facelift

It was time for a little face lift.

Hope you enjoy!

delicious and pretty

Tomato and Bread Salad

Ingredients:

6 Roma tomatoes

1/2 sweet onion

1 orange or yellow bell pepper

3/4 cup olive oil and vinegar salad dressing

1/2 loaf ciabatta bread

feta cheese

fresh basil

Directions:

Cut tomatoes into large chunks. I quartered them and then cut the quarters in half. Then chunk the bell pepper into similar sized pieces. Slice the onion into thin rings.

Mix these ingredients with the dressing. Put in the fridge and let marinate for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cube the ciabatta loaf and toss on a sheet pan. Spray cubes with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss.

Bake cubes for 10-15 minutes. Slightly toasted but not too crunchy.

To serve, mix bread cubes with vegetables and sprinkle with fresh basil and feta cheese.

And now for the pretty--

Hydrangeas.

From my OWN hydrangea plants. Yippeee!!! My favorite flowers are finally in bloom. Lofton and Reese planted five of them last Mother's Day. They are now in full bloom and absolutely lovely.

There is something so satisfying about cutting flowers from your yard to display inside.

this is not a joke

Little Boo and I went to Target today. MOY {mama of the year- that's me} neglected to calculate the amount of diapers she would go through now that Little Boo is home all day. We go through lots in case you were wondering.

We were perusing the aisles, killing time, when I stumbled upon these:

Pardon my language, but is this S^&% for real? Huggies really thought DENIM diapers would be a good sell?

Someone in product development should be fired. Immediately.

Rest assure, Reese's bottom will NOT be wearing these.

v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n

Vacation. Just the word brings a smile to my face.

{But to clarify for all of you non-education people-- I'm not actually on "vacation." I work on a nine month contract, not twelve. Summer falls into the three months I'm technically "not employed." I have to remind Lofton of this fact often during June and July. Someone gets a little jealous that I'm home and he's at work. Then I sweetly remind him that he gets to eat lunch out, play golf on occasion, and most importantly, use the restroom when he wants. Nine months out of the year I don't. That usually shuts him up.}

For our first day at home, Reese woke me up at six. He was super-enthused about spending the day together. I started my "walking plan" and we were back home before seven.

We enjoyed breakfast on the couch with Mickey Mouse, took a shower, went to Target and the grocery, and made pimento cheese all before eleven. This little guy LOVES pimento cheese. I also made a super yummy dinner last night- recipe coming tomorrow.

Today our goal is to rest more, work less. We did walk this morning {even though we didn't really want to} and we also ran some errands, but our only other job for the day is to make and deliver dinner to the Hamrick's. And that's not really a job because I'll get to satisfy my baby smell fix.

Also on my list is to scan Reese's school pictures into the computer to share... he is one beautiful baby.

{The smudge in these pictures is from my camera lens-- not our walls. Although our walls are probably dirty.}

moo-moo hiss

While Lofton and I were off doing this:

Reese was at Nonna and Buck's enjoying himself immensely.

He got a lesson in hanging dish towels---

And he played with lots of new toys, including a bubble mower, new puzzles, a leap frog talking caterpillar, and of course, new books. He also revisited some old favorites.

Little Boo also spent some time tormenting the cats. Let's just say, he no longer meows when asked what noise a cat makes... he hisses.

Reese and Ella are not friends {Layla spent the weekend in hiding}. Not at all. Reese is accustomed to animals that allow him to pull their tails, snuggle up on the floor, and not-so-gently pat.

Ella wasn't really digging any of that.

And now for a little farm humor::

We had been telling Reese for days that he was going to stay with Nonna and Buck. He likes to look at their pictures in the house, and there is one specific picture in the kitchen that he talks to every morning. While I put on his shoes, he tells the people in the picture "Bye-Bye." Every morning last week I heard, "Bye Bye, Nuh Nuh!" "Bye Bye, Buh!" "Bye Bye, Da Da!"

