Pretty as a Princess

Rylee went to another princess party this weekend. I'm starting to think there is really a market for these things. All her little friends are having them and they don't come cheap. Anyways she was all about being beautiful but let me tell you what, she did not want her mommy helping her pick out dresses to try on. "Stop Mommy", "Let me look mommy", "just go over there mommy" while pointing to the opposite side of the room. Does all that really start at age 6??? Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure...

This was my favorite dress that she put on. It is so her!!!

The Busy Box Four listening to Cinderella sing! These four girls were best friends at preschool and even though they go to different elementary schools they always get to see each other at b-day parties!

The Summer Bug

If there is a such thing as a summer bug, we've got it! My kids are sleeping in every morning. This morning they both slept until 10:00 but don't worry, I got up at 9:30:) Rylee and Tegan are doing a lot of fighting playing but mostly Rylee is enjoying being out of school and being lazy. Most recently we ran in to Mrs. Standridge at Target. Mrs. Standridge was her amazing kindergarten teacher. Along with Ms. Looney they encouraged Rylee in all areas of school work but also in her "love" of performing by letting her go and sing for all the other kindergarten classes...which she did willingly. I can only pray that those two wonderful teachers get Tegan in their class when he goes to kindergarten. I digress, my point is that at target that day Mrs. Standridge asked Rylee if she had been reading a lot this summer and Rylee's response to her was "No, I have been being lazy and watching a lot of TV!" Well obviously there is one thing she didn't learn in kindergarten and that is when to not say to much, a simple "No" would have been just fine! Well Mrs. Standridge you will be proud to know that she is reading again and hasn't lost any of her skills. I must show proof on my blog b/c Mrs. Standridge and Ms. Looney check the blog from time to time.

She reads these great short books to Tegan but when it comes time to read to me she picks the longest book she can find. Me and Tegan both just sit and listen to her as she has a very dramatic flair when reading a book. She is one entertaining and smart cookie!

AND THE WINNER IS.....

JENNUINECANDLES! Leave me a comment under this post with your address and I will get you your new purse. Don't worry, I won't publish the comment for all my readers to see your address! Your secret is safe with me. Congratulations!!!

And if you didn't win then don't worry b/c I plan to do another freebie soon!!!

I Heart Faces

"Let's Hear It For The Boys!"

This week at I heart faces it is all about the boys!!! Click on the thingy above to view other peoples pictures!!!

Some Friday Entertainment...

Paul donated money recently to the Feed the Children thing on TV and as a gift they sent him this really awesome Oak Ridge Boy's Christan CD. Or as Rylee likes to call them, The Oak Ridge Men's Voice CD. Anyways she is addicted to this CD and every time we get in the car she has to listen to it. She did have favorites but now she just likes all 17 tracks!!!! She really sings it in the car but it is hard to do when standing on a table in the living room and Tegan running circles around her. She was scared he was going to fall so she kept getting distracted. Then my memory card ran out of memory so we didn't even get to see the best part. But here is some of it anyway...watch closely at one part and you can hear Tegan singing the tired, tired, tired part.

Last Chance to WIN a FREE Purse!!!

Don't forget if you haven't already left a comment to go to this POST and leave a comment to be entered to win. I know there are way more of you than 9 people who read this blog...if not then I should really consider closing up shop! Anyways, the chance to win will close out sometime today so hurry up!!!!

T.V. Talk with Tabatha

O.k. so it is no secret that I love TV. In fact I am downright addicted. My mom loves TV, my sisters love TV and my daughter is no exception to the TV addiction in my family. I'm pretty sure noggin taught Rylee her ABC's...ahhhh Hold your horrible comments I'm just kidding...kind of!

