Spring Break

It is Spring Break here and it's been wonderful so far. Sunday and Monday it literally rained non-stop, so we were couped up in the house, but we watched movies (I highly recommend Madagascar 2 if you haven't seen it) and just enjoyed each other's company. Tuesday the sun finally broke through and the rain dried up. Jeff and Anna Kate pretty much spent the day outside pressure washing the house while I cleaned inside.....another all day job! Sound like fun? Wait, it gets better....

We have decided to re-do our screened in back porch. It had that indoor/outdoor carpet down that when it rained would flood and then stink to high heaven. (We have had a total of four of Anna Kate's birthday parties ruined from this very thing.) Well, that carpet is GONE and I say good riddance!!! Yesterday we ripped it out, then pressure washed the ceiling, walls and concrete floor and this afternoon we are going to stain the floor. I am so excited to do this! I've always wanted one of those cool concrete floors you see in restaurants, and now I get to have one :c) More on this later.

After we finished cleaning the porch, we all took showers and got ready for Anna Kate's first Auburn basketball game. She was so excited! It was the first round of the NIT, which we came out of with a 'W'...War Eagle! The game was so fast paced compared to football (which AK completely understands for the most part), so I don't think she could really follow what was happening, but it didn't take long for her to pick up on when AU did something good. She cheered and danced just like any loyal Tiger fan should. She even had the opportunity to have her picture made with the Auburn University Tiger Paw Dancers. As we were waiting to go down to the floor she said, 'Mama, I'm nervous' - how cute is that?!

Oh, and Jeff & I have officially entered the phase of parenthood where we are embarrassing to our daughter. Here's the story...

*Anna Kate is sitting in mama's lap who is setting beside daddy, while watching the Auburn basketball game.

*AU scores 3 points

* Mama & Daddy clap and holler loud (along with the other AU fans)


* Anna Kate buries her face in mama's chest (I thought we had scared her due to the noise)


ME: "Anna Kate baby, what's wrong?"


AK: "Mama, when you and daddy clap loud like that you embarrass me!"

*insert rolling eyes here* I guess this is only the beginning. Great.

Anyway, back to the back porch re-do ... Here are pictures of the porch as a clean slate.


You will have to stay tuned for pictures of the 'After' :c)

But before I close I just wanted to share a cute 'funny' from Jeff & Anna Kate's day together today (I had to come into work). This is the conversation I had with them on the way to lunch.
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ME talking to AK: "Hey sweetie, what are you doing?"

AK: "Mama, I came outside with no shoes and my shorts unbuttoned and unzipped."

ME: "Why are you outside without shoes and your shorts undone?"

AK: "Mama, I just wanted to see what would happen." (duh!)

ME: "Can I talk to Daddy please?"

Jeff: "Anna Kate, put your clothes back on and get in the house."

ME: "Um, why is the child outside with no clothes on?"

Jeff: "She says she has to poop."

*Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay*

Jeff: "Barkley (the dog) get in the house right now! Go now. Get! No, no Barkley. Anna Kate, do NOT let him back out of the house. I said NO!!!"

Jeff says to me: "They don't make enough Zoloft for this...."

*ROFLOL* Welcome to my world honey :c)

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Making up for lost time...

No, we didn't fall off the face of the earth, despite the absence of an update. It's just been a crazy 2 weeks!!! So where do I start?

In the past almost 5 years (since Anna Kate was born) Jeff & I haven't been on a vacation by ourselves. I know, I know...we now know that it is imperative to sneak off together and focus on us as a couple, not just AK's parents. I think we both lost site of that because of everything we had been through to just get our little girlie here.

Last week we actually did it, went on a trip, just the two of us !!!! Jeff met his Dad and Stepmother in Auburn on Wednesday and made the 'kid transfer'. I was a little nervous about how she would do for 3 nights and 4 days without us (typically, 2 nights is her limit and she's wanting her mama fix), but she did great. In fact, every time I tried to talk to her on the phone she would reply with , "Mama, I will talk to you later. I'm busy playing right now." Well excuuuuuse me... :c)

So where did Jeff & I go? Destin of course - our favorite place. We stayed at the Grand Resort at Sandestin and it was gorgeous!!! We had a one bedroom condo that was very comfy and QUIET! We had wonderful food and drinks. I can't tell you how nice it was to relax and enjoy each other as a couple in peace and quiet. Of course we missed our little 'Boodles', but the time away was honestly the best thing we have done in what seems like forever. I highly recommend it :c)

Anna Kate played with her cousins Tucker & Tatum. I heard reports that they referred to one another as 'Big Sister' and 'Little Sister' (Tatum is 2 years younger than AK). They played with Aunt Stacy's old Barbies, went to the park, fed the ducks, had picnics and sleepovers with MeeMee. And of course Anna Kate came home with two new outfits, hair bows to match and a ballerina nightgown. No doubt she was spoiled rotten while we were gone! I have a few pictures to share, but they are on my home computer so I will upload those when I get home.

