What a difference a year makes....
As Of Late...
13 years ago
Monday, December 31, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Couches
Anyone looking to sell a couch? We are looking for used couches for our youth room at a good price. Let me know if you know of anyone.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
We miss you, Granny.
Everett's Granny passed away yesterday. She was a sweet, silly woman
with a certain childlike quality that told you she was enjoying every minute of life. She loved dessert, telling stories, opening gifts (I am not sure if she loved the presents or the pretty bows and paper more). She loved sitting down to a big family meal and she loved Ellie. She always called Ellie her "precious creature."
We are thankful that we got to spend some time with her over Thanksgiving. Even though she was in the hospital and not feeling well, she continued to be positive. Ellie was able to give her kisses and we were thankful just to see her. I have heard her several times in the last few years tell different members of the family how it would be okay if it was time for her to go to Heaven. It's amazing how often we (those to be left behind) need more reassurance than the person facing death. What a beautiful place she is in now. No pain. No tears. No sin... only a Savior. A Savior brilliant enough to create every good thing on earth, strong enough to sustain us while we experience it, and wise enough to know when to take us from it. If I got to peek into Heaven, I would not be surprised to see Granny wearing her martini earrings, indulging in something deliciously chocolate and telling everyone about her wonderful family. Granny, we will miss the sparkle and smiles you brought to our lives. We love you.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Our little comedian has a stomach bug
Well, Ellie woke up this morning "calling Ralph" in her crib. The smell itself was atrocious. She is feeling a little better this evening and able to tolerate jello and crackers. I decided that my new definition of love is "watching someone covered in puke reaching out their chubby arms to you and you scooping them up in your arms and hugging them without hesitation." I doubt it will make the 2008 edition of Webster's, but it makes sense to me.
Even though Ellie is sick and not in a laughing mood, she has been quite the comedian lately. Below are two stories that made me laugh.
1. Before we left for Thanksgiving in Destin (pictures to be added soon), Ellie and I took a trip to get our oil changed. We were walking aroud the lobby checking out their selection of tires, when Ellie walked right up to a giant poster of the Michelin Man and pointed saying "Mama." The entire waiting room burst into laughter while I vowed aloud to dig out my bottle of spray tan and avoid eat Thanksgiving dinner (this resolution did not last - I ate almost 1/2 of a pecan pie in two days).
2. On our way home from Thanksgiving, I was enjoying the Christmas carols on the radio. I am a big fan of Christmas carols (just ask the Maxwell family or Everett who loves watching the childhood video where I "sang" Away In a Manger in my "redneck childhood voice" and then run into my room crying because my brother Brad and Spot, our beloved dog, were stealing the spotlight.) Back to the car - Silent Night came on and I began to sing. I look in my baby rear view mirror and Ellie has both fingers in her ear. I dont even know where she learned to do that, but it was probably deserved. If you doubt me, consult my high school friends who asked me and Rebecca to please lip sync when we went Christmas caroling...
Does anyone else wish one of the radio stations here would turn to all Christmas music for the season? We had that in Baton Rouge and I loved it.
Even though Ellie is sick and not in a laughing mood, she has been quite the comedian lately. Below are two stories that made me laugh.
1. Before we left for Thanksgiving in Destin (pictures to be added soon), Ellie and I took a trip to get our oil changed. We were walking aroud the lobby checking out their selection of tires, when Ellie walked right up to a giant poster of the Michelin Man and pointed saying "Mama." The entire waiting room burst into laughter while I vowed aloud to dig out my bottle of spray tan and avoid eat Thanksgiving dinner (this resolution did not last - I ate almost 1/2 of a pecan pie in two days).
2. On our way home from Thanksgiving, I was enjoying the Christmas carols on the radio. I am a big fan of Christmas carols (just ask the Maxwell family or Everett who loves watching the childhood video where I "sang" Away In a Manger in my "redneck childhood voice" and then run into my room crying because my brother Brad and Spot, our beloved dog, were stealing the spotlight.) Back to the car - Silent Night came on and I began to sing. I look in my baby rear view mirror and Ellie has both fingers in her ear. I dont even know where she learned to do that, but it was probably deserved. If you doubt me, consult my high school friends who asked me and Rebecca to please lip sync when we went Christmas caroling...
