Kindergarten Class List ....

It's been the chatter for a while now.... Who is in who's class? Who is your teacher? I hope they get this one or that one... or I've heard this or that about this teacher...

Kindergarten is stressful...
for the parents!!

This picture is of course from about a month ago..

Our class lists went up on a Friday.. they weren't supposed to be out until that Monday... and oh my goodness.. it was all over Facebook!

We got so and so...

Oh man.. I hope we have a good year...

 

So Lyla and I drove down to her "big girl" school...and she looked for her name

 

We found it!

She is in Mrs. Kinslow's class

 

Her cousin Landon had Mrs. Kinslow last year for his Kindergarten year.. so we know that she is already fantastic.. like every other Kindergarten teacher...and I know that she will have a wonderful year! I'm excited to see how much she loves it!!

 

 

Then of course we looked for all her friends names.. to see which teacher they got....

To her surprise.. she had 2 friends in HER class!

Yay!

 

 

Here we go.. Off to a great school year!

Chatting at the fence...

Oh my goodness..What am I going to do with this girl?

My husband went out to mow the yard and the next thing I know when I look out the window I see this happening.

Such sweet summer memories.

Floatin' down the river

Brewer Family Float Trip on the Illinois River

 

Look at this cutie in her life jacket and sunglasses...

That is how you pull off a life vest and make it look good.

I've only been floating one other time. It was when my husband and I were dating and we went with the church. He was still "chasing me" so he paddled the whole way and I just rode like Ariel in the Little Mermaid. It was a Southern Fantasy.

So I was excited to go again and this time take my daughter on a float trip.

You had a couple of options:

You could choose to have a raft, kayak, or a canoe.. we chose a canoe. Somehow I got in the back of the canoe which means you are the person that practically steers the whole boat.. which gave my husband a great opportunity to do some fishing while I was busy steering.
Honeymoon period.. Over!

Learned my lesson: Always get in the front of the canoe!

You could also choose to do a 6 mile float or a 12 mile float. Since we had the kiddo with us we chose the 6 mile. It almost felt like it was to quick.. we wanted to keep going. So next year we are going to try the 12 mile.

It was a great day. The weather could not have been any better. Summer in Arkansas is hot and sticky.. but that day it was nice and cool. Just Wonderful!

 

We packed a picnic lunch and some snacks so along the way when we would come across an area where we could pull the canoe up.. we would stop. We did some fishing, some relaxing, some snacking.. Just hanging out together. I found out my baby girl loved herself some Moon Pies.

Such a Southern girl!! 

 

I can't wait to go again next year. I will be in the front of the boat.. I will pack my own lunchbox of slim jims...and I will take it slower.. not worry so much about having everything we could possibly need.. and have a good time!!

 

Memories Made!



Letter to my 21 year old self

Dearest Nikki,

Honey, Baby, Sugar...
First of all and the most important thing I want to tell you is that the guy your with is not for you. It isn't going to work out. No matter how much cry, beg, or plead...It isn't going to happen. God doesn't want him for you...so just break it off now and let it go. It is hard..It will hurt..I know you spent seven years with him. You have a lot of memories with him...but guess what? There is good news...because someone even better will walk right up to you and blow you away! This new guy...His name is Gregg..He is great. He is the one. Spend your time with him..He is going to invest his future in you. He asks you where you want to eat.. and what movie you want to see. He is literally great! Don't waste anymore of your time trying to make something work with the other dude. This new guy will give you love, praise, affection...not to mention a wonderful house and a beautiful baby girl! Heck ...later on in your marriage ..he buys you a new car..for putting up with him! Seriously! Go now! Don't look back!

Remember that all the hurtful words you have been told ..is not true.. You are not fat! No where near it! Dont' let it hurt you. You are good enough.. there is someone waiting to be in a great relationship with you...

Finish college.. it is going to be hard going back after marriage and a baby. Go ahead and get it done now.

Start slowing down on the Dr Pepper ..you will find yourself crazy addicted to it later...and with the stresses of life you start to depend on it more.. no lie.. so just start making yourself like water.

