And Before She was 6....

This past Saturday, Tatum asked me, for the 4 time this month, to get her ears pierced. We just happened to be going to the mall that evening, so we talked about it the whole way there! She was excited! I always said that she would have to be 6 before she got them done, but since she has asked me so much lately, and the fact that she does start Kindergarten this Fall, and still can't grow her hair long....I figured now was as good of time as any!! We went to Claire's to get it done. It was so funny, the lady did the first ear, "Ouch" was all Tatum said, the second ear right after, another "Ouch"pause.....Boo hoo......She cried for about a minute! She was happy though once she got over the stun. Once we got home and it was time for bed, she started freaking out, wanting to take them out! She was afraid it was going to hurt when she slept on her pillow! After 30 minutes of convincing her she would be fine, she went to sleep. She told me the next day that she wanted to keep her new earrings in! She loves them! She still doesn't like it when we have to doctor them with the cleaning stuff, but we make her anyway. She just keeps thinking it's going to hurt!! Needless to say, she looks so grown up now, becoming a little girl and not my baby!!!

In the Village of Scarborough Faire....

We went to Scarborough Faire on Sunday! What a day...it was HOT, but everyone had a lot of fun! Tatum tells everyone that her favorite thing she did that day was ride the Elephant. She got to play a lot of fun games, run around, ride a horse and an elephant, eat, drink, and be merry!! I probably spent $20 on just water alone! It was hot!! We will have to go back in a couple of years! Maybe we will try the Texas Renaissance Festival next time! I hear that is a lot of fun too!

A Day in the Country....

Tatum and I decided to go out to the "Ranch" to see Papaw today! The weather was Beautiful, so it made for a nice visit!!
Tatum helped Papaw feed the horses by giving them hay and grains. She was a big help, and had a blast. She was still a little nervous when we asked her to pet the end of Dynamite's nose! That was a little to close for comfort!!
Tatum played hard for the 3 hours we were up there. She played on the swing set, going down the slide, swinging on the rings, and on the swing.
She jumped on the trampoline time and time again! She loved it! We will definitely have to get her a trampoline for her birthday this year! She had a blast on it today! Her knees and tooshie were BLACK afterwards, but at least she had fun!!
She dug for rocks in the washed out drive way to throw! We all had a throwing contest. She's got a pretty good arm!
And this is how the day ended. She was tired and wanted to be carried. Her "legs are tired!" So dramatic, to be only 4!!! It was a nice visit up there, makes me kinda want to build a house in the country.... Maybe someday!!

CraigsList...My new Best Friend...

Yesterday while working in the backyard, I told Richard that I thought we could sell Tatum's playset on Craigslist for $100. He told me "No Way, nobody would pay $100 for a used playset." Well, I woke up at 2:30am thinking about this last night. I got up and started looking on Craigslist to see if anyone else had something similar on there. There were a couple, priced around $75-$100. I couldn't wait for the sun to rise, so I could get out there and take a couple of pictures and post it on Craigslist. I got up, took Tatum to school, then went out back, took 2 pictures, and posted them with a $100 price tag on Craigslist at 9:30 this morning. By 9:37, I had 2 emails inquiring about the playset. By 10:20, I had to take the post down because of the overwhelming response I was getting on this. I had 32 hits all together from people wanting it. I had people willing to come from Oklahoma to pick it up, another lady offered me $125.00 without even knowing I was getting so many inquiries! I was SHOCKED!! I picked the 2nd person who offered full price for it. She is coming today to pick it up. I wish I had waited longer to commit, no telling how much someone might have offered me! I had Richard take it down and put it in the garage before he left for work. When I went to pick Tatum up, I had to break the news to her that we were selling her playset. I realized after selling it, that she does still play on it sometimes. I told her that we sold it so we could get her something really cool for her birthday! She was OK with that! Since selling the playset this morning, I have posted another ad on Craigslist to sell my Lamps! Let's hope I get as much response as I did this morning!!!

