3 Carrs

Spell Check

2012-01-25T19:42:00.004-05:00

Apparently, we need to work on spelling too!

And this is why I started a blog. To help me remember the little things that happen in our lives as well as the big things. Anywho, tonight we were sitting around the table eating dinner when Soph asked for a napkin. Steven got up and got her one but before handing it over he said, "What do you say?"

Soph, "Please, may I have a napkin?"

Daddy, "Yes you may. Do you know how to spell please?"

With a big bold voice and a stone sober face she says, "P-U-S-S-Y!"

At that point, daddy lost all composure. Thank goodness he hadn't taken a drink at that exact moment. I on the other hand, kept my cool, for once. Points for getting at least getting the P right my girl :0

Ten on Tuesday

2012-01-24T19:45:00.004-05:00

1. Steven and I are addicted to American Pickers. Thanks to the History channel hooking us up with a few weekend marathons, I now think that we have seen every.single.episode. We are getting pretty good at guessing the value of junk too! Makes we want to drive around and go pickin' too!

2. Report cards came out today! Girlfriend did pretty good. She needs to work on vowel sounds and a few other reading things. I'll admit that I'm HORRIBLE about working with her. And she fights it to the death. I told my neighbor today that really you don't need to know how to read to sell coconut necklaces on a beach in Thailand. Not saying that that's where she's gonna end up, but really, ya never know!

3. Who has their Valentine cards already made up and ready to go? This person! Woot woot! On the ball this year people. I'm loving some pinterest and all of the great ideas you can "pin." Now if I only had the time and $$ to make all of the things I have pinned!

4. So I stumbled across this blog the other day called An Inch of Gray. Oh my. Saddest blog I have ever followed in my life but I just couldn't stop reading. Long story short, Anna, was the mama to 12 year old Jack and 10 year old Margaret. One extremely rainy afternoon after school when the electric was off, Jack's friends came over and invited Jack outside to play. As time passed it began to thunder. Jack's mom got in her car to pick up the kids, yet Jack was no where to be found. A creek behind a neighbor's house swept him away. :( Jack's was found about 2 hours later. This grief stricken mama did everything she could to protect her children. She worried constantly about M rated video games, and child molesters, and Internet predators. Yet, not once did she ever think to warn her children about the mere possibility of a rising creek with fast moving water. Her story has stuck with me for days now. The day before the accident she had just posted pictures of their first day of school. Here today and gone tomorrow. Hug your babies. I had a little talk with Little Bit about not ever playing in a creek.

5. The Hunger Games movie comes out on March 23. I can't wait!

6. Speaking of books, I got a kindle for Christmas and I puffy heart lurve it! I didn't get the kindle fire, just the basic kindle touch. I though that i would miss holding a book. Wrong. Could not be happier.

7. 110 days remain until the Carr family hits Disney World. After this trip, I hope to never step foot in that place until my girl is all grown up, if ever! We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge. It was the closest to the Magic Kingdom we could get without paying 2 million dollars. Instead we are only paying 1 million.

8. I'm itching to paint some rooms in this house and change some things up. We have lived here for going on 3 years and right now there is not one single thing hanging on Sophie's walls. But alas, I am lazy and I can never decide what I want to do. Then when I do decide what I want to do, I'm too cheap to buy anything!

9. Friday night I have a dinner date with 3 of my favorite ladies. It's been too long since we've gotten together. Why do my friends and I stink so bad about getting together? Seriously. Totally, stink it up.

10. Alright, I'm out. Storage Wars is on. Guess I forgot to mention that we are addicted to that one too!

And here's a pic of our newest family member, Carly.

Monday Monday

2012-01-23T15:27:00.007-05:00

I'm home from work a little early today. And it's quite! Sophie and her little pals had tumbling today and although I was home early enough to take them, my neighbor volunteered to be the kid shuffler. I had to hit up the dermatologist's office this afternoon to have yet another mole taken off. This is probably the 8th mole since the 2010 Melanoma Affair. But this one, on the side of my pinky toe, has me all frazzled. It kind of appeared out of no where, just like the 2010 Melanoma Affair. And I feel like I have this dark cloud looming over. I'm kind of anxious, like I'm waiting for the other foot to fall. Could be that tax season is starting up. That brings quite a few dark clouds our way.

Anyway, I'm totally skeeved out about melanoma. Really, shouldn't be a biggie. Especially, if you are diligent and catch things early. Let me tell you though, it's a real slap in the face when you apply for a simple group life insurance policy at work and they send you a letter asking for you to submit all of your medical records relating to the 2010 Melanoma Affair. Then a few weeks later you get another letter from the same insurance company that basically says, "thanks, but we really don't feel like taking a chance on you." Might was well have said, "we feel that the probability of you croaking sooner rather than later because of that little mole of yours is just too risky for us." Nice. Up yours Minnesota Life!

On a happier note and rewinding a little bit, for the second year in a row we did neighborhood Christmas Caroling. It's so hard to pin down down a time so that every kid in the neighborhood can join in but we managed to round up 11 kids or so. It's even more difficult to keep the kids together from one house to the next! They are always racing off to the next house to be the kid who gets to ring the doorbell. I'm usually following them down the street screaming at the top of my lungs to "wait up!" or "it's so and so turn to ring the doorbell!" Very Merry Christmas like to hear a 33 year old woman screaming like some deranged lunatic.

Oh and I wanted to post this picture of Sophie with Santa. He's the best Santa around this neck of the woods. And what makes him even cooler is that I graduated high school with this Santa. No one ever believes me when I tell them that little fun fact, but it's true!

Doggy Dog...

2012-01-19T18:11:00.003-05:00

So it's been well over a year since we lost Miss Stella the boxer. There are times that I find myself thinking how "nice" it is not to be tied down by an animal. There are other times that I find myself missing that tail waggle when you come home after only being gone 15 minutes. Then there was last night when Steven was out of town and I was certain that a serial killer was in my house. Again, one of those weird ones who keep you in a cage and feed you nothing but cheese slices until they decide to kill you. Oscar the boxer would have torn a serial killer's throat out. However, despite the fear of serial killers, usually the the joys of being dogless win out with me.

For the last 18 months almost every single day Sophie asks for a dog. Steven follows right behind her. I've put them off and put them off with a million and one perfectly logical excuse. "We don't want to get a dog going into winter, who wants to stand outside with a dog in the snow!" "We don't want to get a dog during tax season because I'm the only one who will be home to take care of it." "The beginning of summer is hard because as soon as we get it, we'll have to leave it to go on vacation and we always want to go away in the summer." So really there never is a perfect time.

But. Our girl is turning 6 in a few months. She begged for a dog for Christmas. We told her that Santa just wasn't able to put "live" cargo on his sleigh. She asked GiGi for a dog. Gi knew better. We came really close to getting one when our neighbors across the street got a super cute chocolate labradoodle and we found out that Charlie had a brother that needed a home. But we talked ourselves out of it. The time just wasn't right. And truthfully, we are a little gun shy in the dog department. We lost Oscar tragically. We lost Stella because she was terminal from the get-go. I wouldn't recommend anyone loose a dog a year.

The point is that we are thinking that all signs pointing to the "right time." I have my awesome friend "aunt Kim" on the case. She's a dog whisperer and the only kennel owner that I would trust to watch our furbaby. I know that with her help, we'll find "the one."

And do you know what our girl is willing to do to get a dog?! She is willing to forego birthday presents! Rather than presents at her birthday party, she's going to ask that everyone bring an item that can be donated to the local animal shelter. Cat food, dog food, kitty litter, bleach, leashes, treats. Girlfriend has it bad. So we shall see. Less than 2 months to go until the big 6!

Trying again...

2012-01-18T20:00:00.008-05:00

I have so got to get back into blogging. I've stepped away from face book some. I blame face book for the down fall of this blog. It became so easy to put a short little blurb on face book and slap a picture up rather than put forth extra time into blogging. The reason I started a blog oh so many years ago was to keep memories of my little family of three alive and kicking. In words and in pictures. It also doesn't help that I rarely pick up my camera anymore. I find my self just leaving my camera behind. I tell myself that "i can snap pics with my phone." Then I wonder why the pictures are horrible! So blog I must. Pictures or no pictures.

Lets see. It's now January. Since I last blogged we had Halloween. I had the cutest little gypsy on the planet. I love Halloween so much. I start thinking about costumes over the summer! And I know that my days are numbered in swaying Little Bit in her costume decision. It's just a matter of time until she insists on being icarly or some other commercial Halloween costume. Breaking my heart into a million pieces!

We took a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge with some friends. These three got along so well. I would take them anywhere any time. And Toby (in the middle) looks like a 4 year old stud muffin with his arms around his peeps. But Sophie says she's going to marry the the Tanner, the tall one. He doesn't know this yet. Nor would he want to know this. I hope so. I would love her mother in law. Her father in law? Maybe not so much! HA!

We had Thanksgiving. (I don't have any pictures of that but we made the trek to PA.)

We had the 3rd Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.

This was my outfit. I really have no words. Other than to say that I felt as though the stuffed cat tied the entire outfit together. And i have to give a special thank you to my friend Missy's mom for finding me a banana clip.

Steven tried pulling off the Cousin Eddy a la emptying out the crapper look.

We had a Christmas play were Soph played Mary. It was hilarious. Oh yeah, and I found Jesus. Turns out he wasn't hiding in the couch cushions with the change. Actually, he wasn't really hiding, per se. He's always been there and I've always known that and I've always known that he thinks I rock. We just had to find the right place for our family. Found it. And now you'll sometimes find us with "church crowd" waiting for a table at the cracker barrel. Steven curses and says that we "use" to be able to beat the church crowd!

We celebrated Christmas. And it was a really awesome Christmas. Sophie didn't get too much nor too little. It was perfect.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll blog more about kindergarten. Or the fact that in 2 months I'll have a 6 year old! ahhahahah!

Tap, tap, tap

2011-10-23T20:20:00.008-04:00

Is this thing on? I am a HORRIBLE blogger! I use to blog every stinking trivial moment in Sophie's life. Now we have these huge monumental occasions and I just let them slip on by without as much as a tiny blurb on the ole blog. Something monumental like oh, starting kindergarten! Seesh! I blame facebook. It's so easy to post a quick status, a few pictures and call it a day. Sad.

Anyway, the big day. It was big. Especially for me. I was distraught. A complete emotional mess. The day before I went to bed at 7 o'clock. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to see anyone. I just wanted to be alone. I wanted to grieve. How crazy is that!? Since she was 9 weeks old I left her every single day at day care. This was different. This was big. This was getting her going to real school. No more chatting it up with day care teachers after work. Worrying about whether or not she's "getting it." Mean kids. Nice kids. The bus. The lunch room. Peanuts. On and on and on.

That morning I was 10 kinds of crazy. But we got up, got ready and headed out the door. And she did it. She walked into her room, sat in her seat and became a kindergartner. And we did it. We let our only one go. We held it together and walked out of the room.

Eating Breakfast before the big day!

Mandatory Pictures

New Chucks

Walking his little girl in :(

The Scott Teays Tiger

Getitng a little nervous

Not a good sign to start out the day!

One last look back :(

We are two months in now. Things are going good. Two yellow cards. She's made new friends. Loves her teacher and hates homework. We've got a long way to go with this school thing so I'm so glad that it has started off on the right foot :)

Learning to Fly

2011-08-09T21:20:00.004-04:00

It's happening. All at once this avalanche of growing up is happening and there is nothing that we can do to stop it. I find myself torn between two words. The world of wanting to hold on to your littleness and the world of beaming with pride as you grow and conquer new things. This was the summer of being 5. The start of summer came and we had a few battles. Some of the worst we have ever had. We worried about you. We couldn't figure out why our sweet Little Bit had all of the sudden become so angry and would fly into fits of rage. But we worked through it and eventually settled into a nice routine.

Things seemed to fall into place as though that was the plan all along. When one door closed and Ms. Susanna, one of your pre-k teachers at school, decided to change jobs another door open and she ended up keeping you two days a week. A nice happy medium was created. You got to be a kid for days a week and sleep in and have lazy days of summer. I can't thank her enough. The other 3 days you got to go to school and see your friends and prepare for big change that awaits you at the end of summer. Kindergarten.

In between all of this, your bottom teeth started wiggling. Not a lot but enough. Enough to know that sooner, rather than later you will loose your baby teeth. Another reminder that you are growing up. Your baby smile will change into something more grown up and permanent. Until we sink about three grand in braces, that is. I told the dentist that those your teeth would just have to wait until after kindergarten starts. I can't handle my baby going to school and the Tooth Fairy's inaugural visit.

Then one hot Sunday evening we were all outside. Our neighbor's daughter was visiting and her son was out riding his bike in the road and she said to you, "Sophie, I bet you can ride your bike. All you need is grass and a slope." Armed with the world's cutest cat helmet, Daddy by your side, your friend Ashlynn running behind you, me and Mary Beth sitting on the patio watching and cheering, and Carmen and Roger telling you what to do, you took off.

And you haven't looked back.

I don't think we have ever been more proud of you. That night I walked past the pile of discarded training wheels in the garage. It hit me that you are checking things off your kid list left and right. I can understand why some people have more than one kid. They get to relive things over and over again. There's always another one to have a "first" time. With us, we get one go round. It's no wonder you think the the world revolves around you. And sometimes, I find myself thinking, why shouldn't it? Let it. For this short span of time, until you really grow up and discover that life sucks and you find yourself revolving around everyone else, maybe you should feel as though you are the most important thing on the planet. You are to us.

So in 10 days from now, when we walk you into your kindergarten classroom, lord help me. There's no going back. Everything changes from that point. Not that I think for one second that you'd turn back.

Love Mama

Life's a Beach

2011-07-27T19:55:00.005-04:00

In no particular order, here's a few shot from our annual beach trip with the fam.

Madi and Tyler. And I know it's Madi thanks to the purple bow and earrings. :)

The whole gang attempting a pyramid. Almost a success!

Singing the Beib on karaoke. Funniest thing evah and I am kicking myself that I don't have it on video.

Mini golf with Daddy and the boys.

Sand castle building.

He's thinking about his vacation in September, sans 7 grandkids and kids :)

The 4th

2011-07-23T08:44:00.006-04:00

Playing a little catch up here. This year we did something a little different over 4th of July week end. We hit the New River with some of our most favorite people. What it is about having a body of water around that makes things extra special?

These 3 were choping at the bit to jump in.

This one could hardly take the wait. River swimming is something new for her!

They were patiently waiting on this:

Inflatable island. So so fun! And I have to admit to my self that this inflatable island would be so so fun without the kiddos too. A good book, margrita and an inflatable island all day long would = awesomeness.

There was lots o food too. Allow me to present the Pioneer Woman's Flag Cake. The thing probably weighs 10 pounds but it is 10 pounds of deliciousness! If you make it, prepare to feed an army and eat on it for 2-3 days.

I think he was a fan :)

His first trip to the river trip too!

We also did a little of this.

But we didn't catch anything. However, Soph announced to everyone that Mike did manage to catch a snag.Wasn't even trying to be a smart ass when she said it, ha!

We packed up in the car on Sunday and had an early dinner at my favorite, Pies and Pints. Complete with a playground and the most delicious pizza, it pretty much rocks.

Last stop was Babcock State Park.

The Captain

We ended the evening with our very own firework show over the river. By far the BEST little private show evah. Thank you Mike and Mary Beth for sharing the Camp with us. We had a blast (we'll just forget the part about Little Bit screaming that she would walk home when it was bed time :>)

Sometimes....

2011-06-23T17:14:00.004-04:00

....I think that Wally and the Beav might roll on up and call this neighborhood home.

An outside family movie night? Yes please! How fun is that?! Our neighbors just threw up a sign in their drive way and come dusk, instant drive in! Gnomeo and Juliet was on the big screen.

Tired little girls who swam all day and were dog tied were in attendance.

Pre-sun down.

These two did this to themselves. I swear. Of course it only lasted .5 seconds before they were ready to explode!

So an awesome evening. Except for the walk home. That's when sophie jumped out of the wagon that my neighbor was pulling and announced, "i'm getting out of this damn wagon, there's too much shit in it." Klassy. We have GOT to nip that little habit in the bud before school starts in the fall. Or I'll be called down to the school just like my momma was called down to the school for me telling the story of a man named Bill. Who swallowed a dynamite pill. His chest expired, his ass backfired and his b*lls blew over this hill! True story. I was klassy like that too!

FINALLY!

2011-06-23T16:46:00.006-04:00

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!! I could literally scream and dance from rooftop to rooftop! We have been beyond pumped around here. Finally, after going through all circles of hell about 25 times, backwards, Steven passed his CPA exam. To say that he's glad to have that monkey off his back is an understatement. Actually, it was more like a rabid pitbull barking incessantly and just waiting to chew your arm off. For years it seems as though our entire lives have revolved around that effing test. And that is exactly what it is, a stupid, time consuming, money sucking, effing test. I really thought that the Navy College Fund was going to come to our house one day asking if we were trying to pull some kind of scam because they have paid for that g-d test so many times that SURELY something had to be smelly in Denmark.

