Progress...

Superior Walls installed the basement walls on Thursday. Basically, they take your plans, "plug them" into their computer program, and construct concrete insulated walls at their site. Then they deliver them to your site and install them. So they had to bring them on 2 semi trucks which ended up getting stuck half way up the gravel driveway. Fortunately, J is friends with the owner of the Cotton Gin that is nearby. He sent over a 4 wheel drive HUGE tractor and a driver for the day. He pulled them out and got them up to the site and then got them back out that afternoon.

Needless to say, our gravel driveway took a beating and so did several areas of the land. There were ruts in the grass that were 8 - 10 inches deep that went on for several yards. So we called my brother Matt, who does site preparation work, and he cleaned up the land and the driveway on Friday. Wy and I took him some lunch and Wy got to watch his Uncle Matt work in the Bobcat.

The basement has a storm shelter room built in that has concrete walls and will have a concrete roof. I figured since we were going through the trouble of putting in a basement, I might as well get my "safe room." Next up is the framing - hope they start the week after next!

Wordless Wednesday

(look closely at the counter)


Why you don't turn your back for one minute on Wyatt. In his defense, he didn't realize the bag was already opened. But we are working on him NOT climbing onto the counter and rifling through the cabinets when he wants a snack.

Introducing Clara YouMei

For more pictures and a recap of Thursday night's "homecoming", go to www.tochinaforyouyou.blogspot.com.

Here she is:


And here I am with her and her new Mama!

Broken Ground

The moment I didn't think would EVER get here finally did today - we broke ground! This event was originally scheduled to take place back in early December. The day before they were going to begin, our builder called us and said that there was rain in the forecast so they were gonna wait a couple of days...which turned into about 6 weeks due to two major holidays and record amounts of rainfall.

The house will sit about 700 feet back from the main road so we also had to get the gravel drive finished in order for the "big trucks" to get back to the site. That was finished on Saturday so we went on Sunday right before sunset to take some pictures.

This is Wyatt doing the "celebration pose" with his hands.

(click to enlarge)

This will be our view to the right. If you look closely, you can see the orange flags where the house is staked out.



This is one of my favorite daily views...



And these are our "neighbors" to the left - look closely, they are 4 legged neighbors.



Wy was doing "on yuwr mawk, get set........GO!"



Then he busted face down in the dirt - but he is a tough little guy so no harm done, except to his clothes!



This was the beautiful sunset we were treated to before we left.



Today we took Wyatt to "the land" to watch the digger dig in the dirt. He actually took his own Tonka bulldozer so he could help. Unfortunately, it was only about 30 degrees and snowing, so we had to watch from inside the truck.

My Results Are In...

72%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Site

Whew - I was a little worried about my number. But I don't think this justifies needing to join a Bloggers Anonymous group just yet. Besides, our meetings would just give us something else to blog about! OK, your turn - take the quiz and post your results!

Wyatt-isms

During one of our countless "let's pretend" sessions he said: "I be Batman and you be Robin Hood"

Calls the white and black spices that sit on tables "Salt and Dr. Pepper"

Takes something of mine (like a hair clip), holds it up for me to see and then announces loudly "You'll NEVER see this again!" and runs off laughing. I found his little stashing place - behind the couch.

I apologize in advance for this one but he said it so I have to post it - and he is a boy. While sitting on the potty, he looks at me and says "Man, I took a big ole dump."

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I have to admit that I tend to dread Fridays. They are just long days for us (well, fine, for me) and with the weather being what it has been, the clock just seems to barely tick by. There is only so much "hallway soccer" that this Mama can handle. So I called my friend Sarah to see what she and her 15 month old daughter Addison were up to. Luckily, they were free and we decided to go to the park even though it was only going to be around 50 degrees that day. The important thing was that the sun was shining, which is a rarity these days, and we knew colder weather was in the forecast for next week.

So we bundled them up and hit Big Springs Park to feed the ducks and fish and then we went to Rosie's for a late lunch. The park was a huge hit with the kiddos. Wyatt just ran and ran and ran. We were the only ones there besides a shady looking guy sitting on a bench - guess all those other moms didn't see next week's forecast - your kids will be climbing the walls by Wednesday! Anyway, Sarah and I were friends pre-babies so it was interesting to watch us both on mom patrol. We chatted constantly but were both trying to keep up with the kids, our stuff, their snacks, the duck/fish snacks, the proximity of those more aggressive geese, a stroller and document the day on "film."

Here are some cute things I noticed about being around Addison:

She has long hair so Sarah actually had to brush it, pull it into a pony tail on top, and add a little bow. Huh, never thought about all the time I am saving by not having to do all that...but it looked like fun.

She decided she was big enough to walk the entire length of the park TWICE, just like us, instead of riding in her stroller.

She may be slow but she is determined.

For every cracker/pretzel she gave to a duck, she ate about 5.

She is very good with her sign language and was able to communicate with her Mama as to what it was that she needed.

If you lean over to pick her up, and your camera that is hanging around your neck smacks her in the face, she is gonna cry. And she will cry the second time you do it too.

She loves some shredded cheese and to dip things into bowls.

When Mama whips out that hand sanitizer, she puts her hands out and rubs them together like nobody's business.

Complete strangers will stop you to compliment you on her eyes.

Sarah, you are a lucky Mama. I'm hoping for more sunny weather soon.


Assessing her competition for the crackers...



My handsome boy giving me the one still shot before he takes off



That running I was talking about...



Hmmm, what do we have here?



Oh, a snack!



Sorry fishies but I'm all out



How are all these fish gonna split the 1 cracker I hid from Addison?




He IS a funny boy...

And Clara Makes Five...

My brother Aaron and SIL Erica are FINALLY in China to adopt a little girl they will name Clara Mei. They (along with their 2 boys, my parents, and Erica's mother) left for Hong Kong on Wednesday the 7th. They flew out of Birmingham, which is where my dear friend Jan lives, so I was happy to be one of their "dropper off-ers". They are scheduled to return home on January 22nd.

Here are a couple pictures from Wednesday morning. We had to leave my brother's home at 5:15 a.m. but I did remember to make them pose for their last picture as a family of four in their home.




This was taken right outside the Birmingham airport. Check out the luggage - I think they had 12 pieces including carry ons - and the expression on Erica's face. She is SO HAPPY!




If you would like to read more about their adventures in Hong Kong (and see pictures), you can visit their travel blog at www.tochinaforyouyou.blogspot.com. (Her given name is Wei You (pronounced yo) and her nick name is You You (pronouced Yo Yo like the toy) hence the blog name.) I also added it to my sidebar list of blogs so you can access it there as well. Erica has already posted a couple of times. They will "get" Clara on Monday so they are doing some sight seeing this weekend. Please keep them all in your prayers. Thanks so much!

Words to Live By...

Tonight when I was rocking Wyatt at bedtime, this poem popped into my mind. When I was little, we had a framed needle point version hanging in our home. I am not sure who sewed it for my mom (she may have done it herself?) but there was a red headed mama rocking a swaddled baby on the left side next to the stanza. I wonder if she still has it?

"Cleaning and dusting
can wait till tomorrow.

For babies grow up
we've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs
and dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby
and babies don't keep."

Photo Friday!

Wyatt with his "little" friend Clay.

Clay's mommy and daddy came over to watch football with us tonight. Wy was sooooo excited to have company. Even though Clay is only 4 months old, Wy had picked out this big tractor for him to "play with" and a truck book. We didn't pose them that way - Clay just wrapped his little arm around Wy's - very sweet.




You have to click on this pic so you can see Clay's expression.
"For the love, does this woman know what she is doing?!"