Day 107

Internet, I took this picture literally 2 minutes ago but I decided not to deprive you of it one second longer than necessary.

Day 106

My Old Kentucky Home

Tonight's Mad Men was entitled My Old Kentucky Home. The episode examined the roles we play and the uncomfortable tension which can result when those roles shift.

It was not only the title of tonight's episode that got me thinking about my own life back in My Old Kentucky Home. It is weird to spend your entire childhood in a place and then return to it several years after as an adult. Weird but wonderful. Everything is the same but different. You are the same but different. What has shocked me the most is not the intensity of the emotions I feel for Paducah. I love Paducah and living here is as wonderful as I thought it would be. What has shocked me is the intensity of the emotion I feel for the place I left behind.

We spent four years in D.C., which considering Griffin has officially been in our lives for a year now (I found out I was pregnant almost a year ago next week) doesn't seem like that long. But those years were transformative. Law school, working on the campaign, my job on the Senate, all the relationships I formed really made such an impact on my life and D.C. was the backdrop for all of that. I expected to miss the people but I'm surprised by how much I miss the city itself.

I miss coming down the steps of our building to the bustling sounds of Connecticut, climbing the escalator at Chinatown to see the big painted arch, knowing that I need to get to the end of the train in order to come out at the right exit at Union Station. I miss the sight of the Capital Dome so much sometimes it hurts. I miss catching glimpses of D.C. on TV or movies and smiling with the smug knowledge that I LIVE there.

I know Kentucky is where I belong. Every time I see a wide open blue sky over rolling green hills my heart expands a little. Every time I see my mom coo at Griffin or Ron hold him close I know Nicholas and I made the right decision for our family.

But it doesn't mean this new role I chose for myself doesn't have its bittersweet moments. I'm realizing that My Old Kentucky Home was not my only home after all.

Bonjour!

You like my striped shirt!?!? OUI!?!?

Day 105

The Bathrooms

When we first walked through our house, my reaction to every room was Yes! Yes! Yes! That is until I turned the final corner into the master bathroom at which point I exclaimed No! No! No! I wish I had taken a picture because it was Terrible with a capital T. It had a tiny door, a giant shower pod, and a pedestal sink. I mean what self-respecting woman can get ready at a pedestal sink. Not to mention, the thing I wanted most in a house was a nice deep soaking tub. So, before we made an offer, I made Nicholas agree that I could redo the bathroom before we moved in and boy howdy did I pay for that agreement out of my ass. The contractor who promised it would be finished in two weeks took somewhere closer to three months before everything was in perfect working order. It was worth it though because it is my little oasis. Nicholas and Griffin are not allowed because boys make things dirty and I don't want to every put down a toilet seat again. :)






























































This is the boys' bathroom. It is painted the same color as our dining room but looks completely different just like my aunt said it would. I have all my tourist frames displayed and I think it turned out nicely.

Day 104

My baby was magnificent today. He took a 2 hour nap in the morning so I had lots of time to hang out and relax. Then we ran all over town after lunch running errands. He cooed and generally charmed anyone with whom we came in contact.

Day 103

Boys and girls I think we've found momma's new favorite outfit.

Day 102

Play Date

Griffin had his first official play date yesterday with his good pal Emmett Morehead. They seemed to have fun, especially in the beginning. Emmett found Griffin's company so riveting he promptly fell asleep.

Day 101

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

So, I hope y'all remember what I look like because for the near future this is what my face will look like...

BECAUSE I GOT AN IPHONE BITCHESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry.

When they first came out, I thought they were pretty cool. However, I've never really needed the newest hippest cell phone. For the first couple of years, I would use a cell phone until it broke then trade it in for whatever they would give me for free. I had a Treo I really liked and my EnV was fun. I loved having the same phone as Blair on Gossip Girl.

That was until we moved home and my mom had an iPhone. She just kept waving it around and talking about how cool it was. Plus, I got to use it enough to really see the appeal. That in combination with the never ending commercials advertising the cool aps and I started begging for one about three months ago.

Alas, I am married to the cheapest man in the world who wasn't about to budge until his contract with Verizon expired in JUNE OF 2010!!! (He also let it slip that I couldn't have a cooler phone than him...jerk.) But I just kept at it with the begging and the whining and the begging.

Finally, Jolly Ron took pity on me and put me on their family plan and WHOPEE! I got an iPhone.

