And the beat goes on...

Y'all know that I'm not great about blogging anymore. There was a request for an update, and quite frankly I was tired of seeing "Bad Season" when I left blog comments for others. So a mini-update, kind of. It's late, so it will be short.

Honestly, that "Bad Season" has continued and gotten more and more complicated. I'm unsure if I should ride out the storm or grab my girls' hands (and somehow a bunch of paws) and jump ship. It's a debate in my mind daily.

I try to keep all the anger and ugliness on the down low. But like I've mentioned the girls are observant and there's no keeping secrets from them. Plus their lives have changed a bit. It's been a tough adjustment for them, but they are doing well.

When I see them my goal is communication...how was their day? How are their friends? We talk a little about boys (yikes!). Most of all I make sure to tell them I love them as many times as I can. Oh and laughing, the day is a success if we laugh. Let me tell you that it's not always as easy as it seems when you have a preteen going through life's changes. She knows what is happening. But some of the changes are in the mind, the way she thinks and feels, it's hard to prepare for that. We manage though. Bethany is a little chatter-box with a sensitive laugh button. Man that girl is funny! Kelley is more mature, so the girly-giggles aren't as freely flowing as they used to be. She does have a great sense of humor though, there is definitely laughter. Just the way I love it.

Our family does have *big* changes coming soon. Changes that are *good* and that remind us how very *blessed* we are. I'll be sharing that soon, with lots of blogging to follow I'm sure, during an upcoming "Good Season"!

First we need to get through the next 3 1/2 weeks left of school. I think that's all that's left. I can't hardly believe it, 4th grade and 6th grade are so close to being over and out!

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Deadbeat.

Wow. It occurred to me tonight that I have been a complete blogging deadbeat. Not that life has been so entirely thrilling and there is much to be shared. But I do love reading blogs and know that I miss y'all when you're not updating as often. My blog reading habit could be part of why I've been such a deadbeat, I can barely keep up with all the blogs in my reader. Sorry that I haven't been commenting as often as well, it's not you-it's definitely me!

So...I'm trying to think of what's been happening. The biggest thing has been sending Kelley and Bethany back to school. Most years it seems like I am totally ready for school to start (bad mommy!). This summer though...not so much. I truly enjoyed having the girls home!

They had some super busy weeks thanks to their Papa for planning lots of activities and taking them on their annual vacation. This year the girls went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Mammie and Papa and had a great time! Here are a couple pics they sent...

The rest of their time was spent swimming, staying up late (really late some nights) and actually sleeping in. We had a lot of fun just hanging out.

School started this past Monday. Bethany is in 4th grade and so far seems to be loving it! Her teacher is new to the area and seems really nice and one of her neighbor friends is in class with her. Kelley started 6th grade, and I'm still having trouble accepting that my baby girl is in middle school now. She's not been too thrilled with it either so far. I think it's because her best friend isn't in any of her classes. They were together in grades 3, 4 and 5, and Kelley really didn't invest herself much into making other friendships. Hopefully she'll meet some new friends in her classes soon and her outlook will change.

And that about wraps up the excitement here. Yep, not much! I've been reading like a mad woman, it's been a great season for reading with both a new Sookie Stackhouse and Stephanie Plum book out! We are also doing work around the house-trying to purge and purge some more since it seems we aren't going to be moving anytime soon. Boo to that! Once we get done with that we'll be doing some more exciting stuff like new flooring, paint and furniture.

I'll leave you with this funny. The news is old, but what is so funny about it is that apparently this is actually the *news* in other countries! Hysterical! But not sure about that shower scene...

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Consulting a wise source about the future. Rowing my little boat down "denial". And who gave permission for my babies to grow up?

Kelley beautifying herself on her 3rd birthday.


I asked the Magic 8 Ball if this is a sign of things to come in the near future? The answer...


Kelley has a meeting tonight. At the, um, the darn, ugh, the middle school. Her mama is none too pleased about it. Not that there is anything wrong with the, uh, middle school. The problem is that it's middle school! For reasons I'll be sharing with you, I don't think I'm the proper parent for this type of meeting. I really, really, really, hope Mr. H will take her. And he was raised here, he went to the same school, so he knows his way around already! It is best for Kelley. Tonight I'd need to be full of confidence. To stay cool under pressure. To encourage Kelley to be brave. Because middle school is exciting! A big step up from elementary school! A really new and fun and grown up adventure! But me? Nooo. I'm really busy rowing my little boat down "denial".

Yes, my firstborn baby, my sweet little lamb is growing up. She is wrapping up her years at her elementary school. And, I just can't quite seem to accept it. At all. Her Mammie and I used to joke about how we needed to find some sort of "stunt growth juice" every time one of the girls hit yet another milestone. Our search has been unsuccessful. Why exactly do our children have to go and grow up? I mean, I have no problems at all with them staying little. Any age would do. But this growing up stuff? It's going too far.

Kelley is definitely pushing the limits now. Middle school! Hmpf.

I remember when it was time for kindergarten like it was just yesterday. I was in the same little boat rowing down "denial". I didn't want her to start kindergarten. That's a sure way for her to grow up. No lie, I put off enrolling her into kindergarten until about the last minute. I struggled with it. Gosh did I ever struggle. The only thing that helped was when we found out who her teacher was going to be. I knew her, our children attended the same preschool. She's a very sweet person and I did feel that Kelley got the best teacher she could have. But I still didn't get why she had to continue to grow, growing to the point of going to kindergarten.

The first day of school was rough for us. We all went, Mr. H, Bethany, Mammie, Papa, me. Oh and Kelley, too. I was too stressed out to even think of taking a picture of her on the first day of school. But I still remember what she wore. And how tiny she was. Little lamb isn't just tiny, she's the smallest girl in her grade. She was so brave that day. Much braver than I was. I don't even think she cried. Can't speak for the rest of the family. After we got her settled into her classroom, we walked solemnly back to our cars and went our different ways. I didn't dare try to speak, cause that little boat of mine? It was about to capsize.

I drove away and that was pretty hard to do. Bethany was with me and we were on our way to her preschool and my job. This was back in the days when they got along. Bethany called Kelley "sissy". As we were driving, it was quiet. But if you know anything about Bethany, you will know that she and quiet don't happen often. Then she said it "I miss my sissy", and all I could barely choke out was "me too". And then there were tears, not sure which one of us started it but we were having a full blown cry. Not the sweet kind with a little tear here and there. No this was an ugly cry. You know the kind.

We did make it through the first week. And then had Hurricane Charley come to visit that Friday night. As a result, schools were closed the entire next week. So if the first day of Kelley's kindergarten wasn't enough, we had to pretty much start over. By then Kelley knew what school was about and that was when she started to cry.

So here we are with Kelley starting middle school in August. Middle. School. I want to make it stop before it starts. I remember middle school. Kelley is going to be spending her day around kids who are middle schoolers. Some of them are even going to be teens! She's still the tiniest girl in her grade. She's going to have to pass in the halls between classes in a mob of kids. Big kids. Teens!

Think back to your middle school years...do you remember the kind of things that happened? Many boys and girls actually started "going out" or whatever the name is these days for first relationships. Thank goodness Kelley isn't overly interested in boys. Yet. They hold hands and write sappy love notes to each other. They might even have "their song". I'm starting to feel a little woozy. Some have their first real kiss and their first broken hearts.

*THUD*

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