All About Brant & Brylee

Bunk Beds

2012-01-06T19:38:00.000-06:00

After seeing a post on Pinterest, I coaxed my sweet hubby to create what I had seen. Supposedly it was cheap and easy. In my husband's opinion, it was neither, but he did it for his sweet baby girl! On Pinterest, there was a post on building bunk beds for American Girl dolls. Since Santa brought Brylee the Bitty Twins, we felt they needed beds. So thanks to Pinterest, we found plans. After several trips to Lowes and several mishaps, the beds were finally complete. I even made mattresses and pillows for the beds (I am trying to learn to sew on my new machine). I am pretty proud of the results and so is Brylee.

Christmas at Mim & Pop's

2012-01-01T22:09:00.000-06:00

We made it to Meridian right about lunch time, which was great because we always seem to miss eating with my family on Christmas. It was really nice to be there with my parents, my brother and his wife, and my sister. After eating and visiting, we headed to open more gifts. The kids again racked up. Buster, my parents' dog was right in the middle of everything, too.

When Brylee was opening gifts, she opened the Barbie townhouse. Little did she know, if was already put together in another room. When she peeked it the box, it was empty. Then my sister took her to where it really was! Notice the before and after photos!

Peeking inside and noticing the box is empty

Before...

After..

The best part was not all the gifts, but spending time with loved ones! Merry Christmas!

Santa Came!

2012-01-01T21:57:00.000-06:00

Brant woke up at 6:30! We all headed to the living room to see if Santa had come. He did alright! The kids definitely racked up - they got just what they asked Santa for, and more! We also had our annual breakfast with Nana & Grandaddy. After opening gifts, we loaded up and headed to Meridian to my parents's house.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-01T21:37:00.000-06:00

We got ready for Santa by making cookies

Later that evening, we celebrated Christmas with Bryan's side family at his brothers. The kids got to open gifts before they ate. They were so excited and they racked up on some cool gifts.

After the gathering, we headed home to get in bed so Santa would come. Every year on Christmas Eve, Brant and Brylee sleep in our rooms. It was 11:30 before they finally went to bed!

A Fun Week

2012-01-01T21:28:00.000-06:00

We had a lot of fun on Christmas break. We went to a new store downtown to paint ornaments with some friends,

went to visit cousins in Meridian and my granny in Laurel,

and went to see The Chipmunks in Chipwrecked.

Christmas Parties

2012-01-01T21:20:00.000-06:00

Even though I didn't get to go to their Christmas parties, I had to post their pictures before going to their parties. Brylee looked so cute in her dress her Aunt Layla made and Brant in his grinch pjs (Aunt Layla also made) for his Polar Express party.

Happy 8th Birthday!

2012-01-01T21:16:00.001-06:00

My little boy has now turned 8! Time just flies. He had the most awesome party. He had a video game truck party. The truck has 4 flat screen TVs with all the latest game consoles and games. Since it was a video game party, Brylee's sweet, talented teacher made him a Mario Brothers cake. It was super cute and super yummy! All the kids had a blast! Another special memory from this birthday was a special gift. Brant's Grandaddy fixed a gun that he received from his daddy when he was 8. It was so special! He had the best time at the party!

Yellow Belt with a Stripe

2012-01-01T21:09:00.000-06:00

Brant had his rank test for karate in December. I am so proud! He is now a yellow belt with a stripe!

They're BAACK!

2012-01-01T21:06:00.001-06:00

Our elves, Ralphie & Christopher have returned. They are up to their old tricks, and some new ones, like creating a zip line across the den, coloring our milk green, decorating our tree in underwear, and a lot of messes. They even sneaked in our suitcase while visiting cousins. Even though they are mischievous, we really enjoy them while they are with us!

All Aboard the North Pole Express

2012-01-01T20:59:00.001-06:00

We went with some friends outside of Birmingham in Calera to ride the North Pole Express. The kids were so excited, especially going with some of their best friends. We enjoyed a ride to the North Pole while sipping hot chocolate and eating delicious muffins. We all received a special ornament and keys to the North Pole, too. After our ride, we spent the night in Birmingham. The kids even got to swim in the indoor pool, which was a highlight for them. After doing a little shopping, we headed home from our fun filled weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2012-01-01T20:45:00.000-06:00

More Random Pics

2012-01-01T20:37:00.000-06:00

I had to finish my calendar for Christmas gifts. So luckily, my kids cooperated and dressed in Christmas attire for some pictures

Fall Family Pictures

2012-01-01T20:25:00.001-06:00

One of my best friends snapped some family pictures for us. We needed one for Christmas cards and I also wanted some updated family pics. They turned out really well!

Book Fair and Pow Wows

2012-01-01T20:20:00.000-06:00

Our annual school reading fair was in November. Brant really wanted to enter. I was proud of him. He actually read a chapter book earlier in the year and we decided to do that book. He didn't place, but I think it turned out pretty awesome! (Brylee wanted in on the pictures too!)

The week before Thanksgiving break, Brylee's class had their annual Pow Wow. Parents were invited to watch the children sing at the Thanksgiving program. Brylee was an Indian girl. She did so well, and was so cute!

Dressing Up

2012-01-01T20:13:00.000-06:00

Brylee always seems to have plenty of costumes for all occassions. For a Halloween party, they dressed up as Snow White and Luigi.

For Brylee's Book Character Day, she was Fancy Nancy. She was the cutest Fancy Nancy, if I do say so myself.

On Halloween, we decided to go trick or treating, Brant still wanted to be Luigi, but Brylee decided to be Rapunzel.

Random Pics

2012-01-01T20:03:00.000-06:00

Brant enjoyed dressing each day for homecoming. I was able to snap a couple of pictures from the week - here is some from rockstar day

Brylee enjoyed dressing up for dance in her Halloween costume and I enjoyed watching her dance preview! Here is some pictures of Brylee and her dance buddies.

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

2012-01-01T19:55:00.000-06:00

Brylee's class had a field trip to the pumpkin patch in October. I was fortunate to be able to go, just as I did when Brant was in Mrs. Kathy's class. We had a lot of fun on the trip. I enjoyed spending the day with my sweet girl.

Our busy life at Joe Cook

2012-01-01T19:47:00.001-06:00

This year, Brant did not want to play soccer, instead, he played flag football. Brylee decided to give soccer a try. She LOVED it! We spent most of our week at Joe Cook (hence the title). Brant played there as well.
Brylee's team was nicknamed the Zebras, and we lucked out on a great coach and some great friends on the team. She really did great in soccer. She loved it and became more aggressive each game. Brant did great in flag football, too! He scored a lot of rushing touchdowns and they won their division!

Karate Tournament

2012-01-01T19:36:00.000-06:00

Brant attended a Karate tournament in Madision in September. Brant did very well, 2nd in kata and 3rd in sparring. Brylee enjoyed watching and playing too. Afterwards, we enjoyed spending time with some friends that live in Madision. It was a fun weekend!

Back to School!

2012-01-01T19:30:00.000-06:00

Brylee started back to school before Brant. She has Mrs. Kathy, Brant's 4 year old teacher. We were so excited to have Mrs. Kathy again. She was so exited to have a back pack, she picked out a princess one. We had to get her name on it, of course.

Brant started 2nd grade. He got Mrs. Sharpe and Mrs. Rockwell. We were also excited to have these 2 wonderful ladies.

