It's another Saturday night...

We had so much fun last night celebrating Mrs. Mandy Vogeler's birthday. It was very low key and so relaxing. In the end, the boys went to bed (separately, of course LOL) and Mandy and I stayed up and giggled endlessly. Gotta love celebrating someone's birthday with her for the 22nd year of friendship.

Tonight we head over to Shea's house for a joint birthday party for Shea and Jen. It is a family fun party, but we will be there without the kids since Phillip's parents surprised us by inviting . Today, Aunt Melissa took Miles on an early birthday shopping spree! She got some new clothes, new shoes, a dress coat and a Build-A-Bear unicorn!

BTW, Neil just told us a hilarious story about water balloons in college. He and his roommate would leave the bars 20 minutes early so that they could make it back to the dorm room before the masses began to walk by after closing time. They would launch water balloons from their dorm room window using a huge slingshot apparatus that engineer Neil created, and his roommate would tell him when to launch. He would launch the balloon that inevitably soaked someone.

The thing is, they lived across the street from Greek Row, so the victims would always just assume that someone in a fraternity house did it. No one ever looked across the street to see these two guys roaring with laughter in a top floor dorm room window.

One night, a group of guys became enraged and began beating on a fraternity house door. Fire trucks and cops ended arriving to restore peace and Neil and his roommate stood around in the crowd just watching, trying to look innocent. It may not sound that funny now, but we all just fell out laughing like maniacs. I guess you had to see the presentation of the story in person!

I love a Rainy Night

This week has been nothing but rain in Middle Tennessee. Literally, we have woken up to rain and gone to bed with rain. We have been entirely too lazy but it feels so good to be lazy sometimes. It is also better for my checkbook! The week has mainly consisted of Lola and I lounging around watching kids movies and taking naps. We've avoided getting out except for picking up Miles. I am ready for some sunshine but I think I'll miss the rain!

Fall vegetable fun

Tonight, Miles' school held a fall festival. Games galore and food for sale just about sums it up. Except that Lola kept asking me all day long if it was time to go to 'the fall vegetable' yet.

I love this!

My friend, Mandy Caffey Vogeler, makes some awesome mixed media art, but when I saw this post, I just knew that I had to share it! Enjoy!

When I say D, you say A, When I say DA you say R!

I am joining the Daughters of the American Revolution. I was asked to join by Mrs. Betsey Murphree at my Junior League meeting and she told me last night that they voted yes on me. We got a little tickled because I didn't even know I was officially under consideration and did not actually intend to apply until next year, but it's cool.

I am a ninth generation DAR. My great, great, great, great, great, great, grandfather, Captain Hans Heinrich Felder, led colonial troops to victory over British soldiers in the South Carolina low country in a few different battles. The period piece movie "All for Liberty" was based on his troops. So there you go. You can learn something new about me everyday if you want to. LOL!

I'll let you know how it goes; I'm not really sure what to expect. Betsey told me they get together for dinner once a month, all sharing a blood link to our country's beginning, to surround themselves with other people who have an interest in preserving our country's history. I can dig that.

Amen, sister.

This morning, I saw a friend's incredibly poignant status on Facebook and couldn't help but nod my head in agreement. What did it say?

"The only people you need in your life are the ones that need you in theirs."

Nobody puts Baby in the corner...

How sad it was to glance down at my buzzing cell phone earlier and see a text telling me that Patrick Swayze had died. I wasn't quite ready for the last dance of the season. RIP Johnny Castle. Dance on!

What's going on in our world

The weekend started off with some really sweet girls heading to Blockbuster to choose a movie after a pizza dinner! We came home with a Scooby Doo flick and Coraline. Later, delicious white chocolate macadamia nut cookies were served upstairs on our silver Aurthur Court bunny tray. Needless to say, it was a night of indulgence but sometimes it's fun to be a little spoiled! If it helps, we did take a nice walk around the neighborhood to get our blood pumping.

