Back to Work = Less Time to Blog

Tomorrow is our first day back to school for the 2012-2013 school year! I am really looking forward to this year and all the changes it will bring. My new school family at EEE has been more than welcoming, helpful, generous, and energetic. I really feel good about this year.

With that being said, it is more than obvious that I have cut back on some blogging. We have been doing plenty, but I have not had the brain about me to take pictures and document those events. Here's what I can think of off the top of my fried head:

- last bible study of the summer
- back to work last wednesday
- working full throttle since then
- sunday school pool party
- 3 rooms painted at the house
- school supply shopping
- school food shopping at sam's
- playdates w/ heather, mckinley, & the costners
- church
- meet the teacher night

I have just a few pictures to share from our past week.

Playing w/ her new cars. Making them race.

"Go. Go. Go."

Then we started rolling them under her legs. This was pretty entertaining.

It was also entertaining to hike her pants up past her belly button.

She loves her "K"

Straight hair w/ a low ponytail

Getting her nails painted. She wasn't quite as cooperative this go 'round.

My nails - per McKinley's artistic ability.

I want to be a new teacher at EEE every year. Showered!!

She loves looking at herself in this mirror. It's been on the floor while we've had some rooms painted and she will just come sit down in front of it and play, squeal, make faces, and laugh. We might leave it down just for her (& our) entertainment.

The new playroom - nothing on the walls yet.

view #2

downstairs bathroom - contemplating a new mirror above the sink

and the dining room - still in progress

view #2



For those of you to whom this applies, I hope you have a fantastic 1st day back to school tomorrow!!!

The Rollercoaster Weekend

In a previous post I mentioned that our lives have felt like a rollercoaster ride lately. Well, the ride must be a long one, because it isn't over yet. We're getting over a weekend with quite some ups and downs. However, God is good, we're all healthy (now), and I can't complain about much.

I kind of sparatically made the decision to travel down to S'ville with T this past weekend. (Thur-Sun) I was very much on-again/off-again as to whether or not we would go, for various reasons. I finally nailed down my decision Thurs., the day of departure.

Here are some of the variables in my decision-making:
- Josh had football 7am-7pm Thurs-Sat
- I knew I would be pulling my hair out
- It was our last free weekend of the summer before reporting back to work
- Waterpark with cousins Fri.
- A friend's baby shower Sat.
- A friend's baby's baptism & luncheon Sun.
- We hadn't been to S'ville all summer for an extended visit
- I had a treat I wanted to deliver to Nanny
- T got very sick (the most pitiful I've ever seen her) - she started showing true signs late Wed night.

Thurs. morning when T & I woke up, Josh was long gone to football camp. T was miserable; extreme sore throat, fever, runny nose, wouldn't eat or drink a lick.... So I appeased her w/ snuggling & watching Dora until the doctor's office opened. I got her an appt. at 10:30. When we left the house for the appt. I had the car packed and ready to head home, but I didn't know whether or not we would be traveling home to S'ville or back home to Easley. T was tested for strep; it was negative! She was diagnosed with an extremely red and swollen sore throat and a viral "something." The remedy was to alternate between Advil & Tylenol, and let it run its course. I got the okay from the doctor to go ahead home to S'ville, but T was not supposed to be around small children. (Arg! There goes Fri, Sat, and Sun's plans!!!) I decided to go ahead home anyways b/c I was already mentally prepared to go and I knew Mom & Dad would be more than willing to help with T - making her feel better and watching her so I could attend Fri and Sat's events.

Here is a little look at what our weekend was like. It's mostly us just hanging around the house trying to get T better. I, unfortunately, didn't get any pictures at the baby shower or baptism luncheon, although I was able to attend both events thanks to Dad's awesome babysitting abilities. You rock, Dep! (Oh, and other Dep, you rock, too! Thanks for allowing me to go to Thurs night's Mexican social w/ Dad and all of your friends.)

Looking too cute. This was before sickness snuck in.



Friday morning - watching Dora - slowly working on feeling better.

Mom did her hair and I love it! We kept it like this the majority of the weekend.

Mom was watching her Friday morning. She really started to losen up some, but still complained on and off about her throat.

Grandma and her baby. Mom really has a knack for taking care of her sick children. I speak from plenty of experience.

This is too cute. And special.

Some goodies we picked up for T.

Going out for a walk down to the park with some picnic goodies. We were desperate to try and get T to eat something. We even got her pudding, ice cream cups, jello, popsicles, and yogurt pouches; anything soft and cool for her throat.

swinging & smiling

She decided she needed to wear her new Dora pajamas at about 5:00, pre-bath.

Playing with Grandma's hair and sharing some of her new hair clips.

T loved these little baskets Mom had around the house. She would put them on her arm, wave, say bye-bye, and walk to the door. Here she is counting them. She got 1 and 2 right! :)

Oh, I forgot to mention that she put plastic Easter eggs in the baskets. She is so stinkin' cute.

Talking with Grandpa about how to put on shoes and tie them so we could go for a walk.

