Catching up

WOW. it has been a while. I was working on a Halloween party that took all of my free time, and ended up putting me in the position of the Director of Sales and Marketing for my mentor. So now I'm back to working full time, and trying to juggle operations for Morgan, as well as planning for my company and clients...and the house, and family.... and thank goodness i said no to the PTA this year! I guess the big news (besides that part) is that we started trying to have a baby November 1st, when my maternity coverage kicked in. Luck of the draw, we were pregnant by November 15th! Morgan swears that, plus the ultrasound proves that we will have a boy. We shall see how that goes! Amber wants a girl, of course, since she already has a half brother... Morgan (and his family) want a boy, since he's the last Pile to carry out the family name. I on the other hand don't care either way. Just healthy, that is what I want. Baby peanut is wearing me out, I'm exhausted all the time. Thankfully I do not battle morning sickness, though nausea is almost constant. Doctor says I am due August 8th. We're going back in January to check on things again, as I also have a cyst the size of a baseball on my ovary. Hopefully it will take care of itself and I won't require surgery... In other news - Amber lost her first tooth. My little brother has graduated from boot camp, and will be home for Christmas, my best friend in high school just gave birth to a 9 lb 4 oz baby boy - which i of course got a video of him sleeping... sweet lil punim!

pumpkin day

Today was no school, so we planned a day of activities to keep mommy busy. And boy did we succeed!

We tried going to the pumpkin patch, and it was covered with a foot of water... and didn't include a pumpkin with admission, just some lame hayride.... and after wading through the muck to find 4 salvageable pumpkins- that is when we found out that it would be an additional 20 bucks.... (20 to get in.... um I'll go to the fair for that kind of pillaging!) I told the girls we could find bigger better pumpkins at Fresh Market, and away we went.... 3 pumpkins for 10 bucks, and they were GREAT!

All day I heard "this is a day I'll never forget".... neither of Amber's friends had ever put their hand in the slime before......

all in all, I think we did pretty well!

She's Crafty

So I've been down and out this week with a bit of flu-like symptoms that started right after we made s'mores.... (Doc said today that my flu test was negative... so no worries!)... anyways, today I spent the entire day asleep recuperating. Amber walks in the door at 330 and informs me that she REALLY wants to participate in a project assignment - a contest... to create something about the Forest. That is what they have been learning about. I asked her what she meant, and she was talking about how you take a shoe box and turn it into a scene... I said ok, when is it due? She says "Tomorrow! but I REALLY want to do it!" apparently the assignment was sent home weeks ago, which we never saw, because Amber loves to "fold" her notes to "save them" for me... instead of leaving them in her backpack... that and the fact that sometimes she goes to two other places after school... the likelyhood that Mommy actually sees the notes or assignments are slim....

So off to the store we go, and we come up with the idea of using the pictures from our trip to the Buffalo River as the backdrop, and ended up making a replica of the Ozarks, complete with a river damed by a beaver, with an otter floating lazily on its back....

After picking up her supplies, we stopped at the shoe store - since her feet have grown soo much since August's shoe trip. She's now in a size 13.5.... and we got a cute pair of tennis shoes AnD some sassy lady boots.... She was strutting around the store in her little shorts and her fringy boots.... thinking she was too cool for school.... THEN we found the perfect dress for her "sharpay" costume for Halloween.... all in all we've had Quite the productive day! Not bad for 2 days of "flu"

Smores in the City

The cold weather is upon us, or at least COOL weather is upon us. I have enjoyed the 60 degree days as of late, and of course Fall being my favorite season I am very welcoming indeed of sweaters and fleece jackets!

Last weekend was the Amethyst Ball. We had a great time supporting the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

We also went shopping to get Amber a few jackets and a coat for the upcoming chill. She got a very cute Zebra fleece, and a few other hoodies and a gorgeous fuschia peacoat and a new scarf. The girl is growing like a weed. The other night she was wearing her costume from last year, and someone said what a cute "top" she was wearing....(it was a dress last year!) She also informed me last night that the shoes we bought just 3 months ago - a half size bigger than she needed - are now crowding her toes! I suspect she will be getting taller in the coming weeks/month.

Yesterday, Morgan picked out an amazing firepit at the store. We've been wanting one for a long time, and so the cold/rain inspired us to take action! It was REALLY heavy, but we made it to the backyard without breaking a nail, back or each other.

