30 Days of Erica age 26

30 Days of Erica age 26

Erica has had many jobs during her 30 years:  Baumer's Footwear, Forest Hill Animal Clinic, Cosmetologist ( 3 locations), Color Guard Instructor, Teacher @ Happy Times Daycare.  She learned so much from every job she held.  All of her experience helped her to develop her skills for the dream job that she has now.  But...more about her jobs later.

It is now 2012.....

We celebrated her birthday at a restaurant and then went to Yogurt Nation to have dessert and gifts.  She was excited with all of her gifts but really liked her digital camera.  It was better than her other camera.


In the summer of 2011, Larry and I surprised the kids with a family trip to Disney World in March of 2012.  We told them that we wanted to do this before it got too hard to take trips once the grands started school.  They were excited and started making plans immediately.

Excited to be on the flight to DISNEY!

MILLS/BAUMERS take Disney 2012

 We had a blast at the Cinderella Breakfast.  It was so much fun watching the Grand kids see and interact with all of the Princesses.  They also loved  getting autographs.  Priceless!

 Waiting for a parade.

 Posing with Mickey and Minnie.

 And of course...the Big Family picture with Mickey and Minnie.

 Checking out the loot after shopping.   AND.....a rest stop too.

After park milkshakes.

Space Mountain Time!

Know what this is?   GENDER REVEAL!  We found out that Erica was having a boy!    Our 4th grandchild was on the way.

Matching PJ's.....but Erica is 5 months showing at Christmas.

What an exciting year!!!!!

30 Days of Erica age 25

30 Days of Erica age 25

By now...Erica and Alan had moved to Collierville....They originally lived in Oakland which was close to Erica's work...as a cosmetologist.  Alan worked at  Baumers Footwear.  They both decided to go back to school and get their college degrees.  They each made plans and did most of the classes online.  They were able to work...raise a child...and get degrees.  Erica worked at Happy Times Daycare while she worked on her degree and Savannah was able to go there with her.  Alan got his degree in record time and had a great GPA.  Erica got her degree with a great GPA also and is now working her dream job in a corporate setting.  But...that is getting ahead of myself.

2011

Holding my baby girl in my lap on her birthday...She was 25!

 This was our big family photo shoot in November.  It was supposed to be a natural setting but our photographer was not really the right fit for us.  But....we did get a few good shots.

here is the group one.....a little too posed for a natural outside setting.

We had planned to go to the Collierville Christmas parade together.  The week before the weather was warm...but it took a cold turn just in time for the parade.  And, of course, night parades are colder.  Erica was bundled up and ready for the parade to get going.

We have many traditions....I know...but this one is our Girls Gift award. It is like a competition between the girls at Christmas and we work for BEST gift and BEST packaging.  I came up with the awards after it grew bigger and bigger and the winner keeps the award for the year. Then....they have a trade off from the previous winner to the new one.  Erica won BEST GIFT this year.  Tami was the previous winner.

This year's model of matching PJ's .  

30 Days of Erica age 24

30 Days of Erica age 24.  2010

We are celebrating Erica's 24th  Birthday at our home.  That gift wrap is seen in several different birthdays.  I must have found a great deal on wrapping paper somewhere.

This is another girls day.  We were at Incredible Pizza enjoying the rides.

We did a girls trip to the Zoo and Erica was able to see her favorite Zoo animal.....Later on when we gave her a shower for her son....the theme was Elephants.

We both took advantage of the Free Summer membership to Pink Palace which included a Lichterman pass.  This particular day that we decided to visit the park, it was the hottest day of the summer and since it is all about nature.....there were bugs and bees everywhere.  We didn't stay long.

Erica and her Grandma.  Every year on the 4th of July, there is a family BBQ picnic.  Erica grew up going to the little creek and playing in the cold and sandy water.  Now she is continuing that tradition with her daughter.  

That's my 4 wheeling daughter with her daughter.  So glad she is a safe driver and knows how to handle a 4 wheeler.

She became an aunt again when Ethan was born in June of 2010.  It was so special to be adding a boy to the grandchildren mix.

We all went to the Zoo to see the Zoo lights this particular year.  It was alot of fun and not too cold for us.

