Since we're getting the ol' blog ginned up again, it's important that you meet someone who came into our lives back in November.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you "Lego" (no surprise who chose his name):
Last fall, LegoMan's swim team practice increased from three to five nights a week! Instead of my usual sitting around and watching practice, I decided to take advantage of this hour and half to get back into a regular exercise program.
For the last SEVERAL years, I had become quite complacent with my couch potato lifestyle. I get up before crack of dawn for work and after work involves supervising homework, keeping up with the never ending laundry and housework. I was certainly not going to get up at 4AM to exercise and at the end of the day I was just TOO tired.
I began walking a couple miles while LegoMan swam and at some point in the process I lost my mind. I downloaded the Couch to 5K app on my phone. This is a 3 day a week, 9-week program that takes you from being fat and happy on the couch to running a 5K.
Seriously.
Little known fact, if you actually finish the program you receive a lifetime membership to the Funny Farm!
Along with a friend, we started the program.....we finished the program. I went from barely being able to run 60 seconds in week one, to running 28 minutes NON-STOP in week 9. I won't lie, it was hard. There were times when I wanted to stop and walk, I didn't. I let my determination win. I am proud.
In November, we entered our first race. It was just 2 miles, but we ran the WHOLE way.
That's me..... a blogger who has been a slacker. Oh the shame.
This time last year I was gearing up to attend the Blissdom blogging conference. And 365 days later, my blog has been sitting on the roadside of the information superhighway.... up on blocks.
It wasn't because there was a lack of material. Goodness knows there is always something to write about around here. I could write a post a day about the Princess alone.
I started this blog three years ago, with the encouragement of one of my college BFFs. My first posts were written while the hubby and I were in Japan for my brother's wedding. The Princess and LegoMan were able to keep up with us while we were on the other side of the planet.
After returning from Japan, I continued to mindlessly entertain share my thoughts with millions a few people right here on my little spot in the blogosphere. That is, until last year. Somewhere I lost my blogging mojo and my posts got more and more sparse. There was an update here and and update there.....and then nothing.
I'm gonna have to blame my laziness on THE Facebook. What better place to post photos and update friends and family on all your goings on. Just like a blog. Dare I say, it can easily take the place of a blog?! *gasp*
This very blog allowed me to "meet" people all over this world and many of them have become friends in real life also resulting in a facebook friendship. Now I keep up with them there, and perhaps they keep up with me.......providing me with a legit excuse for not having to post here. I apologize to the 3 readers who might have gotten left out in this process.
One loyal reader and friend (Hi Penni) wrote this on my facebook wall: "."
So with that.....I probably need to get this party started......again. Whadya think?
It's been 2 months since my last post, and I'm not sure anybody is still visiting the GRITS corner of the blog world. My Stat Counter tells me the blog averages 8 hits a day. Thanks, Mom.
I can't say my email or facebook page has been overflowing with messages demanding my return, but here I am.
If you have been a regular reader, you KNOW there has certainly been plenty to blog about. I've just taken the easy road out and not written about it.
Soooooo, what have we been doing the last two months?! A little bit of everything, that's what. You know, no update here would be complete without photos.
Swimming. We've had two swim meets and I am PROUD to report that both LegoMan and the Princess represented team GRITS well (or is it good?)
Football. Saturdays in the South are not made for blogging, they are made for college football. DUH! I had the pleasure of taking Papa to watch Alabama pound Florida. ROLL TIDE!
Homecoming. I must admit I have done the blog world a complete disservice by not posting pictures of my kid's dressed up for Homecoming Week. Such a shame. Here are few of my favorites:
"....The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away....."
After the loss of our 14 year old Lab, Bailey, in February, God gave us a very special gift in March:
And on Sunday, He took part of it away:
As the result of a tragic accident in our backyard, Allie has gone on to the Rainbow Bridge.
Her time with us was WAY too brief.
Our house and hearts are now filled with grief.
She made the most of her short dog life in so many ways.
She lived her life to the fullest each and every day.
Her sister, Sophie, adored her; while the squirrels loathed her.
She was loved deeply and she gave MUCH love.
We will dearly miss those dark brown eyes and her Labrador "smile".
Our hearts are so heavy and our eyes filled with tears.
Time heals all wounds, or so they say......I don't know why God gave and then took away?!
This post is not for the weak.
There will be no pictures. You are welcome.
Because the horrid images are seared into my brain, as well as my kid's.
