Fancy Nancy-A Day in the Life of One Happy Girl!

Ever heard of "Pulling Money"?

2011-06-07T17:24:00.000-04:00

Anna Jane has lost another tooth! After the two bottoms were lost a year ago--she has finally lost a front tooth...and with a little help, too! During one of our Friday night gatherings, Mary Hunter took one gander at that dangling digit and made it her mission to prevent Anna Jane from choking on that tooth in her sleep. I've heard a lot about that in the news lately, haven't you? Children dying in their sleep having choked on a tooth that somehow comes out during their slumber? Hmmm...me neither...Before I knew it, there was a conversation about "Pulling Money". Yup, Anna Jane realized the potential for making some cash and agreed to let Mary Hunter take a closer look. I was totally queasy about the whole business...exposed roots, twisting, blood, gaping holes....argh! Wigged me out, totally! Anna Jane laid down with her head in Mary Hunter's lap while MH "inspected" the targeted tooth. With Kleenex in hand, MH gripped the tooth and distracted Anna Jane by telling her to look at something on the TV. Anna Jane turned her head, the Kleenex and tooth stayed in their coordinate plane and VIOLA! No more perfect smile...I am now the Mom to a Snaggler! Just in time for our beach portraits...oh well. We can immortalize the child of six with a gapped up smile.

She's cute, huh?

Anna Jane earned $1 as "Pulling Money"

During this visit, the Tooth Fairy brought 2 GOLD DOLLAR COINS! Wow! Anna Jane is saving every penny for her Disney visit later this month.
and yes...I've spied her checking her mouth for loose teeth!

Birthday Weekend Get-Away!

2011-04-09T16:58:00.000-04:00

The most thoughtful gift...ever. Our friends, Mary Hunter and Amanda, gave Otis a weekend of childcare but they gave Anna Jane lots of memories to treasure!

When Otis's birthday, March 18, was approaching, the girls didn't know what to get him. They came up with idea of allowing the two of us to scamper off on a weekend away while they babysat Anna Jane. Mary Hunter picked up Anna Jane at school on Friday afternoon. Otis and I had delivered Anna Jane safely to school that morning and then we headed for the hills! I rented a cute little cabin, just 10 minutes from downtown Asheville.It could definitely accommodate 6. Great movie collection, comfortable furniture, good linens, fully equipped kitchen (I cooked every night, but we did splurge on brunch downtown on Sunday), a fabulous shower room and a perfect hot tub. We soaked, gazed at stars and planned for the future. Sorry, no pictures from that!

Alexander's Cabin was our "home away from home" for the weekend. It was secluded enough to feel private, but very convenient to shopping, restaurants, etc. This is a pet-friendly rental. Carly enjoyed the entire experience! A pot of happy, yellow tulips greeted us when we arrived. A personalized dog biscuit was a nice treat for Carly Jean! They also had a collection of leashes, doggie waste bags, towels and bedding material.

We were able to just chill. We knew that Anna Jane was having lots of adventures and much pampering! The weekend was fun-filled for that little girl, for sure! Amanda and Mary Hunter took Anna Jane out to dinner on Friday night to a kid's favorite: Pizza Inn! During the weekend, they shopped, they enjoyed "Farm Life", they crashed Hunter and Janie's house for dinner! Most importantly, Anna Jane got to spend some time away from The Parental Units.

and relax, we did. Otis still needs a little more practice at the "chillin'" lifestyle! Note his tightly tied shoes compared to my relaxed, sockey feet!

I'll drink to that!

Special thanks to our friends. They probably have no idea how much Otis appreciated their gift (he has YET to write his thank-you note! GRRR). It's very meaningful to us, as parents, when others take an interest in our child and enjoy her company. Time invested in a kid is probably the greatest gift that one could give. Although this weekend scheme was a gift TO Otis, the person who benefited the most was surely Anna Jane.

Thank you again, girls. Hope you read this. Hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated.

Read Across America Week

2011-02-28T13:27:00.000-05:00

Some of our favorites!

Read Across America Poem

~Courtesy of the NEA

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild,

To pick up a book and read with a child.

You're never too busy, too cool, or too hot,

To pick up a book and share what you've got.

In schools and communities,

Let's gather around,

Let's pick up a book,

Let's pass it around.

There are kids all around you,

Kids who will need

Someone to hug,

Someone to read.

Come join us March 2nd

Your own special way

And make this America's

Read to Kids Day.

365 Project

2011-02-21T20:16:00.000-05:00

I am going to be participating in the 365 Project. I've committed to posting one picture a day for the next year. Check out the site by clicking here or at other times, you can access the project from the link on the right. I figured that I could kill two birds with one stone by posting the project pictures and then blogging about any events/pictures that didn't quite make the cut for that day--not that I'm going to be blogging every day--come on now, don't be crazy!
My button, "Comment make me happy" is really true. Those who know me, understand that I need to be stroked, encouraged and validated. High maintenance indeed!

Look what I found today.

Guess my hopes for another snow day have been dashed!

I knew this would happen if I bought snow pants!

(and I look really cute in them!)

Does this constitute animal cruelty?

He is so handsome.

He was trying on my shoes this morning...

and I'm talking about Yoohoo.

I know you can't read this, but it is measuring 78 degrees!

Love it.

Cat in the Sink

2010-11-11T08:47:00.001-05:00

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Our cat-he likes the sink.

"That's weird.", I hear you think.

