Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings

It’s really no secret, I am a Feeler.  A sensitive soul if you will.  My mom has always said that if we as people had a pendulum to show the rest of the world how we were feeling, mine would swing very high, in both directions.  It would also be made of a light-weight material that swings easily.  I have grown to accept myself and sort of embrace it.  Tears come very easily for me, in the good and the bad – though I don’t think I’m nearly as bad as the teacher I had during my elementary school years.  It was an almost daily thing for her to break down into tears, often during prayer or while reading our after lunchtime recess story.  And Christmas time was the worst because she would  read these dreadful stories that she had clipped out of magazines over the years.  Stories that always involved a sick child, someone who had once lost a child, a cold winter night, some singing, and then either a death or an adoption. She could never make it through them and always had to have one of us kids finish reading it.  That kinda makes for a weird start to your day as a 2nd grader when your teacher begins with a good cry.  Anyway, as I was saying, I’m not that bad.

This has been a very active week for a strong feeler like myself.  It started off with a wake up call Monday morning that a dear one had passed away.  Immediately, the feelings begin.  The ache in your chest, right behind your ribs where your heart is, even though science tells us that our hearts don’t really feel our emotions.  That’s still where I always hurt.  The hurt because you know how hard this journey is going to be and you feel terrible for the people who you love…..and a part of you takes a minute to feel terrible for yourself because you are reminded of your own similar heartache.  And then, right there in the middle of that heart ache, you get some of the best news in the world.  There is going to be a new little person arriving in our lives this summer. I’m going to be an Auntie again.  Now that same spot in your chest, behind your ribs feels like it might burst because it feels full, but this time it’s not a heavy full but more of a can’t- be- contained- joyous- full.  And again, I have to take a minute and remember how it felt when I had a similar secret that I was sharing for the first time.  My mind gets all sorts of sentimental thinking about how that first little surprise has grown into such an awesome little lady in the blink of an eye.

It doesn’t help the emotions to learn that your little girl has been picked to be Mary in the school Christmas program, either.  I’m sure the decision wasn’t based in the least on her saint-like demeanor (I don’t personally believe that Mary is a saint, but I figure she probably didn’t get herself in timeout a whole lot and I also imagine that getting in trouble for being sassy didn’t happen a whole lot either.), but more on the fact that maybe she slightly resembled the older girl picked also to play Mary.  And it probably didn’t hurt either that she comes with a baby sister who could also make a pretty decent baby Jesus.  As a side note, I think its funny that Mattie has progressed from being a donkey in the christmas program to Mary.  I feel like that says something about Brandon and I’s parenting. 🙂 Anyway, for a sensitive person, there is something both beautiful and honorable and even a humbling about having your girlie picked to portray Jesus’ mom.

And then we had yesterday.

Mattie has a doll named Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is an American Girl Doll and my advice to anyone out there who has a little girl who has yet to discover American Girl Dolls would be to keep it that way for as long as possible.  It’s a very expensive world to enter into.  Anything that you can imagine, they make for these dolls.  Oh, you want a pair of pi’s for your doll, they have several pairs easy for $25.00.  But they come with slippers so it’s totally worth it.  Your daughter rides horses, they make a horse for your doll and even riding boots.  And they can be yours for only $150.00.  They even make wheel chairs and hearing aids, furniture and of course matching outfits for your girl and her doll.  We told Mattie she could either have Elizabeth and 3 outfits or go to college……..you can see which one she chose.  Anyway, we had begun to notice that something really wrong was going on with Miss Elizabeth’s hair.  It was once long and straight and lovely…..now it looks like she spent too much time out in the pool this summer.  We really have no idea how it got to be different lengths and I have no clue how a doll gets split ends, but Elizabeth was looking rough.  Per Mattie’s request, it was decided that for Christmas, Mumsey would pay for her to visit the Doll Hospital in Wisconsin.  Yet another example of the American Girl money sucking vortex – they have a hospital where you can send your doll for a variety of services, one being a new head, which our Elizabeth would be receiving.

So if she arrived there by the 3rd, Elizabeth would be returned him by Christmas.  I told Mattie Tuesday night that I would be taking her beloved doll the next day to the post office for her journey.  Of course, Elizabeth was given extra kisses and hugs and dressed in her finest  nightgown (that probably cost more than any of my pajamas).  I also found her on the floor the next morning, but I am sure that was completely unintentional.  Elizabeth was again dressed and rode to school with Mattie, where they sat in the way back and Mattie whispered quietly to her the entire drive.  I have no idea what she was saying to her dolly, but I’m sure if I could have heard, it would have made that place where my heart is hurt.  Conversations between girls and their dolls can do that.  Elizabeth was put in the front seat with me where she was to remain until I picked up her girl that afternoon.

I didn’t really think Mattie would just carelessly toss her in a box and be done with it.  AFter all, if she was that indifferent about the whole thing, I wouldn’t want us to be bothering with this head transplant.  But I wasn’t quite prepared for how difficult it actually was.  Elizabeth had to be undressed and mailed naked.  This was mortifying to Mattie.  She also had to be placed in a box and the lid closed.  Even if you aren’t a particularly sensitive person, I think it would tug on your heart just a little to watch a little girl cry into a priority mail box as she held it as closely to her face as possible, softly telling whatever was inside that she was so, so sorry she hadn’t taken better care of it and she was so sorry it was traveling by herself and with no clothes on.  Then, when she finally handed the box back, ready for me to put it in that big metal shoot, she turned around quietly because she couldn’t bear to watch.  I will admit, that tears were brimming around my eyes and I sent up a little prayer that Elizabeth would make it safely to her destination and not end up being on the plane that crashes and all the packages get lost at sea.  You better believe that I checked the United States Postal Service package tracking website this morning before I even woke Mattie up, to let her know that Elizabeth had made it safely out of Memphis.  And I will continue to check and to pray until the two of them are reunited at Christmas time.

