Wooden Coloring Case Recall

I received a recall notice from CPSC today. Toys R Us is recalling Wooden Coloring Cases due to violation of lead paint standard.

Children's Watering Can Recall

CPSC sent me a recall notice today for Children's Watering Cans sold exclusively at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores due to violation of lead paint. For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07290.html

The Countdown Begins!

4 days 21 hours left til the big game day, as of 8:35 p.m. Monday

Isn't He Handsome?

Liz sent me these photos today. Jacob is such a handsome little man. Isn't he? I think Maddie likes close up photo opts like her cousin Katie.

Katie's New Toddler Bed

As I promised, here are pictures of Katie's new bed. She seems to be doing a little better with the whole adjustment. Last night, I thought I would just lay beside her bed until she fell asleep and then sneak out. That was until I kept smelling the new chemical smell from her new toddler bed. I don't know if you could say that I'm allergic to the chemical smell on plastic stuff, but every time I get really bad headaches from smelling it. I don't have to be real close to smell the chemical and I instantly get a headache. Well, I could not force myself to lay on the floor any longer and continue to smell it. I tried just sitting up beside of her bed, but I still had the headache. I had to get some medicine right away and Katie didn't know what was going on, bless her heart. By 10:30, I figured I was distracting her sitting in the floor by her bed, so I decided I would go in the Living Room and check on her later. I did hear some noises in her bedroom and when I checked on her, I figured right. She had a couple of books in bed with her, but she was in her bed. When I checked on her at 11:30, she was sound asleep in bed with the books, stuffed animals and a few pillows. As far as I know, she never woke up until 9:00 this morning. Tonight, I talked with her about it being time to go to bed. She didn't like me turning out the light and closing the door, but she got over it. She cried out a couple of times and when I checked on her, she had a new book in bed with her. I reminded her it was time to go to bed and she tried to milk it as much as she could by pretending to cry. She must have very good night vision because the nightlight I've got turned on is very dim. I don't see how she can find her way clear to the bookshelf and back to bed without falling over something. Amazing!

This morning, I took Sassy to the Vet to be put to sleep. Doug thought it would be a good idea, if I took her while he stayed home with Katie. At first, I didn't like the idea of me going by myself, but now I'm glad I did. I didn't realize how hard it would be for me. Sassy knew something wasn't right. She kept meowing at me from the time we left the driveway til I handed her over to the Vet's Assistant. I didn't expect to be so emotional. I felt so guilty, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Plus, I've seen signs of her in pain with the arthritis in her back legs. I've had to have pets put down in the past and I guess it never gets any easier. One thing is for sure, Doug and I have had our fill of pets for right now. I'm sure Katie will want a kitty or puppy in the future and we will have to deal with it then.

As soon as I got back from the Vet and got a little more self control, we drove out to Millard and Peggy's. We put Katie's crib and changing table in storage. It was kind of a sad moment. Our baby girl is a little girl now! We don't have a baby anymore. I don't think Doug and I would mind whatsoever if we ended up PG any time soon. tehe! No, I'm not saying we are, but we haven't prevented for a little over a year. We've learned if it is the Lord's well, it will happen when He is ready. We talked about it and if it seems like we are having the same problems, we would like to go back to Brookwood. We have agreed that none of this will take place until after Katie's 3rd birthday, if nothing happens before then. Katie enjoyed seeing her Grandma Peggy and Papa Millard. They gave her a cute Disney Princess lamp. Every time you press the on and off button, music/voices begin to play while the princesses twirl around. It's really cute and Katie loves it. When she woke up from her mid-afternoon nap, we had to plug it up and play it a few times before Supper.

When we got back from Millard and Peggy's, I met Mom at a new Spa Open House. The Open House was from 5-8 p.m. We both got there a little after 5 and it was already packed full of people, all dressed up in formal evening gowns. Mom and I felt under dressed because we were there with our capri pants and I had a polo shirt. My Mom has been using this salon for a little while and they decided to move and expand their business. I was invited through Mom because I was interested in the whole spa thing. I've been talking to a few people about trying to find a good massage therapist close by. This spa was very nice and the massage prices were rather reasonable. Mom's hair technician, Joanne, introduced me to their massage therapist, Khala?. She pronounced her name Kayla, but spelled it differently. I really like her, she was very nice. We talked about the different massages. Guess what? She says she knows how to work on people's sinus areas. Yes! I haven't been able to find someone who know how to massage in the sinus problem areas. I got her card and I would like to try her out. Mom told me if and when I try Khala out and if I like her to let her know. Poor Mom has had a couple of bad experiences with massage therapist. First of all, she can't get herself to fully relax during a massage. I think once she finds someone she can relax and let go, she'll enjoy it.