A place that's cold and hard and wet

Where you go to get a drink.

But no--it's like a cave

It's warm and smooth and safe.
The kid can't see him, the dog can't reach him.
As far as hideways, it's his fave!

Watch "Hoarders: Buried Alive" and then strangely...get motivated!!

2010-09-17T13:36:00.000-04:00

November 2006--that is the last time that the pantry shelves were bare! When we moved in, our friend, Mary Hunter, took on the daunting task of organizing the pantry. She did a wonderful job...but over time...it was getting crazy in there! I took time this week to cull, organize and clean the pantry. There were some very awesome things that I found that I will be looking for a use for, such as:
saffron threads
nori seaweed sheets for sushi
anise extract
lots of really cute cookie cutters

Now I will not be using those ingredients/tools for one dish. I just don't want you waiting for an update on the seaweed saffron anise cookies!

I know that it is a bit OCD to take pictures of one's pantry! I know, I know. I was just very pleased with myself!

Our friend, John, once said the if he got locked in our pantry and had to survive--he'd starve! He said that all we had in there was ingredients--not any food! That made me chuckle. But it did make a point: we are such an immediate gratification society PLUS we are all over-scheduled, over-worked, and over-tired.Too many families have found themselves getting trapped in that dangerous and unhealthy cycle of prepared foods. Do you realize how much easier it would be to pop some chicken nuggets in the microwave or to use "Hamburger, chicken, tuna, whatever Helper"? Hey, we all resort to fast and easy at times. It just bothers me that so many kids don't have a clue what goes into making a dinner. Just sayin'...
** By the way, do you see my neat little stash of Skyline chili stacked on the bottom shelf next to the tuna??? Mmmmm...can't wait for cold weather! Been saving it since a little fairy put it in my trunk during our Cincinnati visit this summer!

Oh yeah, my spice rack...you may not be able to tell from this picture, but yes...all the herbs and spices are alphabetized. I will never forget a couple of girls sneaking into my pantry during a Drunko, I mean Bunco, get together. They were in there for only a few seconds, but they totally screwed up my whole system! Julie! Cindy! You know who you are! All you could hear from behind the door was squealing and giggling! They knew that they had pushed my button!! During today's job, I threw out lots of outdated spices. I really wish that the manufacturer would put an "use by" date on the label. I did find a few that did have that. (the chili powder that said use by 9/00---I'm assuming that it was Sept. 2000. I tossed it!)

This is obviously my baking section. Do you see the huge collection of colored sugars, sprinkles and decorations that is on the second shelf, far right? It will be cookie time before we know it! Can't wait to do this with Anna Jane and my Mom.

And what pantry or closet is complete without a bit of wall art? The plaque, from our friend, Amanda, says,

"We will drink no wine before it's time. It's time."

Hope you enjoyed the tour! It satisfied my need to show my work!

Stay tuned for next week: cleaning out the sock and underwear drawer

just kidding!

Good Morning, Sunshine!

2010-09-16T10:29:00.000-04:00

In order to rise and shine, one must have the means to rise on time! To prepare Anna Jane for kindergarten, we had been "practicing" getting up early. After years of 9am preschool 3 days a week and PJ Thursdays, it's safe to say that this household was a bit slack on morning wake-up time!
Luckily, Anna Jane's school schedule is not too brutal. Check-in time is 8:30-8:50am. After searching on-line and one unsuccessful attempt--the coveted "Hello, Kitty!" alarm clock was procured! It is not ordinary alarm clock--it has: am/fm, CD, wake to music or buzzer (more on that in a minute) and the mandatory snooze function.
Anna Jane quickly programmed it for a lovely classical station, which would ultimately be her downfall...

The first few days of school, I think Anna Jane popped out of bed and into her clothes in record time. As the days and weeks have progressed...the newness of kindergarten has worn off. I would get up, shower and dress and listen for her footsteps upstairs. It became clear that she takes after her Mama in many ways; including having the ability to sleep through her alarm. This alarm is LOUD. When she goes to bed at night, she likes the "sleep to music" feature. Otis and I can hear her music downstairs. This is the same volume that is used to wake her, well that is supposed to wake her. After several mornings of having to rouse her from under the covers, we finally had to have a "heart to heart" talk. I told her that if she didn't wake to the music, perhaps the BUZZER function would have to be set instead. She became very upset by this idea. I couldn't figure out why she was so hysterical about losing the music. Finally, after letting her calm down, we delved into why she was crying. She said, "Mama, no one told me that the music was my alarm. I hear it and wake up, but I just add it to my dream and go back to sleep." Gosh. No one told her. We assumed that she would know. Our prior knowledge and her lack of experience set us all up for failure. We would never give her a game without explaining the rules. We wouldn't give her a toy without giving her the guidelines, like: only use this outside or when the light comes on--it's ready. We wouldn't ask her to help us cook without teaching her the techniques as we went along.
This episode has taught us a lesson. It's easy for forget that she is only 5 years old. I have shoes that are waaaaaaay older than her. She's only a little person even though she can talk and reason. Once the diapers and sippy cups are gone it's too easy to make our kids grow up too fast. I'm stopping to smell the roses along the way from now on...and the dandelions, which Anna Jane thinks are the prettiest flowers by far.
Again, knowledge will soon enough change that.

PS-she hopped out of bed with enthusiasm this morning and danced to her music! what a way to start your day!

