Where were we...

Where am I? Where are we going? Why are we going there?

I'm feeling a little disoriented these days. I feel like I'm treading water and turning circles at the same time. Without moving forward.

what DOES it take to move forward? where IS forward? Where shall I go? What shall I find?

A lot of this has to do with Tracy and I only having 1 car that runs between us. And it doesn't even belong to us - his father has been gracious enough to allow us to drive it since Julia's birth. He has a job in cars that allows him a new demo car each week and that allows him to lend us his car on a continual basis. Anyhow, quite often Tracy takes the car to a work site with him and Julia and I spend all day at home together. It drives us batty being home alone like that too many days in a row. She needs to stretch her legs beyond our 4 little rooms and I need to stretch my mommy mind beyond that too.

One would think with all the time I AM at home, that you could eat off my floor and see your reflection in my coffee table. You can't. I can't get motivated to do what I should. It does look like a typical house with a toddler in it. I can tell you that I know Brittney's latest doings and everyone and their brother thinks Pete and Ashlee really are getting married with baby on the way this weekend. I could also tell you who is giving away what freebie when and where. Was that not that important to you? Me either really - it was something to read during Elmo in Grouchland's morning showing. or maybe it was the Noon showing. or perhaps the matinee. Dang it - we spend a lot of time with Elmo, Curious George, and Veggie Tales on in the background. I can't honestly say it gets watched that much but Julia Grace does enjoy running into the room when they start singing on Elmo or Veggie Tales. Curious George is for watching during breakfast, waking up periods and mommy really needs a shower right now. You know how it is.

I'll spare the gruesome-ness of what is better known as our bedrooms/closets and catch-alls. For those who have never been here, our home boasts 2 spacious bedrooms with 2 closets - SMALL closets - for FOUR people. mucho overflow.

Tracy is building a 3rd closet for us off the bathroom. Bless his heart, it's getting there. And the kids - good gracious - I never knew they could have that many clothes. And only wear them a few months before outgrowing or it's the next season. Julia can fit into tops from last summer (not squeezing either - actually if the 9 month tops were long enough, she could wear them and she'll be 2 in August!). I'm trying to sort through that during naps each day. Julia Grace likes to undo what I've just put in a box/bag/neatly stacked. Not messy, just undo it in her own little way, ie. make a new pile or stack where she wants it. She tries to help. except it's not help. Bless her.

Mallory's school year activities are ending - this coming weekend (May 17th) is the end of spring soccer season. I'm not sure she'll get to play her tournament games. As our luck would have it, her dress rehearsal for dance recital (May 24th) is the same 2 times as our tournament games are scheduled - to the minute. I know which one she'd pick, but if she picked soccer, well, let's just say Ms. Lori would have none of that and she wouldn't be in any recital. So, I guess her coach will have to get over her missing her games too.Tracy doesn't like it, but the games will go on and perhaps Mallory will get to play/see a little. Mallory will be going to soccer camp in June most likely and I'm not sure what else her mom has planned for her. I know we were planning on helping pay for a soccer camp - Mallory hasn't expressed a whole lot of interests in things around town yet for summer other than requesting to go to another soccer camp. I'm sure it's coming.

Julia is still going to a play class at Gymboree in Greenville. She loves it - without a doubt, her favorite part is the freeze song. I am hoping to get a video tape of her doing this in the near future. You can search YouTube for Gymboree and Freeze and see some other homemade tapes of people with their kids doing this in their classes. Sometimes we play that on the computer for Julia to play it at home. She loves it and has gotten to where she'll try to play the freeze game in the middle of dinner without anyone singing it.

I have found some options for Julia this summer and I am hoping she gets to go to art and music classes again this summer. Gymboree is offering art classes, as is a local preschool, but Gymboree isn't offering music again. They can't find a teacher; the one they had is doing music at a local preschool instead. We may opt to do the preschool "camps" for Julia - gotta check out dates and times and all that good stuff! I'm checking out the swimming lesson outlets too - I had hoped to do that in April/May but time got away from me. Julia loves the pool and the sooner she is trained to swim, the safer I'll feel.

