Yes, the Pruitt's are still alive...

Just busy!!! As I'm sure you are so lets just say that my little blogging vacation was for your benefit. If I don't post, you don't have anything to read so you are free to take care of the more pressing matters in your life. How selfless of me, right?

The truth is, I told myself that I wasn't going to post anything again until my quilt was finished. Well, the class ended in October and after safety pinning my quilt to our area rug (80 times... really) and becoming bff's with my seam riper, I am sad to report that the quilt remains incomplete. However, I have since taken a pillowcase dress making class and have been much more successful. I finished my 4th dress tonight! These little cuties are super easy to make and adorable. For pics check my Facebook album, "Pillow Talk" and stay tuned for an Etsy store featuring the dresses and other creations (but no quilts!).

Lucy is as busy as ever learning new words by the minute and putting thoughts and ideas together into short little sentences. Her latest favorite phrases are "I did it" (said in an excited, toddler-just-accomplished-something-new sort of way), "where'd go" (usually referring to something passing by the car window, a dog, or mommy or daddy), and "see ya". She now enjoys calling us "Mom" and "Dad" which I don't enjoy so much and she has a great time "tattling" on mommy and daddy. Now, we don't sneeze, yawn, or go "teetee" without the other one knowing. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with her now that I'm on Christmas break. She is such a fun, independent, imaginative, and silly little lady and I cannot express how much joy I feel each time I look at her.

In case I don't post before Christmas, (and lets face it, I probably won't) I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year...

(In this space, I planned to post our 2010 Christmas photo, however, I can't find it on the computer. So, if you will picture Jeff in a black and white zebra print Snuggy, me in a brown and black leopard print Sunggie, and Lucy in a hot pink Snuggie in front of a Christmas tree with happy grins on our faces, then you will be on the same page as I am when I say, "Snuggy" up to the ones you love and have a Merry Christmas!!!)

Sewing Sisters

While on vacation this summer, my sister-in-law and I decided we wanted to learn how to sew and make our own baby clothes. (I'm going to pause now so those of you who know me well can reread that sentence, catch your breath, and prepare yourselves for the rest of this post.)

Oh good! You managed to pick yourselves up off of the floor, found your way back to the computer, and are now ready to continue.

For those of you are aren't so familiar with my sewing abilities, let me provide some background info. I kind of know how to sew on a button. I can actually thread a needle and get it through the holes and the button stays on, but it certainly doesn't look like it did when I originally purchased the article of clothing from the store. I have been known to hot glue the hem of my pants because, lets face it, if my button sewing skills are questionable, why would I attempt something as complicated as the entire hem of a pair of pants? (Hot glueing works just fine, by the way.) Once, in college, I got the urge to learn how to sew a sundress. "How hard could it be," I thought. I borrowed a sewing machine from a friend, picked out a pattern and material, and was on my way. Until I actually took the sewing machine out of the box. I couldn't figure out where the thread was supposed to go. I gave up on the sewing machine and decided to do it by hand. Until I unfolded the pattern and couldn't figure out which piece was the top and which was the bottom. Nor could I figure out how to measure myself and translate that into a size for the dress. The whole event lasted about 20 minutes. I returned the sewing machine the next day and decided that my store bought dresses were well worth the price. I mean, out there somewhere was a genius who not only knew how to thread the sewing machine, but also came up with a design without a pattern to follow.

Fast forward 5 years, add a husband and a kid and you can find me on the couch in a fabulous penthouse suite looking at a Facebook page for a friend of Lindsay's who has started a business making precious children's clothes. I believe our exact words were, "We could so make that!" (Kelsey, this has brought back so many memories for me!) Right when we got home, I began researching sewing machines and asking around for potential brave women to take on the challenge of a lifetime and teach my sister-in-law and me how to sew. Perhaps the Lord has blessed me with a gift that has yet to be unlocked because soon after deciding to embark on this new adventure, Lindsay's church announced that they would be sponsoring a quilting class for beginnings (for FREE!!!). We signed up with hopes that this class will give us some sewing basics and perhaps something semi-resembling a quilt by the end.

We began our class 2 weeks ago. (I know, I'm a blogging slacker.) We arrived happy to find that we are not surrounded by 100 year old ladies who have been quilting for years and just need something to do on a Thursday night. Actually, we aren't even the youngest in the class nor are we the only ones without experience. However, I think we kind of scared the teacher when we not-so-sutlely described just how clueless we are. When she informed us that we would not be bringing our sewing machines to class since she will simply be demonstrating what we will be doing for homework each week, I think Lindsay and I had a moment of slight panic. We left her speechless when we asked, "But who will show us how to turn the machine on?" I think she had a moment of slight panic when she asked, "Well, what kind of machine do you have?" and we responded, "Well, it depends on what kind you tell us to get tonight." Everyone in the class gave their input on machines, we said a polite "good-bye," and left the poor lady to rethink her description of the class as "beginner".

