The Library

We love the library! We live in a country where we can pretty much get any book we want to read for free at our local library. It is too bad that more people don't take advantage of the opportunity. If I were a perfect mother, I would take the kids every week to storytime, but I am not, nor will I ever be perfect.

I think I have done alright though....look at how engaged all three girls are by the story. They really do love to learn. That is what counts, I guess. There is nothing better than a child engaged in a children's story.

Harry Golden, author of Only in America, said, "The library, I believe, is the last of our public institutions
to which you can go without credentials. You don't even need the sticker on your windshield that you need to get into the public beach. All you need is the willingness to read."

Stray Snowball

This is a picture of our cat Kitty Bear and her archnemisis Snowball. Snowball is a neighborhood stray who can hunt a bird down like no other. Snowball also hunts down Kitty Bear.

How did the neighborhood stray get a name, you ask? Well, from a little girl, of course. If it was named by some boy its name would be dumb cat or something like that. Our former neighbor, Hailey, adopted this stray and named it Snowball. The cat looks nothing like a snowball, but it does have a destroying affect and so I guess that name is appropriate. Snowball will never let a human anywhere near it and so I guess technically he was never adopted...especially since Hailey moved away over a year ago and has never come back for the cat.

One thing snowball does have in common with snow is only the yellow stuff. The cat pees everywhere. It is so annoying. For a long time, she would pee on our porch. She used to sleep under our window until we got Kitty Bear. One day I went outside with the kids and the next thing we know there is a catfight going down right before our eyes.....can you say the word trauma?

Now, whenever the cat gets within 50 feet of our home, the kids will spot him out our big bay window and run out and holler at him. It is always the same words, "Get outta here Snowball!" So funny...they have learned to copy me. On their way back in the house, all three of the girls will mumble under their breath, "Stupid Cat".

Why do we keep Snowball around. Sure, we could catch him and take him to the pound. But we feel like Snowball is giving Kitty Bear character. The real reason though is I am terrified of mice, and I have never ever seen one since we have moved in four years ago. Snowball is good to keep around!

Welcome to the family Lily

Some of you know about LG's sister, Amy, and her husband, Tyler. They have been trying for a very long time to start their family. Their opportunity finally came true with Lily. She came into our lives aproximatley 6 months ago.

We have all had our fingers crossed through the ups and downs of the adoption process, but we can finally all celebrate. Lily's birth father finally signed the official papers.

I am sure that we cannot be more happy than Amy and Tyler, but it sure feels like nobody could be happier than I am right now.

Mayfield vs. Baskin Robbins

So, here in Tennessee, we have a delicacy called Mayfield ice-cream. The girls and I took a tour of Mayfield this summer. Here are the pictures of their HUGE single scoop cones. I hate to admit it, but even though I've lived in the south for the past four years, I still haven't been able to force myself to convert to Mayfield.

A funny thing about Mayfield Dairy is that they package their milk in yellow gallon plastic containers. It really freaks Westerners out. They always think that the milk is orange juice. Mayfield claims that these darker containers keep their milk fresh longer. My girls drink their milk so fast that freshness is not a worry for me! But, I do thank Mayfield for the countless laughs I have gotten from visiting westerners wondering why I have 4 gallons of OJ and no milk in my fridge.

I am through and through a Baskin Robbins girl. I just can't give up on that great 6 months of my life when I had all the ice-cream I could eat. Of course the flavors were almost endless.

I was recently reading an old stand up comic routine that I wrote. It was pretty weak, but the one good joke out of the bunch was in reference to the many odd jobs I have had in my life. I talked about what I learned working in the produce department and then UPS, and then I referred to Baskin Robbins. My words, "It was unfortunate, I had to quit; I just got sick of all 31 flavors".

The Wood Floors From Heck

Not funny, but it would have been if you could have seen us while we were sanding! Thanks dad for your technical support over the phone. You are the best.

Grad Pics

The yawn gives it all away. How did LG feel about his legal education? Was it boring? Or, was he pretty much just tired for the duration? Either way, we are very happy!

My Baby Quilts

Here is a picture of a personalized baby quilt I am making. I just checked out my friends' sites and Cally and Lori showed off all of their craftiness! So, I can't be shown up. This is the 3rd personalized bay quilt I have made. The first was a cowboy print with a horseshoe and sheriff's badge with the name Zeke. The second was a red white and blue plaid with a big blue star and some embroidered stars with the name Finn.

LG's Graduation

I have recently been sent two e-mails from friends about thier new blogs. So, how coincidental...here I am....aproximatley a year later, making another entry! he he

Here is a pic, taken at the UT Law School back in May. Yes, LG finally made it. He has the JD and the MBA diplomas in his possession.

Now, we are waiting on the liscence. We should get the bar results on Oct 19th. ThiS could be really good or really bad. I am crossing my fingers for good. I have some faith.

I am not in a funny mood, just wanted to update with a pic.

Petrolium Jelly

Well, I haven't blogged in almost exactly a year. Even though, to my behoovement, many friends and family have been requesting an entry. So, tonight while googling Fry Sauce, I came across another blog with info on the subject. Once in blogger, I could not resist searching for my own blog, which brought me here.

This is an entry that I started last year. And so of course I have no recollection what or why I was writing about Vaseline!?

To the best of my memory, my youngest daughter had gotten into the stuff and smeared it places that I really didn't want it to be. I mean places like my walls, my couches, and all over herself and her clothing. It is the WORST to try and clean up Petrolium Jelly. There has got to be some kind of trick!! Even in these cool sites, about the stuff you can't find CLEAN UP info. What to do? Only for a mother to figure out.

My brother in law Jordan and his cousin Joe once decided to spread a whole canister of Vaseline all over one another's head of hair. Can you imagine cleaning that up? After reading one of the above links, I think it is important to state that Jordan and Joe were toddlers at the time of their Vaseline smearing!

Why is that us Mom's are always faced with these situations???

I was talking to one of my sisters tonight about my other sister. Imagine that! We were discussing how I am totally leery of her coming to visit. (yeah, YOU, figure out which sister I am talking about) This sister, SHANNON, is an immacualte housekeeper. She even didn't get totally flat paint in her nice house because she has to have a paint that she can just wipe the smudges off. Smudges on the walls....aren't those supposed to stay there until they move out???? So, Shannon has to deal with my smudges...I have bigger fish to fry...like when my kids get into my Vaseline!!

By the way, I told someone out there that I would blog another entry before the one year mark...looks like I barely made it....If anyone happens to get on my site that I have abandoned for so long....please make a comment...if someone is actually reading, I may have more motivation to write another entry!