Happy Birthday Dears!

In honor of my dears birthday I thought I would write the top 10 reasons that I am so happy he is mine so here goes...
1. We mesh really well. He gets upset at the little things(hotel quality, shirts that are too starched, sweat, sand, traffic, SPORTS - I know, I know this one could be debated to be a big thing since he works in sports but that is not what I am referring to- I am talking about during the Duke v. Butler basketball championship game screaming until his veins are popping out of his neck and his face is blood red into his t-shirt that he has taken off so in the next moment he can throw it with such force that I jump all the while BOTH of our children are asleep and he will tell you that he is doing better in this area but he will have to sell that crazy somewhere else, I ain't buying) BUT he really handles the big things very well. (Yipes was that one sentence? sorry to all those who play well with grammar) I am the exact opposite and so it just really works.

2. He is an amazing father. I have kinda crazy high standards in the parenting department - (If you are thinking to yourself - "You don't say"- You may just hush- haha ) but I rarely ever have a gripe. He makes sure that every minute counts that he spends with them. He is always interested in their development and growth both physically and as little humans.

3. He is very tender.

4. He is very passionate about sports. I know that I don't always love this one but I do love his passion and with two sons I love that they get to see it as well!

5. He is very kind- He actually talks to telemarketers. He will often say to me- "Ash, he might get paid for having me listen to his spiel." or "He was a really nice old man" He also knows and has a relationship with the cleaning staff at his office. Many of them barely speak English but he will tell me about their home life and what they are like. It is so endearing to me!

6. He has an incredibly time consuming job and he works very hard.

7. He plays with the kids in that wild rumpus daddy son way!

8. He is crazy funny.This is probably my favorite one! I also love this one because he does not always share this about himself! It is sometimes our secret! For instance in college, my room would be so messy with mounds and mounds of clothes everywhere and he would fall to the ground behind one of the piles and act like my room was a war zone and he would scream "INCOMING" and then roll to another pile. But if my roommate walked in he would sit up and act like I was the one acting weird! There are countless times, that we have been in stressful situations together and he has made me laugh until I cried which was exactly what I needed. When Jack was hospitalized with jaundice at 3 days old, one of the things I remember most is him making me laugh during the night! It was definitely the first of many times during parenting that we bonded through hard times with laughter!

9. He takes amazing care of me especially if I am sick , had surgery, or a baby. He draws baths, he brings me things, calls to check on me and will get my pillows situated just like I like them. When I am pregnant my back hurt at night and he will lay with his back against mine all night just because it feels good to me!

6. He is fully involved and is very clear about how much he adores our family.

7. He is a master dish washer unloader and loader and laundry switcher outer.

8. He is doing what he loves and supporting me as I do what I love. I am forever grateful!

9. We are each others 1st and only true love.

10. He loves being with me and he is very clear in many ways that he loves me but it is a lot of fun too that I can also tell that he likes me. We are just like anybody else with fussing at each other and fighting but at the end of most days I am so happy he is the one beside me!

I love you dears!

Routine but never dull

There are a lot of days that I think "Oh Holy Moly (insert here your favorite four letter word- I use Holy Moly as a "mommy speak" version along with "good grief" , "holy shomoly" "heavenly days" "oh my soul" and a few others), I think that my children are plotting against me and making sure to distract me long enough with their wildness, wiliness, loudness, ninniness (a family word meaning any type of mischief) or all of it rolled together so that I will not be able to accomplish a single thing!

However, I have a lot more days lately where I feel like we are just living in a sweet spot. It has been that way for a few months and before it switches up on me I thought I might want to remember it here in case I needed a reminder later.

Our typical day-

We are awoken by either Cole over the monitor or Jack hopping into bed with us. Brad gets Cole and brings him to bed. When he brings Cole into our room and he sees me, he starts wildly kicking his legs and squealing. How could there be anything better to see when you first open your eyes? We turn on Curious George while Cole nurses and Brad and I shake the cobwebs out. It is my very favorite time of the day as we all sleepily snuggle together and normally I am getting to touch everybody at once and fully feel like mama bear. I also feel like mama bear if I do not wake up enough to pay everybody their due attention because I start having two bear cubs rolling and frolicking on top of me. After/during that Brad gets in the shower. This normally means that Cole needs to wander between the shower and me. He will go to the glass shower door and giggle at Brad and bang on the door and then come back to me for a few more snuggles. Once Brad is out of the shower, I am usually (read :not often) heading towards making breakfast. At this time chaos is beginning but it is the good kind. Jack will find something in our bedroom to play pretend with and rope Brad into playing along. For a while the bed was a car and Jack was the mechanic and he would work on the "car" and then tell Brad how much he owed him. Today he had a cowboy hat and the tie from my robe as the rope and was lassoing that "wild baby Cole" and saying "Howdy Pardner" over and over (read 50 + times). By this point if I am not already making breakfast, Brad cries "uncle" and shoos us all into the kitchen. I make breakfast for Jack and Cole and either feed Cole or read while they eat. At some point Brad comes through and we all stand together at the garage door (if it is warm enough =50 or more- Jack is a bit of a softy about being cold) and wave goodbye and shut the garage door after Brad drives away. I love this time also because it is just so sweet watching Cole wave and Jack jump and wave and we are just standing together grinning!

