Today is a day that I’d like to forget for a little while, but laugh about later. So I better document it now. Today the brothers had so much fun playing together. They shared well, they laughed together and entertained each other better than ever before. They did so well that they had me fooled into thinking that I could leave them unsupervised while I worked on laundry.

The first sign that this might not be a great idea came as I pulled my clean sheets out of the washing machine…and discovered my cell phone had joined the load of laundry. I loaded the washing machine over the course of an hour or so as I gathered towels, sheets, etc, between interacting with the boys. Both of them were in and out of the laundry room “helping” at various times. So while it might be possible that the phone was wrapped up in the sheets when I took them off my bed, I’m thinking it is even more likely that one of my little helpers decided my phone needed a bath.

You would think that a phone in the washing machine would warn me that the boys were not quite ready to play unsupervised, but I’m a slow learner.

This evening I went to change out another load of laundry, leaving both boys giggling in the play tent in KJ’s room. I was gone for maybe 3 minutes. When I came back in to the living room (where Cbug had crawled) I noticed a strange odor and saw that he had something in his hand. Yep, it was POOP. There was poop smeared through 3 rooms of our house, inside the play tent, on at least 3 stuffed animals, all inside of one toy bin and was on the bottom of KJ shoes (culprit for smashing it into the carpet in his room). DISGUSTING. Best part is, this happened maybe 30 minutes before RRL got home. They always save the best for Momma, don’t they?

Tomorrow, we are NOT staying home all day. No matter how cold it is and no matter how happily the “little angels” seem to be playing together. Good thing I love them so much!

ABL

I very rarely participate in tags. However, who can turn down a request from Jamie AND Jaime.
8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. CRACKER BARREL
2. Cheesecake Factory
3. Trulucks
4. Which Wich
5. McAlister’s
6. The Cooker (sadly has been closed for years)
7. Pei Wei
8. Pancake Pantry in Nashville

8 Things That Happened Today:
1. Went to work
2. Drank a Starbuck’s peppermint Mocha
3. Bought Christmas cookie cutters for KJ
4. Shared my dinner with Cbug without him gagging/puking…YAY!
5. Went to church
6. Made poppyseed bread
7. Shopped on-line for last minute Christmas gifts (apparently the same ones that every other mom in America wanted)
8. Went to bed too late (again)

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Christmas with family
2. Meeting BL3
3. Seeing my boys accept Christ in baptism
4. A date night with RRL
5. Putting up my Christmas tree
6. Meeting baby Asher
7. Going to Wimbledon with RRL (someday)
8. Going to Alaska

8 Things I’m Scared Of:
1. Losing someone I love
2. Not teaching my boys enough
3. Being held under water
4. Parking garages
5. Someone breaking into my house while I’m home
6. Hurting someone’s feelings by saying something stupid
7. Waking up and realizing that I’m still in highschool (I dream this all the time)
8. Having a wreck with my kiddos in the car

8 Things I Wish For:
1. Family Vacation
2. Traveling more
3. Living closer to my family
4. Friends to find Godly husbands
5. Good friends for my kids when they go to school
6. Going to Europe
7. A cookies n cream milkshake
8. Less “clutter” in my life

8 Things I Watch on TV:
1. Curious George
2. Survivor
3. The Amazing Race
4. The Brady Bunch
5. The Cosby Show
6. Andy Griffeth
7. NCIS (thanks, Dad)
8. Christmas movies

8 People I Tag (no pressure!!):
1. Lori D.
2. Rebekah
3. Aimee
4. Haley C.
5. Kaylane
6. Jennifer B.
7. Chris B.
8. Summer B.

As an update to my previously mentioned wish for a cleaning fairy…
My cleaning NINJA (just as stealth and elusive as a cleaning fairy, yet way more studly and handsome) provided some major help at my house this weekend while I was out of town with the boys. After being gone less than 24 hours, I came home to a dusted, vacuumed, cloroxed, and mopped house. Someone had an idea that the chores I needed to get done before the Christmas festivities were weighing heavily on me and took it upon himself to ease the load A LOT. Have I mentioned how blessed I am?

