Across the Branch

Free Books for our Kids: Dolly’s Imagination Library and the Ferst Foundation

2012-02-07T01:01:00.001-05:00

You know there aren’t many things in life that are free. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can get free books for your little ones! (Or if you get really crazy you can donate to help others get free books, too!) You say, What?! There must be a catch. I thought the same thing!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library works to provide books for kids. Children from birth to age five can enroll to receive a book each month. No questions asked.

In Georgia, the Ferst Foundation is partnered with Dolly’s Imagination Library to provide books to children in many counties. We were introduced to Dolly’s library and the Ferst Foundation through Georgia PINES, an organization for kids with hearing and/or vision loss. They have been awesome for us! We actually don’t have the Imagination Library in our county, but we enrolled Blair through Georgia PINES and have been getting books for well over a year now.

We have gotten some really good books. They are high quality books, and many of them are classics.

We love Llama Llama! Read to Tiger is really cute too.

One of mommy’s favorites. Probably has something to do with my love for Spain….

The books are printed especially for the program, so they all have a picture of Dolly Parton on them. Blair says, “There’s Miss Dolly!”

Dolly’s Imagination Library program extends nationwide and to Canada, so check to see if you can enroll your little ones! Or, you can donate to support the program or start a program in your area! Georgia has an especially huge program with Dolly’s library, as does Tennessee. Georgia folks can check the here to see if you are in an area served, or anyone can check the Imagination Library registration page to see if there is a program in your area. If not, they will give you information on how to start one! (FYI: Child registration closes the first of the month for book mailings, so if it’s closed check back.)

Thank you Dolly and the Ferst Foundation!

Oh my patience.

2012-02-04T23:47:00.001-05:00

I usually have lots of patience. I taught high school. I had to have lots of patience. And I do. But when it comes to babies, not so much.

I called and made a last minute appointment for an early ultrasound at the same place we went when I was pregnant with Blair. I only had another week to wait to find out what we were having, but my doctor’s machine is so old, I decided to go ahead and get a good ultrasound with some good pictures! I might as well since I had one with Blair. We want everything to be fair, right?!

So… we had to wait a few minutes for the sweet baby to stop sleeping like big sister – face down and booty to the sky – to find out that we’re having…

a boy!!

We are thrilled. I would have been thrilled with another girl too, but I hope that this one will be my buddy. Blair pretty much gives me the cold shoulder when daddy’s around.

Brad and I haven’t even discussed names at all. We didn’t talk names with Blair until we knew she was a girl. So that part is still to come. I hope naming our little boy will be as easy as naming Blair. I still adore her name, and it just came up out of the blue one day while I was looking through a name book. It was the first one I had suggested that Brad liked, and we got stuck on it. We’re so glad we did!

I guess I’ll spare the poor child and not show everyone his little boy parts, but here’s a great profile shot of our little one!

My very first blog post included a picture just like this of Blair. How time flies.

16 Weeks

2012-02-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

We’re just trucking along. It’s going by so fast! I tell you, I look hugimous in this picture. I really think I look bigger some days than others. (Yes, I will be glad to tell myself that.)

How far along? 16 Weeks

Size of baby: About the size of an avocado – 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces.

Maternity clothes? Yes! Still wearing some regular tops, but I don’t have all that much to choose from.

Sleep: Fabulous when I’m not working!

Movement: When I’m real still and think about it, I can feel the baby. I just love it.

Food cravings: Nothing really. Blair and I eat a lot of waffles. :)

Symptoms: I’m feeling great. I have a little spot in my lower back that is being pressed when I lie down, but it’s not a big deal.

Gender: Can’t wait to find out!

What I miss: Not much. I’m pretty content!

What I’m loving: My lounge pants, maternity jeans.

What I am looking forward to: Finding out the gender in one week!

Milestones: Not really too much change this week except movement is more defined.

Best moment this week: Going to the Women’s Conference at my church and the Watermelon Queen contest. Everyone being so surprised that I was so big already because most folks are just finding out!

Fanning the Flame

2012-02-02T22:34:00.001-05:00

Last weekend was our church’s women’s conference. I came home from work that morning, got clean and changed, and headed right back out. I’m so glad I did. And it was the weirdest thing… I’m usually exhausted after working, but I was wide awake and thrilled to be there! Just part of God’s plan, I guess!

Our church’s praise team did an awesome job with the music.

