Cupcake Wars

The Simpson girls have a new favorite show. ( Thank you Jaci) We love to watch Cupcake Wars. Of course Olivia has been asking to make cupcakes for weeks now. She also wanted to bust out the bags and tips to ice the cupcakes, so she could do it like the pros! Her and Abby had a good time, Emily was more interested in eating them and putting sprinkles on them then anything else.

Abby's Starts First Grade

Being the last sister to start school was probably a good thing for Abby. She was excited to put her new clothes on that Nana had bought her for her first day of school and excited to have her picture taken, but once we walked into school and sat down the excitement level seemed to disappear. It almost looked like she had tears in her eyes which made me get a little teary. I asked her if she was okay and she quickly said she was fine and wanted to change the subject.
I know your in good hands Abby. Mrs. Loftin is one of the best teachers out there. Olivia still claims her as her favorite teacher ever! This year might be a struggle for you especially in the beginning. But this I know....God will be with you everyday you are there and Mrs. Loftin will not only help you grow and learn but she will leave a mark on your heart that will forever change the student that you are.
I love you sweet Abby....God's Blessings on your first day of school.

Our first Sweetheart Saturday

11 o'clock until 4 o'clock.....that is how long we were out in the hot sun today watching football (of all things) and waiting for Olivia to cheer at halftime for two different football games. It has been a long month of 3 times a week practices among others things I don't care to mention....but why not....missing her sister's birthday party, selling trash bags, saying she has mean coaches, etc, etc.....Her and I were both ready for the season to be over with and it hadn't even started.
I was truly dreading today. Sitting out in the hot sun, yuck. But once I saw the look on Olivia's face when she was performing......it erased all the bad and her smile made it all good!!!! She didn't even complain about the heat. It probably helped that she was awarded Senior Spirit Girl of the week! That was a surprise to her. She didn't know it until she heard her name called out over the loud speaker! I think that was the biggest thrill for her. It was a fun day for Olivia and and not so bad for her mother too!

Happy 6th Birthday my sweet little Abigail!

Yes....you indeed are growing up too fast little girl. Six years old and a first grader! Each year really seems to go by faster than the last. I could have sworn just few months ago we were celebrating your 5th birthday at Pump It Up.
This year has been a year of changes for you. Your toddler look has faded, there is no baby left in your face! You have beautiful long hair that you and daddy want cut off. You learned to ride your bike this year. We discovered your passion for drawing and card marking and just about anything artsy and crafty. You would decide you wanted to draw something, you would ask me to find a picture of it on the Internet and then you would copy it. You could copy just about anything. Olivia brought home a craft book from school and you saw a cute little teddy bear in it. You drew all the pieces cut them out taped them together then added a bow just like the picture and you never asked for help. But making cards is about your all time favorite thing to do. Aunt Rhonda gave you a card making kit for Christmas and you went to town. You are so very thoughtful and you love making cards for everyone.....now you don't always remember to give them to them, but you always make them.
You love giving me "the best big hugs" were you wrap your legs around me tight and hold my neck tight and hug away. Momma likes those too! We have known your love language is touch for a couple of years now and since you love having your hair brushed or you back rubbed you are more than happy to do the same for momma. You are a very good foot massager! You get the lotion and go to town....and momma loves it!
You still have the prettist smile and you love to smile.....I will always remember you as a baby and walking into your room in the morning and you always greeted me with the biggest smile.
You are much more quiet than your sisters, which is a nice break for momma, but I know there is a lot going on in your head and every once in a while you share it with us.
This year you had another ChuckE Cheese birthday party. Your friend Christina had one so that made you want another. It was a very fun party and of course all your cousins and aunt and uncles were there. Nana and Poppy, The McFarland clan and Sarah you friend from school and church. You requested a cookie cake this year, so we made one at home and you helped decorate it! It was a great evening celebrating our sweet little Abby! Happy Birthday my sweet girl.....momma loves you so very much.

