TWO STEP-ping on a Tuesday

Yes, that is a song reference.

Every mom needs something that is her own. Something she loves to spend time doing that became a passion before the boys and the babes came along. Something that makes her feel young and free! Anyone that knows me knows that I am a little bit of a Dave Matthews Band fan. Ok, that might be a tad bit understated. Ok, yes I have been to 29 shows and counting since I fell in love with them in college in 1998. Ok, yes my husband married into this slight obsession of mine and has gladly traveled the country with me. Ok, yes, we might have used his lyrics on our Christmas card when I was expecting our first born. And Ok, yes we have a "hall of Dave" in our home...

from The Christmas Song by Dave Matthews

Part of our "Hall of Dave"

Like I said, this obsession began when I saw DMB live for the first time in Birmingham, AL 17 years ago. Since then there have been numerous shows back in the "ham", Nash-vegas, the ATL, Charlotte, Raleigh, West Palm Beach, Memphis, Washington state (The Gorge), Orange Beach, New Orleans & California... just to name a few spots. I knew I snagged a good guy when he willingly jumped right into my "hobby" when we started dating...

DMB 2006 in Raleigh, NC

3 DMB shows 2007 at The Gorge, Washington State

Dave & Tim 2013 in New Orleans
(I was 6+ months preggars with Malone here)

Sister was serenaded by Dave & Tim all night!
New Orleans 2013 

2 DBM shows 2015 in Denver, CO

So many have asked if I have ever met Dave. Um, no. Being part of the Warehouse (his fan club) has failed to allow me that luxury. BUT, I have woken Tim Reynolds up in First Class on a plane after a show in West Palm, watched an encore performance backstage in Birmingham, AL and high-fived Boyd Tinsley twice in August of this year at the Denver show, night 1...

Tim Reynold's signature, 2008

Backstage in Birmingham, 2013

My man Boyd in Denver, 2015

Last but certainly not least, what are my Dave Favs? My absolute favorite song and lyric is Grey Street. Off the top of my head I have narrowed it down to 31 other favorite songs of his and some covers. LOL! Even I hear myself typing this, wait... :) In no particular order...

Grey Street

Bartender

Crazy Easy

Crush

Crash

So Damn Lucky

Seven

Stay or Leave

One Sweet World

You and Me

Proudest Monkey

The Maker

I'll Back You Up

Space Between

Say Goodbye

So Much To Say- The Bridge-Too Much

Sister

Grace is Gone

Ants Marching

TWO STEP

Lie in Our Graves

Jimmy Thing

Granny

Dancing Nancies

Seek Up

Christmas Song

Pig

Halloween

Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd

Cornbread

Warehouse

(AND of course...) Watchtower

So for MY encore, I hope you are TWO STEP-ping your way through a fantastic Tuesday! Enjoy and find or re-find that one thing YOU love, MOMS- it helps with clarity in the MOMMY FOG!

MY DISCLAIMER: Dave Matthews is an entertainer to me. In my One Sweet World (see what I did there?), that's all I want/need from him (selfish as that may be). His politics and personal life I do not know all about nor do I agree with some that I do know, but one thing I for sure agree with is that the man is talented and can jam. Even if you aren't a fan, if you've seen his live show you can appreciate his talent and his jamming capabilities! So for that reason, I will summon my inner-hippie any day and do a little two stepping of my own.  ENJOY LIFE PEOPLE, LIGHTEN UP, KEEP YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU AND HAVE SOME FUN! I mean, isn't that what abundant life is all about?!

"Eat, Drink & Be Merry, for tomorrow we die..." - Dave Matthews

From Me to K3...

I can hear The Bangles' song loud and clear, "It's just another Manic Monday!" Lately, I have come to know the Mondays as more of a "Malone Monday". My first born babe started K3 this fall which leaves me and sister home alone on most Monday mornings. This is a blessing because it allows me to catch up from the weekend (seriously, how do you working moms do it all??!!) Sister loves having mama all to herself and lawd if she doesn't take advantage of ruling the roost! BUT... back to brother...

So because I am #thatmom, I might have slipped a little note in his backpack for his teacher on his first little day of school...

Dear Teacher,

For threes years I’ve had his mornings, now suddenly they’re yours.

I’ve watched him grow & learn daily, now it’s you that watches as he explores.

I know I am a “sappy mom”, and you’ve seen a few of me.

Change is all around us now, and it’s tough for me you see.

So, patience as I learn to let him go, well, just a little bit.

I pray for him on his new little journey, and that he doesn’t throw a fit.

I know you’ll teach him well, with all your intelligence and preparation,

I pray he will be well mannered, attentive and full of cooperation.

From me to K3 is exciting indeed, I know he will learn & shine.

I pray for you too, teacher, today he will step into your world and leave mine.

It’s hard to let go, dear teacher, so be gentle as I turn to leave.

For you have my firstborn treasure, and now you’re the lucky one, I believe.

Love, Holder’s Mom

The shirt I wanted him to wear day 1, but you know, #threenager!

Bless his little builder bones!

"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9

Drawers, gems & bird princes

"Seriously it's Saturday morning and you're BLOGGING?!", my loving husband said over the roar of the kids, the oven beeping with our Saturday Morning Muffins (ritual), & the TV flipping between Paw Patrol and ESPN. But when I get started on something I CANNOT let it go (insert singing Frozen here) until I am finished. Usually this happens when I have about 8 other things going on- like breakfast, laundry, leaving the house by 9 am and kids running amuck (is that a word... why yes it is!) and I walk past a drawer that I know is a HOT MESS and it is like dangling a carrot in front of a horse- I cannot leave it alone. So, I start digging and sorting through said drawer looking for absolutely nothing but it had summoned me for a reason, yes? Then I came across this GEM (see picture). OMG the cursive writing! REMEMBER THAT KIDS OF TODAY??!! I stopped dead in my tracks and laughed out loud (literally LOL'd) at my 10 year old literary aspirations written in pencil on hole-punched notebook paper (I love some school supplies). Wonder if (and why) I was a little upset at my sweet daddy? Enjoy this Pulitzer-worthy gem...

