Having a good week at home with Gavin. However, it's been a whirl-wind of errand after errand. Poor guy has taken his name in my car twice now. We had lunch today with Jeff at Leon's Full Service in Decatur. Very tasty! If you ever go, split the Frites and make sure you get the Goat cheese fondue as a dip. Yum yum!!!

At least I've made it to the gym twice this week- hopefully, I can go again tomorrow!

Looking forward to the 1st, we're going up to my dad's to see Joseph and Lynne, who are in town for a handful of days.

Christmas was a blast! Nevermind that it took us 3 hours to open all of Gavin's gifts...yes, the parentals (that would be me and Jeff) went a little overboard. I guess that's what happens when you start buying early! Oh well- Gavin had a blast and he's really enjoying his toys this morning.

I think we're going to try to go to Stone Mountain this afternoon with Mercedes and her clan. Should be fun- Gavin has so much fun with her daughter, Celtyn.

Merry Christmas all!

So we're on T-minus 1.5 days until Kris Kringle comes dashing to our roof and rolling down our chimney. Gavin is in full-force, "I'm-ready-bring-on-the-presents" mode. The stockings have been hung, the cookies are almost ready and yes, I'm still wrapping presents. It never fails, every year I say to myself, "Self, this year, we're going to start wrapping at least 3 presents a night starting mid-December. We're NOT going to wait until 2 or 3 days prior to the big day. That's just crazy and stresses you out every year." And yet, here I am, blogging, not wrapping presents, like I should be doing.

Guess I ought to get on that, huh?

Managed to get the first set of family gifts off today. Not too bad, certainly better than a couple of years ago when I didn't even send stuff out until AFTER the new year!

I'm listening to a Facebook seminar right now. Very interesting stuff- who knew that it's basically got so many users that it's the 3rd largest country in the world (even larger than the U.S.). Crazy!

Jeff and I watched a really interesting documentary last night- part of the "30 for 30" series on ESPN. It was about the Gretzky trade in the late 80s. Funnily enough, it was directed by a guy named Peter Berg. He's directed a handful of movies over the past 20 years and he was in a movie that my brother and I used to watch when we were younger. You know, one of those cheesy, straight to cable, B-level movies- can't remember the name, but it was about snow skiing.

The documentary went into the business transaction of the trade at first, but then the personal emotion Gretzky had about leaving Edmonton to go to LA. I remember the trade, and I remember his wife getting thrown under the bus (speaking of B-level movies- anyone care to guess her name?). She was just part of the overall thing- ultimately, it was Wayne's decision to go ahead- apparently, he had the Edmonton coach trying to get him to change his mind all the way up to the live press conference. Anyway, interesting stuff.

Love those kind of documentaries!

Gavin's Xmas program was last night. If I don't say so myself, he was one of the cutest on the stage!

I was such the gushing, proud parent when he started to actually sing (and rather loudly, might I add). He seemed to have a jolly good time and we enjoyed the program a bunch.

Afterwards, we all went out to dinner, where, we were all impressed again as he really behaved and ate most of his grilled cheese sammy. This is a feat upon itself in that we're oftentimes trying to shove food down his mouth!

So, when I first started blogging, not even sure how long ago, I really, really thought I'd be much better at keeping up with it than I obviously am. Sometimes, I have moments of creativity and words in my head that just have to get out, most times, however, I'm at a loss for words.

We at the Stevenson household have gone full-out, lights a blazin' Christmas at home. Gavin is finally getting to the age where St. Nick is more than a name, he's getting excited and anxious about the big party day. Last year, someone gave us the Elf on the Shelf. Have you seen that? It's totally adorable. We named ours Sparkle. Each morning, G man comes downstairs and goes searching. I kind of wondered if he would get into it at first, but with all the lights up and Santas strewn throughout the house, he totally gets it.

Funnily enough, we haven't even gotten our real Xmas tree yet. I've only got the artificial white one up on the back porch. Weather permitting, we'll cut our real one down this weekend. Yes, I did say "cut." Last year, Jeff and I, after purchasing our pre-cut tree from our church, drove by a couple of tree farms and got the itch. I kind of envision a non-snowy version of "Christmas Vacation." Although, secretly, I'm hoping it's pretty easy and lives up to my fairytale expectation of cutting down my own Christmas tree.

Hopefully, I'll remember to actually blog about the experience over the weekend!!!

This is one of my fav times of the year. I'm so looking forward to Turkey Day, and, we've already started putting up Xmas decor. Is that wrong? Is it too early? Since Gavin is 3 now, I think I'm more excited about Xmas since he's going to get all into it.

Speaking of the little man, he had to join mommy at work yesterday. Their school had a gas main break in front of it and everyone was sent home. Can I tell you how easy it is to try and work with a 3 year old? (um...it's not, dripping with sarcasm there).

Once we got home, we had a good time though. Since Jeff's had class so much lately, G man and I have been hanging out a bunch, it's been really nice! I actually got smart and made a bunch of food ahead of time so when we get home, I can just heat stuff up and go! Geez, what a concept!

