What's Next

The Red Envelope Project

2009-03-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

I grabbed the following info off of someone else's blog to share with you a bit about the red envelope project:

I got an email from a friend the other day asking to participate in something -- to protest, peacefully, the presidents stand on abortion. Or Voluntary Population Planning, as he puts it.

I believe we should respect the office of president and support him in his difficult job. But I don’t think that means we should sit idly by while things happen we don’t approve of. So someone had a great idea of the RED ENVELOPE PROJECT. I hadn’t ever heard of it before, but I really like the idea. A simple, peaceful way to send a message.

***PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT my idea... I am only trying to spread the word!***

Here is the email I received: Get red envelopes or postcards and mail them on March 31st to the White House When: March 31st, 2009 Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message:

“This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion.It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world.”

We will mail the envelopes out March 31st, 2009. Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this event to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died [in the U.S.] before having a chance to live.

It may seem that those who believe abortion is wrong are in a minority. It may seem like we have no voice and it's shameful to even bring it up. Let us show our President and the world that the voices of those of us who do not believe abortion is acceptable are not silent and must be heard. Together we can change the heart of The President and save the lives of millions of children. So I want to call on my blogging buddies, friends and family to join this protest.

Whether or not it works, I will feel better for trying. If you need an envelope, email me. I will send you one or two. *** Please feel free to refer to, link to, copy, paste or otherwise snag this information for your blog!!! Lets spread the word!!!***

www.redenvelopeproject.org

Big Steps

2009-03-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

Carter's official method of transportation is now walking! Here's a video clip with the proof (plus some other cute stuff).

13 months

2009-03-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

Today Carter turned 13 months old. Every day is a new adventure full of smiles and fun. He's just one really cool kid, if I do say so myself!

Here's a 13 item list about Carter:

1. Current favorite foods are bananas, pasta pick-ups, and goldfish

2. He can say mama, dada, papa, and nana, along with night-night, and puppy

3. He's CRAZY about his daddy. They have loads of fun together wrestling.

4. Carter walks just about everywhere, though he's unsteady on his feet and falls on his bottom quite often.

5. He's got 10 teeth

6. Bath time is a fun playtime for him. If I say, "Let's take a bath!" he immediately starts heading for the bathroom to get the water started.

7. He "talks" constantly, but we're not sure what he's trying to say to us.

8. Carter enjoys riding in the car facing forward now. This has opened up a whole new world for him and he LOVES to ride.

9. He still needs two naps and about 12 hours of sleep at night

10. Carter loves to throw balls. His favorite game is catch.

11. He still gets into every drawer he can open, but at least he's beginning to put things back in the drawers after he pulls stuff out.

13. He loves to give Mick kisses and gentle pats. Mick's not crazy about that, but lets him do it anyway. Besides, Mick gets blessed with all the food that Carter throws from his high chair. It seems like a fair trade.

We're having a blast watching our little guy grow. It just keeps getting better!!

Carter's Birthday Bash

2009-02-08T13:33:00.001-08:00

Carter's first birthday was a so much fun, thanks to wonderful friends and family who celebrated with us. Here's some of my favorite pictures from the big bash.

We all sang Happy Birthday To You and presented Carter with his own "smash cake." He wasn't quite sure what to make of it at first. In fact, we thought he was going to cry. But, JJ and I gave him a little taste of the icing, and it wasn't long before he was totally into the cake.

Check out this big bite!

And another big bite!

We soon found out that blue icing is not the easiest to clean. He had blue stains on his hands and arms until bathtime later that evening.

Opening the presents was so much fun. Carter got a lot of great gifts! Here he is seen opening the first one. After unwrapping one gift, Carter was off to explore other things in the room, so I enjoyed unwrapping the rest. The children at the party were so precious! They seemed as excited as we were about opening the presents.

Here's the studs of the party! These little guys are in Carter's playgroup. It's the whole group minus one sweet baby girl. (We missed you, Sydney!) We hope they will be lifelong friends.

Happy birthday little buddy!

One

2009-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

On February 4th, 2008 at 6:04pm, my sweet Carter John Langford was born. It was a day that will forever be imprinted on my mind and in my heart. On this day, I'll never forget the exciting anticipation, the intense pain, and the profound love that filled every fiber of my body. I'll never forget the gruffy "boy" cry that I heard when Carter was delivered. I'll never forget the feeling of holding Carter in my arms for the first time, or the precious look on JJ's face as he stared into the alert eyes of his baby boy. I'll never forget the pride we felt when we presented Carter to our parents and shared his name for the first time. I'll never forget the overwhelming feeling of responsibility and the obsessive desire to keep Carter's fragile young body safe. No, I'll never forget this day because it is a day that changed my life forever.

