Live From Lizella

Thankful

2011-12-05T12:42:00.003-05:00

It's December. Thanksgiving is over and the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is here. But I'm still feeling very, very thankful.

Thankful for a healthy boy who loves music.

Thankful for a church family that constantly encourages and loves.

Thankful for a Sunday School teacher who makes my son feel like the most important person in her world, not just this night, but every time they interact.

Thankful for a wonderful, loving piano teacher who teaches a whole lot more than music.

Thankful for a Daddy who sprints through an airport on 2 bum knees in order to arrive just in time to hear his son sing.

Thankful for a sister who beamed with pride after her brother finished.

Thankful that God chose me to be this boy's Mama.

Thankful. Just so very thankful.

We're Back!

2011-03-03T22:36:00.004-05:00

So I obviously haven't posted in a while. 478 days, to be exact. Since this blog serves as my scrapbook, here's a quick list of the things that have happened in our life since I last posted:

2 Thanksgiving plays
1 Vacation Bible School
2 business trips
2 camping trips
20 baseball practices
26 baseball games
1 new niece/cousin (and she's the sweetest thing!)
9 weeks of summer fun
478 nighttime prayers
1 trip to the beach
1 birthday tea party
1 birthday campout party
1 piano move
1 trip to Disney planned
1 awesome Halloween
1 triathlon (Austin's first!)
1 trip to the beach
1 school play audition
11 school play practices
3 school play performances
25 wet willies-yuck!
1 FSU football game
10 soccer practices
16 soccer games
1 appendix removed (are you still reading?)
1 trip to Disney rescheduled
50 show and tells
2 trips around the bases at Turner Field
1 aquabike race
1 Easy-Bake oven dessert (eew!)
24 piano lessons
13 months of knee pain (Scott)
4 Easter Egg hunts
50 Miley Cyrus songs
10 basketball practices
16 basketball games
50 spelling tests
50 Bible verse tests (still reading? You must really love us!)
17 church session meetings
30 Junior League meetings
1 Disney trip finally taken
25 trips to the library
400 "I'll Love You Forever" songs
100 Justin Beiber songs (really just that "Baby, Baby" song played 100 times)
1 miniscus repair on Scott's knee
1 post-miniscus-repair infection
10 softball practices
15 softball games
5 amazing discussions with my children about what Heaven is like
25 Accelerated Reader tests
2 good checkups (Praise the Lord!)
2 meltdowns over getting a flu shot
Too many funerals
1 set of training wheels given away
5000 trips around the cul-de-sac on a princess bike
10000 shots taken on the new basketball goal
1 Brunswick Stew cook-off victory
35 church choir practices
70 church services
200 shots taken from bb guns
1 book report
1 Peyton and Eli Manning obsession
508 carpools (not an exaggeration)
1 Justin Beiber backlash (Thank goodness!)
31 socks without a match
2 Father/Daughter dances

Whew! It makes me tired just reading all that. Now you see why I've had no time to keep up with the blog.

I keep a color-coded Google calendar for our family. Each of us has a color. Most weeks, it looks like a rainbow. Very little white space. If it's not on the calendar, and therefore sync'ed to my phone and Scott's phone, we probably won't remember it. But I wouldn't trade our life for anything in the world. Life is good. Really good. One of my friends posted on Facebook today, "I'm drinkin' from my saucer 'cause my cup has overflowed." That's just how I feel. And I'll try to do better at updating the blog. Because when the children are grown and out of the house, I'll wish the kids had some activity for me to take them to. That's when my "scrapbook" will really come in handy. Love to you all, if you made it this far...

Finally!!!

2009-11-11T20:42:00.003-05:00

Well, it finally happened. Austin lost his first tooth. At 7 1/2 years old. We wondered if this day would ever come. Austin waited, sometimes impatiently, as friend after friend lost tooth after tooth. His best friend Christian has lost about 8 teeth now. It didn't make it easier that in First Grade, his Weekly Reader at school asked students to fill in how many teeth they had lost. His had a big, fat goose-egg. He was so embarrassed. Every 6 months when he went to see Miss Emily at the dentist's office, he'd jump into the chair and say, "Miss Emily, I think I have 1 or 2 loose teeth." She'd check, shake her head, and explain to him that it might take a while, and that that was perfectly OK. Miss Emily would show him his x-rays that revealed every single permanent tooth, working their way closer and closer to the surface. But it wasn't happening fast enough for my boy. I myself have been OK with the wait. I hated losing my teeth, so much so that the last few had to be pulled. It just creeps me out. Besides, all those permanent teeth on the x-ray? They're coming in as crooked as can be. I know there are braces in Austin's future. I made sure to get some good pictures this summer, before those pretty baby teeth go away.

