So much sweetness in one little picture

I love this picture of my babies. I love how Brynna is leaning on her big sister, and how D'Laney is genuinely not bothered by it. They are so sweet, in general, but they are really sweet to each other. Only recently have we had any issues with fighting or bickering, and even then it is minor. They usually get along very well, and I was just watching them tonight talking to each other, and remarked to Cameron that they talk like peers, like actual friends. It makes me so happy, I hope they always are this close.

Flashback Friday

I haven't done one of these in a while. I think I've posted these pictures before, but I just can't get over how much Brynna Belle looks like Cameron.

I think they're both so cute!

Dayspring School

The girls started at Dayspring School this morning. It's a Tues/Thurs school at North A Church of Christ in Midland. Although D'Laney could have started kindergarten this year, we decided a long time ago to hold her, but put her in some sort of two or three day a week pre-school. We didn't intend on starting Brynna yet, but it would have been so hard on her for D'Laney to start without her. Plus, I signed up to be the sub at Dayspring, which waved Brynna's tuition fee, so we went ahead and put her in.
I think they love it. They haven't really said much about it, which is weird for my two. But both said they were really excited to go back on Thursday, so that says something, right? :)

I love Brynna's expression. It sums her up pretty well.

We've always called D'Laney laneybug, and Brynna Belle likes Bumble Bees (the whole double B thing makes it so cute!)

Modeling the oh-so-important first day of school outfits.

Such sweet sisters. They love each other so much, makes my heart happy.

Sitting at her desk like a big girl! I didn't get emotional all day... until I saw this picture! What a mess I'll be next year when she starts Kindergarten!

Brynna's class will be more play than anything.

 

 

I hope they continue to love school, not just throughout this year, but throughout their lives. I always did, even though I didn't love school work :)

Football! Finally!

Happy first day of Texas high school football!!!
Two-a-days started today, which means the most important time of the year has officially begun. Football was, and is still, such a huge part of mine and Cameron's life. Our entire high school experience revolved around this sport (for him, and a few others for me.) We still get to be around it, thanks to our equally sports driven families. This year, we have my dad coaching at San Angelo Lake View, our nephew Ryder will improve on last year's District Newcomer of the Year season in Iraan, and my little cousin Jancen isn't so little anymore, and will be playing varsity as a freshman at Water Valley. We'll be busy on Friday nights, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

How we miss those days!

USA! USA! USA!

I am so excited about the Olympics!! Starting next friday, my DVR will be in over drive.
I have loved the Olympics since I was little, and the summer Olympics are my favorite. I found D'Laney a super cute Team USA t-shirt, and I'm looking for one for Brynna. It's a great opportunity to teach them about the flag, the national anthem, and all things American, including being proud to live here, in spite of all the yuckiness going on here right now.

10 year high school reunion

I had my second 10 year high school reunion this past weekend. I didn't graduate twice (barely made it out once!) but was invited to the reunion of the school I attended 7th-10th grade. When I got the invitation for the first reunion, I emailed some of my Wall girls and asked if we were going to have one. They all said, great idea, Amy, why don't you get started on that! Didn't have to ask me twice! Put on a party? The biggest one I've ever done? Yes, please!

We had the reunion in the smaller of the two fellowship halls at the local catholic church. There was a playground right behind it for the little ones, and plenty of room for us to spread out and visit. Some of the guys cooked burgers, Marlayna had a delicious cake make, and we had an absolute ball.
Kysha and Skylar came to help decorate before hand, and Shyanne helped tremendously, from putting together and mailing out the invitations, decorating, and bringing year books from almost every single year we were in school. That was a huge help, since I only went to school there for our last two years, I didn't have anything like that. We counted, and 27 of our classmates went to school together from kinder until graduation. I think that is awesome. I hope to be settled somewhere so my girls can have that experience.
One of the things that worked out great for us was that I hired a photographer to take pictures, so none of us had to worry about getting all we wanted while chasing kids. Katie Probandt graduated a couple of years behind us and has just launched her photography career, and I think she did a great job. You can check out her work from the reunion here.

We had a pretty large group of friends, but within that there were smaller groups of 2, 3, or in our case, 4 girls. We even named ourselves AMOS, for Amy, Marlayna, Olivia, and Shyanne. Olivia has moved off to South Carolina, her oldest was turning 1 this weekend, and she's newly pregnant with number 2, so she wasn't able to come. We missed her! But we took a picture with her spot open :)

I had so much fun putting this thing on and then during the reunion. It didn't feel like work at all! And I think everyone enjoyed themselves. There was a lot of talk about not waiting another 10 years and having a reunion at 15. One even suggested an 11 year reunion!

Pardon me while I weep

Partly from joy, partly from sadness.
We're through buying diapers. My baby is no longer a baby.
That's right folks, Brynna Belle has finally decided to potty train. After flirting with it for months, on Monday, she just decided she was ready! I didn't have to ask her if she needed to potty at all, she would just tell me. It has been 5 days, and she's only had a small handful of accidents, most of which were my fault. She is still in a pull up when she's sleeping. But tonight, after putting her to bed, she got up and went potty all by herself. She started crying when she couldn't get her diaper back on, or I might have never known.
I'm so proud of her, and she's so proud of herself. She wants to call Daddy every time, and when I say no, she says Aunt Cadye? DeeDee? Nana? She just wants to let someone know!
It does make me more than a little sad. She is growing and changing so much these last few months. She talks all the time, though only at home, and her vocabulary has just exploded. Being potty trained is just the final little push into big kid-ness. It's pretty bittersweet.

Flash Back Friday

I'm just going to ease back in to blogging. I have no excuse for my extended absence. Well, my old computer sucked and wouldn't load pictures, but that's only about half of it. The other 75% was probably just pure laziness on my part. You're shocked, I know. No one could ever accuse me of being lazy. So easing in, and the first post from my shiny new laptop, is a simple flashback.

My sweet Laney-bug in the only bluebonnet shots we have. I know, we're bad Texans. We have been in a bit of a drought lately, though. This particular shot happened to be on the day that we found out she was going to be a big sister. And what a wonderful big sister she is! Seriously, I've never known a child to love, tolerate, teach, and appreciate their younger sibling like D'Laney does with Brynna. I just love that girl.
BTW, I am LOVING the new blogger! Do y'all? Any tips on how to optimize it? Or do you hate it and wish things would never ever ever change? (That's usually the way I lean, but I really like this.)

Testing. 1...2...3...

Hello? Is this thing on?