If there is any kind of TV I love the most, it would be reality. Don't know why but I do. I have developed a lot of opinions about Jon and Kate Plus 8 over the last ever how many seasons but none more than this season. I heard all the rumors and was pretty sure it was all Kate's fault for being so bossy and ugly to Jon until I saw the first episode and it just seemed like to me that Jon was pretty much checked out. I mean the whole time he couldn't care less and acted as if he was basically tied to that chair and forced to talk at gun point or there was a bag of money hanging over his head just out of camera view. He showed tons less interest in his kids b-day party than in years past. He wasn't the compliant and helpful father and husband that we once knew. I was feeling bad for Kate. Then this photo came out...
And I started to feel worse for her. Bet you didn't expect me to say that. Bring on the dramatic voice of the lady on EXTRA when she told the story of how Kate spanked Leah with an open hand (what other way is there than a fist) and did it all out in public. Look closely in the background and notice that they are standing outside their very own house...not in public. I believe there is a total difference in spanking your child to get their attention and beating your child. I mean seriously...do we all think Kate would beat her child while standing outside her house and being stalked by the paparazzi. I think not. Then the lady on EXTRA went on to talk about how the older two ran to comfort Leah after the incident. Well anyone who has more than one kid knows that even if one kid gets the other in trouble and causes their spanking, they will still run to pet them after the whole thing occurs. Come on people, I understand she put herself and her family in the public eye. Talk about her marriage and her horrible attitude all you want but you can never say that she is not a good mother.

Next on my short list is The Real Housewives of New Jersey..

This one is new to me. I just happen to watch one last weekend and in just the past week I have managed to catch re-runs of just about every show this season on BRAVO.

Tonight's season final was all about throwing curse words and tables!!! Drama, Drama, Drama!!! The only thing I have to say about this is that one of this seasons episodes was all about Teresa getting Bubbies. Nope I didn't misspell that. They seriously say Bubbies and it drives me crazy. I mean are they just saying it that way b/c they aren't allowed to say the real thing on BRAVO or do I need to write them a letter letting them know that is not how you say that word.
Don't worry...if you have missed this show you can watch it over and over and over again on BRAVO!!!

That's it for today's venting talk with Tabatha...you can all now move on with your lives!

Wordless Wednesday

Well kind of wordless...don't forget to look at the previous post to enter a purse give-a-way!!!

I'm giving this away...

UPDATE: I just want to make it clear that this is a purse size not a tote bag size!!!

Hold your pants on people. I have been wanting to do some sort of give-a-way but just haven't had time to make much. So today I decided to give this purse to one lucky reader. I made this a long while ago and didn't sell it on etsy the first time around so I decided to give it away to one of my readers. Just leave a comment and you are entered!!! I will stop taking comments by Friday night at some point so leave your comments now so you can have a chance! Don't want it for yourself...wouldn't it be the perfect gift?!?!? Leave your comments now~!

I Heart Faces

I am so loving my new camera! I have gotten so many great pictures already of my kids.
I found this really cool website all about photography and pictures, so I decided to enter this weeks contest of Sepia toned photos!

You can click the link above to see other people's entries.

"Not Me!" Monday

I have not changed 720 5 to 8 dirty, nasty, watery diapers a day for the past five days at least. I have not started to dry heave while doing this and wonder if my son was vomiting in his diaper b/c that's what it looked like and smelled like.

My washer has not been broken for 10 days now. I have not had to take all my clothes to my mother-in-laws to be washed. Today when she was not going to be at home she did not tell me that she doesn't like her dryer running while no one is home. I didn't contemplate running it anyways(I live right next door) and just not telling her until my husband informed me that she would know if her house burned down. I did not get aggravated with the repair people when they told me that our part for our washer has been in but they can't come down this way until tomorrow. When she told me they would be here between 8 and 12 I did not tell her that is what they said last time and he showed up at 2:00!!!

I have not been letting my little boy live off of Fruit Punch powerade for the last few days.

I most certainly did not try to talk Rylee out of going to vacation bible school at our church just b/c I couldn't be there with her. If I had tried to do that...it wouldn't work.

I do not think that Tegan's whole sickness is all b/c my washer is broke...that would be crazy!!! I do not have an overwhelming urge to wash everything just b/c my washer is broken!!!

FOR RENT

If you or someone in your home gets sick, I have a nurse for rent. She's really cute and will sing to you if you ask. She will sit right by your side and take good care of you!

She will massage your tummy to make it feel better!

She will cover you up and give you toys to play with while laying on the sick couch.

Bring you something to drink when you get thirsty.


Until you are all better and ready to get up and run.

