The Salem Fair

So, we've finally reached a really big milestone in our family.  Like huge.  Almost life-changing. 

OUR GIRLS CAN RIDE THE LITTLE RIDES AT THE FAIR ALL BY THEMSELVES!

Every parent who's ever crammed their legs inside of this flying banana knows exactly how exciting that is.  :)

 

 

Every time we go to the Salem Fair (and at this point, it's an annual tradition), I wonder why on earth we subject ourselves to the dirty, germy, where-did-these-people-come-from-ness of the Fair.  But, every year (and maybe this year the most), our girls love it.  They laugh, they eat, and they ride their little hearts out.  When I finally left with Willa (Sam stayed even longer with the "big girls" Harper and Sydney), it was 10:00.  AT NIGHT.  And between the lack of nap and the overdose of funnel cake, she was hilarious in her emotional departure.  "Byyyyyyyye, Fair!  I miss my fair!!"

Rainy Fourth of July

a 1970s Fourth of July

So, this year, we had to have the worst Independence Day weather of all time.  It literally rained the entiiiiiiire day.  The good news is that we spent the day adult-ing.  Yes, on our day off from work, we (we meaning Sam, although I did provide periodic laughing, which I'm sure was super helpful)installed our new microwave, since our other one randomly stopped working last week.  Thanks, Sam, for your handiwork.  xoxo

It's a good thing we had friends and family over on Saturday to meet our mandatory Fourth of July weekend cookout quota!  Corrie, Jeremy, Rachel, Mike and his daughters, and Chris came over and we grilled out, played cornhole, and lit sparklers.

 

When it became pretty clear that the weather was going to stay monsoon status, the sweet Quesenberrys invited us over to hangout at their house and eat together before trying to catch some fireworks.  All of the local fireworks were canceled (yes, the weather was that bad), except for the Salem Fair's.  Good news for us, since that's the one we usually try to catch. 

After hanging out in Salem at the Quesenberrys for a bit, we drove over to Lakeside Baptist to sit in the parking lot and try to see the fireworks.  The Cromers and Fertittas met us over there, and hooray, it didn't rain for an hour or so!  But, it was still super cloudy.  As we were hanging out waiting for the fireworks, some neighbors of the church started letting off some huge ground-to-air fireworks, and the kids were so excited about those.  And, I felt like maybe we should tip them since it ended up being to foggy from the rain to see the fair fireworks over the trees.  It was nice that our kids didn't know any different since the neighborhood show was so good. 

So, there was nothing spectacular about this holiday weekend.  Just lots of watermelon, fireworks, friends, and family. 

'Til Next Year, Grizzlies!

The last day of school just happened to be the Grizzlies last softball game as well.  Oh my word, I have loved softball.  It's been fun to watch, to get to know the other families, to sit outside in some pretty weather.  And Harper has seemed to really like it as well, especially batting.

this may best illustrate her focus level (visor completely over eyes)

 

 

in the dugout with one of her best friends Mya

Her team went out on top, winning their last game.  The last two innings, Harper got to play second base, and she even fielded the ball to tag a girl out. 

chatting up the runner on second

 

 

After the game tonight, we went to Katie's Ice Cream to have a year end celebration.  Coach Dave was so sweet to say a few words about each player as they accepted their award.  No one had to guess whom he was talking about when he starting saying words like "Spark Plug" and "Firecracker."  haha!

"What's a spark plug?"

Grizzlies 2016

See ya next year, SCSL Grizzlies!

Mother's Day 2016

I can never say "thank you" enough for the blessing of being these two girls' mama.  It is the most humbling, gratifying, exhausting experience of my life, and I feel pretty certain it will always be that way.  Because the day these girls were born, who I am changed.  I hate the saying that motherhood is the hardest job you'll ever love because it's not a job.  It isn't like my work at Pfizer.  I can't just quit being a mom (though I feel pretty certain there are some "moms" that have never truly grasped motherhood).  I can't turn it off.  I can't just walk away, because it's not a job.  It's who I am.  So, I'll love and pray and cry and bless and yell (eek, I'm working on that) over these babies of mine for as long as I'm alive. 

And one of my favorite parts of motherhood has been being able to recognize and comprehend the immense love my own mother has for me. And it makes me sad every year that I don't get to hug her in person on Mother's Day.  Some years we're together; others we're not.  Unfortunately, we knew this year would be a "not" since we're planning to get together for Memorial Day.  Originally, it looked like Mom and Butch would be solo in Dandridge for Mother's Day, so I made sure to order her "something special" (a bangle with a charm for each grandkiddo a la Etsy) well in advance so she'd have something to open, and I commissioned the first lady of First Baptist Church of Dandridge who owns Cookies on Occasion (she also did Harper's birthday cookie favors) to surprise Mom with a Mother's Day themed cookie set at church.  I wanted it to feel a bit like a hug from me, so that she'd know she's so important to us and that we were thinking of her.  And, I mean for serious.  Look how cute she is. 

 

The whole Fertitta crew met at Ragazzi's to celebrate Mother's Day together and one last hoorah of Harper's birthday.  It feels like she should be 15 after all these birthdays.  :)    (here and here) 

 

I love my little family.  And days like today remind me just how much.

Easter 2016

Why, oh why is it always SO COLD for Easter!?  Year after year we find these cute little Easter dresses, only to have to scurry at the last minute to find something presentable for the girls to wear under or over it to keep warm.  Good news, this year was no different.  :/

But, that didn't keep us from celebrating!  I think it is pretty customary for kiddos to get a new pair of Easter dress shoes, but we decided to skip that and do something a bit more pratical, so the girls found that the Easter bunny left them some new Natives instead.  FCC is a pretty casual church, so if we bought them the traditional sweet white dress shoes, they'd be worn all of once and then thrown to the bottom of the shoe buckets in their closet.  At least these, we know, will be worn more than one time.  To round out their candy-deficient Easter baskets, they had some books, a Brain Quest set, and some Shopkins.  Despite know chocolate Easter bunny, they seemed pretty excited about their surprise!

 

 

I worked the First Time Guests table at church, so we went over early for me to get to my serving spot.  We had so many first timers--what a blessing to welcome them to our church and community.  And I just loved that FCC loved on its members and guests by offering to take a family photo.  Hallelujah, I'm finally going to be in a picture with my girls!

After church, we joined the Fertitta and Cromer clans for lunch at the Salem House.  The girls enjoyed running around the property there before we were seated.  Mimi was so sweet to bring them Easter candy and money, and Granny gave each of the girls Easter money as well.  Between that and the money that MarMar and PapPap sent up, each girl ended up with $20 for Easter (and we always match what they are gifted for their savings accounts).  Maybe Easter is the new Christmas. 

 

 

Sue always likes having a group family picture, so we tried to get one before the kids melted down ready for naps.  The kiddos did well, but our solicited photographer...not so much.  We ended up blurry, but still a sweet picture of all the Fertitta family together for Easter.