Presley's Bragspot

Vacation 2012

2012-01-21T09:21:00.001-06:00

We have a vacation planned! We are going to visit Cape San Blas, FL again this summer. We are staying in a different house this year because the one we stayed in last year is for sale. I realized that I haven't ever uploaded this video I took when we went out on the bay. We saw lots of dolphins during our stay, but this was the best!

Presley's Special Delivery

2012-01-19T20:26:00.001-06:00

Presley woke up Saturday with a cough. It wasn't too bad, but it definitely didn't sound good. I attributed it to the fact that her humidifier had been making an annoying noise, so I turned it off. We bought a new one Saturday, and paid a little extra for one without a filter. Big mistake. It puts a white coat of dust on everything! Anyway, Presley ended up running fever Saturday night, and still had it Sunday morning. I decided to take her to the doctor on Sunday because I figured that the chances her pediatrician was working on a holiday was about zero percent. We ended up waiting for a very long time, but Presley was so good. We left our house around 12:15 and didn't get back until 5:00. She prescribed Presley some antibiotics and cough syrup. Presley was well enough to go to Judy's Wednesday, and Nana Raine, Big Daddy, and Will sent her a surprise! She was so proud!

Presley Cooks!

2012-01-13T18:10:00.000-06:00

Presley cooked for me tonight, and she wanted to teach you how to make Pizza Roll Ups. I found the idea on Pinterest (love it)! I thought it was a pretty good learning activity. I talked about how we needed 4 string cheeses for the 8 crescent rolls. We talked about having to cut the cheese in half because we needed 8 pieces, and that half means you have the same amount of cheese on both sides.

I used Presley's new camera to make the video. She took her camera to Miss Judy's the other day, and I thought that you might enjoy a glimpse into her day...

Happy 2012!

2012-01-10T20:19:00.001-06:00

I just thought that I would post about Christmas break and 2012 so far. I didn't want to blog over our break, and we have been so busy since school started back! Our break started earlier than most schools, but we were back in school by January 2nd.

We celebrated Christmas with the Hills on Christmas Eve. We went to stay with them the day before, and we had a brunch the next morning. Presley's big gift was a Disney Princess Castle. She wanted to play with it so bad, but we had to wait until we came back home because it has 7, 982 pieces.

After we left the Hill's, we headed to my parents and all of us went to The Church at Rock Creek for their Christmas Eve service. It was really nice. I think my favorite part was the music! They had great musicians complete with an orchestra! We stayed with my family Christmas Eve. We made Santa White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn and put out reindeer food. I am pretty sure that they liked their treats because Presley got lots of stuff!

We thought Presley wanted Crisco because she kept saying if she got Crisco, she could bake by herself. If you asked her what the commercial said, she would say, "Batteries not included." We found out she wanted Press Dough!

Presley got Will a Forever Lazy, she got my mom a pink furry steering wheel cover, and my dad an Oscar the Grouch hoodie! I am sure that they are their favorite gifts!

A few days after Christmas, Papa D and Skylar came to stay with us so that they could go hunting with Nick. They had a pretty good hunt, and it was nice to have company!

Nick and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary on New Year's Eve, but because it is so hard to do anything without waiting FOREVER on NYE, we decided to celebrate on the 30th. We went to Tunica and stayed at the Horseshoe. We ate at Jack Binion's Steakhouse. It was so good! One thing that I miss about working in LR is Starbucks, so I was so happy that there was one in the hotel! It is the little things like gingerbread lattes that make me happy!

My parents invited us over for dinner on NYE. My dad fixed some great ribeyes, we shot some fireworks, and we were back in Des Arc before midnight (and asleep). The next day we got ready to restart the daily grind!

We Believe Christmas Card

Turn your favorite family photos into Christmas cards.

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Nick and I...

2011-12-12T20:56:00.000-06:00

My SIL wanted me to post some pics of Nick and I for something she is up to. They are few and far between, but here are some just for you, Melissa!

{It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas}

2011-12-10T09:09:00.003-06:00

We had a fun week last week! Addison had her 5th birthday party at Party Central. It was so much fun!

We went to the Little Rock Christmas Parade. There were lots of different things to see. Presley loved seeing the princesses!

Storm Troopers!?

Where is Santa?

I think about our servicemen and women every morning when I say the Pledge of Allegiance at school!

There were lots of bands!

The Freethinkers were there. Do they meet and think?

Caddies.

Samta and Mrs. Claus.

The Capitol was beautiful!

Tiny had a surprise for Presley Wednesday morning. He left her pink gloves and a note!

Presley got her first haircut Wednesday. Look at that face! She wasn't too sure about the haircut.

Tiny has been busy this week! He got into Presley's bow tree,

He toilet papered my tree,

and he has apparently been watching a lot of Elf. We love Will Ferrel.

Epic Fail

2011-12-05T22:06:00.001-06:00

That's what my students would say about my plan to post everyday in December! On the first, we downloaded a Nook Book- Charlie Brown Christmas. On the 2nd, we went to Addison's 5th birthday party at Party Central in Benton, on the 3rd, we went to the Christmas parade and the Capitol lighting ceremony, yesterday we made a card for Gma Libby and Papa Bud, and today we had to leave boots out for Saint Nicholas! Tiny has been busy, but I think he has plans to be naughty this week!

Where is tiny?

2011-11-29T21:49:00.001-06:00

He was chilling in the tree Monday, but he felt a little more adventurous today! Ride 'em cowboy or reindeerelf! Crazy elf!

...Last Week We...

2011-11-27T19:36:00.001-06:00

...Played in the rain...

...Spent time with family...

...Decorated for Christmas...

...Hunted for Tiny...

...Baked cookies...

...Read Christmas books...

...Grew Rudolph...

...Fingerpainted without the mess...

...Made an Advent calendar...

Each pocket has a treat and an activity, and my goal is to update my blog each day in December to show you what they are!

and

...Played dress up...

This is Presley's spy outfit. We were going to spy on butterflies. I still don't know where they were.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-26T20:39:00.001-06:00

We hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We are curled up on the couch eating popcorn and watching Elf! I want to start blogging the funny stuff Presley says, so... she has decided that she wants Crisco for Christmas so she can bake by herself.

Deer Season

2011-11-17T19:17:00.001-06:00

It is deer season, which means that we have been traveling every weekend. We went to Sheridan for the youth hunt Saturday. Nick's dad in the man in charge at their deer camp, and they invited us down for a hot dog roast and a hay ride. We had a great time!

Last weekend, we went to Hamburg so that Nick could hunt, but Presley, my mom, and I went shopping! Nick didn't get a deer, but we made some good finds. We went to Paul Michael's in Lake Village. We love that place! We will be staying in town this weekend. Duck season opens, and the fields have lots of ducks. I don't think Nick is going to sleep Friday night ;)

Happy Birthday {and Halloween}!

2011-10-31T08:14:00.001-05:00

Presley turned four Saturday, and we had a costume party to celebrate! Happy Birthday to the prettiest My Little Pony ever!

Catching Up

2011-10-31T08:06:00.000-05:00

My parents came for a visit a few Saturdays ago. My dad and Nick went fishing, and my mom, Presley, and I went shopping! It was so nice to spend some time together, and the weather was beautiful! Thanks for coming to see us Nana Raine and Big Daddy!

Scout has been growing and sleeping and eating and chewing on EVERYTHING. She hasn't torn anything valuable up YET. I can't resist taking pics of her when she is sleeping, and since she does that a lot here are some pics.

Last Friday night there was a football game in Woodlawn, and muzzleloader season started. Since we were close to my family's land in Hamburg, we headed down there so Nick could hunt. Presley was running around Friday night at the game, but Saturday morning when she woke up, her little cheeks were so red. I knew that she was running fever. We got up and went to the store to get a thermometer and medicine. Her temp was around 100, so I gave her some Motrin. She just wanted to sit around all day, but it was gorgeous outside! I tried to talk her into playing outside, and after a while, she did. I got lots of pics of her walk in the woods, but after that, she was pretty attached to my mom.

