Childhood Smiles

This is a completely random weekend post that I hope you will join along with! Have you ever heard a song that just makes you smile? Did it happen to be incorporated into a musical or movie that made you buy the DVD and watch it over and over again? Did you ever wish that the singer was actually a family member or friend that you could call up and just chat with?

Well, I ran across this video tonight and listening to it just made me smile.



It brings me back to the 70's and 80's when I grew up and I just loved Olivia Newton John. I first fell in love with her in Grease and then I wished she were my sister, best friend or mother (could be possible - LOL)!

I also wished that my dad was Michael Landon (remember Pa Ingalls?)! Seriously! I had dreams that I would run through fields of wildflowers towards Pa and he would whirl me around and tell me that he loved me. Of course, I was Mary, not Laura... I was further convinced that it was meant to be when Mary got married and her last name became Kendal, which is my middle name.

OK, so now you know a little bit more about me and what it is that made me who I am today... a little kooky, I bet you are thinking, to even have come up with this post. So, if anybody wants to join along, post something fun about your childhood that makes you smile still today!

I promise that I am sane and sober tonight... just being a bit nostalgic as my daughter is off to her Junior Father Daughter Dance and I just wonder what it is someday that she will remember from her childhood.

Favorite Foto Friday #79 - SILLY!

SILLY!

I think that is a new theme around our house with little Miss Bug... she has really been showing her silly side lately, which is so wonderful to see in her developing personality.



She even cracks herself up!



Of course, I have always had a silly OLDER daughter... Morgan defines SILLY! Here she is last month running through the ice and snow covered driveway just because I dared her to!

And last week clowning around with her friends at the Derby Museum...

Here is Mr. Linky!! Thanks to those of you who are remembering to link your post and not just your blog url's!



No theme next week... how about we just post our favorite foto from the month of February. If you want a challenge, post it in black and white...

Wordless Wednesday

taken tonight as we say goodbye to our exchange
student/daughter/sister,
Ape (pronounced Op-Pay) ~
we are going to miss her!!

Saturday Afternoon Cuteness

I swear, she gets cuter and cuter every single day! This age is so much fun and I find myself smiling just watching and listening to everything she does lately! Today, we went to lunch at our favorite little Mexican restaurant (The Q) and then I took, Morgan, our Argentine exchange student, Ape (pronounced Op-pay) and Bug out for manicures and a little shopping. When we got home, the big girls went back out and we had a little impromptu dance and photo session in the kitchen of all places! She and I were cracking up and in hysterics at all the little things she thought of for poses (all without me asking)! Thought I would share a few here since I have been a lousy blogger lately.

A little "Flashdance" action...

I love the reflection in her eyes in this one... I don't even remember what she was saying, but she was cracking me up!

There's that smile!

I just love her little profile, even with her telling me something that has her lips all puckered. Very kissable!

I have been wanting to try out some Photo editing software, like Photoshop Elements, but really do like using the free Picasa. The first picture I edited with their warmify function and then of course, the black and white option. I almost always sharpen all my pictures. And, today, I figured out how to get rid of the M&M bribery remains by her lip... you can see it in the first picture and then below with it wiped away.

Any recommendations of what you like to use? I am still mostly using the Auto on my camera... why am I too scared to move to manual? That is my New Years resolution this year if you remember... to work on edging out of my comfort zone. I am looking forward to warmer weather when we can go outside for natural light in addition to the days being longer.

I am going to try and post some more pictures from Guatemala soon... as soon as I quit procrastinating on my taxes - LOL!

Favorite Foto Friday #78 - FAKE-OUT!

FAKE SMILES, that is... Sophia is queen! I often wonder if she recognized me when she was a a baby without a camera in front of my face! She gets quite tired of me asking her to pose for me! Here are few of her recent best fake smiles!


For every one good picture I get, I have about 10 of these or other bloopers. Makes some fun times looking through photo sessions!!!

Here is Mr. Linky! Please be sure you are linking your post and not just your blog!!



The theme for next week is SILLY! As always, you never have to follow the theme, if you want to participate, just link your favorite foto!

Word It For Me Wednesday

Doesn't this picture deserve a caption?

