been buzy

I've been busy.

First last week was filled with these two faces.

and then Andrew and I went to Atlanta.

We took the advantage of a friend's wedding, and Andrew being a groomsman

to make a weekend kid-less trip

What'd you do this weekend?

Simple

The other morning I got home from work at 6:15am.

(I work the 3rd shift / overnight shift)

Leah, my oldest, woke up shortly after I came home.  Usually I get home more around the 5am witching hour, but work that night was long and hard and busy.

I tried to get her to sleep longer; 'just 15 more minutes and you can wake up Daddy' I promised her.

But she didn't care about my tricks or my desire to crawl into bed and sleep forever.

"I'm hungry: I'm thirsty, and I want to watch my t.v.", was all I could get from her.

So naturally like any sleepy annoyed mommy .... I fought her.

"Just go wake up Daddy," I pleaded.

"NO!  I don't want to," she countered.

"Andrew, wake up!  Leah's awake," I begged to my hard-to-wake-up-on-first-try husband.

"She wants you," he groggled back.

"but I want to sleep" I pouted.

I gave up on sleeping right then.  I poured Leah cereal, and milk, and turned on Little Einsteins for her to watch.

And then she hugged me; she grabbed me so hard, harder than I would imagine a 3 year old could.  She held me there, and I realized she did want me to give her breakfast.

She kissed me.  Said "I love you Mommy".  And then went on to watching t.v. and munching on cheerios.

It's the Simple Things, like being reminded how much you are loved even when you are grumpy and tired and just want to go to sleep.

I love you sweet girl

so. very. much.

Why Books are better than Movies

I figured it out!

The meaning to life.  Well, no not really.  But I have figured out why I don't like movies made from my favorite books.

by Michael Connelly

I loved this book.  Well, I still do.  I love this book.  It was different than any book I had read, and I've read many courtroom books (like all of John Grisham).  My Dad and I share the same taste in thrillers, and we so enjoyed this book.  So when they announced a movie was been made from it, my dad was super excited.  

I'm watching the movie right now.  And it's a great movie ... but I hate it.  And I've figured it out.  It's too fast. When you read a book, you become a character in the story.  In the Lincoln Lawyer, it's Micheal Haller.  I understood him.  I felt him.  I cried when he cried.  I smiled when he smiled.  I feared when he feared.  This is one of those books that I lived whether I was actually reading the words or not, thought of always, and stayed up way too late into the nights to read this book.

With the movie, a 30 second scene encompasses a chapter or two.  I feel like I'm being dragged along by the movie.  They keep going, but I want to yell 'stop' wait, you didn't tell them about this; wait, there not going to get it; I know the background, I know this character and you just can't fit a book into a movie.  In the movie they spent 10 seconds at a crime scene that had me sobbing while reading the book.

You just can't fit that kind of emotion into a book.  Movies are great, but books pull at your heartstrings.  Books make you feel, think, believe you are someone else.  

It's a good movie.  You should watch it.  Then go read the book.  Because it's better.

Just a Picture

the Paper Mama challenge theme is black and white.  I once described this photo as leaving me breathless.  To see more, check out the challenge site!

Fragmented aka randomness

I made a vlog.  You can't see it.  Why?  Because my internet for some unknown reason has died, dead, put flowers on the tombstone, gone.  Sorry, I've been watching a lot of Gilmore Girls.  But yeah, the internet at home didn't work all day Thursday; so even though I made a vlog telling you jokes to fit with Writer's Workshop prompt ... I can't post it.  Andrew swears the bill's not even due yet.

I think I'll post it next Thursday.  And link up.  Maybe someone will get confused and wonder what week it really is.

I have been watching a lot of Gilmore Girls, like I've mentioned above.  It makes me happy.  Especially when you DVR reruns off ABC-family.  Gilmore Girls makes me smile.  It's the one show that instead of fast forwarding through the credits; I sing along.

I worked out today for the first time in a while.  My legs hurt.  And my abs.  And my arms.

Speaking of ABC-Family, I also DVR-ed all their Harry Potter movie weekend, so whenever I can find a day that Andrew and I don't work and someone can watch the children and we are not too tired ... then I'll start watching all of them leading up to the last.  I'm excited!  I'd wear a costume ... if it wouldn't embarrass Andrew so much he may sit across the theater from me.

