The Bright Eyed Brunette

Carlie was really excited to get her hands on Ellie Kate Makena (little Momma) and Ellie Kate My little buddy, Trey with his new Spiderman glasses. He looks just like my dad! I don't have much time to blog because it's 9:08 p.m. and we are about to turn the generator off for the night. Yes, that's right, NO ELECTRICITY!! I'm not sure what the problem is: the wind, the ice, or a combination of the two, either way, I'm tired and I would LOVE to have a hot shower!! I know I shouldn't complain with everything that is going on in Haiti. I'll try not to mention that we have NO ELECTRICITY, again. This morning we woke up and were pleased to hear that the girls didn't have school--can you imagine the excitement?! The Simpson's were down due to the weather and the fact that they were afraid if the electricity went out at their house that they wouldn't have heat. So, we enjoyed an afternoon visit with them. My dad was supposed to fly back into

Makena was really excited to ride the escalator when we got there! Not doing so good, now... post-op Ellie Kate Caroline This has probably been one of the most emotionally stressful weeks I have had in a LONG time. Monday wasn't so bad--the kids were off for the holiday and Carl didn't even have to work--he's never been off for MLK day. So we spent the day just hanging out--outside some, since we have such wonderful springtime weather:) I got up Tuesday morning, ready for the day--took the girls to school, made my (daily) trip to Wal-Mart, went to the bank, ran some other errands, then made my way back home. NOTHING could have prepared me for the news I was about to get. A terrible tragedy happened involving some pretty important people at our little school. I will not get into details, as to this day more stuff keeps surfacing, but I'll tell you that it definitely threw me for a loop. No one is dead, but there are injuries and scars that may never completely heal. G

Trey was being a monkey while he was waiting to go outside and play Carlie in sponge-rollers! My little diva, Makena Nothing "blog-worthy" has gone on around here in the past week. We didn't get any snow:( I say that like I'm really upset, but really we all know that I'd rather be somewhere tropical. The kids were really disappointed when they got up on Thursday morning and there was nothing. Carlie told me she wasn't going to school-but she did. Jamie still hasn't had Ellie Kate, and the funny thing is, she's acting just like Carlie did about going to school!! She is mad (at most everybody) because she's still pregnant! I told her today that it would probably be soon (I should have known better) and I thought she was going to hang up on me!! REALLY though, it will be next Friday, January 22, if she doesn't come before then:) I can't wait to hold her in my arms. There's nothing like holding a newborn baby. Every once in a while I wish

Meadows, Alyssa, and Harvey:) Rats!!! Not really, of course, but by these cute little Zhu Zhu Pets:) All three of the kids got them for Christmas. Apparently, they were the "hot item" of the season, because stores were sold out of them and some people were spending up to $160.00 for them (and the play set they go in). I was NOT about to do that because I figured they would just be junk after about a month of play, but my Mom found them at Wal-Mart in Stuttgart on Christmas Eve! She didn't wrap them, but instead when we got to her house she had all the grand kids gather in the living room and they had a "mouse hunt" and which ever one they found was their pet to keep. They had fun doing it:) I haven't posted in a few days, so I guess I'll take this opportunity to catch up. On New Year's Day we ate lunch at my Grammy's--all the usual new year food--hog jowl, black-eyed peas, cabbage(YUCK), fried potatoes. I can't imagine that food giving you p