we would offer to watch Wanda over the Summer for her teacher if she wanted. This is not a fancy set up - no fancy tank...just a bowl, some rocks...it does suck I would clean Wandas' house every other day, because the water would get cloudy and there would be a slight odor, but it was no big deal. You probably know where this is going....

So I woke up this morning to clean the bowl and get ready to take her to school ....

Good bye, Wanda!

The girls handled it just fine, I emailed E's teacher this am to ask what she would like me to do. I told Emma that we would probably flush it...unfortunately, she wants me to wait until the end of the day!

Is it that bad??

So tonight as I was putting Annie to bed and we were talking about Spring Break (and what we were going to do without Tim around for a few days) she started to suggest a few things that us girls do. Of course, this is after I suggested laying around in our PJ's, having movie marathons and eating popcorn for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She wants us to take a day trip to the mall, yes, the Spotsylvania Mall! Ugh...I haven't enjoyed hanging out there since I was in my teens...not too long ago, but... Well she wants us to go shopping and walk around. However, before we go she wanted to make sure that I was dressed for our excursion...She told me I was NOT allowed to wear Crocs...had to paint my toes and put on some nice shoes, I needed to wear a cool t-shirt (no idea what that means - I refuse to be one of the adults that wear Disney t-shirts-even if it is Hannah Montana!) Oh and she wants me to straighten my hair and wear it back in a ponytail with a hot-pink ribbon...There was even something in there about how I was supposed to walk. I stopped paying attention at this point and was daydreaming about how *nice and sweet she used to be! So after she was done planning my makeover - I held my hand up in a 'talk to the hand' way...well she had something to say about that too...she told me I was doing it ALL wrong...that I had to roll my eyes a certain way while doing it!

She then told me "Mom, if you can't walk the 'hip' walk, then you can't talk the 'hip' talk!"

*SHE IS STILL NICE AND SWEET - but with just a little DIVA added in....and I KNOW that she didn't get that from me!(She just came in to see if I would come cuddle with her- so, off I go! It is real nice that she still enjoys that, because she is growing up so fast!)

**So if you see me over the next few weeks and something looks a little off - we have Annie to thank!

www.girlsrock.com

Has anyone heard anything good/bad about the movie?? Can't find any info about it. It looks as if it may not even be playing around here. I watched the trailer and I do have to say it looks interesting!

Today on Dr. Phil....

One of the many examples of Annie trying to save the day! She is such a kind hearted person. We were having alot of problems at the beginning of the school year with her trying to fix other peoples problems...a few trips to the giudance counselors office and it seems to be working!

I know you guys have all been waiting patiently FOR...

Annies' Dating Tips...

1. get a friend to help pick out clothes
2. DO NOT SWEAT!!
3. you have to keep talking.
Ask questions
4. Bring a change of clothes if you do sweat!
5. Do not talk about only you!

If you need anymore advice, I am sure that she would love to give it to you!

I stumbled across these in a notebook that she keeps in her bag...

Long story, short...
Girl on bus got in trouble for writing something mean about another girl. Annie felt bad because said girl had her notebook taken away. Annie didn't quite understand. Said girl was upset because she said parents didn't have money to buy new notebook. So Dr. Phil - er, Annie, gave her one out of our school supply box for her to use. Annie keeps it in her bookbag - don't know why...I guess this girl (5th grader) was going to the movies with a boy and that is how we got Annie's Dating Tips!

Only 15??

15

Stay tuned for...

dating tips from Annie!

(Hehehe! They are really cute and I happened to stumble upon them by accident!)

Glitter, Sparkles, Hairspray and more Glitter!

For Christmas the girls got a couple of gift cards to a store called Libby Lu from Santa and some cousins. I had HEARD alot about this place, but had never really seen what it was all about until I was shopping at the mall for teacher gifts with Annie and she started going crazy as we came upon the hot pink store! so I was able to distract her that time. However, 2 weeks ago they had off for MLK, Jr. Day and by noon we were going crazy finding something to entertain us with - that is when I was able to bribe them with a trip to Libby Lu if they would be patient and run a few errands with me...

