The Verdict Is In...

SHE MADE IT!!!!!!

And we're headed to her favorite place to celebrate...Ruby Tuesday here we come!
Way to go, B!
You'll never in a million years know how proud we are of you!!!!!

It's a GOOD Day...

A really good day! It's Friday. And it's sunny. And it's warm. All of the above make me one happy lady. But it just keeps getting better. Today is also cheer tryouts. And this morning B reminded me that she needed a "big fat white bow" for her hair. So off I went to the fabric store after I dropped the girls off at school. While I was looking for extra wide white grosgrain ribbon (another term for "big fat white bow"), I stumbled up on this that was 30% off...

And since Towns is so into ribbons for her hair now that she's an almost-Kindergartener, well I just couldn't resist.

I had to make a quick Target run to pick up a few last minute treats and a card (after these tryouts I should own stock in the greeting card industry) to stick down in the bag with the "big fat white bow" that I had to drop by the school for B.
Before I proceed, I need to confess that I love to shop. But what I love even more than shopping, is finding an unexpected good deal at Target!
Like this...

The $4 navy faux patent leather planner that I found on clearance that's going to remarkably change my life. Maybe now I'll get it together. Ok, maybe I'm getting a little carried away, but it sounds good!
And these...

Four dozen Easter eggs to dye...only $1 a carton!
I'm armed with neon food coloring and vinegar which make the best and brightest eggs!
I also picked these up while I was there...

Which totally makes my day!!!! Little Debbie makes me feel like a kid again!
Want one more reason that it's been the best day?
I forgot all about working this morning and sat down to play this...

Right by myself. Without anyone trying to play along with me.
For the first time in over 3 years!
Obviously it's the little things in life that are making me happy today! :)
Now the only thing that could make this day even better is B nailing her tryout and making cheerleader!!!

Another Future Cheerleader!

Seems like Towns has been taking notice of what Bethany's been doing while getting ready for cheer tryouts. She thinks she's just as big as B and all of her friends. And she knows those moves like the back of her hand...

While we were outside playing around, we sat on the porch for a while and just talked. She offered to give me tips on applying eye make up...which I assume she thought I needed!
Here she's telling me that "you put eye shadow on right here and then bring it out to the edge just like this"...

I tried not to laugh because she was being so incredibly serious!

My cousin Mary Catherine came to stay with us for a few days this week while she was on Spring Break which made for two happy little girls...

That's how they fell asleep every night while she was here. Bless her heart, they didn't give her a moment's peace! But I do believe she was completely fine with it. They gave Bethany a break for a few days and assumed their roles as Mary Catherine's shadow! :)
She baked a chocolate cake with them one afternoon...

She let them crack the eggs, and when it was Cate's turn she threw her whole egg in the bowl...

Which she thought was hilarious!
One more reason why they love Mary Cat...

They got to lick the bowl!
They've shown out the whole time she's been here...


But what else is new?!
Two more just for fun...


Now if they could be that sweet to each other all the time...wait, who I am I kidding???

Tomorrow is the big day for a certain cutie...

Look at her...doesn't she just scream high school cheerleader?
Can't believe it's almost here!

DHS Bound!

This is a big week for one former Oak Park cheerleader...

It's time to move onto bigger and better things...and that would be Decatur High School!
Yesterday started day one of cheer clinic, and she'll try out on Friday. I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that she'll be in high school in a few short months. I started this post early this morning, and it's taken me a few hours to finish it. And before I got it wrapped up, I happened to read this from B's mom which sent me even further into hysterics! Ha!
She absolutely loved cheering last year and you can tell by these pictures that she was totally in her element...



She's gotten the first day of clinic under her belt, and so far she's done GREAT! She does the tryout cheer and dance like she's been doing it for years!
Have fun this week, B!
I'm not big on "good luck" and never really have been.
Like Towns' teacher said in an email yesterday "We all know that we don't get lucky, we just have a Savior who looks out for us." I couldn't have said it better myself!
You're in good hands and you'll do fabulous...I just know it!

My Heart...

So my conscience is getting to me tonight. It seems like lately I've focused on how wild and out of control Cate is. When in actuality, I should be focusing on how precious she is. For every time she's a little unruly, there are plenty more times that she is quite the opposite. She's silly. She's loving. She makes me laugh hysterically. She'd give you anything she had if she knew you wanted it. She holds her hands on my face in the morning when I get her out of her bed, puts her forehead against mine and says "I love you, Mommy"...every single day without fail. She's my cuddle buddy when she's awake before the sun comes up. She never lets her Daddy leave in the mornings without running to him before he walks out the door to make sure he has a hug and a kiss...because she thinks his day can't start until she does. When I tell her I love her she sometimes says "you don't" with this sly grin on her face just so I'll tell her I love her even more, and then we both laugh til we almost cry. She makes me smile all the time. She's the one who will always keep me on my toes. And I love her for it. She's my heart!

Today as we were leaving the post office I spotted something fun to show her...

She got a big kick out of blowing all the petals off!

And she figured out what it's like when the wind blows them back into your mouth...

