My Sexy Mom =)

Happy Birthday to my sexy mom!
She is quite the lady!

My dad is one lucky man!

She raised two pretty sexy daughters, and taught us important theories like
"They are just men, you cant expect much"
"You cant buy class"
and when we would cry over something stupid she would tell us to "Dry it up" (Probably the reason I hardly ever cry!)

She is a great second mom to the men in our life

Lover of her dogs, and always rocking the baseball hat in a classy way

The greatest "Shonnie" in the world!

We love you!!!

A big break?

I interrupt my screwed up blog format to make this post, because I just need to write to clear my head.

Do you ever just feel like you are waiting for your big break? Like, sooner or later something HAS to work out? That's how I feel right now. I realize that I have absolutely nothing to complain about, and I am not intending to complain. I have a healthy family, a precious son, a roof over my head, really, nothing to complain about. Maybe I just need some outside perspective?

Here's my situation for anyone new to the blog. When I was 23 I bought a condo type house. It was perfect for me because I was unmarried with no children. I bought it at the peak of the housing boom, (and I paid for it too.) When I got married we listed the house on the market. My husband is the "wide open spaces" type of guy, we wanted something with a bigger yard. It was listed for over a year and a half. We had TONS of lookers... but no buyers. Foreclosures came and went up and down our street. Always way lower priced than ours (Obviously).

Fast forward... we try to rent our home. Our very first showing was a hit! The potential renters wanted to move in within 4 days. We busted our butts to hurry to move out... and then they didn't show up to sign the lease. We have showed it numerous times since, but there is always another house in the neighborhood beating our price. Or people feel like it should be a mansion... (Its a condo people!) Same story as before.

We are taking a loss on renting it, so we are in no means being stingy or trying to make a profit. Just wanting to get it filled.

With all that being said... something's gotta give right!? I feel like I am going to be retiring in this house!
Maybe God was trying to tell us to stay put? We were so excited to have renters that we rushed to move. We thought "FINALLY, OUR PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!"... or not. Maybe there is a reason we cant get rid of the house? We have the opportunity to move into my in-laws former house. A great fixer up with a MUCH lower payment, yet we cant until we get renters.

Seriously though, SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE RIGHT!?!!?

Have you dealt with this? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Please tell me there is!

Effed Up

I have effed up my blog.... please stand by.

5 Months!

I am really late on posting Keating's 5 month pics. It is crazy how fast he is growing and how much he is learning every day! His funny personality is really coming out. So is his constant need to be doing anything but sitting. He gets that from his dad! Brad is major ADD, even though he wont admit it! He always has to be moving or outside piddling with something. Keating is definitely his father's child.

Dont let this angel face fool you, he is quickly learning how to throw a fit if something isnt EXACTLY how he wants it. I am going to have my hands full!

Lola was really not wanting to cooperate for this photo!

I kind of think he is starting to look more like me too, even though Brad still calls him his "mini me"

5 Month Stats

• Started eating solid food- he has eaten cereal, bananas, squash, carrots, and peaches
• he can almost sit up by himself, he is still a little wobbly
• he is starting to scoot, but not crawling
• he has a double chin and a big buddah belly!
• tries to hold his own bottle
• likes playing with things he isnt supposed to such as remotes and iphones
• has out grown his swing
• his best buddy is his new roommate my parents yellow lab John!

Yay or Nay?

My mom told me today that she didnt like my new blog design. You can always count on your mom for being honest!

So what do yall think? I know the gray was a little depressing. I have quite the obsession with gray lately, and monotones just didnt transfer well into blog form. It is a good thing we arent moving yet, because I'm pretty sure I would paint the whole house gray!

For a little weekend recap, this weekend was a bit more relaxing than last weekend. We weren't moving so that helped! Still trying to rent our house... praying for a perfect match this week! We would appreciate your prayers to get that sucker filled before August!

