Busy, busy, busy!

It's yet again been over a week since Ive updated! I need to get more consistant, because life is so busy from day to day that I forget all the wonderful things that have gone on : )

Last weekend was great! Mckenna had her friends Alyssa and Gracie over and I took them to Chuckie Cheese. They had a blast! Afterwards we went for icecream. Sometimes I feel like I get to experience childhood all over again through Mckenna and I love it. The girls were so silly and talked about some of the things I remember talking about with my friends at that age. They had me turn up the radio really loud and were singing and just being goofy.

At Chuckie Cheese : )

Silly girls having icecream!Playing Candy Land before we left

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing. We went to church together as a family on Sunday and Ross studied a bit during church again : ) lol....on Sunday night I didn't feel like cooking so Ross drove us to Sonic. Ross and Mckenna were being so silly singing to the ipod. They are definitly two of a kind! They were trying to make me laugh making faces at me so I took a couple of pics....

I'm not sure where she gets it! : ) lol

Work slowed down a bit this past week for me and I've been so thankful. I needed a little bit of slower week as far as work goes because Mckenna's work has picked up a little bit. This was also the first week she didn't have school. Even though Ross is out of school he has been studying over 10 hours everyday for his boards, so when I have work all day, I can't rely on him to watch her. I'm hoping that until he takes boards, my work won't be too busy. I've run Mckenna to Dallas 4 times this week! Between her stuff and my work, I've filled up my tank twice this week! It definitly makes me regret getting such a tank of a car!

Mckenna worked for KidKraft this week again. She has been so blessed to consistantly work there. They have become like family to us and we are going to be so sad when she gets too tall! She is just about 40 inches right now and once she hits 43 inches, she will be too tall to work for them. She was extra excited this past week because she shot the packaging for a dollhouse that will be sold at Costco over Christmas.

On set for Kidkraft this week

While we were there, we got some photos back from a couple of weeks ago. These are some kitchens that she shot for KidKraft Canada.

Update on the moth situation....he is finally burried : ) Hurray! She found a new bug that she loves. Ross and Mckenna have been going on bike rides together lately and they had gone down to the park. They found a little catterpillar that they named "Timmy Turner" and surprisingly, he is still alive! She cracks me up with him. She gets him out and pets him and plays with him. I'm hoping that just maybe he will make a cocoon and turn into a butterfly!

Haha! I thought this was funny! Mckenna insisted on sleeping with a huge blow up thing that you bounce around the house on. She said he was sad because he never got to sleep in a bed : )

We also found time for pedicures together this past week! We needed it : )

I had a day off this past week and I was looking forward to hanging out with Mckenna by the pool. She woke up early and came and got in my bed and was complaining of a tummy ache. I asked if she wanted some icewater and she said yes. She was just laying in my bed watching cartoons and she sat up really fast and said "I'm not feeling so good"...about that time she threw up all in my bed. Then she cried and wanted me to hug her, so then I had throw up on me...it was just a big mess! lol. We both got in the shower and headed over to Walgreens to get sprite and crackers. We weren't in there for more than a few minutes and she said she needed to get to the bathroom quick...while she was sprinting to the bathroom she spotted some Disney stick on nails and said "GRAB THOSE MOM!" : ) Just like my little Mckenna to be sick and worried about press on nails.

We stocked up at Walgreens...sprite, crackers, soup, pedialyte, medicine and nailpolish and sitck on nails : )

She felt much better by the end of the day and we all ended up going to get frozen yogurt. Must have been just a little bug. I was really thankful that she didn't stay sick!

