Aunt Nancy Wednesdays...

Today is that day of the week... when Aunt Nance has a mini-cousins-camp at her house. The only thing missing are the 3 other sisters and 5 other offspring, right Nanni? Ah, Sister Week, that was fun! Anyway, it has recently been RAINING most Wednesdays, which makes for a harder day for everyone cooped up inside. You're such a great mom/aunt Nanni, and I'm so grateful for you! And your picture messages (like the one above) are my favorite part of my Wednesdays in the office.

tree farm + mud + 2 wheel drive = AAA Carolinas

So, yeeeeah... those pictures from our T'giving adventure are on someone else's camera... i don't have them yet. Maybe i will get them eventually, but let me close the loop for now.

Thanksgiving weekend we ventured out as a family for the nostalgic "Choose and Cut" Christmas Tree selection event at a local tree farm near the in-law's house in NC. It was a dreary, foggy, drizzly day, but our spirit could not be dampened... we were excited about letting RM toddle between the trees and have a cup of cider while we waited on some lovely gentleman to tie our tree atop the car.

Well, needless to say, the nostalgia died about three minutes after arriving and realizing the Tree Farm was closed. Bummer. We went to turn around (and by now, drizzle was quickly turning into freezing rain) and sloshed deep into the mud of the farm path... after much spinning and gritting and pushing and turning... that car just wasn't gonna budge. Floyd even had the pleasure of lying down in the mud to anchor the winch rope to the frame under the car... LOVELY. Our neighbor's rescue attempt was unfortunately unsuccessful.

Several hours later we returned to the site with AAA Carolinas to have it towed out.

Two weeks later, I can report that we do have a tree, and RM has learned a new word. "TREE!!!!"

fat, full, happy and home.

Ah yes, another Turkey Feast has come and gone, and I definitely feel that we did our fair share of cooking and consuming. We spent Thursday at Oma & Pops' house with the most delightful company. And then we headed up the mountain for a couple days this weekend with Grandad & KK.

Some of you might remember the stunning show Floyd put on last year. Are you wondering, did he top it? Was there some fabulous activity that could have trumped the '07 episode? Well... just you wait. I'll wet your appetite with this:

The annual Christmas Tree Hunt just gets more interesting. Especially when you don't end up with a tree.

current going ons

here are a couple more shots from Rebekah's incredible hand... and camera that makes me salivate...

these two amigos are quite the pair. JH obviously only wants love and attention... and someone to touch him. RM thinks JH is his personal playground, and loves to climb all over him, sink his fingers into his fur, and giggle with delight.



This game has kept RM entertained oh, i don't know, for at least a third of his awake time at home in recent days... shut the door, open the door, go through the door, repeat. Ah, developmental learning... and time for momma to get stuff done.

Got (Goat's) Milk?

I am so proud of myself that I must announce to the world wide web RM has officially found a beverage of choice that one, he likes; two, he isn't allergic too; three, is good for him; and four, relieves me of my duties as physical sustainer of his caloric intake. Yippee for all of those pros. This week i packed up the pump once and for all, and the remaining bottles that were still in the cabinet... it's nice to just be on our way with sippys only for now. Hurrah!

PS - Rebekah caught this shot, and it also captures pretty clearly the "party-in-the-back" hairstyle RM is sporting these days... Thoughts? hee, hee.

the old man gets his due.

my friend, a cool artsy photographer one, yeah she photographed the old man. Made him look all regal and wise. And managed to perfectly capture the language that he speaks - that lonely labrador language of the heart, begging for affection at every turn...

check 'em out.

Ode to the Locksmith

Oh Locksmith, Oh Locksmith,
You're such a great guy.
When we're in distress,
You reach for the sky.

In just six weeks time
You've come to our aid
Not once, not twice...
But three times indeed.

With a switch of your ladder,
and a shimmy and shake,
You sneak in our house
with ne'er a mistake.

Oh Bradley, Our Locksmith,
The favors you lend,
Please never leave the neighborhood,
Our dear wonderful friend.

