Becca, the saint

I had an appointment this morning that I wasn't exactly looking forward to. (Ladies, can I get an "amen"?) Avery has school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I make all my appointments on those days so I'll only have Stuart in tow. However, today, she was on day 5 of a cough and I felt pretty guilty about exposing her to other vulnerable kiddos.

My precious friend Becca had offered to meet me at the doctor's office to hold Stuart in the waiting room. She also got stuck with Avery. Not normally a big deal, but today Avery was bound and determined to wear her big girl panties. Before we went into the office, we stopped off at the restroom. But the kid doesn't perform under pressure. So I warned Becca that she might need to make a quick trip out to take her to the potty.

When my appointment finished up, I came out to the waiting room to find Avery in different pants. Becca told me that Avery had made a face, so she asked her if she needed to "go." However, she'd already peed into her shoes. Poor Becca. She is a true friend for putting up with me and my potty training child. I love you, Becca!!!

Diaper woes

I just made my daughter change her own diaper. Not kidding. I just sat on the edge of the tub next to her for an hour and 3 minutes waiting for her to go to the potty. She gave up and asked to put on her diaper. Then she promptly peed in it. So I sent her upstairs to change herself. Tough love.

Family night out

Normally on Wednesday nights we go to church. We are blessed to be part of an amazing church family and look forward to meeting with that community multiple times each week. However, last night, our plans changed at the eleventh hour. We took the kids to a rock show!

Our friends Alex and Erik are in a band called FLOREZ and they had a show at Belmont last night. We found out that the show was going to be fairly early, so it was a prime opportunity to let our little ones see them live. Avery loves to listen to FLOREZ music in the car and she's constantly hounding me to let her listen when I'm on the computer.

The show was fantastic. They even threw in a couple covers that were awesome! The guys really put on a great live show.

We got to see Alex's sweet wife Michelle (who is expecting their first baby in January) and Erik's fiance Jaime (who he met on CBS Survivor: China). Erik and Jaime are in the final days of a wedding contest. They're hoping to win a dream wedding in Charleston. Go online and VOTE for them!

Can't be mad

I needed to be talked off the ledge this afternoon. My stubborn kids didn't want to take a nap. This is nothing new for Avery, but Stuart is usually out like a light as soon as I put him in his crib. Not so today. So he's in the living room with me.

Avery begged to go to the potty. She's been getting better. She went last night before bed (after sitting on the pot for 10 minutes -- no exaggeration) and did the big #2 this morning after about the same amount of time. However, this afternoon, it was simply stall tactics. She sat for a good 20 minutes with no activity, just so she didn't have to be in her bed. I finally forced her to put the diaper back on and put her back in bed.

Every few minutes, she'd be at the door whispering for me or jumping off furniture in her room. I heard her moving around in there a couple of minutes ago, which obviously means she's not in the bed I told her not to dare get out of. I headed upstairs to tell her to get back in bed, but she was huddled in the corner by her nightlight reading her picture Bible. Can't be mad at her for that! At least she's quiet!

Night of the living dead?

Yesterday, the kids and I met Becca and Fenley at the Edmondson Pike Library to play on their playground. It was a REALLY HOT day, so we tried to stay in the shade as much as possible. There was a large tree nearby shading a picnic table, so we grabbed a seat.

We let the girls run around (sweating their little tails off) while we caught up with each other. One of Becca's friends was there with her two girls and we offered to keep an eye on her infant in her carseat carrier while she ran inside to let the older one go to the potty. A small girl approached, obviously very interested in the baby, and climbed onto the table to look at her. Her mom was fairly close on a cell phone call. The girl sneezed on the baby's foot and the mom ran over (still on the phone) to tell her to get down. She moved the child to the playgound mulch and dashed off so the person she was talking to on the phone wouldn't hear her daughter cry. The little girl went straight back to the picnic table to check out the baby. Mom again grabbed her by the hand and dragged her over a concrete curb and into the mulch and dashed away so her conversation wouldn't be interrupted, leaving the girl lying on her back throwing a fit. I wanted to grab the mom's phone and toss it. Bizarre.

We stayed in our spots under the tree for quite a while, periodically jumping up to make sure the girls didn't venture too close to dangerous playground dropoffs. Finally at one point, Becca looked down at her feet and said, "I KNEW I was feeling something under my feet." I thought she had been referring to an anthill or some sort of bug. But I looked down and didn't see anything. I thought Becca was nuts. Then I realized that she meant not just under her feet, but under the ground, too. The ground was moving. Something was under us crawling around.

