Merry Christmas!

Well, so much for posting on Christmas day!! Better late than never, right?

Santa was very kind to Mackenzie in the stocking department! She got three stockings this year! Perhaps it's because Santa knows how much Mackenzie likes socks!?

Mackenzie's main present this year was a refurbished tricycle. Buddy & I worked on it up until Christmas Eve. Hopefully she will get many years of enjoyment out of it.

For me, the best part of Christmas was seeing Mackenzie's reaction as she and her daddy came down the steps.

Mackenzie wasn't quite tall enough to reach her stockings this year...

...but with help from her daddy, all the treasures they contained were extracted!

After about an hour of pulling gifts out of her stockings and playing with them; Mackenzie needed an intermission. A quick (yet large) bowl of fruit really hit the spot!

After her morning snack, Mackenzie was back at it again...playing with each new toy or book that she received.

Mackenzie bows to Mrs. Potato Head

Bob and Tanner also had a great Christmas!! Don't tell them; but they received last year's gifts --again!

Bob bows to the plush Christmas toy!

Mackenzie was eager to share her toys with baby.

She took baby and tapper for a ride on her new trike...

...even though her feet can't quite reach the petals yet.

Baby received quite a few gifts of her own this Christmas too!

Mackenzie helped baby open her presents since baby is...well...a baby!

Buddy helped show off all of baby's new Christmas clothes.

Buddy got some new Christmas clothes too!

lots of socks and undies

and some new shirts for work

a special card from Mackenzie

Last in Mackenzie's Christmas booty, was something for her little booty! Some pretty new training pants...

...and a new potty to go with them. We (I) hope she likes this potty as we begin to move forward with potty training.

After dinner and her bedtime bath, SURPRISE (for Mackenzie at least), Aunt Pam and Uncle Joe arrived and we had another wave of opening presents.

The best part was story time with Aunt Pam...

...a book about counting birds, "YAY!" I say!

Bob and Tanner were quite content with Christmas, until....

... it was time for us to say goodbye! But we'd be back before next year!

That night, we loaded up the mom mobile and headed off to the Richardson's in Florida!

Once again, our family was blessed by the generosity of friends and family! We are grateful for all the holiday wishes and gifts we received this season. We hope your Christmas day was as wonderful as ours!

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas and all round the house all the critters were stirring even tufted titmouse!

The weather was chilly but we didn't mind! We had the spirit of Christmas, the warm fuzzy kind!

So with Taylor on board and the birds standing by, we whipped up some tweets for the critters that fly.

'Twas now three days 'til Christmas! Was time standing still? We headed to the park with some time to kill!

Then two days 'til Christmas, the birds and squirrels have gone wild! The girls delivered peanut butter treats with a smile!

With their work now complete, the girls sat back and watched while the birds fluttered round thinking their tweets were top notch!

A nuthatch, pine warbler, and even gold finches!

Then chickadee gets chased by a crazy house finch!

Fly away! Come again! Fly away all! But come back tomorrow we'll be watching for y'all!

Now the day before Christmas, was a most special day! Taylor brought over a gift when she headed our way!

A wonderful surprise Mackenzie did find, not just a gift but the sentimental kind!

Then out in the yard the girls made such a clatter! Filling the peanuts, oh how they splattered!

With a bow on top to finish the land, they then rushed inside for the next task at hand!

So, then in the kitchen, we made such a mess! It's so hard to believe that I couldn't care less!

Every time I lifted my head and was turning around, a new wad of dough was being flung to the ground!

We were covered in flour from our heads to our feet, with sugar in our hair to make us extra sweet!

We spoke not a word, but stayed focused on work as we made colorful icing, that flew with a jerk.

In no time at all cookies quickly rose, their sweet smell filling my house and my nose!


Then I heard Taylor say as she walked out of sight, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Hope to see you with an update tomorrow! May your night be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Goodbye! Hello!

As the year draws closer and closer to its end, it's time to say goodbye and hello! Even though it's not quite time yet, I feel as though we bid adieu to fall this past week as we experienced really cold temperatures and EVEN A LITTLE SNOW!!!

Before the weather got too cold, Mackenzie & I spent some time in the gardens and she was able to go on one last leaf pile ride before we officially say goodbye to fall and hello to winter next week!

Last weekend the family headed out to Clayton for their Annual Christmas Parade. While there, we all said hello and goodbye to many people, often in the same breath.

It was very chilly on the day of the parade! When we first arrived, Mackenzie could hardly see the parade, but after about a half hour, the crowd thinned quickly. Goodbye crowd!

Hello parade!

The next day was Mackenzie's time to visit with Santa at one of my favorite garden centers. At first Mackenzie was very intrigued by "Elmo" (Santa)!

Buddy tried to prepare her to say hello to Santa...

But all Mackenzie wanted to say was "Good-bye!!!" Oh well, maybe next year??

Although Mackenzie didn't enjoy visiting with Santa, she did make a new friend at the garden center!

She found a stone dog, whom she brought a saucer full of rocks (dog food).

Soooo sweet!

Mackenzie did NOT want to say goodbye to the dog. However, as you know, we already have two dogs at home!

Another item we may have a hard time saying goodbye to (we being Buddy and me) is the beloved sippy cup! Mackenzie's main sippy has a hole chewed in it and is becoming a hazard!

Rather than purchase a new one, it's probably a good time to say goodbye to sippy cups in general and hello to the cup!

Drinking from a cup has a lot of rules though!

Skill of the Week
It is difficult to choose a skill for this week. Mackenzie's fondness for books is increasing daily! She loves to look at books and practice her vocabulary and learn new words too! Her favorite book this week is Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. She insisted on taking her book with her while running errands this week. I have, however, chosen her clothing skills to highlight this week. She is getting better every day at taking off clothes and helping put them on too. She knows where her clothes are (which drawers) in her room, and she has been building her clothing vocabulary.

Hello socks! Goodbye tidy drawer!

Hello hats too!

Thought of the week
I can't believe Christmas is ONLY 1 WEEk AWAY! We will be headed south on Christmas day; but we will try to do a quick Christmas post before heading out!

We hope your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful. I know ours will be!!!

The Busy Little Elf

This is the story of the busy little elf and her side kicks, Mack Daddy and Momma!

`Twas a busy season in wonderland. The Mack Daddy spent time atop the roof practicing his Santa impersonation - only he wore a flannel shirt and carried a trash bag leaving much to the imagination!

Meanwhile, inside the wonderland workshop there was still much work to be done! The Mack Momma decked the halls and created tweets for all the little "wild ones"!

Once the wild ones' tweets were prepared- just right- the little elf was put to work.

She hung wreaths of cereal, oranges, and berries for birds and squirrels NOT FOR HER!

Once the trees were complete, little elf looked back and decided the wild ones needed MORE cheer!

In the blink of an eye and a pick of the nose, the elf and her magic red cup disappeared!

Little Elf grabbed a bucket of sunflower seeds which she scattered around on the ground.

The next day some might rest; but not our little elf! She had many a project to paint!

So to work she went, working so hard that she wore her work on her face!

Mid-Week a nice break little elf did take! She had a class in the woods with some friends.

They learned about creatures all covered with fur...

...and in a story, she got to be a bear!

In the story, cold friends cuddled together so snug in a child's warm and cozy white mitten. Bear was the last to join in, then he sneezed, and out flew the friends...I tell you those critters were smitten!

After her class, a nice walk she did take to listen and look for birds.

What she found instead was too good for words! Little Elf had found a big PUDDLE!

With her wet feet, back to wonderland workshop, she waddled!

Once she got home, there was more work to be done! And before the setting sun!!

She worked in the gardens and had a quick broccoli snack...

..and, with that, her super elf powers came back!

She filled feeders faster than ever before, which made little elf want broccoli eVeN MoRe!

The following day, it was back to the paints - in her big shirt in case there are stains!

She painted, and painted, and painted some more ...

...and wondered what all this painting was for!???

So how does little elf accomphish so much throughout the course of a week? Well, look below and you will find...

...a big breakfast she does eat!!!

The next day, it was back to the gardens, AGAIN! This time it was colder out when she began.

She snuck mouthful's of lettuce while no one was looking; not willing to wait for Mack Momma's cooking!

Each night the tree in wonderland workshop did glow,

Inspiring Mack Daddy with little elf below.

To move the gay rainbow for Momma to find

which lovely branch it now hides behind!

Lastly, little elf''s SKILL OF THE WEEK has been identifying ornaments on the the tree.

The spirit of Chistmas in wonderland thrives, even Tanner has Christmas glow in his eyes!

Until next week... we hope your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Naughty or Nice?

Seems like Mackenzie must know about Santa's naughty and nice list; because she has been extra nice lately!

That's not to say that she hasn't had her naughty moments too;

Trying to steal Bob's stocking

...but I'm pretty sure her overall behavior this past week (and this past year) has her placed firmly on the "nice" list! What do YOU think?

I've been a good little elf!

Although she was really well behaved on our brief Thanksgiving travels, Mackenzie was happy to return home!

For the short time that we were away I think she really missed her dogs, her yard, and her toys. I think they missed her too!

