Andy's first trip to Buc-ee's

 Last night on the way home from Caroline's game we rode right by Buc-ee's.  Andy hasn't been so we decided to stop.  I warned him that it was a little overwhelming so pick a place to start.  We hit the highlights but he was definitely overwhelmed.  So we decided we would go again another day when he had time to really look. He walked away with beef jerky and banana pudding. Mags got a slushy!

Late night...

It's 2 hours past my pajama time and I'm siting in a mostly empty parking lot...the only other people are parents like me waiting to see this yellow school bus arrive!  Now Caroline had the option to ride home with us but of course she wanted to stay to support the boys soccer team aka socialize with her friends!  And while I truly am exhausted and miss the days of enforcing a 7:30 bedtime, I am TRULY thankful for these days.  This is what childhood should include...sports, time with friends, being kids...COVID robbed so many of enjoying these simple pleasures.  I also think about the fact that I only had to wait 10 minutes thanks to Life 360 and the coaches updating the sports app to let us know their expected arrival.  My poor momma was given an estimated arrival time and who knows how long she waited...thank you momma for all the late nights you sat in an empty parking lot waiting for me! 
 

Soccer Game

Tonight we traveled to Cheraw for Caroline's soccer game.  This time last year the game wasn't kind at all!  We had PTSD going back just thinking about it...I am thankful to say that tonight's game went much better.  Our girls played well and the other team was respectful!  So proud of this team!  They were amazing!  

 

Annual Birthday Bash!

Last night we had our 10th annual Birthday Bash to celebrate all of our birthdays!  It is absolutely one of my favorite nights!  Folks arrive as they are able.  We hang out, eat lots of yummy food and enjoy being together.  This year, the topics of conversation got rather interesting...Bob and Daniel talked about some of their adventures growing up.  I only had 2 stories in question...they on the other hand had several.  Their kids wanted to hear more and more.  It was determined that they had a way more interesting childhood than I did and I really was THE BEST child!

Caroline practicing her driving skills.

Uncle Daniel making sure we had plenty of hot food to keep our bellies full!

Happy 50th to my oldest brother!

One roll of smarties per day keeps the forgetfulness away!

Old Man pills (aka sweetarts)

A quick snapshot of our time together!

Oysters, coming in hot!!!

Nothing like enjoying a beautiful sunset over the river.

These kids have certain traditions that they have done for 10 years...each year they continue.  It doesn't matter if they are 20 or 10, they still have fun together!  I am so grateful for this!!!

My momma must have been a teenager when she had Bob!  No way she looks old enough to have a 50 year old! :-)

 

Friday night scrimmage

 Maggie's team had a scrimmage tonight.  They looked great.  Maggie connected with the ball both times at bat but unfortunately they were both foul balls.  We will definitely work on this at home.  Fielding and throwing look great.  She said "I don't think I did very good tonight."  Andy asked her "Did you have fun?"  She said "Yes!!  I had so much fun!"  Andy said "Then that is all that matters, we can work on the other stuff but always have fun!"  I had planned to make pizza but I wasn't sure I would feel like coming home to prepare it.  Nobody knew what they wanted for dinner so we came home and made pizza after all.  It was pretty darn good after a long day!

Soccer at home

Tonight the girls played Darlington at home.  They had a fabulous game.  They seemed more alert tonight and ready to play.  It was a gorgeous afternoon for a 4-0 victory over Darlington.  We were thankful Mrs. Charissa and Catherine came to watch.  Daddy and Mags were at Maggie's scrimmage.

The cubs were awarded a penalty kick after one of Darlington's players was called for handball.  Caroline was chosen to kick the penalty kick...her first ever.  She did great and nailed it in the right corner of the goal!!  Score for C and for the cubs!
 

Carline isn't always so bad!

 Sitting in carline waiting with this cutie isn't always bad...sometimes we have our best conversations waiting for carline to start!  I know there are times she acts like I'm the oddest person on the planet who doesn't know much BUT then sometimes we have really good chats where she thinks I might know a thing or two about life...