Last night we decided to break in the pit with some toe warming and s'mores for dessert. It was a great evening!

Morgan's Birthday Week

Amber is King of the Buffalo!

This is Murphy, we got to feed him apples and pet him. Very beautiful horse!

It has been a crazy week to Celebrate Morgan's Birthday. We had plans to start with golf, but it has rained for 7 days here, so that obviously didn't work! With all the work we have piling up, I decided it would be a perfect weekend to hit the buffalo river. We stayed at a friend's cabin, which was full of wildlife sightings as well as some pretty awesome 4-wheeling....After her first ride she said TAKE MY PICTURE! I want to pretend to drive!

We tried for a fire, but unfortunately we were IN clouds, so wet wood did not work. We built one in the cabin instead.
Sunday cleared up, so we stayed for the majority of the day, putting us home at 10 pm! It was totally worth it, as now not only does Amber want a 4-wheeler, she's all about canoeing as well!

The leaves had just begun to change, and we were blessed with a wide range of weather... 54 degrees Friday night, and almost 80 with big fluffy clouds today!

Last Day of Summer

Wow, Summer seems like it lasted forever this year... but I'm sure Amber would not say the same thing. School starts tomorrow, and we've got quite a busy day ahead of us!

This morning I had to take my car into the shop, they tell me it may be next week before its fixed, so I'm back in a sedan... which is weird, as I have gotten used to the view from 6 feet above the pavement..... Morgan has sold the red rocket and just left to finalize his paperwork on his new car, so now we have two family friendly cars!

In a bit, we will be going to shoot a commercial - Amber and I. She has been so excited, and dressed for it since she got out of the shower this morning. She's done background work before, this is my first time to be in the background - I have done probably 75 commercials with speaking roles before... this should be cake! All we have to do is play by the pool.

After the commercial, we're off to the dentist's office. Amber is not looking forward to that, and neither am I. I've already put about 2500 dollars in that mouth, and she doesn't even have braces! I swear, of all the things to get from me, my porous teeth were not something I wished upon her! Hopefully the grown up teeth will be stronger, tho we are no where close to losing a tooth!

After the dentist we get to go find out who our teacher is, which of her friends are in her class and basically start the build up for tomorrow! Hopefully we will have time to go to the pool afterwards, as we are probably going to be in bathing suits all day due to our schedule!

I can't believe my little girl is going into the second grade! I'm glad I got to spend the last two weeks of summer with her, I am blessed to be booked solid for the next month or so, and will miss watching Alf and Annie and all the fun activities we did!

What a week!

We started the week with another session with the counselor. Amber is learning how to deal with things that overwhelm her in a more positive light. I am starting to see some skills the doctor has taught her emerge in her daily life, and have been impressed by her 'handling' of situations that felt like they could have sent her over the edge... as they would have months ago. We've come a long way, but still have a long way to go.

It amazes me to watch her grow into a mindful, empathetic young person. She has logic, and reason, and questions things. We are raising her to be a free thinker. One who is aware. One who questions, respectfully, on a path to the truth - one she finds on her own.

On the path to enlightenment with my daughter, our conversation tonight focused on a parable. Lesson learned, as summarized by my 7 year old: "the only thing we ever REALLY know is that we don't know everything." yes. Yes my dear. that is correct. that was exactly the point of the parable.

Business is booming for the Pile Household. Both of our businesses are on a hot streak. Things are looking up, and the top is not in sight. Change of scenery makes all the difference!

progress and meltdowns

Ah, today.... could have been a good day. We discussed the progress Amber was making, as we were sitting with the doctor... all great signs of growth in the face of adversity. We had to leave camp early today, as the appointment was at 4. When we returned to pick up a friend, Amber was informed that her group of friends, that had all formed a club under her leadership.... well... they flew the coup in her absence and all joined other groups or formed new groups. I am watching her face in the rear view mirror the entire time... knowing all to well what is to come, and I feel the pain for her. "you can be in OUR club... and be Vice President" the little girl tells her... "we make sandcastles on Wednesdays"..... no, amber says I do not want to be in your club, MY club makes sandcastles on Mondays. all in all, the whole idea of the group sounds pretty petty... but the keen observation is this:

1. Amber, though highly disappointed, is keeping her cool, visibly upset by the outcome, but composed enough to survive the car ride home, all the while being reminded that non of her friends are in her club any more.
2. Her friends that 'left' to join the 'sassy girls' (aka mean little shits) probably didn't need to be in her club in the first place.
3. Amber is a natural leader, and in her absence the weaker girls fell back, and would most likely return apon her arrival at camp tommorrow.

