I didn't sink!

The theme for swim lessons has been "I didn't sink"! It's been pretty comical to hear him say that with such enthusiasm. By the end of the second week he was jumping in without fear and at least kicking his feet and moving his arms at the same time. We'll keep working with him and sign him up again soon. The teacher suggested a semi private or private lesson because "he has trouble staying focused in the group". She, of course, said this with a smile and laughter. Hahahahahahaha. Are you laughing with me? Maybe, just maybe, they aren't interesting enough to keep his attention? Or maybe, he's four and so excited to be there he just can't contain his enthusiasm. Here are a few low quality, out of focus, poorly colored, pathetic excuses for photographs. They were taken with the camera on my cell phone. Mommy forgot the camera on the last swim lesson. No comments from the peanut gallery, especially you Ms. Courtney. These will just have to do. In the picture above, J is in the water with his swim teacher. He's on the purple fun noodle.

another great day...

Playdate #2 for the week was a little trip to see the "Mad Scientist". We met friends Kara and Courtney along with their shadows at a nearby library for the show. J was so excited to see his friends I'm not sure he paid much attention to the guy at the front of the room. I, of course, had to exit about half way through. MG didn't think the Mad Scientist was very entertaining...crawling away was much more fun. They made it through most of the show until the Mad Scientist started shooting dry ice like bottle rockets. They decided they had had enough at that point. It was OK though...we beat the mad rush of Mommy's out of the parking lot so it worked out well for us :-). Then we were off for a picnic at the park. The mist sprinkler was a huge hit for such a hot summer day. Even MG loved it as you can see in the picture. She was trying to catch the water. No photos of J, he was already over the sprinkler and off doing other things by the time the camera came out. The Womble's had a great time, hopefully we can all do it again soon.

Fil-A with friends...

Nothing like a mini-road trip to start your Monday. 1.5 hours round trip in the minivan with two little people...both of them never at a loss for words (or yackity yacks in MG's case). Sounds fun, right? Minus the car ride, we had a wonderful time. My friend Amy, along with her three little princesses, were in town for the week. Last year, they packed it up and moved to the great state of Colorado for her hubby's new job. They seem to love it there. The four of them, the three of us, along with our mutual friend Kristen and her three little ones spent the morning at Chik-Fil-A. I am certain we were quite a sight, all 11 of us, trying to eat, talk, entertain the three youngest and convince the older ones to play in the play area while we caught up.

Amy said it best when she sent me this picture..."Not the best pic, but it did capture the chaos of the moment". Ha. I didn't ask for Amy and Kristen's permission to list all little people names. Sorry. Eight little people five and under in a playground full of who knows what kind of grossness having a FANTASTIC morning with friends. As you can see, J is the smooth operator with his arm around his friend (who happens to be a girl--not to be confused as a girlfriend). MG is on the floor with her back to the camera. We are missing one of Amy's girls in the group picture. She was not in the mood for a photo opportunity. :-) Maybe next time... It was so great to see all of them, regardless of the chaos, especially my Mommy friends. Good times girls...good times!

a Polka Dot Picnic for Princess MG...

MG celebrated her first birthday with a Polka Dot Picnic. She learned how to "high-5", ate her first hot dog, donned her first cowgirl hat, received her first baby doll, her first bikini and her first pair of sunglasses (pink sunglasses of course) among many other precious things. She enjoyed her very own smash cake and thought it was even funnier to eat it with her sunglasses on. She stayed up WAY past her bedtime and enjoyed the company of all who were here. I think, overall, she had a FANTASTIC first birthday. It was everything a little Princess (and her Mommy) could have envisioned. Very simply, it was perfect!





















Let her eat cake...
It was an evening full of "polka dots" right down to menu: circle burgers, polka dot pasta salad, cheese balls, dotted deviled eggs...you get the picture. The two-tiered Polka Dot Princess cake was the epitome of cuteness! I could not have imagined anything more perfect. Lemon cake, strawberry filling, buttercream icing...MMMMM, can't you just taste it? Wish I could claim that beautiful cake but all I can claim is knowing the domestic goddess who made it. Before someone asks, it was made by my super talented friend Rebekah. In my world, she is my very own "Martha Stewart". Just give her a plate, an invitation and an idea and she can take it to perfection. If you can dream it, she can make it. Thank you Rebekah. You are amazing!