We had a fish fry Saturday night complete with pumpkin carving, a bonfire, and smores! Many of my faborite family memories involve fish fries, fires, and smores. It seems that Presley's will too!

Saturday night Presley was burning up. I was scared to take her temperature because I didn't want to know what it was! It ended up being 103.6, so I put her in one of my shirts and took her outside in the cool night air. Her fever went down and didn't get that high again, but she wasn't fever free until Wednesday. We were glad that she was healthy for her big birthday!

{puppy love}

2011-10-15T09:01:00.001-05:00

I attempted to post last week, but didn't have time to finish! Presley was running fever in my last post, and she was still running fever on Tuesday, so Nick took her to the doctor. She ended up having a UTI, but she was much better after a few doses of antibotics.

Last Monday, I helped out with a ladies' salad and dessert social that my sweet and super-talented friend, Sara put together. There were almost 80 women there, and we were blessed to hear Dena's testimony about her stuggle with a brain tumor that developed when her son was just six months old and her daughter was four. Her cancer is in remission now, and she got a hair cut not long ago! She has an amazing story about how the Lord worked in so many parts of her life- from insurance to money to people farming her husband's land to people taking care of her children.

We have still been cheering on the Eagles! We won last week's game against Palestine-Wheatley, but lost last night to Carlisle. Sara made this cute outfit for Presley. I told you she is talented!

I made my first attempt at a burlap door hanger. It didn't turn out quite how I wanted it to, but Presley likes it!

And, the biggest news~

We brought home our new dog! Her name is Scout, and she is a black lab. Presley is having so much fun with her! Scout is actually Nick's dog, and he hopes to train her to retrieve ducks.

Let's Go Eagles!

2011-10-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted last! I guess we have just been busy! I will try to update you on the past month without boring you.

We have been cheering on the Eagles!

Spending Friday nights in the lights (and rain in this case)!

Painting masterpieces! Look for upcoming work at the Louvre ;)

Going incognito!

Celebrating Will's 18th birthday and my parents' 30th wedding anniversary!

I went to Dallas with friends, stayed at the W (awesome), shopped all day at the Galleria, and saw Matt Nathanson, Train, and Maroon 5! We had such a great time!

We had Presley's pictures taken by Jessica Morgan of Sweet Little Things Photography.

She did an amazing job, and we can't wait to see all of them! Here are some that she posted on Facebook.

We visited our new puppy and her siblings. She will be coming home with us soon!

(This is not her in the pic!)

We celebrated Homecoming! We went to the pep rally and then the parade! The Eagles came back and won the game!!! Presley and I stayed at home because I had fever, and now we are curled up on the couch watching Max and Ruby because Presley has fever :(

I will do my best to be a better blogger in October! Thanks for stopping by and catching up!

Photo Op

2011-08-31T20:23:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday Presley wore a Fancy Nancy dress that my mom bought her. I had to get some pics of her in it! We even curled her hair like Nancy. Everyone at church was so impressed with her fancy dress. She will probably want to wear it every week from now on!

Too School for Cool

2011-08-27T21:32:00.000-05:00

We started a new school year! It is my fourth year to teach, but I figure its about my 20th time to have a first day of school. I have to say the first day is definitely not as exciting as it used to be! We have been working a lot. Nick is working on his masters degree, and I have had to come up with new lesson plans that use the new technology I have in my classroom this year.

I took Presley to the dentist the first day of school. She did so well, and her teeth looked great! I hope all dentist visits go that well!

Presley has been obsessed with these Squinkies. She calls them Squeaky Squakies, and they get a bath every night. She likes to line them up, and they all have to be facing the same way.

Some days I look at Presley and I really honestly can't believe she is so big. When did she get so tall? When did her hair get so long? When did she get so smart? Today was one of those days.

Poor Animals {and Alphie}

2011-08-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

I saw that Presley was "fixing" Alphie before dinner. In a very serious and sympathetic voice, she told me that Alphie hurt his touch screen. Poor Guy! He sure is lucky to have Dr. Presley to help him out.

Tonight as i was cleaning up the living room, I realized that Dr. Presley had a busy day. I plan to ask her in the morning what happened to all of these animals!

...Girls Trip...

2011-07-29T11:03:00.001-05:00

Last Friday we went to stay with my parents so that we could get up early and go to the lake Saturday morning. On the way to DeGray, we had a flat on the trailer! I was glad that there were three men there to fix it, but I got sick to my stomach every time I turned around and saw 18-wheelers speeding toward us at what seemed like 200 mph. We made it to the lake, and it was fabulous! The water felt great, and it was a beautiful day. We docked the boat at Iron Mountain and headed back Sunday morning.

Goofy kid!

Love this picture! Presley had so much fun tubing with her daddy! The ride was cut short because we saw lightning down the lake, and we had to get off the water.

Monday morning Presley and I went to my friend, Teresa's house so that we could take a mini vacay in Little Rock. Teresa has two teenagers, and her daughter and niece were going to be at a culinary camp at the Clinton Library. Instead of driving back and forth all week, she decided to stay at a hotel for a couple of nights and invited Presley and I to come.

On Monday, we shopped at the mall, met a friend of Teresa's for lunch at P.F. Chang's, checked in to the hotel, played on a rabbit, went to the Clinton Library Shop, went to dinner at The Flying Fish, played by the river, and went swimming!

Owling on the rabbit. (Have you heard of owling? How about planking?)

Vertical planking on the rabbit?

The Flying Fish serves kid meals in a boat! Presley loved it!

On Tuesday, we went to the Farmer's Market (LOVE), played at the Splash Park, went to see the Peabody Ducks, checked out the State House, ate lunch at Juanita's, played at the Witt-Stephens Wildlife Center, took a nap, and had dinner at Benihana's, and went swimming (of course)! One of the things that I love about downtown Little Rock is that there is so much free stuff to do! The Farmer's Market, Splash Park, Peabody Ducks (and elevator), State House (they have a playroom), and Witt-Stephens Center are all free!

On Wednesday, we checked out of the hotel, went to Barnes and Noble, ate at Macaroni Grill, watched Cars 2, read books at the downtown library, picked up the girls, and headed home. Presley had so much fun! She cried when I told her that we were going home!

Our Thursday...

2011-07-21T20:35:00.001-05:00

Well, let me backtrack a little...

I had to take a pic of Presley sleeping last night. She really is so sweet when she is sleeping! Presley is very particular about what she sleeps on, her blanket, her stuffed animals, her night light, etc. Last night she had to sleep on her unicorn pillow pet, with her Tangled blanket, and her night light had to be on red, and she slept with only bears. Ever since my mom bought her a blanket with Rapunzel on it, she won't sleep under her sheets.

We got to be lazy for a couple of hours this morning. Presley watched My Little Pony and played on an iPad. The school bought 10 iPads for me to use in my classroom, and I brought one home to play with. I'm trying to find some good apps to get. Let me know if you know any! Science 360 is my fave right now for school, but my personal fave is Instagram. Presley is playing Dora's Alphabet game, and Strawberry Shortcake.

After we got up, we headed to Little Rock and went to Park Plaza. I invited my mom to come with us because it is so much fun to watch Presley in Build -a-Bear. She gets so excited about everything! Presley decided to get Smurfette.

We shopped at The Gap (as if the girl needs any more clothes), and then we said bye to Nana so that we could go meet Ashley and Cooper at Chili's. After we ate, we went to Firefly Studio to paint pottery. The plate Ashley did turned out so good! Presley painted a dolphin and I made a reindeer plate from Presley's foot. I know that seems crazy in July, but I have wanted to do it for the longest! Cooper was so sweet, and Presley was wild. She didn't break anything, so I would say it was a good day!

Cooper is precious, and Ashley looks so great, but most of all she is a great mom. It seems so natural for her!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

35 mm f1.8

2011-07-19T21:29:00.001-05:00

I bought a new lens with some of my bday money, and I could not wait for it to come in! I got home from my workshop today, and Nick and Presley were eating dinner. I couldn't even wait to wipe Presley's mouth before I started taking pics.

