Generous Act of Kindness

I wasn't sure it was going to happen and couldn't get the appointment confirmed until late today. But we finally got the appointment confirmed and Sarah-Grace did an amazing thing tonight. She donated her 8 and 1/2 inches of hair to a foundation that takes hair and makes wigs for cancer patients. She been asking to get her hair cut for a while, and after her Aunt JuJu (Julie) donated her hair last month we started talking about Sarah-Grace donating too. It took a few weeks to get the donation packet in the mail which gave us some time to make SURE this was something Sarah-Grace understood and really wanted to do. I was so nervous that she would freak out once the hair was cut off, but she was so happy. She just grinned from ear to ear and kept tossing her new short hair over her shoulders. She looks so much older to us (which is why Tad thinks we should immediately start growing it out again). Luckily her hair grows at amazing rate so in a couple months it should be long again. I'm very proud. I had to hold back tears tonight at a few moments, but we are all happy with her decision and this generous act of kindness.
Her hair really is cute now, its hard to tell because in the after pictures her hair is wet. We had to wash her hair, dry it (which is really fun for a 4 year old with that much hair), cut it for donation, wash it AGAIN and trim it to even it out. After all that she was fine leaving with it wet - she didn't want to sit still anymore. We'll get some new ones up soon with her new haircut dry.

Before the haircut...

After the haircut...

After the haircut with the hair she's donating...

Nothing New

Not much to report this past week. Charlotte is talking more and really cuddling more (although I think that's because she's had the classic back to school runny nose). She LOVES cans this week. In fact today in about 30 seconds she picked up my FULL can of Cherry Coke and dumped it on the couch. Oh, and she LOVES the Bibbidy-Bobbidy-Boo song. It's a song the fairy godmother sings in Cinderella and it's about 30 seconds long - so she screams again until we replay it. It's fun, really, we love it.

Sarah-Grace is becoming more and more independent. Today she woke up, made her bed, got herself dressed and stayed in her room playing dolls until we woke up and came and found her. She was so proud of herself when we finally got up!

OK, for all the other moms out there I have to blog about the havoc that was rampant last week at the girls' school. So a few weeks ago one of the girls in Sarah-Grace's class had red bumps that itched and wouldn't go away. Her mother took this little girl to the doctor and the doctor said, "It's some kind of bug bites. I don't know what kind but if I had to guess it looks like bed bugs". SO this little girl and her mom called the school and the school went nuts looking, and researching, and looking, and trying to reassure parents it wasn't bed bugs, and calling an exterminator, and calling DHR and when NO bed bugs were found, or signs of bed bugs, or even a hint of bed bugs they tried even harder to reassure the FREAKED out group of parents it wasn't bed bugs. By this time the mom had talked to other moms in the class whose children were also getting red itchy bumps. It was pretty much mass hysteria. So the mom of the little girl frustrated that her doctor told her it was bed bugs and the school found none, took her little girl to her dermatologist who said, "I don't know what its is but if I had to guess it looks like scabies". SO another little girl's mom (whose child had 30 of these little bumps) took her child to their doctor's office. And this doctor said, "It's absolutely scabies". SO this family had to rub themselves down with special ointment, take all the stuffed animals and pillows and cushions and stick them in plastic bags (for 2 weeks) and dope their little girl up with benadryl (because scabies like lotions & ointments), and cancel their dinner party. SO the school called in the health department, and the lady they sent took one look at the kids and said, "It's definitely chicken pox". Only she did a skin test (novel idea isn't it - maybe the doctor offices should look into it) and that's what it is/was.
So, the moral of this story is, there is a "breakthrough" strain of chicken pox that your children can get EVEN if they are vaccinated. And apparently since the invention of the chicken pox vaccine doctors haven't really seen chicken pox and they don't know what it looks like. So if your child breaks out in tiny red bumps do your own research and then call the health department - they seem to be the only ones who care to do skin tests instead of causing mass hysteria for 2 weeks!! And DON'T panic, it's really not that big of a deal, nothing a little bit of cortizone won't cure.
Oh yeah and the other moral of this story is teachers really get irritated at parents who panic and cause mass hysteria.

I'm 30

Well, its official. I'm 30. It pretty much sucks to be 30. But I have some amazing friends and family and they helped me celebrate with style. (Apparently after many phone calls, e-mails and stressful issues with the party planning.) I had a surprise birthday party at Maggiano's on Friday night (after Tad took me to Atlantic Station for a day full o' fun to try and keep me occupied, then we went to Macy's and he bought a Miami Vice coat to try (check out the picture)and stall before the party). Then today my mom threw me a wonderful ladies brunch. I ate non stop this weekend. I am full of food, love and blessings. Here are some pictures that Anna took. Isn't she an amazing photographer?

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Play Ball

Not much to report this week. I haven't done much, my house is a mess and I have more laundry to do even though I've been doing it since I got home Monday night. Today was Charlotte's first day of Play Ball. Play Ball is basically an extra curricular activity at the girls' school that's like P.E. from when we were little - but it's not included in the curriculum so you have to pay for it. Don't get Tad started on that and the cost of tuition for 2 children in montessori school. But lucky for us my mom really wanted to do something for special Charlotte since she isn't her teacher this year so she's picking up the bill. (She continues to put herself on this guilt trip for no reason - but I can only tell her so many times it's not going to scar Charlotte if grandma isn't her teacher). SO, Charlotte started today and I thought she looked so cute. I tried to get a picture of the little stinker, but of course she wouldn't stay still. SO, this picture is as good as its going to get.


She must have done well because her "coach" who I've never met told every person at the school how cute that little Charlotte is and how excited and well she did in class. I know this because every person I saw today at school told me the "coach" told them this. So she likes to Play Ball!

I ran into my friend Laura last night who I was so excited to see. I've been dying to congratulate her and her hubby on their pregnancy. She is 17 weeks along and looked fabulous. I feel so out of touch with all my old FSG folks. I know Laura and Andrew are going to be great parents. I've always pictured Laura as a mom, and I know Andrew will be a good dad - but when I think of him I still see the new college recruit I tortured with my long winded explanations of Merchandise Tracking testing. Oh well. He probably still thinks of me as that annoying, overbearing, super controlling, somewhat neurotic business analyst. I really need to keep better in touch with everyone.

Tonight I watched Primetime. It was the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 widows and the babies born after the tragedy. It was heart wrenching. At the end of the show they did a montage of photos of the dads who died and the children they left behind while that song 'I'm already there' played. I'm sorry, but if you don't cry at that you are a cold heartless person whom I pity. This story really touches me each year. Not because I have any idea what these women have gone through, but because it always reminds me of the emotions I felt during those weeks after 9/11.