Summer Fun

2012-01-01T19:22:00.000-06:00

Since I am behind on posting, I am going to do my best to recap our summer,
In June we had fun playing at the splash park,

playing on our new playground dad built,

and flying with Grandaddy's friend in a small plane.

In July, Brant attended Summer Discovery Camp at Franklin Academy and had a blast.

We went to the circus (notice Brylee's head, Brylee accidently walked into Brant swinging a plastic bat, after a trip to the ER to have it glued back, it looked a lot better)

We did crafts around the house, like make edible play-doh,

dressed up

and Brant went to baseball camp at MSU with some buddies

We also went to Geyser Falls and Alabama Adventures. We spent lots of time at the pool, too. We had so much fun, I hated for the summer to end!

Disney World

2011-12-19T08:48:00.010-06:00

We took off after the kids got out of school and headed back to Orlando. A large group of us went. We had so much fun. Brylee had a makeover at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and had dinner at Cinderella's castle with one of her best buddies. She got to meet all the princesses. Brant enjoyed doing a Disney animation class and riding all the rides, especially Splash Mountain and Rocking Roller Coaster. We enjoyed going "backstage" to meet Mickey, Minnie,Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora thanks to one of my teacher friend's daughter that works at Disney. We ate at Bryan's favorite restaurant O'Hana. My sweet sister went with us. She is such a big help, and she custom made all my children's clothes. She is so talented! We had a blast! Warning picture overload:)

Living Pictures & Easter Weekend

2011-06-21T14:56:00.005-05:00

Brant & Bryan were involved in Living Pictures at our church. They had been practicing for a while. Easter weekend they performed all weekend. On Good Friday, my parents & sister got to come for a visit and watch the performance. On Saturday, we had a cookout and Easter egg hunt at Ginger and Chip's, then Bryan & Brant had another performance that evening. On Easter morning, the kids woke to find their Easter baskets. Brant got some Disney pins to trade at Disney World, candy, and a movie. Brylee got a movie, a baby carrier for Kenzie her Bitty Baby, and candy. After that, we made Resurrection Rolls. (Thanks to Shannon Wilcutt). The marshmallows represented the body Jesus, rolled in spice & oils (butter, cinnamon, & sugar), wrapped in the tomb (crescent rolls), then bake and afterwards, there is no body in the "tomb". They were quite delicious, too. After breakfast, we headed to church. After church, we spent the afternoon with Bryan's family. Before lunch, we took some Easter pictures. The rest of the afternoon, we just hung out and visited with family!

Art Show

2011-06-21T14:43:00.003-05:00

Brylee's preschool had their annual Art Show. It happened to be bad weather so the jumpers were cancelled this year. I made it just as the bottom fell out. After the show, she got to leave and stay at Nana's because of the bad weather and we (at school) had to sit in the hall because of tornado warnings. After school, the kids and I headed to Meridian for the weekend.

Super Bulldog Weekend 2011

2011-06-21T14:34:00.004-05:00

We headed to Super Bulldog Weekend in Starkville. We met and tailgated with some friends. Bryan & Brant headed to the softball game and ran into Coach Dan Mullen. He signed Brant's shirt & hat. He thought that was the coolest thing. We had the best time - went to the maroon vs white football game, ate lots of GREAT food, and hung out with friends.

Makeover Birthday Party

2011-06-21T14:04:00.005-05:00

Brylee was a invited to a TuTu birthday party at Salon 7. It was such a cute party! She along with her best friends from school got makeovers, manicures, pedicures, and funky hair.

First Karate Tournament

2011-06-21T12:40:00.004-05:00

At the end of spring break, Brant competed in his first karate tournament in Greenwood. It was a neat experience. He got 2nd place in his kata and 3rd in sparring. It was a long day, but definitely worth the trip.

More Spring Break Pictures

2011-06-20T20:57:00.003-05:00

During Spring Break, we met some friends at Lake Lowndes. Brant had spend the night with Drew & Hays. Heather & I picked up Happy Meals and met the kids at the park. While we were there, we ran into another one of Brylee's best buddies - Ty. All the kids had so much fun playing. The boys started a game of baseball, and the girls had lots of fun swinging, playing the merry go round, and the slide. After a fun filled day, we loaded up and went to Smackers for a St. Patrick's Day yogurt.

Snaggle Tooth

2011-06-20T20:48:00.004-05:00

During Spring Break, Brant had a loose tooth that was so loose that it was barely still connected. We were at Mim & Pop's, and Brant had the great idea of pulling his tooth by tying a string to the back of the truck bumper. Well, he chickened out and immediately took off running. After a lengthy period of trying to convince Brant that it would only hurt for a second, he still wouldn't let us. Finally, we had to "trick" him. It took him by surprise, but the tooth was taken care of and the Tooth Fairy left him a nice little surprise - a gold dollar coin, a two $2 bills, and a $1 bill.

More Catching Up - February

2011-03-17T08:36:00.006-05:00

During February, we had more snow! This time it was not as much fun for Brant & Brylee because it was SUPER COLD. They tried to enjoy being pulled behind the mule on the car hood again, but the snow was blowing in their faces. They were both whining how cold it was. We also celebrated Brylee's 4th birthday. A week before her birthday, she and I went to see Barney Live. It was about Barney's birthday, which was so appropriate, and Brylee LOVES Barney. Then, for her real birthday, she enjoyed a school party and her big birthday party with her buddy, Ty. They had a Princess & Pirate party. It was a super cute party. They had so much fun!

Catching Up - January

2011-03-17T08:25:00.004-05:00

In January, we had a couple of snow days which meant for us - No School! We had fun playing in the snow, making snowmen, and even being pulled through the snow on a car hood. During January, Brant played Upwards Basketball. He really loved it! This was his first time to play basketball - he even scored during the season!

More Christmas

2010-12-30T21:04:00.002-06:00

We left around lunch on Christmas day and went to Meridian for my family's Christmas. The kids love going to Mim & Pop's. They were excited to stay for 2 nights! They loaded up on gifts once again - Brylee got a Sleeping Beauty costume, a Disney Princess complete doll set, a Princess & Me Belle doll and much more. Brant got a huge Batman set, books, clothes, nerf guns, suitcase, and Lego digital camera, (which I must say is pretty cool). They played and played. We had a great time in Meridian. My sister appliqued & monogrammed Brant and Brylee some shirts. We played with Buster, and did some shopping. We hated to go, but Bryan had to go back to the chiropractor. We headed back on Monday to return home from a fun filled Christmas weekend!

Santa Came!

