My Little Dancer

Izabelle started Dance this year...She is in the 3-4 year old dance class and she was soo excited to be dancing, but when we got there she wasn't so excited and wouldn't put on her leotard and would not step into the studio until about the last 5 minutes...Then she really enjoyed it...I was about to join the class myself, since Izabelle didn't want to do it and I saw all the little girls having soo much fun!!! 

I think it was because she had the Turkey Trot on her mind and wanted to go to the Turkey Trot with her Aunt Kaycee...

Here are some pictures of her first dance class...

Standing to wait for the teacher's instructions

Getting ready for a plie

Izabelle and her class

With Much Love

Jess

Since School Started

We have been busy since school started and starting to get into a nice little routine...Grace is really enjoying school, her teacher, and all of her friends...I LOVE coming home and looking through her backpack and seeing what she has accomplished and her reading her books and studying for her spelling test...She is doing so good and has been gaining self-esteem which is GREAT!!!  Izabelle is starting to like daycare...the first week was pure H-E-Double Hockey Sticks (if you know what I mean)...the first day she hit the day care provider, threw fits each day dropping her off and picking her up...But the first day of the 2nd week she has done amazing and enjoys it...She is so HAPPY!!!  She has been increasing her self-esteem too...She keeps saying "I am pretty, I am pretty"...We all need to look in the mirror and tell ourselves that too...

We took the girls to Spring Mill last weekend and really enjoyed it...We brought a packed lunch and ate at the picnic tables and then let the girls play in the creek...The water was COLD but we enjoyed it...Went through the Village and then went and looked at the caves...Although the caves were closed due to the bats dying from sometype of fungus or something like that, but it was neat to just look at them from a distance...The boat thru one the caves was opened, but they were all full:(

I took pictures of the day, but when I went to put it in the van, it fell between the seat and something else and I can't find it, so I have to get the seat taken out...Leave it to me to do something like that...LOL!!! But hopefully I can get it this weekend and post some pictures...The girls loved Spring Mill and it didn't cost me a arm and a leg, which is good!!!

Well until next time...God Bless!!!

With Much Love

Jess

TOOTH FAIRY

We had an eventful day yesterday...First we started out by sleeping in a little longer since Grace had her well-child check up that morning.  We had pancakes for breakfast and some time just to be silly, then it was off to take Izabelle to daycare and Grace to the doctors.

While we were waiting for the doctor I told Grace that this would be a good time to get that tooth out and I would reward her with ice cream.  So, she wiggled and yanked and finally she pulled her TOOTH!!!

I was soo HAPPY for her...I picked her up and swung her around...I even had a few tears in my eyes...She did this all by herself.  She was so proud of herself.

After the doctor's office it was off to MickeyD's for a milkshake...chocolate!!!  Then it was back to school...But I couldn't tell no one, well I told my parents and siblings but I couldn't say anything to her friends or her dad...she wanted to surprise them...She even told me "Mom, you can't tell Sonya (her BFF's mom), I want Hailey to tell her"...It was so hard not to tell anyone.

So, last night she put her tooth in her special tooth fairy box and put it under her pillow and went to bed...Only that mom forgot that she was the tooth fairy and when she remembered she was in the shower, so mom (don't know why I am doing 3rd person) ended up running in her room and trying to find the box in the dark and dropping in under the bed, trying not to wake Grace up...UGH!!! I can't believe I forgot to be the tooth fairy...Good thing Grace is a heavy sleeper or I would have been CAUGHT! She was so excited that the tooth fairy came and visited and put a special note in the box, saying "You are such a special girl"...Grace said "She must of heard me telling Izabelle ssshh, it's okay, when she was having a bad dream".

Here is a picture of my toothless little girl...

With Much Love, Jess

Back To School & Updates

So, Grace's first week of 1st Grade has been really good...She enjoys her teacher, classmates, and lessons...She is even happy about homework (we will see if it last very much longer, ha)...

Here are some pictures of her first day...

Grace my lil 1st Grader & Lil Miss Iz

 Grace waiting for the Bus...

