Let's Talk Sauce

I once read a little ditty that went something like "You can put ranch dressing on dirt and a kid will eat it"...or something like that. I almost have to agree with that to a point. My boy loves some ketchup and ranch dressing. When I go grocery shopping, I automatically buy another ketchup bottle that will go to the top shelf in the pantry. I discovered a package of two incredibly huge bottles of Ranch Dressing at Sam's months ago. I didn't hesitate, my friends. I picked that two pack up and felt so superior as I walked away knowing I wouldn't have to buy ranch for a month.  I kid you not, that kid goes through some condiments. 

Here comes the bad part. He's so wasteful. See, my boy makes his very own Special Sauce. I'm going to share the recipe with you. It's ketchup and ranch mixed together. Large amounts. He has to get the ratio perfect (God bless his OCD heart) because if it isn't, he will keep pouring them separately until the mixture is right in his mind. I can't tell you how many times I have sat across from him at the dinner table and bit my tongue because he honestly doesn't care if he's wasting. The ratio has to be just right. I got to hand it to the kid, he does his level best to eat as much as he can, but more often than not, the supply beats demand hands down. 

Last week I was at Sam's doing my bi-weekly trip. My coffee K-cup supply was low. That can't happen in my world. Therefore, a trip was needed. As I was walking around planning meals in my head for the upcoming week and trying to remember if I had enough toaster strudels for The Boy for another week of breakfasts, I saw the  most incredible sight.

A six pack of squeeze bottles. Lovely, plastic, restaurant quality squeeze bottles. My mind jumped to the possibilities those bottles could provide my kitchen, my sanity, and my grocery bill.  When I saw these six bottles were under $5.00, why, I just couldn't put them in the cart fast enough. 

Such a simple plastic container. Oh, the possibilities.

When I got home, I had to do some thinking. What exactly was I going to put in these six lovely containers. When I started looking in the fridge, I realized there were way too many bottles of condiments to be legal. Makenna loves the barbecue sauce like The Boy loves the ketchup and ranch. There were, no lie, 4 bottles of BBQ sauce in the door. It was time to get busy.

I explained to my son what I was planning. You have to fully explain and give him all details. I wish I had gotten pictures, but he mixed up his own Special Sauce. I was not allowed to touch the process except to pour it in the bottle. He made two bowls and mixed and tasted and added more of this and a little of that until it was perfection upon his taste buds. 

The Man also has a special sauce he likes on fries. I'm pretty sure the fast food golden arches has a similar sauce they use on some burgers. I mixed it up, poured it in the bottle and made more room in my fridge. 

I put the standard plain ranch in one, and ketchup in another. I still have one bottle left to fill. Contemplating some Duke's mayo to simplify the sandwich making process in the future.

Voila! My life is made simpler, there's more room in the fridge, and hopefully the waste will not be as bad. 

Some of you are probably thinking why on earth would I blog about plastic bottles. Because it was so simple a solution and not expensive. 

Now if I could just get some of that white sauce from the Japanese restaurant........

Oh! Can I just put this out there? Are my children the only people on this planet that when it's time to clean the kitchen after supper, the condiments blend into the table cloth and disappear and never make it back to the refrigerator? Literally every time I walk back in the kitchen after they've "cleaned" it, there sits the condiments on the table, looking forlorn and forgotten. Drives me insane. Yeah, venting that didn't make me feel any better. Just reminds me that until they all move out, I will have to go behind them and put the stuff back in the fridge. Sigh.

Postive Thoughts on my Daughter Going to College

This evening we leave for college orientation! It's going to be a busy two days filled with lots of walking, meetings, and scoping out the campus where my child will go live come August.

Update for those who aren't friends with me on the book of faces. After clicking on quite a few "contact us" links and sending those emails, I received a phone call from the university Friday. This incredible woman sat on the phone with me and answered any and all questions I could come up with in my mind. I wanted to write everything down so I could share it with The Man and my daughter so I had her repeat until I finally grasped everything she was saying. She was patient and kind and I thanked her profusely over and over for being so awesome. By the time I got off of the phone, I felt better prepared to handle the orientation this week and was much calmer. (I think the anti-anxiety pills were kicking in- I may never quit taking them again. Ever.)

Yesterday, the girl child didn't go to work until the evening, so she went to church with us. A casual conversation between us made me realize she really didn't have anything to wear this week. Poor kid. She wears jeans and the restaurant tshirt to work and hasn't really had need for anything for summer up until this point. We did a quick run after church and Sunday dinner to see if we could find something quick before she had to head to work. We found cute knit skorts that are comfy and stylish. Add in a tie-dye'd tshirt in her school's dominant color and she is set for the all day session Tuesday! She feels good about having the cute outfit and I'm happy she's has something new and comfy to wear.

So, I've been thinking about the positive aspects of my child being on her own. What have I done, as a parent, to prepare her for the world? I've been working on a list that I will add to when I think of things, but here are a few I've come up with thus far.

1. She can cook. She has cooked for the family the past couple of years when I've been sick (or recovering from surgery) and has really done a wonderful job. If she can get to a grocery store, she can cook. This may come in handy for fellow students who are her friends.

2. She can do laundry. All three of my kids can do laundry. Yes, even the eight year old. He operates the washing machine better than his Dad or sisters. Doing laundry is important because I have laid down the law that she is not to bring home huge bags of dirty laundry unless she is planning to wash them here at home.  I have a feeling that many of these college freshmen will have no idea how to clean their clothes and she has potential to make some money if she charges to do it for them, right?

3. She can take care of business. Literally. Paige has had a bank account since she was fifteen with a debit card. She is not afraid to walk in the bank and deal with her business and handle what needs to be done. At first, she was hesitant, but I've told her the only way to learn is to just do it. Now? She's a pro.

4. My child can stand up for herself. Now, she may get a little mouthy at times and I chalk that up to age and that sooner or later she will learn to temper it and be a little more calm. As it stands now, she will not tolerate being mistreated or having those around her mistreated. She may only be 5' 2" (and a half....Lord, don't forget the HALF), but she's a firecracker when she gets angry.

These few things are comforting the Mama in me. Sure, there are more things that make her great and somewhat ready to head out into the world, I just feel good about these at the moment.

I have to share a laugh I had at her expense with you (because we're all close  friends and it's not like the world will see this, right?) On the orientation schedule, it's broken down to student activities and parent activities. On hers, it states that tomorrow night after walking and touring and meeting all day, they are doing some great stuff tomorrow night. You know, stuff like swimming, Wii, karaoke....busy exciting things! That's fine and dandy, but we read they won't leave to do that until 9:00 p.m. That makes my child blink because Grandma likes her sleep and will go to bed shortly after that time. She's already stated she'll see the bus off because she's not about all that activity that late at night. We all know better, of course, and so does she. She will be in the middle of everything and I feel sure she'll own the karaoke singing since she has an amazing voice. I also have a feeling she'll sleep all the way home Wednesday afternoon until she has to go to work Thursday. Grandma needs her rest, you know. (We've always called her Grandma because even as a small child, she has never gotten in a hurry over anything. Nothing. The child leaves for work almost an hour early (we live about 15-20 minutes away) so she doesn't have to hurry so get my drift?)

