Free to be ME!!

Today was the best day. It didn't start out so well stepping on the scale at my doc office, but quickly turned into one of the best days ever. I went swimming at my sister's house for a bit and enjoyed some good food off of her grill. She got such a kick out of watching the babies in the water. They put on quite a show!

Mamaw and Papaw took Victoria to Vincenes for the night last night and I got to share the house with the little ones. I enjoyed it. Mom offered to watch the babies for me tonight and I called James folks to see if I could interest them into watching Victoria for the night again so that I could hang out with Leslie by myself. They agreed and I sat in the car on the way home from Mom's house in complete shock! I don't think that I have had a night out with a friend alone since I have had the babies that I can remember. I drove home as fast as I could safely drive and called Leslie with the good news.

I didn't know what I wanted to do with my time so I left it up to Leslie. I have NO CLUE what cool people without children do anymore. I showered and enjoyed actually putting product in my hair along with ...........oooooooooooh..................aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..........MAKEUP!!! It took me a minute to figure out how that mascara wand worked again. It has been a while. I met up with her at Simplicity to see what they have done with the new salon. We drove downtown to 4th street and ate at The Pub. I cracked up at the men wearing kilts serving us. We enjoyed an appetizer of fried pickles and split an order of fish and chips.

After dinner she lead me to 21C. This hotel/art museum in downtown Louisville. It was the coolest thing that I have been in. They had all kinds of video art exhibits and I actually freaked out when I accidentally stepped on a couple sleeping on the floor. They had a place on the floor painted white and had a video projected down on the floor of a couple sleeping. They would shift and fluff their pillow and just lay there sleeping it was so cool! Another exhibit was a waterfall of letters on the wall leading to the elevator from another projector. They just showered down until you walked in the path of the video. When your shadow hit the wall the letters would bounce off of your shadow as if you were blocking the path. I have no clue how they achieved this but I stood there amazed for quite a bit. I even held up my hand and caught a letter T and held it with my shadow.

The exhibits were really neat and off the wall subject matters but the best part was the bathroom. In the hallway leading up the bathroom were different mirrors, I noticed but didn't think anything about it. When we walked into the bathroom I realized that the mirrors were 2-way mirrors. In the men's bathroom apparently the urinal is up against the wall directly under the 2-way mirror. So when the guys are doing their "business" they are watching everyone look at the art exhibits, or people checking themselves out and fixing their makeup in the mirror. It cracked me up! In the ladies room they had about 15 randomly placed LCD TV screens about 3 inches wide playing videos of eyeballs looking around as if they are just checking out the bathroom behind you.

The mascot of 21C is this red plastic penguin. It is about 2 1/2 foot tall and they are everywhere. We had it explained to us by a friend of mine that worked the front desk that they are encouraged to move them as they pass by one. My friend Jason took one and placed in the doorway of one of the rooms with it's beak touching the door so that when the occupants wake in the morning they will open their door to find a penguin just hanging out right outside their door waiting to greet them. He said that he has even placed them in unoccupied rooms in the shower and placed a shower cap on them. It was so cute. I am going to have to go back because they change the art work every 6 months. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

We topped off the night with Krispy Kremes (as you can tell I wasn't worried about that number on the scale sitting in the drive thru) I haven't had that much fun in a long long time. It was great to just let down my hair, without worrying about someone pulling on it with tiny little fingers, and just being Kelly. It was a much needed break! I <3 Mondays!!

Time for a "Face" lift

I have posted earlier that I have been praying for a clear answer if now is the time for me to attend the Faces of Christ retreat at country lake. I have had friends attend and they have come back changed and renewed. I remember going to join them on what I guess they would call family night and pray with them. It just seemed like a really powerful experience.

This past week after filling out my paperwork and gathering information on scholarship information. My buddy Leslie called to inform me that the money has been taken care of and that her sister Jodi Harris is lovingly watching Victoria till James gets home the weekend of the retreat. Apparently there has been a secret "Let's get Kelly to Faces of Christ retreat fund" that has been going on behind my back. I am so humbled by this gesture. Apparently this is the time that God has appointed me to go to the retreat. I can't wait!

Leslie you are one of the best friends that I have ever had. I had no clue when you moved to the hair station next to me at Macy's how much of an impact you would have on my life. I don't know where I would be without you. You are an amazing soul. I can't wait for the retreat!

Fine dining

Mommy's little man excited about his new toy!

After Addison spotted the apples and granola she didn't

much appreciate the fact that Mommy was stalling breakfast

to take yet ANOTHER picture!

Today the babies got a surprise of eating in the high chair. Addison enjoyed sitting in it for a bit last night when it was delivered, but Anthony was asleep through the whole delivery process. This morning I grabbed him first to show him what mommy got him and what it was used for. He looked thouroughly confused, but interested. He accepted his new toy as soon as he saw Mommy open up a jar of apples with granola. He started smiling then! They loved it. I have to admit that I did too. I got to feed them while sitting on the couch. It was so much more comfortable than the floor with a bouncy seat propped up against a wall for stability. I feel like we are living in the modern world now.

