Berry Sweet

Yesterday I was given the neatest Mother's Day gift! Eight little strawberry plants!

David remembered that when we were at the garden center getting everything we needed for the garden I really wanted some strawberry plants but we decided against them. So now I have 'June Bearing' strawberries that promise one large crop of berries in June. That is just a month or so away so some of them already have little fruits on them!

I can't wait to walk out to the garden, pick a strawberry and eat it fresh from the vine. Yum!

Flowers for you

Until I get out to the garden with my camera to show you the goings on out there, I will supplement with photos of our irises. They are blooming like mad and attracting all kinds of bees. They are a bit tricky to photograph at this point but I tried to work a little magic for you!

Happy Mother's Day!

This email makes the rounds every year near Mother's Day and I really like it. I always end up teary eyed while reading it but it's worth it. If you have seen it before, re-read it and nod your head at all of the parts that you definitely understand. If you haven't seen it, enjoy, and

Happy Mother's Day!!

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's alright honey, Mommy's here." Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes. And for the mothers who lost their baby in that precious 9 months that they will never get to watch grow on earth but one day will be reunited with in Heaven!

This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors. And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.

This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.

This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.

For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.

This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.

This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or children, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes totally unappreciated!

For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14-year-olds dye their hair green.

For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.

This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it in her heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home? Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?

The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation. And mature mothers learning to let go.

For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.

Single mothers and married mothers.

Mothers with money, mothers without.

This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.

Yes, he owns shorts

Ahem.

Did I say that I would be better about posting and then not do it? Me?!

Last night was the first softball game for the Animals of Science (that still makes me laugh!). Ella and I went and cheered them on through not one, but two losses. I lived up to everyone's expectations and broke out the camera to prove that a) David does have legs and b) that he can, in fact, run. I know that both points were disputable at times but here is the proof!

Base hit.

That darn fence...

Q & A

Ashley from Kudzu Jungle has enticed me into being interviewed, blogger style. She posted her answers to interview questions and then made the offer that I couldn't refuse. She sent me 5 questions that I will post here with my answers. You, in turn, can ask me to interview you and then you post them to your blog. If you don't have a blog, I will be happy to post them here on mine!

The Rules

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions of my choice.

3. Then, you should update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You have to include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you get to ask them five questions.

Ashley's very customized, very thought inducing interview:

1) What do you miss (other than family and friends) the most about Georgia?

Southern accents (and mine, to a degree, sniff sniff), lots of foods,
drinks and food products (pork bbq, country ham, sweet tea, Duke's
mayo), and the Georgia Bulldogs

2) If you had $500 to spend today on whatever you wanted, what would you buy?

Practical me says a new couch, which we need desperately. Not so
practical me says lots of new shoes and clothes and definitely a pair of
Lucky jeans in a size that I aim to be once this whole pregnancy bit is
over!

3) If you could reenact one scene from Gone With the Wind, what would it be and why?

Oh boy, this is a great question for me! I would definitely reenact the
BBQ scene at the beginning. Scarlett was being her most excellent
bosom showing, charming, jealous, coquettish self and it looks like
fun! Although, the scene in the library where she chews out Rhett and
throws stuff at him would also be pretty fun!

4) What about Kansas was brand new to you or surprising?

I was surprised how much people looooved my accent, that there were
very few black people, the fair amount of racisim, the use of cardinal
direction for everything (ex: 'the classroom is in the northeast corner
of the building' or 'go south 3 blocks and then turn east'... I never got
anywhere for the first few months!) and the fact that women don't use
their maiden names as their middle name when they marry.

5) Tell us one thing that you think most of us don't know about you.

I haven't decided what I want to do when I grow up. Sounds funny,
but I don't have a clear idea as of yet!

Alright, kids, take your mouse on over to the comment link and tell me to interview you!

Spring Showers

The other night Ella took her first big girl shower. She did such a good job with the water getting in her face! She called me in to the bathroom so I could see her being a big girl and of course I felt that the moment was pictureworthy!

Baby sightings (and hearings)

Yet again, I am behind in posting... Hopefully I will have all kinds of new and exciting things for you soon!

