Poopy Dance

Okay, so I'm sure you're curious about the title of this post!!! Well, you see, we've been trying (fairly UNsuccessfully) to get Katelyn to be completely potty trained. After all, she is 3 years old! But let me tell you - she can be so stubborn and so sneaky! She does a pretty good job about staying dry - it's just the whole poopy issue that's a problem. Evidently to her, pooping in your pull-up is much better than pooping on the potty!! About a month ago, we were really work hard on this potty training thing, and she was wearing big girl panties. We were getting ready to go to the gym one night to work out and we told the girls to go and potty and then go put their shoes & socks on. We tried desperately to convince Katelyn to poop on the potty before we left. She insisted she didn't need to poop! Katelyn also proceeds to tell us that she doesn't want to wear big girl panties, but instead wants to wear a pull-up. We told her no, she had to wear big girl panties. We thought that was the end of the discussion. We all got our shoes on and left. When we got to the gym, we took the girls to Kid City (childcare for kids whose parents are working out) and told the teachers that Katelyn had on big girl panties (translation - be prepared for an accident!). Robert & I went & worked out and about an hour later came back to pick up the girls. When we were signing them out, Rachel (being the big sister and head tattle-tale) told us that Katelyn pooped in her pants. We said "Katelyn - why did you poop in your big girl panties?" She then told us that she didn't poop in her panties - she pooped in her pull-up! Evidently, when she had gone to her room to put her shoes on, she had also changed out of her big girl panties and into her pull-up because she thought she could poop in her pull-up at Kid City and we'd never know! Pretty sneaky, huh? Anyway, she got caught!

That's just one small glimpse into our poopy training ordeal!! During the past 2 weeks though, we have seen some progress!!! Katelyn has actually pooped in the potty several times the past 2 weeks!! YEAH!!! She also decided on a couple of occasions that pooping on the potty is over-rated, and she just made a mess in her big girl panties. BUT, maybe we're almost through with this whole potty training thing! I'm about tired of buying diapers/pull-ups!! We've been buying some kind of diapers or pull-ups since 2001!

Anyway, back to the title of today's entry. When Katelyn does have success with pooping on the potty, we all celebrate! Robert, Rachel, and I all do the poopy dance for Katelyn while singing/shouting "YEAH Katelyn - she poo-pooped on the potty!" Don't you wish you could be a fly on our wall?!?!?!?!? HaHa!!!

Tennis Anyone?

Most of the time, my posts will probably be about the girls. However, I thought I'd take a moment and share a little about one of mine & Robert's favorite hobbies - TENNIS!!!

Robert & I joined a fitness/tennis club last October with the primary purpose of finding people to play tennis with. This past spring, Robert played on a men's team and I played on a women's team. Robert's team won the local division and advanced to the state tournament, where they proceeded to win the state! They then headed to Charleston to compete in the sectional tournament, which consisted of the winners of 9 of the southeastern states. Robert's team was 3-1, and only one match away from playing for a chance to go to Hawaii!! He did really well!

My women's team came in second in our local league, and received a wildcard invitation to the state tournament! So I got to go to the state tournament too! My team didn't do so well there, so that was the end of our road!

This summer we played on a mixed team too, but because of our ratings, we couldn't play together. For those of you non-tennis folks, we have ratings based on our ability. Robert is a 4.0 and I'm a 3.5. The mixed league we played in was for a man and woman whose ratings added together equal 7.0 or less. So since ours added together is 7.5, we had to play with other partners. It wasn't that fun, and our team came in 2nd in the local league.

This summer I also played on a women's interclub team, which basically just means teams from the area clubs travel around and play each other. Because of childcare issues, I wasn't able to play very many matches because the matches were during the day.

Now, fall interclub has started up, and it falls on a day that both Rachel & Katelyn are in school, so I'm able to play! So far, we've had 3 matches and my partner and I have won all 3! Yeah! Tomorrow we play the first placed team, and my partner can't play tomorrow, so it'll be interesting!

Now we're getting ready for fall tennis. Robert's playing on a men's team, and it looks like they'll be going straight to the state tournament since there's not another local team at their level. I'm playing on three different women's teams! I guess I'll get some exercise in over the next few months!

Robert & I have also played in some tournaments this year. We haven't played in any mixed tournaments just because it's too hard trying to find someone to keep the girls. So we've mainly been taking turns playing in tournaments. He'll play in one, and then I'll play in the next one. It's been fun, and has definitely helped my tennis game.

I've included a couple of pictures of Robert playing tennis. I don't have any pictures of me playing tennis. Some of you would probably faint if you saw a picture of me playing tennis now because (hold on - are you sitting down?) I have started wearing tennis skirts when I play!!!!

I guess you are bored with all my tennis talk, so I'll quit and do some work!

Who you gonna call? GOALBUSTERS!!!

This past Saturday was Rachel's first soccer game of the season. Her team is called GOALBUSTERS - thus the title for today's entry! This is her 2nd year playing UPWARD soccer at church, and she really enjoys it! She was so excited on Saturday because she scored 3 goals! In her division, they don't officially keep score, but it was fairly obvious that the other team beat us. But Rachel had fun! Robert & I have about decided that as much as she enjoys scoring, she's really more of a defensive player. She would run down and try to get in front of the opposing players when they had the ball trying to score. I guess she would prefer playing goalie, although they don't really have a goalie at this level.

