Lexi's Interpretation

On Saturday we were running errands and trying to find a pair of khaki pants for Laney to wear to her gifted class. Let me tell you, it was almost impossible to find khaki pants. We had to go to 4 stores before I could even find a pair in her size!! When we were shopping it started raining. Since I am not one to take an umbrella everywhere I opted to leave it in the car. I said that "Umbrellas are for whimps, we aren't going to melt." Later as it was raining a little harder Laney started to grab the umbrella before we got out of the car. Lexi looked at her sister & said "Laney, you don't need that, umbrellas are for whips!" Todd & I laughed & corrected her. I didn't want her growing up thinking that people are whips. Fast forward to this morning. We were having more rain thanks to Tropical Storm Fay. Yes, she has more than overstayed her welcome & I am so ready for her to leave Alabama and not come back. Todd started to say something to me & I asked him to be quiet because I was watching the news and they were talking about the bad weather. Lexi looked at me with a puzzled look on her face and said "They are talking about God's bladder?" I lost it! I could not stop laughing. Todd just said "Thanks Deb, I didn't want her to know that's where rain really came from!" It was so funny. So, today during all the tornado watches and warnings I would just think back to God's bladder and laugh.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

As many of you know, last year my mother was diagnosed with the early stages of cancer. Thanks to a wonderful, proactive doctor, my mother had surgery and has been doing great for the last year. She has had to have follow up appointments every 4 months to make sure that everything is still OK. If after a year things still looked good she was told that she would be able to go to annual appointments. Today was her last 4 month follow up appointment. The doctor said that everything looked great and she would see her in a year!! She even made the comment that she has made it one year cancer free!!! I knew deep down that everything would be OK, but getting the confirmation just makes it real. I am so excited and I just wanted to share it with everyone. Here is a picture of my parents and the girls, at our favorite place to be, Gulf Shores, Alabama!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school. Laney was excited. We have known who her teacher is since May. A friend of ours from church had wanted Laney in her class and I wanted her in there, so her teacher from last year made it happen. The only downside is that she had a baby this summer so she will be out for the next 6 weeks. It's OK though, the substitute seems really nice. She is a retired teacher, so at least she knows what she is doing.

Lexi had a harder time this morning. She woke up ready for school. Things were great and she told me exactly what she wanted to wear. Todd took the girls to school with me, so she rode with her daddy while Laney rode with me. After we parked and met up at the corner we looked up and my best friend and her family were walking up! We knew they were coming to take them to school with us, but we didn't expect to meet up there. It was really special to have them there & it meant to much to me. They were only in town for the weekend, but stayed a little longer to take the girls to school. Melanie insisted on taking Laney to her first day of school from K-4 through 2nd grade. When Laney started third grade Melanie and Scott had moved to San Antonio, Texas so she wasn't able to take her. It was so fantastic for her to be here to share in taking Lexi to her first day of "big school". In one picture you will see another little girl. That is Isabella (Belle) . She is like a third daughter to us & we love her to death so when she wanted to be in the picture we didn't tell her no.

After we got to school we took Laney to her class first. Lexi insisted on walking Sissy to her room, so we let her. Then we went to Lexi's room, where things went bad, fast!! By this point I had cried twice already this morning over her starting kindergarten, but it was when she wasn't near me. So, my plan was toget in & out as quickly as possible. We got in & found he locker & put her things away. Then we found her seat & I took a couple of pictures. She was all smiles until I said I was going to work. She looked a little sad at first but I told her I loved her & walked out. Melanie glanced in & said "Let's go, she's getting upset." About that time she was heading for the door just crying her little heart out. I trie to calm her & then Todd did. When he had her I walked outside & just hugged Melanie & cried. Then she came looking for me with Todd behind her. I took her back to her room (with no tears from me) and finally her teacher took her from me & I walked out. I then cried all the way to work. At the end of the day when I picked them up she was all smiles & ready for tomorrow, so at least I know she had a good time. Here are some pictures of their big day.


Come one mom, let's get to school!!
The happy family, and Belle, before school
Melanie, Scott, Belle, Braydon and the girls before we took Laney in
MOM! PLEASE! No more pictures, you aren't the paparazzi!
Lexi in her chair at her new school

Sisterly love

Friday night Todd & I decided to let the girls fall asleep in our bed. They had been fighting most of the day, but wanted to lay together, so we let them. I was going in to take off my makeup & go to bed when I glanced over and this is what I saw. I stood there for a minute with tears in my eyes, thinking how sweet they looked. I am so glad that I captured this moment. Now, when they are fighting I have something to look at to remind myself that they really do love each other.

Lexi's First Black Eye

On July 26th Laney competed in a taekwondo tournament here in town. She did really well. She took first place in board breaking and second place in form. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of her competing or with her medals. Instead I got to deal with Lexi and her first black eye. We were sitting on the bottom steps of hte bleachers and she decided she was cold. So, she put her arms in her shirt & then pulled her legs up into her shirt. She was fine for a few minutes and then she lost her balance. I was looking the other way, so I wasn't even able to try to catch her and Todd was on the floor holding boards for board breaking. The thud when she hit was so loud that the entire room went silent. We got ice on her and got her calmed down. Since this was her first black eye I decided to document it for the first few days. Here is how she looked.

Back to School Supplies

I finished the girls back to school shopping today. All the supplies are bought, labeled and ready to be taken to school tomorrow for open house. I can't believe that they start school next week. We are meeting Lexi's teacher for the first time, but we know Laney's teacher already. She is a friend of ours and we go to church together.

I am not worried about Laney at all, but I am so worried about Lexi. She is my baby and such a little mommy's girl. She doesn't like to be away from me for long periods of time. For the last 2 1/2 years she has been down the hall from me at work. Now, I have to prepare myself for her going to her "big school" and me going to work without her. It's going to be so hard to not see her all day. It's going to be hard not to get my hug when I am having a rough day. I am not going to be able to hug and kiss on her when she gets hurt like I have in the past. I know that this is just another milestone that she is hitting, but I am not sure that I am ready for it. She is my baby, the last of my children and I want to hang on to her being little just a little while longer. I'm not quite ready to give up our Friday's together, but I have to. I am sure after the first couple of days she will be fine, but I think it may take me a little longer.

Laney's 9 Year Pictures

Yesterday in between doctor and dentist appoinments and taekwondo class I got Laney in her for 9 year pictures. Obviously I am not the world's greatest mom since her 9th birthday was in May, but at least I got her pictures done. She is like her daddy and doesn't like to smile in pictures, so we take what we can get. I think that part of the problem yesterday was that we found out that she needed to see an orthodontist. It was not a shock to me, but it's not something that a little girl wants to hear. So, here are some of my little girl who in a few short days will be in the 4th grade.

Hannah Montana in 3-D

If you have young girls you were probably aware that last Saturday was the premier of the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds concert on The Disney Channel. After hearing about it for weeks and getting SIX pairs of 3-D glasses (which didn't do much) to watch this I thought we were ready. All of us, yes, including Todd, parked ourselves on the couch to watch this amazing event. While the girls were excited and totally into it, I was not. What I thought was the highlight of my night was when I looked over and saw Todd actually singing along with one of the songs. I just laughed and moved on. What turned out to be the highlight of my night was still to come. A few minutes later Laney asked if the person who had jumped into the outstretched arms of others was Joe Jonas, to which her father replied, "Yes!" That did it! I have never laughed so hard before. It was priceless. While I could not have answered that question he knew the answer. Talk about a father that is knowledgeable in lots of girly things. Here are my little sweeties waiting for the show to start.