On a quick note: this weekend I finally pestered David enough that he gave in and hooked up the ultrasound (that he uses on the horses) for me! Yippee! After a little searching, he found our little baby M! We got to see the abdomen and head of our wee little one. It was pretty exciting to see and of course now I'm ready to hook it up every day! The machine can't print pictures but maybe I can get him to do it again and I can take a picture of the picture? We'll see...

Along those same lines, I had a doctor's appointment today where we got to hear the heartbeat. It was a strong and fast 159 beats/min. and everything looked good. I found out that I'm going to have to be scheduled for another c-section, which I'm not so fond of, but I'll take it how it comes.

More later, I promise! (Maybe even the return of garden updates! Control yourselves!)

A week later...!

Holy smokes, y'all... I can NOT believe that I have gone this long without posting! I still don't have much time to put up everything that is swirling around in my head, but I did have these pictures from this weekend that I thought were cute. Those of you in a dire need of an Ella Grace fix, here you are! It was cowgirl time the other night and she got out her hat, boots, rocking horse and rope for a little 'ranch work'.

This is the official cowgirl pose with jeans tucked in just like her daddy.

Kansas, y'all

Seen outside my car window

Could it be that Kansas is coming to its senses about the glory that is sweet tea?! Or is this a result of Ft. Riley being next door (with all those southern soldiers)? Who cares why? Sweet tea has come to the central plains and I was so excited, until I tried it. Not quite my speed but an A for effort!

On the same morning that I saw the sweet tea sign, I logged into my Hotmail account to find this ad:

mmm... southern style chicken biscuits!

I'm thinking that the teeny tiny writing at the bottom, something about 'participation may vary' is gonna get me. I doubt that I will ever see this surface in Kansas, the state known for its beef, but it was fun to dream away to a sweet southern lullaby of sweet tea and chicken biscuits!

Pickled

Mmmm... I love Claussen pickles! I go through stages where I will buy them frequently and then not so often. Here I am, back in a Claussen 'swing' and don't you just know that it fits perfectly with the whole pregnancy territory?!

I bought a jar of pickles this past Sunday and have enjoyed a ham and cheese sandwich with them for the past 3 days! Cutting up the pickles and putting them in the sandwich reminds me of going to the cottage house in Florida with Granny and Grandaddy. They always had cold Claussens and taught me to pile them on a sandwich like a champ. Each time I have a sandwich not only do I relish in the yumminess of it, but I am also taken back to days by the bay with G&G. That's worth a trip to the grocery store by itself!

Lambies

Friday I ran into one of the students who lives out at the sheep barn and I sweetly asked if Ella could come out to see all the cute lambs they have. Of course! he says and oh, by the way, they happen to have a few bottle lambs (two mamas had triplets and that is just too much for one girl to feed). Yippee! I knew that she would be so excited to get to feed the lambs. Grandma and Grandpa, who used to raise sheep themselves, took Ella out to the barn and David got these cute photos.

Sugar Sunny Tower

Mom sent me an email about how to find your stripper name and I thought it was pretty funny! Let me know what you come up with (guys too!).

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:

a = Fantasia

b = Chesty

c = Starr

d = Diamond

e =Montana

f = Angel

g = Sugar

h = Mimi

i = Lola

j =Kitty

k = Roxie

l = Dallas

m = Princess

n = Heidi

o = Bambi

p = Bunny

q = Brandy

r = Sugar

s = Candy

t = Raquelle

u = Sapphire

v = Cinnamon

w = Blaze

x = Trixie

y = Isis

z = Jade

2. Use the second letter of your middle name (or last name if you don't
have a middle name) to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = Leather

b = Dream

c = Sunny

d = Deep

e = Heaven

f = Tight

g = Shimmer

h = Velvet

i = Lusty

j = Harley

k = Passion

l = Dazzle

m = Dixon

n = Spank

o = Glitter

p = Razor

q = Meadow

r = Glitz

s = Sparkle

t = Sweet

u = Silver

v = Tickle

w = Cherry

x = Hard

y = Night

z = Amber

3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = hooter

b = horn

c = tower

d = fire

e = thighs

f = hips

g = side

h = jugs

i = shock

j = cocker

k = brook

l = tush

m = sizzle

n = ridge

o = kiss

p = bomb

q = cream

r = thong

s = heat

t = whip

u = cheeks

v = rock

w = hiney

x = button

y = lick

z = juice

Ol' blue eyes

Brandy was sooo nice and got this shirt for one of her favorite blue eyed girls. I think it is so cute! Of course everyone loves a blue eyed girl! (Green eyed girls aren't too bad, either!)