Anna Kate, Tucker & Tatum

Little Sister & Big Sister

Spring Break is next week and all three of us are looking forward to it. Every day this week Anna Kate has asked me how many more days of school she has. I think she's ready for a break with Mama and Daddy. Jeff is on vacation all of next week and I am on leave Wednesday - Friday. We have a few things planned; we are going to clean out the garage (trust me, that is not a project for the faint of heart) and we are redoing our screened in back porch. That's the project I'm most excited about. We are ripping the outdoor carpet up and staining the concrete. I want a Tuscan look out there and I think this color will work, don't you?

So it's going to be a busy week, but fun. We are planning a visit with Jeff's Mom (day trip) and the rest of the time is family time. Although, Jeff & I might have to sneak out for a date one night. Any sitters available???

Oh, one more thing before I close - I took this picture of AK & I with my Blackberry Monday morning. She was so cute singing Hannah Montana and wanted to capture her expression, but she insisted on a picture with mama, lol. I love it!

**Come back and check for the other picture I upload**

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IT'S SNOWING!!!!

In South Alabama, of all places. That's like saying it is snowing in the Caribbean!

We woke up at 6:30 with it spitting snow and by 12:30 it was coming down like crazy. It still is, but it won't stick because it was 70* yesterday, so the ground is too warm. Still, it's so pretty. We have been outside a couple of times to play and I'm quite sure we will go out several more as long as Anna Kate can spot even one teeny tiny spec of white.

Here are a few pictures - it's Anna Kate's first time in the snow :)

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A Few Random Pics

A friend of mine just sent me a few pictures she took of our girls on a school field trip in December. Prepare yourself for major cuteness :o)

Ella Grace and Anna Kate (it's a Southern thing)

EG had AK's purse and seemed to love it!

Aren't they precious?!

Thanks Heather, for the pics :o)

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It's A Girl Thang!

It's Friday night and this house is rockin'!!! We have my iPod on the surround sound and we're currently enjoying a little Jon Bon Jovi at the moment (yum...but I digress.)

I just finished painting my toe nails a lovely shade of 'Bitten Plum' (in honor of my current Twilight obsession), and Anna Kate's fingers are a pretty 'Winter Pink' complete with LOTS of glitter. But in case you have forgotten, three females occupy this house AK, Belle, and myself. According to Anna Kate, it just would not due for Belle to miss out on all the fun - so...................,...................

*Cha Ching Cherry*

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Crazy Weather

I swear, if this weather doesn't make up its mind I don't know what we will do. It is insane the drastic differences in one week - Monday was in the 70's and today it was in the 40's. No wonder we all stay so sick. Not to mention the way my hair reacts to these variations. One day it's kinked up in its own style and the next it is standing on end full of static electricity. Crazy I tell you!


This week has been pretty uneventful, which we truly welcome with open arms. These days, no news is almost always good news. Anna Kate was out of school Monday, which means I was home from work :-) I cleaned and she enjoyed her free time. She wasn't feeling great, so she napped for a loooonnnng time, and then I fell asleep with her...another :-) (smile!).

Silly girl!






Jeff is still reeling from his tournament win last weekend. It has even been published online ---> http://eufaulabasstrail.com/ . Surely this will wear off soon, right???

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Love and the Big Fish

First things first; Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my loved ones. I love you all very much!

Secondly; Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! I hope you celebrated another year of blissful companionship in style!

At 2:00 this afternoon the phone rings - its Jeff saying that I need to bundle up Anna Kate, grab the camera and head up to the Lakepoint boat ramp. You see, he decided to fish a tournament with a friend today – yes, I am aware that it is Valentine’s Day, but in his defense he did ask ‘permission’ (yeah right) weeks ago, so it really wasn’t a big deal to me – apparently they thought they had the winning bag of fish. And guess what? They did!!! Jeff & Rich won first place with 27.29 pounds of largemouth bass, as well as the ‘big fish’ at 8.14 pounds. CONGRATS GUYS!

THE FISHERMAN




PULLING THE FISH OUT ONE AT A TIME




THIS BAD BOY WEIGHED 8.14 POUNDS!



THE CATCH!


SETTING THEM FREE...


And in closing I will leave you with Anna Kate's comment during the weigh in, "Mama, when is my daddy winning money?"

Tootles,
Katie

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