Adoption photos!

I haven't really had a chance to put it out there yet, but I am doing photos to raise funds for the adoption! I have already been busy with appointments without advertising the fundraiser :)

Same deal as before:
$50 for one hour, with all proofs on disk. Family, Seniors, Children, Engagement... just let me know what you need! It's a great deal to get the photos you want AND help bring Annie HOME :)

Email me to set up an appointment or ask any questions you may have!
Thanks, ya'll!

So sweetly true.

"I am the child that looks healthy and fine. I was born with ten fingers and toes.
But something is different, somewhere in my mind, And what it is, nobody knows.
I am the child that struggles in school, Though they say that I'm perfectly smart.
They tell me I'm lazy -- can learn if I try -- But I don't seem to know where to start.
I am the child that won't wear the clothes which hurt me or bother my feet.
I dread sudden noises, can't handle most smells, And tastes -- there are few foods I'll eat.
I am the child that can't catch the ball And runs with an awkward gait.
I am the one chosen last on the team And I cringe as I stand there and wait.
I am the child with whom no one will play -- The one that gets bullied and teased
I try to fit in and I want to be liked, But nothing I do seems to please.
I am the child that tantrums and freaks Over things that seem petty and trite.
You'll never know how I panic inside, When I'm lost in my anger and fright.
I am the child that fidgets and squirms Though I'm told to sit still and be good.
Do you think that I choose to be out of control? Don't you know that I would if I could?
I am the child with the broken heart Though I act like I don't really care.
Perhaps there's a reason I'm made this way -- Some message I'm sent to share.
For I am the child that needs to be loved And accepted and valued too.
I am the child that is misunderstood. I am different - but look just like you."
Author: Kathy Winters

[Kathy Winters is a part-time writer and full-time mother of three. She has a 14-year-old son with Asperger Syndrome and an 11-year-old son with ADHD/Tourettes Syndrome]



This reminded me SO SO much of our sweet Cale man.

THRILLER!

This is, by far, the coolest thing I've ever done professionally.

Pretty gruesome, huh?
(btw, the pink hair isn't part of the costume :) It's for breast cancer awareness in honor of my dear friend, Traci)
Brynn keeps telling everyone her mommy is a monster.

I got to perform the "Thriller" dance, in full costume and makeup, in front of 4,000 people on Monday. Pretty much a dream come true. I used to watch that video over and over and over!

IT.WAS.AMAZING.

They brought in THE best Michael Jackson impersonator there is; he was incredible.

The guests were up against the stage screaming for us, taking pictures, going craaaazy. Unbelievable.

It was a lot of work for a 2 minute performance, but it was worth every second!

There is a video and professional performance photos out there somewhere, and I am just dying (heh) to get my hands on them!

Taylor Swift!

Meme gave LP and I tix to see Taylor Swift for our birthdays! We had to wait six whole months to use them, but according to LP- it was worth the wait! This little girl was BURSTING with excitement. 

I appreciate Taylor. Her songs are catchy... and CLEAN. The show was silly and over-acted and just right for little girls. I'll admit I cried a bit, lol. I've waited a long time to share that experience with my own daughter. Seeing her jumping up and down, squealing with delight, beaming from ear to ear... brought a little tear to my eye. Nathan did the same the first time he took Cale to a race, it's overwhelming to be living your dreams :)

We couldn't have been any further from the stage and she couldn't have been happier about it. "We can see everything from here!"

Layla took those pics herself, btw.


It's been a week and half since the show and she's still talking about it. She told me yesterday that she almost cried when Taylor came out, she just couldn't believe she was really seeing her in person. She also said, "Gosh, it seems like yesterday" haha.

Apparently, she also went to church the following Sunday and told one of the children's volunteers that she had gone, but I hadn't been able to get her a tshirt. Unbeknownst to either of us, this particular volunteer worked for Taylor Swift in merchandising. Crazy.

This week she brought BOTH my sweet girls THE most amazing gift- A Taylor Swift cinch bag FULL of FIVE Taylor Swift shirts EACH, a Taylor Swift choker, and a cd. Is that not the absolute sweetest thing you've ever heard?! They were THRILLED TO PIECES!
Here's LP on Monday all decked out in her gear:

Thank you, Ms.Denise!! According to my girls, YOU ROCK! (And I agree :) And thank you to Meme for the most awesome birthday gift ever!

Phone dump... whatever day it is.

Life just isn't going to allow me to commit to a permanent dump day right now. So I'll just do my best to throw it out there once a week or so. I'll also work on finding a thesarus to replace the word dump.

Here's barely a snippet of the last week... and a half.

Underwatercolors.

The girls and I spent a significant amount of time painting with water colors the other day. The boys... well, I can't remember where the boys were. I can't even remember yesterday. But I have these photos to remind me that at some point a few days ago, we painted with water colors.

