All Things Ada

Bad Hair Day

2009-11-10T08:53:00.003-05:00

Ada's hair on a good day...Ada's hair on a bad day, fresh from bed (she did not want me to take this picture)And after I have tried to do something with it. Bless her heart, her hair reacts strongly to whatever the weather is doing. I think it's going to be a pony tail day.

By the way, if you look closely in the picture above, you will see a big knot on Ada's head. This happened yesterday when I was out of the room, so I am not sure what happened. Ada keeps some sort of knot or bruise or cut on her. It's a side effect of running, jumping, and climbing 24-7. By the way, before the knot on her head, Ada had already fallen and hurt her mouth badly enough that blood was involved. Really, it's a weekly occurence.

Tutoring, tutoring, tutoring

2009-11-09T22:09:00.005-05:00

I have just finished tutoring for the night, and I am exhausted, but Scott is not home yet, (He is watching NFL with some guy friends) and it is pointless for me to try to go to sleep without him here. I can't do it.

So...I blog.

I haven't blogged in a few days because I haven't had the energy to think of what to say. Ada is back, thank goodness, but she is a double-edged sword in that she is one big ball of energy that never stops. On top of that, she is super attached to me these days. I am guessing she senses that something is a-changing around here, and she doesn't want to give up her mama. Every time Scott tries to help her with anything--juice, bath, diapers, bed time, etc, she says very adamantly, "no, daddy, it's mommy's turn." Ya'll, it's always my turn. And this little girl of mine that normally demands to walk everywhere now wants to be carried by me. She knows that's something's coming. She has to.

Well, on top of motherhood, I have tutoring every night. And I am so thankful for the tutoring because it allows me to stay at home with Ada while bringing in a tiny bit of income every week, and let's face it, I love all things education. Truly, I loved teaching. Other than wife and mom, I was certainly created to teach. But I will eagerly give up the tutoring after Christmas as I anticipate John's arrival. I am tired, you know?

Here is my schedule each week.

On Mondays from 4:30-5:30, I tutor a middle school girl, who I will refer to as B. Middle School B. is a delight to tutor because she is a great student. She just needs a little extra help here and there. So every week, we study whatever she has coming up that week, and I help her with whatever questions she has. You know, spelling, history, simple algebra. It's an easy hour, she is polite and works super hard.

Then from 6:00-7:00, I tutor a seven year old boy, J. Seven year old J. is a math student, who is struggling BIG TIME with his multiplication tables. It's a sad situation because he has great grades in all of his other subjects, but he is failing math. And I am his tutor. Crazy, right? We are drilling, drilling, drilling the multiplication tables, and then we spend a bit of time working on longer multiplication and division. In the mean time, he continues to skip half of the problems on his tests just because he doesn't feel like doing them. So much so, that I have promised him his favorite candy any time that he leaves no problems blank on his test. He is a funny little guy, and he always makes me laugh, as he often tells me that his brain is broken. He also always has great excuses for why he didn't bring his math homework home again. It's an uphill battle with this little guy. But he is slowly learning his multiplication--he almost knows through his fours, and he has a few sets that he can fly through in less than ten seconds. We make a really big deal about that because I think much of the problem is lack of confidence.

So, that's Mondays and Wednesdays--Middle School B. and Seven year old J.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I tutor seven year old G. She's a tough one. Though she is seven, I often find myself saying the same things to her that I say to Ada--don't throw the pen across the room, don't write on yourself, look in my eyes, etc. etc. When I first started tutoring G., she could barely read at all. Getting through one page of a simple "learn-to-read" book usually involved tears on G's part. However, she now reads first grade level books on her own, and we even recently read a Beverly Cleary book together--her reading one page to my two pages. I thought we would never see progress with G, but all of a sudden she is improving in leaps and bounds. We still have really good days and really bad days, but it is exciting to see the improvement she has made. We are now working on writing, which is super tough. Getting through a two sentence answer to a question usually ends in tears, but I am not discouraged when I remember where we started with her reading.

As with anything that I do, I get very emotionally attached to my students. I just don't know how to do things in a detached way. Though I loved teaching, it always left me emotionally exhausted. I had nothing left to give at the end of the day. Tutoring has that same effect on me on a much smaller scale. I want to see progress. I want the students to feel confident. I want them to understand the joy of learning and discovery. And all of these feelings leave me with the potential for exhaustion every single night.

But, I only have another month until I give it up for a while. I will turn all of this energy to Ada and John.

By the way, I also tutor online, which is why I am just finishing for the night. But it is much less exhausting as I am sitting at home talking to a computer, so my emotions are not nearly as involved. In fact, we are looking into buying me a lap top so that perhaps online tutoring will be all I do after John is born. We'll see.

So there's a glimpse into this other part of my life other than the mothering and homemaking and such.

Back to Scottsboro, I go

2009-11-05T23:27:00.003-05:00

I am headed to Scottsboro tomorrow morning to pick up my stinker of a girl.

