AmGlad

Much like a car wreck where you just can't look away, we watched the new American Gladiators tonight. Hmm.

I got quite a kick out of all their names. Siren? Venom? Militia? Come on! How gay. (Speaking of gay, when I was searching the web for A.G. pics I found an interesting little story about how Militia has a history in gay porn. Just a FYI.) David and I got to laughing about what our names would be if we were on Gladiators. Interesting concept, no? We settled on Tapeworm for him, Discomboobulator for me, B.S.H. for Ashley (brick s-house) and Hella for Ella.

Ella's name was modeled after one of the shemale gladiators, Hellga, who just so happens to look and sound like she's been on the juice for ages*. Ain't she a beaut?

Hellga wears a skirt to hide her man-berries.

Unfortunately, Hella decided that AG looks like fun and she started running around the house in a 'race' with the gladiator. (She had us say 'Ella, ready?" Yes! "Gladiator, ready?" Yes! "Go!" just like on the show.) She won every time, I want you to know! That's my Hella. She also started running and jumping on the couch and then jumping back down during this race until she was reminded that we don't care who you are, 'roids or not, there's no jumping on the couch. Man, parents are such downers!

Have y'all seen this spandex madness?

*(Let it be known that should Hellga ever want to rumble, Discomboobulator and Tapeworm would both run far, far away. And probably cry like little girls. She's a man beast!)

AJ's BD

Today is Angie Jo's birthday - yay! Happy Birthday to her!

As I am apt to do, I offered to make Angie a cake for her birthday. Sure! she says. Also as I am apt to do, I waited until the last minute (last night) to do the ingredient shopping and preparation of her super duper strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese icing. Yum!

I found it necessary to buy frozen pizza for supper instead of taking the time to cook a whole meal and then being up until midnight making AJ's cake. Did I complain that I was jilted from a nutritious, balanced meal? Noooo. I didn't complain when I went to take the pizza out of the oven and burned my wrist on the 425 degree door. Burned it so well that I had to cut off a piece of my aloe plant and slather it over the burn. But not a peep out of me, noooo.

I didn't even complain when, after getting some of the tasty icing on my wrist, I licked it (because I'm like that) and inadvertantly licked the aforementioned aloe and it tasted awful. I almost puked, awful. But I soldiered through without an ugly word. Cool the cake, ice it, go to bed. Done! Nothing but sweet wishes for Angie's birthday danced through my head. Until 4 am when I wake up thinking 'damn it's cold!' and then at 5 am when I get up to feed Ashley and am hit with some serious cold air.

David agrees that, in fact, it is very cold in our house.

Oh. Shit.

I seem to remember talking to David about how we needed to order more propane because we were getting very very low and so was the temperature outside so let's get that done ok? Yeah. Never did. And now, now, we are out. We weren't out before I used to oven for the frozen pizza and AJ's cake were we? Nooo. But did I complain that it's all Angie's fault for making me bake her a cake and cook frozen pizza and use up the last little bit of propane we had that could have been heating our bodies through the night? Nooo.

When I went to the bathroom and sat down on a frigid toilet seat, that's when I might have complained. Just a little, teeny bit. :)

So Happy Birthday to Angie! I am giving her one hell of a costly cake!

(Actually, it's best that we went out last night instead of during the day today. We wouldn't have known it until tonight and by then it would be too late to get a delivery and we would have been out until Monday. And sleeping at Angie's house.)

Ashley says...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kelly Wants to Borrow That Top

Please meet Kelly.

(The guy who plays Kelly also plays several other characters.)

Kelly is quite the phenom on YouTube with millions of hits and several different videos. I think the songs are so-so, but the first part of the videos is generally pretty funny. Feel free to stop it once the song gets going and there is a fair bit of cussing in it, FYI. This is one of my favorites and I often find myself wanting to quote from it. But I can't quote it if you don't know what I'm talking about!

Now that that's said and you have been introduced to Kelly (and her mom), I would like to comment on Andria's post regarding Dellaina's new pair of smarty pants.

"I just don't know where she gets that... Smarty McSmarty!"

Thai-licious

Yesterday I decided that Niki's Thai Peanut Sauce was too tempting to resist any longer. It was as easy as Niki said it would be, and just as delicious too!

