The Vibe Has Changed.

When we woke up this morning, the vibe at our house had completely changed. It may have been because it is dreary and overcast today, or it may be because school is staring us in the face right now. We have no weekdays of summer left, just today and tomorrow, and then its back to the daily grind. Big sigh.

Moving on...here are some things that I have noticed about Ike and Quinn.
1. Ike is a much better sleeper. MUCH better. Like I would pick Ike to be my roommate over Q any day of the week.
2. If I have to say...
"Quinn, don't let the dog lick your face."
"Quinn, don't let the dog lick your mouth."
"Quinn, don't lick the dog."
...any more today, this week, ever...I think I will die. Basically, Quinn spends half of his "dog time" french kissing Ike. Eeewww! But, I will get this on video one of these days and play it (along with his potty training videos) for any girlfriend that he ever brings home. Mark my words.
3. The other half of Q's "dog time" involves a myriad of these things...

• running in circles with Ike around the living room
• putting Ike's toys in his mouth and running around in circles with Ike in the living room
• diving onto the couch with Ike right behind him and then letting Ike lick his ears while he humps the throw pillows (yes, you read that right - Quinn is doing the humping, not Ike.)

But really, overall, Ike has been a great addition to the family. Chris is even getting a little soft and brought a pillow into the craft room for Ike to lay on last night while I was working. He won't admit it, but he is bonding with the sweet boy.

And for those of you in need of a Dad update...he is doing quite well. He had a scan this week and met with his doctor - she said that everything is either smaller or has stayed the same. So, we'll take it. No current cancer activity. I told him about my jewelry boutique night and how well it went and his response was, "Huh. No shit." I have learned to translate these responses over the years and this particular response actually means, "That's great, Ang. I am so proud of you, Honey. You are the best daughter EVER and I am so glad that you are mine."

And yet another little tidbit of information...if you live in my area and you (or someone you know) is in need of a lanyard (or 2...or 3), Love's on the square in downtown Jefferson now carries my lanyards. Woohoo! You should go visit them. Just sayin.

Seriously. Busy.

{Mustard Necklace - $15 - in the shop}

{Yellow Lantern Earrings - $10 - in the shop}

{Pearl Pendant Necklace - $28 - coming oh so soon!}

{Georgia Love Necklace No.1 - $15 - in the shop!}

{Glory, Glory Necklace - $20 - coming oh so soon!}

Regardless of what my husband (who cleaned the kitchen, scrubbed the floor, detailed and washed my car) might think, I have been very busy today. I was behind on listing things in my shop...so, today was the day to get caught up on all of that. There are TONS of new pieces in the shop. You should go window shop. Or buy something. You know, its your choice. :)

Pictures..Dog Plus Kids...Take 112

The girls desperately want to have their picture taken with Ike to email to Meme. And we have tried. Believe me, we have tried.

And now Casey is letting me know who the problem really is in this picture. And it isn't her. She is such a snitch, isn't she? Like I really couldn't figure out who was causing me the most grief.

In this one, Ike is actually looking at me, but really, what in the world are my children doing? Could Chan look any happier? Could Casey look more irritated?

And then even Chris stepped up to the plate to try and remedy the situation. It didn't really work. Oh, look, he's making the same face as Chan in the earlier picture. Happy.

My Summer is a Three Day Weekend

Which, in my head, sounds like Happiness is a Warm Gun. Only My Summer is a Three Day Weekend. That's what I have left. Today, Saturday and Sunday. And then, Come Monday, its back to the grind.

(I mean, really, how many song titles can I fit in one post without even trying???)

This summer has gone by amazingly fast. Honestly, I don't know where it went.

The finer points of this summer....
1. We survived driving to and from Chicago.
2. I made two trips to Goodwill.
3. I made a lot of jewelry.
4. We read Harry Potter with the girls.
5. Q has added several words to his vocabulary and has a handful of two word strands that he uses frequently. The two most common being, "No, Dada." and "Hey, Dawg."
6. The girls went on a mini vaca to Chicago without us.
7. We got a dog.

The crappiness of this summer...
1. Q is all sorts of off schedule. He has not slept through the night in over 5 weeks now. And next week it is going to kill us. Seriously.
2. Our trip to Chicago was only 3 days long.
3. I did not seem to have as much free time as I thought I was going to. I already miss calling Frankie to chat in the middle of the day.
4. It is, for all intense purposes, it is over. Ugh.

