I have a really good reason for being absent and I will share that at another time.

Among all of the craziness, there has been some great things going on at our house.  

PROM for example.

Barrett went to the prom last weekend 

and 

we had the pre-prom picture party at our house.  

F.U.N!

Barrett was asked to the prom by one of her good friends.

They were all at a birthday party and "R" grabbed a microphone and started singing. 

In the  middle of the song he stopped and pulled out a dozen roses and a sign he had made out of jelly beans and asked her to prom. 

She was totally surprised, but everyone else knew it was going to happen.  

They call it a "promposal" these days. 

Poor high school guys are now all in a competition to out do one another. 

(this is one of my favorite pictures!)

We served some light snacks…

chocolate dipped strawberries, pimento cheese and crackers, chicken salad in pastry shells, sweet tea, a bowl of cotton candy, which the kids loved…..

and Barrett made bow tie and bow cookies. 

Brittany and Brooke were here! 

They were not missing their baby sister's first prom. 

(another favorite picture)

We are well into summer around here. 

#3, Barrett, is "all done" with her sophomore year and

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT HER BEING A JUNIOR,

 just yet.  

Here she is headed out on the last day of school.

She was loaded down.

During the school year she was an assistant in a second grade class. She wanted to do something special the teacher and decided on a French themed basket, complete with warm french bread, cheese, jams and napkins. She took the students in the class ice pops all bundled up in ribbons. She also baked cookies the night before to share with her friends during lunch. This has become a tradition for her.  She needed the pair of closed toe shoes for her Biology lab....somehow they fit into her packed purse.

Somewhere on her, she also has a couple bottles of water, her lunch and of course school books!

She had a great school year, but was so glad to see it come to an end. 

(me too)

AP biology was getting the best of her.

(and me)

She had straight A's going into the last quarter, but during the last quarter her Bio grade dropped to a B.

Her dad may have bribed her a wee little bit just to get her motivated enough to make it to the end.

She has always wanted to go to Italy

and her dad said he would take her if she could make it through the school

year with all A's.

(Of course, he is the one that really wants to go to Italy and just saw it as  an excuse!)

Well, she did it!

She is a straight A student again this year.

We hate talking about it around here because we don't want to jinx her or make it seem it is what we expect from her. She takes her school work seriously and has never made anything but A's. 

She makes her own "studying" decisions and in the end has earned her grades.

And yes, I am proud of her and not ashamed to say it. 

Next year will be harder though, she will have several AP classes to deal with.

I will be proud of her no matter what her grades are, because she is such a hard worker

 and

 always does her best

and 

has a great heart

and 

is just so dang cute!

She goes to a private school and it was chapel day today.

Charlie was so handsome in his Barbour coat this afternoon.

He had nothing but kisses for Barrett!

They cooperated for pictures for about twenty seconds

 and then...

 this happened....

a doggie wrestling match. 

I am not so sure who won, but after a few rounds they were ready to go inside.

A little wet and smelly,

but still as cute as ever!