My Baby is SEVEN!!!

Okay, can someone PLEASE explain to me how the first year of your baby's life seems to take FOREVER and then suddenly they are seven and back-talking you, bathing themselves, reading, learning more math in the 1st grade than you learned your entire academic career, and blossoming right before your eyes into a elementary schooler? HOLY COW! Avery amazes me every day. Her birthday theme this year was Camp Rock and all her buddies from school came dressed as rock stars. We added some accessories from the goodie bags and wha-la, we have an all girl rock star band. The girls met at Picasso's Cup and painted pottery at lightening speed and then after cake and presents I had to figure out what to do with them all for another 45 minutes before their parents came to get them. We had a LOT of fun, but I still can't believe she's SEVEN!

Saying Goodbye to GG

March 17th didn't begin with looking in our leprechaun trap, it began with an early morning phone call that my grandmother had passed away in her sleep a couple of hours earlier. She lived a long 94 years...almost a century. A million memories came flooding back of my strong, loving, hard working grandmother. She taught my sister and I so many things. She had the heart of a teacher and if she had been able, she would have gone to college and become an amazing teacher. She shared her gift with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She taught me to fish, tried to teach me to sew and cook (neither of those lessons took). She taught us etiquette and was appreciative of a well laid table. My favorite memories include sitting at her coffee table with a miniature tea set she brought from her trip to Holland, filled with hot cocoa, teaching us to properly hold a cup with our pinky fingers delicately extended. If she was worried about us breaking the cups, she never showed it. She used to sing hymns to us when we stayed with her to drown out the sound of the frogs at the lake that freaked us "city girls" out. I can still hear her voice singing the Old Rugged Cross and Holy, Holy, Holy. I sing them to Avery now. She could make a cobbler out of anything and it was always delicious. She tried every craft and art ever invented...toll painting, plastic canvas (I still have an album she made), decoupage (spelling?), and oil painting and I'm sure I'm not getting them all. She LOVED flowers and grew amazing roses. She taught us service, kindness and faith. I love her and will miss her terribly.

3 Generations: Me (3), Grandmom (60s), my sister (18 mnths), Great Granny Savage

Feeling Sorry for Myself

Does anyone visit my blog? Am I putting stuff out here for no reason?

The One in the Middle

Have you been to the new park off of Edgewood yet? It is AMAZING! It's also a little like Disney World right now. Everyone in the whole city of Lakeland seems to throng the place. It can also be a little unnerving if you go by yourself with multiple children. I recommend that you take an adult per child and then act like a child, because this park really brings out the kid in you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you had a sweet day with those you hold dear. Here's our little virtual Valentine for those we love. As you can see Avery's front tooth is coming in nicely and dwarfing the baby teeth next door. The other front one is loose, but is taking its time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The promise of a new year...what things await us, what will we accomplish, who can we help, who needs more love, and how can we make our relationships stronger and meaningful? I'm usually the one to focus on what I can do differently from last year, but this year I want to focus forward instead of backward. I want the start of this year to be about priorities and plans to live deliberately according to my priorities. God, my family, and my community.

I just spent a wonderful 2 weeks at home with my daughter and my family celebrating the holidays. I tried to make sure I took time to be with the ones I love instead of focused on tasks like cleaning and organizing (which is why my house is still a disaster :) Avery and I had a great time snuggling every morning until about 9am. We did some shopping and spent time at the movies with friends and Nonnie. We had a wonderful Christmas day with family and friends. This last week has FLOWN by and I can't believe we go back to school and work on Monday.

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year. May you meet the challenges that come with faith and celebrate the accomplishments and every day good times with those you love.

The Shack

I just finished The Shack and I'm dying to talk to others that have read it. It is probably the most thought provoking work of fiction I have read in a VERY long time. I'm interested in what my friends think. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. If you've read it, will you share your thoughts with me?