Back to School Pool Party

2010-09-03T11:37:00.000-04:00

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Anna Jane hosted her first Back to School Pool Party. She asked all of her guests to bring a donation of school supplies to be donated to her school. The kids had a great time and we collected a BOX FULL of stuff!

It was so hot--do note how the frosting melted and dripped. None of the kids seemed to care. Goodies were gobbled up! We grilled hot dogs and had all the fixin's!

Hope we can make this a yearly tradition. Anna Jane really understood that some kids just don't get all of the supplies that they need for school without help.

Our favorite lifeguards!

Brownie Cake

Note to self: cream cheese frosting does not hold up to August heat!

Anna Jane presenting the donations to her teacher to be used for her school

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-24T12:26:00.000-04:00

So excited! "Hello, Kitty!" is ready to go!

Anna Jane picked out an apple dress and accessories for her first day!

Anna Jane started kindergarten on Augut 6, 2010. Her new school is on an "enhanced calendar". She will go to school for 9 weeks and then have either 2 or 3 weeks off. There is sometimes an optional intercession for one of the weeks during the break. This intercession may be used for remediation or enhancement. During intercession, all of the teachers (including art, music, PE, computer, etc.) work together to make fun, interesting, relevant interdisciplinary units. The daily schedule is pretty good. Morning check-in is from 8:30am to 8:50am and afternoon pick-up starts at 3:45pm.

Her teacher is a sweet, young thing named Brittany Bennett. She's from Kinston and just about as country as collards...but in a monagram and pearls kind of way! When I say "country"--please don't ever take that as an insult from me. To me, "country" means that you know the value of canning your own tomatoes, knowing that Mama's way is the right way and that ladies don't eat or drink while walking down the sidewalk in town! and for the record, Mrs. Bennett DID have okra and tomatoes for lunch that first day! I know, because it made such an impression on Anna Jane! Can't get more country than that without eating some secondary part of a pig.

But enough about the details...shall we discuss how much I cried that day???? shall we discuss the bottle of wine that was gone by noon???? and that I had a wallow-in-the-growing-up-of-our-girls friend who hung out with me on the back porch that day???and that I'm so thankful to have her as a friend???shall we mention the fact that I was 30 minutes early for pick-up because I couldn't stand it????
I miss her...my buddy, my shadow, my twin...I find myself passing by her room and going in to straighten up and then for some reason, smelling her pillow...I long for PJ Thursdays...and ChicFilA playdates on rainy days (that place is the best due to the soundproof glass that separates the eating area from the playland!!)...I keep waiting for someone to call out my name...
I wish I could have her with me all day...but that would be unnatural. I need to let her blossom. I need to let her grow up. I need to let go a little.

My life has changed---again.
And that girl is to blame---again.

Can you see my weepy eyes???

so sweet! See the "Mom" picture?

Well...do you care???

2010-08-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

I was just wondering if anyone cares about this blog. I'm thinking about starting it back up, but --well--I guess I should do it for myselft--but I do care if anyone reads it and will commet. I guess I just need affirmation...motivation??? interaction? validation?

I know, I'm needy...

What's your vote??

Nancy

Sweet

2010-01-05T09:30:00.000-05:00

Forgive all of the extraneous objects in the pictures, the important thing to consider is that our little lamb has finally adopted a "lovey". She hasn't been interested in toys--until her Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nancie hit a homerun with this fuzzy pig! The texture of the stuffed animal is exactly the texture of Carly's fur. Sometimes it's hard to tell where she ends and the piggie begins (aside from the perfect pink color of the piggie!) Thank you, Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nancie!

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2009-11-22T15:02:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2009-11-22T11:24:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Buddies

2009-11-11T19:45:00.001-05:00

Otis has finally found his kayak/canoeing buddy!

On October 4, the two loves of my life set off for a great adventure. They paddled (OK, Otis paddled while Anna Jane sat back like a princess) up and down Middle Creek. The creek runs through the park and nature trail in our neighborhood.

You would have thought that they were going to be gone for days judging by the amount of snack food that they took on their voyage! They paddled around, took the boat out, wandered in the woods a little and then came home.

What was I doing while the adventurers were adventuring??? Taking a bubble bath!!

2009-11-10T17:52:00.000-05:00

I do not fancy myself a cake decorator (although, I do think I'm fancy in

lots of other ways!!). Our good friend, Amanda, celebrated her

25th birthday on October 3 and I surprised her with this

Wonder Woman cake!

The frosting was too warm, so it kind of puddled together in places, but

I think it came out pretty good!

Anna Jane thinks so too!

Amanda and her sister, Mary Hunter, come over almost every Friday night

for low-key, casual dinner; usually pizza or other take-out. Sometimes I cook, sometimes they bring dinner...we kind of decide depending on what kind of week everyone has had.

For Amanda's special birthday dinner, I made a pork roast and

some yummy side dishes--but the cake was the big surprise.

Amanda loved Wonder Woman when she was little (even had her own outfit,

I think she still wears it in private...ssshhhh...). I found this cake pan at a yard sale probably

15 years ago and bought it for a quarter. When I found out that she was a WW fan, I knew that I finally had a use for that pan!

I wish I had some pictures of Amanda and her family. Her Mom and Dad

came over along with her sister for her birthday dinner. We ate like pigs, laughed and talked.

It was a fun evening and the dessert was good, but more importantly,

this is a friendship that I treasure because Amanda is...

wait for it...

WONDERFUL!

Sea Kayaking with her Daddy!