Keep taking care of your little brother.. make sure his life is great. I know it's hard.. and you miss out on a lot for doing it.. but in the end.. it is worth it.. He will be thankful and appreciative. And when you get those Happy Mother's Day's from him..you will see why you put in the hard work to raise your brother..why you missed so many football games and date nights...to potty train and sing lullabies. It is worth it. Cherish it. Note: You will lose feeling in the bottom of your hair line because baby brother likes to twist your hair to fall asleep. but it is ok.. you don't really need feeling there.. LOL...

Keep taking care of your dad. He is grown..but he needs you. He has been through a lot in his life. His main purpose in life is taking care of you and your brother so he has to work...a lot...he is now a single dad.. give him some slack and be patient with him. He is learning too.

Don't let your mom and dad's divorce get you down. You have learned a lot from it. You now know how to take care of a child when you are ready to have your own..and believe it helps a lot. You aren't as touchy and scared to take that new precious life home. You are excited..because you know what your doing! You have learned to take care of a bank account and pay bills...which comes in handy a lot now. You have learned that all people make mistakes and life isn't as grand as it was when we were 11. Dust yourself off...pull yourself up...and keep going.

Your cousin Brittany is a lifesaver. She is there for you no matter what...or when. She listens to you for hours.. gives advice when you need it..and rescues you if she has to. Don't take that for granted...and do the same for her.

Sometimes you will be discouraged because you never got to live out your glory days...but that's ok.. you didn't need them...you turn out just fine.

Jesus never left you..He is still there.. and this new amazing guy...will lead you straight back to him. Follow.

This year will be the end of your hard years.. after this it gets better.. I promise... it has been rough...but you have pulled through.. and you will come out on the other side shining... you have overcome and you will win this game of life and I am so proud of you!
Don't lose touch with family...it is all you have in life.
Now go put a smile on your face and get ready to tackle the world!

and be prepared...in a couple years..you are going to be planning a wedding.. then shortly after you will be a momma..
see..told you the bad days were over..
from here on out ..life is GREAT!

Your 28 year old self:

The history of the apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.





The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.



It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.



From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.



When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.





And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.



Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.



Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.





From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.





After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.





In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.





When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.



When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folks knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.



It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.













Can we bring these days back? I’m going to give it the all American try! I want to set my home-made gluten free apple pie on the window sill to cool, not take it out of the freezer to thaw. I have a desire to learn how to make my own curtains. I’m proud that my hand knitted dish cloth hangs on the kitchen sink. I want to make a happy pretty home for my husband. These are my goals, goals of a free-thinking, empowered woman.

A visit to Papa David's house

Tonight we went to my dad's house...papa david to Lyla....
we always have such a great time over there..
I love talking to my dad....and Lyla loves how funny he is. She laughs the whole time we are there.
And where my dad lives is one of those old timey towns...it has about 200 people in the whole town...everyone knows everyone...
the tornado siren goes off when the store gets bait stocked....kidding
you know what i'm talking about..
so at dad's house every weekend..all the guys (and gals) come down and they all play horse shoes.
everyone gets along...i love it.
i love the feel of family eventhough no one is related!
I love that lyla gets to experience that...and i know that it will be a memory of hers when she gets older.

i remember running into my papa damon's house (my dad's dad) and going straight to the kitchen to the table and to the cookie jar to get two (one for each hand) cookies!
I also remember he always had a lucky horseshoe above his shop door.

how ironic. huh?

i have memories that are burned into my brain...and i love them..i cherish them!
i want lyla to have the same!

I cherish the times i have with my dad.
I cherish seeing him act crazy with Lyla and watching her laugh until she is out of breath.

I love it.

I Baby my Baby

That's right...I spoil her..I baby her..she is my princess...






















This past week my husband has been on first shift...so we have the evening together with Lyla..he has been a huge help...I wish it would have lasted forever..but today started back to reality...





















While my husband was home..he put Lyla to bed a few nights...I got to where I missed rocking my baby to sleep..





















I still rock her to sleep...she will be two next month...and I sing to her...then I quietly lay her down in bed when she is off in dreamland...





