Does anyone else wish one of the radio stations here would turn to all Christmas music for the season? We had that in Baton Rouge and I loved it.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ellie still not feeling well...
Well, here is an update on Ellie's ears. We had tubes put in almost 1.5 weeks ago. Her ears have been almost constantly draining ever since. We went back to the ENT this morning. Apparently, she has another ear infection, or maybe she still has the one she had the morning we put the tubes in. Either way, she is not hurting much bc the fluid drains out, but there is still bacteria in there and because her nose is still running and she is coughing, etc, she still doesnt feel 100%. The ENT vacuumed out her ears and pumped this poweder stuff in them this morning. We have to do the powder for two more days. Ellie goes back to the dr Wed, and I am hoping her ears will look a bit better by then. If not, it is another round of antibiotics (which means more unpleasant stomach problems and severe diaper rash)
I have basically reached the end of my rope with all of this. I am trying desperately to be positive but I am worn out. Work has been more difficult than usual this semester which doesnt help things either. People ask me if I am ready to have another child, but I think I am just ready for a vacation :), but instead, I signed myself up to have 8 Jr High girls spend the night at my house. Yes I am crazy.
I have basically reached the end of my rope with all of this. I am trying desperately to be positive but I am worn out. Work has been more difficult than usual this semester which doesnt help things either. People ask me if I am ready to have another child, but I think I am just ready for a vacation :), but instead, I signed myself up to have 8 Jr High girls spend the night at my house. Yes I am crazy.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Happy Halloween
Hope you and your family had as much fun and candy as we did!
The expert carver who made this lives in our neighborhood! Very spooktacular!
Fall Retreat
Workin 9 to 5... or all weekend long with a total
of 9.5 hours of sleep only to come home to a sick toddler...here is my dream job :)
Monday, October 29, 2007
America's Top Baby Model... and other news
Well, Ellie is not exactly America's Top Baby Model but I did convince a friend of mine (Caroline Bagley Black) to use her as a model for her new business, Bows to Go. And, since, I made their banner, Caroline pretty much had to say yes. So, thanks for being a sport, Caroline! Check out the Bows to Go blog at www.bowstogo.blogspot.com They carry cute bows and other personalized items at very reasonable prices.
Other news:
1. Ellie has ear infection #6 and we are scheduled for tubes on Fri.
2. I am exhausted from a youth retreat and feel like crawling in my bed for a few days
3. Everett killed 6 pheasants on his trip w/Matt Grenfell to South Dakota. He says I should decorate our house with pheasant feathers... I didn't know hunting and interior design had so much in common
4. Funny Story - The other day Ellie bit me and I spanked her. I then showed her the bite mark and said "You hurt mama." She looked down a minute, lifted her dress, and spanked herself!
Other news:
1. Ellie has ear infection #6 and we are scheduled for tubes on Fri.
2. I am exhausted from a youth retreat and feel like crawling in my bed for a few days
3. Everett killed 6 pheasants on his trip w/Matt Grenfell to South Dakota. He says I should decorate our house with pheasant feathers... I didn't know hunting and interior design had so much in common
4. Funny Story - The other day Ellie bit me and I spanked her. I then showed her the bite mark and said "You hurt mama." She looked down a minute, lifted her dress, and spanked herself!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Tailgating
Here are a few pics of Tailgating at the MSU game last weekend. Notice my mom's beautiful pumpkin display... it was a hit! She and my sister-in-law, Christy, got tons of compliments on it.