Having icecream after being sick all day : (

Saturday she had to film "R"...a short film she got casted in a few weeks ago. This is going to be a tough one to watch because it deals with issues that sometimes we don't like to think about. Although Mckenna is not directly involved in any type of abuse, you do find out in the movie, from her older "self" that she was abused. It's tough...but the whole purpose of the film is to hopefully raise awareness about abuse...that it doesn't discriminate. The director is planning on putting the film into festivals. I think that when it is finished it will be something that everyone involved can be proud of. Mckenna of course isn't exactly sure what it is about. I always always always ask Mckenna if she wants to audition or do something. So far she has never said no. I want her to be able to make decisions on what types of scripts and stuff she wants to do. Also, as her mother it is my responsibility to make decisions on what type of things I LET her do before I present a script to her. I think everyone has their own rules/boundries about what they let their children do in the business. I would never let her be directly involved in any type of violence or in any dramatic, scary scene that might hurt her as an adult or have lasting emotional effects on her. First and foremost, her safety and well being is my concern.

 She does know how to cry on cue and for an outsider looking in, it might be hard to understand how she can do that...I've heard questions or comments like "I can't believe they would let that little girl cry like that" or "what did they do to make her cry like that"...Mckenna has a gift...she has a gift for being able to do this and she is good at it. Sometimes I don't understand it...for instance, we were on a set where she had to cry. She said that she wasn't feeling very sad at that moment, but I told her that she had to cry for the scene, that in order to make it believable for the people who would watch the film, she had to let them know she was really sad. She said okay mom, "give me that coloring book and crayons"...I did and she colored a picture real fast, held it up in front of me and ripped it in half...she said "ok mom, I'm feeling sad now, let's go do this!"

Speaking of gifts, I've been talking to her a lot lately about the gifts that God gives us. She was asking what her gifts were and I told her that God gave her a big heart and compassion for other people, that she was very creative and that she could do acting really well. I explained that everyone is blessed with different things...some people play sports, some people cook, etc. She said "oh mom! that's really neat! And God gave dad the gift of being smart, so he could be a doctor and help people! And he gave you the gift of being pretty!" I laughed so hard!

Getting her make up done for "R"

Screen shot of Mckenna filming

The best part of filming was that she found a bug in the building! She said she saved his life because someone would have stepped on him : ) We went to walmart after and grabbed a new bug box because all of ours are getting full. She names him "Cosmo"...he is dead already : ) lol

After filming she said she wanted to have friends over to swim at the new house. We are so excited about moving in with Lollie and Pop. They got the keys to the new house on Thursday and we've been moving things in slowly but surely. Their furniture is being delivered next week and then we will move in after boards at the end of June. I went and picked up her friends Gracie and Maddie and the girls had so much fun.

The girls found a snake in the pool and carried it all over the place : ) They named him "Dudley" haha!

I was telling Tracey how sweet the girls were. How I've had 3 little girls over the past two weekends in a row and I have had NO PROBLEMS at all...not even the slightest bit of bickering. Which usually when you have an uneven number of children, it can equal disaster because someone gets left out or has their feelings hurt. I'm so proud of Mckenna for being so sweet to her little friends. I know sometimes I worry because she is an only child, but she really plays well with the other children and I think school has helped her a lot too. I've also been very picky about the little friends she hangs out with often. I've heard that you become a lot like who you hang out with...this is true not only for adults, but for children as well. I'm glad Mckenna has such great little friends whose parents care for them and teach them manners and how to treat others...it's good for Mckenna to have little girls to take after and look up to! I hope she never ever changes and keeps her big heart and love for other people!

On Sunday we got up for church and for the first time in a month Ross didn't go...he has only a few weeks left until boards and he just needed to use that time to study. So Lollie came with us : ) I almost didn't let Mckenna go into the classrooms at church because their was a note on the door that said a few children had been found with lice...eeeekkk! But I ended up finding out that it was only at a summer camp and it was the older children. They just wanted to be cautious. Church was great! Mckenna made a coat of many colors out of a brown bag and she was so proud of it : ) Surprisingly I didn't take a picture, but I need to get one. After church we went to eat Mexican food (our tradition) and Ross met us for lunch. My dad worked this weekend, so we missed him! Mckenna is really into drinking out of wine glasses because she says it's a "grown up" glass.

