Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

Friday, December 31, 2010

From Our House to Yours

We hope you have a happy and safe New Years!  We are looking forward to a spectacular 2011!

ps - Please pay no attention to
a.  the mess in the kitchen - we're in the midst of a treat making extravaganza!
b.  the fact that the dishwasher is running in the background.  That was just poor timing.

Oh, My, What a Day


Yesterday,  I spent the day shopping with these two.  They both had gift cards to spend from Christmas and a little bit of cash.  On the way into town they had this conversation...

Chandler:  So what kind of colors do you think you're going to buy today?
Casey:  I don't know.  I haven't really thought about it.
Chandler:  Well, I'm going for all dark colors...you know...brown, black, gray, maybe a navy blue or a really dark purple.  And I am definitely looking for some prints!  You know, leopard, cheetah, zebra stripes, and maybe some plaid.
Casey:  Oh, yeah, I do like the prints.

And this is what scares me.  It was a look into the future and my children are either emo, goth punks or strippers.  And I'm not sure which one I would prefer. 
 We started the day at Love's on the square in Jefferson (hair accessories and a bottle cap cheetah print necklace were purchased) and then headed into the mall in Athens.  The girls had gift cards to The Children's Place, so that's where we went.

I tried really (really, really) hard to channel Chris during this shopping experience.  The girls love shopping with Chris because he doesn't have an opinion on what they should buy with their money.  He doesn't try and talk them out of things.  He doesn't try to steer them in a certain direction.  He just holds their coats, keeps up with their money and gets down the items that they can't reach for them.  He occasionally tells them if something is too see through or too short.


I spent the day cringing.  My girls are apparently full price girls and this makes me very sad.  Why?  Why can't they see that they could get so much more for their money if they just went to the sale racks???  But, it was their money and I was channeling Chris.  When we entered Claire's Boutique...I wanted to cry.  It was my own personal hell.  And yet, I loved this place as a child.  Chandler spent 30 minutes debating on whether or not she should spend $8.50 on a pair of fingerless, silver sequined gloves.  In the end she decided not to (and has regretted that decision this morning).

She did, however, buy this shirt for herself at Children's Place.  Yes, it was full price.  But she came downstairs this morning singing some song about being an "angel from Heaven", while waving her arms around as she glided through the room. 

 While she thinks that she is an "angel from Heaven," Chris and I kind of thought that she looked a little more like a flower child from Woodstock.

Casey purchased these items for herself...the shirt from Children's Place and yes, she is wearing the entire package of flower hair clips from Claire's at once. 

Chris asked her to strike another pose.  This one was some "attitude."  So she did.  My favorite part about this picture?  The fact that Ike is sniffing her hiney.  

Thursday, December 30, 2010

So I'm Trying to Act All Cool and Nonchalant

 So, do you remembered when I shared this picture with you...months and months ago????  Its the Pioneer Woman (oh how I love her) and she's wearing one of my necklaces and pair of earrings.  (picture used with Ree's permission...here's the link to her post)  After she wore it, we swapped some emails, blah, blah, blah, fast forward to today... I'm shopping with the girls (there will most definitely be a post about that experience later) and my lovely sister-in-law, Em, calls me on my cell phone (never happens).  To be honest, I almost never even answer my cell phone.  But I did and it was Em, reporting that PW linked to my shop (MY SHOP!!!!) on her blog today!   AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!  So now I am trying to act all cool and nonchalant, but I really want to scream like an idiot.  And perhaps jump up and down.  Just for fun.  And I might.  We'll just have to see about that.

In the post, she talks about a new jewelry organizer that she bought and in the pictures you can see that she has these earrings (which I totally love)....


And she also has these earrings...

And now I am going to pass out.  Well, maybe I'll scream and jump up and down and then pass out.  Just sayin.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

This Little Cowboy



This little cowboy is home.  And he's tired...Meme wore him slap out.  But when he is tired, he is also a little maniac, which is loads of fun.

Ike has been a saint for the past three days.  And now that the children are home and vying for attention, he's, um, not so much in the saint category.  

Plans for the rest of the week?  The girls are dying to go shopping with their Christmas gift cards, Q is going back to school, and I will be a busy, busy girl at the jewelry table.  A have a ton of new ideas that I am super excited about and can't wait to share them with you.  :)

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Recovered!

So the doctor kept saying, "Its about a 24 hour recovery."  And at 9pm last night, as I lay, sobbing, in my bed, I was quite certain that he was full of crap.  But, here it is, at the 24 hour mark and I feel better than I ever would have dreamed possible.  Amazing how that is, right?

I couldn't talk Chris into a guest post yesterday.  Which is probably better for me because he would have just told you what a big whiny baby I was being.  I think it was allowed though.

The kids are still at my mom's until tomorrow.  I have spoken with her (and the girls) multiple times a day.  Quinn has been hit or miss as to whether he actually wants to talk or not.  Yesterday Mom told me that Q's personality was really starting to shine through.  I think that is code for, "Ang, your son is being a jerk."  Just sayin.