I had discovered I was pregnant a couple weeks before (I was 8 or 9 weeks along with Sarah-Grace) and we had just told everyone. I remember that day I got out of my car at work (I was running late because I felt like crap because I was pregnant). Tad called my cell phone and said he was watching Good Morning America when they were reporting a story of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center and during the report another plane crashed into the other tower LIVE on tv. He kept talking while I was walking through the doors of FSG. Right inside the doors there are 4 tv screens that they usually have different shows, FSG crap on and when I walked in all 4 screens were made into 1 and the news was on reporting what was happening. People were starting to gather in the lobby. I said goodbye to Tad and went up to my floor to work.

The morning was CRAZY. My good friend Jenny's hubby was suppose to be flying out (I can't remember if it was that day or the next) and we were worried about him. "We" (Federated Logistics) had (well actually they still have) a distribution center in Secaucus, NJ (which is across the water from the WTC towers). The people we worked with in NY were upset, many of them had family in that worked in the towers. They were trying to call their friends and family and the lines were impossible to get through on. I remember trying to work while rumors just keep pouring in. No one was getting anything done. I had to go into my director's office for something and he was the one who told me that the Pentagon had been attacked. Everyone was wondering if we were at war. Finally an announement was made that all conference rooms would be opened up with TV's on and tuned into the news for people to come and watch what was going on. I worked for a little longer then walked down to the main (largest) conference room on the first floor. It had a huge TV screen and I sat down to watch. It was about 5 - 10 minutes before the first tower fell. I remember sitting there, talking with everyone. Everyone was discussing if the towers might fall. Many kept saying no way - that they would hold. But I was one of the ones thinking that the towers were going to collapse. And sure enough me and a room full of my co-workers watched in horror together as it did. I started to tear up and quietly cry. I was so set back by how emotional I was being. I used to hold myself together so well - but I was soon to learn that pregnancy and motherhood has striped me of that trait. All I could do was sit there and think 'what is going on?, what kind of world am I bringing a child into? yesterday I had a bright future for this little baby and today I learned that the world this child grows up in could be very different from what I had just yesterday.' That's really scary to start thinking about.

I know that sounds really cheesy and over dramatic - but that feeling really affected me over those next few weeks. I got to where I didn't want to watch or see anything about 9/11 - which was impossible at the time to do since its all that was on TV and the only thing anyone wanted to talk about. So I got really cranky and crabby with everyone. I just couldn't think about what was going on. I felt helpless and overwhelmed. I eventually got over that and things calmed down, hope was restored to me and everyone and everything around me, but these widows stories for some reason remind me and resonate that time in my life and those feelings I had. Anyway, you may not care about this but I wanted something to have to remember that.

Labor Day Weekend

This weekend was fun, we spent it at the lake. Kelly & Rick came Thursday night because Rick had an interview Friday morning (in Covington for a director position - PLEASE pray for them). We finally had to send Rick off around 11pm because the last time he had an interview we kept him up until 2:30am! Kelly and I spent the day together Friday and then set off with the kids, the dog, the 2 of us and the Volvo stuffed to its capacity with every nook and cranny that car has. I wished we had taken a picture. That trunk has more room than you think it does. 15 minutes into the car ride Sarah-Grace announced "this car is boring, there's nothing to do". Kelly and I had to explain that we didn't have any entertainment when we were her age. It took Sarah-Grace about an hour and a half before she fell asleep. Charlotte was still talking to herself in the dark long after that until Kelly found a cold bag of french fries (from the beginning of the trip) she could feed her.

The weekend went well. Saturday was pretty low key, Sunday everyone showed up and Monday Kelly and I floated for about 3 hours between the boat and our rafts on the lake and I got FRIED. I went to Starbucks today and people could not stop staring at how red I was.

The only thing that didn't go well this weekend was Charlotte sleeping. I hate traveling with babies at this age when you can't give them their own room. Both of my girls are good sleepers - at home. At home they go right down, they never get up in the middle of the night and they sleep in! When we travel we usually have a ton of people and so we all have to sleep in the same room (me, Tad, Sarah-Grace & Charlotte). When Charlotte can see us, she doesn't want to stay in her bed (her sister was the same way until about 2 1/2). Saturday night was the worst she pretty much didn;t sleep at all. Tad was trying to keep Charlotte from waking up the entire house so he brought her to our bed 4 times when he couldn't take the screaming anymore. She won't sleep with us - she wants to play so, he would put her back in her bed and she would scream again. Finally at 5am I got involved. At 6am I kicked Tad out because 1. I had gotten her to sleep in her own bed the night before for 6 hours and 2. Since Tad had already gotten her out of bed 4 times before she wasn't going to stop screaming if he was in the room (she was holding out for him to come pick her up - children rely on precendants set by their parents in the past few hours). After some stern words, some spanks to the bottom and a few taps to the mouth when she screamed out of anger she fell asleep at 7 am in her OWN bed. And then at 7:30 she woke up, called out to me very softly and respectfully without screaming only to tell me, "I pooped" and she did. So, she was up for the rest of the morning. She was out of control. At one point I asked Tad when he gave her crack during the middle of the night. He said "crack, oh no honey she's had some crystal meth". She was so tired and so not trying to slow down - at around 10:30 she was actually grabbing at the air - I think she was hallucinating - we joked she must have had some LSD with whatever else she was "on". She finally crashed at 11am! But for the rest of the weekend when she played with her baby dolls she would yell in their face "Night, night" and throw them down (or in Beamer's dog cage). Nice.

Sunday night Tad slept in a recliner, I slept on the couch and Charlotte slept in her pack-n-play in an empty room with 2 empty twin beds the entire night without getting up once. Now, if you know me you know that I don't believe in giving in to your children - but she just wore us down. And I must say the recliner and the couch may not be the most comfortable things in the world - but it sure does beat not sleeping at all. At least we won't have to do this again until Thanksgiving!

Crafty Ideas

OK - I promise to blog the concert from the other night. But I'm tired and don't have time to do it today. I do however have time to show you the cool crafty ideas I came up with last week. First of all we have spent 2 weekends with Rick & Kelly who have begun using my packing tip that I've ALWAYS done with the girls - and they can't stop saying how good they smell. That's because I pack dryer sheets with the girls clothes. That way they smell fresh all the time. People always comment that the girls smell so good when we are on trips - and that's why.

