Giveaway: Personalized Water Bottles

Mom’s get ready for summer with not one but TWO personalized water bottles for baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, picnics, and camps! These are a best-seller at my gift store Snootie Patootie and are available at Little Buddy’s Etsy store. The winner will  be able to choose the design from our gallery of designs.

How to enter:
1. Leave me a comment below. (That’s one)
2. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway. Come back and leave a comment that you did. (That’s a second entry)
3. Fan me on Facebook. Come back and leave a comment that you did. (That’s a third entry)
4. Subscribe to my blog by RSS feed. Come back and leave a comment that you did. (That’s a fourth entry)
Note: Comments are to be left separately for each entry. Otherwise, they will be counted as one entry.

 



The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 7th, 2010. We will utilize random.org in selecting the winner. The winner will be notified by email on Monday, March 8, 2010 and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Should they not claim the prize, another winner will be selected and notified by email.

I look forward to seeing all your entries! Good luck!

Guilty Pleasures

Image via Wikipedia

I have a few guilty pleasures. Okay, more than few.

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter eggs. Just one will do, but goodness two are so much better.

2. Sweet Tea. Come on, I’m from the South. This stuff was in my bottle as a baby I think. And please do NOT try to give me the fake stuff. I want my Grandmother’s Sweet Tea thank you very much.

3. Clarisonic. There are days that I could use that baby 10 times a day. It feels great and it makes my skin look good.

4. Mindless television. Okay, I admit it. I like to watch some mindless television from time to time.

5. Bags. Oh my how I love bags (purses). I thought myself a collector. What was I thinking? I’m a work at home mama. But they sure are pretty.

6. Girly movies. I love to watch girly movies. You know those movies that are all lovey-dovey? Those would be my favorite.

7. Silk pillow cases. Oh my! It’s hard to sleep without one now. I actually take one with me when we travel, that’s how much I love them!

8. Disney characters. There is just something about those characters. They make me feel like a little one again, too. A smile comes to my face just thinking of them. I have a feeling I’ll be a little ole lady begging my grandchildren to go to Disney with me.

9. Portraits. I love photography, but there is something about an oil on canvas portrait that draws me every time.

10. Johnson’s baby lotion. The smell of this lotion is an instant reminder of when Little Buddy was a baby.

11. Twitter. There is just not much to say about that. If you tweet, you get it.

12. Nora Roberts. She writes a great beach read, even when you aren’t going to the beach.

13. Coca-Cola. We just call it Coke here. The real stuff. Please don’t try to give me that other kind.

14. Cast iron skillets. Not much else to say except… cooking perfection.

15. Flat iron. It’s shameful how I used to walk around with such frizzy hair.

16. Monograms. Where I live, we try to figure out how to monogram everything.

17. Fireplaces. Even in the summer. Especially in the winter.

18. Fonts. I could spend all day playing with fonts. I don’t unleash my love of fonts on y’all because I’d break the design of the blog that Darcy fixed for me. But, I restrain myself.

19. Neck nuzzles. Only from my husband.

20. Giggles. Little Buddy’s giggles make my heart smile. No matter what else is happening in the world. I need to record it so I have it forever.

21. Love. I’m a sucker for love. I love my family and can’t get enough of them.


Now, what’s your guilty pleasure?

A Day of Quiet

I’ve looked forward to this day for a month. It is highlighted on my calendar. Not only is it a special day for Little Buddy and my husband, it was to be a special day for me as well.

Little Buddy’s Cub Scout Pack went to Space Camp. He and his Daddy have been talking about this trip for quiet some time. They’ve talked about what the would take with them, what they would see when they got there, and that if the weather was good enough they would fly instead of driving.

I’ve been planning, too. I would spend the day just for myself. Do what I want to do. Nothing more. Nothing less.

They were off this morning at 7:30 a.m. I saw them off, waving from the front porch as they pulled away.

As I went back into the house, my heart felt heavy. My boys were gone for the weekend. My big plans for doing just for myself don’t seem quiet so fun now. I missed them immediately. I am ready for them to be home again.

