First Day of High School

Our oldest Princess has officially started high school. Today was her first day and I had the pleasure of taking her to school and picking her up. Thankfully she doesn't mind that I bug her to take pictures!

I dropped her off at around 7:30 and she quickly found her friends. She is taking Geography, Spanish, Biology, PE, English and Algebra. She has all Honor classes and will have a pretty heavy workload because she is in SAS.

She said her day was good and has some of her friends in her classes. We picked her up and took her for a treat. She picked Menchie's. She said that she got all her books today and stored them in her locker. She told her dad that he would like the Biology teacher because he likes Jazz like him. She also told us a funny story about his name. Tommy Thomas or something like that?

I can't believe that this day is here and my baby is in high school. I remember taking her to pre-school and she cried!!!! I felt so guilty! She didn't cry, but I shed some tears. She was excited and is very happy to be back at school. Go Highlanders!

A Day at the Beach

Yesterday we took Squiggler to the beach for the first time and she loved it! We thought that she wouldn't like the sand or how the water rushes in and out, but nope she is a water baby.

My honey, Weegie, Squiggler and I went to spend a couple of nights at my bil's house and he and his family joined us. I forgot to take any pictures of them, but I did get a couple of my little niece. She is so cute and sang songs for us. LOL! She reminds me of Speedy Cheetah.

Speedy Cheetah didn't go with us because she didn't want to miss swimming class. She had a test on Thursday and would find out the results on Friday. She passed and now gets to go to the pool for the remaining summer for free. She was so excited. She has passed all the swimming classes that they offer. That girl has always been a fish, learning to swim before she was 3, she loves the water.

My honey loves this picture and wants me to post it to his facebook. I love it too! Squiggler was not afraid and kept pulling us back to the water. My honey was telling us stories of how when he was younger he spent all his time at this beach. They would ride the bus down there for a quarter. My bil remembers going too, he must have been little!

I love Squiggler's smile in this picture! She is such a happy baby and this is her natural smile. (Not one of those staged ones that she sometimes gives me.) She actually turned 20 months yesterday, but that post is for tomorrow.

Here's my beautiful niece. She drove down with us and quickly made friends with two other girls about her age. I was so worried about her in the water because she does not swim yet. It was funny to hear her and the other girls talking, they were talking about how they thought they saw a shark. They were so funny!

Speedy loved harrassing her sister while she was trying to get a tan. My older girls are so good with her. My daughter looks good in a bikini. I NEVER wore a bikini ever!! LOL! I am so glad she has good self confidence.

My sil did take this decent picture of me so I included it in the blog. My other sil challenged to write a haiku about a picture. I didn't pick a picture, but picked the memory of the day. It was the perfect beach weather and just the perfect day. I don't really like the beach anymore, I use to go all the time as a child, but I had so much fun just being there with my family. It was a great day!!!

A day at the beach

good times making memories

love my family

A perfect beach day

squishing the sand in our toes

the sun is our friend

LOL! I think I could go on and on thinking of haikus!

Squiggler is 20 Months!

Squiggler is 20 Months! Wow does time fly! She is closer to 2, but I tell everyone that she is 1 going on 12! This girl is sooo funny and a little spoiled! She has had the luxury of having us home all summer and she is not going to like it when school starts again. I think she can sense it because she has been kind of clingy lately. She is talking up a storm and puts little phrases together like, "Pipe down Woody!" or "More grapes please?" She is so cute! I love this first picture of her because of her smile!

She loves to climb and run! She is always scaring me because I think she is going to hurt herself! Sometimes she does, but that's how they learn right? I love her little voice and have to remember to record her saying some of the cute things that she says. She still loves shoes with a passion and I was able to get her some cute boots off of ebay for good prices. She is set in the boots department!

