When October Goes

Yes this video is from the 80's and does not catapult me to the top of the chart of People That Post Cool and Trendy Videos-- but I could care less. I love every lyric of this song. Every single delicious word.

I miss you, October.

All I Dream Is You

El Mulrooney is a very talented long distance pal in Canada. 

This is his original song and it's beuatiful.

"All I Dream is You"

Take me back to where we started,

Take me back to where we end;

I was alone and empty hearted,

All I needed was a friend.

There was you.... there was always you,

To guide me through my darkest day;

Such a fool.... I was such a fool,

To watch you walk away.

With words left unspoken,Promises broken;

I had but one thing to lose,

Now all I dream is you.

Sometimes I sit and wonder,

Where would we be today,

If our hearts weren't torn asunder,

If we hadn't gone our separate ways.

All this time.... all this precious time,

Moments sinking in the sand;

I was blind.... why was I so blind,

To let love slip right through my hands?

If I could go back to that moment,

Then I would hold you close to my heart;

And I would let fall those paper walls around us,

And we would never be apart.

These memories hold me like a prison,

But there ain't no bars around my cage;

Though our story may be written,

I can't turn the final page.

In this heart.... in this foolish heart,

There's a place you can run to;

Worlds apart.... though we're worlds apart,

I'll always keep a place for you.

Words left unspoken,Promises broken;

There's nothing left I can do,

So all I dream is you.

A Need for Nature...and a Taco

The branches of the oak tree drooped precariously
Above my cracked windshield
Each one of its burnt umber leaves
Dangling as they danced in the breeze

This spot suited my need for nature
Ironic as the cars and buses on the highway
Buzzed by just feet from the nose of my car
The perfect place for my hurried fiesta

Crunchy taco in hand, I delighted in this little haven
A solitary spot in an otherwise urban landscape
A lone tree in an empty parking lot
Providing a pastoral backdrop to my lunch on the go

The dark clouds on the horizon brought with them
A strong breeze and, dare I say, a nip in the air
A far cry from an unseasonably warm yesterday
A signal that my autumn had finally come?

Windows rolled down, I follow a leaf now detached
As it swirls in the air, finding its resting place
Atop a slightly ajar manhole cover nearby
Others dangling above watching, anticipating their fate

Crunch, crunch goes the salty taco shell
The breeze whips through my hair, I exhale
An unexpected respite in an overly scheduled day
A caravan of school buses hustle by

All too soon my time here is finished
The car rider line beckons, I am soon on my way
I will recall with fondness my time here
A cool autumn breeze, the dance of brown leaves

And one crunchy taco
With just a dab of sour cream
Licking the salt from my lips
As the world rushes by




--kt  10/29/14

Autumn Leaves

Never has a song nailed it like this one. Each image. Each lyric. 

New Camera... New Pictures

I love the camera on my new phone. My boys? Not so much since I turned an outing Saturday into an impromptu photo session. :)

Jacob absolutely adores his big brother

Cuteness. 

One of my favorite signs of Fall... MUMS.

My little water bug enjoying the waterfall at Stars Mill

Daniel being very patient with Mom snapping his picture :)

My Toothless Wonder

"Look what I drew in church, Mommy! I drew things that God made
like the trees in the Fall, our house, the sun and the stars."

Finally!

After months of using a little bitty phone that had a fondness for swimming, I have finally gotten a new phone. It actually works and it actually takes pictures and, although it feels a bit like I'm holding a laptop up to my ear after using that tic tac of a phone, I love it.

Needless to say, I have a lot of picture taking to catch up on. :)

James David Carter-- More Than a Memory/ Making Memories of Us

JDC performed his Voice performance "Nobody Knows" at church tonight. There were less than 100 people there so it really felt like one of those intimate CMT performances. He is simply amazing. I've always loved his worship style but now his voice transcends that and is one of my all-time favorites.

Actually sat a few rows behind him at the Garth Brooks concert Friday night and could see him singing along...I'm sure he got plenty of performance ideas because it was a phenomenal show.

