So I needed something else to do and a little encouragement to go along! I started a group on Facebook called The “HILL” Project… want to join? It stands for Healthy is Life Long.

Corny? Maybe, True? YES!!! After signing up for Weight Watchers today, I thought it would only be fitting to ask my friends to be a part of the journey.

Do you like my logo and name of the group? It has to be cute if I’m gonna do this!!!

Thanks to the folks at skirt Magazine for getting me jump started for the summer here at Life to the “T”!!!

I'm the Bomb!!!

1 shot Blueberry Vodka
2 shots Blueberry Pucker
4 shots Grape Kool-Aid
*Ice to shake it
*Glass to make it
**Please note: You can NOT taste the alcohol, so tip toe lightly!!!

Look for me in the upcoming Issue of “skirt Greensboro” in August… so EXCITED I had to make myself a BB this morning just to blog about it!!!

Original Art Work by Grant Naylor!!!

For this past Christmas, I asked my 8 year old G-, for a drawing of him and his little brother. (He’s quite the budding artist, if I must say so myself.) Drawing is something he has just recently decided he likes and of course I LOVE!!! The picture above is what was presented to me on Christmas morning… I can hear ALL the Awwwwes out there!!! I promise I had intentions of having it matted and framed, but for those of you who know me, you know better. (For those of you who are new here, you can read about my Adult with A.D.D. post)

After reading about this great local artist on Seek the Triad, Suzi Cook, I knew what I had to do!!! Fortunately for me, it just so happened to be Mother’s Day was coming soon, so I thought I’d better get my little Picasso made into something I could carry everywhere with me!

My Screen Saver

Don’t you love the details G- added, the orange wheelchair, the matching clothes, the body brace to hold D- in his chair. I do wonder why no hands or feet though, ha ha ha! I’d love to have a physiologist take a look and tell me what they see here. But for me for now, it shows the LOVE a big brother has for his little brother!!! It shows me what unique and individual children I have and how LUCKY I am to be their Mommy!!!

Artist rendention/transformation

Suzi takes your child’s art and turns it into a TRUE work of art!!! ALL you have to do is e-mail Suzi and she will guide you through getting one for yourself too. Here is the black/white conversion. I’m sure she’d rather have a pen drawing, but I couldn’t bring myself to have G- re-draw this precious moment. You can choose from different color leathers too!

finished Product!!!

It wasn’t until the conversion and received my bracelet, that I saw what the whole picture was about… them touching each other!!! G- can’t pass D- without touching him, he loves to show him off to his friends as if he is a prize possession, he has compassion like NO other child I know, that touch is their connection as brothers since words are rarely exchanged. It turns out my gift for Mother’s Day is to see (once again) the love my boys have for each other and that is enough for me!!!

Well… what do you think? I know, I know… I teared up too!!!
SO what inspires me Melissa over at The Inspired Room asks… simply put, my boys!!!

Grant & Drake

Please take a moment to watch this incredible video about my fundraiser, The Drake Naylor Invitational, in honor of my son. ALL monies go to the Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association/Gateway Education Center. For more information, please visit Shane’s Sporting Clays or Seek the Triad!!!

Since this is the 5th Annual, I wrote this “poem” if you will… enjoy!!!

“5 Years Ago…”

*5 years ago the doctors “simply” told us Drake was Blind.

~Today we know he just sees the world in a different way.

*5 years ago the doctors “simply” told us Drake was Deaf.

~Today we know he listens to words not spoken.

*5 years ago the doctors “simply” told us Drake would be immobile.

~Today we know you don’t have to use your feet to travel the journey of life.

*5 years ago we “simply”enrolled Drake in the

Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Infant/Toddler Program.

~Today we know it’s more than just a school…

it’s a way of life which we are proud to be a part of.

*5 years ago we “simply” started a small fundraiser called the

Drake Naylor Invitational, with the help of a few friends and family.

~Today we know our whole community cares for these children

and has helped raise over $225,000!!!

Be Still

SO my bestest PIC over at One Nutty Girl is starting a linky party called “Be Still“. Not only do I love her… I love her idea!!! She “unplugged” for ONE day and found out she was featued on HGTV’s blog!!! I think God was speaking to her with a little reward candy and encouragment that she was doing the right thing for sure.

Me on the other hand, have an addiction, that I’m scared to leave.. .my new MAC. So as much as I do LOVE MJ’s idea, this weekend was NOT a good time to unplug and “Be Still” for me. I’ve been getting ready for a HUGE Fundraiser (Drake Naylor Invitational), building a new web-site for my hubs (Shane’s Sporting Clays), neither of which are ready to link and then just simply my life. So as for today and wanting to support my frind and play a  little linky… I didin’t unplug, God knows I haven’t “been still”. On the other hand… I can’t wait for the opportunity to unplug and “BE  STILL”!!!

