Her First School Dance

Anastasia had her first school dance last night. To say she was excited is an understatement. She selected a dress and shoes and had me cur her hair. We arrive fashionably late and went straight to have her face painted. She met up with some of her friends and they picked out snacks. Her choices were NOT healthy ones, but it was her first school dance so I looked the other way for this one night.

She and her friends cavorted around the gym while Miley Cyrus blared from the speakers. They were up and down the bleachers about 400 times. I sat with the mother of one of Anastasia's classmates and we had a nice evening talking.

There was a cakewalk that Anastasia had been looking forward too. I'm pretty sure she had NO idea what a cakewalk was, but it involved cake so she was on board. She looked awkward and confused at the start of the event, but the music stopped and she stood on her number. They called out the winner and her little hand shot up into the air. The little turkey won a cake! Ha! She was beside herself with happiness.

All in all it was a fun event and a good fundraiser for the school. On the way out she said "You got me everything I asked for. Thank you!" She's already planning what she's going to wear to the next dance!

Questionable Content

Ainsley is either going to be a lawyer or part of the Spanish Inquisition. She lobs questions at us from dawn until dusk like a catapult laying siege to a village. Eventually your defenses get weak and you blurt out, "I don't know!"

This week as we listened to our favorite Disney CD I have had to answer questions like "Why does Gaston want to marry Belle?" "Why does Ursula take Ariel's voice?" and "How do all those treasures get in Ariel's cave?" When we went to the hospital to get our taxes done, she was reminded of Allie's birth and asked, "Mom, how do babies get out of your tummy again?" Yikes.

I actually love having inquisitive kids. It means they are growing and learning. I know that I still call my parents and ask questions on a weekly basis. I hope the girls do the same and never stop pursuing knowledge, even if it revolves around the finer points of Walt Disney's masterpieces.

Allie's World Has Grown By Two Feet

Allie has discovered her feet! It's pretty cute to watch her grab at them. She even managed to get them in her mouth the other night. Her ear infection seems to have cleared up which is a huge relief. Hopefully she can stay healthy for a while now.

Highlight Reel

Sometimes getting your kid to talk about their day is more difficult than Algebra. (If you know me, you know Algebra is really tough. I was in the stupid math class in fourth grade and have never recovered. But I digress.) I've learned not to ask questions that can be replied to with a "yes" or "no" answer. I always ask questions that require a description. Their descriptions are the perfect highlight reel from our time apart.

Today I picked Anastasia up from after school care I began to ask about her day. Before I could get my litany of questions rattled off she burst out, "Alex peed on the wall of the bathroom today!" I actually stopped walking for a moment and just stared at her. She nodded and went on to describe in great detail a scene which I felt she knew a little too much about since it took place behind the doors of the boys bathroom. Apparently there were some pretty good witnesses. Anastasia told Ainsley as soon as we got in the van and told Jamie about the pee on the wall before he even got his coat off. The rest of us shared stories about our days but none could hold a candle to that!

Quotable Quote

I love quotes. Authors, poets, great leaders, Bible verses, athletes, presidents, etc. I love them all. I have them posted in my office, in front of my treadmill, on the fridge and tucked into my dresser mirror in the bedroom. This week I came across a new one in the newspaper. I immediately went to the copy machine and made a copy to hang next to my computer.

"Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated."
-Coretta Scott King

The quote is a good reminder that sometimes we spend too much time and energy hating someone or something without realizing the only one affected by the poison is ourselves.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

I'm always waxing poetic about my own kids on our blog, but our family includes one other kid right now, my niece Isabelle. She lives 12 hours away which bums us out on a daily basis, but we're making the most of it. Miss Isabelle is nine months old today. That means that 9 months ago today Jamie and the girls and I were high-tailing it to Florida for her birth. I texted Ryann this morning to wish them a Happy Nine Months! "Time flies when you're having fun," she texted back. It certainly does. I know the next three months will fly by, which is a good thing. In three months we'll all gather for Isabelle's first birthday. My girls have it marked on their calendar and we can't wait!