First day of Fourth Grade......Miss Olivia

We were bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning..... I am sure Olivia will not be as easy to wake up for the remaninder of the school year. She was no doubt excited this morning. Friday night we found out at meet the teacher she has the teacher she wanted and the one momma requested. I know the principle doesn't like to hear parents name names when requesting teachers, so I was so thrilled that even though last year I decided to name a name she still decide to give my daughter that teacher! Jaci had Mrs. Brewer and so did Jeremy and so goes Olivia.
Pulling up to the school this morning I said, "do you want me to walk you in?" "Of course Momma, it's the first day of school, you have to walk me in", she replies. Music to a momma's ears. I hope she says that next year as a fifth grader.
This afternoon when I picked her up she had the biggest smile on her face. When I asked how her day was her reply was, "AWESOME". I love Mrs. Brewer. I asked if she liked her better than her teacher last year and she said yes, to my surprise! Momma loved her teacher last year and didn't think it could get any better. Olivia was specific in the things that she liked better about this teacher and I have to say they were all things the signaled she wasn't as strict maybe in the beginning but I didn't think her teacher was strict last year, but apparently she ran a tight ship and had guidelines these kids knew to follow and I see nothing wrong with that!
Olivia is ready to try out of choir and hand bells, which we had already decided that she wouldn't do, but apparently the excitement of a new school year and the thought of school programs was just too much for her. She already knows she wants to try out for DI so we had decided last year to nix choir......we shall see
I am just so thrilled Olivia LOVES school so much. I am thankful she is at a school that we all love so much! It is a blessing indeed. So excited about what the year holds for Olivia!

RIP Summer

So long summer, we say tonight.....it has been a good one. Too many deposits in the memory bank to list....and I didn't do that great of a job this summer blogging them all either. But we had a grand summer and it is with sadness and excitement that I say good bye to summer. Tonight we celebrated with the girls all time favorite summer activity....jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers on it. Daddy tripped it out tonight though by hanging the sprinkler from the top of the trampoline. The girls had a blast especially since Daddy was playing with them and then daddy managed to talk mommy into getting on and jumping around a bit! Abby could tell I was a bit leery and she said, "Momma you can just get off!" Daddy grilled hamburgers and we had are last summertime supper! It was a great ending to a great summer!

First day of Pre-K for Emily

As soon as I walked into her room and said, "time to wake up Emily, it's your first day of school", her eyes popped open and she started making her way out of the bed. No doubt little doodles was excited for her first day of school.
She quickly got dressed, hair and teeth brushed. She did stop to ask, where are my sisters? They had left with their Daddy earlier this morning so he could take them to meet Natalie, Aunt Ruth and MawMaw to go to the the waterpark. Shhhh, Emily doesn't know she is missing out on this! I told her they went with Daddy this morning. She was so excited about school that didn't even phase her.
Of course she wanted to take some pictures and video and then off she went to get in the car with lunchbox and napmat in hand!
Of course she walked right in hugged her teacher and was greeted by her buddy Melissa and off she went.....I am pretty sure she didn't even say bye momma!
What a blessing to have a child that loves school and what a blessing to be able to send her someplace that I have not a worry in the world about dropping her off there. No sadness or hesitation. I know she is in a great place and will be well taken take care of and will come home with a wealth of new knowledge!
Yes, we are off to a good start in our school year!!

Princess Prep School....oh what fun!.

