Best Friends Reunited

Yesterday after I picked up Handley from school Tiara and I made very last minute plans to get together for the afternoon/evening to catch up.  This was the first time we've done this since they moved months ago. It's been SO long since we've been able to just sit and chat and let the kids play.  We met them at Northpoint Mall and after touring the American Girl store we made our way to the kids play area.  While the kids ran and played and laughed NON-STOP for an hour, Tiara and I talked and talked and talked.  It felt so good to catch up with her.  Handley and Avery were in heaven being together again and kept holding hands and singing, "We're best friends, we're best friends!" It was so cute and made me realize how much we miss these dear friends of ours.  Hudson took at Avery right away and followed her around the whole evening.  Harper and Dylan also had fun seeing each other and it felt just like old times having all the kids together again.

We can't wait for summer so we can see them more often!

Picking out Harper's outfits has always been a struggle with her and recently she came up with the idea that we should alternate days. I pick out her clothes one day and she picks it out the next.  It's actually working out quite well and she hasn't complained at ALL on the days I pick out her clothes.  Last night when I went into her room to check on her before I went to bed I saw she had everything set out.  Not only her clothes and leotard for gymnastics that she had today, but she had also put out several bracelets she wanted to wear and packed her bag for the day - a pretty purse she got as a birthday gift from Trey and Stefanie.  It made me smile to see what she had done when she was supposed to be going to sleep.

For the past few weeks the Kindergarten classes have been learning about money.  This week their classes are having a school store.  The kids earn money each day for good behavior and then they get to buy things at the store.  Yesterday Handley brought home a push-pop and she told Harper and Hudson she was going to earn more money and buy them something tomorrow.  She stayed true to her word and that sweet girl spent her money on another push-pop for Harper and some M&M's for Hudson.  They were all SO excited...especially Handely who told how she had grabbed the very last push-pop for Harper before anyone else got it from the 3 cent basket just because she knew how much Harper wanted one.  :-)

RT Family Picnic

This weekend we had the annual RT family picnic.  This year it was at Stone Mountain and they really outdid themselves.  There were bounce houses, crafts, balloons artists, snow cones and temporary tattoos.  The kids LOVED it and the best part about it is everything is totally free!  They also had hula-hoop and dancing contests, relay races and tug-of-war.  It was pretty much kid paradise and they were running from one thing to the next.

Although Hudson doesn't look very excited about his football tattoo in this picture, he was really excited to show everyone after it was done.  He would forget it was there and then when someone asked him about it he would get all excited and pull up his sleeve to show them. 

 After the picnic wrapped up we also were given passes to all the other attractions in the park and took advantage of it.  We rode the sky car to the top of the mountain and enjoyed the view from up there. The kids had fun playing up there with their friends and we had fun sitting and talking with our friends.

After that we made our way to ride the train.  Hudson was really excited about the "choo-choo" but he was also really tired by this point.  By the time we made it back to our car we were all exhausted, but it was such a fun day and was even better because we got to hang out with lots of our friends, too!

New outlook

We've had a whole lot of just not much going on around here.  Our weekend was really low-key and this week we've just been following our normal busy routine. I am SO ready for summer.  And, if I'm being completely honest I've just been in a really weird mood and not really felt like blogging.  I think a lot of it is because of the stress over our moving/house situation.  I just assumed by now that we would have sold our house, but I keep trying to remind myself that it will all work out and the timing of everything will be just as it should be.  It's just hard for my type-A, planning personality to sit back and wait.  Also, keeping the house ready to show at a moments notice has really started to wear on me. I feel like I've been taking it out on the kids and I just hate myself for that.  After a good chat with some great friends this week I gave myself a pep-talk last night and decided I just needed to snap out of it.  Today I woke up with a new outlook, got dressed up (because that always makes me feel better) and made a real effort to stay positive and to remember all of the blessings surrounding me...especially these three!

I loved going to chapel with the girls today and I've said it before, but Hudson gets so excited when they get to come sit with us.  Seeing the three of them sitting together and singing praise and worship songs this morning did my heart good and was a wonderful way to start our day.  Next up was Hudson's tumbling class, which he absolutely LOVES.  He has so much fun with his friends and his teacher.  Lunch with friends was next and that always puts me in a great mood.  Hudson and all his little friends were so funny today and kept copying each other.  I love seeing him start to really interact with his friends and he even held hands with Leah walking in the parking lot and did not want to let go.  So sweet!

