Ark day five

It's always great to start your day with a wagon ride still in your PJs right?

Then just spend some time chatting up anyone who is willing to listen.

Then take a mid morning nap.

Grab a quick haircut at the local Beauty shop.

Help the preacher (aka The HULK-no joke!) shell some peas on Papaw's fancy pea sheller.

And cause some mischief on the couch.

All in hard days work. And we get to start it all again tomorrow.

Ark day four

Day four at Green Acres started out with Caroline watching a cartoon while everyone else ran around getting ready for the day.


Then Papaw and the big girls headed out to do some blueberry picking while Gran, Caroline and I went on a fabric run for our latest project, recovering a couple of headboards for the big girls.

Later in the afternoon there was swinging, homemade ice cream, "helping" little sisters, sewing and crossword puzzles. Guess who did crossword puzzles....

Also not pictured, lunch at....drumroll pls....you guessed it, THE WHIPPET. And a trip to visit Uncle Danny and Aunt Jan to share some of the blueberries. What a fun day.

Ark day three

Day three at Green Acres (what we call papaw and gran's house) was just what every summer morning should be. In the garden first thing. Taylor even went out before she ate breakfast. Here is the crew plus Caroline resting in their row of rockers after all that picking (that papaw did).

After we all got fed and cleaned up we headed to see Mamaw. She may very well be the sweetest person that was ever on the earth and my girls love her. They say she's fun.

Back on the ranch....Tall and medium, hung out with Papaw in his shop. Medium says it's because she likes to "build things." I think it has more to do with the snickers and Gatorade that are stashed in the fridge down there. Check out the chocolate on her chin....

And there was more rocking....

Then it was time to put together and test out the new purchase PaPaw made in anticipation of the girls' visit. I am pretty sure that he was trying to avoid being a 'bus driver' in 100 degree temperatures. (Picture below is from our visit in April)

Now the girls have super-fun wagon that allows them to pull each other up and down the sidewalk and thru the grass. That's one smart PaPaw.

And homeade Ice cream to top it all off. As Anabelle would say, "This is the life!"

Ark day two

Tea time at 5pm. As I explained yesterday, the girls planned a tea party and it was planned for Sunday afternoon AFTER nap time. We had tea (iced tea-or diet coke for some) and oatmeal cream pies on Gran's "fancy" plates. It was a bit of a redneck tea party, but it was, "The best tea pawty I evuh had." Even Papaw participated, but he didn't have to dress up b/c he is a boy (!?!?! so not fair).

Ark day one

My girls have sweated, picked peas, played in the dirt, played with frogs, picked flowers, planned a tea party, rocked in rocking chairs, read some new Geronimo Stilton books, AND had dinner including fried okra and ice cream for desert...and we only arrived around 5:30pm. They are in hog heaven....heehee. Can you tell how dirty Anabelle is?

This picture just cracks me up!

I hate to brag...

But I will anyway...

We finally made a trip back to the library today. This was only our second of the summer. After our first visit, Taylor finished the one chapter book I got her in about 20 min. I've been meaning to go again and it just has yet to happen. Until today! We found her some Geronimo Stilton books. These books came highly recommended from her Kindergarten teacher. I've known that Taylor was a good reader, but....She had now read two of the five books I got her. Each book has 100 pages or more. She's only been in her room for a little over an hour. When I mentioned it to Shannon, he chuckled and said, "Good, maybe she won't have to borrow cliff notes all the time like I did." I'm sure you can tell from my amazing ability to write that I'm not such a huge reader either. It is so cool to watch all the little facets to her personality that have got to be God breathed!! LOVE IT!!

I'd welcome any suggestions on good books for her. I've reserved several other books, but I'm afraid we'll run out of our suggestions soon if she keeps going at this pace.

Our first notches

That's what Anabelle keeps calling Caroline's stitches. We had a trip to the ER a week or so ago to stitch Caroline's toe up. She pulled one of those flat barbell weights (5lbs) off the ottoman onto her big toe. Why was there a barbell weight on my ottoman for her to pull down onto her toe? Why did I not stop her since I was only two feet away? Bc my mom skills were on hiatus. After Shannon rushed home and we rushed big girls to see Miss Beth (have I mentioned how I love sweet friends?) we headed to Children's. Sweet girl was wonderful waiting in the er. She actually only cried for about 30 seconds over the whole ordeal. Most of that was when she was in the papoose getting the deadening shot. We fed her a banana and let her play with my phone (normally a big no no) to keep her entertained. Sweet girl...

VBS

VBS was full of a lot of fun for the Rushing girls. I was one of three teachers in Taylor's completed Kindergarten class. We had such a great time and I loved watching her with the other kids. She is so full of energy and compassion at the same time. Great to watch. Anabelle had a wonderful time with her little buddies too. Even Caroline did WONDERFULLY. Over the last few months, she has cried every single time I drop her off for childcare at church. By the end of the week, she was reaching for her teachers when I dropped her off. She didn't even shed a tear when I handed her off at church this morning. That helps a Mommy's heart a little bit.

The tooth fairy rides again...

At least if she remembers....Taylor is asleep with her tooth on the nightstand. I'm hoping that the tooth fairy will remember to go back in there later and grab the tooth and leave the treasure. How in the world is she supposed to find a tooth if they put it under the pillow? Thankfully she completely understands that if she put it under her pillow, the tooth might get lost and the tooth fairy wont find it. Here is her newest toothy grin!

We had VBS last week, so this week will be a week of recovery. Hopefully also a week of catching up on posts...

Birthday Girl

(Daddy officially asking her on a date after ringing the doorbell. Poor guys she dates later will have something HUGE to live up to....and that's ok)

My sweet medium child is four year old. It was a long time coming (in her eyes). She's been ready to be four since Taylor turned six in December. Sweet thing. Let's see... she would color and do a 'cwaft' all day long if lunch and quiet time and sisters didn't interrupt. She loves being home and playing with sisters and mommy. She thinks Daddy and Papaw hung the moon. She can write her name 'frontwards and backwards.' She always asks which way I prefer. She stays up late (chatting with big sis) and gets up early (chatting with Mommy). Sweet child talks CONSTANTLY!!!!! Most everything she says is funny. She really likes to be in charge of Caroline. I've even caught her 'spanking' her once or twice. She is incredibly independent. She actually enjoys playing by herself, something I will never understand, but enjoy watching.
She is constantly teaching me something and I love having the honor of calling her mine. Happy Birthday Sweet Anabelle.