Christmas

Our Christmas pics. Mostly action shots.  We had a great times (as always) visiting family in Albany.  We drew names this year, but all bets are off for the kids.  So, we still hauled out a ton of beautiful presents.  Great food and conversation.

This was the first time in my adult life that I was the host for Christmas morning.  Alex very kindly did all the heavy work like mopping, scrubbing and vaccumming.  I did the fluff work and the cooking.  I had it all planned out, but still cut it close on defrosting the turkey.  So I cranked that baby up to 400 degrees.  The pan drippings started to smoke at the end of the cycle, so our mac and cheese had a subtle smoked turkey flavor.  The Caramel Nut Cheesecake (Caramel Nut Cheesecake for the recipe) went over big.  I was too tired to use the Christmas china at the big meal and used festive plastic plates that my sis graciously provided.  I am just too sore and big to care.

I hereby vow that I will honor Christmas in my heart and use paper plates if need be if it means enjoying the reason for the gathering--- being with family, remembering past memories and making new ones.  We did enjoy the Christmas Eve service at our own church.  Christmas Eve and Good Friday services are my favorite all year.  I was choked up at the opening multi-media slides.  Before the Lord's Supper or candle lighting.  So, yes, I enjoyed it.

Here's the pics:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=169284&id=562275959&l=08ba03f94f

What's this?

Jay has spoken his first articulate sentence/question!  He has been saying a babble of "wat dat" for a while, but on the 26th, he was pointing to all the new toys and asking the question "What's this?" and then saying "Wow, wow, wow."

Tonight we had some strawberry shortcake-- that Publix display case at the front of store got me.  Strawberries are fruit.  And fruit is healthy.  Strawberry shortcake is healthy.  Deductive reasoning.  Bam!

Jay keeping grabbing berries off my plate.  So Alex gave him a cake with powdered sugar. 

Thus, he is topless.

Definitely my child.

Breakfast

I'm just glad we had a boy first.  So any ideas of staying tidying would be totally eradicated. Isn't he a handome devil of a boy?  He can now point to and say: nose, ears, eyes, mouth, toes, foot, socks, and shoes.

Fight the Good Fight

AGAINST WASHER MILDEW!


Just discovered how gross the rubber of my front loading washer is. I've attacked it with an old toothbrush and chlorine free bleach, ran the hot cycle, and wiped down the rubber. I've even pulled out the Q-tips to get inside the holes of the rubber ring.

Now, I've got to get chlorine bleach and try again, because it's even close to clean. I'm not a germ freak, but the idea of putting fresh little onesies into the wash to 'sanitize' for my new baby girl is a joke given the present state of my washer.

Girls, to solve this problem and perform preventative maintenance, Martha says:

Clean the rubber seal with 1 cup of chlorine bleach to 2 cups warm water. Wipe with clean cloth dipped in bleach. Fill bleach dispenser with bleach and run the empty washer through a complete cycle using hot water. Repeat every 2 to 4 months. I’d add that wiping down the rubber seal after each use would be a good thing as well.

Let my poor housekeeping be an example to you. CONSTANT VIGLIANCE!

Scrubs and Kisses!

Peccadilloes

Funny little story:
I was giving Jay a bath in the a.m. last week, and since he knows how to climb out of the tub, I hauled him out as soon as possible and placed him on the floor.  He crawls off and finds his big stuffed teddy bear and gives it a kamikaki hug.  I dipe and dress him, and soon notice a big wet stain on the floor.  Then I check teddy.  Wet.  I can only Febreeze the carpet, but I'm able to fluff and fold ol' teddy.  Boys and their territory.

Jay is now in the 91st percentile for height and 85th for weight.  He is around 29 pounds.  He is cutting two more bottom front teeth and can't seem to shake a runny nose and cough.  No runny nose last Wednesday at the doc; wakes up with one on Thursday.  I guess it's the unpredictable weather.

Here's a picture from Thanksgiving weekend.  We went up to Dahlonega to see the Southern Living Idea House and took this picture near his Great Aunt's house site.

I'll include some pics from my sweet shower for Baby Sarah.  It was the bee's knees.  I have the best sister.

I'm gonna get a Santa picture and hopefully a family shot.  Trying to remember that Christmas is about the miracle of the incarnate Christ sent for man, not my need to document a faux perfect family in matching plaid!

