Not Your Mama's Dress Code

Yesterday I was channel surfing while blow-drying my hair while making up the bed, (yes, I'm a ridiculously unreformed and unrepentant multi-tasker), when I ended up on the beauty pageant for little kids show. Have you seen this? Have you seen what they do to these children? I would seriously like to sic Dog the Bounty Hunter on some of those parents.

I realize as Belle of All Things Southern this might be a surprising position for me to take, so let me clarify. I've never been in a beauty pageant, (true, no big surprise there) but as a general rule, I don't have a problem with them. Wait, let me correct that. I LIKE them-- if the contestants are old enough, say, to go to the bathroom by themselves. Driving age is even better. My daughter and I have popped many a bowl of popcorn and watched a ton hundred of older girls and younger women compete. And before that, it was me and my mama watching 'em together and cheering for Miss Louisiana regardless of what she looked like that year. So, there are our bona-fide southern credentials.

Now, this isn't the first time I've caught the show. And in the interest of fairness, I've actually seen a few parents who didn't remind me of Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest and a few children who may not need psychiatric treatment, soon. But frankly, I'm afraid they're in the minority.

I was already grieving for some of those wee ones when I heard something with my own two ears that I haven been unable to digest. It was right before the bathing suit division started. One of the pageant officials was recapping the rules to the camera when she said, "Many of our contestants wear one piece swim suits. We allow two pieces, as well, but we do not allow thongs."

No thongs for the wee ones?! Well now, I was in the process of saying to no one in particular, "Thank the Good Lord there's a tiny bit of common sense left" when the woman actually finished her sentence with this startling observation, "it takes a perfect body to wear a thong."

Really? Really?! Are you stinking kidding me? The only reason they don't allow three year olds to parade around in thongs is because "it takes a perfect body to pull it off?!" That's the sort of thinking that really should be criminal. And frankly, it renders me practically speechless and that is some kind of hard to do. (Just ask my husband.)

About the only thing left for me to say is, "Anyone got Dog on speed dial?"

Hugs,

Shellie

Christmas Chopsticks

Message from Shellie:

The Baby Czars put on a show!

Click on a video below to watch it:

	Christmas Chopsticks Video Length 1:57 Click here to watch

To learn more about the Flip Video Camcorder, click here.

Quieting the Masses Would Be Easier if They Weren't in My Head

The voices in my head are in fine form today. There is the one that would like to go back to where I was in my Bible Study earlier and stay there all the live-long day. I like her but she has been outvoted for now.

There's another who keeps reminding me that I have recently agreed to deliver "Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy" by June 1st, this June 1st. Ouch. She's something of a pest, albeit a necessary one.

They're both competing with the "you should just go ahead and take down the Christmas tree now and get the house clean so you can think straight" Martha Stewarty/I know these things/petulant voice (and I mean that in the nicest way Martha).

And then there's the "Excuse me, but this is Monday and you know it's radio segment taping, website updating, ATS administration day and why are you putting off getting started" voice. She bores me to tears.

I suppose I'll have to tend to all of 'em and their friends eventually, but I can't do it until I get one big thing off my chest. Here it is. If you haven't read "Same Kind of Different as Me", do so, please, as soon as you can.

It will make you laugh, cheer, and cry in turns. No, you won't be a better person for reading it, but I double dog dare you to read it and not want to be.

Hugs,

Shellie

P.S. And when you do, because you just know you can't ignore a double dog dare, please come back here and enter a discussion about it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Act III-- Christmas Day Finally Arrives

How about a few random pics from the days before Christmas before we get to the final act? I was so hoping you'd say that...

Simply had to find a spot to post Emerson and her pretty red coat Nanee bought her! How cute is this, I ask you?

Great Nanee and Miss Emerson

Baby face, you've got the cutest little baby face

Grant Thomas and Nanee

CHEESE!

I love me some sweet taters!

And finally, yes finally-- Christmas morning! Baby feet and baby sugah ruled. The babies may not have understood the commotion but they hung with us, they sure did!

"Emerson, you're older than I am. Tell me, is this as crazy as it gets?"

"Well, Grant, I saw some stuff on the Fourth of July that ranked right on up there. We'll talk about it later..."

Pops and I gave the babies their official bibs. Emerson's reads "Bellerina Czar" and Grant's reads "Baby Beau Czar". I was happy to purchase them from my dear friends, Sarah and Debbie, at Prints Charming!

The kids gave me a Kindle. In this pic I'm saying that

I sure hope it's what's on the box! Well, I was just

being honest, folks!

Emerson opening presents with mama

Beloved Hubby gets a new sportscoat from the kids!

Phillip is packing!

Christmas love with Daddy

Opening presents with mama

Look, Grant! It's from Keggie and Pops.

"So, is it over yet, Emerson? I'm getting tired?"

"I know, Grant. But after we get dressed Keggie's gonna want a couple more pictures. I heard her saying it."

Emerson was right!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours! We pray you each know the width, depth, length and height of the wonder of God's love, the miracle that is Immanuel, God with Us.

Hugs,

Shellie

Tomlinson Perry Night! Old Friends are Best Friends

Act II

Next up in the lead up to Christmas is our annual Tomlinson/Perry night or (as we called it on facebook and got responses from people who thought Red and I were up to no good toilet-papering yards), TP night. The rules are simple-- there are none! My and Phil's best friends, Lamar and Rhonda Perry, get together for some laidback snacking and a rousing game of choice with as many of our collective kids and their respective spouses and/or friends that can make it. In the past years we've played everything from Pictionary to Jinga or Win, Lose and Draw! This year we played Chain Reaction, girls against the boys. Is it really necessary for me to say the girls won?

Me and Madness! We'd like to think we're aging gracefully! LOL!

Emerson Ann and her "Other G-Mother"

Lamar, I can't believe this is the only pic of you I took the whole night! Sorry, man. You know I love you!

Emerson makes Other G laugh!

Pops and the Grantster share a moment.

Jami-Lyn meets Grant Thomas!

What are Phillip and Carey talking about?

Aunt CeCe and Grant doing some loving

The men are talking, oh, let me guess-- HUNTING?!

The Baby Bar Czars!

And yes, these bowls are their fav toys. When

will we learn? :)

Jessica Ann with an armload of sweet babies!

Jami-Lyn brought her friend, Kathleen, a welcome

addition!

The Mahers discuss the game

In fully gaming mode. Please forgive the mess!

Phillip, "Jake, please get ready. You're after Jac-lyn."

Uncle Jake and Emerson Ann exchanging pacies?

Pops has a winning moment!

Aunt CeCe is happy!

My two hearts!

Okay, I realize this isn't our best look, but I thought

it's be fun to show total exhaustion turned giddy.

Old friends are a special kind of joy. If you don't have any, I pray that you would begin today to forge a new friendship and nurture it daily. Remember, the best way to have friends is to be one!

~Shellie

Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart. Proverbs 27: 9