Here I am with a smile on my face, so ready to meet my sweet boy. (This is several hours before the pain began.) Check out my very round belly.

Here's a fun picture of Carter's stats.

Holding my sweet boy. I've been kissing his little head ever since the day he was born.

This is my favorite picture of JJ. I took it about 30 minutes after Carter was born. You can see JJ's emotions as a new father on his face. A priceless picture.

Happy Birthday My Sweet Carter. What a blessing you are.

First Snow

2009-01-19T14:18:00.001-08:00

Today is the first time this winter that we've had enough snow to slightly cover the ground. So, this was a great opportunity for Carter to experience what it's like to see the beautiful snowflakes fall and to feel the cold snow between his fingers. It was a very wet snow; almost like spilt slushies without the food coloring.

Before we went outside, we peeked out the window together. I whispered to Carter, "Look at the pretty, pretty snow!" and he immediately tried to sound out the word "pretty." It was so precious!

We went outside just long enough for me to catch a few pictures as the snow swirled around us. Carter didn't have the right kind of shoes and pants to let him crawl around in it, but he enjoyed standing in it for a few moments. Then we were quickly back inside to dry off and warm up.
What a fun, sweet time with my little one!

Photo Tag

2008-12-11T18:22:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late doing this, but my friends tagged me to post a picture from my files as a fun little game.

Here it is!

This is a picture of my mom and I about ten days before Carter was born. We really enjoyed spending time together doing last minute preparations before the baby's arrival. It was a sweet time. The anticipation of Carter's birth was so exciting. As you can see, I was about to pop!

Okay, if there's anyone left who'd like to play......you're tagged!

Here are the rules:
1. Go to the 4th folder and select the 4th picture.
2. Post it to your blog.
3. Tell us about it.
4. Tag anyone you want to tag!

Wrestling With Daddy

2008-11-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

Carter's time with Daddy is super special, especially since he's been traveling quite a bit for work. Here's what the men of the house love to do...

(This is for you JJ, I love you!)

Little Stinker

2008-10-28T14:14:00.001-07:00

A photographer in the making

2008-10-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of Christmases ago, my husband and I received a fantastic gift, a digital Cannon Rebel SLR camera. Until a few months ago, I always though of the camera as belonging to JJ, mainly because he was the one who took the time to read the manual, purchased accessories and lenses, and could take really great pictures. For some reason all the bells and whistles, along with the bulk of the camera was completely unappealing to me. In fact, JJ bought me a tiny camera to carry with me to encourage me to take more pictures. (By the way, I love my little camera).

When Carter arrived and I had a few months to awaken from the "mother-of-a-newborn -fog," I began taking tons of pictures of Carter with my little camera. But when I would upload them onto my computer to view them, the photos were often grainy, out of focus, or had major red eye problems. Knowing that I would be primarily responsible for documenting Carter's milestone moments ( since I'm with him most of the time), I decided it was time to start playing with the big camera.

I began to experiment with the different lenses, focus, and lighting- using Carter as my primary subject. I must have taken hundreds of pictures( thanks to Carter's cooperative attitude), then I would upload them and critique myself. I discovered that using the Cannon wasn't as hard or cumbersome as I first thought. In fact, it's quite difficult to take a bad picture with it. My favorite aspect is the creative part of photo-taking. I've discovered that it is fun to play with angles and lighting. I'm even learning a little about how to use photoshop to enhance my pictures. I actually think I would enjoy taking a real photography class. I'd love to learn how to do creative portraits for my family and friends. I've got a lot to learn, but who knows.....maybe I'm a photographer in the making. But for now, it's a fun new hobby that I really enjoy.