So, there you go. I am finding comfort where I can over letting my child leave home and get busy with her life. I've taught her what I can (and feel sure there will be many phone calls where I give crash course lessons on life) and she should survive pretty decently while she finds her footing in her new life.

I miss her already.....

Revamping The Edge

I still don't have curtains/drapes in my living room and dining room...or any of the bedrooms. We have lived in this house for two years now and I have naked windows. That's really sad, isn't it?

This is the Year of the House. The past two years, the priority list has been chiseled at until now we've arrived to doing stuff around the house. My Daddy, being the old fashioned guy he is, has always tried to instill in me this saying: If you can't afford to pay for it right then, don't get it. I scoffed at him until in the past two years I stopped and realized something. He may be right. Now, that doesn't apply to houses and cars because who really has the cash to go buy a house or car? (If you can afford that, then don't answer because there are many of us who will give you The Look.)

The Man and I started to manage our money a little better and have worked towards improving our home. Sure, it was new when we got it, but it was the model home so we didn't have any say in how it was built and there were really no bells or whistles like other new homes built from the ground up by the people who were going to live in them. We accepted that and made the best of it.

You all know my girl is graduating this year. *sob* We have family and friends who will be a part of this momentous occasion and will be visiting our home...some for the first time. Dude, I want it to look right. Maybe not the bedrooms so much, but the "living" spaces need to be done. Since the first of the year, I have made it my mission to see just what I can get done before May arrives in all its glory.

The first year living here we purchased a dining room set. The next year, we got rid of the carpet in there (seriously? carpet in a place where you eat??) and replaced the floor with hardwood to match the foyer. Nice. We painted that room last year and when I get drapes, I'll be finished with that room. One down.

Last year before my surgery and before The Man left for class up North, we purchased the paint for the kitchen and breakfast room. A lovely shade of pale yellow (Charleston, SC color palette) that I was thinking I was going to do while he was gone. How stupid I was to think I could recover from surgery and be able to do that. Suffice it to say, the paint is still in the garage and there are test splotches of it still on the walls in random places. I really hated the lighting in the kitchen, too. There was one cheap builder grade flourescent light (off center of the island= agitation of OCD) that really didn't help at all. My husband is a nuclear electrician and he and a few buddies have sat and studied that ceiling many many times trying to figure out how to put up more lights. Finally, he conceded defeat and called an electrician. Thank you, Jesus! Electrician came in and in thirty minutes, he told me exactly what I needed and where. I cringed as I waited for his estimate to come into the email box. It was such a relief to see that I know nothing about electricity and installation because if it were left to me? I would have made that  man a fortune off of us alone. We opted to buy the lights instead of him doing so. The trip to the store showed we were way in over our heads because we had no clue what we were doing there or buying.  I am so thankful for the older retired electrician working at the store who educated us (plus two phone consults-one to my Daddy, and one to the electrician) and helped us get what we needed. I finally went and bought the two pendant lights to go over my sink and matching chandelier for the breakfast room I'd been eye'ing for a year. We came out almost a hundred bucks cheaper purchasing the materials ourselves.

See, all of the lights have to be installed and done because painters are coming the second week of March! Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. Miss Hope is going to have this two story living room painted! Finally! I can't tell you how tired I am of looking at this builder's standard beige/tan/yuck. We decided to let them go ahead and paint the kitchen with the paint I already have. Add in them redo'ing the half bath because that was a failed first attempt on our part at painting. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to have some color up in my house! We had to really work for this and many things had to be stricken from the list before getting here but here we are! I have a big boy 70 inch ceiling fan for the living room and will have a new foyer pendant light installed by the same electrician when the painters are here with scaffolding. Wait until you see the picture of the pendant light we have now. I have never despised a light like I do that one. I would almost rather have one lone naked light bulb hanging up there instead of the pendant light the builder put in here.

Finally, I will be replacing this living room carpet. I can't take this light colored, stain catching piece we got going on now. Every time I vacuum, I state how much I hate it. Ask my family, I really do state it every single time. I thought about putting hardwood up the stairs but have decided to go with matching carpet from the living room. My kids sound like a pack of buffalo going up and down now. Maybe we can do the lovely hardwood when they're older? Or gone? I haven't even begun to look at carpet places but this stuff we have now has got to go. Oh, and before you all tell me I can have it cleaned? I have. The pretty clean lasts a day or two until my son goes outside and comes back in with dirty shoes. There's just not enough clean to it, man! 

Finally, the curtains for the living and dining room. I have no idea how I'm going to go about doing those. I know it bugs my Daddy that I don't have any so I'm going to make an honest effort to have some before he comes back for a visit. My living room drapes will have to be at least 104 inches long. Cha-ching. I'm really biting my nails on this one. Lord knows, I don't want to pay some interior designer to come in and charge me a car payment an hour for her/him to tell me what I need. I am so curtain challenged!!! I can't believe how unsure I am over material covering my windows.

As you can see, it's a busy time re-vamping The Edge a little right now. Big home projects finally hit the top of the to-do list here. I've waited patiently through braces for two kids, much needed furniture, paid off bills, and other things that came up unexpectedly for this time.

I even have a few pictures of what we've started doing around here. Hope you can see my vision and how much better it will be when all is said and done.

See??? How sad is this? There is no light in this area. It was dark at the stove. Oh, and there's a paint splotch of the yellow we're going to paint.

This is a view from the living room. Crap, I promise I took the peppermint plates down before the electrician got here. I just didn't realize they were still up from Christmas! This is where you can see how dark it was over the sink. No light, people!!

This is as soon as they finished. (note the proper plates are  in the plate holder). I got seven can lights. Four over at the stove and pantry area. Two over the island. Goooood Bye ugly flourescent light! Two pendants over the sink. Why, yes, they are pineapples! There's one more can light in the corner by the coffee pot. We are blown away by the difference and feel like we have a new kitchen. I do believe that if my husband and buddies had done this, there would be many holes all over my ceiling. To me, this was money well spent on a place that really needed some help. My Daddy suggested a dimmer switch. Good call....until the 13 year old discovered it. We had to have a talk about that.

There's our start! I am giddy over how different I know things will look when I'm done. I had some help from the lady who owns the painting company with colors for my living room. It was such a relief to have someone who knew what I wanted in my mind help me pick the right colors. I can't wait to share that with you!