Shirley Temple for her and Sangria for us!

Afterwards I took her to a friend of ours that we met through pageants, Brittany's party. She is graduating high school and she has been such a great influence for Mckenna. It's so weird to me that a senior in high school would be so thoughtful and loving to Mckenna, but Brittany has been just that and more! She is such a great girl and one I hope that Mckenna would take after at that age. She doesn't party and is really into church and is just an all around good girl.

Picture of Mckenna and Britt on Mckenna's b-day last year. She brought her over a cake and presents. So sweet!

We moved a few things to the new house the rest of the night and Mckenna didn't have a swim suit so she went skinny dipping in the new pool...haha.

Oh and I forgot to mention that Ross got really got hurt this past week! He played basketball after studying this week and landed on his foot wrong! His ankle is SO swollen!!! This is the second time he's come home with a bad injury from playing basketball with his friends! The last one was a bloody nose and lip! As long as we don't have any more really serious injuries, I might let him keep playing : ) lol.

I have off work today for memorial day and I'm thankful for that. Not sure what next week will bring, but it already is looking a little busy...which we will keep being thankful for!

No time for updates...until now!

So much has happened since my last post, I knew I was getting a little behind on my updates (super sorry to my mother-in-law!)...but I have literally had no time to myself. Work has really picked up. I work a little more than I would like, but in medical sales industry, you either work everything you can, or not at all. Last week I spent everyday working and juggling Mckenna's school and acting. I think Mckenna sensed I was a tiny bit stressed and she let me borrow her "worry dolls" that her Papa and Lollie gave her. They are little dolls you whisper your worries to, then you put them under your pillow and you have sweet dreams.

Kenna's "worry" dolls

We were laying in bed together and she got them out and said "here mom, I think you might need some of these"...haha! 

One of the big accomplishments of last week was Mckenna booking her first National/SAG commercial. She auditioned and then had a call back in Austin. A call back is a second audition where they narrow down their favorites from the first audition. The call back was in Austin and it just so happened to fall on my one day off (thank you Jesus!)...but it also fell on the same day as Mckenna's Kindergarten graduation ceremony. That was tough. I sat Mckenna down and explained to her that she would have to make a decision to attend the call back or graduation. She did enie meanie miny mo and then said she wanted to go to the call back. That was tough because I had to also explain that just because she went to the call back, it did not guarantee that she would get the job. She said she understood and we headed out to Austin. My mom took the day off and was able to travel with us and it was a fun little getaway. After the callback we were able to meet up with one of her favorite director's Ebit. She casted Mckenna in the Lucky Penny. We ate at a yummy pizza place, had icecream and even checked out the huge local Austin toy store.

Ready for the trip...she brought "Mr Pippo" for goodluck. He's the sock monkey that was in the film Lucky Penny that she shot in Austin back in October.

Ready for her audition : )

After at the toy store...she LOVED that little (or should I say BIG) toy...but he was $119.00! I was wishing Papa was with us...cause he never says no. lol... but she had a blast playing and bouncing around the store on it

Mckenna and Ebit at the pizza place : )

Zonked out on the way home with Mr Pippo! She was so tired!

The next day we got the call that she booked the job. Phew! I can't say what a relief it was. I was still feeling sad that she had missed graduation, because she had been practicing songs and lines for the past few months. She was SO excited. I had to work on Saturday morning because one of my doctors was on call. Sunday was mother's day and I had a wonderful one!

Ross asked what I wanted for breakfast and if I wanted him to cook for me or go get IHOP. I asked if he could go get me whataburger taquitos : ) I hadn't had those in so long...I remember the days when we would get off work from the bar and go get taquitos at 3 in the morning. They just sounded yummy to me!

My yummy Mother's day breakfast!

We went to church and Ross came with us! That was a wonderful present! Although I did look over during service to see he had his phone in his lap. I couldn't figure out what he was doing, but then I realized he had practice questions and was studying during the sermon : ) lol! Whatever works, I was just happy to have him there! We went and had lunch at Gloria's, one of our favorite Mexican resteraunts.

