Baby Girl

Just a random shot,

taken backstage between performances of A Little Princess,

but it sums up Cailin perfectly.

I love this picture.

I love this girl.

How can she be in her last weeks of middle school?

She's still my baby girl.

Always and forever.

Easter Break 2011

Banana Boat Ride 

Pelicans Game

 Before dinner with friends.

 Miniature Golf at our favorite course ... despite the sudden chill. Brrr

 Low country boil with friends. 

 Early morning sunrise.

 Reminded me that just like the hidden sun, God is always there,

 even when I can't "see" Him... was a powerful visual as I did my Bible study that morning.

Lovin' It!

Today I am loving these things...

1. My Mom sneaking into my messy kitchen last night, and tidying it all up while I was with the girls at youth group. She knew I felt lousy and was dreading coming home to it.

2. Rusty getting the girls off to school while letting me sleep off my nyquil hangover. Seriously, sleep felt good, and so did an empty house when I awakened.

3. My 2 shih tzu co-workers, especially when they chase each other and make me laugh.

4. The fresh bouquet of tulips on the kitchen table that make me so happy. I have to figure a way to afford weekly fresh flowers, they add so much to a home.

5.Having the pass word to my 13 year old's facebook account, and hacking into it to delete comments I disapprove of.  Along that tangent, do other parents not read the comments their kids leave on other pages? I check out all of Cailin's, and if she ever says anything I don't think needs to be broadcast to the internets I remove it. That has only happened once, but I see plenty of other things that parents either overlook or are oblivious to. Yikes, people! Step up your parenting game! OK, back to my happy place.

6. Paint colors spattered on my walls as I decide which to go with. My house is topsy turvy, but it is exciting to see progress. I love making our house our home.

This is the day that the Lord has made; I will be glad and rejoice in it!

A Little Princess

CYT

Christian Youth Theater

We are so blessed to have this opportunity for the girls, to enjoy being a part of

quality theater in a Christian environment.

This was only the third time Cassidy has opted to do a show,

and I'm so glad she did. I loved seeing both girls on stage,

they just made me smile every time I saw them.

 Daddy and his "seminary girls".

She was happy that she had a line in this show and got to wear a mic.

That is pretty much the goal of every girl in every show:-)

 Daddy and Cailin, who played "Becky", the best friend of the little princess.

This was such a great role for her and really stretched her acting ability.

She was an orphan who works as a maid and it about broke her Daddy's heart to watch her;

she was very convincing and pitiful!

 Nana always likes to see the last show,

 even though she and Papa both had already seen it opening weekend.

 The aftermath.

These are the boxes the girls carry to and from the show,

everyone has them,

and it is now a familiar sight to have these tubs full of shoes, misc clothes, notes, shoes,

perfumes, and occassionally food leftover from a forgotten lunch,

hanging out in my kitchen for days on end.

Eventually we will get motivated and cart them to the closet to wait for the next show.

 Inside a box... jazz boots and tights.

There is usually an ipod or phone in there, as well, to occupy them on long rehearsal days when they aren't called. I remember when their boxes used to contain polly pockets.

 Costume bags with the many outfits they wore, ready to go to the dry cleaners.

This is always what the house looks like for the week after, as we catch up on all the missed laundry and house cleaning that was neglected while we spent the past two weeks

 preparing for and performing the 8 shows.

It is exhausting, consuming for the whole family, and expensive, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.