Tuesday, July 28th Trip to Houston Zoo

The Houston Zoo is GREAT! Emily and Grant to us and Grant was our official tour guide....My girls were so impressed by the large number of animals and the size of the exhibits. They have a giraffe breeding program at the Houston Zoo and we saw two baby giraffes while there. They all had sooo much fun!

Tuesday, July 28th Trip to McKay Family Home

The girls and I loaded up this morning and headed out to visit with Emily, Grant and Aubrey McKay! We had a little bit of trouble with the directions, but nothing that could not be corrected! The first thing that I did when we got there was hold that beautiful baby...Aubrey is soooo sweet...I considered putting her in my pocket and bringing her home.

Monday, July 27th

Today I made a few new hair clips for the girls...my favorites are the flower clips. My girls like the accessorize..if you can't wear a hair bow when you are 6 and 9...then when can you? I feel like too many people push kids to become grown ups way too fast...and I feel like T.V. and the fashion industry push our little girls to become women before they are 5! I am doing everything that I can to keep my little girls - just that "LITTLE GIRLS".

Saturday, July 25th

Charlie and I have been married 11 years today! Wow, time does fly by fast! My parents are also celebrating their wedding anniversary today...Happy anniversary! I do love Charlie more than I did the day I married him...though I do not always "like" him...and I am sure that he does not always really "like" me! The girls and I went to Walmart for school supplies...we picked up Chelsea's supplies today and will get Callie's on the next trip - it is really hard to keep in straight if you try to buy supplies on two different lists at the same time!!! Chelsea's supplies cost about $40.00 this year...not bad, but the backpack that she REALLY wanted was on SALE for $29.99....Callie did inform Chelsea that her backpack was only $14.99, What a smarty pants! I did buy the backpack... Chelsea works hard in school and a little reward never hurt...also, as I pointed out to her she may be able to help me around the house some WITHOUT a long face.

Monday, July 20th - Wednesday, July 22

Scrapbook Retreat at Barbara's House! OK...This year our little scrapping group was unable to schedule a retreat together, so Barbara B. kindly offered to hold a retreat at her house so that we could all crop together and most importantly visit with one another! I was able to complete 52 pages and I am finally in 2009 in Callie's book. I have lots more to do to be current, but less than I needed to before our little retreat! Thanks again Barbara...and Grandmommy and Big for keeping the girls!

Saturday, July 18th

Past Birthday Party Ideas....My girls have birthdays that are 2 weeks apart so we have always had 1 party (2 cakes) for both....Our birthday parties have turned into a family gathering and an overall huge event! The Best Two themes that we have had would be the Pirate Birthday Party and last year's Stick Horse Rodeo. I borrowed the Pirate theme from my cousin Emily and borrowed her left oversupplies and great IDEAS as well...we had a treasure hunt and all of the kids came dressed as pirates. Last year when Callie turned 6 and Chelsea turned 9, we had a stick horse rodeo, because that is what Chelsea wanted...we had a rodeo clown, several riding events for the kids to run with their stick horses, and all of the kids came dressed as cowboys and cowgirls. After pin the tail on the pony, breaking a pinata, and all of the stick horse races the kids played cowboy games and ran wild...I know that 9 seems old for a party like this, but they had a blast...kids really do enjoy being able to be kids sometimes! I am not sure what I want to do this year...I have played with the idea of having a carnival themed party with a bouncing thing of some kind...not sure, it would be hard for us to have a girly party because that would exclude the boy cousins...I will let you know when I figure it out!

Wednesday, July 15th

Trip to the Tyler Zoo!!! Today Grandmommy and I took Chelsea, Callie, and Wes to the Tyler Zoo...My girls love the Zoo. Wes was more impressed with the waterfalls, and pushing the stroller himself than the animals, but he did stop and look quickly at the Lion. We then went to the mall so that Chelsea could try on some clothes...she is growing like a weed - up two shoe sizes and no longer wearing a slim cut pant...she is becoming a big girl more and more every day...It makes me really sad if I allow myself to think about it. And, I did cry when going threw Callie's things we discovered that her 6X sets no longer fit...6X is the turning point from baby to big girl!

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

Happy Birthday Grandmommy!!!!!!! We are having our family 4th of July get together on Monday night...so we didn't really do anything today except cut the grass. I need to take a picture of my smallest chickens..the last few to hatch were really cool...they have feathers on their heads and some have feathers on their feet. Ruth and I spilt them and I took home 6...my favorite is a black chicken with a white puff ball of feathers on his head...or her head??? It looks like you set a cotton ball on top of a black chicken. I have 22 chickens and 8 ducks and today I collected 3 eggs...only 7 of my chickens are old enough to lay right now, but come October- November I should be drowning in fresh eggs! I have been working on the scrapbooks for the girls...I am up to May of 2008 in both books, and I would love to be up to date before school starts....or at least as close to up to date as I can get.

Thursday, July 2nd

Today the girls went with Grandmommy to see PAPA ..it is his birthday. Mother said that he really did not understand that it was his birthday and does not really know anyone but he was in a good mood and did not cuss or refuse to participate...It is such a cruel disease. The girls had already been by on Tuesday with Grandmommy to play Bingo with PAPA. He had a really lucky day and won $4.00...he even won Blackout. I am glad that my girls know their PAPA, but I wish they really knew him. I wish they knew the PAPA that never missed Church, taught me to drive, took us kids with him to feed cows, grew a garden every year so that he could give it to his kids, and made you feel like you were extra special just in the way he looked at you...I was so blessed to have the grandparents that I had.