Mermaids! I LOVE them. So much that I'm going to frame them for the playroom :)

Revolution Church turns ONE!

Happy birthday, Revolution Church... last week, because I'm behind on posts.
It was the one-year anniversary of our church on Sept 12, so we had a big birthday party to celebrate on Sunday the 11th. I ordered a giant sheet cake from a bakery (don't get me started), but with our regular crowd of 200- we were also gonna need..... CUPCAKES!

So I baked for Jesus.

Pink Lemonade with pink lemonade buttercream frosting.
I was afraid these were going to be SUPER tart, but I hear it was a nice balance of tart and sweet (I never tried one.)

Topped with crushed lemonade/pink lemonade hard candies.

Red Velvet, Nana's cream cheese icing with chocolate shavings.

Honestly, they weren't good. Nobody would say that, and there wasn't a one left, but I did taste these and... they weren't good. This was my first time to make red velvet from scratch and there is definitely room for improvement.


S'mores!
Graham cracker crust, chunks of chocolate and graham chocolate baked in. These were definitely a favorite!

I attempted to make a marshmallow icing, but it just didn't work out.

Plan B- just some good old fashioned toasted marshmallow. YUM.

The 4th and probably most popular cupcake: Peanut Butter and Jelly :)
I thought I was making them for the kids, but the adults ate them up! And loved them!
They were definitely the easiest, and I failed to get any decent pics by that point in the night.
You can see them here in a "group shot".

Peanut butter cake filled with jelly (I used grape, just bc I had it on hand). I actually decided not to ice them and I'm glad. I dusted them with powdered sugar and it was just enough. The icing would have just been too much.

Trying another new recipe this week that I'm pretty excited about!

Life is just too short to let little things like rain and soggy clothes slow us down.

You may recognize this puddle from a couple of years ago... clearly My kids are fans of both the jump AND the puddle.

Note the water pouring out of her boot!

Drip dry for the next rainy day.

**Objects in photos are much darker than they appear. Taking pictures in the rain while balancing an umbrella at sundown doesn't make for the best pictures, but it doesn't change the memories! :)

Friday phone dump... on Saturday.

Friday was CRAZYYY. Three essays, one paper, and two tests. A 4hr physical for the littles and Taylor Swift.

Freud.

"Each indivual personality is the result of a unique compromise between satisfying our drives and comforming to society's restraints."


Mmmhmmm.

My husband is a true romantic.

This is the text I got earlier today:

I'm not sure there is anyone who doesn't love bacon. Show me someone who says they don't and I'll show you a liar. I mean, it's the only food that can be served with every course in some shape or form. Salads, appetizers, main course, dessert... I've even seen it as garnish in a drink! Bacon is the sole reason why I enjoy this gap in my teeth where food regularly gets stuck. Can't make that up. And plus, look at what else you MAKE from bacon, only the second greatest food in the world- GRAVY. You can't even lie about not liking gravy. Do not forget, it's made from the leftovers of BACON! Oh... but bacon doesn't hold a candle to you, Baby!

For real. One long text. Lol. So sweet, that one!

The poet laureate of Dogwood Lane.

No worries, we don't really live on Dogwood Lane. That's from Steel Magnolias :)

Layla decided to decorate all the bedroom doors with poems she wrote for us. Stinkin' adorable, I tell you.

The girls room:
Come and join the view
Brynn and Layla are the girls for you!
They like to play, they like to dance
but they come here when they need to rest :)


Cale's room:
Cale's the man, you can see.
He likes to play, jump, an sing.
He gives you hope and lots of spring.

Cale's the man, you can see.
His bed is made of rubber and string :)


My room:
When I get a cut (ouch!)
Mom's the one I can count on.
She gives me lots of hope and lots of love.
She gives me lots of hugs and a kiss.
When I go away, she's the one I miss.
I love you Mommy :)

She added the smiley faces at the end of all of them; I have no idea where she gets it :)

Friday phone dump.

I'm sure you can tell by the fact that I haven't posted since last Friday's dump and the fact that there aren't a load of photos to dump this Friday, it's been a crazy week. Too crazy for me to explain right now, because it's not over yet.

I have other things to post, but didn't want to get behind on only my 2nd week!

Friday phone dump.

My phone fills up rather quickly with silly photos of our day-to-day that I love, but can't really do anything with. They aren't really things that warrant their own post, so I've decided to start mashing them all here every week. They might give you a glimpse into our every day life and give me the opportunity to preserve such brief moments in time.

Because I really don't have anything else going on...

I'm back in school full time.

I'm excited... I am excited... but shew. It's gonna be rough.
As if the whole balancing act wasn't tricky enough, taking four psych classes may drive me mad.

Come Spring, it will be SO worth it. Remind me of that later, would you?


Graduation, here I come!