Fall Ball

It is ball park time for us again... no complaints from this momma b.c i LOVE the ball park and I love to watch my little man play ball! He has been playing the circle (pitcher) a little bit... not really his strongest position... but since daddy is the coach he lets him give it a "try"... i think JP thinks the extra equipment is "cool"!

Running the bases!

Batter Up!

The Fair...

Last night GoGo and Grandaddy took us all to The Fair! I L-O-V-E The Fair! What is it about fair food that always smells SO GOOD (although it is ridiculously priced)! I got me a much anticipated caramel apple and daddy got him a fried twinkie... i had a bite or two and i must say it was really good! We had a blast! The kids loved riding all the rides and most of them they could ride by themselves which was nice just to let them ride and watch their faces... they had a BLAST!

Daddy is not much on rides but I love them! The kids and I rode this mouse trap ride that is like a maze and swings you around and acts like you are going off the end... it was FUN! They loved it!

We don't know who the other boy is with us but he did not have anyone to ride with so he rode with us. Bless his heart he said he had never ridden a "roller coaster" before. He ask Jackson if he had and JP told him he rode a bunch in Disney World. Poor little guy said he had never been to Disney World. Jackson could not believe he had never been... our kids just don't know how lucky they are. We keep trying to tell them that they get to do more things than most kids and really try hard to teach them to have a grateful heart. Slowly they are understanding I think? But when it is your life style it is hard to know any different. However, they were very thankful to go last night and told GoGo and G'daddy thank you several times!

Sorry my light hearted post just got deep on you... anyway back to the fair!

Our last ride was "the scary ride" as Jackson calls it... he rode it last year and wanted to ride it again. It is the one that carries you way up and then drops you... I know the picture quality is not good but I love his expression on his face!

Show Us Your Life - Desserts

One of my favorite blogger girls Kelly from Kellys Korner features a Show Us Your Life "tour" each Friday and today is desserts!!! What can I say I HAD to participate in this one because I L-O-V-E me some desserts!!! So here is one of my favorite desserts! I had to stop making it b.c we were devouring them and resembling a good year blimp... LOL! Fudge Pie 1 stick melted butter 2 eggs 1 t. vanilla 1/4 C. cocoa 1/4 C. self-rising flour 1 C. sugar 1 ready to bake regular size pie shell {not deep dish} Mix ingredients together in bowl with fork until well combined. Avoid using a mixer if possible, over beating the filling will cause the top to rise and crack after baking. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. Let sit for 10-15 or as long as you possibly can resist. Hope you enjoy it! Head on over to Kellys Korner and check out some of the other yummy dessert recipes too!

"My GoGo Made It"

I thought I would give a shout out to GoGo who has made Brylee some of the cutest little outfits lately and she has more to make. She is doing such a great job and they are so cute! I LOVE these little A-Line style tops and dresses and GoGo said they were easy to make so she started making them (for brylee only... no business here). The first one is purple and white gingham with a cheerleader on it... (no we are not LSU fans) that is her school colors and her school has some MAJOR school spirit and they all dress up in the school colors on Fridays... (this is actually the outfit that started this whole process). The second one is an a-line dress in orange and white polka dots ( i love this material). She has to wear a dress or skirt on wed. for chapel day and i was having a hard time with some dresses for this in between weather. She is going to wear this tomorrow with a white blouse but we actually matched the thread to this turtle neck for later. The last on is MY FAVORITE!!! I love the colors, the ruffle, the covered buttons, and all! I think it turned out soooo cute! Brylee wore it to school yesterday and I ask her if anyone liked her outfit and she said (in her most annoyed voice) "yyeesss... i got tired of saying thank you... i said stop telling me that"... LOL! I can't wait for her to make more of these... we have been planning out other cute colors to put together. Thanks GoGo you are doing a great job... we love them all and you too! Also, if you are local a little shout out to the monogram/applique girl i use (b.c no my mom doesn't do that part just the sewing)... I use Dawn at The Chunky Monkey... she used to be in the back of Ruff and Tuff (yes the hunting and fishing store) but she moved a few doors down... anyway she is the BEST... she is my new best friend (LOL)! Her prices are GREAT... $3 for one letter, $5 for 3 initials or name, and most of her appliques are around $7. She is very fast and gets things back to me in a few days... actually the orange polka dot dress she did for me in one day... i took it yesterday and got it today. I love that about her b.c i am not good at planning in advance. :) Richard said it is probably b.c i am paying her rent this month b.c i am using her so much! :) So there you have it... part of Brylee's fall wardrobe!

The lastest craz....

Showing off the goods...

(excuse the christmas t-shirt)

We are in-style!!! Jackson came home last week talking about wanting some animal bracelets... thanks to Christy's post I knew what they were so I told him I would find him some. I heard that Smith's and Learning Express had them on Friday but not today... i think when they get them in they are gone pretty fast. Well GoGo saved the day (as always) she found some on her lunch hour at Homewood Toy and Hobby and bought them. GoGo and Grandaddy came over tonight to deliver the much anticipated surprise Jackson was so excited... he put everyone of them on right away, he is sleeping in them, and can't wait to wear them to school tomorrow. Brylee got some too but she doesn't really "care" like Jackson does... i guess they are not the "in thing" at her school? They will be tomorrow when she sports them I am sure! LOL The lady at the store told my mom this is as big if not bigger (demand wise) than beanie babies... gezzz why can't i think of something so simple and be a millionaire? In case you don't know what they are they are like jelly bracelets except they are shaped like animals.