I have 10 posts (ok maybe not quite 10) swirling around in my head to write today, so stick around!

An Evening in Which I Wanted to Vomit

Seriously. I am 32 years old. I do not (typically) have social anxiety. I love having get togethers and cook outs and girls' nights. But tonight, I wanted to vomit.

You see, I had a little Jewelry Boutique Night, like a Christmas in July kind of party, for my friends and family, by request of my friends and family. So, I have made jewelry like crazy this summer, planned, picked a date, sent out emails, bought some snacky foods, cleaned my house, and then stressed like nobodies business over it.

This ran through my mind...

When I was in 8th grade I had a birthday party. My mom baked a cake. I invited people that I thought were my friends. And no one came. (I could be a little tipsy right now and regret this post in the morning. I think Chris should be supervising my computer use this evening, but he is very wrapped up in some hulu episodes.) It was humiliating. Horrifying. And I am sure my mother thought, "Ugh. What kind of loser child am I raising?" But, I was 14, and I had no idea what the meaning of true friends was.

And so, even though people RSVPed (and we're all grown ups...if you tell someone you're coming, you'll come) and even though CB and Frankie promised they would come, I still had my doubts. I kept envisioning me, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law sitting around the table waiting for someone to show up. Anyone. And the only reason those were only there in these visions is because they are my family and they love me regardless of how lame I can sometimes be.

But people arrived! And it was awesome! And I was sweating so much that I couldn't lift my arms! And I wanted to run to the bathroom and vomit. And I realized that this was much like a yard sale for me...I hate watching people go through my stuff. It makes me nervous. And sweaty. And want to vomit.

I tried to be a good hostess...you know...fun, inviting, polite, etc. I think people had a good time. Despite the anxiousness and sweating and wanting to vomit, I really did have a good time. And perhaps I will do it again.

But next time I might have a drink or two beforehand and not after. Just sayin.

Life With Ike Day 3

So, I have learned that my 5 month old dog is a better sleeper than my 25 month old son. I'm not really sure how I feel about this. I suppose it would be too much to ask for everyone in the house to be asleep at the same time. And I am knocking on wood as I say this because I don't want for Ike to change his ways.

Seriously. We have gone to bed at 11pm, the past 2 nights and he has slept in his crate next to my side of the bed without making a peep until 7am. Rock on, Ike! He totally knows the way to my heart - don't disrupt my sleep.

The girls came home from Meme's yesterday afternoon. I am slightly afraid that they are going to be disappointed in our choice of dog. Ike is pretty much everything that Chris and I want in a dog. He doesn't bark (except to welcome the neighbor dog, Ella, to his yard), he follows us where ever we go in the house, and when we stop moving, he lays down for a cat nap. Usually in my lap. Which is really more cat like than dog.

The girls have been asking when they can play fetch with him. Only, thus far, he shows no interest in fetch. So far, he just wants to be loved on. Which is fine by me.

Endless Necklaces

{Endless Necklace in Jade - $28}

{Endless Necklace in Blue - $28}

New designs in the shop! I love these necklaces because they don't have a clasp on them, so you can wear them in tons of different positions for different looks. Perfect!

Review and Giveaway!

Good Morning!

Just a quick update... We went to bed at 11pm last night. Ike slept all night in his crate without making a peep until 7am. Hip! Hip! Hooray!

ALSO...Today's Giveaway has a review AND giveaway posted! You should enter!

Just Kidding...

...his name is officially not Oliver. He just didn't look like one. And so the girls have agreed...his name is Ike. But on his paperwork at the vet I'm going to fill it out like this...

Eisenhower Pendley (Ike)

Kind of like how my name is Angela, but I go by Angie. And how Chris's name is Christopher, but he goes by Chris. Its like that. His name is Eisenhower, but he goes by Ike. :)

Oliver Ike Henry Pendley

Introducing Oliver*!

Well, he's home. And he's not too fond of the noise that the camera makes. Actually, I shouldn't say that...he is really just super curious and can't keep his nose out of the lens. So I snapped this one with the ever so handy photo booth. He was watching Chris make a grocery list. And you can't really tell from the picture, but he is incredibly cute. And he has a cute little pugish tail - you know, kinda curly. He's also been very good today.