I completed the first homework assignment, purchasing supplies (for me, that included a sewing machine) with only a little assistance from Jeff. (I'm glad one of us knows what batting is.)

Yes, that is a sewing machine you see back there, thanks to all of the family members who contributed to my wonderful birthday present. And, after reading the manuel, I now know how to turn it on! (My mom is going to show me how to thread it this Thursday.)

Class number 2 taught us how to cut our fabric into the blocks that will eventually be sewn together in our quilt. The teacher demonstrated it and then gave us a turn to practice. I think I shocked everyone when I cut it perfectly on the first try. However, the lady did call my fabric "interesting" and when I asked if I could use satin ribbon for the binding she responded with "Well, I've never seen a quilt with a satin binding, but if you can figure out how to make it work then go ahead." I don't think I need to attempt anything new and exciting on my first masterpiece so I will return the satin ribbon and choose some fabric. (Remember Lucy, Mommy doesn't always make the rules; she just follows them.)

I'm happy to report that I successfully completed homework assignment #2 with no problems (and I didn't need any help from Jeff).

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I am a natural-born shopper. It's a trait that has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. As far as I know, it all began with my Nana (I never knew my great-grandparents, but my Nana was a master shopper (among other things) so I have to believe that she learned it from her mother who learned it from her mother and so on but I have no proof so I'll begin with Nana). Nana could smell a deal from 2 states and 3 outlet malls away. I think she enjoyed her trips to South Carolina partly because of all of the outlet malls on I95 between here and Florida (the other part was getting to see her precious grandchildren and getting to take them shopping). Many of my fondest childhood memories involve shopping with Nana. We even have shopping traditions in our family. For example, every Christmas Eve Nana would give all of the grandkids $75 and brave the last minute crowds with 2 to 4 children so that we could pick out pre-Christmas presents. (Somehow we never ended up buying what Santa had already gotten us.) Every summer, at our annual beach trip, the rainy day that never failed to come was spent at the mall buying back-to-school clothes. Nana always let us get the not-so-practical, but absolutely-necessary-to-be-cool things that our mom's just couldn't see the need for. She even had a shopping rule: You can't shop and cook on the same day. (I've always wondered if this rule should apply to grocery shopping?)

My mom and I created "Girl Days". Of course there are hundreds of things girls can do and call them a girl day, but when we say, "we need a girl day" we mean, "we need a shopping trip". (My dad caught on to this a little too quickly.) We have bonded over many a dress, shoe, and sale rack. I know that men don't understand or see the need for so much shopping, but I believe that the Good Lord created shopping to help mothers and daughters (and grandmothers and granddaughters and aunts and nieces... you get the idea) build and strengthen relationships. Think about it... could there be a better way to bond with someone than shopping for prom dresses, homecoming outfits, the wedding dress (only the most important dress of your life), the dreaded maternity clothes, the outfit you will bring you precious bundle of joy home from the hospital in, and your first "just lost all of my baby weight" outfit? Sitting on the beach comes close, but there is just something about searching for that coveted new item you must add to your wardrobe that can bring two women/girls together like a fly hitting one of those bug zapper things.

I say all of this to tell you about one shopping trip in particular. This year for my birthday, my mom gave me a much needed birthday present... a shopping trip to South Park Mall in Charlotte, NC. I say much needed because the last time I have put time and effort toward updating the contents of my closet, I had a 4 week old Lucy growing inside my belly. Sure I have purchased clothes for myself here and there and I did have a couple days of shopping dedicated to buying maternity clothes, but that was out of shear necessity rather than desire. Last Saturday it was as though I was putting on a new pair of glasses (cute, designer ones of course) and seeing the shopping world for the first time. I had forgotten about the shopping process. The "there are a few things I am looking for and would like to find, but just want to look and try on everything" feeling. At first it was a little strange to walk into a store and not have smocking and applique rompers and dresses staring me in the face. Instead, I was greeted with big people clothes. Real mannequins modeling pieces that I needed to take home with me. It was delightful! Oh my good friend, shopping, how I've missed you! The day was very successful; I not only came home with a renewed passion for shopping, but also 2 dresses, 3 pairs of pants, a sweater, and jeggings (although I haven't the slightest idea where I am going to wear the things). (I also bought an outfit and jacket for Lucy. What can I say? I'm a sucker for Lucy clothes!) Watch out Jeff; this could be dangerous! What a fabulous birthday present, Mom! When can we go back?