I really like the second picture of Rachel kicking the ball. She's actually got both feet off of the ground! I'd be lying if I said that was the shot I was trying to get. I was actually trying to get a shot of her kicking the ball - you know, with her foot making contact with the ball. Oh well, sometimes the best pictures are the ones that you think are the mess-ups!

Katelyn really wants to play soccer too, but she's still too young. Next fall will be her chance! Of course, even though she'll be old enough, she'll probably still look too little to be playing!


 

Pictures from Last Sunday

Here are some pictures from last Sunday that I just wanted to share with you. I love the one of Robert with the girls! It's such a good picture! You can tell that they are "Daddy's Girls!"









The next picture is of Rachel & Katelyn being sweet to each other and acting like they like each other! Most of the time they get along pretty well, but there are times when they get on each other's nerves. Guess I got this picture on a good day!!







The third picture is of Rachel posing in her new outfit, and holding her new Bible. She was so excited about wearing her outfit! I asked her if she wanted me to hold her Bible for her while we took pictures, but she wanted to hold it herself!




This last picture is of Katelyn. She really isn't posing - she's actually trying to twirl! Her opinion of whether she likes a dress or not is based solely upon whether it's a "spinning dress" or not! If it doesn't spin & twirl, she doesn't like it! It doesn't matter whether it's pretty, fits well, etc. It's all about the spinning!

Party Girl

Last week-end was Rachel's 5th birthday, and we celebrated with two parties! Friday night we had a party with her friends and their families. It wasn't anything elaborate - just a backyard pizza party. But I've had more people tell me how much fun they had! The kids played on the playset and ran around the yard, while the adults sat on the patio and enjoyed some adult conversation. We had said on the invitation that the party was 5-7, but everyone was enjoying themselves so much that the party lasted til the darkness made us call it a night! It was a good night - perfect weather, good pizza, lots of friends, no kids got into a fight, and no kids got hurt!


On Saturday we had a party with family. We had planned to have a pool party at Mamaw & Papaw's house, but the weather turned cool towards the end of the week, so we just decided to have it here at our house and play outside. We grilled burgers and had a fun kickball game! Mamaw made a great play at first base! Wish I had captured that on video! Anyway, just the fact that Mamaw (my mom) was able to be out there playing is such a miracle! Just a few short months ago she was sick and the doctors really couldn't explain it. She lost a lot of weight and pretty much wasn't able to get out unless she was going to a doctor's appointment. Her doctors even sent her to the Mayo Clinic back in March to try to find out what was wrong. Now she's back to her old self - even making a diving catch at first base!!


Last Sunday was Rachel's actual birthday, so we celebrated a little here before heading to church, and then we took cupcakes to share with her friends in her Sunday School class. This last picture is before we headed to church with Rachel wearing one of her cool new outfits - thanks Mamaw! Doesn't she look so grown up?

1910-2006: A Good Life

This morning we lost a sweet lady. My Mamaw passed away early this morning and is now celebrating in heaven and reuniting with my Papaw. This picture was taken last year on her 95th birthday. I have many wonderful memories of my Mamaw that will last forever. She could make the BEST red ribbon cake ever! No one could even come close. And she was very intelligent. If you gave her a word, she could immediately tell you how many syllables it had and then spell it forwards AND backwards for you! How many of you can do that? And she was still doing that up until a few months ago!!! She was also an excellent Scrabble player. She knew all sorts of words that you've never heard of, but sure can rack up a lot of points in Scrabble!! She had a quick wit too. Just recently two of her children were helping her, and she made the comment "I sure do have two of the nicest kids." The two that were there helping her were touched by her comment and said "Thanks Mother." To that she replied "I didn't say which two kids!!!!" How funny!! She was truly a remarkable lady and if you had the chance to meet her you were blessed! We're sad at losing her, but we know she's in a better place now. 96 years is a long time to spend here on earth. Thanks God, for my Mamaw!

Summer Fun (Part 3 - Swimming Sisters)

This summer we were able to spend quite a bit of time swimming at Mamaw & Papaw's pool (my parents). The girls love being in the water and have become little fish!

Rachel has really come a long way this summer! She has improved her swimming and we can basically just sit on the side and watch her swim wherever she wants to in the pool - shallow end or deep end. She even learned to dive this summer! She's a pretty good diver, if I do say so myself!! And she can dive off the diving board with no problems! If she dives too deep, it does seem to hurt her sinuses, but she seems to be a natural in the water. Who knows - next year she may be doing flips off of the board!!!


Katelyn has done well this summer too! She still prefers to swim with her floaties on, but she can swim for small distances without any floaties. She too has been working on her diving! Maybe next year she'll be able to stand up in the shallow end!

Summer Fun (Part 2 - Dollywood Highlights)

One of the fun things that the girls got to do this summer was to go to Dollywood. I went with them a couple of times, and Mamaw & Papaw took them once. Rachel even got to go to KidsFest with Mamaw before school started. The girls really enjoy the rides!

Rachel has graduated to some of the bigger rides, but I didn't have good pictures of those. Katelyn's all-time favorite is the carousel, but the flying elephants are her second favorite! Rachel likes the bumper cars and the VeggieTales roller coaster.

Stay tuned for Summer Fun (Part 3 - Swimming Sisters)