Party in the USA!

On Saturday, we met up with Eliza and her family for lunch at the Rooster and we all hit the road to Columbia for the Miley Cyrus concert!!  McCanless was so excited and took all morning to find the perfect outfit.  She ended up with a pink Miley t-shirt, jeans with a black and silver sequin skirt and her pink chucks.  She wanted me to use Mary Clare’s pinkalicious hair gel to make pink streaks in her hair and she wore a sequin flower headband.

Once we arrived in Columbia, found our parking spots and the girls bought Miley t-shirts (and changed immediately), we all walked through the Vista and enjoyed ice-cream cones.  The girls were so excited and so ready for Miley!

When we got to the Colonial Life Arena and were escorted through the building and bypassing all lines to our suite, the girls thought they were “back stage” special guests of Miley.   Aunt Liz thoroughly spoiled McCanless by finding box seating for our whole crew!  It was wonderful!  I don’t think McCanless will ever want to do “normal” again when it comes to concerts!  I’m afraid this may be her “normal” from now on…

Suite 16 was so very sweet!  Let me set the stage…

Bathroom, mini-kitchen, butler, televisions all ours….it couldn’t have been better with so many little girls and their mommies! Thanks so much Aunt Liz!!

Jenny, McCanless, Eliza and Chloe waiting on Miley.

Chicken tenders, nachos, and rainbow icees for all!

McCanless, Eliza, Claire, Jenny and Lily

“Girls Night Out”

“So I put my hands up, they’re playin’ my song…”

Boom, boom clap.  Boom de-clap, de-clap.

“When the drum hits, hands on your hips.”

Thanksgiving Day 2009

This year, we did Thanksgiving a bit differently.  My mother had her entire family over to her house last Sunday with her siblings and family and my siblings.  It is always so fun and crazy with everyone around!  We have a large, loud and super fun family!!  Since we all gathered then, we all went our own separate ways this year for Thanksgiving Day.  I decided that I wanted to cook for our little family of four and stay home.  My mom had throat surgery on Wednesday at Duke and I wasn’t even sure if she would make it.  I planned on just Mel, the girls and I to spend the day together!

Mary Clare and I woke up and cranked up the crock pots!  Did I mention that my oven control panel broke a couple of weeks ago?  I had to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner without an oven!   Gas top worked fine, just no oven!  (So glad Paula Dean has great crock pot macaroni and cheese and potato casserole recipes!  YUM!)

We actually slept in and skipped the Annual YMCA 5K Turkey Trot.  The girls were able to enjoy the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with no interruptions. We didn’t worry about getting up, getting dressed and rushing around!  It was wonderful!

I even put the girls to work.  They made  Reese’s Peanut Butter bars for Daddy.  I made Key Lime pies for me.  I know, non-traditional, but it was my party!  I did buy a pecan pie and ice cream for some tradition!

Nonnie was able to come over, although sore and tired from surgery.  She had craft hour with the girls while I was able to finish up.  They made turkey place cards for the table.

Not bad for no oven, huh?  I ordered a cajun fried turkey and I grilled it at home to heat it up!

I made way too much food and we all stuffed ourselves.  We had such a relaxing day and just spent it together, cooking, napping, eating, and just being together!  We truly have so much to be thankful for!

McCanless in 5K

Below is a sample of McCanless’ classwork.  She is really doing great in 5K!  She is constantly writing “stories” and letters for me at home, and is actually getting really good at her spelling attempts.

This was on the wall in her classroom.  The class created their own “monsters” with paper bags and various craft items.  They then had to write about their monsters.  McCanless named her monster, MaKayla.

Translation:

I am MaKayla and I am a pretty monster.

I like to eat macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes.

Flashback…

McCanless always dresses herself and comes up with some pretty interesting combinations sometime;  but when she decided on this purple ensemble AND side pony tail, I had to take a photo.  It looks like something I wore in middle school!   I’m not sure when side pony tails came back around, but I guess it all goes with the leg warmers, boots, frills, and leggings that are back in style and on top of McCanless must have lists.  She also loves her “skinny jeans.”  I can always count on McCanless to be on top of these things!

Another “pointy” tooth on its way!