There are serious things, happy things, and slightly silly things that trigger my emotions.  Some people aren’t  phased at all by these things, or if they are, just display their emotions in a much more understated way.  Brandon is one of these people.  He doesn’t get frazzled very often and when he is really happy, you generally just get a big grin.  When I told him that I was pregnant with Lila, his reaction was to give me a high-five.  We all feel things differently, but I am so thankful that we feel at all.

A life lived indifferently is not really a life lived at all.  It doesn’t hurt to lose something if you didn’t love it fiercely in the first place.

And your cup can’t overflow with happiness and pride if there wasn’t something in it to begin with. The sweet is all that much sweeter when you know just how precious it is.

War With The Leaves

We live in a neighborhood called Kirby Woods.  As you have read from my past posts, it’s a nice little area with quirky, yet kind neighbors.  Its active, but not overwhelming. And it has trees…..beatufil, mature, can’t hardly see the sky because there is a canopy of leaves above you trees.  In our previous little neighborhood, there were no trees.  But here, it truly is like we live in a little village in the woods.  The trees were one of the huge selling points of this house for me.  I may  not have known what I was going to do with my odd-shaped kitchen, but boy I would have some gorgeous trees outside! Sold.

And those trees have been gorgeous every day since we moved in, but I have to say, they also have a flaw.  They shed.  Back in September it was manageable.  It might take all afternoon, but we could keep a relatively leaf-free yard.  Then it officially became fall and the leaves took that as their cue to start their great migration south and onto the lawn.  I have to say, he fought a good fight, but in the end the leaves won.  Where there was once grass and the makings of a flower bed, now there were just layers and layers of leaves.  We decided though that it might be a good idea to get a little bit of help with this before our company came for Thanksgiving.  We wanted them to be able to find our house after all and the leaves were taking over.  So on Tuesday, we had a crew of 3 men come and spend an hour and a half, working to find our grass again.

A really quick side story, the men arrived just as I was standing at my sink washing some of Lila’s bottles.  The courtyard just outside of the kitchen window seems to be quite the leaf corral, so a man and his blower had come in to take care of that area.  Let’s just say that I saw him wayyyyy before he saw me and when he looked up and saw a face in the window watching him, he was not expecting it.  I don’t want to embarrass the man, but there may have been a very startled jump and scream and a bit of flailing around with his hands and leaf blower….maybe.

anyway, as I said, the guys worked right at an hour and a half and then stopped abruptly and loaded up.  I was hoping that they would measure their stopping points  more on finishing particular tasks rather than by the clock, and maybe not starting something if they weren’t going to have time to finish it.  For example, they blew all the leaves in the front into a huge leaf fortress and then bagged it all up.  They cleared out our shrubbery, both sides of the yard and the driveway.  Then they started on the back.  When they loaded into their van, half of the deck was blown off and half of the yard had been blown into a huge line across the yard.  Yes, they had continued to work for their full-time, but there was no way that I was going to be able to go out and take care of this mountain of leaves that was now constructed out back.  Oh well, the kids have loved it though and I actually lost them for a good 20 minutes while they were swimming in it later that afternoon.

The yard looked beautiful for about 3 hours and then the wind barely sighed and it started raining leaves again.  Truly, at night you can stand outside and between the falling acorns and the leaves, it sounds like a gentle shower of rain.

So I am sharing a picture of the lawn taken on Sabbath.  Those would be our 41 bags of leaves creating a bit of a fortress across the curb that I am sure the neighbors are loving.  Actually, most of them have a similar plastic bag fortress as we speak, or have had one at some point in the last month so I’m not going to worry about it too much.

And as you can see by the yard, it looks like it hasn’t had any attention in forever now just a few days after the great deleafing.

And while we are on the subject of leaves in the yard, let’s go back 7 years ago this weekend back when we lived in our little house in the trees in Tulsa and Brandon dutifully cleared our leaves every fall.  Back when he first got the leaf blower and it seemed like such a luxury….almost like cheating because it piled up the leaves so fast ( our trees then had nothin’ on our trees now).  And in those piles we would find little treasures like this:

 

And now seven years ago, there are still treasures in the leaf piles

And I suppose I should include the other two little acorns that have also joined our piles.

Happy Leaf Season!

Don’t Pump and Drive…..Or Maybe Do

Things have been busy around here.  Sure there was a holiday to prepare for, the first that I would be hosting at my house.  But more time-consuming than preparing for that, was the fact that starting Tuesday at 3:00, all 3 of the kids would be here with me until Monday morning at roughly 7:27.  It’s amazing how much one extra pair of hands and feet and little mouth can change the face of your day.  It’s also amazing to me how my older two alway act the same age even though they are almost 4 years apart.  And whats also amazing is that they always pick the younger age.  So instead of having two, somewhat helpful, almost responsible nearly 8 year olds, I have had two 4 year olds and a baby.  So like I said, its been busy and if I sat down to have a little blog time, I am pretty sure that a riot of some sort would break out.  I did keep them entertained for about 3 hours on Thanksgiving Day when they discovered that if they went behind the Narnia-like hedges in our backyard, they could spy on the neighbors.  My children may get that from their mother, as I have never noticed their father staring at the neighbors and making up stories about their lives.

I have a few fun pictures and walks down memory lane to share with you, but for now, I would just like to share a funny story that happened on Wednesday.