 Eager to get to school:)

Grace:
I am overjoyed and proud to have you as my daughter...You are one strong six (almost seven) year old...You are outgoing, loves to love, very understanding, mature, and one start little girl...You make me smile everyday...You are a terrific BIG SISTER...I love you Grace more than words can say...Mom

Over the weekend, we went to Evansville for a fun filled day...We went shopping, Build-A-Bear, Chuck E Cheese, and Ice Cream...We didn't get home until almost 10...We were worn out...Pictures Below:

Iz feeling how soft her bear is...

 Grace getting her bunny stuffed

 Nice and Soft

 Putting her heart in...

 Iz putting her heart in

 Giving them a nice bath...

 Grace and Hoppy

 Iz and No Name

 The Girls

 Grace at Chuck E Cheese...I didn't get many pictures there.

 Iz riding her favorite ride

 Sunday, the girls and I were just having a bad morning...we missed church, the girls were fighting, so I decided that we need to go and just have some more FUN!!!! So, we headed to one of my favorite childhood places...Hindostan Falls...We were glad to see the river was down where we could enjoy the rock and have a picnic...

The girls running free.

 Picking up shells

 Then we headed over to Brooks Bridge...This bridge scared me because you can see through it to the bottom.

 Grace throwing a rock or spitting down to the water below...

That pretty much sums up what we have been doing lately...Until Next Time God Bless...Jess

The Gift of Giving...Locks of Love

Grace did a wonderful thing this week...she was able to give the Gift of Giving, her hair...We have been in the talks about donating Grace's hair for awhile now, I think we started to think about it at the age of 3, but each time we talked about cutting Grace's hair to give to someone else, she didn't like that too well, she loved her hair, it was like her identity and she was too young to really comprehend how much it would mean to someone.  So, Matt and I waited until she was old enough to make her decision and fully understand the whole meaning before cutting her hair (she did have it cut one other time, but not enough for donation).  This year we really started to talk more about all of us girls growing our hair out enough to donate. We told her that after Grant and Amanda's wedding would be a great time to cut her hair and donate it to Locks of Love, which is an organization that provides hairpieces to children that finanically disadvantaged. You can read about Locks of Love here.

I am so proud of Grace for being brave and doing this for another child and for herself. Her hair has been her identity and everywhere she goes someone comments about how beautiful and LONG her hair is, so you see it took some courage for her to do this. Tuesday night I came and got her along with my mom and took her down to Amber Jo's Head To Toe to get her haircut by Amanda (Thank you Amanda). At first she was kinda reluctant, but soon got over her nerves and just went for it. I think it was harder for me then it was for her. She got her hair washed and combed. When Amanda put her hair in a ponytail to start measuring Grace asked "Will I look like a boy", we had to assure her that she would not look like a boy...After measuring, Amanda started to cut the ponytail off...Here are some pictures.

    Amanda starting to cut thru the pony tail                               There it goes...

11 Inches of Hair...Kinda looks like a rat tail...When Grace saw this she said "It looks like a snake came outta my head"...

The finished product...She really really likes it and it makes her look older...I told her we are going to have to fight the boys off and she just blushed and giggled...LOVE IT!!!! 

With Much Love...

Jess

Holiday World

This past Saturday, I took the girls and my cousin Jacy to Holdiay World...My work offered a family day with $20 Holiday World tickets along with a free meal...I couldn't pass the opportunity up, so we headed out and so glad we did...I couldn't have expected a perfect day...Here are some pictures from the day...

A Fun Time was had by ALL!!!

With Much Love, Jess

Hello Blog World

I feel like I abandoned this blog for quite sometime and well in some aspects I have. Life really has been crazy to put it as simple as that, I won't go into it and I'm sure most of you already know about some of it, but we (me and the girls) are doing good and continuing to cling to the Lord and to each other...Actually to be truthful we all are doing good including Matt...Things have started to settle down alittle bit and are moving on from things and of course loving on our girls when we have them...They are soo precious and so full of life and love, they are truly amazing girls.  They are soo strong, so understand, and inspiration to me. 