I don't think I could stand one more day away from her. I feel a bit lost when she is not here. I have talked to her on the phone every day that she has been gone, but I am ready for a big hug and some quality cuddling. It has been nice to rest, rest, rest, though, and I have enjoyed lots of quality time with Scott. I am well aware that soon, very soon, we will be moving into the newborn days where we will often be parenting and sleeping and eating in shifts, so I appreciate quality time more than ever. I also now know that the newborn stage is fleeting. It won't, in fact, be that way for the rest of our lives. (No one could convince me otherwise after Ada was born. I was sure that Scott and I would never again find the time to talk or eat or even breathe.)

Good news, by the way, I got the all clear on the glucose test, so no follow up tests and no diabetes. Woo-hoo. One step closer to having this baby.

I am feeling oh-so-pregnant today. I noticed as I was tutoring tonight that I can no longer comfortably cross my legs. My stomach is simply too big. And my poor bladder. I need to move into the bathroom because I spend so much time in there. In between tutoring sessions tonight, I had to run into a gas station. I needed gasoline and a pick-me-up snack and diet coke (my energy was rapidly dropping). The gas station attendant was an older man from India, I think. He asked me how much longer I had, and I told him. He smiled very kindly at me, and he said with a strong accent, "this is a hard time, isn't it?" Something about the way he smiled at me and asked that question just made my night. He then said, "but at least it's not summer." Something tells me that he is married with children. He seemed to understand pregnancy so well, and his kindness absolutely touched my heart.

Anyway...I have nothing much to say tonight, except that our house feels extremely quiet and empty without Ada here. We need that little girl back.

A bit more from Scottsboro

2009-11-04T15:43:00.004-05:00

I am about to head out to begin my nightly tutoring, which I can't believe I don't blog about more. It consumes so much of my time, and yet I never mention it here on the blog. Hmmm...maybe I will write about my students some time.

Anyway, I am very tired because I have been running around all day doing things I can't typically do with Ada in tow. I spent most of the day at the local outlet malls because I had a 20% off coupon (thanks, Jessica). I also wanted to walk the length of the mall twice. It's an absolutely beautiful fall day, and with third trimester closing in and the weight gain actually in control (unlike my first pregnancy), I would like to keep it that way. So, I decided to walk. And walk I did. All while searching for inexpensive fall clothes for Ada. No luck in that department, but at least I was out in the sunshine getting some exercise.

Then I headed to Target for the same reason--fall dresses for Ada. There is a dress I have my eye on, but I am waiting for it to go on sale as it inevitably will, so I didn't purchase it today. All of that to say, my feet are hurting, my body is tired from carrying this little baby around, but there is still much left to do before the day is done.

In the mean time, I wanted to share a few more pictures from this past weekend that my sister, Sarah took. I am very envious of her camera. We soon will be purchasing a new point and shoot. We have to get one before John is born. Any suggestions?

And now for Halloween

2009-11-03T22:44:00.005-05:00

First of all, I went to the doctor today for the glucose test. I am crossing my fingers that everything comes back clear. I had no problems with Ada's pregnancy, so I don't anticipate any diabetes. Did you see Ann's comment that she got to eat candy bars and drink coke in place of that syrupy drink? I am jealous. Everything else looked good--my stomach measures just as it should, I continue to steadily gain weight;), and the heartbeat was perfect.

I was also given the papers for my birth plan and hospital pre-registration. Filling all of that out made me so excited and eager for February. It was nice to confidently fill out my birth plan. When I was filling out the plan for Ada, I called Ann on almost every question. This time, I zipped through that thing, marking answers with no question about how I want things to go on birth day. A few questions did make me laugh, like this one, "do I want to view the placenta after it comes out?" Um, no thank you. Really. Scott was with me, and we were making all kinds of jokes about that. I also asked Scott if it makes me a bad mom if I want them to clean John up before they hand him to me. Another pregnant girl sitting nearby joined in our conversation, assuring me that she wants her baby cleaned up first. It did make me feel better. Anyway...I am eager to meet this little boy. And I was telling Scott tonight that lately I feel very content and thankful to be at this stage in life--stay at home mom, doing nothing much other than hanging out at home, etc. etc. This is a new contentment for me, and I am thankful to be feeling this way. Ada is with my mom for a few days while I finish up a few more projects around the house, so Scott and I took advantage and headed into the city tonight. As we were driving through down town, headed back towards home, I realized that I didn't feel the usual nostalgia for our first year of marriage spent in midtown. I was okay to be driving away from the city to our little suburb. Thank you, Lord for these new feelings.

Anyway...I really wanted to blog about Halloween and our little Raggedy Ann. At first Ada was unsure about all of it, but when she realized that by knocking on a door and saying "trick-or-treat" she got candy, she quickly warmed up to the holiday. We went to Scottsboro because trick-or-treating is still a big deal on my parents' street. While Ann, Sarah, and I took the kids to the different houses, the rest of the family sat in the driveway handing out candy. It was quite the "block party." See for yourself.

It was a success!! And of course, the next day was the shower (another reason we spent Halloween in Scottsboro). Okay, I am so very tired, so I am headed to bed. Happy Halloween, many days after the fact.