So this is the first-tooth story. Austin got into the car from school last Friday saying that he had a loose tooth. Sure he did. I've heard that more times than I can count. But when I asked him to wiggle it for me, it did. Get out! And there was a nearly full-grown permanent tooth directly behind the loose one. I started wondering what kind of parent lets their child grow a huge permanent tooth without even noticing. Austin was so excited that we called every immediate member of our family at least once over the weekend to let them know. He even insisted on posting on Uncle Ron's Facebook page: "This is Austin. I have a loose tooth!!!!!" Uncle Ron responded: "That's great. Don't forget to put it under your pillow. I hear the tooth fairy in your neighborhood leaves $100s." Thanks so much, Uncle Ron. Your baby that's due in June? He or she will receive a drum for his or her first Christmas. Count on it. Anyway, I had my dental checkup on Monday. I had strict instructions to inform Miss Emily, which I did. She sent him home a prize from the prize wagon. Miss Emily said to just wiggle it a bit every day, and eventually it would come out, and the permanent tooth would move into its spot. So I told him this. He did lots of wiggling. Tonight we sat down to supper. We had pork chops, green beans, and corn on the cob. In the middle of dinner, Austin said, "My tooth is gone! My tooth is gone!" I was terrified that he had swallowed it, so I went into search mode. I found it right there on top of his corn. Kendall started crying, because she didn't know what was going on. Austin started pumping his fists. You would have thought it was Christmas morning around here. He wanted to tell everybody he could. Granddaddy happened to be here to witness this joyful event. Austin called Grandma. He posted on Uncle Ron's Facebook page. He wanted to call his teacher, but I assured him it could wait until tomorrow morning. I'm sure everyone else will get a call tomorrow night. The best part was when we explained to Kendall that it would be a few years before she lost any teeth. She said she didn't want to lose any. Austin said, "Kendall, you know the best part? You'll feel like such a big girl when you lose one. I feel like a big boy now!"

Needless to say, we put a very happy boy to bed tonight with a tooth under his pillow. He is a little worried that the permanent tooth is there. He'd prefer for there to be an empty hole, like a badge of honor, but he's still over the moon. Our little boy is growing up. And it's all happening a little too quickly for this mama.

Super Bowl Champs!

2009-11-03T20:47:00.006-05:00

Austin's flag football season ended last Thursday with the big Super Bowl. His team was the #1 seed. They had only lost one game, and the team that defeated them earlier in the season was their Super Bowl opponent. He got into the car after school on Thursday all excited: "I'm playin' under the lights tonight, Mama!" He also inquired as to whether his team's supporters could arrange a "blackout." It was great to see him so excited about the whole thing! The game went back and forth, but his team finally pulled out a win. There was a huge pile-up of kids at the end of the game. It was a great season. Next year: real tackle football. We can't wait, but with Kendall's soccer season over now, we're looking forward to a bit of a break before the holidays!

Charles Benson

2009-10-22T22:53:00.003-04:00

We have friends who we've known for a couple of years now. We have lots of the same interests. We go to the same church, we love sports, we love camping, etc. We have lots in common with the parents, Chase and Allison. Austin has lots in common with their 8-year-old, Davis. And boy, oh boy, does Kendall have lots in common with 4-year-old Charles. Actually, she calls him by his first and middle names, Charles Benson. When those two get together, watch out! T-R-O-U-B-L-E. But they are so cute, and they have so much fun together. They spent lots of quality time together last fall while their older brothers were playing football.

Lately, they've been calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. (Yikes! What will we do when she's 16?!) Last night, as they were leaving church choir, they exchanged I-Love-Yous. Allison and I exchanged horrified stares. It's a good thing we all really like each other! Here are a few pictures of Kendall and Charles Benson at their best:

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A Baby!!!!!

2009-10-22T22:45:00.002-04:00

Not ours, silly! My brother Ron and his wife, Ally, are expecting a baby sometime in early June. We're all really excited. Austin thinks it's really cool: "This is the second baby I'll see at the hospital!" Kendall just wants a little girl to play with. She will hear nothing of the possibility that it may be a boy. At all. I'm just wondering if the baby will be born with its Daddy's hairline. (Sorry, Ron, I couldn't resist!)

It's so exciting being on this side of things. I can't wait to fire my sewing machine up and make itty bitty things! Congratulations RAlly! We can't wait. Here's to a happy, healthy pregnancy.

More from Austin and Kendall

2009-09-20T21:27:00.005-04:00

With fall activities started off, we're really busy right now. We have football practice on Monday, soccer practice on Tuesday, church choir on Wednesday, and games on Saturday. Plus anything Scott and I have going on. So that's the reason I haven't had time to blog. But I thought I'd let you know a few funny things the kids have said lately.