What a week of fun we had! Princess Prep School is just about the most fun a girl could have. This year we got the pleasure of hosting it at our home church. Emily was thrilled this year she was old enough to attend. Abby was excited about going back and Olivia was more than excited that she could help with the puppet shows and live princess performances! Both girls had great room leaders. Abby had the special pleasure of having Aunt JeanAnn as her teacher. And I know that was a special class for all the girls . Emily learned her princess cheer very well and uses her megaphone to yell it out almost everyday! GO INTO ALLLLL THE WORLD.....AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS.....AND ALL CREATION (WHICH IS SUPPOSE TO BE TO ALL CREATION) MARK 16:15! She is so cute when she says this. I just want to eat her up. Abby sang a new sparkle song this year for graduation, which isn't on the cd, so we are a little bummed about that. We listen to the cd quite often but of course during Princess Prep School week it was an everday affair! We all just love that cd.
I was the camp photographer so the graduation slide show at the end was a little bias as someone mentioned to me....and I owned up to being the photographer, but I wasn't the one that made the slide show. Someone else hand picked those cute little pictures of my kiddos!
Olivia and her cousin Allison (who helped her with the puppets) had a little drama this week. I think it was a life lesson for them and their mommas!
Well it is now Aug 3 2011 and this draft is still sitting in the draft box. It has been over a year.....so I think we will have to end this blog short, because am I really expected to remember details from a year ago???

Galveston

We just got home from a quick trip to Galveston. We left Friday afternoon. Once we got through the traffic getting out of Houston it was smooth sailing. We stopped by the girls favorite place to eat, Rainforest Cafe for dinner. The girls just love that frog and all the stuff in their store! There was still some daylight left after dinner so of course David was ready to take the girls to the beach. The girls hadn't been out in the water 5 minutes when Olivia gets stung by a jellyfish! I see David pick her up and I thought he was going to through her in the water, but then he starts carrying her in. I thought to myself oh no what happened this time. Last year when we went to Galveston, first day out in the water her and I both trip over some broken shells and rocks and cut ourselves all up. Olivia was cut up really bad on her feet and the salt water was making it sting worse. So of course that is all she talked about before we headed off to Galveston. Reliving that day and saying she did not want a repeat. So you would know it would be her to get hurt. Of course she was ready to go home after that.
David's friend Allison let us stay at her new place just 3 blocks from the beach. The girls loved it. The next day David took them to the beach at 7:30 in the morning then we headed to the strand for some shopping and root beer floats. Then we went to check out an old house daddy would like to buy and fix up. After that we toured the Elissa, where the girls were impressed that their daddy once volunteered on the boat! Now that we are all hot and majorly sweaty we go to lunch at my favorite place Sunflower Cafe and then head home.
I have to say last years quick trip to Galveston was a bit more fun....that was before I had gone to Destin and the reality of Galveston's unattractiveness had not yet hit me! Fortunately the girls could care less, the beach is the beach! Lucky for them!

Oh no.......Chicken Pox!

Yes, it is true the first case of chicken pox has hit our family. Olivia's torso has red pox scattered all over. She was not interested in having a picture of her stomach put on my blog she said, so you will have to take my word.
She spotted the the red bumps as she was changing into her bathing suit. Her friend just had shingles so I thought it might be shingles. I had her friends mom look at Olivia and she thought it was either shingles or chicken pox.Of course the emotion starts flowing as soon as the diagnosis was made! So off to the doctor we went,were more emotion flowed, not to mention she kept going to the bathroom because her stomach was more than nervous. Of course the first thing she says is I don't have to get a shot do I? Of course I say no, because who gets shots when they have chicken pox! Well the first thing the nurse does is look to see if she has had her varicella vaccine, to which she says, "she only has had one she needs one more shot! More emotion, but momma quickly said well if you have chicken pox then you won't need the shot. Olivia was happy to learn from the doctor that she had chicken pox, which quickly turned to emotion again when the doctor said she couldn't go to her last day of science camp. One thing that I learned from the doctor is , you can't get shingles unless you have already had chicken pox!
So we shall see if the sisters get it?????? They have had their two doses so it should be pretty mild if they do get them.

Oh My Word......

