how it should be

For once, my plans worked out better than expected.  Today was to be a baking day... a day for the boys to help make Christmas treats.  Chocolate covered marshmallows on sticks as requested by {s}, Hershey Kiss/m&m/pretzel things as requested by {p}, and cut out cookies.  I cheated a bit on the cut out cookies and bought the cookie shapes from Publix.  That's okay though, because I know what they were looking forward to was the decorating part.  

First the cookies went into the oven, and while they waited on those they unwrapped about 50 kisses and placed them on top of pretzels.   While those melted, they decorated cookies.  After the kisses were warm enough, they squashed m&ms into the top.  Now those are in the fridge, and they're skewering marshmallows, dipping them in chocolate, and smothering them in sprinkles and m&ms.   I've done nothing except to turn on the oven, and open the oven and microwave doors. 

I see smears of chocolate all over the sprinkles container.  I see pieces of foil from the kisses all over the floor.  I see chocolate on faces and fingers.  And I've said yes to each and every request of, "Can I eat this?"  

And it feels good.   

It's wonderful not to say NO over and over.  It's wonderful to see them working together, sharing, saying please and thank you, and taking turns without a single reminder from me.  It's wonderful that I'm not doing anything other than sitting back, and letting go.  I'm listening to lots of, "Thank you for letting us do all of this by ourselves!" and "This is the best day I've ever had at home, but I wish Daddy was here too!" and "This one is the best one for Santa!"  and "Mmmm, dis is GOOD!" and "Dis is for Pixie.  Pixie likes sprinkles on him cookies!"  

I don't have my camera, which at once makes me both disappointed and glad.  I remember things through taking pictures.  Framing a picture through the lens also frames a memory in my mind.  

But, today, I have no distractions.  I don't need the camera.  I have everything I need, coated in chocolate and sprinkled with smiles. 

  

Merry Christmas!

May you have

the Gift of Faith,

the Blessing of Hope,

and the Peace of His Love

at Christmas and always

From our home to yours...

sweet baby!

Okay, so I'm putting this picture on here without permission.  I took some pictures of a friend's new baby, and she's gorgeous, just like her older brother and sister.  So, no names here, but if you know her you'll definitely recognize this sweet baby.

my motto for the day

or week, or month... or year.





* check out this etsy seller! *

ahh, peaceful moment

boys + leaves =

lots of Thanksgiving fun! Poor {s} -- he fell asleep and missed the antics.

convicted

Late one night, headed home from the concert, {k} and I ran through a drive thru... one that was advertising a one dollar burger on the sign out front. As we headed out of the parking lot, a black man smiled and raised his index finger in the air. I waved and smiled, thinking he just wanted to be friendly, until Keith commented that he was holding up one finger to show that he wanted one dollar to buy something. We waited before pulling onto the road. Do we give him a dollar? Do we go back through the drive thru and buy him something? The boys weren't with us, and concern for their safety is usually the reason we will never let the window down. Feeling a bit guilty, we pulled on out and drove home, hoping that someone else would come along and do what we didn't.

Two night passed, and then we found ourselves in church on Sunday morning, listening to a sermon entitled, "Where is Jesus?" We seek Jesus in so many places... some seek Him in the sanctuary, some claim to find Him in their Bible. Some find Him in a manger, and others find Him on the cross. Can we find Jesus in those places? Yes, I believe we can, but Jesus also gives us an extremely clear example of where we can find Him in Matthew 25:33-46.

33 He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then will the King say to those on his right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in.
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and gave you drink?
38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you in? Or naked and clothed you?
39 Or when did we see you sick or in prison, and come to you?'
40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you that as you have done so to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done so to me.'
41 Then he will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was an hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.
43 I was a stranger and you did not take me in. I was naked and you did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.'
44 Then they will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?'
45 Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you that by your not ministering to one of the least of these, you did not minister to me.'
46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.'"2

So, where is Jesus? Is He the needy? Is He the hungry, poor, and downtrodden? By serving those, are we serving HIM? We like to think that by helping others, we are being Jesus to them. And although we are in fact demonstrating Christ's love by giving of our money, time, or talents, we must never forget that above all else, we are SERVING Him through those actions.

On this eve of Thanksgiving, I'm reminded of how very much we have. And I'm reminded of how much more we could give. Not just money... but time, love, patience, understanding, compassion. The list goes on.

What will you give this holiday season?

And to Whom will it be given?

playing catch-up

I'd feel a lot better if I could just get some pictures on here and move on. I'm behind from Halloween, and every time I think of something that I'd like to write about I feel bad for skipping over everything else. So, a slideshow from October and November...

