Just one word

If I were to sum up my days right now in one word it would be puddles. Between the dog puddles, the toddler puddles, & the baby spit-up puddles I'm going through a lot of cleaning rags these days. Thank goodness for wood floors.

Shaking the house

This was Lily & Ava's conversation at lunch the other day...

Lily: "Momma, watch!  I can make the house shake!"  (She then proceeds to vigorously shake her head side to side)

Me:  "Yeah, that's cool!"

Ava: "Watch Lily, I can do it too!" (Ava does the same thing)

Lily, very seriously: "Nope, your not doing it."

Love their conversations, even some of the ones where they are frustrated with each other.

Ava is definitely moving closer to 3, Lily away from it.  Whereas Ava is at times impossible to live with, Lily has returned to the nicer side.  Whew.

And, the littlest member of our family continues to grow and be precious.  He's been a sweet little baby and we all still love him to pieces.

He can smile now & it turns out he has a dimple.  Ahhh, love it!

Saying Goodbye

Seven years ago, the very, very first time I pulled into my driveway, Mr. Sammie was standing in the alley chatting.  He was the first neighbor I met...I remember getting out of my car & walking over to introduce myself & little did I know, right then we started a tradition.  Countless times would my family & Sammie & his wife Lois meet in our driveways and visit, passing the afternoons getting to know each other and endearing ourselves to one another.  Sammie was quick to help us if ever we needed anything, and almost immediately he & Lois adopted our kids as their own grandkids, calling themselves our "bonus" grandparents.  We felt the same...Macy loved to go over to their house when she was little & watch cartoons with Sammie & brush their dog Bullet.  And always, always the kids come home with M&Ms in a little baggie.

Sammie passed away on Sunday and our little group of neighbors are struggling to deal with the loss.  He was kind and friendly to all of us and our driveway conversations will never be the same.  I know that I will always look at his "tinkering" garage and miss seeing him, miss hearing his voice.  I loved hearing him greet me with a "Hey girl, whatda ya know?" or saying "Well, shoot!" in that raspy, kind voice that always had a hint of a laugh in it.

How do you sum up a person?  It's impossible to capture all that they were in something as menial as words.  We are left with the memories and the space in our lives and each other.  We will miss this great man...

Bad breath? Maybe

Do you ever find yourself realizing at the end of the day when you are getting ready for bed that you never brushed your teeth in the morning? Yeah, me neither...

(it was one of those days *yawn*)