Adventures on Ice

Papa suggested taking the grandkids ice skating on Friday. Minimal arm twisting was involved for me to agree to join. Matt declined the offer, but the other two were on board.

A 3-year-old, 4-year-old and 50 something year old on ice went a little something like this:

Tickets purchased. Not quite sure what to expect, but excited nonetheless

Laced up! Excitement prevailing at this point, though hesitation begins to set in.

Practicing 

It' go time!

 Ann's strategy from start to finish.

Margaret follows suit initially...

...then ventures from the wall, clenching to Papa's hands.

Then, boom and meltdown.

Ann keeps true to her technique of "wall clinging" from start to finish.

The girls trade in their skates for dip n' dots, and all is right in the world.

Our fearless leader is left to skate solo. We hear the Redwings are recruiting him:)

Yay for Ann for making it around the rink her first time on ice! Maybe Margaret will give it another try next year? 

Happy New Year! Here's to venturing out of our comfort zone in 2012:)

Happy Ho, Ho, Ho to You

This week has been a blur. There are three days until Christmas, and I've hardly stopped to appreciate some of the most important happenings around here. So, here's to slowing down and taking in what's been going on the past few weeks. 


It's been really fulfilling watching the girls get into the Christmas spirit...

Our elf, who goes by the name of "Mistletoe," has made his highly anticipated appearance daily:

The warm Louisiana "winter" has brought us out to the playground this week: 

We ventured to the library to meet Mrs. Claus and her elf, on what happened to be school field trip day. We tagged along. Margaret's red bow was a dead give away:

Margaret is bursting with Christmas spirit, and it's contagious. It's the first Christmas in years where the magic of Christmas is radiating in the house again. I'm realizing now that there was a series of Christmases that lacked excitement (though still meaningful). This year, the excitement is back! When there is someone in your house who is fully confident that Santa is making his list and checking it twice, it's magical! This week especially, we're preparing for Christmas, each of us in our own way, whether it be preparing spiritually or by sending holiday cards or wrapping gifts or decorating cookies with new friends and school friends. 

This year, Margaret wins the award for most enthusiastic. Usually, I'd be an easy second, but this year, Josh and I are neck n' neck for the runner up spot. Louise is enthusiastic, too, but mostly about pulling ornaments off the tree or bolting to Josh when he walks in the door from work. I can only imagine the level of enegry that will come when both girls fully understand what's going on. Our house just might explode.

This season, we're passing some Christmas spirit on to you:

Thankful for Wofford

With Thanksgiving here, I've been thinking about all I am thankful for.

Wofford College and my Wofford friends are high on the list. After spending a weekend with 15 or so of my closest college friends for our 10 year class reunion, I am feeling really grateful for my Wofford years. It's been 10 years since graduation – while it doesn’t feel like nearly that long, I feel like I’ve been friends with these girls for ages.


It was an awesome weekend, and it reminded me of how much I miss this place...

 and all of these people...

It was nostalgic passing by our old dorm rooms, Old Main and "the Row."  The campus has changed for the better, and so have we. In 10 years, we've become doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers, counselors, and mothers, to name a few. 


Some things never change, though:

The human GPS device/Macgyver of our group is still at work. (above) 


Van was beaming all weekend. I'm pretty sure if she didn't plant one on you, then you weren't in her 1 mile radius.

I was just-a-snapping away. I couldn't resist capturing the weekend, and I was not alone. Seems like more and more of us are doing the same. Some favorites...

Thank you, Wess, for your Rosemary Cashews which I DID NOT GET ANY OF. Next time...

Thank you Lindsay and Brad and Noel and Howard for hosting us Friday and Saturday nights. Your homes were perfect for the reunion, as was the food.

Susan, I looooove your poncho. Its pom poms were my inspiration for this. (wink, wink)

I wonder how much will change from now to our 50 year reunion. Check out these here ladies at theirs. Thinking there may be some resemblances? 

Van, that lady with her oversized sunglasses has your name written all over her. And I can see myself wearing the necklace of the lady on left. Maybe that will be me, if I let myself go gray? Anna, I'm thinking that's you on the right. Guess we'll find out in 2051. 


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm thankful for Wofford. 

Look Who's 1

Look who's 1!

I can't get enough of this girl and her wide smile and big laugh. I've loved looking back at pictures of her first few days of life...

Louise's fan club, waiting to meet her and hear "it's a GIRL"!

How did this next pic make it's way into Louise's birth pictures? Ah, yes, I remember. Josh came across this beauty on his way to the hospital and stopped to check it out. 

He came into the hospital room with this picture in hand. We had almost this exact car growing up, and I love it, too...not enough to put Louise in it, but still love it.


In an email today, Meme (Josh's mom) described Louise as refreshing, and that's exactly what she is to us, that and practically edible:

Her Buddha phase. I loved her plumpness.

April 2011

A few days ago

And then there was that roller coaster she talked me into riding:

and then the Jamaican getaway...my idea...

but totally her speed. 


The combination of both girls' birthdays in October now has that month trumping as my favorite month of the year.  Louise turned one on October 29th, one week after Margaret turned three. We celebrated her birthday a few days early, starting the day with Margaret serving up her famous "cupcakes" and serenading the birthday girl...

...followed by Louise getting involved with the real deal:

There's been so much to celebrate:)


(p.s. I know the pictures of the roller coaster and our getaway are convincing, but in reality we dork out with our Mac:)

3!

Here's the scoop, Margaret turned...

We celebrated with an ice cream party:

 

It was as good of a day as I could have hoped for. I'm so fortunate for our family and friends and thankful for Margaret's first three years. It's hard to believe she's three!