FINALLY a quick update on Spunky (isn’t the first child always ignored and neglected?!).  [Well, Spikey was really the first!]

November 14th, 2011 – the last documented mention of Spunky on the blog ::GASP:: (Me and Lisa from her and Seth’s 36 Hours of Fun!!!) 

Yesterday – July 24th, 2012

Check out those ridiculously pale tree stumps AND THEN check out Spunky (holy overly-pregnant-and-swollen monster legs — yikes!).

Hopefully you can tell that Spunky has grown quite a bit and is looking more and more like a real palm tree!  We are very proud!  It was quite windy when this photo was taken, so Spunky was definitely one with Willow Smith — “I whip my hair back and forth, I whip my hair back and forth…”

Please, for the love of the [dry] earth, check out our HORRIBLE lawn.  We’ve had NO working sprinklers all year.  The HOA has been working on it (something about salt water in the well), but for now – we have very burnt “grass.”  Gross. This drives my poor husband to CRAZYtown on a daily basis!

Happy Dr. Appointment Day Hump Day – I’ll keep y’all posted!

xoxo

 p.s. I fulfilled my fish & chips craving last night at Pearlz downtown.  YUM!  We headed to Bakehouse for a decaf frappe afterwards and then sat at Waterfront Park by the pineapple fountain for a while.  A perfect pre-baby date night…love my hubby! ♥

Beach Count: 77  

Pool Count: 32 

High Temperature: 96° 

I missed our house anniversary.  By like a month.  Oops.  (Do I ever not miss an important inanimate object’s anniversary/birthday?  Ugh!)

To refresh your memory…

We started casually (yeah right!) searching for a house around July 27th of last year.  We bid on and *won* our house within days and then closed on this bad boy on August 30th.  We moved in Labor Day weekend on September 3rd (after our NY lives arrived on a large tractor trailer!).  For more details, click here to visit the old blog.

Aw, Scott is such a good sport!!!

Since then, we haven’t done a whole lotta huge changes to the place.  Trust me, we have some biggish plans.  Biggish in relation to dolla dolla bills more than in style or structure.  Here’s the breakdown…

What We’ve Done

• Painted both downstairs bathrooms (our master twice due to poor judgment and my eh–we-don’t-need-to-test-out-a-sample-first smarts) – 1 purple (what? we live in colorful and charming Charleston!) and one khaki (after the eye-numbing yellow mistake!).
• Painted the upstairs hallway.
• Had our carpets cleaned twice.
• Painted the front door and shutters.
• Tricked out our screened-in patio to where it feels like another room and not a patio
• Planted Spikey, then Spunky!

Yikes – notsomuch

What We’d Like to Do (If I were a fluent Pinterest-er I would show you some ideas, but just like Twitter – mama needs a lesson!)

• Our biggest dream project…hardwood floors on the first floor!
• Purchase a rolling, rectangular island to put by the big kitchen window (but roll out into the middle for big cooking/baking/beer making operations).  2 stools that fit under would be an amazing addition.  Those of you who know Scott know that lots of ganging up measuring and convincing have taken a toll on him and he has officially been worn down.  Welcome to the island bandwagon dear.  =)
• Put hardware on the cabinets in the kitchen and the bathrooms…I think.
• Granite countertops would be nice, but what we’ve got really doesn’t bother us much.  A backsplash below the cabinets would be awesome, though!
• Have the family room painted.  OR just befriend someone with a taller-than-ours ladder to get down all of the accumulating dust balls up there.  That would do it for me.  Those buggers drive me nutty.
• Buy a long table console or bench for the entrance area.
• Freshen up some paint.
• Find a new bookcase for the downstairs main area…haven’t really liked the the one we have now since day 1…oops.  I’ll fall in deep love with its replacement before purchasing [insert Scott giving me "the look"].
• Get something awesome to put on the wall above our bed.
• Lose the Hollywood/police interrogation light fixtures in the bathrooms – the ballet class mirrors, too!
• Put up more shelving in the garage to maximize our storage situation (it is quite a situation!).
• Put up horizontal blinds in our bedroom (because our curtains are quite see through and that is no good!).

Keep in mind, this is our 5-7 year house.  We need not go crazy.

If we never get any of the above list checked off, we’d still be happy here.  It’s our first house that is definitely our home!

As long as Scott’s by my side and we get the privilege of living in the city that we love (Charleston!!!) - that is truly all I need!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HOUSE!!!

Beach Count: 61  

Pool Count: 18 ← It’s unfortunately time to retire this stat until the Spring…our pool is closed for the season!

High Temperature: 71° (woah – this was a shock to the system, but beautiful!)

Alright – time to help a sister out!