Okay, so a little update on us:

• I'm working full time now...Not really wanting to but hey that is okay, I'm busy, I like my job, and can't complain about the pay, so bring it on:)
• Izabelle, I don't even know where to start with her...She is such a HOOT!!!  One minute she is the funniest little thing, then I turn around and she is complete opposite and hard to handle, but then switches back faster than before...She is such a talker...Always asking questions, singing, telling silly stories...The other day I had to tell her she just needed to be quiet just for a moment and said "I don't want to be quiet, I want to talk".  And went on with another story, I just had to laugh and just let her talk.
• Grace, she is my wing man girl, she keeps me grounded and reminds me what I need to do...I can see her being a Boss one day or possibly a Lawyer, she is very good about getting her way, well most of the time...Her little sister absolutely adores her and Grace tries to get her in trouble but usually ends up the one in trouble...Awww, she is one of a kind and I love her...Both of my girls
• Grace is donating her hair to Locks of Love next week...She is ready for it, but I think both us will miss her long hair, but not the brushing part, it gets ratty really easily, but I'm proud of her wanting to give some of her hair to someone that doesn't have any or very little of it.
• The girls have been having some fun over the 4th of July weekend...They were at their dad's and they ended up going to a tractor pull with him & his parents and they got to spend the day in a friend's pool, stayed in a hotel room, swam at that pool and had a wonderful time with their dad, I am so glad that they did..Mom on the other hand watched fireworks with her parents and brother and her new sis, but it was fun nonetheless, ha:)
• I got reacquainted with horses over the weekend as well...I haven't been riding since I was young and it really felt good to get back up there.
• The girls and I went out last night and got Scoops with my friend Ashley...It was really yummy, the girls got their ice cream, I didn't get any, cause I knew Izabelle wouldn't eat all hers but she surprised me and ate most of it, she is growing like a weed...It was really good to be with another adult that wasn't my family for awhile...Thanks Ashley, next time I will let you do all the talking, I promise.
• Tonight we don't have much to do, well I'm hoping I will finish the book Eclipse, from The Twilight Saga series...I never thought I would get into them, but they actually been pretty good and I now know why people are so interested in them.
• Tomorrow the girls and I are going to Holiday World, so I'm really excited to take them and my cousin Jacy with me...it will be fun and the weather looks really good.
• Our house is still for sell, if anyone is interested or knows someone they can just call me or Matt.

Well, it seems like that is pretty much it in a nutshell, I hopefully I can get back into the blogging groove again...I have been missing it and reading all of the blogs.

With Much Love...
Jess

MY GIRLS

I will never be able to explain how much I love these two little girls. They are my world, they keep me grounded, keep me on my toes, and they love me!!!! I'm soo lucky!!!!!

My Baby Brother is MARRIED!!!

Saturday my baby brother got married to the Love of His Life, Amanda and this BIG sis can't be HAPPIER for them...It was the perfect day...The morning started out rough with rain, but once the morning got started the skies opened up and let the sun shine down...

The Bride wasn't as nervous as I thought she would be, but O' the groom was, well according to the guys. Once the wedding got started and everyone was waiting for the Bride to make the entrance I just could not keep my eyes off of my brother, I think he blinked about a zillion times, pulled his tux sleeves down about 1/2 dozen times, shifted his weight back and forth until his bride was right in front of him, when he stopped and just gave her the most sweetest smile, I have ever seen my brother give.  Just looking back, it makes my heart jump for joy for these two.

It was a beautiful ceremony, a great celebration with family and friends, and most of all we received more family into our lives...Not only is Amanda part of our family, but her mom and brother joined our clan...They are truly our family now and we won't give'em up:) 

Here are some pictures of the rehersal dinner and during the wedding day (I didn't take much pictures, but I will probably post more once I get more from other people):

The Bridesmaids with the Bride-to-Be:

The Groomsmen & Ushers with the Groom-to-Be

Mom and Dad with their Son:

Mom and Dad with Grant and future daughter

WEDDING DAY:

Grace and Izabelle getting their hair done...Notice Izabelle is feeding her baby

Me and My girls before the wedding:                                               The Bride & Emily adoring her

The Cakes:

The infamous Cake in the face...That's what it's all about.

One of my favorite Pictures                                              

that someone took with my camera, Jason and Emily      Amanda's Mom, Kay & Brother Mike

We are sooo unbelievable happy for Grant and Amanda and I hope they are enjoying their Honeymoon in Jamica...I love you!!!!

With Much Love...

Jess