TWO BY TWO - Stories

I had two goals today. One was to clean the woodwork (baseboards, cabinets and walls) in the kitchen and the other was to clean out my closet. I was able to get the kitchen done before I picked up Gabrielle and Connor from school. The closet however was another story. I was dreading it beyond words. It was such a mess. I had thrown things in there right and left and not sorted out winter/summer clothes either. Oh... just opening the door made me cringe. I keep a pretty uncluttered house but I tend to use my closet as a hiding place. When I put the babies down for naps I went in the closet with three trash bags and 4 storage bins. 3 1/2 hours later I had it done. There is so much trash, goodwill and storage you wouldn't believe it. The rest of my house has suffered since I was hiding in the closet all day. I stopped at 4:30 to cook supper. The kids ate really well so I promised them ice cream sundaes. They dribbled sticky ice cream and chocolate syrup all over the place. I had to scrub each one down before we could even think of leaving the table. I ate standing up in between helping feed Brady and Cooper as well as refilling drinks and plates. It was like a 3 ring circus... make that 5 ring circus. As I speak there is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, lima beans and corn bread from floor to ceiling. Brady dropped an entire plate of food on the floor and it's still sitting there. I had to sit down a minute and re-group.

Can it really be November? Christmas is next month and that just blows my mind. It's going way too fast. Let's start with Halloween... it poured rain but that didn't stop us from hitting every house in the neighborhood with a porch light on. We loaded up in Memaw's van (minus Cooper and plus Owen and his Dad). I would pull up to the curb, open the handicap ramp and they flew out with a huge purpose. Connor fell several times running on the wet driveways but he survived. Gabrielle went as Tinkerbell. It was a struggle to help her pick out a costume. She insisted on being Spiderman. I didn't make a big deal of it but secretly really wanted her to be something girlie. I mentioned to her that if she were Tink she could wear make-up. Well, that's all it took to find her inner-Diva. She was adorable! She bopped around trying her best to fly. Connor wanted to be Superman but decided his cape was choking him. He settled on Black SpiderMan. He looks good in anything he wears. Jackson woke up with costume in hand begging to know how many more hours till dark. I have never seen him so excited... even Christmas. This year Christmas should be lots of fun! Jackson couldn't decide what to dress up as...a Soccer Player, Karate Master... Ninja... Optimus Prime... Pirate. Finally he decided on Batman. Cutest Batman EVER! Brady and Cooper were supposed to be Pumpkins. They would not hear of putting on the costume. They fought and fussed until we finally gave up. I dressed them in identical outfits and said they could just be Twins! Turns out Cooper didn't want to leave the t.v. and Barney so he stayed behind with GG to hand out candy. Brady didn't even want to go to the door. He stayed behind and watched. Oh well... can't win them all, right?

GG and Larry watched the kids Saturday night while Brad and I went to a Halloween party. It was Dr. Davila's 70th Birthday party. Everyone was dressed up in the best costumes. The best one was a Hooter Girl with a fake pregnant belly. She had a blond wig on and high calf socks. I thought it was so funny. Mr. Clean, Dracula, Witches, Chick Fil A Cows, German Warlocks, Pirates, Old men with black socks and sandals, Babies, Stalkers, Goin' Postal Guys, Blind Refs and Japanese Geisha's and Tooth Fairy's to name a few. Everyone went all out on the costumes which made it lots of fun. Brad and I were Caesar and a Roman Empress. I thought our costumes were great. We got lots of compliments. Brad said he felt like a goon wearing a toga but I think he secretly liked it!

Sunday morning (after our extra hour sleep) we went to church. It was a great sermon on what God expects from us in our workplace. no matter what our job requires we should do it as missionaries to glorify Him. It was very motivating. After church we ate at Cheeseburger Bobby's. Then we came home to clean up the house. Brad worked on the garage while I cleaned up inside. My friend Jessica and her husband Mike came over with their two daughters Baby Ella and Baby Savannah. The kids love those babies so much. You would think with all the kids in the family they would not be so enamored with other kids. No so! They babied and followed them around. They all had to hold Savannah who is only 6 weeks old. They were so sweet. The babies absolutely loved Savannah. They wanted to touch her and point out all her facial features. We spent the evening eating chili and ice cream sundaes. We had a great time and I'm very thankful for my new friend.

Papa has been here most of the week. He left yesterday feeling exhausted. I wonder why? LOL He did a lot of babysitting while he was here. On Tuesday morning I left the house at 9am and headed to the Atlanta Mart to meet Mom and Aunt Cathy. We were so excited to be out and shopping. We shopped until 5pm! We were about to drop by Noon but there was no way we were stopping after only 3 hours. We hit the Gift Mart, Apparel Mart, Merchandise Mart and the Home and Garden Mart. We all got some great great deals. I left with teacher/bus driver gifts, 3 outfits for Sissy, a pair of earrings for myself, a beautiful lemon and kumquat centerpiece for my dining room table, two wall mirrors, a sconce and two wooden marionette style safari lion and elephant puppets to hang from Brady and Cooper's ceiling. Aunt Cathy got a steal on a console table and Mom picked up some Christmas gifts, too. We were delirious by the time the day was over. Our feet were all pounding in pain but it was worth it. Whatever woman came up with the phrase "Shop till you drop!" knew exactly what she was talking about. After shopping I met Brad for dinner at PF Changs. We had a great time talking and enjoying each others company. Wednesday morning I took Gabrielle and Connor to school and then hit Starbucks for a coffee. I had to be back at their school at 10:15am for their Fall party. I was in charge of coordinating the festivities. There were 4 other Mom's helping so it didn't take much effort. I was in charge of snacks and then I delegated out story time, games, crafts and room decor. The kids were so cute in their costumes. Gabrielle decided she wanted to be a cowgirl. She wore a red flannel shirt with a rope tied around her waist... black leggings and cowgirl boots. Her hair was in low pig tails and we painted freckles on her face. She was adorable. The boots were mine when I was her age. Connor wanted to be Superman. I was surprised he made it through the whole day wearing that costume. He looked sweet, too. They seemed to have a good time. Their expressions are so hard to read. They never smiled and didn't participate very much. I don't understand what was going on. I thought I'd talk to their teacher next week and see if they are like that all the time or if it was just the circumstances that had them so reserved. Their personalities are so different than Jackson. They are really shy around strangers and large groups. I don't know who they get that from? Weird...

