today...

breakfast... quick run to jo-ann fabrics for some fabric they have on hold for me that is being discontinued, and i have a request for it for a dress... did i mention it was the jo-anns 25 minutes away... 30 minute melt down ensues. yes, that was my child screaming for daddy while we waited to get our fabric cut. and then in line. and then out to the car. and then in the car. NOT sure what happened today. and i made the worst parenting mistake possible. promised a punishment, then went back on it. promised we wouldn't go to the park if it continued. gave another chance. took away park. then, went to park anyway... AND brought home three friends afterwards! (side note... realized it was the last chance to do the park with friends... and we had just bought a gift for whom the playdate was for- birthday... AND, brought home three friends so the mom could go grocery shopping and my kid could play! AND, it was the mom (stef) who rescues me ALL the time and watches my kids, especially last minute when i have a uti or some other need to go to the doctor!)

i am not sure what happened. it was ONE OF THOSE DAYS! thankfully, they are few and far between! and i am sure the other people in joanns thought i was crazy! but, she was a JOY the rest of the day! i made her a new dress, and she has been waiting for me to finish it. i told her it was done and she said (in huge, dramatic tones, with flair!), "oh mommy, i can't WAIT to see it. it's boing to be BEAUTIFUL". (almost with an awed whisper) and beautiful on her it was. it was cute to see how much she loved it!

AND... finished the three ordered dresses. now, i am only about four projects behind! a HUGE, SURPRISE project, an apron, pajama pants and a doll for nora! phew!

on a different note, i was reminded today how precious life is and how quickly it can be snatched away. AND, how thankful i am for my father. i never did a father's day post (crazy travel day). there are so many things i have learned from my daddy. FIRST, to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. so often, i find him in his office, glasses on, Bible open. THANK YOU, daddy, for that heritage! thank you for teaching me that my time with my Heavenly Father is most important. i also learned that there is a very special place for me in my daddy's heart. that he will put aside what he's working on, just to listen to me talk. about anything. i love our chats in his office when i am home. or desperate phone calls when something needs resolved and he knows how to fix it!

i love to dance with my daddy. around the kitchen, at a wedding, wherever! i am a lucky girl. my daddy gave me wings to fly and taught me that i can do anything. and is always there to catch me when i tumble down. he always said i was his successful first launch. i think that's only because he and my mom were so good at launching!

i could go on and on. but, daddy, thanks for loving me. thanks for teaching me what to look for in a man and LOVING the man i chose to be the father of my children.

and to that man. my baby daddy. thank you for being the best daddy my kids could ask for! you amaze me (and all our friends) at your enthusiasm for kids and the wonderful way you play and relate to them. they adore you, and so do i!

that's it for my father's day, way too late...

a great day!

well, this was saturday, but it was fun! out to dinner with stef!

silly pictures!

a cute foursome!

after seeing me put my hair in curlers on saturday night, nora wanted them. so, she got them for church on sunday!

her princess hair...

and, today we went to the MOVIES! a free movie at the local theater that showed VEGGIE TALES!! it was so much fun. five moms, twelve kids and one baby-sitter... we had a BALL! and i think the kids did, too. we took up almost two rows. james and kensley (a friend) fell asleep, and the other kids were so good! (nora was among the youngest. addison, at left here, is just a little younger!)

jamey loved his big seat! (and i LOVE his shirt... thanks coco)

me and my kiddos afterwards...

nora got in her car this afternoon and told me she was taking her kids (yes, there are two babies in the "backseat" of her car) to the movies. their names are "alexander" and "beets". (she initally said "teets". that was vetoed!)

and this was lunch. nora loved her hambinger so much she wanted a picture of it! it was too cute!! what a fun day.

and move operations are coming together. sadie got her health certificate today and is cleared to fly to maine. and, her ticket is booked. and, david is scheduled to get an award the day we are supposed to be here with movers... so i am trying to work out a way to get to the ceremony, too! fun times!

a great weekend...

silly faces...

kisses!

today, as i was packing, it really was bothering nora that i wasn't in a princess dress. she went and got me this one, as it was hanging in her closet (yes, as a mother, i have rights to all closets, right?). and told me i had to put it on and walk with her. i bargained for my flip flops, and decided that there probably aren't many days left where my little girl wants me to dress up with her. so, we did! let me tell you, it's interesting packing in a satin dress! but, fun! and, it made her day.