When did you all stop rocking your babies? When do you just put them to bed and have them fall asleep on thier own?





















I have to say I will completely miss the rocking and singing and cuddling when she starts to put herself to sleep...





So ...no matter what anyone else thinks...I baby my baby!

Happy 3rd Anniversary to me!

Wow! It sure doesn't seem like three years has already past since we got married. I guess that is a good thing because we still feel just in love today as we did on this very day three years ago. I have to admit some days within those three years i was really starting to wonder what i had gotten myself into. I knew we both loved each other...but for some reason we just could not see eye to eye. But a good friend reminded me yesterday that it takes three people to make a marriage work...the husband...the wife..and God. That is soo true! Also last Sunday in Sunday School we learned what each person's role was in the marriage. Which i think is majorly important! We don't need two "head of the famalies", we don't need two fathers or two mothers. We each have our own role and i am the first to admit that sometimes i have to take a step back and check myself and see if i am overstepping my role.

I am so thankful and feel so blessed to have a husband that not only loves me..but respects me. He is a great father to our little girl which shows because she absolutely adores him. He takes care of our house, our bills, our money. I feel protected and safe. We miss him when he is gone. We have everything i had ever dreamed of as a little girl.

We have had an exciting three years together. Within those three years..we have gotten married, moved into a townhouse, had a baby, bought our first home, and I gotta say doing a pretty dang good job of raising a two year old. She has no complaints! We have had our high times and low times..but never doubted each other's love.

so Gregg,
I am so excited to be able to share these three years of my life with you. I am superexcited to see what is in store for us in the upcoming years of our lives. I know that no matter what happens..with you by my side..I can handle it. I want to thank you for being so responsible, so loving, so understanding, so you. I couldn't ask for anything more. God took my dreams and turned them into reality when i met you..seriously. I love you so much and I look forward to loving you for the rest of my life!

Love,
your wife of three whole exciting long years!

You're My Cuppy Cake..

This post used to the "About the Blog" page.
I have changed and changed my blog to try to find something that is me and what I like.
So I'm not gonna say this is IT..cause i have no clue..it might all change again.
Change is good..it keeps me on my toes!

But this is the story behind You're My Cuppy Cake...

You're My Cuppy Cake..







This brings back so many memories for me. It might not make any sense to you but here lately I have found out that (not being mean) ..I am not blogging for everyone else...I am blogging for ME!






So this title has alot to do with ME!






When my daughter was six weeks old...I had to go back to work. I worked at a preschool. She could have came with me...but working there for four years at the time I knew that she would be sick..and diaper rashes...she would have to wait to be fed. I just couldn't handle the thought of my angel not being taken care of like an angel.






Because first all you have to know that she IS my angel. Ever since I was a little girl..I never planned my wedding...I never thought of who I was going to marry...I wanted to be a momma! (and a teacher..but mainly a momma)






If you have the time..read my miscarriage story. Just knowing that I had a miscarriage lets you understand why my daugher is my angel...but when you have a miscarriage you feel like you are the only one that has ever gone through something like that and it is good to know that you aren't alone.






My mother told me to bring my daughter to her because she didn't want her to go to the preschool either while she was still little. So Thank God for my momma ..she watched my daughter until she was 10 months old. We have only had two ear infections and one virus! That is amazing!






While I was at work ..I thought about how she was doing...I hope I don't miss anything cute. I gave my mom my videocamera and told her to record EVERYTHING!






Everyday when I got off work I would call the minute I stepped out the door to tell mom that I was on my way and to see how everything went that day..what adventures had happened.






My ringtone on my mom's phone when I called was ....Your my cuppy cake, gumdrop, snookums bookums, You are the apple of my eye...


If you haven't heard that song .....it is the sweetest song ever!






Even at her young young age...my daughter figured out that when that song played on Grandma's phone...it was her momma! So if they were trying to lay down for a nap and I called....she was up! Then when she got older...and I called she started grabbing for the phone to talk to me.






It is amazing to me that even at a minute old...babies know who loves them!






So my Blog name is strictly something that is memorable to me..it is thought provoking to me...it inspires me to write about how life is like while my daughter is young.






