Pewitt Family

2008-03-10T22:26:00.005-05:00

Okay, so clearly it has been a very busy year. Ten months since my last post! I plan to pick this back up again.

In the meantime, see some of what's been keeping me busy at www.vickiepewittphotography.blogspot.com. Truly just a hobby right now but, as time allows, I hope to take it more seriously.

2007-05-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

Sarah's 3rd Birthday Party!

What a great day for a birthday party! The weather was awesome. Sarah and her li'l friends had a great time playing at the park, making sun-visors w/ foam stickers and eating plenty of cake. Apparently, this was the year for make-up. Sarah racked-up on the lip gloss, nail polish and, of all things, eye shadow!

2007-05-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

Lip Gloss

Sydney just loves the lip gloss and nail polish kit someone gave her for her birthday! And she applies ALL the different shades of gloss with such vigor!

2007-05-12T14:47:00.000-05:00

Bathing Baby Dolls

The latest activity that entertains the girls for a decent amount of time is bathing their dolls in mini bubble baths out on the patio. Who knew?

2007-05-09T06:45:00.000-05:00

The TN Renaissance Festival

This was the opening weekend of the festival which runs all month long. It's probably been 12 years since I've been. Wow, it's really grown. We had so much fun that I'd like to go one more time before it's over. Sydney and Sarah loved sprites and fairies and they were just spellbound by the sight of the queen and her fancy gown and jewels. For more pics of this day, go to www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

2007-05-05T18:34:00.000-05:00

Sydney is 4 years old!

2007-03-29T20:37:00.000-05:00

SOCCER TIME!

Wow, it really has been a while since my last post. The girls and I have been to Chattanooga again since I last posted!

I wanted to get a picture up of Sydney playing on her first soccer team. Their team name is The Green Ducks. She's doing great at it and just runs her little heart out even when she's worn out. She even played with a nasty cough a couple weeks ago in 40 degree weather.

I have to say, I am so proud of my girls. I get compliments on them all the time, even from strangers. Today, the lady at the YMCA child care commented on how well they play together. I have noticed, lately, that they are playing and interacting like two little best friends. They can really play for long periods of time. They like to play all kinds of imaginative games. I sure hope they continue like this in the years to come.

I have more stories and pictures to post but, I'm tired and will promise to get to the rest of it later.

Best to all!

2007-02-15T20:13:00.000-06:00

So Much To Post And So Little Time To Post It !

So, on my last post, I mentioned we were heading to Chattanooga for another visit to the Aquarium. Fun as always with our friends Cohen, Conner, Joseph and Sammy. By the way, for those of you who watch Entourage, Joseph looks like the 4-year-old version of Adrian Grenier (Vincent Chase.)

I guess we're on the down-side of winter. Seems crazy, 'cause Halloween is still fresh in my memory! And, I guess we've seen our one and only "big" snow (1 inch worth, that is.) Fine with me. I'm ready for spring, now. Today, was the second day in two weeks that the girls' preschool was closed for snow (and today I could hardly tell it had even snowed!) So, we joined our buddies for a trip to Joelton to the Kids Fundome. It's a big, renovated roller skating rink that has everything "FUN" for kids like a big-wheel race track, big slides, swings, bouncy rooms, a big castle, dress-up clothes, craft tables, train sets, blocks, play kitchen, etc., etc. A great way to spend half a day.

Okay, so after a the girls had a full day of not much more than cookies, cupcakes, sweet heart candy and chocolate during their Valentines parties at school, I am now aware of the consequences of too much sugar. By 4:00 that afternoon, Sarah was unrecognizable to me. She immobilized me with fear as we walked into Publix and she suddenly began a re-enactment of the Exorcist! All eyes were on us as Sarah let out a horrifying scream, not once, but 3 more times, because she was opposed to the grocery cart I had chosen. While Sydney refrained from any psychotic displays, she was a bit more disagreeable than usual that afternoon and had a hard time getting to sleep that night. Luckily, there are only 4 holidays each year that involve candy! They had fun making their own Valentines for their school friends. Of course, anything involving glitter-glue HAS to be fun!

Our new favorite thing to do is going to the Downtown Nashville Library once a month to see some of the Nashville School of Ballet students put on a show. They dance to a book or story being told by a narrator. When the story is over, they invite the children to come up on stage and show them how to do some of the dance steps. The girls and I just love it.

Warmer weather is promised for next week. We desparately need some outdoor time. Definitely going to try to hit some parks while we have the chance!

Best to all!

2006-12-31T13:19:00.000-06:00

Another Year Goes Whizzing By In A Blur

I caught sight of a picture of Sydney from last July 4th and was shocked at how much younger she looked then. Her face was rounder and much more "innocent-looking." Speaking of innocence lost, Sarah has become quite the little vixen these days. She has such a "Don't mess with me, or else..." attitude about her. Other times, though, she can be oh, so very sweet and soft spoken.

Sydney's been testing the waters, lately, seeing what she can get away with. I wonder if she's been picking up some bad behavior from friends at preschool. Whatever it is, I hope it passes soon. She's got a great personality, though, and is so outgoing. She still makes me laugh everyday. While getting dressed for the Christmas Eve church service, Sydney suggested wearing her Hello Kitty sneakers with her smocked Christmas dress. I told her those shoes weren't "dressy" enough. I guess I've never used the term "dressy" around her because she replied, "Oh, are they too shirty?"

Sarah is still very obsessed with wearing this little ballet skirt every moment she's at home. She also insists on wearing it with no other clothes. When she would ask me to take all her clothes off so she could put on the ballet skirt, I would tell her she might get cold. Now, she just says, "Mommy, I want to be cold and take my cwoze (clothes) off and put on my bow-way (ballet) skirt." What's funny is that she's never been to a ballet class or even watched Sydney in her dance class, but she dances around the house everyday and some of her moves actually look pretty close to being right. On the other hand, Sydney, who is IN a dance class, never mentions ballet at home, much less even do any dancing at home. I gotta find a good dance class for Sarah when she turns 3 in the Spring.

Milla, our dog, is now a full-time house dog. Sarah just LOVES having Milla in the house. She worries the poor dog to death. But, I noticed the other night, that Milla was sleeping outside of Sarah's bedroom door. And, yesterday, after we had been gone most of the afternoon, when we got home I noticed Milla was laying on "the ballet skirt" as if she needed something of Sarah's close by her.

We enjoyed a nice, low-key Christmas Eve and Day. The present-opening was a flurry of chaos and lasted all of about 10 minutes. Sydney got the Superman Doll that she had asked for and Sarah got the ballet DVD she wanted. So, everyone was happy. Sydney was quick to see if Santa ate the cookies and drank the egg nog we left for him. She's finally pieced together the Santa theory. I think Sarah may well understand it, too.

Pre-school is still out til next week. The girls and I are heading to Chattanooga tomorrow for an overnight trip to visit the Aquarium and Discovery Museum. They love that kind of thing. One of Syd's favorite places in Nashville to hang out is the Adventure Science Museum or, as she calls it, the Benture Muzience Zimm. I bought a family membership while we were there today now that I realize we'll be spending more and more time there.

All the best to everyone. My New Year's Resolution HAS to be a promise to update my blog MUCH more often. I'll try!