Today is Leap Day or whatever they call it. My boy is home sick with bronchitis. Who knew a nasty barky cough would be bronchitis? Shoot, I was taking him to the doctor yesterday for good cough medicine and left with a two day excuse for school, a round of antibiotics, and cough medicine. He is relaxing in Dad's recliner in his pajamas with his shows on the t.v., Dad's laptop in his lap, and a drink by his side. Kid's got it good and doesn't even know it.

I'm going to have an update on me very soon. I've been holding out because I've been waiting for one particular thing and we're almost there. It'll be a good post.

If you have any suggestions for the curtain issue, I'm listening! Help a sister out!

What my new teenager did...

Tonight I was cooking supper and had Makenna in the kitchen helping me. In fact, The Man and I were out running errands when I called the house to have her start cooking some vegetables. I decided to make chicken and rice when we got home since it's quick and easy. Now, that's a good Southern dish that I have discovered that many outside of The Circle have not heard of nor do they eat. It's a simple filling dish of chicken, chicken broth, and rice, with salt and pepper, all cooked up in a pot. I don't cook it often, but my people enjoy it.

 I can't have rice due to the surgery. While I was getting the stuff on the stove going, I  decided I would boil some eggs and make myself some egg salad. Tasty and full of protein.

I got a small pot out of the cabinet and handed it to Makenna. I said, "I'm going to make some egg salad so please put me five eggs in the pot". (I can't eat but one egg but knew the rest would want some.)

After a few minutes I heard this odd sound I should not have been hearing.

I turned around and there she was.

My child.

Cracking an egg into the pot.

"What are you doing?!?" said I.

"Putting five eggs in the pot like you said!" she replied.

I walked over to the kitchen island to see four yolks floating in the pot and a fifth one about to join them.

I had to bend over I was laughing so hard.

Poor baby doesn't even know how to boil an egg.

She defended herself loudly in that I didn't specify exactly how I wanted the eggs in the pot. I was still laughing.

I finally explained the whole "boil the eggs and peel them and chop them for egg salad" deal to her. We are now clear in that if I give her a frying pan? Break the eggs. If I give her a pot? Then put the whole entire egg inside.

It took a little longer, but I had my egg salad. We did it the right way that time.

A New Teenager has Arrived!

My kids keep growing and becoming more awesome and I just get older. What's up with that?

This past Monday, my Baby Girl officially hit the big 1-3 !!! Yes, Internets, I now have two teenagers residing in my home. Makenna has hit that mysterious age bracket where emotions run high and life has potential to be one huge drama filled adventure. We've all been there, right?

When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, the only thing she wanted was a gift card to that place where JoAnn sells fabric and may be some cash to spend at Michael's store of craft goodness. Seriously. She got that sewing machine for Christmas and is itching to teach herself how to make her own fashions. Who am I to stop a designer in the making?

The past weekend was a bit hectic. My mother is in the hospital and we had to go check on her. She is quite ill with another stroke and aspiration pneumonia. ~sigh~ I am so thankful that her mind is sharp and her speech is unaffected. I spent my allotted ICU visitation time with her and hated to leave her on Sunday to head back home. Any thoughts and prayers you can send her way would be greatly appreciated.

Back to the Birthday Girl. Saturday, after a visitation with Nana, we went to grab a bite to eat. Thank goodness for Aunts who figure out the where and when for such a great occasion. I just had to really just show up with the Birthday Girl and family and just enjoy. Makenna picked her place of choice and there was a decent turn out to celebrate. I wish I could have gotten everyone to go but I just didn't have my full mental thinking going on with worrying about my Mama. We all enjoyed a good meal and headed back to the hospital to spend another 30 minutes with the greatest Nana on earth.

The Man has to work evenings this week. Ahhhhh..gotta love the joys of getting a nuclear power plant up and running. I don't even try to understand all he has to do. I do know it's a great responsibility and I'm proud of him and so glad I don't have to know the wealth of information he has to know daily. (I solemnly state on a regular basis that if we depended on me to know what he knows? We'd be living in a shack.)

I did not put off Makenna's birthday supper on Monday night because of The Man's schedule. It was her day and we were going to celebrate! Her choice of restaurant was a Japanese steak house. Her siblings rejoiced because that's a favorite special occasion place to eat. It was my first time going since the surgery and I admit to being a little anxious about it, but I did just fine (that fried rice has potential to be my downfall!). We had a wonderful time and fully enjoyed the food.


Makenna, you have to know how proud The Man and I are of you. I am in awe of your abilities on a daily basis. You don't wait for knowledge to come to you. You seek it out and absorb it like a sponge. You are the peacekeeper of the family and we some times cling to your calming presence like a life line. Your sarcastic humor reminds me of someone...could it be me? I love how you're happy with people and being alone with just yourself. I'm so excited to see the woman you will become as I watch you grow day by day. But, you know, you could slow down just a little bit and I would be perfectly okay with that. You are so loved and without you, our family would be woefully incomplete.

And just so you know? Give me a few more pounds and I am totally gonna smoke you on that dancing W*i game. Where do you think you got that rhythm from?? Humph.

Of course, I took pictures to share with our friends! I can't let such a monumental day go by without pictures!

Yes! This is the shirt I bought her in 2007. Little did I know the child would be able to wear it so much. Definitely a good purchase on my part. This year she snazzed it up with a cami underneath and pulling it tighter in the back. This was the morning before school. Paige let her wear her tiara (for all intents and purposes for the school and their dress code? This is a fancy headband.) and she was definitely a Princess.

Lawd, I love this Sugar Face. He is so tolerant when his Mama does stuff like this.

There is a plastic wine glass here at the house that I have no idea where it come from. Makenna loves to drink out of it and says she feels "all fancy" when she does. After a quick drop in at that Pier place, I thought it perfectly okay for her to have her very own real bona fide GLASS to be fancy. She, of course, adored it. *Note the kid in the background who loves to sneak in pictures.*

My reasons for living. Paige is gonna shoot me for this picture. If I disappear suddenly? You'll know why.

We were waiting for our table and I kept looking at her and marveling at how much she's grown and I just had to take a picture of the moment.

She will always be my Baby Girl.

A Thought from a Kid

I love my Makenna. She has been such an easy child to love and raise. She is by no means perfect because that sister is lazy as all get out and hates cleaning and has high aspirations of being rich and hiring a house cleaner for me and her later in life. I'm not going to argue with her thoughtfulness.

She's the kid who sits in the background and observes everyone and everything around her. Trust me, there are times I have to look around and see if she's listening because  her eavesdropping will come back to haunt you later. *shudder* Trust me on that one.

Remember I had a talk with her before I had my surgery? She has moments when she is sad for me because of certain foods I can't eat anymore. We both gravitate to the chocolate during that time of month and while she eats her monthly quota, she will look at me with sad eyes because without that chocolate goodness, she is a hot mess. I only get to enjoy sugar free chocolate pudding. I know...it makes you sad, too.

