Almost a 3rd Grader must = The Big WaterSlide

Allyssa and I enjoyed all afternoon at Bluff Falls waterpark.. We did the usual running from the wave pool, to lazy river, back and forth, and then you have to break for dippin' dots!!! And as we were on our way to Lazy River Allyssa Stopped and pointed to the HUGE waterslide, always before she just bypasses that without a thought, and when questioned it's an immediate NO!!! I'm not going on that thing!!!
Well, today she was like... Mom Can I go on it??? So I was like sure lets go.. and We WENT!!! FAST.. and ROUND and ROUND and ROUND til we were spit out into the pool at the end!! And Allyssa was like... That was FUN, lets do it AGAIN!! So we did 3 times total, and walking to lazy river after the third time allyssa says My stomach doesn't feel so good... yeah I know what ya mean... I was a little queasy myself and walking a little crooked too!!
But it was fun, and sooo glad she was brave enough to try it!!!
After Bluff Falls it was off to tumbling, and she did great, she is getting alot more comfortable w/ the uneven bars now!
Thank God for this Great Day together :)

Women of Faith... AMAZING!!

What a Wonderful Time together w/ all Women!! God was definitely felt in that arena!
The speakers were wonderful, the music was very moving, I just loved it! Very uplifting and encouraging..... I LOVE GOD!!!!
Bob and Allyssa hung out together from Fri. afternoon til Sat. evening when I returned home.. Sounds like they even had a good time together :)

Wonderful Grandparents!!!!!

Grandpa and Grandma drove 4 hrs to see Allyssa's softball game... they are soooo thoughtful!!! They stayed overnight w/ us Thurs. evening and then on Fri. Dad drove mom and I to Edwardsville to meet up w/ the ladies from church for the Women of Faith Convention... Thanks Dad!!

Taking on More Responsibility...

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Allyssa said "You know I am going to be a 3rd grader... I think it's time I take on more Responsibility" And she has, but I've had to remind her that taking on more responsibility doesn't mean not doing the things she has been doing forever now.. like flushing the toilet after using it... throwing candy wrappers in the trash not on the floor... you know the basics!!!!
But the poor thing gets sooo sidetracked sooo easily... i might have shared this with you all before, but it still amazes me... she is the only person I know that can forget that she is in the middle of getting dressed when her shirt is hanging around her neck and all she needs to do is put her arms through....but no she is already off to something else that caught her attention mid-dress!!:) God Love Her!!

Tabitha's Bridal Shower

Tabitha will be getting married on Aug. 22nd... coming right up!! She will be a beutiful bride.. We attended her shower at the Christian Church in Ramsey. It was very nice, her bridesmaids did a wonderful job with everything.
It doesn't seem possible that my "little niece" is old enough to be getting married..

Ramsey VBS pics..

Father's Day Pics..

PawPaw taught Ally to drive the Kubota

So that Gma and Mommy could have a few minutes to visit, Pawpaw took Ally out and taught her how to drive the kubota... well we got sooo tickled watching that not much visiting went on... but lots of giggles and pictures went on!!!
And of course when she took me for a ride she insisted that Gpa didn't teach her much, cause she already knew how to do it!!!!

VBS..VBS..and More VBS :)

