We're done.

Be weary, this is my first blog post from my phone app.

The funny thing about sharing your life in increments, is that there are often certain things that stand out. And then there are also things that SCAR you...

Its been nice having the warmer weather, so nice that it seems sun and water (and the beautiful smell of freshly applied sunscreen, which often brings its own euphoric feeling) go hand in hand. With nothing to do, and my current Father's Day purchase and Victorias Secret sale (3 bras for $65 is pretty heavenly to me) looming me towards free activities, I decided to bust out that magnificent 2-ring pool. We all know how luxurious the 3-ring pools are, but being afraid my children will become accustomed to the "spoiled" life, I opted not to travel that road just yet. (please tell me you are understanding my sarcastic ways of writing by now)

I filled it, showed Addie how to do it herself, then layed out on my hot pink mat, which only endorses that it is summer and it can commence full force. You'd never think such a silly activity as "laying out" could be SO luxurious (there's that word again) until you've had two kids...and have them with you, at the same time. Aside from them running around and Lillian occasionally coming to sit on me to let me know she still loved me, it was fairly easy going.





How cute are they?

I even decided lunch on a blanket in the shade would be just perfect for my little ladies. I carefully cut the summer sausage , the medium cheddar cheese, and grabbing the scrumptious ritz garden vegetable crackers, headed outside. Lil came and went, all to worried the pool would be lonely without her constant companionship. She's more of a grazer anyways. Suddenly, without any previous hints, our good times lose purchase and come to a complete halt.

It is at once nap time behavior, fighting and bossing, hysterical girl behavior such as crying at the whim because your sister won't eat the cracker and cheese sandwich you made her. Feeling rejected, you stomp off with your hands in firm fists beside your hips, arms stiff straight, teeth grit, deep growl. We're done.

Getting up, I calmly ask (or firmly yell) for her to dry off and go inside for nap time. Lillian is a dirty mess. As I'm lecturing on correct behavior, and stripping Lillian's wet clothes off, I discover she's also a STINKY, watery mess. What the heck?!? How long has THIS been going on?! I think back, it must have been when I was cutting the cheese (insert your dumb ironic crack here).

Disgusted, a thought came to me. She was in and out of the pool while eating, and she was sitting on me before that. As if my brain only needed a perpetual light bulb to signal correct synapses had taken place, I realize her cute but poopy butt was all over me!! NO!!!!! WHY?!?!? The pool! That means ADDIE is gross too!! EVERYBODY strip, NOW, and get in the tub!!!





Meelo was of course, of absolutely no help.

Leaving the mess outside, we all usher inside and shower. Have you ever had to shower with two little people before? Having been frustrated and a big baby just before having to? Everyone clean, changed, and in bed. Our shower towels in hand, I go outside to collect the towels out there and now dirty swimsuits to start them right away in the washer. I am suddenly and painfully aware I am in nothing but my birthday suit, wearing nothing but a scowl. Ahhhh!! My mind was elsewhere!! Funny how situations like that make you feel you are waiting for nothing less than a strange man to come out of the woods, and happening to carry a camera to photograph strange Arkansas birds, catch you in your most stupidly vulnerable moment. What a day.

In other news, I bought two-inch filet mignons (a new cut at your local walmart), ribeyes, and a beautiful whiskey decanter set for Doug for Father's Day. He's just a special guy like that, my plan to coo about how he's becoming a distinguished man.





Turns out, I can't read a calendar and am too ignorant to ask, so I gave it a week too early. In fact, I teased him he wouldn't know all that week what it was. "The Distinguished Gentleman married a dumb commoner" if it were being told in a book...and just so some of you know, I loathe it when dumb comments take over my fb. Or teasing back and forth dumb things on MY page. It's sort of what YOURS is for! That's a beacon for my "country and dont care" family members. Pretending to be dumb for show is NOT funny!! There. It's done.

I went to that ProScout deal, and got a call back saying I had "nice style" and "cool hair". When I opened my mouth to say thank you, a dumb redneck fell out. Literally, I turned all country under the pressure. I will not be participating in August at the New Orleans convention. Especially after learning he told my cousin she was pretty and could go commercial. Having no same confidence bestowed upon me, and learning I am technically "short and old", which would be harder unless I photographed well, I opt not to. Plus, it's $800, for a "maybe".

