John Turns 5!

John turned five yesterday.  It's cliche but it really does seem like only yesterday he was wearing diapers and crawling around.  Throughout the day he had me tell him what I was doing about this time 5 years ago when he was born. 

I remember most of our kid's birth stories pretty well, except I guess I forget some of the less thrilling parts like having to get on my hands and knees and rock back and forth as I was delivering.  I'm sure that was a perfectly lovely sight. 

James had to remind me that John wasn't exactly following directions and coming down the birth canal the way he was suppose to.  Then again, that's the way he's been ever since he was born.  Just sort of going his own way.

I told him how his birth was probably the easiest birth.  He liked that idea.  He was the easy one and may have mentioned that to his siblings once or twice.

He liked that he got to tease me even before he was born when I told him I  thought he was going to be born Saturday the 25th.  So, many contractions.  I even walked over 5 miles that day and all I got were leg cramps. 

Sunday came and went and still no baby.  But on Monday (one day before his due date) we had a bouncing baby boy.  The doctor's office had made us an appointment the week before but they were sure I wouldn't need it.  We showed up and they checked me and couldn't believe I was still pregnant.  But as soon as we got home, we had to turn around and head to the hospital.  Two hours later we were holding a sweet little boy.

This little boy. 

Despite no epidural, he was my easiest delivery. 

After he was born, they held him up while he was still attached to the placenta and said it's a boy and then he immediately peed on me.  That's his favorite part of the story.

My favorite part was when I got to hold him for the first time.  The world melted away.

There are so many reasons why I love, love, love this kid but I'll leave you with 5 reasons and a few snapshots of the day. 

Despite everyone else being off to school or work and only having M and I for company, he said it was the best birthday ever! 

So, I'll start with this:
(1)  He is easy to please.
(2)  He makes me laugh.
(3)  He makes the most expressive faces.  (Especially when he's talking about planets v. zombies or angry birds)
(4)  He's good about sharing with a certain someone who thinks everything is hers.
(5)  He has the best imagination.

 He didn't mind that we had to change our plans and scrap meeting up with friends at the park because my asthma is making this cold linger on longer than normal.  So we headed to Walmart with Grandma and Grandpa's birthday cash in hand. 

 Where this little boy decided he really wanted Angry Birds on Thin Ice.

 And then 30 minutes later, he changed his mind and we ended up with Angry Birds in Space.

 He chose McDonald's for lunch.  Thank goodness for drive throughs, my energy levels were on zero.

 I promise the cupcake didn't smell.  He wanted to make sure he didn't blow out the candle before we finished singing Happy Birthday.

 Not to be out done, M decided to pillage the kitchen to find her own candle.
 And then she sang Happy Birthday to herself and was pleased as punch.

Happy Birthday, John!  We heart you!

You're Such a Good Friend

It's raining today so no park outing, which is probably for the best because I injured my knee yesterday.  It was probably those stupid lunges I decided to do first thing in the morning or maybe those rotten squats that followed.  Of course there was that piano I moved yesterday.  But maybe it's arthritis.

 So what to do?  Hmmm...I think I'll rest today and maybe peruse a few of my favorite blogs.

Course I could always fold the 5 loads of laundry I washed yesterday but I'm pretty sure if you were here you would tell me that the laundry will still be here tomorrow. 

I could hobble around and clean the house again because there is absolutely no evidence of the  hours I spent cleaning it yesterday.  But, I'm pretty sure you would scoff at that suggestion too and wisely remind me that the mess will still be here later.

I could go grocery shopping.  We're almost out of milk and eggs...oh and bread. Not to mention,  I still need to return the cable box.  I had the cable company turn the cable off almost 2 weeks ago but haven't returned the box or remote controls yet.

What's that you say?  There is always something we need to do but I should rest and take care of myself because all those things will still be here when I'm feeling better?

You're such a good friend.  So, here are a few of my favorite blogs for you to peruse too.

71 toes
Clover Lane
Everyday Lovely
Soule Mama
The Pioneer Woman

First Day of School & House Project

Today was the first day of school.  Ugh...I hardly checked anything off my summer to do list.  (sigh)  So, I'll just have to tuck that little baby away for next summer.  (  =

 Because right now I've got more important things to do like take pictures of girl one before she catches the bus and is officially a 6th grader!  Where does the time go?

 Even though girl 2 and boy 1 don't have to catch the bus for another 40 minutes, they walked down to the bus stop with Cardi and I.

Then they were kind enough to pose in front of the expedition for us.

There was some mayhem and some hoopla and right out mutiny after that.  I was planning to drive the younger 2 to school today but Jackson really wanted to ride the bus.  Bella wanted to drive but I thought it was silly to drive her if her 6 year old brother was riding the bus. 

By the way, they moved our stop without telling us.  See the intersection in the very back of this photo?  That's where the bus driver expects to pick up the kids now.  There's no other kids catching the bus there and the bus driver has to pass our old stop any way but that's what his paperwork says. 