2009-09-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

We are enjoying a fabulous two week vacation

at Atlantic Beach, NC!

It's not exotic or tropical, but we have been

coming to the Crystal Coast every summer since 1992.

It's comfortable knowing exactly where to get the best

pizza, where all the movie theatres are, which restaurants

have two-for-one specials on what night and what time

the dolphins can be spotted every day!

Otis and Anna Jane had a blast in the surf

--it didn't last too long due to rough waves----and one terrible spill!

Anna Jane was a "tough girl" and didn't let it scare her but Daddy

felt like they would be better off bobbing around in their

lifejackets!

She will always remember the time that her Daddy

took to be with her. The way that he makes her feel

special and the way she feels safe with him.

Sowing seeds for future relationships with men, huh?

Someone will have big shoes to fill some day---

even though he only wears a 10 1/2.

Hmmmm...how puzzling...

2009-09-23T10:49:00.001-04:00

While at the beach:

Mr. Yoohoo nearly met with an untimely death after

being discovered lounging atop this puzzle.

What you don't understand is just how OCD my

Aunt Lynne has been about her puzzles.

She has commandeered the dining table at

one end. Thank goodness it seats about 10 or else

we would have been eating picnic style for two weeks!

Breakfast fit for a Princess!

2009-09-03T12:23:00.000-04:00

A girl can't eat Special K every day, now can she?

I surprised Anna Jane with a fabulous, fruity stacked

waffle this morning--and even topped it with a bit

of whipped cream!

I guess I really am, "the best Mommy in the whole world!"

I just hope she will remember it when she's

fifteen!

A Mom's Dream Come True!

2009-08-21T11:13:00.001-04:00

This picture is when she figured out that I was standing in the hall

taking her picture--gotta love the pose--she can even "work" a vaccuum cleaner!

On Tuesay, I finally had a break-down. I was tired of cleaning

up this room over and over and over again. Anna Jane

was telling me what kinds of toys she wanted to add

to her Christmas list and birthday list (which is our

method of curtailing all of the whining during shopping visits, "Just

put it on your Santa list!") and I just snapped. I told her

that until she could start taking care of all the wonderful

toys that she already has--there would be NO NEW TOYS!

She sulked, she cried...she got busy!

It took her more than 5 hours (because the TV was on

and, well, a girl needs to take her time...) but she cleaned

this disaster area mostly (95%) by herself.

The she asked if she could vaccuum!

I couldn't resist taking pictures of the life event

that I have been waiting for!

She's getting too old, too quickly.

but can she dust?

Now, finally, a cobbler that I can get behind...

2009-08-18T08:41:00.000-04:00

I have never liked cobbler-of any kind.

No peach, no apple, no blueberry--and no cherry--YUCK!

Cobbler was wet, gooey biscuit dough on top of

mushy fruit--and I was supposed to pretend

to like it. As a kid, I didn'tknow that there was the

option of saying, "No, thank you".

If my dear Mother went to the trouble of making a homemade

dessert, I was going to act like I appreciated it, dammit!

And then yesterday, I had a cobbler epiphany:

the filling was delicious, the juices were sweet-yet a bit tart

and the crust....oh, my...that topping was crunchy

like a cookie in parts and soft like cake in others...

I have been converted!

I think I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs,

A Southern Plate

but I could be mistaken--the recipe was scribbled

on a pad that I keep next to the computer just in case

I feel the need to jot something down.

I made it for just the three of us, so I halved the recipe.

Here it is:

you know what? Now that I look at this recipe--I didn't follow it quite right--

maybe that's why it was so good--I'll tell the way it is supposed to be done

and then what I did by accident!

Peach Cobbler

3-4 cups of sliced peaches

2 cups of sugar

1 stick of butter (oh yeah!)

3/4 C flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

3/4 C. milk

Mix peaches with 1/2 of sugar (this is the step I missed!). Let sit.

Melt the butter in a 13 x 9 in. pan. Meanwhile, combine sugar, flour, baking powder, milk and salt. (I used all 2 cups of sugar here which probably explains the cookie-like texture)

Pour batter over melted butter--do not stir. Spoon peaches on top (I used peaches that I had frozen last summer--the whole reason for making this was to use up those peaches)

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour--put a cookie sheet under it for goodness sakes--mine poofed up and looked like a pan full of bubbles-then it relaxed, fell and started to brown. You may need more time. I cooked mine until it was nice and browned on top.

Serve with vanilla ice cream, of course! And use a spoon so that you don't miss any of that juice!

Go in peace!

Where's Waldo---I mean, Yoohoo?

2009-08-15T17:03:00.000-04:00

I am somewhat horrified to post this picture.

I take great pride in my neat, organized

pantry. Our furry friend had gotten trapped

in here and had a party: paper products everywhere,

things knocked off of shelves and just general disarray!

When I opened the door, I was met with this mess and

his sweet little face trying to hide.

Pan Tostado

2009-08-15T14:48:00.000-04:00

Forgive me for seeming sarcastic, but is toast

really that hard to make?

I could guess that there may be circumstances

that could prohibit you from making toast:

perhaps you are camping

in prison

living under a bridge

Is toast really that difficult??

A toaster is a cheap and efficient piece

of equipement. It does not take too much

electricity to make it operate. I've never had to

read a manual to use an unfamiliar machine.

Even without a toaster, one can make toast

under the broiler of any oven.