By the time we arrived at the store we had already passed by a couple dozen little girls who had been madeover...I guess alot of moms had the same idea I did that day. Well, the girls had $35 in GC's for the store and I made it clear that I WAS NOT paying for anything...they could get a makeover, (starting at $22.50) shop - the store is full of High School Musical and Hannah Montana merchandise to buy!

Well when we walked in their eyes got as big as saucers! They headed straight for the makover station to watch the other girls there have their makeovers done...you can pick a few styles out...Diva, celebrity, princess...and you can even walk out looking just like Hannah Montana for an extra fee!

They had a blast! I have heard alot of negative things about this store...letting little girls dress like this, all the makeup...I think that that is taking it way too far! All it is, is girls playing dress up. I don't allow them to wear makeup outside the house...they have some that they play with, but they have to ask first to make sure that we are not leaving the house that day...most of the time they forget that they even have it around...Annie did mention that she wants to have her 9th (yep - she is turning 9 this month!) birthday party there...I agreed, but put a 5 girl limit on the party.

Here are a few pics from the day!

Movie time...

A couple of us were able to escape and go see Juno last week. It was a nice treat - cute movie, but even better was the soundtrack...I discovered this - a video made by another Juno-soundtrack fan...cute..

More snow...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

1st REAL Snow Day!

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Happy Anniversary!

Anyone home?

I am still here - haven't officially stopped blogging - yet!

So much has been going on recently, that I haven't found time to sit down and tell you about it - I hope to have lots of pics to show you about it uploaded tomorrow...

Here is a breakdown...

- We celebrated my Dad's 57th bday with crabs and a cookout.
- Even travelled to Hampden-Sydney parents weekend to surprise Dad with a Birthday Cake.
- Emma celebrated her 6th birthday!
- Mom took the girls and I to Richmond to see High School Musical on Ice! What fun!
- Emma had her first slumber party!
- We had the annual Taylor/Tate trip to Belvedere Pumpkin Patch on Sunday...

pictures of all to come...

It's funny now that both girls are in school, I have never felt busier, but by the end of the day I really can't tell you what I have done...still waiting on the final transcripts to come in so I can apply for a job with the city school system as a Substitute teacher!

In the neighborhood.

We have been very fortunate to have great neighbors around us since we moved in almost 9 years ago. There are 2 rental houses, one next door and one across the street that are for the college students in town. Every May, we anxiously await the moving van (if it is a bad bunch) and hope in August that we will start the school year with a house full of perfect angels - that babysit! My grandmother lives a few doors down, we have a wonderful couple next door and 2 across the street. One that has a newborn and one with a 5yo little girl. Perfect! Couldn't get any better.

Well...I discovered this tonight... www.RottenNeighbor.com What a great idea! I added our address...
(the pic below is just a general random zip code pic...since their wasn't anything interesting in our zip)

Has anyone tried one of these sticker books?

I discovered this today and was wondering if anyone has tried this before. I thought that it would make neat Christmas Card seals...



www.moo.com

There are 106 days ...

until Christmas...and I bought my first gift today! So excited!

We have so many cousins in our family...and I happened to run across one today out shopping and we got to talking about our love for Vineyard Vines...she had scooped up tons of womens clothes...and I decided to browse the mens and kids section...I came across this belt (at a steal) and she said "Oh, P would love that!" So I handed it to her and she said "OR you could give it to him for Christmas." I thought that would be alot easier than buying another toy! One Christmas gift down! Many, many, many more to go!

Oh how I love Sunday's in the Fall...

Not sure if you guys have heard of this site before.... www.postsecret.com , but it has turned into a favorite of mine...some of the secrets are a little wierd. It's funny I always try to see if I know someone that could have sent one of the postcards in...well I found one that I may or may not have sent in ;)

Logo Quiz...

See how speedy you are in guessing these logos...I did horribly!

Play Logo Quiz at LogoQuiz.net!

Day 2...

Here are a few pictures from this morning!

I did it....

