Nac Dwellers

Hey! If you are local, go by Maurice's (in the shopping center across from WalMart) and vote for your favorite local charity. (HINT HINT! It should be The Helping House!)

The organization with the most votes wins $500, which will go directly to our students in the form of a scholarship. All you have to do is vote by the 28th! So just do it! Thanks!

The Mammoth

Did you think I was done? Never returning again? Did you just keep checking cause my link was on your favorites or something, but each day you knew I wouldn't be here?

HA! I laugh at the suggestion that I could ever let go of a vice that easily.

No, I have been super-busy. You know, with the school, and then with the hurricane, Dillon's birthday, and whatnot. Busy.

But I am here. And I'm gonna post somethin' good. Cause you guys deserve it! You have held on through a steamy, but boring summer. (How is that possible? In Texas, it is possible, I promise.)

We survived the storm. So did our big ol' pine tree. I can see it out the window, and it is still huge and towering above the house, threatening to obliterate us all in a future gust of wind. We are going to have to cut it down. Then we will officially have no trees. We lost three in a storm four years ago, and one in this hurricane. So once we cut down The Mammoth, we will have nothing. Just a vast expanse of grass in the blistering Texas summer sun.

We haven't found a tree cutter man who was willing to tackle this one though. Most have taken a look and said they weren't comfortable taking it down. Too tall. Too close to the house. Too much wood to haul off. Too much work.

A friend approached me at church this morning. He does tree-trimming on the side, and has helped us out before with trimming. He asked how we did in the storm, and then, with raised eyebrows, advised me to get rid of The Mammoth. It is too dangerous, he said. But he isn't volunteering. To save face, he threw out the name of another tree-guy who might do it (I know he won't - he has already told us.)

So we are waiting. Till it is gone, we will have to evacuate to my mama's house during every storm. I'll cringe when I feel a gust of wind, and when the weather channel says there will be "squalls," you can find us hunkered down somewhere else.

Anybody wanna take a chop at The Mammoth?

All grown up

Dillon, the little baby who was just born yesterday it seems, turns 3 this week. That is amazing! I cannot believe he has been around that long.

His vocabulary is absurd. He picks up the funniest little phrases:

M: Dillon? Do you need to go potty?
D: No, mama. I just fine.

M: Dillon! I am so proud you didn't go potty in your bed!
D: Yeah. Tanks you be paysent wit me. (Thanks for being patient with me.)

*******

He is obsessed with trains, particularly Thomas. We talk about Thomas all day long. I made the mistake of telling him a couple of weeks ago that we were going to see the real Thomas at the train station soon.

Ooops. He has asked about it every day since then, and it is still 5 weeks away. Kids don't forget.

******

He has transitioned to utter adoration of his daddy, and I think it is precious. "Mama! You see my daddy? He is a pwees oppicer! He is, mama, he is!"

His daddy has been out of town for the past many, many nights. Every night as he is getting into bed, he says "Lets just wait. Daddy be home any minute, okay mama?"

*****

He still wants oatmeal every Saturday. He still picks a toy to sleep with at night, and likes his same blue blanket. He likes for me to hold him when he is tired. He wants "a sugars and a hug" at night before bed. He loves his outside swing, dogs, and Little Einstein bandaids.

So, I take what I can get. One day he will be too old for all of that, but today, he is still my little boy.