See more pics at www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

2006-12-12T19:59:00.000-06:00

I'VE JUST BEEN SO BUSY, LATELY!

I regret that it's been so long since I've blogged. Since starting a part-time job from home, I've just not had the extra spare time that blog posting requires.

Since Halloween, we've been busy with holiday preparations and activities. The girls had Thanksgiving feasts at school. I joined Sydney and her class for the Thanksgiving lunch but had to miss out on Sarah's. I just knew Sarah would be confused if I showed up to have lunch with her but then left without her.

Sydney is still enjoying her dance class. Although, Sarah has really been showing more interest in ballet than Sydney ever did and Sarah's never been to a dance class. It all started after she watched "The 12 Dancing Princesses" dvd. She insists on wearing Sydney's ballet skirt (and nothing else) every moment of the day and even sleeps with it after I tell her she can't sleep IN it. She carries it with her when we leave the house. So, as soon as she's 3, I'll get her in a dance class ASAP.

We had a big scare last week with Milla (our dog.) When I got up one morning, I saw that Milla had gotten sick during the night. And, there was blood all over. I loaded the girls and Milla into the car (Les was out of town for the week) and we drove to the vet. We all sat in this little room while Milla lay barely conscious on the exam table for several hours while the vet ran various tests on Milla. I was a nervous wreck and trying to listen to what the vet was saying while Sydney was rearranging all the Pet Care brochures in the display cases and Sarah was wiggling around trying to take all her clothes off and put on the ballet skirt. Somehow in all the chaos I managed to decipher that the news of Milla's condition wasn't good. The blood tests showed that Milla's liver and kidneys were failing and her blood count was seriously low. The vet wanted to keep her there overnight and start IV fluids and antibiotics. He was doubtful of a positive outcome and was reluctant to give me any prognosis. Over the next few days, though, Milla's condition began to improve and I'm so happy to say that she seems her normal self now. The vet says it was some sort of blood born infection that can be caused by food poisoning, an infection from gum disease, or she simply ate something bad. Who knows? We're just happy to have her home again!

My next post will not be so delayed. I'm sure I'll have lots of Christmas pictures and stories to share. Until then, my best to you all for a Happy Holiday!

2006-11-02T15:42:00.000-06:00

TRICK OR TREAT!

Hand-made costumes sewn by Grammy (my mom.)

See more Halloween pics at www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

2006-10-21T22:50:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...Fall in Tennessee

To see more, go to www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

Happy Fall!

2006-10-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

I'M OLD

Well, it's official. I'm old. Not because I recently turned 38. It was that innocent comment that could only come from a 3-year-old.

"Mom...I don't have wrinkles like you."

2006-10-11T19:53:00.000-05:00

Hicklen Farms Pumpkin Patch

Our first visit of the season to the Pumpkin Patch. I really just wanted to try out my new lens and filter hoping that, with some practice, when we go again next week I might be able to get some really good pics of the girls and their friends. I need more practice, though! I was able to get a few good shots out of the hundred I took. I narrowed down the 100 by half, here www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

This makes our third year for visiting Hicklen Farms. The husband and wife who own the farm are the kindest people you'd ever meet. They always have a place for the kids to paint little pumpkins that they give them for free.

We have to be sure and make it back next week before all the pumpkins are gone!

2006-10-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

Lawnchair Theatre
August 2006

2006-10-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

Lawnchair Theatre

Before I begin writing about our Fall activities and posting Fall pictures, I wanted to be sure to post a note about one of our favorite summertime evening outings. Leiper's Fork is a fabulous place to shoot some great pictures. Although, I've not had a chance yet to really photograph the beautiful landscapes there and hope to do so this fall. However, I was able to get some decent images of the girls while attending the popular Lawnchair Theatre which takes place every Friday evening at dusk. Hopefully, by next summer my photography skills will have improved and I'll be able to get some stunning pictures of this beautiful place.

2006-09-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

A GOOD QUOTE...

I drive by a certain church several times a week. They always have a clever, funny, or thoughtful quote on their church sign. When I passed the other day, I was especially struck by the quote they had displayed. It read, "Don't cry because it's over...smile because it happened." I find myself constantly dwelling on how much I miss the days when Sydney and Sarah were babies. Just wishing I could hold their little bodies in the crook of my arm again, I find myself feeling sad that those days are gone and that time is just flying by way too fast. I hope I can remind myself to smile and be THANKFUL that it happened!

Sydney***********************************************************Sarah

2006-09-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

PRINCESS SARAH ANNE

I could hear her slowly making her way down the steps from the playroom. I had to laugh when I saw her. She had a doll in one hand, purse in the other, princess skirt barely hanging on her waist, and a crooked crown on her head. Referring to her crown, she asked me to "fisskit" (fix it.) What's missing from the picture is the one glass (plastic) slipper that she frequently wears around the house. She calls it her "gwass swippah."

2006-09-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

I think it was last Wednesday when I first noticed the signs of summer's end. It had rained the two days before and now, there they were. Yellow leaves were scattered across the yard and onto the street. Before I had realized it, autum was fast approaching. While I just love fall, I am a bit sad to see the summer come to an end already. We've done SO much these last few months that it just made the time go by too quickly. The end of the summer also means that by next summer, Sydney and Sarah will be very different little girls from how they are now.

Today is the last day our pool will be open. We plan to spend the afternoon enjoying our last hoorah at the pool. I'll take lots of pictures in my feeble attempt at freezing this last summer-like activity with my now 2 and 3-year-old.

Good-bye Summer of 2006! It's been fun!

2006-09-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

HOT DIGGITY DOG!

The Downtown Nashville Library has the best story time. With puppets and theatrical-like story-tellers, it's really quite entertaining. Besides, this library is SO pretty. The 3rd floor outdoor atrium is such a relaxing place to hang out. And, the girls enjoy walking around looking at the flowers and the water fountains.

But, our favorite thing to do AFTER storytime, is to head down to 6th and Ewing for lunch at Hot Diggity Dog. They offer all kinds of specialty hot dogs and delicious french fries!

2006-08-27T20:21:00.000-05:00

Chattanooga, Again!

The girls and I had so much fun with our friends on our last trip to Chattanooga back in the spring. So, we decided to go again and squeeze in some waterfall and fountain swimming, too.

We checked into our hotel first. Of course, Sarah immediately finds this little black note pad holder with paper and pen and decides she must keep this with her for the rest of the day. So, during the Aquarium tour, she looks like she's taking notes or something.

After touring the River side of the Aquarium, we took a break to have icecream and then cool off in the water feature just outside. Then, we finished off the Ocean tour of the Aquarium and ended the day with some more splash fun in the waterfalls that run down those big stone steps (you may have seen this in the "Tour Chattanooga" commercials.)

The next morning was spent at the Creative Discovery Museum where the kids made Japanese kites, played with musical instruments, painted each other's faces, and all sorts of other activities.

Sydney was trying so hard to keep going eventhough she was worn out. Every so often, I would find her just laying down on a bench, chair, or even the floor. Anywhere would do for a quick rest. I would ask her, "Sydney, are you tired?" and she'd reply, "No, I'm just resting."