PS - Lauren, Thanks for lending your hubby out so often!!!

the leaves have past their peak...

and therefore 80% of them are in our front yard. Floyd thinks it looks like a massacre. For me there is something so beautiful about seeing the entire world covered in yellow and red and brown... today it was windy but warm enough to play outside for a while. It was so fun to feel like we were in the middle of an autumn 'snow globe' of leaves.

William F. Gibbs & Kevin Heuer playing live together at Gottrocks

for those of you who missed the show last night - well, i'm sorry. it was a fun show! Here are a couple shots... for whatever reason i didn't think to take a video... sorry!

Republicans Must Fight for Freedom to Regain America's Trust

Republicans Must Fight for Freedom to Regain America's Trust
By Sen. Jim DeMint, OpEd Contributor
- 11/8/08

They say that elephants never forget, but that's exactly what the Grand Old Party has done.
Between the 1950s and 1970s, Rockefeller and Nixon Republicans kept the party in a seemingly permanent minority with a "me-too" philosophy that allowed Democrats to balloon the size and scope of government.

But, when Ronald Reagan ran unashamed on conservative principles in 1980 and Republicans in Congress embraced bold conservative reforms in 1994, America responded with overwhelming approval.

Since then, many Republicans have run for office as conservatives but governed as scandal-plagued big-spending moderates. They stopped offering common-sense solutions and broke promises with Americans by overspending and wasteful earmarking to special interests.

In the name of bipartisanship, our leaders supported amnesty, big new entitlements, more federal control of education, and compromises on energy. And too often Republicans shied away from defending values of life, family and faith.

The final straw for many was a series of Wall Street bailouts that cost over a trillion dollars and looked more like knee-jerk socialism than confident conservative leadership.

No wonder Republicans have lost a dozen Senate seats and nearly 50 House seats in two years.

Democrats will likely mistake Republican failures as a mandate for their liberal policies. Obama promises to "spread the wealth" and repeal all restrictions on abortion.

Nancy Pelosi wants trillions in new federal spending. Barney Frank promises higher taxes and massive military funding cuts. Harry Reid will kill the secret ballot for union elections. Patrick Leahy yearns to pack federal courts with activist judges who are hostile to traditional values.

Americans know little about these far left plans because Democrats didn't run on their liberal agenda, they ran against George Bush.

Yet, a strong majority of Americans are conservative and support the principles of freedom our nation was founded on.

The bipartisan Battleground Poll has found every year since 2002 that 60 percent of Americans identify themselves as conservatives and only 30 percent call themselves liberals. That's why Obama and the Democrats talked so much about conservative themes of tax cuts, spending restraint, second amendment rights and energy independence.

Americans haven't changed, Republicans have.

Recent Republican leaders said earmarks proved we could deliver for our districts and higher spending demonstrated our compassion. But a recent Club for Growth poll found that 66 percent of Americans favor candidates who will cut federal spending even if it means less local funding.

They said fighting for values that strengthen families and protect life is outdated, but ballot propositions to protect traditional marriage still pass overwhelmingly, most recently in California. Numerous polls on abortion reveal most Americans value life and want fewer abortions.

Republicans can regain America's trust only by acting on our conservative principles and offering real solutions.

First, we must lead by example and limit our own power in order to guard against corruption, starting with a unilateral, two-year earmark moratorium.

Then, let's end the seniority system that turns too many Republican outsiders into Washington insiders. This requires term limiting our conference leader and appropriations committee members, then choosing committee heads on merit, not seniority.

Second, Republicans must reestablish ourselves as the Party of Ideas with new, principled solutions for today's challenges. We offer more jobs, more take-home income, and more opportunity to succeed.

We offer more choices, personal control, and better quality in health care, education, and retirement. We offer more protection of life and the family, freedom of political speech, and respect for the right to bear arms. As global threats increase, Republicans offer a stronger national defense and secure borders.

Third, we must do everything in our power to stop President-elect Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senator Reid from enacting liberal policies that reduce freedom. Democrats and Republicans should work together, but not when it hurts the American people. As the minority, we don't control the Senate agenda, but we still have a moral responsibility to fight for freedom and liberty in our great country.

