a lonely silence

It's quiet here today.  That's not normal in this house.


My girls are gone.


Yup, gone.  For 6 whole days!  (insert sad sigh and frowny face)  Chad's parents flew here from New Orleans Saturday and then flew to Orlando with our girls on Sunday.  They took Adeline and Emilia to Disney for a whole week!  Needless to say, the girls are very excited about their trip.  And I'm excited for them because I know they're having a ton of fun.  But it was VERY hard to let them go.  I've never been away from them for more than one night!


Here's my very cute little grown-up girl pulling her own carry-on.

So, yes, it's very quiet here this week.  Except of course for Tate's grunting.  He grunts a lot.  Especially during church - or maybe it just seems louder in church.


Although I miss my girls like CRAZY, it is nice having some alone time with Tate.  I'm pretty sure he's enjoying it too.  He's been giving me a lot of smiles.  It's nearly impossible to capture them on camera, of course, but here's my attempt:

Come on, Tate.  Give mama a smile.  Pleeease!

There it is!  It's not his BIG smile, but a cute one none the less.

I forgot to mention that this was Papa Brooks' first time meeting his only grandson.  It was pretty special.  

And because our only complete family photo was taken in the hospital in my nursing gown, we had Chad's parents take one of us all together before the girls left:

I'm afraid Tate may be getting a little spoiled to all this alone time with mama.  But I'm pretty sure he misses his sisters too.  Especially when Millie shares all of her toys with him:

Luckily, I have plenty to keep me busy this week so I don't get too lonely.  I'm having a garage sale this Friday and Saturday (in 50 degree weather - Brrrr!) and you all know how insane I am about having a perfect garage sale!  So, it's off to labeling more clothes...

Hopefully the girls will call again soon...

the random game

Back in high school, my good friend Mark and I would play this game called "random."  Someone would start with a seemingly normal sentence.  Then the other one would have to say something that was completely unrelated.  It would go back and forth like this until one of us would pause too long to think or just be completely out of randomness.  Trust me... it's harder than it sounds.  I'm sure you're all wanting to try it now, aren't you?  Go ahead, give it a shot.  Fun, huh?  Now when this game becomes all the rage, just remember who you heard it from.


Anyways, I bring this up to warn you of the randomness of this post.  Just a bunch of different things, completely unrelated (except for the fact that they all involve me)...


Scat Cat!
Why do people let their cats run wild in the neighborhood?  Do they think we enjoy cleaning their cat's poop out of our sandbox every day before our kids play outside so the feces doesn't end up in their mouths?  We even have a fenced in back yard!  Oh, I hear some of you saying, "Just put a lid on it!" but our sandbox is big and yes, my husband could build a lid, but it would be pretty heavy to take off and on every time.  Better solution:  Keep your cats inside!  (Sorry for the brashness... hope I didn't offend any of you)

Little friends

Here's a tip for anyone in the restaurant business... Don't talk about your pest problem in front of your patrons.


I was treating my girls (okay, really it was more of a treat for ME) to a lunch at Target yesterday when a manager approaches the counter about 5 feet from me and says, "So are we still getting visits from our little friends?"  Did he really just say that in front of me?  And did he really think that by saying "little friends" that I would think that maybe some munchkins or possibly a few trolls were living back in the pantry?  And to confirm my fears, I witnessed him hand a box of pest control to the cashier, with me sitting RIGHT THERE.  Okay, so I've worked in the food industry and I know that this is a common problem, but please don't talk about it while I'm eating your food.  The rest of my meal was spent checking over every bite for hidden bugs or mouse hairs.  Ick.

Sleep Tight
Last night was THE BEST night of sleep I have gotten since... I don't know... my second trimester of pregnancy?  I fed Tate when I got back from a jewelry party at 9:45 and he slept until 2:45!  That's FIVE HOURS!  Yup, count them again - F-I-V-E!  And to make it even better, after I fed him he kept sleeping until 6:30 when I had to wake him up because I was desperately needing to feed him so I wouldn't burst!  I can only hope I have the same blessing tonight.  I'm trying not to get my hopes up because I'm sure it was a fluke, but we'll see!

Atlas Shrugged... Book Review Coming in 2019
First of all, my brother-in-law Mark is awesome.  In an earlier post, I mentioned the fact that I wanted to read Atlas Shrugged but that it was constantly checked out at the library. So a few weeks later Mark sends a package with the girls' birthday gifts and also tucked inside was a brand new copy of Atlas Shrugged!  If only all men were so thoughtful!  The Brooks' brothers sure do have this going for them.  However, as I leafed through the pages I realized that it just might take me several years to get through this book... it's 1069 pages with very small print!  So far I'm on page 34, so I'm getting closer...  No wonder it was never available to check out.  I'm sure the library has made a fortune off the late fees from this book!