Here's a few of my favorite shots of Carter that were taken last week:

The Carter Experiment

2008-10-21T14:09:00.001-07:00

When Carter was born, I was approached by a local university about enrolling Carter in various studies on infant development. As someone who appreciates education and research endeavors, I decided to give it a try. The first one was a study on brain activity in relation to various visual stimuli. The premise of the study was that when an infant sees something new, he uses a different part of the brain than when he sees something that is not new to him. The set up involved viewing a large screen that showed various animated and inanimate objects while remaining seated in my lap. The room was darkened so that Carter's attention would remain on the screen. Carter was fitted with an EEG cap that allowed the researchers to monitor the areas of the brain that were stimulated based on what Carter saw. The cap consisted of tiny suction cups that had been soaked in water and baby shampoo. He also wore a barber's drape to discourage him from grabbing at the cap. Carter was a little unnerved by all the attention from the grad students, but they were very sweet to him. The researchers were thrilled with how cooperative Carter was and felt that they got a lot of information from his participation. They mentioned that most babies wouldn't even let them get the cap in place. Considering we never watch tv during his playtime, Carter kept his attention on the screen as long as he could (about six minutes). Once he started getting fidgety, the students concluded the session and took off the cap. The following picture was taken right before they removed the cap.

On the Move

2008-10-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

I can't get over how my little guy has dramatically changed in the past two weeks. Just two short weeks ago, Carter was perfectly content to stay in one spot on the carpet, playing with his toys. Now I find myself chasing him everywhere. It seems that he has all of a sudden discovered that there is so much more out there to explore. I'm excited to see him on the move, yet thoroughly exhausted by the constant activity. Not only does he want to crawl everywhere (and he's getting faster at it every day), he wants to pull up on everything. With crawling comes the constant bumps on the head. He's currently sporting a pretty good shiner from bonking his head on the hard wood floor, then again on the coffee table. Let the baby proofing begin.....or should I have already done that?

8 months

2008-10-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Carter turned 8 months old today. It seems like the past week has been filled with new and exciting developments.

1. He's constantly on the move. Carter is crawling, but usually in the opposite direction than he wants to go. I guess he's mastered the backward crawl.

2. He's pulling up on furniture, so his crib is now lowered.

3. Carter now sleeps swaddle-free. (Yes, it took 8 months before he was ready to let go of the swaddle.)

4. He's learned how to sit up totally on his own.

5. The boy can put down some food. He LOVES to eat.

6. He's smiley almost all of the time.

7. He gives us spontaneous kisses.

8. He's beginning to understand what "no" means.

We're really enjoying this phase with Carter, knowing that as he becomes more mobile and independent there will be new challenges ahead.

Teefers

2008-08-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

That's right! My little boy has two tiny teeth breaking through his bottom front gumline. I'm thankful that he hasn't been too fussy, and so far, the teething hasn't interrupted his sleep. In addition to the new teeth, he is sitting up, eating cereal and veggies, and is only taking two naps during the day. His recent adventure involved getting to ride in a shopping cart like a big boy without his carrier. He can even sit in a high chair when we go out to eat now.

JJ and I are really enjoying this phase because he is almost always smiling and seems to enjoy whatever activity we provide for him. Right now he especially loves banging on things. We recently bought him a drum that plays different songs that has quickly become one of his favorite toys. He also likes to play a set of maracas that his Aunt Marie and Uncle Ted brought back from Mexico. Sometimes he ends up using them as drum sticks for his drum.

Carter enjoys reading books too. His current favorites are any type of "touch and feel" books. He's learning how to turn the pages and always reaches out to touch the different textures on each page. I'm hoping that he will always enjoy books.

Here's a few recent pictures of our growing boy, along with a short video of what playtime looks like at our house....enjoy.

Six Months

2008-08-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

Just six months ago, my life dramatically changed as Carter was ushered into this world and into my arms. Six short months have passed, seeming like a blink filled with changes, challenges, and beautiful discoveries. In six months, I have discovered that being a mother is more wonderful than I could have possibly imagined. Six months is just a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of life. But, oh, how wonderful these six months have been!

Meeting Uncle Aaron

2008-07-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

This week included an exciting event for our family. My brother, Aaron, who lives with his wife and baby girl in southern California, met our son, Carter, for the first time. As some of you may know, he plays in a band and happened to be passing through Nashville while heading to a show. He stayed over an extra day so that he and Mom could meet us in Cookeville for lunch. It was great to visit with him for a few hours. It makes me wish we lived closer to each other so we could hang out more often. I'm sure Carter will think that his Uncle Aaron is so cool as he grows older (because he really is a pretty cool guy). We are thrilled they finally had an opportunity to meet. Now we need to work on getting together with Aunt Mandi and his baby cousin, Arleigh (11 months old). Getting the two cousins together will be hilarious. Hopefully we'll get the opportunity in the not so distant future.

