Happy Birthday, Aunt Kimber!

 Happy Birthday, Aunt Kimber!  You know, we never did post WEDDING pictures!  Aaaaah!!!  So here are some good ones!  Remember, Mommy was in the wedding so she had a hard time taking too many pictures; and Daddy had to juggle Jack so we didn't get a WHOLE lot (that's what photographers are for anyway!) but the ones we did get were CUUUUUTE!

 Aren't we BEAUTIES!?!?!?

 Here Anna is giving Aunt Kimber some last minute wedding advice.  Mommy was able to hear some of it - here it went:
"Aunt Kimber, try not to pee pee in your pants if you're nervous.  Make sure you go potty first.  Oh, and Uncle Mark likes to eat cake, so make sure after you're married you have cake at your house all the time, especially when we come over.  But speaking of cake, your dress is white.  Mommy says when we eat food with a white dress we have to be very careful not to spill.  So don't spill.  Oh, and..." on and on and on...  I believe Aunt Kimber took her advice, because she did not pee pee in her panties, and neither did Uncle Mark.  So that was good.

 We ARE pretty sure Jacky pee peed in his pants, like 20 times.  But you know, that's what he does.

 Look at how good we did walking down the aisle.  We were BEAUTIFUL.  We almost felt bad stealing all of Aunt Kimber's thunder walking down the aisle.  Sorry, Aunt Kimber.

 Now THAT'S a pretty picture of love.  So maybe we didn't steal your thunder after all.  Not all of it anyway...

 Check out that BAND!  Oh yeah, and the bride and groom!  Recognize that veil?!?!  It was Mommy's!  And it was Aunt Kimber's "Something Borrowed"!  Isn't that awesome!?!

 Mommy LOVES the cake pictures.  One guess why!  Go on - guess!  Okay we'll tell you - look at US!  We couldn't WAIT to eat yummy CAKE!

 Mmmmm mmmmm CAKE!

And after burn some of those calories with some DANCIN'!
Aunt Kimber, for your birthday we did something a little different!  Let's explain!  We love cake and all things sweet (and we hear you do, too).  When we moved to Greenville we went to the Downtown Market and met Ms. Chancey of Banana Manna!  Have you met her?  She's great.  First of all, she makes really REALLY good cake (or, banana bread but it's so good it could be cake).  Secondly, she gives us all the free samples we want.  Love that.  Anyway we love HER and every time Saturday rolls around we look forward to going to the market to visit her and eat her cake.  SO a few weeks after we moved here we started going to Grace Church (which we also love) and we learned that Grace funded a loan through Nasha Lending that helped Ms Chancey get her business started.  THEN we found out that Ms Chancey has grown her little market booth so much that she's ready to open a bakery!  One of the members of our new church offered to MATCH anyone's donation to her loan to get her bakery opened. In the spirit of giving, supporting local businesses and helping a really sweet, awesome lady bake some very (very) good cake (bread) we donated to Banana Manna in your honor for your birthday!  And in case you haven't already, we'll bring you a loaf of her delicious cake to your par-tay on Sunday!
https://www.facebook.com/BananaManna
Happy Birthday, Aunt Kimber!
We love you!
xoxo
Lilly, Anna and Jack

Happy Birthday 'Fia and 'Tias!

 Happy Birthday 'Fia and 'Tias!  Of all the pictures Mommy took from our visit in June these were the best we could come up with - because all the really good ones are on her phone!  We can't figure out how to blog pictures we took on the phone.  We're not that smart...

We hope you had a fun, fabulous day filled with adventures and lots of presents and candy!
We love you!!
xoxox
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack

I Just Can't Make This Shit Up...

Would you think that 3 kids in Mommy would know to carry certain things with her when she leaves the house for more than 10 minutes?  Like, oh say, DIAPERS?
Well today Mama took Jack to Kohls - every Mama's favorite high fashion shopping centre - and lo, in the middle of Kohl's Jack crapped everywhere in the store provided shopping stroller (thanks, Kohl's!)  I mean, so bad it dripped down the side!  Well, like any good mother would do Mommy thought it best to run the hell out of there (after she wiped up the drippy poo - I mean, I am somewhat civilized) to change Jack in the car.
Nooooo problemo, right?
I mean, Mommy even had a change of clothes ready!  Color her prepared!  So she plopped Jack down on the changing pad, used approximately 50 wipes on his goozie and - voila!  VOILA!  NO DIAPERS.  Feeling for a moment like Mommy MacGyver she wrapped a plastic grocery store bag under his goozie 'cause guess what else?  Oh, she's late to pick up the girls from preschool!
Who thinks a plastic grocery store bag is a good idea?  Raise your hand!
BAD.  BAD.  BAD IDEA.  Just for kicks Jack went and pooped again in the plastic grocery store bag.  This time Mommy had nothing but her own t-shirt to wrap him in to run into preschool to beg them for a diaper.  But wait, Mommy can't take her t-shirt off, I mean - this isn't Daytona Beach, right?  So Mommy takes this naked squirming baby, wraps his legs and goozie in the underside of her t-shirt (whilst showing off her sexy 30 something year old 3 baby midriff!  MILF!) and Jack rewards her by PEEING on her.  Thanks, Jacky!  That's AWESOME!
Finally Mommy gets into the school, is between laughs and tears (because really, what else can you do?) and someone hands her a diaper and says:
"Bless your heart!"  which is Southern for, "You Idiot."
So just as soon as I'm done laughing with you, we're going to put like, 20 diapers in the car along with wipes and a change of clothes for EACH KID.
And probably also, a change of clothes for Mommy.
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack

Our First Day of School!

 You all know the first day of school really starts the night before!  All the excitement in the air, Mommy can hardly contain herself, Anna literally can NOT contain herself (she thought it would be funny to wear one of Mommy's nighties, and it was funny so we had to take a picture!)

 And then, in the morning I was up at 'em and dressed so fast Mama didn't even get a picture of me in my bed!  But when she went to wake up Anna she got this picture of Anna being her usual charming morning self!  This was right before she banshee screamed at Mommy to put the camera away.

 Daddy went into work late this morning so he could make us breakfast and drop us off to school, too!  Did Mommy and Daddy get their picture with any of us?  No, they did not - because getting three chickens up, dressed, teeth brushed, hair brushed, fed, backpack packed and ready when they slept in (thanks for THAT, Daddy!) - you know, little hectic!

 Jack enjoyed his cinnamon bun!  But what he REALLY enjoyed was having Mommy to himself all day!

 And Ann enjoyed her cinnamon bun so much she gave Mommy the middle finger.  Even though she has no idea what that means.

 A few days ago we went dress shopping for first day of school dresses.  They didn't have a dress like this in yellow, my not-so-new favorite color so I opted for this fiber optic blue and purple number with a sparkle skirt.  It. Is. AWESOME.  Anna got one in pink!  We planned on being all color coordinated and cute!  But then Anna had the shit fit of the century!

 Instead, Anna made a game day change and figured she'd make a fashion statement in this little number.  Plus Uggs.  In South Carolina.  In August.  What are you going to do?  She's 3 and she got herself dressed.  Mommy is not one of those Mommies that's going to stifle her 3 year old's independence and creativity.  If Anna wants to look like a homeless eskimo on her first day of school who are all the other Southern Mommies to judge?  Mommy.  They'll judge Mommy.  Big deal.  The first one that comes along that DOESN'T judge Mommy will probably like, be her new best friend.  (We know you're out there somewhere...!)

 Sister love.

 Can't you see how excited Anna is?  At this point we are already 10 minutes late.

 Got one!  Too bad for the over-exposed lighting.  Way to go, Mommy.  Daddy - demand your money back for that photography class!

And here I am with my new teacher, Ms Something or Other!  Yup!  No lie, Mommy has NO CLUE what my teacher's name is!  At dinner Mama said, "Lilly - what's your teacher's name?" and I said, "Ummm, I dunno - don't you know?" and Mama quickly redirected the conversation so that I would not go to school tomorrow and say "Hey, Ms Something or Other - what the hell is your name?"  Regardless, she's a good teacher and we're going to like her.  We are REALLY going to like Anna's teacher - MS NANCY (HA HA!  I know one of them!).  Note we didn't get a picture with Anna (excuse me, Anna J) and Ms Nancy because class started at 8:30 dammit, not 8:42 and she did not skip a beat when we walked in late.  She didn't even look at us!  I guess all that paperwork she sent home she was not joking when she said "Bee on time!"  She'll be good for Anna J, we think.  I mean, have you ever seen her back down from a challenge?
More pics soon!  Happy back to school, y'all!
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack

These Girls...

