Tales from the Tylers

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-26T23:08:00.002-05:00

I was going to write a post about how thankful I am for everything BUT Jamie just came upstairs to inform me that I ate Ellison's piece of pizza that Rupert had licked on...so for now, I am going to go gag & try not to throw up.

My Sweet Sadie Mae

2011-10-07T23:44:00.004-04:00

Sadie Mae

I am going to apologize in advance for my ADD attempt to put into words what I am feeling...

I guess every pet owner knows that the day will come when they have to say goodbye to their beloved pet. I, like many doggie lovers, could easily cry just thinking about that day...I could work myself into hysterics over the mere thought of having to say goodbye. Unfortunately, all those years of 'oh my gosh, how will I ever be able to do that' became a reality Thursday as I said goodbye to my sweet Sadie Mae.

Sadie's life with us started during one of Jamie's trips with football. I was all alone, looking through the newspaper when I saw an ad looking for a home for her. She had been a rescue...found starving & neglected in the slums of New Jersey but the rescuer realized that she was a Neapolitan Mastiff...a 3000 dollar dog that for whatever reason was now on the streets. She was rescued & her owner moved to Summerville but realized she didn't have the time or funds to pay for her medication. I went to 'meet' her while my husband was away :) and I fell in love with her instantly. The owners came to our house to check us out as well and the rest was history.

When we first got her, she came upstairs while I was taking a bath...I jokingly said, "come on girl" and before I knew it, I was sharing the tub with a 170 lb mastiff. Who knew??? She loved car rides, baths, trying to eat other animals lol...all kinds of things we just didn't know. She was a ton of fun but she was also a pain in the behind at times...she liked to get into garbage, hated her nails getting cut, she liked to drink out of the toilet, she liked to eat socks, underwear, dish towels...basically anything cloth she could swallow...she threw it up a lot which was also a pain to deal with...as was her quirky thing where she would bring you cloth as like a peace offering when you walked in the house. She was on pee pee meds because well...that is just what happens sometimes :) She was your typical old woman & to be honest with you, i like old women...I like their honesty & even their foul attitudes. Sadie kept us on our toes :)

Jamie hasn't let me forget that Sadie was 'my' decision. Having 2 huge dogs isn't exactly an easy thing...they eat a lot, shed a lot, drool a lot, poop a lot, and honestly, at times I have said they require more than my 2 young children...nevertheless...I love my dogs.

Sadie was my mushy girl. I loved her rolls, her desire to just lay ON you, and I honestly liked equaling out the 2 male to 1 female ratio in the home. I bought her girly collars, painted her nails hot pink...she was my girl before I had kiddos & as much of a pain as she could be, the house feels very empty without having a 3rd girl in the house...we are outnumbered now.

When we finally got pregnant with Thomas, I remember being extremely worried about how Sadie, not Rupert, would do with a baby in the house. It was honestly amazing, Sadie was the one that would go into the baby's room and lay down by his bed while he slept. She never ceased to amaze me. She did have her moments of grouchiness towards them and I often was worried we'd get sued because of her so we kept her on a tight leash :)

Yes, we had 6 good years with my girl. Last year, she tore her ACL...we struggled to figure out the right thing to do...I sobbed for about 12 hours straight with the thought of having to put her down...SOBBED! For a ton of reasons, we opted not to do surgery (her age, her breed, her grouchiness, her size, the cost, her past medical issues) & she actually did great not having surgery...she never appeared to be in pain nor did it seem to slow her down.

But about 2 weeks ago, she started throwing up. I tried everything in my power to help her...everything. I prayed, I forced fed her, I continuously offered her foods, we went to the vet 5 times in 10 days, we tried different medications...nothing helped. We just couldn't figure out what was wrong with her nor could we get her to bounce back.

Thursday was the day where I knew we would have to make a decision one way or another-if the antibiotics were going to work, Thursday would be the turning point...but in my heart of hearts, I feel like Sadie knew I could not do it...she knew I would second guess my decision if I had to be the one to make the call. So on Thursday, I sat with her in our kitchen and watched her slowly slip away...it sucked. My husband was at work, I sent the kids upstairs (my mom came and picked them up...thank you mom!), I talked to the vet trying to figure out what I could do to help her. I couldn't take her into the vet because honestly, she was too big for me to pick up so I made the decision to woman up and be there for her-I knew she was dying...it sucked. I don't wish that on anyone.

Anyone that has lost a pet, knows what I am talking about...its like getting hit in the stomach and honestly there is just no other way to say it. I know this is the best thing for her...she didn't give up until the very end. The vet said her breed is extremely stubborn & even though she was dying, she still fought by drinking, getting up as much as her body would allow....I just wanted to take it all away for her. They said they rarely see Mastiffs her age without major issues & that they are prone to cancer. We suspect cancer but that was never confirmed....at this point, it doesn't matter.

I never thought I could be strong enough to be by her side...I am an overly emotional person anyway so I knew, I would possibly go crazy...but I didn't. I did a great job...I didn't have another option...I had to be there for her. I honeslty believe it was because I had so many people praying for me that I was able to handle it. Don't get me wrong...I was over the top in true Lee fashion. I sobbed, I prayed, I screamed, I yelled, and just to be honest, I jumped up and down out of anger & frustration & sadness for her.

So I just thought I would write a little about my big mushy pup, Sadie Mae. The past few days have been difficult. I keep thinking she is in the other room, I actually called for her this morning when she didn't come out of the garage. Thomas has been handling it quite oddly (laughing, making jokes, wanting a new dog, wanting to know what we did with her body) while Ellison has been my more emotional one. She keeps looking for her & wanted to know if Rapunzel could go up to heaven so Sadie could slide down her hair to come visit us :)

Heaven & death are hard concepts. Both kids saw Sadie on the kitchen floor-I gave them the option to say goodbye before she went to heaven. I wanted them to see that there wasn't anything 'scary' going on...i just said she went to sleep & that she was ready to go to heaven. I explained that that is just her body but her personality, the real Sadie is running in heaven with all the other doggies. I think I did the right thing for them...not sure. It felt like it at the time.

I am going to get her ashes tomorrow. A tough thing about having a big dogs is what in the world to do with them. There weren't any good options. My neighbor actually said he thought I we were moving a body out & then he realized what was happening...Mastiffs are big dogs. Anyway, what to do? I am scared of graves & I knew it would freak me out to no end knowing she was in my backyard....I don't like the idea of cremation...I didn't like any options so I finally decided to get her ashes & possibly bury them...I still am not sure what in the world to do but hopefully that will come.

Who knew that losing a pet would be this emotionally draining? Thanks for all the prayers & thanks to everyone for understanding or at least tolarating my meltdowns :) I have some amazing people in my life and I love you all!

Part 5: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

2011-09-12T13:43:00.004-04:00

It took a while. I was def a work in progress...still am...we all are but I am okay with that. I do look back on everything and wonder how in the world I made it but I have to tell you-it is because God brought the right people into my life at the right time.

For those that listened to blips here and there-thank you.
For those that said, "its time to get help"-thank you.
For those that prayed for me-thank you.
For those that hurt me-thank you.
For those that loved me despite me not being 'normal'-thank you.
And for my small group that made me a shirt that said, "No More Meds" when I was finally able to come off of them 7 years ago-thank you lol.

There is a time and place for everything & I honestly have felt God telling me that it is time to share this & let it go. Will I forget-never. Do I pray that somehow God uses this to help someone else-absolutely. Am I willing to talk about this if you need me to help someone struggling-absolutely.

I was able to get help through a variety of sources-therapy, family, friends, medication, but most importantly the healing had to come from letting it go & allowing God to heal some of those scars.

Can I say for certain, I will never wake up crying-probably not. Can I say for certain I have the tools to fight it-absolutely. Will I ever be able to watch 'Oprah' type specials without crying-nope :) I know what sets my thoughts in the wrong direction but I also know where to turn.

1 Peter 2:24
James 5: 13-16
2 Timothy 1:7

Something I have realized over the past 10 years is that there is no such thing as 'normal'...just normal for us. We all have a unique story that is being written. I honestly feel blessed beyond belief...most days :) And though I am in a completely different chapter of my life-I know that chapter was written for a reason.

I don't understand evil-and I don't understand death-and I don't have all the answers to the tough questions but I do know this...there is a bigger picture out there that all makes sense. If you are in a valley-not feeling normal-allowing 'something' to prevent you from living your life to the fullest-get help...I mean that from the bottom of my heart-turn to leaders in your church, a therapist, someone that cares...because there is a strong likelihood that there is someone out there that completely understands and can help you get to where you need to be.

Had you told me 10 years ago that I'd be married to Jamie, have 2 awesome kids, and be 'better'-I would have laughed in your face. It's easy to not see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I promise it is there & when you get there, you'll realize it was worth the journey.

(2 Corinthians 4: 7-12)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Part 4: Unravelling

2011-09-12T09:43:00.002-04:00

Like I said, I wasn't aware of it at the time, but I was slowly unravelling. Most people had no clue what was going on...including myself. Not sleeping, waking up from bad dreams, my thoughts being full of Kenya...being in a fog...crying over everything. On the flip side, I was an awesome teacher lol...I ran a great special ed class...I got rookie teacher of the year...honor rookie of the district...I was able to put it all aside when I was teaching so I threw myself into that...I also became the best liar out there.

I could look you in the face, smile, and tell you that my life was perfect-that I was so happy & that everything was wonderful...the truth was quite the opposite-I was lost, hurting, angry, tired, isolated, and full of voices kept feeding me lies about who I was 'worthless, damaged, beyond repair.' Sadly, I believed it.

The turning point came after waking up from a horrible night sweat & honestly having to pray out loud for God to keep me in my bed & for Him to gain control of the destructive thoughts I was having. It made me SO mad that I had no control over my thoughts at night & I knew that I needed help...professional help. This was around March of 2002.

I went to talk to the guidance counselor at my school-I told her about a 'friend' of mine that needed help. She sent my 'friend' to a local counselor...she later called me out on my 'friend' and I really appreciated that. It didn't take long for me to not only land myself in much needed therapy, but to get a nice dosing of meds lol...yup, I just said it...I was medicated pretty well but it still wasn't helping the way I thought it should be helping..."and the drugs don't work, they just make you worse but I, know I'll see your face again."

Sorry-I am honestly writing what is going through my head & unfortunately it was the Verve/Ben Harper's lyrics.

Anyway, I hid most of this from most people...for a long time. I mentioned a few people in my life that let me down-but there was one person who held me up (apart from my family) and that was my future husband/ex-boyfriend Jamie.

He didn't really understand but he didn't make me talk about things-he was just there...he was there for me when I was crying, he was there for me (even though I was dating someone else) when my grandmother passed away, he was there for me at 2 am when I called just to have someone talk to me so I could fall back asleep (thank you Aunt Carrie for not cussing me out for calling the house at 2am :) So we laugh that Jamie knew what he was getting into when he married me...but I did hide some of my craziness from him...I mean seriously, do you think he would have married me had I not? :)

Falling off my rocker was a humbling experience for me...before that, I had my stuff together. I graduated from college with honors, while not perfect, I was pretty on top of things...I thought I would remain that way forever...I was upbeat, positive (at least I'd like to think I was), I cheered, sang in various choirs, enjoyed life, my faith was solid...I was happy, fun to be around but then...this...how could 'this' happen to me? Nope, normal wasn't exactly probably ever gonna be associated with Lee Davis but slowly, I was becoming okay with that.

Lesson from this: If you dated a little cutie pie in college and you want her back, be her friend & don't give up on her :)

Part 3: 9/11

2011-09-11T21:37:00.003-04:00

I mentioned earlier that my grandmother was getting worse...she declined a lot over that year I was gone & she was partly why I wanted to come home. My theory was "if I can't see it, its not real." Well, by going to Africa, all of a sudden some things became very real-poverty, death, disease, rape, hijackings, senseless acts of violence...all of a sudden I had faces & situations to go with these things...and now, I was also being forced to deal with the fact that I wasn't going to have my grandmother with me forever...which made me wonder about what other terrible things might happen to those I love...which made me wonder...do you get my point? It was a downward spiral of panic...of anxiety for things out of my control. I like control.

And then...9/11. Not sure if I even want to go into all the specific stories surrounding this topic but I will explain because I think it is important to get the bigger picture of God's love for me.

When I was in Kenya-I landed myself in a few situations that quite honestly I thought I was 'okay' with...

Situation 1:
I dealt with an attempted attack when the caravan of matatus (public transport vans crammed with people) I was traveling in was ambushed in the desert. I was the only non-Kenyan...there are so many side stories surrounding this story but the biggest thing in how it related to 9/11 is that the van I was going to get into was covered in Islamic 'scripture' and playing Islamic 'prayers.' Jane refused to get into that van & insisted we get into one with Christian scriptures. Our van was number 1 in the convoy-but we had to stop to fix a flat & therefore became number 2...when we were ambushed by who we believe to be bandits from Sudan-they got the number 1 van. Thankfully we were able to slam on breaks, do a 180, not get shot, & not get captured but we still had to go through the road block in order to get home...we drew straws & my van lost meaning we had to be the ones to get out and fight.

I have no idea how long we waited...it could have been 30 min...it could have been 3 hours...I can't remember but what I do remember is praying...I remember knowing I was right with God and praying for God to give me the strength to fight. A peace came over me...an insane peace and we got out ready to fight. I remember thinking I didn't want my body to lay in the desert & I didn't want to suffer...I remember thinking how much I loved my family & how much I wanted to live so I could spend more time with them...I remember pulling up and seeing blood everywhere...I remember seeing the driver shot in the head (hence my issues with Thomas pointing a gun at my head)...I remember seeing body parts cut off & slashed with what I assume was a machette (hence my issues with knifes)...I remember people dying on the side of the road & Jane telling me that the bandits had raped the women. I remember the radio on the van still playing and listening to the Islamic chanting from the speakers as I looked at this man with a single bullet hole to the head...but I was okay. I was strong. I just couldn't help though...I couldn't stop them from dying...I didn't even have water to help wash this one lady's wounds. Jane and I stood holding hands in utter disbelief that this could have just have easily been us...had it not been for Jane, I would have been on that bus...we swore to never speak of it but when we got home, we heard a lot of similar reports & we decided to talk about it.

Situation 2
On a smaller scale-I got hit really hard in Mombossa by a Muslim man in his 'outfit' I don't know the proper name...but my 'guide' told me I got hit because I was showing too much skin (I had on a sleeveless shirt-never mind the fact we were at the beach...in a tourist town...surrounded by women wearing far less).

Situation 3
While flying home from Mombossa, I sat next to a man who was there when the US Embassy in Kenya was bombed by a terrorist organization that we would soon learn a lot about...I remember listening to his story & telling him how it made me really mad that the countries that these terrorists were from didn't foot the bill for the rebuilding of the embassy...no telling what else I had to say but when I got off the plane, an extremely tall man stood up, and stared me in the eyes for several minutes straight as we were getting ready to get off the plane-he never broke eye contact-never said a word...I remember being really scared of this man...he looked like what I thought Jesus might look like but he was pure evil...I remember honestly being afraid he might follow me back to Naivasha...the man told me after we got off for me to watch my back because 'that man may do great harm to you.' Nothing came of it and I didn't think much of it until 9/11

Situation 4
Not sure how to say it except just to say it...I was going to go meet some people at the Carnivore...it was the 4th of July and my mom and sister were there with me. They were tired (I think they may have just flown into Nairobi or maybe mom was flying out...not sure)...anyway, they THANKFULLY decided to stay at the flat while I went out to meet some peace corp buddies & some embassy workers. We had been warned not to carry American Ids...not to have anything on us that screamed 'AMERICAN'...I even went so far during this story to even throw in a few 'eys' like I was a Canadian lol.

Long long long unbelievable story short-we ended up getting trapped in 'party' where basically there were Arab men & Kenyan prostitutes. I know...I know...this is stupid & not believable but THANKFULLY...I have people that were there to back me up if you don't believe me . Anyway-I sat down & just tried to play cool-needless to say, the 3 whites were slightly noticeable and slightly out of place...we were there well over an hour-not sure how to get out...not sure how long but this story ends with us finding out that there were numerous discussions about kidnappings that day & that several men in the party were recognized as linked to possible threats against Americans...thank you GOD for my mom and sister not being there...and I apologize for putting them in other hairy situations which they LOVE to talk about :)

SO ... 9/11 ... I was starting to hear names I had heard before...I was starting to hear music in the background of documentaries that I recognized...I was starting to realize that I was so close to evil on so many occasions that I don't know how I made it home in one piece...but it was okay...because I was strong & I was fine.

I remember standing in front of my special ed classroom teaching & the principal announcing what had taken place...my friend/classroom assistant and I just looked at each other in complete disbelief and we took turns leaving the classroom to watch it on tv.

In the weeks to follow-I started learning what everyone else was learning but I was also realizing just how lucky I was. Before I left, Kenya had started to get unsafe-they had moved upper Peace Corp workers down towards my area due to safety concerns...the embassy had sent normal updates with increasing acts against Americans...it all became a little too real with 9/11.

With 9/11 my life started to unravel...slowly but surely...and I honestly didn't even realize what was happening until it was too late...but I promise ALL of this has a silver lining...and no, I am not making any of this up and no, I am not even stretching the truth just a little...if anything, I am keeping the really nasty details to myself.

As I thought about whether or not to share any of this-I realized that I have nothing to be ashamed of...nothing at all. If a potential boss were to read this, I would be okay with it. If a former student were to read this as a 16 year old, while some of it is disturbing & I wouldn't want to expose them to this stuff, I'd be okay with it. If my own kids were to read this, I'd be okay with it...nothing 'really' happened to me-its just how I processed it that gave me issues. I live a very 'good' life...a very 'clean' life and if someone were to ever think less of me, pity me, or whatever because of this, I wouldn't care because quite honestly, I don't need those people in my life anyways...like my defense mechanisms? (to be continued)

Part 2: The Fog

2011-09-11T18:43:00.003-04:00

I remember being in a constant fog. I remember crying often but never when people could see me. I remember desperately trying to fake being what I thought was normal.

After all, I lived in America for 22 years-I spent 1 year in Africa so honestly, adjusting should not be this difficult. I decided that I would continue on & jump right back into my 'normal' life & that I would just forget the previous year....I would forget starving faces, the poverty, people dying from Aids, I would forget the smells, the sounds, I would forget the possibility of spotting a giraffe on my morning drive to work, I would forget the fact that I didn't save the world...I would forget it all...I would forget all of it in order to be normal...normal is good.

I remember going to Bi-lo to get something like bread and just standing in front of the aisle & being completely unable to make a decision...there were so many choices-choices I didn't have in the bush. I remember feeling a very overwhelming sense of panic, anger, & just disgust that something so simple was so difficult for me to do...and then I got mad that we HAD so many options...doesn't Bi-Lo know how many people all this food could feed?

I remember going to PC for a game & watching in horror as all these young white girls were wearing short short shorts and I remember honestly staring at their white legs & not being able to get over their lack of modesty.

I also remember thinking, "I don't think I have ever seen so many white people in my life-where are all the black people?" LOL (I have a feeling a few of my readers will appreciate this :)

I remember trying to go shopping for new clothes & looking at the price tag & comparing the cost of a pair of jeans vs. a months salary for the Kenyans.

I remember having conversations with people that I pretended to care about...seriously, I didn't care that the nail tech went up 5 dollars or that brownies had too much fat...I really could have cared less.

I remember moving to Mount Pleasant & wanting to beat the living mess out of all the cute little people that had NO clue what life was like outside of daddy paying for them to live a lifestyle they didn't earn or deserve. (PLEASE don't judge me for this comment-it wasn't their fault-but it was how I felt at the time.)

I remember missing birds so much that I went out and bought my beloved Baringo-my African Grey Parrot.

I remember my mom trying to cheer me up by convincing me to buy a 400 dollar leather elephant...it was 4 feet tall & was on sale for 199...I still have Ellie the Elephant...she made me happy & still does.

I remember trying to dress up to go to church, knowing I would have to fake being happy. I remember zoning out during the choir singing & praying that I would stay seated and not give in to the intense desire to stand up and scream.

I also remember wanting to run away from the crowds of people.

I remember trying to fit in with people my own age & realizing that it just wasn't working. I only had a couple people in my life that I thought understood me-both of which ended up letting me down (lesson-don't put all your eggs in one basket & people let you down-God doesn't.)

I remember looking at clothes & thinking our colors are so bright & unfaded from the sun...I missed seeing all those muted colors.

I remember craving Chai Tea...something I HATED in Africa but drank when offered out of respect for the host/hostess.

I remember being scared of white homeless people in Atlanta but not black homeless people (go ahead and laugh...I am :)

I remember going to a club with a wooden weapon in my purse...a skull cracker & feeling very safe that I could crack your skull if you messed with me...and I promise you, if you had messed with me, I would have used it.

I remember an intense sense of fear come over me if I was out driving and it was about to get dark...I had to remind myself that bandits were not waiting for it to get dark so they could hijack me.

I remember, for a split second, the feeling I felt every time I got a mosquito bite-a fear that I would get malaria.

I remember, for a split second, a feeling of fear every time I tried to drink water out of the tap. I had to remind myself that I don't have to boil this water...I am not going to get sick because I drank it but for a split second, I freaked out.

I remember looking for animals while I was driving down Dorchester Road...one time I thought I saw a lion....I finally accepted that squirrels would have to be the highlight of my day. I looked at deer differently too...they became my Thompson's gazelles...rabbits became my dik-diks (small little deerlike animals)...stray cats became my cheetahs:)

I remember almost EVERY little thing, despite my efforts to forget, reminding me of Kenya & it sucked beyond words. I remember entering into the overwhelming feeling that I messed up by coming home...my heart wasn't here & I wasn't sure if it ever would be. I wanted to ship my family & the people I cared about to Kenya so I could have the best of both worlds....that or I just wanted to dig a hole, lie down in it & just go to sleep so I could turn off the constant thoughts running through my head...and then 9/11 happened.

(to be continued...no telling how many times this will be continued lol)

Part 1: 10 Years: Not Just About 9/11

2011-09-10T07:47:00.005-04:00

Well-here I am. It is 7 am, I went to bed a 2 am, and I am wide awake feeling the need to write.

A friend of mine recently shared something pretty publicly that I think in many ways was completely needed for her to move on...to heal...somehow, putting a label on things allows people to address the issue, attack it full force, not hiding behind lies or insecurities. This is why I am writing.

Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of 9-11 & I guess in a way, it has sparked a realization that it has been 10 years since I felt my world was falling apart, 10 years since I felt completely isolated, and 10 years since I was forced to realize that life doesn't always turn out the way you expected to and that prayers aren't always answered in the way you would like to see them answered. I guess in a sense, it was the year I was forced to grow up.