Perhaps making brunch for a crowd can be made easier with

this nifty product. But, somehow, I don't think

that it is being marketed to the "brunch crowd".

I guess it is the perfect answer to people who don't have

much time in the mornings....but how would their

butter melt??

I figured I couldn't go wrong with a Bimbo brand.

Quality merchandise--and double fiber, too! (at least

I think that's what it said, there was no English

on the package. Perhaps it said, "made with

the dried testicles of wild boar". MMMMMMM!)

I am always a sucker for a new product. I think I'm

just like my great grandmother in that respect. My Dad told stories

about being the first kid in his neighborhood to

try Campbell's soup. She loved a new product too!

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Summertime Fun!

2009-07-29T18:38:00.000-04:00

Isn't he awesome?

I snapped this picture while we were at the beach for a day trip.

The water was so clear that day. You never know what may be lurking underfoot!

Believe it?

Well then, maybe you'll believe that I suck as

a blogger. I hate that term, but nothing else

sums it up so perfectly!

I guess I've taken the summer off.

The real problem is that I don't know how to transfer

pictures and video from my camera and phone.

I think a blog without support media is boring.

I guess no updates are even more boring...

I've got some GREAT posts drafted ---

perhaps my good friend, Tom, needs to give me a

one on one tutorial since my dear sweet honey, Otis,

has already shown me how to do it twice.

I'm too embarrassed to ask him again...

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Summertime Bliss

2009-06-24T22:38:00.000-04:00

Our Little Mermaid

Anna Jane and her best friend, true love and pool comrade, JD, have settled into a nice little summer routine. After lunch, every day, we've been heading to the pool with our arsenal of diving sticks, dive rings, mermaid toys, torpedos, noodles and matching inflatable tubes--JD has a blue one and of course, he had to get Anna Jane a pink one! The kiddos dive and swim and flop around until they periodically attack the mommies as they "check in" with us. We enjoy keeping a little distance---very little---and just float around on our noodles solving all of the problems of the world. Of course, after about an hour--my arms get numb and I start to sunburn.----because, of course, I've slathered the princess with SPF 500 and only dabbed on a bit of 30 to my nose! ---and Tom: no comments about built-in flotation devices, please!)

Each hour the lifeguard calls a break. At that point, the munchkins quickly exit the pool for "Picnic Snack Time". They sit together on their towels, crack open their respective coolers and share their snacks. During this time, the mommies sometimes venture into the deep water and get our private time (while still keeping 1/2 an eye on the kids!)

The two kids play so nicely together. They've known each other for about 3 years, I guess. They first met at a Mother's Morning Out program when Anna Jane was about 1 1/2. JD and his parents live in our neighborhood. His mom and I became fast friends when we figured out that we would be each other's best sounding board, sanity gauge and co-conspirator! We have a lot in common--but are also very different. I think that's been neat. They currently have their house on the market but if my voodoo curse does the trick--they ain't going anywhere real soon!

Stay tuned for more adventures from the summetime...
still to come:
the visit from Jemel and B

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She said what???

2009-06-17T21:36:00.000-04:00

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Recent unbelievable things said by one smart (smarty-pants) little girl:

After finishing her prayers, she added: "God, please bless all my friends and the ones I love, Gramma, Aunts, Uncles and cousins--everyone except Drew and Hannah Montana, they're on their own."
To her father, "Stop treating me like a child!"
"Indians don't wear shirts!"
"...and don't send that to your friends!"

I think she's on to me!

stay tuned, please!

2009-06-04T11:31:00.000-04:00

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oh yes, I am a slacker. I promise to update this with new posts and pics! Promise, promise, promise!

In the meantime, here is a funny quote:
At her last doctor's appointment, Anna Jane asked Dr. Debbie to "check her for fleas!"

Mother's Day Interview

2009-05-07T20:25:00.000-04:00

While thinking about Mother's Day, I decided to interview Anna Jane and see what kinds of thoughts she had about her Mom. Here are her verbatim answers:

How old is your Mom? 13

What does your Mom look like? she looks like her Mama

What does your Mom do for fun? she likes to make cakes, cookies and cupcakes. She likes to make things very special.

What do you like best about your Mom? I like her when we go swimming. She's the best, best, best...best Mommy!

What does your Mom do for you? sometimes she lets me plant all by myself

Why does Daddy love your Mom? because she has freckles and she loves, loves, loves.....loves him!

What is your Mom's favorite color? pink

food? broccoli

drink? wine

restaurant? ChicFilA

friend? Miss Amanda

animal? cat

song? "warm kitty, soft kitty, little ball of fur..."

What is something that your Mom says to you? Come on, Ladybug!

What makes Mom happy? ME!

What makes Mom sad? when I get a boo-boo

What makes Mom mad? when I pick my boo-boos

What makes Mom laugh? "Popsicle Head!" (and she makes a crazy face!)

What does Mom do to make you laugh? she makes crazy eyeballs

How tall is Mom? 17 feet tall

What does your Mom do when you are not around? she makes lunch and she washes laundry

If your Mom became famous, what would it be for? she would be in the movies being a ballerina

What is something that your Mom is really good at? eating bananas and playing games

What is your Mom not very good at? eating lots of apples

What does your Mom do for a job? she works all day doing laundry

What do you do that makes your Mom proud? when I go to the bathroom and don't pee in my pants

What makes you proud of your Mom? when she takes me swimming

What is something that you and Mom do together? swim, go on a date to the movies and go to the factory and buy some donuts in Johnston County

How are you and your Mom the same? I like yellow and she likes yellow

How are you different? our hair is different from each other

How do you know your Mom loves you? my heart tells me

Tell me about your Gramma. She is my favorite Gramma and she is very nice and she is very expensive and she lets me buy jingles.