Do you want to go out of town this weekend? Can't have to study.

Are you going to home for dinner tonight? Can't, have to study.

Daddy, will you play with me? Can't have to study.

Not no mo my friends! Fini! Steven has looked like the Joker from Batman for going on 48 hours now. I've fist pumped the air probably 3939 times. Sophie is in Pennsylvania for the week telling everyone crosses who her path that she gets to go to Hibachi because daddy passed his test (love her perspective on life, btw).

So many people were rooting for him to get that stupid test behind him. Family, friends, neighbors, Sophie's doctor, my dentist. What can i say, i tend to share my life, the good and the bad, with anyone and everyone. I figure if i have to suffer, others may want to suffer along with me. And when we want to celebrate, well others might want to jump in on that as well.

So....

We are BEYOND proud of you! And Sophie also says, "now take me to Disney World b/c I deserve it!"

Year 3

2011-06-09T21:18:00.006-04:00

This makes the third year in a row that we've headed to snowshoe for memorial day. No doubt about it, we are creatures of habit! We stay in the same place. Go with the same people. Eat at the same restaurant. It sort of becomes "traditional." We were also lucky that for the 3rd year in a row the weather decided to play along and be awesome. Sunny with a blue sky dotted with clouds and just the right amount of mountain breeze. Around 4 years ago we weren't as lucky. It poured the rain, stayed around 50 degree and the fog was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

We only stayed nights and it never ever seems long enough. Getting a cell phone signal is almost impossible. This is huge for me b/c i seem to have my iphone permanently lodged up my butt.

The starbucks tastes yummier!

The pool seems a thousand time cooler and more fun than the pool right down the street.

Jackson had fun and is getting so big!

For the third year in a row we also ran into this guy. Here they are in 2010 and 2009 I guess his parents are creatures of habit as well. I love how every year little Alex has on a polo shirt with a popped collar. It's not every 5 year old who can pull that look off.

Day Uno and Dos

2011-05-03T17:15:00.009-04:00

We are back! Finally! We spent 17 hours yesterday in and on air planes and airports but we finally made it home. We had a fabulous time! Puerto Rico is still the same beautiful island mixed with a just the right amount shit holes as it has always been and we loved being back. Sophie loved going for her first time and kept the butt headedness down to a minimum. Although she did decide to tell a guy at dinner (who was also a former navy guy previously stationed at Roosevelt Roads) that "my daddy got bad grades in college so he joined the navy." Nice. Honest. But klassy.

We did EVERYTHING. Beach, pools, deserted islands, snorkeling, sailing, water park, eating, more eating, drinking. The first day we just chilled around at the pool and the the second day we hit a beach.

The view from our room. Yeah, it rocked!

Dressed up for dinner.

Our 2nd night we ate at a gas station turned local BBQ restaurant. (only in puerto rico would you decided to cook bbq ribs and chicken over buried gas tanks!) But the food rocked!

Even though the wait was forevah. No worries, a little pool and pina coladas!

Hitting the beach!

Ever wonder how they get coconuts down? It obviously takes a nut to do the job!

33

2011-04-17T18:46:00.005-04:00

Another year older. The day started out bright and early at 8 am. Little Bit had crawled into our bed at some point during the night. I'm not sure what time she came in. I just know that at one point i was shocked wide awake because a tiny foot with torpedo force landed in my ribs. What seemed like seconds later another foot which appeared to be coming from the opposite side nailed my kidney. Steven was up and ready to head out to work for the last sunday of tax season. Little Bit was literally jumping on the bed asking if she could go outside and see if her friends could come out. At.8.A.M. Seriously. Happy Birthday to me.

By 10 I finally relented and let her go outside. She brings not one but two kids over to play. It's a gorgeous day outside. I'm already regretting the fact that I hadn't locked the door behind her when she went outside. I'm that mom. I'll often lock the door when it's a nice day outside. No coming inside and watching TV when you can be outside burning off the insane amount of energy you have in reserves. By 11 I couldn't take the fact that they were "inside" anymore. Not when there was sunshine to be had. So I rounded them up, shooed them outside. All three stood on the porch and Sophie said, "do we really have to play outside?!" As if I were talking to three other 33 year olds, I said, "Look, I love you guys, but today is my birthday and I really don't want to have to watch you guys inside." One kid looked up at me as though searching for the right thing to say. I so wanted to say, "the word you are looking for kiddo, is "bitoch!" Then they ran off to play as though that's what they were born to do and had forgotten that a mean Ms. Hannigan woman had kicked them outside. I locked the door behind them. Now happy birthday to me.

Deep thought- 33. Jesus was 33 when he died. The most influential person in the history of the world had done all that he needed to do by the ripe old age of 33. This fact popped in my head a few months ago when Steven turned 33. Jesus we are not. But still, 33?! 33 is YOUNG right?! I mean THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE TO EVER WALK ON THIS EARTH was finished by 33?! That is just crazy. Really crazy. All I've managed is a house in the suburbs, a honda, and a mountain o student loan debt for a career that I can't stand. Score for me!

So I'm not sure why I'm just feeling bah humbug on this birthday. Maybe it's because I SHOULD be sitting on a sail boat as I type. But the gov'ment had to go and screw with my plan. Which at 33 shows me just how much the government CAN and WILL screw with your life. And here I thought the State of the Union address interrupting the Cosby Show when I was 9 was bad!

Sophie flipped out over the fact that the delicious red velvet cake that my mama had made me for my birthday wasn't an ice cream cake. I seemed to be the only person who wanted to point a finger at her and say "too bad for you, NOT your day sista."

My free birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants was tarnished by some horrible service. Oh and my kid managed to fall down some brick steps and her face looks like she rubbed it in gravel. AND our phone is out and has been out all.day.long.

But there are things that I am thankful for. The obvious being that I am in fact alive. I have an awesome hubby and an over the top kid. My mama just lives like 2 miles away. My house in the burbs could not be in a better place because of the friends that we have here and the kids that Sophie can play with at 8 am. I have wonderful girlfriends and although we don't get together nearly as much as we should I know that we love each other dearly. I do hate the honda. And really, my job rocks and was created for me by divine intervention as not once has it kept me at work past 4:05. And i can laugh at myself. Yesterday, my friend and I confused dandelion leaves for pot leaves. True. Story. So yes I am old and lame. Happy 33rd Birthday to me.

But sometimes, just sometimes, I would like to go back to 22. :)

10 on Tuesday

2011-04-05T17:51:00.007-04:00

On a riz-ol! Two days in a row baby!

1. Now that I got the sappy 5 year old stuff out of the way, it's on to the lighter stuff! Turning 5 does call for a celebration. This year we skipped having a big birthday party and had a small party at our house with kids from the neighborhood. This party had a St. Paddy's Day theme!

The cake was sooooo cute. And Yummy!!

And Leprechaun traps were made by all.

They next morning we "almost" caught one. All that was left in the trap was his hat. Which fits perfectly on Reggie Bush

2. The following saturday we headed to the Great Wolf Lodge. Loved the water park. HATED the fact that the check in process sucks a big one. When you are paying big bucks for a room and check in time is at 4 and check out time is at 11 am, you had better bet your arse that I expect to be in that room no later than 4 o'clock. So when 5:30 rolled around and our room was finally ready, I in ticked off mode. Unacceptable. And the excuse of "we are just really busy right now." Again, unacceptable. They are called reservations. You know how many people you have in your resort at any given time. So 4 paws down to the Great Wolf Lodge. But 4 paws up for the water park park. I'm not kidding, i don't have one single picture from our trip. Too wet to deal with dragging a camera around.

3. Since kindergarten is right around the corner, I decided to have Sophie tested again to see whether or not she was still allergic to peanuts. After all we haven't had a peanut related incident in over 4 years. I took her to the doctor that day and was told that we would have to get a blood test. Wouldn't you know it, before i could even get that blood test, girlfriend got a hold of one peanut m&m and it was all over. Projectile vomit. Guess that answers that question! But I went ahead and got the blood test. Which was a barrel of fun! Surprise, positive, now give us $40 for telling you the obvious. Looks like she'll be class with all other allergy kids. And she will always have to sit at a table with the hot lunch kids even if she brings her lunch. I'm not so keen on that policy. I'm guessing Little Bit won't be either. I have a feeling that she'll end up telling them what she thinks of that policy.

4. Steven took our child to school today with out any shoes. Isn't that awesome!? Seesh. I guess i should give him a break. He is working 12+ hours a day and is a little tired and stressed. So there she sat for over an hour in her socks. Thank you Stephanie for bringing an extra pair of shoes!

5. I miss my big girls gymnastics class :( which also makes me miss having gay men in my life :(. Which makes me miss my friend Josh. :( No one could tell you that you looked like sh*t better than Josh!

6. On the opposite end, last Friday when I went to pick up Sophie at school, a little boy in her class yelled, "wow, you are pretty!" I wanted to take him home with me. Then i thought "poor kid must not get out much!"

7. My mother bought Soph a pair of these shoes last week. I think they are butt ugly and over priced. GiGi doesn't care what I think. Soph doesn't either.

8. I need some book recommendations to take to Puerto Rico. I need something really good! Like Hunger Games good.

9. I see that the release date for the movie is March 2012 and most of the main characters have been cast. Not digging the guy they choose to play Peeta. He has a Harry Potter look to him.

10. 18 days until vacation!!!! AHHHH!!!

And just like that...

2011-04-04T20:21:00.004-04:00

She was five.

And a member of the Hitler Youth. HA! Kidding!

She's five. She's been five for 19 days now. Sometimes I catch myself looking at her and wondering how it came to be that I have a five year old.

Sometimes I wonder how it is possible that I have only known this little person for five years. It seems as though she has always been apart of me. Maybe she has always been there I just didn't know it at the time.

Other times I think that five years is nothing. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this girl.

She is so complex and simple at the same time. Sometimes I think that all she would ever need to survive in this world is watermelon, scooby doo, and friends to play with outside. Other times, she's like a little Da'Vinci code all to herself.

There are days that I would like to put her in a box and ship her to the most remote place on the planet.

There are nights that I make Steven go get her out of bed and put her into our bed.

I'm afraid sometimes that I won't remember what she looks like right at this moment. That I'll forget that perfectly imperfect voice.

I think about five years from now. She'll be 10. Then 15. 20. 25. Five came so fast and the next 5 and the next is just around the corner.

She doesn't understand that just because you're older doesn't mean you're taller. This upsets more than earth quakes. She's destined to be a shrimp.

I wonder sometimes why she is so defiant. So independent. So flippant. Then I look in the mirror.

I wonder sometimes why she is so reserved. So loyal. So thoughtful. Then I look at the person I married.

She's five. She's a hot mess. She's our Little Bit.

Wednesday's Review

2011-03-02T18:26:00.004-05:00

1. It's March 2. Do you know what that means? That means in 14 days my girls is going to be five! Five!? I can hardly believe it! We have a St. Patrick's Day Birthday Party in the works. We are just inviting a few kids from the neighborhood over on the day of her birthday to celebrate with cake and some leprechaun games. Everyone will be making their own leprechaun trap as well so they can attempt to catch one of those pesky suckers that night.

A few days later we are loading up and heading to the Great Wolf Lodge, which is her birthday present from us. Should be fun! I don't think there is any thing more on the planet that our girl loves more than water!

2. This morning started out craptastic. Steven called me on our way to work/school this morning to say that Little Bit had been puking up a storm in the car. In his NEW truck nonetheless! This is like the 6th time girlfriend has gotten sick in the car! The last time she managed to puke into a tennis shoe. This time, not so lucky. So at 8 am we were racing around Target buying new clothes and changing in the bathroom. I kept making it a point to tell the Target employee that she had yacked all over herself. I didn't want them to see on the security camera that I was changing her clothes in the bathroom and thinking that I was attempting a kidnapping!

3. Charlie Sheen = Awesome. Crazier than a shit house rat!

4. We are less than 2 months away from our Caribbean vacation. I try not to think about it too much because I get so excited I can hardly stand it. Monday I had an appointment with my dermatologist and she laid into me about being exposed to the sun, again. Suggesting that I wear a hat at all times AND long sleeves. Grrrr. Hat, maybe. SPF 50 definitely. Long sleeves, ain't happening. I'll take my chances!

5. We've been hitting the library hard these days. Soph just goes through willy nilly filling her basket with anything and everything. I, however, have a harder time finding books to read at the library. You just kind of find yourself roaming aimlessly occasionally sliding books off the shelf for something that looks too. I tend to end up in the "Reading List" section pulling out classics. Right now I'm reading Pearl S. Buck's Imperial Woman. I LOVED The Good Earth. This one looking like a contender. Talk about a conniver! Also in my basket, In Cold Blood, andThe Last Samurai.

6. A few weekends ago Sophie and I head to PA to visit wit Grammy and PapPap. On the way we detoured and made a stop at WVU's downtown campus. Sophie has been asking to see "college." So we stopped, walked around, and entered buildings. She loved every minute of it. Her favorite part was stopping at my sorority house to see my old room. However, my old room looked at those a nuclear bomb had been set off in the middle of it. Little Bit had no qualms telling the little girls giving us the tour that "college girls were the messiest people on the planet as their room was a 'a'sastor." She also pointed out that they had left their dirty undies and socks on the floor which is something that you should REALLY not do b/c it is disgusting! HA! I can attest to the fact that when I lived there my room was NEVER that bad. And by saying that I became my mother.

7. In our in the heat of tax season and it stinks. Steven isn't getting home until after 8 every day and working full days on Saturday and Sunday.

8. We watched Pippi Longstocking the other night. I LOVED that movie when i was little. Soph really liked it too.

9. We hit Disney on Ice Princess Wishes last Saturday. Our neighbors gave us tickets and we had awesome seats. Thanks Marybeth and Mike! It was a great show. Sophie loved it. The boys, just kind of sat there with this look on their face like, "fo real, princesses!?"

10. And the next day, Steven and I got all dressed up with Marybeth and Mike and headed to the Children's Therapy Clinic annual fundraiser. It was set up like an Oscar Party and they showed the Oscars on giant screens. So fun! And if I do say so myself, we looked pretty darn good!

Gold Medalist

2011-02-23T20:09:00.005-05:00

I have no doubts she could be great....

if she gave a rat's ass about anything!

But, alas, she does not. Doesn't give one flying flip about honing any skills, impressing any instructors or outdoing any other kid for that matter. She cares only for socializing, schmoozing with the older girls, pushing the limits on the rules, and getting out the door. And it's not just gymnastics. I'm so scared that this is the kid we are going to get when it comes to school. Oh she has the ability to learn chinese or physics at the age of 5. But unless learning it is going to tell her when playtime or snack time is gonna be, not interested.

In the meantime, I'll keep spending $50 a month and hope that one day she actually cares and decides that she wants to go live with Bela Karolyi and company in Texas and we pack it up, sell our house, and invest thousands into an olympic champion.

The Operating Room

2011-01-24T20:41:00.003-05:00

It doesn't matter your age. Or how many times you play

The buzzer gets you every.single.time.

New PJs

2011-01-18T20:22:00.000-05:00

For the twins! Thanks Gi and Papa!

Do ya think I'm sexy?

2011-01-17T19:06:00.003-05:00

That's what they were singing.

Answer: Definitely no.

Room with a view

2011-01-15T10:31:00.004-05:00

Ugh, i have been SICK! I tried to avoid it. I tried natural remedies, Nyquil, and everything in between. It didn't matter. My head still felt as though it might explode off the top of my body. As a result I have been LAZY. My picture o'the day fell to the way side. I've definitely been doing more of the "couch" part of the "Couch to 5K" app. I'm feeling better though so this week it's off to a new start!

I did accomplish buying our plane tickets to Puerto Rico this week! Our plans did have to change a little. Originally we were going to leave April 16th, the day after tax season. My 33rd birthday on the 17th was to be spent on a sail boat in the middle of the Caribbean. The government, however, intervened and had to go and ruin my life and extend the deadline for filing taxes to April 18th. (yes this is a complaint that only someone living in a 1st world country can make, now ask me if I care.) Stupid IRS. Just another reason why I can't wait to retire and Steven and I can become expats! Luckily we were able change the reservations on the condo we rented to the following week. So for nine glorious days this:

will be our view.

This trip is a BIG deal to me. We've never taken a week long vacation with just the three of us. Sure we've done small trips here and there. This one is all about us. By the time April 23rd rolls around we'll need it. This image is the wall paper on my computer. I look at it daily and the count down is on! When it's 24 degrees outside, I look at it. When tax season keeps our daddy at work for 12 hours a day, I look at it. When Sophia B. Carr is kicking and screaming and fighting us to the death over bedtime, I look at it. When I'm strapped to my desk chair at work, you guessed it, I look at it! I. CAN.NOT.WAIT!

Four Eyes

2011-01-06T21:14:00.000-05:00

She says she can't see without them. Riiiiight.

Balance

2011-01-05T21:22:00.002-05:00

Don't let the door hit ya!

