Another Birthday

This blog is celebrating its first anniversary.

A year ago today John made me laugh, and I took the time to contact blogger about the blog I had created years ago.

Many writers have attempted to analyze the old blogosphere.

I love Amy Wellborn's little snippet here. I love that Danielle Bean has a picture of one of her children looking at his tummy along with a caption about navel gazing. Yes, this blogging thing does feel like so much self-indulgent, navel gazing.

But it sure is fun.

One of my inspirations for this blog was my friend and fellow veteran yearbook advisor, Amy Parris. After a few children, Amy gave up on baby books and Creative Memories and embraced blogging to capture those special moments. I am one with Amy on this. I am not sure John even has a baby book. Kolbe's is filled poignant details such as "You are so cute!" and "We love you so much!" Lame, lame, mega lame.

My mother produced baby books that are true works of art. Every tooth that erupted, every shot given, the day my poor sister Karen had something horrible lanced on her rear-end - every detail is dutifully recorded in that flawless Catholic school girl penmanship. No can do around here. But I can blog.

I love looking back at faces and funny comments of this precious family God has given me.

I love to write! As a former English teacher and a lover of both grammar and punctuation, I have been sadly shocked at the number of errors I make. Twenty years ago I would have abandoned the whole project for just this reason. If I couldn't do something perfectly (in my estimation), I wouldn't do it all. In this small area, I am older and wiser. Why give up something you enjoy just because you tend to type "they" instead of "the"? Blogging has helped me grow in humility.

I love to see the bigger picture. John is potty trained and doesn't escape nearly as often as he did a year ago! The obsession with peanut butter has passed! We are all getting flu shots this year!

I love laughing at Kolbe's jokes all over again.

I love the encouraging women I have encountered in online world, women like Mary and Farmer's City Wife, to name just a few.

I love to share the tidbits of my day with family far away in Michigan. One of these days I'll convince one of my relatives to leave a comment!

Happy birthday to you, oh humble blog! Thanks for capturing my memories.

Happy Birthday

He's now nine years old, so I suppose I should stop calling him Sunshine. But the name just fits. Kolbe arrived after a long four year wait. He brought light, joy, humor, and spice to our family.

He brings them still.

We joined the YMCA when Kolbe was about four. Everyone lined up for I.D. photos. Click. There's Mom smiling nicely, hands folded. Click. There's Tim smiling nicely, hands folded. Click. There's Kolbe dancing, hands waving in the air. I still have his original I.D. because it still cracks me up.

I'll close with his latest joke: Why doesn't the cannibal eat clowns? They taste funny.

Bon Appetit!

With Kolbe’s two birthday celebrations, we’ve been keeping the new oven busy with chocolate confections and lots of them.

I am no great chef, but I can whip up a few snazzy desserts. The older boys, however, have recently come clean with me – they prefer box cakes to my chocolate torte.

“That frosting that comes in a can - it’s awesome,” they tell me. I’ve learned to swallow my pride and embrace a cheaper and quicker way to celebrate birthdays.

This morning cupcakes are on the menu. John is offering his assistance. Alone, this job is quick and clean. With assistance of the toddler variety, it is slow and sloppy. But one look into those gorgeous brown eyes, and who can say no? They are darker than Duncan Hines chocolate fudge frosting and just as irresistible.

So we begin. Step 1 – rip open the bag and promptly spill it all over.

“Look at this mess!” John says with dismay. “Cwean it up, Mama!”

Did I mention that my pint-sized sous-chef is also bossy? We dump and stir and taste until John’s entire face is the color of his eyes.

“Wooo whee!” he yells. “This is so much fun!”

And it was.

Small Successes

Join the women of Faith and Family as they encourage each other. We have survived two crazy weeks. Today is the first day I am able to draw a breath. A few highlights:

1. I have a new phone to replace the one pictured below! Thankfully it was a whole lot cheaper than the dishwasher, oven, or microwave all of which we have replaced in the last month. May nothing else die until the bank account recovers.

2. Ainsley walks!

3. The weather may dip below 90 by Sunday. Originally, Sunday was supposed to be 87 and Monday was looking like 82. Eighty two!!!! The revised forecast says 90 and 89. Augusta is nearing 120 consecutive days above 90 degrees. Today's heat index is 100. And that rain we enjoyed all Summer? Gone, gone, gone. We are so desperate for a break.

Did I mention we are going to Florida for vacation next week? What were we thinking?

What's happening with you?

Incommunicado

I thought the phone had survived the dip in the lemonade, but, alas, its dicey performance called for a full-scale take apart. The results were grim. The main ribbon that allowed the slide phone to slide was tacky and shredded.

No wonder I didn't get any of the eleven calls Tim placed Monday afternoon when John had, ahem, lower g.i. issues all over the house.

Life can be messy.

No Self-esteem Issues Here

We are reviewing the menu for tomorrow's birthday bash.

Kolbe: Hot dog and hamburgers. The hamburgers are for Tim.

Me: Kolbe, you are kind and considerate.

Kolbe: And gifted!

Me: And humble!

Kolbe: Humble. A humble genius.

Initiating the Cause for Hendwy's Canonization . . .

Me: John, you're starting the atrium today. You get to learn all about Jesus.

John: And Hendwy.