Windows, Trash, and Colds

Today, Buddy Smalls learned to open the window and escape the premises. He was rather amused. And quite frankly, so was I.

Note to self: lock all windows, STAT.



He's also taken to throwing away his own trash. Example: he'll eat a piece of candy and throw the wrapper in the trash. Another example: today he casually grabbed my half-eaten banana off the counter, ate the rest, and threw the peel in the trash. He knows what goes in the trash and what does not go in the trash. To my knowledge, I have never know him to throw away something that was not trash. He's a genius, I'm certain.

In other news, the littlest one survived her first cold. She was a trooper and remained oh so pleasant even though she was suffering.



Today was the first day she really started feeling better.

And for that I am very very thankful.

Hope to be back soon to talk about home organization, one of my all time favorite topics...whoop, whoop!

Our week in Greenville

There is no way to recount all the details of our time in Greenville. Mississippi that is - the town I grew up in, the place where my parents live. It was WAY fun. We ate good food. The beer flowed like wine. And the wine flowed like brown, Greenville water. Every day was a holiday and every night was a celebration. That's how you do it when your family lives 6 hours away and you only visit 4 or 5 times a year.

Some of the things we did....

Strolled around the block. Went to the carousel. Played at the playhouse. Watched movies. Worshed babies. Wal-marted. Ate catfish sandwiches from Gino's. Visited the playground. Made lots of Keurig coffee. Netflixed Veggie tales. Sewed. Blogged. Visited with friends.

I even got to drive to my favorite fabric shop {alone} while listening to Madonna's Just Like a Prayer on the radio --- in my mom's van --- with the windows rolled down. The weather was gorgeous. And the best part was I had full time help with the little folk. I love for my family --- mom, dad, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc --- to know and be involved my children's lives. Its important.

Here's a selection of pictures from our visit....
We can't wait to go back! Hopefully, Captain Steve can go with us next time. He's kind of a big deal around here.

This was our last feast before we woke up and made the long drive home...Doc's smoked chicken, red potatoes, and roasted carrots and cabbage. Yum.

Thank you Lovie, Doc, Tater Salad, and Archies for such a great time!!!

Sayin' hi

*Revised to add that the name of the book I refer to is Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland. Some of you kind folks reported you had trouble with the Amazon link. Thanks for letting me know :)*

Just droppin' in to say hi. I've taken an unintentional break from ol' spoonful this week. After a week long SO-fun time at my parents house, I'm home getting our life back in order. My mom (aka Lovie) drove us back and is staying for a few days which is a wonderful (I mean really wonderful) help to me, especially since both my little people have colds.

This week, in addition to wiping snotty noses, taking place in my house is project: unclutter my life. Lovie (my mom) bought this book a while back. I borrowed and skimmed; and it truly inspired. Combine this with the beautiful weather we've had and its the perfect motivators for an early spring cleaning. I'm talking serious cleaning. With Lovie as my liberator saying things like "yes, you really should throw this or that away", I have made some serious progress. Project unclutter is something I've been chipping away at for a long time, but with a fresh set of eyes, its being taken to a whole new level. For the first time in months, I can really relax in my own home. Its glorious.

I look forward to returning soon with an update on some of the things we've done!!!

On the street I grew up on...

my girl wears her first dress....

A perfect occasion to embrace the camera.....

You still have a few hours to join the fun!

The Playground

Greetings from Mississippi. We are still here visiting my family, livin' the good life, being pampered by grandparents, and enjoying our days. We do however miss our daddy, Captain Steve, Stephen Grande, my main squeeze, who so lovingly stays behind to support us.

Yesterday we took full advantage of the gorgeous weather and went to a nearby playground.



Fun, invigorating - these words don't even begin to describe the largeness of our time.



Stephen Small laughed, played, climbed, ran. Really it was a precious time and moment of his childhood.

And I loved capturing his every move with photos.

Don't you love watching children play? They work so hard at it.

I had to help him with the slide. To my surprise, he was a little nervous at first.

But he quickly followed my lead.

Excuse me a moment for being a Debbie Downer, but I couldn't help but think of how dangerous a playground could be - the monkey bars, the potential for splinters, the little pebbles that fit perfectly in a child's nose, oh and THE MONKEY BARS. I've never given much thought to this until I came down with the motherhood. As a child I felt perfectly safe dangling upside down from iron bars 6 feet off the ground. But that's back when I wasn't picking up the tab for the medical bills.

I know...there's no sense living in fear...but monkey bars?!...They're dangerous people.
Play at your own risk.

Sister was with us too. Looking pretty and girlish as usual.

Hope all of you in the southeast region are soaking up these gorgeous February days!!! These are the days that make you say....

"Hey, maybe Al Gore is right."

Now I've got to go put my favorite orthopedic surgeon on speed dial because we're going back to the playground this afternoon. 

Later folks.

A Nap with Your Pants Off

We have coined a phrase in my family..."a nap with your pants off." Its a figure of speech to describe that kind of glorious nap where you get under the covers, turn out the lights, and sleep for hours on end. This kind of nap is way more than a cat nap...or a power nap.

Its not uncommen in my family to hear someone say...

"I took a nap today."

To which the rest of the family will ask, "Well, was it a nap with your pants off?" or "With our without pants?"

A nap with your pants off is the real deal, and if you are like Stephen Small these days, you will literally take off your pants. And diaper - much to my dismay.

After two mornings and naps in a row of S.S. waking up stark naked, we decided to pull out the duct tape. I tired quickly of washing tee tee sheets. It works in keeping at least his diaper on. Pants always are off. Occasionally we have Houdini on our hands and he weasels his way out of the diaper and tape too. Let's hope we break him of this phase sooner rather than later.

Happy Day of LOVE

This is a little post relating to all things LOVE.
Here is a picture of Stephen Grande and I on our honeymoon.

LOVE him.
A thousand times more than the day this was taken - And I did not know that was possible.

In 2009, this little boy came along. My heart almost exploded.
LOVE him so much.

And just when I thought I could not handle anymore, this gal was born.
LOVE her to pieces.

***********************************************************************************

On this particular Valentine's day, me and my little LOVES are visiting my parents in Mississippi. Sitting on the kitchen counter is an old Valentine of my grandmother's. My mom found this vintage gem in a stack of antique papers.

Its from Billy Ed.

Billy Ed was not my grandfather.

This morning a friend brought us some sugar cookies in honor of LOVE day.



We are feeling the LOVE.
Love is in the air.
Love is a many splendored thing.
All we need is love.
You can't buy me love.
Love is what makes the world go round...or is that money?

Anyhoo....this post is a shout out to LOVE.
And to the CREATOR of LOVE - the LOVE that is far greater than romantic love, or motherly love, or the love of a Valentine from a classmate, or the love of a friend delivering delicious sugar cookies. And that is the LOVE of the God of the universe.

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 

Love to you all,

SB