Monday, December 27, 2010

The Last Supper

Well, ok, maybe its not really THE last supper, but I am finishing my last supper before my little procedure in the morning.  No eating after midnight, so I am finishing up a gigantic bowl of pineapple casserole and then hitting the sack.  Already I feel starving though.  You know, just because someone has told me that I absolutely CANNOT eat after midnight, and now I feel like I could eat all the food in NYC, I am that hungry. 

We're leaving the house at 6:15ish in the am....I am a little nervous about the roads...even though they were fine this afternoon when we ventured out.  I have to be in Athens at 7, showtime is at 8 and then we should be home shortly afterward.  I am hoping to just sleep the day away tomorrow.  If you are the praying sort, then please keep me in them tomorrow. 

Perhaps Chris will write a guest post for me.  That would be fun, now wouldn't it?  :)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Pictures to Share


 I always love importing pictures off my camera because there are always ones on there that I didn't take and am surprised to see.  Like this one.  What in the world is my son doing???  I have no idea.


Some of us (Linus, Emmy, Me, Sharon, Mark, Janie and Q) brunching it up on Christmas Eve morning.  I must say, I loved the brunch idea, and whether we use our house again or not, I hope that we stick with this one.  It was great to have a little lull in between this and church and it was great not to spend the greater part of the day waiting for the festivities to begin.

 Quinn and Doe Doe

 Look closely.  Do you see anything suspicious in this picture?  No, really, look closer.  Do you see him?
 I don't know what Q is going to do when there is no longer a tree to hide behind in our living room.

 My favorite part of Christmas Eve?  Being able to spend 3/4 of the day in my slippers with a cup of coffee in my hand.  Awesome.


And here are our snow pictures.  Snow is not nearly as much fun when you don't have any children at home.  The kids are all out at my parents' house until Wednesday, so our snow really hasn't been enjoyed here the way that it should be.  Ike is desperate to run around in it, but I am worried about letting him off his leash because one downside to him having spent three days in the pen is that they threw away all of his tags.  So, I am not a fan of the idea of letting the tagless dog out without a leash on.  Fun sucker?  Yes, yes, I am.  For those of you not in Atlanta, we have not had Christmas Day snow in over 120 years.  It really is a Christmas Miracle.  (Although, according to Chris, our Christmas Miracle is that my mother left with all 3 of our children yesterday.)  The lady on the Weather Channel keeps telling people to "slow their roll" and that cracks me up.

This is the hill in our backyard.  If the girls were home, they would be sledding on their boogie boards down it.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas Recap

First, let me just say that I think there are six pictures on my camera that were taken over the past two days.  I am just terrible at taking pictures during these sorts of events.  There may, or may not, be any worth sharing.  You know my son, he has a hard time holding still.

These past two days have really just been a blur of food, punctuated by opening presents.

It was the first holiday where we did not have to travel anywhere.  Somehow, we managed to arrange having everyone come to us.  Was it fantastic?  Absolutely.  Will it happen again?  I don't think that it will.  People will catch on that we have happily been at home for two days and they will want to shake things up.  But we will continue to hope.

Here's our run down...

Yesterday morning....  Chris's family came over for brunch (Em made PW cinnamon rolls -yum!-, sausage balls, bacon, omelettes made in muffin cups - super good! - baked grits...and the list goes on) and presents.  It was an extravaganza.  Chandler was beside herself - she got two pairs of boots.  Chris's mom surprised me with a print that I have been wanting from etsy.  And Chris's dad made the girls beautiful blankets (that they loved sleeping under last night).

Yesterday afternoon...  We gorged ourselves on cheese, crackers and pepperoni.  My parents and their dog, Duke, arrived.  We opened a few presents and then ate some of my mom's homemade cheese ball.  I love cheese ball.

Last night....We went to church.  Quinn is usually not granted time in the sanctuary (and for good reason), but we thought we would give it a try last night.  Um, yeah.  Quinn and I began our date in the nursery with Meg and Merren before the official welcome was given.   We rejoined the congregation at the end.  Communion was still be given, so Q made a bee line for the alter.  He knelt down, I showed him how to hold his hands and the Pastor came around to us...
Pastor:  Quinn, this is from Jesus because he loves you.
Quinn: OKAY!!!! 
And then he shoved the little piece of bread in his mouth.  And then realized that he was supposed to dunk it in the goblet of grape juice.  So, before I could stop him, he popped it out of his mouth, dunked it, and shoved it back in.  Awesome.
Then, we came home, ate some outstanding Italian food, put the kids to bed and got busy putting together Q's train set, filling up the stockings, and finishing wrapping the presents.  The reviews for the train set said that a negative to it was the 2 to 3 hour set up time.  Chris and Tom took that to be a challenge, so they worked as quickly as they could and set a new record...1 hour, 5 minutes.  We had a wonderful evening with my parents - laughing, opening gifts, and staying up entirely too late.