2011-01-04T19:07:00.001-05:00

Best Friends

2011-01-03T19:14:00.002-05:00

One guess as to who owns the other half.

Run's House

2011-01-02T20:18:00.003-05:00

Crappy Iphone picture but she looks like she's getting ready to go spend the day at Run's House.

A Year In Photos

2011-01-01T22:40:00.002-05:00

Is it even possible to post a photo a day? Just a snapshot to capture our life as it is happening. No frills just the every day. January 1 brings with it a ton of optimism. I might fall off the wagon in the picture taking department just as I will surely fall off the diet wagon. But it's nice to start out with good intentions.

January 1- Ice skating with friends.

With ice cream after. A day can't get much better.

It's Actually Tuesday!

2010-12-27T21:06:00.008-05:00

1. My house is a wreck! I'm sure everyone across America has a house that is a hot mess right now. New Christmas stuff is strewn everywhere. There's a pink princess bike in my kitchen and a twister game spread out on the living room floor. I hate that she can't break in her bike outside so around the around the house she goes.

2. We've broke in this sucker.

I had one when I was little too. 25 years later and the cakes STILL suck. You would think that could have been perfected over the last 25 years.

3. We love us some board games around here. Santa brought Operation and Guess Who. No matter how many times you play Operation the buzzer still gets you ever time! Guess Who gets a little intense around here!

4. Winter. Over it. I'm thinking spring glorious spring and endless summer! I have already started making spring and summer plans just so I have something to look forward too! It seems as though there are so few precious weekends during the summer months.

5. One of those plans includes a bbq/cornhole tournament at our house this spring! We haven't "officially" broken in our new patio. And I love a good theme as does Steven (NOT) so I'm thinking extra points to the teams who dress alike/crazy. Why to I foresee me as being the only person dressing up?!

6. I now own a scanner. Oh boy! People are in for it! I have tons of pictures of people like this:

Yeah, that's me! What the heck is up with my hair?? Bangs anyone? Why do I have two giant rolls on my shoulders? Why oh why? If you graduated high school in the year 1996 and you are reading this blog, you just might make an appearance! As well as members of the Chi Omega sorority between the years of 1996-2000. Don't worry, I won't post any pictures of anyone doing keg stands. I wouldn't want any one's parents to have a heart attack when they thought they were spending thousands of dollars on a college education!

7. We have been pricing plane tickets to Puerto Rico every single night. At the time we booked our condo we didn't realize that we would be traveling back on Easter Sunday which makes traveling more expensive. It's a tragedy what in order to save hundreds of dollars on airfare we are going to have to stay in Puerto Rico an extra day. I guess the Easter bunny is going to have to go all tropical this year!

8. I'm going back on the wagon with the rest of the world next week. I've been living it large over the past few months and I've gained a lot of the weight that I lost over the summer back. Such a crappy cycle! But in the meantime, I bought a Cheesecake Factory red velvet cheese cake from Sams Club this afternoon. I have a few more days to eat every.single.bit of it!

9. T-Minus less than 3 months til our girl turns 5! No party this year. She says that since her birthday is St. Patrick's eve she wants to spend her birthday making a leprechaun trap and go swimming. So we'll do our best to make the traps of all traps then that Saturday we are grabbing some friends and heading to the Great Wolf Lodge complete with the sweet room with bunk beds!

10. I'm off to watch the mountaineers send Wolfpack packing! Here's hoping that if we lose, we don't wake up with one of those NC State spot lights shining our house courtesy of our neighbors!

On Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T13:57:00.004-05:00

Dear Sophia

It's only two o'clock on Christmas Eve. Just looking at you it is seems as though the air around you is vibrating with excitement. I think you woke up this morning with your eyes a little bigger and brighter.

You looked for Chewy the elf for the last time this morning. You asked us if he would hitched a ride back to the North Pole with Santa tonight since he was headed that way anyway. You played all morning with a Little People nativity set. Sheep, camels, shepherds, and dogs were lined up neatly in a perfectly straight line. Each to take a turn to see baby Jesus.

You have fretted over what to feed the reindeer. How can Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen eat when they have to stand BEHIND Rudolph!? They aren't going to be able to put their heads down!? And do we get a ladder and leave the food on the roof or is the porch a okay? Is Santa Claus allergic to nuts? We can't possibly leave him milk because milk can't be left out or it will spoil and the last thing we want is for Santa to be sick when he has to travel the world. You placed a baby doll into a pink graco pack-n-play, draped a blanket over your head and kneeled in front to sing the sweetest version of Away In a Manger that our ears have ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Thank you for bringing the magic of Christmas back into our lives. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be the creator of traditions. The people behind the scenes bringing it all to life for you. What will you remember from these days? What will you pass on to your own children? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we will continue to do everything we can to give you the most amazing magical childhood imaginable. And we will try not to cuss and scream as we are putting your toys together tonight.

Merry Christmas Little Bit

Love,

your mama and daddy

10 on Tuesday Christmas Edition

2010-12-21T17:23:00.007-05:00

I swear I'm lucky if I even take the time to do a post on Tuesdays. It's not like I'm really doinganything that takes up my extra time.

1. So maybe I have mentioned before but I can't remember, anyway, we have NO internets at work. -- Side note, I like using the words internets. It's like people who use the word "walmarts." Some of these people are members of my extended family.

Side note over, back to the lack 0 internet. This sucks more than life itself. In fact, life almost ain't worth living anymore. I will probably go blind and/0r need bifocals within 6 months because I'm reduced to cruising the internet on an iphone. What's that? I could work? Shut yo mouth and leave this website now. So i've been listening to more and more Pandora Radio. Just this week I've realized how much I missed listening to Boyz II Men. Today my obsession became the "Straight No Chaser" station. You know those guys who sing the coolest version of the 12 Days of Christmas. On that same station they play the group Rockapella. Oh you know who they are! "Where in the world is Carmen San Diego!"

2. This past Sunday we had brunch with Santa. So nice! And a big thank you to Katie and her family for inviting us. I couldn't believe that our girl got a little shy when she first saw the big guy in red. But she knew it was do or die and she had one shot to request that PINK bike and a popo stick. Poor kids mean, "pogo stick."

3. Christmas caroling was a huge hit in the neighborhood! Thirteen little kids had a blast freezing their rumps off and running down the street ringing doorbells. One little 2 year old didn't really understand the ringing of doorbells but not going inside to hang out for awhile. Next year we are going to have to practice a little before hand. Rudolph went fairly well. Frosty the Snowman was on the sad side. After singing at 8 or 9 houses we headed to a neighbor's house for hot chocolate and cookies.

4. I'm currently reading "A Prayer for Owen Meany." Has anyone read this book? LOVE it. I have literally laughed out loud.

5. We are dog sitting for the next 10 days for our neighbors. Jett is a four year old border collie. He's so smart. And more importantly, he's not ours! The other people in my house can get their doggy fix and then he can be shipped back home. We definitely aren't in the market for a dog of our own any time soon.

6. "That's what I'm-talkin-about!" Favorite phrase of a certain four year old right now.

7. I didn't get around to sending Christmas cards this year. I had great intentions. I was planning on sending out this:

Actually, that should say "La Familia Carr." But I never got around to printing cards. I didn't get very many Christmas cards this year either. So either we've been blacklisted b/c I haven't sent cards in a few years or others are skipping cards this year too!

8. Bad self timer picture:

Friday we got all dressed up for Steven's work Christmas party. It's the one night of the year that I eat more shrimp than swims in the ocean.

9. I've been itching to go skiing! This is crazy talk. And I know that Steven knows better to believe me when I say that I want to go skiing. I hate skiing and complain the ENTIRE time. Maybe it's just the idea of skiing that I like. Deep down I think I want to stay at a ski lodge and send Soph and Steven out skiing. I'll have soup waiting for them when them come back.

10. Merry Christmas!

Almost 10!

2010-12-08T21:15:00.004-05:00

A day late but I say that one day a week is better than nothing!

1. We are having so much fun with Chewy the Elf this year! I wouldn't say that he is in any way shape for form helping with behavior around here but he is fun to look for every morning. The fact that she actually believes that he leaves every night and comes back is proof of just how much fun Christmas is with a kid!

And Chewy is a wild man! Stealing Barbie's jeep and making a mess around the house.

2. On Friday we had our 2nd annual ugly Christmas sweater party! Oh my. I think i had a little too much fun on the karaoke machine that I rented. I'm not one to jump on a karaoke machine at a bar but at my own house, it.was.on. And props to my friend Andrea who sung her heart out equally. We started with 9 to 5 and ended with Summer Nights from Grease. At one point in between I remember rapping to Regulators. I hope everyone had a good time despite having to listen to us sing!

3. Klassy!

Mike is tall and I am short but seriously, he's not that tall and I'm not that short! I guess it's just the rockin' out stance that I've got going on!

4. My plan to round up some neighborhood kids to go Christmas caroling is coming to fruition! We'll be singing door to door next Thursday. Sophie can't wait and is beyond excited to sing to "all of the poor families without any children at home." I call those families lucky!

5. My father in-law underwent a laminectomy and a fusion yesterday. He has a rough road ahead but HOPEFULLY by spring he will be feeling a thousand times better.

6. Did I mention our big trip? The day after tax season and the day before my birthday, the Carr clan is heading to Puerto Rico for 8 glorious days! We rented a condo right near the resort where we were married. That way we have a full kitchen and we can kind of do what we want rather than be stuck at a resort. There is so much we want to do. But the thing I'm most excited about is a day of sailing and snorkeling on the Erin Go Bragh.

7. So we got a real Christmas tree this year. Not digging it! First of all, I hate that you can't put ornaments anywhere you want! Some branches just aren't strong enough to hold heavy ornaments. Then 3 days having our tree up, the trunk started splitting! I'm talking big giant gouge right through the trunk of the tree. If it makes it to the 25th I'll be shocked!

8. New neighbors = huge NC State Fans. We are thinking they might need a WVU flag in their yard!

One of my finer moments- #12928

2010-11-24T19:53:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure why I feel the need to post this little jewel. Maybe it's because yesterday my friend mentioned that one year at Thanksgiving her great uncle told her that her green beans tasted like they were cooked in the dishwasher. Bwhahaha!! Ah relatives. And being that tomorrow we are heading to PA to spend Thanksgiving with Steven's family, my brain fired off a memory of one of my finer moments. I have lots of those ;0)

The summer after we were married Steven and I headed down to the beach for our yearly vacation with his family. This was pre Little Bit. We were at that stage where kids were like little gnats that buzz around your head and no matter how hard you smack them away they keep coming back. So there we were with his parents, his sister and maybe her husband and our nephews who were around 3 at the time.

One evening I needed to mail a letter so off I headed to the front desk to track down a stamp. While I chatted it up with the woman at the front desk a scrawny little guy who worked for the condo comes running full speed down the hall towards the front desk waving his walkie talkie and screaming that the hotel was on FIRE! FIRE PEOPLE! The front desk woman got the guy to calm down and he explained that some idiots up on the 5th floor had been lighting fireworks off of their balcony and instead of shooting out into the ocean one firework shot inside the condo and had caught the curtains on FIRE. So there I stand. I watch the woman behind the front desk dial 911. I hear her tell the little peon that the hotel needs evacuated. I see the little peon start running down hall knocking on doors and telling people they need to evacuate. For some reason, however, no one pulls a fire alarm.

Looking back, I think I had an out of body experience. I am scared to death of burning alive but amazingly I some how I kept my shiat together. I calmly walked back to our room. Everyone was out on the balcony watching, you guessed it, fireworks. So I opened the balcony door, and calmly explained that we needed to leave the hotel because it was on FIRE. You would have thought I had asked them to pack their bags because an alien ship was about to arrive any minute to take us to the planet Zorg. What you've never heard of Zorg? Well mount up kids, cause we're going on a trip! The outward body me, the one floating above me watching this scene go down was in shock. How are you gonna look at someone like they have three heads when they are telling you dead pan serious that you are going to be burned alive unless you get your arse up and move it on out? I can remember looking over the balcony and thinking, ok, if they don't get moving, the kids could possibly be tossed into the pool from three stories up. Then a knock came!! The pounding of the door from the little peon who I had seen earlier. Hallelujah, and Ha, they would believe me now! I exited the balcony, opened the door and you'll never believe what he said! Yeah, he said, "we need to evacuate the hotel."

I smiled and I wanted to tell him "thanks for having my back man" except that no one could hear his words! So I did a walk/run back to the balcony. Someone asked who was at the door. Then I got agitated. "THAT was the hotel workers, and guess what, they are telling people to leave." We have to leave."

Again, I get the deer in the headlights look. That's when outward me, the one floating in the air for a birds eye view, zipped back into my body. She had reached her limit. Her tolerance for people and the filter from the brain to her mouth completely shut down. I looked at my father-in law of six months and told him in the most serious calm voice that I had to, and I quote, "Get the FUCK out of the hotel." Side note- I'm guessing that no one in the history of steven's family has anyone cussed anyone out to their face.- And with that people, I turned and walked away. I closed the balcony door, hoping that just maybe the flames would take longer to get through glass, I heard steven say, "what did she say?" I walked through the living room, walked into our bedroom and did a survey of our room. I needed to decide what I wanted to survive and picked up my new coach purse because I didn't want the flames to take it. I opened the door, and left.

I.Was.Mad. As I walked down the hall and outside, I couldn't help but think that this exact scenario probably went down on the titanic. Some poor schmuck watched her ram right into the iceberg and KNEW that she was gonna end up on the bottom of the Atlantic but no one believed him. That poor schmuck probably wasn't allowed on a lifeboat anyway so he was going to die regardless but he maybe could have saved a few rich women and children had they just listened! I'm sure he was frustrated and PISSED. Well I wasn't gonna go down with the ship! I went from mad to raging mad. I started to realize at this point that the FIRE was blown out of proportion. I also realized at this point that I do in fact lack superpowers because as I stood outside looking up at the hotel I tried willing the flames to start shooting out of the top just so I could scream I TOLD YOU SO from the safety of the beach.

But alas there were no flames and the hotel didn't burn to the ground. Eventually I made my way back up to the hotel room. The anger had subsided. And all I said to my new husband, who was busying laughing at the "f" bomb that I had dropped, was that the NEXT time there was a potential life threatening disaster and I catch wind of it, I will warn you once and once only and I'll be sure to buy life insurance on you!

Unfortunately, I think I will ALWAYS have a potty mouth. No matter how hard I try I can't control it. I've had a potty mouth since I was four. I think it's to the point that 30 some years later, it's just who I am and part of me. I don't expect my uncle from Syria not to speak with an accent! So don't expect me to keep it clean! I make my mom cringe. I'll be 90 years old in a nursing home telling the staff off. But I'll try REALLY hard at Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow to not ask my father in law "to please pass the god damn turkey!" Unless he doesn't hear me or choose to ignore me!

And a random picture to go with this random post. This was taken at our soccer party. Horrible picture but you get the gist.

Horsin' Around

2010-11-14T20:21:00.006-05:00

Little Bit and I had a little girl's trip this weekend. I got my thrills walking through IKEA. I can't WAIT to go back! I was a little overwhelmed. Soph wanted to be checked into the play area while my aunt and I shopped. AWESOME! Every shopping place in America should have a "check your kid in while you shop" option!

Next up, my aunt's house. Where from the minute we walked into the door Sophia wanted to ride a horse. Can we ride Angel? How about now? Now? When? Soon? If given the opportunity I think she could be a totally obsessed horse girl. The same as my cousins. They wore horse sweat shirts. Had horse necklaces. Horse toys. Horse notebooks. Anything you could slap a horse on, you name it, they had it!

I've mentioned before that I am deathly allergic to horses. I'm talking throat closes up, can't breath, allergic! But the way she lights up around them is the cutest thing. My aunt bought her her first pair of real cowgirl boots on Friday. They haven't left her feet since. The girl can shovel horse poop like it's her job. She says that you "have" to take care of them and they obviously can't stand around in poop mom, duh! So true. I say, grow up, marry rich, and pay someone to shovel shiat! So who knows what the future holds. I don't see us EVER owning a horse. Like I said, see the first sentence of this paragraph! Riding lessons aren't cheap either that's for sure. Maybe she can go to "horse camp" at my aunts every summer for her horse fix! She could be a 4th generation Tennessee Walker girl!

Kisses from Junior. Never would you see me getting this close to a 1500 pound animal. And not just because of the allergies, hello, he could kick her too the moon if he wanted! The kid has zero fear.

Got a little freaked out up there by herself. Junior is BIG!

Angel is definitely more her speed. Small and sweet.

10 on Tuesday

2010-11-09T20:05:00.004-05:00

1. Discussion on the way home from school:

Me: What should we get Gi for Christmas?

Little Bit: Poop, ha!

Me: Soph that is not nice. You shouldn't say that.

Little Bit: I know what i can do, i can poop in my hand, put it in a box, wrap it up and put a bow on it! Then give it to her and she'll open it and say, "SOPHIE!"

