If you send Areli to Lowes...

If you send Areli to Lowes for some clearance Azalea bushes she is going to want Judy to help her mulch the entire fence line and all around the deck, the back of the house and the front of the shed.

When she and Judy mulch everything (including Areli's new pedi), Areli is going to want Judy to help her plant the Azalea bushes.

When she and Judy plant the Azalea bushes Areli is going to need to water them.

Areli is not very good at watering (poor little dependent foliage), so Judy is going to have to water them for her.

While Judy is watering Areli's mulched bushes she is going to notice a bare spot, so she is going to buy Areli four purpleish flowers on sale at Lowes.

Judy is going to plant these flowers while Areli is not looking. So, Areli is going to think that the fairies came.

Judy is going to become tired of being a fairy and help Areli (okay so she does most of the work, but I pay close attention) put in a sprinkler system.

When Areli realizes that this magical plant sustaining system might actually keep her bushes alive she is going to want to buy a Hydrangea bush.

Which means you are going to have to send Areli back to Lowes (every plant is now 50% off)...

And if you send Areli to Lowes she is going to want Judy...

My backyard is becoming beautimous (having much beauty). We have planted a variety of bright and fragrant flora. Thank you Judy I am having so much fun. Although, I am in desperate need of a fresh pedi. Seriously, I don't even recognize these piggies.

Ciao, Areli

Jon's Adventures

Happy Father's Day! It is a gorgeous Sunday- the sun is shining and the day is bright and supposedly the longest of the year. Unfortunately, the girls and I are spending it indoors with a couple of good books and movies. This is partly because it is so hot outside, but more truthfully because our adventure guide is away. Jonathan is the one who makes sure that this family explores their surroundings. He is the one who takes new roads home until there are no new roads left to take. He is the one who looks off into the distance and announces that this Saturday we are going to picnic on that far off mountain and though it may take several winding roads and a couple of dead ends- we will. He is the one who notices all the horses, chipmunks, goats, and scissor-tailed flycatchers. He is the one who pulls over on the side of a narrow country road to take a photograph of a raggedy old barn or just it's doors. He is the one who drives down to the girl's bus stop after school and says, "Hey, let's go for a drive." He is the adventure, the romance, the intrigue of this family and we treasure those moments and we treasure him. Thank you Jon for being the gorgeous protagonist in our life story- thank you for giving our story life. We love you and miss you much on this Father's Day.

Ciao, Areli

Free Again

I was sound asleep this evening when my "mommy-sense" went off. Mommy-sense is a lot like spidey-sense except instead of warning me of imminent danger, criminal activity, or run-away carriages mommy-sense alerts me to when my child may be in trouble, may be causing trouble, or may be contemplating causing trouble. So, as my mommy-sense was triggered I sat straight up in bed and listened with my super-sensitive mom ears for any unusual noises. There it was upstairs... pit-pat, pit-pat, pit-pat back and forth down the hall. I climb out of bed, turn on the stairway light, and announce "It's just me, mommy, coming up." to head off any fear that I may be the bogey-man or a ravenous wolf coming to eat up this night-walking child. Pitter-pat, pitter-pat, pitter-pat the sound of running back into Emma's room. I come down the short hall and notice a towel on the floor of the bathroom- okay so Em wet the bed. This is not a big deal it happens so rarely that she never gets in trouble for it, but why hasn't she called for me like usual? Why the towel? Why the running at the sound of my coming? I enter her room and ask, "Emma, did you pee the bed? Do you need help?" Immediate hysteria. She is crying so hard I can't make out her words. I grab and hold her tight stroking her hair and repeating, "It's okay, mommy's here. I've got you. I'm going to help you. Shhh. I promise it's okay." I make out- I peed- try clean myself- new panties and pajamas. I tell her not to cry it's okay and I just want to help her. I am still confused at why she is so upset and why at only three years old she wanted to clean up herself. Then I realized she wasn't afraid of getting punished she was ashamed and embarrassed. My heart hurt. As I got new sheets out of the linen closet I began reassuring her, "This is going to be alright. I'm going to put the wet sheets in the wash and see you have a waterproof pad on your bed it can go in the wash too. Now, we just have to put these clean sheets on, and the comforter is dry because it was at the foot of the bed. This is no big deal." Emma began to relax and as I was making up her bed she got excited about the rainbow sheets I was using to replace the soiled fairy ones- apparently she loves rainbows. When she and the bed were all clean and she was climbing in under the covers I took special note of the look on her face. It read happiness, comfort, and ease. My baby who was in so much despair just twenty minutes before was now free again. Thank you God for mommy-sense. And thank you God for all those times when I "wet my bed" and felt only guilt and shame and hopelessness and You came and wrapped Your arms around me and told me I've got you, I'm going to help you, It's going to be okay, I promise. Thank you God for always restoring my hope and making me free again.