We have been very busy with Vacation Bible School. Last week Allyssa and I were in Illinois all week for VBS at our church in Ramsey. It was a good week for Allyssa, and a tiresome week for Mommy :) But we made it through. Allyssa had her Best Friend from Ramsey attend with her every evening and spent the night with us two of the evenings. So Allyssa was very excited about spending time w/ Emily and then she was also able to have her cousin Hannah and Hannah's cousin Madison over one night for a sleep over... They had alot of fun.
I was sooo excited to be in Ramsey for a full week, but the time just flew... I was wanting to catch up w/ old friends.. didn't happen, spend time w/ some of my cousins...didn't happen, spend time w/ my mom...got 1/2 day w/ her atleast, watch my niece and nephews ballgames...didn't happen, But Allyssa had a GREAT week so that makes me happy, I will just have to make time some other time to visit everyone else:)
We celebrated Father's day and my dad's bday on Fri. evening. This is the first year that I didn't see my Dad on Father's day, we had to get back to Poplar Bluff for church to get ready for VBS... so atleast we were all together on Fri. and I called him then on Sunday. Just very thankful that I have my Father and am able to visit him:)
Now this week we are back in the Bluff and have VBS each day from 1-4:30. I'm teaching Allyssa's class, and we have 17 kids... it went very well the first day, so hopefully that continues...
We are back to our schedule again, last week Allyssa missed all her activities while we were in Illinois, so now we are back to Gymnastics last night, and ballgames Tues. and Thurs. evenings.. she has only played the one game that I blogged about, other than that they have all been rained out :( This weather is just CRAZY!!!
My parent's are planning on coming for her Thurs. game, so hopefully that doesn't get rained out... they are staying the night and then Fri. My mom and I are going to Women of Faith in St. Louis... and I am READY.. Sooo excited!!! I hate leaving Allyssa, but like I told her, I will see her everyday, Fri b 4 I leave and i will be back home Sat. evening.. so that's not too bad, I just really hate not being around at nite time for her, but she's been doing very well lately w/ bedtime and all. It will be Fine!!
Well, that's a little of what's been going on around here lately and what's in the plans for the next couple of days. God Bless!!!

Allyssa's First Softball Game.. A Loss :(

We had Allyssa's first softball game tonight at McLane Park.. what fun!!! Allyssa did very good! She played right center field, and hit a double... well it's like this... she swung with all of her might and made contact, but the bat she is using is too light soooo the ball just like stops when it hits it, so it was like a bunt which worked out very well!!!! :) They had a bad throw to first so she made it to second base!! Next time up didn't work out so well, she struck out, but.... she struck out swinging.. so I say Good JOB Allyssa!
Next game Thursday nite... We're Excited! :):):)

Rushing Time?????

This just struck me funny and I thought I'd share....
Allyssa was taking a couple of cards to the mailbox and as she was walking along the parking lot she looked back at me( I was sitting on the front step watching.. not allowed to walk w/ her, she can do it ALONE!) she asked "Mom is it Rushing time? I was confused and then she said "You know rush hour"
Little Miss Independent was a little concerned that cars were going to be coming through... :)
That's all for now.. have a great day!!

Let Summer Begin!!!

We spent Monday afternoon at Bluff Falls here in Poplar bluff. It was sooo hot outside, and I had told Allyssa that we would go play at the park, but after feeling the 100 degree weather we changed to the water park... good choice! Lots of fun.

Going Back to Illinois

We left for Illinois Friday afternoon, and made it home around 10 pm! Dropped Gpa and Gma off at their house and on to my brother Scott's to pick up Princess, they were so kind as to keep her for us... and then on to our house... Home (in Ramsey) at last then on Sunday we pack up again and head back to the Bluff!
What a trip... Fun times w/ family, lots of chaos, but Thank God for Safety and lots of memories!

A Visit to Grandma G's

On our way out of PA we stopped at Bob's Mom's house for a short visit. It was good to see her again, Allyssa enjoyed seeing Gma G and getting new books from her, and of course playing w/ Queenie.

Chris Graduates High School

Well, he made it through H.S., we had to ride a bus to his graduation because there was no more parking available at the school... we were the last and only ones on our bus. We watched the graduation in the cafeteria on a big screen... and then the chaos started after graduation when everyone was gathered to congratulate the graduates. We made it through that and then headed outside to catch a bus back to our car... well it was pouring down rain, lightening and loud loud LOUD thunder!!! Not to mention a million people huddled together under the entrance roof... Yuck.. horrible, after a huge lightening crashed down we took off running to a bus and that's where we sat for about an hr. the bus couldn't get out of the parking lot because of all the cars. but atleast we were inside out of the rain..
Sure isn't like Ramsey graduation, when under 100 graduate, here probably 400-500 graduated! Glad we were there.. but glad it's over too!!! Way too many people for my liking!

Seein' the Sites in PA

We drove around looking at Bob's childhood places, and also went to Chris and Rachel's house in Trafford, PA.

