Two of my Favorite People!

Liz and Bryan. What can I say about these two individuals? Lots! My sister is my best friend! Despite the 10 year age difference, we are so close! I can still remember the day my Mom and Dad brought her home. We couldn't be there because Stevie was sick. We were staying at Grandma Inman's. Grandma brought us over and we got to see her through the screen door. So beautiful!! Liz and I shared a room growing up. She had to put up with my big sister attitude (don't move on the bed when I am trying to sleep!) and I had to put up with her little sister attitude. But thinking back on it, I rather enjoyed it. We used to go to sleep at night listening to Kenny G or some other CD. We used to go to the mall together and I would take her in Limited Too and we would try on all sorts of clothes! She truly was and is a princess to me! Again, despite growing up in two different worlds -- I was getting married while she was learning to drive -- I was having a baby while she was graduating from high school -- we have remained close. She knows a lot of my secrets, my dreams and desires and I know hers. We have a song that we call ours...it's called Come Some Rainy Day by Wynonna Judd. The first line in the song says..."what goods a dollar, without your baby sister"! Wynonna wrote it for her sister. This song definitely speaks truth to our hearts. But, she's not only an important person in my life, she is important to Alex and Olivia. Alex and Olivia really love their Auntie! She is so good to them. She was in the room when Alex was born and was there right after I had Olivia. She loves to spoil them. Every October, we go to the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin together. This tradition has carried on since Alex was little and is still strong today. She was there crying right next me during Alex's preschool gymnastics performance. She's been there rooting for Alex during soccer and basketball games. She's picked Olivia up from Jane's to lend me a helping hand. See, how much she means to me?

Now, my baby sister is getting married. She is marrying a truly awesome man! I am so glad she found him because it showed her that despite some bad relationships that there really was a Prince Charming out there for her. I can't wait for these two to become husband and wife and start their own family. I really love Bryan (and his sister loves me too)! Alex and Olivia just love him and he loves them, which is so awesome. You can see it whenever he is around! It just melts my heart whenever I see him playing with Olivia and Alex. He drove Alex to basketball camp for a week. What an awesome uncle and brother-in-law!! But most importantly, my sister loves him. I wish them many happy years of marriage. My wish is that they will still be smiling like the engagement pictures above 10, 20, 30, etc. years from now.

So now, my sister is beginning a new life where I have settled into mine. I am truly honored to be her matron of honor and be there to celebrate this next phase in her life.

Thank you Liz for just being You! I love you!!

My two favorite people...my sister, Liz and my future brother-in-law, Bryan!

Hairspray!

No, not the movie...what my daughter sprayed in her hair! She is getting into the whole "doing your hair" thing. With it getting long, we have to pull it out of her face every day. She has been asking me to spray it when it's done. Well, last night, she was upstairs in my room watching a movie or so I thought. She came down and she had taken her hair out of the ponytail it was in. She walked up to me looking so proud. She said, "Look Mom, I sprayed my hair." She definitely sprayed her hair. Can you see that slick, stuck together spot on her head? She must have just held the can there and sprayed it. It was so funny, I just had to share!

My Babies!

Baby Girl! That's what we call Olivia sometimes. She's not spoiled is she? Just look at that face! Those big blue eyes melt your heart. She definitely has her Mimi's big blue eyes. I love that!! She's trying to show me her art work in this picture. She loves to draw, paint and color! I know that little girls love to color but I think she likes to do it more than the average. She is actually very good too. At 3.5, she can color in the lines and her painting is awesome! Her Great-Grandma Morgan would be so proud! Of course, I'm a little biased but it's really sweet! My dad is actually very good at drawing. I took up drawing in high school but ended up hating my teacher and therefore, hating to draw. It became a chore to draw rather than a passion. I hope Olivia keeps her passion for art. That's my baby girl!

I call this picture "Freckles". Look closely, can you see them peppered on his nose? Ever since Alex was little, we have played a game where I try to blow the freckles off of his nose. He just cackles whenever I do this. While playing this game with him recently, I noticed that he has acquired a few more freckles on his face. You might not notice it unless you are right next to his face but they're there. So cute! Check out those eyelashes. If they get any lighter, he will look like he doesn't have any!! ;) People always ask me where he gets the red hair from. He proudly proclaims, his great relatives. It's probably more like a strawberry blonde. Our hairdresser commented one day while cutting his hair that his hair gets lighter the shorter it is which is opposite of most people. Most people tend to have darker hair towards the scalp and lighter on the ends. I just love his red hair highlighted with all that blonde. He was comparing his newborn picture next to Olivia's and commented on his lack of hair. I told him that the minute I saw him, I noticed his red hair! Red hair, blue eyes and freckles...that's my boy!!

Pop Its!

Olivia and her bag of Pop Its!

Stompin' on the pop its. Olivia loves to throw them on the ground and then stomp on them to make them pop. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not!

Go get your own brother! She did relent and give him a few.

Last year we picked up a pack of Pop Its at Wal-mart for the kids instead of fireworks. These were a huge hit. They sailed through the pack. When we went to get more, they were already gone. A few weeks ago while shopping at Wal-mart, we saw them...they must only bring them out for the 4th of July holiday...and grabbed 2 boxes. 1 for Alex and 1 for Olivia. The kids absolutely love them and it seems like harmless fun. However, they leave a big mess on the patio...look closer at the photos and you can see the popped ones all over the ground. Oh well...my kids love them and what's a little mess compared to making a great memory!