Some Pix for the Nanas

Okay, so I know it looks like he's wearing a dress, but it's a sleep sac.  You know Chad's boy would never be caught in a dress!

I'm pretty sure he's practicing his next campaign speech here.

This is what happens when you let high school girls watch your kids during small group...

Is it just me, or does Tate look terrified here?

He really does like it when Addie holds him though.  Sometimes if he's fussy, I'll just put him in her arms and he calms right down.  She's such a good big sister!

That's All, Folks!

a memorable day

Yes, this is a memorable day for TWO reasons.

First, it's baby Tate's one month birthday!  Can you believe it?  I certainly can't.  I know one month isn't very old, but it's just a reminder to me of how quickly these next months are going to fly by and soon he's going to be a young man who doesn't need mommy anymore.  *sniff*  So for now, while he'll still let me, I'm going to hold him as much as I can - even though I know it might spoil him.  But that's my own problem, right?

The second reason why this day is memorable is because I won an award!  Yes, a real live award!  AND I won it TWICE.  Don't believe me?  Here's proof:

Thanks to my lovely friend, Sarah @ And Then I Married a Missionary, for thinking of me for this fun award!  I met Sarah a year or two ago when she started showing up at all my jewelry parties... I was pretty sure she was stalking me until I realized she just really loved jewelry!  She's one of the best customers/hostesses I've ever had.  Seriously.  She will ALWAYS show up for a party, she's just that kind of friend.  And she's also one of the craftiest people I know.  She can make just about anything.  She even recently figured out how to make her own diaper genie refills!  Imagine that.  And she's also an AMAZING photographer!  But on top of all that, she's one of the sweetest, more sincere, Godly women I know as well.  To be around her is a joy!

AND thanks to Amy @ My Front Porch for also bestowing this award on me!  Amy is another lovely lady I met through my jewelry business, although she knew my husband before that from work.  Since then, I've gotten to know her through bloggy world and love what I've seen!  She is a GREAT writer and always amuses me with her wit.  You'd never know it to meet her... she's super cute and sweet and PERFECT... but she's got quite the sarcastic side to her as well, which I love about her.  I also love the variety in her posts, from random and witty to more serious like this one.  Thanks for thinking of me, Amy!

So... in honor of my award, I've prepared an acceptance speech.. *ahem*  First, I would like to thank my family, without them none of this would've been possible... yadda, yadda, yadda.  I know none of you care, so here's how this little award works...

• Each Superior Scribbler must turn and pass on this award to 5 of the most deserved blogs. 
• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the blog and name the author from which he/she received the award on his/her blog.
• Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his or her blog, and link to this post.
• Each blogger who was awarded Superior Scribbler, must visitthis post and add their name to the Mr. Linky. That way we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this presitigous honor.
• Each Superior Scribbler must post the rules to their blog.

And here they are, in no particular order...

• Abby @ Peter Marie - An amazing artist and friend with two beautiful children who are full of smiles - just like their mommy!  I love hanging out with this gal pal.
• Jenn @ Starving for Sunshine - A great friend and mommy and I recently learned she is also a VERY supportive wife - her husband is joining the military and will soon be gone for 6 months!  Wow - yet, no complaining from this amazing woman.
• Jenny @ God is Good All the Time - I wish this crazy lady lived closer!  We would have some great laughs together.  She's a childhood friend of my husband's, but I've gotten to know her mostly through her blog.
• Julie @ Call Me Crazy:) - A busy mommy of 4 who somehow still has time for running and bringing ME a meal - shouldn't I be bringing HER one?
• Londa @ The Sneaky Mommy - A super sweet and fun lady who truly amazes me with everything she can do and how much she serves others.  Plus she has 3 kids - two of them being twin boys!  How she does it all, I have NO idea!

I wish I could give this award to more than just five.  There are so many more of you who deserve it!

photo gallery

A little catching up with some photos...

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Friday was MOPS, which was wonderful to start up again.  However, I had to wear this hat to MOPS because I desperately needed a haircut.  I'm never sure if I can pull off a good hat look, but I'm really starting to like them more now, so like it or not, you may be seeing me in them more often.

You can't see it in this picture, but we're seated down for a delicious dinner, provided by my lovely friend, peter marie!  We had pulled pork sandwiches on amazing wheat rolls, homemade mac & cheese which was worth every single calorie and a super yummy creamy strawberry desert.  Thanks, Abby!  

Then we let the girls stay up and watch The Little Mermaid for our family movie night since Addie has been dying to see it!  