Today...
This is the first Christmas that the girls are actually able to tell time.  So when I put them to bed last night, I set the clock up in their room and said, "Do not leave this room if you wake up before 7am."  And they actually listened.  At 7am, on the dot, they came in our room, ready to go.  Quinn had a rough night sleeping and was a little dazed when we walked into the living room.  The kids ripped through their presents.  This was also the first year where they got more clothes than they did toys, so after breakfast (more omlettes, sausage casserole, hashbrowns) they had a full scale fashion show.  Tom did an excellent job of photographing each outfit.  Quinn's two favorite things to say right now...
"'Cause."

As in....
"Quinn, why are you taking apart the train tracks?"
"'Cause."

His second favorite is... "I dough know."  (It's I don't know, but it sounds more like dough.)
Like...
"Quinn, why do you keep taking the train apart?"
"I dough know."

My parents took the children home with them this afternoon.  I took a two hour nap and woke up to SNOW!  I have lived here for 24 years and have never had snow on Christmas.  Amazing.

In other news...Ike was in love with my parents being here.  And he hasn't pooped in the house once since he came home on Thursday.  Humph.  Apparently, he just needed a few days in the penitentiary. 

Thursday, December 23, 2010

How it Went Down.

So, just like we got rid of him for a multitude of reasons, Chandler and I went and picked him up this morning for a multitude of reasons.  We ended up having to go back to the kennel area to get him because no one could get him out of his run.  That and the fact that he smelled horrible kind of led me to believe that he had not been out of his run since Monday.  I had also talked myself into believing it was a "no kill" facility, when, upon further conversation with someone, that was not true.  Surrendered animals have 5 days.

He will be entering a board training program next week with a trainer that has come highly recommended by a good friend of ours (the trainer worked wonders with her aggressive German Shepard) who has agreed to a payment plan.  So, we have great hopes. 

We have spent the rest of the day "Preparing for the Baby Jesus."  That's what Chris likes to call a massive cleaning.  Its funny to me how the girls actually want to clean when they think they are doing it for Baby Jesus.   But, we somehow still have a ton of things to do to prepare for tomorrow's family gatherings.

At least I won't be spending the day in tears.  Always a bonus.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

What is a Girl To Do?

I am agonizing over the Ike situation.  I can't stop crying.  I realize now that he wasn't a family dog...he was my dog...and I miss him more than I ever thought that I would.  I keep listening for the jingle of his tags and it is a lonely walk up the stairs to bed at night without him.  I woke Chris up around 4am to talk about this problem and to cry a little bit more.  He told me that if it was going to bother me this much, then I should just go and get him back, but that I had to make that decision, not him.  And really, I am a terrible decision maker.  It was the root of all my temper tantrums as a child - having to make a decision and the fear of making the wrong decision.  Ugh.

So we read back through parts of the dog training book.  And essentially the territorial aggression is a super big issue (like we didn't already know that), so big that we won't be able to handle it ourselves.  Which means a dog trainer...and I just don't know that we can swing that right now (you know, Christmas and a little outpatient surgery really takes its toll on the finances).  And so then, what is fair to the dog?  At this point, he is put upstairs in our bedroom anytime someone comes over, which apparently makes the aggression worse.  Awesome, right?

And so, I just don't know what to do.  Big sigh.  My Christmas Break is just not supposed to be like this.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Quite Possibly the Suckiest Day Ever

Yesterday ended up being, quite possibly, the suckiest day ever.  For sure.  Here's how things went down...

In the morning (after I posted), the girls were watching some Disney something or other in the living room, so Chris and I brought our coffees into the front room and talked about our plan for the day.  The plan did not include having Ike chew a hole in the front of our leather couch.  But, that's what he did.  He chewed a hole in the couch that Chandler was laying on. 

Now, as you know, we've had a list of issues with Ike...trouble potty training and some pretty serious aggressive territorial problems when people come to visit.  Like he tries to bite my mother-in-law's face off.  And even Molly remarked that she had never seen a dog behave like he did when a stranger came in the house.  Since we got Ike in July, the girls have not been able to have friends over because I was afraid that Ike might bite a child.

So, the hole in the leather couch was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back.  And in my anger and upset-edness, I remarked to the girls, "I think Ike is on his way to finding a new home."  And then they responded with, "Yeah, we think that's a good idea."

I was shocked.  Flabbergasted.  Utterly amazed that my children wanted to get rid of the dog that they had begged and cried to have.  Now, mind you, they didn't have a whole lot of responsibility with the dog - they were not in charge of taking the dog outside, nor were they responsible for feeding the dog.  But this was the dog that was supposed to complete their childhood.  They would be able to tell stories about the dog that they loved and adored to their children and grandchildren.  Ike was supposed to go down in family history books as the dog that all other dogs would be measured against and pale in comparison.  But, apparently, I was the only one that felt this way.  The girls loathed this dog.  More than I even thought possible.