Austin and Scott were buying some waterproof boots yesterday. Austin gave Scott a $50 limit to spend. He said, "Daddy, you can only spend $50 for your shoes." Scott said, "Why can't I spend more than that?" Austin told him "You need to save your money so you can spend it on me, Mommy, and Kendall. You know Dad, you're really good at spending money on Mommy, me, and Kendall. Actually, I think that's probably your best sport." That's right - not basketball, or golf, or baseball. Scott's best sport is spending money on us.

When Kendall tells me what they're doing at school, she keeps mentioning Carfax. I was wondering if Mrs. Nina was teaching the children how to buy a good used car. Then I finally discovered Kendall was talking about the Boxcar Children book they were reading. Well, she's only 2 letters off...

And finally, we really try to teach our kids to give to those less fortunate, but I had to draw the line when Austin wanted to give his old toothbrush to Goodwill.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!

2009-09-20T21:17:00.004-04:00

Last weekend was the beginning of the Fall sports season in the Emener household. For the first three weeks, Kendall's soccer game is at 10:15 and Austin's flag football game is at 10:30, so we're having to split up to get them to their games. Scott and I really hate to miss one of our kids' games, but that's just the way it is. Kendall is doing wonderfully this season. She has figured out that she doesn't have to chase the pack of girls around. She can actually take the ball away! She scored 3 goals the first week and 4 goals yesterday. Well, only 3 if you don't count the one she kicked into the wrong goal!!! She's having so much fun! Every time she scores, she runs away from the pack of girls to find me and make sure I'm watching. I'm so proud of her. Austin is doing some good blocking on the offensive line, pulling some flags on defense, and even ran the ball 6 yards yesterday. I can't wait to see it in person! I'll post some pictures once I actually make it to a game.

Kendall's First FSU Football Game

2009-09-20T19:03:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday, we took the kids to the Florida State/Jacksonville State football game. This was the only home game we'd be able to make it to this season, so we were determined to go-even though we knew it would be raining cats and dogs! After Austin's football game and Kendall's soccer game, we loaded up the car and left for Tallahassee. We made it there about two hours before kickoff, but had to go off in search of ponchos, or as Kendall called them, "bi-nachos." So we finally found some ponchos and headed to Doak Campbell Stadium. The kids were so excited. They had Seminoles on their cheeks. Kendall was especially excited because this was her first game. Luckily, there was a break in the rain long enough for us to walk from our car into the stadium. The kids enjoyed hearing the band before the game, and just before kickoff, the bottom fell out. We donned our "bi-nachos." Once you accept that your feet are going to be soaked, it's not really that bad. We ended up staying for the whole game because it was a close one. Then we had to drive all the way back home because Austin was getting his Bible at Sunday School Promotion Sunday morning. We got back about 2:00 am, but it was well worth it. Here are a few pictures from the game: "One day, kids, we'll win another one of those trophies."

Notice the Gator fans in the background. This is what Austin thinks of Gators. We won't even get into why people would dress like that and come to an FSU/JSU game. Really, even if there are only Gator "bi-nachos" left in town, I'd rather use a Kroger bag than show up at a game looking like this.

Kendall wanted to know why those people had cooking pots on their heads.

Austin's Goose Egg

2009-08-25T16:00:00.006-04:00

So I got a call from Mrs. Keys, the secretary at Austin's school, yesterday just as I was leaving to pick him up. He had tripped over someone else's feet and hit his head on a desk. He had a knot above his eye. When I got there, his sweet teacher was there with him. His head hurt, but I could tell he'd probably be OK. Mrs. Keys told me that she put him on the couch just outside her office with an ice pack and continued to do her work. She told him to call her if he needed anything. She heard something, but couldn't tell what he was saying. She said, "Austin, did you call me?" He said, "No ma'am, I was just moaning." And he was really moaning when I picked him up. But he somehow made a miraculous recovery just in time for football tryouts. I don't know where our kids get their dramatic side. Hmmm...must be from their Daddy.

Bonding with Uncle Tony

2009-08-25T15:46:00.004-04:00

This past weekend, we went down to Tallahassee to attend the funeral of Bobo's father. (In case you don't know, Bobo is Austin and Kendall's Uncle John.) We were glad to have the opportunity to visit with Bobo and his family. An added benefit was that we were able to visit with most of Scott's family while we were there. The best part of the weekend was that the kids had some good bonding time with their Uncle Tony, also known to our kids as the human jungle gym. We had pizza and ice cream, and Tante Barbara and Uncle Tony even let Austin and his cousin Ryan stay in their hotel room for the night. I was trying to go to sleep, and Austin called me about 6 times. He was fascinated with the hotel phone. "Hey Mom, did you know you could call a taxi from this phone?" "Hey Mom, we're watching the race!" "Hey Mom, can I talk to Kendall and tell her good night?" It was so funny. The whole time, I could hear Tony laughing in the background. So much for getting the kids to bed at a reasonable hour. But they made some great memories. That's what it's all about.

