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.