Why there is oatmeal on the flowers....

Cold busted....

Monday Blogging...as usual....

It seems I always blog on a Monday. Just wanted to point that out. Anyway- BB came up Friday and brought my sweet Marky home. They had a great week and went 90 to nothing doing all of Marky's favorite things. On Saturday, my sweet hubby let Mom and I have a girls' day and shop all day. Mom deserved it after having kept at least one of my kids for two weeks. We went and had the portraits framed- tada:

Didn't they turn out well? I'm so excited. They are hung together over the couch in the den. Then we spent the day looking at antique stores and strolling around cute shops and the mall and having lunch in Mt. Brook. She left this morning right after I took Tuckerboy for his 6 month check up. He weighs 21 lbs and it 29 1/2 inches long. My big chunk of love. He is doing all the cute 6-month-old tricks like sitting up and babbling...playing the piano.....

I heard the most awesome sermon on Sunday (found here). I've been overwhelmed with the thought of homeshooling my kids and somehow keeping my house reasonably clean and keeping some form of healthy supper on the table all while not losing my mind. It really seemed impossible. There's just no way to do it- kind of like feeding 5,000 with a boy's lunch. And on my own strength there is no way I could do it, but God is in the multiplication business- you give him what you have and he multiplies it beyond what you can imagine. Now one trillion times zero is zero so if I give him nothing, I can't expect much. But if I give him water- I may end up with wine. He will make my effort much more than it was. So I'm excited and hopeful that if I am faithful to give my meager offerings to God- not just my "good work" efforts, but my "overcoming sin" effots, He will multiply it in a way that blesses me and those around me.

If you don't want to potty then you should go home

Oh my goodness what a week. Marc Jr. has been in Mobile and I was supposed to be doing a potty training intensive camp with Sissybug. To say she is resistent to potty training is the biggest understatement you can imagine. TEARS, pain, drama ensue anytime we get near the bathroom. "Mommy- I too wittle...I need diapers" "I just a baby" "Pwease mommy get me diaper". I have done more positive reinforcement I can think of- I've banned T.V. and computer time until I get some action with the potty...she gets candy if she goes....we do the potty dance if she goes...she got to pick out big girl underwear she loves...the list goes on. We've sat in the bathroom for HOURS all week with me reading stories, doing stickers, singing potty songs, running the bath water, putting her hands in a bowl of water...and NOTHING. Nothing at all. Oh my goodness I'm exhausted and feel this whole week was a waste. She can't go to moms-day-out in August if she isn't potty trained...and frankly, she's certainly old enough to get this. And let me just say- I've potty trained before. Marky had NO trouble with it and caught on fast and was excited to be a big boy. I'm no novice- but I'm at a complete loss on how to make a child learn who literally falls apart in tears if you walk near the potty. Anyway, that's what I'm doing- and I would covet any happy thoughts or tips you may have.
Struggling in big-girl babyville,
Donna

Home Again

Well we're home from the convention and, as always, it was wonderful. This year is was at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, AL, and everything was relaxing and fun. They had a man drawing portraits out by the pool and he took some pictures of the kids and drew them. Here is the picture he used for Sissy. He drew her smiling. It is precious- I'll post it after it's framed.

And here is Marky's pose- the artist made his shirt white and had him smiling.

We were there for the State Bar Convention and they go out of their way to make it family friendly. There are family parties and dinners every night. One night we had a carnival with games, tatoos, jump castles, etc. And there was always live music.

On Carnival night Julia only wanted to dance with the band. She could have cared less about the games- she got the party started- she danced forever and then layed down on her tummy to watch them and eventually fell asleep on the floor. It was precious.

They had a firework show one night and Marky loved it and well, you can see Julia's expression. She said they were "too woud".

All the pools are zero entry and have fountains and there was a big water slide that we all went down. Julia wore puddle jumpers so I didn't have to stay on top of her. The Grand is so
Southern- they have tea time with cookies every day at 4:00, and every day at 3:30 a military marching band comes through the pool area and out to the canon where they fire a shot at 3:45. People were playing horseshoes and lying in hammocks- I could get used to it.

Every night the crew was exhausted. We had two queen beds and it worked great. A great minivacation. As for Mr. T, he had a great time getting spoiled by BB and Poppy. He really enjoyed being doted on day in day out. I got back just in time!



And now we are back to hustle and bustle- people came to see the house this morning, another family is coming tonight and the roofer came at lunch to give me an estimate on patching things up. Marky is in Mobile with BB- I think they went to the Battleship today. I miss him so much- he is my helper. It was nice to have a quiet nap-time house this afternoon though. Alright- that's all for now. Hope you had a good weekend!