The other day, out of the blue, she shocked me. She casually mentioned she had read my blog. I raised my eyebrows in question. I know my kids read my blog but after so many years of blogging, they kind of shrug it off and may go months without reading. It's cool, I don't mind.

She told me that she was worried when I had the surgery. When I asked her why, she said she was worried I wouldn't look like her Mama anymore. She went on to tell me that when she got to the progress post with the pictures, she was just blown away. She said..."You still look like my Mama, but you look so much healthier!"

I heart that kid.

I laughed and said thank you. I then commented that I think we favor more now my double chins are starting to recede. All my kids (and my niece Toot!) and I have the same pointy chin and cheeks. I can see it more now that my face isn't so swollen and puffy looking. It's the little things, friends.

I have to keep a closer eye on that sister. As calm and laid back as she looks on the outside..she worries on the inside. I need to make more of an effort and communicate better, I believe. The other two? If they are worried, you know it. There are no doubts what's going on with those two.

I wish I had a picture of the two of us, but the new phone (that wasn't dropped in the toilet) doesn't have one. I'm excited to take pictures this year and compare to last year. I promise to take pictures to share.

Speaking of pictures. I haven't taken any of my Christmas decorations. Can you believe that? I will, of course, take care of that soon. See, my husband has been out of town with a class for 15 weeks. Yes, 15 weeks. That's longer than a dang sea patrol. Sure, he's been home a few times for short weekend visits, but I need him HERE. I still can't believe I had this surgery and two weeks later he took off and I've been on my own healing with three kids. What was I thinking?

Anyway, he will be coming home this weekend. I am so excited I can't hardly stand it because he's taking Monday off to take me to Atlanta to a certain store that starts with the letter "I" with "ke" in the middle and an "A" on the end. My love knows no bounds for that place. I intend on doing some serious shopping and will be wearing the good shoes that day. No, the kids are not going. I don't have time for that mess. I need complete focus!!

I have now lost 73 pounds. When The Man and I went to that first initial visit with the doctor, Doctor C casually said that he bet I could lose 75 lbs before my husband got home from up North. I remember thinking, "Dude, you are high." Wow. I kind of wish I could lose those last two pounds before Saturday, but overall? I'm good. I still have a ways to go, but I'm chipping away at it every day.

If I don't see you before, you all have yourself a Merry Christmas.

Summer of Change, Choices, and a New Life

Hi Everyone! I'm still here, believe it or not. I think I'm finally ready to blog again and once I explain, I think you'll understand why I haven't been on top of my blog game the past couple of months.

The Summer of 2011 has to be the most life changing summer of my life. Wait....that means the summer of '89 when I graduated high school and lived at the beach would be put to the wayside. Hmmm. Let's say the Summer of '89 was the BEST summer of my young life and the Summer of '11 was the life changing time, okay? 

Where do I begin? We went on vacation in June with my life friend Lu and her family. We had a wonderful week of sand, laughing, golf cart riding, shopping, and eating. When we got home, regular life began again. The kids and I had doctor appointments of the regular kind. Makenna went and failed herself the skin allergy test. I'll try to remember to show a picture of that hot mess in another post. I went to my doctor to get medication refills and that's when the wind changed in my life.

I love my doctor. She is amazing and laid back and I would totally be friends with her in the "real world". We got to chatting and I looked her square in the eye and told her it was time to lose some weight. I was feeling old and tired...way beyond my years. She asked if I had considered bariatric surgery. I paused and then admitted that it had crossed my mind a time or two or thousand. She asked if I would be willing to talk with a bariatric doctor and I immediately agree. I had to confess that Summer of 2010, I started the process to have bariatric surgery at our local army base. I almost finished the process, but chickened out because I did NOT want to have any kind of surgery on a military base. (That's just me, guys, okay? If you don't know military medicine, then don't judge, please.) She said she would immediately put the referral in and I honestly didn't think much of it after that.

The next week, the first week of July, I got a call from the bariatric office to make an appointment for July 22nd. Wow. I was a tad surprised and maybe a tiny bit nervous the appointment was going to happen so fast. Trust me, that appointment came up on me quick.

Now, here's where I'm going to pause the story. It is so long and so involved and I have so many feelings and thoughts I want to share with you about this past Summer. I've decided I'm going to break it all down into parts and I PROMISE I will post in a timely fashion. There is so much stuff happening now, I can't afford NOT to post. You're missing out on my amazing children. I have a high school senior living in my house?!?! So many things going on there I need to share with you all.

I have to record this little snippet because I don't want to lose it. Last night my seven year old, my big boy, climbed up in my chair to sit with me so we could watch Survivor together. He was dressed for bed in a pair of pajama pants and pulled a blanket up with him so he could snuggle down to watch his show. I don't know what came over him, but he kept grabbing my chin with his little hand and turning/pulling me towards him so he could do loud smooching kisses on my cheeks. My son is not affectionate by nature. He is so like my Daddy in that aspect. You have to work hard to get love from that rascal. He kept smooching my cheek and getting so tickled. That, in turn, tickled me and Paige (who was sitting on the couch). I finally threatened to lick his face because he was being so sweet and he declared he didn't care. It was a very precious moment that I will treasure for always. He's growing so fast and is so independent...but for a little while, he was my baby again. The moment filled my heart to capacity.

You all come on back to the Edge. I'm going to take you on my journey I've started and who knows? There's no telling where we'll end up!

Water Deal!

My son will most probably be quite ill with me for sharing this with the world later on in life, but it's just a good thing I have to share with my close and personal Internet friends.

How many of you have issues getting your child to drink water? Oh, this has been such a hard battle for us around the house. My poor baby has intestinal issues due to his medication. ADHD medication can make a person very constipated and miserable. Daily, we have to slip a little of the generic miralax in his juice to hopefully help him "keep things moving". No joke, he's only been using the bathroom in that capacity once a week. On Saturday mornings. Like clockwork. I've had to go pick him up from school because of this issue and his stomach was hurting so badly he would sit on the potty and wail like a wounded bear. Are you feeling sorry for him yet? I know it breaks my heart on a regular basis because, DANG, that's just miserable, man.

The last visit to the dentist to get his teeth cleaned showed his teeth could be doing better. Gah, I hate when they put you on the spot and ask you how much water your child drinks. I do what any parent does, I hem and haw and try to avoid answering. But, they know. They know I'm not forcing water down his throat by any means possible. It makes me so ashamed.