* Mammy's birthday
* Family Fun Night at {p}'s school
* carving pumpkins
* preschool party for {s}
* crafty breadstick bones (watch out, Martha!)
* trick or treating around the square
* Halloween
* a friend's new baby
* playing around outside
* visit to The Rock Ranch with Mammy and Pat
* {s}'s almost THREE pics
* {s}'s 3rd birthday with a "Martha Speaks" cake



I feel better now! Maybe I'll do better for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

what I'm hearing

I got a call one afternoon from {K}. telling me that he was going to buy tickets for us to hear John Berry's Christmas concert in a nearby town. I've always loved hearing him sing, and his version of O Holy Night is the most beautiful I think I've ever heard.

What a wonderful evening. Thank you, {K}!

you are so loved...

From the moment I found out about you, to the moment I first saw you, every moment in between and every moment since.

I loved you yesterday
and all the days before...
and when tomorrow comes,

I'll love you even more.

Happy 3rd Birthday, {s}! You are our blue-eyed surprise and you fill our days with joy.

one day old

one year old

two years old


almost three years old

"O" no...

is about all I can think to say about the results of the election.

for undecided voters...

A friend of mine was asked by another friend to explain why she's voting for McCain. She wanted to see support for a candidate without bashing the other candidate. I thought it was worth sharing here, especially if you are an undecided voter. I rarely talk politics, but this is an important election and if anyone needs help making a decision, maybe this will help. With her permission, I'm posting this here.


Why I am voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

It was requested that we talk more about why we're voting FOR someone and not AGAINST someone.

To me, there are fundamentals that I have to consider when deciding who I want to be the leader of the free world. Those fundamentals are integrity, strength, honesty and a willingness to do what is right more than what is expected.

John McCain has always been a fighter. He's fought for his country, he's fought for his life and hs spent the last 30 years fighting for what he knows is right. He will fight for the freedom and security of this country because this country and the idea of freedom mean so much to him.

John McCain is not a "party guy" like his opponent and critics would like you to believe. They say he's more of President Bush. However, prior to being the Republican candidate for President, McCain was one of the favorite Senators of those in his opposing party. They've praised his willingness to buck his partywhen he disagrees with their position. (I have this on video). To be honest, I didn't trust John McCain's commitment to his party in the beginning of the primary process. I had a fear that he would get the nomination and then do something that would make the conservative voice in this country go mute (or have no ears to listen). But now I see that John McCain is someone who is convited, principled and authors and votes on legislation that fits those convictions. I may disagree with him on issues like immigration and how to handle the environment but I agree with how he will lead this nation.

If I had to choose my favorite John McCain moment (of course, pre-VP pick) of the year, it would be when he voted for the troop surge in Iraq. John McCain has fought in a war. He's been in command of troops. His father and grandfather were in command of fleets with tens of thousands of troops represented in those fleets. He knows the rules of war because he's been there. McCain knew the way that we could achieve victory in Iraq and also knew that his opinion and vote could ultimately cost him the chance to be President as the Independent voters might shy away from him. McCain's reponse, "I'd rather win a war and lose an election than lose a war." Defeat is no option for the United States and Iraq and John McCain was, once again, willing to sacrifice his personal battle for the sake of the right thing. His opponent, on the other hand, has yet to utter the word, "VICTORY" when referring to the war.

I applaud John McCain's position on life. Life is a gift. It is precious and he and Cindy McCain demonstrated that with the care and later adoption of their daughter. I believe that when you get to the core of a person's belief and watch how they live their life, you can track that core belief to so many other areas of their life. I do have to contrast McCain with his opponent on this one. And I cannot possibly leave out McCain's running mate when you talk about living your beliefs. Sarah Palin has demonstrated her commitment to life in two strong images. One is her son and the other is her daughter and her daughter's choice to not abort her child. What Sarah Palin has said regarding her son is that he is perfect in God's eyes and that he was a special gift sent by God to bless their lives. It wasn't how she planned things but she has publically thanked God for this unexpected gift. And her daughter's situation and decision demonstrates that the Palin family has a core belief that life is something given to us by our Creator. Contrary to that was Obama's statement to Planned Parenthood (which I will foward in a video if anyone wants). He said that he wouldn''t want his daughters to be "punished with a baby" if they made a poor choice leading to an unplanned pregnancy. He didn't say that he wanted his daughters to have a choice. He pointed to the idea that they would be punished if they ever choose to give birth or keep a child. Obama's own mother was an unwed teen mother. I guess he feels that he was a punishment to his mother...? I don't get it. The anti-life, anti-choice NARAL crowd is blasting Palin for "forcing her daughter to have this baby" because they have no regard for life. There is no choice to those in that camp. I place McCain's opponent squarely in that camp. He talks their talk when he's in their presence.

Now, I was a Rudy Giuliani supporter in the beginning. Rudy is pro-choice however he has made it clear where he stands, personally. His political opinion is based on access and law. When speaking he would use the term, "unexpected occurrence" or "unintended outcome" for an unplanned pregnancy. He never once referred to a baby as punishment. Rudy was so strong on all other issues that I worked this one personally.

