My Funny Valentine

Flarp!

2008-12-16T10:11:00.002-05:00

I can't believe I'm dedicating an entire post to Flarp, but someone asked so I thought I'd explain. When Savannah was threatening to run away to the amusement park, along with every baby doll she owns she packed her Flarp. Flarp first made its entrance into our world at a friend's house... they had flarp sitting out while we were watching football... and then they gave Savannah some for her birthday. It's a hit.

According to urbandictionary.com, Flarp is "A musical toy, also known as 'noise putty.' The noise coming from the toy 'flarp.' The best toy in the world. Makes fart like noises causing one to laugh continuously. If placed on a wooden surface, it sounds like farting on wooden chair."

A rude source of giggling. Entertainment for hours. A great stocking stuffer!

A Crafty Christmas

2008-12-11T12:12:00.004-05:00

It would appear as though everyone in my world is getting homemade Christmas gifts this year. That's not REALLY the case, but I've certainly spent my fair share of time crafting these days.

Exhibit # 2594:

A fabulously cute and crafty (and easy!) (and cheap!) gift for any teacher on your list. I bought a shadow box (which was 50% off at Michael's this weekend - score!), hot-glued some whole and broken crayons to piece of black cardstock paper, wrote Savannah's teacher's name with a white paint pen, and... bada-bing, bada-boom! How cute!

Next time I'll try to center my letter in the box. And wipe away the fingerprints. Doh!

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-10T15:14:00.007-05:00

... or lack thereof! My poor child has only had a Christmas tree once in her life and probably doesn't remember it. She was one... now she's four... and we still don't have a tree. Bless her heart! The holidays are busy for us, generally spent travelling to places that aren't covered in snow (hellelujah!). We don't buy real Christmas trees because the house is usually empty for the two-ish weeks surrounding Christmas, leaving a dead tree (and a fire hazard!) to greet us upon our return to the Great White North. And, sure, it would be easy enough to buy a fake tree... but it takes so long to decorate... which means it takes even longer to un-decorate. And that's just not stress I need when returning from the travel that inevitably surrounds Christmas. So sorry Savannah, you're stuck with this...

Yes, there are six stockings going up the stairs.

No, six people do not live in my house.

These are what we call 'decorations', people!

This is the first house we've had that doesn't have a plug near the stairs.

Makes me sad because my garland has no lights. :(

Ah-ha! Lights! On the garland on the mantle! Yea!! :)

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

... in hopes that St. Nick will find us in Alabama!!

For more cute Christmas decorations, head on over here!

**UPDATE: If y'all are looking for the ornament in my header (which are also hanging next to the stockings on the fireplace), you can see how easy they are here!

Our Little Runaway

2008-12-07T23:07:00.004-05:00

Savannah spent quite a bit of time loading her most prized possessions up in her stroller tonight. Her response to the logical question of what she was doing: I'm running away! Really? Already?! She's only 4... I'm sure my brother, who 'ran away' more times than I can count, was at least 5 or 6 the first time he threatened to run away! Where was she running, you may ask? To the amusement park... when it was -12C outside... with 50 km/h winds that made it feel like it was -23C. To all our American friends that need help with the conversions (no worries, I Google it every day!), that equates to 10F with 31mph winds making it feel like it's -9F. No, that negative sign in front of the number nine was not an accident. Yes, it's pointless to shovel snow from your driveway when wind like that will just blow your neighbor's snow right on over to your house anyway. And, heck no, I did not set one foot outside my house today. But Savannah? It didn't matter to her. She was going to go ride some rollercoasters. Without a coat. Or mittens. Just her and her babies.

What, two babies isn't enough?!

Fine then! Two in the stroller, two in the Snugli,

one in the carseat (hung on the stroller handle), and one here...

That would be Baby Nicholas... in the Halloween Pumpkin!

At least she remembered hor Dora slippers...
And the Flarp!

Dear Santa...

2008-12-06T21:48:00.004-05:00

Savannah and I went to Chapters this morning... that's the Canadian version of Barnes & Noble, complete with Starbucks! As we were searching for a few Christmas books to buy, Savannah decided she wanted EVERY. BOOK. IN. THE. STORE. She's a reader, what can I say?! I told her that we couldn't buy every book because momma isn't made of money (the exchange rate? yeah, it hurts!) I bargained with her by telling her that maybe she can add specific books to her Christmas list, because there are lots of people out there that want to buy Christmas presents for cute little girls. Her response: "Momma, I'll write a letter to Santa when we get home and tell him what I want."

That being said, I present to you Savannah's first ever letter to Santa...

Aaah, the little one filfills the "every girl wants a pony" stereotype at the ripe ole age of 4. And, yes, she's talking about a real pony... not the plastic 'My Little Pony' that has been purchased in abundance. Shhh... But this is just too darling!! Merry Christmas, y'all!

What's the Good Word?!

2008-11-29T16:43:00.002-05:00

TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!!

It is done. The streak is over. And this Canadian is so excited for her Yellow Jackets. Seven years is a long time to deal with the taunting of those Bulldog fans... a long time! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the following:

It's up with the White and Gold, down with the Red and Black
Georgia Tech is out for the victory.
We'll drop the battle axe on Georgia's head,
When we meet her our team is sure to beat her.
Down on the old farm, there will be no sound,
Till our bow wows rip through the air.
When the battle is over, Georgia's team will be found
With the Yellow Jackets swarming round!!

Wordle!!

2008-11-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

Have y'all seen this? It is SO much fun! Check out Wordle and have some fun of your own.

Psst... it's a great idea for Christmas!

Homemade Handmade Fun!

2008-11-24T23:54:00.009-05:00

Alright, y'all all know I love me some artsy-fartsy craft projects. So how could I resist Antique Mommy's Homemade Handmade Holiday Carnival?! This time around: Christmas Ornaments! It's easy... really, it is... and they're super cute!

Here's what you need:
- Plastic Ornaments (Yes, plastic! Michael's, people, Michael's!)
- Acrylic Paint
- Some darn cute ribbon to make bows
- Some plain ole skinny ribbon to make the hangers
- A crafty little paintbrush
- A hot glue gun & the accompanying glue sticks
- Maybe just a dash of patience (which I lack!)

The easy-peasy steps:
Step 1: Pick your ornament.
Step 2: Pick a coordinating ribbon.
Step 3: Pick a coordinating paint color or two.
Step 4: Paint circles ALL around the ornament.
** I hold the ornaments very precariously at the top and bottom so I can paint all of the circles at once. Again, it's that whole lack-of-patience thing. But you could paint half of them, let it dry, and then finish.
** I think bigger circles are prettier, but that's just my opinion. :)
Step 5: Once all of the circles dry, pick a coordinating color to paint an initial, monogram, name, whatever you fancy on one side of the ornament!
** You could also use a paint pen, because sometimes painting letters with a paintbrush makes me want to pull out all my hair!
Step 6: While the paint is drying, make a pretty bow with the ribbon you chose way back in Step 2.
** I originally used wired ribbon, but then I realized that regular fat ribbon works too, because the bows aren't SO big that they lose their shape.
Step 7: Tie the skinny ribbon around the center of your bow so it doesn't come untied. And use that to make the hanger for the ornament.
Step 8: Hot glue the bow / hanger to the top of the ornament, sit back, and admire your artistic creativity... then do it all over again!

Really, they are SO cute. And they're really not that difficult.

Oh, looking for a place to hang your ornaments to dry? I taped wooden skewers to the overhang on my kitchen counter... that's where they hang! And where are they hanging once they're all finished... via safety pins on a hanger in the bathroom window. What?!? I needed storage space!

Christie and Jason are getting married in August... his & hers ornaments!

My friend Erika is the one that possessed me to try this.

(Side note: Why am I always her guinea pig?!)

An Auburn ornament for her hubby and a UGA ornament for E!

I made this ornament for my orange-loving cousin for her birthday!

And, look, a purple ornament... this one has my name ALL over it! :)

For more fabulous homemade handmade fun, visit Antique Mommy HERE! Happy crafting!!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T16:10:00.005-04:00

From our silly rabbit to yours! :)

Blue Devil Born and Blue Devil Bred!