Mackenzie helping brush Tanner

Mackenzie helping with the bird feeders

Mackenzie enjoys watching the birds and I bet the birds are thankful too!

Later that day, the naughty Mackenzie was caught enjoying a good puddle stompin' in the back yard!

Upon our return home, Buddy & I noticed that our gardens have a good crop of salad greens and broccoli.

Once again Mackenzie was eager to help out!

She was diligent to pick only the best leaves of lettuce!

She's excited about helping with the broccoli too!

On our trip to White Deer Park this week, Mackenzie patiently waited while I talked to the park's supervisor about our upcoming volunteer commitments. Mackenzie will be a big help there too!

Mackenzie playing in the sand BEFORE stomping in a big wet area of clay (her clothes are still soaking). My fault for not dressing her in jeans!!

As I'm sure you can tell, holiday photo sessions (also known as baby torture) are now in full swing! I think Mackenzie has fun with them; but she also endures quite a bit!

Mackenzie enjoys playing with the props and being in the "photo room".

Mackenzie thinks Bear has "got her back"; but she was caught in the act of taking books off the shelf...AGAIN!

I think photo sessions are fun because, in them, I eventually capture ever facial expression that Mackenzie makes!

My Little Angel!

My Little Devil~

Done for the day!!

Wondering how many more pictures her mommy will take...

Skill of the Week

"Smile for the Camera" This week Mackenzie learned to "smile for the camera"!! Of course, that doesn't mean she'll do it every time it's requested of her; but she definitely knows what the request means and knows how to honor the request too! She has also learned "before and after". For instance, if I tell her she can have cheese after she eats her banana, she will take a bite out of her banana and then insist that she receive her cheese. This is a major milestone, probably more for Buddy & I than for Mackenzie. Now we must be extra careful to make sure we are honoring our "promises" to her!

Thought of the Week
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!! The inside of our house is now oozing with holiday spirit! This weekend, Buddy & I will do the same to the exterior of the house!

little tree next to the computer

The holidays are so much more fun for me with Mackenzie Grace around! I am very much enjoying her reactions to all the new sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of the season. As I watch her reactions to all that surrounds her, I recall a Christmas several years ago in Florida at my parents house. My 5 year old niece made a touching Christmas wish to Santa Claus. She wished that all the trees (I think in the world) would have beautiful flowers on them. The next day we awakened to discover beautiful flowers on my parents' Christmas trees. What a wonderful wish! Her one Christmas wish was for beauty in nature. A wish that would not just benefit herself; but all who stopped to admire the beauty of the trees. I wonder what Mackenzie's Christmas wish would be???

I hope all your Christmas wishes come true this season and that your weeks continue to be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Bill does Biltmore

Bill, the owl, got to visit Biltmore! What a treat for him!!

"Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get my picture taken in the smoking room!!"

"What? No pictures INSIDE???? How are all my friends going to know I was really here?"

One friend definitely knew that Bill got to go inside Biltmore, and that she didn't get to go. It was girly squirrely! When Mackenzie and Bill finally got back to the car she was pipin' mad!

"What do you mean you get to go to the winery now?! I'm the one that needs a drink!!" Exclaimed girly as she pounced on Bill's head on the ride over to the winery.

While waiting for his turn to go to the sampling room, Bill started to feel a little restless...and feisty!

He started taking dares from Mackenzie, who suggested that he fly over the rope and hide in the tree.

"So, did you say dare???"

"Can you see me?"

"Can you see me now???"

Worried that Bill was going to get the whole family ejected from the winery, Mackenzie's mom insisted that he return to the stroller "AT ONCE!!"

Bill returned to the stroller, but not for long...

Bill found the tour of the winery to be very educational!

"I think I smell something fermenting! But I don't see small fry (also known as Big Mac) anywhere near!???"

"So, how long did you say it would be until the drinking begins?"


"Ahhh! This one's my favorite! Mind if I sample yours too?" A statement and request that Bill was heard making several times that evening!

Luckily, Poppop intervened just in the nick of time! Bill was becoming a VERY BAD role model for Mackenzie Grace.

"Alcohol is fine in moderation" lectured Poppop. "But you must know your limits or wait until you're mentally mature enough to over indulge and then later suffer the consequences."

As we prepared to leave the winery, I noticed that two bottles of Bill's favorite wine somehow were placed on the floor of the wine cellar.

I wonder how that happened?

"Wasn't me!!" Claimed Bill. "Hmmm, I wonder where my next adventure will be?"

Look out Asheville! The Plante's are in Town!

We spent Thanksgiving with the Plante's at Aunt Pam's house in Asheville. Before Thanksgiving dinner, Mackenzie & Buddy practiced their Turkey Dance in our room.

Later that morning, Mackenzie played drums - big girl style

Next we visited the "Biltmore" of playgrounds to get us in the mind set for the next day's exploration of the Biltmore Estate.

While there, Mackenzie showed off her MAD new monkey bar skills!

Of course her Daddy was holding her up the entire time!

When we got back from the playground, Memaw and Poppop were there! I thought Memaw was going to gobble gobble gobble Mackenzie up!

But she didn't! Instead, Mackenzie gobbled down some turkey! I was surprised (but happy) that she ate meat!!

Here she demonstrates how to eat a big slice of turkey with two forks.

The next day, we hit the Biltmore estate

After touring the house, we explored some of the gardens.

Mackenzie slept through the garden tour.

Mackenzie found a turtle statue she could relate to! We figured the turtle must be teething too!

Click to enlarge and see Mackenzie and turtle drooling in unison.

After spending several hours at and around the house, we all thought the winery would be the best next stop!

On the way to the winery, Girly squirrely attacked Bill because Bill gets to do everything fun! More to come on this story...

We headed into the winery just after sunset.


Everybody got to sample some wines.

Mackenzie got some special grape juice.

Poppop lectured both Bill and Mackenzie about drinking too much!

Mackenzie insisted she was sober and proceeded to the sobriety test area of the winery.

After she determined that she indeed was NOT drunk, she decided to head into the staff kitchen for a full bottle of juice.

After being scolded for entering a staff-only area of the winery; Mackenzie hid herself in shame for the remainder of the visit.

We headed back home on Saturday afternoon and arrived home around dinner time! Mackenzie was a real trooper on the road trip. She managed to keep herself occupied for the 4 1/2 hour trip and only complained toward the end of the trip - right before our neighborhood.

It's settled, then! Mackenzie gets to go on our next road trip which will be a 12-14 hour trip to the Richardson's in Florida. Hopefully that trip will be equally smooth sailing.

Thought of the Week

I can't remember!!

Hope your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful! Watch for 2 more Blogs from us this week!

I am Thankful For...

I don't know where to start! There is so much that I am thankful for, I surely cannot list ALL that I am thankful for in this evening's blog (and if I did, no one would have the tolerance to read it all!) So...where do I start??? I guess I'll just start with my gratitude for the wonderful week I just had.

The rain from Ida ended on Friday and was followed by a BEAUTIFUL fall weekend.

I am thankful for the rain from Ida that watered our gardens

and for the sun that followed the rain which facilitated our enjoyment of the yard and gardens.

The winds and rain from last week knocked quite A LOT of leaves off of our trees!

I am thankful for the colorful masterpiece painted by nature in our yard!

I am thankful to have someone to play in the leaves with me!

I am thankful Buddy's mower now has a bagger!!!

Did I already say that I am thankful that Buddy's mower has a bagger? I am REALLY thankful for that bagger, although with all of the upcoming holiday festivities (for which I am also thankful) I'm sure my butt and belly would be thankful for me utilizing the rake again. I am thankful for my options :)

Last weekend, Buddy planted the dogwood tree that Mackenzie and I received at the grand opening of White Deer Park.

I am thankful for my diligent and loving husband!

I am also thankful to have such a nice park nearby!

Mackenzie thinks that her daddy and White Deer Park rock, too!

The sun stuck around for the early part of the week. The temperatures were typical of fall in NC with chilly mornings and warm afternoons.

I am thankful for chilly morning walks around the yard with Mackenzie

Inspired by the beauty in our yard; Mackenzie & I decided to take a morning trek out to the neighborhood lake.

I am thankful for the scenic journey to the lake!

I am thankful for the weedy trees that brought back fond memories of snow.

I am thankful for our nearby lake that inspires warm thoughts of my wonderful parents.

I am thankful for the stream by the lake and others that ultimately transport water from one end of our state to the other.

I am thankful for the Great Blue Heron and Belted Kingfishers that we saw at the lake. Mackenzie is witnessing nature's wonderful diversity first hand.

I am thankful for Mackenzie's and my health and strength which enable us to experience nature's wonders together.

After story time at the library, Mackenzie and several friends played and had a picnic lunch at White Deer Park.

I am thankful for all of the free (yet quality) experiences and resources provided by our community!!

I am also thankful for the wonderful friendships that Mackenzie & I are graced with.

As the holidays quickly approach, we are looking forward to seeing and spending time with family.

I am thankful to have been born into such a loving and supportive family and then welcomed into such a wonderful "second family" too!