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Jenn, a great NY friend, suggested Lady Liberty.  That way we will be constantly reminded of our roots!   Thanks for the suggestion, Jenn!  =)

Do you have a name idea that beats the rest?  Give it to me in a comment below!!!

p.s. This is my first poll ever, PLEASE VOTE!  Our little girl deserves her own identity (versus “Spikey’s sister!”).

Beach Count: *50*

Pool Count: 12

High Temperature: A sizzlin’ 99° (the heat index was 118°!)

You all know the recent state of Spikey’s health.  Not.good.in.the.slightest.  We hadn’t heard anything back from our favorite HOA lady (yes, that’s her job title – “HOA Lady”), so we weren’t privy to Spikey’s prognosis.  Since we hadn’t heard anything, we assumed the worst.  The worst being that the Palm Tree Expert was still in transit from Palm Tree University (where he was a PhD, Professor). Damn him, forget grading dissertations, we had an emergency on our hands!  We were going to give it a few more days, until this happened…

The 4some (Mom, Dad, Scott, and I) were hanging out yesterday [truth: my Dad was probably drying out the sink in the kitchen...AGAIN] when my Dad started flailing his arms while spewing in Italian yelled for Scott and I to come to the kitchen window.  ”There’s a truck full of palm trees, there’s a truck full of palm trees!”  We were like, “Okay, we’re coming!”  And there it was…

Yes, we were creeping through our kitchen window

Holy palm trees, Batman – we thought.  And then, the heaviness of the situation hit us.  We won’t even get to say our goodbyes.  =(

The shovel was inserted into the ground; Spikey’s fate was looming.  Should I watch the tragedy unfold?  Yes, NO, Yes, NO, YES!  Here is the very last picture of Spikey (ever!) as a part of the Trottier family.

*Tear*

Now watch the drama unfold, as we did in real time, before your very eyes…

He collapsed right in half, my poor mushy booger

And just like that, Spikey was only a frond fond memory.  R.I.P. Spikey.  You will be missed and never forgotten.

A moment of silence, please.

Yes, I’m totally serious!

Thank you.

Before we knew it, Spikey was being replaced – LITERALLY!  When were we supposed to grieve?!?!?!?!

He would’ve wanted us to be happy…I just know it.

And then there she was…our hairy beauty.  It was love (again) at first sight.  She’s just GORGEOUS!  Watch her becoming part of our family (and yours!) for yourself, step by glorious step.

You know what they say…everything happens for a reason!!!

We’re not ready to name her.  OR maybe I’m pulling a Mariah Carey on your arses and keeping her name a secret for no apparent reason.  Hmm…what do you think?

Truth is, I’m struggling.  I have about 5 options that I’m going to put out to YOU tomorrow.  That’s right – the new love of our life will be named via YOUR voting TOMORROW – so vote and make it count!

And the palm tree saga continues!!!  =)

p.s. The guy driving the piece of machinery told me I owed him $5 for every picture I took.  Haha – if he onnnllllly knew!

p.s.s. Don’t worry – our year warranty restarted yesterday.  So if this show-stopper literally stops the show, we will be on tree #3!

Beach Count: *50*

Pool Count: 12

High Temperature: 95°

So, as everyone knows, we were away in New York for 24 days (I know, I know – I’m still not over it!).  While we were away, our neighbors helped out with watering the lawn and Spikey.  It’s been extremely dry, so the sprinkler system just hasn’t been cutting it.

When we got back, we were informed that our neighbor (who used to work in landscaping) checked out Spikey and had some bad news to share.  What happened was…he knocked on it…and it sounded hollow.  The horror!  Okay, I’m with you, I didn’t really know what that meant.  So I googled it and was not happy with the outcome.  Words like collapsing and rotting and dead (oh my!) graced Sinbad‘s screen.  What the what?!  After some more searching, we learned that a mushy trunk is also a bad sign.  Mushy it SO is.  Well, why don’t you judge for yourself…

This is no good.  I knew I was less than stellar at keeping fish alive, but I really thought Spongey Spikey would be pretty easy.  Touché.  What’s going to happen when I have a human to keep alive someday?!?!

Scott e-mailed our HOA peeps.  Luckily, we have a 1 year warranty on the thing (you can get those on a baby, right?).  She had the head landscaper in our neighborhood check it out and he, too, is concerned.  Man!  So (hopefully today, fingers crossed), the head landscaper is going to send in the ‘palm tree expert’ to give Spikey a once-over.  That sounds like a fun job!  I expect this palm tree doctor to wear a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck.  Ya know, kinda like this…

Image from here

I’m anxious to hear Spikey’s prognosis.   It’s no secret that his lack of growth has been curious.  I just never thought we’d lose him so quickly.  =(

p.s. Another post later today, check back!

p.s.s. Do you think I would’ve encouraged Spikey’s health by wearing this headband?  Maybe I’ll be a palm tree for Halloween!

