From Inmates to Playdates

Posts Tagged ‘Shoes’

Earlier in the summer, McDaddy and I talked about signing the boys up for swimming lessons.

I was skeptical because at the time, both of the boys were afraid to “go under water” and neither one of them had any interest whatsoever in doing anything in the pool besides playing on the steps. Each day before going into the pool, we held hands in the van and prayed for bravery, safety, and a willingness to try anything that they were asked to do during their thirty-minute lesson. And the first day, I might have added, ‘and please don’t let either of them have a big, hairy fit or cause a big nasty scene’.

Not that either of them have ever done either of those things, but, hey one can’t ever be too careful.

Despite the requirement to float (which required getting water in their ears) they had a great time.

They worked on freestyle, backstroke, floating, and becoming comfortable and confident in the water. At the conclusion of the lessons, Stevie was *almost* swimming.

I say *almost* because he gave 105% each day and worked really hard to be brave. I saw him go past his comfort zone and each day he pushed himself to do a little more. Yet, when it came time to give up the ‘boards’ he had trouble staying above the water.  He found that swimming was much easier while holding his nose and swimming under water.

That was before spending a week at Boy Scout Day Camp with eight other boys which concluded each day with pool time. On the last day of Day Camp, he climbed into the van and proudly announced that he could now ‘do the cannonball’ and ‘swim back to the side of the pool.’ My ears perked up and I replied, “Oh yeah?” I followed that up with, “Well, we’ll just have to make a trip to the pool tomorrow so you can show me.”

And that’s precisely what we did.

Our little family of four got suited up, lathered up, and heated up.

My sweet boy tucked his knees into his arms and flopped in the water like he had done it 382 times. Then, he worked his way back to the side of the pool doing freestyle looking like a drunken worm high on crack. His bony little body flipped and flopped and at the very core of all the movement, he *was* actually swimming.

But, I wouldn’t have asked Michael Phelps for his opinion on the matter.

We visited the pool several more times and worked on his form and making his movements smoother.

And now?

Now, he is swimming like a fish.

And when he’s feeling particularly rowdy, he flops over on his back and does the backstroke.

I am tickled to death that he can actually swim. It will make our vacation to Florida so much more enjoyable for him (especially since a couple of his cousins are swimming) and for us, too. 

That leads me to what Works For Me this fine Wednesday.

During swimming lessons, he had a tough time because he couldn’t keep his eyes open long enough to actually see where he was going.

So began my quest for swim goggles that actually kept the water out of his eyes.

I started my search at the dollar store which if I’m being honest was a mistake from the start because what can one expect from a pair of swim goggles that cost one hundred pennines?

You get what you pay for, right?

The stinkin’ strap wouldn’t even stay hooked.

The four dollar mask at the Mart of Walls ultimately had the same outcome even though they were more expensive than the first pair. They mask is probably manufactured at the same plant as the dollar duds.

The third pair ringing in at $7.00 each?

Were returned the next day.

At that point, it became a challenge to find one stinkin’ pair of goggles (well, two actually becuase even though Alex still isn’t a fan or going under water, I couldn’t ever justify not purchasing a pair of goggles for future bribery use) that did NOT fill up with water at the point of entry.

Oh shoot. It’s storming and the lights are flickerin’. I need to wrap this up before I lose it.

Anyway, to make an extremely long story short complete, I am happy to report that we found not one, but TWO pair of goggles that get the job done.

As it turns out, Buzz Lightyear knows a thing or two about swim goggles. Even a pair on the clearance rack for $2.77.

Two dollars and seventy-seven cents, people.

That’s unheard of  in the swim goggle industry.

And believe me, I know of what I speak.

Being the skeptical that I am, I also insisted on purchasing a high falutin pair of goggles at Dick’s Sporting Goods for $23.00. Because after you’ve spent 2/3 of your summer searching for a decent pair of swim goggles, it’s highly unlikely that Buzz Lightyear and his peeps know anything about swim goggles.

Especially ones that cost $2.77.

Sorry, Buzz. I owe you a big, fat apology for bad-mouthing you in Aisle 16 at the Toys-R-Us. I was sure your goggles would be junk.

I am pleased to announce that the 2010 Great American Hunt For Swim Goggles is officially over.