I could go on and on and on!~I am feeling very blessed these days, it could take me days to count all my blessings!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, my next post will be delayed; but in the the meantime, I hope your days continue to be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Under the Weather

This week has found all three of us feeling both under the weather and OVER the weather at the same time!!

Due to our colds AND the rainy, windy weather associated with Tropical Storm Ida, Mackenzie & I haven't really had much fresh air since our last blog update!

Even the dogs dreaded going outside

We had a mid-week play date scheduled to take place here; but again, due to our health AND the weather, we had to cancel our plans. Whoever heard of a tropical storm in mid-November!??

Mackenzie was very disappointed about the cancellation of her play date with her friends; so we made up for it by having a play date with all of her stuffed friends instead.

She had such a good time, that she didn't even mind that she hadn't had a snack and dinner was running almost one hour late!

That was one WILD play date! .

Shark thinks things may have gotten a little outta control!

Although the gardens likely appreciated all the moisture associated with this weather system, I am not sure we can still find our gardens due to the masses of beautiful leaves that have been washed off the trees now covering the ground!

Garden paths have disappeared along with all the plants

As our colds now begin to fade, I am eager (if not hungry) for the sun to shine again!

Although, I know when the sun reappears Buddy, Mackenzie and I will have our hands full with all the lovely fall leaves.

Hopefully Sun+Leaves = Hours of FUN (not just hours of work!)

Skill of the Week

Mackenzie has mastered the art of wiping everyone's nose but her own. It has been quite the sight this week as Mackenzie takes tissues around to all of her animal friends (and baby). As she would say "nose" and hold the tissue to the nose of her subject, she would blow her own nose (without a tissue). I'm sure you can probably imagine this image as I failed to capture it on camera.

Thought of the Week

How long are colds and tropical storms supposed to last?!

In the meantime, we'll be waiting for the sun and hoping your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Adventures in Wonderland (and beyond)

What a lovely fall week it was for our adventures in our own wonderland and beyond!

We started our week off with the Grand opening of a new park and nature center that is relatively close by.

At the event, we were given a white flowering dogwood tree to help us remember White Deer Park as a special place. I think Buddy plans to plant it near the end of our driveway so that it's visible from the street.

Mackenzie & I are both eager to get more involved with the nature center there.

In the meantime, we'll continue to enjoy getting to know the park and we'll introduce our friends to this special place too!

Of course, there's always lots goin' on in our own special wonderland too!

Funny Mushrooms are sprouting up everywhere

In our wonderland, Mackenzie is a giant among trees!

While helping with the compost, Mackenzie met a new friend, Sally the two-lined salamander!

Sally was a very interesting creature to Mackenzie, although for Sally's safety, I would not let Mackenzie pet her.

.

In addition to routinely helping with the compost, Mackenzie has also learned to fill the bird feeders.

Although sometimes she spills a little seed; I think when all is said and done, Mackenzie is proud of her accomplishment (and so am I)!

Mid-Week, Mackenzie met another new friend in our back yard wood pile. I named her Bufo, short for her Latin name Bufo Americanus.

Because the dogs where harassing Bufo in her old home, Mackenzie & I created a new home for her. We think she likes it; but we'll see how long she sticks around.

Bufo in her new home in the backyard

Mackenzie was very puzzled by Bufo. She kept thinking that Bufo was Bruce, the male American Toad that lives in our compost bin. I had to show her the two of them side-by-side, which may have confused her even more???

Bruce is the smaller one on the right.

By the time the weekend rolled around, Mackenzie & I were both feeling under the weather. That, however, did not Mackenzie from wanting to share the week's discoveries in wonderland with Buddy!

Showing her daddy, Bufo's new house.

Hello Bufo! Come meet Daddy!

Skill of the Week

In addition to helping out around the house, Mackenzie is also fine-tuning her coordination. She can balance a rock on her snail while rocking! Maybe she'll go to M.I.T.?

Thought of the Week

Although I am very much enjoying the splendors of fall, it is becoming increasing difficult for me to keep up with the leaf load. And I SWARE the dogs are using leaves to mark their deposits!

It seems as though every time I'm fed up with the dogs, Mackenzie reminds me how good our dogs actually are and how much she enjoys having them around.

Well this past week has ended kinda rough for us!

I

I'm hoping that whatever it is that Mackenzie & I have passes quickly so that we can have another wonderful week in wonderland! We hope your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful too!

Mums the word!

October snuck up on us and now has practically vanished before our eyes! As too did last week!

I apologize, to all who have been waiting, for not finishing this post earlier! With this week's thought of the week (really last week's thought) still on my mind, my post will be a little less Mackenzie-focused - my apology to all of her fans :)

Around the House and Gardens

Mum's the word!

We have mums!

We have lots of mums!

We also have leaves! We have lots of leaves! We have lots of colorful leaves.

They are now falling from the trees at a faster rate than Mackenzie and I can rake them!

Mackenzie Graceland is doing an encore performance with plants from last spring and summer.

Birthday Parsley that was chewed down to nubs by caterpillars in late summer

Flower from birthday container plants still kicking out blooms

Another batch of strawberries that the birds, bunnies and squirrels always get to before us!

We are also about to have an encore performance from the vegetable gardens - Yippee for home grown salad again!

Salad greens

Also (not pictured) in the garden is broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, red cabbage and green cabbage and onions.

Green peppers (and jalapenos) are still producing. As is the herb garden!

Buddy also planted 4 more trees (really 2 trees and 2 shrubs) in the front yard!

Buddy with the Emerald Arborvitae

In time, these will be our Wildlife Christmas trees! It will be fun to watch them grow!

One of 2 new Holly trees

We had a spooktacular Halloween 'round here and hope that y'all did too!

Mackenzie was "Mookenzie" the Chick Fil-A calf.

Skill(s) of the Week
The week leading up to Halloween we got into the holiday "spirit" with some crafts, some mooosic, and practicing some Halloween vocabulary.

By Halloween Mackenzie could tell us what the cow says, what the wolf says, what the owl says, AND most importantly what a ghost says. All of her vocabulary words rhymed this week! Coincidence?? Hmmm...

Here Mackenzie shows off some of her latest dance moves (with a cameo from Buddy) and she shows off her howling skills. This video is a real "Thriller"!

We celebrated Halloween on Friday at Goblins in the Park at Lake Benson. While there, Mackenzie tried to lead a line dance on the playground, to no avail. Nonetheless, I think she enjoyed her time at the event.

The next day we celebrated Halloween in the neighborhood with Payne family and then later round a far (fire for friends and family up north) in the backyard with the Millers and Steffens. Lots of fun!

Mookenzie thinks this guy really needs to 'Eat Mor Chikin!"

Thought of the Week

Just try to keep it in perspective!
Mackenzie is at that wonderful stage in her development when she thinks the world revolves around her. How difficult it will be for me to teach her otherwise; when I often act as though the world DOES revolve around her. Early in the week, Buddy helped shed some light on this paradox for me (by definition, a paradox is a statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth).

During a little play date, some mommies and I had a discussion about the way different makers of baby clothes tend to fit our precious little ones. One mommy stated that a particular maker always runs small; while I had always been a believer that said maker always runs big. When reviewing this discussion with my wise husband, he asked “Did it ever occur to you that ‘said brand’ runs just right and that your friend’s child runs big and your child runs small?” WOW! Although I regularly acknowledge that my child is a runt, what a revelation!! I never really thought about how much “my perspective” of things revolves around Mackenzie! Is this true for all mommies, or is it just me?

As I sit here now, trying to plan a well-balanced and fun week for Mackenzie next week; I am starting to wonder if I am TOO active in her life (can there be such a concept?). Will she be able to play independently and have self confidence if I am always around for her? Will she never learn her ABC’s, Spanish and calculus if I don’t play with her now? Is it any wonder that there are so many toddler tyrants out there when parents (like me) have a hard time keeping things in perspective and treat their children as though the world truly DOES revolve around them? Whew! Well I guess I’m off search for balance and perspective now – wish me (and Mackenzie) luck!! This may be a lifelong pursuit.

...soooo...How 'bout them Phillies? Hope your week is filled with wonder and AWE for ALL that is wonderful!

`Tis the Season

The wind is blowing, the leaves are falling, and the temperature swings day-to-night and day-to-day like a pendulum! Yep!! It's officially fall in North Carolina!! We are starting to see some leaf color in our area and our current leaf-load on the ground is still light - child's play!

Fall is for more than leaves though! It's also the time for pumpkins, ghosts, turkeys AND our State Fair!

Buddy took the day off on Tuesday and we spent the majority of the day at the fair!

Mackenzie rode many rides, but none by herself yet!




Mackenzie showed off her hooping skills for an audience;

which somehow gave me the confidence to do the same.

We fed and touched many furry farm animals,

and Mackenzie worked her first state fair harvest, earning her first "pay check" which she quickly redeemed for an apple and a coloring page!

We sampled fair food!

Little Mackenzie was queen for the day!

Our little queen was so exhausted from all the fun, she fell asleep before we even left our parking space! Although we did so much this year, there is still a lot we didn't do---something to look forward to next year!