The next day, we had plans to go to tailgating at the MTSU Blackout game. However, Phillip woke up Saturday motivated to get some things done around the house and we had a change of plans. Furthermore, the kids were being a little sniffly and whiney. It was disappointing to bail on seeing our friends but truthfully, I was completely exhausted anyway. Meanwhile, Phillip located my old lava lamp from college and cleaned it up. I got said lava lamp for either my 21st birthday or Christmas that same year from Casey and I have always loved it! I had wanted to retrieve it from the storage closet outside for a while so that I could put it in the girls' bedroom. They were so happy to watch it as they drifted off to sleep last night! My best friend, Mandy, has one in her house, and that got them interested. They were too excited to find out that I had one, too!

Today we headed to Franklin to visit Phil's parents. I ran over to the mall for a few things but otherwise we just had a nice relaxing visit. Tonight I do believe we'll be watching the VMAs...and that's basically a wrap for this weekend.

Why do we find random things that we love but can't replicate?

I am a wonderful replicator. I can often find a way to reproduce recipes that I like to much acclaim. However, we all have a few things that just really make us happy yet we can not ever seem to reproduce these things, right? Here are mine:

• Stones River Country Club balsamic vinaigrette: Oh my. The best balsamic every. Little bit tangy, little bit sweet. Can't find anything close outside of the CC.
  
• Fresh Express Ginger Sesame dressing that comes in their Asian salad kit: the perfect combo of flavors without being bitter. Yum to the max...except the kit cost $4.50 when it isn't on sale.
  
• Fried pickles like they had at Puffing Billy's circa 1998-2001: battered to perfection in a thick, bready coating instead of a thin crumbly layer. I have tried everything possible and can not recreate that breading. The closest thing is panko, but panko is not what they used.
  
• Pizza like Jet's or Pizza Perfect: a thick Sicilian crust that comes out crisp and delicious.
• Honey mustard from Zaxby's: what is up with this one? Absolutely no honey mustard on the market has the perfect sweetness AND zing of Zaxby's!
• Waffle house eggs: how do they make them so perfect when I can see them cooking them and they aren't adding anything out of the ordinary??
• Demos' chicken and rice soup: I have tried recipes that I've found online, including the lemon juice that I know they add, but mine came out with a broth that is entirely too thick.
  

Anyway, can you tell I'm hungry but avoiding a late night meal?? All of the things on the list make my taste buds very happy and but wallet very empty. Maybe I need to try again!

I'm gonna make a statement and leave it at that.

My kids will grow up to love me more than sunshine. I am a disciplinarian when necessary and a best friend when possible. I am a momma most of all. I watch out for them and protect them and love them with all my heart. I teach them well and it shows in their accelerated intelligence and artistic abilities. They are hilarious characters that are well liked and outgoing. They are courteous and considerate most of the time, which is great for their age. We choose healthy snacks most of the time but also know that a little bit of pizza or a happy meal once a month is worth the fun. Anyhoo, my point is just that I am so thankful that I am not a full blown lunatic raising children that will grow up to literally hate me when they reflect back on their childhoods. Not everything has to be a harsh reality at 3 and 5. The end.

Book

I'm currently reading Puff, which is classified as a comic novel. Let me tell you, a comic novel it is. I have laughed out loud repeatedly, and I am so glad that Shea let me borrow it! I haven't had time to read like I normally do here lately, so I am happy to be enjoying my favorite form of escapism once again!

New month, new season, new budget

The weather isn't the only thing changing. Life is changing around here. We now have a school girl and a suddenly extroverted Lola running around this joint. I am loving it. Another way that life is changing is that I am starting a new budget this week. Being more accountable for my spending. Watching what I buy so that I don't waste money. Being more conscious of how much we blow on wants instead of needs. I think it will have a great impact on our family. I am excited!!! Yes! I am excited!

I am officially signed up to be a room mom.

The past few days have been an emotional roller coaster! I've felt elated that my studious little girl was finally going to start kindergarten because I absolutely know that she thrives in a stimulating environment, but I've also had moments of completely inconsolable sobbing at the notion of letting go. Today was the day. She started kindergarten.