Here are a couple that both happen to deal with memories. Hope you enjoy as much as I did discovering these...

More Than a Memory (Garth Brooks)

Making Memories of Us (Keith Urban)

Big Al's Job Is Safe...

I have marked one job off my list of potential careers...mascot. As Pounce the Panther in yesterday's homecoming parade, I learned first-hand what it's like to have throngs of kiddos dancing from each leg, the sun beating down on your furry 100 pound head and viewing life through the mesh of an open animal mouth. :-)

But, dont tell anyone but I actually had fun dancing and high-fiving and posing for pictures. And Jacob loved walking through downtown holding my hand as the official mascot of the mascot.

But, as fun as it was to be Pounce for a day, I can assure Big Al that I won't be clamoring for his job anytime soon!

I Bless the Rains

As I was riding through the back roads that lead to my house this morning, a song came on the radio and I realized that it is quite possibly my favorite song. I have approximately a thousand that have earned that distinction throughout my life but few songs have the effect on me that "Africa" by Toto does.

As I rounded a curve it came on the radio and a smile instantly crawled across my face. The opening chords so familiar and comforting, I sang along as the cool, refreshingly fall-like breeze whipped through my hair. So many of the lyrics are favorites...

"her moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation..." 

Maybe it's the poetry of the words and the way they dance on the beat of the song. I have always felt something when listening to "Africa" though I've never been quite sure I've known exactly what that something is. Other lyrics simply strike a chord with me:

"I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become..."

And then, of course, there is the comedic relief I feel each time I listen to the main chorus:

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do..." 

For some reason, I had this vision of a slave ship steaming toward Africa and all these strong men rowing as the lyrics sang "there's nothing that a hundred men ON BOARD could ever do..." Why a slave ship? Heck if I know. It just seemed to fit the cadence of the song and, well, I still giggle each time I think about how I have belted out the wrong lyrics since I was in elementary school.

Of course, there are many other contenders for this top title. "Fields of Gold" by Eva Cassidy moves me with its subtle, almost angel-like melody. Sugarland's "Fall Into Me" is one of those songs that is both soothing and soaring and there are others by rock bands and country singers and even a few rap artists that I crank up whenever they're on evoking a range of emotions. But few have matched the timeless "feel good feeling" that I have by listening to "Africa."

And here is one of my favorite covers:

"There's nothing that a hundred men OR MORE could ever do."

Not quite as funny but still an amazing lyric all the same.

James David Carter-- Nobody Knows

So excited that the worship leader at our church got a four-chair turn on The Voice last night! He is an amazing performer and killed this song (which is a favorite of mine anyway). He chose Blake as his coach...I can't wait to see him progress through the season.

The Boys... September 20, 2014

We Interrupt This Blog...

I know this breaking news will surely be on TMZ within the hour but I'm taking a break on Ye Ol' Blog for a bit. I know that seems somewhat funny considering I'm not churning out life-changing editorial pieces on here daily or anything. But, to quote one of my favorite bands, "everybody needs a little time away...."

A Visit With the Devil

Written Sat. Sep. 6

The Devil and I had a little chat today. The fiery furnace blazed all around us and the waves of heat singed my brows as rivers of sweat cascaded down my neck. I squinted my eyes before snapping to as the strains of the fight song began. Where am I? My thoughts swirled like the crimson and white shakers all around me. I realized I was not in Hell but attending a college football game in the deep south at 11am on a 97-degree day. Guess it's hard to tell the difference.

The first home game of the year was a scorcher for sure both in temperature as well as yards of offense for the Crimson Tide. With 621 yards, Bama nearly broke its all-time record set in 1973. But Mother Nature took pity on us and decided to open up the skies causing the game to be called due to weather with just over 7 minutes remaining.

Now it's back to Lake Lurleen, an ice cold shower, more football and a golden retriever to snuggle with. Roll Tide.

