10.9.8...

...turning 33 is pretty great! At least so far. I only start being 33 today, but so far I've gotten out of bed, kissed my kids, watched them as they continue to dream their sweet dreams, and spent quiet moments talking to the very God who knew 33 years ago that I would sit here talking to Him in these moments today.

He knew the very roads that would be traveled to get to this birthday. That there would be days so happy and joyful, and days so sad I could barely breathe. He knew. He knows. He was there too. He is here now.

Wow.

He knows that birthdays are something I struggle with sometimes these days. Not because I'm getting older. No, because He knows that on this day, October 9, my eyes turn toward heaven. I can't help but think of the baby who was to be born on this day. He would have been 4.


Happy Birthday Angel Baby, I hope that you and your older brother or sister have an awesome day. Tell your brother or sister that I won't forget his/her special day either, November 14. I don't know how birthdays are celebrated in heaven, but I know it has to be amazing. Tell everyone hello for me. Tomorrow would be Grandaddy B's birthday, so maybe you guys could do something together like we used to for our birthdays. I can still hear his laugh. It was always so much fun! Daddy and I promise to take good care of your little brother and sister. Someday I will tell them about our angel babies in heaven. Matthew and Rachel always like to think of their angels watching over them from heaven, I know they will too. I love you, sweet baby, Happy Birthday. Love, Mom.

Bag It!

Be you Mom or Dad, baby, kid, grandma, grandpa, or just Joe,....(click to continue reading!)

Six Months

Dear Lilah,

Just a few days ago you turned six months old. I can barely believe I'm typing those words. Yesterday you went for your six month checkup with Dr Jeanie, of course your brother who is Dr J's biggest fan went along with us. You did so good! Even after getting 5 shots, you only cried for a minute. I am sorry to tell you that you have to go back in a month for the 2nd half of your flu shot, but you are one tough cookie so it should be no sweat!

Carter got his flu shot yesterday too. He wasn't expecting anyone to be coming at him with a needle and spent most of the visit telling anyone and everyone who would listen to him that "Lilah not want any shot today." He is your biggest advocate, second only to Mom. He didn't cry when she gave it to him, but he glared at that nurse with the fire of a thousand suns....and for a long time after too! Not you though, you were smiling and "talking" before your tears were even dry.

You are sitting almost unassisted now, and rolling most anywhere you wish to roll off to. You have also recently started doing this inchworm type crawl that pretty much gets you anywhere you want to go....even if it does take a while to get there!

You have the most laid back personality I have ever witnessed. Rarely do you ever fuss! This doesn't mean you are quiet though. You are finding your little voice. Chattering and squealing.....sometimes I think you are just trying to see how loud you can get!

One of your favorite things to do is to ride in your walker. When Carter was a baby Mom tied a string to it, mainly so that I could pull him as I went from room to room and minimize any fussiness when I was out of his sight. That same string is still there and Carter loves to pull you around the house. You love it too, because you are laughing and chattering at him the whole time he is wheeling you around (and he only clotheslines you occasionally). I'm sure this goes against any and all regulations for walkers and how they are used, but it happens to work for us at this moment and you are never out of my sight in the walker....especially when Rambo is awake.

You have become quite the little model of late. You had your photo shoot for the hospital, and did so good! She got what she needed in just a few minutes. My favorite photo shoot was when your Aunt Crystal came to do Mom/baby photos of us a week or so ago. You did so awesome...as we knew you would! We were able to get some pictures of you in a dress that your mom wore herself 32 1/2 years ago! How awesome is that?

When I was pregnant with you, I couldn't imagine how I would divide my love between you and your big brother. Turns out, I don't have to divide anything. God has given me more than enough love to go around, and I am so very grateful to Him for trusting me with caring for you and your brother. I love you so much, and I am so very thankful to be your mom.

Love,
Mom

This isn't the pic Crystal took, it's just a quick snapshot I took. I'm sure you can figure out that the second picture is me.
...at the end he is saying that he's gonna go get his drill. Yeah, his drill.

Still Here!

Update: I added a couple of pics from my table at the Ladies Banquet. You can make the pics bigger by clicking on them.