Oh and back to the diet / workout stuff.  I tried detox tea.  I drank three teas.  I went to the bathroom.  I'm not drinking detox tea anymore.

I found the most amazing thing in Birmingham, AL.  It's called So You Think You Can Blog.  It's a roundtable discussion at the Homewood library and it's free!  It's on July 28th for anyone in town.  I signed up for it even though I don't know if I have anyone to watch the kids.  I'll make it work, lol.  I'm super excited and super nervous about it. 

So, not much more is going on.  Guess this is my 'no internet at home, extra time at work' catch-all post.

It should have been written by this little girl.  It would've been just as good!

more random fragmented awesomness here:

sweet Tuesday

sweet ... a new Krispy Kreme opened up by my parents and you just can't say no to 'hot now'

haha ... that sounds dirty ...

Course I didn't take a picture of the actual doughnuts ... I was too distracted by the girls, lol

I also had my first go at using the cloning tool.  I know I picked a hard background to start on, but my dad in the picture was driving me nuts!

lazy summer days, even when rain rains on your pool plans, make me happy!
oh and diapered butts in the yard too :-)

Wrong Number

It was a wrong number that started it all.

"Hello, is this Paul's phone?" he boomed through the minuscule speaker.

"No," she sighed back.

"My bad."
click

Thank god it was just a wrong number.  She didn't understand what had possessed her to answer the phone in the first place.  It was one of her steadfast rules; never answer an unknown number.  People who weren't saved in her phone would just have to leave messages, and if they really mattered anyway she had their number.

She never thought she would think a voice sexy in only 7 words.

That unknown number rang again a few days later.

"Not Paul," her voice sang into the speaker.

"Oh, yeah, I know," he replied.  "I just, um, well, I know this is going to sound stupid, but and I know you can't feel a connection over a two second phone call, but there's just something.  Could I buy you a drink?"

"Um," it was her turn to stutter.  This stuff didn't happen to girls like her.  She wasn't in the movies, and she wasn't even outgoing.  The silence hung dead in the air.

"Yeah, stupid, my bad," he finished quickly.
click

The voices started warring around her head.  Some people called them the angel and devil on your shoulder.  Other people thought them different phases of a conscience mind.  To her, they were the embodiment of her disappointments.

'You're never going to have any fun.'  'You're never going to meet anyone by sitting at home.'  'What can it hurt?'  'The worst that can happen is a bad date.'

She dialed the unfamiliar number.

"Not Paul!"

"Yeah, I, um, thought about what you said, and sure I'd love to get a drink."

"Great," his excitement bounced through the invisible connection.  "I know the perfect place."

She gave him her address and he arrived promptly.  Well built, tall, sharp jaw; he was very nice and courteous.  She had to admit, it was a nice evening he just wasn't her type.  He enjoyed watching sports when she would rather spend a Saturday at the art museum.  He liked to go fishing on Sunday mornings when she was always at church.  An all around nice guy, just not for her.

They said goodnight and parted ways.

Her phone rang.

It was him.

She answered sleepily.  His voice echoed like her hallway did.  He sounded close, way too close.  As he blathered on about how beautiful she was and how he wanted her and how he didn't even know a guy named Paul, her blood rushed even while she started shivering.

She could hear his footsteps now.

She hung up the phone.

Never again would she answer an unknown call.

This fictional story came from the prompt It was a wrong number that started it from the Writing Workshop found through BloggyMoms community groups.  The prompts come from Stephanie, and I know you don't want to miss the next one!  Sign up today!

Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Sometimes

Sometimes life is like a sunset hidden behind the clouds,

I know its beautiful 

back there

if only I could see it better.

Sometimes I look at life

with sadness

because I can't see the sunset 

as I think it should be

Sure, its beautiful

peaking out from behind the clouds

but still

I long for the beauty I can't see

Sometimes I look at life

with gladness

because the sky is painted bright

with clouds and sun

Sure, there's clouds

covering up colors not so vibrantly seen

but still

I drink in the imperfect beauty

Sometimes I can't see through the clouds

Sometimes I can't see from the sun

but somewhere

there always is 

a beautiful sunset

these sky pictures are taken on the same day just 20 minutes apart on opposite sides of the city

yogurt and books

yes that is a stack of library books that traveled on the trunk of my car down the driveway and into the neighborhood 

yeah, it was one of those mornings, lol!

