Favorite Foto Friday #53 - FRIENDS WITH STUFFING

This week's theme is Friends With Stuffing... a picture that shows your child's special relationship with a favorite stuffed animal or lovey. For those of you that know Sophie, you know that she is NEVER without her beloved "Mimi", her frog blankie that she cannot function without!! It is a nightmare if mommy somehow leaves it behind at home and she asks for it and it is not there. So, it is a constant companion! I scoured the ends of ebay earth to find a duplicate to have on hand as a spare. Well, not long after it arrived, she found it... and it is now known as "Udder Mimi" (or Other Mimi) as she most definitely knows the difference!!! I am still on the prowl for another if anybody recognizes it and has one around that they could part with for a true spare!! (SERIOUSLY!!!)

This girl loves her some Mimi!!!


But, a friend with stuffing... I dug back and found our favorite friend of all! Leggy Larry the Octopus has been around for all three of my kids. Sophie LOVED him as a baby! Here are some of my favorite pictures of her loving on Leggy Larry!

Look Larry... this is a block with a kitty. Want to play?


What did you say, Larry?


You say that an octopus is more delicious than baby fingers?


Well, I am just not sure about that... these taste pretty good to me! Pretty tempting offer though!


Oh Larry... I think I am just going to have to plant a beso on you just to find out!! I love you!!


I have had some questions about FFF and how it works... it is very easy. Every Friday, post your Favorite Foto of the week... it can be of the "theme" that is given out each preceding Friday or simply your favorite of the week. Label your post FFF and if you want, leave a link back to this blog to have your friends find other FFF posts. If you would like to link your blog, please follow the Mr. Linky instructions and you are there!! I always check each link to make sure that it is a legitimate FFF post but rarely delete any links unless the links don't work.

You never have to follow the FFF theme... if you would like to be included in FFF, just post your link into Mr. Linky below... it is fun to follow our FFF friends each week!

Now... for the MR LINKY FFF LINKING DIRECTIONS!! Go to your blog and click on the title of your FFF post - your post URL will appear in the address bar in your browser and it will contain the exact link to your post! Simply highlight the address, right click, choose copy and then paste it in the "URL" spot in the Mister Linky - just under where you put your name (you can put your name and the name of your child/ren in the picture). Don't forget to click the "Enter" button and voila... you are linked!

It is important that you are linking just your post and not just your blog web address so everybody can link directly to your FFF post!!



Next week's theme is not really a theme... let's just call it "BLACK & WHITE". Post a picture that you love that is in black and white. I just love playing with pictures in my photo editing software (Picasa) and the feel of certain pictures changes when you change them to black and white... can't wait to see what everybody comes up with!

Wordless Wednesday

Favorite Foto Friday #52 - BACK TO SCHOOL!

Ohhhhh...
Back 2 School
Back 2 School
To Prove To Dad That I'm Not A Fool
I've Got My Lunch Packed Up,
My Boots Tied Tight,
I Hope I Don't Get In A Fight
Ohhhh...
Back To School
Back To School
Back To School...
(Adam Sandler in Back to School)

For some parents (and I'm not naming names, ahem) Back To School means much joy!! No more bored little faces sitting around after sleeping 12 hours straight and whining that there is "nothing to do". All the while, your schedule has not changed one bit, yet you are expected to step it up a notch and provide entertainment every waking hour...

GOD BLESS TEACHERS EVERYWHERE!!!

On the other hand, Back to School is also a reminder that our children are growing up way too quick! It is bittersweet to think that their young years are just flying by and for me, the realization that this bleary eyed teenager, is going to be leaving the nest in just TWO SHORT YEARS! As she starts her junior year in high school, I still see my tiny little preschooler dressed in her uniform for the first day of school...



And this guy... his last year of Middle School... wow! It blows my mind that he is now bigger than me and soon will be off to high school too!! See those circles under his eyes?? Six AM comes mighty early to all of us!!



Bug starts back to daycare/preschool next week and can hardly wait! We are busy potty training around here with moderate success. She insists that she is still my baby and that she should wear diapers... please share any motivational tips!! My little bag of tricks is just about depleted!

I have had some questions about FFF and how it works... it is very easy. Every Friday, post your Favorite Foto of the week... it can be of the "theme" that is given out each preceding Friday or simply your favorite of the week. Label your post FFF and if you want, leave a link back to this blog to have your friends find other FFF posts. If you would like to link your blog, please follow the Mr. Linky instructions and you are there!! I always check each link to make sure that it is a legitimate FFF post but rarely delete any links unless the links don't work.

You never have to follow the FFF theme... if you would like to be included in FFF, just post your link into Mr. Linky below... it is fun to follow our FFF friends each week!

Now... for the MR LINKY FFF LINKING DIRECTIONS!! Go to your blog and click on the title of your FFF post - your post URL will appear in the address bar in your browser and it will contain the exact link to your post! Simply highlight the address, right click, choose copy and then paste it in the "URL" spot in the Mister Linky - just under where you put your name (you can put your name and the name of your child/ren in the picture). Don't forget to click the "Enter" button and voila... you are linked!

It is important that you are linking just your post and not just your blog web address so everybody can link directly to your FFF post!!

Next week's FFF theme is "FRIENDS WITH STUFFING" - show us your favorite picture of your kiddos and their favorite stuffed animal or lovey! (Holly... we need a series of Animal shots!)