Needless to say, when we headed home after lunch, they both slept for the entire 2 hour ride. More pics at www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com

2006-08-13T18:10:00.000-05:00

POOL DAYS ARE WINDING DOWN

Of course, the hot weather will be around a bit longer, but the pools will be closing their doors in just a few weeks. So, I took this opportunity today to get some final shots of the girls swimming. They've really come a long way this summer with regard to their comfort level in the water. They've always loved the water but now they explore a bit farther from the pool edge and test their boundaries. In May, Sydney was barely willing to put her head under water. Now, she's jumping off diving boards into the deep end of the pool and swimming or treading her way to the edge or something else to grab a hold of. As for Sarah, she floats and paddles here way all over the pool as long as she has that styrofoam noodle to hang on to.

I am definitely excited about Fall weather coming, but I'll really miss these summer days with Sydney and Sarah at these ages.

2006-08-09T20:25:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken just before sunset on Little St. George Island off the coast of Florida. Originally in color, I converted it to b/w and played around with a few other filter effects in my new Photoshop program. It's been 3 years since I've used Photoshop and even then I was using the pro version. Now, I can only afford the cheap-o consumer version and I'm disappointed in its limitations. Better than nothing, though!

2006-07-22T09:22:00.000-05:00

The Next Mia Hamm or Brandi Chastain?

Okay, so maybe not. But Sydney had fun getting to learn a little bit about the game of soccer last week at the YMCA soccer camp. By day three, though, she was a bit slower walking out to the field explaining how she'd rather sit with Sarah and play with the pla-doh. But, she didn't protest when I told her she needed to go join the rest of the group. Most of the other 3 to 5 year olds were having similar lack of interest issues. To be fair, though, the temps last week were in the high 90s! Who can blame the little tikes? Even I was beginning to dread going and just sitting out there with Sarah and watching the kiddos run around aimlessly while sweat literally poured down my face!

To my suprise, Sarah was actually showing some interest in playing. She kept trying to get out on the field with the other kids!

2006-07-06T14:26:00.000-05:00

Fun on the Fourth

This year, we spent the 4th of July right here in our neighborhood. We enjoyed hanging out with friends and neighbors and watching the Crockett Park fireworks. Sarah kept complaining that the fireworks were too loud as she remained snuggled up in Les' arms for safety and comfort. Can't blame her...it was a bit loud. But, what a fantastic firework show it was!

2006-07-04T09:10:00.000-05:00

THE REAL SUMMER HEAT IS UPON US!

It's that time of the summer when you stay inside as much as possible OR stay in the pool. With two beach vacations under our belt since May, I feel like summer should be over by now. Even the Maryland Farms YMCA pool is beginning to lose it's luster.

Our last trip to the beach was a week on St. George Island. What a fabulous time we had. The girls and I went with our friends Leslie and her kids Mack and Madie; and Angela and her sons Cohen and Connor. Bedtimes were ignored as we tried to pack in as many fun activities as possible each day. We played at the beach often, went on an awesome sunset boat cruise to another island, took several evening trips to the ice cream shop, shot off fireworks on the beach a couple of evenings, and swam in the beach house pool. So, the kiddos were exhausted by the end of the week. Of course, I took hundreds of pictures 'cause that's just what I like to do. Check them out at www.thepewitts.shutterfly.com and scroll down then click on St. George Island.

Today is the 4th of July. We'll hit the neighborhood pool this morning then join our friends/neighbors behind us who are having a block party and we'll be able to see the Crockett Park fireworks show from there. Should be a fun day!

2006-05-31T15:11:00.000-05:00

GRAYTON BEACH

This is where Sarah spent her 2nd birthday...on the beach. This was our first official family beach vacation. We all had a wonderful time. Although, Sarah much preferred the pool over the beach. Sydney couldn't get enough of the ocean, waves and sand. She was in heaven. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

2006-05-04T12:18:00.000-05:00

THREE YEARS OLD!

I had to snap a picture of my little Sydney this morning before we headed off to school. Today she turns 3! She took cupcakes to celebrate with her classmates.

By the way, this is how Sydney poses for pictures these days.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SYDNEY LEE!

2006-04-27T20:32:00.000-05:00

TIME, it is a flyin'!

I can't believe it. Easter has come and gone. I feel like we just had Christmas. I truly understand the saying, "The days are long but the years are short when you have children." In less than two weeks, Sydney will be 3. Couple weeks later, Sarah will be 2. These ARE great times. Both girls have a fairly ample vocabulary which eases communication among us all. Only one left in diapers, and bottles and baby food are a thing of the past. No more burp cloths, both car seats face forward, no more walkers, johnny-jump-ups, or pack-n-plays. Sleep deprivation (mine, that is) occurs only very occassionally, I think they both teethed their last tooth (hmmm, Sarah may still have some molars to come in), and we're down to only one dr. check-up per year. No more slings or baby bjorns, no more mylecan gas drops sitting in every room of the house for emergencies. I can now leave the house for a few hours (girls in tow) and feel comfortable just carrying a purse instead of a diaper bag packed like we're taking a mini vacation. Baby gates have been given away and soon the last booster seat at the table will no longer be necessary. Believe it or not, though, I miss it all. I miss it like crazy. It goes by WAY too fast. I wish I could re-live it all over again. I guess all the pictures, video, journals and blog will have to suffice.

And on to the updates. Sarah's word for the day is smoobie. Les likes to make fruit smoothies for the girls so, when the mood hits her she'll say "I want smoobie!"

Sydney's current swim instuctor is a young guy named Jeremy. She was hesitant at first because she was used to the girl instructor. She now refers to Jeremy as "Miss Jeremy." When I tell her we're going to swim lessons, she asks, "Is Miss Jeremy gonna be there?"

Another funny Sydney tale is from last weekend when our neighbors and there 2 yr. old son Jack were grilling out with us. Sydney asked Jack if he wanted to see her Dora panties. Sure enough, the next thing I see is Sydney pulling her skirt down and showing Jack her Dora panties. She was so serious about it, too. Pointing to the different pictures on her painties of Dora, Diego and Boots. Jack is a boy of few words anyway, so he had no comment or response.

Typically, if Sarah is the first to wake up in the morning we'll let her lay in bed with us and watch some PBS kids shows. "Caillou" is usually what's on at that time. Occassionally, Sarah will wake up in the middle of the night and want to get in our bed. I'll tuck her in the middle of our bed and proceed to go back to sleep. After a few moments of silence and I think she's asleep, out of the dark comes this faint little voice saying, "I watcha show," "I watcha Caillou." We'll tell her "no" that her shows aren't on and that it's time to sleep. Disappointed, she'll reply, "I go backa bed" meaning she wants to get back in HER bed.

Sydney is a big fan of the color pink. When I'm either getting out her plate for dinner, or picking out a bow for her hair, or asking her which can of PLAY-DOH she wants, she always replies, "the pink one." So, lately, when I'm getting a cup for Sarah, or giving her some crayons, etc. she will point to something whether it's green, purple, orange or blue and say, "I want pink." Guess I need to start working on color recognition with Sarah. She's nearly mastered reciting the ABCs and on a number of occassions she has counted to 10. So, I think we're ahead of the game on a few things anyway.

