Florida Vacation Part I

So we have been on vacation since Saturday in Destin with the entire family...we are having a blast and enjoying family time so very much. We do this vacation every other year with The Stephens family from Nashville...this is time number 5 we have done it and it only gets better each and everytime. We have spent lots of time at our private pool and at the beach. Collyn has thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her cousins that she does not see very often. We had good news when we first got here that we will have an addition to our already family of 18 in December...Caymin and Carson are expecting a baby brother or sister...yay for the Ladd's...Well here are a few pics of our trip so far and I hope that you enjoy...i will try to better at updating each day with pics and the fun we are having...Hope you all enjoy!

DANCING DANCING...DONE

Waiting for the recital to start!

Finally Done

Aint She sweet

Mommys and Daddy's Beautiful Ballerina

Collyn's Ballet

After we got hair done on saturday!

Whew!....last week was a long one. After taking dance since August...we finally finished up with a great recital on Sunday, May 31, 2009. The week started off easy with the Memorial Day holiday, but on tuesday the running began. We had on stage rehearsal for one hour on Tues, Wednesday was more like 4 hours, and Thurs was about the same...being a room mom for Collyn's dance class meant i had to be there throughout the whole thing...it was fantastic and all of the hard work and MONEY paid off! This is Collyn's second year to take dance and this year she took jazz as well as tap and ballet. We were in a total of 4 dances this year, which included the finale...needless to say i was so tired, as was Collyn on sunday night. The weekend was the most rough...we had dress rehearsal on saturday which was a full our hair and makeup thing only to get up and do it all over again on sunday for the recital...We want to thank Melissa for doing such a great job on Collyns hair both days...she even came to my house on sunday, her day off!

Sunday was absolutely fantastic...Collyn had a lot of family and friends in the audience to see her...Daddy, Brother (connor), sister (carson), Grandmother, Blair, Jordy, Rob, Papaw, Te Te, Bubba, Ga, Pappy, Mimi, Uncle Ryan, aunt Rachel, and others just to name a few...Collyns says thanks for the support guys! Collyn looked so beautiful and so grown up with hair and makeup done...she did a wonderful job on the stage and new her dances despite looking at Ms. Taylor the whole time! All in all the recital was a great success...hope you enjoy the pics...

The Studio presents

"SOME LIKE IT HOTT!"

Sunday, May 31, 2009

2:00pm-West Memphis Civic Auditorium

Collyn's Tour of Her New School...Richland Elementary

Ok it has been a couple of weeks...we have been so busy with the month of May. Its dance 1 or 2 nights a week and tee ball one or two nights a week too...birthday parties on the weekend...you should see my yard...i guess one day i will get to it! Oh well...On May 6 Collyn went for a tour of her new school where she will be attending Kindergarden in the fall. Since I had already taken off that friday the 8th for her zoo trip there was no way i could get off that wednesday as well and daddy had started his new job...that left grandmother (Craig's mom)...they had a wonderful time touring the school and finding out where everything was. She was real fascinated by the library...the first thing she told me was, "MOM they have FRANKLIN and CLIFFORD books in there!" She also got to scope out the cafeteria and meet some of the people at the school. I am so excited for her yet so sad about it all as well! They sent home a big packet for us to look through. She and i finally set down together and read over some of the rules and things she needed for kindergarden. We are going to get her a public library card and start going there to read once a week! You can never read to much to your child! Here are a few pictures from her tour...she just looks so grown up...it is hard to belive that she will be 5 years old in 6 weeks...enjoy your babies time flies so quickly...Until next time...ENJOY!!!

EB...AKA MUD FEST

Esperanza Bonanza was this past weekend in Marion...as always it was more of a mud fest but somehow all the ARkansans make the very best of it and it is a blast. Collyn was with her dad this year so i got to enjoy it! Maybe a little too much but it was great times with great people! I have a few pictures for now but there are more to come. My cousin Maggie was out there on saturday and she just could not get enough of the mud. I had so much fun watching her play in it! I kept telling her I would give her a dollar if she would just dive in it...never could get her to do it though! She is so dang funny...but she had a blast along with everyone else! Enjoy!

CEDC 4 year preschool ZOO trip

On Friday, May 8, Collyn and I took a field trip to the zoo with her preschool class. It was a total blast. It is so sad to know these kids have been together for 5 years and most of them will go their seperate ways to other schools in August. Most of them will not even be at preschool throught the summer including Collyn...We have always had a summer sitter to take her places and get her out. The zoo trip was a complete success and despite all the rain we have had it held off on Friday. It was a perfect day to spend with all of these little ones! We all met at the daycare at 815 and left out around 830...The kids had made shirts to wear on their field trip which i thought turned out cute. I hope that you all enjoy the pictures from our trip!