Just noticed it had been awhile since my last post! All is good in the Stevenson household. We're getting ready to head to St. Louis for Turkey Day. Very much looking forward to some old-fashioned family fun. I haven't seen that side of my family in a while and half of them haven't met Gavin yet! I suspect he'll have a roaring good time with all of his cousins!

Speaking of family, I was happy to meet more of Jeff's family last night. His cousin and her daughter stayed with us. Hopefully, we'll get to see them more often as the daughter has moved to Warner Robbins with her husband.

Happy Halloween!

The family Stevenson had such a great day yesterday! Gavin is now 3 years old and this was his first time to go door to door for trick-or -treatin'! At first, he was a little hesitant, but as soon as he realized he got candy at every doorstep, it was game on!

He dressed as Spider Man and looked totally adorable (of course, yes, I'm partial).

Dad came down and we all walked around the 'hood for about an hour. We even took the dogs!

Don't you love being gone from work a week and coming back to a huge inbox!?!?!

So I've been a little bit out of it for awhile. Sometimes you just have to take a break! It's Sunday, the fam is just relaxing watching a little football. Glad to be back home after a whirl-wind "vacation" in New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania. Can't really be a vacation if I'm exhausted, right? We definitely have a list of "What to Do Next Time" we go on a trip together! First and foremost, TAKE A STROLLER!!!

Seriously, we had a good time, but NYC is no place for a little man to be walking around all the time. He ended up on daddy's shoulders 90% of the time. I guess it didn't help that it was raining one of the days we were there. After this trip, I'm thinking I'm more of an all-inclusive, lay around and do nothing kind of vacation girl.

Coming home, it sure is nice to have the weather cool off! I can feel a fire coming on pretty soon- gear up for roasted marshmellows and hot chocolate! Bring it!!!

Very tired today. Need a break.

GREAT weekend with friends. Got to see Joy, who's in town from Denver. Hung out with the gang on Saturday at Melton's App & Tap. So much fun seeing everyone!

Today I went to my old neighbor's funeral. She was a sweet old lady- Claire Miller. It was nice to spend time with her family. It was a bittersweet time. She lived a long life- 92 years on this Earth. She loved Gavin and his red hair. I will miss her.

On a happier note, looking forward to our vacation to NYC in a month! We've found out Jeff's family is going to host a party at his aunt's house while we're there. Will be great to finally meet some of his cousins and they get to meet the little man. We think Jeff's mom and husband will join us, but not sure.

We had a grand holiday weekend up in the North Georgia Mountains. Saturday, we went to our first corn maze- if you haven't done one, it's worth it! We had such a great time and finished it off with a hay ride. That was Gavin's favorite part. We took a leisurely drive up through Blairsville, Young Harris and Hiawassee on Sunday. My, how YHC has changed! There are two new dorms there and a handful of new buildings. Plus, the baseball fields are incredible!

Just found out I have to go back to the skin doctor to get more removed around a mole they took off a couple of weeks ago. Fun. Oh, and I'm going to get stitches. Even more fun. And, and, it's right where my bra strap hits on my back. Lovely. I'm not too worried about it, I think it's more of a precautionary measure. The initial test didn't come back positive for melanoma, they just want to clear out the rest of the cells that could potentially change.

On a happier note, looking forward to a little visit with Chuck and Questa in St. Simons this weekend! I hope the weather holds up and we have a lovely weekend!

For all you Bulldog fans, this one's for you:
Greatest Headline in the History of Sports Journalism

This morning, as I was laying in bed, I had a great idea for an interesting post, yet, as I sit here and type, nothing is coming to mind. Disappointing.

Little man was sick for a couple of days this week. Actually, he just had a low-grade fever. I think he was fighting something off. Anyway, it did give me the chance to spend more time with him!

Right now, we're gearing up for college football season- very excited!

Today marks what would have been my mother's 66th birthday. Kind of crazy. Happy Birthday mom, just know that Gavin and I will be enjoying a little cupcake in your name tonight.

Jeff heads off to Dallas this afternoon. His grandmother died about 4 months ago and the family is just now holding the Memorial service. Can I ask? Is this normal? Anyway, he's going to see family he hasn't seen in almost 25 years! I can't imagine that...I mean, I guess I can, I haven't seen my uncle that lives in Boston in about 7 years. I'd like to think that sometime between now and the next 17 years, I'll get up there to see him and his family.

Lucky Jeff might go to the home opener for the Dallas Cowboys tonight. Wait, is it the home opener? I'll have to check that, I don't think it is, WAY too early. Regardless, a preseason game is fun too!

Gavin and I are going to be little social butterflies this weekend. Tonight, we're having dinner with Mercedes and her clan at Everybody's Pizza. Yum! Tomorrow morning, we're heading to Piedmont Park for a little jaunt with Andy and Rashid. And tomorrow night, we're having birthday ice cream with Aba and Abo (a.k.a. Tim and Mary Lee). Fun! At some point, I'd love to make it over to the pool, especially before they shutter the doors for the season, but not sure that's going to happen!

FINALLY- I'm trying out Twitter...

