My Daughter is Married

 This weekend my daughter got married at a lake in Virginia

 When she was proposed to, it hit me that I needed to make changes with "me" It may sound selfish but it was that moment when I thought about what I might look like in her wedding pictures. I made changes and walked with confidence at her wedding on Saturday.

It was a fun and emotional weekend. Proud but sad and sentimental weekend.

Spring Formal

 My a baby girl attended her first formal (and with a boyfriend!)

 Her older sister, went to the same formal with her boyfriend.

                                SISTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so proud of my daughters! They are beautiful and smart. I took about 150 pictures that night and while I was not feeling good about myself (and my weight) I stepped in front of the camera for a photo with my girls.

Do you want to build a snowman?

 last year I bought a snowman kit, complete with eyes, carrot nose, hat, scarf buttons and a pipe!

 We never got to use it. I guess pipes arent very popular these days but the Frosty that I remember, had a pipe! My late Uncle Melvin used to smoke a pipe so I didnt mind the pipe so much. (My kids thought it was cool)

 Finally this year, we got enough snow to make a snowman! He would have been larger but the snow was covered in ice and hard to make a snowman out of. In fact, it started sleeting again while we were making Olaf.

 I didnt realize my setting were off on the camera so Im sure they would have been a little better than this but you can still see that hes pretty cute.

 It was the day before Valentines Day when we got our second blast of snow. It started on the 12th in the afternoon and then we got more on the 13th. (bye bye spring break!)

 It was nice to make snow cream, and other goodies during our two day snow storm. 

As I type this its February 15th and alot of snow has melted alreay. Its very windy and within 7 days we should be in the 70s!

I get lost in the descriptive and brightly illustrated treasures

I love children's books. They are descriptive, simple, brightly illustrated and most often appeal to something in our childhood. As a child, in elementary school my favorite part of school was going to the Media Center. I attended a school in an old building with creaky floors and hot radiators in various places. My teachers would line us up and we walked quietly to the Media Center and sat on a carpet and waited impatiently for our story. I cherished the few moments where I escaped into the book as I looked at brightly colored illustrations and soaked in the descriptive words. Afterwards, we were released to find THE book we wanted to read that week and it was always such a hard choice. The card catalog was an amazing thing to flip through and physically see each book and their special code. How fun it was to write down those codes and follow the map to where I would find my treasure for the week! 

As an adult, I love books but honestly Id rather read a child's book. It has been a long time goal of mine to write children's books and have them published. It is a goal that Ive placed somewhere on the back burner and forgotten about. Recently an artist (someone very close to me) asked me if I would like to partner with her and write a book that she could illustrate for me. That has gotten my creative juices flowing! I have so many ideas if I could just find the time to organize it all in my mind! 

While thinking about this project I started reading blogs about children's books. I spent last weekend watching adults read children's books and I felt like I was eight years old again in the Media Center at Bethesda Elementary School! I loved these books and each one I listened to were very different.
I have worked with children for so long, I know many many books that are available but I found one I had not heard of and was curious. Listening to it on YouTube was so fun (for me) but sadly my children think I'm weird for being so excited for finding this children's book. 

First off, I'm a fan of Edgar Allen Poe and have visited the EA Poe Museum in Richmond Virginia several times. My girls really enjoyed that trip also. When I saw a children's book about three boys named Edgar, Allen & Poe I was so curious. I'm glad I was curious enough to listen to this book as it has inspired me! I purchased my own copy and now I hope you will listen to the book and tell me what you think of it! 

I would also love for you to comment and tell me the title of your favorite children's book and why its your favorite.


Please take seven small minutes and watch this.

Mamas and their babies

 We carry them for 9 months in our bodies. We feel them move, kick and hiccup.

We go through whatever it takes to bring these babies into the world.

We love you from the very beginning.

 We endure feedings every 2 hours day and night. We rock them, take care of them when they are sick, and love them more than they will ever imagine.

 We forgot ourselves and think mostly of them. I know all mothers are not the same. I was one who never wanted my babies out of my sight. I couldn't return to work because I couldn't bare to leave them. I worked from home to be close to them all day everyday. 

As they grew up I was never away from them for more than 2 days. By the time my older ones were in middle school I finally left them in the care of grandparents for weekends away with my husband. Only once did we leave them for a week and I left once for a week long mission trip.

 I was (and am) the kind of mother that takes pictures of every movement. I don't ever want to forget these moments. I made hand prints with them to remember every little crease. I smiled when I saw dirty hand prints on the windows and left them there purposely. 

I saved locks of hair and baby teeth. As they grow up now I still have a hard time letting them go. My son is married and a well trained Marine but when I hear his name or see his face I think of him as a baby or a toddler when he liked playing with my hair or reading books.