I want this to be a record of her life. What she did...What she likes...






I want her to know that her dad and I never walked out of her room until we knew that she was fully asleep in her crib...we would stand there with our backs hunched over patting her little back to make sure that she was comfortable...






I want her to know that we sang her to sleep every night!






I want her to know that her daddy and her danced all the time and laughed until they cried.






I want her to know how big of a girl she is ..even at the age of one! She took up an interest in potty training around 18 months old.






I want her to know that there was not one night of teething or sickeness that she was alone...or that me and her daddy didn't hurt just as bad as she did trying to fix it.






I want her to know that is greatly loved.






I want her to know that above all else she is our priority..






I want her to know that me and her daddy consider ourselves blessed because of her...










I want her to be able to sit down one of these days and dive back into her childhood and see what life was like when she was just a little cuppy cake.

My Personal Coffe Maker: Best Present Ever!

I always wake up a little earlier than everyone else in the morning. I get my shower in silence..start to fix my hair and make up...and usually by then Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on the TV...and husband is asking me to turn off lights so he can sleep (he works second shift) ...








But this morning went a little different....







I woke up ..earlier than everyone else...I got my shower..fixed my hair...and was doing my make up when my little angel awoke from her dreamland...



got straight out of OUR bed that she had climbed into the night before...



and went straight to her room...







so being the inquiring mother that i am....i followed her....







she went to her kitchen...and started "cooking" something...







So I say Good Morning to her and she turns around quickly and says,







"Momma, you want some coffee?"







:)







How can you pass that up?







So of course I said yes..and we woke up dad to see if he wanted some too...he did.







We all three sat in the middle of our bedroom floor and had our morning coffee that Lyla made.







Precious, Precious times......

the fastest two years of my life

This past Sunday we celebrated Lyla's 2nd Birthday!


I , like every other mother, can not believe that my baby is two years old! It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital, waiting for her belly button to fall off, excited to try out the first baby foods. Now we are singing songs, and ABC's, potty training, talking in full sentences.





Where did the time go?





Did I treasure it all?





Did I record everything I wanted to?





I have to say in two years..she is a beautiful, mature, and smart cuppy cake!

There has been hair pulling times and times where I laugh so hard my jaws hurt. Being a mom is the best thing I have done in my life. I know now why I looked forward to it all those years as a child...it is like nothing else.





It is extremely hard but greatly satisfying.





Nothing compares.





I have to admit ...it is sometimes hard on your marriage..it is stressful and you take things out on each other. It is times like these though that you gather the family together, enjoy each other's company and when the chaos is all over Gregg and I pull together and say, "Look what we have done!" and we bask in the pride and joy that we have raised and nurtured for two years.

Celebrating Lyla's Second Year of Life!!

This past Sunday we celebrated Lyla's 2nd Birthday!

I , like every other mother, can not believe that my baby is two years old! It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital, waiting for her belly button to fall off, excited to try out the first baby foods. Now we are singing songs, and ABC's, potty training, talking in full sentences.

Where did the time go?

Did I treasure it all?

Did I record everything I wanted to?

I have to say in two years..she is a beautiful, mature, and smart cuppy cake!

There has been hair pulling times and times where I laugh so hard my jaws hurt. Being a mom is the best thing I have done in my life. I know now why I looked forward to it all those years as a child...it is like nothing else.

It is extremely hard but greatly satisfying.

Nothing compares.

I have to admit ...it is sometimes hard on your marriage..it is stressful and you take things out on each other. It is times like these though that you gather the family together, enjoy each other's company and when the chaos is all over Gregg and I  pull together and say, "Look what we have done!" and we bask in the pride and joy that we have raised and nurtured for two years.

Baby Natalie

When I had been dating my high school sweetheart for about five years we made the ultimate teenage mistake and got pregnant. I say "teenage"...i was 18...he was 19..... but we had been together for so long..we had planned on getting married...we lived together....we acted and fought like a married couple..so it wasn't like it was a one night stand....if you can't tell it still kinda irks me that I made the mistake...He was the man i was going to marry...we had it planned...I knew I was spending the rest of my life with him...so I let my guard down...and well...kids...it only takes one time....

but ..anyway....He did what most teenage men do...."It isn't mine!"

