Marlee Sue is a MODEL!!!

OK, so let me be a tickled mom for a minute.......... You know how you sign those "media release forms" for school and daycare? Well.........Marlee Sue Epps is a "model" for Discovery Point Child Development Centers! It's the place where she stays, and they had a professional "photo shoot" a week or so ago. Two photos of Marlee Sue were chosen for the inside of the brochure, which will be mailed out to, like, 5,000 addresses! Her profile photo is in the front, and the two little eyes looking up in the middle photo are hers, too.The little boy is named Rahim, and he's about 15 months old. He's in the room next door! No, we didn't get paid or even get a discount, but it was a nice surprise and we are really flattered! Here's the brochure and you can visit their site at www.discoverypoint.com/dp11

They may use the photos there, too!
Thanks for letting me brag with wild abandon! LOL! I'm so excited!

My sweet baby girl!

The very first tu tu!

Marlee Sue has a Tu Tu! What a perfect accessory for a little girl! My baby girl is almost 9 months old, today is my 34th birthday and I go back to school tomorrow. Wow, how time flies!! Sure do wish I could freeze my daughter for just one year and enjoy this precious stage. I love the 7 to 12 month range! After that, I could let her grow on up, but I can't help but pine away for those sweet baby days. She is, after all, my last........First tu tu!!

Summer is over.....and it ain't even hot yet!

It's true. Summer is almost officially over, and I'm shocked at how mild it's been--- For Georgia, anyway. I go back to school next week, Garrett the week after. Tomorrow is a "stay home day," Thursday, Todd is taking Garrett for his first visit to Six Flags, Friday-- another "stay home day."
I am watching with mixed emotions as the final grains of sand from our beach trip wash off the bucket, as the final days of our vacation change into busy school days, and as the wonder and joy of a summer full of days at home with my precious big boy son and my darling infant daughter slip right through my fingers. Oh, where did the time go? And how can I get it back?

The Birth Announcement

Laughing and rolling in the grass

Family photo-- Garrett at 15 months

Soccer Player

Family snapshot

You've lost your cell phone----What can you do??

You can always ask someone nearby to dial your number so that you can follow the ring, but what if you are home alone? Assuming you have access to the internet in your home, you can visit:

www.wheresmycellphone.com

Enter your number and get a free call from a private number! It's cool, and it works!!

JUST FOR FUN-- To send a free, personalized birthday call to a friend's cell phone, visit

www.birthdaydialer.com

That's all for now, folks!!!

It's been a long time.....

Marlee Sue is rocking out on her shovel guitar!
Garrett explains it all! Marlee Sue's first Sand Castle--still rocking out on that shovel!

She loves the sand-- especially the way it tastes!

My sweet and handsome boy will soon be seven.

Where did the time go?

How sweet it is.....

TO BE LOVED BY TWO!!!

Mother's Day 2009

First summer off since 1999!!

I can't believe it-- in just 8 days, my son will be out of Kindergarten, and the students will be gone from school for the summer. Although we staff members have to go until May 26, this will be the first time I've been off for the summer since 1999! I miss North Carolina more that I ever thought possible, but there is SOMETHING to be said for now being a 10 month employee in a traditional calendar school as opposed to years of being a 12 month employee in a year round school! I love the year round schedule, but WOW-- the summer off! I won't know what to do with myself!! Actually, I am sure I will be JUST FINE!!

Marlee Sue- 6 months
Garrett- 6 years

That's a big chocolate bunny!!

My Public Service Announcement

SWINE FLU UPDATE

The Swine Flu appears to be spreading rapidly. Because of the nature

of our profession, the following Center for Disease Control

link has been shared with us. Every day at 11 am EST, the "tally" is updated

by state. It includes number of cases confirmed, and deaths if any:

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Look Mom, no training wheels!

Having been so into his Razor Scooter, Garrett lost interest
in his bike before he learned to ride with no training wheels.
Last week, he took them off of it himself and brought me the pump.
"Mom," he said,"Please put air in my tires. I want to ride my bike."
I have to admit I was worried about helping him do this with
Marlee Sue strapped to me in the Baby Bjorn. But, I held the handle
bars as he peddled off. I jogged along, then something told me
to JUST LET GO. I did, and my independent six year old boy
who just yestrday was my new baby boy, rode without
training wheels--- on the very first try.

Masterpiece Theater

Garrett's Monster-- He calls it "Fire Boy!"

Starry Night, by Garrett

Video Game Character, by Garrett

Live Easter Bunny

Marlee Sue is having her photo taken at daycare

today with a live bunny. She will be wearing this

little toile dress-- so sweet!

HOWEVER.......

