Ellie's Birthday

For Ellie's 6th birthday, we had a rock star party. That's right. I had a bunch of Hannah Montanas running around my house shooting music videos and putting tattoos on their faces and arms. We had a great time!

The guitar "shape" was as far as I got for the cake. Considering the fact that I started baking 45 minutes before her party started,

I'm pretty impressd with myself!

Happy Birthday, Dad

Happy Birthday to a man whom I have always been proud to call my Dad. Thinking of you and hugging you a little tighter on your special day this year, even all the way from Virginia. XOXO

Carpenters in Virginia

Pictures now, story later!

The Decline....

I realized the other night that something I value has become non-existent. I was in the bathroom at 1am the other morning uh- using the bathroom- when the door creaks open (we live in an old house.) From the darkness I see two eyes and a bink (pacifier) staring back at me. In walks my 18 month old, summoned from a deep sleep by who knows what. He stands expectantly in front of the toilet, demanding my full and immediate attention. I...finish...and take him back to bed. My bed. Because once he is up, his bed becomes toxic to him for some reason. Is he a good guest? No, he is not. He hogs my pillow, kicks off my covers and gloms onto me like a monkey backpack.

While lying in bed with said chimp firmly attached to my back, I realize that I have lost any privacy or right to it. If I'm in the bathroom, I might as well hand out printed invitations to my kids that say, "COME ON IN!" If I'm on the phone, the kids either need a snack right that minute, or Ellie thinks I am talking about her which leads her to say, "Who are you talking to and what are they saying?" I can keep going, but I won't. I'll just chalk this up to another thing I'll miss when my kids are older and out of the house....and I get my privacy back. (Cue "Slipping Through My Fingers" on my playlist.)

For those of you who get to go into the bathroom alone, enjoy it and consider yourself lucky!

February into March.....A Retrospective

Isn't that a fancy way for saying "I've been a slacker and haven't posted anything new in quite awhile?" Here goes....


Our friend David Bonds invited us to his Naval re-enlistment ceremony down in Yorktown. I sure felt fortunate to be able to witness it and I'm so thankful to men like him who put their lives on the line for all of us. Not to mention his wife and family who make monumental sacrifices of their own for our freedoms.

This is a bubba in training if I EVER saw one!

He is wearing is "Troy Boyton" shirt a la High School Musical.

Our annual Virginia snowstorm. It only snows for a day, although this year the snow actually stuck around for a few days, which is unusual.

This is Stosh, our neighbor from down the road. He couldn't wait for the snowplows so he plowed the road himself! Yep, that's our post office in the back. Cute, huh?

Walnut trees in the back yard

PTA Snow Boogie at Ellie's school

Trouble. Definite trouble.

Ellie (in tie-dye) and her crew

First lost tooth!


My mom. She'll kill me for posting this, but I love this picture.
I have the best Mom in the world.

Ellie eating seaweed down at the cottage. Again.

Huddy assuming his usual position. Pouncing.

My little wonderboy.

Ellie and Connor, jellyfish wrangling.

Beautiful day down at the cottage.

My Little Mafioso

Soooooooo...Huddy has decided to extend his terrible twos into his threes. One minute he'll be singing "I Love to see the Temple" in a perfect little angelic voice, and the next be doing a jump spin into your back. Or leg. Or head. When you tell him to stop, he'll tell you he'll pour water in your eye. And then comes my favorite. He'll finish every threat with "You want that to happen?" Paging Don Corleone.

As if his cup wasn't currently overflowing with enchanting qualities, he has become very fond of the word "stupid," as well as the phrase "shut up" (which he learned during primary at church, ironically enough.) Thanks to the wisdom of the Meanest Mom, I have found a solution that looks promising. To give credit where credit is due, here is her original post: http://themeanestmom.blogspot.com/2009/01/bad-words.html

I have introduced Hudson to Taco Charlie's All You Can Eat Pepper Bar. He gets a warning, then he has to go eat a jalapeno pepper slice (from a jar, you wimps...stop calling social services!) Saturday was the first day of enforcement. True to form, stupids and shut ups were flying. I gave my warning and within minutes he found himself in the kitchen, anxiously awaiting (or screaming bloody murder while looking at) his first slice of jalapeno. He took the fork, touched the pepper to his tongue and let out another shriek. "Mom, I will not say stupid again. Ever!" He sobs. So I didn't make him eat the tiny tiny slice of pepper, but I encouraged him to remember what it tasted like the next time he felt like letting choice words fly. So far, I've given him warnings, but I've never had to take him back to Taco Charlie's. I am cautiously optimistic at this point.

However, he has added, "You're gonna say bad words and have to eat a pepper....You want that to happen?" to his repetoire. At least he does so with a smile on his face!

For Bev, Part 1

I beat my scanner into submission and here's what I have so far. The scans are down and dirty so the quality isn't great. Too tired for photoshop right now!Remember, I am being kind. Should you retaliate with any hideous pictures of my college past, I will post.......MATCHY LEATHER JACKET PICTURE! Gasp! :)

Thanks for the memories, Bevy...can't wait to catch up this summer!

Whatever did you do to deserve this kind of treatment?

Disco Party....I must've heard Deadhead party. This one belongs on FB for sure!

Some ill-forsaken toga party. Note your artfully and thoughtfully designed toga...and me with a sheet thrown over myself. Also notice the crimped hair. If you were really my friend you wouldn't have let me go out like that.

Who won the scrunchie contest, anyway?

You and Amy (with my brother, Joey in the backround) on top of Squaw Peak, summer of 1990.

MORE TO COME SOON!