And then something in his little brain changed. We aren't exactly sure what happened, but on the drive down, either Lofton or I said something about going to see Buck and Nonna. "My Buh?" says Reese, followed by "My Moo Moo?"

Hold up. Your who???

That's right, Reese has now re-named my mom -- Moo Moo. Clearly he knows what he's doing. We tried all weekend to get him to say Nonna, because obviously we know he can say it. Just as emphatically as we'd say Nonna, he'd say Moo Moo. He was yelling "Moooooo Mooooo!!!" at one point and stomping his feet.

And so, my poor mama is now a cow. Just kidding Mom! But it is really, really funny-- and {I'm hopeful} only temporary.

refreshed and an introduction

Back to reality.

Okay, not really, cause I'm on an extended vacation.

We are, however, home from the Grand. It was beautiful and Lofton and I really enjoyed our "us" time. You forget what it's like to do things {eat, shower, sleep} when YOU want.

After I visit the grocery and conquer our mound of laundry, I'll catch you up on what Little Boo did while we were away. He had a blast.

But first, drumroll please---

I'd like to introduce:

Charles Richard Hamrick, III

Born Friday, May 21, 2010

Seven pounds, seven ounces and 20 inches long

He is a beautiful blessing and an answer to so many prayers. We are over the moon excited for Ashley and Rich. I was at the hospital for his arrival and Ashley was quite the champ! Rich didn't do half bad either, and when he walked out to show us the first pictures I lost it. He is such a proud DADDY!

Lofton and I are taking dinner to them tomorrow night. I'm going to get my fix of "baby scent" and let Reese meet his new best friend.

sittin on G, waiting on O

The germs seem to have vacated the premises. Can I get an Hallelujah? After two weeks of strep throat, a snotty nosed toddler, and husband who didn’t quite know how to handle it all—I’m ready to scream “We’re healed!!!”

We conducted an informal “trial” run of summer yesterday. There was lots of playing outside, some errand running, a birthday party, and some cleaning.

Oh, and we took family pictures on Saturday afternoon.

A friend knows a photographer who graciously drove down and hosted a picture party. Lots of us teacher-folk signed up for times and made the trek into the country for some farm-fun pictures. We took gobs of just Reese and then some of the three of us, too. And, because we were early for our slot {shock}, we got to sneak a peek at our favorite twins getting their photos snapped.

The pictures won’t be ready for viewing until the first week in June. So you can just let your excitement build.

On the horizon:

· Last week of school, yippee! I didn’t know if I was going to make it—especially considering the last few weeks. BUT, the day has a arrived and I.AM.READY.

· Baby Charlie’s arrival {scheduled for Friday} Sweet Ashley is about to pop and so am I—with excitement. I can’t wait to love on Charlie all summer. She and Rich are going to be fabulous parents. Charlie and Reese are required to be best friends.

· Packing for our husband/wife night away!!! Dinner reservations have been made, tentative plans have been set, and we are excited to R-E-L-A-X. As Reese screamed through dinner last night, Lofton looked at me and said, “Won’t it be nice to eat in peace on Sunday?” Yes it will, hubs. And although I’ll miss the little tot, one night apart won’t kill us.

dusting off

One of my favorite things about summer is the time I have to read. I do love a good book. I could spend hours neglecting housework, television, and sometimes my toddler.

A sweet child in my room gave me a gift certificate many moons ago, and so to kick start my summer reading drive I went to Books A Million over the weekend.

What did I snag?

First up, is this book:

I’m not one for following parenting books to the letter, but I do like to read parenting books as a resource. I totally believe in following my instincts—such as they are. However, as comfortable as I am taking care of a child {feeding, bathing, loving}, this whole discipline thing kind of throws me for a loop. I solicited some opinions from other parents/friends and this book came highly recommended.

