Is This What Our Life Has Come To?

To answer my own question, yes.

And I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!

*****

Grandma & Grandpa, thank you for taking care of ClaraLu for a few hours so that we could enjoy some alone time with Sophie! We loved it so very much....

Suburban Field Journal

Recently I noticed a sign on the border of our county....... it states that we are a "Golden Fit Community". I had no idea what that meant so I looked it up. The below is taken directly from the Fit Community website:

Fit Community designations and grants reward North Carolina communities for creating and implementing a sustainable action plan to avoid or remedy preventable chronic health problems in their area. This community has been awarded a gold level status which means that we've made outstanding achievements in these areas.

Really? REALLY?

I'm not sure who took the time and effort involved in applying for this designation for our county. They obviously don't shop where I do.

Less than half a mile in each direction of this very sign are two shopping centers. Stop by on any given day and this is what you'll see.....

Shopping Carts EVERYWHERE

Even those people parked RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STORE can't be bothered to walk the cart a mere 20 feet to keep it off the sidewalk.

Some people can't even be bothered to AT LEAST park the abondoned cart on the grassy island. Nope. They just leave it right out in the parking space. It's now someone else's problem.

This is a very nice part of town. You'd think people would be better socialized and take more pride in their surroundings.

Think again.

Golden Fit Community? I don't think so. How can we be fit if we can't take a short walk to put the cart back where it belongs? Something so simple.

What's Wrong With These Pictures?

At first glance, nothing. It's very sweet.....Clara and Daddy snuggling....

But wait, shouldn't it be the other way around? Well yes, especially in the middle of the afternoon when this picture was taken. Clara's reflux continues to haunt us. It's been a VERY rough few nights. As you can see, we'll catch a wink whenever, wherever, however we can get it. Last night, I slept two hours. Luckily, Alain woke up at 6:30 this morning and I got to have another two hour nap. Whew. Times is tough, my friends. But thank goodness this is my second child and I can keep reminding myself that it won't last forever....

We still love you to pieces, Clara Boo. Even if you don't seem to value sleep as much as the rest of us....

PS ~ Years from now, if and when you see Christmas photos from 2011, please remember that I only slept two two-hour shifts the previous night. Because this sister looks K.N.A.C.K.E.R.E.D.!!!

What's Wrong With These Pictures?

At first glance, nothing. They're beautiful blooms.

But then I remind myself that it's late December and my peach tree shouldn't be blooming. After a few days of almost 70 degree weather, Mama Peach Tree is really confused. In the past, she's always bloomed in February. Never December. I'm not sure what this will mean for our peach output next Spring/Summer. Only time will tell....

Happy Christmas!

To all of my friends and family who celebrate Christmas, may you have the happiest of holidays this year!

{Image via Isle of View}

Books Read In 2011

For years I've been meaning to list the books I read. Finally it's happened. Here they are in order. The books listed with little stars next to them are my favorites!

1. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang ~ Chelsea Handler
2. American Wasteland ~ Jonathan Bloom
3. Nurture Shock ~ Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman
4. Cheap ~ Ellen Ruppel Shell
5. Simple Prosperity ~ David Wann ***
6. Makeshift Metropolis ~ Witold Rybczynski
7. Planting Dandelions ~ Kyran Pittman ***
8. Only Pack What You Can Carry ~ Janice Holly Booth
9. The Pillars of the Earth ~ Ken Follett ***
10. What I Thought I Knew ~ Alice Eve Cohen ***
11. Perfection ~ Julie Metz
12. Up For Renewal ~ Cathy Alter
13. In Praise of Slowness ~ Carl Honore
14. When Did I Get Like This ~ Amy Wilson
15. Message From An Unknown Chinese Mother ~ Xinran ***
16. Simplicity Parenting ~ Kim John Payne, M.Ed.
17. The End of Country ~ Seamus McGraw
18. Dreams of Joy ~ Lisa See ***
19. False Impression ~ Jeffrey Archer
20. The Help ~ Kathryn Stockett ***
21. Out of Our Minds ~ Ken Robinson ***
22. Cinderella Ate My Daughter ~ Peggy Orenstein

Note: What's really funny about this list is that I read all of these books but three before Clara was born on July 25th. Since then, I've only read three books. I don't even know how I managed to finish them! Oh and how I do miss reading!!!

Happy Winter!

Tomorrow is officially the first day of Winter. Oh and I love Winter. The stillness. The quiet. The coziness. Warm fires. Hot drinks. Fuzzy blankets. Snow. Snow. Snow.

To celebrate the coming of winter, I'm sharing one of my favorite pins. Since Charlotte is so warm and barely has winter at all, I gaze at this one longingly on a pretty regular basis.....

Pin via loghome.com.