My good friend Ticia came over the other day and brought Joseph this rockin' bag of Mega Blocks as a little present. We were very excited!


Joseph got busy building, tearing down, and rebuilding. He loves them! (...and so do Josh and I!)


I was surprised at how good he was with them. He has other blocks but not this "leggo" style, and it didn't take any time for him to have it down.


Speaking of down...this tower got a little too big. That was the block that broke the towers spire.

Tea in the Garden Honoring Baby Ada-Grace

After all the planning...all the ideas and girly sweetness that ran around my head...Summer's baby shower was wonderful! We had a great time and of course she made out like a bandit.


I set up the entry way table with teapots, a sign for Ada-Grace's room, and the neatest book full of poetry, childhood stories, recipes and nursery rhymes. The little tea set is mine from when I was a girl.


Here is the sign I made Ada-Grace. It was certainly a labor of love. I got out in the garage and cut the wood for the bases like a real-live wood crafter and acted like I knew what I was doing - since I couldn't find the right size at the store. I even got to use a drill for the crystal holes and ribbon hanger! ;) After that project...I can conquer anything!


This one of my favorite arrangements! I used the big cherry blossom branches to hang some of Ada-Grace's sweet, sweet baby clothes. Even tucked a little nest with blue robbin's eggs in there.


One stood on either side of the tv console, but after all the presents were piled around they kinda got lost in the crowd. It's amazing how a ton of presents and 20-some-odd people can change the look of your house! Everything seemed so small!


Our beautiful guest of honor and the hostesses! Gina and Kate are Summer's cousins on her mom's side and are a blast to hang out with. I had such a fun time!




We had Summer bring us pictures of her and Jason when they were babies....and pictures she brought! We had a ton! We filled the whole pool table with them, used a few more here and there, and had these on the counter. It was a great touch!




The favors! Cute as can be little tea bags! I wish I would have gotten a better picture of Gina's silver tray they were on. It was beautiful!




The framed picture behind the petit fours says "Changes are coming..." and is them throwing diapers up in the air! Ha! They took it for the "We're Pregnant" announcements. What at the shower wasn't totally cute?!?




Mommy Summer is looking and feeling great. After the shower we were talking on the couch and I got to feel a big ol hand or foot push against her stomach. It was (say it with me...) the sweetest!


Summer and Jason have no idea what they are in for with this little one. So much joy and happiness, angst and sadness; all those little fingers and toes, giggles and pink flowery dresses...and I can't wait to get my hands on her!

Make An Offer...

Baby for sale: male, pretty cute, mischievous grin notwithstanding...


...Socks and bib included, high chair for additional fee...will throw in remaining baby foods for entertainment purposes only...


...Will also throw in bleach for socks as there may be residual dinner scraps on feet; for laughter and silliness - request at own risk.

Mama got a new haircut! I had to show everyone because I LOVE IT! I saw my dad yesterday and he said "Is your hair shorter? What's the method to that?" I told him as motherhood gets more challenging the hair gets shorter! It takes me no time to dry it now and it's always out of my face. Perfect.

So if you see me coming and I shaved my head, I'd head the other direction.

P.S. Check out our new cushion for the hearth back there. One of those things that we wondered why we didn't do it sooner. Love it!

Parenting Top Ten Things Not to Feel Guilty About

Alicia passed along her Parenting magazine and I was flipping through it this morning. I thought this list was pretty cute and it made me chuckle!

1. Having the impulse, after discovering your kid has used your $20 lipstick to draw a giant plum-colored pig on your dining room wall, to call up Brad and Angelina and ask them if they'd like to take in one more.
   
2. Returning the fancy but useless baby gift to the department store and spending the credit on shoes for yourself.
3. Suspecting that those stars who got their pre-baby bodies back in two weeks are on drugs.
   
4. Feeling secretly glad when you catch your neighbor's "perfect" child in a nuclear meltdown.
5. Introducing your sister's kid - little Miss Organic Only - to her very first Twinkie.
6. Setting up play dates just with kids whose mothers you like.
7. Calling your jiggly belly your "mummy tummy" ten years after childbirth.
   
8. Noticing the hot dad at drop off. (Hey, you're just lookin'!)
9. Insisting on grown-up music in the car.
10. Knowing, really knowing, with every fiber of your being, that your kid is the cutest one in her class picture.
    

Sorry guys, I always knew Joseph was cuter than your babies. Oooh, are those fighting words?! Well, we have some stiff competition out there if that makes you feel any better. LOL!

I thought I would add a couple more...

• Letting Joseph eat only chicken sticks and grapes for a week straight because I can't get him to eat anything else. More than once.
  
• Joseph's long, gnarly finger and toe nails - because as much as I try, I just can't get them cut.
  