The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory just got interesting. This one is about Queen Elizabeth. Not some trashy novel, as the title suggests ;) It's supposed to be true and embellished events. I also read Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Good book, easy read. I hear all of hers are like that, easy summer reads...here I come!

I promise promise to work on shortening these posts. Some things just require greater detail...otherwise, how would you understand how ridiculous my life moments are?!

Love to everyone,
Kes

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Addie has been praying for “bacon grease” for me.

I’ll start with the more fun side of this post!! Check this out, Charlotte Russe swag!!






I know it was just because the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but still…what girl doesn’t fall in love the moment you add “free” and “swag” together?!? I think, for the most part, the things in the FedEx Box were just a little prettier since they were FREE. Is that just me? Haha.

The CR Refuge jeans I had actually done the pictures in were too small, as CR jeans are going to even sizes only and I wear an odd. So they sent me the last pair of jeans they ordered from the warehouse a size larger than I normally wear and included “a few goodies”.

Yesterday was a more terrifying day, one of those mommy’s never forget, but never want to revisit either. I took the girls to the store to purchase more essentials just like any Monday, and it was 12:30 by the time we left there. As any mom can tell about their babies, their attitude started down hill REALLY fast because they were “starving”. (I only tsk tsk because they have never and will never know what real hunger is, not that I have known that myself, but I know everything could be a LOT worse in any case) We stopped by MacaDoodle’s GetItAndGo store for some quick burgers and fries. They have the most delicious fries, and they seem to get better every time I eat them. Their burgers are a hefty weight, and would satisfy hunger, but not exactly MY idea of perfect…but the fries, oh sweet lusty needs, they are amazing. What were we talking about again?

It did not take the cool 5 minutes I wanted it to. Maybe 20, which is longer than two babies under 30 lbs can handle when they’re hungry. Lillian wasn’t having it sitting down any longer, so I let her walk around and temporarily sport a goofy smile at getting her way. “64! To Go?” --YES, that us!! Bag of food in one hand, Lillian’s hand in the other, and barking to Addie to get her tush in the car so we can eat, Lillian decides to throw a FIT, drops ALL OF HER WEIGHT while I’m HOLDING HER HAND. Can you guess what happens next? More crying, and a dumb me who is utterly sure it’s a mixture of tantrum and exaggerated emotion about hunger pangs.

Not so the case. She favors her left arm, and cries hysterically. This is the same left hand that she sucks her fingers on, so in any event, the fact that she opts to let it rest instead of soothe herself with it is a big RED FLAG. She is feeding herself with her right hand, and still crying between bites, and mostly missing her mouth because quite obviously her left hand is more dominant. I rock her to sleep, then start testing where the pain is coming from by gently squeezing, starting from her shoulder and working my way down. No crying. And then, as if she knows in her sleep that I am even THINKING of touching her wrist, she yelps out in pain. That does it, its her wrist. I have broken her wrist.

It WAS her wrist, but it was not broken. After several calls to my SIL and friend, I have decided I should try to get an appt. with our doctor’s office. I must have done a good job of telling them how flipped out and rattled I was by this, because they squeezed us in for 35 minutes from the time I hung up. Momma knows how to fly too, because we made it from BV to Rogers in good time. More crying. Doctor comes in, I explain, he does SIMPLE exercise extending her arm and curling it in. Magically, she stops crying hysterically (partly because she does NOT like strangers touching her) and sucks on her LEFT two fingers. You’re kidding me?!? That was all it took? Nurse Maid’s Elbow, where a ligament was out of place and has to “pop” back into place. Holy crow!! My friend had even told me about it, suggesting I should try the exercise, but I hadn’t done it before and if her wrist was broken I didn’t want to make it worse. That was that, we saw him for 10 min, he fixed her, and we left. What a Monday. And, I had a whole 3 bites of my hamburger the whole time. Let the binge eating begin!!