Marci came yesterday afternoon and I took off. I had a lot of errands to run and was home by 5pm. It was still great to be out alone and not in a hurry. The kids are all starting to get sick. Gabrielle has a cold and Brady and Cooper have strep throat. Cooper's pediatrician called me Tuesday and said that the strep test did come back positive after all. So they are both on antibiotics and I'm giving Sissy breathing treatments for her cough. I can deal with this kind of sick... it's the flu and stomach virus that I'm praying will elude us.

I didn't take the kids to church yesterday. I wanted to keep Cooper home one more day. He still had a sore throat yesterday morning. I could tell by how he swallowed and he kept spitting out his food. By the end of the day he seemed much better. Since we were stuck in the house I went hay wire. Y'all know how I get when I can't get out and go! I started cleaning out drawers and cabinets in the kitchen... laundry room... office and Sissy's closet. I also vacuumed the house and swept the floors. When Brad got home there were loads of trash bags in the garage waiting to be hauled off. It is wonderful to purge junk! After I spent hours cleaning I decided to take the kids outside to play. I trimmed all the hedges and laid10 bales of pine straw then blew off the walk and drive way. Brad finished yard work while I gave the kids baths and fed them. They were all in the bed by 8pm so I decided to rearrange my linen closet, bathroom drawers and cabinets. I'm telling you I was out of control! It's so nice though to have it all done. I still have a few more closets to work on as well as the storage room in the basement. I'm bound and determined to know where everything in this house is located. I hate having to check 5 different areas before I finally find the wrapping paper.

I'm meeting Mom and Aunt Cathy this morning at the Merchandise Mart. It should be a wonderful day. Just being around adults for 8 hours will be worth it. Brad and the kids had a great time hunting this weekend. He hunted with Gabrielle and Connor and they took a doe. The kids thought it was so cool. They were all giving high fives and saying, "You're the best Daddy!" Brad said they made some great memories. He said they looked so sweet bouncing through the woods in full camo. Gabrielle and Connor were holding hands saying, "Let's look for deers..." Of course they came back filthy... again. Gabrielle's hair was in the same blame hair bows I had put in before she left. Her hair had not even been brushed! Brad told me I forgot to pack the brush. I told him he could have run in the dollar store and bought one. He said, "I didn't think of that." Duhhhh!

GG and Aunt Cathy came over yesterday and spent the night. They got here around lunch. I was able to get a last minute hair appointment which I was so desperate for. My color was looking like something between a old stray cat and a bottle of bronze spray tan. Not a good combo! After my hair appointment I went to Verizon to get Brad a new phone. He's had his for a couple years and it was not holding a charge. Anyway, I go into the store and they tell me we are both available for upgrades. If you bought one phone you got the 2nd one free. Well, I didn't need a new phone but who can beat a buy one get one?!? I talked myself (and Brad) into a Blackberry Storm. It has unlimited Internet service and email. I thought it would be so much fun. Brad said he didn't want all that "jazz" and to get him a plain ole' cell phone. I've had this Blackberry for less than 24 hours and I think I made a huge mistake. I can barely dial a phone number much less check my email or surf the web. I called the agent back today and told her how discouraged I was. She said, "I'll do whatever you want switching the phone but I think if you will let me sit down with you for a while and help you learn the basics you will love it!" I am going to have a lesson on Monday. She said she would spend as much time as I need until I get it. I hope she has a couple hours! When I came back from the store yesterday afternoon GG had a full blown country dinner on the table. Fried pork chops, collard greens with vinegar, pinto beans, cole slaw and corn bread along with a fresh Orange Cake. Y'all... I ate 3 pork chops and a pot of beans on my own! It was so yummy. This is the type of food I grew up eating everyday. My Mom's Mom, Maw-Maw, lived with us and cooked like that all the time. There was no picking up dinner on the way home in her house. I know that's why I love to cook so much to this day. There are meals that I cook and wish more than anything my Maw-Maw could tell me how good it was and she was proud of me. For my family cooking is more than food. It's putting your heart and soul into something you create for your family. That meal took a good two days to prepare and it was worth every minute of effort on my Mom's part. We talked about Maw-Maw with each bite remembering things she used to say and do and how special she was to our family. Food was the center of every family gathering. The menu was more important than the occasion. It meant all of my Aunts and Great Aunts shuffling around the kitchen bickering, laughing and picking on one another and shooing the men and kids out of the kitchen. I miss her more than words can express. She left a great legacy behind that I will pass onto my children as well.

