Momma's

The girls play role reversal...

Molly feeds her baby a bottle.

 

Don't mind if I do.

 

A momma's work is never done.

 

And sometimes momma's just have to "air-out"

 

 

 

I should've known.

We were scheduled to show the house Friday night.  I spent the entire day cleaning and staging the house.  Luckily, Ross was at a friends’ house, which left me with only two girls underfoot…

 

I should’ve known… Molly would pee on the rug that day.
 

I should’ve known…Molly would dump the basket of fluffy toilet paper rolls into the toilet.
 

I should’ve known… Maisie would break the chain of her bike and end up with a bloody ankle.
 

I should’ve known… Molly would dump strawberry applesauce in the living room and track it to the toilet, sink, bathroom floor and sides of the tub.
 

I should’ve known… Molly would throw a bowl of cooked ramen noodles across the kitchen floor and proceed to fling them across the floor with a rag.
 

I should’ve known… Maisie would get a sticker stuck in her pom-poms and cut the pom-pom apart in the house.

 

I should’ve known… Last weeks spilled Nerds candy will never be completely cleaned up.

 

I should’ve known… the cookies would burn in the oven when a neighbor stopped by to chat.
 

I should’ve known…each time I told the girls to keep their hands off the windows and doors, they wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation.

 

I should’ve known… on our way home after the scheduled showing, I’d get a call that the realtor had a sick kid and forgot to cancel the showing. 

 

Live and Learn.

 

Saturday Smiles

 

Maisie's Day

Maisie and I spent our “Special Day” together on Thursday.  I took endless pictures of her throughout the day. One as she ran down the square, while she looked back at me, her hair blowing and smiling from ear to ear… another as she had her nails painted blue at a salon and couldn’t resist smiling at herself in the mirror open-mouthed.  Another while she and I swam like Ariel at the pool and she insisted we kept our arms to our sides and sway our “fins” without kicking.  Those pictures are crystal clear and full of joyful giggles.  Unfortunately, those images aren’t digital files I can share.  Not to worry, they are forever embedded in my heart; just where they belong. 

Special Day Breakfast of Daddy Eggs and Bacon.  Of course a wine glass makes any meal extra special.

Lunch at the Northside Café.  Within 20 minutes that milk would be spilled.  We were about done anyway.

Maisie's favorite order- a hamburger with French fries and a pickle spear.  You can see her stunning nails and new watch from Ben Franklins.  I can't figure out how to set the time, yet she doesn't seem to mind.

 

A Hot Sunday Night

There's something 'bout shooting hoops on a hot Sunday night... 

 

With your Dad in his bacon shirt...

 

and a fire burnin' bright. 

 

As Sugar Plum sips Diet Pepsi while watching the fun...

 

Molly realizes nothin' beats a cold one.

 

Roller Skatin'

If you've been out-of-the-loop for past few years, you may not realize Ross has a favorite store on the Square.  It's called "Something For You."  Its full of vintage collectables and antiques.  You may call it by another name that starts with a j and ends in a k, but it's all about perspective. Ross has developed quite a friendship with the owner.  I've come to the conclusion she completely adores him.

 

Today, I left Ross at Something for You while I wandered down the block in search of fresh basil.  Upon my return, I discovered Ross roller-skating throughout the store and grinning from ear to ear.  He found a pair of roller skates... and they fit.  Plus, they were only $6.  He unloaded his wallet of cash like he always does, when the owner said, "Ross, if it's okay with your mom to buy those, I'll sell them to you for $5 instead of $6.  The rest of the story is history. 

 

 

 

 Click on the below link to catch a glimpse of how we entertained bystanders who passed by our driveway this afternoon. 

Copy of Ross' Skates

7-Year-Old Innocence

It began with him wanting 'product' in his hair while getting dressed-up for a wedding last weekend.  Next came his private drawling journal, a shark-tooth necklace and a bandana.

 

 

This could only be followed with some serious widdeling and a scary looking knife.

 

Bring on a naked, headless mannequin at the Machine Shed and you have a hysterical 7-year-old boy.

 

I came home and found this taped-up in his room. 

Asc Prmihisin Bee For Entring Fum Ros.

Clearly, cobwebs must be already forming in his brain since school ended.

Yet, how I wish I could get a pressure canner, sanitize some Mason jars and preserve his innocence right now.  I'd store it in my heart forever. 
 

A Scrape

Ross fell off his bike tonight.  He said it was really burnin'

 

I had to find the heating pad for his injury.  Fresh air was making it burn worse.  I swear I haven't plugged that thing in since my last uti.

 

I was trying to take his picture, but his finger was up his nose.  I told him to take his finger out of his nose.  So he stuck it in his mouth instead.  Whatever.