I think in terms of school years. 2001 started in August for me & that is where I will pick up with the story running through my head right now.

I had just stepped off of an airplane after teaching in Kenya for a year...my world was confusing to say the least. I didn't really want to be home...I didn't really know what I wanted my future to look like...and I didn't know who I was anymore. I lost my identity the minute I stepped off that plane. I spent most of that insane journey home fighting off tears-thank GOD my sister was with me (we joke that she came as insurance that I would actually get on the plane and come home lol). Anyway-In my heart, I was going to be Lee Davis-world traveler, adventure seeker, a Mother Teresa out to save the world but when I stepped off that plane...I felt it all slip away & I remember thinking-I have no idea who I am anymore & I don't think I fit in here anymore.

I am not sure I have ever admitted this to anyone but the more I think about it, I was completely lost. I wonder if other people have ever felt that way after doing something that was slightly 'off the normal path' of what we think normal is or should be. Either way, I was lost & had no idea what to do or where to turn. I looked around at all the normal people & I kept thinking, "What have I done? Who have I become? Will I ever be able to think & act like these normal people?" My new normal wasn't what I felt God had called me into and I didn't seem to be adjusting quite the way I thought I should.

At the same time, I was in complete denial that my grandmother's Alzheimer's was where it was. I watched as this beautiful woman that I so wanted to be like just seemed to disappear. I watched as my mom & uncle took care of her & quite honestly I was just flat out pissed that someone so wonderful...someone that gave of herself so unconditionally...someone that didn't deserve to be in her shoes-was in her shoes and there wasn't anything I could do to stop it.

Yes, stepping off that plane, I knew I was entering a new reality that I had somewhat avoided by going to Kenya for year but had I known how that year would unfold the way it did, I swear I might have just stayed far far away. (to be continued)

Family

2011-01-07T21:54:00.008-05:00

As we enter into 2011, I have been thinking a lot about family & truly grateful I am for them.

(sorry if your picture is not in here...I still love you!)

My mom & dad-aren't they cute? Check out Dad's collar...ha ha ha...he's cool like that.

I have 2 amazing parents-I have a great relationship with both of them. I enjoy talking to my dad, rolling my eyes at his 'jokes,' and really appreciate watching him play the same tricks on Thomas as he played on me. I (okay, I hate to admit this) have a lot in common with my dad & I can (okay, I really hate to admit this) can relate to a lot of what he has to say about things. I think I really started to appreciate him when I moved to Africa and he took the time to write me 5 page letters about everything from politics to football...man I appreciated that.

Anyway-My mom. Have you ever met her? Sweetest, well intentioned, kind lady. I talk to my mom at least 2 times a day...sometimes even more. I am so grateful that she has put up with me all these years. Seriously, I don't know how she put up with my horrible attitude all those years or how she raised us as a 'single' mom when my dad was gone serving our country. She is a great role model to so many in so many areas & I have learned SO much from her over the years. I love my mama.

Chris coming home for R.R after serving in Iraq for 6 months

Typical Sally & Lee Photo

And I cannot forget my sister. Sally & mom are without doubt my best friends & I cannot imagine my life without them. Sally is the best sister ever...I could write a NOVEL about her. She is amazing & the best part-SHE married into an amazing family. Sally is just great & when I look back on my childhood, marriage, having kids, I cannot imagine how I would have survived without her...I may have survived but life sure wouldn't have been as fun. My favorite story has to be about the time she hid under the hall table hoping to scare me when I came out from my shower. I surprised her when I walked out from my shower with a handtowel over the front of me and my backside pressed up against that table so no one would see me...I tiptoed across the hallway saying, "Sally, don't come out, I don't have any clothes on." She burst out laughing and I then beat the mess out of her.

Jamie's Sister Mandy & His Mom & Dad-I would say aren't they cute too but Pappy might let it go to his head.

Then there is the family I married into...I listen to some of my friends as they tell stories of the 'stuff' they go through with their in-laws & honestly, I can't relate...not one bit. My mother-in-law, father-in-law, and sister-in-law are without doubt the best 'in-laws' one could ask for...I seriously thank God daily that I married into this family & I seriously feel for those that don't have the same type of relationship with their in-laws that I have with them. They accepted me into their family with open arms & I couldn't be more grateful. They have put up with their fair share from me too...classic moment was when I laughed at one of them for saying she liked her weanies (meaning hotdogs) big, black, and juicy...TOTALLY not appropriate but OH so stinkin' funny!

And even THEIR families are amazing! Jamie actually lived with his Aunt Carrie & Uncle Hilton when he taught school in Manning. I just love his mother's side of the family as well as his father's side of the family. I love all their get togethers & just spending time doing nothing. It has been so much fun watching everyone's kids grow up.

Uncle Tommy-My Mom's Brother
I am grateful to have an amazing uncle that lives in Myrtle Beach that has played a huge role in my life. He took my sister and I on trips all over the place when we were growing up & we spent a lot of weekends with him over the years. Bless his heart, I don't know how he survived Sally & me...especially when we locked him in the ship's bathroom for over 2 hours (but that is another story for another time). Anyway, it is great to see how much my kids adore him too. So many of my childhood memories involve him..."It's party time!!!!"

Thomas and GiGi (oh and my uncles dog trying to hump the couch)

Then there is my grandmother. While I am so sad that my kids didn't get to 'know' any of their other greatgrandparents, I will be forever grateful that they got to know my dad's mom, Mamoo Alice to me...G.G to Thomas and Ellison. They adore her and she adores them! Thomas likes to just sit with her...very odd if you 'know' his personality. He doesn't like to just sit, he is always on the go but he calms down quite nicely for her. He wants to sit with her at meals...he is her little buddy in a sense. He was really concerned about her when she moved into the manor, "Will she get to take her stuff, will she be lonely, will she miss her old house..." I love Thomas & I love G.G.

I always LOVED my grandparents & I spent a lot of time with them growing up. I still cry when I think about them not being here but I sure do cherish the time I got to spend with them. I also get upset when I think about my Dad's brother. Uncle Randy had a great story that eventually led him to becoming a preacher. I wasn't exactly the 'best' middle school girls & I remember him whispering in my ear, "When I look at you, I see an emptiness...a physical hole in you." I got scared...I really believed he saw a hole in me but now, I know he knew I was just searching. If he could see me now, I am sure he would see me whole and would whisper, "I'm proud of you." Anyway, his life was cut way too short-I was in 6th grade (I think) and remember it being the first time I had to come to grips with the reality of death. I still struggle with it. I miss Uncle Randy & often wonder how different life would be if he were still here.

Then of course, there is my own little family. Not only did I marry one of the nicest, hardworking, honest & trustworthy men on the planet but we were blessed with 2 amazing kids. I look back on the time in our life where we questioned whether we were going to even be able to have kids and then I look at where we are now...truly unbelievable. I honestly 'like' my kids. They are awesome. Yes, I do get horribly irritated with them from time to time but I love their personalities already. Ellison is SUCH a girl & Thomas is SUCH a boy. They both have big personalities & a great sense of humor (which is 100% necessary to deal with Jamie & I as parents).

Yup, I love my family. I love the fact that I am surrounded by such amazing people. I love the fact that we all do stupid stuff but at the end of the day can laugh and move on. I love the fact that we can forgive and forget. I love the fact that we aren't perfect but we are perfect for each other...just the way God planned it. Sorry for the novel but I just wanted to write about some of the people that mean the most to me.

Slacker

2011-01-04T11:13:00.005-05:00

The boys built a snowman that was taller than Jamie...unfortunately, it got knocked over before I got a picture :( The boys enjoyed a fun filled snowball fight.

Ellison & I did take time to pose with the snow :)

This was about the only picture of Ellison smiling in the snow.

Here are my list of excuses for not posting since Sept...blogger is too slow to upload pictures/facebook is faster/I lost the connection cable to the computer/I've been cleaning...but honestly, they are just excuses. The truth is...I am a slacker.

Anyway, we went to Florence on Christmas day. We went with our Church clothes on & got suckered into staying...good thing we did because the next morning, we woke up to several inches of snow! Thankfully Sally, Mom & Dad took care of our dogs...thanks guys! After borrowing clothes from our neice & nephew, the kids had a fun filled day in the snow (okay, Thomas and Jamie had fun...Ellison and I stayed inside-she is just like her mama & acted disgusted with the cold!) Hope everyone had a super New Year!

All Things Sousaphone

2010-09-17T23:42:00.008-04:00

Anyone that has spent more than 1 minute with Thomas probably knows that he has a 'mild obsession' with the sousaphone. As Thomas likes to tell people, "You know, the tuba that goes around your back like the band members wear...the one that has the bell that faces forward???" Anyway, I cannot NOT write about this because honestly, it consumes SO much of our lives these days. Here are just a few short stories about our friend the sousaphone.

This is how it all started-Thomas was like 2 1/2 when I caught him turning our rainbow vacuum cleaner into a 'tuba.'

Age 4-still lovin' that tuba & insisted he have a 'band member' birthday cake..tada!

Last week, they announced that one of the prizes was Gideon TUBA Warrior movie...I 'in shock' told my table they HAD to pull my name...2 seconds later, they called my name. I normally get embarrassed when they call my name for winning something but this time, I jumped up, cheered, almost started crying, & may or may not have almost wet my pants...you know, the type of things people do on the Price is Right when they win a car...yep, all for the TUBA!

I don't know how I can ever top this! I posted this as my profile pict on facebook because of how HUGE this was. Thomas seriously sits & stares at the tuba section for the entire game. One of the directors offered to let Thomas 'hold' the sousaphone...INSANE!!!! Thomas acted 'weird' to say the least but none-the-less, HE got to hold the sousaphone & hasn't stopped talking about it!

We have to look at this picture everyday...and we have to watch tuba beatboxing on youtube...and we have to read adult non-fiction about sousaphones...and I may have placed an add on craigslist a while back looking for an old beat up sousaphone for his 4th bday...and I am waiting to see the FDHS band uniforms so I can make his Halloween costume...yep...he is going to be a band member...do you get my point...this was the best day of his life :)

When I asked him if he wanted to take Karate lessons, or play tee-ball or soccer, Thomas response was this, "Mom, I think I want to take band member lessons." We are looking into lessons :)

*A special thanks goes to who Thomas refers to as his favorite band member for putting up with us staring at him, posting his pictures to facebook without asking, & for taking the time out to make a 4 year old the happiest kid on earth! Sorry we have been so obsessive & stalkerish-please forgive us*

Siblings

2010-09-06T00:20:00.003-04:00

Ellison asked Thomas to hold him...and he did :)

4th of July

Watching a movie..

If you are a 'friend' on facebook, I try to entertain you with the realities of life with toddlers. :)

However, the truth is, the majority of the time, our life is really good...low key crazy...organized...smoothe running. But to me, that is boring...not noteworthy unless you are trying to make people think you are perfect all the time...maybe that is just me. But the truth is my kids get along really well 90% of the time...the other 10% is what, to me, is entertaining but for a moment, I will share the 'good' stuff.

Their love for each other is evident. Thomas does NOT like anyone doing anything remotely 'mean' to Ellison. He doesn't like them playing with her toys & don't EVEN think about pushing her or he will tattle like he has never tattled before :)

Everynight, Thomas goes into Ellison's room and kisses her through the rails of her crib and says, "Good night my sweet baby girl, I will see you in the morning." Melts my heart!

I just LOVE watching them make up games such as 'knock, knock' (inspired by Pappy)...one acts like they are sleeping, the other runs up and hits the one sleeping while saying knock knock...the one sleeping jumps up and says, "who did that who did that?" And then they swap places.

I get tickled with Thomas asks Ellison to do something, "Hey Ellison, can you open these pickles for me." Seriously Thomas? She loves to pick at him & tries to lure him into games of chase.

The majority of our meltdowns have nothing to do with the 2 not getting along...for Ellison, it is that she wants food...for Thomas, it is that he wants what Ellison has...that is what 90% of our meltdowns are over.

Anyway, just had to share a few of the good stories. News worthy developments: Ellison's big girl mattress is coming on Tuesday. Potty training is slow. Her new phrase is "boo yow." Thomas is LOVING learning with Mommy. He likes to show off what he is learning but DO NOT try to correct how he writes his letters because he "KNOWS" how to do it (very hard for a phonics person to accept...doesn't he know that the way you write your letters corresponds with connections in the brain?) Anyway, I hope he doesn't get TOO use to it because I will NOT eat my words & end up homeschooling him through elementary school :)

Holy cow...I just had to share

2010-08-18T15:01:00.003-04:00

Have you ever had something keep slapping you in the face over and over and over again? Well that is why I am writing. It is 3 in the afternoon. Both kids are asleep, I took a bath & washed my hair (something long overdue :) and I started reading a book that I accidentally checked out in the library.

Kathy Ireland's, Your Guide To Success and Sanity, wasn't the book I went to get. I went to check out Bringing up Girls by James Dobson but it was already checked out. The librarian said, "just go take a look, you might get something similar." Ummm...similar? Really? But I went over to look anyway & this was the only thing that caught my attention so I got it...NOT what I expected...even better.

One thing I really liked was a section on happiness and what happiness is...it talked about the importance of children growing up around happy parents. I am generally happy BUT I tend to get frustrated with stupid stuff they do, like spilling paint on the carpet. Thomas said to me the other day, "Mom, I'm not happy with the way you are acting." Dang-I say "that is not making me very happy" all the time & now my 4 year old is saying it...geez! Life is not about what 'makes you happy' that sound like some of that "the secret" garbage but I do think being happy is important in being productive. Anyway...

I have really been bombarded with God slapping me in the face with these 2 words, "SLOW DOWN." Why? I really don't know. I feel like I live a pretty slow paced life but honestly, for the past 6 months-this is what I really feel I have been learning...it is partly why Thomas is not in preschool this year & is home with me, partly why I have not stepped up in leadership roles & in fact have stepped down, & partly why I have been stepping away from some of the stuff that has been 'eating' my time & energy...things I DON'T enjoy doing & things that are not a priority (I am NOT by any means saying people should step down from leadership roles...if God has called you to a leadership role, it is for a reason...keep reading)

Pastor Phil had a message at First Wednesday & it was once again, to slow down & not busy yourself with things that are taking away from what God has called you to do. I wasn't suppose to be there...Jamie wasn't home & I usually won't go without him BUT something said I should pack up the kids, keep them out an hour past bedtime, and go. He also talked about burnout...something I know a little something about as well. His main point (at least to me) was this: if you are called to do something-do it but don't take on too much else or you won't be much good to anyone. To me, it was once again a reminder to slow down & use my talents (what few I have).

I don't find it 'by chance' that my best friends are thinking the same thing. I don't find it by chance that this message keeps slapping me in the face. I love the fact my friends aren't into blowing money on things they don't need or can't afford & I love the fact that my friends are looking at ways to simplify their lives & spend more time with their families. I love the fact that they encourage me (in ways they might not even realize) to be a better mom, friend, wife, daughter, sister, & Christ follower.

I am a list kinda person so I sat down not too long ago and wrote down my top 5 priorities in order: My faith & family, my dear friends (not my 500 friends on facebook :), my health, my sanity (oddly enough, this spells out FDHS)...I also wrote down a few things under each priority...such as Health: make it a point to workout, take my thyroid meds & vitamins, & look at my house from the 'health perspective.' I've really been trying to implement those things because if one area of my life gets out of control, it seems to knock everything else off as well...you can tell my mental state by what my house looks like :)

Anyway, I just had to share...if anyone has anything encouraging to share, please do.

I'll leave you with a true story: I had a friend that felt her life was spinning a little too fast. She & her husband sold their house, quit their jobs & moved their 2 very young children into an apartment so they could spend more quality time together. (this is my recollection of the story-not sure if that is exactly how it all went down but the outcome was still the same). She said that time they spent together as a family was PRICELESS. I think back on this and stand in awe...very cool!

Happy 4th Birthday!

2010-08-10T14:16:00.006-04:00

Oh Happy Birthday Sweet Boy! You are one of a kind! Your birthday gifts pretty much sum up who you are as a little 4 year old boy: gag gifts, a bug vacuum, magic tricks, a Wild West book that you BEGGED for, a new violin, a box of instruments, guns, candy & a bag of sports stuff. You (like all little boys do) make us laugh daily. Some of the stuff that you come up with makes us laugh so hard, we can't stop.

Since your 'party' was a few weeks ago, we went to Chuck E Cheese with the Livingstons...you amazed me by playing the games with your friend instead of begging me to go with you. I realize that you are actually growing up. Thankfully Jamie had school today so he was able to join us there for lunch before heading back for football.

I think my next post is going to dedicated to little boys. You guys are so special & it truly amazes me how different boys and girls really are. I just love all the things that make you, you...the fact that you have to call me to see that your poop made the letter T....the fact that you insert the word "poop" into every nursery rhyme you recite despite us explaining that we don't use bathroom talk in nursery rhymes...the fact that you try to protect me from Rupert, Sadie, your dad, & all the 'bad guys' in the house :)

Thanks for being my sweet little boy-a mama's boy-a sensitive yet strong young man that is learning so much everyday. I love you sweetheart!

Thomas & Ellison's Birthday Bash

2010-08-07T19:48:00.011-04:00

I have really enjoyed making these cakes :)

Poor fella.

Ellison got tons of cute clothes...man look at Courtney-she looks like the perfect mom (which she is) with her 2 young boys completely under control in her lap...I LOVE moments like that (they don't happen often in my house :)

Wild man Thomas

My buddy Michael

And if you are wondering where he learned that perfect form, it comes from months of practicing diving off the side of the coach onto the pillows (amazingly, this is the same reason he had a HUGE bruise on his face)

Ellison has developed this odd quirk of holding her head when she is nervous.

And these are the students that made the tardy bell...the rest of you, please report to the office.

Ellison LOVES for people to drive her around & I must say I am SO happy Ellison has a girl cousin to play with for years to come.

Boys rule, girls drool.

These are ornaments & you can switch out the instuments...

I buy the kids ornaments each year for their personal trees...something that represents their interests...I was going to buy these this year so I figured why not do it now & kill 2 birds with one stone.

This was the gun Thomas threw the BIGGEST tantrum over a couple nights prior to his party. Grammy went back to Target to get it for him...Rupert would like me to add that he is tired of being the bad guy & would appreciate not getting snuck up on and shot 15 times a day.

YUP...you would have thought he won the lottery.

Girl stuff :)

Okay-we went to a birthday party today and it made me realize-I HAVE YET TO POST about their birthday party at Davitas! Yikes! The Tylers came down the night before so we had a little 'preparty' opening of the gifts that morning...we then joined 12 other little friends at Davitas. Both kids are crazy about instruments & music so we decided to combine the parties & have it at the kids favorite gym. We had a blast. Thankfully Mrs. Tyler helped get everything ready & we got everything set up and ready to go. I felt really bad because I sent Mimi home (thinking it would take 20 min) to get Thomas' surprise gift & it took her 45 min to get back to the party. There was a huge mix up and Thomas' trumpet & case somehow got left at Mimis. Anyway, the AMAZING case that dad made (which ended up costing 75 dollars to make due to my dad's perfectionism) finally made it to the party along with Mimi. Most of the guests had a good time...Landen got sick on the way down to the party (bless his heart, can you imagine having to sit and watch everyone play? I felt so bad for him) & a few adults complained about the heat but overall we had a great time...at least my kids did and that is all that matters anyway. I made their cake which actually separated into 2 separate cakes at the 50 yard line...never thought my 1st football field cake would be dedicated to the band :) Tommy came down for the party too and gave the kiddos a beach buggy racer that actually can go 5 miles an hour...the kids have a BLAST riding it in the back yard. Sally made it down for the party as well (Matthew was born a few days ago-I will blog about it later). Ellison got a doll house, 2 mermaids, some dolls, clothes, books, a teaset, a coffee maker, a baby highchair, a bed for her babies, a horse & some other fun stuff. Thomas got clothes, an airplane, several guns (insert eyeroll), a helicopter, books, gum, money (which I kid you not he counts EVERYDAY), a slide whistle, a new trumpet & case, an instrument book (which we read a section every night), soliders, & several other fun boyish toys :) Happy Bday kiddos! * More pictures will be added tomorrow :) *

Let the Madness Begin!

2010-08-05T21:18:00.003-04:00

Well, football season is well underway. As a fellow coaches wife said, "let the madness begin." It is truly amazing how my attitude has changed over the years...I am honestly excited that it is here! Don't get me wrong, I am sure I will pout about Jamie's long hours (I can recall him walking in at 2am and then leaving the house at 6am to teach the next day)...I am sure I will throw a tantrum here or there when I expect him at 8 and he walks in at 1am BUT I am excited it is here.

I love football games. I love getting to see the boys go out there and do their thing...I love screaming-biting my nails-jumping up and down-throwing tantrums over a bad call and yes, even crying. To me, it means getting to see more of Grammy, Pappy, Mimi, & Poppy-it means FUN packed Fridays-it means cooler weather & yummy food. I can't wait!

My hope that is that it is a good season, that the players and coaches give 100%, and that each game is called fairly. I know that sounds lame but honestly, it is all about the players, the coaches, & the refs...any 1 of the three can completely blow a game. It is always so nice when it all comes together...win or lose (but preferably a win).

I know a lot of people have it rougher than us but being the wife of a coach isn't always the easiest thing. Our husbands are often criticized by people that know very little about football...by parents who want their children to play (some of which might honestly get killed if they were to play)...when something goes wrong, it is easy to blame the coach that made the call. I have learned to bite my tongue :)

I think my attitude has changed for several reasons:

1) Thomas & Ellison are FINALLY both to a point they can go to the game & have fun...I am not trying to get pregnant, nursing, pregnant, nor have I just birthed a baby...yes, this year will be different than the past 6 :)
2) I am better prepared...my house is more organized (dirty, but organized), I have great friends, & I have a freezer full of the meals
3) I have learned to NOT expect Jamie home at a certain time...I have lowered my expectations which has made it a whole lot easier on us all
4) Like I said before, I have learned to bite my tongue in the stands...In the past, I (along with numerous other wives) have fallen into flying off the hook to attack someone insulting our husbands & our players.

And here are a few things I have done differently:
1) I take the kids to practice so they get to see him.
2) I prepare his meal like he is going to be home, & when he doesn't show, I stick it in the microwave...he knows where to find it.
3) I try to get to know the players & their parents...it makes it more of a family that way.
4) I don't do the math...I don't figure out the number of hours vs the pay...they don't do it for the pay folks but at the same time, it is him being a coach that allows me to stay home.
5) I don't plan on seeing him for 3-4 months, that way when I do, I am pleasantly surprised.
6) Let the kids take a really late nap on game nights so they can stay up late.
7) I don't wait by the door...even when he says he is on his way home.
8) I try to have more of a life instead of just waiting for Jamie to get home.
9) I have accepted that only the wives of coaches 100% understand the dynamics/politics/role of being a coach's wife.
10) I have accepted that there will always be people out there that have it 100 times worse than I have it and those that have it 100 times easier & that is okay.

