Well... he is my little Peter Pan.

One afternoon we needed relief from our little home. So, I packed the kids in the car and we headed to the magical place that is known as Target. Once we arrived I opted to pull Collin’s VERY heavy wheel chair out of my van rather cramming Collin’s long skinny legs into the front of the shopping cart. While we were wondering the isles and entertaining ourselves Regan made a friend. The two girls hit it off right from the start as they scared each other with their spooky finds in the Halloween isles.

Then our new little friend came over to Collin and me. She had questions, as most children do.

What is wrong with him?

Why can’t he walk?

Why does he drool?

Why doesn’t he talk?

I started to answer her as I usually do, but then I realized that I just wasn’t making any sense to her. So, I changed my thought process.

I then asked this sweet, curious little girl if she had ever seen the movie Peter Pan. To which she replied “Of course!”

“Do you remember Peter Pan and the Lost boys?” I asked her. “She quickly replied “YES!” I am sure she was thinking come on lady who doesn’t know Peter Pan.

I reminded her how Peter Pan and the lost boys could not grow up and LOVED being children.

“Well, Collin is my Peter Pan. He will always be my little boy. He won’t grow up like you and Regan. He will always be my baby.”

I then pointed to her little sister sitting in the shopping cart “Do remember how your little sister would drool when she was a baby or how she needed help eating?”
“Oh, yes. I helped my mommy all of the time.”
I complimented her on being such a big helper and then explained that Regan is a wonderful big sister as she helps me with her Bubba.

Now, I sit here thinking about my very own Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (his side kick) I am brought to tears. Just as Tinker Bell is there to help Peter Pan in his hardships and challenges, Regan is always there to help Collin. Most times without even being asked.

As hard as it is to change my nine year old’s diapers, feed him baby food, or struggle to understand his “babble” every day……
The blessings far surpass the challenges.

I feel so lucky to have my very own Peter Pan and Tinker Bell living right here under my roof.

A Question..

Tonight as we all sat down for dinner around the table.
An important Question came up that we as a family needed to find an answer for.
The important Question.....
What will Bubba be for Halloween??
(Regan has already made up her mind.)
I have a few ideas rolling around in my head BUT I thought I would ask all of you.
Do you have any great ideas???

Collin has been a Cowboy with his trusty horse...

Scuba Steve under the Ocean....

A Hot air balloon pilot.....

and a Pirate.

(Just to name a few.)

So, let's hear it...

What are your ideas?????

Make A Wish

We LOVE the Make A Wish foundation!!!! Yes, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!!!


For those of you living under a rock... the Make A Wish foundation is an AMAZING organization that grants wishes to sweet little kids that are fighting and/ or living with a life threatening or terminal illness.


Collin received his wish from the Make A Wish foundation several years back. (I VERY much need to write a post about it. I just realized that I talked about it on his CB site but not on here.... So, it will be coming. I PROMISE!!)


The wonderful thing about Make A Wish is that once you are part of the their family you are ALWAYS part of their family. Even after Collin's wish they have continued to reach out to our family with tickets to the galaxy game (http://presleyfam.blogspot.com/2008/04/we-love-la-galaxy-and-make-wish.html), basketball games, and other fun events.


I am all about paying it forward. So, when they sent me an e-mail and asked if we would like to help out with a Make A Wish fundraiser at Cold Stone creamery, we said WE WILL BE THERE!!!



A sweet little boy named JACK came up with a new flavor for Cold Stone Creamery as part of his wish. So, Cold Stone Creamery offered to let EVERYONE enjoy his new creation for free after a donation of ANY size to Make A Wish. How exciting.. right! Let me tell you Jack's creation looked a little scary at first because he managed to fit a ton of fun things in his creation BUT it was OH SO YUMMY!!! Good job Jack!!!

We had LOTS of friends and family come to

support this wonderful little inspiration!

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU to everyone who came!

THANK YOU to the amazing Make A Wish foundation

for letting us help!

THANK YOU to Cold Stone Creamery for donating your

ice cream to such an amazing cause!

and most of all....THANK YOU JACK!!!

You made a mighty tasty treat !!!

By doing small acts of kindness,

we can do great things!

How did you celebrate the first FULL week of school?

The first FULL week of school was a little hard.
There were even a few tears.
Yes, we are ALL still trying to figure out this whole new "school thing". wink!
So, how did we celebrate making it through our first FULL week of school.
Well.....

We CHEERED!......

and we DANCED!!....

OH, and don't forget this!!!

Jason was on an over nighter with the YM. So, it was just the kids and I. After what ended up being a little bit of a hard week we decided that we needed to celebrate! OK, really at our house do you need a reason to party... I mean come on... every day is a party to Regan! wink.
While we were at our favorite store... Yes, Target.... we found this awesome High School Musical cheerleader outfit for less than five dollars!!! I know you are sooo jealous! wink!

So, our party took off from there. We went home and Regan immediately changed into her new HM spirit wear. Then we took out the candy corn, turned on High School Musical 3, and our party was on!

Regan showing off her AWESOME Sharpay posing...

Is is just me or is it scary how much she looks like her???

Collin showing off his oh so COOL

Troy moves on the guitar.

I think all to often we take the time to celebrate the HUGE things in life.
Collin has given me the gift of a wonderful perspective of each day.
Why wait to celebrate the BIG things when we can celebrate just making it through TODAY?

