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Stories May 8, 2009 I've been behind a few days on posting. Any spare time has been spent working on a Mother's Day surprise and it's a little more difficult than I expected. I may have to move to plan B. Speaking of Mother's Day we are planning a big dinner over here on Sunday for our Mom's. I've also invited two other mother's (Kim and Jennifer) who will be alone on Mother's day. It should be a nice day. I'm hoping for any type of guilty pleasure gift like a pedicure or gift certificate for the bookstore or coffee! Then again I'd love a rocker or ferns for my front porch, too. There isn't much I wouldn't be satisfied with. And of course spending the day with the Harris 5 would make it perfect! Last night was a free dinner out at Cheeseburger Bobby's. They have just built one across the street and yesterday was their soft opening for our neighborhood. The owners live in our development. It was so nice not to have to cook and not to have to pay! I should of had a grilled chicken sandwich but it is called CHEESEBURGER Bobby's! It was really good. We went with our neighbors Kim, Don, Amy and all their kids. We took up the entire back of the place. Tonight is a special night, too. We have Marci coming to babysit. We've been invited to another neighbors house (Bob and Bonnie) along with two other neighbors for dinner. I'm looking forward to a night with adults. There are so many local things to do around Atlanta we decided not to go away for vacation this year. I think we'll do White Water, Stone Mountain and the local pool this year. We alos have an aquarium and children's museum. Being gone from the ATL for 4 years we have a lot to catch up on as far as local attractions. We are playing in the basement this morning. The house was cleaned yesterday and I'll be darned if we aren't going to keep it clean at least one entire day. I also got my fabric shades and new area rug installed yesterday for the keeping room. It made such a big difference. I have ordered the curtain panels and they should be ready in a couple weeks once the fabric comes in. This is the first time I've ever had custom window treatments. I'm very excited. I hope all you Mothers out there have a beautiful weekend. It's an amazing responsiblity God has given us to take care of our children. I am so thankful to be their Mommy. They are by far my greatest accomplishment!
May 4, 2009 I have the Monday blues. It's been raining cats and dogs all day. Not only that but it's 65 degrees outside and 96% humidity. Welcome to GA! To top it all off Brad had to go back to work today after a wonderful and much needed vacation. I was so sad at the thought of him being back at work and not at home I made arrangments yesterday for a sitter on Friday! What can I say... I'm a planner. For some reason I felt that while Brad was home I couldn't work out. It's been a week and I've done nothing! This afternoon I am going to drag myself to the gym kicking and screaming. I'll be glad when it's over and I know I'll feel much better. Last night we were all sitting on the couch watching Hotel for Dogs. Gabrielle was kissing me on the cheek over and over. Then she went over to her Daddy and gave him a sweet little peck. With a huge grin she looked at me and said, "I just kissed your husband!" Then we all went into a fit of laughter. So funny! We never did finish that movie. Jackson bought it with his very own money that Grandpa had given him. Jackson has (or had) a very bad habit of licking his lips. He constantly had a huge ring around his mouth. We tried all kinds of medicine and creams but he would just lick it off. Grandpa told him if he would quit licking his lips and they healed for one whole month he would give him $20. I said that it wouldn't work and he didn't understand that amount of money and time. Evidently MONEY TALKS even to 5 year olds 'cause his lips were healed within 2 weeks. The month was up on Wednesday and Jackson claimed his cash. He gave $2 to Jesus, $5 for a wiffle ball set at Dick's sporting goods and then we pitched in for the movie. I'd say he spent it very well. Thanks Grandpa. Everything is turning so green. We have a lot of woods in our back yard and the trees are the most beautiful shade of vibrant green. Brad is a constant worry wart about the grass... is it green enough, is it short enough, is it level enough. He's driving me nuts. If Oral Surgery doesn't work out then he should work on a golf course for lawn care! He's obsessed. Guess there could be worse things. GG comes back from her trip to Europe. I'm so ready for her to be back in the US. Each time I dial and hear that foreign ring I want to scream. She's had a great time visiting Paris, Italy, Switzerland and London. She was there two weeks. I can't wait to make that trip one day. Brad and I spent hours on the computer last night trying to come up with a family trip to take this summer. We'll probably leave the babies with GG. (GG you don't know that yet... hope it's okay LOL) Any ideas on what to do or where to go? We are thinking Sept or Memorial Day weekend. Nothing elaborate like Disney. Just a pool and put put and silly kids things.
May 2, 2009 I forgot to write about something very special. On Thursday I was invited to a Mother's Tea with Jackson at his school. It was so sweet and precious. Jackson escorted me to my table and even pulled my chair out for me. He was such a gentleman. He had a potted plant, a profile picture, drawings and a handmade flower. The kids sang songs and we had a light lunch. It was beautifully decorated and the kids were thrilled. We all dressed in our Sunday Best. I appreciated all the effort the school put into the program. It was a very special memory. Jackson is getting so big. He has said the funniest things this weekend such as, "Dad. Don't treat me like I'm 3. I am 5." He also told me that his bike was "SWEET, BABY!" He's a fool!