Ciao, Areli

Girls Club

I had the best time this weekend with my "original" family- mom, dad, two super-cool-dacious sisters. My mom is so beautiful and stylin'. I owe what ever sense of fashion and put-togetherness I own to that amazing woman. Mama also boasts the original greatest shoe collection and the sexiest legs I have ever witnessed. Vanessa is my little sister whose beauty matches her funny. I love how when I get together with her she won't allow no "uppityness" she is real all the time and I never laugh as hard or feel more like myself than when I am with her. Niya is my baby sister and she is the center of all my envy. She is gorgeous, trendy, honestly sweet, and determined to be the best her she can be. I am so proud of her- she is the baby and she is also the first of us to graduate from college. We all gathered together to watch her take that walk of accomplishment and honor and no stern warning from the president of Macon State College could keep us from our shouts and whistles of adoration when her name was called. I am so proud to be connected to these special people and I will cherish them always.

Ciao, Areli

Glum-diddy-glum

I have had a pretty glum day. Just one of those days that leave you slouching with hunched shoulders and a long face wondering why does everything seem so pathetic. (Me when I'm being real, that's my tag line right?) So I thought what a perfect time to list a few of the things that make me glum:

Calories and slow metabolisms- ooh, I get so sad at the thought of having to run a mile for every cookie I even think of eating! :(

Having to pay for overdue library books- Come on I brought it back didn't I? It's because I dog-ear the pages isn't it? :(

Chipped toe nail polish- Come on can't something last forever? :(

Cellulite- It's just mean. :(

Folding laundry- especially socks this may be my achilles heel. :(

Pollen- All over my car, my deck furniture, the inside of my nose. :(

Whininess- I know I'm so whiney it's ironic. :(

When I'm stuck in a day that's gray and lonely I just stick out my chin and grin and say- Oh! The sun will come out tomorrow. So you gotta hang on till tomorrow. Come what may. Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow! Your only a day away!

:) Show tunes make the happy list.

Ciao, Areli

Breathtaking

Having three little girls there are some things you just get used to; like the click-clacking of plastic heels on the hardwood floors and the non-stop pleas for your lipgloss. Also, I am rarely surprised to see my little girl come around the corner dressed in an elaborate princess costume and sparkling crown. Or by the impromptu twirling and pirouetting accompanied by song that tends to follow such an appearance. These moments are all absolutely adorable, but also very much an expected daily experience so in that regard not very incredible. However, there still are those moments when you go to peek in on your little girl (to see what kind of trouble she's gotten into) and you find a breathtaking angel in her stead. I observed such a moment yesterday morning. Emma came downstairs dressed in her white tutu and delivered a beautiful song and dance routine- no surprise. Then she went outside to play in the yard. After ten minutes I went out to check on her and I caught her watering my flower beds in her tutu and rain boots. It was priceless. I love these moments!

Ciao, Areli

The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker

"I don't need no stinking directions." Ahhh, the man's mantra and my man is no exception to this cliché. Yesterday, while the girls were finishing up their homework Jon had a sweet thought (or tooth) and decided to make them some chocolate chip cookies. I was in the other room reading a very intriguing novel and thinking 'no need to get up he has this under control'.

Skip ahead twenty minutes:

I walk into the kitchen as the smell of sweet chocolate and buttery goodness draws me irresistibly and my mouth is watering in anticipation of the freshly baked cookies. To my dismay I find a distraught baker and a batch of mutated-looking cookies. "I don't know what happened.", says the baker. "Well, don't worry I'm sure they taste fine.", I say as I eagerly pop one into my mouth. They weren't fine. Something was amiss and I aimed to get to the bottom of it. I scan the kitchen for clues:

1) Batter in big plastic bowl instead of the Kitchen-aid mixer bowl. "Honey, did you mix these by hand?" "yes." "Impressive. It must have been difficult to cream the butter and sugar." "What? Oh, man I just threw all the ingredients in the bowl and stirred." AHA!

2) The cookies look exceptionally flat and puddly. "Dear, you did put baking soda in the mix, right?" "I couldn't find it. Isn't this self-rising flour?" AHA!

3) Chocolate Chip Bag w/ recipe on back no where to be seen. AHA! AHA! AHA!

He didn't follow the directions and was a terrible guesser at the mechanics of a chocolate chip cookie. "Can you make another batch the right way?" Jon asks me pleadingly. I oblige and with my little recipe in hand I produce a perfect batch of moist and delicious cookies. And this is why Moms will always make the best cookies.

Ciao, Areli