Saturday, July 24, 2010

maxn' & relaxn'

so.... we left a day early!  is that so bad?  NOT for us.....
while i am NOT going topless..... I LOVE this beach hat and wish it were mine.... 
Beach hat for one in teal, please.
Have i failed to mention i have TWO young girls with me WHO LOVE babies..... 
Life is a wee bit easier with extra hands. wink wink
Hope your weekends are FABULOUS!!!!

Friday, July 23, 2010

best advice

what is the best advice you have been given?  
Mine is from my parents.... TO HAVE a sense of HUMOR, it is harder than you would think, be able to laugh AT YOURSELF, not to take yourself to seriously or really ANYTHING, too seriously. Stand for something.  Always say please and thank you to everyone no matter the age, yes sir and no maam to all your elders no matter how old you are.   AND TO KNOW.... ABSOLUTELY that you are NOT better than ANYONE else.   No matter where you go in life, how rich you become, if you are the queen or president, own your own business you are NOT too good to do things for yourself, eat peanut butter and jelly, shop the sale rack..... you get the idea!  No one is lesser a person than YOU, no one is MORE of one either, thats the humor part.... its fun to laugh at the ones who THINK they are and be truly sad at the ones who think they are less!!!!  

now....we depart to the beach....but have decided to stick around until tomorrow for a photo shoot for the boys (remember: i said " i will NEVER do another one but after some coaxing of Hollywood baby owner, thats a clothesline for small children, i caved)  and i will miss my plus one until he gets down to the sandy shore.... SO....we decided to dine all fancy tonight and recruit our big daddy to keep the wild indians!!!  

i was beginning to wonder "HOW To get to the beach?"  I have only been multiple times a year for 30 years..... one may THINK i know the way...... nEVER assume ANYTHING esp. that i know how to get there!!! wish me luck.
robot-heart:

  (by Seldom Come-By)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

heavy HEART

So i have bragged to some closer friends and most ALL Family.... I have been placed on the breast cancer FOUNDATIONS board.  I was so so so very honored, taken back, and more so i CAN't  WAIT to serve and work for a much needed cure/research and have i mentioned...

 i am SO PROUD to be a part of such a wonderful thing.... 
I won't list the stats, facts or show charts but EVERY penny.... 
like we raised 3 million in the past 4 years and that equals 30 million in research funds.... 
one of the very drugs my mom was taking, THAT WAS WORKING, and is now keeping a fellow friend alive to date, was funded with the help of this money..... 
the old....4/5 woman will die from this is NOW 1/4..... 
we will find a cure!   
And i hang my head selfishly in MY OWN WORLD (which is where i live MOST OF THE TIME) and say "but y'all (doctors, whoever?)  are too late" and then i think of my one day grand-daughters, my nieces- all four and counting??, my dearest girls i call my own, and possibly hopefully NEVER my boys......
  So i commit to this seat on the board for YOU, but to be honest, and i want to be, i am doing this for my mom.  No, your right, she is not here, it can't help her but her BIG thing was
 "I AM The LAST, the caboose, as she said, the last person in my family to go through this" and she went to heaven believing she was the final breast cancer case.  Thats to be determined but i know my mom is proud of me for doing this, i know she is smiling down at me, as my personal time is limited with the boys, i could NOT possibly begin to think of another way i would rather spend my energy, and thats God's honest truth!!!!
when i got my paperwork with all kinds of confidential statements to sign, seal and re-deliver and then read the fellow board members, i couldn't help but feel YOUNG, immature, lost, and like i had jumped in over my head..... i "put on my big girl panties" called our Mimi to keep the boys and headed to my FIRSt meeting today......
 rib2.gif - 3.1 K 