May 1, 2009 Today was a very full day. Brad's taken care of many items on his "Honey Do" list this week. The deck has been stained, the cars washed, the garage floors cleaned and the garage organized and the grass mowed. Tomorrow we are going to plant some flowers, edge the yard and put the patio furniture back in place. Don't you love when a plan comes together? I took Gabrielle, Connor and Brady to get their haircut today. Brady looks like a little business man when it was over. So sweet! Gabrielle's hair has just been trimmed but she was so excited over the whole process. Connor looks mighty handsome, too. We took the kids to Memaw's yesterday evening to play. The older kids did some fishing while the babies ran wild. Jackson and Gabrielle fished and fished fished until I had to make them stop. Jackson caught two catfish and they all caught a ton of brim. Their pond is full of fish. It's a great place to spend time with the family. Papa came in town last night to visit and spend the night. He watched the kids tonight while Brad and I went out for a quick dinner. Brad and the kids are camping out in the basement. They have taken blankets and pillows along with a ton of snacks. What more do they need?
April 29, 2009 Is vacation ever long enough? Brad and I keep saying, "If only we had one more day." But I think I would say that everyday for a long time. Scottsdale was perfect. I was able to spend time with Mindy all day Friday. We just sat by the pool soaking up the warm sun and cool breeze. The weather was in the 80's... again just perfect. In the evenings it was just cool enough to need a little something over your arms. I've got pictures I'll post soon. We never left the pool all day long. We were able to order lunch and drinks without moving off the chair. I was spoiled. Our server, Nikki, was as sweet as she could be. Brad cut jokes the whole day. Obviously she could tell we were from GA by our accent. I asked her if they had sweet tea and she said, "What's that? Tea and Lemondade combined?" Brad and I laughed our heads off. Then we told her we were from GA and she said, "Is that in the Midwest?" She was so cute! I gave her my website address so she could check out the kids... HEY NIKKI! AZ did seem like a whole other country to us. The terrain was beautiful with palm trees and catus covering every inch of dessert. The homes all had flat roofs which was very different and their were mountains... beautiful dessert covered mountains. Everyone there spoke so fast we had a hard time understanding what they were saying. They use lots of words such as "like, for sure and totally." Ha Ha LOL The Westin Keirland Resort is where we stayed. They treated us like royalty. Everything was in perfect order. The beds were so soft and covered in pillows. We slept great. Brad and I want to take the kids one day. They would love it. The kids had a wonderful time with Dixie, Anna and Taylor. I have posted lots of pictures that Anna had taken while she was here. Everyone was worn out by the end of the weekend. Ladies, thank you so very much. GG is in Paris! She went with her friends James and Angie. James had business to tend to in Paris so GG and Angie tagged along for the ride. I hope she is having a good time. The only two times I spoke to her she was very upset over Aunt Nell's condition and not being here. I tried to encourage her to enjoy herself and not worry about missing the funeral. I know there is no place she'd rather be than with the family mourning Aunt Nell's death but some things are just out of our control. This is one of them. Brad is staining the deck. I'm so excited. It's really going to look nice getting rid of that rough lumber look. I can't wait to put a rug out there along with our new patio furniture. It's the perfect place to spend time with the kids. We have two ceiling fans outside that keep the air circulated so it's comfortable. I've already sent him back to the store once to swap out the stain. The first one had too much of a red and it was solid like paint. I wanted a chesnut semi-transparent so I went and picked it out myself. Brad was very nice about it. Not that he would be anything but. He wants it done right, too. Truth be told he wasn't wild about the first color either. I think the color I've chosen is going to work well.
April 28, 2009 We're Back! Our trip to AZ was incredible. It was just what we needed to get away and relax. Brad's conference went well and he had some good speakers. I spent both days being lazy and sitting by the pool... perfect! We had dinner out each night at fabulous places and never left the resort. I'll give more details of the trip later. We flew back Sunday morning having to get up at 4:30am! We made to ATL at 1:15pm. We came home and played with the kids. They were all happy to see us as were we. At 6pm I got word that my Aunt Nell was doing poorly and I should come see her. I still had my bags packed and threw some stuff in for Jackson and Gabrielle, too. Brad is on vacation this week so he stayed home with the other kids. We set off for NC at 7pm. I dropped the kids off at Aunt Helen's and went straight to the nursing home. I spent the night by her side along with Aunt Linda and Tammy (her granddaughter). It's hard to explain what it's like to sit and watch someone die. Her breathing was heavy and labored and she was in and out of conciousness yet she seemed at ease. I went back to Aunt Helen's at 6am and slept for a few hours then the kids and I spent a little time with Stacy and Alexis letting the kids play. We headed back home to Georgia last night. I was in the bed by 8:30pm. I got the call this morning that Mrs. Nell Norman died at 4:30am. She was 84 years old.
