The Library at last

Becca - this blog entry is mostly for you, so please accept my gracious thanks for helping me take advantage of the library once again.


It's been more than 2 years since I've set foot in our local library. You see - I had an overdue book and I was very embarrassed and well, quite scared of what the fine was going to be.

It's not the first book I've lost - it's the second. But at least the first book was truly lost.

The current book was no longer lost, but quite found - but had a due date of oh - May 2006. I HAD lost it - or rather it had been re-shelved by a "trying to be helpful" husband.

Finally after a year or two of listening to my lament and shame over my lost and found, but seriously overdue book - my dear friend becca came to my house one day and took it back for me.

She even negotiated the deal of a lifetime.

You see - she was willing to write a check for the fine - or the price of the book, etc. When they told her it was the price of the book she inquired whether I would be keeping the book then - as that was the policy for lost books. However she knew I had no desire to keep the book - a reminder of my tardiness and shame.

And so a question to one of the head librarians found me having to pay no fine - she forgave it. Instead Becca paid the price of the one book I'd really lost years ago - Chicken Little - and I was absolved of my guilt for a mere $9.95!

Becca - I can't tell you how much I love you and while you think you may not be good at gift giving - as you've written in your own blog - your gifts are always welcome, appreciated and timely.

So in your honor - and sadly without you - we ventured into the library this morning and would you believe that I was not struck by lightning as I was expecting?

It certainly felt weird - but the kids enjoyed looking at books and we came home with a pile - which I am terrified of losing of course. I didn't even have the guts to bring them into the house yet!

Just to show that we really went - I snapped a few pictures of my little readers!

Breaking Ground

Something big is happening here in Niceville - and it's going to impact the children of this town and even further with God's blessings.

This morning - Madeleine, Wyatt, myself and about 120 other people watched as the first bit of ground was broken for a new 32,000 square-foot children's building at the First United Methodist Church in Niceville.

Our church has been blessed beyond belief with children - from newborns to teenagers and even college-aged kids - our joy overflows - as do our rooms and meeting areas.

There have been many meetings - in committee and involving the congregation - because to build such a building is to undertake a tremendous responsibility - not just financially, but spiritually. The phrase "if you build it they will come" applies - except they're already here - and more will continue to come with our without the new building.

We're so excited for this building to be completed - and so thankful that it is going to become a reality with the blessings of so many.

So be ready for some changes Niceville - and when you wonder what that huge church is building this time - now you know! Come join us and find out just how on fire for Jesus this congregation at FUMC is... In a time when most churches are experiencing a decline in attendance ours continues to grow - Something must be right - come experience it for yourself!

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Maddie and Wyatt brought their own shovel to help break ground this morning. They don't fully understand what is about to take place, but Maddie understands there is going to be a new building for her at church and she's plenty stoked about that! Wyatt was just happy to dig!

You can even see them on the church website! Just click on their names to see the page...


Maddie she's the last picture on that page

Wyatt little man in the stroller!

And a few from our camera...

Lizzie Long Ears

Twenty years ago this Christmas I received a book called "Old Bear Tales" by Jane Hissey. The book, and a teddy bear named Brownie were a gift from my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Phil who live in Upstate New York.

I hold onto books... I have the Anne of Green Gables series and Little House on the Prairie series - both gifts from my Grandmother Pauline. I have treasuries of Beatrix Potter - another author whom I adore.

Now that I have children of my own - hanging onto these books and sometimes fighting to keep them (husbands just aren't so sentimental...) I am beginning to see the rewards of my hard work to keep them in my possession. I must also thank my mother, who carefully labeled books with the three siblings' names depending on who they belonged to. Presently I am the only one who has left home so I have been given my box of books - although some of my sister's books from early childhood have made it into our stash.

But I digress!


The other night Madeleine pulled out the Old Bear Tales book and remembering that some of the stories are quite long, I looked for the shortest one.

"The Bunny Dancer" was very short - a poem actually. When I opened the page and Madeleine looked at it, she jumped up and ran to get her ballerina bunny.



She returned moments later so excited she could barely speak. "Look Momma, same and same!" she exclaimed as she placed her little ballerina bunny over the drawing of Lizzie Long Ears.

It really is amazing how closely the two bunnies resemble each other. You have to almost wonder if the person who designed the little stuffed rabbit now laying across the page - had once read this very same book...



We've read the story several more times since then and each time she ceremoniously puts her own bunny - now affectionately called "Lizzie Long Ears" on the page. Maddie squeals as I help Lizzie mimic the phrases of the poem..