Moving Up To A Big Girl's Bed

Thursday morning, Katie was hollering that she wanted out of her bed. By the time I got to her bedroom, she was straddling her bed rail. It's time to pack up the baby bed! As soon as I got her settled with breakfast, I began tearing down the crib. She couldn't understand what was going on. She tried her best to help Mommy take down the bed and get ready for a big girl bed. I talked to her about getting a big girl bed the whole time I was unscrewing the rails. She was all excited. I got her baby mattress sheets changed, re-arranged somethings, wiped down walls and vacuumed the floor by nap time. Nap time was definitely interesting. She had a blast because every time I checked in on her, she had a new toy in bed with her. I knew where this was going - NO WHERE! I had to get a few things done around the house. As soon as I got finished, I made me a pallet next to her and accidently fell asleep. I didn't have her door shut all the way because I was just going to stay in there until she was asleep. I woke up startled because I heard a noise. I looked over and I couldn't tell if she was still in bed or not because she had a mound of stuffed animals piled up. As I dug through the animals, I couldn't find her. Where was she? The door was open and by that time, I heard another noise. What was she up to? I found her in my bedroom on Doug's side of the bed. She had been in there long enough to put three picture frames on the bed. Little turkey! Needless to say, she didn't take a good nap. Bedtime was just as interesting or more. Doug called me later that evening stating he had to go into work the next day, which is suppose to be his day off. Ugh! I was kind of hoping for a little more team effort, but I can handle it. I think he was dreading coming home and having to take down the crib. That was until I told him I had already done everything. Well knowing Doug had to go into work, I asked him to blow up the air mattress beside of her mattress. After we got my bed ready for the night, Doug laid on it - playing with Katie. He noticed it was cool laying in the floor of her room. It's cool closer to the floor because we have a wagon sitting on top of the vent, which makes the cool air blow out rather than up. Doug tried to redirect the air as much as possible, but he wasn't pleased having his little girl sleeping practicely on the floor with the cool air blowing. I did the best I could making sure she was dressed appropriately (long PJ pants & top) and I made sure during the night she had a blanket covering her. Personally, I don't think she got cold last night. I tried to make it a big thing, Katie and myself sleeping on mattresses on the floor. I told her we were having a slumber party. She was so excited, telling Doug we were having a slumber party. I got her to curl up beside of me on my mattress and we read a couple of books. I tried settling her down by 9:00, but she was having too much fun. I really wanted to see what she would do in the middle of the night, to see what to expect. We normally leave her lamp on because it's not that bright and has always served as a good nightlight. It was probably too good. I couldn't believe how much light it put off. It put off enough for Katie to walk around her room and play with her toys and books. Plus, I couldn't sleep with that much light. I plugged in my Grandmother's nightlight that I have in Katie's room and turned off the lamp. Yes! It works perfectly for me. Katie told me it was dark and she wanted the light on. Nope! The nightlight helped me keep Katiebug closer to her bed, but I did catch her trying to escape out the door. I acted as if I was asleep to see where she would go. I was hoping she would go into our room. When I went looking for her, she saw me in the hallway and started running back to me from the Living Room. "I coming Mommy!" she said. I asked her what she was doing and told her to get back in bed. Finally by 11:00, she drifted off to sleep. I had to comfort her once during the night, but she slept real good.

I didn't get Katie to the Lab yesterday for her lead test. So this morning, we headed to the hospital getting blood drawn for the lead test. Poor baby girl! I felt so bad for her. One of the lab techs told me there have been a lot of people coming through getting tested for lead. I told her that we were there because Katie had a few of the recalled toys. She asked me if I've noticed Katie being sick. I told her no. She assured me there would be a slim chance for lead poisoning, but it was good thinking on my part to get her tested anyway. Better safe than sorry. In order to get the 2 viles of blood, I had to practicely lay on top of her. At first, we tried sitting up and taking the blood that way. It wasn't working because she is so strong, she caused the nurse to blow her vein. When it was all over with, the lab techs came over and babied her a little. They gave her a can of Sprite and a pack of Oreo cookies as a reward. Of course, she only eats the middle of out of the cookies, but it was still good to her. Bless her heart! I hated to see her go through it, but it's for a good reason. When she calmed down, we left the lab and headed to McDonalds. On the way, we ran into Mom. She had come to the Professional Bldg for her water aerobics. The water aerobics seems to be helping her out quite a bit.

During our nap this time, I went around the house turning everything off and closing doors. I made me a little pallet by her mattress, made sure she stayed on the bed, kept telling her to lay her head down and made sure she was asleep before I took a nap. She made up for the day before when it came to her nap because she slept for two hours!

Doug came home tonight with a toddler bed, toy organizer, table and chairs set. He said he didn't like the idea of his baby girl sleeping on the floor. Now that I've washed her twin bed comforter, window valances, and pillow sham, I guess I will have to pack it back up and wait until Katie out grows her toddler bed. I will try to take pictures of her new bed and post them tomorrow.

New Infant Product Recalls

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has sent out a new infant product recall. The first product is a baby crib from Stokke. It announced a recall of "Sleepi Crib Foam Mattresses due to entrapment hazard. For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07286.html

The second product is from Priddy "Trucks" Shaker Teether Books recalled due to choking hazard. For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07285.html

Happy Birthday Wade!

I would like to wish my brother-in-law, Wade, a very Happy Birthday. His grandson, Jake, was born a few days ago, so I know he got a good start on another great year.

I've been about ready to pull my hair out. It's been over a month since I've had my hair cut and it is at the point of having absolutely no body in it at all. Of course with the humidity in the air, my hair remains stuck to my head all day. I can tease it as much as I want and it's going no where! This morning, Mom came over and watched Katie for me while I got my hair worked on. In hopes to have some life put back into it, I got a body wave and cut. I explained to my hair technician what great despair I was in. Through all the hair, she could see the pain in my eyes. She held out her hand of hope and helped me into the chair. I felt like the Queen of Seba as she lathered and massaged spices in my hair to bring it back to life. Now I have to wait 2-3 weeks for my hair to relax in order to do something with it. WHAT WOMEN GO THROUGH TO LOOK HALFWAY DECENT! tehe!

We finally received the Snow White outfit, I won off of eBay. It's so cute! I was excited to see the package in the mail today and of course I opened it up right away and examined it. Katie didn't get to see it until later because she was taking a nap when I got the mail and I had to go to Wal-Mart. I really needed to pick up a few things, so I forgot to show it to her. After Supper, Doug saw the outfit and asked who it was for. Katie's eyes lit up and right away, she asked her Daddy to please put it on her. He just put on the shirt and she went on saying she liked it. At first, he scared me. He told me as he was trying it on her that it seemed awfully tight. Ugh! I couldn't believe it because it is a 2T. Several things began to run through my head, while I was washing dishes. What am I going to do? Will the lady, I bought the outfit from, take it back because it doesn't fit? Could I resell it on eBay & explain the problem? Then he tells me, he thinks it fits alright. Because I was washing Supper dishes, I didn't get to see what he was talking about. Since it was a long sleeve shirt, it wasn't long before Katie asked to take it off. Doug asked her why she wanted it off. "It's hot," she answered. Maybe tomorrow, I can try it on her again and see if it true fits or not.