One of Sarah's favorite DDDs (DVD) is Classical Baby. It's funny to hear her ask to watch it because she gets all her words jumbled together and says, "Mommy, I watchical baby."

I am SO going to miss their little baby voices and the funny things they do and say once they're all grown up.

Well, my next post will probably be their birthday pictures in a few weeks. Of course, if anything of note occurs prior to that, I'll try to post sooner.

Be well.

2006-04-11T21:04:00.000-05:00

McCabe Park's Swings

Sarah's favorite thing to do at the park is swing. She could swing for hours I think. Yelling, "higher, higher!" she tilts her head back and closes her eyes as though she is all-consumed by the rush of wind in her face as she swings back and forth.

Sydney has finally learned how to smile for the camera without saying "cheeeese!"

2006-03-22T19:56:00.000-06:00

Chattanooga, Pump It Up, and a Visit with the Elderly
(click on pictures to enlarge)

March has been a very busy month for the girls and me. We began with an overnight trip to Chattanooga with a group of our friends. Our first stop was a visit to the Aquarium where Sydney got an up-close greeting from a playful sting-ray who jumped out of the water and nearly kissed her on the nose. We all had a fabulous time at the aquarium. Too many fun pictures to post here. So check them out at www.greenhillsmoms.shutterfly.com
After the Aquarium, we all crowded into friends' Emily, Jonathan and baby Henry's room to eat our room-service dinners. Then, it was off to bed in our own rooms where Sydney and Sarah seemed a bit intrigued, if not out of sorts, being in a hotel room. Sydney even whimpered a bit saying she wanted to go home and sleep in HER bed. Luckily for me, she was soooo very tired that she fell right to sleep as her head hit the pillow. Sarah, on the other hand was a Chatty Cathy lying in bed with me. I thought she'd never go to sleep!

The next morning, we all met down at the hotel pool for a swim before breakfast. Then, it was off to the Creative Discovery Museum. So much fun! So much to do and see there. Of course, the first exhibit was an interactive water feature, so the girls got good and wet to start off the museum tour.

By 2pm, the kids were worn out and ready for naps in the car-ride home. It was a fun-filled trip and we're all looking forward to going again soon.

On a cold, rainy day, one of the best places to go for running off some energy is Pump It Up. The girls just love this place and I have to drag them out kicking and screaming.

The residents at the Mary Queen of Angels assisted living facility seemed to really enjoy the children's visit. Sydney was quick to tell everyone her name and age, then she would ask each of them their names and how old they are.

2006-03-16T11:08:00.000-06:00

A Restless Night In Her Crib?

Not sure how this happened but, this is what she looked like when I went into her room the other morning to get her out of bed.

2006-03-04T20:28:00.000-06:00

The Thinker

A favorite DVD collection of Sydney and Sarah's is HBO's Classical Baby series which includes a DVD dedicated to historical and modern art. While watching this the other night, when the sculpture of The Thinker flashed onto the screen, the first thing Sydney said was, "What is he thinking about?" Now, there had been no mention before that this was called The Thinker. It doesn't even say this on the DVD. I just thought it was so interesting that she immediately discerned that this man was even "thinking." Perhaps this is one of those situations where "you had to be there" to appreciate it. I just wanted to write this down so I would remember.

2006-03-03T19:09:00.000-06:00

MEASUREMENTS

My Mom is making a couple of summer dresses for the girls. She emailed asking for some measurements of the girls. After measuring them both, I turned my back to them so I could email the results to mom. Then I turned back around to this scene pictured below...

2006-02-25T08:04:00.000-06:00

Sarah's Version of the Telephone

Either she has ESP or some new cell phone invention, but when Sarah decides she wants to call someone, this is what she does while saying, "I-talka-dada!" (I'm talking to Daddy.) She does this several times a day around the house or in the car.

Of course, when taking this picture, Sydney insisted I take a picture of her and the doll, too. At first, she was saying "Cheeeeeeese" with her eyes squinted shut. So, I told her to open her eyes. This is what I got.....

2006-02-22T20:58:00.000-06:00

The BIG Snow

Well, this is probably the best we'll get for the winter. March is just around the corner, so the chance of any more wintery weather is quite slim. At least the girls had one chance to play in the snow. In fact, this is the first time either of them has played in snow. They had as much fun as they could stand until the frigid temps got the best of them. After only 10 or 15 minutes, the cheeks were looking chapped and the noses were running. Just enough time to get in a few good pics. Until next year...

And, earlier in the week, we had fun partying at Angela, Cohen and Connor's house with other MOMS club moms and kids for Valentine's Day. Sydney and her buddies usually wind up finding a bedroom so they can jump on the bed. Luckily, Angela didn't mind.

2006-02-11T14:27:00.000-06:00

Sydney's First Day of Swim Lessons

Sydney's been pretty excited all week about her swim lessons which began today. All that changed, though, the first time the instructor dunked her under the water. As soon as she came up, she was clearly stunned and cried fearfully. Now, Sydney has gone underwater plenty of times at the pool last summer AND in the bathtub. I think this sudden "plunge" into the water, though, by the instructor just caught her completely off guard. From that moment on, she was very timid to do anything the instructor wanted her to do but, she DID reluctantly participate and follow instructions.

Next Saturday, upon the request of the instructor, I will leave the pool area during the swim lesson.

Now, on to Sarah's latest accomplishment. Sydney likes to say, "Mom, count to 10 and I will hide." I do as she asks. However, a couple of days ago, Sydney asked Sarah to count to 10 while she goes to hide. I was shocked when Sarah counted to 8! I didn't even know she could count to 2! It wasn't a fluke, either. She counted to 8 a second time. Since then, I've heard her count to 5 and sometimes she'll start counting at 6 and go up to 10. It's always amazing to see the things that toddlers pick up on when you don't realize how well they really pay attention to what's going on around them.

Sarah's latest phrase (which will drive you crazy by the end of the day) is "What happened?" She asks that question about ANYTHING! If I sneeze she asks, "What happened?" Even when SHE sneezed the other day she asked, "What happened?" She also likes to ask, "You tired?" everytime she sees or hears me yawn (which is pretty much all day long everyday!)

Those are the latest happenings around here. Yes, we lead a pretty hum-drum life. But, when you have two toddlers, who has time for anything else? Oh, I AM going to take Sydney to her first, official movie at the theatre tomorrow. I took both girls to a children's matinee last summer but that was for kids only and doesn't really count as a REAL movie outing. So, Syd and I are going to see Curious George. Everytime they show the movie trailer on TV she says, "I want to watch THAT show." So, I think she'll enjoy seeing it on the big screen.

2006-02-06T13:02:00.000-06:00

Valentine Crafts

I'm sure the girls have no idea about Valentine's Day but at least they can take part in all the fun stuff that goes along with it. Like playing with glue, glitter paint, stickers and ribbon to create some Valentines at Michael's Craft Store. Sarah was so attached to the glitter paint that she insisted on taking it with her. This is such a great set-up. All the fun without having to clean up the mess afterward. They do it for you!

Friends who joined us were Kate Correnti and Sydney Emeson.

2006-01-22T14:02:00.000-06:00

"Big Girl" Bed Already?