I had a nervous/sad/heart broken kind of morning but i got to spend a short visit with some dear twin newborns and hold one (i could have stayed FOR DAYS/HOURS/YEARS holding them) but when one child "bo duked, that dukes of hazard style" out of the running cars window, the other one, the 2 year old, was sitting on the suv's window seal OUT of his car seat and my baby had a whole bag of candy dumped into his lap, candy corn no-less, pure grain SUGAR.... i figured it was time to head on out and give the babies and their mama some peace, i can't wait to go back.....i may sneak one in my pocket when i leave..... that was a great distraction to what was coming soon at lunchtime.....  So mimi was there, not a second late..... I hoped in my car, set it on AUTO pilot, as i "used" to be a hospital regular...... 
I talked to daddyc
"do you know how to get there?"
No, sweetie, i have not even looked at the address but ya know, i don't have to anymore, i could close my eyes and get to the cancer building of UAB.... 
And thats just what i did.  
 I was so sad.... I pulled my big ole car in, of course no parking spots vaccant, i had to go round and round and watch the patients being wheeled out by a husband, son/daughter, friend, sister/brother and it brought back memories i thought i would forget of trying to get my mom HOME.... I was so sad.... I was sad for them, both the sick one and the loved ones.   I was sad my mom wasn't inside awaiting a visit from me, i was sad she wasn't HERE period.  I was MAD!!!   I talked to my older wiser brother all the way in, down the hall, into the board room, got my lunch and took to a seat in the back.... 
HEAVEN FORBID i be called on or HAVE TO SPEAK.......
guess what?
after welcoming me to the board.... I may have blushed but was flattered and honored, oh you shouldn't have, i sat down to enjoy lunch, there is a concept.... lunch ALONE.... THEn...
oh my goodness. THEN.....
They ask me to speak.... HOLY MOLY....if you know me, I DON'T public speak, i can NOT public speak and should NEVER be ask to....EVER!!!!!  And i don't know who or what to credit but over the course of a year and a half with all i have had going on and losing my mom..... I don't lose it with tears.... really EVER, i am NOT a girl who cries often or hardly ever (i won't mention my temper...your welcome!) and i can talk about my mom and share in stories and memories all day everyday and really enjoy talking about her..... of course i have cried, mostly at night, in the middle of the night and probably always will but even at times i wonder what in the world... 
but today dear friends.....
 I was a complete basketcase.......I saw mom's old doctors, nurses, her floor, sick cancer patients holding tightly to hope, a fellow cancer survivor who is living and doing GREAT taking the same meds. my mom was..... I couldn't hold it back... 
i was plain sad and missed my mom.
  I don't need an excuse and i really didn't want the big fat lady, i am sorry for my rudeness, asking me if i was okay and what was wrong.... I felt like saying;
"did you just hear me say i lost my mom May 4th of THIS YEAR?  And you look like you could have EATTEN her? And are you STILL staring at me????"   
No readers, i am a true born and raised southern-er, i simply said 
"oh, i am just missing my mom today more than ever and yes, i am okay, thank you so much for asking.  Nice to meet you"
So i am fine now.  Back to the gridestone... my middle child is in my lap as i type playing superheros.... Who knew superman could jump into the antique decanter set so well?  not me.
Pink Ribbon Balloon Party Pack - Jumbo
(do you think of my mom when you see balloons?   we took pink balloons to her grave-side service and watched them float to her, as i know, she was having a party with her parents and loved ones)

Anyway, I will be rallying YOU for donations, to COME JOIN OUR Fund raising (i can promise you a good time, you know i am all TOO honest about my fun, they truly ARE FUN events!) so think of excuses now and save your money.... The next big thing is our Belk event. Oct. 24th.  YOU ARE COMING!!!!  You don't have to shop, just come enjoy a hope-tini, a cocktail of choice, dinner, live music...... And you can shop privately too for 20% off everything with FREE gift wrap too.... Its a sunday night, and unless you are at church you'd better be there or our friendship is over.... only kidding...... but i would love to share a drink and catch up with you!
OH, the best part is, at the end of our meeting (they took our picture, i am sure i looked FANTASTIC of course i replaced my WATERPROOF mascara with normal YEStERDAY, funny how that worked out) 

no the best part is they said 
"amy, would you be willing to do our news marketing?"  AS IN,  talk on a tv segment...... I mean.... DId they just miss my tid-bit of public speaking?  are they kidding? I said uuuummmmm NO
but i know who will..... My dearest sister in law who is SO GOOD at it.... And while i have not talked to her yet...EEEEEEKKKK!  I have fingers crossed she will not hate me and both hands crossed that she will still keep my boys next week!!!!  But she is great at serving others and i know she would love to help a foundation we have just dealt with.   Thanks in Advance Aunt HOlly.  We love you!   