We lived together!!! Hello!! We were together 24/7. It wasn't immaculate conception.

 

Then it was , "Well she is just trying to trap me"

 

Ok..if I am trapping you..then I am trapping me too..because I am the one who has grow up and take responsibility for this baby whether you want to or not...not to mention my once beautiful teenage body will never be the same.

 

Now ...being the adult that I am...I understand where he was coming from...it was scary....all of sudden realizing that you are going to be responsible for someone's life...We were in the stage of dreaming about buying land and building our own house with horses and chicken..our own little farm...picket fence and all...at the time...it REALLY sucked for me...I wish he would have been there for me emotionally more...but i understand now...not that it is justifiable...but i get where he was coming from...

 

I didn't have a choice...the baby was inside ME...i couldn't run...or hide....time to tell dad

 

He went with me to tell dad...cause we weren't real sure how dad was going to react...

my dad....being the priceless man that he is...says "Good Job Nik!"

 

ok

thanks dad

 

needless to say my dad was not happy but it was done and he was OK..we started to plan the nursery and had everything on the road to getting ready for the arrival of the little one.

 

We had our kids names already picked out...we picked them out years ago.....Natalie Faye for a girl...and Ethan David for a boy... both the names were family names...Faye is after my middle name...and my grandmother's name on my father's side..... David was his middle name and my dad's name..and his dad's name

 

One night ..I started to cramp. Not bad at first. My dad came home early from work..because he had to go pick up my uncle for some reason...he asked if i would be ok...I said yes...but i wish I said No....

 

I felt so guilty though...already being pregnant and not having a house of our own...not being married yet...i didn't want to cause anymore trouble than i had to

 

By that morning..my cramps were so bad that I had to call my aunt to take me to the hospital to see what was going on....

 

When I got to the hospital...the Dr checked me..and said everything was fine...probably just Braxton Hicks contractions.

 

I went downstairs to leave and my water broke. I was seven months pregnant.

My body would not dialate...I had to have the baby naturally ...I was in labor for what seemed like forever....but however long it was....it was to long..and the baby didn't make it.

I don't remember alot of the details about what happen that day...or a few days after...and some things that happened in my past...i don't remember...

maybe it was all so traumatic to me that my brain just blocked it all out...some one told me that i might have had to much anthestic and it could have messed with my memory...

but one thing that i can still see vividly to this day...seven years later...is her face....her hands....fingers..toes...her hair...her nose and lips...her complexion....she looked like him but had a little bit of me in her.

To this day I don't know why they didn't do an emergency C section ..only God knows...and I am not supposed to question that...I won't lie..because at the time i did...I have always wanted to be a momma...i know i wasn't particularly ready at the moment...but i was getting there...i had grown up and getting ready....I wondered why God would do that me....I had always gone to church...I pray...Why me? Why not some druggy that don't even deserve kids...

But i think that is why i teach preschool now...because i know now how precious children are...how fragile they are...how much God loves them....and what a huge impact adults are to them

For whatever reason...I know that I am in God's hands....and so is Natalie Faye...

I pray for her...and my ex...and all my family that had to go through that with me...and I thank God that somehow all that heartache and pain...led me to Gregg...

and eventhough sometimes we clash....he loves me..and respects that part of my life...and I love him even more for that...

and none the less...meeting Gregg gave me Lyla...and having gone through the pregnancy with Natalie...I wasn't as scared and stressed when i was pregnant with Lyla...and thank God she is happy and healthy and doesn't have one thing wrong with her ..besides her momma's sarcastic attitude

 

So for whatever reason I have one baby in Heaven and one with me here on Earth.....

I think about Natalie everyday...I miss her like crazy...and yes...even seven years later...i still cry..it still hurts..but you learn to control the tears and the pain...and try to find the good ...

I take Lyla with me to visit her and talk to her...I know that Lyla has a special angel in heaven watching her...and that makes me smile..

 

And I thank God that I have a God in heaven that knows all my mistakes, forgives me, lets me start all over again and again........and loves me anyway!

