Whew!

Boy- it's been a long time!! Sorry about that, my computer is dying a very painful and slow death. We've been trying for a while to get all my pictures off of it in preparation of it dying! Then trying to speed it up, it was quite painful there for several weeks!!

Anyway, I'm back for a bit- till the computer actually dies, then we'll figure something else out. Things have been hopping at our house. School started for Emery- and she LOVES it!! I haven't taken her preschool pics ( I know- bad mom), but I will!!

Shortly after school started for Emery, Nana and Papa T came to visit! They made it here on Friday before Ella's birthday. We immediately had to go to the beach! You can't drive all the way here and not go to the beach!! The week was filled with showing them around (what little we know!) and exploring by just driving around and seeing the countryside. Nana and Papa were loving all the truck farming, the roadside fruit and veggie stands, and the different scenery from home.

The first day they were here we just visited a nice beach that the girls and I like to frequent. The girls were in dresses, not swimsuits, but still ran into the ocean anyway. Emery's got a little too wet, so we stripped her to her panties to run around for a bit. So, of course we had to go back later in the week when it was warmer in their suits so Nana and Papa could see them swim around! Well, before we left Emery managed to convince Papa to prove that he could swim too! So Papa joined the girls in their playing at the beach! Here are a couple of pics from that event!

I'll post more pics of Nana and Papa with the girls later this week. I have to go tend to my into everything, still not walking, but very intelligent 13 mo old!! And get ready for my first girls night out since we moved here! Talk to you soon!

Scoots stats

I took Ev in for her 1 yr checkup yesterday and she is doing great! She weighed 20lbs 12 oz, which is about 50th percentile. She is 31.5 inches long (although I think she's longer, the nurse didn't do this the way I'm used to), but is at 80th percentile in height.

She got 2 shots and a finger prick- and she was MAD. She calmed down quickly with milk and a lullaby! Otherwise, she is healthy and happy! Growing like crazy, but refusing to walk! Too funny! She's milking her sisters for all she can! Smart little thing!

Scoots turned 1!!!

We had a great time on her birthday last week. The big girls waited anxiously all day to help her open her gifts! Thanks so all who sent them!! We got a small individual Tinkerbell cake for Evie to eat. Problem is- she didn't eat it!! She put her hands a bit in the frosting trying to touch Tinkerbell. She licked her fingers and then decided she didn't want anything to do with the cake- very anticlimatic! She enjoyed her gifts and her cards that played music. It became late that night and we had to get up super early the next morning for Ella's dr appt 1.5 hrs away at 8:00 a.m.! I'll post some of the cake pics later!

So, we postponed traditional b-day photo shoot until Saturday. We took her to one of the local piers in her tutus and took some pics. She of course didn't cooperate and look at the camera much, besides scooting to me so I'd pick her up. But here are a few!

Kindergarten- Ella style and a neighbor

Well, the first week of kindergarten is over and I survived- haha!! Ella LOVES school, her teacher, the teacher's assistant, and met some new girlfriends. Emery and I have had some good quality time together, which is good for both her and I. She sure misses her sister at school, but enjoys being the only 'big' sister around for Evie. Ella is a chatterbox as usual as soon as we pick her up from school. She has a grin on from ear to ear, and we get to hear all about her day! Here she is in front of the house before we left at 7 AM! That's right people- this girl is up at 6:15, takes a shower, eats breakfast and is ready to leave for school at 7! I pick her up around 2:15ish.

And here she is at school before walking into her classroom.

This is her table, it has 3 boys at it!! Ella has 13 boys in her class and 8 girls.

This is the teacher's assistant putting on Ella's name tag for the first day.

This is Ms. Formo- Ella's teacher. Ella likes her because she is pretty! I like her because she is very calm with the kiddos, and very much a southern gal! She'll be great for Ella!

This is Ms. Phillips, Ms. Formo's teaching assistant! She's great too!!

