Me and My Shadow

Today we had a day at home and Georgia (my shadow) helped me clean. Ivy Jane helped some, played some, snacked, watched Sesame Street, etc. She was happy as long as she could see Georgia & me, which made cleaning a little easier. Georgia wanted a rag and followed me all over the house dusting what I dusted, moving what I moved...I wish I had a video of it. I kept bragging on her saying what a big girl she was being such a good helper & she would just smile and keep working! Such a little sweet pea. She even got out her vacuum cleaner when I was using mine. Tonight after supper we went outside and I started pulling weeds in the flower beds. Where was Georgia? Right beside me pulling weeds...SO funny & so sweet!

It got dark on us before we could finish so Shelby took the girls in to get a bath while I got myself cleaned up. After a snack & watching a little Monday Night Football (Georgia's request), we brushed teeth & got in the glider. The last few days at nap time & nights at bed time, Georgia has wanted to rock Ivy with me. She'll sit beside me while I'm reading and then wants to stand behind me (in the chair!) while I sing a few songs.

Shelby came in with the camera tonight because it was just too funny! Please excuse the way I look...cleaning, cooking, yard work, and chasing two little girls all day makes for one tired Momma! (Ivy is CLEARLY not amused by any of it and just wanted to GET IN BED!)

I love her arms around me...
Being silly...
I told Shelby the other day that I'm enjoying EVERY last second of this time with our girls. Before I know it "Momma hold you" will not be in Georgia's vocabulary & I will be BEGGING her to sit in the chair with me. They grow up so fast & I'm just trying to soak it all in...

Chocolate Pudding

I've been doing really good (if I do say so myself) in the meal planning & cooking department lately but today I cleaned the house and ran out of time to make a dessert. So, at the last minute I pulled out a box of chocolate instant pudding from the pantry, mixed in some milk, & 2 minutes later it was ready! Who would have thought my "gourmet dessert" would make my girls this happy?!

Georgia said, "One more picture!"
Ivy Jane is becoming such a big girl...eating with a spoon & doing so well! She LOVED the pudding, as well!
She had it everywhere in NO TIME!
Georgia, Shelby & I finished eating and while they went outside I started cleaning up the kitchen. Ivy Jane continued to eat her pudding. She started saying, "Mmmmm!" At this point she decided she could use the spoon AND her hand to get more in her mouth!
I love these little chocolate pudding faces!

Family Fun

Georgia & Ivy Jane are like their Momma when it comes to loving family time. This past week my sister Angie & her boys Gabe & Will came to visit. The girls and I spent Thursday night with Mom & Dad so that we could enjoy time with all of them. Thursday night (before bed), Paw Paw got Georgia, Gabe & Will on the kitchen island and they all ate cookies & milk. Will enjoyed it so much that he couldn't put his milk down for the picture! (Georgia even had on her cookie pj's)

Georgia & Will became buds quickly. They colored together...
And read and read and read together...
Ivy Jane enjoyed coloring, sitting on MY stool from my childhood that reads "Stand up to be tall. Sit down to be small." Didn't everyone have one of those growing up? I love that my mom still has mine...
We enjoyed playing dress up in Mary Katherine & Caroline's room...
Look at Miss Hollywood!
Will, Ivy Jane & Caroline. They love each other so much!
Ivy Jane & Smokey (or Fokey, as GC calls him) became best buddies. She thought he was hilarious.
They even shared ice out of Paw Paw's cup!
Angie planned an art project with the cousins...fall trees with handprints! Georgia really got into it...
And then they got to ice & sprinkle their own cupcake to celebrate Will's (belated) birthday. Look at that face of concentration!
Grandma & Paw Paw gave Will a marble tower. The girls loved it, too!
It's hard to believe our Will is SIX! I love his new glasses...and look at his decorated cupcake! I especially like the candle placement!
After celebrating Will's birthday we got the girls bathed and got in the car to head to Mimi & Granby's house. All of the fun of the day caught up with the girls and they were asleep about 30 minutes into our trip. When we arrived, Heather, Julian, Granby & Mimi were all there to play! Georgia loves Julian (aka Joos) and was reading books with him in no time!

Aunt Heather (aka Hedder) always gets good snuggles and play time with Georgia!

When we were leaving Mom & Dad's house our nephew Luke said, "Are y'all going to the movie theater house?" :) The girls enjoyed a Sesame Street video or two in their little chairs from Ikea. Ivy Jane was mesmerized by the HUGE characters on the big screen...

Georgia's little pallet in our room. She was woken up early from her nap by her loud-mouthed sister!