2008-10-06T19:36:00.009-04:00

I feel old. I can't believe it's been 10 years since I graduated from high school. TEN YEARS. Really?! Wow. I had the joy of travelling back to good ole C-town this weekend for my reunion... an event I had certainly been looking forward to. I don't make it home nearly as often as I'd like, so knowing that so many of my old friends would be in the same place at once was really exciting. It was a jam-packed, fun-filled weekend. Friday night we all met up at Loco's for some mingling, then a bunch of us headed down to The Loft to drink the night away. Saturday morning started with a hangover (!) followed by Family Day in the park, where we met some of my classmates' sweet little babies and played relay races that made us all feel like kids again. After fun in the park, we headed across the street to dear ole Columbus High School where we enjoyed a lunch catered by Smokey Bones BBQ in the 'Devil Rock Cafe'. And then we got to take a tour of the school... where we bombarded the band room, gathered again on the stage, and stood in awe of the new Art wing. The reunion festivities were concluded Saturday night with dinner at the Trade Center, which holds so many memories for all of us as that was always the site of Magnet Socials and Prom.

It was an amazing weekend! While a few friends were missing from the action, it was truly so enjoyable to have everyone back in one place. Here's to hoping it's not another 10 years before we all get back together again!!

Apple Orchard

2008-09-28T20:23:00.002-04:00

It was a beautiful Fall day in Canada, with just enough crispness in the air to make us wonder when Winter will come knocking. In an attempt to savor the last bit of gorgeous weather until our Spring thaw, we decided to take Savannah to an apple orchard. We went to one in Michigan a year or two ago and got completely ripped off... pay to park, pay to pick, pay for donuts, etc. But I found an orchard that's just a few miles from our house here... you don't pay to park, you pay for your apples by the pound, and there's a cute little country store that sells baked goods and apple wine and the like. Even better, all of the apple trees are dwarf trees, meaning we didn't need a ladder or have to pick Savannah up to reach the trees. Savannah loved it! I think she ate 3 or 4 apples just as we were walking through the rows of trees. She'd pull one off a tree, take a few bites, and throw it on the ground just to grab another. It was adorable!

A few pictures of the fun:

Super Superlatives!

2008-07-24T12:28:00.005-04:00

Todd's mom is an elementary school teacher - Grade 2 and Grade 3, I think. She didn't start teaching until Todd was in college, but she has such a passion for it and is so well-suited for the job. "Grandmere" has been buying books for Savannah since before she was born and encouraged us to read to my belly. She's the one we call if we're wondering if the most recent statement out of Savannah's mouth is advanced for her age. She's the one encouraging us to teach Savannah to write her name with capital and lowercase letters, instead of just capital letters. She's our very own, personal educational guru.

So it's no surprise that Savannah's 2-week "summer school" started in the car, on the drive from Tallahassee to Tampa, after Todd dropped her off after her two glorious sand-and-sun-filled days at the beach where her brain literally took a vacation of its own. Todd's mom decided to teach Savannah about superlatives... small, smaller, smallest... big, bigger, biggest... skinny, skinnier, skinniest. And then she got to the superlative that I'm sure will be erased from Savannah's vocabulary for all eternity: F-A-T!

The conversation went something like this...
Grandmere: Okay, Savannah, let's try "fat". Fat, fatter, fattest.
Savannah: Grandpa is fat.
Savannah: Uncle Matthew is fatter.
Savannah: But, Grandmere, you are the fattest!

Okay, so that didn't go as planned!

This is Savannah schooling Uncle Matthew in "Don't Break the Ice".
I'm pretty sure the only thing he's fatter than is the stick he's using to break the ice!

Look Who's 4!

2008-07-23T21:03:00.005-04:00

We went to a snazzy little photo studio on July 2, where Savannah was the center of attention for an entire 45 minutes... needless to say, my little ham loved every bit of it! I had to narrow 250 pictures down to these four poses. And then I got crafty with the wallet-sized photos!

Beach Vacation!

2008-07-16T20:48:00.000-04:00

Savannah is four and has never really been to the beach. Yes, we went to Myrtle Beach for a wedding when she was 9 months old, but it wasn't exactly beach weather. Remember this picture?

And, yes, Todd's parents live in Florida, but they don't really live near "pretty" beaches. Lucky for us, our dear friend Greg offered up his parents' condo in Destin... better yet, he even offered to join us for the week! So we spent the week of the 4th soaking up the sun on the beautiful white sandy beaches of the Florida panhandle. Seriously, it was like a picture straight out of a Corona commercial!

Savannah was only with us for two days before she headed off for a few weeks with Grandmere and Grandpa. She's not such a fan of the "big lake", preferring to spend her water time in the pool, but she loved playing in the sand. She's an expert water-carrier and foot-burier! :)

"Big Girl" Room

2008-06-30T12:40:00.012-04:00

We didn't really decorate Savannah's room when we moved to Canada, so we thought her fourth birthday was a good excuse to create a "big girl" room. We bought new bedding at Target last weekend and I spent most of this weekend creating a myriad of nick-nacks to hang on her walls. While I'm not completely finished, I must say that I like where it's headed!

Bookends and a pillow sham.

Her name decoupaged on wooden squares... and some hand-painted flowers!

Wooden picture frames that I covered with fabric.

I'll add B&W pictures and collage them on the wall.

A plain ole wooden mirror, spiced up a bit!

Pottery Barn, beware! : )

1... 2... 3... 4!!!

2008-06-29T12:23:00.000-04:00

My sweet little Savannah turned four last week. Yes, four! I'm still trying to figure out how that happened... and how to stop time right in this instance so she'll stay cute and sweet forever. We spent the weekend in Michigan, so we didn't really have a birthday party for her. But we all woke up early so she could open presents before she went to school, then we met some friends for lunch on Saturday where she got more presents, and then our friends had a cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to her at their party Saturday night. It was a birthday weekend for her... one in which we constantly heard "I'm the birthday princess" or "it's MY birthday". Cute.

Four seems to be a magical number for Savannah...

She rationalizes things and gives explanations for her actions: For example, she had a potty accident as she was leaving day care on Friday afternoon. When Todd asked her why, she said "my pee pee in my butt was talking to me and telling me it needed to come out. I told it to wait, but it didn't listen." Totally logical to a 4-year-old... and a perfect explanation that she tried to not wet her pants.

She threatens when you don't do what she wants: "Daddy, you're not listening to mommy so you're going to lose priviledges" and "Well I want to watch Dora and you won't let me, so I'm gonna tell on you." Okay, thanks Savannah, but I'm the mommy and I make the rules!

She stopped wetting the bed overnight. Literally. I'm not sure why this surprises me, because she stopped her pacifiers cold-turkey when she turned three. But she went from having a pull-up that weighed 15 pounds in the morning because it was soaking wet to wearing big-girl underwear that stay completely dry. In the week since she stopped wearing pull-ups to bed, she's only had one tiny accident at night.

When we tell her we're proud of her for doing something, her immediate response is "it's because I'm four... and four is big." She's so excited to be four... so proud of her four-year-old self... so independent... so stinkin' smart... and so cute!

Savannah, my sweetpea, you never cease to amaze me. You are the light of my life and a true joy to be around! While you still have many moments of whiney toddler behavior, you really are becoming such a big girl. You are as sweet as pie and the world's biggest cuddler. You give hugs and kisses freely and randomly throughout the day. Your laughter is contagious. You are smart, so smart! You're about to spend three weeks away from mommy and daddy, but you seem thoroughly thrilled to share your love with family in Georgia and Florida. You've made new friends quickly and are becoming less shy. You love making jewelry with beads and reading books, and you're even starting to enjoy playing with your baby dolls. Anything Dora or Diego is still thoroughly entertaining to you. You carry on normal, grown-up conversations on the phone with your Grandmere and your Grampa. You love wearing dresses... every day it's a dress! You are such a blessing in my life and I'm so grateful to have you. Happy 4th Birthday, princess!

Dear Ole Dad

2008-06-15T22:20:00.005-04:00

Is it strange that I find Father's Day one of the most difficult holidays to be away from home? I do. In fact, I would gladly give up every other holiday, and the days off work that go with them (!), if I could spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Father's Day at "home" with my family.

