We took a break from watching TV to PARTY!

We went to a birthday party yesterday afternoon for Peyton, a boy in Ellen's class at school.  She had a lot of fun with her daycare buddies, especially Katie Beth and Carly.  Nothing warms a mother's heart like hearing your child's name called over and over again by her friends.  So glad she is loved.

The only way she would slide - she's a cautious one

Signed, Sealed and Soon to be Delivered

To say I am behind, or even way behind, when it comes to acknowledging special events and occasions that have occurred in my family this year is an understatement.  But today I am finally mailing Allie's birthday card (March), Kelly's high school graduation card (June) and two cards that could have been delivered in person: Aunt Diane's birthday card (July 22nd) and Andrea and Caleb's Anniversary card (July 25th).

I know the dates of everyone's birthday and anniversary but I have not been good at sending cards on time.  I buy the cards, usually in advance (is that the problem?), but yet I seem to send them late, and in this case very late, or sometimes not at all (shameful).  It has gotten worse over the last couple of years.  And the thing is, I genuinely enjoy sending cards and celebrating via mail with my family.

I am making a commitment today, July 30th, to purchase and mail cards and gifts on time and with gusto.

Wish me luck!

Our weekend in North Carolina

Haircut courtesy of Grandmother

(Don't let this picture fool you... Ellen was in constant motion the whole time)

 At the Winston-Salem Children's Museum

"Shopping" in Food Lion was her favorite activity of the day

 My Grandfather's place at the mausoleum.  He did not want to be buried under ground.  My Grandmother will be to the left of him (you can see the curtain covering the opening).

We a had a nice long weekend with my family.  It was good to be home.  My Grandmother's service went well and I got to visit with people I don't see very often.  My Mom and sister both spoke and they did a great job.  I am proud of them.  Not only for what they said but for being able to speak under those circumstances.  My Mom said she had to stop looking at me while she was talking.  I thought it was because I was crying but it turns out, at least according to her, I had a horrified look on my face.  Good to know?

On a lighter note, we (me, Phillip and Ellen) had some down time on Friday so we went to the children's museum.  Our tom tom decided to stop working, and it still isn't, but we somehow made it there and back despite my faulty sense of direction.  I did take us on a 20 minute joy ride through a part of town I have never been in but that is besides the point.  Ellen had fun at the museum and I am really glad we were able to sqeeze it in.  She also wanted to go to Granddaddy's Chuck E. Cheese and the Asheboro Zoo but we didn't have time :)

Hodge Podge

What is funnier than Ellen sneaking 1 Lean Cuisine into our grocery cart?  Ellen sneaking 2 Lean Cuisines into our cart.  Surprise!

Me:  I am really going to try to dry my hair tomorrow morning
Phillip:  It's good to have goals

Ellen to Granddaddy:  My Daddy isn't very good at coloring.  He's good at cooking though.

Ellen randomly started singing Sweet Home Alabama while taking a bath last week.  We found out that she learned it from a friend at school.  She didn't quite have the right tune down so Phillip showed her the video on YouTube after her bath.

Me to Phillip:  I bet no one has ever had to tell you to slow down before
(I am typically a fast walker and let's just say that Phillip is not usually in a hurry, but he has me beat now that I have a temperamental passenger.  The tables have turned and Phillip is taking advantage of it.)

Phillip and I recently watched The Company Men.  Warning:  It may cause you, as it did Phillip, to have nightmares about getting fired.  We both liked the movie despite this unfortunate side effect.

Ellen cried and cried when we left North Carolina on Sunday.  She sobbed "I don't want to leave" over and over again.  She wouldn't say goodbye to anyone.  It was so sad!

I am over this heat.  I am ready for cooler weather.  And all things Fall!

Room Update:  My Dad suggested we get Ellen a twin bed and I think we are going to do just that.  We are going to take the guest room furniture out completely (Mom and Dad are going to store it for us) and turn that room into the nursery.  Ellen does not want to switch rooms and that is fine with us.  She will get a new bed (and possibly a dresser, small desk and a bookshelf) and her current full bed will go in the baby's room, along with the crib, changing table and chest of drawers.  Basically all of the same furniture we have used for Ellen over the years, some of which is in her room now, will be in the nursery.  We will paint the nursery (not sure what color yet) and possibly Ellen's room.  I only wanted to paint one of the rooms but I think Ellen is set on having a pink room, which is kind of my fault.  Oh well.  I am ready to get started!