readers? are you there?

it's a fact.   The LAZY days of summer are ANYTHING but lazy..... which is my lack of posting excuse.... We have been busy with zoo, pool....lots of pool time,  our local mcwane center, other friend's pools, LOTS of errands (when we are out of town a lot we build up LOTS of errands) note: the boys DO NOT like errands!!!!  so no pictures and no post... that's what we did this week.  And each and everywhere we have been this week...all my boys decided they REALLY really REALLY were missing their mama (no, i have not been ANYWHERE!) and thought i should hold all three all the time, where ever we went, and then when we got home, Can we ALL cuddle with you mama?  WOW!  while it sounds quite flattering and sweet..... GOODness GRACIOUS!! 
 I have decided to rent them out if anyone is interested? 

Anyway, me and my brood are packing our bags yet again to head out to the oily beaches..... We thought about it for a millisecond about NOT going but couldn't resist!!!!  We have been out of town so much this summer its hard to get re-adjusted long enough to be adjusted at all......After this trip we will have been out of TOWN for over 40 days all in all since May..... But i think this is our last harrah?  well, until the last week of August and then a week in October, THEN, that is IT  (unless we put together a ski trip??) and we have some dear friends begging for us to spend the week we return from the beach at the lake while they are all there..... I just don't know if my crew or their mommy can handle it after 12 days of beach.... while i LOVE random on the go... I LOVE even more some normalcy,  while i know it's far from normal, it's OUR normal with my "things and places" at my finger tips within a mile or two..... SSSOOOO
Miss us while we are gone.....
france
i will return to regular blogging at some point.  And i am having a LOVE/HATE relationship with the FACT that my biggest baby will go to 5k FIVE DAYS A week from 9-1:00 this year. sniff sniff.  I am missing him already..... 
And my littlest lamb of a baby starts mothers day out for the FIRST TIME.  BIG sniff sniff..... In 31 straight months i have had a baby at home with me 24/7, you read RIGHT..... THIRTY ONE STRAIGHT MONTHS....that is OVER 2 1/2 years!


  And i feel quite sure that after the first week, i will sit down ALONE and be so so so sad that i am ALONE without a baby boy ALL OVER ME!!!!!  but on some of these longer, 100 degree days, i find myself thinking..... it's only 5 more weeks!!!!! And it will be hard to believe i won't have to pay a sitter to go to the dentist or have my haircut and even harder to believe that i won't have to get the grocery cart with the TWO car steering wheels that is like pushing an 18-wheeler around and then open ATleASt 2 boxes of cereal to make it through, singing and bribing the whole time....... I mean... i will just be plain SPOILED!  but not to lose focus, i must pack for the beach.  Miss US while we vacate to the sun and sandy beaches.

Monday, July 19, 2010

DoN'T judge a boy by his COVER

meaning.... i got pictures off my phone this morning and WOW!  This is what the boys wear when mommy is just OVER it and it REALLy doesn't matter.....

notice: how sweet this angel looks......
also, notice how my boys can NEVER do the RIGHT thing...always climbing, trying a "new" way....


yes, i realize my biggest baby is in fact 4 and probably a little old for stroller rides.... but he was nice enough to man the heat for his middle brother to enjoy the ZOO, THE WHOLE ZOO and nothing but the ZOO for hours so it was only right that he ride and enjoy a cool drink......  My middle baby begs for the zoo each and everyday so this past weekend we went and stayed awhile and looked at each and every animal....twice!!!!!  He was a kid in a candy shop...running from animal to animal, laughing and smiling like no other..... Mental note: MUST take him more often!!!  And yes.... My biggest baby chose his ORANGE get-up, he would dress orange and blue every single day if i let him.....while i don't love orange on orange or even the color orange period...... IT REALLY DOESN'T matter? rinse and repeat.  It really doesn't matter what the children chose to wear each day!!! oh! this ones going to be hard.
i think we looked at the "mingos" for half an hour!

we mined for GOLD.... Nothing like finding cool rocks in some muddy water.  That equals HEAVEN in my boys book!




is this where i should i have left my boys?
yard work amongst goats... Does it get any better than this?
and my littlest lamb was NOT getting left out of this one...... He only tackled the goats once and hit one with the rake twice.....
there we go.... Something to climb on!

intended for my children and the goats.... both who love to climb to high places!

