Yellow River Game Ranch

Last weekend we headed over to a local game ranch that is just down the road, the Yellow River Game Ranch. We had blast, and the girls loved it. Read on for more pictures. 

Sisters

They are having so much fun lately - really playing together and laughing together.  Don't get me wrong, there are times when it's not so easy with them both because Libby has a very very extremely strong personality and Mae is just still pretty laid back and low key.  Matt said she walks around just wanting to be hugged and kissed and it's SO true!  Love them both - different personalities and all.
The other day at Target,  Mae was running around so fast and Lib was chasing her - I literally couldn't keep up with them.  I yelled to Libby, "STOP AND GET MAE MAE" and Lib cracked up and couldn't stop her, so she just pushed her down and Mae laughed harder than I've ever heard.  Guess that was one way to do it.

They are my pride and joy!

Libby starts swim lessons today at the YMCA, the same place where Matt learned to swim when he was younger. How cool is that!?? I'll post  pix!!

Be Still....

....and know that I am God.  Psalms 46:10.

This verse has been resonating with me lately.  It started on Friday.  Libby was at her camp and Mae and I were walking to the park. It was a beautiful Friday morning and she was just sweetly sitting in her stroller.  As we were walking along, she slowly turned around so she could see me and just smiled up at me. I smiled back and she turned back around and took a sip of water from her sippy cup.  It was like she was in her own little world, doing her own thing, but needed to be reminded that her mom was right here beside her helping her.  Once she realized I was still there, just pushing her along to the park, she turned around and continued just looking around, drinking her water.  It dawned on me that that is how we are with God.   He is always there with us, leading us and helping us, when we don't even really think  about it.  How comforting to know that He's always behind us!   I was simply pushing my baby girl to the park, making sure we were safe, making sure she had water to stay hydrated, snacks for when she got hungry, making sure we safely cross the streets, pushing her in the swing, and just taking care of her.  That is how closely our God wants us to feel with Him - as if he's always there with us.  Such a comforting thought.  In good times and bad times, there He is.  Pushing us along.

A Royal Celebration!

She's THREE!  We had a Princess party for her on Saturday....Cinderella surprised her all the way from Disney World!  She was really surprised - there were about 20 little ones running around our tiny house but it was such a wonderful day full of family, friends and tons of love!  I think the birthday girl had a wonderful time and I am so thankful to everyone who was here.  My mom, aunt, dad, stepmom, baby sister and my nephew and her special friend came, as well as my sis in law and my nephew, as well as one of my bff's and her daughter from ssi all made the journey to atlanta for the SPECIAL day!  It meant the world to me to have everyone here and Libby is a blessed child to have so many people love her so much!!!  We had chic fil a, some dips, drinks, pink lemonade and cupcakes with a cake to top it all off.  The house was packed!  Party was at 11, Cinderella surprised everyone at Noon and as you can see in the video, Libby was very excited to see her.  She painted their faces, made balloons, did tattoos and the children enjoyed a fun magic show at the end.  Awww, it made me cry so much the whole day just seeing how happy my baby girl was.  I loved it and all that mattered was her having a good time and I truly think she did.  Her barbie dream house we got her is perfect for holding all of the barbies she got, and her other toys included dolls, clothes, shoes, you name it.  The birthday was a big success and I am SO SAD it's over - and even sadder that my baby girls are growing so fast. How is it possible that I have a three year old and a one year old??  It's crazy!!! happy birthday to my first born daughter who completely changed my life for the better!!!!  love you!!

Libby's Birthday!

Almost three, and 13 months...

They are getting big and acting even bigger.
Today, Libby requested a salad with cheese and balsamic vinegarette for lunch, which she devoured.

Mae Mae is saying "mine" and holding things close to her chest to protect the toy in question.  Haha!

And now I have baby fever, my best friend had her third baby this morning. Congrats Ashley on a beautiful baby girl!!!  She makes it look so easy - no meds, nothing.  I'm so proud and amazed by her!!