I love you Natalie!

Love, Mom

Summertime is time for Birthdays!

I never realized how many birthdays there are in the summer!
Wow!
We have been to two in two days!
Wow!

But we have had a great time doing it! Lyla got to swim and play...I have had fun enjoying time with my friends!

I wish we had more time to hang out ..and just be girls!

But I had to post the presents I got them...they are so supercute!

For the first birthday...our friend was turning six! the big 6!!! Going into the First Grade!
So I made her homemade playdoh in a jar! Supercute!

don't you love it?

For the next party, which was today, I got her a funky Photo Album. She is turning Five and going into Kindergarten so i thought it would be awesome for all those Kindergarten memories..for her and for mom! I didn't make this...although I would love to try! A woman that lives near me made it and sold it to me! So here is her photo album..

isn't it just as cute!!?

I have to say...I think I am a pretty good gift giver! and if I'm not...don't tell me..it will hurt my feelings!

****Here is the good part!***
We get home...Lyla and I extend our evening out in our driveway with a parachute man that we got in the party favor and a popsicle. I had pink..she had blue ( and most of my pink)!

It started to get dark so we decided to come inside and take a shower...I jump on Facebook really quickly to tell the woman that made the super awesomely photo album that I loved it! and then off to start the water.

In between the quick message and turning on the shower ...I check on my lovely little daughter.

She is fine! Watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. What a good little angel!

Starting the shower...got us some towels...found some PJ's...called for Lyla.....no answer....

called again......no answer......uh oh?

took off down the hall to look for Lyla....and found her ..........

sitting in the middle of my dining room floor ............

covered in SPF 100 sunscreen ................

and fingerpainting with it on the floor.

*take a big freakin deep breath Nikki*

OK...at least we haven't had our shower yet...

I did just buy new floor cleaner....and a new mop head

She wasn't in good clothes...still in her swimsuit...

nothing was in her eyes or mouth.....

.............and I just kept thinking of positive things until I guided her to the shower...then couldn't help but laugh....then cry....then laugh.....

and stole a kiss!

I am so exhausted!

Have a great night!

I baby my baby...

That's right...I spoil her..I baby her..she is my princess...

This past week my husband has been on first shift...so we have the evening together with Lyla..he has been a huge help...I wish it would have lasted forever..but today started back to reality...

While my husband was home..he put Lyla to bed a few nights...I got to where I missed rocking my baby to sleep..

I still rock her to sleep...she will be two next month...and I sing to her...then I quietly lay her down in bed when she is off in dreamland...

When did you all stop rocking your babies? When do you just put them to bed and have them fall asleep on thier own?

I have to say I will completely miss the rocking and singing and cuddling when she starts to put herself to sleep...

So ...no matter what anyone else thinks...I baby my baby!

Here are a few things that I am grateful for..
43. rain
44. umbrellas
45. that my husband deals with my mood swings
46. a God that moves my spirit
47. a God that answers prayers
48. my health
49. books to read to my baby
50. cute pens that make it fun to write
51. the window in my classroom
52. an adult chair to sit in while in my preschool classroom
53. girls that i like to work with
54. girls that i still talk to who i don't work with anymore
55. my Cricut
56. crafty websites for inspiration
57. the opportunity for my husband to work overtime
58. for God keeping my mouth shut around my in laws
59. for my husband actually telling my in laws what they need to hear
60. men feeling the calling to teach God's gospel!

My Coffee Maker

I always wake up a little earlier than everyone else in the morning. I get my shower in silence..start to fix my hair and make up...and usually by then Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on the TV...and husband is asking me to turn off lights so he can sleep (he works second shift) ...

But this morning went a little different....

I woke up ..earlier than everyone else...I got my shower..fixed my hair...and was doing my make up when my little angel awoke from her dreamland...
got straight out of OUR bed that she had climbed into the night before...
and went straight to her room...

so being the inquiring mother that i am....i followed her....

she went to her kitchen...and started "cooking" something...

So I say Good Morning to her and she turns around quickly and says,

"Momma, you want some coffee?"

:)

How can you pass that up?

