We Need an Ocean of Calamine Lotion

Carly has been sick this week and on Wednesday I took her to the pediatrician. She has strep. As we were leaving, Dr. Carr said, "See you in four to five days!" To which I replied, "For WHAT??" "Leighton" she countered.

Well........

Leighton got into some poison ivy with her daddy. She is pretty covered with it. On Friday I decided, I had done all I could and it was time for the doctor. As she was getting ready to go, she mentioned that her throat hurt. At the doctor, I let Dr. Lehan know that Carly had strep throat and Leighton had mentioned her throat hurt. You guessed it! Leighton has strep. (We saw Dr. Carr on the way out and I thanked her for jinxing us) Strep=no steroids. The poison ivy has spread to her face, the back of her ears, her ankles, a couple of spots on her legs, in between her fingers, her neck, and up her entire forearms. She is very itchy and very fragile. But, she does enjoy the Calamine lotion, it's pink!

But the rest of us didn't let her spoil our fun!

Don't worry, Leighton couldn't resist all the fun and joined us immediately after this picture.

I expect lots of comments about how good I look, since I had the courage to put a picture of myself, IN A BATHING SUIT, on the Internet.

Just kidding, I wouldn't want you to have to lie.

Grandpa Has Junk in His Trunk

Grandma and Grandpa Doll (another story) have come to visit. They flew into FL for a daylily convention and then slowly made their way up the coast to our house. Needless to say when they arrived here, they had laundry. Leighton was helping Grandpa load the washer. She said, Grandpa you have 'JUNKY' underwear. Then Grandpa picked up said 'junky' underwear and noticed the label..................

I have to cut her a little slack. I can't imagine that a wadded pair of underwear is very easy to read.

Wordless Wednesday

Who Needs Yard Toys?

My girls LOVE to play in the backyard. We do not have a giant playground, a trampoline, or even a treehouse. (Even though Carly asks for a treehouse at least once a day) Carly has a wonderful imagination and she is teaching Leighton all she knows. They pick the wild blackberries and make pie, dinner, make-up, etc. They use pinecones as food, jumpropes as leashes for their imaginary dogs/elephants/horses,

sticks are battons/microphones/airplanes.
This is Carly in her playhouse making a dinner of chicken nuggets. Any takers? OUCH!

Leighton gathering her laundry to wash.

Apparently she is the maid for Adam and Eve.

They spend hours on these swings. They are still trying to make it over the top.

I think they were close a couple of times.

Jensyn loves to drive her car and the girls enjoy pushing her.

A Dry Spell is Coming

After this weekend, I can see that we will have a very enjoyable summer. It, however, will make for some lame posts. We spent the entire weekend in the pool. When we did get out, we went directly from swimming suits to jammies and watched movies. It was a GREAT weekend!
Oh, if you call and don't get us, now you will know why.

I'm Feeling a Little Random

I have been very busy this week with work. I spent two days with one of my very best friends. We laughed, joked around, cracked on each other and got paid. It is hard to call it work, when I had such a fun time with one of my most favorite people! Thanks Lisa!
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My neighbor told me that he was looking out the window and saw a large turtle in our front yard. He gathered his boys and started out the door. They were all so excited and tried hard not to scare it. As he got closer he noticed......

that he had been punk'd. It was Leighton's yard ornament, Turtlely. He travels, aided by Leighton, all over our yard. He drinks from the downspouts, eats the grass, takes rides in Leighton's four wheeler and baby stroller, smells the flowers, etc. Sorry for the disappointment along with embarrassment, John.
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I planted all the plants that the girls gave me for Mother's Day. They look great and make me want to buy hundreds more along with mulch, stacked stone, and rock (not great). I was walking around today and decided to take a couple pictures to share. This is our wild rosebush mixed in with wild blackberries.A close-up of the blooms. Gorgeous.A very silver-blue hosta. This picture doesn't do it justice.This is just to show how easy it is to garden in NC. I got this hosta from Lisa's mom. It was a small clump last spring, it was burnt by the sun last summer and look how big and beautiful it is now. Crazy!
The lantana the girls bought. In Utah this is an annual, but here it is a perennial. I am so excited for this this to just get bigger and bigger.A close-up of the lantana bloom. Love, love, love it!!
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Lunch today:

Me: How much cheese do you think our family eats?
Dee: I don't know.
Me: I think a lot. And I am probably the main culprit.
Leighton: Yeah, Mom! You're compromised of cheese!

What? Where does she come up with this?

Cake, Fresh from the Bakery

of Dee Young!?!?!?!

He asks me to frost Leighton's cake after I get back. I say sure. I come home to THIS. Whatever! Now, I just want to know on what else he is holding out. Ironing, thank you cards, crafting with the kids......the possibilites are endless!

A Real Breakthrough...

of Jensyn's first tooth!

I would post pictures of the sharp razor, but it has barely broken through the gum.

I'm Lovin' It!!

My awesome in-laws just came home from a week in Utah.

They came over today with PRESENTS!!

Gossner's Curds, Sweet's Orange Sticks and Nalley's Dill Pickle Dip.
These are the things I miss the most (besides my wonderful family and friends) being outside of Utah. If you have never tried them, you MUST. We have already finished one tub of dip, half of the orange sticks, and nearly a bag of curds. Yummy! So worth the calories.

Happy Birthday, Baby Doll!

Leighton turns *5* today. She is so much fun to have in our family. She is absolutely adorable (we try not to tell her that too much) and too smart for her own good. I was looking through the little amount of pictures I have of her before she was two (our computer crashed and we lost everything) and trying to figure out where the time went. It seems like yesterday we finally got up the courage to have another baby. She was the best baby, she slept through the night at two weeks. She was always happy, ate well, played well, and just made me so glad that she was here. Here are some pictures of our Baby Doll! Here she is at two weeks. Look at all that black curly hair!

The cute little blonde. She is about 14 months.

The ever present passie. She is about 19 months.

She is wearing her first Salt Flat Racing Shirt, courtesy of Grandpa. She is 2.

This is one of my favorite pictures. She is 2.


Her and her friend, Turtley! She is about 2 1/2.

She is all ready for her ballet class. She is 3.

What a doll!

(I am allowed to say that. It's not bragging, because she looks like her dad.)

This is our own personal Cinderella. She is 4.

Happy Birthday, Leighton!

We love you!

Side Note: She is 5 going on 15. All she wanted to do for her birthday was stay in her pajamas and watch youtube.

WHY? WHY? WHY?

Why does the same child who gets up at 6:00 in the freaking morning ALL weekend, have to be awakened at 7:15, just because it is a weekday?

SUMMER! I will be so glad when you are here.

Five Going on Fifteen

Leighton's birthday is tomorrow. She will be five. Most five year old girls want Barbies, baby dolls, Polly Pockets, etc. for their birthday. Not Leighton! She wants a bikini. A Bikini!?!?!?!?!? She is FIVE for crying out loud! What will she want at six? A belly button piercing? She is growing up too fast.

HELP! What do I do???? Buy her a new set of Polly Pockets who are all wearing? um, bikinis. Convince her that nice girls don't wear bikinis and talk her into a nice Barbie doll in a what? bikini?!? Therein lies my problem. My children are surrounded by girls in bikinis. So what, you ask, did I do?

Yes, you guessed it. I bought her the bikini. How could I not when she looked so cute in it?

Thanks, Grandma!

Grandma Young has a wonderful talent. She crochets the most beautiful afghans. She made several for each of the girls when they were babies. She has now taken on the endeavor of making an afghan, of their choice, for each grandchild. She has just finished Carly's and she is so happy. She loves her "Grandma Blanket."

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to ALL of the mothers out there. Here's to Dad cooking, cleaning and watching kids even if it is just for ONE day.

Dear Mom,

First off, I would like to apologize for all the things I did that broke your heart. I now know how easy it is for a child to that do to a mother. All a mother wants for her child is the best. I know that is all you ever wanted for me. I would also like to thank you for loving me, even when I didn't act like I loved you. Just knowing how much you loved me made me a better person. If you loved me, there had to be something good in me. Thank you for always believing in me. In your eyes, I could do anything. I never understood how you could see so much in me, but as a mother, I get it. My children are the smartest, the cutest, the BEST.

I am amazed at your abilities. I can barely get three kids ready for the day. You had a full time job, four children, tons of extra curricular activities, played on your own sports team, held a calling at church, helped us with our homework, did laundry (we had a lot), and still sat us down at the table for dinner. How did you do it??? Women like you are a dying breed.

You are still the one I want when I am sad, sick or just not having a good day. You are also the one I call with good news and funny stories. I wish you lived closer, so we could spend more time together. But, I guess, it makes the time we spend together more precious.

Thank you for being the best mother I could ever ask for. I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, I only wish I could be there to tell you all this in person.