Wordless Wednesday

OK.. not so wordless... she went on the "fishies" 5 times in a row! Her smile was bigger each time!!! What a big girl!

Just some weekend Bug cuteness...

This child just makes me melt...




{New coy pose... turns her back and looks over her shoulder - on her own! Am I in trouble or what?}


A night on the riverfront watching the boats go by and enjoying the warm summer air.


Those lashes... enviable!


She has a new smile when you ask her to pose... she lifts her chin up like this...


I love her expression here, even though it turned out blurry...


Dancing to the music


Peek A Boo!


I See You!!


Oh. My. Gosh.

Um... yeah... life is ALWAYS crazy at our house...

Have you wondered what I have been up to the past couple weeks? Just posting FFF and a Wordless Wednesday and never really responding to my sweet Tags by my friends?

As you can see by the picture of my boy... he always manages to keep my life interesting and never dull. Grant has to be one of the most accident prone children that you could ever know of. And the drama that surrounds each week is such that I could write a book and you would probably hyperventilate trying to keep up with it all.

Our latest adventure began last Friday night. We were enjoying some fun days of summer with some wonderful friends visiting us from PA. My big kids had spent the day with their dad helping prepare food for the HUGE local orphanage picnic that is held every year. Grant even met his new "girlfriend" there that day, so maybe that is what made him lightheaded and a little off balance. But... after he arrived home, he rode his bike to a friend's house to wait for him to come home and hang out. Apparently, while waiting, he decided to walk along a low retaining wall (about 2-3 feet high) beside their driveway and lost his balance and fell into a shallow ditch. He doesn't remember falling but what he does remember was yelling and waving his arms for help. Luckily, a passing motorist (and guardian angel) saw him and pulled over to help. Grant was unable to move his legs and the gentleman called 911. I received a call on my cell phone from the 911 operator and was able to get to his side in about ten minutes.

To make a long story short... the ambulance took him to the hospital where the trauma team was activated and it was a sea of doctors and equipment that would scare the hair off a cat. They even sent the chaplain in to stand with me during his workup, which was a little unnerving. He went through x-rays, CAT scans and MRI's to determine what injury he had... and luckily, within about 5 hours, he was able to start wiggling his toes and eventually move his legs. Apparently, he either bruised his spinal cord or pinched a nerve near his neck that temporarily caused his legs to "go to sleep". We spent the night in the PICU as a precaution and then moved to a regular room where he was able to walk out of the hospital on Sunday afternoon with just a neck brace for two weeks.

The worst part of this experience was that his dad did not even make it to the hospital to see him. I could write a small novel about how much disappointment this child has had to endure at the hands of the person who is supposed to love him unconditionally. But, that is a novel for another day and a "Get Real" post that maybe someday I will have to sit down and write.

Grant is feeling just fine... just slightly annoyed that he must wear this brace for another week. Me, on the other hand... literally exhausted. This child has earned me every gray hair on my head that I must now go get re-highlighted every 8 weeks.

Anybody want to top that? I think in my former life, I must have coined the term "Parenting isn't for wimps"... and this boy would be the poster child.

Favorite Foto Friday #51 - HAVING A BALL!

Holy cow, it is FRIDAY and I completely FORGOT about FFF! How did that happen? On top of that, today is the day I just KNEW that something BIG would happen in my life... because "8" is my favorite and special number and since today is 8.8.08, I figured Prince Charming would finally find me or something, but there is still another 13 hours left in the day, right??

OK... on to FFF... HAVING A BALL! We have been having a ball this past week with some wonderful friends visiting us from out of town. We made a trip to Holiday World where (gasp), I did not take my camera!! But, last week, we went for Bug's first trip to the Bowling Alley and Boy, did she have fun!!

Here is Bug wearing her cutie patootie bowling shoes that were two sizes too big, but were the smallest they had!


Morgan was up against Grant and his friend, Karl, on the lanes without bumpers... I think I actually saw her having a good time without her friends with her!


And Grant showing how cool he is at the bowling alley


We truly "HAD A BALL"!!


I have had some questions about FFF and how it works... it is very easy. Every Friday, post your Favorite Foto of the week... it can be of the "theme" that is given out each preceding Friday or simply your favorite of the week. Label your post FFF and if you want, leave a link back to this blog to have your friends find other FFF posts. If you would like to link your blog, please follow the Mr. Linky instructions and you are there!! I always check each link to make sure that it is a legitimate FFF post but rarely delete any links unless the links don't work.

You never have to follow the FFF theme... if you would like to be included in FFF, just post your link into Mr. Linky below... it is fun to follow our FFF friends each week!

Now... for the MR LINKY FFF LINKING DIRECTIONS!! Go to your blog and click on the title of your FFF post - your post URL will appear in the address bar in your browser and it will contain the exact link to your post! Simply highlight the address, right click, choose copy and then paste it in the "URL" spot in the Mister Linky - just under where you put your name (you can put your name and the name of your child/ren in the picture). Don't forget to click the "Enter" button and voila... you are linked!

It is important that you are linking just your post and not just your blog web address so everybody can link directly to your FFF post!!




Next week's theme is "BACK TO SCHOOL". A day of celebration for many parents (including myself - LOL)!