Happy B-Day Avana!

I can't believe my little girl turned 3 today! It seems just like yesterday I was bringing her home from the hospital. She has been such a blessing to us and we love her VERY Much! Here is my beautiful, curly headed B-day girl right before opening her presents!

She got several gifts. She got her very first Mickey Mouse sleeping bag and pillow. Now she can get hers out when sissy gets hers out. Avana loves to dress up. I got her a bunch of play wigs and a flapper outfit and as you can see her aunt Lauren and Uncle Andy along with her sister were trying them out. But of all her gifts her favorite is her princess four-wheeler. It is so easy for her to drive and manuver. She had a big time even though we didn't have a big party with a bunch of people. The most important people were there to celebrate it with her and that is family.

Workin at the Car Wash!

On the 4th of July my aunt and uncle roasted a hog and everyone ate supper at their house. Well, we got there a little early and Avana and Jayden, my cousin's girl, decided to wash the car. Avana wasn't too sure about gettin in the sudsy water as much as Jayden in the beginning but ended up getting quite into it. Here are just a few pics of them "washing the car".

Random Update

I have been on vacation this week only because my doctors that I transcribe for were on vacation. Not a very good one I might add. I just made a doctors appointment for myself for tomorrow as I have been having back problems. I have been having them for about a month now but kinda ignored them. Well, needless to say it has not gotten better. I don't know what I did but hopefully they can tell me something tomorrow. Everyone has been giving me a hard time about it since it is getting closer to time for us to start painting and now I am down in my back. People, I didn't plan on hurting my back so please get off of my back about it! I have still been helping Adam paint the outside posts of the house but I feel it when I get done and start to try to relax. On another note, here are some pics that I took of my kiddos on Father's Day and some of me and my brothers with my dad. Adam had to work on Father's Day so that is why I don't have a pic of the girls with him at church. He shys away from the camera because he says,"I know where those pictures you take end up and I don't want my pictures on there."

When we get through painting the posts on the outside of hte house I will post a new pic of it. We have 17 posts all together. They take time to prime and then paint them and with it so freakin hot outside Adam and I only work in the late, late afternoon on them so we only get about one or two done at a time. We have 8 of them done. 9 more to go. UGHHHH! Please pray that my back problems is just a pulled muscle. I don't think it is my kidney but I am no doctor so it could be. I just hope it is not a slipped disc or something along that nature!

Hairy Booger!

I have been meaning to get on here and update my blog ever since last Wednesday night. Avana pulled a good one on me at church! Here goes the story.

We were having a three day revival last week and Wednesday was the last night. We made it all the way through preaching pretty well without much disturbance with Avana coloring and looking at books. She kept going from my lap to Adam's lap. When they were getting ready to dismiss the preacher called on Adam to say the dismissal prayer. He was holding Avana. Well, I kept hearing her whispering momma but I just kept my eyes closed thinking that she would just hush since I wasn't paying her any attention. After the prayer was over she kept pointing to my hair. I said what is it. She says "Momma, you have a booger in your hair!". She was trying to get my attention to get a booger off of her finger but I was ignoring her so she wiped it in my hair! I had to beg Adam to get it out and not make me walk out of the church with it hanging in my hair! All I could do was laugh. She is all the time coming up to me with one on her finger wanting me to get it off. Even in the car she hollars, "Momma, Booger!". NE Ways she taught me a lesson in paying attention when she is trying to tell me something.

Memphis Zoo Trip

This past weekend my m-i-l and I took the girls to the Memphis Zoo. The weather was perfect for our mini-vacation. Brooke wanted to get her face painted and so little miss Avana had to have hers done too. They turned out really cute. This monkey looked like he/she was actually smiling for the picture I was taking of him/her.

Avana had the map that we got at the entrance and she carried it the whole time. She liked the Panda Bears.

Here are just a few shots of Libby and the girls and a couple more animal shots. We spent the most time, I think, watching the mirkats. They are so animated and put on a show. They pose for pictures too. Kinda like that Monkey. The cheetahs were kinda givin me the creeps. They were pacing back and forth like they were trying to figure out a way to get out of that pen. Brooke caught this one's eye and we went on our way. I didn't want to be real close when they did decide to leap out of there as there would be no out running them.