Phyllis Foy was the speaker for the conference, which was themed “Fanning the Flame” from 2 Timothy 1:6-7. Phyllis is a missionary with the North American Mission Board. She and her husband have been to our church several times, and they are such a treat. Phyllis is such a great speaker. God uses her to really speak to her audience – and she’s hilarious in the process. She said someone called the Baptist State Convention and asked for “the comedienne.” She said, “couldn’t they have at least called me spiritual?!” So she’s the spiritual comedienne! They travel all over the country, so if she’s ever in your area, don’t miss it!

So charismatic in her stories!

In addition to “fanning the flame” she talked about leaving a legacy for your children – including letting them hear you pray for them, and leading by example with your quiet times. We have to fan the flame in our children!

I was so thankful for the message, and I had a great day. The fellowship with friends and the yummy food was an extra plus!

The fellowship hall was packed, so we enjoyed lunch outside on a gorgeous day.

The fellowship hall was beautifully decorated – they actually used the same décor that my friend Nicole used at her wedding two weeks ago.

We had several types of beautiful salads, sandwich wraps, and an assortment of mini cakes for dessert.

The men of our church served lunch in black tie! So cute!

Can’t wait to see what next year’s conference brings!

15 weeks

2012-01-27T22:41:00.000-05:00

Baby must be growing, because this week I got HUGE! Seriously, it is way to early, but bring on the maternity clothes – they are WAY too comfortable to wait any longer!

14 and 15 weeks – Big difference!

With Blair, I wasn’t quite this big, but I did have a good bit of change between 14 and 15 weeks with her just like this time. I’m going to spare you the pictures – I have my shirt pulled up in all of the Blair ones! This pregnancy is so much like Blair’s. I have experienced the same (almost non-existent) symptoms with this baby as I did with her. The worst I’ve gone through is being starving and not being able to think of something I wanted to eat. I know, I have it real bad. Maybe that’s part of why I love being pregnant so much!

How far along? 15 Weeks

Size of baby: About the size of an apple

Total weight gain/loss: 1.5 pounds. Just wait folks, it will come. I’ll quit posting it at some point I’m sure! One month when pregnant with Blair, we went on a cruise, and I gained 8 pounds!

Maternity clothes? Bring ‘em on! I love maternity clothes and don’t see why I should put them off any longer! Plus, I’m a nurse. I don’t have many real clothes to begin with! Been wearing the pants for a week or so, but I added some shirts/dresses this week.

Sleep: Fabulous when I’m not working!

Movement: Just started! Different from last time. I was 17 weeks with Blair, and it was like popcorn. This is like tickling or light pressure right where the baby is.

Food cravings: Fruit, peanut butter and jelly.

Symptoms: I’m feeling great for the most part. I think most of my being tired is from working nights.

Gender: Can’t wait to find out!

What I miss: Sushi. As usual.

What I’m loving: My lounge pants, maternity jeans.

What I am looking forward to: Finding out the gender in two weeks!

Milestones: Feeling the baby, maternity clothes, my belly popping!

Best moment this week: Hints of feeling the baby on Tuesday and Wednesday. My favorite part of pregnancy, I think!

Marinated Cheese: An Appetizer Recipe

2012-01-23T00:10:00.001-05:00

An appetizer that I have loved for years now is marinated cheese. When we used to have teacher breakfast at school, one of the moms would bring this, and we all loved it.

I made it during the holidays for two different occasions. The colors are perfect for the holidays, but it works all year round! And it’s pretty easy. Find a printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

The ingredients:

½ cup olive oil

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 (2 oz) jar diced pimento, drained

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons green onions, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (8 oz) package cheddar cheese

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

In a jar, combine all ingredients except cheeses.

Drained pimentos, vinegar, olive oil.

Chopped parsley.

Chopped green onions.

Basil, sugar, salt, pepper.

Minced garlic.

Shake well to combine and set aside.

Cut the cheddar cheese lengthwise in half to make two long pieces. Then, cut each piece into ¼” square slices.

Cut the cream cheese in the same manner – lengthwise and then ¼” slices. Cream cheese should be cold. Spray knife with nonstick spray and/or clean after each cut.

In a shallow serving dish, arrange the cheese pieces into logs, alternating cheddar and cream cheese.

Pour the marinade over the cheese, spreading the vegetables out evenly over the top. (This platter is really too shallow. The liquid ended up leaking a bit off of the side.) Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.

(Marinating is optional -- I have covered the cheeses on the platter with plastic wrap, traveled to my event with the marinade in the jar, and poured it over when I arrived. It is still great, and folks still rave over it’s yumminess!)

I double this recipe for parties – above is a double recipe, but be sure to only get 8 oz bars of cheddar cheese, not 16 oz.

