Stephani's Baby Shower...

Matt and I are in a young married Sunday School class at church...we are supposedly mentors, but sometimes I think they do a better job mentoring us than we do mentoring them.

Anyway, one of the girls in the class is having her first baby in October, and I offered to host her baby shower.  I asked Stephani what kind of shower she wanted, and she said brunch in our pajamas...so...we did just that and it was perfect!

If you follow my blog, you know I always post pictures of the decorations...I do this because I look back at these pictures all the time for ideas for myself or when others ask me for ideas.  And honestly, I actually struggled with this shower...I couldn't decide what to do for an invitation, how to decorate, etc.  I finally said quit being so complicated and just go with pink and white.  So glad I did because I love, love how it turned out...was so simple and sweet!

And that is all the pictures I have...because...I got busy playing hostess and knew the real photographer, Christy, was taking pictures for Stephani.  But...it was such a fun girl morning, and even though I was EXHAUSTED because our past three weeks have been crazy to say the least, I was so glad I hosted the shower for Stephani.  Now I will anxiously await meeting baby Collins!

Anna Lauren's 1st Day of Second Grade...

Just a little "first day of school" treat for her teachers...

Wow...where is our baby?  She looks so big!  

2nd grade here she comes!

She used the same backback for kindergarten and first...so...she was so excited about her new backpack!

When we moved into our house, Jasmyne was in elementary school.  Now...she is going to high school and Anna Lauren 2nd grade.  She is so sweet to Anna Lauren, and Anna Lauren loves every second of the attention she gives her.

At school ready for her first day of second grade...

I left her in her seat all smiles...

So far she is loving second grade and especially Ms. Hopkins. And of course, staying with Ms. Wells after school.  Like I said, I think it is going to be a good year!

HBE Meet the Teacher...

School started on Thursday, August 7th.  On Wednesday morning before school started, we got to go meet the teacher and drop off school supplies.

Anna Lauren got Ms. Lori Hopkins, who is who she and I both wanted her to have this year.  McCarley from kindergarten is in her class this year, but other than that, she will have to make some new friends.  Not a big deal...she handles that just fine!

Meeting her teachers...Ms. Hopkins on the left and Ms. Jungers (assistant) on the right.

It was fun to watch them this year...kindergarten they are shy and hesitant, 1st grade a little more comfortable, 2nd grade...they were wide open running around visiting and loving on everyone!  This is Anna Lauren's friend, McKenna, from her class last year with their 1st grade teacher, Ms. Burkhalter.  We loved, loved, loved Ms. Burkhalter!

Anna Lauren will quickly tell you this is her favorite teacher ever...Ms. Wells from kindergarten.  What is so great this year is that Ms. Wells is keeping her after school...Anna Lauren is LOVING being a "teacher's kid" after school!

Anna Lauren's new teacher gave the parents this sweet note with cookies at "meet the teacher"...I can tell...it's going to be a good year!

Thankfully, my mom kept Anna Lauren the week school started. So...after meet the teacher, I dropped her off with Nanna to have her "traditional" back to school manicure and pedicure.  And they did a little shopping and bought a "back to school" skirt for the 1st day of school.  Not sure what we would do without Nanna's help...she is always here when we need some extra hands!

Brookhaven Exchange Club Fair...

The day of Nanny's funeral just happened to be the opening day of the Brookhaven Exchange Club Fair.  And you know...it wouldn't be summer without going to the Brookhaven fair!  So...as a reward for good behavior and making it through the long day, Matt and I took these four little ones to the fair!

Four little ones or four crazies?  Think it is safe to say, four crazies!

Bently started out riding the little rides with Cooper...she did venture out later in the night and ride some bigger ones with Anna Lauren and Ashton.

Anna Lauren always heads straight to the swings...for some reason, her favorite!  Probably the sickest I've ever been...the night I rode these swings as a kid...ugh!

Ashton says he likes them too, but you cannot tell by his face!

Fun thing about the Brookhaven fair...you know every other person. But these just happen to be some of our favorites...Carrie, Seth, and Bill...

Up next...the ferris wheel!  Anna Lauren loves her some Ashton and thankfully, he will still hang out with her.  Reid and Jake will not even go with us anymore...sad...they are too cool!

Carrie and Claire...

This is what you call a good time at the fair!

The dunking booth...

After you throw your balls, you can just run up and hit the button on the dunking booth...if you are little that is!

Happy as can be!

A ride around the fair on the train...probably the bumpiest ride of my life...but hey, it was fun!

Until next year...got to give Nanna another year to save her quarters!  She saves her quarters and gives each grandchild two rolls of quarters to spend at the fair...and yes, as crazy as it sounds, $20 a child is enough at the Brookhaven fair!

Our Sweet Nanny's Funeral...

On Saturday, August 2, 2014, we celebrated our sweet Nanny's life. I could type for hours upon hours about our Nanny, but I can sum it up in one word...SPECIAL!  She was "special" to so many...from old to young, she loved all of us to pieces and we knew without a doubt, she was proud of us and loved us all.

I'm so thankful that Barbie snapped a few pictures with her phone...just one last little memory of our Nanny.

We decided to let the kids go...they had LOTS of questions, but Nanny was a big part of their lives, and they wanted to go so we let them, and I'm glad we did.

Nanny loved her girls...BUT...she REALLY, REALLY loved her boys.  She would have had no others carry her casket but these 8. And she would have said, over and over, aren't they so handsome!

Every time I looked at these guys, I cried...like I said, Nanny was so proud of all of us, but especially these eight!  And they all loved her too!  Every single one of them cried...yes, grown men, cried and cried...it was just a sad, sad day!

So glad mom and Uncle Terry included Mark, red head.  He is Anna's boyfriend, and we are pretty confident he will be her husband. 

Although it was a sad day, it was a beautiful day of celebrating Nanny's life...I'm pretty confident mom and Uncle Terry did everything just the way Nanny would have wanted.  

At the end of the graveside service, mom and Uncle Terry gave the immediate six grandchildren a rose from the casket piece to have to always remember our Nanny.  

Again, it was a sad, sad day...but...I'm so thankful Nanny is in heaven with the loved ones who have gone before her and her best little lady friends.  She was tired and ready...we are the selfish ones who will miss her so!

CBMI Vacation - Day 1...

Three weeks ago, we loaded up and made the 9.5 hour drive to Lexington, Kentucky.  I needed to be at the University of Kentucky for the week for CBMI (Certified Business Management Institute) for year one of a three year commitment.  Several of my co-workers have completed CBMI, and I was so glad it was my turn because they have had nothing but good things to say about the program.  It was a LONG week of sitting in class...but...I really did enjoy it and look forward to going back the next two years.

All that being said, when I started planning my trip, we decided to drive and all of us go.  Since it was the week before school, it was the perfect opportunity to have a little fun before the crazy school schedule.  So...I went to school everyday and Matt and the kids had a great time exploring Lexington!

Anna Lauren had a tumble clinic the Saturday we were leaving so we didn't hit the road until 11:30ish...here we are...have our lunch and ready to go!  First LONG road trip with the kids.  They did FANTASTIC!

We made it to our hotel around 10 PM our time and 11 PM there...once we got in our hotel, it took a little while to get the kids settled/asleep, but we knew they were just excited.