(It seems like lately I'm all about posting recipes... I hope you're not getting tired of me and my cookery? You should know that I'm not dispensing these things willy nilly. Nooo, no. Anything I pass on has been tested and voted 'Damn That's Good!' at my house.)

This is essentially the recipe as Niki posted it with ever so slight adjustments.

Niki's Tasty Thai

2 packets of Ramen noodles (doesn't matter what flavor, you're just using the noodles)
1 package of frozen mixed veggies (whichever you prefer)
chicken or beef, if you so desire

Thai Peanut Sauce:
1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/3 cup water
1 tsp Garlic powder (or garlic)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Cayenne pepper - however much/little you like

Cook vegetables and noodles as directed. Mix together ingredients for sauce and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Combine vegetables, noodles and sauce. Mmmmm!

Just as Niki said, this is better cold than hot! :)

All Smiles

Ashley is just beginning to find her voice in terms of squeals of excitement and general vocalizations. I think it's great because it gives us more interaction with her and, let's face it, it's fun to make babies smile and squeal with happiness!

I tried my best to capture a little of her newfound noises but proved unsuccessful. What I did get, however, was a few seconds of all smiles and a teeny tiny bit of 'talk' from her.

I'm thinking that maybe this is something only the fam will love to see? but who cares. I think it's cute so I'm posting it!

Swing State the Great

I told you that all the cool kids were doing their political thang over at Swing State! Here's just one example of why you should be reading:

1) This hilarious pic of Hillary was posted

2) Someone commented "why would Bill need to turn to another woman when Hil has a mouth like that?"

HAHAHA! This is why they're hot.

The Weather Needs a Doctor

In honor of Marisa and in response to the out of control Kansas weather (we ended up with 7 inches of snow, btw), I submit this from K-State's Campus Fourum:

"My friend and I took the bipolar Kansas weather to Lafene [Student Health Center] to get its meds regulated. But they told us it wasn't bipolar. It was pregnant."

Baby Feet

These little bitty baby feet are firmly planted (in my heart).

Even with her mama's long ass toes, Ashley Kate rocks the house.

Juggle This

You would think that I would have enough to do. That I wouldn't really feel the need to add something else to my list of 'things to do EVERY DAY'. That I find plenty of things to fill all 24 hours in my day to the very tippy top and the thought of adding one more thing would just be perposterous.

You would think.

But I did.

I have added the 'go to the gym' ball to the juggle that is my daily routine. I know why I did it... I want/need to feel the accomplishment that comes after a good work out. I might even need to hit the bags just for hitting the bags sake. But holy smokes how in the hell am I going to manage? I have two small children! And a job! A five-thirty class sneaks up pretty darn quick when you get off of work at five and have a baby to pick up from daycare. I guess I will manage like you always do when something is important enough, but I sure don't promise that it will be pretty. Or that I will get to class on time. Or even get to class more than twice a week.

I just hope that I am able to keep the myriad of balls in the air and moving at a steady pace. Proper planning is my mantra. And the guilt of being away from my precious girls that threatens to overtake my pleasure of breaking a good sweat? I'm gonna score a TKO on that. Or hit the mat trying.

Lesson

Lesson for Today:

Kansas weather is out of control. If there is anything that I have learned about this great state, it's that the weather is neither predictable nor constant. Yesterday it was 55 degrees and I didn't need/want a jacket. Today, however, I had on my heavy down coat because it was snowing and freezing cold. Tonight we are expected to get 3-6 inches of snow but by the weekend it should be back up in the forties. It's no wonder everybody and their dog is sick!

Addendum to Today's Lesson: The wind blows ALL THE TIME. (Is that because Nebraska blows and Oklahoma sucks? Sorry, just a little Kansas joke for you.)

Mardi

Today is Super Fat Tuesday. A big ol' fat 'eat all you want from the buffett' day for lots of folks around the country, whether it be politics or baccanalian feasts that you are partaking of.

If politics is your bag, I'd like to recommend a little blog that my friend Ashley co-created called Swing State. It's not your typical political shouting match because they don't take sides, they just make observations. Like Mitt Romney looks like Chuck Woolery. Yeah, it's that kind of greatness. AND they have mentioned me and my observations TWICE, by name, so you know they are smart chicas. I will shamelessly plug them (me) because I'm like that. Check 'em out for info about the candidates and other uncanny resemblance calls.

