No nap

After church today, I hurried to fix lunch so we could head up to Little Rock. Derrick's mom is in the hospital again, so we wanted to be able to spend most of the day with her and Mr. Larry. They are doing some scans on Mrs. Jackie, and she's been having some trouble with pain. It has something to do with a spot on her spine. I don't know all the details. The good thing is that she seems to be doing well... even better than she was at home.

Anyhow, Derrick and I decided not to lay Madeley down for a nap because that would put us back two, probably even three, hours. Of course, she did not sleep on the way to the hospital. We knew that wouldn't happen. She was well behaved most of the day, busy yet clumsy. As she got more and more tired, she also got sillier and sillier. She threw a bit of a tantrum while we were eating, but it wasn't too bad. We stayed until about 6:30, and at the first mention of leaving, she grabbed her backpack and headed for the door.


I think she was welcoming the opportunity to be forced to be still in her car seat... if that makes sense. Somewhere around Dixon Road, she was out. Even though she normally refuses to sleep in the car seat, this was definitely an exception. It was going on seven o'clock, and she'd been up since eight. When we got home and got her out of the seat, she immediately started fussing. She screamed and cried throughout her entire bath. After her bath, I attempted to put lotion and pj's on her... let's just say she threw a fit. And by fit, I mean she was manic. Kicking and screaming. But at this point, all I could do was look at her with sadness and talk as calming and as sweet as possible. I felt so bad. Here is where my heart overtakes my mind. Normally, if she acted this way, I would not tolerate it. But tonight, I knew it was my fault. I knew she was miserably exhausted. I cannot punish or scold her for being exhausted when I chose not to give her a nap. Do you know what I mean? All she wanted was to lay down, so she did. Right after we brushed her teeth, I laid her down and her eyes immediately shut. Bless her heart!

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What now?

I finished The Help last night, which was my reason for not blogging. I was just anxious about reading and didn't want to blog first. I loved it. The book is so good on so many levels. I was left with one of those "what now?" feelings though. I was so caught up in the lives of the characters that I'm still thinking about them now, except there is nothing left to read. I do have the movie to look forward to, and I hope it doesn't let me down. If you haven't read the book yet, please do. It opened my eyes to so many sides of the south in the early sixties. I have talked to people who grew up in that time period, and I am amazed at the stories. The book left me wanting to go back in time and be nice, be friendly, and reach out. If you've read it, you know what I mean!

So for real, what now? What book should I read next? I want one just as intriguing and emotional. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!!

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Here are a few pictures...

Madeley's been hanging out with Caroline.


I allowed Madeley to feed herself yogurt... How do you think it went?


Derrick took this picture of the sunset this evening. Absolutely stunning. I love the rays of sunlight stretching out!



Thanks for reading!

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Madeley

I'm just going to talk about Madeley for a bit. She wakes up smiling every morning, just adorable. But cries the second I put her down to change her diaper... I'm not sure why she hasn't adjusted to that part of our daily routine yet. I fix her milk and put her in her highchair for breakfast. She eats well every morning, usually a banana and a peanut butter sandwich or cereal. The second she gets out of the highchair, she starts hunting for that paci. She knows where I usually put it, so she dances around and fusses in the same spot until I am able to draw her attention elsewhere. But this doesn't last long, by ten, I've given in. She has the paci. And she's the happiest little girl in the world! She takes early naps, somewhere between 10:30 and 11. And she usually sleeps about 2 to 3 hours. Since she sleeps through lunchtime, I feed her as soon as she gets up. Then we play, run errands, watch television, swim, or just whatever. As the past few days have progressed, I can see her attachment to me. I can also see how she thinks screaming and crying will get her what she wants. Have I spoiled this child in a matter of weeks? It seems like summer started just yesterday. I don't remember her being spoiled then. Someone tell me if I'm wrong. Here's what I'm thinking though... I think Madeley is one of those children that is a perfect angel for others, but goes crazy when she's with me. Jaki agrees with me, I know she does. Anyone else? Anyone else have one of those kids? Now I wouldn't trade a second with my Madeley. I love her to death! But do recognize that I am at a crossroads. This is the time where I can make sure she learns how to behave by being stern and absolute, or I can let her get out of control. She knows that I stay on her constantly about listening, following directions, and behaving. I just hope she's learning!!

Here she is watching tv while riding the rocking horse this morning. Notice the bunny is right there!