Kid is EXCITED!  Image from here

Beach Count: 47

Pool Count: 11

High Temperature: 92°

24 days is a long time.  24 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (of ginormous quantity, but I’ll get to my new handles of love in a later post); 24 outfits (out of a suitcase); 24 nights of sleeping around like a gypsy (not like that); 24 showers to be had (now how do I shave my legs in this one?!), 24 e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g away from home.  Let’s count to 24, shall we?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

You didn’t count with me.  I forgive you.  Anyway, no matter how you slice it, 24 of anything is nothing to sneeze at.  Especially when 24 is the number of days that you spend away from home.  Now don’t get me wrong, Upstate NY will always be home to me.  It’s the only place I ever called home before Charleston budged with a vengeance.  I absolutely love more people there than there are beers in my fridge (which you know means a lot if you know my husband!).  We had a great trip with many fun adventures (I’ll highlight some throughout the month or so), but boy am I glad to be HOME!  Home is where my Spikey is.  Home is where I sweat the second I walk out the door.  Home is where I can smell the ocean air…oh, and sometimes the paper mill (who cares!).  Home = Charleston and I couldn’t be prouder.

I have one HUGE piece of news to share (no, I’m not pregnant – calm yourself down).  Well, do you remember how I said that June 28th was going to be a big day?  A new chapter?  Life changing?  Well, it sure bleeping was.  It’s time to let you in on the secret.  I know, I know – I haven’t been nominated for the Academy Award of Secret Keepers.  Humor me, no?  Surprise or not, exciting it remains. Here goes…the BIG news is (drumroll National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation style, pretty please)…

MY PARENTS HAVE MOVED TO CHARLESTON!!!

We have recruited the first (and I swear to you not the last) of loved ones down to this beautiful city.  And my parents will be living close by.  Like really close.  Like super duper pooper scooper close.  Like, I could yell out my window and they would hear me kinda close.  Yupper duppers…we are neighbors, folks.  Expect many stories about their take on the South and how they’re adjusting.  This is going to be FUN!

I’ll leave you with some fun pics from our time in NY, to be followed up with stories and explanations.  And oh yeah – I am going to blog EVERYDAY in the month of July.  Long or short – everyday. I can’t wait!  Girlfriend’s got lots to say!!!

The best pizza e.v.e.r.

A little s’mores (following wine tasting) with the ladies

Beer tasting in Cooperstown (what? I like to taste things!)

Beer tasting with friends at the lake (what? we need to spread our knowledge!)

Garfield (my parents’ cat)…yeah, he didn’t love the 2 day trek to Chucktown

We made it – Charleston for life (what, what!)

p.s.  The D Family is heading down for the 4th weekend – can’t wait to see you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s.s. Spikey might be dying/dead.  More details to come.  =/

Beach Count: 44 (ocean temp = 86°!)

Pool Count: 11

High Temperature: 89°

Sorry for the short hiatus. I needed a few days a week to catch my breath and start this summer off right!  Let’s do a check in with Spikey (then a check in with me)…

Wowzers, this hot weather is just not letting up.  Check out the forecast…

This morning the meteorologist called the weather pattern, and I quote…

wait for it…

“sultry.”  Twice!  Sultry?  Really?  Truth be told, I AM one elephantine fan of using my thesaurus (yes, elephantine is a synonym of huge!).  However, I’m not sure the use of “hot” while referencing temperature and the use of “sultry” are true synonyms.  Not in my book thesaurus, anyway.  Oh well.  Just trying to keep it fresh, I guess!  The meteorologist did admit that he expects to be bored with reporting the weather in the middle of the summer, but that this year the summer weather arrived earlier than usual.  He also admitted that there’s no true sign of rain coming in the near future.  Which brings me to dried up ol’ Spikey…

Isn’t he as cute (and as stagnant) as ever?!  MAYBE it’s because it’s the 2nd driest May on record?  MAYBE it’s because 90 is the new 80 [degrees, that is]? MAYBE, just maybe, we got a dud?  Awww, I’m such a bad Mommy.  I shouldn’t give up on the little dud dude so quickly.  Only time will tell what his future holds.  But for now, we’ll continue to give him all the lovin’ he deserves – H2O style!

[Awkward pause.  What can I say?  My Spikalicious is the meteorologist's weather right now...uneventful.  Sigh.]

