brad and patterson's goings-on & other quick items

Happy Friday everyone! I'm trying to get a quick post in while Lottie Sue plays, Coldplay is on the Today Show and she has been dancing when they perform. I love Coldplay and it seems that she does as well. She's so cute when she boogies, she moves her hips and shakes her arms like crazy.

Please let me introduce a new blog for you to peruse...Brad and Patterson's Going-On! I used to work with Patterson at HGTV, but I'm not there anymore and she moved on to a great job at UT (she's making the world a better place - see photo below). They are super cool people and I know you will enjoy all of their home projects (I need them to come over and help!). Also, Brad and Patterson are legendary-level Rock Band folk, I am currently star struck.

a recent photo from their blog

I just have a few photos from last weekend, we went to the lake and had a nice time. It was hot and we cooled off by staying in the water.

lottie sue is getting pretty good with utensils, it's messy but she's getting better

at least most of it is on her face, this is progress

And then we took another pleasure cruise, Lottie Sue REALLY loves to be out on the boat. She's really all about them, back at the house she is the assistant harbor master to her GranDaddy and she gets very excited when one comes into view. They are her main source of entertainment when she isn't in the pool. But here are some photos from the boat trip...

lottie sue boats it up

granbunny, matt and lottie sue sit tight as we cruise down the main channel

Becce called the other day, well actually Harlan accidentally called me and boy - he did not want to give the phone up. Becce took it from him and he was quite upset, Becce sent this photo as evidence. We have an old cell phone for Lottie Sue but she only wants mine.

I WANT THE PHONE MOMMY!

Babies are really funny, they get very mad if you take something away from them. Lottie Sue likes to do a big cry if you tell her the word "no" - I'm not kidding. If she tries to grab something she isn't supposed to have and you gently tell her "no" she breaks out the tears. Matt and I think it's funny, it doesn't last very long and she at least gets one tear out every time. What a drama queen.

Wednesday was Lottie Sue's first time in her Kangaroo Class at Sprout Studio - she loved it and I thought her head was going to explode when the music started. She's in the Bouncers group and it's an engaging hour of "kangaplay" which includes rhymes, songs, dance, story time and other little activities that stimulate senses and perception. I put her in there mainly because I need to get her around other little kids, she gets so excited when she sees little kids and I was starting to feel bad about it. This is great because she loved the class and she also loved being around the other kids. They range in ages from 10 - 18 months and it was really funny watching them. Little kids are crazee, they basically run around or crawl all over the place, concurrently putting anything and everything into their mouths. I'll see if I am able to get photos next time, it's pretty busy in there with all of the singing and jumping.

A few stories to read if you are so inclined:

• Lance Armstrong is quite the cassa nova.
• A Monet painting sold for $80 million the other day.
  

Alrighty, that's all I have for now. Everyone have a great weekend!

lottie sue is a kissing fool & jeeves and wooster

Ello ello ello. TGIF! Whee! Matt has been out of town this week (heavy travel lately, poor guy!) in Virginia Beach. He even played sand volleyball with no injuries to report. So we are looking forward to the weekend FOR SURE.

Lottie Sue had a tooth come in this week, so I can't say she's been the perfect angel she usually is - that is, unless she's with other people and she's all sweet and happy. But 1/4 of it grew overnight I swear, she's much happier - and so am I!

this is lottie sue moving in to kiss me, she is a kissing fool

Lottie Sue really is a kissing fool, she'll kiss anything. Tonight at dinner she kept laying in to me for kisses, I could barely get her to eat. She really wants to kiss the cats but they say "maybe in another lifetime, meow."

And here are a few photos of Lottie Sue playing with her baby dolls and her baby doll bed (a birthday gift from the Apples). She puts them in and then takes them right out, then repeats.

this is lottie sue kissing her baby, she is a good mommy

And here we have Lottie Sue after her bath this evening. She loves to have that duck thing on her head. She laughs every time.

quack quack

And here is Lottie Sue IN the bath, I somehow went in backwards order but I guess it doesn't matter. Her hair has looked like this all day - I couldn't tame it, poor girl.

splish splash, i love taking a bath

In other news, Megan and Tommy get a real kick out of Mary Ann's (Megan's momma) Netflix queue. The other day Mary Ann sent me an invite to view each other's queue and it honestly made my day. Here is a frame grab.

