Playgroup

I'm a big fan of Playgroups. When I first embarked on this stay-at-home-mommy journey, I combed the internet looking for a Mom group. Noone really told me the necessity that such a group would hold for me, but as a now 6ish year veteran of not one, but two playgroups, I will tell you-they are a must for the stay homers. It's very easy to get sucked into your own little world with your babies, to detach from the realities of things like World News, Make-Up, and Adult Conversation. Once, when Tanner was about 3 months old, I was riding in the car with Todd not knowing what to do with myself-no screaming child, no baby music to find, no bottle to fill. At that point Todd stopped down, looked at me, and told me to get out more-that WE needed to get out more WITHOUT the kids. The way he said it startled me, but at the same time I knew he was right. I was going a little nutso...enter Playgroup. I found the said Mom group, called the Mom in charge, and on a Tuesday knocked on a stranger's door. They welcomed me with open arms; they introduced Madison to the other kids; they fed us both lunch; they told stories of their own children and family lives. They made me feel normal. From that moment on, there was no stopping me from missing Tuesday Playgroup. If we were well, we were there-because yes, the kids had the opportunity to play, but also-I formed a connection with these moms. They saw me at my most vulnerable-a new mom, and they still liked me, reassured me, and laughed with me. They gave me advice without sounding condescending. They gave me hugs when I just knew I was sending my children into future therapy. They assured me that all the craziness in my life was normal, and that I would gain some control over my surroundings eventually. They said all this because they were in the same place I was-needing the same reassurances thrown their direction. We shared our Tuesday mornings, we shared our children, and we shared our lives. They were a lifeline for me, and I dearly missed them upon our Big Move. I mourned that support system. I felt naked with only my crazy thoughts and even crazier children to surround me.

Slowly, I began to form friendships here, and put out a few feelers to these Moms to see if they would like to meet and play. To my surprise, they jumped on the chance-maybe needing those connections and bonds as much as I did. Last year, we met at McDonald's and the park. We went on a few fieldtrips over the summer, and this year our little group has really molded into something quite special. We celebrate our blessings, hurt for our hardships, and look forward to that weekly retreat into friendship. A friendship that feels safe, accepting, and fun.

Today was the perfect example of how we've grown from awkward acquaintances to real-live friends. We took time out from our normal routine to celebrate a new baby-due in March. We brought diapers for the new mom (or really I guess the new baby), packed lunches for the kids, and tasted Valentine's treats and official Baby Shower Cake-complete with finger holes.
The kids made bird feeders with pine cones, peanut butter and birdseed...
We walked down to a newly constructed fort (constructed by the MOM by the way!). The kids ran and played with the dogs-laughing in the sun.Here you will begin to understand the guts of my story. While admiring the wonderful fort, Grady decided it was time for a potty break, pulled down his pants, peed, and unexpectedly-surprisingly even to him-pooped. Pooped right there on the dirt. Right there. I was hangin' in the fort when I saw the "O NO-what do I do now face", and scurried up to get him. Scurry is the key word-as I did this, I lost my footing, and both Grady and I came crashing down on some rocks. Blood, skin, and poop all around us. My gracious playgroup grabbed my camera, helped me to my feet, cleaned up the feces, and a wound care specialist even gave me some instructions for my injury. I was mortified on so many levels, but these girls-they began telling stories of how their children had done the same thing...expected pee and surprised with poo. This is key-a mom HAS to know that her children aren't the worst in the world. She NEEDS to know that someone else has lived through the same experience and come out of it with her sanity intact. This is playgroup.

The rest of the afternoon, the kids settled with Curious George and their Valentine Lollipops.
The moms savored some of the non-finger-holed side of the Baby Cake, and took the time to laugh at ourselves and our crazy kids. Before I left, I made a note to show Grady the Baby Belly of Honor. His amazement was obvious, and the rest of the day he talked about "when that baby comes to playgroup."
I cherish these Mommy Moments, especially as my kids are growing older, and I feel my role changing with them. I'm no longer just surviving the baby chaos; I'm wading through the tricky issues of molding these babies into people. People that make good choices, care for their world, cherish relationships, and thank God everyday for their many blessings. I only wish these next stages were as simple as unexpected poo and weekly playgroup.

Old Man Laaser

35 years old. Man, that is OLD! Just think, a mere 15 years ago (FIFTEEN YEARS!!) we happened upon your friendship. Now, after many camping trips, Aggie Games, NASCAR weekends, scrapbook weekends, catering gigs, port-a-potty incidents, Go-Cart races, garage sales (todas las mesas uno dollaro), nachos, beers, domino games, spades games, Fightin' Texas Aggie Bonfires!, bar fights (well, not really-but almost!), bets, Cuban Cigars, bad-mustache-new-year-parties, midnight yells, late night chicken-on-the-bone, crawfish boils, trash can punch fruit, rock band concerts, and FIVE CHILDREN we get to settle down in this little 2 horse town for the duration.

