Another Open House Today

Martin, Graisi and Mallory are at the pool, while me and Alli Claire are here at home waiting on our buyer to come tell me they want our house. Sunday lunches are turning into fast food instead of our normal sit down dinner at our table. I don't like it!

Martin got two new light fixtures put up this afternoon and I got a new florescent light put up in the kitchen earlier this week. It's coming together just in time to sell it. But isn't that the way it works?

Graisi keeps reminding me of my time tomorrow afternoon with Evan, my personal trainer. She asked me on the way to church if I was excited. I can't imagine why she would think I would be... I'm trying to have a good attitude about this whole excercise thing for her sake.

Alli Claire has FINALLY started talking...some. She still signs a lot, but in her new vocabulary, she has "rock" and "babay" along with "Mommee" "DaDa" Sisa" "Mallree" and "mine".

AC just woke up, so gotta go. Catch you tomorrow internets. Maybe :o)

A week of catch up

Sorry, it's been since Sunday since I've blogged but I've been swamped at work and tired when I get home. Like you've missed me.... The joke around work is that I'm so tired because I'm having to keep the house clean. LOL! They think they're sooo funny.

Only a few memorable things have happened this week so I'll give you the run down....

Monday: Alli Claire has learned how to put her hands over her eyes while we pray before dinner. Well, Monday she was exceptionally hungry. While we prayed, she covered one eye with one hand and with the other shoveled English peas into her mouth like a front loader. Martin and I couldn't help but get a little tickled at her.

Tuesday night, Graisi and I had a High School Musical on Ice date with Kerri, Mallory, Sallie, Brantley, Jaime, Hallie, Marty, Lana Scott, Amy and Lauren. We had a gaggle of giddy little girls! Between the adults watching Graisi sing the songs with full facial expressions (complete with puckered lips and closed eyes) and the American League guy who was on ice skating, we couldn't quit laughing. And to watch the girls faces when Troy took his shirt off on the ice to change outfits, was priceless! We had a really good time to say the least.

Wednesday: We are card carrying members of the YMCA! We joined yesterday so that we could get a discount for Graisi's summer camp. We elected not to attend the summer program she's gone to for the past two years because their price jumped to a whopping $165 a week. That's $38 more than we paid per week last year. I just couldn't justify paying it when she can go to the Y for $98/wk and we all get a membership. I'm excited. I go for my exercise orientation Monday afternoon.... I'm still not sure how I feel about that. I'll let you know come Tuesday.

Today: I just had a realtor knock on my door to see if he could show my house.... RIGHT NOW!
And since it's still clean from Monday, I said, "Give me 5 minutes and come on in". I just pray they didn't look in the dishwasher and see Alli Claire's outfit I had soaking in the sink. I can only imagine they go and tell their friends about the house they looked at where the people washed their clothes in the dishwasher! They weren't interested, but everyone who's looked at it says they love the paint and my decorating abilities... Little good that does unless they want to buy it. I can't wait for the day when I can call Martin and say, "Hey, Babe. I just sold our house!!" I can't wait....

I'm also waiting on the handy man to come and repair the chimney and possibly some siding. He called to say he was going to be late, which I appreciate, but it doesn't help me any when I've promised Graisi she could go swimming this afternoon at the Y. It doesn't look like our swimming outing is going to come to fruition today.... maybe tomorrow.

Open House

I've been busy....very busy. And you say, "So! Aren't we all?" But I'm sore.... are you? Today was our first Open House since September. I've spent the past two days cleaning like a mad women and praying someone, anyone would come and appreciate my efforts. I don't think my house has EVER been this clean. Not to mention I removed the old mulch and re-mulched the flower beds yesterday. It looks so nice and fresh. Now I just need someone to come in and love it as much as we did/do. We had two sets of people come and look today. I'll consider that a success! I even made Kerri come look (she's not included in my two sets :o) before anyone came just in case no one did. LOL! I just needed someone to see it.... How pathetic is that?? Now comes that hard part where I have to keep it this clean all the time from here on out now that we're getting more aggressive trying to sell... ARGH!! I need stability!


