Taking a bloggy break...

I'm taking a moment to catch my breath

but don't fret...I'll be back next week

and when I do, I'll have some amazing stuff to share with you!

Miss you, love you, see you, bye!

Santa Caught Red Handed

If your little one believes in Santa 

then you have to read these fun ways to prove that Santa is real?

Does your family welcome the jolly guy into your home? 

Click here to read the article and join the conversation over Athens Patch.

52 Weeks of Happiness : Week 38

I love those moments when one of my kids 

does something so adorable that my head 

almost pops off my neck from all the uncontrollable cuteness. 

The other day Griffin requested a pencil and paper 

because he had concocted a plan to 

get his hands on extra spending money for him to spend at Disney World. 

His big plan?

To get an advance from the tooth fairy, of course

 In case you can't read his 

sweet 7-year-old chicken scratch handwriting

here is a translation...

"Dear toothfairy,

I have four loose teeth.

Can you give me my money early 

because I am going to Disney World 

in two more days."

Cutest. Thing. Ever.

Even more prescious

was the conversation that followed.

G: How will the toothfairy know that

the note is under my pillow?

 Does she only get the alert

when a tooth falls out?

Me: Her message with our address
gets activated  when teeth OR notes

are slipped under a kid's pillow.

G: Oh, that makes sense.

Total Mama Happiness!

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br /> <br>

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Rooster Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

Vandy J

Jonathan gave a whole new meaning to check out my cock.

Linda D

I'm so confused... 

Now who exactly got down at last night's Ho Down?

metsuke

Hey, roosters need creepy, bug eyed, stalker love too

and the winner is...
metsuke

 

 Hey, roosters need creepy, bug eyed, stalker love too!

 

metsuke

 is the funniest blogger in all the land

She doesn't have a blog
but she still wins this amazing award! 
 

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freashow Friday : Rooster Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, this guy must be lonely.

Mike's favorite pet was always a little cocky.

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this
super duper brand new awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

Happy Turkey Day!

May your kitchen be filled with

scrumptious smells of food made wth love.

May your dining room be filled with family and fun.

May your heart be filled with gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Let's all say a prayer that I don't burn lunch!

A Thankful Heart

My top 10 things I've learned to be thankful for from parenthood. 

 What are you grateful for?

 Please click here to read, comment, 

and suggest the article to your Facebook friends!

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 37

You all know by now that I am addicted

to decorating my fireplace mantel for the holidays.

I decided to use pieces this year that we have an

emotional connection with and things

that we are thankful for.

Like my grandma's carnival glass that I inhereited.

She spent a lifetime collecting the feminine bowls

and it's such an honor for me to now display them in my home.

Or glittery pumpkins.

I've had them forever

and they only cost $1.99 for the whole bunch.

Who isn't thankful for cheap yet fancy decorations?

I made floral bouquets of fall leaves

and tucked a turkey feather that the children

found at Granddad's plantation

and also a little red bulb that I dried and saved

from a special bunch of flowers that Roger gave me once.

I love how earthy they look.

So, I made this very snazzy banner

and I considered doing a tutorial on here for it.

The truth is that when I do a project,

I make a total mess,

get impatient, abandon the directions,

make 100 mistakes, start over,

and somehow manage to throw it all together.

 How about I just send you to

my friend Alli's tutorial link instead?

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br />

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Topless Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

w

siegfried and roy: the magic behind the magic.

vandy  j
The mullet twins--business in front, party in back and toasty goodness underneath.

kearsie

It was a great year when John and Steve 

were gifted Glamour Shots from Aunt Linda for Christmas.

 

 and the winner is...
Vandy J

The mullet twins--business in front, 

party in back and toasty goodness underneath.

Vandy J
is the funniest blogger in all the land

She doesn't have a blog
but she still wins this amazing award! 
 

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freakshow Friday : Topless Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, this group makes me nervous.

 It was a little nippy in the studio that day.