"jeeves and wooster" x2 and "life mammals" - need i say more?

She does have the "Devil Wears Prada" and "The Simpsons Movie" in there, so it's not all bad. Or all Masterpiece Theater I should say.

OK, and I must urge you to regularly check out icanhascheezburger.com - I LOVE it and it cracks me up 7 days a week...here are a few recent photos that are up.

see? hilarious. bookmark it and visit often.

Lottie Sue and I had lunch with Patterson the other day as well. It was great seeing her, it has been a while! She and Brad have their own blog (and I will link it once they say 'OK') but I did steal this:

patterson is a golf STAR

I also paraphrased Patterson's snipe here...The local community newspaper included a recap of the recent UT Golf Classic in their summer sports coverage. It's the annual scramble that the Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries department puts on each year to raise funds for the student scholarship fund. P-dub's team tied for second to last with a 6 under par round of 65 - golf stars I say!

I'm getting to the end of this post, I hope everyone had a lovely week. Oh, if you are looking for a book to read let me suggest "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz. I loved it, if I ever wrote a book this is what I'd want it to be. Really, I think it is that good.

I'll leave you with a few interesting stories I've read this week, enjoy.

• I can't start to understand this...
• Here's a neat story about the guy that play Big Bird...
• David Sedaris answers 10 questions in the new issue of Time...
  

Buh-bye!

kat is PREGNANT (whee!) & we have photos of claire

I hijacked this photo from Kat and PJ's blog - wonderful news from them, they have a mini-McNicholas on the way. Click here to read all about it! We are so very excited for them, they are going to be awesome parents!

I saw that Kat posted a recipe on her blog yesterday, what a mom.

he/she arrives mid-december

Josh sent photos of Miss Claire and I've posted them below. She is gorgeous! This is the note Josh sent along, it has the specifics of her arrival (I had the time wrong and wasn't sure of her exact weight).

Claire Estelle Carson was born at 8:04 AM on Friday, June 13. Claire weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and was 20 inches long at birth. Mother and baby are well. Older brother Max and older sister Jordan are quite proud (not to mention Dad). For those who have not yet heard, we have also recently added Lara's 10-year-old cousin to our growing family.

she is so sweet, i want to hug her and give her a million kisses

claire with mommy

snug as a bug in a rug

here we have jordan holding her new sister, i noticed that josh has his hands ready for a dropping incident but honestly jordan is holding claire like a pro - very impressive

OK, and I have to let you know now that we did not take one photo this weekend...we are ashamed. I forgot the camera so we didn't have one for Jack and Holly's party (but I hope to have a few from other photo takers). And then yesterday it was so busy we forgot. Oops, please forgive us. I will take photos this week and post them - I promise!

Jack and Holly's party was way fun, Holly had on such a pretty dress and she looked so nice. Jack is such a little boy, I can't believe he is 3 years old. He's a cutie pie. The Hussar twins were there and it was neat to meet them as well. Emory and Will are doll babies and Chris and Amy were pros handling two, it was quite impressive.

OK, that's all for now. Post to ya later...

claire estelle carson, bb and grandpa grow a year and h-dub goes punk - plus other itmes of interest

Josh called this am to let us know that Miss Claire Estelle Carson was born this morning at 8:02! Mom and baby are doing very well, we can't wait to meet her! When Josh sends photos I'll post one. Congrats guys! Whee!

Also, today Grandpa and BB have a birthday. Lottie Sue specifically asked that I mention it today so everyone will know and send happy birthday hugs their way. Happy Birthday - we LOVE you!

And Becce sent this just a while ago, Harlan has a fauxhawk and I LOVE it.

oy oy oy!

I don't have any Lottie Sue photos for this post, it really started out as a pop culture post. Just a few things I've seen this week that I thought were interesting or funny. More Lottie Sue press to come, tomorrow we are going to Jack and Birdie Case's birthday party and I should have loads of photos to share with you. And then we have Father's Day!

Um, this breaks my heart. Strawberry Shortcake is going all MTV on me.

The 1980s Strawberry Shortcake has been updated to spend her time chatting on a cellphone instead of brushing her calico cat, Custard.

