Monday, February 28, 2011

Mountain Mama

I'm so blessed to have good friends.  And even more blessed that two of my best friends are my mom and my brother, Matt.  (Tyler, I love you, too. ...and I'm sorry that I will forever play the role of  your "second mother") But after almost 17 years of friendship, I don't think I have ever told my bestie, Carri, exactly how awesome she is.  I met Carri Dawn in the summer of '94.  We were both trying out at UK and were attending summer work outs.  I think it took about 2 days for us to become inseparable.  We lived in different dorms on campus, but you wouldn't know it.  Somehow we slept in the same room every night.  We met each other's families and visited each other during the summer.  We lived together our sophomore year and 2 more years after that.  We survived many finals weeks and breakups and new boyfriends and family tragedies and national championships and all nighters and spring breaks and well, everything really.  Carri was the maid of honor at my wedding and we were even pregnant at the same time.  Amelia and Sophia are only 2 weeks apart:)  And our sweet little boys are very close in age, too.  We are now both stay at home moms and sell Premier Jewelry.  I talk to Carri about 5 times a week and am so thankful for unlimited cell phone minute plans.  Now that the back story is out of the way, just let me describe this 4 foot 11 1/2 inch ( yes, the half inch matters) spit fire. 


First and foremost, she is funny.  There is just no other way to say it.  When I'm with Carri, my stomach hurts.  All we do is laugh.  She has a way of saying things that make me do the "snort" laugh.  She is fun!!...and I mean like, "this should be illegal I'm having so much fun" fun. She's loud and singing and dancing all the time!!


 She also dresses fit to kill and thankfully I can wear her size.  Doesn't really help me now because we live so far away from each other but boy, in college, it rocked!!  And she's so awesome at fixing my hair.  Everyone needs somebody that can fix their hair!!!  Whats even cooler, is now she can fix Amelia's hair, too!


She loves my kids and my husband.  (She actually had a hand in Drew and I getting together).  She never fails to ask about them and talks about my kids like they are her own.  If I go more than 2 days without talking to her, I get messages like "I'm getting worried" or "call me ASAP."


While I had 2 awesome brothers growing up, I always wanted a sister.  August 1994, I met her.  She is loyal, trustworthy, and the best secret keeper ever.  Doug, her husband, works in the coal mines in West Virginia and oh how I wish Lexington had coal.  But until then, we will continue as we are.  Long distance best friends, sisters actually!  So here's to you Mountain Mama!  Hope we have 50 more years of this friendship.  Love you!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

That horrible time of the year

 Well.....its here!! We are officially right smack dab in the middle of tax season. I tend to describe it as the time when my poor husband works from sun up to sun down,  eats horribly, sleeps very little, and becomes almost like a visitor in our house.  Its hard on all of us, especially the kids.  Amelia doesn't understand "taxis" (as she calls it)  and frankly, we just miss him.  I want the kids to understand that while their dad did work alot when they were little, when he was here, he was really HERE...So to Amelia and Maddox, here's a day during tax season.

Sweet Amelia and Maddox,

        Its tax season and Daddy is gone alot.  I know its difficult on you both but I want you to know that your dad loves you more than you will ever know!  He's working long days right now and even on Saturdays.  He's tired and stressed  but you would never know it.  Before bed, every night, he gets your breakfast ready and your sippy cups filled.  He checks on you both and then heads to bed.  He gets up around 5 or 6, showers, and then waits for you, Maddox.  You always wake up first.  Daddy loves this time with you.  Sometimes you fall back to sleep on his chest, and others times, you two watch one of your movies together.  He feeds you breakfast and plays with you unitl I wake up.  You can't get enough of your Dad.  You follow him around while he irons his clothes, gets dressed, and shaves.  You stretch those arms up to him and of course, he picks you up.  Around this time, Amelia, you wake up.  You yell for Dad and he helps you carry your banky and all 15 of your stuffed animals downstairs.  He gets your breakfast and talks with you before he leaves.  You both hang on to his legs and beg him not to go, but you know he has to work.  We carry on fine through the day.  We talk about Daddy all day and draw him pictures.  Amelia, I love your prayers at dinner!  They always include how much you love and miss your Dad.  And then comes our favorite part of the day...Dad comes home. I know he's home because I hear both of you screaming!!  He walks through the door, drops his 3 huge bags, and starts playing with you guys....and I mean really playing.  He doesn't change clothes, he doesn't eat, and he doesn't sit down to rest.  You guys dance and run and play and read and color and sing!  He's down on his hands and knees playing dogs or giving you rides on his shoulders. Maddox, you get sleepy first.  Dad reads you books and takes you upstairs.  He rocks you until you fall asleep on his shoulder.  Daddy comes back downstairs and reads to you, Amelia.  Sometimes you two work on your homework and sometimes you color pictures, just depends on your mood.  He helps you brush your teeth and get ready for bed and eventually carries you to your room.  Once Daddy comes back downstairs, we spend the rest of the night talking about the two of you.  Just so you know, sweet babies, even though your dad is not here as much as he would love to be, when he is here....He's HERE!!!  We love you both and are so blessed to wake up every morning to your precious faces.



