A BIG Improvement

So basketball this week with Savanna went MUCH, MUCH better! (I won't mention that her uniform was not in her weekend bag....and I had to call the YMCA to beg for another jersey to be left at the front desk for us AND that Savanna and I had to go to Academy at 7:00pm on Friday night to get gym shorts and socks...I won't go there)!! Basketball was just better!



JC was out of town, flying the red-eye from California and Savanna's mom told us she couldn't make it to the game, so it was just me and Savanna. We had made a deal the night before that if she did not cry, I would take her to Toys R Us to pick out a toy. I am usually opposed to rewarding kids for something they should "just do" but sometimes an intervention is needed! And since playing basketball was not Savanna's idea, I had to step in to encourage some participation. Please refer to last week's game for clarification!

The only request I made was "Please do not cry!" Well....to my surprise, Savanna did even better than that. She played, she ran, she smiled...she seemed to have a really good time!

There were a few extra things I did to help her feel confident. For one, we got to the YMCA early! It has been my experience (last basketball game) that Savanna's mom is typically late to everything. That's fine when it's just you....but little people can't take the pressure of rushing. Especially when she is already unsure of what she is about to do. So, Savanna and I got there early...we were the second people in the gym. It was quiet and she had time to "warm-up!" Not physically, but you know what I mean.



I also kept making eye contact with her and giving her a thumbs up! She did great. She even got to come over and see me during half-time and then she walked right back to the coach! It was GREAT!!! All of the parents came up to me after the game to say how good she had done! I was proud and so was she. I really felt like her parent in that moment....I was the one in charge and her and I seemed to have everything under control!!


I could not wait to tell her daddy and she couldn't either. We went to the airport and picked him up...after we went a got a toy!

This coming up weekend we do not have Savanna...she will be with her mom! But I am going to her GAME...and I will be early...waiting for Savanna! I hope and pray that she does good again when everyone is there!

Shannon's Shower

One of my friends that I went to grade school with and then to high school is getting married 2 weeks before us!! It's so crazy......and she went to Spring Hill College, so she had met JC before.

Shannon and Court

Me and JC

A group of girls and mom's hosted her couples shower....it was pretty entertaining!! In fact, late into the night one of the dad's looked at the wine bucket and said... "Certainly they did not drink all of that wine?" Well....yes sir we did! AND it was great!!

Starting with a shot....from Annie!!

Tiffany and Me

Me, Tiff, and Missy

Me, JC, and Missy
Me and JC again!


Me and Ashley

The group of girls...having fun!!

3 Year Old Basketball....

PLEASE..............................

WARNING: Do not be fooled by this post game celebration look!

Our little 3 year old can set up the bestest tea party, put ponytails in her Barbie's hair and dress herself up in any costume....but play BASKETBALL! Yea right!

I guess she isn't the only one having a blast (check out her neighbor)!

The thing is she is on a team for 3 and 4 year olds...but most of the 3 year olds are about to be 4 and the 4 year olds are about to be 5. So she is just too little and she has NO interest.

This is where she spent her one quarter of play time....on the Coach's hip! He's willing, otherwise I'm totally opposed to this! AND....I'm not the momma!

I took her last weekend for the first practice and she cried the entire time. Her mom brought her this weekend....and the same thing! We will see what happens. Her daddy got very mad when she refused to line up and shake hands with the other team!

Hope for better times!

P.S. We also got up very early to go see her play....after JC had landed after midnight the night before...ughghghh!

Daddy and Princess Puzzle

Savanna got a Cinderella puzzle for Christmas and she just loves for us to sit down and do it with her. It was Daddy's turn a few weekends ago...and he did pretty good! Savanna would tell him which princess pieces he was working with! JC and I did have a few little "smack talkings" back and forth about which one of us could do puzzles the best/fastest. He was teaching Savanna his strategies and I was thinking back to when I learned to do puzzles....I don't remember much, but someone, somewhere (probably mom) taught us to look for the edge pieces first!! A strategy we both share!!

Family Love!

Another blog to read!

Here is the link to another good blog. I hate to say good because it is actually a really sad story...but it brings hope and this family can always use extra prayers!

http://threedoodles.blogspot.com/

Christmas in Pictures!

I haven't posted any pictures in a while....so here are our holidays!!!

JC's Birthday!

These Christmas babies are a hard thing! JC's birthday is on Christmas Eve so we celebrate the week before! We had Savanna so I wanted to sing while she was with us! She is crazy about birthday parties! I think we helped him celebrate pretty well!




Annual Girls Christmas Party!!!

Mostly girls from high school with a few adopted ones (college friends, extended family, work friends)! I wasn't in a crazy picture taking mood.

The Spread!!

Annie, Liz, Missy, Brantley, Tiffany

Stacey and Anne

Missy and Annie....the "on-call" girls!! See...they both have beepers!

Elizabeth, Brantley, and Anne

Annie and Claire

The GIFTS!!
Perhaps the most intimidating dirty Santa of all time!! It gets really crazy!


Christmas Eve!
I cannot believe I did not take any pictures of my grandmother! My grandmother came to stay with my mom on Christmas Eve! She went with us to church and then to dinner. I think she would have stayed the entire week if she could have!

Christmas Day!

See what Santa left!!!

Oooo.....a jewelry box!!! I know the jewelers LOVE seeing JC come in!
And diamond earrings to match my ring!!
I asked for gold studs...he went a little overboard!


Granny....wearing her tissue box cover from Dubai....as a hat!!

Savanna waking up from her nap on Christmas Day!
Her mom brought her over in the afternoon and she was asleep (a good thing)!

All things....Rapunzel!

The Mess!
The AWESOME dinner!
After the disaster on Thanksgiving....I cooked my ham and turkey in the crock pot this year!! Best thing ever!

Savanna and Aunt Dre in her princess castle...not a tent!
She is holding her hair because she is using her new princess curling iron!




Christmas in Lights!! (12/29/10)

Anna and the boys had planned to come to Mobile before Christmas for some jolly ole fun!! BUT Hudson got the flu and so they didn't make it! Sooo....they came the week after! We still made Christmas goodies and went to see Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens! We had a great time...and it made the season seem a little longer! Hudson is going to be the ring bearer in the wedding and Hiram will bring up the gifts! Of course Savanna is the flower girl....she said her and Hudson can hold hands!! We'll see what happens!!