Our Life This Moment

Our life is busy- BUT I wouldn't have it any other way right now. I do try to give the kids as much free/down time as possible....just being outside not having any structured activity. I love watching Blaine come home and jump on his bike and ride/play outside for an hour after school. Sarah Claire loves to draw so any coloring/painting activity inside or out is right up her ally! Anna Britten just follows along wanting to do whatever they are doing.

Blaine is playing soccer two nights a week, so Tuesdays and Thursdays are spent at the soccer field. He is loving it and has a good little team. He has scored a goal in three of his five games- his confidence is building and I love the fact that he is actually "getting into" the game!

My sweet kindergartener! This was last Friday before her Teddy Bear picnic- she LOVES school. I am so glad! I am very proud of her- she is beginning to "read" and I LOVE seeing her BIG smile when she reads one of her little books! Our hardest mornings are THursday and Friday- the week begins to catch up with her, but she is improving!

Just thought this was funny. We were walking through Target looking at the costumes and AB decides these are a good fit- what do you think? I just had to laugh!

A purse is usually pretty close to her at all times. Love the fact she likes this purse- it was made by one of my dear college friends, Susan.

This is what I love to watch in the afternoon!

On our way to watch Walker play soccer last Saturday- of course Daddy gives them popcicles at 7:45 in the morning!

Mrs. Betty and I took the kids to the Exploreum last Saturday. They had a blast!

One of Sarah Claire's friends, Ellie Grace, had her 6th birthday party last Saturday. I pray that she always has such sweet friends.

Mark made breakfast for supper last Sunday while I was in a meeting- sweet hubbie. He doesn't really like it, but the kids and I LOVE it!

Anna Britten and her "sparkly" toes!

This is what we do with markers instead of drawing with them! Isn't it fun?

Blaine and I have just finished the book Dolphin Tale about Winter, a dolphin caught in a crab trap and rescued at 3 months old. She lost her tale and a vertabrae from her injuries. It is such an inspiring story. The movie comes out this weekend and stars Harry Connick Jr. (a reason to see it too!) and Ashley Judd. Go here to see Winter on a real web cam and read her story. Truly amazing!

Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. quote from George Mueller

Came across this quote as I was having my quiet time yesterday and really meditated on it...something I need to remember always!

Football season has begun and we are a divided family once again! Mark changed both of these dresses later on to Auburn so when he left for work, I promptly switched them both to BAMA! Roll Tide!

We went to Foley last Friday night to visit Mom and Dad. The kids enjoyed themselves...we had a picnic supper and walked down to Graham Creek where the kids looked for alligators (ha)!

Blaine had his opening day of soccer this past Saturday. I believe he is really enjoying it. So far, he has played three games (one practice) and scored a goal in each.

Us before church on Sunday- 9/11- hard to believe it has been ten years. I was captivated by all the stories of the people lost- heroes, once again. I remember that I was teaching First Grade in Summerdale that day. I heard the librarian come out and yell down the hall- you've got to come see this! (She was the only one that had a tv...) We (the teachers) just stood and watched in horror- as I walked back to my classroom that morning, thinking about all those innocent children that were soon to learn what happened- their little lives, all of our lives would be changed by this. Many parents came and checked their children out of school. I remember calling my brother, who, I knew, would be affected by the events of that day. He served two deployments to Iraq... so proud of him and all the other soldiers that have served since that day. We will never forget...

Rainy Weekend

Tropical Storm weather brought lots of rain to us this past weekend, so this is what we do!

Dress up and dance to music!

Play GaMeS!!

sNuGgLe!!

Paint toes!!

Even though the weekend was rainy, this week has been PERFECT!! I enjoyed going to eat lunch with Sarah Claire and Blaine yesterday...I even got to spend some time with Sarah Claire on the playground. FUN!

Sarah Claire and her friend Matthew!

Potty talk

Love this child...she and I have had some fun times hanging out these past few weeks! Her little mind is always going- she is very quick to tell me something that I had no idea she would remember. For example...at the Little Gym the other day A Small World began playing...she was quick to say Mommy, we heard this song when we road in a boat. What? How did she remember that? She was just two years old on our trip to Disney and we didn't talk about that ride much. (She did ride it many many times while there.) She will pull a book- most any book from her bookshelf and say the title. She will go in her little "closet" and repeat a phone conversation I just had verbatim! A little scary:)

Since we have some time, thought it would be good to bite the bullet and began Potty Training this week. I DREADED it because my other two were not the easiest. Maybe I shouldn't say it that way, once they got it- they got it. Both were close to three if not three when they FINALLY decided they would do it! Anna Britten is a lot like they were- it's had to be on her terms. She has done so well- we went straight to panties- NO PULL UPS (except at night). I do believe this is the way to go-

Sooo- we are now on our third day of straight panties! It's great- all I do ALL day is talk potty with her. When we were in McAllister's the other day and I was going to the bathroom- she was cheering me on, "Way to go Mommy". That's my life this week!

We all walked Blaine and Sarah Claire to school this morning. Love that I am able to do this!