So, I’ve piddled. It only took an hour to have the house cleaned and clothes washed. So, what next? I attended a class by Amy Bayliss that I’d registered for earlier in the month. But still, I miss the sounds of matchbox cars on the hardwood floors, doors slamming as Little Buddy comes back inside for something, and I certainly miss the stinky smell of my Little Buddy after a full day of playing. That’s what I should be smelling right about now.

So, I’ll resign myself to a day of quiet. I know tomorrow won’t be so. I’ll get caught up in a flash when they return with all the tales of their day of excitement.

3 Steps to Teaching Your Children to Love What They Have

Image via Wikipedia

Help your children to learn limits while enjoying new found time and old treasures.


Surrounded by electronics and enough DVDs to watch until the cows come home, children today are definitely entertained. Our children are also being trained to want the latest and greatest and then cast it aside for the next great thing.

I can relate.

I love the ease of someone entertaining me and I am a marketing firm’s dream when a new product is launched. Whether shoes, gadget, software, or tube of lipstick. You name it and I just want to try it for myself.

Is this the thought pattern that caused the financial crisis we are all feeling? Some say it is. So how do we prevent this same pattern in our children?

It is a perfect opportunity to begin a new way of thinking and living.

1. Transition. Transition your children to a more manageable time allotment for television and electronics. While the American Association of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours per day of quality programming, the average child watches three hours of television per day. Fourteen hours a week is still a lot of television for a child. Determine the appropriate amount of time for your child and implement.

2. Free time. Now your children have time that was previously consumed by electronics and television. Encourage them to “go play.” They will probably discover one of last year’s toys of the minute somewhere in a toy chest or under their bed.

3. New Limits. Establish a limit on new toy purchases. This can be an especially hard one. Especially when you see the Robosapien toy your child has been wanting at an insanely discounted price. Hold firm. Get creative to establish the limit just right for your family. Is it new toys only at birthdays and holidays? How about new toys only under a certain dollar amount? Regardless of the policy adopted by your family make sure you stick to it. If the Robosapien deal is too good to resist, go back without your child and purchase it for his birthday.

The Result

You will be able to enjoy this time with your children and allow them to enjoy time with you. You may also notice more wiggle room in your budget while your child rediscovers all the great treasures he has already.

What are your thoughts? Can you relate?

Pulling Weeds, Planting Seeds

When I was a little girl I had to help my Daddy in his garden. I always hated it. I thought, “Why don’t you just go to the grocery store?” I thought I would grow up, get a great job and not have to worry about having to grow my own food.

Now, I want to garden. I want to put my bare hands in the thick, rich, dark soil and watch something grow. Watch something produce. Watch something flourish.

There is something therapeutic and spiritual about gardening. I just never realized it until now. My life was too cluttered with busy things. Things I thought were immensely important at the time. Things I now know just distracted me. Things that didn’t feed my mind, didn’t feed my soul.

I am pulling those weeds. I’ve reached my bare hands down deep in my rich soil and plucked out the most invasive of those weeds. Like a good gardener, I didn’t compost them. I don’t want them to come back.

I think I’ll be pulling weeds the rest of my life. I know that. I’ve got to deal with the weeds that you aren’t really sure whether they are weeds or flowers. These are the toughest.

Now, I’m planting seeds. I’m planting seeds of love, seeds of life, and seeds of faith. I know with care, time and encouragement, these seeds will grow and produce wonderful things. I know they’ll feed me. They’ll help me grow as a person, wife, and mother.

I now understand a lot more about why my Daddy gardened. The things you grow in your garden can not be found in any grocery store.

Works for Me Wednesday - Bedtime Routine Solved

As a Mom, I'm always struggling with how to get it all done each day. We all know, some days are just better than others right?

My son loves to take a luxurious bubble bath in our bath tub. He'll pull out all stops to be able to soak and play in that tub. (Now y'all know he wanted to give up baths for lent, so I'm all about doing what it takes to get him clean!)

