Did you know...

...they make bluetooth enabled cordless phones?!? So you can put your cell phone next to the base and have cordless handsets all over the house (even in the places where your cell won't get a signal!!) then when someone calls your cell, you can answer it from the cordless!! Awesome! You don't have to run across the house to try to answer before the call goes to VM. You can walk around wherever you want. You can prop the phone on your shoulder without sounding like you're underwater. AND if you were so inspired to have a landline, the cordless phone would work for it too. Who knew?!

Look what I got!!

Look what I got!!! Isn't it awesome? Don't you love it? I love it. It's so much better to cuddle with Mommy and Daddy when we're reading books before naptime and bedtime than the squeaky chair was...It's really a bit more cream than this picture shows - not quite so oyster. I'm practicing my "whites."

Betcha can't find me in this one. I'm very sneaky.

Ahhhh...naptime on the couch is the best. Now only if there was some football (or baseball or Madagascar on tv...No, who am I kidding? I would never sleep if there was a tv...)

Off to Chick-fil-a

to have breakfast for dinner.

Operation: Treasure Hunt

It was a cold and windy night. (Maybe - it's hard to remember now.) Suddenly, the buzz came across the phone. I had a new message. It was late (after 9:00 that is - funny how kids' bedtimes change your definitions.) Who would be sending me a message at this hour?! It was the near stranger from Charlotte Mommies. Her neighbor had a couch in the driveway and she was trying to move it on to a more indoor locale. The first 3 people that wanted it never arrived. Mysterious. So now it was my turn. Would I make it? Could I do it? I was ready. I was up for a grand adventure. I was ready to hop in the truck and take off across town when I realized - wait, couches are heavy - or at least big. I thought Andy would enjoy a nice surprise so rather than ask him to come along (and the fact that being past the child's bedtime someone would have to be left behind on this trek and it would make a better story if we brought an infant with us) I called one of the gals. Then another gal. Then another gal. Then another gal. They were all up for the adventure, but down for the kids - man. Or should I say woman. I finally realized that if this was going to happen, I might have to live vicariously and send someone in my place. After another call, I gave Andy and our friend Jon the briefing - the rundown if you will - Go to this address. Move around the cul-de-sac one house to the right. Load the couch that is in the driveway. Bring it home. Don't ring the doorbell or talk to anyone. (The people said to just take it - don't wake up the kids - all these sleeping kids!!) So an hour and a half later, after the men had had some man time and gotten a laugh or two out of my previous furniture collecting expeditions, I saw the truck backing up the driveway. What would it be? Was the mission successful? Was the couch in one piece? Did it smell like 4000 cats slept in it? Was it fabulous? I walked out and saw the tailgate was down - a good sign (Andy went on the expedition with a few disclaimers - one being that if he could smell it from the street - he had the power to veto on the spot.) The couch was wonderful! A lovely cream color, covers on the cushions that zip off to be washed (though it didn't really need it,) com-for-ta-ble, and for the price...I mean - who can pass up free?! It came in to the den to complete our theater seating along with the other 3 couches, 4 chairs, and a picnic table. Mission accomplished.



Andy's version: I kept walking thru the den and Stacy was on the phone. She seemed to be planning some sort of covert operation, but I have learned in the last 10 years to leave it alone until she wants you to know. So I carried on about my business. Eventually, she asked me to go get a couch in Pineville with Jon - trying to bribe me with "man time." Whatever. It's easier to just say, "Fine." She told me to go to some address and pick up a couch. I agreed, but only if I got veto power. I was not going to bring something home that smelled (or looked) like that chaise lounge thing she got last. Even she wouldn't take it out of the truck - straight to the dump - and that's saying something coming from the Queen of Treasure Hunting. We got to the neighborhood. At the end of a dark road - no lights on in the cul-de-sac - there was supposedly a couch in a driveway. House 1 - 4 cars, probably no couch. House 2 - nothing. House 3 - a big box. I went for the box. We jumped out of the truck and took a deep breath. Nothing. We loaded up the couch and drove away. Bizarre. I arrived home and she came dancing out to see her new treasure. She seemed pleased. We carried it into the den to put it with the 20 other places that people could sit. Turns out this is one of the better free finds she's had. We moved it into Will's room after a couple days and his loves "his" couch. It's pretty comfy for bedtime stories too.

Smokin'

Doesn't Smokes, AKA the Smokester, AKA Big Smokey look HOT in his new collar?!

I love these collars!

I have no idea where Bear's came from (which really drives me a little - or a lot - crazy) BUT I was searching for a similar one for Smokey. Turns out they are called Martingale with a clip. Essentially a normal collar - but there is an extra little loop section that has an extra ring on it. If you hook the leash to the first ring, it acts exactly like a normal collar.

When you hook it to the other ring it makes that little piece of collar slide a little so the rest of the collar gets tighter! AWESOME! The dog doesn't have to have a really tight collar all the time, but he also can't pull out of it while on a leash since everytime he pulls, it just tightens it down a couple inches. AND he can't choke himself with it since it only tightens a couple inches - not all the way like a choke collar - just enough that he can't get it over his head. Did I mention AWESOME?!

After hours of searching, I couldn't find another one like Bear's (which is the better design) but I did find a place that would add a buckle to a Martingale - and they had flames! The hard to find part was the Martingale WITH a buckle. There were lots that have either or, but I really like the buckle so you can get it off without having to pull it over his head.

Why are they glowing like that you ask? Because I added some cool reflective thread I found on ebay. I'm not sure that it's enough that they'll really been seen in the dark, but it was worth a try. And who knew they even make such things? If anyone finds the little reflector things (like what people put on their mailboxes or at the end of the driveway to mark it) that are smaller than a dime, let me know!!

There's gotta be a joke about Bear-naked in here somewhere...

Will has a horrible diaper rash/almost allergic reaction issue going on so he's been cruising around without a diaper quite a bit lately.

Will was standing in front of Bear - clad in his shirt and socks.

Andy: The doggy doesn't want to see your naked hiney.

Will stuck his hiney closer to Bear's nose.

A: Bear has a naked hiney, doesn't he?
W: Yeah
A: He covers it up with his tail, doesn't he?
W: Yeah
A: You don't have a tail, do you?
W: I have tail. Right here. (Guess where he's pointing.)

Andy and I were literally ROTFL.