Merritt Crocker

After discovering this apron and chef hat, Merritt decided we needed to do a little baking! I was able to scramble together the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies. Morgan joined us in the kitchen just in time to help lick the bowl. While Merritt was coming up with her plan of serving cookies to her Daddy via Morgan, the waitress, the two sisters got into a disagreement. When Morgan stormed off, Merritt looked at me and replied, "Great! I just lost my waitress!" After telling her she should treat her employees better she responded, "Momma, get a plate!" I think I've been hired!

Great Expectations

"I expect you to do great things with your life. I don't hope it... I don't wish it... I EXPECT you to do great things with your life!"

A childhood friend of mine recently posted this as her facebook status explaining that her daddy prayed this over her and her siblings for many years. Wow! If we all wanted this for one another, what a wonderful world it would be!

My greatest hope or expectation for my girls has been self confidence... that which I have lacked! In their recent production of "The Little Mermaid", I have seen self confidence in action sometimes to the extreme. As neither child needs help with costumes either because they are capable of doing it on their own or have been resourceful enough to "hire" their own staff, Momma spent two weeks backstage helping other children, not her own!

At the close of the production, a weary mother returned home a little saddened that her chicks didn't need much of her only to find a smiling father reminding her, "Isn't this what you have always prayed for?" Yes it is my wise partner and oh how proud I am of our Seaweed and Coral! You lit up the stage and made us all smile and giggle! Great show, girls and Great Expectations your Momma and Daddy have for you! Continue to Shine!

The Horse With No Name Has A New Home

This horse has been outside my grandmother's home for as long as I can remember and longer! He was always the first one to greet us and the last one to say goodbye every summer. He might have even been there when my dad was a little boy! When my grandmother passed away, my aunt asked me if there was anything I would like from her house. As we said our goodbyes on my grandmother's driveway, I looked over at the familiar horse and said, "I would love to have the horse!"

Aunt Donna said, "Well, take him now!" We went to work digging him up! I was so proud to bring him home. I'm embarrassed to admit that he's sat in my garage for two years. He's been a steady friend, greeting us each evening and telling us goodbye each morning but I'm proud to report that he now does it with more height and strength. He's found a spot in our flowerbed by our kitchen door which is the door that all our friends and loved ones enter. How proud I am that the horse that greeted my grandparents' friends and loved ones now greets mine! So, special horse, you might not have a name but you definitely have a home and many, many memories! Welcome Home!

Another Year of Violin

This Little Girl Has Big Plans

Last night as I was helping the girls get ready for bed Merritt said, "I can do it all by myself! I'm growing up, Momma and one day I'm going to be a beauty shop owner so I need to start doing everything by myself!" Go for it sister!

Momma Needs A Hobby, That's Why!

After seeing a Facebook posting by a friend telling about her art teacher starting a beginner painter class, I found myself enrolled! I've always loved art and beamed when 3 year old Morgan started telling everyone she wanted to be an artist when she grew up, and a firefighter! I think if I had to answer the question, "If you could do anything, what would it be?" I would answer, "Be an artist." A children's book illustrator to be exact. Not sure why I never took any art classes other than an elective in high school and an Art History class in college. I guess it didn't seem practical and I was afraid I had no talent. Anyway, 2 months later, I have completed my first still life and have begun a landscape. I'm not sure that I have talent but I really look forward to my weekly class.

The girls have found interest in this new outlet of mine! I think they aren't sure why Momma is starting something new. When I brought my still life home, Merritt asked, "Why are you taking a painting class?" Before I could answer, Morgan quickly responded, "Merritt, Momma needs a hobby, that's why! All she does is sit around the house while we are at school! She needed to find something to do while we were gone!" Oh, my! I couldn't even respond to that one! Rest assured, for the rest of the week, I made sure Morgan knew what I had done while she was at school!

Times ~ They Are A Changin'!

We recently received the news that Merritt would be attending her sister's elementary school next year for kindergarten! We are all so proud of Merritt for scoring so well in the testing process not only because it will make carpool simpler on Momma but also so she can have the same experiences her sister has had! Shortly after the excitement, reality set in!

No longer will it be Morgan's school! Morgan is proud of Merritt but not sure she wants to share the school with her! It all came to blows Friday morning when we helped Morgan get to class with some snacks. As we were walking to the classroom a 5th grade girl none of us recognized waved and said, "Hi, Merritt!" Morgan quickly shot me a look as if saying, "Are you kidding me, Momma! I don't even know her!" I asked Merritt if she knew who the girl was and she said, "No, but everybody knows my name!" Aunt Amy might have to offer some counsel this summer on how to handle a little sister in the same school! What Morgan doesn't realize is the next 3 years will be a blink to her mother and the next time these two will be in school together will be when Merritt is a freshman and Morgan is a senior! Reality sure does stink! Just when I thought the two sisters would never share another kind word or look, I walked in on them after church to find.....

Big sister teaching little sister how to read! I guess she decided if she has to share the school with Merritt, she might as well make sure she's the smartest in her class!