And I have to give a "shout out" to Mimi! Shelby & his dad went to a post card show in Plano on Saturday morning. At about 11:00 I left the girls with Mimi & had a few hours to myself. She played with them, fed them lunch, and got them down for a nap! Yippee! Thank you, Mimi! I KNOW the girls loved every minute of it, and SO DID I!

Poor Mimi sat at their table and colored and colored and colored...
We had a great time seeing everyone, but all of us were glad to be in our own beds Sunday night! The girls did GREAT going home, too. Ivy Jane slept most of the way and then was just content as could be with her blanket. milk, snacks & a few toys...
Poor Georgia slept all but the last hour. That sweet baby girl was worn slap out!

Georgia's Words

I don't want to forget any of the things Georgia Claire has said to me, especially in the last couple of days. Last night I let the girls take a bath in our big jetted tub. When I asked them if they wanted to take a bath in Momma's big bathtub, Georgia replied, "Yes! Take bath big momma tub!" I didn't like the way "big momma" sounded, so I said, "Momma's big bathtub!" and she said, "Yes! Big momma tub!" I hope I'm never referred to as "Big Momma", but I guess there are worse things to be called!

Tonight I enjoyed snuggling with her reading books before bed (it's rare when she wants to read with me--usually "Daddy read!" is what we hear!). She always wants us to lie on the floor right beside her bed with her big floor pillows under our head while she lies on her bed. Tonight, however, she wanted to lie on top of me! After reading several books, including a few verses from her Bible (and after my rear end went numb) she climbed into bed & we started singing. After song time I asked her if she wanted to pray tonight instead of Momma praying and she whispered, "Yes". So, I helped her get started and this is what she said, "Thank you God Momma and Miss Amy and Miss Jessica (MDO teachers) and my nose??? and Ibee and Daddy!" I finished up the prayer & she was ready to say good night. I have to admit that I left her room with tears in my eyes and my heart swelling. Thank you, Lord, for all of the sweet (and sometimes not so sweet) words from my two-year-old!

Super FUN & Super BUSY weekend!

Saturday evening began a very fun, but very busy 24 hours! Some friends of ours (that we knew in Texas) live here in Louisiana & invited us to a small birthday party with a bounce house! I LOVE this picture of Ivy Jane sitting in the bounce house while her friends Parker & Phoebe jumped around her. She was SQUEALING & clapping her hands!

Georgia REALLY enjoyed it, too. The big kids were so good to let the little ones play...
Shelby was singing songs with Georgia on our way home when we noticed she quit singing! This is what we found...
Poor baby was WORN OUT! And she was NOT happy when I brought her in the house & put her in the bath. I HAD to bathe her though...her feet were BLACK & she had birthday cake face! I washed her quickly & she went to bed. I always feel like they rest better if they are clean...I know I do!

It was SO pretty on Sunday that we decided to spend a little time at a local park. There was a LOT of static electricity on the slides! Look at Ivy Jane's hair!!!
Georgia is getting so brave! She's decided she REALLY likes the slides. We started on the little one & she quickly wanted to go to the big ones!
This was fun to get to do with Daddy...
All four of us went down together, too! She kept sliding & then saying, "One more time!"

This could possibly be my favorite picture to date! Is this sweet or what?! Can't you just feel the love?
The park even had music!
Later that afternoon we had another birthday party to go to at a farm. The girls LOVES pumping the water & letting the rubber duckies swim!
Georgia & I had a blast on the big jumpy blob thing...
Ivy Jane enjoyed a snack break...
Part of the party was getting to ride out to the pumpkin patch & pick pumpkins! Georgia LOVED it!
SO happy with the pumpkin she found!
Going home...one happy little girl...
And one TIRED little girl!
I LOVE this time of year! Thank you Lord for pumpkin picking, jumping, sliding, swinging, & playing outside without breaking a sweat!

Ju & Steecy

On Friday we had some special visitors...Julia & Stacy (or Ju & Steecy, as Georgia calls them) came to see us! Julia is married & is pregnant with a baby boy who is due December 1st! It was a treat to have them drive all the way to come visit us at our new home in Louisiana.

Pictures with a two-year-old aren't always the best, but I'm glad to have these memories with Julia & Stacy...

Sweet picture...

I saw a quote on Pinterest the other day that said, "Home is wherever my books are." That is SOOOO Georgia Claire! Stacy & Julia brought her some books which is THE BEST gift! I love this...

Reading more books with Julia...
Georgia liked Julia's purple in her hair!
A little blurry, but so sweet! Cooking & eating in Georgia's kitchen!
We love you, Julia! Thank you for giving us THE GREATEST gift!