Finally, we must recruit new leaders. We're never going to reshape the way Americans see Republicans with the same old faces. There are good conservatives in Congress now, but our bench is not nearly as deep as the Democrats, who have plenty of career politicians.

We need more Sarah Palins - moms, dads, teachers, doctors and business owners who want to defend liberty and solve big problems, not become part of the Washington establishment. We must find them, encourage them and fight for their elections.

These are painful times for the party of Lincoln and Reagan, but we have a golden opportunity to demonstrate its character and its convictions, and rebuild stronger than ever. So let's get going.

Sen. Jim DeMint is a Republican from South Carolina.

a recent dinner fav.

I realize this dinner is a little more summer and a little less fall, but heck, it was 79 degrees here this week. So while I'm enjoying the autumn color and leaves completely covering our lawn, I'm also not keen on cranking up the oven and making our house any warmer. It was a good excuse to whip up Cooking Light's "Grilled Chicken Tostadas" (from their April 2003 mag). Yum!

Let me also brag that my dishes rarely make it to the table looking ANYTHING like the chef prepared pictures... except in this case. I was feeling quite proud when i realized, 'Hey! mine looks just like that professional pic.'
-- Insert self-pat-on-back Here. --

reflections...

I've got a lot of thoughts running through my mind today. Disappointment with a party I thought I believed in, but that has failed miserably to truly serve the good of the people. Pride and honor in being alive and a voting citizen during such a time in our country. Concern for my son's generation. Hope that my skepticism will disappear with the inauguration of President-elect Obama.

No organization to these thoughts really, but I did want to list a few things, lest I forget the gravity of this day, and the tremendous awe of being a part of such a poignant day in history. First, an excerpt from Senator McCain's speech last night:

The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt’s invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now … Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

Some musings around the web that I've enjoyed today:

A Little Thomas L. Friedman for ya...

Today we can Boast

A good little historical timeline on the racial divide around the world...

A good election analysis, with quote from Rep. Jeff Flake

Watching God at Work

My Boss' Statement on President-Elect Barack Obama

My Boss' Sentiments on Where Republicans have gone Awry

The Fire Marshall goes Trick-or-Treating

RM looked super in his costume this year. He wore it to pre-school - and fortunately he could be pretty mobile in it! We hung out with the Buczkowskis and Joanna for dinner at the house, but did manage to make it over to the neighbor's house for one official "trick-or-treat" visit!

Thank you David & Dee for the wonderful outfit for Christmas last year, it fit perfectly!!

sweet, joyous FALL.

highlight of the weekend: evelyn & floyd putzing around Highlands, NC... great time with the family in the mountains... naps and football watching on the couch... RM playing in the leaves.

lowlight of the weekend: NOOOOO lowlight! seriously!!! it's good to be well.

happy birthday momma --------------- "second verse... a little bit louder... a little bit worse!"

Do yall remember the birthday gift RM gave me for my first birthday as a new momma? It was hilarious... and gross... but mostly just funny.

This year's surprise was a little less funny at the time, but suffice it to say the Evelyn Floyd camp has learned a valuable lesson, and can laugh at their stupidity in hindsight... even 12 hours later.

SOOOO, my Floyd made my birthday special in some cute tangible ways: waking us up for a big family breakfast of CREPES! He also prepared a dessert for us to enjoy after dinner - PEANUT BUTTER PIE! Yum... (Another story in and of itself is the way that Floyd provides domestic acts of service to Evelyn - a HUGE gift to me constantly.)

Well, while we were eating this fabulous dessert I thought RM might like a taste... it was a BIRTHDAY afterall, why not celebrate with a sweet snack for the babe too!?

INSERT ALLERGIC REACTION HERE.

INSERT STUPID MOM NOT REALIZING HER SON HAD NEVER HAD PEANUTS BEFORE.

INSERT UNBELIEVABLE OVERSIGHT TO MAIN INGREDIENT IN PIE.

the responsibility of discipline.

A tantrum is an emotional outburst of ill humor or a fit of bad temper wherein the higher brain functions are unable to stop the emotional expression of the lower (emotional and physical) brain functions. It can be categorized by an irrational fit of crying, screaming, defiance, and a resistance to every attempt at pacification in which even physical control is lost. Even when the "goal" of the person is met, he or she is not calmed.