While we were home Phillip, Ellen and I ate at Ronni's.  This is Phillip's favorite restaurant (or at least one of his top 5).  We had wings, pizza and fried zucchini.  They have the best fried zucchini.  Much to Phillip's dismay Ellen was not very impressed with Ronni's.  "This restaurant smells yuck" were her exact words.  One day she will appreciate the goodness.

Mom and Dad bought Ellen a Barbie that came with a dog, Taffy, and 3 puppies.  One of the puppies, which we named Puddles, drinks from a plastic bottle and then pees.  Ellen loves it.  Watching a dog go to the bathroom has never been so cute.

When listening to the radio Ellen only wants to hear "girl music", as in female vocalists.  Too bad I can't make that happen for her.  At 3 years old she is resigned to the fact that we live in a man's world :)

Cousins

Photo courtesy of Caleb and his iPhone

She will be remembered fondly

Geraldine Dunlap STATESVILLE Mrs. Geraldine Eleanor Morris Dunlap, 79, of 637 Sloans Mill Rd. Olin, died Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Born in Wetzel County, W.Va. on Nov. 28, 1931, she was a daughter of the late Andrew P. Morris and Delia Huggins Morris. She was a retired Registered Nurse having retired from Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville. She graduated from the Holzer Medical Center School Of Nursing at Gallipolis, Ohio and graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio with a B.S. in Nursing. She was a member of Broad Street Church Of Christ and was a past president of the Ladies Auxiliary of V.F.W. Post # 2031 of Statesville and also served a year as the Post Chaplin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mr. Robert L. Dunlap; brothers Carl and Robert Morris; and a sister, Edna Pastorious. Survivors include two daughters, Patricia Belch and her husband, Charles of Winston-Salem and Diane Brown and her husband, David of Mooresville. Also surviving are a brother, Elwood Morris and his wife, Sharon, and four sisters, Mrs. Waleah Chadima, Mrs. Wanda Stropki, Ms. Rosalie Biery and Sandra Morris along with five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 23, at Iredell Memorial Gardens Mausoleum with Mr. Steve Short officiating. She will lie in state at the mausoleum for thirty minutes prior to the service while the family greets friends. Condolences may be sent on line to the family to www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be given to Broad St. Church Of Christ 433 E. Broad St. Statesville, NC 28677. Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements. The family wishes to thank her best friend, Beulah Vanscoy of Point Pleasant, W.Va. and her neighbors and friends, Joe and Irene York for all of their love and, also wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Palliative Care (Ardmore Tower) at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center for their excellent care.

No Tears in Heaven

Ellen:  Why is Grandma in heaven?

Me:  She was very sick and now she is in a better place.  We are going to miss her.

Ellen:  Will she go back to her house after she goes to heaven?

---------------

Ellen:  Did the doctor paint a picture of Grandma?

Me:  I don't think so.  Why do you think the doctor would paint Grandma's picture?

Ellen:  Because I want to see her again

---------------

My Grandmother died around 2:00 this morning.  In the words of my Mom... She suffered so much.  This was needed.

Super Silly Dress Day

Apparently you are also supposed to act super silly on super silly dress day!  Ellen came home from school with blue hair and a balloon animal (these pictures were taken this morning).  She is loving the circus theme this week.

Trucking along

Not much is happening around here but that is probably for the best.  I am only functioning at about 30% so what we have going on is about all I can handle.  One regret is that I have not been taking pictures.  At all.  Usually I take lots of pictures, mostly bad so they never see the light of day, but it is rare for me to go so long without even attempting to capture Ellen in all of her wonderfulness.  So I will just have to state for the record that Ellen is indeed wonderful.  She is having a good summer.  The themes at daycare have been fun for the whole family.  She especially enjoyed the weeks they focused on cowboys/cowgirls, camping and the ocean.  They had a bike parade the week of July 4th and had a luau last week (she is officially a hula girl).  She is soaking it all in and we are too.  The artwork she brings home is priceless.  She will be moving up to a pre-K class in August.  I can't believe that time has come.  Wow. 

Phillip is holding down the fort.  Ellen knows who to ask if she wants anything :)  Sadly, she is getting used to me feeling bad.  She fed me a pop tart in bed one morning.  It saved my life.  But back to Phillip... he really is the greatest.  He saves my life multiple times a day.

