Woo-Hoo for Daniel

Tonight was the first high school swim meet of the 2010-2011 season. Daniel started off with a bang by breaking his high school's 100 yd. breastroke record! The old record was 59.51 from 1993, and tonight Daniel swam a 59.16.


My swimmer-boy is heading to Jr. Nationals in Texas next week. His swim tonight hopefully is a good indication that he will swim well in Texas. He has just begun his taper, another week and he should be even faster!


Right now, he has a few college swim coaches talking to him. He is hoping that more will be interested after Juniors. I so pray that God will direct his paths and make it very clear where Daniel needs to go.

My boy in action

Wedding Day!! Nov. 19th

  Since I've had two girls get married in one year, I've labeled myself the "Expert Mother of the Bride". As such expert, I believe that time goes by extraordinarily fast on wedding days. Each wedding day has found me rushing around like someone who's lost her mind, (actually, that's not too far from reality). On Anna's special day, I thought I was doing really well. The bridesmaids had come to our house to eat breakfast and have their hair done. While they were primping, I ran to Wal-Mart to get one last thing for the reception, as we had done most of the  decorating the day before.

Cake, ready and waiting

I came home from having my hair done, thinking that there was plenty of time. I decided to go ahead and get myself and Abbey dressed, still on time. Time for the shoes, and I could only find one. Calmly at first, I search for the missing shoe...no where in sight. The next thing I know I'm frantically throwing shoes everywhere, still only having one in my hand. Anna shouts for me to come to the living room that the "putting on the dress, photo op" is about to happen. Forgetting the shoe, I realize I have a more pressing problem...I have no makeup on! There's no way I'm going to be in wedding album pictures with no makeup on. I frantically put on the basic makeup and rush into the living room. Because he can't come in, Elijah pitches one of his famous, "hissy fits", screaming bloody murder. We take pictures and then the wedding party's female members are off to the church. I finish my makeup, when Julia, our wedding director, calls and asks for the flowers. Oops! They are still at our house. John has to run them to the church. Time for me to search for the shoe. I take Abbey with me, say a prayer and ask her to help me look. She picked up a shoe and low and behold, it was the missing shoe. I still don't know how I missed it, but somehow I did. (Definitely not discounting divine intervention). John comes back, and we are off. As we pull into the parking lot, Julia calls again, we are one boutonniere short. My wonderful son-in-law, Greg, graciously agrees to go back home and get the missing flower. Whew! We are finally where we need to be.

While waiting, we take more pictures.

Me and my big girls

The rest of the day flowed by as planned,(give or take a few plans). But all that mattered was Anna and Jamie pledged their love for each other and started their new life together!

They wrote their own vows. They both were very sweet and thoughtful.

Then the rings...

 Introducing, Mr. and Mrs. Jamie *******

On to the reception

First dances....

Anna partied with the younger set at the reception

Pretty darn amazing, I still struggle to believe that I have two daughters that are married! What a relief to think that I have quite a few years before I'll need to don my "Expert Mother of the Bride" hat again!


*Thanks to our good friend, Merritt, for sharing her photos!*

Batchelorette Party

Beth came flew into town on Thursday so she could give Anna a batchelorette party. Anna had asked that she and the bridesmaids get massages and then go out to eat.

Getting ready to go

Grandma also came to town on Thurs.

Notice the color scheme?

  

Bridesmaids- Hannah, Beth (matron of honor), Karri, Sarah (maid of honor) and Megan

Anna chose her bridesmaids from different areas of her life. There was a childhood friend, a high school friend, a cousin, a sister and a friend from cosmetology school. Over dinner and during the spa visit, they were able to bond and get to know each other better. They got to have some fun time together while they honored Anna.

Then there were 8!

We now have a new son. Not the little boy/baby kind, but the grown up marry your daughter kind.

Anna's wedding day was this past Sunday.  Whew! What a ride this year has been. God has been extremely faithful to us in many ways. The past few weeks have been terribly hectic and stressful. But the ending was good! Anna married her childhood sweetheart and we gained a son-in-law!

For the next few days, I'll be recalling some of the events of the past week. I don't have many pictures yet, but in a week or so, I'll have plenty and can supplement my words.

Halloween

The weather on Oct. 31st certainly didn't get the memo that outdoor activities were mandatory, because it was nasty. There was a cold, steady rain putting a damper on the usual traditions. We didn't get to have our neighborhood parade and walking from house to house was hindered by the carrying of umbrellas. But that didn't dampen the enthusiasm of  the two little folks that live in our house. They were so excited.

Our Ramases was a little bashful at the beginning

But, our queen was not shy at all

The queen surely does love her Rameses

Our first trick or treater-

Rocko the pirate

 

 

 

 

"Look at all my loot!"

A few days before Halloween, we got together with our OAKS buddies. For some


Pumpkin decorating--

"Why, yes, I'm an expert sticker applier!"

Making crafts with pumpkin seeds--

Decorating cookies--

Still in love with sprinkles

and playing with friends--

Abbey and her good friend and former orphanage buddy, Lily

Abbey, Lily and Lucy

Despite the weather, Abbey and Elijah thoroughly enjoyed their Halloween night!

But where does he hide his wings?

With the coming of cooler weather and the closing of the pool, we've been playing a lot of family hide and go seek. Daniel is the king of hide and go seek. Many rounds end with all of us looking for Daniel. When we find him, it usually takes John to go and pry the big galoot from his premium hiding space. It was during one such hunt for Daniel that Abbey turned to me and with a totally serious face said, "He must have really used his pixie dust!" I looked at her quizzingly and she said, "He's flown away!"
So the fairies now have a new addition, huh?  Tinker-Daniel!

Of course you don't need a nap...

and I believe that you aren't tired at all.

I'm sure you would never fall asleep in the middle of playing

or watching tv. 

Because you just aren't the least little bit tired, are you??