I am continuously entertained by the things my girls say. Mostly because they are so honest, and mostly because you see the world through their little innocent eyes. Addie lately has been praying for “bacon grease” for me, and I cannot bring myself to correct her, its just that precious and funny!! Any guess as to what it is? That’s right, GRACE. I prayed ONE time on a disastrous day for an extra dose of grace while saying prayers with her….she heard “grease” and from there we have gone full blown “bacon grease”. Hahahahaha….I love her. Lillian has been telling Milo (our dog) “Good Girl”, followed by a sharp “Go!!”. Nice compliment, sharp command. She has the making of a great mommy. Ha! She lets me cuddle and love on her, which if this IS my last baby, I most definitely need. People keep asking if we plan to have another. Depending on the day, its no. Or yes. Or maybe. Doug has plenty of school left, and I can’t imagine 3 mostly by myself during the week, especially with kindergarten just around the corner. I predict NO sleep, and loss of days.

I've felt like a book hound lately. Not just because it sounds uncharacteristic of me, I NEVER read books before about a year ago, but that I FINISH them is a small victory to me. In the last 8 weeks, I've read quite the variety. The Glass Castle's prequel Half Broke Horses (which was a good and easy read, not as crazy as the first), Water For Elephants (great! Read it, and watch the movie!!), Olive Kitteridge (not so great), The Other Boleyn Girl (VERY long, wicked, but interesting. I have yet to see the movie), Something Blue (Emily Giffin, I like her style of writing and could see very easy summer reads coming my way. She also wrote "Something Borrowed", which was made into a movie recently), and currently The Virgin's Lover...which is an extention of The Other Boleyn Girl, which was about Queen Mary, this one about her daughter, the infamous Queen Elizabeth. She does remarkable research and elaborates into a fun tale. This one doesn't feel so heart felt, though. I have more on hold, and am pleased to be on a first name basis with our librarian, who insisted on putting me down for a new book she loves. It has the word "hedgehog" in it, hahah!! I hope its as good as she says!! And Love The One You're With, by Giffin, on hold...

My best friend is getting married!!!! I am so excited for her!!! People are either getting married, or having babies around me, and I contribute that to our age. Exciting times, my friends!! Please pray nothing "exciting" happens to me again before next post, haha. I'm not sure I could handle those events so close!!

Kes

Joplin and Charlotte Russe

After the F5 tornado hit Joplin on 5/21/11, we sat amazed and still yet afraid to call our area "safe" with more rounds of storms coming within the few days following. After seeing the outpour of media from Joplin's devastation, I, like so many other people in this area, felt like we wanted to do something. Talking off and on with a few friends, we decided to make a trip to bring supplies. I was amazed with the generosity!! We even had a friend who lives here but is in CA right now for her husband's work wire $100 for us to buy supplies! All I can say is, God is amazing and calls people from every situation to help others!! Rounding up the supplies and even shopping for the event was no simple task with two babies. I can say that staying at Doug's work 3 nights after the Joplin tornado was interesting. Another round of storms following the same path (this time leveling Dennington, AR and a good deal of Etna, AR, and I believe part of a town just outside of OKC) causing serious damage sent us running for cover at the ISD building in Bentonville, with 2 feet thick walls. Two babies, one dog, in a CUBICLE...7pm til 3am. Need I say more? haha, I am more than grateful for the safety. I was NOT taking chances!!




Friday we dropped off the supplies at The Alliance, which was set up in the Food4Less parking lot. 3 giant semi's were being filled and emptied at the same time as people poured in in need of various things. It took all of 2 minutes for them to unload everything we brought, everything that took me all week to round up. There were so many helpers, it was amazing!! People were using F4L shopping carts to fill with necessities. We took a wrong road trying to get back out of Joplin and ended up driving right past the damage off the Main road. I am in awe of the impressive power of Mother Nature, of the number of caring individuals pouring into Joplin and the relief being provided. All I can say is, I know God is there right now. This is the worst tornado in 60 years. God Bless those people.

Something else I thought I'd explain is the Charlotte Russe campaign this fall! This is very exciting for me, not just as a person but as a mom and someone who sometimes feels like a "filler" for the needs of others. I'm hoping to upload just a few of the pictures submitted. From what I have gathered, this is a nationwide campaign that will launch in August. The pictures we submitted are the actual pictures that will be used IN the campaign!

