Donut on a Sick Day

Georgia Claire stayed home with me last Friday and we went back to the doctor. Getting over her double ear infection & awful cough was a tough task, but she is doing very well now! We dropped Ivy Jane off at MDO and headed to a couple garage sales. She has become my little junking buddy! Garage saling is hard work & you work up quite an appetite, so we headed to the donut shop. She chose the "white one with fwinkles". Because of her SPD, she doesn't like the way certain textures feel in her hands or in her mouth, & I was surprised she chose the messiest one. I really didn't think she would eat it...boy was I wrong!!!

 She held it carefully, still trying not to get much icing on her hands...

Went in with full force!

 She ate almost all of it! This is a huge deal! She is making huge strides in her therapy & getting stronger & stronger every day!

It was a lot of fun to spend a few hours with Georgia. We don't get a lot of one-on-one time together, and it was so special! Right before we picked up Ivy Jane we went to CVS to pick up her prescription. The pharmacist gave her a stuffed puppy to make her feel better! It was precious! She had her close her eyes & hold out her hands. I wish I had her reaction on camera. Here she is on the way out of the store with Momma's keys, her stuffed puppy & her box of soft tissues...LOVE HER SO MUCH!

There are no words...

There are no words for how precious these two are and the joy they bring to my heart. I took these pictures right before naptime today. Most of them are blurry but the smiles say it all! I LOVE that they LOVE each other!

Grandmother

On September 18th, Shelby's grandmother, passed away. She was 12 days shy from turning 83 years old. She was a precious lady, and the mother to my wonderful mother-in-law, Paula. Although I didn't get the chance to be around her much, I know that she was a Godly woman who loved the Lord & served Him as long as she physically was able. 

We knew that taking the girls wouldn't be the easiest thing, but there was no doubt in my mind that we should all go. We explained her death as best as we could to them. They knew that she was in Heaven with the angels. I don't know what their little minds really took in, but they were so excited to be staying in a HOTEL! Having Georgia & Ivy Jane there lightened the mood. Everything is fun at the hotel...even riding on the luggage cart!

...and the mini frig! I was in the bathroom getting ready for the visitation & I heard chomping sounds. I looked around the corner & Ivy Jane was standing at the mini frig "eating ice"...in her diaper & Toms...LOVE her. 

Although the circumstances were very sad, there were some sweet family times. Some of Ivy Jane's & Georgia Claire's favorite people...Jules, Heather & Great Grandma (and babies Sarah & Emily)...

I had my "bag of tricks" with me loaded with toys, books, snacks, juice, milk, etc. to take with me to the visitation! The girls did really well. It was from 6-8pm & we went to eat afterwards, so they had several snack breaks while greeting friends of the family.

I said the girls did really well...until Ivy Jane went to time out. She is a mess, I tell you! I love that I'll always have proof that she was in time-out at her great-grandmother's funeral.

 

Poor Georgia Claire was EXHAUSTED by the time we got to the restaurant to eat supper...she was snoring as soon as her head hit the pillow that night!

Melody, Gary, & Paula...my mother-in-law & her siblings. I love this picture of those 3!

 A quick picture of the family that attended, after lunch, and before getting on the road to head home.

 Five miles down the road the girls were OUT!

Funerals have a way of making you reflect on the things that are truly important in this life of ours. Family is so very important to me. I hope & pray that my girls will grow up with the same love for family. I'm also praying that they grow to love & trust our Savior so that one day we will all be reunited when our life on this Earth comes to an end & our wonderful time in Heaven begins!

Sisters

Mom's Day Out started on Friday, September 7th. The girls were so ready to go back to "school"! Shelby took the day off because we were headed to Mimi & Granby's house afterwards. Here they are that morning right before we headed out...

 And here are Momma & Daddy right before WE headed out...

I don't know who was happier that school was starting again! We didn't really get to do anything fun...grocery shopping, paying bills, packing, picking up the house, etc. but it was nice to get a few things done that had been neglected.  After school we headed to Mimi & Granby's for the weekend. Aunt Heather had her first solo art show so we went to support her. And no, I didn't get one stinkin' picture! What was I thinking?! She is one talented gal, I tell ya!

Georgia Claire & Ivy Jane have become so close...it's such a sweet thing to see & hear them playing with each other. They DO get upset time & again but those times are really few & far between! I love these pictures of them just hanging out together.

Fruit snacks & blankets...

Getting her baby "all situated" as Georgia Claire likes to say! She had a whole set-up going for her baby with blankets, a potty, food, bottles, toys, etc! Ivy Jane sat down & just watched!

 Cooking tomatoes & cookies...

I love this picture...it was early one morning & they were just sitting there talking about their day! Georgia was saying that they needed to get gas. Ivy Jane agreed & said they needed to go to the store, too, to buy milk & juice!

LOVE THEM!!!!

Fifty Years

On September 1, 1962, James Vance and Mary Ellen became husband and wife...and started a legacy! Look at these two--Dad was 19 and mom was 18...