She just loves that bunny! I was telling Jessica, lately Madeley's been laying the bunny out nice and neat, then she puts her palms on it and does several chest compressions. She does this all the time, and it looks just like CPR!

Today, we left the bunny in the car while we went into Walmart. As we were leaving, she said, "Bye bye!"
I said, "Say bye bye bunny."
She then said, "Bye bye buddy!"
I thought... well, I guess that will work too. Sweet thing!

Thanks for reading!!

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Wednesday Loves

Time for Wednesday Loves!


I'm loving Madeley so much this week, and always. Even though I'm battling fits left and right, her hugs and kisses make me forget all her fits. She can be the sweetest little thing, and I absolutely love her for it! Here she is today, enjoying a swim and a popsicle!


I'm loving that Mrs. Jan has so willingly shared her pool and her time with us over the past few years. She will be moving to Little Rock tomorrow, which is a great move for her, but she and Mike will be greatly missed! We love you Jan Jan and Mike!

I'm loving that Derrick and I had delicious steak salad for dinner. Cheap meal, here you go... I buy the $1.88 head if romaine and tear it up myself. I get the cheap (5-6 dollar) flat iron steak sauté it in a hot skillet with butter, worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. I also sauté baby bellas ($2) in the same mixture. I grate my own sharp cheddar cheese and mix up fresh ranch dressing. Add chopped tomatoes and some black pepper... Delicious!!



Jessica had a great idea to hang some paper lanterns from my classroom ceiling. Classrooms can always use some excitement. I started looking around on etsy, and I love the following lanterns. Although, I think I'll be looking for much cheaper versions.

handmadestringlights



FuzzyLamps








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Perspective

I have had a short temper lately... someone may be rubbing off on me. I think I used to be a little more easy going. But now, I get a fired up at the smallest issues. Like a drink getting spilled on the couch, the trash not being taken out, too much fishing, water spilled over the side of the tub, the grass growing too high... these are all minor. Yet, in the moment, I seem to get irate. Today, I've tried to take time to think through my "problems," which are not problems at all. When I read prayer request blogs, I see real problems. When I think about the pain my mother-in-law is experiencing, I understand real pain. When I talk to a few of my dearest friends, I feel true hurt. When I watch the news, I see real issues. When I think about my life two years ago, I feel true agony. My problems I think I have, the problems I get so angry over, are nothing. I have to take a moment to look outside myself, think about others, and do what I can to help. Focusing on what's wrong with me will only exhibit selfishness and get me nowhere. But focusing on how I can help others will show love and compassion and strengthen my relationships. Prayer is the most important way we can reach out and help. I pray that I will take my issues into perspective and seek to help and pray for anyone I can.


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Switched at Birth

Tonight on Switched at Birth, we found out that one of the mothers knew at 3 years that her daughter had been switched... but she never told anyone. As her 16 year old daughter cried and expressed her confusion and anger, the mother said this:
At 3 years old, you were mine. You were my daughter. I couldn't give you up.

Broke my heart!

I know the daughter was hurt and upset, but I somewhat understood the mother. How can you "give up" the daughter you've taken care of and loved, even if the switched one waiting to replace her. If you don't watch the show, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. It's great, and you can catch up on ABC Family.

................................

I stumbled upon an interesting blog today called Cocina Marie. The blogger's name is Marie Saba, and she is a popular chef, cookbook author, and cooking show host from Austin, TX. Her blog is a mixture of recipes and real life. Check out these two entries... you may like her too.

My [Usually] Uneventful Life

and

Meet Chef Lloyd

Thanks for reading!

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Cooking lesson continued

Chicken and Dressing Part 2:

My chicken and dressing was a success... with a lot of help from Derrick, his mom and his grandmother. When we got to Mrs. Jackie's house, GG (Derrick's grandmother) had already made a pan of cornbread and chopped some onion. She wanted to help me get a head start. I crumbled up the cornbread, and Derrick made one more pan. His cornbread was delicious. I added 5 eggs to the cornbread and crumbled half of the second batch. GG sautéed the onions in some butter and we added them to the mix. Next, I added the shredded chicken, poured the chicken broth over it all and stirred. I watched as Mrs. Jackie seasoned. She used some black pepper, a tiny bit of sage, poultry seasoning, and celery seed. The dressing was pretty salty, so we decided not to add any extra salt. Here's what it looked like before it went into the oven...


Lots of broth!

Here it is after baking on 350 for about 45 minutes...