If you or someone you love (or someone that has spent a ridiculous amount of time searching for goggles) is in need of a decent pair of swim goggles, I suggest you start with Buzz and his friends.

That way you’ll have plenty left over to buy mama a new pair of shoes.

These swim goggles worked for me!

Visit We Are THAT Family for other things that might Work For You. And it’s doubtful that anyone else will use 975 words to talk about swim goggles.

What can I say?

A lot apparently.

It all started when McDaddy agreed to do a little bit of work on this Jeep.

Remember Justin? He’s the good friend of McDaddy’s who lovingly offered to mow our grass while McDaddy was deployed. The red jeep belongs to Justin and McDaddy had it here at our house doing some work on it as a wedding gift.

Yes, I said wedding gift.

I know. I know. Not my idea of a wedding gift either, but I didn’t get to vote.

Anyway. McDaddy and I were going to the funeral home and then out to dinner and then to SAMS. And he asked if I’d mind to take Justin’s jeep.

The ‘mones are raging and it had been one of those days. I decided to throw caution to the wind, (pun intended) and agreed to ride topless and doorless in Justin’s jeep wrangler. I pretty much knew my hair would be a hot mess, but I was confident that I could de-ruffle my feathers once we arrived at the funeral home.

That is, IF, I could figure out a way to mount the sucker, because it has been modified and sits about 112 feet higher than a normal vehicle.

Clearly, it was not going to be pretty.

McDaddy retrieved a folding stool out of the garage which aided in my entry. Once we were both in the thing, McDaddy started it up and pulled out of the driveway.

Approximately nineteen seconds into the trip, I was rethinking the decision.

We turned onto the main road out of our neighborhood. As we gained some speed, I felt the wind blowing through my hair. A smile came over my face and I surprised myself when I told McDaddy, “We need one of these!”

And as you might imagine, McDaddy was in total agreement.

When we hit the open road, it was as if McDaddy and I were foot-loose and fancy free all over again. I was in my glory. We laughed, and talked, and giggled. And I might, or might not have said, “Justin just got hotter.”

I let out a big yee-haw because it seemed like the thing to do.

I mounted the thing again at the funeral home. Again at dinner. And, again at SAMS.

At SAMS we filled the jeep with a humongous box (500) of Styrofoam cups, two drink dispensers, stuffed shells, ziti, a box of plastic spoons, and a new laptop backpack for McDaddy. Within minutes, we transformed that sexy topless jeep wrangler into a straight-up grocery getter. McDaddy wollered the boxes into the back seat carefully securing them so they didn’t go flying out the back seat.

By the fourth mount, I was getting the hang of it. I finally figured out that if I hoisted my left leg into the jeep first, and then pulled on McDaddy’s hand with one hand, and held onto the hand gripper with the other, I could successfully thrust myself upward and mount the passenger seat.

As I said, it wasn’t pretty.

By this time, the sun had set and it was almost dark.

I was really cold.

In fact, I was miserably uncomfortable, but y’all know I’m not one to complain, so I sucked it up and told McDaddy to turn on the radio. He turned on the CD player and Nickelback blared some sort of nonsense I could barely understand. It seemed appropriate for a topless jeep, but not so appropriate for 36-year-old adults who hadn’t the first clue what they were singing.

I asked McDaddy if we were too old to be blaring Nickelback with the top down.

Agreeing that yes, yes indeed, we were probably too old to be blaring Nickelback, he suggested I plug my iPhone into the little adapter thingie.

I hit my Workout playlist and began to dance around in my seat as Rob Bass belted out Joy and Pain.

It was a difficult task keeping my shirt tucked under the seat belt so as not to expose ‘the girls’to the elements and the outdoors, especially since my mind was focused on my chattering teeth. All at once, Bell Biv Devoe came through the speakers and I sang along, as they sang, ”Do Me.”  As if I were some sort of hip-hop dancer, I started waving my arms and shuffling my feet. I probably looked like a drunken goof-ball. As I attempted to prop my foot up on the bottom of the door frame, my shoe got hung up on the lip of the door frame and slipped right off of my foot.

My shoe went flying.

Seriously.

Flying, as in off of my foot. Out of the jeep. Onto the side of the road.

I couldn’t believe what had just happened and for some reason I was laughing hysterically.