What's so funny?

2008-07-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

The other night JJ was making all kinds of crazy noises to get Carter's attention. Boy did it work! One particular noise really tickled Carter's funny bone. Check it out....

The History Behind a Beloved Song

2008-07-08T06:31:00.000-07:00

Every evening before I place Carter in his bed for the night, there are several songs that I sing to him as part of our bedtime routine. They are all songs that were sung to me as a child and have very special meaning. One of my favorite childhood songs is "Jesus Loves Me." I don't ever recall a time when I didn't know the words and tune because my parents sang it to me since birth. It is such a well known song, that I'm sure most Christians in the English speaking world know the tune by heart. When I hear "Jesus Loves Me" I instantly flash back to the days of children's church and memory verses; a time of innocence and zeal for learning new Bible stories. It used to be my very favorite song, until one day I grew up and thought it was meant only for young children to sing.

Now that I have a child of my own, I sing "Jesus Loves Me" every night. One evening as I was singing, I became curious of the song's origin. So, I typed the title under a Wikipedia search and I discovered that the simple chorus that we know is only a very small part of the song. The entire song, originally a poem, is quite beautiful and tells the redemption story. I was touched to learn that the tune was created to sing the poem to comfort a child who was dying. Check out the link to read the rest of the story. It may inspire you, as it did me, to a new love of an old song.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Loves_Me

Morning Playtime With Carter

2008-06-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

Is every mom as fascinated by their kids as I am by my son? He amazes me everyday with his smiles, giggles, and keen interest in simple objects that he notices for the first time. I am absolutely loving every moment. I captured a few moments of Carter's morning playtime to share with friends and family who don't get the opportunity to see him all that often. I'll try to add new video clips from time to time as Carter continues to grow and change.

Here you will see Carter hanging out in his highchair. We started placing him in it during meal times to get him used to it. Right now it's a great place for him to play while I eat breakfast and grab a cup of coffee. He enjoys sitting with me at the table and it makes for a fun interactive time together. You'll get a glimpse of his precious smiles and new babbling sounds. His newest sound is the "th, th, th" sound.

(Disclaimer to my friends from up north: My southern accent has become very thick in the two years that I've returned to TN. It's true that I am indeed a southern girl at heart.)

After making several failed attempts to post the video directly into my blog using the blogger video upload, I posted it on youtube with the link. If there's any special trick to posting a video using blogger that you'd like to share, please do. I'd love it to be a bit easier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmGMgLrDEkM

I have snuck onto my wives account and fixed her video issue. You should find the video below...JJ

The New Mr. and Mrs. Taylor

2008-06-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we enjoyed celebrating the marriage of Ted and Marie Taylor. Marie is JJ's sister, who has truly become my sister too over the past eight years. We are also very excited to welcome Ted to the family. For those of you who've been around the two of them, you already know that Ted and Marie make a fantastic couple. We are thrilled for them as they begin their life together.

It was a joy and a privilege to be the Matron of Honor. Marie and I got to spend quite a bit of time together before the wedding. On Friday we went to a nail spa, then on Saturday, we went to the salon to get our hair styled for the wedding. It was fun just goofing off and hanging out together. Marie was calm, with a fun sense of humor the entire time. One of my favorite moments was right before the wedding as we were fastening her blusher veil in place. For those of us who have been "the bride," it was that excitement in the air that could be felt as she was dressed and ready to meet her groom down the isle. She was breathtaking! I really enjoyed getting to be a part of such a special moment.

You may be wondering, "Where was Carter during all of this?" While I was being pampered, Carter enjoyed some "man time" with his daddy and grandpa. My parents were a huge help before and during the wedding. Carter sat in the back of the church and was quickly rushed out when he began to fuss. He enjoyed visiting with many relatives and friends at the reception. When he finally reached his breaking point, my parents took him home and put him to bed. It was the first time he'd ever ridden in a car and put to bed without his parents present. He did great with my mom and dad and went right to sleep. We were so grateful for Mom and Dad's help so that JJ and I could focus on the wedding activities. I'm also proud of the way my son hung in there with the total loss of his regular schedule and all the extra attention from relatives and friends. He really is a wonderful baby and I'm so blessed.

The outfit that Carter is wearing in this picture was JJ's when he was Christened. I thought the wedding would be a neat occasion for him to wear it.