Going private

I have been thinking about this for a while and I think it is time to go private on our blog. If you would like to be added to our list please leave your e-mail so that I can add you.
Thank you,
worried mommy... there are a bunch of crazies out there!!!

Love has no boundaries!!

Isn't he just the cutest, sweetest little thing! Oh, how my arms just ache to hold him!

Who is this?

This is Kai, he is my newest nephew!!! My AMAZING sister and her wonderful husband made the decision to adopt when they were told how many problems they were running into with getting pregnant. I will never forget the night when she called me and told me to go and look at his picture. I WAS IN LOVE. I mean, come on... how you can you not just melt when you see that smile. They contacted the agency and told them that he was their little boy!!!

When my sister was here for her thirtieth birthday we were celebrating more than her birthday. They were finally able to turn in the paper work to get the process started to get him home to us in America!!!

(Here they are celebrating after the e-mail went through at her b-day breakfast.)

Now we know that sweet little Kai will be with his Mommy and Daddy before Thanksgiving!!! We will all have so much be to very thankful for this year!!!

The reason that I am writing this post about this amazing little boy and his amazing parents... well, they could use your prayers. Kai under went his first surgery yesterday (or at least we think... updates are slow coming from China.) As you can tell by his beautiful crooked smile, as Regan calls it, he will need many surgeries. Yesterday was the first step in a long road in his sweet little life. Please pray for him and for his awesome parents who are very worried about him.

Oh, did I mention that in the process my sister became pregnant!!! Yes, their sweet family is growing by leaps and bounds!.... Miracles do happen!

First day of school.... Bring it on!!!!

It came. The first day of school came and some how I survived.

I know.. pretty amazing right... I didn't even cry!

On the way to school I looked back and saw my sweet babies sitting there all ready for school and I have to admit that I got a little teary eyed BUT I didn't cry.
It wasn't what I thought it was going to be at all. You see, I thought it would be hard to say good bye BUT I have already done that. It wasn't easy BUT it wasn't hard either. Now I realize that the good bye wasn't what I was dreading. It was what would come after the good bye. How do I handle this new phase "of me"? How do I balance my time between both my kids when one is so demanding? Well, I am not sure BUT I will figure it out.

So, here is how our day went.
We started with the typical pictures in the front yard.

We took Collin to his class first. He was beyond excited!!! He has the same teacher and wonderful aids that he had last year. So, when he saw his favorite aid Ms. Cheryl he couldn't stop smiling. I love his teacher Mr. T and the wonderful women that take care of him.

Then we were off to the kindergarten play ground to meet up with Regan's teacher Mr. Willie.

Regan was soooo excited when she saw Jacob, a friend from pre-school. The two of them sat together on the carpet on the front row. The ONLY ones that would sit on the front row might I add. wink!

Then it was time to say good bye and I did it! I turned around and walked out!!!

When I walked out I was so touched to see my little man already running all over the school!

Then it was time to pick the kids up from school.

Collin was TIRED.

The first day took a LOT out of him.

I interviewed Regan about her first day and I was so grateful to find out that she had already learned so much in the first day.
First she told me about her teacher.....

Then she told me about her new friends......

All in all it was a great first day of school!!!!!

Gulp.... Here's to a new school year.

Tomorrow my sweet children will be grasped into the hands of the public school system and our fun summer will be over. We have had such a blast this summer and have lived each second that we could to it's fullest.
Tonight.... I am nervous.
What if I didn't pack the right food... what if I packed too much or too little.
What if some how I show up late to pick Regan up and she is sitting there crying.
What if .... What if .... What if....

Well, tomorrow will bring a whole new phase to my role as a mother. I am not sure if I am ready for this new phase BUT ready or not... here it comes! GULP!!!

Monday night for FHE we decided to usher in this new school year in style. We invited all the grandparents and we had......

in our back yard.

After all of the yummy food and AMAZING blue steal posing it was time for Daddy to give the kids their back to school father's blessings. It was sweet........ personal... and reassuring. My kids are so blessed to have the wonderful Daddy that they have.

So, here we are..... Ready or not tomorrow will come and I will have a kindergartner and a fourth grader. Wish me luck... I just want to make sure I make it to my car before I break down. I will update tomorrow to let you know how it went!

Making Memories of us.... every second of every day!

Sorry I have not been around we have just been way too busy to stop and upload a bunch of fun photos. We have been busy making memories. I have said it before and I will say it again... a good day not lived to its fullest is a day wasted. I LOVE making memories.... memories for Regan to hold on to of her and her Bubba, memories with their loving grandparents, or memories with their crazy parents that would do ANYTHING for them!!!! Collin has been doing very well despite the heat (knock on wood). So, we have taken advantage of every good second of every day! What have we been up to you ask?.... Well, let me share (prepare for picture over load.)

We went to the Aquarium with Poppie (My Mom)

Went and watched Daddy and Regan at the batting cages.

Took Great Grandma Jo with us to the Aquarium.

Boy, she sure loves the birds!

Of course we had to get in some time at Disney!

We met up with our friend Randi while we were there.

Then another day at Disney with Nana, Papa(Jason's parents)

and their cousin Andrea. Regan sure has her PaPa wrapped

around her sweet little finger.

So, this is what we have been up to. We only have one more day before school starts. You better believe that we will be living it up just the four of us as a family. Any guesses as to where we our next adventure will be??????