"Sweet Cutie"

"Sweet Cutie" as reads on her box is our newest addition. I have never seen Lucy love on something more than this doll. We passed by her at TJ Maxx and at $7.99 what she bought me was time to try on 8 swimsuits. Lucy LOVES this "Sweet Cutie". Although she didn't scream when I took her away to scan her for payment. She just smiled at me like she knew I was about to buy her. Is she really old enough to understand retail? Oh no.

I love our friends

I had a moment this afternoon when I looked around the patio and was a bit overwhelmed with emotion. I had planned this party for Henry thinking, "man, I'm partied out" but explaining to a 3 year old that he doesn't get a party because Mom and Dad are pooped is just inexcusable. As I looked around I saw all our friends; those regulars who always come and help me more than they know, the out-of-town surprisers, our loved neighbors, those friends who came from a distance and for whom staying home may have been the 'easy' thing to do on a Sunday, those who called sadly because they would have rather been here than do what they needed to instead, and those kidless folks who mean so much to our kids and put up with our kids so well! Y'all overwhelmed me and you're lucky at that moment that I just took your picture and didn't cry on you.

I love our friends. Thank you.

Henry is grateful.

Happy Birthday Hank

Henry is 3 today. Right now it is 7:30 and we've already watched Sesame Street, played Bocci Ball (Thanks Mia) in the backyard and are currently waiting for Dutch Babies to come out of the oven and Aunt Meg and Kelcey to come over. Henry was in such a hurry to get here 3 years ago (7 weeks and 5 days early) we figure he had things to do, so we don't waste a second on his Birthday. Love ya' Hanky Panky.

Henry's Swim Class, First and Last

...for this year anyway. Henry is 2 + 7/8 and these tiny little kids were all 5+ years old (and three even older kids came a few minutes later). But being the same size, and at the encouragement of the head guard at TCGC, we tried swim lessons. Well, he did great for the first 10 minutes or so. But as the class moved out from the stairs and more was asked of him, it became obvious to both myself and the instructor that this was maybe not the year for lessons. So, we'll head back tomorrow and the next day and I'll try to work on some of these "drills" myself. But man did he look cute all lined up with the big kids.

Happy Birthday Dad

Hate to have to make fun of you on your Birthday, but these napkins were too good for Megan and I to pass up. We love you and your tolerance for teasing from your girls. We're thinking of you today. Cheers!

48 hour remodel

Spent a very short 2 days in Flagstaff, AZ helping my sister Meg into her new place. And we worked until we thought unpacking Spanks was funny, well they are sort of funny. Thanks for letting me boss you about Meg. Although still recovering, I had a GREAT time!


List of Tasks Meg and I Accomplished in 48 hours:

• deep clean of 2 bed/1 bath house that I'm pretty sure had not been cleaned since it was built in 1950.


• one toilet repair - check!


• one wooden looking ceiling fan dissasembled and put back together white. Yuck.


• laundrymat trip to wash couch slip covers.


• rotten and termite infested front door threshold replaced.


• new curtains bought, hemmed and hung for every window in the place.


• everything unpacked and put away (with the exception of a few boxes in the office - sorry we couldn't get to that Meg).

Here are some before and afters:

BATHROOM (before)

BATHROOM (after)

FRONT ENTRY (before) FRONT ENTRY (after)



YARD (before)

YARD (after)

LIVING ROOM (before)

LIVING ROOM (after)

BEDROOM (before)

BEDROOM (after)

KITCHEN (before)

KITCHEN (after)

AND TO KELCEY

I know I am alot to put up with when I get into 48 hour remodel mode. You handled me well. You also impressed me with your oven pilot light adjustment and now I have no doubt that should Megan need another toilet kit replacement or front door threshold repair, you can deal and I won't need to fly out there. Enjoy your time together and thanks for putting up wth me!