a blessing

davis, will you say the blessing?

yes.

god is great. god is good. thank you for our christmas tree. amen.

seriously?

.



















cherubs. sweet little darlings. angels. precious. your children are soooooo cute. many of the phrases i hear from random people, people i know and even myself sometimes. but not today. i feel a little guilty sitting at my computer for the first time is ages and writing about my little house of horrors today. oh well, so be it.


we start the day great. our usual routine.....breakfast, dress, book, game, etc. but today i NEEDED to send out our christmas cards FIRST THING! PRONTO! NO EXCEPTIONS! so i try to review the morning's agenda before we set out on our outing. first stop = post office. second stop (if you're good at the uspo) = treat. third stop = play in the snow at gardner-webb. review the rules. "listen to mommy. follow directions. no hitting, spitting, pushing, fighting, yelling, etc." everybody in the car, even darby. okay we are on our way.


we're doing great until it's time to leave the post office. allison wants bubbles. bubbles are hand sanitizer. and i like that the post office keeps a bottle at every cashier..........until today. the bottle at our register is empty. allison throws a fit. falls on floor. mom tries to retrieve bottle at next counter. allison wants empty, purple bottle of bubbles. it's time to go. allison continues to throw fit and yanked down the vertical blinds at the door. (this is where i literally had to catch my breath.) i may have just walked out the door without her if this wasn't the one day when the smallest post office in north carolina wasn't packed full of people. where did they come from? they weren't there when we walked in? so yes, i was the mom that people just stared at as if i was octomom. i'm sure they were thinking, "what are you doing in public with more children than you can handle?" sure, as soon as we get out the door and start loading up into our car, both allison and davis turn to me without being qued and say, "I want to say I'm sorry mom." i wanted very badly to turn to ALL those staring people and say, "did you hear that?! my kids DO have manners and the CAN be polite and sweet and good!!!!" ... they just don't do it in front of others. except when you give them money to put in the kettles.

next year will can there be a salvation army kettle at the post office please?

seven eleven

says allison:

one, two, three, four, five, six, eleven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, eight, nine.....

we are multiplying

our pictures that is.......thanks to no storage limits and no fee (it's free!) our photo gallery is moving to shutterfly.

click on the new link, photo gallery ll, to check out many many many many more halloween photos of our little peeps.

trick or tweet

finally. here you have it. after weeks of infected computer and virus after virus, i'm sneaking online to quickly post a couple halloween pictures.

i find it very ironic that i used to call myself "super chicken!" when jumping in the pool at my grandparents growing up. most people just shouted, "geronimo!" and here i am 30 years later dressing my children up as chickens. guess it just stays with you. now, davis calls himself "super davis!" and allison? of course, "super allison!" much better for the psyche.

a quick summary. davis chases our neighbor's cat down the sidewalk. allison won't keep her 'feet' on. four straight nights of halloween festivities = ruffled feathers by saturday night.

honkshoo

so stinking tired right now. stayed up last night to organize my coupons for harris teeter's triple coupon week until tomorrow. packed up the kids for a trip to ht, walked around the store 3+ times.

first trip- let davis and allison push the little buggies to pick up "light groceries" for their carts.

second trip - switched all of D and A's groceries and traded up for the double buggy XL race car cart. such a love/hate relationship. they are great for pushing around two kids in the store, but impossible to drive and NOT bump into the aisles.

third trip - while standing next in line at the cashier, i realize my debit card and pile of coupons that i REALLY wanted to use are at home. back around the aisles to put BACK everything i just spent the last 1 1/2 to 2 hours picking out while directing 2 miniature drivers. ARGHH.

and you all know, that 1 trip around the grocery store really equals two when you have little passengers with you. either you skip aisles you need or walk right past items on your list. not a fun day. thank goodness for the little extra cash in the wallet to buy the kids their strawberry milks and clams for tonight's dinner. or all three of us would really be ill.

davis decided he doesn't want to nap today although he is walking around with his EYES WIDE SHUT. poor guy.

THIS is why i don't get to regularly post to the blog like a good little blogger should.

and yes, stay at home moms have LONG mondays too.

it's the most wonderful time of the year!

happiness

5 years

=

3 year old

+

2 year old

=

1 grateful, happy momma

4 a weekend off

thank you! thank you! thank you!

thank you! thank you! thank you!

love you!

love you!

love you!

so a friend finally called me out on not posting anything for an entire month. like i wasn't feeling guilty enough already. kids already ran in and are climbing all over me and computer after two sentences. i'll try to upload a few pictures reeealllll quick.

to be continued.........

neckid

i remember being made fun of once in elementary school because i pronounced naked like neckid. and i think i still pronounce it that way. i don't know. what i do find puzzling now is that most southerners add one if not more syllables to their word pronunciations. most common example? adding y's in the middle of a word. heyelp. bayud. (help. bad.) even my own kids are doing it. miyulk. (milk.) okay, back to the puzzling part. the boy that made fun of me was from the south too. so why did he have such a problem with it?

these days, as i look through pictures to add to this site, i notice that many of them are of my neckid kids. new puzzle: why are my kids always running around without clothes on? well, i've come to a few conclusions.

