Wait...what is this...an actual POST???

Yes, it is true. You can stop rubbing your eyes. This is actually a new post. After our oh-so-fabulous trip to Hawaii (thank you Elizabeth & Matt) I kept meaning to take the time to post. Then a few weeks went by and more and more "life" happened and I just couldn't muster up the strength, energy or time needed to do the whole blogging thing justice. I like to try to put a little extra effort into my post and when I got too far behind I decided it was better to not post at all. Lazy? Yes. Sorry? Absolutely. And I am sorry for many reasons, but mostly because we had a really great summer and there we took lots of great pictures that I would have loved to share with everyone. But such is life. I'll try to put a slide show up at some point.

So, here's a really quick (in order of occurrence) recap of the past 4 1/2 months:

APRIL:

*FABULOUS trip to Hawaii! Matt and Elizabeth we cannot thank you enough! In fact we had so much fun we might even come back next year, but this Patrick will join us! Might we stay with you again???

MAY:

*Sheryl Crow concert at Chastain in Atlanta with Kelly, Mandy and of course, Sally Jane. After all it was SJ's 30th birthday! WHAT FUN!!!

*We put our house on the market. I mean there are only 3,000 houses in Oconee County for sale, so why not 3,001? If it doesn't sell we'll try again in February. Looks like we're headed for February.

*I was inducted as President of the Athens Area Cancer Auxiliary....we'll see how the rest of the year goes! It's going to be lots of work, BUT lots of fun too!

*Elizabeth's 30th surprise birthday party....fun stuff!

*"Baby Fest '08" - Our annual trip to Beaufort for Memorial Day with the Csontos', Davis' and Prophater's...really fun. GFB.

JUNE:

*Annual trip to Ponte Vedra...it was awesome up until Patrick fell in our room and we had to make our first trip (of many, I'm sure!) to the emergency room for 3 stitches. He was quite a trooper though and Mom didn't do too bad herself!

*Rick's 30-something-th birthday...

*I went in for a little "out patient" surgery to get rid of my endometriosis. Turns out it was stage 4 and all over the place. So my 1 hour surgery turned into about 2 1/2 hours and my "out patient" status suddenly turned into "overnight". As I was waking up the nurse said, "Mrs. Rodrigue, we will be moving you into your room now. You'll need to stay overnight since we took out your appendix." My WHAT??? I think you have the wrong patient! I'm still supposed to have my appendix (not that it really does anything)! It was almost as if I could see the $$$ signs from the malpractice suit! Taking out my appendix for no reason! Well, as it turns out there was a reason. So if I am looking at the glass as half-full...I guess my surgery was a two-for-one! I'm sure Athens Regional just loves those.

*After talking with many different doctors we made the decision that Patrick is going to be our only child. Not quite what we had planned, but sometimes life just works out that way. We feel so very blessed to have such a wonderful, healthy, precious little boy and we are at peace with our decision. OK. Enough of the sappy stuff. So now you all know it isn't necessary to ask us, "Isn't it about time for another one?" Our answer will be, "Nope! One-and-done!"

*St. Siomons..fun

*Beaufort...fun

*Started my Lupon shots and add back therapy to keep my endo at bay. Which means I will feel like a 50 year old woman going through menopause (hot flashes and all!) for the next 6 months... not fun. But, it could be worse. (See...glass half-full.)

JULY:

*On July 6th we celebrated our 6th anniversary! So hard to believe it's been 6 years! Time flies when you're having fun!

*FACEBOOK...really fun and much easier than this whole blogging deal! If you're not on it, you should be. Really, it's not just for high school kids or at least that's what I keep telling myself!

*Pool, Gymboree....fun

*Lake Burton...really fun

*More St. Simons, but this time we just dropped Patrick off with the grands and enjoyed a little RR at home.

*And that RR was much needed because the same day Patrick returned Gabriel and Lukas (cousins) came to stay with us while Christy and Paul went on a little vacation up north. It was great fun, but REALLY hard work! I don't know how you people with 3 kids do it? God knew what he was doing when he decided Rick and I only needed one...

