Dan, Danica, Daniley, & Danslen: 2013

Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Christmas Flood

December 24, 2013. A nice, quiet afternoon. A little too quiet in fact. So I go to see why the kids aren't fighting. Both the bedroom and bathroom doors are closed with the lights on. Because there is much more potential for disaster in the bathroom, I choose that door to bust open first. And if I woke up on Christmas morning with my head sewed to the carpet I wouldn't have been more surprised. Water is flowing over the top of the bathroom counter into the floor. Hot water at that. The sink is full. The water is on full blast. And it's just like a waterfall. My sink runneth over. I immediately shut off the water and start grabbing towels, and I realize this is pretty serious. Big fluffy towels are just drowning in the floor. All 12 towels in the closet, and the water is still just gushing out of the floor. By that point, Dan has heard my tone of disaster and has arrived on the scene. I told him to go downstairs and start looking for water. In our closet ceiling, he saw one single drop still clinging to the ceiling. He calls for a pitcher and busts a hole in the ceiling. FLOOD. Here is comes. We go down ANOTHER level. Water has traveled through the ceiling, along the plywood, and down the exterior of the pipes inside the walls into the basement. So yeh, that's water on three levels. And I'm STILL soaking it up upstairs. I have no idea how long the water was running but I suspect a good 20-30 minutes. Daniley said that she pulled the drain up and wanted the water to get warm, so she left it there and went to play...and forgot about it. Our sinks don't have an overflow drain. We ended up having to get a shop vac and vacuum the rest of the water up. Momma done went bazerk!!!!!!!!!!! But at the end, we came out lucky. No damage, except the hole we punched in the ceiling.

Saturday, December 07, 2013

Columbiana's Christmas Parade

Someone loaned mom this bicycle (tricycle?) and she rode Daniley rode on the platform during the parade. Afterwards Bentley and LD joined in on the fun, but one was NOT happy about it.

So one got off and the ride continued.

Merry Christmas!!

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

I have survived the wildest week of my life. Having a baby was easier than this! 3 parties, 16 shirt orders, a week of work/school/kids/cooking/cleaning/etc., packing up after a craft show, and Halloween, and then packing and preparing to skip town 2 days later...Now that was a busy week, even by MY definition. The difference between TRY and TRIUMPH is a little UMPH! And we made it!!!!

Halloween this year was so fun. We got to see all our nieces and nephews, spend a good amount of time with each grandparent, and our costumes were awesome if I must say so myself. I made the cloaks in 20 minutes flat with no pattern, so I'd say my sewing skills have reached the next level. I'm more confident and faster than ever before. (Life is just so exciting!!!!)

Here are my favorite pictures.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Family Counts!

Yesterday was Family Counts. This is a carnival put on by my employer. The State Fair would be jealous. This is one major event that we look forward to each year, and in fact this year we gave up a weekend trip to the beach to be here. This was Danslen's first year to understand, and she was sooooo excited. I love these girls more than anything. Hanging out with them makes the best days of my life.

It's well established that Daniley isn't scared of anything. Lil' Darlin' isn't quite as gutsy, so we started small and then moved up. This Frog Hop was the first thing she ever went on that was decently high. She loved it. Notice how Daniley is holding her hand. <3 br="">

Then we got on this little doohickey and Daniley asked me to spin it. Before I knew it I was spinning so fast I literally could not see anything around me.

As we spun out of control I just fell over laughing. When I get to laughing sometimes I just can't stop. It's like my body goes into some kind of paralyzed state. Here I am. Ain't I cool? LOL.

And then, one of my favorite things to ride with the girls: The Sizzler. (aka The Scrambler.) I love riding this with my kids because the centrifugal force pushes them into me and they can't get away. It makes them laugh, which makes my day. Here we are in the starting position.

Here we are, after the speed started getting up.

And our final position. Lil' Darlin' loved this ride so

I'm safe in saying she's not going to be a pansy at the amusement parks. :-)

Oh yes, she's got this down.

I could eat her up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We also had snow cones, a reptile show, moon bounces, ice cream, corn dogs, funnel cakes, BBQ....

I was happy I only gained 3 pounds yesterday. ;-)

Monday, October 14, 2013

This Saturday we went to the Iron Park for the Fall Festival (Shelby, AL). We got out of the car and I could tell the ground was starting to get smooshy. Unfortunately, Lil' Darlin' was several steps ahead of me. I heard a panicking cry. I looked down and she was sinking in mud like quicksand. I grabbed her out. Check out her feet. Hilarious!!

Aunt Jo met us with one of her three "children."