Had a really nice weekend! Saturday, we went over to the Audubon house to take a look at the backyard. Man, she hasn't done anything to it in 2 years! It was a jungle way in the back, you couldn't even see the greenhouse! So, Jeff and Miguel cleared away about 75% of it to clean it up. There are tons of plants back there (hostas, ferns, Rhodos, Azaleas) that we can transport over to Grand Prix. That will save us a ton in $ for plants!

The deck needs some work, but I'm hoping it's nothing more than replacing the decking...not the whole thing (keep your fingers crossed for us!).

At home, we finally planted new plants in the ground (after a year and a half)! We have a garden bed right in front of the house that we put in some annuals (for a little color) and I planted herbs in some pots. I figured the colder weather is around the corner, so I might as well keep the herbs in a transportable state!

Gavin had so much fun helping us! He loves to play in the dirt. It just made Jeff and I realize how much we need to get the backyard cleared out more so he can go outside and play with no worries (well...not completely without worry!!!).

Speaking of the little man, he got up at about 2:30am last night. I love those middle-of-the-night wake up calls!!! Feeling a little sleepy today....

Thankfully, today is Friday. We're going over to the old house tomorrow to start cleaning up the yard, which needs a little TLC. My dad and Deb are coming down to hang out with Gavin while Jeff and I go over there. Looking forward to the visit, I think they are staying overnight.

Last night, hung out with a bunch of the gals and had a few drinky-poos. Had so much fun! It was a birthday celebration for one of my friends- her 30th!!! Ahhhh...30...welcome to the 3rd Floor Fanny!

Speaking of b-days, today would have been my grandfather's b-day. Totally miss him. He was the granddaddy that everyone had so much fun with! He'd pick up a pinecone and use leaves and berries to make it into a makeshift owl. He got a kick out of teasing squirrels and watching them try to get to food that he'd booby trapped with obstacles. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't trying to hurt them, just make them work for the food!

So, Happy Birthday Granddaddy! I miss you!

Everything's going well in the Stevenson household. Gavin starts a new classroom next week. We're still working on the whole potty training thing- still not fun! He's almost got it, but #2 gives him trouble. He'll get it, right? It's not like he'll go off to college wearing a Pull Up at night!!!

In other news, Jeff is moving forward with his real estate gig- so excited! He's about to get his first listing, his 2nd will be my old house on Audubon. Now, part of me will be sad to see it go, the other part of me is like "good riddance!"

We finally went back to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens over the weekend. Yes folks, it had been a year. We had such a great time, then wondered why we'd let a year pass!!! We'll probably try to go again over the next couple of weeks. We'll see if we actually make it!

I am still fighting this cough. It's driving me nuts. I went to the DR and he gave me a handful of prescriptions, but so far, nothing's changed. Argh.

Jeff is out of town this week, so it's just me and the little guy. We're having a good time. We went up to Nashville over the weekend to visit with Windy and her family. Gavin had a blast with Fisher and Cooper! They have the best play room with all kinds of stuff! It was like being at a toy store!

How bad am I for not even updating you with all the fun we had while we were on vacation a couple of weeks ago??

Little man is a bit under the weather this morning. The whole fam has had this cough for the past few weeks and his finally pulled him under. Jeff is taking him to the doctor as I type. Let's hope for the best!

Meanwhile, we're traveling the streets in a new (used) vehicle- 2006 Honda Pilot. Can I just say, I will never stray again? I will always own Honda.

Just a quick update since it's been so long!

Check out some pix from Gavin's b-day party at his school:
Click Here

Today was Gavin's birthday- 3 years old! I can't believe it. I took cupcakes over to his school for all the kids. Poor little guy was a little overwhelmed when everyone sang for him. I think he's more of a "behind the scenes" kind of kid. At least he had fun after the song was done!

I could definitly do with another day off!

This weekend was a blast! Saturday morning, we got the little man's hair cut- he looks so cute! Then we ran a bunch of errands (boring stuff like an oil change and grocery store run). After Gavin's nap, we went to the pool for awhile. Actually, it's the longest we've stayed all season long. Our trip got cut a little short by a "Code Brown" lock out around 5pm. Nice. Sucks for the pool though b/c they had an adult-only "Luau" scheduled to start at 6pm. Guess those folks weren't going to be getting into the pool!

Sunday we headed up to Lake Lanier after doing a drive by a couple of houses (nothing worth buying). It was Gavin's first time in the lake and he loved it! He kept screaming and laughing everytime the waves came rolling through. However, it was a little short lived and after about 30 minutes, he was ready to get out. Good thing Grammie and Tom-Tom were there to hang out with him up at the house while mom and dad could roll around the water for a little while longer!

We grilled out burgers and finished up with a little Key Lime Pie. All in all, fantastic day, incredible weekend! At least it can carry me through the first few days of the week!

TGIF- that's about all i have to say.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE summer! I love going to the pool with my family- Gavin is really digging the water this year! He even tried going sans life jacket the other day- of course, that only lasted until I let him go and he sank under the water! Jeff and I gave him props for the rest of the day and night for being a "big boy" who went under water. We made sure he "showed off" to anyone we saw so he wouldn't be scared of it. Of course, when we went back to the pool last night, he wasn't so willing to try again.

