Thanksgiving in a Nutshell

I am going to make this quick. Any minute I fear a gecko could run up my leg (Andrew informed me he saw one a week ago and it ran away into hiding under MY computer desk).

Thanksgiving came and went - FAST. Besides freaking out at the beginning of Thanksgiving dinner (and I do mean FREAKING OUT), Maddox was great and had a blast with all his family. He put his grandmas and grandpas all to work...and they loved it, of course. He fell in love, too...with his cousins Lindsey and Kayla. I think he wanted to take them home.

Jude smiled at everyone, cooed, slept a whole bunch and GREW UP, I swear. Every time I look at that baby he is getting bigger and bigger.

Ok. Enough rambling. The gecko is probably planning his attack at this very moment. Let me just say I had a fabulous time and cherished every single moment. It was probably Ninny's worst Thanksgiving, though. She came down with possible food poisoning and went to bed. I hate she was sick - she missed some amazing food! But there is always Christmas...and yes, I already can't wait! The tree is going up today.

There is no home like "sweet Carolina." But Maddox reminded me lastnight that this is our home, for now, and I need to stop whining about it. He grinned when he saw his room and all his toys. He put his stool back in its place, sat on his dump truck and said, "HOME!"

And it IS home...home sweet home, even if I don't always realize it.

(what follows are just some of the memorable pictures I took)

On the Road Again!

Tomorrow is going to be a hectic day. I'm making my list and checking it twice...well, really more like checking it 3, 4, 5 times. We are heading to sweet Carolina bright and early Saturday. Jude will meet a lot of his family for the first time - I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!! Uncle Jody is back from Afghanistan, too, and NaNa made us all sugar cookies.

P.S. I am really really excited (if you can't tell).

Maddox's Revenge..or A Snake in The House

The day after Halloween, I played a little trick on Maddox. See, he thought this spider was real. And it kind of upset him. (It was just a rubber spider that someone handed out in his Halloween bucket)

Well, he got me back. He got me GOOD. Andrew was home early from work and we were changing Jude's spit-up sheets when I spotted what looked just like a tiny black snake-yes, a SNAKE-behind Jude's toy basket. Chaos ensued. Maddox was banished to his bed, I held the flashlight in one hand and Jude in the other (at a safe distance) and Andrew approached the creature - "snake boots" and shovel ready.

At that moment, Jude pooped himself so bad it ran down my arm (sorry for the details) and to be honest - we probably could have all pooped ourselves. What if Andrew missed? What if it was poisonous? What if there were MORE (God forbid!)??? Then, bam, Andrew chopped it's head off. "Hit it again!" I yelled. He did (our poor floor).

There it was - a disgusting little snake, dead and...purple? Wait. "Is this a toy snake?" Andrew asked.

That's when it hit me.

Maddox had gotten a fake spider AND a fake snake in his Halloween bucket.

Relief set in.

Then laughter.

I don't think I'll be messing with Maddox anymore. I got what I deserved - and then some!