If crazy festivities are more your speed, I'd like to say this to you about that:

Laissez les bons temps roulez! (Let the good times roll!)

Crescents

One of the many things my Grandmama was known for cooking well were Crescents (some people call them Mexican Wedding Cookies). We all just loved these rich, delectible cookies and could never stop with just one. I went years without having them before I finally realized that I had her recipe and was perfectly capable of making my own!

Now that I have added Crescents into my cookie repetoire, there's no stopping me. They are strangely addictive for having such simple ingredients. Ella and I whipped up a batch this afternoon and unfortunately, there are quite a few less tonight than there were when we were done!

(This recipe is great if you have little helpers because it requires mixing and squishing with your hands. Also, there are no raw eggs in the dough so little hands can be licked without fear.)

Crescents

2 cups self rising flour
2 sticks butter, room temperature
5 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ice cold water
1-2 cups finely chopped pecans (depending on preference)
powdered sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Mix butter, flour and sugar together with your hands until dough is a uniform texture. Add water and vanilla and combine with hands until a dough forms a ball. Add pecans and combine. Pinch dough into half-dollar sized pieces, roll and form into the shape of a crescent. Cook on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 40 minutes. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar.


Give these a try a see if you stop at one. Let me know how that works out for you! ;)

TGIF

Ashley is excited - almost giddy - that tomorrow is Friday. So am I!

PS: Giddy is one of those words that if you say it over and over enough it sounds so silly. Which is what I am doing right now. Giddygiddygiddy. And how in the world does that fit with 'giddy up!'? Are you telling the horse to get excited? I am so Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handy.

Snoozer

We have GOT to start getting up earlier. This 'wait until the very last possible minute to roll out of bed and still leave on time with everything going smoothly' business ain't cutting it. Because, as chance would have it, things most certainly do not always go smooth in the morning. As a matter of fact, things always seem to be a bit bumpy. And most of it isn't through anyone in particular's fault, it just happens. Shit happens. Sometimes, literally. Or spit up happens. It just does.

We need to better prepare ourselves for the inevitable stumbling block in the road to getting out the door on time. Several mornings that requires getting Ella out of bed earlier, too, because boy can that girl be a grump! But very often all she needs is a little bit of time to adjust to the bright lights, the noise and the inconvenient necessity of movement. Rushing an ill little girl does not go well. Nor does rushing a baby. Actually, rushing a baby is an impossible task which generally leads to spit up happening. Not good.

Maybe if I would make my lunch at night. Wash my pump pieces at night. Choose my clothes and iron them at night. Maybe the morning routine would go much better. But right now it's nighttime, and what am I doing? None of those things, because I don't want to. Just like I don't want to get up when the alarm goes off.

And I will never get to work on time. Ha ha!

Have you met...

the little bald one that lives at my house...

and sleeps like a rock?

P.S.A.

Just a little Public Service Announcement:

Have y'all heard about the class action suit against De Beers for price fixing? The proposed settlement offers some cash for diamonds bought between 1994 and March 2006. Nice, right?!

If you bought any loose diamond, diamond jewelry or mixed stone jewelry between the specified dates, you are eligible for a refund. The refund will be a percentage of the purchase price (diamond jewelry is 32%) as long as there is enough money in relation to the number of claims. The total allotment for consumer claims is $135 million+ so there is hope of seeing some type of cash!

The website states that you have to have your receipt (so start digging through all of those papers you've been holding on to) but you might not be asked to provide it. That's good on one hand, but might tempt some people to lie and cut into the distribution on the other.

I know that several of you have got some big sparklies on your hand (*cough*Karen!*cough*) or other diamond jewelry so it's worth a shot. Even if you only get $50 back, it's $50 more than you had, right? Check out the website for more details and the claim form.

Now back to the After School Special, 'Diamonds are Still a Girl's Best Friend'.

Spiders on Drugs

Make sure you have your sound up and check this out. Hi-larious!

You didn't ask

but I'm going to share anyway:

* Last night we ate Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs. It was pretty good but the best part was when I realized that I was short one can of peeled, whole tomatoes and I was able to bust out one of the frozen bags of tomatoes from the garden. Homegrown tomatoes, deelish.

