Great Weekend!

The bad thing about a long weekend is that right when you get used to spending all the time with your family, it's time to go back to work again, but we had a great weekend!

Friday night, Carter Lane went with his Gran (Ronnie's mom) to see his cousins. So, I cheated and just ordered pizza for supper. We let Trent sit at the coffee table to eat his pizza. So, he pulled his little chair up to it, and was trying his best to pull the coffee table closer to him. It was just a little too heavy, and his hands slipped. About that time, he exclaimed, "D**n!" I looked at him all crazy and asked what he said. He looked up at me with those big brown eyes, and said, "Aww, you know, Mom... just telling you what a beaver lives in." At that point, my three-year-old had me.. All I could say was, "Ok, well let's call it a Beaver House from now on..."

Saturday morning, we went got up to make pancakes and eggs for breakfast. After eating, we went out to the garden to see if there were any veggies ready for the picking. I gather some squash while Trent played in the dirt. Then, I spotted an eggplant that was ready. So, I went to pick it. Just in case you didn't know (and I keep forgetting), eggplants stems have these little thorns on them. So, I yelled "Ouch!" to which my darling little man replied, "You dummy!" Now, I can't think of one rational explanation for why he would be calling me a dummy. So, I said, "Excuse me?" Without missing a beat, Trent said, "I was talking to this stupid tomato plant that keeps getting in my way."

Now, it's not the fact that he's saying inappropriate things that has me worried... most kids at his age start doing that kind of thing. It's the fact that he can rationalize it all right there on the spot. I have a feeling we're in for it with this child...

Saturday evening, we headed to Ronnie's parents' house to play with the cousins (Ronnie's sister's children). The celebration lasted all the way to Sunday night. We had a great time!!

There was lots of Ping Pong to be played!

 

Trent and his boy cousins ready to celebrate!

Carter Lane started with sparklers but quickly moved on to bigger explosions

 

Trent wa happy just playing in the dirt all day

 

Ronnie trying to show the kids how it's done

 

Trent really liked the Party Poppers

 

All the cousins before everyone started playing after church

 

My fam :) (Everyone's even almost smiling!)

Yesterday, Trent and I went to my mom and step-dad's house to visit, and then we went to see Toy Story 3 (which was good but had some parts that were a little intense for a 3-year-old.) We had a great time together, though! Trent even got some new shoes, which he kept calling his "fly kicks"... I have no idea...

Trent and his Memaw

Trent and PawPaw

Trent after the weekend of festivities... He said "Even Batman gets tired, Mama"

Happy Independence Day!

In our nation right now, there are natural disasters, man-made tragedies, and nation-wide debates and disagreements. On this Independence Day, while we are far from a perfect country, it is necessary to realize that we have people willing to provide assistance through the natural disasters, volunteers and scientists fighting to stop and right the man-made tragedies, and soldiers and their families sacrificing in order that we have the right to state our opinions.

So, on Sunday, I will be thanking God that I can worship Him freely in the morning, spend time with my family in the afternoon, and put my children to bed in the evening without having to fear what lingers outside the doors of our house.

Thank you, God, for our land. Thank you, forefathers, for our liberty. And thank you, soldiers and veterans, for the protection of both.

Everyone have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Good news, Mississippi!

When I heard that someone from Starkville, my hometown, was going to be on MTV's the Real World, I was really curious... so, I had to watch. I found that it was Jemmye, who is actually from Aberdeen, and just lives in Starkville:

She starts off by giving a disclaimer to the effect of just because she's from a small town in Mississippi doesn't mean that she's a conservative Christian "good girl". I am so glad that she went ahead and took it upon herself to break all the stereotypes for Mississippi... because when people think of our state, the first things they think of are our politics and morals, right?

Jemmye (whose name, I think, already addresses our high scores in literacy), went on to exhibit all the positive things about our state, like how we can make the words "fish tank" stretch into four or five syllable and how we, as Southern women, just become poignantly more loud and annoying as time goes on. Add to this the fact that Jemmye has an obsession with her "stripper heels", can eat a crawfish from a stranger's fingers in a way that is almost X-rated, and has to be right in the middle of all the drama while dressed in as little as possible, and I think we have one fine example of our state on TV.

So, thank you, Jemmye, for clearing the way for all of us in Mississippi... We can hold our heads up high knowing that you are a representative for us.

