Here we go. Again.

A few years ago, I had my blog printed and bound into a book. Usually the book just sits unopened on a side table with a few other photo books, but occasionally, Claire will pick up the blog book and peruse it. She will read her favorite parts aloud and will get so tickled as she exclaims, "Mom! Did I really want to be spiderman for Halloween?". And then I will get a little sad because I don't remember so I will say, "Well, if I wrote it, it must be true". As the girls get older, life is getting crazier and more hectic by the minute. There are so many small moments that I want to remember and I know if I don't document them here, they will be gone forever. So, this is me, attempting to revive my blog habit. Again. For, like, the third or fourth time. When I first started blogging, my girls looked like this: And I blinked and now they look like this: And I don't know how that happened. Last weekend, I watched my baby niece graduate high school. I kept saying over and over "I can't believe she is graduating," to which Claire kept saying "Why do you keep SAYING that?". But I just really couldn't get my mind around it. Especially when I realized that in nine more years, I would be saying the same thing about Claire. And then two years later, Arden. And three years after that, Amelia. When those days come, I want to remember how we got there. So, blogging it is.

DisneyWorld: The Super Unofficial Guide

We just got back from Disneyworld and while I have loads of cute pictures and anecdotes to share, I feel obligated to pass on some tips that you won't find in any of the Disney guidebooks.

1. If you do not like other people's children, you should probably skip Disneyworld. If other people's children annoy you, or you are put off by being bumped into while standing in line, then you should probably skip Disneyworld. If you are generally a cranky, glass-half-empty kind of person, you should probably skip Disneyworld. Please. Do it for the rest of us.

2. If you are at all claustrophobic, do not go to Disneyworld on spring break.

3. If your child thinks that "Dumbo" is pronounced "Dumpo," please make her say it 1,000 times a day while you are at Magic Kingdom because it is the cutest thing ever.

4. If your child is being hassled by some kids in the pool at your hotel, do not come screaming down to the lazy river and create a big commotion. Your kid would probably rather fend for himself rather than watch you recreate a scene from Jersey Shore. Especially after you said that the only thing southerners are good for is growing corn. Also, please brush up on your agriculture knowledge if you intend to insult an entire demographic of people. We do not grow corn in the South. Soybeans? Yes. Cotton? Yes. Rice? Yes. Corn? Um, not so much.

5. If you ride the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom, please note that it may traumatize your five year old. Your three year old, however, will likely be unfazed.

6. If your child's favorite thing about Disneyworld was playing at the park at EPCOT, do not point out that you could've just gone to the park at home and saved a few grand.

7. If your child is fairly newly potty-trained and has an aversion to automatic flushers, good luck.

8. If your three year old falls asleep while you are waiting for the shuttle back to your hotel, she will weigh twice as much as she did when she was awake.

9. If you accidentally choose Portuguese as your language on the Spaceship Earth ride at EPCOT, the ride will take approximately 45 minutes.

10. If your child loves Mickey Mouse and was so excited to see his house, she will be very sad to find out his house is gone forever and she will be worried about where Mickey will sleep now (Note: Cinderella's castle is NOT an acceptable option because that is where Cinderella and the other princesses sleep, I can't even believe you would suggest that).

11. If you find yourself humming "It's a Small World," it is time to go home.

Every year on Claire's birthday, I encourage her to stay the same age and not get any older. She never agrees to do it and I'm not sure why, because this tactic has been working out great for me ever since I turned 29 for the first time a few (?) years ago.
In spite of my best efforts, she turned eight yesterday and we celebrated with a pool party and 20 of her closest friends.



Happy birthday to my biggest girl! We are so proud of you and the sweet girl you are. I would like to propose that you stay eight for a while...like maybe the next twenty years or so. Because eight years goes by way too fast. We love you!

Aaaaaannnnnd...We're Back

Same goofy kids. More consistent blogging. Get excited.

Excessive Heat Days Look a lot Like Snow Days Around Here

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It's Probably Time to Do Something About This

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Another School Year Ends

Amelia loved Sonshine School, mostly because her favorite babysitter, Miss Callie, was also her teacher. She was able to remain on Miss Callie's hip throughout most of the school year, thus securing her place as "most spoiled third baby--ever".




For the first time ever, Arden loved school this year. She made sweet friends and had wonderful teachers. She never had to sit in time out and was a big fan of quoting her teacher's mantra "If you hit, you sit". She asked to stay late every day and got mad if I picked her up early. We couldn't have asked for a better year!



Claire has declared her first grade year "The best year ever!!!!", although that kid loves school so much, I suspect she'll be saying that every year. She especially loved Science, Reading, and socializing with her girl friends.

After a great school year, we are ready for a fun summer. Thanks to all the snow days we had this winter, it will be a shorter than normal summer, but we plan to make the most of it!