Good Luck, Fort D! May this be your year to shine!

2010-07-31T22:26:00.003-04:00

Ellison's First Haircut

2010-07-28T17:01:00.004-04:00

Excuse the color-we used the 'old' camera...great example of why we bought the new one.

Doing well...

Awww...who's that pretty girl???

Thank goodness, she didn't lose her curls!

I remember seeing a friend's post where her 2 year old daughter was getting her 1st haircut. At the time I only had Thomas & I thought myself, "I can't believe she waited 2 years to get her haircut!" Yup, Ellison JUST got her first haircut...age 2 years 1 week.

I have been trying to do EVERYTHING the same for both Thomas & Ellison. Thomas' first haircut was at Bangs & Bows in Mount P & I really wanted to do the same for Ellison...however, I finally just had to accept the fact that not everything can or will be equal...yes, Ellison's first haircut was from Mommy and I must say, I did a DANG good job :)

She sat down nicely-whined a little because she had a knot in it, but then calmly sat still for me to cut & style it. Congrats Ellison! Oh man...I just realized I haven't posted anything about her 2nd birthday party...geez! I guess I will get that done later tonight. Football is back in full swing. I told Thomas & Ellison that there are about to be a lot of changes in the Tyler household...

My Baby is 2...Boo Hoo Hoo...

2010-07-22T22:37:00.004-04:00

Ellison LOVES Davitas so we are having her party on Saturday.

Ellison showing everyone that she is 2!

She LOVED getting her gifts!

She likes to pose for pictures too.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

Ellison, my sweet, sweet, Ellison! I cannot believe you are already 2. You bring so much joy & excitement to our lives. You are into running, climbing, jumping, & playing. You love babies, mermaids, horses, puppies & your bear. Today the Livingstons came over to play so we had a little bday celebration since they can't come to your party on Saturday. Mimi and Poppy came too. You had SUCH a great time today opening your gifts. You seriously crack us up. You are 100% girl yet you are tough as nails. You love to get Thomas' guns and shoot up the entire house & you certainly don't mind getting dirty! Thomas LOVES you (most of the time) and you adore him and want to copy EVERYTHING he does. You love to sing...all the time...everyday...with...every...song...You love to cry and put your head down when you don't get your way, which is pitiful! You have your mama's temper :) You love to be held, insist on kissing everyone's boo boos, & like to purposely annoy your brother (such as taking his stuff and then running.) You are TOO much. In the past couple weeks, you started speaking in mostly 2 & 3 word phrases & you can tell that you are finally making the connections that are going to help you communicate better. Your favorites are "my bow...Eddie (what you call yourself) 2 bows...please more juice...sadie off...shoes on please." Heaven forbid we don't understand something you are saying...you get SO mad at us and start screaming it...sometimes you even start jumping up and down to emphasis your point. Oh you make us laugh. You refuse to go on the potty but take your own diaper off as soon as you are wet...you are so so stubborn. You HAVE to pick out every outfit and every bow. You have certain shoes you won't wear & you are VERY opinionated about your babies & your bear. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such a sweet baby girl & I pray that you will grow into a confident, well-rounded little girl. You are well on your way. We love you sweetheart!

What Happens When Mama is Not Watching...

2010-07-18T21:08:00.005-04:00

Ellison & Thomas fill up a bucket full of water instead of watering the garden...

Sadie just plops her fat self down in the dirt...

& Rupert plays with his ball...or at least what is left of it...we buy him new ones but he only wants this one.

Typical...Thomas tries to hug Ellison, Ellison whines & pushes him off.

Thomas was saying, "I'm gonna get your belly, Ellison."

Jamie took some meds that knocked him completely out for 4 hours in the middle of the day. Of course, I was in the middle of my marathon cooking so I really couldn't stop when the kids got up from their nap. Thomas is really into earning his pennies & kindly asked if he could water the garden to earn some extra pennies for his bear bank. Of course, I said yes...Ellison had to go too & if there was any arguing, they would have to come inside. I kept checking out the window on them & didn't notice anything crazy until I realized that they were soaking wet. I watched them play for 30 minutes in this bucket. I kept popping my head out there, when finally Thomas said, "Mom, go inside & cook, I got this (referring to taking care of Ellison)." It seriously made me laugh. At what age have you guys let your kids play in the yard unsupervised? They played for at least an hour out there without me right by their sides...we do have a fence. The truth is we use to play outside ALL the time. I would go fishing by myself...Sally and I would go for bike rides...we built forts in the woods, booby traps in the yard...we did all sorts of fun stuff. The truth is, had I been watching, I probably would have stopped Ellison & Thomas from doing this but honestly, I am glad I didn't :) Anyway...

I just finished cooking 45 meals...a few for Sally, a few for Mamoo, & a lot for us. They should last us the next 3 months...YES!

Sally's Baby Shower

2010-06-26T20:05:00.003-04:00

Awww...doesn't Sally look CUTE????

Yeah-if you didn't come, you missed out ;)

Mindy, we said NO cheating!

The crew...

I know, I know...I am just WAY too talented :) Just kidding.

Welcome to the Jungle-today was Sally's baby shower for baby Matthew. We had a super day full of food, fun, & family...well I don't know if everyone would call my little games fun but at least I had fun! Sally looked precious & Michael came to visit wearing his Big Brother shirt & looking handsome as always. Sal got a lot of cute and really nice gifts. I enjoy having people over & I really just wanted today to be fun. The theme was Welcome to the Jungle-we played several little games including 'Name that Baby' (example mom is called Kangaroo...baby is called Joey). Susan Gaston smoked the competition on that one. We played guess how long I am pregnant (example zebra's are pregnant 365 days)-Sally won. I wrote a name of an animal under everyone's cup & then made them make that noise when I gave Sally their gifts to open :) If I gave a prize for that one, Starla would have won...or maybe it would go to Mimi for her horrible attempt of a monkey...anyway. My FAVORITE game was when I told everyone that I placed a sticker on somone's rearend & whoever found it would get a prize...there wasn't a sticker but I sure had fun laughing at everyone rubbing their rearends trying to find it! Oh man, I kill myself! The 'men' came to visit at the end...it is always so much fun to have everyone in the same place. Happy Baby Shower Day, Sasa! We had a super fun time with you guys today! Oh and a huge thanks to Grammy & Pappy for watching the kids so I could pull this off.

Oh How I Love Summer

2010-06-17T20:55:00.004-04:00

Today we had a fun day full of water & friends! I love days like today because they remind me of all the reasons I love being a mom. I love watching Thomas & Ellison make friends, learn to play with others, & just figure out how things work. One of Thomas' teachers had a some friends over & we all celebrated Toy Story 3! Thomas & Ellison were a little standoffish at first but they finally joined in on the fun...VERY cute idea...maybe I will have a Willie Nelson Party for all the kids next time he comes to town :)

Then we joined our friends Danette & Juliette for a pizza & pool party. Ellison had her bathing suit on to begin with but then we got out because of lightning...the girls decided they were too cool to put their bathing suits back on so they played clothed...having said that though, one of them decided to skinny dip ;) I won't say who.

Honestly, when I look at the people in my life, I feel very blessed. I love my friends...I realized something today. All of my friends are just happy, laid back ladies that enjoy life. I love the fact that my friends 'like' my kids or at least pretend to and treat them like their own. We had the best time just hanging out, laughing and watching the kids have a good time. Thomas told me he wanted to move next door to Danette-he told me in the car that if he moved next door to her he could see her everyday...so so sweet! He loves Danette and I honestly think he has a little crush on Juliette...don't worry Katie, you are still his Super Girlfriend.

Long live summer!

Not too sure about all this...

2010-06-12T23:11:00.003-04:00

One thing I LOVE about living where I live, is the opportunity to decide at 6:00pm that you want to take a trip to the beach. It takes Ellison a LONG time to warm up to water & of course, tonight was no exception. She didn't even want to put her bathing suit on at first. Thomas is getting braver & braver (more so than I am) so we are really proud of him. With this, I will leave you with a story that has NOTHING to do with this post.

We were watching TV with my father in law-Herman Tyler a few months back when James on Survivor got hurt. Mr. Tyler said, "oh man, did they figure out what happened to him?" I said "yeah, you didn't hear, he has Hermantitis." Falling for it hook line and sinker Mr Tyler says, "Hermantitis, what is that." I burst into hysterics and told him it is a rare disorder that causes all your hair to fall out!" Oh Lord, I kill myself!

Decisions, decisions...

2010-05-19T14:15:00.002-04:00

That just seems to be the theme of the 6 months...stick around Sville or move...keep Thomas in school next year or keep him home...sell or house or stay put...try for a 3rd baby or not...stay at our church or find another church closer...and the list goes on and on.

Amazingly, I know that no matter what decision we made or make, we will be okay. Having said that here are the latest updates & happenings from the Tylers.

Despite great job offers elsewhere, we are staying here.
Despite great houses elsewhere, we are staying in our home.
Despite a great year at Old Fort Child's Day out, Thomas is staying home with me next year.
Despite the temptation of having 100 kids, we have decided to stick with 2 :)
Despite loving the churches we have attended, we are calling Sville Seacoast home.
Despite wanting to get involved with everything, I am learning to say no :)

DD2 is slashing teacher pay & slaughtering athletic pay next year...this factored into us keeping Thomas home but honestly, who better to teach him than his mama with a master's degree in education right? Probably not, but we will see. It is going to take a lot of effort on my part but I def. think it is best for our family. They are only little once & our days are a lot more fun when he is home. My number 1 priority (next to my faith) is my family & enjoying the time I have with them...as long as we are able to provide for our basic needs, we are going to keep me home.

I found Jane, my housegirl & friend, from Naivasha so I am super excited about that.

I am making HUGE efforts to get my house cleaned, decluttered & simplified. I have done a lot but I have a LONG way to go. We would like to put it on the market next year.

Mom & Dad have been watching Thomas & Ellison 2 days a week for 3 hours a stretch so I can tutor one of the most amazing middle school girls I have ever met. Thank you MOM & DAD! And to 'my girl' (yes, I gave her access to this website) you are AMAZING-don't ever forget that!

The Fort Boys won 1st in the State Track Meet. The girls placed 6th but they only had 2 girls to qualify so that is pretty impressive too. It is nice to see all of the long hours pay off with a win!

We are excited about seeing more of Jamie this summer...it has been a LONG year with him coaching football and track and running the weightroom in his 'off' season.

We are excited about our friendships. I know that sounds lame but I am learning that I have to make more of an effort to keep up with friends...this is hard to do when Jamie is gone so much of the time. After a while, I think you realize who you can trust, who isn't too busy for you, & who you click with...I love the people in my life.

I am excited about Matthew Brown...my nephew that will be born hopefully July/Aug. I also like the idea of Thomas being home so I can make trips to Columbia without him missing school.
I think after you are 'through' having babies, you appreciate other's little babies so much more...maybe that is just me.

I am excited about my cooking/couponing/freezer meals...lame, I know but once you kinda 'perfect' your system, things just seem to run a lot smoother & you feel a little more on top of things.

I sometimes think you have to go through valleys to truly appreciate the mountain tops...the past few months have been extremely hard on all fronts but everything seems to be settling down now-thank goodness. It is almost like I needed to be reminded of how bad life can stink (gaining weight, not sleeping well, having a dirty house, not having nice meals, sheer exhaustion) in order to appreciate it when it is good (fitting into my 'old' pants, sleeping great, clean house, good meals). (Okay now I really sound shallow.) I think it is easy to think, "man, things aren't good right now" when all you need is a few months of horribleness to look at that same situation and say, "man, things aren't that bad right now." Does that make sense? Anyway, have a super week!

Happy Days are Here Again!

2010-04-30T16:04:00.002-04:00

Ahhhh...finally! I am starting to feel like myself again. While I can't go into details, I must say that my 'problem' seems to be fixing itself. For the women out there, if you are considering preventing your family from growing, do you research before commiting to something that will make you feel HORRIBLE for 5 months straight. Anyway.

Just wanted to say I feel good again. It is my 32nd birthday & I actually treated myself to new clothes for the first time in...umm...honestly for the first time I can remember. I lost 18 lbs and no one could tell because I was wearing baggy, out of date, faded 10 year old outfits!

I dislike shopping but while my husband was in Florence last weekend with the kids, I went marthon shopping...6 hours later...10 tops, 10 bottoms, 4 necklace/earring sets/2 bras/5 underwear & 2 tank tops later...my day was complete. Best part..all tops were less than 10! For those that know me, this is huge! The outfit I am 'sporting' isn't even one of my cuter ones...but I just had to share...I tried them ALL on for Jamie when he got home :) Happy Birthday to ME!

My Bad Attitude

2010-04-01T21:26:00.003-04:00

I have had several people ask me about my lack of blogging & honestly, it just boils down to me having a bad attitude. I try to not to spread my foulness and I knew if I got on here to blog, that is what I would be doing. I am sure I will pop out of this funk sooner or later but honestly, it has been around for several months now & until a few things change, I will probably remain mean & nasty. Thankfully, I have not been mean & nasty with my kids...kinda the opposite. I just want to love on them and protect them even more. No, my meanness has been directed at everything else.

When I feel like I am being pulled in too many directions & it gets to be more than I can handle, I shut down. I can sum up the source in one word: TRACK! I hate it and it really makes me turn into a bitter, lonely person that then in turn pulls away even more. I could go into great detail but I won't.

I have been trying hard to carry on...to rise above my ill feelings. I am trying to get on top of cooking again...trying to clean after the 6 slobs that live in this house (yes that includes all of us)...trying to change my attitude. I am trying to get sleep...trying to quit biting my nails...trying to quit picking my face...trying to get back to being 'Lee.' ugh... I am just plain tired.

Something that has been ticking me off lately is the idea that the world owes people something for nothing. It BLOWS my mind that people think things should be handed to them on silver platters...it blows my mind that lazy people are rewarded sometimes for being lazy...i just don't get it. And yet I see hardworking people busting their tails to do the right things & they get nothing in return. Example: We have insurance yet I had to pay 122 bucks for a doc to look into Ellison's nose and tell me she has a sinus infection. Yet, if I had tried to go to a 'free clinic' I would have been turned down because I have insurance...because my husband has a job...never mind. I just need to quit.

No-I have to add one more thing...our school district is considering furloughing teachers 8 days pay and cutting coaching supplements by 20% (which roughly means that some coaches will be working for 2 bucks an hour). Seriously, so you want people to go to college for 4 years plus, walk out with 100,000 bucks of student loans so they can start off making 29,000 a year BEFORE taxes? Really? And you want people to coach...to invest, guide, & change the lives of our young athletes for nothing? Seriously??? Don't be surprised when you see your teachers & coaches walking away to other places that are able to manage their finances a little better.

Sorry for this rant. I just figured I would be transparent & try to explain my bad attitude.

Christmas...just a month late

2010-01-22T10:37:00.004-05:00

Thomas has been asking for boots for a while now. Thomas is extreme tickelish so Uncle David took advantage of that...if I recall correctly, Uncle David unfortunatly got kicked in the face (on accident) with Thomas' boots!

I can't believe I forgot to post pictures of Christmas! As usual, we make multiple trips to Florence, SC to have Christmas with family. This year we drove up 4 different times for 4 different 'sides' of the family in a span of 6 days. Every year we say we aren't going to do it, and every year we realize that it is only once a year. I feel bad for the kids & the amount of time they spend in the car but they actually cope really well.

Anyway, as you can see, the hit of Christmas this year was instruments. Thomas got a TON of instruments including an accordion, a trombone, a ukulele & a guitar.-still looking for a kids sousaphone but I have a feeling that will not happen. Needless to say though, we have been having concerts EVERY night since. It usually consists of Ellison on the harmonica or piano, Thomas on trombone or accordion, Jamie on the trumpet or sax, & me playing the drum while singing at the top of my lungs. I often wonder if our neighbors think we have lost our minds.

Ellison got a guitar, some clothes, some stuffed animals, some baby dolls, & a ton of other stuff. She definitely enjoyed herself. She is growing up fast...would rather whine than talk, loves to get her diaper changed, & plays really well with Thomas...she has NO fears! Oh she LOVES playing with Thomas' guns-I would worry but I was the same way when I was younger.

Thomas is doing well in school but has decided once again that crying is a great way to let me know that he loves me. He SOBS & clings to me...when I leave him at school, when I leave him at the gym, church...ugh. He has also been on the this 'helpful' kick lately & has to do everything for me or with me...very sweet but things take a LOT longer with a 3 year old helping you do everything. He is also really into playing tricks on Jamie with me...I will include a story & hopefully a video in my next post (I still can't get it to download).

As usual, I managed to forget to take pictures of Christmas with my mom & dad, Christmas with Sally & Chris, Christmas with Mr. Tyler's side of the family, & Christmas with Mamoo. Geez! Anyway, you get the point. I also need to add that Santa brought the kids an inflatable ball castle which is without doubt the best thing Santa brought. The kids play in it nonstop!

Ellison is on the naughty list...

2009-12-16T21:33:00.004-05:00

Fun Times at James Island County Park Lights

Well it was now or never-the weather is about to get colder and wetter so we figured we needed to make the trip tonight. Thomas actually sat in Santa's lap but only because we told him that if he didn't ask for a trombone, Santa wouldn't know what to get him. Ellison...well...better luck next year. She was just thrilled that she got to sit in Daddy's lap for a little bit.

December 7, 1941

2009-12-07T11:50:00.005-05:00

In 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii killing 2402 and wounding many more. After teaching WW2 from the British perspective while teaching in Kenya, I found this an amazing story in history but I missed a lot of the key points from the US perspective. I won't write a novel here (okay I probably will) but there were so many fascinating aspects of this story such as how everything lined up perfectly for the Japanese, mistakes made from the US control towers, the strategies involved, even the technology they had back then. Then you think about it from the human perspective-I think about the shock & fear they must have faced & the bravery they showed as they did everything in their power to protect their people...I still need to see the movie Pearl Harbor...anyway...

It is so easy to look at history as something that happened to other people but honestly, we would not be where we are today had certain events not taken place. The Japanese were trying to prevent us from ruining their efforts to expand & decided to take a proactive approach thus, taking out our military in Hawaii. By doing this, the US entered into WW2 with a determination, probably similar to our outrage after 911, that helped bring the Axis powers down & eventually ending WW2.

Anyway, I got to visit the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor while in Hawaii...without doubt my favorite thing I got to experience...the Hawaiian ice was a close second :) Sally dropped me off so I got to go by myself, which is something I really like to do if it involves something 'serious'...if that makes sense...thank God she did because I really showed my behind.

While visiting the USS Arizona Memorial I couldn't help but sob (I probably would have been teary had I not been a hormonal wreck that day). I tried to get my act together but I couldn't...kinda embarrassing. Anyway, there was a precious little old man there that was/is a survivor. I just wanted to shake his hand but instead I started sobbing in front of him (much like the time I shook Willie Nelson's hand) & told him how much I appreciated everything he did & continues to do. I'm such an idiot.

One thing I found awfully interesting is that the majority of the people there were from Japan...not that there are hard feelings but I wonder what the US survivors think about that. If I was at a Civil Rights Memorial filled with survivors that were crying, I would feel a little awkward being white knowing that it was 'my' people that did this. Maybe this is just me...I just know that if I were there from the country that did that, I wouldn't be running around laughing, smiling & taking pictures while striking the 'hang loose' sign. There was a very 'fair' documentary we watched before going on the tour. I wonder what they thought of the video we watched: Were they proud of the events of Dec 7th? Were they embarrassed? Who knows...I just wonder about these things...don't send hate mail. It just makes you look at wars we have entered from the 'enemies' perspective as well. Another time I felt a little 'awkward' was when I watched The Patriot in Nariobi, which was filled with Brits...anyway.

I guess Dec 7 goes unnoticed for many Americans but for the men & women that were there, it is probably one of the most important dates of the year. I bet back in the day, Dec 7 probably held a ton of meaning like 911...not sure. Some speculate that the White House knew about the possible attack & didn't warn them...trying to gain US support for entering the war. I don't know-I think that is insane but you never know. All I know is that I am grateful for all the men & women who serve and gave their lives for us.

You can still see some of the oil that is released from the sunken ships. The USS Arizona Memorial sits on top of the Arizona-truly a must see.

Aloha!

2009-10-27T10:49:00.003-04:00

Sally forced me to take pictures on the beach in hopes that I would FINALLY get a picture that I actually liked. Since having the kids, I have been less than thrilled with my appearance and therefore have avoided having pictures of me posted. Sally has been irritated with this along with other family members. Amazingly enough, I guess I had a decent hair, face, & fat girl day because all the pictures turned out better than expected so here you go :) Aloha!!!

Notice the soaking pants: I went to stand in the sand by the ocean and a huge wave came and whacked me in the hiney. I did not think this was funny because then I had to take the rest of my pictures in my bathing suit which is why the rest of these pictures have been cropped at the waist :)

Sally's boss met us at the airport and gave us these leis. It made my day...I wish I could wear the lei everyday!

So after being forced into my bathing suit, I decided to get into the ocean. It seems that everytime I get into the ocean something traumatizing happens like the time an 8 foot shark started circling my dad and I in the Bahamas while we were out snorkeling. Anyway, in true Lee fashion this was no exception. Seems that swimming is not recommended in North Shore...especially right now. There is a reason this is known as the surfing capital of the world. While sitting in a foot of water just to prove that I did it, all of a sudden there was this horrible sucking sensation that literally felt like someone was pulling me into the ocean. Just then the water level swelled to the point I couldn't touch and I was still being sucked out. I would refer to it as a tsunami but I GUESS that would be exaggerating. Sally said the fear in my eyes said enough as she noticed that I went from sitting to panic swimming. Thankfully I managed to get to shore but I couldn't breathe for about a hour. Earlier in the day, I told Sally I thought Jamie and I needed to move somewhere different and exciting because I was running out of stories to tell. She kindly reminded me that no matter where I go, something exciting happens.

We went to the Hawaiian shaved ice place that was featured on Food Network and I must say, it was worth every penny!

A while back, my sister found out that she would be stationed in Hawaii therefore when Chris came home, she would return there to meet him from Iraq and stay a few months. She has been dreading flying with Michael for a while so she was going to either pay for him a seat or pay for a seat for someone to go with her. Without thinking, I said yes! Grammy & Pappy and Mimi & Poppy stepped up to take care of the kids. They have done a GREAT job without mommy. Jamie has been AMAZING...he took off some work, has been cleaning like a madman so that I could walk in & not have to worry about that, and has been 100% supportive about me coming. I tried to get him to come but he couldn't because of football :( Seriously, when I told him about Sally's offer he was 100% supportive and has been so happy for me and that means more to me than anything.

