Is it too early to start drinking?

10:30? I swear, whoever named the terrible twos must not have been around a three year-old. Carlisle, Rainey and I just returned from Carlisle's check-up at the doctor, which was horrible. She threw a fit about everything - she wouldn't be weighed, measured, I broke a sweat while trying to hold her still for the finger prick, pretty much had to physically restrain her to check her eyes, throat etc... I guess I probably shouldn't be writing about this on my blog, since I have given the link to potential babysitters in Spain so that they can check us out. Note to babysitters - she is normally very sweet, polite, lovable and wonderful - she just has her moments.

This is day 2 of being a "single parent", since Charles has gone to work in Jackson until we leave at the end of June. It is definitely more difficult without him here to deal with some of the tantrums. But I think this is a good opportunity for Carlisle and I to reestablish the pecking order around here. I AM IN CHARGE! (I think).

Potbellied Princess

Love this time of year

Yesterday the girls were having monumental meltdowns about pretty much anything and everything. We needed to get out of the house, so I took them to campus to see the fountain at the "Quadrangle", which is the area between the library and the chapel (with building on each side too, hence the "Quad"). I just love this time of year, when the students all leave for a couple of weeks until summer school starts. Town is so quiet. Don't get me wrong, I love living in a small college town, the students give so much life to this town, but it sure is nice to not have any traffic and to be able to get a closer parking space at Wal-Mart! I know that Charles and I are students too, but I don't count us in with the 20 years olds anymore.

I took the girls into the main University library. I needed to check out a couple of books, and I knew there wouldn't be too many people in there for them to disturb. They had an excellent time turning the cranks to move the shelves. Then we headed out to the fountain. They threw in every penny I had. And of course when I asked Carlisle what she wished for, as usual, she says "For God to put a baby boy in your tummy". Sorry Carlisle, keep wishing for that one. Probably going to need to throw in a lot more pennies for that one to come true anytime soon!

Ring Around The Rosie

Hijacked

This is lesson in never giving your password to anyone. It appears my blog has been hijacked by Charles. Also appears that he is trying to show me up by making videos of old pictures.

Here is the third and last set of pictures from Europe. These are from Paris, which was beautiful. We absolutely loved it! The first three are from the Arc de Triomphe, which was truly amazing. I had to include a picture looking down at the street from above at the traffic - Charles spent most of his time on top of the Arc hanging over the edge to get pictures of the insane traffic flow around the Arc. Note how many different directions the cars are pointing in.
The picture of Charles and the Sphinx is at the Lourve, which is again, amazing and gorgeous and huge. We only spent a morning there, but I think you could easily spend a week.
Next comes Notre Dame and then Sacre Couer. Then me stuffing my face with a crepe. You haven't really been to a place until you've tried all their cliche foods like crepes in Paris, waffles in Belgium, gelato in Italy etc... By the way, the crepes are excellent. Next to last picture is at an artist square in the Monmarte district. This is a painting we bought, and the woman is the artist. The last picture obvioulsy needs no label. But it is a beautiful picture, taken by Charles, and I'm glad it came out so well because we sat forever out in the cold waiting for them to turn the lights on and take this picture.

Back from the dead

Well after I learned that my computer was where pictures went to die I decided to breath some live back into some of them and help them "realize their true potential"

short video attached.

Europe continued

These pictures are from Brussels, where we visited our friends, Paul and Lindsay, who have been living there for almost 2 years now. Brussels has EXCELLENT waffles, chocolate, and beer. Seeing as chocolate and beer are pretty much my two favorite things, I was in heaven. I included the not so good picture of Charles and me because it had a little bit of the waffle we were eating in the picture. It was covered in chocolate and bananas, yum! Oh, and waffles aren't just for breakfast in Belgium!