*Jack Johnson concert at Lakewood...SO MUCH FUN! Now, it wasn't quite as good as JJ and Dave Matthews in Hawaii, but still a blast. Patrick really enjoyed it too. He would love the show in Hawaii...I really think we have to go back in April...I mean he is going to be our only child...(and this is how it all begins AND why so many only children get a bad rap. They can't help how their parents spoil them!!! It's almost too hard not to!)

*Patrick started school at Emmanuel Episcopal Day School. So precious! He's in the 5 day 2's with Miss Debbie and Miss Ani and couldn't be happier. It really is so much fun! I just can't believe how big he is getting! (I also can't believe he went to his first day of pre-school "hung over"...in a matter of speaking, of course. He wasn't literally "hung over" from drinking, but it was a late night at the Jack Johnson concert! No worries he did fine. And Miss Debbie had been to the concert too. I knew I was going to love this school!)

*The search for twin beds begins...NOT FUN!

*This past weekend we head to North Carolina to keep searching for Patrick's beds. On our way up Friday evening Rick and I stopped in the Pottery Barn Outlet in Gaffney, SC to purchase a matlasse for his mom and low and behold...there it was. The boat bed I had been eyeing for months. It was discounted, plus 50% off and it had the dresser and nightstand at a whopping 40% off. It was meant to be! And our search was OVER! Patrick had his new "big boy" bed and Rick and I could enjoy a weekend in North Carolina alone with no pressure of finding the perfect bed! It was an awesome weekend!

*Monday - Patrick moved upstairs into his big boy bed and did great! I still have lots of decorating to do and his bedding should be in on Friday, but so far so good!

And that's about it! Give or take a few days or weeks in between. Now we are gearing up for football season. Can't believe it's already time. Labor Day marks the year anniversary that I started this blog. Hopefully I'll do a little better from here on out, but I'm not making any promises!

Any who...I did have a ulterior motive when I began this blog post today. It's not like all of a sudden today of all days I had the urge to give everyone an update of our lives on the world-wide-web. No, no. Although, that is a nice thought and now I feel as though the weight of "the first blog in months" has been lifted, that really wasn't my motivation. It all started with an e-mail I received just after lunch from Kelly Thompson Davis. I have to give her all the credit, because even though she didn't write it, she did forward it along. And it made me laugh out loud...and I mean so LOUD! So, in keeping in line with my favorite theme "Sarcasm" and in honor of the Democratic National Convention (Elizabeth I hope you are having fun!)

I leave you you with this:

2008 Democrat National Convention
Schedule of Events

7:00 pm OPENING FLAG BURNING

7:15 pm PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE U.N.

7:20 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

7:25 pm NONRELIGIOUS PRAYER AND WORSHIP - Jesse Jackson & Al Sharpton

7:45 pm CEREMONIAL TREE HUGGING - Darryl Hannah

7:55 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

8:00 pm HOW I INVENTED THE INTERNET - Al Gore

8:15 pm GAY WEDDING PLANNING - Rosie O'Donnell

8:35 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

8:40 pm OUR TROOPS ARE WAR CRIMINALS - John Kerry

9.00 pm MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SADDAM AND HIS SONS - Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon

10:00 pm ANSWERING MACHINE ETIQUETTE - Alec Baldwin

11:00 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

11:05 pm COLLECTION FOR THE OSAMA BIN LADEN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FUND - Barbara Streisand

11:15 pm FREE THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS FROM GUANTANAMO BAY - Sean Penn

11:30 pm OVAL OFFICE AFFAIRS - William Jefferson Clinton

11:45 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

11:50 pm HOW GEORGE BUSH BROUGHT DOWN THE WORLD TRADE TOWERS - Howard Dean

12:15 am TRUTH IN BROADCASTING AWARD - Presented to Dan Rather by Michael Moore

12:25 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

12:30 am SATELLITE ADDRESS - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

12:45 am NOMINATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA - Nancy Pelosi

1:00 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

1:05 am CORONATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

1:30 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST

1:35 am Bill Clinton asks Ted Kennedy to drive Hilary home.

