Suggestions

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am that spring is finally here! I love the warmer weather, all the leaves returning and flowers blooming. Not to forget the fact that I have birds tweeting and singing outside my window every morning at 6am. I love it! Unfortunately a lot of my free time will now be filled up with other things, sooooo...I was wanting some ideas of fun activities that I can do with Sarah Grace. I have a list of things that she loves or that I want to try with her. But I would love some new ones or even any blogs or websites that yall may check out and love. They can be fun, education, spiritual...whatever I'm down for all suggestions! So please, list away! 

Our Gold Medalist

 Super stoked before class!

The proud gymnast at the end of her class with her new sticker!




This last Tuesday, Sarah Grace started her first gymnastics class. I've been debating for a while on getting her started in either gymnastics or dance classes. I called around and all the dance classes are ending for summer. I'm hoping in August she can start taking a class at the studio I did some dancing at. In the meantime she'll be going once a week to this class. The fun thing about this gym is that its where I was a gymnast for 5 years. It was nice seeing the owner and one of my old coaches. Walking into that building brought back so many memories. I think I was there at least 5 days a week back in the day. I was somewhat surprised that it still smelt like sweat and chalk. Crazy. Anyway, Sarah Grace of course is a natural, it's in her blood! Eric & I got a kick out of watching her, lots of laughs. She's been talking about it all week now and we're super excited to take her again. I don't really want her to be a gymnast, just because I know what it takes and what it does to your body, but I think for now its ok. 

How to Catch a Thief.

I have a little story to tell ya about this little girl. While my Aunt Melda was here we did some shopping at the outlets. Sarah Grace hates being in buggies and strollers right now, but I didn't give her a choice and so I loaded her up in her little umbrella stroller. Carters was the first store that we hit and I think we all purchased a few items from there. I had a baby shower coming up and my cousin Ryan is due any day with a boy, so I bought a few things to send with my aunt. We hung the bags from the stroller and went on to the next store which happened to be Bath & Body Works. I was in need of some scent refills for my Wallflowers. My sister and I were looking through all of them when she noticed that Sarah Grace had placed several of them in our bags. I had to stop and explain to her that what she did was not cool and that we don't do that. Skip ahead a few stores and we're at Banana Republic. I was in line getting ready to purchase some amazing skinny jeans and was just browsing through the jewelry. Once everything was paid for I was waiting for everyone else by the front door. I looked down at Sarah Grace and noticed that her hands were clenched. Great. I opened her hands and found a necklace. Of course there was an employee right there who was laughing about it, but I didn't want to look like one of those moms who really steal stuff and blame it on there kids. I said out loud that, "I better check behind her to be safe." Lo and behold she had shoved another necklace underneath her and was sitting on it. I was trying my hardest not to laugh at my little klepto and I  talked to her about stealing again. Thank goodness I hadn't decided to walk outside to wait. Those alarms would have been blasting as I walked through them. $40 in necklaces, no thanks Sarah Grace. I'm also happy to report that we haven't had anymore incidents since that day!

My Favorite

It's 1:41 am and I'm supposed to be up writing my talk for Sunday. Guess how much I've written so far? Nothing! Oh don't you worry, my weekend is slammed too and to top it all off, I'm the concluding speaker. I'm sorry, when did I turn 45? This post is not supposed to be about my talk though, it's about Sarah Grace and why she is my favorite.  I've been so bad recently about journaling all the fun, crazy, humorous, wild, and interesting things that she's been doing. I thought I'd list out a few of my favorite things about her and things that she's doing right now.




1. She loves cereal. I think she could eat it for all three meals. 


2. She's great at cuddling and in the mornings after we cuddle, she always turns to me and says, "Mommy, my tummy's hungry." 


3. One of her favorite things to do right now is have Tea parties.  She fills up all of her cups with water and invites all of her stuffed animal friends. 