Why I Love Being a Mama...

2009-08-25T15:42:00.002-04:00

Because Austin could have drawn Star Wars ships, houses, or who knows what else with his "Scritchy-Scratchy," but instead, he drew this. I just love my kids...

Happy 37th Birthday, Scott!

2009-08-13T21:32:00.003-04:00

Today is Scott's 37th birthday! Kendall and I made him a chocolate cake after school. She is becoming quite the little helper in the kitchen. She likes to wear her apron and help measure things. When Scott got home from work, she met him at the door yelling, "Happy Birthday, Daddy! We made you a chocolate cake!" He could already tell. Her face was covered in chocolate from licking the beater. The kids always insist on blowing out candles, even for adult birthdays. Well, all we had around here tonight were pink candles. Such is the life for a 37-year-old Daddy-he didn't care at all!

Happy Birthday to the best Daddy and Husband we could ask for. We love you more than you know!

First Day of School 2009

2009-08-13T21:06:00.010-04:00

The kids started school today. They were up and ready to go with plenty of time to spare. (We'll see if that continues!) I was very pleased that Austin let me walk him into his classroom today. I think I'd just cry if he didn't let me walk him in and get a few pictures. I can't believe my big boy is starting 2nd grade!

After we dropped Austin off, Kendall and I made our way to the Kindergarten building. It was all I could do to keep up with her. I'm so grateful that our kids aren't scared by new experiences-they actually thrive on it! She bounced right into the room and started playing. Incidentally, she told me last night that there's no work in 4K, just playing. We'll see about that.

I stuck around for the parent meeting, then she was ready for me to go. I could hear other kids sobbing because their parents were leaving. Kendall was smiling and waving from her seat, waiting on her snack. I was so proud of her. Where does the time go?

It's very bittersweet. But I'm not sad. I'm just incredibly grateful that they are both healthy and happy. We're so lucky to have these sweet little angels in our lives! God is good!

Our Squeaky-Clean Boy

2009-08-13T20:52:00.002-04:00

Last week, Austin took his shower in our bathroom instead of his bathroom a couple of times. The first night, he asked Scott if he could use our shampoos. Scott said that was fine. We have several kinds in there, but Austin was intrigued by the one that has a "citrus breeze" flavor. Well, two nights in a row, Austin got out wanting us to smell him. It's very common for me to give them a "smell test" to be sure they actually used soap, shampoo, or toothpaste, depending on what they're supposed to be cleaning. So I gave him a sniff. "Oooooh, smells like oranges!," I said. "But, Mom, smell my shoulders, too." Well, OK. His shoulders smelled good, too. So we went about our business. The second night, he asked Scott to smell him. Scott said, "Son, you're supposed to use that shampoo on just your hair, not on your body." Austin said, "Daddy, the bottle says 'Head and Shoulders,' so that's what I used it on!" It was all we could do to hold our laughter in. I just know he'll be a preacher or a policeman one day. He's all about following the rules, and making sure others do the same.

He's Got Her Back

2009-07-20T00:27:00.002-04:00

Saturday was the much-anticipated run-to-the-mailbox-to-find-out-who-my-teacher-will-be-this-school-year-and-if-my-best-friend-is-in-my-class day. There was great excitement. We're very pleased with the kids' teachers. We happened to meet Austin's teacher last weekend, and we think she's wonderful. We know Kendall's is wonderful because she is the same teacher Austin had in 4K. Kendall is so excited to be at the same school as her big brother. We have about 3 weeks before school starts, but this was overheard one day last week:

Kendall: "Austin, when I go to FPD, if somebody is mean to me or pushes me, your job is to punch 'em."
Austin: "Uuuuuh, OK."

And I just think it might happen, although Kendall can take care of herself pretty well.

Beach Pictures

2009-07-19T23:45:00.002-04:00

One night while we were at the beach, I made everybody change into coordinating clothes and take pictures at sunset on the beach. This, of course, was met with groans and the rolling of eyes. But we got some fabulous shots. I'm very excited, but mostly excited that they were all taken with my camera, instead of paying a photographer mucho dinero to take them.

Hilton Head 2009

2009-07-19T23:36:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful vacation in Hilton Head last week! The most important thing for everyone to know is that I beat Scott at putt-putt, and by 2 strokes at that. Oh yeah, we also had lots of fun at the beach and the pool, riding bikes, and eating really good food. There were so many pictures that I thought I'd post a slideshow. Now it's back to reality...

