kids

Tonight on my way home from work I was thinking about the kids in my Sunday School class this past week. 4 boys and 4 girls, bright eyed and ready to roll at 10am! At the beginning of class we always take up the offering and then do prayer requests. This week the kids anxiously gave their money and seemed so proud to give the change or dollars they had brought. They normally give cheerfully but this week just really touched me. The little girls carefully pulled their money from their little purses and the boys dug deep in their jean pockets and flung it into the offering plate with enthusiasm. Then they asked for special prayers for their new baby sister to be healthy, a new little puppy not to run away and for family members that were traveling. Even when they seem distracted or ornery, I know that they are learning valuable lessons each week. And so am I.

Runaway Bride

Have you seen this movie? I've watched it about 10 times and plan to visit "Hale" MD soon. The real town is called Berlin MD and you can check it out at www.berlinmdcc.org

We plan to visit the hardware store where Julia Roberts worked and check out the Atlantic Hotel where Richard Gere (the USA Today reporter) stayed. I'd like to get a haircut at the Curl Up and Dye salon. Just hope it doesn't turn out colorful like Richard Geres' :) We plan to stroll the quaint little streets and visit the downtown shops. We must stop at Victorian Charm, which is the bridal shop in the movie. It's actually a bridal/gift shop so I'm sure we could find a little treasure of some sort. We can also have lunch at the little diner, just as in the movie.

I'll be sure to post lots of pictures of this adventure, I can hardly wait! It was a hit movie back in 1998 and it's funny because even the church website devotes an entire page to the filming of this movie at their little church! The town is probably still buzzing about the Hollywood action. In the movie, Richard Gere compares Berlin to Mayberry!

So for a few hours one afternoon, I'll be Julia and Adam can be Richard :)

maroon LG enV2

NO MORE TRAC-FONE!!!!

No more watching minutes, I love it!!

Talk, unlimited text, email, IM, web, videos, music, pictures..... I'm all set!!

This new toy is awesome and I can't put it down!

stupid "weeds"

7am- Yep, the poison ivy did NOT magically go away over night

8am- nice, long, hot shower before work

8:15am- OH CRAP- remember that cold water is best- hot water opens the pores and makes it worse

8:30am-8:30pm- lots and lots of Caladryl, irritation, frustration, burning, feel like scratching my eyes out! ironically, I did scratch my eye so now it has poison ivy at the edge. same goes for the ear, trust me.

9:00pm- big, fat shot in the hip after work to round out the day

tomorrow has to be better........

puppy tales

You've probably seen (or experienced) the little kids that are dragging the puppy around or pushing it in the baby stroller. Well, we are at that stage now! Lacey has always loved Sugar and Spice but she has a greater love for them lately, especially Spice. Poor Spice is exhausted tonight and resting peacefully since Lacey is fast asleep. Lacey loves to give her a bath which means a thorough scrubbing with baby wipes, a towel to dry her off and mommy's hairbrush to make her look beautiful. She feels the need to check her teeth and ears, while she whispers "hush" to keep her quiet. She sings to her sometimes or carefully lifts her long ears and tells her a secret. She also enjoys taking her for a walk which Spice quietly endures. She loves to pick her up and carry her around like a baby and giggles because the dog is kicking her legs and wants to be free. When she's really being ornery she will tell on herself by saying "mommy, I not doing nothin". Of course I come running to save the poor puppy.

She also finds toys or various items to "play" with the dogs. Yesterday she chose the bright red, long umbrella and decided to use it to make Spice surrender and came out from under the bed, which used to be her only hiding spot. Needless to say, the umbrella is now in the top of the closet so Spice can remain in one piece. Today, the chosen object was the Fisher Price bubble mower. She just runs and giggles as Spice runs for her life. I can only imagine this must be what it would be like if she had a sibling to fight with. Spice is actually pretty patient and long suffering with this crazy little toddler because she knows Mommy will keep her safe and eventually Lacey has to go to bed!