Europe - finally

I have promised pictures of Europe to many of you and of course, never shown you any. There is good reason. Mainly, as usual, it is the husband's fault (i don't mean that things are generally MY husband's fault, just husbands in general). But as the rest of the house slept this Saturday morning, I covertly rescued a select few pictures from Charles's computer, a.k.a. "where pictures go to die". Seriously, there are thousands of pictures stored on his computer that have no hope of ever reaching their true potential. Anyway, first set of pictures is Amsterdam. Click on the last picture of the set and check out the backdrop - this would be the "Red Light" district (where we only visited during the day, and only for very brief time, and where I was one of the very few "non-working" women in the area.

Okay, we're about to go to the gym, so I've got to get off the computer. You've waited this long to see them, I'm sure another few hours or days won't kill you. I'll post the rest of the trip later.

One last thing, don't you love the red car. I think that it is the real reason we want to join the Foreign Service. We secretly want to live somewhere it is acceptable to drive a toy car on the street.

Househunters and Sleepyheads

This isn't the best picture, but I took it to show Carlisle the two birds that have been checking out our new birdhouse. Carlisle came home from DeeDee and PopPop's house with this birdhouse for me on Mother's Day. She says she picked it out all by herself, but I don't believe her all of the time. I'm quite certain that if she alone chose a gift for me that it would be along the lines of a princess dress with matching glass slippers and crown. Anyway, Charles and I are up preparing for class and these crazy birds are obsessed with the new birdhouse. I suggested that they were husband and wife, because they look the same except one is blue and the other is brown. Charles informs me that the male is the blue one because male birds get to be the prettiest. Fortunately humans don't work the same way.

The birds are actually hysterical. They look just like people trying to decide on a new house. They keep sticking their heads in and out, then they fly off, decide they need another look, fly back, land a few feet away, check it out from the street (curb appeal is important you know). We think the husband likes it better than the wife. He's trying to convince her. However, the wife's instinct is correct this time (as is the case with people), because that birdhouse is just sitting on that post. Not attached to anything. One big gust of wind and they'll be a like trailer in a tornado. I guess if they decide to move in, as landlords, Charles and I will have a responsibility to try to attach it without disturbing them terribly. Anyone have any suggestions on doing that?

Oh, the sleepyhead part. The reason I had to take a picture of the birds is because both the girls are still asleep. No one jinx it, but both the girls have been sleeping until after 8 o'clock the last few days. I've had to get up to do school work, but it sure is nice to have a little bit of quiet in the morning before we get cranked up to full 3 1/2 and 19 month old speed. And please note the 1/2 after 3. Carlisle has proclaimed she is 3 1/2. Do not say she is 3. Apparently it is an insult.

Steeplechase

Happy Mother's Day! Charles and I spent the weekend in Nashville visiting Mary Morgan and Paul for Steeplechase. The girls went to Jackson again. Is that bad if you consider a weekend with no children a great mother's day gift? Just kidding, I missed them terribly, but we did have a nice "grown-ups" weekend.


Before I post Steeplechase pictures and rundown - here's a random picture of Rainey from last week. Bucket-head Rainey. All this bragging I do about my child prodigy Rainey, who has been speaking in sentences for months already, but yet she loves nothing better than to run around the house with a bucket on her head, running into things.

So Steeplechase. We got to Nashville before lunch on Friday. Sarah and Beth (sorority twin sisters of mine and Mary Morgan's, for those not in the know) were already there, so we all had lunch with Congressman Blackburn (aka Mary Morgan's mom) at this fabulous bakery, The Puffy Muffin, and then went for pedicures. We spent most of the rest of the afternoon in search of the perfect dress for Sarah, and jetting around town running different errands. Dinner was at a great restaurant, The Trace (I think is the name), but we tried to make it an early night to save up for Saturday.


Saturday morning, Mary Morgan and Paul hosted a breakfast for Steeplechase going friends. The did a wonderful job. Food was great, everything was perfect. They are definitely the hosts with the mosts. Here's Sarah and Beth, and Charles, chilling with mimosas and Pims Cups before race day.

Steeplechase itself was a good time too. A long day of a lot of eating and drinking with a little horse race watching. Here's me, MMBK, Courtney and Ansley during the day.

Alright, Charles and I start a Federal Trial Practice class tomorrow, and have got to tell 5-10 minutes stories to the class in the morning. Therefore I must start thinking up a story now.

