Emma at The American Girl Store, finally!

Took the girls to American Girl so Emma could see it and finally get her own doll. She fell in love with her namesake (well, almost) Emily Bennett, Molly McIntire's best friend. Isn't she cute?

Taylor Swift Concert = AWESOMENESS!

Anxiously awaiting for the concert to start...


My way cool 8 year old hanging with her totally awesome mom!
The concert was so much fun! The best part by far was when Taylor took a wardrobe change break and decided to return at the top of our aisle...wait, it gets better...she then proceeds to walk down our aisle (as seen below) and as she goes by, she stops to bend down and gives Brianna a hug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, neither the camera nor the photographer (aka ME) were fast enough to catch it but this is right before the hug....notice the black flower from Brianna's headband in the lower right hand corner...

And, right after the TS hug...grinning from ear to ear...PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!

She sang the next few songs on a small stage just down from where we were sitting - AWESOME!!!!!!

She really did put on a very cool concert...not sure any other concert will ever top this one thanks to the hug but what an awesome memory for Bri to have of her very 1st concert ever!!!!!

Peer Mediation

Last year Brianna was selected to be a Peer Mediator at her school. She went through a special training last summer and has attended monthly meetings at school to work on her skills. Here is a quick video of the morning announcements where she read a little script about Peer Mediation. Once we discovered that the video was posted and I told Bri, her reaction was, "Ooh, now I'm a movie star!". Thanks for posting Freedom Elementary! :)

Just click on this link and then click to open the attachment:
http://campus.kellerisd.net/schools/fre-117/Lists/Campus%20Calendar/DispForm.aspx?ID=212&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fcampus%2Ekellerisd%2Enet%2Fschools%2Ffre%2D117%2FLists%2FCampus%2520Calendar%2Fcalendar%2Easpx%3FCalendarDate%3D2%252F6%252F2010

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, the Pirate's Life For Me!

A local gymnastics place called Flips for Fun brings a big school bus that has been gutted and designed into a mobile gym to various schools. Emma attends the Flips Bus once a week at Primrose and LOVES it! I am not a big fan of having the girls do something that I don't get to watch (I know that sounds selfish but I love watching my girls do the things they love to do!). So, needless to say, we were so excited when they announced their annual Parent Show. We were able to go and watch her perform all of the stunts she has learned on the Flips Bus. They also had a Pirate theme so they could dress up if they wanted to.

Wait, what? An opportunity for us to be creative? We'll take it. So we went and bought a tshirt, bandana and of course, an eye patch and earring and decked her out! She had a blast!!!

GS - I Put Up With My Crazy Mom Badge

Brianna was awarded an "extra special" badge for having to put up with a more than usual tired, grumpy, overemotional, always on the computer (trying to get the spreadsheet to balance) mom since her mom was the "proverbial" COOKIE MOM! Yay Brianna, what a trooper!

So sorry for the technical difficulties (and the neck workout). :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Record Snowfall - 13.8 inches!!!!

Emma's Valentine Party at Dance

Brianna's 2nd Grade Music Program at Freedom Elementary

Brianna's Swim Party

Brianna had her 8th birthday party with her friends at the local indoor pool. It was very magical as the theme was Wizards of Waverly Place. I am pretty sure they had a blast and how fun it was to get to swim when it was 40 degrees outside, go figure!

Happy 8th Birthday Brianna!

David had lunch with Brianna and I took the afternoon off to take cupcakes to her class. I can't believe she is already 8! We are truly amazed at what a wonderful young lady she is becoming (although very sassy at times :); we are so proud of her!

Here is the story she wrote about her day:

Hello people, today is my birthday. I am turning 8 years old. Tonight we are going to eat dinner at my favorite place witch is Chick-Ful-A. Today, I ate Chick-Ful-A for lunch to. My Dad came to eat lunch with me at school today. And my mom came and brought cupcakes.It was so fun.

Happy 8th Birthday Brianna!

Miss Bennett, Miss Bennett, Miss Bennett!

Hmmmm, can you guess what Brianna wants to be when she grows up? And what an awesome student Emma is going to make for some lucky Kinder teacher. :)

Wake Up Time!

6am cartoons, cereal and trying to focus sleepy eyes.

Shhh...So Sweet

Since Girl Scout cookie time began, things have been a little crazy. This is pretty much what I saw of Brianna and Emma for a couple of days. :( And now things are slowing down and I should be blogging more regularly.

The Adventures of Girl Scout Cookie Moms

Our day started by going to the Fort Worth Zoo to pick up 10 cases of Girl Scout Cookies. First of Brrrrrrrr! It was pretty crazy, police directing traffic, a long line that was woven through one quadrant of the parking lot and dollies full of cookies going this way and that - but in all actuality everything moved pretty quickly. Then, it was time to go home and sort cookies and fill orders. Well, that resulted with each of us buying a box or two to "test" - we can't go selling cookies that our good, we felt it was our duty to check them out first. In case you're wondering, all of the cookies were good. Of course, Brianna and her fellow Brownies, Madelyn and Addison as well as Emma and her friend Makenzie helped us out with the testing and agreed - they were GOOD! Emma didn't want her picture taken but that is her in the pretty pink dress - they were also playing dress up :). So, I guess the only thing I have left to say is, "Girl Scout Cookies, anyone?".

Where are you Summer? Why can't I find you?

Hip Hop Ganstas

The girls were hip hop dancing to HSM 3...I had nothing to do with costumes or props, this was all them. :)

True Friends by Brianna

Not to be out done by Emma's America the Beautiful, Brianna decided to record her own song. A semi-original song called True Friends. She is reading it as she sings as well as clicking the Guitar Hero guitar as an accompaniment. :) By the way, yes it is Jan 5th and those are still our Christmas stockings on the mantle. :)

America the Beautiful by Emma

I really wish I had thought to turn the TV off before I started recording but hopefully it isn't too loud. Emma was so proud to be recorded...she is a cutie pie if I say so myself. :)

Grandpa giving a little push...

American Girl

Brianna and I were invited to The American Girl store in Dallas, this was our first time to go so luckily we were in the company of a couple of her friends and their moms who had been a few times before. WOW! The girls participated in a scavenger hunt around the store and got a poster of Lanie, the new Girl of the Year, browsed the store creating mental wish lists and we ended our visit with lunch in the Bistro upstairs - oh and all three girls chose to bring Lanie home with them. I guess now we know gift cards are always a great gift because I am pretty sure you could never walk into this store with too much money to spend. :)

Not only was Brianna mesmerized by our visit, I think I may have developed an addiction, David is even interested in it, although he may never admit it. What else are you supposed to do when you have two daughters?

Of course my decision to let this be a day just for Brianna didn't go over very well with Emma but we promised we would take her very soon so she could pick out her own doll. Although she thought that soon should be right now, she is learning patience.

Happy New Year!

Welcome! Our New Year's resolution for 2010 is to try and post at least one picture each day to remind us to cherish all of the precious moments this year will bring (rather than allowing them zoom by) and to share them with all of you. May your year be filled with health, prosperity and countless beautiful memories.