Just what I wanted. Sharp foreground, and blurry background. Now, if I can get Presley to look at the camera while we are outside, I might get a good picture (after I practice a LOT more)!

Branson, Part 1

2011-07-17T08:37:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we went to Branson for Nick's mom's family reunion. We stayed at Stonebridge resort for 3 nights, and it was beautiful. On Friday, we went to the Butterfly Palace. They had a lot of interactive things for the kids to do. Presley had so much fun hanging out with her cousins, Addison and Peyton!

Beach Friends

2011-07-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

The second week that we were at the beach Presley met some friends from Georgia. Ashton (4) and Addison (2) were so cute! Presley called Ashton her beach boyfriend (which I did NOT like). She was so excited to see them everyday! The day before we left, they hung out all day. She told me the next day when we were on our way home that she missed him.

Addison is so cute! How could you say no to those big brown eyes?

Presley making Ashton sand cookies.

They were cracking up in this pic.

This one too. Goofy kids!

Marine Biology 101

2011-07-14T20:03:00.000-05:00

I wish I had written a blog entry every day that we were on vacation, but that probably would have been very redundant (sleep, beach, eat). One of my favorite things that we did was snorkel in the bay. I LOVE marine animals because they seem so bizarre compared to the things we see everyday. I was so excited for Presley to be able to see and touch things that she never has, and I was shocked that Will and Greg were sure that everything in the ocean bites and stings! Good thing that they had a biologist with them to tell them what things were and include the scientific names because I'm a NERD!

This is an auger snail and a Coquina. The one on the left eats the one on the right. They are found in the swash zone (where the waves are).

My sweet girl holding a starfish.

Horshoe crab. Limulus polyphemus. Their pinchers are so weak- they don't pinch, but that barb on the tail can do some damage!

Sea slug or sea hare. See the purple ink around its body? It does that when it gets mad. I think this is a black-rimmed sea slug, but it is Aplysia sp.

Variegated Sea Urchin. Lytechinus variegatus. They attach shells and grass to themselves as camouflage.

Green-banded hermit crab in an Apple Murex shell.

Tulip Snail.

Tiny hermit crab.

Just a pic of how clear the water was. Beautiful!

Stiff Pen Shell. Atina rigida

Umbrella Algae. Acetubularia crenulata.

Apple Murex egg cases.

Another sea hare!

They are called sea hares because of their "rabbit ears."

Nurse shark.

Brown spiny sea star. Echinaster spinulosus. See its tube feet?

Alright guys. There will be a quiz tomorrow. Make sure you can spell those scientific names, or it will be marked wrong. Have a nice day ;)

Awkward Family Photos

2011-07-12T19:51:00.000-05:00

Have you ever Googled "awkward family photos"? You should. They are mostly hilarious, but some are strange and border on creepy.

So we went to the beach, and we had to do the family beach photos. Cliche I know, but a must when you never visit the beach! I shopped for the perfect outfits. I don't like white and khaki. Been there done that (as has every other family). I wanted something different, so I started my shopping months ago. I found the perfect outfits. I loved them! We got to the beach, but I wasn't in a hurry to get the photos since we were staying so long. So, on the last night of our vacation we went to get the perfect shot. It never happened. Here are some awkward family photos for proof.

What am I DOING?

Nick, you don't have to close your eyes when you wear a ski mask! (Notice the sunglass tan line?)

And this is my favorite. There are so many things wrong here. Geez.

I will try again for the perfect family photo. It didn't happen this year with the three of us. But when you subtract me and take away the racoon eyes and the child with a fear of looking at the camera, magic happens.

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T17:37:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful 4th!

We are just hanging out at home. Nick cooked ribs for dinner last night, I grilled hot dogs for lunch, and Nick is grilling for dinner. We still have enough fireworks for 10 kids even though we enjoyed a bunch last night, so Presley is ready for sunset!

Here is a pic from Presley's first 4th and one from this year. Although I think Presley is a beautiful little girl, I sure do miss that baby face!

We're Back!

2011-07-03T19:26:00.000-05:00

We are not just back from a blogging hiatus, but we returned home from our Florida vacation. We had a blast! Cape San Blas was beautiful, and we got to enjoy it for two weeks so we were {almost} ready to come home. I was glad to sleep in my own house, but I already miss the ocean breeze and the sunsets.

Something Different

2011-06-11T22:23:00.000-05:00

I organized every toy that Presley owns this week, and tonight Presley said, "I want to do something different with my doll house." This is what she had in mind.

I really thought she meant she wanted to rearrange the rooms, but I don't think her attention span was ready. It reminded me of deciding to organize your closet, pulling everything out and then thinking, "Why did I do that?"

...My Sweet Girl...

2011-06-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Latley I've been watching Presley and wondering when she got so big.

When she is practicing to be a bride rather than a flower girl, will I be wondering the same thing?

Will she still be so precious when she is in her wedding gown?

Will she still stick out her tongue and close her eyes when I tell her to look at the camera?

Or maybe pick her nose instead?

I know one thing for sure. She will always be my little girl.

Add it to my resume...

2011-05-22T15:13:00.000-05:00

Llama Wrangler

Add Bass Master to Nick and Big Daddy's

Makeup Days and Vacation

2011-05-17T20:39:00.000-05:00

Our school's superintendent and a couple of school board members went in front of the Arkansas State Board of Education yesterday to ask for a waiver for the days that we missed due to the historic flood that devastated many homes, farms, and property. We missed 8 days of school, and they waived 3 days. I guess that is better than none, but not much.

So... I would like to focus on the positive and tell you about our Florida vacation that we will be taking this summer. (I have learned some lessons on not telling everyone on Earth when you won't be home for an extended period of time. Have you seen http://robmenow.com/ ?) On January 1st we (Nick, my mom, dad, and I) spent some time planning our beach vacay, and we knew that we like laid back beaches that aren't heavily populated and we didn't want to be by rows and rows of condos and hotels. I got on Google maps and looked around until I found a place that we had never heard of. This place was Port St. Joe. Then, I found a beach house nearby on VRBO, called the owners, and we sent in the deposit! We are staying at Cape San Blas in a house on the beach for TWO WEEKS! Yep, I can't wait. We were going to stay for one, but Nick and I thought two sounded much better!

Here is a view from the porch swing at the house.

Did I mention that I can't wait?

Graduation 2011

2011-05-14T21:46:00.001-05:00

Nick and are both senior class sponsors this year, so we had to get graduation organized this year. That was not an easy job because we weren't even sure if we would have school, but the water receded and graduation went on as planned. We had some guests come to graduation practice, and I thought I would share. Nick was the MC for the night, and he did a great job!

Flood Update

2011-05-04T08:04:00.001-05:00

The White River should crest later this week at 37.5 feet, but the level now is 37.11 feet. They have called off school for the remainder of the week, and we will try to go on Monday. Nick asked me what we were going to do for the rest of the week, and I told him we were going to enjoy our waterfront property.

Presley had to take a detour.

The River. That is our pastor standing on the edge. God has perfect timing. The lesson for the week in our Masterworks book is about natural disasters.

The road in front of our house yesterday.

The road in front of our house today.

The football practice field.

I saw a couple of men inspecting our road this morning, so, of course, I went out to convince them to close it because I was having to hold my breath every time someone drove through it. They laughed. Then they closed the road. I should become a lobbyist.

Now I can stop looking out the window and holding by breath.

Prayers Please

2011-05-02T17:57:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard on the news, the White River at Des Arc is at a major flood stage. The River is at 34 feet now, but it is expected to rise 3 more feet by Saturday. The last time that it flooded was in 2008 when it rose to 33.78 feet. The levee at Sand Hill was in danger of breaking then, and we are looking at higher levels than the river saw in 2008. All of our material possessions can be replaced, but lives are precious. I just ask for your prayers that the people in the areas that are affected by these floods are safe.

Here is a hydrograph from the NOAA. I am so thankful for the technology that we have today.

I took some pictures of some of the flooding when we went out earlier...

The White River. Ususally you can see a boat launch, picnic tables, and a big parking lot.

Highway 11 to Searcy

Des Arc Bayou

Another pic down Hwy 11

This was taken from our front door. That is our neighbor's backyard.

