My Girls

Sometimes you have one of those moments where you are just blown away by someone you love. My girls do that to me on a regular basis. Lauren's sweetness and innocence can take my breath away. Anna's brilliance and sparkle just makes me shake my head and thank God for these treasures He let me keep for him for awhile. I am truly blessed.

School's Out!

Today was the last day of school for me and the girls. We are so glad! It's been a good year, but very busy. I still have one more day of packing up and paperwork, but it'll be much easier and more relaxed. Anna got a certificate in reading, and had a good year. She liked being in the public school and making new friends. Lauren got the "graceful" award. LOL!! We call her Crash for a reason...

Summer will be even better! The girls are taking swimming lessons and attending VBS. I've got a list of things to do for the next school year to keep me busy. The best things of all will be sleeping in and reading. It will be a fun summer for sure.

Wag Like the Wind

Howdy! Charlie here. Thought I'd take over the computer for a second and tell you about my tail and my tongue. I have a super strong tail. When I'm happy and I wag it, I make a breeze with the motion. It makes everyone cold! I also wake up the girls when I bang it on the wall when I go out. It's tons of fun. I'm just happy, so I wag.

My tongue is also a very powerful tool. I like to use it! Kisses are my favorite thing to do. The little girls are the right size for me to kiss them as I walk by. My family calls it a "drive by licking" because I don't stop! I just tell them I love them. I like to kiss knees and elbows too. No one is exempt from a drive by licking.

Cool Rider

Today is a significant day in Anna's life--she got her first bike! Allen went this morning and picked one out for her, complete with helmet, pads, and training wheels. Anna was so excited! She has been wanting one for a long time now, and we finally did it. She rode around in the circle by our house so the traffic (BUSY!) on our street wouldn't interfere with her ride. She could've rode for hours (just like her parents did when they were little) if we let her. There will be many days of bike riding ahead for our girl!

The World According to Penny

Hello! Penny here. Life is good in my house most days. My girl is Anna, and she LOVES me! I can't be without her. If she leaves me inside and she goes outside to play, I just can't stand it!! My bed is right next to hers and I won't get up in the morning without greeting her first. Then there's Lauren, the other girl. I love her too, but not like my girl. She's a little silly but gives good hugs. Sometimes Lauren leaves her snack on the coffee table, and well, I know I'm not supposed to, but I help myself!! Then she can't figure out where it went. That girl is silly.

There are two other people at my house, and they are bigger than those girls. They also seem to be in charge. They tell me when I did a no-no and get on to me. They also help my girl feed me sometimes, but mostly they like to cuddle! They let me up on them when they are reading, watching TV, and sometimes even in that room with all the computers in it. Mostly I like to lay down under one of the desks by their feet when I'm in there, though. I like them. They are soft to sleep with.

Then there's Charlie and Daisy. They are my doggy pals. They are bigger than me, but I try to tell them I'm still the boss. I don't think they like that very much! Daisy especially tells me that she is Queen. Charlie just likes to play with me. I like to run under his legs while he is running. It is quite a challenge--like an obstacle course! It's fun. We mess around and play chase, and we also like to be one doggy pile when it's cold! They are my best pals.

My Most favorite in the world is Anna. She's my girl.

Momma's Mini-Vacation

This weekend my sister Alison had another shower in her hometown of Anthony, Kansas. I got to go up and be a part of her special day. The cool thing about it was my husband was a sweetie and kept the girls while I went all by myself! What a novelty it was! It is a rare thing when I am without children. I get an hour a day when there are no children in my direct line of sight. I absolutely ADORE my girls and my job, but sometimes it's just nice to have quiet "adult" time for awhile.

On the way up I listened to my iPod filled with everything from old Amy Grant to Nickelback to Rascal Flatts to Pachelbel. I sang as loud as I wanted when I wanted. I stopped when I wanted to. It was great.

There's a lot to be said for small towns. Life is just slower there, and the people that live there have different ways to occupy their time. Gardening is a main hobby, and spending time outside with family and friends is a must. My brother in law, Brandon, put in his garden this morning. It was neat to watch it all come together. Later on, Ali will make pickles and salsa and maybe some jelly from all the things they have planted. Life is good in a small town. I definitely would like to leave the concrete behind one of these days and live in one.

On the way home, I had the experience of sharing the road with something other than cars and trucks. I was on a state highway and I saw something moving in the distance. I looked at it and realized that it was not a vehicle--it was a COW! When I got a little closer to it, I honked so it wouldn't stop in the middle of the road. It was just crossing the street by the time I got there. It stopped on the side of the road and looked at me. It started to charge my truck and then stopped. It looked at me like I was the stupidest thing in the world! LOL! I think it was just seeing if the grass was greener on the other side.

So, my mini-vacation was a short one, but a nice one. It was good to be greeted by my family when I got home. The hugs from my family are the best.