"First day of school, first day of school! Wake up, Dad! We have to go to school!"

The first day of preschool has to be the saddest day ever! You go to this big place with all these new kids and say good-bye to your favorite person in the whole wide world and you're just supposed to be ok with it! Well, this Mommy was not ok with it. Lucy bounced into the room with a big smile on her face, gave Mommy and Daddy a hug, then put those sweet baby fingers up and said, "bye-bye" like it was nothing. Mommy, on the other hand, walked out crying. Thankfully Daddy will be dropping Lucy off at preschool from now on and I don't ever have to do that again! (Well, until next year.) Lucy had a great day. She was all smiles when Memaw picked her up and blew lots of kisses before telling everyone and everything in the building "bye". Unfortunately her "First Day of School Picture" is on Jeff's phone that got left at work. I'll post the pictures soon. In the meantime-she wore pink floral capris with a spaghetti strap, pink top with floral ruffles at the neckline and bows on the shoulders. She looked like such a big girl carrying her book bag (she calls it her purse) down the hall.

Jeff and I decided to start a new "First Day of School Tradition"...

Going for a special dessert after dinner to talk about her favorite part of the day. (We went to the Nestles Tollhouse Cafe.) I'm not sure what she would say her favorite part was, but I imagine it was getting to play outside. She always goes straight for the playground when we get to church and we've been telling her for weeks that when she comes to preschool, she will get to play on it 2 times a week.

I'll keep everyone posted on all of the preschool fun!

Playing Catch-Up!!!

Oh, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Here are some updates...

Lucy Goose is getting smarter and smarter by the minute. Her latest display of geniousness includes counting and imitating the ABC's. If you say, "1" Lucy says, "2". If she has an item in each hand (ex. a brush in each hand), she says, "2 ______" (ex. 2 brushes). Not only does Lucy imitated letters when you say them, but she also says the sound that they make. I'm telling you, she will be off to Harvard by the time she's 10. She has also discovered who the Gamecocks really are. Of course I blogged a few weeks ago about how she says, "Geecocks" when she sees a picture or image of the Gamecock mascot, but she was formally introduced to the Gamecock football players last Thursday night. We allowed her to stay up an extra few minutes to watch kickoff and now any time she passes he Memaw and Pepaw's TV, she says, "Geecocks" and does a precious little dance. (She doesn't do that when she sees anyone else's TV so I guess she thinks they only play on Memaw and Pepaw's TV.) I will do my best to get some video of our little Cocky doing her dance in her cheerleading uniform this weekend.

Today she proved herself to be a true southern belle by insisting on wearing her Memaw's pearls after nap time. (Sorry no pics of the Princess in her pearls; I've gotten very slack with the picture taking.) Not only is she a brilliant, athletic, beautifully fashionable girl, but she is also growing spiritually. While I was reading her Bible story tonight, she looked at the picture and said, "Jesus". (Very clearly, I might add.) That is just music to a Mommy's ears!

We have also begun redecorating/repainting the living room, hallway, Lucy's bathroom and surprisingly, the kitchen. The painting in the living room is done. We just have a few more things to hang and we're good to go. All that is left in the hallway and kitchen is the trim, touch-ups and, of course, hanging things. I haven't started on Lucy's bathroom, but I have found the decor. We're going for a sophisticated ocean theme...

http://www.amazon.com/Tiddliwinks-Seahorse-Bath-Coordinates/dp/B003FPVHAO

(I couldn't get the pictures to come up so follow this link for the complete collection.) We are going to throw some pink in there as well (of course). And, I'm looking at bubble wall decals and vinyl letters to say "Life is the Bubbles... Under the Sea". I'll be sure to post pics when everything is complete.

A Great Day to be Alive...

I started seeing students yesterday which is always a very exciting time. For one, I get to see what kind of progress they have made with their speech over the summer and for two, they all have great stories to tell about their adventures during the summer (most of which are made up). My most favorite thing is sitting back and letting my kids talk to each other. (I don't do this normally because, being the control freak speech therapist that I am, I like to rule the conversation and the speech room.) Yesterday I met 4 new 2nd graders and began our sessions by allowing them to tell the most spectacular thing they did over the summer. After explaining what "spectacular" means, the stories began. And they got bigger and better as they went. The cutest thing about the group was a sweet little guy who would look at me every now and then and say things like, "I like your hair" or "I like your necklace". To which his group mate would follow with "Oh, me too!" I think they were just trying to get beads (part of my reward system), but none-the-less it was cute!