Second, BOTH of the girl's teachers at school had birthdays last week. Sarah-Grace's teacher is part owner of the school and Charlotte's teacher is our long time family friend (my mom's best friend and the mother of my best friend Courtney). SO, these birthdays had to be GREAT. First I collected money from the familes. I was able to give Ms. Katy $100 (even though only 8 people out of 22 really chipped in) and Ms. Joan $75 (everyone in her class participated). Don't let anyone tell you different - teachers LOVE cash (or in this case Visa gift cards) - there's nothing better. I made both teachers a chocolate mouse cake and I gave each teacher a flower arrangement.
Ms. Katy's was a"flower box" that I've been making. It was a black photo storage box (because she loves to take pictures) that I had bright fushia pink roses and lime green pom poms around the edge like a border. It was cute and she could either let the arrangement dry in the box as a keepsake or dump it out and use the box for storage. I would have taken a picture - but the camera's batteries were dead.
Ms. Joan's was this really cool Skittles & flowers arrangement (she loves Skittles). I took a large vase and put a smaller vase that was the same shape inside the large one. I then poured Skittles down in the space between the large vase and the smaller vase. Then I filled the small vase with flowers & water. This way she can eat the Skittles - once she takes the flowers out.

Then I made happy birthday flour sacks (i.e. dish towels) for BeBe & Vicky. These are really easy to make and really cute.

That's all the ideas from last week! Stay tuned for more throughout the year!

Rock Out

I had a busy weekend - it was slam packed - but it was fun. First off I have to dish about Saturday morning. Kelly & I attended Kathy Cook's cancer benefit. Kathy was raising money for the TuTu's for TaTa's team that walks in the 3 day walk for cancer and she did such and amazing job. I am SO proud of her. She put together a benefit that included a fashion show, a silent auction, and live auction, a fully catered lunch, 2 emotional presentations honoring survivors (still living and those that have passed on) of breast cancer, they had raffles, tons of table prizes, and local hospitals and clinics distributing information about women's health, breast cancer and free mamogram programs, and all of this lead by a 2 time Emmy winning MC - and she did all of this in 2 months. That's right, 2 months!! She raised almost DOUBLE what she set out to raise. Can you believe that?! She is so incredible!! I am so proud of her and I was so honored that she chose to have Kelly and I at this event and at her table. I was really excited for Kelly to get to see Kathy again (although it wasn't for long) and get to know Anna and Cami. I just love those two. I am never not laughing when I'm around Cami and Anna is just incedrible - she's always thinking what I'm thinking. Cami and Anna made Kelly so comfortable - because that's the kind of people they are.

Friday the girls left for Waycross with David & Jeannie to wish BeBe & Aunt Vicky happy birthday. So Tad and I were all to ourselves the entire weekend. Rick & Kelly got into town on Friday night. They came because we were all going to the 311 concert on Saturday night. That's right I attended my first real rock concert before I turned 30 - just barely. As usual we had a BLAST. Below are the highlights from Friday night, Saturday up until the concert and some of today. There was just too much to blog and the concert needs its own entry - I think the walk through the parking lot deserves its own entry - but that's for another day.

• Rick giving us a 311 "preview" on Friday night by forcing us to watch the 311 DVD - a 6 hour concert they put on in New Orleans because New Orleans loves 311 and declared March 11 "311 Day" and so out of appreciation 311 puts on a concert there every year on March 11th. (See Rick I was paying attention.)
• Tad & Rick's frustration that I had NO idea who 311 is and recognized only 1 of their songs (and that's only because it was a cover song from the Cure (who again I didn't know) and a song that was in 50 First Dates (which I loved)).
• Kelly being really ticked off that 2 states away when they stopped at a Taco Bell the girl wouldn't put Kelly's diet pepsi in a smaller cup - even when she said she would pay for the large size she just didn't want the half gallon they give you.
• Rick constantly asking me a question and then completely turning around and talking to Tad.
• There being an echo everywhere we went (it seemed to follow us from Hilton Head).
• Rick saying "311 Baby" every 10 minutes from Friday night when the DVD was turned on until Sunday morning around 12:30am when we finally went to bed.
• Rick having ADHD whenever there is music on. It's like he must yell out the song title and artist after the first 3 bars of a song plays. Then he likes to taunt whoever is paying attention about how he knows this information by stating exactly how old he was, the grade he was in, and what he was doing when he first heard the song. He catalogs all of this in his head.
• Rick snoring so loud Kelly had to sleep in Sarah-Grace's bed Friday night. Rick not even noticing Kelly didn't sleep with him.
• Kelly and I having to go over instructions with the boys on what to do while we were at the cancer benefit. Kelly and I knowing we would have to call them at 1:30 and tell them to put down the X-Box controls, get out of their pj's and get ready!
• Rick flipping out that Kelly took a pinch of sugar out of the bag. Apparently, people touching food grosses him out.
• Kelly & I finding the cutest flip flop coasters for the bottom of a goblet or wine glass (I had to buy one for me, Kelly and Anna).
• Kelly & I standing in line at the buffett and this old lady cutting in front of Kelly grabbing and almost dropping a bunch of grapes trying to pull 4 off for herself. Kelly and I laughing thinking what Rick would have done if that happened to him.
• Anna and I still being shocked by people's behavior.
• Having an hour to buy Rick a suit before we leave for the concert.
• The Men's Wearhouse - seriously its one of the top 5 people watching places Kelly and I have ever been.
• Pretty much all of the salesman and women at the Men's Wearhouse are weird, ours was Troy. (In his defense I think he was the least weird of all of them.) He was really happy when Kelly & I arrived, especially me. The only thing he liked about us was that we explained why Rick needed a suit. Up until we got there Rick was being cryptic as to why he needed a suit. His only answer to Troy's interogation was "I would just like a suit".
• Troy's sales pitch is to tell you he's going to find you a suit to "rock out in" - and then he uses this phrase every 2-5 minutes while you shop with him. Tad and Rick then used this new phrase the entire weekend. It became almost as popular as "Oh Snap". Only Tad and Rick had to modify the phrase by adding a line desccribing what you would rock out with - and it rhymed.
• Now, Kelly & I wouldn't let Rick & Tad buy a suit on their own because we were scared (based on previous fashion mishaps in their pasts) that they would end up buying a suit fit for a (excuse my language) P-I-M-P. I'm not kidding - I can get Tad's high school pictures. He shoppped at D.J's - and he's still proud of it. We instructed them to arrive at Men's Wearhouse and to do some shopping before we got there. They knew why we wouldn't let them purhcase a suit without us. Yet when Kelly & I arrived the suit these 3 men had so proudly chose for Rick was a gray pinstripe suit with alternating white and electric blue pinstripes and an electric blue shirt to make the pinstripes "pop" according to Troy. I am dead serious. Kelly and I had some work to do.
• The first thing we had to do was inform Troy that he had no fashion sense - nothing personal to Troy. He was very sweet and took a little while to wear down - but I think we were successful. We pretty much veto'd every suggestion, tip and opinion he had. He tried to discredit us to Rick behind our backs - he should have known this was pointless. Especially considering he (Troy) owns a pair of woven leather shoes he likes to "dress up" a pair of jeans with - and this guy is straight.
• The second thing we had to do was get Rick to stop looking at pinstripe suits - its like watching a moth to a flame with him and pinstripes.
• The suit Rick finally chose had pants about 8 sizes to big. Now when he came out of the dressing oom all of the Men's Wearhouse salemen said this suit fit the best (this should have been Rick's first clue). After Kelly and I made several comments, Troy tried to fix this by clipping the back of the pants for us to get an idea of the fit "post tailoring". The scary part was Rick doesn't remember Troy doing this. When Rick turned around to show us that the pants "looked good" they were pleated right down the middle of his rear (excuse my language again) it was like pleated butt crack pants. Kelly and I could not stop laughing.
• We had to go back today to see how the suit fit after it was tailored. Again it was really funny and scary at the same time. First off, there was a chick sitting beside me shopping with her hubby. She had a diamond the side of a baseball on her ring finger. Rick came out with pants so short that they flipped up everytime he took a step and you could see his socks AND the sleeves were too short on both arms but one was longer than the other. Rick , Troy and this scary sleazy saleman tried to tell us it looked good. Kelly, I and the chick beside me decided immediately it didn't. After 10 minutes (and some really scary woven shoes Troy talked Rick into trying on with the suit), Rick slowly started noticing the issues. To which I responded "that was so 2 minutes ago" and Troy finally started laughing with us! They are fixing the suit.
• The super sleazy sales guy (S.S.S.G) tried to strong arm the chick sitting beside me. He told her she didn't need to know her husbands shirt size because he would be handling all her husband's suit needs in the future. Can you believe this guy? She held her own though and gave it right back to him. Kelly and I were very proud. This S.S.S.G. told her he had already fitted her hubby's siut for tailoring - to which she looked at Rick, panicked and said well I don't want it to look like that guy (pointing at Rick). She wanted to look at ties and wasn't happy with their selection. I said I should go and tell her to shop to Macy's for ties - which apparently was really rude (but again Troy was laughing).
• I think Troy came around and really liked me. He better because I'll be the one picking up Rick's suit this week - and he doesn't want to see me upset. To be honest I'm not sure if he really wants to see me at all - he may hide when I go back.

