They Love Each Other

Marlee and Cooper enjoying a morning snack. They are the best of friends (most of the time). I am so very thankful that they have each other for friendship. I try to overlook the bickering and focus on the lovey moments. I hope they always remain close.

Cooper Talks 2011

Cooper is so funny. He has an imagination like no other child I have seen. That imaginative play turns into elaborate stories that he tells us. The most consistent on he tells is about his baby brother. Baby brother usually doesn't have a name. Baby brother does not listen very well. For example, yesterday on the way to the library, Cooper told me his baby brother likes to take his clothes off outside and pee all over the neighbor's house. You can ask him questions about his baby brother, and he is quick with a comeback. He also remembers his stories. Later in the afternoon he told me he has another baby brother who doesn't pee outside but goes in the potty. Thank goodness one of them listens. He also told me his momma has a van because there are so many kids. We usually have some type of made up story everyday. I need to start writing them down.

I hope when he gets in school that he takes these stories and puts them down on paper. He has the ability to  become a great writer when he grows up.

Bubble Blower

Marlee has taught herself to blow bubbles. She wants to show you every bubble, big or small. She is so proud of herself. Way to go Marlee!

Car City

The kids pulled several of the mats from the toy room out and built a road. Cooper told me it was Car City. After I took this picture, Marlee added several Littlest Pet Shop houses to the mix. Thankfully they did clean up this mess.

Clean Up, Clean Up, Everybody Do Your Share

Apparently, my kids don't think they have a share in cleaning up the toy room. I sent them in there the other day, closed the door, and told them not to come out until the room was picked up.  Well, it must have been opposite day because they did the opposite of what I asked. They took every bucket, box, bag, game, puzzle and dumped it out. I was past aggravated at that point. Thankfully when Chad got home he had them clean up. Whatever was left on the floor was put into a box and taken away. It's days like this that I would gladly give away every toy we own and let the kids play with sticks, rocks, and dirt. 

Black Eye

A few weeks ago Marlee fell off of her bed and hit the corner of the side table. The force of the fall was so hard that it ripped some of her eyelashes out. Poor girl. It looked awful for several days. Thankfully, all is healed now. We're just waiting on the eyelashes to grow back. 

Everyday Living

We haven't fallen off the face of the earth but have just been living life. The kids are wrapping up their first year of preschool. It has been a wonderful year for all of us. I have enjoyed helping out at preschool. I feel useful and get a small taste of classroom life again.

Marlee and Cooper have made some very special friends this past year. I love watching them form friendships that I hope last them a long time. Preschool friends are often topics of conversations and imaginative play between the kids. We've attended several birthday parties this year as well. Ever since we moved here I have felt at home. It is hard to believe we have already been back in TN for a year. Everyone has welcomed our family into the community as though we have always been here.

News on the house in GA is nothing good. We are short selling, which means we are asking less than we owe. We've continued to lower the price, almost weekly. We finally received our first offer after three years on the market. We were so excited! Of course, the couple pulled the offer off the table after 5 days. So back to the drawing board. I really think we could list for a penny and still receive no offers. I just don't understand why we are having such a difficult time selling it. But honestly, I have quit worrying about it. It took nearly three years, but I finally understand that the whole situation is out of our hands. And worrying about it does nothing but make me angry and a bad mom. We are beyond ready for it to sell, so we can close that chapter and move on with our lives here. If I have learned anything from this situation it is that patience is key when selling a house. Find a motivated realtor, and list your house when the market is right. We learned all three of those things the hard way.

In other news, I am preparing myself to go back to work. I have submitted my application to a few school systems. I have also dropped by the local elementary school and chatted for a long time with the principal. A once high demand job has turned into a scarce job. Teachers are not retiring because of the economy. So who knows if I will get back in the classroom next year.

We are ready for summer and time at the beach and plenty of afternoons at the pool!