So does poop and 4 year olds go together like peanut butter and jelly?

2. Little Bit and I are taking a little road trip. Tomorrow we are heading to Grammy and PapPaps for the night. Then on to Pittsburgh to meet cousins and my aunt where we are going to hit Ikea. Confession: I have never been inside an Ikea!

After that little jaunt we are heading on up to my aunt's house where Sophie will bee begging to ride horses and I'll be downing benadryl like it's my job!

3. The date is set for the 2nd annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. A karaoke machine has been located and rented. I.Am.Pumped!

4. My big girl gymnastics class has been cancelled. I'm heart broken. Never have I had more fun doing a type of exercise. And as an added bonus to my class I got to hang out with gay men. I didn't realize how much I missed hanging out with gay guys until I started that class. And now it's gone, and now I'm in a depression.

5. We decided not to do gifts or a gift exchange with all of the cousins this year. Instead we are going to do something fun with the 7 of them. Like bowling, or swimming, or bouncing. Such a good idea! Good idea aunt Lawa!

6. Bed time has become a horrendous venture at our house. The problem, napping at school. Although, I have discussed this problem with her teacher all I hear is that her school is a "napping" facility and that they can't make an arrangements for kids who don't need and/or want to nap. Of course the kids don't "have" to nap but they do have to lay quietly on their map. Well of course they are going to fall asleep due to sheer boredom! Makes for long evening here and a grumpy kid in the morning!

7. Saturday is a big day for Miss. Sophia. She's going to have her first sleep-over at a friend's house. And you'll never guess with you. HA! Big surprise, Gracie! And Stephanie is crazy enough to let this go down. Bets on whether or not we get a call at 10:30 pm to pick her up!?

8. I plan on getting a jump start on decorating for Christmas during this time. Sweet!

9. So I'm thinking about rounding up a bunch of neighborhood kids and forcing them to go door to door Christmas caroling. Sounds fab doesn't it? We'll see if I can bribe them into doing it with promises of cookies and hot chocolate. I'm thinking that I might be able to talk these 3 into it!

10. I'm out!

Right now...

2010-11-07T19:00:00.005-05:00

Her favorite show is I Dream of Jeannie.

She wants a violin for Christmas.

We told her she can't have a violin because she doesn't know how to play a violin. She insists that she does in fact know how to play a violin.

She is happy that soccer is over. She says that getting a trophy was the best part.

She likes to tell people to "break a leg." She doesn't understand what context to use such a phrase.

She loves to play school.

All of the sudden she loves to color.

The number of hard boiled eggs she can down is disgusting.

She has handled Stella's passing better than I ever dreamed.

All of the sudden she has hit an "I want stage!" If she keeps it up, I'm thinking she can be Veruca Salt for Halloween! I would actually make a good one of these!

She still loves Gracie more than any other four year old on the planet. Next year, when I drop her off on her first day of kindergarten it's going to break my heart that they aren't there together.

Right now she's closer to 5 than 4. I don't want a five year old! 5 is big. But 5 she will be and we've already got big plans for 5.

Halloween Baby!

2010-10-31T15:04:00.007-04:00

I don't know why I love Halloween so much. I truly enjoy it more than Christmas. Maybe it's because with holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter you have all of the headaches of "who's house" you are going to and all of the stress of making your rounds. Halloween is just all about fun and lets your creativity fly! The hard part with a kid is steering her away from commercial stuff. It takes a lot of child psychology to convince a four year old that a 50's poodle skirt is more fun than a princess.

Complete with Ebay saddle oxfords!

But one costume isn't enough. Not when there's a great Halloween party just down the street. Family costumes require more thought. So without further, adu...

The Three Amigos!!

Steve Martin as "Lucky Day". Martin "Short" as Ned Nederlander. Chevy Chase, as "Dusty Bottoms."

And you know we won this:

Little Bit thought being an Amigo was cooler than cool. Expecially after I showed her a few clips on youtube. I only wish i would have caught our salute on film! Props to Steven for wearing that get-up! He walked down to the neighbor's house by himself. And you know that EVERYONE just happened to be outside as he strutted his stuff down the street! Bwhahaha! I'm puffy heart PROUD of the fact that I whipped up the three amigos costumes myself. My mom helped me with the ties and cumberbuns and a friend at work helped me to draw on the hat designs. Homemade costumes ROCK!

Now the big question, what to do next year! Only 365 more days to plan!

Soph's Top Ten

2010-10-18T19:27:00.003-04:00

Wow! It's about time that I changed things up around here! I don't think Little Bit was even 2 years old in those header pictures! I missed her monthly birthday, again. I really need to make more of an effort to AT LEAST blog once a month around the 16th! Four and a half is a really fun age and I should be documenting more of it. So we don't forget. Steven and I constantly look at her and want to bottle her up just the way she is right now. Speech impediment and all! She's a total handful. She's get by with A LOT from A LOT of people. And she sings. Oh how she sings! The two of us have Broadway performances on a weekly basis. She still makes up songs like she's writing for Celine Dion on crack. If Celine wanted to sing songs about cats in Mexico. And the two of us drive Steven crazy on road trips singing at the tops of our lungs in the car.

As we were trucking up 79 a few weeks ago, I flipped through the ipod attached to my car. It's one strange collection of songs. Anyway, as I flipped through, a little voice in the back seat would pipe up, "oh I like that one!" So without further adu, in no particular order, my child's top 10 iphone songs.

1. Live and Let Die- by Paul Mccartney

Frogs sang this one in Shrek the 3rd, when the king frog daddy died. I'm guessing that's why she's a fan.

2. Leaving on a Jet Plane- John Denver

Classic and folksy. Easy words for a kid to remember. When she sings it sounds like this "weaving, on a jet plane."

3. No Woman No Cry tied with Three Little Birds- Bob Marley

She actually sounds exactly like Bob Marley when she sings. "Every-tangs gonna be alright." And really, shouldn't every four year old know every song from Legends? She'll probably end up selling sea shell necklaces on a beach somewhere anyway.

4. Fox on the Run

Because why not go from listening to a Rastafarian to a blue grass band? Seems perfectly logical to me! And I actually love Bluegrass music. Betcha didn't know that about me!

5. Hail West Virginia

No words, just the Pride of WV playing and us singing the words at full blast. This is a favorite b/c at the end she can scream, "Sock 'em, Bust 'em, that's our Custom. West by GOD Virginia.

6. A Pirate Looks a Forty- Jimmy Buffet

I cringe when he sings "I made enough money to by Miami, but I pissed it away so fast." But I do not believe in censoring songs ever. So we're pissing away in the car.

7. Part of that World- Ariel the Little Mermaid

We sing this one like it's our job. Ariel ain't got nothing on us! We usually say we're "practicing" when this one comes on. Practicing for what i haven't quite figured out.

8. Hard Knock Life tied with Tomorrow- Annie and the Orphans

If I had a dream for her, it would be to play Annie on Broadway. I'd settle for the Alban in St. Albans. HA!

9. Angel- Jack Johnson

Daddy brainwashed her on this one.

10. Brown Eyed Girl- Van Morrison

Because she's just that. :)

Seesh...what a mix! Wonder what song choice says about a person? Of course it's subject to change like the wind.

And another one from the ole Pumpkin Patch!

Gone Too Soon

2010-10-12T16:21:00.005-04:00

It's true that you never know just what exactly a child is going to do. I cringe every time she goes over to someone's house. I'm afraid of what she's going to let fly out of her mouth. Stella left us on Friday. Sooner than what I had imagined but it was time. Actually, the ending was easier than all of the grief and sorrow we had faced over the last 9 months. I had heard that when the time came it would be easier. Over the past nine months though, anytime we thought about the end, we thought about Little Bit. Over and over again I would say, "this wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for Sophie." How many times I said, "how am I going to tell Sophie that yet again, something she loves is gone." I was ready to put her on a plane and send her to Disney World when the time came. Whatever it took, for her not to feel the pain of loss.

And in the end, she kissed Stella on the head that morning, looked her in the eyes and said in that 4 year old voice of hers, the one that can't pronounce her "r's" or her 'th's" very well, and said, "Stella, it's gonna be ok, you are going to get to go to Heaven and play with Oscar, and I'll see you again one day."

And it was ok. And it has been ok. And it will be ok. She misses her, yes. But I've overhead her tell neighbors and family about what happened to her Stella and it's almost with joy in her voice.

Kids are tough. I forget that. All of us forget that. We shelter our kids way too much and turn them into big giant puss-pots and wimps. We think that they can't handle rejection or sadness. Why is that? I was a tough kid. I turned out all right, in my humble opinion. In the beginning I had considered lying to Little Bit about Stella. I'm so glad that I didn't. I want her to to know that life isn't always rainbows and sunshine. Oh how I wish that she hadn't had to loose two pets within a year of each other. But she did. Nothing can change that. She is a tough kid. And when she let a balloon go up in the air in remembrance of her puppy who was with her for too short of an amount of time, it was with a smile on her face and not tears in her eyes. Maybe we can all learn something from a four year old.

Miss Hollywood

2010-10-04T17:44:00.009-04:00

I guess it's a gift. One that I certainly don't have. My friend and co-worker, Missy, can throw together the most awesome b-day parties for her girls. Through the years I've helped her out with Wizard of Oz parties, a 50's party, a 30's party, and an unbelievable carnival. She's a sucker for the details. I'm usually the designated photographer, although, I got roped into being a clown at the carnival party. This year, her oldest turned 12 and wanted a smaller party with a Hollywood theme. Once again, it was fabulous. The girl can decorate a table like something out of a magazine. Sophie of course got to so she could hang out with little 5 year old sister, Emmy . Girlfriend TOTALLY got into the Hollywood theme. She was in total heaven being around 12 year old girls. As they were sitting at the table eating and drinking out of champagne glasses with their pinkies in the air, I noticed Sophie hanging on their every world. Occasionally, she would look over at me, giggle and repeat everything that came out of their mouths. "I just think it's fabulous" or "ohmygod, he is sooooo cute."

The Birthday Girl- Miss Harley

A Letter to Miss Stella

2010-09-29T18:18:00.004-04:00

Dear Stella,

This is difficult for me. I've never known anyone who was dying. I've never had to make my peace with someone. I have never told anyone goodbye knowing that it just may very well be the last goodbye. I guess I'm lucky in that department. I have lost four great grandparents who were all over the age of 90. I've lost one grandparent. Without warning. I wasn't given the chance to mull over the possibility of him one day not being here. It just happened. There I stood in the middle of Walmart with my cell phone pressed against my ear while the voice on the end of the line told me that my papaw Lonzo was gone. I remember feeling as though time was standing still.

I've lost a pet tragically. We were right there. That incident sent shock waves through my body. It was though I could feel every single atom and molecule in my body tighten and tremble and shatter into a million pieces. I've had my heart broken on more than one occasion. Looking back, those are times you can laugh about. But at the time, I felt as though my heart was being ripped right out of my chest. It's true that time seems to heal all wounds and with time the pain starts to lesson. You never forget but the initial earth shattering feelings become a distant memory filed away in the deep recesses of your brain.

I didn't know that a year ago we would open our hearts to a new love. A new love who was destined to leave this earth sooner rather than later. A new love who had a problem that couldn't be fixed. So if there is one thing that I want you to know, if you were a person with the capability of logical thought and reason, it is that you were never just a "replacement." You see we had this gaping whole in our hearts. We were lonely and sad. We found you. Or maybe you found your way to us. When we saw you for the first time, right then and there, the hole in our hearts healed a tiny bit. As as days went on the pain lessened. That hole would always be there but having you in our lives closed that hole a little and made it smaller. Sort of like a band-aid. Band-aids always come off but you may be left with a beautiful scar so that you don't forget that time in your life. It's when that Band-aid gets ripped off abruptly before everything has had time to heal that the hole becomes bigger. And now you're looking at a much longer recovery.

But you know what is worse? What's worse is having that Band-aid sloooowly ripped off. Miss Stella for the last ten months we've felt the slow tortuous removal of you from our hearts. You're our Band-aid. We fell head over heels for you the minute you came into our lives. And for 10 months all we've done is loved you more and cared for you and hoped that we could keep you a little longer. I knew this day would come. I knew that one day, my phone would ring and we would be told that if you love something it's sometimes best to let it go. For the last ten months "borrowed" time has ran on repeat through my head. From the beginning of this journey, we said that we wouldn't be selfish. That when the time came we would do the right thing. Yesterday was the day that that phone did ring and we found out that we are inching closer to having to make the choice. One final tug on that Band-aid and you would be free and we'd be left standing here. I have no doubts that you will leaving knowing your were loved. I don't doubt that for one second. It makes doing what's best for you easier. If you can call it easy.

You have taught me so much in such a short amount of time. I now know how horrible you can let the word "terminal" ruin your day to day life. I've tried so hard to be the person to enjoy the time we have left. I learned that with this go round, I'm not that person. I can put on a brave front and go through the motions but it's always in the back of my mind. The inevitable. Maybe this whole ordeal has prepared me for something greater. I've actually sat here and said that if given the choice, I'd rather a loved one be taken from me in an instant. Maybe that's wrong. Maybe all of this is a lesson that I will never forget. That it truly is better to have something to love for longer knowing that the end is coming rather than not appreciating what you have and have it gone from your heart in an instant.

I don't know. I don't know if I'll ever know the whys. I do know that I'm trying to settle my heart now. I know you aren't leaving today, or tomorrow. But soon. And I feel as though I'm gonna be needed for a little girl who doesn't quite understand any of this. Who I can't quite figure out how to explain why leaving is sometimes better than staying. I'm cynical and a realist. I'm never the person who goes around saying that "everything happens for a reason." I'm more likely to say that "shit happens" and when it starts happening you might want to get out of the way. But you see me and you have our girl to worry about too. So this time, I really can't be that person. Our girl who will always remember who gave her that broken arm. It's her and really you that makes me hold on to the belief that there is something better waiting. And there's a little place in that cynical brain of mine that has to believe that there is a Rainbow Bridge.

Ten on Tuesday Eve

2010-09-27T21:39:00.008-04:00

For the life of me I can't understand why I'm slacking so much in the blogging department. I use to puffy heart love blogging. Now it's almost a chore and I can always think of a million other things to do. Anyway, here's a ten list since those are easy to throw together.

1. Back on 9/11 we had our first ever neighborhood block party. Call me corny but I have always wanted to live in a neighborhood that does fun stuff. Since our neighborhood is brand new it seems a little easier meeting people and getting to know neighbors (plus i'm nosy so i'm not letting anyone move on in with out heading on over and introducing myself). So I made it my mission to organize a block party. I had a lot of help getting everything together. And out of 24 families, all but 2 made it. The best part, renting an inflatable for the kids. Those little boogers were occupied the entire time. The rental company throwing in a sno-cone maker for free, even better.

2. And speaking of neighbors, oh how I love hanging out drinking fruity cocktails with some of the women in my hood. We laugh. Laugh hard. And I can guarantee you that our husband's ears were burning some. Surely we wouldn't talk about our beloveds? And do you want to know one of the best parts about hanging out with your neighbors? That would be the simple walk home after a night out. There's a deputy who lives in the neighborhood now. I really don't want to be pulled over for a DUI on my pink bike though.

3. Soccer is in full swing. Steven is coaching. Our friend (and neighbor, ha) Mike, is the assistant. This picture makes me laugh. Such a shrimp!

Little Bit, hates it. One practice she spent 1o minutes chasing a butterfly across 3 fields. Last week, she spent 1/4 of the practice with a soccer ball under her shirt pretending like she was pregnant. Our first game, she scored for the other team. During Saturday's game she ran around the field like this:

Steven came off the field yelling because she looked like Bevis doing Cornholio! I'm actually getting into it. I love standing on the sidelines screaming. And our team (aside from Little Bit) is pretty kick ass. Hubby got ticked off last week when another coach came over and said, "we have an all boys team, so if it gets a little out of hand we can change it up since we've been dominating." My nice hubby just smiled and said, "I think we can handle it." Here's exactly what I would have like to have said, after the game, "screw you dude our girls (aside from Little Bit) kicked the SHIT out of your boys. And our boys rock too!" Seriously, who says that?

4. We started gymnastics again too. And call me crazy, nuts, psycho, insane, but I'm going to do an adult tumbling class tomorrow night with a friend. I may end up in a body cast and traction!

5. I've noticed that I hardly ever watch TV anymore. Now that Lost is over I don't even have "a show" that I must watch every week. I find myself reading a lot. I'm finishing up the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. Fished up the final book of the Hunger Games. Now I'm going to need something else to read. I highly recommend Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Awesome book despite the feet binding.

6. Halloween is just around the corner! A sneak peek:

7. This past weekend we visited my grandparents and took a little trip into their attic. As my 81 year old grandmother chucked stuff animals down from the attack we also found my Barbie Cottage. A scrub down and she's as good as new! Retro toys = AWESOME!

