Scrub a dub dub. A gryffindor in the tub.

This guy is all hopped up on suds!

Moooooonnnnnn!!!!

Gator hater.

Then we have the reason for all the bathing in this house....party with the dogs out back. This kid loves to be outside. He pretty much throws a hissy whenever we come inside. The face he is making here pretty much says, "Henry, enjoy knocking me over now because when I figure out this whole run/walk thing...your life as you know it is over. Gone. Never to be heard from again."

Turkish Bath and Repressed Memories

Wow. How in the ever lovin' world could I have forgotten this story of my life? Seriously.

My friend Carrie* who I am visiting in Singapore in 2 weeks(!!!!!) sent out a very organized Carrie-esque email about how much money we would need for our trip. I love Asia. Cheapety cheap cheap.

Anyway, in this wonderful email she mentioned spas in Cambodia that we can go to. Spa? Want to go? Yes and yes yes yes. Spa is my middle name. Actually technically it is Zacheretti but whose checking?

Hour long massage for 6 bucks....are you freaking kidding me? I would rather do that than eat! I told Andrew that he can expect me to come home skinny and relaxed. He might send me to Cambodia more often....

She did mention that these places may be slightly "grimy". To which I replied..."There are showers in Cambodia, right?" Bring on the freakin' grime! I've been feeling a little too clean lately anyway.

Then, as I was explaining how I am technically saving Andrew money by going on this trip last night, a memory that apparently has been repressed in the deep crevices of my mind reappeared.

And I laughed.

Oh how I laughed!! Muhahaha!

It is one of those things that makes me wonder, "If I weren't me, would I be friends with me? Probably not. No, definitely not. I'm just too weird."

So, now. On to my story.

Picture it:

Turkey. The week after I graduated college. I went on a mission trip with a group from FBC Concord. Andrew was there. We didn't love each other then.

Not yet anyway.

So, we went to a Turkish Bath one night. (Mission trip....yes, we did do that too...we were just trying to immerse ourselves in their culture! Be one with the country! Bathe with the countrymen...women...)

The girls went to one part of the bath and the boys went to another. And I think their's was much nicer....what kind of country is this?? I'm going home! Just kidding. No I'm not. Yes I am. Well, I did eventually go home. I digress.

This is what it was like. We had the option to go in our swimsuit or completely buck nekked. If you know me at all. Seriously, if we have ever met, I think you know what I did. It was me and one other girl. We shall call her AC. You know who you are...that's right. Go big or go home! the other girls chose the more modest approach and wore swimsuits. I can't say I will ever be mature enough to make that decision given the circumstances.

So we are in a room with a big pool and on one side of the room is a big marble table. A, how should I say...volumptuos Turkish woman wearing her undies and a bra was standing by the marble slab with a towel. Now, my memory is quite fuzzy. I was exhilerated by my nekkedness and might forget some details. Feel free to remind me of anything if I forgot, AC.

So you lounge by the pool. I remember there were some other Turkish women there and also a little boy probably about 3 years old running around enjoying his nekkedness as well.

You take turns going up and laying down on the marble slab and getting scrubbed down by Bertha. That's right. You lay on the slab in front of everyone while Big B rubs you down with a towel and soapy suds in all your glory. Or a swimsuit if you are so inclined...I was not...sorry girls. I needed to feel the wind beneath my wings!

It was like this...only no strange man in the corner (that I know of) and this woman has way too many clothes on to be Bertha and isn't quite as scary looking...and I don't recall it being quite so regal of a place...

Then you soak some more in the pool. Get dressed and go along your merry way.

How could I forget such a glorious experience? Ah, memories. I can only hope that a spa in Cambodia be equal to or even more sublime! I miss you, Bertha!

Delicious and Nutritious

So, I have a friend. We will call her "boss-lady." We have a 2 person book club going on. We are currently making our way through all of Jodi Picoult's books. Love her! I want to be her!

Anyway, that is beside the point of my story.

Boss Lady and I loved the Twilight series. The first movie, although cheesy, did involve some delicious looking characters. Obviously not as hot as my hubster, but you get the idea.

A new website has been brought to my attention via BL. http://inappropriatetwilightobsession.blogspot.com/

I highly recommend that you check it out. Even if you didn't read Twilight. Or watch the movie. Or give a crap.

It is just fun because the lady who started the blog is a mother of a daughter who is obsessed with Twilight as well. She might actualy be more obsessed than her 8 year old daughter. And by might I mean she is.

It is pretty funny.

And delicious.

LOUD NOISES!!

Griffin had a great first 4th of July weekend! We went to Knoxville (obviously..I've posted that about 2 times already).

One more 2yearldism. I can't help myself:

Dad when he was trying to tie up the boat..."Shoot!"

Ansley (looking at him disapprovingly) "We don't say that, Zacky!"

Dad- "I'm sorry...what do we say?"

Ansley "We say 'Oh my!'"

Dad "Okay, Oh my!"

Ansley "You got it, Zacky!"

Griffy loved the fireworks! I thought he would be scared a little bit of the loud noises but he was chilled and just liked to watch. I thought he might be deaf. My mom assured me he was not. I also thought he had Prader-Willi when he was born because he ate so much and was so mad if it took me longer than 2 seconds to provide sustenance. I thought I was going to have to padlock the fridge as soon as he could crawl. Luckily I was way off. I'm a little paranoid, maybe?