Celebrating John

2009-11-02T20:39:00.009-05:00

Ann (and mom and Kate and Sarah? not sure of the hostesses), hosted a small (tiny) shower for me and John this past Sunday afternoon. She called it a small gathering rather than a shower since it's the second baby. It was mostly just family--my mom, sisters, and aunt Mary Ann--though Ashley Owens Turnbull (along with Kate) and Mary Bratton also joined us.

We had coffee

and cheese strawsI ate my weight in cookies and cheese straws. They were so yummy. And I stuck a bag of leftovers in my purse for later.

I received two precious, precious outfits from Mary Bratton. It doesn't get much cuter, right?

I also received this cute, homemade wipes case from Ann. As you can see, I love it. (you can't tell, but John's name is on it in white)

And I am fully stocked with all the necessities--diapers, wipes, bibs, onesies, etc.

It is so much fun to see all the blue. And Scott didn't even mind the smocked outfits since they are size three months. I am not sure at what age he will put his foot down, but I will get away with it as long as I can. I also have a few Feltman Brothers outfits already hanging in the closet.

Tomorrow won't be as fun when I head to the doctor for the dreaded glucose test. I hate drinking that stuff. I'll be back later with a full Halloween report.

Much to Say

2009-11-01T23:16:00.004-05:00

I have much to blog about-- a weekend in Scottsboro spent celebrating Halloween and the birth of John. But right now I am tired and headed to bed.

I just wanted to stop and say hello since I haven't blogged since Wednesday.

I'll leave you with these three. Ada loves her cousins. Can you tell?

More Christmas

2009-10-28T19:22:00.003-04:00

I really can't believe that I am on top of Christmas this year. It is so not like me.

But...I have been searching Ikea's website, and I have found three more items to add to Ada's Christmas gift "stash." (By the way, her Amazon toys came in today!!).

Here is what I am going to buy from Ikea.

And by buy, I mean that I am going to use a gift card left over from an online offer I did many months ago. Isn't that great? All I have left to buy (other than stocking stuffers) is a baby doll. I found one at Target that I like, so I will probably just get that and be done. Of all Christmases, this is the one I need to be ahead of the game and need to stick to budget, so I am thrilled. Now my energy can go towards painting and organizing and all of those things that still need to be done before February.

My mess of a girl

2009-10-28T11:52:00.003-04:00

I feel like there is much to say about Ada these days. Warning--this could be boring for non-family members. Bear with me or skip altogether;)

She is so very two and independent. Everything, everything, everything is, "I do it." This includes opening the car door, climbing into the seat, and buckling the seat belt. She wants to walk everywhere, and we are really having to reinforce holding hands in busy places. She wants to feed herself everything, which makes yogurt, pasta, and applesauce very messy. She is asking ten million questions a day--what happened, what's that, who's that, what are you doing, where are we going, etc. etc....and she asks these things over and over and over. Sometimes I turn the question around and say, "you tell me, where are we going," and she likes to answer. She continues to be one big ball of energy. She would rather run than walk, or better yet, jump. She likes to squat down and give a big jump as she says, "boink!!" very loudly. She loves going to Publix for the cookie and Kroger for the balloon. She is learning her colors and letters, but we haven't even begun shapes. She still loves dogs and Curious George and Elmo, but her new favorite television character is Caillou. I promise we don't sit around and watch television all day. We do watch George while she eats breakfast, and we watch Elmo's world (the last half of Sesame Street) while she eats lunch. Those are the two constants. She is eating much better, and the bathroom issue seems to have worked itself out (thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord!!) She loves her babies. She rocks them and whispers, "shh, shh, shh" in their ear. A new favorite game is, "night, night," where she puts me to bed. I love this game. I just have to lie there and say, "Ada, where are you?" when I wake up. I never have to get up as long as she still wants to play the game. It's great for tired days. She is quick to correct you if she thinks you are wrong about something. For example, if I tell her that her name is Ada Elizabeth Moore, she says, "no, mommy, I'm Ada Moore." And she laughs as if I am so silly. She is very into pretend. For example, when we are playing night, night, she will say, "you want animals?" and she brings me a shoe or a medicine bottle or whatever is lying around and that is my stuffed animal. She is so much fun, and as I was bathing her last night, I reminded myself how quickly two years passed by. I am well aware that there will be moments with newborn John that will seem endless. Will we get sleep again? Will he ever stop crying? You know, those newborn things that go on. And all I will have to do is look at Ada, and hopefully I will cherish those early days because they pass so quickly, don't they?

We recently had a two year photo session with Cindy Stansberry, who also took Ada's picture last fall. I can't say enough good things about Cindy. She is so talented and so affordable. I also can't mention her with mentioning my friend Tiffany. Either of these women is an excellent photographer choice if you live in the south Atlanta area. Trust me. They're great.

Here is Ada last year from the photo shoot,
And Ada this year Of course more of these photos will show up on the Christmas card, so I don't want to share them all:)

That's my girl. I am so thankful for her little life.

Gray Day

2009-10-27T22:26:00.003-04:00

First of all, is gray the color spelled with an a or an e? I never know the answer to that. If a word is not spelled phonetically, I have such a hard time remembering how to spell it.

Anyway...it's been a gray day is oh so many ways. Outside, my mood, Ada's behavior.