Well, if you read the definition above, i supposed you know what i'm getting at... that's right, my 13 month old threw his first real fit. And others were there to confirm and witness it. A tired baby, in a strange place, him not knowing what he wanted himself, and us not being able to calm him down. Floyd ended up sticking him in the carseat to drive him around for 20mins just to settle him back down. Embarassing, Heartwrenching, Confusing, Exhausting... but part of life. An area we have never had to delve into before.

Naturally, this event sends me scouring the web for parenting advice... I need wisdom in this arena... how to lovingly respond to our child when the reason he is upset is because he isn't getting his way? Where to start when he is really too young to communicate back to me, but still is asserting a human nature all to familiar... Could it be that the Lord allowed him to get the same stubborn streak his mom has? Eeeek.....

This is the rest i found today: "The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction" Proverbs 16:21. I strongly believe that God has placed us in our child's life to deliver this message at all moments of his life: that we live in God's world, under His authority, and He desires goodness and mercy for us all the days of our life. For that reason I must bring the grace of God into his life through firm correction, but my words must flow from gratitude to God for placing me in a position to lead him to the mercies of Christ. Only with that understanding can i calmly and firmly learn to discipline him rightly, and so that the issue of importance is NOT my convenience, but showing him the importance of obeying and honoring God.

I've got TOOO much to learn.

THE OFFICE among us

okay, sorry about my sappy, sicky rant this week. i probably should have just gone with my usual Highlights/Lowlights run down (and left the highlights portion blank) but i got carried away in my illness woes and puked them all out upon any unsuspecting reader. It did make me feel better. Just in case you were wondering.

So, on to some other random musing today. Maybe it's me spending a tad more time in the office without other co-workers here this week, but i'm starting to notice that we do, in fact, have THE OFFICE among us. I mean, i am not the most avid watcher of the show, although i would wager it's the funniest thing since Seinfeld. But here are THE OFFICE among us musings today:

1. I've worked in this building 2.5 years, and have requested that the toilet flushing mechanisms in the ladies restroom be inspected since the beginning of our tenancy here. To this day I am still required to do some stileto-booty-karate-kick to the thing and then wind it around several times before the commode eventually concedes defeat.

2. Another observation in the ladies restroom is the push-button faucets for handwashing which give you about 7.5 seconds of cold water with which to attempt to sanitize your hands. Maybe it's just me, but if one has just encountered observation #1, sanitizing hands will take A. warm water and B. refilled soap dispensers. (Thankfully, there is always ONE Dial pump on the counter beside the ADA required non-push-button faucet, with warm water, incidentally.)

3. We have gnats. When building maintenance was alerted, they brought in one 3"x2" GNAT TRAP to put in the supply/copy/fax/intern area of the office. Unfortunately, it has been there three months, and the occasional gnat still graces my personal air space at least once a day.

4. The people in other offices don't talk in the hallway. This has left us to weird akward bathroom moments (while all lining up behind single ADA sink) and bizarre glances at that guy with the blue tooth in the parking lot. You know those moments. If you try the standard, "Hi, How are you?" you are greeted with "Fine" (ARE YOU FROM MARS? WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?) Stare. I find humor in it.

5. Someone thought it clever to place the snack machine immediately adjacent to the door to the men's restroom. As in, if you are staring at the three year old selection of snacks in the antiquated machine, and you happen to daze off, you WILL get hit in the face by the door to the men's restroom by the next blue-tooth wearing investment officer to emerge.

6. The paper towel dispenser in the bathroom is on the otherside of the same wall to which my colleague's desk & computer rests against. And those investment officer types love to SLAM the lever on that dispenser several times and make her office space literally shake, several times a day. It's amazing. NO one thought of insulation? They've seemed to be slamming that lever a little harder this week due to the recent Wall Street fiascos too.

Alright, enough about my world... pls share some bizarre observation of your day to day OFFICE moments...

why can't i just get a new battery?