Easter Weekend in Photos

2011-04-25T20:11:00.000-05:00

Better Late...

2011-04-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

than never! Last weekend I decided that our kitchen table needed a makeover. It is a table that Nick's parents gave us when they got a new one. I thought about getting a new one, but then I had a better idea. Spray paint. I sanded, painted, and sanded some more. I really like the way it turned out.

I ran out of paint, so on Sunday Presley and I went to Wal-Mart. She had to get some flowers to plant. She picked out some pretty ones!

She also needed to borrow my camera to take some photos. She got some good ones...

Cooking Lessons From Presley

2011-04-16T09:06:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to think of things to cook that Presley can help me with. Last week we made chocolate-covered strawberries. and for dinner one night, we made pizza. It helps so much when you can involve your child instead of saying, "Not right now. Mommy is cooking."

BIG Changes!

2011-04-05T21:49:00.000-05:00

This looks like my husband. He is and always will be, but recently he became something else. My boss.

Nick just accepted a new job as the principal at the high school. We were coworkers, but now I work for him (and do his laundry). I am so excited and proud of him. I know that he is going to do a great job! He is a hard worker and a great person (as well as an awesome father and hubby).

FAQs and Answers

Will Nick still coach?
    No, but he will have to attend all football and basketball games.

Will Nick be the person that does your teacher evaluation?
   Yes. Yikes.

Do you think that you will have a good working relationship?
   Do you have any idea what marriage is?

You two really get along good, don't you?
    He is my best friend.

Will people call him Coach Hill or Mr. Hill?
    I don't know, but I've been calling him "boss man". He thinks that is funny.

Beautiful Weekend!

2011-04-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

We had great weather this weekend! It was a nice change from last week. After school Friday, Nick and his friend went fishing, and Presley and I went to Searcy with my friend, Krissy, and her daughter, Karson. We had lots of fun eating at Casa Brava and then we let the girls play at McDonalds. On Saturday we went and got Presley fitted for her flower girl dress for my cousin Sammy's wedding. She loved it, and she didn't want to take it off! After that, we went to the Old Mill to take pics of Will and his date and friends before they went to prom. They all looked great! Presley hung out with my parents while Nick and I went to a couple's shower in Little Rock. We went to church, shopped, and did yard work today. It was a beautiful weekend!

The Swing

2011-03-31T18:39:00.000-05:00

When I was young, there was this little swing that my grandparents had on their deck, and I would swing in it for hours. The hooks for the swing were still up, so Will picked up a swing for Presley. My dad hung it up for Presley (easier said than done), and Presley loved it. When we left, my dad was going to take it down so that it wouldn't be in the way, but my grandfather didn't want him to. He wanted to leave it up because it would make him think of Presley every time he saw it. If that isn't the sweetest thing you have heard all day... Oh I wish we could be closer to them.

Spring Break NC 2011

2011-03-27T10:19:00.000-05:00

We took a road trip to North Carolina to visit my family for spring break. We had a great time, and Presley was a great travel companion. She just watched movies, played games on her Mobigo, and ate lots of snacks! We had a great week spending time with our family. We cleaned up around my grandparents' house, fished, flew the kite, and just had a fun time being together.

The Smokies. They are beautiful, but I told Nick that I felt like we were driving on Mario Kart. Sharp curves, tunnels, and falling rock. They are sure to cause nausea.

This was Saturday morning as we were leaving the hotel. Presley was excited to see Pa Bud and Grandma Libby.

My dad and Nick went fishing. We went shopping. They had a nice catch, but we brought home more.

Presley would not take her eyes off of that fish.

My little photographer!

Presley got a great pic of Grandma Libby, and some silly pics of Pa Bud!

Presley never stopped talking on the paddle boat. Ever.

Presley reeling in her fish. Can you see the intensity?

Nick and I went to the store, and brought Presley back this $1.29 kite. It took my dad, Nick, and I to figure it out, but thanks to my dad's training in aerodynamics and rocket science, we got it up. Presley loved it.

Snow Break

2011-02-11T22:10:00.000-06:00

Since it isn't spring yet, you can call our week snow break. We went to school on Tuesday. That's it. Tuesday. I got up on Monday and went to the gym at 5:00. There was nothing on the ground. 45 minutes later, we had a couple of inches covering everything (including the roads). We got a call around 6:00 that informed us that school was cancelled. Then Tuesday night, we got another call that school was cancelled for Wednesday. There was no snow when we woke up Wednesday, but when it started, it didn't stop for hours. It was beautiful. We got about 6.5 inches. We had to go play in it! We got the same phone call Wednesday and Thursday--- No School! We will have a fresh start on Monday!

Warm Weather and My Favorite New Thing

2011-01-29T08:37:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe, but it was warm yesterday! It was raining/snowing/sleeting Tuesday, and warm by Friday! We took advantage of the weather by taking the 4-wheeler to the duck lease to do a little scouting. Based on what we saw, Nick should hunt geese. What we thought was water in a distant field were really geese.

My new favorite thing is my Nook Color. I got it at the beginning of January. I liked it because it has children's books in color and some also have a read aloud feature, and it also has a web browser. I have read more recently than I have in years- maybe more than I ever have! It has a touch screen, so Presley knows how to work it. She had figured out in minutes that if a book had an orange button, it would read to her. The prices of the chidren's books seem a little high, and they don't seem like they ever go down, but you can get most novels that are in mass market paperback for five dollars. New releases are around twelve dollars. I have read the first two books in the Lisbeth Salander series, Water for Elephants, Heaven is Real, and I am now reading A Time to Kill. Barnes and Noble has Free Fridays, so I downloaded The Apothecary's Daughter yesterday. You can also get newspapers and magazines. I get Runner's World. I thought it would motivate me, but it hasn't helped my runner's knee!

Our Day Off

2011-01-20T19:29:00.000-06:00

I had a doctor's appointment in LR on Tuesday, and Presley came with me. I can't believe how many things we did! We went to the doc, stopped by Krispy Kreme (see photos), went to the bank, picked up pottery from Firefly Studio, went to Build-a-Bear, ate lunch at Pei-Wei with my mom, shopped at Loft, went to my mom's office, went to Sam's, and we made it back in time for me to tutor after school! I used to hate that Nick was gone so much, but I really enjoy when Presley and I have a "girls' day!"

Snow Much Fun

2011-01-16T20:44:00.000-06:00

We were out of school last Monday because of snow. We had a blast sledding, building a snowman, and drinking hot chocolate (with marshmallows, of course). We were all surprised that Shorty loved the snow even though it was up to her belly! We won't be out for MLK day because we have to make up the snow day, but we don't mind too much!

In the last few days...

2010-12-29T18:32:00.000-06:00

I had to take pictures of Presley taking a bath Tuesday morning. I think she was cleaner before she got in the tub!

Before her bath, we painted her fingernails. I have never seen washable fingernail polish, but we love it! I can let her paint her own nails and paint mine too! She loves to be independent, so she loves to paint and tell me to "be still"!

Yesterday afternoon we went to paint pottery, but Presley did not feel good at all! My mom met us at Firfely Studio, so she went with us to get a thermometer and some Motrin. We got Presley a Happy Meal and gave her some Motrin (she had a low temp). She started feeling better and insisted that shopping would make her feel good. We took her to Barnes and Noble because my mom needed to get Will an ACT study guide. When we pulled in the parking lot, Presley said, "Toys R Us will make me feel lots better." I can't believe she knew that was Toys R Us! As if I take her there all the time! We took her- of course, but we made her perform for us on the stage at B and N first.

Today Nick and I took her to the doctor to see what was going on. She says that Presley has a sinus infection and she gave us some antibiotics and some cough medicine. I love Doctor Blair, and I was so glad we got in to see her today! She told me that Presley should eat grapes, an apple, and a pear (with skin on) a day to help keep her regular. Ha! I bought a very large bottle of Miralax and grapes and apples and pears. I paid less for the medicine than the fruit. That is crazy! Here is a picture of Presley playing with a laptop at the doctor's office. She didn't want to leave.