She wore a precious little brown pleated hem A-line dress from The Gap with her new high tops and little bow barrette. She carried her Baby Bambi backpack and she colored her morning work like a champ. I know she will do so well in the world of academia. It just takes some getting used to when you've taken care of this person from the time they were a little 5 lb peanut until now...virtually every single day.

Here you see Miles listening to "The Kissing Hand" just before we left.

When I picked her up, she came bouncing to the car, exclaimed what an awesome day she had and asked if she could return tomorrow. That alone made everything all better. It isn't that I don't want her in school yet. In fact, a big part of me is overwhelmed with relief. I love my girls and we have a ball, but disciplining your child is heartbreaking, and when you stay at home, you discipline, discipline, discipline all day long sometimes. Some days, I am ready to strangle someone by lunchtime. My children are generally well mannered, and maybe that is why I stress so much over bad behavior when I see it. Staying at home is a huge blessing and I wouldn't trade it for anything but it is a job that allows no breaks or lunch hours, so you can imagine how trying it is; furthermore, at times your 'customers' at this job beg and pull on you left and right whenever they please.

I am not good at goodbyes, so the thought of taking her in and leaving was extremely hard for me. I have spent the last almost six years taking care of her every need, going to story time, treating her to the zoo and lunch at 'the pizza parlor' and celebrating birthdays at Walt Disney World. For every stressful moment at home, there has been one of pure bliss. Just about the only way to describe ending your time as the hands on care giver for a child is bittersweet. You are relieved to no longer have to handle everything but you are in a panic that you won't be handling everything!

When we arrived at school, we happened to walk up just as Miles' cousin was walking in. What a God thing! It took my mind off of wanting to cry and it made Miles' day!

All in all, the first day is over and I made it without crying again all day! We already have our clothes ready for tomorrow and our game plan set for the morning routine. Wish us luck and pray for success at school for Miles, please!

Random fun

I already posted this on Facebook, but for those people still not on FB, here ya go:


ok I'm answering this but I am also listening to some mad beats as I type this and dancing while sitting, if that makes it any more interesting...LOL. I will apparently always be a hip hopper at heart cuz I can go wherever I like and going anywhere with me is one big fantastic voyage. questioning my lyrics? Check it out. I didn't misquote it. Just because it isn't the title doesn't mean it isn't a line in the song. :) And by now, surely you know that I'm serious but I'm also joking.


Do you eat food of the floor?
well not habitually

Have you done anything you regret in the past week?
Absolutely nothing to regret :)

Have you hit anybody in the past week?
UGH I think I probably swatted my child's butt for being bad one time...and don't even think about judging me for it if you don't have kids. :)

Do you like anybody right now?
well of course

Do you like weird food nobody else seems to like?
I am very, very picky, though I am sure that there is something. I do love artichoke hearts as a pizza topping.

Would you actually consider yourself a weird person?
I KNOW I am a weird person. :) I am also: artistic; extremely smart; classy, eloquent and well spoken when I'm not being silly; stylish; and genuine. So I'm ok with being weird. As I'm famous for originally coining this quote, I will say that a lot of idiots might think I'm a nerd, but I'd just die if I was an idiot, so we'll just call it even. My entire family is freaking hilarious. I'm talking holiadys ALWAYS end with everyone around the dinner table for a couple of hours and somebody laughing til the cry.

Has anybody in your family made fun of you?
I'm the youngest of four kids.

Have you ever been hurt emotionally?
Does the Pope wear a funny hat. We ALL have.

Have you ever failed a test?
yes but usually do pretty well with very little preparation

Have you ever lied to your parents?
yes

Do you still lie to your parents?
No

Do you work for your money?
Stay-at-home-mom

Have you ever lied about your age?
No unless a fake ID counts

Have you ever made fun of someone at school?
never for being disadvantaged, yes for being a douche. My parents would murder me if they found out that I made fun of someone for being less priviledged. I would have gotten a talkin' to about that. I didn't want to create a scenerio that resulted in a talkin' to.

Have you ever given out info on the internet?
not really but I have a blog

Are you angry at anybody?
nope

Have you ever held a grudge?
absolutely but the recipient deserved it. Don't make me name names.

