No Place Like Home

One of the best things about being at home is the freedom you have to just relax, be yourself, and be accepted.

If you want to stay in your rattiest pajamas all day and be free from from any restrictive supportive undergarments, that's fine!

If you want to lay in the middle of your living room floor and stare at the ceiling while your child uses your abdomen as a trampoline, that's A-OK!

If you take a notion to turn up your favorite song to ear shattering decibels while you dance around the kitchen, more power to you!

AND....if you want to cover every square inch of wall space in your home with beautiful portraits of the joy of your life, GO FOR IT!

And on that note...I had 2 of Sydney's 1 year pictures framed, and they turned out fantastic. I took a picture of the obnoxiously large one. It's tricky to take a picture of a picture...unless you're my husband, and then it's a piece of cake. I don't have his skills. Whatcha think?

I could just stare at this cherubic face all day. I lub my bebe girl.

Jon Royce with Reflections Custom Framing & Engraving in Beaumont created this gorgeous frame...and what is so wonderful is that all I told him was..."I want it big and beautiful...just perform your magic."

And this is what I got! Amazing!

Check out Jon's website to take a gander at the thousands of frames and mattes you can select.

http://www.reflectionscustomframing.com/ 

Now, I think I'll go lay on the couch, eat a bag of frozen grapes, and stare at my stinkerbell's picture on the wall above my couch where EVERYONE can see it. Ahh..

Monstrous Monday

Every now and again, I have a day that is totally a do-over.

I am not one of those people who constantly complain about how horrible Mondays treat me. Mondays are most likely my most productive days. But, I was due for a Monstrous Monday and it hit me full force today.

(Big Breath) Here we go...
Sydney overslept. She wouldn't wake up. It was like raising a corpse.
I had to work today. I was meeting two teachers at the office and I was on a schedule. Did I mention I overslept, too?
The comatose child refused to wake up and was extremely unpleasant once she was forced off her Sealy Posturepedic Baby's Dream mattress.
Cranky child was thrown into the highchair while assorted breakfast foods were thrown at her.
Kid was dropped off her babysitter's house and I scooted off to work not realizing the car was sucking gas fumes.
Barely made it to work. My dear teacher friends who met me there were waiting patiently on their "prompt" co-worker. We set to work...
The internet project they were working on was very difficult to complete since the website we were downloading from had sporadic seizures all day requiring reboots and exorcisms.
After a frustrating morning at the office dealing with technology, I hobbled my way to the gas station and sped over to the sitter's to get my cheerful child.
The cheerful child was in a better mood and was ready to grab some lunch and go to work with Mommy for an hour while we waited on GiGi (grandma) to get off work and come pick her up @ 2:00.
It was then I realized that my cell phone service was completely gone. It kept alerting me of voice mails and extremely important messages but I was never able to retrieve them, which made me want to rip my arm hairs out one by one.
Gigi never showed up to pick up the office destroyer Sydney and I was forced to leave work and find some one's door step upon which to deposit my child.
Lucky for me, my precious, wonderful, neighbor who babysits for me occasionally just happened to be home. I literally threw Sydney into her house and thanked her profusely while speeding BACK to work still wondering where in the world my mom could have been.
That's when the phone beeped again saying I had yet another voice mail, but due to my super duper cell phone service, I was unable to check it, still....
Finished the day at work battling the Internet, adobe reader, and printers and then picked up the kid.
Decided that I was NOT going to cook dinner and went to a local fast food establishment to grab some healthy fried chicken.
Got ripped off on my fried chicken family deal since the lady at the register was unable to count, add numbers, and understand English. Didn't care... I think I ended up paying $3.00 for each piece of chicken before it was all over with...
Chicken was utterly disgusting. My husband couldn't eat it. I forced down one piece. Put the rest away to feed my mom's dogs.
And now, as I listen to the pouring rain, I thank my lucky stars that....
I am dry.
I am fed.
I am employed.
I am not walking everywhere I go.
I am loved.
I am blessed.
Just takes a Monstrous Monday every once in a while to keep things in perspective.
Okay, then, I've got the point. Enough already. Bring on Tuesday! Please...

Diddy

and she calls him, "Diddy"

Zoo Crew

I'll let Sydney tell you about her day at the zoo and I'll go make a tuna sandwhich in the meantime...

So, my mama took me to the zoo! She told me we would be meeting Kim and Emma there.

Emma is my friend! She is almost 1 year old. She's a miracle baby, too!

I wish I had her big, beautiful, blue eyes. Golly.

Kim is Emma's mama. She brought along lots of snacks.

  We saw these really weird, pink birds. They made crazy noises.

This is my new sign language for, "I love you VERY VERY much." If I cover up one ear, that's just 1 "very."

Emma was REALLY thirsty.

This is me & my homey. I'm just chillin' with my tinkerbell sunglasses 'cause I'm cool like that.