On Wednesday and Thursday, Mackenzie had a runny nose and a little cough - just enough to make me reschedule our plans for Wednesday and Friday! Once Friday rolled around, Mackenzie's health was back up to par 100%! We're all glad it was only a short-lived, mild case of the sniffles.

Mackenzie's little runny nose did not discourage me from taking advantage of the beautiful weather we had this week!! It was the perfect weather for our seasonal photo shoot. This photo session is called...

The Pumpkin Princess

In the beginning, the night was dark and scary and

filled with strange sounds all around!

One evening, awakened by all the strange noises,

a princess arose from a large pumpkin.

She saw the darkness all around her and was not pleased; she was actually even a little scared!

From the belly of her pumpkin, she gathered hundreds of night lights that she called stars.

One by one she gently lifted each star into its place in the night sky.

But "the night is still too dark", she thought. So she kneaded many stars together, like play doh, and created one large ball of light that she called "Mooooon".

She placed Moo000n high in the sky

The pumpkin princess commanded that Moooon should rule the night and keep all the stars in order!

She consoled her smaller pumpkin friends; letting them know that the night shall no longer be dark and scary,

"Now the night shall be as beautiful as I and when I have had a bad day, you will know by the lack of Mooooon and stars in the night sky!"

With that said, the pumpkin princess retreated into the depths of her pumpkin to sleep once more; but now she sleeps beneath the light of the stars and Mooooon.

Skill of the Week

Mackenzie has been working on her haunting skills this week. She not only commands the stars in the sky; but the fire on earth as well. Keep a watchful eye, the ghost of Mackenzie Grace may haunt your neighborhood soon!

Thought of the week

I guess the holiday season(s) is now upon us!

Can't wait to see what next week has in store for us!! We hope your week is filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Mackenzie's BIG Weekend

What a BIG weekend Mackenzie and the Plantes had last week!!! I have finally finished sorting through and naming over 600 photographs! You can imagine how hard it was for me to select which ones would actually make it into the blog!!

As you'll soon discover, this post is a little photo heavy...so here we go...

Mackenzie Grace was finally baptized on October 17, 2009 at Saint Bernadette Catholic Church.

Our little vision of innocence

Trying to throw Bill (the owl) into the Holy Water

Now it's her turn and she's not so excited

The Parents and Godparents with FR Mark

Adjusting her tights when she thought no one was watching!

Her post-baptismal "party"

After a brief nap on Saturday, Mackenzie, Sandy, Pam, Buddy and I headed out to the "Land of Oz Haunting at Harris Lake"

We got there just in time to get the last 4 tickets for the last hay ride!

Our first activity at the event was pumpkin carving! Yay!! FREE pumpkins!

Mackenzie got her first ever tattoo (a witch's face) and it didn't even hurt!

Making witch suckers!

Aunt Pam was definitely in the OZ spirit too!

Making Emerald City Glasses

Showing off our Emerald City glasses

Playing the yellow brick road game

Giving the tin man a heart (under daddy's supervision)

A photo finish on the broomstick race

The Plante Family team playing Wizard of OZ team Jeopardy

Here are some highlights from the hayride

The witch did evils to the scarecrow and the tin man

The lion told Dorothy to turn around; but we didn't...then the flying monkeys almost took off with Dorothy

When we arrived in Munchkin land, the witch was there!!! She tried to take off with our driver; but Dorothy hosed her down and melted her (again) saving Munchkin Land and all of us too!

What a FUN hay ride!

When the ride was over, we were all exhausted and ready to go!

Sunday afternoon, Mackenzie & I headed out to the Porter Farms pumpkin patch

Mackenzie helped select 7 sugar pie pumpkins for the season

Mackenzie uses proper form and lifts with her legs

Mackenzie holds her mouth right while carrying pumpkins,

preventing her from dropping them!

Mackenzie even helped load the pumpkins, she's a good "worker"


After mastering the pie pumpkins,

Mackenzie set her eye on a more challenging task

Skill of the Weekend

Mackenzie is now the proud parent of a baby. She can say "baby" at least 6 different ways and does so several hundred times a day now! (If I'm exaggerating, I assure you, it's not by much!!!) Most of the time Mackenzie is a good parent; however, she has also demonstrated some abusive behaviors with baby which concerns me. She may need to seek counseling on this matter???

Thought of the weekend

Have you seen Buddy's face?

May the rest of your week be filled with wonder...

Eat Mor Chikin!

Whew! Last weekend seems like a year ago!! We were so busy last week that it all seems like a blur to me now. This is one of those times I'm thankful for photographs; otherwise, I would have likely forgotten much of my week!

Nope! Last week is NOT in the compost bin!

We started our week off with a special chicken dinner at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve!

Mackenzie thoroughly enjoyed showing Buddy around the updated exhibit hall!

She reviewed why we do not pet snakes, no matter how pretty they are...

...And she got to see some wildlife displays close up!! I think she was most interested in the deer!

Somehow we managed to leave without getting a new wild life puppet!? No worries, though! We will be back there again for a class this coming week :)

Another fun occurrence last week, was our adventures at yet another Toddler Time program at Chick Fil-A! Mackenzie was sooo surprised to see so many of her friends there!

She had fun making a seasonal card

We played in their Toddler area

...And she even got a cool cup and a cute little stuffed Chick Fil-A Cow!!!

Mackenzie & I will definitely be encouraging all our friends and family to visit Chick Fil-A too! Perhaps Mackenzie can get her first job there? We'll see what child labor laws have to say about that...

We think she could be a great spokescow (Moo-kenzie) for them!!! Watch how she avoids controversy from the press in her first interview!

For her skill of the week, Mackenzie practiced delivering the "Moo's"! Just the facts--- fair and balanced :) While my thoughts of the week centered mostly around preparing myself, Mackenzie and the house the big weekend that just ended....stay tuned for the details....

May your night (and days??) be filled with wonder....

Mackenzie Likes Salad

I Can't believe another week has flown by! It is late Friday evening and I find myself sitting at the computer without much to say - I guess there's a first time for everything...

Even as I look through my hodge-podge of pictures from this week, I am having a hard time pulling together any cohesive thoughts about the week (thus the obscure title for this week's post...Although Mackenzie DOES like salad, especially baby spinach salad blends).

Mackenzie likes salad!

Although the weather was gloomy here on Monday and Tuesday, Mackenzie & I took advantage of the beautiful weather we had for the remainder of the week and we went outside to play as much as possible.

On Wednesday, Mackenzie and her fellow Taurus friends got together to play! Believe it or not, Mackenzie is the oldest of the 3!

photo taken by Justin's mom at Justin's house

Late in the week, we had dog appreciation day and Mackenzie sent a some love Bob and Tanner's way .

Skill(s) of the week

Mackenzie & I think the videos speak for themselves!

Thought of the Week

I spent a lot of time thinking about how grateful I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. I know I don't tell "my people" often enough how much I appreciate them and how much I would miss them if they weren't around. Thank you - for everything!!! Odds are, if you're one of those people reading this blog, I am talking about (and to) YOU!!

Here's a "lip smack" from baby Mack!

May your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

A Good Week to be Mackenzie Grace!

Today Mackenzie Grace is 17 months old and, after talking to her about her week, I'm pretty sure that this past week has been a pretty good week to be Mackenzie Grace!

Although some may think Buddy and I are violating child labor laws, Mackenzie did a lot of yard work last Saturday!

While Buddy trimmed the shrubs,

Mackenzie worked on hauling rocks and fortifying the rock "walls" in the garden.

Somehow, Mackenzie thinks a camera case should be carried around at ALL times ??? Don't know where she got that idea???

When Buddy finished with the shrubs there was a big mess to be cleaned up
and Mackenzie was eager to help there too!

Later she helped pull weeds in the back yard, too!!!


Because of all of her hard work, I decided she should be named "homecoming queen" of the Plante Woodland. Here she is on her pretty red float with her beautiful bouquet. No crown this year, though (just the "golden trowel")!

Even Taylor came over to take Mackenzie on a special ride around the "woodland"

and then, of course, a brief swing in the backyard too!

Mackenzie's week only continued to get better with a trip to Lake Benson on Monday and then to the library and back to the park again on Tuesday, where she met up with some friends!

Ted encourages Mackenzie to proceed down the slide or step to the side :)

After nap time (chore time), we had some fun outside starting to create a "woodland fairy" room in the wildlife gardens in the front yard.

I hope Mackenzie has lots of fun in this area as it develops!

Mackenzie thinks she hears a fairy goblin! Good thing she has her magic trowel!

Before heading in for the day, she got to visit with Bruce, the American Toad, in his home!


I'm surprised Bruce still lives in our compost bin after all the attention he gets. Mackenzie now asks for Bruce by name!

Bruce among the apple peel and apple cores in the compost bin.

Believe it or not, Wednesday was even more eventful for Mackenzie! In the morning we went to Toddler Time at Chick Fil-A! It was like a little party with her friends!

She got to color, play with stickers and puzzles AND she got to say "goodbye" to her friend Violet who is moving far away!

