Bieber Fever

Months ago Abby saw that Justin Bieber was coming to Atlanta and she asked "please, please Mama can we go to see him?" I told her the tickets were expensive and that if she wanted to go, it would have to be a part of her birthday present. She readily agreed and I marked on my calendar the day that tickets went on sale. Maddie quickly jumped in and told me that she wanted to go, while Destiny said "Ugh Justin Bieber" and made a face.

Unfortunately, I remembered that the tickets went on sale four hours after they had gone on sale. When I logged into the computer and tried to buy tickets they were all gone for the Atlanta concert. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I had forgotten so I immediately started looking to see where else he was playing. I found tickets in Nashville for August 11th and on a whim bought three of them (not four because Destiny obviously had no interest in going).

As August 11th began to approach the girls got more and more excited and I began to dread the evening more and more. I pictured thousands of screaming girls and lots and lots of noise. I also found out the girls were going back to school early and so I would be not only be driving three hours to a concert that I wasn't wild about going to but the girls were going to miss at least one day of school.

As the day dawned though I got more excited about doing a road trip with the girls. It is rare that I do things with only two of the girls at a time. I decided that no matter how bad the concert, at least I was getting to hang with my girls. I picked them up at school and the smiles on their faces alone were worth the trip.

We drove the three hours reading, snacking and watching television (okay, the girls were doing that, I was driving). We arrived at our hotel, the Doubletree downtown and quickly changed and got ready for the concert. Abby was very concerned that she look concert ready but she was also confident in herself that she didn't need to "wear" Justin on her chest.

My divas

Dinner at Subway (because we didn't want to miss the opening acts) complete with two spilled soda's (Maddie's and mine), and a short walk later

The girls and a guitar

we found ourselves at the Bridgewater arena

and then we watched the outdoor concert

Before we headed in to enjoy the concert from our great seats

Our five dollar snow cones

Opening Set

Justin **sigh**

One less lonely girl. I think this is the point where Abby's first real crush began.

I have to admit that I enjoyed every moment of this concert and I even danced around with the girls. It was already a great night being with my girls and then having fun at the concert was a bonus.

The night ended with a nice walk back home to our hotel

My dad and mom loved country music and my dad used to sing to my mom, "I can sing a little bit like Ernest Tubbs." This picture is just for them

Just loved this sign

After a good night's sleep, the girls took a leisurly swim in the second story pool and had brunch at the hotel before heading back home. What a wonderful roadtrip with my girls!!!

My Bathing Beauties

5 Things

Abby came home with a simple paper bag on the first day of school. The instructions were very simple, pick 5 things that tell about yourself and the person that you are, bring them to school in your paper bag and share them with the class.

In previous years, she might have asked me to help her select the items that would go in the bag but this year, she didn't ask for help and so I left her to decide. As she got ready to go to bed that evening, I asked her if she would show me her bag and tell me about the items.

The first item out was a lime green highlighter. I smiled because I knew just what she she was going to say. "This is my favorite color in the world."

The second item was a an "All Access Pass" from the Rockin' Roller Coaster at Disney Studio's. Her dad had convinced her to ride (over my whispered objections that she would likely die of fright on the ride) and this pass is what she bought after she joyously exited the ride and yelled, "Let's do it again!"

The third item was a military coin that her Dad brought back from Kuwait where he was deployed when she was three. She is so proud of our family and their military service and she doesn't usually miss an opportunity to share.

The fourth item made my throat catch. It was her Tinkerbell necklace that I bought her for her birthday several years ago. It is special to her because I picked it out just for her. I called her "Tink" when she was a teeny little girl and she will still answer to it when I call her.

The fifth item came out of the bag and I didn't say anything. I just waited for her to tell me about it. "This is my cross Mama and I am taking it because I am a Christian and I love Jesus."

I had trouble finding any words at all.

Such a simple statement from Abby about her faith but it touched me in such a deep way. She wasn't worried about what she was going to share, about what others thought about her. She just knew that it was one of the five things about her and she had to share it. Maybe that is why we are called to become as little children.

Even though the words felt inadequate, I ended up gathering her up in my arms and telling her how proud I was of her. I never did quite find the words to tell her that I learned more from her that day, than she learned from me.

First Day of School

Like it or not, prepared or not, today was the first day of school. It's only August 5 for goodness sake. When I grew up the earliest I ever went back to school was September 5th. Here we are sending them back during the best swimming weather!

I only had to call them once this morning and they were up and dressed, brushing their hair and making themselves beautiful. We somehow managed to get ready and out the door on time.

Official first day of school group picture 2010-2011. Destiny 7th grade,

Abby 5th grade, and Maddie 2nd grade

Abby. My fashionista

Maddie, my sporty girl. GO JACKETS!!

Destiny, my "I don't have to leave for school for another hour and 15 minutes,

what am I doing out here,?" girl.

Abby in front of Ms. Stubbs, 2nd grade class. She was not nervous at all this year.

Abby told me I couldn't walk her to her class and she didn't even want to kiss me (but she did because I threatened to chase her down the hall if she didn't) so I snuck down the hall to just get a picture of her new classroom door and flag. Her friend's mom found me and took my camera to go in and get a pic of her in her new class. She said, "Isn't that my camera?" Is my mom out in the hall?" Wasn't it yesterday that my mom was embarassing me and now I am able to do the same for her.

Where did the summer go?

Summer is over and it's only August 4th. It's still a hundred plus degrees out and it still doesn't get dark until 9. The mosquito's are still bad and the pool water is the perfect temperature. So why is summer ending? Summer is ending because the girls are going back to school tomorrow :(