Signs of Sophie

We had our largest job yet this week.  We were at an elementary school and they wanted their mission statement on a large wall right as you enter the school.  The letters were 15" tall and the longest line was about 22'.  Not to mention it was about 18' off the ground.  So we were on scaffolding and hanging over the top of the wall all day long. 

We thought it turned out so nice!  I think we're going to add some paw prints since their mascot is a tiger.

I did this 5' palm tree for my friend Natalie it is in the little play area off of the nursery.  It turned out so good too. 

I'm wanting to get into doing some words and monograms.  But for now I've got to get back to cleaning and packing.  Chicago here we come! 

Easy Living

I love summer! It is in full swing at the Horton House (which I guess it should be since it is the middle of July already, yikes!  So for your enjoyment here is my random list post for the week.

• Weekend.  This past weekend was great.  Saturday I  layed out all day at my best friend's grandmother's pool.  It was so much fun. She and her cousin Brittany lived together in the dorm on the floor right under me and we've been best friends pretty much ever since.  Brittany also came and layed out with us.  I did get burned just a little bit.  But luckily for me I dont' turn bright red I actually just look really dark when I burn so I've got a pretty good tan now.  After the pool we went to the dollar movies and saw The Back Up Plan with J.LO.  It was cute but I'm glad we only paid a dollar to see it.

• Bootcamp.  This week starts round two of bootcamp.  I'm excited to get to do all the fitness tests again tonight so I can see how much I've improved.  My sister is doing this round too so that should be interesting.  Actually about half the class is people I know so that will be fun.  I've tried to explain to them that it isn't in the least bit "fun". So maybe they won't hate me.
• Patrick and I are going to Chicago.  I'm not as excited as I was about two weeks ago.  Patrick is going for work and I'm just tagging along.  He will be in classes from 8:30-5:30 everyday and the area we are staying is about 30 miles outside the city.  We are really hoping to get to do a lot but I'm not holding my breath.  It will be nice to not have to go to work for 5 days.  If anyone has been let me know your must sees.

• I started reading the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich.  They are hilarious.  There are 16 of them and I've read the fist six.  I'm reading 7 right now.  They are just simple, fun summer reads.  I'm loving them.  I plan on reading a lot while I'm gone.  I've also heard they are turning the fist one into a movie.  I'm looking forward to it.

• I haven't see Eclipse yet.  I'm wanting to just haven't yet.

I guess that's all for this week.  (Hopefully this won't be my only post this week but I'm not making any promises!)

4th of July

I'm finally getting around to recaping the holiday weekend.
I love the 4th of July. I always have.  For as long as I can remember we've spent at least part of the weekend at the lake.  When my Mimi was still alive was always had a big barbecue at her house and I can remember playing in one of those small kiddie pools in her little yard with my cousins.  Now that he has passed we invite my mom's family up to the lake.  Most of them don't come but the ones who do always have a great time.  This year we had a pretty small crowd compared to years past.  But we still had a blast. 
Saturday, Patrick's cousin had his family over for a pool party to kick off the weekend.  Patrick didn't get to go but I went.  I had a blast.  I got in the pool with the kids.  It was exhausting watching the three girls (none of them could swim and they didn't have any floaties).  I had so much fun with them though. 
After I left the pool party my sister met me at my house with Drew, Ava, and Porter to head to the lake.  My brother's both had to work so they didn't get to come.  We got up there around 7 and the kids all wanted to go fishing.  It took Dad a good 15 minutes to find them all poles and put hooks and bait on them.  By the time they got their hooks wet they were ready to do something else.  We enjoyed the rest of the night listening to the neighbors sing awful karaoke and watching fireworks.  It was so nice.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  The humidity was kept at a minimum and there was a constant breeze. 
Patrick came up later Sunday night and stayed.  I was so excited that he got to join us!  Monday was spent much of the same way as the other days.  Lounging in the sun and swimming in the lake.  Porter finally got in the water and he was so sweet.  I wish I had a video of him.  He says some of the funniest things.

Now here are a few more photos from the weekend.

Benjamin (my cousins' youngest boy) wanted me to get a picture of all of them.  I thought that was so cute!Drew always get so excited when he gets to see his cousins...he always talks about how we have so many cousins which is funny because in actuality he has no cousins!  They are all second cousins!

This is Benjamin and his older brother Kevin. (Benjamin and Ava are the same age and Kevin and Drew are the same age so they all play really well together)

Porter was having a hard time holding himself up in his life jacket. 

Babo with Ally and Bella. 

The girls in their super cute dresses.  They wanted to swim so bad but would not get in.  They just stood at the bank and whinned.

Me and my sweet baby.

Benjamin was getting a lift from Marley.  (No wonder Ally and Bella were hesitant  to get in! Ha!)

They look like they've been in a bag of cheetos.  They were so dirty!

Last one of the dogs. I promise!  Aren't they so cute though.  They look so much alike here!

Me and sister!

I love her to death...literally! : )

Tooth Fairy

Look who lost her first tooth today...

That's right...Miss Ava Jane lost her very first tooth and she is so proud.  It's so cute!  I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

Wednesday Weigh-In

Sorry I missed last week.  I'm thinking about making Wednesday Weigh-In a monthly post now that I'm trying to maintain my weight.  My goal weight is 135lbs.  I'm giving myself 2lbs of wiggle weight (that's what they do in most programs when you are maintaining!). 

I'm up from last week but I'm still within my window.  I did not hold back this weekend...everything was so good and worth it!  I completed the first month of boot camp last week.  I am so proud of that accomplishment.  Round 2 starts next week.  I'm excited because we will start the first class with the same fitness tests that we started the first session with so it will be a good measure of how far we've come. 