Man, it's late. I need to go to bed. You see, even though Julia and I have no events in the morning, we still have to take daddy to a work site at 8 a.m. if we want free reign of the car for the day. And tomorrow, that's important to have - Mallory probably didn't really care to walk from school to dance anyways. And we won't let her. I don't think. Haha.

Good night all!

PS - Freebies - May 15th - Mcdonald's is giving away Southern Style chicken biscuits FREE with a drink purchase from 7.00 a.m. -10.30 a.m. Then you can come back from 10.30 a.m. 'til 7.00 p.m. for a Southern Style chicken sandwich FREE with a drink purchase!
Also on May 15th - Dunkin Donuts is giving away ICED COFFEES from 10.00 a.m. 'til 10.00 p.m. Check https://www.dunkindonuts.com/ and http://cep.mcdonalds.com/foodnews/biscuit/ . Free chicken and free coffee on Thursday - all day. Can't beat it!

I can't sleep...

I'm having another I can't sleep night.

Mother's day was good - very laid back. I took a 3 hour nap today with Julia and that very well could be why I can't sleep. I'll wish I had in about 5 hours when she's up for most of the day!

I've changed around a good many things. I made some tickers to put on here but for the life of me, I'm not sure where I saved them on my computer. I made them in March with my last blog.
I am missing some blogs I like to peruse also. Disclaimer on the blogs I peruse - I know many people in many capacities. Some on the list I consider great friends and relatives, others are acquaintances from my time at North Greenville that I cherish the words that God speaks through them. Check them out - they all have great things to say! They are a great pick-me-up to read some days.

Hope all you moms out there had a great Mother's day!

later taters!

Wow...

I said I'd blog more in March.

And here it is May.

WHOOPS!!!

There has been a great deal going on to keep us all busy. We've traveled a lot for work lately and spent 5 days in Hilton Head in the last month. We went for work and to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday.

Later this weekend, I'll post pics of the kids from Easter and a few other events. I hope to be working on the yard this weekend too. It's still scraggly - you see, I didn't just neglect my blog, we neglected the yard too. Well, actually, the yard has been cut twice, so that's progress, right?

There are some opportunities that I hope will come to fruition in June. I thought they would happen in May, but we'll see when June gets here if it happens then. I can't wait for school to be out and take the girls places for the summer. Tracy's cousin, Will, is getting married June 29 in Lynchburg, VA and we'll be travelling to Virginia for that. Hopefully, we can squeeze in seeing some other things in the area before we come back home too. Excited about the wedding and to meet Meghan, Will's lady (he didn't like the words fiancee and betrothed at Christmas).

Mallory has her dance recital coming up soon and soccer tournament is in a week. Tracy is coaching again this spring. Julia Grace has learned to dribble the soccer ball whether she truly knows what that is or not! She's such a ham! I sneezed today and she looked at me, squinched her eyes shut - then nodded her head and said "Choo!". Then she laughed at me. Nice, eh? :) She's also learned to eat Goldfish and chips out of the bag like Mallory did at about that age. I found her sitting on our bed, eating Goldfish by the handful a few days ago. It made me think about Mallory and her Papa Eddie's "schips" (yes that's an 'S' in front - sounds like a drawn-out ships). Then 2 days after the Goldfish incident, Julia found her Papa Eddie's bag of chips on the table and took them in their bedroom, climbed on the bed, and sat down to eat them. Oh my!

I have much more to post, but lots to do this Friday afternoon. I want to get as much done today so maybe we can take it easy on Saturday after the game. If you're reading, and you're around, come on out and see Mallory play! Shoot me an email for details (this is the internet after all!).

Have a beautiful day!

tracEy

big changes!