Wal-Mart is beginning to display their Autumn and Halloween items - scarecrows, baskets, crafts, dishes, and other decor. I was looking at the mixing bowls, thinking maybe my niece would like a set for Christmas when Katie spotted the Scarecrows. They had them in all sizes - tiny, small, medium, large & extra large. She asked me, "Mommy, what's that?" I told her it was a scarecrow. "Scarecrow?" she asked as if she were unsure of herself and looking for confirmation from me. I responded, "yes, that's right." She begged to touch as many scarecrows as she possibly could. I let her hold a couple and reminded her to be careful. Seeing the holiday decorations in stores, puts me in the mood to decorate the house. Normally, I decorate for Autumn the last week of September. It will be so much fun decorating with Katie and building memories for both of us. I hope as she grows older, she will love to decorate and get ready for the holidays just as much as I do.

Put it on your calendar, tonight is the last night Katie will sleep in her crib. We plan to tear down the bed and pack it away tomorrow evening. Until we can get ahold of her twin mattress, she will sleep on her baby mattress. I talked a little bit about it with her tonight, but it didn't seem to bother her. Like she would really know what I was talking about anyway. Doug and I spoke yesterday about the changing table. I think we are going to replace the table with another bookshelf. This way, I will have something to store her diapers/training panties and other toys. It can also serve as a nightstand later down the road.

Recent Toy Recalls as of August 22nd

I received a recall notice today on all the above children's toys in relations to lead exposure.

Martin Design - Spongebob Squarepants Character Address Book & Journal
For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07283.html

Thomas & Friends, Curious George Tin Tops & Pails
For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07282.html

Buy-Rite Children's Charm Bracelet
For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07281.html

TOBY N.Y.C Children's Metal Jewelry
For further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07280.html

My Favorite Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken Salad

Whole Fryer Chicken cooked, deboned & cubed

1 (8 oz.) can chunk pineapple
1 c. chopped celery drained

½ c. chopped pecans

1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. white/red seedless grapes, halves

Combine chicken, celery, grapes, pineapple and nuts, tossing to blend. Stir in mayonnaise. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve as a sandwich or on a lettuce leaves. Makes 20 servings

Note: Real good to serve on croissant rolls and served with mixed fruit

Quick Tips: I like to cook the chicken in a crockpot the day before you need it. You can also cook 4 large chicken breasts on the stove.

Dad's Birthday Dinner

Dad will be celebrating his 73rd birthday Tuesday. A few of us got together this afternoon and took him and Mom out to dinner at a local steakhouse restaurant. We had a good time and Katie acted like a polite little girl. When Katie was pretty much finished with her supper, Leslie taught her how to play with her food. As you can tell from the photos, she stuck french fries on all ten of Katie's fingers. It amused her for several minutes until most of them fell off. Leslie was kind enough to take Katie to the bathroom, when they were done playing, and washed her hands for me.

Susan, Tim, Leslie and Jon seemed to enjoy Katie's visit last night and this morning. She went to church with them and my Dad said she was a little angel. I was pleasantly surprised because Katie's not use to sitting still during church for an hour. I'm very proud of her being such a big girl.

I plan to encourage Katie to potty train once again this week. Last week, she did so good a couple of days in a row with the potty training. Of course, I have to make her go to the potty. She is so proud of herself once she uses the potty. She really likes the prizes when she goes potty - M&Ms or Smarties candies. She picks out one piece of candy when she pee-pees and two pieces of candy to poopy. You would think that would motivate her to continue using the potty. I guess it will just take time, plus I'm not consistent with the potty training. We may potty train for half a day or until she gets tired of it. There are days when I have too much to do and can't make sure she potties every hour.

I caught Katie on top of her changing table for the second time. Peggy caught her once before on top of the table. Doug and I talked about it and we feel it's time the changing table needs to go back into storage. We also talked about Katie's crib and when is it time to pack it away. Our plan is to wait until Thursday night and take down the bed. We feel this will take some time for her to adjust to the new sleeping arrangements. Doug doesn't work Friday, so this would be a perfect opportunity. We are only doing this because Katie can swing her leg over the edge in nothing flat. I'm scared she is going to fall right over and hurt herself. Until we can get a hold of her twin bed mattress, we will let her sleep on her baby bed mattress. Since she is still in diapers/pull-ups, I have to come up with a creative way to store them. I was getting use to keeping them on the table shelves. I think I will have to temporarily use one of the dresser tops.

I know Christmas will be here in four months and we have plenty of time, but I'm having a tough time coming up with a good present from Santa Claus for Katie. At first, I thought about a small play kitchen, but we don't have the space for one. I found an easel multi-use by Little Tyke. The easel has a chalkboard, white board, a place to have the roll paper for painting projects. The easel is also easy fold up storage. I would like to get her one of the Precious Moments Disney Characters as a keepsake. Do you have any suggestions?

Family Outting

This past week, the police department have been running a full week of stay the speed campaign; therefore, the full police force have been out and about giving tickets out left and right. I've heard even if you go one mile over the speed limit, you are running a risk of getting a ticket. Beings I've never received a ticket, I didn't want to run the risk now. Sure, like anyone else I will go a little over the speed limit. With that mentioned, Katie and I have been couped up in the house all week. So, Doug, Katie and myself packed up some beverages and snacks and went for a family outting. We had no plans as to where we would be going, just where ever the road leads us. I did want to stop by the Brindley Cemetry and see how it was doing. If you don't know about the Brindley Cemetry, it is where my ancestors are buried. They are one of the first families to settle here, so I'm pretty proud of it. I remember my Mom would take us to the cemetry and take pictures of us on the famous stone bench, just behind the historical marker. I thought it would be a good idea to take a picture of Katie and myself on the bench. It was a little grown up, so I went first to see if it was safe from snakes before Katie came up to the cemetry. After I took the one picture of her on the bench a yellow jacket was attracted to both Katie and myself. I think it was mostly me because I did put on a little body splash before I left the house. I tried to get rid of the yellow jacket, but he was really enjoying the smell of my perfume. He wouldn't leave me alone. I told Doug to take Katie and lets go. I was afraid the yellow jacket would sting Katie or get in the truck with us. Darn it! I didn't get to take the pictures I wanted to take. Maybe this Fall, we can try it again.

