Current Chandler-isms

At almost 23 months, Chandler has started saying lots of new words lately. Some of them crack me up, and some of them are just precious. He's growing so fast, and I can't believe it! He has a vocabulary of about 30 recognizable words in addition to all his baby gibberish that sometimes sounds like words.


bol= ball

fuhbol= football

wam are = Walmart

bac = back

badh = bath

ann er = Chandler

noh = no

Santa Came!

At 22 months, Chandler isn't quite old enough to really look forward to celebrations and presents, but he sure enjoys them when they are happening! Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year, but seeing my own son so excited about all the goings on this year have been heartwarming.

He enjoyed all his presents, but he seems to especially enjoy the Home Depot work bench that Santa brought him. He played with it well over two hours on Christmas morning before church, and he has played with it every chance he's had since then. I am so thankful that we have had the opportunity to spend this special time together, and I am so thankful for my precious little boy!

Christmas Eve Hike

Hiking is an activity that I have always enjoyed with the McKays, and we usually try to squeeze in at least one hike while everyone is together. Since Christmas Eve was Saturday and the rain had moved out, we decided it was the perfect time to explore Desoto Falls. It's a short trail that's mostly flat, so Chandler decided it was time for him to try hiking on his own for the first time, and he did quite well. He actually made it all the way to the falls, and he was so cute to watch. On the wasy down, Chandler hitched a ride first from Uncle Brian, and then from Daddy. It was a lot of fun, and perhaps we can go hiking another time soon!

Horsing Around With Uncle Brian

Uncle Brian and Aunt Lisa are here from Texas, and Chandler is taking advantage of all the attention!

What Christmas is All About

Yesterday morning, our Pastor focused on some of the traditions of Christmas. While the traditions themselves are not bad, he really helped me reflect upon the reasons for these traditions in the first place. If our heart is in the right place, there is definitely nothing wrong with giving gifts, having a beautiful tree, or even playing Santa. However, if we leave Jesus out of Christmas, it's really just another day off from work.

Then, last night I had the privilege of attending a Christmas production at our church. It wasn't your typical church Christmas play at all, but it really tugged at my heart- strings as well. You see, the play was about how so many of us, even those of us who claim to be Christians, have in so many ways forgotten what Christmas is truly about. Thus, again I was reminded of all the traditions we have during this time of year. How important are they really?

We get so "wrapped up" in running from store to store to buy the perfect gifts, decorating the house inside and out, and cooking for one event or another. We often have an unrealistic vision of what Christmas should be like in our heads, and when real life fails to resemble those perfect visions, we often give up and are left disappointed.

So, how do we solve this problem? We must get back to the real meaning of Christmas, because in fact, without Christ, there would be no Christmas at all. Just as I saw on a sign the other day, we must remember that Mary wrapped the first Christmas gift, and if we choose to do so, we have the honor of carrying that gift around with us everywhere we go.

I Am So Thankful

Unfortunately, for many people, today is the only day they will stop and reflect upon all the blessings in their lives. Many people believe that all the pleasures they enjoy are given to them by pure luck, but this is not so. Every single thing we have is a gift from God. It's so easy to get wrapped up in this busy world of ours and forget it, but we shouldn't.

Jesus loves each and every one of us so much that he still would have died even if there were only one of us to die for. Think about this today as you celebrate Thanksgiving with your family. Here are some things I am thankful for. Does this cover everything? No way, but it is a start...

* My salvation- I don't deserve it, but I'm so grateful I have it
* My wonderful husband and sweet little boy- they both have my heart
* A Mama and Daddy who brought me up in church and love me no matter what
* My in-laws who love me just as much as my parents do
* My family- every last one of them, even if some of them are a little quirky
* My church family
* My students
* My coworkers
* My friends near and far
* My home
* The food on my table and clothes on my back
* Those who serve our country in the military- they sacrifice so much
* Our leaders- we need to pray for them regularly
* Our Nation- God can still turn this place around

Christmas Gifts

I've never been a Black Friday or last minute Christmas shopper. The traffic and crowds drive me nuts, and I'd rather spend a few extra dollars in the long run rather than put up with either of these things. Instead, I prefer to begin buying things in September or so. This helps my wallet, too, because the spending is spread over several months rather than a couple of days. So for me, it's win-win!

This is the second year in a row that I have been completely finished with my shopping before Thanksgiving. This time I even have everything wrapped, too. Now I can just sit back and really enjoy this wonderful holiday season with my family. I love it!