I’m thankful for my husband and thankful for the way he loves on our boys. And I’m thankful for Cbug. He has been quite the snuggler lately, preferring to take naps snuggled with his Momma or Daddy. Mostly, though, he loves to snuggle this blue bear. He sucks his thumb and rubs its silky hat to go to sleep. So sweet. He giggle with joy when we hand him the bear at night. If it is not sleepy time, though, he’ll not even acknowledge the bear’s presence. Too funny.

I’m thankful for KJ and the way he reminds me to enjoy the simple things. While we were at my parents’ house, KJ got to experience a taste of real fall leaves. He loved playing in this huge pile in their yard. Sheer delight.

“Look, Momma!”

Digging for rocks.

Big Splash.

There was an inch of mud caked to KJ’s boots after our “adventures” were over.

If you are new to the blog or just a sporadic reader, I’m continuing my countdown to 30. Be sure to check out the first installment, Blasts from the past, and the second installment, A bit about me.

Now for a few of my most embarrasing moments

17) Once my roommates and I were running around the coliseum track. C had just finished knee surgery so we were kind of making fun of her by running circles around her while she hobbled along. While running backwards, I tripped over my own feet, flew back and hit my head so hard that I briefly blacked out and peed my pants. (I can’t believe I just admitted that on the www).

18) I’ve always been directionally challenged. When I was first driving on my own my Daddy taught me that I could typically get my bearings in Nashville by identifying where downtown is. Downtown was typically to my north. Easy to remember…Nashville, North. Unfortunately, despite how clever I felt as a freshman in college, downtown in my new town was NOT to your north.

19) Only a few months after beginning work at my current employer, I was walking up the stairs while talking to the VP/Controller of the company who was standing at the top of the stairs. I tripped over the edge of a stair above me, crashed down, and dropped everything I was carrying.

20) At our wedding reception I was amazed by the fact that all of the songs were familiar to me. I’m not typically very in touch with music and rarely know words to songs. I thought it was awesome that the band kept playing songs I knew and loved. It was not until we were on the plane headed to our honeymoon that I remembered that I had given the band the play-list. Welcome to marriage, honey! Did you know that your new wife is so brilliant?

Equally embarrassing, here are some fears/quirks…
21) I am not sure where this phobia started. I once either read a story or saw something on TV about a snake swimming through the sewer pipes and up a women’s toilet. To this day I can’t sit down without first looking in. If it is too dark to see- forget it.

22) I remember very clearly sitting in an assembly in 1st grade about hygene. The only big thing that stuck with me is that if you do not dry between your toes after a shower you might get a fungus. The first time I saw RRL dry his feet and not get between every toe, I freaked out. He told me it was irrational. Because I couldn’t find any concrete research to support my case, I’ve since met him in the middle and allowed drying on top and bottom without necessarily going between every one.

23) I have an unreasonable fear of empty parking garages. I think it started when I was auditing a company and would leave late at night to wander out to my lonely car in a dark garage with elevator-type music playing in the background. CREEPY!

24) I used to be very afraid of escalators (and truth be told, still prefer an elevator). I would stand at the top and almost sweat from fear of making that first step onto the moving stairs. I was so convinced a shoe-lace would get stuck or I would fall all the way down that it was almost paralyzing. I can’t remember exactly how I conquered the fear.

Stay tuned for the final installment of my countdown to 30. I’ll tell about some of my “favorites”.

ABL

How many times do you have to do something before it becomes “annual”…twice in a row, five times in a row, one time with the intention of repeating next year?

As I fully intend to continue my little tradition of a fall escape, I’ll call this my second annual. Last year, RRL sent pregnant-me off to lectureships at our Alma mater for a few days of r&r. It was so much fun and much appreciated. As the event approached this year, I was a little more hesitant about taking off. We had just returned from our fabulous week away and it seemed incredibly selfish to leave the boys AGAIN (not to mention that I kind of like spending my time WITH them). RRL encouraged me to go, nearly pushing me out the door on Sunday, and I’m so grateful! It was a great 2 days.

