10.31.2007

the dining table

my sisterinlaw caron just got a dining room table to replace ones that were not really suitable for a family of five. this made me think of how important the dining room really is. it's the family meeting place, the place where everyone comes after their day apart. other things besides just eating happen at the dining room table. conversations. crafts. baking. homework. carving pumpkins. playing board games.

so i was thinking back to some of my favorite memories at the table that i grew up with, which was actually passed down to me and sits in my dining room right now. these probably aren't really important to you, but it's funny how the smallest memories can mean a lot to an individual.

i remember sitting at the table after a taco dinner with my brother and my best friend danielle. i was probably in seventh grade. danielle and zack were having a heated discussion about evolution. i was kind of bored and didn't care to join in... but there was a bowl of chopped lettuce sitting there... so amidst the raised voices, i munched on the lettuce and pretended to be a monkey. nobody noticed for awhile, but after they did, i think they were pretty confused!

i remember sitting at the table when my now stepdad came over for the first time to meet me. i remember mom had made chocolate chip cookies that day, and made a great dinner, complete with corn... i proceeded to eat the corn, when one kernel got stuck on my lip. everyone looked at me, and with one quick vaccumm-like suck, i managed to inhale the kernel into my mouth... along with making mom and ken laugh hysterically.

i remember sitting at the table and dipping easter eggs with my stepdad... our first easter in central illinois.

anyway, all to say, i am glad for dining room tables. and i am glad to have good memories at ours. and i hope our children will have great memories of gathering around our table.

finn's first modeling deal...


(CLICK ON THIS PIC TO SEE IT BIGGER!!)

here is finn in his modeling debut with an add for "UGG's" new line of baby and children footwear. he brought loads of cash in from this shoot.

just kidding, of course... but my mom emailed me this picture yesterday, and needless to say that when i saw it, i thought for sure someone had kidnapped finn in the middle of the night for this photo shoot. they say everyone has a twin somewhere in the world! i guess this means finn has a future in modeling!?

10.23.2007

babies: the epidemic

there are a lot of babies being born. it's a little insane. in a good way, of course.


this is ivory rae, born to tonya and jeff. i know tonya from high school. she is one of my many "moms."







this is josiah parker, my second nephew on the easley side (there are five nieces). we were really excited for this one, as justin and i both were betting he was going to be a girl! josiah is baby to chari and darin, who already have two girls. we can't wait to meet this little guy.






and this little sweetie is noelle marie. her parents are christin and dwayne, who were great pals of ours during our college days at indiana wesleyan university. they now live light years away, in LA.









there is one more, who SHOULD be here, but alas, he is being difficult. it is almost a week past darby's due date, so pray that her little boy makes his appearance soon soon soon!!

the mysterious vanishing sippy cup



have you, to those of you who are parents, ever lost a sippy cup? i am sure you have. it's like, one minute you see it, and the next minute, "alacazam," it has been sucked into some wormhole in time and space.

last monday, i served up some fruit punch in a sippy cup, very similar to this one. finn wasn't really excited about the fruit punch (what is wrong with the kid, who doesn't like fruit punch?!!) and so it just sat on the ottoman for awhile. later that night, it was nowhere to be found. the following three days were spent away from home, but everyday, i thought about that cup and where it could possibly be hiding.

for those of you who know me, you know my cleaning habits. you know everything has a place. the underneaths of furniture are cleaned out daily. all toys are put away twice a day, once at nap time, again at bed time. if you know me, you KNOW there is no way a sippy cup could go missing in my house. but alas. it is gone.

by now the fruit punch probably has a thick film on top, possbily of the color white or green. i know if i ever find this cup, it will go directly (do not pass go) into the trash can. IF i ever find it.

wouldn't you know it. about two hours after i posted this, i found the above mentioned sippy cup. it was upstairs in the toy box. it actually doesn't look too bad. (we don't play upstairs very often...)

10.12.2007

bathtime smiles

finn has this really funny "bwahaha" laugh. resulting in these too cute smiles.

10.10.2007

here we go again!



whelp, baby number two will be here sometime in early may! we are breaking our silence. this pregnancy has been a lot different than the first; sicker, sleepier and more food aversions. greasy food does NOT sound good. with the exception of pizza. what does sound good is iced tea, warm salty pretzels with cheese, subway club sandwich, cereal, and sleep. may can't come soon enough!

10.08.2007

how many can you fit in your mouth?


finn just shoved about 20 of these in his mouth. i decided today i am going (to try) to not be the mom who regulates how much a kid puts in their mouth. unless of course it really starts to get dangerous. sometimes i find myself being too militaristic and wanting to enforce unreasonable rules on my 18 month old. anyway, i am starting to let go, beginning with the goldfish.

10.04.2007

thursday, already?!

this week has been no less busy than last week.
monday was an ALL DAY - NON STOP, clean day. every last speck of the house was cleaned. with the exception of the garage, but one can only do SO much.
tuesday was a realtor walk thru, and we had to stay out of the house for five hours. so we did this and that, and ended up going to cathy's house.
wednesday i went grocery shopping and did NOTHING. i needed a day of nothingness.
and today finn and i skipped over to cathy's, picked up the girls to go to the play place at the mall (and get soft pretzels, of course). we got back to cathy's, had lunch, played a bit, and the kids went down for a nap. after a little craziness in the afternoon, finn and i left for home.
and here we are. and i think we have friends coming over tonight, but i don't know for sure!
tomorrow we don't really have any plans, but i had thought to have our garage sale this weekend, so i might prepare for that a little.
sorry there are no pictures or anything. just not motivated. lucky to post at all!!!