A Monday Off Work

Most of my Mondays are not like today. I usually go full-force in the classroom on Mondays introducing new concepts for the week and teaching my little heart out to 23 little blessings, but today was one of those wonderful Mondays that I had the opportunity to go out into the world and do other things. So, what did I do?

First of all, I slept until 7:30 a.m. I know that's not late for a lot people, but it is for me. Then I took a nice leisurely shower since I had no definite schedule to follow. Then I spent some time with my sweet little boy, laughing and playing.

For a big part of the day, Chandler stayed with his Nana while I finished up my Christmas shopping and ran a few other errands, including putting up the Christmas tree in my classroom and buying a few groceries. I even had time to clean out the toy boxes at our house in preparation for the upcoming holidays.

Although I am very thankful for my job because I know it's where God wants me to be right now, I am also thankful for the days off. It makes me a better mother, wife, and teacher, and if you don't believe me, ask my husband!

Thankful Thursday

1) Today's Thanksgiving Lunch: No, I didn't eat the turkey because it's just not my thing (I actually covered it with my napkin so I didn't have to look at it, and if you know me, you completely understand), but I did enjoy everything else. I'm weird, I know, but I love some good dressing, and I can't wait for more in a couple of weeks. I think it's smart that the school served this meal today instead of right before the break.

2) Christmas Shopping: I'm about half-way finished with this task, and I am so pleased. I'll be even happier when it's all done. My goal is to be finished before Thanksgiving like last year. It's so much less of a hassle to get it done early, and then I can enjoy the holidays more.

3) Tomorrow is Friday: I know that Friday is often on my "Thankful Thursday" list, but seriously, it so often deserves this spot. After working all day for five days in a row and coming home to cook, clean, and play, my body is tired and ready for the weekend!

Finding Joy

So many times I get discouraged about the things going on around me, and I forget how blessed I truly am. However, when I stop and take a few moments to soak up all the wonderful things, I can't help but be joyful. God has given me so many wonderful things,and here are a few of them I have noted today...

* A sleepy, laughing boy who adores me beyond measure
* A husband who washed all of last night's dinner dishes and put them away
* A student who drew me a picture "just because"

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday, I am thankful for...

1) Help Cleaning the House-
Even this little guy helped out. If only his love of dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming would continue in the years to come, I would be one happy Mama, but I know his fascination with these things will surely be short-lived. I'll just enjoy it for now though because it's so darn cute!

2) Toys-
Chandler is not even two years old, and he has more toys than he knows what to do with. Over Thanksgiving break, one of my goals is to sort through all of them. Hopefully at least a few of them can be donated so some other lucky little boy or girl can have some toys, too.

3) FRIDAY-
I am so ready for it! Just the simple fact that I can wear jeans tomorrow to work puts a smile on my face.

Horseback Riding

I'm definitely no expert, but horseback riding is something I enjoy, and I've always wanted Brent to go with me. After almost 6.5 years of marriage, I finally talked him into it, and he really enjoyed it. He said he'd definitely like to go again sometime.

The weather was crisp, and the leaves were beautiful today as we rode through the mountains on an awesome trail. Although I didn't get an actual photo of my horse, he looked something like this. He was a beautiful quarter horse named Traveler, and he was a great horse to ride. I enjoyed this horseback riding experience, and I hope to have the chance to go again soon.

Current Chandler-isms

Bob-Bob = This is the name for his Sponge Bob toy from Burger King that the lady at the register couldn't resist giving him when we were there the other day. (He's never seen the show and never will if I have anything to do with it, but I absolutely adore his name for his beloved toy.)

No, No, No = He hears this a lot lately, and this evening while I was at a school PTO meeting and he stayed home with his Daddy, he must have heard it even more than usual. Brent was telling me that he told him "no" a lot, and Chandler looked up and said, "No, no, no!".

Tanks = This is how he said "thanks" the other day when I helped him retrieve a ball from under the entertainment center.

Wus'At? = He's always asking, "What's that?", and he even puts out his hands (or sometimes just one hand) and shrugs. It's so cute!

Moy = Our little eater always wants "more", and he lets us know it.

