Robin's Chicks

Nudge The Nest & Pray They Fly

Sadie Acts Like A Baby. It’s Ironic–

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Because she IS actually a baby. She will “cry” like this in her carseat or in the grocery store and when I ask her if she’s okay she just laughs and says, “I been baby, Momma!” My mother-in-law begged me to capture it on camera, so I did!

A Morning with Julie Day

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This morning as I dropped Aubrey and Emma off at school I ran into my friend Brady. We were both dressed in workout clothes and she asked me if I was headed to the gym.

“Well I was when I got dressed but then Sadie had diarrhea. I’m not sure if it was the hot dog and roasted marshmallows she had for dinner or if she’s actually sick, so I think I may just go for a walk and keep her germs in the stroller. Want to go with?”

Brady agreed but we both had errands to run first so I invited her six-year-old, Julie Day to run to the pharmacy with me. Julie Day is the very definition of precocious and I love, LOVE being around her just to listen to her talk. It didn’t take long for her to start entertaining me.

I opened my car door and helped her into Emma’s booster sit. Her nose crinkled as soon as she saw the floorboard, littered with boots, flip-flops and miscellaneous trash.
JD: Oh my.
Me: Yeah, it’s a little messy in here, huh?
JD: Yes. A little bit. You KNOW, I think maybe those children need some rules.
Me: It’s probably not a bad idea.
JD: You KNOW, you should read The Berenstain Bears Clean Their Room.
Me: Oh, that’s a really good book. And they have really good rules.
JD: Yes ANNNND they built bins for all their toys.

We unloaded at the store and I put Sadie in the cart and let Julie Day push. I was walking ahead of her browsing the aisles and she said:
You KNOW what you COULD do, is offer them a RE-WARD for cleaning up something. After they pick it up, they get a re-ward!
Me: That is a good idea. Does that work at your house?
(without even taking a breath) JD: Well, no. But you could TRY it at your house and see if it works?
I laughed hysterically.

After I checked out, I grabbed an extra bag and asked Julie Day to help me sort the items in the back seat. One bag for toys, socks and shoes that needed to go in my house and another bag for trash.

Me: Is your Mommy’s car this dirty?
JD: Oh no!
Me: Hmmm. Maybe she can give me some tips?
JD: You know what I think it is?
Me: What?
JD: She has TWO and you have THREE!!

One of the FUNNIEST (& smartest) kids on the planet!

Thank YOU!

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As Halloween’s high fructose corn syrup high has faded, the leaves have turned brilliant shades of orange and yellow. They swirl off the trees in my yard making a damp carpet for my children to fall on as they play and remind me that another year is coming to a close.

There are so many things to be thankful for this year; I’m overwhelmed at where to begin. I am beyond thankful that the most serious problem I’ve faced in the last week was arranging for the burial of multiple goldfish, although I did learn that the death of a goldfish is quite a serious matter to some.

I find it hard to believe that I’ve been in my new home in Greenwood, Mississippi, for less than a year, it seems more like ten. Moving to Smalltown, USA has been above and beyond what my husband and I thought it would be, and after growing up in Jasper, Ala. we had pretty high expectations. We’ve been so fortunate over the last twelve years. We have lived in some of the friendliest cities in the country: Savannah, Ga. Mount Pleasant, S.C., Fort Worth, Tx., Auburn, Ala. Moving as often as we have could have been a difficult thing, but it’s proven to be one of my life’s greatest blessings.

This year I am thankful for the friends I’ve made, for the people who have challenged me and made my life better, for the people, in all of these cities who welcomed me with open arms and helped me to make their city my temporary home. I’m grateful for the group of women who are in my life now; women who make me laugh until I cry and who pull me through life when I can’t make it on my own.

Among the blessings I hold closest to my heart: my family, my friends and you, my reader. I’m thankful for your acceptance of the real me. The me that is flawed, quirky and occasionally (fine, always) overshares. The me that works out until she can’t get out of bed then runs through a drive-through for lunch, the me that chases her baby around the country club swimming pool then falls in head first, the me who loves her family desperately but gets motherhood wrong a million ways every day. Thank you for laughing with me, encouraging me and actually taking the time to read what I write.

This Thanksgiving as I sit down with my family and give thanks, my prayer will be simple. Lord, thank you for so many places to call home and so many friends to call family.


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Happy Thanksgiving: Flashback!

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This post ran on Turkey Day last year, but rest assured, Thanksgiving never passes without me reliving this moment.

My mother slid the cornbread dressing into the oven as my sister and I chopped vegetables and stirred pots. The turkey was almost done and we could hear the sounds of football and male conversation drifting in from the den as my Granddaddy, brother, husband and uncle attempted to stay out of the way. My petite and very proper, Southern Baptist grandmother was wearing her Sunday best and chatting with us as we prepared our Thanksgiving feast.

I took a moment to pause, mentally, and appreciate the beauty of what we were sharing. Three generations of women, gathered around the stove and giving thanks for all the blessings we enjoyed. I became a little teary as I realized my grandparents were getting older and one day, this crystal clear moment would fade to a hazy memory.

The channel changed in the next room and now instead of hearing Sports Center, we began overhearing Fox News reporters discussing President Bill Clinton’s recently discovered indiscretion.

“Mmm, it’s just shameful,” Momma said as she stirred the gravy.

My sister and I nodded in agreement as my grandmother said in her very Southern drawl, “I cain’t believe he had oral sehx in the Oval Office. What is this world coming to?”

I lost consciousness after that, but awoke certain that this particular Thanksgiving would never fade into the recesses of my mind. And for that, I am thankful.

Got any hilarious holiday memories of your own??