And at the rate we were going, Chris was likely to kill the dog.

So, I called around and found a no kill place to surrender a dog.  And then I took Ike there and surrendered him.  And it was, most definitely, in the top 3 most horrible things I have ever done.  I can't even find the words that would accurately describe the horribleness of the situation.  And one part of me wishes that the girls could have seen it and one part of me is grateful that I am the only one that has to live with the memory of that for the rest of my life.

I loved that dog.  And I miss him.  And in some ways, I really can't even believe that yesterday even happened.  I spent the day crying.  Sobbing...in a not pretty way.

And then the doctor's office called....and lucky me...I get to have a minor, out patient procedure done next Monday.  And it costs at least $800 (our deductible for it is $600, the doctor's office bill is $200 and then insurance only covers 80%).  Woohoo!  Merry Christmas to me!

I was supposed to go to a super fun girls party last night and I just couldn't do it.  My eyes were blood shot, my nose was stuffed and my cheeks were chapped.  And I was in pity party mode, not Christmas Party mode.

And today?  My heart aches.  And it is all I can do to not just go and get him.  The high of my day was that I had pre-op and was freaked out beyond belief that they were going to take blood...and then they didn't! 

Monday, December 20, 2010

An Evening With Molly

 Remember Molly?  She's my best friend.  And she came to visit us last night.  I cannot even begin to tell you how my children love her.  I mean loooooooove her.  She has no children of her own and therefore thinks that mine hung the moon and spoils them beyond belief.  And they love that quality in people.  So, we had planned this visit for a little while and we were all looking forward to it...I had put on the menu for us to have roast chicken and green bean casserole and a big salad.  And then Chris woke up congested and not feeling well yesterday morning.  So when we got home from church and finished lunch, he decided to go lay down for a little while.  2 hours later when I went to wake him up, he looked like he had died a thousand deaths.  Bad.  Really bad.  Then we had this conversation:
Chris:  I can get up.
Me:  No, I don't really think you should.  I think maybe we'll just order something for dinner.
Chris:  I can cook.
Me:  I don't really want to eat food that has been handled by you right now.  Just sayin.

So, Molly arrived, Ike went berserk and tried to attack her, I put him in the bed with Chris, we opened presents, and then I announced that we were going out to eat.  Molly was a trooper and handled the surprise well. 

We went up the road to the Hibachi restaurant.  You know, my favorite place ever?  We sat around the hibachi and Sonny cooked away for us.  It was especially great because Quinn was really memorized by all of this.  After he turned off the lights and made the big fire volcano (and we all screamed...in a happy, fun way), Chandler announce, "Now, THAT"S what I call entertainment!"

I took the above picture of Molly and Quinn at dinner.  See, Quinn is always blurry because he can't hold still.  Its true.
 After dinner we came home, left Ike upstairs with Chris, and went about our business making some gingerbread men.  I told the girls to hold up their men so I could take their pictures.  As you can see, Casey's man is a double amputee.  She loves him anyway.

And because he kept saying, "Me, too!  Me, too!"  I took Quinn's picture with his man. 
 He just wanted to show me a leg.  And he truly thought that I was just taking a picture of the man and not him.  But look, he's holding still!
 We took multiple tries of this picture.  In each one, Casey looks weirder and weirder.

And then because Quinn kept saying, "Me, too!  Me, too!" I took his picture with Aunt Molly again.  And again, he just couldn't hold still. 

The funniest thing about last night is that Quinn insisted on calling Aunt Molly, "Meme."  And he would call her, "Meme!"  and I would correct him, "No, Quinn.  That's Aunt Molly.  Can you say Molly?"  And then he would say, "Mawwee," slowly and seriously back to me and then turn about and call her Meme.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Epic Fail

This is hard for me to admit, but sometimes, I make decisions in my life that result in an epic fail. No, really, its true.  The couch in our front room is an example of this.

We bought it shortly after moving into this house.  I was half way through my pregnancy with Quinn, the girls were in kindergarten.  We had just made the move from a 1300 sq ft house to a 2800 sq ft house.  Needless to say, we were in need of some furniture.  And I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but I am cheap.  So....

1.  I'm pregnant.
2.  We just moved and are in need of furniture.
3.  I am cheap.

So we went to a national furniture store.  We found a couch that would fit our needs.  The couch was $399.  We found a salesperson and made our request and they began the process of checking us out and setting up delivery (which was free and could be done within three days!).  Then they read us our total, which was somehow now near $700.  I about fainted.  So I explained to them that we were buying the $399 couch...free delivery...and that tax should not be that much.  And they told me about this lovely scotch guard that was already coated on the couch and cost an extra such and such.  So, me being ticked off because...
1.  I'm pregnant.
2.  We just moved and are in need of furniture.
3.  I am cheap. 