..but man have I been busier than I like to be! Well, I really shouldn't say that, I love being involved in everything I can manage to get involved in.......I'm just not used to doing it with TWO babies in tow and a husband who's planted in the corn field as of late!

I am so tired.

Once more for good measure.

I am so tired.

But I just plain ADORE my new "jobs"! My 4 & 5 yr old Sunday School class are just plain adorable. I love the freshness of their love for Jesus. The way they explain things so matter-of-fact, so honest....and yes moms and dads....so completely!...everything!.....EVERYTHING!

My Awana class is super sweet as well! Alot of them are in my SS class and last year I had K & 1st grade but this year since I had 15 Kindergarten sign up and 11 1st graders, they decided to put the 1st graders with 2nd grade and K by themselves. I can not tell you how thrilled I am about this!

Not that I don't miss most of my first graders, it just seems like everything is so much more laid back....so far! Could have something to do with the fact that I'm not pregnant this year? Yeah, probably! No worries though, I still see my 1st & 2nd graders every week as my friend and their teacher, Brooke, tries to wrangle them into some sort of organized chaos. They all still come by to see Lilah since they heard about her and watched my belly grow with her all year last year. She was only a few weeks old when Awana let out for the summer. They are all amazed at how big she is now!

Also, tomorrow night is our annual Ladies Banquet. Several ladies from church host and decorate tables, we fellowship, eat, then worship together. FUN!! We usually have it in the spring but this year decided to switch things up a bit and have it in the fall. Which would be cool if I were firing on all cylinders at the moment. I'm so not!

I usually do a "spring" themed table complete with tiki torches and spring plants and flowers. I'm using the same "bones" for my fall table but like I said, the creative juices just aren't flowing lately like they usually do.

My dining room and garage have exploded these last week with "projects"...note that "s" on the end. I am building...yes, building, tables for my SS/Awana classroom. They are actually done except for the creative bit of painting I want to do...haven't had time or mindset for that lately, building a bookshelf (also done except for paint), and making curtains for my classroom as well. I painted it a few weeks ago. It looks much better but I can't wait to get everything finished!

I've been trying to get everything together for my table for the banquet, organize everyone else who is doing a table, and lining up doorprizes for the event. (I know!...dum dum!)

Did I mention those two babies? Poor things! They have been so patient with me! Our house is a disaster, you can barely walk through the garage, and those dang puppies have destroyed everything in sight in our yard!

Oh, and did I mention we had Lilah's Dedication service at church on Sunday? Not that I had to do much other than make sure everyone knew time and place, but it's still a little stressful. I wasn't worried about how Lilah would do...hello? dream baby! I was a little concerned that Carter might have a meltdown when we went up on stage though....he didn't! He was a dream too! What a beautiful service it was too! Lilah, and two other babies at church were dedicated. As Lilah's Aunt Tammy has said a few times, it was just so beautiful! Not a dry eye in the house! When our pastor, Luke, picked her up to pray over her, Lilah smiled the biggest smile. Beautiful!

Thank you to those who took the time out of your busy schedules, some driving long distances, to share such a special once in a lifetime event with our family, with our precious baby girl. Thank you for the cards and notes. They will have a special place in her baby book. Thank you for your pledges to help us as we dedicate ourselves to raise our children in a Godly manner.....and thank you for publicly dedicating yourselves to do the same!

Okay, I think you are caught up...I gotta get to bed now.

Have I mentioned that I'm tired?

...and that I have two sinusy snotty babies? (well 3 really)

Nite nite!

Fall, Fairgrounds, and 1994.....

Well, if there ever was a week that represents the very essence of fall....this would be it! At our house anyway. The county fair is this week. Does it get more "autumn" than that? Yes, they have a fair in town in the spring, but I've never quite been able to go to that one. The fair is all about fall for me!

I love everything about it! I love the advertiser's booths with all their giveaways, the exhibits are one of my favorites (my inner teenager is screaming in disbelief. aren't you the girl who used to blow through the exhibit hall without a second glance??) I love to look at all the animals. Carter loooooved the miniature donkey in the petting zoo last year! And who can go to the fair without cruising the midway? Even if you have no plans of riding any of the rides or playing any midway games...you just have to at least walk the midway once, right?

There is one thing I don't particularly enjoy about the fair. At least not anymore. The Tilt-A-Whirl.

