For those of you who asked to see the new do…
I’m not really sure if I like it super straight like this or styled a little more. Of course yesterday when I left the salon it looked like…well that a professional styled it. Today, not so much.
But…it does make me feel sassy.
And just to prove that I haven’t lost the touch…
and
Since Jac has started school I am excited to have some more one on one time with Charis. She has always loved to climb and flip and hang from things, so I thought we would give the Little Gym a shot this morning. And let’s face it, with all the Olympic buzz, I’m hoping to get her training started early so that when she’s interviewed she can say, “My mom took my to gymnastics before I even turned 2 years old…that’s how much she believed in me!” (Ha.)
It took her a little while to get warmed up to the place.
But as soon as she saw this little girl hanging from the “high” bar…
…she was all about it.
Trying to decide if she’s brave enough to do a forward roll on a slant.
…brave enough, but not straight enough.
Overall she loved it. The class was interactive and they did age appropriate activities. It’s a little expensive, so I’m not sure if we’ll do the semester. Has anyone ever done a whole semester with a toddler? Is it worth it?
Here are a few pictures from Jac’s first day at Perea.
Who would have thought at 27 I would be loading up a minivan and heading off to bring kids to school? Babies having babies.
About to head inside!
Computers was the very first thing Jac asked about when he got up that morning and he found them quickly once insdie his classroom. I don’t know where he ever got the idea that that’s how you should spend your time. (wink)
Calling all moms/creative types:
I need some ideas on how to save my kids’ “art”work. I think I’m going to frame a few pieces for their room, but wonder how you decide which ones to keep and which to chunk. And what do you do with the ones you save?
Today was Jac’s very first day of preschool. He has been excited about going to school “every day, all the days” all summer. We dropped him off this morning and he barely even knew we were alive. We are super impressed with Perea and can’t wait to see all that Jac learns there!
Today was a half day for him so we just picked him up. We asked him if he had fun and he said, “I did! I was having fun and saying, ‘Where am I?’” All with a huge smile on his face. That kid is funny.
Next week Charis starts two days at 2nd Pres’s Parents Day Out program. I went ahead and gave her her new Dora backpack this morning since she was pretty sad about leaving Jac at school.
I can’t believe the summer is over, but I’m excited to move into this new season!
I’ve talked about one of my best friends, Mica May (actually Mica Marie Mojica May), on here before…but in light of some recent events I feel the need to elaborate on this special woman.
Mica and I became friends the summer before our senior year in high school. We were both in leadership for our Student Congress and headed off to camp before the school year got started. Mica and I bonded quickly over our love for Jesus, but there is so much about us that is so different! In fact, that’s one of the reasons why I love her so much and how I know that it was the Lord that bonded our hearts.
A few examples of our differences:
(She designed my logo for Uptown Sweets)
My handwriting changes with my mood and would NEVER be cute as a font. Ever.
Ok, I think you are getting the point by now, Mica and I are pretty different.
But the more I get to know my sweet baby girl…the more I think she might be more like Mica than me. From day one she has been, well….opinionated. (smile) And I couldn’t help but hear Mica’s voice in my head saying, “I am not high maintenance, I just know what I want.” Charis loves to dance, one of her biggest joys in life is dancing with me in our kitchen. Charis LOVES shoes and dress up clothes and has an opinion about even what she wears to bed. And last night was the last straw…while in the bathtub, she selectively picked out ALL of the purple foam letters. Only purple.
Charis really is more like Mica every day. And this thrills me to no end. It thrills me because I’ve seen the amazing creativity that comes from Mica and how her opinions shape her design. It thrills me because Mica is a rockstar with her businesses and at 27 already has an intern! And it thrills me because I LOVE spending time with Mica, she brings out a different side of my personality and encourages me to be who I am at the same time. (She is actually the one who encouraged me with my 27 Things list and has made one herself.)
I wished we lived in the same city so that Charis could spend more time with her. But maybe one day. Until then I’ll be watching to see who God has created Charis to be and continuing to try to help her become the woman He wants her to be. Because Lord knows we don’t need two Ashleigh’s in this family.
There is a lot to catch up on, but I have to get these pictures up before Mom kills me. 
Jac was in his very first wedding this weekend! Our great friends, Jen and Neil:
asked him to be their ring bearer! He was pumped about the tux and couldn’t wait to get it on right when he got up from his nap Saturday.
So John started getting him dressed, teaching him all the steps there are to tuxedos.
And here he is…ready to go!
(That last one is amazing - it looks like John is his puppeteer.)
He had a BLAST at the wedding. Maybe the only one that danced beginning to end. He did great in the ceremony also, only a couple of moments of being chatty. I’ll get some more pictures up from the wedding when I get them!
John and I loaded up the kids in the van and headed to Michigan for a few days. It has been a lot of fun.
We are staying with our friends Erin & Philip McClarty. Their family has a lake cottage and they were so kind to invite us up.
Here is the first wave of pictures John loaded up:
Hey friends, for those of you who don’t know the Ottinger family, they are dear friends of ours here in Memphis. John worked for Mark at Ugly Mug when we first moved here and they are an incredible family with four adopted kiddos.
Dax, their 4 year old, has had health issues from the beginning and has been waiting for a liver transplant for over a year now. He finally received a new liver just a few days ago and despite doing astonishingly well over the weekend they are fearful that his little body might be trying to reject the new liver. They are working with his medication dosage and praying that things turn around soon.
Would you get on your knees at some point today for this sweet sweet little boy. He really is one of the bravest, sweetest kids you’ll ever meet. His life has already been such a declaration of God’s goodness…pray that it continues to show Him off. Click here to read the whole story.
Jac has been obsessed with superheroes for some time now. Here is the link to his last birthday party.
But now that Charis wants to play with him more and more, we are finding her getting into the craze as well.
But, the ultimate hero was John. Who never ceases to impress me with his dad skillz.
This last pic is my favorite though. Charis’s facial expressions are priceless.
