December - No Witty Title

I've been sitting in my chair for over an hour now trying to get this post started. I want to post a couple of stories. I have a few photos from today. But I got distracted by these other blogs... and I have not made progress. The Pioneer Woman and Bakerella who is actually from Atlanta somewhere. Then I started clicking on other blogs and I had to just close them down and not even look at the address. This place can be so addicting. I hope you aren't addicted! :) I'm just thankful the clothes take an hour to dry and the kids are in bed and the dishes are finished. The guilt of reading and sitting is lessened.

So, last Monday The Pioneer Woman (P-Dub) was in ATL signing copies of her cookbook on her book tour she affectionately likens to the Griswalds trips. I've been reading her blog for a couple years - ever since my sister-in-law, Leslie opened my eyes to it. She is a witty lady and writes well. But she also puts recipes up for the cooking-challenged, like me! She posts step by step pictures of each recipe to make it easy for me. Her cookbook is full of such recipes. Actually, it's not FULL of recipes - but it has plenty for me to work on while enjoying the other pictures and stories in the book. Leslie wanted to go to the book signing, as did I. But alas - I had to work. I told her I would attempt to get off early so we could drive the hour to Buckhead and get in line. The sweet girls I work with said they would cover my last 2 feeds so I could scoot out early. Thank you sweet girls! Leslie picked me up and realized she had left all her cookbooks at the house so we were a little later than desired after swinging back around to get them. At least I got a bowl of soup out of Seth! Good thing, as we had no idea what we were about to endure. We made good time despite being Atlanta at 6pm and got to the bookstore at 6:30 - for a 7:30 book signing. We didn't notice any great lines or gatherings of wild women so we thought things were good. What we didn't see, and would learn later, was Borders handed out bracelets all day long to put people "in line" and Ree had already started signing at 6. I guess it's a good thing she started early because there were a slew of people. We got bracelets that were GREEN lettered F. They started with ORANGE and went A through I (I think) and then hit GREEN. I don't know how many people were in each group but it took a LONG time before Green F was called. In fact, it was 10:09 before we were in line to weave through the book shelves to actually see her. She signed our books at 11pm - 4 1/2 hours after we arrived. Neither of us had done anything like that before. In fact, I always scoff at those who camp out for Chick-fil-A openings and Black Friday sales. I probably still will but I might consider joining them now. It's not so bad if you have good company and people to watch. And good coffee. And a bathroom. I had a white chocolate peppermint latte of sorts - YUM!! I could have ingested several but I stopped after one. Plus, the bathroom got pretty nasty with the 1000 women all waiting together... but I digress.

I can't tell you which section of books Leslie decided to plop in front of while we waited - but it was entertaining for us and for the husbands on the other end of the photo texts. I can tell you that not one other customer asked us to move so they could pick a book!
We enjoyed our time together - waiting. We also got to meet P-Dub's sister Betsy (right) and friend Hyacinth (left). Bakerella was there but I didn't know it was here until I read her blog post facto. (is that correct usage?)
I was able to get a few extra books signed for friends who couldn't join us and also for Christmas. I hope Leslie doesn't remember the trip, the book, or the fact that I told her I had her name and was getting the book for her. :) Maybe!

So, here I am another hour + gone by. Picking and uploading pictures can be time consuming. I want ALL my pictures here... but then it becomes too much. One of my "friends" once told me I had too many pictures and his computer couldn't handle it. I've tried to cut back.

Really.

Today we had a stay at home, do nothing day. It is super cold today and never hit 40. I sent him out once to get the mail but that was all I could do to him.

We played a little Wii - well, the kids did. It's hard to share! So hard.

I had to split the kids and send them to their rooms at one point because they just couldn't be nice.

These guys?!?!

Yep!

Ruthie and Lydia baked brownies this morning. I did the hot work but they did the rest. Maggie helped cut them and serve them up.

I love having them do things for themselves. Not only is it freeing for me... but it allows them to learn.
Cooking and baking is one of Ruth's favorite things to do. I have to work really hard to LET her do these things. The cleaning part is what I hate because the work is double, or more.