Now that we finally have heat the temperature outside has been in the 70's... go figure? We've spent a lot of time outside this week and it's been so much fun. The weather has been so pleasant. The kids have had a blast. Last night I had the women from my Mom's Group bible study over. We made fleece tie blankets to donate to a charity. I had spinach dip, brownies and a cheese ball for everyone to enjoy. We had a lot of fun and it was a great comfortable way to get to know everyone. By the time everyone left I was exhausted. I grabbed a pillow and blanket and stretched out on the couch by the fireplace outside. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep. Brad came out a little later and we talked for a while. I had to stop him mid sentence to go to bed. I couldn't keep my eyes open. The kids all slept until 8:45am. I was so thankful.

The weekend has been really cold. The highs in the low 50's and dropping really low in the morning. It's unusual for GA to be this cool in October. I'm a hot box and refuse to complain. Normally you can't get it too cold for me. However, this weekend has been freezing. I checked the thermostat on Friday morning only to find out the house wasn't warming. It was showing 64 degrees. Brad was already out of town and it was too late to call the heating guy. I called the next best person... Don. He said his heating guy was coming out Friday for their regular maintenance. He said that they would come by my house and check it out. They showed up around noon. When they took the cover off the furnace they found two dead birds in the exhaust pipe. I had been smelling something foul for a while now but we couldn't figure out what it was. Remember a while back I swore there was something dead in the storage room? Well, my nose did not deceive me... it took my breath when they found them. The grill cover had come off the pipe in the back of the house and the birds had made their way too far. We thought that would fix the problem. Friday night the house was still freezing. I called the guy back and they will come look at it on Monday. My bedroom and the upstairs is heating so at least the kids and I are warm when we go to bed. It's the basement and the rest of the first floor that have no heat. On top of that the gas logs in the keeping room are also out. So I couldn't even use those to warm us up. I resorted to turning the oven on 400 and opening the oven door for a while. That really worked. The trick was keeping the babies out of the kitchen.

Uncle Ernie came over to visit yesterday. He got Sissy and I beautiful bracelets custom made in Greece. He did a wonderful job picking out all the stones. Gabrielle's has pink and crystal stones with these little pink bows and a hello kitty charm. She has worn it nonstop and even puts it next to her bed at night. I also got a gorgeous necklace. The boys all got T-shirts. They will be excited over them. Uncle Ernie had a great time touring Greece. He gave me all the details including the great food. I can only hope one day I'll travel the country and see all the beautiful land God has created.

I've had such a good time with the three kids this weekend. We've spent a lot of quality time together that I wouldn't take anything for. Gabrielle is such a Mommy's girl it just melts my heart. She talks so big I have to remind myself she's only 3! All she wants for her birthday are purple roller skates. We searched the Internet last night and found some pink ones she said she would settle for instead. They are really cute and she'll be thrilled. I told Brad to prepare himself for another trip to the Orthopedic! When I was a little girl I fell and broke my arm skating on the side walk. I swore that the wind blew me down. My parents still bring that up. Connor wants a big truck with a trailer. Not just a pretend one but a real adult truck and trailer. Hello! How do I convince him he can't have that? I have to come up with something brilliant to satisfy him.

Brad had a good time with the boys. He said for the most part they did a great job staying quiet. Last night Brad was getting ready to take a shot at a doe when Jackson jumped out of his sleep and dropped the DVD player. That woke up Connor too and he started crying and screaming, "I'm hungry!" Of course the deer snorted and ran off at mock speed. Brad didn't think it was too funny but I on the other hand cracked up!!! I'm excited to hear the boys interpretation of the weekend. Connor hunted with Grandpa this morning and they took a doe. Connor walked up to it and said, "Totally awesome!" I wish we had a bunch of land for the kids to explore. They love the outdoors as much as Brad and I do. Maybe one day...

Tomorrow marks a very very special and important day in the Harris house.,, Opening Day of Gun Season for Deer. Wow! Before we had kids I used to wake Brad up at 4am and say "Come on... let's just go!" I couldn't wait. It is a hobby that I really do have a passion for. However, since we've had children life has changed. I no longer get to hunt every weekend during hunting season. I am lucky and I mean lucky to go 3 times. This weekend Brad took Jackson and Connor for their first hunting trip. I got them both all new camo pants, shirts, jackets, book bags and boots. They are packed with snacks, candy and toys to entertain themselves while in the stand. Brad will take Jackson with him since he's the most fidgety and Grandpa will take Connor since he's the quietest. I packed Jackson's DVD player with headphones so maybe that will keep him entertained. Connor will not need anything but the woods to satisfy his curiosity. I can't wait to hear from Brad in the morning and see how it went. I just hope they see deer. Jackson's already quoted his famous words, "Dad... Ain't no women telling us what to do this weekend, right?" LOL

