Categories
Motherhood and Pregnancy

She’s a Big Girl, now

Disclaimer: I’ve never been the type to let my kids run around with just a diaper.  But tonight, after Blythe’s birthday party, I let her go for a bit before getting her dressed for bed.  Of course, she and Alison started being incredibly cute so now I have permanent evidence of letting her be all poor white trash nekkid with a diaper. 




This Dora scooter was a gift from my friend Kimberly and her fam.  For about half an hour, Alison scooted around with Blythe running behind her, laughing hysterically.  Her little legs are just not used to such a work out, so she started falling over every few minutes.  But just as our labrador will fetch until he vomits, so will Blythe follow behind her sister until her legs give out.  People?  I’m thinking she’ll be running walking in no time!

And also.  For some reason this photo gives me flashbacks to Christmas mornings with my sister.  Perchance, is there an identical photo of us in the family photo album?  Maybe with a Snoopy scooter rather than Dora?  I’ll do some investigating and get back to you on that.

Categories
Ranch Life The Style Section

M’ Boots

I’m sorry, but y’all gotta read this post with a North Carolina accent.  Jeremy’s Grandma Lois has been here a little over a week now, and I can’t he’p it, it’s catchin’.  Don’t worry, she’ll be goin’ on back home next Tuesdy, and I’m sure I’ll be back to talkin’ like a yank in no time.  Meanwhile, my grammar’s on the back burner.

So anyway, here’s m’ boots. Dontcha wish ya had a pair just like ’em?

I love m’ boots.  I got ’em at Target (surprised?) a couple/few years back, and they find themselves upon m’ feet a few times a day.  Now mind, I’m not so country back woods that they ever leave the Ranch.  No, I only wear ’em ’round here, perty much whenever I go outside.  See all them colors?  Turns out they go with dern near everythin’.  And it dudn’t matter if you’re wearin’ jeans or capris or a skirt, just slip them puppies on and they’ll keep the cow poo off’n your clothes.  I learnt that one real quick, don’t be tryin’ to wear your good shoes in the pasture, ’cause yer just askin’ fer trouble.  In fact, don’t be tryin’ to wear anythin’ but boots around here a’tall, ’cause some animals just don’t care where they poop, even if that means it’s on yer porch.

Just about everbody ’round here ~ well, everbody who walks, anyway ~ has ’em a pair.

‘Cause folks, I dare y’all to try and pick goat poop, peacock poop, cow poop, horse poop, chicken poop, or any combination a the above, out the cracks in the bottom of any ol’ pair a shoes.  These here boots are pretty great, I reckon, ’cause y’all can just stand in a puddle a water and swish around a bit to get the poo off.  Shoot, y’all could even go stand in the pond a spell or spray ’em off with a hose.  And what do ya know, they’re good as new.

Categories
Kids Parenting

First vs. Second

For Alison’s first birthday, we (by we I mean myself and the people I forced to help me) pulled out all the stops.  Home-made everything: invitations, decorations, food, games.  Full dinner for all 50 people, plus appetizers and drinks.  My sister and best friend came over the night before and we decorated for hours, getting the whole thing just right.  It was an amazing event – not that Alison remembers much about it.  In fact, she was quite overwhelmed by the sheer number of people staring at her as they sang “Happy Birthday”.  Each subsequent birthday has been a bit less labor intensive, shall we say, but not by a whole lot.  I just love doing the whole thing, from A to Z!  It’s one of the ways I can let my creative juices flow.

Blythe, on the other hand, is turning one this very weekend.  I hand made her invitations, yes, but I employed a little help because I just don’t have that kind of time anymore.  Working, having two kids, and just life in general have taken up every minute of my day.  I had good intentions of creating this wonderful castle/tent made out of polka-dot sheets.  I imagined her and the other little kids playing fort in there, going in and out.  But, people?  Not only are those sheets not sewn into a castle, they aren’t even pinned.  Goodness knows, that is where the majority of the time is spent.  Those things are still in the package, that’s how far behind I am.  I also had big plans to bake her a special egg-free, corn-free birthday cake.  I ordered an allergy-friendly cook book back in April, and it is still not here.  Yesterday I searched the ‘net for a couple of recipes, so that I could have some time to get the ingredients, because do you think the local grocery store carries organic, vegan margarine?  No, it does not.  I found some of what I needed today, but there is no time to experiment.  What comes out of the oven on Sunday morning is what people will just have to eat.

