Lean In

A Cool Little Local Place..

One of my friend's friends (did that make sense?) opened this place in Peachtree City called Linda's Playhouse..it's actually in the house that used to be the scrapbook store where I was on the design team for..anyways, apparently Melissa's Aunt was an artist and philanthropist and at her death, she left Melissa some money to open a children's museum...and she did..I had never been there before until our preschool group had a gathering there last month..the kids LOVED it..Bailey has been asking to go back since we went..they have all types of play areas, an art area, a dress up area, a tea party area, etc etc..and it's only $5 a kid to play the whole time..no charge for parents..the first time we went, the kids played for a good two hours while the Moms sat and talked and talked..my kind of place..

Well, a few of us from Chaz's old preK class still like to get together from time to time ...and today we hit the "Playhouse" cause Waffle House was coming and bringing waffles for the kids to decorate..fun fun..my kids LOVE Waffle House Waffles..apparently Poppie and Nannie take them there sometimes..

First, they played for awhile..

The tea party area is quite popular with the girls..

It was a packed house today..This is the "art area"..but they used it for the waffle decorating today..

Our table..notice some are still in dress up clothes..lol..

Before..

there were tons more things they could add to their waffles..

Megan STILL claims she is going to marry Chaz one day..lol..

C'mon Brookie, where's your smile? lol..she has to warm up a bit..

The "twins"..still can't tell them apart..Tristan and Blake..

Let the fun begin!

The "Waffle House Lady" was SOOO nice and fun..You could tell she just loved kids!

OH YEAH...

and then we went to McDonald's and ate lunch and then the kids ran like crazy people on the playground..

Here are some pics from the first time we went...

So, if you're local and needing something to keep your kids occupied for a bit, check it out..and I believe they have WiFi..so bring your laptop too! 

Excited about sharing this!

My Mom called me last week and was like "um, did you know one of the pictures you took of that Susan lady and her son is in the current issue of Fayette Woman Magazine"?...Well, I know Susan had submitted it with an article she wrote, but I had no idea it would be coming out so soon..or be printed so BIG! Super proud of this..! My first publication! Even though the credit is microscopic..lol

This is the issue it is in, fyi, if you live in the area..

Thanks for letting me share...I feel sorta "official" now..lol..

Happy Sunday!

I detest having doctor's appointments...

I'm on my way to the eye doctor for my yearly freakin' exam..since I wear contacts, I have to have my eyes examined EVERY YEAR before they will give me a new prescription..not sure why I hate appointments so much, but I do..and at the eye doctor (if you are so fortunate to have normal eyesight and have never been) they like to do this test that blows a puff of air into each eye..HATE THAT TEST..the anticipation kills me..sometimes, I even refuse to have it done, because being a nurse, I know that I have the right to refuse things...HA..so I'm contemplating refusing today..just cause..it tests for glaucoma or something..

This year I have GOT to get some new glasses to have as backup..the ones I have now are YEARS old, scratched, crooked, old prescription..it's time..looking forward to getting something cute that I might actually wear out in public..

So, that's my excitement for the day..got tons done on my disney album last night and this morning since the kids have been at my parents..they'll be home around 4 this afternoon..I miss them..it's so quiet without them here, but I have enjoyed my "peace and quiet" as Bailey likes to copy me saying..

It feels like forever...

...since I've scrapbooked! Finally finished up two..yay..

Camping last summer with my sister in law and brother in law..my parents came down and spent the day..I cut the tree with my Cricut using the Graphically Speaking cartridge..LOVE that tree..Made two different collages in Picasa and then mounted them on a piece of white paper and filled in the middle with the yellow..printed the journaling on a transparency..at Hobby Lobby, they carry this transparency paper that is adhesive backed..it rocks, but is kind of expensive for only like 6-8 sheets..definitely use your 40% off coupon to buy this, but it is so easy to use for journaling!

and then just some swimming pictures..my kids LOVE the water..used some of my Citronella by K&Company die cuts that I've been dying to use..

