I am back

The family and I just got back from a great time at Panama City Beach. I didn't get that many great pics b/c my camera battery was dying. I was so proud of Lyndsey though. She is one of those people that has to just about be pushed into everything. She didn't have to be pushed this weekend at all. She tried everything!! Bungee jumping, Gator balls (haha-Zee), shark tails, parasailing, and got her navel pierced (so did I, but you won't be seeing a picture)........

Me and the love of my life!!!

Me on the balcony of our condo.

Two most beautiful girls in the world and they are mine!

We had a great time, but I am glad to be home. Now, I need another vacation from that vacation. Thanks Mandy for letting us tag along!!

The GIRLS

My best friends and I and our families went to the lakehouse this past weekend for July 4th. My one BFF, Marsha owns a lakehouse about an hour from our house. The lake was about 17 feet down just 8 months ago and we didn't think we were going to be able to enjoy it at all this Summer. Plus, she just gave birth 2-1/2 months ago. Yep, that is her on the front of the jetski. My other BFF is Tammy. She is in the middle and I, of course, am on the back. We had a great time. The baby did so good. Everytime we rode on the boat she slept. Yes, we did put her on the boat. She had a little baby lifejacket and everything. I am sorry that I didn't get a picture of her wearing it. It would have been cute. We were able to enjoy watching the fireworks from the boat, eat some good food, and chitchat with the girls. We are planning on going out on Friday night too to celebrate my birthday (which was 2 months ago). I told you she was busy having a baby!
My Tori-bug is loving her new team and teammates. She is learning all kinds of fun new stuff. She is learning her back walkover on beam (not the high beam yet)! I am really proud of her dedication. She is practicing really hard. Keep up the good work Tori-bug!!
Thanks for checking in on us! Talk to you soon!
Wendy

Look out, look out

Two blogs in one week!! I know you are surprised, but I have some great news!!!! My Tori-bug is getting moved from the Optionals Bronze team to the Optionals Silver team. This is super-great for her b/c in only one month she has gotten her jump to the high bar, front hip circle, cartwheel on the beam, round off double backhandspring on floor, and vaulting on 5 mats. I couldn't be happier for her. She has worked really hard and she deserves to move up. We were told that this is the good thing about this new program so I am thankful that it is working out for us. Each child would be able to advance when they were ready and not have to wait on the entire team to move up. So, if one child is more motivated or works really hard they can move on up.

Now, I will get to actually attend more of her practices (especially in July). I had been working and not getting to see anything. I was getting there at time for her to do conditioning. Two more practices on Bronze Team and moving up!! Great job Tori-bug.

Wendy

Father's Day

Daddy and my brothers, Tony and Alan
(not sure why I didn't get my sister in here)

Me and my daddy

My daddy loved his scrapbook I made for Father's Day for him. He started crying on the first page (which I knew he would). I am not even done with the book and probably never will be until I die. This morning in church we talked about leaving behind a legacy. I want to leave a legacy when I am gone. I want my children to remember all the good memories, that they had a dad that loved their mother and she loved their dad. I want them to remember big moments, little moments, and some that seem insignificant at the time, but that turn out to be good moments. I wanted my dad to know that I remembered these moments too, thus the reason for the scrapbook. I have a long way to go on it still. I had just a few hours to spend on the pages that I got done, but I want to be able to add to it year after year for him. I am grateful to God that he gave me a great earthly father. Sure, he made mistakes here and there (nobody is perfect except my Heavenly Father), but through it all he taught me valuable life lessons. I am proud to say I am his daughter. I love you daddy!

P.S. I am also extremely proud to have the most wonderful husband who is the best daddy in the world to my girls.

VBS

VBS this week. Period. Busy, busy, busy!

My sweet little 9-year-old

Today is my Tori-bugs 9th birthday. I can't believe it has been 9 great years. I am blessed everyday I get up and see her sweet smiling face. We went camping this weekend and had a blast, but boy are we tired. That is why my birthday girl already has on her pj's. We are having her official party on Sat. at her gym (of course a tumbling party).

Letter to Tori:
I love you baby girl with all my heart. You will always be my baby girl. You were the best baby. You never cried except when you wanted to be fed or changed. You were a thumb sucker baby so you slept all night at 7 weeks old. You didn't need me to get and find you pacifier for you. Yeah, that definitely worked me for me. I love you Tori-bug more than any other thing.

The sun is shining

Yep, the sun is shining. It has been shining all week and it has been nearly 90 degrees outside all week too. I had the priviledge of baby-sitting my niece two Sats. ago. This was her parents first outing without her and they asked Aunt Wendy to be her first babysitter. Awww! I loved it. We had so much fun with her. Tori-bug and I gave her a bath, Tori-bug fed her a bottle AND burped her, and she swang in her swinger for the first time (since it was still at my house). She really liked her swing. This is a picture of me holding her. I realized that I had all these pictures from the hospital and not one of them had me holding her. I was the one behind the camera, I guess! She is 6 weeks old now and hopefully they will let me keep her again really soon.

Here is Tori-bug holding her right after she got her bottle. She was trying to go back to sleep.

I couldn't remember if I had posted this picture so I put it up again. This was her coming home day. I just love this picture. Such a pretty girl!

Here is my new ride! I love it too!

Tomorrow's forecast is thunderstorms, but if it doesn't rain I will do my best to put pics of Tori-bug up of her jumping on the trampoline. I know I promised that and haven't gotten around to it. Shoot, I haven't even taken them yet. You'll have to check back to see if I got them up.

Wendy