So of course I said yes..and we woke up dad to see if he wanted some too...he did.

We all three sat in the middle of our bedroom floor and had our morning coffee that Lyla made.

Precious, Precious times......

Lyla at 23 months....

Lyla will be two next month.

Where has our two years gone.

They have slipped through our fingers so fast...looking at old pictures I can not believe how much my own child has changed within the past two years.
Her hair is amazingly longer...she talks like an adult....and she isn't even two yet!

Here are a few things that she is "into" at the moment:

* she loves to play baby dolls...we have to have them everywhere we go...and not just one baby doll...all seven of them! We have to sleep with them..they all have to go potty before bed. It is so cute and if she drops one she is extremly worried about that one baby doll until I lean over to pick it up and put it back on the top of the pile.

* she loves to make her daddy "go nite nite"...she covers him up and makes him lay down...then pats him to sleep...if he gets up...she says "lay down!"

* she is doing great at pottying..she goes to the potty all day at school...and at home...now if we could just get the pooping in the potty on track ..we will go to big girl panties soon..and again...she isn't even two yet~

* here lately ...this has been a new thing...when Gregg or I call for Lyla...she will answer us with a ..."What?"...and not just a regular "what?"...like her momma's sarcastic tone of voice "What?" Her daddy loves that!

* she loves going to church. I love that she loves going to church..she particularly likes the music..she says church..really good!

* at church she is starting to come out of her shell a little bit...she is usually really shy around other people and hangs really close to me or Gregg...but here lately she has been handing out hugs to a few people.

* she loves to play with her cousin Landon...she calls him "e-e" ...don't know why?

* she just went to watch her first movie in the movie theater...her and Landon watched Toy Story 3 with my  mother and father in law. So cute..they said she sat there and actually watched the movie!

* she sleeps in her bed like a big girl..and she has been doing this for a good while now...I don't know what has been happening lately but every night she will wake up and come in mine and Gregg's room to sleep with us.

* when she does come in our room...she tells her daddy to "move over" so she can have room...so funny...she is tired and cranky...but cute!

*she likes to cuddle when we get home from work and preschool...i do too!

* she knows a tremendous amount of her body parts...like her eyebrows, elbows, shoulders, ankles...she is one smart cookie.

* she absolutely loves her Uncle Colton

* and her favority thing to do....is take a shower.

Back in the ol' days of church...

I just watched an amazing last episode of Grey's Anatomy...I am utterly exhausted but had to come check on my Hotel on Facebook..and of course wanted to see if anyone had updated thier blog. I am really getting into this blog world.

I came across one that I haven't ever been too called No.17 Cherry Tree Lane. The post I read was called Remember When...?
And she had a list of things that she remembered about going to church when she was a child and how things are way different now a days...
I love posts like this because it gets you thinking of how things were back in the ol' days.....

I just wanted to post a few things she had down...so that when I roam back through my posts..I will find this one and smile....





Growing up in church was much different when i was a kid
Kids these days don't experience church the way that I did. At least not in Southern Arkansas.


*Church had pews.
*Church had hymnals. That you actually sang from.
*The "band" was really your pastor playing the drums and two ladies on "vocals" with someone at the piano AND organ.
*Church lasted for more than an hour.
*In the Sunday school classrooms, kids sat and were quiet.
*Adults actually HAD Sunday school.
*I had to go to church every Sunday. Even if I didn't want to (I know! Amazing concept!).
*The "soundman" was the guy that set up the drums and turned on the mics. That's it.
*There were tamborines on every other pew that the congregation played while we sang.
*There were rules set by the pastor and they WERE followed..no questions asked.
*There was no fancy names for events. It was just church, Sunday school, youth group and family BBQ.
*No computers in the offices. Just yellow legal pads.
*We didn't have announcements. You just knew what was going on.
*The pastor didn't use a mic. He didn't need one.
*When you did communion, it was an actual meal and foot washing combined with the bread and the grape juice.
*When summer rolled around and kids camp was happening, EVERYONE in the church participated.
*Youth group meant hanging out in the basement, throwing balls at each other and drinking TANG. And it was cool.
*You didn't fool around during the sermon. EVER.
*There was always a cross hanging in the pulpit.
*Donuts were for the adults only. Don't steal the donuts.
*You sat with your parents in "big church". Not your friends.
*We sang the old hymns.
*The best crafts ever with sand, glitter, paints and glue.
*If a child was smartin' off to an adult, it was perfectly acceptable for another parent to scold him.
*You had respect for church. Dress and stockings EVERY Sunday.
*You weren't late.
*Small pencils lined the pews, next to the comment cards.
*The church office was always open and fun to visit.
*It was your family.