McCanless lost her third tooth tonight!  She has lost three on the bottom front so far and told me that she’ll have another pointy tooth soon! (permanent)  Thankfully, she wants to save it and take it to school tomorrow to show her friends.   I’m sure the tooth fairy will appreciate the extra time to gather a few gold coins and fairy dust to place under her pillow tomorrow night. That is, if Mary Clare doesn’t loose the tiny tooth between now and then.  She has been begging McCanless to allow her to hold it and play with it and even told us it was “so cute.”

I happen to think my little snaggle tooth is “so cute!”

It’s Official

As of 6:00 pm Tuesday, November 10, Mel is Mayor of Hartsville, South Carolina.

Mary Clare felt it necessary to “help” me as Mel took his Oath of Office.  She jumped up from her seat with Mimi, and came running to me with shoes off, paci in one hand and blue sucker in the other.  I couldn’t really stop the oath by handing over the Bible and picking her up, so I just watched her grab onto my legs and try to get my attention.  She kept saying, “Hey Mamma” until I had to look down and acknowledge her by saying, “Hello, Mary Clare.”  She stood up front with us until it was official and Daddy became Mayor.

We were all hoping to celebrate where we celebrate best, Los Tres Amigos, after Mel was sworn into office;  but it didn’t dawn on me until after Mel took over that he had to actually preside over the meeting.  Whoops, I guess that comes with the title, huh?

We stayed a bit to watch the council meeting but around 6:30, we had to leave to pick up McCanless from dance.  (She opted not to attend Daddy’s special meeting.  Dance is far more important to her right now.)  I took her back to City Hall to see Daddy in his new role, but executive session had begun behind closed doors so this was all she was able to see.  By this time, McCanless and Mary Clare had had their fill of City Hall and politics and were like little ants all over the building, climbing on chairs, dancing in the halls and running around barefoot.  This was Daddy’s first night on the job, and in the interst of his reputation as a father,  we decided not to wait on  him and headed out to eat with Mimi and Nonnie.  (We’ll break them in slowly.)  The girls were dancing and singing as loudly as they could down the steps of City Hall.  Ready or not, Hartsville, here we come!

Saturday

For the first time in, oh…. say….,months, I am alone.  I’m on the couch, with a cup of coffee, watching Dirty Dancing on ABC Family, (and blogging a bit, of course).  It is FABULOUS!  We had a great day at the Hartsville Downtown Open Marketplace this morning and even entered Emmie in a dog show!  She didn’t win, but she surprised us and behaved very well.  I can’t say the same for our girls. We ate lunch and went driving through town with the windows down to gather up a few of Mel’s  remaining campaign signs.  It has been a great Fall day.

McCanless begged all afternoon to have a sleep over party, and after I refused, Mel gave in to her whining and offered a girls’ movie night.  (He can’t help himself.  He LOVES to entertain McCanless and all of her girlfriends.)  McCanless dressed in her coolest outfit, they grabbed a few Miley CDs, picked up four more girls and took off in the limo.  Mary Clare even got to tag along this time, much to McCanless’ dismay.  (I’m waiting on the call to come get her any minute now.) The only movie playing was, “A Christmas Carol,” but that doesn’t really matter, I think they all love the limo, loud music and silly Daddy most of all.  Mel may be a great businessman, funeral director and mayor extraordinaire, but his best roles are my sweet hubby and Daddy!

Hartsville has a new mayor!

Click Here

Today is the day!

Go Vote!  Mel for Mayor!

Trick or Treat!

McCanless’ 5K friend, Benson, had a Halloween party on Halloween afternoon.  Although it was pretty hot and most of the kids shed their costumes, they all had a ball!  They ran themselves silly, ate a ton and even went on pony and donkey rides.  We finished up the day with a hay ride!

We began our evening of trick-or-treating in our own neighborhood at BB and PaPa’s house.  We decided to have a “low key,” traditional Halloween night and forgo a few Halloween parties along with all of the chaos and rushing around.  We had a great time going door to door, visiting friends and family in our own backyard!

Our neighbors and best pals, Peyton and Anne-Hackett just happened to show up while we were at BB and Papa’s house, so we decided to tackle our neighborhood all together!

Sweet Pinkalicious tried her hardest to keep up with the big girls!

I think the girls had more fun running and playing and dancing in the streets than actually knocking on doors.

Mary Clare had to try out every piece of candy as soon as she got it!  She would knock on doors, get candy, open it, eat it.  Every time.