Well he isn't all better but our little man has had a little bit of a tummy ache the past two weeks few days. Let me just say that if it looks like vomit and smells like vomit...it isn't always vomit! I never have trouble changing Teg's dirty diapers like his father does but these diapers make me have the dry heaves. I will be glad when this is over. I just hope it isn't something he can give to anyone else since he was around the sweetest cutest little baby girl ever yesterday. (minus my own...although she talks more like a teenager these days so she isn't always so sweet) The good thing is that he doesn't act sick and has kept right on playing and running around. I'm sure with a cute little girl like mine taking care of him, he will be back up and running in no time!!! Oh and if you rent her out, you must keep her for 7 to 10 days to make sure she doesn't catch whatever you got. I don't want no more sickness!!!

You Wanna bet?!?!?

On the day my eldest sister was giving birth to her sixth child we all had gathered around before her c-section. When her Dr. (which is also my Dr....he delivered all but two of my mom's grand kids) came in to talk to her before surgery I took a picture of him at her bedside. When he came near me I told him that I was doing that b/c she claimed this was her last baby. As he was walking out the door she was very loudly saying "I know ya'll don't believe me but this is it for me!" The part that was so funny is the Dr. heard her while in the hallway and you could hear him bust out laughing. None of us believe her...not even the Dr.!!!

Pushing 30

I'm all grown up!! Today is my birthday...that's right and I am 29 and proud of it. We decided to surprise Rylee with her (and Tegan's) first trip to a water park. We told her to put on her bathing suit and we didn't tell her anything else. We drove for a little over an hour and $100 later...we were in!!! That's right, Tegan was free but it cost almost $30 each for me, Paul and Rylee and then $8 to park. But it was fun and nope I didn't get a single picture.
Rylee's favorite was the super huge wave pool. She put on a life jacket and had no fear...which if you know Rylee, this is completely opposite of how she normally is around water. She said this was the best "my birthday" ever and that she should pick to go to the water park for her birthday in January!!!
Now we are home and Tegan suddenly has a high fever and a belly ache....looks like reality does exist even on my birthday. Hope he didn't catch it from nasty water park water???
So the point to the email is to tell you that it's my birthday I had a great day!!!

New Life Part 2..Here we grow again

So keeping with the trend, my family is adding a baby once a month every month of May, June and July. Well today we added little Miss Addison Lynn. She is so beautiful with a head full of dark hair. She was 8 lbs 8 oz., which is smaller than I thought she would be. Mommy came through just fine, after all this is her 6th child. Yes you heard that right, she now has 3 girls and 3 boys ranging from 19 years old to 1 day old. So what you are waiting for is yet another chance to get baby fever....

Marti Love

Marti Love Terrell

A friend I go to church with recently brought this little girls battle to my attention. It really hits me b/c she is the same age as Rylee and I just couldn't imagine having to watch Rylee go through something like this. I have recently joined her facebook prayer page and you can to at Praying For Marti...(the link isn't working but you can search it just like that underfacebook if your a member) . But for now I am calling on everyone to pray for her and all the medical stuff she will be going through in the near future...and for her parents!!!

Here is a little bit about her...

Marti is a sweet little girl who was recently diagnosed with a tumor on her brain instead of the cyst they first thought it was. She needs all of your prayers for God's healing and her parents need your prayers for comfort and peace.

The most recent update on her..

Marti Love feels wonderful and really has no idea what is all about happen. Thank you all so very much for the encouragement and prayers! This is a devastating time for us! After DR. visits today we feel hopeful that things can be taken care of. It is the beginning of a LONG journey though. June 15 they will drain the cyst and take a biopsy of the tumor, (praying for benign). If all goes well with surgery (benign, nothing is already in her blood) we will be monitoring the cyst cavity/tumor with MRIs every 3 months at Scottish Rites. The cyst/tumor is in a very difficult location to jump to take it out, while radiation is such a risk at her age. So we hope it will be a very slow growing - or not at all.

Sorry the picture isn't big but we are working on finding a bigger picture of her but I wanted to get this out there for today. We all take for granted how healthy our children are until we hear something like this. It doesn't take us long to forget until the next reminder comes along. Marti Love is my reminder right now so please lift up her and her family in prayers!!!

Losing a Baby...

Recently I saw this poem over on Jonah's blog and it brought me to my knees. I read it on days when I need strength and honestly feel like Cohen is speaking these words to me. I'm not sure who wrote it but I love it!!!