The economy, taxes, healthcare, the environment, and all other issues find me pretty much in harmony with the McCain-Palin ticket. I will be attending a few events and if I have the chance to ask John McCain or Sarah Palin a question it will be about what they plan to do to combat the fraud in the Medicaid system. It is estimated that thirty-one percent (31%) of Medicaid costs are fraudulent in nature. THIRTY ONE PERCENT of one of the most expensive government programs is fraud!! The federal government has no place being in the healthcare industry and this is evidence to support that claim. If I could design a healthcare plan for families whose employer did not provide health insurance I would hand the responsibility to the states. Child Health Plus and Family Health Plus are options that work. Two of my family members have had experience with both (one still does) and finds it to be a well-managed and patient-centered program. CHP, however, is not Medicaid. CHP treats claims, requests for treatment and such the same way private health insurance does. They scrutinize, verify and then approve. Medicaid just approves. I remember that when I was being released from the hospital with (daughter). This hospital has a lot of Medicaid patients. If I disagreed with being released, I had to go and then attend a hearing to decide for readmission. Medicaid patients were instructed to "sign here if you believe that it is in your best interest to remain hospitalized. A hearing will take place within 12 hours but you are not required to leave the hospital." HUH? I was paying $1100 per month for insurance and I had to leave but the freebies could stay? Federal Health Insurance does not work. McCain has talked about putting the states in charge of healthcare for the uninsured. He hasn't gone as far as to say what I'd like to hear, "Eliminate Medicaid and instead use the federal dollars to fund the state's coverage." He has talked about tax credits (dollar for dollar credit) for paying for health insurance. That is actually free health insurance. You just have to be able to pay up-front and then get reimbursed at tax time.

As part of a family that pays both, I agree with McCain's position on personal and corporate taxes. More taxes to the government to "redistribute wealth" hurts economic growth. The government take in plenty of revenue from taxes. You don't need more. Do you realize that the top 1% pays 40% of all income taxes while the bottom 50% pays 2% of the total income tax dollars received?? Nobody talks about those numbers (well. they do but it is buried by the press). My sisteris a low-income individual. She makes $24,000 per year and is a single mother. She gets more money back each year than she pays. My other sister and her husband make a combined $48,000 per year. They have one son. (well, he's my sister's son). I inquired and they ended up netting at total of $120 paid to the federal government for taxes last year. Both of them own their own homes, neither drives expensive cars, one has cable while the other doesn't. And John McCain doesn't consider people who make up to $5M per year the middle class. If you watched that interview (I did) it was said in jest after McCain was attempting to calculate in his head how much Rick Warren made from his book sales. That claim is just plain stupid.

I agree more with Palin on the energy issue than McCain but McCain is coming around. He's understanding the wealth of our nation's natural resources muchmore fully because of his running mate. Sarah Palin knows what Alaska has to offer. She understands how we can generate a TON of energy supply by tappinginto Alaska's natural gas supply. She gets it and he's seeing the issue more clearly because of it.

I'm not going to go into each issue because, quite frankly, I have to get back to work. I'll just close with the fact that by adding Sarah Palin to the ticket, my vote is even more secure. She brings an element of change. She's not afraid to stand up to her opponents when doing the right thing is what matters. Her experience,in my opinion is the best experience of the four. When Lou Gertsner left American Express to head up RJR Nabisco and then IBM people kept asking what a travelguy knew about tobacco and cookies and then what he knew about computers and networks. You don't have to know the industry to be effective. You take the experience of leading teams, of tackling problems, of protecting your people and resources (in charge of Alaska National Guard and pipeline security both), and you kick it up a level. McCain, Obama and Biden have zero experience with managing people, departments, budgets, priorities from an executive position. SarahPalin has that experience and she has the demonstrated conviction to do what is right for the people she serves.
In the McCain/Palin ticket I see Do-ers. I see people standing up to the opposition or even their own party to accomplish what few others have accomplished. Isee results-oriented people who aren't poll-watchers. I see two people who are completely fit to lead this nation.
My neighbor, a newly retired union trucker (Teamster) has echoed a claim I've heard before. "The Democrats used to represent the working guy. All they seem to care about these days is the non-working guy." JFK is turning in his grave because the statement now of the party seems to be, "Ask not what you can do for your country but rather what your country can and should do for you." I cannot support a continuation of the entitlement mentality.

There you have it. Yes, I had to take time to make contrasts where appropriate. (Heck, ask Obama or Biden to make a speech and not use the word, "BUSH." They can't and no one has told them that Bush isn't running...).

I hope this doesn't show up with funny symbols. I typed it in Notepad because MSN's windows wouldn't have survived the 6 hours I've been working on this thing.