Two views on Fort Hood

Cal Thomas on the Fort Hood Shooter in today's article "E. Pluribus Diversity":
"Why do so many Americans seem ashamed and apologetic about America? Holding the view that America is unexceptional and that no idea, policy, belief, or practice is to be preferrred over any other is not diversity. Rather, it is thin gruel; unappealing and unappetizing, and it robs us of our strength."
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/11/12/article/cal_thomas_e_pluribus_diversity
Eugene Robinson in the Washingston Post "Failing Our Troops at Fort Hood"
A view from the other side the political spectrum.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/11/09/AR2009110902601.html

Both writers are right on in my view. Common sense should prevail.

What do you think?

Ain't No Brag...

2009 Nissan Quest

Mama's got a brand new van! (Duh na na na na, duh na na na na, HEY!)

We have truly succumb to the parenting lifestyle. And honestly, we really like it. When you are using seemingly contradictory phrases like "sweet ride" and "so much space" to describe your vehicle, you probably have two or more young children.

It's hard to believe that we 1) bought a new car and 2) it was a surprise to me. We've had our 2004 Highlander for a year, and it's been great. Sporty and dependable and a huge step up in reliability. But I was kicking myself for not looking at any used vans, especially now that we have another baby coming. I wasn't ready to accept being a mini-van driver.

What a difference a pregnancy makes. You go all crazy. Five years ago, we started out with two twin mattresses on the floor, and paid off $24, 000 dollars in debt in a year and half. We bought a $1500 Geo Metro (in a purple-ish tint) for Alex with cash at auction. No credit cards, nothing.

So, when Alex pulls up to pick me up from tutoring in a NEW mini-van, I was shocked. He had casually mentioned the good deals he was watching. We took in the Highlander for servicing earlier that morning. It never broke down on us, but we had taken it in a few times for various issues. A part that Alex had recently replaced had gone bad, and he mentioned leveraging his interest in a competitor's vehicle with Toyota. But I really didn't expect to be driving home in a different car.

Now, I guess I could have been mad for not being there and choosing the color and making a reasoned decision, but if my "baby daddy" wants to buy us a van, well, I'm okay with that.

So, I guess we have "suspended" our new-cars-are-the-devil's-handmaiden philosophy for the next 6 years.

I agree: Debt is still dumb, cash is still king; sorry Dave, but mama's gotta ride!

Trick or Treat?

Jay and Grandma

The three of us (plus my belly)

Firefighter

Jay and Daddy

At Elliott Farms

A little of both. We had grandparents in town, which is always nice. We enjoyed a big breakfast at Cracker Barrel (try the Apple Butter French Toast) and went to our church's Harvest Festival. Jay's still too little to play most games, but hey-- I got a funnel cake and a prerequisite Halloween ouftit photo of us.

The trick? Around 7 p.m. as I was lighting our jack-o-lantern, Jay opens his mouth and lets forth a mighty stream of yuckiness. Oh yes, projectile vomiting.

He seemed pretty unfazed by the proceedings, but was sick on the hour for most of the night, but at least was so exhausted that he went right back to sleep. I feel ill later that night and stayed in bed (when I wasn't running to the bathroom). I was glad that neither of us ran a fever. Alex got sick Monday. Of course, he was the most dramatic sickie of us all!

The crude is gone now, and hopefully Jay will work out this cough. Maybe we will all be able to attend church this weekend. I'll just keep my bubble in the car, just in case.

Did you happen to see?

The most beautiful girl in the world. The first picture is a profile view at 20 weeks. The second was taken today at 28 weeks. She is looking straight at the "camera". The sonographer could detect hair! She weighs 2.8 lbs. currently and looks healthy. She was covering her face with her hands at one point. What a marvel. Some people think that ultrasound pictures are too personal to share. I obviously am not one of them. Seeing a live ultrasound is indescribable. They should be public service announcements. They show life, Life, LIFE!

NYC Pictures

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=150683&id=562275959&l=ea83999b61

Pictures from the trip! We had a great time, mostly just being together in a different place. We got a City Pass which gave us admittance to 4 museums, the Empire State Building, and the Circle Line Cruise Tour. We were so tired we skipped the Guggenheim. You could spend a month in Manhattan and not experience all the sites you wanted. A week was plenty of time though.

