Let's do a lookback!
From 7th grade, fresh, starting high school...................during the pandemic OF ALL things!
To her last year of high school!
Senior year!
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And because this was Alexis' 1st year at the high school and us being in a pandemic..........thought I would share these pictures again. I mean, look at them! CRAZY times for sure!
This one cracks me up!
She is pumped to not be the 'baby' at school anymore! 8th grade is SO much older, cooler...ya know!
So, we got her schedule and her all 'fixed' up and ready to start her year!
This group of girls are going to have a great year together!
Our 8th grader!
She got a good one! Doesnt have to be on school campus until midday. Takes a few classes and has cheer at the end of the day.
I did NOT have it that way when I was in school.
Goodness, times have changed!
But, she got everything handled this morning and she is ready to START her Senior year next week!
Our Senior! She is excited and ready for her fun year!
And these two, I hope they have a great Senior year being whatever they are calling themselves! :)
This, technically, is our last 'slow' weekend as we have all the things.........back to school, cross country, football, etc...coming up!
So, we took full advantage of relaxing and doing all the things at home to soak up the 'slow' and it was fabulous!
Saturday was spent cleaning and enjoying the beautiful day and cooking out and then Sunday was full of Church, lunch, errands, and gearing up for the week!
This girl looked super cute for Church.......and she let me take a picture! Funny thing is, this was in our garage!.........but my phone has a new update that you can change the background! SO cool! ha!
Last night marked another 'last event' (well big one) of Alexis' DD time.
They had their Big/Little initiation and dinner at Hubbards that is always a fun event!
I hope Alexis looks back at these events and times with fond memories and fun!
Lex has the cutest Little this time!
Lily loved art camp in the past at Donoho so when I saw there was going to be one at JSU, we got her signed up!
Despite not really loving the other teenagers that were there, she loved all the art things that she was able to do! She loves art and especially pottery, so she really enjoyed the week!
I mean, talk about a week with a full mix of art camp and cross country practice for this one!
Her favorite was the pottery day. She loved making her running collage, and then doing the art experiment with the sun and the leaves.
And then the squirrel.
Yeah, she showed it to me (the day she brought it home) and I was like...................is that a squirrel?
She goes, 'yep, I had a lot to choose from but decided on a squirrel!' bahaha!
And then........dont get me started on her poetry day....................
as soon as I pick her up...........
she gets in the car and tells me that she came up with her poem....................... while she was on the toilet!
I mean, its Lily!
(FYI, it was a good poem..........so Tyler told her to keep doing her best work..........on the toilet!) smh! :)
From 1 to 17!..............
just wow, the time sure does fly!
This is one of my most favorite pictures of Alexis. I distinctly remember taking this picture! We were in her bedroom (in our Birmingham home) against the 'watermelon' walls that I picked out and loved that was in her room!
She was such a happy baby!
And, look at those teeth!
To now 17! It goes in a blink!
We enjoyed a great anniversary evening! What do you do on year 20?
Well, you go to work....
come home....
cook dinner.....
and then sneak off to see about trivia night, but end up chatting with multiple different friends that you see and also, catch up on life and chat with each other too!
The girls......but specifically, I am talking about Lily (because this is shocking to me!) :) has started requesting enchiladas for dinner. (Each week, when I am meal planning, I ask the girls what they want me to cook.) well, I thought Lily would hate them (because she is so 'hot and cold') but they are her 'favorite' now, so we enjoyed that for our anniversary dinner! :)
And, note, Lily's art work and then her poem (more on that later) that she made!
Him and I, 20 years later!
Talk about a throwback! I mean..........look at me and all my friends on our wedding night!
And then an even more throwback! Lana sent me this............of her color scheme being the same as I what I did...........and then my little skinny legged self as her flower girl! ha!
Tyler and my 20th wedding anniversary!
To say, wow, is correct! Has it been easy, no, has it been fun and full of adventure, yes, but through ups and downs, changes and everything in between, we have always come out still hanging on no matter what the situation has been. Here's to 20 years! I am proud of us and thankful for the little life we have created and what the future holds! 
To think it has been 15 years. JUST WOW. It doesnt seem like that long but then on the other hand, it does.
To think, Alexis is now 17.
To think of alllll the things that he hasnt been a part of but yet, he has from above.
We have had a pretty awesome angel looking over us and I sure hope, and think, that he is pretty proud of my little family and all that has taken place with us since he has passed.