Thanks for reading!

remembering...

my baby

Last night during our prayers he told God he was sorry for playing boxing with hangers, and that he was thankful for going to church and sleeping. I never know what he might say (and he says some doozies!) but it usually brings a smile to my face.

(*thanks to Shapiro Photography for this preschool photo!)

what's wrong with this picture?

I saw this picture in the latest Pottery Barn Kids catalog. PB doesn't just sell stuff. They sell a lifestyle, a story, a dream that maybe this time, it will be perfect. Trust me, if I bought that child sized table, the turkey runner, the placemats, the stuffed turkey, my Thanksgiving still wouldn't look like THAT. Or, it might look like that for about five seconds, but only until someone spilled the drink, broke a glass, strangled their cousin (or brother) with the ribbon that was pulled off of the chair, played football with the turkey centerpiece, and drew on the chalkboard with markers. If you look closely at the picture, you will see that no one is crying and no one has stained their white sweaters... yet.

It's nice, Pottery Barn. I like to look at your idea of Thanksgiving, and even dream of it for a few minutes (or hours), but mine is better. Mine is real.

little things that make me happy

Matching pajamas and happy boys!

the first sign of fall

It's not the weather, or the few leaves that are starting to dry and yellow. It's chocolate chip pumpkin muffins... the recipe given to me a few years ago by a friend of mine. Baking them has become a tradition, enticing people who would normally never eat pumpkin to... well, eat pumpkin. We're now having to double the recipe to make enough for both of the boys to take to school, making sure not to forget last year's teachers, as {p} reminded me. Except I just realized the double recipe won't be enough and tomorrow I'll probably make another double batch.

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. of cinnamon
2 eggs beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/3 cup of miniature chocolate chips

Procedure
1. In one bowl combine ... eggs, pumpkin, and oil.
2. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, then fold in the chips (you know you really need to add more than the recipe calls for, right?)
3. Spoon batter in to muffin cups (2/3 full) and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees
and enjoy:

bigger

Walking into school today, {p} reached to hold my hand,
and suddenly
I realized that it took up more space in mine.
When did that happen?

first day of school: round 2

The only pictures I have to remember {s}'s first day of school today are those of him flat on the floor, head covered by his arms because

"Me no want pictures!"

I think if {p} had done that at 2, I would've picked him up and made him stand at the door just so I could get that shot of the first day outfit and the cute little school bag. And I probably could've done that with {s} -- maybe not... he's pretty stubborn -- but the floor thing reflected his personality so I decided to take the picture just as he was.

I had to fill out a sheet to send to school with him today. One of the questions asked for three words to describe our child. I'm so used to thinking of adjectives for {p}. He's smart, he's caring, he's compassionate, he's sensitive, he's mature. I almost caught myself writing the same sort of thing for {s}, until it hit me that although he can be those things, they aren't him.

He's silly, he's funny, he's a mess, he's curious, he's inquisitive, he's bright, he's stubborn. Sometimes he smothers me with kisses, and sometimes he swipes his face until it is red to wipe kisses off. Sometimes he'll put his hands on my cheeks and say, "I love you," and sometimes he'll glare at me and say, "Me no like you." Sometimes he'll pose for the camera with a huge grin, and sometimes he'll flop on the floor, hands covering his head. But that's okay. It's who he is.

ramblings

It's a dreary day. Rain is pouring down, tears are falling down {s}'s face because he can't have the Spiderman thermos, and {p} is complaining about homework. Haven't blogged lately, but it's not for lack of subject matter. One night I discovered that {s} thought Jesus was the black lady who keeps the nursery at church. Our conversation was blogworthy, but I just haven't had the time (or else, I haven't used it wisely) to organize my thoughts. I thought this might be a good opportunity to write, but a certain little person (who is still complaining) is tapping his pencil against my William and Mary fruit bowl and the constant ping-pinging is distracting me.

So, now the purpose of a random post in the middle of the day -- a little award from my friend E. Thank you, my sweet friend with 5 Minnies!!

And now the rules are that I need to select 7 other blogs to recieve this award. Not hard at all...

1. Dr. W - this woman encouraged my photography, takes great pictures herself and has great taste in books.

2. Where the Wild Things Are - three boys (one more than I), and I enjoy reading about their adventures and seeing their adorable pictures.

3. Simple Thoughts - you can't look at the colors and layout of this blog and not feel peaceful. Her pictures and children are gorgeous!

4. Julie - who is not almost 35 anymore. It's been fun reading the blog of a friend I know IRL, and besides... she deserves the award because she finds time to blog with 3 children and a husband who works out of town.

5. Testosterhome - I've only read this blog a few times, because I don't have it bookmarked and thus I forget about it. But I think I need to add it to my sidebar. 5 boys. If they can survive, so can I!

