Lauren Braddock Havey's Blog, page 8

I'm comin' up, so you better get this party started!

Oh, how I LUV me a party ... even if it is a virtual one! Thought I would hop on board for the Ultimate Blog Party via Five Minutes For Mom. What a fun idea.

Here, have a seat, would you like some cheese?

Allow me introduce myself. Like, I am an Aries and I like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain. No, seriously ... I am an Aries, but this time of year (77 in Nashvegas today, peeps) I prefer margaritas and sunshine.

I describe myself here as a "watered-down earth mother" hence the MudM...

A GOOD adoption story

Well, yesterday I posted about a BAD adoption story (the poor little seven-year-old boy from Russia who got sent back by himself from the US on a plane with a note). Tonight I am feeling uplifted after (finally) seeing the Blind Side and thought I would balance out yesterday's contribution with something positive. Now here is a true and amazing story of Michael Oher who was adopted by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy at sevenTEEN years old, transracially, and (as Hollywood tells it) rocked his way i...

Russia puts the freeze on US adoptions

As someone who is interested in adopting I am stunned and saddened, as many are, by recent news. An American woman (in Tennessee, thank you very much) boarded her seven-year-old Russian adopted son on a one-way-flight to Russia BY HIMSELF with a note saying that she did not want to parent him anymore (due to his psychological problems). The family paid a man $200 to pick the boy up at the Moscow airport and take him to the Russian Education and Science Ministry.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.co...

Easter vacation, Florida roadtrip

Please excuse my lack of posting/checking in. We just got back from West Palm Beach seeing Jim's mom, "Grandee" (and cousins!) for Easter.

On the way there, we gave Little Man an ego-BOOSTER, in the shape of a literal booster seat for big boys that he has been wanting for a long time. I had been holding off since he is not yet 40 lbs., but I found one that is okay for kids 30 lbs. and up, he gave it two thumbs up!

a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AjVgQckiEC8......

You say it's your birthday ...

Sunday was my fortiesh birthday. Little man woke me up first thing in the morning very excited. He and his dad brought me purple flowers and he was very proud to hand them to me.


I scrambled to unpack last minute boxes before we had a few family/friends over and I was exhausted and cranky by noon! But, it was great to have a reason to motivate to finally get the place in order. We had a really great time showing loved ones our new home and having pizza and cupcakes as if it were my 4th :)

Have you ever felt all boxed in??

We have been in the new house, oh, about 10 days now and there are still quite a few unpacked boxes. I never realized how much c-r-a-p I have! I am not complaining though--thankful to have new digs close to everything. It's just that I unpack and unpack and there is still more to unpack! We are getting there though.
We did paint below our chair rail aubergine last week(to cover up the old dijon mustard color) so that was fun. Little Man has been in our bed since we have been here though. His r...

Luck o' the irish to yooooooOUCH!

Little Man had his five year check-up today. He pinched the doc for not wearing green. The doc responded by ordering four shots! ;)

He now has his papers for kindergarten registration. Sob, sob. The Dr also gave him the go- ahead to get a booster seat (even though he is only 36 lbs.) which he was excited about.
My little boy is growing up!

Bye-bye Pegram house

Welp, it is final, we are out of the house we have been in for the past 8 1/2 years in the Mayberry-esque bedroom community to Nashville of Pegram. The house that was our solace post-9/11 after living through the event in Manhattan. The quiet and starry nights were just what the doctor ordered at the time, as was the jacuzzi tub that came with it (living just outside of town, we were able to get a new house for less with modern ammenities including a mother-in-law suite and gournet kitchen) I...

I love LA!

I am just now back from a whirlwind trip to LA, three days of nonstop activity. Friday I left my little angel home with Daddy for a "boy's weekend" (Thanks Jim for letting me go! Thanks to Grandbobby and Kathy for babysitting on Sunday so Little Man's daddy could get some stuff done!)
I flew out with one of my best buddies and music partner, the fabulous Mr. Don Henry. My fabulous friend singer/actress Ava Dupree picked us up from the airport with her hunnie the adorable forver young Wally Ho...

Will strip for a hot tub

Not me, people, my son!

Today we went in search of a hottub. We are moving into a new (old) house and the bathrooms are small, so I am thinking, rather than doing a crazy-expensive addition to get the bathroom of my dreams we will "just" get a hottub. Don't you just loooove my rationale?? So, here we are at "Watson's" (funny to you if you live in middle Tennessee and have seen their commercials) with the Little Man. Poor guy had been drug all day from the old house, to the new house, listening...