We drove around the back roads and enjoyed the scenery. One road lead us to Clarkson's Covered Bridge. The keepers of this park has really done a good job with the up keep. We saw one family having a picnic party while we were there. It must have been someone's birthday because they had balloons,cake and kids running around. I just can't believe they picked that day and time of day to have a picnic birthday party outside because it was smokin' hot. After our photo session, we headed back to the truck and we had a cool refreshing beverage. Doug couldn't believe how thirsty Katie and I were. We ended up visiting Leslie at her work for a quick burger and chicken tenders dinner. Everytime Leslie came out to wait on her tables, Katie would have to tell Leslie hello. We left the restaurant and decided to go visit Tim and Sue. Jon and Holden was having a good time playing with Katie. The boys were wrestling on the floor and Katie wanted to get right in the middle of them. She would come and tell me, Holden was tickling Jon. She would get on Jon and start jumping on him. Katie was so excited and having fun. Susan mentioned letting Katie stay with them. I didn't have a change of clothes, but we didn't care if she stayed with them. Katie has only stayed with Millard and Peggy, so we didn't know if she would stay with Tim and Sue. Doug and I left their house around 9:30 p.m. and Katie did good. We kept talking to her about staying with Sue-Sue and Leslie. "Do you want to stay with Sue-Sue?" we'd ask her. "Uh-huh," she'd respond. I thought we would have to sneak out. When it got time for us to go, she told me bye and away we went. When we got halfway home, I called and checked on her. Leslie answered and said they were having a good time. We got prepared though just in case, we got a call during the night. Fortunately, we slept all night and didn't receive a call. When I got up this morning, I called Sue and asked how things went last night. I was proud of Katiebug! Susan said she asked for me during the night, but soon went back to sleep. Susan said while they were laying down, Katie would hear one of the kids roaming around the house. She would ask Susan "what's that?" Susan would tell her and then she would hear another noise and she would ask her again, "what's that?" Katie went to church with Susan, Leslie and Jon, but we see her later tonight.

Tuesday is my Dad's 73rd birthday. Susan thought it would be a good idea, if we took him out for his birthday dinner tonight. Everyone is invited to come and join us. I told her to call me when they are leaving the house and where we are to meet them.

Katie's New Snow White Outfit

I just won this off of eBay. I've been wanting to get Katie a Snow White dress like this from Mulberry Street, but they are too expensive. I won bid for more than half the price, I would have gotten it from other shops. I love eBay! I'm so excited!

Only Moms Can Understand!

Too funny - A must watch!

Baby Jake's A Day Old!

Baby Jake is a day old today! The slideshow are photos of Jake's new Daddy, Big Sister and Grandma. He has a lot of love coming into this world. We wish them lots of love and quiet nights! tehe!

Katie and Her Babies

Yesterday morning, it was cute watching Katie playing with her baby dolls. She was determined to have both dolls sitting in the same seat she was sitting in. I've been trying to show her how to hold her baby dolls by their waist. It's still a work in progress because she insist carrying them by their neck in a body slam position.

I don't know about you, but it's difficult to decide if any of Katie's toys are part of the big recall. I know she does have Elmo and Dora toys, but I need pictures to help me out. Well, I've found a website article supplied by Child magazine (Better Homes & Gardens company) that not only list the recall names but also offers a picture. I wanted to pass along this link to help you as well: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07257.html.

Playskool "No Spill" Sippy Cup Recall
I didn't know about this recall until today. I don't know if CVS Pharmacy is the only place that sells this sippy cup, but I have seen these before. According to the article this sippy cup can cause a choking hazard. Here's the link for further information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07246.html.

Payless ShoeSource Children's Clog Shoe Recall
I've been away from these recall list way too long. I didn't know about this recall either - July 17th. Luckily, Katie doesn't have these clogs but I will be watching! According to the article it can cause a choking hazard. I wanted to pass along the information to you as well: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07236.html .

I didn't include the several recalls for the past couple of months because it goes from air conditioning units to ladies clothes. When you have the opportunity, you might want to check into the other product recalls by checking on this link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html .

Take care and God Bless You!

Baby Jake

Baby Jake takes his first photo opt. I think Sandy is another proud Grandma. tehe!

Liz & Nolan - He's a beautiful baby boy! Congratulations to you guys.

We Love You Very Much!

Welcome Baby Jake!

He's here!

My niece, Elizabeth "Liz" and her husband, Nolan gave birth to their second child, a baby boy. Jacob "Jake" Nolan came into this world this morning at 3:05. I know he weighs 6 lbs, but I don't remember the ounces. Sandy, my sister and Jake's grandma, told me this morning that Momma and baby are doing well. She doesn't know his length at this time. He had to be delivered by C-Section because his head was too big. Sandy is watching Madelyn "Maddie" at Liz and Nolan's home.

MATTEL TOY RECALL CONTINUES
http://www.myfoxal.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=4062152&version=6&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
The above link is a list of Mattel toys that are being recalled. The toys include: Polly Pocket, Doggy Day Care, Barbie and Tanner set, "Sarge" figures from the movie "Cars," Batman figure and One Piece Triple Slash Zolo Roronoa figure. I don't know how you guys are reacting to all of these recalls, but it makes me so nervous. It makes me nervous I guess because Katie has always been so bad about eating or biting on her toys. We've been fortunate thus far because we haven't had any of these toys being recalled.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
Football fever has begun. With the preseason Professional Football starting and now the announcement that Alabama's first game of the season will begin at 6:00 p.m. Woo Hoo! We are getting excited. We still don't have the tickets, but we are suppose to get them at anytime. I just can't believe September 1st is right around the corner. Doug and I have our new T-shirts washed and ready for the trip to the big game. We've been watching the sports news and they are giving some sneak peeks on Saban's training. There has been a huge "Saban hype" here. I hope we are not extremely disappointed. Alabama fans have a history of judging new coaches based on two games - the first game of the season and Alabama vs. Auburn. If Saban losses this first game, lets pray he will win against Auburn!

