miscellany monday

{Time to join sweet carissa at lowercase letters for some fun random updates!  Don't forget to join in!  It's the best part about Monday!}

1.  {the last monday}
It's officially the last Monday of summer according to our calendars...only 7 more days until school starts! 

I have such bittersweet emotions for this day...I'm eager to get started on some more organizing and cleaning and have a schedule...but we've loved our summer and don't want it to end yet!  We've had a great vacation and lots of fun, lazy days!  I'll also miss my little lunch dates with Emily...but she was very happy to invite me to eat lunch with her at school this year!  {I will sure miss Chili's though!}

2.  {the long and short of it}
With the end of summer approaching...that means the days are getting a little bit shorter and the nights a little bit longer. 
Emily enjoyed a little sunset swim the other night.  It was so nice to relax and soak in one of our few evenings left to stay up a little bit later before early bedtimes begin...{insert long groans of complaining}

3.  {precious moments}

It seems like the kids are getting bigger every day...and it makes me cherish these little moments all the more...

...Emily can be such a little lady these days...and having her ears pierced makes her even more into her hair, clothes and even make-up...sigh... I certainly don't want her to grow up too fast...

so when I see her snuggled with her blankies and Pillow Pet...it makes me appreciate that she is still my little girl...whew...I'll take all those moments for as long as I can!

4.  {festival, fun, and family}

We don't get to see my mom, sister and nephew as often as we like...so it's always fun when we get together!  We went to my childhood church festival this weekend and played games, ate and got to see my cousins and other childhood friends too!

{Alex and Emily had fun trying to Dunk the Deacon...but didn't get to see him splash!}

{Bingo!  Alex won!}

It was a fun day with family...and I wish we could get together more often!

5.  {23 weeks}

These weeks are flying by...and my belly is growing just as quickly! 

{this is the view I have...at least I can still see my feet!}

{I know I look glamorous...don't be jealous of my tired, puffy eyes and messy hair...ha!  I feel good...just tired...and we just finished taking a walk!  The nerve in my lower back can make it hard to walk sometimes, but it's nice to get a little bit of exercise and be outside.  It's hard to believe that the baby only weighs about 1 pound...yet I feel like I'm carrying around a ton!}

6.  {look who's talking}

The other day we were driving along when we heard a woman's voice ask if we needed assisstance...huh?  Who said that?  Then she asked us to answer yes or no to cancel...the kids and I just started chuckling and giggling when we figured out I had bumped the Onstar button on my steering wheel!  oops!  We don't pay for the service...but apparantly we still get someone to answer {it was just an activated voice}!  She kept saying...Sorry?  because we were too busy laughing and not answering her!  I realized she was still waiting for me to answer yes or no...because I didn't know how to turn it off...so I finally had to actually say Yes out loud...she said Thank you...and went away!  ha!

Happy Monday!

Hole in One Two!

The much anticipated day {for some} has finally arrived!  Two weeks {and a few extra rough nights...in the beginning}...and two holes later...

...Emily got her ear bling!

Her goal was to start staying in her own bed all night for two weeks...and she did it!

She didn't even flinch...she is strange...she actually likes getting shots!  And just like that...two new holes in her head! 

I think I lost more sleep the night before because I was so excited...and the Tooth Fairy was making another visit...I kept thinking she was going to get up and then lose her chance to finally get her ears pierced...but she slept like an angel!  She kept asking all morning, "Is the mall open yet?"  She fixed her hair up in pony tails so her ears were showing and even put on some make-up!  She was ready to look good with earrings!  Ha!

And I think she looks pretty darn cute!  She picked out pink sparkly flowers and then some new earrings to wear once she's able to change them. 

Then we went across the mall to Bath & Body Works and stocked up on soap and a few little PocketBac hand gels to clip on the kids' backpacks.  And of course some lip gloss!

{Alex's picks...he got three holders to clip to his backpack!  For only 50 cents...I thought I could splurge!  ha!}

Next...lunch...and the gym...

{no, I don't work out...this gym...c'mon!  ha!}

Emily starts gymnastics classes again next week...but we love the free time during the Open Gym hours!

It was a great day...

...and quite an exciting week already for Emily!

Another Visit From the Tooth Fairy

Apparently Emily feels the need to pull all her teeth out of her head before school starts...
{remember...she just lost her second tooth the day before...}

...then yesterday we went shopping for school clothes and Emily was so excited to try on her new duds {wearing them here... I didn't like this outfit when she picked it out...but I think she looks adorable with it on!}...anyway...I told her which tooth I thought would be next...so she just went and pulled it out...