It's an honor old man! Just think how much fun the next 15 years will be (what with us leaving the windows unlocked and all). What will those pictures look like?! I hope you had a fabuloso birthday-save a little celebration for Daytona Weekend-it's just around the corner. Yay Memories!

i luv kroger

Tonight I headed into the Big City for Tanner's music lesson. Since we were there, I decided to take advantage of Kroger shopping. I have so missed my grocery store, with its doubling coupons and weekly sales. Let me just tell you the fun I had.

Off my receipt:

Original Total: $245.46
Kroger Savings: $75.04 (things that are on sale-Kroger Style)
Coupons: $42.65 (clipped and doubled)

My New Total: $127.77

That is a 48% savings of $117. 69!!!! I also bought 90 items, so each thing was basically $1.42. Things like a ROAST, pork chops, cereal, milk...you get the idea.

Even the people behind me were commenting on how great I did. I got into couponing a few years ago with the Grocery Game, but with the Big Move to Decatur I fell out of it. I still clipped the coupons I would use, but without the fun sales and doubling going on, it just wasn't as satisfying. I have driven into the city a few times to grocery shop, but with the time and gas involved, that didn't do it for me either. Now that I have an excuse to drive in, I will be stopping by my Kroger more regularly. Dorky me-I am SO looking forward to it!!

Letter to the Editor

I just submitted this letter to the ol' Wise County Messenger. Discuss amongst yourselves. :)

Crystelle Waggoner Park was built four years ago. Located next to Harmon Baseball Park, just off the Square, it was constructed of sturdy composite wood as well as beautiful wood decking. The play structure mirrors our own courthouse, and the maze within stimulates imagination. A beautiful wooden picket fence surrounds the park, keeping little ones contained and safe. A section of the park, designated for tots, has a huge sandbox and "just right" slides. My 2 year-old loves the farm yard mural, and walks around mooing and cock-a-doodle-dooing as he weaves in and out of the maze. Swings, tunnels, slides, chimes, bouncy bridges, fireman poles, monkey bars, and a rock wall complete the fantasy.

Vandalism completes the reality.

Within the walls of that mirrored courthouse, etched in permanent marker, words and pictures introduce toddlers to the profane and obscene. Names are carved into the wood supports, and personalized pickets have been kicked out and stolen. Tunnels and slides are now cracked and ruined. Chimes have been dismantled and stolen. Screens from the Courthouse Tower are now slashed. The sand box is just a box. The wooden chicks are gone from the farmhouse mural. My older kids see these things and ask me why these things have happened.

This once beautiful addition to our town is crumbling—sometimes even at the hands of those for which it was erected. It is painful to see such lack of respect by our own community for this wonderful facility. Decatur Jr. Woman's Club raised $110,000 to build this park. Decatur citizens worked together, and built this park in five days. Decatur Citizens, this is our park..

On November 15th, there will be a community work day to address many of these issues. Please join us this day to help restore our park, and afterward to help prevent its misuse. Police monitored security cameras surround the park; street lights illuminate the park; signs list park rules. But something more than cameras, lights, and signs is needed—Decatur Citizens, we ask that you take ownership of our park. Our children need your eyes and ears to help keep this place innocent. Let’s work together, hold vandals responsible, and protect our park, our community, our children and their future.

Danielle Scroggins
Decatur Junior Woman's Club

Pumpkin Patch

Today we made a family field trip to the Black Creek Pumpkin Patch here in Decatur. I'm usually solo on these kinds of activities, leaving Todd at work. Since both big kids are in school these days, I have guilt doing all the fun stuff with just Grady. So-I've started moving some things like this to the weekends, and we go as a big clan. Todd is overjoyed! I knew deep down he felt a little left out of all the preschool fun. Everyone loves a jumphouse!

We started going to pumpkin patches when Madison was just a baby. We lived right by the official Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch, and the sea of pumpkins was just too fun. Sometimes I would misjudge the weather and dress the kids in winter clothes, only to sweat profusely once we got there. Sometimes we froze when I didn't put on enough winter clothes. October is like that around here. Sometimes we went in our halloween costumes. Sometimes we went with our playgroup friends. Many times it was just me and the kids, and I always had my camera in tow. Something about a mountain of orange is perfect for a kodak moment or two....getting that perfect kodak moment can be a challenge with my hoodlums....but I have these to look back on.

I have a few pre-digital-era pics in scrapbooks, but these were easily accessible. :)

The kids are so big now compared to then. (sigh)

Today we made new memories at a new pumpkin patch-part of the big move. The kids love a good petting zoo.... They fed a baby goat and some chickens. I always wonder if those animals ever get full...