I don't think Father's Day has always been an incredibly special day to me. In fact, I think it was always more of a Hallmark holiday than anything. Sure, we'd tell Dad "Happy Father's Day". And we'd recognize all the daddies at church on Sunday morning. And we likely made him gifts in school or scouts or something. And he'd get the obligatory card and some kind of little gift. But that was it. Father's Day never came with the fanfare that seems to accompany Mother's Day. Dad didn't get breakfast in bed or a special dinner out or a day to do whatever he wanted. He spent Father's Day just like every other Sunday; reading the Funnies, going to church, napping in his La-Z-Boy, mowing the lawn, cooking dinner.

Then again, I don't think my Daddy is the average dad... He never wanted the special recognition. He does his job as "dad" because he loves it. He doesn't do it to get praised or rewarded; he doesn't do it to earn a new tie every year; he doesn't do it to be pampered for one day. My Daddy is the dad he is because he loves it. My Daddy loves being a dad. And he is one of the sweetest men you will ever meet; that is a fact! I live 1100 miles from my Daddy, yet he would drop everything in a heartbeat if he knew I needed him. Similarly, he would give you the shirt off his back if he knew that's what you needed. He's caring, compassionate, selfless, and loyal. He's the go-to guy for a lot of people and carries that load with joy. I've never met a person that didn't love my Daddy... because there's nothing not to love.

I've always been a Daddy's Girl. Always. And that's something that is never going to change. I may look an awful lot like my mother, but my personality is that of my Daddy. And, even more, my heart is that of my Daddy. My Daddy is the one that taught me to love... whole-heartedly, unabashedly, without hesitation. He's the one that taught me to be passionate in everything I do. He's shown me that life isn't always easy but you'll always come out on top if you let your heart lead the way. My Daddy is my biggest cheerleader, constantly reminding me that I'm a strong woman that can accomplish anything I put my heart into. My Daddy's encouragement when I was younger truly laid the foundation for the woman I've become today. Though it was routine for me to make good grades, he continually acknowledged and appreciated my success... though I was always on the go, he never hesitated to rearrange his schedule so I could get to yet another activity I wanted... though I wore my heart on my sleeve, he was always there to wrap his arms around me and comfort me when my heart was hurting. He never missed a softball game, a football game, a spelling bee... he took me to every flute lesson, cheerleading practice, and bible study... he packed my lunch, cooked my dinner, and kept pop-tarts on hand... he loved my friends as much as he loved me and always kept our door open... he reminded me that, though society often thinks otherwise, being female is not a fault or a hinderance... he encouraged me to spread my wings, follow my dreams, and be my own me.

When I got married, I downright refused to have a Father-Daughter dance at my reception. It wasn't even a point of discussion, it just wasn't going to happen. I nearly broke down when I was all dolled up and saw my Daddy for the first time, knowing he was about to walk me down the aisle, give me away, and ship me off to Michigan. There's no way I would have survived that dance. And that's why I did it. It's selfish, I know, but it was my wedding and I didn't need any more emotion than I already had. If a song had started playing and the whole world was watching my Daddy dance with me, I would have become a basketcase... worse yet, I think my Daddy would've too. I think it hurt him that he didn't get that opportunity, but I think he also understands why. When my cousin got married in November, my aunt tried to get me to dance with my Daddy during one of the sweet little songs... and I still couldn't do it... a full five and a half years after my wedding and I still couldn't dance with my Daddy! Maybe I'll have the courage to do it at my brother's wedding in April?!

My heart belongs to my Daddy. I'm the girl that cried for days when my Daddy left Michigan after moving me up six years ago... I'm the girl that wanted nothing more than to share her newborn baby daughter with her Daddy, so she could be loved the way I am loved... I'm the girl that dreads saying "goodbye" to my Daddy at the end of every visit Home and still cries when I leave... I'm the girl that refuses to turn off the radio when "Butterfly Kisses" or "My Little Girl" is playing, even though I'm blubbering like an idiot... I'm the girl that will never be too grown-up to call her Daddy in tears... I'm the girl that can never have too many hugs from her Daddy or tell him "I love you" too often... I'm the girl that will conspire with relatives and devise a plan to spend Christmas with my Daddy, without him knowing until I'm already in town on Christmas Eve... I'm the girl that knows no physical gift will ever mean as much to my Daddy as my love... I'm the girl that can sit in a room with my Daddy, completely quiet, just happy knowing he's there... I'm the girl that still misses her Daddy, even though I've been away for six years and have a family of my own... I'm the girl that will call my father "Daddy" until I'm 112... I'm the girl that will always think that no other man can fill my Daddy's shoes.

My Daddy is a man of honor. A man of passion. A man of courage. My Daddy is my stronghold. My role model. My hero. I admire him beyond words and cherish him with my all. And, no matter what, I will always be his Little Girl.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!!

From A to Zed?!?

2008-05-27T21:27:00.004-04:00

Do me a favor y'all... sing the Alphabet Song. Go ahead. Sing it.

If it makes you feel any better, I'll sing it with you.

Ready. Set. Go!

A-B-C-D-E-F-G... H-I-J-K-LMNOP... Q-R-S... T-U-V... W-X... Y-Zed.

Ha! Gotcha! You heard me, I said "Zed". Betcha didn't see that coming, now did ya?!

Where is this coming from, you ask? Well... we went to Orientation last Thursday night for Junior Kindergarten. Yes, my little sweetpea will be starting full-day, lunchbox and backpack, flashcards and library cards, mommy-can't-walk-her-inside-the-classroom, big-kid-school JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN in September. September! Three months from now. Did I mention that it's in a big kid school where she'll be the littlest kid? And did you hear the part where they told me I was forbidden from dropping her off inside the classroom, that I just have to leave her at the curb with one of the aides?! September. Three months. My baby. Real school. Where did the time go?!

I digress.

As I was saying, we were at Orientation last week. One of the dads asked a teacher for clarification on the last letter of the alphabet.

Excuse me? Clarification? It's the freakin' alphabet... it's the same everywhere.

WRONG!

The answer I heard come out of that teacher's mouth was "well, Americans say Z but Canadians say Zed. It's Zed. Always Zed." And that's the point where I packed up Savannah's stuff, grabbed her by the wrist, and made a run for the nearest exit! Oh, I kid. We didn't really run away... instead I raised my hand and asked if it would be okay for Savannah to say "Z" because we ARE American.

Seriously. I did.

Orientation was setup in four different rotations. In the first rotation, we learned about the school's reading program. Impressive. Really impressive. I think I like the Canadian school system. The second rotation was play-doh fun. It also happens to be the rotation where the letter "Zed" first made its appearance. Strike One against the grand ole Canadian school system! The third rotation was a cut-and-paste center, where Savannah absolutely amazed me by writing her name. Y'all, she WROTE her name. We've been trying to draw the letter S for months, to no avail... but she learned. And she's proud. And let me tell ya, that child has one LONG name. The fourth and final rotation was an alphabet center. This station was particularly enjoyable because we got to meet Savannah's JK teacher... the hyperactive, child-loving, crazy but passionate Mrs H that will shape our little one's first year in "real" school. This is also the station where I decided I will never again sing the Alphabet Song...

Y'all, "Zed" does not rhyme with "Vee"... it just doesn't. And the Alphabet Song doesn't sound right when it doesn't rhyme... it just doesn't. And I can't bring myself to sing "X-Y-Zed"... I just can't. By those little pre-JK kids did it. Every single one of them sang "X-Y-Zed" instead of "X-Y-Z", even my sweet Savannah. And a cried a little tear.

Apparently this is just the beginning of the confusion for my sweet little S. First it's "Zed". Then it's that stinkin' extra "U" in words like "colour" and "favourite". Next it will be "Oh Canada" instead of the "Star Spangled Banner". Dare I mention that she's decided she wants a brown and white kitty named "Vlinter"... except we live in Canada, so it will have to be "Vlintre"?! Someone rescue my poor multi-national child!!

M-Train!!

2008-04-24T22:50:00.002-04:00

I did it and I'm not ashamed. :) My fellow Georgia Tech alums are likely the only ones that will understand, but this video is freakin' hilarious!!

P.S.

2008-04-12T16:18:00.003-04:00

I saw this dress at Ann Taylor in Vegas this week and I. Must. Have. It. Period. The end. No questions asked.