I knew I would be out of the house most of the day on Wednesday and since I’m still a slave to my breast pump, it came alone with us.  The kids and I were driving along, running errands when traffic just stopped.  It was so “stopped” that cars were actually turning around in the median (on the Interstate) or trying to turn around and go the opposite direction on the on ramps, which to me, unless there was fire chasing us or something, I really don’t think I am that desperate to face a possible head on collision going the wrong way on a very busy on ramp.  So we sat.  The kids were snacking and for the most part, acting like civilized people and we weren’t going anywhere. It was also creeping up on about 4 hours since I had pumped and if you have ever lactated, you know that after a while, its important to find a way to “express” yourself.  We have a handy-dandy car adaptor that I use when we are traveling and I had also brought along my hooter hider….I think you can see where I am going with this.  Not to be too graphic and take you all to a place where your mind doesn’t want to go (but I think most of you are either my mother or one of my dear friends who have probably witnessed this anyway so it really doesn’t matter), but lets just say I did some impressive multitasking that day.

Now before I get comments about how unsafe that is or how I was putting my children in danger, pumping and driving – I would like to say that my hands were free the entire time.  It is probably safer to pump and drive than it is to talk on the phone and drive.  Other than possibly dying of embarrassment should I be in an accident and be found unconscious with pumpers attached to my lady parts, I think we were all perfectly safe.  It also made me giggle to myself as we sat there in traffic.  Just one of the multiple things that I have done since becoming a mother that they don’t tell you about in parenting books or What to Expect When You are Expecting.

The Lobsters are Coming!

We had an adventurous day yesterday.  There were ups and downs, some laughter and some frantic shrieks of terror…..overall, a typical Thursday I guess you could say.  To be completely honest, a day later I can’t for the life of me remember anything that happened before around the time to pick up Mattie.  But then things become really brilliant and the color is almost technicolor, the memory is very much alive.  Brandon called just as I was backing out of the garage on my way to pick up #1, letting me know that our mortgage company had called and wanted to know if we planned on paying them for the money they lent us to buy this lovely home we live in this month.  I was a bit confused and then responded with something along the lines of “no, I thought I might just make them a decorative wreath this month and call it good.  Of course I paid the mortgage!” Well, I guess it got intercepted somewhere between here and wherever it is I mail it, thankfully though, no one else had tried to cash it.  Also thankfully, I still had 24 hours before the payment would officially be considered late and there be any additional fee added.

So after picking up the kid, we rushed to Kroger (which houses my favorite branch of our bank – its my favorite because my favorite teller is there and she always dresses very sharp for a grocery store branch bank teller and calls me by name.  My criteria for picking a solid bank teller is pretty intense, huh?) to cancel the old check.  Thankfully that was done without any problems, though I am still unsure why they have to charge me $37.00 to cancel a check.  It’s not like there is a restocking fee of anything for the money, nothing actually left the account and has to be returned or counted or anything.  But whatever, at least that part of the problem was solved. Now on to task number 2, we needed a turkey.  Its our friend family Thanksgiving this Sunday and Brandon is the preparer of the bird.  And as his assistant in life, it is my job to go and hunt down the bird.  So off to the back of the store where they keep the frozen birds and other fun stuff we went.  While I was trying to figure out the right size for our turkey needs, my children were having a grand time laughing at things like hamburger.  I really see no humor at all in ground up red meat, but to them, it just seemed right up there with Mattie impersonating a truck driver.  And the silliness just seemed to grow as they made their way down the cases of meat and into the seafood. “Shrimp…ha ha ha, crab legs….absolutely hilarious, salmon……have you ever seen anything funnier!” And then there was a terrified shriek. The kind that causes all the blood to completely drain out of a mother’s face and for her to go into primal mode, ready to lift cars or chase down airplanes or gnaw your own arm off should you have to in order to save your young.  In my case, I didn’t have to do any of those things.  No, my boy (yes, you read that right, it was my boy shrieking in the grocery store.  This would be one of the many reasons he in not named Reese the Brave and Courageous) was in no real danger, he had just seen the lobster tank for the very first time and it seems as though how they present in real life is not nearly as cute and red and cartoony as he has always imagined them to be.  As he later described them, they looked like giant, swimming grasshoppers with angry hands.  When you say it like that, they sound like they should be illegal and banned from all public places.

It took a bit to calm the boy back down and reassure him that they couldn’t get out and even if they did, they probably wouldn’t move very fast and he would have plenty of time to get to higher ground.  I think what made all of this even more wonderful was that fact that Memphis seems to be celebrating Thanksgiving a week early this year and the grocery store was packed.  I really did wonder for a second there if I wasn’t completely messed up with my days, because it was absolute madness in that grocery store!  I understand the whole idea of planning ahead and not waiting until the last-minute, but really, are all these people making their dinner this far in advance? And then what do they plan to do all next week?  So since it was so busy, Reese had a nice audience for his dramatic performance.

We picked up a few more things, almost took out a display of graham cracker pie crusts, bathroomed the kids, which is always complicated and then went to go and check out, where we found out that my credit card was frozen.  The very kind man informed me that usually happens when you don’t pay your bill.  I guess I was wearing my special, “Look at me, I don’t pay my bills” shirt on or something, first the mortgage and now the credit card.  After gathering my kids, #1 and #2 who were for some reason on the floor, paying with a different credit card and smiling as the again ever so helpful and kind Kroger worker man told me I should probably call right away about that card – I practically ran to my car.  I would just like to take a moment here to say that I think it might make for a fun alternative to trash picking up or other community service options, for people who are being punished to have to instead do some shopping for a mother.  They would have a list of at least 30 items, specific items like local honey and low pulp but high calcium orange juice that’s not from concentrate – and they would have an hour to find these items.  They would also have to take at least 3 children with them while fulfilling this task.  These children would have to be young enough to not worry about making scenes and close enough in age to appropriately bicker and also find these same things funny. I realize that this might be a conflict of interest, having people who have been convicted of making poor choices be in charge of small children might not seem like a really great idea. I’m sure there are a few things that might need to be tweaked here and there before this plan was really put into action.  But I bet they would think twice before making that same poor choice again.  Just an idea…..

