Germs, go away!

Sorry, but the title says it all for this one. We've been fighting the icks in this house for a week now and enough is enough.

That is all.

Oh Where Oh Where did my blogging go?

Oh wow things have been crazy around here. I absolutely did not mean to go so long without blogging, but as you Mom's out there know, things get hectic once school is back in. The Pink Princess started Kindergarten on August 14th and then The Teenager started 10th grade on August 17th. WOW, I have never had 2 children in school before where it was mandatory that they both be there at a certain time, every day. Although The Pink Princess went to Preschool for the last few years, it wasn't a mandatory school and if she had a particularly rough morning, it wasn't a huge thing if she went in late or even stayed home for the day. Now that she's in Kindergarten, she needs to be there everyday by 7:50am. While The Teenager is capable of getting herself up and dressed each day, The Pink Princess still needs some help with some things. Then there is also the need to get Tiny Girl and Little Man dressed so that we can actually take The Pink Princess to school. This new routine is requiring the little one's to be in the bed by 8pm at the VERY latest, but preferably 7:30. Rise and shine comes at 6:30 and it's quite the adjustment for us all.

So what else have we had going on since my last blog other than back to school? Not only did the kids get back to school, but The Husband did as well. His courses are web based, so he's still home with us every evening after work, but the classes still require a time commitment. I usually go back to school in the Fall also, but decided to pass on that this term and just get my family adjusted to the new routines. I've also been trying to discipline myself by cooking more at home. The evenings are so rushed and it allows us to have more time together between the time The Husband gets home and the time the Little One's have to go to bed, if I can have dinner ready to go.

Then there are The Teenager's volleyball games. She plays on the JV team for her school. I am so proud of her, she has really shown a lot of improvement since last year, her first year in the sport. I LOVE watching her play and do my best to get to all of the matches they have that are home or at least close by.

Time just seems to be flying by. The kids are all growing up so fast. My grandmother, Memom, just celebrated her 81st birthday last month, my Nephew also started Kindergarten this year, my youngest brother is a Senior in High School and my other younger brother just went to work in Iraq for a year. Times are busy, and changing and wonderful! The days lately have been a huge reminder to thank God for all of his blessings in our life and for our wonderful family and friends.

The days of childhood go by so quickly and it's a treasure to be able to watch our children transform before our eyes. I'm afraid to blink because I might miss something and then suddenly they'll be moving out to college with no time for us Old Parents anymore. I read stories like that of Jaycee Dugard, who was recently found after being kidnapped 18 years ago, and imagine the anguish that her Mom must have gone through all of these years. Did she beat herself up for not taking the time to do some little thing that Jaycee wanted her to do the day before she disappeared? You never imagine that there won't be a tomorrow, but as I learned when my Daddy and Granddaddy passed away, you really never know. People who choose to not be a part of the lives of their children, brothers, sisters, grandchildren, I will just never understand. Whatever the grudge, fight, argument, jealousy, misunderstanding or just lack of caring, they're truly just punishing themselves. Being done truly wrong by another person is one thing, but petty misconceptions, well, that's just petty. I guess all you can do in that case is pray for those people. They just don't realize that every day they waste is a day that they will never get back. So while you and I enjoy the joys of our children and families, let's remember to pray for those who just really don't know what they're missing.

Wordless Wednesday

The Pink Princess took her first trip to Six Flags this past weekend with her Daddy.

Before Thunder River




After Thunder River




Completely recovered

She's Alive!

She, being Me. We have had so much going on this summer here at The Grace that I have barely slept, and certainly have not posted as I should have. We got the pool, which I did post about, but I haven't been able to share how a storm came washing through my 'hood 2 days after installation and almost washed that pretty little hill that Mr. Installer Man, built up, away. The Husband, who really is a stranger to most types of manual labor, had to get his hiney in gear and enlist a few friends and build a retaining wall. And I mean they had to do it fast. When Mr. Installer Man built up the one side of the pool, it was all well and good, but when the ugly storm came through, it washed away at least 18" to 2' of the distance between the side of the pool and the retaining wall.


The wall is all built now and we still have a lot of lovely red Georgia clay to clean up, but we're not worried about the pool washing down the side of the hill anymore.





We've also had Vacation Bible School going on for the last 2 weeks. Last week my girls were at Camp Edge where they had a great time with their school friends and one of their church families. This year they're rocking it at Sun Rock Kids Camp with another of their church families.