 

This kitty is WAY bigger than my kitty at home. He looks like he could use a beverage. 

 

He was showing off just for me!

 This, "Quack, Quack" was my favorite of all. Can I have one, mommy? Please??

I liked watching this turtle eat his salad bar breakfast. He may walk slow but he eats, fast!

 I  need a bird like this at home. He does NOT say, "Quack, quack."

I loved my trip to the zoo! Can't wait to go back, but I think we should wait till the fall when it's not 102 degrees. Love ya, Emma! I'll see you soon!

Mom & Tots Swim Class Graduate!

Sydney graduated from Mom & Tots swim class yesterday. I was a little concerned that she would accomplish this feat since she had a very rough start. TEARS galore. WAILING nonstop. THRASHING beyond belief.

The kid has been in the water since birth. She's played in the hot tub and thinks bath time is the best part of every day. I was scratching my head trying to figure out WHY she was terrified of swimming lessons.

Week 1 was tough. I cried. She cried. I contemplated quitting. It was just too stressful. My mom said, " You are NOT quitting," and when she uses that tone of voice, I know better. Obedience is the best course of action.

So, we did NOT quit. We stuck it out. Week 2 was much better. She received lots of extra attention and intervention from the instructor and by Friday, we were swimming like champs. Her cousins in California would be so proud!

Not gonna look at the camera.

I'm gonna jump, Mama. 

Splash...glug, glug.

Here I am!  

Whew...made it! No tears and I held my breath! 

But, I want to get BACK in the pool!

Swimming is SUPER FUN!

Thanks mom...swallowed a little water with that dive. 

Just don't make me "pray and pull"...

Or float on my back...not quite ready for that, yet.

Tennessee Aquarium Part II

It may take me another couple of weeks to finish posting my vacay pictures, but it seems as though my life has provided me with PLENTY to get off my chest lately, so...enjoy the highlights of the saltwater building!

 Poor cuttlefish. He was not blessed with beauty,

that's for sure.

  A lovely butterfly in the tropical rainforest. Funny thing though...I walked in the door and I thought I was back in East Texas...ahh...the humidity.

How can something so cute be so lethal?

This little guy is about the size of a plum.

 "Yo, Yo, we just be hangin' out in the butterfly house. Don't mind us...we're just for decoration."

 Must be nice to have your food just hangin' around for you so you can grab a snack anytime you want.

 This picture is a little blurry (blame my photographer husband) but have you ever seen such crazy designs on a sting ray? I must confess I was thinking..."Wouldn't those make a FANTASTIC purse?" I'm sorry. I really am.

 My favorite pictures...courtesy of my hubby. Jellyfish are so amazing. This ruffled one is huge. About the size of a beach ball and it's tentacles were about 50 feet long! JEEPERS!

 Gotta put this on my desktop...but Sydney reigns as desktop queen for now.

 Gotta love a man sitting on an egg. The guide told us they expected this egg to hatch any second. The mama is standing by making sure he is doing it right.

 Now, he's just darn right creepy. Words escape me.

 More of those cutie pie button jelly fish.

So happy, so graceful, so brainless.

Don't tell me you wouldn't love to have a purse/wallet/shoes out of this!

Words Unspoken

Ran into an old high school classmate today completely out of the blue. Haven't seen this person in about 15 years. We were never good friends, just acquaintances. Our conversation was odd to say the least.

I will sum it up to say that this person was very surprised that I only had 1 small child at "my age." Also, this person repeatedly expressed their surprise that I did so well in high school and now have ended up back in my hometown.

...an excerpt...

C.M.: (classmate) "Is that your baby?"
Me: Yes.
C.M. (strange look) "Is that your youngest?"
Me: Yes, and my only.
C.M. (stranger look) "You only have 1 child? How old is she?"
Me: She is almost 16 months.
C.M. "Oh, okay." (C.Mate's nearly grown child comes up to him.)
Me: Her name is Sydney.
C.M. "Hmmm." (bizarre deer in the headlights look)

C.M.: "So, what are you doing back in Jasper? Weren't you like valedictorian or something?"
Me: "Uh, no I was not."
C.M.: "What was your class ranking?"
Me: "I can't really remember but, maybe #6."
C.M.: "Oh, so what are you doing back here?"
Me: "I moved back for several personal reasons."
C.M.: "Hmmm.." (weird look in the distance)

I told you the conversation was strange. I left out other interesting tidbits for the sake of brevity. You get the idea. I didn't say all the things I wanted to say to this person in response to the crazy questions and looks I received, because I am really working on keeping my mouth shut. But, for some reason, I feel the need to say them now.

"Yes sir, that's my baby, my one and only. I did not have a kid right out of high school. I went to college, got a degree, found a wonderful guy, got married, enjoyed life, visited amazing places, went to grad school, got my masters, and have held down a great job for some time now. I actually left Jasper and lived in Houston and worked with phenomenal people and students. I do realize there is a world outside of Jasper.