The Beginning: I am a fan of Charlotte Russe on fb. (this is where you go and "like" them on fb too!!) They posted a contest for a few new BFF denim competition. I figured, why not? The worst anyone can ever do is say NO. With that attitude, I sent in my "best" pictures and a short paragraph of who I am and what I am about. A reply came saying I was a finalist! No way! They requested my jeans size, and address, and which style jeans I prefered. I received the box in the mail with the jeans and more instructions...basically take pictures in good lighting on highest resolution setting. Send in full body shots.


Hahah...they DID say sassy.












We bought a Canon Ti3 the next day. Ha! We had been wanting a nice camera anyways, and it was the perfect opportunity (and excuse!) to buy one. The pictures were taken at our house, or down the road, and in Siloam (Siloam love!! The old buildings were perfect!). We submitted 9 total pictures by cut off, and after 11 LONG days of waiting...email announcing you were a winner sent out. Although this has felt a little disorganized, I am definitely pleased with the outcome. I feel this is more than an old momma deserves, but who can resist rooting for an under dog, right? Hahah. That's the story, for anyone who is interested in hearing it! One of 5 girls, who I might add are younger and taller than me. "One of these things are not like the others" to steal from a Sesame Street song :)

That's all I've got. We had an amazing few weeks, and Doug made straight A's again this last semester!! I am so proud of his achievements!! And, because I must give credit where credit is due, he also took the pictures for the CR campaign. He's a talented guy. Memorial Day at Devil's Den was awesome, rarely throughout the year do we get to see some of our extended family and it was so fun being outside now that the girls are old enough to enjoy it!! Lillian was such a ham!! Addie came home and the next day had a super swollen eye, of which we never knew the true reason for inflammation. It was big and puffy all around, with clear whites of her eyes? Idk. Its better today. I'm off to grab LilBil, who has been a bum sleeping in til now.

Thanks to everyone for the help, and for the support over these past few weeks!! :D

Kes

Bare naked, appalling, and unapologetic Monday style.

Friends, please excuse my crude behavior during this post. Kestan has come to visit, and with her she has brought a friend. An obnoxious, sloppy friend, who also has obviously been uninvited but welcomed in the same instant. Unwelcomed because nobody likes her. In fact, in the days leading up to her arrival one can be downright hateful in expectation. Instead of a “lady in waiting”, I have been a “%(*&$ in waiting”. I am very disappointed in myself, but unfortunately this is one of those events that occurs and one is left wondering why everyone suddenly freaks out when you answer, or bursts out in tears at your reply, even though you are answering in quite a clear and calm tone. Or, perhaps this clear and calm tone is only how it seems to you. On the outside, it is like cat scratch fever. A force to be reckoned with. Didn’t have time to grab something for Mother’s Day because you were taking finals? PLEASE EXCUSE YOURSELF AND GO CUT YOUR OWN SWITCH. (On the inside, I was completely understanding and even shrugging it off, chalking it up to better planned years to come. He came through, no worries! Flowers, cards, chocolate, ceramic to go mug, and dinnerware set I’ve been eyeing. Turns out, I needed say nothing. Except thank you, of course.)

We will call this friend Gertrude, mostly because I think Gertrude is a hideous name and this suits me just fine to call her by it. The only upside to her unexpected (and expected) visit is that she has just come from the store, and has brought with her a figurative olive branch. Fatty, oil filled chips adoringly placed next to a tub of French onion dip. The larger French onion dip, because mind you, she is sucking up. I accept as graciously as a host should, in part because this will now be my lunch, and I will have no qualms or regrets about it. She assures me they will not add a pinch of fat to my body, and that they are in fact good for me because its like a serving of vegetables. She’s lying through her slightly protruding overbite, which for some reason makes it easier for me to hate her. I have spent most of the evening and morning with her, we make small talk and for some reason the children are quiet. This may or may not be the result of an earlier catastrophe involving one casualty. Friends, we have lost OverJoyed Mood. May she rest in peace, or pieces as I have accidently left her in. Gertrude allowed me to finish a very interesting Water For Elephants novel, which was an amazing change of scenery after the last Olive Kitteridge snag. I am sure Kestan had sent that one to me, knowing I would read it til the very end because I do NOT like to leave unended stories, and because I never want to kill a could be bright ending. This book was not appealing, and I would never suggest anyone to pick it up, let alone touch it. How it won a Pulitzer Prize, I do not know. I believe Gerty (because she is sure we are on a nickname basis, I have also given her the ugliest nickname I could shorten it to) even woke up Addie a couple of times last night for sure pleasure, knowing I was exhausted. Then Lillian, who for approximately half an hour made me believe there was a mass murderer pre-digging a grave for his soon to be victims outside of her window. At 2am. (this would turn out to be my little kangaroo kicking her jumpy legs about, effectively creating ‘things that go bump in the night’)