Gabrielle and the babies stayed behind with Mommy. GG came to keep us company. She watched the kids while Kim and I went to lunch. After the boys naps we all went out on the town. Mom and I decided we needed caffeine so we hit Target. First stop... Starbucks. Of course, Gabrielle wanted coffee, too. She got a tall, nonfat, decaf, kid temp, Carmel Latte. She loved it! The babies finished off what she didn't. Hey, every kid needs a good coffee every once in a while. Each morning the babies run to the coffee pot and say "Fa-fie" (coffee). I have to pour a drop in the milk and they are so happy. They see how I treat it like it's gold and they know it must be something pretty special. After Starbucks we shopped at Target. We got Sampson, Mom's Dog, a Rooster costume for Halloween. SO cute... Then we picked out baby shower gifts for a friend. We walked down the toy aisle so Gabrielle could see all the items she HAS TO HAVE. We hit the bedding department and women's department, too. After Target we went to Blockbuster for movie night. Gabrielle picked out Tiger and Pooh Haunted Halloween movie. Mom and I chose DOUBT and NIGHTS IN RODANTHE. Our last stop was dinner at LongHorn Steakhouse. That was Gabrielle's pick. We made it though dinner with the babies and no major disasters. Cooper was getting really restless about the last 8 minutes. I shoved half a chopped steak down my mouth and took the babies outside. When GG and I got in the car we gave a high five in celebration of making through dinner. When we got home we put the babies right down and Sissy was soon to follow. We watched Doubt tonight and it was a good movie. GG then helped me sort out all the older boys summer clothes, fish out garbage clothes that were in too bad shape to pass on to the babies and then store the rest for the babies. It didn't take too long having her help. The rest of the night we spent covered up on the couch and chair with a fuzzy blanket (thanks Lisa) watching DVR of Modern Family (hilarious) and Intervention. Two of my favs! We didn't get in bed until midnight and now I'm typing away on the computer. I'll hate myself in the morning for not sleeping when I had the chance.

Okay... so update on the babies. Cooper has been showing readiness for potty training. When he gets out of the tub he wants to pee. I tell him "Wait... stop the Pee Pee" and shoot him on the potty. He didn't want to sit down though. So he walked over to the potty chair, stood in front of it, bent his knees and went pee pee. Oh my goodness, the whole house did the potty dance, clapped and cheered like no tomorrow. Tonight before bed I was putting on their pj's. I said, "Cooper, let's make the potty come out." He sat down on the potty chair and then said NO while he turned around, bent his knees, stood in front of the potty chair and went pee pee. He was so proud of himself he couldn't believe how awesome it was that he had control over that little thing! I asked him if that was all the pee pee and he pushed hard till he tooted and then he said, "All done... awesome!" Oh so sweet! Of course, Brady did his best to try. He would sit and say, "I pee pee!" He sat down at one point and I said, "Make pee pee." He had a strange look jumped off the seat and went in the floor. Oh well, he knew the timing was right but the aim was way off. I told Brad that he and the rest of the boys are going to need to sit down to pee for a few weeks so they can see it's okay to sit. I don't mind the standing but I have to chase it with the potty chair! Soon.... Soon... Soon... there will be a life without diapers. I can see the light... closer... closer!

I am back from Indy and I had a wonderful time. It felt as if I had never left. Lisa picked me up from the airport on Friday night. She had a OK magazine, a pack of Twizzlers and the movie section of the newspaper. All our favorite things! We had dinner at Red Robin then saw The Informant with Matt Damon. (Horrible movie...) After the movie we went back to Lisa's. We put on our pj's and watched t.v. The next morning she made a breakfast casserole and coffee. I slept in and it was great! How often do we as Mom's sleep as late as we want and wake up to a hot breakfast and coffee? After breakfast Lisa went to the Buddy Walk. I went straight to Jamie's. I was thrilled to see my friend. Jamie was the first person I met in Indy and she means a lot to me. Being that she's only 26 years old I feel like I can live my early years through her. We went to Panera for coffee and talked for two hours about life, marriage and her new baby boy due in February. Cruz is the name they have picked out. Cruz Bullard... has a nice ring, huh? After our chat we did a little shopping. After I left Jamie's I went back to Lisa's and took a nap! Lisa had prepared my room just the way I like it. I had a ceiling fan and a bedside fan! I kept the room freezing cold. She had repainted her bathroom and put a new shower curtain and accessories. When I took a shower I found brand new Bath and Body Works products waiting for me. I felt like I was at the spa! Thank you Lisa for making my trip so amazing. I miss you more than words. Spending time with you and your family was something I will never forget.

Saturday night there were 15 of my favorite people all in the same room. Everyone had prepared a Mexican dish (my favorite) to bring. We ate dinner and then spent the next 5 hours laughing, catching up and remembering old times. Once we said our goodbye's Lisa and I stayed up until 1:30am. We felt like school girls giggling and trying not to wake up the rest of the house. Sunday morning we had time for a Bob Evan's breakfast and a trip to the Halloween store before she dropped me off at the airport. Brad and I have a party to attend and I needed help with costumes. We decided Brad would be Caesar and I'm the Roman Empress. We said our goodbyes without shedding tears and making plans for the next reunion. The weekend was too great to end it with sadness.

The airport ended up being the only pain in my side this weekend. I didn't want to check a bag because it cost $20 so I stuffed everything I own in my suitcase including my hair products. Now y'all know how important hair products are to a woman. When I went through checkpoint they did a search on my bag. My product bottles were all under 8 oz which is what I thought was allowed. Turns out the limit is 3.5 and they told me to throw it away or check my bag. I was not about to throw $40 of products away so I had to go back and check my bag. I was so ill! Anyway, after that fiasco I headed to my gate. The flight was overbooked and they were asking for volunteers to take the next flight. I called Brad to see if he could pick me up later so I could get the $400 voucher. He said yes and I should go for it. So I waiting an extra 3 hours which was well worth $400. I wanted to go with Brad to Colorado in November and this will more than pay for my flight with some left over.