Charlotte's First Day of Pre-Primary

Hi Everyone! I know its been over a week since I've blogged - but I put myself on "blog restriction" last week until I finished the "We Speak Your Name" poem for Ms. Kathy's Cancer Benefit. I finally finished it on Sunday and then was too tired to blog. I know I said I would post it, but its super long and I'm not sure Ms. Kathy wants these ladies names to be on the internet. So, if she gives it the OK then I post it.

Yesterday was Charlotte's first day of school (Sarah-Grace started last week and that's another story) and my anniversary so I pretty much was gone the entire day!! For most moms and their 18 month old children the first day of school is very tramatic. Not Charlotte, nope, she just ran right into class and started "working". I'm afraid she is still in her "seek and destroy" mode, but at least now she actually takes a few seconds to try and figure the "work" (be it a puzzle or another manipulative) out before she tries to move onto something else. She is good though about picking up and putting back her "work" when prompted. But there were no tears, no fits, no screaming for her mommy. Now today there was some crying, there was some reaching her little arms out - but it wasn't when I dropped her off. No, it was when I picked her up and the person she was reaching for was Ms. Joan - her TEACHER!! That's right, me she has no problem leaving, its the thought of leaving the classroom and her teacher that reduces her to tears. I'm doing some job nuturing this child!

Anyway, below are some pictures of the first day of school. Aren't my babies precious!!


Charlotte eating her Mickey Mouse waffle I made her (thanks mom for the mickey waffle iron).

Charlotte making her new "photo" smile. She decided today would be a good day to start trying this out...great. She's actually saying cheese when she smiles like this.

Sarah-Grace eating her mickey mouse waffle.

The girls dressed, fed and ready to go to school.

The girls in the car ready to leave for school. Charlotte again sporting her new photo smile.

Mom and Charlotte in the kitchen after school.

The girls on a bench outside the school. Charlotte still likes this smile 4 hours later - you can tell she's saying cheese in this one.

The girls after Charlotte's first day - they had lots of fun on the playground (you can tell by their sweaty hair and beat red faces).

Hilton Head

So over July 4th weekend a group of our cousins decided to plan a trip to Savannah. After some review of schedules and a date chosen we quickly realized Savannah was going to be a bit pricey. SO this really cool cousin (who travels to the beach quite a bit) offered to plan the trip to Hilton Head for this past weekend. It only took about 137 e-mails to organize the trip. Unfortunately the really cool cousin, Kristi, had a co-worker who bailed on her at the last minute and so she had to stay and WORK instead of going to the beach. That really sucked. But the rest of us plowed ahead. Below are the things we learned on our trip.