Do you spend your money for good use?
say what?

Have you ever cried over something really stupid?
Probably

AND SOME RANDON INFO that I am adding just for your enjoyment:
I took lessons in the following at some point in my life: piano, tennis, modeling, toll painting (that's the 80's crafty country style if you didn't know) and pottery plus foreign language (french) from age 5. Yeah baby, I was a pageant contestant and that meant you just had to take modeling. LOL! PS For the tennis, it was my mom, dad, sister Dinky and me when I was 15. It was my dad's idea that we do it as a family. LOL!

I am the youngest of four. My name was Amy when I was born but my mom called a nurse in and had my birth certificate changed when my dad went home to take a shower. Swear to God.

I got a trampoline one year for Christmas, a bb gun for Christmas in 2nd grade and a horse named Mandy in third grade. I think my parents were trying to create a Mary Lou Rhetton/Annie Oakley hybrid child.

I got my for real driver's license on my 15th birthday because my parents straight broke the law and took me out of state and lied about my primary residency.

The week I turned 16, my dad got mad at me for not picking up on a five speed easily with him sitting in the passenger seat screaming at me for stalling, so he told me to take my car out on Friday night and figure it out. I did but only after Sandy and I stalled out trying to back out of a parking spot of Sonic on Broad Street. I proceeded to drive around Murfreesboro like a maniac in a really fast car. I got a lot of tickets. I look back and wonder why in the world I didn't get the keys taken away from me?!?!?!?!?! At least I never got my Riverdale parking pass temporarily suspended for speeding in the high school parking lot, right Ayslin????? AHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry girl but I'll never forget it.

Happenings around our house...

Wow. Exhaustion is an understatement of my physical state since the weekend. The one thing that makes it much more bearable is the notion that the money raised at the rubber duck derby went to the Child Advocacy Center! It feels so good to make a difference and to know that my kids saw me working as a volunteer. Furthermore, it makes it a lot easier to be at home with my children if I am also busy with a community project. I love my kids, but I am high strung and is just isn't my nature to enjoy the uncertainty and often the unproductive nature of being a SAHM! I would like to see more of my mom friends commit to some cause, any cause!


This coming weekend marks my MOPS retreat; the Belle Aire MOPS leadership team is heading to Center Hill for some girl time at the lake. I am serving as the publicity chair once again, so the retreat will be a fun time to route our road map for the year. The international theme for MOPS this year is about space, so I have to think of ways to make a fun connection to Jesus and space!! Suggestions are welcome. I'm talking newsletter theme, decor theme, etc.


Miles starts school in 24 days and I just can't believe it. It seems like just a year ago that I snuggled my little monkey baby in her nursery. I miss the mural that her fabulous daddy painting while she was still in my belly. I feel certain that the current owners of our old house painted over it, but I pretend not to believe that! It was just so phenomenal...a washed out, dual-tone toile. So original and so much talent shown in it.


I know that I will be ok in the actual classroom, but I have a really big gut feeling that I will have to pull my car over and cry like a baby when I leave the school. Having said that, I am really excited about being at home with Lola alone for the first time. She is anxiously awaiting her one on one time, though she hasn't grasped the fact that sissy will be gone in order for us to have that one on one time. We'll have to see how that goes. Anyone that knows Lola is aware that she isn't too thrilled to be separated from Milesy. Pray for little Lola's heart as she embarks on this solo time at home and for little Miles' heart as she begins a journey that might be challenging since she can be exposed to children that are not raised in the same manner as my children.


On another note, I am actually enjoying this dreary, lazy day. There is just something relaxing about the drizzle. Normally, I'd be pretty disappointed at the lack of sunshine...but after this weekend, I need an excuse to stay at home all day!