We broiled it for the last few minutes to to brown the top. We also had some green beans and deviled eggs. GG added a little bit of ranch dressing to her deviled egg mixture, and I thought they were great!

All in all, the chicken and dressing was a success! And a great learning experience for me. I laughed because it took Derrick, GG, and myself to pull off Mrs. Jackie's recipe... she's a wonderful cook! I'm so glad she was willing to instruct us.

One of my favorite moments of the day was when Madeley won the long side of the wishbone.


She immediately put it in her mouth, and it wasn't easy to take it away! :)

Hope you've enjoyed my cooking lesson. Thanks for reading!

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Cooking lesson?

So I picked today to attempt my mother-in-law's chicken and dressing recipe. I sure hope you don't laugh at me...

Chicken and Dressing Part 1:
I headed to the grocery store yesterday for a young hen. I didn't even know what I was looking for. I looked in the fresh chicken section first, and all I could find were breasts, tenders, wings, and fryer chickens. Well, I knew I wasn't planning on frying anything, so I continued to look. In the freezer section, I found Cornish hens, whole turkeys, and finally a frozen hen. It turned out that the one I picked up had a hole in it. I probably didn't notice, because I was only worried about my hands freezing off as I waited in line. The cashier called to the back, and the butcher found me a new frozen hen. So I bought it and headed home to let it defrost.

The hen stayed in the refrigerator all night. When I took the plastic off this morning, the juice flicked me in the face. I almost threw up, but told myself "I can do this!" I continued unwrapping until I had the chicken completely out if the package. I cut off the fat around the top, like the directions said. But I completely missed the sack on the inside. I didn't know it was there, and I didn't know to look for it. I placed the chicken in a pot of cool water and added some Wylers chicken granules, a little black pepper, and a dab of butter. I boiled it for an hour and a half...



Then I found that dang sack inside of it. I freaked out, called my mother-in-law, and made sure I hadn't made a huge mistake. She assured me everything would be fine. I attempted to take the chicken out of the pot, but then I realized it may not be finished cooking. So I let it boil another thirty minutes or so. If you are laughing right now because I boiled that chicken for two hours, please don't ever tell me.

When I finally decided it was finished, I pulled the chicken out and placed it on a pan...



Jessica said it looked terrible, but I'm proud of it. And the chicken tastes delicious! After it cools, I'm going to shred the meat, and carry it with the broth out to my mother-in-law's house. There, I will continue with Chicken and Dressing Part 2. Wish me luck! She will be telling me what to do, but I'm still afraid I could ruin it all!

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Discipline

I have been sounding like my mother more and more lately. I say things like "Young Lady" and "you listen here"... things she always used to say (in a very stern voice). I've given Madeley the look several times in the past few weeks. You know the look, right? It says, "You'd better straighten up before I take you outside!" It was fierce when my mom gave it to me! The look said a whole lot more than a raised voice ever could. I'm thinking that my parenting skills are ending up to be just like my mother's. Which can't be a bad thing... I think I turned out pretty well. I don't think my mother ever tried "time out" with us though. We have tried it a few times with Madeley, but she is hard headed and just goes right back to what she was doing. Lately, I've tried to do my best of avoiding situations where she may get into trouble. Such as... Madeley always gets scolded while I'm attempting to load or unload the dishwasher. She wants to pull out all the silverware, dirty or clean. She wants to climb on top of the door when it's down, and no amount of time out teaches her not to. So I've decided to only handle the dishwasher situation when she's in bed or in her highchair... avoiding the trouble (I decided this today.). Example #2: I keep a cup in Madeley's bathtub so I can wash the soap out of her hair. She loves to dump water out of the cup, but she recently started dumping the water out of the tub! I get furious and try to teach her not to dump over the bathtub wall... failure. So why not avoid the situation for now and take the cup away? Then I can escape the anxiety of water running everywhere, and not have to scold her for it. I know what you're thinking... Why don't you just stop her from pouring the water out of the tub before she does it? Well, I wish I could, but she's super fast! And it's ended up all over me more than a few times. Final example: Madeley ate crayons the other day. Of course, I was upset and checked the box for the poison control number... then reminded myself that the crayons are non-toxic and would not hurt Madeley. Then I called Jaki to remind me that the crayons are non-toxic and would not hurt Madeley. I talked with Madeley about coloring with the crayons and not eating them. I seriously thought she was out of that "I put everything in my mouth" phase. Then it dawned on me... I put Madeley in her highchair to color with the crayons. When have I ever put her in the highchair for any reason other than to eat?? I haven't. So I'm sure the second I handed her the crayons, she thought, "Yummy, dinner!!" My lesson here is that I should have thought this through, and I could have avoided it. I should have sat her somewhere other than the highchair and colored with her the entire time. Instead, I was busy cooking dinner while my daughter was chewing up red, blue, and orange crayons and definitely not coloring with them!