2010-12-30T20:42:00.007-06:00

Brylee woke us up at 6:45 on Christmas morning. We all ran in the living room. The kids were so ecstatic to see what Santa brought. Santa brought Brylee a princess vanity table and makeup, a Blue LaLaLoopsy doll, and a new pink portable DVD player. Santa left Brant a new Bike, a Pellet/BB gun, and new blue portable DVD player. We noticed the bell off the back door and the door unlocked. On the back patio was a new trampoline. They tore into the remaining presents under the tree and the stockings. Brylee opened a doll and a matching outfit, a Tinker Bell guitar, a microphone stand, Beauty & the Beast DVD & a Belle doll, and lots of goodies in her stocking. Brant got a Paper Jamz guitar with amp, new DS games, an easel, a Wii Draw Pad & game, plus a loaded stocking. The best part of the morning was learning that it was snowing!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-30T20:20:00.005-06:00

After heading to our second trip to the chiropractor (Bryan hurt his back the day before), we came home to get ready for Santa's arrival. It was a different Christmas Eve than ever before. We usually celebrate with Bryan's family, but they were all getting over being sick and couldn't get it together. We had our own family Christmas Eve. We made cookies for Santa using the cookie mix that Brylee gave us. We had breakfast for dinner, and then made a foam gingerbread house. The kids were also enjoying sharing their last minutes with Ralphie & Christopher, the elves. They were preparing for their trip back to the North Pole. Bryan's mom felt well enough to bring the children's gifts over. They had fun opening gifts and got some really good gifts. Brylee got a LaLaLoopsy Doll, games, Bitty Baby clothes, a Tinkerbell doll that you can decorate her wings, a tutu skirt, and more. Brant got a Tech Deck ramp with boards and money, which he really wanted. Bryan's cousin, Melanie (a.k.a. Mel Mel) also dropped by to see them just for a minute. After all the excitement, it was a little challenging to get them to settle down for Santa. They finally fell asleep watching "The Christmas Story" in our room.

Christmas Break!

2010-12-30T20:01:00.006-06:00

We had lots of fun on our Christmas break! We went to all went to see Tangled, which was a pretty awesome movie. That night, Bryan did a favor for a friend and dressed like Santa, which was quite hilarious! We woke up the next day and went to Bullets for breakfast and to let the kids play, then all of a sudden decided to go ice skating in Tupelo. We all were clinging to the wall at the beginning. Brant really did great; it didn't take him any time. I am proud to say, I didn't fall once :). We had a great time!

Brylee's Christmas Open House & Brant's Birthday!

2010-12-30T19:27:00.007-06:00

Every year, Brylee's preschool hosts an Open House for Christmas. The children sing songs for the parents and present a gift. Brylee did so much better than last year. She wouldn't even sing last year; she actually sang and participated! I loved the gift she gave us. It was a jar of cookie mix with her handprint on the jar in the shape of a Christmas tree. After they sang, they had their Christmas party. I then had to go back to work, but thankfully, Bryan was off and was able to get ready for Brant's 7th Birthday Party that evening. After Brylee's Open House, she went home with Bryan's parents so Bryan could get ready for Brant's campout. He also went to Brant's classroom and brought a treat for the class to celebrate his 7th birthday. Brant also got special permission to touch our elves, Ralphie & Christopher. They came to school that day, too! That night, we had Brant a campout. We even borrowed a 12 ft inflatable screen & projector to watch movies. It was pretty cold that night, we had fire pits going, and we set the tent up in the garage. Well, we ended up having 10 boys come and spend the night. Bryan & I felt like we had lost our minds to host this event, but it all ended up fine. It was a long night, though. We had one kid get sick, and they finally went to sleep at 1 AM. The next morning, I ran to Shipley's for donuts around 7:30. After the last kid left, we celebrated because - We SURVIVED the campout! After the party, Brant opened his gifts from us, and later, headed to meet all the grandparents, Aunt Layla, Uncle Chip, & Aunt Ginger at Mi Toro's, Brant's favorite restaurant. Brant got brought the sombrero and was sang to! After, we headed back for more gifts and cake. Mim & Pop's dog, Buster, even came!

More Catching Up - November

2010-12-18T21:52:00.009-06:00

I am still trying to catch up. Well, November was very eventful. Brant was in a play at church - he was a shepherd.

During November, Brant had a field trip to the Buffalo Park. I took off and went with him. It turned out to be a great day. The temperature was perfect!

Brylee had her annual Thanksgiving feast at school. Check out my little Indian! Brant was a Pilgrim on the Sunday before Thanksgiving at church. I think they both looked pretty cute! Brant also has been taking Karate. He is now officially a white belt with a black stripe. He really enjoys taking it. I tried to snap some shots during the Thanksgiving break.

During Thanksgiving break, Brylee & I went with some good friends to see the Disney Princesses on Ice. Brylee absolutely LOVED the show! In fact, she has pretended to be a princess at home on ice while changing into different princess costumes.

Thanksgiving was spent with family. We spent most of the day with Bryan's family. We enjoyed seeing all the family we don't usually see. It is crazy that most of us live in the same town, but only see each other on special occasions. We cherish the moments with Bryan's grandparents. They are both in their 90s. It is awesome that my children get to spend time with them. After lots of food, we headed to visit my family in Meridian. We spent several days with them and then visited my grandmother in Laurel who is recovering from being in the hospital. It was good to see her doing so much better. The Thanksgiving weekend then ended great with a Bulldog Egg Bowl win! A perfect Thanksgiving ending!!

Catching up

2010-12-18T21:25:00.005-06:00

Well, again I am behind on my blogging. I am going to try to catch up. In October,we took a trip to the Birmingham Zoo. We love to go this time of year because of the spooky decorations. We had a blast, especially when we feed the birds. Brylee did NOT like it one bit.

Brant also did his first story board project with some help.

We went to several Halloween events, including Trick or Treating. Brant was Buzz Lightyear most of the time, but a GI Joe character for a Trunk or Treat, and Brylee was a different Princess every day it seemed.

Book Character Pumpkins

2010-10-17T21:48:00.002-05:00

Brant had an optional project for his class. He could decorate a pumpkin as a book character. We chose to make Skippyjon Jones. Well, Brylee wanted to do the project, too! I must say they both turned out so cute. Brylee wanted hers to look like a girl so we added a tiara. I know Skippy is a boy, but he looks like a cute girl, too!

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-17T21:38:00.003-05:00

We went to the Pumpkin Patch Saturday for a birthday party and Brant's sunday school party. The kids LOVE to go there. This year they added horse/pony rides. Brant loves the hay maze and Brylee loved playing in the corn and riding on the little tractors. We rode the hay ride and then we headed for the horse rides. Brylee was a little reluctant to ride, but she decided to wait and ride the little pony that had a flower in its hair. She was so excited to ride it! They both did super on the horses.

Still Playing Catch Up!

2010-10-17T21:11:00.004-05:00

During August, the first graders of our church are presented bibles. The preacher gives each first grader a bible. Brant got a really cool bible - The Adventure Bible. I thought the picture was so cute with Brant & Brother Mickey! Another fun thing in August was a birthday party that Brant attended. It was the cutest party. The boys dressed up in their favorite football team attire and got to learn a little football from form MS State quarter back, Tyson Lee. The boys had a blast!

Been So Long - So Where Do I Start?

2010-10-17T20:46:00.006-05:00

So sorry! I have really slacked on the job. This is supposed to be my record keeping. Oh well, Brant is now in 1st Grade and is doing great! He just had his first 9 weeks report card - Straight As! He is doing super in AR, too - Ready Reader 3! He is doing soccer currently and taking karate. Brylee is in the 3 year old class at school and is doing super! Brylee is taking dance again but at a new place. She loves it! She is also about to start taking gymnastics again.

Summer - Making the Most of It!

