And the Thunder Rolls...

There's nothing I love more than staying up all night listening to thunder, rain and hail, while worrying about tornadoes and straight-line winds. <---- SARCASM! I feel like even when I was asleep, it wasn't a deep sleep because I kept thinking about my "storm plan". You know the one...wake the husband out of his peaceful sleep, grab the sleeping baby, pick up some necessities (flashlight, water, sippy cup of milk) and head to the basement below the stairwell. Yep, I had it all planned out. Thank God I didn't have to use it! I'm not looking forward to what promises to be a stormy day...

On another note...I turned Levi's carseat to face forwards. I was determined to keep him backwards as long as possible. I've read countless studies that say backwards is safer. Not to mention, now the Highway Safety Patrol and the American Academy of Pediatrics are recommending to keep them backwards up to 2 years instead of 1. So, you ask, why turn him around now at 15 months? Well, it's because his knees were in his chest!!! (Ok, not literally, but he did have to bend his legs to fit.). The sad part is, I specifically bought this seat, made for taller babies, so that he COULD stay backwards until 2. It makes me wonder how on Earth any child is supposed to stay backwards until 2-especially in a "normal" size seat. I do have to say, he does love it! He just kept grinning at me. He could see me backwards, but I guess this is just so much better. Plus, he gets to look out my sunroof which I guess he never noticed before. Haha. :)

Not sure what this new smile is about... :)

Now, on to the REALLY fun stuff...



I thought my inner 13-year old girl was going to bust a blood vessel last night watching Dancing with the Stars!!! I was never a "huge" BSB fan, but I did/do love me some NKOTB. I will say though, the BSB boys were looking pretty good last night. :) To have them all on the same stage singing and dancing...ahhh!!! I was glad Jeffrey was already in bed when I watched it because he would have made some major fun of the goofy grin I had on my face! I have to say this...these guys are true performers. They dance their little booties off AND actually still sing. I'm starting to re-think that concert now...hmm... ;)

Speaking of Dancing...is anybody else watching this season? I can't decide if I have a favorite or not...it honestly changes every week! They all have improved so much, and are really on level playing field now. I like Chelsea and Mark, but Mark is kind of obnoxious this season. Hines is just adorable and so fun to watch. I even like Kendra and Kirstie! It's just been a really good and interesting season with no real front-runner. Should be a tight race from here on!




I think that's enough rambling for one morning. Hope you all stay safe and dry!

Weekend=Happiness

Oh Monday, why must thou comest so soon? I had an amazing  weekend! It was full and busy, but everything was so smooth and easy (which is rare for a holiday weekend). :)

We started off the weekend right at work Friday morning with a big breakfast and an adult Easter egg hunt! I won 2 free movie tickets! Yay! I just love the guys I work with. It was our turn to do breakfast, and we always have a lot of fun making pancakes for everybody.

As if that wasn't great enough, we got off at 2! Woo hoo! Park day with Mom and Levi!!! :)



Excuse me little boy, have you seen my baby?



Swinging takes extreme concentration and effort!

Hmm...didn't know he could walk down steps like this...

I actually got to sleep in on Saturday AND Sunday. I remember the days (read: college) when "sleeping in" meant at least 11am. Now, I consider it a precious gift from God if I make it to 7. Which, is what I did twice this weekend! Levi slept until about 8:15 both days, but I just couldn't make my mom brain turn off and go back to sleep any past 7:30. The result: a very happy and refreshed Meredith! :)

After taking our time getting ready Saturday (oh the joys of no set plans), we headed to Mt. Juliet to meet Mom and Courtney for lunch. Mom and I knocked out some shopping returns and exchanges, then me and little man headed home to see Daddy. Levi could not WAIT to get outside, so while Jeffrey was working in the yard, Levi and I headed out with his new favorite toy: a squirt gun! Before you get all excited...No, he doesn't actually shoot it, and no, it's not this:



But more like this:



Jeffrey always has to out-do me (water hose vs. toy squirt gun), which resulted in the drowned-rat look you see in these pictures...Also, I apologize for the rough picture quality. Not only was I constantly running away from Jeffrey's attacks, but it was almost dusk and the lighting was weird. :)

I love the effect in this one-completely accidental.

Makes me smile

Yeah, this doesn't really work with a child...

Best one we could get. :)

I just love time with my boys. We don't get a lot of it because of Jeffrey's schedule, but we've really tried to stay dedicated on making the most of the time we get.

Sunday was Easter, and well, that's just going to need a post to itself! :)

Thankful Thursday

Ok, so I missed a few lot of Thankful Thursdays. I apologize to those who anxiously await Thursday all week just to see what/who I'm thankful for. :) Because I missed so many, I feel like I have the right to be thankful for many things today. Here goes!

1) I'm thankful for sunshine! I like the rain as long as it's nighttime, and I'm at home with my family curled up under a blanket. Other than that, I'll take sunshine and 70 temps please! :)

2) I'm thankful that Jeffrey finally went to Wal-mart and bought his groceries instead of spending a GINORMOUS amount on the same stuff in the vending machines and the cafeteria at work.

3) I'm thankful for coupons, so that even though Jeffrey didn't use a single one yesterday, I could not be anxious b/c I coupon for all of our other groceries.

