This week

This week Marky and I got to go with his old K5 class to see The Wizard of Oz at the Children's Theater. If you haven't been to a children's theater production- you should try to go. This year we've seen Little Red Hen, Santa in Space, and Three Billy Goats Gruff. All were great.
Marky was literally on the front row this time. He loved it!

After the theater we picked up the babies and headed to lunch. This is what I see almost every day at lunch. Um...hello....anyone there?

I thought so....

Even little bit is now a bookworm and has always got a book in her hands...

At least I've got Mr. Brown Eyes to talk to...

Please ignore the pink paci in his hands- he's the third and is happy with what he gets- be it pink sippy cup, pink bibs, or pink pacis.

I have to say that being with Marky's old K5 class did not make me miss him being in school AT ALL. Goodness I don't miss it. Besides the stuff I have to "undo" when he gets home (he's incredibly impressionable) and besides the girl that said she was going to kiss him and kept trying to hold his hand....(excuse me?!), I just like having this guy around. I know how quick he will grow and be out of here and I love his company. He's like having another adult in the house- he's a real person with real thoughts. And instead of rushing out the door mad at each other this morning, we ate a leisurely breakfast on our porch swing while watching the birds on our bird feeder. I love it and try to remind myself that I have the rest of my life for "me" time, but my time raising my angels is fleeting and precious.

Momma's Back on the List

Today I had my Monday babysitter come and went to the eye doctor to FINALLY get new contacts. My old prescription didn't fit my left eye and always floated off leaving that eye blurry, so all year I've been looking out of one "good" eye. Why didn't I go fix it earlier? Because momma is on the smack bottom of the to-do list. I also got a hair cut, and when she asked me about my previous hair cut I couldn't remember what they had done because it had been almost a year! What in the world!? I also ran and got a polish change for the toesies. I came home with layers, sight and pink toes and I feel like a new woman. I'm going to go back to the gym this week too. I'm back on the list and it feels nice.

Breaking it in...

Well we have lived here four weeks, and we finally had a chance to break in the house with company. Some people stress out over having guests- I'm one of those people who loves it- it gets me so excited to host something. My grandparents and parents all came to stay with us for two nights and we had the best time.
I love seeing a house full of family. We finally got to use the dining room- all eight chairs! And we had big breakfasts at the new kitchen table- so much fun!

The kids loved having extra hands to give them attention.

Especially Julia- if she can find a lap to sit in- that's what she will do all day long.

They left this morning. We had a great time- in this picture Julia is crying because she is so sad to see Memaw and Pawpaw go.

She got happier when she realized BB and Poppy were going to stay a little longer.

Tuckerman had a little fever viris all weekend, but it worked to our advantage b/c it calmed him down and made him extra cuddly- just perfect for his BB and Memaw to hug on. Thank you, Lord, for family. Hope you had a good weekend too!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy

We have been working so hard on unpacking and arranging- my body hurts all over every night. I've completely abandoned doing fun stuff with the kids and homeschooling has been on the waaaaay backburner. Thank goodness Stacey called and said let's do the zoo. My poor homebound children were ready for an adventure.

Stacey and I were buddies in college and she has three precious boys that she homeschools in Tuscaloosa. We hadn't seen each other since I was early pregnant with Tucker- so almost two years- and we picked right up where we left off. Notice my kids in their shades- mama taught 'em right. :)

Happy little fella sat in his stroller all day with no complaint (as long as the ice cubes kept coming- he's an ice chomper like my other two).

And now to enjoy God's creation. We loved feeding the Lorikeets- I couldn't believe Julia wasn't afraid.

Right after I snapped this picture one of those birds landed on me and I freaked out.

I let Stacey handle it from there- I call her the bird whisperer.

Onto the petting zoo-- Sissy's dream come true.

I love this picture of Julia and Sam...

The highlight of the day had to be Foam Zone.

And now back to reality. We've had tons of workers in and out of the house the past few weeks- construction guys, cable/phone, security, etc. I think we are finally at the end of the tunnel.

Noah's Light

Precious Noah has now got his own foundation- Noah's Light Foundation- and he is going to help save the lives of other children with brain and spinal cancer by providing funding for "out-of-the-box" thinking doctors that see each child as a canvas, not a paint-by-number. Go see his new foundation website here. Amber has this chilling information on her blog:

If you think for one minute that this is a rare cancer, search “Medulloblastoma” in Youtube. Childhood cancer is the second leading cause of death in children. Brain tumors are the number one cause of death in children with cancer. An estimated 4,030 children under age 20 are expected to be diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010. That is more than 77 children each week. Every other day, one of these diagnosed children is from the state of Florida – over 200 a year!!! They are your neighbors, your child’s classmate, your niece, your nephew, your grandchild. Pediatric brain cancer research and treatment is GROSSLY underfunded and the public remains unaware of the magnitude of this disease.

Spread your light sweet Noah!

Call in the experts....

Here's what I have learned this past month- USE your friends talents for your own benefit. I don't know why I haven't really done this before, but my month has gone so much better for letting my friends demonstrate their "expertise" in areas of my life.