We then come in and do breakfast dishes and get dressed for the day. If there is time left over we play. After that we either leave for Jack's school or go upstairs for Cole's nap. If it is not a school day, Jack and I normally find his latest Magic Tree House adventure and a cozy spot and read for about an hour. Once Cole wakes, he yells out. He never cries and will just jabber until we get him. The first noise he make Jack sprints to his room and jumps in his crib with him and the wildness begins. By the time I get in there, there is a full rumpus happening. They are both in fits of giggles and I melt. We read in Cole's room and then get ready to go out. We normally run errands, find fun stuff to get into(Phillips Toy Mart, the park, fun with friends,Zoo, walks to the Hill center) and have lunch. When the weather is nice we play outside. We come in for afternoon nap and Jack plays in his closet and builds with legos, plays with his automoblox or has full on events that include his cowboys and football players and a lot of other random things(umbrella, Mardi Gras beads,animals, goal posts). There is a nonstop chatter that I can never quite make out but is music to my ears as he looses himself in his own world of play. I work around the house (or if I have stayed up way to late) I might nap as well. We always read more and talk about the day. After an hour Cole is up and we make our way downstairs for a snack and I start on dinner. We normally do some school practice work or play puzzles games or color. Usually (read -most days), this is when everyone is getting stir crazy so we call Brad and ask him what his departure time will be and then make a plan based upon the answer. Once Brad gets home, he is attacked like it is a mob scene from the days of the Beatles. He rough houses and swings the kids around and gives me a kiss then says, "Okay Okay, let me get out of these monkey clothes". I think that is code for, "Can I have a couple of minutes." We all know it but Jack runs after him and Cole toddles very quickly behind his brother. I let them both go because I too would like a couple of minutes and there is nothing cuter! They all play and we tell each other the news of our day and dinner gets to the table. After dinner, we split up for giving the boys their tubby and cleaning up the kitchen. As soon as we say time for a tubby, Jack and Cole race to the stairs. Jack opens the gate for Cole and then they head up the stairs and into the bathroom. While the tub is filling, Cole gets on his stool and brushes his teeth, empties the drawers and just generally runs amuck. They both love getting in the tub. This is another time that I adore. I love having sweet smelling, soft skin and nakedness abounding! Cole toddles to his room or sometimes to Jack's room with a fit of laughter. There is nothing that makes me grin any bigger that Cole's "cheeks" waddling away from me! After, tubby it is time for pjs and reading to Cole. A lot of times we will do this as a family. Brad reading and me helping Jack. I put Cole down in his sleep sack with his lion and bunny and two bas (pacifiers). Brad starts reading to Jack and I come in and say goodnight. Brad reads to Jack and tells "An adventure of Super Jack" story and then sings (He's Got the Whole World in His Hands), prays and talks about his day. That is not order that we do it but that is how we always say it because it rhymes! The last thing that Jack always says is "Will you check on me?" and Brad promises. This is a promise that is faithfully kept and is so very endearing to me! Every night, Brad turns out all the lights, makes sure the door is locked and then goes up to check on the kids before coming to bed. Our life is simple. Our life is routine but I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. It is never dull and that is just the way I like it!

note: Of course this day does not include my duties as grocery shopper, present finder, wardrobe organizer, laundry folder, cruise director, party planner, diaper changer, meal planner, holiday organizer, room mother, cleaning lady (although I am not all that great at that one),decorator, messy room cleaner and organizer, teacher, disciplinarian,librarian and nurse and comforter.

Tales of the Big Bad Guys 1

Jack wrote this story today. He has not illustrated this one yet. The others have illustrations. We have started reading chapter books and he loves to play good guys vs. bad guys. A little too often he is one of the bad guys. We are working on that! Anyways here goes...

BANK ROBBERS AT DAY

Once uponce a time in the town of Nashville, there lived two bad bank robbers named Papa Bank Robber and Kid Robber Jack. Jack heard in the newspaper that there was a good Gigi in town. So Jack pushed a button that made a loud noise that woke up Papa Bank Robber. Papa Bank Robber said, "Kid Jack robber why would you wake me up like that?" Kid Jack said"I heard from the newspaper that the Good Gigi is in town." Papa said,"Let's go get her."