However, since the fashion goddesses at Ann Taylor have yet to break ground in Canada, it looks like I have to wait until we're in Michigan in two weeks... because I don't do online purchasing of clothes. Sorry Charlie. Must try on first. So I will wait. And want. And drool over this:

And if that isn't as cute on me as it is on this sweet little model (which is likely to be the case), the maybe I'll buy this. Or this. Or this. Or this. Or this. Or this. Or maybe all of them! Rest assured, I will not leave Michigan empty-handed.

I told you I have an addiction...

Fashion Fiesta!!

2008-04-11T17:29:00.001-04:00

So I don't usually do these little Mr Linky, bloggy tour things. I just don't. It's not my M.O. But this time, I have something to say...

Hi. I'm Aleesha. And I'm addicted to clothes. It's true. And I have pictures to prove it. If I pass an Ann Taylor or H&M, I break out in hives if I don't go in. No lie. I MUST have it.

Big Mama wanted to know what we all wear on a daily basis... what's our uniform... what piece of clothing we can't live without.

This is my closet. Just for clarification, I'm supposed to share it with Todd. And I do... he gets 1/5 and I get the rest... that's fair, right?! :)

What do I wear? Two words: Black pants. They're my staple. And while I'm sure people think I never do any laundry, I really do own enough pairs of black pants to go the entire week without doing laundry. That's just sad.

I wear them with cute little short-sleeved shirts, ya know, in the 4 months out of the year where there's not snow on the ground...

I wear them with 3/4-sleeve shirts when it's supposed to be Spring but really isn't...

I wear them with sweaters and hoodies in the winter; i.e. October - May. And I own more hoodies than any warm-blooded gal from Georgia should!

But I don't just wear black pants. The Southern part of me loves skirts. Wait, that's not the Southern part of me... that's the SHORT part of me. I love skirts because I don't have to hem them. Can someone please explain to me how it's possible to be 5'4 and still have to hem petite pants?! So skirts it is! And I get a lot of funny looks because I wear skirts even in the winter, with 184 inches of snow on the ground. Look at these... can you picture how cute they are with tights and tall boots?!

I tried to see if I could figure our a way to take a picture of all of my skirts, but I couldn't do it. Y'all, I own 29 skirts. TWENTY-NINE. I just counted. Twice. Because I didn't believe myself. I have purchased nearly all 29 of those skirts in the last 18 months. Oops.

If I'm not at work and it is again sometime in the October-to-May-this-winter-will-never-end timeframe, then I'm likely wearing this exact outfit. It's yoga pants and the world's softest hoodie. Oh, and did y'all know that you can buy Yoga Pants at Ann Taylor?! You can. I swear. I did it. And now I proudly wear them every where. Grocery store. Wal-Mart. Walking the dog. On a flight cross-country with my boss. With no makeup. And a ponytail. Classic.

And shoes, we mustn't forget the shoes! This is my shoe closet. It's one of the three closets in the house that stores my shoes. It's a difficult decision every morning, it really is. I'm in love with ballet flats. I know, I know... there's some rule out there about little short people like me not wearing ballet flats, but I say phooey to that. They're comfy. And cute. And they come in such fabulous patterns!

So that's my closet... err, closetS! And that's my wardrobe. Nothing terribly thrilling. But cute. And comfy. And very interchangeable.

One more note: I hate jeans. I despise them. They are of the devil. I'm too short. And too curvy. And I refuse to get jeans hemmed. But I do own two pairs. And on the rare occassion of all my yoga pants being in laundry, you might just spot me wearing this:

Look at that concentration! And yes, it's jeans. And a hoodie. And curly hair because it's raining. And bare feet because... well, I know it's cold out, but my little tattoo hasn't healed yet.

Happy Fashioning!!

"Momsense"

2008-04-11T16:48:00.001-04:00

This is absolutely hilarious!!

Fat?!

2008-04-02T20:11:00.002-04:00

This is the conversation that was heard at our dinner table tonight:

Mommy: I feel fat.
Kiddo: I'm fat.
Daddy: Well, if you two are fat...
Kiddo: (interrupting) Daddy, you're the fatest. You're the SO hugest.
Daddy: Am I the...
Kiddo: (interrupting again) Daddy, you're the so hugest in the whole wide world.

Yes, I almost fell out of my chair. Oh that kiddo!!

I need an intervention!

2008-03-26T22:07:00.003-04:00

Do you think there's a 12-step program for an addiction like mine?!?

I think the monogrammed cookie was the last straw...

... or maybe it was the multi-colored flower...

... or the M&M duck...

... or the tulips on the house, because a plain house wasn't enough...

Clearly, I have too much free time on my hands. And this needs to stop. Anyone want a cookie??!

Move over Martha!

2008-03-25T21:10:00.005-04:00

The gang at work already gives me a hard time for baking Christimas cookies in my hotel room ... I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it for this:

Yes, those are flowers. Yes, that's Easter grass. And, yes, they're absolutely edible. Isn't that the tastiest bunch of watermelon, canteloupe, pineapple, grapes, and strawberries you've ever seen?!

And the survey says...

2008-03-18T20:24:00.005-04:00

I ran across this random little "who does your kid look like" thing-a-ma-bobber today and figured I'd give it a shot. I mean, what do I have to lose?! This is a question that's never been up for debate in our family. Savannah looks like Todd. Period. From day one, the most I've ever heard is "she has your little button nose"... gee, thanks. So let's see what this super high-tech computer program can tell me that the rest of the world can't...

I win. Fair and square. No matter which pictures I chose... and I did this more times than any person should willingly admit... I couldn't get Todd to come out on top. So there. Take that. :)

For Tricia...

2008-03-10T21:17:00.004-04:00

Alright y'all, it's no secret that I can spend hours and hours "stalking" people online. I've stumbled upon a few blogs that I read religiously, refreshing and looking for updates multiple times a day. Some of them are dang funny women, some of them give great advice, some are filled with heart-warming stories... all of them are mommies. One of the stories I follow is of a momma with CF, her sweet little preemie baby, and one heck of an awesome husband / daddy. To read their amazing story, click here.

So today, via Nate's blog, I was directed to another blog and given this challenge... Here are the things that I can't wait for Tricia to experience:

**Baby giggles, deep-down-in-the-bottom-of-her-belly giggles.
** Watching Sesame Street. every. single. day.
** Walking in the door at the end of the day to a little one running, full-steam ahead, with arms outstretched.
** Butterfly kisses. Eskimo kisses, too!
** When a tube of lipgloss and a glass of water are staples on the nightstand, just like mommy.
** The first unsolicited "I love you"... and every one after!
** Insisting that "God is great" is said at the dinner table before mommy & daddy's prayer.
** Hearing her call you by your first and middle name in the middle of a store!
** When chip clips become her cell phone to call friends.
** Why? But why? Why? There's a "why" for everything!
** The pitter patter of footsteps, bright and early on a Saturday morning, because she wants to cuddle in your bed.
** Hearing "you're never never gonna let me watch Dora", even though she's watched Dora and / or Diego every single day for the past four months, and you merely told her to wait until after dinner.
** Hands on hips, pouty lip, sad eyes, exclaiming "well, I'm not gonna be your momma no more"... and when you tell her that you are the momma, she'll respond with "well, I'm not gonna be your friend no more!"
** A light on her nightstand that stays on two hours after she's been tucked in because she's sitting in bed, reading books to herself.
** Being called to her room, two hours after you've tucked her in, after the books have been read, just to hear "momma, will you rub my back?".
** Being corrected by a 3 year-old when counting in Spanish, because Dora is indeed educational.

I could go on and on and on and on... and we all know I'm not shy with words. But I'll stop here. There are so many amazing mommy moments that I can't wait for Tricia to experience. I've never met her, and I likely never will, but she is an incredible woman with inspiring strength and insane courage... she, too, will have a million memories to make with sweet Gwyneth!

Snow!

2008-03-09T22:47:00.009-04:00

Enough said...

Hello? Anyone home?!

2008-02-20T10:35:00.003-05:00

I apologize for the rather long hiatus from this blog. Part of it is because I wonder if anyone reads my ramblings other than me… and, trust me, I do enough talking to myself without needing to write it down. Another part of it is because there were holidays involved. Holidays that were accompanied by travelling. Lots of travelling. But, quite possibly, the biggest reason for leaving y’all hanging for so long is that I haven’t known which end was up for a couple of months. True, Mrs Organized was completely discombobulated and feeling totally out of control. That being said, we’re back… new, improved, and officially relocated! For those of you for whom we actually have a mailing address, you’ll be getting a cute little card in the mail with this adorable picture and our new address in the very near future. Once I figure out how the Canadian mail system works. Hmm.