The Story of Us....

7 Things Most People Don't Know About Us...

1. The first time he ever saw me, I was walking across a parking lot after a baseball game he played against my friend. I was wearing my Softball uniform, and as he drove past me, he told his friend, "That's the girl I am going to marry!" Should I believe his story??

2. Richard was the first boyfriend my parents ever met! Not that any of my others were REAL boyfriends!

3. We are High School Sweethearts, but went to different schools. I was 15, he was 16.

4. We broke up for 1 month right after I graduated High School. He went on a camping trip with my dad in Colorado, his Grandma died while he was gone, so he had to fly back early. I broke up with him on the day of his Grandma's funeral. How MEAN was I? I can't believe I just admitted that!!

5. We got married in Las Vegas! Most people do not believe us when we tell them, but it's true, and we would do it all over again that same way!! And, NO, it was not an Elvis Wedding!!!

6. We disagree on how many children we should have. He wants more than I do!!

7. We are living the beginning of our dreams! He is a Police Officer and I am a Mom!!!

WOW!!! 7 years of Marriage, 13 years strong!!! We have had so many great times, and some hard times, but all those times have helped us grow together!! I can't wait to continue our journey together for the next 50+ years!!

Happy Anniversary!!!

Happy Mother's Day...

Another Mother's Day gift my little Tatum gave me this year! She made this ceramic cross for me at school. A company came and helped the kids paint either crosses or tiles, then took them back to their store and fired them. We got 2 of them, one for me and one for my mom for Mother's Day. I had to choose which one I loved the most to keep, the other is going to Nana for Mother's Day. I had a hard time choosing. I chose this one because it matched well on the Cross Wall in my entry way. Even though all of my Crosses are silver, I thought this one was special enough to put up with the others! I am so grateful to have such a sweet little girl to be a Mother too! The past 4 1\2 years have been the BEST EVER!!!

Happy Mother's Day...early!!!

Tatum came home from school today with something behind her back! She told me to close my eyes!!! She put a red, tissue paper wrapped gift with a green bow in my hands. On top was a card she had made. I now know that Tatum is JUST like me!! I can't handle surprises, if I know something is coming, I can't wait, I want it right then. Tatum just couldn't wait til Sunday to let me open my gift, I had to do it right then. So, I checked out my card, while she of course, opened my gift for me!! She made me the cutest frame with the sweetest picture of her inside! What a perfect gift for me, another picture to add to the Tatum shrine!! Below is the card she made me too. She Loves her Mommy "Berry" Much!!!

Flip Flop Fun...

Today was Tatum's Flip Flop Fun movement program at school! The kids got to show all the parents what they have been learning in "movement" class all year! (well, 1 month for Tatum!) She did really well. They had different stations set up, each a different "sport" type activity. Soccer, baseball, basketball, bowling, hockey, etc. They did not use the exact sport equipment, but something to allow them to do the motions of that particular sport! For example, for basketball, they would get a Nubby Ball, dribble around cones, on a zig zag tape line, then chest pass the ball in to the goal. They had beach balls they tossed around, to show their hand to eye coordination. They showed us their dance moves, their listening skills, etc. It was really cute. The kids LOVED it because they got to show off for their parents. After the kids went through the entire program, the parents got to go out and join them. Of course, I forgot my camera, so these pictures are from our cell phones!!!

Opening Day...

Yesterday was Tatum's first Tball game of the season. She did pretty good! She was still in "soccer" mode, and when on the pitchers mound, she was trying to stop the ball with her feet. She bat really well, hitting it almost to the outfield both times at bat! Now we need to work with her on her speed, running the bases. This season is more like a real game, we have 3 outs or 5 runs. The players can get throw out on first, or tagged out while running the bases. She was lucky enough to make it safe to all her bases yesterday, but we still want to ensure her "safe" arrival at all bases, and get her to pick up her speed! It sure is hard to do when you see her little "bobble" head running the bases!!