A Long Day Comes to a Close

Today was a busy, busy day and this girl is getting ready to turn it in.  But before I do, Melissa and I were jokingly trying on some berets worn by our spokespersons for the show and we got so tickled we couldn't breathe.  Probably just fatigue ;)   night all.

Sleepless in Seattle

You knew that title was inevitable, right? Well, the time change has certainly thrown me for a loop as I was wide awake at 4 o'clock this morning.

Our trip here was uneventful and we actually got a lot of work done while squeezing in a little sightseeing, too. My friend (and co-worker this week) Melissa has never visited the northwest so it's been fun to show her around.

Have quite a bit on our plate today.  More later!

Head (North)west Young Woman

Who is up writing on their blog at 11:30pm when they have an 8am flight to Seattle? Yep. This girl. My typical night-before-a-trip insomnia is kicking in and my mind is racing with any details that might have been overlooked.

Even though it's a 5 1/2 hour flight, I do love touching down in Seattle and seeing the snow-capped mountains in the distance and the familiar sight of the Space Needle imposing itself on the landscape. I'll be trying to blog each day (we'll see how I do with that) but I'm sure there will be plenty of interesting things to report during the week.

Guess I'd better try to get some shut eye.  Til tomorrow...

Playing Catch Up-- The Boys of Summer: June 5

Thursday was supposed to be a day where the boys entertained themselves while I tried to finish up some work for next week's event. The day started out promising as the boys quietly played card games in the dining room as I worked upstairs. It was almost blissful as I listened to them cajoling one another and Daniel being patient as Jacob learned new games like Go Fish and Slap Jack.

Then, the phone rang. And a realtor on the other end said "we'd like to show the house in an hour." UGGG. It would be only slightly less annoying if this were actually OUR house we were trying to sell but I'm actually keeping someone else's house clean and have to leave at a moment's notice. With two little fellas that lack a certain affinity for cleanliness, it can be quite challenging.

Card Sharks in the making...

So we straighten everything up, grab some tennis racquets and balls and head out to a local park to kill some time. I would love to say I participated in a grueling, calorie-burning round of sport but it was mostly me trying to show Jacob that if you spin around in circles and swing at the air like you're swatting a fly then your chances of getting a ball over the net aren't very promising. My exercise came mostly from running to the far corners to retrieve balls that the boys had lobbed into the adjacent courts. But, we were outside and trying something new. :)

Taking a break from the heated match!  LOL

Nearing the point of heat exhaustion, we decided to go get some water and ride around getting to know our new town a little better. We stumbled upon a new park in downtown Senoia that had a great playground where we commenced to playing hide 'n seek, tag and "see who make make the others gag first on the merry-go-round."  Yep, I'm the mother of boys alright.

All in all, I was thankful that the realtor forced us out of the house. I still got my work done later and took advantage of the play time with my kiddos. It actually turned out to be a really good day.

If You Need Me, I'm in the Bed Doing Absolutely Nothing

Yesterday Keith left to take the boys to his parents' house in Alabama where they'll be staying for the coming week while I'm traveling. The empty house gave me a chance to wrap up some last minute details for the event next week and to enjoy a few moments without hearing "he hit me" or "Mom would you tell (insert name here) to leave me alone?"

My responsibility next week in Seattle is to manage 30 models that are acting as spokespersons for my client at this conference. Guys and girls ranging in age from 18 to 32 who I am grooming to serve as "mobile concierges" for conference attendees. They also have no clue I am on Eastern time as my phone has rung on several occasions after midnight with questions about preparing for the job, where to park and if one guy's inner arm tattoo would be a problem.  This is going to be an interesting week to say the least. Come Friday you may find a blonde woman huddled in the fetal position in a room at the Sheraton Seattle rocking back and forth. :)

Taking advantage of an empty house, I have spent the entire morning engrossed in a book in bed. I have done NOTHING except start a load of laundry and let the dog out (well and played a few rounds of Words with Friends). But basically I have been useless. I can't remember the last time I have just laid in bed and done nothing. Guess I need to get up and try to feign some sort of productivity. Maybe I'll get dressed sometime today, too. The possibilities are endless.

Just Me, Myself and I

The house is so quiet. Sooooo quiet. Cassie is asleep at my feet. The cat is out hunting some sort of wild boar I'm sure and I am alone. And it just started to storm again outside. Keith took the boys to Alabama today so they can stay there for a week while I'm working in Seattle. I've gotten so used to being with them 24-7 that the quiet is almost eerie.