Today, while walking with one of my 7th graders, this is the conversation we had...

Me: "Andrew, where did you get all of those Silly Bandz?" As I stare in astonishment at the stack of Silly Bandz creeping up his arm to his elbow.

Andrew: "This summer, I cleared out my bank account and spent all of my money on them."

Me: "Wow, you must have had a lot in there!"

Andrew: "$800."

Me: "You spend $800 on Silly Bandz?"

Andrew: "What, I like to buy nice things!"

Bless his heart. (I told you most of the stories were made up. This was before he told me that he went to Florida and swam out into the middle of the ocean and dove to the bottom of the ocean -11 feet in all- and then felt a shark fin touch his leg.)

After a very entertaining day, I went to pick up Lucy, who was finishing a 2.5 hour nap. She woke up as I was coming in MeMaw's door and was in a happy little mood. She insisted on taking out the bottom drawer of MeMaw's jewelry box (she loves pretties) and rummaging through it's contents. As she was playing, she found a pin. She looked at if for a few seconds before shouting with a big smile on her face "Gee Cocks"! (Lucy for "Gamecocks") She handed the pin to MeMaw and sure enough, it was a Gamecock pin. Oh joy of joys, she's a Carolina Girl!!!

As if the day couldn't get any more full of life's simple pleasures, I came home to a mailbox full of magazines and catalogs. I had never heard of one so I opened it first and was so pleasantly surprised when this greeted me from the front page...

Lucy's 1st ski suit! (Not snowsuit because she will be learning how to ski this year!!)

I wasn't incredibly impressed with the rest of the catalog, but they do have a few other cute things including leggings and leg warmers and PRECIOUS clogs! I give hannaAndersson.com 2 thumbs up for kids clothes (whoever Hanna Andersson is).

Today Was a Fairytale...

Ok, so today wasn't really a fairytale, but I'm a little behind on the blogging so just pretend it is last Thursday-Saturday. What was last Thursday-Saturday, you ask? Our 4 year anniversary weekend, of course! Because I started school on Thursday, we drug the celebration out as long as possible. After putting Lucy to bed, I made a DELICIOUS dinner consisting of...

Mediterranean Chicken Pasta Toss (I know it's hard to see the picture, but this salad consists of pasta, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, olives, Mediterranean salad blend, chicken, feta cheese, and a yummy homemade dressing.) Jeff rated this salad as his #2 favorite salad. (2nd to Ruth's Chris's house salad.)

The second coarse consisted of...

Peppered Beef Filets with Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes. I'm still shocked that I transformed this meal from raw ingredients into the scrumptious culinary delight that it was. We both agreed that it was one of the best meals we have ever eaten and the whole thing cost us about $20. And, I learned something in the process... who knew that Beef Tenderloin and Filet Mignon are the same thing??? (Lucy (and Memaw) surprised us with a yummy ice cream cake, but we were too stuffed to enjoy it after dinner. We have, however, thoroughly enjoyed it since.)

I would also like to point out that we finally used our beautiful china (Thanks Scooter).

While we ate dinner, we sent each other clues via picture messages. (We are a little iPhone crazy over here.) I guessed mine on the first clue...

Jeff's plans for the weekend included spending Friday night here, The Mansion on Forsyth Park, in Savannah. Also were we spent our 1st anniversary.

A 4-course dinner at 700 Drayton (My salad moved to Jeff 3rd favorite salad after he ate theirs.)

A moonlight cruise on the Savannah River where we met this guy...

In case you can't tell that is Andy Griffith and Barney Phyfe covering the back of a t-shirt. I was hoping to get a better picture when the dancing began, but this man hugged the side of the railing for the duration of the cruise so I think he was feeling a little too sick to dance.

We also met new Words with Friends partners; a couple celebrating their 5th anniversary. (If you don't know what Words with Friends is, please follow these directions.

1. Buy iPhone or iTouch

2. Download FREE "Words with Friends" app

3. Start a game with Jpruitt10 or laurenprutt (I am, in fact, laurenprutt. Unfortunately my husband doesn't know how to spell my name.)

On Saturday, a special friend was waiting for us at our hotel...

A big horse and his driver (I can't remember their names, but the driver had very long hair.)