We're calling him Oliver for now, but he doesn't look like an Oliver to me. My vote is for Henry or Ike. And Chris likes Ike. (Heck, who doesn't like Ike??? And then we could all wear the "I Like Ike" buttons from Eisenhower's campaign. How fun would that be???) But the girls have vetoed both Henry and Ike. Big sigh. I don't think that he even feels like an Oliver, and wouldn't that be terrible...to be stuck with a name that you don't feel like?

And in other news...Quinn came home from the sitter's early with a fever. Awesome.

Happy Birthday Pop Pop!

{Jonah, Casey, Chandler, Pop Pop, Quinn and Linus}

In addition to Chris being wonderful, I knew very early on that his family was also a good match for the girls and I. In the early days of us dating, when Chris told his parents that we were serious and that they would be meeting us, Ross brought home little Clifford dogs to give to the girls. I knew right then and there that the girls would be loved and adored by him. And I was right. I will be forever grateful to Ross and his warm personality for helping to make the girls and I feel that we belonged and were a part of the Pendley family from the very beginning.

Happy Birthday, Pop Pop!

And Then I Went to Chicago.

This is Part VI...Part V can be found here.

The following morning, the girls and I drove to my mom's house who then drove us to the airport. I must say, by this point, the girls were the perfect 3 year old traveling companions. They had already flown several times and were old pros at it.

We enjoyed almost 2 weeks worth of fun with my family in Chicago. We went to parties, to the aquarium, to my favorite mall (Oakbrook).

But I thought about Chris constantly. I didn't know if this was just a summer fling (in his mind), if he really understood the complexities of dating a woman with two small children, how it would be dating if we were working together the next year. Ugh. There was a huge battle brewing inside my head. Don't you hate it when that happens?

I checked my email, but not regularly, while we were gone. And he did email...that he was thinking about me and hoped we were having a good time. I also received a "getting to know you" email from a friend. (Remember when those went around all of the time? ...first job, favorite drink, last movie you saw...) So, I filled it out and sent it to him. His answers made me laugh. And I found things out that I didn't previously know (like he has a tattoo...that sort of thing).

While I was in Chicago, I spent a good bit of time with my cousin Beth. I shared with her the possibility of this new relationship. And I told her, "I am scared because I know that if I date him, I will marry him. And I don't know if I am ready for that. And I don't know if he is ready for that. But he is that guy. He's the one that you don't let get away."

And she told me I need to man up. Okay, maybe not exactly those words, but something along those lines.

Then we flew home. We had a driver take us to my mother's. We ate dinner. Talked. Rested. Then I drove us home. And I called him. And he came over.

He grinned when he saw me and held me in his arms and told me how much he missed me.

to be continued....

Not One of Our Best Parenting Days

The day began with Quinn taking off the lampshade and pretending it was a hat. I hope that this is not an indicator of what his college days are going to be like. If it is though, I think he gets this behavior from his father. Just sayin.



And then there was this. Poor Dora. I really do feel bad for her. I understand that she is a pillow, but I don't think that she wanted him to sit on her face like that. Again, I hope this is not an indicator of what his college days are going to be like. Just sayin.

And then there were the things that were not captured digitally...

He ate part of a Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Gel wand today. You know, its blue and you press it onto the inside of the toilet so that it cleans every time you flush? Well, I'm pretty sure he thought it was a Push Up Ice Cream Pop. I found out that my mother-in-law was right, the people at Poison Control are absolutely some of the nicest people out there. The lady warned me that his mouth might burn and he could possibly throw up, but otherwise he should be fine. If he got worse, her name was Claire and I should call her back. She was so kind I thought about calling her back just to chat.

Following that episode, he had to have his teeth brushed and get cleaned up, because he smelled like a toilet. Really, it was coming out of his pores. You could smell him before he entered a room. Now, granted, it was a clean toilet smell, which is better than the alternative, but still. He stunk.

Chris put him in the shower with him (which Q loves) and they had a grand time. After the washing was finished, Chris stepped out to dry off and left Q (within arms reach) sitting on the floor of the shower to splash in the puddles. But Q decided he should stand up. And then he fell.

As you know, nothing slows this kid down, so when he spent the next 20 minutes limping, holding onto his hip, I was a little concerned that we might have to take him to the ER. And then if they wanted to administer any medication we would have to inform them of the Scrubbing Bubbles that were flowing in his system. And then we would be named Parents of the Year.

