Baby Mine

An Annoying Chore Just Got Easier.

I have recently started doing two things that have made my job at home ever so slightly easier. I love little things that can lighten or add joy to the workload so I thought I would share:

First, I moved the girls toothbrushes to the kitchen. I made a little station for them in the cabinet near the sink. Now we can easily pull a chair right over there and do the needful. I don't know why having the toothbrushes in the kitchen makes getting the girls teeth brushed regularly SO MUCH easier, but it does. Maybe it's because we are a lot more likely to be hanging out in the kitchen than in the bathroom and I can just roll it up into the breakfast or goodnight milk process. Anyway, an annoying chore just got easier. I'll raise a glass to that.

Secondly, I started throwing away my to-do list at the end of the week. I never clear my whole to-do list in a week. I don't think I ever have. But now what I don't finish by Saturday goes into the trash. On Monday morning I have a clean slate. Anything that was important from the week before will come to mind and I can add it. But things that only seemed important might be forgotten. Oh well. Oh the freedom! I do what I can in a week and then I throw it away. I think somehow I am actually getting more things done now too. My to-do list feels like the tool it is and not a tyrant or a bully ninny ninny boo booing me about how I can never catch up. And I'll raise a glass to that.

Are there little things you do to make completing yours tasks easier or more enjoyable? Do tell.

They start saying everything right so fast.

Wolves. My girls pronounce this word "wool fuss" and in their eyes there no fiend more foreboding or despicable. Just wanted to remember that. They start saying everything right so fast.

Such Is Life ~ Our Story

I told you coffee stations make me happy. Well, this one makes me the happiest of all. Why? Because it is in my bedroom. Yes, it is right on top of my dresser.

A little eccentric I know, but this is something I have been concocting in my head for a while. Now I can very literally wake up and smell the coffee. Waking up to the sound and smell of coffee brewing instead of an alarm or a child screaming for juice or breakfast is maddeningly pleasant. I can enjoy a cup of joe and have my little quiet time right in my room before anyone even suspects that I am awake. The whole family is happier for it. Trust me.

And here are the rest of my little favorite things that make me happy:

(When I posted this last picture on Facebook a couple of people "busted" Afton for sucking her thumb. Yes, we have had some regression, but such is life. We are still working on it. Truth be told we are still working on a lot of things. But then again, such is life.)

I Look Happy.

Something's been bothering me. A special, special memory I forgot to put on Sissy's birthday list. I can never let us forget it, so I better just do another post for it all to itself.

For several months during Ponder's two-year-old year she was in the habit of climbing up into one of our laps, wrapping her arms around our necks, giving her biggest smile and saying in her raspy little Sissy voice,

"I look happy."

Dramatic pause.

"Because I belong to you."

There. I feel better now.

I look happy too, Baby Sissy. Very, very happy.

Family Vacays Bring People Together! - Our Story

Afton got her new backpack and water bottle for school this week. She is so excited about being a "school kid". Thanks Maw Maw!

Wow.

Sissy is potty trained! Wow, again!

I have a long ways to go in being the kind of mom I want to be. I have always wanted to be the kind of mom who builds living room forts for my kids. Building forts and letting them stay is definitely not one of my natural giftings, but this is a mighty fine fort if I do say so myself. Small victories. I'll take them where I can find them.

In fall of 2003 when Ron and I were just friends he took me to Florida in his Toyota Tacoma. This weekend we went to Florida to say goodbye to Yaya and Papa Steve's beach house. Since we were going to be bringing some stuff back with us we took the Tacoma again this time. It was like deja vu with a twist! I asked Ron what he would have thought if on our first trip to Florida all those years ago he could have looked into a magic future-telling rear view mirror and see this:

Playing in the yard and looking at "Crab Beach".

Dinner time at Land Sharks.

Meet Emma. She hung out with us all evening long. Her Mommy and Daddy are "inside". But don't worry she already had french fries and "lots of cokes" for dinner.

A little Aunt Ashley time!

A little Adam and Sarah time!

Some "Aunt Ashley that married Bubba" and Gracie time!

Family beach time!

Rose's first real experience at the beach.

She knows how to live the dream!

Once again our whole family "forcept" Cattie. Cattie misses all the fun.

Waiting and waiting for the realtor. The closest we got to a whole group shot.

Sissy didn't mind the wait. She used the time to glam up a bit!

Family vacays bring people together!

Bye bye sweet old house! You served us well!
First night home was a "spend over" with cousins. I think there will be many more to come.

Before we know it Rosie will be wanting to spend over herself!

Just a little coffee station that doesn't really go with the rest of the post. Coffee stations make me happy though, so it stays.

Mmm, a cup of coffee sounds great right now. I better get on it before nap time is gone!

Old Friends Celebrating New Beginnings -- Our Story

The night before our big trip to Oklahoma for Muffin's wedding "the cousins" as they are called around here stopped by for a little while after dinner. I guess all the wedding talk had the girls hankering for weddings of their own so we had several impromptu backyard weddings that night.

First Ben and Afton...

Then Sissy and Sam...

Caroline and Uncle Ron...

And then Jack and Rose...yeah Jack and Rose just like Titanic and my goodness this picture is too precious. I love it so much I might marry it.

Hello again, dear old hometown. Oh, my that's a little much don't you think?

Stuffing little faces at Nana's house. "Mommy can you make all this?" Not like Nana can, baby. Not like Nana can.

Old friends celebrating new beginnings...

My beautiful friend on her big day...

I would never ask a bride about to walk down the aisle to stand up after she was comfortably seated -- not even so I don't look like a jolly giant in our newest BFF photos. These pictures are pretty silly looking, but not even close to the silliest ones we have together.

The Mansion was beautiful. I think we all look like we are on Clue in this picture. No, I'm not sad or sick, just super nervous about the speech I am about to give.

Two of the sweetest gifts God ever gave me...

Party time! I think the 90s dance mix was a hit. I know I had fun!

And what is an Oklahoma wedding with a little Boot Scootin' Boogie?

Look who just happened to be on our flight to Dallas on the way home! So much fun for the girls! Such a break for Mommy and Daddy!

Good airplane sleepers!

Home again! Home again!