Grandaddy, Wild Animals and Perfect Weather

Happy Birthday to Big Tom!

I am a little late in this birthday wish since my father's birthday was last week. I thought we would be celebrating when my parents came down for presidents' day weekend. Unfortunately their plans changed last minute and they had to stay in GA so I am doing a belated birthday post with no pics of us all eating the cake I wanted to make him.
My dad is the most humble, unselfish person I know. His entire life is spent working for his family and serving others. There is not a pretentious or self serving bone in his body.  My dad can tend to be a workaholic, always staying long hours and working overtime on weekends.  In thirty years, I have never heard him complain once about going to work nor have I ever seen him take a sick day. And it isn't so he can pat himself on the back or buy a bunch of nice things--it all goes to his family. He paid his own way through the Citadel (I mean who does that, the Citadel?) to then go on to pay for my sister and me to go to college and last year he used his bonus to start Loulie's college fund. I'll say it again--UNSELFISH! 
Two weeks ago he finally bought a new (used) car after driving an old truck for 13 years. I called mom to see if he was enjoying it. 
"I don't know," she said. "It is still parked in the driveway." The new car stayed in the driveway for four days. When I asked my dad why he had not taken his new car to work yet, he told me he was embarrassed and then under his breath said he didn't feel like he deserved a new car. Again--HUMILITY!
Seriously, he is the best dad and I am so grateful for all the lessons he has taught me, for being the picture of what it is like to be humble before the Lord, for sacrificing so much so that I could have a better life than he did and most of all for putting up with a household of girls.

Despite the change of plans and my parents not coming, we had a really incredible weekend. It is just hard to not have fun when it is sunny and 70 degrees in February. We headed down to the SEWE Wildlife festival downtown. I have been going since I was a kid and I have never seen it this crowded. I don't know if it was the pretty weather or that they have added so much more to the festival or if it has just become more popular over the years but there were about a gazillion people in downtown Charleston. 

We started out viewing and attempting to feed the exotic (or exotic for the south) animals. This got a little confusing.

"Look Loulie, there's a zebra."

"Mmmoooooo"

"No, cows moo. Zebras say uhhhh????"

"Look Loulie, there's a camel."

"Mmmoooo."

"Actually camels spit." Five seconds later I found myself apologizing to the girl in front of me and trying to wipe the spray off her back.

We left that tent after trying to feed the already full sheep and realizing that there is no way to explain to a 17 month old that not every animal has to make a noise and that you can't crawl in the cage with a porcupine. 

This is when we really got scared though...

Out of every booth and  dog exhibit and jump castle, Loulie broke loose and headed over to the band. And I'm not talking about some high schoolers strumming some tunes. As we approached, the fiddler was just refilling his cup with bourbon. Loulie stood in front of the band for the next 20 minutes with her hands in the air while her dad stood back sweating through his shirt.

"I just want you to know she gets this from your side" is what he leaned in to tell me as Loulie practically noodled and clapped for an encore. Pretty hilarious as long as this doesn't become a lifelong ambition. All Bert and I could think about was Penny Lane in Almost Famous. :)

We ended the day with a little snuggle from this guy. 

The rest of the weekend was spent bike riding, walking the bridge and hitting the playground. I actually got to meet my cousin, her husband, my sister and Bruce for brunch on Sunday. It's been a while since I have had an actual adult brunch and loved getting to catch up with everyone.

I really wish this was the last of the cold and that we could pack up the sweaters but I have a feeling we'll get another taste of winter. 

On a side note, American Idol is playing in the other room. Some of the contestants are saying they don't know who the Beatles are. "WHAT THE HELLO?" Have they been living under a rock? That should get them eliminated immediately. Not knowing who the Beatles are and/or auditioning with a Ke$ha song---automatic out--you clearly don't know good music!


Hope everyone had a good weekend!
Happy Hump Day! 

Always a little late...