My New Favorite Sandwich

mayo, avocado, tomatoes (with salt and pepper), and colby jack cheese on honey wheat bread...I think I've eaten 12 of them this week. Just sayin.

What's in a Name?

So we called the girls (remember, they're at my mom's) late this afternoon to update them on the dog situation. We were on speaker phone...they were ECSTATIC! Screaming, jumping up and down, on the verge of crying. We also told them to be thinking of names.

I called them back later this night. Chan is still on cloud nine. At one point she told me, "Mama, please make sure to tell Daddy thank you for making all of this possible." She will also use that in her Oscar acceptance speech one day.

And then there was this part of the conversation...

Me: So, have you thought of any names?
Chan: Well, sister and I like Trooper, Scout, Rookie and Flash.
Me: Oh. I kind of like people names for pets.
Chan: No thank you.

What is there to say after that?

And Chris has completely put the kabash on Flash. That is just begging for the dog to be a runner.

And Then He Said Yes!

**the italics? Yep, that's Chris's contribution to this post.

Have I told you that I have the best, most wonderful, incredible husband ever?

This is after bad mouthing me on her blog yesterday.

We spent the morning hunting adoption days at local petsmarts. When I say local, I mean within a 75 mile radius. And there was nothing. Well, not absolutely nothing. We found a delightful beagle/basset hound mix, but he was too strong for the girls. So we had to pass him up.

Even though this was the dog that I wanted.

Then we headed over to Perimeter to meet Mom for the hand off of the girls. While we were waiting, Chris stepped out of the van and called the Hall Co animal shelter. Just to see if our little friend was still available.

I am very proud of myself for putting the number in my phone ahead of time.

I really couldn't believe that he had done that. He came to this decision on his own. I may have pressured just a teensy weensy bit yesterday...

Yeah, if by "teensy weensy" you mean recruiting my mother and sister.

But I was going to let it go after that. I knew it would never work if I refused to continue the search. Or if I cried. Or if I tried some form of bribery. And then he would be resentful.

Oh, I am still going to be a little resentful.

But, really, a little is better than a lot. So, we went, he and Q visited together, they decided to just ignore one another, and then I filled out the application and paid for him.

They are closed on Monday (except for the vet staff), but the vet tech from yesterday will be calling me on Monday to arrange our pick up. He will have the joy of being neutered before he becomes part of the Pendley family.

Once he is home I will be posting pictures.

And no, we don't have a name yet. Casey wants to name the dog FIDO. But pronounced in a way to rhyme with the word ditto.

Backseat Conversation

In our travels today, the girls passed the time in the car by playing their DS's. I passed the time by eavesdropping on their conversations.

Casey: Chan, you said that I could play So Random next, and now you're sitting over there playing it.
Chan: No I'm not.
Casey: Yes you are.
Chan: No.
Casey Yes.
Chan: No.
Casey: Yes.
Chan: Alright, fine. I am.

Another Day of Searching

Last night we had the "big dog talk" with the girls (as in, "big talk" not "big dog").

This morning we headed out to the Barrow Co Animal Shelter, where we found...nothing. And since we were half way to the Gwinnett shelter, we decided to head over there. On Tuesday they had a nice pug and our only hesitation was that he was 6 years old. But we decided to see how he was with the girls and then go from there. Only he was gone. Adopted at 8am this morning.

So we came home for lunch and then went to the Hall Co shelter. And that is where I left my heart.

To begin with, we didn't see anything that would suit our needs. As we were leaving we stopped back in the small dog room and a vet tech had out a beagle mix. Here's our conversation...

VT (vet tech): Are y'all finding anything?
Me: Well, no, not really.
VT: What are you looking for?
Me: Maybe a pug or cocker spaniel. But we didn't see any of them.
VT: We have a pug mix in quarantine right now. He picked up a bacteria from drinking rainwater, but has been on antibiotic for a couple of days now and is doing really well. Would you like me to bring him out?
Me: Well, YES!

And then I fell in love. And the girls fell in love. And Chris said no.

He's such a killjoy. Or, as his mother said, a fuddy duddy.

The Dog Days of Summer

Literally.