...told that salesperson exactly what they could do with that scotch guard that cost an arm and a leg and insisted that I was not paying extra for it.  They told me that I would pay extra for it if I wanted a couch delivered by the end of the week, because they would have to order a special, non-coated, couch from some other place and it would be at least a month to 6 weeks before we got the couch.  I said, yes please, because I was all sorts of irate at this point. 

So, we now have a couch that is a light butterscotch kind of color in a micro suede material in our front room that is stained beyond belief because we have three children and a dog and I sometimes make decisions that result in an epic fail.  Big sigh.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Tonight at Dinner


Tonight at dinner, Chris took this picture of Quinn.  Some nights he insists on wearing that hat at the table.  If you'll notice, the big girly pom pom is no longer there...Ike took care of that for us.


You might also notice that my son is not wearing pants...at the dinner table...while eating.  Let's review what he does have on...

1.  a girls powder blue fleece hat
2.  a sweatshirt
3.  athletic socks



Even Ike finds this to be strange.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Highs and Lows of My Week



Monday: 
low - Quinn was still sick
high - I got to go to work which was a nice change of pace from having been home Thursday and Friday with the sick child.

Tuesday: 
Was, well, pretty much an overall low day.  It started with Quinn sleeping in our bed and while Chris was in the shower getting ready for work, Quinn and I snuggled together in the bed.  He was fully on my side of the bed, taking up 3/4 of my pillows.  He was all kicked back, drinking some juice out of the sippy cup, when he looked at me and said, "Go way, Mama.  Go way."  Um, excuse me?  Last time I checked, you were in my bed, on my pillows.  You just don't get to tell me to "go way."  It doesn't work like that.  But, it kind of does, because then my feelings were hurt and I didn't want to lay by the kid that told me to "go way", so I maneuvered over him and went back to sleep on Chris's side of the bed.  He was going to work, so he wouldn't be using it anyway.  And, well, the day just kind of went downhill from there.


Wednesday:  
low - Waking up too late to take a morning shower.  Thank God I had been home on Tuesday and didn't shower until almost 2pm that day.  So, really, Wednesday morning I was still clean.  Just not quite as awake as I would have been if I had showered.
high - The Christmas box from Gram and Grandpa came!  This is pretty much the highlight of the season for my children.  THE BOX!  Please see above video so that you too can experience the joy and excitement that the box brings my children.  The girls especially loved the fact that my dad wrapped up two empty shoe boxes for me.  He put them in there to take up space so that things wouldn't slide all around, and then figured he should wrap them...and then while he was at it, he should just go all out and put my name on them and then write jokes about the size of my feet - quite large - in the boxes.  He's quite brilliant like that, and the girls love him even more for it.  They can't wait until they are old enough to pull stunts like that.  I didn't post the entire video, just the beginning...I didn't think you really wanted to sit through ten minutes of my children opening presents. 

Thursday:
While Tuesday was pretty much an all around sucky day, I am quite sure that today is going to make up for it.  See, it has been crazy cold in Georgia this week (like, lows in the teens...unheard of for this time of year) and last night we had a little precipitation, which left the roads icy.  And, well, we are just not equipped for ice (no salt trucks here!) and our roads are so hilly that travel on icy roads is near impossible and quite dangerous.  So, I got the 5am phone call that my county had closed their schools for the day.  But here's the kicker....Chris and the kids still had to go to school!  (I work in a different county than the one that we live in!)  So, I am home...ALONE...without a sick child to take care of (he's pretty much better).  I hope to get quite a bit accomplished in my silence today.  WooHoo!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

I May or May Not Have an Addiction


I stopped by the grocery store on the way home to buy a giftcard and vegetable oil.  And then I remembered that Chan asked if I could bake something for her class party tomorrow.  Betty Crocker box mixes were buy one get one free.  So I picked out the cookie brownie.  And then I decided to get a second box so that I could make one for Casey's class too.  And they looked really good, so then I thought maybe I should get a box for us to have at home.  I was up to 3 boxes and they were buy one get one free, so I for sure needed to pick out a 4th box.  The frosted brownies were calling my name.  So I threw them in the basket too. 

When I got home I dropped the bag off on the kitchen table and took the dog out.  Chris and the kids came home while I was outside.  When I came back in Chris just stared at me.  "Really?  Really you bought more things to bake?"  And then he proceeded to empty out the pantry of all the other baking items I have purchased in the past two weeks.  I may or may not have an addiction.  Just sayin.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

New!






Did you notice these new beauties in the shop?  You should check them out for yourself, I think you'll like them.  Just sayin.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Another Day

 Well, it was another day of sickness in our house.  This is Quinn...passed out...at 10:30 this morning.  Apparently he had had enough of the day.  And really, who can blame him.  I think I may have been ready for a nap at 10:30 this morning, too.  And again, Ike was more than happy to spend the day on the couch with him.  Chris stayed home today and I'll be home with him tomorrow.  Right now, we're imagining that all will be well by Wednesday.  Humor us, please.