Next was this:

The author is from Jackson, Mississippi, and I love a southern gal! I’ve read rave reviews and I’m excited to start reading—but first I’ve got to finish book number three…

This:

Oh Laura, I’m smitten. Not to get overly political {although I can if you’d like}, but I love Laura and George. Presidency aside {for neutrality sake}, I admire their deep faith, their devotion to family, and their commitment to each other.

This book is a CAN’T PUT DOWN. The first half covers Laura’s life growing up, her courtship with GW, and their political beginnings. The second half covers their life from 9/11 onward.

The book divulges so many interesting tidbits about their lives during that frightening time and moving forward. I’ve been moved to tears more than once and I’m not even a “book” crier.

Lofton has actually asked me when my “affair” with Laura is going to be over. I think he’s jealous.

love of my life

The love of my life has been absent from the blog lately, mainly because he’s always busy and, well, Reese is such a cutie.

We are going on an overnight excursion next week-- just the two of us—for the first time ever. We’ve been away from Reese before but always for some reason; a wedding, a night with friends, never just cause.

Reese is going to spend some QT time with my parents while Lofton and I slip away for a night at the Grand in Fairhope. A little shopping, sunning by the pool, and eating—just the two of us. Lofton requested the trip a few months ago. He said “it would be good for our marriage.” This led me to quip “Are you trying to tell me we need counseling?” He wasn’t really being that serious, but I got the hint.

It’s a delicate balance, I’ve found, being a wife and a mother. I’m not always the best at doing both simultaneously. And when you throw in the demands of work—I’m spent. There just isn’t enough of me to go around.

Lofton and I have always been the couple who do everything together. Grocery shop, cook, clean—we even watch television together at night. That hasn’t changed. But our us time has definitely been diminishing as Reese time occupies its slot. I’m ever so aware that our us time will only continue to shrink as Reese’s demands grow, as our schedules fill-up, and as more children {one day far-far-far down the road} enter the mix.

I think I’ve finally realized I can’t do everything. And when I try to do everything I end up not doing anything well. When I look at the news, read other people’s blogs, and listen to friends' stories, I can’t help but be reminded of what is truly important in life: my husband and my child.

My goal for the summer is to do better. To find a better balance while I have time to breathe—before school strikes up again in August.

And I’ve attached a picture—an oldie—for y’all.

This is the hubs and I way back in 2004. The story of our courtship is tangled and twisted, but this night was one the best of my life. We look so happy, so young, and so in love. And we still are—except maybe not the young part. It stays on our refrigerator to remind us daily of how lucky we are to have one another.

sleep tight

Meet Abe.

I’m not sure you’ve been formally introduced. He’s our new pet turtle. The only kind of extra pet we can handle right now—stuffed and self-sufficient.

Nonna bought Abe for us at the suggestion of a friend. At night he moonlights as a sleep aide. My summertime goal is to get Reese on a better nighttime routine:: one that doesn’t involve rocking him until he falls asleep and then creeping over to his bed and gently dropping him inside.

Lofton and I have met on common ground. We will rock Reese for a little while—we’re not abandoning our snuggle time entirely—but after rocking for a few minutes he goes into his bed AWAKE.

Abe has offered to help us by shining lights through his hard turtle exterior onto the ceiling. Now, in the cover of darkness, Reese’s room is transformed into a planetarium. Blue and green stars blanket the ceiling.

It’s super cool. Reese LoVes it. And I kind of want my own Abe.

And for a flashback moment-- little man taking a siesta seventeen months ago. My how time flies!

strep, staph and stolen cars

I woke up Saturday morning to something quite unexpected. As I stumbled into the kitchen to get my adorable husband some juice, I glanced out our window and noticed that my car was gone.

As in MISSING, not there, absent from its usual home.

Of course, I freaked. There was yelling--lots of it--and some foul language mixed in, too. All the while, lazy husband continued to lie on the couch and laugh.

Surprise! He had gotten up early, taken my car to the detail place, and then WALKED home. At like five. In the dark.

It was a super start to what turned into not so super of a weekend.