Summer vacation started last week around Friday. Monday, as the first full week started, he started asking for soda to drink. I don't mind him drinking a little diet coke here and there, but there was no way I was going to let that be the ONLY liquid he put in his system all day long. The Man had purchased some 32 oz. water bottles a few months ago. Paige takes one daily to school to try and make her water quota. That smart sister got out the other one and told him they were going to have a contest to see who could drink a full one first. I sat back and let her work her magic. Of course, The Boy rose to the challenge because he's seriously competitive (he gets that from both his parents). A little may have spilled in the bathroom sink, but he truly drank most of the bottle. I was amazed and was very vocal about how awesome he was for drinking all that water.

That one day was awesome, but how was I going to get this to work the rest of the summer???

Tuesday morning found my boy up in the bathroom. That water worked it's magic on his system and, as the saying goes, "he got his oil changed". He was all skippy-do after that. Feeling good and sipping water. He started asking for some Diet Dr. Pepper he saw in the fridge and I told him when he finished his water, he could have some. Game on. By mid afternoon, that water was gone (I suspect a few ounces may have spilled down the bathroom sink again, but he seriously drank most of the water.)

Yesterday was hilarious. All that water coursing through his system was doing a great job and he was so gassy. If he wasn't burping? It was out the other end. I was ecstatic because this meant he was getting what his body needs and maybe, just maybe, if he kept this up? We could skip that powder in his breakfast juice.

Every few minutes, we would hear him say, "Excuse me!" as yet more gas escaped his body. Finally, he came up to me and was just tickled to pieces, all little boy giggly and he exclaimed, "I'M SO GASSY AND BURPY TODAY!!" I laughed and agreed and we both got tickled together.

This morning, I got up and fixed his breakfast with his cup of powder free apple juice. I went ahead and fixed his water bottle to put beside his plate. Without a word, he ate his breakfast, took his medication, and grabbed that spill-proof water bottle (whew! no spills!) to head on about his day. He keeps it within reach and will sip on it as he does his thing. He believes that if he can drink that water, he can get a little bit of soda in the afternoon/evening time to enjoy. And believe me, he thoroughly enjoys that soda like it's fine champagne.

I hope and pray I can keep this up and it becomes a habit with him. Since he has fallen in love with golf (another post soon), I have stressed that he will definitely need to keep that water bottle close when he and Dad go golfing since it's so hot here. He agrees whole heartedly because he was "sweatin' t'death" last Saturday morning when they went to play around.

Now I have to convince the tween that water is a good idea for her, too. It'll help with that acne stuff trying to come through on her forehead. I personally am not a fan of the water, but am a HUGE fan of the Crystal Lite and drink loads of that each day.

You do all realize that my son will probably keep drinking the water if he realizes it's the reason he's so gassy. Because little boys and a gassy body are best friends. Nothing cooler than the gas...or funnier.

Is it really a gift?

I have a gifted family. Well, that's what the tests say. It's not a brag, either. Dealing with gifted people on a regular basis can be hard, Internets. I know first hand. See, I used to be gifted. I was in gifted classes all through school from 2nd grade through high school. I was so smart I was stupid.  My Mama will be more than happy to testify that I'm telling the truth.

Paige and Makenna both are in gifted classes and have been since early ages. Now that Paige is in high school, she's ignored her abilities somewhat and The Man and I have to show our butts, get all strict discipline and mean to get the right results. Wears us out on a regular basis. Paige is quite funny, too. She can't stand stupidity. It is like one of her major pet peeves. Since she was young, she's been able to carry on a decent conversation with adults. She has an air of maturity about her that is quite scary when people guess her to be in her 20's and she's ...say 14. (Imagine how it is now that she's 17.)  I know teenagers believe themselves to be experts on any and every thing there is in life. Add in being gifted and you got yourself a  hard road to ride some times.

I believe I am no longer gifted. Thank Goodness! The Lord had mercy up on me because some one in this house has to have some common sense!!! I am perfectly fine with this but it does give me a headache at times when my smart people go too far out of the thinking box.

A few weeks ago we were outside in the back yard flying kites. My son has become obsessed with kites and their flying glory. I appreciate the local W*lmart selling them for a buck, too. As Paige was helping her little brother, she started telling us about what happened in science class that day.

Story goes:

Teacher asked the class how many transformers there are and what are their names.

My child immediately shoots her hand up in the air (I personally want to picture a Horseshack kind of thing going on here) and exclaims that she knows!

She then smugly tells the teacher and the class:

"There are two transformers. Autobots and Decepticons."

And sits back confident in her answer.

The teacher looks at her. The students look at her.

That wasn't the answer.

If you don't get this, Internets? I'll be praying for you. If you DO get this? Please, be praying for me.

After I caught my breath from laughing, I declared, "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my gifted child!"

We have Lucky Number 7!!

Here I go again. I'm doing my best to earn that Mother Of The Year title...not. My baby turned 7 on April 2nd. That was like a week and a day ago. Thing is, the kid's Spring Break happened last week and I just enjoyed being with my kids. We had a power outage on Tuesday that last well into the afternoon and I got to see my kids actually communicate and show off their UNO skills. That was my favorite day. It was probably the first Spring Break we thoroughly enjoyed. No rushing. No plans. Just letting the days happen. Yeah, it was awesome.

Now, about that Boy of mine. He is seven. How did that happen? I just had him like a month or so ago?!? I don't know how those of you with more than one kid keep it all "even" between  your kids, but I don't sweat it at all. Paige is getting the big amazing birthday party this year. (O-M-Geeeee!! Wait til you hear what's going on with that!!!) We sat with the other two and told them they wouldn't be having parties because it was Sissy's turn this year. Do my kids care? Nope, not at all. They know they'll get a present or two and Mama will have some sort of special kind of cake going on that day. All is good. I am one blessed parent to have three kids that aren't jealous of each other.

Just because a party wasn't happening doesn't mean the day wasn't going to be super duper special. My boy woke up to get his first present and pancakes made by Dad. We had a relaxing morning until it was time to get dressed and head to Mouse's House and I ain't talking D*sney, Internets. I'm talking about Chuckie's house where all the fabulous games reside! He has been begging to go there for almost a year and we thought his birthday was the perfect excuse to go visit. (Truth be known, we were not the excited ones. That place is a flippin' madhouse.) My boy isn't about pizza, so he was all for the games. We went. We played. We had an awesome time. Afterwards, we hit up the Chinese buffet that we love and adore. Home was where we headed to open the last present of the day and enjoy some amazing cake. The Boy informed us that it was one of the best days ever. 7th Birthday= Success. A Mama sure likes to have a happy Birthday Boy.

Happy Birthday, Kid. You are the joy in my steps and when you smile, my heart skips a happy beat.

Everyone should have the chalkboard for the fridge. This is what my son woke up to and a week later, it's still there!

How do you make a birthday better? Spread the opening of gifts over the day. We are aware that all the gifts are green. Did you expect any other color? Really? This was the first gift of the day. I picked out this really cute card and he opened it, read it, and looked at me and said.."What??? No dollar??"