This is really a very LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG story, but I am going to try to sum it up in a not so long way. Chris is not a fan of animals. I am a HUGE fan of animals. Sometimes in an unhealthy way. Like when I was 17 and brought home an entire litter of kittens. I found them at my boyfriend's grandmother's house in the country and they were all sickly and flea infested and the mama cat was nowhere to be found. So, I took them to the vet, got medicine and eye drops and flea shampoo and I promised to nurse them all back to health and find good homes for them. Which I did. My parents were not very pleased with me. Especially because we already had 4 cats. And my stepdad hates cats.

Sheesh. I digress.

Point is, I check the Athens Animal Control website (by volunteers) every couple of days. On Monday, this cutie was on there. I showed him to Chris. He responded with, "What time are they open until? Maybe Q and I will go up there while you girls are at VBS."

Huh? What? Who are you and what have you done with my husband?

They closed before Chris would be able to make it up there. Tuesday we were without kids, so we went to meet this sweet little pug. We put in an application and were told to call on Sunday between 2 and 4 to see if he was still available. And then we figured since we had already started the day in a dog mood, we should just continue it that way. So we went to the Oconee County Animal Control and the Gwinnett County Animal Control. But still liked the first guy best.

And then last night we saw on their website that he had been reclaimed. Ugh. I feel like I was sooooo close, yet so far away.

**picture found on athenspets.net

What Not to Watch as Your First Movie Date Night

***this is part Part V...follow this link for PartIV (parts I - III) are linked there.

So, I called and he accepted. He was coming over to watch a movie Friday night and the girls and I were leaving for Chicago on Saturday morning.

We decided to watch Closer. Definitely NOT a great first movie to watch together kind of movie. We sat snuggled up on my very small couch together. And by the end of the night, he kissed me. (Gasp!) And in my head, I was thinking, What does this mean??? What does it mean???

I knew that we were compatible - we had the same sense of humor, the same career, the same tastes in music, we both enjoy reading, he liked my kids (and my kids liked him)...

BUT - he was just starting his career. He was just out of a relationship. He was just getting all of the pieces of his life in place. And I was a girl with A LOT of baggage. Like mounds and mounds of baggage. Like so much baggage I had a shed out back just to store all of my excess baggage in.

(Well, I didn't really have a shed, but I should have.)

He was a point where he could live where ever he wanted to and do whatever he wanted. He had no strings, no ties, no commitments.

I tossed in my sleep Friday night. I was leaving for almost 2 weeks. Distance should be a good thing. A time to reflect and come up with a game plan.

to be continued...

What a Find!

I was on my old computer earlier today and found these pictures on there. Hooray! What a find! These were taken a couple of summers ago - My Gram and 7 of her grandsons (Tommy, Jordan, Chris, Wayne, Jimmy, Dave and Joey). They continually talk her into doing outrageous things in front of the camera. Like this....

ps - Can you tell that we're Cubs fans in our family?

It Was a Busy Day and I Have Nothing to Show For It

The girls were at the Wylie's and Q was at the sitters. Chris and I left the house at 9:15am, came back to regroup from 12:30 to 1, and then were out again until3:15. And we have nothing to show for it. I hate days like that.

On the calendar for the rest of the week?

• Wylie's are spending the night today and will be with us all day tomorrow.
• Last night of VBS tomorrow.
• Play date with Savannah on Thursday.
• Celebrating Chris's Dad's birthday Friday night.
• The girls are leaving to go out to my mom's house on Sat.
• Whew!
• And then next week is our last week of summer. How did THAT happen????
  

Potty Training 101

***Please note....you might be momentarily flashed by Q. He doesn't mean to. And Chris and I debated about posting it, (you know, whether or not it would be considered obscene) but really, its just too cute not to. And his grandmothers want to see this. But maybe you shouldn't watch it if you might be offended. And that is my warning.

***And another note...we're not actually potty training yet. Just practicing.

Pendant Love

I've been a little obsessed with pendant lately...these are all in the shop...you should check them out! :)

More of My Favorites From Last Month's Photo Shoot

Just some more of my favorites from our photo shoot with Frankie last month. My heart has melted all over again.

Commander Angie

That's right. Commander Angie. Its what you may begin calling me from now on. I have commanded my children to start calling me this.

Ok, not really. But, it is what my name tag says at our VBS this week at Oconee Street Methodist in Athens. I am the craft leader. It is a very seriously job that includes sand art and star clappers.

And let me just tell you...last night was our first night and it kicked my tush. I was so tired when I got home, I wanted to cry. Exhausted. Who knew that sand art could take so much out of you???