If I'm not careful, he'll become Mr. Prunefeet before you know it. And if he's responsible for adding the bubbles, um... let's just say he's not anymore.

He also loves for me to read stories to him each night. He'll usually say, "one more chapter, Mama. Just one more." Or, "Can we start another book?"

I'm sure your catching on to the point of this little story, right?

Well, yep, you got it.

Luxurious Soaking Bath + Lengthy Reading Time = LONG BEDTIME ROUTINE

That just doesn't work some nights. Some nights, I'd like to be able to have a luxurious soak myself or read the new Beth Moore book. (I just can't wait to start it!)

Anyway, it finally dawned on me, combine the two! That's just what I did. On luxurious soaking nights, I grab our books, a stool and sit right there by the bathtub and read and read.


When all is said and done, we both get what we need:

Little Buddy - a clean body, a relaxing bath, a great book, and time with Mama

Me - a relaxing routine, time with Little Buddy, and if I'm lucky just a splash from the tub.

Do you have a great tip you'd like to share for your routines?

{This post is part of Works for Me Wednesday. Head on over to see all the other wonderful tips!}

Cold Cup of Coffee

What do you make of it?

Every morning I start my day the same, I get up, make myself partially presentable, and kick-off the Keurig. Little Buddy is a light sleeper so as soon as the Keurig makes that
creee…ahhhhh…k sound, he is awake.

With coffee in hand, I’m headed off
to his room to get him up and going. Then it’s breakfast and straight into our school routine. We learn, we laugh, we play, but I hardly have time for sipping on my coffee before it’s time for lunch. (Growing boys are hungry quick, ya know.)

And there it sits, my twice warmed but already cold again cup of coffee. Some days, I add ice and keep on going. Some days I warm it three, four or even five times. And then there are days where I just dump it and move on.

Why in the world am I writing about cold cups of coffee? Well, I think there is a real story here. A connection with life. (I’m thoughtful that way.)

• - Are you the type to just figure out what’s needed and keep on going? Where you add that “ice” and make it something new? Refresh the old leftovers to make them more palatable?
• - Do you have days where you just keep on reheating the old and serving it back up?
• - When do you know enough is enough of something and just dump it and move on?

So, what do you make of your cold cup of coffee?

Today, I choose to make frappes. And you?

The Mommy Games

I’m not sure when the Mommy Games started. You know the ones… “my child could read at 2 months old, I get up at 4 o’clock in the morning looking like a cover model, my house is spotless and in House Beautiful, my prize-winning cookies are at every school party, and my children are in a gazillion activities.”

(I’m only exaggerating a smidge, you know.)

I’ll admit, there was a time I played in those games, too. I had Little Buddy in the Mommy and Me this and that. We were at the best playgroups. We made sure we hit the birthday party circuit. And then some.

Even though I worked full-time plus some at that point, I still didn’t feel like I was being a good mother unless I had Little Buddy in and at everything possible. At least the “good” stuff.

What made me realize this was all a load of boloney?

The day that Little Buddy told me he HATED soccer. I realized I had never even asked him. I had no clue what HE wanted.

From that day on, I’m a much more relaxed mother. There is really no one that I am aiming to impress.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want other mothers to think I’m a complete slacker. I just realized that in all of the competing to do, be, and be seen, I had missed the most important part –


the pleasure of being a mother.

 

What’s your Mommy Games story?

It Was Your Boo-tay!

Fifteen years ago, I was on a blind date with a friend of a friend's son home from college. Don't get me started on why I went, I think my friend must have promised a shopping trip or something extra special like a new purse to get me to agree.

Anyway, I was just out of a relationship and definitely was not interested in another. The pre-arranged blind date was scheduled for us to attend a Christmas party for the company where this guy had interned over the summer.

Even though it was a blind date, I took care in making sure I looked presentable. A nice red dress appropriate for such an event, high-heeled shoes (cause y'all know I love them), and my hair was fixed just so. I have to say, I looked pretty cute.