The year I graduated high school I went to the fair with a few friends. Looking uber cool, we strolled the midway, rode the rides, saw the sights....all in post-high-school grown up coolness, of course. We got on the Tilt-A-Whirl as a group. If you've ever ridden this ride, you know the seat kind of curves around the inside of the car. (remember this...very important!) I was sitting on the end, which curved around, so basically I was staring straight at my friend, Charis' ear...then Shannon & Summer were on the other side of Charis.

I'd never had a problem riding things that go around and around. Until that night. A few minutes into the ride I started getting queasy, but I thought I could handle it....then I knew I couldn't. I tried to get the attention of the ride operator. I couldn't. My friends were getting worried. They tried to get his attention. They couldn't either. I put my hand over my mouth to try to hold it in. In case you should ever need to know, that doesn't work.

I started puking. The fact that my hands were over my mouth only added to the force. My fingers just added to the splatter effect. The fact that the ride was spinning didn't help, I'm sure.

Remember how I told you I was sitting on the end? that curved around and faced my friends?

Yeah.


Poor Charis.


It was on my clothes.



Poor Poor Charis.


It was on her clothes...in her hair....on her face.


I think we did manage to get off the ride before she started puking.

I don't remember whether Summer or Shannon had any on them, but I do have very vivid memories of them in fits of laughter, so I'm thinking they probably didn't.

Did I mention they laughed at us? Really hard?

You know how when you graduate high school, you go to the local events in all your post graduation glory? You want to look like you are "all that"?

Well, we soooo did! Look like "all that" I mean. I don't remember what we had eaten that night, Charis might though. I do remember that for some reason Charis and I had driven separately and had met Shannon & Summer in S'boro that Saturday night.

I bet Shannon & Summer were so incredibly thankful for that little blessing.

Charis & I rode home that cool autumn night with the windows rolled down. We wanted to enjoy the cool fall night.........

.......and avoid smelling ourselves in all our post graduation glory.

Check those that apply...

...well, I guess that about sums it up!

Stroll on....

As a work from home mom, I am constantly trying to figure out how to fit physical activity into my day. One of our favorite ways to get outdoors is to........ (Click here to continue reading)

Move over Gerber baby...

...well, I think she's just beautiful. Turns out, I'm not the only one! A month or so ago I got a postcard in the mail from the hospital where Lilah was born. They wanted parents of 0-6 month old babies born at that hospital to send in a candid photo for a chance to win a session with a professional photographer. Also, one of the portraits from that session will be displayed in the hospital as "art" in the mother/baby wing.

Well, I sent in the photo above, taken one day on our couch.....and received a call a week or so ago that Lilah had been chosen as a winner! Isn't that cool?! Her portrait session is this Saturday and I'm looking forward to seeing what the photographer has in mind for my little cutie.

The downside is that the photographer is in Ooletewah, TN which is about an hour and a half away.....which means mucho dinero for gaso! I may try to plan a visit with a sweet couple from church who recently moved there though.....one of Mrs. Lou's awesome hugs should be plenty to ease the pain in my pocketbook!

Now, back to the garage! My skillsaw and drills are a'callin my name! I've been constructin' up a storm...I promise to show pics when I have the finished product(s)!

It was Tuesday...

...I was getting ready for work. Brushing my teeth to be exact. Listening to the television from the bathroom and as I heard this:

"We understand that there has been a plane crash at the southern tip of Manhattan," Bryant Gumbel says. While he knows it has penetrated One WTC, he is uncharacteristically mystified. "We don't know if it's a commercial aircraft. We don't know if it's a private aircraft," he says. About eleven minutes later, an eyewitness describing the fearsome scene by phone gasps, "Oh, there's another one! Another plane just hit!...That definitely looks like it was on purpose." Gumbel, who must have looked away from his TV monitors, could not believe his ears. "Why do you say that was definitely on purpose?" he asks the caller. After technicians rewind the tape, Gumbel's skepticism evaporates. "There we see the explosion," he says."

...as I was hearing those very words, I was hurrying to the TV to watch. I can still hear that woman's words. The woman on the phone with Bryant. I sat on my coffee table watching in disbelief. Then, driving to work listening to the radio as the 3rd plane hit the Pentagon. Then another in Pennsylvania. Talking to my husband on my cell as I drove I remember being afraid. What is going on?? Where would they hit next? Is it over? Now what?