April 22, 2009 Happy 33rd Birthday my dear sweet husband! When I married him he was a young handsome 23 year old man. Five kids and 10 years later he is just as handsome and treats me sweeter than the day I married him. I am so blessed to have such an incredible husband and father to my children. We love you, Honey! Tonight we have plans for a birthday party. Memaw, Grandpa, Papa, Uncle Ernie, the kids and myself are going to cook out and have cake. The kids are more excited than Brad is I do believe. We all have special gifts for Brad this year. Something he's really been wanting... Brad, if you are reading YOU'LL NEVER GUESS! Yesterday morning Jackson played hookie from school. We headed out to visit GG first thing in the morning... actually it was 10:30am when we left but that's as "first thing" as we get in this family! When we arrived GG had bacon sizzing and a plate of lettuce and tomoatoes with soft white bread for BLT's. They were so so so good. After lunch we headed to the park where we stayed for a couple hours. The kids played and rode big wheels until their little legs were about to give plum out! We headed home around 3pm and the kids slept the entire hour and fifiteen minutes home. It was wonderful. When we got home we went straight outside and played for another hour and a half or so then came in for supper and finished playing in the basement. I wore their little rears out! The babies went to bed at 7pm and the older kids at 8:30pm. Exercise... it's a wonderful thing! Thanks GG for a great day.
April 20, 2009 Brad and the kids made it back from Macon and only brought one tick with them. We found it crawling up Connor's leg... YIKES! After a good hot bath they were all back to normal and exhausted. They had a great time. I asked Brad if they ate well while they were gone and he said, "Yep... cookies, coke, gatorade and chicken fingers. They ate great!" Saturday night was dinner with Jack and Kate. Jack is an Endodontist in Rome, GA. He and Brad went to dental school together. We went to Hal's Steakhouse in Buckhead. Oh My Word... that was the best piece of beef I've ever eaten in my life. It was incredible, tender, full of flavor, thick and delicious! I couldn't stand the thought of eating the last bite. I didn't want it to be gone. It came with a side of asparagus with a pile of crab meat so sweet it tasted like candy. All of us were ohhhing and ahhhing the entire dinner. Maybe we can go back for my birthday. Too bad that's not until September. It's pretty cool here today. Connor climbed up in my lap this morning and said, "When da sky gits hot can we play in da pool?" He can't wait for summer. All of them ask daily to swim and they are wearing their swim suits in the house non stop talking about swimming. I guess I'm going to have to figure out a safe way to take all 5 to the pool. Is that even legal? Brad and I leave for Scottsdale, AZ on Thursday! I can't wait. I'm so excited to have a full long weekend just he and I. He has some sort of work conference thingie... and I have a date at the pool, an appointment for a massage and dinner plans with Mindy and Jeremy Cull! Remember Mindy and Jeremy from Indy. Jeremy and Brad were in residency together. AZ is home for them and they have set up practice there. We can't wait to see them. Papa will watch the kids on Friday. Dixie, Taylor and Anna are coming from NC to watch the kids the rest of the weekend. Brad and I are so thankful! It's a HUGE blessing to have family who is willing to sacrafice their weekend for our family. I hope they survive... Dixie and the girls, that is! Memaw is coming on Saturday to help out, too. She knows all the ins and outs of the kids days and should be an immense help.
April 17, 2009 Brad and the older kids have left for Macon, GA with Grandpa to hang out in "MAN LAND." Yes, Sissy is included in this fraternity. They are going to look for hogs and who knows what else they do there... burp, eat junk food, talk about man things I guess. I don't think I want to know! When they were pulling out of the drive I had a "Momma Moment." I started crying for who knows why and that sparked Jackson, too. He and I cried and hugged until we were exhausted. At one point I thought he had decided to just stay! Looking back it's funny but my heart ached at the sight of them leaving. Now if they had stayed I'd be begging them to go somewhere... go figure? I talked Papa into coming last night and staying with the babies and I. We've had a good time. We went to our new Olive Garden. A guess a good rule of thumb is wait until a eating establishment has been open for at least 3 months before visiting. They really have a lot of kinks to work out. We made the best of it. Brad and the kids will be back late tomorrow afternoon. We have Marci coming to sit for us so we can go out. Jack and Kate are coming from Rome, GA for a visit. We are all 4 going to Hal's Steakhouse. www.hals.net Check it out if your ever in ATL. This will be our first visit but it's GG's favorite steakhouse. I am really looking forward to going. The occasion, besides being with good friends, is Brad and Jack's Birthday. Brad will be 33 on the 22nd... Happy Birthday, Honey! We also had a weeknight date this week. WOW... hard to believe I get two nights out in one week. Wednesday night we went to the Atanta Braves games. They played the Marlins. Brad's work has season tickets and Brad gets about 2 games a month. These are great seats... really great seats! We took a new dentist and his wife (Vince and Kat) with us for our first Braves game of the year. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed meeting Kat. She's a fun person who I look forward to hanging out with in the future... without the guys! Have a great weekend! I know I will...
