sweet home

How did I spend my morning while it was pouring down rain?

1--Making cookies with my kids.

2--Doing crafts and singing songs

3--Chasing Sage and her boyfriend Rooney around the neighborhood. (how did she get out?!?!?!?!)


*EDIT* We spent the afternoon at the mucenter and I saw a little girl drink a cup of water out of the water play area so that made my day.

Dog wrangling! "We" need to work on the leash training I think.

There are A LOT of us now. How did that happen? We seem to have doubled overnight.

We make quite a scene these days. Even just going for an after dinner walk around the neighborhood. (but not too far because the hills are kickin' my booty when I'm pulling the wagon full o' kids)

It's amazing how much fun one little boy can have with a rubber band. Unfortunately for him it makes me nervous to have him playing with it. Soon after this picture was taken it disappeared.

to blog about our visitors!!

Clint, Chaliese and Daniel came for a visit and we had a great time. Although Chaliese saved the day with the birthday cake, that wasn't their original reason for coming. You see, Clint needed a wisdom tooth pulled and we just happen to know someone who could do it for real cheap. (wink wink) Luckily for all parties involved, the tooth came out easily and the recovery went well. Clint was eating that night!! He must have had a REALLY great oral surgeon. It was fun for me to watch Lewis in action because I had never seen him pull a tooth in real life. He's really good and I'm not just saying that :)

It was fun to have them here and to finally meet Daniel. He is such a great little boy and it was awesome for Lewis and I to see his parents in action. It's always exciting to see your siblings as parents and C & C are doing a great job. (although hanging around with parents with only one child made me feel a little bit guilty about the lack of attention Cate gets....)

While they were here we stayed busy. We went to the mucenter of course.

Lewis made some killer ribs. mmmmmmmmm. So good even the pork hater in me loves them.We went to the petting farm.
We went for a walk and took some family photos. All of their photos are on their camera so maybe they'll post some and I can steal them from their blog.

We celebrated B's birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's aka the slimiest place in America.We enjoyed a day at the zoo complete with a camel ride for A and B and a trip to the fountain park splash pad spray area. (not sure what to call that place)

Each meal consists of smearing food in hair, smashing food with cup, putting cup on head, squeezing food though fingers, feeding dogs, and generally creating a huge mess.





Good thing she's so cute.

It continues on, but the point is this: you have got to stop running around the yard barking and barking at nothing in that "same high, rhythmic bark".

And now about all that running away business. I got some poison ivy trying to keep you from getting out and you still got out!! (under the fence in a gap that was no bigger than 6 inches). Then Lewis got home and he was NOT HAPPY because you were missing again. I am glad you like Rooney, but you couldn't be running around with him until you were spayed. Now that you are "fixed" you can play with Rooney whenever you want. Although I doubt you'll be escaping any time soon because of the awesome job Lewis did covering up the gaps under the fence.

I know you can't help the shedding, but your hair is making me feel like rubbing my eyes out.

It would be nice if you would stop the chewing all together.

I know you got lucky when we ran into you at that rest area in the middle of nowhere. I am sorry that someone lost you or dropped you off, but your luck is going to run out soon if you don't get your rear in gear soon sister. ( except you and I both know that Lewis would never get rid of you. He would, however, love it if you would fetch)

Sincerely, JJ

Sweet Brooksie Maguksie is 4 years old!!! He came into the world screaming and spent several months letting us know he was here. Now he is the sweetest, kindest little boy we know and we are sure glad he's in our family. We had a wonderful birthday celebration yesterday with Uncle Clinton, Aunt Chaliese, and Daniel all here visiting. The day included pancakes in the shapes of "B" and "4" as well as a trip to the zoo, opening presents throughout the day, cake and ice cream, homemade pizza that was a complete disaster, and a trip to the one and only Chuck E. Cheese's to top it all off.
When he was 6 weeks old we took Brooks camping in Freeport, Maine. This is the ONLY picture we have of him.
Fun with friends in CT. I loved seeing the kids in this one because they're all so big now.
The 3 who were born all in the same week.
Don't let the cute face fool you, he SCREAMED the entire time we were on the canoe. Acadia National Park, Maine.