Let's start with what has made me excited today.

1. Ada slept until 8:30. Thank you, Lord. Oh my word, that is such a treat. I felt so rested and relaxed when I woke up at that late hour and the rain was pouring outside my window. I found Ada sitting up in bed, contentedly playing with her stuffed animals. By the way, her new thing is to wake up and call out, "Laura Beth, where are you?" Don't know why she is calling me by name. If I ask her what my name is, she responds, "Mommy Moore," but she calls me Laura Beth all the time. So strange, but it causes me to start each day with laughter. It cracks me up to hear my little two year old call me by name.

2. Mixed in with my laundry were all of the little infant clothes that I am getting ready for John's arrival. It was very fun to fold tiny newborn gowns and onesies. I asked Ada whose clothes they were, and she responded, "Baby John's." Then she hugged his pile of clothes and said, "awwwww."

3. After having a very gray, hormonal, pregnant type day, Scott and I threw caution to the wind and ate a comforting meal at Cracker Barrel tonight. We never do that sort of thing, just going out to dinner in the middle of the week, but my kitchen was a mess, my emotions were a mess, and next to going to my mom's house for dinner, Cracker Barrel seemed like the solution. It was just the thing I needed to sit down and have someone serve me dinner and clean up after me. (mom, I really wished I lived in Scottsboro tonight. I felt like I needed mothering.)

There are no reasons why it was a gloomy day for me. I just felt hormonal. I chalked it up to pregnancy. My house wasn't as clean as I hoped for. Ada struggled (as usual) with first time obedience. Hey, Ada struggles with fifth time obedience;) I pinched and spanked and pleaded and timed out, and we survived the day, and we had a few successes mixed in. I had to cancel tutoring when the weather caused Scott to be stuck in traffic on 75. I hate canceling tutoring because I feel like I am letting the family down, so that contributed a bit to the gloominess. And you know, my stomach is just in the way these days. It's hard to bend over and do the daily stuff. I have heartburn, and I feel huge, and you know... But today as I bent over to put clothes into the dryer, and I once again felt like I was running out of room for my growing stomach, I was reminded of little Ada. How once she was the one making me feel claustrophobic in my own body. And I realized how very worth it it is. Oh man. Such a small price to pay for a life growing inside of me. And when I feel something that is very clearly a fist or a foot, I get so excited just thinking about meeting this little boy (please keep him safe, Lord).

In my Thursday night women's bible study, we all have picked accountability questions for the year. Then, each week we report on how things are going. One of my questions is, "am I dwelling on truth or lies?" Because I am of the melancholy sort, my brain can become rather clouded with negative thoughts, usually thoughts that are not even true. I was convicted a few weeks ago that I must constantly be in the word--"the truth" if you will--in order to replace those thoughts. After my post a few weeks ago on the role that the word is to play in our lives, I decided to wander on over to Girl Talk: Biblical Womanhood and see what those girls had to say about daily quiet times. Taking their advice, I ordered the book, For the Love of God, by D.A. Carson, which takes you through the bible in a year (or two years if that works better for your schedule). The goal is to read four chapters of the bible each day, covering a broad spectrum of both the old and new testament, and then Carson provides some thoughts on the days reading. I am really loving this book because the main focus is the bible. Many studies that I have done in the past had me read a few verses and then much of the study was spent reading a man (or woman's) thoughts. That is not the case with this book. Though today is not a good example, I have seen a shift in my negative thinking as I deliberately saturate myself in the word of God and his gospel!!!!!!!! I have also been reading The Valley of Vision as a part of my daily study. Do you know about this book? It's a good one. Mom gave it to me a few Christmases back, and I really love it. It's a book of Puritan prayers, which all point out both the reality of my sin and the good news of the gospel in light of that sin.

What about you? I know that many of you might not struggle as much as I do with negative thinking, but I do think it's common among us women. What strategies do you have for replacing lies with truth? I am always up for a little advice.

Tired

2009-10-25T21:26:00.002-04:00

I continue to feel more and more pregnant. You know--my back hurts, I'm tired, it's hard to sleep at night, etc. etc., and John is moving more and more. I really don't think he moves as much as Ada did, but maybe I am not as aware. Hmmm...who knows. I love when he moves. It's that little bit of connection I get to have before he arrives. My little boy:)

I am tired tonight.

Yesterday I went to the wedding of a dear friend. Her wedding was outside at Lake Martin, and it was quite cold. Laura is a very outdoorsy, casual, sporty kind of girl, so her bridesmaids were barefoot. Many guests were in coats and scarves, and the bridesmaids were in strapless, knee length dresses and bare foot. Luckily the reception was mostly indoors.

Laura was stunning. Absolutely stunning. She is very tall and very skinny, and her dress was very fitted. It was perfect for her. Oh my word. I couldn't help but wish I had looked half that good on my wedding day. She looked like actresses look on their wedding day. But I noticed as the stunning bride walked back down the aisle after the ceremony was over that she had on her signature brown rainbow (sp?) flip flops. I loved it. It was so very Laura. I wish I had a picture.