10 days ago RM started with some GI bug... LOVELY. Floyd was also graced by this for a couple days, complete with the sweats, chills, flu-like symptoms. So we go to our friend's wedding, in South Georgia, and complete diaper blowout outfit changes SLASH mini-bath with wet-wipes at rehearsal dinner, wedding reception, in the car during the several hr trek home, etc.

A week ago, I'm thinking, OK, are we all better?

Monday night RM started woke up warm, Tuesday I proceeded like normal, and by Tuesday afternoon the 104 fever had set in. And didn't leave until Saturday, after three trips to the pediatrician that week, blood work at the hospital, and a shot of "recephin".

It's no wonder after lots of traveling and no sleep for a week that my body conceded defeat and fell to the mighty strep throat this weekend. Seriously, the lady at urgent care on Sunday morning took one look in my mouth and said, "Wow, that's a gross throat." Why, Thank You. I thought. Leave said clinic and head to pharmacy to wait for Z-pak. While waiting, my car battery dies. Not in the "maybe someone in the store can jump it for me" kind of way, but in the "CLICK, CLICK, CLICK - this battery is ca put" kind of way. Insert Floyd coming to pharmacy with RM, trying to jump it, pronouncing it un-jumpable, taking RM and I home, then running all over town to get tools to remove battery, take it to Autozone for official time of death, and purchasing new one, going back to reinstall, and then getting Amy & Ole to come help bring the extra car home.
All the while, I'm at home sitting in a hot bath filing my nails. RIIIIIIGHT. Or, hugging the rim of the toilet puking up said Z-pak and calling for the crawling rug rat, wondering where he is in the house, hoping he's not chewing on an electrical cord. Finally get myself up off the bathroom floor, the boy in his crib, me in bed. Fast forward 24 hours, and I'm sending Floyd to the doc for a strep culture. Yep, he's got it too.

I don't feel any better today than i did on Sunday honestly. The only thing allowing me to talk or swallow are the 800mg of ibuprofen I've been allowed to take every 4 hours.

Also, RM has NOT resumed sleeping through the night. The two nights since i knew he was "better" i let him work it out. The first night it took 15 mins. Not bad. The second was on and off for 30 mins, but still okay. Last night either in some moment of weakness or stupidity or just sheer exhaustion, my body went back to last week's auto-pilot of going in there and nursing him back to sleep. It doesn't help that he's been boycotting every nap and bedtime for the last three days. It's a very strong effort on his part to keep the pity-party coming, I know. But then the doubts start coming on my end. Is he teething again? Could he be getting Strep?

I realize it's never going to end. When he's a little older, it'll be a whole new challenge. But how to tackle the sleep boycott now, where we are? And, how to stop nursing the baby who doesn't care for rice milk and has immediate runny nose ensue to any cow's milk or formula.

and the viral funk just keeps cycling...

RM is better, but my throat looks like THIS now, and i feel like... well... you know.

Thx for your prayers... keep 'em coming.

WALL STREET JOURNAL

POTOMAC WATCH
OCTOBER 10, 2008

Obama's Magic
Presto, change-o!

By KIMBERLEY A. STRASSEL



And now, America, we introduce the Great Obama! The world's most gifted political magician! A thing of wonder. A thing of awe. Just watch him defy politics, economics, even gravity! (And hold your applause until the end, please.)

To kick off our show tonight, Mr. Obama will give 95% of American working families a tax cut, even though 40% of Americans today don't pay income taxes! How can our star enact such mathemagic? How can he "cut" zero? Abracadabra! It's called a "refundable tax credit." It involves the federal government taking money from those who do pay taxes, and writing checks to those who don't. Yes, yes, in the real world this is known as "welfare," but please try not to ruin the show.

For his next trick, the Great Obama will jumpstart the economy, and he'll do it by raising taxes on the very businesses that are today adrift in a financial tsunami! That will include all those among the top 1% of taxpayers who are in fact small-business owners, and the nation's biggest employers who currently pay some of the highest corporate tax rates in the developed world. Mr. Obama will, with a flick of his fingers, show them how to create more jobs with less money. It's simple, really. He has a wand.

