Hillbilly Day

I guess this Friday night is New Hope's Homecoming football game. So, this week the school has assigned a different theme for each day. Yesterday was tacky day. We totally missed it because Anna Kate said nobody said anything about it in her building on Friday. We didn't have time last night because of the softball game, but we may have our own tacky day tonight and do it just for the fun of it and for pictures of course. Anyway, today is hillbilly day. Anna Kate decided she wanted to wear a bandana. Of course, Emma wanted to do it too. So, here are some pictures of my sweet hillbilly girls dressed for school. Check back tomorrow for the next installment of Homecoming Dress Up Week.

A Cheer For Sissy

Emma has been such a trooper attending all of Anna Kate's slow pitch softball and fast pitch softball practices and games and the pee wee football games Anna Kate cheers for. She never complains. In fact, Emma is one of Anna Kate's biggest fans. Here are some pictures of Emma cheering for her at last night's softball game. It was so cute. She loves her big sissy!

Fall is Here!

We survived a very busy Saturday of two softball games, one football game, taking pictures and swimming. Anna Kate plays her last two softball games for New Hope's fall intramural league this week. She has had so much fun and is disappointed it is almost over. Her cheer coach told her Saturday at the football game that they will have no more cheer practices during the week, just games. There is no football game this weekend and next weekend is an away game that the cheerleaders don't cheer for. Two open weekends in a row...WOW! I can finally feel things slowing down for the first time in months. The other thing I am feeling is a coolness in the air. Fall is here. September is almost over. I love this time of year. My kids are ready to wear some of their new clothes we bought for cooler weather. They can't wait for Halloween (Be watching for pictures of the cutest Sleeping Beauty and Sharpay from High School Musical you have ever seen!). They are even getting excited about Christmas. I have to brag and say that I have already purchased tons of the gifts on our list. Mostly, I just want to say a few words from one of our church songs because that is exactly how I feel today: "God is good...all the time. He put a song of praise in this heart of mine. God is good. He's so good. All the time." Doesn't it just feel good to praise God and really mean it. Here are a few pictures of Anna Kate and Emma with a fall display outside the nursery at our church. Hope you all have a great week.

Busy Weekend!

This weekend is going to be SO busy! I think I need a written itinerary just to keep up with it all. It begins with this afternoon. I have a haircut appointment. Tim hopefully will get Emma so I can go the Walmart straight from the appointment. If not, I will pick her up and go back to town. If I don't get groceries tonight, we may not get any. Anna Kate is spending the night with my parents. Anna Kate has to be at the softball field for warm up at 10:45. My parents will bring her and Tim and Emma will meet them there. She plays at 11:15 and 12:30. In the meantime, I am taking the pee wee football players pictures on the old football field -- 7- and 8-year-olds at 11 and 9- and 10-year-olds at 12. Samantha is helping me. Thanks Samantha! Hopefully I will get done in time to see most of Anna Kate's second game. As soon as it is over, she will need to change from her softball uniform to her cheerleader uniform and rush to the football game. Her football team plays at 2. It should be interesting. Hopefully I will have some pictures of my kids to share on Monday. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Cheering

Anna Kate had a New Hope Pee Wee Football game to cheer for last night. This is her second year to cheer. I wasn't sure she would be into it as much this year since she is playing softball too, but she is loving being a cheerleader too. I think this child just loves to be involved in everything.

Emma loved cheering from the bleachers. She knows lots of the cheers from watching her big sissy. She has on the cheer uniform that her cousin Abby used to wear. I was able to find her some New Hope pom poms. She thinks she is just like the "big" girls.

Their halftime dance number was so cute. They do it to the Jonas Brothers' song "Burnin' Up."

At the end of the dance routine, Anna Kate was on top of the pyramid for her group, which she loved. There seemed to be a little confusion in her group about who would do the splits in the front. I kept trying to get them to all look at me. Maybe next time.

Here are a couple of shots of Anna Kate and Emma together. It was a fun night.

Camp Garaywa

Anna Kate and I went with six other mother/daughter sets from our church to the Mother/Daughter Weekend at Camp Garaywa in Clinton, MS. We had so much fun. This is the second year she and I have gone. She can go again next fall as a fifth grader and the year after that as a sixth grader. The year she is a sixth grader, Emma will be a first grader and all three of us can go. I am looking forward to that.

It was a really special time for us. It was great to get away from the hustle and bustle and spend some quality time together. Hugs were plentiful.

Here's the entire Mt. Zion group. We had fun "roughing it" in Cabin 4.

Anna Kate enjoyed the recreation time. They had tons for us to do.

The theme for the weekend was Mission Possible. We learned that it is possible to reach the world for Christ. We all have to do our part.

We had a scavenger hunt Friday night. Our group had to look for 30 blue pipe cleaners outside in the dark with flashlights. It was fun. Anna Kate was excited to find one.

Our favorite part of the weekend was the bomfire. It was a neat atmosphere to worship God.

After worship and devotion, the girls roasted marshmallows and made smores.

Here are a few neat pictures I took of the fire and the girls roasting marshmallows. I really like the third one with the fire shaped like a cross.

Anna Kate loved being on the top bunk, but I don't think she slept very well. She was such a wiggle worm.

Very few things have changed since I attended summer camp there for three or four years in a row as a young girl. Here is a picture of Anna Kate in one of the luggage buggies. It definitely came in handy transporting all our stuff. Who would have thought we would need so much stuff just to stay one night.

Anna Kate loved craft time too. It was always one of my favorites as a young camper. She is painting a sun catcher/wind chime.

We had morning devotions Saturday with each mother and daughter pairing up. It was special to me to hear my precious child read scripture and pray.

My precious child praying to her almighty God who saved her soul earlier this year. It is so neat to me to think that she is not only my daughter, but she is also a fellow sister in Christ.

Another thing that hasn't changed about Camp Garaywa is all the moss hanging from the trees. Just beautiful.

Here's Anna Kate on the bridge holding a stuffed dog with a Camp Garaywa shirt on that we bought at the camp store.

Sweet smile!

I love this girl and loved every minute of the time we spent together.

More Softball

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. We have been busy, but it's been a blast. Here are some more fast pitch softball pictures from Anna Kate's game last Thursday. She has another game tonight, so I am sure I will have more pictures. She has a pee wee football game to cheer for tomorrow night, so I am sure I will have some from that too. I am not complaining -- I love it! I can't wait for Ms. Susan to give the parents a chance to watch their kids at one of the dance lessons so I can see Emma dance and take some pictures. She is loving dance. Anyway, here are some pictures.

I took most of these pictures during warm up the other night. Anna Kate caught a pop fly just like this during the game while playing second base. She was so excited, and we were so proud of her.

I love this picture because it shows the 1989 and 1990 state championship signs in the background. I was starting catcher for both of these teams. It is neat to see her enjoying softball just like I did. It is almost as fun watching her as it was playing. What I wouldn't give to get to play again...but I am not sure this 35-year-old body could get around like it used to. It sure was fun though.

Thursday night was their first game to hit off a live pitcher rather than a pitching machine. It was harder for her, but she still got on base by outrunning a drop ball by the catcher. Then she stole second base. It was exciting.