First, when I was packing. My dear friend Catherine, who had moved several times, gave up two of her days to come to my house and help me pack. She showed me how to use towels and rags to cushion the china (not just tons and tons of expensive bubble wrap like I was using) and she labeled the boxes better than I was. For every one box I was packing on those days, she packed at least four. What a huge help!

Then when we got into the house and I had to arrange all this furniture I called in my friend Holly, who is also an expert home designer. She spent one of her entire moms-day-out days at my house and rearranged the formal living room (I thought the roll-top desk was too huge to go b/w the chairs- and she made me try it and now it's PERFECT!). She also did all those built-in-shelves around the fireplace that I would never have figured out how to fix. She knows how to arrange table tops well, and she made me hang things I thought only a man could hang because they were heavy.

Then today, I needed a swanky dress for an evening out- I call in my fashionista Shana. I picked out four dresses that we both liked and then she came running and out saying "this is it- BAM!". I didn't like that dress at all and didn't want to take it back to the dressing room, but she made me try it on and of course, it was the most flattering of all the dresses and is now in my closet. The moral of the story is- I've been too independent. If someone can help me- I should let them. We all have different gifts and we should share them. I've certainly learned my lesson, and if I can figure out any gifts I have- I will share with you too!

Two for Tea

Just for memories sake- I want to put on here that Shana and I did go to the governor's mansion on Saturday for the annual tea party! Hats and gloves anyone? The First Lady says go big or go home!
Our table (no forks- finger food, you know)

The tent- why don't ladies dress like this anymore? It's so elegant.

Shana looking like My Fair Lady-

P.S. this is totally an aside- I have called FIFTEEN babysitters (eight of whom I've never met) tonight to find a babysitter for a concert we are going to tomorrow night. I was actually considering driving my kids to Mobile in the morning. I just got a call from a girl who can do it and I literally teared up. How pitiful is that. I was like "um...sniff...hold on...I just want to...um...sniff...thank you so so much". ha!

I mean, should I have to beg people to watch this wittle guy?

Lovely as a tree

I know you know we are enjoying the new house, but I can't tell you how much I love the OUTSIDE of the new house. It is so peaceful and feels like we are in an enchanted forest. Here is a view from the side porch of our courtyard into the woods on the side of the house- there is a swing with an arbor and a place for a firepit up there with stone pathways.
And we have tons of wisteria- I love wisteria and it's not only beautiful, it smells great. Those bushes below are rose bushes.

And we have a fig tree at the end of the driveway!

And all of this was pruned and spruced up this past week when my AMAZING dad came and put out 20 bales of pinestraw and dug up overgrown shrubs and planted tons of flowers. He also repaired a bunch of stuff and hung up tons of hooks and new fixtures for me and put together bar stools and shelves. BB stayed here two weeks after we moved and let me shop and unpack and we got so much done. She did lots of baby watching and telling me if the picture looked centered If they hadn't been here we'd never have gotten this far. THANK YOU mom and dad!

In addition to the nature near the house, we have a wilderness wonderland in our back yard! I'm so excited- we took a hike in the woods with some friends (one of which is a new neighboor) and got to cross a steam and look for deer tracks. (See Marc's hair is growing in fast!)

The kids explored and mined for gold (good luck with that) and dug out little ponds.

Julia and her buddy jumped back and forth across this stream- yes, they both got filthy.

I'm just so grateful to have land to explore, yet I'm still five minutes from Target. :) Because it's like that poem says,

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

And now we are SIX....

Now we are Six

A.A. Milne

When I was one,

I had just begun.

When I was two,

I was nearly new.

When I was three,

I was hardly me.

When I was four,

I was not much more.

When I was five,

I was just alive.

But now I am six,

I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six

now and forever.

Please stay six forever sweet Marky. We love you so much. You had a great birthday- you got to open cards from family members and go to Johnny Rockets for lunch where they sang happy birthday and got you a giant hot fudge Sunday. You were so happy and said it was your favorite birthday ever. You hadn't even opened a present yet- that's how precious you are.
When we got home you opened your gifts, which included a nerf gun that shoots balls (buzz saw model) and a scooter, which you love.
You also got your own walkie talkies so you can explore in the woods and keep in contact with us. You were thrilled!

You are such a smart, sweet and precious boy and you are mommy and daddy's biggest helper. We love you!

FOUR years old!

In the midst of our move and Easter, we had to celebrate sweet Juliabug's birthday. So after our egg hunt this morning we went on a long walk to the lake in our neighboorhood. There we threw rocks and looked at bugs- some of Julia's favorite things.
Then we went out to eat at Joe's crabshack. I wish I had pictures- they did the YMCA on the dancefloor with the kids and then dressed Julia up in princess wings and gave her a wand and marched her around the restaurant. She LOVED it! Then we came home for cupcakes. There were boxes everywhere and pictures leaned up against the walls and I just found one votive candle- but we DID have a little birthday celebration.

A new princess game for her Leapster!

And a new princess bicycle! It has a bell and basket too!

And a water table. (I know these are for babies, don't tell Julia- she was thrilled!)

Yummy cupcakes!

Then we spent the afternoon playing at the water table...

Happy Birthday Juliabug!

See Easter below....