The eyes have it

Look at those eyes. They are just amazing if you ask me. They take in so much and don't miss a thing. They crinkle when she smiles. They are moist with tears when she cries. They are deep blue, just like her sisters. I could lose myself in their depth and I never tire of looking at them. If the eyes are the window to the soul, I have a heck of a view.

A Senior Moment

I know I'm going to be 30 this year, but this is ridiculous. My AARP card came in the mail this weekend. I guess I should sign up so I can get all those cool discounts.

A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood

Finally! A day of sunshine and blue sky. A day over 55 degrees! We enjoyed every moment. We did our taxes this morning (not nearly as fun as it might sound), got groceries, took our recycling to the recycling center, took a load to Goodwill, played outside, went for a walk and had pizza for dinner. Gran and Pop arrived in time for dinner to take our Saturday over the top. We did have to clean gravel out of Anastasia's elbow, but other than that it was perfect day. Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. Bring. It. On.

Confessions of a Slacker Mom

Allie went back to the doctor this morning and unfortunately her ear is still infected. As I went to get her out of her car seat so the nurse could weigh her (14 1/2 pounds for those keeping track) we noticed she had pooped through her clothes. ALL over her onesie, pants and even the socks. I had two diapers in my purse but no wipees and certainly not any extra clothes as the diaper bag was in the car. That's the curse of a third-time mom. A first-time mom won't even go to the mailbox without a diaper bag - a diaper bag that's fully stocked with two changes of clothes, socks, Desitin, toys, a board book and wipees. A third-time mom just leaves it in the car and takes her chances. Unfortunately for me (And really for Allie) my number was up on the Russian roulette wheel of bad parenting choices.

We saw the doctor who prescribed another round of antibiotics for the stubborn ear. "This one will give her runny poops," he said. I just laughed at him and pointed to the pile of discarded clothes. "Yes, we sorta know about that," I told him.

So this is how I carried my beloved youngest child to the car in 30 degree weather. Naked as a jay-bird. I covered her seat with her big fleecy blanket and ran to the car. I had plenty of outfits in the diaper bag so I changed her and then she promptly fell asleep on the way to school. Just another adventure in parenting. Perhaps I'll throw a couple of extra bucks in her piggy bank tonight. Maybe that will cover the therapy session where she addresses today's incident. At least I didn't lock her in the car this time!

Reflections on Lent

So I didn't make it to an Ash Wednesday service. I beat myself up about it all day, but dad told me to read Psalm 51 and move on. I sat down to feed Allie and decided to read some Bible passages while she ate. I started with Psalm 51 and then flipped to some of my other favorite verses. As I was flipping through the pages, a small scrap of paper fell out into my lap. It was covered in notes I had written. My handwriting was choppy, obviously transcribed in a time of distress. I read it front-to-back and realized when I had made the notes. They were to help me when I led the prayer at Children's Hospital the night Emily Barger passed away. Emily was the seven-year-old daughter of my co-worker at WBIR who died of a rare cancer in June 2008. We all gathered at Children's for a time of prayer for Emily and her family. Her friends, church members, family and even strangers came together in a conference room to pray. Several of us spoke that night and shared passages that brought us comfort. As I looked at that paper last night I was brought back to those emotions we faced that night; vulnerability, helplessness and sorrow. They are emotions the world faces on a daily basis. We are called, as God's people, to bring comfort throughout this Lenten season and beyond.

I read a devotion at the Upper Room each day and this week's prayer focus is for people who are working for change. People who are tending to the vulnerable, the helpless and the lost in hopes of making a difference and bringing a brighter future. The days are dark and Easter seems a long way off, but it pays to remember....we are Easter people.

Every day to us is Easter,
with its resurrection song.
When in trouble move the faster
To our God who rights the wrong.
Alleluia! Alleluia! See the power of heavenly throngs.

