If you can't say anything nice...

My Granny used to say things like, "If you can't say anything nice, Tara Ann, then it's better to say nothing at all" and "Pretty is as pretty does, if pretty don't do pretty, pretty ain't pretty".  Lately, I've decided that I need  to purge some things, behaviors and people in my life.  Today, I'm deciding that if it causes me more grief than happiness, more harm than good, more sadness than joy, that I don't need it.  Don't think I'm getting all crazy and am going to stop eating yummy fried food or drinking some cold "sodas" - that would defeat the purpose - those bring happiness - and empty calories.  I'm talking about things like - people who constantly hurt my feelings.  Relationships that are damaged beyond repair.  Clothes that make me feel fat.  Shoes that aren't that cute and rub blisters.  Material reminders of something in my past that wasn't happy or that make me feel bad.  Hello, American Kidney Fund? Yes, I'd like to schedule a pick up.  Trash men, I'll have an extra load this week.  I'm sick of my life being cluttered by things that are constant reminders of something I don't like, didn't like, won't ever like, won't ever make me feel good.  Spring cleaning the clutter of my mind, body, soul and physical space...in almost July heat :).  Ha...we don't ever do things the easy way here!  I'm modifying the saying, "If you love something, set it free" to "If you don't love something, set yourself free".

Clearly, there have been things on my mind lately that I need to get rid of and let go.  I've been practicing every day reminding myself that if I can't change it, then I don't need to worry about it.  I think I am going to graffiti my office with that reminder :).  Life is too short, and my kids are too precious, and these moments are too fleeting.

I'm super positive tonight, yes?  I'll get over myself after a few bullets.  Rapid fire unloading.

• Thanks for your parenting advice.  Especially, since I've met you like 5 times in my life and you've met my kids 3 times.  
• Thank you, also, for treating me like a child.  The last time I checked, I'm almost 35 (WHOA NELLY - WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN??!!), have 3 children, 2 houses, a career, 2 cars and 2 dogs.  We manage to keep all of the balls in the air.  We are financially independent and make our own way.  If I need to be scolded like a pre-teen, I'll give you a call.
• If you can't say anything nice, don't say it.  Everyone should listen to their Granny's words of wisdom. I mean, seriously.  Why criticize something as insignificant as dessert?  Just say, oh, this is nice, thank you.  It's rude to criticize every.single.thing.in.life.  Unsolicited and nonconstructive criticism is just plain ugly.  Remember your Granny...pretty is as pretty does.
• In the trenches of parenting, I'm not always graceful.  That doesn't mean that I'm a terrible parent or don't love my kids more than life itself.  

It's been a heck of a Monday.  Clearly, since I just unloaded on my blog where I normally only reserve space for unicorns and perfect days.  I want to make sure that if my kiddos ever read their Momma's musings, they don't have some rose colored glass effect of their childhood and then make themselves feel bad for losing their patience with their own children.  Parenting is hard.  Relationships are hard.  LIFE, my children, is not always easy.  But, that is what makes LIFE worth LIVING.  Go out there, be strong, be confident, don't be afraid to make tough decisions, choose happiness.  And, sometimes, when you have a less than Unicorn Monday, have a little gripe session on your blog, a glass of wine, some melatonin and call it a night.  After all, tomorrow is another day....and the sun always shines in the morning :).  

May Madness

Wow - I can't believe it's June...and mid-June already at that!!  May was crazy busy and we ended the month with a trip to our favorite beach St. Augustine with my family.  The kids and I stayed two weeks, but, Daddy had to come on home after one week.  It was CRAZY...but, *mostly* fun :).

Molly had her last day of school in May...What an AWESOME year we had at an AWESOME school.  Sadly, we are changing schools for the upcoming school year to one closer to home...even though her old school was only 12 miles away, the round trip drive for me was typically about 45 minutes...or longer if I fueled my coffee habit in route.

This is Molly on her first day of school (at our first school of the year in Canton) and at her last day of school in Athens. (She did wear shoes the last day - just not in the picture.  And, yes, I have a do not ring the doorbell sign:)).

 The last week of school we had Molly's school performance.  They had a revival theme.  I don't know about you, but, there is something about little kids singing hymns that makes me cry.  Precious.

The babies did really awesome during the performance...and it was kind of long - maybe 30 minutes?  Madeline decided she loved my friend Krista and sat in her lap for most of it...ha!

It wasn't in May, but, in April we took the kids to the G-Day game - which is the annual spring scrimmage for UGA.  There was something special about all of them experiencing Sanford Stadium for the first time together.  And, they were the cutest Bulldawgs there!

  I mean, come on.  It doesn't get much cuter than these itty bitty Bulldawgs!!!

It was May when we had Marlin's hair cut.  I had a hard time with this...I mean, that's a major milestone.  My boy went from a baby to a big kid with a few snips of the scissors.

I will admit, he was getting all fraternity boy scraggley, but, there is something about cutting those first baby curls that makes a Momma sad.

We ended the month with a super crazy and *mostly* fun beach trip.  Week 1 was everybody - us, Mom & Dad and my sister's family.  C-R-A-Z-Y.  Randomly, I had a 12 hour stomach bug or something and I wasn't very nice that day - I'm so grumpy with no sleep or food.  The babies both decided to cut teeth and slept like NEVER the first week.  Marlin, our toothless wonder went to the beach with 4 teeth and came home with I think 10?  I also had some weird allergic reaction to something the first week that made my hands swell up like blown up latex gloves.  It was awesome...and Dad took me to the emergency room Saturday morning.  A few prednizone and few hours later, I felt much better.  I haven't been to the ER since I was 15 and was in a car accident with Richard Hamilton.  Once every 20 years isn't too terrible, I guess.

Week 2 was just Me, Mom and the kids.  (Mine, not Mandie's, too).  I must admit, it was quite a bit calmer, but, I didn't see the beach after Rob left.  Mom started drinking everyday at 5...and she doesn't drink.  HA!  We ended up coming home one day early due to the season's first tropical storm.  It was a good idea - the rain would have driven us crazy in our condo.  It sounds like we didn't have fun, but, we really did.  If you are a parent, you know that beach trips aren't really vacations...they are more work than staying at home.  But, the memories we created and the time spent together - even if it is with screaming toddlers who are fighting you every step of the way - are priceless.  I will admit any day that I'm not the most self-less person (I also wouldn't classify myself as the most selfish, either, though), but, I kind of didn't believe people when they would describe how much they loved their kids.  I mean, I can count on three fingers the people whom I would LITERALLY lay down my life for...and their names all start with M.  I love those buggers - even when they drive me and Nanna to drink...every.day.  :)

We have a picture of every Smith grandchild in this tub...That makes my heart smile.

attempting a grandparent Christmas card photo :)

These 4 pictures make me feel like I'm some super talented photographer...it's actually just called LUCK and taking 700 pictures to get 1 good one!

Brooke turned THREE at the beach - this is at her birthday dinner

May was a fun month...and this summer looks like it's going to be super hot and super fun.  Maybe I'll get around to posting more than once a blue moon.  Our babies are growing so fast...I can't believe what little people they are becoming.  I wish we could hit pause for a while and just freeze these long days and short years of our life.