• When 7 people plan a trip to the beach and are really excited about going - its will rain the ENTIRE weekend.
• When 6 people get up and get ready and go to the beach even though the sky is black - 15 minutes after they get situated on the beach the bottom will drop out of the sky and it will down pour like a monsoon for the next 4 hours.
• Kristi can not be guilted into driving 2 hours and 45 minutes in the rain to be stuck in a condo with us - I can't imagine why. She will check the forecast on her own - so there's no use in trying to lie and say the weather's nice.
• Rick is a registered OBGYN expert and is an official guide for the laws and quirks of South Carolina.
• The H.H.I.B.T resort will hand you a 300 page restaurant book if you ask "where's a good place to eat, we aren't familiar with Hilton Head".
• There are many restaurants located along New Orleans street - it took Tad & Rick 30 minutes of reading the 300 page book and riding in the car to realize that. This was a fact Kelly & I had pointed out after a 30 second review of the book before we pulled out of the H.H.I.B.T. resort - but boys are slow learners. We never found New Orleans street.
• When Tad has been up for over 36 hours - all meals he has consumed in that time counts as "today's meals" and thus that type of food or restaurant is automatically nixed - like Ribs & BBQ.
• Rick really likes Greek food and highly recommends "It's All Greek to Me" restaurant - even though he's never eaten there.
• When Kelly's craving american local tavern food and a vodka tonic she will end up ordering a quesadilla and a beer (I think this rule only applies when she's been worn down by riding aimlessly in the car with me, Tad & Rick for an hour).
• Kelly can stretch a quesadilla ordered at dinner on Friday to light lunch and a late night snack on Saturday. She would have had some more to eat on Sunday if Rick hadn't finished it off.
• When Rick says he has a tick he really means he has a nasty piece of something stuck to his arm.
• We will forever use the phrase "Hey... when did this happen?" when refering to Rick & Kelly's relationship and marriage.
• Rick loves Sticky Fingers and South Carolina BBQ. For the record, Jim & Nick's BBQ doesn't serve South Carolina BBQ. They serve Alabama BBQ - however their hostess isn't aware of this information.
• Kimberly loves to fill out comment cards and isn't afraid to be honest. For example, if a restaurant's hostess isn't aware of the type of food they serve in the restaurant she's working in - that will be noted on the comment card.
• If you eat at Jim & Nick's BBQ ask for Steve as your server - he's really good.
• Julie loves Spanky's and it was the highlight of her trip.
• Our review of the food at the H.H.I.B.T. resort cabanna bar goes like this - the cheese sticks are pretty good, the chicken fingers are a good value, the nachos were probably really good last week, the wings are NOT naked and really not that good.
• When six people have planned a trip to the beach and then get stuck inside a condo because it is raining they will devise their own way of having fun - like hitting marshmellows with a tennis raquet at eachother and at objects outside. For the record it was Julie's idea to stuff cheetos in the marshmellows before hitting them back at the boys.
• The security guard at H.H.I.B.T. resort doesn't know why Rick can't get a cell phone signal.
• Elliott & Kimberly proved that both men & women look good in seersucker pants.
• The Crazy Crab at Harbour Town is pretty good. However if you order the seafood platter like Elliott did - you will begin to throw up about an hour after you eat until you've thrown up all your food and part of your small intestine. But hey, if you're wearing seersucker pants you still look "hot" throwing up.
• When you have food poisoning the thought of eating a handful of salt or drinking peppermint water (Rick's suggestions for nausea) doesn't make you feel better.
• At 1:45 am "Last Call" at the H.H.I.B.T. resort Pirate bar not only means last call for any type of drink, but also means last call for quarters and pool games - even if its a tie breaker.
• If you choose to report a group of drunk people who just left the H.H.I.B.T resort bar, got in their cars and drove off - to the security guards they will inform you that their jurasdiction at the H.H.I.B.T. resort doesn't include the front parking lot. They do however watch drunk people leave the bar, get in their cars and drive away every night. We were stumped as to why anyone would go to this bar if they weren't staying in the resort - but who knows.
• Rick had a serious studdering problem when he was young, so d..dd..ddd...don't ask him about it (he's really sensitive).
• At some point over the weekend we all picked up saying "Oh Snap" which Kelly finds really annoying.
• The picture below is why I feel really unphotogetic after I joined the Thompson family. Notice me - it took a few pictures to get one this decent - in all of them I am fully aware I am being photographed and looking at the camera. Now look at Julie in the background- a perfect picture of her when she isn't even paying attention to the camera! Seriously you can NOT take a bad picture of this girl (meanwhile it takes a million takes to get an "alright" one of me). I'm just glad my kids have her genes.

Dawgs Princess Hat

OK - I had to blog this really quickly this morning because it was too cute - and its easier to blog than to send the pictures via e-mail. The first picture is blurry - but Sarah-Grace insisted we send a picture to Tad of her and her babydolls (she wants him to see that she's taking care of them while he's gone). The next 2 are of Sarah-Grace's new UGA hat. Isn't it adorable! I saw it a few days ago at a store and then tried to price compare it at 5 different other stores and no one else had it. So, I broke down yesterday and bought it. Notice the ribbon in the back - it says DAWGS - that's my favorite part - go figure.

Updates

Well its been over a week since my last blog. I actually learned that other people are "blog stalking" me because I got some e-mails asking why hadn't I posted lately. So, you like me! You really like me!! Thanks everyone. It gave me a real boost last week.

The truth is I've been pretty busy, Tad was out of town from last Thursday to early Monday morning and after a little more than 24 hours later he left again this morning for Seattle. He will be gone all week and will meet me in Hilton Head on Friday where we will have a weekend getaway with some family/friends. Yeah! Last week I had 2 root canals and a shower to go to and prepare for. Not to mention I am suppose to be composing/modifying a poem for an upcoming breast cancer benefit so what time I have had I haven't been able to blog. And Sarah-Grace starts school on MONDAY!

Anywho, I posted some of the highlights from last week and some pictures Kristen (thanks again!!) sent me from a get together a few weeks ago at Josh & Anna's house. Enjoy, not sure when I will update again.