I am not a fan of 'look at me in my bathing suit' pictures but I just had to post a few of my vacation. We have had such an amazing time. Sally has been the perfect host. Michael was PERFECT on the plane & it has been so fun actually getting to spend time with him without worrying about Thomas yanking a toy from him or Ellison eating all his food. This place is beautiful...I just wish Jamie were here too. I still have a few hours left and we are going to be doing a few fun things today (it is 4 am here so there really isnt' too much to do except update this blog). I am sure I will post more.

I love all things fall...

2009-10-23T12:43:00.005-04:00

Last year, the horse "ate" Thomas hair so it only seemed fitting that this year, the goat got a little taste.

Seemed that the goat wasn't the only one enjoying Thomas' company

Ellison had a fun time on the hayride!

Cutest thing EVER: Michael wanted to hold Ellison's hand. She was okay with it at first and then spent the next 10 minutes running away from him. That a girl!

The 'hand washing station' was a hit with ALL the toddlers!

I really think that fall just may be my favorite season. There are so many fun festivals to attend, places to visit, & the weather is just about perfect. There are football games, fairs, putting on long sleeves, pumpkin spice chi tea from Starbucks, fall scented candles...not to mention Halloween & Thanksgiving. Oh yes, I just love carving pumpkins, baking the seeds, & just enjoying my family.

Anyway, we went to the West Farm Corn Maze today with Sally, Michael, & Mimi. The kids had a blast but it wore me slam out. Say a prayer as I leave for Hawaii in the morning. I have never left Ellison for more than a couple hours & she is going to be with Grammy for 4 nights!!! I feel like crying just writing that. Thomas loves going and he is REALLY excited about going with Ellison. Mimi will be holding down the fort once the kids come back to Chas.

One more thing: I added the Ad Sense to my webpage: doubt I will make any money off it but I figured it wouldn't hurt. It scans your blog for topics & then places ads that correspond. So far I have seen one for depends (most likely from my post about Thomas peeing in his pants), meeting black Christian Singles in your area and some crazy one about meeting a 'friend' in 3D. Anyway, please don't hold me responsible for anything too crazy that pops up :)

Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing Baby

2009-10-16T20:51:00.004-04:00

So my friend Mandi told me that she had something she wanted to drop by & I assumed it was something that I left at Mops. She showed up tonight with a VIOLIN for Thomas. I seriously cannot tell you how excited he is right now. It plays songs when you tap the stings...CRAZY! They found it at Cracker Barrel of all places! He is seriously off the hook crazy with affection for his new violin!

I had to show my viewing audience just how precious Ellison's curls get in this horrid humidity!

Several things to note-Thomas is eating a popsicle, there are 2 drinks, a bowl of oatmeal AND a box of cereal by the guys as they watch football.

My one and only 1st cousin John Steven just got back from Iraq & moved in with Mamoo! We are so excited that he will be there to help her. They drove down for a couple days to visit! Once again, there was a finger print on the lense because Ellison likes to push the on button and then stick her finger on the lense when it opens. You would think that I would learn my lesson & check before I take pictures.

Thomas got new labels on his boxes...we got rid of the 'baby toys' & stuff like that and replaced them with 'action men' 'science box' 'dress-up." These kiddos are getting older :(

Ellison climbs on EVERYTHING! I even catch her watching TV on the back of the futon. She has even managed to master the stairs on Thomas' bunkbeds. She can walk up and down the stairs alternating feet, which is why I have a few new gray hairs.

I sold my matching baby system the other day on craigslist...I seriously cried over this for several days but was happy when the grandma came to pick it up. It went to a good home but I had to get a picture of Thomas & Ellison-this is how they use to ride while we shopped...oh no, I am crying again. UGH!

On a more exciting note-I leave for Hawaii in 7 days. I will probably cry like a baby to leave my babies but I am getting more excited now. Please pray I survive & that Michael is my friend on the plane :)

My Little Stinker is Growing Up

2009-10-11T22:15:00.004-04:00

(I took all these really cute pictures but they kept turning out blurry-I just realized that there is a finger print on the lens...nice!)

I think we all go through those phases where we realize time is moving too fast. I am trying not to dwell on it but honestly, it just makes me want to cry sometimes when I think about how quickly life is moving these days. Maybe it is because I am in my 30s...maybe it is because I am pretty sure we are done having babies...maybe it is because I feel like I am doing everything in my power to hold onto every moment yet I turn around and I see a little girl, not my little baby...maybe it is because the other day when I looked at Thomas I saw a big boy. Anyway, here are a few highlights & events since my last post:

(notice Ellison attempting to blow out the candles...I could just eat her up!)

Ellison tested positive for both A & B flu & I tested positive for type A. We survived but there were a few days where I was worried sick & freaking out...not to mention, we didn't feel so great.

Thomas went to audiologist-his hearing is fine & he is just going to be a sensitive little fella.

Thomas went to a football game & actually took his hands out of his ears for a few minutes.

We have been spending a LOT of time outside at parks, the backyard catching bugs, lizards, & frogs.

We celebrated Pappy's 57th birthday with Thomas' choice: cupcakes with chocolate icing.

We joined a small group with...drum roll please...THE TYLERS!

I am getting ready to go to Hawaii in 2 weeks & realizing that my sister & nephew are going to be really far away for a really long time :( Okay-so 6 months is not that long but honestly Columbia for 3 years really stinks too!)

And I was informed by Thomas teacher that he actually participated in PE & the day before that he played on the playground for the first time...seems Thomas wants to hang with the teachers. What am I going to do with this kid?

On a side note: Please say a prayer for my friends. So many of them are going through really hard times right now & I just pray that their situations get easier. I really struggle with understanding why bad things happen to good...very good people.

The Violin Playing Copy Cat

2009-09-20T20:52:00.005-04:00

As I have said before, Thomas is very involved with what he wears. He usually tells us what he wants to wear & lets me know if something doesn't match. Oh the drama...anyway, when Pappy & Grammy spent the night a few weekends ago, Thomas came to me and said, "mom, I need a red shirt and brown pants." I didn't think anything of it except that he NEVER asks to wear pants...I then saw Pappy and put it together.

Our latest 'instrument' obsession is the violin. He actually dreamed the other night that he had several violins in his room. He was all excited and made me get out of bed to come see them...when he got to his room, he was SO upset to find that they were missing. Poor fella...he was so confused and so convinced that they were there.

Anyway, I think Santa may be bringing him one but in the meanwhile, we made him an orange one & he thinks he is hot stuff. Actually he was really mad when we finished because it didn't actually work. Anyway-He is making a real electric violin with Poppy & got to play Sally's the other night so we are praying that this will keep him satisfied until Christmas.

Apologies to Thomas

2009-09-10T22:21:00.003-04:00

So after yet another night of Football melt downs, I decided to look up possible reasons why my son is so nutso about noise-could he possibly have something wrong with his hearing? Several of the people around me encouraged me to get his hearing tested and stuff like that.

It is something that has honestly been an issue from day 1 of his little life. I love all the little things that make Thomas, Thomas but this is just one of those things I could really do without. Though I don't want to label my child, I think it is important for me to share what I am learning about what is called Highly Sensitive Children. I seriously feel relieved to know that there are other kids like this. It makes SO much sense. I have been told by Thomas' pediatrician that is highly sensitive (the docs have always been interested in this aspect Thomas development & view it as a 'good' thing example: when Ellison had to get shots Thomas started crying and kept kissing Ellison on the head saying, "Oh sweet baby girl, I'm sorry, its okay sweet baby girl) but I didn't realize it was an actual personality thing but it seriously all makes sense now.

Highly Sensitive Children are sensitive to all of their surroundings & here are just a few of Thomas': at 4 months old until age 3, my son has had MAJOR meltdowns/separation anxiety, loud sounds send him into hysterics, he will only wear polo shirts and if he wears any other kind of shirt, he complains about it all day long, tells me to stop talking if he is watching TV at the same time (too many different sounds)-if someone is crying, he gets upset-if I raise my voice or act like I am crying, he gets upset and cries-he has a lot of fears (monsters under the bed, someone in the house, his house catching on fire), he obsesses about little things like mosquito bites, uneven toenails, a string on his pants bla bla bla. Now all these things are SO normal for toddlers but highly sensitive kids seriously can't get past it. I can totally relate-I too was JUST like Thomas & honestly, I am still very much like that. Sad thing is that Jamie is just like this as well so I guess the odds are stacked against him :)

Sorry for the rambling. I know it is really easy to analyze our kids, stick unfair labels on them but honestly, I think this may be the most enlightening thing I have learned about my son. It sums up all those other little labels he has been given by others: slow to warm up, shy, empathetic, sensitive, tenderhearted, alert, nervous...ahhhh. I may just have to adjust my parenting style & way of thinking to help Thomas adjust. It also makes SO much sense that he started stuttering when Ellison entered our house...a typical stress response from noise.

One more thing: a lot of it has to do with control, which also makes sense. If Thomas can control it, he is okay. Example: he can hit the drum as loud as he wants but if Ellison does it, he cries because it is too loud. So I write this as an apology to Thomas...I feel bad that I have forced him to endure things that seriously probably sent him into sensory overload. I'm sorry I forced you to put on a football jersey so we could get free chick-fil-a, I am sorry I made you go to games, fussed at you for screaming when Ellison screamed...I stink. I guess you live, you learn. Just wish I had known that this really was an issue for you and not some drama you wanted to stir up.

Our 1st & Possibly our Last Football Game

2009-09-04T23:44:00.002-04:00

Anyone that knows Thomas knows that he is overly sensitive to noise...way more than any other kid I have ever seen. He seriously cried, whined, & shook the entire game. I am sure people are going to judge me on what a horrible mom I am to make him endure 3/4 of the game but seriously, this whole 'too loud' mess has dictated way too much of our lives and he needs to get over it.

I THOUGHT Ellison was the one I was going to have to get a sitter for but it turns out I was wrong...very wrong. Thomas could not deal with the noise...it was even worse than last year. Not only that but he wet his pants...TWICE...and of course, guess who was holding him. After getting back from changing him the first time, he wet me again causing us to leave the game. I swear he did it on purpose in order to force us to leave and you probably think I am kidding but I seriously think he did.

To make things worse, Pappy & Grammy got tied up in a wreck on the interstate and missed the ENTIRE game. Thankfully Mimi & Poppy were there to help with Ellison because my hands were tied (literally). Thomas did manage to muster enough strength to walk over to the band instruments. Ellison is ALL about football...food, dancing, cheering, clapping, running around, climbing stairs-what more could a 13 month old ask for right?

If anyone wants to watch Thomas every Friday night for the rest of his life, let me know.

Thomas' First Day of Preschool

2009-08-31T23:22:00.003-04:00

Where, oh where does the time go? Granted-Thomas doesn't HAVE to go to school...I could easily keep him home but honestly, he is ready! Given his personality, this is definatly the best decision for him. My prayer is that he is happy, learns a lot, enjoys spending time with his classmates, does well for his teachers & that he stays healthy.

Thomas actually got up around 4 am...ready to go to school. He would not go back to bed until Jamie put on his school socks. When he woke me up this morning, he had his church shoes on and told me he was ready to go.

He was SO excited. I dropped Ellison off with Sally incase I had a melt down. He went right in, put his stuff in the right spot and then sat down and got busy. No tears from either of us.

When I went to pick him up he was in the lap of one of his teachers talking & giggling. I was told Thomas listened to his teachers, was extremely sweet & loving, & somewhat reserved. As a former teacher, I knew there were certain 'nice' comments that she could have made that would basically be saying 'he didn't have a good day.' Example, "Thomas will get the hang of it, give it time...its okay, he will learn..." BUT instead I got very sweet and loving feedback about Thomas which MADE my day. Oh and they told me that Thomas was HUNGRY all day & that I needed to feed the poor boy...big surprise. He ate ALL of his lunch -sandwich, yogurt, peanuts, banana, & drink. Seriously?

Thomas told me ALL about his day. He was ticked that they didn't have instruments to play in music, told me that a little girl wanted to eat his peanuts, that he colored, played with cars, sang in music, & that Ally was crying for her mom. He seems very into Ally. Anyway, he told us that Ally told him to quit saying 'momma'...we asked if he was saying it over and over again because that upsets people. Let's just hope that Thomas didn't keep saying mama to Ally as she tried to forget her mom leaving her!

On the ride home Thomas said, "Mom, did you cry?" I said, "no, I was just TOO happy for you" His response, "Mom, you are supposed to cry because that means you missed me...I missed you." So I of course started fake sobbing in the car so the poor kid felt loved :)

Hopefully each day goes as smoothly!

Top 10 Reasons I Love The North Charleston Dreamcenter

2009-08-29T00:21:00.003-04:00

Finding a home church has been one of the most difficult things for Jamie & me. I came from a typical Methodist church, you know-the type where you sing hymns, recite prayers, & if someone says 'amen' it scares you. Jamie came from your typical Church of God, you know-the type where people speak in tongues, the pastor gets everyone excited, & if people are not saying 'amen' it scares you. I say this out of the deepest respect for both denominations but you can only imagine the heated discussions we have had over the years.

So we were delighted when we found Seacoast 8 years ago (before we were married). The worship is more amazing than any concert that I have been to with some of the most amazing musicians, the sermons apply to my life, our pastor has a dry sense of humor & is more than a teacher than a preacher, & the children's programs are amazing! We are spoiled.

I will say though that we have tried many other churches in hopes of finding something a little smaller & closer by but we always end up back at Seacoast. We would love to have a Sunday School class instead of small groups mainly because of Jamie's crazy schedule & I would love to attend church & see kids I know from the neighborhood. I guess you cannot have it all. Anyway, we went to Mount P for years but often felt disconnected despite serving on the worship team, leading a small group, & playing sports for the church-we just didn't feel like we were in the right place despite our efforts to make it our home.

Anyway-About 2 1/2 years ago, Jamie and I committed to helping start the Dreamcenter...we committed to going & I committed to working in the nursery. Our plan was to only go 6 months until it got off the ground...we are still there.

I just wanted to share my 10 Reasons that I love the Dreamcenter
1) It is diverse-young, old, black, white, rich, poor...it is an AMAZING mix of the greatest people
2) It is truly an outreach church & it seriously reaches people you didn't know existed. In Africa, the people that received supplies were not usually the ones that need it the most...I kinda view the Dreamcenter as the church that really is giving to those that need it the most...they dig deep to find those that are truly in need.
3) It has a completely free clothes closet-you should consider donating to it instead of Goodwill because most of the people that go there can't afford Goodwill.
4) It has a medical and dental clinic.
5) It provides NUMEROUS outreach projects like Cinderella Day (where teenage girls can come get a prom dress, shoes, jewlery completely free), Adopt A Block (where the same volunteers go and take care of an area in need & build relationships with the people, & tutoring.
6) The staff & volunteers are top notch-Thomas & Ellison both are in love with their Sunday School teachers.
7)The Campus Pastor, Sam Leskey, is down to earth, loves the Lord, & is such an honest person-you cannot help but love him.
8) This may sound lame, but if you want to serve, they will let you serve. There isn't an 'in crowd' at the dreamcenter...you aren't valued based on who you know or what you have...you are accepted the way you are. I have never felt judged there.
9) I like it because it reminds me daily that I have more than I need, it makes me grateful for what I have, & it allows me to give to those that have less.
10) I honesty believe that every person that is there is there for a reason & honestly wants to help those around them. I know the workers love and pray for my children. I know the people there are trying to change their lives for the better & I love the fact that we can all come together.

Here is a short video. I am linking Amie's website without her permission but knowing her, I don't think she will care! Amie is our children's director & a dear friend. You can see Thomas at 2 minutes 0 seconds into the video...he was like 18 months or something!

Dreamcenter North Charleston was created after Seacoast saw a huge need in the North Charleston area. We were 3rd in the nation for crime so Seacoast modeled & partnered up with the LA Dreamcenter. If you are bored, you should google it! Truly an amazing church!

http://bigredhead42.blogspot.com/2009/02/glimpse-of-north-charleston-dream.html

My Beef with CVSing

2009-08-21T21:46:00.004-04:00

Lately, I have been getting a good laugh at the expense of what I refer to as hoarders. This is a touchy issue that I am sure will strike a nerve with someone. Hoarders make me laugh-I know, I know, this is pretty mean-it is a serious disease caused by deep emotional baggage. However I am beginning to understand how people get to that point & honestly, God has really been working on me about that. Let me explain.

When Jamie and I got married, I found out that he had HUGE boxes full of every little note, every little gift, every little thing I EVER gave him-heck, he even had stuffed animals that my SISTER gave him. He still will not part with them...even the piece of paper I left on his car that had a smiley face on it. Jamie has a hard time letting things go. He has EVERY childhood book & is holding onto them for Thomas. It is sweet but not always practical for our house :) When I see the houses filled with junk from hoarders, I totally laugh because honestly, that is what Jamie & I would probably do if we didn't constantly force ourselves to declutter & organize!

From a Biblical standpoint, the Bible has a lot to say about being greedy, storing up too much riches, & basically hoarding. I say all this because of an experience I had in CVS the other day. There was a Christian lady (she told me she took a class at her church) who NO LIE had like 10 things of shampoo & managed to wipe out all the 'free after coupons' school supplies. She even bragged to me that she didn't need them, didn't have kids but hey, they are free. Seriously? I asked if she donated them somewhere and she said, "no, I just keep them-hey, they're free. I have about 10 things of deodorant & 15 things of body wash at home." Hmmm...and she was proud of this???

I will be the first to admit that I love couponing...I love being able to find super deals and even free items. However, I think couponing is starting to take over lives to the point where they are spending more time couponing than they spend reading the Bible or praying. They get a bigger thrill from their purchases than they do their marriages. I actually saw myself heading down this road recently & through the greediness of others (like the lady in CVS) I realized that this stuff is a little crazy, addicting, & can slowly start steering you away from what is really important!

Exodus 20:3 Lately, I have been brought back to this scripture. "Thou shall have no other gods before Me." To me, that means nothing should be more of a priority than my relationship with God...not couponing, not facebooking, not this blog. I have been reminded lately that I need to live a more well rounded life (God, Family, Health, Friends, Home). It seems that when something gets too out of whack, life gets rocky. I need to read my Bible more. I need to stay on top of the house. I need to force Thomas & Ellison to have more independent play AWAY from mommy (Thomas won't even go upstairs to get something without me going). I need to take some time for myself & some time for just Jamie and I. I can't tell you the last time Jamie and I went somewhere without the kids. Anyway...

When I look at ALL the clothes I have for my kids...ALL the toys...ALL the books-I feel 2 things: blessed & greedy. It took EVERYTHING in me to give Thomas' clothes to my sister...seriously, I cried. Some of this I am sure has to do with me wanting to hold on to my baby but some of this has to do with greed/hoarding. I think we have to ask ourselves: why am I holding on to this, would someone else be able to use or enjoy it, can I do without it? Trust me...in 18 years when you are ready to let go of the clothes in your closet, no one will want them-I remind myself of this daily.

Sorry, I just had to share this because it seems that more and more people are becoming obsessed (past the point of just providing for their family's needs) with CVS, Walgreens, Publix...I see people competing with their neighbor on who can get a better deal (nothing wrong with this but some people are just a little too obsessed with finding deals). I see people hoarding things that usually expire before they even get to use it. It makes me sad because there really are people out there that need these items. I often think back to my kids in africa when I throw away McDonald's toys or toss an outfit that has a stain on it. I think of the kids I saw who's toes were 3 inches out of their shoes. I wish Africa had a CVS-the sad thing is, the people who often need these things the most, don't have the tools or resources to take advantage of it.

Do not write me hate comments...my life is FAR from perfect. I know couponing is the way that many of us are able to stay at home. I just worry that greed (buying more than we need), fear (we won't find another sale even though toothpaste goes on sale at least once a month), & hoarding (not letting go of what we don't need). I am not against couponing...I am not against going into CVS to get 10 items free that you need and are going to use or give away...I am not against any of this. I just worry that we are taking it to extremes that are unhealthy & this my friends is my beef with CVSing.

Thomas & Ellison Ann

2009-08-12T18:06:00.004-04:00

Well, I guess it is official...I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old! I really regret not posting more about what Thomas was doing when he was Ellison's age, so in an effort to help myself remember in the years to come, here are their newest & latest statistics.

Thomas Tyler Age 3 Weight 33 lbs Height 38 inches

loves anything and everything to do with musical instruments, wants to be in the band, still shy at first but crazy once he warms up, LOVES spending the night with his grandparents, is VERY excited about starting 2 day a week school & thinks that Mini Lou (the fake name we gave his teacher) calls the house when he is misbehaving, is adjusting with Jamie going back to work, tantrums are getting better, loves his sister but also loves to torment her, favorite sayings, "I'm scared of something" "but I really want some candy," enjoys hitting Sadie for no reason, When he gets mad he says he doesn't like people "i don't like Michael," recently started saying the D word but I put soap in his mouth as a last resort and I haven't heard it since, loves to play in the water, play sports, play the computer, loves Yo Gabba Gabba & basically any cartoon that isn't scary such as Lazy Town which he makes us turn off, loves Chic-fil-a, knows his letters upper & lower case, the sounds they make & can write a few of his letters, he can even sound out 3 letter CVC words, can't recognize his numbers but he can count, LOVES having school with mom which is mostly arts & crafts, loves to cut, paste, & paint, loves going to Sasa's to eat her food & candy, says he wants a baby brother like Michael, loves animals, into wrestling/fighting with his dad, loves to read-favorite right now is "The Gruffalo." does not like going to sleep at night, still takes an afternoon 3 hour nap which means he sleeps from 10-8...if he skips his nap he sleeps from 8-8...not enough sleep in my opinion but what can you do, does not like to wear shirts that have a design on them, picks out his own clothes & dresses & undresses himself, loves putting on shoes including my high heels, has been in the big boy bed since he was 23 months, loves to help me cook & sometimes helps me clean, obsessed with earning quarters to put in bubble gum machines (Sally got him one so now we are going to invest those quarters into his college account), is really into talking about his friends, has mostly outgrown his stuttering but it still comes back when he is tired or competing to get into a conversation, is 99% potty trained-even wakes up dry in the morning, loves me to cut his hair & toenails, loves to ride his bike & scooter, has a crush on Ms. Danielle, his sunday school teacher at church which is why we go to the 8 o'clock service. Thomas is my sweet & loving little boy!