I guess my 3 comments about this are:

what are jingles? (number 32)

where is the donut factory in Johnston County? because I am THERE!

maybe I should have taken her swimming before we played this little game because it was certainly on her mind!

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Princess Pooper Scooper!

2009-05-05T19:31:00.000-04:00

Anna Jane thinks it is her duty to alert me when Yoohoo has made some "Bidness" in the litter box. We are getting ready to start toilet training him (stay tuned for gory details and updates) so we have a temporary litter box in the powder room downstairs (what exactly he's powdering, I don't want to know!)

This particular day, Anna Jane-in dress up clothes-decided that she would help.

Note the white jeweled crown/tiara that she has pulled down over her nose and mouth like a respirator!

She's not using the bathroom herself, by the way, she was just sitting on the lid.

She had to protect herself the only way the princesses know how!

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Never say, "Never"!

2009-04-30T11:48:00.000-04:00

Meet the newest member of the Gibbs Family: Yoohoo

This picture is from one of his last days as an outside kitty. He has been clipped and snipped and now resides indoors.

Yoohoo has been very well behaved--he's a real sweeheart.

Anna Jane has not contributed too much in the way of litter box duty, but she does sound the alert when any activity occurs in the box. Hopefully, Yoohoo will be toilet trained after he has healed completely from his surgeries. Otis and I have seen some YouTube videos and read some articles and it really isn't as far-fetched as you would think!
I don't know which option is more disgusting: the litter box or having a cat use the same toilet as I do!
Keep checking back for Yoohoo's progress...

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When friends leave

2009-03-20T15:07:00.000-04:00

When I was ten years old, my parents announced to us (my brother and me) that we would be moving to a place called North Carolina. It seemed like an adventure every step of the way. The garage sale, the packers (who packed a kitchen trash can full of garbage), the movers (who were very polite and only broke one thing, which they felt remorse for and quickly filed a claim, but still smelled like salami) and all of the goodbyes. I never felt sad about leaving my friends, my school or my grandparents, even. I remember going to school and telling my teacher, Mrs. Gallaghan (who was a bitch) that I had some exciting news to share. When I told the class that I was moving, I did not get the response that I was hoping for. I expected everyone to be wildly excited for me and even a little bit jealous. Instead, I got, "well, Nancy-that's not exciting news at all. Why would you want to go away from everyone you know?" and questions along that same line. My friend, Celeste, had a going away party for me and it was fun, but I couldn't get why people weren't excited for me.

Now, I get it.

In my adult life, I've had friends come and go. You make friends based on similar circumstances- but when the circumstances change, sometimes the friendships don't transition. As a college student, I worked at a camp during the summer. During those summers, the friends I made at camp were like sisters. We got "friendship ear piercings"--we each got one hole and split a pair of earrings. Camp would end. A few letters passed, Christmas cards, an email here and there--now I'm left with just scars in my ears.

When I left teaching for motherhood in 2004, I knew that the school would be just fine. I was not one of those teachers who thought the school couldn't function without me. I did, however, think that some of the friendships with colleagues would have stayed truer. Workplace acquaintances, huh? It's like having a comrade on the front lines, but when the war is over--you go back to your life and forget about them.

There are a few people who remain treasured friends. Seems like months can pass without a word between us and then we can pick up mid-sentence from our last conversation. There is no agenda between us, nothing to gain from being each other's friend and no one is "keeping score".

I guess this whole rant is prodded by Nick and John's departure. In the last couple of years, they have really taught me a lot of lessons. How to be a good neighbor, how to make people come together and most importantly, tolerance. Not just in the sense of tolerating their choices, but understanding that love is love is love. Even if it doesn't fit the description that you've always used. Like adding a new word to your vocabulary--maybe not a NEW word--but an equal meaning for a word that you already knew. They left a few days ago and I wonder where our friendship will end up. I envy their position of being able to take off into the unknown without a Plan. No idea where they will end up, no obligations, no deadlines--nothing. Exhilarating, but terrifying at the same time.

I am hopeful that our relationship will be able to transcend this move. That it was as strong as I thought it was and that we were not just friends of convenience, situation or geography. Only time will tell.

To be continued...

Time Flies!

2009-03-13T18:13:00.000-04:00

I came across this picture today and it really made me realize how quickly this little girl is growing up! The "passy" is gone (thank goodness! Ewww...that thing had gotten gross--chewed up and slimey!) and sometimes "Rabbie" gets left behind without Anna Jane having a meltdown.

The outfit she has on in the photo has gone into the "LilliBelle Box"--the box where outgrown clothes are put until enough are ready to be packed away. Anna Jane thinks that all of her outgrown toys and clothes go to the little girl down the street who she loves--Lilli Belle---hence the name of the box! I haven't quite wrapped my head around the fact that we probably won't be having another child, so I'm continuing to save. The day will come when I face facts, and then Otis will have soooooooo much room in "his" attic.

Why am I so attached to these little girl artifacts? It absolutely made me cry and nearly curl up into a ball when I cleaned her closet out the last time. I am such a sentimental pup.

Wonder if my mother felt the same way?

