2011 Christmas Preview

I am slowly getting ahead of myself this year!  I might actually get my cards in the mail before Christmas.  I also am dedicating 2012 to more posts as it looks like I'll be able to upgrade our internet service - HOORAY!

Thanks Shutterfly for another easy way to get my holidays started.  I have used them for my photobooks and holiday cards now since the first year I started, and truly love their site.  I'm even working on approval from Briarwood to setup a site for our class to share photos of the kids events this year, have to get administration and all the parents to agree, but their classroom site options seem to have thought of everything...we shall see!

Let the holidays begin!

Charming Holly Wreath Christmas

Personalize your Christmas card at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Note: I always disclose special offers, I did get a $10 credit for posting this to my blog.   But since I love Shutterfly anyway - WIN WIN for me!

Secretly I've Always Wanted to Be The Mom in Parents Magazine

I've read them every month since Jack was born, of course now I can skip the tips on "Better Breastfeeding" and "Tap Your Baby's Hidden Talents", but I still read on. Vowing with every article, to make that recipe, craft, workout; part of next week's agenda.

Yea, well.

Today though, we made these.

Aren't they crafty, hung just perfectly.  I'm sure there will be finches covering them any minute now.

Of course, it is September, in Alabama, where it can easily hit 90 mid day which is probably hot enough to liquify the peanut butter and make our lovely pinecone bird feeders melt in a goop on the grass below.
However, I can now check this one off my list of "things I better do with my kids before they are too old to want to do them with me so they have all these great memories of growing up with me as their mom."

Or I can just be happy I came up with something to keep them busy for 5 minutes while I filled up the actual birdfeeder without "can I help, can I help" trailing behind me.

Either way, mission accomplished.

The Space That Created Sanity

As promised, here is a short video walk through of the new playroom and loft bedroom that Cory built for the boys while we were gone over the 4th. (I apologize for the backround noise - that's the tower fan, so just mute your volume if it is bothersome)

I had to get the final painting done before they could take it over for their bedroom, but I managed to do that at night last week and now it is completely theirs. First night was Friday and all is going well, other than they are enjoying themselves a little too much based on the giggles and talking coming over the monitor after it's lights out. Kind of gives me the giggles - as long as they aren't getting out of bed, I'm fine with it.

Bonus - Jack now is asking to go to the potty after he's in bed which means a trip up the steps for me around 9pm each night and that has spurned Duke into new interest in doing the same - so maybe we'll get some potty training done while we are at it!

Cory and I have found new energy in reorganizing our house into an actual house instead of a storage solution for all things toy. Yet we are still sitting on the floor weekend nights cuddling with the latest Pixar movie they are hooked on. As you will see from the wall decals - that would be Toy Story - "To Infinity and BEYOND!"

I have to give Cory BIG KUDOS! The man worked like a horse to get it done while we were gone and I could not be happier with how it turned out. He really has a gift for design and building.

A Wonderful Week

It's Saturday, the kids are in bed and I've got a few minutes to reflect back on a really fantastic week. It started last Sunday with the arrival of Cory's sister Natalie and her husband Patrick. All the rest of the grandkids were left at Grandma Rath's for the annual week long "Grandma Camp". Having driven all the way from Brunswick, Georgia, Natalie and Patrick were looking for an inexpensive get-a-way for themselves for a few days until they needed to head back to Tennessee to pick up Alyssa, Kevin, Hannah & Victoria. So we opened up the house - and the office/spare room/Cory's trophy room - to them. I would be working all week, the kids would be in daycare and hopefully they could get some peace and quiet and get a chance to meet Duke who hasn't had a Rath family get together yet. We really enjoyed their company (especially watching the Cardinals/Braves MLB games each night, and laughing at YouTube videos of comedian Tim Hawkins ("Cletus Take the Reel") FUNNY STUFF! I cannot wait for Thanksgiving this year in Tennessee and hope that the annual Nutcracker production the Eades participate in doesn't conflict with the trip this year! And I really cannot wait for the days that Jack & Duke can attend Grandma Camp and hope that the six parents of the grandkids can all take a joint trip somewhere during that week someday!


My work week was a little on edge, with Bill Douglas - my partner in crime - on vacation. Bill is 50% boss and 50% my Alabama Dad, and he's at the age at which taking care of aging parents is coming into play. We compliment each other very well and I've been blessed to be able to work with him for nearly 11 years. He's had a busy month at home and at work in July and I had hoped to keep the wheels turning while he was away for his annual beach trip. It got a little dicey on Thursday, I had about had my limit with a few incidents, but I made it through and will be glad to see Bill sitting in his office when I get there on Monday morning.


Today my neighbor Crystal stepped in and helped me out in watching Duke for the morning while I stole away for a few hours with Jack for his 4th of 6 swimming lessons with his friend Payton and her mom Leslie. We had a blast as usual and the rest of the day went smoothly up until about 5:30 after Daddy and Peter had called it quits for the day from working on the lake, when Jack was running aimlessly in the dirt and he got off balance and fell. Now, first of all, this is not a major event... at nearly 2 years old, he falls plenty and usually it's just a brush him off and on his way type situation. Apparently, tonite was not the case, though we initially treated it that way. I didn't notice anything peculiar at the start when he got up crying, other than he was covered from head to toe in dust and dirt, so Daddy hosed him off and I carried him inside to change him and make him dinner. It wasn't until I tried to set him down that he started crying again and favored one of his legs, holding onto the sofa for balance. So, here we go...the endless back and forth of...do I take him to after care at Children's Hospital and have it checked out, (surely to sit for hours on end in a waiting room) or do I give him Tylenol and some time to see what it really is about? Well, there was no bruising, no swelling, he let me touch his foot, leg, toes, and move them all around without any cries; but still if I asked him to walk, no go. So, I loaded him in the car and away we went. I made it 2 miles before calling Clare and asking her sage advice, and then turned around and went home. So, after an after dinner snack, bath and Tylenol, he went to bed just fine and we'll see what tomorrow morning brings. If we still have a problem, it's away to Children's we go, but for now I'm thinking the best reaction was calling Clare...her advice is always the best (for kid and mom!)


So that was our week, hope you've enjoyed reading about it and a BIG THANKS to all of those in it that made it wonderful! And if you didn't see the post from last night, be sure and check out Duke's pics!


We have about 4 more days left on the lake, but it's really coming along. I know it's hard to get a feel for it, but take a look at the follwing pics, the first shows the base of what will become the dam and the other includes Peter & Cory in it, might help you get a feel for the scale - coming around to about 4 acres right now.