Thank you!

I received a card in the mail today from my {Secret Sister}! Thank you sooooo much & I love my little note pad..I can definitely put that to good use! I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend..where ever you are.

New {AVON} goodies..

Coming soon!

Susie The Fiber-Optic Witch Intro Special $24.99 (will be $34.99)
Halloween Flameless Candle with sound $9.99
Glowing Fiber-Optic Halloween Tree Intro Special $19.99 (will be $29.99)
Frightful Fun Halloween House Intro Special $16.99 (will be $19.99)
Halloween Doormat with sound Intro Special $16.99 (will be $19.99)
Snoopy's Pumpkin Figurine $16.99
Pumpkin Soap .99 each
Kids' Dress Up Set $19.99 each set
Engraved Disc Necklace Gift Set $14.99 Goldtone or Silvertone
Scroll Motif Necklace & earring Gift Set Intro Special $9.99 (will be $19.99)
Beautifully Bright Advanced Teeth
Whitening System Intro Special $12.99 (will be $14.99)

Call me to order. www.youravon.com/jgross-lafaye
If you live out of state and would like to place an order, please visit my website above. Avon is offering free shipping on orders $40.00 or more!!

{Potty} time

Rich & I bought Mattie a toilet yesterday..and it talks! When you flush, roll the plastic pretend toilet paper, lift the lid, put the lid down & sit on the seat..it rewards you with positive comments..it is so cute. Now for the hard part..{potty training}. Tonight I took her panties off and just let her run around (lovin' the wood floors during this time..Ha!)..and I kept putting her on the potty every few minutes..well in between the few minutes..she peed! in the floor..so during urination I carried her to her throne..she put a little bit in the toilet for me..and we all danced for her! Go Mattie!!

Mattie @ 1 year old

I took this yesterday at a customer's house..(Mrs. I. Moss)..everyone's grass is so brown..ours in dead!

So after I dropped off Izabelle at TKD class..Mattie and I drove around to see if we could find some GREEN grass..and we did..at a local bank in MJ..could you imagine this picture with dead grass in the background? Not pretty.
She is modeling an ACTGF original..hee hee..this makes her look very grown up..the straps tie around the back of her neck..too cute!

Happy 1st Birthday Mattie..

..and Happy Birthday to {my Guelita Castro} in Texas..I think she is 77 today..yep Mattie was born on my Guelita's birthday..how cool is that?! I love you Guelita! xoxo


We celebrated Mattie's birthday on Sunday. She had lots of vistors:
1.Grandpa & 2.Grandma LaFaye
3.Gram LaFaye
4.Great-Uncle Jimmy
5.Great-Aunt Kim
6.Cousin Samatha
7.Cousin Riley (all the way from Canada)
8.Aunt Sherri
9.Cousin Hilary
10.Cousin Britney
11.Jennifer (my best friend from high school) & her son
12.Brayden

She absolutley loved her audience that sang "Happy Birthday" to her! She would smile & clap..then we would all clap..then she would clap some more..Such a sweet little princess!

Her Daddy helped her blow her {candle} out..she wanted to touch that candle flame so bad.

Ahhwww...all {3} of my SWEETS! I am not sure what I did for God to bless me with these {3} sweet children. But thank-you!

This is Trae, Izabelle & Mattie's Great-Grandmother {Gram}..I am sure you have seen her on the blog before..she will be 96 in October! What a blessing to have her here!

Mattie enjoying her birthday cake & a sippy cup full of *lemonade*..her new favorite drink!
She was so nice & neat eating her cake..one bite at a time..she was in no hurry.

Ok..{major break-through}!!

This is Mattie's Grandpa (Rich's Dad)..and Mattie would never have anything to do with him..she would cry when he got too close to her..BUT..today they became "friends" over a sippy cup of lemonade!

{Cooking with Mattie}! I wanted to post this picture..because her Grandpa & Guelita in Texas sent some birthday loot from Texas..and we put it toward this cute little kitchen! Thanks!

Oh..and the little puppy book & puppy that "wiggles" his tail from Aunt Cherry in Virginia..{too cute}!! Thank-you! Every time the puppy's tail would "wiggle" Mattie would grab it..where on earth did you find that?

Me, Mattie & Izabelle after the party.

P.S. When she woke up this morning(8/16)..I went to the nursery and got her out of her crib..when I was changing her panties..I noticed another tooth!! Her (right) top tooth has broke through.

Is this what you call.....

"Cat Napping" ?

Mattie had fell asleep on {my favorite blanket}, I think she likes it also. My Great-Grandmother handmade it. BTW I made the blanket that they are covered with..go me! Anyhoo..she fell asleep on this quilt..and Izabelle was done with her studies..so I went upstairs to take a quick shower. I came back down to this...{HOW SWEET}!!! I know, I know Izabelle needs to stop sucking her thumb..maybe she will before she gets engaged..so that means she has a lot of time to think about kicking her habit. Ha!

We've got a climber!!

I found Mattie this morning standing on her Sit & Spin..she was looking out the window..she was so proud of herself!

OLW {Seek}

I used some of a Scrap In Style TV kit..with some of Kelli Crowe's designs, a little Scenic Route & American Crafts.

