A Boy's Best Friend is His Mouse

David brought Dawson his very first Mickey doll from his trip to Orlando.


Dawson took one look at it, said "MIMMY!!!!" and has been inseperable from it since.

Only six weeks to go and we'll see "Mimmy" in person!

Braggin' Rights

David is in Orlando this week for business and asked that I post some of our new photos on here so that he can brag. These are ones that Krista Lee shot in downtown Murfreesboro, including our new real estate photo for our website and a shot of Dawson that reminds me of the Calvin Klein billboard on Times Square.

Here you go, honey!

Fall-Out-Yo'-Chair Friday

Halloween is just around the corner...we have lots of fun things planned.

Until then...

Be prepared to be scared.

"So...Why Exactly Are You Calling Again?"

Have you ever had a conversation with someone that afterwards, you actually feel dumber for having talked to them?

As in - you're talking, you're talking, and oh - look - there goes my brain cells...they're actually dying as we speak...

Enter the phone call I received yesterday on my business line. (Also known as the rental phone...also known as the direct line to all the crazies in Rutherford County...)

Me: (Answering the phone after the same person has called 3 times in a row without leaving a message while I was on the other line) "So-and-So Rentals."

Crackhead: "Hello?"

Me: "Hello, So-and-So Rentals."

Crackhead: "Hello?"

Me: "HELLO? S0-AND-SO RENTALS." (for the love of...gheesss...)

Crackhead: "Um, yayiss...I'm callin' to find out how to break my lease...you know, what your policy is on how to do that."

Me: "Uh-huh...well, there isn't really a policy. If you break your lease, you lose your deposit, are responsible for the rent payment until the property is re-rented, court costs and other fees."

Crackhead: (long pause) "So - I can't, like, pay a fee or somethin'?"

Me: "Like, no, you can't pay a fee. There isn't a fee. I just told you exactly what will happen if you break your lease. You are legally responsible and liable for the lease you voluntarily signed. Do you understand that?"

Crackhead: (an even longer pause) "Um, well...yeah, I mean...but I can't just pay a fee?"

Me: "THERE IS NO FEE!!!! YOU CAN'T BREAK YOUR LEASE!"

Crackhead: "So...I guess, what you're saying is, I can't break my lease?"

Me: (pondering a cocktail at this point) "No. NO. You can't. Not without all of that stuff happening that I just told you about a few seconds ago."

Crackhead: "Oh...ok...well...ok....hmmm.....ok....well....hmmmm....I just...ok...."

Me: "What property did you say you rent?"

Crackhead: "Oh, well, I don't rent one."

Me: "Excuse me?"

Crackhead: "Yeah, I don't rent one."

Me: (about to jump through the phone) "So - let me get this straight. You're calling to find out how to break your lease, but you're telling me that you don't rent from us. Is that correct?"

Crackhead: "Yeah."

Me: "Uh-huh. So you just randomly found this phone number, and just randomly called, hoping there might be someone on the other end of the line to tell you what you want to know?"

Crackhead: "Yeah, uh-huh."

Me: (laughing) "Ok...right, right. Listen, can I give you a little hint?"

Crackhead: "Um..."

Me: "You know, since you're just a pretend tenant, and you just are calling about a pretend situation, let me tell you that you'll actually need to call Mr. So-and-So, you know, your pretend landlord, if you are going to break your pretend lease, because, you know, he'll be the one to pretend to take you to court and pretend to throw all of your stuff out on the pretend lawn."

Crackhead: "What's that phone number?"



Off to bang my head against a pretend wall.

Workin' It

The month of September absolutely flew by, and October seems as though it's vanishing quickly, too. We've been busy with a variety of things - Dawson continues to love going to Mom's Day Out and when he's not at school, helping his mama work.
"Hmmm...yes, this bay window lets in a lot of sun...plus, plenty of visibility for watching the babes go by...yeah, I think it'll rent quickly."
"You know, you should actually measure rooms from outlet to outlet - better indication of convenience."

And when he's not been workin' it with me, Dawson's been workin' it in front of the camera. We met Krista Lee in downtown Murfreesboro to do some new family photos. We had the best time, Krista was fabulous and I think we got some really good shots. These are some proofs she sent us - I can't wait to see them all!

Saying "No"

Do you ever find that what you're saying with your mouth and what you're saying in your head do not match at all?




Like when you say "yes" but you'd much rather say "no"?

And I don't mean to your kids when they want another cookie.

I mean to adults - to your friends, your family, your co-workers, etc.?

I have a hard time saying "no."

It's usually because I don't want to disappoint anyone or because I'm concerned about what people will think.

I've gotten better at it since Dawson was born, simply because I had to say it because caring for him was more important, but it still nags at me. I've also gotten better at not automatically providing an excuse for when I do say "no", so I guess that's progress.

I'm beginning to think it's a girl thing - because I know many of my friends struggle with this, and I know NO MAN who has a problem with it.

If this is you, how do you get over it and just say "no"?