To sum up this post, discipline is a learning process. No book is ever going to adequately teach you how to handle your child. I think I am going to take a few lessons from my mother, and a few Madeley adapted lessons, and hopefully she will turn out great... and a lot of help from the Lord, of course!!

Thanks for reading!!


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Daycare

So Madeley got into the daycare across the street from the high school, which I am very happy about. This will be a great place for several reasons. She'll be very close to me, she'll get lots of interaction with children her age, and she'll hopefully be learning on a daily basis. I know she's a good learner, because Sue taught her a lot last school year. This summer, I've tried to keep that up, but I'm better at playing and watching Super Why and Dinosaur Train. I know, I should feel bad, but this is my only chance to love on her and enjoy each moment.

Anyway, back to the daycare topic. While I'm very excited about this opportunity, I am also nervous. I don't think she can take Bunny or her paci. How will she deal? Or how will I deal?? Am I ready for her to grow up? Probably not. Here she is with Bunny and her paci...


Can she let go of them??


Jessica has been telling me to get rid of that paci for almost a year now. I've just never been ready. I tried it a few weeks ago, Madeley cried for about 3 minutes, and I gave it back. I'm a sucker... no pun intended. I give in because I love her, and I don't want to see/hear her hurting! But the last thing I want is for her to be 4 or 5 years old and still be sucking on that dang thing. I'm good about taking it away during the day, but I don't know that she could nap and sleep without it. I'll never know until I try. Tell me what you think. I don't want her first nap at daycare to be her first nap without her paci... they'll hate me!!!!

As for Bunny, I don't want to have to ever take him away. She adores him! No harm done right? At least with the paci, I have the teeth topic to argue. But with Bunny, what's the problem?

Am I crazy? I'm sitting here at noon on a beautiful summer day, arguing with myself about how to handle the two items my child loves most. There are bigger problems in the world!!! I'm going to take this issue one day at a time. For all I know, the daycare could allow pacis and bunnies. If you know for sure, please tell me!! Ease my mind on the topic!

Thanks for listening to my crazy thoughts!

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Wednesday Loves

Here you go... the things I'm loving this Wednesday.



Since my friends are so sweet, they gave me some amazing gifts for my birthday!

Jaki got me a beautiful purse that I had previously posted on Wednesday Loves. It's an etsy cindymars7 purse, and I love it! I was so surprised!!



Dara, knowing my love for coffee, got me some spoon-included mugs. She knows I like to keep my spoon in the mug to stir later, so this gift was perfect for me!!


(P.S. She also got me a Swiffer Vac, which I love!)

Alicia gave me a fragrant candle and a vibrant tea towel. The candle is very summery and fruity, and the towel has a bird on it. Couldn't be more perfect!



Kelly got me this fabulous Saturday dress... love it!! Sorry, I cut my head off. My face was extremely orange and my hair was a mess... I figured you didn't need to see that disaster. But isn't that dress cute?



Audra gave me a gift certificate for a pedicure, so I'll take a picture when I get that done. Love pedicures!!!

My friends are so thoughtful, and they know me so well!!

My etsy love this week is for Lynn Cardwell Pottery. It's beautiful!
Mugs...


Bowls...



I'm also loving homemade ranch dressing this summer. It makes a salad over the top!!



And last, I'm loving that blog followers can't come to an agreement on the "Wednesday Loves" topic. Some love them, and some don't. The conversation makes me laugh! But just for the lovers of Wednesday Loves, I will keep doing them. After all, I wouldn't have that awesome new purse without them!!

Love you for reading!

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Vacation Days

Derrick is actually on vacation right now, which is why we've been able to spend our days together. We had lunch and saw a movie today. I attempted to take a blog picture at lunch today, but someone was uncooperative...


The Japanese chef prepared an extreme amount of rice, so our plates were full!!


It was delicious and FILLING!!! We had a nice date day.

Madeley spent the day with Jaki, Sayde, and Mayce. I know she had a wonderful time.