How Sweet is this?

Last night, we watched a little of America's Got Talent. Yes, we love reality tv in our house! Anyway, I was completely moved to tears regarding Kaitlyn Maher's act (yes, I am a complete sap). She is a 4-year old who sang the song Somewhere out there, from the American Tail movie. She blew the judges away and got to move onto the next round. Heck, I don't even know her but I am so proud of her. I am such an empathetic person and kept thinking about how I would feel if that were Olivia. This beautiful, little girl went out on that stage and did something she loved. The smile on her face at the end when the audience was clapping and cheering for her is priceless. Such innocence, such beauty, such love. Go Kaitlyn!!

I try to teach both Alex and Olivia that they can do anything they want to do. All it takes is a little bit of passion for what you are doing, dedication, determination, self-confidence. and practice. I am and always will be their biggest cheerleader and support system! I try to teach them that they can achieve anything they set their minds too. That is what my parents taught me. For that, I am grateful. Keep reaching for your dreams. Even as I get older, I still have dreams and goals that I wish to accomplish. I think when you stop reaching, you become stagnant. Never stop reaching for those stars!!

Kite Day/Father's Day!

Yesterday was a fun day. Not only was it Father's Day but it was also Kite Day! So we went to JB park with my family-- the spot we used to go to when I was a kid -- and had a picnic lunch and tried to fly our kites. There wasn't much wind but we managed to get the kites up a few times. We really wanted to get Alex's pirate ship kite in the air but you really need some good wind for that. This was Bryan's first time ever flying a kite. Too bad there wasn't much wind so he could get the full effect. I think he still had a good time though. Also, Jimmy didn't get to fly a kite because he always lands them in the trees. (Hence the picture of him just looking on.) I didn't get to fly but once. We bought Olivia a new kite -- Tinkerbell -- it was so cute...however, when we got to the park we noticed no string in the kit. It was a glider not a kite so there wasn't an extra kite to fly. We bought Stevie a Bat kite and it wasn't discovered until the end of the day that it was put together wrong. He couldn't seem to get it in the air but when he and I got together, we figured it out and got it up once but ran out string. You had to get it pretty high up there in order for it to stay up.

We had a great time together. I love the moments I get to spend with my family. They seem too far and few but it really is a joy to me when we can get together.

I also want to take this opportunity to wish Jimmy a Happy Father's Day! He is a wonderful Dad to Alex and Olivia. Olivia made a bookmark with her picture on it and a card with a Golden Trophy (as she calls it) for Jimmy. She let him open it and then quickly claimed it for herself -- just like she did with the Mother's Day picture frame she made me. It is the cutest thing. I can't wait to tell her when she gets older. Alex gave Jimmy a coupon book with all sorts of coupons...mowing the grass, wash the car, breakfast in bed, homemade cookies...he loved it!! We had taken him to a new Mexican restaurant on Saturday for a Father's Day lunch...but it wasn't that great. Oh well. Jimmy said something to me yesterday that was really sweet. He told me that yesterday was also my day because without me, he wouldn't be a dad. Very sweet and very true. We love you Smooch!

To my Dad. He is the world to me. My first love, my hero! He has influenced me to become the strong, independent woman I am today. Thanks Dad, I love you! Also, Alex and Olivia love their Paw Paw.

To Jim. Thank you for being such an important person in our lives. You are always there for us. You are an awesome Grandpa to Alex and Olivia. They definitely love you!! You mean the world to us and despite the distance, we love you and miss you!!

Happy Father's Day.

My thoughts today

Today, my thoughts are so negative, I wish I could escape my own mind. Maybe it's because I am so exhausted and overwhelmed that these thoughts just keep creeping up on me. I don't like it. I hate these moments when nothing in my life feels as it should or seems as it should. I have so many blessings in my life. I am grateful for each and every one. But somehow today, even though I keep trying to push that curtain back to see the light, all I can see is the dark. (Funny thing, as I just finished typing that last sentence, the light in my office went out. It's one of those sensor lights and when I sit at my computer and type for awhile, it goes out automatically. Guess you had to be there!)

I have always been the victim of worrying about what others think. Last night and into today, that feeling is ever present and I wish it would go away. I sat in my car before walking into work to listen to a song that just catches my heart. Celebrate Me Home by Kenny Loggins. I sat back and just listened wondering if all my loved ones who have passed away would rejoice in hearing this praise. I know I would definitely Celebrate! But instead of making me feel rejoiced, I feel just sad.

Now, it could just be that these feelings have surfaced due to it being "that time of the month" (sorry, I know, TMI) but I despite all my blesssings, I look back on my life and feel...like a failure. I see so many lost opportunities, so many wrong decisions, some unhappy times. I have a saying that I love...

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles one has overcome while trying to succeed.

I have this posted to the wall right above my computer and read it daily. As a way to help me realize that I can overcome or change all that I feel is not right in my life. Right now, I am just too exhausted, too overwhelmed to think of all that I need to change, want to change. I guess I should follow Stalin's quote:

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

Let's hope that tomorrow's day is a little brighter. At least I get to go home after work and not have someplace else to run to. But I just groan at the thought of the piles of laundry and dishes that need to be done! Blessings! I need to remind myself that these are all blessings and stop my moaning.