Cupcakes and 3D

2010-12-27T21:38:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Presley really wanted to use a cupcake kit my parents got her for Christmas. Nick had thrown away the big box that the kit came in since we had taken out all of the stuff. Well, that box happened to have all of the directions... so he had to go dig through the dumpster to get the box! (He actually didn't get in the dumpster, and the box wasn't dirty.) Anyway, the cupcakes were TERRIBLE! Presley was so proud of them though, and she couldn't wait to eat one! She cringed the whole time she was eating it, but she got one down!

Last night we were sitting around, and Presley was acting meaner by the minute. I realized that she hadn't left the house in a few days, and I thought that it was about time we get some different scenery! We loaded up and headed to Cabot. We went to eat at Colton's and then went to see Yogi Bear. I would not recommend it for small kids! Presley was more interested in her popcorn!!!

Our Christmas Card

2010-12-26T12:51:00.000-06:00

I am sure that everyone that reads this blog received our Christmas card. I wrote a post earlier about the things that I like on Shutterfly, and they gave me 50 cards for FREE!!! I heart them. The photos that were on our card were taken by Tia Wind. She moved to Arkansas recently and lives in Benton. She is trying to establish her client base, so her prices are great right now! I would definitely say that photos of my family are one of my most prized posessions, and the photos that she took for us are no exception. One of the best things about her is that she works fast! She had a preview up for me the same day as our shoot, and had the disc in the mail by the following day!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T12:30:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to take a break from the dozen eggs and 5 pounds of potatoes I just peeled to tell you Merry Christmas! I hope that you have a blessed one!

Christmas at Nana and Papa D's

2010-12-23T08:26:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Christmas at Nana and Papa D's Sunday afternoon. There are 11 of us, so there are always lots of presents and lots of fun!

Presley and Addison got the sweetest doll prams, but the girls only found one baby doll to stroll. I grabbed a stuffed Santa off of a table and put it in Presley's stroller. She did not want Santa in her stroller, so Addison grabbed it and told Presley she could have the baby. It was so sweet :)

Our Weekend...

2010-12-12T20:49:00.001-06:00

We had a great weekend! Saturday, we went to Addison's 4th birthday party at River City Gymnastics. It was lots of fun. Then, we went shopping with my mom. I had to get some new sheets because I have used my for sooo long that I wore a hole in them! Then, we went over to our friends, Blake, Tiffany, and Jace's house for a Christmas party (They have 9 Christmas trees!!!). Guess who showed up! SANTA! I can't believe he came all the way from the North Pole to see us! He brought Presley a basket of (play) food. She is still playing with it as I type this. Today, Nick took Presley to Peyton and Addison's party so that I could come home and get some things done. We have a busy week ahead! Hope that you enjoy your week ahead and stay warm! =)

Christmas Decor

2010-11-28T22:11:00.000-06:00

Eat your heart out Griswolds!

Thanks Jeremy and Summer for the yard ornament!

Christmas Cards

2010-11-25T20:54:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas cards, and since we had Presley I try to start thinking about what I want to do around October. This year, we had some family photos taken by a photographer in Benton, Tia Wind. She is an on location, natural light photographer. I have all the pics from our session and the rights to the photos , but there is one problem- I can’t pick a favorite! I usually do one photo on our card, but I wanted to use multiple images. I was checking out Shutterfly, and I found tons of cards that have more than one photo included.

Cute, huh?

I also love this ornament! It would be a perfect present for someone that loves photos- like me!

I love giving and receiving personalized gifts, and Shutterfly has some super-cute stuff. They have mugs, calendars, photobooks, and stationary. Sometimes it is so hard to pick out things that people will like, but how could you not like something with photos of your family? Like this one!!!

Bubbles!

2010-11-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

Tonight I put lots of Princess Bubbles in the bathtub, and I just could not resist making some goofy "hair" on Presley.

The Amish Look

Conehead

Gnome

Elvis!

We hope that you feel inspired to experiment with your own bubble styles!

Happy 3rd Birthday! (and Happy Halloween!)

2010-10-31T08:38:00.000-05:00

Presley turned 3 on Friday, and we had a carnival party for her in our backyard yesterday. We had games and a bounce house, hot dogs and popcorn, prizes, a candy buffet, and (of course) cake and ice cream! We had a great time! After the party, we had time to clean up, order a pizza, and then we got ready for Halloween. Presley wass the cutest cat you've ever seen!

A Day Off

2010-10-13T21:32:00.000-05:00

I took the day off yesterday since Presley's babysitter did too. Presley and I had a great day! We started off by eating Captain Crunch, we went to the park, then the library, we picked up some lunch and had a picnic, and we went shopping (at the DG). I captured some pics from the day...

Swinging at the park!

Fish and fries from the Fish Market

          First grape soda- she loved it!

                                      Goofy Girl!

Walking Shorty and pulling Presley at the same time!

I love books that are illustrated by graphic designers. I was reading this and thinking about when Presley will find out that not all books have awesome pictures and some books have none at all! Do you remember when you made that realization?

What she bought at DG- girly stuff!

Nick reading Presley a book about the Patriots (His fave NFL team). He even threw in his own commentary and informed us about "The Fridge". Some guy that played for the Bears. It was very enlightening. Presley really did act interested. Must be in the genes.

Yuck!

2010-10-03T21:02:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon we were playing with Play-Doh, and Presley asked me to make a dog. I did, and before long that thing was pooping and peeing all over the place. Her idea- not mine, but it was pretty silly!

Football!

2010-09-24T17:34:00.000-05:00

It is football season, and we have been busy! Thursday we go to the Jr. High games, Friday we go to the Sr. High game, Saturday we watch the Razorback game, and Sunday we watch NFL football. Presley will either love football or hate it, but for now, she loves it!

Presley's New Bed

2010-08-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

Presley slept in her big girl bed for the first time last night! She loves it, and Nick and I were both able to lay down with her last night to read. I think that she talked us into both reading two books to her. Her bedding isn't all in because some of it was back ordered, but it is precious. I love the quirky little owls and the sweet little birds. Her bed skirt is made out of layers of pink tulle, and she has a sweet little owl pillow to snuggle. She is so proud of her new bed!

Last Weekend We...

2010-08-19T20:58:00.000-05:00

Went to the lake,

took a nap,

went to Layla's birthday party (a water party),

and celebrated Dora's birthday with cupcakes.

The Fun Factory

2010-08-15T20:33:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in 2 weeks! We have been trying to enjoy the last few days of summer vacation. Presley and I went to the Fun Factory in Cabot last week. She loved it! We had so much fun going up and down all of the slides!

Phone Swap

2010-08-03T09:55:00.000-05:00

The other day I was talking to my mom. Presley said that she wanted to talk to Nana Raine, so I let her. She must have talked for 10 minutes telling Nana things like, "Big Daddy likes watermelon." I finally told Presley that I wanted to talk to Nana, and I went to fold clothes in the bedroom. A minute later Presley came in with a play phone and informed me she was talking to Nana on that phone. Then she suggested that we swap phones.

The Lake

2010-08-01T14:56:00.000-05:00

Since it has been about 112 degrees in the shade lately, we have been going to the lake whenever we can! We have been staying at The Lodge and renting an overnight slip so that we can maximize our lake time. We have had so much fun wasting time out there. You would too. =)

Presley and I tubing...

She fell asleep.

Presley loves to sit in the captain seat! She loves to press the red button (the horn).

I love the splash in this picture.

The view from our dinner table. Hot dogs on an island seems like a 5-star meal with this view!

Geese at the marina. One actually jumped up on our boat. Then I screamed and whacked him with a hot dog bun.

Nick and Presley on the tube. We stopped before she fell asleep!

The River Market

2010-07-21T09:45:00.000-05:00

Presley and I went to the River Market yesterday. We went to the Museum of Discovery first. As soon as we walked in we headed to the play area for 6 and under. There is this sound of snoring, and Presley looks up SCREAMS and takes off in the opposite direction running for her life. I catch her, and she is shaking! There is a sleeping dragon above the gate to the play area, and Presley was terrified. I tell her it is okay and we keep going, but we can still hear the snoring dragon. She didn't calm down until we left to go to another area in the museum!