Speaking of Canada, here’s some interesting things we’ve learned in the few weeks since we officially relocated…
** Milk comes in bags. Yes, bags. Plastic ones. And, no, they’re not resealable. You buy a pitcher, one specifically for milk, you cut the corner off the little one liter milk bag, you put the little plastic bag in the pitcher, and you pour. And the wonder of these pitchers! The bag doesn’t fall out. Even when it’s empty. Amazing. Weird, but amazing.
** Alcohol. Canadians are a drinking people. Problem is, they haven’t fully grasped the concept of one-stop shopping. At the grocery store when you get a beer urge? Sorry Charlie. Beer is only sold at The Beer Store. (Yes, that’s really what it’s called!) And wine and liquor are only sold at liquor stores, typically the LCBO. For an alcohol-consuming bunch of folks like these crazy Canadians, you think they’d make it a little easier. Alas, a beer run actually takes effort.
** Our house. It’s new. Brand new. And apparently FedEx and DHL don’t think we exist. People have tried, to no avail. So, if you want to send us packages that don’t come via Canada Post, let us know in advance and I’ll give you an alternate address. That’s right, no surprise packages for the Valentines.
** Speaking of FedEx, I seriously almost had to show the FedEx man ID when he delivered a package to work on Thursday. I signed for the package, which wasn’t for me, so he had to confirm my first initial and last name. When I told him what my last name was, he let out a few choice words and honestly couldn’t believe it. Yes, it was Valentine’s Day. Yes, my last name is Valentine. Yes, you’re the 387th person to make a comment like that to me today.
** And speaking of choice words. Canadians use them. A lot. And quite flippantly. Not good for little ears. Or stressed-out mommas.
** Buggies. You have to PAY for them at the grocery store. You heard me… deposit a quarter and get a buggy. Return the buggy, plug it back in to the rest of the chain of buggies, and your quarter will be returned. Strange. Very strange.
** I still can’t convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit. I just know it’s cold. I also have no clue how many liters are in a gallon. I just know gas is expensive. And how many kilometers are in a mile? Don’t even go there.
** Language. We’re in trouble when Savannah starts Junior Kindergarten in September. I refuse to spell colour or neighbourhood or centre as the Canadians would. And I won’t say process with a long O. Nor will I end a sentence with the word “eh” (though Todd has bets that I’ll be fluent in “eh” within the next month!). And let’s not even talk about the fact that Savannah will know the words to Oh Canada long before she even knows The Star Spangled Banner exists.

Oh Canada! You are different. You are crazy. You are freakin’ cold. But we’re enjoying you.

Now that we’re somewhat settled, the boxes are mostly unpacked, and the nearest LCBO has been located, I promise I’ll try to do a better job of keeping everyone updated on our journey in Canada. More Canadian idiosyncrasies to follow, of that you can be sure. I’ll do my best to capture the first time Savannah says “eh” or “aboot”. I could also start a ticker to track the amount of time Todd stands in amazement at the offerings of The Beer Store. Or you could all take bets on when my American accent will completely disappear and nobody will have a clue that I wasn’t born and bred Canadian (the horror!). And, hey, dig out those passports and come for a visit… we’d love to have you!

These are the days...

2007-12-13T21:36:00.001-05:00

... I realize that I really do live in a different country. It's so funny to me. Canada is right across the border from the US, right... I mean, Canadians are just our "neighbors to the North". Better yet, our house in Michigan is within 30 or 45 minutes of the border. How different could it really be?! The answer: very different. Sometimes I think they think I'm an alien. Case in point:

I had a business dinner last night at a very nice Italian restaurant, which somehow turned into a conversation about All-You-Can-Eat Buffets. One of my coworkers mentioned that he was on a business trip to the Atlanta area several years ago, and his customer was so excited to take him to an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet because... well, because apparently they don't have them in Canada. And if you do happen to find one, it's a special treat. Like a put-on-your-Sunday-best, say-yes-ma'am-and-please-and-thank-you, you-only-get-it-once-in-your-life kind of treat.

Enter the Southern accent! "Y'all don't have buffets?!" "Bless your heart!" "Where does everyone go after church on Sunday?" "Imagine the dessert selection at those places!" "You're missin' out, really missin' out."

I grew up in Georgia, people... I think it's the homeland of All-You-Can-Eat Buffets. I started explaining the bagillions of buffets we had at home, and the frequency at which we dined at such establishments, and I'm fairly certain I dropped a few notches on the "Americans aren't so bad" scale. I think we ate at Shoney's once a week. And I'm fairly certain I've never seen a Shoney's menu. Or what about Ryan's. That was a buffet, too, right, especially for the church crowd on Sundays. And we can't neglect CiCi's pizza or the Pizza Hut buffet, because we all need to eat that much pizza. But I think my favorite, and the one my Canadian counterparts found most appalling, was the Hartz buffet... a buffet of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and biscuits and corn and peach cobbler... yum yum yum!

Then the conversation turned. I honestly think they were just trying to get a reaction out of me, make me feel completely alien. Next subject: the church potluck. This coworker of mine was talking about a family vacation to a park in South Carolina and the fact that the after-church crowd showed up with mounds of food and a barbeque in their pickup. A "barbeque"? Oh, he means a grill. And is it really that strange? Really? I mean, how else are you gonna feed all those people. I'm Baptist y'all. The one thing we know how to do is eat. We had lots of church picnics... and potlucks... and "progressive suppers" in the back of a dumptruck filled with hay. Totally normal. Especially the dumptruck part.

At work today, I was asked by three different girls to bring back jars of peanut butter when I go home this weekend. Yes, peanut butter. You see, they sell peanut butter in Canada (though it's completely banned in schools - the horror!), but they don't sell Reese's peanut butter. Did these girls try my peanut butter? No. They want it simply because it's Reese's and they can't get it here. And I'm supposed to bring back a few Whatchamacallit bars, too, because apparently they don't have those in Canada either. And some Warm Vanilla Sugar soap from Bath & Body Works. Again, another thing lacking from the Canadian lifestyle. And Target. I need to find a way to get Target to open a store or two in Canada because I'm having withdrawals. Major withdrawals.

Someone rescue me please. I've been abducted by aliens... or just some crazy Canadians!

You Are My Special Angel

2007-12-11T20:41:00.001-05:00

Today is my sweet sweet NaNa's birthday. I wish I could tell you how old she is, but I can't... basically because she stopped getting older when she was 55 and my grandfather was 65. And I can assure you this: that was many, many years ago. Funny thing how age works when you're a kid!

For those of you that don't know, my grandfather passed away on October 13. I was blessed to be in the hospital room with my NaNa, mom, uncle, aunt, and cousin when PaPa took his last breath. It was so incredibly peaceful, one of those moments where you know God just reached down and gently carried his soul away to heaven. I was heartbroken. I don't do funerals, not that anyone does, and PaPa's death was really only the second one I'd experienced in my life. I was a basketcase at the viewing, completely unable to control my tears as pictures of PaPa and I from back in the day scrolled across the tv while "Go Rest High On That Mountain" played in the background. I had so many people give me that "bless her heart" look and hug me tight, which only made matters worse. Watching those pictures, I remembered moments with PaPa. We lived near NaNa and PaPa or with them for a decent chunk of my childhood. PaPa was my favorite and I'm fairly certain I ranked pretty high up on his list. I loved spending the night at their house. I loved playing in their backyard. I was amazed doing crossword puzzles and word-finds with PaPa. I watched those pictures at the funeral home and saw the image of my daughter in me. I saw the faces I made and could relate them to Savannah. I saw a picture of me pushing PaPa on a porch swing, the swing much larger than I was, and thought back to earlier that day when Savannah was doing the exact same thing for me on the porch of the house where PaPa grew up.