During the wedding I left Scott and Ada in Auburn watching Alabama football. By the time I got back to Auburn, the Alabama game went off, we grabbed dinner, and we made it back to Atlanta, it was very, very late. All of that to say that I am a bit exhausted on this Sunday night.

We woke up to no heat, and we were extra tired after a late night, so we didn't make it to church. Right now our heat is running, so we are crossing our fingers that today was just a fluke, and the heat really is working.

I feel like this post is rather rambling and pointless. Hmmm...why did I write this? Maybe so that you can all pray that our heat has miraculously fixed itself? Thank you, Lord, if that is the case!! And if not, I trust that he will provide the funds to get it fixed. If you are still reading, thank you my loyal friends;)

Let the Christmas Shopping Begin

2009-10-25T09:46:00.005-04:00

This morning in my pajamas, I picked up these items for Ada's Christmas.All of the above items were completely free to me, thanks to swagbucks. If you want to join me in free amazon shopping, sign up for swagbucks here. I love swagbucks because it has saved our family tons of money.

I still want to buy a few more books, a baby doll and accessories, and an art easel and art supplies. I plan to wait and see if there are any after Thanksgiving baby doll deals, and we have a gift card to Ikea where I will purchase the easel. I hope to keep the money spent on Ada's Christmas under 50.00, and I think it is very possible.

I still want to get Ellie's old doll house from Ann (if it's still available). If it's not, I might scratch some of the above gifts and purchase a doll house off of Amazon.

Moms who have kids a step above Ada, what have been your preschoolers favorite toys? I always feel like it's a gamble. Will she play with what I buy or will it be a waste? I just never know. Last year, I spent about 5.00 each on a toy toaster and microwave, and those have been the biggest hits of all. I never would have guessed. They were spur of the moment deals I found during the morning after Thanksgiving craze, and I threw them in the cart.

Anyway...I am happy to get a jump on Christmas shopping when Halloween has even happened. Woo-hoo!!

Company's Coming

2009-10-21T10:21:00.004-04:00

I am in cleaning mode today (which mean procrastination on the internet) because my dear friend Lindsay Luginbuhl Krupicka is coming to spend the day and night with me tomorrow. I am beside myself with excitement. It's not often that college friends cross over into this motherhood world of mine, so I am looking forward to sharing the day with her. I hope Ada isn't too much for her with all the jumping and talking and such. While she was here, mom and I made the observation that once Ada is comfortable with you, she literally never stops talking. And because she is two, it can be quite exhausting because much of it is repetitive or hard to understand. (and I'm her mom!!)

I must interrupt the subject of this post to report that as I was typing, the doorbell rang. I was very surprised to find a package outside our door. The package was for Ada from her Aunt Gail (Scott's sister). It was filled with fun Halloween surprises, including two sesame street books and bubbles. We immediately made use of those two things!!

So Gail, if you are reading this, we are very thankful for the package, and we loved every bit of it. Including the coupon organizer. Thanks for thinking of us!!!!

Now, what was I saying? Oh yes, cleaning. That is what I have to go do. Luckily the house is in good shape, so I just have to do the basic stuff. There are shelves to dust and floors to vacuum. And a little girl who knows how to make a mess.

I'm off to clean!

The Biggest Loser is quite motivating

2009-10-20T21:24:00.002-04:00

I love watching The Biggest Loser. Do you?

It is so motivating to me, and I love how life changing it is for the contestants.

Well, tonight I had a make up tutoring session, so by the time I got home from tutoring, bathed Ada and put her to bed, I was starving. Scott was at Bible Study, and he and Ada had already eaten leftovers for dinner, so I decided to stick a Stouffer's french bread pizza in the oven (BOGO at Publix this past week).

And I was quite enjoying this meal, until the contestants on the Biggest Loser started talking about what Bob and Jillian make them eat. Oh man, I started feeling very guilty about eating that pizza. I am not sure there is one good thing in that meal except for the taste. I had planned to eat a snack size Reeses for dessert (also BOGO), but I quickly decided on a pear instead.

And, I did drink water with dinner instead of diet coke--so between the pear and the water, I did put some beneficial things in my body tonight.

Getting Back to the Routine

2009-10-17T20:12:00.006-04:00

I am feeling more and more pregnant these days. For whatever reason, I have started getting very sick every single morning. I am so tired of this morning ritual, that today, I grabbed a bag, sat down in front of the computer to carry on with my morning, and I just paused every once in a while to get sick. I don't feel nauseous; I just all of sudden know that I am going to be sick. I will take this over that first trimester nausea for sure!! The only problem is, my back and ribs are so sore from going through the process every day. I think I am going to stop the prenatal for a while and return to folic acid and Flintstones to see if that will do the trick.

Yesterday in Auburn, I was also reminded of my pregnancy when I became so drowsy I could hardly stand it. I told mom and my sisters that I wasn't sure how I was going to drive back to Atlanta. I was a bit panicked to be honest with you. I felt like I had been drugged. Mom made the suggestion that I take a quick nap at Kate's house while they ran some errands with Ada in tow, and I was so relieved. The second my head hit Kate's pillow I fell fast asleep. I think I only slept for maybe 30 minutes, but I felt great afterwards. Thank you, mom, for knowing just what I needed.

