St. Jude's Trike-a-Thon

It's time again for what has become a fun tradition in our family. Amelia and her classmates at Co-Lin's pre-school are getting ready to particpate in the annual trike-a-thon to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Last year, Amelia raised over $300 and helped her school to raise over $3300 for the hospital. I hope you will help us raise funds for them again this year.

I can't say enough about St. Jude and what a worthy cause it is. They are the only pediatric cancer research center where families never pay for treatment not covered by insurance. They never turn a sick child away if the family is unable to pay. They are also a research hospital, and our money goes to support efforts to find cures for the terrible diseases that affect so many children and their families each year.

I wrote about this last year here and the year before here. This year, we have a special interest in helping because someone we know is currently receiving treatment at St. Jude. Cliff has known Maggie and her family all her life, and she was in his class when he taught at BHS. Please keep Maggie and her family in your prayers.

I am also looking forward to this year's event because Amelia is finally old enough to ride her trike, rather than be pushed in a stroller or wagon like in years past. I know she still isn't old enough to fully understand what we're doing, but she can understand that we are riding our trikes and saving our "monies" to help kids who don't feel good. I love that she is learning from an early age how important it is to think of others above ourselves. We have been so blessed to have a healthy child, and I thank God for that every day.

If you'd like to make a donation, please send it to:
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Attn:Angela Furr
PO Box 649
Wesson, MS 39191

or send me an email at angela.furr@colin.edu to let me know that you are willing to give, and Amelia and I will personally come by to pick up your donation. No amount is too small! I will also be happy to send you a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you are out of town. Thank you in advance for your continued support of this worthy cause!

State Champs!

Basketball season is a trying time for our family. Cliff's gone almost every night for about 5 months out of the year. He gets in late most nights, usually after Amelia and I are asleep. If he's not traveling to away games, he's out at high school games all over the state and Louisiana looking for players for next year. We try to make it to most of the home games, but being out late is hard on a 2-year-old and her mama. (And her teachers the next day). This year has been particularly hard on Cliff because now Mimi is old enough to really miss him when he's not around. We try to make the most of any off time he has for them to spend together and Mimi spends quite a bit of time running around the gym visiting Daddy whenever she can. (She kind of thinks she owns the place).



MACJC State Champs

 That's why when the season ends with a golden trophy, we all feel a little like we've earned it.

Yay for Daddy and the Lady Wolves!

What's your name?

I am aware that the majority of my Mimi videos are of her in the bathtub. It just happens that it's the one place I can catch her still enough to capture her singing or doing something I want to remember on video. I have lots more fun clips of her with real clothes on, but I just had to share this one of her saying her name, plus mine and Cliff's (as well as other random chatter).


What's your name? from Angela Furr on Vimeo.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I've said it before and I'll say it again- kids make every holiday more fun! Here's a few comparison shots of Mimi from the past two Valentine's Days. I miss that sweet baby!



 2009

2010



 

2011

Blackberry pic of her playing outside yesterday.

Posing with Daddy before church.

Cliff was festive in his pink shirt that I had bought him to wear to the breast cancer awareness night at the ballgame. Perfect for Valentine's!


Happy Heart Day!

The latest on the princess

In an attempt to get over myself and my dreary weather-induced grouchy mood, I thought I'd do a little Mimi update. We've both been under the weather and have been laying pretty low for the last couple of weeks so I've barely taken any photos. But for Uncle Chris' sake, and for my own memories, here's what Amelia is up to at two years and four months old (some pics were snapped with my phone, so not great quality): 

• She's totally potty trained- Yay! We had been working on it casually since the fall, and she was doing pretty good when I would take her to potty, but not great at telling me when she had to go on her own. One weekend I got serious and decided we were going to knock it out, and we did. I wouldn't call the whole thing an easy process, but when her stubborn little self decided she was really ready, she was done with diapers and pull-ups for good. Very few accidents since then, and she even wears her big girl panties through the night. Such a big milestone for our big girl!




Quick snap before church with her purse. Mama doesn't have to carry a diaper bag anymore!

• Her behavior is improving. Can I get an amen? She still has her set-backs here and there, but I have to say, along with being more independant with going potty, she has been throwing fewer tantrums and seems to be minding so much better. I will enjoy these small victories while we have them, but I'm not patting myself on the back just yet. I hear age three is worse than two.

Meltdown in the kitchen during one of her "setbacks"

• She has started naming her baby dolls and it is so precious. Before, every baby's name was just "Baby." Now all of a sudden she is giving them names. Her favorites are baby Audrey and baby Annalee (annawee). I have no idea where she came up with them, as we don't know anyone with these names, and I don't think I've heard them on any TV shows that she's watched. She did name one of her dolls Gracie Sherman, after a girl in her class. But I haven't heard her call that doll by that name since then. Audrey and Annawee are in the main rotation right now. My favorite is when all of a sudden she'll say, "Oh, I hear baby Audrey crying! I better go get her." And she'll run to her room, or wherever to get her. She holds her so sweet and snuggles her. I love that she has an active imagination.

A happy day in the kitchen while Mama cooks. Baby Gracie Sherman is beside her.

• She is still saying more hilarious things every day. I've got to do a better job at writing them down between blog posts. Yesterday she told me, "You look cute, Mama!" and later, "I wike your curly hair." She will also say, "Iwuvyousomuch" really fast, and in a sing/song voice. So sweet. She told me the other day when I came to get her after spending the night at my parents' house, "I'm so glad you're here, Mama." Melted me! Then of course she lost it when she realized she actually had to come home. She has always had a strong opinion about her wardrobe, but lately she has just been tickled to death over how cute she looks. She'll say, "My pants are so cute!" or "Don't I look bootiful in my dress, Daddy?" Right now we just laugh and tell her how bootiful she is. We'll work on inner beauty when she's a little older. 



Leaving Pailyn's 2nd birthday party a couple of weeks ago

• She's still obsessed with politeness. Always please, thank you, you're welcome, and of course bless you after you sneeze, cough, clear your throat, whatever. She will yell it from wherever she is if she hears you. She went to church with my parents last Sunday and my dad leads the music. He sneezed while up on stage and she yelled out, "Bless you, Papa!" I know he loved it, and the whole church got a kick out of it. She also tells people to be careful as they are leaving our house.



Monster face at Pay's party

• Her favorite food right now is grits (grips), and that is about the only thing she eats very much of at all. She will eat a bite of a chicken "wugget" and some "inch fries" here and there, but she still eats like a bird most of the time. 

That's about it for what's going on with us right now. Lots of playing indoors, going to school, church and Daddy's basketball games, and wishing the weather would warm up so we can play outside!