And...We're back

Okay, so I have taken a vacation from blogging for a bit. I really have a good excuse--but I won't bore you with the details. Instead I'll catch you up on the latest with the Rawlings' Family

1. Jenson turned 13!!!! AHHHHHH---I think I am in denial--there is no way I am old enough to have a teenager. Now Dave on the other hand, is definitely old enough and mature and enough to have and to deal with a teenager. But seriously, we LOVE Jenson. He has the same infectious smile he had when he was a baby, he loves to get a good political conversation going, he still loves to be "in the know", he is very self driven, and he will be able to accomplish ANYTHING he puts his mind to. He has been such a fun kid to raise these past 13 years, I really am looking forward to the next 13 and beyond!!!

2. McKay lost his first tooth. He was very determined to have his Dad pull his tooth out one evening--he was very brave. The funniest part was Sadie ran away from the "action" saying "I can't watch--it's too scary!" This from the girl who lost her first tooth just a few weeks before.

3. McKay and Sadie turned 6--this was almost harder than Jenson turning 13. My babies are six years old. I think what made this birthday so hard, is that in six more years we will be sending Jenson off on his mission, Allie off to college, and McKay and Sadie will be entering the Young Mens' and Young Womens' programs.

Anyway, they had a great birthday. McKay got a new game for the wii, which has now become the family favorite, he also got a Georgia football Jersey--which I think he wore for a week straight. Dave took the boys (Jenson and McKay) an Atlanta Hawks game--which he also loved--too bad the Hawks got skunked that night.

Sadie got her American Girl doll (the knock-off version) and some accessories for the doll. Allie was so sweet and made (with very little help from mom) pajamas for Sadie's new doll. I (mom)made matching pajamas for Sadie. She was so sweet, she said, the PJ's were the best gift she has ever had--I loved that something so simple as home-made PJ's made her day. Dave took the girls (Allie and Sadie) to the father/daughter dance at the school. They loved their date with Dad.

4. Father-Daughter Dance. The dance was on the evening of Sadie's birthday. This is what she wanted to do for her birthday. I loved all the prep work, shopping for the dresses, getting the nails done, fixing the hair. I think the girls looked absolutely beautiful that night, and their date didn't look half bad either!!

5. Allie's basketball season. This year Allie decided to play basketball and not do cheerleading. This was a big step for her--her previous experience with organized sports was her sitting in the field picking blades of grass while the other children actually played t-ball. She was wonderful. She is feisty--and was awesome on defense! As the season progressed, she got better and better. By the end of the season, she was a old pro.

Well, now you are caught up--say tuned