2010-07-10T17:48:00.010-05:00

We have been really enjoying our summer - meeting friends for playdates at the spray park, pool, or movies, VBS, enjoying many local bands at Sounds of Summer, Story Time with Mother Goose,swimming lessons,baseball camp, gymnastics, art camp, Brylee's first manicure, a trip to Lake Tiak'okhata, another to Mim & Pop's house, and another trip Jackson to meet a childhood friend and her family. We have enjoyed yummy cupcakes at Gigi's, visited the Jackson Zoo, and went to a MS Braves baseball game. We have really been busy doing lots of fun things. I really hate to think school is just around the corner. Oh well, we will just have to keep having fun and just make the most of it!

Finally Updated!

2010-05-28T08:03:00.004-05:00

You probably think I have been "sleeping" on the job. Well, I am now out of school and have updated my blog! Hopefully, I can keep it up!!

Last Day of Kindergarten & Award's Day

2010-05-28T07:48:00.002-05:00

Brant's last day of Kindergarten was also his award's day. It was a little sad to think that he was graduating from kindergarten and heading to 1st grade in the fall. Brant received 3 awards - the AR reading award, the Silly Bandz award (he was the proudest of this award), and the Good Friend award. The last award really touched my heart. I was told by several people what a good heart Brant has towards a certain little boy. This child has some handicaps, and Brant took it upon himself to help this child. That was his "job" each day. This was a very special award and I was so proud of him. The other award, The Silly Bandz award, is funny, because if you know Brant you would know about his obsession for Silly Bandz. We have so many I could not even begin to tell you how many packs he, or I, or grandparents have purchased. He even has them sorted for ones he could trade and ones to keep. I was also super proud of the AR award. I hope this love for reading will continue. Brant has had a super year and look forward to next year's adventures!

Tumbling

2010-05-28T07:35:00.004-05:00

Brylee also took through her daycare gymnastics. I was surprised to see an invitation to get to preview what Brylee had learned and she would receive a medal. We loaded up with Brylee's buddy and headed to Starkville. I was shocked at what she was doing. She was doing the bars, the balance beam, and more. She really did good. At the end, she got presented a medal like the real gymnast do. It was so cute! I was so impressed that I signed her up to take this summer for a few classes.

Recital Time!

2010-05-28T07:15:00.005-05:00

Brylee has been taking dance all year. It finally was time for the recital. She was so excited getting ready for the recital. I think she was more excited about getting to wear make-up, to be totally honest. She got to get dressed with her best buddy, too! She loved being on stage! I was super proud of her. She knew her dances really well. Her preschool class kept the audience totally entertained. She was also anxious to get her surprises! We promised her a surprise if she did well. She got Tinker Bell earrings from us, flowers from Nana & Grandaddy, & more earrings from Mim & Pop!

Field Trip to the CHOM!

2010-05-28T07:01:00.003-05:00

I took off and went with Brant's Kindergarten class to the Children's Hands-on Museum. The kids had so much fun! They loved everything, especially dressing up in Grandma's Attic. Afterwards, we had a picnic by the river. It was worth taking a day off!

Brylee's Art Show & Trike-a-Thon

2010-05-27T18:10:00.005-05:00

Brylee's preschool always has an annual art show. Parents are invited to view their child's art work. They also have Jumpers for the kids. Thankfully, I was able to go to her art show for a little while. I got to look at her work for a little while, but then she was on a mission to get the Jumpers. Brylee also participated in the St. Jude's Trike-a-thon at her preschool. She even made it on the WCBI news. I didn't get to go to that one, but thankfully, my sweet hubby did. Brant did it every year in preschool. I am so glad that Brylee can participate in this worthy cause!

Egg Huntin' & Easter Fun

2010-04-06T21:12:00.009-05:00

We had a great Easter weekend. We headed to Meridian to visit Mim & Pop. We had a lot of fun just hangin out and playing. On Saturday, we went to my brother's family's annual egg hunt and cookout. The kids had so much fun - Brant & Brylee found tons of candy and some money. Brant even found the Grand Prize egg, which meant he won a plastic golf set. They LOVED being at Uncle Eric's egg hunt and really loved playing by the pond. Brant even found a crawfish and put it on my shirt. I immediatly told him to get it off of me! I would love some crawfish to eat, but not to wear on my clothes!

After all the fun, we headed home to prepare for the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny left lots of good candy. Brant scored some more silly bandz, including the ones he has been begging for - the mystical ones. He also got Alvin & the Chipmunks - The Squeakwel. Brylee got the Princess & the Frog DVD, flip flops, & a Cinderella doll. We then got ready to go to church. After church, we headed for Bryan's parents. We ate lunch with all of Bryan's family. After lunch, Bryan hid eggs but unfortunately, Brant & Brylee have been egg hunting for at least 2 weeks - gearing up for the big weekend. Well, I guess we did it too much because, Brylee didn't even particpate in the hunt. Brant hunting all by himself. After all the fun was over, we got ready to go to "Living Pictures" which was awesome as usual. Brylee even watched this year. It really makes you put Easter in perspective. I am so thankful we had a God and Savior that sacrificed his life for us, even though we did not deserve it!

Brant's Spring Break and Surgery

2010-03-18T13:56:00.005-05:00

Brant was scheduled to have his tonsils removed during Spring Break. The Tuesday before his surgery, we planned a fun day. His dad took him to the skating ramps at Propst Park to ride his scooter and to practice baseball. We then took him to the store to pick out favorite after surgery foods. He chose his favorite restaurant to eat lunch - Mi Toros! Then, we went to see Alice in Wonderland. Later that evening, both Brant and Bryan headed to a Wild Game Supper at church. Wednesday was his scheduled surgery. We had to be at the hospital at 6 am (UGH!) Brant was a little nervous, but did awesome. He was the second scheduled surgery. His surgery started about 8:15 and was over around 8:40. He was back in the room a little before 9. After his surgery, he was upset. He kept saying he wanted his tonsils back! He calmed down and then ate around 4 or 5 popsicles and later on, 3 cups of vanilla ice cream. We were able to leave the hospital around 12:30 and were home by 12:45. The nurse let him ride in the wheel chair downstairs - he totally enjoyed that. I am so proud of him throughout this whole process. He did so great!

Earrings!

2010-03-18T13:51:00.003-05:00

About a week after Brylee's birthday party, we finally decided to get Brylee's ears pierced. She had been begging to get it done. We took her to the Accessory Corner, where they will do both ears at once. She did awesome,only a few tears afterward! She was so proud of them! She wanted to just sit in front of the mirror, just looking at her newly pierced ears!

Brylee's 3rd Birthday!

2010-03-18T12:29:00.010-05:00

(WARNING - Long Post & Lots of Pictures!)

We had Brylee a birthday party with one of her best buds, Ty, at school the Friday before her birthday. Bryan and I took off for Brylee's party at school and even checked Brant out to celebrate, too! We celebrated with a chocolate chip cookie cake and mouse ears! Brylee was really not in the mood to celebrate. She had just woken up from her nap and was ready to leave. She eventually warmed up and started enjoying herself a little. Bryan served as entertainment for the class! I know her teachers were glad for us to leave so the kids would calm down! After we left, we went to Lee Park and played since it was actually a nice day. We then got to pick up her birthday cake from Mrs. Kathy - Hello Kitty! Brylee was having her 3rd birthday party at Jump'n G's! She was so excited about her special day! We woke up early to get ready for our 9:00 party. She had such a great time! She enjoyed every minute. She absolutely LOVED sitting on the pool table while she opened her presents! We then went to eat with our family at Mi Toro's. After our lunch, she went to open more presents from us at our house. She got some dress up costumes and a Hello Kitty bicycle with a baby doll bicycle seat on the back! She was so excited! She had to immediately try it out!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T21:50:00.002-06:00

Brant had another family project due by his Valentine's Day party. He had to decorate a Valentine mailbox. I thought and thought of what would be a good box for a boy. After thinking and searching for ideas, we decided to make one of his favorite cartoon characters - Sponge Bob. I must say, it turned out super cute! Hope everyone had a super Valentine's Day!