A Little Night Music

Had an impromptu girls-only date with my pal Mel tonight at the Jennifer Nettles concert. It was such a fantastic concert and, because I didn't know much of her new stuff, I now have at least five new favorite songs. (I'll have to find them online and post them here--they're amazing.) Mel and I had a great time hanging out and spending time just the two of us... it was a great evening!

Swimming Lessons

I learned a hard lesson today. You should not go swimming with your phone tucked inside the front of your bathing suit. Electronics are not very fond of swimming and don't seem to take to the water well.

I am so angry at myself for tucking my phone in there while loading up towels into the car before heading to the pool. Forgetting it was in there, I dove into the water and swam a good 5 minutes before realizing what I had done.

I'll be without phone for at least three days while it takes a nap in a bowl of rice. I don't hold out high hopes of its recovery.

No phone for three days?  Insert sound of hyperventilation here.

REO and Chicago

Had a great time being silly with my pal Meldrop singing 80's songs tonight at the REO Speedwagon & Chicago concert. REO reminded me a lot of Foreigner in their energy and how their sound matched what I remember from when I listened to them years ago. Take It on the Run and Keep On Loving You were my favorites by them tonight and Chicago's horns blew me away. The trumpet and trombone combo was pretty amazing-- like two beautiful voices harmonizing together. They did a lot of new stuff but still squeezed in their classics including ballads I belted into my hairbrush as a teen.

I did video my favorite of the evening..."Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and loved that they did an extended-extended version with those horns. I will try to post that tomorrow but right now it's 12:30am and I'm ready to hit the sack.

Night!

A (Much-Anticipated) Riveting Update on My Day

So much random stuff to blog about but none of it particularly interesting.

Had such a good time with my sis last night. We needed that time to just be sisters and talk. So wish she lived closer.

PTO craziness continues. We hosted the First Lady of Georgia today as she read to the pre-K and Kindergarten classes at our school. Today I had a meeting with the school council and tomorrow is the Back to School Dance for 3rd - 5th graders (and it's from 3 - 5pm. Coincidence? :)

It's been a blessing to share kid-duty with my friend Cindy since school started back. We have car tags to pick up each other's kids so it's comforting to know we've got each other's backs... especially since our schedules intertwine so much. Her son Caleb actually asked if I was like a second grandma to him. GRANDMA??? Aunt would be a little better, dontcha think?!

At some point before the boys graduate from high school, I will hold my yard sale. Things keep coming up causing a delay but I have a basement full of things that need to go bye-bye so hopefully the first weekend in September will work? Maybe.

I was in and out of the car all day. Music keeps me going. With that in mind....

Today's playlist:  Possum Kingdom --The Toadies
Nothing Else Matters-- Metallica

Love Runs Out--One Republic
The Drumming Song--Florence & the Machine

Separate Ways--Journey

 

OK, off to make signage for the dance tomorrow. Goodnight all, K

Much-Needed Evening

Sitting at the best booth in Maggianos in Buckhead with my sister (in town for a conference) enjoying what feels like a private concert by the pianist/trumpet player.

Even though I have to be at a school council meeting at 7:45am, I'm spending the night with her at her hotel so we can spend as much time together as possible.

A pomegranate martini in my hand, I listen to the lyrics of "Never My Love" and let the night slowly soak in...

Bedtime with my Fellas

Treating the boys (and truthfully myself!) to a slumber party in my bed watching a movie. Love snuggling with these boys...

Goodnight!

The Straight of What???

I'm tired. Bone tired. Today has been one of the oddest, most roller coaster-ish days I've had in a very long time. It's 10:20 and I've just gotten my boys in bed because we had late homework to do. Why late homework? Because we had a Spirit Night fundraiser for the PTO tonight and I was at The Frigid Frog for nearly 6 hours. And, because Keith is traveling the next few nights I had the boys with me the whole time.

And, let me tell you, my first "event day" as PTO President was nothing short of exhausting. Serious conversations, walking the halls of the school delivering labels to every single classroom for the kids to wear home as a reminder about tonight and then 4 out of the 6 hours spent in the broiling sun meeting and greeting with the families that came. (I must admit that even though it felt like I was perched on the 3rd realm of the sun's surface, meeting all the new folks was my favorite part.)