In addition, we are leaving Friday afternoon for Jeremy’s arm wrestling tournament in Tahoe.  I’m looking forward to it, don’t get me wrong.  Especially because it means my husband will eat again, and will therefore have a rear end worth squeezing.  But the sheer number of things involved when packing for two young children – one of whom has food allergies – is enough to send a person over the edge.  I did manage to get Blythe a birthday gift, and some drinks for her party.  She’ll have a pinata, and some plates.  The rest?  Well, I’m just going to have to wing it.  It makes my heart palpitate a little, but what can a girl do?  All I can hope is that she, too, will have no recollection of her birthday and that the pictures taken will reflect the amount of love we have for her, rather than the lack of time I had to spend creating an extravagant event.

Categories
Entertainment Food Motherhood and Pregnancy

A shower, and some bathtubs

My friend Kimberly and I have been through a lot together.  What started out as a friendship of convenience ~ our husbands played softball and coached wrestling together ~ ended up being a relationship of lasting endurance.  Almost 10 years later, we’ve been in each other’s weddings, through pregnancies and births, hardships and good times.  When I was in the ICU, determined to continue breast feeding a 2 week old Blythe but unable to use my own tainted milk, Kim stepped up and donated her own.  While some people might go, “Ew?”, I can say with conviction, it was the absolute best thing for Blythe.  I’ll forever be grateful for that amazing gift – and what have you done for your friends lately? 


So it goes without saying that when she found out she was expecting our fourth consecutive girl baby, due in July, I wanted to shower her with all kinds of love, support, and food, all in the shade of pink.  Kim was reluctant to have a baby shower but I’m all about throwing a party for any reason, but especially for a good reason.  With her arm twisted behind her back, she agreed.  In the months leading up to the big day, we talked, texted, emailed and (as our children allowed) got together to discuss preparations.  I’m so proud of how the beautiful day turned out, and was basking in the glow of the praise people heaped upon us.


Kim managed to not only get ready for the shower with an 18 month old in tow, she also managed to make this beautiful strawberry creation.  One of the guests liked it so much, she asked Kim to make another one for a bridal shower the following day.


I was particularly impressed, given my own attempt at a beautiful strawberry creation just a few weeks prior.  Good thing one of us knows what we’re doing, because mine would have taken the whole affair down a few notches on the class rung.


And how freaking cute is this cake? 


The girl-child in the picture is about to be a big sister, and how freaking cute is she?  There’s a funny story that goes along with this cake, and it involves a one-armed woman absconding with it mere minutes before the shower was to start.  Kim had me in stitches trying to imagine said woman attempting to both carry the cake and get the car door open, but I digress. 

No one tried to steal the other cake featured at the shower, although a couple of children asked when we were going to eat it.


Since it’s made of diapers (you can get your own at www.hippeebaby.com) the standard answer was never.

I’m sorry, but I forgot to take a photo of the invitations I made, which were also adorned with buttons.  I started out sewing them on but 5 buttons per invitation times 40 invitations divided by small children running around my house = I don’t even know, but after about 5 of them I switched to applying ZOTS and got them done, thank JESUS.

Everything was beautiful and the food was delicious – or so I hear… I was on the no-corn, no-egg diet by then and just had to smell everyone’s food and cake.  Only one small thing marred the day, and that was my beloved TARGET, failing to update the registry.  Nothing’s worse, I think, than watching someone open four of the exact same gift, especially when they are large, pink bathtubs.  Oh, Target, you hurt me so.

Categories
Marriage Parenting

Because of you

This is my new ring.



“If I know what love is…”



I’m sure that someone is meant to purchase this for their wife or mother or whatever.  But since I found it myself, I went ahead and bought it.  It’s a reminder to me of how lucky I am.

It’s made by an eco-based jewelry line, and there were all kinds of other pieces with sayings on them.  One was “Live the life you love” and another was “A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step”. 

I’m all for accessories with a message!  Well, a tasteful message, anyway.