Next up, Mr. Obama will re-regulate the economy, with no ill effects whatsoever! You may have heard that for the past 40 years most politicians believed deregulation was good for the U.S. economy. You might have even heard that much of today's financial mess tracks to loose money policy, or Fannie and Freddie excesses. Our magician will show the fault was instead with our failure to clamp down on innovation and risk-taking, and will fix this with new, all-encompassing rules. Presto!

Did someone in the audience just shout "Sarbanes Oxley?" Usher, can you remove that man? Thank you. Mr. Obama will now demonstrate how he gives Americans the "choice" of a "voluntary" government health plan, designed in such a way as to crowd out the private market and eliminate all other choice! Don't worry people: You won't have to join, until you do. Mr. Obama will follow this with a demonstration of how his plan will differ from our failing Medicare program. Oops, sorry, folks. The Great Obama just reminded me it is time for an intermission. Maybe we'll get to that marvel later.

We're back now. And just watch the Great Obama perform a feat never yet managed in all history. He will create that enormous new government health program, spend billions to transform our energy economy, provide financial assistance to former Soviet satellites, invest in infrastructure, increase education spending, provide job training assistance, and give 95% of Americans a tax (ahem) cut -- all without raising the deficit a single penny! And he'll do it in the middle of a financial crisis. And with falling tax revenues! Voila!

Moving along to a little ventriloquism. Study his mouth carefully, folks: It looks like he's saying "I'll stop the special interests," when in fact the words coming out are "Welcome to Washington, friends!" Wind and solar companies, ethanol makers, tort lawyers, unions, community organizers -- all are welcome to feed at the public trough and to request special favors. From now on "special interests" will only refer to universally despised, if utterly crucial, economic players. Say, oil companies. Hocus Pocus!

And for tonight's finale, the Great Obama will uphold America's "moral" obligation to "stop genocide" by abandoning Iraq! While teleported to the region, he will simultaneously convince Iranian leaders to peacefully abandon their nuclear pursuits (even as he does not sit down with them), fix Afghanistan with a strategy that does not resemble the Iraqi surge, and (drumroll!) pull Osama bin Laden out of his hat!
Tada!

You can clap now. (Applause. Cheers.) We'd like to thank a few people in the audience. Namely, Republican presidential nominee John McCain, who has so admirably restrained himself from running up on stage to debunk any of these illusions and spoil everyone's fun.

We know he's in a bit of a box, having initially blamed today's financial crisis on corporate "greed," and thus made it that much harder to call for a corporate tax cut, or warn against excessive regulation. Still, there were some pretty big openings up here this evening, and he let them alone! We'd also like to thank Mr. McCain for keeping all the focus on himself these past weeks. It has helped the Great Obama to just get on with the show.

As for that show, we'd love to invite you all back for next week's performance, when the Great Obama will thrill with new, amazing exploits. He will respect your Second Amendment rights even as he regulates firearms! He will renegotiate Nafta, even as he supports free trade! He will . . .

the sickies

RM has a nasty virus. Fever over 104 last night, but coasting a little lower than that yesterday and today... the past three nights have been brutal. Throw in no appetite and diarrhea (he lost a pound in one week) and it's a pretty lousy break for the little guy. He's been super snuggly with us, but doesn't want to play at all. So if you could, say a prayer that this passes over us soon...

action needed before October 4th (that's tomorrow)

Y'all who know me might also know that i have a tie-neensy obsession with People.com. There - i said it. You have an admission. So when i saw this video, i thought it was interesting that all of these celebrities could agree with me on one thing. Because politically, i don't know that i would agree with many people in Hollywood or New York on many things, to be sure. Anywho - take this message to heart. If you're American. And you have the right to do something about it. For the deadline, address, and website for your state, click HERE.

Congratulations Amy & Ole!

First Birthday - The Cake Sequence

Bailout Situation

happy birthday daddio

It is 11:30pm on my dad's birthday, and i didn't even get to talk to him today. Aside from feeling like a pretty lousy daughter, i missed getting to wish him a happy 61st and that really stinks. My attention has been on a big wedding tomorrow between Amy & Ole, the rehearsal day festivities, and 'keeping the faith' professionally despite the tumultuous federal bailout package currently being considered on Capitol Hill, etc.