Ellison Ann Age 1, Weight 20 lbs 4 oz, Height 29 in

Ellison loves to eat anything & everything, doesn't like to hold her own sippy cup or bottle even though she can, throws AMAZING tantrums that involves putting her head on the floor while she is still standing, rolling onto her side & then onto her back...DRAMA...loves dancing, putting straws & spoons into things like cups & bottles, loves to carry around purses & wear my shoes, doesn't like the ocean but has warmed up to the pool, likes to be held, loves zurberts, climbs anything & everything, loves sitting in chairs, loves to get into cabinets, loves Rupert avoids Sadie, sleeps from 8-7:30ish and naps from 10-12 & 2-4 most days, can say mama, dada (rarely does it), mil mil (milk), & bay bay (baby) & bye bye...she just recently can answer animal questions such as 'what does the snake say' 'what does the dog say' 'what does the cow say', she signs please, more, milk, & all done, just now getting into books-her favorite right now is the Dog book & her Ladybug book, loves to push her babies in her play stroller, gets frustrated easily when she can't get something she wants, loves to point at what she wants, LOVES blueberries, poops a lot, loves to clap for herself, makes a crazy purring noise with her tongue, loves to say babababababa, loves peek a boo & puts a cloth over my head & pulls it off to try to get me to play it with her, says huh? all the time, hates riding in the car, only has 4 teeth & a big ole gap between the top 2, loves to imitate everything you do (shaking her head, dancing, jumping), blows kisses, waves goodbye, will go get things you tell her to get such as getting her baby & book, loves to take baths, loves to be tickled, loves to laugh, thinks you are chasing her and runs away laughing, tries to sneak up the stairs & peeks around the cornor until you see her, then she crawls as fast as she can to get up those stairs!, runs everywhere now and has gotten 100% solid on her feet, has good balance, loves Sally's slide, hugs her babies, & loves to push things around the house, has curls in the back of her hair & has to wear a bow to keep it out of her face...Ellison is my precious baby girl.

If you can think of anything else major that I left out that I might want to remember in a year, please post them in the comment section.

Tylers-Table of 5

2009-08-11T22:29:00.005-04:00

Gotcha!

I must admit though, I like the sound of that. Lately, I have been wondering if maybe, just maybe we should have another baby. I really struggle with 'being done.' I love having a sister and I worry about Ellison not having a sister. Then again I worry about Ellison having a sister that she would compete with. Quality over quantity is key in every aspect of life & I feel like I have done a really good job investing in the little lives I have been given. I think a full house would be fun...exhausting, but fun.

If you talk to parents of 2 that are 100% through, they can list you a list of 100 reasons having 2 is best. If you talk to parents of 3 or more, they can list you a list of a 100 reasons for having what they have. Very few would have it any other way-mainly people who wanted more but for whatever reason couldn't or didn't. I just don't want to get down the road and say man...I wish I had had more kids.

Then again, I worry about not being able to provide enough attention to 3 & being able to pay for all the things they deserve to have. I go back and forth. I hate being pregnant yet I love it at the same time. I love little babies and I love nursing...it is such a hard situation that I think a lot of us moms face. I must say I am jealous of all my friends & family that can say, "oh yes, we DEFINITELY are done" or "we definitely want 3, 4, 5..." As a mom of a girl & a boy, I can't use the 'oh we are going to try for a boy" In my mind I think, "seriously-i have everything for a girl & a boy...which ever I had could share a room with the same sex sibling...babies don't cost us that much except the initial hospital bills & diapers...we could do this." Maybe it is because Ellison is entering toddler hood? (a point the below article points out) Maybe it is because I secretly want to stay home longer? (doubtful) I don't know, all I know right now is that I like the idea of one more.

I must add though that I get irritated with people who are really vocal about what is right and what is wrong-according to them. Just because a mom stops at having 2 out of control kids doesn't mean a mom that has 4 can't handle them. I have seen some women juggle 5 kids better than some juggle 1! Having said that, most of the moms I know that have a lot of kid are often crazy looking :) Heck, I am crazy looking and I only have 2.

Anyway, I just wanted to put this out there because I think a lot of women struggle with the idea of being done. I found a great article that made me laugh because so much of it is true. It talks about why some women want to have a ton of kids. It made me laugh because i know people like this & I honestly wonder sometimes if I fall into that category.
www.womenshealthmag.com/health/pregnancy-perks

Perchin' Like an Eagle

2009-08-08T00:48:00.008-04:00

Thomas loves being silly & often cracks us up by doing bizarre things such as swinging on the dog gate and saying, "this is what the trashman does" (you know, how they hang on the back of the truck) & one of his most recent stunts, "look at me...I am perchin' on daddy like an eagle."
Beauty & the Beast (Aka Denny Ulmer Jamie's college roommate)

His first attempt ended before it started as he ran & jumped onto the grass, completely missing the slip n slide. Wish I had a pict of that one! Mimi & Poppy came to visit today!!!

Saint Augustine Picts(Ellison was really sick but we didn't know it yet.)

One of Thomas favorite things was sleeping on the sleeper sofa with Daddy!!! He kept telling me to get off his spot whenever I would try to cuddle with daddy.

Thomas was SO excited about his 'pretend' home. They had too much fun!

Ellison just enjoyed eating sand!

Thomas refused to get into the ocean but he was ready!

Ellison was not a fan of the ocean either...thinking back on it, she probably did feel well.

Thomas' First Movie "Horton Hears a Who." He wanted to leave 15 minutes into it so I bought him yucky (what he still calls sprite) & popcorn. It worked!

I have so many fun stories to tell but unfortunately, I am tired. I figured I would upload these picts as I clean the playroom for Thomas big 3rd birthday party tommorrow. I really love celebrating my kids birthday mainly because I feel like the emphasis where it should be-a few gifts they REALLY want, close friends, family, a theme that they pick out (trust me, the National Anthem birthday party was NOT my idea), & we manage to do it without going crazy, breaking the bank account or feeling like we are in a competition with last weeks birthday party (if you know what I mean-not any birthday specifically...I just try not to get caught up in saying, "well so & so had this & that therefore WE have to have that too...know what I mean??? I just try not to compare our to others that are often bigger and better!). I just hope one day my kids look back on it all and smile.

Happy First Birthday-Just a Little Late

2009-07-24T20:36:00.003-04:00

Well for those of you that keep up with us on Facebook, you probably know that Ellison had a rocky first birthday. We went down to Saint Augustine at the World Golf Villas, a place Jamie and I LOVE to visit. The kids had BLAST swimming in the resort's pool, shopping downtown, & eating at fun places. Unfortunately somewhere, somehow, Ellison managed to get what the doctor's believe is Salmonella poisoning :( It has been a very scary and rough few days. Her real birthday was spent with a 104 temp & a very nasty tummy. We are still waiting for a few more tests to come back but they are pretty sure that, that is what it is. With that said, I haven't had much time to deal with the slowness of blogger. Anyway, Ellison had a BLAST at her luau birthday party-Praise the LORD we had it the weekend before her actual birthday...you should have seen how cute they all were running around in their grass skirts and leis. Sally bought this dress for Ellison in Hawaii like 10 months ago and it worked out perfectly for the party. I must admit as well, that I had a really good time at the party. I made most of the food the day before so the day of the party wasn't so stressful...those that have thrown birthday parties know what I am talking about right? Now we are gearing up for Thomas' birthday party, which is all he can think about these days...did I mention Chris' birthday July 10, Jamie's July 20, Ellison's July 22, Poppy Davis' July 23...needless to say, Thomas is VERY excited about finally getting to have his!

When It Rains it Pours

2009-07-08T12:10:00.002-04:00

Right now we have a few things going on...

1) We need a new transmission on our Honda-it may POSSIBLY be covered under a warranty the government forced them to provide since there have been so many problems. Keep your fingers crossed.

2) Jamie got a FAT traffic ticket for speeding near his school. His traffic dates is.... JULY 21...right in the middle of our "you can't cancel" vacation in Saint Augustine.

3) Ellison has HAND FOOT & MOUTH (not to be confused with Foot & Mouth which is what cows get). According to the doc, it is a normal summer virus that most kids get. We thought it was Roseola but after a doc visit yesterday, we found out otherwise. Seriously, the child RARELY comes into contact with other kids except at church & the waterpark-I don't even take her to the gym. I swear I am thinking about joining church online. Now we can't be doing anything for another week or so...thank you HAND FOOT & MOUTH.

4) Thomas' toe has 'popped' a few times which is really good. It is a lot less painful and he can even walk on it. He is really into 'cleaning up & organizing' right now. Praise the LORD!!!

5) Jamie wimped out and rescheduled his National Board Retake for this Sat. He said he is honestly just scared...he has been studying for it. Say a prayer.

Hope everyone is doing well...if you don't see us, you now know why!

Father's Day, ER Visit, TV Debut, & 4th of July Disaster

2009-07-05T16:24:00.005-04:00

Wow...once again, I slacked off on the blog & here I am playing catch up! Blogger has been really slow downloading pictures (or maybe it is because we have the slowest connection you can have). Anyway, summer has been very busy between working out, daddy working at the school, going to the waterpark/beach, & stuff like that. I have been working out a lot & dieting but honestly, it is not working as fast as I would like it. So far -4 lbs...

Fathers Day was a blast. We had Mimi, Poppy, Sally & Michael over for dinner & enjoyed watching the grandkids torture Poppy. Thomas, in true Thomas fashion, refused to let Poppy have the spotlight as you can see.

This is how he had to sleep. He made me blow on his toe for probably 2 hours straight.

Last Wednesday, 9:30 pm after church, Thomas had a 20 lb iron stool fall on his foot resulting in his first ER visit. No broken bones. He was AMAZING at the ER! However, the night was HORRIFIC. He cried all night, which woke up Ellison-all night, causing neither mom nor dad to get any sleep. However, you can see that the crying was justified. It finally 'popped' this morning before church. Hopefully all the pressure is gone now.

Link: http://my5.live5news.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=4874879&genre_id=6052

After getting no sleep, Thomas asked me to tape him singing the National Anthem. I sent it into Live 5 News because they were having a contest. Sure enough, we were watching the news and were shocked to see Thomas performing for all of Chas. We were definately proud parents! He knows all the words but I guess the lack of sleep screwed him up a little.

4th of July...Well...where to start? Thomas loved the sparklers but hated anything that made any kind of noise. He said he wanted to go to the fireworks display so we did...before the show started a firecracker went off &...well...scared the poo out of him...literally. (Sorry I know that is probably WAY too much information). Of course he had big boy underwear on so we had to come home. Poor Thomas...poor Jamie. I, then, of course had to sleep with him because he is really sensitive to noise & was scared of the neighborhood fireworks which went on. all. night.

Facing Your Fears

2009-06-19T23:24:00.007-04:00

Ellison crying as she runs back to mommy!

Seriously, Thomas LOVES getting his picture taken.

Ellison dancing because I put her down on the towel and not the sand.

"Okay, so maybe this is not worth all the tears but I am still going to pout."

"This is why mom is pumping and is scared to nurse me...just call me jaws!"

"Not so bad."

Right before the lifeguard busted Thomas for climbing into the 'seat.' I mean come on, it looks like a perfect place for a 2 year old to sit!

Today we decided to take a family trip to the beach & took Ellison with us to the waterpark in Mount Pleasant. Ellison hasn't been too fond of water in the past & today started off much like our other attempts to expose her to water. Thomas of course loves the ocean, the waves, the sand, the shells...Ellison, not so much. She cried & had to be held the entire time. Same deal at the waterpark until I finally just sat down in the 6 inch water-trying to ignore the death grip she had on my neck. FINALLY, she started spashing & having a good time. After that, she was all about the waterslides & water. Praise the Lord because I don't know what I would do if one of my kids didn't love the water!

Sorry the majority of the pictures are of Ellison but today was kinda 'her day.' Despite losing Thomas' shoe at the Bell Hall Farmers Market (how this happens without one of us noticing, I don't know) & Thomas squating on the beach (VERY obviously peeing) & Thomas getting the whistle blown at him twice by the lifeguard, the day was a complete success. We did go back and sure enough, there was Thomas' flippy...it fell out of the van when I shut the door.

Oh by the way, Thomas is now scared of lifeguards. He got whistled at because he ran up the baby waterslide (Jamie and I didn't see him do it because we were trying to get a picture of Ellison) & later climbed into the thing he is standing by in the picture (we didn't know he wasn't suppose to sit in it). Maybe I need to get a whistle??? Seriously, you should have seen the look on his face whenever the lifeguard came near!

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

2009-06-17T21:48:00.004-04:00

If you turn your back on Ellison for even 5 seconds, she immediately finds something to climb on...I spend most of my day running to catch her from climbing the stairs, climbing onto chairs...you name it, she climbs on it. The other day I let her climb onto the chair...then onto the table. When she got on the top, she took off dancing like a crazy club dancer. Anyone that knows Ellison knows that the child dances to anything that sounds like music including Thomas' toys that make noise...needless to say, she dances all day!

Grammy got to spend some time with ole' Thomas as well. He is so funny with all his flashlights. Thomas always comes home with a new flashlight from Mimi & Poppy's house. Not sure if Poppy gives him all of them or if Thomas 'takes' a few without asking-either way we are really racking up on the flashlights.

10 in One Day

2009-06-17T21:34:00.005-04:00

Waiting patiently to catch his first fishPappy handing his first fish to Thomas.

Grammy & Pappy came down last weekend so the boys went on a fishing trip. Jamie had everything lined up. Thomas got his first fishing pole-a spider man fishing pole. Thomas had been practicing casting all week. I had everything ready to go-video camera charged with a new tape & regular camera ready to go.

I was CRUSHED when I saw the still camera sitting on the counter. Our video doesn't take still shots so I decided to take a few pictures of the video :) They weren't great but at least I had the video...WRONG. I rewound the tape to show Grammy but managed to forget to show Grammy. I then decided to tape Thomas singing the National Anthem. I then realized...I recorded over the majority of the video. However, I did get Thomas catching his first fish.

He caught 10 total!!!
Thomas is actually a really good fisherman. He didn't mind the cricket on the end of the pole (shocking because he LOVES bugs & animals). He cast it all by himself & reeled in his own fish. The best part is when Thomas is holding the fish, it starts flopping around...Thomas immediately throws it on the ground, looks at the camera and says, "he's floppy" as if he is explaining to Jamie why he dropped it. Hey anything that entertains Thomas for 6 hours is a friend of mine!

Wannamaker

2009-06-17T21:22:00.005-04:00

After a major freakout moment, I cropped Jamie out of the picture.

Once again, Jamie has been removed from the photo.

So Jamie and I both swallowed our pride and made our first "fat" appearance in public wearing nothing but our bathing suits...our goal-to attend the waterpark without seeing anyone we knew. We both failed...Jamie saw several students and I saw a MOPS friend. Oh well, it was bound to happen. The funny thing was that I found a cute bathing suit that I thought hid my...ummm...curves, but once I saw the pictures, I realized that nothing can hide certain aspects of ones body. Oh well...next year we are going to be the HOT parents.

Enough about us right? Thomas had a BLAST at the waterpark and I must say it is going to be the best 130 bucks we ever spent...season passes! Mimi was really sweet and kept Ellison at home-mainly because we wanted Thomas to have a special day with both mom & dad. As you can see, he had the time of his life. No fears at all.

Lack of Posts

2009-06-11T19:10:00.003-04:00

Man...I just realized that it has been WEEKS since I updated. However, I feel like I have been really busy. Jamie had school & spring practices, which lead to very long days for this stay at home mom. I have been enjoying my afternoon nap since I didn't have any tutoring these past few weeks, but this has also led to me staying up to 2am. I kinda like my new schedule though.

Thomas is all about doing things outside that involve water. I am learning however, that I cannot turn my back on EITHER kid for more than 2 seconds. Ellison can get into any food container now & Thomas has figured how to get into the freezer and open his own popsicles. We are not keeping junk food in the house which has really helped the tantrums from both kids. I found a bunch of 'blood' droplets on the tile and FREAKED thinking that Ellison had cut herself. When I found her, she was drooling from the red Now or Later in her mouth.

I have started dieting & working out (for the 100th time since having kids) but I am seriously so fed up with the weight, I know it is now or never. I have always put their needs first...I don't like taking them to the gym due to germs...I felt guilty about not spending 100% of my time with them...and now it is my turn to look out for me. Is that selfish? Anyway, here are a few pictures from the past few weeks.

Quote of the Week: Thomas to Jamie: "Daddy, do you have your seat belt on." Jamie- "Oops I forgot." Thomas-"Let me tell you something. The cops are gonna come get you and take you away." he had a REALLY serious look on his face.

Welcome Home, Chris!!!

2009-05-24T14:22:00.002-04:00

Mother's Day Photos & News

2009-05-21T20:50:00.005-04:00

I just love this girl!

David, our brother in law, took these pictures of Ellison on Mother's Day while we were playing in the yard. I am made now that I didn't take the time to find her matching bow :( Thomas didn't get any pictures taken because he was too busy playing with Landen & Madelynn.

This past week has been full of a lot of news.

Breaking News-Thomas has been AMAZING this past week...I am praying the trend continues...hopefully we have outgrown some of his terrible 2 behaviors :)

News from Ellison-back to sleeping through the night...PTL!!!

News from Old Fort Baptist-Thomas will be joining the M/W class in the fall from 9-1.

News from Dr. Stovall-Jamie is not going to need surgery, but he does have to take it easy.

News from Iraq-Chris is stuck in Iraq due to sand storms.

News from Red's Auto-our van needed a LOT of work-Jamie & I stressed about how to replace the money from our emergency fund...which leads to...

News from USAA Homeowners Insurance-we have been overpaying for 6 years on our insurance because they had wrong information on our home (which I seriously check each year.) They can only refund 2008 & 2009 but hey, its better than nothing & it covered our emergency fund.

Chris is coming home!

2009-05-20T08:55:00.003-04:00

For anyone that knows me, you know that I love my little sister and her little family. Chris has been gone for 6 months as an officer in the Army in Iraq. For those that don't know, the Army usually deploys for a year at a time...other branches send their men & women for shorter time frames. So because they are gone so long, they get a 2 week break midway through to come home to visit their family before going back to finish their time. With this said, Chris is coming home (hopefully this Saturday) for his 2 weeks with Sally & Michael. My prayer for Chris & Sally is that they will get to spend as much of this time with each other...not worrying about cooking, cleaning, talking on the phone, & entertaining the rest of us that, well REALLY want to spend time with him as well. I have to remind myself that this is the only time he is getting to spend with his wife & son. This is about Chris & only Chris. However we do plan on invading his home at Michael's first birthday party :) Other than that, i am going to do my best not to call or show up unannounced :) I am posting this as a reminder to myself. Welcome Home!!!

Partially Torn

2009-05-16T21:11:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple pictures of Jamie's bruise caused by a partial tear to his pectoral muscle. He was lifting weights the other day when he felt the tearing so the fella that was spotting him took the weights, which probably prevented Jamie from tearing it all the way. Anyway, we are posting these so David, our brother in law/PT, can take a look so if you by chance are seeing this and you are NOT David, we are sorry.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-09T23:17:00.004-04:00

I decided to kick off Mother's Day by giving myself a little gift...a clean kitchen. Jamie is still gone with track (left this morning at 6 and it is now 11:30 at night) so knowing that I would be ticked if I went downstairs on Mother's Day and found a dirty mess, I decided to do us all a favor & clean it myself.

Lately it just seems that everything is overwhelming me-almost to the point of feeling completely out of control. The laundry is piling up, the dogs stink & are shedding, the kitchen never seems to be clean, & on top of it all, Thomas swallowed a screw this morning. I am sure that it will 'pass' tomorrow on Mother's Day just to add some excitement to our lives.

Ellison is walking everywhere now & only crawls if she falls. She get FURIOUS if she doesn't get what she wants. Thomas is...well...2 1/2 and I have to remind myself daily that he is JUST a little boy. I have been making major efforts to get him out of the house every morning-for his sanity and mine.

Anyway, Friday we went to the sprinklers at Wannamaker which almost didn't happen because he was SO horrible at the doctor's office (jumping in the chairs, running away from me, laying on the floor, licking the bench in the Dr's room, you get the point). It was one of those 'oh my gosh I would beat him if there weren't witnesses' moments. Ellison had to get weighed (gained 1 1/2 lbs in 2 weeks) & got her shots. Thomas was off the hook horrible & if I hadn't told some friends I was going to the sprinklers at 10 after her apppointment, we would have gone home.

Saturday was better. I took him to a little builders thing at Lowes & we had tons of fun. He made me a little Mother's Day planter & is VERY proud of himself. He got to wear goggles & use a hammer. Anyway, I am hoping that I can get on top of things & that tomorrow is a good day.

Watch out world, here I come...

2009-05-04T19:57:00.004-04:00

What is up with BLOGGER???? I can't get the video to upload so if you want to see Ellison walking...go to my facebook page.

Ellison took her first step about a month ago but she would only do it in front of us...my family was beginning to wonder if we were making it up. Anyways, I finally got her on tape! She is 9 months, 1 week, & 5 days according to her ticker. She is pretty wobbly here but you get the point. She tries to walk everywhere now but once she falls she takes off crawling. She is so proud of herself & we are too! I just love the concentration it takes to get those little feet moving one at a time.

Future Band Nerds Unite & Too Hot to Handle

2009-05-03T16:33:00.006-04:00

Future Band Nerd in the Making

(just kidding...Jamie was in the band (drums & saxophone) & I would have been if I could have attached a piano to my waist).

The other day I caught Thomas marching around the downstairs with the base of our Rainbow vacuum cleaner around his neck while playing his trumpet. When I asked what he was doing he said, "I am playing my tuba." If anyone knows where you can get a child's size tuba, let me know. Most toddlers find some claim to fame...Thomas the Trains, sports...well, Thomas is obsessed with musical instruments. When asked what he likes to do I seriously would have to say he likes taking things apart & putting them back together & playing instruments (guitar, saxophone, trumpet, drums, harmonica, & he pretends to play the trombone with a broom, the tuba with the vacuum, & a violin with a drumstick.) Her favorite thing is to ring Thomas' bell on his bike & to twirl the pedals.
Just one of many tantrums in a cute outfit that Mrs Mendini gave us & my mom sewed on...

Sassy is Ellison's new name. She turned 9 months not too long ago and with that came a wide variety of tricks. She barks at the dogs, signs milk & more, says bye bye while waving, says mama, is now taking 5 or 6 steps at a time, climbs anything & everything (stands on her toys), throws tantrums to get her way, gets REALLY mad when Thomas takes her toys from her, & insists on eating what we are eating. Unfortunately at her 9 month appointment, she weighed 17 lbs...at her 6 month appointment she weighed 17 lbs 2 ounces. We figured out it was due to upset tummy from antibiotics, not eating well from the start of an ear infection, throwing up from the tummy virus, my milk supply dropping due to thyroid problems bla bla bla...she is now MUCH fatter thanks to some 'oh so yummy' formula and a lot of table food. My supply is back up so everything is looking better for all of us :)

Mimi, Michael, & Ellison at my birthday party.