Like Money in the Bank

2009-03-01T21:35:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to make homemade chicken stock for so long. Every time Martha or Ina gives recipe directions and says to "add stock, preferably homemade--of course !", I've wanted to see if there really was a difference. Of course...there is. It was a relaxing afternoon, the house smelled wonderful and now I have in the freezer:

16 quarts of stock and 9 quarts of cooked meat--just right for chicken salad or casseroles .

It's just like having "money in the bank!"

Mardi Gras King Cake Extravaganza!

2009-02-28T17:17:00.000-05:00

We had our first N' Awlins King Cake Party and Mardi Gras with the Cliffords!
Anna Jane and I spent the afternoon with Carol making King Cakes. You can see that the process was a lot of fun: rolling out dough, spreading cinnamon, butter and sugar, rolling the dough, braiding it and then making into the shape of a crown. After the baking process, we decorated with icing and colored sugar--and the "Good Luck" baby was hidden inside for some lucky person!!
We went to Ed and Carol's house for dinner. We all wore some kind of costume or mask. Anna Jane wore one of her many princess gowns! After dinner, Carol went to the balcony and our "parade" started. We stood at the bottom, yelling up to her to "Throw more beads!!!" (and YES, this was a PG event--there was no shirt lifting to get beads!)
We then had dessert--the King Cake! Yummy! Anna Jane found the baby hidden in her piece...wonder how that happened??? Wasn't that lucky??
Ed and Carol are from New Orleans and have enlightened us as to the customs of their former home. I've got her great recipe for Red Beans and Rice...let me know if you want it! They are such great neighbors and friends. They went to a lot of effort to make our first experience with Mardi Gras such a memorable one! It was awesome!

What do Paris Hilton and I have in common?

2009-02-09T16:09:00.001-05:00

When did my feet get so darn big? I was fine when I wore a 9-then it seemed that I eased into a 10--now, an unladylike number like ELEVEN!! What is the deal? My feet grew (flattened out, widened, whatever!) when I was pregnant with Anna Jane--and they stayed that way! I really am mortified. Size 11 sandals are just not cute. I gain no solace in the fact that Paris Hilton also wears a size 11 shoe.
I guess that since I only gained 8 1/2 pounds while pregnant--and had a 10 pound 9 ounce baby--I had to have some kind of punishment. I was going to post a picture of my huge feet, but I cannot bring myself to doing it. I think that the pedicure lady is going to start charging me extra!

Which brings to mind a quote from Truvy in Steel Magnolias that goes like this, "In a good shoe I wear a size 6, but a 7 feels so good, I buy a size 8."

My wise brother, however, had this to say about the matter, "Who really gives a shit, Nancy. Your nose and your feet keep growing. Ever see an old person with a small nose. Nah, they are usually bulbous with big pores. Be glad that it's only your feet at this point."

That doesn't make me feel better, either. At least, they get me from point A to point B, right?

Birthday Snow!

2009-01-20T18:39:00.000-05:00

OK, so it's not officially my birthday anymore (it was yesterday), but I do celebrate my birthday month. We awoke to a good couple of inches and it continued to snow until about 3pm. Anna Jane and I headed out after the Inauguration of Obama/Biden. We needed to watch this historical moment. After several hours of tormenting her by making her watch the snowy day from the window--we finally ventured out. We met Lisa and Tyler and Anne and JD. The kids had the most fun on Lisa's inflatable tube. This snow was dry and not suited for the old fashioned sleds with the metal runners.

We came back to the culdesac and continued playing for a bit with Isaac, across the street. Lisa whipped up some scrumptious hot chocolate and I tried to make maple syrup snow candy--it did not work and the kids ended up eating the maple syrup flavored snow! I don't think they minded at all.

I know several kids, big and small, who will sleep well tonight!

All in our big, back yard!

2009-01-08T10:10:00.001-05:00

This post is a bit dated, but I wanted to share our new get away. Anna Jane received this swingset for her birthday in November. It includes a tire swing, two belt swings (each is rated to hold 300 lbs--so it is adult friendly!), a slide, climbing wall, picnic table, elevated playhouse, adult swing (like a porch swing) and monkey bars. It's hard to see some of the items in the picture due to the trees and the angle, but I still thought this was a great shot. In the foreground is the sandbox that Otis built the first summer we lived here. You can also see the birdfeeder that traveled with us from our old house (with a post painted a lovely Martha Stewart color!) We've managed to spend some quality time on this even in the cold weather. Can't wait to serve picnic lunches to Anna Jane and friends during the warmer weather. We've enjoyed swinging together on the bench swing. What a great place to hang out!

Little Otis

2008-12-11T08:16:00.000-05:00

Since the day we brought her home from the hospital, Anna Jane has always reminded me of Otis. As an infant, she would furrow her brow and look exactly like her dad. She is very thoughtful and can be introspective, just like him, at times. She has his looks but definitely, I'm afraid, she has inherited her mother's personality! She is a jokester and always quick to crack a joke or play a trick on someone. She's a talker, a lover and very kind hearted. I'd like to say that she is just like me. Now, where- oh, where- did she get the drama gene from??? She has learned to turn on the tears or to play a character (like an evil stepmother) to the hilt!

It took me 40 years to develop this personality and she has mastered hers in 4!

Princess

2008-11-30T16:04:00.000-05:00

What a princess? Don't you love the pink Christmas tree in her room? We have been working hard this weekend getting all of our trees put up. Thought this one was extra special!

