Here's some pictures for Tracie C ....... she was trying to take pictures of the pretty afternoon glow of her darling daughter. She didn't get what she was trying for, but I think timing is the key. I don't usually try for pictures, they just happen. These are two of my most recent favorites.

This picture was taken Sunday around 4:00 (after the Titan game) The sun was pretty bright, but she looked so cute, I couldn't resist. She was enjoying her Dippin' Dots!!!

This one was made around 2:30 on a hazy/sunny day. I thought the coloring was very pretty.

This is the weekend ..............

This weekend my daughter, 8 yrs old, will be dancing in front of 60,000 people at the Titans football game! She'll be front row, home side on the 50 yrd line! I can't believe it! What a great place to be dancing during a half-time show. BUT, I'm so nervous for her!!! I know she'll do great, she's a born dancer. She loves it. I asked her yesterday if she was excited and I can tell that she is, but she said she was nervous too! I told her just to remember, out of those 60,000 only about 10 actually know her and know what she looks like. I also told her to imagine all of us sitting in the stands in our underware (hoping to keep the smile on her face!) She knows the dance pretty good ...... and she's so engeric doing it. Lets jus pray that she doesn't see all those people and freeze!

Break a leg Emilee!!!!

Being a parent is hard ............

My DD is full of personality. I don't think she's ever had a problem fitting in. She walks up the play area at McDonalds and just starts playing with the kids. In gymnastics, she just walks in and immediately fits into the class. This is great ........ but in school, its not so great! She wants to worry about everyone else in her class, except her. She wants to make sure everyone is doing what they are suppse to do, except her. And she loves to talk (if you've known me all my life, you'd know I got in trouble for this in school also, as did DH and my parents ... we're all social!) and is a social butterfly. So, sometimes she doesn't listen very well and misses things, like, take home your social studies work, you're having a test in two days! So guess what, she failed that test! YUP, a F!!! And the problem in Metro schools (at least our 3rd grade class) is that they only do Social Studies for 3 weeks and then Science for 3 weeks. So if you make a big fat LOW F on a test, then you're pretty much dog meat when it comes to report cards. DD brought home a D in Social Studies!!! I lost it! I couldn't believe she made a D. I think I was in middle school before I ever brought home a D. So now what? DD is involved in cheerleading and gymnastics, things in which I pay for! So I hate to take her out or cause her to miss.... that costs me money! So she's grounded for 3 weeks, no cartoons, no Disney channel, no telephone, no playing after practice, no girlfriends coming over to play, and she might sit out 1/2 of the ball game Saturday (haven't decided) AND she had 3 pages of extra Math work on homework nights (she struggles in Math). Other than the D, she made two A's, a B and a C. AND she's reading on almost a 4th grade level (which is very good!) Whew, parenting is hardwork!!!

I've got a question for all of you who just might be reading...... when you go to a craft fair, do you care what kind of sack you get to carry you purchases in? If I plan to buy a lot, I usually take my own. But I'm trying to decide if I need to make a clear bag purchase for the employee craft fair, or just use "Walmart" bags. The albums I'll be making will be in ziploc bags for protection, but I've been told not to use Walmart bags, that looks cheap (which isn't what I'm going for, but I don't want to spend a ton on bags either), so what do you think?