Click here to read more about the change. Honestly, I am surprised she isn't in a bikini and heels with a bottle of Cristal in her hands.

This is something else random I saw online, this is a crayon!

color me impressed

And lastly, Kenley sent the church bulletin email today and I'm posting them here to close this post. I see this email about once a year I guess and it ALWAYS cracks me up. I am literally LOL-ing.

These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:
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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'

good fresh pink lemonade!!! and windmills

Tuesday afternoon our doorbell rang and I went to the door. Our 4-year-old neighbor, Cameron, was jumping up and down and said, "Do you have any money cause we're SELLINGGGGGGG!!!" then runs off. I was confused but I saw her dad and he pointed to her sister Kaitlin's lemonade/windmill stand. Everything was a dollar or OBO.

i was kaitlin's first big sale, $3 got me a lemonade and two windmills

her sign said " good fresh pink lemonade!!! and windmills"

For your entertainment, I came across this video and it really cracks me up. Matt and I once saw it on one of those funny video shows.

Then after I found that video I searched for another funny one we loved and it was on YouTube. I go there occasionally but it's really nuts what's up there. Anywho, enjoy the birthday ninja.

I will leave you with a Lottie photo, this was taken yesterday after breakfast.

she's very messy, this one

Tomorrow is Friday - yay! Matt has been in Connecticut all week and we can't wait for him to come home. This weekend we have a four birthdays to celebrate along with Father's Day. Whew! We are so blessed have such wonderful family and friends, life is good.

sticky fingers & smoochin

me no like sticky fingers

Greetings Earthlings. I am posting a ton of photos from this past weekend. Lottie Sue had two birthday parties and loved every minute of them. She got so excited when we sang "Happy Birthday" and would clap with much enthusiasm when it was over. The only time she became upset was when we gave her a cupcake to eat. She DID NOT like the icing on her hands, she couldn't get past it. I think maybe she had one tiny bite but really wanted out of there. She still made a mess so I took her upstairs and gave her a quick bath, then she was all smiles again.

I'm just going to start laying down the photos, there are a lot. This is after we sang Happy Birthday. Matt video recorded it and one day when I take the time to get into it I'll post it (along with 100 other videos we have). These were taken right before she got mad, when that happened I whisked her upstairs for that bath.


I had all intentions of making a really cool Elmo cake, but Kroger seemed a lot easier. The baby cheesecakes are courtesy of Grandma Wix.

elmo overload

And here are a few photos from the gathering...

grandmothers with grand babies, max and mary ann venable and lottie sue with her bb

And here is a photo of Lottie Sue's first smooch, I think overall Max kissed LS six times but she was always game.

lottie sue venable has a nice ring to it

max kissing ls again (that's max's mom, kim, holding LS and you'll see megan on the right with max's new little sister, lucy)

lottie making beautiful music (and please know that this bow is not exactly where i wanted it, she won't let me put bows in her hair anymore and it's all i could get)

lottie sue and max loved tickling the ivories together

bb with the birthday girl

aunt shirley (along with her husband stan, giver of frog puppet you'll see below) with lottie sue

lottie sue about to break granbunny's leg, but she was a good sport about it

here we have megan feeding baby lucy

lucy in her pilgrim bonnet - adorable

And after the bath Lottie Sue had a few gifts to open...

Here I am with the birthday girl...

We also had a small birthday gathering that night and I have a few photos of that as well. I must thank Carrie for sending some of these, she was quick to capture moments.

carrie and lottie sue at play

we gave her a baby cheesecake, it was after dinner and she wasn't very interested

birthday girl with her birthday crown on (it lasted maybe 4 seconds, nothing stays on her head these days)

kat, kenley, moi, a wide-eyed megan and elmo

lottie sue eating the maracas (gift from kenley) while i lean in for a pose

more elmo overload

That concludes Lottie Sue's first birthday. We really had a great time, Lottie Sue especially loved the attention and she was just so darn happy and cute.

This week she's been teething. She doesn't feel well and she is super clingy, I feel like a Siamese twin. I hope that it pushes through in the next few days, or even better right now as she is napping (ha ha ha). Anywho, I'm signing off - post to you later!