I haven't had time to write in a bit. I am slacking on this New Year's resolution.

We're about to make some big changes in general (no, I'm not pregnant). We are going to be redoing our house - painting, finishing up a linen closet, more painting, possibly re-carpeting, new look in the bathroom. That's just the beginning. We won't be moving to a bigger house for at least 3 more years I would say, so we're going to make what we do have a lot better! In the yard - whoa. yeah... it's getting scraggly back there. There are a lot of things I would like to do back there to make it more kid friendly. Mallory kicks her soccer ball around back there a good bit (and over the neighbors fence) but there's really nothing for Julia to do back there. Plus it's the time of year we need to go ahead and treat for ants before they come back & get out of hand.

I also hope to completely redo my blogger page and add some pictures, tickers, headers, etc. I'm working away on my scrapbook for Julia. I'm trying to get her first year of life done before she turns 2! In my defense, I did not start scrapbooking or learn this stuff until the month before Julia was 1. So there!

We have so much to do - I'm trying to peck away at it slowly. I'll try to be better about updates!

See ya soon!

Valentine's Day...

Valentine's Day ...

The girls will get theirs next week when Mallory is here. We had a pre-Valentine's dinner with the kids on Tuesday at Fuji because it was Mallory's last night at our house this week.

Tracy made me a valentine on his computer. If you know how our desks are set up, this is funny. My desk is right beside his - I had no clue he was making it. He had turned his monitor towards him - I really thought he was just playing free cell again. And then he got up and said, well, I'm off to the shower and our printer started printing. The printer is on my desk - so he's in the bathroom by the time it prints out and I realize what it is. It was awfully sweet.

We had agreed not to get each other anything this week for specific reasons. He went to the office to pick up his check for the week and came home with new cell phones for both of us. Now, if you know us, you know ours are beat up, his wasn't even holding a charge, and we were both overdue for upgrades. He didn't bother to tell me that he got an extra check at work for a clean-out we did on a house in November. He got us matching phones that have EVERYTHING on it. I was surprised to say the least. He's been planning this for close to 2 weeks without my knowledge. He got a really good deal and they're neat phones. His is silver and mine is "champagne". I'm excited more about the mp3 player on it than anything I think. I'm such a music junkie.

We went to Monterrey's for dinner last night with 2 people I hope we'll be seeing more of in the future. Julia had a fit the first half of the meal - she wasn't done with her late nap and only wanted me. They got Julia a Curious George book and a Veggie Tales coloring book for Julia and were sweet enough to pay for our dinner. I enjoyed it. I think we all did. So we had a pretty good evening too.

Hope you had a good Valentine's Day!!

50 Things to Know About Me...

I saw this a while back on several friends' blogs and I have meant to do this.

I think I can think of 50 things. I had one friend that went back and posted ANOTHER 50 about him the next day (wow is all I can say Jed!). I'm not sure I could do that! So here goes and in no order of importance:

1. I have a sister who is 11 years and 363 days older than me.
2. I was the worst birthday present she ever got in her whole life. ;)
3. I have a nephew who is almost 9 years younger than me and a neice who is 11 years younger than me.
4. I love the color navy blue.
5. I love any shade of purple second best.
6. I am not a big fan of pink - if I own/wear anything pink - you should be surprised.
7. I love lasagna.
8. I love mexican food almost as much as lasagna.
9. I like hot and spicy foods.
10. I am afraid of needles and razors.
11. I really don't like to see blood.
12. I watched Alfred Hitchcock with my parents when I was younger - could the needles, razors, and blood (oh my!) have anything to do what that fact? I think yes.
13. I really like to read true crime books.
14. I hate romantic fru-fru books (no thank you Nora Roberts).
15. I hate opera music - and yes, I gave it a chance when I went to Converse.
16. I went to Converse College for 3 years.
17. I went to North Greenville College (university now) for 3 years.
18. I have no college degree.
19. I am 1 1/2 years (perhaps less) away from both a business degree and a biology degree - as in 2 separate 4 year degrees that have NOTHING to do with each other.
20. I don't know that I want to complete either of those degrees now. :(
21. I met one of my best friends at North Greenville - Andrea.
22. I really got to know one of my other best friends while at Converse College - Angie (see? something good did come out of college attempts).
23. I worked for Bi-Lo for almost 9 years.
24. I worked at Barnes & Noble for 2 1/2 years of those 9 at Bi-Lo.
25. I worked for 3 other grocery chains briefly as well - Harris Teeter (3 months), Winn-Dixie (1 summer when I got desperate for a job), and as an assistant manager at Ingles (3 months and I ran far, far away). I was hired at Fresh Market but never started.
26. I don't recommend working in grocery stores to anyone.
27. I was a member of Boiling Springs First Baptist from 1990 until 1996.
28. I attended Second Presbyterian Church (across from Wofford) from 1996 until 1998 with someone who shall not be named at this time.
29. I was a member of Powdersville First Baptist Church in Powdersville/Easley for 5 years. 1999-2003.
30. I was baptised 2 times - once by sprinkling at Second Presbyterian and by good ol' immersion at Powdersville First Baptist. ask me about that some time!
31. I go to an awesome church now (since 2004) called Hope Point Community Church - www. hopepoint.org !
32. I won 4th place in the state Beta club spelling competition my senior year of high school - that's a really nerdy fact for you.
33. I still love biology, zoology, and science in general, but I'm not sure what I'd ever do with a degree in it.
34. I hate chemistry and calculus and that was a big hiccup in that ol' Biology degree.
35. I have done many things I would not like to revisit, but God is good and I am forgiven.
36. I have been married for 4 years,2 months, & 11 days.
37. I am married to a wonderful fellow named Tracy - yes, it's true Tracy and Tracey.
38. I dated him my senior year in high school.
39. I have a stepdaughter, Mallory, who is 8.
40. I have a DAUGHTER, Julia Grace, who is 1 1/2.
41. I play several instruments : clarinet, trumpet, baritone (euphonium) and guitar.
42. I am not sure I would say I play any well since I've not practiced in a while. However, there are 1 of each of those in my house right now (actually, 2 clarinets, 1 trumpet, 1 marching baritone that needs to go back to NGU, and 2 guitars).
43. I was a band nerd. I still am at heart.
44. I like Nintendo games - any Mario or MegaMan.
45. I still have my Atari 7800 pro-system and it works.
46. I broke my leg in the 5th grade on Christmas day - brand, new 10 speed bicycle and I fell off of it.
47. I went to Mrs. Mabry's Busy Day daycare from 2 1/2 to 12 years of age.
48. I used to be able to draw really well. It's a talent I am wasting and trying to pick up again.
49. I think this was easier than I thought. maybe I will do 50 more.
50. I love theatre, but I HATE real-life drama. save it for the stage, sister!

Wow. That was easier than I thought. I already have thoughts for another 50, but not today. I have company coming this weekend and I need to get prepared. Tracy is working all day in Gaffney at Bob Shelton's BPO boot camp - it's sort of a big deal. www.bobshelton.com . I guess we'll see him this evening when they get done.

Take care and I'll post again this evening.

The Giants win the Super Bowl!

and for that I am happy.

I didn't get to watch much of the Super Bowl, but I'm glad the Giants won. I know a lot of people were wanting the Patriots to be the second team to win all season and the super bowl, yada yada yada. I just like the Manning brothers - seem to be good, upstanding, All-American guys. Someone you'd want your kids to look up to as a role model.

So there you go. I don't have any deep-rooted loyalties to any particular team, much less football. And I always seem to like the underdog which in my opinion was the Giants going into today. I watch football on Sundays by default because it's what's on in my living room or my in-law's living room.

So yay for the Giants!