I MUST give a shout out to my parents, who are keeping the kids for TWO days..just 'cause..so I'm trying to get caught up on some things...fun things mainly...not like cleaning or anything..lol..THANK YOU Nannie and Poppie! My main goal is to work on my Disney album..lordy, it's taking me forever to get that done..picked up the new Creating Keepsakes today at Barnes and Noble..good issue with lots of travel photo inspiration..and I must give another shout out to my friend Laura Vegas, whose scrap space is featured this month..go Laura!

Brad and I are about to have one of our favorite dinners..salad and loaded baked potatoes..

I'm not sure you could look at these without smiling..

I photographed "Baby Charlotte" the Friday before we left for Florida..so I've run a little behind getting them edited..but they are done now..I cracked up the whole time I was editing them because see, Charlotte is not a huge fan of the camera, and she has this new favorite scrunched up face she makes that looks a lot like this..which her Mom does not find amusing..and there like 100 with this face in varying degrees..

However, I did catch some cute ones in between here and there..Just look at that one year goodness..rolls of baby fat, four little teeth, new found freedom with walking..ahhh..One year olds are my favorite age..

Clapping made her happy...for a minute..she's a tough one, that Charlotte..

Ummm, we were losing her, so we started singing "I'm a little teapot"..THAT made her happy..she knows the motions and all, but it wasn't quite what we were looking for for a picture..but oh so funny..

Itsy Bitsy Spider...

and oh, she was all smiles once Mommy was holding her..  :)

By the way, Charlotte is going to be a big sister at the beginning of next year..yep, there's another bun in the oven for the Heavin's..

Also, Jenn's aunt has the MOST beautiful home where we did these pictures..just picture a lakeside lot, a beautiful patio with stacked stone stairs and raised planters, a fireplace, an infinity pool with fountains..on and on..uh huh, so if you're thinking of having me do some family pictures in the Fall for Christmas cards, THIS may be a great place..I'm dying to photograph a family with a roaring fire in the outdoor fireplace in the background..cozy!

Do you know how happy it makes me...

that I can get the kids to sit and let me take a picture of them TOGETHER..happy and smiling? VERY happy!

They looked cute for church yesterday, so snapped a few afterwards..Saturday, they were just in their bathing suits all day..and you know I have to have my cute 4th of July pictures..

(I have this walkway between my house and the detached garage that gets the best light..and Bailey can even keep her eyes open for pictures..her eyes are usually so sensitive to bright light)

Alrighty, got to get Baby Charlotte's 1 year old pictures edited..have a fun day! There may be a layout posted too in the next day or so for the first time in forever!

Also, plans are underway for our Fall scrapbooking retreat (the same place we went in May)..it will be the second weekend of October..if anyone is interested in going, let me know! I've already recruited Baileys' BFF's Mom, Wendy, to go..excited about that!(..umm, Cynthia? don't you want to go girl???)

Our 4th looked something like this...

(click to see larger)

Cookout by the lake, out on the pontoon for some jumping and swimming, back to shore to chill and relax, Bailey ate about 20 cookies and about a pound of watermelon, Mimi drank WAY too many Diet Cokes, some ladderball..and I ate almost a whole bag of salt and vinegar pork skins..is that gross or what? but DANG, those things were GOOD (right, Cici?)..lol..

Came home, got the kids washed and in bed, and then Brad and I chilled on the driveway with a few "beverages" and listened/watched the insane fireworks someone behind our subdivision shoots off every year, mixed in with a few gun shots, I swear..these are NO SMALL fireworks people..can't figure out who or where it's coming from..was a little disappointed we didn't get to go to Peachtree City for the mack daddy firework show, but if you're on Facebook, my mom posted a really good video of them..lol..

Hope yours was a good one!

Happy Fourth of July...!

Can you believe it is July already? Geeez...time flies..I thought I'd go back and pull some of my most favorite pictures of the kids over the years on the 4th...love my 4th of July pictures...

