Winner!

Awesome!
Thanks to the folks (Jaynie) at jayniemoon for the soap and lotion! I am Cause I Said So....and yes, I now have to eat my winnings and submit a picture (that whole thinking before you comment is a smart concept)!
I'm feeling lucky, people......off to buy some lotto tickets.

Merry Christmas! (Just ignore the fact it is February!)

Little delay. Sorry about that.

To My Seester,
I promised more "whole family" photos to you and I fully intend to get those to you someday....think August.
Love,
S

Say My Name, Say My Name.

Kaelan approached me with a look of concern and we engaged in the following conversation:

K: Mama, tell me again, what is my name in the middle?

Mom: Do you mean your middle name?

K: Yes. Yes. That is the one of which I want. (Note to self: Too many Star Wars Saturdays with dad. The Yoda talk is back.)

Mom: Really? You don't remember?

K: I kind of do, but I kind of forgot. I know! Stand up and put your hands on your hips like this (demonstration) and say my name like I am in trouble. Just say KAELAN!!!!! like that.

Mom: Okay (laughing and not getting the connection).

Mom stands and assumes the position.

Mom: KAEL.....

K: It's Brynn! It's Brynn! I knew if you said my name like I was in trouble I would remember! You always call ALL my names when I am bad. Thanks, mom!

Anyone Remember Sheila E?

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

*** If you don't remember Sheila E, you did not grow up in the 80's. Now here....go educate yourself!***
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1x7jc_shelia-e-glamorous-life_music

To Haddie With Love

All week I have found notes, letters, coloring pages and all other forms of artwork in every nook and cranny of our home. Kaelan has always had a knack for creativity (not to mention her dramatic talents), but lately, her creative juices have overloaded my dining room table and filled my work areas to the brim of insanity. Why the sudden burst of crayola craziness? Well, I wondered this myself after picking up what might have been the 9,945th note with the simple heading To Haddie From Kaelan. Do we even know someone named Haddie? I'd heard stories about Doug's beloved great Aunt Haddie Mae, but she passed away many, many years ago. Could this be the Haddie of Kaelan's artistic affection? Were we going to end up on some Paranormal Show on the Sci Fi Channel?

This evening, I decided to confront Kaelan and get to the bottom of this Haddie mystery. I prayed she wasn't going to tell me something about how the pictures were for Haddie and Haddie visits her each evening and she was right there in the room with us, didn't I see her? CREEEEPPPY!

The good news is, my child does not see dead people.

The great news is....she has a heart the size of the Atlantic Ocean.

The pictures are for each and every child in HAITI. She just "feels so awful about all the poor kids there", and she wants "to send a picture to make them smile". She also wants to empty all three of her piggy banks in the hopes of saving the world.

I will sleep well tonight knowing we are raising such a kind, loving little being. And I will sleep REALLY well knowing there are no ghosts of Great Aunt Haddie haunting my home.

We like the cars...the cars that VROOOOOM!

Meet Eleanor....the other woman in Doug's life

We were out as a family in two cars, and after stopping to drop off dad back at his truck, we all headed home, Kaelan and I in one car, and dad in the lane next to us in his vehicle. Dad did a little engine revving, challenging mom to a bit of drag racing home. Mom revved the ol' mini van a few times, but when the light changed, it was obvious who's chariot was led by the larger horse. Kaelan was very disappointed to be left in a cloud of daddy's dust.

K: Mom, why did you let dad win?

Mom: I didn't, honey. He has a bigger and faster engine than mine, so he can go faster.

K: It is because he has more horsepower than you, isn't it?

Now, let me explain this part a bit. You see, a favorite daddy/daughter bonding pastime in our home is watching those early Saturday morning hot rod, testosterone inducing, who can build the fastest thing on the road shows. Initially, I was not crazy about my daughter watching this stuff....wasn't there an episode of Strawberry Shortcake on?

However, I have decided that Kaelan learning a little about cars may not be a bad thing.

Flashback to my first boyfriend:

On one of those first REAL dates where the parents actually let the teenagers take the car out alone, my then boyfriend and I found ourselves stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire. He didn't have a clue what to do, and since I'm old and date back to the time before cell phones, in desperation and with what I thought were tears in his eyes, he started off walking on a rescue mission to the nearest pay phone to call his dad. He had asked me to stay in the car....not because he was noble and gallant and did not want me to be cold and tired. Instead, he asked me to stay there and protect his new stereo system. Nice.

So there I sat, when suddenly my fresh from driver's ed knowledge and know how kicked in and I decided I was going to change that tire! And I DID! What a priceless look on boyfriend's face when I pulled up to pick him up. We broke up not long after that. There was just something about a dude with clear gloss nail polish on his well manicured nails that didn't do it for me. Can I get an Amen, ladies? Nowadays, I can't even tell you where the jack is located in my car and I pretty much depend on the "damsel in distress" signal to save me, but oh the days when I could change a tire.......I could have conquered the world!

Learning a bit about how to change the oil and tires may not be such a bad thing, and there may be other benefits to letting her watch that stuff as proven by the rest of our conversation.

K: Well, mom.....if you want me to, I can work on your horsepower. I have been watching those shows with dad, and I know how to make a fast engine.

Mom: I just might take you up on that, Kaelan, and then maybe I'll teach you how to change a tire.

Bring It, 2010!

We rang in the New Year with a game night packed full of food, fun times and crazy kids underfoot. Andy gave us our traditional New Year's ball drop, despite the freezing winds. This year the ball made it all the way down without melting! See? Already a good sign for a blessed year! We Wii'd (in the techno sense), played some Catch Phrase, Pop 5, and Gestures, and ate until we hurt. The world record for sucking down a bowl full of whip cream was broken, and the group took an innocent game I learned at church camp year's ago and made it seem, well....not so innocent. Let's just say trying to identify someone with a blindfold on and wooden spoon to feel can get weird.

Looking forward to the good things ahead.

It's on 2010. Bring it!