Well, that's pretty much the wrap up. The big day and now the party has come and gone. It is official, our little Princess is ONE!

Kick your legs little man...

There is an art to swimming. Perhaps next week will be THE week he figures it out...must use hands AND feet SIMULTANEOUSLY to stay above water...

Swimming Lessons...

Monday was J's first day of swimming lessons. He's taking them at the YMCA. He can't quite get the acronym right. In his mind he is taking them at "the CYA", "the CYMA", "the ACMY", "the CMA"...you get the picture. Maybe by the end he'll get it right. I tried to tell him it was "the Y". I thought that might be easier for him. Nope, he told me I was wrong..."it's the CYA"... whatever...

After Day 1:
Mommy: J, did you have fun at swimming lessons?
J: Oh yes, it was SOOOO FUN!
Mommy: What did you do?
J: I didn't sink Mommy, I didn't sink!
Mommy: Well, that's the goal J

More swimming adventures to come...

Let's celebrate...

Yesterday, MG (AKA Peanut) turned ONE! How did that happen? I remember people telling me how fast their childhoods would go and I secretly thought they were crazy. How in the world could time speed up when I wasn't working anymore? I would be at home just twiddling my thumbs and attempting to be a Super Mom. Well, I was wrong in many many areas and this was one. I laugh at myself remembering how I thought being a Mom would be easy. We can all chuckle at that one...

I have a dear friend who always says she doesn't want to be the Mom who is sad about her kids. Sad because they are growing up, sad because they have stopped doing something cute they used to do, sad because they are moving on to new things. She wants to celebrate all of the things they are doing in their lives at the time. I want to be that Mom and I am trying to adopt her philosophy so here goes.





Today, I am going to celebrate all of the things she CAN DO at one year old instead of being sad about all of the things she isn't doing anymore...
1. She started walking on her first birthday
2. She is learning to entertain herself for 5-10 minutes at a time
3. She loves to hear her own voice :-)
4. She has six words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. She knows her family and loves to give hugs
6. She has eight teeth
7. She has a few bad habits already (biting, climbing and screaming) :-)
8. She rides face forward in her car seat
9. She is learning to drink from a cup, likes milk a little more every day and eats pretty much anything!!!!

And a few things I love...
1. I love her tiny little feet
2. I love how she squints her eyes and puts on her mischievous smile
3. I love how she lights up when her Daddy or brother walk in the room
4. I love how she snuggles up to me when I pick her up from her crib
5. I love that she loves her lovey just like J does
6. I love that I can dress her in pink and cute dresses











and last...I love that she has filled a place in my heart that I didn't know was there. It's easy to love everything about her. I think she fits the little rhyme to a "T"...

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE
THAT'S WHAT LITTLE GIRLS ARE MADE OF!!!

a little cake...a lot of fun...someone SPECIAL is turning ONE!

Happy 1st Birthday Peanut! Mommy, Daddy and Brother love you very much!
**Images copyrighted by Courtney Marler Photography...that means DO NOT duplicate them in any way**

Happy Father's Day Daddy...

Below is the much anticipated release of the Womble Father's Day movie. All the critics have given it rave reviews. I even read on MSN this morning that Ebert and Roepert gave it TWO THUMBS UP!

As always, I have removed names and identifying information in order to upload to the blog. Fortunately, if you read this blog you are part of the Womble fanclub. Surely you can remember the character names. Enjoy!

**It seems a little pixelated in the conversion but at least you'll get the idea.**

EDITED TO ADD: If you did not hear the music, please let me know. I'm not sure why you aren't hearing it?

Father's Day...

Last year on Father's Day at this very moment, I was sitting in a hospital room staring at the greatest Father's Day gift I will ever share with my husband. I imagine every Father's Day to come will fall short of that miraculous day. What could be more perfect than a daughter for a Father's Day gift? It certainly makes this years organizational system for the new garage seem like such a let down. In order to compensate for the anti-climactic-ness of this years holiday, I made a movie. Not quite the same as a daughter, but it will have to do. I know most of us think our husbands are awesome and I am no exception. My children are blessed to have a Father who loves them so much. He will tell you that HE is the lucky one but I think we are all lucky in our own way to have him. As J. says, "you are the bestest Daddy in the whole world". I couldn't have said it better myself. Happy Father's Day Honey.