Honestly, the most relaxing part of the trip was renting a comedy and belly laughing in our hotel room! I did love attending worship service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. The music was so powerful, I had to hold back the tears during the rehearsal of their praise songs! The message was equally powerful.

No big shopping sprees, but we ate very well. We got Jay a little remote control dog from the big Toys R Us in Times Square and little Sarah got a princess dress from the World of Disney store.

Only regrets: couldn't get into see "The Rege" (we waited for stand by tickets at Regis and Kelly, but they book out 6 months in advance) and not seeing "Wicked"). The big shows like Wicked and Jersey Boys don't offer discount tickets. We put our names in for the lottery, but no dice. If I was still earning the big bucks (snark) as a full time teacher, I wouldn't have hestitated paying $300 for a pair. But not so.

We were so fortunate to have hotel points given to us and airline miles to off set the cost. We actually stayed in some pretty nice hotels. Our first hotel (The Barclays Intercontiental) had the Secret Service posted on every floor due the the proximity of the UN and the G20 being in town.

I would recommend staying in Times Square due to its proximity to shopping and Broadway. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Times Square. Modern and very nice.

And I'd definitely recommend ordering big ticket shows in advance! And packing really good sneakers!

Just a thought...

Each step of life brings its own lessons and insights. Lately, I've thought about learning to walk. Jay is walking and falling and getting up and exploring and loving his new freedom. Today we went to the library and I didn't put him in a stroller. It took a while, but I held his hand (sometimes his wrist) and we walked in together. Once inside, I'd let him break free for a moment and he wanted to go in every direction. Later on at home, he walked around the cul-de-sac while I watched him. He waved to our neighbor's house, expecting to see the two little kids who live there. He pushed a walking toy. He bent over, his jeans drooping and showing off his little plumber's crack.

It's a cliche that children can bring you the most happiness and pain in life. Today, I was brought the most ordinary moments of laughter and pride.

The insight that dawns on me as I learn how to parent a toddler is the long-suffering and patience and good humor of the Lord for his own children. Walking from point A to point B would be a lot easier for the parent if the child was being carried. But the child wouldn't learn or have anything to accomplish. And so it's true for believers.

Thank the Lord for his patience!

If you care to know...

Here are few pictures from late August and September. Not the best quality, but you take what you can get.

Getting over the bug with Daddy

Everytime Jay saw the beach, he had to be in the sand. One time we just stripped him down to the dipe, and let him roam free!

Porch View from 16 Land's End, HHI

Jay enjoying a friend's pool

Here's a recap of what's been going on in our day-to-day lives:

1. IT'S A GIRL!!! We are naming her Sarah Anne. I have misplaced the sonogram pictures after faithfully carrying them to show our family over Labor Day. Maybe they'll show up when I pack our bags again.

2. We went to Hilton Head over Labor Day. We stayed in a beautiful house with an amazing view. My favorite part was getting to tear through the latest Mary Kay Andrews book, The Fixer Upper, while sitting on the patio overlooking the water.

3. Jay spiked a fever the Sunday we were there. We didn't have a thermometer with us, and when Alex found one (around 4 a.m. at the only open drug store), his temperature had broken. I didn't get to take a family picture on the beach due to sickness; maybe we'll get one at Christmas.

4. Jay is FINALLY starting to walk! I will post a video soon. He still would rather crawl for speed, but he's getting it. Note to self: put real shoes on baby Sarah sooner than we did for Jay.

5. Jay is HUGE! He is in the 90 percentile for height to weight! And his head is in the 97 percentile. Which kind of scared me, but I think "big heads" run in the family. The doc felt it was in line with his growth, so I won't worry.

6. We are going to NYC this weekend!!!!! Jay is staying with my parents and will probably be able to recite the Gettysburg Address when he returns. I will miss him so much. Please say a little prayer that he won't be fearful and confused without Mama and Daddy for a week.

7. It's fall and that means fun like the Georgia National Fair, Harvest Festivals, and general autumnal merriment.

Duty calls, so I'm off.

I promise to take lots of pictures in NYC and have a totally fantabulous time!