These girls are starting PRESCHOOL tomorrow!  (Woop!  Woop!)  Mommy can't believe it - now she's got two babies in preschool!  Tonight when we were having our nightly snugglefest/makeout session Mommy did not want to leave our room.  She just wanted to stay in there all night and kiss our faces.  This time next year I will be starting KINDIGARTEN!  What?!?!  WHERE does it all go?
We are so excited for our first day of school.  We met our teachers today and Mama really, REALLY likes them (especially Anna's teacher! She's been teaching for 30 years!)  We think we are going to love our new school.  We hope we make many new friends, we hope we learn a thing or two (unlike last year at my preschool 2 days a week - ahem!) - aaaahh!!!  We are just so excited!
And guess what else?  Anna is going Southern, y'all!  There are TWO Anna M's in her class and her teacher said today she's going to have to call them both by their first and last names!  Well that's a mouthfull!  So Mama got an idea and said, "Anna, how about we let your teacher call you Anna Jane?"  but Anna said, "No, how about Anna J - that's what Uncle Matt says!"  So Anna J it is.  Who knows, maybe it will stick?
We'll get a post up tomorrow with pictures of our first day!  We promise!  And Grampa, we haven't forgot about you.  It's just really hard to find words that rhyme with Grampa for our song...but we're on it. 
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack

First Up: Happy (Really Super Duper Belated) Birthday, Aunt Tracey!

 Dear Aunt Tracey, this picture is gratuitous but despite the fact Mama looks a little like a tranny in this picture (a real HOT tranny!) it's one of the VERY FEW pictures Mommy has of just the two of you!  I guess this is because when we're all together it's usually either you or Mommy taking all the pictures.  And usually Mommy counts on you to take most of the pictures because you're artsy fartsy and better at it!  But guess what?!  THIS Saturday Mama is taking a class to learn how to work the camera you bought us like, four years ago?!?  Yay, finally!  So Mommy promises to take more pictures from now on and including more pictures WITH you in them!

Aunt Tracey, we love you so much!  SO MUCH we made an Aunt Tracey Haiku!
It goes:
Tracey is the best
We love you so very much
Happy Late Birthday
See?  Daddy was an English Major but MOMMY wrote that all by herself!
Seriously - I love you so much, and that is not Lilly talking.  You are the best sister-in-law anyone could ever ask for and that God brought you into MY life is just one of the little perks of being married to Joe.  In fact, it's a big perk because I don't know what I'd do without you.  You are the voice of reason when everything else has gone apeshit crazy; you are the rainbow on the other side of the storm complete with a pot of gold and a crazy fun leprechaun at the end; you are the cool salty breeze blowing off the ocean while I've got sand in my ass on the beach and I'm sunburned all over because I forgot to put the damn sunscreen on; you are awesome, awesome, awesome and we love you, love you, love you. 
In your honor we are making a donation to the New York Foundation for the Arts so that others in your beautiful city can come to know, appreciate and love art the same way you do!
We hope you forgive us for being late. 
You're up next, Grampa!  Stay tuned!  I'm working on song lyrics for you!
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack
(and Daddy - because the NYFA was his idea - but most especially Mommy - and you know why - thanks for everything...)
xoxo

Life In The South

 We heard a rumor that life moves a little slower in the South.  Once upon a time, a man from some big city called "Chicago" told Mommy that when Armageddon comes he'd want to be in Kentucky because things take a lot longer to get to Kentucky.  RUDE!  Mommy hitched up her horse and rode straight away on her wagon when he said that.  The nerve of some city folks!

 We are finding that time is just flying by now that we're in the "not really the real" South (according to Uncle Dan who yes, we concur geographically is about as far South as one can be but still, South Carolina is further South than Kentucky and we are Southerners, y'all!)  We have even adopted some Southern ways!  For instance, I like to say, "Mmmm, MM! I love me some peaches!" and Anna likes to say, "Dammit!" for no real reason at all except to get Mommy stared at in public. 

Please stay with us while we get used to our new life.  Mommy is still getting used to being at home with us and not going to work (she *thought* she was getting some kind of break?!?), Daddy is getting used to his new job, we are getting used to our new city, a lot more together-ness than we're used to - you know!  It's been a big summer.  One we won't soon forget.
Grampa, we are so sorry we didn't post you a birthday blog but it's coming!  We didn't forget - HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!  And Aunt Tracey, we are pretty sure we owe you one, too.  We're sorry, Mommy is sorry - we love you and miss you and we'll get it up in the next couple days.
Love, Love, Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack

Fairy Tale Ballet Camp

Oh, Blogger - for almost 5 years we've been using you and Mama hates you still.  Why, oh why can't she download pictures tonight?!?  I don't know, Dear Reader, I don't - but lo, we have one and it's a good one so it will do.
We went to "Fairy Tale Ballet Camp" last week at the Y!  LOVED IT.  Was AWESOME.  We did spins, and twirls, twinkle toe dances, leaps, jumps and prances.  It was so awesome we are going to start ballet lessons when school begins.  One of these days Mama will post the video of our "recital" (though we've noticed when we post videos that virtually no one even watches them, pictures seem to be more popular).
Love,
Lilly, Anna and Jack