This morning we awoke to the sound of a THUMP and a cry. Yes, Sarah finally climbed (or fell) out of her crib. I'll wait before moving her to a big girl bed. Perhaps the fall scared her enough that she won't attempt it again. We'll see. She's napping right now, so we'll know soon if she's brave enough to try and perfect her landing. It was almost exactly this time last year when Sydney began climbing out of her crib. Even with a hard hit to the floor and subsequent crying, Sydney continued to do it several times over the course of a couple of days. So, we decided then that it was safer to move her into a twin bed with guard rails. I thought for sure Sarah would have no interest in climbing out of her crib, EVER. I guess Sydney's rubbing off on her.

2006-01-14T21:44:00.000-06:00

forgot to say...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The girls went for a wagon ride on New Year's Day. I think the temps were in the 50s! What a way to start the new year!

2006-01-12T20:25:00.000-06:00

Playing Dress-Up

Sydney LOVES to dress up. Since getting her Cinderella dress-up clothes for Christmas, that's the first thing she suggests to do when her friend/neighbor, Charlotte May, comes over to play. The odd thing is that she always insists on watching the Shrek dvd while she's wearing her dress-up clothes and she's sure that Charlotte MUST want to watch it, too. So, while Sydney sits in front of the tv and watches Shrek, Charlotte just shrugs her shoulders and plays with Sarah. I know, I know. Just turn off the tv and don't let it be an option. That's my plan from now on. I refuse to have "tv junkie" kids!

(click photos to enlarge)

I, too, enjoyed the whole dress-up thing. My friend, Lindy, and I were on the cutting-edge of fashion. Here, you see, we were already anticipating the whole trend of wearing lingerie as the main ensemble. And, when Lindy or any other girlfriends were not around, my brothers were forced against their will to dress up in my mom's clothes with me. Now, if I can just find those pictures...stay tuned!

2006-01-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

CHRISTMAS DAY FUN

Sydney's last-minute visit with Santa really paid off. He delivered everything she asked for and more. Sarah was also quite pleased with what he left for her under the tree. Weebie-Wobbies (as Sydney calls them), dolls, trains, books and puzzles. Sydney's main request was for Cinerella Dress up clothes.

2005-12-26T14:28:00.000-06:00

Gingerbread Ornament Loses Arm in Vicious Attack By a Toddler

Mistaken for a cookie, this darling Gingerbread Girl ornament has her arm bitten off by toddler Sydney Pewitt. Luckily, rescuers were able to retrieve the arm. The Gingerbread Girl remains in intensive care until her arm is securely re-attached with super glue. We will continue to follow this tragic story and bring you the latest updates as they occur.

2005-12-20T13:55:00.000-06:00

WORTH THE WAIT

In an earlier blog post, I mentioned how Sydney suddenly changed her feelings about Santa and decided NOT to get her picture made with him. I was fine with that and decided not to pursue it any further. This morning, however, she said, out of the blue, she wanted to go to the mall today and sit in Santa's lap. I had just planned to stay home today and work around the house. Instead, I decide to grant her wish and get her and Sarah dressed and drive to the mall. Of course, now there is a LONG line to see Santa. I ask her, "Are you SURE you want to sit in Santa's lap for a picture?" She assured me this is what she wants to do. So during our hour-long wait in line I just knew we'd finally get up there and she would immediately back out. I was prepared for this and was fine with it. She stuck to her guns, however, and jumped right up in his lap and gave him a big hug. That's the picture I chose to keep.

By the way, Sarah's not in the picture because I was sure she would fall apart and possibly cause Sydney to re-think her decision like she did when we tried this a few weeks ago.

2005-12-13T16:02:00.000-06:00

They're Coming Out!

Sometimes I'll drape wet washcloths or dish towels on the rim of the washer until I'm ready to wash a load of towels. I guess Sydney hadn't noticed this before because the other day when she walked by the laundry room she shouted, "Mom, look, they're coming out!"

2005-12-12T13:59:00.000-06:00

CHRISTMAS COOKIES, YUM!

The girls and I joined some other moms and kids at little Bennett's house for some cookie decorating this morning. Sydney and Sarah did such a great job with their icing and sprinkles.

Pictured around the table are Sydney, Jonathon McDevitt, Bennett Dickerson, Emily McDevitt, Jack (yes, another Jack!) and Sarah.

2005-12-10T10:33:00.000-06:00

PACKERONI?

The other night, the girls were eating pepperoni pizza for dinner. To my suprise, Sarah was scarfing down the pepperoni. I said, "Wow, Sarah, you really like the pepperoni." Sydney replied, "Yeah, I like packeroni, too!"

That same day, Sydney was playing with her dolls and laying them on the floor and covering them with blankets. Sarah walked over and began uncovering the dolls. Frustrated and upset by this, Sydney said to me, "Sarah break my feelings!"

2005-12-07T13:00:00.000-06:00

Is It Christmas Yet?

It's only December 7th and already I feel like Christmas should be over by now. We've been to two holiday parties, we've seen Santa three times now (from a distance) and the girls have even opened a couple of presents. And, while at the mall the other day, looking for christmas pjs for the girls, the sales lady in Dillards said it'd be hard to find any christmas pjs this close to Christmas. "This close to Christmas?! Today is only December 5th! Christmas is still 20 days away!" I'm suddenly realizing that the holidays now begin right after Halloween (or the prepartions for the holidays.) Is this new? Or, has it always been this way for people with children? Last Thursday (Dec. 1), even Toys R Us in Coolsprings actually had big signs on the front windows listing the games and toys that were now out of stock! I can only imagine how much harder it is when your children are beyond preschool years and begin asking for all those hugely popular games and such that require you to become part of that mob we all saw on the news storming into WalMart the day after Thanksgiving! UGH! I think I'll be a firm believer in on-line shopping regardless of the shipping costs.

Below are some pictures from the two Christmas parties we went to last weekend.

Believe it or not, this is the best out of 4 pictures I tried to take of all the kids at the MOMS club Christmas party!

Sydney and Sarah just LOVE little Maddie Calvert. I have to say, I love her just as much. She's got to be one of the friendliest and most lovable babies I know.

Sydney and Mack Calvert have a real love-hate relationship going on. They can't wait to see each other, but they have such a hard time sharing! We caught them rolling around and giggling under a pile of pull-ups they had dumped out in Mack's room.

Sydney insisted on riding the train at the mall the other day. She asked if I would ride with her but I told her I was too big. I knew better than to put Sarah in the train. She would likely have a melt-down as soon as she realized the train was leaving without ME in it. Sydney didn't seem to mind that she'd just have to ride alone. As it turned out, another little girl rode with her. It was funny to watch the two of them just staring at each other during the whole ride. Neither of them even cracked a smile.

This picture is my 4th and final attempt to get a good picture that's worthy of a Christmas card. Clearly this picture was not the winner. I'll have to settle for one of the poses I got while at the MOMS club party in front of the hostess's fireplace. I have big hopes for next year, though!

2005-12-06T20:45:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving with Our Families

Since my brother Jim and his wife Noelle would be travelling to South Bend for Thanksgiving, we celebrated a little early at their new home in Cookeville along with my Mom and Granddad. Despite the sobbing Sarah in this picture, we all had a wonderful time together.