And last but not least our neighbor. I'm terrified of spiders thanks to that movie Arachnophobia, but I knew that living in the south we would have more of them. I also remember that from our vacation to St. Thomas a few years ago, that spiders and webs were good, you weren't to destroy them if possible. Obviously ones right around doorways to your house, in your house were ok to destroy but if they were out of the way, to leave them alone. Apparently the same goes here. There are some huge magnificent webs along the golf course in the trees and bushes. However, I hadn't seen one up close until we noticed this one in our neighbors yard across the street. I was too scared to get close to it, but this is what I got. Apparently this is a male (the females are 2-3 times this size) Black and Yellow Garden Spider or Argiope. In Florida they are called Banana Spiders because of their yellow body. They are harmless and eat tons of insects and other spiders. They also eat their web every night and spin a new one. They are good to have around- at least I'm told that! I'm just glad he's across the street! There is one on the golf course that is a female, and her body is a bright yellow. She is easily 3 times the size of this one. If I get the guts, I'll go take a pic of her! And her incredible web!!

Hope you had a great weekend! 1yr pics of Evie coming soon!

Can you believe she's 1???? :)

Wow- my baby turned one on Thursday! Time has FLOWN by!! If you had told me a year ago where I'd be today- I wouldn't have believed you! Things have changed so much in the past year, and Evie has grown so quickly. I need life to slow down, for me! My girls are changing and growing up too fast, and I feel like I'm missing so much of it.

I'll post some pics of her later so you too can see the birthday girl, but for now you'll have to settle for a video! You'll soon understand why the girls and I fondly refer to her as 'Scoots'!!

Poor Casey...

Well, I knew the time was coming when we'd start to have health issues with the dogs, but I didn't dream it would be Casey first. We've been fairly lucky so far, the dogs have been fat- but overall healthy and happy. They are losing weight pretty good here in SC due to the walks two to three times a day, so that was improving as well. But last week Casey started limping. We thought at first she hurt her foot on a walk, but it didn't get better. It soon turned into not putting any weight on that back leg at all.

Tad took her into the vet yesterday to find out what the problem was. The devastating response was bone cancer. Poor Casey has bone cancer in that back leg. It has spread throughout the leg, but has so far stayed contained to the leg. We have to take her to a vet an hour away for a bone biopsy soon to ensure it's bone cancer and how far it has gone. The most likely outcome is we will have to have the leg amputated. How far up? We don't know yet, and won't know until after our appt with the surgeon.

Poor Casey even had the other back foot bleeding on Sunday from having to hop on it while on walks. The nails slightly drag on the pavement, and by Sunday evening's walk were all bleeding. The stress of using only one back leg is causing trauma to the other. Thankfully the vet saw this and gave us an adorable pink/white leather boot. The girls think it's great! It is pretty cute if I say so myself.

So, it looks like soon we may have a 3 legged dog. While I never envisioned this, at least it's just a leg. It reminded us both of how quickly we could lose them now that they are 9.5 and 10.5 years old. It could be any day. We are not prepared for that, and neither are the kids. We can all help Casey get through this knowing it's just a leg. We are just thankful it's not her life. We can enjoy more time with these kind and wonderful dogs before they leave us.

Hug your dog tonight and be thankful for any wonderful ones you have had in the past. They truly leave their mark on us for life.

She's going to Kindergarten....

Can you believe it? My baby is going to Kindergarten tomorrow :( Ella is so excited she giggled all evening. I on the other hand, well, I'm going to be a mess tomorrow. I know she is ready, and this all day kindergarten program will be good for her. Her teacher is young, vibrant, and cheerful (and Ella thinks she's 'beautiful') will be a very positive influence on her. I'm just not ready to let go. Time at home with her has gone too fast. I'm not ready for her to grow up, I need more time. I don't think I'm the only one. Emery is going to go crazy at home without her all day long, 5 days a week. It should be interesting!

I have some other pics to post too that I've taken over the past few weeks, but had to get these out here first. We took these tonight in front of her school. I consider these her first day of school photos. I'll take some of the real thing tomorrow- but I had to capture her excitement for school!

Enjoy!