JJ was delegated the job of all the wedding photography. Taking pictures happens to be one of many hobbies that my husband enjoys. However, the pressure of doing his sister's wedding was a little nerve racking. He worked really hard on the night of the rehearsal to make sure lighting and positioning would be just right. I was so proud at how seriously he took his role. He looked like a professional! Having seen all the pictures, I was very impressed with the outcome. The pictures turned out beautifully! Once the bride has had a chance to view them, I'll try to post some of my favorites. JJ never ceases to amaze me.

Being the photographer, this was one of two shots that he was actually in, taken by the lovely bride herself.

Another neat part of the Taylor union is that now my friend, Cindy Taylor, is also now considered family. Cindy is married to Ted's brother, Mike. That makes us sisters-in-law-in-law. So I guess I can say we officially have family right here in Knoxville! I'm thrilled that Cindy and I are friends and family.

Cindy's son, Sam, was the Ring Bearer in the wedding. He did an outstanding job! Here's a pre-wedding photo of Sam and the Flower Girl, Emma.

The wedding was a beautiful event and we were so excited to be a part of it. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Taylor. May God richly bless your new life together.

Firsts

2008-06-17T13:27:00.000-07:00

There are so many "firsts" to experience as a four month old boy. JJ and I are enjoying every minute with our son as the world continues to open up in front of him. Sometimes I'd love to just freeze time and hold him just a little bit longer because I realize how much he's growing and changing so quickly. He's no longer my newborn baby. He's asserting his personality, showing his preferences, and observing everything. But, we are having so much fun watching him experience new things everyday.

Recently, Carter met his Great Grandma Blanton (my grandmother). He took his first trip out of state to South Carolina, where I grew up. It was also his first stay overnight in a hotel. Meeting my grandmother was very special. She just adored him and loved holding and kissing his feet.

We bought Carter an exersaucer that he immediately fell in love with. When I brought it home, you would have thought it was Christmas time. JJ and I were so excited to give him a new toy. We are impressed with how well he's figuring out how all the little gadgets work.

Carter experienced his first time in a swimming pool. After being completely slathered with spf 50, we slowly lowered him down into the water (caution: a baby covered in lotion is extremely slippery) . I was surprised at his reaction, since he's still apprehensive about bath time. He really enjoyed standing in the water. He seemed mesmerized by the color and the way it rippled around him. He didn't seem to mind the chilly water at all. When we tried to place him in his baby float (thank you Cindy!), we discovered that he's still a bit small. His little legs when straight out in front of him and he ended up on his back. Maybe by the end of the summer he can hang out in the float. Until then, it looks like we'll be spending most of our time on the pool steps.

Today Carter enjoyed his first trip to the zoo. We went with a friend of mine from college and her two baby boys. It was perfect weather and the animals were active and fun to observe. Of course, Carter is a bit too young to really enjoy the animals, but he loved riding around in his stroller experiencing new sights, sounds, and smells (some, not so pleasant). I think the zoo is quite a jewel right here in our own town.

There are many more "firsts" to come. I'm enjoying every minute!

Storms

2008-06-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

We had a severe storm the other day that was one of the worst I've seen in a long while. Our weather radio had been going off all afternoon, but the warnings were for areas east of us, so I thought we were in the clear. I was talking on the cordless phone and bouncing Carter in my arms, trying to keep him occupied, as the weather radio continued to beep for what seemed like the hundredth time. The caller was a prospective teacher who was interviewing to take my position, so I quickly hit the alarm to turn it off and continued my conversation. I heard thunder in the distance, but had no idea of the ominous dark cloud that was slowly creeping over our neighborhood.

It wasn't long before the thunder became so loud and frequent that I was having trouble hearing the person on the phone. Then all of a sudden, there was a huge cracking sound, an instant boom, a quick blink of the lights, and the phone line went dead. Evidently the lightening had struck and traveled through our phone line because I felt a brief shock that ran into my ear and down my body. My ear was ringing, but other than that, everything seemed okay. Carter was pleasantly looking around the room as if nothing had happened.

Now that my phone conversation had been halted, I began walking around the house and looking out each window. The lightening was frequent and it seemed like it was zapping all around us, but that wasn't as troubling as the sound of the wind and hail pounding our house. Being from tornado country, I was very disturbed by the way the wind would gust in one direction, blowing the trees near the ground, then blowing with the same furry in the opposite direction. The dime sized hail looked as if it were coming down in sheets. The sound was deafening.