If you have ever lost a baby, the following poem will make you cry but it will hopefully give you peace!

I was pondering today
The words a tiny babe might say
If they were taken from the earth
Very close to their moment of birth.
What if they could look here below
And send us a love note to let us know
That they were happy and content
And that their time was not misspent…
“Mommy and Daddy, just want you to know
I realize that you love me so
And that you didn’t want me to leave,
But please don’t cry and fret or grieve.
God meant no harm to you or me
But my problems he could see
And knew that in Jesus arms
Was the best place for me to be.
An angel came and brought me here
And Mommy and Daddy, she saw your tears,
And even though she did not speak
With her wing she brushed your cheek…
I live in a lovely mansion here
With such a wonderful view –
It has a rocking chair and crib,
And there’s a special room for you!
I know that you won’t be here
For a very long, long time
But just wanted you to know
That your room is next to mine!
I hope you enjoy your life on earth
And don’t worry about me at all
For I have so many friends
And angels on whom I can call!
Sometimes we go outside
And the clouds are rolling by
And I know that you are looking up
And see them in the sky
When you look up on starry nights
And see them so bright and clear
Just know that they are not nearly as lovely
As they look from here!
I love it here and I’m so happy
That Jesus loves me so
And He loves you just as much –
Just wanted you to know!
Well, I must go back now
But remember if you will
That I loved you while in your arms
And I love you still!
Take care dear Mommy and Daddy
And love your lives for me
For I know that our time together
Was so much shorter than
You thought it would be!
Do not rush your life to get here
For I don’t mind the wait
And my face will be the first you see
When you enter the Pearly Gates!

Don't come near my Granny Smith Apple

I have a true love for Granny Smith Apples. I can eat those all day long but not red apples. I'm not a fan of red apples. Anyways it is very obvious that Tegan shares my love for these apples. He couldn't figure out how to take a bite out of it but wouldn't let me help. I mean he screamed bloody murder every time I came anywhere near him!

Family Photo Session

On Sunday I got Melissa (my sister) to come and take some pictures of us. They were all great except for the screaming little boy in all of them and the somewhat frustrated looks on our faces. It was sooooo HOT! We were all pouring sweat. I was so aggravated b/c it takes a lot to talk Paul in to doing this b/c he HATES to have his picture made and then Tegan wouldn't cooperate. But Paul told me it didn't matter if Tegan was crying or not looking in all the pictures, that it is a good picture b/c we have kids in them! I noticed the last time I took pictures of Teg and Rylee together that his Nystagmus makes it very hard to get a picture of him where it looks like he is looking at the camera. But I was able to crop a few of these and make them look good. Big Thank You to Melissa for taking her time to come and do this for us! I really appreciate it and plan to pay her back with some good pictures of her in Mike whenever she is ready. I just hope Mike acts better than Tegan did!!!! (Ha Ha)

I think this is the best one?!?!

I tried to crop out the part where I am holding Tegan's arms down during his screaming fit!

Awwww!

Me and Rylee!

This one is pretty good too!

Playing around almost gone wrong!!!!

He is sweet if he doesn't know his picture is being taken!

I am going to crop this one a little more and do a black and white of it! Love it!

Melissa made us hold hands:)

"Not Me!" Monday

I haven't done one in a while so I got a few saved up!!!

If you want to read other people's not me's then just click this....

I did not let my son run around with only a heavy diaper on that resulted in this..

I was not talking to a friend on the phone recently only to hear her say to her child to "stop trying to play with the dog's butt hole!" If that would have happened I most definitely would not put it on my blog.

I have not taken almost 1000 pictures with my new canon rebel camera.

My son is not addicted to sauces...as in ketchup, ranch dressing, steak sauce, etc. I did not recently just watch him ignore all other food on his plate and only eat Ketchup and steak sauce with a spoon the whole meal. If this had happened I would most definitely not keep refilling his plate with the sauces just so I could eat a meal without him screaming! Not Me!!!!

I did not make my family all put on white shirts and try to take a picture only to get most of them looking like this...

Tegan is not a fan of pictures and I think this picture makes it very obvious that he gets it from his very unhappy looking daddy!!! We did end up with a few good ones....I will post those tomorrow.