She loves to sing and dance too! She hears songs in the car and she says "Song!" meaning that she likes it a lot! She still wears a 12 months and I can put some 18 months on her. I can't put 18 month pants on her or they fall down her behind when she walks. Its really funny! She outgrew her size 5 shoes and we have moved on to size 6, but all shoes are different and some size 6 are too big. Oh well! She will grow into them. This past month you went to Arizona, the beach for the first time and took swimming lessons! You are really dark right now because of all your swimming!

At the studio we had the new photographer and she was okay, but not great. I spent the least amount of money I ever have on pictures and the other girl who has worked there for a while and knows me was in shock! I laughed! I know for sure that I am going to do this until she is 2. Then I will just do it for special occasions like Easter, Christmas and maybe in June because she will be 1/2 years old.

Squiggler at 20 months

• You weigh about 22 pounds and seem the same height.
• You wear a size 6 shoe and size 3 diaper.
• You love to sing and talk on the phone.
• You love your dog and most other dogs too.
• You love to push your doll Polly around and say "Oh baby! Oh baby!" (I think you are trying to comfort her.)
• You don't want to be in your stroller at the mall anymore. You like to walk on your own and drag a shopping bag around with you. People always comment on how cute you are.
• You are a big time flirt still!
• You love to watch other kids and call all kids 3 and under a baby.
• You really like to brush your teeth. I hope that lasts!
• You hate to have your hair combed, but like to wear hats and headbands with flowers.
• You behave really well in church! I hope that lasts too!
• You count to 6 and recognize when there are 2 of something.
• You like to write and color.
• You love to read and watch Sid, Curious George and Martha Speaks on PBS.
• You blow kisses and wave bye without being prompted.
• You say Bless You when someone sneezes all on your own.
• You still ask to see Mamma Mia everyday!!!!
• You say cute when you see something cute like a baby or something pretty when you see something pretty. It's funny because you said Weegie's pedi was pretty.
• You are so smart and loving!!!

We love you so much Squiggler!!! Thank you God! Amen! (You like to say that too!)

PS: Your photos were taken on the 8th of the month because we were at the beach on the 6th!

8 Years

8 years ago today my daddy went to Heaven. What a glorious day for him, but a sad one for those he left behind. I can't believe that it has been 8 years already, time flies by and I miss him so much! He was the best daddy that a girl could ever ask for and I know without a doubt in my heart that he loved me as much as I loved him!

Now some people get confused because on paper he was my grandfather, but in my heart he was my daddy! Any man can be a father, but it takes a very special man to be a daddy. (My husband is a daddy too.) From the moment I came into the world he always took real good care of me and there was nothing he wouldn't do for me! I'm so lucky to have had him with me for 33 years and he loved my daughters Weegie and Speedy Cheetah a lot too. I know in my heart that he sent Squiggler to me. She is always so happy just like he was, and she loves to sing and dance just like him too.

My daddy had 10 children, about 30 grandchildren, A LOT of great grandchildren and in September he will be getting his first great-great grandchild. Now my daddy wasn't the biological dad to all these children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but in my family that doesn't matter. We are all family and that is all that matters! Growing up we were all so close and spent every Sunday at his house, eating menudo and watching the games on tv. (He loved his Dodgers!) There are a lot of great memories of my childhood that all revolve around his house. There was always music, singing and beans on the stove. ALWAYS! He would get up early every morning and make me breakfast. Even when I became a teacher, he would get up at 5 am and have breakfast ready for me before I left on my 45 minute commute. When I came back to live near him and my mom after I got married, I would have lunch with him the first year I started teaching at my alma mater. Everyday I would bring him something and we would watch DOOL together.

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him. I love when he comes to visit me in my dreams and I can hug him. The day he died I sang Amazing Grace to him in his ear and whenever I hear that song I know it is him reminding me he is always with me. (I can't sing, but I sang it for him.) I like to think about how he is now with my grandmas (yes plural) and playing all the baseball he wants. He is also with all his brother and sisters and his mom who passed away when he was only 14. I know Heaven is a wonderful place and how wonderful to be there with God and Jesus. But I still miss him! I love you Daddy!