I remember that morning so vividly right down to the clothes I was wearing. VZW was at our old location. We moved our TV that we watched training videos on from the back to the front and borrowed a coat hanger from the dry cleaner across the street and covered it with tin foil to see if we could pick up the local news channels. There were barely any customers that day. The few that came in sat with us and watched as we watched the scene replayed over and over on the news the entire day......

....now it's Thursday, it's been 7 years. I still can not begin to imagine how scared the people in those buildings and on those planes must have been that day. I know that my God was the same God that day, in those buildings and in those planes that He is today....that He's always been. I know that He was a comforter to those who were there who knew Him. I can't imagine the fear of those who didn't.

Tell your loved ones,...tell everyone about Jesus. Tell them that He died for them. Tell them about Salvation. Tell them that in my Jesus lies their only hope. TELL THEM!

Because we don't know what today brings, or tomorrow. But I know that my God will be the same then......and forever.

Do you remember where you were that day?

p.s...I'm also over here today, but I just couldn't let today pass without acknowledgement. There's a link in my post there for MrDealfinder, if you haven't ever checked it out, you should! You won't be sorry!

The moment....

...you've all been waiting for!!




The winner from the Mule Day/I Love Fall Giveaway was selected via the Integer Generator @ Random.org. I mainly used this because I was tickled to be able to say "random integer generator"... and I also got a very reminiscent feeling when I visited the website. Just look at this:

Part 1: The Integers
Generate random integers (maximum 10,000).
Each integer should have a value between and (both inclusive; limits ±1,000,000,000).
Format in column(s).

Doesn't that just scream high school math class, freshly sharpened pencils, and the aroma of that (beloved) OCD math teacher who polished the beautiful wood floor of his classroom himself daily with Orange Glow and a dustmop?

It Soooo does!

Okay, so where was I?...Ohhhh yeah, the winner!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

5	

Timestamp: 2008-09-10 01:03:30 UTC

....and the lucky commenter who was number 5 is:

Carrie @ A New Heart!

Congratulations! Now, you must all go over and visit Laurel to check out the winners from all of the other giveaways and check out her fabulous new blog design which she did herself!! As someone who's technologically challenged (to say the least!) I'm so totally impressed! Go over and show her some comment love on her new design and for the great idea (not to mention all her hard work!) of the I love Fall Giveaway!

Thank you for allowing me to participate Laurel! It's been so much fun and I'm enjoying getting around to all the blogs and meeting all the new people who participated!

Carrie...I'll be emailing you!

800-462-0800

...put that number up somewhere. The pediatrician recommended that I put it up on the fridge......about a year and a half ago. Did I?

No.

What is that number, you ask?

The one for Poison Control.

I came out of the bathroom a few days ago to find Carter holding a bottle of teething tablets. Not only was he holding them, there was a white trail of them coming out of the side of his mouth.

I grabbed the bottle and asked him how many he ate. "A bunch", he said.

Great.

I proceeded to try to count to see how many were missing, because I've had to call PC before (the time I found him happily munching on Tums while watching Dora on the couch), and I knew they would ask.

37 were missing.

Then Carter says, "I give Lilah medicine, Mom."

Oh dear Lord, I almost passed out right then and there.

"How many did you give her, Carter?"

"A bunch!" , he said, smiling. (real proud, like he was helping!)

The PC lady put me on hold. During the hold time I was:

1. Sure she was calling DHR and they would be arriving at any moment.

2. Listening to various safety tips(as if I needed to feel worse!) on the hold line.

The nice lady came back to tell me that a toddler of Carter's weight (28lbs) would need to eat 250 teething tablets to do any harm, and Lilah would need to be seen by her pediatrician ASAP for observation.

After a visit to Dr Jeanie, Lilah was determined to be just fine!

"Teething tablets are a fantastic "homeopathic remedy" for teething, just keep them out of reach of the little ones" she told me.

Duh!

They were out of reach! Unfortunately I forgot that Rambo can scale the fridge in a matter of seconds giving him access to the top cabinets.