April 13, 2009 I hope that everyone had a great Easter. We went to church with Memaw and Grandpa at Peachtree Corners Baptist. Grandpa preached a great sermon on the ressurection. The music... oh the music... they had a full choir that could battle any choir in the nation! We spent the day at Memaw and Grandpa's with GG, Larry, Uncle Ernie and my Uncle Mike (all the way from Montana). We had ham, potato salad, deviled eggs, fresh green beans, fresh creamed corn, mac n cheese, congealed salad, yeast rolls, sliced tomatoes/cucumbers/onions/peppers, chocolate pie and pound cake! What's not to love??? After lunch we had a easter egg hunt in the yard then the kids spent an hour eating candy. Grandpa saddled up one of the horses and took the kids for a ride. They loved it. Especially Gabrielle... she wanted to do it over and over. When we got home and thought on the day Brad said, "Today was a perfect Sunday." I totally agree! On Saturday Brad and I took the kids to the mall for new shoes. All 4 boys needed sandals for the summer. My favorite sandals are at Stride Rite and they seem to last so that's what we did. I thought Brad was going to faint when it came time to pay the bill. We need to start saving now to clothe them when they are teenagers. Can you imagine? After shoes we ate at the food court and then got some cookies. Jackson and I were standing at the Subway counter ordering. There was a teenage boy working the counter filling up all the ingredient buckets. He was talking to Jackson and waving. Jackson looked up at me with the most sincere face and said, "Mommy, when I get big I'm going to work here!" LOL To a little 5 year old boy that's a very big job... Brad had a late night tonight and I HAD to go to the grocery store. We were down to nothing so I loaded up the kids at 5pm and off we went to Publix. I knew it could go one of two ways and hoped for the better. They were hungry and tired but we made it through the entire store without any problem. I did manage to run my achilles tendon over with the buggy at one point and thought I was going to scream a bad word but I bit my tounge and acted like it was no big deal. OUCH!!! By the time we got home everyone was irritable including me. The babies had peanut butter crackers, bananas and milk for dinner. It's all they had the energy to eat and all I had the energy to fix. The older ones had a lunchable. Pitiful, isn't it? After I wrestled the sleepy babies and got them to bed, put up all the groceries and fixed some supper for myself (pimento cheese and crackers... yikes) I thought I was going to fall flat of my face of exhaustion. How long can I keep up this pace? I know the answer. It's the same answer I give everyone when they say, "How do you do it?" I just do it and don't think of anything else. I long for the day I don't wake up as tired as I went to bed... when I can fix a diet coke and drink it myself... when I can take a shower without an audience... when I can read a book... when I can go out to dinner with my husband and not plan ahead for 2 weeks! At the same time it brings tears to my eyes at the thought of doing anything different than what I do now! It's an emotional roller coaster. Brady wore, on Easter, the same outfit Jackson wore to my Mom's wedding over 4 years ago. All day I thought of how it seemed like just yesterday Jackson was toddling around in that little sailor romper. The time has gone by so quick and he'll never be that small again. I want to freeze time and fast forward it all in the same breath. I feel so guilty over that. Every Mom feels that way, I'm sure. What a difficult job! I think I need to come to terms that for the rest of my life until the day I die I will always look back and think sadly how time has robbed me. I constantly remind myself to sit back, look and enjoy instead of rushing, ignoring and dreading.
April 10, 2009 Well, I have still been working out. I've been doing cardio/sculpt classes or cardio machines. Mostly classes because they are longer workout and less boring. Yesterday's class I felt like my body was so heavy and hard to get off the ground but I managed to get through the workout. I have a 10:45am appointment this morning to meet with Coach Steve about my progress. I hope he's pleased with my attempt. If there is one thing (among many) that I could improve would be my diet. I have made some changes but not been as disicplined as I should. I'm a sweets and snacks person and it's really hard for me to portion control that. With time it should all balance out. Last night we met all the Kentucky family and Brad's parents for dinner at Chili's. After dinner we went back to Memaw and Grandpa's house for a little playtime. The kids love it there! They rode 4 wheelers, played on the swing set, rode the tire swing, fed the fish and rode big wheels on their massive driveway. What's not to like? Brady and Cooper are like two birds out of a cage when they are there! I love watching them run and toddle around. Today was supposed to be a cookout but it's storming and Brad scored some Hawk's vs. Pacer's tickets so the guys are going to the game tonight while the ladies and kids fend for ourselves. I have to go to Stride Rite at some point today for the babies some sandals. The older kids need Crocs for the summer, too. Other than that, the kids are pretty set for summer/spring clothes. All our Kentucky folks leave tomorrow to head home. It's been nice having family around for a bit. Ann at EKU... Jill tells me you enjoy the website and are a faithful reader! That's a huge compliment to me. I originally started this to keep our family updated on the kids. It's turned into something much larger than that and I'm honored that so many people keep up with our family. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!