It doesn't matter how old they are I love them they way I loved them when they were infants sleeping on my chest. I love them the way I loved them when they were sick and I stayed up all night with worry. I love them the way I loved them when they gave me sloppy kisses and when they did wrong. 

I have seen some mothers who don't bat an eye at going back to work after their child is born or who are relieved when their children finally graduate high school and move out. There are all sorts of mothers but I am one who aches with sadness over not having my family all together. 

I know there is a time when they move on and start their own life but Ive lived for only them for so long. I don't think they will every know how much I love them until they have children of their own.  A mama will do anything to care for a protect her babies. 

I am reminded of  the video of the death of Jesus and how his mother, Mary, saw him as her baby when he walked with the cross on his back. I am not saying my children are Jesus or anything (haha) but it grabbed my heart because I know how I feel and how I see my adult son ... he's my baby. I love my babies more than anything.

First Day

 It was the first day of school. Its her senior year and I can hardly believe it. 

It seems like yesterday she was eating 42 jars of baby food a week and wearing cloth diapers. 

It seems like yesterday that she danced to every sound in the house (like the washing machine)

but in 9 months she will graduate high school.

It was the first day of school and baby girls final year of middle school.

Its a sweet thing to see them grow up, and be such beautiful young ladies but

its a sad thing to think about not having them at home with me when they move on with their own life. Its going to be a busy year! 

Our crazy daily lives

 This last few weeks have been a bit crazy. My husband went out to the coop this week and found this black snake curled around the eggs in the nesting box. It had already eaten two eggs and you could see the two crunchy lumps.

 Below you will see the brooder that my husband added to the coop. We added the chicks to the coop brooder today. The heat lamp is in there too. The juvenile chicks are in there too because the big girl (hens ) have been bullying them.

 The big girls got a new waterer for the run. I added apple cidar vinegar to their water in the run. (You shouldn't add vinegar to metal waterers as it causes them to rust)

 My baby girl celebrated her birthday with 4 friends at a small fun park in Raleigh-Durham area. She road this with her friends!

 One of our barred rock juvenile chicks got out of the coop and a hawk got it. (yes, one week after my three leghorns were killed) Then the neighbors dog got my new rooster and this is what was left in our yard. (very sad)

One of my daughters will be traveling on an airplane for the first time this week as she flies to Arizona with her grandma. 

School is out for summer.

Unbelievable! 

I will be working and only having a short few days off this summer. I'm not sure we will get a vacation but as long as I'm with my family, I'm good.

My chickens enjoyed their first watermelon treat of the summer. They love watermelon and it helps cool them down and hydrate them during hot southern summers.

My baby is a teenager

 I cannot believe my baby is growing up ! Shes a teenager now. We recently celebrated with family at a local restaurant in our town. After dinner, we had cake that a friend of mine made and then my Baby Girl opened her gifts.

 She was shocked at the amount of cash she got but was excited at the same time to finally have enough money to buy a new IPod (since hers bit the dust awhile back) This time we have a warranty that covers everything! YAY!!

 She says she feels reconnected to the world.

 Since giving up my Droid, I know how she feels but at the same time, Im feeling less stressed.

I love this girl, but shes growing up so fast!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!

Prom 2013

It was a very busy day (that didn't start very well, but that's another story) 

My future Doctor started the day by having her hair done, picking up flowers etc... (the usual)

and then we stopped in town to meet her friends after I took a bunch of pictures.

 Her hair was beautiful and she was gorgeous! Naturally, I took lots of pictures!

 She has turned into such a beautiful, smart and responsible young lady. Im so proud of her!

 My family met us at the Museum of History because they have a gorgeous yard for photo ops.

I got my sister to take a few photos of my and the girls.

 We thought her daddy was going to be working but thankfully he didn't have to.

Proud Mommy noticing the little things

 This week I attended a ceremony that I have attended twice before. All of my girls are now inducted into the Beta Club for their outstanding GPA . This week my youngest was inducted into the Junior Beta Club and I'm so proud of her!

 My 11th grader was there serving punch as she is a current member of the Senior Beta Club with a 4.0 GPA

 Its the little thing in life that make us Mommy's proud of our babies. Even if they aren't babies anymore.

 Life has been tough lately with my husband and I working long hours. Attempting to pay the bills and struggling at that. I no longer have a cell phone or pretty fingernail those were "wanted" things not "needed" things. We wont be going out to dinner for Mothers Day and all of this is a little depressing.

I try to stop and notice the little things like this Dandelion growing in my yard. They may be considered a weed but I love them. They are the flowers that my children always picked for me and those innocent acts of love are priceless. I also love watching children blow them when they turn to wishing flowers :)