Build a Bear giveaways!

I just wanted to let you guys know about some Build a Bear giveaways I've run across. I know some of you are huge fans of Build a Bear. It looks really cool but I've never been or taken the kids. Mallory has been often with her mom and loves it!

The first giveaway ends TODAY -NOVEMBER 30th. It is hosted by Mommies Angels - BuildaBear Review and Giveaway.

The second giveaway ends December 10th. It is hosted by 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires - Giveaway-Giveaway-BuildBear-Workshop-Fashions.

Good luck with the entries! I hope someone lucky I know wins even if I don't win myself! Happy Cyber Monday to everyone! (Husband did not know there was a Cyber Monday to Black Friday - wow! Had to explain that one this morning!)

St. James Fall pictures

I will post more things in the following days (I'm off for two whole days - hooray!). These are the highlights from Julia Grace's fall photos at her preschool. I'm amazed she sat still long enough for any of them! Enjoy!

Madeline doll giveaway

Anybody that knows our sweet Julia Grace knows she's really got some favorite characters and she's super attached. The Big Ones (in no particular order) are:

1. Curious George - one of her first words was "George".
2. Wonder Pets - this is a fairly recent one and she sings/hums their songs all the time.
3. Wiggles - we LOVE the Wiggles!
4. Blue's Clues - or in this house - " A clue a clue - I want to watch a CLUE!"
5. Madeline - forever she was known here as Mad-a-NINE! She is a favorite of my almost 10 year old stepdaughter, Mallory, too.
6. Elmo - of course!
7. Clifford
8. Veggie Tales
9. Bear in the Big Blue House
10. Thomas the Train

I know there isn't much girly material in there. Julia Grace likes what she likes I suppose. We love the classy, yet funny, antics and learning manners there are in the Madeline books and DVDs. Julia Grace really learns a lot from all of these shows though. She's learned so much just from Curious George and Blue's Clues. The Wiggles really stimulate her love of music and we all like the Wiggles in our house even if the grandparents aren't too keen on them! The Wonder Pets have become a recent favorite and she wakes up singing their songs and asking to watch "Won' Pets!" .

I've been given links to the following contests in the last few days and I wanted to share them with you if you like these characters too. One is an entry to win a talking Madeline doll designed for her 70th anniversary for Toys R Us by KidsPreferred. This giveaway is being offered by The Art of Being Mom .

Another giveaway is given by the crew at 5 minutes for mom which has always been a favorite of mine to read for reviews, giveaways, and just total - hey-I-identify-with-that-totally! :) Their link to the Wiggles giveaway for a "Wiggly Christmas" which is a WHOLE lot of Wiggles stuff is here: A Very Wiggly Christmas!

Go check them out and check out more than their giveaways while you're at it - you'll be pleasantly surprised. You might be hooked and come back as often as I do! Good luck on the giveaways!

Wordless Wednesday

The Nutcracker

Last year, I took Mallory to see the Nutcracker and Snow White performed by Ballet Spartanburg. We even got brave and took Julia Grace with us to see Peter and the Wolf in the Spring. Mallory was quite taken with the studio's performance right away with Snow White. She was even more excited by the time the Nutcracker rolled around because her friend, Madison, was a toy soldier in the production. I remember last year as we left Twichell Auditorium after the performance, Mallory said to me, "next year I am going to audition for that - it was AWESOME!". So, this year, she did audition, and I'm so proud of her because she won a part as a cherub as pictured in the photo near the bottom from a previous performance. She's super-duper excited and we are too! Congratulations Mallory! :)

Julia Grace's first day of school!

These were from Julia Grace's first day of 3 year old preschool at St. James in late August. She had a good day but was soooo sleepy afterwards. She really gets excited about going to school now and starts trying to head us out the door before we're ready to take her!

Wordless Wednesday

(It's almost time for another birthday party!!)

Wordless Wednesday

Just hangin' around...

