We're Sorry, Santa.

Yesterday we went to visit Santa, but I'm not sure we made a great impression on him. Heidi Sage failed to smile at him...and Clinton failed to get near him.

I was at the very least hoping for the classic screaming and crying picture, but Clinton has this amazing way of turning into a noodle making himself impossible to pick up and forced into placement. So our pictures are mostly of Clinton on the floor....or on the run.

Clinton writing his letter to Santa. It was actually just tracings of his hands, but he told us about wanting Thomas the Train, a robot truck, and a race car.

Clinton did enjoy seeing his girlfriend, Anderson. They laid on the stage and talked about whatever little lovies talk about, and Clinton enjoyed watching her dance to Christmas tunes. Seeing Anderson was probably the highlight of the entire trip for Clinton.

Typical pictures for our children these days. Clinton--completely uncooperative. Heidi Sage--picture perfect. Both amusing and adorable in their own way.

It was a fun morning full of donuts, spilled coffee, Santa-letter writing, dancing on the stage while the well-behaved children made crafts, jabbering during the Christmas story, and running from Santa. Let's just hope the jolly old man still wants to come down our chimney!

Our sincerest apologies, Santa.

Christmas Cuteness

Christmas Lights Up -- CHECK!

Trees Decorated -- CHECK!

All Shopping Completed -- CHECK!

Adorable Christmas Outfits to Wear Everyday of the Season Courtesy of Bebe -- CHECK!

We're ready for Christmas! We started out by getting the outside lights put up. Clinton loved this because he loves "hupping", even if it isn't really all that hup-ful. But he also really loves umbrellas, so he was excited about the rain. Heidi Sage loves sitting in her wagon being in the middle of whatever we're doing....so needless to say, she was also a bit excited.

This week we received our Christmas wardrobe from my mom (Bebe). Heidi Sage and Clinton are going to be two very well dressed Christmas cuties. We've already started wearing our gear, and don't be surprised if all of our pictures from now to Christmas are full of these outfits. We're going to wear them to death!

Holly Jolly,

Monster Trucks

I have noticed that our little Heidi Sage possesses some personality traits very similar to that of her brother. She is LOUD. She is curious. She is impatient about food and sleep. She is funny.

However, she also possesses a few traits that are her own. My favorite? ...she is content. And she is ALWAYS content in her wagon outside. She can sit and watch her brother play or watch Daddy wash the cars or watch me plant bulbs. I love this picture because it paints a picture of some very real differences between my kids at this stage in our lives---Heidi Sage is sitting perfectly in her all white outfit delicately playing with her toy. Clinton is half dressed, knees to the aggregate, demanding a new car or truck every 30-60 seconds. This is who they are right now.

This was a particularly fun day. It was cloudy. It was a little chilly. We were quarantined with a bacterial blood infection (Heidi Sage), flu shot reactions (Clinton), and tonsillitis (me). I was determined to make it a fun day and even more determined to stay away from the TV. So we found ourselves outside....in the mulch....with monster trucks.....a shovel to make a monster truck track.....a broom to sweep up Daddy's sidewalk that got dirty via the monster trucks....and some cars for the monster trucks to crush.

Clinton had a big time. He loved crushing the cars. He loved "washing" the trucks because they got dirty. And he loved crashing the trucks and telling me, "Oh no, dey wecked!"

I loved watching him pretend and get lost in this fantasy world of big wheeled trucks that can crush anything. (He's completely oblivious to how redneck it is....we'll keep it that way, for now.)

He was even happy when it was time to go in because I took him straight to the bathtub which was immediately filled with floating black mulch. Yippee....one more thing for our cleaning lady (me) to clean.

If I'm not mistaken, the entire outing was free of a single two-year old tantrum. We might just have to do this again...

Vroom-Vroom,

GLITTER

Move over, Mariah!! We have our own version of "Glitter" and it's sure to be more entertaining than the box-office dud you exposed us to so many years ago.

To get this story started, let's first play a quick game. See if you can find the missing object in the second picture.

These shelves are hung high enough to be out of reach of a toddler's hands...so I thought. As you may have noticed, a certain green item went missing. It should be stated that Clinton has asked about this particular item on several occasions over the last six months, but each time I told him it was "yucky" or "dirty" or "broken"...leading him to believe we couldn't touch it.

Our neighbors recently moved out and gave us a stereo that came with two separate speakers. I had accepted the stereo with plans to put it in the play room. I had yet to set it up, so it was just hanging out on the floor. That was, until Clinton found another purpose for one of the speakers...

Do you notice how the speaker has been carefully placed in front of the shelves, and turned on its side for stable standing? And how the green bin is gone???

