Not much time today..

Only a few minutes to add some photos. All of the kids are at school and I am trying to get as much work done as possible.
Little update, Trip's car was stolen yesterday. This comes just after a month ago that his drivers side window was smashed. The car, however, was recovered in a vacant lot somewhere yesterday morning. We would rather have a new car than his old one back, but...whatever.

The kids are still enjoying the soccer season. I think next year Ellis will like to be on a team.

School is fine and work is keeping me busy:-)

Maddie's Buid-a-Bear Birthday Party

The niece of my best friend and her party yesterday, she is turning 8. I just realized I didn't include a picture of her in this set. The girls had a good time. I think it is at least Eva's 4th Build-a-Bear party but it was Ellis' first as a guest. I thought Ellis would like it more than she did, she didn't want to pay attention to play any of the games they were playing and pretty much wanted to stuff her animal and leave.
We had cake for Ellis last night. She requested a Strawberry Applesauce Cake. Very yummy. It was my first time making it but it was divine!! It's from the Cake Dr. book. Her cakes are almost always super good.
Lee had another soccer game on Friday night. I couldn't attend, but Trip went and said the kids did well. I hated to miss it.
Lee got a new puzzle this morning, Speed Racer. He is working on it piece by piece (literally) today. I think he is going to be one of those people who always has a puzzle going in the house. I have an aunt who does that.
On to another week of vocabulary tests, math quizes, packing lunches, carpool, homework, breaking up arguements, replacing rolls of toilet paper and many more glamorous tasks. It's raining such a peaceful kind of rain outside now and aside from the fact that I think we may have a small leak in Eva and Ellis' bedroom it really makes me relax....ahhh.

Lee and Buddy from School

Every Friday a student gets to bring home the class Teddy Bear named "Buddy." I thought I would take a few pictures of them together so I can print them for him to put in the class journal. I think Ellis is just as happy to have Buddy as Lee.
Also, we had an old (super OLD) laptop that can't go online any longer but we have erased all of the old info and just use it to put games on for the kids. Lee and Ellis are loving it.

Grand Floridian

These are photos from our time at the Grand Floridian. Very pretty place to go to lunch, Ellis like the 1929 Cadillac parked in front.

Bibbity Bobbity Boo

Ellis has been enchanted by Princesses way more than Eva ever was, so we splurged and took her to Bibbity Bobbity Boo for a royal hairdo for her birthday. I'm not sure she knew what to think of it, I know it hurt some but she didn't complain. It is a really cute place and the hair stylists are absolute pros at working on little girls hair, BUT, I think we could have paid half the price at Libby Lou. We had a great day though.
Just she and I went for the hairdo and then afterward we went to lunch at the Grand Floridian and sat on the patio with a view of Cinderella's castle. Then we took a ride on the monorail around the Disney Property.

Ellis' Birthday

Photos from yesterday

I took photos for the ladies in my "mom's group" yesterday. I asked everyone from our group we call the "Titanides" to come for a free photo session. I decided when Delaney died that it was crazy how much effort it takes all of us to get a full family photo taken. I just felt like it was only natural to offer it to everyone within our group. When Delaney died, I was overcome with so much emotion and sadness, it has taken me some time to even decide to write about it again. But through this time of love and grief with my friends I have grown as a person and as a friend. This is what life does I guess, pushes us to learn and experience things we didn't even know we didn't know. My friend, Dianne (my fellow high school graduate, mother, friend and Titanide) is on my heart everyday.

These are some of the photos, I haven't gone through all of them yet, but hopefully everyone will have one they can put on a Christmas card and one for a frame in the house.
Eva and Lee have chorus tonight. Trip took Eva to her music class yesterday and we have both agreed that we are unimpressed with it. I will try a couple more weeks to see if we will continue. Eva went to a magic show birthday party last night for some twins who are in her Girl Scout Troup at Wonderworks. She came home with glowing earrings and a necklace and a plastic black magic hat. She said she had a great time.
Lee is still in puzzle mode, he needs a couple new ones. I have never known a child to work as hard and long as he does on puzzles.

The belly bump is the most import part...

at the end of the soccer game.

First Soccer Game! Go Eagles!

Although we are not supposed to keep score at the games, I can promise you we totally lost. However, the kids had a great time and Lee was pumped the entire game. Getting to wear the soccer uniform was enough to keep him smiling.
I look forward to going to these games on Friday nights, we had a nice time. He is on a team with a lot of kids he knows from church and school. I think by the end of the season he will have a better grasp of the game.

Baby from yesterday

This is a quick photo from a session I had yesterday.
The kids had a good weekend. We took them to one of those bowling alley/family entertainment places yesterday with John and Nicole and their kids.
Eva had her first Girl Scout meeting for this year on Sunday, Ellis had her first music class for the this fall on Saturday morning. Chorus starts at the church for Eva and Lee next Sunday. Eva is trying to tell me she wants one more activity! I don't think so, we will wait until spring. Between all of my kids, soccer, music, chorus and girlscouts (plus school of course and me working so much these days) we are plum out of carpooling time.

I am glad to see the kids so happy with what they are involved. I think Eva will pick up some kind of rock climbing class in the spring once chorus ends.

We just got a cool post card from our good friend Mike Grimes and his family. He and his wife and two children just spent six weeks in Asia. How cool for a great vacation. I don't have my laptop hooked up to my printer now, otherwise I would scan in a pic of their postcard. Very cute, welcome back to the US guys! Glad you had a safe trip.

Cypress Gardens

Today we took the kids to Cypress Gardens. They had no idea that we were doing anything today, but when we told them they were going on an "adventure" they were happy to do something.
Cypress Gardens was the perfect spot for us today because it is slow enough paced and perfect for kids Lee and Ellis' age. Eva loved it too, it wasn't at all crowed and we never had to wait in line for anything...not even the bathroom. They walked right on to any ride they wanted, plus even the water park wasn't too crowed. (I didn't take pictures in the water park for obvious reasons..camera and water don't mix)
The next few entries are of our trip today, including the picture of Ellis below having a bit of a break down. What is a day in an amusement park without a break down from someone?