6. Okay, this is getting harder and my children are requiring a bit of supervision. To be continued...

fast learner

I just sat down with {s} last Thursday to play a Teletubbies game online. Usually he tells me what to click and I do all of that. I decided to show him how to use the touchpad on the laptop, he spent some time playing with {p} this weekend, and today (just Monday) he is navigating PBSkids like a pro. He goes from one show to another, from one game to another, and even printed a page (but unfortunately, the printer is downstairs and isn't turned on so it didn't actually print). I peeked at something he was doing and told him what to click, and he informed me, "No click. Have to drag it!"

How did he learn this so fast??? He will be 2 years and 9 months old tomorrow. I didn't touch a computer until I was in junior high. It is just remarkable what this generation of children is able to do!

And it means there is now one more person I'll have to fight for the computer.

first day report

And the news is good. He had a great first day. For some reason, he thinks that he'll get to play more in 1st grade and work less. Hmm... not so sure about that one! I think that the teachers at his school are so fun and creative that he doesn't realize that most of the stuff he does is actually "work." That's exactly how it should be!

the big 1

1st grade, that is. It's going to be a little easier for me this year. I'm more filled with anticipation than anxiety. {p} knows the routine of school, I know the routine of school and the chaos that seems to happen as soon as we walk in the door in the afternoon. Good chaos, when {s} gets to see his big brother after missing him for several hours, when {p} digs around for a snack and I dig around through the backpack and folder and we all hunt for a pencil that has both a point and an eraser.

We'll miss friends from last year (hang in there, {p} and Abby!), but look forward to making some new ones. We will miss the teachers from last year (I almost cried when we stopped by to visit them today), but I'm excited to get to know and work with his new teacher. We have a lot to miss from the wonderful year of Kindergarten, but I think we're going to have a lot to look forward to as well.

For today, we'll get the lunchbox packed, get the backpack ready, and fill the water bottle that {p} will get to keep on his desk. We'll fill the "get to know me" bag with pictures and some favorite things.

As for tonight, we'll pray for a great first day, a great year, a great teacher, and great friends.

And a little "please don't let him (or me) cry" thrown in for good measure.

they may kick me out!

I promise I'm a southern girl. I play putt putt (not mini golf) and I drink Coke even when it is a Dr. Pepper. I've lived in the same state my whole entire life. So what's up with this?

You Are 50% Yankee, 50% Dixie

You're a pretty even split of Yankee and Dixie. You've probably traveled around a lot in your life.

Are You a Yankee or Dixie?

Thanks, E!

Jimmy Buffett

Margaritaville. He blew out a flip flop.
Stone Mountain. So did I.
Definitely not the best part of the night!

The boys enjoyed the Laser Show, although I have no pictures to prove that. We were so crowded in that I couldn't get a picture. I had visions of really cute pictures of them sprawled out on a blanket on the lawn, waiting for fireworks. No room, no blanket, no lawn. Just squished on a walkway behind some people and in front of some people. Even so, it was their first experience at the "big rock." There will have to be more, and we'll have to get there earlier and I will NOT wear flip flops!

happy 4th!

We spent the 4th with good friends, having good times.

A hometown parade...

with lots of candy...

lots of cute boys posing for pictures...

and fireworks to finish off the day...

he's six!

{p}'s sixth birthday was on Sunday. It is so hard for me to believe that six years have passed since I became a mother. {p} joined the world to choruses of the OR staff yelling out estimates of his size... 10 lbs. 2 oz. He's always said, thought and done things that surprise us - things way beyond his years. Sometimes I can't believe that he's six already, and other times it seems like he is a whole lot older.


He had a great campout party with some wonderful, special friends. Happy Birthday, my little sweet {p}!

now my husband can't complain

that I'm not using my M.Ed.



Thanks for the link, {E}!

happy anniversary!

Nine years ago today, at 12 noon, I was standing at the altar to say "I do." I had a wonderful, beautiful wedding, and I have a wonderful, beautiful marriage. I thank God that I not only have the best husband, but he's the best Daddy to our boys. Thank you, {K}, for being exactly what I need. I love you. Happy Anniversary!

almost famous

Garnish, my newest favorite shopping (and idea) website, mentioned me in their idea blog. I tagged them in my post below, but I have more to say about them. Their customer service couldn't be better. I emailed a question about a party favor idea I had, and Suzanne not only wrote back the nicest letter full of ideas, but attached a picture of my idea. She went to the trouble to make one to show me! How many companies do that for their customers?

Garnish is all about presentation. I love a good presentation. I like shopping at the stores in my little hometown because they wrap things up nice and pretty, with tissue paper and lots of ribbon. I can buy a 50 cent shell at The Vintage Flea for {p} and they still take the time to make the bag look pretty. My friend Betsy (hello, Betsy! Time to get a blog.. or a website!) at Paper Appointments does the same thing... cute little bags tied up with cute little ribbon. It feels good knowing that someone takes the time to make something look nice, just for you. And that is what Garnish is all about. Taking something, and giving it a little piece of you before you give it to someone else.