Serve with Triscuits or Wheat Thins. This appetizer will be a hit!

Click here for a printable recipe.

Watermelon Baby

2012-01-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

Looks like this summer in addition to loads of watermelons, we’ll be having loads of fun with a new little one in our family! We’re expecting a new baby in July – and not a bit sooner!

I’ve been doing great. I feel exactly the same as I did when I was pregnant with Blair. I haven’t been sick at all. I was hungry a lot actually, but for several weeks I had a hard time thinking of something I actually wanted to eat. And I’ve been tired – night shift or baby, who knows! All of that has passed now, and we’re moving along quickly it seems. I’ve seen the baby three times already on an ultrasound – love those things!

Blair doesn’t quite get the whole thing, but she knows that when watermelons come we’ll be getting a “Faegan” – my new niece’s name – her only experience with a new baby. She’s great with Faegan, so I expect she’ll be equally as sweet with this one!

Blair helps me take belly pictures. She’s the remote guru. This is 12 weeks. Still wearing regular clothes, but I live in scrubs and loungewear when at home!

We’re excited and looking forward to finding out girl or boy hopefully next month! Maybe I’ll get a Mama’s girl or boy because Blair is a “Dada do it!” kind of girl!

Baby Talk

2012-01-20T23:49:00.001-05:00

Me: Blair, where is the new baby?

Blair: In Hawaii!

Me: Really, the baby’s not in mommy’s tummy?

Blair: Yes, she is. She is in mommy’s tummy.

Me: She? What if the baby’s a boy?

Blair: No ma’am.

*****

Me: Blair is the baby going to be a boy or a girl?

Blair: A girl.

Me: What are we going to name her?

Blair: Old Macdonald!

Me: Old Macdonald? You can’t name a girl Old Macdonald.

Blair: We name a boy Old Macdonald.

Me: What about a girl?

Blair: Faegan.

Me: That’s your cousin’s name silly!

January 2013? We’ll pass.

2012-01-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

For the third January in a row, Blair is sick. Last year wasn’t so bad – she didn’t even need extra oxygen. But the year before was bad (we actually had bad ones in January and April 2010, which was the last bad one), and this year has been another doozy. We’ll skip January 2013, thank you very much.

By the numbers: fever for 11 days (and counting, but now we’re low-grade), 103 axillary max temp (on an airplane – yikes! I almost had a panic attack), 5 days straight sleeping, 3 trips to Macon (one to the ER and two to see the amazing staff at Blair’s doctor’s office), 9 hours in the ER, 5 days at my parents’ house (my mama is awesome), umpteen extra breathing treatments, 1 mama begging for an oxygen concentrator for the plane so we could get home from Hawaii, and 1 liter of oxygen at night.

Thursday when we got home, she didn’t feel all that great, but she was so happy to see Gus.

Long story short… she started with fever on Monday in Hawaii, we got home Thursday, her chest got super nasty on Friday, and she pretty much slept until Tuesday. Wednesday she was finally talking some and acting more herself, and today she was back getting into everything but still really touchy! Whew!

It all started the day we left for Hawaii. I felt something in my chest – such a weird way to start a cold. I usually start with a sore throat. This is the first cold I’ve had since I can remember. We are careful. We wash hands. We cough in our elbows. We work hard. But this cold was too tough for us. Blair, Brad, and Brad’s mom all got it. And it’s a bad one.

Living on Gigi’s couch for several days!

We tried to get an early flight home from Hawaii, but I couldn’t manage a thing. It worked out well though because I had to get oxygen secured for the plane, and it was not going to be easy. I had oxygen set up in the hotel in case of an emergency, but I didn’t set it up for the plane. That was a big deal, it was expensive, and she had hardly used oxygen at all in the last several months. So I begged and pleaded. Thankfully the only place on Oahu that had a concentrator we could take on the plane let us use it and take more batteries than they could spare. The Lord was taking care of us, folks.

Monday: one of the first smiles we got during the whole thing.

We got on the plane. I had given Blair tylenol 30 minutes prior to boarding. I stuck the thermometer under her arm. 103. I had a small internal panic attack. I sent Brad (during taxi) to wet her blanket for her head. I gave her ibuprofen. I took her temp every 30 seconds it seemed. It finally started coming down. I kept asking her if she was okay – “ye’ ma’am.” My sweet child.

Tuesday: oranges!

We made it home and ended up in the ER on Friday. Since we have all the supplies at home, Blair’s doctor let us go home to ride it out. But it was almost midnight, and Brad was starting to get sick. We camped at my mom’s. Then I had to work. I called out on Thursday and had to go if at all possible on Sunday. Blair seemed to be stable with what we were doing so I left her with mom and headed to work for three days.

