Unsolicited Advice, part 2

I say part 2 because part 1 is found on my friend Lindsey's blog (here).

People just crack me up. Like not too long ago I had a family member email me a reminder (a.k.a. impractical article) about how we should never put our purse on a table, counter or other surface that we eat off of or holds food. Apparently purses should be kept on hooks. Why you ask? Well, because we put our purses in grocery store buggies, the floor of our car, the floor in restaurants, blah, blah, blah. The germs that the bottom of our purses carry should not be spread to the table or counter. I agree. It is a great point. However, I live in the real world with three children. I just don't have time to worry about that. I like to consider my purse as a means to help build my family's immune system as it spreads germs wherever I place it!

But on to my recent unsolicited advice...Yesterday I was in the grocery store with all three children. This is something that I usually don't do but sometimes - like when there are no diapers in the house - it is necessary. So in we go. Dean and Anna Grace are in the big buggy (I could not find any of the big kid carts to strap them) and Caleb is in his carrier attached to the basket. Things start off great. Dean and Anna Grace are happily playing (which does typically mean laughing/singing/etc but not fighting) and Caleb is asleep. Not long into our trip Caleb wakes up and so it begins. Every time the buggy stops he starts to cry...loud...because he wants to be back asleep. And every time the buggy moves he stops and starts to fall back asleep. I did not want to push the buggy around the store until he fell asleep and then do my shopping so I chose to hurry though the store and let him cry. Well there was this older couple in there and it seemed that we kept going down the same aisles. The lady was fine; she smiled and then continued to shop. The man on the other hand was not pleased. The first time he saw us Caleb was just starting to whimper yet when he looked into the buggy and saw the contents - three small children and some bananas - he shot me a disgusted look. Then however with each passing and Caleb's cries getting louder his mean glances became dirty looks that ultimately became disgusted stares. I knew what he was thinking..."Do you know how this happens, Girl? You don't have to have so many children; shame on you. Hope this is your last. They are too close in age." Blah...Blah...It is the same dumb comments people are crazy enough to say to my face. As I was racing to the check out lane I saw him one last time. His look was just down right evil by this time. I wanted so bad to stop and say, "Hey, Goodin, if you have a problem with this why don't you put that case of Miller High Life back on the shelf and buy me a pack of condoms!" But instead I chose to smile at them one last time and then look at the check-out girl who seemed happy to have us in her line, crying baby and all, and say, "Are you sure you are ready for this crew?"

Catching Up

We have been busy the past few weeks therefore I thought I would take some time to catch the blog up.

First the children and I spent a week in Mississippi visiting family. We all had a great time. I tried to take pictures but I know I did not capture the essence of the trip. However here is our recap in picture.

Caleb took his first mud sink bath.

Anna Grace and Ottie played Sorry! together.

Dean joined in the fun.

Dean and Ottie had too much fun and needed to rest.

Holt spent a few hours with us on Wednesday. Since it was way more calm then (opposed to the day before when Holt, the triplets, Slade and Laurie came to play) we took a few pictures.

Anna Grace, Holt and Dean playing the fishing game.

Holt and Caleb were excited to meet.

Now on to August. So far we have made cookies, tried to get a birth announcement picture (yes I know he is 13 weeks old but I am extending lots of grace to myself since well I just am) and gone to the lake for a weekend. Here you go...

Frosted Double Chocolate Chunk here we come!

Trying to take a good picture of Caleb.

Caleb guarded the house while Neal took a nap at the lake.

Triple Threat ready for bed after a long day of play.

The boys paling around this morning.

What a grin!

We are taking a vacation to the lake in a week. I will do a better job of taking pictures and hopefully have a great post when we return.

Name Change

I have been thinking lately that after all this time some changes need to be made to the blog. This past Sunday our family went to eat after church (that is after coming home and getting a bottle for Caleb and changing his diaper and getting Dean a bib and getting him back in his big boy pants and getting Anna Grace and Dean sippy cups) by the time we sat down at our table (with the booster seat and the high chair brought by our waiter along with cups with tops just in case) Neal looked at me and said, "It will be quite an accomplishment when we can just walk in a restaurant and say, 'five please' then just sit down." I laughed but have thought about it everyday since. I can't imagine what that will be like and somehow it seems so far off - and I don't think that is a bad thing - but I am excited to see all that God has in store.

Now on to other things..

Dean's current most famous quote after I asked him what he was doing upstairs this morning is, "Eating my booger." Honestly, I have never seen him pick his nose but apparently he has a new skill that we are going to have to deal with. As for Anna Grace, yesterday she went to the bathroom all by herself when she got out of bed. That is nothing new but she seemed to have a hard time getting redressed because when I helped her change into her play clothes she had one leg of her panties around her waist, the other leg around one of her legs and her other leg coming out of the waistband. Just think about that for minute. It was quite a site to behold - once I figured out what she had done.

We have tried several new recipes this week. One of them was exceptional. I thought I would sare it with you. It is Chicken Stew with Biscuits, similar to chicken pot pie but better. You should try it sometime.

Well this entire blog post has been an attempt to procrastinate on some sewing projects that I really need to get finished. And now that I hear Dean awake I guess I need to get cracking on the sewing machine.