This comes from straight from their website, and sums it up perfectly:
"Garnish is much more than a product, it is the emotion that surrounds what you create with our products. It is running through the grass barefoot or using your good china every day "just because."

Go ahead and check out their site. They aren't paying me or giving me a discount to write any of this. I'm writing it because I believe in sharing when a company goes above and beyond for customer service. And, because I like sharing good ideas and they have a million (well, almost!)of them to share with you.

about boys...

I caught this on a blog from garnish (which has in turn made me think of a million things I could do with the neat, simple packaging). Anyway, it doesn't get much more accurate than these quotations about boys. True, every single one!

A boy is truth with dirt on its face, beauty with a cut on its finger, wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the hope of the future with a frog in its pocket. - Allen Beck

A perfect summer day to a little boy means, a scrape on the knee, mud on his face and collecting bugs in the garden. - Author Unknown

You don't raise heroes; you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes. - Walter Schirra Sr.

Boys are God's way of telling you your house is too neat. - Author Unknown

Boy: a noise with dirt on it. - Author Unknown

{p} with the first frog that he ever caught. there have been many more since then!

not for the squeamish

This is one of those things that I sort of wish I hadn't seen, but then again, I'm sort of glad that I did see it and I'm really glad that I had my camera.

Trust me... seeing a water moccasin catch a frog just a few feet (literally, a few feet... the only lens I had was my 50 mm - no zoom!!!) in front of you is a completely different experience than watching a pet store python eat a mouse that has been dropped into its cage.

new favorites

a letter to the teachers...

It seems like only yesterday that I wrote this.

Now I'm at the other side, facing {p}'s last day of Kindergarten tomorrow. I don't know how it passed by so quickly... all of those paper projects and milestones that mark the first year of school are now safely tucked away in a plastic box and my heart. I'm so thankful to be able to look back on this year and know that it was right. It was right and good and everything we could hope for. I prayed so specifically for the right teacher, for the right classroom, for the right classmates. And I can look back now and know without a doubt that God placed {p} in the place where he belonged. A place where he would be comfortable, yet challenged. A place where he could both be encouraged and be an encourager to others. A place where I was welcomed as a worrying, overprotective mother. And, more than anything, a place where he was loved.

Thank you, Miss Pence and Mrs. Sharon, for giving our child a foundation that will carry him far. Thank you for the fun, creative activities. Thank you for the structure and organization. Thank you for the all of the time that you spent thinking about and planning for school. Thank you for the small things, like the Christmas picture of Pixie.... and for the big things, like the hugs that helped get him through the first two weeks of school. Thank you for accepting the caterpillars, the moths, and the lizard with excitement. Thank you for making Kindergarten a magical place. Thank you for being calm, kind, and loving. Thank you for knowing how special {p} is to us, and for seeing that in him as well. Thank you for all that you have given to us this year... especially the peace that comes from knowing that {p} was exactly where he needed to be, with teachers who were clearly an answer to our prayers.

did I really say NEVER?

I guess it happens to all mothers. Doing the things that you said you'd never do, or letting your child do the things that you swore to yourself that you'd never let them do. Today will go down in history as one of those times.

I just stuck a Spiderman wall cling to {p}'s bedroom wall.

Me. Spiderman. I neverevereverever thought I would even purchase something like it. But I did. I saw it on clearance in Target and knew that it would make {p} such a happy thing. Plus, he knows I don't like Spiderman, which makes him all the more likeable to {p}. I knew that a million years, he wouldn't have expected for me to cave in and put something like that up in his room. So, I bought it.

I was going to give it to him as part of his birthday present (still two months away), but he saw it in the back of the car one day. I bargained with him... 14 nights in his bed without sneaking into ours. In a row. If he snuck into our bed one night, I would start counting all over. Honestly, I thought it would take him forever. Well, it didn't. It took him only 14 nights.

I don't like Spiderman in there. {p}'s room has taken on a slight aura of tackiness, but apparently that doesn't matter to five year olds. And it shouldn't matter to me. I'm working on that.

speaking of bluebirds...

We have babies! Mama and Daddy bluebird have been very busy flying in and out of the house that {K} and {p} made. I was brave enough to sneak up, tap on it, and take off the lid. We all peered inside and saw a few little scrawny babies in there.

It's strange, though. The parents were all around while we were outside playing frisbee and chasing the dog. But as soon as I set up the tripod and {K} took the boys around back, they both disappeared. I sat on the concrete driveway for a long time before they finally came back. Maybe they like our noise!

