He Might Be Learnin' Something

Conversation overheard at bedtime:

Daddy: Knox, are you ready to go night-night?

Knox: Nooo, I don't want ni-ni!!

Daddy: You want to stay up all night?

Knox: Yes!

Richmond (very matter-of-factly): Maybe he's nocturnal.

I'm not sure that I knew what "nocturnal" meant until last year. He's 5. I'm dreading the homework in 1st grade. Will I be able to hang? Stay tuned for the next episode of "My 5 year old is smarter than me".

First Day of Kindergarten

and we survived!!!



In uniform and ready to go.....



But not without a hug from Dad. Is he holding onto his leg? Not a good sign.....



In his classroom


Teacher's pet already?


Mrs. Tracy's busy bees!

Slow Down Already

In the past several days, it has become shockingly apparent that my baby is not a baby anymore. Oh, I've had subtle hints - like his vocabulary which now consists of "dude", "awesome", and "for real?". But this week, I feel like I've been hit in the head with a two by four called reality. On Tuesday, Richmond turned 5. On Wednesday, he lost his first 2 baby teeth. What the heck? Can't a girl be eased into reality instead of being hit over the head with it? All of this, together with the whole Kindergarten thing....it's almost too much for this mom to grasp. It doesn't help that I was in my mid 30's when I had him. You know what they say......the older you get, the faster time goes. It's soooo true! In fact, I'm now old enough to realize the truth in all of those things people told you when you were younger. You know the "old people logic" that you totally blew off because old people don't know what they're talking about! Oh to be 20 and ignorant again.... (Not that all 20 year olds are ignorant, but I was. Maybe "unaware" is a better word).

Anyway, I now am the proud mom of a dynamic and toothless 5 year old. He has made my world a more interesting place. Quite frankly, he has rocked my world. He is the sunshine of my days, with a scattered thunderstorm always on the horizon ready to reap havoc at any minute. He is very bright, and he challenges me to look at things from a new perspective. He is lots of fun and loves life just about as much as anyone I know. More than anything, he has a precious and caring heart. He plays hard and loves hard. And if your sick or hurting, he is a wonderful prayer warrior. His teacher was bothered with a sore back for about a week at school in the winter. He is still praying for her back. I wish I was more like him in that respect....

I simply could not be more blessed than to be a part of this little man's life. I am so honored!


From this......


To this - in the blink of an eye



He's 5!


The Boyzzzz


Party!


We Lost the Tooth


We Found the Tooth!


It's Gone!


And a Few Hours Later....Tooth #2

Hitch A Ride With An Angel

We recently visited the doctor for Richmond's physical that is needed for his Kindergarten registration. (Yes, Kindergarten! This Mom does not have the energy to post about that topic - too much emotion to invest) Anyway, at each of the yearly visits, we receive a handout that explains typical behavior, development, etc for that particular age. As I was reading it, I noticed that it stated that 5 year olds often begin to show a keen interest in death. And one day after reading that tidbit, this is what Richmond says to me out of the clear blue as we are driving through the Mickey D's:

"Hey Mom, I'll bet when we die...the angels swoop down from the sky with their huge wings. We'll just hop on their backs, and they'll carry us up to Heaven to see Jesus. Won't that be fun?!!!"

Well, I don't know about you, but that is the way I will choose to view death from now on. Just. like. that.

Isn't it wonderful when we can view the world through the eyes of a child!

How They Grow

Conversation with Richmond at our breakfast table on this rainy Friday morning:

Richmond: Mom, this is a great day for flowers!

Me: Oh, really.....why do you think that?

Richmond: Because Mom, here's how it works. This is the way flowers grow. First, God gives lots of rain. They love that. Then He gives them lots of sunshine. Then, we give them lots and lots of love. And then.......we have to give them lots of seeds. They need that. Then the flowers will grow and grow and grow!

Not necessarily in that order.....

Everytime a 4 year old opens their mouth to speak, it's an adventure!

Twidlin' My Thumbs

NOT!!!!

Below is a short list of just a few of the eleventy-hundred (a number borrowed from Richmond) events that have transpired since our last meeting here in cyberspace:

1. Visited Memphis for the first time.
2. Did not visit Graceland.
3. Did visit my favorite young newlywed couple, Heather and Paul.
4. Loved, loved, loved their little house.
5. Ate the best bbq ever.
6. Went to a place called Raifort's Hollywood Disco and danced to 70's music.
7. Received a fabulous offer for a "part-time" job.
8. Accepted the offer.
9. Had a mani/pedi with the birthday girls - Laura and Jill.
10. Because I can....because I have a new job!
11. Took Knox to the Dr. for Chicken Pox.
12. It wasn't Chicken Pox.
13. No diagnosis....must be allergic to something.
14. DUH!
15. Changed our minds on whether or not to send Richmond to Kindergarten in the Fall.
16. Again!
17. Put a backup contract on a house.
18. Panicked about selling our house.
19. Painted the front door - because if you're gonna sell your house....
20. The front door is the first thing people notice.
21. Went to pick up Richmond from his 5 day stint at Papa's and Nana's.
22. Began detoxing treatment from Richmond's 5 day stint at Papa and Nana's.
23. Celebrated Laura's birthday with a surprise gathering at Rosepepper Cantina.
24. Lost out on the house. Original contract went through.
25. Wasn't meant to be.
26. Somebody explain that to my husband.
27. Celebrated Laura's birth(month) at the lake with the kids.
28. We like to celebrate birthdays to the fullest extent around here.
29. Found out Knox has a bad case of eczema.
30. Not sure why that was hard to diagnose the first time.
31. Spent a small fortune in co-payments to our pediatrician.
32. Mourned UT's loss to Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen.
33. For 2 days.
34. Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon with my boys, playing in the kiddie pool.
35. Praised God for His many, many blessings!

I'm sorry.....did I say "short list"? That was terribly misleading!!

Celebrating My Sister

Happy Birthday to my little sister, Marcy! She is celebrating her 4th annual 29th birthday. Marcy holds a very dear place in my heart because, well.....she's had to put up with me her entire life - since day one. I was almost 6 when they brought her home from the hospital. Oh, I thought she was cute and all - at first. Then for the next 12 years, I really had no use for her at all. She totally cramped my style - following me around, wanting to do everything that I was doing. She was such a "little sister". The truth is I really had no style, and she probably made me look better. But what did I know?? She definitely suffered undue physical and mental anguish at the hands of her older sister.

Fast forward to her high school years, she suddenly became very cool in my eyes. I don't know why the sudden change, but I began to like her - even enjoy being around her. I admired the way she seemed to be so grounded, maybe because at that time I was out there doing my "wilderness walk". She was my safe place. I would go as far as to say that I began to love her during those years. Of course, I always loved her - she was my sister and that falls into the "given" category. But those were the years that I discovered that not only was she my sister, but my friend. Always.

Bless her heart, she has put up with a lot from me. There was that one incredibly stormy night that I called her up begging her to drive a half hour to deliver the community ski attire. She was in college at the time, so I promised her and a friend a free meal at the restaurant where I was waiting tables. I ask you, what college student doesn't love a free meal?? So she came. She ate. She brought the necessities for my weekend ski trip. She left. On the way home, the car decided to do a little water skiing of its own and hydroplaned into a concrete wall. Yikes! To make a very long story short, she has a fully paid for home.....in her mouth. That's right, the value of the dental work that she has endured (and is still enduring) as a result of "the accident" is equivalent to that of a small home in a nice neighborhood. Yes, I harbor much guilt. No, she has never made me feel that way. I do that on my own. Luckily, I did save her life at one point, so it all equals out. Right??

She still loves me, in spite of me. She always has. Without a doubt, she is the most loyal person I have ever had the privilege of knowing. If she loves you, consider yourself loved - big time. She has had the same best friends since she was in the 2nd grade - and they live in different states. Now that should tell you something! If you capture her heart, she loves you forever.....faults and all. It's funny, she's always considered me to be the strong one. Really, she is. She just doesn't know it!

So Happy 29th (again), Marcy! I hope you are celebrated in grand fashion - just like you deserve! I love you bunches.....

Opening the Door

I love to open the door to Knox's room in the morning. It is one of my most favorite of God's blessings each day. The unknowns lurking behind that door make my life just a little more exciting! First of all, there is the hair.....you never know what you are going to get. It's so much like his personality - quirky and unpredictable. And then there's the emptying of the crib. He likes to throw everything out of his crib when he wakes up in the morning, as if to say, "I've been with this stuff all night, and I'm over it!" When I walk in, he is quick to point to his stuff laying all over his room, much like he is explaining a crime scene. Over there is my dog, he was the first to go over the edge. Hasn't moved since he landed. He loves to come up with something new to surprise me, as if he knows the thrill I am seeking when I open the door. Sometimes it is just a word or an expression that I haven't heard or seen before. Sometimes it's a new game such as "hide the paci". He likes to hide his paci in his pillow case. When I walk in, he will shake the pillow so that I hear the paci, and then he will hold his hands up in the air and say, "Paci? Paci?" And all of this adventure while his hair is usually standing out in every direction - it totally cracks me up! But today had to be one of my all time favorites. I walk in and he has unzipped his pajamas down to the feet, which in and of itself is not too funny. But never in my life have a seen a child more proud.....of what, I can't be sure. It was tough to know if he was proud of the act of unzipping, or the unveiling of his physique. I truly think it was a combination of the two! He was dancing around his crib and clapping his hands - you would have thought he had just been cast in the latest Baby Einstein production. (Richy actually calls Knox "Baby Einstein" because....well, he's a baby with Einstein's hair. You thought it was because he is extra smart, didn't you?) Anyway, I clapped and danced too, and then I broke the news......clap and dance today, because tomorrow a big, round, white belly might not make you clap and dance. Unless you are working out with Richard Simmons to get rid of your big, round, white belly....and that's a whole other story!

U-Haul

In all of my years, I have never heard the U-Haul ad that says, "U-Haul our favorite neighbors out of the 'hood and break the hearts of our children who will no longer be able to take a walk and see their best friends every night after dinner in the summertime". Maybe they never used that one because it's a tad wordy. Nevertheless, truer words have never been spoken in regards to U-Haul - at least in our book! I'm glad they are moving in the wintertime, so we don't immediately feel the effects of the after dinner walks without Ella. We have a couple of months before the whining begins. Richmond has already started planning the days that would be perfect to invite Ella over - like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This morning, after seeing the "big moving truck" in Ella's driveway, he decided that the only possible solution is to marry her - then they would never have to be apart. Oh, he has talked marriage with Ella before, but never with such conviction as today. Bless his big, sweet, broken heart......good thing she's just moving across town!

Random Thoughts on Valentine's Day (Very Random)

As I was pondering a Valentine Day post, my thoughts were all over the board. I couldn't pull together anything that stayed on the same subject long enough to be interesting, so.......I'll just post my random thoughts......which probably won't be very interesting either!

Random Thought #1 - I decided to look up the history of Valentine's Day; after all, I was certain that it existed before Hallmark, Zales Jewelers, FTD Florist, and Victoria's Secrets....right? My husband has long declared this day a marketing ploy by the previously mentioned companies, among others. I will say, he has fallen victim to their evil schemes on several occasions despite his accusations! (Love you, honey) So, I Googled the history of Valentine's Day. Wow, can you say obscurity? There are several theories out there. I will choose to believe this one:

Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

Random Thought #2 - What's up with the kiddie Valentine Cards they put out these days. I was shocked the first time I had to buy these after Richmond was born. They were nothing like the Valentines that we had in the 70's when I was a kid. What happened to the envelopes? Why are they so small? When did Disney/Pixar/Nickelodeon take over? Why aren't there any cards with cute cuddly characters that don't belong to the aforementioned group? Have I mentioned that I have always thoroughly despised anything with licensed characters? Before I had children, I envisioned just saying "no" to all things licensed. We would not have Pooh bedding, no Buzz Lightyear shoes, no Thomas the Train backpacks, and absolutely no Barney anywhere in my house. Ahhhh, the dreams of future Moms are full of grand illusions. Then reality sets in when we actually give birth to these little Pooh-Buzz Lightyear-Thomas the Train-Barney loving creatures, and we give in. No amount of Mommy strength can keep us from buying a little vehicle named "Snot Rod" for our 4 year old Cars fanatic for his Valentine surprise! (My licensed merchandise rambling was totally a random thought within my random thought.....see, all over the board) Anyway, we bought the Cars cards because I did not want Richmond to be labeled a "generic geek" before he even starts kindergarten. But bless his heart, his odds of gaining this label somewhere along the way are very, very good. After all, remember who his parents are. Having had a career in retail, I prefer the term "private label" as opposed to "generic". I also prefer the term "financially savvy" as opposed to "cheap".

Random Thought #3 - Richmond has been loving the whole Valentine thing for the last week. He is really into "being Valens". He has asked me on numerous occasions to be his "valen". So sweet! Last night, he really wanted to discuss the matter of who would be whose "valen". Unfortunately, I could not concentrate because, ya'll......the Vols were playing Kentucky in a little game of hoops on ESPN. I wanted to be there for him....to declare my heart forever his. But, but.... Chris Lofton and the boys were knocking down 3's like it was nothing. Oh, joy!! However, I regained consciousness during a commercial long enough to hear him declare that he shall be my "valen", along with his brother, Knox. Realizing that his Daddy was left "valen-less", he decided that one of our female neighbors (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) would make a perfect "valen" for his Daddy. Ummm, I was a little freaked out by that for just a minute. But then Lofton hit another 3.......

Random Thought #4 - This day never passes without one special memory from the past. I was 23 with no Valentine in sight. (This was the same year that the Lord blessed me with my permanent Valentine!!) For some crazy reason, when you are 23, you think you are old - especially with no marryin' prospect! So I am at my mom and dad's house hanging out with my family, who are all preparing for their Valentine dates. Feeling a little sorry for myself, I had created a Valentine jingle that I was sharing with my sister. It went a little something like this....."Mom has a valentine, Daddy has a valentine, Tony has a valentine, Marcy has a valentine - Missy has no valentine - pooooor Missy." (Yes, I live in Nashville; no, I am not a songwriter) It was a very sad tune, but my 17 year old sister found it to be hilarious. Of course, she did.....because she had a valentine. In fact, she found it so hilarious that with all of the laughing and snorting and such, she sucked one of her valentine M&Ms down her throat and proceeded to choke. For real. I had left the room for a minute and returned to find her on the floor, holding her throat and turning blue. As luck would have it, I had just completed the Heimlich Maneuver training. Also, for real. I grabbed up all 5'11" of her off the floor and commenced to thrustin'. The M&M shot out of her mouth like a Patriot Missile. That's right.....I saved my sister's life.....even if she had just been reveling in my non-valentine-having situation. We've had a lot of good times since then, so it was worth it :)

Random Thought #5 - Conversation at my house this morning:

Me: Richmond, it's time to do our chores and put on our clothes.

Richmond: Mom, it's Valentine's Day. I thought we were just suppose to sit around and love each other all day, not do chores.

Me: Well, we can love each other while we do our chores.

Richmond: That's not love.

Last, But Most Random Thought Of All - Richy had a friend in high school who had lots of girlfriends, but he had devised a grand plan. He always broke up with his girlfriend in early December and maintained his bachelor status until after Valentine's Day. You got it......no Christmas gift, no Valentine gift. And if he was really lucky, his new post-Valentine squeeze had a birthday that fell somewhere in between - mid January was perfect! Now that's brilliant...... Please note that he is 38 and still single. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Now, we can all be glad that I didn't try to weave these stories into one. I was not an English Lit major, as is evident. I was a business major which is also evident, thus the bullet points/highlights theme. And maybe, just maybe - I am a bit random by nature.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Let It Snow

Scenes from yesterday's "snow event"......

Is is Knox, or is it Randy (Ralphie's Brother) from A Christmas Story?

Ella and Richmond

Claire wasn't loving the snow

"I can't put my arms down"

"Help....I can't get up!"

Party Hardy

It was off to Birmingham last weekend to celebrate "The Big 3" for my nephew, Hardy. And party.....we did! The festivities began at The Fun Factory - one of those places with the plethora-o-inflatables. Everytime I step foot into one of those kid's paradises, I begin to sob uncontrollably, and not because I'm afraid my children will get hurt (Richmond has catapulted himself off of the top of one before). No, I am insane with grief because I didn't think of this inflatables-in-a-big-room concept. Such an elementary idea with such big bucks involved. Oh well......after I regained my composure, it was time to party! In taking in the scene, it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the 15 kids there or Richy. Who knew? I guess its The Fun Factory for Richy's 38th! Even Knox, who has typically been less than interested, joined in the fun and gave us a few smiles. Hardy had a blast - he's such a funny little kid, very expressive. When he was first learning to communicate, he would laugh hysterically like Woody the Woodpecker....absolutely hilarious. His new thing is toddler cussing - only it's not the four letter words - instead, he says, "NUGGETS!" And he means it........whatever nuggets means. I guess my sister is just grateful its only nuggets. I accidently taught Richmond to say dang it while watching a UT football game when he was 3. For about a month, I had to lay low around town, for fear that my little dang it boy would let it fly at the most inopportune moment. It's true, we reap what we sow. No more potty mouth for this mommy!

When we returned to the Thompson hacienda, it was naptime for the kids. So what do all normal adults do when they have been to a birthday party all morning and then put their children down for naps?? They play HORSE, of course. That's right.....basketball....about 20 games of HORSE. The only adult who did not participate was my mom. Her idea of fun on a Saturday afternoon when the kids are asleep is to shop, not play basketball. What can I say......she was in the band. And yes, I realize that it is she who is the normal one. I'm not sure why all of her children turned out weird, and then chose weird spouses?? Nevertheless, a fun time was had by all, and Richy totally dominated our HORSE tournament. At one point, I thought he might let my Dad win. He didn't. I also thought he might let me win. He didn't. He won every game. Congratulations Richy.....you won every game. I'm not bitter. Really.

And then, we ate. It's what we do best when we get together as a family. We all love it, and we all do it well. We talk and eat, eat and talk. We drag it out as much as possible. I just love eating with my family. Sounds very simple, but to me - there is no place I would rather be than gathered around a table with all my "peeps".

The weekend came to an end much too soon, as always. Richy completed a few "honey-do" items for my sister on Sunday. Yes, she has a honey-do list for my husband on each visit. It's the price he pays for being a do-it-yourselfer. She is soooo glad "we" married him! Me, too. Although, one of his projects involved two big holes in their siding made by woodpeckers and a can of "Great Stuff" - not Richy's best work. But, hey.....the woodpeckers can no longer call the Thompson house their home. I think my brother-in-law, Tre, just thinks we're rednecks. He loves us anyway!

As a side note: For those of you following our progress on Richmond's training program to be Nick Saban's successor, please know that no trips to Alabama are complete without some side training. We were sure to indoctrinate him with as much high quality Alabama literature/cinematography as possible. Please see pics below for documentation.

The Birthday Boy and His Mom

My sister and me......and our hats!

Richmond and Hardy......looking guilty

Knox discovers powdered donuts

Yummy.......

Nick would be proud (and so would the Bear)

He's so dedicated! Even at age 4, he knows 30 million is a big number.....

Saying Goodbye to our Day Camper

We knew when Cousin Camp began in late October that the day would come when we would have to say goodbye to our most favorite day camper, Will Barrett. What we didn't know is how difficult it would be. We have enjoyed him even beyond our expectations! I am a little sad that Will Barrett will not remember just how much his cousins loved having him be a part of their day. Knox woke up every morning saying, "Bebe, bebe?" Actually, he still does. At least 10 times a day, Richmond would say, "Look how cute he is, Mom!" We are so thankful for the time we were given to love on him. I know that his precious, toothless smiles will be etched into our hearts forever!

And since he won't remember, we took lots and lots of pictures........