1. less laundry - foods that kids like always seem to make a mess. spaghetti sauce. macaroni and cheese. peanut butter. jelly. cheetos. pizza. syrup. greasy foods. chicken. pizza. so i've found that i strip my kids down upon sitting at the table. no, i don't want their good clothes to get stained much less have to add them to a laundry pile after eating a meal and find new clothes for them to wear. well, some of you may ask, "how about a bib?" my answer? that's just more pieces of laundry to wash, dry and fold. and it's a whole lot easier for me to hose off my kids after a meal if they are already, well, "neckid."

2. time management - besides not adding more laundry to the pile and the time mentioned above to wash, dry, fold....if i put clothes on my kids before the 15-minute-window of walking out the door, its very likely they will have spilled something on it, taken a dip in a puddle, smeared lotion on the clothes, or better yet, drawn on themselves with sharpie marker. here again, adding more time to our process of getting ready and out the door AND adding more and more laundry.

so after all my puzzles and solutions, i give you... some neckid kids.

(picture above is from davis and allison building a zoo in their room. and the video below speaks for itself. don't forget to pause the music to the right.)

to do list

1. add post to blog
2. soon.

hard of hearing.

we had so much fun tonight, its hard to settle down for bed. congratulations to jackie on her pretty, new gwu diploma. thanks to a graduation party equipped with backyard karaoke, davis is now a microphone hog. sympathies to the person who gets his microphone afterwards. just wipe off the cooties and saliva. he sings as he is trying to get the whole thing in his mouth.

allison is perfectly content with swinging her hips from side to side, dancing for anyone who's watching (or not watching for that matter.) just give the girl a tune.

davis has started conversations with god. he understands that god is in the sky. god can see you, but you can't see god. (except on a cloudy day when the sunshine streams through.) and we also get that god can hear you and you can talk to god. what we are still learning is that god doesn't exactly talk back to you directly. and that you don't have to yell for god to hear you way up there in the clouds.

davis (in the car): daddy, stop the rain.

zach: i can't stop the rain. god stops the rain, or moves the rain.

davis: i see god. over there in the clouds.

davis: can i talk to god?
zach: yes, to can talk to god.

davis: (yelling to the clouds) GGGOOOOOOODDD!?

......quiet......

davis: god can't hear me.

......laugh. chuckle..........

why is it that makes your second child skips stages and just progress naturally and instantaneously? allison didn't crawl, she walked. at 15 months she was doing everything right behind davis at the playground. slides? done. ladders? done. monkey bars? done.

now, it seems as she skipped babbling altogether. i wonder if she's thinking, "i'm ready to talk now. guess i'll use full sentences to get my point across." examples:

i need to wash my hands.

i want blue milk. (2%)

i need something. or i'm looking for something. (when she's trying to procrastinate.)

i want baby juice. (= boxed juice. don't know where that came from, go figure.)

i want my flag bow. no pink bow mommie, flag bow!

daddy's home! daddy's home! dadis! daddy's home.

wait for me mommie. wait for me.

i got to shut the door.

i walk myself.

i need my vitamins.

(and the ever-dreaded...) i pooped mommie. need to change my diaper.

where does the time go? quit changing the batteries and let it slow down a bit.

no likey-likey

zach doesn't like this song (chicken fried, zac brown). he tells me everytime he opens the internet. and then he tells me how much one of his friends loves this song (also everytime he opens the internet.)

how can you not like this song? it is appropriate in so many ways:

1. i just realized the first lyrics of the song and the chick-fil-a reference in the last blog is so fitting. that was SO not planned i promise!

2. it's the perfect summer song. how much fun it would be to still have the jeep and ride around with this song playing.

3. i'm from georgia along with those peaches, pecan pies, sweet tea and southern pines.

4. who doesn't like a cold beer on a friday night?

5. and a good pair of levi's?

6. i love, love, love to sing with the radio up.

7. you better like the love in my eyes.

8. i cherish my precious children's touch.

9. i now (really) know a mother's love.

10. hello? the artist shares your name!

