Things I'm thankful for...

I recently saw an insurance commercial that talked about how people in our country are realizing that it’s the little things that matter. The commercial said something along the lines of “we know who’s around your tv is more important than how big it is” and “meatloaf and Jenga are more fun that reservations and box seats.” I don’t know about anyone else, but I really believe that. This past year we’ve had to buckle down and watch what we spend, and this Christmas is probably going to be the cheapest one yet. However, I’m excited about it. This year will be full of homemade gifts, nights watching movies and seeing lights, and possibly, waking up at home on Christmas morning. I’ve realized that my daughter has more than she’ll ever play with at the moment, and that at 5 she really doesn’t need a Nintendo DS or and iPod Touch (both things she’s asked for.) It saddens me to think that she’s never spent a full day outside playing with sticks and dirt and building forts, or hours laying in “weeds” and making soup or necklaces or who knows what else, and hasn’t had the chance yet to ride her bike at full speed down a hill and scrape her knees to bits when she loses control.

So this year, one thing I’m thankful for is that I’ve actually realized this. I’ve realized that the things I remember most from childhood, didn’t cost a ton of money, and I want my child to have memories like that, too. I want her to remember that Mike and I spent time *with* her, not just spent money *on* her. And I want her to realize that you can have a wonderful time without spending a fortune.

A few other things that I’m thankful for this season:

• That my grandfather is home from the hospital and doing well after surgery
• That my cousin is home from the hospital and also doing well after surgery
• That I have a job, and that I love it
• Mike finally got to start his new job after a year and a half of waiting around, and loves it
• That my daughter is healthy and (seems to be) happy
• That the tantrums are starting to slow down some
• That she has 5 grandparents and 6 great-grandparents that love her, along with a multitude of aunts, uncles and cousins, including a brand new one!
• That I have a great relationship with my grandparents and can call them up at 8:30 in the morning to ask random cooking questions, or they can call me at 11 at night for help with a crossword puzzle.
• That Christmas lights are starting to pop up everywhere, and Christmas music is playing in all the stores
• That I get to spend tomorrow seeing family and eating wonderful food
• That I am truly blessed with wonderful family and friends

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Updates and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I haven’t had a chance to update since our trip this weekend, but we had such a good time! I loved seeing Kahla, Jeff, Chase and Emery, and of course loved seeing all the other family that lives around there (including Nana and Paw now, and their new house is wonderful!) I wish I could have packed all of them up with me and brought them back to Mississippi with me. Cadence loved Disney on Ice, and loved holding Baby Emery, and playing with Chase and Madison. All the kids were great together, and I’m trying to find a way to get back over there again before March!

We started on thank you cards night before last, so if you gave her a gift for her birthday, maybe you’ll get your card before her birthday next year! I wrote the thank yous (which are finished), and she signed her name. We had about 20 to do, and I think we have *maybe* half completely finished. The main reason is because she decided she had to draw elaborate pictures in them. They are very sweet, but are taking us SO long. Tonight starts night 3, and I’m hoping we’ll get them done!

Cadence also had her Thanksgiving program at school today, and she did so well! I got to see her room, and they sang some songs and recited a poem. I’ve attached a few pictures and video, and you can click on the video to go to youtube and see it a little bigger. In the video, she’s the one in the middle with the skirt, white shirt and long hair. ;) She’s getting SO big, and I almost start crying when I think of her being at “real school” next year. I’ve loved seeing her at the preschool this year, and I’m so thankful that she’s been great the past week, and is doing so well!




With "Baby Emery"


With Aunt D, Chase and Madison at Disney on Ice


Chase with his toy at Disney on Ice


Cadence totally enthralled at Disney on Ice


Her Turkey Leg hat from her program


With Mrs. Walker, her math teacher, and her best friend Casity


With Mrs. Grace, her reading teacher


Part 1 of her Thanksgiving program


Part 2 of her Thanksgiving program

Vicksburg Military Park - Part 2

The monuments at the park were absolutely stunning, and I'm sure I could have spent the entire day there with my camera. It took awhile, but this is the condensed version of the photos that were taken today.

Vicksburg Military Park - Part 1

I've decided to break this into two parts because of the amount of pictures I have. Part 1 is Cadence, Part 2 is all the beautiful sculptures at the park.

We went to Vicksburg today to see the Military Park and to have a picnic. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, so we took the windows out of the Jeep, loaded up the cooler and headed out. We arrived about noon, and LOVED seeing all of the monuments. Even Cadence seemed to love it, but she got the most excited when she discovered that there were ladybugs EVERYWHERE! She kept trying to catch them, and loved when they would land on her. We stopped to eat at the picnic area at the U.S.S. Cairo, and I also taught her how to roll down hills. Two older ladies in a van stopped and watched me teaching her (yes, I actually rolled down the hill, too!), and Mike said they were smiling and laughing when they pulled off.