Graisi spent the night over at Mallory's Friday night. Mal came over Friday afternoon to play for a while, so Graisi just went back home with her. G was so excited because she was going to get to take a shower in the double headed shower and then play in the jacuzzi tub. They are so funny together! It was so beautiful outside this weekend that the kids pretty much were out all day. While I cleaned yesterday, Martin and AC played outside with Josh and LaShea's kids. The same went for today too. Except I got to play for a while this afternoon while we waited for our perspective buyers. It was so nice just to sit out there and watch the kids have a good time.

What a weekend!!

Suzie Homemaker

I have started a new craft if that's what you want to call it. I've started making homemade sour dough bread. I've become quiet the little Suzie Homemaker :o) My Mamaw (aka The Bread Queen) has been trying for years to get me to do it, but I've put it off as long as I could. A friend of mine from work, brought me the instructions for the starter so I've been experimenting... I think I killed the yeast in my first batch. So it's going to take some practice to say the least. I made my first three loaves yesterday afternoon and they were really good, but didn't look like I thought they should have. Even though I let them rise the amount of time it said, they didn't rise into the perfect little bites of Heaven that I'm acustomed to from Mamaw. So I threw my first starter away yesterday and started another. I will be able to try it again sometime Sunday. Wish me luck!

I'm also very proud of myself. You know what they say about cleanliness? You know...it's next to Godliness. My house (my "house" consists of the kitchen, living room and dining room) has been clean for almost two weeks straight. I'm talking no dishes left in the sink overnight at all. This is huge y'all. People with kids know what I'm talking about. But, let's not get carried away. I still have a huge problem with making our bed. I'm still trying to convince myself that this needs to be done daily even though we mess it up every night. I guess you could say that about the kitchen too, huh? I'd rather clean the toilets than make my bed.... Anyway, I feel sooo much better when my house is clean. It just makes you feel good when you walk into a clean house. Kinda like how your car drives better when it's had a bath and vacuuming.

Mallory is here visiting and playing with Graisi for the afternoon. She and Graisi have another one of those lovely weather days tomorrow that is mandatory to be taken even though they don't need it. I really wish someone who actually works a regular job was on the school board making these ridiculous guidelines. Hey geniuses.... if you don't need it, don't take it! Do you really need someone to say it out loud for it to make sense?? Stepping off now.

I'm convinced...

Our Savior is coming and the world is about to end. Martin just called to inform me that he has purchased himself a pair of sandals. That's right, people. Sandals! This is the last item on my list to get him to wear.

Each and every one of them he has sworn he would die before I got him to wear them... Thankfully he's still around and wearing each one of them :o) Here was my list. Notice I said "was"...

Sweaters (however, he only wears them from Gap, but beggars can't be choosers, right?)
Button down long sleeved shirts (he wears them everyday to work)
Crocs (he wears these ALL the time on the weekends and after work)
Slip on dress/casual shoes (he also wears these everyday to work...)
Sandals

Now I have to start a new list :o) This one only took 14 years to complete!

Family Easter picture 2008

This is our family Easter picture of 2008. What a great looking family!!
This is my Mamaw LaRue and all of her bunch. I'll try to get everyone in order as best I can...

Front row L to R: Michael Shane, Kathryn, Graisi

Middle row L to R: Mark, Sean, Mamaw, Anna with Rhys, Michaela with Alli Claire, Suzanne, Taryn and Nancy

Back row L to R: Shane, Aunt Linda, Michael, Aunt France, Daddy, Me, Shelby/Martin, Aunt Jennifer and Uncle John

Shane and Suzanne are my brother and sister. Shane is married to Taryn who have the boys Michael Shane and Mark. Suzanne is married to Michael who have the girls Michaela, Shelby and Kathryn. My Aunt Jennifer who is married to Uncle John, is my dads sister. They have Anna who is married to Sean and have baby Rhys. Then there is Aunt Linda and Aunt France who are 2 of Mamaw's 5 sisters. And last but not least, there is my Daddy who is married to Nancy.

Not like you care or anything, but thought I'd put it out there just in case you were bored and wanted to figure out my family tree. We may be from N.S. but we do have forks in our family branches :o) Ed....

Can I have your autograph sir?