* David got me this vest for Christmas and I finally wore it Friday. I had no idea how to wear it, but I was too antsy to wait. David excels at gift giving but he's a little short on the fashion advice so I was shooting in the dark. What kind of shirt? Neckline? Leave it on or off? Zipped or open? Ugh! Fortunately I work with some pretty hip girls who said I got it right.

* Ella and I have matching toenails - Cranberry Cream. We eyed Ashley but decided she might be a touch too young... barely. We eyed David but got the eye in return and decided that he might be a touch too strong to fight... barely.

* I have made up my bed every day for the past two weeks. The rest of my house may look like the dumps but my bed will be made, by gosh! (One of my New Year's resolutions, I think.)

* Ashley slept all night last night. Yippee!

* Ella went on a play date today. Yes, that play date.

* I started our taxes today and found that Ashley is worth her sizeable weight in gold :)

* I am so excited about Marisa's baby!

* There should be some sort of cosmic law that if a woman wants to stay at home with her children she should be able to. Or even better, stay at home moms should get paid!

* We are becoming less and less enchanted with Ella's preschool as we hear more about the umpteen movies that they watch. (See above.)

* I'm really digging the bangs that I got at my haircut.

* It's just past 9 o'clock and I am ready to go. to. bed.

Inevitability

We knew it was bound to happen sometime, we just didn't think it would be this soon.

Passed out skunk drunk. Off Coors heavy, at that!

Newest Pics

McClure girls' highlights from the week:

Wide eyed Ashley Kate

and Ella, evermore the cowgirl (getting a comb out from her daddy)

New Coiff

I decided to mess around with the look of the blog a bit. Nothing too drastic, but much like my hair I thought it was looking a bit grown out. Here's to hoping that a fresh new 'do will pump up the volume on the blog as well as my head!

I Need Hairapy

I don't know just what in the world is going on. Is this some type of cruel joke? What have I done to anger the hair gods? Whatever it was, I'm sorry. Is there a sacrifice that I can offer up? Throw my brand new hair dryer into the fire? Pour out all of my volumizing shampoo? (Please say no!)

Either way, this limp as a dishrag hair that I am sporting has got to go.

One day it was poofy and cute and the next it was flat and soft. Soft = limp. I don't want soft hair! I want hair that is gunked up enough to hold up the 'do!

My situation has reached such a feverish pitch that I was desperate enough to fork over a lovely gift card to Target for some little trial size bottles of 4 products in the Big Sexy Hair line. Having used the hairspray before I knew that it works like no other. It also works on your wallet, so I was not a repeat customer. Until last week. If the hairspray gives me big, sexy hair, wouldn't the shampoo, conditioner and gel? It's called BIG SEXY HAIR for pete's sake! But no. Flat as a pancake, I tell you. I'm sure all those products are working their amping magic only to be deflated by my karma. Or poor styling techniques. Or grown out cut.

So what's a girl to do? Call up the salon as soon as they open tomorrow, that's what. Beg and plead to be squeezed in on a girl's day off. Hope that a new cut will remedy the situation. Use expensive volumizing products on said new hair. And style it up and away.

Watch out, y'all. Big Sexy Hair will be comin' through.

The 'Hood

When Andria was pregnant with Dellaina she made a comment to me about becoming a member of the secret Sisterhood of Mommies. I had never really thought about it before then but she was absolutely right. There is a secret club of the women who have experienced the ups and downs of pregnancy. A mutual appreciation for our comrades who have fought the fight of childbirth. And a hard-as-steel bond between women who have raised or are raising children.

I suppose you don't know about it (or care, really) until you are issued your invitation. A trip to the grocery store, to the well trained eye, will explain it all. Pregnant women and those with children in tow get looks from other mothers where a girl by herself, no kids or baby bump, wouldn't. Looks of excitement or pity (depending on your pregnant-ness or behavior of your children) and often looks reminiscence from the woman whose children are grown. Blink and you will miss the faint smile or slight head nod that one mother will give another in quiet understanding.