Yes, my children have several church families. The Teenager has always attended church with her Grandmother. That same Church is also my middle daughter's school. They have always been fantastic about including my kids in everything there and we love them, even though they aren't our home church. Then we have my grandfather's church that he preaches at. It's not uncommon to find us there from time to time either. Then we have our Home Church. We are really enjoying it. We just discovered what a great fit this Church is for our family about a year ago, when one of The Pink Princess' friends invited her to "bring a friend" Sunday. It's been the perfect fit, which we were glad of.

This weekend The Husband has to build a deck around the pool. Right now we're still accessing it via the Ladder that came with it. The Mom does not like this mode of entrance and wants that problem addresses yesterday, but alas, the retaining wall took priority. However, The Husband has volunteered us to host the Couples Sunday School class Labor Day party, so it's time to get that done. After all, I MUST have time to decorate it!

So what's been keeping all of you guys busy this summer? I've got loads of tales I could regale you with, but I don't want to bore anyone. So for now, back to the No Bake Cookies the girls are begging for. And whew, isn't it time for school to start back yet?

The Mom Dreams- Come True!

I have wanted a pool since I was young and moved out of my father's house. I grew up with a pool and I love having access to one anytime I want in these hot Georgia summers. Well, growing up, we had a nice in ground that my father put in, and while my new pool is an above ground, I love it all the same.
Even though The Husband didn't really want one, he caved to the pressures from a house full of women and the installers came this past Thursday to put in out 27' round. I love that we're finally making our New House a home.

We have a pretty sloped front and backyard. I knew they would have to do a little grading, but I didn't realize that they would have to do somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 5 FEET of grading. The crew was 3 guys. 1 fellow, the job supervisor I imagine, called to let me know that they would be at the house pretty early. He called even earlier than early to let me in on the fact that they were coming early. Fortunately I was super excited about the install so I didn't get too upset at them. As soon as Supervisor guy saw our backyard and the dozer work he was going to have to do, he was a little (jokingly [I think]) upset with me. I offered him a freezer pop, but he declined, so he mustn't have been too upset. After all, what truly upset person doesn't accept a freezer pop in the knowledge that they, at least the red one's, make the world a happier place.


All the kids were super excited about the little bull dozer thingy that Supervisor guy was tooling around the backyard in. For awhile I started to wonder if they weren't more excited about that than the pool itself.

Tiny girl kept trying to put on her bathing suit and climb into the big dirt hole with the installer guys, but we were able to keep her occupied elsewhere until she could get into the pool today, at long last. She turned to a Tiny Girl Freezer Pop all her own once she did get in, but that's a story for later.



We're so excited to finally have our own pool, if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop on by and go for a swim with us.

Oh, and even better, now we have something else to decorate!

Wordless Wednesday

A Birthday Party on the 4th of July!

So we did it, we made it through. My Little Man is officially 1 year old. I am a bit late letting you guys know how things went because the Mother In Law and Brother In Law have been in town. Of course it would have been extremely rude of my Southern Self to get on the interwebs and share with my "friends" while my In Laws gazed at me from across the room.



But none the less, they're on their way back to the airport and here I am, sharing, with no one gazing at me from across the room.

So, back to the party. While everything didn't go exactly according to plan, the wind was a bit unkind to my Kraft paper tablecloth dreams, the fireworks were far scarier to my small guests than I had imagined they would be, there was no sprinkler playing and I didn't look nearly as beautiful hosting my party as I always want to(you know those Mom's in magazines never seem to break a sweat,) it was a great party.

Little Man had lots of wonderful family and friends come out to celebrate his big day with us. We had LOTS of food and still have food left. He was absolutely uninterested in the birthday cake, but we half expected that, he has a texture thing going on it seems. We watched Cars on the big screen that The Husband and Brother in Law hung for the party. We had Cotton Candy and Popcorn and just a grand time. I took a lot of pictures of some things and absolutely none of others, but one day I'll sort that ratio out and get it right. I have horrid pictures of the movie. I am NO GOOD at photo's in low light, and these don't do it justice, but the picture was bright and beautiful and amazing and the kids looked adorable sitting in the rows of chairs with their little popcorn bags.

Tiny Girl, The Pink Princess and Little Man all slept all night long, which is a first, they were so worn out.

All in all, it was super fun and I think even the Teenager and her friends who were in attendance had a great time.