Team Spirit Day at School

As the end of the year approaches, Maddie's school is doing themed days for fun. Tuesday was support your favorite team day. Maddie really wanted to wear her Predators jersey but with the temperature in the 90's that day, I talked her in to skipping that. I figured with long sleeves and all, she might just be miserable! So, instead, she opted for supporting Ashton's baseball team. She wore her "Ashton's Sis" shirt and Alex put her eye strips on for a little something extra. She looked adorable if I say so myself!!!

When I told her I wanted her picture before we left she insisted I take one of the back so that you could see her hair because no one would be able to see it from the other picture. She is so funny! LOL

Heavy Heart

This past week has been extremely difficult for me. As mothers day has approached, I have been filled with a wide range of emotions, not all of which I am proud of. I have gone from sadness, to anger, to bitterness, to just pure confusion and at the end of the day I am still seeking some sort of peace and understanding.

You all know that I don't have the best relationship with my mother. Some days I tell myself "it is what it is" and others it is much harder for me to swallow. It isn't that I DON'T want a better relationship with her, because I do. Its more so that I just don't think its physically possible and I really struggle with that. I see all the "Miss Connie" moms of the world and I'm so jealous. I hear people talk about their moms and I can't really chime in. I know that I shouldn't be jealous, but I can't help it some times. There are so many things that I feel like I've missed out on sharing with my mom because of our "lack" of a relationship. Yes, I can hear some of you now, she isn't gone, so you can still have a relationship with her. And technically you are correct. However, its just not that simple. My friends talk about their moms and how they can't wait to call them and tell them (fill in the blank), but I can't relate to that. My mom is almost always the last person I call if I even call her at all. Its sad, but true. Its mothers day and I wish so badly that we had a relationship in which I wanted to spend the day with her making her feel special, loved and appreciated, but I don't. Its awful and I can't help but feel some guilt about it! I continue to pray for her and our relationship and despite how difficult it is for me some times, I am trusting in the fact that I know God has a plan and in HIS timing he will reveal it to me.

Mother's Day gift from Ashton

Thursday afternoon when I picked Ashton up from school, he quickly got in the car and flashed a big white gift bag at me. He had colored mainly red hearts all over it and it read "Happy Mothers Day". He was so proud of it and I have to say his hearts looked pretty good! As we were pulling out of school, he is dying for me to open the gift. I told him that we'd have to wait until we got home OR we could even wait until Sunday when it was actually Mother's Day. He said no, he wanted me to open it when I got home. Once we got home, got a snack and settled, he brought it over and I began to open my surprise. He had drawn a picture of me (which was supposed to have been me that very day with a blue dress on and all) and I absolutely loved it, purple lipstick and all!!! LOL He had a cute little poem with chocolates attached, a purple petunia and the "My Mom is Special!" paper you see posted above. I love these things. Alex and I still occassionally talk about ones I've gotten in the past and I will cherish them forever!! This one is just as cute as all the rest. In case you can't read it in the picture, I'll tell you what it says and post Ashton's added portion in italics and underlined so you'll know. :-)

My Mom is SPECIAL!

My mom is the most wonderful mom in the whole world!
She is as pretty as a flower.

She weighs 60 lbs and is 7 feet tall.

She has green & blue eyes and brown hair.

Her favorite food is salad.

I think my mom looks funny when she giggles a lot.

I know she is really angry when I am in trouble.

I wish my mom would cook every day.

My mom has a pretty smile! I like to make her smile by making funny faces.

My mom is smart! She even knows how to open cans.

I wouldn't trade my mom for a dog.

by: Ashton

I do have some serious questions for this child after reading this!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!! :-)

Moms & Muffins

Today I went to Moms and Muffins at Maddie's school. I love going to these days with them. They get so excited and want to share everything with me. :-)

Here is my little cutie patootie!!!

This is what Maddie had for me for Mothers Day. She made me a little picture frame with her finger prints and then decorated this vase which had a white tulip and a little cupcake with a "C" for Courtney in it. It was sweet and I love it!!!!

Gymnastics Recital Practice

Maddie has been taking gymnastics for several months now and she enjoys it. She has still only gotten one star for her performance BUT she is slowly improving. It still kills Alex and I both that no matter how much we try to help her she can't do a cartwheel to save her life! :(

With their recital just around the corner, they have pretty much focused on practicing their routine. This week the moms (since there aren't any dads that come watch) were asked to come in and watch them run through their routine a couple of times. The girls are doing fairly well with it. Its a lot to remember at their age. I can't wait to see how it goes the night of in front of all those people on a big stage in their adorable little HOT PINK outfits!!!! I can't wait.

Here are a couple of pictures I got from their practice run through on Monday.

I think its funny that I caught Maddie like this in her roll.

Its so cute to watch the little girls shaking their booties in this part. Not sure how much the dads will like it though!!

Maddie always looks scared when its time for her partner to do her cartwheel over her.

Yet her partner doesn't even pay attention when Maddie does hers. LOL

The girls recital is in June so I'll be posting again soon with lots of cute little dressed up pictures!!! I can't wait to see how cute they are. :D

Kindergarten Registration

Its hard to believe tomorrow I have to register Maddie for kindergarten!!!! It seems like just yesterday she was our baby that cried all the time and we couldn't figure out why. Now, she is talking about wanting to go to kindergarten tomorrow not after summer. Part of me is sad, but a bigger part of me is super excited. She is looking forward to it and that makes me happy. We're starting a whole new phase and looking forward to it. :-)

Yesterday, however we weren't so excited. Maddie decided when Ashton got his kindergarten booster shot that she would go ahead and do hers since she could and they'd be "big" together. I thought, great, lets get this over with. Yeah, that wasn't really how it worked out. Maddie has feared even talking about the doctor every since for fear that meant another shot. :( So, I have put off her final shot until I absolutely had to do it because I didn't want to go through the hysteria that would occur when I told her she had to go and then actually taking her. Yesterday I had to finally bite the bullet and just do it. We were all good until we headed that way and the crying started. She said half way there that she was going to be big and afterwards we planned to go buy her a toy. That didn't last too long. She started crying immediately when we got called back and didn't make it through getting her temperature taken before she started throwing up! Yes, my child goes all out!!!! I couldn't help but laugh though because the minute she started throwing up Ashton said, "well, I guess that means no toy shopping!" LOL We will have to wait and see if her excitement continues all summer or will she change her mind about kindergarten before August gets here.

No More Training Wheels

Maddie decided today that she wanted to take a big step and ride without training wheels. So, while I was having some "mommy time" this afternoon, she learned to ride her bike without training wheels. Alex called and said that they had a surprise for me and I needed to call before I came home. When I arrived, Maddie came riding her bike out of the garage all by herself like a pro. She was sporting a BIG grin and I couldn't believe it!!!!

I am super proud of her for not being afraid. She had one small accident but Alex said she didn't cry long and got right back on her bike and took back off. Yay Maddie!!!!