JHS Jr. Miss pageant!

 Alexis enjoyed her day prepping and doing the JHS Jr. Miss pageant last night. We were 'getting ready' literally all.day.long. In fact, it has never taken as long as it did but we were with others (her friends) so Alexis was enjoying it all!

She did so great and just shined on stage! With girls in the teen age...with acne and braces, etc, it takes a lot to have the confidence to go on stage and be judged. She overcame all of those emotions and did her best! She placed 2nd runner up! So proud!

She is just growing up so fast! Alexis loved her hair and makeup.

The back view!

Just beautiful!

Alexis loves these sweet friends. She also loved spending the day with Lauren getting ready!

Love these sweet friends too!

She was so confident up there!

Look at her shine!

One of my favorites!

All of the girls!

 2nd Runner up Jr. Miss! So proud of her!

Horrible picture...but our family pic!

Aunt Pam and Gran came but the picture of them with Lex is on Pams phone that I didnt take with mine. They enjoyed watching Alexis shine along with Nan and Pawpaw.

Love her!

Just beautiful!

We missed watching Lily be in it. She didnt want to do it this year but there is always next year for her! :)

Lily's first piano lesson!

 Lily has been asking for a couple of months now to take piano. 

Now....

I had envisioned that Alexis would continue with piano and I would get Lily into the violin....

and they would play me a beautiful song together someday! :)

Well, Alexis loves piano but she also loves all the other things so trying to fit it in..and find a teacher...has not proven to work out.

And instead of the violin...Lily has grown to love to want to play the piano.

So last night was her first lesson with Mrs. Sherron and she came home with a huge smile and telling me alll about how excited she is to do it!

I cant wait to watch her love something new!

 

Wordless Wednesday!

 

Soccer is 2!

 Soccer was born sometime in December..........we got him sometime in February....

so we celebrated him turning 2....right now...the end of January! :)

He is a BALL of energy! That cat is a mess! He will run around our house like he's lost his mind! He will bound up on Tyler's recliner and it is just a rocking back and forth because of it and then he will jump off it and take off running into the dining room and slide the chair out from the table because he jumps on it so hard from running so fast.

He loves to cuddle. Loves Lily. Loves to rub against our legs. Loves Aubie and loves to torture him most of the time. They love to play together but then Soccer will get rough and try and jump on Aubie (which he doesnt like) so then it starts going downhill from there! :)

We love you Soccer and happy 2nd birthday!

He loves to curl up!

Loves his favorite human and loves for her to scratch his head and under his chin!

Playing catch up with classes, COVID and life!

 Playing catch up since January has been crazy!

With students back on campus, COVID, my classes starting, this and that and that and this......it has just been a whirlwind! For January to be a short month, it is full!

Just when we thought COVID could possibly be done with, here comes a new variant called Omicron.

Lucky for us we got to go on our cruise before all the madness fully started back with having to do the stricter guidelines, having schools go back to virtual, places running out of COVID tests...you name it...it is happening! 

Supposedly this variant isnt as deadly and rough on people compared to the last strain, Delta. I do know of several friends and family that have had this new one and have said the symptoms arent as rough.

I know people who now have tested positive for two and three times for COVID. Who are fully vaccinated and boostered  that are still getting it.

You cant just have a stuffy nose anymore..............

nope.....

you have COVID.

It is the craziest of things....the world we are living in!

So....we are just trying to make it through over in the Law home and thank you, LORD, that so far we are hanging in there! 

We had family game night the other night...and boy...a game of Jenga or two can get competitive! Ha! 

Hot chocolate with marshmallows is a MUST for game night also...I must add! :)

Fun times!

1st runner up County tournament champs!

 Varsity has had their County tournament this week and Tyler and the girls have enjoyed going to all the games.

JHS has an amazing team this year {most are juniors so next year is going to be awesome for sure too!} so there have been big crowds, full student sections with them really getting into the games, and just a great atmosphere. Tyler and the girls have enjoyed watching them and last night it came down to Oxford vs JHS at the JSU coliseum. So once us girls were finished with the pageant, it worked out that the game was just about to begin so we popped over and I decided to join too. {I have been staying at home doing school work and enjoying some alone time while they have been to all the other games}

It was a great game!

5 seconds left on the clock....

JHS down 62 to 64. 

They went for a 3..............

and it REALLY looked like it went in! Nothing BUT the NET....

BUT...

it didnt. It went literally right in front of the rim and the Oxford crowd went wild and us JHS just was in disbelief because I thought my eyes played tricks on me because it really did look like a beautiful 3 pointer. 