• OK, first of all I MUST address the most important highlight from last week - the flippin Hills season finale. For those of you who missed it I am going to spoil the ending so if you don't want to know skip this bullet point. For the rest of you - AHHHHHH! I can't believe that the Lauren I liked so much, the Lauren I rooted for Stephen to pick, the Lauren I hated Kristen C. for, the Lauren I cried for (not really, but almost) when Stephen didn't chose her, the Lauren I continued to support when she dropped out of college and moved home from San Fransico with no real plans for life (and Kristen totally made fun of her at the Christmas party), the Lauren who I watched a high school reality soap opera for when I am almost 30 - yes THIS Lauren chose a skanky boy over a VOGUE INTERSHIP IN PARIS!!@! PARIS... PARIS, FRANCE!! VOGUE!! THE MAGAZINE, NOT "STRIKE A POSE" SILLY SONG...NO, VOGUE, THE ICON OF FASHION CULTURE! 2 MONTHS... COUTURE WEEK!! I can't take this. Have her standards sunk that low? Is her self confidence that bad? Does she have amnesia? I mean seriously! First of all, they will NEVER last. He is a SKANK. He will totally leave her if she doesn't catch him cheating on her first (which who are we kidding she wouldn't leave him over anyway - HE ALREADY DID THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER WITH JESSICA). And second of all - if just IF this is "true love" it should be able to survive 8 weeks while she is having the most impoartant career opportunity of her LIFETIME. I'm sick over this. I think that I am actually going to have to do it. I have to turn my back on her. She's been in my life for a couple of years now, but I think this is just unforgivable. I can't help her if she doesn't help herself... and she obviously isn't helping herself right now. I can't support someone I care about when they are exhibiting such self destructive behavior. No, my only hope now is to get to know her little sister on the new Laguana Beach and hope I can root her onto a better road of choices and higher self confidence.
• Now onto Project Runway...YES!!! Kayne didn't get kicked off, instead he ratted out another player who had ...gasp...pattern books. And then he went on to help his buddy create the most HORRID outfit for INC. I think all the outfits pretty much sucked last week. Especially when I actually wear INC. Its the only private label I ever wore and voluntarily supported when I worked for Federated. Oh well, I still can't wait to see this week's show.
• Sarah-Grace was pretty funny last week. She first cracked me up when we were watching Oprah. There was a baby on the show last week born with "mermaid syndrom", the legs were fused together. Anyway, the whole show was about medical miracles and the doctors were able to cut her legs apart. Sarah-Grace kept asking why her legs were like that. Over and over again she would ask me and I would say because she was born that way. Finally she got really frustrated and said "why do you keep saying that she was born that way". And I said, "Because she was, that's how God made her". She said "oh" and I thought GREAT that's over. Then a minute later she said "Mommy, doesn't God have scissors?" She never ceases to amaze me.
• She cracked my mom and I up when she was chasing Charlotte around trying to give her a hug last week. Charlotte didn't want anything to do with her. She got so frustrated and finally said "Charlotte, I want to give you a hug. Now, why won't you let me hug you? DO you know how that makes me feel?" Something about a 4 year old trying to analyze her feelings with an 18 month old running full speed in the other direction is just funny.
• Oh yeah, and Sarah-Grace loves the "modern" version of the Parent Trap (which the "old" version was my favorite movie growing up). She has watched it so many times she knows the entire song played at the beginning of the movie. It's L-O-V-E by Wayne Newton. It is so funny to watch and listen to her sing it!
• Charlotte likes that song new weird song "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkly. I think she's trying to say crazy when it comes on and she dances in her car seat. Then when its over she says "again". I don't like the song, but I have to listen to it just to watch her.

Sweet baby Charlotte...

Sarah-Grace in the lap of luxury with Josh & Anna

Cheese head Charlotte

What's Up Charlotte

I LOVE this picture...its 3 of my favorite people...

For the Record

This is what my house looks like on a Friday morning at 11:23AM in the summer. This is how Sarah-Grace came downstairs this morning - she dressed herself when she got up. Apparently princess dress paired with baseball cap is in. Nice. Notice Sarah-Grace is trying to take a picture with her "phone" in the first 2 pictures. Charlotte actually said cheese today and smiled at the camera - of course it was AFTER I snapped the last picture. Contolled chaos - that's what I like to call it.

Screams, Schemes and Stephen Colbert

Sarah-Grace and Charlotte are really starting to play with eachother. Right now their favorite game is chase. One of them screams and then starts running then the other one screams and follows - until they are both whipped up into a loud crashing frenzy. Its great.

I usually sit in our den while the girls play in the living room. Every minute or so when they haven't come in to tattle on eachother or ask for something (juice, milk, cookies or Charlotte has paused the DVD for 57th time that day and can't get it to play again) I ask Sarah-Grace what they're doing and she yells back the specifics.

This week however they are beginning to scheme. One day this week it got too quiet and when I sneaked around the corner they were standing on the couch. Then later that day Charlotte comes strolling around the corner pushing her babydoll stroller with Sarah-Grace IN THE BABYDOLL STROLLER! Nice. Two minutes later on the second trip around the downstairs they switched places.

Charlotte has now learned how to say "I don't know" by throwing up her hands and shrugging her shoulders. It's so funny because I am ALWAYS talking to the girls (I'm not nuts - language is the best gift to give a toddler - or so my mom says) so I am always asking rhetorical questions. But today everytime I would ask one just kinda talking to myself and her - she would throw up her hands and shrug her shoulders.

The best laugh today from Charlotte was when I asked her where her belly button was. The child has become OBSESSED with her belly button. Some children twirl their hair - my child twirls her finger in her belly button. It is SO gross. It makes me squirmish just writing it. Today she was wearing a onesie (not sure how to spell that) and everytime I asked her where her belly button was she couldn't find it! She kept trying to pull the onesie up at her thigh, but she couldn't get it up that high. Maybe that's cruel, but I just thought it was so funny.


The best laugh today from Sarah-Grace was at dinner. She helped me make chicken chili and corn bread for dinner tonight. She was SO proud of herself, probably because she was able to actually participate more with this recipe. Tad flew in from Philly and got home after we had eaten. He was sitting down to eat when Sarah-Grace was twirling around him talking a million mile a minute. She kept saying over and over again how she helped me and what she did. Tad was half paying attention to her while trying to eat, update me, and helping Charlotte climb back into her high chair (because of course she wasn't going to miss another chance to eat). SO Sarah-Grace realizing she wasn't getting the proper respect for her time and efforts sat down quietly across from Tad and said "Your welcome for dinner, daddy". It worked like a charm, it got his attention and his tickle bone. She is a southern belle yet!!

On another note...I can't believe the Hills only has one more episode and if Lauren actually gives up the opportunity to go to Paris with Vogue magazine (Teen or not) for that loser Jason she is an IDIOT and doesn't deserve her own show.

On an even other note...Does anyone watch Project Runway and if you do WHY HAVEN'T YOU TOLD ME ABOUT IT!! I stumbled upon this show last week in reruns and I have become ADDICTED. I really don't think I will be able to make it until next week to see who gets kicked off. I really hope its not Kayne - I like him. I even watched the flippin Ms. Universe pagent on Sunday because I saw Kayne design Ms. USA's dress on last week's show and I had to see her wear it on stage. Seriously, if you've been watching it - you've been holding out on me and I just don't think that's right. It's not what friends do. Real friends share their trashy reality TV, its how we bond.

On an even another, other note...I love Stephen Colbert. I find him attractive and sexy. He's actually daringly close to knocking George Clooney out of the "top spot" on my "lust list". What can I say, I love a man who makes me laugh. If you have cable and you don't watch , well that's just sad and a waste of cable. If you don't have cable, I'm not sure we're really friends - after all what do we have to talk about and bond over? Just kidding!!

