Thankfulness List # 166-191

Just a few random pictures and grateful thoughts:

My nephew is so silly (#166). Everytime he even sees a camera, he makes this smile. And he really enjoyed picking the flowers out of my pots.

#167: Sissy has been taking dance classes now for a few months. This picture was taken as we were going to her first tap class. (#168: That's another one of my old leotards!) She was enrolled in a class that included tap, ballet, and gymnastics. That session ended, and now she is attending classes at two different places. She is taking ballet at a new place we LOVE (#169). It's an art academy, the same place Dash took his dance class (#170), and Tornado is taking art classes (#171). One reason I like this place better is that parents can watch through the window (#172), unlike her last spot.

She is also taking cheerleading classes (#173). (It's basically a gymnastics class, though.) This was essentially her idea. She goes around saying, "I wanna be a cheerleader." She will cuddle up with Daddy (#174) and watch a few minutes of an Illini game. She loves to watch the cheerleaders, and she will say, "Go, Illinois!"

She has so much fun at all of her classes, and I feel very happy for her (#175).
Sissy becomes more of a "big girl" every day. This morning, I asked her if she needed help putting on her ballet shoes. She said in one breath, "I don't need help, Mommy, but thank you for asking." (#176)

fun with bristle blocks (#177)

We took a weekend trip, which included a stop in my hometown (#178). It's always nice to visit and reminisce; my heart overflows with feelings and memories before I even hit the city limits (#179). Three of my best friends from highschool (Elizabeth, Missy, and Angie) and I got together (#180) because one of them is about to move to California. Our other friend Lori also stopped by with her beautiful family to say "hello." (#181) I am so grateful for these friends that I have had for 20 years (#182). I really lucked out by living in this particular town at the particular time that I did (#183). We missed you, Sarah (#184)!

We also drove over to my original hometown to see my Grandpa and Winnie. He recently had a procedure that really seemed to help him with pain he'd been having; that was great to see (#185). I'm so grateful that I still have my Pa-paw (#186).
I was really, really happy that Sissy let Great-Grandpa cuddle up next to her. She was really sweet, giving him hugs and smiling at him. That meant a lot to me (#187). We also got to visit with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and dog-cousin. Those visits are few and far between so that was very nice. (#188)


(#189-191) I'm also very thankful that I got to spend the weekend with almost my entire family. I'm thankful for safe travel. I'm thankful to my brother and sister-in-law for hosting us!

Weekend Celebrations

I mentioned I have been out of town three weekends in a row. The first weekend we had double shower duty. On Saturday, we threw a wedding shower for Angie (pictured here: Elizabeth, Angie, Missy, and me, taken after Lori and Heather, two of my other highschool friends, had already left). Angie, I've mentioned before, eloped in Las Vegas on 03-06-09. Boy, did she have our email loop going crazy that weekend when we got word that she was IN Las Vegas, already married, without telling us she was even thinking about it.We tried to go the "green" route when planning the shower. We used evites, eliminating paper use, and asked guests to be environmentally creative when wrapping gifts. There were some really fun ideas (wish I would have gotten a picture of Missy's newspaper ribbon; it was very pretty!) like this bow made from cutting strips of newspaper, tying together, and fluffing.

Centerpieces were flowers cut from Elizabeth's mom Jeanelle's garden. We used dishes from the church, where the shower was held.

I made party favors by putting flower bulbs (and coconut fiber "moss") in peat pots with recycled/handmade paper tags.

On Sunday, a baby shower was held for Elizabeth, who is due very soon. You can't really tell from this picture, but Angie (our photographer extraordinaire) spelled out Elizabeth's baby's name by finding objects outside that looked like letters (like the gate/fences that looked like an E and H). It was very cute, and I might have to try that sometime.

Missy brought her 11 year old daughter (11! yikes!), who is only about an inch or two away from being as tall as me. She was one of the first babies I ever really "knew," and so, boy, does she make me feel old.

This weekend, Angie's and Lafe's moms threw them a barbeque to celebrate their marriage. (Ang, Lafe has now made two appearances on my blog; tell him I'm sorry, and I'll try to cut back!)

Angie's mom, Joyce, bought and prepared so much food especially for Sissy and me. I can't even tell you how nice that is. She made vegan coleslaw, potatoes, rolls, Tofurky kielbasas, cheese dip, and fruit. She was so dismissive about what a big deal it was to me, but seriously...reason #89 why I want to move back to Missouri. It's nice to be around people who know you and love you. And go to trouble for you.

It was really nice getting to spend the day solely with Sissy. I think I do that often with Tornado and Dash, and I don't do it enough with her. It's interesting how the kids act a little bit different when they are on their own. She just seemed like a little girl, rather than a "baby." She carries a "blankie" now, though. Fortunately, it doesn't have to be any particular blanket, as I am sure we would not be able to keep up with that; any of her little blankets will do.

Trips up north also mean getting to spend time with my nieces and nephews (and brothers and sisters). I LOVE my little Pierson. I don't know what it is about him; maybe because I've hit the two year post baby mark. Biologically (not rationally), I've got "baby" on the brain. He IS, however, one of the cutest babies ever.