Tennessee

I got to hang up my mom hat last week. I traded it for a plane ticket to Nashville to see some of my favorite peeps. It was such fun! I got to hang with my sisters and sister-like friends. I ate we'll and then I ate well some more. Cheesecake and coffee at 11pm at a Memphis hole in the wall? Heck yeah. Barbara's fried chicken and biscuits in Nashville? Yes 'em. I heart Nashville. Not to mention I was smack dab in the middle of autumn. Surrounded by the rolling rocky top hills in all their fall glory. Every fenced pasture framed with color. Yeah. It was a good trip. You should go there sometime.

Memphis mecca

I40 on a dreary day

home of amazing biscuits

I did miss the children, though. But not until about the 4th day. I didn't think I would be missed. But I was. Well at least by one of them. A simple FaceTime chat started the frenzy. Then there was inconsolable crying and crocodile tears. And snot. "Mommy, I want you here right now" was what really got me. Then we both had crocodile tears. It was nice to missed. Jeff sent me these pictures shortly after.

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Happy to have friends that live in fun places and happy to be home.  

Wren says

Mom, stop freaking out! You're just always freaking out.

Mom.  I need to text Gavin.

I want to see my boys! (impatiently waiting in the pick-up line at school)

Mom!   You go to time out!

Oh, Mom.  My boys are being crazy.

Mom, I pee in the grass like Joey!

Dear God, Thank you for my God, and my daddy, and my Gavin, and my Ryder, and my Joey, and my Ryder, and my mommy, and my Gavin, and my Ryder.  Amen.

Mom, why is you have a big bottom?

You put my clothes in the washing ma-cleaner?

I'm from Eepeeyopeeya.  (randomly tells Starbucks employee)

Mom, walk out of here!  I'm doing stinky work.  (while sitting on the potty)

Golly, she is a cute kid.  From minute to minute, I never know if she is going to make me laugh hysterically or pull my hair out in frustration.  As her preschool teacher told me, "she is just the right amount of ornery."  Tru dat.    

What blog?

So, it's been a while. I know. My mom may have mentioned it once or twice. I have no good excuse. What can I say, that once a month blogging schedule was just too much for me. But now that I've had a nice long sabbatical I thought I'd give it another go.

this is what my kids look like, in case you forgot

So Wren has grown a bit over the last 6 months. Her closet is bare. (Not really. Aunt Dana, do not send clothes)  Not to mention her shoe selection has dwindled a bit. Her wardrobe is scant, but it is still more than enough. And I must say I like the simplicity. It makes life easier. But don't you dare ask me to whittle my shoe closet down to three pair. It ain't gonna happen.

Is this normal?

This does not include the dress up shoes or the summer sandals. Too much?

* it should be noted that I did not purchase all of these shoes. In fact I am only responsible for 3 of them.

I can sew! Sort of.

I can't believe I actually successfully sewed something.  I followed these instructions.  It was pretty easy, once I remembered how to thread my sewing machine and learned what a zipper foot was.  Yeah, that's right.  I sewed a zipper.  I can hardly believe it myself.

My new blue and white chevron (zippered!) pillows.   Wren didn't even notice my pillows.  She was immersed in a particularly tense episode of Barney.  I think Baby Bop was stressing her out.  

 I've always wanted to be a sewer (seamstress?).  Sometimes my ambition gets the better of me. I read lots of sewing blogs and buy lots of fabric to go with my pile of good intentions.  But I don't sew.  I don't have the patience to do it right.  I prefer short-cuts and iron-on adhesives.

These are the curtains in Wren's room.  We've had them a while now.  Awesome, no?  It was also a pretty easy project.  My first step was just to buy 4 cheapo twin flat sheets at Ikea (2.99/ea).  I used 2 sheets for the panels, and use the other 2 to make the ruffles.   Step 2: cut the first ruffle sheet into strips.  Step 3:  realized I had no idea what the crap I was doing (I briefly entertained the idea of using a hot glue gun instead of sewing).  And my fourth and final step was to call my beloved mother in law and make her do it.  See.  Easy peasy. ;)

I've still got a ways to go.  Maybe someday I'll sew something else.

Wrestle Mania

So what do you do when your mean mom says "no TV tonight, boys"?  Well in our house, you go put on your dad's old t-shirt,  stuff it with pillows and don your favorite Mexican wrestling mask.  

             

wish I'd kept the camera rolling a few seconds longer

nice t-shirts, eh?

Little sister wanted to get in on the action too, but then decided it was too much work. 

don't mind the annoying cackle

New kitchen

I have always dreamed of white cabinets.  A counter depth fridge.  A large single bowl stainless sink.  Oh, the things that make a girl's heart go pitter-patter.

this is not my kitchen.  but I dig it.  

Well, I didn't get any of these things.  But Wren did.  Her daddy made her a play kitchen.  And it's pretty stinkin' cute if I do say so myself.  

don't mind the cheese and the bedhead

We used these plans.  It was a time-consuming project, but not a hard one.  There are still a few tweaks that need to be made like adding a faucet and some touch up paint.  But the girl loves it.  There was squealing and happy dancing feet as her daddy brought it up to the play room.  Wren was excited too.