Onto some randomness…

• We went to Isle of Palms on Monday for Memorial Day.  The water temperature was close to 80°, so we were in and out of the water for our 4-hour visit.  Gliding through the water, bobbing up and down with the waves, feeling the ocean floor, and people watching?  Yes, we are all about it.  Until we saw a jellyfish just chillin’ at the water’s edge.  Aw shucks, it was getting late anyway.

We love our beach days!

• I lightened up the hair with some more highlights yesterday.  I always go lighter in the summer.  Lov-ing-it.  I’m not the type to take a self-portrait (not with these short arms), so you’ll see it soon enough.  I say change up your hair as often as possible.  It’s the only part of your body that you can dramatically change tomorrow if you feel like it.

• I think it’s time to invest in (yes hunny, another “investment”) a car sun shade for my dashboard.  Holy hotness on the  hands!  A black car with black interior (especially steering wheel) was kinda poor planning.  Luckily the a/c gets a-movin’ pretty quickly.  Charlestonians…who has a car sun shade and thinks that it actually works?  I’m skeptical!!!

p.s.  I felt totally slighted when I found out last night that, according to Facebook, yesterday was “Hug a Short Person Day.”  What the beep people?  Is 4’11″ not short enough for you?!

p.s.s.  I hope you’re feeling better Gram – love you!!!

Beach Count: 42

Pool Count: 11

High Temperature: 96°

Well folks, it’s been a hotttt week with more hotness to come (temps ranging from 84° to 91° over the next 7 days).  Yesterday hit 95°, almost reaching the record high of 97°.  No complaints here, though.  Learned my lesson to not waste my time attempting to straighten my curly hair on a 95° day, but NO complaints!

The hubs has been keeping tabs on Spikey’s health – making sure he’s hydrated and all.

What a good Daddy!

Look at the detail on our little Mister.

He gets his hairiness from his Dad.  Okay, okay…maybe it’s from me (I am 50% Italian).

Scott swears he grew this week.  Maybe — just maybe!  Squint your eyes.  A little more.  No, some more.  So they’re almost closed.  THERE – now do you see it?! Some comparison pics to come when Spikey turns 3 months old.  Then y’all can be the judge!

Is it warm enough for you outside?  What’s the perfect temperature to you?!

p.s. I saw Bridesmaids with Christina and her roommate, Lucy, last night. THAT was hilarious!  I still managed to fight tears about 3 times (this girl’s a wuss).  Yes, it was a comedy and I am ridiculous.  Girls and boys – see it if you haven’t yet!  The lingering laughter from the few men in the theater suggests that men CAN laugh at funny jokes…even when they’re written by women!

p.s.s. Time to watch the American Idol Finale…if I can stay awake long enough. 8:00-10:07 –way to stretch it out Fox! Love Lauren AND Scotty…but I just have this thing for Scottys!  ♥

Beach Count: 41

Pool Count: 10

High Temperature: 95°

I missed my weekly Spikey blog.

I haven’t been making my bed.

My hair’s a hot mess.

If you came to my house, I would turn you away to avoid extreme embarrassment (can you say e to the w?!).

Life is a little outta sorts right now!

I never half a$$ anything (as my husband lovingly points out on our wedding video!) – so if I can’t blog it right, I won’t blog it at all.

Last night was thirsty Thursday at the Brewery (woop, woop) and it is currently Friday after work.  Nuff said.  Ima make it, y’all – Ima make it!

The Spikinator (yes, he is quite possibly Arnold Schwarzenegger’s love child, too) is at a standstill folks.  No two ways about it.  Even with his Daddy’s extra special watering attention, he’s still as stubborn as ever.  We will love him just the way he is (no matter what), but dang – grow a little for us!

If Spikey could talk sing, he would sing us this!  (Enjoy this vintage ’80s Toys R Us Commercial!)→

http://youtu.be/AWTiv0srfjE

Yes, that was the future Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) from Family Matters on the swing!

Here are 5 reasons for smiles today…

1. American Idol – love me some Lauren and Scotty!

2. The Real Housewives of New Jersey, New York, and the OC – girls make me feel so mature.

3. The forecast.  Hello sun and sand!

4. New cell phones for the Trottiers…WITH internet!  Don’t get too excited, they’re not activated yet.  Lisa K. – this may cure me hanging up on you, but not you putting yourself on mute.

5. 2 weeks ’til NY!

=)

p.s. Don’t ever see Blue Valentine.  I thought it was going to be a love story, but it turned into a sob story.  LOVE Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, but that was painfully sad.

p.s.s. Check out the hubster’s website…Charleston CraftBeer.  If you like beer, you like this website.  Believe you me (I hate this saying, ha!).

Beach Count: 40!

Pool Count: 7 (about to make it 8!)

High Temperature: 87°