To further amplify Mackenzie's blissful week, she received another surprise package from her grandma ("mammaw")! This time there were 4 puppet friends inside!!!

Mackenzie's father and I think that Mackenzie's grandparents may be spoiling her!

Mackenzie begs to differ...

Yes, indeed, it has been a good week to be Mackenzie Grace! No doubt about it!

Skill of the Week
With all this fun, who's had time to focus on skills? The most notable skill that comes to mind this week is Mackenzie's ability to differentiate between (and to proudly announce) "bubbles" or "poo poo". Truly a skill for a parent to be proud of!! I don't know that I will ever chance to get this skill recorded---only documented.

Thought of the week
This week has found me still stuck on last week's word of the week, "metamorphosis". I spent a considerable amount of time continuing to marvel at and ponder all of the big changes in nature. Pregnancy and childbirth are no exception. As I finally come closer to my pre-pregnancy weight, I can still grab thick folds of skin around my belly and back. I don't know what magic I will need to do to make these folds disappear; but looking back...WOW! What a massive change a body can go through in just a relatively short amount of time.

Me in the new gardens on Mackenzie's due date (1 week before her birth)

Even more impressive to me than my own physical transformation is little Mackenzie's (bean's) transformation! Truly a miracle and a metamorphosis too!

Mackenzie (bean) on September 19, 2007

Mackenzie (bean) on September 17, 2008

Mackenzie (bean) on September 18, 2009

My life is FILLED with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful...I hope yours is too!

Butterfly Fever

We found a Butterfly sand sculpture on the corner of West Jones Street! Coincidence???

This week Mackenzie and I let butterflies inspire our week! Just as butterflies gracefully flitter from flower to flower, so too did Mackenzie and I flutter from one activity to another...and, whenever possible, we looked for butterfly inspiration in our activities.

Although Tuesday's library story time did not focus on butterflies, and because the day was way too gray to go to the park to play; we checked out a colorful book about butterflies and pretended it was sunny anyway!

On Wednesday, we met some friends downtown at the Museum of Natural Sciences. Mackenzie LOVES that place!

We went to a story time there that focused on creatures and their tails.

Although they did not talk about or read about any butterflies, Mackenzie and her friends still enjoyed seeing the live animals that the presenter had with her!



After visiting the butterflies (and sloth) in the living conservatory, we went to Mackenzie's favorite place in the museum---The Discovery Room!!! There she visited with some beetles, played some music, dressed up like a ladybug, played with plush singing birds, and had lots of fun with her friends!

Of course, no trip to the museum is complete without a dinosaur (acrocanthosaurus) footprint photo!



Mackenzie was so glad to have her friends with her while investigating some of her favorite places in the museum!


Upon arriving home from the museum, Mackenzie was pleased to discover a special package from her Grandma (whom she pronounces Mamaw)! Although she liked all of contents in the box, she delighted most in the box itself. Mackenzie could imagine herself as a butterfly emerging from its cocoon - among many other things. Boxes are SOOOOO wonderful!

To end our week, we invited a bunch of friends over to play and make butterfly crafts with us! Mackenzie, Taylor, and I set up the area on Thursday.

Mackenzie made some butterflies ahead of time to show to her friends.

Mackenzie takes her artwork VERY seriously

Here is one of her completed butterfly projects!

On Friday, Mackenzie had a lot of fun with all her friends! She was SOOOOO GLAD Taylor was there too! She was also SOOOOO sad when Taylor left. It's a good thing she lives close by :)

In Other News...

Even Buddy has "butterfly fever"!


Well kinda...we've been feverishly chasing down a bunch of lepidopteran (scientific order for butterflies and moths) creatures IN our house!

Somehow we have been blessed (cursed) with a minor moth infestation! Nothing against moths or anything, but they do not belong IN our house...especially not with so many of their friends. Buddy and I are encouraging the moth party to leave ASAP.

Thought of the Week

Metamorphosis - I guess it's really the word of the week. It comes from the Greek words "Meta" meaning "big" and "Morph" meaning change! It is the word used to describe the life cycle of insects and amphibians; but I think it should apply to more!

For instance, the mushroom from last week's post

went through a REALLY BIG change this week!

Bruce, the American Toad from our compost bin, atop the mushroom this week!

The toad and ladybug on top of the mushroom technically grow through the process of metamorphosis; but, in my opinion, the mushroom has undergone metamorphosis too!

As I work in the yard, I think about the big changes that have (and will) happen there! From the transformation of the landscape to the cycling of the seasons.

Sweet gum leaf in our ditch

As I reflect upon "life in general", for both Buddy and I, I think "Metamorphosis"!!! In the past few years we have undergone some very significant and somewhat magical changes. I anticipate that we are still in the early stages of our metamorphosis! I am sure that we will continue to grow through many more big changes in our lives with each other and with Mackenzie. I am prepared for some of those changes to be painful; but am expecting them all to yield growth and a "magical" beauty when all is said and done!

On a lighter note...

Skill of the week
I am so impressed with Mackenzie's attentiveness and behavior when we go to story times and presentations. We are currently trying to encourage the same behaviors in church as well...but so far, church is a whole different story! Perhaps Father Robert could start Mass with the "You Gotta Shake Your Wiggles Out" song???

Another little skill that Mackenzie has this week is playing "Jack in the Box". Here's just a quick gratuitous video for this week's post.

Finally, we are wishing butterfly kisses for all of our friends and family and may your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Fall Preview

What a wonderful preview to fall this past week has been!

We kicked off the week by planting our fall vegetable garden.

We are so glad Mackenzie has taken an interest in the gardens!

Buddy also added 4 new crepe myrtle trees to our front yard this week!

I can't wait to get our wildlife "Christmas" trees! I think we are getting at least 1 arborvitae (maybe 2) and possibly 2 holly trees as well!!!!

Mackenzie is trying to imagine what the area would look like with the new trees

This fall, our landscaping efforts will reach beyond our front yard and into the back yard as well.

Thanks to Taylor and her family, Mackenzie now has a swing set!!

I am eager to start carving and creating little play nooks and sanctuaries in the backyard too!

Mackenzie and I spent most of this past week close to home, so we were able to visit the gardens and play in the backyard every day-what a joy!

We spent the crisp mornings in the front yard and wildlife gardens...

...and then, as the days grew warmer, we headed to the back yard for some active play time.

In the Gardens

We think some of the happenings in our yard are a great preview of the abundance and beauty of autumn.

Strange mushroom on the path in the wildlife garden - looks kinda like popcorn!

Dogwood fruits are abundant now!

Hearts-a-Bustin in fruit

Green Headed Coneflower in the morning sun

Purple Mist flower

Hog Peanut (ground cover) in bloom

Snake Root

Skill of the Week

This week Mackenzie has been revisiting her dining skills as well as her potty skills. She's progressing in both areas, although her dining skills seem to be advancing more quickly than the latter.

Thought of the week

Next week promises to be a very busy, yet exciting, week! Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that it's hard to remember to step back and really savor the beauty of the moment. I am so glad that Mackenzie helps to remind me to stop and smell the flowers...even if the flowers sometimes stink :)




May your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!!!!

Sweet Sixteen!

Mackenzie is 16 months old and is as sweet as ever!

...well...most of the time, any way!

She has her moments, but so far this month, she's been more sweet than not!

Also, more than ever, she is becoming a little daddy's girl.

She gets so excited when Buddy comes home from work that one might think he was a rock star!!! Well, I guess in her eyes he IS the biggest star!

As any daddy would be, Buddy is very protective over Mackenzie. After Mackenzie spent a day in the park with her friend, Ted, Buddy said he may have to "have a talk with Ted".

Mackenzie giving Ted a flower

It appears as though Mackenzie may have a special fondness for Ted.

Ted trying to give Mackenzie a hug

Although I think Ted is handsome, sweet, AND very intelligent; Buddy thinks that their relationship may be progressing too fast.

In other news...

Mackenzie had a nature class at Hemlock Bluffs this week. I think she had a wonderful time!!

She got to see her old friends Adelyn and millipede; and she made some new friends too!

Later in the week, we met up with a bunch of friends for a play date and picnic at Pullen Park! Mackenzie LOVES the carousel!

She had a great time there with friends old and new too!

Susanna took Mackenzie on a trip into space

She can't wait to see what adventures lie ahead of us next week!

SKILL(S) & THOUGHT Of THE WEEK

Have I mentioned that Mackenzie can fly?

Did you know that Mackenzie has been helping me build "the great rock walls" in the gardens?

She has also been saying and signing "please" and "thank you" pretty consistently now.

...But I have to say that Mackenzie's best skill of the week has been her sweet hugs. If I could, I would share them with everyone because they are soooo sweet that they melt your heart and remind you of how beautiful and wonderful life is! The day's (or week's) trying moments are easily forgotten when Mackenzie graces us with a tight, cuddly squeeze and doesn't let go. She has mastered this skill! Now Buddy & I must figure out how to resist these hugs when necessary (yet still appreciate them fully). Wish us luck!

In the meantime, may your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Has anyone seen Mackenzie? I lost her in the flowers!