I am wearing my sunglasses inside. I am sure this is grieving over the loss of my usual self. The fact that this is slightly melodramatic also appeals to me, as melodramatic things do at this time. I cannot wait til these invalids have moved on. For now, I will shut my mouth up with chocolate (which Kestan has hidden on the top shelf away from the girls, even though it is the girls’ Easter candy. She believes Easter candy is overrated anyways, it has nothing to do with the celebration and resurrection of Christ.) and other fatty and artificially flavored cardboard carb loaders. Perhaps, if I close my eyes excruciatingly tight I can will them away. My first attempt, however, has been painfully unsuccessful. If I am still here, and not rotting in jail for two attempted murders, I will post again soon…

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Last week was a very social week. I learned to deal with 6.5 hours of sleep (vs my usual 8, which has no longer been taken for granted) and attempted to interact more socially rather than disconnect through my phone and the internet. Though, it is much easier keeping my boundaries up through distance. This is a tough lesson, as we have been exploring what “margin” means at church. And living life alive. That’s right, I just described living as a verb, noun, and adjective one right after another.

I had the most amazing time at a derby race, and dropping my dad and his wife off at the airport in assurance that my good daughter behavior will reap rewards from Germany when they return. I will politely refuse, but most definitely receive these gifts in a good measure of gratitude. Lunch at a new amazing Mexican Subway find, and ritas and tortillas for cinco de mayo. Every chance of grumpiness last week has been stockpiled and presented itself Monday style. Bare naked, appalling, and unapologetic Monday style.

I am now off to find blank cards, because they do not make “I’m extremely sorry I chewed your ass off, please accept my greatest apologies” cards. I am now pleased to know you will not be judging me for this, as I have been invaded mentally by Kestan and her tiring ability to break me. I will be lovable again next week, I am sure!!

All Things Beautiful

Since its been a couple (or more) weeks, this will mostly be a picture update of all things beautiful :)



We re-did the girls' bathroom. Its now no longer the "refried bean" color as in earlier post :D Pretty much everything I bought to re-model the bathroom came from TJ Maxx (loooove that store!) and mostly on clearance. The mirror was bought on craigslist, and I actually ended up meeting the director of Little Sprouts Preschool. She has a gorgeous house!



Here's a different view. I very much so want to make that stick and mirror hanging for the ceiling that was in the picture from previous post for an idea for Lillian's room. I need a craft night!


Close up of the shelf


We had a blast going overnight in Little Rock for Beth Moore's conference. She's an enthusiastic speaker, and I just ordered her devotional on Paul. I did the devotional on David with a friend, and really liked the lay out and way she explains things. I cried at the end, not like huge sobbing but one of those "moved to tears" experiences. I've been crying a lot lately, Doug thinks I've tapped into my feelings finally and am no longer a stone sculpture. So, crying is good? hahahah. Ok. I also cried last Sunday when I was thanking another member's son for his service, and while telling him how much it meant to me I started crying. I guess those are just the sort of things that make me cry! One thing is for sure, men do NOT know what to do when cornered by a crying girl. Ahahahah...

We ended up having NO electricity at our hotel! There was a 10 mile radius of power knocked out because of storms the previous night. It was very interesting, half of us went to an aunt's in Conway and half of us stayed since it was already late. There were so many things going on that weekend in LR that other hotels were packed too! I think I got 3 hours of broken sleep? When I got home and finally layed down, I definitely PTFO'd (Passed The Frick Out) til the next morning and once again that afternoon just to be sure.


"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!?!?"

Such a momma's girl. I love it.


Easter Cake. Soooo simple, and all I did was type in 'Easter Dessert' into my phone for ideas. Its 3 layers (Thank YOU Duncan Hines!) sealed together with frosting, then frosted all over. The "sticks" are actually just a milk chocolate bar cut at a 45 degree angle, which curdled it enough to look stick like. Then, chocolate malt balls from easter candy section! BOOM!


