I was going through photos to create a photo wall in our hallway and I came across this one of my daughter from two years ago. She was getting ready to go to a friend’s birthday party. It’s still one of my favorites. So, I blew it up to 8×10 to feature on the wall:

I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

We were at a party over the weekend celebrating the 6th birthday of one of our friend’s sons. Our friend’s mom, the boy’s grandma, was there and took a liking to Charlie. He is at that age and really social so he’ll cuddle up and smile at everyone. Anyway, there was a cute moment where he was next to the grandma and she gently said, while cupping his chin: “I like your face.” He sweetly replied, “I like your face, too.” It was so cute.

Granted, this is the same kid who at Target the day before overheard an older boy looking at Monster trucks and whine: “I want Bigfoot!” (Sadly, it was not the only toy he demanded from poor dad, and he did get it.) and promptly repeated, “I want BigFoot, too!” without even really having a clue what he was talking about (well, except that there were cars all around so I’m sure he knew it’d be good stuff).

Suffice to say, he’s learning from anyone and everyone around how to communicate. Let’s hope he picks up more good habits than bad!

Ok, I admit it. I gave my mom the best Mother’s Day present ever. I’ll try not to break my arm patting myself on the back … but, really. I have been wanting to make a scrapbook of me and my other three sisters for several years. I finally got motivated this winter. I had each of them send me some photos of us together and write some of their favorite stories and memories. I wanted to keep it simple so most of the stories are short. And each page has just one to three pictures on it (8×8 size book). I kept it simple, though it was still a lot of work. But definitely worth it. I highly recommend putting together something like this … if you want to make your mom cry, and laugh and cry again. I just wish I could have been there to see her face when she opened it.

So, it’s Wordless Wednesday on a Thursday, oh well. Gotta post these pics anyway. Aunt Tracy sent the family t-shirts from their trip to Holland & London and the kids looked super-cute in their matching orange “soccer shirt” as Avery said.

Forget the chocolate and flowers, technology is at the top of the list for today’s moms! Check out 5 Minutes for Mom’s giveaways!

After 30-something days, I can actually say that Charlie is potty trained. He has been for quite a while now and even has gone the past four nights without an accident in his bed. Whoo-hoo!

Now, the exception is the ol’ number two. We’re still working on that one …

Regardless, I can look back now and say, “Oh, it wasn’t that bad.” And continue to dread the teenage years instead. Ahhhhhhh …

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Just in case there was ANY doubt whatsoever, I had to post these pictures of me sometime in 1979 and my son from Friday night. A friend took the picture below and as soon as I saw it I remembered the one from my scrapbook. I realize it’s a bit unfair, I’ve always thought the pics of me (there’s a whole series of them) makes me look boy-ish. I keep meaning to ask my mom why my hair was so short. Anyway … enjoy.

Mom, Circa 1979:

Son, April 2009:

Okay, somebody, and I’m not naming any names … tells me I have to have a goal for my weight loss challenge. You mean getting out of my fat pants doesn’t count?

I don’t like goals. Primarily because I do not like to fail. However, I do have a running start so I have a better idea what might actually be possible at the rate I’m going. The problem is, I really don’t know how to set this kind of a goal. The only measure I can really go by is weight. And, while I would love to see some of those numbers I passed long ago, I really honestly truly don’t care what my weight is. It’s more about how I look and well, what size I am. I would love to be a size 8 again. It’s really only one size but it’s a big step. And I have no idea what I need to lose to hit that. So, maybe the first milestone is 145. That’s 20 pounds. But to be fair, the first 10 should be easy, coming off a winter of eating and pretty much sitting around and doing very little. It’s that other 10 that could be darn near well impossible. So, for now, that will have to do. I suppose I need a timeline. June 20. Two months. Is that doable? I have no idea. Okay, I need help.