After arriving home and immediately setting the kids to manual labor out in the backyard, ( they were supposed to be sweeping up the leaves on the deck which you better believe led to fencing and then chasing with their brooms) I got online to figure out what was going on with our Discover card.  Well, that’s what I was trying to do but it wouldn’t let me log in to my account.  I would have thought that even if we somehow went over our limit, they would at least let me see what sort of damage I had done.  So I called instead and was sent directly to the fraud department as soon as I put in the last 4 digits of my account number.  Turns out, Brandon’s card had somehow been stolen and the pretend Brandon had been trying to buy gas all over Mississippi/ Tennessee border all afternoon.  They had tagged the card as stolen right around the time I was trying to buy my turkey.  It’s a little frustrating because this happened about a month or two ago and more than anything, it was just super inconvenient while waiting for the new cards to arrive and having to change the saved credit card number on things like paypal, but overall, I would much rather deal with those things and have the card company catch fraud right away than the alternative.

After the credit card fun, I was able to quickly pay the mortgage online too and just missed having to pay an extra $100 for it being paid on the 16th.

Really, I am not complaining in the least.  This life is nothing like I imagined it would be like when I was a little girl.  I loved playing house and was very content with my little dolls that just said there and smiled at me with their painted smiles on their plastic faces.  I thought that I had things very figured out about what the life of a mommy was like back then when I was 6. And in a way, I suppose I did.  I knew that I had to love those babies and put their needs first and keep them out of harms way.  But those little plastic faces did not come with little minds of their own, and that is probably the best part about these real-life babies that I have now.  It’s what keeps things interesting and funny and real.  Life would be very boring if there was no screaming over the lobsters or if every time you put a bill in the mailbox it actually arrived there.  These are the adventures that keep us on our toes and remind us that we are a part of something real and in constant motion and that we are all individuals exercising our own thoughts, views and opinions.

So not complaining at all, just showing a picture of another day in the life and how hard this mama tries.

9 Month Pictures, She’s Been Out Longer Than She Was In

Lila and I just finished up her 9 month photo shoot.  She is a lovely little model, unfortunately, she is very chatty so most of her pictures have her mouth wide open.  She is also telling me all about the leaves that she is playing in, and though I think she is happy, her face just looks like its yelling.  Another thing we will have to work on is that she doesn’t think its necessary to look up when being photographed, though that could partially be my fault for putting her in a nest of leaves which fascinated her.  My favorite pictures are when the temperature seemed to drop about 25 degrees all of a sudden, I think you will be able to tell which one that is.

Ornery little thing

She was just talking away to this leaf

One of my favorites

Sweet little hands

BURRRRRR!

Happy week before Thanksgiving

Flu Shots and Nervous Toots

Its flu shot season here.  I know that flu shots can be somewhat controversial and to that I will just say to each their own.  I have been getting flu shots since I was a little girl and my mom worked at the health department.  I am no scientist and do not claim to be, but I do know that the years that I haven’t got my shot I got the flu.  And those years that I did get my shot…..no flu.  It’s not a very in-depth study, but those stats are clear enough for me and I still believe in the power of my flu vaccine.  (But as a side, should you and yours be opposed to them, I pass  no judgement). Anyway, Lila and Reese had theirs back in October and Mattie knew her time was coming.

Just as a side note, Mattie is the biggest weenie when it comes to getting shots.  There is always a lot of really messy, sloppy crying and quite a bit of thrashing.  Last year, there was some kicking when she had to get her iron checked and Miss Iola, our nurse, let her know that was just plain ridiculous and wasn’t going to happen again.  The fanfare leading up to the shot takes about 5 times longer than the actual shot and every time, she always says, “That wasn’t too bad.” If only she would remember that the next time around.  She would be mortified if she knew I was sharing this with the world, but since there are only about 5 of you readers out there, I think we will be okay.  Also, I imagine with a lead-in saying “she would be mortified……” you aren’t going to mention anything to her.  So starting when Mattie was about 2, whenever she got really nervous or upset about something, she had what can only be explained as “anxiety gas”. We would go somewhere new where she might have strangers fawning over her and you would catch a whiff of something rather unpleasant.  It was Mattie.  Temper tantrums were also accompanied by the toots.  Too be honest, it really cracks her dad and I up because she will be so angry and trying to be so serious and yet she is releasing some serious silent but deadly action.  Its sort of like her own little defense mechanism, but it isn’t really effective.  All of this just to tell you how vaccinations are always gassy experiences for Mattie and I always forget when she isn’t around, to tell the nurses about her little habit because I really think they probably have something written in our family’s chart about how we are stinky people or something.  By the time the doctor actually gets in to check on us, Mattie has stunk up the place pretty good.  We pray that this habit will fade as she gets older because it could be really awkward in some of those stressful life moments that she is bound to face as a grown up.

So the day had come, it was this Tuesday and Mattie’s appointment was at 2:45.  I called her school to let them know that I would be taking her early and could they please have her waiting for me in the office……and everything was fine, she just had a doctor’s appointment but please don’t tell her that. Thank You. I arrived in the office just as she was walking down the hall and already, she was in tears.  As we got out to the car, I asked her why in the world she was crying and between her sobs, she told me that she knew it was her turn to go and get a flu shot.  I guess ever since Reese and Lila had theirs, she knew her days were numbered and she also knew that I would probably come and get her early.  So every day that arrived at my usual 3:20, she knew she was okay and had dodged her bullet for another day.  I asked her if she would have rather me told her that morning so she could have prepared herself.  She said no, she would have just run away.  I would really like to explore that a little bit further sometime, like just where would she go, when would she go, would she have waited until after lunch, would she have signed herself out because she’s a pretty big stickler for falling rules and that sort of thing.  At least she didn’t feel like I had deceived her or anything and agreed with my reasoning.

