Neck Belt

Guess who is bringing up the gifts at his First Holy Communion this Sunday!?

Oh Lawd, those are going to be some cute photos with Ryan in a little navy sport coat...

Little Brother Jack has insisted on wearing a "neck belt" (aka a tie), but I am trying to convince him of another outfit I have in mind, which involves a little green belt with golfers embroidered on it.

We shall see.

Welcome Little One!

Remember this friend of mine? Well, she did something pretty spectacular this week! She had a precious little baby boy named John Casey. He is absolutely edible, juicy, delicious and I can't wait to squeeze his little cheeks.

His Mama is resting in her hospital bed and doing great, after 20 hours of labor and a c-section; raise your hand if you've had one of those ... (insert: Clemsongirl, 2 hands overhead). Bleh.

I welcomed her into my sorority in college and now I welcome her again into the Ultimate Sisterhood...Motherhood.

Congratulations MCH, thrilled for you and the hubs!

As I said in the previous post,

"can't wait until she gets old, chubby and crabby like the rest of us

old married ladies and pops out a few kids. Then, we'll REALLY be friends...

Love you my friend and my sister!!"

Springsteen

Coach and I went to the Springsteen concert last night in Atlanta. Yes, he had the night off from work and yes, we had a babysitter. Add in some bar food and we had the Date Night Trifecta.

I don't really do the jeans and rocker chick black tee, so I wore this long ruffled GAP skirt and essential white tee, a longer version of the last time. I also have a new butter soft pewter bag that I carried. Let's be totally honest, we all think we might get "Courtney Coxed" at a Bruce concert, so you have to really consider the outfit. Alas, I was not pulled up on stage, but we had a great night together.

At one point during the concert I looked down at my seat and Coach hissed at me, "Don't even think about sitting down during a Springsteen show." What was I thinking? Coach gets 84,000 shades of fired up to see Bruce. I mean, he is a Jersey Boy after all. (Minor detail; I too, have lived in Jersey...)

OK, Ryan is begging me to get on the computer. He is making his First Holy Communion on Sunday and we have a ton of out of town company coming and I should be menu planning anyway.

Smooches for now!

How Convenient

Coach lost his cell phone whilst on a road trip.

Supposedly.

Either that or he was tired of the play by play I was giving him about the minis from home.

Hmmmm...

Casual Friday

Lettuce ruffle white 3/4 sleeve cardi from LOFT

Marine Aqua prefect fit ss tee from JCrew

Dana Buchman black pants from Kohls

Forewarned is Forearmed

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.

Some come from ahead and some come from behind.

But I've bought a big bat.

I'm all ready you see.

Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”

-Dr. Seuss

For real. It was a toss up between this quotation and "Don't make me get my flying monkeys!"

All of my troubles are about to get a real arse kicking. Just watch.

Fleeting

From the time I was 7 months pregnant with Ryan I was "retired". We moved right about then, and I was on disability, then maternity leave. When that expired, I resigned from my position to stay at home with him.

Shortly after he was born, I got pregnant again. On Mother's Day of that year, I had a miscarriage. Bleh. Moving on.

When Ryan was 2, I had Jack. For the next several years, I was truly the epitome of a Stay at Home Mom. It was fantastic! Weekly playgroups, morning trips to the park and the children's museum. Meal Swap. Supper Club. Babysitting Co-op. Morning women's groups. Delightful.

I loaded up the double stroller and headed to Green Hills and Opry Mills in Nashville 3 times a week. Wandered around and pointed out exciting things to the toddlers, like water fountains and lights. It was all so very simple.

Of course, that romantic memory is simply that, what I remember. I vaguely recall being up several times a night, looking like absolute hell, dressing in sweats and a ponytail for months on end (truth be told, I still do that!) and feeling that a trip to the grocery store with the 2 boys simply might be the death of me.

I knew every single thing about my boys. Every book they had read (heard!) and every episode of Little Bear they had seen. They had not experienced anything without me right there. Or at least not without me getting a play by play from the kind like-minded mommy friend who was watching them for me. (thanks Katie!)

Now, they are 6 and 8.

They were talking this morning about a movie they saw, which I bought for them, but I have never seen. They crack up at inside jokes and spend 7 hours a day at school where I only have a little insight into what they are doing and seeing and feeling.

Of course, that's also because they are boys. The daily question of, "How was your day at school?" usually results in a, "Fine. Great. Can we go outside and play?"

Sigh.

The days, the years, they just fly by.

Now I am working and the morning trip to the museum has been replaced by a training class, a house showing, a contract negotiation.

I still pick them up every day from school. I still read them their bedtime story at night.

But, it's not the same.

I miss those tender years where everything they did, I did. Every thing they ate, I chose. In the moment, it's so hard to love and cherish those baby and toddler years. They are dirty and smelly and diapered and sleep deprived years.

But they are fleeting.

Sunday

11am Mass. Minis in khaki pants and green and white windowpane checked long sleeve oxfords.