Back to my manic monday!  I hope yours is good and Yes, Daddyc made it safe and sound home from New Orleans and yes, Our big daddy made it safe and sound to his work destination up north and my older wiser brother and his crew made it home safe and sound from Atlanta....And our Mimi is safe and sound in Chicago.... Gosh, some travlen' fools my family is!  We are heading to the beach this Friday just so we don't feel left out of the summer travels. wink wink.

How cool is this bed?
AND THIS ONE...



Friday, July 16, 2010

merry merry.

 Dear Santa, 
if you could surprise me with these things below while i take the boys to the pool i would FOR SURE BELIEVE IN YOU forEVER....
(via justinetaylor)
when you can't find a light fixture to suit.... buy TWO and hang them close.... I will take them!
heaven?
and its what i need today.... that and an iv of coffee.... Me and late nights are not ALwAYS a good match.

knock knock

BUT....if you live at my house... to write this on your bedroom door WOULD in deed be a HUGE gigantic mistake....
13
brick floors? yes, please..... 
Santa? still taking notes?



TGIF and linens

so we showered a bride with linens last night....And after seeing the beautiful and fun gifts she received i am thinking i will REGISTER again and see what happens????  'cause after 7 short short years of marriage, my kitchen towels have seen better days to say the very least.  Good time was had!
i hate those random shots when people take them of you while doing something but i had too, for the bride's mama..... 
See, Sometimes; although its rare, i DO WHAT is ask of me. wink wink




nothin' like kisses from your mama


And i KNOW what you are thinking, 
"she could have atleast done something with her hair"
and sure I COULD have but it was hot, really really HOT
And i just smile thinking of how us mamas roll into a party
"gosh, my ________ (husband's name) was running later, so i had NO time to get ready, uuuhh!!! i am still sweating from playing with the kids"
or
"Phew! i left my baby girl naked and my baby boy in his skivies and HAD no dinner for them and bolted as soon as he walked in the door"
or
"my, child's name, was AWFUL today"
"look at me, i didn't even have time to shower again after the pool, sorry girls"
"i am eating just a little, i have already eaten my daughter AND my son's dinner tonight"
Dear party goers,
i promise we love our husbands and babies more than life itself.
i also promise we don't complain ALL the time....
And most of all 
ITS NOT AS BAD AS WE MAKE IT SOUND 
and is actually PURE bliss to watch our babies and play with them daily and we all are very blessed with fabulous husbands who are leaving us in a couple hours for New Orleans to have a little fun of their own we just like to KEEP IT REAL with all our catty comments!
XOXO, 
loving wives and mamas

Thursday, July 15, 2010

thankful thursday

today i am thankful for....
a night with girls and ALL girls
and i hope for my fridays sake...singing is NOT involved on my part. wink wink.
And just to throw the blog post completely sideways with the topic....

HOW cute would MY boys look in these at the lake?  
i mean..... 
someone please donate them to us!!!
do you think they would sit in them.... i can help you answer that
NO, not in a million years, 
NOT even for a second to get that sweet picture,
 NOT even for a cupcake or any type of bribe..... 
thats just how they roll........
STUBBORN and UNRULY-  I blame their daddy. wink wink.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

a baby makes 4

coming next month.... a new baby girl.
we had a TRUE TEA PARTY....
(and the little silver spoons were too cute)


tea with honey, cream, squeezes of lemon
chai, green, and all kinds




the hostess group










cute place. good food.  great company.  all the baby needs.