This Sisterhood doesn't exist to be exclusive, but that's just how it is. Nor does it exist to put down those who don't meet the criteria of membership. The Sisterhood is there to offer advice to the new mother, support to mother who loses a child (who else can understand the endless love of a mother but one?) and to honor the mothers who came before us.

As a card carrying member of the Sisterhood of Mommies, I would like to extend an invitation of membership to my own sister. She finally meets the criteria!

Congratulations!

A.P.B.

May I have your attention please:

Ashley slept from 10:30 last night to 7:00 this morning, awoke for a brief meal and then slept until 10:30.

This sort of behavior henceforth will be most appreciated, although it is not expected.

Thank you, that is all.

Quiz Me

My Grandaddy sent me this quiz, I'm sure because he knew it would be close to my heart. It has gone around for a while and I took it a few years ago and scored pure Dixie (as you would expect!). Since it has been a while and these Kansans have a way of wearing on a girl, I decided to take it again.

Don't you worry for one bit - I'm (used to be) in the heart of Dixie and Dixie's in the heart of me! My results: 92% Dixie - Is General Lee your father?

Give it a shot and let me know what kind of people I am friends with!

Yankee or Dixie Quiz

Bacio

Inside the Bacio chocolate that I was given today was this little piece of paper. It is akin to the fortune in a fortune cookie, but this is Italian chocolate, y'all, so of course they are all related to love and romance.

So heavy is the bond of marriage that it takes two, and often three, to bear it.

Umm, what?

The chocolate was rather tasty so I sure would hate to have some negative connotation with it. I'm going to assume that this is referring to childen... in which case we are set!

Addict

The scent of Baby Magic lotion is like crack to me.

Bath Time

How great are these?

************************************

Overheard from David giving Ella her bath last night:

David: "Sweetie! Get your hand out of your crotch! It's not a toy!"

I guess it's not just boys, huh?

Bappy Hirthday (a la Bill McG)

Today is my birthday, Happy Birthday to me! The big 2-9. Ugh. I'm on my way to denying my 30's, but I plan to make the most of the last year of my carefree, youthful 20's, by gosh. Mom sent me this card which I thought was so funny. If you really think about it, it is quite nice to be able to do whatever in the hell you want to. So no green beans for me, thankyouverymuch!

Since I know all y'all had my birthday right there on your calendar but oh boy it's so early in the year and really slips up on you :), I'm going to give you an out. I would like for you to please search the internet far and wide for something that you would like to buy me. (Note the 'would', not 'will'!) Money is no object, of course, so I expect some pretty far out stuff! Just find me the best present ever and put the link to it in the comments. If I can't actually have that two week cruise to the Virgin Islands that I know someone would buy me, at least I can dream about it.

Now get clickin'! I can boss you around like this because I'm an adult and can do whatever in the hell I want. And it's my birthday.

**It works best if you use the 'nickname' and 'URL' feature in the comment box. Just write me a little blurb, put your name in the nickname box and paste the web address in the URL box. Your name will become the link. **

Advertising Works

I am living proof that advertisers know what they're doing. I have forever been, and probably forever will be, a sucker for a new product. Unfortunately, most of the time I will plunk down my money for something that promises to be better working or better tasting only to be sadly disappointed.

Which brings me to Dove deoderant. I saw a commercial for Dove where all these women are running around in tank tops, raising their arms up high because ! Dove works! In addition to keeping us girls dry and fresh smelling, it also makes your underarms clear and beautiful! Beautiful enough to wear a tank top and wave to your friends, reach for stuff on a high shelf and kick back with your hands behind your head! That's what they tell me. And I want to be able to do all of those things with reckless abandon (since sometimes things aren't the most beautiful under there) so I rush right out to purchase some Dove deo. Even though I have a fairly full thing of Lady Speed Stick at home. Because that's what I do. And I'll be john brown, the stuff works! I am a dry, smelling of powder, clear and beautiful underarm girl.

Somebody get me a tank top, STAT!

(Anyone want to 'fess up on something that you purely bought because of the advertising? Even if you didn't need it or would have never realized that you wanted it? Don't leave me out here in Sucker World alone!)

PBF

If you recall, I was on the search for a good peanut butter fudge recipe. I had given two recipes a shot and wasn't happy with the outcome of either one. Until now!