30 Days of Erica age 23

Day 24 of 30 Days of Erica.....age 23

It has really been a pleasure traveling down Memory Lane with Erica memories.  Seeing my girl grow from birth to an adult and become a wife and mother has been a treasure beyond compare.

 We started a tradition of matching PJ's at Christmas for the adult girls.  Later....we added the little ones.  This was the first year for them.  '08

 Erica wanted a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake for this birthday.

 This was at Paint a Piece.  We do a Girls Gift every year at Christmas and this was Tami's gift to all of the girls.  Needless to say....she won BEST GIFT this year.  She also provided food and snacks for us. We ate and laughed and talked and painted a ceramic piece.  I was good at everything but the painting a piece.  But ....it was fun.  This is Aundrea and Erica eating some of Tami's delicious Chicken Pasta Salad.

 As I said earlier....Aundrea, Erica, Rylie, Savannah, and I started a weekly girls day out together.  Here we are eating at O'Charley's.  Then....below we went to the park to give the girls a walk outside.

Here was another Girls Day out....we went to Paula Deen's buffet and boy was it delicious.  Most food I ever did see.

 Savannah's first trip in the boat at Heber Springs.  6/09

 We bowled in 08 in a summer bowling league and had a great time.  We even won our league because we were the most improved since we started with such a HIGH handicap.  So....we decided to do the league again in 09.Alan designed and made our shirts for us.  The Hot Wings.....was our team name.  But sadly ...this year....we didn't win.  But we did have fun.

 This was Rylie's 2nd birthday and Savannah's 1st  party of her cousin's to attend.  

 We also used to do a weekly supper at my house and watch American Idol.  We called it Am Idol night.  Here is Erica/Alan/Savannah.  It was the first night of the season and Savannah's first one.

WE did Race for the Cure and Amodeo Chiropractor Clinic sponsored us and provided the shirts.  I did the 5 K and Erica did the 1 mile fun walk with Savannah in the stroller.

Here is Savannah's 1st birthday.  She is about to dive into her smash cake.  After the candle is blown out of course.  Erica made her cake and her smash cake.

And we are back to Christmas...with this year's version of our matching PJ's for Christmas 09.

30 Days of Erica age 22

This covers the time before her 22nd birthday and afterwards.

In April of 2007, Rylie McKenzie Mills was born and made Erica an Aunt.  It was a great occasion for all of us.  She was the first grandchild and all of us enjoyed our new roles as grandparents/aunts/uncles.

Erica holding her niece Rylie....July of 07.  Rylie was 3 months old.

 Celebrating Alan's birthday at Red Robin..YUM!  We especially love the Onion ring Tower!

 Best Band Staff ever.  Melody, Debbie, Erica, Alan.  We all worked well and put together great halftime shows.

 Alan and Erica's Christmas picture.  Notice the new dog:  Tux.   He was not a people dog.

 Jan 10. 2007...Erica's 22 birthday.  This celebration was held at Holiday Ham Company with Larry, Erica, and me.

 We started trying to do a Girls' Day each week with Aundrea, Rylie, Erica, and me.  Sometimes we just went out to eat or we went shopping together,  This picture was made at a restaurant with all of us.  Rylie was very excited to be there.

 Aundrea and Rylie happy to be dining out.

 In Jan of 2008, we took a family ski trip to Ski Hidden Valley in St. Louis, MO.  They all skied while I watched Rylie.  That was very fun for me. After we returned from the ski trip, Erica and Alan announced that they were having a baby!!!!  Another grandchild on the way.  Woo hoo.

Erica started doing Geocaching after Larry told her about it. Geocaching is a treasure hunting hobby which uses coordinates to find hidden trinkets.   This was another activity that she and her daddy enjoyed doing together.  They did some geocaching  in MO while we were there.

 Here is Erica and Alan at the Falls in Heber Springs.  This was in May of 2008 where she was now showing.  After several months and showers our beautiful Savannah was born.  Savannah added MOTHER to Erica's roles.   We had another grand daughter to love on.

 Savannah Leigh Baumer was born on September 15, 2008.  Savannah's first feeding after her birth.

 Remember Bobby's offer of $1000.00 for the first grandchild?  Well...here is the check.  It was presented to them in the hospital room..

 Mom and Baby at home now....Very happy to be home with their family of 3.