We had breakfast tonight for dinner.  This is pretty much a meal that is in regular rotation in our winter menu.  Talk about comfort foods.  Yum!  Usually we have eggs, bacon, biscuits and hashbrowns.  But tonight Chris mixed it up a little bit and make grits instead of hashbrowns and with some left over potatoes from the weekend he whipped up this delight...
...potato pancakes.  I really should have taken a picture at the beginning of the meal instead of when I went back to get seconds.  Sometimes I am just not on the ball with things like that.  Anyway, can I just tell you that this was a slice of heaven for me.  Mashed red potatoes...skins on...onions...cheese...fried in bacon fat.  I'm not really sure that my heart thought it was heaven, but my mouth definitely did.  I praise God that my husband is a good cook.  Seriously. 

After dinner I actually felt like a good mother.  Most of the time I am forgetting to do things, sign things, turn things in...  But tonight?  I think I should win an award.  I made the girls' teachers Christmas presents tonight - fab new earrings - boxed them, ribboned them, and they are waiting on the island in the kitchen for the girls to take in tomorrow.  I may not be a room mom, or be able to attend PTO meetings and AR parties, but I can make some damn good Christmas presents.  And that's all I have to say about that.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I Spoke Too Soon

 I spoke too soon.  I don't think that we are quite on the mend yet, just sick without a fever.  He and Ike spent the majority of the day together on the couch.  Sometimes they were awake and sometimes they were snoozing.  Ike really wouldn't leave him though, so next time I think that he is a jerky dog I am going to try to remember this day.  I took this picture to help me remember.  Quinn, like most children growing up with digital cameras, likes it when I take his picture and then show him the results.  Instant gratification.  And then he asked for more, so I had to take a second picture:
And he thought this one was really funny.  He took a four hour nap today and is asleep beside me on the couch.  Since I was home with him Thursday and Friday, Chris will be home with him tomorrow.  Big sigh. 

The girls were apparently wonderful (by all accounts) in the Christmas Pageant tonight.  I can't wait to see the DVD of it.

On the Mend

I *think* Quinn is on the mend.  He has been fever free for 24 hours now.  With that being said, he is sneezing every two minutes (and then he blesses himself after each and every sneeze), which is then followed by coughing. 

Since Chris teaches Sunday School, he got to go to church this morning with the girls and I am home with Quinn.  Its ok because yesterday I had lots of out of the house time.  I went to Target (big surprise, I know), Old Navy and the grocery store and I also visited two Best Buys yesterday to act on some crazy idea that Chris had Friday night.  I can't tell you about it because its a surprise.  And no, its not an ipad.  Although it was so super tempting.  Super, super tempting.  But then I thought about how excited Chris would be for about 30 seconds and how that excitement would then turn into rage and disappointment.  He would be oh so angry with me.  And he would have on his angry eyes and the line face and it wouldn't be good.  He would kick my hiney and make me take it back.  But it would be too late to take it back because I would've already installed 12,000 apps on it.  Can you install apps on an ipad?  I really have no idea about apps.  I don't own any apps.  I don't even know that I've ever seen any apps.  I'm sure that I would want 12,000 of them though. 

Anywho, so that was pretty much my day yesterday.  That and these two exciting things happened...
1.  I went to a Target that I never go to anymore and they had the boots that I bought last week on sale, that are not on sale at my usual Target.  And they had my size, so I carried them up to the return counter with my receipt, and the girl graciously returned them and rebought them for me at the sale price.  Score!
2.  Chris fed the kids dinner and then I picked up hibachi and sushi for us on my way home from the 2nd Best Buy.  Then we ate dinner at the table...alone...and had grown up conversation.  I think we need to do this much, much more often.  Even if its just pick up from McDonalds...or Waffle House (which would make me very happy).

I also went to the outlets in Commerce Friday night and discovered these two things about myself...
1.  I really enjoy shopping with my husband and therefore, shopping by myself is not nearly as much fun as it used to be.
2.  I am really cheap.  Like I was looking for the sale on the sale items.  And so I hit the jack pot at Banana Republic because their clearance was 50% off.  Like things were marked down and then 50% off of that price.  And my cheap self really loved that.  And I had a giftcard on top of that.  Rock on. 

And so, there you have it.  Christmas Pageant is tonight.  Chris and I will be drawing straws to see who gets to go and who has to stay home with Quinn.  I'll report back later.  Over and out.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Apparently, I'm a Little Slow on the Uptake.

Quinn is still sick.  We are home.  And I am starting to get a little crazy.  I have 8,000 things to do, but here I sit, watching my 200th episode of Dora in the past 24 hours.  I begged him to watch something else, but he was firm, "No, Mama.  Dorie."  So, big sigh, Dorie it is.