And we're off...

So I found a bathing suit. I had a funny post about this, but I think now I'm too modest to talk about it. :) Let's just say that the first bathing suit (dress) I showed my husband he sang "thank you for being a friend" from Golden Girls. I went with the tankini. We're off to the bay- Tuckerboy is staying with BB and Poppy for the first time. I think they will have so much fun. And I plan to enjoy my big kids and hubby. I'm playing this Enya music to make myself believe that my time will be relaxing and tranquil, but I know I'll be hauling around floaties, snacks, toys, etc. and be trying to keep my Sissybug alive the whole time. Still...a gal can dream.......

Monday and Mama's talking....

Hey friends! Hope you had a nice weekend. We had fun- Marc's parents came in town- they are on a vacation around this part of the country and the Midwest and stopped by for two nights. We finally visited Barber Motorsports Museum. I can't believe I've never been there- it's right by Bass Pro Shops (and I've been to BPS a million times). It is something- TONS and TONS of motorcycles and some race cars. (Tally, are you proud of us?) There are so many things around town I haven't done yet after all these years. Oak Mountain beach is like my new hang out and I didn't go there until we'd lived here over 5 years (8 years if you include law school).
Zaza had fun with the kids. Because they live so far away, we don't get to see them but a few times a year. I long for them to really "know" the kids and I think they are starting to. The kids loved having them here.

They had motorcycle races going on outside the window and Marky and Juliabug loved it. I've never ridden a motorcycle in my life...I need to. Maybe I should start a bucket list.

In other news- our house is still for sale. So far we've had a few people come by, but the phone isn't ringing off the hook. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. We keep looking at other houses, we took Grandpa and Zaza to see some while we were here. We woke up this morning to water leaking through the formal living room ceiling- that's never a good thing. So we're getting ready to throw more money at this house. Times like these make me want to actually downsize- it does seem like mo' money mo' problems.

We are getting ready to go to the beach this week. I've got a sitter coming tomorrow afternoon so I can get a new bathing suit (AAAHHH- cue the whiskey), new floaties for Sissy and other essentials for the trip. It's a conference for Marc so it's not really a vacation for him- and since he's working- it's not exactly a vacation for me- but it's paid for by other folks so I will take it!

P.S. I accidentally watched the last 1/2 of the Bachelorette tonight (I've never watched it before and know nothing about the players). What in the world? Does this girl have parents- how can you act this way on national T.V. ? Aren't your grandparents going to see you? And the "falling asleep in the fantasy suite" guy- what was that about? Good girls keep their hands to themselves.

Happy Birthday Mom! (BB)

Today is my sweet Mommy's b'day. I know what you are thinking, how can that young woman be my mother if I'm....a'hem...older than a teen. She has the fountain of youth- she acts as young as she looks- which is great for me because I have a herd of crazy kids that she can help me chase. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside and if she knows you- she has probably prayed and/or fasted for you. Happy Birthday Mom- you are the best wife, mother, daughter, and grandmother anyone has ever had (not to mention the best special education teacher for 25 years). I love you and hope to be 1/2 the woman you are!

Governor Sanford listened to the wrong voice...

Cal Thomas hits the nail on the head:

The Voice Claims Another Victim
By Cal Thomas
Tribune Media Services

The first thing that should be acknowledged about South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s admission to an extramarital affair is that it could happen to any of us. That is not an excuse (and no, it has not happened to me, or to my wife). Every married person has heard the voice; the one that says you deserve something “better.”

Gov. Sanford should have been familiar with the voice because of the Bible studies he attended. The voice began seducing humanity a long time ago. It told our first parents that they needed more than the perfection of Eden. The voice told them that God knew that if they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they would be like God. But they already were like God, because they were made in His image.

Stick with me you secularists and non-literalists, because there is a point to be made for you, too.
Psychiatrists explain that married people tire of one another after 10 or 20 years (it used to be seven years, as in that Marilyn Monroe/Tom Ewell film “The Seven Year Itch.” Must be inflation.). Good marriages are the result of hard work. Forsaking all others is more than a wedding promise. It is a daily denial of one’s lower instincts. Temptation is everywhere. The key to overcoming it is to realize you are fighting an adversarial force that wants to destroy you, embarrass you and cause ridicule to be heaped on the God you claim to worship.

One can make excuses about power and loneliness and starting out as a friendship that develops into something else, as Gov. Sanford rambled on about, but one can’t explain adultery. It is what it is and the person who commits it should be calling on God for mercy, not the voters for understanding.