They still have some regular season games left as well as regionals and state...so there is plenty of season left to play!

Varsity has a LONG basketball season. 

Alexis is super pumped to have the opportunity to be cheering them on next year as she gets to try out for VARSITY coming up!

She is pumped!

Do you spot Alexis in that student section?!?!  :) I havent seen this place this crowded...ever...even for a JSU game! The crowd showed up from both sides and were ready to cheer their team on! It was a great atmosphere! 

Miss JSU

 This is always one of my favorite nights to do with the girls and it was last night!

If you remember, the last time we went, Nannie's security alarm device went off...in the middle of the pageant...and was so loud everyone was thinking the fire alarm went off as I was running from the front allll the way to the back with her purse to make the noise go away! :)

Well, thank goodness that didnt happen this year but her cell phone did ring...loudly...two times before I was able to find it in her purse and cut it off!

Never

Never a dull moment! :)

We met Misty, Cassell, Emily, Madelyn and Camille along with Nannie at the Caf and ate before going and we had a great time!

Waiting for......

 Lily waited....

we didnt...but she did...

and.....

we got some flurries...

Lily got SO excited but...

nothing stuck and it was mainly just rain. Tyler was happy because snow and ice are just not a good mix for his line of profession and...to be honest..I dont like snow/cold....so I was fine with nothing happening!

We have had a really low key long weekend and it has been so nice! We had dinner with the Rays Friday night and then we went to the Varsity basketball game to watch them crush Anniston and then other than that....working on school work..since our classes have started...and relaxing too! :)

Lily checking out to see if the snow was going to stick. The flurries can barely be seen. Oh well....we were ready if it were to have happened.... :)

Season ending as County champions!

 Alexis' 8th grade basketball season ended with the 9th grade boys winning the Calhoun County basketball tournament!

Both boys teams were undefeated throughout the season. The girls...well...lets just say...that was a hot mess :) but they gave it their all! :)

Hard to think...the next season will be her freshman year!

This girl loves cheer!

Doing her thing!

County champions!

10 years challenge!

 So Facebook did this thing of doing a 10 years challenge. I jumped on the bandwagon once I saw the changes from 10 years ago!

I mean WOW at my girls!

My goodness time flies! LOOK at them....

And then....LOOOOKK at them! Just WOW! :)

Cruise throwback!

 I found this gem as I was going through pictures of one of Alexis' first cruises.

Alexis went on her first cruise with my side of the family, with Nannie, Hogan, The Murphys and we had a great time!

Her second cruise was with Nan, Pawpaw, Brandi and Daddy and I. She was about 3 because I was pregnant with Lily! Lily loved the fact that she has finally gotten to go on a cruise! :) She didnt think it counted that technically had been on one....in my belly! :)

Look how little she was! :)

Our weekend!

 Our weekend has been pretty low key! 

Lex started County basketball tournament with the JHS girl's basketball team playing White Plains at Alexandria. They didnt win so they do not advance on but the JHS boys begin the tournament Tuesday. I have a feeling they will make it far since their season was undefeated. We shall see come Tuesday!

Lex and I made our way to do some errands including finding her dress for the upcoming pageant and a WalMart run to cap it off! 

All the while, Daddy and Lily worked in the yard at home {despite the cold} laying out pine straw and hanging her hammock! She has been wanting to hang it since she got it but due to it being soooo cold, it just hasnt worked out. 

She was pumped to get to lay in it! She said Tickles jumped up and laid on her and took a nap! :)

Loving it!

We went over to the Messer's for dinner along with the Rays later on and then today, we headed to Church and are now curled up because BABY it is cold outside.....and misting rain. YUCK!

Lily!

 The girls received their report cards this Friday and in no surprise they were perfection!

Lily came home with all A's and 1 B. The B was an 89....soooo....we count that as an A! :)

Alexis came home with all A's and 1 B also! 

With all they do and with how busy we are, keeping their grades up like they do isnt easy and they knock it out of the park! 

So proud!

Alexis wouldnt allow a picture..............but this girl did!

What makes me most proud....is what Lily's teacher wrote on her report card! Makes my heart explode!

Her report card says....

'Lily is a precious young lady. Such a big helper to me!'  That is what makes me MOST proud of her!

I will never forget my Dad's words. He said....you may not be the smartest in the class but what counts most is how you try and how you follow instructions and do what youre supposed to. 

Lily is a perfect example of that!

Alexis' cheer season is winding down!

 Cheer literally goes year around. 

Her basketball season is finishing up with just games left tomorrow that marks her 8th grade season!

