Marlie and her cousin Toby

"Waitin' for Payton"

Marlie and her best friend, Alexis

The Tobster, the Flobster, the Jimminy Jobster!
(Uncle Kevin's nickname for Toby...)

My Little Lucie Bird...

We went to the Sidewalk Chalk Festival at Gateway Mall this year. I was so amazed at the talent and patience these people had! And then to know that any time it could rain and all that hard work would be gone... I don't know if I have that in me! It did inspire me and the girls enough to chalk it up on our circular driveway... It really makes you appreciate the artistic talent that goes into those! We had so much fun and we were sad when our hard work started to fade.

Our Garden

My girls are growing so big and time is flying by... When I look at their sweet little footprints and handprints in the stepping stones we made so long ago, I can't believe how much they have grown! They are so excited about our garden this year and even planted their own seeds. I have to think about FAITH and how it means to hope for things not seen. I have faith in my girls and that they will grow into beautiful young women. I just pray that I can provide them with all that they need along the way... I love my girls!

Turning the big 4-0!

Wow, it seems like yesterday that I was just 21! I think you always feel younger than you are - at least I do. I am fine with 40 but I'm not so sure about it either! We went to dinner at Porcupine Grill with my whole family. Lots o' fun!

So You Think You Can Dance?

Whenever Rya and Olivia come over, it becomes "So You Think You Can Dance" in our basement. You can hear Beyonce echoing all over the house... Then all the adults get to go down and see the masterpiece... Thanks Rya for being such the accomplished choreographer...

We love cousins!

I just love having my nieces and nephews over to play at our house. Chasey boy had on Grandpa's farm hat and he was loving the attention from the camera... Lucie and Marlie were loving having their cousin Ella here from North Carolina. We love you Ella!

My Trip to NYC

I got to visit my best friend Suzanne Daniels again for my birthday this year... It was our anniversary of being friends for 30 years. Isn't that crazy? We both turned forty this year and so it was fun to spend it together. We shopped on "Coco Canal" street and bought Juicy Couture, True Religion, Tiffany, and Chanel bags, outfits, shoes, and jewelery. I even convinced her to do the Red Line Bus tour and that was where we got to relax and sightsee and really see New York City... I even had my first slice of New York pizza. So yummy! Her husband Alan let us take his convertible Mercedes into New York and it was hilarious. We were stylin' but we were dying for air conditioning! Anyway, it was a blast and I enjoyed the break. This is definitely the way to spend your fortieth birthday!

Hats off to Hat Day at School!

It all started out so innocently. The girls asked what hat they could wear for hat day... Then I remembered the bag of crazy and random hats I had in the basement. I used them when I taught high school English and I can't even remember how! Anyway, the girls were laughing hysterically. Marlie ended up bringing 3 to school to change at different times of the day. Lucie settled on the romantic look - my Miss Scarlet hat that I wore to a Clue dinner back in Reno. Hats off to you Girls!

Lucie's Family Birthday Party

I looked back at this post and was shocked that I actually forgot to post my homemade cake... You all probably thought I was losing it with that cake from the grocery. It's pretty ironic when your kids beg for a storebought cake because they have never had one. I had to give in for the friend party. Anyway, there were two cakes and lots of cupcakes. We had the most fun making the paint brushes out of licorice and fruit leather.