I get daily emails (or weekly, I forget) from the "America's Test Kitchen" folks. LOVE LOVE LOVE that show. If you've never seen that show, I highly recommend it. They go back to basics a lot and also present the best way to cook something for the best taste. I also like that they do taste testing of brands that you see in a regular grocery store, not just some gourmet shops where I hardly shop.

The host, Christopher Kimball, is pretty dry. Admittedly, I like him. He's not the "in your face" and loud "bam" kind of guy- very straight foward, in fact.

In today's email from him, I give you the following excerpt:

Our second oldest, Caroline, is finishing up a year working at a local Vermont bakery and is off to college in September. She also accompanied me, Adrienne, and three test kitchen employees — Bryan, Yvonne (who will be on the TV show in 2010), and Jacqui — to a Grateful Dead concert in April in Worcester, Mass., where we catered dinner for the band: Poached Salmon, salads, Muffuletta sandwiches, plus cookies and Applesauce Snack Cake. What was the band like? Very nice folks, polite, and, for the most part, good eaters. Bill Kreutzmann, one of the drummers, was particularly charming; he lives in Hawaii and says he enjoys a year-round diet of organic produce. Also there was Jeff Chimenti, the new keyboardist for the Dead, who also plays with Bob Weir and RatDog. Terrific guy.

It kind of made me laugh to see that he cooked lunch for the Dead. Totally threw me off, especially to see references to Bob Weir and RatDog (!!!). Had to share.

On another note- looking forward to the weekend- Dad is coming down tomorrow to hang out with us at the pool. We're going to Mercedes' son's Baptism tomorrow morning and having lunch with them afterwards. Should be fun.

TTFN!

I just love it when you type in a long blog entry and then Blogger errors out and you lose whatever it was that you wrote. Yup, that just happened.

So, now I'm frustrated and don't want to write anything. I'll get back to you tomorrow.

This holiday weekend might be a little dreary since it looks like it's going to rain. Right now, clouds are moving over the house and I can hear a little thunder in the distance. Gavin's taking a nap, we were hoping to go to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens after he wakes up. Guess we'll be playing that by ear.

Was really disappointed that Adam didn't get the AI top spot, but I know he'll go on to bigger things. Both guys are really good and I'll probably buy both of their albums.

Ahhh...here comes the rain.

For anyone who watched the finale of AI, that KISS performance was awesome! And, I really liked the Queen tribute as well. Both very well done.

Tomorrow we're supposed to go up to Jeff''s mom's house for a little b-day celebration. Should be fun, although, I doubt we'll get to go to the pool b/c again...it's supposed to rain.

I need to take a nap- I'm sitting on the back porch and there's such a lovely breeze coming through.

We've been to a handful of birthday parties over the past couple of weeks for kid's at Gavin's school. They've been a lot of fun! Last weekend we went to Leapin' Lizards in Decatur. Gavin had so much fun we stayed after the party was over for about an additional hour! Jeff and I hung out in the "parent's area" and watched him run around like a mad man. It was hilarious!

We're still trying to work our way through potty training. He had a little relapse over the weekend and he was wet more than he was dry. I guess that's ok, but man, I'm ready for this transition to transition! Any suggestions are appreciated and any thoughts of "I've been there, keep your head up" are welcome!

Definitely looking forward to the weekend. Between midnight potty runs for Gavin and some freakish thunderstorms at 3am, neither Jeff or I have gotten any sleep this week!

We have a b-day party tomorrow with one of Gavin's friends from school. Should be fun, a bunch of kids running around like nuts while parents exchange potty training horror stories. Actually, that's the part I'm looking forward to, afterall, misery loves company!!!

Sunday the fam is coming over for a Mother's Day/ b-day party celebration. Jeff and Debbie's birthdays are next weekend, so we figured we'd combine efforts so everyone doens't have to run all over town both weekends. I'm going to pick up a cake tomorrow...I wish I could bake one, but our oven hasn't been working properly since Xmas. Only the top heating element works, so baking is pretty much out of the question. Kind of stinks, actually.

Well, happy Friday!

Potty Party Weekend

So we had a little breakthrough last night on the potty train! Some wise mother wrote a blog about potty training and suggested reading to your kid so they relax a little bit. And internet, it worked! YES, we were in there for 45 minutes, YES, he only went a little bit, but YES, we partied like crazy afterwards!

I know we're not through the woods yet, but we've come upon a clearing and I'm hoping we hang out for awhile!

Gavin ran into school this morning all excited about going "pee pee in the potty!" (sorry to all you non-parents out there, these are the things that get you excited when and if you have kids).

Funny, Jeff and I know look at each other and we're like, OK, who's going to Toys R Us to stock up on a bunch of rewards? Don't get me wrong, we were prepared this weekend, but I don't know what either of us was thinking... Actually, I was thinking he'd be trained in 24 hours like my mom always said I was. Jeff's mom doesn't remember how long it took him.

So, reality has bitten a little bit and we're prepared for several weeks (or months) of this. That's OK, we're ready!

Now I know why everyone dreads potty training. It's hard! Since yesterday, we've only had a couple of successful runs to the potty. Even then, it was just a little and he peed big time in his pants five minutes later.

Of course, we're frustrated, we're not sure what we're doing wrong, or IF we're doing anything wrong.

