Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

looks like this...

It's really the least she can do.  After all SHE is the one who is responsible for all of the spaghetti scribbles all over my cupboard doors. Teach the children well, y'all.

It started snowing again on Sunday afternoon.  By the time we woke up on Monday morning, there was about seven inches of that stuff on the ground.  The kids already had the day off school since it was President's Day, and George cleared the driveway and went to work because he is apparently no longer the sensible Southern boy I fell in love with.  The little girl pictured above has a habit of standing at the window and moaning, "EMMA!!  EMMA!!" while watching her older sisters frolic and cavort in the Winter Wonderland that my front yard has become. So on Monday morning I thought I would make Lili's dreams come true by bundling her up and letting her go out and play with those big girls in the snow.  My favorite weather guy assured us all that the snow was wetter and heavier and perfect for snowman-making, so we were all ready to show off our wintry artistic skills. On went Lili's undershirt, trousers, sweatshirt, snow pants, double socks, boots, mittens an...

We are too busy, and there is not enough time to spend with the beautiful little people in my life.  This week we are adding swimming to the agenda which means we now have something extracurricular going on every night of the week (except Friday because that would be completely insane).  I swore it would never be like this, but here we are with double gymnastics, swimming and church youth activities.  There is not enough down time. Even when we are home it feels nearly impossible to spend individual quality time with each girl. There are always plenty of house chores and laundry to be done.  There is also the matter of fact that we have an impish toddler running around who requires constant supervision and who doesn't cooperate when the big girls set up an intricate board game on the floor.  (Even now as I type, there is the risk that she could, at any moment, scurry over here and press the power button on my computer.)  Yesterday, after she had helped wi...

That's right.  Free your mind.  A sassy pair of pants needn't solely adorn your bum and legs. Ta dah!  The right pair of pants can say the world, "Hey!  I'm a girl who walks to the beat of her own drummer (wearing nothing but a pair of striped pants on my head)." Bid those "Bad Hair Days" a fond farewell.  Who needs 'em.  Ha ha ha! As William Shakespeare said, "This above all: to thine own self be true."  This morning my own self told me to wear my pants on my head, and I listened. Have a great day! Love,  Lili

Happy Valentine's Day, Y'all!! Love is Something Meredith  |  Myspace Video

Last weekend Sophia informed me, "I cannot wait to make Valentine's cookies with you!" I was all, "Say what?  Valentine's Cookies?"   And then I searched my memory for a time in the past when we had made Valentine's cookies and came up with nothing, but she insisted that cookies were called for.  And apparently I didn't take much convincing.  I dug up my best sugar cookie recipe, and we all got down to business last night. EVERY girl wanted to be involved. It turned out that this was a pretty excellent way to spend a Friday evening. And we all "felt the love" before it was all said and done. Now about that recipe... Best Ever Sugar Cookies (Courtesy of the Family Fun Cookbook guaranteed to 'unleash the creative cookie monster in anyone.') 1 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cream of tartar In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar u...