Thankful Thursday

God blesses me in so many ways each and every day, and I am so guilty of not thanking Him enough. Here are a few things I am thankful for today.
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Soldiers who fight for our freedom-

Brent and I got a phone call last night from one of our friends who is currently serving our country in the U.S. Army. He spends weeks and sometimes months away from home. Although he had to take some time off last year due to health reasons, he is back on the job full-force, risking his life for the country he loves.

Pumpkins-
Seriously, this is one of my favorite things about fall. I've even discovered some tasty recipes this year, like the easiest pumpkin muffins ever! Tomorrow, my students will have the opportunity to sample them along with roasted pumpkin seeds. I'll let you know what they think.

Halloween-
Okay, so I'm not into witches and monsters and such, but I do have some good memories of trick-or-treating as a kid. I always enjoyed dressing up and getting candy, and I now I am excited about continuing this tradition with Chandler.
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***For whatever reason, I cannot upload any pictures on this post, boo hoo!

"Foto" Friday

Mama's little monkey!

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful for the many blessings in my life. Here are just a few that are on my mind today...

Beautiful Friends-
I have so many friends, some close and some not so close, who are going through some tough situations right now, but they are standing boldly through it all, holding on to God's almighty hand. Some of these women are right here in blog land. These women are beautiful inside and out, and they give me courage to face the difficulties in my own life.

A Trip to the Beach-
Need I say more? In case you were wondering, October is the perfect time to visit Hilton Head Island. The weather was just right for lounging on the beach or by the pool, and for bike riding as well. Most of all, it was nice to be there with the ones I love with no set agenda!

Fall Break-
Although the current weather makes it feel more like a winter break, it's nice to have a couple of extra days at home with my sweet baby boy. We've done a lot of cuddling today, and I did a little extra house work to boot.

A Walk for the Cause

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of spending the morning at Atlantic Station with several hundred other people who were walking to support a cure for Alzheimers. It was a wonderful experience, and if you ever have the chance to participate in this type of walk, I highly recommend it. Brent, Chandler, my friend Julie, and my coworker Sylvia joined in, too.

I was walking especially in support of my Papa, but I was walking for many others as well. My hope and prayer is that a cure will be found so no one else has to suffer from this horrible disease.

A Nice Fall Hike

Hiking is something that Brent and I have always enjoyed. We first started hiking back when I was in college, and we have made a lot of memories together while hiking. Now that we have Chandler, we enjoy taking him hiking, too, and he loves it!

Fall is the best time of year to hike in my opinion for at least two reasons: it's not so steamy hot, and the leaves are beautiful.

This past Saturday we ventured out near Cleveland to High Shoals. The trail features two beautiful waterfalls, and is not super long, so it was perfect for our family. Chandler traveled on his daddy's back, and giggled much of the way. It was very nice to spend time together in this lovely fall weather, and I look forward to more beautiful hikes together in the coming weeks.

Thankful Thursday

Fall is my favorite season of the year. Here are some things I'm thankful for right now.

Cooler Weather- I like that I can wear a sweater or jacket in the morning, but by afternoon I no longer need it. It's also nice weather for playing outside with Chandler after work.

The Turning of the Leaves- It takes my breath away each year, and I absolutely love it!

Our Upcoming Beach Trip- That's right! October marks beach time for our family, and it's the perfect time to go because it's not too hot and it's not too cold. Hilton Head, here we come!

Losing A Part of Myself

This is the first time I have attempted to write about this subject at all. Until now, I haven't been ready. Many of you don't even know about this part of my life, but it's something I will carry with me forever. Before you read any farther, I want you to know that I am not writing this to gain the pity of others. I am telling my story because it has become part of who I am, and even though it has been difficult, it has helped shape me into the person I am today. I believe it has helped me have a deeper understanding of God's love for His people, because through it all, I have grown closer to him. Perhaps telling my story will give someone else hope and courage.

It all started in early February of 2008. I found out I was pregnant. Brent and I were overjoyed to say the least. We told our parents and friends right away, and I began making all kinds of plans in my head. Would it be a boy or girl? What would he or she look like? What would be his or her name? How was I going to decorate the nursery? All of these plans came to a halt at my 8 week checkup. The ultrasound revealed no fetal heartbeat. We were devastated. The hardest part was going back two days later to confirm that there was indeed no heartbeat. A few days later, I underwent surgery for the first time in my life. I had what doctors define as a missed miscarriage. My mama cried when they rolled me to the operating room. We all had very heavy hearts.