Well, Valentine's Day has come and gone without me posting a dang thing on LOVE. After a great weekend of being completely spoiled and overindulged (me by my sister in laws, Loulie by grandparents); we returned back to Charleston pretty tired and with a lot of catching up to do. Why is it you always need a vacation after your vacation?
I've had so much I've wanted to write on but have just been too tired by the end of the day to elaborate on anything. We had a great Valentine's Day--let me rephrase, Loulie had a great Valentine's day which made mine great. Since we were out of town, the day was kind of all about my Love Bug. We did manage to grab Bert's favorite meal on our way out of Macon as a "sorry we missed V Day and you were alone" gift. I'll admit--I think Valentine's is a cheesy holiday that Bert and I usually ignore but it was pretty fun celebrating this year with Loulie.

She made homemade chocolates and 3D cards for everyone in the family.

                           

I made her one of those pottery barn backpacks and filled it with goodies. Go figure, her favorite gift was a 99 cent ball. We spent the day just doing fun things she likes. 

 Here's a little V Day admission--I think Loulie is the coolest person EVER! The more I get to know her, the more awesome I think she is. 

I think she gets tired of me telling her...

I don't care--nothing can keep me from squishing those legs and kissing those cheeks!

This is what I have to live up to..

Loulie and I are in Macon for the next couple of days. We arrived late yesterday afternoon. 

This is what I walked into...

- Hoda's biography is on my bedside table. I love Hoda. My mom knows this and therefore her new book is on my bedside table.

- The refridgerator is stocked with my favorite chicken salad from a local deli, hummus, and my favorite half caff coffee. 

- My mom then tells me that she got us tickets for the next night to go see a musical. In case you are just joining me, I LOVE a good musical; especially when it is a surprise.

- Go to bed last night and I now have some kick a@* fancy orthopedic pillow and down mattress cover that feels like I am laying on a cloud.

Ahhhhh, home!!!!

Oh and today my mother took Loulie and me shopping and got the L Bug clothes for Spring. Is this for real?! Is coming home not the best? What is it about the way your mom makes the coffee that tastes better? My clothes somehow smells better after being washed here. And I can sleep like a rock in my old bed because the second we set foot in my parent's house, Loulie magically starts sleeping through the night. I can't explain it. All I know is I have a lot to live up to--I hope Loulie feels as loved when she comes home with her kids one day. 

I'm leaving tomorrow for Atlanta. My sister in law surprised me and my other sister in law with a girls' weekend for Christmas. I am super pumped and could really get used to all this spoiling! What can I say-I've been blessed with great family.

Especially this little punkin...

Even though I know we'll be having fun in Atlanta, I'm going to miss her like crazy. I can't wait to surprise her with musical tickets and favorite snacks or whatever she's into one day.

On a side note, my parents crack me up. Example conversation:

Dad: Lauren, can I borrow your alarm clock? Your mother (pronounced Muuuuuthaaaa) threw mine away.

Me: Why did she throw it away?

Dad: She thought it was broken.

Mom: It was, the arms were broken off and laying at the bottom of it.

Dad: It still went off every morning at 5.

Who can argue with that?

Hope everyone has a great weekend full of your favorite things!!!

Bookworm

I am back to the land of the living after finishing the Hunger Games trilogy last Tuesday. Two posts ago, I had just started the third book. 1200 pages in 5 days--let's just say the laundry, the house and the filthy car waited. The last book was somewhat of a disappointment only because I wanted more. I can mourn a good book and this one was no exception. I spent days afterwards thinking about it--the characters, the underlying meaning to the authors over arching storyline.
I liken it to the way I feel after a great wedding weekend. You know how when you're in a wedding it is all you do from Friday at noon until you wake up Sunday morning. You really get to know the bride's sister from out west, her precious niece, you dance with the groom's cool college roommate, you really click with her coworker. Basically you fall in love with all these cool people and have so much fun with them all weekend only to say good bye on Sunday thinking "Man, if only they lived close by, we could be really good friends." But they fly on back to Seattle or wherever and you hope that maybe the couple will have a blowout baby shower or 40th birthday party in a few years where you can hang out with their fun family and friends again.
That's usually how I feel at the end of a good book when the heroine is so likeable that you almost envy him/her or the setting is somewhere you have always wanted to live or visit. I have been this way forever, getting so wrapped up in a book. I'm sure those of you reading that don't read for pleasure think I am nuts. I know there are those out there that hate to read--a People magazine is as close as you get and that's just for the quick crossword. But for those of you who share my love affair with a good paperback, here are a few of my recent reads and past favorites...


obv, The Hunger Games Trilogy
while it appears at first to be a teen fantasy, Twilight esque addiction; these books have so much more to say about war, peace, hope and the human spirit.
            


