today? the blog is about sisterhood.

I have an online bud, Dawn, who has a very populular, humorous blog...the Erma Bombeck of our generation, that has spun off to 2 books! WTG DAWN!

She started with telling us how she ebayed off a set of pokemon cards one of the kids had snuck into the groceries, despite being told "no" ...that was years ago. She has 6 kids, and much like Renee, her blogs are witty and hysterical, but still reflect the goings on in a house full of kids!

So, last year, Dawn's hubby up and leaves...and with that act, leaves a path of destruction....we know about it, but still she continues on, writing and making us laugh. We know she's going thru the BS all of us that have been left holding the 'divorce' bag have gone thru...but she maintains her humor. ....until last month. Ex-Hubby got fired, there is no insurance, there is no child support, and he really just doesn't care.

So, she came to her blog, informed her decade of loyal readers of the circumstance, aplogised to us for hanging it up, but she had to focus on something that would make money. The blog did not do that.

Last week? her publicist hijacked the blogsite. She couldn't sit by any longer and watch as Dawn struggled so hard. She asked that we 1) pray 2) buy the books or 3) contribute via paypal.

this morning i am pleased to see the contributions nearing 12 grand. Am anxious to go see on the NY Times best seller where the books are, and WAS a little ticked that a NY Times blogger opted to use Dawn's story as some sort of voo-doo mommy bloggers jinx headline....but even that is giving more attention to the situation, so I'm trying to bite my tongue on that one.

The link to the paypal giving is up top on this blog....I am donating this update to Dawn, because someone (or two) gave us a hand when we were down. I know the kids will be fine if she can keep up with the medical expenses, and i don't want her worrying herself sick in the meantime.

so if you can...Pray....go buy her books....or donate ....because girls....we need to stick together. If we did a better job of it? we would be running the country.




go to amazon.com and punch in her name: Dawn Meehan, and her two books will pop up.

And if i haven't said it enough....Thank you...and SAHMs ROCK!

I have no spoons, and my toothbrush is hairy

Translation? I have the grandbabies here. My son and his wonderwoman, Allyson, are in Vegas having a dream wedding with their BFFs.... He won't ever forget his anniversary...it happened on 1-1-11!





Congrats Mr & Mrs Gabe Browning! I am so very proud of both of you...Both college graduates WHILE working and raising children. They've planned for this day for a long time. *beam*



Now...about these babies......WTH??? Were my angelic children EVER like this? Or could it be that my last experience with a baby had to do with molly kate, who was pretty easy breezy (God's gift to the parents of children with special needs) and over a decade ago....but Holee Molee...running after a little fireball LIVING the terrible twos...almost wore me OUT! :-)

Aubrey Jo, 2 years, is borderline genius....and that spells TROUBLE! I've caught her balancing on the back of a toilet (Aubrey has to go potty, mom-mom) on top of a bar stool getting into the crystal cupboard (Aubrey needs a drink, mom-mom) and choking the cat. (Aubrey likes to pet kitties, mom-mom!) She is a ball of fire who won't even sit to eat, but rather would run to the table, grab a mouthful, and then run back to whatever room her and molly are currently destroying. She has a very advanced vocabulary, which is hilarious, and don't tell her, but her mouth runs non-stop, & when she's not making up stories as to WHY she was choking the cat....she sings everything she's doing, which makes it easy to be one step ahead of her..."I'm washing the toilet with mom-moms toothbrussshhhhhhh ...tingle bells, tingle bells"

Aubrey would occasionally get upset that her parents weren't here...but as soon as i said wedding???? She would forget all about them and take off with her own wedding plans:





Zoey Grace, 8 months old, is a dream (she's also beating my arm as i attempted the above video)...she has been nicknamed "Rumba" after that little robotic vacuum ....despite mom-mom's attempt of having a spotless floor, she speed demons around on all fours, and finds stuff i didn't know existed that low, promptly popping it into her little mouth. If you come at her with an extended index finger, she will clamp down her gums and start to scream. :-) She can also maneuver said item with her little tongue, so that is impossible to find! Next time? I will own one of those dentist suction devices!


Our first outing involved the Walmart store, and a few hundred dollars worth of toys to entertain them....a belated Christmas. The ONLY toy they've played with are legos....and there is a trail of those big legos leading from room to room...I've picked them up a million times, but there they are again...follow the yellow,red,blue,green brick road! They really hurt at 4am, when you are staggering to the kitchen to fix a bottle....

Baby is also unimpressed with the selection of developmental toys at her disposal, preferring instead more technology based items...ie, the surround sound (she can make it sing and remove dvds) the remotes (can change channels & shut off the satellite) but the most favorite is my android phone.... Now, i have old remotes AND cell phones, but she will have nothing to do with them.....and my apologies to all the phone calls from my house with just heavy breathing happening...i swear IT WASN'T ME!!

Zoey Grace is on the verge of walking, she's cruising around tables, and standing independently, but cannot seem to get those pesky toes to cooperate.





BABY FEET!!



The one thing that she carries constantly is a straw...it seems to improve her balance, so i finally gave in, cut one in 1/2...and she does well with it. (i should have never gone to walmart...who knew?)



The one toy we haven't opened yet is...the whack-a-mole...for obvious reasons.

Larry's 18yr old Kelsi was here this time also, and the kids adore her, so I did have some back-up, but not enough.







I think a 2 to 1 ratio would be better. ...that would be one to watch them, and one to walk around with the vacuum hose, swinging it back and forth like a yardman uses the weed eater.

I so need a new camera...just have to make the time to do it! Ugh! So this one is blurry, but 'standin up girl' is at it again! (and the wagon of eternal legos) I think the blur is happening because I don't give it time to focus, trying to catch her totally upright...Maybe a small digital, with fast speed for the quick shots!




Off to finish bleaching the floors....the new married couple will be here soon to claim their babies.....UPDATE!! they're here!! and what i DIDN'T know was that little miss "standin up girl" has not shown this trick to her PARENTS! I thought Ally was going to CRY!

I'm thinkin it's because we can run around in diapers at Gramma NoNo's...Papa Larry keeps the temp pretty warm there...cuz she did it all week! If she wasn't holding the straw? She would flap her hands.





The sarge made me call them tonight and tell them about her independent step...Baby adores "Papa Larry" and would start waving everytime he entered a room. He's telling me that she also stepped from the coffee table to him (one step) without dropping first. Maybe she is ready....hmmmmmmmmmm

Crunch Berries are best served ala floor. Had to move the dogs outside and went thru a bottle of bleach...ICKY ZOEY!! NO NO NO!! She also is moving her head in the "no no" way....especially when she sees me. I am Gramma NoNo!




The cats stuck around and were ok with the little ones, unless they were choked, or someone squealed...they definitely do NOT like baby hollers!



Mostly? They just hid:



The Black Spot? is a black kitty thinking if he snuggles amidst more wrapping paper, no one

will see him!!

My apologies to school, who called this morning (glad they could get thru for some reason it's been ringing busy all week) to remind me that school started today. EEK! I felt pretty bad about Molly missing it, but the Sarge eased my angst by reminding me that molly would have never gone with her nieces here....so true, so true. I love that THEY love and accept her for exactly who she is...their "Aunt Molly" I so pray that they never outgrow her...right now everything is PERFECT!

Oh! Happy New Year!