28 June 2011

Training Wheels.



She stared it down.  I knew what she was thinking.  That bike has been lamenting her for along time now.  All her friends could ride their bikes with no training wheels.  All the kids at school could ride their bikes with no training wheels too.  But not this little 8 year old girl.  The thought of it was just downright appalling to her.  Why ride without training wheels when you have training wheels?  We hopped on our bikes to cruise the hood and as she peddled faster and faster I knew it was time.  I knew she could do it.  I knew she was ready.  I looked at her daddy and he looked at me and he knew it too.  As the sun began descending in the sky we decided to head for home and break out the tools.  Within minutes the trainers were off and she stared her pink cruiser down.



This time it was different.  As if she knew it was her moment.  They found a stretch of grass in the front yard and she hopped on aided by her dad and peddled.  He held the seat so as not to shake her confidence.


She rode back and forth with a sweaty out of breath daddy in tow.  Back and forth as I snapped photo after photo.  Back and forth as it got darker and you could hear the cicada's sounding.  The smell of summer filled the air and the sun beat down on us.


                                 Back and forth she peddled and peddled until her daddy let go.





All of a sudden, our baby girl was on her own, riding her bike without even knowing it.  We looked at each other as if we had succeeded.  As if all the mistakes we've made as parents didn't exist. 


 With her daddy's loving hand and her mama's cheerleading, she did it.  We did it.  There were a few bumps and bruises along the way.  She has not learned to break without falling over, but such is life.  We will steady her bicycle for her always :)


21 June 2011

Dear Photograph.

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19 June 2011

Graduation Party Part 2

So here are a few more pics from the party...

The kids totally fit the part!  They kept saying "we look soooo vintage".  










My beautiful friend Steph and her family...








My handsome man...




Wise guy huh?


My other beautiful Friend Lacy...


My friend Terri came a Carol Brady...too cute! 


Terri's daughter Jayden also picked the 70's.



Teenagers these days...never thought I would say that!  I'm not exactly sure what some of them were supposed to be.




FYI...this kids is a genious.  period.  Google is actually having him test things for them.  Hence the google chrome knuckle things.  He's 15 people!


There were so many people that I missed...so many.  I was too busy making sure everything was done!  Anyways, it was a blast and turned out perfect.  I think I'll take a break from the party planning for awhile though!

17 June 2011

Em's Graduation Party Part 1

The past few months I have been helping a friend plan a graduation party for her daughter and the invitation list included 100 plus people.  I've known Emily since she was Bella's age so it was so strange to be planning her graduation party. Fortunately, the food was handled, but I planned the decor and other stuff.  This family is like family to me and I love them dearly so it was so much fun to be such a big part of it.  Thanks to my super talented sis in law for helping me implement it and for helping me pull it all together.  Emily's parents bid on the Harweldon Mansion at a school auction so they got a huuuuuge deal on the space.  Emily wanted vintage decor so that's what she got.  Handmade decorations, old quilts, wild flowers and kraft paper were a hit with the youngsters. It was so much fun!