April 8, 2009 Over the past two days I've discovered something... JESSICA and I are BAD INFLUENCES on each other. First of all she MADE me spend too much at the grocery, secondly when she fell at the Y she MADE me fall, too. Yesterday afternoon I was so weak I could hardly walk. I felt my legs would collapse at any moment. I was walking down the basement stairs (which are hardwood) holding Connor's hand. When I was 4 steps from the bottom my feet went out of under me and I did a perfect split all the way to the bottom of the steps! Connor was fine and I just banged myself up a bit but no broken bones. Then again tonight she MADE me fall again! This time I was at the top of those blame stairs and slid down the top 4 before I caught myself. Perfect, right? I'm bruised on my knee, heel and toe and still sore from the workout, too. I'm in bad shape! I took Brady and Cooper for their 18 mos well check today. Cooper is in the 60th percentile and Brady is in the 49th for weight. Cooper is 90th for height and Brady is 92nd for height. Cooper is going to see a Pediatric (General) Surgeon on Friday for undescended testes. Hopefully there will be an easy and non invasive procedure to take care of it. Turns out Brady has an ear infection which explains a lot as to why he's been feeling so yucky. Jessica's family came in town today and we had a nice dinner of rotisserie chicken sandwiches on sourdough bread, chips and macaroni salad. Jessica and I went to work out around 8:30pm and I learned it's way too late for me. I was too low on energy. But something is better than nothing, right? Last night I was playing in the basement with the kids. Jackson said something about a brain and I asked Connor, "Do you know where your brain is?" He looked at me and said, "Yeah, it's in my room!" I laughed my head off and he said, "No, actually it's in my booty!" HILARIOUS
April 6, 2009 Jessica has probably had the most boring spring break ever but I on the other hand am enjoying every minute! So far we've gone to the grocery store, CiCi's pizza and the Y to work out. On the way out of the Y her ankle gave out and she fell right on her knee. The impressive part is she was holding Cooper and didn't drop him. She did a perfect lunge to keep him in her arms. I told her he's taken worse falls but thanks for holding onto him. Poor thing hobbled to the car in pain. On our way home I called my neighbor who had foot surgery a few months ago and asked to borrow her crutches. I got Jess settled on the couch with ice and motrin while the kids swarmed her wondering if she was going to be okay and if her foot was going to fall off. LOL Brad brought an ace bandage home and I wrapped up her ankle. She says it's really sore but she can somewhat move it so that's a good sign. Like I said, What a Spring Break! At the Y today Jackson took a fitness class. They have a program on Mon and Thur called Youth in Motion. It's age appropriate fitness, exercise and fun. While he took that class I got Jessica started on the cardio machines and I bopped down to take a Turbokick and Sclupt class. I can't remember the last time I have worked out so hard. I thought my legs were going to collapse near the end. When I put the kids to bed tonight I had to crawl up the stairs on my hands and knees. LOL I'm serious!!! I am scared to even think how sore I'll be in the am. Right now my legs are weak as water. Lord, if all this pain and suffering doesn't help me lose weight then there honest to goodness is NO HOPE! Jackson is off all week for spring break, too. He found a packet his teacher sent home with some handwriting exercises. He sat at the table and worked on some of it on his own. The rest of the day he's been identifying letters like crazy. If he sees a sign he wants to tell me all the letters. Mommy... that says C-A-N-T-O-N. Mommy... that says G-A-R-D-E-N. I've been racking his brain with this video called "The Letter Factory." It's a animated phonics video that he loves to watch. TV is his thing and if I can use his focus on something productive he'll pick it up. I'm so proud of him! Earlier today Cooper was crying and I went to pick him up. Instead he turned and headed in Jackson's directions arms straight in the air wanting his Bubba. Jackson said, "Yeeeeees, him needs his bubba." Ahhhh, so sweet. Jackson picked him up and walked him into my bedroom where he put Cooper on my bed to watch a movie with him. A few minutes later I hear a THUD and Jackson comes running to tell me Cooper fell off the bed but "I was watching him." I guess he watched him roll off but didn't try to stop it! LOL Cooper survived it and seemed fine. Just a little stunned. During bath time Brady was his normal wild as a buck self. Brad and I were watching him and laughing when Brady went under water. He came back up stunned and giggling! Brad said, "Even when he's drowning he's still laughing... That's Brady!"