Michael Vick - More Problems
Have you heard about this: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293268,00.html
"Embattled NFL quarterback Michael Vick, facing federal charges related to his alleged participation in dogfighting, has been hit with a "$63,000,000,000 billion dollar" lawsuit filed by a South Carolina inmate who alleges the Atlanta Falcons star stole his pit bulls and sold them on eBay to buy "missiles from Iran," FOX News has learned." The article goes on that Fox couldn't get a comment from Vick nor is spokesperson regarding the allegations. I really hope it's not true, but in this day and time - who knows!

On a sad note, we are going to give or put Sassy down. The other day while I was sweeping out the carport, Katie was running around and I caught a glimpse of her walking towards Sassy. The cat was walking towards the car and Katie was saying "kitty cat." I told Katie to leave the cat alone. Usually she minds me when I tell her to leave the cat alone, but not this time. I didn't see what exactly happened, but all of the sudden Katie began screaming, crying and ran to me. I saw the cat under the vehicle, so I was trying to figure out what happened. When I finally got her settled down, I saw a scratch mark on the bridge of her nose. Well that's too close for me in order to allow it to happen again. Doug and I talked that night and we both agree, it's time for Sassy to leave us. I've had Sassy before we got married. I guess she is close to 15 years old. She does have some arthritis in her back legs and I have a difficult time keeping her groomed. She normally has really long hair and she doesn't groom herself. Instead she leaves all the grooming to me and even then it's difficult because there are a lot of specific areas she won't let me touch. For the past few years, I've been sending her to a local pet groomers (during the Summer months) and pay them to shave her or what they call a "Summer Cut." I hate having to get rid of her because she has always been such a good cat and good mouser. The only thing I can figure out is Sassy's in pain with the arthritis and Katie caught her on a bad day. Poor Katie. I won't let her around the cat now and she doesn't understand. She'll see Sassy and start telling her "I sorry Sassy." Doug and I asked Katie if Sassy hurt her and she'll say yeah and then point to her scratch mark.

This Summer's drought has made everything miserable. We haven't watered our yard in some time for the fear of water shortage. When you walk out in the yard the grass is like walking on small dried twigs and you don't dare walk barefoot outside. Our trees and shrubs' leaves are shriveled and dying off quickly. It can be so depressing seeing everything dying off like this. I know Texas doesn't need anymore rain, but the South East needs it drastically. I'm not wishing for any Hurricanes by no means, but I do hope the tropical depressions out in the Gulf will make their way here.

Stay cool and take care!

Disney Character Precious Moments

Laura, I thought you might be interested in these as well. They also have these in picture frames and Cinderella Christmas Ornament.

Okay, I'm tired of Summer! Don't you wish it was that easy. It seems as if we've had the longest Summer in History this year. It's suppose to be in the triple digits all week. Yuck! I hate to say Katie and I haven't gotten out much this Summer unless necessary. It has been entirely too hot and I'm not going to deliberately sit outside and melt away just so I can say I was outside this Summer. Go ahead call me names. Do ya think I care?

Since Doug is holding me back on putting Katie's new big girl bed in her room, I thought I could go ahead and pack up all of her baby stuff. All the picture frames, stuffed animals, baby booties and other decor that say "Baby" were packed away. I set out updated picture frames, special baby dolls and try to make it a little girls room. I found a Precious Moments "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs," and I noticed Disney has a few different ceramics out in the card shops. I found these ceramics at a Carlton's Card, which is owned by American Greetings. I would like to do a little more research and see if I can get a deal some where. The figurines were so precious.

Today, Whitney was able to come and visit one more time before she heads back to college. We had such a good visit! I'm going to miss her and Natalie coming by and visiting with me during the week. I've really got to know the nieces and nephew, Nicholas, a little better this Summer. It has meant a lot to me that they would want to come see us on their spare time. I hope we are able to get with Whit one more time before she heads back to school.

Please keep my niece, Liz, in your prayers. I've been checking in on her this weekend and bless her heart, she just wants the ball to roll with the whole labor and delivery. I didn't know until tonight, but she's been having contractions for the past 3-4 weeks. They went to the hospital Saturday, to check on things and they sent her back home. She said she was having contractions every 2-3 minutes solid, but they were not bad enough. Her doctor said if nothing happens this week, he wants her to come in next Monday and see how she is progressing. If she is far enough, they will probably go ahead and induce labor. She has got to be sick and tired of all of this.

Doug and I watched Hell's Kitchen finale tonight. Sure enough, Rock won! I didn't care for Rock's attitude very much, but it was one of those attitudes that will get you what you want. I was hoping for Bonnie, but it wasn't enough. Now Gordon Ramsey has a new show coming this Fall called "Kitchen Nightmare's" or something like that. A couple of weeks ago, Doug and I watched this show on the BBC and it was okay. Gordon goes into these already existing restaurants and try to make them better. It will be interesting to see. I don't know if I'll enjoy watching it as much as I do Hell's Kitchen.

HUGE HUG

I thought someone out there needed a HUGE HUG from me to you! You know the Serenity Prayer has helped me get through some tough times in my life. Maybe it will help you! God loves you and so do I.

Hell's Kitchen

Don't forget - Hell's Kitchen finale comes on tonight. I still say Rock will take it away from Bonnie. If Bonnie wins this competition, I will be pleasantly surprised. Sorry, Rock. I think he is so arrogant and conceited!

Welcome Allan & Sarah!

I would like to welcome Allan and Sarah to the blogging world! You are going to love it. I'm so excited! I think this is such a great way to keep in touch with what's going on in our world.

Love you guys!

A Perfect Date!

We had a perfect date Friday night! I enjoyed myself so much that I didn't want it to end so quick. Doug got up that morning and washed both of our vehicles, while Katie and I played in the house. She was so excited to be able to spend the night with Grandma Peggy and Papa Millard. Every time the dogs began to bark, she thought they were here. I had to remind her that they would be here when she woke up from her nap. It absolutely killed her to take a nap, she was too siked to go to bed. As soon as they got here, she was ready to go. "Bye Mommy," she said. I carried her to the car and locked her in for Millard. It kills me to see her leave, but I knew she would have a good time. After they were out of sight, we locked up the house and away we went on our date. Doug and I made a deal. He could pick out the movie, if I pick out the restaurant. I knew he wanted to watch Rush Hour 3 and I didn't want to eat Mexican. He was so disappointed we were not eating Mexican, he loves Mexican food. We ate a steak dinner at a local steakhouse restaurant. We both had the Delmonico Steak, but I had the steamed veggies. I enjoyed sitting across from my husband having a decent conversation with him. It was great to have a one on one conversation with him. It was as if we were dating once again. It's amazing how we allow ourselves to get all caught up in the world and family that we forget what marriage is all about. It's about sharing everything with one another, including your thoughts and ideas. If you haven't seen Rush Hour 3, it is a must see. I've seen everyone one of the Rush Hour movies and I have to say this is the best one yet. I don't know which scene would be my favorite because I laughed from the time it started to the end. I give it a two thumbs up!