I'm struggling a bit with Daniel's level of separation anxiety, though. He kept saying he would miss me too much and wouldn't stop crying. It's been going on for days and I have tried tenderness, I've tried humor and then I finally resorted to tough love and asking him to be strong for Jacob. He is also supposed to be going to Lee University in Tennessee the last week of the month for church camp and I hope this week will teach him he'll be ok.  It's not the first time he's been away so I'm not sure where this is coming from but it makes me sad. Trying to not cry myself, I told him "hey sometimes you wish I WASN'T around. Just think! You have a whole week without me!" Nope. That didn't work either. I did set him up an account on this walkie-talkie app I use so that we can talk throughout the week. Hoping that will help.

Did I mention how quiet it is????

::crickets chirping::

Fighting Off the Sandman

My eyelids are waging a fierce battle against the sandman as I type this. It has been quite a day and the end is nowhere in sight for me. Because I am leaving on Monday for Seattle, I'm trying to tie up a lot of loose ends for an event I'm doing there. I'll have to post about my day with the boys tomorrow because I still have quite a bit to do before I can call it a night (or a morning, actually).

It has been storming outside all evening which has been exciting and, unfortunately, relaxing all at the same time. A few times I actually set my alarm and curled up on the guest bed just to watch the storm beat against the windows. It's my favorite kind of weather for sure.

OK, back to work. (YAWNNNNN)

The Boys of Summer--Day 7: June 4, 2014

As the sun fades on another summer day, I look back on the small things I tried to appreciate about what was a seemingly ordinary day:

• The kindness of a youth group leader to offer Daniel a free Braves ticket to accompany a middle school group to a baseball game today.
• My patient 6-year old watching me try on 50 outfits in a dressing room and not complaining one time
• Laughing as my 12-year old recounted how he spent the $10 I sent him to the game with (in addition to the lunch and snacks I packed him):  unlimited popcorn bucket, cotton candy, cracker jacks and then "we stopped for ice cream on the way home!"
• The giggles of neighborhood kids as they flew down the slip 'n slide in our front yard.
• Breakfast for dinner and sliced strawberries and bananas for dessert

Jacob "hanging" with Cassie

Daniel gets into the action after the ballgame

Goofballs

D-Man

J-Rock

There was nothing extraordinary about today. It was a hot, party cloudy, uneventful summer day. My kids got to be kids and I got to be their Mom. Doesn't get much better than that.

The Boys of Summer--Day 6: June 3, 2014

Once again, and hopefully for the last time, The Boys of Summer and I had to play "clean the house in super speed fashion" so that a real estate agent could come and take pictures and put up the For Sale sign. It's quite a challenge to get a house ready for MLS photos when you've taken down all your decor and started packing. But, once again, we managed to make it look presentable and were all exhausted by the time they got here.

But, there are highlights to Day 6 of summertime for the fellas. First of all, we stopped by Daniel's school to pick up his report card and the boy GOT ALL A's! He was pleasantly surprised and I was THRILLED. He worked so hard this year and really applied himself (uggg...I sound like such a parent saying that) and it paid off. Way to go, D-Man!

Next up on Momma's Carousel of Summertime Fun was....GROCERY SHOPPING. Woohoooo!!! Well, I'm only half kidding because when we hit the cereal aisle their eyes lit up like Christmas trees and they each got to pick out a box (nirvana as far as they're concerned). And, like that, the Wall-Street worthy cereal negotiation began. "If you get the Rice Krispies then I'll get the Fruit Loops but if you get Trix, I'll try the strawberry Mini Wheats...." This is SERIOUS BUSINESS, Y'ALL. And, like most win-win business deals, a fair agreement was reached and we were able to move to the condiment aisle without incident.

 

But, after all the cleaning and running around was done, we did manage to squeeze in a little bit of summertime after dinner. Because Jacob has an ear infection, the doctor said he can't swim this week. So, it was time to pull out the second best cool-down solution--the trusty sprinkler! They had a blast and nothing screams summer vacation like peeling off wet clothes with blades of grass stuck to your legs.

See you tomorrow...

What I'm Listening To: June 3, 2014

I can't get enough of this one. One of my favorite all-time songs sung by up-and-coming country artist Maggie Rose. Her voice brings such a rich texture to these lyrics. (Plus, we have the same haircut so that means I doubly love it. ;)

I've Been Summoned!

I'm not sure why, but I've always wanted to receive a jury summons. I'm not thinking I would want to be saddled with an OJ Simpson-esque trial but something kinda juicy would be fun.

Well, lo and behold, I received a letter stating that I have been appointed to a Grand Jury trial in Williamson County (where I used to live in Tennessee) and must report July 7. I no longer LIVE there so I'm pretty sure that eliminates me but they provide no option other than SHOW UP OR ELSE.

