Where was I?

Long time no blog. Don't know why I took this break- I think summer just feels like time to 'take off' from everything. Anyway, I'll start with Father's Day. I really should start before that. The week before we had VBS- St. Patrick's VBS to be exact. The kids did great and learned the most precious songs. On Thursday night we celebrated an early father's day with Marc.
The kids helped me get ready...

And we took daddy out to Zoe's for dinner.

See Tucker's fork? He always has one. He will not eat with his hands if he can help it. He LOVES a spoon and fork...preferably one in each hand.

Then we strolled along outside and had cookies. (not me, no carbs you know)

After celebrating with Daddy, we headed on down to Mobile to celebrate Poppy. The kids LOVE going to Mobile and ask to go every day. They picked blackberries in the backyard and swam all day every day.

One highlight was Poppy taking me and Marky to his hunting camp so we could ride the four wheeler and play. Marky LOVED it and drove the four wheeler a ton . We saw deer tracks, a live turkey and I almost stepped on a snake.

Marky crossed this- it made me think of Bridge to Terabithia.

In other news, Julia and Marky got haircuts. Julia's is a bob now and I love it. It's so cute especially when she has a bow.

Marky finally lost his first tooth! He got a quarter from the tooth fairy and was beside himself.

Meanwhile Tuck Tuck finally GOT his eye teeth that have been making him miserable for the past month. He's so much happier now that they've arrived.

See my happy smile?

And now a video for my family. I got the big knobbed puzzle out today and Tucker did it lickety split. I couldn't believe it since he'd never played with it before. I think he's going to be full of surprises- that sweet angel.

Honey for a Mama's Heart

I long so much for my kids to love each other. I want them to look to each other for friendship and comfort. That's honestly part of the reason I'm homeschooling right now- to keep them close. And sometimes it seems it's working and other times they fight like cats and dogs. Well, today post-nap (isn't that how you define your day....prenaptime, naptime, postnaptime) the THREE of them played together so sweetly the entire time. I was so happy (especially since Daddy had a meeting after work and wouldn't be home before bedtime...I'm grateful for any "peace" in the house when I'm flying solo). So I was walking past this old TV box in the den (that Marky had drug up from the garage) and all of sudden heard some shuffling...
Who's there?

Oh- it's the three amigos! They had crayons inside and had colored a fire, some chairs, some weapons (it was a fort), etc.

Marky would get on the outside and talk to Tuck Tuck...

Yes, buddy, I know...it is your Bubba on the other side!

Later after I'd left the room for a while I heard the piano and walked in and saw this-

Tucker loves for Marky to hold him and let him play with his feet.

Then even later I heard "ring a round the rosy" coming from the foyer and walked in to see this....

Thank goodness I have Camp Director Marky to keep the party going. I'm so proud of him lately. On Saturday, he and Marc went with a group of Hibernians to a retirement home for priests and did yardwork in the blazing heat for three hours. Marc said Marky didn't stop working and didn't complain. Such a sweetheart. Anyway- I did want to document the fact that they don't fight EVERY day.... :)

In OTHER news, I'm doing a low-carb (almost no-carb) diet. I have discovered that I feel better and look better without carbs in the diet, however, many will say I am a bit sweeter WITH carbs in the diet. :) (Think Chris Farley's "Lay off me- I'm starving..." skit- that sums it up).

A tale of three refrigerators....

So when we moved we left our old refrigerators with our old house and inherited two new refrigerators here. THIS beauty was in the kitchen. It looks fine here in the garage- but it is TINY, trust me. It didn't NEARLY fill the cabinet space allocated (leaving a nice dusty cavern on one side) AND the icemaker OVERFLOWED every time you got ice or even opened the freezer door. Two of the side door shelves were broken beyond repair and so we had no room for any food. Then two days ago I opened the door and the light was out- that was my sign. It's time to go. It's not you, it's me.......I don't like you.
So Marc ends up putting all the food from the above fridge into this fridge we have in the basement kitchen. Old School, yes, but MUCH MORE ROOM. See what I'm saying- if THIS is bigger, what does that tell you about the above fridge?! Still, I had dreams of glory.

And today at 12:00 my dreams came true! Ta-dah!!!!!!! What is this a rocket ship? No, it's the biggest fridge they had in the store and look how it fits in the cabinet- like a glove. :)

Yes, computer, get me ice.

Here she is saying, welcome home, Mama, fill me with good things. I will help you. You can find applesauce and cheesesticks in a jiffy now. No, no, don't thank me, it's my pleasure to help. (And yes, I already have my Milo's tea inside...first things first!)

Just wanted to show you the good news!

Saturday

Juliabug had her recital tonight- unlike that awful rehearsal- it was NOT four hours long- it was only THREE! Juliabug did such a good job watching the 30 dances between her two dances. Of course, BB was here and that helped. We let Daddy stay home with the boys since it was such a long dance and Daddy had already swung by dress rehearsal yesterday and seen the bear dance. :)

After the dance BB, Sissy and I had a nice dinner at Jim N Nicks and came home to flowers and a balloon from Daddy and the boys!

And Marky had made a ton of butterflies for her and put them on her bed as a surprise! Such a thoughtful big brother.

It's been such fun having BB here. Thursday night we had a girls night out for my Bible study group b/c one of the girls is moving to Ohio for her husband's fellowship. I didn't want to miss it....So I took BB! She of course, fit right in- everyone who knows BB loves BB! She doesn't meet a stranger. :) Hope you are having a good weekend too!

Ballerina Girl

Today we had the "dress rehearsal" for Julia's dance studio at the civic center. Can I tell you it took FOUR and a HALF hours? I had no idea and was totally unprepared. Seasoned moms had toys and snacks and a plan for entertaining their kiddos- I just looked at Julia and said "darn". :) Here's my pretty ballerina... Yes, momma did the bun herself- and it was a pony tail by the time we got to the stage. :) This costume was a butterfly- I forgot to put the pink wings on for the picture. So precious!

Part of the time we went and played in the lobby. Here she is in her "teddybear picnic" outfit. I said, "make some dance poses". Here is Julia's interpretation of that request...

Sweet...

Grand...

Oh...a leg behind....something new...

Sure, okay... And it was her first time to wear lipstick!

A fun day for Julia in dancehall purgatory for momma. I love you little teddy bear!

Look at my big baby boy!

He's SO proud of himself! We're proud too!

Noahbug

Noah had a great MRI today- a little confusing, but it seems like all that is left in his brain and spine are dead cells, and he will only have to undergo two or three more chemo treatments and then be DONE with the "hard" treatment in early September- in time to go back to school and be a somewhat regular kid again. We are all thrilled! What a crazy, awful year my sweet sister and brother-in-law have had. But now they a wonderful foundation and HOPE! He's not completely out of the woods, but we can now see the field on the other side. Read more here.