Puppy Love.

Our sweet doggie Scout is at the vet's today. They're trying to figure out what seems to be upsetting her stomach to the point that she can't walk. We're pretty certain she ate something that got stuck - she is part goat, after all. The thought of leaving her at the vet in a crate all night is just awful. Sure, the doc will be back twice tonight and a tech will be there overnight to check on all the animals. But my puppydoo is used to sleeping on her big soft bed or curled up with one of the children. I know she'll be OK, but I miss her very much.

Happy Calendar

Our lives are ruled by the calendar. Soccer games, tests, tennis lessons, camps, work meetings, classes, appointments - before you know it, that nice clean month ahead of you is soaked in ink to-dos.

But I love this time of year, when the calendar gets happy. The spring market starts downtown in two weeks, which means tons of fresh, organic veggies to be had. Spring carnival at school is next Friday. Only 6 weeks until school's out. Two months from last Monday is our big summer vacation. Two conferences at fun beach places in July. Our pool opens in 6 weeks. The Braves game on Memorial Day weekend. Our wonderful new musuem opens in mid-June. The new Zac Efron movie comes out this Friday (oops - was that out loud?).

Sure we're zooming downhill - and fast - toward the end of the school year, but look what's waiting for us at the end!

Juliette Knows Best.

There's an old saying in Girl Scouts: "Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold."

One of my dear friends and her family were at Callaway for Spring Break and we met them for brunch this morning. It was so ... easy. We slipped back into our old conversations, talking about our former school, our childrens' new schools, travel, changes in our lives, etc. It was like the best comfort food you've ever had. I hadn't realized how much I missed that - conversations with people you've known for years, people who don't judge you, don't question you. People who are just ... friends.

It was only a few hours, but we made plans to get together again later this summer. Speaking for my children: we can't wait!

A sugar-free, tin world.

This past week saw two journeys begin in our family. The daughter child got braces, and I embarked on a 30-day trek to go without sugar or yeast.

My sweet girl's braces are just HUGE in her mouth. She has only 12 brackets, but then she got a Herbst appliance she'll wear for 9 months, the purpose being to move her jaw forward just a smidge. Bless her, she can still barely open her mouth, and brushing her teeth is quite the ordeal. But she's really only complained for one day - yesterday. She's being so strong about it, even though I know they drive her crazy. Very proud of her and the maturity with which she's handling this.

As for me, well, it's time for the sugar "addiction" to take a hike. This is drastic and crazy - and amazingly, annoyingly hard - but it will be worth it in the end. I need to do much better at taking care of myself overall, not just for me but for my children. I intend to be around playing with their children, and my current diet didn't mesh with that goal. Plus I've been blessed with parents who are super-active healthy eaters - and tremendous role models for the entire family. Rus has hopped on board the train a little bit and is cutting way back on sugar and yeast. We're exercising together, which is healthy - and fun.

We're on Spring Break this week, enjoying time at the beach with my parents. A change of venue is nice, and we spent lots of time outside today. On tap for tomorrow: cruising the spring art fair at the Village and visiting the national park right around the corner. And lots of exercise. :) Care to join me?

One of my favorite things

At least once a year my family visits the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, off the coast of Georgia. It's a truly magical place where wounded sea turtles are brought for a second chance at life. On-site they have an interactive museum, a puppet theatre, and a turtle hospital. Anna Katherine has a special love for these creatures, and will spend hours in the hospital looking at the turtles and watching the vets at work. She's already signed up to volunteer for a week during the summer - about three years from now. :)

CNN discovered the good works of the Sea Turtle Center recently; take a look:

http://blog.jekyllisland.com/diversions/nature-connection/cnns-reynolds-wolf-visits-the-georgia-sea-turtle-center-on-jekyll-island/

We met Pumpkin just before Christmas; it's good to see she's still doing well. If you're ever on the Georgia coast, stop by and see them - you'll be glad you did.

My boy.