Things I Like

The white tip on George's tail

Watching Ellen dance outside of Chuy's while we wait for a table

Ice cold lemonade

The way Ellen arranges the furniture in her dollhouse

Tide with febreze

Inside jokes

Going to the movies as a family

Teamwork

Coloring with Ellen

Jaw breakers

Listening to Ellen talk and sing to her animals before she goes to sleep

House Hunters and House Hunters International

Target

Mashed potatoes

Girl time (as in me and Ellen time)

Checking the mail

Magic Erasers (they really are magic)

Fast-forwarding through commercials (for some reason Ellen calls commercials channels)

Watching golf

Ceiling fans

Singing in the car with Ellen, preferably to Disney songs

I asked, she answered

Ellen:  What time is it?

Me:  I don't know

Ellen:  I don't know either.  Is it 5:30?

She reaches for the clock and hands it to me

Me:  It's 5:35

A few seconds of reflection pass

Me:  Ellen, why do you get up so early?

Ellen:  I like to see what is happening

----------

She actually woke up at 5:00.  This conversation took place when she came into our room for the second time this morning.

Heavy Heart

Today marks the 20th day my Grandmother has been in the hospital.  While we were at the beach she fell and broke her ankle in 3 places.  Since then she has had 2 surgeries, a heart attack, a kidney infection, trouble sleeping, bouts of confusion, issues with her breathing (she is on oxygen) and many other causes for concern.  I got to see her the Saturday we got back from the beach and she was doing okay.  She had a large contraption on her leg holding the bones in place (this was prior to surgery).  She has been in a lot of pain and I feel so bad for her.  Rehab isn't even an option.  She has good days and bad days, but mostly bad.  She knows she is dying.  My Mom and Aunt Diane, who are having an especially difficult time, are in the process of looking for a nursing home that offers the care my Grandma needs.

My Mom and Grandma were watching a show on HGTV over the weekend when my Grandma started talking about me.  Turns out she thought I was the girl on the show and she was very impressed with my designs. 

I love my Grandma.

Sunday School

Small class today - had lots of fun with the 2's and 3's! (and technically 4's)

Thoughts as I wait on 5 o'clock

Chick-fil-A hashbrowns are so good

One measly email can totally ruin what could have been an otherwise good day

As I took communion on Sunday, the bread portion, Ellen asked me if it would make my breath smell good.  Has she thought they were mints this whole time?  (ours is of the pre-cut square variety)

We have, or had, ticks attached to our bodies.  Gross.  Phillip had two and I found one on me yesterday.  We think we know the source but it only goes to show we don't get outside much.  And that we live in a relatively treeless area.

I am 12 weeks pregnant today

We have yet to grill out this summer, and we rarely did in the Spring.  So not typical for us.

As Ellen was watching Angelina Ballerina the other night, she danced and pranced around the living room like a true ballerina.  She continued her performance once we went upstairs.  She was in the zone.

Humidity + my hair = helmet head.  Add rain into the mix and it will grow right before your eyes.  It is not a good look for me.

The only perk to driving separate is listening to NPR on the ride home.  Phillip wasn't a fan so we stuck to music (but we couldn't really agree on that either).  I never watch the news but I do enjoy public radio, especially All Things Considered.

I haven't been getting out much lately and it is having an affect on Phillip.  He now considers a family trip to Kroger to be a major outing.  So do I.

Wordless Wednesday

Hanging out and loving every minute of it

We are thoroughly enjoying our 3-day holiday weekend.  Mostly doing laundry, cleaning and organizing but there is never a dull moment around here.  I have also done my fair share of piddling around the house, watching HGTV and afternoon napping.  I alternate between lazy and productive.  Phillip has been helping some friends move and helping around here so he hasn't had the luxury of being lazy.  His hard work is appreciated!

We are thinking about how the bedrooms should be arranged for when the baby comes.  We may move Ellen into what is now the guest room, which is about the same size as her room, and convert her room back into the nursery.  The switch would possibly involve new paint, new furniture, new bedding and new accessories (for Ellen).  I got a few ideas from my Dad today.  Even though I enjoy decorating, rearranging furniture and changing things up I am a bit overwhelmed at the moment.  Good thing we have lots of time to figure things out.

Ellen is doing great.  She is happy-go-lucky, observant, animated, talkative, insightful, charming, brutally honest and an overall fount of knowledge.  She likes to play, read, watch TV, eat dessert and "be beautiful". She knows what she wants.  She keeps us on our toes!

We plan to attend the fireworks at our church tonight.  Should be fun. Happy 4th of July!

Random pictures from our last weekend in NC