The Find

This has been another crazy week at our house. Adam and I have been crazy at work. I am struggling to get ready for Progress Reports and the First Football Game(!!!!!) and Adam has been traveling a lot. We are also getting ready to go to Memphis for a wedding this weekend. So last night I had some errands to run, no dinner plan, a boy who only wanted to be with "B", a muddy dog who needed a bath, no clean clothes, you get the picture. So Adam stayed home to wash the dog and do laundry and I took little man to Chick-Fil-A and Target.

If you go to Chick-Fil-A you have to play on the indoor playground. It's a rule. So we did. But it was getting dangerously close to bedtime and the Point of No Return and I still had Target to conquer.

I did what many mothers before me have done in similar dire circumstances....
I bribed the boy to leave the playground.

It went something like this:
I told him we were going to Target. He asked if Mimi was going to be there. ("Mimi?") I said no she's at home with Papa. He immediately started crying. "gruck, gruck,gruck." (I guess to a 21 month old if your Mimi takes you to Target twice in your life and both of those times you get a truck, then Mimi is always at Target and you always get a truck.) So I said I would buy him a truck at Target. I'm not proud of the bribery. But he was melting down on the playground.

So we are in Target on the truck aisle and lo and behold:

BUS!!!

Yes that would be the Tonka Wheel Pals Minis Pack with the Bus. That I have searched North America for, for months now. Right there on the shelf. Non- chalant like. Noah almost combusted right there!!! I would have bought every pack in the store. But there was just one. Noah was literally shaking from excitement. "Out. Out. OUT" He wanted it out of the package. I explained we had to but it first. And was surprised he didn't ask again ten seconds later. And thirty minutes later when we were checking out he slammed Bus and Friends down on the conveyor belt. "Bus!" As soon as we walked away from the register, "Bus Out!" When I handed bus he laughed and laughed. I think he almost cried. ( I did.) He was so full of joy. I don't think he has let it go since. It was the best find ever! And a bright spot in a long busy week!

The Pictures From Susan

This week a fun suprise came in my mailbox. A CD of images from my friend Susan. She took pictures for us when we were in Ft. Worth/Dallas. She is just starting out in her photography business. I think she is talented and wanted to brag on her by sharing some of my favorites. She did a great job chasing Noah around in the 103 degree Texas heat! I can't wait to frame them all over my house! Thanks Susan!!!

The Blissful Commute

This afternoon on the way home from school....

I was downright cheerful. Singing and smiling. Carefree and chipper.

Was I still one day behind on all my to do lists? Most definitely.
Was I at my wits end with trying to figure out how to discipline my frustrated and aggressive toddler? Sure.
Am I still twenty pounds overweight? Yes.
Do I need five more hours in the day to accomplish just the things on my list for tonight? Sure.
Did I have a dinner plan? Nope.
Is there milk for my breakfast tomorrow? Probably not.
Did I spend eight hours taking attitude from teenagers. Sure did.
Was I stuck behind the slowest 18 wheeler on the interstate in a construction zone? Yep.
Was I exhausted? Of course.
Did it all matter at the moment? Not one bit.

Here's why.....
1. God is good. He has blessed me and my family in amazing and loving ways.
2. It was a beautiful beautiful day!!
3. I was chewing Bubbalicious Gum. Haven;t done that since I was 14. Big bubbles.
4. I had a great day at school. Things are going really well.
5. This fun little tune was playing on the radio. 40 Dogs(Like Romeo and Juliet) by Bob Schneider. How can you not be happy with a cheerful, cheesy, endearing love song?
6. For these twenty five minutes I couldn't do anything else but enjoy the afternoon. So I did.

The Garbage Truck

Noah is obsessed with trucks and buses. This is a well known and well documented fact. He eats, plays, and sleeps with trucks and buses. One of his favorite kinds of trucks is the garbage truck. This is because of the cute book, I Stink! We checked this book out of the library during our "Things That Go" week this summer. Its a really fun book with lots of fun sound effects and a piece of trash for each letter of the alphabet thrown in for good measure. This summer Noah would hear the garbage truck and run to the window to watch it, completely fascinated.