**And a photo related question here. WHY is this picture so grainy? I took it with a 55-200 zoom lens, more than likely it was on 200. I cropped it a bit (less than half of the original) and ran a quick fix, but that's all. Is something wrong with the way I'm focusing? It looks pretty sharp until I view it larger, then it just has a grainy quality. Any suggestions?

bluebirds are my favorite

My favorite birds have always been bluebirds. Maybe that affection was passed down to me from my mother and my grandmother. I remember having bluebird houses in our yard, and being picked up by Daddy to peek in and see the wide mouths of the hungry babies. Following that tradition, we have a bluebird house as well. This means that my boys are learning to favor bluebirds, too. I struggled to find a nursery idea for baby {s}, but when I saw a bluebird crib bedding set by Susan Turner Baby, I knew it was perfect. It still makes me smile, and so does this picture that was painted by my friend for the nursery.

Yesterday {K}'s mom found a bluebird egg in their yard. It seems that another type of bird tossed the eggs out and claimed the nest as its own. {p} didn't understand why we couldn't hatch it anyway. He wanted to keep holding it in his hand in case a baby hatched out. He took the egg to school today... one more thing to share in a long line of "things to share" that he has already taken to school this year.

And if you need some happiness today, this is for you:

lucky weekend!

First the hummingbird nest, and then the discovery that {K}'s dad's old 35mm lenses fit my SLR. The difficulty is that everything has to be done manually. No autofocus, no automatic settings... nothing. Just me and the little dials on the lens. It's frustrating, but at the same time, exciting. It's neat to look at some of these images and know that I controlled everything - the lighting, the focus, the depth of field. Needless to say, I have a lot of underexposed, overexposed, and unfocused shots. But every so often I'd get the hang of it and get something I was happy with.

I like that {p} is out of focus here. I did get some good shots where both he and the bubbles were in focus, but I like the look of the bubbles being the main focus of this one. And, if you click on the picture, you can see the reflection of our house in the bubbles... mainly the biggest bubble near the left.

hummingbird nest

If I ever needed a zoom lens, it was today! My mother-in-law discovered a hummingbird nest in the fork of a dogwood branch. The nest is about 15 feet off of the ground, and extremely hard to spot. It appears that the nest is still under construction... lots of zooming back and forth with bits and pieces in the beak. I can't wait to keep watching, and see how this progresses.

I read up a little just to know what all was involved in this tiny nest. Smaller than a golfball, the nest is made using spider web silk! Imagine that! And, the outside is covered with small pieces of lichen. If what I read is correct, mama hummingbird will lay two tiny white eggs.

My grandmother, Sweet Pea, would've loved this. I can't help but think that she was there today, peeking over my shoulder as I climbed to the tip top of the ladder and took these pictures.

playing around with the camera

Nice weather lately. Well, not in the mornings. The mornings have been cold, but the afternoons have been really nice. Lots of time outside for the boys and their faithful dog!

{s} wasn't supposed to have this Coke, but he snuck it out of the fridge in the garage. Cute photo opportunity, so I let him keep drinking.




And this is Dasher, probably trying to lick the Coke off of {s}'s face. He didn't want any part of her slobber. Can't say that I blame him.

questions...

I swiped this from Where the Wild Things Are. I discovered her blog via a comment on PW's photography blog. She's a mama to boys, too, so I can definitely understand how she came up with her blog title. Anyway, for lack of anything better to blog about at the moment (actually, I could blog about a few things, but this seems to be the one that requires the least amount of thought!), I thought I'd just steal someone else's.

