In which there was no toilet paper....

So, here's another little anecdote from the annals of my parenting experiences... this one won't be soon forgotten.. but just in case I'm recording it for prosperity in this here blog.

I'm not completely sure when this happened to be honest, sometime not so long ago on one of our many excursions as a family unit.  We were having lunch at a restaurant and as is common when you're the mother of two girls you frequently have to visit the bathroom with one or both of them in tow. Will I ever again be able to tend to personal bodily functions without a posse? Anyway, on this particular visit it was Ash who came with me to the restroom, and there were two stalls so we each went into one. I was halfway through relieving myself when I noticed there was no paper in my bathroom... urgh... annoying.. more annoying that I didn't notice before I started because I ALWAYS check first. There's a sequence to my public bathroom visits that rarely varies, it's a tried and tested method of checkpoints; clean stall, check, no lurking doo doos, check, no drips on the seat, check, lock is in good working order, check, paper in good supply, check and somewhere to hang my purse so it's not on the floor, check. When my checklist is complete, and only then, I can proceed with my personal doings.

So back to the restaurant, I quietly called to Ash and asked if she had paper in there and she replied in the affirmative. I then requested that she get some and pass it under the stall to me as I didn't have any, there was a pause, I heard someone else come into the bathroom and as we were already occupying the only toilets in there,  this person had to wait.

Ashley still hadn't passed the paper, so I said "Ash.. pass Mommy some paper please!" a little angst in my voice as I was growing impatient. She replied "well Mama, did you do a number one or a number two?"...and there was a giggle from outside the stall.... "Ashley, just pass me some paper!!!" this time through gritted teeth in that I"m about to ground you kinda voice.  Ashley then proceeded "I need to know how much to give you; number one or number twoooo???" at this the person waiting didn't even try to hide it.. she was laughing so hard she was probably on the verge of peeing her own pants!!! So by now I was really ticked (but cracking up on the inside) and yelled "Number one now gimme the damn paper!!!"....at which a little hand appeared holding a wad of the sacred stuff.

All done, I tried to walk out of the stall with some dignity but it was too late, Ash came out giggling, the lady waiting was hysterical and I was rolling my eyes at them both. This one is going down in the book of things to tell future boyfriends..... bwwaaahahahahaha!!!

Pausing for thought....

I know, I know, I'm overloading on pics of the Ashbooger right now but I can't help it she's so darn CUTE!!! She has been hanging with me a lot this summer and I'm totally sucking up every moment because I'm well aware that soon she'll be 10 like Syd and I will not be as uber-cool as I am now.  Also she loves to be in front of the camera so I don't have to beg her to pose, and I love the way she does it so naturally. Sigh... sorry to be such a bore but I love my girls so much it's unbelievable!  Anyway... we're two thirds of the way through this summer and although we've actually done a whole lot it seems like it's flying by too quick. I'm trying to pause a little and savor it before it's too late......

Summer's Here... not where you are... but here!!!!

 Who's more afraid, her or the frog???? LOL.

Yep, it's here, beautiful weather, sunscreen, 'kini's (not for me of course), cold drinks

and lazy afternoons. Just a few snaps from poolside yesterday. These are the days 

we live for!  They found that little toad in the pool and rescued him, Ash was 

squealin' and squeakin' at me, "take a picture Mama, take a picture".

Too funny. 

This morning we're forming a plan of action for the summer. This year we'll have 

a schedule, a direction, a purpose. We have weekends away, day camps, visits with 

family and a hefty ole gas bill I'm sure. I'm determined not to let this summer pass me 

by without doing some of the things we always say we should do. Like tubing down 

the Itchetucnee River, visiting Tybee Island, spending a day at the zoo in Jacksonville

to name just a few.  

So... what you got planned for the summer?????

Photography is fun!!!

Tuesday nights are photography class night... OMG... it's so much fun I can't tell you!!! 

I love it. The guy who teaches it is a local portrait photographer and although I am sure that's 

not where my forte lies, as seen in the pictures below, I am learning from him and I love it!

This week he asked us to take models ... of course I took the girls!! Not that I actually wanted

to, I knew I was asking for trouble, but his gorgeousness was out of State.. not only out of 

town but out of the damn State!!!! 

So off we go to the studio, it's all rush, rush, rush, i get there and he's talking, talking, talking

then he starts metering the light... yes I know... metering the light... and tells us what to 

do with out f-stop and blah blah.. I can tell you're impressed. And it hits me ... 

dumb ass McGilly left the battery for her Nikon in the charger!!! Grrrrr!! 

Dingbat... that's me. So I ran home and got it.. y'all forget we live in a wee tiny 

place and nothing is more than five mins from my house. The class then proceeded and I 

took some of the worst pictures you've ever seen!!!! 

Here's Syd making faces behind teach's head!! 

I was taking pics and dying of shame all at the same time!!! 

He was a real sport, what she didn't know was that he could see her in a mirror

all the time.... funny stuff.

Here's Syd and Ash looking like a couple of stuffed dummies from the eighteen 

hundreds!!! I am quite sure this is not the type of picture i want to take.

And here is my necklace on my nightstand when I got home and into bed!!! 

I used what I had learned about this setting, that number, this light metering and that

depth of field and took this with nothing but the light of the lamp on my nightstand. 

and I like it!! Don't love it but I like it!!!!

Most of all I love that my teacher recognized the type of pictures I want to take and 

when I was leaving the studio he let me borrow one of his books on still life. 

It's incredible and I'm honored that he's already clicked with what I want to do and that

he's not trying to force me into the type of thing he does.. now that's a class act!!! 

Can't wait for next week... a field trip.. woo woo!!!!! 