What an exciting day - full of new life and full of my two babies changing before my eyes!!!

This is a really fun time of year - getting ready for the 4th of July and Libby's party!!

Green Thumb?

I really really want to have a garden.  Things I'd like to grow include, but are not limited to: tomatoes, jalapenos, and peas.  Field peas, snap peas, etc...I think this would be a fun endeavor for the girls and me.  I just need to figure out how to best do this, and the best time of year. If anyone has any advice, please let me know!!

We are doing good - just enjoying the summer. Lib is in VBS at the First Baptist Church this week...the theme is Pandamonium.  She's having fun - when I picked her up yesterday she was standing in a pew with a few other girls, clapping and singing "Jesus Knows My Name, yes he does" - it was way too cute....Mae enjoys picking her up and hearing all of the music and fun songs as well.

Will post pix from this week and last week at her camp soon.

Love to all.

@Matt

This blog has been, and continues to be a personal expression from our family. Its a story about our family, and we've tried to keep it that way. That being said, I've started a personal blog for links and such that don't necessarily fit into this blog's original purpose. There will be posts, videos and links that I find interesting and want to remember or share, but just don't fit well into thecertains.org homepage.

You can find it here.

Upcoming birthday girl.....

Libby is almost three years old - it's so crazy.  This hot summer weather just takes me back to three years ago...we had just bought this house, it didn't feel like home in the least.  We tried to make it feel like home but I was so nostalgic for our old apartment and I was just not loving it.  We knew no one in this area, I was very pregnant in a major drought in Atlanta, so I was hot and totally swollen.  I had no idea if I was having a boy or girl, I just knew I loved whatever "it" was so much I couldn't wait to find out!  Fast forward three years.....we have TWO daughters and this house is just exactly what I envisioned my house to be with my husband and children.  This neighborhood has given me friendships that I will treasure forever and ever, everything about where we are and who we are surrounded by is an answered prayer, and that is something I am so thankful for!  Now that my baby is almost three, I am so busy planning her party- of COURSE it's a Cinderella party, and I am just so amazed at how much life changes in three short  years.

Libby is really independent and happy - well adjusted and fun loving.  Such a sweet nature about her, except when Mae Mae takes something from her or tries to get in her way.  She rarely calls her Sissy anymore, it's always Mae Mae.  She has started taking her stool everywhere with her in the house so she can reach the light switches and turn all the lights off.  I don't know why, but I'm thinking her father asked her to do that after we got our last power bill, hahaha.  When she watches tv, which is rarely these days, she likes Disney movies, dinosaur train, Wallace & Gromit.  Gone are the Barney days and even bye bye to Dora and Diego days....which surprises me so much because she grew out of that fast.  She just likes princess things and will go to her room for hours and play with dolls, dressing them and undressing them, then she'll come out dressed head to toe like a princess - tiara and all.  She is a girly girl and Mae just adoringly watches every little thing her sister does - her sister can do no wrong in her eyes.  What fun to see them grow together and become best friends.