1) Do you like blue cheese? I wouldn't just eat a hunk of it plain, but I do enjoy it in foods.
2) Have you ever smoked heroin? Um, NO. I've never smoked anything, not even once.
3) Do you own a gun? I personally do not own one... but if someone came into our house I guarantee you they would be shot.
4) Your favorite song? I always have a hard time with this question. I like "More" by Matthew West, "Held" by Natalie Grant... for something sentimental I like "Me and You" by Kenny Chesney. I really like that song that's in the new Macbook Air commercial, whatever it is. I listen to a few different types of music, but I have to credit my friend over at A Wink and A Smile with having the best taste in music ever. I don't know where she comes up with all of her music, but I'd like a copy of everything on her Ipod.
5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No, I don't get nervous. If someone is watching my children I see it as a chance to relax and read a book!
6) What do you think about hot dogs? They're best when cooked on a grill, and a little crispy on the outside.
7) Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night, sung by John Berry... Emmanuel sung by Jennifer Nettles... and I also like O Come All Ye Faithful sung by Sara Evans. I mean, there are my favorites no matter who sings them, but I happen to really, really like the versions mentioned above.
8) Can you do push ups? The girly kind.
9) What's your favorite piece of jewelry? Other than my wedding ring, the diamond necklace that was my Sweet Pea's.
10) Favorite hobby? taking pictures
11) Do you have A.D.D.? nope
12) What's one trait that you hate about yourself? I'm not a happy person when I don't get what I want.
13) Middle name? I like my middle name, but in an effort to retain a little anonymity, I'm not sharing.
14) Name three thoughts at this exact moment? This is taking longer than I thought, I think AI need to wash some clothes, and I don't know why Geico chose to use a lizard in their commercials.
15)Name three things you bought yesterday? I only bought one thing yesterday, and it was an online course in Photoshop Elements.
16) Name three drinks you regularly drink. Dr. Pepper, Dr. Pepper, and water.
17) Current worry right now? Worry is my middle name. The current thought going through my head is what can I do about the mosquitoes that are going to be very bad this summer.
18) Current hate right now? Nothing.
1 9) Where would you like to go? I don't know... to bed? To Disney World? Sandestin? Calypso's at Orange Beach for some grouper fingers? I don't enjoy travelling far away from home, so I don't have any dream trips. Except maybe I would like to go back to Greece and England. As long as I could get there without flying or getting on a boat.
20) Name three people who will complete this? not tagging anyone!
21) Do you own slippers? Yes, but I do not wear them regularly.
22) What shirt are you wearing? a brown t-shirt
23) Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? never have
24) Can you whistle? Yes, but my husband cannot
25) Favorite color?(s) green, yellow, brown,
26) What songs do you sing in the shower? None,
27) Would you be a pirate? I don't think I would.
28) Favorite girl's name(s)? Seeing as how I've never had the opportunity to use a girly name... I'm not sure. We picked Lauren Faith if {s} had been a girl, but I don't know if I would chose that name again for a girl if given the opportunity. I like Olivia. And I really like my name, so I might use it as a middle name.
29) Favorite boy's name(s)? Other than the 2 I have already used for my boys, I like Wynn.
30) What's in your pocket right now? nothing
31) Last thing that made you laugh? Robin Williams on Americal Idol tonight.
32) Worst injury you've ever had? I have never really had any bad injuries, but one time {K} hit me in the ankle with a horsehoe, and it hurt for a very, very, very long time.
33) Do you love where you live? Absolutely!
34)How many TVs do you have in your house? 3
35) Who is your loudest friend? My friend Jennifer. I think she would say the same thing about herself, so I shouldn't get in any trouble for that one!
36) How many dogs do you have? one - Dasher, an adorable collie
37) Does someone have a crush on you? I do hope that my husband still falls into this category.
38) What is your favorite book? Oh... books. I read a lot of them and I don't know if I could pick a favorite. As for classics, I've always liked Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. As for fluffy chic lit, I like the Shopoholic books, and I also like anything by Mary Kay Andrews.
39) What is your favorite Candy? chocolate, anything with chocolate!
40) Favorite Sports Team? out of loyalty, I guess I should say The Braves.
41) What song do you want played at your funeral? I don't really want to think about this.
42) What were you doing 12 AM last night? reading
43) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I was at my parents' house with the boys, and I thought - "It is SO nice to sleep late!!!!!!!"
44) Not sure where this question went ????
45) What's your favorite cereal? Smart Start
46) What did you dream about last night? I dreamed that a friend of mine was telling me that she was happy again, and it was a wonderful dream. I want her to have JOY in her life again.
47) Do you snore? if I choose to believe what others tell me, the answer is yes
48) Can you drink from the other side of the glass? You're supposed to do this when you have the hiccups, but it is very confusing.
49) Favorite movie? Not a big movie buff. I can't really think of one.
50) Have you ever been in trouble with the law? No. The only interaction I've had with "the law" was when I got a speeding ticket several months ago. It was the first time I'd ever been pulled over.


Whew. That was very time consuming. In retrospect, it would have been much easier to come up with an original blog idea!

playing in the dirt

In an attempt to grow some of our own vegetables instead of swiping from our parents' gardens, {K} and I decided make a couple of raised beds. The main motivation is for the boys to have an opportunity to take care of their own garden, and to hopefully eat the things that they grow. We spent a weekend choosing a spot, building (this part didn't quite involve ME), and digging and raking dirt. Boys, rakes, shovels, dirt... well, the combination requires no further explanation. A trip to Home Depot resulted in some bags of compost and Moo-nure, or as {s} likes to say, over and over, "bag of ca-yuw poop!" When you ask him what we put in the garden, that's what he'll say, and then he'll finish the statement with, "WHOLE BAG!" He's obviously excited about this aspect of gardening. The boys picked some vegetables to plant... peppers, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and eggplant. Eggplant? Oh, and strawberries, too. The planting went well. We even covered the ground around the bed with mulch that was shredded from trees that {K} cut down out of our front yard a few weeks ago. And another note - the wood from the beds was made from hickory that we had cut from our land and milled before building our house. So anyway, all was well and the garden looked pretty nice. And then a rabbit ate everything except for the onions and strawberries. Now we have to start about halfway over, but somehow, I don't think the boys will mind.












our helper... she was a little too eager and she had to go back in the fence