Her Mother's Hope
Her Daughter's Dream
by Francine Rivers
This is another series that resulted in a lot of sleep loss for me this fall. I loved these books. Francine Rivers is one of my favorites and I had heard a lot of mixed reviews over these. I highly recommend them. It gave me a lot to think about as a mother but I loved the message of forgiveness that resonates throughout. I just finished The Atonement Child by Rivers--I would never recommend it because of the delicate subject matter but thought it was good and that she remained true to her style. My favorite however is Redeeming Love--again, up until 4:00 finishing this one a few years ago.

   

                            

A Prayer for Owen Meany

by John Irving

Quite possibly the best book you will ever read. It was made into a movie about 10 years ago that no where near lived up to the book.

Something Borrowed

Something Blue

by Emily Giffin

Perfect beach read! Also being made into a movie this year.

I cannot wait for the day I get to read this to the L Bug. You can't find a better heroine than Anne...

Just a few of my favs. Have any suggestions for me? I am always looking for a good one.

Glimpse of Spring

Monday morning has brought the cold dreary January weather back with it. Yuck! Work or no work, office or not, boss or freelance; I have decided everyone gets a case of the Mondays--even Loulie Bug Dasher. Who can blame her or anyone for that matter after coming off such a beautiful, fun weekend? It was 70 degrees here in Charleston--a nice surprise after what has felt like an endless month of bad news and gross inside weather.

We made the most of it. Friday night, Loulie and I headed over to Aunt Muffy and Uncle B's to have some dinner and so she could meet Collin, their nephew on Bruce's side. Loulie and Collin are 6 months apart and hit it off. I'm glad Bert wasn't there because by the end of the night they were hugging, kissing and had caught Bieber fever. He's already horrified that she can shake her hips like that.

Saturday we took a little adventure to Fresh Fields Village down at Kiawah Island. This is a mere 20 miles from our home but we have never taken the time to explore the area. This was the perfect time to take Loulie because it was quiet and tourist free, except for us. We walked around with our camera and Bert fell in love with some of the simple architecture. It gave him some great ideas for IceHouse designs.

We let Loulie run around, took some time checking things out and had lunch outside. We ended the day with a long family bike ride and more outdoor time with Bridget.

Sunday was even more perfect!!! Do you ever go to church and there might as well not be anyone else there because you are just sure that the minister God is speaking directly to you? That would have been me yesterday. One of our new ministers, Simon Guillebaud, has just joined us from Burundi. And man can he send a message. We haven't been able to attend church regularly in January due to illness and other things so it felt good to be back. Also, for the first time ever, we dropped Loulie off in the nursery without a single tear shed--Go Big Girl! The only slightly embarrassing moment was when Loulie, who has just learned the sign for stinky, turned to the pubescent boy not wearing deodorant next to us to share her opinion on his pheromones. Lovely.

I was able to catch up on a few projects that I'll post later this week and then spend the rest of the afternoon outside.

Have you ever met a dog that likes to slide? Bridget cannot handle anyone playing or having a good time without her.  At least she has learned to take turns with Loulie.  I'm not sure how it looks in these pictures but it is hilarious live.

I wish every weekend could be such a perfect combination of physical activity, rest and fun. It sure made facing this cold, wet Monday a little easier. I'm about to head off to the vet with Bridget and Loulie--pray for me! :) I'm hoping the equivalent of social services for animals doesn't take her away because she is approximately 500lbs. I am just bracing myself for the lecture from Dr. Patrick. 

Have a happy week!

The little things...