One more thing - for those that don't know Sarah and Beth - they have started their own clothing company, One Eye Toad. They have awesome polo shirts for men and women. I'll post a picture later in the week of Charles wearing his One Eye Toad shirt. But for now, visit their website and spread the word. www.oneeyetoad.com

Goodbye year 2, hello year 3

Second year of law school down. We start class again on Monday though, so not too much of a break. I'm really glad to be done with exams though. This time was rough.

On Monday I had to stop myself from taking a picture of the contents of the trash can outside the lawschool. I thought it just summed up exam time, and really would have taken the picture if there weren't other people around who might have been alarmed.

First of all, it was overflowing on a Monday morning. This means that the lawschool was packed all weekend, which is definitely not the norm. Only the case during exams. Secondly, the stuff I identified clinging perilously to the top of the trash heap was a 64oz big gulp, a Red Bull, several Sonic/McDonald's etc bag (I was tossing in my McDonald's bag when I took note of this), a can of Copenhagen tobacco, and a box of Pepcid AC.

So folks, that sums it up. Caffeine, fast food, caffeine, nicotine (not me personally), caffeine, antacids.

Glad to be done. Second year in the books. I think I'll go to the gym...

Baxter update

He's home. Just showed back up after a night out on the town. Just wanted to update so no one worries about him.

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?

Oh where, oh where can he be.....

Baxter ran off yesterday. He never stays gone this long. There was a storm after he left, and he goes absolutely batty when it thunders, so he must have gotten lost while running. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that someone notices him and calls us. Strangely, for the last 8 years, everytime he gets too far from home, someone finds him and calls within a few hours. I'm afraid that could be because he really sticks out. i.e. Runs down the middle of the road. But it has never taken this long for him to either come home or to hear from someone.

Everyone hates their own driver's license picture...

Or in this case passports. I was looking through my iPhoto library and ran across the girls pictures that are on their passports. Think they'll hate us when they're old enough to know better? (Oh, and I'm sure most of the readers of this illustrious blog know why my 3 and 1 year old have passports. But for those that are wondering, the whole family is studying abroad this summer. Yep, a month in Spain with the kids. Crazy? We'll see...)




Just returned from another birthday party. This one for Hassel, who lives down the street. He had a moonwalk, or moonjump or whatver you call those enormous inflatable, mesh sided, castle looking things that the kids love to jump in until someone hits their head on someone else's teeth. It's about 88 degress with about 99% humidity outside, so it was a little warm. Check out the birthday boy's hair, he hasn't been swimming...

Busy Social Life

Again, Carlisle's, not mine.

Carlisle went to a princess birthday party today in The Grove. Andy and Christin always throw the best birthdays. There was princess make-up, a storyteller, a scavenger hunt with princess treasures for prizes. Minus the huge downpour in the middle of the party, a good time. Of course I left my camera in the car, but managed to snap one at Honey's house after the party. She has another birthday party on Sunday.

Last Day of School

For Carlisle, not me. I've still got one more exam next week, but 4 down, so that's something at least. Here are pictures from Carlisle's first day of School in September and one from this morning. Pink dress is first day, blue is last day.

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Here are a few more pictures for those who haven't seen the children in a while. And a picture of the house for those (Lindsay) who have been asking to see it for a year and I haven't sent pictures yet.

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We got some rain yesterday, hence the naked child in the driveway with the umbrella. What is it about being naked in the front yard? Every night those children want to strip their clothes off and run around. What age do you think it becomes inappropriate to run around naked in front of your house? Let's see, I'm not quite 30 yet, so do you think I make the cut?

Uggg, the torture of exams. I've had 3 exams in 4 days, another tomorrow, I think I'm losing steam.

So obviously, starting a blog (that I created over a year ago, and have never written in) is a much better use of my time than studying insurance law.

The girls are in Jackson with Charles's parents until tomorrow. I feel like I haven't seen them in weeks. But after my test tomorrow I will get them back and enjoy a little down time before getting in gear for my last exam next week.