It seems like he faired well with the kids. He said if it were up to him they would all be overweight. He fed them nothing but Chick Fil A, pizza and Mtn Dew all weekend. I scoured their teeth when I got home. It will be lots of veggies this week, too. He got the whole family to Jackson's 9am soccer game Saturday, too. I was very very impressed on that one. Jackson scored 5 goals! He's really getting the hang of dribbling. Sunday am he managed to get everyone up and at church on time as well. He said they weren't the best dressed kids but they were clothed. He found some 4T dress in the closet and squeezed Sissy into it. He finished off the ensemble with white patten leather sandals from this summer. He had to move at least 4 beautiful dresses out of the way to find that old raggy dress he put her in. He said he didn't know if it was okay to wear those yet. ???? What???? Anyway... he did a great job and the kids had fun. That's what matters, right?

The babies are feeling much better. I noticed yesterday that Brady also had some blisters on his tongue. I felt so sorry for them. They slept a lot and went to bed early, too. The best thing they could do was sleep. This morning I kept Gabrielle and Connor home from school. I wasn't sure how the babies would wake up feeling and didn't want to get them out of the house if I didn't have to. However, Brady and Cooper woke up feeling much much better. They ate and played like normal. I had Marci to go ahead and come today to watch the kids. I was desperate for clothes shopping. Plus, I am going to Indiana this weekend (hip hip hooray) to visit my girl's and needed clothes for cooler weather. I left the house at 1:45pm and didn't get home until 9pm. I shopped until I dropped. I ended up with 2 pairs of jeans, 2 sweaters, 6 shirts and a pair of boots. I won't have to shop for myself the rest of the year!!! I hate shopping but it really was a fun day. I made Kim go with me. She drove separate knowing she wouldn't shop as long as me. We ate at PF Chang's for lunch. We had Lettuce Wraps and Egg Rolls. It was wonderful. I made her go into American Eagle to look for jeans. We tried on a couple of pairs and laughed our heads off. They were way to low in the rise and looked like a dog had mauled them. She asked the sales guy if they had jeans for the elderly. It was hilarious!

Two more days and I am in Indiana. I fly into Indy at 4:15pm. Lisa will pick me up from the airport. She and I are going to dinner and a movie then back to her house for a "sleepover." I want to stay up late and laugh!!! Saturday I have plans to see Jamie and meet her husband. I can't wait to see her round pregnant belly. Saturday evening I'll see all my girlfriends at Lisa's for a get together. I can't believe I'm really going. It's been a year and a half since I've been up there. Lisa is the only person I've seen since. Brad will be here with the kids. I can't wait to hear how he fairs with soccer practice, games, naps and other daily routines. It should make a good story.

October 6, 2009

Wow! After such a great weekend something just had to go wrong. Cooper had been acting very irritable Saturday afternoon through yesterday. He kept holding his mouth tightly closed and drooling. I checked his mouth thinking he had a tooth coming in and saw a blister of some type on his tongue. It looked like he had maybe bit it or something. That explained why he wouldn't eat, too. Yesterday morning Brady woke up with a low grade fever. I gave him some Motrin and kept about the day. He seemed a little lazy but otherwise fine. We went to the pediatrician for well checks and flu shots yesterday afternoon. By the time we got there Brady's fever was back up. Needless to say, he didn't get his flu shot. When the doctor did Cooper's checkup he looked in his throat and said immediately "He has Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease." His poor throat and tongue were full of painful blisters. There is nothing that can be done except give him Motrin for pain and lots of fluids. He's pitiful and really hurting. I had to put a bib on him today to absorb some of the drool. He wants to eat but when he tries the pain is too much. Brady woke up with a fever again this morning. He's moping around and I can tell he feels terrible. I wish I could take it away. I hate when they are sick. So, Cooper also wasn't able to get his flu shot. The other 3 however did get it. They were so brave. I was really proud of them. They all received milk shakes and dinner at Chick Fil A for their good behavior. It was a chaotic and long afternoon. I was in bed before 9pm last night. I felt like I had been hit by a mack truck. I'm still really tired today, too. It's hard work taking care of kids, huh?

Happy 2nd Birthday Brady and Cooper!!!! Yesterday was their official birthday. Today we are going to the pediatrician for their well check. Not only do they get immunizations but flu shots, too. The older kids will get their flu shots as well. Needless to say it shall be a wonderful day for the Harris children. I was giving Jackson a prep talk last night about the shot. He said, "Mommy, I am going to try my best not to scream." I told him it was okay to cry but not okay to kick and scream. He's dreading it but knows it has to be done. Our family decided against the H1N1 vaccine. I asked Memaw to help me today at the doctor. That's a lot of needles and crying kids for one Momma to console. Memaw will be a great help. She always is!

Our weekend was wonderful!!!! We headed to NC around 3pm Friday afternoon. We met Gregg, Dixie and her family at a Fish Camp for dinner. Oh it was so good. After dinner we went back to Gregg and Dixie's house to spend the night. We stayed up late talking and watching the kids run wild. Saturday morning Gregg took them all outside to ride the tractor. That's Connor's absolute favorite part. He loves loves loves tractors! Gabrielle and I left the boys and went to my cousin Lisa's house. She hosted our family reunion. I made a Red Velvet cake while we all sat around the kitchen working and gabbing. Stacy and Alexis were there along with my Mom. We had a blast. We love to give each other a hard time! The reunion was a success.

Most of the family had not seen my kids in a long time and some had never seen the babies. Jackson, Connor and the babies were friendly. Gabrielle on the other hand was being her usual stand-offish self. If anyone spoke to her she just hid her head under my arm or behind my leg. It was so embarrassing. I know she and Connor are shy and I understand that. But there is a difference in being shy and being rude. Brad and I had to remind her to look at people when they speak to her and speak loudly enough for them to hear you when spoken to. If someone asked her a question she would just give them her famous death stare!!!

