Go CRAWFISH!!!

Coach Jason, Coach Alex and Coach Dale with the CRAWFISH

No, we're not dressed up in pink for the Cherry Blossom Festival...Avery had her first T-ball game this morning! Her team is named the Crawfish, and their uniforms are pink - Avery's absolute favorite color. She was so excited to get to play in her first real game. She did really well - getting 2 hits off the tee and fielding a couple of ground balls. The game, of course, had it's blooper highlights though, as she spent most of her time in the outfield building molehills out of dirt and had to be reminded to run after hitting the ball. One time she missed a ground ball and then ran and stood on second base like she WAS something. Guess we need to remind her that you have to be holding the BALL to get someone out at second. The best, however, was when she was the runner on 2nd base and the batter hit the ball. She took off running to third, but instead completely bypassed the base and ran straight into the dugout. In her defense, the inning WAS over, but I'm not sure she knew that. We are in for a great season!

First time at bat

Avery running from 2nd to 3rd (but ending up in the dugout)

Ready position

My angel in the outfield

Getting some coaching from Alex at first base

Friends in the dugout

Mommy According to Avery

Here is a fun little game that I recently posted on Facebook. I don't usually do these types of things, but I thought I would enjoy knowing what Avery's perceptions of me were. It turned out to be quite fun! I had to ask Avery these questions and see what she said about me.

1. What is something mom always says to you? I love you!
2. What makes mom happy? I guess when I say, "Mom, this dinner is sooooo delicious!"
3. What makes mom sad? If I get a spanking.
4. How does your mom make you laugh? Tickle me.
5. What was your mom like as a child? You liked to play with your toys.
6. How old is your mom? 53 (a little digit reversal, I'm afraid, and one year off.)
7. How tall is your mom? Let me measure you...(leaves room to get a tape measure, returns empty handed). I guess I'll have to count you. She counts from 1 to 14 from my feet to my head and says, "14 tall."
8. What is her favorite thing to do? Go to the beach.
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Sits there and cries and says, "Avery's not here to play with me."
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Everyone seed you.
11. What is your mom really good at? cooking supper
12. What is your mom not very good at? I'm thinking it's gonna hurt your feelings. (I told her it would not, and she changed her answer to "going to bed.")
13. What does your mom do for a job? clean up (it sure does feel like that's my full time job!)
14. What is your mom's favorite food? broccoli
15.What makes you proud of your mom? Taking me to Ella Sombrero for a date.
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Larry the cucumber (had to ask why, and she said because you're straight and long. HA!)
17. What do you and your mom do together? go on a date
18. How are you and your mom the same? Both of us like to play on the computer and we both got blue eyes (hazel actually).
19. How are you and your mom different? Because you're bigger than me and I'm smaller than you.
20. How do you know your mom loves you? You kiss me and hug me.
21. What does your mom like most about your dad? getting married
22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? to choir

Snapshots Worth 1,000 Words

Sometimes during the day, I will catch one of the kids doing something cute or funny (and often mischevious). I have learned to have the camera nearby, so that I can snap a picture on a moment's notice. There are no long stories to go along with them - for the pictures tell their own story. Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from the last month.

OK, what is it with Asa and the feminine products? Guess I need to put them out of reach!

Avery and Brynn riding double on MY old horse - so sweet!

Asa giving me a big fat kiss! Love that boy!

Check out Brynn's shirt! HA! So appropriate for the girl who colors her lips with red marker and climbs into the bathroom sink to look at herself in the mirror (it's about to break off the wall!) She is the QUEEN of mischief!

She has an electrifying personality!

She's Jumpin' Her Pants Off

The other day, Brynn was jumping up and down in the living room, and she is so skinny, that her pants fell down. As if that wasn't funny enough, she looked at me and said, "Look Mommy, I just jumpted my pants off!"

A GRAND Day for Brynn

Brynn's Grandparents Tea was today, after being rescheduled from Monday due to the snow day. Grandmommy, Grandpapa, Granddad and PaPa were able to come, but Nonna and Grandma Shirley could not get out of work obligations for it. We sure did miss them. It's just a blessing to have 3 sets of them all in Macon! She had so many grandparents that she had a table ALL TO HERSELF!! Brynn had a ball pouring tea and singing songs for the Grands. The decorations were precious and the food was delicious. Here are some pictures...

Thanks to all of you guys for making this day special for Brynn!!

Snow Much Fun!!