When we got in the car she was completely cracking me up...

It's blurry because it's a picture taken with my phone in the car, but she was so funny in her poncho, sunglasses, umpteen bracelets, paci in her mouth, etc...

What? You're laughing at me?!

Speaking of laughs...

These cupcakes have made for some good laughs today. Bethany had a group project on Al Capone, and her group asked her to make cupcakes to use for a visual. So this afternoon she was telling me that we had to bake cupcakes by tonight so she could take them to school in the morning. Ok. No biggie. Seems easy enough. Then she drops them bomb on me that they have to be somewhat gangsteresque so the class will think of the Al Capone book they just read when they look at them. My next question...how on Earth do we do that?! Here's where the funny part comes in. B proceeded to tell me that we could just go to the store to get "those candy things you stick on top of cupcakes that are shaped like a gun". I asked her if she heard herself and what she was saying. Because they do make candy guns for cupcake toppers...every grocery store has them! You're too funny, B! We ended up going for blood with red food coloring instead. Definitely not the cupcakes I'm used to making!
B went to bed and I stayed up to ice the cupcakes. I wasn't sure if anyone would get the look we were going for, so I took them to J to look at and see if he got the idea without me telling him what it was supposed to be. He apparently thought it was a trick question because his first guess was "those are the cupcakes we had at our wedding"...wrong! Next guess? "You made me those on our first anniversary?" Seriously? Blood spattered cupcakes?? I let him in on the secret that I wasn't trying to trick him and asked him if they remotely reminded him of a gangster. I think he was really relieved that he hadn't missed some huge part of married our life that symbolized our love for each other, and kindly told me that that's what they'd reminded him of all along. I love having a family that makes me laugh non-stop. They're something else!!

This is the forecast for the weekend...

Obviously March has come in like a lion, and I'm ready for it to go out like a lamb!
Happy Friday...rain or shine!

Sweet Little Lions!

Tonight was a pretty special night for one little lion...

She and all of her friends from church were the lions in the musical Daniel, Darius & DeLion tonight. And maybe I'm rather partial to this bunch and feel like they're almost my own because we've watched them grow up together, but I must say that they did a fabulous job! They started out bouncing down the aisles in a line to make their way to the stage...all the while they were doing motions and singing! I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time, so it took major concentration to pull off what they did! :) Once they took their places on the stage, they sang another song and did the sign language that went along with the words. I didn't realize how much they have learned over the last several months in choir on Wednesday nights. Obviously they've been working hard, and it definitely was a sweet thing to watch!

Gray, Towns, Hart and Emma let me snap a quick picture before they got lined up and ready to go...





Towns asked me all day long to tell her who all would be coming to see her in the musical. She named off everyone in the family and I tried to gently break it to her that it was a long drive for everyone to make during the week, but that we'd make sure she had an audience. Thank goodness for Bethany and her friends Madeline and Berek...otherwise I would have failed in the fan club organization department! We were sitting in the front row and she looked over every two seconds to make sure we were still there...and you couldn't have wiped the grin off of her face! She was beyond thrilled that Bebby and her friends came to watch!
After the program, I had to run down to the dance studio at church to teach a teen jazz class which is one that Towns loves to sit in on if given the chance. It doesn't happen often, but tonight I thought that she deserved to have some time with the big girls. When we walked in, my dance students made her night by how they made such a fuss over her...

That's Anna, Towns, Ella and Elle...and Towns thinks she's just as big as they are!
Ella's sister, Morgan, was supposed to be one of the lead roles in the musical. Ella told me that Morgan had been rehearsing for months. And knowing Morgan (I've taught her in dance as well), I know she would have nailed the part! She's the cutest thing and is so full of life. She would have been great on stage! But yesterday she got sick, leaving Ella to quickly learn her role. She did great, and I know Morgan would have been superb, too! Hope you're better soon, Morgan!!
Madeline made her way downstairs for a quick second before the jazz class, so I couldn't resist this one...

Towns most favorite fan club member by far?
See for yourself...

She sure does love her Bebby!
She was one sleepy little lion tonight...

She was out like a light the second she hit the couch!
Way to go, Townsy!

You know we love you, Miss Priss!

Boot Camp

The girls have been a little rowdy lately. Their listeners aren't operating at full capacity. I love them no less because of this, but we've got to get a handle on it. Quick!

I like to think it's got a lot to do with the fact that we've been cooped up for months and we're all a little out of sorts.
Sounds good...right?

Yesterday we went for a late afternoon walk which seemed like as good a time as any to get them straightened out. It probably struck me as an opportune time because I asked Cate not to walk in the road and this is the face she gave me...

Right before she did this...

That would be her and her silly little self right where I asked her not to go.
Towns usually does what she's told, and we're working on being obedient with a happy heart. Which means having a smile on your face and not stomping your feet when asked to do something...

But after yesterday this is what they gave me without me even asking...

Now if I could only keep them walking that kind of line we'd be in good shape! No one ever said parenting was easy, but I sure do love it...and everything that comes with it!