Wednesday: At Gigi’s we eat M&Ms for breakfast.

Although she felt really really crummy, this time wasn’t quite as bad as the last. She hasn’t needed oxygen 24/7, which is what has happened in the past. She also has not been breathing quite as fast. The last cold, she kept a really high respiratory rate -- from 60 – 80 breaths per minute. She’s older now, so she should be slower, but she stayed lower than 50 and mostly around 40. I hope this is all saying that her lungs are at least a little better than they were!

We are thankful to be on the mend. She even got in trouble a few times today, so… she’s back! We appreciate those who have prayed for Blair, and we are certainly thankful for the entire staff at Blair’s doctor’s office. When Blair is sick (and probably normally!) I drive them crazy, I know, but they are so patient with me and treat us like we are their only patient. And they love my baby.

The Big Girl Bed

2012-01-18T23:39:00.001-05:00

At three years three months, Blair is finally out of her crib. And Brad said I was pushing her. (I think I did great!)

She got bedding for Christmas (her main gift from Santa), and we are using my Mema’s twin beds, one of which she slept on as long as I knew her.

The big helper getting to the job.

The child loves a measuring tape.

I found the cutest bedding set at the Land of Nod that was affordable and matched her curtains. Blair loves blue, so the quilt is blue. She calls it her “blue bay-ed.” (The girl knows she is southern!) I used the paisley fabric of her crib bedding for blackout drapes in her nursery. It’s such a great fabric that has a lot of her favorite color, so I wanted to stick with them. I also used the pillows that matched her crib bedding.

Isn’t it cute?! She wanted a blue owl for Christmas, so that gift came in the form of the pillow.

Happy about her new bed!

It turned out so cute – and the best part: Blair loves it! I was so worried about messing up a good thing. We have a good sleeper, and we waited so long because we didn’t want to make any changes to that. Since she started climbing in her bed recently (but not out), I thought the time was right.

When the new baby comes, we’ll set up the other bed in the larger back bedroom and redo Blair’s current small room for the nursery.

Her first big girl bed nap. No problem in the sleep department – except the curtains. I was out doing laundry (on the porch outside her window) one day during her nap and looked up to see her perched on top of her headboard looking out the window!

What’s really funny is that she still calls us to come get her after naps and in the morning. She has yet to get out of the bed by herself! I know it won’t be long!

Smiles

2011-12-21T23:03:00.001-05:00

Me: Big smile, Blair!

“Mama, I gon’ do a little ‘mile.”

“This is my big ‘mile.”

First Trip to the Fair

2011-11-27T22:20:00.001-05:00

Otherwise titled: “Blair’s First Fair Food Tour.”

People come from all over to go to our fair. And for those of us who are from the home of the Georgia National Fairgrounds, our lives pretty much revolve around the fair for 10 days each year.

Blair finally went to the fair this year. Yes, I nearly had a nervous breakdown about the number of people we had to maneuver around, but we had fun. We didn’t do rides…ew, germy.

Aunt Linnie was there (bonus that Blair’s birthday falls during the week of the fair each year so we can do it all in one!) with baby Faegan.

We watched mutton busting.

The sheep was hysterical. And Blair enjoyed watching the races!

We saw racing pigs too.

And we ate. A lot.

Cinnamon roll and ice cream.

Doing her shaking about the ice cream being cooooold!

We love the fair – it’s a great fall tradition!

No Night Owl Here

2011-11-27T22:03:00.001-05:00

I’m having issues getting my blogging routine back after starting night shift. I’ve been working nights now for just over two months, and it’s killing me. I need more sleep, people! Some folks love nights; I’m not one of them. I was the girl who always fell asleep first at the slumber party! I love work, but it’s tough knowing that however much sleep I get during the day, I’m going to be exhausted at some point in the night. Sometimes I just want my bed, and it stinks not to be able to have it! I keep myself busy, so I’ll make it. And, there are some things I do like about nights. I really don’t have a problem flipping back to a day schedule after my working nights, so that’s good too. I’m exhausted that first day off though, and it’s hard on both me and Blair. I’m just waiting my turn to move back to days. The move won’t come soon enough, but maybe I’ll get a good writing routine down in the meantime.

I’ve also had a nasty virus on my computer for the last three weeks. I’ve been working on it without any luck. I haven’t been able to do much on my computer because I was scared to use any passwords on it at all. So finally, my brother Hank came home for Thanksgiving and FIXED it!! Yay! I knew he was good for something.