By the way, you have no idea what it is like to struggle for years trying to have a baby while everyone around you is popping them out like spit wads out of straw. The immense pain I went through cannot be described, but by the grace of God, I was given a miracle when there was no hope left. Yes, I am a first time mom in my thirties and there is nothing wrong with that...and just because I worked hard in high school doesn't mean I am disqualified from coming back to my hometown. This place could use a few more people with brain cells, don't you think? Why are you here and not in some huge metropolitan area pulling down 6 figures? Huh?You got any more questions for me, bub?"

There, I feel better now.

Cousin Bud

While we were in Tennessee, I made a point to visit my dear 'ol Cousin Bud.

Cousin Bud is married to Judy, therefore, she has the same first and last name as my mom,

which is pretty cool.

They have two gorgeous daughters who are both very smart and successful.

They live in Ringgold, Georgia, which is actually, as Lacey put it, "wannabe Tennessee."

They are very close to the Tennessee border.

Like, so close you can see Tennessee from their house, but alas, they are not in Tennessee.

Anyway, I hadn't seen Cousin Bud in eons and had not seen his family in about 10 eons, so it was past time for a visit. I vividly remember getting baby pictures of the girls. Seems like yesterday. I think I am getting old. No, I know I am.

The cool thing about family is that THEY KNOW.

They understand all the inside jokes.

They know from experience how different people in the family behave.

They just GET IT.

And they can LAUGH about it.

Even when you don't get to visit very often, they still KNOW.

We had a yummy dinner and a wonderful visit on the back deck, which was screened in, which I highly recommend for those who live in the south and do not want to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.

We chatted and watched the sun go down and the fireflies light up the night.

We laughed and reminisced about old times.

Chris and I enjoyed ourselves immensely.

We can't wait to return. The downstairs suite has our name on it, and of course, we've got to bring Sydney. How many times did I hear that?

"Next time, you GOTTA bring the baby."

 Well, I hope by then they invent a special serum to administer to young children that allows them to travel without incident, crying, wailing, or other insanity.

Glad to know I have a place to hang my hat next time I'm in Tennessee, I mean, Georgia.

And you gotta be a Bishop to get dibs on staying at Cousin Bud's place.

And one of the ways to identify a Bishop is by...

the bony spider toes and overly large second toe.

Be glad I don't have a picture of Cousin Bud's toes to post.

His feet are a tad more graphic, frightening, interesting.

Chattanooga Cupcakes - Delirious Deliciousness

If you haven't read the post from yesterday, please take a moment to do so.

Go ahead, I'll wait on ya.

Now, you are ready to read about one of the many highlights of my trip.

Friday evening...our last night in Chattanooga, we met with some dear friends, Randy and MaryGayle. We had a great visit and MaryGayle recommended I try a cupcake from a local cupcake shop that was to

 DIE FOR.

The weather was dreary but that did not stop me from walking 5 blocks in my flip flops in the rain without an umbrella to arrive at Chattanooga Cupcakes.

As I entered this cute little building, the sights and smells overwhelmed me.

Never has the phrase, "So many cupcakes, so little time" rang truer.

I looked at all of them ever so carefully.

The decision was one of epic proportions.

I finally decided on this little jewel with a simple name: "PB & C" - Peanut Butter & Chocolate

Or as I now call it: 

Pleasure, Breathtaking & Creaminess

Perfect, Blissful & Crazy Good 

My choice was boxed up delicately in the cutest little carrier, complete with a fork. You know a cupcake is good when it is "FORK" good.

With joy in my heart and a spring in my step, I made the journey back to the hotel.

My husband decided to venture off downtown to look for some excitement while PB&C and I slinked off to the hotel room.

It's just YOU AND ME baby.

To my horror, I opened the box and realized  my prize had experienced an unfortunate mishap.

Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!

Must be due to the nasty spill I took while going into the hotel. I'm glad the valets were there to catch me but the cupcake didn't fair so well. Just cosmetic damage...

I have no words to describe my 5 minutes and 36 seconds of taste bud fantasy land.

Peanut butter cream cheese icing drizzled in hot fudge chocolaty sauce delicately layered on a moist chocolate cupcake. I scraped the paper liner. I savored every morsel. I am trying to figure out the best way economically to have these shipped to Texas. Hmmm...Maybe if I bought them in a lot. Do cupcakes come in a lot? Bakers Dozen? Bakers 112? Surely there's a way.

In the meantime, I will be counting down the days until I can visit Chattanooga Cupcakes again and sample all of the other delightful flavors.

Who knew a baked good could bring such joy, such contentment, such elastic waist bands?

  

Mmmm...It's only an 11 1/2 hour drive. I could be back by this evening. Late this evening...I would be tired, but VERY happy.