Thanks Maz!

Nana had a little surgery on Monday, so last night while E was at dance Justin, Luke, and I carried her supper. Maz had left a few Valentine's Day prizes for the kids, and they were very excited to open them this afternoon!

Thank you, Maz! We love the dominoes and cars!

103

Some people, like Justin, are fortunate enough to have all of their grandparents around well into their adult years. Justin's PawPaw (Luke's namesake) passed away just before his 24th birthday. All of his other grandparents, thankfully, are still with us!

Others, like myself, have experienced the loss of grandparents at a young age. My paternal grandmother passed away when I was nine, and my maternal grandfather passed away when I was twelve. I was extremely close to both of these grandparents, and their deaths will forever be etched in my memory. Since then I have also lost my paternal grandfather (in 2009), but I am blessed to still have my maternal grandmother, Moms (aka Maz, who thinks my babies hung the moon and the stars:).

Although I lost grandparents at a young age, I was so blessed to have a great-grandmother who, until the day she went to be with Jesus in 2005 (just shortly after my twentieth birthday), had her mind and her spunk! I loved that woman beyond words. In fact, she is Emma's namesake. Some things that make me think of my many, many days with her are oatmeal with butter and salt (I didn't know people actually put sugar in oatmeal until well into my adult years), dumplings, biscuits, Sally Jesse Raphael, Phil Donahue, all CBS soaps:), The People's Court, Mrs. Beasley Dolls, Sears catalogues, Ivory soap, checkers, TV Guides, and Amazing Grace.

While I love my life today, there are definitely times I wish I could go back to the 1980s, sit on her countertop, and "help" her make biscuits. I wish I could climb in her lap and rock. I wish I could hold her soft, wrinkled hands. I wish I could see her crystal blue eyes. I wish I could hear her sing Amazing Grace...just one more time. Then I remember I can. I will. One day I will be with her again. This time, though, it will be for eternity.

Today would have been her 103rd birthday here on earth (according to the family Bible and her...102nd according to social security records:). Happy Birthday Amma (am-maw)! Until we meet again...

Happy Valentine's Day!

The greatest gift of all...

I am pretty thankful for these gifts too (and, of course, their Daddy who

would rather me not snap a pic of him during the 5 o'clock hour:)...

A quick story...a few weeks ago Emma and I were talking about Valentine's Day, when I asked her if she knew what that was. She wasn't quite sure, so I told her that Valentine's Day is an extra special day for us to show our loved ones how much we care about them. Then I asked her who she wanted to be her Valentine. Fully expecting her to say "Daddy" or "Michael" (her "boyfriend", ha!), she surprised me once again by promptly saying "Jesus".

I love that girl! Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Eve

This year for Valentine's Day I decided, with a little inspiration from Pinterest, to let Emma make her own Valentines. She wrote "We are wild about you! Love, Emma and Luke" on a piece of paper, which I minimized and photocopied inside of hearts. Then she colored the hearts and cut them out. We filled "monkey" bags with animal crackers, and here's what we ended up with...

Tonight I put together another Pinterest inspired idea

for a special Valentine's Day breakfast in the morning...

Although I don't need a special day to show my family how much I love them,

I do enjoy being the provider of little surprises throughout the day! :) 

Sibling Sunday

Side {and The One Where She Took the Suitcase to Walmart}

Side.

This is Luke's current favorite word...meaning outside.

And if you don't go...immediately...it gets ugly:)

Luckily we've had a mild winter (if you'd even call it winter at all)...until today, that is, when he was heartbroken (and pretty ticked off) at the fact that Mommy would not let him go "side".

This week we were able to play "side" several days...

E loves to play t-ball...and run the bases

(aka the big tree beside the house).

Love this pic:)

And, of course, more pink for the boy...we are on the lookout for a red and

yellow Cozy Coupe...he shouldn't have to endure pink on EVERYTHING;)

Last night we had to go to the funeral home in Alex City. We planned to make a trip to "the Walmart store" while we were there;). I told E she could take her pajamas so she would be ready for bed when we got home. We were in a hurry and she was "lingering", so I yelled into her room for her to hurry up. I heard the closet door shut as she said "I'm coming Mama," and then I heard the sound of something rolling. Here she came down the hallway with her suitcase. Immediately I began to laugh...because really, what are you to do when your four year old comes down the hall with a suitcase in preparation for a trip to "the Walmart store?" The girl is a mess, I tell ya!! :)

Just because he's so cute laying in Sissy's

bed while we dry her hair every night...

One-on-One

This weekend was a little different than most. Last night Daddy went to a men's conference at church, so Nana came over and we had a little girl's night (plus Luke). Of course, Emma decided she needed to go home with her and spend the night, which left Luke and me some one-on-one time this morning!

While Nana put Luke to bed last night, Emma finished her first 100-

piece puzzle!! She's been working on it a little bit each night this week. :)

Luke loved having free rein over ALL the toys today!!

His favorite was my phone:)

This afternoon Nana and I traded, and Emma and I went to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D...her first movie! I've been wanting to take her for a long time, but something always comes up...plus, until recently (the last 6 months or so), she hasn't been all that interested in watching moving for long spans of time. We had so much fun...the best part of my day was when, during the movie, she leaned over to me and said, "Mama, I'm so glad we came to see this movie together." Have I told you how much I love that free-spirited, strong-willed princess? As much as she makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes, other times she does just the opposite and totally melts my heart. That comment alone was worth the $26.75 I spent!! It would totally embarras Justin to know I was sharing this tidbit (because he gawked when I told him), but I briefly turned into my mother today, picking up some snacks and drinks at Target before the movie and stowing them away in my purse. We did spring for movie popcorn (my mama would have popped the microwave kind before the movie and put it in Ziploc baggies:).