Our computer chair broke the other night, so we've been on the search for another. We went to OfficeMax Friday because they had a few on sale. Doug liked the more expensive one and I liked the cheapier one. We couldn't agree on one, so we left. Wayne told Doug to check out Sam's office chairs. I don't know if Wayne got his chair from there or if he knew something we didn't. Saturday morning, we headed to Sam's and their chairs were more than OfficeMax. Millard told us Office Depot was having a sale, so Doug might have to go check it out this week.

Doug and I both have been siked over the game in September. We're so excited! We just hope they will play at night instead of a day game. Yuck!! It will be so HOT! Even if it is a day game, we will suffer with pride - IF THEY WIN! tehe! If we have to suffer in the hot humid heat and lose this game, I'll be so mad. Anyway, Doug and I got us a couple new T-shirts for the game. Roll Tide Baby! I tried finding Katiebug a T-shirt, but couldn't find any in her size. I guess she'll just have to wear her jumper. No, this doesn't mean she'll be coming with us. Sorry, baby girl! She's spending the night with Grandma Peggy and Papa Millard.

Thanks For The Prayers

I want to thank everyone for all your prayers for Nick. His heart surgery was a great success yesterday. The surgeons went in through his leg, up in his heart and zapped all the bad cells causing his problem. Most of his family got to welcome him home last night. The doctors wanted him up and walking around every hour. How long he was suppose to do this, I have no idea. He told me that he wasn't in much pain, but he was a little upset when he woke up from the surgery and couldn't move. It would scare me to death! Today, he is feeling a little achy, but is still doing good.

Please keep my niece, Liz, in your prayers. She has been experiencing some labor pains. The doctor put her on some medicine to stop the contractions for fear the baby's lungs are not fully developed. By Monday, she will be 37 weeks and be taken off the medicine. Sandy told me yesterday that when the drug begins to wear off and it's time to take some more, her contractions start again. She feels we will have baby Jake here by Monday. It's time to put our bids in as to when Jake will be here. Since Sandy predicted Monday, I say Tuesday morning. I caught up with my emails this afternoon and Liz sent me an email Tuesday saying she was having contractions and the baby had dropped. I know they've got to be getting excited right now. It won't be long!

As far as Katie and myself, I ask you to please keep me in your prayers. The terrible twos have really been testing me to no end. It's really been stressing me out and it can be rough at times. There are days when I don't seem to get a break! Yesterday, we (Katie & myself) had a lot of things we had to get accomplished before we went to Pat and June's house. Katie decides to get up at 5:30 in the morning. Doug puts her in bed with me as he goes out the door to work. I knew in my mind, she wouldn't go back to sleep. Knowing all we had to do, I tried my best until 6:15 to get her to go back to sleep. By 6:15, she began to holler for milk. Ugh!!!! We left the house around 9:00 to get our errands done. First stop was to Books-A-Million. I wanted to get Nick some magazines and see if there were any good bargains. Of course, I would have to pick a day to go to the bookstore when they would be having an inventory day. The place was crawling with people. Katie didn't want to hang out in the magazine section. I even tried to get her interested in some princess and animal magazines. Nope! She wouldn't have it. She wanted to go to her book section, where we normally go. This fit would her first of several meltdowns for the day. I tried bribing, threatening and finally spanking was needed. Several times, I felt like throwing my hands up and heading back home, but I knew if I did that it would just mean I give in. I was not about to give in and I was bound and determined to get through this day. I might have made other people's day miserable, but it had to be done. We may have started with BAM, but we also went to the Post Office, UPS Store, Library, newspaper company and finally went to Wal-Mart to get some groceries. She was pretty good by the time we got to Wal-Mart and she wanted McDonalds for lunch, so I got her a Happy Meal and headed home. We got home around 12:45 and she was out like a light. I wanted Katie to have a good nap before we went over to Pat and June's house. She ended up sleeping for 2 hours and I hated having to wake her up. My plan was to straighten up Pat and June's house before they got home with Nick. I didn't know if Katie would cooperate, so I packed up the whole house to take with us. Thankfully, Leslie was there with Mom and Dad. If it wasn't for Leslie, I wouldn't have been able to do the things I needed to do. I just hate it for Leslie because she had to deal with Katie's terrible twos as well. Leslie - I'm sorry! You maybe saying to yourself right now, I can't believe your talking about sweet little Katiebug. She is so sweet and she wouldn't do anything bad. Ha! The problems we are facing right now is hitting, drama fits (when she doesn't get her way) and yelling, on top of the whining. I'm sticking with the Nanny911 methods - naughty chair, get down to her level and explain, etc. , but I'm having problems with consistency. When it's just me and her and she pulls one of her tricks, it's easier for me to turn my head and act like I didn't see it. There are just so many naughty chair times you can take. Obviously, I'm acting out on Doug (I know I shouldn't) when I have bad days. Doug said the other night, Millard and Peggy will be taking Katie home with them Friday night, while we go out on a date. I could really use the break. I don't know what we will be doing tomorrow night. Doug mentioned going to the movies. There's list of new movies I would like to see: No Reservations, Stardust, Rush Hour 3, Becoming Jane and Daddy Day Camp. Knowing Doug, we will probably end up watching Rush Hour 3. I really liked the other two Rush Hour movies - so funny. Hopefully, this Rush Hour won't disappoint me.

Hope ya'll have a great weekend! Take care and God Bless You!