The minis spotted their Little League coach sitting 2 rows behind us.

Which prompted perfect behavior.

Sigh...

Something for Nothing

I had go to Costco to return a box of Clif Bars (Coach's, not mine!) that were recalled in the recent salmonella debacle. Which, by the way, did not affect the Lance peanut butter crackers that the minis and I eat by the caseload. Whew.

The lady at Costco asked if I wanted to exchange the Clif bars for a new box.

Uh, notsomuch.

If I want salmonella, I'll just let the minis play with the turtles down at the lake.

Thanksforaskingthough.

Bic This

I can't lie to you.

My coping mechanisms whilst under stress are so pathetic.

Yesterday I got some rather stinky news. Which we may or may not be discussing at a later date. I'm being very Scarlett about the whole thing; I'll think about this tomorrow.

My first thought? How close is the nearest office supply store?

Clemsongirl needed some lime green and orange packs of paper. Some new binder clips and THIS, a massive pack of Bic Mark-its. Really? This delicious rainbow of permanent markers made the day seem a little more manageable.

Those and some 1/2 off Easter candy from SuperTarget.

Sigh...

Bleh

Coach got home super late last night from his game so I let him sleep in this morning.

By default, I had to take the children to school and be Hair Cycle Day: 1 for a 9am closing.

It took me over an hour to get to work this morning, but it was less miserable thanks to your iPod suggestions! Thanks girlies!

I'll check in later!

Play List

OK. The Clemsongirl iPOd needs some new tunes if I am going to get back to (ha!) working out.

What do you suggest? Comment by clicking below on "snarky remarks and love notes", you don't have to login...

:) Smooches.

iDonotthinkyouarefunny

Coach just told me one of his buddies loves his iPhone more than his wife. He thought this was hysterical and laughed incessantly while telling me this repeatedly.

Guess who's NEVER getting an iPhone.

Ever.

#$%^ Easter Grass

Last night the "Easter Bunny" lovingly assembled and placed 2 blue Easter baskets on the floor behind the kitchen table. Treats and treasures gracefully arranged atop lime green $%^ Easter Grass.

This morning, the $%^ Easter grass was all over my kitchen. In a trail leading out to the garage. What the?

Huh?! We have no pets (yet!) and I was sound asleep. Coach was up and out early this morning for sunrise Mass and then off to his game, so I assumed he decided to add some "flair" and spread out the %$^& Easter Grass.

I called him at work and he assures me that he had no part of it and there was no $%^ Easter Grass on the floor when he left.

Huh.

I guess there really is an Easter Bunny.

When do you suppose he's coming to clean up all this $%^ Easter Grass?!

Home Sweet Cold

We made it back to COLDlanta late last night after a ridiculous amount of traffic, hail and just general highway craziness.

It was 85 and sunny when I left Florida.

It is 55 and dee-sgusting in Atlanta this mid-morning. Bleh.

We have a baseball game at 2:30.

Sigh.

Beach Daze

I have spent the majority of the last 2 days asleep. Or napping. Or couch bound watching TV. Or magazine reading. Or Internet surfing.

It's all so very fabulous.

The best part? There are 5 more days of this fabulousness planned!

Palm Sunday

Mass at the beach...Palm Sunday.

Smooch.

We've Arrived

Safe and sound.

82 and sunny.

We've already been the beach and the pool...

Pack Mule

Shout out to Coach...he loaded the monogrammed minivan for me.

I have a closing in the morning, then heading to FL. Don't worry...I'll be blogging whilst on vaca!

Countdown

Taking the minis to the beach on Friday for 9 glorious days of sunshine and un-reality. This will be the 7th annual Mommy Show Spring Break. Coach is well, coaching, and the minis and are are headed to Florida. I have not packed any clothes, but we did pick out a fine selection of gummy bears, Swedish fish, Red Vines, Sour Patch Kids, and Salt and Vinegar chips. Yum; it's the snack cocktail of the PROfessional road-trippers.

We're leaving straight from car line after school and going to spend the night in Gainesville. I know, I know, The Gators...but they have a Whataburger, remember? In any case, I was going over the plan with Jack (who turned 6 today!). He's the child who needs it all spelled out for him. Which I completely understand and appreciate.

"Friday night, you and Ryan and I will sleep in the hotel. In the morning, the 3 of us will get showered up and dressed and drive the rest of the way to the beach. You can wear shorts and your new Crocs."

He bursts into tears.

"What, buddy?! What's wrong?"

"You didn't say anything about breakfast. I love breakfast and I am going to be hungry from the night at the hotel. I want to eat breakfast! Please Mom, can we eat breakfast?"

How cute! I assured him that breakfast would be served at the restaurant of his choice. He is currently debating between The Crack House (aka Cracker Barrell) and McDonald's (home of the deluxe breakfast of champions).

I am planning on using the POI function on the GPS to locate a Starbucks. Duh.