We last left our villains dog wonders on the hunt for fresh meat. Squirrel meat.
The hunt was over last weekend when they captured victim #1, an unsuspecting young squirrel who was obviously not paying attention while coming down the tree.
With the details spared........suffice it to say we had our first and hopefully last squirrel funeral in the GRITS backyard.
After the private ceremony, the Princess declared, "I think all those other squirrels up in that tree probably learned a very important lesson today!"
Not so much......fast forward to this morning as we rushed around getting ready for church.
I gazed out the kitchen window only to find Sophie with "something" in the yard. As I stepped out on the patio, I realized she had victim #2 between her jaws.
Again, I will spare you the details, but when I hollered for LegoMan to come help me.....I almost had to resuscitate him! He will probably never come when I call him again. Ever.
I suspect the Princess was wrong......there were NO lessons learned from the squirrel viewing deck in that tree. And I'm sure today's burial will probably not be the last. There will be plenty more squirrels unknowingly making that final trip down the tree trunk. For it is natures way.
WARNING TO ALL SQUIRRELS, these deceivingly, sweet, smiling faces may be the last ones you see:
As you may know, we've been back in school for about a month.
What a L-O-N-G month it's been!!
We weren't even in school two weeks before I got the dreaded "Your son's had an accident and I think he might need stitches" phone call. And he did, four of them. Thankfully, the wound was right in his eyebrow line and the scar is barely visible. 
Our afternoons are now filled with homework and swim practice. And did I mention the homework?!
I must say this has been a turning point in our household for the dreaded post-school work. Don't get me wrong....I am NOT complaining much. We have just had to get used to hitting the books a little bit harder now.
And staying awake during studying is important, too:
At what age do kids realize if they would just sit down and do their work, without dilly-dallying, they would be done sooner?? *shrug*
We are all hanging in there, so far.
The Princess is hoping she can just get by on her good looks and fashion sense alone:
I'd give her an "A"......wouldn't you?!
We've decided the magic number for owning a cell phone in our house is 13.
*insert gasping sound from an 11 and 9 year old*
I realize that does not make us the coolest parents on the block but, ummmmm, we don't care.
However, like any normal child over the age of 5, both of my kids know how to send and retrieve text messages on our phones.
LegoMan recently acquired the hubby's retired iPhone, minus the SIM card, which renders it as an iPod Touch. FYI, there is an app to send free text messages via Wi-Fi connections.
I had the Princess with me on a recent visit to the Hair Whisperer. While getting my hair did, I heard my phone beep for an incoming text message. The Princess quickly volunteered to field my message. She informed me it was LegoMan and said she would send him a message back. I heard her send a couple of messages and that was it.
What do two siblings who love each other so much text to one another.....see for yourself.
I'm so proud.
The last time we made an appearance in Blogville, we were recovering from our surgery that made us more neutral, non-puppy bearing beasts animals.
We are happy to announce we've made a full recovery and are at the top of our puppy game!
The smaller humans have completely welcomed us into their fun-size pack:
Before it got to be as hot as blue blazes we spent some time working on our tans:
However, one our favorite summer memories will be playing in the little green pond:
The Alpha Dog has put us to work.....something about earning our keep. We help fold clothes for food:
Speaking of food, we've had a brief taste of fresh meat.....so brief, it got away from both of our mouths!
Meet THE enemy:
Oh, we know he or she looks cute, but that doesn't stop us from trying to get one more taste of this little delicacy.
The humans have tried dragging us inside during the HOT summer, but once we see our little "friend" scurry down that tree, we absolutely MUST go back outside! We MUST!
Recently our people have been disappearing all day again. That's ok because we love playing in our big yard. We have a lot of shade and we are still working on that hole to China, wherever that is.
The other day we even had a special guest pop in on us:
Meet our cute little neighbor "Bear". We guess he wanted to say hi, but when we ran over to greet him, he disappeared back into his yard.
He probably thinks the grass is greener in our yard!
We think so!
Until next time.......
Allie:
Sophie:
School Year 2010-11 is underway! We got back into the swing of all things school this past Wednesday. I officially have a 6th and 4th grader in my home.
What?!
How??
Where does the time go?
It seems like yesterday each were graduating from Kindergarten.
And now look where we are:
LegoMan has graduated from hanging out with the elementary kids in the cafeteria before school, to hanging with his buddies in the gym:
And the Princess has her books and new bangs ready for a new school year:
Happy New School Year, y'all!
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