My blind date arrived right on time and to make a long story short, I could tell he was not my type in less than five minutes with him. He greeted me with Star Trekisms and weird talk that I still to this day have no idea what he was saying. Now, I have nothing against Star Trek, it's just not my thing. It wasn't then and I haven't gotten any further in touch with it over all these years.

We arrived at the Christmas party and were seated at a table close to the front of the room. I had a good time over dinner talking with the other folks at our table, but I was just plain out bored. I just kept thinking, "she (my friend) really owes me one for this." I was dreaming what kind of bag she would have to ante up for from this fix-up.

About the time I was ready to find a way to institute the emergency phone call from a friend ploy I heard, "Excuse me." Obviously someone needed past my seat. My scheming interuppted, I looked up to see bright blue eyes staring down at me. They held so much laughter. You know, the kind of eyes that you just can't look away from? Those that hold your glance a lot longer than they really should? Especially when you are on a blind date fix-up by a friend of a friend who keeps incesantly talking about Star Trek like he has just discovered Spock is at the table? Yep, those eyes.

Then, I moved my chair out the way, smiled back, and he passed by our table. My breath caught in my chest, my eyes burned and blurred, and I felt like I could just pass out right then and there. He had the best looking boo-tay I had ever seen in my life!

Wanna know what happened next? You'll just have to check back soon for the rest of the story.

Night Owl

Image via Wikipedia

I am a night owl.

There is just no two ways about it. My creative juices start flowing after 3:00 PM and keep going until the wee hours of the morning.

I’ve tried changing my sleep patterns to help me become more of a morning person. You know….

these…

• 1. don’t eat after 7
• 2. eliminate caffeine
• 3. go for an afternoon walk
• 4. do not watch television before bedtime
• 5. have a warm bath

I’ve tried them all.

I still just can not sleep well before midnight. Truth be told, it’s about 3:00 AM  and I’m still up piddling.

Oh, and by the way, if you ask Little Buddy what kind of animal stays up all night and sleeps all day, he'll say, "A Party Animal." Now where in the world did THAT come from?

Do you know any techniques to convert from a true night owl to a “regular” person’s sleep pattern? Please share. I need it.

I Heart Faces Fix-It Friday #44

This is my second week participating in I Heart Faces Fix-It Friday Challenge.

This little girl, Emma, is absolutely adorable. There really was not much to enhance here, but I worked with the curves, the catch lights on her eyes and mouth and the brightness of the jacket and jeans. I also cropped the photo a bit to show more of Emma.


Original

My Photo

Let me know what you think. I'm loving the advice and tips!

Learning Sacrifice and Becoming Mission-Minded - Our Lent Observances

Image via Wikipedia

Growing up, my family did not strictly observe lent. Of course we understood about the 40 days of Jesus' sacrifice and temptation from Satan. And we certainly understood the importance of Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter.

As we approached Ash Wednesday, I explained the importance of the season to Little Buddy. We decided we would have a special time of reflection, repentance, and prayer. A time to prepare our hearts for Easter.

We also took this time to learn about sacrifice and how we could become more mission-minded.

Sacrifice
We are fortunate. We have what we think of as essentials like a roof over our heads, food in our pantry and refrigerator, and more clothes than we wear. We also have luxuries like the latest in video games, toys, and trips. We've never had to wonder where our next meal would come from. We've never had to wonder where we are going to sleep one night. Yes, I'd say we are very fortunate.

As we discussed observing lent, we thought of things in our daily lives that distract us from our Christian walk.

I asked Little Buddy, "Name one thing that you love so much that it takes you away from time you could spend with God."

He was thoughtful for a few moments and then replied, "Well Mama, I thought of one thing that takes a lot of time each day, I love it alot, and I could spend that time praying and learning about God."

Me: "Great! What is it?"

Little Buddy: "School."

(What do you say to that?)

My response, "That's a great idea. Let's spend more time each day on our Bible study and prayer time. I'm so glad you thought of that."