I love this tiger picture. This is the very first picture I took when we got there of an animal. He just looks so majestic sitting there on that ledge. Needless to say, we had a great time. We stayed the night in Cordova, TN and got up Saturday morning and did a little shopping. But, of course, the girls wasn't much on shopping. There is a store there called Gordman's. It is awesome. We are getting one in Little Rock in October! Can't wait!

Well, it has been a little while since I have updated on the house! As you can see we now have siding and part of our roofing on. The posts for the porch are supposed to be in Wednesday and then the fun begins for me as I get to start painting them. I really haven't got to help do much to this point as I don't have a clue about most of this stuff but painting and staining I can handle. We got to order our rock to go around the bottom of the house and on the fireplace sometime this week as they are going to get started on that pretty soon. Adam and his friend, Scott, have been doing the electrical. They are going to try to finish roughing all that in today so the insulation can be put in the end of this week or next week. It is coming right along. I am sure that is is fixin to slow down considerably once we get to the inside stuff. Met with the cabinet man and he is getting starting on those also. I will post more pics of the house when we get the posts up and painted and the rest of the roofing is on. Thanks for checking in on us!

Doors and Windows!

Yeah, we have windows and doors!!!!! The plumbers came this week and got the tub/showers set and got quite a bit done on the inside. Adam and a buddy of his is going to work tomorrow on pulling wire for the electrical. The metal roof will be delivered Tuesday and depending on the weather, as always, they will start putting it up soon along with the siding. Everything is falling into place. We get more excited every day with the new progress. Sorry it has taken so long to post a picture. We feel like we are running a race against time here these days. Between my work and Adam's work, Brooke playing softball, doing very well I might add, and the house I really don't have any spare time. My house loooks like a catastrophe right now because I haven't had much time to clean either. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day!

Busy, Busy, Bees

I am sorry for no updates lately. We have been running around like chickens with their heads cut off the past couple of weeks. Well, actually, I have been working as my doctor decided to catch up on stuff from 2007, go figure! I feel like I have to peel my butt off my desk chair at the end of the day. It is pretty bad when my 2-yr-old runs to my office door when I get up to do something, and blocks it with both arms and legs and says "No Mommy!" It breaks my heart sometimes. It isn't like that all the time but they have really been swamping me lately and Adam got called in to work the past Sunday on nights and has been working nights and that doesn't help much either as he isn't here to help with the kids. Okay, enough of the whinning!

On another note, I do have new pics of the house and yes they are coming right along despite all the dern rain. Hopefully, pending the weather, the roofer and siding folks will be there next week to start on their part. I will post pics later. I will also post pics of Brooke at her performance at school the other night. She did so good. She had to memorize some facts about New York and say them in front of a pretty big audience I might add. She did better than her dear ol' mom would have done. I would have totally forgotten when I looked out there and saw all those people. Well, that is about all for now. I will try to get back on here and update with some pics this weekend that is if I don't have to work all weekend like last. Just like a doctor, no offence Darren, LOL. Last weekend was Mother's Day for goodness sake! I spent mine working that afternoon!

House Update

Okay, so I finally remembered to carry my camera up to the house project on Thursday afternoon. The first photo is a pic from the back. When we went up there Friday afternoon they had all the way up to where the peak is going to be decked. Yes, there will be a peak on the house. I have had many people ask me what type of roof we were having.

I could not resist taking this pic of Avana up there she was hiding from Brooke in the garage and Brooke was looking in the house for her. She is a sneaky little booger. How do you like those green boots! She wants to wear them everywhere, even to church with her dresses. I have to pretty much hide them so she won't think about them and we don't have a fight on our hands. Of course, the second house pic is of the front. We are so excited. Well, I say we, Adam is a little bit excited, scared and most of all stressing over the "little stuff" because he would like to be there when they are working some and helping but has to go to work. Well, that is all I have for now. I just wanted to give you some updated pictures. Next week, hopefully, we will have pictures of the peak on the house and the dummy dormer that is going to be on the front of the house.

Softball Season in Full Swing!

As many of you know, baseball, softball and T-ball are full swing ahead and do I mean full swing. Brooke's team has games all week this week. We had one tonight, one tomorrow night, then Thursday and then play a tournament Friday and Saturday. A little much I think for this age group but fussing about it won't help!

Here is a Brooke patiently waiting for her turn to bat.

