My little fish!

Layla and I headed to the pool yesterday after Stroller Strides. Unfortunately, still no JLO siting. We were told they were shooting Chris Rock's scenes. They were quite confused when about 15 women with strollers went walking by. We looked like we should be in the movie since they are shooting "What to Expect". We all joked and said that if they really wanted to know "what to expect" they should spend the next hour with us:)

We spent about 2 hours at the pool. I am more amazed each time at Layla's growing independence. She was all over the pool without me and told me to move when she was jumping off the side. She is finally trusting her float. She even jumps in the water, goes under and pops back up without me.

I ended the day with a mom's night out with some friends at a local restaurant. We had a great time talking and eating. It was a beautiful night to spend out on the porch even if we did get sprinkled on for a minute.

(Poor quality because it was taken in the dark with an iphone.)
What a fun group of girls!

Today we had a morning at home and then joined a friend and her son for an afternoon swim.  I know I keep mentioning Layla's swimming but she impresses me more and more each time.  Today, without her floaties, she would leap from the stairs or the side of the pool and go under for about 5 seconds and kick her legs really hard until her head came to the top, then I would grab her.  She is SO close, now we just need to work on using her arms too:)

We ended the night with a quick dinner at Avellinos.  They are a local italian place that has delicious Tiramisu.  I almost didn't get a bite Layla ate it so quickly!

Now on to finish The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks!
Happy Thursday!

Typical Tuesday

Spin was great this morning! I had 8 women, which is a big class at Druid Hills.  It was a lot of fun.  There is such a different dynamic when it is all women.  Then we met our friends Bobby & Sydney & their nanny Catherine at Sensations.  This was our first trip here.  It is a huge space with a ton of different rooms with many activities.  It is used a lot for children who are receiving therapy for a learning disability but it also open to the general public.  Layla had a great time but could do that anywhere with Bobby & Sydney, they play so well together.  No play date is complete without food so we ate mexican for lunch with out sweet friends.  They brought Layla her grilled chicken and she took a bite and said, "chicken is good!".  :)  We then took lunch to daddy at his office.  He was working long hours so this was the only time he would see Layla today.  Of course, Layla walks in like she owns the place and loves riding the elevator and seeing the fountains.  After nap, we visited the YMCA.  I wanted to see the facilities because I am looking for a place for Layla to swim indoors  this winter and it is walking distance from our house.  Lastly, Layla and I took our first shower together this evening!  Is that too much info??  We were both in need of a shower at 6:30 and I had heard other moms that did this so I thought I would give it a try!  Layla LOVED it!  She even stayed in there long enough for me to shave my legs:) Afterwards, I let her get dressed in my room, with my lotion and she thought she was big stuff.  She even asked to put the deodorant on her elbows.  So, yes I let her do that too!

About to board Thomas the Train

Tunnel!

She insisted on getting in the baby walker.  Then she started saying she was too big and I would agree.

Ball pit with Sydney and Bobby

Chillaxin after a busy day of playing!

Monday, Monday la la-la la la!

Layla and Reid at Piedmont after Stroller Strides.  I asked Layla if Reid was a sweet friend and she said yes!  Then Reid looked at me with big eyes and said. "she said YES!".  So sweet. 

JLO film screw spotting during Stroller Strides at Piedmont Park, but no JLO.  We did see the "extras" filming a scene pushing the babies around in the stroller.  Why didn't they just ask us?  Maybe it was all the sweat.  Speaking of sweat, if was a slightly cooler day.  I think it got down to 68 last night.  Amazing how cool that feels after 90+ degree weather.  Another typical Monday for us.  After nap time was story time at the library and then our weekly Publix trip.  I must brag on our neighborhood librarian Leilani, she bought all the kids a plastic trumpet for the purpose of a prop to go with one of the stories.  It was very sweet and they were all excited.  Although, I might try to slip it in the recycle bin at some point because it is SO loud.

Oh, and I cleaned my floors today.  Enough said.

Sunday Sit Down

Our week at a glance:

Monday: On our way to Stroller Strides Layla saw the train go by and yelled, "It's Marta"!  As we always do on Monday's after story time, we went to Publix.  We turned on the street and Publix was not yet in site but Layla then yelled, "cookie!".  Publix sure knows what they are doing with their free cookie kids club!

Tuesday: Just another HOT day.  Speaking of hot, we got our electric bill from the past month.  We had really cut back hoping to save some money.  What do you know, it was more than last month.  I guess I sweat all day and night for nothing.  Woohoo.  Another month's budget out the window.  Good thing I taught spin this morning to make a contribution.

Wednesday:  Another Stroller Strides workout in the heat.  No Jennifer Lopez sitings today.  I was hoping to see her "in shape body" for a little inspiration. In other news, Layla is the next Barney kids star.  Anyone know when auditions are??

Thursday:  Lunch at West Egg with Natalie on the westside of town.  Lunch with pregnant friends (sister) is awesome.  They pick good restaurants.  I had a BLT.  Not your traditional BLT though.  It was lettuce, fried green tomato, bacon, and pimento cheese.  YUMMY.  Then it was night out with Daddy for Layla because the girls went to see The Help.  Great movie, I laughed and cried.  I read the book about a year ago and loved it but loved the movie as well.  Let's not forget the Zesto Burger I had at 10pm.  Also ate that with a pregnant friend.  Do you see the trend here?  I guess I better step up the workouts.  Did I mention 3 of my 6 girlfriends that were at the movies are pregnant??? Maybe I should work on that too??  Soon enough.  Soon enough.

Friday: Dinner at home and watching football with my man.  Doesn't get much better.  Go Falcons!

