Thankful!

Well hey there! It's been a while huh? In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'd like to share some things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Period. It doesn't get any better than that.

I am thankful for my husband. I still wonder every day what in the world he saw in me, a 20 something single mother, college dropout, bartender, bitter young girl. He has turned my life around. He has become a wonderful father and role model to Joe. He supports us while I finish school. He works very hard and never complains or asks why he pays for health insurance for a child with whom he shares no DNA. He is a wonderful, godly man and a selfless provider. As I have seen at least 4 marriages of friends dissolve in the past year, I have never felt better and more stable in my life. He is the epitome of a good husband and (thankfully) has the patience of a saint!

I am thankful for Joe. He tests me every SINGLE DAY, but I am thankful that he is healthy, relatively happy and that he loves Jesus. During a time when I should have absolutely no patience, I have learned through him, that I am capable of being patient and handling situations as they come.

I am thankful for all the wonderful things I have in my life. I have every single thing in the world I could ever NEED.

I am thankful for all the wonderful Thanksgivings I spent at my family's cabin in North Carolina. Nothing will ever replace those wonderful memories. I love my family so much and it makes me sad to think of how much has changed since we last went there 10 years ago.

This year I will be making Apple cider glazed pumpkin cake, roasted green beans with garlic, mashed potatoes, and rolls. I will do my best to post recipes in the coming days.

Who Knew?

Who knew Joe was so wildly talented?

Case in point: He can hold 5 cars using only his toes!

Who knew I'd look so rough after 5 and a half hours in the car?

(...raises hand....I did!)

Who knew a temporary Alabama tattoo could be so stylish?


Okay, maybe not

Anybody order a glittery old lady with a side of back rolls? No?

Who knew my children could be so sweet?

Okay...I did.

Who knew my heart would melt at the sight of a smile and an ear flop?

Lord help me! This might be too much!

Who knew my cat was Linda Blair?

Everyone.


Who knew 2 little boys could wear a total of 5 pieces of Alabama apparel at one time?

We aren't even counting the 2 I had on!

Who knew my boy is about to be 7?

Sigh...

Who knew?

I guess I did.

A Plastic Paradox

On Saturday, Joe bought some action figure men at a yard sale. He named them Astro and Acai (yep, like the berry). These men have seen some interesting action over the past few days, I'm sure. They have fought to high heaven, laid on top of the dog and cats, slid down many stairs, and undoubtedly wound up naked under the bed.

Joe brought Astro downstairs naked around dinner time. This is what transpired:



Me: Joe, you can't have a naked man at the table!

Joe: Why, cause it's disgusting?

Me: Well, no...it's just not proper to have his private parts out on display.

Joe: But he doesn't have any private parts!

Touche Joe. Too-shay.

Random Updates

Lately, between writing horrendous poetry, reading Faulkner, classroom observations, and keeping my head on straight, I haven't had a whole lot of time to do much of anything. In recompense, I offer a numbered list of our most recent accomplishments and musings.

1. First grade does not seem to be agreeing with Joe. I'm not sure if this is the result of a conflict between he and the teacher or not, but it's getting rough. He is in trouble literally every day. He gets notes home for things like "sliding his book around on the table" or "kicking the water fountain." I know he is not a bad child, but he has a lot of trouble focusing. As of right now, I'm not pleased with the way the teacher is handling the situation(s). She has 25 years of experience, but at this point, I feel like her expectations are extremely rigid. We are going to request an intervention from the counselor to see if someone can sit in and observe and maybe give us (or the teacher) some suggestions.

2. On a lighter note- Fall is here! I LOVE fall! I spent the afternoon putting out my Halloween decorations.

3. Jason is honing his new-found carpentry skills by building cabinets and shelves in the garage. I can't wait to see the finished product. So far, the only occupational incident has been a single splinter which I removed this morning.

4. There are 3 things I would like for Christmas. 2 of them are book related. I am such a nerd!

5. Wednesday just might be the best day of my life. I'm getting contacts and seeing an old friend from high school.

6. I read another Faulkner novel, Absalom, Absalom! and I really liked it. I know, I'm surprised myself.

7. Joe has a new dance called "The Charlie Brown" which cracks me up.

8. We have a family game of UNO every night now.

9. In addition to my wonderful friends Tabatha and Lauren, I've made some new friends at school. (Allie, Rachel, and Holly) We spend all day Tuesday together. Allie quilts and Rachel smocks. I feel like a combo of Mean Girls and Golden Girls.