Ho Hum

Not much to report this week. Sarah-Grace is in Waycross and I miss her a lot! When I told her that over the phone tonight she responded by saying (sarcastically of course) "I'll be home soon mama". Oh, yeah and guess what Tori and Julie had me buy last week - a tooth fairy pillow. Apparently Sarah-Grace will most likely begin losing teeth next year?! Can you believe that. She's my baby!! I'm so glad I have them as sisters. Tori had me buy the pillow and Julie recomended a book PARTS to read to her to prepare her for what's to come. I could be clueless without their help. I think I'm going to need a year to prepare for the fact that my baby isn't a baby anymore.
Speaking of my baby - Charlotte never ceases to amaze us. She is as kooky and adorable as ever. The child is mischieviously brilliant. She is running me rampant without Sarah-Grace to wrangle or "tattle" her in. When out of sight Sarah-Grace is always filling me in on what Charlotte is getting into. I wish there was more to do with her at this age. The zoo is too far away and too hot right now. Other than that or the mall and the playground I have nothing to treat her too. Oh well. That's it for now.

Play Days

These are just some pictures of the girls playing around. Charlotte loves for Sarah-Grace to read her this book. Its an Anne Gedes book about colors. Its the only time she will sit in her lap - willingly.

July 4th Weekend 2006

Things I remember from this July 4th Weekend...

• The fact that Kelly and Tad "broke the tap" at the lake over Memorial Day weekend - so July 4th was fair game.
• Tommy asking for his own glass of Sangria.
• Kristi going to buy boiled peanuts for everyone and me swearing I smelled chocolate SOMEWHERE. Then us getting back to the boat and realizing Elliott already bought boiled peanuts.
• Charlotte eating an entire bag of boiled peanuts on the boat - with Aunt Karen and Kim feeding them to her.
• Charlotte eating the ENTIRE weekend, unless she was sleeping.
• Tevon asking if Rick could make him "bald" too.
• Us lugging the kids out to see the Raysville fireworks and them constantly asking us if we can get closer, then Kelly saying "its the sky - you can't get any closer in a boat".
• Sitting on the boat and someone asking where's Tevin while we were suppose to be watching him. Tevin then climbing onto someone else's boat.
• Rick thinking I'm staring at him putting on sunscreen. Rick then giving me something to stare at while putting on sunscreen.
• Kelly describing how she likes her bacon!
• Charlotte's pigtails.
• Kim coloring by herself, then showing Sarah-Grace the right way to color. Rick & I coloring together.
• Rick wearing his "Old Army" shirt at the same time Tad wore his "Where My Peeps At" shirt. Tad's disappointment when he realized Rick wasn't actually wearing his out in public.
• Rick & Tad taking Tori, Devon, Marrisa and Sarah-Grace to the movies to see Superman.
• Sarah-Grace being so fascinated with Superman she cut in line at the bathroom not to miss any parts of the movie (I think more than once). Then, her impression of Superman flying right, left, slow, fast and with Louise Lane.
• Kelly, Kristi and I spending $30 combined on candy at the gas station.
• Sitting down to watch a movie we had talked about all day and it dawning on Connie the DVD player wasn't hooked up. Kristi and I FINALLY hooking up the DVD player.
• Devon being FASCINATED with fishing - especially with bait. Rick actually learining that I do know how to catch a catfish (with hotdogs or chicken livers).
• Kelly's face when she saw a stray dog take Devon's hotdog he planned to use as fish bait.
• Floating in the water and Cabanana Tad.
• Tad not letting Kristi throw away hot beer.
• Kristi finding "booty" music all weekend and turning it up.
• Kristi recounting how she was always made to eat spaghetti while the other Thompson girls ate noodles and cheese. And how if she finished her drink before she finished her meal she wasn't allowed more drink. She stills carries these atrocities to this day. We still don't understand those rules.
• Us realizing why the Little River Marina fireworks were 29 minutes long (because when you put one firework off every 30 seconds it can last up to 29 minutes).
• Learning that Rick loves him some flashlights.
• The fact that when Connie first started going to Starbucks she had to use a piece of paper where I wrote down what to order (this was prior to her once-a-day addiction). I don't know why but I think that is just so cute she carried it around!
• Connie making a detour for Starbucks on a trip to Lowes (I LOVE HER).
• Tommy saying he didn't think selling boats is a good career because who would buy boats around the LAKE.
• Using buckets of water to fill up the washing machine so it wouldn't take an hour and a half to wash one load of laundry.
• Sarah-Grace calling Rick daddy - more than once.
• Just before we left, Tommy asking us to write down the sangria recipe - the look on David's face when he realized we had sangria the whole weekend and he didn't get any.

Sunflower Festival 2006

We just got back in town last night from our weekend trip. I've promised to blog all the details (and give some name shout outs... and that does include you Rick) but I'm running short on time today. So, today I'm blogging the Rutledge Sunflower festival...

OK, so I've been really excited about this festival since I read about it in my Southern Living magazine forever ago. It' s 12 acres of sunflowers, a parade, arts and crafts for sale, and you can pick your own sunflowers for $7. The festival is in Rutledge, GA which is 9 miles from the Madison exit that I know how to get to PLUS its sort of on the way to the lake (which is where we were headed for the weekend). SO, I loaded myself, Sarah-Grace, Charlotte and Tori in the car Saturday morning to head to Rutledge and then after that to Clarks Hill lake for July 4th. I thought this will be a piece of cake and Sarah-Grace was just as excited as I was.

It took about an hour to get to Madison (exit 114) and me being the oh-so-smart-and-organized mom decided to stop at the nice gas station and go potty and change diapers so we could get it out of the way. It then took another 15 minutes to get to Rutledge, Keenchafoonee Road (about 3 miles from the Sunflower Festival). Then it took 45 MINUTES to go the next 3 miles to the festival. That's right apparently thousands of other people read Southern Living like me. People from Alabama and South Carolina (at least those were the licenses we could read while waiting to park for 45 MINUTES). But alas, we finally pulled into our front row parking space (yes God was shining on us because of our patience).

I wasn't banking on the 45 minutes to go the last 3 miles and park and so I had to speed up my time table for the day. But I wasn't panicked, nope I just had to nix the strolling throught the arts and crafts. We would just go in, pick some sunflowers, and check out a few booths - yep everything was under control. So, Tori and I head in, we go straight to the info booth who points us to the line to pick your own bouquet. The line wasn't too long, granted we were beginning to get hot, but so far so good. I took a few pictures and got really excited when I saw the bouquets people were holding around us. Some man even came up and handed me a pair of clippers and told me they had run out so I could have his pair. Yes, everything was going to be fine.