My summer vacations were spent in Hinton, WV, where the average age of the population was 65 and I certainly never thought of our visits as a "vacations". We spent the week "visiting"... for those of you that didn't grow up in the South, "visiting" is just that... we literally went from house to house to house visiting relatives, doing nothing but sitting around talking. At Aunt Margie's house, some adults sat in the front room while some sat in the room behind the kitchen; the kid's often occupied the front porch or a room upstairs with games. At Aunt Frances' house, we sat on the back patio or played on the hill among the grapes. At Uncle Allen's house up on the creek, we fed cigarettes to the horse or stood in the kitchen admiring Aunt Macie's mad baking skills or played a game in the front room. At NaNa and PaPa's, we just sat in the living room of their little one bedroom apartment at "the highrise". Every now and then, we'd get excited about walking to Kroger for some Big K Red Cream Soda or the Majic Mart for a new swimsuit. The highlight of my summer vacations was the year they opened a water park... err, water slide... in town! These are moments I certainly didn't cherish as a child, yet they are such fond memories for me now.

Sitting up on the mountain, picking out PaPa's burial spot in the family cemetery, my cousin and I pulled up a piece of grass and admired the view. We sat there close to one another in perfect silence for quite some time. David had supported me the day before, as PaPa took his last breath and there was nowhere else to turn. He knows when to hug, he knows when to smile, and he knows when to merely be in your presence in peace and quiet. After we sat there looking over the edge of the mountain for a few minutes, the memories came flooding in. David said "do you remember when...", which was followed by my laughter and "absolutely, but do you remember when..." I guarantee that the two fo us have never been so solemn and serene in our lives. Nor had we truly realized the value of family... at least I hadn't.

My PaPa and I had a special bond in the early years of my childhood. I have very few memories that don't involve him. Yet sometime in my "I know everything" high school years, I fell out of the running for Granddaughter of the Year. I didn't call him on his birthday. I really dreaded those summer vacations. I didn't care to pick out personal Christmas presents. I was so ungrateful. NaNa and PaPa came down for my wedding in the spring of 2002, but I don't think I paid much attention to them. I remember NaNa watching me wrap presents and joking about a few things here and there, but I don't think anything really clicked with me. I certainly took my time with them for granted and didn't really see it as important. In the nearly six years since we got married, I can count on one hand the number of times I've talked to my grandparents. In those six years, we never once made the 7-hour drive to West Virginia to visit them. Worse yet, I have a three year old daughter that had never met her grandparents until the day before PaPa passed away. Again, not something that ranks high on my list of greatest achievements.

There's not much I can do about letting my teenage years control my relationship with PaPa. The good thing is that I know he loved me whole-heartedly and unconditionally, no matter how stubborn and hard-headed I am. My NaNa, on the other hand, is a different story. It's not too late. Tonight, on my NaNa's birthday, I did what any loving grandchild would do - I called to wish her a Happy Birthday. And I meant it. This is the first time in the two months since PaPa passed away that I've called her, despite my many mental notes to myself to call and see how she's doing. She said that I made her day. I. Made. Her. Day. One little phone call... 30 minutes spent talking to a woman who invested so much time and love in me in my childhood... a moment of conversation about how she makes it through each day... one call to a lady spending her first birthday as a widow. One call. That's all. And I can't tell you how many times I had to fight back tears during that conversation. I love that lady, plain and simple. And I honestly don't think I realized it until two months ago.

As we were ending the conversation and I promised to talk to her at Christmas, if not before, she said "you are my special angel... just like that song from back in the 50s". She's always referred to my brother as her "Tiger" and me as her "Angel", but I never really knew why. Now I know. As I told my NaNa tonight, through tears, hanging up the phone that I love her, she said "I love you, too, my special angel". Grandma's are special people. No doubt about that. And I am one lucky little girl that my NaNa still thinks I'm such an angel.

You are my special angel sent from up above.
The Lord smiled down on me and sent an angel to love.
You are my special angel, right from paradise.
I know you're an angel, Heaven is in your eyes .
The smile from your lips brings the summer sunshine.
Tears from your eyes bring the rain.
I feel your touch, your warm embrace, and I'm in heaven again.
You are my special angel;
Through eternity I'll have my special angel here to watch over me.

We love you, NaNa!

Above all else...

2007-12-09T19:48:00.002-05:00

I think I learn new lessons quite frequently. It's part of being curious... or nosy. Being in Canada alone for so many weeks has taught me a million life-lessons. I knew it would be a challenge when I took this new job, leaving before Todd's transfer was complete. But I'm a big girl, a strong woman, I can handle this on my own, right? Wrong! Am I strong? Absolutely. Am I confident? Definitely. Did I make the right decision? No doubt about it. Is this easy? Heck no. I am blessed in that it's never been more than five days or so without Savannah... but travelling for an entire week, week in week out, is tiring. Living out of a suitcase is getting old. Eating out has lost its appeal. It's downright exhausting. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. I'm drained. In fact, I could probably be classified as a trainwreck.

Todd and Savannah came for a visit this weekend. Mind you, I was home two weeks ago for an entire week, so I've only been in Toronto since Sunday. Yet, when I found out Friday morning that they might not make the trip this weekend, I had a breakdown. In my car. In the parking lot at work. Very professional. It snowed in Canada on Friday. There's an ice storm in Michigan today. The weather gods are definitely not on my side. After my breakdown Friday morning, Todd realized just how important it was to get to me this weekend. Of course, that didn't keep me from fighting back the tears all day at work. It's a catch-22... I get to spend 48 precious hours with my family, which is amazing... but then they have to go home and I have to stay here until I get to make the drive home on Friday.

I relished in every moment I had with my little one. I came "home" from work a little early Friday afternoon to cuddle on the couch with Savannah. We eventually made our way over to Dave & Buster's for dinner. Upon our return from dinner, we put on our jammies, turned on a Dora DVD, and crawled into bed... promptly followed by lights out at 8:30. I fell asleep with my 3 year-old baby rubbing my back. Saturday was very low-key but so fun-filled. We went to IKEA. We braved a Super Wal-Mart, 17 days before Christmas. We ate dinner at Burger King, where it took Savannah half an hour to eat three chicken nuggets. We went to Marble Slab Creamery for dessert, apparently identifying ourselves as Americans the minute Todd ordered a malt. We came back to the hotel and cuddled some more. This morning included a trip to Chapters, Canada's version of Borders, with some coffee for mom & dad and drinkable strawberry yogurt for Savannah. Then Todd loaded the car, took Savannah by the hand, and headed back to Michigan.

And I've been a basketcase ever since. I'm a career-woman. A hard-worker. It's not at all unusual for me to spend an hour or two working at home at night, and that's after spending a full 8 hours working at the office. This weekend, I think my priorities were set straight. This weekend I realized, above all else, that I am a Mommy. Savannah's not going to be a toddler forever. She's not always going to want to sit next to me at lunch or hold my hand in the parking lot or rub my back at bedtime. When I say "I love you", she's not always going to put a huge grin on her face and say "I love you too". These are the moments to treasure. Work will be work. There's a time and a place. And it will all get done... eventually. Savannah, however, I can't control. She's going to grow up. She's going to become her own person. She's going to go to college and get married and have her own little babies. And I know that's so far down the road... years and years and years from now. But I also know that those moments will come in what seems like the blink of an eye. I generally get 48 hours a week with my little princess; 48 hours where I'm often pre-occupied with other thoughts. No longer. This is the new me. This is the me that's meant to be a Mommy. This is the me that is going to love and adore and cuddle my little princess.

Memories

2007-12-08T20:54:00.001-05:00

"Momma, it's not Kristen and Gilbert's wedding anymore."

Really? I hadn't realized. :) Those are the words that very sincerely came out of Savannah's mouth tonight as we were watching yet another episode of So You Think You Can Dance. She's right, it's not Kristen and Gilbert's wedding anymore. Their wedding was a month ago, but it must've made quite an impact. After all, it's got to be difficult to erase from a toddler's mind the shrill and screams that echoed through the sanctuary at a perfeclty quiet moment in time when all eyes were on an adorable little flower girl that was supposed to steal the show. Steal the show she did, just not in the manner her adoring fans had imagined. I'm also fairly certain that Todd wasn't planning on acting as the honorary ring bearer.

In honor of the sweet little princess's memories, here are a few of our favorite pictures from that way-too-short of a weekend spent at home back in November. And for those of you that are wondering: yes, Georgia will always be "home". Always.