The winner...
"LOVE BUG AND THE PUG"
Thanks Vanessa!

This one is just one of my two favorite girls in the world!

Favorite Foto Friday #77 - LOVE!

OK... repeat picture, but this is what Sophie gave out for her class valentines.

Here is also a little puppy love... Sophie with my brother's pug, Tahoe. She LOVES our dogs and while Tahoe was visiting us during the recent power outages, she gave him some love too!

Here is Mr. Linky!!



The theme for next week is FAKE-OUT! My interpretation will be the ultimate in fake smiles!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Wordless Wednesday

(this was officially her first time watching the Superbowl and cheering for the touchdowns)

Peek A Boo

Remember me? My mom used to blog about me all the time, now she is trying to catch back up and thought you might enjoy seeing a little cuteness to pass the time!

And a note from my mommy...

she. is. my. joy.

More soon!!!

Please Pray for Abby!

Can you please pray right now for sweet Abby? She is in the hospital fighting this horrible disease called cancer and it appears she needs some strong prayer warriors to help her with her fight. Please join me in praying for this sweet girl!!

Favorite Foto Friday #76 - MELT!

(not seeing too much of this)

OK... MELT was maybe wishful thinking when it comes to our weather. It is still f-f-freezing and ice and snow still on the ground. But, one of the first things that came to mind when I tried to come up with a MELTING picture today was one of my favorite memories from May 2007, when Sophie~Bug was two years old and experiencing her very first popsicle! Her face was just priceless with the melting dreamsicle all over her! I am loving retro lately too, so this was fun for me!

Thinking she just may like this popsicle thing!

Going in for the taste...

Yeah! I can get used to this!! The best and worst thing about this is...


And probably one of my favorite pictures of all time... it's MELTING!!


Here is Mr. Linky! I haven't posted directions for our meme for a long time... if you are new, please refer here for a recap. Please be sure you are posting just your FFF post, not just the URL of your blog! I don't want to delete any links that do not link to a FFF post.



Next week's theme is LOVE (it is Valentines weekend after all)!

Wordless Wednesday

Then and now... and AWOL apology

Sorry I have been AWOL for so long on the blog and have been an almost non-existent commenter. Lots going on that I plan to share soon. My brothers just got power back on at their house and moved back home today after the ice storm last week. The kids are back in school and Morgan's Argentinian exchange student arrived this past weekend to spend the month of February with us! So much going on! Add to that... facebook seems to be the new blogger gathering place, but I still want to use this blog as a place to chronicle our family, so I have no plans of abandoning ship yet! Just have been on an extended hiatus!

I can't believe I can even do this for so many years... but I have seen a couple of my friends do some "flashback" posts and "then and now" posts and have loved seeing their children grow up right before my eyes. So, I thought I would put together a little then and now on my little Sophie~Bug (since I know what you really want are pictures)...

In February 2005, she was but a dossier. But, she was already in my heart and exactly three months from birth...

In February 2006, she was home in my arms and 9 months old and had just cut her first tooth! Look at her sweet little round face!

Already possessive of her phone (with her foster sister, Olivia).

In February 2006, she was 21 months old and becoming a little fashionista!

Blowing fish kisses for the mamarazzi!

In February 2007, she was 2 1/2 and had her first big boo boo... she broke her arm above her elbow. She looked adorable in her pink cast though!

And even walked on the moon - LOL!

Now, in February 2009, Sophia is 3 1/2 years old and I cannot imagine loving this sweet, crazy, fun little girl any more than I do right now!


Her personality is just blossoming and I enjoy watching the sparkle in her eye and the joy in her step! Her budding enthusiasm for life is just contagious and I can't help but smile when she is around. Some cute Sophie-isms from late:

Mommy, I love you more! (melt.my.heart)
That is tilarious!
I am not a princess anymore, I am the queen!
Nacho is my dog brother!
When I grow up, I want to be a doctor and help people feel better.
When I grow up, I want to play soccer.
When I turn four, I am going to sleep in my big girl bed. (yeah, right...)
Mommy, I want tangaroos for my birthday (took us two weeks to realize she wants bendaroos off the Nick Jr commercials)!

So many more that I wish I had written down when she said them. I just love to hear what it going on in her head! So precious!