Last Thursday, the far-too-young mother of Ryan's friend John suddenly passed on. Friday was a very sad day at school with the children being told, the parents being told and everyone dealing with it in their own way. John and Ryan sit close to each other in class, and Ryan missed him Friday and Monday, and told me so several times.

Yesterday was the Mom's funeral, and easily 500 people showed up to pay their respects to a sweet, loving, kind wife and mother. Ryan had originally asked to attend, but was gently talked out of it. Instead, he took it upon himself to make a card for his friend (John turns 8 today) and he wrote him a note that "is really between me and John, Mama, don't be mad." A nice little party with cupcakes and games is planned for after lunch.

In between dog-washing, soccer in the backyard, sister-tormenting, Super Bowl-watching and other weekend boy craziness, Ryan's been asking questions here and there about the situation. We answer as honestly as we can, and he's getting it. I'm also talking with him about God and our religious views on death; while our conversations have been good and he's on the same page, the tragic reason isn't lost on either of us.

This morning, on the way to school, Ryan said that he had a plan for the day, and it goes a little something like this: "First, I'm going to hug John, do a high-five, and tell him I missed him and I'm very glad he's back. Then I'll leave him alone so everyone else can be nice. At lunch, I'm going to throw a piece of my roll at him, because he and I do that sometimes when no one's looking and we laugh. Yes, I'll pick it up, Mama. Then I'm going to hug him when we go home and tell him I want to see him again tomorrow. Does that sound good?"

Yes, my sweetheart, it sounds very good.

Deep Thoughts.

Daddy and Ryan were playing, imagining they were Blue Angels pilots swooshing their shiny aircraft around his room. Ryan began asking questions: can the Blue Angels land on a ship? Yes, his dad said, they can. But only a special ship.

Ryan thought that through, then asked for details about what makes the Blue Angels ship special. His Dad explained that a superstrong rubber band caught the planes as they landed, keeping them from falling into the ocean. The same rubber band was used to launch the planes into takeoff.

Ryan then asked about the Blue Angels pilots: are they normal pilots, like the people on Delta jets, or are they special pilots? Dad replied that they are specially trained pilots, and very few are chosen to be Blue Angels pilots. After they retire from the Blues, many of them go on to become commercial airline pilots like the folks on Delta jets.

Back to the aircraft carriers: Ryan asked, are there people on deck when the planes land and take off? How do they keep from getting hurt or thrown into the ocean? Are they tied down? Are they ever scared when a plane lands on the deck in the middle of a storm? Dad patiently answered each question, impressed at his son's thought processes.

Then the zinger:

"OK Daddy, but what if Bigfoot were on the ship? Could the planes land then, and would the people be scared?"

We laughed for hours. What a great little boy!

Snake-bit.

A friend of mine from Atlanta refers to days like today as "snake-bit days." Her remedy? Jammies on in the early evening, a big blanket, the TV and a drink of choice.

A rundown:
- AK left not one, but BOTH of her winter coats at school. The temp will drop to 16 tonight.
- Ryan left his winter coat at school, too. And his sweater.
- We're headed out the door to basketball practice and Ryan announces he "forgot" to do his piano homework.
- After torpedoing a grammar test on Tuesday, AK reports she made an 87 on the retest today. After I spent an hour studying with her last night, at her request. And the teacher averaged the grades. How in the world did the spawn of Gertude, Leslie and Kim - three English majors in a row - make a C- on a grammar test?
- She also "forgot" to write some of her homework in her planner.
- We get to practice at school (15 minutes away) to discover it's been postponed by 30 minutes and our coach should have called. Errands for 20 minutes, then back to a middle school boys game in progress. No coaches, no teammates. We hang around and watch the end of the game (we won by 1 point) then head home. I've left a message for the "coach" asking for an explanation.

Mental image to complete the story: me, in my blue flannel jammies with lobsters on them, new plaid flannel slippers over cold toes, covered by a plaid Scottie dog blanket, sipping hot tea from Murchie's in British Columbia.