101 Reasons to Breastfeed

2009-04-30T23:22:00.007-04:00

First let me say that I am tired of people saying, "oh my GOSH...you are still breastfeeding". If you know me, you probably know that I am and have been committed to nurse each of my children as long as I an up till age 1. I don't broadcast it (though writing this blog kinda does broadcast it) but at the same time, I am not ashamed of it. For me it started off as a financial thing but as I continued, I realized how powerful the research has become. 5 years ago, I think the pros of formula outweighed the pros of breastfeeding and I must say 99% of us 30 somethings were formula fed and we turned out okay. Anyway, some people roll their eyes, some people think a year is too old to still be nursing and think I should quit. It seems that everyday, new research comes out supporting nursing so I thought I would post these links. I don't care if people know that I am a nursing mom because the truth is, women were created differently for this very reason. I seriously find it AMAZING that God put us together the way he did & I think it is crazy cool that we are able to feed our children. I know nursing does not work out for everyone & that is fine. I just feel that the good Lord knew what he was doing when he gave us our bodies & I seriously view it as a gift. These issues are always difficult because you don't want to come across as 'my way is better' but at the same time, you want people to know why you do what you do. So here are 2 links. I also have to applaud all the ladies out there that have had to 'fight' to continue nursing...latch problems, low supply, mastitis, clogged ducts...I have often joked that we have earned our PHDs in nursing! And I am adding now that I also applaud any mother that has tried...this blog is not intended to make anyone feel bad about not breastfeeding or having to make the switch before they were ready. 1 day is better than nothing. There are times that it is better for mom & baby to switch to bottles...I totally understand that. However, I just feel that many women & men look down on breastfeeding & overlook the benefits of it all and don't even give it a try. I think there are always reasons to second guess your decisions as a mother & the truth is, you do what you can and you make decisions on what is best for your family...not others. Oh one more thing-if your child is NOT gaining weight or having issues breastfeeding, the worst thing you can do is refuse to give him/her formula. Ellison was recently on 75% formula 25% breastmilk but I was TOTALLY okay with this because my child's health is way more important than my desire to nurse. We are taking it one day at a time and that is all you can really do.
http://www.babyloveproducts.com/57reasons.html
http://bliss-breastfeeding.blogspot.com/2008/01/101-reasons-to-breastfeed-your-baby.html

The Day I Found Jesus...

2009-04-23T20:12:00.005-04:00

Jesus is alive!!!

Thomas falling into the hole...
I believe that this is worse than the conditions at the manger

Several of you know that our 'old' couches had a ton of problems but we didn't want to buy anything new until we could afford a leather sleeper...not only that but we couldn't find one we liked. Well, years ago Rupert stepped on the sofa causing a huge massive hole...I have sewn it up several times but there were still a lot of little holes.

After years of torture (that is what you would call it if Jamie sat on you all day too-just kiddin' babe), the couch finally gave up & all but 3 springs popped. We basically just had the couch in the house for looks. I didn't warn the babynet lady that the sofa was broken and well...let's just say she wasn't a little lady. She seriously couldn't get out without my help...I was so embarrassed.

Anyway we FINALLY bought new sofas right before my surgery. I ripped open the sofa before tossing it in the trash and found all sorts of treasures...including baby Jesus. Yes, poor Jesus went missing on the very FIRST day of December when I took out our little manger scene that Thomas was able to play with...When Thomas saw him in the couch, he said, "Look, look mama...Jesus is in the couch...poor Jesus."

Ellison

2009-04-12T23:21:00.004-04:00

This was a picture taken on the day of our Easter Egg hunt that Sally emailed me. I am in the process of getting a connection cable for my camera so be prepared to be bombarded with WAY too many pictures.

These Boots are Made for Walkin'...

2009-04-09T10:16:00.003-04:00

Yep, Ellison took her first step a few days ago. A few days ago she started trying to move a foot while trying to get something but yesterday she started landing her foot, catching her balance and then trying for step 2 or 3 before falling to the ground. Of course, she does not always LIKE taking steps but she is willing if I am holding something she wants (typical female right?). Anyway, I wish I had some pictures...Sally came over yesterday to see the big event but someone didn't want to perform. Ellison also figured out how to stand up by herself without holding onto anything but hasn't found out how to sit down gracefully...this of course ticks her off and then she starts crying. What am I going to do with this kid? Hope everyone is doing well.

Playdate

2009-04-01T21:44:00.004-04:00

Best Buds!

Thanks to Sally, I have some new pictures of our most recent playdate with Juliette & Michael. It is so cute because Ellison is really getting into other babies & I think Thomas thinks Michael was put on this earth to entertain him. Michael is walking really well so Thomas thinks he is chasing him. It is really quite cute. Juliette & Ellison are just too cute together. We just love getting together & as you can see, so does Ellison!

April Fools On Us

2009-04-01T10:18:00.002-04:00

2 days ago I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. I was still feeling a little sick this morning so I took a second test and...well...it was positive. I guess the April Fool's Joke is on us...gearing up for baby number 3!

Ellison's Dedication

2009-03-21T10:00:00.005-04:00

This was sent to me from my dearest father. My camera connection still isn't working and I have had too much going on to take care of that. Anyway, Ellison was dedicated at Seacoast on March 1st in the same gown that I was baptized in when I was a little girl. It was a special day & we were joined by Aunt Mandy, Uncle David, Cousin Landen, Cousin Madelynn, Aunt Sally, Cousin Michael, Grammy, Pappy, Mimi, Poppy, Danette, Juliette, & Mrs Mendini. I was in a ton of pain because I had just had surgery 4 days prior & wasn't taking pain meds but all in all, it was a great day. The dress Ellison was wearing is about 200 years old & I have a feeling we may need to retire it :) Thank you Mimi for taking such special care of it and getting it to a point that Ellison could wear it.

Ellison

2009-03-21T10:00:00.001-04:00

Top 10 Things I am Mad about Today

2009-03-07T21:59:00.005-05:00

Thomas' Tantrum at 9 months

Do you ever just have a day where you are mad about something...maybe a situation...maybe something silly? I know I should not be angry...the Bible has a lot to say about being angry but to be honest with you, somedays I just feel angry about everything. I feel like throwing HUGE tantrums over little things....much like the ones that Thomas throws over little things. Today he cried for an hour...seriously...because Ellison was 'talking too loud.' He is really sensitive to loud noises and well...loud noises go hand in hand with Ellison. Believe it or not, I was pretty calm...I calmly called my sister to inform her that I was thinking about jumping off a cliff. Anyways...

I know there are people out there that have much more 'real' things to be MAD about...the loss of a child, the loss of a job, the loss of a marriage. So if you are going through something, don't read this or you will be MAD at me. Don't know what is going on because I am not usually a mad person. However, I am just MAD and here are the top 10 things I am mad about today.

10) Coaching-Jamie is coaching track this year and I am REALLY second guessing this decision. He was gone 13 hours today (a Saturday) & stays 3 extra hours each day after school. When he comes home, he is exhausted and usually falls asleep on the couch as I continue to inform him of my day. Needless to say, I am not a fan of track now. I like him being a football coach. I figured it out today that for the hours he puts in and the salary he gets for coaching track, he is making well below minimum wage and that is BEFORE taxes. Jamie of course doesn't share my opinions on this...it is not about the money. It just makes me MAD that certain professions are paid what they are worth...dang, at least elementary students give you gifts for Christmas & Valentines Day!

9) Teaching-Well it seems that teachers are now no longer going to be 'safe' with budget cuts...Jamie will probably be teaching an extra class in addition to his regular periods & he will be making less than he did this year thanks to having to take a 5 day without pay 'vacation.'

8) Sick Kids-I made a huge mistake this past Thursday. Thomas woke up crying (not normal) and his nose was running (I assumed due to crying). I took him to MOPS and told the worker that if it continued to run, to come and get me. They didn't get me and it turns out that Thomas was and is sick. I feel HORRIBLE that I put other people's kids at risk. That is not what I am MAD about...I am mad at the people who take their kids places KNOWING they are sick. I once had a student bring me a note that said, "Dear Mrs. Tyler, "Suzie Q" had a 103.4 temperature this morning but really wanted to come to school today. Please call me if she gets worse." Are you kidding? What makes people think that it is ok to take their sick kids out??? I have even had people say, "I know he is sick but I was about to go crazy being locked up in the house all week." UGH!

7) My Gall Bladder-I am MAD about my gall bladder...I want it back. Laugh if you will but I have been having these horrible feelings like I made a mistake. I am scared my incisions are going to POP open and that I am going to bleed to death. I want my gall bladder back. I am really tired of not being able to do everything myself. I am also really MAD that my belly button looks so ugly.

6) Being Fat-I am MAD that I am fat. I know some of it is my fault (Little Thickburgers AKA why I probably had to have my gall bladder removed) but some of it has to be due to the pregnancies. Honestly, I think it would be a lot more fun if it were up to chance to who would get pregnant...the woman or the man. I would LOVE to see men walking with everything sagging...I think the men would be much less willing to 'have' so many kids...I would love to hear Jamie say, "Lee, I still can't fit into these pants."

5) Morals/Values-I am MAD that there are so many dingbats lacking morals/values...I am mad that my tax dollars go to support things I am 100% against. Okay...so maybe they don't lack morals...they just 'value' different things. Fine-just don't use my money to support these things....I am also REALLY mad at all the parents out there that don't love on and take care of their children the way they should be. There are so many sad sad stories about child neglect & abuse that I just want to cry.

4) Sudan-I am so MAD that so many African countries are so ignorant. Sudan has recently removed most Aid organizations such as Feed The Children. Long story why but seriously it is so exhausting trying to help people & countries that don't help themselves. I get really bent out of shape about stuff like this. The Kenyan Government is so corrupt WAY more than ours and...never mind, I seriously can't get into all this. My point is I am tired of trying to help people that aren't willing to help themselves. Most people that have lived in a third world country have felt this frustration at some point. I go back and forth between wanting to give everything I own to help others to wanting to slap people for not getting off their rear ends to help themselves. Was that harsh? Sorry.

3) The War-I am not going to get into whether we should be there or not...all I know is that I am just really MAD that my sister's husband is gone for a year. I am not mad at him (obviously)...just the situation. She will probably be mad that I wrote that. Sorry Sally. Sally has never said she was mad or anything like that. She is a supportive wife that says, "that is part of being a military wife." But as the sister, I am MAD and at times it makes me want to yell and say 4 letter words. It is so not fair that Chris is over there.

2) My Hair-I know this is going to sound crazy but everyday I look in the mirror and I get MAD about my hair. I use to have nice, straight hair that would do anything I wanted it to do. During my pregnancy with Thomas, my hair completely changed. It is now wavy & I have these obnoxious crazy white hairs that are kinky and coarse. I am NOT a fan of aging and I will NOT go down without a fight! I look at these cute little teenagers with flat hair and I want to cry.

1) Time-I am so tired and so sick of people wasting my time. I am a very busy person and when others don't respect that, I get really bent out of shape. An example: Service people that say we will be over to your house between 10-2. They don't show up until 5. Hello??? Waste of my time. I don't think people realize that people with young children often alter their entire day around one event so that everything runs smoothly for the other person. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself...maybe I should just quit trying to make things easier for others. I tutor several students and lately I have been a crazy person trying to schedule things so that everything lines up just right...start dinner, get Ellison to Nap while I tutor, tutor, meal ready after tutoring, Jamie gets home, everyone eats together...sound familiar? It is just so hard trying to get everything to line up right & I feel like such a failure when it doesn't line up & I feel like I have let everyone down. Ugh!

If you read all of this, please forgive me. I don't like being an angry person. I don't know what my deal is. Tomorrow will be a new day...it is Sunday and my husband does not have to work. Even though he had to take 3 days off this week, I seriously feel like I have not seen or even talked to him. I have a million things to be thankful for and trust me, I am.

I think I am just sharing all this because hopefully, other people reading it will be able to relate to it to some degree. I really like reading things other people go through, think about, stress about, rejoice in because it allows me to say, "oh...I am so glad to know other people think that way too." So feel free to leave a comment about something you are mad about...it may just make you feel a little better :)

I need your opinion...

2009-03-05T13:24:00.004-05:00

Well I figure I would send out an update...I feel lost without my camera. I am feeling much better...still can't lift anything, but I do feel a ton better. Ellison is doing really well and has developed a huge crush on daddy. She isn't mommy's little buddy anymore. Thomas isn't much better. Last night at 2am, Thomas was crying so I got up and got into bed with him. He said, "no mama, I want daddy...remember, you have boo boos?" I felt like such a failure.

Anyway, we had a speaker at our Mops program today and ironically she addressed something I have been thinking about lately...K3 program for next year. Thomas loves learning so much. He begs me to have 'school' everyday. He likes me to flash letter cards so he can call out letters, painting, cutting, & pasting things together...he loves getting out of the house...going to church...Mops. So i have been looking for a 2 day a week program to get him out of the house to learn & so I can have some alone time with Ellison. Today, the speaker said something about how God gave us children and how willing we are to then turn around and give them to someone else. Honestly, I thought it was a little harsh and probably stepped on a few toes. Her point is why pay someone to do something you can do yourself...she was a financial speaker. So now I feel guilty about possibly sending Thomas off to school before he has to go. Hmmm. Any advice? You can leave an annonymous comment even if you have a blog page. I just wonder how other people feel & what they have felt has been best for their kids. On one hand, I want Thomas to get 'ready' for school...I want him to experience new people & new teachers...I want him to get out more. On a selfish note, I want that one on one time with just Ellison, just like Thomas had for 2 years. Anyway, please share your thoughts & know that nothing you can say will offend me...it will give me something to think about when I am laying in bed unable to sleep :)

Thank the Lord

2009-02-25T19:04:00.004-05:00

Thank you everyone that prayed for us today. It could not have gone any better...okay so that is a lie but 99% of it was great. First, I want to thank Sally for filling in for Mandy & Mrs. Tyler while they were on their way to watch the kids & for fixing me soup. Secondly I would like to thank Mrs Tyler and Mandy for coming all the way down here with their kidoos to watch & entertain my kids during surgery & for taking Thomas back with them. Thomas was soooo excited to see Landen & Madelynn and I know Thomas is having a blast in Flo Town with Pappy :) I would also like to thank Sarah Baldoni for showing up in the OR to take care of me...tell your buddy I am going to press sexual harassment charges for asking me if I had to order special bras & underwear :) I am allergic to latex & I was so out of it when he asked this question I was really confused :) I thought to myself, "Did he really just ask me that? Is he thinking that I am so fat that I need to special order my underwear? Is he saying that my underwear and matching bra are really pretty and therefore had to special order them? Seriously, it made my night. Thank you Don Stovall, Danette's husband, for also stopping in to make sure I was okay. I had just had a major panic attack so when he walked in without scrubs, I was scared he was the shirk which is why I shot him a bizarre look! I was thrilled to realize it was Don. It seriously made my day and it allowed me to take my mind off getting the IV. Mom & Dad you guys are the best & I was so excited to see Mom walk into Trident. You are such a wonderful mom & you do so much for me. When you are 100, I will gladly wipe your hiney for you :) And no, she didn't wipe my hiney but she offered. :)

Got there at 11 & almost called me in immediately to get prepped. This took me a little off guard which led to a major freak out session. I was so embarrassed. I couldn't breath, told them I wanted to cancel the surgery, bla bla bla. The folks at Trident were great. They sent the anethesiologist in to give me the IV thinking that he could do it better (I think the nurses were terrified of me at that point). He couldn't get it...something about me being all blue??? They said sometimes that happens due to me freaking out. Finally they decided to gas me like they do for kids (thanks for letting me know I was THAT obnoxious). I was fully awake in the OR until they gassed me and then I don't remember ANYTHING...not the IV...nothing. I can walk, am really hungry & thirsty, and actually feel great. My throat is really sore and I have dry mouth...I didn't know they put a tube down my throat. My arm is not killing me from the IV like it has in the past so whoever did that gets an A+ I will say that I am not looking at the scars anytime soon. Ellison took FORMULA like a champ so I know it was the prayers. I apologize to anyone that saw me at my worst today. I was kicking and rubbing my legs together so much that i had to apologize the staff at the hospital for exposing my...well...private areas :( Seriously though, Trident was GREAT and I had a great day except for the IV. I will say though, I tried to pour some milk on my ceral tonight and even holding the jug strained my tummy so I am planning on taking the doc's advice this time: )Thanks to EVERYONE for everything.

OH-Thank you to my wonderful husband...I was a little "angry" when I came out of surgery and when I came home. I told him that I wanted to bite him REALLY hard when they were giving me the IV. I also got ANGRY when he wouldn't get me anything to eat including the milkshake I was craving. He said Dr Lafond said to take it easy on the food tonight.

Happy Birthday Mimi!

2009-02-23T23:04:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to say happy birthday to my mom, AKA Mimi. We asked Thomas how old she was tonight and he said she is 2 1/2...I may not be the smartest kid on the block but I think he was off by a few years :) We had a nice time at Sally's house tonight and I must say, I just love my mama! I look back on all the mess I pulled growing up and all the grey hair I gave her...she always handled me in the right way. Thanks mom for being awesome! I am trying to butter you up because I plan to milk my recovery for all its worth :)

I found my camera but now my computer is saying that it doesn't recognize the USB port or something like that...I swear, when it rains it pours. Okay, so not having a camera hook up is not the end of the world but it is just one more thing that will stress me out. Ugh!

I hope everyone has a great week. Sorry I won't have any of my drugged up recovery pictures. Some of my favorite Ellison delivery videos are after they gave me a dose of Nubane early in the day...I kept talking about some man with really big lips was trying to walk and how my lips were getting heavy & big. I just hope I don't say anything too bad.

Where is my camera???

2009-02-22T23:52:00.002-05:00

Has anyone seen my camera? Seriously, I am about to have a melt down. Today is Ellison's 7 month and guess who didn't get a picture...yup, you guessed it-me. Not only that but we have had several major things happen such as Ellison getting her belly off the ground and actually crawling...pulling herself up to standing...horrible attempts at crusing (most attempts end up with me catching her or her falling on the ground but they are attempts none the less), getting busted in her crib standing up against the rail...7 months old today. Do I have any pictures for any of this? Nope! Last time I saw my camera I took a picture of Thomas covered in my lipstick. His new thing is to go to the bathroom all by himself so I let him. Big mistake...after a few minutes I heard my cabinets shut...ugh! Anyway, if you happen to see my camera, let me know. I am about to have a breakdown!

Nip & Tuck

2009-02-20T22:16:00.002-05:00

Well...it is official. I am getting 'cut' on Wed...Dr. Lafond, outpatient procedure, Trident Hospital because I am true to my word. When I had Ellison & had such a nightmare of an experience at Summerville Medical, I swore I would NEVER go there again for a procedure.

Anyway, We are still going to have Ellison dedicated at the 11:15 service March 1st so hopefully there won't be any major problems. Please say a few prayers...Specifically-that the surgery goes well with no complications, that nursing will be okay & Ellison will adjust well to the bottle (she REFUSES to take it right now), that I will deal with the IV okay & the idea of being 'cut' with a knife & that my kids will survive not being 'picked up' for 2 weeks or so. I feel like my body has gone down hill since turning 30. All I have to say is boo hoo hoo. Maybe I will have that 2% side effect of chronic runs...then maybe I will lose some weight :) Just kidding....kinda.

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-16T23:17:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!!!

This is a typical picture of Thomas when the TV is on...he is completley obsessed with like 50 different shows now and cries when you turn the TV off.

I feel REALLY bad that I don't have any pictures of my parents with the kiddos on Valentines Day. Seriously, Mom & Dad have spent more time with my kids than I have this past week and I cannot be more grateful. I had 2 major doctor appointments (one with the surgeon), Mimi went to Thomas' MOPS Valentines Day party with me to help with Ellison & then Mom and Dad kept the kids on Valentines Day so Jamie and I could go to Columbia for FDHS State championship wrestling match. One of my favorite students pinned his opponent which honestly brought me to tears but the team lost in the final match-up. Thank you mom and dad for being such troopers and for helping me out so much this past week.

The Tylers came down for Friday and part of the day Sat. Ellison's new thing is to tilt her head to the side when I take her picture...she only does this when I take a picture??? Anyway, Thomas is doing well though he was called 'prissy' by his cousins from Manning. We got to spend some time with them after they got in a wreck with their Mimi while coming to work at the Wild Life Expo. Don't worry, they are all okay.

I thought Ellison had 2 teeth pop through but I realized today they aren't completely in yet so now I have to try to rip out the 1st and 2nd tooth stickers in her calendar...ugh! They will be here any day. Ellison really just cracks me up. It is amazing to think that 3 months ago she was a whiny, unhappy little baby. She is all smiles now & just a funny, fun loving little girl. So if you are struggling with a...well...fussy baby, hang in there, it DOES get better. Now if I could only just get her to take a bottle!!! Don't write me and tell me she will take it if she gets hungry enough...we tried that and she went 12 hours only drinking 1 oz.

Thomas cracks us up as well. I just love him, tantrums and all. He has been telling me about 'Joey N'...a friend from church. I assumed it was this guy I saw helping out but then he told me he likes 'Joey N' and that Joey N IS a pretty princess & said he wanted to go see 'Joey N' again. I asked a few questions and then realized one of his Sunday school worker's (a cute girl) name is named Julianne...Say Joey N outloud and you can see how I got confused. He gets all giddy when you talk about her so I think we may have a crush on 'Joey N.' Thank the LORD Joey N is a girl!

Not Gonna Crawl, Growing Up, & Still Mama's Baby

2009-02-07T19:50:00.004-05:00

These are some pictures from the past week. Ellison is refusing to crawl even though she can completely pull up on anything into standing. She does this and then pushes herself across the room on her face...she doesn't even attempt to push up on her arms when she does this. Her newest tricks include saying mama very clearly and giving you a kiss when you ask for it (she opens her mouth and then puts her mouth on yours...quite precious.)

I had a "oh my, my baby is growing up" moment the other morning. I sat Ellison on the bed while I went to get Thomas up a few mornings ago. I told Thomas to go see Ellison while I got his clothes...when I came into the bonus room, he had the tv on and the 2 of them were sitting watching tv...of course I then left to get the camera.

The other day I was so involved with my concern over Brad on the Young & the Restless that I failed to notice that Thomas had climbed into Ellison's seat. I normally don't watch Y&R when Thomas is awake but Thomas was still up & I had to see what happened to Brad. RIP Brad. This actually made me realize that Thomas is still my little boy...it is easy to forget that he is only 2 . Actually, he informed a coach today that he is NOT 2, he is 2 1/2. What am I going to do with this kid?