Chaz 2003: 7 1/2 months old

Bailey 2006: 1 year, 4 months

Chaz 2006: 3 years old

The kids 2007

I love the 4th of July so much..it's one of my favorite holidays..love the red, white, and blue, the flags, the atmosphere, the fireworks, the food, the fun..

We're going to the lake for the day to meet my sis and bro in law at their campsite, along with Mimi and Papa, to cook out, go out on the pontoon, do some swimming, and celebrate!

Have fun everyone!

We've been busy...

Whew! Made it through VBS, and now, just have to work tomorrow, then to the lake for the day on Saturday with Brad's family, then next week, we can relax a little..this week has felt a little insane..I am the type of girl that has to have some down time...I am not one to be on the go constantly..and when I am, it stresses me out..I miss having some creative time, I need to edit baby Charlotte's pictures, I want to fool with my new toy (my Silhouette), etc...it's just how I roll...

So, here are some pics from VBS and my wild little crew I was in charge of..I have to admit, I felt a little sad today when I hugged them all goodbye..it felt like the last day of camp or something...

I hate that this is blurry, but I handed my camera off to my little teenage helper and this is what happened..oh well..

See the girl in the back? That's Alexis and she was one of my assistant crew leaders..thank you Lord for her! She was a huge help..and so mature for an uprising 7th grader! and see that little boy in the front with the blue shirt? I thought Chaz had some energy, but holy cow..that little guy kept us on our toes..he wore me out..but isn't he cute? and that little blond girl next to him? LOVE her! and the dark headed little boy right in front of me? uggh, LOVED him too..such a sweetheart..that boy knows his Bible stories..holy cow, he knows more than me..oh heck, and the dark headed girl in front of me..she was my big helper too..really good at keeping up with our bag and sign, etc..and then our littlest one..he was our little duckling who adored the blond headed girl..she held his hand the whole time and kept up with him..such sweet little kids this group was!  I also had an 11th grader with me too..she wasn't there today, but she was awesome too!

They made the cutest craft today! I've decided next year, I think I'll lead crafts..lol...

The kids were challenged to bring in 300 items for the area food bank by today..if they did, "Skeeter" (my friend Hannah..played the role of Skeeter in the main skits) would get "slimed"...

WELLLL, they brought in 600 items, so two people got slimed (one of our Pastor's too..remember Pharoah?)

Let me tell you, that green slime was DISGUSTING..!

Good times..lol..

My kids loved the music this week and have been singing it nonstop, so I found the CD on Ebay and it's on it's way...they'll love me for that! 

Chaz digs doing all the motions and stuff to the songs..I didn't get many pics of Bailey because she was back in the preschool area, in case you're wondering about the bias of pictures..lol..

Oh, and on another note, look at the design I bought from the Quikutz online store for some Chaz pages...

A BMX RIDER..cool!

The kids are at the g-parents..this is the first time Brad and I have been kid free for several weeks..so, as usual, we're going out to eat..bye!

This arrived on my doorstep today...

Yep, ridiculous, I know, given that I already have the Cricut with SCAL.,..but dang it, Nichol Magourik made me do it..the stuff she makes with this thing blows me away...and I feel the need to create layouts like hers..lol...actually, I just LOVE the digital designs you can download to cut from the huge library Quikutz has..and I got a SWEET deal..it's used and the girl had a $200 download card..she only used the machine once ..so I got a good deal..I always buy my machines like this used..never gotten a bum product..2Peas has a "For Sale" message board now..you should check it out..so, now I've got to get this thing up and running...

Today was Day 2 of VBS..my kids have been having so much fun! The program is called Crocodile Dock and everything is "bayou" related...

One of our Pastors, Steve, used to be a stand up comic, so he is hilarious..and did a great job being "Pharoah" today in the story of the 10 plagues..it was a hoot and the kids LOVED it..here he is breaking out with boils (red dot stickers)...

(Note to self: next purchase will be a new point and shoot camera..my 7 year old Kodak 3.1 pixel is just not getting it anymore..any suggestions?)

Anyways, fun day today!