It only took 3 and a half years...

2007-12-03T19:47:00.001-05:00

Savannah was bald for so long - literally until her second birthday - that I hesitated to ever give her a haircut. And after she found a pair of scissors in her changing table a year or so ago, giving herself a the best haircut a 2 year-old can manage, I just sat around hoping the mullet would come back in style. Alas, we've given up hope and needed to try to wrangle the scraggly hair.

After some discussions with Savannah about my recent cut / color (i.e. "Mommy, I don't want you to have brown hair - I want it to be light like mine!"), I took Savannah for her first haircut on Saturday. I tried to prep her in the car, telling her she had to sit still while they cut her hair so they wouldn't cut it crooked. But she wanted it crooked - she insisted... must be why she took matters into her own hands last year! With the bribe of a lollypop and balloon, Savannah was perfect! She sat big & tall in the chair, following instructions from the stylist, and never moving her head. It was adorable... absolutely adorable!

A Tattoo at 3?!

2007-10-07T15:35:00.001-04:00

I have a tattoo. It's no secret. Kristen and I got them when I was home for a visit / conference last November. As though we weren't forever connected by simply being cousins, we now have a special new bond as we endured great pain together. Since I got my tattoo, Savannah has been fascinated by them... stickers as tattoos, temporary tattoos, whatever. Savannah and I went to a new Borders bookstore this morning. It just opened in the past week or two, so they're still having their Grand Opening celebration. After spending a little over an hour reading books, we noticed that they were giving away free airbrushed tattoos... and Savannah wouldn't let me get out of the store without her getting one. She sat there perfectly still, but incredibly excited about finally getting a tattoo. It was cute.

If you look closely, you'll realize that this isn't all airbrush... only Nemo was airbrushed, and it was a very basic Nemo at that. However, along with the airbrush lady was a man doing body paint. Savannah was so darn irresistable that he decided to embellish Nemo... enter added color, seaweed, facial expression. And Savannah still wasn't satisfied! She wanted a ladybug on her cheek. I am amazed at how still she sat while the man painted her leg and then her face... and she's so proud of her "tattoos"! Borders was followed by a visit to David's Bridal to pick up her flowergirl dress for Kristen's wedding. She was the star of the show in that place, never mind all of the beautiful brides! After David's, we hit up Target... again, all the little old ladies came to ogle her. And she loved it all!

Hockey...

2007-09-30T21:15:00.001-04:00

Savannah has decided that she wants to play hockey. No questions asked. We can't sway her. We tried soccer. We tried tennis. We tried any other sport we could think of. No. She wants to play hockey. Good thing we're moving to Canada....

Since Georgia is severely lacking in ice skating opportunities, meaning I've set foot on a skating rink about three times in my entire life, I decided to start Savannah off on a little more solid ground. We went to Target last night and bought Savannah a pair of the old-school roller skates that strap to your shoes. When choosing between Disney princesses and Dora, she picked Dora hands-down. Savannah is now the proud owner of Dora skates, Dora kneepads, and Dora elbowpads... and she's adorable. We spent nearly an hour skating in the basement last night. Wait, maybe "skating" isn't the right word to use. There was a lot of falling down. There was a lot of picking up her feet and walking. There was a lot of being dragged around by me. There was a lot of foot-shuffling. I don't think she actually managed to skate. But she tried. She focused hard. And she had a blast.

Watch out, here's our future Kanuck!!

Pictures!

2007-09-20T19:04:00.002-04:00

I almost forgot... I created this website for pictures. I haven't uploaded anything in a bit because I haven't been around to take pictures, but this is where they'll all be. Check it out!

http://aleeshavalentine.shutterfly.com

It's been a minute!

2007-09-20T18:50:00.002-04:00

I will again start this blog by apologizing for going so long without posting. The summer kept us busy, with lots of travelling and lots of visitors, so I haven't always felt like we had the time to update the blog. That being said, there are some big changes coming for the Valentine family in the very near future, so we'll try to do a better job!

Let's recap the summer...
(1) My dad came to visit the first week in June for a few days. Savannah loved spending some quality time with her Grampa - they went to the park, the petting zoo, and (of course!) McDonald's. Saturday morning even found dad and I gardening. I have the world's blackest thumb, but I now have a yard I need to maintain. We gardened all day Saturday and Sunday, pulling out old bushes, planting flowers, and filling the vegetable gardens. It's now been nearly four months and most of the things we planted are still alive. Amazing, I know!
(2) The week after my dad was in town, my mom came for a 10-day visit. Her trip was cut short due to a death in the family, but it was good to have Gramma around for a few days. I was out of town one of the nights mom was here, so I know Todd was happy to have an extra set of hands.
(3) Our little princess turned THREE on June 20th... three already!! We decided to forego the big birthday party because we'd had so many houseguests, but Savannah did have three of her friends over for dinner and fun after school on her birthday. I have a picture somewhere... I'll have to find it.
(4) The week after my mom was in town, I spent four days in Toronto.
(5) The week of July 4th, Todd's mom arrived for a two-week visit. Todd was off the week of the 4th... I was not nearly so lucky. Savannah definitely got some quality time with Grandmere and daddy while mommy was busy working.

After six weeks of constant houseguests or travelling, life was finally back to normal! August was a fairly quiet month for us. Though I spent four nights at a local hotel because of a conference I was hosting, I managed to escape the month without any work-related travel. As a birthday present to myself, we traded in the mommy van for a fiesty little red Mazda 3... it's so much fun! I also threw a joint birthday party for myself and Todd, as I was out of town for Todd's actual birthday. He's 30... old man! Labor Day weekend marked a visit from Aleesha's cousin, Kristen, and a much-needed Girls Weekend in Chicago. Kristen, Christie, and I headed to Chicago for a fun-filled weekend. And travel season has once again started. Poor Savannah was passed around between a few people last week as I was in Korea and Todd was in North Carolina. Korea was amazing... busy and tiring, but such an interesting culture. I left on Sept 9th and returned on the 14th... just to leave again on the 16th for a conference in Texas. As I type this post, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Plano, TX, anxiously awaiting my 9:00am flight tomorrow morning... just to sit in the airport for three hours, meet up with Todd and some friends, and fly down to Georgia for the weekend for a wedding. When I return home on Sunday, I'm fairly confident I will have never been so excited to be in my own house and my own bed.

Like I said, big changes are on the way for the Valentine family... Stay tuned!

This is how I know...

2007-05-28T21:28:00.001-04:00

This is how I know that my little girl is growing up...

(1) Savannah had a picnic and played in the water table with Mason today for hours on end. They talked and talked and talked. Todd's brother was in town and was absolutely amazed at the conversations they held. They can really and truly talk to each other... really, legitimate, sense-making conversations!

A few of my favorite lines:

Savannah: Mason, if you don't stop crying you can go home.

Mason: I need more juice.
Me: Eat your sandwich.
Mason (1 bite
later): I ate my sandwich
Me: Eat the whole thing
Mason: Oh, I'm sorry.

Savannah: No, that's my cup. Mommy, Mason's not sharing!
Mason: Here Savannah, I'll share with you.

(2) After Round 2 in the water table, this time by herself, it was time for a bath. So I took Savannah upstairs to clean herself off. For starters, she noticed that her fingers and toes were wrinkly... it was cute. Then she asked for her bathtub crayons. She told me she was going to draw a circle. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't believe her... but she did it, a big yellow circle! Then she told me she was going to draw the letter T. Yeah right! Lo and behold, there were T's galore! Finally, she asked me what letter "kangaroo" starts with. I told her to think about it... kkkk-angaroo.... kkkk-angaroo. K! She figured it out. I was amazed. And, of course, I took pictures of her magical Ts!

(3) When I told Savannah that I was proud of her for drawing the letter T, she looked me straight in the eye and said "Mommy, I'm growing up." Yes, I got teary. How could you not?! My almost-3-year-old just recognized that she's growing up and told ME, her mommy. My heart broke a little!

Eureka!

2007-05-05T17:52:00.001-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, we have potty training! It's been a long time coming... a very long time... but something has finally clicked. Savannah's been in "big girl underwear" for almost two weeks with no accidents. Yea! :) She still wears a diaper to bed because we're not brave enough to fight that battle yet (along with the battle of ridding her of pacifiers), but she refuses to wear anything but underwear during the day. Needless to say, our lives just got a little less messy and a lot less expensive!

