Happy Birthday to Me!

What an exciting birthday week! We started it off with a celebration with friends, Sat. night at The Hughes house. We had fun separating into groups, kids in one room, ladies in the kitchen and men manning the grill and then watching baseball in the family room. We had my favorite cake - Chocolate with chocolate fudge icing and chocolate ice cream too. The kids started to deteriorate, fighting, crying and general misunderstandings breaking up all the fun. Next time the kids need to eat outside so as not to mess up the house(food spillage and abandoned plates are a big problem sometimes.)



We had a nice relaxing Sunday of cleaning the house(not fun) and some grocery shopping too.



Monday the girls and I met Daddy at the Marietta Diner for lunch which was super yummy. Then we went to Daddy's office for a quick tour of his new office and visit with his friends. Then we headed across the street to Miss Mamie's cupcake shop. We bought half a dozen and so far my favorite was the Smores cupcake. Chocolate cupcake with marshmallow in the middle, chocolate icing in a circle and a small graham cracker and hershey bar on top. Heavenly is what I would call it.



That evening Grandma and Papa stopped by on their way back home from Abingdon(my birthplace). They took us out to dinner to Steak and Shake for burgers, grilled cheese and mac and cheese and of course SHAKES! Of course it was in the middle of a horrible thunder storm and downpours. But well worth the peril to get a patty melt and chocolate shake to celebrate turning (gulp)36! We also had the added thrill of searching for the smallest screw ever to put Grandma's glasses back together. Unfortunately it went unfound. Fortunately Target's eye care center was still open after dinner and was able to fix Grandma's glasses quickly.

The rest of the week has been a blur of activity getting ready for Grace going to First Grade! But that is a story for another post.

Countdown!

We have started several countdowns around these parts.

First we counted down to the release of Ramona and Beezus! Which starts TODAY. Grace and I are going on a girls night out, just the two of us to see it.

Grace officially has a week left of summer. Next Friday she will go to meet the teacher and take the three gazillion bags of school supplies with us to help stock the classroom for the year. She has been so excited since learning her teacher is from England and actually danced for the Queen twice in her youth. She is also excited that her teacher's favorite subject is reading, I guess she feels they have a lot in common. Nevermind the fact that she is a great teacher and has lots of learning experiences planned for Grace's class.

My countdown includes, work starting at both the preschool and dance studio. The fact that Grace and Lily will both be going to school, and taking dance lessons. I will be the lead teacher this year in my classroom(I am a little nervous). But most importantly the long four year journey to correct my mouth is almost over. Yesterday I finally had the two implant crowns placed. Next week the braces come off and then, I will have a normal looking adult mouth. Eventually I hope to get the teeth cleaned, professionally whitened and smile proudly for all the photos. But for now I am just happy that this process of braces, MULTIPLE surgeries and working with three seperate dental people is coming to an end. It has been way too many appointments twenty to thirty minutes away from my house. And way more money than I ever wanted to spend. I hope if Grace and/or Lily is hereditarily missing the same two adult size teeth that we are able to find an orthodontist who is able to work with us so they do not have to go through the same stuff I have.

Lily doesn't know it but we are counting down the days til her next cardiologist appointment also. It was supposed to be August 9th, but has been rescheduled due to doctor inavailability. She will have to undergo an ultrasound to check the various surgical sites as well as the routine, EKG, and pressure tests. They schedule it as a three hour appointment. Should be a ton of fun. Luckily with the reschedule Daddy can go with us. Unfortunately the appointment is during nap time and my Best friend will have to get Gracie off the bus and to Awana class(luckily she is the teacher of the class and also a neighbor).

So for now we are counting down to multiple exciting endeavors. Have a great rest of your summer and have some cake for my birthday on Monday!

A Bunch of Firsts

We have just returned from the Jersey Shore. And 195 pictures later, here is a brief overview.

It was the girls first plane ride with their Daddy(who for a non-flyer, did extremely well even on the return flight landing through horrible storms.)

Both Girls had their first taste of Jersey Pizza, homemade pretzels , slushies on the boardwalk, funnel cakes, Italian ice and many other fine healthy delicacies.

Grace went to her first water park and rode many different slides. She started off slowly in the kiddie pool going down the baby slides and progressed from there to double tube slides and a steep slide into the pool.

Lily rode her first carousel, the howitzer, a train and her first set of baby boats all on Morey's Piers in Wildwood Crest.

Grace rode MANY different roller coasters on the piers, her favorite being the one she rode alone with her cousin(no mommy).

Grace boogy boarded in the Atlantic Ocean, Lily had her first dip in the Atlantic Ocean. They both loved sculpting the sand, and running full throttle into the ocean. It was so hot out that the 70 degree water was extremely refreshing. Lily would keep trying to get deeper and deeper until the waves would knock her over. Grace kept riding wave after wave. Those nights they ate and slept well.

Lily got to meet her Piacesi cousins for the first time. Lisa who is 13 was an excellent babysitter, and gave me many needed breaks from making sure Lily didn't go up and down the stairs, or bunk bed ladders, or even out on the deck from the littler children leaving the doors open. Joe who is 11 did great also. He would play with her and gave her lots of toys.

Both girls had a ton of fun with the Gilray cousins who are 7 and 5. Faith the eldest, was a little mother hen, trying to get Lily to do things (she learned Lily doesn't do anything she doesn't want to.) Campbell would play well with Lily and rode lots of rides with her and was very helpful. Grace stayed in the room with the Gilray's and had lots of late nights and watched movies, read books and played lots of fun things with Faith and Cam.

We were there to celebrate Pop-pop's 70th birthday. We took family pictures, had lots of good food, and a ton of fun. We were able to spend time with Pop-pop, Grandma, Aunt B, Mrs. Gallagher, Ms. Brenda and her two cute kids. Lily called Pop-pop by name, and Grandma too, this was a first since the last time we saw them these words were not in her vocabulary.

Now it is time to sit back and relax for the last three weeks of summer. The girls and I are headed to Auburn to help Aunt Anna get her classroom ready, I will get the two teeth implanted that I have been missing for 4 years, the braces will come off of my bottom teeth, we will work a couple of dance camps, birthday parties and hopefully finish cleaning out the closets to take things to goodwill. Well doesn't sound too relaxing does it....oh well that's life.

In a post note, we feel the date of July 15th approaching. It was Brendan's due date and even though it was over 3 years ago that we lost him, some wounds are never truly healed.