They have Wiggle Worm Discoveries for toddlers at 10:00 on Tuesdays, and there were tons of kiddos there. Ms. Nicole read a book about transportation, showed us a dove, and then we made airplanes and colored them. Presley was coloring hers and she asked me to write her name on it (which I thought was cute), then she said, "Will you write daddy right here?" So sweet.

We played until 11:30 when my mom came and met us for lunch. We walked down to Bill's Street. They have really great burgers, but skip the fries and get a side salad. After lunch, we went to the Witt Stephens Nature Center. It was really pretty, and they have free admission. We enjoyed looking at the fish and the alligators.

My mom had to go back to work, so Presley and I went back to the museum to play. There were lots of kids in the play area by this time, and Presley was getting very protective of the toys that she was playing with. (Some boy, that must have been 5, kept running up to her and trying to steal her broom!) I decided that we should leave before she smacked someone with the broom! We got to the Police Station right when the trolley stopped, so we hopped on. I thought it was a nice break, but Presley was ready to get off within 5 minutes.

When we got off, we went into the River Market and visited the Brown Sugar bakery. We picked up a couple of cupcakes and sat down to enjoy!

Tattoos, Art, and a Car Wash

2010-07-19T22:31:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon Nick wanted to wash the cars, so I ran to the store to pick up a new sponge and I grabbed a few things to keep Presley entertained. Presley was really excited about her poster and the new paint. I love when Presley gets words mixed up or combines words that are similar. I read her a book that I loved when I was little called The Jolly Postman, and she kept asking Nick if he was the "posterman".

I also bought some temporary tattoos, and Presley had lots of fun applying them to Nick and I. That was not what I had intended, but I was glad that I figured out that we could apply them to the posterboard!

When Nick finished washing our cars, I guess Presley was feeling left out. She pushed her little car over to him and asked him if he would wash her car. Then she pointed to all of the things she needed him to wash- the door, the roof, the headlights, etc. She also informed him that she was out of gas. I can't even make this stuff up. She cracks us up.

Princess for a Day

2010-07-17T07:40:00.000-05:00

On my birthday, Presley decided that she should be a princess for the day. She is my princess everyday, so I didn't mind sharing my day!

Birthday Cake

2010-07-16T10:01:00.001-05:00

Presley fixed me a birthday cake a few days ago. Apparently it was really tasty because she couldn't keep her hands off of it!

Mommy fixed the problem. Ha!

The Middle of Nowhere...

2010-07-15T09:52:00.000-05:00

That is where we live. Other people think that they live in the middle-of-nowhere, but I have proof that we do. DA is a town in the middle of fields. In any direction that you go, this is what you will find.

Yep. Soybeans, corn, rice, and more soybeans. Every now and then, you may see some milo. WooHoo! I must admit that I think the rice levees are cool. Once I asked a student how they know where to put the levees and the gates. This induced a very rowdy argument in my class about farming methods. Ugh. I'll Google it next time.

Here is a pic of Presley while we were driving through the fields trying to get back to the middle-of-nowhere. We have to stop by Sonic and get mommy a vanilla Diet Coke every time we get back to civilization. (Civilization means that there is a Sonic and a Wal-Mart in case you didn't know.)

Rabbits

2010-07-07T13:17:00.001-05:00

Remember these cute tiny bunnies Presley got for Easter? Cute, right?

They are definitely rabbits now. Huge rabbits. Big Wascally Wabbits. They eat more than Presley. They are picky eaters too. They like to pick out all of the dried fruits and veggies from their food and knock the hay pellets on the ground. Then they get their dove friends to eat up the pellets on the ground, but I caught them today! I picked up the pellets and put them back in their cage. Ha! It reminded me of eating all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms and my mom making me eat the cereal.

The Fourth

2010-07-05T18:50:00.001-05:00

We had a great weekend visiting family and enjoying some lake time. I hope that you and yours had a great Independence Day too!

Friday we headed to Sheridan to visit Nana Pam and Papa D. We swam, grilled out, and enjoyed great company.

We left Saturday morning and met my fam at Lake DeGray. Will brought a couple of his friends, and we all had a great day playing at the lake. We stayed out all day. When we got back to Bryant, Presley was already asleep. We picked up pizza, ate, and went to sleep!

Sunday we woke up, relaxed, ate lunch, and headed back to the lake. Will and his friends decided not to go because they weren't feeling too great (they were being pansies). We packed up the grill, hot dogs, and headed back to DeGray. We took it easy- just swam and cruised. We found a nice sandy/ muddy/ rocky spot to pull up to and grill. My dad grilled bratwurst and hot dogs and we had a great summer meal! After dinner, we went and claimed our spot near the island where the fireworks were launched. We had great seats, and we helped some kids by towing in their broken down party barge after the fireworks. I could not believe how many boats were on the lake! It was amazing! We didn't get back to Bryant until 12:30 this morning. We woke up early and headed back to DA. Presley, Nick and I all had long naps this afternoon! It felt good to be in my own bed, but I do miss the lake!

Ouch!

2010-06-30T21:49:00.000-05:00

Presley got stung by a wasp yesterday on her arm. She cried for about 30 seconds before telling me that she wanted to go inside. I got her to take a break from cooking in her kitchen so that I could take a picture, but she was more concerned about the blister on her foot that she got from wearing her shoes on the wrong feet for 5 minutes! Her hero (Daddy) got rid of those mean wasps!!

When It Rains...

2010-06-29T21:21:00.000-05:00

Go outside and play in it! Presley says you can even share her teeny-tiny umbrella (you just have to let her hold it and walk on your knees to fit under it).

This picture makes me want to sweep her hair out of her eyes. I do not remember specifically what she was doing when I took this picture, but I can tell she was very focused by that tongue sticking out of her mouth!

Time Flies...

2010-06-29T10:16:00.000-05:00

We have been on-the-go lately! I haven't been taking many pictures, and I regret it. When I don't blog for more than a week I have the hardest time remembering everything that has happened, but I will try!

I taught 5th and 6th grade at Vacation Bible School at our church June 7th to 11th. We had a great time at Saddle Ridge Ranch! Presley even came and helped me one day!

The next week Presley and I spent time hanging out. We took some friends, Jett and Cameron, with us to the zoo one day and had a great time. Their family moved back to Texas last week, so we had to spend some time with them before they left. Cameron didn't want to go home, so he came over and ate dinner. When his mom came to get him, he said "No mom!" as soon as she came in. He and Presley really like playing together.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, we rented a party barge and had the best time. This influenced us to look into buying a deck boat. My dad found one on Craig's List! It is awesome. We love it. My dad had the seats recovered, and the bimini top is getting fixed after a snafu with the basketball goal (I really wish I could have seen that). Needless to say, we have bought stock in sunscreen and spend as much time as possible at the lake. We swim, ski, tube, drink, eat, and be merry. Presley is the best lake baby. She has not cried once on all of our trips and she has even managed a nap in her life jacket! I will take pics soon- like this weekend on our 4th trip! I can't wait!

Nick and I spent a few days in Hot Springs for work last week, and Presley enjoyed being spoiled by her Nanas. We took Presley to see Toy Story 3 in 3D last Thursday. She didn't understand why we didn't bring the movie home. We stopped by Splash Zone in Jacksonville Friday. Presley loved it. For the first hour, we chased her while she ran around squealing in delight! She must have gone down the slide 50 times. She has also been going to gymnastics once a week. She loves the trampoline and the foam pit, but her favorite part is the sticker she gets at the end of class! Ha!

Push Up

2010-06-16T11:34:00.000-05:00

We love ice cream in the summer! This is Presley eating her first Push Up. We must have used 8 paper towels before it was gone.

Steamboat Days

2010-06-15T07:51:00.000-05:00

I have a lot of catching up to do on my blog! (We have had some technical difficulties with our internet lately.) On June 3rd-6th, Des Arc celebrated its 25th annual Steamboat Days. We went to the Miss Steamboat Days Pageant on Thursday. We had lots of friends competing, and they looked so cute in there pageant dresses! One Friday and Saturday, we rode as many rides as possible. These rides must have been from the 70s or 80s, but Presley did not know the difference. She and her friend Kyra had a great time riding around in circles!