Busy as a bee

Wow. We've been a busy little family lately! This past Wednesday, I took the girls to the CAC Duck Derby tagging party. They entertained themselves playing, mainly. At one point, though, I got super nervous when I couldn't see Miles anywhere. I was cleaning ducks when asked my friends to pardon me for a minute, as I couldn't see Miles. Lora (of The Lula Smith Collection fame) then pointed out to me that Miles was behind me at another table, amidst a group of adults, just cleaning those ducks like her life depended on it. I am so incredibly proud of the volunteer's heart that she already has! Speaking of Lora, she is a friend and an artist, so she's cool like that. She makes me laugh forever and her husband is real sweet and she loves Jesus but doesn't make a fuss if you drink a little, so I like her. Plus, she's super cute and has wicked style and class, so she makes me look good.

On Saturday, the girls and I took a little journey to the library and to Uncle Dave Macon Days. We enjoyed ourselves, except I could strangle the jerk that set up some inflatables and wanted $10 per kid to jump. Honestly, I don't think a festival should allow them if they are going to be so blatant about ripping people off. Why? Because it ruins the entire outing for the parents that have to listen to constant begging. Ahem. Parents such as me. Back to the subject of UDMD, I was sad to see that even though they were adamant about not allowing random people to invade the art area, they DID have Gutter Guard, Bath Fitter and several others like that. I am glad I did not do it this year. We came home, napped or rested and headed out to my parents' house for dinner.

We've had my niece, Brittany, and her boyfriend, Matt, in town from Louisiana this weekend, so we had dinner with them on Saturday! Lots of fun time sitting around talking and shopping at The Avenue's Ulta and being there when she got the call saying that she was hired for a position that she wanted! Great times. We're sad that they are going home tomorrow.

Tomorrow both of my girls go to the dentist for their cleanings! Pray for no cavities again this time!

Lake time!

Our July 4th weekend was off the hook. We were quite busy! Part of the weekend was spent on Tims Ford. We took lots of pictures and I'm posting just a few of my favorites.

Ready to hit the water...

Aunt Dinky and Lola swimming at the dock...

Drake and Phil showing us their guns...

All four kids hanging out up front...


Miles and Lola in one of my favorite shots of the day!

Wow!

We are all devastated that Steve McNair was found shot to death in Nastyville today! I can not believe it. He was one of the good guys. He had one little ordeal once, but he wasn't in the cops for serious crimes like some NFL players, and he was a country black dude. He was so likable! We're gonna miss him around here. It will be very interesting to follow the case as it unfolds, though I sure wish he hadn't been killed.

Who heard me??

I was on WGNS to speak about the Child Advocacy Center and the Duck Derby today! It was so much fun! I think I'm addicted to being a spokesperson now!

Don't forget...
July 18th
Family fun fest at noon, drucks race at 4:34 PM
Sportsman's Lodge on Medical Center Parkway

Adopt your ducks at local businesses or

at www.duckrace.com/murfreesboro !

Irons in the fire OR Why some people think it's their place to comment on my obligations

If you know me, you are aware that on top of being Momma to Miles and Lola and a wife to Phil, I am a Chi Omega Alum, a Junior League member, a member of the MOPS steering team at Belle Aire and on the planning team for the Child Advocacy Center's upcoming Duck Derby.

Not that long ago, someone commented to me (unsolicited, of course) that I had too many irons in the fire. Are there times when I just wish I could stay at home instead of attend a meeting? Of course. Would I miss all of those groups if I stopped my involvement tomorrow? Absolutely. I would be crushed. I would feel less fulfilled.

On a daily basis, I see the benefits of staying at home and volunteering. I am there to give my girls the encouragement they need but also sculpt their ideas about what is acceptable behavior or what it means to be well rounded. I dance with them, I sing for them and I paint with them. I take them to the library, the zoo or to play with friends. I am able to do all this while maintaining my other commitments at night.

I believe that my children are heavily influenced by seeing me work for these groups as a volunteer. In fact, Miles is already showing so many signs of a perfect little public servant. She is on fire with the notion of doing good for others! Just take a minute to process that. My daughter, at less than six years old, expresses interest in volunteering. She wants to be like me...and I specifically make it a point to set an example through voluntarism. Now how can that be a bad thing?

I know that I do not have too many irons in the fire, and quite bluntly, I think my opinion on that little fact matters more than anyone else's.