Down on the planes.....

Today we were at the lake for my M-I-L's birthday and i sweet talked my dear sweet roll tide cheering husband into taking us to Auburn so the kids could see the campus, tailgating, and all the fun game day stuff... We did not stay as long as I would have liked due to the weather. It started raining so we left but they got to see what Auburn is all about. We saw lots of Aubies... we took them to Tiger Rags and let them pick out a shirt... they picked out "matching shirts"... God love them I have "groomed" them to want to look a like... little sweeties... We walked up and down College Street and they got their faces painted and we showed them Toomers Corner... Jackson thought it was funny that they rolled it when they won... he wanted to get some toilet paper and throw it in the trees!! And the infamous Samford Hall... We got their pictures made in front of THE sign...

And of course I had to get one with me and the kids too... This is my little "alabama fan" at heart naturally b.c his daddy is; so i was not going to buy him an auburn shirt basically b.c he has told me he only wanted to wear alabama stuff so i brought him a navy and white striped polo shirt to wear but when we got down there he changed his tune... he wanted a shirt, wanted his face painted, and bought him a shaker and was walking around shaking it and yelling warrrrr eagle... people would walk by and say warrr eagle to him and he would shake his shaker and finish it with "hey"... he was having FUN! Maybe there is hope for me after all... think i can convert him???

When we were standing at Toomer Corner he saw the bo jackson "square" and said "look mom jackson"... he had covered bo with his foot so of course i had to take a picture... sure would make me proud for him to have one of these one day with his name on it! :)

The only thing we did not get to show them and take pictures of was the stadium... it was pouring down rain so we did a drive by and i wanted to take them to momma goldburgs and get them some nachos and sweet tea but we will have to save both of those for next time.

While we were there i took a picture of the kids with my phone and sent it to my dad... he was pumped...looks like we will be going back down there this year for a game... he has longed for the day he could take little man to an auburn game... who am i kidding... i have longed for the day too!

WARRR EAGLE HEY!!!!

My Little Charger Cheerleader!!!

This week at Brylee's school they offered a Little Charger Cheerleading Clinic after school. During the clinic the girls learned cheers, chants, and a dance. They cheered at the pep rally and the football game friday night. Brylee was BESIDE herself with excitement and LOVED every minute of the clinic, cheering at the pep rally, and the game. I think this little one has found her "calling"... she is all about cheering and is actually pretty good. She was so cute to watch!! Here are pictures for the pep rally... they lined up behind the "real" cheerleaders and cheered the whole pep rally... it was so cute! (it should be noted that i about had a panic attack when i walked in and she did not have her bow in her hair... it fell out was in her backpack... of all days... gezz)

Before we left for the game I got a few pictures of my little cheerleader...

She also got to cheer as part of the half time show at the football game friday night. I was worried how she would do b.c it was raining and she HATES to get wet... but she went out there and cheered and danced just fine... i did not get too many pictures since it was raining i was more concerned about being under the umbrella and keeping my camera dry.

the cheerleading squad after the pep rally...

most of these varisty cheerleaders i taught a few years back... they were so sweet to brylee... and gave her lots of extra attention which of course she LOVED... she thinks the girls are the greatest!

I guess this little clinic has confirmed that we will be cheering for the youth league next year... i can't wait and neither can she!

Lovin' clothes and Sales even more....

It is no surprise to anyone that I am a huge clothes lover... more specifically clothes for my children (at this time)... but there was a time that the love was for clothes for myself or hubby... funny how different seasons in your life change your perspective on things. However i am also a sale lover too and I learned from the BEST! I hardly EVER buy anything that is not on sale... i just don't see the point in it... all you have to do is wait a few weeks or days in some stores and it will go on sale. If i buy something for myself that is not on sale you can bet i know that i am going to wear it daily or weekly... not every once in a while... and really i have tried to sit her and think of something i have bought that was not on sale and i really can't think of anything... i have bought designer jeans that were not on sale but my last three or four pair have been on sale. Even they go one sale! Let me add this when i say "sale" i mean not full retail price... therefore if I buy something at like a TJ Maxx / Marshalls, an Outlets, or any other "discount" store that is on sale to me... or if you use a coupon i guess that could be considered "on sale" too?

check out all my goods from belk today.... they are having an AWESOME sale!

9 mens shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 shirts for me, 1 skirt

Retail: $481.00(w.o tax) worth of clothes for 95.00 (w. tax)

WOW!!! That is a DEAL!!! I also buy the majority of my kids clothes on sale... there are sometimes that I don't and mostly that is from trunk show companies and realistically they really don't go on sale that much. However, i have bought from the kelly's kids $9.99 sale (which I have heard they are not doing that anymore... can't really blame them), i use to go to the bailey boys outlet every season, and my latest find is the castles and crowns outlet in mobile. It was great! And so i was told they are having a big sale in october with their current stuff can't wait to see what that is all about... they are my favorite trunk show and favorite smocking of all!!!! I have a hard time paying full retail for kids clothes b.c lets face it they are only going to wear it a few times b.f they out grow it and you never know what might happen to it when they do where it. However, it makes it a little easier since i sell all my clothes on ebay or consign them i usually get at least half of what i paid for it.

my goods from castles and crowns...