Loving the construction that was going on all around us on Raymond Rd.
Checking out the all star ballot. Manny is his favorite player because he has "long hai-ah"
My very own guitar heroes.
"Hi two mommies!!" Brooks loves to go cross eyed and he ALWAYS has a messy face (in spite of my best efforts to keep him cleaned up).Nothing wrong with a sword down the pants.

Lewis is glad to have Brooks along while fishing because he doesn't mind handling the worms.
Photo booth is pretty much the best invention ever.
The birthday boy!! How is he already 4 years old? How is this the 3rd birthday we have celebrated in Alabama? Luckily Aunt Chaliese was here to save Brooks from another one of my disaster cakes. Happy Birthday Brooks!!! We are so glad that you are a part of our family. The things you say are so funny and cute. You keep us laughing and always put a smile on our faces. A and Cate are so lucky to have such a tender hearted and generous brother. We love how you are a superhero lover as well as an animal lover. We love how you are so willing to help out and to share even your most favorite things. We love how you can climb everything, even the windows in our house. We love how you get right in the kennel with Georgia and say "I love you Georgia" and how you notice when someone is sad and try to make them feel better. We love how you are so sincere and genuine and we hope you never ever ever change that. You are one in a million.

it's theirs.

This week at the library the kids saw Safari Greg from Nashville. He even let them touch a caiman.

We saw Roger Day again this week at the library.
The kids LOVE him.
If you go to his website you can click on "listen to Roger radio" and listen to a bunch of his songs. He sings with the Indigo Girls on the song "Ready to Fly". It's kids music that won't make you crazy.

We also played and played in the alligator pool slash sprinkler.
Even though Cate's lips were blue, and she was constantly under attack, she didn't want to get out.

Baby carrots you've done it again,

Ever since we moved here I have been avoiding you baby carrots. This is only because every time I buy a bag you are all slimy and gross. Not just one or two of you, but the whole stinking bag. I had never had this problem before (sure, there had been a slime covered carrot or two here and there), but over the past two years we have turned into full sized, unpeeled carrot eaters. This really isn't a problem
So anyway, while we were on vacation in Utah we had many baby carrots. None of them were slimy or mushy or scary in any way. Even Brooks ate them (and that's saying something because he inspects every piece of food he eats with a built in magnifying glass eye). We had baby carrots out of the bag, in a vegetable tray, in salad, etc. and they were all crisp and delicious. This was no problem either.
Tonight while I was "running really quickly" to the store to get some stuff while Lewis worked diligently on the second layer of cement (bedding mortar) for the shower (who knew this was such a LONG and difficult process!?!?!?!!) I saw you little bag of baby carrots sitting so nicely on the shelf and I had a conversation in my head (don't pretend you don't do it too...): "oh baby carrots, should I just get the big ones?"
"but the baby carrots in Utah were so good"
"yeah, but the ones here are always slimy"
"but this would be so much faster and easier and then I could help Lewis"
"and they really don't look slimy, just wet"
"ok, baby carrots it is"
And I got home and they were slimy. But I washed them and we ate them anyway. I won't be buying baby carrots again. You sneaky little innocent looking carrots. You got me once, but you won't get me again.
THE END

*ps Thanks Jennie for the tip on widening my blog!*

We spent the evening of the 3rd at a local baseball game with fireworks after.
Cate enjoyed her some Coke.
It wasn't even TOO hot.
B had a huge snow cone.
And A's ice cream was at least 8 inches tall.

For the 4th we spent some time at a church carnival, but it was super hot. SO hot they had to shut down the bounce house

Lewis barbequed some great spare ribs and we had a wonderful 4th of July feast. Then we headed downtown for some more rides and bouncing before enjoying the fireworks.