Today was a little sad for all of us as we watched the moving truck (actually it was a horse trailer) pull out of Mallory's driveway on it's way to their new house. Graisi and Mallory played for most of the morning while I sat at the table and made more friendship bracelets for them. I'm not exactly sure how I got that duty, but none the less, they got made... complete with jingle bells :o) I'm not sure how Graisi is going to make it without her best friend across the street anymore.... Heck, I don't know what I'm going to do without her next door. She's really become part of our family and we do love her like she's one of ours. Lucky for all of us she only moved a couple of miles down the road. Now I've just got to figure out how to get her back here in the afternoons and back to her grandmother's in time for dinner :o) Kerri works 12 hour shifts at the hospital, so she doesn't get Mallory at night until around 10pm. So Mal stays with her grandmother while Kerri works. I really hope they're willing to share...

Martin asked me if Graisi told me about the three high school soccer players coming to visit her school last week. I told him, "No" and he got a really big grin on his face. He said, "Yeah, they came to visit and Graisi only got two of their autographs." {chuckle} Did you read that right?? HIGH SCHOOL players... she got their autographs!! Can't you just see the look on those little fellas faces? Martin asked her why she didn't get all three of their autographs and she said one of them was busy eating and she didn't want to disturb him :o) At least she's polite!

Footloose

My doctors appointment went very well yesterday and I got my stitches out!!!! I was a puddin' when she took them out though... I cried. That's right. I did. But it hurt. Real bad. I really think I had a reaction to the material that she used to sew me up. I had the best sleep I'd had a in a week and I feel MUCH better today than I have since last Wednesday. I'm not sure what happened.

Last night was a memory maker. At some point in the afternoon/night Alli Claire will bring me into the kitchen, start bouncing and pointing at the radio. This is her way to telling me she wants me to turn the radio on and dance with her. So after dinner it started. Then Martin came into the kitchen to get some of the "dancing love". I went and got Graisi and brought her in to dance with her. We swapped partners and Graisi had AC and Martin had me. We laughed and spun and dipped and just enjoyed being with each other. It's been a while since we've all just been silly and had a good time. As I danced all I could think about is how I wanted that moment right there to last forever. Of course I didn't but my memory of that moment will.

Be still and wait

Thank you everyone for the prayers said for us yesterday. I went early from work because I wasn't feeling well (I haven't since last Wednesday...but that's another story. See below) so I didn't get to go to the cemetery for Grant's birthday. But Martin and Alli Claire went by and released balloons for all of us. He said she didn't even cry when she let them go. This is huge for anyone who's ever been around an almost 2 year old!! This was the first birthday I've missed and felt very guilty for it. So today I'll go and put his pinwheel out for my belated celebration. So thank you all for your prayers and for letting me share him with you even though you probably get tired of hearing about him :o) I thank you Father for allowing me to heal and not be bitter. I've seen what that looks like and I'm so glad you had mercy on me.
Amen.

Onto something else: I'm going to be a little schizophrenic with this post :o) Remember it's my blog and I can do whatever I want. LOL! And Martin would reply, "As if you don't already"... Whatever!

I got my pathology report back from my surgery last week and it didn't show what I'd expected. However, it was still better than the alternative. It was a benign tumor about the size of a half dollar. I go today to have my stitches removed and to discuss what this means for future...could this come back in the same manner or could it develop into something else more life threatening. But for now I'm healthy and that's something else I have to be thankful for!

On yet another note, please continue to pray for our house to sell. Martin's job will move downtown sometime in May or June. I really think our house hasn't sold because we would have been looking for another one in the same area and this is not where we should be. I've said the whole time that God wanted us to wait because the house we were supposed to have hadn't come up for sale yet. I still believe this but also the fact that we may not be in the right area. So there ya have it.

Happy Birthday Baby Grant!

Can you believe it's been another year?? The time continues to pass even though my efforts to slow it down becomes more futile by the day. My precious baby boy was born 9 years ago today! At times it's like a different lifetime ago but in the same breath seems like yesterday. In the past nine years I've grown in my faith exponentially and know in my heart that my life is alone to glorify my sweet, merciful Savior. Grant's life had purpose if nothing else to bring me closer to Christ. I wouldn't trade my relationship with Him for anything.... not even another day with my child. As I type, you must be saying, "You must be crazy lady!" But I'm not. The older I get the more I realize how fast time does go by and how little time I have here. I will see my baby boy before I know it but until then, I have my Father to give me strength, guidance and assurance to sustain me while I'm here. And for that I am thankful. There is so much today to be thankful for: my Jesus, my husband, all three of my children, my family and my friends who've supported us and been there when we needed them without question.