Why is it when it is pouring down raining...we always have stuff to do?

What a weekend for us...not to mention that it started raining on Thursday night during the ball game and was still sprinkling this morning on my way to work. I swear it feel like everytime we have stuff to do, it is always raining out and we have to get out in the mess...oh well it was worth it and we had a great overall weekend.

Friday night we just kind of took it easy...hung out at Nina's house and Uncle Ryan (my brother) came over for a visit...we just watched some TV and chatted and played with Collyn. Charli Ann and Matti Grace stopped by Nina's so that we could all play with Matti Grace for a bit too. She is getting so big and we just love her. Collyn loves her ALOT...she thinks she always has to be holding her...she would make such a good BIG sister...but not at my house...lol...after visiting for a while MG started getting cranky so I let Collyn feed her and that gave us all a little peace and quiet for a minute at least. Finally i had to take her from collyn and finish feeding her...

In the midst of all of this I personally saw Matti Grace throw the first of many of what i call " CHARLI FITS"...it was great she looked just like her mother banging her head on the ground screaming...Charli Ann ...no i do not feel sorry for you at all...GOOD LUCK is all i got to say!

The funniest part of the evening is while I was feeding Matti Grace...Collyn loves to play with my camera, so i have taught her how to work it and she does a great job...she does not get the zooming part yet. We were all gathered on my grandmothers bed chatting and watching the news when i looked at Collyn, who had gotten my camera and gone to the top of the stairs in my grandmothers room. She was laid out posing for the camera. She would pose and take a picture and turn the camera around to look at each one! I got the biggest kick out of it and so did everyone else...too bad the camera was zoomed in from me taking an upclose of her right before...she did not get one pic of herself. She then came to me and ask me if i would take some pics of her...so she went back to her posing and i got some good ones...i hope everyone gets a laugh out of this like i did...my child never seizes to amaze me in any way, shape, form, or fashion...

Next on the agenda was Saturday's birthday party...it was for "Collyn's longtime boyfriend" Freddie Thorne...He turned 5 and had it at the Fire Museum of Memphis. This was our first party here and it was rather neat...i enjoyed it just as much as Collyn did. They had fire trucks to play on...water hose simulators...ambulances, and even a simulation of a real house fire...it was extremely neat! Unfortunatly we had to leave the party early because we had dancing at 430 back in marion. Recital is at the end of this month so it is like a must that we be there! Plus it gave me a break for an hour and a half...Collyn had a blast at the party and we sure hope Freddie had a wonderful 5th birthday!

All in all it was a fun filled weekend...usually is...there is lots more to come for May...ball games continue...dance recital...the fun never ends...and then vaca on the beach for us in June...Hope everyone has a great week...

1st Tee Ball Game...RAIN OUT

Well we attempted our first tee ball game last night...it was not a success due to weather. The first game lasted a little longer than scheduled and we did not get to even hit the field. We could see the storm rolling in and everyone was checking the radar on their IPHONES as it looked as it were going north of us...We got everyone in the dugout and got suited up with helments and bats and got the kids lined up...luckily everyone got to bat but that was it! Just as the kids got their gloves on and headed out the umpire saw lightning and called the game. Collyn was a very unhappy camper as she was ready to play ball...Our next game is monday night at 7:15...and boy do i hate it being that late...throws our schedule of bed at 8:30 way off!

On another note...i thought i was going to be the team mom that took care of all parent information and kept score if need be...that did not go as planned...with all three coaches getting to be in the field to help keep the kids in order someone had to stay in the dugout to keep the rowdy little ones under control...we thought my aunt Terri could do it by herself...NOT...we definetely need two in there...getting bats and helments and then getting gloves on and keeping the seated to keep the caos down...whew...i was exhausted when I left there...some of the kids listen very well and others...well...i am not going there...i got my workout must I say and Terri and I agree we both needed to be in there not only for kids but moral support as well...i have posted a few pictures of the night...not many since we did not play long but hopefully the rain will hold out on Monday night so that we can play...hope everyone has a great week...ours is filled with fun things like birthday parties and dance class so Monday I should have some blogging completed with good pics...Have a good weekend!