Thanks MJ for the inspiration and I hope I have something a bit better to write next time.( Maybe after May 29th and I have time… or is that just another accuse?)

Date: Tuesday, February 2nd 2010
Let me begin by saying… I don’t expect you to read all of this, I know I wouldn’t (if you’re anything like me, you won’t sit here long enough to get through half of it), just wondering if any of you have days, weeks or you live like this? I love the creative side of my brain, but the other side is driving me crazy. I guess it’s time to go to the doctor, I guess it’s not funny any more ( I do tend to laugh about it), I still guess I’m normal, but who am I kidding… I think I have Adult Attention Deficit Disorder! AT least I’ll self diagnose this till they tell me it’s Alzheimer’s!

Welcome to me!!!

*6:30 a.m.- Wake up, turn on coffee pot (love my Keurig for one cup perfection) I can never remeber to drink more than two cups, so this is an A.D.D.’s dream come true.
*6:34- Sit down in front of my computer (forget to actually get the cup of coffee that brewed)~Bounce around from emails, to Facebook, to websites, then to Seek to get the latest article proofed and submitted. (My stomach growls to remind me about the cup of coffee getting cold).
*7:02- Make the first cup of coffee for the day (thinking…”this will get me focused”)~Turn on Dryer full of clothes which I forgot to pull out the night before.
*7:03- Sit back down to the computer to see if any one in the World Wide Web missed me and remember I need to pack for Nashville (leaving the next day!!!).
*7:38- Walk to closet w/ my half a cup of un-drank coffee, sit it on the counter and star at the mass of mess in my closet.~ Start to hang and put away laundry (which I haven’t done for a week) and begin laying out what to pack on the bed (it’s a day long event for sure).
*7:52- Get slightly side tracked looking at all my sparkly, shiny, colorful, jewelry I need to take (set it on the counter next to the same cup of “cold” coffee) and decide I better have a bite of breakfast. (WOW, it’s amazing how distracting jewelry can be, I’m like a 5 year old little girl playing with her grandma’s trinket box)!
*8:25- In the kitchen, I hear my youngest son waking up and decide I better tend to him. Get him set up next to my son who is glued to the TV for the 4th Snow day in a row. (and yes, he has been out PLENTY to play, cut this girl some slack!) Decide to sit a while and bond over the tube with the boys for a moment.
*8:43- Get phone calls from doc to check on my youngest who has been sick, my mom to chat, my friend to chat and can’t remember what I was suppose to be doing when I hang up.
*9:20- Oh yea, wash hands (I can remeber to do this, half the time, because I don’t want to get sick before heading out of town). Get meds for sick little D-, kiss him, hug on G-!
*9:36- Remember I still need breakfast, look at dishes in the sink (from night bedore) and grab a breakfast bar instead.~Get another phone call from a friend, while talking, see meds I left on counter and head to two kiddos in front of TV land.
*9:48- Decide to head back to closet to, fold, hang, and pack some more.
*10:01- Take a sip of my coffee (left on the counter from before) and realize, YIKES, way to cold and need another cup. (No can do on the microwaved coffee) On the way back to the bedroom, sit down at the computer , just to take a peak.
*10:40- Get side tracked as my 7 year old wants to show me his latest masterpiece of Legos. I’m mesmerized by those tiny little blocks of color and his ability to build as if he’s the world’s BEST engineer… EVER! Decide it’s way more fun building legos than doing “chores”. Both boys are happy!!!
*12:00 Noon- As I stand in the kitchen hanging up the phone with a friend. there is another phone call I need to make, but can’t decide, do I get out the phone book to look up the number, make my son’s lunch (after he’s polietly asked 3 times), turn on the dryer (to fluff for the 3rd time) or find a piece of paper to write down ALL my thoughts in the day of the life of an A.D.D. adult (I took option D).
* 12:16- I finally fix some lunch for G-, call the person back on my to-do list (an important call to “Loco for Coco” to order Dark Chocolate Sea Salt for the road trip), sit and read an e-mail which dinged me on my Black Berry (yet another distraction) and think about having a little lunch myself (yes, I’m actually multi-tasking!).
*12:20- Wash hands
*12:28- I too sit to have lunch… in the mean while wondering, “Do I eat the yummy lentils my son wants to share with me and a side of Dorritos, an apple, or a salad.” I settle for the so called ‘healthy’ crackers and veg-out on the TV for a bit. Doesn’t take long to realize, I forgot my drink, my youngest’ noon meds and contemplating how I’m going to “GET IT ALL DONE”?