Soccer at Williams

 Tonight our girls had a rough start the first half!  They weren't aggressive and couldn't seem to find their groove.  They seemed intimidated by the other team.  15 minutes into the game Caroline took her glasses off...I looked at Andy and was like "What is she doing????? She can't see!!!  (Needless to say she said she should have taken the time this morning to put her contacts in...I don't think she will make that mistake again!)

The second half the girls came back and were ready to go!  They won 2-1!!  So proud of these girls for hanging in there, finding their groove and playing strong!

Caroline's church notes

 Caroline often 'doodles' in church.  I often wonder if she's actually paying attention.  Then I find this in the car after church...oh how I pray that she always knows and understands the Word(s) of God!!

Happy Sick St. Patrick's Day

Thankfully Andy was able to get Caroline a 10:00 AM appointment.  I asked Caroline to please send me a picture of them at the doctors office.  I was pleasantly surprised when I received this picture.  Everyone looked so much better than they did the night before.  Thankfully Maggie hasn't thrown up since midnight last night.  Caroline's breathing was much improved although she still wasn't great.  The pediatrician diagnosed her with a severe sinus infection.  They said that is caused inflammation in her airways as well as her lungs and that was the reason for the shortness of breath.  Hopefully after a day or two of taking her antibiotics, she will be feeling great.

My house has been pretty quiet this afternoon.  Caroline took a nap from 3:30-5:30.  Maggie took a nap from 2:30 until 6:30.  Lawd, I hope they sleep tonight!

Recertification...almost there!

 I'm up early this morning while the girls are still asleep and the house is quiet.  I'm currently working on class number 4 for the read to succeed requirement needed to renew my teaching certificate.  Only a few more weeks and my certificate will be good for another 5 years and my R2S requirement will be fulfilled!!!!!!!  I am so thankful for my husband who brought me a cup of liquid gold to help me plug along to finish this weeks assignment!

The game she got taken out!

 Due to Maggie's sickness, I didn't attend tonight's soccer game.  I asked Andy to be sure to get pictures for me, which I was so thankful that he did!  She walked into the kitchen where I was trying to clean up and had tears in her eyes.  She said "I got taken out tonight."  I thought she meant hurt or disqualified...nope.  She took herself out of the game because she couldn't breath.  Anytime she tried so speak, she started coughing horrifically.  The trainer felt certain she sounded asthmatic but she assured him she had never been treated for asthma.  She's been dealing with a sinus infection that I am trying to treat with Sudafed but nothing respiratory related...Thankfully once she got home and showered she was a little better but my momma heart was anxious.  l have a super busy day at work tomorrow.  I am SO grateful for Andy who is going to stay at home with the girls and try to get Caroline an appointment with our pediatrician.  Now praying that Maggie will be ok to ride.

Man, what a day!  Praying that we can all settle in and get some rest!

Oh no! The stomach bug has hit!

 

Y'all! Somehow in the last 14 1/2 years since kids entered our home, we have managed to avoid the stomach bug UNTIL TODAY!  I picked Maggie up from Good News Club at school and she said her tummy hurt.  She did number 2 in the potty and said she felt better.  So she was sitting on the couch waiting for her ride to softball practice when out of NOWHERE she projectile vomitted!  Bless her heart it has continued all evening!  I'm just getting back to bed after her 10:00 episode.  We've done 4 loads of laundry since 5 PM.  Shes' sleeping on a towel on top of her sheets so that we only have to change the towel...we're running out of clean sheets! :-)  Praying she has a restful night!

Road trip with Robin

 

The head pastor at Calvary's mother passed away this past Sunday.  Several of the staff as well as church members attended the funeral.  My sweet friend Robin asked me to ride with her.  What a treat it was to spend 3 hours of uninterrupted time in conversation.  After what was one of the sweetest, funniest funerals I have ever attended, we stopped for Mexican.  It was delicious!  She is such a gift to me!!  

It's that time again!!

 This picture represents crazy schedules, overlapping practices, late night dinners and lots of extra laundry!  This momma's heart couldn't be happier!

A fun day in Summerville

Caroline's honorable mention ArtFields, Jr. photograph has been traveling all over the state since September.  The exhibit ended today in Summerville.  So we made a fun day of it.  We went to enjoy the downtown area and it did not disappoint.  They had a make and take that Maggie was able to be a part of while there.  We are so proud of Caroline and her art.  Maybe one day soon she will apply for ArtFields, Jr. again!