4) I'm thankful for pre-mixed peanut butter and jelly. Yep, that Goober Grape stuff. Love it!

5) I'm thankful for my friends and family who helped out last week while Jackie was out of town. Shout out to Mal, Dora, Mama, Bethany, Court and Mom! It truly does take a village...

6) I'm thankful for Morgan Thorne at Tangles for cutting my hair so that it's easy-except when my bangs get too long, which they are now, but that's not her fault. :)

7) I'm thankful for band-aids.

8) I'm thankful for my little boy, and the fact that he has been extra loving lately. Love his arms around my neck and his head on my shoulder.

9) I'm thankful for this blog, and all my, um, 14? readers. :)

10) Lastly, I'm thankful for Christ who came to Earth to die for my sins. I'm thankful for God's grace and mercy. I'm thankful that there is a better place after this, and that we have the chance to go there.

And that friends, is what I'm thankful for on this Thursday!

Busy Bee

Do you ever wake up on Monday morning and ask yourself, "Self, what happened to the weekend?"? Well, that's me today. I feel like I just got off work on Friday. It went by way too fast!

Even though it was a fast weekend, it was such a fun one! (Be prepared: this post is full of videos and pictures)

Friday night, Jackie and Johnny (Jeffrey's parents) both returned after being out of town. They were dying to see Levi, so we went over that night. They were all so excited! Jackie had brought Levi a movie and a truck (like Daddy's), and oh my goodness, he thought that was the greatest thing ever!

Saturday, I helped with Maple Hill's Ladies Inspiration Day. I was in charge of decorating, and I think our little group did a great job (if I do say so myself). :) The tables looked beautiful, largely in part to the beautiful flower arrangements donated by SS Graham. I didn't get to hear the speaker, but I heard a lot of good things being said. It was so nice to just spend the morning with wonderful women from different congregations coming to fellowship and worship the Lord. What a great way to start off the weekend!

I did realize something after I left though...one of these days, I'm going to actually get to sit down and enjoy an event without working it! Haha. I'm always doing stuff behind the scenes that keeps me from being a part of the event. For instance...I couldn't tell you the last wedding I actually just attended as a guest! I'm going to start crashing stranger's weddings so I can see a full ceremony. :)

I met Mom and Levi after that was over, and I had a gift for Levi from his great-great-Aunt Ruth. She called me to tell me she'd seen a stuffed rabbit in the CVS ad, and she wanted me to get it for Levi. Well, the bunny was, um, not attractive at all. So, I got a cute duck instead. He ADORED it! I actually caught his quacking on video, and as a special treat, his "get low" dance. :)

After that fun stuff, we headed to see the Easter bunny. He wasn't too sure at first, but this bunny (I think a teenage girl) was so great and patient! There wasn't anybody in line, so we took a few minutes to let him get comfortable. We let the next person go in front of us, and after seeing those girls take their picture, he was all ready for the Easter bunny! In fact, he didn't want to get off his/her lap!

Playing peek-a-boo with the Easter bunny



Sunday after church, we went to an event I look forward to each year: The Southern Women's Show!! Three years ago, Courtney won tickets it. She asked if I wanted to go, and of course, I said yes! I always jump at the chance to spend time with my sister, even if we don't know what we're getting into. :) We absolutely LOVED it! We talked about it so much that Mom decided she wanted to go the next year, and again, we all had a blast. This year, Mom won us 4 free tickets, so we got to add another person to our group-Hope! Hope has been Courtney's best friend since their freshman year of high school when I forced them together. :) She might as well be part of the family. This was her first year to go, and she was in Hopey-heaven. :) We all had so much fun and planned to go next year without a doubt!

Sad he's gone :(

Um...

Me swooning over Biebs

In between all that fun stuff, I did some household chores. Levi is suddenly very interested in all of the chores and wants to help with everything. Here are some pics and videos of him helping me put my water in the fridge and helping me fold the laundry. Enjoy and have a great Monday! :)

Whew-putting these waters up is hard work!

Really helping :)

And one more... :)

Levi's First "Hunt"

Sunday (day 2 of our crazy busy weekend), several of my girlfriends and our families got together for an Easter egg hunt. The kids were so excited! The big kids couldn't wait to get out there and hunt. The little kids, mine especially, just wanted outside to see what all the fuss was about. The egg-hiders had laid some on the ground in plain sight for the little ones (MJ and Levi) to find. MJ went right to them and started putting them in her basket as if she'd done it her whole life! Levi was a little skeptical about the whole process. Then he discovered that there was stuff IN the eggs, and all he wanted to do was sit and open them! I think he ended up with 4 eggs total. :)

I hope for Jeffrey's sake that Levi is more interested in deer hunting than he was in Easter egg hunting! Haha.

Great friends and their wonderful families!

Love his "concentration" face

I feel like this should be on a postcard for Florida. :)

Do you think Cam was happy? ;)

Sweet Jaycee

Seriously melted my heart :)

Checkin out their loot!

Yeah, don't be decieved...this lasted about a second!

McKenzie Jo loved the puppy

Connor got there after his nap (and the egg hunt) so Kelli put out some eggs just for him. Levi felt the need to go "help" and check out what was inside his eggs. :)





So glad Jeffrey was off to enjoy this "first" with us. :)

We had such a good time, and look forward to doing it again next year (hint hint girls). ;)