Sugar is just hoping that she won't start lavishing her love on her too :)

the weekend

Don't you just love the weekend? I feel like a little kid on Thursday nights. I can stay up as late as I want and make plans to do whatever I want for the next 3 full days! I can sleep in tomorrow and then enjoy a whole day of shopping and just hanging out with my family. Both are rare so I've really been anxious for tomorrow. But I'm shopping for a new bathing suit so I'm hoping that TJ Maxx has dimmed lights and flattering mirrors :) I went to Sears tonight and it took me, literally, 2 minutes to buy Lacey a new swimsuit. It's just not fair! And her new suit even has a cute little hula skirt to match. I would like a tankini in a pretty floral pattern or something real summery. We'll see how that goes.......

I really miss my family through the week so I'm always anxious for the weekend. And I'm rambling so it's time to jump off here........

before the dawn

Where were you at 5:16am today? I was trying to convince my wide awake 3 yr old to go back to sleep and that mommy didn't want to be tickled or play any games at that particular time. I think she was close to putting a stack of Dora cards or Battleship on my bed. Even at 3 yrs of age, we still view these weird times on the alarm clock once in awhile.

So, as the heavy fog lifted, the sun began to rise. Did you know the birds are already singing that early in the morning? My bedroom window was wide open so they entertained us for awhile. I'm not sure who fell asleep first but I know she was getting bored talking and laughing to herself. Tonight she is pretty tired so I probably won't see any strange number combinations on my alarm, thankfully :)

surfin'

I usually have little yellow sticky notes in my purse or on our desk with websites I've heard about and want to check out sometime. Here's my list of sites on the waiting list:

www.igougo.com
www.dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com
www.hardtofind800numbers.com
www.seejanework.com
www.postsecret.blogspot.com
www.glassbooth.org
www.subservientchicken.com

Silly or interesting? Maybe they are useful sites or just bring a laugh or two.

tv

Have you been watching The Bachelor? I remember the first time I watched it and thinking how crazy it was but then 2 hrs later I'm still glued to the tube! So, tonight I stumbled upon the season finale and watched until the final rose was given to the lucky lady. Adam says "it's a crock" and I sorta agree. I missed this whole season but I had fun tonight watching the finale. I believe they are good actors and maybe seeking a role on a soap opera or something but it's still entertaining to watch. I wonder how many couples are still actually together from this show? Not many I'm sure. I think they may get caught up in the game and just really want to win the prize- The Bachelor! The new bride-to-be tonight was on a previous show which really makes you skeptical about her honesty and loyalty huh?

Fake or not? I think most reality shows are not true reality. How can you really be yourself with so many cameras in your face and following every move? I don't care though, thumbs up to The Bachelor!

the mud pie

I love the Food Network! Have you ever watched the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives? I was thinking about a little place we recently visited in Chattanooga TN. We stumbled into the Mud Pie on our way to Coolidge Park. It's downtown, close to the park, but I can't remember the name of the district. The service was really slow, especially with a toddler, but the food was pretty good. We enjoyed our lunch as we watched the hustle and bustle out the window. They also have patio tables if you want to soak up the sun. If you are an American Idol wannabe, you can return to karaoke on Friday nights!

This little restaurant/pub appears to be a local hang-out for college kids or young adults. It probably wasn't the best choice for a rare lunch with my MIL but we still enjoyed it. They serve salads, sandwiches, tortillas, pizza, several Cuban dishes and homemade desserts. We recommend the hot mud club, mud angus burger and the chicken/spinach wrap. Lacey highly recommends the hot dog, fries and ranch dressing :)

I googled this restaurant out of curiosity and of course it has a website: www.mudpierestaurant.com


Diner, Drive-In or Dive? You decide.

Memorial Day

I have tried for several days to share this picture and it finally worked tonight. This is one of my favorite pictures I have taken for a long time. Lacey and Papaw watching the boats and ducks, just enjoying an afternoon at the lake. We also fed the huge carp again down by the docks but they aren't the prettiest fish so I chose not to share those pictures. It's fun to throw the small dog food into the lake and watch them just swarm around the dock and jump out of the water.

sand and sea

We are counting down the days until we reach the beach :)

long, relaxing days
hot sun and carefree days
just the three of us
sand castles
wet toes
sunrise over the ocean
factory outlet shopping
cool, brand new rental car
sunglasses and sunscreen
fun new restaurants
3 mile boardwalk of fun
small, friendly baptist church
Dumsler's ice cream
on and on and on......

Can we go now??