a plethora of topics

My sister-in-law got her wedding pictures from December recently. I was going through them just seeing how they turned out and if I looked super goofy in them or not {I was the Matron of Honor}. Ahem... well... I think these pictures speak for themselves:


Please someone tell me that's cute. No, I didn't wear those leggings {or the coat for that matter} during the wedding. It was just so cold! Not to mention the fact that the dress and shoes were or had brown in them... and the leggings were black. Is that acceptable? I've lost track of fashion... I mean, right now I am wearing sweat capri's {and it's supposed to sleet today} and a hoodie... with red socks with daisies and monkeys, which I don't remember buying or receiving.

I am not a fashionista.

I think it looks goofy... but if anyone... anyone out there thinks that looks cute in any way {except the goofy way}, speak now or forever hold your peace! And then I'll just die of embarrassment of having been caught like that in wedding photographs.

At least Benjamin was super adorable:



He wasn't walking very well at that time, so my little cousin was holding his hands. Looking at his hair that way reminds me that he's got a little bit of a mullet coming in now... which needs to be cut. I refuse, as I have probably said before, to pay someone $10 to snip here and there. So I'm debating on whether or not I should try my hand at trimming it up. Worst case scenario, it will look super goofy for about a week. His hair grows so fast. I want to get it cut before we take off later this month {which I'm not disclosing when or where because I don't want that info out on the net}.

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One last thing. I read last week on the box of Special K cereal we had up in our pantry that if you followed their diet for two weeks you could lose up to 6 pounds and drop a pant size. I figured I'd like my thighs to match the rest of me so why not give it a shot? We went grocery shopping for the stuff yesterday, which included Special K cereal, cereal bars, protein bars, and protein shakes.

Do not do this.

Unless you have a plethora of cash, don't do it. I couldn't believe how much money we spent on all that stuff. I am going to do this diet until I run out of stuff, and then I am stopping. We are not going to go broke just to lose weight. Leaving the store I felt very selfish and shallow. So we're not doing it again after this.

Right now I'm drinking the protein shake for my lunch.

It makes my tongue tingle.

Walking Everywhere

Benjamin has been walking for just over a month...



And he loves it... once he is up, he is off!



He is into everything and anything... and nothing is safe!



But it makes him happy to explore, and I love his curiosity, even if he makes a mess!



Whew... I am tired just from watching him!

I can't believe that ...

A little over a month ago...



My baby was walking holding our hands...



Along the Battery in Charleston, South Carolina...



But now...



He's a pro.

No birds were harmed in the making of this post . . . except that one.

EDIT -

I meant to mention this earlier. Dear friends, I have an urgent prayer request for you. Please keep Paul and Vanessa Martin and their family in your prayers. Vanessa and their two children were involved in a very serious car accident this past Tuesday morning, which happened to be Vanessa's birthday. Their daughter is recovering from surgery, while their nine-year-old son has passed away. Vanessa is said to be okay, physically. Please, please keep this family in your prayers. This is so heartbreaking. I know you will lift up this family in prayer.

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The weather was so nice today that we decided to take our one year old out to play. It's been so cold lately so we really hadn't gone out much, but today we didn't even have to bundle up. So, we grabbed Benjamin's car and his Pup, and we set off to play outside.





We had a lot of fun! Benjamin loved being pushed in his car, and he visited with our neighbors for a little while before heading out to the backyard to walk around in it for the first time since he's started walking.









So far, we had only met a few of our neighbors (and we've been here a whole year so that's kind of sad), but today Benjamin met some new friends. On the other side of us, a few kids were playing in the backyard, so Benjamin went over and started yelling at them. The oldest one was 8, and the youngest were two twin girls who weren't school-aged yet. In between, a 6 year old boy and a girl who was only there until her parents picked her up. They were so cute. They enjoyed talking to Hubby and to Benjamin and showing him their football and blanket.

Today was a really good day. I got some birthday stuff done and Hubby tackled the mass amount of laundry we had piling up in our room. Thanks, babe!

Oh yeah, and I almost forgot:



Yes. Ew. I saw this after I took the picture, and immediately made Benjamin move. Hubby scooped it up with a shovel.

Don't worry, Benjamin didn't touch it.

But I gotta wonder... why was there a dead bird in the middle of our yard?

{Almost} A year in review!

My baby boy is turning ONE on Tuesday. I can't believe it! I am so happy to have come this far, but so sad because my baby boy is growing up! Tonight was so funny at church, all the little kids were running around playing tag, and right behind them little Benjamin toddling after them, wanting to join in on the fun. It was so very precious. He loves to walk and there is no stopping now.


I just can't get over it though. So much has happened. Actually I took some time to put together some of the blog posts that were significant to me during this past year. You don't have to go through all of them. To read all the significant things that happened in this past year:
- Benjamin's Birth Story
- I got accustomed to my mommy role.
- Benjamin did situps in his carseat.
- We switched to cloth diapers.
- First Easter and First Long Trip.
- First Taste of baby food.
- Growing up too fast at 4 months.
- I woke up too early. (a lot)
- He was mistaken for a girl. (a LOT)
- Started drinking from a sippy cup.
- First experience with his swimming pool. (and mistaken for a girl, again)
- Cleaned up lots of poop. (didn't see that one coming, didja?)
- We started cloth diapering full-time.
- I woke up too early. (a LOT!!)
- I woke up at 5AM and cleaned up poop. (Do you see a pattern forming?)
- Five months old!
- Happy father's day, sweetie!
- Jump-a-roo!
- I wanted to sleep.
- I was very emotional.
- Benjamin's first Fourth of July, and 2 years since Papaw's passing.
- I dealt with priorities.
- First Tooth!!
- Benjamin sat up!
- Six Months Old! (Halfway there, folks!)
- First allergic reaction! to Purple grapes.
- Started buggy riding!
- Seven months old!
- Gave Davey Away... :(
- HUGE allergic reaction!!
- Big boy carseat!
- Started stair-climbing... (Uh oh...)
- We got a fish!
- Eight months old!
- Big boy food!
- I fell in love with being a mommy.
- I took a LOT of pictures... (and THAT is an understatement)
- First Fair for Mommy and Benny
- Nine months old!!
- We started watching Mariah.
- My parents' 27th wedding anniversary!
- First Halloween!
- I turned 21!
- We counted our blessings.
- My Nikon died :(
- Ten months old!!
- First Thanksgiving!
- We went on Vacation!!
- We ... came home?
- 11 Months Old!
- Happy New Year!
- First illness of 2010!

And here we are... wow!!

Love thy Neighbor

You know, normally I am a Georgia Bulldawg. I root only for the Dawgs, normally. But tonight, I'm saying ROLL TIDE (even though we don't have cable to watch the big game!)!! Gotta stick with SEC! And the Bible says Love thy neighbor, right? Well, tonight, Bama fans, I am loving my neighbor!

ROOOOOLL TIIIIIDE!

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