Johnathan David Csontos

Amanda and Dave's little boy is finally here! He came into the world on Sunday, April 13th at 10:04am, weighing in at 7lbs and 7 oz and measuring 20 inches long. He is gorgeous! Patrick and I went to visit them at Northside yesterday. Mom and Dad are doing great and are completely in love with their new little man.

Let's go fly a kite!

"Oh, oh, oh!

Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest height!

Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere

Up where the air is clear

Oh, let's go fly a kite!"

Friday was the perfect day to fly a kite and so we did! While at Target, only there to buy Gain and Clorox 2, we ventured over to the toy section and added bubbles, one pack of red and blue wiffle balls and a "Superman" kite. Really it's Spider-Man, but Patrick insist it's Superman so that's what we'll go with. He had a blast flying the kite and really did a great job. We only got it caught in a tree once and successfully got it down without any tears. Can't wait for our next windy day!

The Masters

Rick and I went to the practice round at the Masters on Wednesday. We had such a great time! The weather was perfect! We walked all over the course, watched the Par 3 contest, ate pimento cheese and egg salad sandwiches and drank $2 beer! It is so nice to go to a sporting event and only have to pay $1.50 for a good sandwich, the same for a diet coke or that yummy lemonade and $2 for a beer. Don't be fooled though, they know exactly what they're doing. Because as soon as you walk into the souvenir shop they've got you....hook, line and sinker. Believe me, there aren't a whole lot of people at Augusta National this week worried about the "R" word.

Phil Mickelson is my favorite golfer and the only one I really wanted to see on Wednesday. I was in luck! We watched him practice putting before he teed off for the Par 3 and then saw him again at #7. He and his gorgeous family (wife, Amy and 3 kids, Amanda, Sophia and Evan) were all together while he putted and his son was his caddy. (Well, sort of. Bones was still there carrying his bag, but his little boy had on the white caddy outfit too.) It was precious! I was totally star struck, so Rick was sweet took some pictures for me.

*As a side note...while Phil was supposed to be practicing putting it was really all about his little boy. And he was hamming it up! Every time he would sink a putt, which usually took about 8 tries, he would wave to the crowd. It was pretty funny. But the whole time, and I mean the WHOLE time, his mom was taking pictures. Looks like I'm not the only crazy camera mom after all! Hmmmm....wonder what else Amy and I have in common? We both like taking pictures of our kids, we both think Phil's a hottie...

Rick went back on Friday with his dad and they had a fabulous time! Hopefully we will all be back again next year! I cannot wait for Patrick to be old enough to go. I think he will LOVE it!

Phil is -5 for the Tournament and tees off at 2:30pm. Go Phil!

The skinny, tan, blonde in the really cute black dress (trust me, it was cute) is Phil's wife, Amy. Wonder if she knows how lucky she is???

Phil with his son, Evan.

Bones, Phil and Evan.

Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Brett Wetterrich.

Amanda's Baby Shower

Good Friday

Parick, Rick and Meg
Patrick, Harper, Lukas, Gabriel and Meg

(Uncle Kevin's in the background)

Gabriel, Big Daddy, Patrick, Lukas, Grammie, Meg and Harper


Friday evening we celebrated Easter with the Rodrigue family at Christy and Paul's house. We had a fabulous dinner and the cousins had a great time playing together.

Easter Egg Hunt

Lukas and Patrick on the steps of Taylor Grady




On Sunday, March 16th (incidentally the same day that the men's basketball team won the SEC tournament!) the Junior League had an Easter Egg Hunt at the Taylor-Grady House. The weather was perfect and Patrick, Lukas, Gigi and I hunted for some eggs with other member's children and then [the kids] jumped in the blow-up castle. It was a fun little hunt. All except the Easter bunny who was a little scary...

As we enjoyed the festivities outside, Rick had a BLAST at Alexander Memorial Coliseum (ironically Georgia Tech's coliseum!!!) watching the Dawgs beat the Razorbacks to win the SEC title for the first time since 1983. They got a birth to the NCAA tournament, where they lost to Xavier in the first round. But no one can take that SEC Championship away...GOOOOOO DAWGS!!!