Back Into the Swing of Things

It has been a beautiful week at the Plante homestead and I am happy to report that, for the most part, we are back into the swing of things! Although, I think Buddy has yet to watch a football game (not my fault).

Mackenzie & I got some much needed gardening work done over the weekend.

Mackenzie helped plant some of her birthday container plants into Mackenzie Graceland.

The plants seem to be happier in their new home now!

On Sunday after church, I mulched like a mad woman to define some new beds out front. This weekend, I will "rescue" some plants that are growing in the path and will move some of the plants that are currently crowded.

Mackenzie & I have slowly eased into our fall schedule of activities and have made sure to include plenty of time to enjoy the great outdoors.

It seems as though Mackenzie & I both long for the outdoors when we are inside so, when the weather is like it was this past week, there's no real reason to stay indoors!

Early in the week library story times resumed; so we met up with some friends at the library and then had a picnic lunch at a nearby park. It was good to see many of our friends again!

Mid-Week, we headed out to Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve! Mackenzie helped plan our route there!

I think she was surprised to see some of the same critters from our yard at the preserve!

Mackenzie found a millipede!


Mackenzie watching birds in the courtyard!

Speaking of our back yard, look at what we can see right in our neighborhood.


Mackenzie and I went on a neighborhood adventure this week too! We followed a nice trail to the lake.

As we continued on the trail, we came to a CP&L easement area.

The easement was filled with wildflowers!!


A butterfly paradise!

Two skippers on ironweed

So we stopped to watch for a couple minutes!



As we continued further down the path, we came to another access area of the lake!

There's one red fall tree among the green trees. Can you see it?

What a treasure right in our own backyard! Well...kind of in our backyard...only a couple streets away!

Mackenzie & I thoroughly enjoyed taking a nice hike in the neighborhood on a beautiful fall-like day and can't wait to see what it looks like when all the trees start changing colors!

In other news...

Some of you may already know; but, Mackenzie had her first real "accident" this week.

She busted her lip on the outer edge of the bath tub. I can't believe how much blood was involved with such a little accident! It was a VERY scary experience for both of us!!! Afterward, a beer helped calm my nerves and hugs, along with a nap, followed by some bird watching on the porch helped soothe Mackenzie's pain.

Which leads us into this week's

Skill of the week
The hummingbirds have become very territorial around our house lately. So when Mackenzie & I went to the library, we checked out one of my favorite books...

In the book, a boy paints a hummingbird flying around his yard. Here is what the boy's painting looks like...

We let this book inspire our artwork this week! Here is one of Mackenzie's hummingbird pieces. Lately, her lines are being made with more detailed/intentional movements ...as you can probably guess...we are SO PROUD of her!

...and, as you can see, she is proud of herself too!

Here you can see our little artist at work...

Thought of the week...

How beautiful it is in the morning woods!!! I wish I could explain the feeling I get when I come to a spider web that stretches across my path. (Across my path, NOT across my face!) I know that many would view the webs and their creators as nuisances; however, I admire the beauty of the sometimes enormous webs created by such small and diligent creatures. When I am fortunate enough to encounter one of these miraculous creations, I also appreciate that I am likely the first person to have traveled that particular path on that day. I will be the first to discover the secrets and beauty that lie protected beyond the spider's web that day...and for that I am lucky and grateful. So it is with care, that I gently remove each web from the path and leave the web and its creator safely on one side or the other; perhaps to rebuild the same web on another day.

Buddy, Mackenzie and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!!! May your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Has Anyone Seen My Week?

Where has this week gone?

Really!!!???

I had so much that I had hoped to accomplish; yet I can't remember accomplishing much of ANYTHING! I think I may have started several "parts" of projects or "to do's" this week; which has led to a week that is missing in action and a list of several unfinished projects! No more horsin' around!

Next week is supposed to have beautiful fall-like weather---it's time to prepare for the season! Although we have partially reclaimed our house and outdoor living areas from nature, there's still a lot that remains to be done! I am looking forward to spending more time outdoors with Mackenzie and Buddy next season, both at home and on the trails!

I vow to myself, and to Mackenzie, next week will not fly by without notice! Hopefully we will have at least one great adventure to share with everyone AND hopefully I can "kick it into high gear" and get something done around the house/yard too :)

CAUTION: VOLUME LOUD

Oh yeah! I can't sign off without showcasing at least one

Skill of the Week
You may want to turn your volume back up, if you turned it down on that last video...

Mackenzie has been honing her mommy/hostess skills around the house and in her little kitchen area. She is SOOOOOO MUCH FUN! She vacuums with me, helps me dust and clean glass, she puts things away (in the right spot too) and she seems eager to learn and/or help with just about any household chore. Here she is in her kitchen, making dinner for the two of us. I love how she reacts to her "hot" burners.

Now to get her to help out in the yard...hmmm...she loves to pick up leaves...hmmmm...I think I know the perfect job for her :)

Until next week, if anyone finds my "this week" roaming around, please send it my way and may YOUR week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

When Nature Calls...

...we listen!!

And nature has been calling us A LOT lately, so please pardon the nature-heavy post this week :)

It seems that, while we weren't watching, a lot has changed in our yard and gardens.

watermelon taking over the path and climbing up the lattice

Strange new creatures are all around.

wheel bug nymph eats Japanese beetles and other insects

Some new beauties are in bloom in the woodland wildflower garden.

Cardinal flower

White mist flower

Goldenrod

Mackenzie Graceland is host to some beautiful creatures!

female Eastern pondhawk dragonfly

The curly parsley that her friends Kaitlyn and Kiersten gave her for her birthday

daredevil black swallowtail caterpillar and young caterpillar (click to enlarge)

brought the black swallowtail caterpillars that we were expecting.

click to enlarge

I'm glad we were in town when the caterpillars hatched because it took less than a week for the caterpillar army

to munch our sizeable plant into bare stems!

The search for chrysali is on now!!!

Sadly, Charlotte has left her golden purse of eggs and I fear she is no longer alive :(

She was around for several days after laying her eggs and I was lucky enough to get a shot of her eating one of her last meals.

There seems to be wildlife activity in every nook and cranny of our yard these days!

Young anole in need of lubriderm (lizard molting - click to enlarge)

Mackenzie's backyard play structure is no exception!

Smiling Mantis

Each time Mackenzie & I go to play I must first check for and then evict any wild tenants that have moved in! Today during dinnertime there was even a hawk or screech owl (wish my eyesight was better) perched on top of the structure looking for dinner! (wish my camera was handy then!)

Our vegetable gardens are winding down...

Too many jalapeno peppers this year!

Still getting a steady supply of bell peppers

The watermelon that plans to swallow our house!

Still a supply of tomatoes; but we are no longer giving them away by the bag-full!

...but most of the herbs are still growing strong!

Pesto anyone?

I anticipate that Buddy, Mackenzie & I will be spending quite a bit of time reclaiming parts of our yard this weekend! I may leave my camera inside so that more may be accomplished; but I'm sure Mackenzie & I will still be distracted by the wild and the beautiful :)

Mackenzie & I were lucky enough to share many of our nature experiences with Taylor this week!

In addition to exploring the yard and neighborhood; we took a nice walk at Lake Johnson! Afterwhich, we had a picnic lunch on their rocking chair deck

and then Mackenzie watched some geese and ducks.

Mackenzie & I are really going to miss Taylor when school starts next week. We hope to see her after school and on weekends when she's not too busy though!

In other news...(also known as skills of the week!)
It has been a VERY BIG week for Mackenzie. It seems as though something must have happened in her sleep last Friday! Last weekend she pooped in the potty 3 times! (no pictures though) Throughout the week, she was not as consistent with her visits to the potty and she still has yet to pee in the potty. None-the-less, I am proud of her accomplishment and will continue to encourage her to use the potty whenever nature calls :) !

Her eating and drinking skills also improved significantly, seemingly overnight. She uses a spoon and a fork, although she's still a little messy with the spoon and sometimes she loses her patience with the fork.

Mackenzie is also trying her hardest to jump; but just can't seem to leave the ground! She doesn't let that get in the way of her love to boogie though!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Watch out!!! We've entered the age of mimicry! Mackenzie is trying hard to mimic the words we say and/or sign to her and she's also copying our body language. She is picking up vocabulary quicker than ever! We must watch what we say in front of her. With all of her new communication skills comes another less desirable behavior. Our sweet little angel now regularly throws miniature fits when she doesn't get her way!! Thankfully, so far they have been small isolated fits that take place mostly in the afternoon and evening. Now, more than ever, I am keenly aware that how I react to Mackenzie and her actions is shaping how she copes and reacts to different situations. I hope I can teach her patience and perseverance! I hope I can lead by example!

I look forward to the changes and challenges that lie ahead; but our little baby is growing up exponentially fast these days! I hope Buddy & I can keep up with her!

Until next week... may your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

A day at the Museum

Friday we went to a place of endless adventures with our friend Taylor

... the NC Museum of Natural Sciences!

One of our first stops was their morning story time where the focus was on snakes.

We got to meet 4 real snakes, 3 of which can be found in North Carolina. Taylor touched the snakes to get a sense of how the scales felt. I decided to not allow Mackenzie to pet them, as I do not want her to pet snakes in the wild and I think she may have a hard time differentiating at this time :)

I think Mackenzie had the most fun in the discovery room!

The murals in the room are beautiful!

Of course Mackenzie sought out birds to play with!

But she played with other animals too; like a beaver,

and some live bess beetles (one of mommy's favorites)!

We hadn't even seen a fraction of the activities in the room when we decided it was time for lunch!

We had a nice picnic lunch in the museum's downtown garden!

Before heading back into the museum to continue our adventure, we took a moment to admire the garden.

When we went back in, it turned out that we were not the only ones thinking about lunch!

The sloth in the living conservatory was out of hiding and down for lunch too! Although I try with each visit to the museum, this is the first time I've ever seen the sloth!!! I was really excited and glad we were finally there at the "right time"!

We expected Mackenzie to nap during the afternoon; but she decided that there was too much to see for her to even consider napping. Taylor was a great tour guide for Mackenzie!

She helped Mackenzie spot birds in almost every display!

Although Mackenzie really enjoyed seeing the birds, she appreciated the other animals too!

There are fish there that have funnier teeth than hers!

And lifelike replicas of big sea turtles!

Of course we had some silly moments while were there too! The girls imagined being in a shark's mouth!

The stood beneath a wounded dino,

and played peek-a-boo behind it's legs!

And no trip to the museum is complete without the obligatory footprint photos.

16 weeks old

46 weeks old

67 weeks old! (but who's still counting?)

This visit was a special one and we are so glad to have shared our day with Taylor! We hope she had fun too!

It's so nice to learn about the nature that can be found in our own backyard!

The museum was an awesome place to inspire our sense of wonder!!!

20/20

Mackenzie had her 15 month appointment the day after we returned from our trip to the shore! She was a real trooper at the doctor's office, only a small struggle with the mouth/throat examination and a couple short-lived tears with the shot.

I am so proud of her! She quickly got over her shot when the nurse gave her a really cool zebra band-aid!

The summary of the results from our visit are as follows:

Mackenzie's weight was 20 lb 12 oz right after lunch with a full belly (20th percentile). We could drive with her in the forward facing position if she had a full belly; but would likely need to switch her back to rear facing after her next diaper, unless she was wearing jeans and tennis shoes :) She'll likely stay rear-facing for at least a couple more months, unless her height makes her uncomfortable that way.

Mackenzie's length (which I think should be called "height" now that she is vertical for most of her waking moments) is 30 1/4 inches, she's approximately 2 1/2 feet tall (50th percentile). According to the doctor her gross motor, fine motor, and communication skills are all on target or ahead of the curve. So basically, she's a pretty special average kid!

A Road Trip to the Shore

Our road trip out to Ocean City, NJ was a relatively uneventful drive through the night (aside from the heavy rain). We made it from home to the cottage in approximately 8 hours with one brief stop for gas.

The day we arrived, we took a short walk to the shore to check out the scene! The weather that day and evening would be the coolest it would get during our stay.

The cool weather did not stop Mackenzie from getting wet!

Aside from the water temperature, Mackenzie seemed to love everything about the beach! Which was great because we spent 3 of our 6 days on the beach!

She enjoyed long walks and afternoon naps on the beach with Memaw.

She enjoyed playing in and with the sand!

She enjoyed playing with the new ball Aunt Pam got for her...

...she enjoyed directing Uncle Joe's excavations too!

Buddy & I had lots of fun on the beach too!

Aunt Pam introduced us to a fun beach game called "root ball". Buddy and I managed to lose every game we played; but we had a GREAT time playing.

Mackenzie found the root ball very intriguing! Somehow Aunt Pam's ball mysteriously disappeared...no one knows who saw the ball last!!??

Hmmm... I wonder...

While in Jersey, Mackenzie & I got to meet several new family members and friends (new to us, that is). Uncle Barry and Aunt Jeannie joined us for a couple days at the beach and dinner one evening too!

We also got to see Aunt Joan and Uncle John again and were able to meet cousins Kimmy and Hector and their girls Grace and Emily. Mackenzie had a lot of fun with them. Grace asked if she could keep Mackenzie...I told her that it was up to her mother. Thank goodness Kimmy said no! Buddy and I would really miss Mackenzie!


Toward the end of our stay, we made it out to the boardwalk! Another experience that Mackenzie THOROUGHLY enjoyed!!!

Although well past her bed time, Mackenzie got to ride several of the rides in "Wonderland".

She rode the carousel...TWICE!

She took a flight on dumbo!

She took a drive through alien central!

She took a cruise on the yellow submarine!

She even got to ride on daddy! What fun!!

SKILL OF THE WEEK

While at the beach, on the boardwalk, at the house, or wherever we went, Mackenzie sought out trash or other items that seemed to "not belong". She would bring most "treasures" to me, or another adult...

...occasionally, she would return her findings to the sea. I wonder where that root ball went???

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Our road trip back home, took place during the day. Although, aside from a little traffic in Delaware, this trip was also uneventful. It took us about 10 1/2 hours with 2 long stops for meals. Until Mackenzie gets older, and more accepting of "fast food", I think most future road trips will take place through the night while Mackenzie sleeps.

I am planning to accomplish 2 additional (shorter) blog posts tomorrow or this weekend- one for Mackenzie's 15 month appointment and the other for our trip to the museum with Taylor. We are really looking forward to the museum! Taylor helped plan our itinerary. Can't wait to fill everyone in...until then, we hope your days are filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

Peek-A-Boo!

As predicted, Mackenzie & I had a wild and wonderful time together at home most of this week! There is so much to discover and so many new experiences to try at home that it can be a real treat to just play and learn around the house and neighborhood.

In between the isolated thunderstorms that we experienced each day this week, Mackenzie & I tried to find some time to enjoy the great outdoors.

All the recent rains seem to make Black-Eyed Susan smile!

Before and after each rain, the birds would come in for a quick bite to eat.

The rains sprouted several fungi which Mackenzie was excited to point out!

This fungus is appropriately named the Eastern Stinkhorn - ooooo-weeee stink-eeeeeee! If only my camera had a smell-i-vision mode, I could share the whole experience!

We will spare our friends and family any pictorial updates about Charlotte this week. But, for those who are interested, she continues to grow big and beautiful as ever!

We do have other "bugs" around the yard to "show and tell" this week, though! Mackenzie & I got a lucky glimpse of a robber fly perched on a twig eating a spider!

Mackenzie is really liking "Peek-a-Boo" and "Hide-n-Seek" games these days!!

This millipede was an entertaining partner for a "wild" game of hide-n-seek!

It seems even the birds enjoy a game of peek-a-boo. This chickadee and titmouse seemed to be teasing one another on the feeder!

SKILL OF THE WEEK
After practicing with wildlife, Mackenzie's game of peek-a-boo has progressed. She is actually hiding now and has a few favorite hiding places already. She has also mastered my favorite hiding places; now I need to find some new spots that are big enough to hide ME!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Although we love adventures close to home, we also look forward to visiting new places, meeting new people, and most of all, spending time with family! Next week we will head up to Ocean City, New Jersey for a beach vacation with the rest of the Plante Family. Mackenzie and I are both excited about our upcoming trip!!! To help us prepare for the beach, our art project this week was inspired by the ocean. Mackenzie did all the painting herself and I just filled in the line art!

It may be a while before our next post; until then, may your week(s) be filled with wonder and awe for ALL that is wonderful!

Welcome to the Funny Farm!

What a fun and interesting week it has been for Mackenzie and me both! This week was one of those wonderful weeks that we had Taylor stay with us all week long. Mackenzie loves Taylor and so do I!!! She is such a big help!

A lot of play during our week focused on farm animals and we culminated the week with a trip to a farm!!

Mackenzie met "George", the dog with only part of a tail.

She met Dingo (in the lower left corner)

and got to see and pet a young chicken.


There were interesting sights and sounds all around the farm!

One of the roosters was crowing and strutting the whole time!

Throughout our visit, a nearby hawk was calling while being harassed by blue jays!

One of the highlights of the visit was meeting a steer - a real live "Mister Moo" - who encouraged us to "eat mor chick'n' "

It was an exciting and tiring day for Mackenzie and me (and Taylor too)! Buddy, however, continued on to another farm for his annual over-night(s) farm party with the guys. Mackenzie & I can't wait to hear about his adventure! In the meantime, I hope to visit another farm again this fall with Mackenzie! She thoroughly enjoys watching animals.

Thought of the Week

Thinking about farms and autumn reminded me of our spider that we have at home! We currently have a beautiful Garden Writer Spider (Black & Yellow Argiope) out back. Her name is "Charlotte". She is the same type of spider that inspired E.B. White's Charlotte's Web. Some day Mackenzie will hear the story of Charlotte's Web; and with it, perhaps she'll understand the fragility and perseverance associated with life. I know that our "Charlotte" will likely lay her eggs within the next few weeks and afterward she will perish. All that will be left of her is her golden purse of eggs. Her investment in the future. For the time being, Mackenzie & I will enjoy watching Charlotte continue to grow and, when the time comes, we will watch over her eggs to make sure they stay safe until next spring.