Although we squeezed in a few lazy afternoon naps, Keating was not a happy camper this weekend so there was lots of SCREAMING at our house. I am pretty sure its a huge growth spurt because we had to raise his jumper a whole setting because he could almost touch his knees to the ground... in ONE WEEK! Poor little man.

The highlight of his weekend was seeing his girlfriend Gianna at her 1st birthday party! He was eyeing all of the food and beverages and wishing he could partake! In other news, he has been LOVING real food. We have made him bananas, squash, carrots, and peaches. He is a Georgia
Peach at heart because those are his favorite! MMMMmmmm!!

Sorry for the iphone photo, but this was too cute not to post! Okay, maybe everyone doesnt think carrot face is cute, but I sure do!!

... yes he eats like a white trash baby in only a diaper. I've learned the hard way that its just much easier that way!

Moving has taught me a few things...

To give yall an update. We are all moved out, with no renters. Our renters were supposed to sign the lease yesterday at 12 noon.... and at 12 noon, they started acting really shady. Therefore, we hurried our move for nothing. Oh well at least it is done now. Back to Craigslist to find more renters.

We are currently living in my parents basement until our next house is ready. I will describe more about that later. So yes, it may seem strange that our little family is living with my folks, but I really think it is going to be lots of fun. We have one full house right now, and Keating is loving seeing his Shonnie and Gpaw every day!

Packing up a house is SERIOUS work! I bought my house when I was 23 and in the last 3 years I not only acquired a husband but also a baby! We had TONS of stuff to move. Moving taught me a few things.

1. We can get by with a lot less than I thought we could. Stuff that I NEEDED, was easily thrown away when we had to store the things we wouldnt be using for the next 3 months. I got rid of BAGS of stuff. Things that were once so important are now gone.

2. I shouldnt shop the clearance rack. I would say 90% of clothes that I got rid of, were all red sticker "deals." I think I buy things impulsively because its a good deal, not because I need it. As Clark Howard says, "If you dont need it, then it isnt a good deal." The things I actually budgeted and saved my pretty pennies for, were much better investments.

3. I will never be a size 2 again in my life Those pants that I have been hiding in the back of the closet arent going to grace these child bearing hips ever again. My body has changed, and I'm okay with that. It was worth it =) Therefore, I ditched the pants to stop reminding me daily that they dont fit. I dont need the stress.

4. No matter how clean I think my house is, it really isnt. There was SO MUCH DUST once we moved all of the furniture out. Eww! Its nasty to think that dust and hair is hiding out under the rugs and furniture while we were living there. My next house I will have a roomba.

Well back to unpacking and organizing.

Dear Chinese Commenter...

PLEASE STOP COMMENTING ON MY BLOG. It is REALLY annoying to always have to delete your comments because you are posting some sort of Asian links. No one is clicking on it so please leave my blog alone. K thanks.

5 months ago today...

My life was forever changed.

Relapse... time to ferberize.

Gone are the days of peaceful sleep in our house. Keating has decided that he doesnt want to sleep through the night anymore. After the 4 month wakeful period and now starting to get teeth... night time is NOT FUN in our house. We are at the end of our ropes.

I have tried everything to help him self soothe. NOTHING WORKS! He wants me in there with him, and sometimes that isnt even enough. We have tried crying it out... this kid could make crying a sport. He will scream forever, or what seems like forever.

Tonight, we ferberize!

I am going to sleep in our guest room, not because the Mr. and I are starting to act like 70 year olds, but because I am nice and will let him sleep through the madness. Also he hates hearing him cry and wants to rush right in. Such a softie!

Any magical suggestions on getting a baby to sleep!?

Dear Redneck at Wal-Mart...

