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Friday, August 31, 2012

Sometimes you have to lower expectations...

So I talked to this girl tonight...


...and I love her.  Just sayin.  She and her husband are kind of wanderers (in a very good way) at this point in their lives and we almost never have actual conversations these days...but today we did.

And she made me feel better {in a funny way}.  She loves to read my blog - such an easy way to keep up when life gets in the way - and I made the comment that every Sunday I say to myself...

This week I am going to blog everyday.  I will have something to say everyday.  

And then, before I know it, it's Sunday again and I haven't blogged all week.  *hang head in shame*

In response, she made an off handed comment - cracking a joke, I'm sure - something to the effect of maybe if I made the commitment to blog every Sunday then I would be meeting my goals.  And then I made some smart crack about how I always lower my exercising expectations to feel successful and we laughed and moved on.

It's a few hours since we spoke and I keep going back to that.  I can't really even tell you verbatim what it was that she said and she certainly wasn't saying, Angie, lower your expectations as a commandment...She was just saying it was ok.  Ok not to do everything, all the time, for everyone.  Sometimes, it is ok to take the pressure off.

And I think that I needed to hear that tonight.  It made me breathe a sigh of relief.  And I could sit down and type without the pressure of having to come back and do it tomorrow.  Not saying that I won't, but if I do, it would just be a surprise, not an expectation...because - sheesh - my expectations are lower than that.  :)

********
And now I can tell you a funny Joy (that's my friend) story.  I could tell you a thousand.  Because we've (seriously) had a thousand funny moments together.

This one really isn't even about Joy so much as it is the girls.  But whatever.

So we once lived across the street from each other.  One night, as I was putting the girls to bed (they were maybe 3 years old at the time), there was a really, really loud noise and the girls were very curious about what could be making such a noise at bedtime.  (keep in mind, bedtime was 7pm)

Chandler:  Mama.  What is that noise?
Me:  Um, I'm sure it's just a plane or a helicopter (we had a lot in our area).
Chandler:  Really?
Me:  Yep.  That's what it is.
(Chandler peeks through blinds)
Chandler:  Well then that airplane looks a lot like Joy.

And there was Joy, cutting her grass.  I guess that three year old told me.

I think about that moment from time to time and it makes me smile - that airplane looks a lot like Joy.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

My Weekend in Review {back from the brink of death}

1.  I had a stressful Friday afternoon.  Over silly things.  Does that happen to you?  To make things better. my super fabulous husband fed the children and then ordered hibachi for me.  Yay!

2.  Saturday morning I headed out to have breakfast with Molly.  Yep, you read that right.  I saw Molly two weekends in a row.  It is truly unheard of.  But last weekend was family time with Aunt Molly while Saturday morning was just straight up girl time...much needed girl time.

3.  Just before leaving Molly's, I started to feel a migraine coming on.  Once I left, it was in full force and about half way home I began to wonder if I was going to make it.

4.  I walked in the door and began throwing up.  Seriously.  And then I spent the rest of the afternoon in bed wondering why we don't have black out curtains in our room.

5.  Chris took the children to his parents' house.  It was our first night without all three children since last October...and I had a migraine.  We also had tickets (our anniversary present to ourselves) to see Old Crow Medicine Show and The Lumineers at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

6.  At five o'clock I dragged my sorry self into the shower, got ready and headed downtown.

7.  We had planned on having a fancy dinner out {perhaps at Empire State South} but I ate a bowl of ramen noodles instead.  Big sigh.

8.  We had outstanding seats!  Hooray for us!  The Fox is one of my most favorite places - so, so beautiful.  The Milk Carton Kids played first, then The Lumineers (which is one of our favorite bands...incredible live show...if you get the chance, I highly recommend seeing them) and then Old Crow.

9.  It was so loud and the migraine was no longer dulled, so we left four songs into Old Crow.  So sad.

10.  I slept in the car on the way home and could barely drag myself up the stairs.

11.  I woke up with the migraine.  It felt like someone had stomped the left side of my head in and then threw chinese stars into my eye socket.

12.  I missed going to church (Casey was leading the prayer and Chandler was speaking about Camp Glisson).  Boo.

13.  Around 3 o'clock this afternoon I started to feel human again.  Just in time for the weekend to be over.

14.  Quinn and I watched a movie together while Chris took the girls to meet some friends at the skating rink.

15.  I don't know how this week is going to pan out since I will {clearly} be behind the 8 ball on Monday.

16.  I still have to go grocery shopping.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Hello Monday!

Whew!  I can't believe that it is already Monday!  I have no idea where the weekend went...

Oh, wait!  Yes, I do!

Friday:  dinner at the mexican restaurant, a trip to the grocery store, made an eclair cake
Saturday:  bead show (yay!), errands, and a fantastic birthday celebration for my best friend, Molly...

Where, first, Quinn wanted to be wrapped up like a present...


...and then I had to pay him some coins to get him to participate in a nice picture....


....success!

Sunday:  church (I know, you just gasped!), a wedding shower for my sweet Erin...


...grocery shopping, a run on the treadmill, a fabulous dinner....and then the weekend was over!