Pictures of this will be posted soon. But not today because I was so tired I forgot to take them last night.

ps - I think the neighbors read my letter yesterday...it was a fireworks-less night! Hooray!

Dear Neighbors

Dear Neighbors,

I am not really sure what you are celebrating. It is now July 18th and as of 10:30 last night, you were still setting off fireworks, as you have been since July 3rd. I agree that we live in a great country, but 15 days of fireworks is a little much. Most nights it doesn't bother me because I am usually laying on the couch at that time...in the back of our house...where the fireworks aren't as loud. But last night I was feeling kind of crummy and went to bed early. I was on the verge of sleep when your display of insanity began. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! My first thought was gun shots. Then I wondered if someone was banging on our front door. And then I remembered - you and your damn fireworks. It lasted for 30 minutes. And by then I was wide awake. Please, for the love of God, just finish them off so that we can go back to being a peaceful neighborhood.

Thank you,

What Do Donuts Mean???

**This is Part IV...Part III is found here...and then you can follow the links to Part I and II.

The next day I went into work for our first day of Post Planning. I walked into my teammate Sarah's classroom where my other teammates, Donna and Dot, were congregated, set down the box of donuts and greeted them with, "What do donuts mean? What do they mean?"

They stared at me like I had lost my mind. So I told them the story - starting with Friday night...ending with him bringing me a surprise box of donuts. I had never had a boy bring me donuts before. Flowers? Yes. Donuts? No.

They laughed at me and responded, "I think that means he likes you."

What? We were friends. Good friends. And I always thought that the girl he ended up with would be so lucky...I just didn't think that girl would be me.

I spent the rest of the day pondering the situation. What if he was just being kind and thoughtful? What if he didn't like like me and I made a move and, in turn, made a fool of myself? What was a girl to do? Talk about a stressful day! Should I just ask him? And suddenly, I felt like I was in high school again. Seriously. Completely ridiculous. And when I got home that afternoon, I did the exact thing that a high school girl would do. I called my best friends to examine and analyze the situation.

Then I called him and asked if he wanted to come over Friday night to watch a movie.

to be continued...

Another Way That I Know I am Getting Older

I am a firm believer in consignment sales. I love shopping and I love a great deal, so the consignment sales are the perfect place for me.

A friend of my mother's told her about one when the girls were 3 months old. They had just grown out of their preemie clothes. So, my mom went during her lunch break one day and from that first purchase on, we were both hooked.

The first sale we sold in was in a big, fancy neighborhood in Duluth in their clubhouse. My mom volunteered to work at it so that we could get a shop early pass. I was in Heaven!

From that point on, I've done a Spring/Summer sale and Fall/Winter sale. I've participated in ones where you had to had write your tags on index cards (days and days and days of work), ones where everything has to stay in order by item number, and ones where everything on the tags were computer generated.

The "Big Sale" in our house is famous! The girls love when I start getting ready because that means that soon enough I will come home with the mother load for them. Only....now they are getting to be too big - the selection and quality isn't so great for their size - and so very few things come home from the "Big Sale" for them.

So, my drop off time is on Monday and I've set aside today to get everything organized, hung, tagged and bagged. This is my system:

1. pull all clothes out of boxes, sort by size

2. hang all clothes, sort by items within the sizes

3. input all information into the tag generator on the computer

4. hand write size and description on tags (ugh! the worst! just when you start to feel like you are making progress...)

5. cut tags and pin tags on clothes

7. bag items

Ready to go!

This is yet another way that I know I am getting older. I do all of this sitting on the floor. And whereas I used to be able to work for hours without complaint, now....it seems every 30 minutes I have to take a break. My knees are stiff along with my back and my neck. Ugh. Big sigh. And so, I know that I am getting older.

Some People Like Gold

{Charmingly Golden - $26 - in the shop}

You're curious, aren't you? I love this one. I picture it to be the perfect accessory to wear with a black strapless maxi dress. Absolutely perfect. It's in the shop!

I Made Him Dinner

This is Part III...Part II is found here. Part I is linked on Part II. Whew!

On Sunday, I called and invited him over for dinner as a thank you for taking me out Friday night. Now, remember, I was a single parent. These were the days when I actually cooked. It wasn't very good and I wasn't very creative with it, but I did cook. So, I invited him over. I made spaghetti and Italian sausage...in the oven...the way my father told me to do it since I didn't own a grill. I'm pretty sure I made garlic bread out of hamburger buns. It was a very awesome dinner.

