A little sewing...

I've started home improvement projects again. We did so much to the house before we moved in that I was burnt out of doing anything for the last 8 months. I started up again last week by painting my bathroom. It looks so much better now. I have a really big picture window over my bathtub that had a roman shade over it. The shade didn't work well so we kept it down all the time. I took it down to paint and realized how much I love being able to enjoy the picture window. So, I took a couple of panel curtains that I had in my living room in Eastman and was going to put them over the window. When I put them up I realized that one of them was longer than the other because the windows in Eastman were different sizes. So, this morning I took the long one and measured it to get it the same length as the other one. I put a hem in the bottom to match the other one. Then I took the part that I cut off and made a valence for the window behind the toilet (this window still needs blinds put up though). I was so impressed with myself! I really like sewing! Here are the pictures. I had to adjust the brightness so you could see the curtains.

I love love love this kid!

Here are the pictures. My scanner isn't hooked up so these are pictures I took of the newspaper. But you get the idea. Did I mention I was proud?

FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN

Hudson made the front page of the Douglas County Sentinel. His picture was taken at story time at the library, and he made the front page...IN COLOR! I'm so proud! Look for the picture soon. I'm hoping to post it. We stopped in a gas station to see if I could see the paper before I bought it, but I didn't have to look far. Flipped the paper over to the bottom half and there he was! Hudson asked the gas station attendant, "Did you see my picture?" HA HA I was so proud I bought every copy they had (it was only 3).

Ok, and now to give a shout to the ones who made my baby a local celebrity...ha ha

The Douglas County Public Library puts on a heck of a storytime! We have visited a few different ones, and this one by far is the best! They dress the part, have props, songs, and rhymes for the kids to do that usually involve their hands (think 5 little monkeys). They have recently started taping story time for the government channel.

Valentine's Day

Here are some pictures from our weekend in McRae. We had such a good time visiting with 'Ma & 'Pa.

While we were down, we met Todd, Rachel, Abbey, & Molly in Dublin for lunch and bowling. Here is a picture of Rachel & me.

Our two families. We love spending time with Todd & Rachel.

Our family. I am such a lucky girl!

Abbey & Hudson...sweet little angels.

Such a silly boy. He got new sunglasses for Valentine's Day.



Uncle Kobe, his girlfriend, Melanie, & Hudson. Hudson loves hanging with Uncle Kobe.

We also got to see Anna Kate while we were there, although we missed Shawn, Sarah, & Lucas. Anna Kate is so sweet, and it was so good to get to hold her and love on her.

I took Hudson over the State Park in McRae one afternoon, and got this picture. He looks so big! I love him so much!!!!

I'm in love!

How could I not fall in love all over again? The sweetest image is of my husband rocking and reading to our son! I love it! He reminds me over and over why I fell in love with him in the first place.


It's been so pretty outside the last couple of days that we've been outside most of the day. Here are a few pictures of Hudson riding his tricycle and coloring with sidewalk chalk. The sun was in his eyes when he faced towards me, so he's squinting in one picture. I wanted a picture of him in his overalls that Todd & Rachel got for him because he looked so cute. Thanks Todd & Rae Rae!

Being a Mom

I was going through my email inbox, and I came across this email from my friend, Liz (thanks Liz). It captures exactly how I feel as a mom! I wanted to preserve the words because they are beautifully written, so I'm adding it to my blog. For all you moms out there...

Being a Mom

We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations." But that is not what I meant at all.

I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her toknow what she will never learn in childbirth classes I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub.

That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.

That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams,but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, and not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child.

I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say.

Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms.

May you always have in your arms, the one who is in your heart.

We're Potty Trained!!!!!!

Ok, so we are on day number 8...EIGHT, FOLKS....8!!!! with no accidents. (sidenote: we did have an accident today, but only because we were outside, and he did NOT want to go in to go potty...he didn't understand that I would let him pee in the grass today since it was so nice out. Is that gross?). Ok, so last Friday while still in a diaper and at the gym, Hudson came and told me that he had to go pee-pee. I quickly took him to the bathroom, and he went. He has not missed a beat since. He's told me, or Josh, or the Sunday School teacher, or the attendant at the gym every time he's had to go since last Friday. We put him in a diaper at night because it is too long for him to hold it. He has worn big boy underwear every day since Friday (we put them on when we got home from the gym Friday). So, I'd say we're officially potty trained. Now, I do realize we might still have an accident from time to time, but I'd say 7 days straight with no accidents is pretty darn good. OH, and he does not like us asking him if he has to go potty. He tells us "don't say that." So, this is 8 days of him telling us he has to go! We have been talking about the whole going potty business for some time, but I really was anticipating him "getting" it closer to 3 years old! He is 2 years and 5 months! I never imagined it would be this easy, and that he would just do it one day! I thought we would gradually learn. AND I've always heard boys are harder than girls. THIS IS ONE HAPPY MAMA!