A few photos from the 4th

Just a few teasers from the weekend.  These are my favorite!

Porter started a water gun fight against Drew, Ava, and Benjamin.

This was after they got him in the face.

The sweetest face!

Watching the lake with Gary.

So sweet!

How cute is Ally going to be at the lake in her 4th of July dress?  I was so excited with how cute this turned out!  I got the dress for like $4 and added her name with some iron on vinyl stuff at work.  We are going to have Bella too so I made her one too.  I can't wait to see them together in them!

Yes I am aware I am a dork!

Weekend Recap

This weekend was one of those where you feel really busy but didn't really do anything!  A lot of sitting and eating away from home!

• First off, Thursday night I went to my first Spin class.  Let me just say that I did not enjoy it.  It's just not for me.  I need more variety.  Some people really enjoy it...I'm not one of those people.  I'm glad I tried it but I don't think I'll be doing it again. 
• After Spin I went to my parents and my cousins from Lakeland came over to visit again before they had to go back home.  Here are a few photos from the night.

Fallon & Tobie.  Drew & Peyton.  Sweet Porter.

John, Patrick, and Patrick.  Ally after eating some mac & cheese!

• Friday night they were showing "We Are Marshall" at the outdoor movie at the civic center and my parents hadn't seen it so Ally and I went and watched it with them.  It had rained that afternoon and there was a breeze blowing, it was just a really nice night to hang out outdoors (a welcomed change from what it has been).
• Saturday was the summer launch for the fitness classes at the civic center so I went and tried out BodyCombat.  Let me tell you...yesterday and today I feel like someone has beaten the crap out of me.  I really enjoyed the class though. 
• Saturday afternoon I went to my mother-in-laws for lunch with her sisters and nieces for a birthday.  They get together for each other's birthdays.  I don't always get to go but I did this time and I really enjoyed it. I ended up staying for dinner too.  I ate way, way, way to much and was so stuffed when I left.  I was miserable but it was all so good!
• Sunday was church and family lunch.  Then I went to a baby shower for a friend from high school.  It was nice to see everyone. 
• After the baby shower I took Drew and Ava to see Toy Story 3.  It was a ordeal but we made it.  My sister was supposed to go with us but had overbooked her Sunday so she didn't get to go.  We missed her but had a blast. 
• When I got home Patrick had started ripping up the carpet in the den downstairs.  That was the only room in the house that had not been painted when we bought the house so we are going to paint it and decided to go ahead and do the floors to.  We were going to put down tile but we know several people that have painted the concrete so I think that is what we are going to do.  I'm so excited to get that room in order.  We have tons of Alabama and Auburn stuff waiting to be put on the walls.  Hopefully by the start of football season we'll have it all ready to go! 

I think that is all.  I wish I'd had a picture of Ally at the movie Friday night.  She actually sat in my lap and watched until she went to sleep.  It was pretty hilarious.  I also wish I'd had a picture of the kids yesterday at the movie they were so excited (as was I).  Oh well!  I've got a busy week this week getting ready for the 4th this weekend! I can't wait!

Wednesday Weigh-In

I have finally reached my goal weight! 

I would really like to get down to 125lbs but it is very difficult for me to maintain that weight.  I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and see what happens!

Down 4.0lbs from last week.  Total loss of 27.8lbs since January.  I found a really cute pair of pants in the closet at my parents that were a size 4 and I was able to wear them!  I was so excited!

Visit with family

My dad's sister lives in Lakeland, Florida she and her family are up here this week visiting.  They have 3 daughters.  Shawna is the oldest, she has a little boy Peyton who turned a year old today.  Fallon is the next oldest, she has a little girl Tobie who turned two in February. (They are both older than me.) Crystal is the baby and she just turned 16.  We don't get to see them much.  This is the first time we'd met little Peyton and we've only seen Tobie once or twice.  So it's always nice to get to see them and catch-up.  We went over to my grandmothers and hung out Saturday afternoon.

This is Tobie.  She is a total mess and does not meet a stranger and the sweetest thing ever.

This is Peyton and as you can see he is a total ham.  I loved watching them play!

Elizabeth and Tobie became fast friends!

She was looking for Nemo in the fish pond.

We found an egg...from Easter.

Love this one of my sister.  She was trying to blow a bubble.

She finally did it.

Daddy's siblings.  (R-L) Ramona, Shawn, Grandmother, Daddy and Stephanie.

The granddaughters. (R-L) Me, Fallon, Crystal, Shawna, and Elizabeth

Sisters!

We are hoping to get to see them again before they head back to Florida.  We always have a good time with them and this trip was no different!

Father's Day

Sunday was spent like most others with my family!  We went to church and then had lunch.  John surprised us and came home Saturday afternoon but could stay long Sunday cause he had to go to work.  It was nice to see him for a little bit!  My big brother Patrick had to work so I didn't get to see him.  His family came by later!  My Patrick and I went to his parents for dinner!  I just love spending time with them.  It was such a nice day with family.  I love nothing more on a Sunday afternoon than to go to church then come home and just visit and enjoy family!  I didn't get many pictures from the day (probably because I wasn't there with the kiddos!) Here are the few I did get!

Daddy and Ally after lunch!

Me, Daddy, and John.  We decided we would get a photo of the three of us with Dad so my sister decided to go dry her hair. 

Sister apparently wasn't ready.

Finally the three of us looking at the camera.  Please excuse the fact that I look gross in all of these.

John and Daddy.