There were plenty of these to go around. We are an arcade loving family and we all play games. So why it may have been a madhouse in there? We got our play on and those tokens went fast!

This is the shirt from last year. It fit this year and there's nothing wrong with representin'!

What focus! What determination! Seriously, though? Kid needs to grow another foot or two so he can reach the pedals and not bust a blood vessel trying to play.

The sisters got in some quality game time, too. This was a tag team effort with the basketballs.

Mama had a little fun with this game. It was seriously addictive. I may have to join a support group.

I had my eye on The Boy and when I glanced up, I saw my husband throwing a few footballs. Games are so hard to resist.

This is my favorite picture. He is so happy and content and I suppose contemplating a wish or two here. I love this guy to pieces. I really do.

Differences

When I was pregnant with Makenna, I had many people tell me that you simply can't compare your children. I got that. I understood it. I still do. Now that I have three children, I get it more than ever. I have never in my life seen three such different individuals.

Here are a couple of ways I can't compare these three.

 Paige turned two in April. By October she was potty trained. She had a brief stubborn period where she would only wear diapers, then she woke up one day and was done with them. Off to the pretty panties we went and didn't look back!

Makenna turned two in February. For a solid year I struggled to potty train that kid. I begged. I pleaded. I threatened. It was a very hard year. I truly thought she would start school wearing a diaper. The week before her third birthday, I put my foot down. I told her I was done with the pull-ups and the accidents and she was GOING TO POTTY. She was fully trained in one week. One week. I supposed she believed me to be serious and the crazy look in my eyes probably convinced her she better head on to the potty.

I've potty trained a few kids in my life being a childcare provider for years. I knew right off the bat that boys could be a tad bit more difficult and that if you got them trained before the third birthday? You earned some kind of trophy that was at least 8 feet tall. I wasn't even going to attempt with my son until his third birthday because I felt he wouldn't be still long enough to stand in front of a toilet (gotta love undiagnosed ADHD). In March, before he turned three in April, he just up and decided one day to potty. Within a week or two he was pretty much fully trained. I really didn't have to do a thing but wipe his butt on occasion. He was the easiest child I've ever trained. Shoot, he practically trained himself. I will always love him extra good for that.

The girls have always been excellent in school. Behaviour wise, that is. I had one little issue with Paige around the 5th grade where she got sassy with a teacher. After I made her apologize to the teacher in front of the class while sobbing, I've never had another problem out of her. Except for last year at the new high school. Not sure if I ever told that story. I'll have to check my archives and if I haven't, I'll ask her if it's okay. Man, that's a good story.  Makenna is a "pleaser" and is too good at flying under the radar.

Then we have The Boy.

 I have gotten so many calls from teachers and bus drivers in the past two years than I care to remember. Ahhhh...he's such a pistol. I really think if those seats on the buses had seat belts? We wouldn't have as many problems on buses. If you're out of your seat belt? You're off the bus. My son still rides in a booster seat. Yes, he's almost 7. He's also not big enough according to guidelines to hold his own in a seat with just a seat belt. He is totally cool with it as he has a very nice seat to sit in. He's up where he can see out of the window. He has a cup holder to hold his juice. He's only 52 pounds and pretty much still a baby in my eyes. Shoot, Neighbor Debbie's dog weighs almost twice what he does. The freedom of the bus just sends him over in to Hyper Land. Suffice it to say, after a call yesterday from the bus driver and a visit from an upset Mama at my front door...he might just stay in his seat. For a while. He and his Dad had a "Come to Jesus" meeting last night in my bedroom. He's lost all his electronics and had to go to bed 30 minutes early. Gotta snap down on poor choices, you know. I followed him out to the bus this morning to make sure he apologized to the bus driver for not listening. He tried to walk past her to his seat and I put one foot on the step and said, "Boy, you know I am crazy. I will follow you up there in front of God and your friends. You are going to apologize." He came back down the steps to have a stare down with me. I simply told him that I was going to count to three and if he didn't do what he was told? He and his Dad could have another meeting this evening. Up came finger one. He turned around and went to his bus driver to apologize. I know he has "issues" but I will not tolerate bad behaviour. Not at all.

I may be rambling a bit today, but I just get amused when I am reminded just how different three siblings can be at times. I know my brother and I are literally night and day so it shouldn't be such a surprise.

April Showers have come early here and with flair! Hope you all find yourselves enjoying some type of Spring. I've got some new stuff for the house coming and can't wait to share my feeble attempts at decorating with you soon!

Lions, Tigers, and Elephants, OH MY!!

Guess where The Edge got to go this past weekend?!?

Who is excited to be at the circus for the first time ever?

Circus excitement is contagious!!

When you go early, you get to participate in the pre-show. There's the stage ham up in the ring showing her mad hula hooping skills! (Wearing a brand new hat for the occasion, of course.)

It's really special when grand parents get to go witness their grankids first circus experience. Contrary to that man's expression, he had a ball. I think they had more fun watching the kids' reactions than the show itself.

Worth every penny just to see the look of wonder on the six year old's face time after time. To see animals and clowns and feats of acrobatic wonder plus a motorcycle or three thrown in for excitement.

Two peas in a pod right here. They adore each other so good.

The look I got on the way home when asked, "Did you have a good time?"

Who is the best Mama in the world for taking her kids  to the circus?

I AM!

To be fair, I'd like to give a shout out to the bestest Dad, too. The Man did make the phone call to purchase the tickets, paid for tickets, and drove us there. I just like being cool, too.

Let me TELL You!

Holy smokes have I been busy.

My husband and I were really excited about retiring from the Navy last year. I had visions of a nice little civilian life where we lived in a house with a normal life.

Ha.

My husband's new job requires him to go up North for classes here and there for a while. He's been gone now for seven weeks with two weeks left to go. The company is gracious enough to fly him home on occasion, and while we are ever so grateful for that? Less than 48 hours a visit just isn't enough.

This isn't our first rodeo. We've done this work related separation gig before (and will again), but it's just a pain in the ever-lovin' butt. The kids and I have done really well this time. I have a pretty strict routine going on in the evenings that keeps my boy on the smooth side. The girls have really stepped up and helped out with being easy going and mostly drama free.

I had the bright idea to start dental work a few weeks ago. I was sitting here one day and all of a sudden it hit me....We haven't been to the dentist since last November right before retirement!! Crap. I immediately started setting up appointments for all of us and decided that now was the time to take Paige in to get her started on braces for her teeth. I had a list of providers from our new dental insurance and started at the top of the list and started doing some crude research. I looked up the first doctor and he had an awesome website. Hmmm...if he can afford such a cool website, maybe we need to call and talk to him? I called and got the best receptionist ever. She convinced me that I should take Makenna on in and let him check her out and make sure all is well with her. No problem. I asked her who she used as her personal dentist and she gladly told me. I checked and this dentist was on the list. SCORE. I asked her if she had a pediatric dentist she used. She did and I checked and found out his name was on my list, too. DOUBLE SCORE.

