CHARLEE'S DAY CONTINUED

Charlee's birthdays tend to spread out over the course of days for some reason...lucky girl!

Last night we went to dinner to celebrate the day.

Grandma and PawPaw wanted to gift her the bracelet she wanted from Dylan's Candy Bar. We picked it up for them when we were there Saturday night.

I wrapped it up real pretty...double boxed, taped shut, and tissued-up in a gift bag.

Then I forgot it at home.

I feel very badly about it.

So today's post is dedicated to the super cute, jingling bracelet that's gonna make you crave red gummi bears...and jaw breakers:

CLICK PIC FOR SHORT SLIDESHOW OF LAST NIGHT'S FUN!

JUNE 29

Today is a special day...today is Charlee's birthday.

Today she officially turns nine!

Charlee is my sweetheart!

She's a beautiful girl.

She's early to bed and early to rise.

She loves sugar.

She loves cheese.

She loves animals.

She loves her sisters.

She's sympathetic.

And sensitive.

She's our little mommy.

She's organized.

And neat.

She is curls.

And freckles.

She's a snuggler.

Always timely.

She's the world's best hugger.

She's a hard worker.

And a people pleaser.

She loves to cook.

And is sometimes shy.

She is my sunshine.

I love her very much!

Today is your's Charlee Jean!

CLICK PICTURE TO SEE THE BIRTHDAY PARTY FUN!

EMMA LOVES LUCY

The girls come to work with me everyday during the summer...with the exception of camp...or playdates...or vacations...and all those other fun activities reserved for summer. Frequently, a bag is packed for the shop day. Sometimes they'll bring soccer balls...or knitting supplies...or air soft guns. One never knows.

But whenever one of them is sick you can almost guarantee a Disney movie will sneak it's way in the bag. Certain movies comfort the sick like a security blanket. Almost always I can bet on a day of watching Jungle Book, Mary Poppins or Alice in Wonderland. Yes, one of those 3. They happen to be the 3 movies that began our (ever-expanding) Disney collection. As young patients of the Payne household, they'd find themselves on a pallet on the living room floor with one of these 3 movies playing. As they've gotten older, the girls have quietly taken it upon themselves to make sure they have thier fix to make it through their sick days.

Miss Emma is having a bout with her asthma...and thusly is not feeling well. This morning she packed her bag and we ran out the door for her doctor's appointment. When we made it to work and unloaded from the car...there in her bag was the evidence that she must be growing up. There were no wandering man-cubs... no flying nannies... and no singing lillies to be found. Apparently another has taken their place:

Yes...that crazy red-head will be entertaining us today.

All day.

___________________________________________

Emma's favorite line (and Charlee's too): Fred : She said my mother looks like a weasel.

Lucy : Ethel, apologize.

Ethel: I'm sorry your mother looks like a weasel.

My fave:

From the washing machine episode: They spend the whole show fighting over the washer ("It's MINE"..."No, it's MINE"...etc...etc). Then (while on the porch) Lucy & Ricky are tugging the machine one way, and Fred & Ethel are tugging it the other way...and it falls off the ledge and tumbles down the building side and crashes on the ground. And Lucy says..."Look what happened to YOUR washing machine!"

HICCUPS

Remi: "Mawwwmmy...I have the hiccups."

Mommy: "I'm sorry baby."

Remi: "Don't be sorry Mommy. I love the hiccups."

Who knew?

'S' IS FOR SUMMER AND SWIMMING

Last Thursday Darla picked up the big girls for a day of hanging out with friends and swimming.

Scott, Remi and I were lucky enough to join them come the end of the work day.

We ate lots of yummy pizza, pizza rolls and breadsticks. We enjoyed chocolate/chocolate cupcakes that Darla had made for us. Um...I mean "made for Remi". Remi called them her birthday cakes and kept track of every last one.

We stayed til yawning time.

Thanks to The King's for a fabulous play date. We love ya!