May I present to you the fudge recipe that wins the award at my house (and keep in mind that David is a fudge connoisseur). I stole it from my favorite show on Food Network, Good Eats, and Alton Brown. You may even have all of the ingredients in your cupboards right now. Go take a peek and then see if you can stop yourself from trying this super easy recipe!

Lick Your Fingers Peanut Butter Fudge

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

Put peanut butter and butter in a microwaveable bowl and nuke on high for two minutes. Stir and cook for two minutes more. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. Turn out into a 8 x 8 pan lined with wax paper. Press down until even then place a piece of wax paper on the surface of the fudge. Cool in refrigerator. Cut into pieces and store in an airtight container.

I think we will keep ours in the fridge but let it sit out for a few minutes before eating and the licking of fingers. Delish!

Pudge

I realize that the blog has turned into a shameless parade of pictures of and stories about my two beautiful girls. And I'm OK with that. What else can you expect from a new mother with a veritable gold mine of her own?

As the thigh photo displayed, Ashley Kate is a growing girl. (Growing at a great, speedy clip, she is.) In addition to the doughy goodness of her thighs, Ashley is pudging up everywhere else too. One of the cutest places to see baby fat, in my opinion, is at the writsts. Sweet baby girl does not disappoint her mama! Check out the wrist creases so far! (Since Ella was such a string bean, I am having all kinds of fun with Ashley and her squishy-ness. Poor girl gets hugged and kissed all the damn time!)

Wouldn't you want to hug and kiss Miss Pudgy McPudge?

That's what we thought!

Biker Babe

Santa Baby was one smart cookie when he decided to bring Ella Grace a big girl bike for Christmas. After some initial hesitation on her part (and some general miffed-ness on mine) she has deemed the bike her favorite gift. She has already figured out how to pedal standing up and to turn sharp, hit the brakes and slide across the floor! I'm thinking it's a dang good thing Santa gave her a helmet with it!

E, in full protection mode

Rock Chalk...Whatever

In light of KU winning the Orange Bowl, I'll be nasty and repeat two comments made about Mangino. All is fair in love and football, right?

These are two comments made to K-State's Campus Fourum (a voicemail set up for students to call and leave random messages that then get printed in the campus newspaper).

"And God said 'Let there be light' and Mark Mangino had to move."

(In Kansas there are signs by the road that say 'One Kansas farmer feeds 147 people and YOU!') "One Kansas farmer feeds one hungry Mark Mangino."

When I read these I just laughed and laughed like any good KSU graduate would!

Sugar Sugar

Ashley is ready for the big game.

Go Dawgs!!

Jan. 2nd

By the time I sit down at my desk on January 2nd to officially come back to work the following things might have happened:

*the mouse who has taken up residence in my house will have nosed his way into the trap we set

*I will have partied like a rock star at New Year's Eve

*permanent daycare for Ashley will have been found

*all of the quickly growing grey hair will have been plucked from my head

*cell phone contract will be renewed and we will sport new phones

*two things that I have been meaning to do will finally get done

*emotional breakdowns at the thought/act of leaving Ashley at daycare will have occurred

*the avalanche of telemarketing phone calls received on our new home number will have slowed (seriously, I got 3 of them the first day it was connected)

*a good recipe for peanut butter fudge will have been found

*my house will be clean

*collard greens, black eyed peas, pork and corn bread will have been consumed on New Year's Day - gotta start the new year off right!

*my savings account will be drained

*I will be back in full blogger mode, ready to pummel you with all sorts of posts and pics

See you then!

Payback

When Andria had her little girl Dellaina almost two years to the day that I had Ella, I knew I would be able to shower her with all kinds of clothes. Since then she and I have been keeping the USPS and UPS in business by shipping boxes of clothes back and forth. Now that Ashley is here, Andria is returning the favor and sent me some of Dellaina's clothes. Boy are they cute! I haven't even skimmed the surface of the enormous box she sent but I did happen upon this adorable outfit and made sure to put Miss Ashley in it pronto.

Thanks, Andria! Ashley now has two wardrobes to be outfitted from! (Unfortunately neither one is her own, but such is the plight of the second born...)

Thunder what?

Ashley, Ashley, Ashley. Sweet baby Ashley.