My loves on Mother's Day : )

Mckenna on Mother's day

I need to take some pictures of my mother's day presents, but they gave me sweet cards, a gift card to the spa and my favorite, Mckenna's art work! And of course, I wouldn't be a mommy without her, so I gave her a couple of presents too : )

Gave her an angel wing necklace : ) It reminded me of her when I saw it

We headed to Austin on Monday for her fitting! It was just me and Kenna this time and she watched the Nightmare before Christmas 2 times on the way there. Then she informed me that she was in love with Tim Burton and she thought she was going to marry him. I told her that he was an old man...she said, "Hmmm...well maybe we can just be friends then"

HELLO AUSTIN : )

After her fitting she decided that we should go explore the town and eat at the pizza place again, go have icecream and go see the toy store!....so that's what we did!

At the pizza place...I was loving the hat. Mckenna actually picked it out at a thrift shop! I orginally told her no, but I'm so glad we ended up getting it. She kept saying that she looked like a painter

Our favorite icecream was "mexican vanilla" mmmm...it was SO good!

This was obviously after the toy store. Because I said no to the huge bouncy guy on our last trip, I said yes to a tiny one on this trip : ) He was really cute! She is holding the virgin Mary tattoo, that she got on the first try. Funny story, last time we were at that icecream place she blew through ten quarters trying to get that tatoo. I don't know what her obsession was on having that mary tatoo, but she never did get it. She did this trip though : )

The job that she booked was awesome! They put us in a hotel so she would get good sleep for the filming the next day. It was fun to get to miss work and spend time with her. She told me while we were laying in bed that night that she loved this, and that she hoped she could get more jobs that we could spend time together and have girl time. It really was neat. And I just kept thanking God the whole time on this trip for the blessings we've experienced. I was just so extremely greatful!

Her call time for the job wasn't until late afternoon the next day, so we slept in! Around 11:00 I finally decided I should wake Mckenna up and she told me to go back to sleep, that it was still nighttime. I think she was a bit confused because it was SO dark! We slept so good because it was so cold and the bed was comfy and it was really dark. I was surprised she slept in that late. I finally got her up and we found an IHOP...we went to eat in our pj's there.

Mckenna ate pancakes and macaroni and cheese : ) I think it's so funny how she circles the things she wants and draws X's on the things she doesn't want

We showed up to the job and she thought it was so cool that she had her own trailer.

Kenna and her on set Daddy

All in all, it was an amazing time. She did SO amazing. I don't think people know how much hard work she puts into acting and how much she loves it. She was on set for a long time and was so well behaved. Sometimes I forget that she is only 5 years old, because she is so wise beyond her years. I am just more and more proud of her everyday....I feel so so so so so lucky to be her mom!

We headed back pretty late. We had the hotel for one more night, but I had to get back to work : ( I know someday that won't be the case! Hopefully! She was so happy because the director let her take home some of the things that her on set room was decorated in.

She loved the little animals so much that she brought them for her last day of Kindergarten. I took this picture looking through the window of her classroom.

I couldn't believe that it was her last day of school today...it was sad. She asked me to bring her sushi for lunch. I was off today and so I was able to.

Lunch time with Kenna!

After her lunch, I went home. I needed to clean, do laundry, edit pictures, etc etc...but I took a nap. I just couldn't stay awake any longer! I felt so good to sleep! I picked Mckenna up and we went to Braums after school (our thursday tradition). I can't believe that tomorrow is already Friday. These past two weeks have flown by! Ross is continuing to study...he took a break and took Mckenna to the gym, giving me time to do some updates on here! I need to start cooking dinner, so that's all the updating for now!

The beginning of the end.....