As for the rest of the cast, for the most part they are the typical dysfunctional mix that guarantees at least a few blow-ups each episode, namely Ryan - the metrosexual emotional roller coaster. However, there is Sahar, who seems extraordinarily normal and well-grounded.... Maybe she's just holding back.

On a completely unrelated note - this really made me laugh today. I want to be this awesome when I'm old!

I don't know which is funnier, the old man or the guy in capris and ankle socks :)

I'm just not that into it....

Before I make someone mad, let me preface this post with the fact that, along with every preteen girl, I absolutely was obsessed with the Twilight saga. I read the books in record time and had difficulty waiting on the new ones to come out. So, yes, I'm a fan.

However, am I the only person not willing to give up my beauty rest in order to be one of the first to see Eclipse? I think every girl and woman I know is going to the midnight showing... They must be showing it in every theater of our tiny little cinema because I know that all the people who have a ticket cannot possible fit into one. (Lane even asked if he could go with a friend... using the excuse that his friend was having to go with his mom and sister and that Lane didn't want his buddy to have to be the only boy - what a sweetheart, right?) Poor guy isn't getting to go, though, because I, being the wicked step-mother, didn't think getting in at 3:00 am and going to 6:45 am football practice mixed well.

Honestly, I'm just not into the movies that much (Glad no one can throw anything at me for saying that)... Throughout the books, I was 100% Team Edward. However, the Edward in my head didn't look like an elf on pot...

 

And the Jacob in my head, sure didn't look like this:

But it's not just about that because... while Taylor Lautner is attractive, I can't get it out of my head that he's Sharkboy

So, to find him "HAWT" is just not possible for me.

It all comes down to the fact that the movies just don't have the certain something that the books did to make you feel like you're part of the story, and that's what I loved most about reading the books.

So, no, I won't be going to the movies at midnight to see what happens with Bella, Jacob, and Edward. I assure you, though, that I will watch the movie... hopefully before it leaves theaters, but after all the screaming teens have seen it (Gosh, I'm getting old).

Who all is going tonight?

Other people's pain

I am not one to laugh at others' pain regularly. However, I can't help it sometimes...



My whole family LOVES Wipeout... Trent really thinks it's hilarious. Though he spends much of the time telling me how "that boy's mama is gonna get on to him!" for every time the announcer says "butt".

I think everyone should at least give Wipeout a try... you all know that your regular shows are off-season right now, anyway :)

Have a great day!

Happy Birthday, Friend!

I've known this girl over 20 years now... We've been acquaintances. We've been school mates. We've been inseparable. We've been completely separated. We've laughed together, cried together, gone our separate ways, and then caught up together.

There are two songs that always remind me of her:

You know, you have those friends who are in your life for a season, and when that season is over, your life is better for knowing them. Well, she's one of those friends who comes into your life and changes the way you see things forever so that, even when she's nowhere near and you haven't talked in a while, you are regularly reminded of her.

There's so much that I can say about her. She's taught me:

• The importance of agreeing to disagree
• How to respect others' beliefs while growing even more in my own
• It's ok to get your heart broken because you won't find your fairy tale if you don't at least put your heart out there.
• Dreams are worth chasing.
• No one should ever settle for anything but hold out for the best.
• Love isn't love unless it consumes you
• Family is more important than any other earthly thing
• There are some risks worth taking, even if they seem impossible.
• Pink is an awesome color
• To laugh at myself more and find humor in everyday life
• Imagination should not be reserved exclusively for children
• True beauty cannot be judged by pictures or magazines but only by those who know everything about you.
• I'm not always right (Ok... so I've learned that from a lot of people, but I'm sure she was one of the first)
• You never truly appreciate anyone until you've spent some time without them
• I had pretty good taste in friends in 1st grade.

So... to my friend whom I miss dearly and will always love:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NINA! I LOVE YOU!

(I like your sneakers)

Happy Summer!!

Happy 1st day of summer! If you're in the South like me, summer didn't wait its turn to come around. It's been 2890498 degrees here for a few weeks, not counting the heat index from the humidity.... (only a slight exaggeration).

I hope everyone had a great weekend, and a happy Father's Day! We had a great one! It was just a little busy, but they all are!

Friday, Trent got to meet his cousin's kitten. He fell in love immediately (I can't say the same for the kitten). Trent kept telling me the kitten was playing tag and hide and seek... I informed Trent that I was pretty sure the kitten just wanted to hide without being sought.