Recovering from our food coma!

2008-11-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

Oh my! What a great Thanksgiving. My brother, Chris and his wife, Debbie came from New Bern and joined my Mom and Otis, Anna Jane and me. We were a happy little group of 6, seated around The Gabelmann's dining room table. The dining room furniture looks great, a little small for the room and probably not something that Otis and I would've picked out--but it's my Grandmother's and hey, the price was right! Anyway, you could almost hear the table groan under the weight of all the dishes. Those of you who know me well, are aware of my Post-It Note fetish when I'm entertaining. I stick a "sticky" on every serving dish, utensil and designated spot to help facilitate the presentation at serving time. Anna Jane "helped" my little system along by Post It Note-ing every plate, spoon, fork, knife, salt/pepper shaker, etc. The tablescape was one of purple paper mayhem! I guess she picks up on my craziness. Nevertheless, dinner was served, buttons were loosened and lots of tall tales were told around the fire!
Be sure to ask me about "Red-Eyed Dick" next time you see me!

It Figures...

2008-11-24T19:44:00.000-05:00

Anna Jane's class had their Great Thanksgiving Feast today. Each parent was asked to bring something specific for the party. The kids did all of the preparation and some cooking. My task was baked apples-skin removed, medium sized pieces. I got up early this morning to prepare my assignment. I carefully peeled, cored and cut up the high dollar, organic apples into the appropriately sized pieces. I followed my directions from the teacher very carefully. I squeezed a little fresh lemon juice onto them to prevent browning. I considered the additions of freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon or a squeeze of orange or a bit of zest---but, NO--Mrs. Reynolds gave me specific instructions and I wanted to impress her with my obedience. I also thought about allergies that perhaps I was unaware of. Can one be allergic to cinnamon? Probably. The last step was to "nuke" them with a little water to soften. They arrived safely and in perfect condition to the preschool classroom. When I arrived later this morning for the feast, the teacher met me at the doorway and told me that there was a "problem" with the apples. Terror struck my soul---did they find a wayward pubic hair??? were the apples tainted??? was I going to be brought up on child endangerment charges??? does this mean that Anna Jane has no chance in hell to get into a good college now???
Well, while the kids were taking turns mashing the cooked apples into applesauce, one of the boys sneezed right into the bowl!! Anna Jane's considerate teacher removed the typhoid apples from the classroom. She did save them for me. ???
Serves me right for being so persnickety.

Ah! Friday!

2008-11-21T18:02:00.000-05:00

Woke up this morning to a very excited little girl (and her Daddy) running into our room, jumping up and down, opening the shutters and squealing about SNOW! and that was just Otis... The three of us started singing and dancing, which led to more dancing outside in our slippers! It only lasted for about an hour, but it was so pretty. No accumulation, but I think there is more to come this year! I am so thankful that Otis works from home sometimes. Imagine if he had missed out on this memory.

Starting the closing weekend of the play tonight. Only 3 more to go. I'm always glad when a show is over, but after about a week--I keep feeling like something is missing. This has been a wonderful group of women to work with. No divas, no attitude. Or maybe, I'm the diva and just don't know it! Audiences have been very complimentary, but they always are. I know that I've felt good about it. Having lots of friends and family there on Sunday, so it should be a blast.
I'm off to put on my get-up. Only Otis will be able to help me "break this habit!"

Life in the Spotlight!

2008-11-19T16:51:00.001-05:00

I am currently appearing in a Neuse Little Theatre production of Nunsense II: The Second Coming. We opened to sold out audiences-despite the crazy weather: tornado warnings, etc. What a dedicated audience!

How cool is it to be recognized and drooled over by the adoring public???? OK, so maybe most of the time they are senior citizens and maybe they're not drooling, they just have ill-fitting dentures...the point is that it's nice to be told how wonderful you are! My pseudo-celebrity status is fun for a while--people pointing and whispering to their friends, thinking that they recognize you from the night before--and I'm not talking about what happens after a fraternity party! But seriously, people being genuinely starstruck when they talk to you! Like I said, cool-for a while.

We are between production weeks and I am enjoying the time off. You'd think that I'd be catching up on laundry and other "important" things. Nah...shopping, play dates (only the kind with kids I like!), nail appointment, lunches/breakfasts with friends, etc. I will have plenty of time to do the Holiday Hustle as soon as this play wraps up. Anna Jane and Otis are glad to see the end in sight. They like having me home and it's nice to be needed/wanted/revered/snuggled with/tormented/and appreciated by the audience at home.

Who knew it could be even easier?

2008-11-18T14:10:00.000-05:00

Here is an awesome tip:

Who knew that it could be even easier to make Rice Krispy Treats?? or as Martha says, "Crisp Rice Treats"!
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter/margarine in the microwave--45 seconds
Add a bag of marshmallows, toss to coat all in the butter.
Nuke the marshmallow mixture for 1 min 45 sec.
Pour in 6 cups of cereal---pat into a greased pan.
Done!
What's your excuse now???

Am I really doing this???

2008-11-16T12:03:00.000-05:00

Ok, ok...for a while now, I've been the voyeur into other people's blogs---and always the one to complain if it had not been updated!!! So, I was thinking that maybe I should put my thoughts down and see just how much of a committment this is! No promises, no guilt. I'll do it when I can and probably sometimes when I shouldn't. You know, you can really be held accountable for things that you put down into print.
Later taters!