Royalty

She tip-toed around me in a tutu. She showed me the 5 positions of ballet (the last one we did together as the fifth position was always the hardest for me as well.) I asked her if she liked being a princess. Which princess was her favorite?
Her reply:
"I'm not a princess. "
"I'm a Queen!"
This girl... she knows what she wants! And she will be 4 shortly.

And this one... well are there any words really that can describe how adorable his little rolls are? Not really.

I couldn't wait to hold him. And he snuggled me instantly.

Ahhh...baby snuggles. Doesn't get much better than that!

Song: Queen of Hearts, Juice Newton

Him

Have you ever seen eyes that show so much in them? His are unique. Different. Special. Full of color and show every emotion he has. (And I'm not just saying this because he belongs to me!)They gleam when he's happy. He has a black look that makes you want to crawl into a corner sometimes. They break your heart with tears. They can light up your world. His eyes reveal so much of what he is inside. And he's only 4. He's one of those with an old soul. He was born that way.

Song: Heart of Mine: Peter Sallet

Just a Little Late

Last week we celebrated Fat Tuesday. I know it's a week late. Catching up seems to be somewhat of a past time for me these days. Fat Tuesday is a day of feasting. Celebrating. In a french manner.

I spent a few days in New Orleans last year. The mecca of Marti Gras and Fat Tuesday celebrations. While I was there, I definitely feasted. There was a certain little shop that I went into several times.

Aunt Sally's. The Praline shop. With samples.
I kept going back.

If you don't know what a praline is.... well, it's kind of like a soft candy. Mapley. Nutty. Caramely. Invented by the french and planted here in the south by them.

Now, after I ate a heaping bowl of jumbayla, I munched on a couple of these. Though I doubt they are quite Aunt Sally's, they still taste fabulously praliney. I used a recipe from the only Southern woman I could think of whose recipe I know would turn out great... Paula Dean:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Directions
Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Put the sugars, salt, corn syrup, milk, and butter in saucepan. Over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until sugars have dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook to a soft ball stage, approximately 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (If you do a cold water test, drizzle a drop of candy into a glass of cold water, the ball of candy will flatten between your fingers when you take it out of the water.) Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Add the vanilla and nuts, and beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaping tablespoons onto waxed paper. If the candy becomes stiff, add a few drops of hot water


Song: Les Yeux Overts, Beautiful South

Frozen Carrots

He says they are frozen blue carrots. I like to think he's right.

PS... those waiting for new projects (you know who you are) they are coming soon. I won't let the children down.

Personality

He just oozes it! It comes from every bit of him and this is what makes my job so fun!!! Sure I had to chase him. Sure I was huffing and puffing sometimes...but it was completely worth it to get these kinds of looks!

Song: Personality, Rocky Curtis

This Is How It's Done

I yelled "Kiss her! Kiss!!" He smiled and obliged. When I put the camera down, he whispered to me that he would have done that again and again without having to be asked.
And that's what makes them work.

I'm grandparent-less. In the last 8 years I have lost them all. These two have witnessed my heartbreak and always lent a shoulder. They have willingly and openheartedly become the fill ins for me, and even though waking up to the smell of bacon makes me miss my own family, it's makes me grateful to be part of this one as well.

I have watched the two of them argue. I have watched the two of them hold hands through every family wedding we've attended. He calls her "Mackie" something I've heard no one else call her. My son calls her Grandma Mac and Cheese (that's what he thought Mackie stood for), also a name no one else calls her. They are both stubborn. They are both hard headed. They both love each other fiercely.

A couple of years ago, she was struggling for her life. He kept vigil by her bedside for months and months and months. She was not expected to live and miraculously came around and is now home. The only place he wanted her to be. With him.

And this...this is how it's done. Love that is.

Song: Til I Kissed Ya, Everly Brothers

Love Grows

Valentines day has come to mean something a little different to me. Instead of all the pressure that comes with the holiday. You know the kind..."do I get a gift, do I give a gift, will it be enough, will it be too much, chocolate, no chocolate, flowers, etc"... and normally, because there is so much pressure, it normally leads to hurt feelings or fights. Half the of world is really happy. The other half is not, which I'm totally over at this point in my life. Spend some time with me that day. Make me smile...I'm good to go. The rest is just frosting on the cake.

I like to make the whole week fun for my kiddo. A week of love. Love for everyone all around us.


So today we took a picture of the two of us. We don't have many of these. They are few and far between. He's really cooperative most of the time and as few have seen even gets a little jealous when the camera is pointed elsewhere (yes, I created a little monster... kinda, but he's so stinking cute!!!!) We both love chucks. The shoes that is. And these were taken today.

This was taken 3 years ago. Oh my...how love grows and grows and grows.

Song: Love Grows: Edison Lighthouse

They Change

I haven't seen him in over a year. The last time, he was so shy, so quiet, so tiny.
This time, without missing a step, with sunglasses on (upside down), he came to me and said
"Yo, Yo!" in his coolest rapster voice. I knew we would have a ball!

He traveled to see me. From down south and then I kept him outside for probably too long. But it was so fun to see him run and laugh and play. Even though his pale little nose turned bright red.

Song: Everybody's Changing, Keane

What Do You See?

Sometimes when I'm out and about I notice things. And maybe I notice things in a different way because my mind works in a slightly more obscure way.

But this particular day, I thought to myself:
This little flower.
Cold in the winter.
Roughly resembles
A flower that Dr. Suess would use in his books.

It sticks out.
It look like it has hair.
And it kind of twirls in the wind.
.
.
.
Makes me want to rhyme.
All the time.
All the day
In a wacky wonderful way.


Song: See the World,Gomez

Another One

Seems like around here there is constantly a project going on, if not two or three at a time. It's no wonder I can't keep up. Something is being painted, redone, hammered on, or broken at all times. This little project was done a couple weeks ago.

The first giant meal I cooked here, I felt lost in my kitchen. I just kinda kept wandering around. There were five other people in there with me and not once did I bump into them... it was a strange feeling. So.. I moved in some lonely furniture. I went to the antique store and picked up a little table with no top. I knew I could save it. I just knew I could. So home with me it went.

It's top got a new tile job via my husband...(with my vision of course!)

New knobbies. And a towel rack (which wasn't installed when I took these, but I didn't want to re-take them)

And now I have a place to stop when I'm cooking. A place that my little boy can reach with ease and I'm sure one day will tower over it (given the rate at which he's growing... he's lanky and skinny and TALL!) It's a place where the oranges sit (no I don't just have those there for decoration!) It's a place where cookie sheets sit to cool down. It's a perfect addition to the kitchen! Now... about those walls.....

Song: Working on a Dream, Bruce Springsteen

Beauty