We got a stick and started digging in the dirt. Our behavior seemed a little odd to our girls, so Avery and Fenley came over to investigate. When we started digging, the bumping moved a few feet over. We backed away and watched as it moved back to the spot where we'd been digging. Would it come up through the hole? We were freaking out! Periodically poking at the hole, we couldn't take our eyes off the spot where we expected to see a paw or claw or snout (or zombie!). Nothing. The little booger (whatever it was) wouldn't break through the surface. We must have scared it off. Deserves it. It scared the daylights out of us.

The Beach!

I know you haven't been waiting around for my beach post (except you, mom), but I apologize for the delay. I've just had a few things that were higher on the priority list.

We had a great time at the beach. We stayed in the same place as last year--Mediterra in Perdido Key, FL--and were very pleased with our accommodations. We had great weather, beautiful sand, an indoor pool to die for, and awesome seafood.

My only complaint was the bugs! On our way down, as soon as we got through Montgomery, we started hearing them splat on the windshield. It sounded like rain. Yuck! The wind one day took care of them for a while. Then they reappeared. I think it was mating season. Gross.

Nothing else really exciting to share, but I'll leave you with some pictures of our trip:

Our bathtub was fantastic!!! Avery loves a good bath, so this was a dream for her.

Work clothes

Every morning, when Chad gets dressed, Avery asks him if he's going to work. She knows the difference between his work clothes and his play clothes.

Yesterday, when I woke up, I threw on jogging pants and a tie dye t-shirt, plopped down on the couch and got out my laptop to start working. She cocked her head to the side and said, "Mommy, are those your work clothes?" Great.

Yes, sweetheart. They are.

To answer your questions

Yes, Eli Gold is one of my clients. I've done book publicity for his most recent two titles, Bear's Boys: 36 Men Whose Lives Were Changed by Coach Paul Bryant, and Crimson Nation: The Shaping of the South's Most Dominant Football Team. Eli Gold is the play-by-play announcer for the Alabama Crimson Tide Football team and has a very distinct voice. He has become a friend.


I first got to know Eli while working at Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was marketing director while Crimson Nation was being published. I was thrilled to be working on the project because I grew up in Alabama and have been a fan of the Tide as long as I can remember.

I left Thomas Nelson to stay at home with Avery, so when they got ready to publish Bear's Boys, I took on the publicity for his signing events and solicited reviews with my friend and business partner Lola.

Both books have been wildly successful, especially among Alabama fans. We've had several sell-out autographing events and tailgate parties. What a ball!

In the process, I've gotten to know Eli well and have come to enjoy Alabama football even more. Roll Tide!

Impromptu Roadtrip

Saturday, we jumped in the car and headed to Florence to my best friend's studio to get Stuart's 6-month pictures done. (I cannot believe he's already 6 months old!!!) We started kidding around about how we were already half way to Tuscaloosa and that we should go try to get tickets to the game.

I sent a text message to Eli Gold, play by play announcer for the Crimson Tide, who is a client of mine. I told him that we were thinking about coming down and asked him if I'd get to see him. He told me that he'd be free between 2:30 and 4 and that we could come up to the press box!!!! I replied back to tell him that we hadn't gotten tickets yet but that I'd call him if we headed that way. He immediately called me and told me that he had left tickets in my name at his hotel! How sweet is that?!?!?!?

So we zipped to a department store and bought Crimson Tide apparel and hit the road. We borrowed my grandparents' camera and bailed on 'em. (They understood, of course.)

The Tide wasn't rolling too well Saturday, but we pulled off a win against Tulane and the kids got their first-ever Alabama football experience.

After the game, we all hiked back to the car (should've seen our blisters!) and headed home. We didn't get home until 3 a.m., so Sunday afternoon was dedicated to the mother of all naps!

Thanks, Eli, for a great day! We had a ball!

My sweet Alabama Girl

Stuart in his new duds with Grandma

We even got to catch up with my aunt Amy (all 3 of her kids are students at Alabama this year)

Scoping out the new talent during warmups

Coach Nick Saban

Yet another hot dog (Avery tells us she prefers "cold dogs")

Wide-eyed doll got mesmerized by the action!

Stuart was soaking it all in, too!

Calling all novice photogs!

I'm in need of a new camera. My current one works, but only if I'm careful with it. The on/off switch is part of the trigger and it has all popped off. It still takes pictures, but only when I hold it in place gently. It has done the job fairly well for the last 5 years or so. I haven't been thrilled with it, though. A spring in the battery chamber has caused the battery door to randomly fly open and dump out the battery -- usually only when I have a very important shot to capture.

