I'm not apologizing if this offends you.

Leave it to Maxine to come up with a solution
For the mess that America is now in economically.



I bought a bird feeder. I hung
It on my back porch and filled
It with seed. What a beauty of
A bird feeder it was, as I filled it
lovingly with seed. Within a
Week we had hundreds of birds
Taking advantage of the
Continuous flow of free and
Easily accessible food.

But then the birds started
Building nests in the boards
Of the patio, above the table,
And next to the barbecue.

Then came the poop. It was
Everywhere: on the patio tile,
The chairs, the table ..
Everywhere!

Then some of the birds
Turned mean. They would
Dive bomb me and try to
Peck me even though I had
Fed them out of my own
Pocket.

And others birds were
Boisterous and loud. They
Sat on the feeder and
Squawked and screamed at
All hours of the day and night
And demanded that I fill it
When it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even
Sit on my own back porch
Anymore. So I took down the
Bird feeder and in three days
The birds were gone. I cleaned
Up their mess and took down
The many nests they had built
All over the patio.

Soon, the back yard was like
It used to be .... Quiet, serene....
And no one demanding their
Rights to a free meal.

Now let's see.
Our government gives out
Free food, subsidized housing,
Free medical care and free
Education, and allows anyone
Born here to be an automatic
Citizen.

Then the illegal's came by the
Tens of thousands. Suddenly
Our taxes went up to pay for
Free services; small apartments
Are housing 5 families; you
Have to wait 6 hours to be seen
By an emergency room doctor;
Your child's second grade class is
Behind other schools because
Over half the class doesn't speak
English.

Corn Flakes now come in a
Bilingual box; I have to
'press one ' to hear my bank
Talk to me in English, and
People waving flags other
Than 'Old Glory' are
Squawking and screaming
In the streets, demanding
More rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe
it's time for the government
To take down the bird feeder.

If you agree, pass it on; if not,
Just continue cleaning up the poop

Dinner with the Heavners!

We were able to go out a week or so ago with Teagan's Aunt Jeana, Uncle Seth and her boyfriend Miles (they are not blood related so it's okay that Miles and Teagan get married. They are just two of our closest and dearest friends). We got lucky this time and both of the babies were awake so we could have them officially meet each other and have their picture taken. We went to Buffalo Wild Wings and in the restaurant there are TVs ALL over the place. Luckily they were on sports channels because Teagan isn't allowed to watch TV. So, needless to say she thought she was getting a treat when everywhere she looked there was a TV! At one point though we had to turn her because a scary movie came on so we just turned her to look at another game. She got so frustrated with the game that she pulled her headband over her eyes (see the picture below)!! They were both so great during dinner! We cannot wait to go to the beach with them in June! We are all very excited! Miles and Teagan are already dreaming about the beach vacation and planning to "chase" after Addie Bear (for those of you who don't know Addie Bear she is Jeana and Seth's "dog" but basically Miles' older sister).



Here are a few pictures of dinner with the Heavners!

Tag teaming!

We had our first round of Mommy and Daddy being sick this past week. Luckily, Teagan didn't get sick...the doctor said she probably just brought it home! Josh started feeling pretty crappy on Monday and ended up coming home a little early and then we both felt crappy on Tuesday and neither of us went to work which meant Teagan didn't go to daycare.
I am so proud of the way we both worked together. I took care of her on Monday night while Josh got some rest and then Tuesday morning Josh took care of her after I fed her and she had taken a nap. He took her and let me sleep until around 9ish (which was AMAZING..LOL). Then we all just kind of snuggled in and watched movies all day. The being sick part wasn't enjoyable but spending the day snuggled up as a family with no distractions and nothing else to get done was incredible. We've decided to have one day a month like that...where we will do nothing but spend time together as a family with no laundry, no dishes, no mowing the lawn or working on projects. We will just be. Together.
It's incredible how watching our little girl can just make us feel better. We paused the movies a few times to just play with Teagan and instantly we both started feeling better. Just playing with her and watching her laugh and listening to her talk was enough medicine for the both of us...napping with her in our arms just made the "medicine" all the more sweeter!

3 months!

So this post is a little late but things have been kind of hectic!

Teagan was 3 months on April 23rd.

*still in diaper size 2

*23 1/2 inches long

*12lbs exactly

*sleeps through the night like a champ (from 8pm-5 or 6am)

*loves to roll onto her side from her back but can roll from her tummy to her back. I swear she would be crawling if she would stay on her tummy more (which she is doing now!)

*holds her head up like a champ unless she's sleepy.

*has actually sat up on her own! I have the video and pictures to prove it!

*has started trying to sit up in her carseat.

*still has some fussy time during the evening. I think she just misses us during the day so she doesn't want to be put down in the evenings!

*is just now filling out her 3 month clothes but can't fit into the 3-6 mth stuff yet.

*has started daycare and it drives me crazy but she is doing really well and seems to like interacting with the other babies. They call Teagan the "quiet observer".

*still talking up a storm and loves to be "whooed" to and will "whoo"back.

*is picking up a lot of new sounds at daycare from the other babies (she is one of the younger ones).

*has been in the Baby Bjorn facing out and seems to like it more then facing in unless she is sleepy.

*has been to the Whitewater Center and fell asleep both times!

*is still nursing, thankfully, and I am able to go and feed her at lunch time. Then she has a "snack" in the afternoons.

*has made her first really long car ride to Virginia for her first wedding and did wonderful!

*has started taking Vitamin D drops and seems to be doing well with them.

*had the first "sick scare" but it was only Mommy over reacting!

*has started staying awake longer in the car and likes to look out the window.