Ok, back to the bathroom!

A bit about a button

Curious Case of Benjamin Button- saw it last night...cried my eyes out. I was so moved by the ending that I was still crying as I was brushing my teeth 15 minutes later. Not a pretty site, but the way.

What an incredible movie! And, like all good flicks that strike a cord, this one really makes you "think." Think about life, think about your relationships, how you spend your time.

SO- I'm going to avoid the computer this weekend and spend some quality time with the fam!

Happy weekend and hope your weather is as beautiful as mine!

Hey Internet, I'm walking in the March for Babies walk on April 25th at Centennial Park. I know times are tight right now and fundage isn't always that availble, but every little bit helps!

Click HERE to see my personal web page and learn more on how you can help!

Thanks!

Still fighting this stupid cold. Went to the doctor yesterday and he put me on an antibiotic. Lovely. It makes me feel dizzy. SO, now I act more flighty than ever!

The weather that moved through Atlanta on Monday took our power out for a couple of days. It finally came back on last night around 10p. Fortunately, it's not that hot outside, so sleeping the night before wasn't too bad.

We had to run up to one of our rentals in Gainesville last night. A big Oak tree came down in that same storm. It's leaning against another big Oak tree. And, you guessed it, insurance doesn't cover a thing since it hasn't landed on property. Doesn't mean we can leave it until it falls, just means that we have to come up with the $$ to take it down. Great.

and yes, I've basically been sick the entire time we've been here. I LOVE a good cold. Think I'm heading to El Doctor on Tuesday.

Weekend in Charleston has been very fun! Had a very nice date night with my hubby last night. Gavin has had a blast with his Aunt and Uncle.

Heading home tomorrow, not looking forward to the drive at all.

Heading to Charleston, SC tomorrow! Very exciting! AND, I'm feeling a little tickle in my throat- YAY! I LOVE getting sick just before vacation!

Wait, hold the presses- my little man is counting the stairs all the way down...holy cow! He made it to 20! Baby Genius!!!! And now he's crying for a cupcake...the moments are fleeting folks, but they're worth it!

On another mom note, check out this HILARIOUS video- MOM SONG. I cracked up! Even if you're not a mom, you'll recognize most of the key mom phrases this woman sings!

Guess I ought to go figure out why my child hasn't stopped screaming...

Today was a good day ~ we went to a birthday party for a couple of Gavin's friends- Sarah and Dash. It was at one of those kid's gyms where they run around, eat a bunch of sugar, then run around more. Love it.

Gavin actually gave the zip line a shot- mommy was proud!

He also followed around his "girlfriend" Sophia all day! It was totally adorable!

Sun is shining, there's no pollen on the ground, not a cloud in the sky...and I'm stuck inside with a sick little boy and hubby. My men are sick, in the first weekend we've had in several weeks without rain. Yes, life is good.

All joking aside, I'm sure we'll head out a little later this afternoon. Neither one of them are much for just sitting around ~ we all get cabin fever in a few seconds!

I think little man has allergies, unfortunately. He was holed up at home for the past couple of days with watery eyes and stuffy nose. Poor guy. Yesterday, we kept him home and watched movies on the couch all day. He drifted in and out of sleep. Right now, I'm thankful for all the rain to wash away that pollen!!!

Finally the trees are popping and the green is starting to fill in our backyard. It's so beautiful! Hopefully, we'll get to work outside a little bit this weekend.

Looking forward to Sunday, Gavin has a birthday party to go to for a couple of his school friends. I love going to kid parties! They crack me up! All these little 3 year olds running around like crazy- totally hilarious!

So, all was OK with my son's school. Sadly, a man was shot after taking his kids to school not too far from Gavin's school. Unfortunately, he didn't make it. Words can't express how horrible this is. Jeff and I drove by the house, there were police taking interviews of people walking by. So sad.

On a happier note, we finally took Gavin to the Aquarium! He had such a good time! His favorite part was sitting in front of the big glass and watching the sharks and whales go by.

So my son's school is in lockdown right now b/c there was a shooting not too far from there. Great. I'll post more as I find out what's going on. I think he's fine- I called the school.

Definitely ready for the weekend! Heading over to a friend's house so Gavin can play with her kids. It should be fun, I'm looking forward to it.

On Sunday, going up to mom in-law's for her b-day soiree. Definitely looking forward to some cake!

Rain, Rain, go away...come again another day!

Ok, I know we really need the rain, so I only partially agree to that. I guess I'm just having a case of the "Mondays."

It's been raining all weekend. We definitely need the rain, but I wish it would have fallen during the week! Today we're just going to stay in and clean house. Our bathrooms have seen better days. We'll probably run by an Open House in the neighborhood. You know us, curious neighbors! Plus, we can never resist seeing other houses.

Traveled up to Lake Lanier yesterday to see all the grandparents. Had a pretty good time. Gavin had a blast. GG and Pop Pop showered the little man with attention and fun. He passed out about 1 minute after we got in the car to head home.

Right now we're watching Curious George. It's funny how so many characters from when I was a little girl have continued on through the years. I guess we call them the "classics" these days! Yikes.