I told my sister that I lost the "2009 Mother of the Year" award this afternoon when I informed Thomas that there were monsters in his room so he would get into bed to take his nap. I crawled into his bed while he threw a tantrum to let me know he didn't want to take a nap. There was a loud "BOING" from one of the springs when I rolled over and it scared him. He looked at me and said, "Mom, what's that? I'm scared." I said, "it must be the monsters...quick Thomas, get in bed so we can hide from them." He jumped into bed REALLY fast, pulled the covers up and was asleep in 30 seconds. I actually feel bad about this but hey...whatever works right??? FYI...Thomas is obsessed with monsters and likes me to pretend I am one while chasing him around the house. I wouldn't have done this if he really was terrified.

Football Fun, Green Beans, & Potty Talk

2009-02-01T21:05:00.006-05:00

Ellison's First Super Bowl Party

Ellison's First Green Beans

Potty Talk
REMOVED DUE TO CONTENT...Just kidding...I removed it because Jamie thought it was too graphic and we didn't want any perve thinking about all that...good point.

Does anyone else have this problem? At what age do they get over this? UGH! I hope Thomas doesn't continue this kinda behavior when he is 15 or it could seriously lead to some problems. We also had some funny moments with Thomas' inability to pronounce the 'sp' sound & the ability to pronounce some words.

After a warning, he got a spanking from Jamie...He then looked at Jamie, grabbed his rear end and said, "Oooo...I need a bambaid (bandaid) daddy."

After catching a ball of clay from across the room, we were REALLY excited for Thomas. Jamie kept going on and one about how awesome that was bla bla bla...Jamie then popped Thomas on the rear end (kinda like football players do). Thomas got really serious, turned around and leaned over at Jamie and said, "stop FANKIN' me daddy." Okay, maybe you just have to be there but those that know Thomas & his little voice will appreciate it.

And the Verdict is...

2009-01-30T18:21:00.002-05:00

We are staying put. After talking with our real estate agent, several friends that went through the same mess, and much prayer, we have decided to get our deposit back and stay here. They finally asked that we put 18k down & if our house didn't sell by the closing date at KB, we would not get that back. That, along with a gut feeling that something just wasn't adding up led us to throw in the towel and I must say we feel GREAT about the decision. Thank you so much for taking the time to give your opinions. It turns out that there are several legal but shady things going on with some of the builders and we just aren't willing to deal with all that right now. Like we said, we are happy where we are and what we have. There were also a series of answered prayers yesterday that confirmed our decision. PHEW! I honestly feel relieved that we are not moving even though we pouted a little as we waived goodbye to our 'house' in Blackberry.

We need your help!!!

2009-01-28T20:43:00.003-05:00

We REALLY need some guidance on what to do about the house. Here is the situation and our pros/cons list. Please vote only once so we can get a good idea of what to do. Please put yourself in our shoes...don't say, "just go for it" if you wouldn't go for it yourself.

Should we stay where we are or should we move?

Moving Pros: Huge house (1500 more than this one), possible 5 bedrooms, better neighborhood, brand new home, with it only being 50 dollars a square foot we could always turn around and make a profit in a few years...it was originally 80K more expensive 6 months ago and it has already gone up 10k since we locked in our price, by selling our home now we could possibly make some money & put down 10%, our mortgage would be about the same or less, we actually qualify for a rural development loan because I am not working which means no mortgage insurance (about 80 a month) and the rate would be lower than the typical 30 year fixed rate, the neighborhood has a little picnic area, even though it is out in the country that area is growing up fast, we could do things to the house that we didn't do to this one (dual sinks in the master, smooth ceilings, bla bla bla), it is close to the interstate, if we decide to move say 5 years down the road, we won't qualify for a rural development loan because I will be working plus who knows what the rates will be

Moving Cons: We could possibly lose a lot of money because we may have to put down 15K which we would lose if we can't sell this house (we wouldn't qualify for 2 mortgages), small backyard, out in the country, more money to heat, more money in gas, more time for Jamie's commute to work (like 20 min), packing would really stink, we may have to get an apartment, we'd be moving away from Sally (she will be here another 10 months or so), we'd be moving away from other friends (Plus Matt & Laura are moving within a 5 min drive??? Hello, what are we thinking right???), we would have to sell this home withing the next 5 months but we are willing to lower the price if we have to, we wouldn't have things like tile floor in the new home right away

I know this is all silly but it is SUCH a huge decision and Jamie and I are so tired of thinking, worrying, & praying about this. Should we be grateful for what we have or take a risk to get something better? Are we being greedy by wanting more? Are we being smart for taking advantage of things while we can? We are happy here, we are comfortable, we are financially okay...do we risk it? UGH! Seriously, if anyone has any advice, please share so we can make an educated decision. I guess the point is we feel like it is now or never but we are stuck with a house which means we stand to lose our earnest money which is a big chunck of change. I am going to put up a poll so please vote & leave comments. We really appreciate it!

I do it all by myself

2009-01-27T18:54:00.003-05:00

Here is the conversation... "I want to sit on my stool and hold my car." "okay, I will go get the camera...I will be RIGHT back."

"Thomas if you want me to take your picture you better look here and smile."

"That one is too cheesy, I will take another but I need you to smile normal."

"Thomas, I am going to tickle you...here I come." (out comes milk...snap)

"Gross Thomas...how long have you had that in your mouth? At least wipe your mouth off (he wipes it with his car), and I will take one more picture." "Thank you mommy."

Today we went to see Uncle Chris' picture on the Internet and Thomas wanted NOTHING to do with it...he wanted to see DADDY (Sorry Chris). So I pulled up our web page to find a daddy picture...unfortunately there were 'too many Ellisons.' Thomas was TICKED! He demanded, "I want a picture all by myself." I noticed his smile was a little silly after taking 2 pictures so I told him I was going to tickle him if he didn't smile...he then started laughing and milk came out of him mouth (picture 3). His new thing is to keep drinks in his mouth so he can swish it around...GROSS!

Anyway, Thomas is now in the phase where he wants to do EVERYTHING all by himself...push Ellison, pee pee on the adult potty (he even closes the door and will not let you in until he is ready to show off his creation), pull up his underwear & pants, eat soup, paint, make letters with play dough, play several games on the computer...you name it, he probably does it all by himself! He gets irate if you do something like open the mailbox because that is something he does. It is really funny because Jamie has certain things he does during bath time. The other day when I gave Thomas a bath, he threw a tantrum because I did EVERYTHING wrong. He has to cut on the water, wash himself, wet his own hair, let the water out himself bla bla bla. Sound familiar??? Please feel free to share the wonderful things your toddler likes to do "all by myself."

Side note: I normally bathe when the kids are napping but the other day I really needed a bath. Thomas begged to get in so I let him. I got a good laugh because he put the wash cloth over his chest and said, "No, no Mommy...don't touch my private parts...we don't touch our private parts...only Ellison touches mommys' private parts." I can only imagine what he tells the nursery workers at church!

Silly Six

2009-01-25T21:50:00.004-05:00

Cousin Michael is trying to bust a move on Ellison! Just kidding, Sally!

I was lucky enough to have my sister take a few shots of Ellison on her actual 6 month b-day. I laughed at these pictures because Ellison's new thing is to suck her bottom lip. Life has gotten a million times easier. Ellison is happy most of the time, sleeps most of the night, loves eating, loves sitting, loves squealing, and is in LOVE with her daddy. She is working on a ton of different sounds but so far mmmmmmammmmmmmmmmma is the closest we have to anything understandable. Anyway, when I think of Ellison the first word that comes to my mind is silly! She is just funny. If she isn't getting attention, she squeals and waits for you to look at her. Then she smiles really big and starts kicking her legs like a wild woman. She makes me smile. Happy 6 months!

Come and give me some of that yum, yum...Chocolate Chip, Honey Dip...Can I get a scoop?

2009-01-17T16:28:00.005-05:00

Okay the title is a shout out to all the Salt N Pepa fans of the world but I found it quite fitting for today's big adventure...FOOD! Though I planned on waiting until her 6 month birthday, I broke down 5 days early in honor of the Tylers being here and gave her what I thought would be a little taste of rice cereal. Wrong, Ellison ate the entire amount I prepared. No surprise, she is her mother's child! Anyway, she seriously ate it...didn't gag...reached for the bowl, grabbed the spoon and shoved it into her mouth. Hopefully she will continue to eat whatever we give her. Thomas will eat ANYTHING except lettuce (okay maybe I should add he will eat anything if you bribe him with dessert).

I have to add the other day that Thomas got out his little plate that has 4 sections that you put food in...they have a flippy lid on each section and you open it up to find your food. I overheard the following coversation with his horse, "whats in the blue one...CHOCOLATE...what's in the yellow one...CANDY...whats in the red one...FRENCH FRIES...whats in the green one...CARROTS" The first 3 items came as no surprise but I was thinkin' why did he include carrots so I asked him...his response... "There is already a carrot in there, mama." I looked in it and sure enough, it had a picture of a carrot...the other pictures were of animals. He gave me a look like I was so stupid for asking...today he refused to let me into the bathroom to help him on the big potty...AND he is refusing my kisses. I guess all my babies are growing up...maybe I should have a 3rd...Just kidding...kinda...maybe sorta...well 3 wouldn't be so bad...no...absolutely not...I'd like 3...no, I am happy with 2...UGH!! Those with 2 will understand this last sentence.

Cars are like eggs...they're cheaper in the country!

2009-01-09T23:02:00.005-05:00

Does anyone remember that commercial? I think it was a Mama's Used Cars commercial or something. Anyway, it completely sums up why we are hoping to move. Don't get me wrong, I like the city...I like my neighborhood...heck, I even like my house but we found this opportunity and sometimes you just have to go for it!

A new neighborhood popped up in Summerville but out in what I call the country. Long story short...we qualified for a rural development loan (low financing rates), put money down to lock in a rock bottom price on a 3224 square foot home, and listed our house on the market this past week. KB lowered their prices because they weren't able to sell what they needed to sell...we are building the house for 50 dollars a square foot! The price already went up 10,000 bucks since we locked in our price. Although there are a few things that could slow us down, I have a good feeling about this. We added some things into the home (9 foot ceilings, fireplace, powder room, garden tub, double sinks) but even if we finance 100% our monthly payment will be the same as it is now (Say what???). Best part about a rural development loan, NO PMI which runs us about 60 bucks a month right now. We factored in the cost of driving 12 miles to work everyday....doubling the electric/gas bill...and we think we can swing it. We have been REALLY stressed....wishy washy about this...it is a HUGE step for us so we turned to our trusted family.

When I asked Ellison if she wanted to move, this was her response.

Say a prayer that this will all work out for us and that if it isn't meant to work out for us, that a door would be shut...no, slammed in our face. We are waiting for Sally or Mom & Dad to invite us to live with them if our house sells before we finish building but so far, no invites. If anyone knows someone looking to buy a home, let me know :)

Resolutions

2009-01-01T21:45:00.005-05:00

I thought I would just take a moment to share with you our resolutions. I decided that instead of everyone creating their own, I would be kind and do it for them...here you go.

Thomas: I am going to stop taking my pants off during nap time. Mom gets sick of catching me in the closet trying to put on my football pants that Uncle Tommy gave me. I am going to stop saying, "NO" to anything and everything. I will not say, "don't like mommy." I am going to quit trying to fit into Ellison's swings, trying to play with her toys, and laying down on her mat before mom can put her on it. I am also going to quit flopping my wrist when I get upset...even though I don't hit anyone, it is very ugly and mom & dad do not like it. I will not chase Rupert and Sadie with my toy cars...it scares them and makes Rupert pee on the floor.

Ellison: I am going to quit having bi-polar moments. I am not going to SCREAM out of the blue and then start laughing...I am not going to pull your hair...I am not going to scratch the snot out of your boob while I am nursing. I am not going to grab your finger and then bite it so hard you think you are going to cry...I am not going to try to sneak real people food like the corncob I sucked while you were looking at Thomas during dinner the other night-you shouldn't have held me and the corn in the same hand anyway. I am going to start sleeping at least 8 hours at night and I promise not to poop out of my outfits.

Jamie: I will not tell Thomas to go see mommy when he has to go poo poo. I will not hide so you can't find me when Ellison poops in her diaper. I will not, repeat WILL NOT, leave eggs boiling on the stove so long that the water evaporates leaving 4 burnt eggs. I will not tell you to get ready for a back rub and then fall asleep on the couch while you wait upstairs-that is so rude and I feel HORRIBLE that I do this as often as I do. I will do my best to start lactating so I can nurse Ellison...I will take hormones or whatever it takes. I will quit blaming Rupert for pooting when we all know it was me. I will rub your back without complaining EVERY night without being asked. I will cook, clean, and do everything...you are my princess and I know I was put on this earth to serve you.

I would post my own but they are not as interesting...most of them involve eating better, exercising more, drinking more water, & staying on top of the house. Hope everyone had a great start to 2009. I have a feeling it is going to be a great year!

Christmas Overload

2009-01-01T21:15:00.005-05:00

We love G.G!!!

For 2 months, Thomas consistently said he wanted Santa to bring him a trumpet. Seriously, the kid is obsessed with marching bands...now if only we could find him that tuba, we'd be set!

Ellison got some new outfits & bows to match.

Santa brought Sally and Michael some new gifts as well.

Thomas has not put the trumpet down...he even sleeps with it on the road and at home.

Ellison had fun at Mimi & Poppy's house & got way too much. She is smiling because she got to take her turtleneck off due to a massive blowout!

Grammy & Pappy spoiled us rotten!

I totally forgot to include our Christmas pictures! We have 6 Christmases. First we celebrate with Jamie's Dad's Family a week before Christmas in Florence, then we drive to G.G's house Christmas eve (greatgrandma), then at our house Christmas morning, then Sally came over to do Christmas, then we drove over to Mimi's house where Santa came again, then we drive to Florence again for Christmas with the Tylers. Seriously, it is a little much and Ellison is really paying the price right now. Before we left, she slept 9 hours and I was thinking, "YES! I finally have her all sorted." Then, Christmas happened. I am working hard to get her sleeping well again. Anyway, thankfully gas prices are down so our 3 trips to Florence in 5 days did not kill the wallet. We had a wonderful Christmas and have now implemented toy rotation. I bought 4 totes and split Thomas' toys up. I rotate them each week. Of course the playroom toys are still there and of course certain toys won't be in the rotation. Thomas has not put down his trumpet and he keeps his hermama (hermonica) with him at all times. He is still insisting that Jamie play the drums & I sing Red Nose (Rudolph) and Ellison is still insisting that I rap 50 Cent rhythms to her.

Ways to Save Money

2008-12-28T23:44:00.001-05:00

I had originally typed out a page and a half going into great detail my philosophy of why I decided to stay home. However, after reading it, I realized that if you don’t know me, you may think that I think everyone should live on one income and keep the wife at home, which is not the case. I do think that most of us overspend and therefore think we can’t afford to stay at home when we actually can. Anyway…Several friends have asked me to type out of all the crazy things Jamie and I do in order to keep me at home. Many people tell me how lucky I am to stay at home and I gladly let them know that luck has nothing to do with it…it has everything to do with self-control, budgeting, and sacrifice. When people tell me that I need to go back to work, I kindly remind them that I have the rest of my life to work and that my kids will only be little once. I will never regret these precious years with my kids. With that said, here are a few things that we do in order for me to stay home.

1) Tithe-If you aren’t tithing, you should give it a try…seriously. God blesses those who give to others & tithe…our church is even offering a 3 month guarantee. If you do not feel that God has blessed you after 3 months of regular tithing, then they will refund your tithe. Some people say, “I don’t tithe and look at what I have.” My answer to them is, “Who knows how much more you would have if you were tithing?”
2) Nurse-there are a million and one reasons to nurse but financially-there is no better option!
3) Have a written budget and stick to it-Take a Financial Peace course if you need help in this area…having a 1000 dollar emergency fund is part of Dave Ramsey’s plan.
4) Envelope system…there are several areas that we tend to overspend such as groceries and fast food. At the beginning of the month, I put 60 dollars in each week’s grocery envelope and a 20 in the fast food envelope. Once that money is gone, we make do with what we have in the cupboard.
5) Shop the ½ price items-our grocery budget is 60 a week and we eat like champs…we even eat steaks that my mom gets us at the commissary when they are on sale!
6) Coupons-I like the ones in the newspaper but there are a ton online as well…there are also great websites to lead you…I also buy the coupon books that come out as well.
7) Keep a list of fast food places that offer kids eat free nights.
8) Moneysavingmom.com There are so many great websites that tell you which coupons to use in order to get KILLER deals on items.
9) Stay away from debt…if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.
10) Have garage sales…get rid of clutter and earn a little cash for special events.
11) Plasma-I know this is horrible but it helps others & puts a little cash in your pocket for special events.
12) Tutoring & Odd jobs-I tutor in order to put food on the table & Jamie and I both jump at the chance to work odd jobs.
13) Clothes-thankfully I have a wonderful sister-in-law that gives us all her children’s clothes. We also love going to garage sales, shopping in the off season, & the 2nd hand stores.
14) Buy what we want & make it last. I do not believe in buying things just because they are on sale. A dollar shirt that is ugly is a dollar wasted. No…instead, save your money and buy what you want if it is something that you will have a long time…example: leather sleeper sofas…Jamie and I have been dreaming & saving for these for at least 3 years.
15) Do it yourself: We clean our own home, cut our own grass, wash our own cars, & stuff like that…we even took a class at home depot and laid our own tile. Sally taught me how to make bows so now I am not blowing money on those either!
16) Learn to cut hair-I cut everyone’s hair in our family. I color & highlight my own as well. I cannot tell you how much money we have saved. My theory is, if I mess it up, we can always go and have someone professionally correct it-so far so good. Our hair may not be the best looking but seriously, I have had more bad hair cuts from professionals.
17) Cook & Freeze-I take one day every once in a while and cook for 10 hours straight…I freeze the meals in pyrex dishes…this saves on time & money.
18) Look for free outings-seriously there are tons of free events if you take the time to look for them. The Children’s Museum usually costs 7 bucks a person but 4 times a year they have a free night that also includes free dinner. Parks, sporting events, & church also offer fun free family outings….teachers get into a lot of places for free so I always keep our teaching licenses on hand.
19) MOPS-by far the best thing I have done as a stay at home mom. We have monthly meetings and tons of play dates that get us into fun places at discounted prices…not to mention we save on psychiatrist bills when I have other moms to talk to about things J
20) Dogs-we switched to a cheaper dog food but supplement with the expensive one…their 45 dollar a month heartworm pills now costs us 6 dollars every 2 years because they are taking heartworm paste for horses. This is only good for dogs that weigh over 125. We also order Sadie’s meds & their flea killer online for a fraction of what we would pay at the store.
21) When shopping online, always google that store’s name to see if you can find some free shipping or discount codes. I rarely pay for shipping and almost always find codes that get me 15% off or more.
22) Cable-we only have cable during football season.
23) Internet-we don’t have dial up but we do have the lowest form of DSL…seriously, I can’t tell a difference now that we switched from high speed.
24) Ask for deals-when I talk to representatives, I have no problem asking if there are ways to lower the price…there are almost always ways to do so, you just have to ask…When I wasn’t able to get an epidural, I even commented between screaming that at least I wasn’t going to have to pay for the anesthesiologist.
25) Trade schools-you can often get health care, dental care, massages, hair cuts & color at a fraction of the cost. The ‘professionals’ in training are almost always supervised by the real professional that will step in if need be.
26) Shop all year long for b-day & Christmas gifts and keep a list of the items you have already bought…don’t buy crap just because it is on sale, just keep an eye on items you know your relatives want and appreciate.
27) Buy and Sell on craigslist…you avoid having to ship the items AND you don’t have to outbid someone.
28) Free samples…you can go online and sign up for a ton of free samples. Walmart.com has an ongoing section of at least 3 products at all times.
29) Sign up for rewards cards. Babies R Us has a new pampers deal where you buy 10 boxes of diapers get 1 free...I always wait to they go on sale, use a manufacturers coupon, & then I buy several at one time. I then register all my codes at pampers.com which gives me points that go towards free gifts.
30) Credit Cards-this is controversial but Jamie and I have enough discipline that it has worked for us. We put everything on our credit card & we get points for doing so. We pay it off each month. We have NEVER paid any fee or any interest on our card. So far we have earned 2 free flights to Alaska (which we used to visit my sister) and 1700 dollars worth of gift cards to various places. We get a 100 dollar gift card at least 3 times a year. We used the Citibank card to pay for our trip to Africa in which we got points for the miles we flew as well. This is not a wise thing for MOST people but if you have a budget, stick to it, and pay it off each month-it can work for you too.
31) Secret Shopper-I am a secret shopper though I haven’t been going much lately. I joined a company a few years ago and basically I go to restaurants and have a dinner or lunch. I go home, fill out a review online, and then the next month I am reimbursed the 35 I spent plus an extra 5 for gas. This was a great FREE way for my husband and I to have a nice date night. Usually, we were able to get 2 drinks, an appetizer, 2 entrées, and a dessert PLUS the tip in the 35 dollars.
32) Drive used cars, pay them off quickly, and then set aside money for any needed repairs that may pop up.
33) Don’t compare yourselves to anyone. The grass is not always greener on the other side and most of the time, those that appear to have it all, don’t. Be happy with what you have.

If you have any ways to save money, PLEASE add them to my comment section.

Mops Christmas Party, Christmas with the Tylers, & Another Santa Nightmare

2008-12-23T19:51:00.008-05:00

MOPS CHRISTMAS SHIN-DIG

I told Jamie the other night that I really believe the 65 bucks I paid for my MOPS membership was by far the best 65 dollars I have ever spent (with the exception of the 65 dollars I spent on him at his fraternity auction but that is a completely different story). Here are just a few picts of the fun filled night.

Singing Christmas Carols...

Trying to overcome our fear of jumping without mom...

Playing with Fire with Dad...what more could a boy want?

CHRISTMAS IN EFFINGHAM
We drove up to spend some time with Pappy & Grammy before heading to Effingham for Christmas with Pappy's family. Landen & Madelynn were at Grammy & Pappy's house as well so Thomas spent his time with them. I honestly love both sides of his family & enjoy getting together with them.

Thomas trying to be 'big' like his older cousins

Ellison's personal chauffeur

JAMES ISLAND LIGHTS
We decided to go to visit the lights at James Island and it was the best time we have had with Thomas this Christmas. He was SOOOO excited with all the lights and when we got to the walking part of the exhibit, he said, "Thomas is so excited!" I guess you had to be there. Thomas' reaction to Santa was worse than last year & this was about as good as we could get as far as pictures were concerned. Oh well...hopefully we will get a good picture when Thomas is like 15.

Thomas got to ride in the front with Daddy...HUGE DEAL for a 2 year old.

After taking 3 pictures where Jamie had his eyes closed, I made the comment that if he didn't keep his eyes open I was going to do physical harm to him...this is the result...