After our private carriage ride, we took a trolley tour around Savannah, rode through a cemetery (guess whose idea this was), and took a nap while riding to Tybee Island. (Jeff drove, I napped.) After a very HOT day of playing tourist, we enjoyed a delicious meal with this Lady...

What was Jeff's gift, you ask???

Tickets to Brookhills' Secret Church lead by David Platt... one of his favorite worship speakers and authors. He has to wait a little while to actually get his gift because it's not until November, so stay tuned. (It took him 2 and a half clues.)

Sick day(s)

My precious Lucy-Lu has had a fever since Tuesday. Doctor Grandpa checked her out and says it's just a virus so we've been persistent with Tylenol, Motrin, and juice. Her fever finally broke this afternoon, although it may have been earlier but it was very difficult to tell with this stifling South Carolina heat. Her "illness" got me thinking...

It's very interesting how men, woman, and children handle mild sickness. When woman are feeling a bit under-the-weather, they may or may not (depending on the possible side effects) take medicine and go on with their day. They may try to squeeze in some down time or go to bed early, but for the most part, things run as usual. Children may be a little more fussy than usual, but mostly they go about their business with little indication that they are sick. I am convinced that there is more sugar or (possibly caffeine) in children's Tylenol and Motrin than in a cup of juice because my already very busy Lucy-bee seems to speed up even more (I know, not possible, right??? Oh, my friend, but it is.) at just the sight of the stuff. If it weren't for her all but on fire, H-O-T HOT body, we never would have known she was sick. In fact, we didn't. Her very intuitive Grandma discovered it when I thought she was just hot because it was hot in the house. All this to say, children generally don't show any signs of not feeling well. Men, however, when not feeling well, the Earth may as well stop spinning. (I'm not simply speaking of my husband. This has been confirmed by many wives and mothers.) Everyone and everything must come to a halt because he is sick. And usually, it hasn't occurred to him to try taking some medicine. I find this very interesting!

Moving on, while Lucy was taking a sick day nap, I was reading my new book, The Southern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Newlywed Years by Annabelle Robertson. Since we have been married for almost 4 years (next Thursday) and we have a child, I do not still consider us newlyweds, however, this book caught my eye and was on sale ($1!!!) so I thought I would give it a try. It is cracking me up and will now be my Bridal Shower Staple Gift. (FYI: My Baby Shower Staple Gifts are On Becoming Baby Wise and The Happiest Baby on the Block.) So I'm reading and I suddenly get the urge to organize the kitchen cabinets. (This was not a random, out-of-the-blue feeling. I was reading the chapter where Annabelle (who, to my delight, happens to be a preachers wife) was discussing how hoarders (Jeff) and ditchers (Me) are inadvertently drawn to each other and consequently get married, but struggle to find peace with this difference.) I've been wanting to organize the kitchen cabinets since before Lucy was born, but I was too sick to even open a cabinet, much less touch anything in it. When that stage ended, I was too tired or too instructed not to stand on chairs when my sense of balance wasn't so good, and then, of course, who has time to organize cabinets after a baby comes??? Then my excuse was, "Well, really the upstairs needs to be organized first because the natural order of progression would be the upstairs, then the kitchen, then the living room, so on and so forth". (The thought of organizing the upstairs quickly puts an end to my thoughts of organization because it's really, really bad up there. Like, one may actually go insane after attempting to organize up there!) But today, I guess because I've been in this house with a sick child for a few days, I decided to walk on the wild side and skip the upstairs and go straight for the kitchen. What a wonderful decision! My pantry shelves now slightly resemble aisles at Publix. My china has finally found a home all in one cabinet (perhaps one day I'll have room for a china cabinet but for now, a whole kitchen cabinet will do). My napkins, place mats, and tablecloths are put up high so Lucy can't drag them all over the house. My cookbooks are in a lower cabinet so I can actually use them. All of the medicine is actually in the medicine box, so when my dear husband goes looking for it, he may actually find it! And, I consolidated so much, I have one whole cabinet with absolutely nothing in it. Imagine the possibilities!!! The best part... the world did not end because I went out of order! Actually, as I was admiring my newly organized pantry (it's beautiful!) I thought, "You know, the upstairs may not be that bad. I think I'll organize up there after all". I quickly changed my mind when I walked to the bottom of the stairs and observed the mountain of stuff being held in place by a baby gate and decided a bowl of ice cream (Bryer's Oreo Cookies-n-cream... b1g1 FREE this week at Publix) sounded much better. While eating my ice cream I made a plan of attack for the upstairs (yes, I plan my organization). Jeff has the day off tomorrow and I'm due for a trip to Target (finally a valid excuse!) so perhaps my house will be organized before I go back to school. This thought makes me a little giddy!