Say Cheese!

2010-02-14T21:40:00.004-06:00

Brant, after weeks of having a loose tooth, finally lost his tooth Jan. 30th. He was so excited. After losing that tooth, his one next to it became loose. Today, Valentine's Day, he lost his second tooth. Tomorrow, to celebrate, Brant & I are planning to go see "The Tooth Fairy". I really don't know what the Tooth Fairy will leave for him - the first time it was a $2 dollar bill and a $1 gold coin! Brylee had dance pictures last week. She looked so cute in her dance costumes. She and her friend got ready together. We played beauty shop with their hair. They TOTALLy enjoyed all the pampering!

Snow Day

2010-02-14T21:34:00.002-06:00

We got out of school one Thursday for a snow day - well, I guess you could call it that. It really only snowed a little while. After bundling up, running outside, then heading to a friend's house, the snow had then turned to sleet and rain. Oh well, we got an extra day out and the kids had fun!

100th Day of School

2010-02-13T21:58:00.004-06:00

Brant's class celebrated the 100th day of school on January 15th. The at home project was to decorate a t-shirt that had 100 things on it. We decided to make a shirt with 100 bulldog paw prints. I used iron-on transfers to put all the paw prints on the shirt. We even added the words - "Who Let the Dawgs Out?". The entire kindergarten celebrated the 100th day by having a parade. Brant looked so cute with his shirt!

Shaving Lessons

2010-02-13T21:47:00.003-06:00

Bryan decided it would be a good idea to teach Brant to shave. Instead of a razor, Brant used a spoon. Brylee decided to get into the action. She even felt it was necessary to take her top off. They had a blast "shaving"!

Contest

2010-01-02T09:06:00.006-06:00

Katie McCrary Photography is giving away a free photo session, free sitting fee, and a picture package. Enter by going to her website Katie McCrary Photography

Christmas Morning

2010-01-01T09:00:00.004-06:00

Brant woke us all up before 7 am Christmas morning. They both jumped out of bed to see what Santa had left. Brant got his DSi & games, Bakugaan stuff, Gormittis, and tons more. Brylee got a changing table, (which is all she had asked for) Bitty Baby & her baby bed & high chair. She also got a Barbie CD player with microphone. They both had so much fun opening gifts. They tore threw the presents so fast. They were ready to open more. Bryan's parent came for breakfast and to see what the kids got. We then ate lunch at Bryan's parent's house. Later that day we headed to Meridian for another round, but I left my camera! I will have to post more pictures later - I used my brother's camera which is still in Meridian!

Christmas Eve

2010-01-01T08:51:00.003-06:00

We spent Christmas Eve with Bryan's family at his brother Scott's new house. The kids were so anxious to open gifts. They both got some great gifts. Brylee was so funny - she got a Disney princess hair styling set with a hairdryer, staightner, curling iron, etc. She had to fix everyone's hair. She also got a Cinderella dress with shoes. That she had to put on! We enjoyed lots of good food and had a great time. After all the fun, we had to hurry home to get ready for Santa. We had to put out the cookies & milk and the reindeer food. Brylee immediately began crying and shaking. She would not put out the food for Santa or his reindeer. She wanted to lock all the doors. She even wanted our bedroom door locked. She double checked that Bryan locked everything. Bless her heart!

Dance Preview

2009-12-29T22:28:00.003-06:00

I finally got to see what I had been paying for the last few months. Parents were invited to see their child dance. Brylee would never show me what she learned, so of course, it makes you wonder what your child is learning. I was so proud of her! She actually did the moves she was supposed to do! I was afraid she would not perform, especially since there were so many people there. She was so excited after her performance that she did her dance, too! She did so well!

Christmas Open House

2009-12-29T22:17:00.003-06:00

Brylee's preschool had their annual Christmas Open House where parents and grandparents were invited to see their children sing and receive the gift that their child made for them. She was not into the party; she kept telling us she was ready to leave. When it was time for them to sing, Brylee did not open her mouth. She just stood their and cried for me to hold her. When it was time to eat at their party, she would not eat until after everyone finished. She kept wanting to leave with us. Thankfully, Bryan & I were both off that day, so we took Brylee after the party ended. We spent the rest of the day with her! We ate Chinese and ran errands for Brant's party.

Happy 6th Birthday, Brant!

2009-12-29T21:46:00.006-06:00

Brant celebrated his 6th birthday December 10th. He was so excited that his name was going to be announced on the intercom at school. Later that day, Bryan took ice cream cups & juice boxes to Brant's school for the class. Bryan also brought our mischievious elves - Ralphie & Christopher. Santa gave Brant & Brylee special permission to touch then & hold them on Brant's birthday. Brant was super excited to get to hold Ralphie & Christopher. He loved showing them off in his classroom. After all the fun, he got to check out early! After I got home from school, Brant opened gifts from us - a ton of Heman (yes, the Heman most of us remember from our childhood - Bryan got him into them - thank goodness for Ebay). He also got the new Toy Story Mania Wii game. For dinner, he chose to eat at Pepper's; so his parents & Uncle Chip & Aunt Ginger met us to celebrate.

Brant & his buddy Chance celebrated their birthday together two days later by having a big party at Gametime Sports. It was so fun - a jumper slide, tumbling mats & equipment, football, & much more. Brant's preschool teacher from last year made the delicious cake. It was so cute, and so yummy. The funniest thing happened, when we were just about to cut the cake in the party room, the lights went off and did not come back on. Thankfully, the lights where on where all the fun was! The kids didn't mind it, though. They ate their cake quickly and headed back to play!

After the party, we went to Brant's favorite restaurant - Mi Toros. He wanted to wear the big sombrero and eat fried ice cream for dessert!

Thankgiving & The Polar Express

2009-12-06T20:55:00.008-06:00

We had a great Thanksgiving break. Bryan was off the whole week with us. We took Brant to see The Christmas Carol, decorated for Christmas, and just enjoyed spending time together. We ate lunch on Thanksgiving with Bryan's parents and then headed to Meridian for my family's Thanksgiving. We had a great time - I did a little shopping on Black Friday and took the kids to play at a park.

The Polar Express Saturday, we headed to Birmingham for the Polar Express train ride. Brylee did NOT like Santa. She immediately started crying when we boarded the train. Thankfully, she calmed down. She would not talk to Santa. When we arrived at the North Pole, Santa came to visit each child on the train, but not Brylee - she would not even look at him. Mrs. Claus tried to talk with her, but Brylee was not happy about that either. After Santa passed by, she was so happy. She enjoyed the rest of the ride back. We then headed home and the next morning, Ralphie, our elf had returned and brought Brylee one - Christopher! We look forward to spending the season with our elves!!