Easter people, raise your voices,
sounds of heaven in earth should ring.
Christ has brought us heaven’s choices;
heavenly music let it ring.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Easter people, let us sing!

Pump You Up

Each day when I head out the door I carry more gear than Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Lunch bag, purse, folders for work, cell phone, keys, coat and breastpump.

It's in an attractive little tote that to the outsider means nothing. Little do they know the power that black bag contains. The tote converts to the easiest way of expressing breastmilk I've ever seen. It is now a regular staple in my office as it sits atop my scanner each and every day. I'm not ashamed to say I'm in love with it. It makes my life so much easier. Coming back to work and continuing to breastfeed has been a breeze. I had been so worried about keeping up with Allie, but it has been a non-issue. I pump three times a day and have been able to juggle pumping sessions with meetings and deadlines quite effectively thus far. When I picked up my pump from the Family Birthing Center last December one of the OBs told me how much I would love it. "You will be able to pump for the next 17 years with that thing." Thank goodness I just need it for another 7 months.

Fat Tuesday

No Mardis Gras parades here today. No bead-flinging, beignet-eating or party-going. Just another busy day. I'm struggling to believe that Lent is once again upon us. Didn't we *just* do this? Yet here we are again, on the precipice of the Lenten season, preparing our hearts and minds for Easter. In the past I have given up chocolate for the 40 days of Lent. This year I can't decide what my fast should encompass. Chocolate seems too easy. Facebook seems too extreme. But this is to be a season of self-reflection and simplicity. It's about reducing the noise so you can hear God's calling...God's whisper among the roar of life's chaos.

I'm looking forward to the 40 days that lie ahead and the reflection it brings. No matter what I decide to refrain from this year, I hope it will be a time for me to draw closer to God and get my priorities in line.

My office helper

I've got an office helper today. Anastasia's school is closed for...well actually I'm not sure exactly why it is closed, but we've known about it for a long time so it's no big deal. So far she has watered the plants, danced with my boss to the radio and made a card for my co-worker with an ill grandfather.



Here she is enjoying some hot chocolate.


What a cutie. Having her at work isn't the ideal situation, but it certainly is a lot of fun. Plus our plants are never droopy when she's around.

Running in Place

My running has taken such a back seat lately that I can't even tell you the last time I laced up my shoes. It makes my anxious. It makes me stressed. And it is exacerbating the winter blues. I'm reading a running book though, so that's helping to take edge off. It's a funny, tongue-in-cheek look at the sport I have come to love so much. It explores topics like the hardest part about running in the rain is getting wet-pg 58 and snot rockets-pg 20.

Then on page 89 came one of my favorite topics yet, learning to love "race morning buzz." Here's the passage:

That's the quietly electric aura of anticipation that surrounds you the morning of a race, beginning the instant you wake up and lasting till the gun fires at the starting line. It's a background hum of energy, a tickle almost. Combined with the stillness of early morning prerace ritual, it's one of the best feelings you'll ever encounter. It's really impossible to do "race morning buzz" justice with mere words. Let's just say that you'll know it when you feel it. You'll wish there was a way to bottle it, so you could have a little bit every day. But there's not. Which is probably for the best. Instead, savor it while you can. Drink it in. Then take a deep breath--and race.

The author hits the nail on the head. Nowhere have I seen such an accurate description of what I feel each time a race is about to begin. I wanted to run the 1/2 marathon in Knoxville at the end of March, but that is looking less likely as each illness-filled, stress-inducing week ticks by. Money is an issue as well, since I can't justify spending $65 to run for two hours. My brain says I can go run for two hours on the greenway for free, but my heart just keeps going back to that description of a "race morning buzz" and I crave it. I don't want to run the race to show that I can. I don't want to run the race to win. I want to run the race for the experience of it all. I want to run the race for the way it makes me feel.

