Just traveling down memory lane

Oh, why do they have to grow up so fast?

My newest plate

Here is the plate I recently finished of the kids. The feet of the butterfly are Kate's, and then I used each child's thumb prints to make caterpillars around the sides. I really love making plates. I wish I could do it all the time!

On a potty training note, Brooks is doing fantastic! He is now using the potty for everything (potty and poop). He has dry pullups at night and during naps. My friend Kathleen was right! She suggested holding off until he was close to his 3rd birthday - and it has been an absolute breeze!

We have many health issues in our family right now: Granddaddy in the hospital (may go home today), Grandmama recently having a pace maker placed, Aunt in nursing home uncooperative, another Aunt diagnosed with Diabetes and a cousin that delivered a baby with a significant heart defect (which was known prior to delivery). Please keep our family in your prayers!

My heart is heavy

I miss him already.

I got Boomer in 2001. He was a Christmas present from my Aunt Laura. Such a gentle soul! When we first got him, I got him certified as a therapy dog. We visited John Knox nursing home for several years, in fact until the kids came along.

When it got too hard to visit with kids, he was retired to our home.

He loved being inside! Boo was a big boy - 70 pounds at his best. But, if hair had weight, it would have been more! And, he was a true Collie. A baby to the core. Gentle as a flea, but sensitive to everything.

I sure did love this dog. I have cried to the point I will be Chinese in the morning, I'm sure. I wish I had some Preparation H...

Yes, I miss him already.

Maybe I was a bit hasty...

Well, this afternoon Brooks put potty in the little toilet 3 times! Maybe he is going to catch onto this quicker than Kate after all.

I must admit that the complaining came after cleaning up a HUGE poop from the underwear. He hadn't gone in 2 days, and well, you know what that meant. But, the potty is fab and I am so proud of him!

On a side note, Reed is feeling much better. He had an abscess form under his thigh after an injury of some sort. After lancing it last Friday, he continues to improve every day. I even rode him up from the pasture this morning, and it felt good! The feeling to being on your horse of 22 years just makes you feel 13 again. The kids have enjoyed the barn so much the last 2 weeks, and I'm glad that this "hiccup" in his health has turned out so well.

Going to a conference in B'ham tomorrow just for the day. I can't wait to hear Alice Wolf speak. She is one of the feline authorities in the country. She is one smart lady! What a treat!

I.Hate.Potty.Training

That about sums it up for me.

I remember when I first found out I was pregnant with Kate. First, I was scared to death of labor. Secondly, I was scared to death of potty training.

I am not scared of either any more. But, at least labor lasts a day (at least for me). Potty training... it seems to go on and on and on!

Yes, I am thankful to have a child to train. Yes, I am thankful that he is healthy and we have made it to this point. Yes, I love him dearly.

But I will be glad when this is over.

More funnies

The kids have said some of the funniest things the past few weeks. I have taken to writing them down, because I tend to forget them as quickly as they are said!

* During vacation, Kate was doing something that got a response from Scott, "Kate, if you do that again I'm going to spank that little hiney", to which she replied, "Daddy, I don't have a little hiney! I have a BIG hiney!"

* Have you ever heard the phrase, "We're going home, James!"? I said that a few weeks ago and Brooks replied, "We're going home, Thomas!" (you know - James, Thomas, Henry from Thomas the Train)

* The kids continually ask me what I am doing. No matter what I am doing. Like driving the car, for example. My reply when they ask me the obvious: I am eating pasketti. Usually Brooks will say, "No ma'am you're not! You are driving the car!". Well, last week, after my reply, Brooks said, "No ma'am you're not! You are eating PIZZA!"

* Kate prayed for Reed (our horse) last week, and it was so sweet. Here is part of it: "Dear God, thank you for Mama, Daddy, Me and Brooks. And we hope that everyone feels better real soon. And, we hope that Reed's leg feels better real soon, because we love him more than we'll ever know. In Jesus' name, Amen."

* At the hotel, Kate was looking out of the window. She suddenly exclaimed, "Look, that man is nekid!" (Only shirtless. We are obviously not from Florida)

* Another at the hotel: We are all sleeping in the same room. Scott and I were talking (I thought quietly) when Kate abruptly sits up and says, "Mama. Daddy. I don't want to hear any more talking. It's time to go to bed. Now, get some sleep."

Here come my favorites!

More beach pics

I love both - Kate's jump and Brooks with Scott

40 something family pics... and this was the best!

I love my kids!

Science Museum and Playground

This day, we took the kids to a Science Museum in Ft. Walton Beach. They were able to do so much hands on - which they had NOT been able to do at all those flea markets the past few days! There was a beautiful park next door which we chose to visit afterwards. Needless to say, the kids enjoyed this.



Look at the concentration on Brooks' face!