Is all the new stuff going on bad? No..

I wonder though....was it so wrong that we needed to change it all?

It reminds me of a saying I heard not to long ago ....
Sometimes we get so caught up in giving our kids what we didn't have that we forget to give them what we did have.

just wanting to blog

I just felt like blogging today...i was thinking last night that i really need to keep a record of what goes on in these days while Lyla is little..she will cherish these one day when she gets older. I wish my mom had kept a journal or something about what times were like when i was little...wouldn't that be interesting to read? What she went through...how she felt...was she as nervous as i am....was her house clean or dirty...did she ever feel like she was running a million miles an hour and had no time to slow down...not even for a minute...did she have twenty people pulling at her to see the baby and when you get caught up doing something else they take you on a guilt trip on how they are never going to get to see the baby!!
ok that was a little vent....
I do feel like i am going in light speed and my head is just spinning sometimes. Mom usually takes Lyla a couple days to spend time with her and it helps me alot to have those couple of days to clean house...catch up on work stuff...and just sit in silence! I never ask her to take lyla she just wants to spend time with her!
My mom and I havent had the best relationship in the past and just here recently we have gotten back on talking terms...and i am glad we have....she loves lyla...and lyla loves her
she helped me alot through my pregnancy and labor...her and my step dad
I think that is why she loves to spend so much time with her...because it makes us close in a way...it's nice! It touches my heart to see them talk and dance.....and i wonder if she did that with me? How her and dad's relationship was....
You know you think your parents are real people until you grow up and realize that my mom had me younger than when i had Lyla....
anyway back on my subject ...i want to start keeping a journal, blog, or something on what i go through and do during the days that lyla is little so one day she can read this and see that her mom danced with her...her daddy danced with her...we sang together...read stories...she knows the nights I stood by her crib for hours just to make sure she was asleep before I left the room.
Everyone tells you that you just make it when they are little on no sleep...and i was so scared that i wasn't going to be able to stay up with her and do my best...but somehow you do! I don't know how....I called it new mommy adrenaline....that is my only way of explaining how i did it all!
Coming home from the hospital and trying to heal yourself up...doctor all your aches and pains...being so uncomfortable...and running to make bottles at the first hint of a sound is crazy ....but when you become a mommy...it all just seems natural! It put the scripture that God doesn't give you anything you can't bear into realization. I am extremely blessed because as soon as lyla came home she was a good sleeper!
I couldn't ask for anything more in my life right now!!
I have a wonderful husband....and beautiful daughter...a great job....helpful family and friends....and a good church to go to!!!
I just keep asking God to bless me....
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Today Mom has Lyla...When she does keep her me and Gregg both call probably five times a day to check on her. I am sure mom gets tired of talking on the phone but I miss her when she isn't here. me and mom were joking today that she only poops at grandma's house...because i haven't changed a poopey diaper in who knows how long! My mom keeps her while i go to work and after work i go up there and get her...and everyday when i go up there and see her it seems like she has grown so much!! Lyla, grandma and grandpa went to town today shopping then came back home and waited on Uncle Colton to get off the school bus....
Lyla loves her Uncle Colton and her Uncle Colton loves his Lyla
they are a good pair!!! I almost cry everytime I see colton play with her....because i remember when he was that little...i had a big big big hand in taking care of him and to see him love her so much ...chills me!!

I hope i can keep this up....i would love to one day read these to lyla!!! I think with the way the world is changing so fast...it would be something to treasure!

Whew! baths were us out!!

preschool 013, originally uploaded by nicnac724.