Hello to a full week ahead!  And then yay for next weekend's big date night!  I am so looking forward to it!

Hello to new designs for the shop and some fresh plans for the future...time to kick it in high gear!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Humdingers

Quinn has been on a roll lately.  Sometimes I just can't keep up with the things that come out of that boy's mouth...

Me:  Quinn, what did you learn in school today?
Quinn:  Evwefink.  (everything)
Me:  Really?  Everything?
Quinn:  Yes.  I learn evwefink, evweday.

*********

Quinn:  My shiny tooth doesn't like boogers.

*********

Me:  I'm so glad you're holding my hand.  It makes me feel special when you hold my hand.
Quinn:  I don't really want you to feel special.
Chandler:  Hey!  You should be nice to Mama; she gave you the gift of life.
Quinn:  No.  That was Jesus.  Jesus gave me the gift of life.  And God.  Jesus and God.

*********

(Quinn sings.  A lot.  All.the.time.  He makes everything into a song and it is almost like he just can't help it.  Sometimes it can be annoying.)

Casey:  Quinn!  Why, why do you have to sing songs all the time????
Quinn:  Because that's what they're there for.  Songs are for singing.

********

(and speaking for songs, he sings this one frequently)

This is the day, this is the day that the Lorax made, that the Lorax made.

(instead of This is the day, this is the day that the Lord had made, that the Lord has made.)

*********

(while petting the dog)

Quinn:  Hiya, Pops!  Hiya, Pops!
Me:  Um, Quinn?  Who are you talking to?
Quinn:  Bikey.  But I'm just calling him Pops.

***********

(and speaking of Pops...)

Pops:  I'm gonna call you MMP.  Motor Mouth Pendley.
Quinn:  No.  You should call me SSSP.  Super Special Sniffy Pendley.  Because I sniff evwefink.

***********

I should really write these down more often.  He makes me laugh everyday.  Or should I say, evweday.


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

two BIG things to share

You definitely need to know about these things...

And I feel like I should preface by saying that I am a librarian.  I have been a lover of books since before I could read.  If you ever feel moved to do kind, wonderful things in this world (which I am sure you do!) these are two fabulous organizations.

1.  Heather at Life Made Lovely lost her sweet son, Samuel, when he was just six weeks old.  That was five years ago today.  Heather began The Joyful Life Library as a way to honor her son's memory and to help other families feel a sense of normalcy when in the NICU/PICU- being able to read to your child.   She announced the opening of an etsy shop (today!) that helps to fund the library and I think it is really lovely.  You should visit.  And buy something super cute...a win win for everyone!  (You can also make purchases for various hospitals via the amazon wishlists that you can get to from the joyful life library page.  It was super easy to do!)  **as a side note...my girls spent almost a month in the NICU and something like this would have been wonderful

2.  Books For Keeps.  Oh how I love this organization!  They are Athens based and help to promote reading with children in Athens.  At the end of last school year, they came to my library and over the course of two days, they gave every k - 5th grade student 12 books for summer reading - to keep! forever and ever!  Oh, you should have seen my sweet kiddos faces!  Some of them had never owned a book...never had a book that was theirs in their house.  Never.  And then they had TWELVE!!!  That they PICKED!!!!  It is easy to support them - you can donate gently used books, you can donate money for them to make book purchases through paypal, OR you can go to their book sale - August 23 - August 26 (see their blog via the above link for all of the specifics).  All of my Athens peeps (and beyond)!  Step up!  This is your chance!  I promise you THIS makes a difference in the lives of students that live HERE in Athens!

And those are the things that I think you should know about.  I think you'll agree that both of them are equally wonderful and amazing.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Fall List 2012

We liked having a summer list so much that we've decided to have a fall list this year too!  I'm thinking that this one will stay up until Thanksgiving and then we'll do a Winter List.


And just in case you need it a little closer up...


Chris chuckles and shakes his head over the funnel cake.  It is a must.  And surprisingly enough, the girls wanted that one...I had nothing to do with it.  Dance studio lock in?  Yeah, they keep calling it the lock down.  Very different things, very different.

We bought a treadmill a few weeks ago and have promised myself (a la Meg) a new pair of running shoes once I run 50 miles.  (I think she did 100...100 seems too far away.)  I'm currently at 18.4.  And for the record, 50 seems very far away.

I want to do an Ike and Co photo shoot this fall.  I think it's time.  I also think it might be time to try out a craft show.  It's just a matter of finding one that seems like the right fit.

Chris and I are having a HUGE date night in two weeks - Old Crow Medicine Show and the Lumineers are playing at the Fox in Atlanta.  Super stoked.

The girls asked for a crochet day to make Christmas gifts for people.  A whole day where they will not be asked to help with anything or be required to do anything other than crochet.  All day.  (They're kind of dorky, aren't they?  Chandler got in trouble again for sneaking her ipod into her room at bedtime.  She was busted again watching youtube videos on various crochet stitches. Her response, "You can't be mad that I am creative."  Um, no.  We're mad that you're not following the rules and getting a good night sleep...not that you're creative.)

And I don't know about you, but I see some serious game nights in my future.