Probably the best picture I have of Scott and Kate

BEACH!

Here are pictures from our first day at the beach. The kids were ecstatic! Brooks wasn't sure about any of it... let me see... the sand bothered his toes; he didn't like the water - it was too cold; he didn't want to build a castle... :) We did end up buying a big truck (Brooks named 'Little Rudy') at the Goodwill and he really loved playing in the sand with it. 99 cent great investment.

Kate was fearless - as always. She just inhaled everything. She was ready to hit the ocean, didn't care that the waves hit her in the face, and loved digging holes in the sand.

Many people have told me that Brooks will get better. We will see. All I can think is, "Wow. Swimming class is going to be VERY interesting next year."

Quilts, quilts, quilts

Here are some of the loveliest quilts I have ever seen. My mother has loved quilts all her life, and is a fine seamstress who can make beautiful quilts of her own! I took these pics partly to show her, and partly because I just appreciated the beauty!



From a small antique store in Florida. This quilt was so soft - like a baby blanket. The work was exquisite.

This one was OK. The best at this shop (in Miramar).

This quilt was labeled a Sunbonnet Sue. I had never seen this version of that pattern. My grandmother made a quilt with her grandmother - a Sunbonnet Sue - but it doesn't look like this one. This quilt was in Dothan.

This is my favorite. I love the colors and the patterns. It was in Dothan also. The edges were in much worse shape than the center. but, I loved it!

Antiques and rainbows

After church on Sunday night, there was the most beautiful rainbow. It was full - all the way across. It stayed for quite a while! I was lucky to have my camera with us from our trip, and this was the best picture that we got.

On our way to the beach we stopped by some antique malls/flea markets in Dothan. I got a new window pane to go in my bathroom (to display more pictures...) and my treat was this beautiful tray. It is French, and according to the mall it dates to the mid 1800's. I just loved it - with the horses and the dog running ahead. Plus, the colors work perfectly with my kitchen.

Below that is an oil of a spaniel. I love the impressionistic look of it. There were several more there also.

Did I say that antiques were my passion? :)

Aaahhhh....

OK, so I love this new layout! :)

The best antique shop for glass

Downtown Montavello, there was a antique store. Well, of course we had to stop there! :) This owner had the most impressive collection of glassware, crystal and china I have ever seen. It was almost overwhelming.

But, to my great surprise, there it was...

My punch bowl.

I have been looking for this particular punch bowl for 2 years now. No one has it. It is a Fostoria bowl in the cubist pattern. I had seen it in person once, and that was at a church shower. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it.

I also couldn't believe my ears when I heard the price. $495.00. He'd give me a deal at $425.00.

So I had to leave it there. But, I took a picture of it the next day so I could remember it. Can you see it through the window?

Rick and Brooke met us for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory on Sat night. I ate the Firecracker Salmon appetizer. It is my favorite. We ate outside, partly because of the enormous crowds, and partly because I LOVE to eat outside. The weather was great and the company was better.

Our B&B getaway

The McKibbon House

Located in Montavello, this home was built in 1900. It has been completely restored. Our room had a claw foot tub in the room itself, and it was beautiful. The original owner owned a lumber mill as well as rental properties in Montavello. As you can imagine, he had beautiful woodwork done for his home.

Our breakfast that morning was:

egg and cheese omelets
fresh fruit (cantaloupe and honeydew)
sausage
bacon
homemade biscuits
orange juice
coffee




Our room with the tub!

Dining room

Look at that ceiling! The attention to detail is everywhere.

The current owner's piano, not original to the home. Isn't it breathtaking?

Day 1 of my adventure

I am going to do this in reverse order, because it's aggravating to go backwards. So, if anyone stops by later on, it's all backwards!
And, I may bore you with more details than you want to read, but this is more for my remembrance...

The Saturday before we were to leave for the beach, Scott arranged me a surprise birthday party. Unknown to me, I believe that everyone in Montgomery and a few surrounding states knew of this... :) It was a blast. I was incredibly surprised! Dr. Brooks faked an emergency at the clinic and asked me to come help. I flew there from Prattville and ran into the clinic, only to be surprised by co-workers, my parents, Leah and Mrs. Tuttle.

{insert soap box here} - having a summer birthday meant that I never celebrated my day at school. This was so special to me for Scott to do this. But, the surprises didn't stop there...

Scott told me that he was going to take me shopping. Mom said that she would watch the kids for the afternoon, and we took off. Only for me to find out that Scott had booked a bed and breakfast for us to spend the night. He had the dogs at the clinic, our suitcases packed, and we headed straight there. I was blown away! We love older homes and hadn't been to a B&B in many years. The one we stayed at was in Montavello - the McKibbon House. It was just beautiful.

That afternoon we went to a local antique store and then to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.




A view of the house from the outside.