Can you believe it? No pictures to post? We had a great day today. I had to order a bunch of stuff from Oriental Trading Company for Tara's upcoming birthday party. Much to my dismay, unless I ordered the most expensive shipping, it wasn't going to be here in time. The cost of that shipping is just about the same cost of the items I needed to buy. I was ordering on line and decided to call them. The woman I spoke with was sooooooooo nice. I explained my dilemma and she said she would waive the shipping fee this one time. What a sweet woman!! After I hung up with her, I called back, asked for a manager, and told her that because of their customer rep (I gave her name), that I was now a customer for life and I'd tell all my friends about them as well. Then, a couple hours later, my girlfriend Carolyn called me from the dollar store. She said they had all kinds of horse/western things like plates, napkins, etc. She picked them up for me (can't get less expensive than the dollar store)! While I was talking with her, I realized I forgot to order a critical item at Oriental Trading. I called them back, and spoke to a different customer rep. She said my previous order has already gone out, however, she too is sending me the additional items with no shipping charge. Wow! I highly recommend that company!! http://www.orientaltrading.com/ I know, plug, plug, plug, but they deserve it!! Good people and good company. It's a rare combination.

After all that money saving...I took the girlies to the beach. It's near to where I live (5 min drive). It's the first time I've ever been there. It's in a state park. BEAUTIFUL!! Was not crowded at all. Water was very warm and the girls had such a great time (mommy did too). Can you believe I didn't bring my camera?! I'll bring it next time.

Today was a great day. I really, really "needed" a great day. I have been going thru a really rough time and this day was good.

Thank you God.

Yesterday, I wanted to go for a walk. The girlies decided that they wanted to go for a drive. All along the way, Tara kept stopping because they would run out of oil and gas. Madeline would gas it up while Tara would add more oil. I was thinking that this time when we had our walk, I would actually be able to get some worthwhile exercise! Usually they are stopping along the way to collect rocks. Well with all the pretend breakdowns, there was not much exercise to be had, until, that is....it ran out of battery power on the way home and I had to push them the rest of the way. PHEW!! I was tired by the time we got home!! LOL






On Tuesday, I took this picture out of my front window

I can't believe in this brief blink of an eye, she has turned 5. We are going have a big birthday party for her with a bunch of her friends. It's going to be a horse/western theme. That's going to be on the 8th of July. But yesterday, the actual date of her birthday, we had a little celebration. She and I baked a cake in the morning. It was banana with chocolate frosting per the birthday girl's request. She wanted sprinkles and her toy horses on top. I keep looking at her and remembering her as a helpless tiny newborn in my arms. An answered prayer to years of aggressive infertility treatments. And now she is 5. My baby is growing up. She is an amazing child with a beautiful heart, a strong love for the Lord, unending patience for her baby sister, and the sweetest disposition of any 5 year old that I know. I love her soooooooooo much!

I took Madeline for a hearing test yesterday. Doctor wanted to rule out a hearing deficit for her speech delay. I didn't suspect a hearing problem as she can hear the slightest whisper. Turns out that she actually hears "better" than a child of her age. I'm not really worried. I just wanted to be sure that there isn't something more going on. Now I know, and she'll talk as soon as she's able.

On our way home, I stopped to snap the picture of the sweet pea on my street. The deer picture was taken in the morning out my front window. Sweet pea, and sweet doe.




This is a house near where I live. I remember when it was being built. The owner did much research to make the house accurately represent the Victorian Era down the the paint selections.

I took some pictures from the window of the plane which was no easy feat considering Madeline occupied the window seat, Tara was in the middle, and I was at the end. Poor kids had to keep enduring me sticking my arm in their faces while I snapped pictures. While in the air, Tara informed me that she saw the clould that the Care Bears live on (cutie). When we got home to MI, I also took a few pictures of pretty clouds from the ground. I miss Texas! I wish I lived down south.