What a difference...

On Sunday when I took the last set of pictures, the house looked like a construction house (see previous post). Today, it looks like a real home...our home! In one week it has completely transformed...paint, floor stain AND cabinetry. It won't be too much longer now...though I probably should not say that out loud...everything is subject to someone else's time frame. They obviously aren't working on mine or I would already be living there :-)

Slowly but surely...

Well, until the past two weeks we've been moving along at warp speed. I guess I can't complain that we've come to an abrupt halt. We've been waiting on the painter to get started. I've been bashing the poor man until I found out that he's been in the hospital. Cardiac issues. Yeah, I felt like a big STOOGE. Anyway, he was feeling better by the end of last week and sprayed trim on Saturday. They started the first coat of color on the walls as of yesterday (Monday). So, hopefully we're back on track. Here's a few pictures of where we are now. Just a few more weeks (though that's what they said a few weeks ago). I'm ready to be in but I'm not really in a hurry...I haven't packed a thing...:-)

Come out...Come out...wherever you are...

Attention lurkers...

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The Management

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Move over Mrs. Paula Deen...

I know SOMEONE who likes butter more than you do...

















It's the same SOMEONE who thinks it's funny to clean out the refrigerator door when noone is watching...

and don't let the bed bugs bite...

Well, I messed up.

Tonight I told J. "Goodnight, Goodnight, don't let the bed bugs bite". Bet you can guess what came next?

Mommy, what are bed bugs? Where do they live? Are they real? Do they really bite? Are they scary? blah blah blah. I tried to move on but I can guarantee there will be more discussion about them. He even got back up from bed just to ask "there is no such thing as bed bugs, right?"

I have such an issue with that subject. Ask anyone who has stayed in a hotel with me. I think I'm going with the play dumb approach this time and hope this subject goes away.

A Happy/Sad Day...

Today was a happy/sad day in the world of Womble...the last day of preschool at A Leap Ahead. I shared this possibility with many of you over the past few months and sadly it has become our reality. Ms. Kara is moving on to new things with her family and we are very happy for her. The flip side of moving on to new things is she will no longer be J.'s preschool teacher. We have experienced our share of preschool environments since leaving Project HELP and this has been the best hands down. What a difference an amazing teacher can make in the life of a child. Ms. Kara wanted nothing more than to see our little boy succeed in every environment. Five months later, he is doing just that. We are so proud of him and thankful for the blessing that he is to all of us. Ms. Kara...thank you for loving our son and helping him find the tools he needs to be successful in the world. We love you and we will never forget your kindness.

Happy 200th Day of School!

Today, J. and his preschool classmates celebrated their 200th day of school with a party. It was a great morning full of games, dancing, pizza, ice cream sundae's, more junk food, play time, gifts and good times. Here are a few of my favorites...

The whole crew...

Red Light. Green Light. Go. (look who's winning!)

Ms. Kara uses sign language with the children throughout their school day. J. knew many signs from his Project HELP days but he has really broadened his sign language since January. He even tries to teach MG sign language, much to her dismay. In this photo, J. just finished signing to Ms. Kara "Good Good Good Good Good Morning Teacher" and Ms. Kara is signing "Thank You" in return.


Ms. Kara telling the children how lucky she is to be their teacher. It was a really sweet moment. She put on a brave face for them but I know how hard that must of been for her. She genuinely loves these children.







Group hug...

We had said our goodbye's and made it to the van when J. looked like he was about to cry. I asked him if he was OK and he said, "I need to go back and give Ms. Kara one more hug and tell her I love her". He quickly jumped back out of his seat and ran back to the front door. He gave her another big hug and ran away telling her he loved her. He was a little sad this afternoon and kept asking me what happens on Tuesday. I guess he's just stuck with me for a while. I'm not half as fun as Ms. Kara and five other preschool friends...but I'll do my best to try.