I think I must have worn myself out this week. Mom and I worked so hard, but I feel so good about everything. The house is in really good shape, and I am now able to feel really excited about John's arrival rather than stressed. Plus, I am more able to enjoy this fall weather and the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas knowing that things are in order. Of course, there is still much to do--paint, furniture, etc. etc., but Ann sent two boxes full of little boy clothes, and I know that it will all get done. A few weeks ago, I wasn't so sure.

In the mean time, the normal routines of life are carrying on. You know, couponing and such. After our morning photo session (more on that later), I took a nap while Ada slept, and then the whole family headed out to Publix and Kroger. It was a successful day. My goal was to stay under 60.00, and I did it. Woo-hoo!!!

Here's my list.

And here are the numbers.

Spent: 57.09

Saved: 73.95

So...131.04 worth of groceries for 57.09. I'll take it!!

Now Ada is in bed, football is on tv, and I have a stack of coupons waiting to be organized. What a glamorous life I live;)

I'll leave you with this image--a little piece of fall from our house to yours.

Auburn again

2009-10-16T06:54:00.003-04:00

Well, the week had to end some time, right?

We are headed back to Auburn today so that mom can reunite with the Corolla and head back to Scottsboro. What does this mean for me? That I will eat Big Blue Bagel for lunch. And it never tastes better than when I am pregnant. Woo-hoo!!!!!!

What else do I want to tell you?

Well, remember this from so long ago?

yes that is my sewing machine that has been sitting in closet for fear that I would break it if I tried to use it. We unearthed it in the midst of the organizing, mom ordered a "super deluxe" manual for it on the internet, and she is taking it home to figure it out. (She is more familiar with sewing machines than me). Next time I am home she will hopefully teach me the basics of using it, and I will be off on my sewing adventures. Thanks again, Amy, I am so thrilled to have it.

Bows are also on the brain. With Ada's pictures coming up, and fall outfits filling her drawers, I have been thinking about bows and needing to order a few from my friend Bethany. (Bethany, my mom paid for one at a Vinings boutique yesterday so I would have it for the pictures on Saturday. It costs so much more than yours, and it didn't have a no slip grip like yours. I will be placing an order with you soon. Yours continue to be the best out there!!) But we did get a red and green one at the boutique yesterday because Ada will be wearing her Christmas dress in the pictures, and the bows are appropriately Christmasy.

Anyway, I think I might try my hand at making a bow. Darby (surely you know about her blog?) has a tutorial for making one, and I am thinking, why not try it? We'll see how that goes. Most likely, I will decide to leave the bow making to you, Bethany.

So those are my thoughts on this Friday morning. What is mainly on my brain? A honey maple turkey bagel with bagel chips and honey mustard. Oh, I can hardly wait.

Unsuccessful

2009-10-15T19:36:00.003-04:00

Okay, so the hair cut didn't go as planned. I mean, it's not a disaster, and I have learned at this point in life that it's just hair and it will grow out, but I sort of look like a ten year old right now. The girl cutting my hair (who had very cute hair, by the way, so I trusted her) talked me out of bangs, and apparently layers. I am exaggerating a bit, but I do normally like a few more layers than I currently have. It is a bit of a let down, since I have been anticipating the hair cut for so long.

It didn't help that it was raining today, so my hair was rained on all day. Maybe it will be better tomorrow in the fall sunshine (or so the weatherman predicts). The good news is that after growing it out for so long, even with a new short cut, I can almost still pull it into a pony tail. That is good news for this often hurried mom.

My hair plan? I will grow it out for a few weeks because it's not a bad cut--I mean it's even and neat and those kinds of things--and then I will go back and try again with someone else. And I will explain that I really mean it when I say I like short, choppy layers.

In the mean time, we are having family pictures made this Saturday morning, and I will be looking like a pregnant ten year old. Perfect for a Christmas card, don't you think;)

p.s. I will post a picture soon, but tonight I really look too rough to show myself in public. You understand, right? Amanda, this might motivate you to keep growing that hair out;)

It's been a successful week

2009-10-14T22:09:00.009-04:00

Well, I am almost to the end of my week with mom, and we have accomplished much. I feel so much more prepared for John's arrival. Thank you, mom!! I told her today that I didn't realize just how much I could accomplish in a day.

Let me show you what we have been up to.These are boxes full of old teaching stuff, and I threw much away. This is the stuff that I felt the need to keep, "just in case." Let me show you all that I am throwing away.

Can you believe this was "clogging" up my house? (mainly my closets!!!)

And Ada has been her usual self in the midst of all the cleaning out--you know, climbing and jumping. Today we told her that walker pictured below was for Andrew to use, so the rest of the day she liked to climb in and announce that she was Baby Andrew. She also liked to climb onto the tray part and jump off.