Lazy Days of Summer

It was another scorcher of a day! After Doug finished studying for the day, we headed over to Pat and June's place to hang by the pool. You know that it is hot when it's still around 93-95 degrees at night, when the sun is gone. I know why they call it the "Lazy Days of Summer" or "Dogs Days of Summer." It's because you are so hot, you feel like putty and you can't move a muscle. It wasn't long after we got to Pat and June's before I had to get Katie in house to cool down. I lubed her all up with sunscreen before she got in the pool with her hat, but she still began to get a little red in the face. After trying different things, I decided it was time to go in the house for a little bit and cool down. Of course, she didn't eat a bite of her Supper, hot dog and chips. Once she got loose from me, she soon found Aunt June's movie collection and "Beauty and the Beast." Aunt June and Katie went in the Living Room and watched "Belle," while Mommy got to eat Supper. We went back outside to visit and once it got dusk, Katie didn't care too much about staying outside anymore. Yes, she has gotten to that stage in her little life. She is a little afraid of the dark. This past week, she's really noticed the difference between light and dark. Even if she is in a shadow, she'll let me know it's dark. Tonight, she wanted to stick close to Mommy.

If it's been a while since you've been to McDonald's, you'll have to go. They have Build-A-Bears in their Happy Meals right now. Katie got a bunny and bear with hearts all over it. They are a pretty good size and I think the bunny is adorable.

Tomorrow, it's back to the grind stone. Doug goes back to work (no more auditing). My laundry is way behind and I need to finish knocking out some projects.

Let It Snow!

Okay, I might be getting a little out of control, but I'm finding so many adorable outfits for this Fall/Winter. I'm trying to win this bid from eBay. The only thing, it doesn't come with the shirt. I've been looking around for a Peter Pan Collar Shirt, but not too hard because I'm afraid I might lose this auction. I went to Orient Expressed because they sell them, but I would like to pay a little less than $20 for a white shirt. I'm hoping Belk will get in some more Fall/Winter clothes. If you know where I get a Peter Pan Collar White Shirt/Blouse in a size 2T, please let me know.

Speaking of Belk, they've had a great sale this weekend. Our store doesn't have a whole lot of Fall/Winter Childrens Clothes, but what they have is priced decent. Plus, if you use your Belk's card, you get an additional 15% off the price. Last night, I got Katie a dressy white sweater for church and a pink fleece zip up jacket for $11 each.

Cutest Outfit!

I may have lost the bid on the adorable Christmas Pant Set, but I put my money and determination in this cute outfit. It's new with tags and it includes the hair bow, which is great because I won't have to run around town trying to find one. I can't wait to see Katiebug in this outfit.

Why, why, why?

I loved this outfit! I thought Katie would look adorable in this Christmas Pant Set. I've been bidding on this crazy pant set for the past 4 days. For 3 1/2 days, I've been winning this bid. Winning until this afternoon! I really wanted this outfit, but apparently someone else needed it worse than Katie needed it. Why? I had to stop bidding because the price wasn't getting any lower, if you know what I mean. I'm hoping to find another one just like it.

Okay, I don't know what's going on! Katie would not take a nap again today. We were expecting a few visitors today - James & Vonell and later Dad & Mom for Supper. I tried laying Katie down for a nap at 12:30, but she cried and carried on until around 2:30. I told Doug, he might as well go get her. She was so cranky and whiny, so I thought I would lay down with her in our bed. I had some success. By the time I got her all quiet and settled down, James and Vonell drove up. We knew they wanted to see her, so we just went ahead and got up. When James and Vonell left, it wasn't long before Dad and Mom drove up. I was so hoping Katie would be good. She did pretty good, but I just knew she would act up. As soon as Dad and Mom left, she began to act up. While Doug washed Supper dishes, I got Katie ready for bed and read to her until she fell asleep. Do all kids do this? If so, what can I do different to encourage her to take her naps. I've tried making her sit in my lap and watch a movie. I've read to her and make her calm down. I've even gone as far as letting her cry in bed, but nothing seems to be working. Someone suggested whipping her, but I really don't want to resort to whipping her because she doesn't want to sleep. Moms - what kind of technique has helped you out in times like these? Please advise.

Tonight, Mom was able to mend Katie's Snow White skirt. If you were not here, Katie tore the skirt making a huge hole in the back. I started to mend it the Monday after her party, but after looking at it, I didn't think it was mendable. I just tried to encourage her to wear the other skirt "Sleeping Beauty." Katie was happy to see her skirt being fixed. Hopefully it will last her a little while longer before we have to get another one.

We really enjoyed our guests today. It's been a while since we've seen Uncle James and Aunt Vonell. Uncle James has really dropped the weight. He looks real good. In a way, I was glad to see Vonell didn't need her cane to walk around on. I don't want her to fall in any way, but it was encouraging to see her not having to need it. Dad and Doug watched the Braves on TV, while Mom and I played with Katie and talked.

Have a great weekend!

Kaitlyn's 2nd Year 2006-2007

Why Does She Do This?

Okay, can Moms take vacations? Today has been very tiring and I don't think I accomplished anything. I had planned to do a few errands and hit WalMart before the big tax free weekend, which starts tomorrow. I was hoping to leave at a pretty decent time this morning, but Katie was acting crabby. That's okay, I thought. I'll just let her take a nap and we can go this afternoon and get my errands done. No problem. Well, I put her down for her nap around 11:30 and she wasn't sleepy, which is expected because she normally is laid down around noon - 1:00. I just let her play and talk in her bed for awhile. This went on for 2 hours and she still wasn't sleepy, in fact, by this time she was crying and wanting out of bed. What do I do? She needed a nap, she was so crabby and whiny. Even if I only go to WalMart, she is going to be awful! I debated going now or going when Doug got home. I knew Doug had homework, he needed to get to and won't have time to babysit until I got home, plus what would we have for Supper. Ugh!!! After a long deliberation, I packed up Katie's milk and away we went. I stopped off at McDonalds to get her some chicken and fries, in hopes this would keep her occupied at the store. I have to say, she did fairly well in the store. She did take a very short nap in the car on the way home. As soon as I laid her in the bed, she woke up and began to cry. I waited awhile before getting her out of bed. I tried numerous times after and it wasn't successful. She has done this to me a time or two before and it wasn't a good day then either. I hope tomorrow will be a little better for me.