I survived the 1st day! Today was Emma's first day of Kindergarten and Annie's 1st day at a new school, in 3rd grade. It is amazing how much these girls have grown over the summer. I knew that they would be fine, but was wondering how I would handle it.
Looking back on Annie's 1st day of Kindergarten, it is a good thing that my mom was at the bus stop with me and Emma to see Annie off. I continued snapping pics as the bus came down the road and even as she walked onto that big yellow bus...but as soon as the doors closed and the bus was starting to pull away...I ran crying all the way home...leaving Emma and my mom standing at the stop! I also may have gotten in my car and followed that bus to school the first couple of weeks... Yes I am crazy, but I wanted to make sure that my little girl got dropped off at the right school!
This year was different - we had one getting on one bus and another on a different bus headed to a different school. Tim stayed home this morning to see the girls off and my mom, even made it by in time to see Emma off. Considering the scene that I made with Annie's 1st day - I wasn't sure what to expect today! We had been told last week at Orientation that Annie's stop was 2 blocks over at 7.31 and Emmas was right on our corner at 7.52...so at 7.25 we started off, 2 cameras in hand to go to the first stop...As soon as we reached our corner, the bus pulled over and got Annie...this caught us offguard so I didn't have time to take pics or kiss her goodbye. I thought about that all day...So we headed across the street to sit on the wall and wait for Emmas' bus, bus R...with the 'lovely' Miss Betty. Emma has been so excited because she is also starting Kindergarten with her Best Friend, Amelie and another friend Jack, that lives around the corner. So all 3 were waiting at the corner...lots of parents, Gigi and even Mary Bowe - our favorite neighbor! After everyone had compared snacks and lots of pics and videos had been taken the big yellow came down the road and they all got on....I got a little teary eyed...I think that everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to think about what was happening!

Until....
I was out and about feeling very independent and running all sorts of errands...2, yes 2 lovely visits to our wonderful Department of Motor Vehicles, BBaBeyond, Tuesday Morning, back home again...well...on the trip back home I happened to pass by Hurkamp park...and this is when it all hit...Every Tuesday (that weather has cooperated) for the past 6 years I have gone to Lunch in the Park with atleast one of the girls...and as I was stopped at the light watching all the moms cross the street to head to the park and set up I realized that I have had my last Tuesday lunch in the park, soccer tots class, storytime at the library, park playdate and all the other things that the girls and I did together. So I cried from William Street all the way home...ugh...and now again :)

I eventually calmed down and realized although I have just put my last, 'first day' Kindergartener on the bus...that I will be fine and so will they. There may not be anymore weekday walks to the library ... but, I will get to continue to go to their schools to read to their classes and have lunch once a week...class parties, field trips...their is even talk of a school dance this year (Hopefully, Annie won't mind if I sneak in!) Annie is also going to continue with Girl Scouts. I have stepped down as Assistant Leader and have committed myself to being 'snack coordinator'. Emma has signed up to be a Daisy scout this year and I told Annie that I was going to help out with her troop for a few years. In a month, when they get situated in their classes and used to daily homework, we are going to start them back up with other activities...both girls want to continue dance, Emma wants to do gymnastics again and I am trying to convince Annie to give Field Hockey a try.


So...I just finished uploading pics to my computer and for some reason I am missing a few pics...so these will have to do...and then tomorrow I will take more!

Prayer Request...

Tomorrow, August 28th is Emmas' surgery on her mouth. She is starting to get a little nervous. We had our pre-op with Dr. Massey on Friday and went to register her. I am sure everything will be fine - the hardest part will probably be going back next week and having him remove the stitches...I opted for the non-absorbant kind...because I would like to have as little risk of infection as possible. We have to be at the Surgi-Center at 6.50 am, surgery is scheduled for 7.50 - that will be another difficult thing! Emma is always STARVING when she wakes...and she can't have anything to drink after 4.50 am - so I am hoping we can get her in the car and there before she wakes up!

Camm

We are still here...

Sorry - it has been awhile since we have updated with anything - trying to pack in a few things before school starts in a week and 1/2 !

I did find this pic of Annie's 1st day of school in 1st grade - that I played around with!



We will be back soon!