On top of just getting to be on campus, stay in a college-girls’ house and visiting with so many fun people who have graduated from our youth group, highlights included:

1) Yummy zucchini bread from Hickory Street. (we’ll not discuss amount consumed)

2) A record number of hours spent alone in the library where, among other things, I achieved a very balanced and tidy family budget (can’t help it, I’m an accountant).

3) WONDERFUL lectures by KV. I loved getting to hear this story again. It made me want to go back and reread all of the blog entries they wrote on how mightily God worked to bring sweet their youngest daughter into their family. Even more it was a inspiration to spend some time studying the Word on all of the scriptures related to how precious we are as adopted children of our Lord.

4) Lunch with two of my favorite people, Dr. and Mrs. Willis. Seriously, I learn from them in every second I spend in their presence. It’s almost overwhelming.

5) Catching up with Dub-dub and discussing the sad state of our social club (and other very important topics). While at their house I had the distinct honor of having an orange grasshopper named after me…thanks, CK.

6) Of course- coming home. Its strange to think that in last year’s post I just came home to RRL and KJ. We’ve since added Cbug, but I already can’t imagine a time without him. Isn’t it strange how quickly that happens?

Thanks, Babe, for taking such good care of our precious boys so I could go. I love you!!

ABL

Tonight as we were driving home from dinner RRL was trying to tell me something about his day when we heard KJ’s volume getting louder and louder from the backseat. How dare we try to have adult conversation while our children are present? We’ve been trying to explain to KJ lately that the way to get Mommy and Daddy’s attention is to say “excuse me please” instead of yelling “HEY” or instead of just screaming at us until we answer. Tonight it clicked. Here was our conversation…

The previously mentioned volume increase was due to the fact that KJ wanted his window rolled down a little farther so…

RRL: Try again. Instead of screaming, just tell us what you want
KJ: Excuse me, please
RRL: Yes?
KJ: Want my window down
RRL: Thank you for asking nicely
RRL fixes window and we go back to our previous conversation
KJ (whose imaginary light bulb just went on): Excuse me, please
RRL: Yes, sir
KJ: “ummmmmmm“
at which point RRL and I go back to our conversation
KJ: Excuse me, please
RRL: yes, sir
KJ: (From way out in left field): wise man built his house on the rock
ABL: yes he did, do you want to sing that song (we sing then rrl and i go back to our conversation)
KJ: Excuse me, please
RRL: yes (trying not to crack up as we wait to see what he is going to come up with this time)
KJ: (grinning ear to ear) n’ermind

We gave up on our conversation.

At least he is learning good manners.

ABL

So I realized that on several occasions in my NYC posts I referred to desert (the sandy place) when meaning dessert (the yummy goodness following a meal). If you’ve been following DRRF this will not come as big surprise…guess what, I wasn’t an English major. Sorry to some of you who were (I did fix the errors I found).

In other news…

It has not been easy to adjust to real life after our week in NYC. RRL started his new job last week, KJ was a little sick and I’m trying to get back in a routine around the house. A week away from the boys, though, has certainly made me appreciate the little things with them. I’ve done a lot more snuggling, reading, playing, kissing, laughing and singing since we’ve been back. Of course I did all of those things before, but sometimes put them second to cleaning or cooking or whatever. I enjoy them in a new way now and find myself much quicker to look for ways to say “Yes” to the boys. One of the main reasons RRL and I decided to get-away was knowing that it would make us better parents if we continued to put our marriage first. I love that I can already see how the Lord is blessing us through that!

Since this post is about real life, here is what is going on with us:

RRL>> As I mentioned, RRL just started his new job. He will be the program director for a brand new non-profit organization to help hurting teens in our area. It will definitely use his amazing talent for building relationships with teenagers and I can’t wait to see how the Lord is going to use this program. Please continue to be praying about this big step into something completely new for us.