When he discovered that my shoe was actually gone, McDaddy shook his head in disbelief

I asked if anyone was behind us, and sure enough there was. I silently thanked God for guiding my shoe onto the side of the road instead of into the windshield of the moving car that was behind us.

Then he asked if I wanted him to turn around and get my shoe.

We giggled all the way home at my stupidity.

And we arrived home with one less shoe than we left with.

Luckily, I was able to keep my shirt on.

Happy Friday, y’all.

And Justin, if you happen to be reading this, thanks so much for the fun time. I think I’ve actually found a jeep that I really like.

A busy time for mama robins…

 The perfect time to put some spring in your sassy step.

And of course,

Who wouldn’t want to spring into action in this sexy little ride?

What does spring mean to you?

This post is linked to You Capture over at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

I am a little out of my element this evening because I am not in my big, blue, bloggy chair.

Heck, I’m not even in West Virginia for that matter.

I was hoping  that we would be leaving the snow and cold behind and that we would enjoy some fun in the sun hundreds of miles from home. So  far, though, we’ve seen wind. LOTS OF STINKIN’ WIND. So much wind that it took my breath as I waited for McDaddy to open the gate from the lazy river here at the resort. 

Seriously, do you know how weird it is to be in Florida, and still be freezing your butt off? Well, not completely off, but you get the idea, right.? Even with all the vacation hoopla, there are still several things I did not do.

If you can believe that.

For instance, I did not work up a nasty sweat from the Wii Hula Hoop Event of 2010.

Because that would be embarrassing.

While attempting to fill a water bottle from the automatic water dispenser on the fridge, I did not neglect to hold the bottle directly under the water hose. Likewise, I did not find myself wiping spewed water from my eyes seconds later.

[Note to self: It is never a good idea to bend down to eye level with the water dispenser unless you are certain that your water bottle spout is directly aligned with the little water hose thingie!]

The next morning, it is not me who let out a squeal mere steps away from our front door because there was standing water on the tile floor and then there was me in a pair of flip flops. IF I had gone down (which I really have no idea how I avoided it), there is a really good chance that my purse (which was unzipped) would have flown off of my arm, its contents more than likely going all willy nilly, AND that my beloved iPhone would have went soaring right over the deck railing because I’m telling you the whole thing would have been ugly.

OH. MY. WORD. Believe me when I tell you that I am a klutz without any added variables such as standing water on a tile floor. I have no idea what kept me from going down.

I am being dragged to an outlet mall today, so there is a good chance I’m not having a good time and that I am not buying anything because me and shopping are not friends. I’d just as soon be in the kitchen trying out a new recipe.

Ahem.

That is all for me today.

Visit MckMama‘s place for other things that people did not do.

Well, if that title doesn’t grab your attention, I don’t know what will.

I’ll let y’all know how many visitors stop by Inmates via Google for searching for something to do with a wet t-shirt. I suspect there will be plenty. More on the wet t-shirt contest in a bit.

Last week, I mentioned I was attending a ladies retreat. Fifteen women from my church (and one visitor) enjoyed a weekend of food, fun, and fellowship. Oh, and did I mention food?

It is interesting to note that the retreat started at 5:00 pm on Friday and ended at 5:00 pm on Saturday.

Did I mention there was fun, fellowship and FOOD?

Oh internets.

We ate and laughed and ate some more. We talked into the wee hours of the night about fashion, shoes, our kids, the new cherry Dr. Pepper, and Deb’s yummy no-bake cookies.

The theme was “Garden of Friends” and everything was centered around flowers. Our retreat was based on this book by Penny Pierce Rose. Basically, each presenter was assigned a flower and we presented the flower based on its characteristics and related them to friends in our “garden of friends.”

I was assigned the sunflower. I love sunflowers. I have them all over my kitchen. I love sunflowers both for their size and their color. There are three characteristics of a sunflower. They stand strong, they seek the sun (Son), and they sow seed. In my garden of friends, I have several sunflowers. McDaddy is a sunflower.

As each flower was presented, we were to think about the qualities of the flower and write the names of friends in our “garden” that had the same qualities of the flower being presented. After each presentation we placed the post-it notes bearing the names of our friends on the flower that they represented.

As you can see, we have lots of Violet friends. Characteristics of the violet are humble, unselfish, go out of their way for others and often work behind the scenes. McDaddy is also a violet. (He is a great friend to have!) 

We also made these cute candle holders / coaster / whatever you want to use them for things.

We also made a picture frame, but for some reason I didn’t get a picture of those.

Anytime we have a shin-dig, I am in charge of games and entertainment.

I could just sit and read my blog to them, but I’m guessin’ that would get old. So, I try to real hard to come up with some great games and some great prizes.

The first ice-breaker we played involved those a snack pack of M&Ms. Each lady opened their snack pack and had to answer a number of questions based on the color of M&Ms that were in their pack.

Red = tell 1 fact about your childhood per red candy

Green = tell 1 fact about one of your hobbies

Blue = tell 1 fact about one of your job

Yellow = tell 1 fact about your dreams and aspirations

Brown = tell 1 fact about your last vacation

Orange = tell about something you like to do

It was a fun way to learn about each girl and as you can see from my snack pack, there were 18 M&Ms in the pack. It took a sweet forever for fifteen girls to get through 18 or so M&Ms.

After we went back to the “lodge” for the evening, we played a couple more games and then I made a grand announcement.

We were having a wet t-shirt contest.

Instructions – fold a t-shirt and place it in a ziplock bag. Fill the ziplock bag full of water smoothing the air out as you go. Repeat with a different t-shirt in a different ziplock bag. Freeze both ziplock bags. Remove the ziplock bags and announce that you are having a wet t-shirt contest. The first team to thaw their shirt and wear it wins.

First, you can try running warm water over it. 

 Just for fun, you might try cracking the ice on the side-walk.

Next, pull like crazy! 

Finally, wear it!

It was loads of cold fun!

Like I said, there was food, fellowship and lots of fun!

I love a good deal. And, as much as I love to shop, it’s not always easy to drag two kids around town while finding the cheapest place to purchase shoes or the latest, greatest new handbag I’ve got my eye on.

So, when I received an e-mail about a new web-site, Freshdeals.com, I thought I’d check it out. As expected, it was full of fresh deals. It’s also a great place to start fresh when you’re shopping for items such as clothing, electronics, beauty products, home decor, gadgets, toys, shoes, the Saturn Sky and much, much, more.

At Freshdeals.com, you will be able to ask product questions, search for the best prices, and share the latest deals with your friends. All in one nice, neat place. [McDaddy, are you taking note? You'll love it here.]

The site says

Fresh Deals is a refreshing new way for shoppers to find and share the latest online deals. We’ve spruced up your average shopping experience by offering a mix of fresh features including intuitive search and our thriving Questions & Answers community. Shoppers often have questions regarding the products they want to buy, but product reviews don’t always have the answers. Our community of experts can answer a wide range of product questions, strengthening consumer confidence when it comes time to purchase. Never settle for stale shopping again. Start fresh. Shop Fresh Deals.

On a whim, I did a search for my favorite shoe, the Nike Air Zoom Hot Shot (which might I add, I have not been able to find in any store in the Charleston area for months) Freshdeals.com helped me find the shoe on two different sites and with the click of a button, I could have purchased the shoe. (Sadly, it was only available in size 11).

Oh, and IF you’ve spent any time here at ‘From Inmates To Playdates’ you know that I triple heart the Saturn Sky.

As you might guess, I also decided to do a search for the Saturn Sky.

I’d like to take this opportunity to let McDaddy know that if indeed he is planning to surprise me with a beloved Saturn Sky, Heritage Saturn of Bel Air, Maryland has the absolute best deal on the 2009 Saturn Sky Roadster. Now, instead of trapsing all over the U.S. in search of the best deal, I’ve Freshdeals.com saved him the trouble.

Wow.

How easy was that?

Freshdeals also has a section for sharing product expertise and asking consumer questions. Apparently, no one has asked a question about the Saturn Sky or the Nike Air Zoom Hot Shot.

My favorite feature of the web-site was the FRESH DEALS section. There, I found coupon codes and promo codes for many items and services. There really are some great FRESH DEALS there on a variety of other retail sites. You should go over there and check it out!

Freshdeals.com will definitely come in handy during the upcoming holiday shopping season. Freshdeals.com works for me! 

Visit We Are THAT Family for other Works For Me Wednesday posts.

———-

This is a compensated review from Freshdeals.com.

Hello Internets!

Today’s Thursday Thirteen will be a little different than what you’re used to.

I thought it might be fun to shake things up a bit.

So, I gave Stevie my camera and instructed him to snap pictures of 13 things in our house that he wanted to show you. Besides some technical help from me (and you should know that I am playing fast and loose with the whole technical help thing) he took the pictures himself and chose what he wanted to show you. The only stipulation was that he could not photograph 13 toys.

He provided the narration and at times I had a time keeping up with him. He can talk way faster than I can type. I’m not at all sure where he gets that from. (Ahem!)  He is definitely his daddy’s son. He didn’t leave out any important details and paused to make sure I got it all recorded just the way he wanted.

And now, may I present, Thursday Thirteen – Thirteen Things From Stevie 

———

1. “The TV is special because we can watch shows like Tom & Jerry and see what else is on”

And because it provides mommy with some great entertainment.

2. “This is one great game because it’s very easy and very fun!” I play it when I feel bored and feel like doing something fun!”

3. “This is a Cub-Scout manual. It tells you what the cub-scout sign is, like wolf ears, the salute and it tells you what all we do in Cub Scouts. I like cub-scouts because it’s fun!”

4. “You think this is the way this monster truck El Toro Loco looks, but its really not because Alex tore a horn off of it when we were camping at Carter Caves.”

5. “This hat is just like the manual because it is from Cub Scouts, also. Except for it’s different. I wear it when I go to Cub-Scout meetings with dad and Levi and his dad, Eli and Jordan and his dad, Josh and Jackson, and his dad and his brother.”

6. “This bed may look like a car to you because it has wheels on the bottom and a license plate, but its a bed. And the funny part of it is, on the back license plate it says Snooze which means you’re snoring!”

7. “We helped daddy change this faucet a long time ago. Once he yelled up to me and asked if any water was coming out of the pipe, I said no. He said that’s the best thing I ever heard because water was flying out all over the place before that.”

8. “This Mario Cart Wii backpack is just like the game which is the second picture, but, except it has a 3-D scratchy part and it shows you Mario, Wario, Toad and Luigi. This backpack goes with me to school.”

9. “The boots that look like fireman boots are mine. I took them on the scout camping trip at the Kanawha State Forest and I stepped in the creek a couple times and we had a paper cup race down the creek and mine was #6 and then we stopped the race and then I raced a broken cup and my cup together and they both got stuck on a waterfall and I stepped in to find out where it was and the water was too deep and got in my boots and um, they were kind of damp so I didn’t get to wear them on the hiking trip on Sunday up to this huge rock called Alligator rock and the alligator is a rock-eyed alligator.”

Can I just say that the fact that my sweet boy included shoes in this blog makes me smile! The boots were line up in a row and he wanted to turn his boots around so that he could take a picture of the fire badge.

10. “You know this vehicle may look clean, but as usual on off-roading trails we get it so muddy you can’t even see the black. This is one of the best vehicles I like because it has a winch on it now. The wench is for towing other JEEPS out of stuck trouble because they may just spin right out and go right down a hill and it also gets us out of stuck trouble because we can hook ours to a tree and someone else can hook to the tree and it can pull us out of trouble. I took this picture because I wanted to write about this, I really like this, and, on the way home from the camping trip on Saturday I got to switch gears in the Jeep and even when it wasn’t running very well and then on the way home, he let me switch gears again. This is the only vehicle I get to switch gears in and only if mom and Alex stay here, cause if mom and Alex are in there, me and Alex have to sit in the back.”

11. “A long time ago, we had this thing full of toys but now its just half-way full and that’s because we put things back in the right spot, that’s how it got half full. And a long time ago, I think it was a few days before that, me and dad sorted my toy tools and put them back in the right spot. I sorted the black screws in one drawer and the gray screws in the other drawer of my tool bench and I found a black pair of pliers and I decided to put them in a seperate spot.”

12. “This we hardly ever ask to go out and play on because its getting cold. Papa and Dylan helped me and dad build this. After it was already built, me and Alex pretended to build it again. We used toy tools.”