Here are the baby clothes we are getting rid of.And here are the ones to be stored just in case another little girl ever shows up on our door step;)In the mean time, my bedroom has stayed clean (thank you, mom!) despite the organizing and tutoring and Ada watching that still had to be done.And here is the closet where all of these things were. Can you believe it? We hope to turn this particular closet into a little play area for Ada. With John on the way, she won't have the luxury of an entire play room, but this closet is quite roomy and even has its very own window. Mom and I are envisioning a "play house" type situation. It is attached to a room that will become an office/sewing room/extra sleeping space room. What still needs to be done?
this disaster will eventually become John's room. And after I weed out and throw away unused toys, I will corral everything into the play "closet."

And this pile of junk--it's Scott job. Do you see the dvds? He's been collecting these since college. Tomorrow we are taking a break from all the hard work and we are headed to my old stomping grounds--Vinings. I am so thrilled. Why are we going, you ask? Because I am finally getting that overdue hair cut. I have been talking about getting my hair cut since July, and it is now October. Oh my word, I am so excited. I am returning to the place where I used to go because after waiting this long, I want to be sure I like what they do.

So...that's our week in summary. How is yours going?

to Auburn I go

2009-10-10T21:26:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I am driving to Auburn to pick up my mother who is coming to stay with me for a week!!

Once Tutti and I were talking about our mothers and how they swoop in just when we need them to help us out. Tutti said it makes her think, "The Calvary is coming," which I thought was the perfect description. Isn't that how it feels? No matter how old I get, there are times that I just need my mother to come in and save the day (and often Ann is right there with her, quickly coming to my aid. In fact, along with Scott, they were both in the delivery room on the day that Ada was born, and I guarantee they will be there when John comes).

Well, a few weekends ago when I was home for the class reunion, I was revealing my stress over John coming and all that had to be done, and next thing I know, mom is planning a trip to help me out. We plan to organize, organize, organize this week, so that I can get on the task of painting and furnishing.

My mother currently drives the toyota corolla that my parents bought for me when I turned 16. I think it is many years old. Maybe a '95? Well, though that thing is running surprisingly strong, she feels better driving the familiar roads to Auburn (just in case), and I will pick her up in my newer car to bring her to Atlanta. I am loving the excuse to make a trip to Auburn, where I will eat lunch with mom and Kate, and hopefully get in a visit with my dear friend Amy Speakman Hendrix. It should be a fun day.

I also plan to leave Ada here with Scott, so that I won't have to deal with nap time at an unfamiliar place. Won't Ada be thrilled when I show up with "Near!!"

So, if I am absent for a few days, its because I am busy taking advantage of my mother's help. I am sure I will stop in to report on the progress though. Until then...

p.s. thanks to Bethany, today I bought two pumpkins for 2.50 a piece. I was so happy to add a piece of fall to my front porch. Next Scott needs to hang my fall wreath (bought on clearance at the end of the season last year), and fall will be in session here at our house. I am hoping to find a few more deals at Pier 1 at the end of this season, so that next year I will be even more festive. I love clearance items. Have you noticed?

What we should do with scripture

2009-10-08T12:13:00.002-04:00

It's Thursday, which means tonight I have women's bible study.

I love Thursday nights. It is such a treat for me to leave Ada at home with Scott and spend time studying the word and discussing truth with women who love the Lord. It is one of my favorite times during the week.

As I already mentioned, we are studying Psalms, and specifically we are learning how to meditate on the Psalms and pray them back to God.

This weeks Psalm is 119, which is the longest chapter in the Bible. So Tim Keller has us looking at only verses 1-16 this week. The theme of the Psalm is the word of God. We begin by listing all the names and synonyms for scripture--and there are lots. Law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, and the list goes on.

Then, we are to list all of the things we are supposed to do with Scripture. It's a convicting list ya'll. Listen to this.

We are to walk in it, keep it diligently, seek it with our whole heart, keep our eyes fixed on it, learn it and guard our way according to it, store it, declare it with our lips, delight in it, meditate on it, and not forget it. Wow, right?

How little time I spend each day in the Word. Some days I spend no time in the Word. So I am thinking through what the above list looks like on a daily basis. What is the practical application here? Is is just to do my bible study every morning, or is it more than that?

I know that I must make it a priority. Especially when I am facing the task of being a wife and a mom and just living life on a daily basis. Here is where I will find truth and guidance and instruction and rebuke. And yet I spend more time watching Gilmore Girls than I do in his word. Hmmm...it gives me much to think about.

Halfway through the week

2009-10-07T20:16:00.004-04:00

Because of the colds that have hit us, it's been a sort of survival week.

Scott has already blogged about our night over on his blog, but I thought I would quickly share how things are going.

Basically, Ada woke up around 3:30, crying very hard, having thrown up all over herself, her blanket, and her sheets. It wasn't pretty. I am guessing it had to do with the cold and lying still and all that junk in her lungs? Anyway, it was 3:30 in the morning, and Ada was covered in throw up.

