Nancy's #2!

Holy cow. I really can't believe this! Please scroll down and vote for Nancy as much as you can. Only four more days.

She has moved from #14 to #2 (and I'm sure it's because of all the "Sleepless" blogettes). Thanks for supporting Tori by voting for Nancy!

Nancy's up from #14 to #7!

And I attribute that completely to all my peeps in blogland! Don't forget to vote for my little curly headed friend/OT! Scroll down and click the link...you'll see it.

All about "being healthy"

I don't like talking about my weight on here. And don't worry, I won't do it a lot. I just have to say, though, that it is just way too easy to slip back into old habits all too quickly. Like tonight after I got the kids to bed...are you ready for this...I turned on my gas stove and roasted marshmallows so that I could eat not one but TWO s'mores. Somehow I don't think that's going to get me to my goal. I know now why they have weight watchers meetings every week. It really is like an addiction sometimes. I am not comparing my plight with Hershey's to the struggle of alcoholism, but I do see that the 12 steps guy was onto something. There is just something important about being in it together with other people who share your struggle and are going to urge you on.

Once again, Troy and Gabriella of the High School Musical trilogy had it right when they proclaimed the universal truth, "We're all in this together."

Where would I be without HSM? It leads me and guides me - it plays over and over in my head and on my van DVD player each and every day.

Anyway, long story longer...I need to get back on the WW wagon. For my own sake!

Miss Nancy

So Tori has just the best Occupational Therapist ever here in Jacksonville. She is kind and generous, and she's exceptionally good at her work. She really cares for Tori and for our whole family. She's not just concerned with "her portion" of Tori's care, which is such a blessing for me, but she really involves herself in the whole self of Sweet T.

Oh yeah, and she has really beautiful curly hair. Which brings me to my point...

Nancy has been entered in this curly hair contest and she'll win a trip to NYC, a makeover, tickets to a show, some moolah, and a bunch of other stuff if we vote her in. I normally don't do stuff like this, but I am asking all you in blogland to just click on the link and vote for Nancy. She, like all of you, has been such a part of Tori's growth and development and I would LOVE for her to have this treat! Here's the link so you can see her cuteness and vote.

If These Curls Could Talk! Sponsored by Ouidad

Right now she's number 14 out of 551 so maybe we can put her over the top!

Just a few nuggets about two year olds...(in particular ones named Zoe Smith)

1. Don't feed them grits


2. Don't take them out in public unless you have loaded up on juice, snacks, and Xanax.

3. Always have chocolate ice cream on hand so you can run to the freezer and chow down as soon as their naptime begins.

4. Know that there is nothing more adorable than a two year old when she sings...

My Famous Friend...

Well, she's not famous yet, but she should be and she will be. Just wanted to tell all you folks in blogland about my good friend Margot Starbuck. What a cool name, by the way. It just makes me want to curl up with a mocha frapp and read a good book. And now I can do that and read HER book.

I just finished reading The Girl in the Orange Dress (Searching for a Father Who Does Not Fail). Well, it was more like devouring than reading. I blew threw that puppy and it's a really good book. I've never had a close friend write a book before. It was so fun to read, knowing the time and heart she put into it. There are some nuggets in there that I know I will chew on for a long time. And that's high praise coming from a woman who can barely communicate a complete thought these days.

What I love the most is that I feel like she could have been sitting in my living room and sharing her story with me. Her sense of humor comes to life on the pages and the way she tells her story is really real. I can't wait for you all to read it. Here's the link to her site...

www.margotstarbuck.com

Have any of you read Junie B. Jones books? You know, the ones about the little girl in kindergarten that is quite a character. I LOVE those books - Maggie and I read them all the time. Little Junie B. has a way of saying things that are just right, and super funny. I felt like I was reading a grown up Junie B. when I read Margot's book. It's filled with truths that will make you laugh and remind you of the real Truth. Get it! Read it! Yeaaaaaa Margot!!

Happy Birthday/Father's Day/Birthday...

It's a busy few days around the Smith household. Saturday was Ian's 35th birthday, Sunday was of course Father's Day, and today is the big 37 for me. The twins are so confused - they have sung the Happy (insert holiday here) song a million times lately so now they just sing it all the time. Pretty cute.

Thanks everyone for your emails, calls and comments about my hard day last week. I really appreciate it - your support helps me more than you know. I sometimes feel alone with this whole chromosome disorder thing and knowing you are with me makes me feel like, well, you're with me.


We have had such a fun summer so far. The day Maggie got out of school we piled in the van and headed to SC for fun with the Sloan fam. The cousins had a blast (we missed you, Asher and Lucy!), and then we went to the lake for a couple days. It was really relaxing and I wasn't ready to come back! There's just something about being there - it feels so remote, yet you know you're only 20 minutes from a Wal-Mart...well, who isn't these days. It's so great to sit around at night and swing on the porch while Dad plays guitar and the kids run around. And I always am ready for bed around 9 because it gets so blissfully dark and quiet.

Our last morning we went out on the pontoon for a while and it was a blast! Maggie is a little daredevil and she would ride on that thing all day. Zoe decided she wanted to try it so we rode together and she was happy as a lark. Then I decided to give T a try and she got right in there with me. I couldn't believe it! She liked it too, which was so fun. I was so proud of all of them, especially Tori because she usually doesn't like to be bombarded with water and noise and all that. She did so great! It was so fun and I want to go back. I wish we still did things in the summer like go "away" for three months to the beach or lake or wherever. It's just good for family. Ian wasn't able to be with us this time, but hopefully we can get back up there and spend some time with the kids before school starts again. I think those summers at the lake growing up are my favorite memories and I so want that for my kids.

Needless to say, my waistline has not enjoyed all this vacationing/celebrating. I gotta get back on the wagon here this week and stay off the (chocolate) sauce. Mmmm, it's been so fun to splurge, though!

Weight Watchers here I come. (BTW, I don't even think I've mentioned that on the blog. I am doing WW with a good friend and it's been so great. Lost 11 lbs so far, but gotta get back on that counting train tomorrow!).