I can't stop thinking about the killer bunnies in

Monty Python:

Comments for the week

Our six year old son is a wonderfully intelligent and funny little guy. He has the ability to reduce me to giggles with his comments and observations. A couple from this past week that I can't resist sharing:

On the way to school on Tuesday, we had to stop at the railroad tracks behind a beat up white van that was obviously the driver's "work vehicle." Garrett is very interested in trains, telling me whether the passing one is a cargo train or a passenger train. That day, however, his interest was on the van. "Mommy, that van is making me nervous." I took a closer look then said, "Why, buddy?" His reply: "Well, since it's right in front of you and has 3 ladders, a wheelbarrow and a christmas tree on top, you should be nervous, too."

On Thursday, as we left school, Garrett noticed a worm stranded in the sun on the sidewalk. "Oh, an earthWORM." (I put worm in all caps, because he pronounces "earthworm" with the accent on WORM.) "Yes, I see him." I replied. "He needs the dirt, or he's not gonna make it. I'm going to help him out." And with that, my little buddy scooped up the sticky worm poked his finger in the dirt under a plant, and returned the worm to a safer environment.

I was proud. My son is kind and compassionate toward living things. It made me think of the following story that has circulated in print and on email for years:

One day an old man was walking along the beach. It was low tide, and the sand was littered with thousands of stranded starfish that the water had carried in and then left behind. The man began walking very carefully so as not to step on any of the beautiful creatures. Since the animals still seemed to be alive, he considered picking some of them up and putting them back in the water, where they could resume their lives.
The man knew the starfish would die if left on the beach's dry sand but he reasoned that he could not possibly help them all, so he chose to do nothing and continued walking.
Soon afterward, the man came upon a small child on the beach who was frantically throwing one starfish after another back into the sea. The old man stopped and asked the child, "What are you doing?"
"I'm saving the starfish," the child replied.
"Why waste your time?... There are so many you can't save them all so what does is matter?" argued the man.
Without hesitation, the child picked up another starfish and tossed it back into the water... "It matters to this one," the child explained.

Salma Hayek is AMAZING!

Look what she did for this infant in Africa. Would I do this? IN A HEARTBEAT. This is one thing I am good at, and if I could help a starving baby by sharing in this way, I would. Right here in America, there are infants who could benefit from donated or shared milk. Too bad it's not "the norm." Salma's tender and compassionate gift to this mother and her child brought me to tears, and I think she's to be commended.

Read the story here:

I now realize....

How boring my life really is! I am struggling to find something to blog about, but things of interest are escaping me. I know the reason-- I get up at 5 am to pay bills, pack up the pump and have a minute to myself before the day starts. Then I shower and dress, feed Marlee Sue at about 6:30 and put her back down. I check my email, then wake Garrett to get him ready for school. We eat breakfast, sometimes in the car and go to school where he is a kindergartener and I am the librarian. At the end of the day, we leave and get Marlee Sue, then go home and make dinner while we wait for Todd. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we have Karate. By 9:30, Marlee Sue and I are headed to bed and Garrett is long since in bed. I don't even have a good book to recommend, because I haven't read anything. Nothing terribly exciting ever even happens at school! Today is early release, so the kids go home at lunch and the staff stays to work and conference with parents. Garrett and his friend Cooper will hang out in the library, but that's about it. Boy, I can't wait for summer break!!

I will say that my experiences as a parent are both challenging and precious, as are every parent's. Garrett's teacher brought him to me yesterday because a kid kicked him and he kicked him back. Worse, the teacher saw him do it and yet he denied it. He spoke to her disrespectfully, saying "What? What?" when she corrected his behavior. I took away the important stuff-- TV time, and no computer for the evening. This hit home, and I got a few tears. Later in the car a little voice says, "Mommy, when I am bad do you still love me?" Now my tears spring up. I fight them back and say, "Nothing you could ever do will make me stop loving you." The reply: "I'm glad."

Here are a few recent photos. My kids are growing in front of my eyes as time marches on.

The BUMBO seat! They didn't have these
when Garrett was a baby!

Marlee Sue is wearing a pair of booties
a little old lady knitted for my mother
when SHE was born! So special!

Can you tell I am back at work??

Being back at work means that I have not had time to take photos, upload photos, or post to my blog. Boy, do I feel disconnected. I am proud to say that my step sister Andrea and her hubby Bryce had a beautiful baby girl yesterday! She was 8 pounds, 5 ounces and her name is Daisy Bryce Northen. I can't wait to meet her! Hopefully she, Marlee Sue, and my nephew Ian will enjoy growing up sharing the same grandparents!!