It was so fun watching her little face light up and see her get so into the movie.  It's especially fun now that she actually understand what's going on.  

On Saturday, after cleaning the house, Chad and Tate took a little siesta together.

I'm not sure who was snoring louder...

I don't have any pics from Sunday, but it was a great church day and we hosted our Acts 2:42 group (our church small group) in the evening, which will now be an every Sunday night thing at our house.  We've got a great group which makes it very enjoyable!

Today was a rainy day.  But that was okay because we've had several weeks  now of perfect weather, so in a way it was kinda nice to see the rain again.  The girls were super excited to try out their new umbrellas.

Addie has been begging me all summer to let her play in the rain, but I didn't ever really have the chance until today.  They loved splashing in the puddles with their big boots and twirling their umbrellas.
(And just so you know... that's not our trash sitting on the curb.  And no, we're not east-siders anymore, but apparently our neighbors haven't gotten the memo... on the east-side this pile would be gone in a matter of minutes!)

And later I caught this photo...

Can you tell what they're doing?

Yup... feeding their babies.  Addie's got it right this time.  After Millie was born, Addie would feed her babies through her belly button.

And this picture didn't quite capture it, but Millie just sticks her baby's head down through the top of her shirt.  Usually the baby is completely upside down!

Please don't think that's what she's seeing at home!  :)  I'm not really sure that would work too well...

appropriate?

Today my daughter was watching this show:

"Big, Big World" on PBS

when I heard something that caught my attention.

One of the monkeys blurted out,

"What the..."

Really?  I'd love to hear what word he intended to end that question with.  If he would've said, "What the heck?" it probably wouldn't have even phased me.  But leaving it open like that makes one assume the next word probably isn't appropriate.  And if this show was aimed at adults, I could've cared less.  But the fact that it's for preschoolers is why it bothered me.  I know it's a common phrase and I know I've said it before too, but I guess I just wouldn't want my 4 year old running around saying, "What the..." all the time.

I don't know... am I an old prude?  Please tell me your thoughts on this.

And if you say "What the..." a lot, please don't think I'm ripping on you or think you have to not say it around me.  Like I said, I'm sure I say it too.  I don't think it's terrible, I'm just not sure it's what I would've written in a script for a toddler's tv show.

Okay, done with the ranting.  Now I'm going to post something more light-hearted with pics of the young'uns.

This morning was our first MOPS meeting and it was so fun to get out again and be with other moms!  Ladies, if you need a morning out with free babysitters, yummy refreshments, great speakers, fun crafts and great conversations with some of the coolest ladies, then you HAVE to come to our MOPS group! It's the first and third Fridays of each month.  Check out our blog.


After a refreshing morning, I headed to Wal-Mart with the girls... you all know how much I love that store (NOT). (click here for a refresher) Is it still cool to say "not?"  I haven't said that since... high school maybe?  So what are the kids saying instead of that these days?


Anyways, it was a necessity to go there to pick up the baby announcements I ordered.  Trust me, I only go there if it is absolutely necessary.  Anyways, since we were all starving for lunch, we ate at the Subway inside the store.  And it was there today that I learned how it can really pay to be the frazzled mom with my brood of 3 little ones.  While we were standing in line, a man came up to us and gave us a coupon for a free cookie.  Then, while we were eating, another lady came up and gave us yet another coupon for a free cookie.  I felt guilty, so I explained to her that someone else had just given us one and she said, "I know, but you have 2 daughters, so I figured you could use two."  Wasn't that nice?


That doesn't change my opinion of Wal-Mart.  I don't think Subway really counts as part of the store, does it?

a true confession

I have a confession to make...


It's something I've been hiding for about 3 years now...


I'm ashamed to admit it for fear of what you may think of me...


But I'm just going to come right out and say it.


I love Matlock.


There.  I said it.  And yes, it's sad but true.  This is what happens when one doesn't have cable and has to resort to watching whatever is on the free channels.  And ever since Addie was little, the only thing to watch during naptime besides soap operas and Jerry Springer was Matlock.


I don't know what it is about that cute old white-haired lawyer, but he draws me in every time.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of simpler times when cell phones had to be carried around in a suitcase and actors could reappear several times as different characters - maybe this time as the murderer and next time as the unsuspecting victim and then again as the judge... "Hey, wait a second... didn't that guy die in the last show?"


And it's amazing to see how many current stars got some of their first appearances on this show.  Such as Jan from "The Office,"  John Locke from "Lost," Patricia Heaton from "Raymond," and many more.  It's always fun to recognize actors on this show and see their super cool hairdos.


So go ahead and judge me.  I can take it.  But I just wonder how many of you have secret tv confessions to make...