In just a few weeks it will gear back up with cheer tryouts to begin her FRESHMAN year! SAY WHAT!?!?!

They have cheered a total of 9 games come tomorrow, this week, to finish out the season! The JR. Boys team have gone undefeated and will be ranked really high in the County Tournament that starts Saturday!

The girls and the 9th grade boys team have lost some but still had a good season!

I love that she loves cheer! So proud of her!

Our Bahamas day and ringing in the new year!

 Our last day was full of living the Bahamas life!

We got up and off the ship early to head to snorkel! OH the girls loved this! Me...well...I am not a fan of going under water....all that stuff...but it was a memory worth doing!

We had to take the polar plunge at first....but as soon as we were in the water, we got acclimated quickly and the water was bearable. Tyler, Lily and Lex enjoyed going under and seeing all the fish. I enjoyed hanging on to Lily and watching their excitement! :)

We were all excited to be on this 'private' boat to make our way out to snorkel! 

Our view as we passed our ship!

So pretty!

 Loved my view as we made our way out! Looking at all the beautiful homes...huge yachts....the Atlantis hotel....all of it was so beautiful from the water!

Lily was READY!

And so was Daddy! Alexis wouldnt let me take a picture of her. :)

So beautiful! Crystal clear!

These two stayed out until the end and loved going as deep as they could!

The 'coconut' man came up {not sure how his wooden...old...yuck...boat made it out to where we were} and was selling coconuts. He cracked them open and the girls begged for one! This was their look when I knew they wouldnt like it very much but they both drank the coconut water anyways! ha!

After we snorkeled, we hit the town and shopped!

Both girls thought they were fancy! We stayed in a perfume shop for what seemed like forever, around 30 minutes, just because both of them thought they were fancy and they both smelled pretty much every scent in the store! The ladies in there were ready for us to leave! :)

Talk about THRILLED to drink a Starbucks drink in the Bahamas. Both girls said their drinks tasted better........because it was from the Bahamas.... {yeah....okay!} :)

We got back on the ship and had a snack. I would say Lily enjoyed her chocolate fountain donuts and brownies!

Time to get fancy again and enjoy our last dinner! We had a great show before heading to bed and then the next day we set off for home!

Thankfully we had a great drive home. Got home around 3:30 which was SO nice! {for the record keeping purposes, it takes 95 songs EXACTLY....to make if from Port Canaveral parking deck to our driveway! YEP, that is with 2 gas station stops, an hourish at Cracker Barrel for lunch....and pretty clear traffic!} :) {Also...do you ask what was the number 1 song?!?! Well...I shall tell you! :) The top 100 Rock song of all time, according to the countdown, was Pour Some Sugar by Def Leopard! One of my favorites too!} We unloaded and spent the rest of the day unpacking and then watching Dick Clark's New Years Eve party in NYC! We didnt make it to the ball drop but we recorded it and watched it the next day! ha!

Soccer was so excited we were back home! Lily and I couldnt get him off of us the whole night! :)

New Years day was full of taking down Christmas...unloading....you know....back to the real world things...and THIS! We got our greens and peas on for the new year! OH yum!

This was Lily on New Years day .......doing her experiments from one of her Christmas gifts from us while Tyler and I did all the things like....taking down the trees! :)

We had such a wonderful Christmas break and now....we are all ready to tackle and see what 2022 has for us! Good or bad, we know God's got us and we can make it through with Him!

Perfect day!

 When you ask someone....describe a perfect day...

well....we can literally say.... we had a perfect day!

A Perfect day in Coco Cay!

Off the ship and READY to go!

The girls could not believe how big the ship really is! They were both amazed at the size!

A Perfect DAY!

I cant even describe the weather! It was beyond perfection! The breeze.....the sun...all of it was fabulous!

My view! Lily played and played!

And...played some more! There were water slides and splash pads and TONS of food....all the things we did and had so much fun!

The girls loved finding all the shells! What was funny was....some of the cruise workers {remind you...they are foreign and from different countries...} kept coming up to us admiring how beautiful and unique some were and asking us if we were going to sell them {because of how the girls had them 'displayed' on the table!} It was funny to see them and know their mindset!

Relaxing!

And...this one too!

We came back to the ship...got cleaned up and took a picture of alllll the towel animals! The girls loved seeing all the different ones each night!

They were super excited to see the elephant with Daddy's hat and glasses on it! And the monkey hanging from the previous night in the back!

Our fancy picture! :)

We enjoyed another show after dinner and crashed after this night because we had a full day!