You have got some serious thighs going on. I knew when we weighed you at the doctors office and you had gained two pounds in two weeks that there would be evidence. Is there ever! But I love love all of your big chunky monkey pudge. You are so fun to squeeze and hug and those big cheeks are great for kissing. So what if you weigh now what Ella weighed at 3 months?

(This photo is totally G rated.)

Big 4

Yesterday was Ella's 4th birthday! Happy Birthday to her and her big 4 year old self!

Preschool was closed yesterday (due to the power outages everywhere) so she got to celebrate at home with us. David took her to feed with him and then she watched her new movie, Ratatouille, that Marisa gave her. After gymnastics we went out to eat with Aunt Jamie and Angie, Scott and Mallory and I got to have my first margarita since Ashley's arrival. Yippee!

Ella in the new snow suit that Grandma and Grandpa gave her and new snow boots that we gave her.

Ice, Ice Baby, part 2

So the ice came. And came.

The trees all looked so beautiful encased in the ice but that beauty comes with a price, unfortunately. The limbs got so heavy that they just snapped right off, all over the power lines. We were one of the lucky ones and never lost power, thank goodness!

That is some thick stuff!

I thought this looked kind of cool.

Now the forcast is calling for 3-6" of snow on top of the ice. Yikes! Is there a song called Snow, Snow Baby?

Ice Ice Baby

Last week we got a minimal amount of snow (1-1.5"). Usually this would cause all sorts of discombobulation for us Southerners... but, David and I overcame our Georgian ways long ago and don't hardly blink an eye at such a small amount. No rushing off to the grocery store for bread and milk for us!

The snow is still on the ground since it has remained pretty cold for the past few days. Guess what the good ol' weatherman is saying that we are going to get on top of our 1-1.5" of snow tonight? ICE. The same amount of ICE. An inch to an inch and a half. Oh. No.

If you will excuse me, I'm heading off to the grocery store. (I may be a Southerner hardened to Kansas winters but I'm no fool!)

Getting to Know You

Another altered email, but hey, it's all I got!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper

2. Tree--Real or Artificial? Fo' real, fo' sho!

3. When do you put Christmas tree up? Generally two weeks before Christmas, to enjoy it as long as pissible but not so long that the needles get everywhere

4. When do you take the tree down? Before New Year's Day (or else it's bad luck!)

5. Like egg nog? Yes, especially if it's spiked

6. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes - Reason for the season

7. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't know... I was pretty pumped about getting Keds once

8. Hardest person to buy for? Jamie

9. Easiest person to buy for? David

10. Worst Christmas gift? ?

11. Mail or email a Christmas Card? Mail

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Vacation - So. Effing. Funny.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Beginning of December, unfortunately

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No

15. Favorite food to eat on Christmas? Mimosas and quiche, a la Mom

16. Clear or colored tree lights? Colored, although clear are very nice

17. Favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night

18. Travel during Christmas or Stay home? We seem to alternate

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Comet, Blitzen, Cupid, Rudolph

20. Angel or Star on Tree top? Angel

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? crowded stores

23. What are you most looking forward to at Christmas? Ella's wide eyed belief and watching her open gifts

24. What are you hoping to get for Christmas this year? She's already here

25. How did you find out about Santa Clause not being real? I asked Mom if he was real and she said no (after a kid at school told me he wasn't)

Little One

Who says that second children don't get as many pictures taken of them as the first one did? Obviously not me!

Name Game

Susan sent this to me and I got a pretty good kick out of it. Her names were pretty funny, mine are kind of blah. (I was a little free with some of mine. It doesn't help that my last name starts with three consenants!)

If you come up with something good for one of your names, leave it in the comments!


10. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother & father's middle name) Anna Thomas

9. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother's dad, fathers dad) Carl Charles

8. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, 2 letters of your first) Mccme

7. DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, fav animal) Red Dog

6. SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Elizabeth Athens

5. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginng) The Pink Beer

4. FLY GIRL/GUY NAME: (1st letter of 1st name, 1st 3 letters of your last name) Mmcc (how about M.C.?)

3. GANGSTA NAME: ( fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie) Vanilla Peanut Butter

2. ROCK STAR NAME: (current pets name, current street name) Lily College

1. STRIPPER NAME: (first pets name, street name you grew up on) Gypsy Mars Hill