But how can you deny this face??

Too sweet.

Lydia wanted to help so she could lick the beater.

I asked her not to get it on her shirt or on Ruthie's shirt.

So she got it all over her face instead.

How does a person get like this?

Makes for sweet kisses too.

I was trying to figure out the flash and focus of the camera. Sometimes it really washes the faces out. And sometimes I can't get it to focus automatically. It wants to focus on something that's close... and you can't tell when you're taking the picture... but when you look at it later - blur!

So she played along. I told her not to smile. I love these little faces. You know when you say DON'T SMILE - it's all they can do.

As my Daddy would say - Look at Dat face! Just look at dat face.

It was minus the flash... but too cute to delete.

New name to protect the little peeps...hope it decreases my worldwide following

So, the boys are off this weekend for a 4-wheeling, off-roading type weekend. The drove somewhere over near Chattanooga with a couple other fellows and spent a couple days just driving Jeeps and being MEN.
These photos are courtesy of James' phone.
Jeep on haul because to be trail worthy means you just can't drive it on the road. And if you did you certainly would have back issues later that day.
Here's the Jeep at work. Dirty is good.

The "little" boys - Bennett and Shannon. They were fortunate to get to go and are thrilled to be included. It's a cold weekend but they always manage. They never are lacking for food or snacks or man fun. Here they are enjoying freshly scrambled eggs for breakfast and I'd guess juice - although Shannon probably had coffee if it was available.
So while the boys were roughing it we girls decided to do a few fun things for the day on Saturday. After a "sleepover" in Mommy's bed Friday night we started a little droopy... and least Lydia and Mommy did. I think Ruth and Maggie slept just fine!

Saturday we got up and headed to the brand new Babyland General Hospital... home of the famous Cabbage Patch babies. They had property issues with the old hospital where they've been housed forever and ever and ended up moving north of the town square by a couple miles. It definitely off the beaten path but the place is much more beautiful, and big, and clean, and new, and shiny.

The inside is the same as the old place... only bigger. They have the same "birthing" tree right in the middle where we were able to see the birth of Terry Montana. Nurse Davis (in white) assisted Momma Cabbage with her delivery. :) I think I have their little spill memorized but the kids always enjoy watching more births and still long for the day when they get to pick the baby's name. Not today. Today, had they been picked, it would have been Bennett. They missed their brother in most of their activities today.

When we finished looking at all the babies and accessories and Santa (Mr. Jerry from our school) and friends - we mosied over to the local Huddle House, a place Curtis refuses to eat. We filled our bellies with a quality (?) breakfast feast. It was fun, just the 4 of us.

While we were eating we decided to continue the fun and head over to our Yonah Bowl and Skate. We just couldn't decide whether to bowl or skate. I tried to explain to the big girls that skating was probably something we should do when Bennett was home (because he loves to skate) and when Lydia had something else to do, since she doesn't skate. Poor little girl. :) So we opted for bowling.
The girls are good for about 5 frames and then it becomes very tiring. Lydia was hilarious the first few times and so stinkin cute. Then she needed to take off her bowling shoes because they made her feet feel weird. I told her she couldn't bowl without them after she tried to bowl a frame with no shoes on. I just knew she was going to bounce the 6 pound ball off her big toe and end up breaking it. She quit after frame 6 and just entertained the rest of us.

Maggie was frustrated because she couldn't figure out exactly how to roll the ball. She still can't decide if she wants to bowl right handed or left handed.. and it's hard for me to help her do it left handed. I wanted her to just do the "granny" roll (between her legs) to avoid the horrible loft thump each time she went. But she continued to try to figure it out. She even found a little heavier ball thinking it might make a difference.

Ruth got the hang of holding the ball correctly (I'm making the I love you sign!) but kept throwing it more sideways than straight. She didn't show her frustration very often. She was very pleased to knock something down... anything. And the little grin of satisfaction as she turned around to face me... priceless.