So lets see how I do these next few weeks. I have tons of pictures that need explanations, and I’d like to start blogging about our weeks. I tend to do more of events, but I’d like to do more of a journal to look back at. We’ll see how that goes; it’s tough to sit down and write daily when all I want to do is sleep. We won’t even talk about the mess that is this house. :)

I hope you had a great holiday. We had a lot of fun with our families and ate lots of yummy treats! Pictures to follow… at some point!

Our Best Toddler Toys: A Gift Guide

2011-11-19T08:58:00.001-05:00

This time of year everyone is looking for great gifts for loved ones. Blair has several items that we’ve bought over the years that stand out over all of the others. These range widely in both price and age, but they are all things that she plays with at 3. Some of these are just girl things, but most of them are for either girls or boys.

I would call the B Toys Pop-Arty beads a BEST BUY. They are available at Target for under $20. They have provided HOURS of entertainment for all of us. Actually, all of the B Toys stuff is great.

The Anywhere Chair by Pottery Barn Kids is a must have. When my friend told me to get one for Blair, I hesitated, wondering how she could possibly love a chair. Well she does! She got it right after she turned 1 and still adores it.

image

The chair has many purposes!

The Green Toys tea set, cookware, and dining set: AWESOME quality toys that we love. These are available at Pottery Barn Kids, Amazon.com, and the Land of Nod. Great stuff out of recycled milk cartons. Made in the USA. (Images from GreenToys.com)

Tea Set

Cooking and Dining set

I believe in playing outside, and this is one of our outside favorites. The Step2 Up and Down Roller Coaster. It can be an inside toy too, but we have it in our yard. We got this for Blair’s second birthday. She can do it all herself, or we play along and push her back up the ramp.

The foldable tents are another indoor/outdoor favorite.

The B Toys Dr. Doctor medical kit. Not only does Blair love to play with it, it has also held up well, and she has learned a lot about to expect when we go to the doctor. She knows what each tool does, and they are very familiar to her when we’re at the real thing! These are at Target.

For a year now, we have played with the Play-doh Puppies Play Set. Under $20 (under $10 if you get it on sale!) and hours upon hours of dog food making! I like to pick more original toys, but this one couldn’t be left out.

image

Green Start puzzles, especially the pink house.

image from innovativekids.com

A cute gift we got recently is a little Horse Sillo purse by Douglas Toys. She got the horse and loves it. Great for the girly girl!

image from douglastoys.com

The Peg Perégo John Deere Gator. Our new love. It’s powerful enough to go up hills, and Blair loves it!

image from walmart.com

Those are some of our favorite toys! I noticed when making this list, that almost all of these things have grown well with her – I’m making a note to self to look for that in our future purchases. What are some of the best play things your toddlers have?! I’m looking for great ideas too!

Creamy Tex-Mex Chicken: A Crock Pot Recipe

2011-11-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

I’m into crock pot lately. It might have something to do with night shift. But we won’t talk about that.
This recipe is awesome for many reasons including that it’s super easy and delicious. We all like that combo, right?! Plus, in my book anything with cream cheese is a must try.

Creamy Tex-Mex Chicken: A Crock Pot Recipe

Drain one can of black beans and one can of whole kernel corn.

Place frozen boneless chicken breasts in crock pot.

Add one jar of salsa -- Herdez is our favorite.

Cook on high for 4 -5 hours or unil chicken is done. Place one 8 ounce bar of cream cheese on top of the chicken, corn, and beans. Let sit for 30 minutes.

I used bone-in chicken breasts when I made this, and I cooked the dish too long because the bones got all mixed in with the rest of the dish. Boneless is better for this one! I also doubled the corn and beans so that we would have plenty, and I used 12 oz cream cheese.

It's a yummy one, y'all!

It’s an Old McDonald Farm Birthday Party!

2011-11-05T00:53:00.001-04:00

Blair loves Old McDonald, so this year we had an EIEIO birthday party. We turned our yard into a great setting for a barnyard party and had a blast.

Brad worked so hard on my yard; it looked great! And we had rain for the first time in many months, so my grass was actually green!

My friend gave me the idea on how to use the hay bales to make kid-sized tables. They were perfect. The table cloths are pieces of fabric I borrowed from a friend.

I had every intention of making the invitations and table decorations like I did last year for Blair’s owl party, but I ran out of time. I still used the crate baskets I used last year, and I ordered the table decorations and birthday banner from 62Cards on Etsy. She was fabulous to work with, and the pieces were precious! She also has a website.