Around 3am, Quinn came in our room and joined us in bed.  He spooned me and I instantly knew that he had a (very) high fever.  102.6.  So, Chris took the dog out (bless him) while I gave Q some tylenol.  For a long time we had the color free medicine, but for some strange reason, we don't any more, and so he had bright red, cherry tylenol.  Quinn is the best medicine taker in the world.  He sucked it out of the cup and tries to lick the droplets that are left out with his tongue.  Love him.  So, Q sucked down the medicine and then laid back down.  Within 30 seconds, he threw it all up.  Projectile, explosive, red medicine throw up all over the bed.  Awesome.  Chris came back in with the dog right when I began changing the sheets.  And then we figured he needed more medicine since he no longer at the first one in him.  So Chris sat on the bathroom floor with him while he drank some juice, took the medicine and then sat upright for a little while.  Then we all snuggled back in bed.  And Q began coughing.  And then he threw up bright red medicine throw up all over the bed...again.  Big sigh.  So, we changed the sheets again, but gave up on trying to get him to take the medicine.  By now it was pushing 5am.

Chris and the girls left for school this morning and Q and I managed to sleep until 8am.  We got up, watched Dora, ate breakfast (I ate, he just kept thanking me for making his breakfast, but didn't eat anything), watched more Dora, and then I decided we should take a shower together.  He was kind of gross.  After the shower he was shivering cold, so I thought he should have some nakey time in the bed and we could snuggle under all the covers and warm up.  He thought it was a good idea too.  Ike also agreed.  So there we were, all three of us, snuggled under the covers.  Snug as bugs in rugs.  Happy.  Smiling.  And then Quinn threw back the covers and began shouting, "Pee pee!  Pee pee!"  So I jumped up with him, questioning, "Do you need to go pee pee?  Did you go pee pee?  Is there pee pee in Mama's bed?"  He answered no to all of the above.  And then I examined the bed.  No, he didn't pee.  He pooped.  In my bed.  Big sigh. 

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Quinn is Sick

I don't know how this happened.  For months now I have thought to myself, "It is amazing how Quinn never gets sick."  But I never once actually said this out loud so that I wouldn't jinx myself.  And then he woke up a little before 4am this morning with a fever and congestion.  And so we were home sick today.  We went to the doctor and it is nothing more than a virus...which is good and bad.

Good because its just a virus.

Bad because there isn't anything he can really take to get better...it just has to run its course, which at his age is usually accompanied with a fever and if he has green snot, he's not allowed at daycare.

I will say this, though...he is the most wonderful sick child ever.  He is so sweet and loving and snuggly.  I just want to eat him up.  Or take him to a toy store and buy him every toy in the place just because he is the sweetest boy ever.  Big sigh.  The downside to him being so sweet is that I don't get anything done...he pats the couch next to him and says, "'Mon, Mama, sit down."  And then I end up watching 3 hours of Dora with him.  Ugh.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Things That Made My Day a Little Better

  • The girls and I went through the Chick-fil-a drive thru tonight for dinner.  Tis the season for a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake.  It is one of the (few) things that I truly love about this time of year.  Just like their peach milkshakes seem to make back to school a little bit easier too.
  • The lights in downtown Athens.  Oh, how I love thee.  Its one of my most favorite things about Athens...the beautiful lights in the trees for the holidays.  Immediately I am a college student again, sitting outside Blue Sky with Molly not minding the cold because I love the lights so much.  Magic.  Absolute magic.
  • This conversation with the girls on the way to Christmas pageant rehearsal....
Chandler:  Mama.  Did you know that you can have a baby when you are 17 years old????
Me:  Yes, dear, I did.  And technically, once you get your period you can have a baby.
Chandler:  So you mean if I get my period when I am 9, I can have a baby?
Me:  Yep.  Your body could have a baby.
Chandler:  WHAT???!!!???  Who would be his or her father????
Me:  I don't think we need to continue this conversation.  Do you think it would be a good idea to have a baby when you are 9?
Casey:  Well, no.  Because that would mean that when we're in high school, the baby would be in middle school.

And then there was this comment made when Casey bumped Chandler while she had a straw in her mouth...
Chandler:  Hey!  You almost made my straw poke my ukala.
Casey:  Sorry.
Me:  Um, what's a ukala?
Chandler:  That hangy down thingy in the back of your throat.
Me:  Oh.

When I told Chris about this, he responded with, "Well, its better than what she used to call it.  She used to call it a vulva."   Um, yeah, that's a little different than its actual name...the uvula.

Monday, December 6, 2010

The Calendar





Why am I showing you all of these pictures?  Well, let me tell you.  Every year I make a calendar of the kids for various family members as Christmas gifts.  And this year was no different.  I sat down one night, put it all together, showed Chris the final product, he signed off on it, I ordered the billion copies and they have arrived at out house.  Now, I must say, I was kind of excited about it.  I thought they looked super.  And then Chris looked at it.  And he questioned, "Why did you put all of those pictures of Quinn in there that make him look ridiculous?"  (I showed it to him before ordering, remember???)  The above pictures are some of the "ridiculous" ones.  Well, the bottom line is, Quinn was pretty much ridiculous all year long.  And its what we love about him.  He takes silly to a whole other level.  And he adores his sisters, which is clearly exhibited in the last picture, and they make him do ridiculous things.  He can't help it.  He has two older sisters.