I have a few projects planned for the Fall. I've got to get back into Katie's scrapbook and with determination, finish it. Do you get a collection of wedding invites, funeral home note cards, graduation invites & little pictures here and there of family members? I finally got a photo album to put all of these little invites and pictures in it. I've been keeping my eyes open for new fleece panels to make a blanket for someone (I have no idea). Well, I found a nice Alabama panel. I was afraid they would be sold out if I waited until next week, so I went ahead and got it. Now, who will inherit this blanket? Katie loves picture books right now. I would like to get her a new album and put some updated pictures in it, including all of her Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles & Cousins. I need to start packing away a few of Katie's baby keepsakes in order to display her new keepsakes and picture frames. I nearly hate to do it, but it's getting pretty crowded in her room.

Have a great week!

She Said It!

Beings I haven't blogged in a while, I would like to wish Maryann & Kevin a Happy Anniversary! My Dad and Mom celebrated their 52nd Anniversary the 31st of July. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! When I called them that morning to wish them a good day, I asked Mom how they were going to celebrate the big day. She said they would have to celebrate by going to doctors. JOY! As you may know, Mom has pulled some muscles in her leg making it very difficult to walk. She is currently seeing a physical therapist in order to work those muscles out. She had to see her therapist and Dad had a consultation with an Oral Surgeon to get some bone spurs cut out of his jaw. FUN! Hearing all of this just doesn't make me want to jump up and down in excitement and say - "I can't hardly wait to grow old."

Liz sent me this picture of her yesterday. Little "Jake" looks like he's going to be a big boy! According to her email, she is 35 1/2 weeks. Doesn't she look cute? I don't know if it is rough on all new Summer Mommies or not, but I know that last month was tough for me. I had Doug keep the air conditioning on 68 degrees at all times. I had bad water gain in my legs and especially my feet. I gained most if not all my baby weight in the month of July; therefore, causing me to be more tired. If everyone will remember Katie ended up being a whooping 8 pound 8 ounce and 23 inches long. Saying all this, Liz, hang in there girl. It won't be long now!

Apparently, we have to keep up with the Hortons. tehe! Since Alise was here, we've been trying our best to get Katie to say "Roll Tide." She just looks at us and says "No." I guess we feel that we are not raising her right until she says "Roll Tide." Well the other night, Doug bought some Hershey's Kisses. Katie's eyes lit up! "Candy!" she said. Doug told her, she couldn't have any until she says "Roll Tide." "No" she said, but she still wanted a piece of chocolate. He kept it up and she still wouldn't say anything. It's funny because she can say Alabama just about perfect, but she wouldn't try to say Roll Tide. Doug went as far as letting Katie have a lick of chocolate, but not give it all to her until she said "Roll Tide." I thought he was being so mean, so I went back to washing dishes. Apparently, she wanted some chocolate pretty bad because she broke down and said "Roll Tide." You have to really listen to understand her say it, but SHE SAID IT!

Yesterday, Katie came up to me and kept saying "Alabama" and "bracelet." Okay, I didn't know what she wanted. Right now the communciation between Katie and myself is a little difficult. She is learning new words almost everyday. It's putting those words into sentences that makes her frustrated. On days where I'm a little more patient and talk with her, she can get out what she wants to say. Then there are other days to where she gets frustrated and starts throwing FITS! Fits may include throwing herself on the floor screaming or even as far as throwing things. Of course, at this point I loose it. Anyway, I couldn't figure out what she meant by these words. Before she got too frustrated with me, I asked her to show me. "Come on, Mommy" she said. I followed her into her bedroom. I asked again what does she want. She began pulling and tugging on her clothes. "Off, off" she said. I confirmed, she wanted her clothes off. "Alabama" she said. Then it hit me, she wanted her Alabama jumper (from the picture) on. As soon as I got it out of the closet she began to smile and giggle. Of course, we had to get our hair bow, put it in our hair and put on a bracelet. When I wouldn't let her drag out all of her good shoes, she put on her Princess shoes. I don't think she has ever done this before. It was a sight, but she pranced around here like she was somebody. I wished now we tried to get that dress in a 2T. It is way too short. Even Doug has mentioned how short it is on her. I thought it was a 2T at first, but later I found out it is a 24 months. We went shopping with Millard and Peggy last Sunday. Doug and Millard found a cute Alabama jumper at Hibbetts Sports. It is red and white gingham with an "A" on the front. The buttons on the top of the jumper are silver footballs and the bloomers have two elephant foot prints. So cute! Peggy grabbed up a 2T and had me inspect it. They wanted to get it for Katie. I told her it would make a good Christmas present.

Toy Recall
Are you aware there are several Fisher Price toys recalled. Here's the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20079082/?gt1=10252 Apparently, these toys were painted with lead paint. As you can see, a lot of these toys are Elmo and Dora the Explorer. These two characters are favorites for small children. I may have to throw some of Katie's toys away because of this mistake.

Have you guys been keeping up with the news. If so, it was awful to hear about the bridge in Minneapolis falling apart. The last time I heard there are 4 dead and several people still missing. Please keep them in your prayers.

Hell's Kitchen and Age of Love
Next week is finale week for "Hell's Kitchen" and "Age of Love." I love TiVo because "Age of Love" is on the same time "Hell's Kitchen" is on. We TiVo "Age of Love," so we are able to watch "Hell's Kitchen." Wow! It's been exciting and shocking. If you keep up with these reality TV shows, who do you think will win next week? For "Hell's Kitchen," I predict Rock will take it way. For "Age of Love," I predict Amanda will steal his heart. I was really routing for Meagan, but who knew she would let a fear of flying keep her from winning Mark's heart. I think Jennifer is a gorgeous 48 year old. She is such a sweetheart. Doug thinks she's had a lot of plastic surgery done in order to look that good. Because of the huge age difference between her and Mark, I feel his family in Australia will discourage him from seeing her.

Take care and have a great day!