Saturday, we went to see my mom who is in the hospital from having a knee replacement. She's doing great, and Trent loved going and pushing the buttons on her bed and raiding the gody baskets that friends had sent for her. We then went to Harvey's for a Father's Day supper... It was "deeeeee-licious"!

Sunday, we went to church. I sang a solo, which I've done before. For some reason, though, I was much much more nervous, and I'm pretty sure it was obvious. It didn't go terribly, just not as well as I would have liked. After church, and eating lunch with Ronnie's parents, we went to the river with some friends. Ronnie skiied; I kneeboarded, and Trent rode on the innertube (with Ronnie, of course). He had a blast!!

We were ALL beat last night, but we were up and at 'em early this morning for Trent's first day of Vacation Bible School. He has been so stinking excited for a week now!! It didn't start until 8. So, Trent had to come to work with me until then. I walked out of my office for about 2 minutes, and found this when I came back in:

He said he was "working". Well, VBS time finally rolled around, and he was all smiles all the way there! He was still smiling when I went back to get him after it was all over. He can't wait for tomorrow! VBS got two thumbs-up!

The most fantastic man I know...

When I met Ronnie, I had been told many things about him. He was quiet. He was nice. He was very involved with his church. He was previously married. He was thin. He was cute....

I had also been told that he was a dad...

In fact, on our first date, as soon as we left the restaurant, he asked if I minded if we ran by Wal-Mart so that he could pick up some stuff for an outing he had planned with his son the next day.

On our second date, he opened up to me about his son, and when he talked about Carter Lane, his eyes filled with tears - not tears of sorrow... he just loved that little boy so much.

 It was two weeks before we got to go on a third date because he was taking his son to Atlanta to go to a Braves game.

On our third date, I got to meet his son - who made a trampoline out of the booth at the Chinese restaurant that he picked out. Carter Lane bounced, and I nervously fidgeted with my napkin. Ronnie put everyone at ease with his jokes and his smile.

A little over two years later, we welcomed a new face into the world. I was nervous for so many reasons. Ronnie handled it all like a pro, soothing my fears, reassuring Carter Lane of his love for him, and calming even the worst of fits with Trent. He got up at night when I was just too tired. He took Carter Lane on boys nights out when he was feeling left out, and he gave Trent all the love and attention a baby could ever need - never making one of us feel less important than the other.

  

He's consistently been the rock upon which I lean, the role model by which I parent, and the shoulder upon which I cry when life has overwhelmed me. Each day, he makes time for God in the morning before work and time for his family in the evening after he has spent no less than 12 hours at his job.

He never asks for time to himself. He never denies any of us his attention, even at the most inopportune times. In fact, I have never once know Ronnie to put himself before anyone else.

God's love shines through his heart and through his eyes (and through his smile - but you have to be a magician to ever catch one of those in a picture).

So, to a true gentleman, family man, Godly man, and over all great man, I wish a Happy Father's Day! We not only celebrate you, but we thank God for blessing us with your love and your life.

Happy Father's Day, Ronnie!

Love/Hate Relationship

I made mention the other day that I had lost 10% of my body weight and then lost 15 lbs. on Weight Watchers (I'm really proud of this, no doubt)... However, I am definitely developing a Love/Hate relationship with this whole Points System (for those who don't know, you're allotted so many points per day based upon your height, weight, activity level, etc). This will demonstrate:

HATE list:

• Each time you go down to the next 10-lb. category, you lose a point. For example, when I went from 130 lbs. into the 120's, I lost a point.... So, you're all "YAY! I'm in the 120's!! Oh SNAP, I only get 17 points!" It's really a bittersweet feeling....
• Chicken McNuggets don't fit well in the equation unless it's the 4-pack, which really is just enough to make you mad.
• It's really cut into my whole comfort-food habit (which, yeah, I know, that's the whole point.... But I REALLY love food, for real.) Now when I look at a bowl of Chicken and Dumplings with a nice warm slice of cornbread and huge glass of sweet tea, instead of getting that warm, fuzzy feeling that I loved so much, I immediately start trying to figure out how much butter and fat went into the whole thing.

LOVE list:

• I've lost over 15 lbs! yeah, that's pretty much it...