We returned from the beach on Friday and celebrated our 11th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday. Yay us! We enjoyed a nice dinner out, but have spent most of the weekend preparing the house for our annual Lambda Chi reunion next weekend. I'm not sure there can be enough preparation for this bunch, but we're trying! There will probably be about 20 people. We're really looking forward to it.

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-08T20:13:00.008-04:00

We spent the Fourth of July at my grandmother's house in Ideal, Georgia. My mom's side of the family has always had a big barbecue to celebrate the Fourth, and this year was no different! We decided to go down a little early to help out with the cooking. We went down on Thursday night and camped out in the backyard. The kids had a great time. We heard lots of country sounds. One night I heard a pack of coyotes in the distance. Yikes!

Bright and early Friday morning, my uncles, Scott, and my cousin Brock put the hog on to cook.

I'll bet Tampa boy Scott never thought in his wildest dreams that he'd be carrying 1/4 of a hog to the pit, along with one of my 4 Uncle Larries. That's right. There have been 4 Uncle Larries in my life. I'll save that explanation for another post.

Mmmmmmm

Now it was time to wait on the meat to cook. People showed up throughout the day on Friday. The adults visited, and the kids played. And played. And played. This was my favorite part. When I was growing up, we went to MeMe and Pa's almost every Sunday. Every time we got together, my cousins and I would play for hours and hours outside. Most kids played house. But not us. We played Dukes of Hazzard. And we rode 4-wheelers. And we helped to feed the animals on the farm. And we rolled down the hill across the road from MeMe's house. That always seemed like the biggest hill. We would be so dizzy when we got to the bottom of the hill, not to mention filthy. Now that hill doesn't seem very big at all. Those times with my cousins are some of my most precious memories, and I'm grateful that my kids get to do at least some of the same things with their cousins.

Friday night, our generation was in charge of supper. There seemed to be more talking going on than grilling, but the guys did a good job. We had pork chops and ribs.

Saturday morning, we took some pictures of the kids, MeMe's Great-Grandchildren, in their red, white, and blue. They were so cute! There are 12 Great-Grandchildren, 6 boys and 6 girls, which includes 2 sets of twins. In case you're wondering why we stopped at 2 kids, they're the two cute little 2-year-olds sitting in the trailer, Hannah and Hillary. When my cousin Ken and his wife Shelia found out they were having twins, that pretty much sealed the deal for us. My cousin Lori and her husband Chris also have twin boys, Michael and Nicholas, who are standing on the right of the wagon. I might have tried for 3 kids, but the idea of 4 terrified me! We're so blessed with the 2 kids we do have, and they certainly keep us busy enough.

This picture was taken in MeMe's back yard, in front of what was at one time an outhouse. My Uncle Pete would hook that trailer to the back of his 4-wheeler and load it up with kids and feed. We'd go all around the farm feeding the animals. My cousins and I would help. Well, mostly, we'd ride along and play with the buckets of feed. Another memory I'll always cherish. Just like the hill across the road from MeMe's house, that trailer isn't nearly as big as it used to seem. Before we found the trailer, I was sure we could fit all 12 kids inside. Once we found it, only the smallest kids would fit. I guess our perspectives change as we age. We see some things differently. But MeMe's is still a happy, loving place, and it always will be. My children don't get to experience it as often as I did, but I think they get it. And next time, I'm teaching those kids how to roll down that hill!

Summer Reading

2009-07-06T00:44:00.002-04:00

We're working on that summer reading list. We joined the Summer Reading Program at the public library to encourage reading during the summer. We've been diligently reading to Kendall and listening to Austin read nearly every night for the past few weeks. But a child must read for 8 hours before they get the first prize from the library-a free waffle from Waffle House. That's a whole lot of reading for a kid, especially during the summer. So I had a brilliant idea last week. I'd have Austin read to Kendall. This would count on both his and her reading sheets. Meanwhile, I could fold some laundry. Silly me, I forgot to mention the "please don't try to read while you're both sitting in the laundry basket, because it's not really conducive to reading" rule. All they did was play. At this rate, Mama's gonna be buying that waffle herself.

Since when does Kendall give the peace sign?!