Physically, I healed quickly, but I took off work for 3 days to give myself some time to begin healing emotionally. My students never knew anything was wrong, thank goodness. Some days they are the only reason I could make it through the long hours without going crazy. It was near impossible not to question whether or not I could have prevented what happened, even though I knew deep down there was nothing I could have done. Then, my sister found out she was pregnant with her first child just two weeks later. I was very happy for her, but my own heart ached for the child I had lost. I just came home and cried. It's all I could do. This time in our lives was difficult for my parents, too, as you can imagine. While they rejoiced for my sister, they grieved for me. In time, things got back to normal for the most part, and Brent and I moved on. I was excited to learn that I was going to be an aunt to a precious baby boy, and I began buying things for him, spoiling him before he was even born.

In September of that same year, Brent and I learned that I was pregnant again, and again we told our parents and friends right away. Although it didn't completely take away the pain from before, it helped ease my burden, and my heart was light and happy again. Everyone was genuinely happy and excited for us, and that's why it was so hard when again, we received devastating news at my 8 week checkup. There was a very faint heartbeat, but things didn't look good. Being in that room again and hearing those same words was almost more than I could bear. Three days later, I had to enter that room again and watch as the ultrasound technician probed for a fetus that was no longer living. Again, I faced surgery. History had repeated itself in more than one dreadful way.

At first, I felt very discouraged and questioned God why I had to go through this. But, I finally found peace when I turned all things over to Him. During this time of my life, when things seemed dark, dreary, and lonely, is when I chose to draw closer to Him. I began to pray and study my Bible more. I began to really feel His presence in me like I never had before. I began to thank Him for the path he put me on rather than complain about it. I felt that I was going through these trials for a reason, and that I would understand that reason one day, even if not in this lifetime. God gave me a peace like I've never felt, and he gave me a promise. I knew that I was going to have a child in His time, not my own.

In May of 2009, I somehow knew I was pregnant before I even took a test. God had kept His promise. This time, we decided to wait as long as possible before telling our parents and friends our news, but that was short-lived. It's hard to hide the fact that you are nauseous and vomiting, so we ended up telling everyone just before my 8 week checkup. At the actual checkup, we heard a loud and strong heartbeat, and for the first time, I cried tears of joy in that same room where I had cried tears of sadness twice before. While I was pregnant with Chandler, I had absolutely no complications. He grew and developed perfectly, and he came into our lives, a beautiful bouncing baby boy, on February 5, 2010. He is our pride and joy, and I love him with all my heart. He is a true miracle from God. I knew the day I delivered him that I wanted to give him a brother or sister one day.

In June of 2011, when Chandler was 16 months old, Brent and I rejoiced to find out that I was pregnant again. My due date was calculated to be February 6, 2012, just one day after Chandler's 2nd birthday. I was beyond excited. My children were going to be close in age, just like I wanted them to be. We didn't say a word to our parents and friends. I wasn't even sick this time, but it didn't concern me because plenty of my friends were sick during the first pregnancy and not during the second. Brent's family was to be in town at the time of our 8 week checkup, and we planned to surprise everyone with the news then. The ultrasound was planned for the week of our anniversary, so we decided to play off the doctor's appointment as a lunch date to ourselves so that no one would figure out what we were doing. We dropped Chandler off at Nana's house, and we were on our way. Except, somehow, on the way there, I suddenly knew something wasn't right, and my feelings were, unfortunately, correct.

Again, Brent and I faced one of the most difficult situations we have ever had to face. Again, we heard those horrible, dreaded words that our child was not going to make it. Our hearts ached. We prayed. We cried. We held Chandler close to us and thanked God for him, our special little miracle. Again, my sister found out she was pregnant, right in the midst of our heartache. We rejoiced for her new child as we mourned the loss of three of ours.

Within a matter of 3 years, I had been pregnant four times, and only one of those pregnancies was viable. The doctors can't tell me why it keeps happening. Everything appears normal in tests, and Brent and I are both healthy. Since I had a healthy pregnancy with Chandler, especially in the middle of all the miscarriages, the doctors are very optimistic that I will be able to carry another healthy child to term. All I can say is that we have turned it over to God. He has a perfect plan for our lives, and I know that He will carry it out, but He will carry it out in His time, not ours.