Is this my brain?

*12:40- Decide to get up, grab another hand full of crackers, get the meds ready (which are pushing an hour late) and wonder where I put the empty laundry basket so I can actually get the load out to fold.
*12:45- Get over to my son, D- to give “noon” day meds, only to smell he needs a changed diaper. Get him to the changing table and get the MESSY all over him, the change table, myself all while reaching for a phone because their is blood and mucus in his stool. Clean him up, lay him in his crib, page the doctor and head to the garage to keep the stench outside. On the way to the garage, I step over stuff from two days prior where I had cleaned out the boys closets and think to myself, “I’ll be right back to get that”, but proud I cleaned out both closets in one day flat!!!
*12:48- Wash hands!
*12:50- Call from doc, “Hi, Mrs. Naylor…” (It’s nice to think he “gets me”).
*1:01- Sit down and rock my sick little one and take the moment to think, “There’s nothing better than rocking a sleeping child”.~Take a breather, then lay him down to go get the laundry out of the dryer for the umpteenth time!!!
*1:22- Finally start folding that load of laundry, only to spot the pile of papers siting on the dining room table which need to be sorted, filed and trashed at some point. My oldest has the movie, “Major Payne” on and I think how stupid it is, how poor the acting is, but wish I could have Damon Waynes in my house for one day to keep me focused like I presume they do in the military (what do they do with the A.D.D.?)… maybe that’s what I’m lacking is military discipline. (They would eat me for lunch!)
*2:05- Mission accomplished. One load of laundry done!!!
*2:10- Packing continues, only to get side tracked about, “WHAT TO WEAR TO HARRY CONNICK,JR”!!! So of course that’s a feat of trying on 20 different combinations of leopard print outfits and shoes.
* 2:22- Get on the phone with, yet another doc about sick D-, a friend, my PIC going to Nashville with me… all the while praying for D- to get better.
* 2:35- Help clean-up another boout of poop and vomitt (OMG… am I still heading out in the morning? Am I going to be at the docs when they open the doors so I can hurry home? Am I crazy, am I A.D.D. or does everyone fell like this?)
* 2:42- Stop to wash hands, wash G’s hands, do the dishes (which still didn’t get done from the night before), oh yeah…. I forgot to go Clorox the floor from “sickie pants”.
*2:52- Get a phone call for something or another, head out to take the smelly trash out, stop and take a load of junk from the boys closet clean-out and get side tracked in my “Get A Way” room upstairs (wish I could just stay), but instead, I remember what I came up there for in the first place, grab an arm load of stuff that needs to go on our trip and go back downstairs to sit at the computer to check e-mails.
*At some point between 3:00 and 9:44, I finished packing, ate dinner (which hubby brought home since I couldn’t “get it done”), cooked cookies, put up the rest of the laundry, tucked my seet little ones in bed, talked to one of their teachers on the phone, made final plans before heading out of town, sat at the computer for an hour finishing up some work (giggle, giggle, MJ) and still have dishes and paper work to do… it’s a good thing I had a little caffeine at dinner to keep me up so I can finish doing whatever it was I started this morning so I can start all over again tomorrow. (Oh yea, that’s why I’m writing this tonight and all through the day to see if I accomplished anything… and to make a copy for the doc to say “SEE… I am self proclaiming myself with A.D.D.”)

Time to admit my ADD

It's moments like these...

Some days it just takes more to being a mom than fixing breakfast, doing homework, watching them play sports, carpooling their friends and complaining about ALL the whining kids do. (Lord knows I’ve done my share)
Some days its more than the constant mommy guilt, the frustrations of when will I get it ALL done, the self pity of “I’m so tired and What was I thinking?”, the envy of “Why can’t I be more like her?”, and the realization of “I never thought I’d say (yell) those things to my kids”.
Some days we are humbled by how easy life is and that it truly is the “Little things that make life BIG”!
Some days I sit with my son Drake in the hospital, praying he recovers quickly, thinking of the milestones he may never meet, knowing his goals are so much BIGGER than any I have had to or will ever meet in my life time… and he does so with such grace and a smile.
Some Days what more could a mother truly ask for than just simply being a mom?

Comfort Zone

So I was sitting there rocking Drake at 5:30 this morning (his usual wake time since birth). He does sometimes sleep in till 6:30, and yes… daddy gets his share of early mornings too!