Cupcakes. The coconut is dyed green with just regular green dye, and dried for a bit while I baked them. These pretty flower toothpicks are actually left over from Addie's birthday garden party!


Cupcakes #2. Same as before, except I bought granola cereal and created the "nest".

Making all of these pretty things has really challenged me, and though I knew it would happen, I don't want to stoooooppp...but I must, because these things are not cheap, you know.

I'm so sick of all of this rain, but even more so of hearing people gripe about it. The ditch that Bella Vista is supposed to have cleared out is clogged once again, and once again ALL of the water is flowing across the road onto our property. The sidewalk has constanly been flooded, and there is now a small stream line etched into our side yard. Sick. Doug has video'd it and sent it to the mayor to inform and ask for help. Someone drove by REALLY slowly as if investigating that morning it was received, but still no answer. I know there's a lot more going on with the golf courses being flooded, but this is our HOME.


Gross.

AND, to finish it out on a good note, this is my beautiful new butter dish. I cannot explain how happy this dish makes me. I've been forgetting to pick one up at the store and have been reduced to butter on a small plate with a plastic container over it. Is it too 50's? I don't know, and I don't know what it is, but I think this has an Anthroplogie feel. If I had gazillions of dollars and never needed to worry about the price, I would definitely do all of my house in an Anthropologie/Pottery Barn fashion. Duh!



:D

Keslyn

I hate people today.

I finally took that stray cat into the animal shelter. He’s more than surpassed his welcome, scratching on the screen just because I opened the window to feel the cool breeze today. Every time we went outside, there he’d be. Like a predator, waiting to snatch up any spare leg available to rub on and any excuse to whine out. I let the girls love on him a little, partly because I felt bad, and partly because I knew if I touched him I wouldn’t stop slapping my hands around making sure the ‘imaginary’ hair has flown off by jostling my hands around. He found a way to get his dander up my nose anyways, rubbing on the girls and them bringing it to me. They’re sure he’ll find a good home. I’m glad to be rid of him.

I’ve had one of those days where I truly believe I hate people. These days come and go, and maybe every two weeks there’s that one awful, huffy day where everyone and everything makes me angry. I take offense to everyone, because only on this day does everyone ignore or just not answer in a positive way to which I expect. Maybe I just hold people up to a higher standard on that day than the standard they woke up on. Sometimes these days happen because I’m feeling blah about myself, my self esteem, or my appearance. Like, a bad hair day. A bad hair day goes a long way on a girl. In attempt to make myself feel better, I stop by a salon to have my hair trimmed real quick. I immediately regret my choice, because it’s the walmart smartstyle. Not that these people don’t know what they’re doing, or what styles are in, or even what I mean when I say what I want…but its not the relaxing atmosphere I imagine having spent money on for a service. And, most of the time, paying more in a pricier salon also somewhat ensures less drama and more etiquette. After having a blah day, I set down in the chair and feel like I’ve insulted her because I don’t want her to do much. Or shampoo my hair. Or even style it. Just spray it and trim it, quick…with my two kids in the cart next to me. WHYYYY did I decide to do this again? Oh, right. Because I never plan hair appointments, and when I decide I’m disgusted with my hair I want it fixed IMMEDIATELY. Good salons require appointments. And I am still hesitant afterwards, definitely not filling my ‘feel good’ meter.

“She’s(Addie) never seen me have my hair cut before, I think that’s why she keeps commenting on it, hahah. Did you hear a damn word I said that time?! I cannot believe you are treating your customer so rudely. I’m about to pay you way more for this stupid hair cut than I should, because you’re about to charge me full price for a half ass job. You didn’t even wash my hair, nor dry and style it and still going to charge me full service. Unbelievable!!”

Nothing. Possible smirk, but I am obviously not important to her.

I said the first sentence out loud. The rest I haven’t the galls to ever say, to ANYone. I hate confrontation. I just sit in my reclining loveseat later at night stewing over the things I should have said. The things I would have said. The things I didn’t think of quick enough. Then get mad for failing once again to say anything at all. Kicking myself, I’ll just swallow that and pretend I don’t care. This followed the ‘not-so-important’ feeling from the animal shelter, because they were sure I wasn’t going to adopt and didn’t want to waste their time. Just take the stupid cat, please. I hate people today.