Thursday is trash day and Adam, being the great dad that he is usually listens out for it so that Noah can see the garbage truck. This Thursday morning Adam was rushing around getting Noah's lunch made and backpack ready, and measuring out a cup of Noah's favorite cereal for their Friendship mix activity, and feeding him breakfast, (things that I should do if I woke up with enough time to do more than just shower and barely dry my hair) and getting himself ready for work. Adam finally hears the garbage truck on our street and so that Noah wouldn't miss it he rolls Noah outside through the garage in his high chair, down the driveway to the curb. So the garbage men roll by and there is an almost two year old in his high chair eating bananas and cheerios yelling out "gruck, truck, f--k" pointing and laughing. Adam said they were great sports. They waved and honked the horn a couple of times. Noah was delighted to see the "gruck" up close. And I was delight yet again at what a great father I married.

The Football Seasons

Football is in the air, in the stores, on the radio, and on T.V. The South is gearing up for our favorite time of year... Football season. Girls are shopping for their game dresses and outfits. Guys are making predictions and getting their Fantasy Teams ready. Tailgating coolers and recipes are being dusted off. Fight songs are being played. I am getting ready for two seasons...

High School:
Is there anything as much fun as a high school football game? Pep rallies, parades, jumbo paper banners, half time shows, majorettes twirling fire, rivals, pranks, Friday Night Blitz, Playoffs. The list goes on. I can't wait. Last year and the year before (we actually have the longest current losing streak in Alabama High School Athletics) B High lost every football game. But this year the guys are super excited. The won both their spring games and won all the seven on seven scrimmages against area teams this summer. Tonight is the Jamboree. My boys are pumped and confident. I am praying for them and hoping the best this year. I am getting excited about putting on my navy and gold and cheering them on! Surely the tide has changed and this year will be better.

College:
I am ready to make the trip down 280 to one of my favorite places! I love Auburn. I LOVE AUBURN. Did y'all know that about me?? I love all the orange and blue, the great food, the people, shopping, the pre game festivities, the Eagle's flight, the memories, the game, the sound of 82,000 screaming people, rolling Toomer's , the lemonade, Aubie, the Creed, the Alma Mater, I could go on and on. It doesn't even matter what happens on the field. (Winning does help) I just get excited about being in a place I love so much. I did get sad when I started thinking about Tuberville not being on the sidelines. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out.
I hope everyone is getting pumped up for your football season!!

The Nephews and the Blogs

I have the most adorable nephew, Michael. Michael is seven and aptly nick named Monkey. He is sweet and has the greatest sense of humor. I love hearing stories of Mike Mike and his antics. He just moved to Georgia so sadly it might be a while before I see him climbing all over things. I miss hearing his school stories the most. Mikey is so stinkin' smart. He is always doing or saying something funny about school.

I have another nephew, Xander. He is currently growing in the womb. He will be here sometime in January. Yesterday Emily made her blogging debut at Adventures of Xander where she will chronicle her journey with my newest nephew. I am excited to get to read all about him as he grows and see lots of pictures! Emy is such a deep and emotional person I'm sure her stories will be beautiful! (And yes I totally stole this off her blog!)

I am also going to be made an aunt again! My beautiful sister in law Robin and her husband Chris are expecting as well! It is too soon to know whether I will have another nephew or maybe a niece this time but I am thrilled either way. This little life has been a long time in the making and our family is above "over joyed". I don't know if I've ever been so giddy about a pregnancy. (Not even my own.)I find myself thinking of things to email Robin about just so we can talk about Baby E! Robin's blog is always so insightful and witty. I love to read and look forward to more and more pregnancy and Baby E stories!