So Long, Farewell

2009-07-01T16:11:00.011-04:00

Last week, we had to say goodbye (or at least see ya later) to some dear friends, Christy and Jay, who are in the process of moving to New Orleans. Hey, at least it's a place we'd love to visit! Their oldest child, Matthew, is Austin's age. Those two have so much in common, mostly their love of Jesus and all things Star Wars. We've spent many hours together since we met two and a half years ago. While the kids were in 4K and 5K, we got together at Chick-fil-A every Thursday for the kids to play. There were usually four of us there: me, Christy, and our friends Shelia and Audie. While the kids were playing, we were able to have an actual adult conversation. We all enjoyed each other's company so much that we started a supper club. When we got together for supper, we were very pleased that our husbands hit it off as well as we had. We're very lucky that we really get along well with the parents of our kids' friends. It works out very well for us and the kids. The supper club group enjoyed a nice adults-only dinner to toast Christy and Jay before the big move. Two very brave young ladies watched all 10 of our children. We had a wonderful time, as always, and the kids did too! The kids looked like zombies when we got back.

When Daddy was in the hospital last year, Christy checked in with me almost daily to see how he (and I) was doing. She picked Austin up from school for playdates while I was at the hospital more times than I can count. All while she was pregnant with a toddler to take care of! Christy, Jay, Matthew, Daniel, and Hannah, we'll miss you more than you know! Over dinner, we were already discussing getting together sometime next year for a weekend visit. I really hope we can make that happen!

The Chick-fil-A crew at the end of 5K last year

Our Little Fish

2009-07-01T16:06:00.005-04:00

Kendall took swimming lessons with Mrs. Julie Bragg again this summer. Our girl has no fear. Some kids have problems with swimming lessons. They get scared and cry. Some were still crying at the end of the two weeks. The main problem with Kendall was she tried to break in front of other kids in line to jump off the diving board! Of course, some of these kids were perfectly happy for Kendall to take their place. but Mrs. Julie has eyes in the back of her head, so she put Kendall back to the end of the line each time. I'd much rather her be too eager than scared to death! Here are a few pictures of our little fish during swimming lessons:

The Day Kendall Flirted with the Governor

2009-06-21T22:20:00.003-04:00

You know, I've been writing this blog for a couple of weeks now. It mostly exists as a scrapbook for us and a way for grandparents and other family to get regular updates on the kids. But I've found myself thinking in the middle of a family discussion, "This is going to be my next blog post." When you have kids like ours, these things just write themselves. Here's the latest:

We went to Bass Pro Shops to exchange the hunting clothes Granddaddy bought Austin for his birthday. We needed a bigger size. So we walked up the the customer service desk at the front of the store. No one was standing there, so we walked on up and told the lady what we needed to do. Just then, I noticed that Governor Sonny Perdue and his wife Mary walked up next to us. They needed to make an exchange. (That's right, Mr. Governor, you can just wait until The Emeners are done with our business before you get your turn!) Anyway, Scott and I noticed who they were, but we didn't say anything except Hello. They were wearing shorts and T-shirts, and looked like they were definitely on personal time. We figured we'd just give them their space. So we're waiting on the lady to help us, and Mr. and Mrs. Perdue couldn't help but listen to the conversation. And knowing our family, it was interesting of course. While the lady was scanning our items, Austin decided that he needed a hunting license-and he needed it right now! Because, "Mommy, what if a man comes up while we're hunting and says, 'Do you have a license to hunt?' and I don't have a license. Then I'd be in trouble." That's my boy-never one to break the rules. I looked down to Austin to explain that we'd get him a license before hunting season, which is months away. Then I looked up. Mrs. Perdue was smiling nicely, listening to Austin, and the Governor-of-the-Great-State-of-Georgia was exchanging silly faces with Kendall! Of course, she was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, carrying a purse, with a bracelet and necklace on. She's always got to accessorize. And she's making funny faces with the Governor of Georgia. And he looks like just any grandfather who happens to be at Bass Pro Shops making an exchange. They went back and forth with the funny faces about 3 times before we were on our way. It was so cute! I've always heard what nice people they are, and it showed tonight.

Then, on the way home, Austin and Kendall had the following discussion.

Austin: "I'm going to hunt for bears. And deer."
Kendall: "Deer?"
Austin: "Yes, deer. They taste good and they're fun to shoot." (Note: this child has never, ever tasted deer meat in his life. Or been deer hunting. He just saw one on Granddaddy's wall.)
Kendall: "Don't shoot them. I like the deer. They're nice."
Austin: "You know what else is good to shoot: butterflies. They're good training for bird-hunting." (What?)
Kendall: "But I like butterflies, too. They're pretty."

This went on for a minute or two, and they just agreed to disagree on the matter. Surely it won't be long before Austin's NRA card and Kendall's PETA card arrive in the mail.

I asked Austin and Kendall tonight what their favorite thing was about Daddy. Kendall said, "He's been nice to me." Austin said, "Daddy always believes in me." A kid couldn't ask for any more than that. We're very lucky to have him. He's the most patient man I know. Happy Father's Day to Scott, and to Pop-Pop and Granddaddy, too!

