I know I have been blogging a lot lately...

...but I have lots to say right now with all the stuff we have been doing! Once I get started with all these weddings in a few weeks, I may not have as much time for it...we'll see!!
First off, a picture of Maddie Kate with a top tooth missing!
She is so happy once she gets the teeth out, but before they are out it is quite a struggle! I remember being like that! She's pretty proud of it now!
On Sunday we went to Crossroads' homecoming at my in-laws church in Effingham. This photo is Ava wearing a green mustache and goatee from a cookie at lunchtime.
The next picture is 4 generations of Hollis' & Ragland's that were all in attendance that day! (back row: John & Vickie Hollis (Johnny's parents) Jared (Johnny's brother), me & Johnny. front row: Big Papa & Grandma Hollis (John's parents) holding Ava, Grandma & Grandpa Ragland (Vickie's parents) holding Maddie Kate.
Something else I just realized is that my daughter's have been wearing those dresses a LOT lately!! They are new and they match, and I really like them so I guess I just keep putting them on them. Well, next time, I promise to put something different on my kids, they have closets full of other things to wear!! ha!

This picture is Johnny with both of his grandpa's.
I think it is GREAT that he still has all of his grandparents. I only have one! How many people are 28 and have all 4 grandparents? Plus, I always think he looks like both of his grandpa's. It's hard to decide who he looks more like!!








Maddie Kate on Monday, May 21st, her 6th birthday!! She was born on a Monday. Here she is opening her gifts outside at lunchtime. This is her holding her first digital camera! You know that Bible verse about "Train up a child in the way he should go...."! ;) Maybe she'll work with me or take over the business some day!! She and I were testing the camera out this morning, and we uploaded some of the very low-res photos that it takes, and as soon as she saw them she said "Those are bad pictures!" So I have already told her we'll return it for an upgrade! I want her to enjoy it, and for it to be easy for her to use, so I think we'll have to do a little better than this! She is also wearing an old Sesser-Valier track uniform that her Daddy got for her...he's training her too! She loves it and wears it part of every day!



Here's Maddie Kate with her friends and Ava at her Surprise 6th birthday party! It was the funniest, cutest thing when they surprised her. Johnny had taken her to softball practice and then he kept her at the park to play until all her little friends got here. I had them hide in her room under her bed, and when she got home, I told her to go to her room and take her clothes off because she needed a bath. She always whines about taking baths (once she's in, she loves it, but for some reason, getting into the tub is always a hassle) so she was whining and I was videoing her. I followed her to her room she started taking off her pants, and one by one her friends came out from under the bed and looked at her, and finally I yelled "Surprise!" Maddie Kate was standing there in her shirt and panties and could not stop laughing! She was so surprised and so excited! They all decided to go out to play, so I ordered pizza and we ate outside on the back deck (thanks to Johnny for the fabulous Mother's Day gift! We have already used it a lot!) and then they went to play again. Johnny said, "Does she even know that they are spending the night?" and I yelled "Hey Maddie Kate, did you know your friends are spending the night?" and she held her arms up and said, "This is heaven!" That made the whole thing worth it, even though I barely slept that night!! Later we came in to play and eat cake and ice cream. They put on their jammies, played Wii, opened presents, and tore up Maddie Kate's room. I think they had fun! They were watching Full House season 5 (which she got for graduation) at midnight, and they were all awake. I was really tired, so I told them that I was going to bed but I was going to leave my door open so they could come get me if they needed me. At 2 am I heard a noise loud enough to wake me up, so I went to check, and 4 of the 5 were still awake. I told them they HAD to go to sleep! Maddie wanted to get in her bed, so all of the awake ones wanted to go with her. 2 girls got in bed with her and one laid on the floor! I got up at 5 to check on them and they were all asleep, so I guess getting into a real bed made them pass out! I thought it was great to have a party she could love so much!