Here is the most interesting article. Did you know there were Elves in Iceland??? There's even an Icelandic Elf School. Oh yes, believe it people. Now, I want more than ever to go to Iceland. Honestly, I've always heard great things about the country, but this is just intriguing!

Not much to report around here. Gavin's having trouble catching up with the time change over the weekend. He just doesn't want to go to bed at night! Last night I had to throw out my strongest "mommy" voice ever when he snuck downstairs and hung out in the hallway for about 15 mintues before I realized it was him.

Frustrated

This is like the 5th time I've treid to update. For some reason, I've had trouble all weekend, no matter which computer I'm working from. Who know!?!?

Moving on, this weekend was GORGEOUS! We tried to stay outside as much as possible. We took Gavin to the park, went for rides in the 'hood and walked around our backyard. Of course, all of this fun doesn't come without consequences. I think Gavin has allergies. Poo little man was conjested Saturday night and ultimately ended up in our bed. Made for a very comfortable evening, coupled with the "spring forward" time change, I'm operating on very few energy cells this morning. I'm actually considering loaded coffee (and I'm a decaf girl).

TODAY...

This day is always weird for me. March 5th is the anniversary of my mom's passing. Right now, I'm good. I'm happy with my life and love my husband and child. I do miss my mom, almost every day. I look at Gavin and wish that she could more than just a picture or story and be part of his everyday life. However, I know, I feel, that she's here every day, or, at least, I need to believe that she is.

What gets stranger for me as the years go by, we're now at 9 years, is that the years keep moving on, days continue, time does not stop. It's interesting when you go thru something like losing a loved one, especially one that you're close to, you want time to stop and everyone to know what's happening to you, but at the same time, you're glad it goes on.

All the old cliches come into play- "time heals all wounds," "life goes on," "tomorrow is another day" and so on. Funny, all of them are true.

So, today is a celebration of her life for me. I miss her greatly. Love you mom.

Right now, we have a weird sked going on. Several evenings, I'm home with the Little Man and Jeff is "at work." Honestly, I am really beginning to like this schedule. I leave work right at 5:30 (which, is rare for me since I tend to want to work late and get little stuff done). A couple nights a week, I take Gavin with me to the gym- he has a blast playing with the other kids and on all the playground equip inside. The only tough parts are cleaning up the kitchen (usually from the night before) and then cooking dinner. By the time I get to eat, sometimes its as late as 9:30p!

It'll be easier once we get back to a normal schedule.

Looking forward to this weekend, after a bit of arctic snow on Sunday, we'll be seeing summer weather with 75 degree temps on Saturday! How bizarre.

This weekend was good, I had to work for a few hours on Saturday, but it went well. Saturday night, we went to a hockey game. Gavin was a little excited, so we had to leave early. They took away our favorite area to play with him- the mini-hockey area.

It snowed all day yesterday! At one point, it was beautiful outside! Here's the strange thing, it thundered a couple of times. How bizarre is that!? Snow is falling beautifully outside, then WHAMMO- thunder claps. The weather guy said it's called "Thunder Snow." Who knew such a thing existed!?!?

Of course, with the little snow that's left on the ground, all the Atlanta schools are closed and I'm at home with the little man. Jeff went in to work, he said our neighborhood is pretty bad, but driveable. I'll probably go to the gym around 11a.

Well the game was a blast last night! The Thrashers won- go team! Dad and I had fun, plus, our tickets were awesome! We were 6 rows off the ice in the attack corner. I mean, they were great, until we sat in front of the fab four. These 4 guys behind us would not shut up. And, really, I get that most games are a social thing, but one guy had the most annoying voice! Similar to Ray Romano, except, NOT HIM and NOT FUNNY. He told his buds some story about a bad date he went on recently and in the middle of the story, he's like "well, I won't bore you with the details." Really, TOO LATE! Sadly, one of the guys was actually on a date, and he didn't talk to her ONCE during the game. Actually, I take that back, he spoke with her only after his other friends went up to get food.

Needless to say, dad and I only lasted until the middle of the 2nd period, then we moved. Oh well, we enjoyed the seats for a little bit!!!

Here's a random piece of knowledge for you...Trader Joe's, a store I have come to love and adore, is actually owned by a German mega-store owner! Kind of like Sam Walton of Wal-mart! Just a little surprising...and honestly, not sure why. It's not like I think a German doesn't have the capacity of owning such a great store. I think it's because Trader Joe's feels like more like a local country store...something you'd find in deep Americana.

Speaking of Trader Joe's...mmmm....sounds like something good for dinner!

EXCEPT, tonight is hockey night. Now, it's looking like the Thrashers are doing a little bit better. No, they haven't won the last five games in a row or anything, but when you watch them, they are playing better. So, keep your fingers crossed for tonight's game!

I've noticed that my postings are getting less frequent. It's funny, sometimes I come here and start to type and realize I don't have much to say. I guess that happens to anyone who has a blog.

Anyway, today we're relaxing a little bit before I have to go to work. It's Sunday, but at least "work" today is at the Georgia Aquarium. Jeff is going to bring Gavin down about half way through the day so we can take him around to see the fish. I think he'll like it.

