A Trip to the Library - Slideshow

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Who needs a double stroller!?

Bella has discovered that she can fit into the basket on our stroller! When we are out walking, if she gets tired - she will climb in and ride for a bit!

Yummy Snack

We typically have snack time in the morning and again after they wake up from their naps. On Tuesday, I made doughnuts for Bella (fried canned biscuits). I know it isn't a "healthy" snack - but sometimes snacks should just be fun! We topped the doughnuts with some green buttercream icing - yum yum!!!

How does she sleep like that!

Well, it happened again! When Brooklyn woke up this morning a little before 6 am, I snuck a little peek at Bella, only to find her sleeping like this!!! I don't know for how much of the night she slept like this, but it was probably a good portion of the night.

The girls love to play in their rooms, especially Bella's (that's where most of the toys and books are)! Just a few pictures of them playing from Saturday!

I'm not sure how well you can tell in this picture! But after Brooklyn's bath on Saturday, she had the "fluffiest" hair...It quickly flattened out when she slept on it!

A nice story

I thought this was a nice forward.....
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I just wanted to get the day over with and go down to Smokey's for a few cold ones. Sneaking a look at my watch, I saw the time, 1655. Five minutes to go before the cemetery gates are closed for the day. Full dress was hot in the August sun. Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever --the heat and humidity at the same level -- both too high.

I saw the car pull into the drive, '69 or '70 model Cadillac Deville, looked factory-new. It pulled into the parking lot at a snail's pace An old woman got out so slow I thought she was paralyzed.
She had a cane and a sheaf of flowers, about four or five bunches as best I could tell. I couldn't help myself. The thought came unwanted, and left a slightly bitter taste:

"She's going to spend an hour, and for this old soldier my hip hurts like hell and I'm ready to get out of here right now!" But for this day my duty was to assist anyone coming in. Kevin would lock the "In" gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along , we might make the last half of happy hour at Smokey's.

I broke Post Attention. My hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch. I must have made a real military sight; middle-aged man with a small pot-gut and half a limp, in Marine Full Dress Uniform, which had lost its razor crease about 30 minutes after I began the watch at the cemetery.

I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk. She looked up at me with an old woman's squint. "Ma'am may I assist you in any way?"

She took long enough to answer. "Yes, son. Can you carry these flowers? I seem to be moving a tad slow these days."

"My pleasure Ma'am." Well, it wasn't too much of a lie.

She looked again. "Marine, where were you stationed?"

" Vietnam , Ma'am. Ground-pounder. '69 to '71."

She looked at me closer. "Wounded in action, I see. Well done, Marine I'll be as quick as I can."

I lied a little bigger "No hurry, Ma'am."

She smiled, and winked at me. "Son, I'm 85-years old and I can tell a lie from a long way off. Let's get this done. Might be the last time I can do this.

My name's Joanne Wieserman, and I've a few Marines I'd like to see one more time."

"Yes, Ma'am. At your service."

She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone. She picked one of the bunches out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone. She murmured something I couldn't quite make out.
The name on the marble was Donald S. Davidson, USMC, France 1918.

She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone. I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek.

She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X. Davidson, USMC, 1943.

She went up the row a ways and laid another bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman USMC , 1944.

She paused for a second, "Two more, son, and we'll be done." I almost didn't say anything, but, "Yes, Ma'am. Take your time." She looked confused. "Where's the Vietnam section, son?
I seem to have lost my way." I pointed with my chin. "That way, Ma'am." "Oh!" she chuckled quietly. "Son, me and old age ain't too friendly."

She headed down the walk I'd pointed at. She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted. She placed a bunch on Larry Wieserman USMC, 1968, and the last on Darrel Wieserman USMC, 1970.

She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn't make out. "OK, son , I'm finished.
Get me back to my car and you can go home." "Yes, Ma'am. If I may ask, were those your kinfolk ?"

She paused.

"Yes, Donald Davidson was my father; Stephen was my uncle; Stanley was my husband; Larry and Darrel were our sons. All killed in action, all Marines."

She stopped, whether she had finished, or couldn't finish, I don't know. She made her way to her car, slowly, and painfully.

I waited for a polite distance to come between us and then double-timed it over to Kevin waiting by the car. "Get to the "Out"-gate quick. I have something I've got to do."

Kevin started to say something but saw the look I gave him. He broke the rules to get us there down the service road. We beat her. She hadn't made it around the rotunda yet.

"Kevin, stand to attention next to the gate post. Follow my lead." I humped it across the drive to the other post.

When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny's voice: "TehenHut! Present Haaaarms!"

I have to hand it to Kevin, he never blinked an eye; full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud. She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing Duty, Honor and Sacrifice.

I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.

Instead of "The End"....just think of "Taps".

As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer:

"Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or over seas. Hold them in Your loving hands and protect them as they protect us."

Let's all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before, in our thoughts. They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy.

A Hard Day

Brooklyn did not nap well today and this is what happened after she ate her supper! She slept like this for almost an hour!

Brooklyn and Chairs

Brooklyn is not walking unassisted yet, but she can walk behind anything that moves! She loves to push the chairs around!

Devil in Training

I think that Brooklyn is a little instigator! Bella will just walk by her and Brooklyn will start crying, which results in one of us asking Bella "what did you do to Brooklyn"...

The girls and I were getting ready to eat supper tonight and I had put Bella in her chair, but hadn't strapped her in, and I walked off for just a second and came back to find Bella literally hanging off the side of the table and Brooklyn just a giggling as she is pushing Bella's chair away from the table! Brooklyn was quite proud of herself as you can see, but Bella was not so happy about the situation.

By the time I got the camera, Bella had managed to secure herself on top of the table!