Perfect Love

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."- I Corinthians 13: 4-7
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This is the scripture that our pastor focused on during Wednesday night prayer meeting, and I must say that it really hit home with me. You see, the day before, I came home from a long, hard day where everything seemed to go wrong, and I took it out on my husband. I said some very rude and mean things to him, even though he had done nothing wrong. He just looked at me, and he spoke not a word, but I could tell that I hurt him. Here I was, the woman he made a covenant with to love unconditionally, and I was beating him down for something that he had no part of, and especially no control over. Afterward, I felt so ashamed, and I had to go to him and ask him to forgive me. I had to take responsibility for the hurtful things I said. I was not being a loving wife when I acted this way. Thankfully, he forgave me and moved on.

This is exactly how we often treat our Savior, Jesus Christ. We treat him as if he is the one to blame for all our troubles instead of taking responsibility for our own actions. We often become angry with him when things don't go our way, or when we don't agree with his timing. However, instead, we should be running to him with open arms. After all, he is the one who created us, and he loves us more than anything in this world.

Thankful Thursday

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 118:1
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* I am thankful for my husband. When I have a bad day, he's the one who has to hear about it when I get home.

* I am thankful for the 23 little people who are in my first grade class this year. Yes, there are a lot of them, but I really do enjoy being a part of their lives.

* I am thankful for parents- parents of my students,and my own parents. Parents are a child's first teacher.

* I am thankful that God saw fit to make me a parent. It is a wonderful blessing that cannot be described in words.

Thankful Thursday

This past weekend marked the 10th anniversary of the horrific acts of 9/11, and it made me do a lot of thinking. There are so many things to be thankful for in relation to these events. Here are a few of them...

* The trip to NYC with my sister in August of 2001, just weeks before the Twin Towers were hit and fell. It's what she wanted to do for her Senior trip. Many of our photos have the towers in the skyline. We never would have dreamed they would be gone soon after our visit.

* The heroes who risked and gave their lives so that others could go home and be with their families.

* The survivors who gave God the glory.

* God's protection of our nation. He is holding us in His hands, and I know it breaks His heart that so many still won't turn to Him.

Thankful Thursday-Classroom Edition

I am blessed to have a good little group of students this year, and I look forward to learning new things together with them. Here are some awesome things I am so thankful to have in my classroom.
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Toobaloos:
These little things are awesome! The kids absolutely love using them to read, and I am hoping they will help improve fluency, too!

Clorox Wipes:
Twenty-two first graders- need I say more?

Expo Markers:
These are one of the most amazing classroom tools ever! My students use them several times daily for math, spelling, phonics, and writing practice, and it allows me to do some quick assessing of their knowledge. Sometimes we use the individual white boards, and sometimes we even use them directly on the tables!

Big Boy

Oh, how quickly the time seems to be passing lately! Every time I turn around Chandler is doing or saying something new. At 18 months, this little guy has stolen my heart yet again. Here's a sneak into the recent photo shoot with Brooke.

Women of Faith

This past Friday and Saturday, I had the opportunity to go to the Women of Faith conference in Atlanta with two of my coworkers who also happen to be two of my good friends. We all went to a similar conference about 2.5 years ago in Greenville, and I attended WOF with some ladies from church two years ago. Both of the conferences were wonderful and gave me some much needed encouragement, so when I had the opportunity to go again, especially since it was the weekend before school and I wouldn't have to take off work to go, I jumped for it.

The three of us had a blast together! We laughed, cried, and laughed some more. It's good to get out with girlfriends from time to time. As women, we wear so many hats and often don't take enough time just for ourselves.

This weekend was fun and encouraging to me, and I can't wait for other opportunities like this in the future.

Top 10 Things I'll Miss About Summer Break

1. Spending my days with sweet, sweet Chandler

2. Lunch dates with my two favorite guys

3. Staying up as late as I want to finish reading a book on my new Kindle

4. Sleeping until 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. if I want

5. Mid-afternoon naps

6. Impromptu trips to Wal-Mart (or any other place for that matter) in the middle of the day

7. Playing at the park in the early morning

8. Wearing t-shirts and shorts as daily attire

9. Going without makeup

10. Actually having time to keep my house super clean without having to do all the work late at night

Thankful Thursday

There are so many things to be thankful for...

1) A wonderful summer at home with my sweet little boy:

Going back to work next week will certainly be bittersweet. I have absolutely enjoyed all the extra time I got to spend with him, and I got to witness so many new things he is learning. I also got a peek into the life of a stay-at-home mom, and whoever thinks it's easy needs to try it out!