HNY!

So my goal of celebrating a quiet, family-centered Christmas might have worked too well. I've been chastised (again!) for neglecting the blogosphere. I shall do better this year, lest a Canadian compadre cross borders to smack me upside the head. :)

How was everyone else's holiday? We had a lovely time hanging around the house, watching movies, playing outside, making bazillions of gingerbread cookies and just ... being. Honestly, this was the most serene, peaceful Christmas we've had in years, and we all needed it. A short recap:

* The second school was out, we hightailed it south to hang with my brother and his daughter. Delightful, watching the three cousins play together.

* Two days later we were back and into full Christmas swing at our house. The weather was just bizarre: low 70s in the afternoon, so we wore shorts on Christmas. Not normal.

* Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were just wonderful. The children loved their gifts, especially the Wii. Within about an hour of opening it, we held the first-ever Drew Bowling Tournament, handily won by Ryan. He's a crazy bowler. AK and I like to play tennis together, and Rus and Ryan are into the expert golf courses. The children played outside and broke in Ryan's new tournament-sized soccer goal and we took several walks around the neighborhood.

* Rus and I saw "Four Christmases" - totally hilarious. We all saw "College Road Trip" - very cute and harmless. We watched Mom's "Celtic Thunder" CD about 25 times, with Ryan acting out his favorite songs.

* Rus' parents paid a short visit, and Pops created the coolest rope ladder ever known to boy-kind.

*Rus and Ryan visited his parents in LA (Lower Alabama) while AK and I hosted Sleepoverpalooza with three of her girlfriends.

* New Year's Eve we spent with our friends the Dudleys, eating great food, telling stories and watching the kids shoot off some serious fireworks.

And that's about it! A few images of the season, for your viewing pleasure:

"Trials are proof of God's care."

Getting religious here for a second: this week has been a challenge on just about every level. Last night, after several long work days topped off by an office Christmas party, I thought my head just *might* pop off. I was very busy listening to everyone around me:
"You KNOW how things are in this economy."
"This is just what little boys are supposed to do."
"But I really *hated* that book, Mama!"
"Christmas is never a relaxing time, you know that."
"That looks more like a Valentine's present than a Christmas present."

Last night, I decided to bring it to a screeching halt. I don't have to listen to the naysayers and the grinches; I can make the choice to see the good, hear the good and follow the good. So I made that conscious decision late last night, and today is much more peaceful.

Today, I choose to eat a frog first (ask Mark Twain if you missed the reference) and then enjoy the rest of the day. I choose to rocket through my work, then focus on my children. I choose to play the "Island of the Blue Dolphins" dice game with 40+ 5th graders who still secretly get excited by Christmas, even if it's not cool to admit it. I choose to make reindeer antlers with 19 2nd graders and I won't even flinch when I get icing on my nice slacks just before a lunchtime meeting.

Life is good.

Hey Bratz Dolls: Don't Let the Door Hit You in the Rear

Remember the end of "The Untouchables," where Eliot Ness and his team finally get Al Capone? Not on gangster-related charges (roll with it - you know what I mean), but on tax evasion.

Now, remember the same thing happens at the end of "The Firm," where Tom Cruise enlists the help of his mob-related clients to bust his law firm for billing discrepencies?

I was thrilled, ecstatic and over-the-moon to see this link online this morning: http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/retail/judge-bars-mga-producing-selling-brat-dolls/

Doesn't matter the reason, the bottom line is the same. They're gone, I'm happy. The world - and the psyche of little girls everywhere - will be a better place.

The Dark Underbelly of College Football.

Let me say, loud and clear: I am a Georgia Bulldogs fan. Let there be no doubt in your mind.

