"Tap Tap Tap..."

When I was a child I remember going over to my Memaw's house a lot. We would spend the night with her often, and if we were sick and couldn't go to school we would spend the day with her. One of my most vivid memories of staying with her is nap time. We would go get into Gag's king size bed, with the thinnest yet softest sheets ever, and a thick quilt on top... but before we could go to sleep she would reach for it.. it haunts me to this day... you might not know what I am talking about but my family will... "IT" was the Vick's salve!!!

She would get a finger full of salve and rub it under each of our noses and tell us to go to sleep... It never caught on with me. I can sleep just fine without it... but my mom, my sister, and now MY SON must have it before they go to sleep. My mom says it puts her brain to seep... Katie just will not go to sleep without it... and Brady.. Guess who started it ... that's right, NANA did. When he stays at her house she does to him what her mom did to me... all up under his nose.

But obviously he likes it... or should I say LOVES it!! I have gotten in the habit of putting it on him before I put him to bed and he just smiles and lets me tap it on his upper lip. I started making the "tap tap tap"sound when I was doing it so now all I have to say is "tap tap" and he heads straight for his bedroom. Its unreal!! Not only does he respond with a smile and a bee line for his bedroom, but he also repeats me... "tap tap tap" with the biggest smile on his face.

I can't get the boy to say "momma" but he can associate "tap tap tap" to Vick's Salve and he gets so excited about it. I guess he will continue this for the rest of his life like Nana and Katie and Memaw still do.

The only difference is that Brady doesn't only want it smothered on his lip and nose.. he wants the container to hold on to and chew on... He went MAD the other night when I tried to take it from him. I had to show him that I was putting it in the drawer and that it would be there when he woke up... he was still visibly upset. So needless to say he went to sleep holding it and woke up playing with it. Hopefully he wont figure out how to take the top off... that will be a very messy morning.

So in conclusion, I would just like to say THANKS to Memaw, Nana, and I'm sure Katie too for continuing this tradition with the future generations. I can't wait to read Brady's blogs one day to find out what he truly thinks about it all :)

That's what's New-

jenny

Busy Day!

I am excited to say that today I introduced Brady to Waffle House! And he LOVED it!! I am so glad he did, because Momma loves it too :) He ate a whole waffle (with syrup of course), eggs, and a few grits.. he was not too sure about the hash browns or toast. He finished it all off with Chocolate Milk! Now that is what I call a good lunch! The people in the booth beside us were taken by him. They could not get over how much he was eating... they should see him at a buffet!We tried to get a picture with the cook but he was busy cooking of course... So we did the best that we could. The cook said he has a little boy who loves eggs too, but he was also surprised to see Brady finish a waffle!

By the way, I am not sure if this is the only finger that can reach the teeth that are coming in or what, but this is the finger he chooses to chew on.. which looks sorda weird... I don't want people to get the wrong impression of my precious child, but this works for him, so whatever.After we left Waffle house, we stopped to get some gas. After I got whistled at by the passing trash man, I felt dirty so we went through the car wash.. haha.. no, seriously, Brady hasn't been in a car wash in a while and I wanted to see what he would think...

He was pretty curious about it at first, but as time went on (and I do mean on.. it took forever.. I think it was broken) he started to love it. Every time it would pass his window he would open his mouth real wide .. almost like he was surprised... priceless

I thought that with all that syrup in his system I would take him to the park to release some of that energy.. even though he didn't walk around too much he seemed to have a good time... He like going up and down the slide ( an momma got a good workout doing it) The sun was in his face, but he was smiling...Then he found some "drums" so we played there for a while just patting on them... and it was in the shade so he could open his eyes... he liked this...He spent a few minutes trying to get them to spin like a steering wheel or something, but when he figured out that they were not going to do it he just banged on them some more... That's been our day so far... Its about time for a afternoon nap now that we got the syrup out of his system.

That's whats new,

Jenny

Cupid came a little early...

This year since Brady is not in daycare (not that I am complaining... I love him being home, but, its Dr.'s orders that he not go to daycare for the time being) so he is missing out on all the fun parties that they throw.... or should I say I am missing out on all those parties :) I can't wait to be that homeroom mom that throws all the parties and decorates out of this world.. but for now I dont get to attend those parties... So, I will make my own, hehehe.

Since Brady was not going to get any little Valentine's Day cards or goodies this year, I decided we would GIVE them. We started with cookies.. homemade... rolled dough cut into shapes.... Just so you know, this was my very first time doing this. I have never rolled dough for cookies in my life! But I sure had fund doing it...

Then came the even funner part... DECORATING THEM!!! Of course, I did all of it, but I put Brady in my lap for a picture or two... I want him to at least look like he was involved when he is looking back on these pictures... Oh, the icing and sprinkles... HOW FUN!! He wasn't too sure, but it was like I was in preschool all over again...

