Lauren's First School Program

The three year old classes at Lauren's preschool had their end of the year program this past Tuesday. It is always fun to watch little children perform. You really don't know what will happen. The children walked in procession into the auditorium to the song "It's a Small World". That was a long walk for each child to walk in by his or herself.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, the children sang the following songs:

Jesus Loves the Little Ones Like Me

Barney Rainbow Song

Fuzzy Caterpillar

If All the Raindrops

My God is So Big

After singing, the children were presented with graduation diplomas for completing the three year old class of preschool.

We love Mrs. Jackie and Mrs. Christy and have been blessed to have them for Lauren's first teachers in preschool. Lauren has loved school from the first day. Seems like only yesterday when I posted her first day of school pictures.
She is already looking forward to going to the four year old class next year.


Lauren in the procession


Lauren standing on stage


Lauren's class


Singing


Singing "My God is So Big, So Strong and So Mighty"



Typical picture of Lauren with her head tilted

Cookies and drinks in the room after the program

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

We started a two week swim class yesterday. Can you tell which sister liked the first lesson and which one was a bit hesitant?


Lauren at her first swim lesson

Lauren testing the water

Allison having a ball

Both girls are excited to go back for their next lesson tomorrow. We had to miss our second class tonight because of Lauren's school program and graduation. Yes, my baby graduated from her 3 year old preschool class tonight! I can't believe how fast the year has flown. I'll post about her program and graduation another day.

Mother's Day Celebrations

I enjoyed my first Mother's Day celebration of the week on Thursday by going to a Tea at Lauren's school. What a wonderful morning we had together. I left Allison with Grandma so Lauren and I were able to spend some time alone! I was expecting cookies and tea in her classroom and was pleasantly surprised by a schoolwide wonderful brunch in their fellowship room. We got to sit with several of Lauren's good friends in her class, so that made it a wonderful time for all of us.

Lauren and I


Ariel, Darrah and Lauren

Ariel, Lauren and Esther

Our next celebration was on Saturday when we had a cookout at our house with Bill's family and mine. My parents and brother were there, as well as Bill's Mom, Tim, Dave, Jen, Parker, and Jared. It rained all morning, but fortunately when it was time to cook the rain stopped and Bill didn't get soaked cooking! We had such a relaxed and wonderful time being together with family. My sweet brother got Mom and I poster size collages filled with pictures of our trip to the mountains back in the fall.

Today we got to spend the day going to church and then just relaxing at home. There's nothing better than being home with the family! And there's nothing better than being a Mom to two beautiful angels that are gifts from God!

My two girls on Mother's Day


Mother's Day kisses!

Blue Skies and Sunshine

Today at lunch time Allison wanted to say the blessing before we ate. She bowed her sweet head and said, "Thank you God for blue skies and sunshine, and blue skies and Mommy and Daddy and Sissy, Amen" That sweet angel never ceases to amaze me. I can't believe she'll be 2 in less than a month.

We were very thankful for our beautiful day and enjoyed lots of outside time, even though it was a bit on the hot side at times. We had to break down and turn the air conditioner on around 4:00 because even with all the ceiling fans blowing and all the windows open it was 80 degrees in the house. Thank you God for air conditioning!:)

Lauren and Allison drawing with chalk

Lauren's new bicycle

The girls in their hats

This picture is looks a lot better full size

Allison looking at the Japanese maple

Helping Daddy water the plants

Easter

What a beautiful Easter Sunday we were blessed with! Easter is always a special time at my parents' house. The first time Bill ever went to my parents' house when we were dating was over Easter weekend. If my memory serves me correctly, we have been to Mom & Dad's every Easter since then. Each year we are there, I always remember that first Easter together with great fondness. My life has been so blessed being married to Bill.

Here are a few pictures to capture the fun we had over the weekend.

Allison enjoying Easter candy and a movie on the drive to Mom & Dad's

Lauren singing in the car.......she loves to sing

The Easter eggs we colored. We didn't get any good pictures of the girls coloring them because we had a spill that left the floor and one of Mom's dinning room chairs blue!

Easter morning

After church

The girls with their bunnies

Allison would not look at the camera....she was too interested in the lollipop!

Sweet little Lauren....Allison still trying to get the lollipop open

Lauren finding Easter eggs

Allison finding Easter eggs

Allison looking at her eggs

Easter Fun A Week Early

What a glorious weekend we just experienced. Too bad that it is going downhill fast tomorrow. Oh well, it was so beautiful this weekend that I'll think of tomorrow, tomorrow! Yesterday after breakfast we headed off to Lowe's to buy a few plants for our lawn. After returning home the girls enjoyed playing outside for the biggest part of the day. After Allison got up from her nap we went to the Mayo's Gardening Center on Emory Rd. to see the 4-H club's Easter animals. They had a sheep with three little lambs, some baby chicks, a goat, and several bunnies. The girls enjoyed petting the animals but neither was eager to hold a chick or bunny.

The girls looking at a bunny

Allison looking at the little lamb

Lauren looking at the sheep

Both girls petting the sheep

Allison petting the baby chick

Lauren petting the baby chick

At Mayo's they had a camera set up to take pictures of you with the animals. We knew the girls would never sit there with the animals by themselves, so we got in the picture too! The bunny is hiding on the far left of the picture. The guy put the bunny on Bill's leg and Lauren just about had a fit! There's a little lamb in between Bill and I, but you can barely see it because it's face is so dark. The little chicks on my legs started flapping their wings and tickling Allison's legs so that made her squirmy! It really is impossible for us to get a picture of the girls looking at the camera and smiling. Oh well, we had fun anyway!

Family picture with the Easter animals

Today was the annual Easter Egg Hunt at church. This was our first year to stay. We had lunch at church and then the girls got to hunt for Easter eggs out on the playground. Bill was videoing the girls finding eggs. We didn't get any good pictures because I was walking around with Allison while she was hunting eggs. This last picture is of the girls on the playground after the egg hunt.

Because of the long day at church our H2H group decided not to meet tonight so we enjoyed a long afternoon and evening playing outside. Well, Bill and the girls did. I had to go to the grocery store and clean the house for playgroup tomorrow. We did grill burgers and eat out on the patio. That was the extent of my outside fun. But all in all it was a wonderful weekend.

Day One

Well, the first day is always the big one for me. If I can get started, I can usually do pretty well. I will say I am not convinced this Flat Belly Diet is for me. I'm not giving up, but I can see that Body for Life is looking more appealing to me now. It's early in the process, so I want to give this a fair shake. It has definitely put me on the right track and I am determined to change my eating habits. Just since I have been reading the book and then following this plan today, I can see just how much eating a certain way is nothing but a habit. I had good habits in the past and I will have good habits again!
I was motivated even more after measuring my body last night in preparation for this adventure. I want to see just what the results are in my transformation. I used to measure myself on Body for Life. It really was motivating to see the changes in numbers. I was also encouraged by looking back at some pictures of myself right before Bill and I got married. I'll have to scan some and post them another time.
Working out has gone really well this week, too. Funny how when I put the eating factor with the working out factor, both seem to improve.
Here's to better eating habits!!!!