Breaking news is Auburn just fired Tommy Tuberville, probably because he had a losing season (including a good old-fashioned butt-kicking in the Iron Bowl last weekend). But he's a good man, and he's had a great record at Auburn. He's done wonderful things for the football team and the athletics program. He's withstood a fly-by-night (literally) coup attempt that included Auburn's past president in its casualties. During his off-season (is there ever really one for an SEC coach?) he traveled to Iraq to spend time with the troops. He's donated his time to so many worthy causes. He's just a good man, and he's impressed me.

So as much as I am *not* an Auburn fan, I do see the unfairness in this, and I don't agree with the way college football rolls sometimes. Big hugs to all my Auburn fan friends (Kelly!), especially my husband.

If anyone knows Coach Tubby, tell him there's one Bulldog fan out there who's really sorry it came to this.

Happy Thanksgiving, la la la.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We headed to see Rus' family and were treated to some unseasonably warm weather. Thanksgiving Day we had a big group, but here we are with just the fam, about to dig into my MIL's awesome cooking. Don't even get me *started* on her sweet potato souffle - it's out of this world!

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? I am. :)

Perfection? Or goodness?

"The perfect is the enemy of the good."

A friend from my FebMoms chat group posted this yesterday, and it's been on my mind. Sometimes I push so hard for the perfect - grades from my children, behavior from my children, exercising at the gym, the cleanliness of our house, social activities - that I don't see the good all around me every day. Everything doesn't have to be perfect all the time; there are much, much more important things.

Sometimes, the "good" things aren't enough - they're more than enough.

I'm going to do better with this.

Election 2008: The Final Word

I'd like to share a little ditty a friend passed along via e-mail this morning. Just a little poetic snack to serve as an endnote to our recent election.

The election is over, the talking is done,
My party lost, your party won.
So let us be friends and let arguments pass,
I'll hug my elephant, you kiss your a$$.
- Author Unknown

THANK YOU! GOODNIGHT, COLUMBUS!

And the award goes to ...

I used to have this client, Jeff, who despised TV award shows more than anything. The Oscars, the Emmys, it didn't matter - to him, they were the scourge of our society, an indicator of all that is self-serving and wrong with our country. We had several spirited debates on the topic because, well ... I love me a good awards show. Not all of them, mind you. The Oscars are good. The Emmys, they're OK (good for watching while doing chores in and out of the room). The MTV awards - um, no. I do have standards. :)

Then there are the CMAs. We're big country music fans in this house and it's a family event to watch the performances and cheer on our favorite singers (SUGARLAND!!!). So we're perched in front of the TV this evening, jamming out to Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and even Kid Rock ("... singin' 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long ..."). The best part? No dirty lyrics, no hoochie mama outfits, no bleeps over bad words. Just great, great music and some very cool people.

So far, Sugarland's 1 for 2. Jennifer Nettles, the lead singer, graduated from Agnes Scott, you know. No wonder she's so darn cool.

Yeah, so ...

I can hear my friend Leslie's brain spinning from clear across the country.

It's been a long time, folks! Things happen. Football playoffs, soccer playoffs, tennis team matches, school plays, client trips, elections (and subsequent denial/depression cycles) ... next thing you know, it's been 12 days since you posted on the blog. My, how the time flies.

So a quick update:
- AK's tennis season has ended and her brand-new middle school team placed 3rd out of 8. No hardware, but a nice certificate. (And the knowledge that the team in first place was *very* loosey-goosey with the age rules. Think Chinese women's gymnastics.) But she had a blast and proved that a nice new racquet really makes all the difference in the world. She went 2-1 this season.
- Ryan has one more soccer game left. He's gone from "which direction do I run?" to "outta my way!" in a few short months. He scored another goal this past weekend, and it's still fun to see him giggle with glee.
- My work traveling has diminished, at least for now. January starts the ball rolling again. It's been nice to be home for such a long period of time (a whole month!).
- Rus has three (or four?) classes left and he'll possess a Masters. Woo-HOOO!
- Basketball practice for AK starts this week.
- Because of a soccer game, an end-of-season party and a Girl Scout camping trip, Rus and I will have to make do with listening to the UGA/Auburn game on the radio this year. The things we do.
- Illustrating temporary insanity at it's finest, I agreed to be our Troop's Cookie Manager for 2009. Get those checks ready, people, the Girl Scouts are coming in about 6 weeks!
- Our high school football team finished the season undefeated and starts round 1 of the playoffs this Friday night. Bring it, Hornets. You're goin' DOWN. This is our year to play in the Dome!