He had met the girls while we was student teaching and they thought he was fantastic. They called him "Chris Penguie."

He stayed for the girls' bath time and then bed time. And then we talked and laughed and listened to music.

We were friends, good friends.

Monday began the last week of school. The girls and I were leaving the following Saturday morning to fly to Chicago for almost 2 weeks.

On Tuesday, Chris came over again. When he arrived, he told me that he had a surprise for me but that he was going to wait until the girls were in bed to give it to me.

As soon as the girls were down, he walked out to his car to retrieve my surprise. He came back in carrying a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts - chocolate frosted with sprinkles....my favorite.

to be continued....

Where Did Yesterday Go?

This Quinn...telling Chris "No" (which actually comes out sounding more like, "Nawwwwww"). This is what our yesterday was filled with...a crabby 2 year old. And other than that, I have no idea where yesterday went. But its gone. Done. Fine'. And I have no idea why I didn't blog. Apparently, it was just one of those days. What's on the schedule for today? Um, yeah, nothing. Two days in a row of nothing and the children are sure to be swinging from the rafters. Wish me luck.

Big Fun...And Yet They Still Want More...

Today we went here. The High Museum of Art in downtown Atlanta. It was one of their educator+guest free days. So, since Q was already scheduled to go to the sitter's, we decided that the four of us would go. I mean, really, FREE!!! Approx. 23 minutes into our visit, Chandler began with, "So, um, does this place have a cafeteria, or what?" Seriously. Just shut it and look at the art. Monet, Krasner, Frank Lloyd Wright, Renoir. Appreciate. The food will come later. Approx. 28 minutes into the visit, Casey sauntered up next to me, batting her eyelashes, "Maaaaaamaaaaaa....do they have a gift shop here?" Ugh. I had to walk away. Now don't get me wrong, I realize that they are only 8.5 years old and that they weren't really going to enjoy this trip, but we figured this was a better time to take them than when they are 12 and not wanting anything to do with us. At least now, they wanted to have conversations with us and listened to what we had to say about the different styles and histories and such. But really, couldn't they have humored me a little bit longer before asking for a cafeteria and gift shop????

After the museum we went here. To the original Atlanta Cheesecake Factory. The one that was ever so popular for Homecoming and Prom dinners, fancy date nights, when I was in high school. Chris and I most definitely need to eat at Cheesecake Factories more often...we always end up ordering a ridiculous amount of food. Like these...
I love them. I could eat 2 orders of them by myself. Oh, avocado eggrolls, will you please marry me? Anyway...I had these (which I shared) and a portobella mushroom burger. Chris had salmon and corn fritters, and the girls had hamburger and chicken sliders. And then we were so full that there wasn't any room for cheesecake. :(

I read my book on the drive home and dreamed of perhaps taking a rest. It had been an early morning and a long day. Apparently, my children did not feel the same way. When we pulled into the garage, Chan said, "So, can we all go bike riding now?"

Doh! Um, no, pal. Mama's gotta get her rest on.

I Bleed Red and Black

{Cherry Earrings, $12, in the shop}

{Glory, Glory Earrings No.2, $10, in the shop SOON!}

{Glory, Glory Earrings No.1, $10, in the shop}

Introducing the new Red and Black Collection! In our house, we bleed red and black. Ok, maybe that sounds a little like we're crazy super fans that paint ourselves and head off to football games. So, let, me just say, Chris and I are both UGA fans. We like spending Saturday afternoons throughout the fall watching our beloved Georgia Bulldogs. And I also like wearing some red and black. Which means that there should be lots of red and black accessories. The bonus from my love of red and black is that the colors for the high school where we live are also red and black. Woohoo!

My Three

The Girls Big Day With Aunt Molly and Andre

The girls spent Sunday afternoon with Aunt Molly and Andre. We all went to The Grill in Athens for lunch (fries and feta oh how I love thee!) and from there Quinn and I went back home, the girls took off with Aunt Molly and Andre. First they went to Thyme After Thyme (a really great plant nursery), where Aunt Molly bought the girls each a new plant. Then they went to Molly's booth at Needful Things to help her organize and load in some new goodies. They returned to our house just in time for dinner...and the girls were exhausted! A perfect summer Sunday!