His next response: "A bath."

I just didn't think we could stand him going 40 days without bathing and I felt sure the local social services would come knocking on our door if we headed down this route.

Finally, we agreed on fast food. While this might not sound like much to some, it is major for him. He loves McDonald's chicken nuggets, Burger King fries, and Dairy Queen shakes.

As for my sacrifice, I'm right there with him on the fast food. I admit I love Chic-fil-A sweet tea just as much if not more than my own. I'm also restricting my online time. Yes, for those who know me, this is just as big to me as fast food is to Little Buddy.

Becoming Mission-Minded
We are also spending this time becoming more mission-minded.

• How can we help our neighbors?
• How can we help our community?
• How can we help each other?

These are questions we'll be asking each day. Instead of spending that $5 at McDonald's, we'll be able to add it to our offering, we'll be able to buy food for our community soup kitchen.

While we are preparing a meal for our own family, we'll be able to prepare another for a family with a new  baby or sick family member. We'll take a dozen of our eggs to a neighbor. We'll bake cookies for our church staff.

These are all ways we will become more mission-minded here in our own community. These are mission activities Little Buddy can participate in and enjoy seeing the results of his efforts. These are the ways God can imprint love of another on his heart.

Are You A "Just A Minute" Sorta Mom?

Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

Building a Better Relationship with Your Child

“Mama, can you come here please? And before you say it, please don’t say just in a minute.” Needless to say, that got my attention.


It’s shocking how many times parents use phrases like, “Just one minute.” “Just a second.” “Okay honey, just give me a minute.” with their children. I know that I am completely guilty. I didn’t realize how much I used them until one day my son brought it swiftly to my attention.

Parents use these responses to bide time until they can give their full attention to their child. Sometimes, we just say one of these quick little quips without even thinking about it. It becomes a habit. At least it was for me. This was a habit I dearly wanted to break that day. Little Buddy sharply brought the need to my attention. The “Just One Minute” Challenge was born.

1. Notice use.
First, notice when and how you use these phrases. Just by paying attention to the use of such responses to your child, you’ll begin to notice any patterns that you want to address and correct. Believe me, I had plenty.

2. Determine new response.
Think about other responses that you could have given instead. There are times when it may be appropriate to use one of these responses, but most likely, there are other choices that could easily be made.

3. Chat about it.
Have a casual conversation with your child about how it makes him feel when he asks you for something and you respond, “Just a minute.” You may be surprised at the response. It may emotional or it may be nonchalant. Regardless, your child needs to know that you think he is important. Be sure to help him understand that you are human and make mistakes and that you never intended to hurt his feelings. Let him know he should also respect you by not shouting “Mama” during certain times, such as when you are on the telephone.

4. Involve them.
Involve your child in the activities that you are doing. Get him to help you clean, help you cook. While their participation may make changing the bed take a little longer than if you did it yourself, you and your child have shared a connection that you wouldn’t if he were in the other room playing with his Nintendo.

5. Watch them grow.
Self-confidence will build in your child when he feels confident that when he calls you, you will stop what you are doing to be there. Sam is learning not to abuse the privilege and rarely will do so. When he does, a kindly reminder usually gets us right back on track.

Are you a "just a minute" sorta mom?

A New Little Diddy

Change isn't comfortable for everyone.

There is one side of me that sure does wish I didn't enjoy "new" quiet so much. That I was satisfied with the status quo. That I could just be happy with okay. Well, that's just not me. I like to shake things up a bit in search of something new, something better. And I love it when that something seems to be a problem solver.

The Problem

Image by greggoconnell via Flickr

I've been loving connecting with folks that visit my blog. I love it when y'all leave comments and I get a glimpse of you, your life, what you are thinking.

I love it when I'm able to send you an email back thanking you for taking the time to comment, replying to your question, or just saying, "hi there!"

But, not everyone is easy to get in touch with in the bloggy world. More people than you can imagine have their settings such that I just can't reply to you. And I really want to! I really want to say, "hi there!" I love to chat. I promise I won't stalk ya. Much.