I have lots of pictures that are on a different computer and some still on the camera and some still on my phone.

We have lots going on at our house. Mallory is at her mom's for the rest of this week and back here for 2 more weeks this Sunday. Mallory is going to an art camp at Anderson Mill Rd Baptist. Mallory will be playing soccer again this fall and Tracy is going to be a coach so we're getting back into fall soccer mode. We have found a place where Julia Grace will be old enough to play soccer as well but we're torn between soccer and more swimming lessons. She really likes to be in the water but she does so well kicking and running after a ball. Julia Grace will also be starting preschool at St. James United Methodist this fall as well.

We're getting ready for birthdays - my mom will be ___ on August 7th. My grandmother will be 80-something on August 14th. My baby girl will be THREE on August 18th and my hubby will be 28 on August 19th. It gets a little crazy at our house in August but it's a good kind of crazy!

I hope everyone is doing well out there. I have lots more to post but it's close to bedtime and my pics aren't on this computer. Hope everyone is enjoying the last bits of summer!

Wordless Wednesday...

Julia Grace goes to see Dr. Muncy...

On the way to see the dentist!
Julia Grace is laughing at Mallory.

Both girls... in between giggles!

Where did she go?

"Ee-pie"! There she is!

I thought he had it all with the TVs in the ceiling, the snowboarding game, and Dr. Muncy even upgraded from Nintendo to XBOX 360 in the waiting room.

But holy cow! He added a jungle gym area to his waiting room for 3-12 year olds!

They even provide socks if you don't have any!

Mallory is helping Julia Grace up the steps.

Julia Grace paused to pose for the camera!

That's Mallory crawling through the shifting tunnel thing.

The chase ensues...

Julia Grace is tuckered out from playing in the waiting area, screaming through her visit, and lunch afterwards at Chick-fil-a.

We took Mallory with us to Julia Grace's dentist visit. This is Julia Grace's third visit to the dentist. She's not really any more used to it than the first time we took her. She's screamed and cried at every visit. I guess it's a good thing they have rooms that are sound proof for the most part or she might be scaring other kids away from the place! Seriously - she started crying after getting off the play area and I warned the lady, Emily, that cleaned her teeth. I said I'm really sorry in advance because she is going to scream and cry because she doesn't like any doctors touching her. She said I know I read her notes. What? What notes?

Apparently Julia Grace has notes in her chart that say: "very reactive; bites". Nice.

Her checkup was good. No cavities and the bottom two molars came in sometime over July 4th weekend. They weren't in on Friday but were in on Monday at Dr. Muncy's office. She has two more that you can see the little points of the teeth pressing the gums and outlined. Any day now he says. I sure hope so! Julia Grace is having a hard time with them through the night.

She cried as soon as Dr. Muncy came in - even though he didn't try to cut up with her this time. He just said hello and she started crying. Now don't think bad of Dr. Muncy because as far as dentists go, he's the best one I've seen in quite some time and definitely the best pediatric dentist I've met. Julia Grace just screams bloody murder with any doctor. She has done it to Dr. Webb about 2 weeks ago, at the audiologists, and with the doctor at the genetic testing session on Wednesday (that's a post for another day and I don't know what I would have done without Mallory to help me).

Anyhow, she had a good checkup, didn't bite them this time, and cried/screamed a little less this time. They let both girls get a prize from the bucket. Mallory was a sweetheart and picked out something for Julia Grace instead of something for her. She is such a thoughtful child and really growing up on us. Each girl got ice cream at checkout too - Mallory thought it was de-lish! We took the girls to Chick-fil-a for lunch before heading home. Tracy won't take pictures of Julia Grace having her teeth cleaned or even in the dentist chair at all because she pitches such a fit. I guess I don't blame him so all I have are before and afters.
Just wondering - anyone else have tips for all the screaming and commotion at the doctor's office? I don't think she's scared of them, just doesn't like being touched!