But i'd be remiss if i didn't take just a second to say this: I have a GREAT Dad. Don't get me wrong - He's not perfect. But he's the best for me. My dad loves us kids, and is grateful God knew just what batch he needed. (Even if that was FOUR daughters before getting a son.) When we were growing up, he made it a priorety to be home after work, and to sit together at the breakfast table before the day began. Now that i'm a gainfully-employed member of society, he has an interest in what i do, and lets me know he's proud. (Even when we we might not always agree on a political strategy!)

Today he had to take some steps to protect his parents and love them in a tough way; but even in that he is showing tremendous leadership. My dad has demonstrated that marriage isn't for quiters, and he knows that his cute dutch/canadian wife is his greatest asset.

i love you daddio and i'm glad we got you. thanks for not being perfect, thanks for being real, and thanks for leading our family.

delirious laughter

Last night, RM was so tired - Little Folks totally wore him out, and he refused napping opportunitites. Anyway, the only way to get him to stop crying was to make him laugh... and laugh he did. This went on for quite some time. You can tell he's on the brink of tears though. Enjoy.

SkyTop Apple Orchard, Flat Rock, North Carolina

highlight of the weekend: Heading up to the apple orchard with good friends to soak up the first hints of fall and pick some delicious fruit.

lowlight of the weekend: Realizing the car battery is dead after your nostalgic apple picking adventure.

favorite room in the house

RM's favorite room in the house is the bathroom. I think he would explore in there all day long if he had his way. Usually, the door is shut... so before bathtime is usually when he has his fun.

The face of mischief.


The rear-end of mischief.


The face of "i-want-more-mischief".

Aunt Cristy is the Best!

Soooo, a long long time ago my sweet friend Cristy decided that since RM was a thumbsucker, he needed a little bitty blanket to facilitate a more cozy thumb-sucking atmosphere. She put great thought into this - it had to be small (so as not to drag the ground), it had to be soft (so as to encourage sleep) and it had to be silky/satiny (so as to be perfect for nuzzling). But, it's almost as if RM knows and appreciates just how calculated this gift was, because he does appreciate all of it's finer attributes. And he's finally old enough to grab it in his chubby fingers, and rub it against his cheek while he sucks that amazing thumb. So here he is, showing off those skills. (In the finger-lacerating Phil & Ted's.)

Floyd at His First Birthday Party - April 19, 1983

Since RM's first birthday is ten days away, I thought it appropriate to include a preview comparison shot of his daddio, from the same anniversary in his life. Think lower Alabama, early eighties, yeahhh... good times.

We'll have party pics of our own soon!

(Apologies for the poor quality... lifted via camera phone!)

Granny's Place at Breach Inlet

We scooted down to the beach last weekend to spend time with my high school friends, and frolick in the surf. Okay, so seriously, we did no frolicking. I did one giant leap away from a jelly fish but that was about the extent of it. As you can see Evelyn, Floyd & RM are easily the most pasty white of the bunch, so we didn't stay out too long. Beth's Granny is the greatest - she loaned her house to this crazy bunch.

The HUGE umbrella, courtesy of Emily & Rob was much appreciated though!!! See the happy non-tanners smile? We're serious about our shade. And Will got to enjoy his most recent Cormac McCarthy obsession peacefully.
Meanwhile, RM was engrossed in the sand all around him. Fortunately, he wasn't quite as into tasting it as he was the last time we ventured to the Palm Coast in FL.

The Batts' were especially cute with Ru's belly being the fascination of the trip. And Red & Anna Griggs (5 weeks younger than him) had a BLAST playing together!

Grandma's Birthday

This post is a little belated, but Grandma's birthday was September 3rd and we popped by after dinner for a little visit. Here is "Yaya" with RM, one of her TEN great-grandbabies. It is so nice that she and Granddad are close enough to visit!



This is a shot of the roses that Aunt Ann & Uncle Manfred and their family sent her for her birthday. Everyone made a special effort to recognize her birthday and make her feel special. I think she really enjoyed it.

kudos

I almost turned the RNC coverage off tonight. Romney was nothing extrordinary and Huckabee's high points were still dull... The good Mayor Rudy was just bright enough to make me hang on for the presumtive VP nominee. And I'm glad I did.