Our little Prince.....and the Court Jester!

Little Cutie

Sweet Smiles

The weather outside is frightful.....but our hats are so delightful!

The Next Huggies Model

So long "Little Chief".......We will miss you!

Forget Reading......Let's Talk X's and O's

That's right.....let's learn some football 101. I have a grand plan for Richmond's future after yesterday's 30 million dollar announcement by the University of Alabama. Before yesterday, Richmond and I had been spending some time each day working on phonics (and by the way, he is NOT hooked). He starts school in the fall, so I am trying to prepare him in advance - just a little. We don't spend too much time on it because I know that he is going to be spending the next 16 or so years in school. So, most of the time, we are just having one big party! But alas, the University of Alabama has taken me off the hook. I don't have to worry about being that Mom who works on phonics, math, and all of that other stuff we're suppose to be doing before our children go to school. Does anybody have an old copy of the Alabama playbook? An hour a day of studying the in's and out's of Alabama football - and maybe a couple of hours a week looking at old footage and films about the Bear - and my plan is in place. Who needs phonics and math......we need to know about blitzing and screen plays. By the time Nick Saban decides to retire from Alabama with some crazy nickname and a statue in front of Bryant Denny Stadium, Richmond will be ready to take over the program. That's right, I have begun grooming Richmond to be Nick Saban's replacement as the Head Football Coach at Alabama. Today we just simply began by learning to say "Roll Tide". You have to start somewhere. And, yes, we are huge fans of the Tennessee Vols, but when it comes to our son's future......we're willing to convert. For $30 million over 8 years, we, too, can say "Roll Tide". Of course, by the time Richmond steps in, no telling what he'll be worth......I just hope he'll be able to part with the Tennessee Titans. We'll probably add that scenario into our learning program - so he's prepared. In this crazy world, you have to have a plan for your children's future!

OK.....so if he decides to do his own thing and not be swayed by the dreams of his mother, if he doesn't want to be a legendary coach of the Crimson Tide........well, there's always Knox.

Coach Knox, I like the sound of it!

A December to Remember

Wow....what a December - crazy, just like when I was working, but much more enjoyable because I wasn't! December brings standard events no matter what season in life you find yourself. Christmas shopping is a given, but when you do it is the key. For the first time, I found myself in the malls and shops during the week in the middle of the day. Now that alone was worth giving up my career!! No more nighttime jaunts and weekend haunts....... My little day camper, Will Barrett, and I hit the stores on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Richmond and Knox were at school. The only problem shopping with Will Barrett - I found myself distracted by his "cuteness" sitting in his infant carrier smiling at me. The great thing about shopping with Will Barrett - all Christmas secrets were safe with him :)

Our Christmas tour around the state was fun. Lots of excitement with kids galore at every stop! Remember that lull when you hit the teenage/college years and there don't seem to be any young children in the picture at Christmas? What did we do? B-0-r-i-n-g. No boredom in our families - 7 kids under 12 in the Mitchell family and 7 kids under 16 (4 under 4) in the Roberts family - a nonstop party!

On a very sad note, we lost my Grandmother, Julia Mitchell, on December 16th. She was 89 years old. She had a long and beautiful life. She had been ill for several years, and in the last year had lost the ability of communicate. She is at home now with the Lord, a place for which she spent her life preparing. Every memory that I have of her is wrapped tightly in love - the unconditional type that only exists in the heart of a grandmother. I will miss her. I feel so blessed to have had her for 38 years. I wanted to do an entire entry about her, but I haven't had the strength or courage to do it justice. Perhaps another day......after all, she was an incredible woman.

Below is the "visual" of our wild and wooly December:

Our first attempt at the Christmas card picture

It got progressively worse!

Will Barrett......a Huggies model??

Richmond and the Roberts' Initial Tree at Grandmommy's house

Christmas morning cheer!

Where did Santa go??

Hardy and Richmond with Light Sabers.....the Force be with you!

Two of a kind!

The 3 oldest stinky boy cousins

The Barrett Boys

The Whole Roberts Gang

My Sweet Grandmother......can't wait to eat at your table in Heaven!