Within two weeks, I had all our teeth nice and clean. Guess who has the cavity that has to be fixed. No, not the six year old I struggle with every morning to brush his teeth more than ten seconds. No, not the tween who digs candy. No, not the teen who ...well, she's a fanatic about being clean and hygiene so we know it's not her. Yeah, it's me. I was shocked. And mad. The dentist said it's a teeny tiny one we need to take care of before it gets bad and I agree. I asked him if he would have to do a shot. He replied yes. I then said, "Well, you suck." He laughed and said he's been told worse. I was able to score my appointment on the day The Man has his cleaning ( he is not used to making his own dental appointments- the military has a way of telling you when to do things). The pediatric dentist thought it a good idea to take Makenna in to the orthodontist so we could know about when to start her on braces...he figured approximately 12-18 months from now.

So, I took my girls to the orthodontist.

When the doctor walked in, I shook his hand and said, "What are you? 12?" He laughed and said right back at me, "No ma'am, I'm 13!" Loved him immediately. (He is a very nice 33 with 3 girls and another on the way.) He examined Paige and was pleased with her mouth. (I laugh to myself as I type that.) He informed her that she would be in braces a MAXIMUM of 18 months because her problems were mostly minor and they would fix her overbite for her. Easy peasy. Nice.

Makenna then jumped up in the chair and got examined. I should have known something was up.

After he finished, I was informed that my child is going to need a Herbst appliance put in her mouth. Her lower jaw isn't acting like it's supposed to and she apparently has TMJ. (This is a link to the appliance. If you ask me? It looks like my baby is in for a miserable time.) (The link is also the orthodontist we're using so look at the younger guy and tell me he doesn't look 12!)

Excuse me?

He then went on to tell me that after wearing this appliance for a year to get her jaw straightened out, she will wear a full set of braces for over another year.

Seriously?

I told him that I didn't bring her in to get braces. I was just letting him check her out so he could tell me to bring her back in 12-18 months for the regular stuff. I think I was in shock.

He was very kind to me and explained it all again very patiently. We need to address this issue now while she's younger and we can manipulate the jaw to do what we need to make it normal.

~sigh~

Two kids in braces. At one time. Holy cow on a stick.

I started texting my husband, who is way up North in a class. He left class to call and tell me to do what we had to in order to get the ball rolling.

This past Tuesday, I took my girls to get metal mouths. Makenna will have four braces across the front top to get her started while she's wearing the appliance. Did I mention that she's missing a permanent molar? Uh huh. My mother missed an incisor and I just found out at the dentist last week that I, too, am missing a molar but my wisdom tooth jumped in and filled the gap. Hold on a second while I sigh yet again.

While all these orthodontist appointments are going on, I decided to postpone my son getting evaluated for speech until next week. He's lost a front top tooth and I could just lick his cute face, but it's going to wreak havoc on the lisp he's already got.

And where is my husband while all of this is going on? Not here. This always happens and I'm not surprised at all. Can I handle it? You bet your fanny I can. I always have. It just wears a sister out, ya know?

Oh, and since my husband has ventured north where he has been able to attend an Indians baseball game (his team!), a Pirates baseball game, visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the NFL Hall of Fame and partake in at least two friendly poker tournaments...I have trekked back to South Carolina three times. I had my cousin's wedding to attend and my life friend Lu is getting married in a couple of weeks and yours truly is the matron of honor so, of course, I have to attend a shower in her honor! I am a tad bit worn out because there never seems to be a break in there for me, but it's all good. So much going on equals much fun. I tell my friends and family that if I can make it through Thanksgiving this year, they might not see me for a while. I may just have to take a month off before Santa pays a visit to our new home.

I'll be back in a day or two to fill you in a few more happenings around The Edge. Right now, I have to get that Man of Mine to hang some drapes in our newly painted office before he jets back out of here tomorrow. We might even go hit a local corn maze if we get froggy. Have a good rest of the weekend!

Explanations

This weekend I thought it prudent to have a little talk with Makenna. We're not huge on birthdays around here. We do celebrate with cake and ice cream with presents added in. The kids have had a party or two under their belt. It's just not alot of fanfare. It's how we roll.

This year is a little different. Paige is turning 16 in a few weeks. Wow. Sixteen years old. I gotta hold that thought for her birthday post because it just blows my mind.

Sixteen is special. Lots of grand things can happen with sixteen. You might can get a driver's license to further steps to freedom and Independence. Dating becomes a bit more important. I loved sixteen. I recall it fondly and I just believe it should be special.

I thought I would have a talk with Makenna about how this year, Paige may get a little more because it's a monumental birthday.

What was I worried about? That kid is smooth as glass and doesn't mind a bit. I love that my kids aren't jealous of each other. I don't know if having them five years apart has made them this way or if it's just how they are.

I know she was smooth about it all but I felt I needed to go a step further with the whole explanation.

It went something like this:

Me: I know it may seem like Paige is raking in this year and all but just think! Next year you turn 12 and I get to take you to the Clinique counter and have them show you how to apply make-up (age appropriate, of course) and really make a day of it!

Makenna: (confused look) Huh?

Me: You remember when I took Paige when she turned 12. It's a great thing to get your first little bit of make-up.

Makenna: (perplexed look) Why on earth would I want make-up?

Me: (confused look)

Makenna: I don't care for that makeup stuff. I mean, what is makeup but pancake on your face and what good is a pancake if it isn't edible?

Me: Alrighty then. Let me know if you change your mind.


See? My oldest child was chomping at the bit to wear make-up by age 10-11. Middle kid? Could care less at this point.

~sigh~

I'll never be able to keep at the rate they're going.

Grateful

One thing in this life that I am so very grateful for are the grandparents God has provided for my children. My children have no doubt that they are loved so much by these people.

It still amazes me that I have three children and they are all so different. We have the biggest melting pot of characters that live in this house. What would you like to see? Because we have it all. Comedy, drama, singing, dancing, loudness, laughing, crying, philosophers, advocates, politician wannabes....yes, we have it all here at The Edge.

I see my mother's hands and feet with my oldest. She moans and complains about her short fingers and stubby toes....but I think she secretly is thrilled that her Nana can't deny her one little bit. I see my father in law in my son. They have similar mannerisms that make us laugh. An example is being ticklish under the chin. The both of them will go into spasms if you go near that sensitive spot underneath the chin. I see my Daddy in the middle girl. How they both are deep thinkers and contemplate subjects deeply so they are able to present their cases with complete confidence that they are right.

