Giving Thanks for Family, Friends and Falling Leaves

We are very excited around here today! No school! Beautiful weather! Joe and Susan are on the way to our house from Columbus! Yyyyyyaaaaaaay! We can't wait to spend time with them. We usually spend Thanksgiving with them, either here or in Columbus. This year, they are joining us and we're heading to Savannah to spend Friday night. So, we've been getting the house and the yard cleaned up today, buying lots of groceries for tomorrow's feast, dancing to Christmas music, and trying to contain our excitement!

Scott worked hard in the yard...and of course Sam helped!

We have so much to be thankful for, as we truly live a blessed life.

Never Met a Stranger...Unless It's Someone I Happen to Know

Take Sam out to the mall or Wal-Mart or anywhere else where lots of people are roaming, and he talks to everyone. And I mean everyone! People are so patient as they listen to him explain something that is clearly very important to him. (Thank God I can translate most of what he says!) I have said time and time again that Sam has never met a stranger.

So why is it that when we run into someone I know while we're out and about, all of a sudden he becomes the quietest kid I know? I mean honestly, all I want is for him to be charming and say something cute or talk their ears off. What do I get? Nothing. Nada. Zip. (cue crickets chirping!)

I don't blame anyone for not believing me when I talk about how entertaining he can be and how much he talks. All the time. Well...usually!

With Age Comes Memory

We took Sam to a new restaurant for dinner. When we walked in, Sam spied the ice cream counter and immediately began asking for ice cream. All through the meal he continued to ask. We kept telling him that they didn't have any ice cream. That didn't work. Especially once the waitress asked us if we would like to try their homemade hand-dipped ice cream in 10 different flavors. Aargh!

Somehow we put him off and very strategically got out of the restaurant without incident. I kid you not, it was a coordinated effort! We decided to head over to the ice cream shop closer to home. (More flavors to choose from!) As we got closer to the house, Scott and I decided, in whispered voices, to avoid the ice cream altogether and make some fat-free, sugar-free Oreo cookie mousse instead. Sam had not said another word since we got in the car. He won't remember...right? Ha! As soon as we pulled up into the driveway, he slipped out of the video induced trance and quickly reminded us about the ice cream store. Scott and I looked at each other. We just could not believe that our old tried and true trick had not worked! Scott slipped the van in reverse and off we went!

Four months ago, we would have made it through the night without another mention of ice cream!

I Passed!!!!!

I passed National Boards!

I am now a National Board Certified Teacher! Yay!!!!

Huge raise for the next 10 years! Yippee!!!!

Mama gets a brand new fancy camera!

Poor Mimi!

UPDATED because apparently the video was not working. I think it's fixed now.

Ms. Pat, Sam's babysitter, may have her work cut out for her today!

Good luck, Mimi!

An Expensive Trip to the Potty

Sam and I had an amazing day in Charleston today. I can't write a word of why we went there, yet. (Scott reads this, too!) But rest assured, the post is written and scheduled to be published the day after Christmas! I can't wait to tell you what happened while we were there!

Anyway, about the potty. I knew that I would need some change to park in the meters down in the public market in Charleston. I didn't want to park in a deck considering I only wanted to go in one shop. So I pulled off the highway at the Summerville exit and went to the first gas station to get a snack and some change. I didn't really need the snack but I hated to use the facilities and ask for change without buying something. So my hands were tied, really. Anywho, after taking care of business inside the store, I decided to take care of a little business in the restroom located at the back of the store. Unfortunately, I could not get the door to close, no matter how hard I tried. There was absolutely no way this was going to work. Horrible visions of Sam running out or strangers walking in raced through my head! So Sam and I loaded up and headed out to find another restroom. This is actually a busy part of town, but believe it or not, there were no other gas stations in sight. There was, however, a Target! (Insert trumpets and choir) Well, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to pee in a guaranteed clean bathroom. And, again, I didn't feel good about using their bathrooms without purchasing something. So, I figured I'd buy some Excederin and kill two birds with one stone. Well, the headache aisle happened to be directly across from the children's book aisle and DVD aisle. Fifteen minutes later, Sam and I are standing in line with a box of Excederin, a Thomas the Tank Engine book, a Little Einsteins book and "The Polar Express" DVD. So, like I said earlier, it was an expensive trip to the potty! Thank goodness for the Excederin!

Back on track and headed towards Charleston, we were thrilled with the 65 degree temps, cloudless sky and our not-needed bags of chips.

Charleston was beautiful and Sam was so much fun to be with. Here's my favorite picture of the day followed by some other shots I took. We went to the harbor first to enjoy a picnic lunch and watch the boats, then we headed to the market for what seemed like a serindipitous kind of shopping trip. But more on that later...

Amazing Grace

What a glorious day! It is truly a new America and I feel blessed that God answered my prayers and Sam will grow up living "The Dream".

UPDATE: To quote a 106 year old woman who voted Tuesday, "It's a victory of faith over fear."

I mean, really. When I think of this sweet precious boy with the infectious laugh, what choice do I have but to want the very best for him?

"We pushed the buttons!"

What a day! Daddy, Sam and I were at the polls shortly after they opened this morning. We arrived and took our place in a relatively short line. We were all excited as we waited for about 30 minutes to cast our votes. We just couldn't help but feeling as if we were living in history, if that makes sense. Can't you just see the look of anticipation on Sam's face?

It was nice to see some familiar faces from the neighborhood. People talked to and laughed at Sam as he kept proclaiming that he was going to vote! He really did a good job waiting patiently. Daddy was even patient, and that's saying something about how happy we all were this morning!


When the line moved inside, Sam was able to do a little writing while he waited. I'm sure he was drafting his stump speech for when he runs in a few years.

Finally, we got to the buttons! I let Sam help me vote in the hopes that he will grow up knowing that voting is cool.

After voting, Sam and I did another very American thing. We headed to Sonic for french toast sticks and then Wal-Mart for some budget shopping. I hate Wal-Mart and usually dread taking Sam, but he was a dream. He sat in the cart and we talked the whole time. No wanting to get out of the cart. No tantrums. Nothing. He was awesome! Then, back home for the rest of the day. Did I mention that most, if not all the schools in the state are closed today? Today is almost as great as a snow day!


We'll hang out today, waiting for the early returns to post and then celebrate tonight! I hope you and your family take time to vote today and have as great a day as we have had.

Just think! Tomorrow....no more campaign ads!!!

Free Coffee

I'm not so much advertising for Starbuck's as I am using them to remind you about how important tomorrow is. Enjoy the video!

My Christmas Wish List

I just added this cool new tool down the right side of my blog. It shows my Christmas list of books that I can't wait to read. I say "Christmas Wish List" because that's the only time until Summer that I will have a chance to read anything! So, let me know if you have a copy I can borrow. I'll try to return it by New Year's!