Summertime, Sweet Summertime

2009-06-16T00:02:00.011-04:00

It's been another busy week of summer here. We spent most of the weekend outside. We hung out with friends on the lake Saturday. On Sunday, we went over to Sprewell Bluff State Park on the Flint River near Thomaston and, as my husband so aptly puts it, "flopped in the river." We even took The Cody. He enjoyed himself as much as The Cody will allow. He never has really liked the water, but he managed to get wet and even went with us on a hike. On the way home, we stopped by Dickey Farms in Musella. The kids got to see the whole process: trucks coming in from the farm, people sorting the peaches, peaches being boxed, and boxes being palletized for shipment to stores. The kids thought it was really cool. We had a little peach ice cream, too! This will be Austin's last week at Trinity Woods. He's got all his best buddies from school in his group, so he's really enjoying himself this week. They're finishing up their fort, and they've been playing capture the flag. I think these are going to be the days he and his friends talk about when they're older. Kendall started her 2 weeks of swimming lessons with Miss Julie on Monday, and she has done exceptionally well. There are 2 kids in the class who cry the whole time, but it doesn't bother her at all. She was the first one to jump off the side of the pool. You should have seen her smile! I was so proud of her! Both kids are becoming fish this summer. And last night was a big night for Austin. He water skiied for the first time. He's been saying since late last summer that he wanted to ski, but we really didn't know how he would handle it. He did great! You can see our friend Amanda helping him in the video. She is an awesome skiier, and she really helped Austin a lot. We're so proud of him. Here's the video:

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

2009-06-15T23:21:00.007-04:00

I'm always amazed at the things that come out of our kids' mouths. Sometimes it's so random. Last night at dinner, we were discussing possible vacation spots. The following conversation ensued:

Austin: "I know there's one place I definitely don't want to go on vacation: Texas!"
Daddy: "Why is that? What's wrong with Texas?"
Austin: "That place is disgusting! Those people don't even take showers!"
Mama: "What do you mean, they don't take showers?"
Austin: "Well, they just wash off with water out of a barrel. And they only have one set of clothes."

We continued to ask questions about this Texas place, and we finally decided that Austin's been reading World Book Encyclopedia, the 1880 edition. It was all we could do to keep from laughing. He really pictures Texas the way it was more than a century ago, with dirty cowboys and barrels everywhere.

Over the years, I've been keeping a list of the funny things the kids say. I know the time will come all too soon when the funny mispronunciations and wacky misunderstandings will slow down. I don't ever want to forget that Austin loved watching "Hukes of Dazzard" with his Uncle Pete, or the time he saw a swap (it was actually a wasp) buzzing around in the car, or the time he asked for some Vanilla Wipers (wafers). Once, he came home from school upset about his boo-boo. Apparently, he hurt his finger and it interrupted with blood like a volcano! How do you bandage the boo-boo without laughing at that line? He's also always trying to get me to buy something from those infomercials on TV. Last year, he came up to me and said, "Mom, are you tired of cleaning the hard way? You need the Sonic Scrubber. Just use it and wipe with a clean cloth." That kid has a bright future in marketing.

And Kendall, dear Kendall! When she was 2 years old, she was convinced that Santa Claus should bring her cheese. I told her that surely she wanted something more than cheese. She said, "OK. Chicken too." Santa did deliver some cheddar cheese to her that year; I don't think chicken transports well from the North Pole. Kendall also ends her prayers most nights with, "God Bless the Braves." They probably need the prayers anyway.

There really is nothing like the innocence of a child. I know we're not the cool parents because our kids aren't allowed to watch the Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon regularly. They watch Boomerang, because it has older cartoons from when we were growing up-when the world was a much less dangerous place. Or at least it seemed that way. They also don't have all the latest video games. If we could just hold on to that innocence for a little longer, it'd be OK with us. So we're slow to correct these misperceptions, as long as there's no danger in it. Except those poor people in Texas. I bet they really stink...

The Cody and Sissy Sassy

2009-06-08T22:44:00.013-04:00

We all know The Cody has issues. He's allergic to grass (yes, grass!), among other things. He's gassy. He scares himself when he breaks wind, so much so that he jumps up and runs across the room. Well, his issues have gotten worse over the past couple of months. He's been obsessively licking his paws, usually when Scott is not home. For some reason, The Cody feels an attachment to the guy who feeds him, gives him water, takes him outside, and exercises him. Anyway, it got so bad that I took him to see Dr. Steph, the world's greatest vet (who probably has had several nice vacations thanks to the frequency of our visits), and we decided to start him on anti-anxiety medication. The good news is that this medicine also helps with itching, so we might be able to stop the steroids for his allergies and just have him on this one medicine. We'll see how he's doing in about a month, then decide whether to keep him on it or not. He's getting older-he'll be 9 next month-and we just want his quality of life to be good as long as possible.