Game Day Collection

Y'all, I live in the South...just outside of Athens, GA (which is where I work) and football (specifically  SEC/ACC college football) is HUGE.  Like, a way of life, HUGE.

So when I started planning out my fall/winter/holiday lines, I knew that Game Day HAD to be a part of it.

Part 1 is in the shop!  Yay!  If you don't see your team colors yet, let me know...there is a part 2 being posted next weekend.

Happy Football Season, Friends, happy football season!


Thursday, August 9, 2012

These Sweet Babies...



...flew away yesterday while we work at school.

The mama built a nest in our hanging baskets (and then the plants died, our neighbors will be glad when we get rid of them) and for weeks now we have stopped on our way up or down the stairs to watch them from the windows in the foyer.  If we counted the time that we watched them, it would have been an hour every day.

They were pretty fantastic.  And I don't even like birds.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

First Day of School

I left before everyone was ready for school this morning, so Chris had to take the pictures....

There was this cute one...

{first day of 5th grade, first day of pre-k}

When they got to school, Chris realized that he hadn't taken any pictures of them with the backpacks on (something I always do) so he did that on their way in the building...


Um, yeah.

And apparently, he had the attitude to match (or at least he did by the time I got there to pick them up).

I asked the three of them to wait while I filled out some after school program paperwork.  He said no.

The principal told him to sit.

He said no and then sat on the floor the middle of the lobby kicking his feet.

Then he bolted out the front door and I had to chase him to bring him back in.

Then once it was time to leave, he took off again...and tried to run from the principal when he squatted down to talk to him.

He moaned almost the whole way home and would not talk about his day.  At all.

He told us two things...
1.  There was a boy a girl that weren't very nice on the playground.
2.  He ate carrots.

Big sigh.

{Mrs. Spry, we miss you!}

Monday, August 6, 2012

A Weekend Wedding

We went to a sweet friend's wedding this weekend.  I say "friend" and it feels a little strange to me.  You see, she was an 8th grade student of mine...and now she is a college graduate, getting married.  YIKES!  She was also the girl's babysitter for 4 years.  And, oh, how they loved her! 

My mom graciously offered to take Q for the weekend.  Yay!

So we got dressed up...



 {what are these poses from casey????  strange, right???}


It was the girls' first wedding (since ours) that they have been too and they were beyond thrilled to have been invited!  We lucked out and one of my most favorite former students and her mother (another favorite of mine) were there - we sat together and danced together (Chan claims Erin as her new best friend)!

It was a buffet dinner at the reception (at the country club!) and Chandler (while not in line with us) went for both the chicken AND beef...and ate.all.of.it.

They also did a marvelous job on the dance floor!

I took my picture on the way there...


 And then I took Chris's picture (as he was saying, "What are you doing?  You're not taking my picture, are you????)


And then I captured this little diva...{the other one was sitting behind me and I should have turned all the way around, but I didn't...just like I didn't take any other pictures from the evening...just these...gah!)



Friday, August 3, 2012

Mason Jar Salads



No kidding, they're are my new favorite things!  Mason jar + salad = love, right?  I made these the other night for dinner for the girls and I.

I used a version of this post {the lemon dressing is so very good!}, but let the girls stack in the things that they liked.  We ended up with:

lemon dressing
chickpeas (or as the girls call them, chickadee peas)
red onion
sliced black olives
sliced green olives
diced cucumbers
baby spinach

...and they were delicious!  The girls gave them two thumbs up.  I can't wait to try them out as lunches this year!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Stone Mountain


 We finally made it to the Laser Show at Stone Mountain this week!  If you recall, we tried earlier in the summer and were rained out.  {boo!}

This time?  Success!

And...Aunt Molly and her friend Michael were able to join us!  Yay!  Quinn was so happy that Aunt Molly wasn't "stuck in work."  So, really, it was better all round.

Quinn was amazed by the sky lift and wants to give that a try next time we go...


I tried {desperately} to get a picture of all three kids laying on the lawn together...


...and, as you can see, that didn't really work out too well.

So after it was all said and done...

Casey and Chandler said that it was "ish" and Quinn said that it was "boooorin'" but that he did like the fireworks.

Chris and I were shocked!  When we were kids, the Laser Show was like magic!

Big sigh.

I blame this change in tide on technology.  :)

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Summer 2012

Today I head back to work and even though it's only August, it is, for all purposes, the end of summer for us.

I have found over the years that there are things that I carry with me from every summer.  Things that instantly transport me back to that moment in time.

What will this summer be remembered as?

...the first summer that Quinn stayed home with us {whew! we survived!}
...the first summer the girls did camp activities

The summer of Downton Abbey and 30 Rock.  The end of the Baxter series by Karen Kingsbury.

The summer that Dad and Ger came to visit.

The summer Casey became a vegetarian.

The summer of sweet tea vodka and lemonade.

The ten thousand dollar summer.  {We joked about it at the beginning of summer and then somehow it slowly became true - carpets cleaned, foyer painted, landscaping, camps, dental work (chris + quinn), treadmill (more on that soon), broken grill, broken air conditioner, signing up for dance + swim, new bed for Chan...big sigh}

The summer that I will miss all year long.