And ALL this before NOON. :)

We also went to Ingles and Rite Aid before heading home.

The big girls decided to wash the van and the car and Lydia went to play in the bedroom on her mat.
This is how I found her a little while later. She's NOT tired! :)

Ruth was actually diagnosed with strep and is on antibiotics... and Lydia was also complaining so we're treating her as well. She's NOT sick and does not need medicine! But then she can't swallow and cries at night in her sleep. Good thing I'm making her take it anyway. She slept a LONG time today... for not being sick and all. ha!

The boys will return after church on Sunday afternoon when I'm sure we'll hear lots of stories and hopefully see a few more pictures. We have to return the borrowed Rock Band we've enjoyed all week. The girls are getting very good at singing quality Beatles classic tunes. Here Comes the Sun (Ruthie) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (Maggie) and While My Guitar Gently Weeps (ME). :) We may have to invest for Christmas... but it keeps the laundry in baskets and dishes in the sink. But it's fun quality family time!!! Right?!?! :) Sunday night we have a family commissioning of a family who are leaving for at least 3 years (last I heard). They are going to South Asia and Thomas is our friend - Lydia's age. We love him and will miss them. You too can pray for this family.

Thumb Sucking Fools!

Ok, so the title has absolutely NOTHING to do with this post. It's just that the smallest thumbsucker is snuggled up next to me this morning and she won't even let me pull it from her mouth. I'm not sure if the suction is that strong or if she uses her teeth to dig in and hold. Ok, now the title has something (albeit small) to do with this post. Love how that works? :) I should take a picture. Every now and then she'll lean over onto me or just put her tiny little hand on my arm. And then I'll lean over and sniff her head, then her arm then I end up tickling her. I'm sure she's annoyed. But she leaned first!!

So, today is Veteran's Day. We are all so thankful for those men and women who have given up so much just to serve our country. It seems so empty to say it but it's true. Someone just last week said something like... we think we're at war, but we really aren't. The soldiers are at war. We just sit in our Lazy Boys and watch the news living our normal day to day lives while they are sitting there with guns and having to watch every move they make. No, we are not at war. And it's only because our military will GO instead of having to fight on our own soil. Can you imagine what would happen around here if the action was on our own shoreline? If we had to worry about incoming bombs while driving downtown? There'sno way we would function with the mindset we have today. All this entitlement stuff. Maybe we wouldn't worry so much about our government healthcare if we had armies marching through our cities. Anywho... enough of that. I am still thankful I don't have to go to war and I can sit in my chair and watch the news because of young people who are willing to leave what they have and who they know to keep me safe.

Maggie's 2nd grade class put on a performance for the veterans around here yesterday. These videos are snippets from the show. Very cute and very good job! Thanks guys. Maggie is in solid red on the front row. (you can also hear Ruth and Lydia singing along in the background) My Mom and Dad got to come up during the day and watch the one during school. Then they got to stay for lunch with the girls. Mom just raved and raved about what a good time they had and how good the food was and what fun it was to walk down the halls with all the students lining the hallways waving flags for all the veterans. What a sight! When Ruth and Lydia get to 2nd grade I'm going to have to invite my brothers too. They started listing everyone who had served in the military because I'm supposed to send in their names and pictures for the slide show. Well, I failed this year. I usually just send in the grandfathers... but they have figured out there are many more family members who qualify to be in that slide show! 2011 boys, 2011! Mark the calendar now. Show's at 10am with lunch (FREE) following.

Oh, a little news here that I haven't shared yet. A few weeks ago during church I leaned over to see what Lydia was scribbling on her paper and realized it was actually her name. She had finally started making real letters and the ones that matter! I was so shocked that I asked her at that moment if it was her name, then I leaned over and told Curtis. I'm sure the families behind us thought I was crazy for being so loud... She's making progress!! Maybe by August she'll be able to write more letters. She's such the baby!

