We Interrupt This Blog......

We interrupt this blog for Second Grade!

Sorry for the blogging delay! Second grade has been an adjustment! Not for Morgan, for me! Merritt began her final year of preschool the Wednesday after Morgan started. The new school year has started smoothly, I'm just trying to adjust to a new routine, information from 3 teachers (those are just Morgan's teachers) and getting 2 girls to school on time! So far, so good! Hopefully we will be returning to previously scheduled programming (posting more regularly) soon!

Second Grade on the Second Floor

Today our household woke up with a 2nd grader in it! Morgan asked me to wake her up at 6:45. She popped out of bed, quickly dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast and to help me make her lunch! We were pulling out of the driveway at 7:32 a little worried that we might be at school too early! Wow, Momma is liking second grade so far!

Morgan was so excited on the way there. She had already prepared me the night before that she would like to be dropped off in the carpool line rather than my traditional way of walking her to the classroom on the first day of school. I knew this day would come but I really thought it would be 6th grade or high school or what's wrong with waiting until college!

She was so ready to get out of the car and head to the 2nd floor, I'm not sure what I said to her. Surely I said goodbye and I love you! If not, I know she knows it!

Thanks for the look-back Morgan! That makes up for not letting me walk you to the classroom!

Next year, I'll know to roll the window down! Or better yet, park the car after carpool line and sneak to your classroom! Not walking my princess to class on the first day of school..... not so sure Momma likes 2nd grade!

Poppa's Birthday Party

On August 12th, we celebrated Poppa's 71st birthday. The girls helped us host an evening of dinner, cake and ice cream and some Wii bowling! During dinner, Morgan wanted to play our dinnertime conversation game. Each person takes a card and asks a question that we all have to answer. We had a great time hearing everyone's answers and learning new things about each other! It was a birthday party to remember!

Merritt, the pro!

Check out that form!

Serious Mumsie!

The girls loved their idea of getting a 7 and a 1 candle to avoid any fire hazards!


Happy Birthday, Poppa! Hope all your wishes come true!

Go Speed Racer!

Before the great Ferris Wheel incident of 2009, the girls did a little go-kart racing. Morgan was old enough to drive the kiddie karts by herself. She was pretty excited and really good. Made me less apprehensive about her turning 16! Well, not really!

She got comfortable in the driver's seat very quickly!



Look how she hugs the inside lane! Definitely the winner in this race!

Parking was a snap! I think the ride attendant was rather impressed!

We all rode the big track together. Momma and Morgan versus Daddy and Merritt. Daddy and Merritt were clearly given better equipment than the all-girl team. Morgan and I had a great time even in the smoke that Daddy and Merritt left behind!

When Merritt wasn't tall enough to drive the karts that Morgan could, Daddy took her for one last spin around the big track. The vote is still out on who had more fun!

Go-kart racing is serious business!

Another Treasure

"Momma, look what I found!"

Favorite Beach Photos

Here are some of my favorite beach photos/memories of our week (in no particular order) ~

GranMe & Poppy

Girls' & Daddy's annual sand sculpture. This year, a crab!

Sisterly love!


Amy, Jacob and Joe

Sea creature that Uncle Joe found

Daddy getting some much needed and deserved rest!

Motherly love!

Sand diggin'!

The girls!

Daddy & girls!

Hey Momma, We're Stuck!

One of our days at the beach was spent at a mini-amusement park where we drove go-carts, bumper boats and the girls rode on a few rides. Realizing I was missing some great picture opportunities, I headed back to the car to get my camera while Scott got in line for the Ferris wheel with the girls. On my return, I quickly started taking pictures, seizing the opportunity of the Ferris wheel being at a stand still.

As I'm taking this picture, Merritt says, "Hey Momma, we're stuck!" I kept taking pictures trying to get Morgan to look at the camera and smile. She said, "Mom, we're really stuck!" Noticing all the park employees surrounding the ride, I quickly found Scott. Yes, they really were stuck. The new ride operator loaded three baskets in a row, not distributing the weight. Scott said they got around a few times and then it just stopped.

The girls handled it very well. It helped that they were in the bottom car and not the one dangling in the air. It helped me that it was a kiddie Ferris wheel and even if they were at the top, I felt confident I could scale the Ferris wheel to their rescue if I had to! Actually, I would have sent Scott!

The great rescue!

What a brave little girl!

Big sister let little sister be saved first!

The children in the green basket were the highest up. The park employees got a ladder and handed them down to their parents. Everyone stayed very calm and the girls got a free ride on the ride of their choice. They played it safe and chose the carousel!

Gulf Shores 2009

Our annual beach trip to Gulf Shores brought us to a new location. Actually same location, just different venue. We usually stay in friends' condo but this year since Amy and her family were joining us, we rented a beach house. After the first morning breakfast on the porch/balcony with an ocean view, most of us decided we wanted to stay here every year! Not sure the purse strings of Poppy's agreed!

It was a grand location for the 9 of us! The week consisted of great beach time, putt-putt, nature walks, aquarium visiting, Lambert's roll throwing, a little shopping, many hours of driving, picturing taking, swimming, ferry riding and lots of fun! Seeing the girls with their cousin, Jacob was priceless!

Thanks to all #7A Beach house occupants for making the end of a great summer even greater!

Beach Bums

The month of August began with our annual beach trip! It seems like the older the girls get, the more fun we have! My heart hopes that continues, my head knows it won't always be the coolest thing to build a sand castle with dad, and hunt for shells with mom. For the time being, Scott and I will savor each moment! More highlights to come........