Yesterday, Jeff and Miguel worked in the backyard some more. It's so incredible to see the transformation. When we first moved into our house in October 2007, you couldn't see the floor of the backyard. We have 10 acres of land behind us (we wish we owned it) that's all woods. Back in the day, it was a lake and our house sat at the entrance to what was going to be a park. Then, the dam broke and no one wanted to fix it. So, now we have undevelopable land behind us. Great for us!

When we moved in, we saw the huge potential of the backyard. There's a creek about 100-125 feet off the back. All the land in between needed to be cleared. So, we took down a handful of trees and cleared all the bushes. Now, you can see all the way to the creek.

Jeff hopes to have a big field back there so he can play ball with Gavin. I think it'll be neat to have such a big backyard with a creek.

Happy Prez Day!

This weekend was really nice. We started out by going to the circus Friday night. Gavin had a really good time. He especially likes the animals- especially the horses. Honestly though, I was a little dissappointed by the show, it was kind of boring this year. We went last year and the song and dance was much better. We didn't stay for the whole thing though, it would have been too late for the little man.

Saturday morning we took Gavin to get his umpteenth haircut. He actually didn't like it so much. Normally, he does just fine...who knows, maybe he was having a bad day.

Sunday we got to see Chuck and Questa. Jeff and I wish they lived closer, we really enjoy their company. It was great to see them.

Today Gavin and I mostly hung out at the mall. We both had the day off. We started it the morning at the gym. It was pretty nice to be able to let him play in the kid's area why I hit the treadmill. Fortunately, the movie on TV was Invincible. Always inspirational! Plus, I can look at Mark Wahlberg any day...

The weekend was good, we went to two hockey games, of course, we lost both of them. BUT, today Gavin went with us and he had a blast. It was an early game- it was a perfect time for him. He gets so excited when he sees Thrash!

Little man and I will be hanging out for the week since Jeff will be working late. Should be a good week, we've started potty training. How exciting, right? Actually, it is pretty exciting...my little guy is growing so fast!

SuperBowl party went well, Of course, as per the norm, we had way to much food! So today I have to listen to people at work complain about me bringing in all the leftovers. This is of course as they stuff their mouths with chips and dip.

I did make it to the gym today at lunch. Felt good to work out a bit after the feeding frenzy of yesterday!

Jeff and I have been talking lately about taking a trip somewhere. I've even mentioned it here (I think, I'll have to check past blogs). Any suggestions for close-to-home weekend trips? Remember, I'm in Atlanta, we're basically 3-5 hours away from mountains and beach. I've already done Charleston, Asheville, North Georgia and Savannah. However, I'd like to do something new maybe in Tennessee or North Carolina...Give me your thoughts!

When we went to the gym yesterday, we were informed that the kid's area was only open until noon- and it was 11:35 when we arrived! So, I hit the treadmill for about 20 minutes, then we scooped up the kid and headed to the park. I was able to walk a mile around the track, so that was good. But, I ask you, why does the gym only leave the kid's area open until NOON on a SATURDAY??? Well, at least we know now!

Today is Superbowl Sunday, I'm looking forward to having a few folks over. Per the norm, we'll have TONS of food. Fun!

We're watching the replay of the Federer/Nadal match from the Australian Open. No, I don't know who wins...even though the match is already over. I really don't want Federer to topple Sampras' record, even though I know he will. He's only got two more championships (possibly only one as I type this) to win before he beats it.

Just watched Serena kick butt at the Australian Open. Her physique is unreal- she's all muscle! Totally amazing. She made her opponent look like an amateur, there was no contest!

Today we're going to go to the gym then get ready for the Super Bowl tomorrow. We're having a few people come over tomorrow, mostly to watch the commercials! Looking forward to it, yet having trouble figuring out what I'm going to make...might just settle with a bunch of different things.

Jeff and I are about to head to the gym, got to get a couple workouts in before chowing down tomorrow!!

Jeff got back yesterday. It's nice to have him home again! Gavin certainly did better sleeping last night than he did Friday or Saturday. It's funny, he never asked for Daddy when he was awake, but it seems like his absence really affected him. We were able to go up to the playground and let him burn off some energy on the slides.

It's good to have my husband home. Ahhhh...

Jeff leaves for New Jersey in about an hour. It'll be me and the kid this weekend! I plan on keeping him pretty busy. I'm really looking forward to spending more time with Gavin. Unfortunately, I have to work on Saturday morning-afternoon, but his Grammie is going to come watch him. I have a work out scheduled for Saturday late afternoon, after that, we might go up to the park or something. Thank goodness our gym (yes, I joined) has a children's area!

Just a note of observation: I'm watching the Australian Open this week and next. I'm really disappointed at the American tennis player roster. There are only 5 women and 12 men. And, there's really no new "hopeful" on the rise. This makes me wonder, is it because our kids aren't disiplined enough or because they just aren't interested in tennis? I have to laugh at that, if it's the latter because where I live, there are hundreds of tennis teams in the area. To my knowledge, ALTA is one of the biggest non professional organized tennis groups in the country. So, I know I'll be sending my son to tennis lessons at an early age!!!

