Kissin' Cousins

We were so lucky to be able to visit with Broc and Baylor while Granny and Papa were in town. We had a nice day and Riley and Broc bonded (if you call taking a tinkle outside bonding). Yep, my girl isn't gonna be "shown up" by a boy (least of all her younger cousin) and his ability to potty outside. Within 2 minutes of Broc utilizing the great outdoors as a potty, my girl had shucked her shorts and was ready to water God's vegetation. If you know me AT ALL, you know I had A FIT! It was too late to "stop the process" (you know once you start it's hard to stop), but that didn't keep me from freaking out. We had a serious talk once we were alone about what was and was not appropriate, and it has taken me a week to laugh about it (through gritted teeth) but the bottom line (pun intended) is that we're close to family and she'll get to do a little growing up with her cousins and for that blessing we are grateful! Our precious nephews are so adorable and really fun. They are so different from one another that hanging out with them is always eventful. Broc is always ready to play and makes everyone laugh and Baylor is more serious, but still generally wants to do whatever his big brother is doing. Riley likes to pull rank when she's with them and inforce the fact that she is older. That's a girl for ya!

There are a few pics of their time together over on the right! (Click on the box and they will enlarge in a new screen).

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

Oh, the fun she (Riley) had. She forgot what it was like to be able to monopolize our friend Patty's time with her crazy requests that Patty is always more than willing to accommodate. This visit was all about whatever "Miss Patty" was doing. If Patty wore tennis shoes on our walk, Riley wore tennis shoes. If Patty was drinking water, Riley was drinking water. We had a great visit and it made us sad (Riley cried and I felt like crying) when Patty had to leave. But, we managed to enjoy the time we had together. Riley got to play soccer for Patty, took her to eat at Red Robin and forced her to spend way too much time in the playroom with her! Patty and I went out around Memphis after the soccer game and left Riley and Mike watching UT's game. We found Kyle's future school and stopped by Sun Studios where Elvis cut his first record. We even drove by Graceland (my first drive by and Patty's second visit there). I showed her the Peabody Hotel and we went to Mud Island to see the row houses and scouted out apartments for Kyle. I've got a plan. He'll eat a "home cooked meal" with us once a week and Riley can tell her school friends about her adopted big brother Kyle. Once he is enrolled in dental school his mama will be out to visit lots (she's devoted that way). She will need some company on the ride out and Barbara will be too happy to ride shotgun! Right mama? See there are positives related to this move, they just keep showing up!

Showing Patty her soccer skills!

Isn't there some sad country song that goes, "I miss my friend..."? I'm singin' it while I'm blogging about our visit...great time, great laughs. I'm extending a "formal" invitation to all other friends...come out and see us, we love company!

A Star is Born!

Guess who was chosen as "Star Student" for the week?



She was really proud of her poster and couldn't wait to "explain" it to her class. Besides her pictures and stickers, her written information included her favorite color, sport, book, food, thing to do at home, thing to do at school and her "stats". She was so proud to write them herself (even though I made her do it twice...once a teacher, always a teacher). She insisted on putting a football on her poster b/c she has her yearly case of UT fever with the beginning of the season hype (due to her Daddy). I gave in since it technically is her assignment. We've got to fill the "Sharing Sack" later this week with things she holds dear so that she can share them with her classmates and I'm going to read to them on Friday. Is it weird that I'm SO into this? We love our little shining star!


A pic-filled post to come tomorrow. We spent a little time (not enough) with Patty this weekend and some with our sweet nephews as well!

Life Partners

Far be it for me to judge anyone on the lifestyle they choose to live. We just try to do what we believe is right for us...and I realize what is "right" is completely in the eye of the beholder. Bearing that in mind, here's a funny story from our weekend. We were in the yard with Granny and Papa (pics to come) and playing a friendly game of "washer toss" (a.k.a. beanbag toss). We were all talking while playing and I mentioned Mike's company had new health insurance effective September 1st and they were recognizing "life partners". Little Miss Big Ears says, "mama, what is a life partner". As my eyes grew big and I looked at Mike for a little help I responded, "it is when 2 people live together but they aren't married like Daddy and I are". Without breaking stride Riley looks up and says, "oh, like Curious George and the Man with the Yellow Hat".
:) After I composed myself I said, "yes, exactly like that."
One more day letting her live in the little bubble we've made for her...because we can.
Life is good!

Eat your heart out Grammie...

We have been so fortunate that dad has been able to visit with us twice in the past week. While his company has never had business in this area, a recent turn of events sent him this way to do some prospecting. We couldn't be happier! It's such a long week for him, but really works out great for us! However, Grammie is a little jealous of his "new territory" and is getting more and more bitter that she wasn't a part of the trip. Dad even made Riley get on the phone with mom and tell her "not to be mad at Poppy, he was just doing his job." I'm sure mom is working on her letter of resignation as she won't stand for this too much longer (truth be told, my fingers are crossed)!
Poppy went with us to soccer practice tonight (expect pics from big girl's game this weekend) and we just really enjoyed hanging out together. Riley was too excited to see him and just couldn't wait to "play"...she is convinced that kindergarten interferes with her playing schedule (I know...don't you wish you had her problems). I added a slide show to the right with a few pictures of the two of them playing. Click on them and the pictures will enlarge.
I suppose I will have to add more since Granny and Papa are visiting with us this weekend! A devoted blogger's work is never done!

Oinky Cookies

Riley loves to get mail. She always has, but now it's even more special because it is from all her "public" that she had to leave in Knoxville. Her Grammie and Granny are great about sending her notes and/or packages weekly and she has been communicating with our old neighbor some via "snail mail". But, she recently received a card from "Mrs. Patty", another old neighbor and our dear friend (who I miss daily, sniff, sniff) with a recipe that we just had to try! They turned out great and are so very "Riley"! While we made them, we talked about Patty, Spanky (Patty's dog I love to hate), and her boys. Riley finds the fact that the twins are in college fascinating b/c they don't live at home anymore (she says she will never leave home). I wonder if I could have her put that in writing?
Check out the cookies:

Unicorn hat optional...

Check out the "pack o piggies" watching the icing process from the bar

Finished product! Yummy!

Go West Young Man...er, Woman...

I was trying to absorb myself into whatever topics of conversation Riley deemed important this morning on the way to school because our mornings have been a little sad of late. It seems she has finally realized that this kindergarten thing takes away from her time at home with her "stuff" as well as her time with her mama. She assures me she loves class, her school and her teacher, but she "wishes she had more "home hours" as she called them. So, we're talking on the way to school and out of the blue she says, "is that field over there like the Wild West"? Hummm....I'm seeing corn, lots of corn, some farm houses, straight road ahead, nope, no Wild West here, but I entertained the topic and said, "maybe that's what it looked like". Then she asked what part of the United States the Wild West was in and I started naming some western states when she blurted out, "people went to California a long time ago mama, that was the first Wild West". So I'm doing my part to keep the way odd conversation going and the focus off of the fact that she was leaving her "stuff" and her mama for a while to go to school and answered with, "that's right baby, lots of people went all the way to California and dug into the ground and tried to find gold". From the back seat, just as serious as she could; my dear, sweet, smart girl simply replied, "California must have a lot of holes..."

Witty, that girl. I think she gets it from me.