"It's glorious!"

Lila and Griff are finally at the age where they play together. It was so cute to watch.

They tried to escape the gameroom because as you can see....there are absolutely no toys for them to play with in there. None whatsoever! Poor dears.

"Sadie! Go for help!!"-Griffin "I'll text mommy! She'll save us!"-Lila

They played with the exersaucer.

"You check out the bottom and I'll make sure the toys on top are okay!"

They cooked a big meal in the kitchen.

"I'll taste this pot and make sure it is delicous....you make sure the stove is nice and hot!"

"Hey...G-money..put your head in this cabinet...I think there is a Mum Mum in there with your name on it..." (She then continued to lose his head in there...he thought it was funny).

They cruised along the couch.

Attacked Zacky and tried to force him to use a paci.

Griffin was playing and having a good time. We were sitting on the daybed reading a nice little book. Then ESPN started talking about how Steve McNair was shot. He would not take his eyes off the TV. It was cute. A little weird. But. Cute. He sat in my lap for a while watching. Then he moved to the floor. Then he coaxed Nick to join him. He was distraught with the news.

And on a side note.

Nick: "Hey, look! I can write on here without the pen touching it!"

Dad: "Six years of college and this is what I get?"

Nick: "Pretty much...yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

2yearoldisms part Deaux, Boats, and Parades

o


Ansley is so funny. I just can't help it. I have to write down more of what this child is saying these days!

Whenever someone tells her something and she doesn't hear or wants to pretend that she doesn't hear she says "What say?" Kind of like "Say what" but not. Love it!

She was playing in the dirt a while ago and Cory (her dad) asked her to stop making a mess. She (very sassily) said, "I not do everything!" Then a couple days later my brother said the same thing just to make a little fun of her cuteness. She looked at him and said, "Sometimes I say that."

Bella and Zacky got a leggo table. Ansley walked into the gameroom and saw it. She asked, "Who made that? The man?"

Love her!

We went to the Farragut 4th of July Parade this morning. I got to see some friends who I haven't seen in a while which was fun. To quote my brother from another mother, "Happy birthday America, sorry your parade is so long." It was a long parade right during Griff's naptime. He wouldn't sleep though and watched the whole thing with a sleepy look on his face. He also got a lot of hard choking hazard-esque candies placed on his stroller....they meant well. Mommy will just take those..mmm...sugar..

Courtney and I were walking the babies down the sidewalk and a little kid walked up to Courtney and said, "I like your baby." Then proceeded to walk away. Thanks, kid, we swapped her for an ipod (Bruno preview quote ifyou haven'e seen it...teehee.

We also went out on the boat yesterday. The lazy boat days where we all lay out on the (and I seriously don't know boat lingo) hood in our bikinis and drank beer and relaxed are way over. Seriously over. Like won't be back for 18 years. It was still fun though.

The boys cleaned the boat for a while. Then we drove out to the cove where my parent's lot is. The babies enjoyed it for a little bit. Then all baby-heck broke loose. Ansley was afraid the water was going to get her. Lila was hungry but wouldn't drink out of Griffin's bottle so she was angry. Griffin just got very sleepy from the rocking of the boat but was seriously fighting sleep. Very vocally and angrily fighting sleep.

So we turned around and came back. There was a slight water leakage problem down in the (boat lingo...not sure about this one) bedroom/bathroom/kitchen belly of the boat. As well as a minor carbon monoxide issue. Andrew, Cory, and dad spent quite a while shop-vacing the carpet...then we had a dance party in the parking lot before heading out. Good times!

2yearoldisms.

She loves to serve food. Griffin was one of her customers. "Can I get this pureed, please??"

I looooove my nieces! Ansley is 2 and a half and says the cutest things, they must be recorded in the blog.

They absolutely just must.

(Courtney was in the car with Ansley, talking on the phone with Bella-my mom-Tammie)

Ansley:Who ya talkin' to, mama?

Courtney: Bella.

Ansley: I call her 'Tammie'.

Courtney: Laughing and telling mom about it.

Ansley: I do! I do call her Tammie! Mama, can I call her Tammie just once?

(Me, Ansley and Courtney out for a walk in our neighborhood. There was a scarecrow in somebody's yard.)

Ansley: What's that??

Courtne: A scarecrow. They put it there to scare the birds away from their garden.

Ansley:That is not a scarecrow. It is NOT a scarecrow mommy. (this went on for a few minutes).

Courtney: Okay, it's not a scarecrow...what is it then?

Ansley: I don't know...a MAN. (As if she couldn't believe she had to be the one to educate us on the obvious...we are just so dumb. Really, we just can't help it.)

(Ansley was doing the 'put off bedtime' dance. She saw an apple...)

Ansley: Mmmmm...yummy...apple. I want it!

Zacky: Okay, here ya go.

Ansley continues to lick her chops...take off the sticker...takes an itsy bitsy bite.Then casually hands me said apple.

Ansley: Here. Put this in the fridge for later.Mmm... a banana!

Then she spit out the itsy bitsy bite of apple in Zacky's hand.