she also asked me a dozen times if we were going to a friend's house. maybe we go to a friend's house too often... since the ONE day we stay home, apparently i am too boring!

sorry for the lack of blogs, but it was a great weekend! and i forgot to blog. friday night, david had poker night here. a bunch of guys get together, put in $20, and the winner donates the money to a special offering at our church. david made a ton of food for the guys! he worked so hard, and it was so cute! buffalo chicken wontons, black bean chili, etc! he had so much fun!

saturday, i got to sleep in, because there was a world cup game early! nora played in the pool, and i worked on some dresses i have orders for. saturday night, david and i went out on a date! we went to melting pot with stef and shea. SO MUCH FUN! sunday was church, and more relaxing. courtney and andy still happened to be in san diego, so we got to see them one last time!

AND, blogger won't let me upload the rest of the vacation photos... sad!

one small step for man...

james took a bunch of steps on sunday. today, he repeated that. on sunday, he took 4 or 5 steps several times to my sister (coco). today, it was to me at our friend tania's house! such a big boy. speaking of that... he is 21 pounds 8 ounces and 30 inches long. the doctor said he looks great! AND, we go to the club foot clinic on monday for the first time in six months. that should be interesting! and, actually, we get an office appointment, not an open clinic! whoo-hoo!! also, hopefully some referrals and recommendations for the next three states we will live in!! (yes, that's THREE in the next ELEVEN months!)

sweet nothings...

some quotes from nora today...

to sadie: you're a sweet puppers.

mom, i'm just loving my puppers

mom, i have to tell you something. God loves you.

more vacation!!

trying to blog!! pictures to prove it...

dinner!! (thanks to uncle johnny and uncle mikey!)

kicking timmy's BUTT at dutch blitz. (or pretty much anything we played!)

snuggles...

loving some dd time!

her favorite thing. driving!

she really looked almost tall enough when we were there (she may have been on her tiptoes!), but when we saw the pics, she wasn't as close as we thought!

mountain coaster

going up the hill

i learned that i am less of a daredevil in my old age! i was SCARED! actually, not scared, just scared to go too fast!

nora, however, couldn't go fast enough!!!

the view from behind!

laughing

loving aunt amy!!

probably, this was, "stop taking pictures"!

love.

cousins!! i love her!

going home...

yunch...

this morning i told nora that we get to go to the pool later. we have to take james to the doctor first. she has been copying me the last few weeks (hair, sunglasses, flip-flops, dressing the same...). yesterday, she had to get her car keys to go shopping, like i had!

so, she just comes out to go to the doctor's, and has her princess bag (thanks aunt debbie!). she says it's packed and she's ready to go. in it is her bathing suit and some of her "food" from her kitchen. she told me she has yunch (lunch) for the pool. i said, "great". she told me she would go get more food for me and jamey, but not for sadie.

whelp... she's back with our food. time to go!

the wedding...

i made the daughter pull her own suitcase in to the "ho-towel". she did a great job! (actually it was out of necessity... two carry-ons, two suitcases, a stroller and two kids...

kissing a frog! a frog jumped into the pool. nora found him and rescued him.

and became his new best friend!

snuggling mom-mom at the pool.

loving grammie at breakfast!

mom, auntie rebecky and me!

happy birthday to my mommy!!

enjoying the pool!

intent at the rehearsal...

at the rehearsal dinner...

getting ready for the wedding (note the NEW curlers! no more turban! however, thanks to nc humidity, the curls lasted 0.5 seconds!)

smiling!!! (kinda)

pep talk!

running down the aisle!

almost to mommy! (ps... brag note here. i MADE that dress! i am a little proud!!!)

with cousin susan!!

and auntie rebecky!

the wonderful swanie boys!

oh wait, you can just barely see a curl there! loving auntie rebecky!

hugging glory... the other flower girl

sisters... sarah, byssa and me!

most of the family... party foul on my part! i forgot that we would be doing family pictures, and left james home to nap, thinking everyone would be happier that way! oops... sorry guys!

umm, why is no one paying attention to the princess?

serious face!

the haile/hollingsworth side of things.

the haile side of the wedding party

the immediate hailes.

after the reception...

thankfully, mom and byssa were there to take the kids back to the "ho-towel" when they were less than entertained by the reception!