I'm hesitant to buy a new camera without a glowing recommendation (or 6). Here are my needs: compact digital, at least 10 megapixels, a large preview screen, and a secure battery chamber. I don't care about fun colors, but it would be nice to have something flat enough to stick in my pocket.

Okay, wow me with your suggestions!

Couldn't resist

Okay Melanie, I couldn't hold out any longer. I have to post the story. Please forgive me!

One morning last week, I met a couple of moms at the OC playground so the kids could run off some energy. I had a 1 p.m. appointment with Doug to discuss Kirkpatrick EOS volunteers, but I had some time to kill in between. Rather than go all the way home just to turn around and head back, we just grabbed lunch and ran Brentwood errands. We still had time to spare, so we hung out at the church building. Although they insisted they didn't mind, I knew we were being a complete distraction to the office staff.

They were so sweet to the kids. Each of them has a special place in Avery's heart -- especially Melanie. But Avery got wound up really fast. I heard a yelp and turned around to find out that it was Melanie. With a shocked look on her face, she informed me that Avery had bitten her -- in the tush! I was trying to quickly scold my precocious 2 1/2 year old, but everyone on the office staff was trying to contain their laughter. They had to quickly scatter away from earshot so I could explain why biting is not acceptable. We're all still laughing about it.

On another note, we had a wonderful long weekend of pool time, Crimson Tide football, big girl bed, yard work, and free Chick-fil-A chicken strips. Who could ask for more than that? And to top it all off, Avery started back to preschool Tuesday! She and I were getting tired of each other, so this is a welcomed blessing. Here a few shots of our high points. Big girl bed pix to come later when we finish the bedding. Enjoy!

Avery and her buddies Isaiah, Macy and Harper on the hippo.

Playfully peeking from inside the play structure

Making faces at the pool

Watching Alabama football with Daddy

Snuggling with my little man

Avery's first day of school - She's now asking for a "side pony" every time I fix her hair!

Obviously, Stuart's going to love Kix cereal as much as his sister. Let's just hope he doesn't cram it in our electronics, too.

Stuart started eating cereal a couple of weeks ago, but he seems to enjoy wearing it as much as eating it.

Carolina Wedding Weekend

She did it!!!!! Avery made it down the aisle as a flower girl! I was so proud. We had a wonderful weekend in Asheville, North Carolina to witness Tiffany Stovall and Paul Erwin commit their lives to each other at the Deer Park Courtyard at the Biltmore Estate. It was a whirlwind weekend starting with a rehearsal and dinner at the River Bend Farm on the Biltmore property. I've never seen such a fancy dinner in a barn!

Avery crashed on the ride over from my parents' house to the rehearsal.

Avery and Maddie became fast friends and found a table just their size.

Avery was very proud of the puzzle "Miss Tiffy" got for her.

The Johnson Hall girls

I somehow managed to get through the weekend without pictures of the bridesmaid brunch at the Biltmore Inn. It was amazing food and a beautiful spread in a private dining room. The photographer arrived when we finished eating so we could get some photos on the Inn grounds. Here's a link to the photographer's blog so you can see them.

After brunch, we all started getting ready and boarded a shuttle that drove us around the property so we could get pictures wherever we wanted them. Tiffany tried not to sit down and wrinkle her dress. She looks like a glammed-up tour guide here.

Tiffany and the bridesmaids in front of the mansion. L to R: me, Tara Erwin, Kelsey Byers, Jodi Mitchell, Tiffany, Benae Aultman, Lindsey Crites, Aimee Cronin, Kim Collins

Avery and I got to strike a pose and wish we could live in "the big house."

Possibly the only family photo we got (at least we got one!), but Stuart was at my parents' house and missed out.

I love Avery's expression in this shot. She was having so much fun being a little princess.

We were impatiently waiting on another wedding party to get finished so we could snap a few pictures near the fountain.

Chad found bribery in the form of cookies & cream ice cream so Avery would cooperate with all the picture taking.

The entire wedding party on the front lawn.

I love how tiny Avery looks sipping water to stay cool during pictures.

This little whimsical shot is getting enlarged and framed. Love it!

We were shaking it down on the dance floor. She was a trooper for surviving such a late night.

I might be able to steal more photos from friends for later, but that's it for now. Thanks Tiffany and Paul for a great weekend! Congratulations!