When 8 pm rolled around, the sky darkened, lightning bolts raced across the sky and the bottom fell out. Since this was an outdoor event, I raced around the grassy area gathering all the hula hoops, bubble containers and trash I knew had been left by some of the kids that attended. Always fearful of being struck cold-hard dead by lightning, I exceeded an all-time land speed record for myself in the way I hustled to the car. I jumped in the front seat drenched like a wet dog and proceeded to the house. That's when it began......

HOMEWORK! 

TRASH NIGHT! 

SIGHT WORDS! 

I NEED A BAND-AID!

The demands on the 5 minutes of pre-bedtime time we had left were swirling about and all I wanted to do was fall into my bed and crash. As I was doing sight word flashcards with my first grader, my seventh grader was calling out geographical locations at the top of his lungs so I could help him identify them on a map. Israel! The Gaza Strip! Egypt! The Suez Canal! My efforts to encourage him to look them up proved futile and then he threw me a curveball... the Strait of Hormuz???

Now you take me to Trivia Night and the subject is Geography...I'm your girl. Trivial Pursuit? I'll pick geography every time. But the Strait of Hormuz? I'm clearly slipping in The Advanced Stages of My Fading Youth. We found it right there attached to the Persian Gulf and then I promptly sent the children folk to bed so Momma could breathe, pack a lunch or two, and get ready for another busy day tomorrow including our Middle School Open House.

I recently turned down a fantastic job offer so that I could stay home and have days exactly like this. It's my first week and I'm questioning my sanity already.

And, if you knew where the Strait of Hormuz was without looking, I don't wanna know. :)

Kudos for the D-Man

So proud of Daniel. His first full week of school and he comes home with this:

Maybe, just maybe, something I've said along the way has soaked in. Maybe. :)

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Yes, I did post last night the directive to Let It Rain. Mother Nature must have been paying special attention to me because the storm I'm in right now is pretty rough to say the least.

Driving up into Atlanta on a Friday afternoon is challenging on the most perfect weather days. But torrential rain, lightning and flash flooding has bumped up the difficulty level 300 notches or so.

I left an hour and a half ago and an just now at my destination. Fire trucks, hydroplaning and tidal wave splashes from oncoming traffic have made for a less-than-relaxing trek.

I guess next time I'll be a little more modest in my challenges to Mother Nature. If you need me I'm in the green CX-9 curled up in the fetal position.

Let It Rain

10:30pm.

Driving on country roads.

Rain beating on the windshield.

Lightning streaking across the sky.

Music playing.

Let it rain.

This Has to Be My Biological Offspring

I have finally been granted a glimpse of my would-be biological daughter.

Or it's me as a child. The thighs certainly match. Lol.

CLICK HERE and enjoy.

Back to School -- 2014

Lately I've been living like a pioneer woman with no internet or email at the house. Between being sick as a dog last week and trying to get the boys ready for school, I haven't been able to camp out in a parking lot and write on my blog. Until now. So here goes....

I have never seen a child as excited about going to school as Jacob was today. He bounded out of bed and by the time I had roused Daniel, J was running down the stairs fully dressed. Daniel on the other hand was not quite as, um, jubilant. When asked what my oldest was looking forward to the most about this school year...he answered "summer."

Lovely. :)

I took on the role as president of the PTO at Jacob's school so I think it's helped that he's been up at the school getting to run around and learn the lay of the land (or at least the playground!)

Here are a few obligatory pics from this morning :)

Memories of Tampa --July 2014

http://flipagram.com/f/G2gye8e4Jy Tampa July 2014 #flipagram made with @flipagram ♫ Music: Guitar Solos - House At Pooh Corner

Saying Goodbye to Tampa

After a fun week playing with cousins, it was time to say goodbye. :(

Gonna Miss This Girly

Leaving Florida tomorrow and am sure gonna miss this little girl. It's been nice to do sorta girly things and play with that beautiful red hair :)

My "Mini Me" Strikes Again

We discovered this video on my sister's phone and were amazed at my niece Alden's lip sync to the song "Problem" by Ariana Grande (with pal Zachary in tow). I clearly taught her everything she knows (LOL).