2) An opportunity to go to Women of Faith this weekend with two of my co-workers/friends:

I was disappointed not to be able to go to the Women of Faith conference in Charlotte in September because it's so hard to take off work, but when the opportunity arose to go to the Atlanta conference, I felt like it was the perfect way to jump start a new school year, and I don't have to take off work to go!

3) My new Kindle:

I debated whether or not to make the purchase, but I am so glad I did! I am finally catching up on some good reading. If you haven't read this book, you really need to. It has helped me look at my marriage in a different way than I ever have before.

18

So, the big day is here. My firstborn son is 18 months old today, and I can hardly believe it. It's bittersweet for sure in many ways. Just this morning, I noticed that his feet almost touch the foot rest on the highchair. When did that happen? He's supposed to be cuddled up on my shoulder!

I am so thankful for my precious little boy, who will always be my baby no matter how big he gets. God truly blessed me when he made me a mother.

Happy Half Birthday, Chandler!

Theme

It's that time of year when the wheels in my head are spinning non-stop...Yes, it's almost time for school, which is so hard to believe!

I worked part of two days this week in my classroom and even brought a few things home to work on while Chandler naps (Boy, how this has changed. Before Chandler was born, I used to bring everything home regularly!). I am proud of what I have accomplished, and I am hoping that I am far enough ahead with things that pre-planning won't be a rush and I can actually enjoy it.

As I've been redesigning the setup of my room, I have been perusing the Internet for ideas. There are lots of good ones out there, and as a first grade teacher, I am very tempted to go for one of the cutesy themes (dinosaurs, camping, frogs, solar system, etc...), but the more I think about it, the more I realize that what theme I use (or don't use) is not what matters.

What matters is that I put forth my best efforts EVERY DAY in teaching all my students, no matter how difficult it may be to do that sometimes. That is exactly what God instructs all of us to do. He wants us to always do our best in our own jobs, and in this, someone else just might get a glimpse of HIM that they would never have seen otherwise.

So, what theme did I decide on? I didn't choose one. I've decided instead to make prayer a central part of my classroom in a way that I never have before.

It Does a Mama Good

On Tuesday night, I packed up a bag for us, and two for Chandler. My mother-in-law (affectionately called Nana) came and picked up Chandler on Wednesday morning, and by noon, Brent and I were on our way to Pigeon Forge. By 3:45, we were having a blast at Dollywood theme park, just the two of us.

We were only gone from home about 30 hours, but it was nice to have the time away to ourselves. It was strange in some ways, too, though. I didn't have to change any diapers, prepare any toddler-appropriate food and feed someone else while I was trying to feed myself, or make sure anyone got their nap for the afternoon. I knew Nana was doing a good job of taking care of these things, and doing a little spoiling, too!

We rode all the rides we wanted to ride - most of them twice, Brent got a few laughs since I'm a chicken on fast rides, we ate ice cream and drank coke to stay cool, and held hands like we were teenagers again. It was nice quality time, and we made some good memories together. Trips like this do a mama good, but I sure was happy to see and hear the pitter-patter of little feet in our hallway last night.

Current Chandler-isms

My sweet baby boy is growing like a weed, and at almost 18 months, he says a mouthful! Here are a few translations. I just love them all!

muh (usually accompanied by a point) = more

mah-mah = Mama

deh-deh = Daddy

mah-mah-mah = Grandmama

na-na = Nana

dalh = dog

uht = look

hey (in a deep voice) = hey

geen = green

boo = blue

seek = stick

soo = shoo! (as in something smells or is trash)

ahhl (with an open mouth) = I love you!

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday, I am thankful for:

1) Tips from the Fly Lady- Because of them, my house is now the cleanest it has been in a while. I consider myself to be a decent house keeper. My house has always been presentable if someone came by, and I've always said that every item has a place, but this lady has some awesome tips that even the neatest neat-freak can use!

2) The Alzheimer's Association- I will be raising money between now and October 8 for Alzheimer awareness, and on that day I will be walking 5K (3.1 miles) at Atlantic Station with hundreds of other Georgians. Several people that I dearly love are affected by this horrible disease, and according to statistics, the numbers will only rise. Go to my home page for more information or to donate. I'd love to have you as part of my team!

3) Goldfish Crackers- They really are the perfect snack for a toddler (and for me, too!), and they buy me time while I do other things sometimes.