8. Speaking of toys, I have absolutely, positively NO CLUE what to get Sophie for Xmas. Last year was easy, Barbie Jeep. This year, i've got nothing on the "list" but an Easy Bake Oven. I've considered a DS but she has shown ZERO interest in any type of video game. I've considering the American Girl Bitty Baby. But that's a slippery slope. I don't want expensive American Girl stuff taking over. On the other hand, I don't want to buy an expensive baby doll that gets treated like crap. I always like the idea of Santa bringing something on the "big" side but for the life of me I can't think of a single thing.

9. Miss Gracie Beth is now a big sister. Cooper Michael was born on 9/13/10. Right after he was born, Soph would ask everyday if she could have a little brother or sister. Sorry kid, not in the cards. On Sunday we went for a visit. And she didn't even asking to hold him. Totally shocked me! I will apologize to you now Cooper for all of the crap Gracie and Sophie will put you through. I'm sure you'll make a beautiful princess all dressed up by those two.

10. I'm embarrassed to say how long it has been since I've had a hair cut. And I can't even remember the last time I took Sophie for a hair cut. Both of us are in desperate need of some style in the hair department!

First 'Eers Game!

2010-09-07T22:01:00.009-04:00

She lasted through 3 1/2 hours of tailgating and made it to the beginning of the 4th quarter. On the way home, after spending $22 on food and $8 on a giant foam #1 finger she announced, "I'm NEVER going back to a football game, there were 100 people there and they were loud, and it's too far away!"Normally we would have stayed with Steven's parents who live only 20 minutes away so we wouldn't have had such a long drive back. But we had to get back to miss stella.

Considering I was certain that we would be hightailing it out of Motown by half time I think her first mountaineer game was a success. But I'll let her keep her word on not going back anytime soon, mommy and daddy have a little more fun without her at football games. Sorry kid, but sometimes the truth hurts.

Here is our day in pictures.

The Fam. Thanks Allison for the pic!

My friend Wendy said that this could be any young african american man in the US. Oh but it isn't my friend. This is NOT just some random dude with his hat turned sideways. This would be the Da'Sean Butler. And i spotted him first. Go me.

See the Pride for the first time!

Great seats!

This series is called "hand sophie the camera to keep her entertained."

Busting mama sneaking off to chow down!

Lets Go MOUNTAINEERS!

Beach List

2010-07-20T18:07:00.013-04:00

Our beach trip went off without a hitch. Well except for Steven's brother's brand new car getting hit in the in the parking garage and the jackasses didn't even leave a note. Klassy.

Also Klassy were the two human whales we witnessed getting into a cat fight on the beach. It was more like a slow moving sumo match. Lady #1 kept getting splashed by Lady #2's kids. Lady #1 said something. Lady #2 decided to open up a can on her. I will say that after it was broken up each lady went back to their respective seats like it was just another day at the beach.

Oh how I love watching these two play together. Zachary and Sophie are 11 months apart. They have always played so well together. Although they do yell, hit, tattle, and as seen here, point fingers at one another!

Don't bother going to the aquarium on the Grand Strand. When you have the idea, guarantee that 29383 people have the same idea.

My water sprite really wasn't a fan of the beach. By day 2 she wanted the pool and only the pool.

Not quite sure what this is all about. I think it's a four year old possibly trying to look hot and wink. Definitely needs to work on the wink!

Or this.

I might as well jump.

JUMP!

Might as well jump!

Go ahead, jump, Jump!

Go ahead, Jump.

No air Madie and Sammi. Still to little to really get off the ground. But next year I'm sure they'll be

Beach quote of the week.

Soph- "Aunt Lawawa, can you pick up my stuffed fish?"

Aunt Laura- "What's the magic word?"

Soph- "ABRACADABRA!"

Stella Bella did great while we were gone! YAY! But she's such a diva. I know that part of her finickiness and pickiness has to do with the fact that she doesn't feel 100% most of the time. But sheesh. I have no doubts that in a former life she was a southern belle growing up on a plantation. Her death bed scene would include a canopy bed, propped up on 20 pillows, silk jammies, and slaves fanning her with palm leaves during her final hours.

We came back from the beach with a case of swimmers ear turned raging ear infection. It's even painful pulling a shirt over my girl's head. So she's on an antibiotic AND ear drops. The ear drops are fun times putting in. So we wait for her to fall asleep and then creep into her room. She's probably going to have nightmares of aliens coming into her room and probing and prodding her with titanium instruments.

So until next year!

4th of July Overload

2010-07-05T21:02:00.012-04:00

I loved being home for the 4th of July. Loved. It. Normally we are at the beach over the 4th and although it's great being at the beach I realized this year just how awesome the 4th of July can be. And it was a jammed packed weekend. Which are always the best kinds of weekends to have! So here is 4th of July picture over load!

We started out Saturday morning meeting my grandma, a few cousins, and aunt and uncle bright and early for a parade in their little town. Same parade that I marched in when I was little. Soph will tell you that the best thing about this parade is the entire bag full of candy you can collect.

Here's me and my girl pre-parade.

One of the many many trips to the middle of the road to pick up extra candy. They let ANYONE be in this parade. You basically just show up with a car, a bike, a tractor or even a horse and they'll let you in. She's already said that next year she can ride in papaw Rocky's tractor and throw candy. We'll see.

I think every parent in America could nab a picture of their kid like this when the fire trucks roll through!

Saturday evening we headed over to another little town for fireworks. We had a few options for fireworks but decided that smaller and less hectic seemed like the route to go since our day had already been busy. Hopefully, we'll be able to do this every year. It was fun to kiddie tailgate before the fireworks started.

At the fireworks we met up with the Taylors. And here is Soph, Ben, and Owen.

And the Markins' family!

On Sunday Katie invited us all to a fabulous cookout and afternoon of swimming. Last year we did the same thing. And we can all remember last year saying that one day we'll be able just to set along the edge of the pool and watch our kids swim. This year, for at least half of us that little wish came true!

This crew can swim! Although they look like drowning cats doing it!

Pool "bums"

Jackson is never far from his blackberry.

Charles' swim proteges. Oh how I wish I had a video of Sophie and Emma coming up for a "breath." Funniest thing evah! I can't even explain it. Just one of those things you'd have to see for yourself.

She

2010-07-01T22:10:00.005-04:00

1. She is is trouble right now. All of her books are in a laundry basket and locked in my closet for 2 days. The reason for this sentence? Trying to punch her dad's lights out when he told her it was time to come inside and then refusing to stand in the corner. We did leave her Bible on her bookshelf.

2. She cried herself to sleep tonight because of the book ban.

3. She had her last swimming lesson today. On day 2 she cried all the way there. On the last, she cried all the way home.

4. She is more thoughtful and giving at four then I have ever been in my entire life. Swim guy got a silly band, a thank-you card with a monkey on it, a picture drawn in it, a gift certificate, AND his payment. And I couldn't tell her no.

5. Yesterday she offered her daddy the money in her piggy bank to buy a jeep because she knows that he wants one.

6. She could eat watermelon every single day.

7. There is something about her that can talk anyone into anything. I truly believe she could sell ice to an eskimo.

8. She is missing her GiGi like crazy. She is at the beach for 2 weeks and then we'll be gone for a week. That's 3 whole weeks without her G. I think that's the longest she has ever gone without seeing her.

9. She never asks for new toys. She actually doesn't even have that many material possessions.

10. She desperately wants to fly in an airplane.

11. She composes her own songs. Her current favorite is a song she made up about Mexico and a song about a robot cat.

12. She crawls into our bed at least 2 nights a week. I would never admit it to her, but I secretly love it.

13. She has inherited my dad's side of the family's party gene. Girlfriend can stay up and go strong until late. And I mean late. Then crash and be right back at it the next day for round 2. We're in trouble.

14. This morning she told me that I was beautiful and that I had on a beautiful necklace, a beautiful dress, and a beautiful hair clip.

15. She's the one that's beautiful.

Ten On Tuesday

2010-06-29T18:31:00.004-04:00

1. In less than 2 weeks we'll be heading to the Redneck Riviera for our annual family beach trip. Sophie is PUMPED and asks every day if it's time to load up and go. I'm excited to get away but I'm down about not being able to bake in the sun for hours on end. Sitting in a chair where the surf breaks reading a book is one of life's greatest pleasures. I also worry about leaving Stella. She's not doing well.

2. The 4th of July is coming up this weekend. I am glad that our annual beach trip got pushed back 2 weeks so that we are actually here on the 4th. I always loved watching fireworks as a kidd-o. Now that Sophie is getting older it's easier to do things like that. And to me, no 4th of July is complete without a parade. We usually truck down to the teeny tiny little town my dad and grandma lives and line the streets and wait for the ear piecing sound of fire engines. Last year I think they parade every single emergency vehicle in the whole county. Including jet skis being towed down the road. And then the funeral home hands out ice cream. Is that not weird?!

3. I have a new love and his name is Jack Johnson. And it's my hubby's fault that I have this new love as he listens to him all.the.time. I tried not to give in to his music. But the music and the looks sucked me right in. Soph goes around singing his songs too. Currently, her favorite is Angel.

4. I learned this past weekend that 32 year old women have no business playing beer pong. Although I am quite good at it, it always wins. And I paid an entire Sunday for sinking those little ping pong balls into cups. Thought.I.Would.Die.

5. True Blood. Why it took me so long to get into this show I'll never know. Could be because we don't have HBO. I've read all of the books but I'm only up to episode 3. Stinks because I have to get them from Netflix and I can't watch them instantly.

6. I have officially lost 28 pounds! Took me 4 freaking years but I finally weigh less than my pre-pregnancy weight. And I'm almost to my pre-wedding weight. I figure that if I can't be tan, I'll be skinny. And to borrow from one of my online friends, I'm on a MILF Mission. Is that rude and crude? Sorry but that's the look I'm shooting for. I feel it's a noble look to go for.

7. Sophie wants to try karate again. She tried last summer but she was still too young. It just seems expensive! And I don't know if I want her to be able to break boards. That really puts the odds in her favor when she becomes a teenager and our fights begin.

8. Our new patio is fini! YAY! We haven't really had time to break it in though. We had a few neighbors over a few weeks ago but we didn't get to chill back there very long because of course when you want kids to be out back, they want to be out front. And it has been HOT. Covered patio or not, no one wants to set outside when it's 90 degrees at 8 o'clock. I'll post pictures soon. We just sealed it so now we have to get the furniture back on.

9. I've got to see Eclipse this week even if it means going solo. Would that be too pathetic? Some friends are going tonight at midnight but I'm positive that I would be in worse shape staying up until 3 am watching a movie then going for another round of beer pong!

10. And I'll leave you one from Soph's stint as a flower girl a few weeks ago. I just love it.

4 Years and 3 Months

2010-06-28T18:09:00.006-04:00

Dear Little Bit,

I've missed your monthly birthday again. Back on June 16th I really couldn't think of what I wanted to put down. We are now knocking on July's door and it turns out that there is something I would like to write down for prosperity's sake.

You go to school/daycare every day. Back when you were 11 weeks old and it was time for me to go back to work there was never really an instant that I waiver with that decision. Although I loved those 11 weeks that I spent with you, I missed my job, my friends at work, and just simply being out of the house. And I knew that you would fare better by going to day care than you would with me day in and day out. Oh I'm sure you would be versed in every episode of Days of Our Lives and Food Network.

You turned one and we moved day cares. The new one tried to kill you with a peanut butter sandwich. So we switched again and you have been at the same place since you were 14 months old. You turned 2, then 3, then 4. And never did I question the path you were on.

Recently, however, something changed. All around me the signs of summer started rolling in. Public school was out. It was 95 degrees in the beginning of June. I started feeling like a train slowly moving down a track that was gaining speed. And it was a Tuesday evening. Tons of kids were outside playing, you included. You were running as fast as your little feet could carry you. Your hands and feet were filthy dirty. The sun began to set. But I didn't have the heart to tell you to come inside and get a bath and get ready for bed. Why should you have to? Everyone else was outside having fun. But not everyone else has to get up at 6:45 am and go to work with their mom and dad.

So we let you stay up late. And we dealt with your grouchiness the next morning as we went through our morning routine. All day long I had a nagging feeling. Summer kept coming on in full force. Summer activities began starting up. And that nagging feeling grew. And it hit me in the face that although it's not 1950 anymore sometimes the world still operates that way. Sometimes it is assumed that if school is out for summer then parents must get a summer break as well. All kids from 1 to 18 frolic around without a care in the world. Well this isn't Neverland. It's reality. And the reality for you is that while some kids are sleeping til 9 or 10 o'clock you're up and ready for the another day of the same old same old.

I so wanted to sign you up for swimming lesson at a certain pool. A few pools actually. But place after place only offered them during the day. And for some reason, which I'm haven't quite figured out why, this little issue completely sent me over the edge. It burned and gnawed at me from the inside out. And for one of the first times I started having regrets. I regretted taking my transcripts back from the education department and marching them back to the political science department at WVU and then staying on to go to law school. I regretted not marrying a millionaire. HA! Truthfully, I started having this feeling of unfairness and bitterness. All because of swimming? I think maybe the swimming was just the icing on the cake. Sort of sent me over the edge. Running through my head nonstop, was this feeling that you would never truly know what "summer" felt like. You would never have days upon days of nothing to do but wonder what you might do tomorrow. I was angry that because I work my fucking kid wasn't going to lean how to swim. And the minute that thought ran though my head, my head answered back and said "on the bright side, you work so you really your kid won't be going to the pool that much anyway. " Not the answer I was looking for.

I'm not sure how the rest of your childhood summers will start and end. If years from now you look back full of resentment I want you to know that this whole issue did cross my mind. I wasn't ignorant to your plight. And I'm sure this is just one of the many many things that we will do that will totally screw with your head. Hey we try our best. If you are one day sitting in jail and the prosecutor asks you "why you did it?" you can tell him that your childhood was robbed because you didn't get an official summer so now you are full of hate and rage. But what I hope is that you know just how much we love you. We don't love you any less than moms or dads that stay home. Actually, I probably love you more because I do work. Because if I didn't I'd probably been in a loony bin somewhere. And although you might not get to sleep in when you are 5 or 6 or 7, there is more to this world then June, July, and August.

As for swimming. That worked itself out too. And you can swim better than some pansy ass little 6 year olds who spend 8 hours a day pool side. It started out rough. Of all the teenagers and college students on the planet working at pools in the summer you got the one with the history of scaring the crap out of little kids. Those first 2 days you cried your eyes out. You begged me not to take you. You tried escaping from the pool. You yelled at him. And he yelled at you and told you that you were finished with the baby pool and water wings which broke your heart. You would lie and say you had to pee or that your tummy hurt. He didn't baby you. And he wasn't going to let you win. And on day 3 you came out of the pool smiling. And on day 4 you skipped your way to the diving board. And you gave that guy, who not a week before you said was mean jerk, one of your precious silly bandz. A shark. Because he didn't have one and he needed one because he worked in the water. And you wanted to thank him. Thank him for teaching you how to swim in the deep end so you would no longer be left behind. And when you dug in my bag to find it and handed it to him, in that moment you made my heart melt and shit maybe even his. It's probably not every 22 year old who gets gifted a .20 cent plastic bracelet just because he didn't give up on you.

Love Mama

Then And Now

2010-05-31T21:33:00.006-04:00

Then...

And now...

It has become a yearly tradition for us to load up and head to Snowshoe for Memorial Day weekend. It sort of kicks off summer. Once again we got lucky with great weather. The only bummer was the fact that the pool was closed. On Saturday evening, we decided to head to the same restaurant as we did last year. And believe it or not but the same little boy from last year was there with his parents! My camera was screaming for pictures!

I tried everything I could to recreate a few pictures from last year but the kids were too busy running. My pictures last year were 30493 times better last year. One would think that I would have improved over a year! I even tried to have them stand beside one another.

This was right before she said to him, "so do you like my dress?"

And then he looked at her like she had three heads! HA! But he did say "yes" when his momma asked him if he heard the question.

I finally connected all of the dots and figured out that this little boy is a summer neighbor of one of the judges I work for. For most of the year he lives in New York City. But come summer he heads down to Pocahontas County with his parents where his dad runs a summer camp.

Small world.

Strawberry Shortcake

2010-05-24T20:58:00.005-04:00

If I lived in an alternate, parallel, sideways, universe. A universe without me one day learning that I was in fact DEAD and living in this made-up alternate, parallel, sideways universe, I would be farmer. In Tuscany. In an old farmhouse. Chickens would be laying eggs. I would grow asparagus. I would wear a floppy hat and bright Wellies and look cool and Jcrew like wearing these items while picking tomatoes. And we would feast Italian style and despite the constant eating I would remain skinny.

But alas, there's no parallel universe pour moi. So to get my occasional home grown fix, I drag my kid out strawberry picking. She loved it. For awhile. Then she claimed that strawberry picking was making her a sweaty mess so we really should get going.

It boggles my mind that I live in a state stretches of nothingness but land that you could throw some fruits and veggies on and there are but a few "pick your own" and farmers markets. I swear, if you build it, WE WILL COME. That teeny tiny strawberry patch was full of people. I did hear of a blueberry patch in Poca that should be ready for picking in July.