The Bird Prince

Once upon a time there was a princess named Elaina. She was a happy princess. Her Father, King Edward, hated all her happiness. Princess Elaina loved birds. She had collection after collection of birds. Her room was decorated with birds. Bird wallpaper, bird bedspread, bird curtains, bird everything. It was a very happy room. Her father, on the other hand, did not like her. He was grouchy all day!

It was the beginning of spring. Princess Elaina was sitting in her window seat. She was singing sweetly to the birds. All of the sudden there was a knock on the door. She went to see who it was. When Elaina opened the door guards grabbed her and took her to the top floor with one window, a bed, and a nightstand. They threw her in there and locked the door. She ran to try to open the door, but there was no use. She cried and screamed hoping someone could hear, but that was no use! She cried her self to sleep.

The next morning was a beautiful morning. She woke up to a bird chirping.

“Hello, hello, little birdie! What are you doing way up here? Elaina said.

“I came to help you.” the birdie replied.

“Huh? But I don’t understand,” Elaina said surprised, “birds don’t talk. Oh no! I must be seeing things!”

“No,” the bird replied. “I am Karl, the bird prince.” 

“What, a bird prince?” she said puzzled. “There’s no such thing, anyway, what is a bird prince?”

Karl said, “A bird prince is a bird that turns into a prince.”

“I don’t believe you!” Elaina said.

“O.K.,” Karl said. “Here goes…” Then he turned around and around and stopped, snapped his fingers and turned into a handsome young prince. “Shall we be off?” he said.

“What do you mean,” she said.

“There’s only two ways to get out of here, the door is locked and too far to jump. Don’t you get it? We’ll fly!” Karl replied. “Take my hand and hold on tight.” They started to fly. They flew all the way to the Great Palace and, you know it, of course, they lived happily ever after.

The End.

Now isn't that an interesting BLAST from my PAST! Wonder if I got an "A"? Oh, and it appears that I got over being "mad" at my sweet daddy... albeit a few months later... Bless! #neverwasanartist

About me & how the Mommy Fog came to be...

I am important.

How do I know this? Because I have several TITLES and NAMES I answer to. That makes a person important, right? To my husband, Scott, my name is Katye and I am his WIFE of almost 8 years...

December 8, 2007 (Arden Photography)

To our 3 year old threenager son, Holder, and 1 year old diva daughter, Malone, I am mama or lately, just "mom", and I am their MOTHER. Actually, now that I think about it I am also their short order cook, driver, personal shopper, miss fix it, trouble shooter, mind reader, problem solver, nurse, translator, maid, photographer, therapist, secretary, assistant, educator, disciplinarian, life coach, best friend, spiritual guide and, obviously, their entertainer. But most of all I am their BIGGEST FAN and PRAYER WARRIOR...

Easter 2015

To our 7 year old cat, Moses, I am PETA- Praying Everyday That he's still Alive! Moses is a story of his own and is already on his 9th life.

Moses strutting after his "summer shave"

PARTY of 5? That's us! And did I mention we are MSU Bulldogs?! Yes, I can hear those glorious cowbells ringing now. HAIL STATE!

Christmas 2014 (Jennifer Parnell Photography)

REWIND: My personal and professional life drastically changed once our son waltzed into our lives, a month early I might add, in March of 2012.

Baby Holder (Cat Moore Photography)

That is when I left my professional life (as we had planned) of 11 years and entered into the "mommy fog" by becoming a mom, and a stay at home one at that. Heck it's taken me 3 and 1/2 years to start this blog, so that explains a lot. The first year with Holder was amazing but tough as our calendars quickly filled with doctor appointments due to his cases of hydronephrosis, jaundice, hip dysplasia , failed hearing tests, etc... After his pyeloplasty surgery at 1 year old at Children's Hospital of Alabama at UAB, the hydronephrosis continues to improve and the other items worked themselves out by age 2. (Insert "Praise the Lord" emoticons here!) Currently we go annually for an ultrasound to make sure his right kidney is behaving. Hopefully by age 6 it will be biannually.

April 2013

Our daughter decided to give us a break and arrive only 2 weeks early in March of 2014, thank you sister. Praise the Lord she had a clean bill of "inner" health! But goodness gracious if she hasn't had her fair share of "outward" ailments from the flu, which she shared with me last spring- thanks for that sweet girl, to ear and eye infections, traumatic teething starting the day she was born (it felt like) AND many a tumble on many a hard surface. Our little "moo moo" always has a "boo boo". But boy when she smiles her smile and her laugh... that's the good stuff!

Baby Malone (Cat Moore Photography)

We did think SHE was a HE for about 3 weeks but BOY were we thrilled when HE was a SHE! Malone is tiny but tough and literally needs a helmet to break her falls before she literally breaks something... other than her front 2 teeth, she's already chipped those. I've literally considered purchasing some bubble wrap recently... Anyway, luckily our tiny tornadoes adore each other, well, most days anyway...

Memorial Day 2015

So that is the long and short of us. Being a parent is the most awesome thing I have ever done but it is also the craziest I have ever been- and I mean crazy... in the head. Here on the Mommy Fog Blog I hope you will find humor, honesty and most likely a stream of consciousness of whatever is going on when I have a minute to sit down and write. I've always loved writing so please enjoy, laugh and have some fun today! It's the only way to survive the "mommy fog". Can I get an AMEN!?

The Fam Jam, Malone is 1, March 2015

"I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18