I love you,
Leslie

Can You Say Clone?

Or...Is it just me?!?

Can you tell which is Leighton and which is Jensyn?



To those of you who think you know...Both Jensyn and Leighton were black kitty cats for their 1st Halloween. (I know, I'm real original)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation...

This is how we will spend the summer. Probably exactly like this-Carly in the pool (she is a fish) and Leighton sitting on the stairs. She got in for a little bit and then sat on the ladder crying because it was too cold. In her defense, I got in too (no pictures of that), and it was c-c-c-cold.

The fish.

Leighton doing her best impression of a swimsuit model.

Poor Jensyn. No pool for her until it is MUCH warmer.

A BIG thanks to the Pattersons.

There are Amazing People Out There

Carly has a wonderful friend, Betsy. Betsy is Carly's side walker during horseback riding lessons. Betsy loves Carly and Carly loves Betsy.
Carly's instructer, Laurel, asked her husband, Mark, to come and take pictures of the kids. These are a few of my favorites. All the people who participate are volunteers. It takes a special person to commit to spend their precious time helping out some kids who need it. To them I say, THANK YOU!!!!

5 Things

5 things in your purse......
1. Diapers
2. Wipes
3. Baby spoon
4. Hand sanitizer
5. Chapstick
( I traded in my purse for a diaper bag)

5 things in your workroom...
(I don't have a workroom, but I do have a work armoire)
1. Empty containers that I know I could use for something.
2. Clothes that need mending-but fit no one.
3. Fabric, Fabric, Fabric
4. Toys that have been removed for punishment. (Don't tell my kids my hiding place)
5. Lots of started, but not finished, projects.

5 things you always wanted to do...
1. Be a Professional Organizer.
2. Be one of those people (Kelly) who remember everyone's name, birthday, and favorites.
3. Travel Europe
4. Go on a fun trip with just my girlfriends.
5. Be a Mom(the only one I've actually done)

5 things I am into...
1. Reading
2. Being with my kids.
3. Decorating.
4. Organizing.
5. Volunteering.


5 people I want to tag...
1. Anyone
2. Who
3. Would
4. Like
5. To

That's it!

Pay It Forward!

Here is what you do...the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year, a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, type up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going. (Since I have so many non-blogging readers-I think that an email to your peeps would also be acceptable)Then come back and let me know you are going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! Thanks and good luck!

My Sweet Carly

Carly is the sweetest child. She has a heart of gold and the compassion of Mother Teresa. Carly also has Down syndrome. She doesn't know that. We have never wanted her to have an excuse to not do her very best. We want her to be treated like any other child. Carly has amazed everyone with her abilities and is doing well in her regular second grade classroom. Having Carly in our lives has been such a blessing, but not without heartache. I came across this article that is so wonderfully written. Carly is extremely high functioning so we have not had the same experiences. But it just might let those, who do not have the joy and pain of having a child with a disability, see what it is like.

Lions and Tigers and Bears..Oh My!

Yesterday was the annual 2nd grade trip to the zoo. We rode chartered buses to the zoo and the trip took about 2 hours. We got there and met up with the rest of the crowd.

Adults, L to R: Jessica, Amanda, Michelle

We saw a cougar, a polar bear, lions, bison, zebras, giraffes, gorillas, monkeys, black bears, grizzly bears, elephants, crocodiles, birds, fish, frogs, toads, lizards, etc. etc. etc. We also saw lots and lots of snack shacks. I guess they have to make money too. We all got suckered into a squeezebottle full of Icee. Here are all the kids with their mandatory Icees. L to R: Miranda, Makenna, Ryan, Brooke, Carly and Taylor. (Poor Ryan the only boy, then again maybe he is lucky, it depends on how you look at it.)
Here is my little hatchling.

Carly was the most excited when we came upon this exhibit. (Go Figure-yes, it is a construction site for the new giraffee feeding deck.)

Carly also said that these Dung Beetles were her favorite.

The crew, again.

It did start to rain while we were in the rainforest. Amanda told the kids that it was only raining because we were in the rainforest. They believed her and were convinced when it stopped raining exactly as we walked out of the rainforest.

It is over 5 miles of walking and we had about 4 hours to do it all. About halfway, Carly started this...

Then about three fourths of the way out she refused to walk anymore. I carried my 57 pound, 8 year old on my back through the rest of the zoo. We had a wonderful time and are planning to come back when we are not so rushed.