Saturday:  I love teaching my 9am Spin class on Saturday.  Not too early and makes me get my butt out of bed and fit in a quick workout!  We ate lunch out and then Layla and I napped while Lucas played a round of golf.  Then that evening we attended a sweet little friends 3rd birthday party.  Pool. Pizza. Cupcakes.  What more could a 2 ( or 27) year old want out of a Saturday night??

Sunday: Today.  We spent another morning at Grace-Midtown.  Unfortunately, Layla protested a little more about the nursery than last week, but only for a minute.  When we picked her up she was sitting with the 4 year olds listening to a bible story told by the teacher.  She looked so big as we peeked in.  Wait, she is TWO.  After church, nap for Layla, PGA Championship watching for Lucas and I.  Then we had yummy ribs at Aunt Natalie and Uncle Chris's house.  The boys then headed to the lake and Layla and I headed to the park for a last burst of energy before bedtime.  Then nothing ends the day better but for Layla to Facetime with Granna and Papa!

What a great weekend!  Looking forward to cooler temps this week in Hotlanta:)

It's a....

GIRL!

That's right, Layla is going to having another girl cousin at Christmas time. So excited for my sister Natalie and her husband Chris who found out today they are expecting a healthy, little girl!

Baby girl Rudd we can't wait to meet you. We love you already!

89

My only living grandparent, granddad, turned 89 today! Talking about someone who has lived to see a lot. I am so thankful that Layla has got to spend some time with him throughout the last 2 years of her life. Those are definitely pictures we will cherish forever!

Happy Birthday Granddad. Looking forward to celebrating the big 9-0 with you next year. We love you!


In other news, I don't think I have mentioned on the blog anything about our recent church change. I had talked in the past about us attending Buckhead Church. We were going Sunday after Sunday and although it is great church that is doing great things for the kingdom, there just was not a stirring and excitement inside us that should be there.

So, we started visiting a couple other churches her and there. We were having NO luck and we had decided at that point we would just go back to Buckhead. Then one Sunday when I was out of town, Lucas visited in person a church that we had watched a couple of times live via the Internet, even while we were still in Memphis in preparation of moving to Atlanta. He gave a good report and said I would have to check it out for myself. The next Sunday, Lucas had obligations so Layla and I went to visit by ourselves. I have to admit that I was not crazy about it. On one of our "date nights" we got to have serious uninterupted converersation about each church and how it would be for the future of our family. They are both great choices for the spiritual growth of our family, just different. The more we talked the more our conversation just lead us back to Grace-Midtown and there was an excitement in each of us that we didn't realize was there. A couple of Sundays we went back as a family and I could have just cried. It felt like home and that was a a feeling in a church that I hadn't really felt since Memphis a year ago. Evidently, Layla felt at paece there too. This Sunday was the first Sunday in her life that she has not cried when left in the nursery:):). So, to make a LONG story short... We have changed churches and are super excited about how God is going to use us in this church to be a blessing to others.

That was our Sunday morning and after a much needed nap, we spent the evening at a sweet neighbors first birthday party.

And like that, another weekend has come and gone. Now it's time to relax, watch the Red Sox vs. Yankees and look forward to a great week!

Bad Blogger

Going into July, I knew the calendar looked pretty full. Then I looked up and it was August! What happened??

Let me catch you up.

I was home for a couple of days after our Baton Rouge trip and then off to Tennessee Layla and I went again. Since spring we had been planning our first annual Wrather cousins weekend retreat, girls only. One of my cousins and her husband own a cabin in the mountains of Gatlinburg. So, I left Layla in Murfreesboro and Natalie, Robin and I went to Gatlinburg. It was so weird returning there after so many years. It has probaly been about six. Growing up, I was there every winter for one youth retreat or another. Talking about flashing back to the high school days! Natalie and I remininsced of many good, laugh out loud moments. Not much has changed in that little town. It is still people watching capital of the world. We had a blast with all the cousins: shopping, laughing, and eating! I am already looking forward to getting together the same weekend next year!

On Sunday of that weekend, we drove back through Murfreesboro to pick up Layla and Grammy. Grammy came back to spend the week and help me with all day childcare while I got a couple of fitness certifications. Grammy got to see Layla in her last music class of the summer. One day while I was away, Grammy and Natalie attempted taking Layla to her first movie "Winnie the Pooh". They later informed me that she is not ready to sit through a movie in the theater:). At the end of the week, I had earned a Personal Training Certification and Schwinn Indoor Cycling Certification. Grammy returned homed on Friday which meant Lucas and I were in store for a weekend at home with no plans. It was glorious.

And that brings us quickly into August!

August is the calm before the storm that will blow us right into the holidays.
With my new certifications, I am teaching 2 weekly spin classes at Druid Hills Golf Club, Tuesday's at 8:30am and Saturdays at 9:00am. I will also start subbing a few bootcamp classes at the same place. I am hoping to also get my Stroller Stride certification so I can start subbing some of those classes as well. Aunt Natalie is generously watching Layla for me every Tuesday morning and of course Lucas is home on Saturdays.

Other than that, in August we have NO scheduled, weekly obligations! We plan to spend as many days possible at the pool before it closes at the end of the month. I really think if I had another 6 months of summer, I would have Layla swimming. She has progressed so much in just a couple of months. I think I am going to try to get her in some lessons throughout the winter so that it is not liking starting all over next summer.

My vow for August is to be a better blogger. Layla is doing too many noteworthy things these days for me to slack on documenting them. We are looking forward to Monday when Aunt Natalie finds out the sex of the baby in her belly:). Can't believe she is already half way through her pregnancy. I am still thinking/hoping girl:)

So cheers to August, the month in the calendar we are using to catch our breath, enjoy the simple things, and mentally prepare for the next 4 months!