More Summer fun at the Lake,,,

This has been such a fun summer of fun at our favorite Smith Mt Lake. Recently my sister Sue and family in tow came in for a quick visit and we squeezed in as much play time as we could fit with those crazy Ratz's! The kids had an absolute ball together and Abigail and Alexander showed how things rolled at their Mi-Mi's house. The Bit impressed all her cousins w/ her fearless "one...two...phree...splash" as I heave hoed her as far as my arms could throw her tiny body from the dock out into the lake, and much to Mi-Mi's shock and awe. We had such a good time seeing how little Madeline has grown so fast and Hamilton and the Bit hit it off as trouble 1 and trouble 2 again. We captured some classic Kodak moments of them all together and it was just heavenly to sit back and watch everyone play in the warm August sunshine. Our sweet Nonee tried to keep up with everyone and did scarily well at it even w/ Dad's slammin boat ride. Nothing slows that lady down even at 80 something! Just some more good times for the blogg memory book!!

Scrooge Memories...

Well I'm posting these memories wayyyyy after the fact because I didn't get around to working on it till now but I want it in my book. I had an absolute blast this past December working in my church's production of 'Scrooge' the musical. Rehearsals started in September and our 4 performances in the Roanoke Civic Center ran December 4th, 5th and 2 on the 6th to full houses almost every performance, a first for the 9 yrs our church has been doing this!!! It's become a Roanoke tradition for locals. I always knew I was born for broadway (from my impressive bedroom performances of Summer Stock and Funny Girl songs in my childhood mostly only ever viewed by my sister Sue) but life never gave me the opportunity until now. I know I made an idiot of myself enjoying rehearsals way too much and probably more then anyone else. What can I say, it was my first mommy time out pretty much since the Bit had been born. I sat taking instructions on the edge of my seat all fall only complaining that I didn't get to twirl as much as I was willing and able to. Never the less I was in the chorus line and had such a blast doing it. My buddies from my Thursday Bible study (well the wives anyway) all joined forces together to perform and we just had a ball spinning in our big skirts and ridiculously curly bobbing hair. I don't think I'll have time to do it again this year (Booo) but maybe another year down the road when we're moved and I'm done spitting out babies I can have another go at it. Until then, only 8 months later......here are my photos of the rehearsals, some from performances and dress rehearsals. Enjoy!

summer update

Well just an update for the books. I just finished a very stressful long weekend with good ole Carilion. New computer system went live, some chaos made it interesting for the work enviornment but at least there were lots of Fritos and cookies to make it better. At least the overtime will pay good for our vacation soon. I have had a much better week being home ever since, napping a lot but never the less enjoying myself w/ my sweet girl and sweet hubby. We showed our house 5 times in the past week. Ugg! Talk about keeping the toys up and counters clean. Even had to sleep at a friends house Sunday so Brian could show it during the day (thank you Downey's!!). The most interested family came through last night but their house isn't even on the market yet so we'll see if it actually pans out. Rough market these days. At least in the meantime there's nothing we want anyway so we'll just wait and see when and where God wants us next. It's kind of exciting not knowing. The Bit's had a great week. She's mastered just a life vest and loads of independance in the pool. Swimming like a champ w/ just a little help to stay up. She has peed in the potty today once ....on the floor/deck like 5 times. We're getting there. She's taken to constant croch holding I suppose because she doesn't quite know when she'll blow either. It's pitiful but cute too. She gets all serious and holds her baby doll over the potty helping baby "poo poo paayee". She LOVES wearing big girl panties. Mama's determined to do this soon! "Mickey's boat" is coming soon to take us away to paradise! It's so fun to be filled w/ so many happy thoughts. To name a few I might forget someday....A hubby who turns off the radio on a 30 min commute and asks his daughter to sing to him instead (she loves to belt out to her own musical whims), a kid who can count all the way to 10 this week (!!!!) and a me.....who just likes living it all w/ a big smile on my face and a cat in my lap. Mmmmm summer '08 is good so far!

Abigail's TWO!!!!

She loved her seronade from her Aunt Honey so much she asked for it "Gain!! Gain!!" and her sweet aunti obliged!
Can you tell this girl was hyper on her big day w/ those big eyes!?!? A little sugar much?!

Early morning fun, daddy woke her up early and she wasn't quite sure what hit her.
Poor kid, this looks like child abuse doesn't it?! I think if she knew how to ask for coffee first, she would have. :)

Gearing up for the party and trying on the hats before the crowd arrived

Ok, I love this, my big helper w/ the mac and cheese dish was SUPPOSED to just unwrap the cheese slices, yeah, caught her hand in the cheese jar big time!
Proof positive for taste testing. :)

Grammie Wescott brought the biggest hit of the night, a life size Mickey Mouse balloon.

The hat didn't last long but boy did she look cute in it
Grammie Adam gave her a REAL dish set, fancy!!!! She loved it
Her mommy picked out the perfect gear for the new generation of Wescotts, she is so my little chef already!

Don't worry I promised I'd do embarrasing things at his kids parties one day, Welcome to the family Greg!!!
Her very first tea set , served us all some tasty air on Disney princess plates
We broke into her new music collection and watched her boogy the night away!

Whew this girl loves to dance
And she especially loves to dance w/ her aunti D!
She still isn't much for a sweet tooth, a couple bites and she was done

I tried hard to do a cake she might like, she loves lemon cookies and lemonade so I took a chance w/ lemon cake.....she wasn't thrilled. Oh well, everyone else liked it. :)

Her sweet Pa-Pa made her this beautiful table because she loves outside sooo much now she has her own place to sit.
birthday night, she was still ready to party in her clown shoes.

We had such a special night last week celebrating Abigail's big 02 birthday!!! We woke her up early (it's been 1000 before we see her face these lazy summer days!) because Brian couldn't stand not seeing the birthday princess before he left for work. She looked all kinds of star struck as we plopped a party hat on her and pinned her illuminated "I'm 2" button on her pj's before she even got her first cup of juice in her! It didn't take her long to warm up to the idea that the day was all about her. :) We kissed daddy off to work then the girls hit the mall for some fun shopping and a lunch at Chick Fillet then a ride on the train. The evenings festivities were started early w/ a visit from her little friend Katie Coles who hooked her up w/ her very first Mr. Potato head kit. Wow! so much spud fun. The fam arrived at 6 and the party got officially started. We did a Jo Jo Circus theme w/ clown noses all around for our poor guests. Abigail knew the presents were her's this year and tore through them, like a lady. We had to encourage her to rip at times! Sometimes I wonder where this kid gets this stuff!!! She got lots of great gifts and modeled and played with everything right on que for the camera, such a good sport! I can't believe my princess is 2 yrs old that's for sure. Now I understand when my dad used to say he'd try bricks on our heads to keep us from growing up too fast. I'm loving her toddler years, yeah she's a little sassier. We're working on that, but oh she's sweet these days. She prefers her "cuyying" at bedtime [cuddling] when you try to take her upstairs. She's all about hugs and kisses and good lap sitting w/ us. She's the perfect combination of lazy and snuggly and wildly energetic. Brian and I are eating up every minute of these fun days w/ her. When to her life is just full of toys, mickey mouse and mommy and daddy. We had a ball spoiling her on her birthday. It's fun to have an excuse to really spoil them. Man they're worth every penny and ounce of effort, Happy Birthday Boogers!!!