Family Vacation

Every year my family (see above photo) enjoys a wonderful beach vacation in Florida. That's right, friends; 16 of my closest relatives all under one roof!!! This vacation has changed a bit over the years. In middle/high school we (the original grandkids) were not so excited to leave our friends and social lives to spend a week whole with our family. We always had a GREAT time with our somewhat odd (at times) family but, since this tradition started before the days of cell phones, it was hard to leave our extremely important lives for a week.

Now, 3 spouses (not all belonging to one individual, of course) and 4 new grandkids later, this week is one that I look forward to all year. Perhaps it's because we all have cell phones, but more likely because it's a week to get away from my daily routine and spend time with family I don't get to see very often. Usually towards the end of vacations I think, "this has been fun and all, but I have much to do when I get home so lets just get on with it." Not with this vacation. Towards the end I get that summers-over-and-school-starts-soon, Sunday-night-the-weekends-over, kind of feeling. It was so fun watching all of the little kids interact (I'm not sure "play" is the appropriate word) and getting to read by the pool while Lucy took a nap and someone else listened for her to wake up, wasn't so bad either! Other highlights...

Baby Bath Club met each afternoon before dinner and briefly after family pictures.

3 nights of family pictures

Recognizing the need for CPA (Coach Purse Anonymous).

*Note* These were all purchased this week.

A trip in Mini with Mini

Lucy and I stayed with my parents a few nights before leaving to go on vacation. While we were there, Lucy got to take a ride in my mom's Mini Cooper to pick blueberries at one of the families houses who I used to babysit for. Unfortunately they were out of town so we didn't get to see them, but Lucy had a great time eating blueberries (her favorite fruit) right off of the bush. (She ate a LOT of blueberries!)

First ride in the Mini

Picking blueberries with Mini

All My Single Ladies...

Oh what a busy 2 weeks...

Jeff left on July 18th to attend a World Changers project in Franklin, NC. This gave Lucy and I some great girl time. We ran lots of errands on Monday to prepare for our upcoming vacation. I'm so glad that my busy little girl loves errands! Her favorites include Target (obviously because of all the amazing things we find there) and Publix because she can "drive" the shopping cart. I think what she loves most about errands is getting so much attention from strangers because she is so stinkin' cute! Monday night was also a night I have been waiting for since May... My Southern Savers coupon class. I do not claim to be an expert on coupons, nor do I feel the need to go into excessive details about how to save by using coupons because there are plenty of websites and blogs where you can find that kind of info, but I have saved LOTS of money in the past 11 months and will share my top 5 coupon tips:

1. Shop at Publix if you can. They have the best money-saving deals, the stores are clean, and everyone is super friendly.

2. Sign up on your grocery's store's website to receive store coupons to be used with manufacturer's coupons.

3. Stack manufacturer's coupons and store coupons whenever possible.

4. Save your coupons and use them when the items are on sale to achieve maximum savings.

5. Use southernsavers.com to plan your shopping trips.

Enough about that!

On Tuesday, Lucy and I took a trip to Charleston to spend some time with an old friend and her sweet toddler. Unfortunately it's very hard to maneuver 2 busy toddlers, all of our beach stuff, and take pictures so here is the only one I have to show for all of the fun we had.

This is a very blurry picture of my intelligent baby reading on the way to Charleston. I always keep lots of books in the car because they are the only things that keep Lucy's attention for more than 5 seconds (Thank you, God, for a child who loves books!). So, on the trip, she insisted on having all of them in her lap before she would read them. We had a great time catching up with Carrie and Anna Pearl at the beach and then eating dinner with Kira and Caroline. (Thank you, dear friends, for living in such a wonderful place and for being so accommodating when Lucy and I come for a visit.)

The rest of the week was spent cleaning and packing (thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law for keeping Lucy busy while I got some work done) for our beach vacation. Being a single mommy for the week really made me appreciate my wonderful husband so much more for all of his help with our busy girl (especially his amazingly efficient dirty diaper changing skills).

Hold on to your diapers ladies!!!

Ok fellow mommies and friends of mommies, you are going to want to sit down for the little piece of news I am about to divulge. I'll wait as you locate a stable chair to support you in the shock of your life.