In that 50 years, Mom helped put Dad through school while he received three degrees, he was hired as an Entomologist with Texas A&M, they had three girls, they started a Christmas tree, blueberry, & peach business that's still booming over 30 years later, they put three girls through college, they paid for three weddings, they gained 3 son-in-laws, they built a home, they welcomed seven grandchildren into the world, they have gone through open heart surgery, as well as other major milestones.

To say that I am blessed would be a MAJOR understatement! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to call these two my parents. They have served the Lord throughout the years & have been the perfect example of a Godly marriage for my sisters & me, as well as many other young couples throughout the years in their church. 

We were all able to be with Mom & Dad for the weekend, and it was perfect! Instead of having a big reception or party with a lot of people, we did things as a family. On Saturday, we had family pictures taken, my sister Kathy made a DVD of pictures throughout the 50 years set to music (which was PRICELESS!), watched Dad get down on one knee and sing the song he sang to mom in their wedding (we were all crying!), we ate fish for supper at their favorite restaurant, & had a mini wedding cake that night for dessert! This picture makes me laugh. Ivy Jane was being such a good girl waiting for her turn to eat cake!

 Cutting their cake...

 Feeding each other...

On Sunday we all attended church together & bought the altar flowers for the services that day. I think they turned out so pretty! 

 And we bought Mom & Dad a corsage & boutonniere for the morning!

I love these two dearly! What a great example they have been to me! I LOVE YOU, MOM & DAD!

We're Still Here

We've been busy...but we're still here! My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past weekend & we had such a GREAT weekend! I'll be blogging about that later...hopefully sooner than later...but for now here are a few pics from the last few days/weeks!

Georgia took this picture of Ivy Jane and me...

Georgia in her gown going to look at the cows...

 Ivy Jane, "Uh-oh Momma, they got on my hands! My m&ms got on my hands!"

Taking an early morning tractor ride with Paw Paw around the neighborhood!

Georgia loves to play with the Little People at Grandma's house. She was busy busy for a good 30 minutes going back & forth setting up all of the little chairs, etc.

 Sweet girl with her sassy new hair cut!

And then there's Ivy Jane with her "rat's nest" that she has every single morning. Seriously--HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?! I can remember many tears growing up while mom tried to comb all of the tangles out of my hair!

We're still here, although there are days that we have rat's nests in our hair and food on our clothes. I'm still overwhelmed by the love the Lord has given me through these two little girls!

Ivy Jane is TWO!

These blurry pictures were the best I could get of my excited little two year old the morning of her birthday, August 5th. She woke up saying, "It's my happy birthday!" 

Proud big sister wanted to get her picture, too! 

Seriously...where did the last two years go?! Ivy Jane has been a DELIGHT...at times she's strong-willed & definitely loves her momma & wants me to hold her A LOT, but I know these moments will be gone before I know it. So, for the time-being I'm going to hold her as much as she will let me...and put her in time out when she needs it! 

My family came to Louisiana for her actual birthday...we all went to church & came home for lunch & a little birthday celebration! I love this picture of the birthday girl with her two candles...

She was so excited when everyone started singing to her!

In action...she got SO close to the flame!

We headed to Shelby's parents' house this past weekend for birthday celebration #2! We spent Saturday morning at Ft. Worth Children's Museum where the girls had a BLAST! Their favorite part was grocery shopping...Georgia Claire is STILL talking about it!

Working the cash register...

Interactive Dino Labs with Aunt Heather...GC was really good at it!

A GIANT lite brite!

Julian, Georgia & Heather made Ivy Jane a birthday hat in the art area...

I love this little angel...

I thought this was a hilarious picture of Granby...deep in study at the "Grandparent Resources" table!

That night Mimi cooked a delicious supper! Afterwards we had cupcakes with a whole bunch of toppings from which we could choose! Ivy Jane chose a gummy worm, candy hearts, sprinkles & nerds!  Here she is getting extremely close to the flame AGAIN!

Georgia LOVED picking out all of the toppings!

This was the tired baby after our morning at the museum! 

During her well-check last week the nurse asked me several questions on a checklist. One was, "Is she saying two-word phrases?" To which I replied, "Um, yes...she's saying 5-6 word complete sentences!" Some of our favorite things she's saying right now...

"I go to the store! I buy milk & juice & betchables!"

"I can't right now. I'm eating breakfast!" (or something else to fill in the blank)

When we ask her to do something or if we can have something she says, "Sure!" or "I sure can!"

She comes into a room and says, "Hey guys!" and sometimes "Whatcha doin?"

In our big tub she likes to lay down in the water, look up at us & announce, "I swimmin!"

She loves to give BIG hugs, she loves to dance & sing, she LOVES "Veggie Tales" & playing with her babies. She knows her colors, shapes, several letters & all of her numbers 0-9! So big! 

God has blessed her Daddy & me with these two baby girls--each little miracles in their own special way. Yes, it's exhausting & yes, there are days when I wish I could just go shopping by myself or even go to THE BATHROOM by myself, but I am reminded by their sweet little faces that THIS LIFE is the life that I prayed for...for many years! Thank you, Lord!