After our picnic we finished the driving tour, and headed back home about 2:30. It was absolutely beautiful, and it made me realize how seldom we do stuff like this. Note to self: go on more outings while she's still little!

With Daddy in front of the Illinois monument


In the tunnel at one of the battle sites


Coming out of the tunnel. The Confederate soldiers were stationed at the top of that hill.


At the U.S.S. Cairo


We found ladybugs!!


The flowers she picked. She was mad because Mike kept calling them weeds.


With one of the statues at the Wisconsin monument


Racing Mike up the hill at the Wisconsin monument


At one of the overlook spots at the cemetery


Standing by the Missouri monument. We both loved this one the most.


Asleep on the way home

It seems that she hates me now...

Well, today I had to be a mean mommy and call her bluff. It all started last night when I told her she needed to start picking up her toys because it was almost time for bed. She told me, “No. I don’t HAVE to pick up my toys!” to which I responded, “You’re right. You don’t. But if you don’t, I will. And if I do, they get taken away.” She got angry which led to her getting sent to bed early and all of the toys left out - including the new Princess Barbies she got for her birthday and the Barbie car - getting put away and out of reach.

When she woke up this morning she was cranky, and when she discovered her toys were picked up it only got worse. She argued about everything from getting dressed to who’s fault it was that her leggings were inside out (hers. I turned them right for her when I gave them to her.) She also asked me where her toys were (in a VERY snotty voice) and I told her I put them away because she didn’t pick them up last night. She got mad, stomped some, and told me, “I want my toys! Give them to me NOW!” Because of that, she won’t be getting them for a VERY long time, and because of the snotty attitude all morning, she didn’t get to go to school.

Now, for most children this would be awesome. But for some crazy reason, even though she can’t stop throwing tantrums at school, she loves it! The rule since the last round of parent teacher conferences was that if she couldn’t act like a big girl in the mornings before school and get dressed, she went to the babysitters. If she didn’t want to act like a big girl, she wasn’t going to be able to do big girl things. This morning I don’t think she actually thought I would take her to Terry’s, but I did.

She screamed and was angry the entire way there, tried to run back out the door, and then got all pitiful when I refused to take her with me. Terry said she’s been great all day (after she calmed down), so I’m hoping maybe this will make her think twice before throwing a tantrum in the mornings again.

Oh, and when I went to tell her teachers that she wouldn’t be there because of the fit this morning, I found out she punched a little boy in the stomach yesterday. Apparently he told her she was out during a game (which she was) and she didn’t want to hear that.

Why do 5 year olds have to be so impossible?

We partied hard all weekend!

Wow, what a weekend! On Friday we had a Halloween party at school, Saturday was a birthday party with my MIL then trick-or-treating that night, Sunday was a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese with my mom, and then today, since it's her actual birthday, we brought rice krispie treats to school. It's been a non-stop sugar rush, but it's been loads of fun!

The party at school went well, and she apologized to her friend that she hit the day before. The cupcakes were a huge success, they got to dress each other up as mummies, and a fun time was had by all!

On Saturday we met at Gym of Dreams in Brookhaven and had a party with Mike's side of the family. My inlaws were there, along with Jake's girlfriend, Jessie, and her two nieces, and Mike's uncle George and his wife Sarah, and their two foster kids were there as well. She had a pink pumpkin cake, all the kids dressed up, and they LOVED playing on all the equipment in the gym. I'm pretty sure her favorite gift was the set of princess Barbies - she's played with them nonstop since she opened them.

Saturday night we went trick-or-treating in Brookhaven, and I was reminded once again why I love being able to walk around my neighborhood instead of drive around the county! We had a lot of fun, though, and everyone was so glad to see her in her costume. My mother in law actually got dressed up as well, and looked better than she probably should as a hippie!

Sunday we went to Chuck E. Cheese in Hattiesburg with my mom, Sarah, Cecily, Benjy and met Jen, Jay, Aubbie, Breann and Josh there as well. It was SO much fun, and we ended up with a ton of tickets. The cake came out ok - we left it in the Jeep so it started melting. I wish I would have taken a picture of the back of it, because the rock was sliding back into the ocean! It was very cute, though, and Cadence loved it. She and Aubbie rode this rollercoaster ride over and over, and I was getting pretty good at the skee ball. I'm now excited to go back!

She looked so pretty today, and has been telling everyone she sees that it's her birthday and now she's FIVE!! And yesterday she was just 4, but now she's FIVE!!! She's so cute telling everyone, and told me last night that next she'll be 6, then 7, 8, 9, then TEN!! I told her we didn't need to talk about that right now, and 5 was plenty old for now.