Catching up!

Well, I think it's a fine time to mention that we spent a week or so in Ohio visiting family. We had such a great time. Hubby was able to spend some much needed "man time" completing projects/repairs on the family farm. The 'ole corn crib has been out of commission for many years, but it's a structure that is held close to my hubby's heart. He just can't bare to see it falling down. So, he, his Dad and his brother spent two days making some necessary restructuring so that hopefully, it will continue to stand. Girls, you should have seen/heard the three of them.

"Well, if we bang at this board, it will shift the whole thing this way."
"Ok, try banging on this board. Ok, did anything move?"
"I think we're gonna need ten inch bolts so that this board will hold this board to this board."
"Do you think ten inch bolts will do it?"

Wish I had thought to take some pictures!

I have to give gold stars, where gold stars are deserved, though. The three of them spent hours in 90+ degree heat. And my father-in-law says the corn crib has not looked this good in years!

Other happenings:

*I was able to have a girls night out with a friend who I rarely get to see. We visited this wonderful little restaurant in a nearby town. We ordered a tray of unique cheeses. So good! I love just about any kind of cheese so this was a real treat for me!

*My hubby took me out to the lunch at the local cafe. So delicious!! And it was nice to spend time with my hubby and eat without two active children in the background, throwing food and whining. A hot meal is rare for me.

*Spent Sunday morning at the local Baptist church. This is the same church that my Hubby attended growing up. Such a sweet little church family. I've come to know so many of them, so it's always nice to catch up.

*Visited the local coffee bar with sis-in-law. We were supposed to be blogging -- but we actually spent most of time catching up. It's so nice to have a great sis-in-law that you can do that with, you know!

*Oh and I guess the big news is that I got a new car. Well, not actually brand new, but new to me. It's a 2004 Honda Pilot EX. I've been flip flopping between taking the plunge and getting a minivan. Or savoring my last years in a small SUV, knowing full well that the minivan is inevitable. So, thank you so much to Hubby for allowing me to get the car that I really wanted. I know it wasn't the most economical decision, but you wrapped your arms around the idea and supported me. I really do love it!

*I enjoyed two games of volleyball with my nieces, nephews and my mother in law. And I'll have to say,mom, you really held your own on the volleyball court. Way to go mom! It was girls against boys. And although us girls were out numbered, we beat 'em bad. Not that I'm bragging or anything! (he!he!he!)

*Go here and here to my sis in law's blog and you can see some pics of the cousins. I had never noticed how much Maddy1 and Bantam 2 favor. Check it out!

Here are some pics of my own:


This is Maddy1 with her cousins from Kansas.


This is Grandma reading to the girls.


This is a picture of all of the cousins. The three girls in the matching blue dresses are the cousins from Kansas. My two are there out front. Maddy1 is in the yellow dress and Baby Lulu is in the green dress. The other six are the cousins from Illinois.

To my sis in law in Kansas, I didn't forget about you. I promise to scoot over your way soon. We really enjoyed seeing you all too and can't wait til we can do it again.

Our very own waterpark back in the good 'ole days!

Ok - I'm going to take you back. Think summer, at least 20 years or more ago. My two cousins and me and my two brothers gathered at my grandparent's home every Saturday. We were bored with the same 'ole cops and robber gig. Boys against girls. We wanted to shop, they wanted to arrest us. Uuugghhh! (Don't laugh, you know you did the same thing!) And then, one amazing Saturday, it was different. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my Dad approach us with a box in his hand. No it can't be! Is it really? Did my Dad just show up with the Original Slip and Slide 1000? (Ok, there really is no Slip and Slide 1000 - but doesn't that sound way cooler than Original Slip and Slide?)

Open it! Open it! Can we set it up now? It was chaos. Five kids ripping at the box. I can still picture the bright yellow slide. We unrolled it and it stretched for what seemed like miles (ok, maybe not -- but it was long enough!) Down each side of the slide was a tunnel with holes -- sorta like a sprinkler and it kept a continuous stream of water on the slide - hence making the yellow plastic slide slippery. And remember the metal stakes that were used to hold down the corners? Oh, those totally wouldn't fly in today's world. Oh, no. Definite cause for a recall. I mean, it's all fun and games until someone puts an eye out, right?

We left the water running onto the slide (so it could do it's thang--I'm talking about making it slippery -- I don't know where your mind is) and we went and changed into our swim suits.

So, bathing suits on, check. Hair pulled back, check. Boys go first, check. Hey, I'm not breaking a nail or something. Somebody needs to test this thing out first.