We caught a rat.....a 23 pound one!

We were over at Bella's Nana and PawPaw's house (Brannon's dad and his wife) and Bella had climbed behind the TV and I heard her kicking something and we went to see what she was kicking and she was "stuck" on a mouse trap - one of those sticky ones! Luckily, they are not poisonous because it was on her hand, her leg and foot and obviously all over her one shoe! I still haven't gotten it off her shoe! The presence of rodents is one part of the country (of many) that I don't think I will ever get used to! We haven't had any at our house (at least that I have seen) and I'm hoping it stays that way!!! I know there are snakes and such out right now and we live across the street from an overgrown field, so...I'm not looking forward to such visitors! I didn't have the camera with me as we had walked down there, so no picture evidence of the rat trapping, but here is a picture of her being silly and playing with one of my kitchen rags!

Roll Tide!

Roll Tide - A Gene Stallings Story

I got this in an email the other day and thought it was definitely worth posting. Even if you aren't an Alabama Fan, I think you will have a chuckle! Roll Tide!

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Talking about life recently, former Alabama head football coach Gene Stallings told the following story regarding his love and relationship with his son, John Mark, who has Down's Syndrome.

"John Mark loves Alabama more than anyone alive. When I go to bed at night I hear Eli Gold in my sleep. When I get up in the morning, he usually is watching an Alabama game. Several weeks ago I saw him watching a copy of the 92' National Championship game. My heart swelled with pride knowing I was a part of something he cares so much about. Later that evening, we were skipping rocks on a creek at our ranch when I realized what a special moment this was. How blessed am I to have such a special relationship with my boy. I reached down and scrubbed his head and said 'Son, who is your favorite Alabama coach?' He looked at me with no hesitation and replied 'Nick Sab an'. Roll Tide, John Mark, Roll Tide!"

Poor Brooklyn

We have a Leap Frog "learning" table that Bella loved and Brooklyn also likes it a lot! Well, as you can see in the above picture, the table must have attacked Brooklyn and wouldn't let her loose! Of course, I had to take a picture before "rescuing" her from the table's grip!

Caught Ya!

The girls really play well together, most of the time. Each of their rooms has toys in it and there are a select few toys in the living room. It just keeps the house a bit less cluttered to have toys in their rooms - they can bring them into the living room whenever they want. Well - Bella's room has the most toys in it and I thought I had "hidden" some of the toys in the closet...We do not have doors on our closets - but I have hung curtains to close them off. The girls (presumably Brooklyn) pulled the curtain and rod down from Bella's closet and proceeded to "find" all the toys I thought I had hidden!

Brooklyn and the Microwave Cart

I have a microwave cart in my kitchen and it has two shelves on it. Well, the shelves cannot really be used for storage because the girls would constantly be taking everything off of the shelves, so they are just empty.

Brooklyn thinks that these shelves are good for climbing into!

Look at me - I got up here all by myself!










I just have to take it slow to get out of here. One hand at a time should do it!







Now both hands.








Look at me! I got down from there all by myself!

More sleeping pictures....

I am constantly checking on Bella now that she isn't in a crib. Somestimes at naptime, I will hear the clanking (is that a word?) of her tea set, so I will go into her room to find her sitting on her bed having "nap time tea"!!! She will eventually go to sleep and take a nice nap. I was checking on her the other night and this is what I found!!!

A few nights after we had moved in - I think it was the second or third night we were here, I had gotten up with Brooklyn and checked in on Bella and it looked like she had stood up in front of her bed and fell over at the waist. I wish I had gotten a picture of it, but it was 3:30 in the morning!

Brannon's Office

Here are some pictures of Brannon's office. It is a brand new building, so he got to choose the build out of the inside. He has a waiting room, a receptionist's room, two adjusting rooms, an office, an x-ray room and darkroom, an area with a sink and then a bathroom. It is about 900 square feet (give or take). I don't have any pictures of the completed inside.

He is an officially licensed Chiropractor in the State of Alabama. He opened his office this past Monday. Things are a little on the slow side - but it takes time for people to know that we are open. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers that everything goes well for us!

Sleeping Beauty

Just a picture of Brooklyn sleeping....It amazes me that they have a big bed to sleep in and they curl up right next to the edge of the crib.

We want to go outside!

Just a cute photo of the girls standing at their Nana and Pop's back door looking outside!

Bella's Nightgown

Bella is really in to Cinderella right now - she loves the movie (mostly Cinderella III) and is constantly asking for "La"..I saw this nightgown at Wal-Mart and showed it to her and she wouldn't let of it. So...she slept in it that night and refused to take it off the next day (hence why you see her in shoes while still in her nightgown in the picture). She wore it all day until it was bath time. I have to limit the use of this nightgown because she insists on wearing it all the next day each time she wears it!

A proper little girl's room

We are finally getting settled into our house and here is a picture of Bella's room. She is no longer in a crib, but in a toddler bed! The first night in the house was a bit rough as she ended up sleeping in bed with us (which she has never done), but since then she has napped during the day and slept in her own bed great!

Of course the room doesn't look like this anymore - it is now cluttered with a million toys!

Would someone please buy these girls some toys....

Really please don't!!! All the toys they have and I empty a diaper box and they think that is the greatest thing in the world! Bella started climbing in the box and after she would sit down, she pat the bottom of the box and say "Brook" meaning she wanted Brooklyn to get in the box with her!

Cute Photo

Just some cute shots of Bella! Bella likes to put a bow in her hair in the morning when we are getting dressed, but she won't leave them in her hair and she usually pulls them out within the hour. I was trying to get pictures of her before she ripped the pig tails out of her hair!