I'll start at the beginning. Today is Friday. For me that means Target Day!!! Target is a very happy place for me. There is always something new and pretty to look at in the magical land of Target. My blood pressure rises just a tad when I see that wonderful red and white clearance tag at the end of an aisle on a lovely piece of merchandise. Sometimes I have a need to go to Target when Target Friday rolls around. Other Fridays I just go to see the sites. Today I went on a mission to get the finishing piece to a birthday present. I have a general route when entering Target. Of course, first things first, you must get a shopping cart to haul all of your treasures. Then I head straight for the dollar section to pick up new incentives for my treasure box at school. This section conveniently ends where the clothes section begins. At the completion of this department, I am directed towards the shoes. After perusing this weeks selection I end up in the baby section. Then I move on to cleaning supplies, home organization, seasonal, home decor, toiletries, and finally end my shopping experience in the grocery section. Today, however, after quickly glancing at the shoes, I rounded the corner to find the most beautiful display I have ever seen in Target. I really stopped dead in my tracts and stared with my mouth hanging open in amazement at what stood in front of me. It was as though a spotlight was shining on this particular display and the Hallelujah chorus was playing from the speakers. There, staring me in the face were....

Designer Diapers!!!

Aren't you glad I made you sit down? I am still in shock. I have only dreamed of something so wonderful and here they are! I have often wondered why they don't make separate diapers for boys and girls and have even voiced this concern but never thought of actually making it happen. Up until now the cutest diapers I have yet to find are Target brand (of course this wonderful place would have the cute diapers). Unfortunately Lucy's snooty booty is allergic to these diapers so we are stuck with Winnie the Pooh or Mickey Mouse and I am NOT a fan of character paraphernalia. Characters belong in cartoons, movies, or Disney World not on hieney's or T-shirts!

But these diapers are Pampers! Lucy can (and will) wear them!!! They are designed by Cynthia Rowley and come in 11 covet-worthy designs including madras, gingham, and stripes (sorry mommies of boys; I couldn't find a boy picture but the boy's styles are equally adorable). They are sold in sizes 2-4 and since Lucy is in a size 4 now and almost to a 5, she will be sporting this trend until her little cheeks are oozing out of the sides. Of course, since they are designer, they are a bit more expensive than regular Pampers. At Target, they sell for about $13.50 for a 26 count box. However, I am pretty sure that coupons can be used.

Once again, the totally terrific town of Target leaves me smiling!

I Love Beach Music...

The youth at SVBC learned how to shag tonight and, of course, Lucy joined in. Unfortunately she doesn't know how to count yet so her counts are a little off and she really only has one dance move, but it's entertaining all the same. See for yourself...

All that shaggin' made Lucy a little hungry...

Family Time

My uncle and his family were in town from Florida this weekend. Lucy enjoys being the life of the party and this weekend was no exception. Here are a few photos of highlights:

Lucy loved their giant dog, Gracie. (Compared to our dogs she looks more like a horse.)

She may not like to sit in the booster seat/high chair to eat, but she LOVES carrying/dropping them all over the house.

Spaghetti faces!

Jax and Lucy trying to break free, Jackson eating some dessert, a very prissy move by Lucy, and Lucy finding "Boom Boom".

Can anyone identify the guy on the right?

A Pleasant Surprise

Lucy and I had the opportunity to spend some time at the pool today. This just so happens to be one of my favorite past times. There is nothing better than soaking up some sun with a good friend and an adorable toddler running around the pool with the slightest hint of her belly button hanging out! (See picture from previous post.) I owe a thanks to "Dra" as Lucy would say, a.k.a Aunt Kendra or Ms. Middleton for this wonderful day. Lucy enjoyed a great morning swim session then went to Grandma's for lunch, a nap, and playtime while I headed back to my lounge chair. Well, actually my seat on the step because it was a million degrees outside of the water. (Thanks Grandma for some time to relax!) Between catching-up conversations and working on my vitamin D intake, I started a new book. (Now that is my kind of multi-tasking!) I was a little skeptical about this book simply because of the way I came about it... I won it at a Beth Moore simulcast event. Please, let me explain. I thoroughly enjoy Beth Moore. My skepticism has nothing to do with her. I have been around churches long enough to know that when a church gives out books or cd's it's usually because the book or cd was given to them first. It's usually an author or artist no one has ever heard of or someone who was popular a century ago and the publishing company wants to generate some interest. I, myself, have been known to give out a Sandi Patty cd to a poor, innocent, unsuspecting youth. If you happen to be a woman my mom's age, you are saying, "Hey, I liked Sandi Patty!" And, I'm sure you did, however, the disappointed 15 year old didn't share your enthusiasm as he probably wasn't alive when Sandi was making TAPES!