That has a little bite to it

Today Addison has been very affectionate! I love that she has started giving kisses. What I don't enjoy is the use of her choppers at the end of the kiss. I sit here typing with a bite mark on my cheek. She is up to 5 teeth now and boy does she know how to use them!

I have realized that I am going to have to start researching car seats. They will turn 10 months in just a few days. That means we are only 2 months away from that first birthday. Could it be? I get teary eyed thinking about it, and it isn't from the bite mark on my cheek. This leads up to my newest addition of baby equipment.....a high chair is on the way tonight! Hooray! I am buying one from a mother of the twins club here in Louisville. I can't wait to use it. She is even going to be in the area and is going to deliver it to me tonight. I have been feeding the babies in their bouncy seats and bumbo on the floor and let me tell you about 2 spoonfuls into dinner I can't feel my legs up to my hips. It takes me 20 minutes to get up off of the floor. Not to mention the fact that Addison about bottoms out her bouncy seat. Ahhh Mommy's little pork chop.

Shop till ya drop

Today I burned 1500 calories trying to dress Anthony to go grocery shopping. Mom put it best saying that trying to dress Anthony is like trying to dress a helicopter.

Today was a big milestone for my babies. Mommy finally made the leap and went grocery shopping without the infant seats. Mom and I grabbed the cart covers and strapped them in. It had to of been one of the cutest things that I have ever seen. Addison loved it she could see everyone so well and interact and Anthony just stayed serious as always until he started to get sleepy. He slowly started to lean over on Mommy's purse hiding his thumb sucking under his diaper.

Grandma don't forget the Ranch Dressing

The clever hiding of the thumb. "Mom are you about done yet?"

Souls and Smores

MONDAY!!!!! Love them. Leslie surprised us with dinner of marinated pork chops and chicken and this amazing spinach dip and Hawaiian bread. Smores were the main course though. I plugged in my fondue pot that Travis and Marlina got us and we were set. Have you ever had marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate rolled in graham cracker crumbs? Yummy!



We watched Dane Cooks new DVD and Anchorman and laughed till our sides hurt. When the night came to a close we sat on the swing outside and got into a deep conversation about the study that Southeast is doing called Heaven. She was sharing with me the things that she had learned so far about how personal and amazing that Heaven is going to be. I think I am going to join her tomorrow and continue on with the rest of the study.



She is going to the faces of Christ retreat in July. I have been praying about it and praying for the ability to go. I have had many friends that have been and talked about what a life changing experience it is. I feel like I am starting to come to terms with where I am in life. I am becoming more content with not working outside of the home and this beautiful weather that we have been having is helping us get out of the house more and not feel so trapped in a tomb. I feel like I am embracing my role as a mother more and appreciating all that comes with it. I feel a healing take place and a lengthening of my fuse. :) I feel really ready to get even closer to God and find even more peace. I feel like God is leading me to do this. I am just needing everything to fall into place with the kids not having mommy to watch them along with financially responsibilities. I hope that things work out... fingers crossed.

Mongomery Gentry

Tonight James and I got the opportunity to go to go to the Mongomery Gentry concert at Ceasers. Don't worry I gave him strict instructions to not talk to anyone on the elevator named Shaggy!!! His mom won tickets at work and handed them to us to use. We invited Melissa and Jerry to go with us. They desperately needed a night out (they have 4 children) too.

Mom and Dad came and picked up the kiddos and also brought a life time supply of formula and diapers. I have the best parents ever! Dad applied for a Target card to get an extra discount on the formula and had some coupons that I gave them too. They walked in with two cases of diapers and 14 cans of formula. I wish that I still had my storage shower to house them in. Dad says "This should last you until their birthday" How amazing is he? Mom drops the case of diapers down with a look of "This should last you a week!"

The kids are pack up in Grandma and Grandpa's car and they head off. Shortly thereafter Melissa and Jerry arrive and we head to the buffet at Ceasers. Food was great as always. Melissa and Jerry had never been to the boat so we gave them a tour. Melissa and I put about 30 dollars in the machine between the two of us and we headed out to the concert that had been postponed on a count of rain. ( I am sure that Ceasers made enough money to pay for the concert on the boat in that hour delay). The concert was great. It was outside in the parking lot and they had a really nice set up. Much better than I imagined with it being a "parking lot concert" They sounded amazing and I didn't realize how many songs of theirs that I liked. They played She don't tell me to. I love that song.

We left the concert and made friends with a REALLY drunk great grandma that took a liking to me and I couldn't get her to let go of my hand in the heard of people leaving the concert. It all started with me saying that I got a kick out of watching her dance during the show. She responded with "I was dancing???" That should of been my cue to leave. I couldn't get rid of her. I finally got her to let go of my hand so that I could cling to James's arm asking him to save me!!

We still had some energy left so we went to see Get Smart. LOVED IT! I am such a huge fan of Steve Carell. Plus it had The Rock in it. Can you go wrong? We had a ball! Great night out. My cheeks are still hurting from all of the laughter.