You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this
super duper brand new awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

The fun to be found in a huge empty box

There's been some excitement in our house.

 We purchased a new dishwasher and

 although mama is super stoked about our new appliance,

 I have to say that the empty box that the dishwasher came in 

has been a the biggest source of excitement around here.

 

What kid doesn't love a huge empty box?
It's like a blank canvas.
I tossed it into the living room without saying a word
and within minutes,
Koen had crawled inside and was pretending to drive a bus.

The possibilities are endless
and it quickly transformed into a clubhouse.

 

I just love discovering the boys chillin' in it.
Flip it on it's side and it becomes a movie theatre.

Toss it back up, grab a blanket and jump inside, 

it quickly becomes a reading nook.

Our beloved box is losing it's shape because 

they both love to hop inside and 

punch and kick the walls like ninjas. 

It's the perfect place for a boy to safely flex his muscles. 

 Oh, how we love our beaten up box. 

We'll see how much longer it can survive the wild rumpus.

Turning the Screen Off

Does Facebook replace time that 

you could be spending making real connections?

Does it ever get in the way of the time you spend with your kids? 

Please click here to read my column

and join the discussion by leaving a comment

over at Athens Patch!

Fall Leaves are Fleeting Friends

Last week was a hard week. 

Griffin had a nasty case of pneumonia

and was home from school. 

My poor child was a coughing mess

and a very needy patient. 

I adore that sweet boy but he knows how

to make a mama work hard when he's not feeling well. 

As we drove back and forth

from the doctor to the pharmacy

and back to the doctor only to return to the pharmacy,

I marveled at the beautiful fall leaves on the trees.

The colors comforted me as I drove by.

There are a few trees that I've passed by year after year

with the intention of photographing their marvelous leaves

but I never make it out with my camera before they have tumbled to the ground.

This year was going to be the exception,

and I've shamelessly been waiting for the fall colors to return

so that I could snap some photos
of the elusive leaves.

Those fall trees were showing off for me

as I drove by with my sick little boy in the car.

"Wait for me!"

I would call out the window,

begging the leaves to hold on 

a while longer so that I could come and say hello.

My attention fell to nursing my sick child

but my mind would often wander to the leaves outside.

Yesterday, my boy was better and after I dropped him off at school,

I grabbed my camera and headed outside

to finally commune with my beloved fall leaves. 

 I like to believe that they hung around just for me.

52 Weeks of Happiness :: Week 36

It was my birthday last week!

I had such an amazing day that started

with a big huge bouquet of flowers 

that my smart and lovely husband gave me.

It was the perfect gift for a flower bandit like me.

Then later, we had a home cooked meal

over at my parents' house

complete with a gluten free soy free cake.

My favorite, a white layer cake with chocolate frosting.

That family of mine sure does know how to make a girl feel special.

The celebration continued into the weekend 

when we left the boys with my parents and 

headed into Atlanta to have dinner 

with my bestest friend, Erin.

It was such a treat to have dinner 

with my two most favorite people in the world.

The three of us sipped libations,

ate scrumptious food,

and laughed and laughed together.

Then, Roger and I headed over to see the Regina Spektor concert.

The audience was filled with very small girls

that smelled like coconut and bopped up and down 

while texting their friends during the entire show.

 

So, we left early and jetted over

to the Sun Dial Bar at the Westin Hotel

to drink in the amazing view and cocktails.

The best part was that we stayed in a hotel room.

We sipped champagne, snuggled and watched cable tv

(which we don't have at home)

until the wee hours of the morning.

It was a fantastic birthday weekend.

<div style="text-align: center;"> <br><br><br><br><br><br><a href="http://leighvslaundry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae172/leighbug_photo/stuff2/2875824415_abeaebc155_m-2-1-1.jpg" /></a></div> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br />

Want to join me in my quest
to scout out happiness for a whole year?
Simply post a photo of something that
makes you wildly happy and tell us all about it.
Then, steal my button and include it in your post.
Don't forget to link up to Mr. Linky.