Summer 2011

What a great Summer we are having!  The girls are just fun fun fun and keeping us very busy!  Libby actually went to camp today for the first time, at the same place where she'll start school in August.  She LOVED IT!  I totally cried when I left, because it's the first time she was truly excited to be staying somewhere all by herself.  It was so wonderful to see her happy.  When I worked, it was an excruciating pain on a daily basis because almost everyday felt like she was so upset that I was leaving her - I know she was fine seconds after I departed, but that hurt in my heart lingered for such a long time.  Now that she's almost three, and totally independent and confident, she's really happy wherever she is and today proved to me that she is in the right place for her school. In August she'll go three days per week, from 9-12 and that's where she'll do pre-k and kindergarten, then we'll be moving back to SSI, so she's not going to be in the Atlanta school system at all, so this worked out well.  The LONG wait list has been worth the wait it appears!  It was a fun dynamic today to have Mae Mae all to myself for a couple of hours while Lib was at camp.....that rarely happens and I have to say it was really nice to have some one on one time with the little pea.  We missed Libby, of course, and had a tea party in her room because Lib suggested to me, that if I were to get lonely and sad, we should have a tea party, and even said M could use her tea pot, so that was a big deal.  She is so funny!  I picked her up and she was in the car pool line just chatting with some girls, I tried to take tons of pics but I didn't want to embarrass her too much - I can already almost sense we are getting to that age where I could possibly make her cringe!  How funny!  She had a wonderful morning and after that, we came home, she snacked, took a rest (i.e. watched 45 minutes of tv in mom and dads bed) then we hit the pool, played for a while and came home and met the gang at the park.  They were both asleep by 7.50 PM which is a rarity, which would explain why I am finally writing on the blog!  I have missed writing on here but I promise to be more consistent with the updates.  It's tough finding time, I feel like things are so busy lately....now that Mae is walking and "talking" and into every single little bitty thing, and of course Libs keeps me on my toes, I feel like we never slow down!  At the grocery store or wherever we go, it seems like at least one person looks at me and says "wow, you have your hands full" - and yes, I do but I would not trade it for anything.  I love organized chaos - growing up in my house I am so unbelievably used to busy busy and hectic and just a house full of kids and friends, so I absolutely am loving this time of my life.  I DO get TIRED though!!  Matt and I have managed to find a few nights to have dates, which is great - he's doing well and starts his second fellowship year in a few weeks....how crazy is that!  All in all, it's shaping up to be a fun summer with lots of pool time, and park time with our friends.

Happy Summer to all - and to all of our SSI friends and fam - praying that those fires are out SOON.  I've seen a few pix and it looks so awful.  Sending our love to everyone!!

The birthday girl!

As you can see from the video we made, Miss Mae had a wonderful birthday!  we enjoyed it sooooooo much!!  wonderful friends, neighbors and a little bit of family made it up just for her party.  My sister, my nephew and Grand'om Marsha were all so sweet to come to Atlanta to celebrate with us.  We also had my dad and Lisa, but they are with us all the time and live about 45 minutes away.  It was SO wonderful to have family here!  I loved having Tinsley here too, with her sweet family Steve & Ella.....it was a perfect day!!
We thought it was going to rain but it held off and ended up being just cool enough to enjoy the entire party outside.  Willy's catered it and we had a yummy taco and salsa bar.  DELISH!!  Her cake was beautiful and her smash cake was absolutely adorable and very much smashed by the little princess.  Big sister enjoyed having her friends come over and play and it was a jam packed backyard with some wonderful and very special people.  Thanks to everyone who was able to be here.
Happy Birthday my sweet PRECIOUS ANGEL BEAR!!!  She is walking all over the place and I just cannot believe she is ONE already!  We love her so much!  Some fun notes about the big one year old....she loves to eat pizza, cheese, penne pasta with melted cheese, her mommy's spaghetti, nutri grain bars, pancakes, cantelope, applesauce, broccoli, pinto beans (both of my girls could eat mexican everyday, must have something to do with what I fed them in utero!!), cheese toast, and pretty much anything else with cheese on it.  She is a whopping 24 pounds - maybe more at this point, and I'm still nursing her.  I can't imagine stopping and I am just going to let her wean herself.  We shall see how long this lasts!
She laughs all the time, and when we ask her questions she nods her head "yes" as if she really knows what we're saying, haha!  Precious baby!  She's really fun - loves to splash in the water and just so laid back and easy going.  Kind of just goes with the flow.  I am honored to be her mother!!!  Can't believe she's ONE already.  I look forward to seeing how she changes and becomes her very own little lady everyday!

Georgia Aquarium

 

Getting ready for the Georgia Aquarium

Braves Game!

This week, we also went to the Braves game. Here is a little slideshow of some of our pictures. We hope you enjoy!