Birthday Girl

Little sisters couldn't wait for her to get home from school so that they could 'share' her cupcakes.

My sweet baby girl is 7! Don't know why that seems like such a big number but it really is. She had a day of parties. First her Christmas party all day at school, then her bday party at home with sisters and daddy. Then, later in the week, her date with Daddy. She has grown into such a young lady. She loves to read and is crazy fast (a chapter book in 30 min). She couldn't be goofier if she was Goofy himself. But boy does she entertain those little sisters of hers (and all their friends). They think she hung the moon. She can eat more than most grown men and does on a regular basis. Can't you tell by her swollen arms. ;)

We've joined the world of American Girl...thanks Gran.

The weekend before Thanksgiving was a big one for the Rushing ladies. We had an all girls weekend. Gran flew in and we went to ATL for an American Girl extravaganza! The girls didn't have AG dolls yet but had been scouring the AG catalog that we get in the mail. (how does AG know I have three girls who might be interested?) So, for Taylor's early birthday we had a girls trip. Stayed in the Marriott, where they have an American Girl pkg complete with beds for your dolls and cookies and milk for you and your dolls. Of course we had to start at the store to get Kit, Julieanne and Bitty Baby (to be named later).

They even had a special check in for the girls and their dolls. A special note to both the girls and their dolls. (The hotel had to know the doll's names days prior)

The girls all tucked in to their beds with Kit (left) and Julieanne (right). I know you where dying to know who was who.

Breakfast at the AG table in the hotel restaurant.

I will not be joining the AG obsessive club. We won't be 'collecting' dolls. But it was a great girls weekend that none of us will forget! Thanks Gran!

Thanksgiving in Arkansas

We are here and we have been sewing and playing and eating...Here are a few images that capture our last few days very well.

A little Thanksgiving day football with Shannon and SOME of the boys. A tradition since Shannon joined our family.

Playing in the rain.

A little deer 'hunting.' Anabelle was dancing around the living room singing, "I'm going to the deer lease, I'm going to the deer lease." Then I heard her say, "I don't even know what the deer lease is." Taylor was a little apprehensive about wearing the orange. She thought it looked 'silly.'

Is it wierd that my one year old has to take her bumper pad with us on every overnight trip? Will she have to take it to college?

Our little miracle baby Whitley, has grown into a cute little man, who played so sweetly with Caroline.

Rushings on Mission

A few weeks ago our sunday school class went on a family mission trip to help a church near Nashville run their fall festival. It was a great opportunity for our girls to get some LIGHT exposure to missions. We continuously reiterated the point that this trip was not about us, but it was about serving others. The girls did great. Despite an entire day outside in 40 degree temperatures. They were exhausted after 'testing out' all the jump slides, rock walls and hay rides during the day. It was a great trip.

Caroline even got a pretty good nap in. My sweet friend Jill rocked her to sleep and held her for almost an hour while she napped.
While in Nashville we got to see some of our favorite Leonards. David and Natalie came to meet us for dinner and we were all so excited. Taylor kept bringing friends over to our table to 'show off' her friend the rockstar. ;) Love them! So glad to see them, but our visits are always so short.

Halloween

My chef, cowguhl and ladybug had a great halloween.

Taylor went to trick or treat at her teacher's house. Her sweet teacher is exactly what every first grade teacher should be. She's WONDERFUL! We love her. She if def an answer to prayers.

We have a standing trick or treat date with some of our great friends. Check out last year's picture on the stairs. Everyone has grown so much.

We were all taking 1000's of pictures and my favorite quote of the night came from sweet Owen after they walked from the house. "Is it lightening?" No sweet owen, your parents and their friends are just a little camera happy.

A laugh a minute.

These three girls make me smile so much. We were attempting to make a picture for Mawmaw who is still in the hospital. Turns out the best picture was the first one. Isn't it funny how that works out.

....and the wheels are off the bus.

I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating...My sweet Anabelle talks more than anyone I've ever seen. Today she and her big sister and I were just enjoying some time working on a little project and she was just jabbering away, when Taylor said, "Mommy, I wish she would give her mouth a rest." Anabelle's response was, "I talk a lot because I'm a talker. Do you know what a talker is? It's someone who is really good at talking. I'm really good at talking. I talk all the time...." and on and on and on. I think she's still going. She did tell me the other day that she is really smart. She's like ten feet smart.

Sunday photo shoot

We had such a fun time getting these pictures. (For the record, that is not how I would describe most photo shoots with three kids). But this was just funny. Check out Miss Caroline's personality. What have I gotten myself into???

Arkansas vs Alabama

After MawMaw had a stroke a couple of weeks ago we headed home to see her. That meant changing our plans of having some Alabama fans over to watch the game. Thru qtrs 1-3 we were really wishing we had our AL fans to gloat over, but by the time the final score rolled around, we were glad the trash talking was limited to txt messaging. It was really fun to feel the electricity all over the state on Fri and Sat morning. We enjoyed driving from Al to Ark in what seemed like a caravaan of AL fans. What wasn't so much fun was driving home Sunday amid all the celebration. What a perfect Saturday to watch football. It was beautiful weather to enjoy most of the morning, and kick off came just in time for C's nap. :)

It's FINALLY Fall!

We had an amazing afternoon we had yesterday, before the REQUIRED Sunday afternoon naps of course. Can you hear her saying "CHEEESSHH"?

she's all set

She's got her string cheese, her phone and a cartoon going...she's all set.

The fashionista rides again.

I did it!! My control freak self let my sweet child wear this to school Thrs. She showed up in my room before I even knew she was awake, in this ensemble. She had fixed her hair and brushed her teeth and boy was she proud! I just didn't have the heart to crush her spirit. This is a first step in what I am sure will be a lifetime of giving up my control over her decisions. I know it's a small step, but it's a step.

She is still talking CONSTANTLY. So much so that when she and her little sister and I are in the car, sometimes Caroline just starts pointing to Anabelle and saying, "No, No, No!" The following little gem came to us one day in carpool sandwiched between observations about building space shuttles and who is a real princess and who is not.

"Mommy, I had to do a lot of things today. I had to do show and tell, then eat lunch, then go to the playground, then get ready for carpool, then go to gymnastics, then go with miss dowwy to my house and now we are going to get Taylor. Whew, I've had a weally big day haven't I Mommy?"

The weekend

This picture captures our weekend perfectly...

What a great and uneventful weekend. We had no birthday parties, no school-type functions and no extra church events. We have been really busy with all that stuff, so it was great to spend a weekend just being together. We started Saturday (after Krispy Kreme) on the back porch enjoying the porch swing Papaw made and playing in 'the man' (aka the mister).

The girls have been begging to go running with Shannon for a while, so Sunday night was the night. I overheard him say as they ran away, "Now when you are running, you can't talk, b/c you have to concentrate..." Good luck with that!!

On the trip back they looked a little worn out, but Shannon was smiling.

A little red in the face, but proud of themselves for running half a mile. :)

Now for a little amusing story that Anabelle dictated to Shannon...

Once Mommy builded her name out of wood. Then mommy and Daddy meeted each other. Then they married each other. Then they had a baby. Then they had another baby. Then they had another baby.

I guess she's got all the important details. Not so sure about the building my name out of wood thing. There is an attached picture with a sign (made of wood) that says MOMMY.