 

Here's a shot of the scrape.  You'd have thought he'd lost a foot.

Molly decided she was injured as well.

 

 

Oh, and Maisie too.

 

One might assume Molly appears awfully bruised-up for this early in the summer.  Don't be concerned; she's just due for a bath.

 

The Shade

We spent an evening boating on the pond.  Ross was itching to steer the boat, so Mike let him.  He kept finding his way into the hot sun.  Maisie whined, "It's too hot.  Go back to the shade".  I can already hear G'funk's response and the request for a swig of a Nestea.

 

I took that moment to explain to the kids, without having to sweat under a blazin' sun, you'd never get the opportunity to appreciate the shade.

 

Oh, the lessons I hope to teach my children...

Happy Fathers Day Daddy

In honor of my husband...

Copy of Happy Fathers Day Daddy

Happy Birthday Tim

A birthday message to my big bro... 

 

click on the link below.

Happy Birthday Tim

Old as the Hills

A few nights ago Ross asked if pencils had been invented when I was in school.  I told him, “Of course” and asked him what he thought I wrote with.  Turns out he thought I used a slate.  He went on to ask if I there were radios and freezers when I was a kid.  I realize my wrinkles and sunspots are getting more pronounced, but sheesh!

On our way to daycare, Maisie mentioned there was a lady at the library who read to her.  She explained how the lady looked ‘awesome.’  She had a green shirt and a ponytail.  Ross asked, “Did she look more awesome than Mom?”  Maisie was quick to reply, “Yes”.  Ross said, “That’s impossible Maisie.  Nobody can look more awesome than Mom”. 

I think he knows his birthday is just around the corner.

Leo

 

Is it just Mike and I?

Or does Molly's hairdo look a little bit like Leonardo DiCaprio?

Motor Boatin'

I’ve always dreamed of owning a boat.  Nothing too fancy… just a little fancy.  The idea of floating above the water (where the fish can’t nip my toes) has appealed to me for many years.  Add a few summery drinks, a stellar stereo, a white visor and the smell of coconut sunscreen and I’d consider it the love boat.

Mike brought home a boat this week.  He knows I’ve always wanted one.

 

 

And just like that, you could say my boat dream has been altered.  I'll be the first to  admit, the original dream just isn’t us. 

 

 

Our new dream involves floating on a 12-foot motor boat, a cooler of beer, listening to Kenny Chesney, all while being engulfed in a haze of Deet.  If we get hungry, I’m confident we could snag a few frogs with Mike’s pistol and cook ‘em up on the shore for dinner. 

Funny how quickly dreams can change.

 

The Girls

I realized I hadn't posted this photo of my girls.  It's one of my favorites.  Therefore; I'm sharing it with you!  Happy weekend!

 

She's Getting So Big

She’s getting so big, so fast. 

Last Friday she wore a bra for a portion of the day. Our lifeguard friend stopped by to say hello and commented on how big she has gotten while he's been at college.  I was able to respond, “Yeah, she’s even wearing a bra now.”  Maisie was quick to show him.

Last night she pranced around the house in a wedding gown, complete with a veil and gloves.  It later got twisted up the training wheel of her bike, but we got it untangled without too much fuss.  I must be hormonal because I couldn’t quit picturing her down the road as a real bride and it was all I could do keep from either bawling or signing her up to become a nun.

She asked me if I’d marry her, but I told her it would be better to ask daddy instead. 

He said 'yes'.

 

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story. 

Mike looks slightly uncomfortable with this.

The plant pedestal under Grandma Cakes' Wedding Portrait- the obviously place to pose for this picture.

I just love this little woman.

 

 

Tunafloops

Maisie picked out flowers and a flowerpot from Shopko last week. As we were busy potting the flowers, Molly randomly barfed on the deck, but that's another story.

Over the weekend we were admiring the flowers and I told her they were called  'petunias'.  As we walked around the yard, I also pointed out some 'geraniums' I had potted earlier.

 

I later overheard her asking her friend; "Aren't my flowers so beautiful?  They're called 'tunafloops' and those in the pots are called, 'string-yums."

 

She was so confident, I'm pretty sure her friend believed her.

 

Maisie with some tunafloops

 

one to two

This is Ross on his first day of 1st Grade.  I asked him to hold up the 'one' for the picture.  First grade seemed so old at the time.

 

Below is Ross on the last day of 1st Grade... holding up a 'two'.  

 

 

As sweet as the above photo is, the picture below is the one that stole my heart. 

 

 

Not so much because of the boy posing in the picture, but there's just something about those smiling girls in the background, genuinely smiling at him, that say it all.