After Handley's gymnastics today we came home and spent the rest of the evening outside enjoying the sunshine.

This picture makes me laugh.  I don't usually buy juice and at home the kids just drink water or milk.  He loves getting lemonade at Chick-fil-a or the occasional juice-box, but he has recently discovered my sweet-tea and LOVES little sips of that.  Well we got sent home with a bottle of apple juice from dinner club last week so the girls have been asking for it.  Hudson saw them getting some so I gave him a little too and that was all she wrote.  I know he didn't think he could have anything but water in his cups and when he tasted juice in there he was just so excited.  This afternoon I have him a little more and he was making sure to get every last drop.

Harper's 4 year check-up

This morning after dropping Handley off at school Harper, Hudson and I did quick stop by Wal-Mart and then were off to the pediatrician's office for Harper's 4 year check-up.  She was so excited to go and couldn't wait to show the doctor how much she had grown in the past year.  She did wonderful and we got a glowing report.  The funniest thing from her appointment was when the doctor was asking her all sorts of questions trying to access her level of responsibility and involvement at home (where do you put your clothes at the end of the day, what kind of drinks do you drink most, etc.).  She asked her, "What do you wear on your head when you ride your bike?" Harper thought for a second and said, "A bow!"  The doctor and I both laughed and for the record she did answer a helmet shortly after that, but it cracked me up.  She knew she would be getting shots, but also knew that meant a token so she could pick a prize.  She smiled right through each of the shots and because she didn't even flinch the nurse gave her two tokens!  She picked two shiny necklaces for her tokens and also loaded up on stickers and lollipops.

While we were there I had the doctor take a look at Hudson's ears.  He has been acting a little off all week and had a slight fever last night so I wanted to be sure they weren't infected.  She said there was fluid in them, but not infected (yet) so we will see how the next few days go.  Because he was as good as can be expected (really he HATES being messed with at the doctor) he got a lollipop and a sticker on our way out.

Today turned out to be a two lollipop kind of day for Hudson because after the doctor we headed straight to get him a hair-cut, something else he absolutely HATES.  The good news is the lady got him good and because it is shorter than I had originally hoped for, we won't need to go back for quite a while.

After that we made a bee-line for the bakery for lunch and because Harper had done SO great and been SO brave for her shots I let her pick out the biggest (and most expensive) cookie the bakery makes.

Harper's stats:
height - 41 1/4 inches (85th percentile)
weight - 37 lbs. (50th percentile)

Art Show 2013

Tonight was the much anticipated Art Show at the school.  We look forward to this all year long.  The teacher and staff do an excellent job transforming the fellowship hall into an art gallery to display all of the kids artworks.  They have really creative and cute displays and the kids love walking through and looking at all of their art, visiting with all of their friends and seeing their teachers outside of the classroom.  

The girls with Harper's teachers

The girls with Handley's teachers

Handley's teachers told me they always know which drawing is hers because she always adds lots of eyelashes. 

Harper's Final Birthday Celebration

We like to really drag out birthday celebrations around here.  Because the kids were on spring break last week, Harper got to celebrate her birthday at school today.  She was excited to wear the crown she had made before the break and to share a treat with her school friends.

Hudson and I got to join her for lunch and then for the mini-celebration.

For her birthday school treats I usually get my friend, Christy, to make some of her famous decorated cookies or my back-up would be to swing by McEntyre's for treats. Well Christy is out of town and the bakery is closed on Mondays.  Knowing we wouldn't get back until late yesterday I had talked to Harper about some other treat options and she liked the idea of rice crispy treats with a "4" on them made out of M&M's.  It was so simple, Harper and Handley did most of the decorating last night and the kids all loved them today.  The rice crispy treats and the frosting were both store bought so it doesn't get any easier.  I totally borrowed this idea from one of my blog friends - Mama and Them - and remember her doing something similar a few years ago.  Hers were much cuter because she did fun colors and patterns with her candy, but Harper loves M&M's and she was in charge of that part of the decorating so I just let her have free reign.  Thanks for the idea, Julie!

Hudson loved getting to sit beside Harper and acted just like he was part of that class.  He even tried to sit and listen to a book with them at the end of their day.  He thought he was big stuff!

Grown-Up Fun

This past weekend I had my first kid-free weekend since Handley was born almost 6 years ago.  I missed them all, but it was SUCH a fun weekend.