He is missed here, and it makes me sad that the girls dont have any memories of him, but will always know that he loved being a grandfather and would have spoiled them rotten if he were on this Earth.
I look above and say hello and and feel your warmth on this day.
Will always be one of my most favorite pictures of him because it was one of the best days for him, when he became a Pops!
Lily is back in action with Cross Country practice since meets will be happening soon since it seems this Summer is just insanely flying by!
These two love hanging out with each other so it is a bonus when P rides with us on my way to work!
And....nothing like getting a sweet text, from Pearson, trying to butter me up...........to take them to Seven Brew when I picked them back up. It worked....and they were happy! :)
Just had to post this.
I mean.
Guess.
Who is the boss of the house!?
And, just to say. It is a close, tie, that it is both of them! :)
And then, book club time of the month. LOVE when the theme is fun and always enjoy our dinners and chats!
So festive and perfect theme to match the book we read for the month of July!
So, just a little on the busy side! Over the weekend, whew, it was just in survival mode, I felt like. Since we have been back from Texas, it has just been a lot. For example, I love cleaning before we leave for trips. (I know some people dont understand why Iclean when youre going to be gone, but I love when it is all clean and to know I am coming home to a clean house!) Well, when we got home from Texas, I just felt like our house was so gross! So much so that I took off on Friday just to clean from top to bottom.
The main reason has to do with a certain cat, that well......we just dont know what to do with him. Aubie is the BEST cat and has been too. But, he is a 11 1/2 and well, is starting to show his old age. He is such a finicky cat and if something is bothering him or just ANYTHING, he will not use the litterboxes. Thus, he has a 'spot' to which Tyler has declared......................our couch is done for.
So, goodness, it is hard because he is a part of our family and to see him not using the litterboxes and on top of that, how he gets sick/throws up.................it has NOT been fun in our house the past couple of weeks for sure.
Ugh.
But, here is a little life lately on top of that..............that we have been up to!
Our current state of our couch. Tyler would prefer we chunk this and just have............................no.............couch at all.
I mean................
She had such a pretty party!
And more....(I guess this is more of an update on Alexis than a 'Life Lately' :) )
She is doing great at conquering that back tuck!
Killing it out there!
And, update on Lily, those four teeth...................are on their way! One still hasnt broken through but the other 3 have and she is BEYOND excited! That fourth one.......needs to hurry up! She said she isnt going to know what to do when she has a mouth full of teeth! ha!
The rest of our trip, we enjoyed soaking up Fort Worth and all the things the Messer's love. That's one thing I love about trips we go on. What I mean is, when we visit the Messer's or like when we went to California, we do what the locals do (because we are with locals, ha!) so we get to experience all the inside goodness!
Saturday, we slept in then enjoyed the best Brunch spot before going line dancing! OH my goodness, it was SO much fun...and hilarious! I have to say, Tyler gave it a good whirl until Alexis was tired of him stepping on her toes or hitting her because he was turning the wrong way...so he sat down and just watched but Chris, he stuck with us the whole time! It was a blast!
Us cowgirls!.............well, my crew and I with borrowed boots! :)
Lined up and ready!
We thought it might just be us there but it was packed!
Two freshly made cowgirls!
After we did some driving around to look at fun things then went to a late lunch/early dinner at Delucca which was such a fun experience for pizza! Then we came home and they bounced from swimming to art to all the things the rest of the evening!
Then Sunday, they were supposed to go to a huge water park but it stormed most of the morning so instead the Dads took them to a jump place and a fun lunch spot while Emily and I had a massage! Then once we were back, we all went shopping and then had the best dinner!
We got up early Monday morning for the trek back!
We had the best time!
She's like a sister! Cant wait until our next time!
So our first Fourth of July in Fort Worth consisted of shopping, a hot dog eating contest, cooking out, swimming, and then the best fireworks show I have ever seen!
Now, there is just nothing like watching the huge fireworks show in Pensacola on the boat out in the middle of the ocean, but the Fort Worth fireworks show............there is absolutely NO telling how much money they spent because it was HUGE and just didnt stop! Unbelievable!
These girls. They have such a great bond! They all enjoyed each other so much and it made me so happy to see because I love the Messer girls like my own!
So, they thought they were super cool when we let them walk the trail down to the shops down the street. Apparently this is what the Messer girls love to do so my girls were in shock when they knew that a Ulta, Bath and Body Works, etc was just down the street from their house!
Selfie during their walking and shopping spree!
Then we cooked out and enjoyed burgers and fun!