There was a "corn maze"-really of Johnson Grass, but I guess only nerds like me notice that kind of thing. Grady and I tried to win the race, but of course, Todd turned on the nascar heat and won instead...bonus of having him along for the ride.

After a quick pumpkin, bat, and football painted on the little faces, we all hopped on the hay ride to finish out the pumpkin patch experience. It might have been the first time I didn't have to wrestle a small child into "enjoying" the ride. We all sat back and watched the Decatur Countryside...something of a tourist attraction I would guess.



Finally, with perfectly picked 'baby pumpkins', we said goodbye to the baby goats and headed home. Grady crashed about halfway here; Madison asked if the rest of the day could be a 'lazy Sunday', and Tanner (of course) begged to play Guitar Hero for the rest of the day. I'm guessing the exhaustion was a good sign of a successful Family Field Trip, and I'm also guessing next year when I'm deciding between sweaters or t-shirts, I'll look back on these pics and remember how little the kids were 'then'...

Hope Floats

Tonight I stumbled across Hope Floats, and just couldn't help myself. This is one of my all time favorite movies, and I know it reinforces that Inner Sap I've discussed at length, but I don't care.

The first time I saw this movie was after ascending from the great Hell most people refer to as the Grand Canyon. Todd and I had hiked 7 miles in, and 7 miles out. By the way-he left me in the Canyon, but that is neither here nor there, and we can discuss it later. We drove away from that Hell, ate dinner at Chili's, SPENT THE NIGHT IN A HOTEL, and treated ourselves to this movie. I think we were in Nevada. I cried like a little girl almost the entire movie. I'm talking snotty-can't-catch-your-breath-bawling. I'm sure my emotions were a little wacky from the recent brush with death, but I still took in each moment of this movie. Each moment that was so heart wrenching from the beginning-all the characters had so much emotion in their hearts, and so much life in their spirits. Soon after we saw this movie, Todd and I started our "real lives" with work, blah blah blah. The hustle of the daily grind tried to take some of our spirit, and we began the dream of living, working, and playing in the same town.

Now that we are here, I constantly reference this movie-I note that I have Hope Floats moments more often than not--I remember telling my sister this story just this last Christmas as we watched the Decatur Christmas Parade on the Square...I know you can just imagine. There was hot chocolate and candy canes for all. I recently posted about the oddity that is Reunion, and I relish in the daily warmth of family and friends. Small towns-they have their way...they have their way of making time slow a little, making your spirit a little lighter, and making you just a little happier to be here...

A taste of the wisdom of Hope Floats:

Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome. That's what momma always says. She says that beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will...

this used to be our playground....

Today we planned on going to a peach orchard to harvest our very own fresh peaches. I led some members of my playgroup to the treasured destination (45 minutes away!) only to find out that the orchard will not open until after the 4th. I promise promise promise I called and left messages and checked the website, but tried to put away my OCD tendencies in favor of "letting things go" and "knowing it will all work out". whatever. This experience just solidified future OCD behaviors when making plans for groups of people. To make up for my spastic nonplanned plan, I decided to lead the playgroup peeps over to our old neighborhood playground with accompanying duckpond. (sounds like a good sell!) When we arrived, the kids were pumped about the ducks, and even though it was only our old neighborhood, we all seemed to go down memory lane a little. We talked about when the kids were little, those first days of mommyhood, and making the move to Decatur. It's been a trek for everyone that has taken it on. I even peeked in our old backyard at our now very LARGE tree. Looking around, I breathed in the memories of past walks through the neighborhood looking at pumpkins, walks around the pond watching for turtle heads, and going to the baby pool for a quick afternoon swim. Madison was 18 months old when we moved to Keller.
Tanner was born 5 months after we moved to Keller.

Grady was born 3 years after we moved to Keller-one year before the BIG MOVE to Decatur.


I think that little neighborhood will always make my heart smile-freshly picked peaches or not.

New Friends. Great Times!

If you ask Todd, he'll tell you that meet your best friends in kindergarten (if not before). We've had this conversation with so many people-so many times. It's funny to hear his take on friendship, and then the irony of who we hang out with-people Todd went to kindergarten with! I have friends through different stages in my life-being a military brat, I don't have the benefit of living in the same town with my kindergarten buddies. Naturally, I take the opposite side during these conversations. Most recently, we've stumbled into a few new friendships that might just make Todd change his philosophy-or at least add to it. :) This goal of ours-to live, work, and play in the same town-it's come true! It's almost a dream...and, I think it's funny how some people come into your life at just the right moment. It's funny how an acquaintance can become a trusted friend before you know it. Personally, I think it can happen even if you didn't share snacktime together.

House Pics

I said I would post some pics of the finished product. Here are my fave spots in the house:

The Dining Room-dark walls were a little of an adventure for me, but I like them. (excuse the scrapbooking mess-always a work in progress)

The Kitchen-I love the rock on the under side of the bar-should be kid proof-right?

The Cozy Living Room-this room turned out a little different than what I thought, but it's really cozy and almost part of the kitchen-which I think will work. A carpet picnic was in process at the time of this pic-a little windy today, and it was all I could think of for some St. Patty's day fun.

The Footlockers-by far my favorite part of the whole house. You would not believe the crap the kids have all the time! Exampled here: easter buckets, coats, shoes, diaper bag....
My bathtub-it's a girly party of the house, and o so relaxing. I don't share.

So that's it-our 'forever house'. Todd thinks we will make one more move in our lifetime, but I'm thinking we will just add to this when we can. It is a great home, and I hope we have great memories here.

There's No Place Like Home

Not the best pic, I know-but the only one I had on hand right now. An online virtual tour is at the top of my to-do list. Plus, I love the star in the floor-one of my favorite things about the house. Can I just say how WONDERFUL being in my own house is? A house that is MINE! I'm giddy just writing this from a desk in a house that is MY VERY OWN. Every now and then as I try to find just the right word to express my jubilation, I look out MY WINDOW to MY YARD and into MY STREET...mine, mine mine. (well, I guess Todd and the kids can have a share too.)


The transition was a little rougher than I expected. After a whirlwind weekend of 48 hour moving and unpacking, Todd and I had the house "kid ready" and were pumped to show the kids their new home. Alas, we had to drag Tanner kicking and screaming into the house to sleep the first night (still unsure of his reluctance on that front). Grady moved to a "big boy bed" in his first nights here since he had been catapulting out of the crib the past few weeks. That's been super-fun since he's not quite 2. Madison has learned no concept of PUT THE BOOK DOWN AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER, and has been caught reading at all hours of the night. But still, it's luxurious with each kid in their own room with their OWN CLOSET. Pure extravagant luxury right there. It's awesome.

After a few weeks of settling in, my very wise Tanner looked up one morning at breakfast and said, "Mommy, this house feels like our own home."

I couldn't agree more.

Decisions, Decisions...

So we are about a month out on finishing the house, and I've been coasting along thinking things would just fall into place. After talking with a friend this week, I've since realized that I was supposed to be doing homework, having organized binders of ideas, and buying things like fans and faucets for future installations!!! yikes!! Today I spent the afternoon composing spreadsheets breaking down light fixtures by price and kind per room according to our allowance. I also read the contract 10,000 times to make sure I was following this rule and that. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to have some say in what gets put where. I just didn't realize I had ALL the say. back to excel...

Soon to Be House

The house is moving along. Electricity was added this past week; insulation and sheetrock this next week. It looks like we will be in before February at least...it's been a long haul. We are very much looking forward to having a home again.

Not much going on-hustle and bustle of the holidays-christmas letter coming soon.

Live, Work and Play in the Same Town

So recently we were able to make our lifelong dream of living, working, and playing in the same town a reality. It took almost 11 years for all the pieces to fall into place. It sounds simple, right? Just get a job in the town you want to live, find a place to call home and be on your merry way. Not so much.

Here's how it happened: Todd landed a super accountant type job at the hospital here in town about 2 years ago. At that point we put our house on the market and snooped around the Decatur House Market-the twilight zone of all housing markets. I loved the idea of buying an old house "in town"...but not to the tune of $300,000-yep, totally serious. So, we looked at things from a different angle and bought some land-a whoppin' 2 acres and hoped to build someday. In the meantime, we realized that in the big city, houses sell for about $5 since you can build one brand spankin' new for $1. That kinda sucked. We had the house on the market for a year-no takers. When The Baby was born last March, we cried Uncle and took the house off the market. We settled into our big city lives for the next year and slapped the house back up this past February. Six Days Later we sold the house.

At this point we of course have no house built on the 2 whoppin' acres. The metropolis that is Decatur has zero rental property (Which, by the way you find "word of mouth"). So, with great hesitation, I approached my parents and asked to move back in while we sorted out the details. They, also with great hesitation, agreed. They have moved out to the garage apartment (we'll call it The Loft), and we have taken over the "big house". When I say taken over-I'm not exaggerating.

My family of Five has taken over the house I, for the sake of argument, grew up in. It's not that I spent my entire 18 formative years here. Hardly-just the 4 years of High School. There are more memories in this house for me as a visitor than an inhabitant. Still, sometimes I turn a corner and flashback 15 years and feel like I'm supposed to tease my hair super big or study for a super big test. A couple of friends from high school have since visited and agree with the flashes. Must be the house.

So, this brings us to today. Our architect is on the way over with some house plans, and we are moving forward with Project House. It's been an interesting 3 months, but I have to admit not as scary as I had envisioned. I still feel like less than a grown up in this town, and I'm wondering when the change will take place to full grown-up-status.

although-is that something I want to sign up for??