I think we have survived, amber seems to have shaken it off, and wants to go swimming with the friend, so off they go. When I pick her up from the pool, she mentions the club, and I told her "no matter what, I will ALWAYS be in your club".... and the floodgates open. she is sobbing so hard that she is gagging on the snot running down her face. "But I made 1/2 the girls president and 1/2 the girls vice president while I was gone and they just QUIT...." she says... "its not FAIR... no one is in my club except you...." "I let EVERYONE be in my club, and now they are all in different clubs, and I have no one" this goes on for an hour or two, until I finally get her to remember how many cool friends she has that will always be in her club, and that if the other girls don't want to be in the club, that is fine. Your other club goes all year, not just for a few weeks out of the year, and then falls apart when you go home an hour early! Think about all the people who can't wait to see you again! They are still your friend the next day... right? Those are real friends.

Tomorrow morning might still be a struggle... and I hope that the balance of power levels out before she's gone for 2 weeks.... I can't handle the thought of this carrying over... it took everything in my being to not break down and cry with her... she has to learn such hard lessons so young! (or is she just getting that old?)

ugh.... I'm starting to think maybe having a boy won't be so hard!

Vacation.... part deux

Amber made a princess sand village, complete with a mall with gowns for the ball, and houses for poor people....(her words)
Ahhh.. nothing like your toes in the sand!
I-10 was shut down for a few hours, so we stopped in Alabama at the Sam's Warehouse sized fireworks store.... $200 bucks later, Amber became the most popular kid on the beach when we were handing out fireworks to her new friends... we got tired of shooting them all! some were like the ones you see at the city fireworks show!
I had to take this picture, as we have a similar one from when Amber was about 4 years old...gamma has it hanging on her wall!





So we had to take another vacation... Amber didn't get to go on the first one, so we loaded up the car and took a trip with the whole family (even Thor got to go) down to Destin Florida for the 4th of July!


We got a condo on the golf course, across the street from the beach. Beautiful white sands and turquoise waters, similar to the view that our wedding beach had... but sunsets weren't on the water, and the beach was rather small, comparatively. Still a beautiful trip.

We had so much fun! Morgan bet Amber she couldn't remember everything she did, so she started listing it.... and five minutes later STILL had not named all of the activities! She really did turn into a fish while in Florida, boogie boarding, body surfing, wave jumping, snorkeling - even had a small run in with a jelly fish and some sting rays while in town. As soon as we got to the beach, she took off, running in circles, dancing around like a kite in the wind... that child is starting to get the same recharge from the ocean breeze that Morgan and I do!
yummy crablegs.. right on the beach on the 4th of july... after dinner, we walked down the stairs, and set up 'camp' for the sunset and upcoming fireworks display! we had two large shows going on (one on each end of the beach) as well as our own. As Amber declared: This was the BEST 4th OF JULY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BFF

Amber has been gone for soooo long! She got to spend the night with me tonight, and we were two girls on the town!

First we went to the movies, since it started raining as we were planning an afternoon by the pool. Then we came home and changed, so we would be dressed for Laser Tag! Off to Playtime Pizza together! Amber wanted to play Deal or No Deal, and BOTH of us got the briefcase with 400 tickets in it!
We won so many tickets, and Amber got Best Friend Necklaces for us to share, so we're always together, even when she's away!
We wished Morgan was home to have had fun with us, but we had fun just being the girls! Thor was so excited to see Amber, he jumped in her chair and started licking her face! Next week, when Amber comes home for good, we will be off to the beach! I can't wait!

Blu

I just got the biggest contract one could ask for. I worked very hard on the proposal and beat out all other event planners in Little Rock... I am too excited to speak at the moment, but more to come!

Anniversary

This time last year, we were at the Courthouse in Florida getting our marriage license!