Today I am going to purchase a heavy duty fire safe (one of the BIG ones) to store our medications, firearms, and cigarette lighters (for candles, we don't smoke) in.

Maybe that will work.

Maybe.

p.s...I tried to find the post about the Tums to link to ('cause I'm sure I blogged about it) but I couldn't find it, so FYI...a toddler can eat 17 Tums before you should worry.

disclaimer: As I have said before, we DO watch him...mostly!

Okay, I have to go now, he has found my scrap booking stash by way of standing in Lilah's pack'n'play holding his fishing pole and "fishing" the container off a bookcase shelf, and is currently surrounded by a proverbial scissor buffet! (not kidding) I guess my scrap booking supplies will be stored in the fire safe from this day forward.

For Christmas, please...PLEASE (aunts, uncles, & grandparents) buy him books. Short (as in not tall) ones.

I'm totally begging.

Rambo

Five Months

Dear Lilah,

I can barely believe that a couple of days ago you turned five months old! It seems like just yesterday we were anxiously awaiting your arrival.

I continue to be amazed at how sweet and pleasant you are! All the time! As long as you're fed you never fuss in the slightest. Unless your brother bites you on the belly in the bathtub like he did tonight. Even then, you didn't cry much at all. Though you did get even with him. You pee'd in the water while wearing your biggest grin, which sent him screaming from the tub. That's my girl!

Even when you had your ears pierced earlier this month, you didn't shed a single tear! I decided to go ahead and get that done because even attempting to clean your big brothers ears can get very dramatic, so I wanted to avoid a big production later. I'm glad I did! It's been 4 or 5 weeks now and you haven't fussed with them once. Carter says that your "earrums" look pretty! I think so too!

When we went to the pediatrician when you were only a few days old, we didn't get to see Dr. Jeannie, we saw Dr. McClain and she went on and on about how spunky you were. I thought she was nuts! You just laid there looking around, she should have saw Carter at 3 or 4 days old if she wanted to see spunky! I didn't know babies came as good as you! I am now seeing what that wise doctor saw then. You kick those feet constantly and jabber and coo as long as you're awake.

Carter gets a big kick out of your continuous "talking". He always wants to know, "What's Lilah saying, Mom?" I started out saying, "I don't know" but I figured out pretty fast that wasn't going to work. He just kept asking and asking until I told him what he wanted to hear. Now when he asks I tell him something like, "She said, Carter, you should really pick up your tractors so Mom doesn't have to." or "She said, Carter your hair looks so good when you let Mom brush it." or "She said, Carter I'll be so glad when I'm big like you and I get to brush my teeth!" It seems to tickle him, but he might think you're a little bossy. Sorry about that! (but I'm not stopping! HA!)

You have rolled over a few times now and are sitting up pretty well "tripod style". I don't think it will be long before you can sit unassisted! You are starting to drool and chew on anything you can get into your mouth so I don't think it will be long before you get some teeth. Everything you do is so animated, it's hilarious to watch you try to get things into your mouth! You use both hands and both feet! So cute!

Your favorite person in the world, except of course your mom, is your big brother. You watch his every move with absolute and complete delight! Even when he climbs right up on top of you and says "what you doin', doll?" I know that can't be comfortable for you, but you smile your biggest smile for him! You both love bath time! Mom loves it too now that you're big enough to get in the tub with Carter. You both giggle and chatter the whole time.

One of my favorite things you are doing right now is when I am holding you and I kiss you (which I do a time or thousand a day!) you grab on and attempt to "kiss" back. I love it! (I do realize that you are probably just trying to get anything into your mouth that feels good on your gums, but it still warms my heart!)

I am so blessed to be your mom. I thank God daily for trusting me with caring for you. I look so forward to watching you grow and learn and play!

I love you so much, Lilah!

Love,

Mom

.....p.s. you can still enter the Mule Day Giveaway through September 9!

Deedra has left the farm!

...so today I'm on a break from the Farm. Check out my digs for today!

Please come back and give me some feedback?


Thank you!

...but while I'm away, you can still register for my Mule Day Giveaway (through Sept 9) and check out my Mule Day pics!

Hillbilly Holiday!