Wow! What a week! We have been on the run! My boss was out of town, so I was responsible for all of the surgeries this week...on top of that, it was Ross's last official week in the medical school classroom! I had to rely on the help of my mom and Mema this week a lot because of working, which always makes me realize how thankful I am...my family (both sides) are SO supportive and helpful when I need them. Some weeks their is absolutely no way I could make it through without their help. I feel so humbled and grateful that they are here for me. Mckenna had so much fun spending time with her great grandparents this week...they are both retired now and she loves them so much. She spent time over there planting flowers and playing outside with them..when I came to pick her up she had my poor Mema on a treasure hunt all over the place...lol! She even had a map drawn out for her to follow I'm so thankful that she will have these memories of her great grandparents.

Mckenna's map she had drawn for Mema : )

My surgeries start so early, so many times I have to have Mckenna stay over at my moms so that she doesn't have to wake up really early. Lately, Mckenna insists that she doesn't want to stay over their without me, so I have been staying there too. We had to spend 3 nights there this past week, which isn't always easy...I feel like I've been living out of bag the past week! Between my work, laundry, shuttling Mckenna around to auditions and jobs, trying to cook dinner, keep the house clean (I majorly failed at that this week), trying to spend lots of time with Kenna, etc, etc, I haven't had much time to myself. I'm looking forward to a day of doing nothing and worrying about nothing...although I don't think that day will come till after June& Ross's Boards. He had to travel to West Virginia for the National Ortho conference this past weekend and was elected Vice-President of the National Student American Ostepathic Acadamey! So exciting : ) While he was gone, we kept busy. Kenna had a runway show this weekend and then she got to spend time with Lolli and Papa glow in the dark bowling. All in all, this week was absolutely crazy. But as is life. A little glimpse at our week....these are the GOOD/FUN parts of the week...I'd rather not re-live the stress : )

Modeling a toy kitchen

Taking a break to play with all the fun props on set!

Kenna got 3 inches cut off her hair this week, she really didn't want to get her hair cut because she wants it long like Rapunzel she says...but it really needed it! It looked so cute afterwards!

At dinner together...poor Ross got home from school and crashed...he was sound asleep when we got home, so we went out to eat and brought him home a box of food. She is such a big girl here...she's reading a script she is learning for an audition and she asked the waiter to bring her root bear in the wine glass so she could be like me : ) lol

Made time to see the new pirate movie this week! Mckenna enjoyed it, but it was not one of my favorites!

At Lubys! We were in Dallas a lot this week and we drove past a Luby's sign...Mckenna said she heard that place had good jello and begged to go there! She now says it is one of her favorite places to eat! I was cracking up the whole time we were in there, she was telling all the ppl that worked there that she had been dreaming of eating a Luby's her whole life!

Papa was in town this weekend and we went glow in the dark bowling with him : )

At the runway show

And the mouth situation.....she is still LOVING bugs...just another example of what I'm dealing with. If you look real close, I am eating breakfast and drinking coffee next to a both in a wine glass...haha! Their are random bugs (both dead and alive) all over the house!

Kenna and her sweet friend Gracie : )

Whew! I get tired just thinking about this past week...although it was  alot of fun too. I don't know what I'd do without my sweet girl and all the fun things I get to do with her when I'm not working. I'm so proud of her and Ross both. Mckenna definetly has his work ethic and will to succeed. It's kind of bittersweet because in the coming weeks we are nearing the beginning of the end in many areas of our lives. Ross has his last test of his second year of medical school tomorrow and then it's study study STUDY for step 1 of his boards. This test is extra stressful, because the scores determine what kind of doctor he will be. I know God has such big plans for him and I'm so so thankful that I've had the honor of watching him live out his dream. It's crazy to think that he is almost half way done! Kenna is gearing up for Kindergarten graduation this week : ( I can't believe she will be starting 1st grade! She has been practicing very hard memorizing her lines for the ceremony and learning songs. I know I'm going to be a sobbing mess. We will be packing up the house we have lived in for the past two years and finding a new place to live. Lot and lots of changes and new beginnings in the next couple months. But together, we are ready for anything!