I took Kendall to her friend Grayson's birthday party Saturday morning at Build-a-Bear Workshop. If you've never been there, here's how it works. You pick out a bear, they stuff it for you, you pick out outfits for the bear, you name the bear, then you get a birth certificate for the bear, and you take the bear home. So Kendall picks out a really cute brown bear. There were probably 100 different outfits for this bear-dresses, sports outfits, swimsuits, blue jeans, pajamas, superhero costumes, etc. Kendall perused all the offerings. She stopped at the soccer outfits and thought for a while, then ran to the other side of the store to make her selection. Quite naturally, she picked the pink and white satin pajamas with hearts. Oh my! I tried to point her to the flannel pajamas, but her mind was made up. We went over to print out a birth certificate for the bear, and Kendall announces that the scantily-clad bear will henceforth be known as...Sissy Sassy. How appropriate. All Scott could do when we got home was shake his head.

After the party, Scott and I got lots of work done around the house. It's amazing how much you can get done when you're actually at home for a few hours! We let the kids do whatever they wanted, so they played outside and watched lots of TV. Kendall made friends with a neighbor's granddaughter. Kendall found out she was older than this little girl by a few months, so she enjoyed bossing her around as much as possible. On our street, the kids are 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12, so Kendall enjoyed having somebody her own age. I think they both had a lot of fun.

Oh, and this is what happens to Daddies of little girls when they take afternoon naps...

Austin is 7!

2009-06-01T18:04:00.008-04:00

Today is Austin's 7th birthday. I am constantly amazed at what an amazing little man he's turning out to be. He loves God, loves his family and friends, works hard, plays hard, and makes us laugh a lot. He is the most compassionate little boy I've ever known.

Today he went to Trinity Woods Day Camp. This is an outdoors camp that Austin and his friends love. He'll be going there for the next 3 weeks. He was so excited to see his friends there when he arrived. After camp, we all went out to Margarita's to celebrate his birthday. When I was tucking Kendall in tonight, she said, "Thank you, God, for my big 7-year-old brother." Amen to that, sister!

Our New Blog

2009-05-31T23:12:00.001-04:00

Hey everybody! So this is our new blog. I decided to start one for several reasons. First of all, I figure this is the closest I'll ever get to scrapbooking. Let's face it, I'll never get around to it. But I can definitely post on a blog. Secondly, it will help everyone in our family to see what's going on in our life. We'll see how it goes. Oh, and we're open to suggestions for the name of our blog. We weren't feeling particularly creative when we came up with the name.

We had a very busy weekend. Friday was Austin's last day of first grade. Kendall and I went to his end-of-the-year program and then to lunch with our regular Chick-fil-A crowd. As always, we had a great time. Friday night, I took Kendall to a swimming pool birthday party for one of her best friends. She had a great time. On Saturday morning, Scott took part in his first Sprint Triathlon-it was a 750m swim, 15 mile bike, and 5k run. His goal was to finish in under 2 hours, and he beat his goal by nearly 10 minutes! It turns out they didn't measure the swim or bike courses correctly (really, how can that happen?), so he even swam and biked further than he should have, and still beat his goal. I'm so proud of him. He's been working so hard to get back into shape. He's only been training for about 6 weeks. Here are a few pictures from the event:

The 2 guys in the picture work with Scott. They've been training together for the past few weeks. What a great couple of guys!

We "raced" home from the race to get ready for Austin's 7th birthday party. We decided on a bowling party this year, and we had a great turnout! Austin had a wonderful time with his friends. You'll notice in the video that he did his best Slash impersonation while we were singing Happy Birthday. My kids' Guns 'n Roses fascination is another whole post in itself.

These are "my girls." We've gotten together for lunch nearly every week ever since 4K. Life has gotten busy, and the kids are in school all day now, so we don't get to do it as much as we'd like. But I couldn't ask for better friends. Our kids get along so well together, and we've all been through the ups and downs of raising a family for the past 3 years. I was so glad they and their kids were all able to be at Austin's party, and so was he.

We came home from Austin's party and went to our friend Shannon's birthday party Saturday night. Austin and Kendall enjoyed some quality time with Grandma, Aunt Karen, and their cousin Ryan while we were at the party. Then on Sunday, we all went to church. Our friends the Drews joined the church. What a beautiful service! Then we enjoyed the afternoon on the lake with the Crosbys. Whew! What a weekend! Lots of pictures to look at, but this weekend was busy even by our standards.

So there! My first blog post! There's lots more to come.