We rented a bounce house and a large tent. The guys played horseshoes and my uncle played the guitar. We catered BBQ and fixed all the good stuff to go along with it. Once the sun started to go down we all sat around a bonfire until midnight. Brad and Connor went back to Gregg's for the night while the other kids and I stayed with Lisa. I can't wait until the next time we all get together. Jackson fell in love with Stacy's daughter, Alexis. I guess it's the big brother in him that really wanted to protect her. Alexis is the tiniest little thing, too. She's very very petite and that made him even more defensive. He kept trying to get her to come sit on the couch with him and he followed her around everywhere. She is only a couple months younger than Gabrielle and Connor. Protecting his siblings is natural. I loved how he tucked Alexis under his wing. Sunday morning we got up and had breakfast. Lisa made country ham gravy, biscuits and eggs. We gathered all our things and headed for home around 11am. The kids were exhausted and frankly so were we. I drove the first half and Brad got us home. The kids went to bed at 7:30pm. We all needed extra rest from so much fun play!

Today was a big day. We celebrated Brady and Cooper''s 2nd birthday. I had invited six of our neighborhood kids and their families. By noon each family had canceled! I cried for half the morning. I know the babies could care less who was there but it just broke my heart. The other kids have all had huge birthday parties. It wasn't anything I had control over. Kim's kids were sick and the others just couldn't come. GG was out of town but Memaw, Grandpa and Papa were here to celebrate. We had enough birthday cake for the state of Georgia. We grilled hot dogs for dinner. The babies opened their gifts, played with balloons and ran around playing. They all had a great time. The evening was all about them and they loved it. We got them 2 Barney DVD's and blue bouncy balls. Memaw and Grandpa gave them Dirt Devil vacuums and an Elmo DVD. Kim and Don gave them a Jack in the Box and a retro style rotary phone. They loved it all. Cooper's favorite was the vacuum. Brady loved the ball. My babies are growing up fast. Their actual birthday is on Sunday, October 4th.

We've lived in Canton for over a year and still have not gotten connected... really connected... in a church or the community. We've only made one set of new friends, Kim and Don. I just don't understand. In the past moves we've met people and found the right churches immediately. We've given it our best effort, honestly. We've continued to go to Browns Bridge Community Church where we love the kids program. However, we walk in and walk out without really meeting anyone. It still doesn't feel like home in Canton. I love my house and Jackson loves school, the preschool program is wonderful, too. I'm happy with what I have... my family! It takes a while to plant roots.

We're back from vacation. As glorious as it was I couldn't wait to get home. I drove like a bat out of hell trying to get home to my babies. I think I suffered from an anxiety attack the whole way home. I wanted my hands on them as fast as I could. I needed our family together. We met GG at the Varsity in Downtown ATL. The babies looked so sweet and they were thrilled to see all of us. They both said, "Hey Ev-E-Ba-De" (hey everybody)! We all hugged and kissed then loaded up and headed home. Brad and I couldn't stop watching them all together in the back seat. Cooper gave us a very warm welcome. He was exhausted and irritable. For a little while I thought, "Why did I want to rush home to this again?" LOL Once he got some rest in his own crib he was a much better boy. I still have some GG tangles to comb through. I'm sure he got away with most anything he wanted during his visit! That's the way it should be. Brady was the same as ever except he seemed to be talking a lot more and dancing! I don't know where he got his moves but he found them! It's so cute and he just knows that he's busting a move.

6:20am came very early this morning after a weeks vacation. I managed to get Jackson up and out the door on-time. He didn't seem to mind at all going back to school. I had all the older kids in bed by 7:45pm last night knowing they were exhausted and needed any extra sleep they could get. Gabrielle and Connor were excited about school, too. After I dropped them off I took Brady and Cooper to a local church to walk. There is a great empty parking lot next to the reservoir. The reservoir was beautiful and full with all the rain we've had. The boys strolled along in the double jogger and enjoyed the crisp morning air. Fall has finally shown us a small glimpse of her beauty. Today was a high of 79 and no humidity. It was lovely. I hope tomorrow is cool enough to open the windows and air out the house a bit. That's my favorite time of year. I love the doors and windows open leaving a small chill in the air. The leaves have just started to fall off some of the oaks and cover bits of the ground. I worked in the yard a lot today. Due to our rain and floods the mulch and pine straw has taken a beaten. Most of it was washed away. A lot of the local area looks so sad with the flooding results. Parks, homes and businesses are still sorting through the drying out process. At Brad's Woodstock, GA office several of the employees cars were flooded before they knew it. It was a scary time walking in knee deep water to get to safety. ATL has a lot of cleaning up to do that's for sure.

