Slacking...

or should I say packing! We are getting excited about going to Disney, but boy is there a lot to do and think of! The girls have been counting down the days. I just wanted to update everyone on a few things.

First of all, Ashlyn tried out for the basketball team last week for 3 days and was supposed to find out Wednesday if she made it. Well, there was a girl that was sick 2 of the 3 days so the coach is making them try-out again this Monday & Tuesday so the other girl can join them. Needless to say, there were a LOT of unhappy girls, mine included. Todd and I both told Ashlyn to leave everything on the court and she did just that! Now she will have to leave it on the court this week too...bless her heart!

Next to our little slugger. Lizzie's little coach pitch team has gone undefeated this fall season and we are thrilled about that since our girls had to play up in an older division. Our tournament starts when we leave for Disney so Lizzie will miss it. I know she would love to be at both, but Disney has won out this time...haha

Stay tuned for updates on Ash & Lizzie Grace and pictures from Disney!!!

Picture Day

This past Friday was picture day at Lizzie's school. She picked out the outfit she wanted to wear, but she also remembered that her P.E. teacher's said that if you went to the Autumn Chase Fun Run and got a t-shirt you can wear it to school! So when I sent her to school she looked like this...

When I went to school to eat lunch with her (and before P.E.) she looked like this...

(Ok, maybe not that bad!) She still had her hair down and in those cutesy curls. And instead of the jeans she had her CUTE pantaloons on (see pic on the right) but she was sporting the Autumn Chase Fun Run shirt (left). I can say she listens to her teachers!! And for those of you that know me well...I didn't say a word to her about her change of clothes. I have learned a lot over the years of raising kids and this just didn't deserve a comment. I actually laughed!!!

Run Girls Run!

The girls and I, along with their Nana (my Mother) went to our first Autumn Chase Fun Run (sponsored by Huntsville Hospital). Boy, we were not prepared to see that many people there! Lizzie's race started at 4:15 and we were in a LONG line of traffic at 3:45 trying to get into the event. Finally, after wondering how we were going to get registered and Lizzie to her event, my Mom said, "just stop here and get out and I will park the car". So, like any good daughter, I did what my Mom said and got out with the girls and ran to register them. Lizzie made it to her run with about 5 minutes to spare.

Ashlyn ran with Lizzie (keep in mind this is a mile long race) and then she ran again for herself around 6:35. After Lizzie's race we sat in the shade, ate, and soaked up the beautiful afternoon. I was so proud of the girls! Lizzie came in 8th and Ashlyn came in 17th. There were A LOT of kids in both races but Ashlyn had a lot of competition from the track teams and soccer players.

This was such a great cause and we will definitely be there again next year (just a little earlier...haha)

Don't Doubt A First Grader!

I had just finished reading a great book, and told Todd that I needed another one. I asked him if we could stop by Books A Million on our way back from getting a bite to eat. Well I knew it was coming. A little voice said, "Momma can I get a book too?" Lizzie is my little "Mini Me" when it comes to reading. I LOVE to read and I am so glad she does too.

Well we get to BAM and Lizzie starts looking in the "Beginner" books and the "Level 1" books, but she didn't see anything that fits her fancy. So she walks over to the Junie B. Jones books and goes on and on about how the teachers at school are reading these books to them and she likes them. I proceeded to tell her that I think these books might be a little hard to read right now.

I should have never said that!! There was a lady and her younger child standing beside us, so I guess Lizzie thought she needed to show me up right there in front of everybody and she did. She opened the book up after reading the title and started reading the first page. Before she was finished I said, "Ok you made your point. Is that the book you want?" The lady beside us laughed, and we left with the Junie B. Jones book. She is on Chapter 6 of 10!

Bump, Set, Spike

Ashlyn has been hard at work all summer practicing for basketball and volleyball. This year she gets to try-out for the 7th grade teams. She tried out for volleyball at the beginning of August and made the team. Only to break her ring finger on her right hand the week before they started playing games!! Needless to say, she will go the whole season without playing one game.


She has been a real trooper. She has been to every practice and game, dressed out as if she was playing. She is their own personal cheerleader and the coaches have made her their assistant coach. Ashlyn has truly made the most out of this and the coaches even made a comment about how she supports and cheers for her team even though she can't play. They said she was a real leader and Ash said they made her cry (tears of joy).


2nd place in the Tiger Bash & The Raider Bash

It's that time again!

The girls started school on August 6th.

Lizzie Grace is in the 1st grade and she LOVES to read! I am amazed at how much she already knows.

Ashlyn is in the 7th grade (can you believe it!!). She has grown up way to fast for me. I am SO proud of Ash, she has had only A's since she entered middle school! Ashlyn works really hard on her grades! We couldn't ask for
anything more from her.

Everyone else is...

My girls finally wore me down, and I took them to Orange Beach. You know if everyone else is doing it, then... We told them that we weren't going to the beach to play in the pool (we have a pool). They said, "No, we want to play on the beach and in the sand." And they kept their word! We had the best time this year at the beach. I'm glad they "talked me into it"!!

We also had 2 visitors that joined us at the beach. They were in the girl's luggage. Elliot & Caroline are from the North Pole and work for Santa. They had told the girls before they left us this Christmas that they wanted to come for a visit this summer. I guess they knew that everyone was going too...haha! Needless to say, it was way too hot at the beach and they only stayed for a couple of days, but the girls enjoyed the visit. Our elves are usually very mischievous and play LOTS of tricks on the girls, but this time they just brought LOTS of goodies and gifts!

Not as much fun going home!