Trying to get a picture with Daddy

Something to ponder...

I found this quote (If you've read January's Real Simple, you might know this one.) and I really love it. See what you think.

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few wants." --Esther De Waal

Curious Sam and Lily

This is Sam and Lily. They are good little monkeys and always very curious.

Curious George is like a rock star in our house. My children absolutely adore him. Lily can even say "Curious George!" However, Andy and I are probably the only ones who understand it.
Anyway, our local children's museum, Imagine It, currently has a Curious George exhibit. We have been to see it many many times. Last time was the first time I was able to get them to sit still long enough for me to snap a quick picture of each of them with George. I think I will print and frame these for their rooms. I know they'll love having George around all the time.

Ho Ho NO!!!!

We went to see Santa at the mall on Saturday with about a gazillion other people in Atlanta. Waiting in line was hard- Lily didn't want to be in the stroller, but wanted to push it, unless Sam was in in it, in which case she had to be in it too, squealing "Mine, mine, miiiine!" Of course Sam was whining, "Mo-om, it's my turn. Get her off me!" While we waited, Andy and I were able to take turns doing some quick shopping. (Did you know all sweaters at the Gap are 50% off? Today's the last day!)
Our turn finally came to see St. Nick himself. Well, Lily just flipped! She screamed and cried and tried to wiggle away. We had a feeling she would react that way. Being the compassionate parents we are, Andy and I were high-fiving each other and howling with laughter. It really was funny. (Isn't seeing a small child scream in sheer terror funny to everyone? No?) I think getting a candy cane afterward may have made it all worthwhile. Lily happily ate the entire thing.
Anyway, Sam got a few minutes of face time with the big guy once we picked her up and got her out of the way.
To those of you who think it is not nice to make your kid sit on Santa's lap when you know they will be scared, I say (in a nice way), get a grip! It is a rite of passage (plus, did I mention... it's funny!!). Most everyone's been there, done that, so why should my kid be any different? In the future, Lily will look at this picture and laugh. Then she'll take her own terrified kid and plop him/her on Santa's lap too!



Fighting in the stroller



I think Santa might need a drink after this....

The (Second) Best Christmas Pageant Ever

My favorite Christmas book is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. It tells the story of a rowdy family of kids who descend upon the local church's Christmas play and steal the show. It is absolutely hilarious and very touching.
Well today, I was witness to The Second Best Christmas Pageant Ever- sorry, the Herdmans still have my vote. Sam's preschool put on a show this morning telling the story of the Nativity followed by some Christmas carols. His class dressed as Christmas trees; they are essential to the story of Jesus's birth, didn't you know? It was really darling. Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, cows, sheep, donkeys (Eeyore even made an appearance!), stars and, naturally, Christmas trees were all part of the production. It was pretty chaotic on the stage, as I am sure you can imagine. Sam had a great time and sang his little heart out.



Enter sheep from stage left...


My favorite tree is in the top row, second from left.


Proud mama (with my new glasses!) and her sapling


Goofing around

WWEPD? (What Would Emily Post Do?)

Sister likes tomato sauce so much she actually licks the plate clean. Not very nice manners but pretty funny to watch!


Sam wears his "schleppy shirt" to eat so he doesn't ruin his clothes.

I'm free

I'm free, like a puppet without strings, I can do ANYTHING! Doc says I can take my boot off. I'm so happy. He did say that I need to wear stiff soled shoes for a while. Hmm.... I've had my eye on some Frye boots, and since they are just what the doctor recommended.... Sorry, Andy. I am only following doctor's orders :)

Gobble gobble

Thanksgiving Feast with 150 of our favorite preschoolers.

Cliff and Cliff Jr.

Damn good dawg

Sadly, Uga VII died unexpectedly this week. He was only four years old. This is a picture of Sam with Uga at one of the mascot's last games. Neither one of them seem to be impressed by the other. At least Sam got to meet him.

RIP Uga VII.

Mmmm... Starbucks

I have a little holiday tradition to mark the start of the Christmas season.On the day after Thanksgiving, some (crazy) people camp out in the wee hours of the morning to snag Black Friday bargains. Others run out to get their Chistmas tree. Not me. I head straight to the local Starbucks to get the first of many holiday Peppermint Mochas. They taste like Christmas! I absolutely LOVE them. And I enjoy many during the holidays. This year I am in big trouble. They now offer a Peppermint Mocha Frappucino. Frappucinos happen to be my next favorite drink from Starbucks!! I am thinking I will be on a first name basis with the folks at my Starbucks. Since I know I will be enjoying many of these delicious concoctions this Christmas, I expect I will pack on a few lbs. So if you notice my rear has expanded a bit since you last saw me, kindly don't mention it. Just smile and offer to take me out for a cup of coffee.

It's that time of year again...

Sam came home from school yesterday singing Christmas carols his class is learning for the Christmas pageant. His favorite song must be Feliz Navidad because he sings it all the time. However his version sounds like this:

"Fuh-lease Naughty dog, Fuh-lease Naughty dog..."

It makes me laugh every time I hear it!

Candy Mania

Surveying the loot


Halloween is Moseley's favorite day of the year!


Eyeball eyes

Halloween Parade

Sam's school put on a Halloween Parade for the parents on Friday. It was adorable. They trooped around outside the building with Thriller blasting in the background, posed for pictures, and did a little trick or treating. The kids had a ball!



Sam (Thomas the Train) with some of his classmates



Trick or treat!



Ding! The lightbulb goes on- CANDY!!!!!!!



Lily wore her bumblebee costume to see the parade.

Oh, Mexico...

Rich and Kristi were married last week in a beautiful ceremony on the beach in Mexico. We turned the occasion into a long weekend and had a great mini-vacation. Actually, since it was an all inclusive resort (all you can eat and drink), a mini vacation was all the vacation my body could handle! It was a great time.


The beautiful bride and her dad



Andy and the groom, who was not at all nervous ;)



My hooptie wheelchair which was my main mode of transportation around the resort. It had a rusty frame, 4 wobbly wheels, one arm pad held on by a piece of string, half a pocket in the back, and dangerously loose stitching around the seat. Andy decided the only adjective that could properly describe the chair was "janky."



Cocktails by the pool (Supermans, Bobos, Electric Lemonades, lime daiquiris....)



Relaxing outside after the reception

Vandy Girls Gone Wild 2009

If you can believe it, this lively young gal just celebrated her 10 year college reunion. It was a great time; hanging out with old friends at our old haunts, and pretending we weren't the oldest people there!

Smoky Mountain High...

About to spelunk...


Hiking with a trusty magnifying glass


Giant stalagtite in Forbidden Cavern


Charlotte and a bear skin


Swinging on the porch at the cabin



After the game in Knoxville, we went with Laura, Matt, and Charlotte to a cabin we rented in the mountains. Even though the weather was dreary, we were able to get out and explore the Forbidden Cavern and did a little hiking in the woods. Sam and Lily haven't been hiking before so I was excited to take them. And we always have fun with Laura, Matt, and Charlotte, no matter where we are!

Bad luck charms?

Look at that arm!


Waiting for the train to the stadium...


A little confused...


Family rivalry!



We met Laura, Matt, Charlotte, and Matt's family and crew in Knoxville for the UGA v. UT game. These people know how to tailgate! Huge RV, TVs everywhere, video games, footballs, soccer balls, toys, food, drinks, etc. We even got to ride a real train to the stadium! Sam was a little freaked out by the noise and commotion when we got into the game but calmed down after a few minutes (bribing him with Sprite and ice cream did the trick). Lily loved it all. She danced and danced when the band played (even Rocky Top- yikes!). Dr. Freeman really hooked us up with tickets. We are so grateful and had so much fun!

Despite all the fun, Tennessee beat Georgia really badly. I have come to the conclusion that the Tuck family is a bad luck charm for the Georgia Bulldogs. It seems that when we bring the kids to a game, they lose. We might be banned from games in the future.

So what?! It was worth it!

Happy Birthday!

Katie and Jay welcomed their first daughter, Phoebe Parker Tuck, into the world October 19. She weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. Both baby and mama are doing well; so are proud pop and big brother Trey!

Congratulations, guys! We love you and can't wait to meet our new niece.

I'm a big girl now...

Yikes

I am really terrible at doing Lily's hair! Can anyone help me?! How do you use those tiny hairbands? I can hardly get them around my fingers. Now she looks like Pebbles Flintstone with that 'do. No... worse... she looks like the girl from Napoleon Dynamite!

Look out, Tiger!

Andy and Poppie took Sam to the driving range for the first time this weekend. (Lucky Lily went to Kroger with me.) They had a great time. Sam was excited to carry his clubs and wear a cap just like Daddy. Andy said he loved it.