We were getting bad tickled up in the stands watching her get her stance getting ready to bat. I told them up there I don't care how she stands as long as she hits the ball and by golly she did. I have seen a lot of improvement in her since last year but it is still a learning process. A lot of it is getting them to pay attention to the ball when playing defense! I made Adam take her bubble gum out of her mouth tonight because she was busy blowing bubbles instead of watching what was going on and caused two runs to happen on the opposite team as she was playing third base. I know, Mean Momma! After that gum was gone she started doing better though. HAHA.

PS. New pics of house coming soon! You won't believe the change in the looks on the next pic!

HAPPY B-DAY, RACHEL!!!!

I just wanted to shout out a Happy B-Day to my long time friend, Rachel! I hope you have a great day today. Thanks for being such a good friend all of these years. I am always remembering things that we used to do back in our wild and somewhat crazy teenage years but all in all we were pretty good kids. Except for that one time we got in trouble for toilet papering and shoe polishing that one girls car, I can't even remember what her name was, oh, Cathy, I think. NE-ways. We always had fun no matter where we went or what we were doing. Those times will always be cherished and remembered. Thanks for all the fun times! Again, Happy Birthday!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone! It has been such a yucky day to be such a beautiful holiday. I had to take a picture of this arrangement that was on our pulpit this AM! It is absolutely beautiful! Here is a good ol' inside pic of the clan since it was obviously too nasty outside to take any. Avana looks thrilled in this pic as she does in most.

Then by this point her and Brooke both were givin some real goofy expressions as they were tired of all the smile, cheeseburger, pickle all that jive. They looked too cute in their matching dresses but I know very soon that will come to a halt as Brooke is getting to that age where she doesn't want to be dressed like a "little girl" any more. Kinda makes me sade to think about it. I hope everyone had a good day today despite the weather.

Progression of House

We now have a garage build out to the side of the house. There will be a covered breezeway leading to the house. The trusses were delivered this morning and the builder says they will start putting them up Wednesday. Today they wer getting everything level and straight as far as the walls and doing more bracing. The more that goes up the more excited I get! Brooke is already debating on which room she wants. She has three to chose from but one is smaller than the other two which I figure will be my office. The other rooms are pretty much the same size. They differ just a hair. NE-ways. Just wanted to give everyone an update. More pictures to come next week when they start putting the trusses up. YEY!!!!!!

Spring Break at Gulf Shores 2009

Brooke got to go to Gulf Shores for Spring Break with my mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife. I am so glad they asked her to go because otherwise she would have been stuck at home doing nothing. Adam and I had to stick around with all of the house business going on in case they needed us for questions, etc. I just wanted to share some pictures of her having a GREAT time at Gulf Shores. I would love to go sometime this summer and take Avana too but don't know if that will happen either. Brooke asked me a funny question, I thought, before they left. She wanted to know if I had a beach umbrella. I said "Why would I have a beach umbrealla? I have never been to the beach. So I told her GiGi about her comment and they made sure to find her a beach umbrella when they were on the beach. She thought this was so cool. She thought it was so neat that these birds got so close to her on the beach. Of course, she was giving them a reason with all that food she had to throw them.

They didn't get to swim much in the water because Brooke said it was pretty cold. They would usually swim in the pools at the condo and just play on the beach in the sand. I asked her if she built a sand castle and she said no we barried Andy, my brother-in-law. I said I can't believe all that time you were there and didn't build a castle. Maybe if we get to go we will make a big one!

On another note, the house is coming along. We had a few changes in the girls bedrooms that had to be made as their closets were too small. We had them enlarged considerably. You know how girls are and needing that closet space. The builder is ordering the trusses today and they should be done the end of this week or first of next. I will post more pictures. I have been up there so many times and every time I forget to carry my camera.

Does this helment make my head look big?

Avana came into the living room last night with this helment on her head. This is Brooke's helment she wears riding her 4-wheeler. We all thought it looked too darn cute. She kept it on for a while but it starting getting too heavy for her to hold up. She was running around in it and I finally got her to stop long enough to snap a shot. Later I will post some pictures of Brooke on her spring break pictures on the beach. She got to go with my m-i-l, b-i-l and his wife to Gulf Shores and she had a blast. She had never been to the ocean before and thought it was so neat.

They poured the last of the porches today. This is pictures of our handprints in the front porch.

