Ella is at that age when you never know which personality you’re gonna get. Sweet Ella is an angel. She loves to give hugs and kisses. Pissy Ella is the devil in disguise. She is full of piss and vinegar.
Pissy Ella has been here tonight. If you see Sweet Ella, please send her back home. We miss her.
Thanks!

Ella has PaPa wrapped around her little finger and she knows it. She’s only one of two people who could get him to sit at a Strawberry Shortcake table and have a “pretend tea party”…the other is Rachel.
PaPa is the toughest, manliest man I know. If only his tractor pulling buddies could see him now…this may be blackmail!
Alright PaPa…pay up!!! Send a large sack of Benjamin’s or all your buddies see this picture and find out what a softy you really are.

I had the most wonderful Mother’s Day. I’m a little late posting about it…but late is better than pregnant.
Todd is a wonderful husband everyday…but especially on holidays. He really makes an effort to make me feel special and appreciated. I am so blessed to be loved unconditionally. He loves me in spite of all my bad traits.
Todd’s a good man and father. My best friend. The best decision I ever made. Thank you for making Mother’s Day and everyday with you special.

Saturday we took the kids to the Louisville Zoo. It was a beautiful day and the kids behaved. Ella was mesmorized. She loved the animals and watching all the kids. She is a people watcher. Rachel’s favorite was the gorilla exhibit. They put on quite the show…coming up to the glass and putting their hands with the kids…then beating on their chest and running around.
As you can see by the video above, the kids talked the WHOLE way.

I know I told you all there would be no more Derby pies…Well, I lied. I have no self control. It’s my mothers fault.
I had to fix dinner for Mother’s Day…and I had to fix dessert. A southern woman always has dessert…it would be rude otherwise.
So, the day before I had to make TWO pies. One to sample and make sure everything turned out OK …the other to serve to my mom. So it’s all her fault.
See…I can rationalize anything. Even the size of my butt getting bigger.

P.S. Those beautiful flowers? They’re from my sweetie. Isn’t he grand?

I know at times I was awful to my mother. She tells me about it all the time. I even got the dreaded mother curse….”You just wait ’til you have kids.” My response …”I ain’t having no kids.” Boy, did I eat those words.

The mother curse works. I know cause my mom did it to me….and I’m doing it to my kids. I’ve already started chanting….”Your kids will drive you crazy….you will never go to the bathroom by yourself again….They will wear your good high heels outside to play in the mud….they will eat all the Twinkies.”

I’m chanting and I’m doing my voodoo. What comes around goes around.

I can’t wait to see my girls become mothers….hopefully MANY, MANY years from now. First, because they will finally be out of my house (hopefully). Second, I hope that they become better mothers than I have been.

My mom made it look so easy. She was always patient and only lost her cool once that I can remember. I kept begging to go to the library (of all places) and she said not today. I kept on and on and on….then she did something I had never seen her do. She floored the pedal of that sea foam green Lincoln Continental. I would expect this from my dad…but MOM? She was pissed. I got hysterical and acted like I had whiplash. I believed I yelled out something dramatic like “Your gonna kill me driving like that…all I wanted to do was get a book…you don’t love me.” And you know what happened next? Even though I had acted like a little shit and deserved mom losing her cool and busting my butt (which she didn’t)….she apologized to me. WOW. I felt horrible…..maybe she knew the reverse psychology would work? No. My mom is just a good, decent, loving person who loves her kids unconditionally. I call her “Saint Wanda” to my friends….cause that’s the way I think of her. She is genuine and good in a world where there’s not much of that anymore…I hope my girls get alot of Nana’s traits.
I wish I could be like Nana more often. I fail miserably. Life is so hectic and crazy that sometimes I don’t give my kids all they need like my mom.

Maybe someday they’ll appreciate the fact that I tried really hard to be a good mom…like the mother I have….even when I don’t make the grade.

If not, I’ll just feed their kids too much sugar and caffeine..let them draw on my walls with chalk….jump on the bed and send them home bouncing off the walls….like Nana does my girls…Maybe they’ll think I did a pretty good job after all.

We love you Nana! Happy Belated Mother’s Day!
Your #1 Daughter

Ever heard of potato candy? My mom has made this for as long as I can remember. She says her mother made it during the Great Depression. It was a cheap alternative to store bought candy.

The thought of two things like potatoes and sugar just sounds ICKY…but please don’t pass judgement. You’ll be passing up a wonderful confection.

POTATO CANDY

1 Small potato peeled and cubed

1 jar of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy….I prefer smooth)

1 box confectioners sugar

Place potato in a cool saucepan of water. Boil until tender. Drain.

Let potato cool slightly in a medium size bowl. Start adding small amounts of powdered sugar until you make a thick rollable mixture. Roll out on wax paper.

Spread with peanut butter. Roll up mixture in a jellyroll and place in wax paper. Refrigerate.

Slice and ENJOY!

This is not by any means a professional video….but it’s funny as all get out. Ella’s wearing her mullet and feeling her redneck groove.

If only I could get her to sing “Achy Breaky Heart”….

I am so ready for school to end. I’m sure Rachel is too. Spring fever has sprung here at our household. No one wants to be cooped up doing homework or studying for test. We want to be outside playing in the dirt.

School is as hard for us moms as it is for the kiddos. Checking the backpack every evening, tracking down lost assignments, helping with projects….I’m tired just thinking about it. We need fresh air and sunshine….Last day of school please hurry and get here!