Right on, Maxine!

God Bless America

Can you relate?

If you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, babysitter, etc., I bet you can relate to this cartoon.

Source: For Better or For Worse website

"45 Lessons Life Taught Me"

Written By Regina Brett, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12 It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. 22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously.. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40 If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,

we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Sketch from Photo

Check out this great website that will convert your photo into a pencil sketch, along with some other types of interesting pictures.

Our Diva!

This morning, CC dressed herself for school. It was a "pink and brown" day. She's quite the fashion statement, I think.

Deuce is 6 months!

Well, our little boy is getting to be such a big boy. He's starting to sit by himself, a little wobbly though. And, he got his first tooth! At his appointment, he weighed 20 lbs and was 27 inches long.

Arts and Crabs

CC to mommy: "Can we do arts and crabs?"

I love his laugh!

My oh my!

I told CC that I was going downstairs to feed Deuce. She asked, "Does he want boob?" Where does she get this stuff?

CC wanted to paint using her watercolors. I told her, "DO NOT take the paints outside of this room (the office)." She said, "They don't have legs to walk." Smarty pants!

"CC, go to the bathroom. Hurry, hurry." "Mommy, I can only do one thing at a time!" (as she shakes her head at me)

The Tooth Fairy

I overheard CC as she wrote a note to the Tooth fairy: "Tooth fairy, please don't take my tooth until I'm 4 months (think she meant years) old." The note is now under her pillow.

Breaking News:

The Tooth Fairy visited CC last night and left her a note. It read: Dear CC, Thank you for the note. I won't take your tooth until it falls out. Don't worry, you have a few years before this happens. Love, The Tooth Fairy.

Other sayings...

"Mommy, you're really good at ponytails." CC - September 24, 2010

Where does she learn this stuff?

CC just asked me if today was Friday (she gets to bring her school work home today). When I told her yes, she got very excited and said, "Yay! I have lots of drawings to show you. They are for papa, grammy, my cousins, and all of the people in my life."

A fun day at the farm!

After several days of being cooped up in the house due to sickness, we decided to venture out of the house. We made a trip to the Hunt Club Farm with Chris and Skylar. As you can see from the pictures, CC and Deuce had a great time!

Go Pink!

Nutz and CC were talking via Google video. Nutz told her, "Go Blue!" She promptly responded, "Go Pink."

Restoring Honor Rally: My Personal Story

On Saturday, August 28, I attended the Restoring Honor Rally with my 3 year old and 5 month old. When my husband and I first heard about this event, we knew that we’d attend. However, right before Christmas, my husband found out that he’d been mobilized and would be heading overseas after the first of the year for a year-long deployment. I promised him, and myself, that I’d still make the trip to Washington D.C. to attend the Restoring Honor Rally. I knew it’d be hard with two children in tow, but I also knew that I needed to be there to represent all the people that couldn’t attend, like my husband.

I was fortunate to have some “adopted parents/grandparents” who were making the trip and allowed my family of three to “tag along.” We left the Norfolk area on Friday, August 27 around noon and arrived in D.C. later that afternoon. My three year old, CC, was excited to attend this “party” for which we had been invited by Glenn Beck. Believe it or not, she knows who Glenn Beck is and can easily recognized his face on television and his voice on the radio.

We woke around 6 am on Saturday, dressed, packed the double stroller and backpack, and headed to the Lincoln Memorial. I’m sure that I was a sight to see: I had my 5 month old strapped to my front in the baby carrier and my backpack of baby/toddler goodies strapped on my back. And, a toddler holding my hand and pulling me along to the “party.” We joined Grandma Kathie and Papa John and started our 2-mile trip to the Restoring Honor Rally. I knew there would be a lot of people in attendance, but I was still amazed at the number of people that walked with us. As we neared the Washington Monument, I was in awe at the number of people making their way to the Lincoln Memorial. When we made it to the Washington Monument around 7:00 am, I could see that none of us latecomers were going to even get close to the Lincoln Memorial. We didn’t mind, we were going to get as close as we could. What mattered is that we were there. We ended up under the trees near the Vietnam Memorial.

As we recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem, I was extremely proud to be an American. CC stood proudly next to me and sang every word as she held her hand over her heart. Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the people around me sing and show their patriotism.

With a husband serving our GREAT country overseas, this day had special meaning for me. I made shirts for both of my children. Deuce’s onesie had a picture of his daddy and read: “My daddy is serving his country, but my mommy brought my big sister and me.” CC’s shirt had the same picture and read: “My daddy is serving his country, but my mommy brought my little brother and me.” Since Nutz couldn’t be with us, in person, we brought my daughter’s daddy doll. Her daddy doll has a picture of Nutz in his flight suit on one side and his civilian clothes on the other side. So, even though he couldn’t attend the rally in person, he was still with us.

We met and talked with people from all over the United States. The family next to us had been on a motor home vacation and attended the event with their two young children. While waiting in line for the restroom, my daughter and I talked with a gentleman who had driven his motor home from Washington State to attend the event with his 13-year-old grandson. I also talked with people from Utah, Florida, Hawaii, California, Virginia and Maryland, to name a few. Some people drove, while others flew and rode the train.

I’m so glad that my children and I attended the Restoring Honor Rally. It truly was a historical event and one that I’ll be able to look back on and say, “We were there.” God Bless America!

CC Dreams

This morning CC awoke at 5:25 am. She quickly informed me that she couldn't sleep because she dreamed that her daddy wasn't here.

More CC sayings...

CC looked at one of our wedding pictures and said to me: "That was you when you married my handsome daddy."

CC to mommy after I finished dressing for work: "Mommy, you're missing something. You need a necklace."

Funny Stuff...

Mommy to CC: Did you toot?
CC to mommy: I think it was daddy in Djibouti.

Happy Anniversary, Nutz!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. ~Mignon McLaughlin