Claire Turns One!

I can't believe that our Claire just turned one! Time really passes too quickly! I have such mixed emotions......as she gets older, she can do so much more with Chloe and it's so rewarding to watch them interact. On the other hand, I can't help but think back to the past year and wonder what little things I missed in the busy hum of life. I find joy in knowing that this little one has captured my heart, much like her daddy and her sister. She is just a ball of cuteness! She absolutely loves to flash her little smile at anyone and everyone. It's as if she's saying, "Look at how cute I am!" She is happiest when she's eating! What can I say? She doesn't require order, like her sister, and is not afraid to scout out something new and adventurous. She is a little roly-poly and I find myself kissing her little cheeks a million times a day! I wonder if she gets tired of that? :)

Here are some pictures from her birthday celebrations.......we had a little party the day after Jess and MeriBeth's wedding with all of our family. Then, Chloe and I made cupcakes the day after her birthday and we enjoyed them here at home to celebrate!

We love you, Claire!

The Chronicles of a (trying to be) Frugal Mommy

I've been anxious to share this picture with you but was waiting on my last outfit to arrive before taking the picture and posting. I'm so proud of my latest finds! As many of you know, I LOVE smocked clothing and LOVE dressing my two girls in a smocked bishop dress. However, my "stay-at-home mommy budget" doesn't allow me to run to our local boutique and grab a dress or two off the rack for $70 each when the seasons change! So, with Fall looming in the near future (hopefully), I've been searching for good deals for fall clothes for Chloe. (Claire has more clothes than she can possibly wear since she has inherited her sister's practically new hand-me-downs.) I spent some time going through listings on Ebay and watching items, and over the course of the last month, I found these four outfits that are in "LIKE NEW" condition. I got all four of them for less than $100!!! I am so excited! I have since then found 6 or 7 things here at my house that I've sold on Ebay to compensate for my purchases! Won't Chloe look adorable at church this fall? I think so!

As for her everyday clothes, I'm trying to be very intentional about buying practical things that I know she'll wear lots and things that can be mixed and matched. This weekend, I went in The Children's Place and they were having a deal where if you spent $40, you got a coupon for $20 off your next purchase of $40.......awesome! So, I kept my purchase to as close to $40 as possible on Friday ($44.90) and came away with 2 pair of jeans, a pair of khaki pants, and a knit pant and top outfit. The coupon can be used beginning September 29th (the day that I'm in Atlanta....perfect!) and I am planning on getting one more pair of jeans, some long-sleeve tops, and one or two more of the knit outfits then. I am also hoping to find some great long-sleeve knit dresses to be worn with cute tights at either Carters or Belk.

Stay tuned........

Personality Profile

Who needs a sophisticated personality profile to fill out when you can just feed our kids dinner? These pictures were taken one right after the other......the girls were sitting side by side at the table and had been served the exact same meal. Enough said........

Game Day

Game Day 2008 and Game Day 2009

My how time flies when you're having fun!

Labor Day and CFA

We had a very "low-key" weekend last weekend. The girls and I were thrilled to have Kevin home for 4 days to be with us! After our crazy wedding weekend the weekend before, it was so nice to be around the house for a few days with no plans. On Friday, I decided to begin a "deep Spring clean" of our house. Kevin graciously complied and helped me with some of the tasks (ie....cleaning light fixtures and ceiling fans, removing blinds, etc). I have one more room in the house to finish in order to be completed with this major cleaning effort. It makes me feel so much better to have that done.....I've been thinking about it all summer! We ended the weekend by gearing up in our Michigan shirts and going to Chick-Fil-A on Monday for free sandwiches! The girls loved it! We figured that no one else in Tifton would be donning the maize and blue......and it helped that the Wolverines pulled out a win that weekend. (Oddly enough, credits go to Megan and Chuck for outfitting us with our shirts!)

We then ran by the church to get something from Kevin's office and spent a little time on the playground. These are just a couple of my favorites pictures from the playground.....I'm trying not to go "picture crazy" on the blog!

We all enjoyed our family day together!

Jess and MeriBeth's Wedding - August 29, 2009

Well, I finally have a few pictures of the wedding weekend! It was a wonderful weekend with lots of great memories. Enjoy!

Going to the chapel.....

Consider this your preview! The weekend was wonderfully stressful....does that make sense? There were lots of great memories made as we all celebrated in the union of two very special people! Chloe did great.....one minor "blip" during the wedding (she hit her lip while playing on the step) but she recovered nicely and was able to complete her official duties. I couldn't be happier for Jess and Bee, happier that the big weekend is over with, and prouder of my two little princesses and hubby.....they were all troopers and helped to make the weekend so special for Jess and Bee. Hopefully, I'll be able to give you blog readers a glimpse at the professional pictures by next week! Stay tuned........