Trunk or Treat & Trick or Treat

2009-11-03T18:39:00.005-06:00

We went to Brylee's preschool church's Trunk or Treat with our friends, Shannon & Jay Vickers! Brant & Brylee were Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. They were so cute! They had so much fun playing all the different games, except Tinker Bell was a little scared. She did eventually play some games. They both loved getting faces painted and the bounce house. On Halloween, we went on a hayride with our friends around our neighborhood. We ate our favorite pizza - Little Caesar's Pizza! We then loaded up on a trailor for the hayride. The kids had lots of fun and loaded up on candy. After our trip around the neighborhood, we watched the end of the MSU game - GO DAWGS!!

Running, Kicking, Pumpkins, & Star Student!

2009-10-27T19:14:00.010-05:00

Brant is now playing soccer. He has had just a few games, due to the RAINY weather. He really loves playing and actually does really well. Bryan is helping coach. Brant is playing with most of the same boys that he played with last year. We went one COLD afternoon to the Pumpkin Patch. We didn't get to stay long because Brant was invited to a birthday party. The short amount of time we were there was definitely well spent! Brant's favorite activity was the maze and the cotton. Brylee just liked being pulled in the wagon. The kids had a great time! Brant is having such a great kindergarten year, and to top it off, Brant was chosen as his class's 1st 9 weeks Star Student. This is a BIG deal at New Hope Elementary. Star Students get to eat a special lunch on stage in the cafeteria and the principals announce their names and give out certificates. They also receive treat bags full of goodies. Bryan, his parents, and I all got to attend and take pictures. My parents & Bryan's parents sent Brant balloons with a Wal-Mart gift card & candy attached to celebrate. He, of course, had to spend it that day. He used the money to buy Bakugan - his new obsession. If you had asked me last year if I thought Brant would ever be Star Student, I would have laughed out loud! He has had such a great year - he is doing SUPER, helping others, and keeping green lights! We are so proud of him!

Our Wild Weekend!

2009-10-04T16:00:00.004-05:00

Poor Brant came down with strep throat Wednesday night. He went to the doctor Thursday and had to miss his field day. Friday night, he was well enough to go see the NH Homecoming game. Sadly, the Trojans lost their first game this season. We had fun anyway. Saturday, we decided since it was going to be a beautiful day, to take a trip to the Birmingham Zoo. We usually like to go this time of year because of the weather and the fall decorations. They had already started decorating for Halloween. The kids loved taking pictures by their decorations. We really enjoyed the weather! It was so fun - we even had a picnic outside the zoo. We spent most of the day there, shopped a little at our favorite stores - Target, Academy Sports, and Sam's (we can never make a trip anywhere that has a Sam's without stopping by) and then headed to eat and Jim & Nick's! We all had so much fun! Today, since it was another rainy day, my sweet hubby is taking Brant to see Toy Story 1 & 2. He has always loved Toy Story since he was little. We still have his Buzz, Woody, & Jesse dolls! Brylee & I are going to take advantage of some R & R today!

Dance!

2009-09-18T16:41:00.002-05:00

We enrolled Brylee in dance. She was so excited until we got there. She started crying - I hated to leave her. I waited outside her class and didn't hear anymore crying - Good Sign! After dance was over, she came out so happy with her buddy, Leila Kane, chewing gum. Week 2 rolls around, she doesn't want to go to dance at all. I make her go and again,she comes out smiling. This week, she was actually excited to go. I was thrilled! Brylee even was one of the very few (4 out of 16 to be exact) that got a sucker because she followed directions! I was SO PROUD!! I think she has decided she likes dance now - I hope!!

We have a Kindergartener!

2009-08-11T20:06:00.004-05:00

Last night, we celebrated Brant starting school with back to school cookies, courtesy of the Cookie Mama! She made Brant & Brylee's teachers some cookies for the next day. At bedtime, we read The Night Before Kindergarten. My sweet friend, Erika, gave Brant this book! Thanks, Erika! It was a great book - both kids loved it!

The day had finally arrived, today was Brant's first day of kindergarten! He was so ready to get to school. When we got there, we took pictures and headed toward his class. He went right into Mrs. Robertson's class and starting playing with blocks.

I was super proud - I did not shed a tear. I was not sad because he was so excited and happy to be there. (Part of the real reason I didn't cry was that I had to get back to my class and I did not have time to think about it!) He had a SUPER day. He took a nap - which is very surprising, and he loved going to P.E. He was excited to have a green light. He can't wait to go tomorrow!

Last Trips of the Summer

2009-08-08T17:02:00.008-05:00

Sorry, again I am posting late. The week before school started, we went to Geyser Falls. We had so much fun! Brant again LOVED the Creaky Leaky Water Factory. Brylee did not want to get on the water slides at the Water Factory. Brylee finally went down the slides at the Lil' Squirts Hollow. After she went down a couple of times with my help, she went down by herself about a hundred times. As soon as she got off, she would run right back up to slide again. We all loved floating on the lazy river. We stayed until they closed. We were all worn out, but it was worth it!

Thursday, I met my mom in Macon. The kids were going to spend a couple of days before school started back. They had so much fun. Sorry, no pictures of this. They went and fed ducks, rode the Dentzel Carousel, etc. While they were there, Bryan and I enjoyed a night out at the movies. The next day, when Bryan got off work, we headed to Meridian to spend the weekend. When we got there, Brylee immediately started saying that she did not want to go home. My parents really LOVED hearing that. The next day, we spent the day with family and painting. Bryan and I had bought Brant a desk for his room. We thought he needed a desk since he was starting school. Brylee, of course, wanted one, too. I wanted to paint them. My talented sister stepped in to paint. I helped too, but I only painted what she outlined for me to paint. She actually drew Bully and the M State. I am so proud. They turned out awesome after almost 2 straight days of painting. We were worn out from painting but the outcome was worth it!

Fun at Lake Tiak O'khata

2009-07-20T18:25:00.002-05:00

We went to Lake Tiak O'khata Saturday for a fun, quick getaway. I had never been to their lake. It was so neat - a beach with waters slides and diving boards. My kids had the best time. Our friends, the Lumsdens, went with us. We were all extremely worn out when we left!

At the Carwash!

2009-07-14T13:10:00.003-05:00

Saturday, my sweet husband washed and waxed my car. The kids played outside, and then Brylee decided to wash her car, too! Too cute!

Summer Fun!

2009-07-14T07:28:00.011-05:00

We are having so much fun this summer! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We went to Meridian on the Fourth to visit my family.
We went to the Spray Grounds with some friends.
We also went to the Children's Hands-on Museum with Erika and her children. We had so much fun!
I am sad to see the summer pass by so quickly!

We're Back!