On the work front, I have been doing charge nursing for 2 years in the NICU and the politics of it all finally got the best of me. I put in my resignation for the charge position in August. Well, due to some HR red tape and the abundance of staff nurses and the lack of a willing soul to step up... here we are in November and I'm still doing charge. It looks like I'll be "stuck" in this role for some time so I'm trying to take it in stride and just continue to do what I'm supposed to do. I hope to be able to go back to the bedside soon. I'm miss my little babies and their families. On a good note... we have a new neonatologist on staff. Now we have 3 "normal" docs to work with. They are actually friendly and nice to work alongside. Yeah!

So, enjoy the videos... I'll do fall photos one day.

Excellent Post for all my Parenting Friends

http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2009/10/mama-don%e2%80%99t-let-your-babies-grow-up-to-be-deadbeats/comment-page-4/#comment-56010

In case you haven't become a reader of The Pioneer Woman.... Mrs G. is a frequent guest. This particular post was worth reading (in my opinion, of course).

Mortimer's Mouse - by Bennett Davidson

Mortimer’s Mouse
By Bennett Davidson

Once upon a time there was a monkey named Mortimer (which in this story is called Mort). Mort was very smart. One day the King wanted all of the town to come to his palace. The King was going to pick someone to go on a quest to look for a mouse to be his royal assistint. He was going to pull 3 names out of a jar to be in the monkey bar race to go on the quest. The person who won the race would get to go on the quest. So it was time to pull names out of the jar. The King pulled the first name out of the jar! He said in a high voice, Lovie Lamb! The King pulled the next name out of the jar, Mort Monkey! The King pulled the last name out of the jar, Tom Tortise! The next day Lovie Lamb, Mort Monkey and Tom Tortise were all exersizing. Finaly after 5 days of work they were all ready for the race. They were all warming up on the starting line of the monkey bar race. After 30 minutes the race had begun! Lovie Lamb was in the lead! Mort was catching up! Sudenly Mort was in the lead! Mort was getting closer and closer to the finish line! All of the sudden Mort had crossed the finish line! Everyone was cheering! The king came up to Mort and said, you have won the race and now you will go on a quest for a mouse to be my assistint. You will need plenty of sleep tonight so you can leave in the morning. Mort now you need to go to your hosue now and get some sleep. Meet me at 7:30am tommarow so we can get you ready. The next morning Mort and the king had met. You will need this box of cheese for the mouse when you find it. Also take this box of bannas for you. Take this backpack, flashlight, 10 dollar bill for plane tickets. Now go on your way! Mort had begun through his town. When he got out of the city limits he thought mouse holes would be a good place to find mice. After walking over bridges, through tunnels and on a place he found a mouse running through a field without a family. Mort saw the mouse and quicky asked if he would be interested in coming to be the kings assistint. The mouse said yes only if he would give him a box of cheese. It was lucky he had one in his packpack. The mouse hopped in Mort’s hands and they started walking through the field going on a plane, through tunnels and over bridges. Finaly Mort’s town was in sight! They started running and then the mouse yelled STOP! The mouse wanted to tell Mort his name. The mouse said his name was Montie and finily they started having conversations. When they got to the Kings palace the King was glad he found a mouse for his assistant. Mort and Montie almost said by to each other and the king stopped them and said Mort could visit Montie any time he wanted to and said thank you for finding a mouse to help the king and Mort visited Montie once a week and they had a great time together!

THE END

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!

Soccer season to drawing to a close. This has been a terribly wet and cold season. Fall is supposed to be hot and pleasurable. Not so much this year.

Tonight we had a couple of make-up games from earlier rained out games. Something happened to keep half of the team at home. I know several of the kids are sickly. Maggie got to play her entire game and her teacher came to watch and we were playing our good friend Leah... Maggie was showing off!! She scored at least 3 times (there's dispute over the number, Daddy thinks it was more). My camera battery died as I was following her into the goal for the 2nd one. Sigh!

