Florida Top Ten List

I am so short on time lately, and you know I love a top ten list. So that's how I'm breaking down the Florida Trip. And pictures- I'll put them on Facebook soon. There's just too many and blogger takes too long!

10) On the way to Florida we kept driving through stinky parts of town. On one part Elye looked at me and said, "A Sissy, a stinky, a pooter." Poor Reesi got blamed.

9) Meemaw's earmuffs. She swears that if she doesn't have on earmuffs in the wind than she'll end up with an earache. So picture this: Florida, 70 degrees, the jeep, Meemaw singing all the wrong words to "Celebrate Good Times," while dancing with her ear muffs on.

8) Beach Monkeys and Lesli getting $50 worth of seafood platter's for free!

7) Maggie eating every pair of socks and underwear she could find.

6) Meemaw on the paddle board. I have that one on video, but she won't let me show anyone. Lesli, the boys, and I loved it though. Maybe Lesli will have her own to strap on the top of the Jeep next time we come so we won't have to bum Beaser's board.

5) The jacuzzi Saturday laying all day in the sun.

4) The beach, the jet ski, the lounge chairs, the lunch at Juana's, and the most relaxing day in the sun.

3) Enough Nacho's at Helen Back's to feed an army.

2) Those many trips to Wal-Mart. How many times did you go Karen?

1) Many laughs and fun times with family in Reesi's all time favorite place, Florida!

Birthdays!

Too tired to post all the pictures, but here's a few.

We started Reesi's birthday off with Marvelous Me at school. She shared everything she could fit into her box from her room. It was filled with her Athena statue from the Parthenon, Fly Guy books, poetry book, clay pen holder she made, baby handprint, unicorn snow globe thingy, cleats, shells, and rocks. She showed it all to the class, read the Fly Guy book and cracked up at them kissing, passed out straw bubble blower things, and brought chocolate covered strawberries and marshmallows on a stick for everyone.

After school that day Reesi, Anna Kate, and Addie Reese came with me to go paint some pottery at The Factory. After painting pottery we ate at McDougal's and wasted too much money on the claw duck machine, but we did end up with 14 ducks! Anna Kate figured out a strategy to knocked in several ducks at a time! After McDougal's we went to Diva's and Dude's to find a present for Caroline who missed out on all the fun because she was home sick. We made her a glitterly lotion concoction and stopped by her house to cheer her up. Reesi had a blast with all her friends.

Saturday my parents came in town and we had lunch and cake with my side of the family. Reesi got a DVD holder, new outfit, and a cookie press. Sunday we ate at Meemaw's with Larry's family and Tuesday we ate with Larry's Dad and Cat. What a whirlwind of birthday meals! Reesi's not ready for them to be over yet. She is insisting on celebrating again when we go see Lesli in Florida! She makes the most of her birthdays!

Reesi is Seven!

Reesi,

I don't like to think about how old you are! I just want to freeze time! Unfortunately, I can't, but I at least hope that I will always remember what you were like at seven. So here it goes!

At seven . . .

-still have the sweetest heart. At school this week you were so proud of yourself. You worked in groups in class on American symbols. Nobody in your group wanted to write the words so you jumped in and took the writing over. You were so proud of yourself for not only doing an awesome job at the words, but for giving up what you really wanted to do for your friends.

-just started softball. We had to talk you into playing, but once you committed you've been working hard at it.

-like to hang out with the girls' basketball team after practice and games. You made your first basket on the big goal this year and the girls went crazy.

-don't like to talk about your mistakes. I hate this one and my goal is to help you become more comfortable with this this year.

-have lost two bottom teeth and one on top. All pulled by Mrs. Cline.

-sleep in your turquoise zebra stripped robe every night. It's pretty warm so many times we wake up to find that you have shed the robe and opted for just the underwear.

-love Tom and Jerry. It's your favorite movie right now. You also just started watching Andy Griffith.

-love your sister so much. I hate it when you're not home because you keep her entertained. However, in the car and when we aren't at home you pester her a lot too. You'll get your payback for that one day.

-Email from your teacher: I am excited to see her "blossoming" in so many areas. Her phonics/reading skills are improving everyday! She has gained a lot of confidence and is reading with much expression! Her handwriting is beautiful! Reesi is becoming more organized...I think she is finally realizing how it benefits her to have things organized in her desk. (It's not 100% yet, but it is SO much better!)

-are changing so much every year. I am starting to understand why it always made my dad sad to look back at pictures when we were little. Your little chubby face is gone:(

-bring so much joy to our life. I can't imagine what it would be like without you.

Oops!

I knew I would get that recipe wrong! It needs three cups of peanut butter, not two!

Still Not Asleep

Reesi has been in bed for close to two hours and she's still not asleep. Here's our conversation:

Me: You're not asleep are you. (When I walked in the room she tried to lay down real quick and fake it.)

Reesi: I'm too busy thinking about my Marvelous Me box. (This is a box she gets to fill and take to school on her birthday and talk about everything she filled the box with.)

Me: What are you thinking about?

Reesi: What I'm going to put in it, what I'm going to say. I bet I'll have a lot of questions. (from the other students)

I love how kids get so excited about things.

It really makes me not want her to grow up.

22 Months

Elye Kate, at 22 months you . . .

-love to take a shower. You call it rain. The things you learn b/c you have a big sister
-have pee-peed on the potty twice. The second time it was a lot. You always have to sit on the potty like your sister before bath time. You have been grunting and grimacing with no luck, but you finally figured it out. However, June is a heavy month of traveling for us so I'm thinking we'll wait until July to even start thinking about real potty training.

-are still a little squirt, but have the biggest belly. You will also stick it out as far as you can when we say, "Big Belly!"

-will go down the big slide at the playground all by yourself.

-repeat everything. You are constantly asking, "Wha's that?" Then you repeat whatever we say.

-love outside. That's great, except for when your crying to go swing at 7:00 AM Sunday morning. Mama needs a little time to wake up before we go play outside!

-love your sissy and your cousins, Grace and Lyla. You ask for all of them anytime they're not around.

-are not the best eater, but I just keep putting it all in front of you hoping you'll catch on one day. If I let you, you would drink your milk for every meal.

-now say "Milk" instead of "Dilk."

-still love to throw your food on the floor, a lot. The good news is that you will stay in time out when I put you there immediately after. There are lots of tears, but at least you stay put.

-are much more giving with your kisses than your sister is.

-still play with your hair when you drink your milk. Your still just my little baby!

My New Favorite Recipe

Bad picture! They aren't really this color.

I am not a cook, but I am all about a quick breakfast I can grab on the run. These peanut butter balls are my new favorite. They are super yummy and full of protein. The kids like them too!

Peanut Butter Balls

6 cups of oats

2 cups of dry milk powder (could also use protein powder instead)

1/2 cup of ground flax seed

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Add . . .

3 cups of peanut butter

1 2/3 cups of honey

Throw in some chocolate chips to make them really yummy.

Mix it all up and roll into balls. This makes about 50 golf size balls. Throw them in the fridge and freeze the extras! I also flatten them out in a pan and put in the fridge. A couple hours later I take them out and cut into bars.

I'm a Sucker for Love!

I saw this on an old high school friend's blog and I've been waiting a year to use it! Of course, Elye wouldn't cooperate so it's just Reesi. Happy Valentine's Day!