I say all of this to demonstrate how pleasantly surprised I was when I began reading Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas. I also found out from my pool friend that he isn't an unheard of author... she was required to Sacred Marriage, also by him, in college. And she enjoyed it as I am enjoying this one. If I could have one desire for my precious daughter, it would be that she find a passionate love for Jesus very early and spend her entire life serving and honoring Him. How can she find this love and this desire if she doesn't observe the same love and desire in her father and me? In the few chapters I have read in this book, Mr. Thomas has discussed some of the mistakes parents make and the realities of the world we live in. I am eager to continue reading and recommend this one to new parents.

Haircut Day!!!

Today just so happens to be my favorite day of the month... Haircut Day!!! I don't know if it's the fresh aroma of hair products, the gentle massage as the stylist separates and clips dead ends, or the ability to read gossip magazines without judgement, but haircut day definitely puts me in a good mood. The only drawback from today's visit was sitting in front of my incredibly tan stylist in my pasty white skin. I immediately scolded myself for trying to find inside things for Lucy and I to fill our days with so we don't melt outside in the blazing heat. It takes a lot to ruin a good mood on haircut day so I quickly made a mental note to find more activities to do in the sun and didn't give it a second thought. After some glorious time at the salon, my good mood and I had the opportunity to do a little shopping. We "buzzed" down to Bumble Boutique (I couldn't resist) to look for a gift for Jeff's cousin who will be turning 6 in the next few weeks. While I did not find anything thing for Emilee, I did find a precious bathing suit for my Goose (which she is modeling in the picture) and her Easter dress for next year! Now, Jeff and I are very particular about the bathing suits we put this child in. We feel that we need to protect her innocence for as long as we can. I will not get started on how frustrated I get when young, beautiful girls do not respect the precious bodies God has given them or the integrity of the young men they are trying to attract. However, this bathing suit is just adorable and covers most of the body so we both approve.

In other news, my latest item to invent (since the whole "Bibie" thing didn't work out- who knew it already exists???) is gloves to be used when cooking. The thought came to me as I was getting grossed out while preparing meatloaf for dinner. I suppose one could just use rubber cleaning gloves (never used for cleaning, of course) but the thought of using gloves meant for cleaning also grosses me out. I'll be sure to post my infomercial here before it is advertised on TV... Stay tuned!

Snack time and Miss Independent

Lucy has been feeding herself for months but lately, much to my dismay, she insists on using her own utensils. Don't get me wrong; it is very exciting to watch my baby girl learn and develop new skills, however, being the control-freak mom that I am, eating with her own spoon or fork is one I wish she wasn't so eager to master. Getting the food on the spoon is not the problem. Getting the food from the bowl to the mouth is the issue. Watching slimy, sticky, mushy food slide from the spoon to the table/tray, bib, clothes, floor, and sometimes even the wall, is just a little more than this clean-freak can take. Usually Lucy eats foods that she can pick up and the fork or spoon only lasts long enough for her to figure out that she can get the maximum amount of food in her mouth in the shortest amount of time if she uses her hands. However, in my attempt to give the child yummy but nutritious foods, there are just times when a spoon is necessary. It takes all I have in me not to tear the clothes off of my messy but happy girl and rush her to the bathtub. How many baths can one child take in a day??? I have been known to allow "sink time" in which Lucy gets to splash in the kitchen sink while I scrub remnants from her latest meal off of her soft, slippery body. The nostalgic mom is saying, "One day you'll look back on this and laugh," to which I say, "yes, your right. That's why I have the video." But when I'm witnessing the mess unfolding I have to remind myself that eventually she will gain control of her eating tools and will be able to go on a date and more importantly, this is most likely to occur before she turns 20 years old.

Yay for our blog!!!

After months of saying, "we should start a blog," we finally did it!!! When blogs first became popular (after I figured out what a blog was), I thought, "who in the world would be interested in reading about my life?" I read a book (definitely not about blogs or starting blogs) but the author has a blog and mentioned her blog many times in the book and I got to thinking, "maybe a blog would be a good idea for friends and family who we don't get to see very often". I talked to Jeff about it and he said, "yeah, that sounds like a good idea". (I'm paraphrasing) However, we got stuck on finding a name. Every night for the past few weeks we said to each other "have you thought of a blog name yet?" Finally, we decided on a name while eating dinner last night. You all know how much we love our Lucy and we always have a story of something new or funny that she has done during the day. Enjoy our "Goose Tales" as we document her milestones and funny moments.