Skill of the Week

She sings! She dances! She plays! and puts a whole new "spin" on "baby buzz"!

It has been a fun and busy week, indeed! Next week will keep our adventures closer to home. I can't wait to see what next week has in store for us!! Until then...may your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

We're Back!

Actually, we've been back since last Tuesday...but we're just now getting back into the swing of home life.

I wish I could say that the flights back home went as smoothly as the flights out to Florida! Mackenzie did great on the short trip to Orlando. However, our flight out of Orlando was delayed about an hour. By the time we boarded our flight home, a tired Mackenzie was ready to be home!

She was okay for most of the flight; however, the last 5 minutes of the flight seemed like 5 hours! Mackenzie was crying and there was nothing I (or any of the people in the seats surrounding us) could do to sooth her. Once we landed, all was good with the world again and Mackenzie would finally get to see her daddy again!

Buddy had several surprises for us when we arrived at the house. Mackenzie got 2 new balls! But, even better than that, the family room had a fresh coat of paint!

Buddy painted the little door leading into the storage area with chalkboard paint! Mackenzie has already had some fun with that!

He also moved all the books and bookshelves out of the nook. The nook will now be Mackenzie's "special place" in the room. Not that she and her stuff don't dominate the entire room already, but I'd like to make the nook extra special for her. In the meantime, I am trying to figure out where all of our fiction books will end up.

I spent a lot of my week packing and unpacking. There was the packing/unpacking associated with the trip. There's the packing/unpacking with the room make over and I've also been labeling and packing Mackenzie's things for the upcoming consignment sale. I feel like I should start packing now for our upcoming trip to the Jersey Shore; but,nah, I'll wait til later :) I've done my share of packing this month already!!!

Thought of the week

Although I'm glad to be back home; saying goodbye to mom and dad was VERY difficult.

We'll be home before we know it!

Well, ...so much for updating the blog with regular posts throughout our visit in Florida!! It's already Monday night! Tomorrow we will leave the Sunshine State and head back to the City of Oaks! We have thoroughly enjoyed our visit and have had a lot of fun with family; but we are ready to return home to see daddy, our dogs and our friends! Here's a re-cap of our visit...

After acclimating to our new environment, on Friday Mackenzie and I were both up for some fun in the sun.

We headed over to the library in the morning! There was SO MUCH to do there!!! Grandma put on quite a show with all the puppets there. We even got to have a miniature nature adventure...at the LIBRARY, of all places!! Next we went to Mommaw's house to hang out. Mackenzie had a lot of fun sitting on the organ bench next to Mommaw while she played---just like I once did when I was young! Mommaw even gave Mackenzie a quick lesson on the organ. Then, Mackenzie had a chance to play solo. What FUN!

We went to the Fisherman's Village on the Fourth of July. Mackenzie and her stroller were all decked out in patriotic garb. However, most festivities in the area did not start until afternoon so we opted to take an afternoon nap and enjoy the 4th from the comfort of Grandma and Pappaw's house.

The next day we headed out to Ponce de Leon Park. A nice little park with a wildlife rehabilitation area for local birds. Mackenzie thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the birds, although we were both sad that the birds had to be in rehab. We hope most of them get another chance to fly free in their lifetime; but what a wonderful opportunity to see a variety of birds up close!

The following day, we checked out a few of the local beaches and decided that the wide beach with powdery white sand and gentle rolling waves at Siesta Key in Sarasota would be the beach for us during our visit. The sand was strange! It was cool to the touch and almost felt like flour or powdered sugar beneath our feet.

On Tuesday, Mackenzie's Aunt Kokko arived with cousins Brad and Anna in tow! Now Mackenzie had playmates to entertain her! It has been fun watching the three of them interact. Mackenzie will definitely miss her cousins (and everyone else too) next week!!

On Wednesday, my best friend from high school came to visit with her family! It was the first time Mackenzie had a chance to meet them and she had a blast snacking and playing in the pool with her new friends.

The following days, we would revisit some of the sites from our first week in Florida; only this time sharing the experience with cousins! We had another fun visit at Mommaw's.......and later we would head back to Ponce de Leon Park and then, eventually, back to Siesta Key

Exhausted, Mackenzie tried her hardest not to miss out on any of the action...

Saturday was one of dad's better days. He and Mackenzie hung out for a little while on dad's blue submarine chair.Don't tell mom that dad was drinkin' and drivin'~!One of our last adventure's in Florida was to Lashley Park. Cousin Anna was nice enough to show Mackenzie the "ins" and "outs" of the spray areas.In no time at all, Mackenzie was ready to explore by herself. Mackenzie wants one of these in her backyard too :)!We are so glad mom and dad let us all stay in their comfort zone for so long! I'm sure they can't wait to get back to normal too, though!

We Have Landed!

Mackenzie and I have landed in the sunshine state and it's er...well...um...rainy!

But that's okay, though; because Mackenzie hasn't really been in the mood for "fun in the sun" yet. The day of our flight, we awakened Mackenzie at 6 a.m. and whisked her off to the airport. We were in such a rush that I even forgot to put her hat and shoes on!

Mackenzie ate her smoothie breakfast in the airport while we waited to board our first flight. She did a great job of rolling with the punches, even though she didn't get her standard 12 hours of sleep.

On the flight, she was an angel. The people in the seats next to us really seemed to enjoy her company. Especially how she helped them turn the pages of their books as they attempted to read :) Unfortunately, due to the logistics of our flight, I was unable to capture any photos of the actual flight itself...maybe on the way back??? BUT she did earn her wings and get a nice certificate from our flight attendants who were all surprised to discover that this was Mackenzie's first flight.

In between flights, Mackenzie enjoyed the rain and the surroundings at the Orlando Airport. She feasted on the lunch I packed for her and finished any remains from her breakfast. On our connecting flight, she was an angel once again and managed to befriend our immediate neighbors as well as those behind us and in the next aisle over. We arrived in Florida shortly after 12:30

Exhausted, Mackenzie napped for about 4 minutes from the baggage claim area until loading into Papaw's car where the excitement of the new scenery discouraged any thought of continuing her much-needed nap. Mackenzie would not sleep again until bedtime at approximately 8 p.m. "Clingy" and "fussy" are the best words to describe her demeanor from 3p.m. to 8p.m. "Exhausted" and "frustrated" were the words for me. But also happy to be here with my parents whom I hadn't seen since Christmas.

Mackenzie awakened this morning at 5 am and was unable to fall back asleep!!!!!! MUCH less than her standard 12 hours, but the excitement of a new environment once again prevailed over her need for sleep. "Ornery" and "exhausted" are the words the best describe the both of us this morning. Conceding that a nap may not occur at any time in the near future; I opted for a "change of scenery". My mother and I took Mackenzie shopping for some new shoes and then to the grocery store. While trying on shoes, Mackenzie fell asleep in her stroller.

She slept through the check out, she slept while we photographed her and her new shoes, she slept while we loaded her into the car, she slept while we drove, she slept while we loaded her back into her stroller (any truly sane parent probably would have opted to take their poor exhausted child home for a nap at this point) and she did not wake until the chilly produce section at the grocery store. But she woke up happy! Which is ALL that really matters.

Macenzie took a 2 hour nap this afternoon and has now acclimated to her new environment pretty well. Although I'm sure she misses her daddy and dogs back home.

Tomorrow we will have a big adventure in the library and Mackenzie will get to see her great grandmother, Mommaw, again. We are both looking forward to what tomorrow has in store for us! Hopefully she will sleep for her standard 12 hours tonight...we'll try to keep you posted about our adventures throughout the week. Until then, may your week be filled with wonder and awe for all that is wonderful!

I've been running behind on the blog entries these days! We are preparing for Mackenzie's first plane ride to Florida. The whole trip, with plane change and layover, will take about 4 hours (hopefully). Of course, Mackenzie has no idea we have BIG plans for later this week, even though I keep telling her about our upcoming trip to see grandma and pappaw and her great grandmother. In the meantime, Mackenzie wants stimulation and ALWAYS seems up for trying new experiences!

A couple of last week's highlights included a birthday party at a splash park, the resumption of library story times, and fun with play doh. Unfortunately at the end of the week, with my mind on several other things throughout the week, I found my camera surprisingly low on pictures!!! I did capture a few moments with friends and Mackenzie's exploration with play doh, though

.

Skill of the week
Mackenzie continues to hone her walking skills. She's getting quick, but she's not running YET! Her sign language vocabulary continues to expand too. I feel like, now more than ever, I need to work harder at better developing my skills. Her current vocabulary consists of: more, all done, ice cream, cheese, milk, water, eat, want (although she is still working on this one), dog, and she's currently trying "please" and "bird" (which is a tough one).


Thought of the week
Gotta Go!

Mackenzie is looking forward to her trip to Florida; but I'm sure she will miss her daddy and her friends at home! I'm sure she'll come back with LOTS of stories!!!
...until next time, may you week be filled with womder and awe for all that is wonderful!

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