11.22.99.....10 Years old and counting.....

Amazing date, Amazing girl, Amazing life.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Sariah!!!!!

10 years ago I went into labor at some ridiculous hour of the morning,
and to this day, she won't sleep past 7am.

10 years ago, the nurse checked me, said, "you're doing great",
and the minute she left the room I said to my mom,
"something is wrong...." and Sariah was born 15 minutes later...
on a Sunday, by a nurse, just like her mama.

10 years ago, I had my second baby girl and the next love of my life.

She's 10 years old. She's stronger than an ox. She LOVES her family. She is amazing.

I love you Sariah Alexis.....I love you!!!

(and who pulls off red glasses better than that pretty girl?????)

Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009

By far, the crappiest day I've had in a LOOOOOOOONG time.
Until 10:27pm.

Tanner: Mom, (after finding my tape measure out on the table)
"Can I measure "things"?

Mom: Sure, just don't break "things".

Tanner: Awesome.

10 minutes later.......

Tanner: (Pulling on tape measure standing next to mom in the kitchen) "I wanna be just like Papa. Measurin' and stuff and building things all the time."

Mom: (said to self) Ok, today doesn't suck THAT bad....

I have a great Dad....and a great son who I hope grows up just like him. :o)

EHC...More awesome video....

Ok, so maybe we need to invest in a good camcorder.
Fine. Oh, Santa.......

This was Maddie's favorite director.
He was loud and energetic and fun and they loved
every minute of him.



And then they sang this with him.....

I love how he's not afraid to talk to them while he's directing!!!

He actually wrote this song.
It got cut off at the end....we ran out of video space. :o(

EHC Video.....

This is soooo cool to watch.
If you have any kind of respect for

(1) 10 to 11 year old attention spans...
(2) Counting beats while clapping accents to another beat...
(3) Adults who can teach kids who have zero "professional" training...

You will LOVE THIS!!!

FAVE SONG OF ALL TIME!!!

Find the pole in the center of the stage....
Maddie is on the top row to the right of the pole.
(such a good clapper!!!)

And pay no attention to the RETARD who didn't turn his
blankety, blank cell phone off......
Yep, paid $20 to have THAT recorded!!!!!

2009 EHC

WOW!!! Maybe words don't do it justice to me
because she's mine, but WOW!!!
I'll post some pics of Maddie's amazing day,
and then the video of 3 of her 4 songs.
She LOVED her male conductor.
He's the super cool one in purple pants who REALLY conducts.
I loved him. I got to listen to how he coached them and
how he engaged them in the music.
He loves the work he does, and that impresses me most.
He loves those kids, and the proof was in the
children when they introduced him.
Man, that must be an amazing feeling.
Reminds me so much of my high school choir teacher. Awesome!

Ok, on with the show!!!!!

Ms. Jacobs, Maddie, Ms. Johnson
Awesome Music Teachers!!!

Maddie and Destiny...
Waiting for the show to start.
(look at the creepy kid two down from Maddie...."i will taze you with me eyes!")

Riah, being so patient. Love you, Riah!!

Tanner, being sick as a dog. Poor guy.

(When you are looking at the pic of the choir and looking for Maddie,
look for the pole in the center of the stage, Maddie is on the top
row directly to the right. Easy, peasy to spot!)

A pic of her whole choir.

This was only 150 kids. They split them into
two choirs......so they'd all fit on the stage! :o)

Allgood Elementary Superstars!!!!
Aren't they cute!?!?!?!

Ok, super cool story about this performance center.
Look at the pic above. See the circle on the ceiling?
The circle is there because that side of the room
(yes, this pic is exactly 1/2 of the room....big!!)
actually turns. When it swivels, it becomes the room
they practiced in. How cool is that????
Go back to the post before this one and look at the
practice room. At the bottom of the 1st row, you can see
where it swivels there as well.
I just think it's the neatest thing!!

Ok, I'll post a video of it next!!!

2009 Elementary Honor Chorus

Never in a million years could I have imagined the day one of my littles was doing the exact same thing I was doing some 19....yep, I said, NINETEEN, years ago. Madeline was chosen to participate with 300 other elementary age students from the state of Georgia in the GMEA (Georgia Music Educators Association) Elementary Honor Chorus. I took her today. We got her name tag, we bought the t-shirt, we found her practice studio. It was all hum-drum normal....until they started to sing. They started to sing and I got goose bumps all over my body. They were amazing. Little 5th grade voices, singing like angels. And that was before their conductor got a hold of them. I can't wait to post the video. Here are a few pics from today....

Clayton County Schools Performing Arts Center.....very nice....
Can't wait to tell you what tricks they have in this neat place!!

Maddie in her seat after a short break. The phrase:
"Mom, stooooooooooooop!!!"
Screams loud and clear!!!

Better pic of the practice auditorium...

Maddie and Maddie

Maddie and Mom

Ms. Johnson (Her choir teacher) and Maddie

Maddie, A friend, another friend, Maddie

More to come tomorrow!!!

Birthdays=Halloween.....

It's a rough life. All my babies were born at holidays.
I'm sorry....but I think it's inevitable.
Both your Daddy and I were holiday babies.
Call it a "family" trait. :o)

A purple fairy, a pink fairy
and a ninja. Yep....Halloween is awesome.

Happy Birthday Madeline.
Big ole' #11.



Happy Birthday, T.
Big ole' #8.
He didn't think my trick candles were nearly as funny as I did.
Party pooper.....


Yeah for Bakugon!!!

Babysitting.....

We had the best time. See for yourself. Charley makes me laugh.....

I'm pretty.....

Eric..."put that damn camera away"
Charley..." Do you see her? Auntie Sarah? She acts like we want to be photographed..."

"Whatcha doing under there?"




I found a jumpoline!!!