So now the best things that have ever happened to me rank in this order:

1. Marrying Nicholas
2. Having Griffin
3. Getting Lasik.
4. Getting an iPhone

(Order depends on the day) ;)

Day 100

Triple digits people. TRIPLE digits!

John Turner's First Birthday

We went to Louisville this weekend for John Turner Weatherholt's first birthday. Fun was had by all, although maybe a little too much fun. The weather was so perfect and cool that neither one of us really thought about sunscreen. As a result, me and the baby ended up with pretty bad sunburns. We both felt terrible but he hasn't acted like he is in any pain. In fact, I think the whole episode upset me and Nicholas more than Griffin.

John Turner's First Birthday from hollandnm on Vimeo.

Day 99

Day 98

Griffin had a wonderful visit with his good pal Collin. His parents also had a fabulous visit with Collin's parents Annie and Kyle. :)

Day 97

Day 96

I mean COME ON!

How can anyone possibly watch Fox News after this!?!?

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Fox News: The New Liberals
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

Day 95

Griffin took his first trip to the zoo! We went to the Evansville Zoo while Nicholas was hard at work in Henderson. Griffin seemed to really enjoy the animals, especially anything brightly colored that moved. He watched the ducks, zebras, turtles and monkeys with particular interest. It was sweltering but he insisted on being carried and held his head up like a big boy the entire time. Between the heat, the head holding and all the stimulation, it really took his toll because he took a 3 hour nap once we got back to the hotel.

Day 94

Hello from Henderson!

Day 93

These pictures were literally taken MILLISECONDS apart. That's how quickly the winds shift around here. ;)

Major Development

Day 92

Adventures in Canning

Today was the big day. We turned 20 lbs of fresh tomatoes into 14 cans of tomatoes.















First, we prepared the cans by sterilizing them in the dishwasher.






















Then, we boiled the tomatoes and then dunked them in cold water so we could peel them.


































We chopped them up.




























Then we stuffed the cans and filled them with lemon juice and hot water.





















Then in a hot water bath for 40 minutes and..






















Taaaaaa daaaaaa!!!

Day 91

Day 90

The craziest thing came with our box of vegetables this week!

Day 89

In my Harley Davidson outfit Grandpa bought me. Mommy wasn't a big fan.

Gone With The Wind Revisited

I just finished Frankly, My Dear: Gone with the Wind Revisited. Molly Haskell reexamines both the novel and the film and our cultures' obsession with the fabled tale of Scarlett and Rhett.

I decided to re-watch the movie as well and I have to say I did see it in a whole new light. In particular, I've garnered a new respect for Melanie Wilkes. I always found her annoying before, with Scarlett soaking up all the glitter and shine. However, now I find her one of the more interesting and empathetic characters in the movie. I love that she sees the best in everyone and is such an excellent judge of character, including those others misjudge like Rhett and Bell Watling.

More than that though, I love how quickly she can join forces with the less savory characters to achieve her goals. She lies in an instant to protect Scarlett after she shoots the Yankee deserter. She instinctively plays along with Rhett's drunken partying story after the raid on the shantytown. After a while, you realize how essential she is to every character's narrative and how it's not surprising that things fall apart upon her death. Melanie (and Mammy) is the only real adult in the entire story.

Posing

Yes, Mama, I WILL become a giant smiley pants after leaving the professional photo session at which I was semi-cranky!

Day 88

Day 87

Griffin met his Grandpa today! I believe it was love at first sight on both sides. :)

Day 86

BABY LEGS! The hippest in baby clothes.

Great weekend

Nicholas and I had a wonderful weekend. The best kind of weekend where you simultaneously relax and get a ton of stuff done.

On Saturday, we had pancakes for breakfast. Then Griffin and I went back to bed for a long, luxurious 3 hour nap. Nicholas was pretty anxious by the end so we went to the lake and hung out on the dock while he had a very successful day fishing.

On Sunday, we made a major dent in our vegetable overflow (a combination of our Amish CSA and my Daddy Bud's overabundance) and froze and froze and froze green beans and corn. Then we met my parents and grandmother over at my uncle's house for a swim in his pool. Griffin spent the most time in the water yet, which was fun. Then we had everyone over for Sunday dinner and Nicholas made Hoppin' John. A wonderful ending to a wonderful weekend.

I have the best husband