Shhh...let's not wake Granddaddy Lee.

For Thanksgiving Day, we visited Les' family. Sydney and Sarah had so much fun playing with their cousins, Turner and Maddie who were visiting from Hattiesburg, MS.

"Got my football helmet, my bad minton raquet...now, where's that baseball?"

Here's another picture request by Sydney. She asked me the other day, "Will you take a picture of us?" Good thing I always have film in my camera!

2005-12-02T14:11:00.000-06:00

My Little Swiper

Sydney and Sarah like to visit Happy Tails at the Factory in Franklin. This is a pet adoption center (mostly cats) where the girls like to hang out and play with all the cats and kittens. Before leaving the Factory yesterday, we stopped in a children's clothing shop while I looked for some Christmas pjs. The girls were playing with all the little trinkets, toys and such that were on shelves within reach of very small children (big mistake!) When we got home and Sydney climbed out of the car she said, "Look at my pretty necklace, Mom!" She was proudly pointing to this necklace she was wearing around her neck. I asked her where she got it and she happily said "The Factory." This was actually not hard to believe. She has no concept of paying for things in stores. I explained to her that she's not supposed to just take things from stores but, she's still too young to grasp that whole concept so I just left it at that. When Les came home a little while later, Sydney immediately said, "Look at my pretty necklace, Dad. It's very pretty." He, too, asked her where she got it and she replied, "The Factory." So, we'll go back to the shop this afternoon and return the $2 necklace all the while I'll be explaining to Sydney that what she did was wrong. However, I still think she's too young to learn a lesson from this, yet.

2005-12-02T12:39:00.000-06:00

No Picture With Santa This Year : (

Well, it looked promising at first. The girls and I were waiting with some friends for Santa to arrive at the little Santa Village in Green Hills Mall. When Sydney spotted him about 20 ft. away, she got so excited and ran all the way to him and hugged him. He knelt down and it looked like she was having a conversation with him (perhaps telling him she wanted some princess dress-up clothes.) At this point, I was thrilled with the idea that getting some pictures of her with Santa was going to be a breeze. (I didn't have much hope for Sarah, though.) So, when he sat down in his chair and it was time for the picture, Sydney went right over to him, climbed in his lap and leaned in and hugged him some more. My next move was the big mistake. Things were looking so good that I actually tried to put Sarah on Santa's other knee. Naturally, she freaked-out and started crying. I immediately picked her back up so I could at least get Sydney's picture with him. Upon seeing Sarah's distress, Sydney decided Sarah must know something she doesn't. So, Sydney starts crying hysterically while Santa tries to console her with a candy cane, to no avail (although, she still accepted the candy cane.) I'm so disappointed! After getting such a great shot of the two of them with Santa last year, I had hoped I'd be able to continue to get a Santa picture every year! Guess we'll just have to skip a year. Who knows, though, I may never get a Santa picture again!

2005-11-19T11:53:00.000-06:00

LAS PALETAS POPSICLES!

A visit to Sevier Park just wouldn't be complete without a stroll over to Las Palestas Popsicle Shop just across the street on 12th Avenue South. They're just soooo yummy! They're all-natural and some of the flavors include cantaloupe, avocado, coconut, kiwi, lime and honey-dew just to name a few. This was one of those weird 80-degree November days. Pictured from L to R are Jack Roberts, Jonathon McDevitt, Sydney, Mack Calvert, Sarah and Maddie Calvert. (At 6 months old, Maddie's been known to wolf down 2 popsicles all on her own!)

2005-11-11T20:44:00.000-06:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween was a busy night for Sydney and Sarah. We partied with our playgroup pals in Hillsboro Village from 4:30 to 6:00. The girls pigged-out on pizza, popcorn and chocolate chip cookies. YUM! As pictured, Sarah was particulary interested in Maddie Calvert's Snow White wig.

Sydney was never without a slice of pizza in one hand and a cookie in the other. Jonathon McDevitt was her partner-in-crime for the moment.

I managed to get one decent picture of the sisters before their costumes were dripping with candy and other messy treats.

Then, it was back to Wesley Court for some trick-or-treating with the neighborhood kids. Jack Nelson checks out the wagon. Below, Lucy and Charlotte Mays ring some doorbells with Sarah and Syd. Sydney seemed to think she was supposed to actually walk inside the houses when they'd open the door. She eventually caught on to the whole trick-or-treat thing. Believe it or not, the girls had baths and were in bed by 8:45! Now, if Sydney can just forget all about her pumpkin full of candy!

2005-11-09T07:32:00.000-06:00

GREEN HILLS FIRE STATION

Well, at least now, Sydney will know where the fire trucks are coming from the next time she pulls the fire drill at school.

The girls thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the fire station. The firemen were so friendly while giving us a tour of the fire house. They even took us out back and turned on the big hoses and sprayed them in the air. The kids thought that was so cool. Once Sydney saw the door open to the truck it was impossible to get her down. She just wanted to remain in the driver's seat of the fire truck the entire time.

They even let the kids get inside the truck. Here are Sydney and Sarah with their friend Mack.

2005-10-31T15:13:00.000-06:00

A SHEEP DOG, NO MORE

When even Sydney says, "Sawah yook yike a sheep dog," you know it's time for a hair cut. Sarah has created a bald spot on top of her head from yanking the bows out of her hair which are intended to keep the hair out of her eyes. I decided it was best to just cut bangs (as much as I hated to!)

2005-10-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

Trip to Gentry Farms with Dad

2005-10-18T19:48:00.000-05:00

PAINTING PUMPKINS @ Sevier Park

2005-10-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

Hicklen Farms Pumpkin Patch

The girls had a blast at the pumpkin patch last week. We're going again tomorrow with some friends. Sydney loved smelling all the flowers and I had a hard time pulling her away from them. Sydney enjoyed the walking through the maze of haybails. Sarah spent most her time playing with the resident cat. They went for wagon rides and picked out their pumpkins. Sydney insisted on taking her little pumpkin to bed with her for nap!

2005-10-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

First Day Of School

My little Sarah started her first day of school today. For weeks, when we'd go to drop Sydney off at school, Sarah would walk into Syd's classroom, sit down and begin playing. She would then throw the biggest tantrum when we'd leave. They called yesterday saying there was an opening in the young toddler class beginning today. Of course, when I took her to her classroom she began crying and holding onto my leg. The teachers distracted her long enough for me to take Syd to her classroom. Unfortunately, Sarah was still crying as I walked passed her room on my way out. Of course, I called the school later this morning to find out that Sarah was doing just fine. Whew, I can now enjoy my first REAL day off in 2 1/2 years!

2005-10-11T12:51:00.000-05:00

Leaving Comments

I just realized that I had my "comments" settings set to accept only comments from other blog users. I've changed the setting to accept ALL comments. (Noelle, thanks for bringing this to my attention.)

2005-10-08T21:22:00.000-05:00

Saying New Words, Eating With Utensils, and Trying Hard To Be Like Big Sis

Sarah's vocabulary is beginning to flourish. She says things we had no idea she could say like: apple, banana, Rah-Rah (Sarah), See-Nee (Sydney), ONE (and holding up her pointer finger), and several other words she's been saying for a while. The funniest is when she has a dirty diaper she lets us know by saying "puppoo." She even says it with such a soft and sweet-sounding voice. Only Sarah could sound so elegant saying such a word!

Sarah is also beginning to notice that she's the only one who doesn't have a fork or spoon at meals. She insists on using a utensil. Much to my surprise, she actually uses a fork quite well for a 16-month-old! I had no idea!

She's now showing much interest in doing whatever Sydney does. Syd has always enjoyed putting a doll in her high-chair, locating a spoon and bowl, and feeding her doll. This lasts usually 5 minutes, tops. So, now, Sarah has started doing the same thing. When Syd puts her doll in the high-chair and begins feeding her, Sarah starts rummaging around the kitchen til she finds a bowl and spoon and proceeds to stand alongside Sydney and take turns feeding that poor, over-fed doll.

From time-to-time, Sydney will set up a doll or two on the couch or in a chair, then ask me to take a picture. I know she's just imitating what the rest of us do when we're posing the kids for pictures. Anyway, here's the latest photo shoot. Syd decided to be in the picture, too.

During a trip to the zoo the other day we met up with a number of our friends from the Green Hills MOMS Club. We spent most of the afternoon in the Bouncey Room (a pavilion where the floor is one big, thick rubber mat.) Now, I've noticed for a long time that when we get together with playgroup friends, Sydney can rumble and tumble with the toughest of little boys. She's even made a few of them cry. While in the Bouncey Room, Syd spent much of her time rough-housing with the boys and was more rowdey and aggressive than I've seen her. A couple of girls Sydney's age arrived (they were wearing their pricey, smocked dresses and hair all in well-placed curls while Sydney was wearing her "extra-change-of-clothes" from school, hair wet with sweat and her cheeks bright red and it was interesting to see that stark contrast that I've just not noticed before. Since the other girls were just kind of standing around, Sydney had no interest in playing with them. She said "hi" to them, but continued to run, jump and play with the wilder kids. But, what's more interesting, is that in the very same day, Sydney will be feeding a bottle to her dolls and rocking them to sleep. I hope she'll always have this perfect balance. Here's a picture of Sydney and one of her best buddies, Mack.

Check back next week after we visit the fire station, the pumpkin patch, and who knows what else.

2005-10-01T08:41:00.000-05:00

Never a Dull Moment

Our summer has been full of various activities and adventures. We're sad the pool is now closed (Sydney asked to go to the pool just yesterday) but, we're looking forward to fun times this fall.

Adventure Science Museum has been a great place to go on those rainy days or when it's just TOO hot to play outside.

Last week, we visited Breeden's Apple Orchard in Mt. Juliet. Sydney just loved picking apples from the trees. I think she bit into every apple she picked before putting them in her basket. Sarah had a good time, too, once she recovered from her fall out of the wagon.

As always, a trip to Sevier Park promises to be a good way to run off some energy. Here we are with some friends, Jack Nelson and Kate Correnti.

2005-09-25T22:38:00.000-05:00

"Milla, I put some of your dog food in your water bowl just the way you like it...nice and soggy, right?"

"Watch Toy Story dee-dee (dvd), Mommy?"

2005-09-19T21:30:00.000-05:00

The Wesley Court Gang...
Sarah, Sydney, Jack, Harrison and Noah

2005-09-15T21:13:00.000-05:00

FIRE! FIRE!

She's only 2 1/2 and already a mischevious child! I go to pick Sydney up from school today (her 2nd day at this new school) and the director mentions to me as I'm walking out the door that Sydney pulled the fire alarm today! The lights are flashing, the screeching alarms are sounding and everyone (teachers, preschoolers, toddlers, babies) is evacuating the building. The director explains to me that she managed to call the fire department "just in the knick of time" to tell them it was a false alarm. Okay, my first thought is, "Why the heck are the fire alarm levers so low that a toddler can reach them?" Is this for handicap accessibility? Next, "What do you expect a toddler to do when she sees something interesting like that on the wall within her reach?" I couldn't tell if the director actually thought Sydney should have known better. Now, I'm worried that since Sydney now knows what happens when you pull that red lever on the wall, she may just do it again! She's not a bad kid! She's just curious...and, maybe a little mischevious at times.

2005-09-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

Where DID the Summer Go?

I can't believe we're already into September. It seems only yesterday we took the girls to our neighborhood pool for the Memorial Day weekend "Opening Party." Since then, Sydney and Sarah have become real "water babies." Sydney loved the pool from the beginning but was also very cautious. Now, Sydney makes her way to the middle of the "big" pool and floats around all over the place wearing her little life vest. For weeks, Sarah would lose interest in the pool and want to just sit in her stroller, eat Goldfish, and just watch Sydney play. She finally became comfortable walking around in the kiddie pool and realized it really WAS fun.

Sydney started her new Mothers Day Out this past Thursday. I was so concerned that she would be confused or have trouble adjusting to the new surroundings, the new teachers and the new children. Worried for nothing, as Sydney didn't bat an eye when I left and, when I picked her up that afternoon, she acted like she'd had a good time.

Sydney is full of curiosity and is so inquisitive. When she hears others having a converstation without her, she's quick to jump in and ask, "What you saying?" I hear that question all day. She's not afraid to say anything which means sometimes she gets her phrases mixed up. She seems to use the phrase "I miss you" in the same context as "I love you." When I give her a hug, she says "I miss you, Mommy." Another favorite question she asks when she sees someone yawn is, "You get up too early?"

Potty training is touch and go. As long as she has no diaper or pants on, Sydney's very good at remembering to sit on her potty when she needs to. It's the pulling pants down that needs some work. Here, she makes use of her potty as a piano bench. Or, maybe she needed some musical inspiration to get the pee-pee moving.

Well, it took much of the summer, but Sarah finally looks more like a toddler than an infant or baby. Once she was off the bottles and onto real food she began to put on weight and really fill out. One of the strangest physical changes in Sarah is that she went from having almost black hair from birth until she was about 10 or 11 months old, then suddenly it quickly turned so blonde that it's almost white in some places. I'm just waiting to see if it will darken. No one in our families has blonde hair.

Sarah's really trying to talk but we're a long way from really understanding her yet. She uses some sign language, which is very helpful. She says "Da Da" all the time. She doesn't say "Mommy" anymore for some reason. She tries to say "Sydney" and her most used word is "duck." Don't know why "duck" seems to be a frequently used word for her. She calls most animals "duck." However, her favorite animal sound is "ROAR." She roars for every animal sound. "Sarah, what does a dog say?" "ROAR!" "Sarah, what does a cow say?" "ROAR!"

2005-09-03T15:14:00.000-05:00

No Time Like The Present, Right?

Well, almost right. My dreams of marrying a wonderful man and then having two precious children have come true. I couldn't be happier. However, my dream of becoming (or trying to become) an accomplished photographer has yet to be realized. I've put this off for far too long now. I always had excuses...it's too expensive starting out, there's no financial security (unless I'm hugely successful, and even that would take time), I'm just not talented enough, I'm too old to start a new career. It's that last excuse that gives me my new-found motivation. If I think I'm too old now, just wait til I'm 45 or 50, then I'll surely feel too old to begin a new profession! My excuse of late has been, of course, "my children take up so much time," but I'm not even going to succomb to that rationale. So, hence the title of this post, "No time like the present" has prompted my current motivation.

