Mom

Well, AG has this new thing where she calls me "Mom". Whenever she says it, I think to myself, "Who is mom? I am mommy." "Mom" makes me feel so much older than I am, and it makes me feel like my daughter is a teenager, not a 4 year old. At any rate, I am sure it will pass and she will call me "Mommy" again. I try not to draw too much attention to her calling me "Mom" other than the occassional response of, "Yes, daughter."

A friend sent me this email today and it touched me, so I thought I would pass it on to you. I think we all can relate in some way.

MOTHERS
Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little
voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or
Years or grade...It is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother...


The Images of Mother

4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit ! about it .

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom ' s opinion.

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she
carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen
from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where
love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty
in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly
gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing
years only grows!

Oh, Anna Grace, my prayer is that whatever age you are at, regardless of what you may think of me, I hope we always have a special relationship where you can tell me anything - your pains, your joys, your sorrows...anything at all. I love you SO much. I love sharing life with you.

Sick

I just spent 3 hours writing this LONG post. I guess blogger thought it was too long b/c it is gone. I don't know if I should re-write it or cry. I am sick........

Yes, it is the "Life is a dance" post below....I am seriously so mad right now.
Ok, maybe it was just an hour...but still....I am sick.

Life is a dance...

What a week we have had. It is only Thursday and it feels like a whole month has gone by. I feel like so much has happened...and not happened. Where to begin...

There are so many changes and things we go through in life. Thomas and I have moved three times in our eight years of marriage. I was very reluctant to move the first time from Greenville to Sumter. I thought we would spend our entire married life in Greenville, so when God had other plans for us, I was opposed.

Fairy Princess Ballet Camp

Anna Grace enjoyed a fun week at Fairy Princess Ballet Camp last week with her friend Hazel. They enjoyed watching Princess movies, coloring Princess pictures, making special princess wands, and of course learning ballet. The dance school that put on the camp doesn't have a recital at the end of the year. They are a concentrated ballet (only) dance school that puts on two performances a year. "The Nutcracker" and "Sleeping Beauty" will be the two performances the dance school puts on this year. The girls enjoyed learning basic ballet positions along with a dance from the "Sleeping Beauty" performance. They had a "dance parade" on the last day of camp and I got to come and watch and take lots of pictures!

Anna Grace and Hazel on their first day of camp. They came in and watched a princess video.


Hazel's mommy works in the mornings, so Hazel would come to our house and the girls would play until it was time to go to camp at 10am. On this day the girls were "camping out". They even got to eat their breakfast in the tent.
AG is going through a phase where she dresses up like a cat every day. This cat costume was her Halloween costume when she was 18 months old...so it isn't very big, but she loves it.


AG and Hazel in their dance clothes - ready to go to camp.


These two have a special friendship.


The last day of camp - "The Parade".
Each girl got to bring a special dress-up costume to wear to the performance. AG wore a Tinkerbell costume. A lot of the girls chose costumes with wings. It was precious.
Plie - The girls demonstrate the different positions learned throughout the week.


Point


Hazel Point


This is the number they performed from "Sleeping Beauty". It was really neat to watch them "perform". I enjoyed it so much!


Anna Grace did well and enjoyed it too! I was very proud of her.


And down and up...


Ta da!


The girls sit and anxiously await their certificates.


Hazel as Mariposa


One of the best parts of camp - the big girls that help out!


Anna Grace had a wonderful week at camp and I am so glad I sent her to it.

Cousins

Anna Grace has two precious cousins - Wyatt and Walker. It has been so sweet to watch her interact with both of them. She loves "baby Walk-er" as she calls him. She also ADORES her Wyatt. Wyatt and AG love each other so much. I love hearing them talk and watching them play together. It is so sweet and precious. Tonight we met Sage at the park. I went over and took a few pictures of AG and Wyatt on the playground together. They were having so much fun together. I pray AG, Wyatt and Walker will always appreciate the simple things in life and be as happy as they were tonight.

They were on top of the "volcano" and wanted me to take their picture.
Wyatt always likes to hold something in each of his hands. He is holding a man in each hand.


Up and down they climbed. They decided to jump off of the playground at different times. Wyatt jumped first and he fell a little bit when he touched the ground. AG asked sweetly, "Are you ok, Wyatt?" He replied, "YES! Your turn, Anna Grace!"
They are so precious.


Hey Mommy! Do you see me on top of the volcano?


Here they are deciding how Wyatt will get down. They called me over to help out.


And here is a sweet picture of Walker looking at AG. She got to spend some one-on-one time with Walker at my parent's house this weekend. Walker enjoyed looking and smiling at Anna Grace.


Maybe AG needs to work on her smile a little bit...

AG found another backyard critter

Are you surprised?!? This is my child we are talking about! The one who will only wear dresses and LOVES princesses and Barbies...also LOVES to find frogs, pick up caterpillars, hold bugs, find butterflies, catch lizards...and her latest...a turtle! And in case you are wondering, yes, we have had the "snake" talk with AG. We have told her that if she ever finds a snake in the backyard that she is NOT to touch it and bring it to us. She is to leave it, and quickly run and let us know where it is.So, her latest find is a turtle.