Jackson told me a bold faced lie today. I couldn't believe it. I've caught him before smirking and then saying "Nah... I'm just kidding." But this was a true lie that he was going to fight to the end. Owen was over playing today with all the kids. I was planting flowers and sweeping up the driveway. Owen comes up to me and says, "Jackson just pushed me." You have to know Owen to get the pity of that statement. He's the cutest thing ever with a small lisp and sweet blond curls. He wouldn't hurt a fly. His manners are perfect and he's sweet as pie. As soon as Owen tells me about the push Jackson jumps in and says "NO NO NO NO... I didn't Mom. I did NOT push Owen. I swear I did NOT push him." I asked Owen where Jackson pushed him and he showed me on the chest. Jackson still denied it and said, "Mooooom, really, come on, I did NOT push him." I asked Jackson why would Owen lie and not tell the truth? Jackson said, "I don't know Mom but I did NOT push him." I gave him one firm look that said it's truth time... "JACKSON RICHARD HARRIS.... I will ask you one more time if you pushed Owen. And let me tell you that you better be truthful to me. NO LIES" He then hung his head low and said, "Well, I just sort of pushed him.... Yeah, I pushed him." I didn't know what to say. I told him how disappointed I was that he would lie over and over again. I told him that lies seem easy but they are difficult to bear on our shoulders and in our heart. They cause more trouble than they are worth. I also asked him what Jesus would feel like knowing he lied? I reminded him that our duty is to love Jesus and love others. He was punished and Daddy had a big talk with him, too.

Gabrielle is going through this Mommy's Girl stage. She's always been a Mommy and Daddy's girl. Lately she doesn't want much to do with Brad. This is crushing him. I mean to the bone, crushing him. He's so upset. He said, "Most little girl's think their Daddy hung the moon. What do I do?" When he comes home she barely speaks to him. She doesn't run to meet him at the door anymore. She is just going through a phase I hope. Because if she's not her Daddy is going to crawl in a hole and die. I remember Jackson going through a similar stage when he was little. All he wanted was Daddy. As soon as that man entered the room I was a nobody. One night in particular Jackson had a fever and was really sick. He would NOT let me hold him and love on him. He wanted Daddy. He said, "NOOOO, not you Mommy. I want Daddy." Ohhh, my heart broke. Every child is supposed to want their Mommy when they are sick, right? Well, he phased out of that and I'm sure she will, too. I told Brad he's going to have to make a conscious effort to do things one on one with her. Set her apart and give her some special time. She'll come around. I don't know if I should punish her? I tell her, "Go sit with Daddy. He loves you and missed you today." She'll say, "No, I want you Mommy." That just makes Brad feel worse. Any advice?

We are still at the beach enjoying our nice and quiet vacation. Oh wait??? Did I say quiet? What I meant to say was we are enjoying our "thunder beach" vacation. We did not realize this is bike week! I can't wait to get home and post pictures. Not only did we choose a condo in the middle of the strip we also chose a condo in front of the biggest biker bar in Panama City. The kids think it's awesome. I, on the other hand, am just happy to not be at home... bikers or not! Yesterday we went to Pineapple Willy's for lunch. It also happens to be a big biker hang out. We sort of stuck out like a sore thumb but that didn't stop us from going. Brad and I agreed that we can blend and hang out with most anyone. The kids love motorcycles, especially Connor. The parking lot was, pardon my expression, HOG heaven. The rough and tough guys were so sweet and loved showing their bikes to the kids. They let them sit on them and even started the bikes so they could feel the rumble. Gabrielle thought it was just loud and obnoxious. We took lots of pictures. I can't wait to get home and post them. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach. We all love the beach. Sitting beach side listening to the calming sounds of the ocean is better than any nerve pill. At the end of every afternoon Brad takes the kids up to the pool so I can sit alone and read my book. I can't believe that today is our last full day here. As much as I will miss the beach I miss my babies way more. GG has been sending me pictures of the boys doing various things like swinging at the park, sitting on the couch watching TV and playing in the gardens. Ohhhh, they look so sweet. I can't wait to get my hands on those two little baby boys!

Last night we took the kids to the Go Cart track. Sissy rode with me, Jackson rode with Brad and Connor rode with Grandpa. It was a race from the start. I passed them within the first lap and of course Gabrielle and I won! The boys didn't stand a chance. After go carts we went to dinner. We came home and all went right to bed. Jackson fell asleep in the middle of dinner! He sat in Brad's lap and fell asleep on his Daddy's chest. It was a very special moment for Brad. Not only did Jackson sleep through dinner but he stayed asleep while we buckled him in his car seat and carried him up to the room. He was out cold! Poor thing had played and swam until he literally dropped. He woke up this morning ready to rock and roll! We'll spend the rest of the day at the beach and pool ending the night with a nice dinner. It's all about to end and the real world is going to begin. Life is so good!

So over the last week we have had more rain than I've ever seen in my lifetime. It has not been a small sprinkle we are talking a total washout. Thank God we live in the hills so our neighborhood was spared. The rest of Atlanta can't say the same. Interstates were closed for days at a time. Homes and businesses were totaled. Brad's Woodstock office was closed for several days, too. I couldn't get out of the house with the kids because the rain was so bad. We were all stare crazy. I got so desperate I took to cleaning and organizing the house. I cleaned out cabinets, drawers, rooms, the garage, office and anything else I could get a hold of. It actually made me be very productive. The rain has finally stopped. It was really something to see.

We are at the beach! I took the babies to meet GG on Tuesday before we left. She will be taking care of them until we got back. It had been our plan to take them with us but GG kindly offered to watch them. I miss them so much but it really is nice not having to tend to them and chase them all over the place. We left out on Wednesday morning about 6am. We drove to Panama City and headed straight to the beach. The kids were so cute to watch. They loved the ocean. Connor said, "Isn't this pool boo-tiful?" Oh... so sweet. Jackson looked like a little surfer dude with his boogie board. Gabrielle was a little baby doll running around in her swimsuit. Grandpa, Memaw and Uncle Ernie got here late last night. Our condo is perfect for all of us. There are 3 bedrooms that have plenty of room for the kids and Nancy. We woke up this morning and went straight to the beach. Memaw took her wheelchair as far as she could down the ramp to the beach then Aaron and Brad carried her down to the beach. We have a canopy set up with shade and comfortable chairs. The kids were running around and playing in sand. It was so much fun playing in the ocean. I had a crab pinch my toe when I was in the ocean!!! It made me jump out of the water. We took a break for lunch and went right back to the beach. This evening we took the kids to the pool this evening and let them swim. They loved swimming at night. Now we are hanging out in the condo talking and watching t.v. I'm so rested and it's wonderful. I loooooove VACATION!

