We've still got street cred with the younger set

We know it won't last forever....but for now, we're savoring in the notion that we are still SUPERSTARS to our children. Someday when this memory has faded so slightly, we'll be embarassing them and in their eyes....well, in a word....DORKS.

For now, we're at the top of their list.....and we love it.

Last Thursday was Daddy's Day at School for Lilly. This was the first year the preschool has honored Father's. What a great idea!! Moms always get a special morning in May to be honored by our preschoolers and it's always a special time we spend there so we were so happy to see the Daddy's get some love!! Lilly thought it was so great to have Daddy go with her to school. They enjoyed some doughnuts and time together. Lilly's class "shaved" the Dads with whipped cream and popsicle sticks for razors. Lilly made Joe a picture frame...it said #1 Dad....I personally could not agree more with that sentiment.

And even though Mother's Day is still a few months away, part of my present came earlier this week. I walked down the hall and noticed a sign on Winston's bedroom door...a first for us as he's just learning to read and spell words. He made this by himself and even though a few words could use some spellcheck, I read it and smiled....you see, I am the ONLY girl allowed in his room....and that, my friends, is a rule I can live with!!!

Just a moment to honor her memory please

Oh my, I was not prepared for the trepidation that filled my heart when Joe handed me the title and an ink pen to sign the back as "seller"....there really was a small lump in my throat. I was saying goodbye to an old, reliable friend.

She was the first car I bought and paid for with my own hard-earned money. I bought her back in October 1993....a 1994 Honda Accord, 2 door, stick shift....she was a beauty and I will miss her just a little bit.

I haven't been driving that car since Winston was born...and Joe refused to buy a new car until it was absolutely necessary (he's frugal that way, thank goodness one of us is!). The air conditioning went out this past fall and for those of you not living in the steamy Lowcountry - this is not the place to have a car with no AC during the spring and summer months. She clocked 200K miles a few weeks back....she was good....always so good to us. NEVER left us stranded.

So...any guess as to what we purchased to replace her?? Yes, you guessed it... ANOTHER Honda...and also in the grey/silver family. No picture as of yet to post but I think this post should be all about her....and the good girl she was to our family. She's off to transport someone else now....Godspeed oh great Honda......we will miss you!

Mama don't need no wine and roses!!

Welcome to Grantstock 2009

Our Valentine's Day was fairly typical...we hit the next stop on the preschool birthday party circuit (Happy Birthday Parker - we do love that boy!) and then spent the remainder of the rainy day on Marshside. We enjoyed a romantic (that's code for: typically loud and unruly) family dinner and commenced with the Grant Family Dancefest 2009.

I don't know what prompted it but Joe and I found ourselves cranking up the music on the laptop in the kitchen and dancing with the children. All you crazy almost 40 year olds....you remember

Men Without Hats' "Safety Dance"????
Flock of Seagulls' "Space Age Love Song"??
Modern English's "I Melt with you"??

The list went on and on.....the kids loved it. I might have to add these to the playlist here so you can take that walk down memory lane too.

We managed to avoid the first potential showstopping injury....Joe attempted to teach the children the "Bump" (yes people, the irony of Joe teaching them a dance move is not lost on me but he was enjoying a few glasses of wine after dinner which could have helped loosen him up a bit). Anyway, Winston of course misunderstood the mechanics of the bump and immediately went to the "bump move" in football....thankfully Lilly wasn't catapulted into the dishwasher after all!

Lilly was able to bring some of her new ballet skills into her repertoire and she moved with grace and the occasional seizure-like moments. Winston appears to have inherited a bit more of my rythmn than his Daddy's ....THANK THE LORD FOR SMALL MIRACLES. I am certainly no prima ballerina but I do credit 10 years of ballet and tap with helping me to have a tiny bit of coordination and Winston seems to just maybe be showing signs of it....he did have quite a disturbing pelvic thrust move...not at all sure where he got that one, but I would predict that might not sit well with the ladies at the Senior Prom.

Hope you had a happy heart day too....
Rock On People

Sweet Music to her Ears

Hearing a familiar voice on the other end of the phone line...a voice you've been missing....ALOT....it's just one of those simple pleasures in life. And it happened today to my sweet Lilly....

She got a phone call from a special friend. They giggled and talked a mile a minute and from my perspective, there wasn't much about the conversation that made alot of sense but when Ella said "I miss you" and Lilly grinned and said "I miss you too"...it made all the sense in the world. Two girlfriends...as thick as thieves....separated now by an 8 hour drive....but still connected in their little 4 year old hearts. Friendship at its best! We miss you sweet Ella girl (the rest of your wonderful family too!)

I don't even believe it myself

After years of gentle suggestions by Joe and most recently, at least a month of hard core peer pressure from the Bethany's (more about those gals later), I am actually starting a family blog. No doubt about it, I am a blog junkie...completely addicted to MANY (more on that later too) but somehow I've always felt like my life wouldn't be so interesting to anyone but....well me!! But here goes nothing....my crazy, sometimes mundane but always wonderful life now on the world wide web. Stay tuned....I think I just might have lots to say....whether it's worth you following remains to be seen!!

So to you Julie Monahan....this is for you. I miss you more than you could possibly know and this, my dear friend, is a gift to you...and I think it might just end up being a gift to me too!!