Sneaky Lily

One of my most favorite things about Lily Kathryn Douglas is that you NEVER know what to expect!  Yes, this will also probably be the reason my hair turns gray by 40, but most of the time it makes me smile!  Tonight when Manley and I were cooking dinner, we found a little surprise hiding in the laundry room.  Manley went to put up something in the fridge and he found Lily sneaking one of her most favorite ice cream bars!  Without a second thought, I walked and got my camera.  Yes, I was probably teaching her if you sneak ice cream, your parents will laugh and take your picture!  But it was too funny and something I will always remember!  Like I said... You never know what to expect with my Lily girl!

Just realized she got caught... but didn't even stop eating to act surprised!

This is the moment where she realizes she will probably be able to get away

with so much more in her lifetime!

Her sweet brown eyes often help get her out of trouble!  Ha!

White Sox Champions!!

This season for the White Sox was such a FUN one to watch!  They were the regular season champions and then they went on to win the tournament!  Manley coached and Parker had a blast!!!  I am so very thankful to have a husband who loves to spend this time with our kids!  He's a great coach and I know he was so pumped for his team!  Such an exciting time for the players... and maybe even more for the parents!  :)

The winning team!

A great pair!

Loved the trophy!

Parker had a great pitching season this year!  So proud of him!

He also had several homeruns this year too! 

With my sweet little man!

Manley and Lou

With my sweet friend, Sonia. 

Her son, Ethan, was also on the team!

Good-bye Pencils, Good-bye Books...

Wow!  Parker is heading to 4th Grade!  Can't believe his 3rd Grade year has come to an end!  It feels like it was only yesterday that he was getting his award for "Best Storyteller" in Mrs. Tooker's Kindergarten class!  (And then a second award for "Best Bike Rider").  Those memories make me smile!!!

This was a great year for Parker!  He has grown so much!  Every day, I grow more and more proud of the person he is growing up to be!  He loves to learn and LOVES to read!  He read the first three Harry Potter books in a month and was finished with the entire series in three months!  He couldn't put them down!  He recieved an award for placing 8th over all the 3rd Grade classes for AR points...302 points!  This year, he was also accepted into APEX and we couldn't be more proud! 

He is also learning so much about how to treat people and how to take care of his friends and family! Yes, he is a 9 year old boy who can get mad at his sisters and complain about having to clean his room...but when it counts, he has a heart of gold and that makes me so proud to call him my son!  We are so blessed to have him in our lives! 

Top AR Readers for all 3rd Grade classes

Getting his conduct award from his principal, Mrs. Crouch

Getting his medal from Mrs. Lockhart

With my sweet boy!

Best friends!

With his teacher Mrs. Reed

And with dear, sweet Mr. Frank!  He volunteers at Lakeland EVERY day!

So Long Kindergarten...

I can't believe the year is already over!  Wow!  Kindergarten days for Ava have come to an end.  I am so very proud of her!!  So many wonderful friends she made, so much learning she accomplished, and so much growing she did into a fabulous 1st grader!  She loved going to school each and every day!  Their Kingergarten program definitely brought tears to so many mommy's eyes!  My favorite memory is the song "First Grade, First Grade" (to the tune of New York, New York).  Just the sweetest voices telling us all they were ready to move on! 

Start spreading the news

We're leaving today.

We want to be a part of

First grade, first grade!

We've worked very hard

Our teacher's so proud.

So open up those doors to

First grade, first grade.

We know our... alphabet

And numbers too.

We all can write our names

And tie our shoes!

So when summer's done

And we're all done with play

Our mom's will send us to

First grade, first grade.

If we can make it there

We'll make it anywhere

So here we come

First grade, first grade.

Just so sweet!!!  Here are a few pictures from her big day at her Kindergarten Graduation!

With Mrs. Filsinger... such a great year with a GREAT teacher!

singing away...

with our girl

love my Ava hugs!!

with Mimi & E

with Grandmama... and knowing Grandaddy is looking down, so very proud of his Ava

Ava and Olivia

Ava and Halle

Sweet Mia

Her two best "boy" friends... Henry and Landon

Lily and Megan...

the two little misses who BOTH cut their bangs on the same day...

and NOT while they were together!

Take me out to the ball game...

Redbird's games are always a hit in our house!!  Who doesn't love baseball, Rocky the Redbird, barbeque nachos, a nice cold beer, and fun times spent with three smiling faces?  This year was extra special!  First, Arlington Youth Little League had a special night where all the players marched in a parade on the field before the game! So neat!  The next time we went... Ava was asked to be the Delta Dental Tooth Fairy and was joined by the rest of the crew to "sweep" and clean off the bases during the 7th inning stretch.  So cute to watch them all run around the bases!  So fun!    :)



Field Day at Lakeland

Field Day is such a fun day at Lakeland!  The kids have a blast and we have so much fun watching them!  :)

Mrs. Filsinger's Kindergarten Class

Tug of War

Ava and Lily

Ava and Olivia

Mrs. Reed's 3rd Grade Class

Tug of War Part II

Off to a great start!

Waiting his turn... and probably so annoyed

for taking his picture!!

Sammy and Lily

Sweet friends!