Dear Redneck Employee at Wal-Mart and any other moron,

Apparently your mother didnt teach you any manners, so I think it is my civic duty to do so. When you came up as I browsed the baby aisle and asked my child's name, I cheerfully told you. I said "Keating" (nearly hyperventilating that you touched my baby's foot.) As you responded with "KEEETIN? Hmm, he's gonna wanna go by his middul name. "What's his middul name?" I fought the urge to say something condescending. So I replied with "Bradford" as I tried to ignore you, because at this point, you were getting on my nerves and you had already proved your stupidity. When you said " Weyul maybe he can go by Brad" I shortly responded with "No.... his NAME is KEATING" And if you couldnt stick your foot any further in your toothless mouth... you thought an appropriate response was "Weyul, he's gonna hayyte you as a teenager!"

I am proud of myself for only retaliating with "That's a pretty rude thing to say" and walking away. Because if I said what I was thinking, I would have been a lot more blunt. I would have started with "What do you know about a family name you dumb hick? I'm sure the only name passed down in your family is BUBBA! Why do you think it is appropriate to offer your personal opinions on my child's name?"

Which brings me to my next point... the morons. Why is it that people like yourself feel it necessary to say stupid things to people with babies or pregnant women??? If you met an adult would you immediately say "wow, that name sucks, you should go by your middle name!" Of course you wouldnt, that would be rude! So what makes it okay for you to say it to a baby!?

On to the pregnant women... it is NOT OKAY to make a comment about how big or small a women is when she is carrying a baby. Would you approach a lady and say "wow, you're pretty big! or wow you're so small, are you sure you're eating enough? NO, YOU WOULDNT. Therefore, it is also inappropriate to say that to a pregnant woman. What is it about people when they see babies and pregnant bellies? They just cant keep their thoughts and hands to themselves. Which reminds me. DONT TOUCH MY BABY OR MY PREGNANT BELLY WITH YOUR NASTY HANDS. DISGUSTING!

Summer is so hectic!

I thought summer was a time when you were supposed to relax and catch up from the chaos of the other 9 months of the year!? We are already in JULY! Its nuts I tell ya!

We are already teething in our house. Seriously... where has time gone?? My baby cant be old enough to be getting teeth. But, sadly its true!

I'm apologizing in advance. Life is crazy right now, and I may not have time to blog much. I am currently packing up our house to move. I dont want to say where we are going just yet, out of fear of jinxing something. But lets just say if it all works out, it would be sweet! So I'll fill you in later as I know more.

We also have to get ours rented out STAT! If you have any advice for successfully renting out your house to people that dont trash it and leave you high and dry, I'd love to hear it! We are new to the whole landlord thing!

Here's a pic I took of Keating when I did some 4 month portraits of him. I could eat him up!

... and baby is crying... naptime is over.

Thumb sucker

Yesterday I found Blue sucking his thumb. It wasn't the normal eating his fist like he always does. He blatantly had his thumb in his mouth and was going to town. I pulled it out of his mouth and he smiled a big toothless grin at me. Like he knew I didn't want him doing it.

So my question is... Is it bad that I'm discouraging it? It would help him to soothe himself to sleep better. But, he will also probably mess up his teeth. He is already going to probably need braces... Sadly that's a trait he will get from his mom. I looked like Mr. Ed until 5th grade... Sad story. So I would like for him to not make the buck teeth chances even higher. Is there anything I can do to prevent him from sucking besides just yanking it out?

Red, White and Blueberry Salsa

I mentioned a while back how I wanted to start trying out Southern Living recipes and blogging about them. Well this is my first one! I saw this recipe in the July issue and I thought it would be PERFECT for the 4th of July.

It may sound strange, but trust me, its delicious and SO easy! I may have mentioned before how I dont like the taste of fresh tomatoes, so I especially love this recipe because it doesnt require them!

2 cups coarsely chopped blueberries
1 cup whole blueberries
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 seeded and minced jalapenos
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all of the ingredients and serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.


What are your favorite 4th of July dishes??

Praying

Today will be a day of blogging silence in support of Megan at In This Wonderful Life, as she and her husband hold the memorial service for their little baby Cohen. Please pray for Megan and Brent during this difficult time. Also be sure to give your babies a big squeeze and thank God for them and their health.