Presley with her finger in her mouth at the fair. Yuck!

They really named that elephant "Bimbo"!

American Girl

2010-06-04T11:04:00.000-05:00

One thing that we love about summer is fresh corn-on-the-cob! Presley just got out of her little swimming pool to eat some corn. She LOVES it!

Summer Is Here!

2010-06-03T08:12:00.002-05:00

Nick and I gave our last final on Friday, we checked out, and we headed to Lake DeGray! We spent all weekend with my family, and we had a fabulous time with beautiful weather. We were so busy having fun that I didn't take a single picture!

Friday we got to the campsite at Arlie Moore and my mom and dad had to run to Hot Springs to pick up a boat part. They took Presley, and Nick and I went fishing. Saturday we tried to fish, but did not have much luck. My mom, Presley, and I went shopping in Arkadelphia. When we got back, Nick's parents were there. Nick and his dad went fishing while everyone else went swimming. (The surface water temperature was 85 degrees!) On Sunday, Nick and I took Presley fishing. She had a good time, and she loves the boat! She leans all the way over (while we are moving) and tries to put her hand in the spray. She then rubs it all over your leg and laughs. My parents rented a party barge for Sunday afternoon. My Uncle Eric came and joined us, and we had the best time on the boat! Presley loved the barge and swimming with everyone. She really liked swimming between the pontoons. One time she was floating on her back and she looked at me and said, "I like this place." It was so sweet. Will went and picked up Britney (Presley loves her), and we grilled hot dogs, brats, and burgers for dinner. On Monday, Nick and I ran to Hot Springs to get some parts for the boat trailer. The men fixed the trailer, we packed up and headed home. When we got to Bryant, I realized that I left my cell phone in Hot Springs, so Nick and I drove back to Hot Springs (ugh).

Here are some pictures of our sweet girl!

A True Princess

2010-05-20T20:47:00.001-05:00

Only a true princess sleeps in her crown.

It's a Beautiful Sunny Day

2010-05-19T17:19:00.000-05:00

That is a phrase I hear out of Presley's mouth everyday. It doesn't matter if it is overcast and thundering. To her, everyday is a beautiful sunny day. I wish I had that outlook. Lately mine has been, "If it's not one thing, it's another!" I must work on that!

May 28th (the last day of school) is coming soon, and we have been busy with all that comes along with the last day of school. Academic banquet, athletic banquet, graduation, cookouts, and parties. We had a nice weekend hanging out at home. We changed Presley's bed over to a toddler bed Sunday, and she seems to like it. We like that she hasn't gotten out of it yet. It might have something to do with the fact that she can't open the door to her bedroom.

Monday morning our sweet rat terrier, Sukie, got hit by a car. It has been tough for us. She came up to Nick's door in Dermott before we got married, and she never left. We had her for 6 years. She was Nick's shadow. She followed him everywhere. She would even sit outside the bathroom door and wait for him to come out. I keep hoping that she will come to the backdoor whining for us to open it.

Yesterday Nick was the MC at the Athletic Banquet. He did so well, and I was so proud of him. I couldn't believe how much he was talking! I wish I would have taken pictures.

Today Presley had fever when she woke up, so I stayed home with her. I hope it is just those pesky molars coming in!

Tomorrow we have graduation! I love seeing those seniors leave every year. I am so excited for them, and I can't wait to see all of the things that they are going to accomplish! We have a busy weekend filled with cookouts and parties.

Mother's Day Weekend

2010-05-10T22:27:00.000-05:00

My mom, Presley, and I spent our Saturday at the Memphis Zoo. We had a great day, and we couldn't have had better weather! There was no better way to spend Mother's Day than to spend time with my wonderful mom and my beautiful daughter.

On Sunday the men in our Sunday School class cooked breakfast for us, and after church, we met Nick's family in NLR for lunch at Cracker Barrel. It was a great weekend!

Baby Dedication

2010-05-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today we had a baby dedication at church, and Nick and I made a promise to God to raise Presley according to His word and ways. My family and Nick's parents were here to celebrate this occasion with us. It was a beautiful day!

The Zoo!

2010-04-20T20:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I took a personal day to go to the zoo with Presley and some of the kiddos from her daycare. We had lots of fun! The first picture is of Presley getting her head stuck (really). After the zoo, we met my mom at the mall and shopped. It was a fun day. I wish everyday could be so fun!

A New Week...

2010-04-18T22:47:00.002-05:00

Saturday Nick was gone to the district track meet, and Presley and I had the day to ourselves. I texted my friend, Katy, to see if I could stop by her house to give her a baby gift, but she was at the hospital! She and Jacob and big brother Owen welcomed Olivia into the world Saturday morning. I can't wait to see her! I will never forget when I went to see Owen at the hospital (I was due any day) someone asked if I needed a wheelchair! It was really sweet of him. I must have looked like I was struggling.

Presley and I went to a Kelly's Kids party Saturday afternoon with Sara and Lola. I had lots of fun visiting and watching the kids play, beg for food, fight over Barbies, etc. and Presley was too excited to make new friends. She got upset when we left Sara and Lola at their house because she wanted to go in!

I hoped that Nick would have some time to himself while we were at the party, but the track meet lasted about 4 hours longer than expected so we beat him home. Here is a picture of Nick in the recliner. He fell asleep before Presley.

We went to church this morning, and Presley wore a dress that my Grandma Libby bought for her. It is beautiful, and she got so many compliments that we had to fight the child to get the dress off of her. We finally did, but only because I put another dress on her! Thanks Grandma for the gorgeous dress! We love it! I will send you some pictures when I get them printed.

After church, Nick decided to wash the cars, and Presley wanted to "help."
Here is Presley eyeing the bucket... Then she turns it over...

Nick sees what she did, and yells, "Presley!"

Presley and I left soon after. We went to the park so that she didn't have to help anymore!

Take it Outside!!

2010-04-16T20:25:00.000-05:00

Nick and have been really busy lately since the school year is winding down. We had Prom last weekend (we were sponsors- fun, fun), we had Benchmarks this week, the district track meet is tommorrow, EOC exams next week, and so on. We have been coming home, not setting a foot inside the door, and enjoying the weather! It is hard to be stressed out when you are enjoying some BEAUTIFUL weather! Our Azaleas have more flowers than leaves!

Presley and I do girlie things when Nick's not around- like put in velcro rollers and dance around the house!

Meeting Dora and Boots

2010-04-06T20:26:00.000-05:00

Presley met her new bunnies last Friday when we went to my parents' house. My dad wanted Nick to come over so they could work on the boat, and I wanted to see my family that was in from North Carolina so we headed to Bryant. My dad gave Presley the bunnies. Look at that smile!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

My family came to spend Easter with us in Des Arc, and we had a great day.

Here is Presley with her Easter basket.

Presley in her Easter dress. She did not want to take it off. She told everyone that she saw that she was a princess. When I left her in the nursery, she proclaimed herself a princess, lifted her hands in the air, and spun in circles. When I walked out, she was still spinning.

Presley loves Uncle Will, and he is still holding her in the next photo because she would not let anyone else hold her!

I am so thankful that I got to see my family for Easter!

I like this picture because Presley is looking at the camera. That doesn't happen often!

I set the table after I dusted off my nice dishes and silverware. I actually had to wash the glasses!

The men doing man stuff. This was my grandfather's old boat that my dad gave to us. We love it, and can't wait to catch some fish!

Presley with Boots the bunny. Payback is fun!

Boots and Dora in the bunny hutch.

Presley ~~pestering~~ taking care of the bunnies.