We'll be there.

With our basket.

50 Months

2010-05-17T20:42:00.004-04:00

Boy am I ever slacking in these monthly posts! I have one kid and one monthly thing I'd like to do and I can't. I wonder if it weren't for the TV show if Michelle Dugger would be taking notes on each and every one of her kids?

So here we are. 50 months or 4 years and 2 months to be exact. (Side note, I totally just wrote down 38 months, 3 years and 2 months, wow. It really is hard for me to wrap my head around you being a four year old.)

This past month we've been moving steady and surely into warmer weather. We face mornings that sometimes start out cold and then end up blistering hot. It's days like these that I've always had trouble picking out clothes for you. In fact, I find it hard to pick stuff out for myself on these days. 9 times out of 10 I end up over or under dressing you. But the point is that for four years and 2 months you have yet to flip your wig over me picking out your clothes. I thank the heavens above for this little gift. I know that ulitmely the day will come that you'll flat out refuse to put one something that I have picked out. So for now I'm going to hold on tight to one of the few remnants of babyness of you that I have left.

GiGi took you over to your great-grandparents last weekend. Mae has a broken arm and you wanted to go and visit her to make sure she had a pink casts like yours. I guess since you are a member of the broken arm club you felt as though you could relate. According to Gi, you cracked your great-grandparents up at dinner. After pawpaw Choo Choo had given the blessing, you looked that 83 year old man in the eye and said, "pawpaw you pray waaaay too long. Here allow me to do it." You then went through your "god is good, god is great" spiel, looked back at your 83 year old great-grandfather and said, "now isn't that much better pawpaw?" I guess they could have been appalled that you would speak to your elders in such a way. But the last time I checked neither one of them had a stick lodged where it shouldn't be. So instead they got a case of the giggles and had to admit that yes in fact, dear 4 year old great -granddaughter of ours, pawpaw prays entirely too long.

Your curiosity has just about pushed your dad over the edge this month. On more than one occasion you have asked, "just how did that baby get into Stephanie's belly?" So far he's managed to deflect this one with answers like, "ask your mom" or "why not just ask Stephanie." HA! You've asked me quite a few times. I've given you some lame-o story about growing up, falling in love and getting married. You have in fact asked Stephanie, and I think she might have told you God (perhaps Stephanie had an immaculate conception?). But I can see in your eyes that these answers aren't quite enough. The wheels are turning. You haven't pushed the question further, but I have a feeling that sooner rather than later you are going to want a better explanation!

There are other things you are curious about as well. Just last week I walked into your bathroom only to see you standing in front of toilet, pants down, lid up, trying to pee like a boy. Just another normal day here at the Carr house. When I asked you what in the world you thought you were doing, you cooly informed me that you were going to give this peeing while standing thing a whirl. Because, duh, girls can do anything boys can do. True my baby girl, true. If there is one thing that has sunk into your little head it's that you can do and become anything you want regardless of whether you are a boy or a girl, so why shouldn't peeing while standing be included? And to that I say, pee as you must.

Happy 4 years and 2 months Little Bit.

Love Mama

Eau de toilette

2010-05-12T20:04:00.006-04:00

It has been cool and rainy this week. BLAH. Leave it to May to throw a few 85 degree days at you and then slam you back down into the 60s. I was really getting the summer itch. Ran out and bought ferns and flowers for the porch. Packed up all of Sophie's winter clothes. Listened to Will Smith's "Summer Time" on iTunes. And then there's that smell. Not the scent of fresh cut lawns, although there is that lovely aroma that announces the arrival of better days. A different smell. I call it the "outside smell." It's a certain scent that little kids carry around after a long day spent playing outside. Running in and out of water. In and out of the house while I scream "shut the door you're letting my flies out!" Which I then shutter because I sound EXACTLY like my mother. Breathless little sweaty bodies with grimy hands begging for popsicles. And in and out of dirt.

Last Friday Little Bit had "outside smell" x 100. She was out from sun up until literally sun down. And she screamed and cried when it was time to come in. When it had gotten so dark that you could no longer see the hole you were digging with a shovel.

It started early in the morning with a busting out of the sprinkler. (I like how we let them run on wet concrete :0) Guess we should re-think that one!)

Followed by a few failed attempts at the slip and slid, which had to be called off due to rocks in the yard. Our 5 year old neighbor took a run at it with all of his might to show the little ones just how it was done. It was successful and his mom and I were cheering and whooping on the side saying things like "oh yea, it's your birthday! That's how it's done!" Until we saw the look on his face and his stomach riddle with scratches and scraps. I swear these things worked better in the 80s'.

Then off to play tag and swing. And it ended late that evening, stripped down to underwear, building a beach with a few girls. It's highly likely that the sand they were using is a designated poop spot for the cats across the street. I pointed this fact out and one of the girls informed me that they had yet to find the first cat poop so they were dubbing it safe. Nar-sty.

And this was the point that she screamed and cried. I can't imagine not wanting to leave a poop pit filled with creek water. She got a LOOOOOONG hot bath that night to wash away all the funk and along with it the outside smell. But it'll be back. She'd live outside if we let her.

Derby Days

2010-05-03T20:57:00.009-04:00

I've never been to the Kentucky Derby. Or any horse race for that matter. And the closest I've been to any type of "derby" would have to be the Sigma Chi "derby days" at WVU. Although I don't think it has anything to do with horses either. If I remember correctly, that derby involves racing soap boxes down high street, bands, and Budweiser trucks with kegs attached.

My neighbors have been to the Kentucky Derby. Actually, they've been to the chaos that is the center ring. So they decided to have a Kentucky Derby party. Not a center ring type party either (those can get a little wild and out of control and involve lots of boobs) but a little fancier with mint juleps, Kentucky Derby pie, and fancy hats. Besides we are all over 30 and have about a million of these:

Owen, Ben, and Sophie. I can tell you now that the way Sophie and Ben fight they are possibly destined to be married. At the end of the night a fight ensued over a bouncey ball to which Ben rightfully declared "I HAD IT FIRST." To which my daughter replies, "SO, I HAD IT SECOND AND YOU AREN'T SHARING SO GIVE IT TO ME!"

Meet the Mint Julep.

Let-me-tell-ya, this is the nastiest concoction on the planet. I like mojitos. I like mint. But 2 ounces of straight bourbon and only a teaspoon of mint infused sugar water does not make for a delicious cocktail. Instead, it makes for a lethal weapon. Force these upon terrorists and they just might beg to be water boarded.

Enter, the ladies.

See that one on the end? That's me. Don't want you to get confused with this:

Jesus! If that doesn't get you on your treadmill I don't know what will!

Enter some of the fellas.

Like Steven's bow tie? He had to borrow it from Jared. Thanks Jared! And he had to watch some British guy on YouTube 39384 times to learn how to tie the thing while standing in front of a mirror.

And it needs straighted up by one big daddy's girl.

Poor kid. She was the only little girl out of 8 boys. There had been a 7 year old little girl but she didn't stay very long. She got a little frustrated and kept asking us if it was time to go home because all of the boys were sucked into a movie about aliens.

So home by 10 but felt like 5 am. Getting old sucks. But nice that we were only 5 houses away from our comfy beds. And by the way I love our new neighborhood. It's taken awhile for me to realize that neighborhoods are what you make them. If you want to throw a party because the sun is out then invite some neighbors over. They'll come. If you sit around wishing that you could live in a place that does cool things like block parties and egg hunts don't just wish, make it happen. Get a pink bike and race a 10 year year old down the street. You'll loose but she'll think you are cool for trying.

Weekend Recap

2010-04-20T20:15:00.009-04:00

Well we made it back from our little after tax season get-away! This year it just happened to be my birthday too. So before we left I got to take a spin on my new ride...

Can you say awesome? Because that's what it is! Complete with a horn. Now I just need to get a basket. I've already cruised the neighborhood in search of a wayward kid who didn't come home when his dad called for him. Not to worry, my pink bike and I were there to save the day.

We spent 2 nights in Columbus. One at the Easton Town Center (for me, since it was my birthday and all) and one at Ft. Rapids indoor water park (for Miss. Sophie B.). We got to meet up with my old college roommate on Saturday for lunch at the Cheesecake factory. I hadn't see Carrie in for-evah. Her little girl, Cecilia, is too cute. But sadly, i didn't get any pictures of her. Could be because my little girl decided to act like a turd at lunch. But it was MY birthday, so she didn't stop me from partaking in a piece of tiramisu cheesecake after lunch followed by a piece of red velvet cake cheesecake for a late night snack. Seriously, just click on that link. To.Die.For.

Sunday morning we headed to Ft. Rapids. Sophie had a blast. Steven and I tolerated it. We snuck off on our own a few times to ride the bigger slides. It was a pretty cool place. This giant bucket at the top of the playset would dump over 1000 gallons of water every ten minutes totally drenching the entire place.

When we checked in the woman at the front desk hooked sophie up with $40 worth of tokens to use at the arcade. We blew through those and had a blast. Then big decision time came. What to buy with all of those tickets? I think she settled on a ball, a necklace, and a bunch of other crap.

Monday it was time to come home but we made a quick pit stop at the outlets so Steven could by a few new things for the new J-O-B he starts on Thursday. No more suits for him! We were rushed and Little Bit was in no mood to shop so I didn't buy a single thing.

The Most Random 10 on Tuesday Evah

2010-04-13T18:06:00.004-04:00

Seems like all I'm getting accomplished in the blogging department are these 10 on Tuesday posts. Guess it's better than nothing!

1. I'll be the big 3-2 on Saturday. Happy Birthday to me! Since January I've been telling my peeps different things I want for my birthday hoping that a few of them will stick. Tonight, I decided that I needed a margarita maker. This could say a lot of things about me. I like to think it's always a good time for a margarita! I might have to put that one on the 'buy it yo-self" list.

2. On Sunday we were sitting down at our dinner table for the 1st time in god knows how long (April 15th won't get here soon enough) eating a delicious grilled tilapia dinner. When Soph, in her gruffest most annoyed voice busts out, "ugh, you make the WORST things for dinner!" Steven told her that wasn't a very nice thing to say. Her response, "well, i'm just sayin'!" It's times like these that I SERIOUSLY have to step back count and count to 3. Because my immediate response wants to be: "go screw yourself, there are kids in Africa with NOTHING to eat!"

3. There are many many reasons why I love my hubby. But the number one reason is this:

He makes me laugh. Tears rolling out of eyes just about peeing my pants laugh. This look was thanks to .75 cents put into a gum ball machine at the pizza place. Sophie thought her daddy needed a mustache. We took our chance. The options in the gum ball machine were mustaches, 70's sideburns, or a fu manchu! I'm hoping next time for the fu manchu!

4. Did I mention that April 15th is this Thursday! Whooo-hoooo! Then Steven is taking off a few days before he starts his new job the following week. We'll be celebrating my birthday and the end of tax season in Columbus. I'm hoping to hit up the Cheesecake factory for me! Sophie can hardly wait to go to an indoor water park. Steven and I could probably go the rest of our lives and never go to one. This is why I need a margarita machine.

5. I've decided we need a basketball hoop in our drive way. I should say that I HAD decided to get a basketball hoop until I saw how much they those suckers cost! $400 or more! WTH, not like I'm going to be dunking on the damn thing! I was thinking neighborhood games of HORSE!

Fun fact- the first time ever playing competitive sports was 3rd grade basketball. I was a point guard. My first basket, for the other team. Awesome.

6. Summer at Snowshoe is upon us. Reservations are set for Memorial Day weekend.

7. I'm still saddened by the 29 miners who lost their lives last week. Andrea posted the perfect quote on Facebook that said something like "it is times like these we must remember that there are some who work in the dangers of the dark so that others may have light." My dad is a coal miner. Last week I took solace in the fact that where he works blows the tops off mountains rather than going deep inside.

8. I've been going through old pictures. I desperately need a scanner to upload some of them. Oh man. 1996 was kind to NO ONE. Among those pictures were my summer in Italy, 2002 baby. The summer that I discovered gelato. The summer I gained 15 pounds and couldn't fit into a bridesmaid dress when I returned. The summer that my traveling companion found out she was pregnant. And how we had to go into a French pharmacy in Nice and explain to the nice Nice pharmacist that we needed "un exam pour les bebe" while gesturing a big round belly like a mime. And how that night, after 2 pink lines popped up, I tried talking my companion into downing a bottle of France's finest. She wouldn't. I tried rationalizing that she had to be only 3 weeks pregnant and to think of the millions of people who get pregnant and are clueless well into 8 weeks and their babies turn out just fine. No dice. So I suffered because she could no longer partake in European debauchery and she suffered because I could. It really was a loose loose situation.

I have so many stories like that. Motherhood isn't the only "best time of my life." I started a blog so I wouldn't forget. But just like I don't want to forget the way Little Bit crawls into our bed to snuggle, I also don't want to forget the old me. The little things. That there is no crayon in the Crayola box that accurately depicts "Morgantown Gray." Or that in 1997 if you told me that I would be marrying that kid from the 3rd floor of Arnold Hall that I would have laughed hysterically. The me that got me to the point that I am today.

9. Maybe I should start a new blog, just pour moi. So my old senile self can "remember when." Or sprinkle some stories into this one but changing names to protect the innocent. :)

10. Gotta jet. Lost is on and dude, it's about Hugo tonight.

Ten on Tuesday

2010-04-06T17:37:00.008-04:00

1. YAY for 80 degree days! We are just started into Spring and already the outdoor activities have started! On Friday we had a little neighborhood Easter egg hunt. I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood that does fun stuff. It seems easy here. Maybe it's because everyone is new and all it takes is someone saying, "hey i've got an idea, lets do an egg hunt!" So we did. I recruited a 10 year old to help me with the hiding. Seemed like it took for-evah to hide and toss 150 eggs on a field. Maybe it's because it was 85 degrees!

But it took like 5 minutes for these kiddos to swoop in and pick up 150 eggs! We didn't plan very well, so the eggs got stuffed with change, a few stickers, and a few pills that turn into bugs when dropped in water.

2. After egg hunting we were HOT. So out came the Dora hopscotch sprinkler!

3. On Saturday Katie's mom invited a few of us to an Easter Breakfast and egg hunt. Little Bit immediately bee lined it to the Easter Bunny and the face painting clown. But instead of a cute little bunny painted on her cheek, she went for the whole enchilada. Actually, Emma did too....

4. Cutest godson ever!

Ok, so the only one I have but still the hat is over the top cute!

5. He is one of my biggest fans.

6. And she is slowly getting there.

7. Got the paint for Sophie's room! It's a Benjamin Moore paint called "Robin's Nest." And I've got a theme to go with it, "3 Little Birds." I've found a place on Etsy that can make a vinyl quote to go over her window that says "Rise up this mornin', Smiled with the risin' sun." But what color? White, black, pink? Ugh.

8. I know I wouldn't use it that much, but I really want to by a DVD projector like this. I saw ads for it back at Christmas for $100 and wanted it then. But now I'm REALLY itching for it. I'm picturing Drive-in style movies out on the drive way or in the yard with bags of popcorn and blankets. So I've got my eye on a few of them on ebay.

9. Is anyone big into Twitter? I signed up about 2 years ago but never really got into it. To be truthful, i just don't get it. I don't get the @ signs and # signs and RT's and etc. I got back into Twitter just so I could stalk WVU basketball players when they started posting videos and pictures on their way to the Final Four. I even managed to get one of them to follow me. Do you think he appreciates "tweets" from a 32 year old mother of a four year old telling him to "lay off the Iphone and hit the books." I'm sure to be "unfollowed" any day!

10. I love love love finding new bloggers to follow. And boy did I find a whopper of a blogger to follow thanks to Erin Cobb. Her name is Kelle Hampton and she's a photographer. And she's the most honest blogger I have ever "met" in cyber world. She's been blogging for awhile. But her post about her daughter born with Down Syndrome is the most heart opening words of honesty I have read in a long long time. That it took her 2 year old daughter to teach her how to love makes me pause, look over at my own Little Bit and be in total awe of her innocence. She's colorblind, unjaded, unbiased, and there's yet to be a cynical bone in her body.

C'est la vie

2010-04-05T17:52:00.004-04:00

The French definitely say it best. "C'est la vie," that's life. So we won't be huddled around the TV tonight to watch our 'eers take on the Butler Bulldogs. But what a heck of a ride! I don't think that any Mountaineer will be forgetting this season any time soon. My step-dad has always said that "it's hard to be a Mountaineer fan." It's true. You can be built up soaring high one minute and nose diving the next. Maybe that's why mass quantities of alcohol plays a part? But through thick and thin there's also nothing better than being a Mountaineer. They might not have gotten their official "One Shining Moment" but I can safely speak for quite a few people who would say that they gave us many many many shining moments.

So on the regularly scheduled programing, it was also Easter weekend. A high holiday for some. But for the past 5 years Steven has been so busy with tax season that it sort of just flits by with out much fan fare. We don't go to church. And I'm not going to drag my butt to church one day a year just to be seen on Easter Sunday. So we relaxed at home. The Easter Bunny dropped a basket off at our house full Because according to Gi, she only has one grandkid. Period.