I continue to have a work challenge on my plate; not sure how to solve it or when it will end/go away. There must be something left for me to learn or I wouldn't still be dealing with this. Thoughts?

What Are You Doing November 4 (or before)?

I haven't missed voting in an election since I was 18. When I was in 7th grade, I found an essay written by my Aunt when she was in high school. It was a history of the suffragette movement, something that, until that time, I knew almost nothing about.

If you're a woman, it's a discredit to our gender if you don't get out there and vote. Almost 90 years ago, women fought with everything they had to earn the right to vote. Can you imagine someone telling you, today, that you can't vote because you're a woman?

For a little humor, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX40RsSLwF4
If you're in an office, turn down the sound on the Borat parts. :)

If you know me, you know how I voted. Whether you're on the same team or on the other team, please - go vote next week.

May I have your attention, please?

As of this morning at 10:30 a.m., I have voted. I am done. And while I love all of you, Republicans and Democrats ... I don't want to hear about it anymore. I don't want to talk about the election, I don't want to talk about the debates, I don't want to talk about ACORN or Ayers or Diebold or $21K for childcare. I don't want to talk about Mickey Mouse or Monica Key or POWs or women who shoot moose (meeses?).

This is the most distasteful, antagonistic, dishonest presidential campaign I've ever seen, and I am putting my foot down. It will not run my life anymore, it will not affect my mood anymore. From now on at the gym in the morning, I'll be watching videos while I'm on the elliptical. Or maybe smoothie ads. No more CNN and FOX.

I'm not even going to watch SNL anymore.

It's over for me. I'm done. Let's talk about the weather.

Soooooo, it's been a while!

Forgive me, my blogger police friends. I know it's been a long time since my last post. But the sadness of that one, plus two business trips back-to-back, plus a lovely holiday weekend ... well, let's just focus on the fact I'm back now, 'kay?

So many things have happened, and I'll update with photos soon. But while reading two other blogs, I became enchanted with a challenge they put forth: Both Christina and Michelle posted 100 things about themselves in answer to a challenge from their mutual friend. Do I even *know* 100 things about myself? Caviat: these are NOT in order of importance!