Here are just a few of our masterpeices.... Just like a snow flake, no one alike :)

And look at the lips.... Glamourous lips...

Yes, I am aware that Christmas is over, but this year I decided to keep up my silver tree all year long and decorate it with the seasons... I bought all this decor last year after Valentine's Day for half off... so this year I broke it open and decorated with it... at no cost to me :)

Oh yeah.. we made two pans of rice crispy treats (with pink marshmellows and SPRINKLES) for the fire stations and Police department... Just to show them a little appriciation. FYI- it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving for you to be thankful. Its a good jesture... plus, if you put your address on it, it might make them come faster to your house if you ever needed it... hopefully not though...

I just love my cookies.. they turned out so cute... too bad I never tried one, thats right.. not one bite... I am on a diet after all (that's right.. I lost 14 lbs in the month of January.. Go me!!!

Here is our Valentine's Day tree with all our little goodies... all wrapped in their little baggies that I bought last year for like $0.50!!

Nothing Sweeter :)

And there's my little helper now...

Till next time~

Jenny

Oh when the Saints, go marching in....

Ok, so, as I am getting older and settling down a little bit, I am finding that I really enjoy football more and more. I watched a few OleMiss games this past season, but I watched more of the Saints. I have several friends who are obsessed with them, which makes watching the games much more fun. It is really just something fun to do... expecially when others around you are going for the same team. I enjoy getting into it with everyone else. Not that I am jumping on the "Saints band wagon" or anything, but after watching this past season and after Sunday's Superbowl, I would say that I am truely a Saints fan!! And, I just can't say enough about Drew Brees... he is an outstanding man. I was watching an interview he did that I found on Youtube and I was just taken back. He is into giving back to the City of New Orleans and considers his disicion to come to New Orleans a "Calling" from God. You should watch this interview... Click the link above for that video :) And just look at this picture... I mean, there are no words... Such a sweet moment for them... Alrighty then... See ya next year Saints Fans!! "WHO DAT"

Beauty tips and Favorite Products!

Kelly's Korner is doing another "Show us how you live" blog and this time it should be pretty fun! I have always LOVED hair and makeup products :) even if I don't wear make up everyday, I still like having it. Chris jokes that I am a Make-up and hair product hoarder... oh well, we all have something... Let's start with hair. Seeing as how I did go to hair school and I am a licensed cosmetologist (not in practice) I love having fun hair products around... and, of course, Paul Mitchell is my favorite...

My hair school was Paul Mitchell and then I went on to become a National Educator for Paul Mitchell Systems so naturally I have tons of their products and tons of product knowledge, which makes it better :) Extra Body is my favorite line... cause " Big hair makes your butt look smaller"... I gotta have some body in my hair and their Extra Body finishing spray and Firm Finishing Spray are always on stock in my house... and I have a travel size one in my purse. I love that stuff !

Next, My favorite smoothing iron ever is the Paul Mitchell Smoothing iron.. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! However, my smoothing Iron recently went out :( I have had it since I was in hair school 5 years ago and I love it... unfortunately they no longer make the original one.. and since I haven't tried any of their new ones yet so I don't know what I'm gonna do...My hair has been large and wild for a week or so now so I gotta do something soon. Ok.. on to skin care... Every night for several years now I have washed my face with the same stuff my mom washes her face with... I smell like her when I go to bed.. its a very familiar smell... It smells like home :) Its Pond's!!! and not the new stuff, the classic Cold Cream... My favorite "guilty pleasure" of all is ... drum roll please.... MAC MAKEUP BRUSHES!!!!

I am obsessed with them, I don't think I will ever be able to have enough of them.. as a matter of fact, I spent Saturday night shampooing my brushes while coloring my hair... some may think "Lame" but I enjoy it! I keep and inventory of the one's I have in my phone in case I make and impulse stop at a MAC store and just NEED a new one... (they also make great Valentine's Day gifts... hint, hint, honey!)

And with my Mac Brushes, I love playing with my eyeshadow... here lately, I have worn a smokey eye using blacks and some days browns but on the occasion, I love a wild color.. and I have tons of MAC colors... Don't be surprised one day if you see me out like this...

And, on a final note.. my favorite nail polish is, of course, OPI.. my favorite color now is "Lincoln Park After Dark" ..

This is not that color, but I thought this one was pretty too...

ANYWAY- That is a list of my favorites and timeless beauty tips and products.. I am currently into watching YOUTUBE and other websites to get more tips and techniques and some of my favorites are...

Miss Jessica Harlow & Fashion Face

Alright, that's it for me.. See you guys next time... Hope you enjoyed it :)

Jenny

Eyes Straight Ahead...