Brad’s mom did the barn and animals for a photo op. Aren’t they cute?!

On each table I had foam farm animal magnet kits I got from Amazon. Once everyone settled down towards the end of the party, they loved playing with these – even the adults got into making them! I got the glue tape in the craft section at Walmart which worked perfectly for these.

My sweet sister Molly was the real Old McDonald. She brought her steer Opie, one of her horses Sobe, her donkey Jenny, and some baby goats she borrowed. Her animals with my chickens made up quite the petting zoo!

I set up a feeding table with sweet feed, apple treats, carrots, and chicken scratch. I got the pails at Home Depot in the paint section. There were little cups there for the kids to put food in. They loved it.

We had farm themed snacks with the birthday cake. Pigs in a blanket, haystacks, Blair’s garden, horse treats, and “chicken scratch” made up the menu. For the garden I took the easy way out and bought precut vegetables. I also used precut apples for the “horse treats” with Paula Deen’s brickle dip recipe. The chicken scratch was chex mix mixed with candy corn. For parties during other seasons when candy corn isn’t available, M&Ms would work too.

My mom made the awesome cake. I wanted it to be different and to be Blair. She loves chickens and roosters, (Old McDonald usually has multiple roosters on his farm in her version.) so I decided to do a rooster on the top. She wanted baby chickens on there and our dogs, so they’re there too. It was perfect and precious – as always.

My sister Linsey made cookies again this year. We ate them during the party and sent them as favors.

I also got farm themed books as favors for the kids. Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type, Giggle Giggle Quack, and the Little Blue Truck were the three books I ordered -- all from the Amazon.com 4 for 3 store. I figured I would spend just as much at the dollar store for junk as I would these books. Since Blair had never been to a birthday party and this was her first time inviting kids to her party, I wanted to do something special.

And special it was. Everyone had a great time – especially my sweet birthday girl!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T16:26:00.001-04:00

From our baby chick to you…

Happy Halloween!

A visit to Southern Belle Farm

2011-10-30T01:54:00.000-04:00

Mom, Blair, and I dropped in on our friends Jake and Jennifer at Southern Belle Farm when we were in Atlanta earlier this month. I didn't give them a bit of notice, but Jake and Jennifer were so nice to show us around their amazing place.

The farm is a beautiful setting to spend a fall day!

They have great weekend special events throughout the fall plus they have a corn maize, racing pigs, bouncy horses, rubber duck races, a corn cannon, a train, pedal carts on a dirt track, a big bouncy pillow, and more!

They have a huge air pillow for the most fun time jumping!

I thought the water pump duck race “track” was so neat!

Southern Belle Farm hosts field trips to tell kids all about farming. Belle and her ladies hang out on the farm and give the kids a milking demonstration.

The old dairy barn on the farm is the venue for the milking demonstrations.

Belle hanging out in the shade.

There is a wagon stage under the barn to use for events. And check out that big ice cream churn!

Mimi serves up the yummiest food on the weekends!

Blair got to experience Southern Belle Farm with the experts – Jake and Jennifer’s daughter and her friend! At first when Blair got on the air pillow, she was really timid. It didn't take her long to warm up, and she left begging to "go back and jump again!"

Next we headed down to Oinker Stadium. Jake put held a special pig race for us!

There they come!!

And into the water!

They also have a pumpkin patch and a cotton patch. Many kids don’t know anything about where cotton or milk comes from, so we are thankful that they get to visit Southern Belle Farm to get a little peek!

Blair picked out a pumpkin to take home.

And of course she had plenty of help from the resident expert!

If you’re anywhere near central Georgia, head to McDonough to Southern Belle Farm. You’ll have a blast – promise!

Fire on Day Four

2011-10-28T15:10:00.001-04:00

I got a text from Brad the other night at work. I figured it would be a picture of Blair or something he needed to ask me. If only it had been just that.

This is our cotton picker. Was our cotton picker. Our only cotton picker.

The message in the text: “We had a bad day…. I’m home.”

I think that qualifies as a bad day. Day four of harvest in the first really good cotton and the dang picker burns up. My husband would say that’s par for his course.

I didn’t know whether to cry or hit something, call Brad or leave him alone. You know how men are; they don’t want to talk about stuff like this. We women want to know every detail of what happened.

The visit to the site the next day was yet another learning experience for me. First thing one does if there is a fire is dump the cotton in the basket and move away from it. He did that.

Cotton in the foreground was in the basket, and the basket is still open (and now on the ground) to the left of the picker.

