Bare Necessities

Rule #1

Always wear a diaper cover.
That is, unless you like walking in to this.

Oh you didn't get a new garage door?

That's embarrassing, cuz we did.

We didn't really need a new one though.
The old one was perfectly fine.
A little progress.


Fin.

It's things like perfectly new, white shiny things, that make my world go 'round.
It's glorious not having to go help the door open.
No more breaking my back.

Maybe she's right.

So I'm cruising the clothes at a little place called "Target."
No one else around except some broad. She looks a little off, wearing the rain coat for the place that she works for (ShopRite) and it's florescent yellow. P.S. It hasn't rained in days.
It was hot.

In the cart I have The Goose and our current foster baby- a dark African American DMoney. He's fussin so I lean over and uncover him to put a cork in his mouth. She notices. I got on to try to find the shirt of my dreams and start to turn my back to the raincoat lady and she turns her mouth toward me and calls out...

"SLUT."

It.
Was.
AWESOME!!!!

Alabamarama

Going to my mom and dad's house every year is like going to a spa. It's hot, the never ending pantry and extremely relaxing. Sure it's in Alabama, but who cares. Diet Dr. Pepper comes out of the trees there. It's heavenly.

What could be better than spending The Fourth of July in a state that hasn't banned fireworks? We spent much money at the firework stands and it was totally worth it.

There are insta-friends across the street. It's perfection in Lexi's eyes.

The heat helps Lucy to sleep like a dream, even mid pop pop.
There is always tons to do...ALWAYS

Popcorn popper?
It's archaic.

Doin the cookies.Froggy's

Splash Park
Zipline in the back yard?
I know, right?

They shouldn't just leave these sitting around.
You're gonna get hop-ons.

Mommsy is the "flower lady" at the Birmingham Temple.
No, I mean she plans them, buys them, plants them, weeds them, waters them.
Not just some crazy lady holding a flower at the gate.
Thursdays are weeding days. You go at like zero o'clock, before the blazing devil sun scorches your body.

Awesome, right?

Grandma and Grandpa played dress up with the tinies.


Happy Day of Independence chitlin.

We're thinking Toddlers and Tiaras in her future.

Someone, and I'm not naming any names, learned to walk, use a sippy cup and got two teeth.
All in one week.
Special.


Bama you heal me.
Oh and you too mom and dadda.

True Love

Thank you, my love, for saving me from certain death.

3+1=4 years

Happy birthday Chunkey Monkey.

Love your guts.

I dedicate this day....

as her day.

And you can't make me change it.

Happy Birthday Jess!!
I love you to millions of pieces.

That's the only reason I put up with you, Beast.

Not ugly, but fugly

I typed in UGLY into Google Images just for kicks and giggles.

I came away a bit more wise...

and with wet pants.

Poor me?

I say poor me because that's what my insides have been saying for a while. Poor baby me. I say this because this month of August brings not only beautiful heat, humidity, the fact that Lexi goes to school soon and the end of summer but it is my little boy's fourth birthday. Poor me, right? I've allowed myself until just a few minutes ago to be allowed to say this and be all poopy sad and eat whatever I want. I was interested to find out today that I wasn't sad that Jake would be four. More like it's been three and a half years since he's been gone and I still have just as large a painful hole in my chest that brings me to my knees -as I did on day one and I thought it would get better with time.
Poor, poor me.

Then I read this excerpt on service from Dieter F. Uchtdorf's "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman."

"It is told that President Hinckley remarked to one woman who had recently lost her husband, 'Work will cure your grief. Serve others.' In today's world of pop psychology, junk TV and feel-good self help manuals, this advice may seem counter-intuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn't lead to lasting happiness."

So, in the words of Lexi from just this evening, "Oh snap!"

I'm turnin a new leaf.