Guess I'll make some calls tomorrow. Just my luck to receive a summons in another state!

The Boys of Summer--Day 5: June 2, 2014

Today was one of those uneventful, wonderfully uneventful, summer days. My pal Debbie (a.k.a. an angel) came and watched the boys while I was at an appointment. Then I treated them to lunch at The Downtown Grill in Tyrone followed by a quiet, do-nothin kind of afternoon. I know it doesn't make for an exciting blog entry but we all need these kind of days every now and then.

Two peas in a pod

Momma and the  D-Man

I can not take a photo with this child without getting bunny ears 

Divergent Sequel Filming Nearby

Just drove by this movie set in Serenbe on the way home and found out it's the sequel to Divergent called Insurgent. Code name of the film is "Mineral." Looks like alot of the scenes were titled "Base Camp" and were being filmed in the woods. Apparently Kate Winslet has been recast in the sequel... would love to see her in person. Pretty cool that it's right around the corner from the house...

Insurgent Production Begins May 30 in Atlanta

What I'm Listening To: June 2, 2014

One part of my job that I love the most is meeting amazing musicians and artists that really touch me with their work. Nolan Neal is one of those artists. I hired him back in March to perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame and have adored his music ever since. His CD has not left my car for the past few days and I texted him this morning to tell him once again what a phenomenal songwriter he is.

This is from an acoustic performance a couple years ago and the song is "Empty." His lyrics are pretty powerful.

You can check him out at www.nolanneal.com

A Long Night: The Arrival of Swimmer's Ear

Oh the joy of summer...endless days of splashing about in pools of cool, refreshing water. Oh the woe that comes along with it:  SWIMMER'S EAR. Shortly after I went to bed last night, Jacob came downstairs crying and complaining of an earache. That was the beginning of a sleepless night for Momma and the J-Rock. Armed with a warm rice sock, we alternated Tylenol and Motrin all night and dozed on and off on the living room couch. His pitiful little whimper made me feel so helpless but the more he hurt the closer he snuggled in to me which really warmed my heart.

The doctor this morning confirmed an ear infection and said no swimming for one week. (Boo)  Besides swimmer's ear drops, I've received several recommendations that will help (including his new Nemo Ear Plugs which he's mighty proud of).

We have many more days of swimming ahead of us and you better bet next time we'll be better prepared! Now, if only there was something to help with the every-other-minute question of "can I go swimmin' yet, Momma???"

What I'm Listening To: May 31, 2014

The Boys of Summer-- Day 4: May 30, 2014

TGIF! :)  Even though it's summertime, Fridays have a different cadence than the rest of the week. Here's a quick look at how The Boys of Summer spent their first Friday out of school. These first two are for anyone that might think that I only put the good stuff on my blog. This is reality!

1. Strawberry Milk Spillage-- my youngest has a drinking problem. He actually doesn't get to drink because he spills it EVERY. TIME. I watch it happen in slo-mo. It's as if a meal isn't complete without his glass tumping over. Yes I said TUMPING. It's tipping and dumping combined and I will never stop saying it. Tumping. Tumping. Tumping. LOL

No crying over spilled (strawberry) milk

2.  How to Flip a Fried Egg 101--my 12-year old watched me flip his eggs yesterday and was determined to try it. He flipped it and it landed square in the pan. Success! But, today was a different story. He had two eggs ready to flip over and he said "watch Mom!" I turned just in time to see the eggs completely miss the pan hanging in mid-air and plopped right down on the hot cooktop. Pppsssssssszzzzzzzz (is that how you spell a sizzling sound?) Anyway, it made a big ol' mess. He looked at me like I was going to be mad and I busted out laughing. The look on his face was priceless.

Egg disaster in the hands of a well meaning 12-year old

3. Double Trouble--these boys have known each other forever and are pretty much like brothers. The boys and I met my friend Cindy and her boys Ethan and Caleb for lunch at Zaxby's today. It was good to catch up and give the guys a chance to hang out. Our time together always flies by and is good for the soul. :)

A pack of trouble! :)

4. Pickin' Time--I'm not sure if the boys knew what to expect when I said we were going to a farm to pick strawberries but they had an absolute ball. Jacob's specialty was finding the hidden ones and Daniel was able to sense out the big, juicy ones. Part of the fun was being able to eat some along the way. Those were the sweetest strawberries I've ever tasted. And, as I type, they are being blended into homemade strawberry ice cream. Heaven.

His first strawberry. J-Rock was so proud

Jacob couldn't stop eating them long enough to pose for a pic!