Three guys fighting, three fire extinguishers exhausted, and the fire burned on. Brad eventually had to jump off of the picker because it was too hot. He said that he knew when the beam holding the picker heads bent that it was over. It was probably over way before that, but this cotton picker was his baby.

And it was the only one I’ve ever known. I’ve spent quite some time in that buddy seat. It was really hard to go out there the next day to see it.

So we had a bad day. What now? We move on. We pray. We harvest. We get it done. :)

We’re thankful that no one was hurt. And we realize that fire devastates homes, and this is nowhere near that. It’s just a day on the farm, and we just have to get busy with our options. They aren’t necessarily simple options, but we have some: finding another picker (they do happen to be scarce this time of year), getting others to harvest for us, or a mixture of both.

We’re thankful that we have some choices – and some good farmer neighbors willing to help us out in a crunch. We’re praying that God leads us to get this crop in whatever way He intended.

Gus and Buddy Song

2011-10-28T10:45:00.001-04:00

Gus and Buddy climbing up a tree

Gus fell down and bumped his knee

Buddy came down to help Gus out,

but all he could do was bark and shout!

It’s all about timing.

2011-10-18T17:18:00.001-04:00

Well, it’s harvest time! That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s raining. Oh, wait… isn’t that the good news? Since we’ve have had almost no rain over the last nine months, rain is good, right? Right? I don’t know about you, but I’m confused. ;)

Truth is, this is really not what you want your window to look like when you’re looking at defoliated cotton – cotton ready to be picked.

Because then you also see this:

These bolls are not so pretty anymore.

The rain affects cotton quality. And with too much rain, there is wait time for it to dry out before harvest. And there’s wind, which is a whole other issue.

We love to see the barn “parking lot” look like this, but the timing is not always ours.

That’s the way farming goes. We think we need rain; we might not get it. We want it to be dry; we get rain. The thing is that God’s timing is right, and we have to trust that. The end.

Out of the Mouth of my Babe…

2011-10-13T23:30:00.000-04:00

Mama, (pats me on the arm) you a sweet girl, mama.

Not yet. Already. Either. Though. Too. But. All used correctly. As a language person, this fascinates me.

Mister dada. Mister mama. Mister everybody.

After Mema's funeral Blair and I were talking to one of Mema's dear friends about how Mema and I used to visit her when I was little. Not too long after we began our conversation, Blair was exclaiming, "She's got whiskers! She's got whiskers!" and pointing at the woman. I couldn't help but laugh. I don't think Mema’s friend knew what Blair was saying, but I'll tell you that Blair was right on!

Stay right there mama. I mean don't move.

Mama, your hair is a mess!

"Faegan, don't mess with Aunt Linnie." Aunt Linnie tells her that it's okay for Faegan's arm to be where it was. "Okay Faegan, you can mess with Aunt Linnie."

Gus, high you doin' today? Fine? You been playin'?!

During an electricity outage, she went from room to room trying to turn on the lights: “They all broken. The batteries is dead.”

Her prayers right now (give or take a few things each night): “Dear God, thank you for Mama and Daddy, and Uncle Ben, and Gigi and Grandmom, and Aunt Mo, and birthday, and balloons, and Aunt Linnie and baby Faegan, and Uncle Ben, and Aunt Linnie’s car, and Uncle Ben’s truck, and Gigi and Grandmom, and thank you for the rain. Amen.” Funny thing is, she hides when Uncle Ben is anywhere near her.

I have pictures on my phone for some of my family when they call. One day I was selecting a picture for Linsey and accidentally picked one of Blair in a stroller on the beach. Then someone called, and I never went back to change it. For a while now whenever Blair saw that picture she said, “It’s Aunt Linnie. Aunt Linnie’s in a stroller!” Now she adds “with Baby Faegan.” She loves her cousin!

Before she went to bed tonight, she called me back in her room to give me her water then, “Mama, give me pive." We give each other five, and she lay down.

Peet-ha

2011-10-12T07:13:00.000-04:00

At our house we love peet-ha. That's “pizza” for those who don't speak fluent Blair (or read my questionable phonetic spellings!). Our pizza comes in many forms. To Blair, a plain flour tortilla is “peet-ha.”

I also put sauce and cheese on the tortillas for a real pizza. And we use sandwich rounds and sometimes even real pizza crusts to make pizza. Whatever works. What always stays the same is that Blair is the cook!

Telling me that she’s making “PEET-ha!”

Putting on the sauce. She said, "Here's you spoon, Mama." I got to do my own.

And the cheese. She looks so grown up getting it out of the bowl (which she put it in so that she could feed it to Gus).