...so, I know I left you guys hangin' yesterday for my pics of Mule Day. Right? I mean, you spent your entire day just waiting for me to get home and post them? Ha!

Well, I ended up with 67 pics from the day and wanted to share as many of the hillbilly colorful attractions as possible, so I decided to go with a PhotoShow.

You'll notice a couple of "heads" in some of my photos. One of them stepped directly...DIRECTLY (as in I could taste the Aqua Net!) in front of me when she saw Teddy Gentry (of the country music supergroup Alabama) who was the Grand Marshal of the parade.

Lady, I don't know where you're from, but if you want to see Teddy up close and personal, just head on down to the Walmart(k). He buys birdseed by the buggyfull there all the time. Quite the nature lover that Teddy. Or head over to Verizon, he was one of my regular customers when I ran the place worked there. They all were!

Kelly, Randy's wife, once sent me flowers for being such an awesome Verizon Wireless employee. Well, I was an awesome employee, but I guess she forgot about the time she dog cussed me when I worked at Walmart in high school. The new(looooong time ago!) check reader ate a big fat hole in her check.......She. Was. Mad. I guess she couldn't afford to waste another check. haha!

Where was I?...lol! Chasing a mule?

The other "head" in the picture is of this woman who stood by us, on top of us, in front of us, and literally STOPPED THE PARADE at one point to snap a pic of the horseless stagecoach with her cell phone. She was a hoot!

If you don't have your volume on, turn it on. It's actually on the page, not the Photoshow, and takes a few seconds to load. The music adds to the mood! This is actual music played on the stage yesterday! (kidding!..lol)

...and don't forget, you can still enter the Mule Day Giveaway through September 9!

Mule Day Giveaway!

.....(or as those of you not from Itty Bitty, Alabama might call it.) The Labor Day kickoff of the I love Fall Giveaway, hosted by Laurel Wreath!

But if you were to live in my town, you'd know that today is Mule Day! Mule Day is the annual Labor Day celebration we host here each year where thousands (seriously, thousands!) of people descend on us here in Itty Bitty for a day of draft horse pulls, mule competitions, car shows, pony rides, ect, and it's all kicked off by a parade down the main highway ('cause we don't have streets here!)...oh, and most importantly the FOOD!

I promise to delight you with photos from the day's festivities once I return, but in the meantime, lets get to the giveaways!

In honor of my Mule Day/I love Fall Giveaway, I present to you my giveaway for today, I like to call it BBQ Dreams!:

This lovely prize package includes the following:

Sugar & Grits: A book about four strong women with a dash of sweetness.....and a heart for God!

Our Daily Bread, The Joy of New Life!: A Special edition of ODB designed for new parents. A fantastic devotional to help encourage and inspire parents of young children in their daily walk with God. (2 copies, 1 to keep, 1 to give away!)

Now, if you live anywhere in Alabama, Mississippi, or Tennessee you have no doubt heard of and love these next two items. If not, you can get it here and simply must try it! No self respecting southerner would dare attempt a BBQ without it!

Big Bob Gibson Championship Red Sauce (1 bottle) (this is awesome in hamburgers!)

Big Bob Gibson Original White Sauce (1 bottle)

....and a few other things to enhance your holiday BBQ experience!

Grill It Quick Cookbook, The Pampered Chef

Grilling Planks, The Pampered Chef

Microfiber Dishtowel, The Pampered Chef

Large Serving Spatula, The Pampered Chef (just plain perfect for removing burgers from the grill!)

Chillzanne Rectangular Server, The Pampered Chef (for keeping those cold items @ your BBQ perfectly chilled!)


....did ya'll notice that every single thing in my prize packet had something to do with food?...and did I mention I'm a Pampered Chef a time or twenty?

Now, all you have to do to enter is to leave a comment! (be sure to leave me an email addy so I can contact you if you win!) I will be picking a number at random and announcing the winner on September 10, along with all the other winner's of Laurel's fabulous I love Fall Giveaways. You can enter to win until 6 PM CST September 9. Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada only.

Remember, you don't have to have a blog to enter! Just be sure to leave me your email address so I can contact you! ...and if you haven't already, be sure to visit Laurel, she just might have a little surprise for ya over at her place!

Happy Mule Day!

Update: Mule Day Pics are up! Check them out!