Ladies, Can I Get an Amen?

My wonderful friend Shannon just told me this story, and there are still tears of laughter in my eyes. Here goes:

While Shannon was picking up her neighbor's daughter to take to school this morning, she noticed that her neighbor was wearing a beautiful and cozy robe, but had her hand covering something up by her chest. When Shannon asked her about it, her neighbor rolled her eyes and said, "My husband bought this robe for me and was so excited because he had it monogrammed for me." She lowered her hand to show the initials embroidered on the robe:
M O M.

Yeah, her name is Becky. There are no M's anywhere in her "name."

Her hubby could not possibly understand why she was not happy. Ladies?

Congratulations, Stephanie!

Yeah for Stephanie! A new baby girl, Molly Catherine, born yesterday morning. Weighing in at 7 lbs, 10 oz. I find it hilarious that after 31 hours of labor with her first child, she had a 3 (yes, 3) hour labor with little Molly and made it the hospital with only 20 minutes to spare. Ha!

Congrats!

Home Improvements...

With moving come all of the tasks involved. Cleaning, unpacking, organizing, making little improvements here and there, and the list goes on and on. Glad to see that the boys understand and realize that everyone must pull his or her own weight around here.

*Coloring the trees in the front yard with chalk. Check.

Congratulations, Lisa!

Olivia Grace, born today, weighing in at 6 lbs. 9 ounces, and 19 1/2 inches. Can not wait to meet the new love of your life. Congratulations, Lis!

Now, on to Stephanie...

Blizzard, 2009 Update

Family and Friends:

I am writing to update you with our intense winter weather conditions. There is, indeed, snow. Motorists were urged to stay home today. All local schools were cancelled, and many more are operating on a delayed start to the day tomorrow. Without further ado, I bring you startling images from Blizzard, 2009!

Are you kidding me?

6 pm Monday evening: I just got a call from the kids' school. School tomorrow has been cancelled. In preparation for the Winter Storm that is approaching. They are predicting anywhere between a dusting and one whole inch of snow to fall in a twelve hour period. I was at Wal-mart today. People are stocking up in preparation. There was no bread or milk. Don't worry, everyone. The boys and I are taking proper precautions. We have the snow shovels ready. Scarves and mittens are laid out in preparation for the blizzard. If you don't hear from me for a few days, it is because I am holed up in my house waiting for Spring. Oh, the humanity!

Mitch's Daddy

No, we are not about to reveal who the real red-headed baby daddy is.

This week at school, Mitch's class has been talking about their daddies, since the dad's tend to get completely gypped out of cool hand-made cards as Father's Day falls during summer break. Here are some of Mitch's thoughts about his daddy, as dictated to Ms. Pam:

My daddy is special because...he loves to build with me.

When I do something wrong my Dad...takes me to time-out in my room.

My favorite thing my Dad cooks is...nothing because he makes my mom cook everything. He is just the eater.

When my dad cooks...I tell you, he never cooks. He doesn't want to.

My Dad is ____ years old. I don't know. He's big. I'll tell you tomorrow. I'll ask him tonight and I'll bet he'll tell you.

My Dad's favorite thing to do is...play with me.

I love my Dad because....I just do. I just love my Daddy.

Doesn't Everyone Have A Jobsite?

Welcome to our backyard, aka, "The Jobsite." A lot of things go on here. But not playing. The things that happen here are all work related. There is digging. Building. Moving. Smoothing. Lifting. Burying. But it is all definitely work-related. And, when Christmas is over, the Christmas tree ends up there for a few days until garbage day.

Only Mitch...

Mitch: "Hey, Mom and Dad. Could we play London Bridge?"

Us, thinking Great! A standard nursey rhyme! Maybe he isn't so weird after all!: "Sure, Mitch. Come on in the middle."

Mitch: "Oh no! You just start singing it and playing it."

Us: "OK. "London Bridge is falling down....falling down....falling down...."

Mitch, running with his tool box full of tools: "OK. What seems to be the problem here? You say the bridge is falling down?"

Hooliganisms...

Matty, while draining the bathtub water: "Bye bye water. Go down the drain. With all your friends. And go to school. And don't forget your backpack!"

Today at school, as retold by the beloved Ms. Pam:
Ms. Pam: "We have been talking about our favorite authors. Tomorrow for show and tell, I would like you to bring a book written by your favorite author."
Mitch: "Oh, I don't have any books at home, so I had just better bring a construction vehicle."

The Birds and the Bees...and the Hammers...

According to Mitch.

Here is an excerpt from our bedtime conversation two minutes ago.

Mitch: "Mom, God has a store up in the clouds with all kinds of little boys. And he has a store of all kinds of little girls. And then he picks one out and he sends it down to you. And he picked me out and sent me down and I was really little and I flew into your mouth and I went down a big, big slide and splashed down into your tummy with all of the food. And then I grew in there, and then when I was big enough, I used all of my hammers to climb back out and it probably hurt you a little bit with all of those hammers but that is the only way out. And then you had a little baby Mitch. Right, Mom?"

Me: "Uh, sure."

According to Matty...

there are two types of trains.

"Chug" trains and "Whoa" trains, as is Whoa ! Whoa!

More rooms are coming together...

Here are a few more photos of the new abode. Office.

Finished Room Over Garage, also known as a FROG or Room Over. It is the South Carolina equivalent of a basement.

And the family room. Please note the topiaries. They are glad to be out of the apartment.

I don't make the news, I just report it...

Every once in awhile, someone will pay me a compliment regarding this little blog that I have here. Always, I just shrug. Truly, I have very, very little to do with the actual blog. Oh, sure. I take a moment here or there to jot down a few stories or post a few pictures, but the real meat of the blog, the content, comes from the hooligans that live here (and I am lumping all three males in this household into the hooligan category today). Seriously, folks. I just write about what I see here. I am a silent observer. Oh, and I sometimes run and grab a camera.

Case in point: For our anniversary, I bought Mike a wetsuit, and some kiteboarding lessons to be used at a later date. What better way to thank the man for ten years of marriage than to fully equip him to have some high-adrenaline time to himself? So, he opens the wetsuit. Most people would say a polite thank you, and then maybe, maybe try it on to ensure that it fits. My hubby stop there? Never! Mike always has to go to the next step. Here he is in freezing cold water.

And, of course, hooligan see, hooligan do.

Matthew, thankfully, respectfully declined. There's hope for that boy yet!

Bon Voyage

Matty, while eating dinner: "Goodbye, rice. Daddy, my rice is going to it's new home. In my belly."