Today is our 1 year wedding anniversary, and after our wonderful trip to Atlantis a few weeks ago, Morgan has surprised me with a getaway to Tunica! So once I finish working on a few last minute things, I will head down there. Morgan is golfing this morning in Tunica with a few of our wedding guests, who happen to be in town, so that is going to be fun!

I can't wait to celebrate tonight! I have the top of our cake, a bottle of champagne and some other wonderful things to share with my amazing husband! I hope the cake is still as delicious! Morgan and I were talking about the cake the other day, and he actually asked if the baker could overnight a cake to us... it was that delicious!
Of course we'll have to save some for Amber when she comes home on Sunday, because she loved the cake soo much too!

Atlantis

We had a wedding trip last year, since we got married on the beach; but we were with our families, so we never counted it as our "honeymoon". So for our 1 year anniversary, my 30th birthday and our delayed honeymoon we headed down to Atlantis over Memorial Day weekend.

Of course, travel in the Pile household is never without chaos... Originally, Amber was going to go with us but due to some issues with passports and borders, we had to schedule the trip around when she would be gone, which she was NOT happy about... as we had been planning the trip with her for a while. Of course, our 5:55 am flight, we missed... as my plan to stay up all night cleaning the house and packing was thwarted by falling asleep around 2 am, and the alarm not going off at 330.... so we woke up at 5:05... got to the airport at 5:40 (THANK GOODNESS we'd packed and put all luggage by the door) and were told there were no more flights going out with seats available. "you aren't going there TODAY" is what they actually said to me.... bed head and no make up and all.... but after some sweet talking, we found out that there was a flight leaving out of memphis in about 3.5 hours, and the sweet guy upgraded us to First Class, all for no charge, not even a change fee! so Morgan had to go get the car out of long term parking, and off we go! Get to Memphis, and realize that our return flights are still coming into Little Rock, but there is no time to do anything about it, as we only had about 30 minutes till departure. Luckily the guy in Little Rock changed everything for us, but we had no way of knowing that till it was time to leave... only to find out that instead of arriving in Little Rock at 5 pm, we were now supposed to land in Memphis at 7 pm. (still with a 3 hour drive to go)..... except due to wonderful weather delays, we sat in the plane, on the tarmac for about 2 hours, waiting for the rain to pass so we could take off, landing us in Memphis around 9 pm! wow..... so that was the chaos sandwhich around serenity.


Atlantis was a blast, I think the best thing about it was that Morgan and I got to turn off our phones, no email access, no interruptions from work, and just have fun together! I think I will implement a no phone policy on all vacations!
we played, ate and generally relaxed and had a great time! I didn't get burned, actually got a pretty decent start to a tan... we went on some great excursions AND - I got to swim with dolphins! for those who know about my obsession with these animals... you know I was in HEAVEN!

a few photos:


The view from our balcony of the grounds and the ocean



Blue Lagoon - where we laid on Hammocks and sipped frozen drinks... great afternoon of fun!



We just arrived at Atlantis - walking on the beach by the Grand Towers

Morgan even got to get in a full 18 holes! This golf course was on the very TIP of paradise island, so we were surrounded by the beautiful ocean the whole time!

Amber's Birthday

Wow. What a mess! Amber had a pool party, and invited 50 of her friends from school, camp, and even friends from when she was only a year old (we still get together from time to time). We closed the pool for a private party, which Amber was VERY into... (I think we are turning her into a VIP monster.) At a few points in the party, we had some crashers, unknowing neighbors who didn't realize it was a party...(really? you didn't notice the tower of cupcakes, the decorations or the table full of gifts when you walked in?) but Amber was QUICK to point out to me that she didn't know the kids, and asked me to have them leave.... yeah, she's not spoiled.

I think we had about 40 or more kids, plus their parents... Amber made out like a bandit, and I truly believe that pool parties just might be more exhausting than weddings!

Before the party started, I picked up a selected group of girls from school. The car was decorated, we had Amber's Ipod hooked up to the stereo, and each girl got a lei. Amber loves being a car rider, and showing off the new car, so I think she was super excited to see it said "AMBER"S POOL PARTY" and all that jazz in front of the entire school!

The girls had to walk to the pool, as we had 2 large beach balls that would not fit in my car (4 foot!), but they had a blast walking alongside the car, and striking a pose now and then: