Frogs and an Empty Lot

Here in the great state of Mississippi (most humid, rainy place EVER for the past 12 days or so) we have a variety of frogs. Riley even has a toad house and regularly encourages visitors to enter (ok, sometimes it's by force, but she's only 5 years old). We usually "check on them" each night (you know, turn down service, mints on pillows, mini bar, tiny shaped soaps wrapped in thin paper). This week we encountered a new species ON the front door! Yep, those little suckers (pun intended) were STUCK on the front door. They just hung out there and filled their little froggy bellies with little bugs that were helplessly attracted to the lamp I had turned on in the foyer. Go away from the light..... YIKES! Bugs and Kendra DO NOT mix. Riley has happily (yes, deep down I'm glad) adopted her Daddy's love for all things crawly, and this love of critters great and small has magnified since our move to the wilderness...I mean great state of Mississippi. About that vacant lot...
While we were brushing Riley's teeth one evening this week, she proudly pointed out that her 6 year molar on one side had almost entirely broken through the gum. I was wowed (b/c she hasn't complained and b/c I usually know when she has so much as a cuticle out of place). Once we enjoyed "viewing the molar" for a bit, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror and asked "how long do you think I'll have my empty lot". I asked her if her Daddy called her "space" an empty lot, and she said, "no, it's just what that empty space makes me think of." We've patiently waited on that little tooth to come in since July, and have been assured it will in its own time, but we've never referred to the "space" as an empty lot. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was channeling Junie B. Jones.

SUPER KID

My sweet mama had a pair of pajamas sent to me for Mother's Day this year. Check this place out! Well, little queenie had been envious of my jammies since their arrival. SO...when pajama day rolled around today at good 'ole Lewisburg Elementary she was prepared! Mine say, "SUPER MOM" (it goes to my head sometimes, really). Riley was thrilled to sport her new attire! What do you think?

There's No Place Like Home!

In honor of our weekend trek across the GREAT STATE OF TENNESSEE, I'll be blogging in orange! We had a fabulous visit at home with mom, dad, Jeff, and that sneaky Nannie and Grandaddy showed up too! We left Thursday evening after Mike got off of work and stopped on the other side of Nashville for the night. Riley loves hotels and quickly set about collecting the free soaps and shampoos once we were checked in. She got ready for bed and put a little cup of water on the nightstand and loved that "they give you a note pad and pen right here just in case you need to draw or write something". She was truly blown away when she realized the second notepad and pen on the "executive desk". Mike had a similar reaction to the complimentary breakfast bar, so a good time was had by all!

I miss this guy!

I've gotten used to missing this guy over the years. My "first" best friend.

This girl loves her Grammie and Poppy!

It was Grammie's birthday, so it was a great reason (not that we need one) to go home. I hadn't laid eyes on my sweet little mama in 7 weeks! That was a lifetime! We spent the afternoon and evening at home and even got in a little shopping Saturday morning before mom's birthday lunch. Mike took Riley to visit with Granny and Papa and she even got a bonus visit since Broc, Baylor, and Uncle Brian were there. It was so nice to spend a little time with mom! Dad, Mike and Riley met us for lunch at Puleo's. Yummy! We got back in time to cheer on the VOLS and Nannie and Grandaddy came in from NC to see us! We were so happy that they could visit! Riley kept everyone "entertained". I thought Grandaddy was going to never stop laughing at her. Mom, Dad and I shed many a tear when it was time for us to leave, but I was proud of myself for "drying it up" before we were out of west Knoxville. I couldn't think about them too much on the way home or my eyes got all watery. Mike and I had lots of "I can't believe we live in Mississippi" conversations on the way home. We're still in limbo with regard to the "why we've ended up here" question, but are also still confident that moving was the right thing to do for our little family. We don't know the future, but we do know that it will become clear in God's time, not ours. GULP...that's a tough pill to swallow while cryin' it out, saying goodbye, red eyed with your mom and dad in their driveway.

Reading Junie B. Jones to Nannie before bed.

Being silly with Poppy. She wore an Ole Miss shirt to "make him mad".

She set up a shoe store with a few pair she borrowed from Grammie.

Friday Night Lights

Give me a L....Give me a H....Give me a S.....LHS, LHS, LHS! GO LEWISBURG!

(Posing with "Pat" the Patriot)

Ok, more like, Give me a BREAK! Talk about a sure fire way to feel old. Have you been to a high school football game lately? So young, so much energy, so carefree! We experienced it firsthand this past Friday evening as we took in our first Lewisburg High School game. Riley was really excited, as this was her first official, not on TV game, and Mike and I were anxious to do a little PR out in the community. We found out that this is only their 2nd season with a football team b/c the Lewisburg "compound" is relatively new. It was homecoming and there were lots to see with regard to "high school culture". It was really surreal. Lots of things have changed, but lots of things have stayed the same! Riley enjoyed the game, cheerleaders, homecoming stuff at halftime, rolling down the bleachers (yep, took a nosedive down about 3 of them while chasing a PowerAde she got at the "confession stand"). Still can't believe she didn't even get a bruise. Just scared the life out of us (and tons of strangers). Nothing says, "hello new community" like your 5 year old flailing down the bleachers. I swear it was in slow motion and all you could see were arms, legs, and feet. After all a very valuable PowerAde was at stake...certainly couldn't be replaced with $2. GOOD GRIEF! So, not only did we age in that all those young, energetic high schoolers made us feel like our AARP cards were one stamp away; BUT our sweet daughter took 10 years off our lives with her stunt. Counting our blessings, we left at halftime and she was asleep before we arrived home (4 miles total).

If she yelled, "Go Lewisburg" once, she yelled it 100 times. Honestly! Ask the poor deaf guy that sat in front of us.

Kissin' Cousins

We were so lucky to be able to visit with Broc and Baylor while Granny and Papa were in town. We had a nice day and Riley and Broc bonded (if you call taking a tinkle outside bonding). Yep, my girl isn't gonna be "shown up" by a boy (least of all her younger cousin) and his ability to potty outside. Within 2 minutes of Broc utilizing the great outdoors as a potty, my girl had shucked her shorts and was ready to water God's vegetation. If you know me AT ALL, you know I had A FIT! It was too late to "stop the process" (you know once you start it's hard to stop), but that didn't keep me from freaking out. We had a serious talk once we were alone about what was and was not appropriate, and it has taken me a week to laugh about it (through gritted teeth) but the bottom line (pun intended) is that we're close to family and she'll get to do a little growing up with her cousins and for that blessing we are grateful! Our precious nephews are so adorable and really fun. They are so different from one another that hanging out with them is always eventful. Broc is always ready to play and makes everyone laugh and Baylor is more serious, but still generally wants to do whatever his big brother is doing. Riley likes to pull rank when she's with them and inforce the fact that she is older. That's a girl for ya!

There are a few pics of their time together over on the right! (Click on the box and they will enlarge in a new screen).

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

Oh, the fun she (Riley) had. She forgot what it was like to be able to monopolize our friend Patty's time with her crazy requests that Patty is always more than willing to accommodate. This visit was all about whatever "Miss Patty" was doing. If Patty wore tennis shoes on our walk, Riley wore tennis shoes. If Patty was drinking water, Riley was drinking water. We had a great visit and it made us sad (Riley cried and I felt like crying) when Patty had to leave. But, we managed to enjoy the time we had together. Riley got to play soccer for Patty, took her to eat at Red Robin and forced her to spend way too much time in the playroom with her! Patty and I went out around Memphis after the soccer game and left Riley and Mike watching UT's game. We found Kyle's future school and stopped by Sun Studios where Elvis cut his first record. We even drove by Graceland (my first drive by and Patty's second visit there). I showed her the Peabody Hotel and we went to Mud Island to see the row houses and scouted out apartments for Kyle. I've got a plan. He'll eat a "home cooked meal" with us once a week and Riley can tell her school friends about her adopted big brother Kyle. Once he is enrolled in dental school his mama will be out to visit lots (she's devoted that way). She will need some company on the ride out and Barbara will be too happy to ride shotgun! Right mama? See there are positives related to this move, they just keep showing up!

Showing Patty her soccer skills!

Isn't there some sad country song that goes, "I miss my friend..."? I'm singin' it while I'm blogging about our visit...great time, great laughs. I'm extending a "formal" invitation to all other friends...come out and see us, we love company!

A Star is Born!

Guess who was chosen as "Star Student" for the week?



She was really proud of her poster and couldn't wait to "explain" it to her class. Besides her pictures and stickers, her written information included her favorite color, sport, book, food, thing to do at home, thing to do at school and her "stats". She was so proud to write them herself (even though I made her do it twice...once a teacher, always a teacher). She insisted on putting a football on her poster b/c she has her yearly case of UT fever with the beginning of the season hype (due to her Daddy). I gave in since it technically is her assignment. We've got to fill the "Sharing Sack" later this week with things she holds dear so that she can share them with her classmates and I'm going to read to them on Friday. Is it weird that I'm SO into this? We love our little shining star!


A pic-filled post to come tomorrow. We spent a little time (not enough) with Patty this weekend and some with our sweet nephews as well!