Sage and I went to my parents house this past weekend to visit my mom. She had a knee replacement two weeks ago. We went to help my dad out, visit and spread some cheer. AG and Walker came with us. My mom and AG were sitting on the screened porch watching the birds when AG exclaimed, "Nana! I see a turtle!" My mom said she didn't see it at first and when she did see it, she was surprised AG had spotted it. AG has quite an eye for yard critters. I think she is always looking and hoping to find one.
She ran in the house yelling, "I found a turtle mommy!"

I walked into the backyard with her and this is what we found. I know...I can't believe she saw it. It was very well camouflaged. You can kind of see his face. He quickly retreated to his shell when he was aware of our presence.


Aunt Sage tried to show AG how to hold the turtle.
AG didn't realize the turtle may not like to be held upside down.


We brought him back up to the porch so Nana could meet him too. AG didn't understand why this scared to death box turtle wouldn't come out of his shell. She thought maybe a friend would help him come out. The friend is a metal turtle on my parent's porch.


Maybe if we take him on a ride in a dump truck he will come out?!? Where is he and why won't he come out? Should we feed him? What should we do?


After many attempts at trying to get the turtle to come out (including feeding him lettuce, letting him rock in the rocking chair and him falling off onto the ground on his shell) with none being successful, we freed the turtle back in the yard.
He was probably so relieved. We later snuck back up on him to check on him and he was walking around the yard - as happy as he could be. Until we came up again....

Bowling!!

Our church is having Wednesday night "Connection" nights during the month of July to help families get out and have fun together and stay connected. Our Sunday School class decided to go bowling for our connection night last Wednesday. We had a great time together and the kids enjoyed it just as much as we did.

Hunter picks out his ball while Riley, Reaves and Conner watch him make his choice.


Strike! Riley watches her ball knock down the pins.


Go Anna Grace Go! Riley and Thomas cheer on AG as she takes her turn.


Anna Grace enjoys watching Hazel take her turn.


Caitlyn watches very seriously as her ball rolls down the lane.


This was Will's first time bowling and he had a great time.


Marsha (with Maddie), Sandy and Chasidy enjoy catching up.


Woohoo! Reaves excitedly watches her ball knock down the pins. Kyle looks proud too!


Go Faith. Faith lets her ball roll down the lane.


Tonya helps Conner try for a strike.


Londa watches as Hunter takes his turn.


Will wants a strike. The adults were serious bowlers.


The children had the most fun waiting and watching as the balls came back up. They "guarded" them all night. They also enjoyed letting the fan blow their hair.


"AG, it's your turn," says daddy. Caitlyn checks to make sure it is AG's turn while Hazel hands her the ball. This is TEAMWORK at its finest.


Reaves enjoyed feeding Maddie her bottle.


Lane searches for the perfect ball to bowl with.


Hazel and Caitlyn anxiously watch and cheer for Will as his ball rolls down the lane.


Mitch, Reaves, Riley, AG, Faith and Will enjoyed sitting together and watching the balls hit the pins down.


Kyle and Thomas ponder some "new moves" on their next turn.


Hunter keeps up with the balls as Kyle prepares to bowl.


We had a great time bowling. It was fun catching up with everyone and watching the kids take their turns. We are so blessed we have such a wonderful Sunday School class. So many amazing couples with children close to AG's age. It has been a blessing and we enjoy these people so much. We always have a good time together and laugh a lot!

Princess Pottery Camp

Anna Grace enjoyed a week at "Princess Pottery" art camp last week at WINK. She went Monday thru Friday from 9:30-12:00 each day. Her friends Hazel, Caitlyn and Sarah were there and she looked forward to seeing them each day. She painted many "princess" things - from a tiara piggy bank to a unicorn to a goblet to a beautiful princess plate (seen above). She enjoyed the camp a lot and I am so glad she went.

This picture was taken on the second day of art camp. This is Hazel, Sarah, Anna Grace and another little friend sitting at the table together.


This is Caitlyn and her friend Emily sitting at the other side of the table.


Caitlyn and Hazel came over one morning before art camp and they brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast! Yummy!


AG, Sarah, Hazel and Avery enjoy coloring Princess pictures together.


Ta da!


Twins! Hazel came over wearing this dress and AG picked it out to wear too!


Hazel and AG enjoy breakfast before art camp.
They both are enjoying a bowl of cereal.


AG, Hazel and Sarah on their last day of art camp. What a fun week they had!


The "artist" in front of all of her work from the week.


AG had a great time at art camp. I wish I had been able to take more pictures of her painting her pottery, but they worked on that after I left. So I tried to snap a few pictures when I dropped her off and picked her up. She had a great time and I would recommend the camp to everyone!