UP AND AT'EM

Monday morning.

Began at 6:am.

Brewed the java.

Got the dog up.

Got the dog breakfast.

Got Emma, Rachael and Allyson out of bed.

Got them going on breakfast.

Loaded up coolers with grapes, oranges, Gatorades and ice.

Filled up water bottles.

Drove the girlies to their ride.

Came home.

Dressed Remi.

Dressed Me.

Sent Remi to wake Charlee.

Did homeopathic remedy on Charlee's itchy head.

Washed homeopathic remedy out of Charlee's head.

Did Charlee's hair.

Did Remi's hair.

Did my hair.

Out the door by 8:45...

just like that.

It was all worth it. Cause look how happy she is:

SEATBELT USAGE

The following is an example of incorrect usage of forward facing car seats:

This is just a cute pic of Remi wearing Charlee's hat:

DRESS UP

So this weekend we went to JC Penney's looking at bedspreads for Charlee's room (which is a story that includes phrases like "Ava's favorite spot in the house is..." and "...bedspread is irrevokabley, absolutely, UN-MEND-ABLE").

A trip to Penney's is one where Remi becomes very bored, very quickly. However, Miss Charlee,the official "store babysitter", derived the most brilliant, spectacular plan for shopping with a toddler: dress up!!!

Why not? You can put hats on at tea rooms. You can kick the balls around in Acadamy. You can munch on samples at HEB. So why can't you play dress up at department stores? Can't believe I never thought of it!

What's dress up without a little twirling???

BRINGIN' 'EM HOME

You may remember this picture of the kiddos on the way to camp:

Here are the updated photos...from the trip home, looking a little worse for the wear.

They're already anticipating camp 2010...so it must have been a good week.

Want to see the rest of the pick-up excitement? Click here.

WATERING THE KID

Yesterday evening we came home to find sad looking plants in the yard...flower petals were hanging down from thier stems, shaping themselves like frowns...browning grass threatened to overtake the whole yard. So I did what you do in such a situation and pulled out the water hose.

Remi was thrilled! How fun was this gonna be? "Spray me Mommy, spray Me!". But I wasn't quite up for it, "Not now Remi. Your clothes will get all wet." Chin to the chest, she sulked inside.

About a minute later, the screen door came flying open. And out she bolts...naked as the day she was born. What are you gonna say to this? Of course I partook in the fun and sprayed her down...and good!

Daddy came home and took over the watering duties so I could video. Even though I videod more than 2 minutes, only about 15 seconds of it is PG (yet includes a booty-shot):

I couldn't help but notice how much joy it brought to our tiring day...for her and for us.

Even the flowers seemed to be smiling.

KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

"Mommy?...You take my girls to camp?"

-Remington upon our arrival home from leaving Emma and Charlee at camp

CAMP

Some people see it as...a break from the kids.

I see it as...losing my babysitters!

Either way...the kids were really sad to see us leave:

Click here to enjoy more of the camp-drop-off fun!

SUMMER BRINGS...

...late night I Love Lucy marathons ...sleeping in the game room ...no alarm clocks ...soccer in the parking lot ...girlie lunches at Tea for Two ...swimming at friend's houses ...playing with ooey-gooey Play-Doh ...bonding with turtles ...and no bickering...(so far)...but this is only Day 1

STAMP COLLECTION

So I've been a stamp collector for several years now- thanks to The Post Office!

They've forced me to buy 1 cent stamps.

They've forced me to buy 2 cent stamps.

Then I discovered the Forever stamp...that baby last forever.

However, I was stuck with all these 1 and 2 cent stamps because the theiving government makes you buy like a hundred of them in a book. Soooooo:

Think it's gonna make it there?

SOCCER, SOCCER, and more SOCCER

Pretty much our whole weekend was devoted to Miss Emma's soccer tournament.

It was great!

Here are some of my favorite pics from the event:

This closes the chapter on Spring Soccer 2009...

..she will be missed!