I think I will mutiny myself and stay right where the bus has been picking the kids up for years.  Besides, look at those extra kids in tow.  Notice that neither one of them are wearing shoes and boy 2 is still in his spiderman pajamas and he's got a stick and he's not afraid to use it?  I think it's best to stick to the status quo.  Don't you?

Oh and by the way, we got a piano.  It has been sitting in our friends carport for the last 2-3 years so it's needs tuning and some TLC but it was free.  The kids have been wanting a piano for a while.

 It's totally creating mayhem in the livingroom.  Remember this post?  I thought we would be able to put the piano in a corner and have time to figure out the perfect spot for it but it turns out that pianos are heavy.  It took 4  men to move it.    So, we had to decide on a spot quickly.  Everyone agreed that we should move the small couch and put it on that wall.  Have I mentioned I really love that small couch?  The yellow slipcover with all it's patchwork makes me smile.  It also helps to tie the diningroom and livingroom together and not to mention the extra seating. 

So, after the kids left for school and we had finished our first preschool lesson with John and Meredith, I decided to move that piano to the other wall.  The good news is I think it looks much better on the adjacent wall.  The bad news is every muscle in my body aches but it was worth it. 

As you can see from the photos the scale is all off and the dark piano does not go with the yellow sofa so, I decided to paint the piano.

which looks much better in person.  Not bad for my first back to school house project.  What about you?  Got any back to school house projects planned?

Rumor Has It

This summer  the kids introduced me to Adele and Cee Lo Green via the car radio.  Poor kids,  seems their mom has no clue about pop culture or that flailing your arms around and rocking back and forth is not actually dancing.   But they're willing to let me embarrass them in public as long as they get to listen to the radio.  It's pretty cute to look in the rearview mirror and see their little heads start to bop especially that sweet little boy in the back.  It starts off slow, just a little head bob to the right and then to the left and then comes the arms.  We've been cruising around town singing "Rumor Has It" and "Forget You"   and busting some moves.

And as long as they get to listen to the radio, they don't even mind when I wear my sun hat and sing along except they hate it when I mention that rumor has  it that summer vacation is almost over. 

It's causes some groaning and maybe a little eye rolling.  So last week, we headed to Clark Park Beach with our friends to soak up some of the last of the summer vacation rays.  I slathered on the sunscreen, slipped on my new sun hat, and we rocked all the way to the beach.  Not the real beach as the kids pointed out.  But I get to call it that because it's part of this lovely body of water's name.

That's all the kids waiting for the life guard to arrive so they could actually get in the water.  Have you ever tried to stop 20 kids from running to the water?  Me either.  Thank goodness, my friend Heidi is there to keep the kids at bay. 

School starts Monday and while there may be some moaning and groaning, I'm pretty sure they are ready for another school year to begin. 

 They were all smiles at the "Meet & Greet" today. 

 Jackson was really excited to meet his new first grade teacher, Ms. Johnson.  This is her first year teaching.

And Bella already made herself at home in her new fourth grade room with Mrs. Moehl.

 After dropping off the kids school supplies, minus the pencils that some how got lost, we made the rounds visiting teachers from the previous year.  This is Mrs. Watson.  She was Cardi's fourth grade teacher and her all time favorite teacher.

We visited with Bella and Jackson's third grade and kindergarten teachers from last year

 Then visited Mrs. Casey in the music room before heading over to visit Ms. Ridenour and Mrs. Bell.

 Jackson got to visit the fish.  One of his favorite things to do and I got to visit

one of my favorite people at Glenwood, Mrs. Wilder. I'm pretty sure this is shaping up to be one of the best school years ever.  At least that's how rumor has it.

A couple of  weeks ago two of my sweet aunts drove up from Florida to visit us.  While both of them have gone on family vacations before, neither of them had just set out on a road trip by themselves.  They loaded up the car, grabbed some food, and headed out.  They spent a few days at my cousin, Denises's house near Nashville and then headed toward Knoxville to visit us and I am so grateful  they did.

They are both lovely and easy going.  I worried about how I would get the house all tidy after my "play more, work less" summer attitude.  My aunt chuckled at my comment and reminded me she was coming to see me and not my house.  Her sister once told her "If you're coming to see my house, let me know and I'll clean it for you.  If you're coming to see me, than come on over." 

I like that mantra.

I would have liked to have taken some photos but some sweet little four year old who shall remain nameless but looks an awful lot like this sweet guy

plopped my SD card from my camera into his mouth and chewed it.  It's sort of useless now and of course the built in memory is full and I couldn't find the cord to download the pictures. 

But it was a great opportunity to put down the camera this summer and instead focus on  the present.  Sometimes I get so caught up in capturing each moment that I miss the little things: boy one asking me to read a book, boy two finally winning level 3, or my girls beckoning me to swim with them. 

It's a worthy a goal and thanks to a curious little boy who just happened to wonder what a blue plastic chip taste like, I got  to soak up all the time with a few of my favorite people.