$193 retail for $90.00

One last "share" about how to save money on clothes beside working for the company (LOL)... Mini Boden (http://www.bodenusa.com/) is catalogue that has cute stuff i especially like their boys shirts and they have some cute girl clothes too... love their coats... anyway have you heard about their incentive program? All you have to do is refer 4 people to get their catalogue that DOES NOT already receive it (i don't know how you know that without just sending in names and hoping they are not in their data base) and you will get $20 to use for free clothing. You can "bank" your money so you can have $240.00 a year in free clothes. Get your mom to do it too and you can get even more stuff free. Go to their website for more information.

So there you have it all my "free" advice! Some people are coupon clippers, some people work the system at CVS, and who knows what else is out there but a penny saved is a penny earned. My grandaddy used to say "if you watch your pennies your dollars will take care of themselves"... so true!

WAR EAGLE!!!!!

this weekend we also went over to katy and jamie's to watch the auburn game with colleen and eric too... we had a great time... ate some yummy food... watched a great game... WAR EAGLE!!!... and had lots of great girl conversation... b.c we CAN do two things at one time... right girls??

the girls

me & hubby... see anything ODD??

well if you guessed hubby was the outcast then you were right... all the auburn fans and him... and how about this story for you... hubby is getting dressed, kids and i go to get in the car, he was putting on a light blue shirt when i left, however comes downstairs with this RED and WHITE shirt on.... and then claims that he did not wear it b.c it was red and white he wore it b.c it did not need to be ironed and he did not even think about it being ALABAMA colors.... oh whatever!!!!!! Nice try but NONE of us believed you!

Anyway, despite the shirt argument we had a fun night... thanks Haley's!!!!

PS... my BBF joined the blogging world... so all you blog stalkers out there click on over and welcome her... show her some love... you can visit her here!

this little family has grown by two feet....

this weekend i had the chance to go love on sweet baby avery again and her proud big sister morgan and got to take lots of pictures of their sweet family... i thought i would share a few of my favorites...

carys rose....

Sharing my new favorite finds... Carys Rose Designs!!! Check out these super cute and high quality fun things I just got...

these are bottle / sippy cup labels...

how cute are they!!!!

i love them b.c they are BIG and FUN!

bag tags... look how cute these are!

i love that the front & the back are different

these are so fun and this one is

sooo brylee... we love some pink and green!

and check out jackson's...

she designed this one and was able

to match his backpack colors perfect...

it is so boyish... love it!!!

Not only are these super cute, fun, but the quality is one of the best i have seen. The customer service was super as well! Kristi is the owner and designer of these products and she does some great work! Check out her website... she has tons of other stuff... cards, labels, stationary, everything! You can view her website here!

Eight Years Ago....

This morning when I woke up I scrolled through facebook and saw all the status updates about 8 years ago... at the time i did not realize the date but when I checked my phone this wave of emotion just came over me. WOW! I do remember 8 years ago so well... i was teaching my first class in a small little private school with 9 second grades and the principle came and pulled me and the other teachers into the hall and told us what had happened. At the time I had no children of my own so those 9 little ones were all i could think about; thankfully we were all safe but all i could think about were all the others that did not have that same thought.

I have been to ground zero twice during my trips to new york and all i can say is that it is the most somber place i have ever been. It is amazing the emotions and feelings you feel for all those people who were killed. I just stood there in shock really. When we were there my first time there was a man sitting in the streets playing God Bless America... and honestly I could not think of a more perfect song. God really does Bless American even in a tragic situation like 9/11!

So today, take a moment and say a prayer for those families who lost loved ones 8 years ago today!

And I leave you with a few more pictures of The World Trade Center, Ground Zero, the Cemetery that many are buried, and just the surrounding area where the Twin Towers were!

It's A Family Tradition...

Every year we go to the beach we always take family beach pictures usually in khaki and white on the beach... well this year due to "old people being set in their ways" we had to take them at my nannies house which is near the beach and we wore denim and white. They turned out ok... a little too "posey" for me and I don't really like "stand up picture" especially when you have kids b.c there is just too much "space" but oh well... we have them and we will treasure the memory!

my parents and the kids...

us, my parents and the kids...

kk (my aunt; my mom's sister) and the kids

the girls the whole crew... nannie & mark with the kids... GoGo & the grands... the two cuties of the bunch... four generations...

nannie, gogo, me & brylee

So between being the only one that knows how to work the camera and take some what descent pictures and a husband that can NOT open his eyes in a picture to save his life... we end up with these... lovely... And because misery loves company... we try it again on another night... and by the time i take a family picture... brylee is DONE with smiling and i get this face... oh the memories... ha!

Well so I guess you take what you get... and exactly what age does picture taking get easier???