Maybe I was tired that my husband was out of town(again), maybe I was feeling sorry for myself that I never get to sleep past 6:30 (except a few times in the past 4 years), maybe I was burnt out on watching my son vomit almost daily (if not twice daily) for over a year, maybe I thought about the fact that I would be changing his diaper for the rest of his life ( even when he’s grown and too big to pick-up), maybe I was wondering if the doctors will ever figure out why Drake continues to have episodes of passing out, maybe I was feeling guilty that I’m tired of doing this already… and he’s only 4.

Then what came on TV??? It was a commercial about some college or some store selling something to go to college. I don’t recall which one, that’s not important. It was a beautiful picture of this mom and her son; getting him ready for college, they had gone and bought some goods for his new dorm room, everything matched down to the cool metal trashcan, they were getting new books and moving him into his “new” life. Now I know this was a “picture perfect” scene, I know it was only a commercial, I know that college is expensive (no comparison to the costs of a SN child!!!), I know it always seems greener on the other side… but it still hurt.

I don’t quite know why, I know I’ll get to experience it with my oldest if that’s the route (God willing) he chooses, but I felt sad for Drake (or mostly for me). I felt like I would still be sitting in that same green rocking chair in 14 years from now, rocking an 18 year old man. It sadden me to think he’d never be on his own and that my husband and I would never be “Empty Nester’s”. It hurt that I thought such depressing things.

When what do you know… the commercial was over, I looked down at that sweet angle pie who was finally asleep. Knowing he is safe in my arms, knowing that he is a happier child today than he was3 1/2 years ago, knowing that he never has to give a thought about being hungry, knowing that in his world “Life is Good”, knowing that at any moment this could all come to an end and knowing that one day I will look back on these days and wish I hadn’t wished them all away.

So as for today, the T.V. industry will never know the impact some silly commercial had on me. More importantly Drake will never know I had a tough morning with him… at least for today.

you make mommy smile!

{Please Note: This is a re-post from Drake’s Blog. I was just feeling the need to share another side of “T” today… Thanks for reading!}

Wearing leopard print is a way to be a little bit daring, having it strategically placed in my home makes me feel like I have something from Ballard Designs… sorta like living a little bit on a wild side in my not so wild life (except for my boys that is). I have learned quickly though that a little goes a long way!

My fave shoes I don't wear often

So what’s a girl to do with all this leopard print stuff? Where it of course!!! If we don’t make it simple, we can turn a fabulous and chic outfit into something tacky!!! There are a few rules a girl/woman should keep in mind when wearing an animal print, or any print at all:

my fave shirt I can't fit into

Worn almost every day... just could'nt get my own great picture

everyday cuties

What about in the home you say? Again… a little goes a long way! Keep it contained to only a couple pieces in a room. Make it a focal point, or make it an accent. The tid bit of black can go in most any room… in the context. I don’t think this is a trend going away any time soon, it’s been a round for years and I love it so!!!

Note: the picture below is actually a regular leopard print color pattern, but I was having fun on Picnik and had to post. I think it’s very Andy Worhal.

My newly recovered fave chairs!!!

I made it myself!!!

My lateset find which EVERYONE can get for only $2.79 are these cute little beauties from Office Depot.

who doesn't love these?

After reading about Kimba’s addiction to candles, I couldn’t help but share my latest with you (well maybe it’s been going on since this summer, but who’s counting?)! Don’t forget to check out my post from Chrstmas called “I Spot Christmas”. Want to see my friend MJ at One Nutty Girl? She shares my love for this fabulous fun fur! She has the most fabulous coat EVER and if I EVER get to wear a size small… it’s MINE!!! The only thing is I have so much more I didn’t even take pics of… UGH!!!

Actual color may seem different than it appears

Just dreaming of the days to be back at the good ol’ North Carolina beaches…

I was inspired by Darcy (the awesome chick who made me look so fabulous here at “LTTT” and on Seek) to take pictures of what I see in my yard or rather what I wish I was seeing {exception of the last pic}! Even though the weather here in NC has been quite nice, I had these pictures I never posted and wanted to bring some good warm weather wishes to ALL my “Yankee” friends and hope you enjoy our coastal Carolinas! Oh yeah, by the way… those who don’t know me, I don’t live at the beach, but sure would like to give it a whirl for a couple years.

picture from the pier

Didn't know sea weed was so cool!

Now that's a PINCHER!

Rickety Ol' Fence

Sunrise to warm the sole

Room with View!!!

My Christmas card picture for 2009

Please note: This crazy ass snake was outside my front door one day and posed for the camera like he was in the movies. Wonder if he was once someone’s pet or if he was trying to look at me with those snake eyes to entice me to come closer so he could KILL me?!?!? Either way, the zoom and crop feature can work wonders! I just had to share… since this was in my actual yard.

This was a little too close to home!