Random Ramblings of a Cookie Craving

I have had another brainstorm. Prior to this moment, I have been at a loss as to when to do work on the computer that requires typing... I usually only get on the computer when I'm feeding Trace, and then I have to work one-handed, making typing difficult. If he's drowsy or too distracted (which is pretty much 95% of the time), typing--even one-handed--upsets him, so I'm usually limited to reading blogs and checking facebook. If there are any bills to pay, or research to be done, or (rarely, yes, I know) blogs to be written, they have to be done when I am childless and possessing two arms. That also rarely happens, and when it does, I feel guilty about being on the computer when there are clothes to fold and children to play with ....

I wonder, if I had the entire Internet community as an audience, how many thousands of mommies have already thought of this and would chuckle at my naivete (no, I don't know how to call up the menu of 'weird letters' to correctly write that French word--feel free to enlighten me, and I'll show you how to rebuild your motherboard). But here goes: I put the highchair in the schoolroom. I put Bacon in the highchair. And then.... (drumroll please) I FEED BACON WHILE I TYPE. (Right now he likes to gnaw on crackers between bites. I need to find some healthier crackers. Suggestions?)

Yes, yes, hold your applause. I have three kids. I don't always have these moments of clarity. Did I mention we just started classes to prepare us for foster care? My philosophy is if your life is crazy, make it crazier! Truthfully, foster care and adoption are two issues that have always been close to my heart. We want to eventually adopt a little girl to even out the score at Team Hollinghead, and when our kids are grown and we have more rooms (and carseats) to spare, I wouldn't mind being the next Charles and Noreta Willis! Those two are the best examples of James 1:27 that I can think of!

Now, if only that Girl Scouts lady would get back to me! I've been emailing her back and forth for almost a year now! I'm trying to start a younger troop in Opp for Sabre's age group. Anyone interested? And speaking of Girl Scouts... I NEED COOKIES!!! Where are the little girls who are supposed to be begging me to buy some? This is the second year in a row I have yet to see some cookie order forms, or girls standing outside of Wal-Mart.

People, that is your mission. Girl Scout Cookie Watch 2010. Let me know.

Trace (excuse me, Three)

Certain ethnocentrists have decided my baby's name might perhaps be more "Americanized," so there you have it. Carlton Lee Hollinghead III, called Trace, or Three, by some... I call him Bacon. Or Old Man. Our poor children...


It's probably a good thing that Lee decided he wanted to recarpet instead of refinishing our 45 year old floors. They are accumulating an extra couple years' worth of scratches today. Trace has found out that a child-size chair makes the best walker EVER! You should see him. He's been cruising for a couple of weeks, but hasn't made any free-standing steps yet. But when he pulls up behind one of these chairs, WATCH OUT! I guess it won't be long 'till my nine-month-old old-man-child becomes part of the walking set.





After a brief intermission to rescue him from ingesting crayons (they're nontoxic, but he doesn't have teeth, so I guess I should take them away...), let me expound:





I've always thought of Trace as being an old man trapped in a littl'un's body. His mannerisms suggest a complacency that suggests 'grandfather'... not 'grandson'. But it's well and good that he's so adaptable, so easygoing. Being the youngest of three, it wouldn't do if he were the squeaky wheels his older siblings are. I'm just glad the other two are so in love with him. They appreciate his pudgy cheeks and slow grins as much as I do, so I know he'll never want for devotion.

WOW.... 5 months already?

Well, I'm so sorry! Or, at least, I would be if I thought anybody had read this yet. What happened to make me stop blogging? Well, life, basically, but that's no excuse. Anyway, everyone I know is blogging SOMETHING now, so I guess it's time to jump on the bandwagon. Plus, I just watched Julie & Julia and I got the bug!

Since the last time I wrote, we've been to several different hotels that I haven't written about, and in a nutshell? The best restaurant servers are at the Houston Crowne Plaza on I-10, the best restaurant food is at Good Eats Grill at the Holiday Inn Intercontinental Airport Houston, the most comfortable beds are at the Courtyard by Marriot in Covington (Lousiana), the best rooms and best TVs can be found at the Hyatt in Dallas, the best pools (can you say waterpark?) are at the La Torretta Resort and Spa in Montgomery (Texas), and the best view and overall value award goes to Comfort Suites in Vidalia, Mississippi. However, our favorite place to go is "Curtis's house," a selection of the purtiest little cabins in Gatlinburg, Tennessee that you will ever see. We like to dream of owning one. Curt is pretty sure he does, and that he built it with a hammer, like Handy Manny. That boy... There you go. If you're travelling through any of those places, tell 'em Leigh sent ya! (Not really, they don't know me. They'll just look at you funny.)

What else happened? Oh, just a little scare called, "Surprise! Your husband's being deployed to Iraq!" and then, "No, just kidding!" Lee actually took the steps to request an exemption which was approved, and is now Honorably Discharged from the US Army. We are quite pleased, if you're wondering. Read: We threw a party within minutes of hearing. Did you come?

I'd also love to post some pictures of Sabre's schoolwork, so you all can see what we're working on these days--however, my scanner is sooooo much smarter than I am, so that's a work in progress... We're taking it easy, because I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. Next year, I'm going to get a curriculum that combines first and second grades because we were doing kindergarten AND first grade Math, English, and Reading this year. What she really could use work on is handwriting, but, hey, she comes by that rightly...