We found out that Aunt Renay was making a trip to NC to visit family. Figuring that a 4 hr trip to Hickory was shorter than an 8+ hr trip to Orlando, we took a weekend and drove up to see her. Had a great time visiting with her on Saturday afternoon and then went to dinner with 40+ Houston/Hunt clan members. The girls could not believe they had that many "cousins!"
Author: Lois Houston
Birthday celebrations in Savannah
Labor Day Weekend
Labor Day weekend was spent hanging out with some great friends, the Stones. We took a short overnight trip to Chattanooga and crammed as much in as we could. Lookout Mountain, the Aquariums, IMAX, the Children’s Museum… you name it, we did it!
We had a fantastic time and are so lucky to have such good friends to travel with. Now we have to plan our next adventure!
Labor Day Weekend
Labor Day weekend was spent hanging out with some great friends, the Stones. We took a short overnight trip to Chattanooga and crammed as much in as we could. Lookout Mountain, the Aquariums, IMAX, the Children's Museum… you name it, we did it!
We had a fantastic time and are so lucky to have such good friends to travel with. Now we have to plan our next adventure!
Birthday celebrations in Savannah
First Day of School
There’s nothing like the first day of school to bring on waves of nostalgia. Especially when everyone at the school makes such noise about how big your girls are getting to be! They love it, of course, because it validates that they are growing and getting big. I hate it and love it. I’m proud of my girls – I’m bursting with pride at their accomplishments and the fact that they are growing into such lovely ladies. I hate it, though, because it reminds me that they are growing up and that soon they won’t need their mommy like they do now. I know it’s my job – to help them become independent ladies – but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
So, this morning, Mary B decides I don’t need to walk her in to school. She is big now and just wants to ride in the carpool lane. I am surprised and a little sad when she makes the announcement. I mean, I knew this would come one day, but I was really hoping to make it to, say, college, before this happened. Seriously, though, what a big girl she was… all puffed up with excitement and ready to bound out of the car and on to her newest adventure. As I watched her race into the building without even a backward glance, I had to think my baby bird has flown the nest.
Fast forward about 2 minutes and I’m walking Little Bit into school. Quite the different story. Suddenly, she has developed tentacles and I have this junior-sized Octopus hanging on my leg. She speaks politely to the administrators, telling them good morning and thanking them for their compliments on her new haircut. But, she does all of this with an iron grip on my leg.
We walk to her classroom and greet her friends and teachers. All the while, she’s decided that she wants me to stay at school with her – ALL DAY. Uh, well, I don’t think that’ll work. So, in the space of less than 10 minutes I go from being wistful and longing for the days when MB needed me to walk her in to school to trying to extricate myself from a pint-sized octopus who has decided I need to repeat Pre-K! Isn’t life ironic!
All in all, it was a great first day. I am not really sure who was the more excited. Me or the girls.
Now, we just have to make it through the next nine months!
First Day of School
So, this morning, Mary B decides I don't need to walk her in to school. She is big now and just wants to ride in the carpool lane. I am surprised and a little sad when she makes the announcement. I mean, I knew this would come one day, but I was really hoping to make it to, say, college, before this happened. Seriously, though, what a big girl she was… all puffed up with excitement and ready to bound out of the car and on to her newest adventure. As I watched her race into the building without even a backward glance, I had to think my baby bird has flown the nest.
Fast forward about 2 minutes and I'm walking Little Bit into school. Quite the different story. Suddenly, she has developed tentacles and I have this junior-sized Octopus hanging on my leg. She speaks politely to the administrators, telling them good morning and thanking them for their compliments on her new haircut. But, she does all of this with an iron grip on my leg.
We walk to her classroom and greet her friends and teachers. All the while, she's decided that she wants me to stay at school with her – ALL DAY. Uh, well, I don't think that'll work. So, in the space of less than 10 minutes I go from being wistful and longing for the days when MB needed me to walk her in to school to trying to extricate myself from a pint-sized octopus who has decided I need to repeat Pre-K! Isn't life ironic!
All in all, it was a great first day. I am not really sure who was the more excited. Me or the girls.
Now, we just have to make it through the next nine months!
Family Fun
We visited Savannah a couple weekends ago – our last “fling” before the start of school.
Friday night, we had dinner with Mike & Heather and the girls. They came back to Mom’s to visit for a while…
Saturday morning we did some last minute back-to-school shopping.
Then the girls and Rob went to see his family on Saturday afternoon and had a blast.
They went swimming, had a cook out and really enjoyed themselves with the family. The girls always love seeing the cousins and hanging out with them. And, the best part was they got to stay up late because Momma wasn’t there to enforce bedtimes! (I was at Mom’s)
Family Fun
We visited Savannah a couple weekends ago – our last "fling" before the start of school.
Friday night, we had dinner with Mike & Heather and the girls. They came back to Mom's to visit for a while…
Saturday morning we did some last minute back-to-school shopping.
Then the girls and Rob went to see his family on Saturday afternoon and had a blast. They went swimming, had a cook out and really enjoyed themselves with the family. The girls always love seeing the cousins and hanging out with them. And, the best part was they got to stay up late because Momma wasn't there to enforce bedtimes! (I was at Mom's)
It’s nice to be appreciated
Recently, I was honored at work with an award. I was very surprised and very pleased at the recognition by my peers and management. Earlier today, a colleague mentioned to me that his manager told him how much he was appreciated and acknowledged the hard work and long hours he has put in lately.
He was on Cloud 9, just like I was.
Isn’t it awesome, how you can have such a dramatic effect on someone based on what you say? Some basic courtesies like “Thank You,” or “we appreciate you” go such a long way. And not just at work, either. I have been trying lately to seek out opportunities to praise my kids – to recognize their accomplishments, no matter how small, and to celebrate them.
It’s been so much fun to watch them as they swell with pride and pleasure at being recognized.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like parenting is a thankless job. And, I don’t expect thanks, mind you, but some days I feel like the never-ending tasks just wear me down. It’s nice to stop, focus on making someone feel good, and then go on. My whole day is better… and I’m not even the one being complimented!