So, all of this had happened, and Rodney and I were downstairs completely unaware that any of our surroundings had changed. Do I believe if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it still make a sound? Uh, YES!! Just as surely as I believe that if a two year old is alone to make a mess and no one is there to witness it, it is still a mess.....that someone eventually has to clean up!! And let's just say I am A.K.A. "someone".

While the upstairs sat in its new....ummm, condition...we sat down to eat dinner. Clinton was actually sitting in his seat. Being compliant. Eating his food. Why the red flags weren't popping out of his ears I don't know!?!? This is not how this child behaves during meals, and the next time I'll know not to be mentally patting myself on the back for finally "fixing" him, but rather thinking about where he's been and what he might have done.

Then Rodney starts this conversation...

"I think Clinton got into some glitter. Is there glitter that he can get into?"

"No...I don't think so. He has some crayons that have glitter in them, he probably just got some flecks of that on him." Proud of myself for knowing exactly what my child could have been in, I continued with my dinner.

"Well, it was kind of all over his sweater. Like all over it."

I look over to see Rodney has already removed the sweater. Oooh, it must've been bad.

Hmmm. What else would have had glitter on it. Glitter. Glitter. Glitter. Oh, no...GLITTER!

I suddenly remembered that a year or so ago, I had so craftily set up an art area in the play room and put all the art supplies on the shelves. This way they were available....but not accessible (to little hands).

I dropped my fork and ran upstairs. As I reached the top of the stairs, my eyes couldn't find the black shelf fast enough. My heart sank as I realized the green bin was not where I had left it so many months ago. I began scanning the room.....couch--clean, relciner--clean, big table--clean, play mat--clean, tool bench--clean.......train table---SPARKLY!

I couldn't help but laugh out loud (as I was crying on the inside). I could see how he not only strategically dumped it, but had carefully run his fingers through it to make trails and patterns. I took it all in and went downstairs shutting the gate behind me.

I ate my dinner then took Clinton upstairs with me so he could "confess" what he had done and apologize for it. As we got to the top of the steps he ran straight over to the mess then turned around with arms straight out, palms facing up, and his surprised face! :-0

"Clinton, did you....?" I was quickly cut off with this exclamation by my young son....

"OH, NO!!!! What happened?"

AH, ha ha ha ha ha.....this is why he never thinks he's in trouble....because I laugh at him all the time! Oh, well.....I'll enjoy him now, maybe his wife can fix him down the road. ;-)

So, I cleaned.....and cleaned.....and cleaned. My Dyson has never been so shiny. And now our play room carpet has a little sparkle to it too... I've heard it can take years to get it all out....I've heard. Before cleaning it up, I asked Rodney if wanted to go see the mess and his response was, "I don't want anything to do with that up there." Okay, I'll handle it. :-(

So, the green bin with the remaining glitter has found a new home....and I am continuing to try to stay one step ahead of my little monster....but it is proving to be more and more difficult each and every day!

Razzle-Dazzle,

Is It Friday Yet???

....details to come!!! (But I must go rest my weary head!)

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Tickle Bug

I just love this little girl's laugh!!

Bath Time Beauty

Occasionally, Heidi Sage gets to take a bath without her brother. And as much as she loves her brother, somehow bath time with him just isn't very relaxing. There's usually a lot of splashing, water pouring, and loud noises. So, from time to time Heidi Sage gets to take a quiet relaxing bath all by herself....something every girl loves....and this girl is proving to be no different.

Nashville Star?

For those of you who don't know, I found my way to Tennessee by way of a big, crazy dream. I got this wild idea that I was going to be songwriter. So, I picked up my diploma, packed a trailer with some mismatched furniture and a guitar I still don't know how to play, and moved to Nashville....all alone.

There were many days and nights I sat alone in my little apartment with nothing to do and no one to talk to. In fact, I lost a lot of weight when I moved here because I didn't have anywhere to go but the gym. Funny, I don't even remember what it was like to be alone. I'm not even sure I remember what quiet is. Wait....is there even still such a thing as privacy? And...ummm...my fat butt hasn't seen a gym in some time!

Obviously, my life is in a very different place than it was 6 years ago. I can't help but think that God gave me the desire to be a little country starlet just to get me on a path that would cross Rodney's....and boy is that a story for another day!!

So, my dreams of making it big in the music biz didn't exactly pan out, but my dreams of a prince charming, beautiful children and a blessed life did. And maybe, just maybe, should his heart so desire, one of my kids may be on his own path for a musical destiny.

Clinton found my guitar in the play room and figured out how to open the case (dang those super-tuned fine motor skills!). I could hear strumming coming from upstairs. Alarmed, I headed up to see what was going on. Clinton was playing a song....and has played one almost every day since. He loves it. It's one of the few things he understands he has to be careful with and treats it nice. I hope he always looks forward to the possibilities of music!

Living vicariously through Taylor Swift,