Chris's Car

 

Chris got this car a couple of weeks ago.. so his excuse is he's still getting used to it. But OMG probably the most laughs were at his driving... Not funny, really, lots of prayers appreciated! :)
First coming into the hotel parking lot, we are all standing there excited to see them and he's not slowing down for the curve ... okay all is good, then he goes to park and all of sudden he's over the curb and then quick in reverse and his front tires are spinning in the grass.. well you just had to be there.. it was hilarious!
Then the next day we are meeting at Burger King and Him and his friend pull in again not slowing down for the curve.. and up the back tire goes on the curb, the whole car just bounces.. we are hooting and he turns and looks at us and just has a Huge Grin on his face while still trying to look cool... and again as he parks he hits the curb, doesn't go over it this time just rams into it real good! After a good 5 min. belly laugh, it hit me...Not Funny... Not funny at all... Lord Protect Him.!!!

WE Made IT!!!

We made it to our hotel Wed. evening, and as usual not w/ out some drama....
As we pulled in to what Bob KNEW was the Holiday INN, it was closed... Terrible Fire Damage... well we were all like OH MY GOSH.... just goin on and on about it.. and that's when Ally freaks out, starts crying and saying I don't want to be in a fire.. etc., so duh the light bulb finally goes on for me so I start doin some real fast talking like "No, they are tearing the building down to build a new one and they purposely set this on fire..blah blah blah.. well Bob just doesn't get it,, so he's like "No there's been a fire, why would they burn it.. blah blah blah... well after I whopped him up side the head.. literally cause by this time I'm freakin' cause Ally's freakin... well the light bulb went on for him as well. :)
But we're still like "what to do???" and that's when I looked across the street and there was the Holiday INN. That is just soooo our trips.. something crazy like that always happens...
Anyway, we made it... Chris and Rachel came over to our hotel and visited that evening.. on our way out to eat w/ them we sat in traffic rather than taking the short cut through the "burnt" hotel.. so ally wouldn't see it again and go back down that thought process... and when we got to the food place we saw a slide in there, we asked "Oh does this place have a play area?" yeah I know silly question.. but give us a break we've been traveling all day and just had a terrible experience w/ thinking our hotel had burned down.. well Rachel doesn't give breaks she's like "well what do ya think the slides for" and out of Gma's mouth bfore she even thinks "Oh Maybe it's the fire escape" Well we lost it, cracking up, we had just taken the long way to avoid the subject and here we bring it up on arriving at the food place! Too funny, but all was well, Ally didn't even hear her! So we just got a good laugh out of it!
Thursday, the day of graduation we picked Rachel up after her 1/2 day of school, it was her bday!! We just hung out at the park. It was nice to spend some time w/ her and especially on her birthday!!
As for the WORM... just so you know.. it's harder than it looks, and that's all I'm gonna say about it! :)

Driving..Driving.. We are still Driving!!!

The trip to PA was a long one, but everyone seemed to manage just fine. Lots of stops to stretch and then back on the road again. Allyssa had alot of fun w/ gma's camera, but actually got some really good pics once we got into Pittsburgh.
The famous tunnel you see in the pics is only "famous" to Allyssa. Since she's been a yr. old, anytime we made the trip to see the kids, that's what has excited her the most, being able to see the tunnel!! Whatever it takes for her to be excited about a 9 hr. ride :)

Trip to PA..breaktime at Cabela's in Wheeling, West Virginia

Heading to Pennsylvania for Chris's H.S. graduation, we left my parent's house at 7 a.m. Wed. morning, after several small stops to stretch our legs and potty break, we decided that Cabela's looked like a wonderful place to stop and linger awhile... and it was sooo neat. All of the animal displays were sooo neat. Really cool place.
Allyssa kept saying "I wanna go to the gift shop.." not quite understanding that the entire store is a "gift shop" :)

Jenna Graduates 8th Grade!!!

My niece Jenna graduated from 8th grade in Ramsey on Tuesday evening, we were sooo proud of her, she received several honor awards!! I like to think she gets her smarts from her Aunt Heather... just a thought :)
Afterwards we attended a party at her house with cake and punch. Very Nice!