I am halfway through my second full week back after a most enjoyable maternity leave with my new baby girl. She sleeps from about 10 or 10:30 until 3 or 3:30 at night, then wakes for a feeding. I get up at 5:30 to get ready for work and then feed her again at 6:30. That said, I am getting pretty much all the sleep I need. After I leave, Marlee Sue and Todd sleep on until about 8:30, when she wakes up. He works a later shift, so she doesn't have to go to daycare until about 9:45 each day. So, my post for the day is to say how very very thankful I am to have a healthy, wonderful and easy baby. I know that I am lucky, and I know it can change at any minute. Garrett is glad to have mommy back at school with him every day, and life rolls on.

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Kristi with the following instructions:
Go to your 4th folder and open the 4th photo. Post it, and describe it.

When Garrett was a wee one-- about 9 months here--we had a baby gate to keep him confined to the family room and away from the stairs. The afternoon sun would stream in, causing the back of the sofa to light up with brightness and shadows. Here's the record of the first time my baby boy actually noticed his shadow. So sweet, and such a proud moment for me to witness his early exploration and development.

I tag:
Jamie

Tabby

Jen

Kristen

And I was ALSO tagged by Melissa for the Lemonade Award (Thanks, girl!):
For special people out in the blog world!
#1 You must link back to the person you received the award from.
#2 You have to nominate bloggers who are deserving of this award!

I tag:
Jessica
Gen -who deserves just about every award out there!
Jamie
MA
Jennifer
Kristi

Marley and Me

I told Todd that if he named

our daughter Marlee, everyone

would think of either Bob or this

movie! It hasn't been too bad....

YET!

We went to see this movie today
and boy--what a tear jerker!
I've read the book, and personally think

that the movie did a good job
of staying true to Grogan's original
words. While John Grogan is most
likely honored by Wilson's and
Anniston's portrayal of him and
his wife, the two of them did make
life at the Grogan house with
the "world's worst dog" seem a
little too perfect. Aside from that, it was a
real blockbuster, and I loved it!
The best thing about the flick? Its effect on
our six year old. He asked me,
"Mom, if we get really lucky,
will Shiloh never die?" I
explained that dogs like Shiloh
only live 12-14 years if you're lucky,
and that Shiloh is 10. As bad as it hurts
me to see my child sad, I am touched
by his display of compassion and
tenderness. He's spent a little
extra time with our old Dalmatian today.

And other events of the week:

Ready for Karate!First step: Earning the white belt!
Garrett and Marlee Sue
ready for a bedtime story!

Zero Gravity car! A cool Christmas
gift that works on
the walls and ceiling!

The crib is not so bad!

The best feeling in the world......

next to holding my own child......

Mommy and Marlee Sue
Mommy and Garrett at the strawberry patch.

is holding my brother's child.

Aunt Sue meeting nephew Ian for the first time.

Hope Santa was good to you all this year!

He was good to us! We've spent a wonderful 3 days with my brother and his wife Tabby and my new baby nephew Ian! It's been so much fun to have everyone here at my parents' house to see the two new cousins-- Ian and Marlee Sue. Garrett has had a great time with his new Santa toys, and we also got to bring our grandmother over from Mississippi to see her two new great grandchildren. Todd had to work Christmas Eve and the 26th, but he made it over Christmas Eve night and stayed for the day's festivities. I went to see my maid of honor and sorority sister Betsy and her new baby son Ben, and I am going to see my best friend since 2nd grade Krista on Monday. Ricky and Jamie came over with their little one last night to see the new babies and overall, it was a wonderful holiday with family and friends. I will post great photos soon-- left my camera cord in GA and I am in Birmingham!



Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!

A year ago, I was packing our house in Raleigh while Todd jetted back and forth to Georgia trying to get his new job squared away and finding a house that we could "rent for 6 months or until ours sold." HA! After many adventures and moving to a second rental house that forclosed 3 weeks after we moved in (what a mess), then moving yet again (4 addresses in 4 months) we are somewhat settled in a brand new rental house in Johns Creek, GA. We've never lived in a new house before, so I've enjoyed that a lot! The owners of this house are super nice, our age, and NOT in danger of foreclosure. The house in Raleigh never did sell. We are thankful to have found good renters who pay on time, and we are taking that one step at a time. Shortly after we moved to Georgia-- SURPRISE!! After nearly 6 years, we were expecting a new baby! Marlee Sue Epps was born November 15, and since then, I've enjoyed every minute of being home with her. I go back to work in January, and while I'd much rather just be a mommy right now, I am going with the hopes that 2009 will be a wonderful year full of wonderful things. For me, all it would take for that to come true is for the entire year to be nothing more than blissfully boring and predictable. Here, here! I'll definitely toast to that!!