As soon as Jamie saw this picture he said, "I know you are going to put that on the internet aren't you?" ...here's your answer...

No I am not trying to look like a giant pink marshmallow...

Ellison wants everyone to know that we couldn't find her hat and she had to borrow moms.

I guess Thomas won't be getting that trumpet after all.

Don't be fooled by this smile...I managed to wet my pants and bruise my thigh while trying to 'mount' the giraffe.

Our Christmas Card

2008-12-18T19:04:00.003-05:00

We decided NOT to send Christmas cards out this year and now I am regretting it. Each day we get 3 or4 precious cards of our precious friends and I sit pouting that we are not sending one out this year. What was I thinking??? However, we did have family pictures made and we do have pictures of just Ellison and Thomas that you are MORE than welcome to have (who needs 40 wallets...I am not sure but it is how many our package came with). Anyway, here is a picture of our picture (yes I know that is lame-plus I couldn't use the flash because it left a huge light spot) and what we WOULD have said had we sent out pictures this year.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

Geek Squad in the Making

2008-12-18T18:52:00.004-05:00

Thomas juggling like the octopus does for the letter O!

Thomas is scared of the ostrich but managed to click on it anyway!

The other day Thomas and I were playing on http://www.starfall.com/ (Thomas' favorite online site) then he said, "no no mama...Thomas do it all by himself" as he pushed my hand off the mouse. I thought, 'okay kid...we will see how far you get without my help.' Well guess what...the kid worked the entire program by himself. I am not lying. He moved the mouse...clicked on the appropriate letters or arrows to make each page work...he did it for 15 minutes while I sat and watched. He even knows how to turn on the computer & click the icon that takes you straight to starfall. Seriously, I am at a loss for words because I had NO clue he knew how to do it. Click and drag...double click...no problem! I guess the moral is, NEVER underestimate the knowledge of a 2 year old. Please ignore the papers and mess in the background :)

Oh-you might be wondering why Thomas is in the really little chair. The other night I was sitting in the antique chair that is usually by the computer. I was kinda leaning back when all of a sudden the entire right side broke causing me to fall ALL the way on the floor....just another sign that it is time to start the diet.

Let the Good Times Roll

2008-12-15T20:26:00.006-05:00

I just had to post a few random shots from the past few weeks. First...My friend Danette & sister Sally came over with their little ones for a play date. As you can see, they did a LOT of playing.

The other day, Thomas was jumping around the room...I didn't think much of it because jumping is his preferred mode of travel but then I realized that he was a little 'stuck.' Oops! I don't know how I managed to do that without noticing but then of course I made him stand still so I could take a picture.

We threw a surprise shower for my friend Courtney a couple weeks back. I heard through the grapevine that baby Quinn was born today weighing in at over 9 lbs! Poor Courtney!

Why is it so impossible to get both of them to smile at the same time?

Anyway-say a little prayer. Thomas has recently started stuttering...he prolongs letters & repeats certain sounds. It is frustrating for him and us because he speaks pretty clearly when he doesn't stutter & has a great vocabulary. Babynet is coming out tomorrow to evaluate the severity. I am really praying that this is just a phase. They are also going to look at Ellison to make sure she is not favoring her right side to the point of needing therapy beyond what I am giving her.

Gag gift for a 2 year old-The other day we went to a friend's birthday party. They gave Thomas a cup that has the water trapped in the outside of the cup...there were sparkles or as Thomas puts it 'farkles' inside as well. Thomas tried everything in his power to 'drink' the water & get the 'farkles.' He tried drinking, pouring it out, splashing his hand in the cup...he just couldn't figure out why he couldn't get the water...it was PRICELESS!

Mermaids-Thomas likes to play with my willow tree figurines but he always makes them swim around the house, which always confused me as to why they always had to swim. Anyway, the other day he brought them to me and said,"got TWO little mermaids." If you have ever seen them..they don't have feet and I guess to a 2 year old, anything without feet is a mermaid.

The Tylers are Rich

2008-12-08T16:45:00.004-05:00

I know this is very cheesy but seriously, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. We have a nice home, 2 beautiful & healthy children, 2 great dogs, 2 good vehicles, I am able to stay at home, bla bla bla. My husband may not have the highest paying job in the world but you know what, he is home almost everynight, he has holidays & weekends off, and there is something to be said for job security...yes, I must say the trade off is good. I am so proud of him for what he does & how he does it.

I sometimes fret over not being able to replace our worn couches & how we will pay a medical bill, but God always works it out for us. We have SO much more than 95% of the world. Things could be better but you know what...they aren't that bad.

I have heard so many people complaining about the economy & stuff like that and they have a right to complain. However, I think we get caught up in comparing ourselves to our neighbors instead of being content with what we have. We may not have a million dollars in the bank but we are so very rich.

Anyway, I was looking at Ellison today and I realized, she has NO clue about my worries. She is warm, fed, & happy. She doesn't care that her onsie only cost 2 dollars on sale or that I fell so far into our couch that I couldn't get out while holding her. She doesn't care that the house is dirty or that Sadie just drooled on her head. I guess I could learn a little from my little one. The truth is, we are all rich...things could be a lot worse and for this I am grateful.

Christmas Traditions

2008-12-05T13:38:00.003-05:00

The other day, our MOPS group was talking about Christmas tradtions. We already do a few things (all of which I stole from other people)but I am always up for new ones as well. We start doing activities on December 1st.In the Tyler home, we have a Silly Santa that finds a new place to 'hide' each night. Thomas eagerly wakes up and tries to find him.

Before we do that though, Thomas places the ornament of the day on our tree that hangs on the wall & then turn on the Christmas tree lights.My Christmas tree is filled with ornaments that have meaning. Everyone has a story to tell. Whenever we go on a trip or do something new, I either make an ornament or buy one. Example, when we went to the beach on our honeymoon, I collected shells and made a picture frame with them to hang on the tree. I have started doing the same for Thomas and Ellison and they hang them on their personal trees in their rooms (Ellison doesn't have hers yet, but it is coming :).

If you have any neat family traditions that I can steal, please share.

Here are a few that I have heard about and may try.

1) having a bday party for Jesus-we have already told Thomas that Santa brings gifts for boys and girls to honor Jesus' birthday

2) getting only 3 gifts from Santa or the parents & in return letting the kids pick 3 toys to give away to someone in need.

3) not placing Jesus in the nativity scene until Christmas morning

4) putting up all the Christmas books until December & then enjoying them together as a family

5) Letting Santa bring just 1 big gift and a stocking full of needed items like soap, toothpaste, socks bla bla bla

Milepainintherear

2008-12-01T19:02:00.003-05:00

Instead of milestones...I think they should call them milepainintherears. Ellison flipped from her tummy to her back yesterday and then decided to flip from her back to her tummy today. While I know I should be proud & grateful that my little princess is growing up, I'm not...I mean I am but seriously-I like them little and she will probably be my last and oh my gosh-I will never have another little baby again :(

I like her being a baby...nonmobile...easy to supervise...can't tell me NO...you get my point. Instead, I go in to get her up because she is screaming and I find her on her tummy-completely unable to flip back over. I know this won't last long and soon she will be able to do everything herself :( I also know that before I know it, she will be a teenager that wants nothing to do with me. Boo Hoo Hoo! Sorry-I am having a moment.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T23:24:00.003-05:00

Okay...so I stole this picture off of Sally's website but it was so cute! Sally cooked an AMAZING Thanksgiving feast. Nothing major went wrong such as Thomas setting the house on fire or the dogs stealing the ham from the table. Wish I had some fun stories but I don't. Thomas has been enjoying a fun weekend with the Tylers which is something we have been doing every other month or so. He actually had his first sleep over with his cousins so that is pretty exciting. We will go to get him tomorrow. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

Sally to the Rescue

2008-11-25T13:27:00.003-05:00

Sally the Lifesaver (this is an old picture of Thomas)

I will try to keep it short & sweet-just like me...just kidding.

Ellison had her 4 month appointment today so I got everyone up & dressed with 30 min to spare. I start to look for the keys...can't find them. After 15 minutes of Ellison screaming & trying to find a key in my less than clean house, I lose it. I put Thomas & Ellison in the car so I can look in peace & don't have Ellison's screaming to push me over the edge ...still no key. I then start crying, throwing things around in order to uncover every toy, & I manage to throw a plastic kids plate so hard that it breaks. I was a little out of control :)

I wake Sally up to see if I can borrow her car & she has no choice but to let me due to my pitiful crying fit. I pack the kids up in their double decker stroller (thank you Karpus Family)and start strolling to Sally's house. She meets me 1/2 way, takes Thomas in the stroller back to her house, & even has an orange fanta in the front seat waiting for me. It was not a fun morning but as usual, Sally saves the day.

Where is the key you might be asking? Well there are only 2 scenarios...1) Jamie didn't put it in its place (he drove the van last) & it is stuffed in a pair of pants somewhere 2) Thomas took it and tried to unlock a dresser or something (his new favorite thing to do).

Anyway, Ellison is doing well. 14lbs 3oz and 26 inches for height. She has to do physical therapy exercises because she is favoring one side of her head more than the other and because of that has a slightly flat place. I have been trying to correct it on my own but I guess I didn't do a good enough job. Dr. L doesn't think it is a big deal but said it might be like that for good :( They said she would not like the exercises but they were wrong...she loves them and squealed with delight.

Thanks so much for being such a great sister, Sally. I would still be crying in a corner with the kids in the car if it weren't for you.

Since I am writing so much, I might as well add that Thomas choked on a hotdog the other day. We don't eat hotdogs (he only eats them with Mimi) so I guess I didn't cut it up well enough. Thomas turned purple and seriously could not get a breath. His eyes were as big as saucers. I was at the table holding Ellison (surprise, surprise) and I grab him. I placed Ellison down very quickly and gave Thomas the Heimlich. He choked up the hotdog and I figure swiped it out of his mouth. This was a week ago and he is still talking about how 'mama threw ellison on that ground...Thomas don't choke on that hotdog...make Thomas cry...mama HIT thomas in the head." Not sure but I think thomas thinks I hit him when I swiped the hotdog. Just thought I would share...I am SO glad I wasn't in the kitchen getting something when this happened. Things can happen so so fast.

The Pooper Scooper Upper

2008-11-23T19:51:00.003-05:00

Okay. So today I look outside and see Thomas and Jamie scooping poop...15 minutes later-still scooping poop...an hour later-you guessed it, still scooping poop. Thomas had his own shovel and of course Jamie had his. It was precious. They would walk over to the fence, Jamie would throw his pile, & then pick Thomas up so he could toss his. Turns out Thomas wouldn't let Jamie quit scooping and was searching the yard for more poop. I knew having a boy would come in handy!

FOUR!

2008-11-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

4 Months=Fun

Ellison has made some major improvements in her complex baby life. She is no longer on reflux meds but still spits up a lot. She's not quite as fussy as she once was and actually enjoys sitting, kicking, and playing by herself from time to time. However, she still insists on being held and would probably be happy being held ALL day if we would let her get away with it. She tries to chew anything and everything she can get her little hands on. Her hair is falling out and she is completely bald on the back of her head. Life has gotten a lot easier in the past month & I feel like we can finally breathe a breath of fresh air.

Darn-I love that kid

2008-11-17T13:32:00.004-05:00

I know that a lot of my posts are sarcastic and often point out the outtakes in our crazy life, but the truth is, we have just as many fun & sweet moments. I absolutely love my family and I get really sad when the weekend is over...however, things are looking up-football season is over and for the first time since having Ellison, we will be a 'normal' family. Okay, so maybe we will never be normal but at least we will get to see more of each other.

Our mornings usually look the same...mom is awakened by a hungry baby just in time to hear big brother screaming to come get him. I grab Ellison, go downstairs and get Thomas' milk/cereal & we go upstairs so everyone can eat. No, we don't usually eat at the breakfast table...we usually eat somewhere so mom can feed Ellison & Thomas can entertain himself with his cereal and TV...this will be changing but it is what we have to do to keep things running right now. Anyway-

Thomas always wants to hold and kiss on Ellison, as if she is a doll. Well, this morning I had to run downstairs to get something so I told him that Ellison and I were going to go grab something and that I would be right back...if I don't do this, he will follow me around. Thomas looked at me with raised eyebrows and said, "Thomas hold baby Ellison...mommy be right back." I thought let's see what happens...Thomas is very trustworthy. When I came back, this is what I found. Thomas was the one that told me to take a picture and that he would continue to hold her till I got back. Darn-I love that kid! Having said that...

My new weapon against tantrums is my camera...I show Thomas what he looks like when he acts up. He has a little cold & was a real pill last night. Don't worry-it isn't an ear infection, just something he does when he is tired.

Machines, Thomas the Spitting Cobra, & Karma

2008-11-08T22:01:00.009-05:00

I am really mad that Pappy's head reflected enough light to turn my son's face yellow!

Does this pose look familiar? If not, you need to go back a few posts to when the horse bit Thomas' head. Thomas wasn't sure if the beast bit him or if he hit his head while trying to climb through the board...poor Thomas...we told him not to do it.

This is before the rabbit bit him...okay, so it didn't bite him but DANG it would have been funny if it had!

This was the highlight of Thomas' trip to the fair.

Thomas tried really hard to get it to go like Poppy's machine.

The Elephant show was fun until he dropped his apple in the dirt...Pappy peeled it so he could finish eating it.

Thomas is thinking, "Man, I wish my mom and dad had some of this so they could buy me size 4 diapers instead of having to use baby Ellison & Michael's size 3s..."

This llama is plotting his attack.

After many weeks of complaining, we finally got the Tylers to actually stay the night. They drive all the way from Florence each week for the football games and then drive all the way back-which really stinks! Anyway, they joined us in a fun filled trip to the fair, which was a blast. Animals...machines...food...what more could a boy want?

The best part of the trip came after Thomas saw a guy spit on the ground. He thought it would be cute to start spitting on the ground...over and over and over again (those with toddlers know how fun this can be). He did this the entire way to the van, Jamie and I ignored it knowing that it would only make things worse. Once in the van, he spit again and of course Jamie told him not to spit in the van. Then, the funniest thing I have ever seen occurred...Thomas spit at Jamie. It took everything in our power not to laugh. Jamie popped Thomas and told him again NOT to spit and guess what...Thomas looked Jamie dead in the eyes and spit on him again. I have never seen my husband so taken back with anything or anyone before...he seriously was in shock and had that deer in headlights kinda look. Anyway, Thomas got popped again as I ducked behind my seat laughing...I think I may have to spit on Jamie next time he refuses to rub my back. No worries, Thomas now knows that it is not okay to spit on daddy or to spit in the car.

I sometimes wonder if when we say, "don't" he gets confused...I don't think he realizes that DON'T and DO NOT mean the same thing. He wasn't being disrespectful, he was just doing something new right???

I also have to add that I laughed my tail off at my poor friend Smita when she told me she tripped and fell twice in one week...seriously, things like that make my day and it is even better if I get to witness it. However, the joke was on me...a day later I tripped and fell in front of Thomas (he is still talking about mommy falling and hurting her leg). Then today I fell again in front of my neighbor as I tried to drown the mole that has been destroying our front yard. Yes, there is something to be said for what comes around goes around...

Good Bye Uncle Chris

2008-11-06T13:24:00.002-05:00

This post is without doubt the hardest I have had to write. Chris left for Iraq and I must say that it was a little harder than I expected. I cannot imagine what my sister must be going through-I honestly feel sick to my stomach. All I know is that we adore Chris & couldn't be more proud of him.

When I first learned that Sally met a guy named Chris, I was in Africa. I wrote a long email to her of all the reasons why she shouldn't date him and as I sent the email, I got another from her saying that they were officially dating...oops! I couldn't have been more wrong about anything.

Chris and Sally are the perfect little couple & I am so glad he is in her life...even if it is 10,000 miles away. We will pray for you daily and will try our best to take care of her. You are right, Chris, this is probably the best time for this to happen and Sally will be okay. It just sucks knowing that your family will have to be apart for a while.

Please know that we love you & if anyone is reading this blog, please remember to pray for Chris' safe arrival home. He will be gone a year. Chris, we love you & won't stop praying until all of you are home safe. I am sorry I shook my hiney at you on Sally's webcam...that was very immature and it won't happen again...okay, that is not true but I will try to behave myself during the next year for Sally's sake. Love you, brother!

Congratulations, Obama...

2008-11-05T07:49:00.006-05:00

Let me first say, I always vote for the individual I believe in...the person I trust...if this person happens to be of a party that I don't normally vote with, I still vote for him/her. I vote for the person, not the party. I have never been one to not like a person because their views differ than my own...it would be a very boring world if we all thought the same way. With that said, I need to get this off my chest.

I went to bed at 8:30 last night because I knew if I continued to watch, that I would get so upset that I would probably end up staying up until 4 am worrying. I don't normally put my opinions out there when it comes to politics but this is different. I actually like Obama. I like the fact that he is an African American & that our country made history. I like the fact that he has a beautiful family that adores & is proud of their daddy. I like the fact that he wasn't born into wealth or even a traditional family. I like the fact that he had to work hard to get to where he is. I like the fact that he looks presidential & can give an empowering & well spoken speech (Sorry Bush, but when I watched you while living overseas, it was kinda embarrassing).

HOWEVER, I just wish Obama shared all of my beliefs and values. I like him, but I am not thrilled with the fact that he is our president. So I will pray that he changes his mind when he goes to sign the Freedom of Choice act - which among many things will legalize partial birth abortion. If you don't know much about this, you need to research the procedure.

See, when Obama said that if his daughter made a mistake, he would not want her to be punished with a baby...that really ticked me off. I think that a baby shouldn't be punished for a girls choice and I believe that a baby is a gift from God. It makes me sad to think that little lives are destroyed because they didn't come at a 'good time.' Adoption is an amazing thing. I could go on and on about this but I won't.

I will also pray that our leaders will continue to fund the troops already serving in these horrible wars because they need the funds to be safe. I will pray for all the things I believe in because they are different than his views. Having different views does not make him a horrible person and I think sometimes we tend to forget this.

Anyway, I am sad that Obama's grandmother didn't get to see him take office and I do congratulate him on his win. I am just sad that McCain lost. I supported McCain in 2000 against Bush and often wonder if life would be different had he won the republican nomination. Who knows...all I know is that I am worried because Obama's beliefs are so different than my own and as all people, I like for those in office to think like I think. Hopefully as Americans, we will come together and embrace our president, even with our differences. We aren't going to help the situation by being divided and as a wise man once said, "Country First."

I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!!

2008-10-31T21:11:00.006-04:00

Thomas getting candy at the Crossroads Church Festival

Our first cotton candy experience...

Michael & Ellison...I mean, Tigger and Ladybug...

Thomas got more candy than any 2 year old needs...

Thomas said, "its not scary...hands not dirty."

Ellison had a little too much fun and fell asleep on the changing table.

Some of my fondest memories come from celebrating Halloween with my sister. We would trick or treat for HOURS and come home with bags of candy. Almost everyone in our neighborhood participated. We would then sit on the living room floor, put all our bags into one pile, and divide the candy evenly. If it got down to one box of Nerds, we would split those evenly as well. My point is, we always had the best time and it makes me sad that less and less kids get to participate. As an adult, I am soooo glad my parents allowed me to be a kid. I don't ever remember thinking that I was celebrating an EVIL holiday, nor did it turn me into a horrible kid that turned against God...to me, it was just one day out of 365 that I got the chance to get FREE CANDY that would last me months.

Now don't write me hate mail, I totally understand why people don't take their kids out...I understand and respect your beliefs. I just think we are no more celebrating 'witchcraft & the devil' by trick or treating than we are offering sacrifices to the gods when we put up a Christmas tree (the origins stem from the Germanic people offering sacrifices to their gods under Christmas trees).

The truth is, most of our holidays have pagan roots. For example, St. Valentine's Day began as a pagan festival honoring the gods of fertility. It was called the Feast of the Virgin, and celebrated the Trinity Goddess. Honestly, this doesn't cross my mind when my hubby gives me a Valentine. Easter is a pure celebration of Jesus' resurrection but we still have a few pagan things that are associated with Easter. The word "Easter" comes from the anglo-saxon goddess "Eostre," and this holiday began as a celebration of her mating with the solar god and conceiving a child. The hare was a pagan symbol of fertility and the egg was a symbol of new life....but honestly, I don't think about that either.

I don't like the fact that teenagers trick or treat & that some kids dress up as scary figures...I try not to expose Thomas to that because it does scare him...just like Santa scares him and everything else in the world but that is another story all together. I know Halloween does have some 'scary' things associated with it and I would change that if I could. I don't like haunted houses, songs about witches, graveyards in people front yards, scary masks, or stuff like that which is why I make sure Thomas doesn't see it. Anyway...

I love the fact that churches have fall festivals and stuff like that but I also love having the opportunity to allow my kids to go to a few homes of people we know so they can get candy. I don't think Thomas is praying to the devil when he goes door to door asking for candy...all he is thinking is, "I WANT CANDYYYYYY!!!!" Most of us trick or treated and we turned out pretty well.

So instead of letting people make me feel like I am less of a Christian or less of a mother for celebrating Halloween, I am putting this out there to say LONG LIVE HALLOWEEN!!! Thank you Hillary for allowing me to use some of your blog to make my point. So next time you dye your eggs, put up your tree, wear green on Saint Patricks day, send a Valentines card, or check to see what the groundhog has to say...remember, Halloween is just another tradition & fun time for kids. If you are going to bash Halloween, you might want to take a closer look at your other traditions as well. It is a peeve of mine just like vegetarians that don't eat meat because of animal rights and then wear leather boots :) Okay...enough already. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

A few days away...

2008-10-30T10:23:00.005-04:00

Thomas, Ellison, & I went to Florence to help celebrate my grandmother's 84th birthday and to spend some time with Jamie's family. Unfortunately, Jamie's grandmother passed away so his family was busy with Granny Flemming's funeral. Jamie ended up joining us for a little bit and we stopped into Manning to visit his family after the funeral. Granny Flemming was a wonderful, loving lady and I am so grateful that my kids were able to meet & love on her. Though she will be missed, we are grateful to know that she is in heaven. Thomas also got to spend some quality time with 2nd cousin John Steven...he followed poor John Steven everywhere and JS was such a trooper. They caught a lizard together, played a video game, JS cut Thomas' hair but JS drew the line at going to see Thomas 'pee pee in the potty.' John Steven is deploying in Jan for a year so say a prayer for his safe return. Sally & Micahel were the only wise ones and joined us on day 2 and didn't stay the night. Thomas slept a twin bed in Mimi's room & Ellison slept with me! How people share their beds with their kids, I don't know. Anyway, as you can see Mamoo did a great job blowing out the candle. Happy B-Day-Gigi!