Brady had his long awaited eye surgery yesterday and has been GREAT all day long! His surgery went well too... We had to be at Blair E Batson at 6:00am yesterday (which made for a long day). Nana and Poppy came by to wish him well. Nana stayed for the duration but Poppy, of course, got a death call and had to go... Some things never change :)

He got to wear the baby blue gown for his surgery. Every time we have stayed there we got the mint green or yellow, but never the blue... it made his eyes look even more beautiful than they already are.

Chris and I got to go back with him to see the Doctors and the "put you to sleep" Doctor... I can never spell that, so I won't try... By the time we got back there, his "verset" (loopy medicine) started working and he looked as if he was floating on a cloud. He was so fascinated with my hair, and he would just laugh. He flirted with the lady nurses too! What a stud!

We handed him off to the nurse with the promise that she would take good care of him. I believed her. Not once did I feel uneasy about this surgery. I wasn't nervous at all. Either I am getting hard to all this sick baby and hospital stuff, or I have complete faith that the Doctors will do what they do to the best of their ability and if they can't Jesus will step in... Either way, I had a peace. A peace that I firmly believe I would not have if I were not a believer. And that peace comes in many circumstances, not just surgery. Its good to know you always have someone on your side.

They called the waiting room a little after 8:00am and said that Dr. Carron had already clipped his tonugue ( just something we thought we would go ahead and tackle while he was under) and Dr. Mungan was about to begin his eye part. After 45-50 mins the nurse came and got me so I could be with him when he woke up. He was so swollen and his right eye was bleeding and oozing a little more than the left so they patched it up. He looked like he had just gotten mugged... so pitiful. I hated to see him hurting like that. No mother ever wants to see her baby hurting.

After an hour in recovery and a few sips of water later, we were gone. They gave him morphine after the surgery so he was really hard to wake up.. he just wanted to sleep and not be bothered. He slept the whole way home and until 3:00PM that evening... (so did momma and daddy) So naturally he was up last night!! YAY for us!

He is doing great today, you wouldn't even think that he just had surgery yesterday... he is so resilient. He is so strong, brave, happy... There are not enough words I could use to describe that son of mine. What a year he has had! We are at the 1 year marker from our IS diagnosis and this is a much better place than we were in a year ago... this is no where near where we thought we would be today. He is truly a miracle! Ask any Doctor who saw him then and now... We still bring our Neurologist to tears.. she is so pleased with is progress!

Thanks to everyone for the year of prayers! Hard to believe its been a year, but TRUST ME, it has!

Until the whole world hears,

Jenny

Fa la la la la... la la la la!

Hello ALL and Merry Christmas to you! I am so happy to be doing the tour of homes this year! I have been wanting to do it ever since last year when I found it and read just about all 800 post! I also got some great ideas from the tour last year, so I thought I would give it a try this year.

As you can see, my style is very modern and as my very traditional husband would say... "festive". I decided to go with all the bright bold colors this year. Plus, anything I could find with glitter was a MUST!

I will start you off with my kitchen table.. probably the most traditional part of the house..

Here is Brady's very first picture with Santa Clause last year... What a difference a year makes.

I love the floor mat here.. found it at Lowe's last year...

Here is a picture of my TREE! Oh, I just loved how this turned out!!! The red mesh and the glittery curly sprigs just make it, don't you think?

Here is a full body shot... no presents yet :( But I just got that tree skirt in last week, it matches the stockings we got last year.

Here are some of my favorite ornaments...

The purple peacock came from Michael's.. it is sorda my inspiration for all the decor. There are several of these hiding through out the house...

Here is our mantel and stockings! Love them! They are pretty traditional too, red and green...

And here is the wreath above the mantle where my husband's Christmas present will be soon :) Bet you can't guess what that will be, huh?

Here is the Garland above the cabinets in the kitchen... I love how every strand of garland looks the same in the house. It really ties it all together...

Here are the dogs stockings...not on the mantle because they don't match... and that would drive me crazy. So we found them a home on the bookshelf...

In Brady's room we have a small tree with special ornaments we have received so far. We got this set from my mom for our first Christmas married...

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you loved it as much as I do...

From my family to yours... Merry CHRISTmas! May you be truly blessed this holiday season.

Jenny

O Christmas Tree... O Christmas trees...

Its almos time for The Nesters Tour of Homes 2009, but before I do that, I will do the Kelly's Corner Show us how you live: Christmas Trees!!!

I am real excited about this one because I am real excited about my Christmas tree this year.

This is my Christmas tree this year! I have had the tree but last year I did a silver and pink color scheme and this year I went with all bright bold colors! It is FABULOUS!! I haven't got the tree skirt in yet, but it has been ordered to match my stockings so hopefully SOON I can show you a picutre of that too! Next year I might just have one in every room. They are so fun to decorate!! See you soon for the full tour! Jenny