Organized Chaos

When I was younger, mom had a magnet on the fridge that said "A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind." I always liked that magnet. And if the saying is true then I am as mentally healthy as they come.


People are all the time telling me that I "have it all together." To those folks, I present....Exhibit A:

Yup, that's my desk as it appeared last Friday. Notice the two Dove Chocolates and the discarded cookie wrapper. The scary thing is, I know exactly where everything is and how to get my hands on a file or sheet of paper quickly. I did straighten it up a bit before heading out for the weekend, but not too much. I wouldn't want to be accused of having a sick mind.

Life is Just A Bowl of Sweet Potatoes

Allie had her first vegetable this weekend. I must say it was very anticlimactic. She loved them. No funny face, no gagging, no nothing. She ate half a jar of sweet potatoes like she'd been doing it all her life. We'll do this for a week and then move on to another veggie. She's still under the weather and her cough has worsened despite breathing treatments. It looks like it's back to the doctor tomorrow.

Dino-Mite!

Yesterday we took the kids to a dinosaur museum. Ainsley's class had been studying them a few weeks ago and she had expressed an interest in seeing some dinosaur bones. A little digging (get it? digging...? Ha!) revealed a museum close to Nana and Granddad's house. We bundled up against the snowy cold and ventured out after lunch.

It was a great museum! It's built at the site of a dig where some Miocene fossils were found by a TDOT crew in 2000 while working on a road project. We didn't get to tour the actual dig because of the weather, but the museum was more than enough to satisfy my budding paleontologists. The current traveling exhibit also is about dinosaurs so it was quite an afternoon. There was a climbing wall. a puppet theatre, coloring sheets, a little zip line, and plenty of places for the girls to practice digging. We learned a lot and had a blast. We're planning to go back when the weather warms up so we can actually see the dig site.

The promise of spring

It's been a cold and miserable winter. I'm more than ready for spring (huge understatement). Apparently, so is my yard. I found these little beauties out in the snow this week. The daffodils were a wonderful reminder that winter can't last forever and the verdant days of spring are just a few more weeks away. If they can bring their tender chutes up through the cold, hard ground and out into the snow, certainly I can hang on until spring arrives.

Toothless Wonder

Anastasia lost her first tooth in January 2009. Over the last 13 months she has lost a few more. Two on top and two on bottom. The bottom two have grown back in or the most part, but those two top teeth are MIA.

She lost another tooth on top last weekend. In true Anastasia fashion, she put her tooth fairy money in her piggy bank as soon as she popped out of bed. I hope she's saving up for some dentures because if this keeps up, she's going to need them!

Snowy Situation

I'm starting to feel like a broken record with all my snow posts. It's been quite an active winter and since 'ol Phil saw his shadow last week, it sounds like we're in for a long six weeks ahead. I'm thankful we don't live north of the Mason-Dixon line as those folks have been hammered with storms so brutal they may not dig out until July.

The snow started around 7:45 a.m. and was still coming down hard at 10:15 when Anastasia's school closed for the day.

These were the scenes at the school pick-up line. The parking lot was incredibly slippery.

After I got Anastasia, I went to get Ainsley as well. I didn't want to have to get Allie back out in the cold later. Of course by early afternoon, the snow was gone. The bitter wind and snow showers hung around for the rest of the day, but our beautiful snow was history. Anastasia is already hoping for no school tomorrow. There's no snow on the ground but she knows as well as I do that that's not a very good indicator of tomorrow's educational possibility.

5 months old

Allie is five months old today. I'm getting to spend the day with her, but not for a very good reason. Last night she was diagnosed with RSV and a nasty ear infection. We started breathing treatments in the doctor's office and have been doing them ever since. Hopefully we can get her feeling better soon.

Ainsley popped in this morning and said "Allie, you're FIVE!" We corrected her to say five months. ; ) Five months just sounds so much older than four months. It's too close to that half-year mark if you ask me. In the blink of an eye she'll be crawling and trying to cram Littlest Pet Shop accessories into her mouth.

We couldn't love her any more if we tried. She has her sisters wrapped around her tiny little fingers. They will do anything for her and often do just that on a daily basis. Being Allie's big sister has united them and made me fall in love with them all over again.

She has started rice cereal in the last month and will be moving to veggies pretty soon. She gets up once at night, but is moving towards dropping that feeding. She eats pretty quickly and then gets back to sleep. Her Jumparoo is by far her favorite activity these days. Last weekend I ran on the treadmill for a little over 30 minutes and she did her own exercise routine the entire time. She bounced away like a little kangaroo in the Outback.

She loves trying to grab the spoon while you are feeding her and will let you know if you aren't getting the food in fast enough. She loves having her hair washed, which we have to do every night to keep the cradle cap at bay.

Happy five months Allie. Can't wait to see where this next month takes us!

Bunches of BBQ

Sunday night I had Sarah over for some BBQ and to watch the Super Bowl. She brought wine and banana pudding. Best. Dinner. Guest. Ever. Anyway, I thought I'd share my BBQ recipe because it is incredibly easy and very good. Dad had some last fall and really loved it. He's sort of a BBQ connoisseur so when I got his seal of approval, I knew I had achieved BBQ perfection.


Here's a shopping list for the BBQ:
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder
1/2 ketchup (See why I like this recipe? It has ketchup!!!)
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 McCormick BBQ pulled pork seasoning packet



Place the pork in the bottom of the Cock Pot. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and pour over the meat. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.The recipe calls for 8 hours on low, but I think it is more tender after at least 9 hours in the Crock Pot. Shred with a fork and serve.

That's it. It's easy and incredibly tasty. It has a good kick to it without being too spicy. It makes a ton of BBQ. We're having it again tonight and I can already hear the complaints from the youngest Lamars. Perhaps I can sweeten the deal with some chocolate chip cookies.

The Sun Also Rises

I will admit I've been suffering from a serious case of the winter blues. It's been cold and dreary for days on end, but today the sun finally showed its face. I had the foresight to throw my running shoes and socks into the car this morning, so when my work load permitted a lunch break I threw on my shoes and hit the road. The greenway is less than a mile from my office which let me spend less time driving and more time walking.



It was pretty deserted, just me and the ducks. I tried to picture what the greenway and adjacent park will look like come spring. I worked hard to remember how green the grass will be and the dogwoods that will come to life along the trail. I hate not knowing exactly how far I have walked, but I let that slide for the day and just enjoyed being outside. After about 20 minutes and two laps around the greenway, I sat down on a bench to take some deep breaths. Life has been moving at such a breakneck pace now that I am back at work. It was balm for the soul to sit and soak in the sunshine (weak though it may be) and the peace and quiet. Then the parks department started up a chainsaw to remove a dead tree and my respite was over. But it sure was nice while it lasted.

Floored

After Jamie's hard labor last weekend, we finally got our bedroom back into organized chaos.


I think it looks really nice. We moved the bed and our dressers so that has taken some getting used to, but I am really pleased with the end result. I've got to get some curtains going on in there. Those sheers have been in there since we moved in and I think it's time for some grown-up curtains. I know what color I want, I'm just having trouble finding the right thing in the stores. Hopefully I can find them soon. My next home project is the upstairs bathroom!

Smile and the World Smiles With You

It's Friday. That's reason enough for a smile if you ask me.

Blast from the Past

Check out this photo: Circa, June 1995.

I was 14 years old and has just completed my freshman year of high school. The T-shirt is Duck Head. The sandals (with socks no less!) are knock-off Birkenstocks from Wal-Mart. It was my first real trip to Florida. Mom and Dad took me when I was an infant, but I never counted that.

This photo is from the same trip. I'm wearing a fanny pack! Classic. My first trip to Disney World.

This one is my favorite. Dad is sporting some awesome "vacation stubble."