     

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Dog Request

I knew this day would come.  I think it does for every child.  I'm sure every mother has gone through the "Can I get a dog ?" phase.  It's reached a whole new level at our house.  Amelia has now resorted to actually pretending she's a dog for about 70% of the day.  I have to call her by names like Chloe, Mugsy, Diggs, etc.  I have to pet her, walk her, and feed her from a bowl.  Seriously, I practically own a dog already so I'm not sure why I'm struggling with this so much.  That darn commercial on Animal Planet gets her every time.  You know the one with Sarah McLachlan that shows the pictures of the homeless animals.  Amelia always reads the phone number off and demands we call immediately. 

On one hand, I would love to see her face when she opens a box with an adorable puppy in it.  And on the other hand, I am reminded about our history with pets in the house.  We have gone through 3 hermit crabs (Amelia thinks we have had only 1), 3 fish (Amelia thinks we have had only 1), a chicken, and now a guinea pig.  Do we really need another responsibility?  And when I say we, I mean me....cause I know what a dog means for me.  Another thing to feed, bathe, clean up after, play with, and train.  I just don't know if I'm up to it.  But then again, I'm not sure how much longer we can hold her off....I guess this is... TO BE CONTINUED!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

I Bleed Blue

Ive been watching basketball since I can remember.....I mean I practically grew up in the gym.   I can't shoot a basketball to save my life but I used to rebound free throws for Matt like a champ. I guess that's how it all started.  Its just always been a part of my life.  I remember sitting around watching the UK games with my family, screaming at the television.  Back then, you were either a UK fan or a U of L fan and you knew exactly which of your friends were cheering for blue and white.

We drove to Lexington every summer for Matt to go the UK basketball camp and I decided then that I would be completely content in good ol Lexington for the rest of my life. Once I started my freshman year, it became an obsession really.  I mean the fans truly are crazy, although I like to think of them as passionate.  I was lucky enough to celebrate 2 national championships ( and should have been three no thanks to Arizona)  And now...well, we live for March Madness.  I fill out a bracket every year and take it very seriously! And honestly, its hard to say which is stronger.... my love for Kentucky or my hatred for Louisville.  The perfect day for me is a UK win and a U of L loss.  So that brings me to the present.  Get your act together, Kentucky.  I know you are a young team and its tough to win on the road, but let's do this!  Louisville is ranked ahead of us right now and I don't like that one bit.  So sorry to all of my U of L friends...and my in laws.... but you know me by now.  I BLEED BLUE!

Monday, February 7, 2011

It has to start somewhere

Its so very easy to get caught up in the daily grind.  It seems like eveything I do is in 30 minute increments....Breakfast, dress kids, take Amelia to ballet, school, gymnastics, lunch, put Maddox down for his nap, laundry, fix dinner, homework, bath, bedtime.  Most days, after the kids are in bed, I look around and think to myself..I got NOTHING done today. But today was one of those days where I felt a sense of accomplishment.  It wasnt a different day by any stretch of the imagination.  I just thought about it in a different way.

It began this morning.  I taught Amelia how to hold her sleeves when I put her jacket on so they didnt slide half way up her arm.  This lesson was followed quickly by showing Maddox where his nose was;)  I showed Amelia not only how to draw a perfect square but then to cut it out with big girl scissors.  And an hour later I managed to save Maddox, yet again, from the top of the stairs.  After the kid's nap, I attempted to perfect Amelia's cartwheel and I must say Maddox's forward roll is showing some serious signs of improvement  .At dinner, I enlisted Amelia has my assistant chef and showed her how to prepare pork chops.  She became bored after about 5 minutes but while cooking, I taught her how to print the number 3 and spell a couple of words with the magnets on the fridge.  Several times while cooking dinner, I was forced to explain to Maddox why we dont hit our sister and why we dont throw toys at the wall. Both kids were taught how to feed George the guinea pig and they actually enjoyed it.  Amelia and I colored, did puzzles and had THE best nap ever.  Maddox and I played trucks, hide and seek and had THE best snuggling session ever.  And in between all of this, I managed to skype Mom, return several phone calls and  I even booked 2 shows.  My house is dirty, Im tired and I know it all starts over tomorrow....But, gosh, I got ALOT done today!