A Flower Girl's Debut

I am finally getting around to posting pictures from our adventure to Tampa. We had a great time visiting with friends and partying like rock stars (well like an old married couple with a kid in tow - but you get the picture). Speaking of pictures here are some of them ...

Chatty and Uncle Greg at the rehearsal Dinner

Coco - this one is for you to show Lacey .. see how sweet he looks!

Visiting a ship the morning before the wedding

Not sure I would let her captain my ship ... she's a crazy driver (on Wii!)

The groom - I think he may throw her overboard!

Dressed and ready for her big debut

A bride and her flower girl

Chatty found another boy for her posse .. this one is a little older!

They really made a cute little couple and he was sweet as can be!

Not sure what was wrong with my camera here ...

or why I seem hunched over - mental note stand straighter!

Same camera issue here - thought is was humidity

but there was very little humidity that day ...

The kids playing during the cocktail hour

Love their sweet expressions! Yes she is a big flirt!

Dancing the night away (yes that is me in the background)!

Another pic for Coco .. dancing with Uncle Greg

The little people dancing with the Bride and Groom

As you can see fun was had by all - especially by Chatty. We are trying to get back to our normally scheduled programming at home (which has involved a little Nana/Poppa detox for Bia). So far we are doing OK ... today is the first day back to the gym ... not looking forward to it. I am debating on getting up and going early in the morning a few days a week ... but getting up at 4:50 am does not sound appealing to me! We'll see ...

Fall? NOT!

Ok all of y'all have been posting your fall favorites and guess what? It is supposed to be 102 here today - WTH? I am so done with summer I can't even tell you. I am so jealous of you all who are having actual fall weather. The wedding we went to yesterday was outside ... generally by this time of year it is beautiful here. Yesterday it was hot - poor groom was sweating bullets as was Mr. ESPN! Luckily it was a short (but very sweet) ceremony and it felt good in the shade! Chatty had a great time - as always. She is a party girl - loves to have parties and loves to dance! Here are some pics from the wedding.

Nat, Chatty and me

Our family minus Bia ... she went to school while we went to the wedding (my big TX hair was getting in the way of Chatty's face!)

Chatty and I

Mr. ESPN and Chatty

Toasting the bride and groom ... it's cider y'all!

My little dancing queen with the bride, Kingston Queen

The Cake - super cute and tasted great too!

I gave both of these ladies their first jobs ... great hires by me! (yes I know I need a better bra with this dress. It's on my list.) Seriously - two of the sweetest girls I know! It was great seeing you Nat!

Happy Anniversary Mr. & Mrs. ESPN

Tomorrow marks 11 years for Mr. ESPN and me. To celebrate Chatty and Bia are going to Nana and Poppa's house for a sleepover. Not sure who is more excited about this - Chatty, Poppa or Mr. ESPN! We plan to relax and enjoy a kid free night and go to dinner. We still haven't decided where we are going to dinner.


Honestly it doesn't seem like that long ago we said our vows. Neither one of us is the super mushy type (not to be confused with sentimental and emotional - which I am, him not so much) but I did want to acknowledge this day and tell you all he is a great husband, dad and friend! It hasn't been easy but it's been fun (most of the time). We frustrate each other to no end but I never doubt his love for me or mine for him! Yes we got married young but I know we got it right! I love you Mr. ESPN! By the way you still owe me that trip to Europe!


Since we were married ages ago, aka before digital prints, I had to take pictures of my pictures (since my computer at home broke - see previous post) rather than scan them in. Since that was the case I only posted a few (for some reason I couldn't find one of all the guys and the ring bearer). I wasn't too thrilled with the way they turned out so I went on scrapblog and played with them (Casey - scrapblog is addicting). I love sepia and black and white photos. Let me know what you think.

Weekend Fun

Chasing two kids around a bridal store was not very fun but we did have fun visiting with my friend A, her sister, mom and later her fiancee L at lunch. I was just going to take Chatty inside the store and leave Bia with Mr. ESPN, but of course Bia wanted to come too! So the three of us ventured in and they proceeded to play and eat snacks and not listen to anything I asked them to do. But then again what else is new - right? Mr. EPSN ran some errands and then picked us up and we all went to lunch.


A Bride and her Flower girl! Aren't the bags super cute? Chatty asked if she could carry it down the aisle at the wedding. I had to explain to her that she will be carrying flowers, hence the title "Flower Girl".

The happy couple and my girls. Needless to say my girls love anyone and everyone who shows them attention. It took Bia a little while to warm up but once she did you couldn't get her away from them. A&L are so sweet and so good with kids. Chatty Cathy wanted to go back to Tampa in L's suitcase. I was so ready to send her - we have been having a lot of behavioral issues with Miss Sassypants! UGH!

Chatty tried on her dress Sunday night to show Nana and Poppa. I bought the dress a little big because Chatty has been growing like a weed and our personal seamstress (aka Grandma) is coming for a visit at Thanksgiving so she can alter it then. Plus the next size down was much shorter on her (she's a little tall like her mom). We all liked the longer length. A wants to add some blue ribbon around the waistline to match the flowers and then I will make a bow to match too. Chatty's hair was a little random in this pic ... no worries she will be properly done up for the big day!

Weekend Recap

Wow, where did the weekend go? The weekends seem to fly by. Chatty Cathy is feeling pretty well, although she complains about her belly hurting some. Mr. ESPN and I both think it looks super sore and are surprised she hasn't complained more. Dinner with my BFF's family last night was fun. It is so nice having friends where we all enjoy each other's company - kids, husbands, wives. I know that is rare for some - they are his or her friends, but we are lucky enough to have several couples where we get along great with both spouses and the kids get along great too. Today we went school clothes shopping. I can't believe Chatty Cathy is a size 7 now?! No more Carter's clothes and now she is kind of in between sizes, so it is a little hard to find stuff. I found a couple great deals at The Children's Place and some decent deals at Old Navy. Chatty Cathy talked nonstop the entire 3 hours we shopped - it was a little insane for me!

Our exciting news of the weekend is my good friend A (I mentioned her engagement a few posts ago) sent Chatty Cathy the cutest flower girl cookie and a note asking her to be a flower girl in her wedding in January. She was pretty excited and then got nervous when I told her she had to walk down the aisle. I pulled down our wedding album and showed her our flower girl K (good family friend who will be a sophomore in college this coming year) and told her all about it. She asked if the ring bearer would be her age, I think she is already scoping out a new love interest! She is too funny! I am excited and nervous to see how she will do. A will be in town in 3 weeks and we are going to try on flower girl dresses ... fun stuff! My BFF (aka Aunt B) said she would keep Bia while we are in Tampa for the wedding. She is the best! I think Chatty Cathy is excited to take a trip without her little sister.

Our future flower girl and her cookie

See the temperature on my car ... 110 - it was a hot one!

Bia enjoying a pizzookie (pizza cookie) with her Aunt B

4 of the 5 kids at dinner last night - Chatty Cathy, LOB, Bia and DJB