The Bunny Dancer, by Jane Hissey

Lizzie Long Ears loves to dance
with music or without it,
and if she ever gets a chance
she'll tell you all about it;
she'll mention that she leaps and lands
on just one toe and stays there;
(she balances so perfectly
she might spend several days there!)
She pirouettes and hops and jumps,
and if you've ever seen her,
You'll know without a doubt that
she's a bunny ballerina.

Crazy week

I know some of my regular readers are wondering when I'm going to post another entry and I promise you it will be soon. There are just a lot of things going on in our lives lately and I've been distracted with them all. Bear with me and keep checking. Hopefully I'll be able to spend some time writing tonight!

18 months

Wyatt turned 18 months old on July 2. We had his well child visit yesterday and he weighs 21 lbs 6 oz (10%) and is 32.25 inches long (60%).

He's bright, verbally advanced for his age and gender, well fed and loved and perfect - according to the pediatrician!

We conversed again about our decision to no longer vaccinate - she doesn't get it, but it's not her decision - but ours. We talked about the next step in testing for IgG subclass deficiencies, but I told her we'd hold off since the last set of tests were almost $900!

Hard to believe that tiny little baby who weighed 6 lbs 4 oz at birth has grown into such a cute little boy.

ah time goes too fast for me.

Room to share

When I first suggested that Madeleine and Wyatt share a bedroom - Mike looked at me like I was crazy!

I don't remember exactly when we changed the rooms around so that they started sharing - maybe sometime in early spring.

I was tired of the never ending clutter and messes in their room. We were over run with toys everywhere in the house and I felt my sanity slipping away.

So little by little we switched things around. The smaller bedroom (maddie's) became a shared room only for sleeping. The crib, bed and changing table are the only things in there. They often play in there, but we don't keep any toys in the "sleeping" room. Maddie has her stuffed animal "babies" and it's a constant struggle to keep the number down low enough that she has room to sleep in her own bed!

At first because of the size of her bed (heavy wooden headboard and footboard) There was only one option for arranging the furniture.

Yesterday I decided to change things around and after a few minutes I found myself STUCK. And I mean really stuck! The bed was wedged against the wall and crib and was not going anywhere!

I decided that maddie's bed assembly had to go! It was taking up a lot of space and limiting my creativity in room arrangment. So some tools and about an hour later (because it took forever to find the right socket wrench piece!) I was able to get the bed apart and the room how I wanted it.

Maddie loves sharing a room with Wyatt. In fact her bed and his crib have always been right next to eachother - so that she could even climb in and out of his crib if she wanted...

I put the beds on opposite walls this time and the first thing that she said when she saw it was that she wanted Wyatt next to her!

With her mattress and box spring on the floor now, though - wyatt can easily climb on her bed with her and she thinks that is pretty neat!





They love each other so much - it really makes my heart swell with pride to see the bond they have!

Tea with Mimi

If you didn't know - I spent part of my childhood in England. My father was in the Air Force and we were lucky enough to do TWO tours in England. One of the traditions we brought back with us to the States is morning tea - and afternoon tea and really anytime tea!

Tea is just part of who I am and who my family is really. We always have a pot of tea going when we're visiting each other's homes.

It's a source of comfort in times of anguish and sickness - If I've had a a stressful day I crave a nice cup of hot tea.


Madeleine was indoctrinated into the world of tea as a very young babe. A few weeks before her first birthday when we were attempting to talk her into trying some whole milk - the only way she'd take any milk was if it was in the form of hot tea.

It became a ritual for her - to this day she still gets up and asks for a cup of hot tea. She's graduated from sippy cups to real china and even has her own set of miniature tea cups courtesy of my friend Becca.

Tea with my mom - Mimi - is something very special to Maddie and to me. There's nothing like sitting down to have a cup of tea with my two favorite ladies.

The other night, when Mike was working very late, my parents came over to eat dinner with me and the kids. I was in the midst of jam making and needed to get more fruit and jars. I ran out to the store and when I came back my kitchen was not only clean, but Maddie and my Mom were standing there at the kitchen counter with a beautiful tea set all laid out for a nice cup of tea.



"Would you like a cup of tea, Mommy?" Maddie asked excitedly.

Who could turn that sweet face down?

These days it's rare for me to drink a cup of hot tea from start to finish while it's still warm. I consider a day good when I have finished my tea with only having to reheat it once or twice!


a few more "tea" photos and favorite photos of maddie and her Mimi







a tea table I decorated for a tea party function at MOPS