Ruth and Lydia played short staffed as well. Ruth played the entire game and scored as well. There's a little dispute as to who actually touched the ball before it went across the line... but we're giving them both credit because it's cuter that way. Ruthie and Nelson worked TOGETHER to make the score. :)

Happy Happy Birthday Birthday

We just celebrated Ruthie's 6th and Bennett's 9th birthdays. Ruthie turned 6 and we spent 2 weeks having a 6, 7, and 8 year old! Those are always my favorite weeks for strangers to ask their ages. :) It freaks people out. I love freaking people out. Then, Bennett turned 9 and it wasn't so much fun to explain ages.

Ruth has asked for a booster seat last year. Easy enough, since it's necessity! This year she had a doll in mind. She said she wanted either a Build-a-Bear (like Lydia's), American Girl, or Cabbage Patch doll. Curtis and I both concurred that we are beyond the stuffed animal stage... or at least would very much LIKE to be beyond that stage! So, we researched the American Girl options. Those things are $100 a piece. Whoever heard of a $100 doll? Crazy people out there buy those things... crazy!

Sounds like us? Whatever! :) We've seen American Girl before. My sister's girls all have one. My brother's girls both have one. Or at least that's the rumor around our house. We've watched a few movies too. Molly - about the dad who was off at war. Kit - who survived the depression. Well, Kit has a best friend. Her name is Ruthie. Perfect?!?!! We told Ruthie she could have an American Girl doll... but we drove to the mall first without saying a word. She can't exactly read road signs and when Bennett and Maggie had it figured out they were just as excited about getting there as we were. When we showed her where we were going her face erupted into pure smiles. We let her go into the store and peruse the different characters. She (we) had talked about the Ruthie doll but we all wanted her to look around at all of them before deciding. So, we met up with Grandma and Grandpa for the shopping adventure. The other 3 kids did so well with helping her decide without being grumpy that it wasn't about them. They all wanted to show me what they would want IF it were their birthday, but none of them whined or complained at all. Yeah! My preaching on the way down worked! She picked out her Ruthie then had to get an outfit (PJs) from Grandma so she could have something else to wear. She's actually taken good care of her so far. Whew!

Her birthday dinner desire was IHOP. Cheap - if the kids pick a kid's meal and you go after 4pm. We were there at 2pm and they all wanted LOTS of food. Our waiter was very sweet. In fact, I believe several of the waiters were very sweet... but we weren't in rural north Georgia either. He quieted the entire restaurant to announce her birthday and then had the whole place and all the wait staff sing happy birthday to her. She was so embarrassed. Cute! Cute! Cute!

I'll have to get pictures from Grandma's camera one day.

As for Bennett's birthday... that was our fall break trip to Chattanooga (see previous post). We celebrated Monday morning by spanking his little behiney 9 times... each of us. :) He just giggles. At the end of our day, before heading south for home, we found the Grand Opening of Chattanooga Cupcakes and went in for birthday cake. He picked out the chocolate cake, chocolate icing with chocolate ganache inside. The girls picked a sprinkles topped one. I chose Key Lime (YUM) and Curtis picked a different chocolate flavored option. We made a big deal and sang happy birthday to him in front of everyone, which he LOVED! He ate his entire cupcake. Ruth decided she didn't like the sprinkles but my Key Lime was tastier. Of course, I shared! Maggie and Lydia finished off the other. Then we headed home... and slept. :)

We're still searching for the "perfect" Indiana Jones Lego set that includes Indy in his proper attire with his hat. The boy knows!

Now we get a month off before all the December birthdays 8th t0 31st (Grandpa, Aunt Holley, Eddie, Emily, AnnaGrace, Tyler, & Maggie). Whew!

Oh - Sept/Oct birthdays... 15th to 12th Jared, Aunt Leslie, Zack, Adam, Briella, Ruth, & Bennett.

October Stuff and more

Each time I start a new post I say how long it has been and how busy I have been since the last post. So, I'm not going to say it anymore. It's a given. We are in that stage and will remain here until after all the girls are married and given away! I'm accepting it. We are busy. With 3 in school and 4 in soccer we keep busy just from those things. Soccer season is short lived and only 2 days a week... until you multiply that by 4 kids. Some weeks we have played soccer each night which seems to stress out the adults more than the players. I love watching them play and learn new tricks. Maggie seems to be the natural athlete in the bunch, if we have one.