You won't believe the rap portion starting around 1:44. LOVE this kid.

Rainy Night at Stone Mountain

Decided to join our friends the Waldrops for a rain-soaked night at the Stone Mountain laser light show.  The cool temps and the light rain actually feel pretty good...

The Boys of Summer are Back

After an arduous local move,  the boys and I are trying to resume some semblance of summer normality. This includes a daily trip to the pool and today's beautiful weather made for one happy poolside mama.

After playing a game of tennis ball keep away with the boys in the water,  I found solace laying in the sun with a cool breeze making me (dare I say it in mid - July) almost chilly! Crazy talk, I know.

Although I will relish the quiet time when school starts back,  I love the cadence of summertime.  Can't believe it's flying by so quickly.

Now that we see the countdown to school on the horizon,  we're trying to make the most of each day. And even in the face of moving boxes and furniture assembly, unpacking and reorganizing,  I still have to soak in each moment... each fleeting, memory-making moment with my Boys of Summer.

Ah the Majesty of 80's Hair

After more digging I unearthed some real doozies :)

Imagine the thumping beat of the theme from Flashdance as you inhale the sweet aroma of Aqua Net.

Little Me...Digging Through Pictures

I woke up to this song earlier and I had forgotten how much I love the lyrics.

High on the 70's Cheese Factor--yes-- but a great song nonetheless.

There is a Reason the Word Painting Starts with P-A-I-N

There are a few things in life of which I'm certain:

• Camping is better in the spring and the fall
• There is no substitute for homemade vanilla ice cream
• You can never have too many black Sharpies
• People with OCD tendencies should never attempt to adhere painters tape
  to walls or ceilings or really even attempt the whole painting thing at all

Let's chat about that last one, shall we?

You see, I'm not a perfectionist. But, I do have enough OCD in my blood to know that the task of lining up blue tape perfectly against the edge where wall meets trim or wainscoting is a task that should not be done by me. EVER.

In my take-charge, knock-this-out goal of painting the dining room in the new house tonight, I took delight in preparing my workspace, arranging my brushes, roller, paint can and trim tools JUST SO. And then I attempted to apply the lovely blue tape to the walls. I'm pretty sure I invented new cuss words as I tore off little pieces to "patch" up the corners and to even out my bumpy spots. Finally, I was ready to paint.

And paint I did. Or, paint I TRIED rather. I took delight in pouring the thick greyish blueish paint into my newly-purchased paint tray, attached my roller and went to town. Because I am a professional (cough, choke, hack) I expertly swathed my paint onto the walls in the classic "W" pattern known worldwide as the gold standard in painting techniques. (or, known as "I watch too much HGTV so I think I know what I'm doing when, in actuality I have NO IDEA what I'm doing")

Everything was coming along OK until it came to the trim work. Even with my handy dandy trimmer/edger paint thingy I still managed to make it look like a 2nd grade art project. How do painters do this for a LIVING? I kid you not. I can imagine no greater punishment than being sentenced to painting walls for a living. I'd lose my everlovin' mind.

So, I hereby take my hat off to professional painters everywhere. It takes more than a cute pair of overalls and a bandana in your hair (isn't that what they wear in all the cute painting ads?) to pull off a successful paint job. It is back-breaking, frustrating and detailed work for which I will be seeking professional help tomorrow to tackle Jacob's room. Yes siree. 

I'll unpack boxes, hang pictures, even move heavy pieces of furniture but this painting thing is for the birds. Besides a killer arm workout, I see no real value in taking away a perfectly good job opportunity for someone who knows what in the heck they're doing. Let's think of it as my selfless attempt to stimulate job growth in Coweta County. I'm such a good citizen.

Isn't rationalization is a beautiful thing?

We Belong. Love This.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot (in the left hip, please)

After 6 days battling a severe sinus infection, my headache is GONE. Over the past week (and feeling like I had an ax handle poking out of the right side of my head) I managed to close on a house, take my son to a concert and move boxes/unpack, but it finally got the best of me yesterday. A shot and some antibiotics and I am a new woman today. Bring on the boxes!

No More Headache!!!

A Night to Remember

As always, there has to be some element of drama when it comes to a night out with the Katiebod. Some "come back after the commercial to see how she solves the dilemma" portion without which a Katie-story would not be complete.

As D and I were passing the airport on our way to the concert last night I had a sinking feeling. I had forgotten to put my replacement debit card in my wallet and I had no cash. Only credit cards. No big deal except that parking at the ampitheatre is sparse at best and cost $20. And, because it is smack-dab in the middle of a residential area, there is no where to park and "hoof it" either.

My mind raced.

So, as we got off the interstate and approached the Lenox Mall area, I devised a plan. We scoured the area for hotels where we could catch a taxi (and pay with credit card!) and, after spotting a Marriott near the mall, put our plan into action. A few blocks away I found an open parking area for a CVS and an assorted sundry of other stores so we parked the car there. Then, with a cooler on my shoulder and a sleeping bag in Daniel's arms, we began to walk. This is when I will tell you I had NO IDEA where we were going but could not let Daniel in on that little factoid or he would have panicked a little. So across the street we go, through the underground parking garage for Target, out and around some office buildings until I saw the oasis of an illuminated Marriott logo in the distance.

I don't know if you have seen "Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith and his son but it's one of my favorites. And, I gotta tell you, walking aimlessly with a kid carrying a sleeping bag put me in the middle of that scene where they were searching the train station for somewhere to sleep for the night. I know the tragedy of having no debit card does not rank in the same universe as homelessness but, for a moment, I felt the weight of that responsibility and tried to make it a fun "adventure" for the D-man. We counted sports cars, looked for airplanes and he seemed oblivious to my efforts of distraction.

Finally, we arrived at the hotel with 10 minutes to spare before the concert began. A valet called a cab which turned out to be a Cadillac Escalade with a suit-wearing driver and a bowl full of soft peppermints and bottled water. I got tickled at Daniel kicking back, stretching out like the CEO of some company being driven to an important meeting. He dropped us off at the front gate and in we waltzed for an evening of great music under the stars.

Rick kicked off the show and I swear my son knew EVERY word to EVERY song. My heart swelled with pride to see that he and I share a love for music and lyrics. It was fun to sing and dance with him. Rick did perform an acoustic song I had never heard called "You and Me" and I loved it:

Next up was Pat Benetar and her husband of 32 years Nick Giraldo. Oh my granny they were awesome. Their chemistry was amazing and his guitar playing was a thrill to watch. My Singing Into a Hairbrush Hits were there in all their glory:  "We Belong", "Shadows of the Night", "Love is a Battlefield" and "Hit Me with your Best Shot"... she was fantastic.

On the way home as it was nearing midnight and I let Daniel play DJ for our 45-minute drive. He played his favorite (Bruno Mars) and we drove and sang as the lights of downtown slowly faded behind us.

It was a good night to be a child of the 80's, blessed with the resources to enjoy a concert on a whim; but, most of all, it was just good to be a Mom enjoying the company of her kid.

D-man chilling at the concert

A Very Special Date Night

I surprised Daniel with tickets for the two of us to the Rick Springfield/ Pat Benetar concert at Chastain Ampitheatre tonight.  We're having a blast and Daniel knows EVERY WORD.

He's Home!

My oldest is home from a great week at camp. I missed this little stinker. 

Haunting. Beautiful song.

Bring It!

Go USA!

The (Not So) Dreaded Midnight Call

Long after I had succumbed to sleepiness, the sound of my cell phone ringing at 12:35am this morning woke me with a startle. My first thought would normally be "who died?" but with a 12-year old off at camp for the first time, images of him sitting with the camp leader in a brightly lit office with his bags packed filled my mind. Did he pull a prank and they're sending him home? Did he put itching powder in the girl's sleeping bags? (is there really such a thing as itching powder or did I watch too much Brady Bunch??? As usual, I digress.)