Going for a stroll to the pool and back.

A new day, still rocking the pigtail poofs.

Helping Grandma refill the bird feeders.

Another goody Mom just had to buy T - a Dora backpack

This one reminds me of the pictures Tony and I used to take on the first day of school in front of this same door.  She looks too big here!

Loving the backpack

More snuggle time with Grandma. I don't think Grandma minded it one bit.

Grandpa trying to teach T the concept of bowling.

She didn't quite get it. Dad would roll the ball and T would scoot up to the pins and knock them down.

We've still got some work to do.





After much TLC, snuggle time, and being pampered, we got our baby back! She's feeling so much better and is just dealing with a runny nose now. We couldn't have made it without the love and care of Grandma and Grandpa! Thank you!! (and thank you for all of my special treats and surcies, too. Love you!)

Nanny Comes to Town

On our way back from Cabin Bluff Tuesday, we swung by Nanny's house in Summerville and brought her back to Easley with us for the remainder of the week. Tillman has so thoroughly enjoyed having Nanny with us and having that extra playmate around to have fun and spoil her. We all had a great time together; lots of memories were made and we now have some interesting stories to tell. Josh is on his way home now; he met up with his Aunt Shelly in Columbia today and Nanny rode with her the rest of the way back to Summerville.

Here's a peek at our week:

Tuesday: We got into town around 8:30 or so, so we gave Nanny a tour of the house and then got T to bed.

Wednesday: Wednesday morning Josh, T, and Nanny went to the Pickens flea market to walk around and get some fresh produce. When they got back home, we play a little and lazied around some. Then we spent the latter part of the afternoon/evening giving Nanny a walking tour of downtown Easley and eating at Michael's Pizzeria.

Reading on the couch

She wanted Nanny to read the book to Roo.

T sweeping the floors while rocking her bandana.

She kind of looks like Annie here. "It's a hard knock life."

Just getting started on the walking tour.

Enjoying the swings.

Look at that face. I love it.

A pretty view of Easley

And the mouth is open wide again. So cute.

Josh and Nanny enjoying dinner at Michael's

Not quite sure what this face is all about...

Being silly with Daddy's hat.

Thursday: Thursday morning we toured both mine and Josh's new schools. Nanny was able to meet my new principal and assistant principal at East End. Then she got the grand tour of the new-to-them building that Josh will be in this year at LMS. We also got a special treat and got to see Heather! After T's nap and my textbook training, we spent the rest of the day walking around downtown Greenville, going to Falls Park, and eating dinner at Macaroni Grill. 

T wanted water from the big kid water fountain.

Nanny made it happen.

Reading the book my new principal gave Tillman. It's a Kohl's Cares book. T's Great Uncle gave her the stuffed animal that goes along with the book. It was such a nice gesture of my principal!

The bridge at Falls Park

Always playing in the water

I don't blame her, it was pretty hot out.

Playing the fountains we played in last week when we biked the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Enjoying the geese. Silly birds think we have food for them.

Trying on hats in the Mast General Store. I actually kind of like Josh in his.

Loving the paper tablecloths at Macaroni Grill. It kept her occupied until the food came.

She's thinking, "I love this place. I never get to do this at the dinner table."

Friday: Where to even begin...Friday was an interesting day to say the least. It was just not our day. We had plans to meet our friends Christy and Nolan at Hollywild in the morning. We were about 15 miles away from our destination when all of a sudden Tillman got extremely (extremely, extremely) sick in the car. It was awful. Josh quickly pulled over to the side of the road. I cleaned the carseat, Josh cleaned Tillman, and we all tried to stay calm, sane, and come up with a new game plan. We obviously did not make it to Hollywild, which I am devasted about, but we can always try again another day. So we made our way back home so Tillman could rest, get fluids, etc. Funny story, on our way home Josh got pulled over for speeding. Really?!?! With a sick baby and vomit-soaked car?!?! Well, it's an even longer story, but he ended up just getting a warning and saying thank you to a very understanding police officer. The rest of the day went something like: Tillman feeling better, perking up, wanting to play, drinking plenty of fluids, taking a 3 hour nap, and going to bed 45 min early. The best part about Friday was that McKinley came over for dinner and brought some amazing, much-needed chocolate desserts (yes, dessertS, plural). We made country fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn on the cob, and rolls. It was yummy. T enjoyed having K over and it was nice to relax from the day we had endured. All is well now and T is back to her lively, energetic self.

The best part of Friday: the brownies!!

K & T making brownies

She's such a good helper.

Saturday: We woke up, enjoyed breakfast together, played around some, and then Josh and Nanny got on the road to meet up with Aunt Shelly in Columbia. Nanny is a busy lady and actually got a house guest today through the end of the week.

Nanny, we are so thrilled you got to come spend some time with us in Easley and see what our lives are like in the upstate. We hope you enjoyed your stay and will come back to see us again in...October. :)  - - - (& Thank you Shelly for meeting up in Columbia to make the trip possible!)

We love you both!