10. ROLL TIDE!!!!!

Amazing Deals!

You might already know that I'm an extremely thrifty person. If I ever become rich, I'll be the world's worst rich person. I probably don't have that to worry about for a while. Since I'm NOT rich, I get really creative with saving money. I LOVE shopping yard sales, the thrift store, Publix sales and using coupons. I came across this coupon recently and was very successful in using it.

How successful?



I was able to buy 3 dresses and 1 pair of underwear for NINE DOLLARS!

Yep, 9 dollars even.

My intention was to find one thing for $10 and just pay the tax but I printed out 2 coupons just in case and I got so lucky!



Clearance price $7.49 Bought in transaction with:

Clearance price $9.99. After I used the $10 coupon, total transaction price: $8.15

The dresses were labeled $19.99 so when I found out they were $9.99 I went back to get another one and used my second coupon.


Clearance price $9.99. I had to find something to make the transaction at least $10 so I found a pair of clearance cute undies for $.79
Total transaction price after coupon: $.85

Total out of pocket: $9.00

Not bad for 3 dresses!

I got a JCPenny coupon in the mail today for $10 off of purchase of $10 or more so chance are, I'll have some more great bargains!

Jessica's Baby Shower

Well hello there! It's been a while! I started this blog for a few reasons, the most important being to keep our family and friends (who wish to be updated) updated on what we're up to. Then I dreamt up all these aspirations and goals for my writing. As it turns out, I just don't have time to be a good, witty writer. That being said, I do have time to do what I set out to do in the beginning, tell my family (who are all far away) just what the heck is going on here. So, what's up you ask? Well, this past weekend, Jason and I headed up to Huntsville for our friend Jessica's baby shower.


There were a lot of sweet girls there and Jessica got some great gifts for baby Hayden.


I learned that diaper cakes are in no way edible, they are however, adorable.

We played some fun games

like sniffing diapers




But I didn't forget that Alabama was playing on Saturday.

I at least wore crimson!

But then I changed and headed to watch the game with the boys.

I LOVE ALABAMA FOOTBALL!!


Jason and Chad coordinated outfits. Actually, about half of the state coordinated outfits most likely.


I promise not to neglect y'all anymore....just don't expect greatness!

Joe: Boy Wonder

We spent a wonderful, relaxing weekend with our friends in Huntsville, Chad and Jessica.

I won't chronicle the weekend hour by hour because....well...I like y'all, and I want you to keep reading my blog. Besides, 6 hours in the pool and 6 hours of "Catch Phrase" can tend to get a bit monotonous on paper. I will, however, show you some photos of the amazing things Joe did this weekend. "Vacation Joe" tends to be more adventurous and less ill-mannered than "Everyday Joe."

I'll start with the single most amazing photo I have ever taken.

Are you ready?
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I mean, seriously, how amazing is this?

In the spirit of adventure, Joe ate sushi on his own accord.

The kid won't eat ketchup, but he will throw down on sushi.

He also ate a big chunk of tofu.

Okay, he ate 3 big chunks of tofu.

If you knew the stock that this child came from on one side, your jaw would hit the floor.


Joe also had great fun with the Sanders' dog.





We had a great weekend with our dear friends. What is it about people that don't have kids that makes them want to absolutely wear your kid into the ground? I'm not sure, but whatever it is, I like it. Because of Chad (and Jason), Joe was ready for bed at about 6:15.

UAB- A Plethora of Fashion Faux Pas

Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form an authority on fashion. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty crappy at dressing myself and my style is relatively plain.

That being said, my eyes have been opened to the.....creativity of some of my fellow students.

Recently, my friend Rachel has opened my eyes to the revival of plaid. Maybe it really is "back" or maybe I'm just noticing it because it has been pointed out to me, but GRACIOUS it's everywhere! I just can't seem to wrap my mind around outfits like this:


Go ahead, take it all in.

My friend Lianne also recently blogged about her distaste in public pajamas. However, I must say, if you've been to college (or walmart in Alabama) you have certainly witnessed this fashion flop. In fact, at UAB no one blinks at PJ pants or "house shoes."

Today, I witnessed the mother of all fashion nightmares.
These....things....put plaid and fringe girl to SHAME!


I don't even know what to call these things, but apparently, they have their own website.

I mean, what else can you really say about these? I laughed (silently of course). I cringed.

Now I think I might need some.

A Feminist Cringe

I came across this gem at my favorite thrift store today:

The Bride Game.

Notice how it's only acceptable for ages 8-14. After 14, it's time to start the hunt for a REAL husband.

PFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTT!!!

Do you know what I wanted to be when I was a little girl?
Not a bride, an American Gladiator.

For real.

I'm only sorry I didn't open that box to see what was inside. Probably dusty old dreams and aspirations.

Aside from that little dose of misogynism, I have been finding some pretty great stuff there lately.


This serving platter is just the right combination of Mawmaw and fun.


I love this little milk glass pedestal bowl. I am still on the lookout for milk glass platters and cake pedestals


Hobnail milk glass vase full of knockout roses from my bushes.


Smaller milk glass bud vase and fleur de lis metal bucket. I'm thinking of planting something in that bucket, but I'm happy with it in the foyer for now.


Our thrift store offers a WEALTH of randomness, but I rarely ever leave there without something awesome. I've gotten all my shorts there this year. I basically needed a whole new wardrobe from going from a size 12 to size 6 so I hit up the thrift store because I LOVE a bargain. In my humble opinion, Ann Taylor Loft, Gap, or Old Navy shorts for $3.00 are a great bargain.

If you're ever on my side of town, please plan on going with me. I promise I won't make you dress up as a bride.

A Few Things You Should Know About Me

1. I've always been cool

I guess I always knew I had a bright future.


2. And I've always been sassy.

That's probably my last time in a 2 piece!

Yep, still sassy.

I guess some things never change!

If This Happens Again, I'm Moving Out!

Today, I experienced a meltdown of EPIC proportions, for which I was grossly ill-prepared.
By ill-prepared, I mean I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

You see, Joe doesn't typically have these types of meltdowns. His unpleasantness doesn't usually ebb and flow, rather, it comes in a steady stream to which I have become accustomed over the last 6 and a half years. But this time was different. THIS time, Joe had a blowout of tears, snot, and regrettable hatred.

Why?

Did I take away all of his toys? No.
Did I feed him his least favorite meal of hotdogs? NO
Did I force him to walk 10 miles in the Alabama heat? NO

I asked him to dust. Yes, that's right, dust.

Joe generally likes does not loathe chores. He (usually) always likes to "help" and I happily oblige his wishes.

This time however, he didn't ask me to help, I asked him, which apparently changes everything. Even the promise of Sno-cone truck money ($2) couldn't sway this child, whose mood swing rivaled that of a caged Siberian tiger who has just been told he's getting sterilized.

After a swift spanking, some "nap" time, and a discussion of why God says you should treat your parents nicely, Joe came around. He did his chores of dusting, wiping the bathroom counter and putting away the top rack of clean dishes from the dishwasher and happily accepted his payment.

Now it's raining so we probably won't see the snow cone truck today.

Next time a meltdown of these biblical proportions occurs, I will be ready. By ready, I mean I will direct all complaints to Jason.

P.S. At least I can be thankful that it wasn't as bad as this meltdown!

PETA is going to loooooove me for this one.

Disclaimer: I can't stand PETA or anything they stand for. I don't condone abusing anyone or anything, but I find it disgusting that some people value the life of an animal over that of a human.

With that said, let me tell y'all about my weekend! Friday morning we headed south to visit my Mama 'n' them. Friday afternoon was spent visiting all of my wonderful Grandparents.

Friday evening, we ate dinner at Tokyo, a Japanese/Hibachi place in Fairhope. The highlight of the night was Joe catching a flying scrambled egg in his mouth! Where was I with the video camera?!? Then, we spent (literally) 4 hours at the new (and amazing) Bass Pro Shop in Spanish Fort. Joe was relatively well behaved and had some spending money. What did he buy with his money you ask? I left all the options open and he RETURNED A TOY TO THE SHELF so he could buy a bag of buffalo jerky and a camo visor. What can I say, we are a family with a high jerky consumption.

Saturday began with a trip to the Urgent Care facility because Jason's hair hurt Jason was having as-yet-undiagnosed pain on the side of his head and in his ear. After paying the $25 copay, the Doctor sent us to Walgreens to buy a bottle of $6 over the counter drops.

The day picked up when we headed for the beach around lunch time. The boys fished on the newly opened Gulf State Park fishing pier while my Mom and I slipped into sloth mode. Jason and Adam caught a few hardtails, ale wives, saltwater catfish, and these little suckers:

The Remora, or as Joe calls it, shark sucker. These are the fellas that attach to a shark by suction and basically live the life of a mooching, lazy boyfriend.

But......the high point of the day................was THIS:

MY DADDY CAUGHT A SHARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He believes it was an Atlantic Shark about 5 feet in length.

He was a pier celebrity for a hot second!!

Here's what stunk though, we had to release it (along with more than a few dollars worth of tackle). There is no shark fishing allowed on this pier so we couldn't even pull him up.
My friends, we are just not good at catch and release fishing. If it's edible, it's usually fileted and consumed with hush puppies. And yes, sharks are edible.

PETA, you're welcome!

Greek Food with a Greek Person?! My Head is Spinning!

Today was a paradoxical kind of day. Have you ever eaten Greek food with a Greek Person? One that can actually say Gyros without sounding like she has peanut butter in her mouth?

Well I have, and her name is Rachel!

We also met Lianne who, although not Greek, is pretty amazing! Today is her birthday and she is turning *coughmumble* years old! We ate at Nabeel's in Homewood with 4 kids. Yes, that's right, 4 kids and I didn't say a single swear!

I didn't take any pictures at lunch because, well, both hands were full of food at all times!

After we ate lunch, we decided it would be appropriate to take the kids to the park across the street so we could sweat out feta and onions they could play.

Joe found an awesome caterpillar.

He scaled it before the gate had even closed behind us.


He was on top of the world for a hot second.


He was nice enough to share the Caterpillar with Lianne's son and his new friend Luke.


He quickly moved on to the swings. Yes, he is swinging upside down with no hands. How do I tolerate these kinds of shenanigans? I'm not sure but they don't even phase me anymore!


This is Rachel's daughter Ali. She is precious and very serious so I'm going to train her to do eyebrow tricks like me.

Somehow I didn't get a picture of Lianne's daughter Emma (likely because my face and hair were melting off), but rest assured she was precious too. She had awesome hot pink glasses that made me totally jealous.

Lianne, Rachel, I'm SO glad I met both of y'all and I just love hanging out!


Until next time, I'll just twitter y'all 6000 times a day!

Brace Yourselves

What lengths would you go to for money?

Would you prance your little white self around and RAP on the internet?

Y'ALL KNOW I WOULD!!!!!!

Now, Unless you're into IT and computer stuff, this probably won't make sense. It doesn't make sense to me, but somehow I wrote a rap about it.

Apart from not making sense, I think it's pretty flipping hilarious. (Especially if you would LOVE to see me humiliate myself)

If we get enough hits we could win enough money for everyone to have a SWEET Christmas this year.

This was absolutely painstaking......please enjoy and feel free to watch it over and over.....and clear your cookies and watch it some more!!!

Who Knew You Could Have THIS Much Fun With Kids?

Due to.....extenuating circumstances....Joe is staying home the rest of the summer. Having never been a "stay at home Mother" I have given myself a challenge of coming up with fun things to do.

Fun things like staying up all night to write the papers I no longer have time to do during the day.

I kid. But seriously, Joe is the type of kid who needs constant stimulation. If he has something to do, he behaves. If not, well, that's for another day.

Friday, my best friend Tabatha and I took the kids to Helena where we played in a creek, played on a playground, and had lunch at a place called "The Depot."

We started on the playground.

Where Hartley posed like a supermodel.


Joe played on a tire swing.


Grayson barked orders at the rest of us.


And Tab and I took our first picture together after being friends for over a year!


They got good and sandy and Tabatha took pictures because "she loves butt!!"


We climbed trees and took pictures to document our bravery.


Or maybe to document our cute swimsuits.


Yea, that was probably it.


Grayson and Hartley showed us their tree poses.

After we got in the water...

Joe threw rocks, his favorite pastime.


I flexed my photography muscles.


Hartley took a faceplant in the water and WAS NOT happy. Check out that brotherly love in the corner! I love it!


I tried unsuccessfully to take a group photo of a 6, almost 3, and 1 year old.

It was a good day :)