Birthday Lunch

The Big 3-0. It finally happened. Leaving my 20s has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. I don't know if it is nostalgia or being pregnant on my birthday, but this time around I actually feel older. We gathered family at Pappasito's to celebrate, I'm pretty sure this was my 7th year in a row going there for my birthday. Man, I love that place! The food is always amazing, and they still find new ways to make the day special!


My parents got me a Nook! Wow!


My sweet girl was so good!


All smiles today!

B is for Bear

I LOVE that Mrs. D does special things throughout the year for our kids. She does a "letter" of the week, which is AWESOME because it helps Charlotte learn so much and it gives us something to talk about when she gets home.

This week, B is for Bear!

Birthday Celebration-Girls Night

I have really great friends. Turning 30 is the first time in my life that I have actually felt "older" for my birthday, and it makes me focus even more on the positive influences in my life. I am so lucky that I have friends from my childhood, college, and my adult life that have seen me at my best and my worst and love me any way. It is the friends that stick with you no matter what that simply can't be replaced.

To celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday, a group of amazing girls got together to plan a special evening for me. We started out with mani/pedis at Eminence Nail Spa in Buckhead. This place was the biggest nail salon I have ever seen, there had to be at least 40-50 chairs there. We were able to get four chairs in a row, and it felt like a scene from a movie, being pampered while we chatted and gossiped about life. Once our hands and feet looked pretty again, we headed over to Pricci for an AMAZING meal! We started off with calamari and a goat cheese and marinara sauce. Oh, it was so good. Even the non-pregnant girls were melting in their chairs! I had the "crazy lasagna" that really was crazy good. The restaurant brought me out a piece of Tiramasu that didn't last long. Probably the best I've ever had. I love that these girls knew exactly what makes me happy, a bit of pampering and a nice, slow, delicious meal! Turning 30 isn't so bad when you get to feel this special!






Everyone brought me "30" of something.....30 suckers, 30 notes about our friendship, and a list of 30 books I should read. These girls really know me!


Thank you girls!! I LOVE YOU!!

Fun with water

What started out as a disaster ended up being lots of fun. My milk container for my cereal leaked into my floorboards, so Charlotte helped me "rinse" them out. Somehow she missed the floor mats and got more of herself than anything!







P.S. Hot summer day+milk sitting in floorboards while I'm at school=one LONG drive home for a pregnant woman! Yuck!

1st day of school. Again.

This is my eighth time starting a new school year. Ugh. I love teaching once we get into the routine of things, but starting all over again stinks. The beginning of the school year is the hardest time for teachers. There literally is not enough time in the day to accomplish all you want to do.

Charlotte had a hard time with us going back to school this year. She asked several times why we had to go to work, and really only accepted my answer when I told her Mommy and Daddy have to make money so we can afford to buy treats and do fun things together. So now whenever she asks if I have to work tomorrow and I say yes, her response is "Oh, you have to work so we can buy lollipops". Yes, baby, that's right! Mornings were a hard transition during pre-planning (for everyone!) but she is starting to get back into the swing of things.

This is her "first day of school" picture:

When I compare this to her first day picture last year, I realize how grown up she really is. She is just now starting to get the concept of "posing" for a picture and giving me that sweet smile.

We always go to Bruster's on the first day of school too, as a much needed treat for all of us. Charlotte got a "purple dinosaur" cone, and she was in heaven!

Summer Accomplishments

1. Found out we are having another baby! I am due February 1st.
2. Took our first family beach trip.
3. Celebrated my upcoming 30th birthday with a girls trip.
4. Had our Quad Screening at 12 weeks for down syndrome/birth defects. Everything looks normal!
5. Moved Charlotte to a "Big Girl Room". She got to pick out her paint and help move. She LOVES sleeping in her "big girl bed". We also made some other much needed improvements to the house.
6. Bryce completed his internship as an Assistant Principal in summer school.
7. Enjoyed the heck out of each other. Charlotte truly sprouted up in every sense of the word, and we LOVED watching (and listening to!) it all!

Good-bye Summer! I will miss you!