Of course, before we actually reached the stage of being accident-free, we had to experience this adventure:

Oh Baby!

2007-04-29T20:18:00.001-04:00

Not mine... someone else's! Today was spent preparing for and hosting a baby shower for Chardae, one of Savannah's teachers at school. The shower was from 3:00-6:00, so I was go-go-go from 8:30 until about half an hour ago. I'm pooped! Thank goodness the weather cooperated and we were able to have the shower outside! I think Savannah thought this party was as much for her as it was for Chardae... she certainly garnered enough attention! Savannah was especially excited because one of her favorite friends, Avery, came over with her mom.

It was an all-around good time with some ladies I see on a daily basis but don't ever really spend time outside of the world of day care with. On one hand, it was strange to be the one hosting the shower... I was truly an outsider. On the other hand. Savannah's been at the day care for so long that she knows everyone and everyone knows her... our family feels like a part of their "family". Again, I'm grateful for beautiful weather, a friend that could entertain Savannah, and some yummy food. :)

Oh, and since we were all dressed up for the shower, there was an opportunity for some partial family photos after it was all said and done...

Bob Vila he's not...

2007-04-28T22:39:00.001-04:00

Todd tends to be fairly handy around the house. We built a deck, finished the basement, put in hardwood floors, and laid slate tiles in the condo... all without breaking anything. Not so lucky in the new house! This is what my vanity area looks like now that Todd's foot has punctured the ceiling...

It literally took three hours to dry a load of laundry earlier this week, so Todd decided he'd go hunting for the cause today. We figured it was just some lent stuck in the trail somewhere. Nope... Birds! (Which explains why I thought I heard rats running around in the ceiling a few weeks ago...) I'm not sure when they started building a nest in our dryer vent, but there was nearly 10 feet of straw in the vent... and a nest... and some eggs! Todd managed to get the eggs out of the vent and safely on the ground, but he's pretty sure they're hard-boiled by this point! The damage inside the house occured as Todd was in the attic, pushing the junk out of the vent. Oops!

Ouch!

2007-04-27T20:43:00.001-04:00

This is what it looks like when you run into a brick pillar...

Yep, that's right, we will now refer to Savannah as "Grace"! We were leaving day care tonight, walking outside with some friends when Savannah stopped to look at something on the ground. She played around for a minute and then started walking again... bam, right into a brick pillar! Of course, she started screaming upon impact. The knot and bruise appeared nearly immediately! We went back inside, got some ice, and sat around as everyone and their brother asked "oh, what happened?"... I think she was more upset about not getting to go to McDonald's to play for dinner than she was about the actual pain of her injury!

In other news, much more pleasant news... I think we're well on our way to being fully potty-trained. Savannah made it through all day yesterday and all day today without any accidents... thus the prized trip to McDonalds!

And puppy makes four...

2007-04-26T20:27:00.001-04:00

I told you I wouldn't be very good at keeping this thing updated! Todd and I have both been travelling a lot. Todd had a few trips to Chicago in March and April. My travels have taken me to California, North Carolina, and Virginia. I'll be back in North Carolina next week, Georgia the following week, Texas two weeks later, and Toronto a month after that. I'm taking a whirlwind tour of the US!

Breaking News: We did it. We took the plunge. We have a puppy. Meet Kadee... the newest addition to the Valentine family. She's a 12-week old lab-mix and she's absolutely adorable. She's so sweet and playful and cute. Savannah calls her "Kadee Polka Dot" and tells everyone she's black with a white polka dot on her nose! She's a rescue puppy from a kill shelter down in Ohio. Can you believe that this little doll was scheduled to be gassed three days after she was rescued?! A puppy is a LOT of work... I don't think I ever realized that. We had puppies growing up, but I think it's a different story when mommy and daddy take care of them! She's not house-broken or crate-trained... she's hates being alone... she doesn't like to sleep at night. It's almost like having a baby all over again. As I write this, Kadee is entertaining herself by chasing her tail... :)

Savannah is excited to have a puppy - she loves animals. But, she's not too sure about Kadee's playfulness. One of Kadee's favorite pasttimes involves chewing on Savannah's pigtails! She has also taken rather well to Savannah's stuffed Mr. Potato Head... I believe it's now officially Kadee's toy. Savannah tells everyone about Kadee, so I'm sure they're grow to be the best of friends. In the meantime, we'll keep things off the floor, buy stock in Spot Shot, and continue taking pictures!!

You're My Best Friend... sometimes!

2007-02-13T20:13:00.001-05:00

Savannah has a best friend and a boyfriend. She'll admit to both. Today's escapade is courtesy of her best friend, who is most often referred to as "Gracie Lou"... even though her middle name isn't Lou. :) Savannah goes to day care with a ton of other kids, but Savannah and Grace bonded immediately - at the ripe old age of 12 weeks. They talk about one another on the weekends, they love to play together, Savannah knows the names of Grace's mom and dad, Grace gives me a hug every afternoon, and Savannah adores Grace's baby brother. When I walked into Savannah's class at day care this afternoon, her teacher just shook her head at me. If you have kids, you know that's never a good sign! Apparently Savannah behaved very poorly today - fighting a lot with Nickel-nick (aka: Nicholas), downright refusing to eat morning snack, napping for only 45 minutes (as opposed to the 3 hours we're used to!), and pulling a chair out from under Grace (and proceeding to laugh while Grace was crying). Rough day!

This is the conversation that occured on the car ride home:
Mommy: Savannah, were you a bad girl today?
Savannah: Yes I was.
Mommy: What did you do?
Savannah: I... I pulled the chair out... out from... from underneath Gracie.
Mommy: You did what?!
Savannah: She hit her head on the *cold* floor.
Mommy: Did it hurt her?
Savannah: Uh huh. She cried. Mrs Erin had to hold her.
Mommy: What did you do?
Savannah: I had to sit in timeout by the white cupboards.
Mommy: Did you tell Grace you're sorry?
Savannah: Nope.

Okay, so my child has no remorse. And, unfortunately Todd and I are both very bad at controlling our laughter. I had Savannah repeat the story to Todd when we got home. Yes, it's bad that she hurt her friend... her best friend. Yes, she had to sit in timeout and was somewhat punished. No, Todd and I couldn't stop laughing. She's so sincere when she tells her little "stories"!

"My boys"

2007-02-11T16:04:00.001-05:00

I've been reading lots of mommy blogs recently and realized what a fabulous tool blogs can be. Time seems to escape us, but it's important that Savannah's milestones don't go unmarked and that friends and family across the country can take a peek into Savannah's daily life. We want to share the joy Savannah brings to us with all of you. That being said, here's the inaugural blog:

Todd's dad is in town this weekend to help finish the bathroom in the basement of the condo. His flight arrived very late Friday night, but we'd been prepping Savannah all week for his arrival. When we put Savannah to bed Friday night, we finally convinced her to go to sleep by reminding her that Grandpa would be here to play when she woke up in the morning. Saturday morning rolls around and, lo and behold, she remembers that Grandpa is here! As she's heading downstairs to give Grandpa a hug, Todd meets her halfway and tries to get her to come back up. Not happening! She has a book in her hand and she's on a mission - she wants Grandpa to read to her! Savannah makes a few trips up and down the stairs, gathering the pieces to her book, before Todd breaks the bad news to her... she has to stay home with mommy while Daddy and Grandpa go to Home Depot. Let the tantrum begin! Savannah cried and cried, desperate to tag along. I can usually calm her, but it was a difficult task yesterday morning... after all, Grandpa just got here and Home Depot is one of her favorite stores. She's sitting on our bed, crying her little eyes out, and begins to repeat "I want my boys". Her "boys"? That's a term I'd never heard before. Just for clarification, I asked exactly who her boys are. She responded, so cute and so sincere, with "Daddy and Grandpa are my boys. I want them to come home". But she wouldn't stop crying. I finally calmed her by calling Todd and making plans to meet them at McDonald's for lunch. We got dressed, drove to McDonald's, and waited patiently in the car for Daddy and Grandpa to finish at Home Depot. When Todd pulled up, Savannah cheered "My boys! My boys!" Oh, how she loves her Daddy and Grandpa!