The Solution

I've installed the plug-in from DISQUS. I'm hoping it's all it seems to be cracked up to be. Here's what I'm hoping it offers us:

Cleanliness - I love the look of clean comment forms and clean comment sections on a blog. I love to be able to see who has commented and any follow-up responses or questions. This plug-in offers us just that. The comments and corresponding responses will be threaded in such a way that is easy to follow. I need some order in my world!

Community - By now you all know I want to be able to respond to you. This plug-in will allow me to respond to questions, just say "hi" and participate in the discussion. It also will allow you to do the same! Yep, now you'll be able to reply to another reader's question or comment. Isn't that some kind of awesome?

Comprehensive - I really just needed a third "C" word, but this one fits the bill. DISQUS is very comprehensive - for me and for you. You can login with any one of a myriad of social media ids or you can post a comment as a guest. It's entirely up to you. Just remember, I love to see your pretty avatars AND the first time is when you enter the information after that - it's easy street.

So, don't be afraid of the change. Go ahead, throw all care to the wind and leave me a comment. You'll see this change is not quiet as bad as it sounds. You never know, you may be like me and love it so much you decide to install it on your own blog. You can thank me later.

P.S. If you need more official sounding references for DISQUS, here they are:
 - Chris Brogan uses it
 - A Familiar Path uses it

Ok, I don't know about you, but those two are enough for me!

Home Again, Home Again - I Need A Vacation

It's wonderful to be back home again after a lengthy trip. When we pulled up in the drive way, I was excited to be home and anxious over all of the stuff I have to do now that we are home.

1. Unpack RV
It didn't take too long. We all worked together and had it knocked out in two hours.

2. Clean RV
Okay, I'm definitely procrastinating on this one. It needs a definite deep clean and that takes a while.

3. Wash Clothes
While we haven't been "dry" camping (camping without water), we have been camping without a sewer connection. This means the man driving the pump truck was the fella I really looked the most forward to see every other day. Anyway, I had to be conservative and could not use the washing machine in the RV. I've already gotten two loads done at this point, but there is still a TON to go!

4. Put Away Stuff
All the stuff we unpacked from the RV has to find it's home again. We are pretty well situated with this. I can't stand for it not to go right back where it belongs. If it doesn't make it where it belongs by bedtime the night we arrive, I surely do not enjoy my coffee the next morning.

5. Handle the Mail
Goodness gracious, we could save so many trees if we just cut out all of the junk mail that we receive. We were gone for 10 days and you would have thought we had asked for every Tom, Dick and Harry to please mail us all of their advertisements while we were gone. I should have taken a picture of it, but our fireplace was fed by most of it tonight.

Well, now I'm ready for another vacation from my vacation. I'm off to bed.

Flat Friend Fun

My family had a ball at Daytona International Speedway for the 2010 opening speedweek. We go each year with friends and enjoy a full week of NASCAR fun. This year, we also took along my blogging pal Sprittibee. I tell all about why here and over at Sprittibee's blog in my guest post.

I just have to say, Little Buddy had as much fun as I did taking along our Sprittibee Flat Friend. He kept telling me it was just like in a Flat Stanley book. He took charge of Sprittibee for the week. We kept her snuggly folded in his pocket so she was with us at all times. Unfortunately, we had a mix up with jackets and she got left behind on our day at the beach. But, that might have not been such a bad thing since he got soaking wet!

You should see the highlights of Sprittibee Flat Friend's week in Daytona. I think she enjoyed it!



I do think she was disgusted with the whole "hole" incident. She wouldn't even have her picture made after that happened.

Family Mission Statement

Every organization should have a strong mission statement. Something to guide the organization in all that it does. A singlularly stated purpose for existance.

Businesses have them. Not-for-profits have them. Well, let me just say, the good ones do in my opinion.

So, my husband and I decided it would be great for our family to have one as well. We talked a lot about our family values, what our purpose is our family, and how we can always be mindful of the gifts God has given us.