Mmmm... Kettle Corn

Liked it so much that I have to share.

I do grocery shopping at Wal-mart and they only carry Orville Redenbacher popcorn, which does not carry the "no trans fat" label. I did buy some of their single serving kettle corn, and it had an off taste-- too fake salty.

Maybe it's the economy and the whole back-to-basics marketing movement, but I bought some plain ole kernels. Great Value brand. $1.25. The O.R. kernels were 4 dollars!

Parade magazine (in the Sunday paper) had a recipe this weekend for sweet and spicy kettle corn. I let out the spicy and just kept it sweet. It was wonderful.

As I was popping, I remembered those early grade school history lessons about the pilgrims learning about corn from the Native Americans. I felt all Pioneer Annie.

Before microwave popcorn hit it big, we cooked our popcorn in an air popper. But to cook it on the stove is kinda like magic. You heat the oil, drop in the kernels, and cover.

You shake the pot and wonder, Will it burn? Will it pop? And lo, it does. It did.

One 1/2 cup of kernels made an entire pot full-- probably 6-8 cups. It was caramelized, rugged, and wholesome.

Here's the recipe from Bobby Flay.

Sweet and Spicy Kettle Corn

3 tbsp. oil (I used vegetable)
1/2 cup kernels
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. ancho chili powder * (I omitted)

Heat oil one minute on medium heat in a heavy 4 quart pot. Drop kernels in a single layer and cover with sugar. Cover with lid. Shake pot periodically to prevent burning. Take pot off the stove when popping slows to pops every 3-5 seconds. Remove lid and add salt and chili powder if desired.

Enjoy, home pioneers!

30

I had a great 30th birthday. I could say a lot about it, but don't need to. I had a weekend filled with surprises. What made it very special was that my husband planned it far in advance-- booking a nice hotel, contacting friends, telling lots of stories so that I wouldn't be suspicious, even setting up a new email account for the birthday weekend.

What the weekend showed me was:

It doesn't matter if you are liked by many. It matters if you are loved (and I would say greatly loved) by a few.

It's nice to be liked. But it's on the surface-- typically because of what we are trying to project to win favor. But to be loved, just because, just because someone else finds something of worth in you, without your striving to attain their affection, that is completely humbling and truly precious.

Thank you to my sweet husband and father of my little boy and in-progress baby. And thank you to my parents, sister, extended family, and out-of-town friends who took the time to make me feel special.

So the next time I'm just doing something mundane and repetitive that I do every day, and feel like my life is insignificant, I've got a great memory to remind me of the opposite.

LOVE YOU!

Red Raspberry Dollars

When Jay was done with breakfast yesterday, I set him down to play while I ate mine. I hear a smacking sound coming from the couch area, and assume he has either found a stray piece of food (sadly, this is not unusual), or is happily biting his fingers. I go to investigate a few minutes later. I find him with a box of red gummies, chewing and drooling and happy as a pig in slop. He has a lot of red drool on his pajamas. I had opened the box yesterday and left it on the couch.

Remember those days when you think you'll never give your child sweets or let them watch cartoons? Neither do I. :)

2 reasons...

So, I'm sitting in my p.j.s and bathrobe at 10:45 a.m. (classy). So, before I put on my big girl clothes and tackle the household grind, here's why I haven't posted for a while.

1. I lost my transfer cable to upload pictures to my computer. I need to buy another one.

2. I was holding on to my big news which is that I'm pregnant. (!) This isn't really news to anyone who reads this, but nevertheless. :) Due January 17th! No morning sickness, just horse pill aversion. The only time I am sick is when I try to take my Omega 3 gel-cap.

The month of May was mostly spent doing as little as humanly possible and thankfully I have snapped out of that. Of course, I am still in jammies.

I got my hair cut. It's sassy. Jeremiah is my little star, but can drive me crazy I have to admit. He really is aware now. He is both the sweetest child ever and the most spoiled. He certainly can pull a 'tude. He can SCREAM! He's cutting his year molars, so he likes to nibble at mama. Sometimes it's a kiss or a raspberry, but sometimes it's a bite. :(

I'll work on getting the pictures uploaded. That's most of the fun for me.

Random tip: Check out www.e-mealz.com. We've started using meal planning website, and it is working!