The good Gigi was at Philips Toy Mart looking for her grand kids birthday. The bad guys looked on their phone and found the Good Gigi and sent her a note.

Dear Good Gigi,

We are good guys. Please come to our house for some fun. We will dance to some music and play ball!

Come to 1908 Liberty Sq at 12:00

From

The Good Guys

Gigi reads the note and goes to their house. When she gets to the house she she does not realize that they are bad guys. So first they play volleyball and the Good Gigi wins. Then they start to dance. They dance to Deck the Halls, Wednesday is Our Music Day (a St. B's song), Jesus loves Me and Hit the Road Jack.

They are all tired. The Bank Robbers sleep in bunk beds and the Good Gigi sleeps on the floor beside them. Then the alarm clock sound goes off and wake up the Bank Robbers but not the Good Gigi. "So now we should surprise her by acting ugly," said Jack. Papa says "I agree!"

They push a button that makes a loud roaring sound. The good Gigi stretches with her eyes closed. When she opens her eyes the bank robbers begin to chase her down the stairs. Gigi thinks this is a game and is smiling and laughing. The bank robbers start throwing hot lava. Gigi begins to run away and now she realizes they are bad guys. When she runs outside she leaves a path of muddy footprints. The Bank Robbers follow the muddy footprints to Africa and see Gigi looking at sleeping lions. The Bank Robbers sneak in and wake up the sleeping lions. The Robbers wake up the lions and tell them to get the Good Gigi. She thinks, "Oh no I am about to be eaten by lions. This is gonna be bad!" The lions eat her!

The End

Top of the mornin' to ya

We spent St. Patrick's Day in Navarre for the first time. Being the social/cruise director at all times, I hunted high and low for activities. We landed on Pensacola beach that was having cookie decorating with green lemonade as well as face painting and mint chocolate chip shakes. I was a little worried because Pensacola was also hosting a Pub Crawl in the same area and during the same time. It all turned out ok for the most part.

We started out the day with the boys in coordinating green shorts outfits. Brad said,"You know it is 50 degrees and windy right?" "Yes, (I fibbed) but it is St. Patrick's Day and this is their only coordinating green clothes. It's Florida, it is always warmer than you think, right?" My dear husband just smiles at me. In my stubbornness, I file that smile away as agreement to my statement not the yea yeah smile that it really was! As we traveled along the coast from Navarre to Pensacola, I saw several walkers in heavy coats, mittens, scarves and hats. I am not looking. We arrive at Peg Leg Pete's and run in with the children all the while their teeth are chattering, I am not looking! We will be inside in seconds. The hostess asks if we want to sit on the heated porch or inside. As a full chorus of McClanahans, we say "INSIDE". After eating we head over for the cookies and green lemonade. We are a little early and this is being hosted by the local gooney golf establishment. Brad says "Let's play!" I am always the one with the plan and the ideas. Brad likes it that way. However, I am so excited that Brad wants to do this when it was not a part of the plan! So I now must surrender to the cold. I did bring extra clothes for the boys. Now, they are no longer coordinating and Jack is not even matching, but I decided that I needed to go with it. I could finally admit I was being a little nutty!

We had a blast! Jack's first golfing experience was great and Cole was just wild. He tried every hole to jump into the stream flowing through the course. The only other problem, was that at the same time that Brad bent down to to pick up his ball, Jack decided to tee off. This resulted in an instant goose egg and some blood. I tried not to laugh until Brad did. I did not quite make it! We moved onto the cookie decorating and face painting. It was very fun! Jack got a green shark on his face and Cole got several clovers on his cheek. They were out of mint chocolate shakes but the chocolate ones were really great anyways!

Tahiti everywhere

A former teacher of mine used to say "If you don't have Tahiti at home you won't have Tahiti in Tahiti." I am not sure how that marriage lesson applied to 10th grade English but it has always stuck with me.

This past week I spent in Navarre,FL. This is my equivalent of Tahiti. We truly had a wonderful vacation! I got to sleep several times until I woke up(which with small kids is a rarity). I spent time reading on the beach, cooking without any interruptions, no driving for a week and just a lot of great family time! All of this is due to my husband being intentional that I get to have a vacation! I love that about him so much! I truly have Tahiti in Tahiti and a lot of Tahiti at home too!

Sister Wife

note: We have lost our camera so the next few posts may be picture less but I will try to update the picture part when I can.