School is moving along well. We just got report cards back for this quarter and they all were all A's. Not such a difficult feat in the lower grades but I was very surprised about Bennett. He is the ONLY one in his class with all A's at this point. We are proud... slightly. :)

We just took a quick vacation to Chattanooga for our fall break and Bennett's 9th birthday. I have 200 pictures to sift through to put some here and a few videos as well. It was a terrific time all together and away from our responsibilities. This was the first time we've been "nap free" with all 4 and were able to go all day doing whatever we wanted. We visited the aquarium, saw some collegiate rowing, went to a children's museum, did a lot of walking, climbed aboard the Chattanooga Choo Choo, visit Rock City, went swimming and had some yummy food. At the hotel we went swimming each day and it's such a nice time now that the eldest two can actually swim safely. Lydia is a fish with her floaties on and jumps in and swims through crowds of strangers without fear. Ruth is still a little reluctant to get too far from safety and the crowds really freak her out. She spends most of her time in the hot pool.

This was a shot of the girls in the museum.

The kids at the top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Rock City. See Seven States.

Just outside the Aquarium... family photo shot op.

More Video from the Geeky Band Nerd

My friends, the people I hang with and whom I love... make fun of me. They talk about me while I'm gone and make fun. It's ok. I'm used to it and I'm ok with it. They are also the only ones who read my blog so I'm ok with telling them... Go Ahead... make fun! I'm enjoying my band videos over and over. And I'm going to DCI next year when they come to the big ATL... and I won't take you with me! By Golly!

and I'll wear my hair however I feel!! Until I can get it all cut off again. :)

Enjoy my videos and laugh... I still get chills when the beat penetrates my whole being.

This last video is so you can hear the voice of my friend... screaming at the players. The coach in the stands... I love that voice!

Alrighty then.... if you just watched all 3 of these videos.... well, you have no room to make fun of me!! :)

Georgia Tech Memories.... 18 years later.

I feel really, really OLD even saying it... but it has been 18 years since I was at Bobby Dodd stadium, dressed in the band geek uniform and playing my heart out. Jumping up and down. Go Jackets! And trying to be a perfect RAT. I was there for one football season while I was in nursing school at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing. GBCON was a very small, all girls, no extra curricular activities kind of nursing school. We weren't there to have fun. Georgia Tech was just across the interstate and they didn't really care who joined their band, as long as we played. So I did! It was the 1991 season... and they had won a championship in 1990 so they were good times. I hooked up with some old high school band friends and played like old times. I had great fun. But I hadn't been back to the campus since that year. We've been in the area for random things (The Varsity) but no games, no school activities. I had the opportuity to join an old friend for a GT game this week. She said she was just looking for someone who liked Tech and her enough to do it... I almost turned it down. But it fell between my work days and Curtis agreed to do the soccer run that night. So I went. GT played Clemson... an ACC rival and the game always proves to be exciting. I really didn't care. I just enjoyed being there with Lenee and cheering in the midst of a crowd of Tiger fans. We met up after she got done with work and scooted across town to her secret $5 parking lot. She's always proud to share a find with the right people. :) We walked through the tunnel (which I don't think existed 18 years ago) and we found the band gathering on the steps (which I don't think existed 18 years ago). They played their pep songs and the crowd cheered and then they marched into the stadium. Now that, I remember! We hurried in to our seats so we could see everyone come out on the field. The game was very exciting as GT blew ahead for a 24-7 lead at the half. The second half they let Clemson come back and tie it up so everyone would stay to the end. ha! It ended up being a nail biter all the way to the end and Tech kicked the winning field goal with just 1 minute left. After the game we scavenged up some pom-poms for the kids... to make them happy for having me gone another night of the week. They're easily pleased. :)

I couldn't have had a better time... I don't think.

The memories came flooding back.

I still feel old.

More video soon.