The intensity of the storm began to worry me as I witnessed tree branches floating down our street, so I took Carter to our "storm safety" room, which happens to be a hall bathroom in the center of our house. The storm seemed to last an eternity as I sat there and rocked Carter. As anxious as I felt, and with the violence of the storm swirling around us, it amazed me that Carter was perfectly relaxed, dozing in my arms.

As the wind and hail began to calm down a bit, I heard a dripping sound coming from the kitchen area. I assumed that the worst of the storm had passed, so I ventured out to find the source. I looked above our kitchen table and there was a line of water steadily coming from the ceiling. With Carter still dozing in my arms, I pulled out the biggest pots I could find and lined them up along the kitchen table. Water was even dripping through the light fixture.

Needless to say, this was one of the worst storms I had experienced in a long time. Once the television was up and running again, I flipped it on to see the radar picture of what had just hit us. The color on the radar was not red, which would indicate a severe storm. It was purple, meaning it was intensely severe (which I already knew). Besides the water damage, our phone and internet services were out for several days. A couple of our neighbors lost big trees and I witnessed several roofing guys out repairing roofing damages. I'm thankful that there were no major damages or injuries.

It later occurred to me that during the entire experience of the raging storm all around us, Carter never seemed disturbed or upset by the loud noises, or the fact that his mom was frantically pacing back and forth around the house. He was so relaxed that he drifted off to sleep! God used his example as an object lesson for me.

I pictured myself resting in the arms of God as the storms of life swirled all around me. It occurred to me that God desires that I trust in Him and give over my worries (big and small) to Him, and in turn, He will give me peace of mind during the tough times in life.

1Peter 5:6-7 says, "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Lovin' Summer

2008-06-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here's 10 good reasons why I love the summer season in TN.

1. Longer Daylight
2. The sweet smell of honeysuckle
3. Flip Flops
4. Reading a good book on the screened-in porch with a tall glass of ice tea
5. Fresh summer veggies
6. Trips to the mountains
7. Soaking in the sun by the pool
8. The care-free feeling that always accompanies this time of year
9. Grilling out
10. Enjoying the cool of the evening after a really hot day.

What do you enjoy about the summer season?

Need Any Help With Those Bags???

2008-06-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Carter is four months old and I'm just now getting to the point where I feel like I can go places with just the two of us without it being some major ordeal. Today was actually the first time I've attempted to take Carter to the grocery store with me. Usually JJ or I will go on a weekend while the other stays home with our little man. But, neither one of us likes to tackle the madness of grocery shopping on the weekends. Plus, our pantry and fridge were completely bare. So I figured today was as good as any to see how shopping with my little man would go.

I was pleased with how Carter behaved in the car, riding quietly in his car seat and checking out his cool hanging toys (as you some of you know, this is a major breakthrough). When we arrived at the store, I strapped him in a little jeep carrier that is worn like a front backpack.....very stylish might I add. I figured this was a great way to have plenty of room in the buggy, plus allowing me to be hands-free. This was the first time he was strapped facing outward, so he really seemed to enjoy being able to see all the colorful stuff. I ended up buying a ton of groceries, completely filling the cart to the point that it was difficult to push. Carter was fantastic the entire time. We proceeded to the check out and one of the young employees began unloading my stuff onto the belt. I was thrilled to just stand there and watch someone else unload my huge grocery pile! Then, I was asked if I needed help out to my car. I've never actually taken them up on that offer until today. It was so nice to have someone else load my car. This may sound silly, but I felt totally pampered! I gave the girl a few bucks for her help and was on my way. I think it was the most enjoyable grocery trip I've ever had. I'll probably never go back to loading my own groceries!

A New Blogger

2008-06-04T04:15:00.000-07:00

Hello friends! Here I am! I'm finally joining the blogging world. This could get dangerous since my mind is filled with all kinds of nonsense. But maybe I'll surprise you with a pithy word or two now and then. I've always enjoyed writing, yet I don't do it frequently enough. Maybe this is the outlet I need to get the pen rolling, so to speak. Sometimes I wonder if I have anything to say that would be worth a moment of your time. My life is pretty simple, yet it has dramatically changed in recent months with the birth of my son. I am learning some of the most profound life lessons in the simplest of moments. It's the day-to-day that life is made of. I hope to capture some of those moments here.