Carrie and I have been best friends since the 9th grade. Every time we are together it is as though we are teenagers again and are having a sleepover. Our husbands have always kidded that the other is his Sister -wife. She was over one day when we had a repair man come to our house and Brad introduced us as his two wives. Speaking of, we have both sworn that when our husbands die we will move in together. Also, on more than one occasion our husbands have accused us of forgetting to tell them something because we had told it instead to each other. We always deny deny deny!

When we are together there is never a shortage of drama(there is now five children between us), incessant talking and a lot of laughter. We celebrated yet another milestone event with the birth of her third baby, Lillian Hope. She has a lot of pictures of her beautiful baby here.
I got the privilege of staying her second night in the hospital with her. I came prepared with Donut Den doughnuts and two batches of iced sugar cookies (her favorites) and plenty of snacks and about 75 things that I could not wait to talk to her about that would make any man run screaming! We had the best time. It was just the two of us and sweet baby Lillie that never made a peep. (She was probably comforted to hear us talk since we do squeeze in a few minutes to talk on the phone every now and again *wink wink*.)
Then a few weeks later she was hit hard by life, her dad (who also calls me his fourth daughter -since I have been to countless family birthdays, dinners and even a few "Come to Jesus" meetings) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I was distraught, scared, and so sad. Of course all I could do was think of one thousand questions, "How is she going to walk this road with a brand new baby, how will she mother her children through this(especially when her very bright 5 year old just watched her Great - Aunt pass away very quickly from cancer)? As the oldest daughter, how would she also be a comfort for her sister like I know she would expect of her self? How will she do being in Atlanta and her dad and the rest of her family in Franklin?
It has been a few weeks since her dad's diagnosis and the answer to all of these questions is WITH GRACE. This is her way. She has surprised me more times than I can count. "Of course, this will be the time that she completely falls apart." I said to myself. Not even close. I have always admired her strength and determination . In so many ways she and I are opposites. I am forever envious of her multitude of amazing abilities. We often and laughingly say that we share a brain (however with momnesia I think it is shrinking). Basically everything that is very hard for me has always been so natural for her... school, quick wit (she is not the one that says "oh I should have said...), self-discipline, and wisdom (I am going to stop there- I am getting depressed - oh yeah and grammar-she edits as ONE of her part-time jobs- who is good with grammar??) So many people crumble under pressure yet she seems become more alive in the face of it! Nothing inspires me more. I am such a softy in comparison and that is not a usual feeling for me especially these days.
We have been friends for over twenty years and I have yet to meet anyone that I would have rather spent these years with and I know that I never will!

The bottom line is that I am forever grateful that she is my best friend. I love you Carrie!

Happy Birthday My Budda

Cole is 1 today!

I can not believe that an entire year has gone by since our family added its newest member! They always say how different that your first and second are. Since Jack was so laid back and barely cried I thought I would be in for a real doozy. Well Cole is completely different, just not in the way that I had imagined. He is so happy and very sweet but so busy and curious! I have called poison control three times, I have pulled an ornament hook, straight pen and a bar of soap out of his mouth! He has climbed up the outside of the stairs, pulled a very heavy glass pitcher off on his toe which resulted in a lot of blood, zoomed his big brothers race car through the garage, walked out of my front door at 10 months, crawled out of a five point restraint in his high chair and across the table multiple times, pulled the vent out of the floor at 5 months, pulled the gate off the stairs so that he could race up them and get to his big brother, already played keep away with Jack and won, swiped dinner and drinks from the table many times, played in the trash more times than I can stomach to think about and on and on and on! Many of these moments have have taken my heart straight to my toes and made me out and out beg Brad to come home early from work! However, I did not know I would ever adore or think anything was as great as Jack! Maybe that is why God makes sure that they are so distinctly individual. I adore him and delight in him just as much!

I love the way he comes into bed every morning and cuddles in with the family until he can not stand it any more and begins crawling over each of us. This in turn stirs up Jack which in turn makes our bed look like bear cubs are flipping and flopping all the while Brad and I try to continue sleeping!
Here is a list of more reasons why I love him.

• I love the way he grins until his eyes disappear.


• I love the way that he has a special giggle just for when his brother makes him laugh!


• I love how double waves at Brad in the morning when he leaves.


• I love how he wants to be held just to put a head on my shoulder and snuggle up


• I love how he wants two or three pacifiers just to go to sleep


• I love how he growls in frustration


• I love how aware of what is going on around him


• I love the way he toddles


• I love his spirit of adventure


• I love the love that he has brought to our family. I feel so much more joy because I am much more relaxed this time around, the bond between brothers is the sweetest, and Brad who once thought one child was plenty would not have it any other way now!

Happy Birthday my sweet baby Cole!