Friday morning Robby and I left bright and early to head to Augusta for the Masters.  Robby has been a few times, but this was my first experience there and it was a great day.  The weather was warm, the course was gorgeous and we even got to see some of the big players (like the winner, Adam Scott, and the most famous one there, Tiger Woods).  I loved walking around, seeing the golf, enjoying the traditional Master's food/drinks and getting a few souvenirs.  Cameras and phones are not allowed so I didn't get any pictures.

We left there around dinner time and made our way to Athens to meet up with our friends who were already there.  We visited all of our old watering holes and totally re-lived our college days.  And, it was AWESOME!!!  We seriously had the best time dancing the night away.  We had tons of laughs and knew that amongst the college kids we looked ancient, but we didn't care one bit.  Before we knew it they were announcing last call and I couldn't believe that 4 hours had passed in a flash.  We left there and made a stop by the Arch before heading back to the hotel (and a quick pit stop at Steak-n-shake at 2:30 AM).

Needless to say the next day we were all moving a little slower, but that didn't stop us from having fun for the REAL reason we were in Athens.  UGA was allowing a concert to be held in their football stadium, Sanford Stadium, for the first time ever. This was a REALLY big deal to the University and to the alumni, football fans, and students.  The girls started the day by doing a little shopping downtown, then met up with a few of the guys for lunch.  Then we all got ready and went to a VIP pre-party event Brad got us tickets for and to the stadium for the concert from there.  If you are a country music fan it was a great line-up. Thomas Rhett, Jake Owen, Luke Bryan, and Jason Aldean.  It was so neat to see the stage and seats set up on the field and ALL of the people that filled the stadium.  The two headliners, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean put on a really great show and there were even guest appearances by Kelly Clarkson and Ludacris, where the entire stadium went crazy.

We ended the night by walking up through campus on our way back to the car.  It was an absolutely perfect weekend spent with some of our best friends!

Happy Birthday Harper

Today is Harper's 4th birthday! She is sweet, sensitive, silly, sassy and simple.  I joke that she is 4 going on 14, but we all lover her to pieces!  Handley and Hudson did a great job of helping me make sure Harper felt special ALL day long!

Leading up to her birthday we had given her a lot of suggestions of things we could go do today.  Handley had a list a mile long, but in the end, Harper decided that she wanted to go to the playground that has the box sledding, have a picnic, and get frozen yogurt at RT.  So, that's exactly what we planned.  This morning she celebrated by sleeping in and then we sang happy birthday as she blew out candles on her waffle.

A Christy/Jake/Reece, Jen/Parker and Stefanie/Sophia were able to meet us at the park and she was so happy to see them all there.  Last night she asked me to text Christy to ask her if Reece would wear her the dress like the one they gave Harper for her birthday so they could be matching.  Both girls looked darling!

The box sliding didn't go quite as well as the last time we tried it.  The grass is so worn because of everyone else sliding down the hill.  They still seemed to have fun though and also loved playing on the playground there, too.

After playing a picnic and playing some more we made our way to get frozen yogurt.  ALL the kids loved that treat.

For dinner tonight I knew she would want her favorite - pizza.  I gave her the choice of going somewhere or ordering it.  And, do you know what she picked instead?  She wanted these individual little mini pizzas from Costco that I already had in the freezer.  I love that she is so simple.  After dinner and singing happy birthday again (as she blew out candles in her pudding) we played outside and the kids tried to sweep all of the pollen off of the driveway.  It was their idea and they were having fun, even though they didn't make a dent!

After I got Hudson to bed the girls stayed up to have a movie night to finish out the birthday celebration.  I think we succeeded in letting the birthday girl have a very special day!

At four years old Harper:

• is the typical middle child - she demands attention, is a little mischievous, but covers it all up with a sweet as sugar smile. 
• idolizes her big sister and plays so well with her - most of the time. 
• loves her baby brother and likes that she has control over him in the pecking order of things. 
• is very social and loves not only other kids, but also other adults we are close to. 
• has strong opinions about what she wants to wear.
• is a daddy's girl.
• loves carrying purses around and tells me all the time she wants to be like a grown-up. 
• acts really silly and almost always has a smile on her face. 
• is super sensitive and cries easily. 
• really "gets" numbers and can do simple addition problems easily so I bet that Math will be one of her stronger subjects.  
• has started reading simple phonics reader books and feels so proud of her accomplishment.