April 4, 2009 Happy 18 months Birthday to Brady and Cooper!!!! Yikes, they'll be two before I can blink. This age is so much fun right now and yet so challenging, too. They have become quite independent. I have some video of them taking a bath that shows their personalities to a T. Brady is very brave. Too brave. If he's in the tub with 4 other bodies and he wants to get to the other end of the tub he'll crawl, roll and swim his way over there with no regard to who or what is in his way and belly roll laughing the whole time he's doing it. He thinks everything and I mean everything is funny (just like Daddy.) There are no serious moments for him. Majority of the time if he falls or stumbles he pops back up and smiles. He loves to climb. Keeping him off the table and stairs and out of the toliet are our biggest struggles. Cooper is a bit of a drama queen. He tends to cry if he thinks of falling. He responds well to "NO" but it breaks his heart to be told. He's the talker and singer. When we get them out of their cribs in the morning the first thing we always say is, "Hey Bubbas, Did ya'll sleep good last night?" Cooper looks right at you straight faced and says, "NO." Then he plants about 4 kisses right on the mouth. If he's about to do something he knows he shouldn't he'll look at you and squint his eyes and give a sly smile knowing we can't get mad at THAT face. He sings E-I-E-I-O bobbing his head in delight with what he hears. He can sing the tune to Barney's "I love you" song and "Itsy Bitsy Spider." It's babbling bliss I could listen to for hours at a time. They both LOVE to be outside. I keep toys on outdoor living area and they have free reign to play out there as much as they want. But playing in the front yard on the driveway is their most favorite past-time. They push and pull toys, chase balls and toodle around till they are exhausted and filthy. They are both pretty good eaters. Their favorite foods are grapes, oatmeal, cereal bars, pb&J, chicken, yogurt, bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, rasins and spaghetti. Notice there was nothing GREEN in that list? Cooper will eat salad... yes salad... but Brady thinks the color is deadly. No way, Jose! GG, Aunt Cathy and Troy came to visit for a few hours today. Aunt Cathy and Troy live at Myrtle Beach. Tough life, huh? I swear I'm going to come visit one day. We stayed outside most of the visit because the day was too good to give up. Beautiful, perfect weather. We all went for a short hike to the waterfall. Troy took all the pics so when I get them I'll post. Brad and I put the babies in backpacks and the others walked. They had a great time. We let them take off their shoes and wade in the cold water. Jackson went a little too quick on a slick rock and landed in the shallow water. He was frigid but took it well. It was really funny and we laughed of course. Around 7pm Don and Sandra arrived with my special gift... Miss Jessica!!! I have her all to myself for the whole week. Right when she got here I decided we should do something fun... something special... so we went grocery shopping. LOL I had nothing except bacon and grapes and a few shots of soy sauce. I have a grocery budget of $250/week. I usually keep it at $200-$215. This gets me brownie points with the hubby. I warned him this week was going to be every bit of $250 because we really needed a lot. I think shopping with Jessica distracted me a bit. When the register stopped smoking they cashier said, "That will be $321.18" I almost fainted. Honestly, my mouth was WIDE open. I looked at the people next in line and they had a ton of groceries and there were people behind them waiting. For a brief moment I thought "Do I... #1 go home and break the news to Brad, who is going to flip a lid, and we just enjoy the groceries or... #2 swallow my pride, go to the customer service desk and say I need to return some things? I went with option #2. She was very kind and said she understood. I returned $50 worth of groceries and felt a lot better when I left the store.
April 3, 2009 Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotions. Guess what I did? I registered my baby boy for Kindergarten!!! He's so excited... really excited. I'm desperate to keep him a little boy. I miss his toddler years more than I can put into words. Yesterday, on top of spending much of the day in tears, I ended the evening with looking through his baby book. Huge mistake! I laughed at the reminders of his cute little sayings and the sweet little things he used to do. There is no stopping the inevitable. He's going to grow up but with every fiber of my being I want to stop it... halt it... until I'm ready which would probably be never. I had all the paperwork in order except I realized I do not have a birth certificate. He's the only one who's is misisng. I'll have to work on that today. Speaking of baby books, Gabrielle and Connor's are all filled out. I opened Brady and Cooper's only to realize they were blank! I swore I wouldn't be that mother yet here I am. Poor baby's... Mommy is so busy but I should have made time. I racked my brain thinking of all the 1st. The only excuse I do have is that I started the website before they were born so most everything is captured online for the whole world to see. Isn't that better than a book? We have our small group mixer tonight. I'm looking forward to getting to know our group a little more. We are grilling out burgers. Should be lots of fun. Uncle Ernie will be here watching the kids. Hey, he offered! Papa has been here since Tuesday night. I've had a bit of a cold and lost my voice. He was a big help as always. He left to head back home last night. I was able to run lots of errands and work out, too. I'm still doing it, can you believe it? I did miss yesterday but I gave myself a pass after such a full day. First thing on our agenda yesterday was Jackson's Easter program at pre-school. It was simple but very sweet. They sang songs and had a little easter egg hunt. His next event will be graduation. I'm afraid I'll show off the "ugly cry" at that one. After that was a mad rush home to make some lunch and then off to a doctor's appointment then registration. Whew! My Uncle Max (Mom's brother-in-law) had a heart attack yesterday. He and my Aunt Helen live in NC. He was rushed to Charlotte where they placed 4 stints. The next 48 hours are critical. Please be in prayer for his recovery.