So we get up to the line, pay our $14 for 2 vases and 2 pick your own bouquets and head out into the field of sunflowers. Now, being the oh-so-smart-and-organized mom I dressed myself and the girls in white halter shirts and khaki skorts because I knew it would be hot. What I didn't know was that 2 minutes into the "picking your own sunflowers" we would be drenched in sweat because of the 100 degrees it is outside. Not to mention that its really dry and sunflowers must grow best in dark red Georgia clay because each of us are beginning to be covered in it. But have no fear, Tori is pushing through the field with me and a smile on her face so everything is going to be fine. See Tori, see her smile...

SO, we begin to walk and see the photo op set out in the sunflower field. Tori and I lug the kiddies, the camera and the diaper bag out to it and get our picture. And I'm so glad I did or I wouldn't have been able to capture this moment.. Look closely, you see anything?

Yes, the cute babies, and the sweet aunt willing to put up with all this, but no this would be the exact moment Sarah-Grace informs us she has to go potty again. POTTY AGAIN! My paitence is beginning to wear, not with her really - she is only 4 and it could be worse she could be informing us she wet her pants or something. But seriously I thought ahead, planned it right, we stopped in the nice, clean air conditioned restrooms 12 miles ago so this exact moment wouldn't happen! OK, so I don't freak out maybe its just a false alarm. Sometimes she says she has to go when she really doesn't or she can at least wait until after we are done picking sunflowers, we'll be quick about it.

SO, Tori and I (Tori beginning to look a little discouraged)and the kiddies and the camera and the diaper bag forge on. We walk through the sunflower patch to the appropraite place to begin cutting and Sarah-Grace is starting to cry. SO FINE, we will just lug everyone and everything over to the porta potties and THEN pick our own bouquet. I'm irritated, but I'll get over it. So we walk to the LONG line of the porta potties. Charlotte looks like she has had a shower she is sweating so much and her diaper is looking pretty poofy (probably the entire cup of apple juice she drank the last 45 minutes in the car). Tori is not so happy about this adventure she has signed herself up for and Sarah-Grace is jumping up and down announcing every 30 seconds she has to go potty real bad. We spot a tent with a sign out front "Changing Station". Thank God for small town churches and the sweet and sensible outreach ideas they have because the women from local churches set up a tent with a changing table, wipes, all size diapers and a rocking chair (even a nursing tent) for babies and new moms. Tori offered to go change Charlotte for me while I waited with Sarah-Grace to go potty. I love that girl. We waited a few minutes longer and then it was our turn for the potty.

Now, Sarah-Grace has never been in a porta potty. She walks in and announces that "this is disgusting". I have had about enough. I announce to her that yes it is which is why we stopped 12 miles back for her to go potty in a nice, clean place. She is grossed out and asking me a million questions while I am trying to hold my breath (100 degrees outside and porta potties...you get the drift or rather stench that I was trying not to inhale) and help her go potty. Five minutes later and very frustrated mommy and confused and grossed out little girl and we are out of the porta potty and washing our hands.

We walk back and find Tori and I can see on her face she is at her breaking point, Charlotte is beat red and soaked through with sweat, Sarah-Grace has had about enough of me and I have to make the decision every mother has to when she's planned out a well devised, well anticipated perfect family outing. I let go of that picture perfect trip to the sunflower festival and move to the "abandon-ship" plan. We've all been there (if your a mom). I send Tori back to the air conditioned car to wait for Sarah-Grace and I while we run a 15 minute marathon to pick as many flowers as we possibly can to cover the $14 I just paid and to some how salvage this trip. I needed some fruit (or flowers rather) for the hard labor I had put into planning and executing this outing. Sarah-Grace and I ran to the front of the sunflower patch and just picked as many as we could hold as fast as we could. We picked enough flowers to fill both vases and then ran back to the parking lot. We stopped long enough to take this picture at the entrance. (At this point I was thinging this event could be like a wedding - as long as I had a few good pictures left over that made it look pretty all the actual details would slowly be forgotten.) Notice Sarah-Grace's hair glued to her head from sweat and you may be able to see the red clay paste that has formed on her from the dust and her sweat out in the field.

We get back to the car and Tori has had to use almost an entire bag of wipes on her and Charlotte just to get the red clay and dust off of them (thank goodness I had an extra box of wipes in the back of the car for me and Sarah-Grace). I snapped a few more pictures on the way out of the parking lot and we were off to the lake. Sarah-Grace was quite entertained for the next hour while she cleaned her feet with wipes.

After months of excitement, planning and patience we spent exactly 1 hour at the festival (15 minutes walking in, getting in line, paying for the pick your own bouquet and walking out to the sunflower field, 30 minutes going potty, and 15 minutes actually picking sunflowers), but the memory we made was priceless. Hopefully next year won't be so bad. Yes, I know I'm insane.

Contest

So I don't have much time to blog today. But I had to get this in. There is currently a contest in the Thompson family over who is the "oldest-young couple". Julie & Elliott had us beat when they bought an RV/camper last fall, however Tad and I aged ourselves quite a bit today with the purchase of a pontoon boat. I guess we'll let y'all decide.

With or Without You

I just got done looking at the first pictures of my friend Beth, her hubby Matt and the son they are in the process of adopting from Guatemala, Eli. This visit is a long time coming and I know its going to be SO hard for them to leave without him. I can't even imagine. The only feeling that I can liken it to is when we had to leave the hospital without Charlotte. That was the worst feeling in the world, especially because we had no set date of when she would be coming home. It felt like a giant weight in my chest that just overwhelmed me. And that isn't even close to what Beth is going through. At least Northside is only 45 minutes away and I could drive to see Charlotte and hold her during her "touch times". I LIVED for those minutes and I was crushed when they were over. I would get be so anxious every day until I saw her and then I would get this high while I was there, and when we left I just felt deflated and weighed down. Its hard to describe, but I will never forget that feeling. And seeing Beth in those pictures just reminds me of it. I am praying that Eli will come home soon, but I'm praying right now for Beth and her return from this trip.

Any Given Tuesday

We didn't do much today. The girls and I arranged some flowers I bought on clearance at Kroger, we made mini fritattas and sausage patties for brunch, I pin curled Sarah-Grace's hair for fun while Charlotte took a nap, we made another chocolate mousse cake and we ordered pizza for dinner. Charlotte learned how to cross her arms and it is so funny. (I know the picture is blurry but you have to catch the poses when you can). I love the summer! Tomorrow I promised Sarah-Grace we would make strawberry jam to go with the honey roasted peanut butter she made last week. Life is good.