I love looking at these photos. Makes me realize why family vacations are so important. I love that we're creating these memories with the girls. Someday they'll be able to look back and make fun of their clothes and hair just like Anna and I do. And who knows, maybe I'll break out a fanny pack for our trip to Florida in May. Then again, maybe not.

Birthday Wrap-Up

I didn't blog last night because we were so busy celebrating Ainsley's birthday (and consequently cleaning up after that celebration). She started off the day by taking cupcakes to school so she could party with her friends. They even sang to her, which appeared to have made her day. She was very patient when we got home. She knew she couldn't open presents until her daddy got home. Ainsley requested a meal of spaghetti and garlic bread for her big day. She also requested that we eat in the dining room off the china.

I love eating off our china. My aunt Allison gave it to us and is very special to me. I want to try and use it more this year. It's lovely to look at in the china cabinet, but why have it if we aren't going to use it? We broke out the serving pieces, cake plates and even let the girls drink their milk out of cups and saucers.

She loved her presents, especially her dog.

I expected the pig to be the biggest hit of the night, but nope. It was the dog that really stole her heart. After dinner we had cake and worked her new dinosaur puzzle. It wasn't the biggest birthday bash we've ever had, but it was certainly one of the most fun. I think she really had a good day. This weekend we'll celebrate again, this time with Gran and Pop. They were supposed to come last weekend to party with us, but that nasty winter weather had other ideas. Ainsley has one more birthday request that we will indulge this weekend. A meal at her favorite restaurant: Texas Roadhouse.

Here's her 7:06 a.m. picture. (The time of her birth.)

Corduroy Conundrum

When I was in kindergarten I refused to wear brown. I was quite vocal about it as my dad recalls. It's become a joke over the years and dad still applauds me for moving past those hue issues and being able to wear brown as an adult. Apparently this sort of thing is hereditary. Who knew?

This morning Ainsley was dressed and ready for school. She wasn't matched as nicely as I would've liked, but she was dressed so I let it slide. We were all in Allie's room getting her changed when the trouble began. Ainsley said she didn't like the way her pink curdorory pants felt when she walked. She said they rubbed together funny. What followed was a tantrum of epic proportions. Jamie felt the need to not cave in and make her wear the offending pants. "We give in to her demands too often," he said. I didn't disagree but it was 7:16 and we needed to be on our way out the door. She screamed and screamed and screamed. "I hate these pants!" He put her in the car because it was obvious there was no way she was going to walk there willingly. The funny thing is she didn't even try to unbuckle herself. It was like she forgot she even had that power. In her rage the worst thing she could think of was to kick off her shoes.

We loaded Allie in the van and were on our way. She refused to pick out a CD so I selected one instead. That REALLY made her mad. She started kicking my seat and screamed "STUPID MOM!" at the top of her lungs. Fortunately for Ainsley there was no place for me to pull the car over. I drove on, singing and ignoring her flailing limbs and hurled insults. She calmed down and politely asked for a different CD. When we got to school, we hugged it out. She even wanted to wave at me from the window which is something she hasn't done in months. I think those pants are going to find their way to the back of the drawer and never be seen again. But just so the record is straight--

Ainsley 4,312

Mom & Dad: 1

Happy Birthday Ainsley!!

Tomorrow is the big day. Happy Birthday to my sweet, wonderful, amazing Ainsley. You astound me, you make me laugh, you bring so much energy and love in our home and I cannot imagine a single day without your sunny self in it.

Happy fourth birthday! Let the celebration begin.

Jump Around

Allie got to have some fun over the weekend. We broke out the 'ol Jumparoo. We bought it back when Anastasia was a baby and it has served us well.

She LOVED it. Her little feet just touch the floor, but that's all she needs to propel herself up and down. Her sisters just dissolve into giggles when they see her jumping. I have a feeling she is going spend a lot of time bouncing up and down in the months to come.