I own 3 cameras and, believe it or not, if I'm too pursue this endeavor, I MUST have a new one! I'll keep checking the website of my favorite photo supply shop, B&H Photo, until I finally find a deal on a digital SLR that I can't pass up.

In the meantime, I'll spend my free-time (brief and minimal as it is these days) purusing sites of professional photographers in an attempt to improve my skills of composition and such. I'll post some of my favorite photographers' site links in the right-hand sidebar for the rest of you to view if you're interested. And, hopefully, my days of working as a video producer/editor will be helpful. I think I should also befriend some good photographers who won't mind sharing some tips and tricks of the trade with me. If I could just remember Chris' last name! Chris was the instructor of a black/white photo class I took MANY years ago in college. A very talented photographer who spent years as a freelancer for many reputable publications, Chris also proved to be a wonderful teacher. It was during this class that I stumbled upon the life and works of Dorthea Lange. Traveling the Dust Bowl during the Depression, Dorthea's photographs of the people she encounters depict in full detail the hardships endured during this time. One of her most notable photographs is "The Migrant Mother." Dorthea is an inspirational photographer AND an inspirational woman.

I'll continue to practice with my 3 mediocre cameras using Sydney and Sarah as my subjects.

2005-09-02T22:01:00.000-05:00

So Much To Be Thankful For...

1. We are healthy.
2. We have a home.
3. We have food.
4. We have all of our belongings.
5. We know where all of our family members are.

AND...

6. Tonight my girls are safely tucked away in their beds.

On the news this evening, I saw a scared and distraught woman standing outside somewhere in New Orleans holding her infant and saying she "needed bottles, milk, water or something" for her baby.

We are so blessed.

2005-08-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

Rub-a-dub-dub, two sisters in a tub...

2005-08-10T21:31:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the lazy days of summer.

We've had a summer packed with fun! Thanks to our playgroup, we're never at a loss for something to do! The picture above is from our trip to Beech Bend water park with some playgroup friends. We finished the day with icecream cones!

Sarah has been walking full-time for about 2 weeks and she's quite the pro! She's even mastered walking in the pool!

These days, Sydney has become Sarah's best friend. I found that out after Sydney went to spend the night with her Gramma Pewitt. Sarah was out-of-sorts the entire time Sydney was gone. Even I hadn't realized how much Sydney means to Sarah until now. Sarah wouldn't play like she usually does when Syd's here. She just cried, fussed, and whined. Now I know how much help it is to have Sydney around to entertain Sarah. Syd is such a good big sis. Whenever Sarah cries, Syd says, "You okay, you okay" and pats her on the back.

When Sydney began really talking last January, it's just been full-speed-ahead eversince. Her latest line is, "What you saying?" It's as if she always wants to make sure she hasn't missed out on a conversation. Sydney's been practicing her "potty" abilities "yike a big gir" as she says. And, she's been doing quite well.

Storytime has been a big hit with both girls. They just love the part where they get to sing songs. Sydney knows just about all the words to all the songs and Sarah's great with clapping and dancing. Sydney even listens to the story most of the time.

We finally got all but one Pewitt grandchild together for a snapshot. How we love to hang out with the cousins! Shaylin stayed with her mom and dad in Hawaii on this visit to Tennesse. We look forward to seeing her this Christmas!

On a sad note, our little friend Jack and his parents have moved all the way to Phoenix, Arizona. Jack was Sydney's FIRST best buddy. Even Sarah grew very fond of Jack. Sydney was also quite attached to Jack's mom, Elizabeth, (or Bubbis, as Sydney called her.) Whenever Sydney would pretend to be on the phone she would say, "I talkin' to Bubbis and Jack." Or, if we were in the car going somewhere she would ask, "Go see Bubbis and Jack?" We hope we'll see them again soon. We're sure going to miss Jack and Bubbis!

2005-07-25T14:19:00.000-05:00

"What happens on the mountain, stays on the mountain."

That was the catch phrase at this year's Beersheba Bash. Hosted by our friends the Hunters and the Whitfields, more than a hundred adults and kids gathered at the top of the mountain in Beersheba Springs. The crowd included such notables as Councilman, Adam Dread and Amy Marsalis of News Channel 5. Les jokingly said the party represented the "third-tier" of who's who in Nashville.

We all had loads of fun with activities such as swimming, hiking, horseshoes, and most of all, the "Pork Butt Roasting!" More than 30 pork butts (pictures of the "butts" to be posted later) were roasted all day on a fire pit along with bushels of fresh corn on the cob. To wash it all down, there was a handy beer truck with taps on the side, parked in the yard!

Throughout the day, we rode bikes around the tennis court,

played in the sand box,

and when we just couldn't stand the heat any longer, we went down to the river for a swim in the cool water that comes from a nearby cave.

The food was great...

And, for a little downtime, there were rocking chairs and checkerboard tables along the wrap-around porch. But, Sydney and I preferred lounging in the hammock.

With all the day's activities, Sydney and Sarah missed their naps and didn't get in bed until after 10:00. Now, most of us would sleep late after such a big day and late night. Oh no, not my girls. They were up the next morning at 5:15! So, we loaded up the car and headed home (missing out on the breakfast of eggs and left-over pork!)

We're all looking forward to next year's Bash!

2005-07-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

So, after months of procrastinating, I am now attempting to launch our web log. Until now, I've been keeping a hand-written journal of Sydney's and Sarah's childhood since their births. I guess you could call this "blog" my e-journal. Makes since, though. I mean, what a great way to not only keep up my weekly (or monthly) updates of the girls accomplishments and such, but I can also add pictures and share all of this with friends and family at the same time! Now, not EVERYone will be particularly interested in EVERY post I make, but I'll try to make it entertaining nonetheless.

I'll begin my first entry with a couple of recent photos of the girls. To date, Sydney has a vocabulary that increases exponentially on a daily basis. And, ususally her phrases and comments make us roll with laughter. When leaving a restaurant the other evening, she turned around facing the dining area of customers before we exited and said loudly "Bye everybody." I think a few people said "bye" back. Like most normal girls, Sydney is all about "shopping." Thing is, she relates shopping to wearing hats. Now, where she got that, we don't know. But, whenever she comes across a hat, she puts it on and says she's going to the "tore." When I ask her what she's going to get at the store, she ALWAYS replys, "Popsicles."

Sarah's favorite pasttime these days is sneaking up the stairs. And, boy, she's FAST! Sarah is no longer the quiet, mild-mannered and easy going baby girl she used to be. She has a tantrum that is unmatched by Sydney, believe it or not! When she gets mad...look out! Lately, I catch her in the backseat of the car taunting Sydney by acting like she's handing Syd a toy then, at the last second, she jerks it away and giggles. Sydney's days of being the KING and the BOSS are numbered!

Between these two little girls, my days encompass the full range of emotions. I often recall the scene from the Steve Martin movie, "Parenthood", where he compares his hectic life with 3 young children to a rollercoaster ride. Amid the craziness, chaos, and stress, you look back and realize how much fun it all really was.