I once asked evangelist Billy Graham if he experienced temptations of the flesh when he was young. He said, “of course.” How did he deal with them? With passion he responded, “I asked God to strike me dead before He ever allowed me to dishonor Him in that way.” That is the kind of seriousness one needs to overcome the temptations of a corrupt culture in which shameful behavior is too often paraded in the streets.

There was a time when a divorce would disqualify someone from public office. Now people admit affairs and expect to stay in office. “It’s just sex,” said defenders of Bill Clinton. One might as well say, “it was just a gun” that killed my spouse. Adultery wounds in ways a bullet cannot. One can potentially heal from a bullet wound, but a shot to the soul and to the trust that must be central to any marriage is nearly impossible to repair. The wounded spouse always wonders, “Will he/she do it again?”

A relationship most promise to venerate “until death us do part” is damaged by adultery, whether it’s a TV evangelist, a politician or a regular Joe who violates the marriage bed. In fact, we rarely even use the word “adultery” anymore because it sounds so, uh, biblical, and those teachings and commands long ago fell out of fashion, though they work for those who embrace them.

Any man who claims never to have had thoughts of straying is a liar. Any man who has sought the help of God and other men in helping him to honor his marriage promises to his wife and children is a hero, especially in today’s morally exhausted culture.

I miss Paul Harvey and his acknowledgement of those who had been married 50, 60, even 70 years. Those people are my role models. I’m sure they heard the voice, too, but they told it to get lost and it did. Pushing against weights builds up the body, pushing against the voice builds up the soul and improves a marriage. You can never take a marriage — or the voice — for granted; it’s always on the prowl looking for new people to destroy.

Tea Party

So I spent the evening with the...
We went to the tea party and it was nice. This was when it began- it filled up as the evening went on. We stayed to watch fireworks, which scared Sissy to death. The speakers were okay- I think they missed an opportunity to really educate voters. But it is good to see more and more people keeping up with what's going on in Washington. One interesting thing is that I did try to find more funny bumper stickers in the parking lot to amuse you and I couldn't find any. Row after row of cars and no bumper stickers and Marc said, "these are just normal folks". And it's true- they are not "extremists" at all- they are just tired of being robbed of their money and their liberties. Can you blame them?

Our Fourth of July

Happy Birthday USA! We went to our church's annual 4th of July festival today. We had a great time in spite of the ridiculous heat and we were so surprised at how content and happy Tucker was in the stroller- I think it was the heat stroke. :)

The kids played a bunch of carnival games and won a bunch of junk like necklaces and frog tatoos- you know, patriotic stuff like that. Here's Julia with a lizard she won and is now taking a nap with.

We had lots of BBQ from the Knights of Columbus and then cupcakes and snowcones! It was all capped off with some bad karaoke. Ninety-nine degrees outside- and sober people are doing the electric slide while tone-challeneged teens sing "summer lovin"...I love that kind of stuff- true Americana.

Now all the babies are sleeping off their fun day and we are trying to decide whether to go to the 'tea party' tonight. Happy Fourth to you and yours!

Let freedom ring! Happy 4th Everyone!

July 1st ya'll.....

July 1st....Canada Day...and Mama's B'day. I'm 29 again! I decided last year at my 30th that I would no longer age forward, but would instead do a pivot step and head back towards 25. It's great- I already feel younger. I'm sad to say that I woke up grumpy. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and had the blues this morning, which is unusual. I was short with my kids and feeling trapped at home. And then as I'm stomping around changing diapers I hear a knock at the door and a good friend was standing there with flowers from her yard. It was a complete and precious surprise and began to turn my day around. I had talked to Shana on the phone and she quickly came over (doing an intervention) and gave me my birthday gift- tickets to a Taylor Swift concert! Then we decided totally on a whim to go to the "beach", a.k.a. the sandbar on the lake at Oak Mountain. We ran through Subway and got sandwhiches and packed up the car with towels, sand toys and the umbrella and hit the road. We stayed all afternoon and it was awesome. It felt like I was at the 'real' beach. The kids played in the shallow water and Tucker even took a nap in his stroller under the umbrella. Shana even surprised me by bringing Milk Duds and Twizzlers. My bad mood was completely gone. She totally salvaged what could have been a pity party birthday. I also got to talk to several of my closest friends on the phone (or answering machine) and am just so grateful for all the wonderful relationships in my life. What would we do without girlfriends? Life is so so busy now and it's hard to keep up with people, but I love all the women I've known past and present and I thank you thank you for loving me and being there at different times in different ways. I hope I can encourage you like you've encouraged me. And let me say about being 29- it's good to be back!

P.S. Marc and I did get a sitter and do dinner and a movie- so I had a perfect day!