A Wonderful Day Hike

We had a day with beautiful fall like weather so we decided to go on hike at a local state park, Meeman-Shelby. It was a fun family day.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Lordy, Lordy...I Guess I'm 40!

I actually had a very wonderful 40th birthday. I feel very blessed! My Mom, Dad and Aunt drove down from OH to surprise me. My Mom made my favorite cake, angel food, and she made me a beautiful scrapbook from the time of my birth to the present(complete with report cards and school class pictures).

Lou surprised me with 40 plastic flamingos in the front yard and a trip to The Peabody for a romantic evening. We ate at Chez Phillipe, watched the ducks march and went on a very romantic carriage ride. When we got back to the hotel room I had flowers and champagne waiting. We went to the rooftop of The Peabody to drink champagne with the ducks. It was nice to have an evening to ourselves. Thanks to our wonderful babysitters. I couldn't have asked for a better 40th birthday!

Middle School and Milestones

It has been another busy week. Buttercup started her first middle school year at her new school. She is really enjoying school and told me she felt very grown up because of her new uniform and having to follow her schedule as she switches classes. She is excited about her PE uniform and changing in the locker room and she is taking Spanish. She said it feels like high school. God is good! Saint Ann's in Bartlett has been a wonderful transition. She does miss her friends in CA and OH! She has made many new friends. She tried out for volleyball over the summer and made the sixth grade A team at Saint Ann's. They have three teams. One sixth grade and two fifth and sixth grade combo teams. Buttercup also started dance at her new studio this week. We are very proud of our middle schooler!

Snapdragon is working on the transition from her crib to her toddler bed. She really loves the security of the crib. We discovered this is we were putting it back together at 10:00 last night when she cried because she didn't want to sleep in her big girl bed. She now naps in the toddler bed and sleeps in the crib at night. She likes having two beds in her room. Snapdragon also started her first dance class tonight. She was excited all week and wore her leotard around the house, but of course, as soon as she went into the studio she burst into tears. I had to stay in the class with her for a little while, but I was able to leave after awhile. She really enjoyed it and focused very well.

A week of new beginnings and milestones. Things are off to a good start!

Fun with Friends and Family and Busy,Busy, Busy

Dinosaur Exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum

Roasting marshmallows in the backyard with Buttercup's new BFF who lives down the street.

Bison at Shelby Farms

Ride 'em Aunt Debbie!

Picnic at Shelby Farms

Enjoying some blues after lunch on Beale Street.

Popsicle Picnic

Looking for frogs.

A hot day at the zoo!

Getting ready to enjoy a Memphis Redbirds game.

Playing at Mud Island.

Feeling the love from Mrs. Shine.

Too cute!

Haven't posted in awhile because we have been crazy busy having fun with visits from friends and family. Aunt Debbie came to spend a week and we just put Mrs. Shine and Evan on a plane home to California. We had a great time! We are excited about a return trip to Ridgecrest in March to visit with Mrs. Shine and our Ridgecrest friends.

I also had my second get together with my new friends at the Mom and Tot group from Saint Ann. We have some fun activities planned for us moms and our tots in the fall. I interviewed with the Diocese of Memphis to be a substitute this year (I even think I might have drop in child care worked out-I only plan to sub at St. Ann or St. Francis because they are close), signed up to be the Kindergarten CCD teacher at St. Ann, enrolled Snapdragon in a two day a week preschool at Saint Ann (the director put me on the sub list at the preschool-I can sub while Snapdragon is in her class), taught another audition class at a different dance studio (already investigated one and taught a class there). Buttercup and I think we have made a decision about which studio suits us best. It is nice to have options! We have been busy, busy, busy. School starts soon and this is the first year in a long while that I am not frantically preparing a classroom and lesson plans. It feels a little strange, but nice at the same time.