A "celebration" lunch

Last Tuesday, my dear friend Melanie and I took our girls to lunch here to celebrate Ainsley starting Kindergarten and Samantha starting 1st grade. (They are both excited about starting Veritas this week.)
What sweet friends they are!

We had a nice visit and the girls laughed...a lot. After lunch, we went here for dessert.

Since they will have a weekly memory verse at school, I made each of them a "memory verse book" where they can keep all of their verses in one place.

On the way home from our time together with Melanie and Sam, Ainsley kept saying that it was "the best celebration lunch ever!"

Ainsley's Eye Appointment

A few weeks ago, Ainsley told me that when she reads, "words move to the right". So...Ainsley had her first appointment with an optometrist today.

Everything went great! Her doctor was very friendly and kind. Although the exam was lengthy and very thorough, Ainsley was a real trooper. She answered all of the doctor's questions and when she couldn't see a letter, she let him know.

The good news is that she has very healthy eyes. Her vision is close to 20/20 (thanks to Dan's genes, I'm sure) but she does have astigmatism in both eyes (thanks to my genes, I'm sure). Because of the astigmatism, her optometrist is recommending she start wearing glasses. She will need to wear them most of the time...when she is reading, doing schoolwork, watching television, playing on the computer...any activity where her eyes will need to focus for some time.

After her appointment, she chose a pair of glasses that look so cute on her. They should be ready by the time she starts Kindergarten next week. (She is very excited about the glasses!)

One of the earliest memories I have is the first day I wore glasses. Just like Ainsley, it was right before I started Kindergarten.

Politics

A few days ago, Ainsley called Dan and I into her room. When we arrived, we didn't see Ainsley but we did see this note:
When she came out from her hiding place, she told us that she was pretending to be John McCain.

Since then, she has also pretended to be George Washington.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Dessert for a Princess

Balloons

Kim & Jason are having a photo contest with the theme of "balloons".

Here is the photo I submitted with the description I gave:"This photo was taken in 2003. I love this photo because it shows my daughter, Ainsley, when she was 7 months old with her great-grandfather, Pa Langston. Pa is on the floor with her, kindly showing her balloons. He is truly "young at heart".

Love, Grizz

If you've been following my blog, you know that Ainsley has been praying for, thinking about and missing Grizz. (Click here to read about Eric McMahon - the mascot for the Memphis Grizzlies who was fighting Hodgkin's Lymphoma.) Over the past few months, Ainsley has made three "get well soon" cards for Grizz.

A few weeks ago, Dan came home to tell us that Grizz was back to work. He has made a full recovery and has started preparing for the upcoming season. Because Ainsley was SO excited to hear this, she made Grizz an "I'm so happy you're back" card. Dan delivered it to Grizz.

The following day, Grizz came to Dan's office to thank him for the cards Ainsley had made for him. He then gave Dan some things for Ainsley.

The note reads: "Ainsley - Thank you so much for all the cards and well wishes while I was out sick. It was fans like you that kept me fighting. Love, Grizz"

He also included a few autographed photos for her...and this t-shirt:

Ainsley was VERY excited to see everything from Grizz! (The shirt is her new favorite "night shirt".)

As Ainsley was reading the note from Grizz and jumping up and down...wearing her new shirt... I had tears in my eyes. Dan and I thought it was so kind of Grizz (Eric) to respond to Ainsley. He made her feel so special!

We are happy that Grizz will be back this season...and are even happier that Eric is doing so well.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sprinkler Fun

Our little ninja

This photo captures Ainsley's newest "obsession" perfectly...Ninjas! (That is her "ninja move".)

Ainsley loves to pretend she is a ninja ~ "quick and strong".

Her favorite book is "Magic Tree House: Night of the Ninjas."

Her favorite television show is "Ninja Warrior". (This is what started it all. She watched this show one time and was instantly hooked. Now she asks to watch this show every night.)


When Ainsley recently visited her Aunt Meghan and Uncle Ben, Uncle Ben drew two pictures of ninjas for them to color together. Ainsley has both pictures proudly hanging in her playroom.


Ainsley has already decided what she is going to be for Halloween this year.
Yes...a ninja. But not just any ninja.
"I have to be a ninja master, Mom!"

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

Being the huge baseball fan I am, I have to say...
"Happy 100th Birthday!"
to one of my favorite songs ~ "Take Me Out the the Ball Game".

How much do I like this song? Here is a photo of the wall in our bonus room...

A friend of mine gave me a newspaper yesterday (thanks, William!) which listed 100 things worth knowing about the song. I won't list all 100 things, but here are a few facts about this song I love:

~ TMOTTBG is considered the third most frequently heard song in America, behind the national anthem and "Happy Birthday".

~ The song has been referred to as the United States' "other national anthem."

~ According to legend, Jack Norworth wrote the words in about half an hour.

~ The song has been used in more than 1,200 films, TV shows and commercials.

~ The song's popularity received a boost when Harry Caray moved across Chicago from the White Sox to the Cubs. With Cubs games on cable superstation WGN, Caray's seventh-inning renditions became a nationwide sensation. (SIDE NOTE: This is the way we have taught Ainsley to sing it. "...well it's root, root, root for the CUBBIES...")

~ More than 500 artists have recorded the song.

~ The U.S. Postal Service released a stamp on July 16 to commemorate the song's centennial anniversary, making TMOTTBG the first song honored with a stamp. (SIDE NOTE: Ainsley and I were the first ones in our town to purchase this stamp from our local post office.)

~ TMOTTBG is estimated to have sold at least 6 million copies of sheet music and more than 8 million recordings.

Mamma Mia - Abba

Abba is my favorite group of all time!

Love this video!

Wordless Wednesday - "A policeman"

Little helper

I tend to brag about Ainsley quite a bit on my blog. I guess because there are so many things to brag about and I am also a very proud mom.

One of the many reasons I love Ainsley is because she has a heart to serve.

Everytime we go to the post office, Ainsley will stand in the lobby (while I am in line at the counter) and hold the mail box door open for people mailing their letters. She has fun doing it and is very excited when someone says "thank you".

She thought this up all on her own...without any prompting from me.

Ainsley ~ my little helper.

Pa Langston's Jelly

"Pa's jelly. Pa's jelly. Pa's jelly is wonderful and the best in the whole wide world! I love his jelly." ~Ainsley

This past weekend, we spent time with Ainsley's great-grandfather. (aka - Pa Langston)

As we were leaving on Sunday, Pa gave us three jars of his homemade jelly.

YUM!

We have black raspberry, apricot and Ainsley's favorite...strawberry.

The strawberry is just about gone. Ainsley has insisted on having it everyday for lunch on her PB&J sandwiches.

Thank you, Pa Langston, for the wonderful jelly.

Wordless Wednesday

~Ainsley's great-grandfather holding a butterfly~