Woefully neglected...

This little blog has been neglected! I have finally recovered from the blowout that was Jaybird's 1st birthday. We had our picture made. We had a froggie cake. Out-of-town company. Enough presents to truly ruin the kid. A "This Is Your Life" Slideshow. It was a great day. I took a few snapshots, but the best were taken by the guests. Hint, hint. If you read this and you were a fellow birthday reveller, please send me an electronic copy of your best shots!

We are going on our first family of three vacation next week and I can't wait. We get to attend a wedding of a special friend (one of my favorite things) and go to the beach. We also get to visit Aunt Nat and Uncle James. I am also excited at the prospect of no dishes or laundry for a few days.

Jay is really getting big. He can crawls up a few stairs and pulls up wonderfully. He is not walking yet, but I'm not too concerned. He likes to stick his legs out of the crib and kick the wall. This morning, he seemed like he was saying "tickle, tickle" when I first picked him up. He says "mama" and "daddy" but not when you look at him. So I haven't counted it yet. The kid looks like he is a candidate for a mullet, so I'd better get him trimmed soon.

I'll try to to better with more updates... beach pictures soon!

Correction

Smokey Robinson works the crowd with "Bein' With You", not Lionel Richie. This occurred to me as I drove to tutor this morning. Glad we got that straightened out!

Par-tay!

Since I get a little thrill every time a friend updates their blog, I thought I might do the same for "my" readers. What's the par-tay, you ask? Jay is turning 1 at the end of this month! We gonna celebrate and get down with our bad selves. Which means we'll eat cake and ice cream and watch Jay go nuts over presents and icing.

Did you ever watch the Sinbad comedy specials of the mid-90s? Sinbad does this one special on growing up in the 70s and the time he stays out all night to par-tay. He is riffing on "earning your beating". His mama is waitin' at the door which is cracked for him. She proclaims, "Come on in, the door is open. Mr. Party-All-the-Time, Party-All-the-Time. We all gonna party tonight."

It is one of my favorite quotable lines from my early teen years. I also like when the talks about deuce and a quarter (an old car) and Lionel Richie workin' the crowd with only one move as he sings "bein' wit you, bein' wit you..." Oh, and he lipsyncs to the Chilites "Have You Seen Her?" as he does his own choreography.

I guess you had to be there. Funny.

So, back to my own par-tay. First of all, there is a niche market for 1st birthdays. Birthday Express sent me a catalog. I got some great coupons from Publix, and a coupon from Babies R Us, too. So, anyway. I was torn over the theme. Women live for theme. I'm an English teacher, so I really live for theme. (Wanna know how to write a theme summary? Start this way: People often...")

Back to theme. I was looking for frogs, but there were none to be found. Should I do a "one" themed party, which was fully merchandised? Or break out and mix it up? I found some tropical "froggie" invitations, and bought lime green plates, cups, and napkins.

Here's the invite:

Jay's now a very demanding eater. If you are eating, so is he.

Whaddya lookin' at?

At our Sunday School Picnic

Spring Recap

Jay & Aunt Natie

Jay finds some eggs!

Jay conquers a DD Munchkin
(our version of Easter brunch)

The best Easter morning picture we could get...


Jay & Ma Maw


Jay & Daddy (Gators-for-a-Day!)

Gainesville, Florida!

I am sitting on the bed at a Day's Inn, waiting for Jay to wake up so that we can go to UF's spring game, The Orange and Blue. We've got new Gator gear to wear, and I can't wait to see old friends after almost 7 years have passed! I had wanted to get my nails done (vanity, vanity), but ran out of time. I was on the road visiting my grandma the first part of the week, so I was proud just to get our clothes clean and us out the door.

Here is a link to Jay's spring pictures. He is one beautiful boy! We receive a lot of compliments on his sweet face and happy disposition.
http://www.lauratrent.net/proofs/young040909/

Dedication

Jay's dedication to the Lord was a great opportunity to have both sides of our family over to our new home. Everyone seemed well fed and entertained. Jay smiled on cue (the pastor's words) as we stood before the church. Aunt Nat was able to spend Sunday with us and it was so fun to joke and shop with her. Even though we were slap wore out Monday, it was worth it. The video clip is uploaded on this blog-- check the right margin.