So Jenn, here is a request. Now that you are a stay at home mom and living a state away can you please, please start a blog so I can read and see pictures of ALL my nephews (and prehaps niece)????

The First Day of School

To ensure a great first day of school you need to eat a good breakfast. Noah recommends Bananas and cheerios.





Then you need to stay organized and make sure you pack everything you need into your backpack.

Then it helps wear a fun outfit to give you a boost of confidence. Noah recommends a Bus shirt with your name monogrammed on it.


Then say goodbye to your family. Noah says, "Bye Charlie."



Then walk to the car and ride to school.


Then walk into your class with a big smile. Ready to learn.



Noah and I both had good first weeks at school. Noah has adjusted to napping on a mat. I have adjusted to my new kids. We are both getting back into a routine. (Although today little man stayed home with a bad head cold.) The one taking it the worst is Charlie. He just doesn't get why we all abandoned him!

The Dirty Word

We all know how much Noah loves trucks. He started saying "truck" a while back . It started out "guck" and then moved to "gruck" lately it goes to "ruck" with maybe a "t" in front. But sometimes it morphs into "f---" You fill in the rest. I don't know how. But there we were in the Walmart school supply aisle and my adorable son is yelling this dirty word at the top of his lungs. I tried to recover by saying " yes noah, t-t-t-truck".

The End

I have enrolled myself in stress management therapy to prevent overload during the school year. This therapy includes a regular excercise regime, prayer, bubble baths, nutrition changes, yoga, planning, housekeeping routines, an occasional glass of wine, good smelling bath products, laughter and hugs and kisses from all three of my guys. (Although Charlie's are very slobbery).

Day Two of said therapy is going well. Part of this self prescribed therapy is reading a chapter of a book before going to sleep.

Tonight I will finish Breaking Dawn. This marks the sixth (maybe seventh) time I finished the series. This is the end. (For a good while at least.) Its been good but enough is enough.

So I am asking you for a favor. A big favor. I would like everyone who reads this to leave me a light bedtime reading selection in a comment. Not anything too serious. Perferably fiction.

The Big Boy

Noah is a big boy! This can be evidence by the new potty in his bathroom and at our attendance at Open House for his preschool class.

First things first.
The potty.
Rumor in the neighborhood is that Noah's new teacher... Ms. Teresa... is an excellent potty trainer. In fact she has a 60% success rate by Christmas. And 99% by the Spring. Well, I'm not about to send little Noah into that environment not even knowing what a potty is.

So we started this summer showing him potties. And talking about what goes on in the potty. Several weeks ago Noah began informing us when he poo pooed. 70% of the time he is telling the truth. 30% of the time he is saying poo poo because he thinks it is a funny word. He got that from his Aunt Jenny. She is in her thirties and still thinks poo poo is funny.

So this weekend we bought the potty. Tonight it made its debut. Noah was so excited. He pointed right at it and said, "poo poo". He sat on it for ten minutes. Then he took a short bath and wanted back on it. Ten minutes later I had to peel him off of it to go to bed. We were in PJ's picking up toys, when all the sudden Noah looks at me and says urgently... POO POO. He ran to the bathroom and starting getting out of his clothes. I helped and he sat on the potty. For another ten minutes. After it was obvious that he wasn't really going to poo poo, I dressed him and rocked him. He cried for poo poo the whole time. I laid him down in his crib promising that he could poo poo in the morning. Ten minutes later he was telling all his crib animals about the poo poo.

I thought the potty in the house would help school be less intimidating. That we would just introduce things slowly. But I am afraid I've created a monster!

Secondly... Open House.

Noah is going to school y'all.
For real.

His class room has two big tables. And the wall is lined with cubbies. They have computer time. He needs a nap mat. Tomorrow they are painting. Painting. We got a syllabus. They say the Pledge of Allegiance. They learn the Gospel. And 1-30 in English and Spanish. And the colors in English and Spanish. They have Show and Tell on Fridays. He's supposed to bring a picture of his pet. He has Homework. Homework. I cried all the way home. He's just a baby. A baby! Or he was last week it seems like. Now he wants to poo poo in the potty and is going to know more Spanish than me.