There was lots of bargaining on the drive to the Yukon Clinic.  Mostly by me and I told Mattie Belle that we would be following up our flu fun with a visit to Target, where she could pick a prize for her bravery.  I made this offer knowing with every fiber of my being that this experience was going to end with me buying Mattie a horrid, cheapy neon shirt/ vest combo that she has been admiring for quite some time.  I’m not sure who Mattie’s fashion inspiration is, but lets just say right now it isn’t her mother.  My closet is a sea of navy, gray, and black…oh and white, I like white a whole lot too.  I tend to steer towards understated and basics with a few minimal accessories.  Mattie, on the other hand, is drawn to things that look like they should be worn by an ’80’s hair band.  The tackier and louder, the more sparkles and sequins the better.  Right now, I daily thank God that she goes to a school where uniforms are required (though I might dress her in one anyway even if no one else did just because) so we don’t have to do battle over her wardrobe.  Here are a few examples of what Mattie thinks is fabulous these days:

They have this little topped paired with pink and black leggings that look like they are made from lace. Very Madonna-ish and would pair nicely with lace gloves

And this goes with a lace skirt and gold leggings………we are not gold legging wearing people Mattie

So we arrived at the office, and her crying had ceased a touch and turned into a softer sobbing with a few snorts and hiccups here and there.  While we were waiting, another parent, ( a dad) had come in with his two Littles that appeared to be around 3 and 18 months.  They seemed to be there for Well-Baby visits and he let everyone know that he was waiting for his wife, who was stuck in traffic.  AFter a while of waiting, the nurse asked him again if he thought that maybe they could go ahead and get started even though his wife wasn’t there yet and he said that he supposed so.  As he rounded the corner with his little cubs, the crying started.  The baby was very angered by  being stripped in order to be weighed and the older little one was extremely put out with having to stand against the wall to be measured. And about this point, super dad lost it.  I am using this term extremely loosely. As older kiddo was trying to make a break for the door, rather than reassure the little guy that the plastic slide used to determine his height wasn’t going to hurt him, he called his wife and let her know that this was ridiculous and HER kids were being terrible and to get here this instant.  I looked at him, with my tooter on my lap who at this point was rocking back and forth muttering something about “God save me” and my infant eating her shoes while my number 2 child twirling in a circle under the table and it was all I could do to not tell him to grow up.  Here I was with 3 and the sole purpose of my visit was to bring torture to one of them (in her opinion).  I knew it was going to get ugly, everywhere I go with all 3 of them gets ugly at some point, but I have no other choice and right now, that is just the season of life that we are in.  But of all the crying and whining going on in that office, I think we all knew who the biggest baby there was. I felt bad for Mattie getting her shot and I felt bad for the nurses dealing with that family, but more than anything, I felt bad for that wife who got yelled at for something that she had nothing to do with and by the looks of how he handled that situation, she probably has to deal with a lot.

Our turn finally came, Mattie bravely walked by herself ( a big step from that last round of vaccinations where I had to carry her) as Reese reminded Iola that this was not about him and as soon as Lila realized where she was, she immediately began to cry.  Overall, I would say our visit was a success. Ha!

And when we arrived at Target, the really hideous hot pink with the neon tiger shirt wasn’t available in Mattie’s size and instead, she happily settled for the more subdued, gray with the only a little neon top that comes with an attached vestish thing made of what appears to be dryer lint.  It was also marked down to only $4.98 so when it falls apart in the wash (which I am counting on), it won’t be a big lose.  Everyone is happy and hopefully flu free, too.

Who Needs Lists, The Traffic Lights Are Falling!

I was looking on my stats section of this little blog and saw that I had several (for me) views yesterday.  I am sorry there wasn’t anything new here for your reading pleasure. I was pretty busy trying to do things that had been on my to-do list for Monday.  Do you ever have those days?  You wake up with the greatest of intentions, you even eat oatmeal for extra power to fuel this awesome day or productivity that you are about to have.  My Monday started like that, and then the “stabila-lock” light came on in my car for about the 4th time since it has returned from the “car vet”.  I called my now dear friend ( he’s right up there with dishwasher buddy) and told him the situation which he responded to with a hearty, “bring it on in”.  It was quickly apparent that our Monday of errands and possibly hunting the gap outlet unicorn wasn’t going to happen.  But if I hurried, I could still probably do a few things in addition to the car.  Then Lila decided she had other plans.  Plans that included disassembling her exersaucer to that it could be completely washed,  2nd showers for all 3 of us due to the carnage and then a mopping of the bathroom floor.  But you know what, that’s okay and while spending my two hours at the GMC dealership, I got to enjoy a donut and read a magazine – those are two things that I would not have been able to do according to my list for the day.

While at the dealership I also witnessed something.  I don’t know if it was because I was already emotional due to the day before’s events  ( for those of you who do not follow, Reese and I had a very disappointing blow during Sunday’s NASCAR race), or just the fact that tend to run on the emotional side anyway, but while reading a lovely article on my pretend celebrity friend, Connie Britton – I noticed all of the salesmen line up in a circle around this family.  One in particular spoke a few words, then their small daughter went over and rung this fantastic bell and there was a wave of clapping and hand shakes for everyone.  I didn’t know whether to look away or to go over and join the festivities of this family as they were buying their first new car.  I’m a sucker for monumental events and firsts.

On our way back home, as we were passing by the already congested mall entrance    es, Reese spotted several police cars.  And then I noticed something even more important that police cars – the whole cable which usually holds the row of traffic lights was gone, as were the lights and there were just ripped cables dotting the line.  As we got a bit closer, we found the missing lights – they were on top of some cars.  There was no one giving an explanation for what had happened, but it looked like the cables had snapped and the traffic lights came crashing down on the cars below! What is this world coming too? I already dislike going to the mall and avoid it at all costs, but now that you run the chance of having falling lights attack you, well that does it, no more mall for me.