3rd T-Ball Practice...the most comical of all!

So yesterday was our 3rd tee ball practice and was it more comical than the rest! The coaches thought it would be a good idea to put the kids in the field where they would be positioned and hit balls to them to stop and practice throwing home and to first...after a bit of that they let each kid come up one by one and bat and run bases...this is where it got real funny...Since Craig is a big ball player he has been working with Collyn and she has done well...we have really been concentrating on the batting part. On her second time at bat her dad told her to hit it towards third and she did...but then ran to third base...i died and he about fell to the ground...of course Collyn wears her feelings on her shoulder and kinda got a little embarassed but she was fine...then once she got on second Craig was working 3rd base and told her to run to him when the ball was hit...much to our surprise when the ball was hit to second base Collyn decides to reach down and stop it with her hands when she is supposed to be running...once again I got a big tickle out of that! I think after a couple more practices like that they will begin to get the hang of it more and become more agressive!...Lets hope at least!

We also had Matti Grace at practice with us...this is Charli Ann's little girl and whom Collyn adores...Charli had something to do and i told her to bring her to me and she could hang out with us for a bit...she loved being outdoors and watching the kids play ball...Collyn kept wanting to come up and kiss and hug her...she is such a little mother hen...

Here are a few pictures I thought i would share...games start next week so things will start to heat up in the ball world! Have a great weekend...

Tee Ball 2nd Practice

Collyn loves running the bases...and she does not run like a girl...suprisingly

She looks so serious....

Ok so i am catching up from last weeks second teeball practice...I am trying to take pictures at every practice and game so that hopefully I can put it all together on a slide show for our end of the year party...watching these kids is so much fun and hilarious! We have our next scheduled practice tomorrow ...Thursday, April 23 at 530...until next time...ENJOY!

Tee Ball 2009...Rockies First Practice

Maggie Rose...AKA Dangerous DIVA

My little Baller...

Coach D working on getting ready

Chandler and Collyn

Collyn started her first year of tee ball at the Boys and Girls Club this year...she is loving it so far. We have only been able to have 2 practices due to rain but hopefully we will get in a few more before the season officially starts on May4...Our team is the Rockies and it is coached by Ladd Garey and Darin McCollum...with a little help from a few others. It is so funny to see these 4 and 5 year olds playing ball. Some of them actually have potential. Collyn is on a team with her cousin Maggie and cousin Chandler. Also a few kids from daycare and a couple of kids we know from town...it is hilarious so there will be lots of teeball updates...

Easter 2009

It looks like she is posing...but she is really stretching

Mommy's sweet baby girl!

So this was my first Easter without Collyn waking up to the Easter Bunny at my house...very depressing but I understand Daddy gets his time too...she called me bright and early to tell me about all the "JUNK" the Easter Bunny had left. The baby was more excited that he had left a waterbottle for Teeball in there more than anything...if she would only continue to think that way through life I think I would be ok...unfortunately she is a very high maintenance little thing...she looks just like her DADDY...but ACTS just like her MOMMY...and I will take full credit!!!

Collyn and Maggie...front page of the Evening Times

The weekend before Easter we did the famous Evening Times Easter Egg Hunt...more like the great candy toss for adults...it is an annual event that is held at the park behind the Boys and Girls Club. Maggie who is my aunt Terri and uncle Darin's daughter and 4 months younger than Collyn was there as well...you will notice she will be with us a lot...they are best friends and Terri and I hope they stay that way. We try to tell them they may only one day have each other. To our suprise the two little cuties made the front page of the Evening Times the following monday...these two never seize to amaze their mothers...

Just getting started...

OK...so i am new to all this blogging stuff...but I thought this is no better way to share our events and happenings with everyone both near and far...

Keep in mind I do have a very active 4 year old little girl so i really dont have much time to do all this but we will see how it goes...I cant believe that it has been almost 5 years since GOD gave me this wonderful and most beautiful baby girl in the whole wide world. Her daddy and I are very proud parents. Reece "Collyn" was born on July 6, 2004 (my birthday) at 2:55am...what an exciting 4th of July holiday weekend that was. Now almost 5 years later...she is active in so much...we do gymnastics (2). dancing (2), and we are in our first season of tee ball...Craig and i just registered our little angel for Kindergarten and she is officially attending Richland Elementary in August...time flies. She keeps us both very busy.

I hope you all enjoy the updates as I will try to do them as much as possible...our lives are very active right now so I should have lots to share. ENJOY!