Day One of Thankfulness

I have decided to let the Cuddler borrow my blog for a little while to discuss what she is thankful for this season.

From the Cuddler: I am thankful for my girlfriends. No two are alike. Some came into my life during high school, some college, a couple in law school and others are more recent additions. I have some that are aggressive and some that passive, some that are sweet as pie and some that are, well, a little more like me. Each is supportive in their own unique ways. After my recent post about having it all, two of those special friends sent me these encouraging words.

From Julia:

Song for a Fifth Child
By Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat- a- cake, darling and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard and there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

. . . .

My friend, Katie, sent me this great article.

At night when I say my prayers, I thank God for meeting my need for girlfriends.

Thank you.

Love, the Cuddler

The latest fall fashion

OK, I did not give the Cuddler permission to use my blog for her whoa-as-me rant. However, due to the OVER WHELMING response through the blog, facebook, and email, I will allow her a brief follow up in the coming days.

The Latest Fall Fashion.

You might think that the latest fall fashion is this fabulous handmade applique that Riley's mom, Mrs. Katie, made me for my birthday. I know. It really is too cute. No, the Cuddler has no sewing talent.







As great as my guitar shirt is, it is not what all the fashionistas are raging for. All of Paris and Vicksburg is going wild for the "self portrait" t-shirt. I got mine at my daycare, but they may be available at some of the other higher end boutiques.





All the cool kids are doing it.

Love, a double take of Plum

Having it all

This a rant by the Cuddler.

I'm going to say what I think most working moms are thinking or feeling. If not, disregard. Whoever said you could have it all, never tried to be good at it all. There. I've said it. The cat is out of the bag. All you bright eyed girls listen up.

Growing up we are told that we can be whatever we want to be. However, when you decide at 18 that what you want to be is a engineer [can also be substituted with accountant, lawyer, public relations guru, doctor whatever] and then at 30 you realize all you REALLY want to be a mom, you have a problem. See by 30, you have accumulated some astronomical student loan debt (um, private law school) or you married for love and not money (JR drove an 88 Tempo with no air or radio when we started dating. He was not, however, old enough to legally drive.) or whatnot, then you know what you have to do. You have to put on your big girl panties and get on with the balancing act and lean on friends because your husband is just not going to get it.

Since when does a mother have to do it all and be perfect at EVERYTHING? It is exhausting. We have to be successful in our careers, have picture perfect children, our homes extravagant and tidy, our marriage happy and romantic, oh, and I forget we are suppose to be skinny and pretty too. How can you be skinny and pretty when you are sleep deprived, your kid keeps hiding your hair straighter, and there is not time to exercise? When you figure it out let me know. You better make some choices and prioritize.

Through all of this, if you are lucky, you have friends that help you get through the day. They listen to your sob stories. They email you back while at work and tell you that they are willing to take a hit out the kid who bit your baby yesterday. You have friends that-even though they are struggling with infertility-love your baby because they love you and you love your baby. Transitive property. You have friends with babies that eat pancakes on Saturday with you in name of play date even though neither kid even looks at the other. So thank you to all of my supportive friends. You know who you are.

In the name of choices, I'm going to make breakfast so some friends can come over. The guys can watch college game day and the boys can ignore each other. There is some dog hair on our floor (I really LOVE my dogs and no John Hinton is not allergic to dogs.), it looks like babiesrus threw up in our living room, there is laundry piled our our bedroom, I didn't make our bed, and I don't care.

Love, an exhausted, happy, and honest Cuddler

Veteran's Day

How did you spend Veteran's Day? Did you remember all of those men and women and their families who have given so much of themselves so we can live free? I did. The Cuddler and I talked about my PapPaw John who served in Cuba assembling bombs as part of the Navy during World War II and my grandfather, James Richard Armstrong, who was an Army mechanic. I never got to know either of them, but I will know that they were willing to make sacrifices for our country. My Aunt Lorrie is in the Army reserves and Uncle Patrick was in the Air Force. We are thankful for them and so many other brave service men and women.

So, the Cuddler had the day off. She and I took a trip to Kroger. I love Kroger. We got lots of goodies for the weekend. We are having a play date with my buddy Nic Lee. Here I am enjoying the ride.




My PawPaw says that he is going to take me to Save-a-Lot soon. He loves a trip to the grocery as much as I do.

Lots of Love, a thankful little Plum

Happy Birthday to my Grannie!

Hope you have a great day, Grannie!

Thanks to Mrs. Anna and Mr. Dan for my great letters! I love them.

Love, the Plum

Happy Fall Y'all!

Can you find the Plum?

me and my ladies.

huggin Izzy



reachin out to Izzy



two peas in a pod



relaxin on izzy



Love a Plum and his ladies