We later heard that a tractor-trailer had knocked the lights down, which really makes a whole lot more sense and does make me feel a little better.  Its easier to avoid driving alongside huge trucks than dodging stop lights, I would think.

So that was our Monday, and the car turned out just fine, the brake fluid was just low and I guess it sloshing around set off some alarms or something.  hopefully, that concludes our car dealership visits for a while because a) its sort of far away 2) it takes out large chunks of my day c) those free donuts could become a real problem, especially here at holiday eating season.

And due to popular demand, here is a lovely photo of my friend Plush, sorry its just of the panda side because that is currently the side we are favoring on our bed.  Maybe in December we will flip to the scary golden retriever.

It just takes your breath away doesn’t it?

And I am also including a picture of my number 3, she may not eat solids and or sleep through the night, but she appears to have learned how to read lately.

She hasn’t exactly started the classics, but we think its a pretty good start

I Love My Blanket

Happy Weekend! In honor of this week’s paint scheme, I sported a black and gray striped shirt today.  If you don’t know what in the world I’m talking about, I’m not going to go ahead and explain because when I do, it just seems to get me made fun of.  But nevertheless, go black and gray this sunday at 2.

So I have a funny little story to tell.  About 10 years ago, shortly after Brandon and I got married, we were given a lovely, huge plush blanket.  I say lovely very loosely.  This blanket was hideous and hilarious all at the same time.  Its the type of blanket that you can only purchase at flea markets or on the side of the road out of the back of a van. Fact is, if you would like your own, I can recommend a strip of highway on the way to Tunica, MS  that seems to have a steady supply.  Anyway, this blanket actually brought tears to our eyes the first time we saw it as it was so ridiculous.  On one side there is a flaming red background with a huge smiling golden retriever.  You flip it over and this time the back ground is this blackish/ olive color with a very serious panda dining on bamboo in the center.  There is no rhyme or reason as to the animal selections.  I don’t even know that golden’s and panda’s are both found in the same place except for in Memphis, TN.  It was truly terrible, yet at the same time incredibly soft and cozy.  In that first year of it living with us, we named it Plush and brought it out a few times when either the power went out or sometimes when we had company over to watch a movie and they asked if we had a blanket.  It got tons of laughs and was sort of our little blanket practical joke.  One night Brandon asked me in all seriousness what I would think if I walked into one of our friends house and that blanket was on their bed.  Oh we laughed and laughed about that one.  Not that we were unfriend someone because of their bedding, but it might make us really question them and their decisions.  Had they lost a bet of some sort?  Was it a dare? WEre they testing us? Had they actually registered for that blanket when they got married?  Did they really think it was beautiful and if so why, why, why?

The longer we had this silly blanket, I will have to admit, we started to get a little more used to it.  The laughs came less frequently and were often only chuckles.  We discovered that with each washing, it seemed to get cozier and cozier and with my pregnancies that often resulted in my having to sleep on the couch (do not judge my husband, he never kicked me out the couch was just comfier), Plush made a great couch bed.  I think our friends even grew more used to him.  The joking became pretty much nonexistent and people would actually ask to use Plush.  I guess you could say we were being desensitized to the heinous blanket.

Now lets flash forward to the present.  We moved into our new old house in July.  This new house boasts a lovely master suite downstairs that some previous owners added on.  We hope to one day move into this suite, but for now, we are bunking in the upstairs master for reasons Mattie, Lila and Reese.  Its seems stupid to put ourselves as far as possible from them when it is inevitable that at least one of them will need us in the night.  So until I get a full nights sleep for a consecutive week, we are staying upstairs.  Anyway, the point for all of this was to say that we could really use a new bedding set but originally, had thought that we would be buying it for a new bed in our new master suite.  We got rid of our old duvet and cover in the move (because we were getting new ones, so we thought, for this new furniture because we were leaving the old furniture upstairs in what was supposed to be the guest room) and have just ended up using an older quilt on our bed.  This was working fine.  No one really goes upstairs and looks in our room anyway and it hasn’t really been cold.  That is until about 2 weeks ago.  It was freezing and the quilt just wasn’t cutting it.  Being all chivalrous, Brandon got Plush to Horrible blanket out of the linen closet and we were nice and toasty warm.

It was yesterday morning, as I was making my bed, straightening the blankets just so and making sure the pillows were properly fluffed that I just let out a gasp and then tear-inducing laughter overcame me.  I live in a nice little home, my children have sweet little rooms with carefully picked out bedding and wall decor.  Brandon and I have been searching for weeks for the rug of our dreams for the family room………..and I have a giant, serious panda dining on bamboo and my bedspread and think absolutely nothing of it.  So should you come to my house and see my room and think to yourself, “What in the world? Why oh Why oh Why would they do that?” Let me just say that I know, and its only temporary, but it’s doing the job just fine right now and frees us up to do more important things like worry about a sharp-looking rug or just what to do with our odd-shaped kitchen.  And really, have you felt of Plush? One night cozied up with it and you will be begging for directions to the van on highway 55.

And while I am on the subject of embarrassing things about my life, let me just say really quick that Mattie took on a completely different personality this evening.  So far, she has Mattie the shy and often mistaken for rude, Mattie the silly, Raffa the Jungle boy (when she was little little, she used to have this crazy hair and a thing about streaking and somehow the nickname Raffa the Jungle boy came to be), Mattie who thinks she is about 35 and can’t be bothered with her mother or siblings and Mattie the normal.  Tonight however, she brought out a completely new game.  At around 6:30, while she and Reese were being silly in the family room, this deeper voice comes out of nowhere and starts demanding to be called “Big Joe” and talking about how all “he” wants to do is sit around and drink his Diet Coke Cola and that if Reese doesn’t get his act together, he’s going to give him a whoopin’ with “yer mama’s shoe”  and to hold still you rascal and don’t ya dare knock his gold tooth out.  This crazy dialogue went on for a good 10 minutes with the expressions I have never heard of before in my life just rolling off her little tongue.  Mumsey is here visiting and she and I just stood in the kitchen laughing hysterically as my pixie of a 7-year-old turned into manly trucker right before our eyes.