The Past Ten Years

Tomorrow night is my ten year reunion. Look at what a baby I was ten years ago. Can you even find my skinny eighteen year old self in the photo?

In the past ten years I ...
earned two degrees
fallen in love
traveled to Europe twice
married the man of my dreams
pledged a sorority
moved several times
bought a house
lost two grandparents
gained a sister in law 2 brothers in law and a nephew
struggled with depression
began a career
bought a puppy
made amazing friends
gave birth to a son
had a car accident
worked at kamp
learned to lean on God
learned to support others
gained a billion pounds!
grown up a little
became "momma"
stood as a bridesmaid
changed my hair color
written a thesis
started a blog
and gained a little self confidence.

When I looked back at this picture and thought about the years that followed it I thought about my life and the decisions that led me here. I have very few regrets. I think that the skinny girl in the picture would be happy with my life. I am blessed by an amazing family, a husband who loves me in a selfless way, a healthy and pretty adorable son and a job in a Field I dreamed of being in. I don't think I could have scripted it better. I do have a little bit of advice for the skinny girl...
that metabolism won't last forever
don't eat so many donut sticks while studying
run a little more often
the "one" was worth the wait
be slower to speak and quicker to listen
let things roll off your back
pray without ceasing
be more thankful
spread more sunshine
don't take mom's wisdom for granted

Looking forward to a great night of reminiscing.

The Last Day of Summer

I am lounging on the couch in my PJs, all warm and cozy from a bubble bath, watching the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance, drinking a glass of wine, relaxing, enjoying not thinking about school tomorrow, but reflecting on a summer of rest. I have enjoyed it so much. My favorite part was just being with Noah. Enjoying his crazy antics and watching him enjoy life. His joy was contagious. I think it was restorative to my soul. We spent our last day of freedom together in Birmingham shopping, riding carousels, and buses and being spoiled. Both of us were spoiled. Spoiled. Spoiled rotten. One errand I was particularly thrilled with was the acquisition of some windows for a framing project for Noah's room and the living room. We went to this antique/junk shop on Shades Crest. I had been there many years ago but forgot what a treasure this little place was. I love history and old things and their stories. I could have spent hours pouring over all the treasures in the overflowing rooms. Gorgeous glass doorknobs, trays and trays on vintage costume jewelry, beautiful glass jars and bottles, shutters , windows, fireplaces, mirrors and windows. But I had limited time and a twenty month old who needed a nap. I need to go back. The last hour shopping was spent with my Dad. What a great way for this Daddy's girl to wrap up a day of shopping. We went to At Home smelled candles and looked at picture frames discussed politics and style. I loved every second. I talk to my mom a lot. I can tell her anything. I think sometimes she might wish I'd hold back ;) She helps me on so many levels. I don't know how I'd make it without her. But I find myself missing my Dad a lot. Its been too long since we have spent an hour alone together. Noah got up from his nap and we headed home. Around the Mercedes plant Noah started screaming and crying for B. And he did so until we pulled on our street and he saw her waiting for him. We played outside enjoying the joy they find in being with each other. Like so many nights this summer. All in all the last day of summer was a great way to wrap a relaxing summer. Thank you to all who have helped to make it that way!Tomorrow is the start of a new year for me. I look forward to starting it off on the right foot.

The New Backgrounds

My Friend Emily had the cutest background on her blog the other day. It was from a new site shabbyblogs.com. I love this site! It is my new favorite. It is all free and adorable. And on her blog she teaches you how to create signatures, labels and dividers. I am loving it. I will probably change my background seeral times until I have tried all my favorites. Sorry if that is going to drive you crazy. Go to shabbyblogs.com and check out all the free and fantastic things!