March 31, 2009 I met with a Wellness Coach at the Y this morning. He gave me some really good information on how to get started with reaching my goals. I'm still so sore. I wonder how long that will last. I just keep working through it. He wants me to do 35-45 minutes of Cardio at least 5 days a week. Isn't he kind? LOL I actually made it 35 mins on this ARC machine. I thought I would die after about 20 minutes but kept going. By the time the 35 minutes was up I was so proud of myself. The babies do great in the Play Center so things are working out good. It's a great break for me to work out and get out of the house. Maybe by July (if I keep up the good work... questionable?) I'll be able to slip on shorts and a T shirt without wanting to cry or stay out of the public eye! When I picked up Jackson from school today he sat pretty quiet in the car. Out of nowhere he said, "Mommy. Please please please tell me where all this grass comes from... you know the grass that's everywhere!" I told him that it came from God and before I could add anything he said, " God can't just jump out of our hearts and grow it!" I tried to explain as best as I knew how that before there were even people, or trees or anything on the earth God spoke and there it was. He is so magnificent, so mighty, so big, so great that he could speak and it would appear. Jackson was satisfied with that answer. It makes me feel so great as a mother when he asks such intense questions and already links the answers to Jesus and what an incredible Creator we have in God. I have a feeling the questions just get harder and harder. Last night we had a bed scramble. Jackson and Connor got to sleep with Brad in the king size bed. Sissy and I slept in her queen. They thought it was so much fun. Gabrielle and I laid in bed laughing. I told her it was time to go to sleep and after a few minutes she said, "Mommy... I think I can't quit giggling!" Then she busted out in fits of laughter. She kept telling me this was our special time and asking "So, what do you want to talk about? Barney? BJ? Sissy?" Ahhhhh, I love them so much!
March 30, 2009 SORE! That's the best word to describe Brad and I. Working out has proven to us just how out of shape we really are. Brad woke up this morning and literally rolled out of bed. His calves were completley knotted up. He couldn't bend them. He walked or hobbled straight legged around the house begging not to have to bend over or walk stairs. My hips feel like I rammed into the counter top a couple times. I guess these are good signs? I took the kids (minus Jackson who was in school) to the Y this morning. They acted like they really liked it and want to go back. A definite good sign. Each child has their own little ID card. Gabrielle and Connor think that's the coolest thing ever. I took Gabrielle yesterday to the indoor pool. I was so grossed out. I felt like I was sharing everyone elses luke warm bath water. I suffered through it for my lovely daughter. The boys want to go today. Jackson put his swim trunks in the car last night to make sure he was prepared. He's totally excited. I've given Brad the privledge of sitting in the bath water today! Friday night is our small group meeting. Uncle Aaron is going to watch the kidos... yes he's capable of doing it and doing it well. I told Jackson a few moments ago that Uncle Ernie was coming over Friday to babysit. He said, "Mooooom, I'm old enough to babysit myself. I'll let the babies stay up for 100 minutes then put them to bed." LOL LOL LOL He's a hoot!
March 28, 2009 Rain again today. With Jackson and Connor gone with GG we wanted to do something fun and special for Gabrielle. We decided that we would take her and the babies to the Y to work out. We'd put them in the play center and then take her swimming in the indoor pool. We worked out and picked them up from the play center. She was so excited and wanted to hold her baithing suit. We went to the front desk to find out the pool was closed due to lightning. Ahhhh, she was so upset. I felt terrible. She wanted to go and look at the pool so we did that for about 5 mins... we stared and stared. It was really pititful. I promised her tomorrow we would go swimming. Marci came to babysit tonight. Brad and I went to dinner and then to Browns Bridge Church for Group Link. It's a way to get connected with small groups. The church doesn't have the conventional Sunday School. Instead they let you meet up with couples in your age group that live in your area of town. We decided to meet on Friday nights for 8 weeks. There are 5 couples in our group all with children around our kids age. We're really looking forward to meeting friends. More than that we are excited to learning more about God and His word as a couple with other couples who want the same thing. Tonight as I was getting ready I stepped into the shower only to about break my neck on a Matchbox car. I searched for my black purse only to find it in the pantry. I picked up some laundry off the bedroom floor to find a pack of fruit snacks under my bed along with a red power ranger and a empty cereal bar package. I also found the plastic gallon pitcher in the hallway. This is typical. This is normal. This is our life. One day I'll miss finding these little treasures.