WOW! I can't believe it actually happened - we got snow in Macon, Georgia for the first time in 7 years! It was in the high sixty's yesterday, and today it snowed - that's crazy Macon weather for ya! The girls were so excited to see their first snow, and we had so much fun playing in it. Granddad and Nonna came by to watch, and the 2 of them, along with Daddy helped Avery and Brynn build a great snowman! (We didn't have a carrot, so he has a hot dog nose! The girls thought that was quite hysterical!) Asa looked like the kid from "A Christmas Story" all bundled up to where he could hardly move. He was very subdued and fascinated by the whole thing. This was certainly a day to remember...because it may be while before it happens again.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Today is my Mom’s birthday, and I wanted to do something special for her. I got this great post idea from a friend’s blog (thanks Bethany). So, Mom, this post is totally and completely for you! And anyone else who reads it will know without a doubt what a wonderful Mom you are to me! I have made a random list (typed exactly as they came to my mind) of memories and qualities that I love about you. I hope you enjoy it!
1. You are a prayer warrior, and everyone in the family looks to you to take prayers to the Father on their behalf.
2. You write the best poems – wedding poems, birthday poems, school poems, the list goes on...
3. Working on my “All the world’s a stage” speech for graduation.
4. Helping me with my clever college entrance essays.
5. You LOVE my scrapbooks more than anyone – I can’t wait to show them to you.
6. Seeing you when you’re with my children – an AWESOME Grandmommy.
7. The way you’ve cried every time I had a child – like I knew it was special for you to see your baby have babies (and you always thanked me for my sacrifice when most people are just focused on the new baby).
8. All of your help after Avery (you know what I mean!) Not many people could’ve handled that.
9. Your generous nature.
10. Watching you take care of Pops as he aged. You were a great daughter to him!
11. Going to Burger King with Mrs. Smothers while @ TSA, and the fact that you still do it!
12. Meeting you at BK now with your sisters and Pops before he died.
13. Singing @ Pops’ funeral – for him, but for YOU too.
14. You’ve never missed an event – not a ball game, talent show, parents’ weekend, Christmas program. You’ve always supported me in everything.
15. Planning a wedding with you – the sweetest wedding ever!
16. Getting pulled over on the way to ATL when we went to get fitted for my wedding dress.
17. You are my BEST girlfriend.
18. The way we shop so well together – being able to walk in/walk out quickly and not waste time.
19. When you taught my women’s Bible Study group and they all loved you too.
20. The way you handled your cancer and how it gave the rest of us peace (and how God healed you!)
21. When you wanted to hear me sing “Trust His Heart” immediately after coming out of your surgery, and I was holding your hand.
22. Dinners at El Sombrero with you, Papa, and the kids.
23. Playing mafia at family gatherings and crying because I hated lying to you all!
24. The time when you rode on the back of my Big Wheel down the big hill on Pierce Dr. N and got scared b/c we were going too fast. You tried to get off and massacred your leg!
25. Our pet cat, Whiskers, and how he would attack us from under the kitchen table.
26. Going camping back in the day.
27. Being in your English class.
28. Growing up with your working at my school was always great – because you were always there and I never resented that.
29. What would I do with 3 kids and you not being in town to “relieve” me sometimes - whether it’s just dropping in for a change of scenery, meeting me at Chick-fil-a or letting me go get coffee.
30. You’re always there to talk to when I need a listening ear.
31. You are one of my top “advisors” in life.
32. Wanting to go with you & Papa on your honeymoon when I was little.
33. Being SOOOOO excited when you got engaged to Papa.
34. Going with the family to Disney World last March.
35. Wonderful memories of Hilton Head over the years.
36. I love that we talk on the phone at least once a day (often more).
37. You allowed me to be a “BABY WISE NAZI” with Avery and supported me even though I was utterly ridiculous.
38. We both were there for each other during our times of discontentment over our living situation (houses). God worked it out for good for each of us.
39. How proud I was to be your daughter when they gave you the standing O at Tattnall’s moving up ceremony Logan’s senior year.
40. When I came inside from playing with Denise as a child because I knew MY Mom would tell me what the F word meant. And then going back outside and saying, “I told you she would tell me!”
41. I’m just glad that we can talk about ANYTHING.
42. You are a model wife, daughter, sister, and mother, and I pray I can be half the person you are!
43. Going out on my 21st Birthday and y’all buying me a glass of wine – WEIRD!
44. Being able to relate to you as an adult and friend now!
45. Always asking you how can I make my girls love me the way I love you and turn out to be Godly women.
46. You coming in @ Aunt Nettie’s when Grandmommy died. I only remember that you were bawling, and it is etched in my memory.
47. I love that you share your testimony with your seniors – TSA is so blessed to have you as a part of their family.
48. You have parades and dance with my kids, and they love it!
49. You are full of Godly wisdom and can always point me to Scripture for answers.
50. Taking the trip to Hawaii with you and Papa.
51. Spending the night with you guys when Bryan goes out of town.
52. Eating pizza and watching movies that we rented, the 2 of us on opposite ends of the sofa just vegging out and Papa in his lazy boy.
53. All the nights you scratched my back growing up.
54. The first time I had to use a certain feminine product when we were at the beach and I was freaking out!
55. Lots, lots, lots of laughter through the years.
56. Telling you that I was pregnant with my first child, and seeing you cry because you were so happy and surprised.
57. Telling you I was pregnant with baby #2 after coming home from SSI. We told Avery to give Mommy and kiss, Daddy a kiss, and the baby a kiss. You cried again!
58. Announcing that “It’s a boy” at the girls’ birthday party and you being so excited, but upset because Papa wasn’t in the room…then you had to comfort me while I cried over it!
59. You celebrate with me over the things that I FINALLY get – like my van, my house, my children – things that I have to WAIT for patiently – that you know I REALLY want.
60. You are the most amazing mom in the world!
As you can see, there are 60 reasons, and there is no mistake about why. I was actually surprised by how LITTLE time it took me to think of them. I spent no more time than it took to type them, and I have billions more in my head. I could go on and on about you forever, which is just proof that I love you more than you’ll ever know! Happy 60th Mom! I love you. Julie