Winner : Birthday Edition

We have a winner for this week's installment of Freakshow Friday. Please take note that my super hilarious and non biased best friend was the judge. Here are the top three in no particular order.

Kelly Lund and the Kids

  Alfred Jr. let a Rip right as the camera flashed

Linda D

Little Brenda Lee learned the hard way 

that she couldn't touch the lit up birthday candles

 or daddy's lite up pipe ... 

even if Mary jane is now legal in Colorado.

Andrea

Do these stripes make me look like I am playing pocket pool?

 and the winner is...
Kelly Lund and Kids

Alfred Jr. let a Rip right as the camera flashed

Kelly Lund and Kids
is the funniest blogger in all the land

Please visit her blogand marvel at this fantastic award she just earned!

Thanks to all the people who played.
Tune in this Friday for another installment of Freakshow Friday!

Freakshow Friday : Birthday Edition

It's time for another installment of Freakshow Friday. Where I ask my readers to come up with a caption or story for a funny photo. My best friend will be the judge and she's one hilarious freakaziod. So, bring it! Here is this week's photo, this group looks like a ton of fun.

All dad wanted for his birthday was a new family.

 
You got a better one for me?

If so, you may just when this
super duper brand new awesome award
and have bragging rights forever.
Oh...do I ever have an award for you!
You will win this brand spankin' new award!!

If you win then I'll link up to your
Blog and make a big deal
about how funny you are.
Simply leave your funny caption or story
in my comments section.

The winner will be announced on Monday.

My kids are smart, funny, and awesome.

Yesterday was Parent/Teacher Conference day. Out of all my extracurricular duties that I have as a mom, I love going to conferences. It makes me feel like a mama. Even if the news is not the best at times, I love sitting down and listening to the women that spend so much time with my children tell me in detail how they act when they are not with me. It's a little glimpse into their world that I just don't get to see.

I have to say that I am so happy that we chose Montessori for our children. The environment is loose and open, brimming with enrichment at every corner. I always feel happy when I walk into their classrooms and the best part is that the children do to. Peer based learning is so magical to witness. I love when we are at home and Griffin takes the lead in showing Koen something new. I know it's because they both live it at school that we see it at home.

I love that they have freedom of movement around the classroom. No stuffy desks for my kids. They sprawl out on the floor when they do their work. I've walked into the classroom unannounced to see Griffin laying on his belly writing in his journal, he looks so comfortable in his learning environment.

I love it that the first thing Koen does when he walks into school is kick off his shoes. Learning in your socks feels so much less restrictive.

I had two really great conferences with the boys' teachers yesterday. I figured that if there is one place that I should be able to go and brag about my kids, it would be right here on my bliggidy bloggidy boop. Plus, I'd like to have it on record that they were wonderful children so that when they turn into pissed off teenagers, I can look back and remember the good ol' days when conferences were easy and sweet.

Griffin is the most popular boy in his class. Little boys fight over who can sit by him at lunch. His teacher described him as a quiet leader. Oh, it makes my mama's heart proud to hear this. His handwriting is improving and he's advancing in math. He can read like a champ and he loves doing his cultural lessons. All in all, he's a happy boy at school.

Koen is very popular too. He has about 5 kids that he plays with. His fine motor skills are better than some of the 3-year-old girls in the class. He likes to play more than he likes to work but he can be easily directed to work. He wanders over to the older kid areas and explores their materials on his own. He still whimpers for me from time to time but can be easily distracted. The teacher said she had no worries or big issues to address.

So, there you have it-proof that my kids are the most awesomest kids on the block. I like hearing this because they aren't angels at home and my living room often turns into a wild rumpus of little boys.

It's so nice to hear that when those crazy kids leave my side that they are flourishing without me. I think that is the single most important part of being a mama, raising kids that will go out into the world and function as a useful and successful part of society.

My boys make me proud. 

The end.