I finally was able to ask her where she came up with all that and she said just her brain……and maybe some of it she’s heard on Swamp People and Duck Dynasty, but just maybe.

And one last bizarre little tale to share before I go.  We went out to celebrate a dear friend’s birthday this past Wednesday night.  I won’t even get into the CRAZY drunken madness that was going on at the table next to us because it would just take entirely too long to create the scene.  But lets just say that it was Wednesday night before 7 at night and there was table dancing not once, but twice and at one point, a man from a different table started tossing dollar bills at these “dancers”.  There was a random woman roaming around the restaurant requesting to sing Happy Birthday to patrons (didn’t have to be your birthday) in her own special opera voice.  She neither worked there nor was sober (on a Wednesday night at 7?).  Oh and lets not forget the stranger waiter man who insisted on putting Lila into her high chair when he finally decided to bring it to us.  Yeah, we won’t go into all that.  But what we will share here is about my odd exchange in the Ladies Room.  I was waiting for my turn in the stall and another woman was washing her hands as she waited for her friend.  When friend came out, she smiled really big at me and told me that I looked just like Olive Oil.  The other one threw her hands up in the air and says a very emphatic, “YES!” I wanted to clarify that they were referring to Olive Oil from Popeye not some friend of their’s or something, but either way………When I asked, they nodded their heads excitedly that yes, they meant Popeye’s girl….but that was a good thing.  Again, what in the world?  I wasn’t wearing a red shirt with a big black skirt, i do not have slicked back, parted in the  middle black hair and I am no the least bit tall or willowy as Olive Oil is so well-known for being.  I have no clue how they came up with that theory and as of yet, the jury is still out on whether I am offended or not.

So make sure and hit up The Happy Mexican on Wednesday nights, the earlier the better, for some big though not necessarily clean fun.

Election Results are In!

After checking in with election results till late in the evening, we awoke to a sad reality this morning.  Yesterday was filled with so much hope and excitement and then today……well, it’s just hard to see.  Crosby did not win his election yesterday, even with his darling campaign pictures.  But between you and me, I think it’s for the best.  I really have no idea what made him think that he should take on politics at this late stage in his life.  And I have no clue how he thought he was going to manage a town from long distance because we certainly weren’t moving to Coopertown, TN.  Still, as you can see here, I think it might take him a bit to pull out of this sadness.

Then again, this is probably exactly what he would be doing on this fine Wednesday morning had he won.

And on this Wednesday morning here in November, I thought I would take a minute to list a few things that I am thankful for.

1.  I am thankful that I get to open doors in my house and find scenes like this one.

“Good morning mom, I found that sock we lost yesterday.”

Even I have bedhead and I like to wear my bib from my early morning bottle as a cape

A tiny peanut of a girl trying her hardest to stand up in her bed, squawking to let me know she is ready to be picked up.

2. I am thankful that when I went to pick Mattie up from school yesterday she was wearing her cardigan.  Why would your child wearing her cardigan cause such happiness in a mother and cause her to spring out of the car and pick said child up and swing her around?  Because that ridiculous cardigan cost about $40 and is part of the approved school uniform, which means unlike her navy blue hoodie that has to stay in her locker, this pricey cardigan gets to be worn in the classroom.  This cardigan had also been lost for a bit and didn’t have Mattie’s name in it.  I was being especially stubborn about not buying her another one, trying to teach her a lesson about being responsible for her own things and such and we had been praying about her lost cardigan for several days.  So to have it come walking out to me, well, we were very excited.  Mattie is really on fire with prayer right now after having seen Jesus at church and now her missing sweater being found.  She is referring to it as sort of her “lost sheep”.  She even said that this morning while putting it on, “Come here sheep”.  I guess her sweater has a name now.

3.  I am thankful for this little boy.

I adore him for all the obvious reasons that a mother should love her child, but every now and then he gives me an extra special gift.  Every now and then he pulls a stunt that is exactly like something my older brother Matt did as a child.  I no longer have my brother Matt, but I have this little boy who is eerily similar to my father’s son.  He is terribly ornery.  He is ferociously stubborn and very serious about the things that seem to really matter to him.  I could give you several examples, but the one that I was greeted with this morning is this:

This is a package of graham crackers that Reese must have decided he needed to have sometime during the night or this morning when I left to take Mattie to school (don’t worry, Brandon was still here).  Matt was notorious for sneaking food (often cheese or cans of frosting…gross I know) and then it being discovered later in his room.  Seems as though Reese is picking up that habit as well, though I am thankful he chose crackers as opposed to dairy products or tubs of sugar.

I may only have memories of my Matt now, but it warms my heart to see this little person that God has given me, who even though he never met his uncle, is so much like him.  I have no doubt in my mind that when the time comes for us to all meet up in HEaven, Matt and Reese will be drawn to each other immediately, there will be no need for introductions and Matt will have a huge smile on his face as he says, “You had a little Me!” Most sisters probably ould prefer not to raise a child just like their sibling, but I cherish it.

3. I am also so thankful that I live in a country where I have a choice about things.  My choice isn’t always the one that is picked, but at least I get to state my opinion.  I am also thankful that my children are growing up in a place where early on,  they are taught that their voice matters.  That they are free to have opinions and the importance of exercising their rights.  Mattie has been learning about the election at school and even though taxes and laws aren’t really of relevance to her at 7, she is still gaining knowledge of what a democracy is.  WE are proud of our country and proud to be Americans and I have to say, I felt especially proud to take my 3 babies in with me to go and vote.  It also seems especially significant that I let my little one actually push the button to cast my vote.  I would have loved to have had a picture of that little kiddo finger being part of history.  It just kind of made me want to go home and make apple pie and listen to Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to be an American”.