2009-06-23T13:50:00.006-05:00

We had so much fun at Disney World! The kids absolutely LOVED it! They were the best dressed kids at Disney thanks to Jennifer! My sister came with us to help with the kids. She was such a big help! This was my first trip, so I was just as excited as the kids. I am going to try to sum it up through their "eyes" All About Brant's Trip: Brant loved meeting people, except girls. The first 2 days, he wouldn't let any girl character sign his book, but Cinderella's evil step-sister Anastasia signed his book without him knowing. When he found out, he put an "X" on that page. A couple of days later, he decided that Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and Alice could sign. The last day we were there, we had to wait 90 minutes to meet the fairies - Tinker Bell and her friends. He let them sign his book, but he would not go take a picture. Tinker Bell kept playing around with him and teasing him. I guess, he had to be in the right mood to meet female characters?? He absolutely LOVED riding Splash Mountain. I lost track of how many times he rode it. At Hollywood Studios, he was chosen to train to be a Star Wars Jedi and even got to fight Darth Vader! He also got to ask a question to Crush the turtle during "Turtle Talk" and was chosen to play a game show at Epcot! The first two days, Brant showed no fear on rides. The day he rode Expedition Everest with the yeti, scared him, so then he was VERY RELUCTANT to ride any "scary ride". All About Brylee's Trip: Brylee was such a good sport. She couldn't ride every ride we did, but she rode her share. She loved Cinderella's Golden Carousel and the Tea Cups. She also loved the "babies" in It's a Small World ride. She enjoyed meeting the characters - especially the princesses and the fairies. She loved getting wet in the different spray play areas. Brylee also loved eating all the food -especially desserts and ice cream! Brylee participated in most of the block parties. She would get out there and dance with the characters! She also really loved the parades and fireworks. She enjoyed riding the shuttle buses to the parks every day. She really did well in Disney with all the busy action packed days and the late night!

Disney World Countdown!

2009-06-05T06:21:00.004-05:00

We will be leaving next Friday and heading to Disney World. We are all so excited! My sister is going with us to help with the kids. Brant is ready to ride all the rides, and Brylee wants to meet the princesses. We have everything just about ready! Thanks to Jenifer, my kids will be dressed to meet Mickey! We will be in Disney for 7 days! I hope we have the best time!!

Swimming Lessons

2009-05-28T15:38:00.003-05:00

It is time for swimming lessons again. This is Brant's 4th year taking swimming lessons from Mrs. Pam. He can swim but needs to learn different strokes/techniques. He works really hard in class so he can jump off the diving board after his lessons. He did that both yesterday and today. Brylee, on the other hand, is taking lessons for the first time. She is in the same class with her buddy, Ty. I was worried that she would be scared of the water, but that was not the case. She did great! Both of the kids are doing well. I remember at my swimming lessons when I was little, I was petrified to jump off the diving board without floaties. I am so glad that Brant is not that way! I don't think Brylee will be that way either!

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-28T15:23:00.002-05:00

We had a great time Memorial Day Weekend. On Friday night, Brant went to his first sleepover/campout. Bryan helped chaperone so Brylee & I enjoyed some girl time. Brylee and I shopped for flipflops (and let me tell you, it is hard trying to find flipflops to fit a 2 year old!). My parents came into town Sunday to visit. We ate tons of great food, thanks to my husband and his grill. Monday, we ate with Bryan's brother and fiance' down at the river. After we left there, the kids just enjoyed playing outside. They rode bicycles, played in the sprinklers, played with chalk, rode their power wheel toys. I also spent a lot of time this weekend watching the Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon. Bryan said one morning that he felt he woke up in a nightmare. He went to bed watching the show and woke up to the show. I just seem to be so preoccupied with this family right now. I was counting down until the season 5 premiere. I really hope the work out their differences, but it is not looking good.

End of the Year Picnic

2009-05-28T15:11:00.002-05:00

Brant's class had an end of the year picnic at Lee Park. I couldn't take off because it was the end of school and there was so much going on. Thankfully, Bryan got to go to Brant's picnic. Brylee had her picnic at the preschool. Mrs. Dee, my mother-in-law, went to hers. (No pictures yet, she took them on her camera. That will be a later post) Brant had so much fun! He enjoyed just playing at the park with his friends and eating his favorite lunch - Lunchables Pizza!

Goodbye Preschool, Hello Kindergarten!

2009-05-14T23:47:00.005-05:00

Tuesday night was Brant's graduation. It was somewhat bittersweet - great that there will be no more daycare costs for him, but sad because he is getting older. It seems like yesterday, I was writing his feeding schedule for his teacher when he was a baby. The ceremony was so nice. Each 3 & 4 year old class sang different songs. Then they played a slide show of each of the graduates, with pictures from throughout the year. That is where I lost it. The video was so wonderful. After a couple of more songs, the graduates were presented their diplomas. My parents, sister, and Bryan's parents were able to attend. After the ceremony, there were snacks and refreshments. Of course, I took lots of pictures!

Ultimate Makeover

2009-05-14T23:40:00.002-05:00

Monday night, I was cooking dinner when Brylee runs into the kitchen saying, "Look, Mama". I looked down, not knowing what to expect. She had powdered smeared into her dress. I immediately looked at her face and noticed black smeared under and around her eyes. She had decided that she needed to put on makeup - my makeup! I ran to capture this moment with my camera. I need to tell her though, she is not allowed to wear makeup until she gets older!

Mother's Day Tea

2009-05-14T23:31:00.002-05:00

I was able to go last Friday to Brant's Mother's Day Tea. The little boys escorted the little girls in the class to their seats before they sat down. I was given a corsage cut in the shape of their hands. After enjoying cookies, punch,and fruit, we were presented with a gift - a plate with their picture in the middle. Mother Goose even taught us a little etiquette. I enjoyed spending some quality time with Brant.

Festivals & Fishin'

2009-05-14T23:14:00.005-05:00

We took Brant & Brylee to the Market Street Festival. The kids had lots of fun. I enjoyed the different booths and seeing lots of friends! Later that day, we went to the Caldwells for a time of fishing, food, & fun!! (For some reason, I only took pictures of Brant at the Market Street Festival and only Brylee at the Caldwells. Oops!)

Trike-a-Thon

2009-05-14T23:02:00.003-05:00

Brant's preschool participated in the St. Jude Trike-a-thon. Kids raise money and ride their bikes/tricycles for this worthy cause. Bryan was able to go and capture some pictures of Brant. He had to take a lot of breaks because his back was hurting or so he said. (His teacher said he was sounding like an old lady.)But amazingly, he made it on WCBI 5:00/10:00 news. Thankfully, Brant's grandparents called us, and we were able to tape the 10:00 news. There was Brant, looking right at the camera and riding! He tells me he wants to be on TV someday. He is now one step in that direction!

The Bells

2009-05-14T22:56:00.002-05:00

Brant's sunday school teacher decided to teach his 4 year class to play handbells. They actually did so well that the church music minister decided that they could play on Wednesday night during Praise & Adoration. I was so proud. He did so great! They had to play their bells by color, which meant that they had to pay really close attention. Brylee kept saying, "Brant play the bells". She was proud of her brother!!

Art Show

2009-04-19T21:45:00.005-05:00

Brant & Brylee's school had their art show. This was really neat. Their walls were covered with murals and the children's art work. Each class had a different scene. Brant's was the jungle and Brylee's class did the farm. After viewing the artwork, there were jumpers and snacks for the kids. It was neat. I was able to take 1/2 a day so I could attend. Bryan got to come, too!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-19T21:32:00.002-05:00

Brant & Brylee awoke to lots of surprises in their baskets. We had Krispy Kreme donuts for breakfast- yummy! Then, we went to church. Brant got to tour the Living Pictures set. I know he enjoyed it, after seeing the presentation the night before. After church, Nana came and ate lunch - ham & the fixings. It was delicious. After Brylee's nap, we went to my future sister-in-law's house for a cookout. They had an Easter egg hunt for the kids. I liked their eggs - they were filled with money! The food & company were great. After we went home, we ended the night by watching one of the new movies - Pinocchio. We had a great Easter weekend!