She's my happy cook!

"I love ya, love ya, love ya."

2011-10-09T02:46:00.001-04:00

Heaven gained an amazing woman on October 1 when my Mema passed away. She was living at home basically independent a little over a month ago, so this unexpected loss has not been easy. And she is actually the first family member I have lost in quite some time.

Thanksgiving last year

I can't describe how special my Mema was. She was loved by all who knew her. Really. There was something special about her that just made everyone love her. And we were her life from the time I can remember.

Fourth of July 2010 at Lane’s

I was the first grandchild. I am named after her, and I named her Mema. Growing up we spent the night at her house on a weekly basis -- sometimes with friends, sometimes just the cousins. We watched MacGyver. And Savannah smiles. We spent many a New Year's Eve in her den with sparkling grape juice. We had spend the night parties, long baths in her huge tub with lots of toys, and rode bikes all over her neighborhood.

Linsey’s baby shower this summer

She cooked pancakes. Bicycle, balloon, letter, animal pancakes. Anything we requested pancakes. Pancakes and zebra pies were her specialties. And kiwi. That's about all she cooked. She wasn't the cooking kind of grandmother, but she sure was the entertaining kind. She took us all over creation and drove a station wagon well into her 80's just so she could haul us all. The movies, skating, bowling, putt putt, Atlanta, reunions, the beach. She taught us the entire Ferranti and Teicher 6 minute patriotic medley. We sang it when we went on our outings. And we all tried to guess what time we would arrive down to the minute. One time she drove me to Daytona for our family vacation, and we left at 5am so that I would sleep the whole way and not be bored. My request, no problem.

Blair kisses

She sang us to sleep in the big bed in the back bedroom (she always slept in the middle). She'll be coming round the mountain. Love lifted me. School days. Minnie the Mermaid. Jesus loves the little children. Jesus loves me. I see the moon. And she told us stories about herself and our parents. And if we said we weren't sleepy, she would say, "Just lie real still." I can hear her now.

I don't know anyone who was more positive. She never complained about anything. She wasn't able to drive after a bleed in her back left her with paralysis, but she never said a word. Even though she was paralyzed, she worked to get mobile again and to go back to her house. And she did well there. She told me that she loved therapy.

Blair loved her. She loved to go to Mema's. One time I headed down her street without telling Blair what we were doing, and Blair said, "We gon' go see Mema right quick!" She knew exactly what she was allowed to play with at Mema's. The knitting yarn, the decorative rooster, and the bowl of pomegranites were her favorites.

And Mema loved all of her grandchildren dearly. She always thought of us. She sent me newspaper articles for as long as I can remember. And letters. She even wrote Blair letters. And the day before she died, as crappy as she felt, she had her nurse write the jewelry channel's number down so that she could order my sister something. (Bless her heart; she loved QVC.) She always thought of us.

She was so good to give us so many memories. I can tell stories from her childhood, my dad's, and from mine. She told me that I went through a phase when I called her Martha Ellen. In a store I told her, "Look Martha Ellen, ain't this cute?" And she let me have my frozen doves at her house (Yes, I played with dead birds.) She loved to tell the story about when I was 2 and my parents were on a cruise. My dove's head fell off at her house, and I told her that my daddy would fix it with the screwdriver.

A visit to Mema’s last September

She loved chocolate, ginger, grapefruit, and egg nog. When I was barely old enough to talk, she taught me to say "I'm a cute little girl with a cute little figure. Stand back boys 'til I get a little bigger."

Every year, she went to the beach with us. She made drip drop castles with us. And she alternated spending the night with my cousin and with us on Christmas Eve. But at some point she was always at both of our houses on Christmas. And she pulled for Georgia Tech one year (us) and Georgia (our cousin) the next. She was all about us. Period.

Mema and Mimi at Blair’s birthday last year

Man I'm going to miss her. I can still hear her saying "hey dahlin'" just like she said to me when I called or stopped by. She was just so special. I told her that I hope I am half the grandmother she is to me. Her last words to me on Friday were "I love ya, love ya, love ya." She didn't even have to tell me. She showed me my whole life.

Fourth of July 2011 at Lane’s

BugS

2011-09-21T10:43:00.001-04:00

You wouldn't believe the b's, p's, and s's coming out of this girls mouth - and some better vowel sounds too!

Here are two videos I took this week. They are sort of longer than usual, but I at least know my family will enjoy them (along with Mamie and Katie D ;) ).

You might want to skip the last part of the first one when she coughs and spits out her cereal. Not too unusual around here :).