Just a Quickie.... or not???/

Whenever I say just a quickie it turns out to be a longie... gufaww gufaaww!!!!!

I just wanted to get on here and thank my newest followers!!! I am so grateful when I get new followers it's like playing to a whole new crowd, and you know how much I love playing to the crowd. I love the old crowd too don't get me wrong, so don't start commenting saying hey how 'bout me blah blah blah.. (that's aimed at Bambi and Spud 'cos they're the needy, whiney ones) (that I really heart so much!!). There....

So in case you don't know what I"m about, I am married to a gorgeous man who is kinda funny and witty himself in a shyish kinda way. I have two girls who are HILARIOUS.... really it's a riot,most of it is so quick and there's so much I can't remember it all but that was how this blog was borne. I try and put down their antics and share a little of what it's like to be 40 and raise two kids in elementary school.... actually Ash is just in Kindergarten!!! I am torn as to whether I think it's a good idea to have kids later in life (wtf??) or in your early twenties... right about now I"m a little jealous of those my age with teenagers who fend for themselves... until I hear the cell phone/computer/boys stuff then I go back to being happy dealing with hair brushing and putting away Barbies!!!!!

Tonight, I am on the computer tapping away at the keys and Ash is behind me playing while I try and concentrate..... and this Mr Therapist is how the conversation went..... word for word....

Ash..... where's Syd??

Me....I'm not telling you.....(she's at a birthday party)

Ash.... well if you don't tell me I'll just look weird and put this snorkel down my pants!!!!

So there's the gist of it, in a nutshell, life is grand, I love my family and I love this little Southern GA

town we have made our home. So come on back, take a peek and please make yourself heard!!!

 Future Leaders of America!!!

A lesson in economics and negotiation.

For those of you with young children, a word of advice, make them three envelopes for their money, SAVE, SPEND AND GIVE AWAY. That way they will grow up a lot wiser than we are and their generation may not have to face the problems of ours.

I have never been good at encouraging the girls to save, yes they have piggy banks but it's all just lip service really because like me they have inherited the I want it now gene.  The money in their banks gives them a lot less pleasure than the toys in their hands.  Therefore I am changing the tactics and going to the Dave Ramsey method of giving them three jars mentioned above. That way they will have the best of all worlds.

This weekend was a great example, Ashley has been holding onto a gift card that she received for her birthday,  it was for Walmart and she's a Target girl. She specifically wanted an item she had seen at Target that they didn't carry in Wally World, so I suggested that she give me the gift card and I'll give her ten bucks which she can then spend anywhere she wants.  OK, it took her a while to see what this transaction meant but she finally agreed.  Then she told me .... well, we can go to Walmart and spend my gift card on a toy, then you can give me some ten dollars and we'll go to Target!!!  Uhhh no Ash it's not gonna work like that but nice try.

So off we go, three intrepid shoppers ready to seize the bargains and seek out all the cutest stuff around.  We arrive in Target and after messing around with bras on their heads we move on to the toy department. All of a sudden Syd has an attack of the can't waits, I gotta have it.  Note to self, when you're already inside Target toy department there is no use trying to explain the finer points of saving up for things you want versus the instant gratification of buying stuff you don't really want just 'cos you need something NOW!!!!!  It was a pointless exercise and she wasn't having any of it.  I thought she was going to have a freakin' breakdown..... until that is.... ping the light bulb went off right above her beautiful little head... the negotiations began.  Syd approached Ashley and told her that even though they both had $10 each and it wasn't enough to buy the toys each of them wanted separately ... they could put their money together, purchase said toy and share it. Awesome!!!! I was totally impressed that she came up with the solution all by herself, Ash was not immediately on board but Syd can be very persuasive when she wants to be.

So here we are safely home and they are playing together (not exactly in harmony) but they're sharing and playing and it's a creative toy with which they are making little pictures out of tiny balls. Cool. Later we will set about making the envelopes/jars/whatever to split their money up from the get go.... thus knowing they'll have some in savings at home on the next shopping trip out. God Bless Dave Ramsey...go check him out, now, seriously your life will never be the same!

p.s.. I just heard Ash tell Syd that she thinks she's the funniest sister in the whole wide world... cute!

Fun in the Sun... and I mean Fun!!!!!!

Whhoooaaaa there little bit..... go for it!!!!!

This is what the summer is all about here in deepest, darkest GA!!!!!

Blow up some floaties and let them have at it... just don't forget the camera!!

It's pretty amazing what a bunch of girls can get up to on a Sat morning...and pretty awesome what colors you can capture!!!! we don't have a pool ourselves but you never know now do you? We have plenty of room for one and don't plan on going anywhere in the next decade or so!!! The girls absolutely love swimming and we're lucky enough to have friends who are more than glad to let us use the pool, one more reason to to appreciate the great people we have around us here in T-Ville.

There's something so wonderful about seeing your kids just lapping it up, they can stay there all day splashing and laughing and playing. I am more than happy to get out there and take pictures too, can you tell? It felt so unnatural to begin with when they were babies, for some reason (and I can't think what justification I had) I was totally petrified of them being around water. A huge debt of gratitude to M-I-L, my in laws have always lived on or around water and she was totally awesome, getting the girls comfortable and teaching them how to be safe. Now it's all paying off and they swim like fish, Ashley just passed the swim test at the Y and we couldn't be more proud. I remember summers when I was a kid and would have KILLED for an outdoor pool (there were very few and far between in Bonny Scotland) we used to go to the public pool where you get an armband and can only swim for about 45 mins! I loved it though and we went every opportunity we got so I can totally see why my kids are the same, I don't think I have EVER heard them say... no Mom we don't feel like swimming today.

Summer fun is fantastic and these pictures will be ones to treasure for years to come!