FINALLY!!!!! Boards going vertical instead of horizontal! We are so excited. They got two walls actually up but have about half of them built and not standing up yet.

This is a side view of the house.

This is a picture from the front. It is so exciting to actually see some progress. I think it will go pretty fast from here as far as getting it in the dry. Then it will slow down again. I know you really can't tell much from these pics but I am just glad to be able to show the progression! I will keep posting pics as it continues to go up.

It's the Little Things

Here is a note that I found on my desk this morning when I got up to finish up last night's work. Brooke apparently put this on my desk after I had quit for the night. It is these little things that make me smile and know that I must be doing something right. Of course, we have our days but all in all it is a wonderful life with my two girls and my wonderful husband. I need to keep this for ammunition later on when she decides she may not like me in her teenage years! HAHA. I know that day is coming and I dread it. She is a very smart, beautiful girl and I just hope she will always remember that she is the sparkle of my eye as well as her sister. Never take the little things for granted!

Rain, Rain Go Away

Just a quick update. We haven't gotten much done on the house because of all the dern rain. I am hoping it will dry out enough this week that they can pour the slab sometime this week. The power company finally came out today and set our poles and we now have electricity, about time as we have been waiting for almost 2 months for them to come! Funny story about that. I went by the electric company's office the other day in Sheridan and, of course, all the men were sitting on their hind ends shootin the breeze when I walked in. They know who I am because I have and Adam has been in there several times trying to light a fire under them. Well, I walked in and asked when they thought they might get my power supply to my building site as my carpenter is going to need it before long. On gentleman was very kind and said they had to have a special rig to drive out in the cutover and they would get it by Monday or Tuesday, this was last week by the way. I said, "Good deal". Well this big ol guy sitting next to him had to open his trap and this is the statement he made to me. "You know what you can do to help us out while you are waiting for us?" I said, "What's that?" He says, " Get you a shop vac and go out there and suck up all that water for us." I just looked at him and said "Hum, well, you have to have electricity to run a shop vac don't you?" And needless to say I had the last say in that one. Hope ya'll had a good weekend. Maybe by next weekend I will have some pictures of some boards going up.

Outside fun

Since it has been so beautiful outside the past few days we have been taking advantage of it.

Brooke and Avana played on the trampoline and the swingset for a while. I was busy snapping shots while they were trying to play but I kept stopping them for some pictures. Avana a.k.a., per her dad, Wild Woman, loves to play in the sand. We found this out when we took her up to the new house place and she found the sandpile at the back of the house. So, I went to town this past weekend and bought her and Brooke a sandbox. Haven't gotten the sand to go in it yet but I am sure they, especially Avana, will have a blast playing in it. The picture of Brooke on the trampoline with Woodrow, our dog, was taken yesterday while Avana was napping. Brooke was jumping and Woodrow decided he wanted to join in on the fun. I was doing laundry and Adam came and got me so I could take a picture of them on there together. He was actually jumping with her at one point but I didn't get that on camera. He loves the girls but he gets on their nerves sometimes. Wherever they go he goes. Well, I just wanted to share some outside fun pictures with ya. Hopefully before long I will have some new pictures of the house place with some actual boards going up. Don't look like it will be this week though as it is going to rain sounds like most of the week. UGHHHH!

Like my hair?

I took this picture of Avana as she was playing in her sister's room today and came out wearing this. This is Brooke's Hannah Montana Wig. Check out those puckered lips like she is posing or something. Everytime she dresses up she calls herself a princess. One day I am going to get a picture of her in her dress and her cowgirl hat. She is hard to get pictures of sometimes. She won't stand still long enough for me to get it snapped most of the time but she wanted her picture taken, apparently, in this wig. When she wears the princess dresses and the cowgirl had she calls herself a "cowgirl princess". She gets on her rocking horse and rides.

House Update

Okay, I told ya'll I would post some pics of the progress of the house building. Just looking at these pictures it don't look like much has happened. The blocks are finished for the house and is filled with dirt. The plumber is supposed to come Wednesday and assess things and get started shortly after that and then will be time for the slab. Things seem to be moving quite slow but the weather has been holding a lot back. Here are a few pictures of the Ashley House. The first photo is from the back of the house. The second is a side view of the house and then the last one is a front view. I thought it was kinda neat with that little bulldozer in there. The bulldozer is sitting in my area where the kitchen table will be sitting. It fits perfect in there.