11. i could go on and on.....but i'll end with this. it is the smallest things in life that mean the most.

so if you agree, raise your glass and let's have a toast. you know i'm always up for a drink.

holy cow

its quiet around here. davis and allison are at bobo's for the week. this morning was the first day waking up in the house without the kids. its so quiet you don't know what to do. but there is also so much to do without the help of four little hands, i don't know where to start.

so, i'll continue to procrastinate and upload our latest pictures from last week's cow appreciation day. what's that? some may ask. well, every year on or near july 10th, chick-fil-a will offer free food to all who dress up wholeheartedly or only halfheartedly like those gosh darn cute cows of theirs. dressed head to toe = free combo meal of your choice. cow print handbag or just a eat more chikin sign = free entree of your choice.

you know me - i'll take any opportunity to dress up. especially for free chick-fil-a......double bonus!

keep your eye on the grand ole flag.

i do believe the fourth of july is davis' favorite holiday of all. the music. the fireworks. the hot dogs. the parade. the marching. and the flag! how davis loves to march with a flag. every patriotic song is "his song." and every patriotic song deserves a march.

we started with fireworks at cowpens state park on friday night. most kids like to run around a chase each other or play games while waiting for the fireworks. but not davis. its off to the orchestra and a marching we go....

(i did it! video uploaded. press arrow above. keep your eye on the cute little flag carrier and wait....just wait for it! tip: turn your volume on and pause the songlist on the right.)

then on saturday morning, we head over to lattimore's july fourth parade. even more proof we are in the heart of small town america. beef. its whats for dinner.

and of course, davis has to join in the parade at the end.

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allison? well, she's not as enthusiastic about the marching or the music. but she does love to go, "whoa!" after every firework.

bedtime stories (part deux)

after the previous blog entry, zach and i were putting davis to bed. goodnight moon was, of course, at the top of the list. we are on the page for "goodnight room." and the dialogue goes like this.....

davis: that's a mouse.

stephanie/zach: what's the mouse doing?

davis: running to fire.

stephanie/zach: what happens then?

davis: gets burned.

stephanie/zach: oh, nice. let's get another book.

gone but not forgotten

davis: my birthday is gone.

yes, but the memories are not.

allison and madison relaxing in the wagon.

"davis i got you a boat!" stella's not one for the element of surprise.

all about 3rd's: probably davis' third hotdog and stella's third cupcake.

scootey-patooty.

i'm gonna huff and i'm gonna puff and i'm gonna blow this caterpillar out.

mischief in process

getting started

getting started for a lot of firsts. not your usual firsts. you know, the first word, the first steps, the first foods. no.... it's the first summer full of first activities:

soccer

vacation bible school

first stage performance

swim lessons

trip to the movies

summer camp

first trophy

my first baby is no longer a baby. it is so bittersweet (and fun!) so many proud moments in a few short weeks.

lets see, we finished up soccer camp and davis received his first trophy on monday. we didn't go to the end of season "pool party" because it was our 2nd night of vbs. and he can go to the pool and have a hot dogs anytime. so we sacrificed the awards ceremony. but davis picked up his trophy the next day and carried it with him EVERYWHERE and showed EVERYONE for the next 24 hours. now, it is placed in a highly, distinguished spot in his room where davis points it out at least once a day, "that's my soccer sophry."

swim lessons. our first trip to the pool this season suggested it was time to get allison in swim lessons. yes, allison. she kicked and paddled the second zach put her in the water. the next day, she was jumping of the stairs and going underwater herself. she thinks she's a fish. so it's morning swim lessons for both on alternating days, thank goodness. i don't have any pictures of her lessons because they are parent/child lessons and I'm in the pool with her. now with a lesson and swim belt under her belt, she will kick around the pool like a perfectly happy little seahorse. a precious sight. i have to get a picture of it sometime.

davis is in swim lessons without the parent. which i wasn't quite sure how this was going to go over since he is a little more cautious about the water. he likes the water, but he likes the security of knowing you are near him or as he puts it "you got me?" he did great and walked right off with his swim coach and swim class buddy, bry. not a single worry about leaving mommy behind at all. i was so proud to see him listen to his coach and actually try each new exercise. now, as we count down from three to get davis to jump in the pool, he'll swing his arms and say, "i'm getting started!" and then he'll jump in after the second countdown. funny little boy. second generation super chickens! those two.

oh my, my. vacation bible school. allison's class was still in the nursery where she played and was the little helper since she was probably the oldest toddler/baby there. still she happily helped her teacher go gather the snack when the time came. davis was a little rowdy the first day or two always wanting to go with mommy and daddy, or play a game of catch and chase with his teachers. but don't you know by the end of the week it was my precious child up there with the rest of his class just a dancing, clapping and a singing in front of the church.

summer's getting started! and i have a feeling its going to be one of the funnest ones for me and zach.

our first movie to up!