There are so many new things happening everyday that we can barely keep up with them! She learns and does something new everyday! She amazes Josh and I on a daily basis. The other day when Josh and I were sick we just watched her laughing and learning and we instantly felt better. She is the most amazing thing in our lives and life just gets better everyday.

Vote for Teagan!

Teagan got picked for the Parents.com photo faves. I just uploaded pictures of her on my page and checked a few things and a week or so later she has been chosen as a finalist...which I can't quite figure out if it's a really big deal because there are so many but hey! it's worth a shot! Please go vote for her and we'll see if we can't make her the winner of the week! Voting closes on April 25th but you can vote at least once a day!

http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/id/1/w/16/y/2010?page=150

Tummy Time

Most of the time Teagan isn't a big fan of tummy time. She was fine when she was younger but the older she gets the less she likes it...most of the time. This weekend she had two great tummy time sessions so I figured I'd share some pictures!! She is getting so strong! I swear if she would let me put her on her tummy more she would be crawling!

Dinner, Whitewater and Hockey!

We finally got the two babies together this past week! We went to On the Border with Jeana and Seth and Miles! We had a great time! They have matching shirts but Teagan was too fussy to change into hers and then baby Miles was asleep! Maybe next time!



We also went to the Whitewater Center to meet up with Becca and Riley! We tried out Teagan's jogging stroller...not so sure about it yet...

Teagan isn't allowed to watch TV yet. (This is out personal decision and we don't try to push it on other people.) We do allow her to watch sports because they don't have all of the flashy lights, etc. so she sat down and watched the hockey game with her daddy!

Just think about it...and say thank you.

A big thank you to all of our veterans. There are so many things we wouldn't have if it wasn't for the sacrifices you made or make everyday...




A lesson that should be taught in all schools . . And colleges.

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No,' she said.

'Maybe it's our behavior.'

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report
about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by U. S. Veterans.

Again, Thank you.

First trip to Cracker Barrel!

This one is short...just a few pictures! We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way home Sunday for lunch!








Playing the infamous Cracker Barrel game...she defintiely is a genius! ;-)

Teagan's first wedding!

We went to Virginia this weekend (as you can tell by the first post) and Teagan attended her very first wedding! She did great! She slept through the wedding then woke up a little afterwards for some picture taking and then she woke up again during the reception for some more pictures! She was such a good girl! Everybody just "ooo-ed and ahhhh-ed" over her! She is amazing! We were so excited to see our friends from Virginia! We hope to see them more often! Her friend, Lily, will be 2 years old soon!! Time is flying by so quickly!

Here are a few pictures of the wedding and reception!














Lily (almost 2) and Teagan's feet!















Lily and Teagan hanging out after the wedding!















Aunt Juilie (the groom's aunt), Daddy, Me and Teagan!














Like father, like daughter...Daddy with 2/3 of his girls!















Cheesin' it up with Ashley after the wedding!















Me and my baby girl at the reception!















Pam, Teagan, Buck and Lily!















Lily playing at the table!














Me and my baby girl!

Overall, we had an amazing trip! It was great to visit with friends and Teagan was great. Also, there was a Starbucks right next to the hotel...which I took advantage of at least twice a day! Haha! We can't wait to go back and visit. Next time Josh will be with us! We missed him so much! It was great to get home to him Sunday evening!

Road trip!!

Teagan did amazing! She went on her first road trip this weekend and I swear she is the most amazing baby ever! She was great in the car and only got fussy if she got hungry.

Most of the time she was: looking out the window...
















or holding conferences with her gorilla, puppy and Jesus Loves Me bunny...

































or chewing on her puppy




or sleeping. We got her out when we crossed the Virginia line because I wanted to get her picture next to the Virginia sign! We attempted to put her sun hat on but it's still gigantic on her little head and her nose still isn't quite big enough for her sunglasses but we tried anyway!









Then we went sliding and then got back in the car and headed down the road!! We go to the hotel around 8:30-9ish and Teagan ate and went to bed! Even as much as she slept in the car on the road she slept like a champ last night!

Whitewater Center

We went to the Whitewater Center on April 2nd. Josh and I both had the day off and so we decided to take Teagan for a walk! It was great! She stayed awake for a good bit of the walk. The breeze off of the water felt wonderful and the sunshine was gorgeous! The only thing we'll do different next time is take the jogging stroller instead of the regular stroller. I had forgotten 3/4 of the trail around the water was GRAVEL and so the wheels on the regular stroller took quite a beating! We still had a great time though! We can't wait to go back!

Little update!

I haven't been as on top of the blog as I'd like to be since I've had to go back to work. I don't get to spend as much time with Teagan as I did and so I don't get to catch all the beyond adorable stuff she does now! Also, by the time I get home with her it's time to take a bath, eat dinner, feed her and then put her to bed so there isn't much downtime to blog. I will try to do better.
Our little girl will be 11 weeks old on Saturday! Time is continuing to fly by too quickly.

I love the mornings with Teagan. It's our special time because we wake up about 45 minutes before Josh does. She's been doing amazing. The last two nights she has slept 9 hours straight and she is my alarm clock because she gets me up around 5:30-6:30. I love going in there and getting her up because she is all smiles when I come in there to get her (even though she smiles a little bit bigger when her daddy peeks over my shoulder =-) ). This morning was especially funny. She got up around 5 this morning and was hungry. After I fed her I took advantage of the time and got her clothes out of the dryer while she played on her floor (the laundry "room/closet" is like 5 steps from her room so I can see her). I came back in her room and folded and put away her clothes while she was playing. Her grandparents (Josh's parents) got her a stuffed gorilla for Easter and so I put it by her head. She thought it was hilarious and started talking to her new friend! Then I put a book (from Auntie Livia) on her other side and she would go from talking to the gorilla to "reading" the book. It was so cute! I managed to get some pictures!