Presley just had to get in the bunny hutch. My dad built this hutch for a cute and sweet little bunny I bought for Will when I was in college. The bunny passed, but the hutch stayed. After many years went by and Presley came, my dad thought that she really needed two bunnies. She told him that she wanted two blue bunnies. My dad told my mom to look for two white bunnies and see if they could dye them blue. That was not so easy, so we are now the proud owners of two Holland Lop bunnies. A male and a female to be exact. It is a little known fact that bunnies can reproduce once a month. Anyone want a bunny? I will have some to give away after I make sure that Will gets a male and a female! ;)

Thanks Nana and Papa D!

2010-04-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Presley got an Easter present in the mail yesterday from Nick's parents, and she was super excited! She got a Dora DVD, bubbles, bracelets, a paint book, sidewalk chalk, and a chocolate bunny of course! The big box to the right is the chocolate. I told Nana Pam that Presley thought that she would eat the whole thing in one sitting! I had to pry it out of her chocolate-covered fingers!

Storytime Live

2010-03-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

We headed to Fayetteville on Tuesday to see Nick Jr.'s Storytime Live. Our hotel had an indoor pool, so we spent our time swimming, eating out, and we even took Presley to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time. Presley enjoyed swimming, she was not so fond of the eating out, she liked Chuck E. Cheese, and she loved Storytime Live. Presley was wearing the cutest outfit (from Nana Raine) to the show. We visited the merch booth before the show started and bought Presley a shirt and a Moose and Zee stuffed animal. As soon as Presley saw the shirt, she started taking off her shirt so we put the new one on. She ended up wearing it the rest of the day because there was no way that she was going to let us take it off. The show was really cute, and I was amazed to see how quiet an auditorium full of toddlers and preshoolers could be.

Expectations

2010-03-20T08:58:00.000-05:00

In our Marriage Enrichment class at church last Sunday we talked about how we need to share our expectations with our spouses. For instance, if you are going on a vacation, you need to talk about what you want to do before you go so neither of you will be disappointed or mad.

Well, I wish Presley (and Nick) could understand my expectations for spring break. Here they are. They are (pretty) simple...

I expect to sleep until AT LEAST 7:00. I want to wake up, brew some coffee, have a cup while I do whatever I deem important at that moment. After this, Presley is allowed to wake up. I will then do whatever she and Nick want me to do. I would also appreciate it if Presley would take a nap after lunch. I will use this time that she is sleeping to pick up her toys and clean so that she can start over when she gets up. I also need to have one day to be able to get ready for my Praxis III assessment. I will spend this day making lesson plans, cleaning my classroom, and freaking out.

Presley woke up at 5:00 this morning, and she finally went back to sleep. Nick wanted to get up to go fishing, so he whispered to ask if she was asleep. This woke her up. Then Nick left. I don't blame him!

Here is Presley feeding the birds yesterday. She was crying about something yesterday, and I asked her if she wanted to feed the birds. She immediately wiped her eyes and said, "I not crying anymore!"

5 Days Until...

2010-03-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

SPRING BREAK!
I am so excited that we get a week off of work, and we only have to work for 5 days until we get off for 9 straight days! We don't have any big trip planned, but we are spending a few days in Fayetteville to get away. We are also taking Presley to see Nick Jr. Storytime Live! I am really anticipating watching her little face during the show. I hope that she loves it!

Here is a picture of Presley playing with her Bitty Baby. They play so well together. All of my friends are going for the sibling thing, but I suggest that American Dolls are the way to go. No sleepless nights, no sharing, no dirty diapers. I know they don't love you back, but they do not throw up either. You can even dress your doll and your daughter alike (if you are in to that sort of thing like me). I think that Presley and Bitty would look great in the new spring PJs. Don't you?

Can you tell that I am feeling a little guilty about not having plans for a second in the near future? At least Presley has a doll to dress alike with ;)

Smarties

2010-03-09T22:27:00.004-06:00

Nana Raine came over to see Presley Saturday, and she brought her some Easter eggs with Smarties in them. Also, a couple of weeks ago, my mom gave me the advent calendar that she never gave Presley at Christmas. Well, Presley found the calendar. After she ate Santa Claus, she stacked her Smarties to make a Christmas tree. That is what she called it anyway. It fell down a few times before she got all of them stacked. After she got them stacked, she put her cottage cheese around the Christmas tree and called it presents. She cracks me up.

Excess

2010-03-08T22:12:00.000-06:00

Presley knows no excess. In this photo, she is wearing every tutu she owns (all 5 of them), and she wanted more. She also had about 6 tubes of lip gloss and her wand. Tonight I told her she was my princess. She ran up to me with her arms open wide, gave me a big hug, and said, "Thank you Mommy!" I love my little princess, and I get that too much is never enough. Especially when it comes to tutus, lip gloss, hugs and kisses.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2010-03-02T21:20:00.000-06:00

Things have been busy at the Hill house! Last week we had revival at our church. It was the first revival I have ever been to, and I really enjoyed it. Saturday Nick and I went out with our Sunday school class. We went out to eat and bowling in Cabot. It was the first time that we left Presley with a babysitter at night because she usually stays with her grandparents, but grandparents seem to be busier than we are these days. We had a great time, Presley had a great time, and the babysitter learned some lifelong lessons (such as take the cardboard off of the pizza before cooking and toddlers love mudpuddles). The weather was beautiful Sunday, and we took full advantage. We rode the 4-wheeler and went to the playground. I can't wait to take Presley to the park this summer and let her play for hours! Being in a small house with a 2 year old is comparable to being in a prison cell with the Energizer bunny. We do have an indoor gym on our property though. Ha!

Happy Birthday Nana Raine!

2010-02-22T21:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Daddy's birthday and Nana's birthday is today, so Presley has been getting lots of "Happy Birthday" practice! Happy Birthday Nana! We love you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T08:58:00.000-06:00

We hope you have a great Valentine's Day! This is a video of Presley this morning eating breakfast. She woke up at 3:30 this morning and only went back to sleep from 6:00 to 6:45. Maybe she was just ready to play with her Dora microphone.

Cabin Fever

2010-02-10T17:13:00.000-06:00

After I rescheduled my doctor's appointment 4 times, I finally went today! We all needed a break from these 4 walls, so we made it a family trip. Presley and I went to my appoinment, and Nick headed to fill up the car. Presley was scared because she thought that she was going to see the doctor, but once she realized I was the one getting a shot, she was fine with it. Ha! After we left the doctor's office, we headed for Build-a-Bear. Before we even got there, Presley proclaimed that she was not building a bear. She was going to build a horse. She picked out some beautiful wings for her horse, and we were off to meet Nana Raine for lunch.

We ate at Forbidden City, and Presley really liked Nana's wonton soup. Thanks for sharing Nana! We left the mall and picked up our pottery at Fiefly Studio and stopped by Lifeway to get a workbook for a new Bible study called "Me, Myself, and Lies."

When we made it home, we played for a while, then I somehow got sidetracked organizing Presley's closet. I decided to add Presley's spring/summer wardrobe to her collection. I kept everything from last summer in the hopes that it would still fit or she can wear the dresses as shirts over leggings. I am so ready for spring!

When I came out of Presley's bedroom, I found these two watching Kai-Lan. Presley has on a tutu =)

When Nick had enough Nick Jr., he headed outside to take out the trash. He also said that he might knock some of the ice off of his truck. Good luck honey. It might take a few days.

Sledding

2010-02-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

We tried to go sledding today. Yes we had big plans. We had lots of fun, but the snow was just still too fluffy! We don't have a sled, but after this winter, I think that we might need to invest in one! Here are some pics from our fun morning. We rode the 4-wheeler to the practice field, and pushed Presley down the hills. We had lots of fun!

Snow Again!

2010-02-08T23:12:00.000-06:00

We watched the 44th Super Bowl last night with friends, and I was really glad that the Saints won! I was also glad that we made it home at a decent hour- the thought that we would be out of school today never even crossed my mind. We got a call at 6:00 this morning that school had been cancelled and jumped out of bed to see the snow. It was beautiful, and it just kept coming! It eventually started raining, but I think they are calling for more snow tonight. School has already been cancelled for tomorrow. We have big plans of getting up and going to sled (if we can find a hill). Here is a pic of my favorite people playing in the snow and a pic of north campus!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-03T20:11:00.000-06:00