Derrick and I had dinner there when we got back, and we visited for a while. Madeley ended up eating popcorn and watching Tangled.


Yum!!


Sayde and Mayce are wonderful hostesses, and they are so sweet to Madeley.


Thanks so much to Jaki for keeping Madeley and preparing a wonderful meal! She is a great friend.

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I must say, my summer is withering away. School will be here before I know it, and I have a lot of work to do. I am nervous about the new job. But since Madeley got accepted to the daycare across the street, I'm starting to feel a little better. I think our new situation is going to work out well, I just have to get started to confirm that in my head. Derrick says I'm a "mental midget" and I probably am. I let worry take precedence in my mind, when really everything will be fine. I take pride in my teaching abilities, and I feel I can do well anywhere. But I somehow let the worry creep in. To sum this up, I don't want summer to end, especially my time with Madeley, but I'm ready to prove myself successful at my new job.

Thanks for reading!

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Things I've realized

I realized a few things today...

1. Madeley and Derrick are better shoppers than I imagined. They stuck with me through 3 new shirts, 2 pairs of capris, 1 summery/cottony scarf, 1 pair of shoes, 1 tube of lipstick, and even a few stores where I tried on, but bought nothing. I love them.

2. I am lacking in fashion sense. I ended up with 2 taupe tops. Taupe tops. What kind of color is taupe? Now, I think the tops are adorable, and I can't wait to wear them. But they're taupe, so don't expect me to shock you with my extreme wardrobe.

3. I also got taupe shoes. But they're super cute, so I do not want to include them in the taupe/boring category.

4. My husband wants to make me happy. Not that I've ever doubted this, but I realized it even more today.

5. Madeley can swim all day at the lake and NOT take a nap, but a few hours shopping knocks her out...


Derrick says that makes her a daddy's girl. He's probably right!

6. Madeley can make me happy in the same minute she made me mad. I think it's magic!

7. I blog just as much for you as I do for me. I'm just a little bit tired tonight, but I knew you would want to know how our day went... whether you read it tonight or tomorrow. So I just had to blog about it before bed. Thanks for reading and keeping up us!

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Fun Party!

Jessica invited a few of my friends over to her house last night for a girls night/birthday party. It was so enjoyable to eat and visit.
And we took a picture... ha ha!


(I looked really excited!)

Jessica had great food, including adorable cupcakes.


It was so thoughtful of Jessica to get my friends together. She's a great sister.

My friends weren't supposed to get me gifts, but they did anyway... some of the best gifts ever! Thank you girls!

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Derrick, Madeley, and I are going shopping tomorrow... school shopping. School will be here before we know it. Do you remember school shopping with your mom? I do. It was always fun to pick out new clothes and shoes. Now, Derrick gets to take her spot. I sure do hope he enjoys the day. He and Madeley can give me opinions on what looks good, what goes together, and just all the fun ends and outs of shopping!! I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for reading!

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Almost here

It's almost here... tomorrow I will turn the big 3-0. Is it a big deal? I don't think so. I look in the mirror, and I can tell that I look older. I have wrinkles, and I have many gray hairs. But none of that matters. I also have a husband and a daughter that love me and mean the world to me! So instead of focusing on turning 30 years old, I'm going to celebrate spending another year with my family and friends.

My mom was exactly thirty years older than me. Even though I have made a very good argument about how age doesn't matter, I have a feeling she may not have shared my opinion of 60. She would have looked beautiful at any age though!

I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow... I know I will!

....….….....................

Also, Dara and I are watching Say Yes To The Dress tonight. This stuff is crazy!! We are watching the wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dress episodes. The girls are mean, and they tend to forget that the bride should be making all the decisions. I have yelled at the TV more than once!

Big Brother news:
Can I just say that I was VERY proud of Jordan for winning HOH last night! I was also glad Keith went home... not that I like Portia... I just like the veterans. What do you think?

Thanks for reading!


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Sunsets and Quiet times

Derrick is fishing tonight, and sent me this picture...


How beautiful and peaceful is that? My friend, Dara, arrived this evening. We are currently sitting on opposite ends of the couch enjoying the peaceful quiet. I'm not sure how to explain it, but while I have enjoyed this week, it has been very draining. By the end of the day, I'm ready to sit and relax. It may be that I'm just not in the routine of getting up early and going all day... not sure. I just know that I am immensely enjoying this silent moment. Dara and I always have a lot to talk about, but right now, talking isn't a priority.