1. I love Diet Coke, but only drink it 2-3 times a week.
2. Sorry, Christina: Chick-fil-A has the best Diet Coke.
3. I love hash browns, but not the kind you make at home: the ones from Chick-fil-A and McDonald's are the best.
4. I do not like mushrooms of any kind, so don't ask.
5. I don't like snakes, either.
6. One time, I said a mild 4-letter-word while in a nature center when a park employee walked up behind me with a snake.
7. I was really mortified because I was chaperoning AK's class.
8. Fall is my absolute, hands-down favorite time of year.
9. Last night, I sat out on the patio with the dog and watched the moon rise while I shivered in the cool air.
10. No one else in the family knew where I was and for a few minutes, I was OK with that.
11. I love Disney World.
12. I don't have a favorite park; I love different things about all of them.
13. I will ride any roller coaster, at any time. Bring it, baby.
14. I will not ride anything that spins me around in a circle. Like, oh, tea cups.
15. I am a Georgia Bulldog fan.
16. I do not like U. of Florida, but will tolerate just about any other team.
17. I don't pay attention to the Falcons, but I think Matt Ryan might be a good addition.
18. I watch more sports than my husband.
19. High school football speaks to my heart: Friday Night Lights, cheering for the Cougars and dressing my children in blue and white!
20. Mean people frustrate me, but I'm working on it.
21. I didn't like it when we moved here, but I'm enjoying Columbus now.
22. I'm so very grateful for my family and friends.
23. I'm working on remembering to be grateful for everything in my life.
24. Cheetos - the crunchy kind - make me happy.
25. My friend Wendy introduced me to Hot Tamales, and it changed my life.
26. I have a 10-year-old girl.
27. And a 7-year-old boy.
28. They are who they are because they knew Christina and Michelle from the time they were three months old.
29. My children mean everything in the world to me and I'd do anything for them.
30. But I will *not* buy them any more Webkinz.
31. I know that the extra large Spacemaker storage bag holds 30 Webkinz and about 25 additional stuffed animals.
32. I am very demanding when it comes to my childrens' education.
33. I read voraciously.
34. But as I get older, I find myself reading only things that interest me.
35. I'm working on reading things that don't interest me to expand my knowledge.
36. I like Sarah Palin.
37. I hope McCain is our next president.
38. I truly, deeply believe McCain is the person we need to survive as a country.
39. I will gladly listen to other's political opinions and maybe even gently debate them - but I will not tolerate someone blanketly dissing my beliefs, nor will I do it to anyone else.
40. I am this many years old. :)
41. I think being 40 is cool.
42. I've learned to forgive myself more and care less about what other people think since turning 40.
43. My 40s will be the best years of my life, to date.
44. Because I say so.
45. I have become more spiritually focused since moving here.
46. I teach Sunday School 1 or 2 times a month.
47. I love what I do for a living.
48. My husband loves what he does for a living.
49. My husband inspires me in so many ways.
50. He is truly an involved, wonderful father.
51. My children are very lucky.
52. I consider our dog my canine child.
53. Our dog is very, very spoiled.
54. I love watching Ryan play soccer.
55. I am so excited about watching AK play her first tennis match tomorrow!
56. I would rather spend time with my family on the weekend.
57. I eat more candy than I should.
58. My regular gym visits have increased in the last two months.
59. I am so excited about our family vacation next summer I can't stand it.
60. I have a brother who is 3 years younger.
61. He has a gorgeous little girl who is a blast to be around.
62. I enjoy going out to dinner, but not as much as I used to.
63. I enjoy going out to eat when we're on vacation.
64. I love to shop online.
65. I love to window shop.
66. Most of my clothes are from J.Jill or Coldwater Creek or Ann Taylor Loft.
67. Everyone in my house has big blue eyes.
68. My canine child has golden eyes.
69. I never played sports as a child, but I love to play them now.
70. Rus proposed to me on Jekyll Island.
71. He tricked me, and I was completely speechless.
72. I said yes. :)
73. St. Simons is my go-to place when I need to relax and reconnect with myself and my family.
74. My favorite restaurants there are Gnat's Landing, Fourth of May and Sweet Mama's.
75. Cuddling and snuggling with my children makes me so happy.
76. I used to be blonde.
77. I still am, but I pay for it now.
78. I love one-on-one time with each of my children.
79. I love one-on-one time with Rus even more.
80. Our sitter is a fantastic person and a tremendous role model.
81. I find it hard to listen when people whine about what they don't have.
82. I own too many purses.
83. I would buy many more if I won the lottery.
84. Shoes - I can take them or leave them.
85. I love a new, well-fitting outfit that was bought on sale.
86. I've taught both my children to "never pay retail."
87. The rest of the house will be clean but my office is a federal disaster area.
88. I don't get paid to keep my office clean.
89. We have a maid service because I cannot stand cleaning.
90. I enjoy ironing clothes.
91. "Northern Exposure" is my favorite TV show ever.
92. "Men in Trees" is a close second.
93. Diana Gabaldon is my favorite author.
94. This Christmas, I will start a program to read the entire Bible in one year.
95. I am grateful for my clients.
96. I am grateful for my children.
97. I am grateful for my wonderful husband.
98. I am grateful for the strong relationship I have with my parents.
99. I am grateful that my brother says "I love you" every time we hang up the phone.
100. I am grateful for every person that read this list!