This was a very important discussion for Little Buddy to participate in with us. It demonstrated to him that our family is a very important organization. The one place where when all the world gets crazy, he can get a hug. He can get honest feedback. And where he can give it.  Our family is the place of where we can be ourselves, lean on each other when we need help and prop up those who need it.

God has truly blessed us with a wonderful family. It's our job to keep Him at the head of it and nurture it each and every day. It's also our job to do more and give more.

Our family's mission statement is short and sweet, something we all can remember. It is something to apply in everything we do.

Have you thought of developing a mission statement for your family?

I Heart Faces Friday Fix-It: Week #43

This is my first week to participate in an I Heart Faces Friday Fix-It Challenge. I've always just been to scared to post my pictures. I'm such a newbie!

Finally, I decided I would learn more by doing than from shying away from the challenge.

This is the original photo downloaded from I Heart Faces.

This is the photograph after my first try.

Umm, I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go!

Please let me know what you think. And if you have ideas for me, shout them out!

Being Stingy

I never thought of myself as a stingy person. I guess now that I look back on it, that description probably fits. But only for a few things. My husband, my time with God, and my Little Buddy.

Ah, my Little Buddy. I am stingy with him. I can't wait to get up in the mornings and be the first to wake him up with snuggles, tickles, and telling him I love him. I love to tuck him into bed each night, read books, say prayers, and snuggle a little more.

This is our time. Before he grows older. While I am still the most important woman in his life.

I wonder when he's older if he'll look back on his younger years and cherish these moments as much as I do now.

I know I can't hold on too tightly. I have to let him be a boy. I have to let him grow up. But it just seems like yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. Jaundiced and colicy. We rocked. We snuggled. We loved. I would hold him all night long. Just rocking.

I said it was because of the colic. That's partly true. The other part is more basic. More primal. I was afraid.

I had prayed for this little boy for seven years. My heart had been broken over and over from babies lost and those I'd dreamed about. God had finally granted me my request for a child of my own. In His time. He knew. He knew the child I needed. The child that was perfect for me. He sent Little Buddy to be our son. Straight from heaven.

I know now - or admit - that I was afraid for him to be away from me during the night. What if something happened? What if I woke up and it was just a dream?

We slept that way for longer than I care to admit. To me, those are some of the sweetest nights of my life. Just us - rocking.

So, I admit it. I'm stingy. His first laugh of the morning and last kiss of the day are mine. All mine.

Flat Friends

It only comes once a year. Unfortunately, that once a year has a major conflict with another once a year activity my family enjoys. What in the world am I talking about? Blissdom and Daytona Speedweek. I give all the details over at Sprittibee's.

Thanks to Heather, I was able to send my Flat Friend to Blissdom and be with my family in Daytona. The idea of the Flat Friend came from Cathe for her friend Cheryl.

Gosh! I had an awesome time. Take a look at what all I was into at Blissdom. It looks like I was a pig over the snacks, I lazed about in the bed, I smooched with Darcy, I sang karaoke with Cheryl, but most of all... I was able to *meet* ladies I love.





I owe Sprittibee a huge Thank You for helping me to have so much fun in Nashville.

Now, I can't wait to show her a good ole time in Daytona. I wonder if she's ever been to NASCAR before...

Daytona Speedweek - Trip to the Beach

After I woke up my Little Buddy with a snuggle and a tickle, we enjoyed Banana Bread Muffins from Southern Plate's recipe for Banana Bread. Oh my heavens, I was famous once again in this little piece of the world. My boys loved them.

Then we had a grand excursion over to Daytona Beach. We ate at Ocean Deck restaurant, a favorite of mine and Little Buddy's from last year's trip.

Then, we piled in the car and took a drive on the beach. We had only been on the beach for few seconds when Little Buddy was itching to get his toes in the sand.

{Maybe he was channeling Zac Brown from the concert the other night.}

Don't be jealous, my car is now full of sand.