This boy LOVED picking strawberries

Working the fields :)

4. Veggies for Supper--one of my favorite meals is veggies from a farmers market for supper. While we were at Whitley Farm we picked up squash, corn, and okra to go with sliced tomatoes for dinner. The boys were begging to help chop veggies and help cook (which surprised the heck outta me but I was thrilled.)

Wildflowers from Jacob

Fresh squash. YUM.

Soon-to-be-fried okra. Come to mama.

Peeling ginormous carrots :)

The boys were eager to help me...it was so nice!

From spilled milk and egg disasters to a fun time making dinner together, Day 4 of summer was perfect in its own, wacky, imperfect way. I sure do love my Boys of Summer.

The Boys of Summer-- Day 3: May 29, 2014

Day 3 has come and gone and it was a good one I must say. It started with a nice, peaceful (and RARE) quiet time with my 12 year old as he crawled in bed to talk to me. Soon, we were interrupted by none other than Buzz Lightyear (in a costume almost two sizes too small I might add. My chance for grandchildren from that one just dwindled mightily.)

Don't let the sweetness fool you :)

Buzz and his trusty sidekick

Why most of my pictures of these two are blurry!

Wrestling ensued and pretty soon hunger overtook them and we headed into the kitchen to make CRAZY PANCAKES. They are fascinated when I squeeze a few drops of food coloring on the batter as they cook so they can swirl it around with a knife. Entertaining these two is not really that hard :)

Crazy Pancakes

Then it was time for their least favorite part of any day:  Running Errands. We got Daniel signed up for church camp at the end of this month (yes, Cindy, I just signed him up. Hush.) Next stop was the gas station where Jacob got to pump gas for the first time. You'da think the boy won the lottery. Daniel loves mowing grass and Jacob likes pumping gas. This whole "having boys" thing is really working out in my favor. Now if I could only get them to LOVE doing laundry. Oh well.

So proud of his new task

The rest of the day was fun, fun, fun. And because Mom forgot to charge her phone overnight, the battery was low and I couldn't snap pictures. So, let's use our imagination:

(insert pictures of the boys and I meeting my pal Debbie at The Mellow Mushroom for lunch and Jacob whining because he thinks the star he drew on his coloring page looks like it's been smooshed and Deb and I gobbling down an oh-so-good buffalo chicken pizza)

Got it? Onto our next pretend pictures...

Next up, we went to my friend Tammy's parents' pool and the boys swam with their friend Ella ALL AFTERNOON. (insert colorful summery pictures of the kids splashing, Daniel learning to dive, Jacob doing cannonballs, Ella wearing her pink mermaid swim thingy and Katie's white skin which, as of last night, is now a white outline of a bathing suit on red skin.)  Tammy and I enjoyed chatting and there was plenty of laughter coming from the kiddos.

All in all, it was a great summer day. 

The Boys of Summer-- Day 2: May 28, 2014

Ahhh. As Daniel put it, "this is like our first REAL day of summer, Mom!"  Yes sir it was.

After finishing an early morning conference call about an upcoming event, I fixed the boys breakfast, straightened up, showered and we were ready to head out for the day. First stop:  HAIRCUTS!  Each one of my youngins had a mop full of hair and I know it felt good to get the obligatory summer shave. 

Trouble 1 and Trouble 2 :)

Group pic courtesy of Jacob 

Next up:  Movie time with a quick detour for Cheap Candy Procurement at the drug store. 62 boxes for $1or something ridiculous like that. We also grabbed a couple soft drinks and began stuffing my thankfully-oversized purse with the loot. Reese's Pieces--check. Whoppers--check. I draw the line at popping my own popcorn. Yes, I spent their combined college tuition on the bucket but it's all part of the experience. (plus, there's a dispenser for extra butter which Jacob made sure we stayed at for at least 35 minutes)

So, in we trot to see The Amazing Spiderman 2 with no less than 18 pounds of contraband on my shoulder. We were delighted to have the theater to ourselves and plunked down for the 2.5 hour show donning our oh-so-fashionable 3-D eyewear. The movie was great and I can't tell you how much I loved glancing over at each one of my kiddos glued to the screen with their hand in the popcorn bucket perched in my lap. 

On the way home, we stopped by the grocery store to grab something to make for dinner then rolled down our windows and sang at the top of our lungs all the way to the house. (I must say that my 6-year old singing every word to John Legend's "All of Me" tickles me...complete with dramatic facial expressions. Think I might have listened to it once or 20 times.)

Summertime is in full swing and I couldn't be more excited to share it with my fellas. 