I'm watching the Inauguration right now. How incredible is this moment? I have a lunch at 12:30 and don't want to miss the actual swearing-in!!! Looks like I might be late!

I really have feelings of promise for the next four years. I know our country has a long way to go, and I can only hope and pray that we start to turn this great place around.

I'm very proud to be an American at this moment.

I got this email from a friend of mine this morning. It cracked me up! Come on, I know you all can relate!!!
YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2009, WHEN:
1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends & family is that they don't have email addresses.
6. You go home after a long day at work, you still answer the phone in a business manner.
7. You make phone calls from home, you accidentally dial "9" to get an outside line.
8. You've sat at the same desk for four years and worked for three different companies.
10. You learn about your redundancy on the 10 o'clock news.
11. Your VCR is now the 8 track of 21st century and your thinking you need a TV
no thicker than an encyclopedia. Your kids will never know what an
encyclopedia is. What are you going to do with your Entertainment Center
Armoire?
12. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
13. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
14. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
15. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
16. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. :)
17. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
18. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
19. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
20. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

I finally took the plunge and changed my name at work. Yes, yes, it's only taken almost 4 years. Honestly, it felt really weird to do it. It's like now it's really official, even though at home with all my family I've been a Stevenson for the past year. It'll take a little while, but I'll get used to it!

I'm sitting at home with dad right now. He's got kidney stones and the doctors want someone to sit with him the initial 24 hours. My step-mom is on her way back from Daytona, she'll probably be here later tonight. So, for now, we're bundling up on this chilly evening and watching coverage of the Hudson River plane crash.

Speaking of, how incredible is it that everyone survived!?!? Great job to that pilot!!!

You know how generally when you greet someone, you say "Hi, how are you?" And, 8 times out of 10, you really don't mean the "how are you" part, but it's part of a generic greeting.

So, Saturday night, I go over to our local pizza joint to pick up a pie for the fam. My dad was visiting and we were watching football. When I walked in, the gal at the cash register gave me the typical, "Hi, how are you" greeting and I answered back, "Fine thank you, how are you?"

"I don't feel so well, I have a cyst on my ovaries during my menstral time," was not the response I was expecting. Sometimes folks, I really don't need to know. Especially when picking up a pizza covered in tomato sauce. I mean, do I have to be more blunt than that? I decided to spare my husband and father from the lovely visual picture I had received and stuck with the Greek salad!

Weary little worker bee

Today is my first day back to work since before Xmas. Not too bad, so far. I'm getting back into the swing of things...obviously multi-tasking!

My friend gave me 3 free passes to the gym. I'm going to see if Jeff wants to go tonight. We think we might be able to put Gavin in their little daycare for about 30 minutes. Enough to get the ball rolling on some exercise. Of course, I'm not fooling myself- I know it'll be packed!

Had lunch with Amy Jones Norman today, haven't seen her in years! It was so good to hang out with her. We went to Raging Burrito in Decatur. She's living out in California...I'd love to visit her sometime! Gavin hasn't been on a plane ride yet, to tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous about that. I don't want to have the one kid on the plane that screams the whole way! I don't really think he'd be like that, but you never know! All my girlfriends with kids say it's not that bad once you get going...I think they're just saying that so I can tell them all the horror stories once the ride is over!

I'm really in the mood to go on a vacation. Yes, yes, I've been off work for the past week and a half, but I want to go somewhere, see something new...but it has to be affordable and close enough that we can drive over a weekend. MLK weekend is coming up and we're going to Clemson to visit my family, but we'll still have a couple of days to hang out somewhere. I'm thinking Asheville might be fun, but we've been there enough. Oh cyberspace, any thoughts?

Sitting here with my son on my last weekday holiday, I wonder what 2009 is going to bring into Casa del Stevenson. Usually, within the first few days, Jeff and I sit down and write out some goals. I haven't looked at our list from '08 to see how many we can check off. I can think of a few we accomplished (like more painting...).

Gavin just got through putting together his first puzzle. Well, not his "first" puzzle, but one that has actual connecting pieces rather than the ones with farm animals that fit in a specific space. I'm pretty impressed! It's a little 10 piece puzzle we got free from Publix. Mom is feeling proud of her visually adept little boy!

I guess I ought to start taking down some of our Xmas decor. This part of the holiday always makes me a little nostalgic. Of course, the holidays wouldn't be complete without a trip to the store for a few returns, which we'll also be doing today.

Happy New Year!
Now's the time for resolutions, new paths, chartering new territory! HA! What is everyone thinking??? Honestly, no resolutions for me this year, I'm just going to do what I'm going to do. Of course, Jeff and I will set some goals, we always do. But, if we don't reach them all, that's ok!!

By the way, we bought Jeff a new car- it's a 1998 Toyota Avalon. Very nice ride. It's got a handful of miles on it, but we like it. It's actually nicer than mine, which is 5 years younger!

We're watching the NHL Winter Classic right now. I love this time of year! I'm ready for another good snowfall, like we had last year! We've got a roaring fire, just finished up some hot chocolate and, no kidding, I just pulled a loaf of pumpkin bread out of the oven. Which, this stinks, we have to get another one. The baking element gave out on us on Xmas and cooking with just the broiler isn't going to cut it.