I would have loved to have seen the sunset with Derrick. Maybe he'll take me sometime soon.

..................................

Funny story:
Madeley was in timeout for one minute tonight. When she got out, Dara told me that I was supposed to have Madeley apologize. So I leaned down and said, "Madeley, you need to say I'm sorry."
She scrunched her eyebrows together, stuck out her lip, and said, "Bumm mum umm bsummm." Her poor little eyes were just pitiful!! I knew that she must have had some experience with the word sorry before. Now I know she can at least attempt some form of an apology. Sweet girl!!

Wednesday Loves

Are you ready for Wednesday loves?






I've been thinking a lot about math this week, which hasn't left me very much time to decide what I'm loving. I do know a few things though...

I'm loving that my friend, Audra, introduced me to Toms deodorant.





It's all natural, and it does not contain aluminum, which has been linked to breast cancer. I have always used Secret, but I thought I should give Toms a try. You should too! I bought lavender scent, and it smells delightful!

This may sound dorky, but I'm loving the full version of Peek A Boo Barn...





My friend, Rebekah, told me she thought Madeley would like it a while back, and she does!! She gets so excited about it and makes all the animal sounds. I like how it relates the picture to the animal sound, written name, and spoken name. It's very educational, ha ha!

I'm loving that Madeley had a great time with Jaki, Sayde, and Mayce today. Here are a few pics...
Eating lunch





Playing in the pool





Water hose!





All three...





Fun day for Madeley!

I'm loving this Raspberry Lip Gloss. I may have shown this one before, but I just like it!!






I'm loving that Jessica is planning something special for me this weekend. I can't wait! She's a great sister!

I'm not loving that I have to clean the kitchen floor after I publish this post... but I am loving that I get to go to bed after that. Thanks for reading!!

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I thought I was smart...

I know I was smart at one time. I mean, I could do some crazy math!! Now, I feel like I'm only great at Algebra 2 and Geometry. What happened to me? I know "if you don't use it, you lose it," but I wanted to hold onto those math skills for a little bit longer. I would like to be able to jump right back into some Calculus 4 and Linear Algebra! Maybe I just need to take some time to refresh my memory. The workshop I'm attending really puts me in my place. We aren't just a room of teachers, we are a room of learners. I like the challenge of new problems and figuring out patterns, but I don't want to feel behind... I want to feel an "Ah ha" moment. I'm sure my students feel the same way. They get frustrated with misunderstanding the math, and end with giving up. Who learns from giving up? No one, that's who! So as this week goes on, I will continue to work toward understanding. I know application problems require serious analysis, and I'm ready! (Am I dorky too? It's possible.)

...................................

My former student, Amber, pointed out that I never gave you my review of The Adjustment Bureau. It was pretty good. I give it 3 stars (on a 5 star scale). It was interesting and entertaining, but not the best ever. When the movie was over, I felt like I was being watched to make sure I was staying on "the plan." If you've seen it, you know what I mean.

Thanks for reading!!


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Happy Girl!

Madeley was a happy happy girl today! She has a new addition to her toys, and she has been busy. I'm going to back up a little though, and tell you about our day yesterday. We got ready and headed to Little Rock to see Jessica. Madeley was excited!



She loves to run and play in Jessica's new house. Caroline even made her a fort!


I think they enjoyed spreading styrofoam throughout the room.


We had a fabulous dinner. Grilled chicken and vegetables with pasta salad...





What a wonderful time! Thanks Jessica!

Since Caroline is getting older, Madeley tends to inherit many toys. The new one is... a fabulous kitchen! Madeley started stirring and "cooking" here recently, so I knew she was ready for the kitchen.
Ta da...


Miss Priss...


You want a bite?


She literally plays for hours...


I just know she's whipping me up a magnificent meal!


But you can't walk away for too long...


Now, that's a NO NO!! Hopefully it won't happen again!

She has just been so fussy lately. But since she got the kitchen, she hasn't had a complaint... at least not today. :)

...............................

I'm in my bedroom, and I can hear my favorite part of "You've Got Mail" playing in the living room. Love.

Today was a long day. I had a workshop in Conway (over an hour away). The workshop was good, but it goes all week. (Hear the excitement in my voice?) I would like to say thanks to all my babysitters. I appreciate each of you taking care of Madeley this week. I know she adores the attention.

Thanks for reading. I'm headed to BED!!

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