P.S. Thank you {Secret Sister} for the "sweet" card..I received it in the mail yesterday. I thought it was another birthday card for Mattie..but what a pleasant surprise for me!! I hope you are having a wonderful day..wherever you are?

Stride Rite

We took Mattie to Stride Rite tonight to get her fitted for her first pair of walking shoes. She was so cute!

Mattie & her daddy picking out some of the newest styles..a girl has got to be in style. *wink*

We found some that fit her fat little foot..size 5 1/2XW {Lauren} reg. $42.00 on sale for $19.99!!!!! When we first put the shoes on her feet..she just stood there..she wouldn't walk..then finally! She started walking like Frankenstein..she was soooo funny to watch.

Our little one looks so big with these shoes on..gosh..the time has flown by. Rich & I were talking tonight about having another one..he actually brought the subject up..he asked me if I was at my desired weight (I like to be at a certain weight before I get pregnant) I am so little..too much weight really gets to me..ya know. Anyhoo...I told him I am not there yet..he mentioned to me about I need to work on it and then de-tox my body.. birthcontrol, etc. I always like to de-tox first. I believe it helps. So then I said..so you want to start trying around November? He said "Sure!" So..wow..holy moly..I could be pregnant by the end of this year!!!

*{Layouts Galore}*

Scrap It! had a crop yesterday from {12 noon - 12 am} my mother-in-law & I went & we had sooooo much fun! (oh & by the way..today is her 59th birthday..so send her some birthday wishes) They held it at a local church. Mom & I did (4) lo's a piece..that is like a miracle! The mojo was flowing. The middle (4) I did last night(thanks, Doris for helping with the second one, I was so tired)..the first one I just did a few minutes ago..Mattie with..let's see here..Joey's mother is my cousin..and Joey is my cousin's son..so..you figure it out..I am too tired! Ha!!! Anyhoo..Joey is a SWEET HEART..I love you, cutie *wink*
The last one I actually did in Michigan when we were on vacation. I had the urge to scrapbook..after visiting a local scrapbook store.

Birthday Party!

What: Mattie's *1st* Birthday Party!

When: August 12, 2007 {Sunday}

Time: 1:00pm

Where: **** Georgetown Drive

Eats: Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Chips, Lemonade & BIRTHDAY CAKE!

I am inviting family members *only* with paper invitations..but if you read my blog and would like to join in with us to celebrate Mattie's 1st Birthday..please call me or leave a comment by August 10th. Thanks!

OLW {Automatic}

I know this is a silly one..but this is the first thing that popped into my head when I thought of the word {automatic}.

I don't know if you can read the journaling..so this is what is says:
There are five people that live in this house...and that creates a bunch of laundry!
Between selling Avon, taking Taekwondo class four nights a week, homeschooling Izabelle, getting Trae to work and band pratice and playing with little Mattie...I am so thankful to be living in a time that has:
automatic
washers & dryers

1st Day of School!

Trae is officially a 10th grader! He only has to go for a couple of hours this morning and then band practice follows right after until 4pm. I picked Trae up in his Mustang last night after practice at 9pm..(Rich was home with Mattie, so I didn't have to do the carseat thing)..anyhoo..it was the first time Trae's friends had seen his car..it was so funny to see Trae grinning from ear to ear..his friends were like "I so hate you!" (joking of course, just being jealous)..or "Dude, is that your car?!" or "You are the man!"
Back to the school thing..he doesn't have to go tomorrow..but goes a full day on Friday. Gosh! the summer went by quickly..didn't it? Maybe it was because we had such a *rockin' vacation* that lasted for 11 days!!

I started Izabelle's homeschooling last Thursday..I thought I would refresh her memory a little before the official first day. So today is the day & she is ahead on her 4th grade spelling words! :)

1. thief
2. friendliness
3. receipt
4. collie
5. believable
6. creativity
7. volcano
8. laid
9. steak
10. dangerous
*(Spelling Challenges)*
11. Delaware
12. Pennsylvania
13. August
14. September
15. school
16. recess
17. principal
18. knowledge
19. discipline
20. academic
*(Vocabulary Words)*
21. eternity
22. errand
23. essay
24. banquet
25. brief


A word to live by:

{FRIENDLINESS}: A man that hath friends must show himself friendly. Proverbs 18:24

Oh...Mattie is walking more & more!!!!! I think she is liking it now. Her tooth is really coming in up top..it is a big tooth..and it bothers her. I found some homeopathic teething tablets made by Hyland's..they seem to help her. She picks up her phone and puts it to her ear and says "Hi" in her sweet little voice and pushes her shoulders up and she pretends to have a conversation. A neighbor friend of mine gave Mattie a sit and spin that plays really cool tunes..and Mattie knows how to push the button now to make it play..she figured it out in just a couple of hours..anyhoo..she pushes the button and then dances..and waves her hands and squeals..her ultra-sonic squeal that she has..if you have been on the phone with me when she does it..you know what I am talking about (My 2 Dad's & Aunt Cherry know). We tease her and say that we shouldn't have any fleas & ticks this year..'cause Mattie's ultra-sonic squeal will kill them!