A Hunting We Will Go

2009-04-19T21:23:00.002-05:00

Brant & Brylee both had egg hunts at school. I am sad to say, I have no pictures, though. But on Saturday, we went to the Lake Lowndes Egg Hunt. At least I got some pictures there. They had lots of fun and both got lots of eggs, surprisingly. Brylee's division went first. It was a little slower pace than Brant's. Brylee would not see Mother Goose and the Easter Bunny. She would panic when we would get near. Brant was the only one that saw the Easter Bunny in the mall and at the Lake Lowndes Egg Hunt.

Good Friday!

2009-04-19T21:06:00.002-05:00

On Good Friday, Bryan took off. We were going to go the zoo in Birmingham, but the weather was supposed to be bad. Instead, we went to the Children's Hands On Museum in Tuscaloosa. The kids really enjoyed it. Brylee LOVED the babies at the hospital exhibit. She kept wanting to go back. She also liked checking on Curious George, the patient. Brant loved playing doctor. I even took Brylee to a music class they have every Friday, apparently. She did not participate, but enjoyed the singing. After the museum, we or maybe I, enjoyed a little shopping. We didn't get back until late. We were all worn out!

So Behind!

2009-04-19T21:01:00.003-05:00

I am so behind. I have a lot to catch up on. At the end of spring break, we went to my parents' in Meridian. We had fun just hanging out playing outside & with Aunt Layla's Wii Fit.

Hello, Spring!

2009-03-20T14:45:00.006-05:00

We have thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful weather. I am sad that my spring break is coming to an end. We have been to a couple of playdates at different parks. We met Erika, Isabella, Landry, Tori, Bo, Brayden, Celeste, and Rowe to play last night at the Columbus Lock & Dam park. The kids had fun playing even though it turned a little cooler. Today, we met Terry, Aubree, & Ty at Lee Park and had a picnic. Now, the kids and I are resting until we head to Meridian to see my parents. I guess the only good thing about going back to school is the countdown to summer.

Not "Snow" Much Fun

2009-03-02T18:57:00.005-06:00

Snow is supposed to be fun, right? Well, my first mistake was waking my kids up. I woke them up around 7:30. We all bundled up to go outside. Brant liked it some, but complained that it was too cold. Brylee didn't want her shoes to get wet. Finally, I brought them both back inside. Later, we attempted again. Brylee fell in some water and was NOT happy. Brant fell and claimed Bryan pushed him. He was extremely upset. Back in they came, for good this time. We did make Snow Ice Cream for snack. I guess that was the best thing about this snow day!

More Invitations

2009-02-28T07:24:00.002-06:00

I made some more invitations. I think they turned out cute. I love doing invitations!

Brylee is 2!

2009-02-22T16:01:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, we had Brylee's birthday party. She woke up to find her birthday present - a new pink kitchen. She loved it! She has cooked us lots of macaroni and served lots of coffee. We then went to breakfast at McDonald's so they could play. Usually, they have the playground to theirselves. My family came in from Meridian. We had lunch and Brylee took a long nap. After her nap, it was party time. The rain held off, thankfully, so they were able to play outside for a little while. The cake was delicious thanks to Beth West. She got lots of good gifts - babies, play food & pots, dress up clothes, clothes, and my sister gave her the most beautiful bow holder that she made! She is so talented. Brylee had a great party; we were all worn out afterwards, too!

Cookie Mama Giveaway

2009-02-22T15:48:00.003-06:00

The Cookie Mama is having a giveaway - You can win a dozen of her delicious and cute cookies. Go to her blog and leave a comment. She made these for Ty & Brylee's birthday!

Birthday Fun

2009-02-19T21:05:00.009-06:00

Brylee's birthday is Saturday. Tomorrow, I am having her a school party. She is actually sharing her party with Ty. They are two days apart. They have been together since birth pretty much. They are having an Elmo party. The Cookie Mama made their cookies - they are precious. I will post pictures after the party.

On Saturday, she is having a circus party for her actual birthday party. Ty is going to keep with the Elmo theme for his party. I made the invitations for her and for Ty's birthday party.

Glue & Stitches

2009-02-13T19:50:00.004-06:00

Last night, Brant cut his head running by the couch. His head immediately began bleeding. It was bad - I was just about to walk out the door to go to Bunko. Thankfully, we called Scott, Bryan's brother, who is a nurse. He, at first, thought it needed stitches. I was dreading "spending the night" in the emergency room. He then later decided that he would be able to glue it. It sealed well, thankfully. Brant wasn't happy about it. Bryan and I had to hold him down while Scott glued it. I know the neighbors probably heard him screaming. After it was done, he was fine and ready to go to Nick.Com to play games. Then today, Bryan got a phone call early this morning. Brylee had fallen and busted her lip at daycare. It was bad. She had bit through her bottom lip. Her gums were bleeding. It was awful! Bryan took her to the doctor; they told him that her tooth was a little loose and to go to the emergency room because it probably needed stitches. I left school as soon as I could to meet them. The doctor finally arrived and he determined it did need stitches. It was awful. She kept saying, "Daddy, hold me". I was trying not to cry. Bryan was helping the doctor and nurse hold her. After the stitches, she was ready to go home. The doctor says it should heal without a scar. Her stitches will come out in 5 days. I just pray her tooth will not fall out. She has to eat soft foods, nothing to hard to bite or chew. It has been A LONG DAY!

Happy Birthday, Pop!

2009-02-07T12:51:00.004-06:00

We went to Meridian for my dad's birthday. We had a great time. While we were there, Aunt Layla let Brant and Brylee play her Dr. Seuss game. It was hilarious. You actually had to wear a Horton elephant mask and pick up "Who's" with a trunk. Brylee enjoyed modeling it. Brant also got to play the Wii - another one of Aunt Layla's toys. It was funny watching them play. Brant has already decided that he needs a Wii!

Potty-Training Success!

2009-01-14T22:57:00.002-06:00

I decided I would potty-train Brylee the last week of Christmas vacation. One of my friends had bought this e-book, Three-Day Potty Training, and potty-trained her little girl in actually 7 days and she was a month younger than Brylee. Brylee is 22 months old and the book says that is the perfect age. I decided to do it. The first day was AWFUL! Everytime I turned around I was cleaning up pee, ask Erika. Erika, Landry, & Isabella came over the first night of our mission. The next day was actually better. She actually pottied a couple of times. I was so proud; she even went at someone else's house. By the third day, she hardly had any accidents. Since then, she only really has accidents at night or every once in a while at naptime. She was even dry when she went to church nursery and preschool the first time! I was really nervous about that. Her teacher even asked me for the "secret" so she could get the rest of Brylee's class potty trained. I am so proud of her and I am really excited to say - NO MORE DIAPERS!!

New Years Day

2009-01-10T14:18:00.003-06:00

We went to visit with Bryan's family on New Year's Day. His cousin and her husband, Melanie & Myron, were in town from California. She actually plays extras on TV shows and movies and he is a movie producer- pretty neat, huh? Anyway, we had a great time visiting with all of Bryan's family. Brant loves playing with Arie, Morgan, and Frazier. We ate fish and had tons of fun just catching up. Brylee kept calling Bryan's Aunt Faye's dog a lion. She was not to happy with the dog because it kept barking at her.