On a reading kick...

I am not what I would call an avid reader. I do enjoy an US magazine and great devotional book weekly, but I am not a novel reader usually. I just finished reading a book about parenting as I mentioned a few posts ago, but if I had even known that the next book I read would impact me this much I would have read it first. I don't usually cry in books, movies yes, but because I am SO visual I have a hard time relating to book characters. There have been a few books in the past that have touched me and brought a few tears to my eyes The Scarlet Letter, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Notebook, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood(I was a very hormonal teenager!) are a few. This book I am about to mention reached me on so many different levels. I could relate to all of the characters and feel what they felt. I cried and laughed and honestly sat amazed as I read this unbelievable true story. I closed the book after reading it in only two nights and literally worshipped in my room. I thanked God for the path that I have been on and prayed that he would inspire my heart as much as he had Debbie's. I prayed for Anna Claire that she would grow up longing to do kingdom work and serve others. I prayed for myself that I would not go one day thinking I could do things on my own power and that I would allow God to break through my many layers of hurt and sadness and show me what I am meant to do with my life. I encourage you to buy this book and read it today and pass it on to anyone that you think would benefit from it. I know I did and I won't be surprised if I read it again.

NEW LOOK!!!

I am so excited to debut our new look! I have been on a waiting list for a long time, but I feel that it more than paid off! This makes blogging SO much more fun :) Thank you Jennisa and check out her other work at...

Humor...

I have to post these or I will forget them later!

I picked Anna Claire up from her sitter's house and she said that she had been extra fussy that day and that she had thrown herself in the floor and said things like "I need new parents.", "I want a new family.", "It's just not fair", etc. I was totally freaked out and thought, okay, so maybe she needs play therapy, a counselor, could she be depressed?!?! I hadn't seen any signs of this before, but maybe she is crying out to someone else. Who knows! SO I sit down with her that evening and this is our conversation...

Me: Anna Claire, why did you say that you needed new parents today?

A.C.: Well, I may never leave this orphan home!

Miss "Padigan" (Hannigan) is so mean! I need a new family.

Me: Okay, maybe we shouldn't watch Annie so much!

Wow! The wonderful world of make-believe!

Have A New Kid By Friday

Okay, I have been reading a million parenting books since Anna Claire was born, trying different approaches for the "strong willed child" the Lord has blessed me with, but nothing has touched me or appealed to me until I read this...

This book is changing my life and I haven't even completely put it into practice! I have read it cover to cover in two days and it is just what I need for my Anna Claire! It is a mix of tough love, love and logic and biblical principals all rolled into one. It has things that every parent should read, even if you don't agree with it or want to use it. Are there things I don't agree with about it? - Sure! But, the majority of what Dr. Leman says is quite great! I would love to meet this man...

... not only as a parent, but a teacher as well and thank him for keeping it real! I think I will REALLY appreciate this style even more when she is 15, but even so I am hooked.

Love...love...love it!

I can't wait to check out more of his books. :)

Buzz Around! Buzz Around!

Here is the official recital post! Anna Claire has been taking a dance combo class that includes ballet, tap and tumbling at Pat Riddle Dance studio for the past year. She has loved almost every minute of it! :) She likes to do her own thing most of the time, but she is being exposed to it right? The recital was at the Irving Performing Arts center. The rehearsal was Saturday and the performance was Sunday. Mimi and PaPa Scherler came to

watch the dress rehearsal and Mommy, Pop and Nana came to the recital.

Our little bumble be did a great job and definitely was the cutest one on stage!

Way to go Anna Claire!

Both mornings started with curlers in her hair and boy she didn't like that part of it at all! She also became quite bored with me taking pictures.

She did LOVE the make-up and check out that lipstick! HA!

She had a little time for posing and BOSSING others - of course! :)

She even became a little shy. Oh my!

Anna Claire LOVED Mrs. Janie. We are most likely taking with her again next year. Such a patient teacher, yet firm and well hate to say it, but Anna Claire NEEDS firm. :)

She liked a lot of her fellow bumble bees. Aren't they precious???

To make this whole experience EXTRA special Anna Claire got a HUGE Tinkerbell balloon as a Congrats! She was so proud of it!

Blast From my Past!

I really do not remember when I met Carolyn Jennings, but I knew from the beginning that I liked her. She has a magnetic personality and a love for life that is contagious. We were great buddies in elementary school and I loved visiting her house where her parents made me feel like I was one of their own. In middle school we still did crazy things together in the church youth group, drama, etc. In high school we seemed to run in different circles, but I always loved running into Carolyn because I knew that she was always the same!

Fastforward 10 years and we are now both mothers of beautiful little girls! We have gotten together for well over a year now celebrating our joy in motherhood, our differences, and enjoying a great new adult friendship! She lives in Austin with her great husband and I here in Grapevine, but whenever we can we grab the chance to get together and let our "chickens" play! :) So besides several dinners at Cheesecake Factory and play dates at her parents' house (including the best adult Easter egg hunt around) Anna Claire and I packed up our car and headed to Austin to visit our great friends!

Their home was so nice and inviting and we just had a blast! We had a "No Nonsense Day" party with cake and cupcakes, a book exchange and an enormous water slide! Even the Mommies went down the slide (no photos of that sorry!) after all of the guests had gone. The kids played and played and Carolyn and I even enjoyed some great late night chats while our babies were sleeping. It was a great trip and time with our friends and I hope their are many more wonderful memories to come! Love you Carolyn! :)