So on this day, I give thanks for the precious gifts we've been blessed with and for the ones we have yet to receive.

Happy Birthday Baby Grant! We are so proud to have been your parents for 29 wonderful days :o) Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!

A few Easter Pictures :o)

Back to work

I was back at work today with a little help from my friend Darvocet :o) I didn't get half of what I needed to get done because I got a call from Graisi's teacher telling me that school was letting out early due to the bad weather headed our way. Oh well... working 3 days this week wasn't all that bad.

I need to wish a Happy 3rd Birthday to my niece Caroline. She's this many (3). This is what she told Martin on the phone this afternoon. He said he could only assume she was holding up three fingers :o) and then she was D.O.N.E. talking and handed the phone back to her mommy. Martin had bets against me that I wouldn't have her outfit made until tonight, but I actually got it finished last night as my head was killing me. This outfit was physically and literally a labor of love! I just know it's going to look beautiful on her and it will be well worth the pain.

I got AC another pair of pants made this afternoon to match a pillowcase dress I'd made for her late last summer. The dress was a little shorter than I remember but then again she's almost a whole year older now too. I let her wear it to school anyway and put a pair of regular old white bloomers underneath it. I figured she's a year old and can get away with things being a little short. Ah, who cares anyway? (Can you tell my pain meds are wearing off?)

The family went out for BBQ tonight and Graisi was the only one who actually ordered bar-b-que... Martin and I had loaded baked potatoes and Alli Claire had chicken fingers. I found it a little amusing.

Thank goodness the weather wasn't as bad as it could have been, but we found a leak after everything settled down. I appears the wind blew some of the flashing loose from the chimney and water is coming in on the backside of it. Luckily, no sheet rock is involved, but we'll have to get someone out here next week to reseal it. I'll take this any day over wet sheet rock! Hey, I count my blessings where I can.

I can hear Mr. Darvocet calling my name from the kitchen. I guess I better go see what he needs :o) LOL! Good night my internet friends.

Home today

Yesterday I went and had some "minor" surgery on my head. When Martin got home, he said it looked more like someone hit me in the head with a hatchet. I didn't think my doctor would have to make as large of an incision as she did. But, it's a little over two inches long and required 12 stitches. She hit 2 or 3 pretty large blood vessels and had to have another nurse scrub in to help during the procedure. She said I lost a "little bit" of blood... that was an understatement! I look and feel like Frankenstein today. I also had a pretty bad reaction to pain medicine yesterday and spent the majority of the afternoon and night with my porcelain friend and I think I slept a few hours on the fabulously cold, tile, bathroom floor. My head (not the inside, the outside) hurts, but I'm afraid to take anything else after last night. I think the nausea finally subsided about 4am this morning but I'm still not up to par. My neck and back are really sore today so I'm trying to take it pretty easy. The stitches are really tight and I can feel them when I turn my head. I soooo was not prepared for this! For the next several weeks you'll probably see me wearing a headband in case you're wondering. Thank goodness I have them to cover up the bald spot and stitches in my head!!

More random pictures

Our little Brownie delivering cookies!

Happy 8th Birthday!! How about that cake??

Graisi's trying to get into an orange without a knife or any other utensil

A couple of cousins

(R to L: Michael Shane, Shelby, Mark, Michaela holding Alli Claire, Anna holding Rhys, Kathryn and Graisi)

This was taken Saturday afternoon. AC hadn't had a nap all day and fell asleep on Mallory while I was trying to get ready for our social.

Would you want to sleep with this bed monster???

WAAAARRRR EAGLE!
We love us some Aubie!!

Look what I did last night....

It's called "Red Funky Chair". My friend Andrea and I went to something called Sips N Strokes last night and painted us a funky red chair. It was so much fun!!!! You can bring a bottle of wine or whathaveyou and "sip" while you "stroke". But we chose to sip Starbucks instead :o) Andrea and I laughed and painted and laughed some more. I would recommend this to anyone who just wants to have a fun night out. I can't wait until my next night out. I am so proud of my master piece. Now I just have to find somewhere to hang it.

I took Graisi's comment this morning as a complement or that's what I'm telling myself. Martin asked her to look at what Mommy painted last night and she said, "Mommy didn't paint that!" When I told her I did, she said, "Wow! That's good. I like it!" She has such confidence in my abilities, doesn't she?