Ellie now has another ear infection. We are up to about 4 in 5 weeks. It has been a tough fall for our little one (and her parents :). One funny story. The other night, she woke up around 2 am because her ears were hurting. I was not feeling well and Everett was up trying to get her back to sleep. Nothing was working, so I suggested her give her a few crackers and some juice and put her back to bed. Well, the next morning when she woke up, I went to pick her up out of her crib and their were crushed crackers EVERYWHERE - on her, on her sheets, blankets, etc. I looked under her blanket and there was an entire sleeve of crackers in the bed with her... that was not what I had in mind when I said "Give her a few crackers".... :)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Happy Birthday Clayton!
My favorite nephew, Clayton, turned 3 Sunday. He is now my favorite nephew for two reasons 1. he is my only nephew and therefore automatically the cutest, funniest and sweetest
2. he told me I was tall this weekend (the first time I have ever gotten that compliment! :)
Here are a few shots from his party!
Emily's Baptism
We went to Starkville this weekend to see my neice, Emily, be baptized. It was really sweet. Clayton, her 3-year-old brother, somehow managed to get a pencil from the pew and draw on his face/hands/clothes during the whole ceremony... aren't Emily's blue eyes beautiful?
Ellie and Carter
I promise we do not torture them when they play together... they always look so miserable in the pics.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Clayton's right
Here is a conversation my nephew, Clayton (3 yrs old), had with his mom (Christy) about a month ago:
Clayton: "Mama, I am a big boy"
Christy: "Yes, Clayton, you are a big boy"
Clayton: "Emwee (his baby sister, Emily) is little. She is a baby"
Christy: "Yes, Emily is a little baby"
Clayton: "I'm big boy, Emwee is little, but Ellie is huge"
Well, today I took Ellie for her 18 mo check and she proved Clayton right... She continues to be at the top of the chart. In fact, he did not even put percentages because her head circumference (49.5 cm) and height (35.5 in) were both over 100% for her age. Her weight was in the 90%'s (27 lbs & 15 oz). When did my baby grow up?
Clayton: "Mama, I am a big boy"
Christy: "Yes, Clayton, you are a big boy"
Clayton: "Emwee (his baby sister, Emily) is little. She is a baby"
Christy: "Yes, Emily is a little baby"
Clayton: "I'm big boy, Emwee is little, but Ellie is huge"
Well, today I took Ellie for her 18 mo check and she proved Clayton right... She continues to be at the top of the chart. In fact, he did not even put percentages because her head circumference (49.5 cm) and height (35.5 in) were both over 100% for her age. Her weight was in the 90%'s (27 lbs & 15 oz). When did my baby grow up?
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
I got tagged...
Okay, so Lauren tagged me and I am trying to be a sport about it so I am going to give this survey a go while Ellie naps - who really likes cleaning their house anyway?
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? October 1997.... let's see. I was a Senior in high school and loving every minute of it. I was probably at "Lunch Bunch" with 3 of my friends who had Senior dismissal for lunch. We would go eat lunch off campus and return for 5th period. One time we had to get the waiter to write us an excuse on our receipt bc we were so late. He wrote "Im sorry the Brick Oven was very slow today" ... funny.
2. What were you doing 5 years ago? October 2002. Well, I was enjoying my second Senior year of college or as my brothers-in-law call it, my victory lap. I was living with Liz, Tammi and Kim in 114D - SO MESSY AND FUN! I was probably watching them do weight watchers and wonder why they thought eating cool whip sprinkled with Fiber One was a good idea. We also took road trips to almost every away State game that year - fun adventures. I still remember Liz making us listen to the audio version of Harry Potter on the way to the University of Florida. Everett and I were LONG distance dating - he was in his first semester of law school at LSU.
3. What were you doing one year ago? October 2006. Well, I think Everett and I were in the hospital with food poisoning in Oxford. I have never felt so helpless. We could not get anyone at the hospital to help us take care of Ellie and we were both so weak we could not even stand. I distinctly remember opening the door (with visible signs of digested food on my clothes and my wheel chair) and yelling down the hall that we needed help and a nurse coming and shutting the door in my face.
4. What were you doing yesterday? Catching up from being out of town - unpacking, cleaning, cooking and taking a little nap. Ellie managed to spread shredded cheese all over our kitchen and den - so much for the clean up.