And lastly before I sign off for the day, let me leave you with this silly picture of #3.  Taking the idea of playing in her Exersaucer extremely literally.  Let me also say that she was not nearly as jovial when she realized she couldn’t completely sit up and got herself stuck.

Maybe I’ll just nap here today

Have a Happy Wednesday!

Monday Monday

Happy Monday! It is dreary and chilly and how I often like my Mondays.  Mondays are a day to stay in and be cozy, and if you are lucky, wear your pajamas all day.  Or at least comfy clothes like sweats.  Speaking of which, on recommendation by my friend Shannie, I was checking out Target and wow do they have some wonderful “comfy clothes” right now.  Long, tunic style sweatshirts with pockets and great velour combos.  It’s all my favorites all in one place.

And while we are on the subject of Target, I spotted something there today that I just had to try.

Notice they are open

I sometimes like to pretend that tens of people actually read my blog and some companies would actually come to me, begging me to review their products.  So lets just for a minute pretend that Target sought me out because they thought my opinion mattered, and they begged me to do a review of these holiday cookies.  First, I would give the a 10 on the price – they are only $1.99 so even if it turned out that they weren’t your thing, you haven’t lost big cookie money like 3.99 which some of the snootier cookie brands cost. Second, I would give them a 7 on appearance – I will be honest, the picture on the box is a bit more enticing that what was actually in the box.  Outside looked a bit fluffier and they turned out to be more oreo-ish (not chocolate, but drier sandwich cookie).  Third, and probably most importantly, I would give them an 8 on taste – mainly this get this high mark because I am a sucker for all things nostalgic and traditional and seasonal and these cookies were a symphony of seasonal.  When I think cheesecake, I typically think a little tarter than these were but still, they were a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in my mouth.  They weren’t something that I would want to eat every day for the rest of my life, but I can definitely see them becoming a family tradition – just like the mint Oreos and candy corn with peanuts.  So overall, I give the Market Pantry Brand Pumpkin Cheesecake cookies 2 thumbs way up.

Another thing I would like to share with you today is that when I arrived home from Target, there was a van parked outside of my house. unbeknownst to me, I has having services done at my house.   Anyway, we don’t usually have a lawn man or a cleaning lady and the groceries are delivered via my Acadia typically so I wasn’t sure what to make of the big van parked out front.  I was so overwhelmed by it, that I took a picture.

Turns out it’s really nothing all that cool.  We got our guttering fixed a few weeks ago because it was literally falling off the house in spots and while the gutter man was up there, he said that we had some wood rot over our porch.  Before he finished the gutters, he wanted us to replace the rotten wood so that’s what the van and the men were here doing.  But still, I felt a little bit cooler than I had when I woke up this morning.

Today was also a doctor’s appointment day for Miss Lila Bird.  The big 9 months and let me just tell you, even though she was dressed incredibly darling in her new little apron dress, specially made for November by Mumsey, she was not impressed in the least.  She blew very annoyed raspberries during her time on the scale and reached right up and pulled her nurse’s hair every time she leaned over her.  didn’t even laugh, just looked her dead-on, straight-faced as could be and yanked her hair over and over.  The finger sticking and shots didn’t help the situation either.  I think she would have dressed herself if she could to speed the whole leaving process up.  As far as her development goes, she is weighing in now at a hefty 14lbs 10 ounces, which is still almost a pound less than what Reese weighed when he was only 6 months and a touch less than what Sissy weighed when she was the same age (she was 15lbs 3 ounces).  But Lila and Mattie measured the same lengthwise 26 1/4 inches.  Pretty ironic, huh?

And on a completely different note, but an entertaining one nonetheless…….Brandon broke the news to Mattie this past Friday that he would not be able to attend her Donuts with Dad event at school this coming Friday.  In typical Mattie fashion, she was not happy and immediately began this soft whimper cry that usually accompanies her displeasure with a decision that her dad or I have made.  She was sitting on the counter, face-to-face with him when he told her and she just leaned into his chest and started a good cry, but not before saying this little gem, “I guess I’ll just ask Jesus to go with me.”  I didn’t even try to contain the laughter.  (Mattie has always been our little evangelical child – singing her praise and worship songs at the top of her lungs as she swings outside, proclaiming, “Holy Spirit look at that Mumsey!” when impressed with something, the list goes on an on).  Now fast forward to the next day in church.  We are seated in our pew, noisily minding our own affairs when some friends of ours and a guest walk in and sit right in front of us.  Not to be sacrilegious or anything but their guest looked just like every picture of Jesus I have ever seen.  I will admit, it even caught me off guard for just a bit and I may have stared…but just for a bit.  Mattie hadn’t noticed him at this point as she was too busy organizing her crayons.  But then she looked up and you could see it written all over her face.  She saw him and it took her breath away!  I watched as her little mouth silently spoke the words, “Its Jesus!” And then she just folded her hands and grinned this huge, beaming smile.  I can’t be sure, but I am almost certain that in her little mind she truly thought that man (named Beau) was really Jesus and he was here a week early in answer to her prayers regarding Donuts with Dad.

And finally, yesterday was Lila’s bestie’s 1st birthday.  Her mama Christal put on a great party – but I have to admit I was a little sad by the whole thing.  You see, Layla was just born a minute ago and there is no way we should already be celebrating her birthday.  But there we were singing to that tiny little girl, watching her pick ever so daintily at her cake and toddle around the house wearing the most fabulous ruffled bloomers I have ever seen.  So a quick little Happy Birthday Baby Girl and we love you so much to Little Layla.

The birthday girl, her sweet mama and big brother Landon

And now I must go because Lila is lunching on a paper towel.