Now, it really would have been ridiculous if I had used the pictures below.  But I didn't.  So perhaps Chris should thank his lucky stars for that. 
 {Quinn with flapper girl head piece}

{Quinn with lampshade}


Sunday, December 5, 2010

The First of Many...I Hope

 This is Chandler playing at her first piano recital.  I hope that it is the first of many.  I could barely breathe I was so nervous for her.  I so wanted for her to do well, and it really could've gone either way.  I mean, I do live in the same house with her and sometimes when she is practicing she nails it...and other times, well, um, not so much.  But tonight?  She was Mozart.  Beethoven.  Elton John.  And I was so very proud of her.

 And I think this lady may have been a little bit proud of her too.  Its the infamous Miss Allison.  I think she spends most of their time together trying to get Chan to focus.  Its a difficult task and I am quite sure that I should be paying her more.  I was actually kind of shocked that Chan wanted to be in the Christmas recital (it was optional...and again, because I have heard her practice) but I think a lot of it had to do with the confidence that Chan has gained in working with Allison.  She feels good about herself when she is at the piano.  And, as a mother, that is a great thing to see.

After the recital, we all headed over to Chili's so that Chan could eat her celebratory ribs.  They are her most favorite meal in the world and she only gets to order them on special occasions. (like this one)



And then. of course, there is this wild boy.  Now, to be fair, we have asked a lot of him this weekend...a parade, a party, church, lunch at church...  The kicker was that he didn't take a nap today and it became very apparent that he wasn't going to make it through the recital without throwing a temper tantrum.  So, Chris made the sacrifice and drove Q around for a nap and then met us in the parking lot when it was over.  Which also meant that Q was fresh for dinner...and slightly out of control.  Awesome.

But, all in all, I think it was a pretty great day for Chandler...and with all the hard work that she put in, she deserved it.  And thanks to Doe Doe, Meme and Pops who were there to help cheer her on.  :)

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Swallowed Alive

Where was I this week?  I was swallowed alive...by the week.  And then spit back out.  A little slimier than I was at the beginning of the week.  Just so you know.  This is how it went down....

Monday:  Preparation
Tuesday:  Preparation
Wednesday:  Counseling appointment, errands to run, then loading ALL of my jewelry into my car to take to school for a Holiday Bazaar Relay for Life fundraiser.  Chris took all 3 children to church for Christmas Pageant rehearsal.  And then, of course, there was dinner and baths and agendas to be signed, taking care of the dog, etc.
Thursday:  Holiday Bazaar (not too shabby), loading everything back into my car, then unloading everything at home, taking the girls to dance and piano, dinner, baths, bedtime, etc., then setting all of the jewelry up on display for my Boutique weekend extravaganza.  Seriously tired of looking at all of my jewelry.  This packing and unpacking, displaying, packing, unpacking and displaying...ugh.  For the birds.
Friday:  Jewelry Boutique (yay!)
Saturday:  Jewelry Boutique (good times!), Chris took the kids (with his family) to the parade in Watkinsville...I still have to grocery shop, do laundry, pack the jewelry up, and then we are celebrating my sister-in-laws birthday tonight at my in-laws house.

Now, tomorrow, should be the really challenge.  Church, fellowship meal, then pageant rehearsal, then Chandler has a piano recital (Keep in mind that rehearsal and recital are on opposite ends of the Earth.  Not kidding.)  Then out to dinner with all of the parents.  Please pray for us.  :)

Friday, December 3, 2010

And, I'm Back.


We keep trying to block off rooms so that Ike doesn't leave our sight.  This is in hopes that he won't poop somewhere in the house.  The reason why this hasn't been working so well is that Quinn doesn't like having the gates up and this is what he does to them.  Just to show the gates who's boss.  And then he jumps on them.  And then he goes about his business and Ike leaves the room and goes about his business...if you know what I mean.

And this one is just a picture of my children because they all gathered around when I was taking a picture of the gate.  My children are to the camera like moths to a flame.  Just sayin.  Quinn tends to be a little fuzzy because he has a hard time holding still.


Today, after school, Chris took the kids to Wal Mart.  Quinn picked out this super cool block set.  But that's not why I took these pictures.  I took them because of the hat.  You see, it has been kind of chilly here in the past couple of days, so we've needed hats.  And Quinn has decided that this is the hat for him this year.  Its the only one that he wants to wear.  And its Chandler's.  It is a powder blue fleece hat with a big girly pompom on the top.


See?  Big girly pompom.


And then I told him that his hat had a big girly pompom on top and he gave me this face.  I think its the stink eye.  And he kind of looks like a thug.  Scary.