So I grabbed the phone and in a half-asleep voice uttered "Hello?"

"Katie Bodiford, this is your son Daniel," a familiar voice playfully exclaimed on the other end.

So relieved to hear him sounding chipper (even if it was in the middle of the night) I peppered him with questions. Was he having a good time? Had he made any new friends? Before I could go through the list I'd been mentally compiling for his return, he excitedly began giving me the rundown about his week...

"Mom! You wouldn't believe it! It's all you can eat and we get SECONDS on anything we want! Pizza! Ice cream! You name it! It's just like college! It's so cool!"

"I've been playing basketball and guess what, Mom? They asked if we would share if we had grown closer to God and I raised my hand. I do feel I've grown closer to God!" 

and then... the one that really got me:  "Oh and it's so cool! It's so much fun. It's just like something you would have planned, Mom!"

Ok, I know that I shouldn't put that one above growing closer to God. I don't honestly. BUT. What really touched me was not only did he equate me with something that was fun to him but he acknowledged what I have done for a living for so many years. He gets it. Sure I love that he sees me as the person who does his laundry and cooks and cleans the house. But to hear him put together his experience with that other part of me... well, it brought me to tears. The whole conversation did. Hearing a kid that was so afraid of succumbing to separation anxiety actually reveling in his new found freedom was heartwarming to say the least.

After a few I love you's and I miss you's, I hung up the phone and laid there in the dark with happy tears streaming down my cheeks. My son was maturing before my eyes--no longer that scared little boy but a young man finding joy in spreading his wings a bit.

And at that moment, I ached deep inside to hug him. And, surprisingly found myself thinking that Friday cannot get here soon enough.

Boy do I love that kid.

The Canvas of My Life

In the tattered notebook

Hidden away in a letterbox

Was a stamped quote

Long ago imprinted

In a rainbow of colors

Slightly faded

Yet jumping off the page

The words spoke to me

As if they had been placed there

For my eyes only

"Life is about using

the whole box of crayons"

Such a simple concept

But far deeper in meaning

Especially to me

For I am an artist

Not museum-worthy for sure

Nor will my work grace calendars or cards

I am more of an artist by heart

Than by trade

But the words on that page

Echoed the song in my heart

Life is to be lived, breathed

With color and rhythm

But most of all feeling

I've been saving my richer colors

For a rainy day perhaps

Inspired by the words on that page

I will now put them to use

Along with the special, limited edition ones, too

I will soak in every hue I can find

The metallics and flesh tones

The magentas, and periwinkles and burnt siennas

I will use them all

The canvas of my life awaits...

Anybody Have a Mop?

Yeah, see that puddle there on the floor? That's me after watching this darn video. Pure love. That is nothing but pure love.

Katie Has Some Catching Up to Do

Did you know that grabbing your sunglasses off the nightstand instead of your reading glasses does not help you find your way into the bathroom without bumping into a door jam. Just sayin. Not sure why I felt I needed to share that but for the record I'm blind as a bat. OK, I digress. It's been a crazy week with my sister visiting, trying to get paperwork done for the (hopefully sometime in this century) house closing and getting Daniel ready for camp.

Here's a few pics:

Getting ready to watch the laser light show at Stone Mountain

My niece who I am fully convinced is my biological offspring

Jacob and Alden enjoying the sights from the top of Stone Mountain

What is a vacation to the ATL without a trip to the Varsity (Alden's first time!)

Love this chicky

Showing the kids the letterbox hidden at the Varsity

Absolutely love this picture of them

So now it's just Jacob here this week but with a movie date Wednesday and the (maybe just maybe it will finally happen) house closing Thursday afternoon this week will fly by. Now to go clean up the house in case an agent needs to show it. I'm sure Daniel is heartbroken he's missing out on all the fun ;)