but Yogurt Mountain made it all better ... yum yum

My Best Thing

"The Best Thing"
by, Relient K

It's been a year
Filled with problems
But now you're here
Almost as if to solve them
And I can't live in a world without you now

All my life
I've been searching for you
How did I survive
In this world before you
Cause I don't wanna live another day without you now

This is the best thing
The best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree
The best thing is that it's
Happening to you and me

All I'm gonna have
Is all that you can give me
And I'll give right back
Everything I have in me
Cause nothing ever felt as right
As this does right now

I'll go back to before we met
Try and erase the past
Try harder to forget cause
Nothing will ever be as good as here and now

Cause when I looked into your eyes
And you dared to stare right back
You should've said "Nice to meet you, I'm your other half"

And this is the best thing
The best thing that could be happening
And I think you would agree
The best thing is that it's happening
This is the best thing (the best thing)
The best thing that could be happening (the best thing)
And I think you would agree (whoooaaa whooaa)
The best thing is that it's
Happening to you and me

Always knew
I'd find someone
I never dreamt
It'd be like this
You've surpassed
All that I've hoped for (and ever wished)
And I'm tryin'
So hard
With all my heart and mind
To make your life
As good as you've made mine

This is the best thing (the best thing)
The best thing that could be happening (the best thing)
And I think you would agree (whooaaa)
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me

The best thing is that it's happening to you and me
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me

(The best thing) The best thing that could be happening
(The best thing) I think you would agree
The best thing is that it's happening to you and me 

Happy 4th Anniversary to my best thing!

and repeat

I'm not good at handling unexpected things that come my way.  I get stressed out.  I get defensive.  I yell when I shouldn't and I'm often way too much on edge.  I blame people for my stress, for getting defensive, for yelling.  I'm just not good at handling unexpected surprises.

The other week my husband's parents and my husband's grand-parents stopped by our house to eat dinner.  I got about an hour's notice.  I didn't plan on them coming.  The house wasn't as clean as I wanted it.  I didn't have a dinner planned.  I didn't know if they were staying, if Andrew was taking them home, if, if, if, etc.

While nearing a hysterical level on the phone with Andrew, he made me stop and repeat after him.  I felt kinda dumb, but it actually helped.

He said; "God is in control of my life."

"God is in control of my life," I grumbled back.

"And I can not plan for everything."

"And I can not plan for everything," I sighed into the phone.

Now I'm sitting here typing this while on hold for the IRS.  We filed an extension to take care of student loan debt and now that we are finally ready to get back our long awaited tax return, it got sent back to us.

Seems someone already filed a tax return with my social security number.


"God is in control of my life, and I can't plan for everything."


and repeat ...

Splash Pad

I found this amazing free splash pad in the city my husband works in, and we all loved it!  Is it sad that this one park has made me consider this city as one to move to next year?  they have good elementary schools too 

God Bless America

Audrey 2010

May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!  ~Daniel Webster

I Admit

When vacation bible school started, they asked me if I wanted to buy a cd.  I responded with a very quick, 'oh no.'  When my dad picked Leah up that evening ... I got a cd.

(btw ... is everyone doing PandaMania?  because everyone in Birmingham is)

I spent all week joking with my friends about how I was 'so mad' at my dad for buying us this cd because it has been playing non-stop in our car.  (it has)  About how annoying it is that the songs stay stuck in my head for hours.  (they do)  About how I can now sing all the words to all the songs whether I wanted to know them or not.

But, I must admit something.

I admit ... I don't hate the Vacation Bible School music cd.

It makes the girls happy, and that makes me happy, and (oh this is bad) one time Leah fell asleep with the music on and I didn't change it because I was singing and dancing along with it.

There's also something too fun about walking around the grocery store with two girls singing "He's Wild! He's Wild! God is Wild about us!"  Yes, even Audrey can (in Audrey language) sing along!

Here's a snipped from their end of VBS celebration.  Leah's the one in the side ponytail, not singing or doing the motions which she does endlessly in the backseat now.

Insta Pictures

Insta Friday / Saturday / Wednesday ... the days all blur by me as June passes into July.  I only pause to try to contain the ever growing to-do list.


But on to something more fun (and less harried) ... pictures!

I call this one Tales of Working the Night Shift (should be followed by creepy laughter)

More happily ... my kids!

Do you #squish?

I squish chores.

Visit:  for more Instagram pictures .. and if you don't have one already; buy an iPhone ... just for the sake of having the Instagram app!