I'll post more through out the week about other Easter activities. Including a neighborhood egg hunt and getting together with some of our friends for an Easter breakfast and egg hunt. Until then, remember, c'est la vie.

On the Eve of History

2010-04-02T20:54:00.007-04:00

(updated to apply to loves in other states, thanks, Rosalie!)

I can't quite explain it. It's as though there's this thick, invisible, energized air reverberating off of everything around here. Even at the Walmarts. The Mountaineers are going to the Final Four and they ARE going to win.

Have you ever heard of Noetic Science? I first heard about it in Dan Brown's book, "The Lost Symbol" (side note, I love that I get my science from fiction, but I digress). Anyway, Noetic Science involves claims that the human thought can affect the physical world. On Saturday, Noetic Scientists around the world should use the state of West Virginia as a case study. At 8:47 pm there will be 1.8 million minds focused on one thing and one thing only. And those minds want one thing and one thing only: the complete and utter annihilation of Duke.

(Side note- there's actually, 1,819,777 people in West Virginia, but I figure that maybe around 19,776 are living under a rock or mentally impaired. And then there's my uncle who puts the count back to 19,777 who is against anyone playing WV. He obviously was dropped on his head one too many times as a small child b/c seriously, why you gonna hate?! I mean seriously, what's the legitimate answer to that question?)

It's an unbelievable feeling to know that an entire state is standing behind 16 young guys and 1 legend of a coach willing them to go all the way. Clark Griswold put it best. I can guarantee you that when they bring that trophy home, the State of West Virginia is going to be "the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse." No one....and I mean no one would be prouder. Sure other teams have fans. But other teams don't have Mountaineer fans. So LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS!

This message brought to you by the mother of a child who will probably put the "P" in "Party School" class of 2024.

Better Late Than Never....

2010-03-29T16:33:00.004-04:00

...for a birthday party! Little Bit's birthday party had to be postponed for about 3 weeks because of the unfortunate incident leading to the hot pink cast. Apparently inflatable bounce houses casts don't mix! I'll be honest, we probably could have gotten away with canceling the whole thing and she would have never known the difference. But we went ahead and got a giant princess cake and carried on. She jumped and ran around like a maniac with 12 of her friends. Thankfully she didn't re-break her arm. But she did manage to act like a turd some and cry and pout at her own party. Seesh. And so goes the drama of a 4 year old!

I went a little overboard on the cake size. I wanted to make sure I had leftovers. Well i have leftovers for a week and I even gave some away!

Every little thing gonna be alright...

2010-03-23T20:24:00.004-04:00

If you were to ask Little Bit what my favorite song is, she would triumphantly shout "Three Little Birds!" It's not. But hey I'll go with it. Everyone can use a little Bob Marley in their lives (in more ways than one, HA!). I do love that song and we jam to it quite frequently. Especially strolling through the Walmarts because that place sucks the life out of you.

So anyway, that Rastafarian got it right. Every little thing IS gonna be alright. I FINALLY got a call from my plastic surgeon, actually he had to leave me a message. And in not so many words he said "this my message to you-ou-ou." (wow, i'm totally on a roll!) No really he said that the lymph nodes that the general surgeon removed and the margins that he removed were cancer FREE! I've actually listened to that message like 10 times now. He's a strange dude. One of those people who leaves awkward pauses in the middle of a conversation so you aren't quite sure if he's finished talking, just thinking, or pausing for dramatic effect. But despite the oddness he's an excellent doctor and my face is pretty much going to be scarless. He also fixed up Jackie the Ripper, I mean my general surgeon's scar on my neck because it bothered him. If I had a lot of money I'd go to him in a heart beat and say, "work your magic!"

So things are on the up and up. In the middle of all the madness, Steven got a new job. He'll be starting as an in house tax guy for a large corporation right after tax season. Maybe it's now starting to rain good things. He hadn't been looking for a new job, this one just kind of found him.

Thursday marks the great cast removal! My girl has been such a trooper with that cast. Once aunt Laura fixed her up with some tape few weeks ago she hasn't complained one single time. So hopefully this Spring we'll be back to our regularly scheduled program of normal craziness.

Through all of this unpleasantness though I was reminded time and time again how lucky I am to have such an amazing husband, little girl, mom, friends, family, cyber friends, neighbors, co-workers, you name it. I have NEVER been one to keep how I feel or my drama bottled in. I share it all with my small world. I figure why suffer alone and on the other hand why just share your joys? To everyone I am grateful. I'm grateful for all of the thoughts, prayers, well wishes, food (my friends seriously know the way to my heart, HA!) flowers, cards, my uncle for offering to shave his head if things didn't turn out the way I had hoped, and just listening.

Love Me.

So now I'm off to party Bob Marley style! Kidding mother.

Top o the Morning

2010-03-18T20:28:00.002-04:00

Here are some fun facts about leprechauns. A leprechaun's principal occupation is that of a shoemaker. Hence, the tapping sound you may hear when one is in the vicinity. According to legend, the little suckers are aloof and unfriendly, and live alone. They keep a secret a pot o gold with them at all times. If you are lucky enough to catch one, he can be forced (but you have to threaten him with bodily violence) to reveal the whereabouts of his gold. BUT you must keep your eyes on him AT ALL TIMES. If you look a way, even for a second, he'll vanish along with the hold. AND the craziest thing about leprechauns. They are major pranksters. Case in point:

Can you believe the little devil TPed Soph's room while she was sleeping!!! Her exact words upon waking up were, "This is UNBELIEVEABLE!" And "we are NEVER going to be able to get that toilet paper off the fan." According to Little Bit, the leprechaun had entered her room searching for gold. When he didn't find any, he got ticked off and "trashed the place." Pesky leprechauns. Next year we'll be making a trap.

On the Eve of Four

2010-03-15T17:34:00.004-04:00

Four years ago today we got the news that you would be gracing us with your presence the following day. That night I had my first ever panic attack. I felt my chest tighten. My airways constricted and I began hyperventilating. I knew that in less than 24 hours life as we knew it would never ever be the same. In those few minutes that I was sure I was going to die and Steven had the phone in his hand ready to call 911, a million things went through my head. From the absurd like, "what if the doctors are wrong and you turn out to be a boy?" To the more profound, "will me we make good parents?" The questions and the unknown were a lot to bare.

The next morning came. And at 12:05 pm you came screaming into the world. In some ways you haven't stopped since that minute! And life as we know it did change. From 12:05 pm on March 16, 2006, it was as though someone finally pushed our "go" button. Apparently, that "go" button doesn't come with a companion "stop" button.

We can't imagine you stopping. Just yesterday we were laughing with Grammy and PapPap about how we couldn't really wrap our heads around a time when you didn't talk. Seems as though you've always been voicing your opinion on everything.

You are so many things to us. Our princess who longs to live in a castle and marry a prince. Our tough cookie who can walk around with a broken arm for a week. Our little girl who likes nothing more than crawling into our bed a 2am and family movie nights. Our adventurous one who can dive off diving boards and climb rock walls. Our opinionated one who says she's rather die than eat a fish eyeball or go to church. And our only one who can act spoiled and bossy.

You are so many things at once. And tomorrow you will be four. For four years we have watched you grow and turn into a little kid. No longer a baby but a beautiful strong willed little girl. I will never worry about you getting lost in the shuffle of this world. You will always make yourself heard and I know that you will always come up swinging (and probably shouting obscenities). You have your daddy's loyalty. My devil-may-care attitude. And you are your own biggest fan.

You are going to be just fine in life. So happy birthday my sweet princess. And I've got news for you. Your prince has been here the whole time :)

Almost 10 on Tuesday

2010-03-08T19:36:00.005-05:00

1. Our girl is on "vacation" at Grammy and PapPap's for the week. I miss her terribly. Maybe it's because of the whole surgery thing going down on Thursdays that's got me all sentimental. Now I can guarantee you that she isn't missing us. In fact when I talked to her was on her way to go visit her great grandma and ride her "cool chair" that goes up the stairs (a la the Gremlins).

2. So here's the deal for Thursday since a lot people have been asking. I check in at nuclear medicine at 7:30 where they will inject the area around my ear with some lovely radioactive dye. This is for the sentinel lymph node biopsy. Then I set around for a few hours and let the dye work its magic. Around 11am I get put under. The general surgeon will use a geiger counter type device to find the closest lymph node and surgically remove it and ship it off for testing. A plastic surgeon will come in a remove about 1 cm of tissue around my ear where the mole called home. Then hopefully I'm finished and can put all of this behind me :) If that lymph node comes back with cancer I am going to be pissed.

3. We have a little get-away planned for an after tax season/my birthday celebration. We are going to load up and head to Columbus and spend a night or two at an indoor water park called Ft. Rapids. Hopefully I can squeeze in dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and a stop at the outlets in Jeffersonville.

4. I went to a meeting this evening about signing up Little Bit for pre-k. I can't believe my baby is going to be four next week AND starting pre-k next year. After that is kindergarten! Lord help me.

5. I finally located the paint color I have in mind for Soph's room. Click here to check it out! This particular color is a Walmart paint. Has anyone bought paint at the Walmarts? I'm sure it's fine and probably cheaper!

6. So I signed back up for Netflix and I'm on a documentary kick. We watched Food Inc. the other night. GAG A MAGGOT. Actually, I think I might take my chance with some maggots. Up next is The Cove which just won an Oscar and Born into Brothels.

7. Ok gotta cut this short...Lost is coming on and it's a Ben episode. His are usually pretty darn good!

But here's one of my girl being silly.

The Broken Arm Saga

2010-03-07T19:12:00.004-05:00

So completely ignore that previous post. I guess I had been operating on the "no news is good news" state of mind when I hadn't heard back from the radiologist about Soph's arm on Tuesday. Turns out, there was a failure to communicate! Normally, once the urgent care takes x-rays and sends them on to a radiologist to look at, the radiologist's office faxes a report back to the urgent care and then mails the report. Well in our case that fax never got sent! So it wasn't until THURSDAY that the snail mail delivered the original report to urgent care and we found out that yes in deedy do, we have a fractured arm. Luckily an hour later we were able to get into an orthopedist's office. And an hour after that we had a hot pink cast!

Can you believe that we let our girl walk around with a broken arm for a freaking week!? Can you believe that this girl is tough enough to walk around with a broken arm for a week!? She is one tough cookie! And I'm sorry but that's the cutest cast I have ever seen!

It's not a bad fracture. If she were older it wouldn't have even been casted. But this way she isn't restricted. Except for gymnastics. And her birthday party. :( You can't jump in inflatables with a cast on your arm. You might knock another kid out! So those are on hold for awhile.

And luckily she only has to wear it for 3 weeks. So it could be worse. It could be six weeks. It could be a cast up to her elbow. And it could be the middle of July and 90 degrees!

So this one goes down in the record book. Under the "broken bone category." The "my parents didn't believe me" category. The "doctors SUCK" category. And the "my chronically ill dog obviously wasn't that sick if she can break my arm" category.

Description of Injury

2010-03-03T18:19:00.004-05:00

So Monday I took one Sophia B. Carr to the Urgent Care for an injury that happened on Friday evening. (i know good mom right?) I had all but decided NOT to take her (I know good mom right?) until I got a call around noon from day care telling me that Sophie had screamed bloody murder when a kid accidentally grabbed her right arm. So we went. And we waited. And finally it all went down like this:

Super nice Doctor: So do you want to tell me how you got hurt?

Little Bit: (Speaking 90 miles an hour) Wellllll.....I was runnin' and Stella was chasing me and I ran into mommy and daddy's room, and Stella knocked me down, and I crashed into the wall and hurted my arm.

AND Stella is our puppy. We use to have Oscar but he's up in heaven so now we have Stella.

Super nice Doctor: Oh gosh I'm sorry to hear that.

Little Bit: Yeah, it happens.

And there you have it Doc. I bet you didn't know you were going to learn a very important life lesson when you went to work this morning.

Turns out that I wasn't too bad of a mom. No broken bones!

On why I hate the snow...

2010-03-01T19:39:00.004-05:00

These were taken awhile back and I'm pretty sure that I posted them on facebook but I thought that I would post them here as well.

Notice that I'm not in any of these pictures. That's because I quit hanging out in the snow many moons ago. There was a time (maybe a few years in high school and college) that I thought I needed to be a great skier. Scratch that, I wanted K2 skis, a cool Columbia coat, and cute black tight ski pants.

Now I realize how insane it is to sit on a ski lift, at night, with the wind ripping your face off, while your fingers get frostbitten. Cute or not, it ain't worth it. And I bet I couldn't get those tight ski pants on if I greased myself down in Crisco! And I never became a great skier. I sucked! I had to talk to myself the entire way down the mountain: "If you want to go left, put your weight on your right." "Now to go right, put your weight on your left."

In fact, the last time we went skiing was probably 7 years ago when we were engaged. We went to Seven Springs with Steven's sister and his cousin. 5 minutes after exiting the car Steven I had already gotten into an argument. And less than an hour into that little trip, my skis were kicked to the curb and I sat inside the lodge by the fire. Thus ending my skiing career.

It pains Steven that tax season coincides with ski season. That is perhaps the one good side of tax season. Otherwise, he'd be dragging me around from one ski resort to the next.

I think I'll let these two share the winter sport activities together. While I watch from afar and take pictures or hang out at the bar.

Bring in the Clowns!!!!

2010-02-28T18:25:00.007-05:00

Sometimes I don't know what comes over me. I'm still not quite sure I know why I offered to save my friend and coworker $200 by renting a clown and instead dressing up as one myself!

See those green knee socks? Those were the MOST uncomfortable item of clothing I have ever had on in my life! I seriously thought the circulation in my legs was going to be cut off and an amputation would be required by the time the party was over. And that wig, ITCHY! But it was fun. And I rocked it as Giggles the Clown. Although I can't juggle. Can't make balloon animals. And I don't have an act. My act consisted of dancing around like a fool and stuffing my face with freshly made cotton candy. (I just might have to rent a cotton candy machine for the heck of it one day. )

So Emmy's carnival themed birthday was a hit. Cutest birthday party I have ever been to. I mean who wouldn't like a birthday party with carnival games, an inflatable slide, face painting (provided by another co-worker), cotton candy, sno cones, and popcorn!

Missy set up a photo op as the kids came in the door. Sophie looks thrilled don't you think??

The birthday girl, who looks like a 5 year old giant compared to my little squirt! (who will be 4 in 16 days!!)

As for Giggles, she's hanging up her clown shoes. So I won't be quitting my day job!

Meet Pipsqueek

2010-02-24T17:31:00.006-05:00

Those cooky Chinese. Seriously what will they think of next? Pet hamsters that don't require feeding or stinky cages! Pure genius.

Before Christmas I had never even heard of a Zhu Zhu pet. Then all of the sudden I started seeing posts on Facebook about people on the hunt for these little critters. I was intrigued. And trust me, if there's a band wagon, i'm gonna jump right on. So I headed to the Zhu Zhu pet website. Oh my are they cute! They even drive little cars around!

So I found one at the Walmarts. Pipsqueek to be exact. And I bought Pipsqueek a fun house. And since these pictures were taken we bought a hamster wheel. So he zooms around his fun house. Makes little squeaky sounds and runs on his wheel. I have to say he's pretty darn cute. And Sophie looooooves playing with him. Stella tries to stomp his guts out. Guess it's a good thing he's not real. Reggie runs.

Unfortunately, these things aren't the best quality. Soph took Pipsqueak outside to show the neighbors on Sunday. She sat him on the drive way and he scooted around a little. Now, he doesn't work all that great. I think the concrete was a little too rough. So now I've gotta find a $7 replacement and more accessories. We are shooting for an entire hamster world!

Ten on Tuesday

2010-02-23T17:01:00.009-05:00

Seems like it's been ages since I've done one of these!

1. Does anyone want to see the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland? I'm DYING to see it. Unfortunately, I don't think my movie buddy (Sophie) could handle it. And although he hearts Captain Jack about as much as he does Will Smith, I just don't think I can talk Steven into going to see it.

2. I got an early birthday present from GiGi and I looooooove it! It's a retro bathing suit and it makes me giddy!

If I weren't relegated to wearing a hat thanks to the skin cancer, I'd also buy the vintage swim cap! I'm not even kidding. I think it's the cutest thing since Stella.

3. So I mentioned yesterday that the hubster bought me a Bear Grylls fleece for Valentine's day. And here it is in all it's bad arse Bear Grylls glory:

And it's awesome. It's a lovely wasabi color, it's soft, and it will allow me to be stranded in the mountains with only bugs to eat and my my own urine to drink.

Even better, it came with a free t-shirt. Ok so the t-shirt is on the lame side but it was free and the fleece rocks!

4. Little Bit and I had a date at Steak N Shake the other day. Sometimes I love having girl time with her. She's usually soooo good when it's just me and her. But if it's me and Steven, or me and GiGi, watch out!