She is no nonsense, yet carries herself gracefully; she's married to a man's man, who is confident enough to stand by his very capable wife. She's the Governor who sold Alaska's luxury jet on Ebay and drives herself to work. She doesn't shy away from the power of the VETO when it comes to wasteful spending, and her state enjoys a budget surplus.

She recognizes that some of life's greatest blessings are also the largest challenges - the things that make us better people. If you missed the speech tonight, I highly recommend it - substanative and persuasive.

Favorite Quotes:

Romney: "Liberals would replace opportunity with dependency on government largesse. They would grow government and raise taxes to put more people on Medicaid, to work requirements out of welfare, and to grow the ranks of those who pay no taxes at all."

Huckabee: "I’m not a Republican because I grew up rich, but because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life poor, waiting for the government to rescue me."

Palin: “Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America’s energy problems - as if we all didn’t know that already. But the fact that drilling won’t solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re going to lay more pipelines…build more nuclear plants…create jobs with clean coal…and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers.”

life.

Lazy Labor Day Weekend. Fantastic. Here's a musing post of a few new things these days.

1. RM + Table Food = easier mealtimes. Ah, glorious table food. Because RM has so many teeth (we're up to eight) he can eat food like a champ. He only started Cheerios in June, and as of this week, he's eating chicken nuggets, hot dogs, waffles, baked beans, macaroni & cheese... all kinds of goodies. Now, all that said, making sure he is getting strong representation from all the food groups does seem a little more difficult right now - as you can see that list doesn't include any of the all powerful fruits and veges. He likes strawberries, apples, carrots, even peas & green beans, but i haven't really ventured much further. Still not a huge fan of eating bananas whole (but is a huge fan of smashing them between his fingers and lathering the mash about on his tray).

2. RM's Cough/Congestion/Sneezing thing started about a month ago and he couldn't shake it. I took him to the peed a few times when i thought it was starting to "rattle" around in his chest and become a problem. The tipping point was when his fever spiked last weekend over 104 and I thought, ok, this has to be all related, and he's got to have pnemonia or something! Ped took chest x-ray, we nebulized him several times a day, etc. Come to find out, the cough issue and virus causing the fever were totally unrelated. This week at the ped's office, to follow up on viral funk, she asks, "Now, did anything in his diet change a month ago when this cough started?" DING DING DING! This slow-uptake-mom had typical light-bulb-flash-in-brain and says, "Yeah, as a matter of fact, we introduced formula for the first time a month ago as I started to wean him." Long story short, within 48hrs of taking the boy off of formula, the runny nose and cough disappeared. Amazing. So if you're wondering - no, weaning NOT complete yet...

3. Mice. We have mice in our house, and it's freaking me out. Any of you who have seen the LOVELY basement, know that we definitely have some dark corners where i'm sure these lovely rodents have made happy trails in and out for quite some time, but the fact that we've caught TWO in our living quarters is more than i can handle. Spiders, bugs, i can deal with those. Once we get to the rodent level though, i'm out. I just want ONE phone number i can call that will get rid of these dwellers once and for all - seal my house up, make sure they're all gone, send me a bill. Any suggestions? I cringe just typing about it.

4. The weather is still insanely hot. I think Floyd has cut the grass twice this summer. Seriously. Between the ridiculous temperatures and lack of precipitation in this region of the world, it just hasn't been necessary. And can I just say that I really do find it hard to believe I was 9 months pregnant this time last year... Just to imagine hauling a belly of great size around right now makes me worn out. So, let me just salute you ladies who are doing it right now!

5. RM's vocabulary count: 3. (Bye Bye, Da-da, Uh-oh). I have a video, but it's not uploading... and I don't have the patience. So maybe one of these days yall will get to see him zerbert me and display his speaking skills. Don't hold your breath.

Yay.

Working mother. Five Children. Governor of Alaska. Twenty-eight years younger than him. He needed a spark. I hope she's it.

Kudos to McCain's Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin.