She may look like Lee.....

Sophie looks a LOT like her daddy, but she definitely proved my brain genes are present. Specifically, her ability, or lack there of, to decipher song lyrics. I have a long history of misquoting songs. Michael Jackson's Don't Stop Til You Get Enough usually has an extra word or two. Dixieland Delight took me on a road trip from Viriginia to Huntsville to fix the wrong words. The other members of my family have similar issues. My sister used to sing the hymn at church "Baby I'm Constrained to Be" instead of the more appropriate word "Daily".

Today we were taking our daily jaunt into town and listening to Christmas music. Since she has learned several popular songs the past two years she was telling me which songs she knew and was singing along. Finally one came on she apparently just decided was her absolute new favorite. She said "Oh, mommy. This song is my favorite favorite song. Walking in the Winter on the Land is SUCH a good song. It makes me ready for Christmas." I didn't have the heart to correct her. Maybe next year.

It's the final Countdown!!!

So, I have had a song stuck in a head, along with Christmas songs... that final Countdown song! ( If I was clever I would put music on my blog and have it playing, but that takes effort... ehhh...) We are down to HOPEFULLY 6 days in transition mode until we get to close and move to our house in Spanish Fort! Words cannot describe how READY we all are to be in our house with our stuff... our pillows, our build a bears, our cups, our plates, our TV, our towels, well, you get the idea. The past few days of driving back and forth to make commitments and Christmas events has honestly worn us out. Today was the breakthrough moment I knew we would have, but now that hopefully our "oh my gosh I don't know how much more I can take" moment has passed, it will be up hill from now.

So- to make me appreciate our last week in Montgomery, I have a list of things I will miss:

- ELREY- Who cannot resist El Rey and the basic bean, pintos, with sun dried tomato wrap and mango tea? oh my, I will miss this meal so much. It was a staple my Senior year of college, and has been since then.
- Huntingdon- This school brought me here, and seeing Flowers Hall everytime I drive up College Street always reminds me of some college memory, good or bad. I loved my time there... it helped me become a strong person. AUM was a great Master's program with awesome professors, but it doesn't hold a candle to picnics on the Green, knowing who you pass on the way to class, or a graduation service more beautiful than others.
- Jalepenos- Not because I love the food, but this is where Lee and I first met over trading our favorite parts of birthday cake. That boy gave me his icing. I knew then it was meant to be.
- Frazer- I cannot say ENOUGH about Frazer or the people there. LOVE our Sunday School, LOVE all our friends, LOVE all the children workers, and LOVE the preschool. It honestly is the one thing that almost kept us from moving. That says a lot about the people we have grown to love there. We have been challenged to do things we not normally do by some strong individuals, and we hope we find this type of family in our new area! It will be tough to replace...
- Swim times- Although I know we will have access to beaches down there, you can't beat the good ole' YMCA and Deer Creek pool. Always a buddy to swim with, always a Capri sun to share, and always a mom to talk to while kids swim.

There are WAY more things, but this is my list for now. Talking about El Rey has given this baby a craving... I need to catch Lee before he heads up to the Lake!

Starting the Holidays

So, the past few weeks have been a crazy time in our, well, NOT house. We sold our Crestwood Lane house and had to move. Lots of fun times the week of Thanksgiving! But, it was done, we spent six nights in five different places as we had no furniture in our house, went to visit family, came back to Montgomery, then finally have landed at our home for the next three weeks at Lake Martin.

However, once we got to our new residence as they prepare our new house things have been easier. We got to announce our big news of a new baby due late June, find out another niece or nephew is on the way, and we can finally celebrate the future we have coming to us! Of course, with our girls, Christmas is a BIG deal. We had to bring a little tree to the lake to decorate, and Scooby the elf found us to much glee!

Tuesday we decided we should attempt a gingerbread house.... The best the house looked was still in all that wrapping in the box, because we slaughtered the poor thing, but had a blast!

Sophie picked out the kit based on the candy inside. A girl of my own genes...

One of the two worked really hard at making a pattern on the house, while the other filled her cheeks and now and then would put a banana on the house, because she didn't like the bananas. You guess who is who.