Well, we had to get her blanket into the washing machine, which caused immediate hysterics. And I do mean hysterics. Then, I tried to take her pajamas off, but all of a sudden she became very attached to her kitty pajamas. I mean, she was running from me and screaming, and it was not good. So finally, needing to calm her down before we could proceed, I cuddled with her, throw up and all, for a very long time. I kept thinking, only as a parent would you cuddle with someone covered in throw up. The night was progressing and Ada's hair and clothing was a mess, so I was trying to think creatively. Then it hit me that Ada's Curious George pajamas were clean. I bribed her into the bath tub with the promise of Curious George on the dvd player and Curious George pajamas (we own no Elmo pajamas by the way) waiting on her afterward. It worked. We finally got her clean, got her blanket clean, changed her sheets, and eventually she went back to bed sometime around 4:30ish. I was still suffering from the same cold--head pounding, throat hurting, nose running, and thankfully Scott agreed to stay home from work so that I could get some rest.

And rest I did!! I slept for four hours this afternoon. It was Heaven, and I think that Ada and I are both on the mend.

In the mean time, Sarah asked about Harry Potter in the comments last night. I did finish Harry Potter--all of them. And I have many thoughts to blog. But everything that I wish to discuss would involve my giving away secrets of some sort, so yes, Sarah, we need to talk in person. Bottom line, I loved the books. Maybe my favorite books to read--ever. I have favorite books to teach, favorite books to study, favorite books to write about, but to just plain read? Harry Potter might win. Seriously.

The Office Wedding

2009-10-06T21:11:00.003-04:00

Okay, that tingle in my throat has worked its way into a full-fledged cold, and Ada has it too. We are a miserable pair, but oh so thankful that it's just a cold!!

So, I don't have a lot to say tonight because my head hurts too badly to process my thoughts.

But I felt the need to share this. I just saw a preview for The Office Wedding and I teared up--at the preview!! I can't wait.

Jim and Pam might be my favorite couple ever. Don't you agree?

A little sickly

2009-10-05T20:14:00.007-04:00

It's been a doozy of a day. I woke up with a little tingle in my throat, which I tried to fix with a cup of hot tea.

However, as the day went on, I realized it was not to be cured that easily.

And I think the two kiddos below sensed that I was not up to par. At one point in the day, I found Ada completely naked jumping from the coffee table to the couch and back to the floor, as if she was doing an obstacle course. I don't why she chose to do this naked. I don't know why she chooses to do half of what she does.

At another point in the day, Hannah began to yell from the top of the stairs, "Laura Beth, Ada is going to fall down the stairs." At first I didn't pay much attention, but Hannah continued to yell, so I decided I should check it out. Good thing. Ada was perched at the top of the stairs, on top of her little fisher price fire truck, ready to ride that thing to the bottom of the stairs. Oh this child. Will I survive? Thank you, Hannah, for alerting me to the situation!!

And since I mentioned the belly comments, I thought I would share an updated picture. Has it changed much since the last one? I can't tell.
And here I am back in July when things first started to grow.Finally, for a point of reference (considering I am only about halfway through this thing), here I am on the way to the hospital to have Ada. (After about two days of no sleep, by the way, thanks to a little thing I like to call labor taking its sweet time).Now, at 8:30 pm, I am headed to bed, hoping that a good night's sleep will nip this sickness in the bud.

I'm blogging again

2009-10-04T20:50:00.003-04:00

I know, I know, I need to get off the computer and get a life.

But I am so thrilled with all that I have accomplished this weekend, that I just had to share. This is a big deal for me!!

Get this. All three bathrooms are clean. As in, on my hands and knees, scrubbed clean. All three!!

The living room, kitchen, and dining room (office) are clean--vacuumed and everything.

Ada's bedroom is still clutter free and fairly spotless.

Our room is well on its way to being clean. As soon as I type this, I am headed upstairs to fold a mountain of clothes while I watch Gilmore Girls and I need to vacuum.

What still needs to be done as far as cleaning goes? The master closet is a disaster. The junk room is now filled floor to ceiling with things that must be organized, and the guest room is covered in coupon paraphernalia. But, that is only three rooms. After the cleaning we have done this weekend, that's nothing.

I have my house in good enough shape that I can now implement my House Works weekly cleaning plan in order to keep things in shape. This has been the goal for a while now.

Daily I have to make beds, wash, dry, and put away two loads of laundry, clear kitchen counters and wipe down stove, clean kitchen sink, empty kitchen garbage, sweep kitchen floor, pick up family room and play areas (put away toys, remove clutter, etc.)

Weekly I have to change bed linens, clean bathrooms, clean kitchen counters and wipe inside of the microwave, wash or dust hardwood surfaces, dust furniture, vacuum carpets and rugs, check entryway and sweep if needed.

I am just so glad to be at this point in the organization process. Will you celebrate with me, internet friends?

Let the Comments Begin

2009-10-04T14:46:00.002-04:00

Well, the comments have started.

Today, I was at CVS, and the cashier smiled knowingly at me as she asked, "how much longer do you have?" I am sure she thought I was only weeks away from my due date.

I smiled back and said, "I have to make it to February."

"February!!!" she cries, "My sister is due in February, and her stomach is still flat."

What do I say to that? I decide to point out the obvious, "Yeah, my stomach gets really big."

I loved knowing that her sister's stomach is still flat. Really.

Then I head to Kroger for a few needed items. Again the cashier asks when I am due, and again I tell her February.

Her response? She calls two other co-workers over to see my abnormally large stomach. I love being a freak show.