March 27, 2009 "Rain, Rain go away come again another day you make me sad and I don't like to feel that way!" How did you like my song? Honestly, I'm glad that we are getting the rain. Our grass is starting to peek through, the Dogwoods are in bloom, Bradford Pear trees are blossoming and the lakes are up. Thank you Jesus and forgive my ungrateful attitude. The kids and I met GG today at the Mall of Georgia. We had lunch at Olive Garden. I love their soup and salad. The kids had a great time eating out. Brady and Cooper are becoming so independent. They wanted to feed themselves with spoons and hold their own cups with straws. GG and I decided to give them a little space and Cooper spilled his milk all over himself and Brady scooped a huge portion of spaghetti onto his lap. GG was going to NC to visit family after lunch. She asked yesterday if she could take a kid or two. Brad reluctantly said yes. Not that we don't trust GG, we just feel funny with them being so far away. I couldn't just run pick them up if they needed me. We decided to let Connor go. He loves to "go" anywhere and looks forward to the time alone. At the last minute we let Jackson go also. He was thrilled. Pulling out of Olive Garden, rain pouring and seeing my babies drive off heading two states away made me so sad. I missed them immediatley. When we got home the babies took a short nap while Sissy and I watched last nights American Idol. When Brad came home I headed to the gym. Yes, the gym. We finally joined the gym. I think I'll sign Jackson up for swim lessons. It felt good to work out. I'm glad I drug myself out there. I came home and took a shower. Sissy asked me "Why do you shave your legs?" I told her that Mommy's do that. She said, "I can't wait to be a Mommy so I can shave my legs." I remember when I was a little girl sneaking my Mom's razor and shaving my toes or something silly that she wouldn't notice. I thought it was so cool. After the shower we loaded up with lotion and sat in the bed to read Winnie the Pooh for the 100th time in 2 days. She told me how much fun the library was and she couldn't wait to go back again. I'm glad she likes to listen to stories. She's so smart. I had Marci come over this morning to babysit. I went to a Kids Sale at the church Jackson goes to preschool. I've never seen so many items in my life. It was covered from one end to the other with toys, clothes, bedding and any other kid thing you can think of. I got some incredible deals. I'll have to take a picture of everything so you can see it. I spent $141. That got Gabrielle 7 dresses, a pair of shorts, leopard print bathing suit, American Girl capri set and tu-tu leotard for dress up. Jackson got 5 pairs of shorts and a shirt and tie. Brady and Cooper got one little outfit. Connor got a live vest with a flotation device sewn inside. 4 of Gabrielle's dresses and the babies outfit are smocked boutique outfits. The dresses sell new for $95! Who pays that? The babies outfit sells new for $65. I was so excited when I left. I felt like I was walking on air. There is nothing like getting a good deal! Connor and the babies are set for the summer with hand me downs. They will need some sandals and that's about it. I went to Target after I left there and got Sissy some white patten leather shoes and frilly lace socks. I can't wait to see them all dressed up for Easter.
March 26, 2009 The past two days have been so rainy and dreary. Yesterday I had Gabrielle and Connor's 3 year well check. (So I'm a little behind) Of course they are perfect and I didn't have any concerns. I did have them check Connor's hearing and it turned out to be perfect, too. Gabrielle is in the 97th percentile for height and Connor is in the 92nd percentile for height. They were worried to death they would need shots. GA suggest a Hep A shot which they have not had but the office was out so we couldn't get it done. I had Marci babysit the babies so I could take Gabrielle and Connor by themselves. After their appointments they wanted to go to McDonald's for lunch. They played on the nasty playground for about 20 minutes. Man, those things gross me out! Later in the afternoon I took all 5 kids to the Library. We got our library card and checked out 3 books. They all knew what they wanted before we walked through the door. Jackson wanted Jack and The Beanstalk, Gabrielle wanted a princess book and Connor wanted a puppy book. We found a book of fairy tales for Jackson, Gabrielle had a change of heart and wanted a Tiger and Pooh book and Connor decided on a tractor book. They were thrilled! It was really sweet watching them carry their books with so much pride. We came home and settled down in the outdoor living area. I built a fire and the rain misted outside. It was cozy and Connor said, "Dis so mush fun!" We read books while the babies played with a basket of toys. When Brad got home he took over Mommy duties and I left. I went to Applebee's for dinner. I sat their alone eating and reading my book. After dinner I went to see Duplicity. I thought it was just okay. It was a little hard to follow and not very good at keeping me intrested. I was kind of glad when it was over. Not the best movie but totally worth getting out! I'm selling my triple stroller. It's in wonderful condition because I never really used it. Locals: If you know anyone intrested I'm selling it for $175. It's on Craigslist Atlanta if you want to see pictures.
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