So, one by one, the boys lined up. They'd each get a running start and then fling their body onto the yellow slide (all the while squealing like a girl! ha! ha!) When I deemed it to be safe, I decided try it out. I ran . . . and ran and stopped. Oh yes, I'm supposed to slide. Ok, ok . . . do over! So, I ran . . . and ran . . . and then, oh my gosh, I forgot to slide . . . my feet hit the slippery slide. I started doing some sort of ice skating acrobatic move, arms flailing in the air, gasps from bystanders and finally, (plop!) I landed smack dab at the end of the slide on my back side. Completely and utterly humiliated, I checked to see if anything was hanging out of my suit before I stood up to take my bow. By this time, there are no longer gasps, but loud laughing and chuckling taking place. Oh which reminds me, don't let me forget to tell you about the time we decided to add Dawn dish detergent to the slide (he!he!he!)

Anyway, I tell you this silly story only because (to make a long story even longer) I happened to be shopping the other day and to my amazement, saw a box that said Slip and Slide. Oh my goodness, they still have those things? But as I examined the box more closely, I couldn't believe my eyes. Y'all! Do you know that Slip and Slides now have wade pools and floats attached to them. I mean, it's like a miny water park or somethin'. And they even have this one called a Speed racer (I think?). It's two slides in one so that you can race someone to the end. Well I never!

Just goes to show ya how much things have really changed. We were happy with a yellow piece of plastic, stretched out on the lawn, with the water hose running water over it. Nope, no moving parts. No computer attached. Nothing. Just good clean fun!

Oh, those were the good 'ole days!

Wordless Wednesday

My wedding cake! Just about sums it up, huh!

For more Wordless Wednesdays, go here.

Is this a public restroom? No, it's my living room!

For all you moms out there, I'm soliciting your help on this one. Please leave a comment . . . please!

Well, I think it's time for the moment I've dreaded since Maddy1 was born. . . Potty Training (shhh! Don't say it too loud!)

Maddy1 has started pulling off her wet diaper and laying it anywhere she darn well pleases and then commences to peeing (my mother in law says that the proper terminology is #1 and #2) on my floor(eeewww!). I thought only boys did that kind of stuff. Girls aren't made to do that! So, I politely explained to Maddy1 that taking off her diaper and doing her busy on the floor, in front of others mind you, is certainly not very lady like. She looked at me, with that familiar blank stare that often accompanies many of my "big girl" talks, and then turned to watch TV. Surely she understood what I said, right? WRONG! Not five minutes later, new diaper found on the floor with big puddle of #1.

After discussing the events that had taken place with several confidants (I'd tell ya who, but I'd have to kill ya!) it was a unanimous decision --- Maddy1 is ready for potty training. If she is aware enough to know that the diaper is wet and is aware enough to know that she wants it off, then she is ready to start peepeeing (aka #1) on the potty right? Well, so I thought.

Day 1: 4 half peepee's in the potty (that means half the peepee went on the floor and then when we realized that she was peepeeing, we rushed her to the potty and she continued there, 4 peepee's in the panties, 2 poopies in the panties (ew!ew!ew!) and a couple near misses.

Had you been a fly on my wall yesterday, this is what you would have heard almost every 5 minutes:

Me: "Maddy, do you have to peepee?"

Maddy1: "No."

Me: "Maddy, do you have to poopie?"

Maddy1: "No."

Me: "Are you sure? Don't you want to sit on the potty and try?"

Maddy1: "No."

Me: "Maddy, look at Mommy. Where do we go if we need to peepee or poopie?

Maddy1: No response . . . just a blank stare

Me: "Right there (pointing to the potty). We go in the potty, right?"

Maddy1: "No."

Help! Please, for the love of all, tell me that this is normal. I can't keep putting a diaper on her if she is just going to continue taking it off. So, I have no other choice but to potty train.

Do you have any tricks of the trade? I'm not opposed to bribery, really!

I just need to get her trained before my house starts smelling like a public restroom!

How I met my Prince Charming - Part IV

This is the last (sigh!) post in in a four part series. If you haven't read the previous posts and would like to, please click here, here and here.

It’s funny, when you’re dating in mid life, it’s completely different from dating in your teens. There are rules. Did you know this? Yes, many, many rules. Like, for example, to avoid seeming too eager, you should wait atleast 24 hours after the conclusion of the date before instigating any communication with said person on the date. Crazy, huh! I had several friends coaching me on common dating practices . . . interpreting Prince Charming’s every move. Seriously, it became exhausting. Why couldn’t we just do the note like in elementary school? Do you like me, check yes or no!