Onto tomorrow...

Think I'll Keep 'Em

These two were champs today. Helpers during the frantic pre- inspection cleaning spree, patient during my hour-long meeting with the builder doing the deck and porch at the new house, browsing in an antiques shop (hence the funny hats) then playing well this evening before falling asleep peacefully. Nary a dull moment for Day One of Summer 2014.

DING DONG...Serenity Interrupted

When we last heard from Katie "Look How Serene My Morning Is" Bodiford, she was half-dressed in the kitchen listening to The Eagles, lighting her fresh grass candle and contemplating her boys' first day of a lazy summer. The house, in a state of flux due to her impending move, was the last thing she intended to worry about on this day. She had the rest of the week to worry about such things. That is until.....

DING DONG.

It's 8:30? Who could that be? Her eldest son was still asleep in bed and her half-dressed 6-year old was in the play room upstairs watching TV. Now... how could she sprint across the open hallway to her bedroom where she could become FULLY dressed without the person at the door seeing her? She peered ever so slightly around the corner to see the person's back turned. Then, darting across the foyer like a solider evading enemy gunfire she raced into her room to throw some clothes on.

DINGGGGGG DONGGGGGG.

Katie ran to the door (trying to not appear to be as out of breath as she actually was) to find a guy standing there and a car  waiting down at the street containing his wife and kids.

"Um. Hi. Mrs. Bodiford?" he asked almost hesitantly.  "Um, I'm the owner of your house and we're in town from Tennessee. Did the real estate agent tell you we were coming by to do an inspection of the house?"

I'll stop right there. Anyone who has known me since about 5 minutes ago knows that I WENT INTO FULL PANIC MODE. FLIP-PING OUT. Yes, I normally try to keep a house somewhat devoid of pig sty characteristics but this was different. An INSPECTION? My mind immediately fast forwarded to this family donning white hazmat suits and taking black lights and white gloves and... and.... well, you see where I'm going with this. Did I mention that I was flipping out?

"Well, um, NO he sure didn't," I replied in my most gracious, genteel Southern lady voice while on the inside I was screaming ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? DO YOU KNOW WHAT A MESS MY HOUSE IS? I told him my son was still asleep and I had pulled items out all over the house for a yard sale and asked if I could have a little time to "tidy up." He agreed to come back in a couple hours. I thanked them and shut the door.

What happened next is a flurry of such cataclysmic proportions that I can't exactly recall what happened. What I do know is my poor twelve-year old was awakened with a frantic "they're coming back soon and this house has to be ready and has your bathroom been cleaned since we moved in and get up, get up, getttt upppp!" He rolled out of the bed like a new army recruit, jumped to his feet and began making up his side of the bed. (gotta love the kid's ability to act in a pressure situation :) Jacob took the furniture polish and began spraying smiley faces on the furniture then wiping it clean. Who am I to stifle his artistic cleaning abilities?

I'll spare you the details but I am proud to say (and almost too exhausted to type) that when they pulled up the house was spotless and the owners said they couldn't ask for someone to take better care of their home.

EXHALE.

There are only a couple weeks left until we close on the new house and can finally "settle in" to a home where surprise inspections aren't on the agenda. But this Momma and her boys worked a miracle today. We all chipped in and got this house in ship shape without the whining and fussing I expected. Not even a single sword fight using broom handles and dust pans for shields. I'm pretty proud of my fellas.

Can I take a nap now???

The Boys of Summer-- Day 1: May 27, 2014

Woke up to these two in the bed with me.  What's a Mom to do? LET THEM SLEEP! That and clean the kitchen while listening to the live acoustic version of Hotel California.  ;)

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Jacob (my 6-year old) snuggling up on me:

"Momma, you're so soft and sweet."

::melt::

A Friend for Life

Early on in the research process for our second adoption, I heard about a girl named Melissa at church that was interested in adoption as well. So I reached out to her and invited her to lunch.  We sat at a Mexican restaurant and chatted and laughed for almost 2 hours before realizing we had not even brought up the subject of adoption yet. That was when I knew we would be fast friends.

Not only did we end up adopting two little boys born within 3 months of each other but those little boys have now grown up playing together as well.

We have seen each other through some pretty rough times and now get the opportunity to work on events together, too. I love her like a sister and am blessed to call her my friend.

Love you Meldrop.

Love These Fellas

So blessed to be their Mom.

What I'm Listening To: May 24, 2014

I love music. I love the feelings it evokes.

Sometimes.

This song is one of the most beautiful things I have heard in a long time:

I have also been listening to One Republic's new album non-stop for the past few weeks:

Good stuff.