 

The Adams Family Young @ Part

Caroline and her drama classmates have been working on The Adams Family Young@Part for a good portion of this year.  They did an amazing job today.  I was able to see the first show (C in white) when Caroline was an ancestor.  Tonight's show she was Alice in a yellow dress.  I was SO PROUD of these kiddos!!

 

Maggie's spring pictures at school

Today is spring pictures for Maggie.  She was so excited to wear her new dress AND MY shoes!!!  I can't believe I'm sharing my shoes with my youngest!!  Caroline did her hair and she looked gorgeous!!
 

Playdates with friends

 Today we enjoyed a lovely afternoon outside with sweet friends.  The girls got to play with each other while the mommas got to enjoy each others company!  It was the perfect afternoon for everyone!!  

Caroline's Historical Goal!!

Tonight was Caroline's first middle school soccer game of the '23 spring soccer season!!  It was an exciting event!!  Caroline and her friends, Ariel and Brielle were named captains of the team this year.  Within a few minutes of the game starting Caroline scored her first ever career goal!!!!!  EVER!  Not only was it her first goal, it was the FIRST goal scored in a game on the brand new field!!!!  Pretty cool stuff.  The team looked great and did an amazing job!  Many of the girls on the team have never played before.  However, their coaches are doing an amazing job coaching them.  They won tonight 4-1!  Can't wait until the next game!!  

 

Maggie tries something new!

 Maggie has tried every sport our community has to offer.  While she isn't a fan of swimming, she likes soccer and basketball.  However, she isn't in love with any.  So we agreed to try softball which I am super excited about.  Being that I played softball it's a sport that I actually understand.  She's been super excited to start!  Tonight she finally got that chance.  They had softball evaluations.  She had to hit the ball as well as catch and throw the ball.  She did great!  Now to wait to see which team she ends up on.

UPDATE:  We got a text late this evening to let us know whose team she is on.  We couldn't be more excited that she is on a team with so many people we know form Calvary...let the fun begin!

My Birthday Weekend!

We spent my birthday weekend camping at the beach.  It was one of the very best birthday's I've had.  Friday night we got to the beach a little after dark.  We got things set up and went to dinner at Conch Cafe, a place I've always heard great things about but never been.  It was delicious.  After dinner, we went back to the camper to chill.  We woke up Saturday morning and I opened my gift from Andy and the girls.  It's an awesome gardening set with lots of outdoor tools in one little bag.  I am so excited!!!!  Then we headed out to get my free Starbucks birthday coffee.  From there, we went to Target and Camping World.   We made it back to the camper around 10 for brunch of delicious french toast and sausage.  We cleaned up and I headed to the beach.  Caroline joined me and asked to go for a walk.  Somehow we ended up walking over 4 miles.  It was wonderful.  For the 4 plus miles, Caroline did most of the talking and I just listened.  It was such a gift to me.  After our walk, Caroline headed back to the camper while I stayed on the beach.  I enjoyed reading my book and taking a slight nap.  Sadly I got a little too sun kissed, which isn't feeling too great right now.  

Mom and Archie came over for dinner. While sitting outside, a little girl on a golf cart ride with her parents came around selling girl scout cookies.  My girls were thrilled when Granny bought all 4 boxes!!We enjoyed sitting around the campsite and then going for a walk on the beach.  Andy prepared a wonderful dinner. We let dinner settle while Andy and the girls cleaned up the dinner table.  Then we enjoyed a delicious oreo cake that I WON from our local bakery!!!!!!  We watched a beautiful sunset over the lake before taking Mom and Archie back to the car.  

We didn't do much afterwards because we had to get up early to be home in time for church.  As I went to bed last night, with 20,376 steps, I was so grateful for the amazing day spent with my favorite people, at my favorite place, doing my favorite thing!  Here's to year 42!!

Sweetest birthday gift from Maggie

 Mags wrote this poem today while waiting in the truck.  I thought it was the sweetest birthday gift!!  Love her so much!!