Another rule . . . he has up to two weeks to make some sort of contact with me. So, for two weeks, you sit around waiting wondering why it is taking him two weeks to contact you. And, if it takes him two weeks to make contact, is this indicative of how a relationship with him might be – only dating every two weeks or when he decides to contact me? Or, is he so not interested that he’s out looking and dating other women during those two weeks and then he forgets what I’m like, so he calls and asks me out on a date for a reminder? (Yes, I know, I have an overactive imagination!)

So, I’m guessing you’ve figured out (since y’all know that I’m currently married to Prince Charming) that he did call -- one day shy of two week deadline. Whew! Sure am glad ‘cause we just couldn’t date had he contacted me on week 2 day 1. Gimme a break! We dated a year before we took the plunge and tied the knot. We, like all couples, had some good and bad times, but we weathered the storms (literally) and came out stronger in the end. In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan decided to make landfall here in the Panhandle of Florida. The devastation we experienced was none like we had ever seen before. This event was such a turning point in our relationship. Prince Charming’s home was all but destroyed. It was a hard time for us both and we learned to lean on each other. I firmly believe that I was in love with him far before he was willing to open his heart to me. I think it was during this tough time that he realized I was the “real thing!” I was determined to be there by his side whether it was in a friend capacity or as more. From my first prayer, I submitted this relationship to Christ and he far surpassed my wants and my needs. My Prince Charming is a wonderful God fearing, Jesus loving man. Each day that we are together, we are learning more . . . about marriage, about each other, about parenting. I continually pray that we will learn how better to love each other and accept each other. We’ve come along way since that blind date in 2004.

To my Prince Charming, thank you for choosing me. And thank you for accepting me . . . the quirky me, the cranky me, the me that doesn’t always make sense. I do love you so much and am so proud of the husband, father, son, brother, friend that you are to us all.

You are amazing God!

Hi everyone - if you're looking for "How I Met My Prince Charming Part IV", it will be posted tomorrow. I felt the need to set aside Sunday as a day for my Lord and Savior. So, please bare with me as I share what he has revealed to me.

Sitting here, staring at Baby Lulu I am in awe of God's amazing blessing he has given to me and my husband. We truly have been blessed with two beautiful, healthy, happy girls. It's funny, when we found out we were having another girl only 6 short months after giving birth to Maddy1, we naturally (as any naive parents of one child) expected Baby Lulu to be a spitting image of Maddy1. We were sure of her blonde hair, blue eyes and loud, boisterous, outgoing nature. But now, as Baby Lulu has changed from this little infant that we considered a stranger into our little girl who recognizes our faces and voices, we have realized just how unique she is from her sister.

Maddy1:
1) Blonde hair
2) Blue eyes
3) Needs tender care when waking up
4) Immediately responds to music even as an infant
5) Dances the moment she hears music
6) Lights up the room with her smile and her laugh is contagious
7) Stubborn and very head strong
8) Got her first tooth at the ripe age of 1
9) Independent, needs little holding
10) Tender heart that can be broken with words or even the tone of your voice

Baby Lulu:
1) Red hair
2) Blue eyes
3) Wakes up quiet and content
4) So quiet you barely know she's there
5) Has the cutest little dimple on her right cheek
6) Perfectly content in Mommy's arms
7) Got her first tooth at 6 months of age
8) Always has a smile but rarely chuckles
9) Has a sweet spirit and loves to cuddle
10) Submissive, will follow where she is led

And this is just the beginning of the unique characteristics that make each girl different from the other. Oh amazing God, you have mapped out every detail of each child. How awesome you are . . . each hair, each crease, every sound, you, oh Lord, created it all.

"Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky
And you know them by name,
You are amazing God!
. . .You see the depths of my heart and you love me the same . . . You are AMAZING God!"

This is so neat! Wake-up calls are a long-standing tradition of the NASA program. Each day during the mission, flight controllers in the Mission Control Center will greet the crew with an appropriate musical interlude. The wife of Astronaut Patrick Forrester sent this to him on the shuttle for his wake up call on flight day 7 of STS-117 on . After the song, you hear Houston say, "Good morning Atlantis, that song is for Pat . . ." and Patrick Forrester replies, "Good morning Shane. That song captures what I think everytime I look out the window. So thanks to my wife Diane . . ."

Thanks to Chris Tomlin for such a beautiful song! You can hear the full song here.