13. “This is a riding toy motorcycle. It may look like a real one because it has vents and something that can hold the tires together but it is not real because it does not have an engine. The way you make it move is by paddling your feet on the floor. I hardly ever ride it because I have more interesting stuff rather than doing that.”

Now, wasn’t that fun?

Yes, I thought so too!

He pays close attention to detail and loves to talk.

Sounds like a perfect DNA match to his dad and his mama.

Enjoy your Thursday, y’all!

I’m not sure where this idea came from.

It’s no secret that I love shoes.

It’s also no secret that I love to talk.

So when I get the chance to talk about shoes, well, let’s just say you can chalk it up to a really good day.

I thought this might be a cute way to showcase some of my fabulous shoes, and believe me, I have more than my share.

In no particular order, may I present to you, the winners of the 2009-2010 Shoe Superlatives.

1. MOST UNFORGETTABLE –

While this shoe is unforgettable, I think you’ll admit it is fabulous. A friend of mine at our church was wearing a pair just like these and I commented how cute they were. Three weeks later, after a trip to the beach, she brought these to me. I have only two shirts that these shoes match. They are, quite possibly, the most uncomfortable pair of shoes on the planet. That, coupled with their bright, sparkly adornments make them the most unforgettable shoe in my closet.

2. BEST ALL AROUND -

These are my go-to guys when I need comfort. Granted, they are not the prettiest. Or even flattering. The guy that invented the Croc has my vote. The Croc flip-flop is the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn. It truly is the best all around shoe.

3. MOST ATHLETIC –

I have said it before and I will say it again. You will not find a more comfortable tennis shoe. Ever. It might be a little tough to see, but the back of this shoe is open. While that may not be such a great thing in the middle of the winter when there’s a foot of snow on the ground, it certainly makes hot, sweaty days more bearable when your kicking around town in these suckers. Nike, you outdid yourselves with this shoe. Even the cute pull string thingie is great. You’ll never have to tie your shoe strings again.

4. MOST FLIRTATIOUS -

If these shoes don’t scream flirty, I don’t know what does. The only problem is that they are very uncomfortable. I always have blisters just below my pinky toe when I wear these with one of the two outfits they match.

5.  MOST DRAMATIC -

I call these my JLo boots. Mainly because I look feel like JLo when I wear them. They are sassy and sexy and dramatic. I typically try to steer clear of heels because I am the biggest klutz you will ever meet, but the heel is big and clompy and safe. I love strutting around in these boots even though I probably look like an ostrich. Tommy Hilfiger sure knows how to make a cute boot.

6. CLASS CLOWN -

If ever there was a clown shoe, the original croc would be it. I’m not generally a fan of the original croc except for kids. I am a fan of the latest shoe craze however and so I do own a pair. The only suggestion I would make is to steer clear of purchasing a pink croc because unless your OCD permits it, you will not want to wear these shoes with anthing except for a light pink shirt. And, you will only wear them if you do not want to look like a clown. Sadly, its hard to beat the comfort.

7. CUTEST COUPLE

 Awww. Aren’t they sweet? I think y’all will agree that this is one cute pair of shoes. Fit for a princess, I say. Not fit for wearing when you’re driving a stick shift heap, ahem! I mean JEEP because you might accidentally almost plow your mailbox down. But, for any occasion other than that, this sweet pair will get you noticed all over town. I have these in black and brown.

 8. TALLEST –

 I knew when I purchased these suckers, it was a bad idea. Although they are cute as can be, they are tall and uncomfortable and tall. And when you’re talking about shoes and me, well, let’s just say the flatter, the better. Still, these are some cute shoes.

9. SHYEST -

These shoes aren’t sassy or fun or original. They are just kind of blah. They stay to themselves and come out when needed from the bottom of the pile. Oh, and that middle section rubs a nasty blister on the top of my foot if I wear them for too long. 

10. BIGGEST NERD -

This is the shoe that I called on when I was pregnant and big as a house. I also have this same shoe in black (wow. who knew I had so many of the same shoe in black and brown?) They are easy to slide on and easy to slide off. Unfortunately, my feet swelled to about four times their natural size both times I was pregnant, so now, these shoes do not fit properly. Still, they are comfortable. Sadly, I am afraid they are way out of style.