4. Over the weekend she had an imaginary dog friend. Seriously, it was hilarious. She "carried" him around with her everywhere and wrapped him in blankets. We had a meltdown when she realized that he was left in the shower and she would get angry when we "smooshed" him. Apparently that happens when you hug her while she is holding him. Her imagination is really taking off and its so fun to watch it develop. 


5. She's great at making up songs. I like to think that she inherited this one from me. Maybe someday we'll be like The Judds only better looking and with mediocre voices. 


6. She can rock jeggings like no other.


7. She calls me mommy, but has recently added momma into the mix. 


8. She has Beiber Fever, but who doesn't right? Her favorite is the Alvin and the Chipmunks version of baby. 


9. She's become very independent lately. She would rather walk beside the grocery buggy or push it. Which I'm ok with, but then I'm constantly having to remind her that she needs to stay by my side. It's tricky.


10. She wants to help us do everything. Cook, clean, check the mail, paint, peel. It's cute and I think it's wonderful that she wants to help, but sometimes we have to get creative with the projects that we give her to help with.


I know there's probably a million other things that I should be putting on here, but this is a start!

Coming soon

Guess where we've been...

An Update

I've been slack on this blog for months now and I know with every post I mention this. As much as I want to record family events and things that we're up to, it seems there are more important things going on. Plus I feel like half the time I can't even record what I'm feeling or thinking because I'm afraid of offending someone. Lame. It's my blog right? People can deal with their own feelings right? Yes! But really, thats a big no! So instead I don't blog. Soooooo, here is what we have been up to. About a month ago I had the opportunity to photograph the juniors on my brothers high school team. I did individuals and group shots. It was kind of awkward at first, but I ended up having a lot of fun with it. Each boy went home with at least 15 edited shots of themselves and I think for the most part the parents were pretty happy over them. The team is going to a pretty big tournament next weekend and needed the photos for the programs that will be sold at the games. We've also been doing tons of projects around the house. Eric's office is now done and so is Nie Nie's room. Ok, so its not really Stephanie's room, but Sarah Grace is convinced that it is. The kitchen is almost finished, holy cow was that a huge project. The walls just need to be finished and all we'll be lacking is new flooring. Hopefully we can have that before summer! My mom & I started working on the foyer tonight and the last project has been completed in Sarah Grace's room this afternoon. She just lacks curtains. I'm thinking that I just need to pull out my sewing machine and make them. It can't be that hard right?!! haha. Maybe I'll just drape fabric over a rod, that much I know I can do. We're trying to hurry up and finish all of these indoor projects so we can move on to the yard. Wow, does it need help!! We've got plans for a big garden and lots of rose bushes in the front. I'm pretty excited and ready to start digging! Have I mentioned that we've had windows open kinda weather for the last two weeks or so?! Well we have and it's been AMAZING! It makes peeling wallpaper much more enjoyable when you have fresh breezes blowing through your house. I think the warm weather has also inspired those around me to start dieting and hitting the gym. I think several of us are on different diets. Mine being the least successful, but I can't do anything extreme. That would not be very beneficial for me. I just renewed my gym membership and on top of my old routine of weight lifting and treadmill running, I've added a couple of classes. I think the only one I'll be able to do every week is the Zumba classes. Have yall tried these? I love them! I get to shake my butt and work out at the same time. The dancer in me is very satisfied by the routines and its much more fun shaking it with others. Seriously, so much fun, try it! As an early birthday present, my sister bought me a pair of Reebok toners. They're the running kind. I've ventured out in them earlier in the week and I'm excited about running in them in the mornings. My goal is to start getting up about 15 minutes earlier in the mornings and running my mile loop. Nothing major, but It will be a good chance for me to start my morning off right and clear my head a bit before I brave the day, plus I get to tone up my thighs and back side. Who doesn't want that? Anyway, We're busy but having fun down here and looking forward to future vacations. I'll post some house pictures when I feel like the place looks decent enough! Maybe I'll get some before pictures up...you'll just have to be patient with the afters getting up!