I mean it's really not THAT bad... I get to eat normal food for the most part (just in a lot smaller portions than previously). Here's an example of a typical day for me:

BREAKFAST

These are THE BEST!! And because of all the fiber, they do a great job of helping me to feel fuller longer. However, though I've had no adverse reactions, through research with friends, I've found that those who react typically to fiber may need to eat these in the privacy of their own home. (Consider yourself warned).

LUNCH

These are really yummy, and I love that I can eat 4 for only 5 points! It kinda makes me feel like I'm being a pig without all the guilt. Plus, it's only 1:45 in the microwave... How easy! (and cheap, too)

OR

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Salad! It is really good, especially for a fast food salad (even though Ronnie swears that there are Oak leaves in it). It's only 4 points without dressing... or you can add Newman's Own Low-fat Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (yummmmm) for only one more point. Again, a lot of fiber... so you feel full for a while!






SUPPER




Chicken sauteed with summer squash and/or zucchini put into some marinara and then poured over some whole wheat thin spaghetti... Even the boys like it! It usually even leaves me with enough points to eat either a crescent roll or some garlic bread, which makes me SOO happy!





SNACKS (of course!)

These are the 100 calorie version of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints. I LOVE them! The only complaint I have heard from people is that they want to eat about 3 packs instead of just one.. But, of course, if you think about the last time you ate some thin mints, you ate the whole roll, didn't you? (Don't lie... I know better).

Ok... so, yeah, maybe I do sort of have a girl scout theme going on, but I love the shortbread cookies, too.. It seems like there are more cookies in these packs. So, they help out a little more when I'm having a craving...

So, that's my typical day on WW.... And I'm sure there are people out there yelling at me right now about a couple of things I haven't mentioned:

• You get 35 "weekly points", I call them screw up points. The reasoning behind them is so that you have a little more flexibility with either indulging a little bit each day (going just a few points over your allotment) or indulging big one day (you know, birthday/wedding cakes, etc.). However, I see them fitting in on those days when I know I've screwed up the whole diet thing and I usually quit on other diets... The fact that I'm allowed to mess up keeps me going... I usually end up saving them for Sundays when my in-laws cook a huge great lunch after church. Honestly, though, I try not to  use many at all... I still feel like it's cheating
• You get points for activity! YAY! - Except I'm lazy and don't exercise regularly at all... So, really, this doesn't help... However, I did get 3 points for shopping all day once :)

Anyway, so, that was a pointless post, but it helped me get through this horrible craving I'm having right now for something terrible for me... THANKS! :)

Fail

So, I've been trying to figure out how to post from my phone... The concept seems pretty easy, but it's giving me a really hard time. Surely it's not user error... right? (Fail)

I weighed in this morning for WW - not only did I reach my 10% weight loss, but I also reached 15 lbs lost (just 5 more to go until goal!). So, of course, I went and got this healthy breakfast (Fail!) No lunch for me!!

I had to go to a workshop most of last week, and I had Trent's ENT check up appointment for this Monday written on my calendar at work. So, I told everyone to remind me about it. I put a reminder in my phone. I even told Trent to remind me... So, I show up in Starkville at 7:45 am Monday morning (appointment was scheduled for 7:50.. so I was even early). They were closed... until NEXT week!! I don't know if they told me the wrong date or if I just mixed my Mondays up or what... (Fail)

However, we did get to run to Lowe's for a minute (Trent loves the blue racecar buggies) and Trent got to see his Grandaddy and even sit in the Sheriff's car with the "blue lights" - I didn't even think of getting a picture of it (Fail).

All of the excitement of not having to go to the doctor, the racecar buggy, and the bluelights wore poor Trent out:

And, just in case you were wondering - Yes, that is the seat of my Swagger Wagon. Yes, we've resorted to mini-vandom. And, yes, I will admit that I'm in love with it! So, go ahead and deduct a few cool points from me. I'll survive. Plus, can you fit eight people and 24 drinks comfortably in your car? I didn't think so...

Trent has figured out a few things as of late...

Boys don't have to wear shirts (nor does he think that he has to wear pants while he's at home... I'm not sure where he got this idea).

Roller coasters are super cool and fun! (He's on the front with Carter Lane... he rode about a kajillion times)

And he informed me last night of something I never would have guessed... He said, "Mom, you're the best mom in the whole wide world." Choked up, I asked him how he knew that... "Mom, I just know." I hugged him so tight, and he looked up at me with those adoring brown eyes and said, "So, NOW I can sleep in your bed, right?"