November Babies Rock!

I got some good news this morning...! My good friend Andria from AndriasRandomThoughts announced her pregnancy! Yippee! She is due only 11 days before me so we are practically pregnancy twins! In her post she put up pictures from a recent ultrasound. While her doctor likes to do a lot of those, mine only does one! Go check out her post and the wee baby pics. That's what my little strawberry looks like too!

Unfortunately, I had to mark down a first on the ol' pregnancy front yesterday. I had my very first pregnancy induced bowl hugging incident. Ugh. At least it wasn't as painful as an alcohol induced incident, though!

Easter Bunny

We had such a good time yesterday! Ella really comprehended the concept of the Easter Bunny and was so excited to see what he might bring her. We dyed some eggs and left those for Mister Cottontail (I had heard that if you leave him some eggs, he will hide them...). When she got up she was so excited about her new flip flops, Lincoln Logs and candy.* Then she got to hunt the eggs that the Easter Bunny hid! Big times!

E with her candy filled eggs and new shoes.

Miss Priss

David's mom and dad (Grandma and Grandpa) are in town for a visit so we went over to Aunt Jamie and Uncle Jeff's house for lunch. After lots of great food and visiting, Grandma and Grandpa came back to Manhattan with us last night. So, Ella is at home with Grandma today getting spoiled rotten!

*I'm such a hard ass when it comes to giving E candy, but I made a slight exception for Easter. It wasn't gobs and gobs, but it was enough! And then she didn't even like the Peeps! She said that the EB had put too much salt on them (which was actually the sugar on the outside). Looks like Peeps for me!

Big Brother

I had this link sent to me and thought it was pretty cool. You can type in any cell phone number and it will use GPS to map where the phone (and person) is located. I did it and found David way out in the pasture!

http://www.sat-gps-locate.com

Let me know what you think!

WTF?!

IIII'm dreamiiiing of a whiiiiite Easter!

It is sho' nuff snowing here. How crazy!

Berry Green

Baby McClure is the size of a strawberry this week!

I read that my next food/baby comparison will be a cocktail shrimp, which I don't really like... Seafood has never been one of my favorites and the smell of it normally makes me turn in the other direction. That's on a normal day. These days are not normal. Each day is a very heightened sensory experience and as much as a whiff of shrimp is apt to make me sick.

The first time around I didn't really get sick or 'green' at all. Wasn't I a lucky girl?! Apparently my luck has run a bit shy this time because I have waves of greenness and some of the strangest things are all of the sudden disgusting to me. Wheat bread, for example. Ick. And I have lost all desire to drink my beloved sweet tea!

There have been some rumblings that maybe this is a little boy strawberry since the pregnancy is different from the first. Hmmm.... Whatever it is, it will not be a cocktail shrimp! An apricot, perhaps...

(Oh! I just realized that I have not officially named the due date! November 14th, kids, write it down!)

I (heart) Dot Dresses

This weekend brought some time off in Topeka with Angie Jo doing a little shopping (mainly watching AJ shop!). Mom sent me on a mission to find Ella an Easter present from her and boy did I find a cute dress!

Posing and a pretty skirt twirl

Sunday was so nice outside that Ella and Lil did a little bonding, just hanging out.

David agreed to play on our department's softball team (the Animals of Science, ha ha!) and he had his first practice Sunday afternoon. Ella and I went to watch and then we all headed over to the slides for a little fun in the sun.

E heads down the big slide and then 'catches' David as he makes his way down.

Rebel E tries to go up the slide the wrong way.

Merry go round fun.

No April Fool

If I were a horse my name would be Bert.

(Don't know who Bert is or why I am writing riddles? Click the link and see what you find!)