HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY, NEALIE BUG!!!

Birthdays are a big - huge - deal in our house.  It is cupcakes for breakfast for everyone on your big day...sometimes it is even candles in your breakfast treat!!

Of course, you get to have MORE cupcakes delivered to you classroom to share with all your friends at snacktime.

Dinner is a special treat also.  This year we joined some good friends - the Johnsons and Cogdells -  for dinner at a local mexican restaurant.  It just so happens that Mama DeeDee's birthday is today also!! Birthday girls partying Mexican-style.  Whoop - whoop!!

Then it is home for more celebrating...when Daddy gets home, we have cake and open a gift.

New swimsuit!! Girlie you are gonna be lookin' good at the pool!!

Leap Frog Light-Up Birthday cake!!! Sings happy birthday and counts.  Candles flicker and you can blow them out!!! We love Leap Frog toys!!!

It is all smiles for Nealie at the end of the day!! 

This birthday will actually be a "travelling" birthday. This is the first of many celebrations as we travel to/host our extended family members. 

Precious one...you are loved so very much.  You have a contagious giggle, awesome smile, and a mischievious nose-crinkled grin that touches everyone you meet.  An inspiration to your family and

all those around you.  I am so proud that God has allowed me to be your mother.  Doctors said we would have you for seven years...God has allowed you to stay with us for nine...a wonderful illustration that it is all in His time and according to His plan 

Happy 9th Birthday Nealie!!!!

We love you!!!!

(Ain't God good!)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

Hey Y'all!!!! Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Last week at work us SEL girls had craft time because as you all know...when the cat is away, the mice will play! (Only at lunch and break time, though.)

While Larry was skiing the slopes in Aspen...

We made the sweetest burlap Valentine's!! And, had the best time!

The finished product...

Thanks to our "friend from the back" - Susan..for taking our pictures!!!

Today was a great day...we had a buffet of goodies...

An awesome lunch delivered by Scottie J...

We played with my camera...look at this cool sephia pic of me and Kim!!

Kim's husband Tim is overseas this Valentine's Day serving our country...he sent her a beautiful arrangement of flowers...how sweet!  She was soooo excited!!!!

Hope everyone had a great day...gonna go home now and kiss up on some true sweeties...

 

Oops!!

Hey...have you ever heard of someone falling through the floor of the attic?  Ya know, stepping through the ceiling of the room below?  Well, when I was in high school, one of my friend's dad stepped through the ceiling of their hallway.  I remember this because they made a sign and put over the hole until it could get fixed. 


I speak of this because "someone" in my family stepped through our attic floor into Nealie's bedroom below!  It all happened so fast, and perhaps the person up there was up there due to stubbornness...just maybe!  Anywho...that person's foot slipped off of the flooring and WHOOSH, down she, I meant they, went!  (Sheetrock provides absolutely no support whatsoever!  So I've been told!! Hehehehehehe!)

Nobody will notice, right?!



Nealie caught sight of it when she was going to bed that night and just laughed and laughed. 


Oh, here is something I don't hear often.  In fact, I don't recall EVER hearing it said to me before.  The other night Pher and I were in Wal-Mart...our Friday night date location for the last few weeks.  Pher was looking at something and I was checking out some ribbon for an upcoming project.  A lady in a motorized shopping chair with her granddaughter riding with her stopped and was looking at some items on the top row.  Not really easedropping, but I heard that they wanted it...so I said, "Let me get that for you."  The lady thanked me while the granddaughter said in this sweet, amazed voice, "Wow, you sure are tall!" Her eyes wide open!  HA! Now really!! I was so taken aback...but I thanked her with a smile!!  Pher witnessing this from the other end of the aisle, came up to me laughing and said "Ever heard that before mom?!"  No, dear Pher I have not, don't expect to ever again...but I will remember this one time...forever!!!!!!!

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY, CHRISTOPHER!!!!!

Well, it has finally happened...my baby boy has become a TEENAGER!!! Bugjuice turned 13 on December 29, 2011.  Since I am playing "recap" of Our Bug Life...here is how we spent one evening of my time away!!!

For the landmark occasion...we had a skating party and what a blast it was!!

Landon, Bradley, T - Birthday Boy!!!, Jake

Skates and ripstix

Love those pink socks, Jo-Jo!!

Jessica, Adam, and Sammy G!!

Ty on the floor!!

Me and Nealie showing off our moves!!

Baseball cupcakes, ice cream, chips and drinks!Yummmm! No candles to blow out and only an "accidental" singing of Happy Birthday...due to an error on the part of the DJ!!!

Bugjuice...we are so very proud of you.  You are growing into a fine young man.  You have a wonderful, contagious smile and giggle.  Keep the sparkle in your eyes and your interest in learning about things and you will go far.

We love you!!!

Mom, Dad, and Nealie

CAN YOU SAY...SUPER BOWL XLVI PARTY!!!!!

Super Bowl Sunday - New England Patriots vs. New York Giants. 

While neither team is our fave, the family is pulling for the Giants.  There are others in our family however who could be seen yesterday and perhaps today again, sporting Tom Brady jerseys!! We are not watching the game in the same house!!!

We always have a Super Bowl party for our little family.  In fact, only one other person has ever been invited...Auntie M.  Everyone picks out something to have and we make a little feast. 

2012 Super Bowl Menu

Chicken Wings

Cheese Fries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

We also had chips and salsa, pasta salad, fire crackers and brownies and vanilla ice cream.  Now don't think we ate ALL of this...there are plenty of leftovers! 

I had a helper.

And since Nealie was not all about watching football, we went into the attic for some old "new" toys to entertain her and make her night special...Wow what fun a bean bag or two and an ice cream cart can bring!!!

 

Here's the ice cream cart. 

It was purchased for Chris when he was about 3 years old.  He would push it around the house asking everyone if they would like to buy some ice cream.  Oh, it plays music too!  And boy did he LOVE to push that button.  Chris showed her how to play with it.  Nealie was interested in it, but not as much as Pher was.  She moved back to laying around on the bean bags...but maybe she will in the next few days!

Good luck to everyone's team!!!!

**Final score - Giants 21...Patriots 17**



It's a PHER tree!!!

(This was supposed to be posted on Saturday, Feb 4...but somehow I hit the wrong button!!)

We have the GREATEST youth group at our church...1st Baptist Church.

The girls outnumber the boys, but no one seems to mind!! They interact like brothers and sisters.

 Our Youth Minister Scott has the most creative ways to teach young people about Jesus and His love for us.  He is such a wonderful soul...one that we are so thankful we have in our lives. As an adult I am so energized when I attend a youth meeting and I see that energy in the youth of our church.


At Christmas, the youth had a Christmas party at one of the youth's home.  Yummy food, wonderful fellowship and cool games were part of the night...

wrap a present using only certain parts of your body...

...make a true "living" Christmas tree...

"Pher" Tree

(He volunteered!!!)

Cutest tree I've ever seen...love the smiling eyes!!

It is wonderful to see these young people having fun together and building relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime...with each other and Jesus.

Today while the boys went to baseball practice, Nealie and I took off to run some fun errands.  First we went to Sam's for "cheap" gas, then to Wal-Mart for craft supplies...stay tuned for what this is!!!  Then, because we could, we took off to Smithfield about 20 minutes away to walk through the Carolina  Pottery.  I am in search of a boxwood, sage green wreath.  I've seen some really cute crafts online with these, but don't think they exist in my neck of the woods!!  Anywho...I purchased a very good "stand in" and hope to get my wreath made this afternoon.  Also got some cushions for the front porch rocking chairs...black and white polka dots, none the less!!! Pictures to come later!!