Random Thoughts...

1. A lot of cars in middle Georgia have window decal monograms. Linens, I understand. Hangbags, jewelry, but cars?

2. There was a 50-year-old man waiting to have a pedicure at the nail shop I stopped in for a eyebrow wax. This was not a 'metrosexual'. This was a jeans-and-sneakers, gray-haired, good ol' boy. The times, they are a-changin'.

Life in Middle Georgia

Here a few neat things about day-to-day life here that I enjoy:

1. The county radio station plays a version of the National Anthem every day at noon.

2. The students I encounter have a great deal of home training. It has refreshed me and confirmed my choice of profession.
3. We have been invited into a neighbor's home and given another neighbor's phone number. Because we are in a new build, people are open.
4. The little downtown area of my new town. The flowering bushes are fragrant. The streets are peaceful. It's authentically charming.

5. Wagon rides. We have space to move!

Below are some pictures of our new town and Jay-boy. I need to take some interior shots of our place, but it's still a work in progress.

Fitting In

Since Jay's been sick with an earache and an upset stomach due to the anti-biotics, I've stayed in with him this week. Today we were going to the MOPS consignment sale to help set-up, so I would get to be around peers. Even though I tutor during the week, I don't concern myself too much about what I wear or how my "look" is perceived. I only really care for church and my mom's group, MOPS. I mention all this to say that I was completely ridiculous getting ready to head out. I had a cute outfit for Jay thanks to Nana, but I also wanted to spurce up. I did look presentable already: jeans and a black tee. However, I tried on: a magenta top, a striped top, a black and creme blouse, a green top, both black and brown shoes, then khaki pants, then coral top, another coral top (wrinkled), then nicer jeans, back to the black and creme top and black shoes. Now, I did not deem this event "dressy", so I didn't opt for boots. Wouldn't want to seem like I was trying to hard. (Ha.)

Since being an independent adult, I have become more self assured in my looks and wardrobe. I like to look nice and presentable, but really do not obsess about fashion. So after my hiatus from seeing other women, it's comical that I tore up my closet to look nice for a bunch of moms decked out in jeans and tees. Like I was wearing this morning.

Anyway, in the same vein of fashion, I found 3 great buys at the kids' consignment sale. Two Ralph Lauren pants (with the tags on!) and a Ralph Lauren collared shirt for $19. I'm not too brand conscious, but I was pumped with my finds. Boy, a good sale brings out the killer instinct. I was able to shop early before the sale opened up the public. That would have been fun to watch.

Happy Friday!

Potpourri

After hearing the same Taylor Swift song 3 times on the radio in one day, I switch to another station and catch 5 minutes of a woman's testimony about her conversion experience. (Aside: the song is "Love Story" which states: "You be the prince and I'll be the princess...." I change the channel because yet another Taylor Swift song comes on, and this one talks about how the narrator lives in the real world and is over her crush because she's no princess. Weird, yes? Aren't albums supposed to have some consistent theme? I digress.)

Anyway, the woman is talking about two lies she is saved from after receiving Jesus. The first is that being a full time mom is a waste. She realizes, "I wasn't just wiping noses and bottoms. I was nurturing an eternal soul." My thoughts exactly.

Also, since desperation is the mother of invention, I pull out my Martha Stewart Complete Homekeeping Encyclopedia (which I haven't cracked since moving into our first townhome 3 years ago). I am out of toilet cleaner and though I've been in 3 supermarkets this week, have not remembered to buy any. So, I use baking soda and vinegar to clean my bathrooms. Kinda filmy, but cheap, clean, and 'green'. Today, bathrooms. Tomorrow, total world domination.

What's Gross, Funny, and Eco-Friendly?

Baby poo in the tub.

Aside: We are back on the nighttime sleep grind. Jay had two beautiful daytime naps, but was up at 2:30 a.m. I think it was an upset stomach. He was very tired, but only wanted to sleep when held. However, I'm able to lay him down awake in the day. It's more trying when I'm semi-conscious.

Pictures from this weekend:

Nana's Favorite Boy

Poppa Ed, Nana, and Jay

When I see this face, I understand the "My Kid made the Honor Roll" bumper stickers!

Now we can walk & ride around our neighborhood