• Giving Joseph a banana even though it's really really ripe (more ripe than I would ever eat - and I generally don't discriminate) because he has one for breakfast every morning and it's the last one.
  
• Using Joseph and the awesome tower we are building as an excuse not answer the phone when I don't feel like chatting.
  

Oh, but not when YOU call...I always answer YOUR calls! So there's just a few of mine. What should you not feel guilty about?!

Baby's First Twinkie

While at Aunt Tammy's house the other day Joseph got to have his first Twinkie! He had no idea of the delicious greatness that was in store.


His first bite was pretty unsure...


But then he went all in. I halved it cause I wasn't quite ready for what could happen if my 15 month old ate a whole one. And cause I wanted the other half. I had forgotten how GREAT those things are!!


He wasn't overly eager about it all, and just took little bites here and there...then he dropped it in the dirt out back and that was the end of the Twinkie. Until next time Twinkie, until next time.

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick

My baby does love his sticks. I noticed as these were loading he has a stick in every picture! Maybe it's an indication of his love for Roosevelt's administration, who used the phrase in the early 1900's. Or maybe it's a clue into his little personality; his little non aggressive personality which prefers non violence but who isn't afraid of standing behind his word if the time calls for it. Maybe he just likes to whack things - which I think is the more likely choice. Whatever the reason, I thought it was high time for a good Joseph "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick" Blachly post!

We had a great day today! Joseph was on his best behavior and that made for a happy mommy. Thank goodness for good days to remind me why we decided to have a kiddo in the first place. Too many Crazy Joe days in a row and one can loose sight of all the sweetness and wonderfulness in having kids. But didn't I hear somewhere that it's supposed to be all butterflies and rainbows?! Ha. ;)

We trekked over to Garland to play with Cousins Cayden and Connor and Aunt Tammy. It was really pretty out so we got to play with all the cool big boy toys outside. Joseph didn't much let me out of his sight, but that's ok...I like to feel needed! Ha! We also inherited the coolest thing ever - the boys Little Tykes plastic slide and climber. I had to sneak it into the truck all stealth like though because Conner and Cayden were determined that they weren't done with it...but of course only play with it once Tammy says it's going to be time to pass it along to Joseph soon. Wonder if they'll know it's gone?! We got it home and and Joseph LOVED it! It was great! He climbed right in the "house" part and set up camp. Then I showed him how to climb the ladder and slide down and he thought he was king of the world. It's going to be awesome to have it! Thanks boys! It's in good hands!

Today is Think Thin Thursday. Blech! I am down five pounds since I've started the Special K Challenge, but only one pound since last Thursday. I can kinda see a difference but this is only the beginning. I checked in to a membership at the local Y and am pretty pumped about getting started there. Not so much for the weights and cardio machines but for the classes. They have several that will fit into my schedule (i.e - Josh's work schedule!) and most importantly - ones that I WANT to partake in. It's cycling, yoga, flex, pilates - all of which are actually interesting to me. That is the key with working out; I just needed to find what I would want to do so it's not a struggle to go to a class I don't like. But what am I even talking about...I haven't even gone yet. But I am excited and that's a good start!

And one more thank goodness....thank goodness it's almost the weekend! That is some great news if you ask me. Off to watch The Office now; it's our fave.

Time to Ride

Our Baby David became Little David, who eventually grew to be not so little anymore...but will always be Little David to us. He became taller than his dad, Big David, but will always be Little David to us. He grew from our first baby - first sweet boy, to toddler, to little boy and now into young adult, but he will still always be Little David to us. Something happened in the recent years and our quarterback outgrew his position and was better suited for defense, and you know what that means...lots of hits. He tackled and sacked his way into Defensive Lineman of the Year as only a sophomore and now our once Baby David, our sweet Little David, our 6-foot-2, 250 pound high school junior has accepted a FULL RIDE scholarship to play with TCU in Ft. Worth.

I've always been proud of my nephew, but an accomplishment like this is beyond our wildest dreams for him. I am also the protective aunt who says he should be a Doctor or Engineer and not be getting hit on the football field...but there is no denying his talent and thirst for the sport. It's in his blood from his dad and I don't think anyone could have said anything to make any difference when it came to football, and look at where it's gotten him. I know Shannon and David think someone has blessed their sweet souls 10 times over with the good fortune to not have to pay their first-born's college tuition. To a private school no less. To a private school close to home no less. To a private school close to home and the one that his dad graduated from no less.


Not only is this kiddo polite, sweet, well spoken, and hilarious, he also very intelligent. His SAT scores were amazing and he does great in school (except for Spanish last semester - ha!). I can't wait to get together and celebrate and get my arms around him! He is just the sweetest kid you'll ever meet and absolutely deserves this. So do his parents. Love you Johnson's!