Whoah. Life is moving fast. Actually we're enjoying each day but there's just not a lot of time between me getting home from work and putting Daniley to bed. This school crap is a new adventure. And while we all LOVE it...it's been a little adjustment. No more naps at MawMaw's...that baby's got to get to bed on time! Today was the start of our ninth week. Reports cards will be home soon!

Last week my oldest nephew turned 5. Here are few pictures from his amazing birthday party at the McWane Science Center.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

I am in love with the following pictures:

Monday, September 09, 2013

Another summer, another Chick-Fil-A day!

We do this every year...and I'm usually dressed in cow. Today I took a break though.

After lunch we were on our way to get those goldy-locks cut OFF. She was looking rough. I hate scraggly hair. Ugghh. LeLe refused to cut it off...so on to Aunt Jo's. Things started off ok.

Then....

Umm, I'm not sure she likes it....

And most hilarious of all, this is what Aunt Jo looks like on the verge of a nervous break down.

I saw her losing her cool, one degree at a time. LOL.

This was several weeks (ok, two MONTHS ago).

So last week when she needed a trim, I just did it myself.

LOLOLOLOL!!

Grandparent Appreciation Dinner:
Do you see all the women at this table (specifically the OLD ones)? (haha) Debbie, at 12 o'clock. Then clockwise (skip Casey--he doesn't babysit, but I let him eat anyway, LOL!) Aunt Jo, DiDi, MawMaw, LeLe and Brooke.

And do you see that one right there in the purple? That's our Honey. (Don't worry about that crazy kid in the background. I don't know her.)

Every one of these women have kept my children for me when I have needed them. They have sacrificed, bent over backwards, stressed out, probably cried, and maybe even banged their heads on a wall, all for my kids, and ultimately, me. One round of steak and potatoes isn't but a drop in the bucket to thank you as much as you deserve.

I know you all are so excited Daniley is FINALLY off to school!

;-)

Let's not forget our GRANDPA's either.

GPaw, PawPaw, and Maurice:

You have sacrificed too. Grandpa's don't get the spotlight they deserve. Each one has sacrificed just as much as the grandma's. GPaw is there every time we need him. Every SINGLE time, without fail! Maurice has contributed every Wednesday for the last 5 years. PawPaw has assisted MawMaw by giving her little breaks, taking the kids for a ride on the gator, teaching them to plant a garden, taking them to feed chickens and collect eggs. These are admirable grandfathers we have in our lives. I know you do it because you love the kids just as much as the Grandmothers.

Thank you all. You deserve more than I can give.

MCWANE SCIENCE CENTER.
MawMaw treated all three of us girls to the McWane Center a few Fridays back. She wanted to do something special for Daniley before she started school. Daniley LOVES the McWane Center, so that's what we picked. MawMaw had never been either, so it was a treat for her as well. She loves my babies absolutely to death. Here are a few fun pictures from the day.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Warning: Picture overload!!
Today was Daniley's first day of Kindergarten. It was a FABULOUS day. I had breakfast with her in the cafeteria and then dropped her off in her room and got out promptly. As I kissed her goodbye I could feel my eyes starting to well up but I did NOT want her to see my crying so I did my best to get myself under control. I left the room and headed to work.

Daniley looked precious in her bookbag and lunchbox and I have never seen a cuter school kid in my whole life!!! The glasses just make her look especially studios, which is exactly why I like to wear mine. :-)

At work ALL DAY I could do not much more than think about Daniley. I did not attempt any dangerous maneuvers and barely attempted anything requiring concentration at all. I planned to get off early to meet her at the bus (this will be Daddy's duty starting tomorrow). We waited and waited and waited. The bus was 15 minutes late. Then finally, it peeped over the hill top!!! FINALLY. DID I SAY FINALLY???!!!

And we waited, and waited, and waited. The other girl got off, and walked all the way past me (and I was a good distance back) and still Daniley did not get off the bus. Then FINALLY, she appeared!! DID I SAY FINALLY???!!! FINALLY SHE JUMPED OFF THE BUS!!!

AND TOOK OFF RUNNING TOWARDS US!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And after we got home I asked her what her FAVORITE part of the whole day was.

"NAPTIME."

What was your second FAVORITE PART?

"The BUS RIDE!"

And about 30 minutes later, yes it happened. I got a call on my cell phone from Daniley's teacher. Yes that's right, a phone call on her very first day.

"Hi, This is Mrs. Howanitz. We had a great day. Daniley is so sweet and funny.

She's hilarious. I just love having her in my class."

Yes Mrs. Howanitz, you are blessed indeed. Blessed indeed!