"Just like Daddy does it!" she said!  Goodness! 

She woke up yesterday with her egg and said she only got a quarter this time...{geez, give the Tooth Fairy a break!}...but when I explained it was actually called a half-dollar and it was 50 cents...she thought that was a pretty good deal after all!

So the Toof Fairy visits again {as Emily pronounces it now!}

...and she'll be lucky if she gets at least a quarter this time...if she keeps this up!  ha! 

I love her new goofy grin!

{She just keeps trying to grow up faster every day and look older every second...and she better stop this instant!  ...sigh... }

miscellany monday

{Monday already...these weeks are really going too fast!  But that means it's time to join carissa at lowercase letters to share your random happenings this week!}

1.  {they work hard for their money}
We've been doing lots and lots of de-cluttering trying to update the house and get things ready for baby #3...and I'm so proud of Alex and Emily for helping me get some of the everyday chores accomplished while Dan continues to put up trim, hang doors, schedule a plumber and electrician to move the laundry room upstairs...and while I continue to bag up clothes and things for the Goodwill, sort through baby clothes and clean up the extra bedroom {seriously...where did all this stuff come from?  we may be borderline hoarders!}

{time to eat!}

{sweepin' & moppin'}

The house is never going to be immaculate...in fact, by the time I post this, there's sure to be popcorn and something sticky on the floor...but having some little hands to help makes a big difference! 

And don't worry...they definitely earned it...they wanted to have a slumber party in the family room...

...it was lots of fun staying up late to watch tv and eat popcorn and Reece cups! 

{only two more weeks until school!  We are all dreading it a little bit...but Emily was excited about getting her new backpack and matching lunch box...that she slept with it next to her so she could wake up and see it in the morning!  ha!}

2.  {it's a date}
Because the summer's going entirely too fast...we're trying to squeeze in a few more little playdates together before school and baby...and we couldn't let this time pass us by without going down the big toilet...

We went to the local kids' museum to explore and play...

...then to Noble Romans for lunch!  Yum...and...ugh!  People can be so thoughtful and helpful when you're big and pregnant...and think you should eat even more than half the pizza and breadsticks you already ordered...and throw in some delicious free ooey-gooey cinnamon bread too!  So good...but oh goodness...I thought I was going to pop after that meal!  ha!

I'm sure going to miss these two when school starts...I'm not quite ready to let them go all day...

...second grade & first grade...sigh...

...but I'm more than excited to get some time to prepare for their new little sister in the fall! 

3.  {think pink}

...it's a girl!  Alex and Emily went with me for my ultrasound to find out what we're having...and although nothing's 100%...I could even see that there were no boy parts!  Emily was thrilled...Alex...bless his heart was a little crushed.  He really had his heart set on a boy...and he was disappointed.  But he knows he will have a special role as the big big brother and will get even more extra time with Daddy!  Dan even said the boys will really have to stick together now...ha!  I think he was counting on a boy too!  But let me tell you...Emily's got him wrapped around her little finger...and I expect nothing less with this one...ha!

4.  {shark teeth}

Speaking of bonding together...Alex has been going to work with Dan almost every Friday.  He loves it so much!  Alex gets right to work there...he hangs out in the conference room and makes Power Point slides and plays games!  He looks forward to it every week now...that is until school starts...blah!

He brought home an xray of his mouth one day and we laughed because it looked like a full mouth of teeth like a shark!

It's possible he could start his first phase of braces next Spring...and I'm really not ready for that!  He will look so much older if that happens...and I'm pretty sure a whole lot grumpier!  Braces = 

no popcorn, no candy and no chewing gum!  He will not be thrilled with that! 

5.  {lost and found}

Once again...Emily comes to me and says, "Feel my tooth."  as it's flapping around!  So she tried to pull it...but couldn't quite get it and let Dan take it out in an instant!  She was so thrilled! 

She put it in her special egg and even took it on a bike ride when we went for our walk!  Once we got home Alex and Emily swam for a little bit...watched some tv...and got ready for bed...and she couldn't find her egg anywhere!  She searched everywhere and was starting to panic...but finally found it just in time for bed...whew!  I thought we were going to be up writing a letter to the Tooth Fairy...and I was much too tired to explain it for her!  ha! 

Happy Monday!

Hope you cherish all your miscellaneous moments!