5. Snacks I enjoy... White Cheddar Cheetos and a real coke. Anything sweet - right now I am muching on a batch of Coffee Toffee brownies - yum!
6. Things I would do with a million dollars.... where do I start? I would do some nice things like probably give my church or people there some money, etc but when I got down to the selfish part, I would go on vacation to a tropical location where a masseuse would be waiting. I would definitely get some shopping in, probably purchase a Honda Odyssey (not glamourous but practical), get Everett some new golf clubs, and probably purchase a couch (ours is really too big for our den)... I might also take another trip and go skiing.
7. Locations I would run to.... not sure exactly what this means but probably my parents condo (so relaxing - I love the balcony)
8. Bad habits I have.... eating too much sugar, being too sensitive, being negative, getting too angry when ellie pulls my hair... compulsively clean things out and organize... I could go on and on
9. Things I like to do... go walking with a friend, get out of the house, watch Ellen, have a margarita, read a good a book, catch up with friends, go on a real date with my husband, play with ellie, kiss her fat lips, hear ellie say mama...
10. Ellie and my sweet hubby who is nicer and more patient than I deserve
1. What were you doing 10 years ago? October 1997.... let's see. I was a Senior in high school and loving every minute of it. I was probably at "Lunch Bunch" with 3 of my friends who had Senior dismissal for lunch. We would go eat lunch off campus and return for 5th period. One time we had to get the waiter to write us an excuse on our receipt bc we were so late. He wrote "Im sorry the Brick Oven was very slow today" ... funny.
2. What were you doing 5 years ago? October 2002. Well, I was enjoying my second Senior year of college or as my brothers-in-law call it, my victory lap. I was living with Liz, Tammi and Kim in 114D - SO MESSY AND FUN! I was probably watching them do weight watchers and wonder why they thought eating cool whip sprinkled with Fiber One was a good idea. We also took road trips to almost every away State game that year - fun adventures. I still remember Liz making us listen to the audio version of Harry Potter on the way to the University of Florida. Everett and I were LONG distance dating - he was in his first semester of law school at LSU.
3. What were you doing one year ago? October 2006. Well, I think Everett and I were in the hospital with food poisoning in Oxford. I have never felt so helpless. We could not get anyone at the hospital to help us take care of Ellie and we were both so weak we could not even stand. I distinctly remember opening the door (with visible signs of digested food on my clothes and my wheel chair) and yelling down the hall that we needed help and a nurse coming and shutting the door in my face.
4. What were you doing yesterday? Catching up from being out of town - unpacking, cleaning, cooking and taking a little nap. Ellie managed to spread shredded cheese all over our kitchen and den - so much for the clean up.
5. Snacks I enjoy... White Cheddar Cheetos and a real coke. Anything sweet - right now I am muching on a batch of Coffee Toffee brownies - yum!
6. Things I would do with a million dollars.... where do I start? I would do some nice things like probably give my church or people there some money, etc but when I got down to the selfish part, I would go on vacation to a tropical location where a masseuse would be waiting. I would definitely get some shopping in, probably purchase a Honda Odyssey (not glamourous but practical), get Everett some new golf clubs, and probably purchase a couch (ours is really too big for our den)... I might also take another trip and go skiing.
7. Locations I would run to.... not sure exactly what this means but probably my parents condo (so relaxing - I love the balcony)
8. Bad habits I have.... eating too much sugar, being too sensitive, being negative, getting too angry when ellie pulls my hair... compulsively clean things out and organize... I could go on and on
9. Things I like to do... go walking with a friend, get out of the house, watch Ellen, have a margarita, read a good a book, catch up with friends, go on a real date with my husband, play with ellie, kiss her fat lips, hear ellie say mama...
10. Ellie and my sweet hubby who is nicer and more patient than I deserve
The Beach
We had a great time with the Grenfells at the beach this weekend... Caroline has all the pictures of Ellie aggressively hugging Sparks. I will have to get them from her. She just LOVES him.