Addie and her giant "pewer" she's using on the frog she found.


On a positive note, I finished The Help. Good book, definitely about segregation in Mississippi and ‘the help’ is actually referring to the black maids. Not slaves, but maids in the 60’s. First time I’ve read anything about the point of view of the maids during the transition into integration. Before and during. The other two books are staring a hole in my head, waiting for me to get started. I feel so guilty, because I know these books are now overdue, and I hated the feeling of waiting while others were so stupidly ignorant of others and never returned theirs on time so I could read them. At the same time, I am DRUNK with power. I am keeping these books on my own terms, and nobody’s come to sass me yet!

I hung a bird feeder up in my front yard. For two days I am sad the birds are not eating from it. The third day I see the hard plastic side has been punched out and placed neatly on my porch. There’s birdseed all around the tree. I am sure this is a message to me personally. Between the raccoon that ramsacks my garbage when I fail to close the garage door, and the squirrels who tease us constantly through the window to the back deck, I know its one of them. Doug took to his bb gun to “thin out” the ever growing population of squirrels overwhelming our woods. One ate it in the face, and now has a scar. I think he’s gone all mafia like on me, Grandfather Squirrel is sending me a warning. Little Bastard. Eight dollars for three days worth of waste.

The girls have taken to singing every day. It goes something like this:
Lillian: “Oh, na na.”
Addie: “(big giggle) Oh, na na!”
Lillian: “(bigger giggle) OH, NA NA!!”
Addie: “What’s my name, what’s my name, what’s my name…”
(REPEAT, til mom says knock it off)

This is funny to me, it’s a Rihanna song. I’m not really sure what the song is about, and maybe I don’t want to know if she’s singing it. We heard it one day flipping through the stations and they sing it all the time now. SO sweet that they’re doing it together, not arguing, for the moment…

I’ve had a lot of people in my life lately in need of prayer, for something different, each one of them. I’m out for an afternoon by myself, the girls at home napping and Doug doing homework keeping an ear out. I look forward to this day every week, and just the fact that its starting to feel like an every week thing elates me. I need this moment of sanity and QUIET. Or even just to listen to whatever I feel like, since most of the time its narrowed to kids music, KLRC, or country. Which is all that is mostly acceptable when the kids are in the car.
“God, please watch over my cousins, You know why they need You and I’ve prayed several times this week for them because I’ve thought of them so much. Just keep…may break my bones//but chains and whi…dangit Rihanna!! (punch radio button OFF) Stop interrupting me while I’m praying!!! So. Rude.” (I realize this sounds totally inappropriate, but it definitely happened. Funny, but I’m not sure God is laughing.)


OH she's coming in fast!!


I have some amazing things to look forward to this week. Heading to a Beth Moore conference, and my car will be full of awesome young ladies down to Little Rock this weekend…overnight! Doug and his mom will be working something out for the girls, and we’re sort of considering this a weekend for girl time and a chance to grow in God. There’s something else I might be working on that could potentially be fun! It has to do with Charlotte Russe? I’ll explain more later once I know more.

We watched Tangled this week for Family Pizza Night, sooooooo cute!!! Doug also made me watch MacGruber with him. #stupidestmovieeverrr…


P.S. I really took the time to listen to Britney’s Circus song, and have diagnosed the reason her voice is so unique: She sounds like a baby prostitute. The. End.

P.P.S. Please LIKE this if you are reading. I think about quitting often, it's nice to know people are reading!

I preceded to ram my left front side into the MAILBOX.

I know this is an extremely insignificant thing to include on my post, but this is the only thing I have ever had and kept alive and actually EATEN. I love parsley, there are just a few spices I think I always end up using throughout the week that I would consider staples. Parsley, Paprika, S/P of course, seasoning salt, onion powder, etc…




I was ridiculously happy to have a real and fresh herb at my disposal!!

The girls have been arguing like crazy lately.
Lillian: “No.”
Addie: “Yes.”
Lillian: “No.”
Addie: “Wiwian, stop saying no to me!!!”
Lillian: “…….No.”