11. MOST UNIQUE -

It’s hard to explain these bad boys. The heel of this shoe is actually wood. The denim fringe you see is just as cute in person as it is here on the blawg. As with many of the others, this is one uncomfortable shoe. (Why do we do that, girls?)

12. MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED…

in falling off, that is. This is the most difficult shoe to keep on my foot. It’s cute and sassy and whathaveyou, but unfortunately, I have a hard enough time just walking, much less walking in some kind of mess like these. I’m telling you, its not easy.

And, I’ll tell you something else that is apparently not easy.

Counting to thirteen, that’s what.

Somewhere between my shoe posing and shoe picking, I lost count and only photographed twelve pair of shoes.

I’ve told y’all before that math is not my strong suit. I wasn’t kidding.

Let me just run over to Google and grab a shoe.

13. BEST DRESSED -

I found this shoe at Zappos.com. They are cute and they look like a really, great shoe.

Product Information:

• Chic and simple, the ‘Tyra’ thong sandal is a wardrobe essential.
• Textured leather upper.
• Poron® padded and leather lined footbed for all day comfort.
• Lightweight injected rubber sole.
• Handmade in Italy.

7.00 oz.

1 1/4″ heel.

And at $274.95, these shoes are proof that I can pick the most expensive item out of a line-up without even trying.

$274.95?

Seriously?

A Wardrobe essential for who?

Certainly not a lowly SAHM who makes a dollar and some change from her blog each month.

Oh well.

Have a great Thursday, y’all.

Dear Alex Ryan:

Today was your first day of pre-school.

You couldn’t wait to wear your ‘new school shoes’ and be a ‘big school boy’. It is so hard to imagine that you are old enough to go to pre-school. It makes me a bit sad to know that you are growing up and becoming independent. I will miss you so much on school days.

I couldn’t help but smile when you walked into your classroom today. You were excited and confident.

I thought about you all morning. I wondered if you were minding your manners. If you were making friends. If you were missing Stevie. If you were missing me and daddy. I wanted you to have a great time and enjoy every second of it. I wished I could have watched you through the window.

When the time came to pick you up, I was excited to hear all about your day. I watched as your class appeared at the top of the steps. I could tell you had a great day!

As  you walked to the van from the car-pool line, you were smiling and yelling in all caps ‘LOOK MOM, I GOT A NEW FOLDER’

When I asked you how your day at school was, you replied, “It was a great day. I got a new school folder, but I don’t think I have a homework, I got to play outside for recess and everybody loved my new school shoes.”

Sweet boy, if everyone likes your shoes, it is indeed a good day.

I am so happy that you had a great first day at school. I love you, sweet boy!

Love, Mama

——–

I’m also happy that my beloved Canon PowerShot A720 was able to capture the memory for all of eternity (and for McDaddy who is working out of town this week!).

The Canon powershot works for me.

Visit We Are THAT Family for more things that might work for you!

It’s been a fun, relaxing weekend.

We spent Labor Day weekend camping with 12 families from our church. We had a great time with great friends.

Of course with that many people, you know there is lots for me to learn.

What did I learn? Oh, I thought you’d never ask.

Horses are measured in hands. A hand equals four inches.

A new blog design is so! very! exciting! (wink, wink)

Liberty University received $325,000. for playing West Virginia University in football on Saturday. I was shocked to hear that because our economy is faltering and people are struggling, yet, college teams receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to play another team? Professional players receive millions of dollars to handle a ball. It’s absurd!

If your kids are due for shots, there is a really good chance they will spend more time dreading the shot, than they will crying about the actual shot.

When  you order a shirt that says “Go Topless” from All Things Jeep Dot com, you should be ready to explain it 329 times the day you wear it with your church camping group.

The Croc flip-flop is quite possibly the most comfortable shoe on the planet. (I didn’t really learn this fact this week, but it’s worth sharing because it is so true!)

When your six-year-old insists he can pour his own chocolate milk, you should by all means follow him to the camper to ‘help’ or else you will be spending the next fifteen minutes wondering why you didn’t.

A new blog design is very exciting.

What?

I’ve already said that?

Well, I said it again because it’s worth repeating.

Very! Exciting!

So, stay tuned! I’ll be hosting a Big Reveal real soon!

And I’ll just tell you that it’s going to be very exciting!

Enjoy your Tuesday, y’all!