I am by nature a pretty anxious person. As a child I pretty much worried about everything from hitting a double pirouette in ballet class to the depleting ozone. About five years ago, the Lord spoke Matthew 6 to me so clearly and it changed the way I lived and looked at life. But beneath my faith, I still have a worrisome personality that can pop up on me every now and then. I knew parenthood would guarantee moments that would send me into a tailspin of worry. What I didn't know and what the Lord has chosen to surprise me with over and over again, is that these tiny moments of worry are useless and can be changed into moments of sheer victory and joy and pride.
Like today, Loulie and I were at her peewee gymnastics class. Keep in mind that Loulie does not have tons of experience with a room full of toddlers all vying for the same toys she wants. I get nervous that an uncontrollable tantrum could occur or even worse that she could get hurt or not included--all things that may not seem like a big deal to someone who is not her mother but that I wrestle with as I stand back and watch her navigate her new surroundings. 
First event--we were supposed to stand at the bottom of an elevated gym mat and verbally encourage our child to allow a complete stranger (the teacher) to roll them over a ball into a flip. I'm not sure who was more nervous--me or Loulie but I'm pretty sure it showed more on my face than hers. She was clearly confused, a bit scared and did not do the most stellar flip. I clapped and congratulated her and suggested we move on. But she stopped and watched some more kids take their turn and without me saying a thing, she got back in line to do it again. She still looked a bit undecided on whether or not this was a good idea but she tried again on her own accord. And I could not have been more proud! She landed that flip--think Kerry Strug--it was that kind of victory.
Second event--cleaning up the bouncing balls. Loulie gets attached to toys, as in she does not want to give them up and can throw a whopping tantrum when something is taken from her before she is ready. So I stood on the sidelines watching silently, praying there would not be a scene. Loulie stood by looking from the bin back to her ball and then to the bin. And then she did it. When the teacher asked for her ball, she placed it in the bin, turned around and had the biggest smile on her face running back to me. An "I did it" look beaming.


And I can parent on those two moments for weeks because in spite of my own insecurities and fears of things I may be passing on to Loulie or all the things that I could be doing wrong, the Lord showed me once again that worry of any kind is useless and that he has her sweet and eager to learn heart right in his hand. That by love and (with his help) a good example, that she will be able to persevere through any fear and do the right thing. 
This probably sounds like not a big deal to most, but I find that it is the little things, the small lessons from above that encourage me when the daily responsibilities and pressures of raising a whole and happy person become a bit overwhelming. I should probably start taking some tips from my Bug-- just get back in line and try again.
Thank you Bugs for always surprising me, showing me your sweet and loving spirit and encouraging me in my job as a mother everyday. Proud doesn't even cover it!

Stage an intervention, I have an addiction...

I should not be allowed to read--Period! I get so completely wrapped up in a good book that I all but put aside basic hygiene and daily responsibility because I just succumb to the turning of the pages. That is if it is a good one. When I was reading the Twilight novels, I had to give myself rules so that I could get other things done.
As a resolution this year, I made an actual list of the books I want to read but could never have prepared myself for the little surprise Suzanne Collins would have for me. Oh, I have some C.S. lewis, a book on photography, some John Irving and a book on parenting in the first few spots on my list. But while I was in Augusta, my cousin handed me the first two books in the Hunger Games trilogy describing the basic outline of the first book. I was skeptical just like with Twilight, thinking "I don't do sci-fi, scary or post apocolyptic." Wrong. IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
The down side is Loulie has had to learn to bath herself and work the stove because I can barely get my nose out of now the third book in five days! Just kidding, it's not that bad. No need to call child services. I have been taking care of my child and house but after that Bug is in the bed; I am concreted to the sofa flipping pages until all hours of the morning. 
Bottom line--go get it! Unless you have a lot to do, then wait for spring break or something. I won't describe the plot to you because you will think I am crazy--just take my word, pick up Hunger Games and read 40 or so pages. Then forget about showering, brushing your teeth or eating for four days and call me when you've finished page 390 of the Mockingjay!

http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483

Team Peeta,

Lauren