5. I need a new Twilight series of books in my life. I finished reading Catching Fire a while back but book 3 won't be out until the fall. So I need something in the meantime. Now don't get me wrong, I've been reading. I've read 4 books on Mt. Everest in the last 2 months. And I highly recommend "Into Thin Air" about the 1996 Everest tragedy. Steven and I have no doubt that if we had over $100,000 we could climb that sucker despite the fact that 1 in 6 people die AND the fact I can hardly climb the three flights of stairs to my office without having a heart attack. Those are just minor speed bumps.

6. My friend and coworker is having a carnival themed birthday party for her 5 year old on Saturday. Somehow along the way, I agreed to dress like a clown. Literally. Meet Giggles. Hope I'm in a bubbly kind of mood on Saturday or the kids could get Homey the Clown! I'll even be wearing the wig and green tights.

7. So we were suppose to have a family photo shoot a few weeks ago. But I just wasn't feeling the cold weather enough to be stomping around downtown Charleston. And Steven has been working on the weekends so it was getting hard to figure out a time. So we moved our session to the end of April. I'm so hoping for tulips by then!

8. Since we've been in our house a year now I'm getting the urge to paint. I have colors picked out for our office and laundry room. And I'd like to paint Sophie's room a shade of robin's egg blue. I told her today my plan was to paint her room "Cinderella blue"seeing as she has no concept of Robin's egg blue and she says "how about Sleeping Beauty pink, I love pink!" Ugh, how about no!

9. So we passed a police car yesterday with it's lights on and Little Bit informed me that "the police will shoot you dead." Nice. This is not Compton we live in but Winfield WV!

10. I've been playing match maker! I love playing match maker it's so fun and Cupid like. I won't be telling the couple that I "connected" about my last foray into match making. They are now divorced! But the guy is now happily married with two kids so it worked out for the best, right!

One Year

2010-02-22T18:33:00.004-05:00

It seems like it's been almost a year since I've blogged! Somehow, somewhere along the way I just lost my mojoe when it came to blogging. I use to love it. I've tried countless times to come here and write. In fact, I have countless posts saved but once I read them, I realized how depressing they sounded so I scratched posting them. But I realized something today. The point of this blog was to chronicle the life of my family. And that's not always going to be peaches and roses. So maybe if I just get the bad stuff out of the way, i can move on and get back to telling stories of my four year old screaming "damn it" from the bathtub and talking about poop. Besides, my bad is trivial in the grand scheme of things. So many people have it so much worse.

So on with the show! What I mean by the title of the post is simple. It's been one year since we moved into our new house. Our house that has definitely become our home. A lot has happened since moving here. Some good and some bad. Among the good I like to count the new neighbors and friends we have made since moving here. I'm so thankful to have some of these people in my life. I'm also thankful to have reconnected with old friends. Since moving here, Little Bit moved up two classes at school. Next up, Pre-K! Reggie the cat joined our family and life with a cat has been interesting. The hair! God the puffs of hair I find in corners and on the steps! And Miss Stella came along in August.

But unfortunately there has been a lot bad. We lost our sweet Oscar the Boxer boy in July. I don't think we'll ever quite get over that one. We still field questions from Little Bit. She declares constantly that she misses him and that it's been a long long time since she saw him.

I was diagnosed with melanoma, otherwise known as skin cancer and I'm looking at a surgery and possibly worse if I don't get the all clear from the tests. The words "no more tanning bed" scare me. There's nothing ickier in my shallow world than a tubby pasty me! But the words "possible chemo" scare me even more.

Tax season is back in full swing. And I don't think anyone quite understand how much that effing sucks. It stinks only seeing your husband who does A LOT a total of about 3 hours out of the day and one of those hours includes getting ready to head out the door in the morning. But as the Pioneer Woman quotes frequently on her blog per the good mafia wife, "this is the life I have chosen." HA! But Soph and I miss him terribly. I despise not being able to sit down at the dinner table together every evening.

And that new puppy. The one who helped to heal the gaping hole in our heart from Oscar the Boxer. She has a terminal kidney disease. No one can really say when she'll have to leave us but unfortunately it will be sooner rather than later in terms of having a pet. One vet says probably a year. I'm such a glass empty kind of person that I can't help but think of the end point. Of having to rip back open that wound that hasn't even quite healed the whole way. The questions again. The impossible answers. And just the general underlying sadness of the whole ordeal. We'd like to think that Stella was given to us for a reason. But reality tells keeps slapping us in the face reminding us that shitty things just tend to happen. Maybe it's karma and I need a list like Earl.

So on that note, I'll go ahead and cut this short so I can get back to regular scheduled programming. On a good note, the last season of Lost is on and it rocks! Tons of my friends are pregnant so there are lots of new babies coming this way in the fall. I have a sorority reunion in April. I'm the proud owner of a Bear Grylls fleece thanks to my awesome and thoughtful husband's Valentine gift to me. Nothing says I love you like a guy who eat maggots and grubs for a living. And Little Bit's princess birthday is coming up in a few weeks. So we'll just keep on keeping on.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-03T16:29:00.008-05:00

Christmas with a three year old was definitely unlike any Christmas I've ever experienced. Sophie B. really got into the magic of season. Chewy, our Elf on the Shelf kept her laughing everyday. Santa was a topic of conversation everyday. And for 25 days the doors on our advent house were almost ripped off the hinges!

Our trip to the ~~most expensive place on earth~~ Disney World the week before Christmas put somewhat of a wrench into our Christmas plans. It made for a hectic and rushed week leading up to Christmas when we came back. Come Christmas morning, Mickey Mouse couldn't hold a candle to the guy in the red suit who some how knew that a certain little girl had her heart set on a barbie jeep.

Pouring "coca-cola classic" for Santa. We figured that milk would get warm and nasty by the time he made it to our house.

Rounding the corner to see what had been left...

Watch out people/parked cars/animals and objects. Soph has wheels!

Channeling Alvin, "me I want a hula hoop!"

The Most Magical Place on Earth

2009-12-22T20:04:00.005-05:00

So last week was our big trip to Disney. Some called us crazy, but we DROVE. And i can honestly say that I could not be happier with that decision. Little Bit is a ROCK STAR in the car. We made it to Orlando in about 13 hours with only 3 stops. That included a late lunch about 1n hour away at the ole Bob Evans.

Steven was only able to spend one whole day at the Magic Kingdom with us. But we made it a marathon day. Cramming in a ton of characters and rides.

I'll keep this post short and just post some pics. I'll blog more about the trip when I have time. Right now I have presents to wrap!

First guy we ran into, Goofy!

Waiting for Mickey is hard to do!

The VIPs.

The castle looked beautiful decorated for Christmas!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

2009-12-07T20:05:00.002-05:00

When we bought this house last February I think I started planning a Christmas party right away. And when Janice mentioned wanting to have an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, I KNEW we had to have one. We tracked down a dickie and Steven went as Cousin Eddie. Love my husband! Next year we are going bigger and better. I'm thinking entertainment, perhaps karaoke or hand bells. Ok, onto the pictures.

Jered wore an "ugly" sweater, just not an Ugly Christmas Sweater. Props for channeling Bill Cosby.

The award presentation. The Jelly of the Month Club. The gift that keeps on giving the whole year!

The 3 finalists. Mark for "keeping it real". Joel for wearing his mama's sweater. Brian for wearing his musical, light up ensemble!

The law school gang. The key is go gaze off to the side.

The A&F gang got really into it!

He's Back!

2009-11-28T19:51:00.005-05:00

Guess who was parked on top of our Christmas tree when we walked in from all of our Thanksgiving travels? Chewy, the Elf on the Shelf! I thought Sophie B. would pee her pants when she spotted him hanging out on a branch. So he's back and he's taking notes to report back to Santa.

His story somehow landed on her bed. We had to read it immediately. Of course the most important thing about Chewy is that he can't be touched. Once touched, his magic disappears. Then I guess you are SOL because there is no one to report back to Santa whether you've been naughty or nice.

And of course we had to do some goofing off with the Christmas ornaments.

Now we are parked on my bed watching old school Rudolph. Tis the season! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

10 On Tuesday

2009-11-23T20:27:00.004-05:00

1. Still on a giant Scooby Doo kick around here. Apparently, I bare a striking resemblance to Velma. Whereas my daughter says she looks like the "pretty one" with the "cool scarf" around her neck.

Exhibit A: Mama

Exhibit B: Sophia

Now the bad part of this is that the other day I ordered an orange sweater. A few weeks later, I ordered a red skirt from the same place. The catalogue had them paired together with a purple scarf. Sounds crazy but looked cute. There ain't no way I'm wearing that orange sweater and red skirt together! See exhibit A.

2. My house is officially decorated for Christmas. If GiGi were a Smurf she'd be Christmas Smurf because she came over on Sunday and helped me to do some serious decorating. She can whip up a wreath in .2 seconds. And her secret, fishing line.

3. Ugly Christmas Sweater party is set for December 5. Steven's ensemble is hilarious. Thanks to my aunt for sending me not one but 2 dickies from Uncle Kev's stash. Funny, she said that I did NOT have to return them. Said that the were just going to "disappear."

4. We are about 20 days away from seeing "the mouse" And I'll be truthful, Sophia Carr could really give a flying sh*t. I'm pumped to be spending some serious cash on tickets.

5. My cousin Shane is headed to Afghanistan next week. Stinks.

6. I'm in a "hate the world" kind of mood today.

7. But wait, I saw New Moon and it was awesome despite the awkward pauses stupid Bella screaming as though she's in child birth during her "bad dreams." So maybe I don't hate the world. I came out of the theater on Team Jacob.

8. We are headed to PA on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. Four days full of cousins, a puppy, and craziness! Stella is going to have PapPap's blood pressure going through the roof! But she'll have an ally in Aunt Amy. We are doing our Christmas gift exchange while we are there since we stay down here for Xmas. I know what Soph is getting and lets just say that I have a feeling Snoopy snow cones will be forced upon everyone.

9. Pierced ears have been a hot topic around here lately. Soph's intrigued by them, wants them, but also knows that there is pain involved so the chicken in her takes over. I'm leery because even if she does go through with it, I know that she'll fight me to the death taking care of them.

I chickened out on multiple occasions. The first time, i was 4 and went with my best friend. I made the mistake of letting Allison go first so I saw what went down and said, hell no. Then finally a few weeks later my great aunt was watching me and i announced that I was ready to bite the bullet. Not wanting me to change my mind she said, "get in the car, lets roll!" I distinctly remember that I had on wonder woman under-roos. That's it. And I remember her taking me down to a small town beauty shop, climbing up in the chair, and that was that. In my under-roos PEOPLE!

10. On that note, I'm out. I'll leave you with a photo of Hanna Montana. This was from a birthday party where Sophia's behavior was class act. NOT.

44 Months

2009-11-18T20:18:00.004-05:00

Daphne, I mean Sophie,

Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you? Perhaps you are in Puerto Rico chasing el chupacabra. Running from ghastly ghost pirates (my personal favorite). Or maybe you are hanging out with Sunny and Cheer, the Harlem Globetrotters, Batman & Robin, or Don Knotts. It all blurs together considering that I've watched no less than 3432 episodes in the last month. All I know is that you can't get enough of the Scoob.

The highlight of this past month was of course trick-or-treating. This year we ventured over to Ben's neighborhood since there are only 7 kids in our new neighborhood. Why is it that kids feel the need to run as fast as they can to each house. It's as though you truly believe that they are going to run out of candy before you can reach their doorstep. So run you did, and fall you did. Skinning your knee and causing us to make a quick costume alteration in the middle of the street. But you picked yourself up, dusted yourself off, and quickly ran to the next house. We chuckled when you announced to a few people that you couldn't eat peanuts but not to worry, you would give those snickers bars to your mom and dad. Thanks for thinking about us baby girl!

You are still a kid who loves music. And I hope you are always a music lover. And I hope you always love such a wide variety of music. Nothing makes me laugh more to hear you break out in a song that it's particularly age appropriate. The other day your daddy was dumbfounded when you broke out into a chorus of "Walkin After Midnight." On the way back from the mall the other day you told Gigi, that you "woke up dis morning, smiled at the rising sun." And I often hear you, singing, "a hip hop, a hippie the hippie to the hip hop, you don't stop the rock."

You love all of the kids in the neighborhood. Every.Single.One.Of.Them.Nicholas, Nathanial, Zack, Toby, Tanner. And I love that you love them. I love that you get excited when you see someone outside and run as fast as you can to join them. I love how you go next door, ring the doorbell and ask politely if so and so can come out and play. I love how we literally have to bring you inside kicking and screaming when it's time to go to bed. I'm so happy that we moved here. When I told you that some little girls would be moving in to the house down the street you got so excited and immediately asked if they were going to be your friend and play outside with everyone.

Christmas is right around the corner and you didn't need anyone to tell you that fact. You've asked me countless times if "Chewy" the Elf on the Shelf would be able to find your new house because he needed to report to Santa how good of a girl you were being. And also, that the jeep that you want is pink.

This coming month we'll be heading to Grammy and PapPap's for Thanksgiving. So far you have told me that you are thankful for dinner with your family, Reggie, and Stella. But not spiders or lady bugs. In fact, you "hate their guts." Oh and you are thankful for John Denver and yesterday on the way to school you asked me if he would be able to play his guitar at your school Christmas show. When I explained to you that unfortunately, John Denver is in heaven, and not almost heaven anymore, you said, "oh, well then I guess Michelle's daddy will have to play then." Poor old John Denver. Who needs him when you've got Michelle's daddy. Maybe your daddy could come to school and swing a golf club for the class.

So happy 44 months Little Bit. This time next month we'll be hanging with Mickey Mouse. And big surprise for you is that your friend Allie from school is going to be there too! Same week, and same hotel! What are the chances. Of course I'm not sure why we are spending so much money taking you to Disney World when for $5 there's a perfectly good Snow White in Hurricane. Who knew!

Love Mama

A Wedding Interview

2009-11-04T21:03:00.002-05:00

My child must plan on marrying Warren Jeffs and become a child bride since she says she's getting hitched at 14! Please excuse her rat's nest hair do and my obnoxious voice!

In case you are wondering why in the world she says she's getting married in Puerto Rico, Steven and I got married there, five glorious years ago. Five looooong years. Just kidding. So she thinks that's where you go to get married. As for being a cow girl when she grows up, I have NO CLUE where that came from Maybe she'll end up marring a millionaire rancher like the Pioneer Woman!

Tuesday Halloween Edition

2009-11-02T17:01:00.010-05:00

1. Out of 12 months, October is probably my favorite because of Halloween. I start thinking about costumes in August. This year, however, Sophie was dead set on being a witch. As I've mentioned before, a witch with a crooked hat and crooked broom. Score on the broom but not on the hat. Regardless, I think she turned out pretty cute!

2. We also carved pumpkins! What I thought would be a fun activity for the kids in the neighborhood turned out to be the moms standing around the table carving pumpkins for them while they ran around like wild Indians playing.

Here's Sophie and Nathanial showing off the pumpkin that his mom carved. HA!

3. Trick-or-treat night really made us miss our old neighborhood. People in our old hood really go all out for Halloween. This year, since we are in a new neighborhood with only a few houses we decided to go trick-or-treating with Ben. The kids had a blast but it just wasn't the same. Gracie joined us too!

4. Since little Owen was a monkey for Halloween, I thought "wouldn't it be great if his dad would dress up as a giant banana?!" So I talked to Joel and asked if he'd wear a big banana if I found one. $5.49 later, this is Joel:

5. However, my plan to point fingers and laugh at Joel back fired when his wife called and said, "lets all dress up!" She had just dressed up for work and told me that she had these "awesome" costumes. Behold:

Yeah, not so awesome! Stephanie and I look like idiots dressed as flower pots while Shannon got to be the cute gardener!

6. So knocking on doors and saying "trick-or-treat" is becoming a thing of the past. It seems like everyone sits out in their driveway now. I know three little kids who got very excited to actually ring a doorbell and wait patiently.

Unfortunately, the old bag who opened the door gave each of them on single Tootsie roll. Wow.

7. Saturday we had an adult/kid Halloween party to hit. I wanted us all to dress up but for the life of me I couldn't think of anything. Then a few days before the party, crikey, it hit me! We could easily be the Irwin Family. A few iron-ons and plastic snakes later Sophie was Bindi Irwin.
8. I was a chubby, brunette, Terri Irwin.

9. And Steven was the legendary, Steve Irwin, may he rest in peace. Had there not been kids we might have went with some blood and a stingray.

10. So that was our Halloween. Sophie has been stuffing herself with candy and passing us all of the peanut filled treats.

Hoop it UP!

2009-10-26T21:15:00.005-04:00

My kid desperately wants to hula hoop. Unfortunately, try as she might. Girl friend just can't quite figure it out.

She even tries the hoop around the neck method.

Mama, on the other hand, can hoop with the best of 'em. Actually, GiGi is the BEST hula hooper around. Wonder if we can snag a picture of that at some point!