I Thought BOYS Loved Their MOMMA's!!

That's what everyone told me when I found out that I was having a son!! "Oh, boys just LOVE their Momma's!" Well, what's wrong with mine? I say that with a smile on my face because while I wish Asa would just want to crawl up in my arms and love on me all the time, it melts my heart to see who my "replacement" is -- Bryan. Boy, does Asa just adore his Daddy! In the mornings, when I go to get him up, he can hardly wait to get out of my arms and run to his Daddy. Bryan will pick him up, and he will put his head on his Daddy's shoulder and stay there for as long as Bryan will hold him. It really is a sweet relationship. Who knows, maybe my day will come, as it did with the girls (all of our kids preferred Daddy as babies), but until then I'll just enjoy watching my man and his little boy!

Avery's First Trip to the Dentist

Last week at school, Avery's class learned about Dental Health, and she came home every day talking about the dentist and how to take care of her teeth. I decided I should take advantage of her positive outlook and schedule her first appointment with Uncle Shawn! So, this morning, we went to the dentist. Avery was so excited, and she did fantastic. Mrs. Belinda was her hygienist, and she was great with her! She cried only once, when she had to bite down on that X-Ray thing, but who DOES like that part? Other than that, she loved watching the Backyardigans on the TV, going for a ride on the magic chair, having her teeth brushed by Mr. Ticklebrush, and spitting into Mr. Slurpy Straw! Uncle Shawn gave her the high five for no cavities, and she got her great bag full of treats! She was very proud to walk into school afterwards and show Mrs. Laurie and her friends the pictures that they printed of her getting her teeth cleaned and her X-Rays. It was a great first experience, and in her words, "the bestest day EVER!"

This is NOT Funny!!!

Last Monday, when we were at my in-laws, Brynn went missing. When I found her, she was in the bathroom looking over the potty after flushing SOMETHING down. I saw Shirley's toothbrush in there and fished it out, and then noticed that the entire toilet paper roll had apparently been dunked as well. I wasn't sure exactly what all she flushed, but I knew in my gut that this was NOT good. The potty wouldn't flush right, so I had to get the plunger to unclog it. I told Shirley to be on the lookout in case it overflowed. This is the email I got from her today...
She wrote, "Guess what! The commode finally overflowed this morning. Al is calling the plumber today. I was trying to get dressed for work when I flushed it -- only had my coffee cup to try to stop the overflow by dipping water! Most water I think went downstairs. My toothpaste tube is missing so it probably is the main trouble. This may be a "blip" to record in your memory book of Brynn. It will be a good laugh!"
Only I am NOT laughing!!