Yes, it’s the dreaded point where “no” STOPS being cute. I don’t remember Addie going through such a long phase of NO. Maybe because I never argued with her or gave her flame any fanning by answering. She knows it’s a joke if Addie thinks she’s in charge and bosses her, but still, what else is a baby to say in her defense? I’m trying to be patient, but today was ludicrous. She’s figured out the exact way and attitude and “death ray stare” to say it so that it makes Addie infuriated. AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHHYYYYY?!?!?!

Doug: “I don’t want to go to work.”
Me: “I’ll trade you places today!! Take me with you!!”
Doug: “Take them to work with YOU!”


Spring Planting from front...


Sidewalk view. Marigolds/fern/giant pots/bird bath/red potted flowers. I have some pink ones in by the mailbox, but that's not really worth sharing.



At a family birthday get together (of which I completely dominated kickball and would have earned MVP at, at least defensively, if they issued awards) my niece randomly told me something to get it off her chest. She’s 13. Apparently her and her friend played catch (in close range, I’m sure) with her friend’s pet hamster. I laughed, completely honored to have her guilted honesty unleashed on me. It made me wonder if there was anything I should confess…and, there is. Sometimes, I use the kitten self-addressed labels sent to us by Petco to mail Doug’s bills off. I laugh haughtily all the way to the mailbox. I’m so sneaky. The kittens, I assume, are somewhat emasculating, and that makes me smile evilly because I’ve pulled one over on him. It’s the little things.

Last week I was in the car with Addie, and left Lillian at home with Doug so that we could grab pizza for family pizza/movie night. We were just backing out of the driveway, and being the multi-tasking queen I am, I brought letters to mail out and bills to be paid in our mailbox as well as (finally) finished library books.
I was pulling up to the mailbox when Addie so cleverly decides to ambush me with:
“Mom, Daddy says your GPS is a piece of…(slight hesitation in which I look up see her next word, obviously horrified of what it may be if daddy said it)…JUNK.”
At this point, I preceded to ram my left front side into the MAILBOX. Awesome. She tells me these things often, a lot because she thinks I am also in charge of Daddy and that he will get in trouble if she tells me what he’s done. Also, she is my minion and takes offense when someone makes fun of me or my property in any way. A loyal, faithful, argumentative, clone minion. It’s the real deal, try it and see how quickly you’re put on Addie’s hit list. She’s a mean little person. It shook me up a little bit, and of course made me super nervous overanalyzing how I drive. Turns out, when I’m actually fully paying attention, I know how much of a horrible drive I actually am. If you were in Pakistan on a good faith helping hands mission, you would never know the difference between the way they drive and the way I drive. Minus the days of grime and dust smell. Or, if you’ve never known (or read) how freaking scary the drivers are there, like a typical New York foreign driver…beaded seats, horrible music, pictures of religious leaders hanging in the window and possibly flying out wavering wildly while taking curves. I am an imitation of a too fast, too jerky Pakistani driver. Can I write that off as just efficient?! Point A to point B?

The mailbox…the mailbox…seems to be popping up a LOT in this post. The mail lady!! Its her!! That wild haired banshee has surely put a curse on us via mailbox touch!! We will have words. There will be many. I will probably cry and slink back into the house, but OH there WILL be WORDS!!!

I finished Three Cups of Tea. It was like pulling teeth til halfway. SOOOO. MANYYY. FAAACTS. I know this is good for me to read something that really did happen, and especially of all the great adventures abroad and of all philanthropy…but, damn. Pulling teeth. Once I finally got into the lingo and language and understood it better, the story got so much better. It’s a good book to read, and I actually learned its required for all higher government employees and all special ops working in the Pakistan/Iraq/Afghanistan area to read. They wanted their men to understand the idea of helping the people and how the Muslim culture is not in unison in working against our country, as learned by an American wanting to build schools for their severely uneducated children. Just like Eat.Pray.Love., I feel like I learned something worldly. Now, back to meaninglessly entertaining fiction! Haha…

Mother nature is screwy lately. I’ve read updates about people thinking Mother Nature is in transition to menopause, that its “her time of year”, or that she’s bi-polar. Get that girl a drink and send her out on break for the night, that cures just about anything!! I’m saying!!

Kesolyn