Yesterday all three of us went to the doctor. Lofton in the am, Reese at lunch, and then myself in the afternoon.

Lofton and I both have strep throat. Yep, that’s right, I’m still sick. And now I’ve infected the hubs. Lofton just needed a little shot though. He’s only mildly infected.

My white blood cell count is abnormally high which evidently indicates the possibility of a secondary infection. I’m now on some super strength antibiotics which have zapped me of all energy. I was also given some “magic mouthwash.” I had never heard of it before and I hope to never need it again. What a combination; Mylanta, Benadryl, and lidocaine all mixed into a drink. It’s delish and coming to a bar near you soon!

Reese has a yucky cold. His poor nose is so raw that I almost cry just looking at it. We were certain he was going to have strep also, but so far our luck has held out with that.

Unfortunately, when we went to the ENT today for our post surgery check-up we got more bad news. It appears little man has staph {or a staph like infection} in his nose. He is now on antibiotics, plus an antibiotic nose ointment. We go back for a check-up again next Wednesday.

So that was our mother’s day {plus today}. Lots of sore throats, stuffy noses, and whining. The boys did get me two sweet cards, a new book, and a picture frame with an imprint of sweet boys’ chubby hand. And the car—it’s been rightfully returned to its home in the driveway; free of dog hair, trash, and pollen. I'm going to try my hardest to keep it that way!

Even sick I’m reminded of how blessed I am to be this little man’s mama. God chose me to take care of this child specifically; to love and nurture him, laugh at him, and encourage him. How great the responsibility parenthood is. Reese squealed with joy every time I opened his musical card yesterday. He is a constant reminder to Lofton and I that we need to take in each little moment-- in sickness and health.

mama love

The longer I'm a mama the more grateful I am for the amazing woman who gave birth to me.

My mama is beautiful and smart, sassy and funny. She should win a trophy for putting up with my dad. She is my best friend in the world, and equally adored by my sixteen year old brother. That says a lot-- cause well, he's sixteen.

My son thinks she hung the moon and I'm not so sure she couldn't. I wish she lived closer so we could sit on the porch, have a drink, and watch Reese swing in the afternoons.

I love you, Mama. And I hope that one day my kids {plural--if I ever have another one} adore me as much as we adore you.

i don't make this stuff up

Just when things started to get healthy around here--- the stink really hit the fan.

A brief synopsis of the past few days:

Saturday-- I woke up with a sore throat. Thought I could attribute it to my sinuses and went about my usual doings. By Saturday night, I had a fever and could not swallow without flinching and gripping my hands into fists.

Sunday-- I "woke" up {cause I never really "went" to sleep} feeling as bad as I've ever felt. Like, I was having serious flashbacks to when I was sick/ in labor with Reese. It was that bad. My parents kept Reese {yep, they were here} and the hubs took me to Auburn Urgent Care. Yay for college flashbacks! Boo for strep throat. I've never had strep throat before so I was actually a little surprised by my diagnosis. In addition, the doctor told me that my white blood count was three times the normal limit {i.e., I was really sick.} I then had to have a shot. And it hurt.

Lovely, strep is contagious and we have a toddler 10 days post-surgery. He gets packed up and sent to LaGrange.

Monday-- Still not feeling any better and still not sleeping. Start taking my oral antibiotic. Two doses in, I experience terrible, rolling-in-an-ant-hill, itching. My face is also swollen. I pretty much look like the girl who turned blue in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Tuesday-- Lofton takes me to my regular doctor who tests me for mono. I cry while while they wait for the results. Seriously? Mono. Lofton tells me I have to move out to the shed. I cry more. Doctor comes back-- no mono. Instead I'm diagnosed as being allergic to Augmentin. How have I not discovered this before? The doctor switches my antibiotic and gives me a steroid shot.

And today? I went back to work. Still tired {couldn't sleep last night cause of my roid rage}, but not contagious. We teachers classify that as able to work or I can function better than a sub.

Dear Summer,

Please come soon.

Love,

E