ABL>> I’ve started playing soccer with a team from work. Its actually really fun, but it is very apparent to me that the last time I played was BEFORE I had two babies. Wow, I’m out of shape. We’re also trying to train to run a 1/2 marathon so I guess I better fix that. In the meantime, soccer has been a great way to meet some new people and be outside and do something for me. I do have a pretty cute fan club.

KJ>> KJ is just, well, HILARIOUS. I know we are his parents and therefor very biased, but seriously, if you are around him for more than 4.2 minutes, he will have you endeared forever. We definitely have our rough days, but seriously if this is what being 2 is about, I love it! I do wish that I had a tape recorder on at all times because the things that comes out of his mouth are so funny. He loves to remind C-bug “maybe when you get a little bigger” usually referring to the toy he does not want C-bug to play with. He has no shortage of self-confidence, either. My mom said that while she was here, he would ask her “Am I precious?” Yes, KJ, yes you are!

Cbug>> Cbug has his first two teeth. They pretty much came at the same time and it seemed like it took forEVER for them to make it all the way through. He is working on the crawling thing still, but prefers to roll and scoot. He is an absolute delight these days and laughs and plays from the moment he wakes up. So full of life. He pretty much can entertain himself and be perfectly content (which he rarely has to do with big brother around). Can you see the two pearly whites in this gummy grin picture?

I would sign off with something witty about how I’ll work on my grammar skills, spelling skills and basic sentence structure before my next post, but it wouldn’t be true. So, signing off the same way as always….
ABL

So I’ve had quite the run in with the City lately and as far as I know there may currently be a warrant out for my arrest on two matters…

#1 I got a speeding ticket.

#2 I skipped jury duty.

The first matter occurred the day we left for our New York trip. I got pulled over for speeding on the way home from work. This was a huge deal for me because I never speed in the city. I’m talking always within 5mph of the posted limits (I will say that I view interstates as a different matter). Years ago, I was speeding through a neighborhood and got a serious guilt trip from a very stern policeman about how I might have killed a child. I promised the cop that if he wouldn’t give me a ticket I wouldn’t speed anymore. And I’ve made every effort to honor that commitment. So it was a huge deal when I got this ticket. I was on the access road going 50 (with the flow of traffic I might add) but the speed limit is 35. He was absolutely right, I was wrong, no excuse. I didn’t even try to get out of it.

I did, however, wait until after he handed me the ticket to do my good citizen duty and tell him that I thought it might not be the safest thing for him to step out into the middle of the access road (where he had already commented everyone speeds) to wave me over for my ticket. He did not appreciate my advice.

Sassyness aside, the reason this might lead to my arrest, though, is the fact that he told me I just had to call the phone number on the ticket within 11 days. I did call…on about the 9th day (why wait until the VERY last minute) at which point I found out that the cop was wrong, I didn’t have to call I had to mail it within 11 days. Next day was Saturday, 11th day was Sunday. I didn’t mail the ticket until late in the day Saturday and it probably didn’t get picked up until Monday. I don’t think they’d really arrest me for mailing my ticket one day late…but they could.

Second matter had to do with jury duty. I was assigned to city court jury duty on a day while we were out of town. Being a responsible citizen (who rarely speeds), I called in advance to ask to be rescheduled. I talked to a lady that must have been working in that office longer than I’ve been alive. She was kind, though, to set a new date for me and let me know that my new summons would come in the mail. It never did. So, I called back (again with the responsible stuff) after we got back to town. “Oh, honey,” and I quote, “You’ve already missed your date”. Yep, she never changed it and had no record of our previous conversation. shocker. Technically you can be arrested (or at least fined) for missing jury duty, right? When I asked “Grandma” at City Court about this she said not to worry and that she’d “take care of it for me”…just like she took care of rescheduling my last appointment. That’s a relief.

Think I should be worried? I’ve gone from a responsible citizen who rarely speeds and tries to keep policemen safe to a sassy rebel who avoids tickets and dodges jury duty all in one fail swoop. We might have to move.

ABL