Have I told you lately how much I love my mother-in-law? I am so blessed to have the best MIL in the entire world. I stand by that statement fully. The coolest thing? I am safe and secure knowing that I am her most favorite daughter-in-law. It doesn't matter that I'm her ONLY daughter-in-law. Being the favorite is what counts, Internets. I had to tell you that to tell you this little story.

Yesterday, I was cooking supper. The lid was on the pot simmering, and the biscuits were in the oven finishing up. I was sitting at the table going through some mail when I noticed Makenna over at the stove. I saw this odd expression cross her face before she laughed. She had walked up to see what was cooking in the pot. Normally, I use glass lids but my new set of pots have metal lids. She had walked up and couldn't understand why she couldn't see the food. Then, she saw the reflection of the microwave above the pot and realized the lid was metal. Bless her heart, she doesn't mind laughing at herself. Serious as can be, she said, "Well, I feel stupid."

I just laughed because it reminded me so much of my mother-in-law. (Mrs. M knows I'm totally saying this with love.) Mrs. M always claims that she's having "blonde senior moments". Makenna claims her own blonde moments. I felt it necessary to call my MIL after supper to tell her to come get her grandchild. I told her the both of them could have Senior and Junior Blonde Moments together. I'm here to tell you...if she lived closer? I'm willing to bet she would have been here in a blink. If she has her way? That girl of mine will go spend a summer in Nebraska with her Mimi one day.

I don't know if my children realize just how blessed they are. I was fortunate in that I grew up with wonderful Grandparents. I still have my Grandma and I get all comfy and cozy feeling knowing that woman loves me. She never fails to tell me that she loves me and is always praying for me when we get off the phone. Can't beat that feeling with a stick. If my children don't realize it now? I hope one day they will look back and realize that their grandparents love them dearly...even from far away.

I just had to give a shout out to Grandparents today. I was feeling the love and just want them to know that I appreciate them and all they do. My children may not see them on a regular basis....but love is always there.

Just a Couple of Thing to Catch Up on

You might just have to forgive me on this one, Internets. I may have already mentioned a few of the things I'm going to talk about, but now I got the pictures to go along and I want to make sure I put it all down because this is really all about the kids. Making sure I record stuff for them and all because I hate scrapbooking. We cool? Thanks for your understanding. Oh, and this might be a tad long because DANG I was too busy to blog for a little while there.

You all may recall that we arrived at the New Edge around 2:30 a.m. on New Years Eve. We were so exhausted from packing up that day, checking out of base housing, eating a good supper, and the five hour drive to our new home. Because I am a seasoned traveller with kids, I always make sure there's a snack or two within reach. This time was no different. Normally, The Boy would have been passed out that late, but adrenaline is a funny thing. We were halfway to our new home on the backside of nowhere when apparently he informed Makenna that he had a loose tooth. What??? She then informed me and I was like, "NO FLIPPING WAY! HE'S WAY TOO YOUNG." I had Makenna stick her finger in his mouth to see if he was telling the truth. He was! There I sat, driving in shock, that my BABY had a loose tooth. A short time later, he asked for a cookie and I had one of the girls give him one. Next thing I knew??? Makenna was losing her mind. When my son went to bite on the cookie, it irritated that loose tooth, so what did he do? Reach in his mouth and yank it out. (That makes me weak just thinking about it.) He had a little bit of blood going on, which is what freaked Makenna out. We grabbed a few napkins and I told him to bite down on them. Calmest one in the bunch? The Boy. I decided not to call my husband who was driving in front of me. When we got to our new home, I had that kid show his Dad a "surprise". The two of us were left standing in the cold in shock while the kids ran ahead to claim their new rooms. I don't think I will ever forget when my baby lost his first tooth.

Before we left lower Georgia, we were running around all crazy-like when Makenna screamed. My poor girl had tried to put something in the car and slam the door before it fell out (we had the vehicles that packed). In the process, she slammed her finger in the door. I think by that time my brain was on overload and I just couldn't process anything else. I really couldn't. We did the best we could at the moment. The next morning, I examined it while the movers unpacked. It looked really bad. I started to worry. We couldn't stop the packers, I didn't know my way around, and The Man had to be there because this was all under his military identity. We promised that as soon as the movers were finished, we'd get it checked out. As soon as the movers drove off, we headed to the E.R. with just a few hours left in 2009. The place was deserted and we were relieved that prompt attention was given. I was feeling so guilty and like the worst parent ever. After an X-ray, we met her E.R. doctor. Wow. We were blessed right then and there. This guy was very obviously physically handicapped. He was short, very odd shaped, and had no thumbs. I kid you not. He was so jovial and all in to Makenna and what was going on. When he walked out to look at the x-ray, we were just in awe over this individual. I love my child. Did she see physical ailments? Nope, she just saw a cool doctor that she liked talking to. When we mentioned he had no thumbs, she hadn't even noticed. I saw her watching him when he came to clean a cut on her knuckle and he had to put on gloves. He never hesitated and kept up a great line of conversation. Thankfully, it appeared to be a bad sprain with some serious bruising. She had her fingers taped together with orders for no P.E. for a few weeks. (Her favorite diagnosis she's gotten a lot in the past year!) She told me later that if she was ever influenced to be whatever she can be? This doctor proved to her that you can't let anything stop you. Not even a handicap. He really inspired her and I want to say blessed her way of thinking. We were also home in plenty of time to bring in the New Year as a family.

I vaguely recalled that I may have mentioned in a previous post how we toasted our new home. The Man and I were doing a W*lmart run when we saw some sparkling fruit drink. We picked up with intentions of toasting our new home...eventually. The kids were all excited over that bottle and we were begged off an on for over a week to get the party started. Finally, one night after supper, we got down my nice wine glasses (that I got years ago and they're mostly dust collectors) and The Man did the honors of pouring it up. We toasted and did cheers a few times because it's just cool to clink your glasses together. My son especially enjoyed that part. Therefore, we clinked glasses with me cringing inside because I didn't want to lose one of my set. I leaning towards making this a new tradition for big deals in our home. Break out the sparkling fruit juice/drink in the pseudo wine bottle and make lots of toasts with loads of glass clinking!

These are a few things I really wanted to make sure I recorded. As you can tell, it's nonstop action around here. I am still taking pictures of the house when I do a little something. I think I may have enough for a post this week! I'll be looking for opinions and suggestions so be prepared, my friends.

Ready to enjoy some picture goodness? Thought so!

This is the picture I took before the movers got here to unload. I then sent it to every one I possibly could. Now he's lost two teeth and has great fun sticking his tongue through that bottom gap. I think kids with missing teeth are the cutest and I am thoroughly enjoying my last baby with a gap'd up mouth!

Those fingers looked really bad in person. We really made sure to follow doctor's orders and so did Makenna...especially the no P.E. part!

Look at that, would you? He may not have drank the fruit juice, but, by golly, a clinking good time was had by all!