11. Wait. What? 11!

How old is my daughter? 11 as of 7:34 am November 20th. Wow, 11, where has the time gone???

I'm so blessed to have been chosen to be her mom.  I know people say things like that all the time, but I really feel that way.  She's a bright light in my life and has been for eleven years now.  She's so amazing to me and in fact she baffles me.  She joins more things than I can count and wants to join even more.  She just finished up her seventh year, yes SEVENTH year as a cheerleader and is about to begin her sixth year as a basketball player.  After that she will begin her sixth year as a softball player, but I'm trying not to think that far ahead.  She is also a member of H.O.P., it's a club called Helping Other People.  They do good things for the community.  She was also elected to the Student Council this yer and shortly afterward was made an Ambassador to the Student Council.  Outgoing doesn't even begin to describe this beautiful daughter of mine.

Ok, so some may call it a parenting fail or whatever, but we just don't do birthdays in my family, we never have and I don't know if we ever will.  We do a cake and a few presents with the family and it's how I like it.

This is the cake and cupcakes she chose to have made at Sam's

Santa Paws 2 Review and Giveaway

I was recently contacted to review a copy of Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups and I don't think I could have been any more excited.  My daughter and I love everything Disney and my two year old LOVES dogs, so what better movie, right?

My almost 11-year-old, my two-year-old, and my husband watching the movie

Wordless Wednesday - Straw Fight {w/ Linky}

<center> <br><a href="http://www.todaywiththetennerys.com/search/label/Wordless%20Wednesday"><img border="0" src="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/WARbaby817/WWbutton.png"></a><br></center> <br>

Help Spread the Word!

Tweet

Mawmaw turns 60!

I feel SO blessed to have my mom and dad only three miles away from me.  I'm not sure that they feel AS blessed.  Only kidding, they love their grandchildren to pieces!  It has really made our bond incredible   I've thought many many times about leaving the area, but I just can't leave them.  I love spending time with them and celebrating birthdays too.

My mom has always been lucky to get an "off day" at work on her birthday.  Sunday was Veteran's Day and Monday was the observed holiday, which means my mom is off work on her birthday and getting paid.  She turned 60 this year and she's proud to be a "Senior Citizen."  I'm not so sure I will ever been proud of that day when I get there, but her reason is "classic mom."  My mom is VERY frugal and we are finally getting a Publix, so her reason to be happy?  On Wednesdays she will get a discount on her groceries.  I love that woman.

After school, Lyssa and I ran to Sam's to order Lyssa's cake and to pick up one for my mom.  And it was either Angry Birds or Hello Kitty.  Since Angry Birds was chocolate, we went for the Hello Kitty.

We Voted, Did You?

Election, election, who's going to win the election?  Well, I was raised that you "can't complain unless you vote."  Therefor, I vote each and every time.  This year, we took our daughter.  Luckily, my mom was able to come over and watch our son.  He wasn't going to be kept out of the poling place or anything, but I wanted to teach my daughter, not just let her go.  She had some idea of voting since they held a mock election at her school in 2008 and again only a few days ago.  But I wanted her to actually experience it.


I waited patiently for my husband to get off work so we could go with him asking if I was sure we voted at the same place.  Of course we do, we haven't moved.  We get to the small church that was very crowded last election to see only a few cars there.  We walk up to a short line and here them telling the gentleman in front of us that they changed where he voted.  Hmmm... He says he didn't receive anything and is told where to report to...  Next up my husband, and guess what?  His name isn't listed... They put him in the computer and we find out we have been changed too, without a notice in the mail.  Of course this makes my husband right and me wrong incorrect :).  However, we didn't have a City Hall four years ago and now we do.  I know I know, a city without a City Hall, totally thought that too when I moved here.


We reported to City Hall and stood in line and got our ballots.  We moved away from everyone so I could whisper to our daughter and show her the ballot and do some explaining.  I'm so glad I did because the confusion on her face when she saw it wasn't just Obama and Romney we priceless.  I went over the Independent Party and then Write-Ins.  We went line by line and then over the 11 Amendments.  I also explained to her that it's important for her to develop her own views, opinions  and beliefs and it's equally important to be informed and educated about where the candidates stand with her beliefs.  No candidate will stand 100% in agreement with what she believes and that's just life.

If I Won the Lottery - Tuesday 10 {Co-Host}

<center> <a href="http://www.lenabactually.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="LenaBActually" src="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n624/Mom2MemphisAndRuby/tuesday10new_zps010d5792.jpg" /></a></center>

I am SO excited to be co-hosting The Tuesday 10 with Lena B, Actually, although some may know her as Mom to Memphis and Ruby.  But you know, sometimes we want to be ourselves, not just "so-in-so's mom."  Anyway, back to the topic at hand, the Tuesday 10.  This week's topic is; The 10 things you would do or buy FIRST if you won the lottery.

Here's my list:

How Busy Can a Ten-year-old Be?

Not busy enough, apparently.  Over the years my daughter has been a cheerleader, played basketball, and softball, all while being a Girl Scout and in the 4H.  The one thing she has longed for she finally got this year.  She was elected to the Student Council.  And then a week later she was made an Ambassador to the Student Council.  She couldn't be happier.  A week after that, she made it on to a "floor dance team" for an upcoming pep rally to take place at the high school to support the Muscle Shoals Trojans as the begin the playoffs.

This made one excited 5th grader, but a very exhausted 5th grader.  After staying out late on Halloween night, she had to be at school the next morning by 7 am to greet the Grandparents that were going to the school book fair.  This was her first responsibility as an Ambassador.  Then once school got out at 2:45, she reported to the gym for dance practice, until 3:30.  Needless to say, my tired baby girl went to bed early.

my proud Ambassador to the Student Council 

Happy Halloween and A Proud Wifey Moment

It was finally Halloween night and finally time to trick or treat.  We went with Lyssa's friends, Jessica and Lexie.  Jessica has a younger sister, Jenna, and Jessica brought a friend, Madison.  Lexie has a younger sister, Brinley.  And we had AJ.  So, we had seven kids with us total.  We had AJ in a wagon and his daddy took him out to go to each door.  Jessica's mom, Kristie, and Lexie's Mom, Amy came, so my husband was the only male, other than baby Alex of course.  I apologize for the pictures, but I only had my phone.

these are my babies ready to leave.  My little dinosaur didn't have his shoes on because he kicks them off in the car so we don't put them on until it's time to get out of the car.

he wouldn't look at me, but he's still adorable

My beautiful vampire.