To quote my sweet little girls, "oh my word", I can still fit into my wedding dress!!!!! It is a bit snug in the waist area but it zipped all the way up and I was still breathing. For some reason I started trying on all these clothes I hadn't worn in forever and the girls were all into that. Having fashions shows is just about one of their favorite things to do.
Of course they are in the closet with me, Olivia asked where is your wedding dress? Why don't you try that on. at first I said I don't think so, then I though hey why not! So we put the dress on and then they wanted me to attach the train, which daddy had to help us do. Once I had the full garb on the girls were having a ball, singing, "here comes the bride all dressed in white...... Actually they were wondering where the thing was that goes on my head.....I had to tell then I had no idea what happened to the veil!
They were having fun playing under the train and being silly.
Olivia says she wants to were the dress when she gets married, then her other sisters chimed in saying the samething.....we shall see. That is why I am blogging this. Proof that Olivia once said she wanted to wear her mother's wedding dress. Not that I will hold her to it, just noting it for history's sake! Abby and Emily have know idea what they are committing to, but I think Olivia is old enough to know.
David wanted to take a picture of me in the dress with the girls, but I said no, I had no make up and a greasy ponytail in my hair. As I was taking the dress off, I then wished I would have let him take the picture. What a precious picture that would be. Me ten years later wearing my wedding dress with my three precious little girls that were only dreams at the time I first wore the dress. A priceless picture....and I passed......
One other note......David informed Olivia she could not wear this dress for another 20 years! Time will tell......

The Butler Girls!!!!!!

Today we had our annual summer visit with the Butler girl's. Unfortunately this year Hattie couldn't make it. We meet at the Galleria did a bit of shopping then headed to Pappasito's to meet the men for dinner. The Simpson girls just love the Butler girls and always look forward to seeing them. Sheri has been my friend since college. We were roommates our last year of college and then moved to Houston together and were roommates after graduation. She got married way before me and had three girls and then 10 years later I got married and had three girls. She is blazing the trail ahead of me and her insight will always be helpful. She and Bob have raised three beautiful girls that love the Lord and they are awesome examples for my girls to see!!!!! I wished they lived closer, they would be awesome babysitters!

4th of July fun........

We had a great fourth of July weekend. Starting with Daddy being home for 4 days in a row, the girls were in heaven. Add cousins and some aunts and an uncle and great memories were made.
We were heading over to Aunt Ruth's on Friday but the awful rain and traffic made us turn around and go home, but that gave us the chance to finally eat at Cheddar's and then we went home and decorated our bikes for the bike parade in our neighborhood Saturday morning.
That night, Uncle Robert and Aunt Becca come over with Colton and Cameron and spent 3 nights with us. Though the weekend started out with a lot of rain it finally cleared up and Saturday morning we headed out for a parade in our neighborhood, which daddy organized by the way. The fire truck and firemen made the event special. You guys tried to go to a water park in The Woodlands but the rain came back in the afternoon and sent you packing, of course it was when Olivia was at the top of the slide and ready to go down that they heard the thunder and closed the pool! That night we went to the Pavilion in The Woodlands for a patriot concert with the Houston Symphony.....surprisingly enough you guys made it through the whole thing. Though by the end of the night it was a mud pit out there, that Abby slipped in and had a hiney coated in mud. Thankfully Aunt Ruth had extra clothes. Emily and Abby were not too happy about the cannons that were to go off at the end of the concert, but when they finally did they decided they weren't too loud and they actually liked them. It was a very fun event and we look forward to being able to do it next year. After the concert we walked over to the fountains to let the kids play in the dancing water.
Sunday morning was church, which Cameron and Emily could not make it through the entire service....imagine that. After lunch we headed back out to the water park to try again.....lots of sun and people this day. Everyone had a good time and got to go down the slide lots of times. We headed home for an early supper and to put the kids to bed early so the adults could have some play time.....we failed think about the barrage of fireworks that would go off when darkness came.....so it was a bit tedious putting kids to bed with fireworks going off all around us! Of course Cameron and Colton were out quickly and then there were our three. I had to bride Abby with 2 bucks if she stayed in her bed and didn't get up until morning which she did and first thing in the morning she was asking for her money. Emily and Olivia were hopeless but at least for the most part they kept quite.
Morning came and it was time for the cousins to head back to Louisiana. Everyone was sad the party was over....but great fun was had, that is for sure.