The finished product. Unfortunately, this is probably the best house we have ever made. Maybe next year I will just find a bakery and have one pre-assembled and claim it.

The little Pilgrim

Today was the Thanksgiving Feast at Preschool. If you think you don't have something to be thankful for, ask a four year old. With one of the craziest weeks of our lives behind us and an even busier weekend ahead, it was nice to stop the packing and cleaning and looking at Lee funny when he suggests something about packing clothes in a trash bag b/c we are out of everything else and enjoy their little prayer. Things to be thankful for? Rainbows, dog licks, a good slide, anything purple, an open window so mommy can watch kids while they play outside. I am sure there are more, but you get the idea.

I got to school in time to lay out my little cupcakes when Mrs Toole ran in the room and said Sophie was on stage. I grabbed the camera, and captured her re-enacting the story of Thanksgiving. Here she is, pretending to build a cabin.

When she saw me in the back of the room, her little face lit up and she whispered quite loudly, "hey mommy! look at me! i made the stage!" I see Broadway lights in 17 years with this one.

So tonight, instead of stressing over dirty grout, we are going to our favorite little Tex Mex place for one last bean burrito and the best salsa around. And tomorrow morning? I am heating green beans for 40 people at a project Thanksgiving mission. Lee is forgo-ing the back pain to hand out frozen turkeys for a few hours. Why stress over having a small commute for a month from a fabulous house while our new house is being painted to a color we like, and suffering a little so buyers who actually bought our house in 8 days can start their lives in the house where we began our family?

Word to the wise, if you call me this weekend and complain about your life, you may get an ear full. Not because ours is so hectic right now, but because it can't be that bad.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A glimpse into our life right now...

Sophie just walked into the living room, lugging a completely overpacked princess bag stuffed with toys, cups, pink cowboy boots, and tiaras. Lee asked her what she was doing. Her reply? Playing mommy. She quickly threw the bag in the corner, heaved a big sigh, and got another bag on her shoulder to repeat the action.

Happy Monday and Happy Packing.

An early wake up call

Lee is out of town, and that usually means our schedules are out of whack. Add packing for a trip a day earlier than expected, cleaning the house so the people who have a contract on it (wwaaahhooo!) can come at 9 am to measure for furniture, handling a dog with a limp, finding ballet shoes, and anything else that comes about and our life is a little hectic.

At bedtime last night we couldn't find Harper's "Big One"- her favorite red paci that is bigger than all the rest. She only gets her pacis at sleeptime, so it is crucial she has her favorite one at bed time. However, big one was nowhere to be found. She reluctantly took her yellow tiger paci and went to bed with no problems, much to my relief. I cleaned and watched election results until I literally had my eyes shut, then vowed to get up early this morning to finish cleaning and packing before we leave this morning for our day.

I heard a little moan at 4:15 saying "oh, my paci, I need big one. Oh, paci". It wasn't really a cry, just a sad little voice. I got up to look one more time for big one, but no luck. I went into the girls room to get Harper before she woke up Sophie, and found THE sweetest thing. Sophie was rubbing Harper's head singing Hush Little Baby. It worked for a few minutes, until Harper saw me in the doorway. I found Yellow Tiger and brought her to my bed, where she grabbed my hand and made me rub her head like Sophie had been doing. This continued until 5:30 when my alarm went off and promptly had Harper sit up in bed and ask for cartoons.

By 10 this morning I am sure we will all be in terrible moods from the lack of sleep, but right now all three of us have been in helpful moods since EARLY today!

Halloween!!!

I am rearing two little girls who are learning the art of a fun Fall.

1- Pick costumes that coordinate and will make people saw "aawwww".

2- When at a festival, be sure to test the kettle corn. It is usually the healthiest item there, and not something you can recreate at home!

3- Cram as MANY parties and festivals in as you can. Host one if you can. It lets you not feel bad when you have to get 5 new cinnamon candles. You get to wear out those costumes, and enjoy the beautiful autumn days.

4- Save the whoppers for mommy. They are her favorite.

5- Fall is a time to enjoy the harvest. Spend time with friends you have! Especially as we look to our SOON move ( another post later), we are trying to see friends as much as possible.