Marci came yesterday for my regular Wednesday afternoon off. Papa loves Cuban food so I found a little place about 25 minutes south of here. We had a great lunch and then did some shopping and running errands. We got home around 5pm. Papa watched the babies while the rest of us met Grandpa, Memaw and Uncle Ernie in Alpharetta for dinner. We ate at a place called Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. It was so delicious and the service was wonderful. I had stuffed salmon. It had a cornbread stuffing with a shrimp and lemon butter sauce over the top served with dirty rice and green beans. We had a great time with the older kids. It was a taste of what it will be like next week at the beach. I'm SO excited. We all need a little relaxation. I was worried about getting in late with it being a school night. All the kids are in bed by 8pm Mon-Fri. I still had then down by 9:15pm. I could really tell this afternoon when Jackson got home he's exhausted. Tonight might be a 7:45pm bedtime so he can catch up. Tomorrow is his class Fall party. I am doing the read aloud which reminds me I have to go to the library and pick out a book. Oops! Kim and Don are going to watch the babies while I'm gone. I met GG this morning and handed off Gabrielle and Connor. They went to NC to visit family. GG promised to only stay ONE night so Sissy would go. She said she has to be back after one night or she wouldn't go. They will be back late tomorrow night. Brad is leaving tomorrow to go bow hunting for the weekend. I guess it will just be me with the kids! Ho-hum... I can't wait. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?

Brad got Jackson up and out the door for school so I could sleep in. While getting the rest of the kids ready for school Kim called. She said she had something for me and would be over in 15 minutes. Just as I was loading the kids for school she walks up with a hot Starbucks Mocha Latte in hand. What a wonderful start to my birthday. I got the kids to school and then headed to my first bible study at First Baptist Woodstock. It's a Mom's group called MomCare. Childcare is provided for the babies and the hours are perfect for picking up Gabrielle and Connor from school. I was really nervous for some reason. It all worked out and I enjoyed myself. All the ladies were very easy to talk to and the group leader, Annie, was amazing. I'll share more about her at a later time. I'm looking forward to going back. Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone, right?

Last week I soaked my azaleas with an insecticide. I had some lace bugs that were driving me crazy. I decided to end the battle right then and there. The next day Brad and I were walking in the front yard when we noticed the azaleas. They were dead, crunchy and withered. He asked if I had done anything different and I told him about spraying them the day before. His face went pale and he said, "Oh no, Dacia! What did you use?" I told him I used the sprayer with the leftover from a week before. He smiled and said, "I forgot to tell you I dumped that and replaced it with Round-Up for my weeds." Well, I guess I won the war, huh? Yesterday I had to replace 11 azaleas and some mondo grass. Add in potting soil, soil conditioner and a 5 flats of pansies... it was a $330 mistake!!!! Needless to say, we not have His/Her sprayers. Brad planted 7 of the azaleas yesterday evening and I planted the rest today. I also cleaned and organized the garage. I didn't come inside until 8:15pm. My back is killing me from bending over so much. Connor and Owen (our neighbor) helped me plant the pansies. We were all covered with dirt. It was a lot of fun showing the kids worms and telling them how great they are for the soil. It's the little things that make their faces glow. I love it.

Cooper is a challenge. He's in this phase where he wants to kick, bite and hit me. He is only that way with me. It's breaking my heart. At first it made me mad but now I'm taking it personal which I know is ridiculous. I just can't help it! I'm being consistent with discipline. I know it will work itself out I just hope it's soon. Saturday before Jackson's soccer game we took the kids to eat pizza. Before we left the house I should have known it was going to be ugly. Gabrielle and Connor had been fighting like cats and dogs the entire day. She got mad at him for something and hit him over the head with her Hello Kitty purse. I hugged Connor and made her apologize. A few minutes later Connor is still sitting on the couch holding his head. I heard Jackson say, "Mommy! What's wrong with Connor's face?" I looked over and saw blood pouring down the side of Connor's face. I freaked out. It was a small gash where the lobster claw on her purse hit him square on the temple. She got in lots of trouble. Let's just leave it at that! After the boxing match we went to lunch. It was a disaster from the beginning. Memaw was with us so we had extra hands. Cooper poured his bowl of marinara sauce all over the table and then finger painted in it. He spilled my full cup of diet coke all over himself and me! Then he pitched the mother of all hissy fits right in the middle of the place complete with a throw yourself on the ground, scream as loud as you can and kick like crazy. We were so embarrassed. I picked him up like a sack of potatoes and took him to the car. I still could not tell you what brought the fit on but it finally ended in the car. Barney can fix anything, huh? We went to Jackson's soccer game after lunch. On the way there Jackson ripped the patch off his shirt. Then I noticed he had pizza and ice cream smeared all over his jersey. We looked like a bunch of nasty frazzled folks for the game. Jackson played great and even scored two goals for the other team. Isn't he nice? It was adorable watching him run. He played very hard and loved every minute of the game.