Tanner Edwards, 6 year old hip hop dancer

Oh my goodness! Everybody always wonders how I learned how to dance. I am no Tanner,.... but it just goes to show how we roll in the south. Watch this little guy dance. It was taken at the 2010 Magnolia fair queen pageant.

"A Mouse in the House"

Oh my goodness gracious. I swear, people always think I make stories up because I tell some crazy stuff. I promise the following events just took place. I am blogging immediately because I don't want to loose an ounce of description.

To set the story up... We have had a mouse problem this summer. I don't know if they are trying to find a cool spot or what.. but we have been having a problem. We thought we had the problem under control until this week. I have been hearing some scurrying around in our kitchen. I have been hearing it a little bit each night. Well it wasn't until tonight that the mouse met its match. And let me tell you.... it was a darn GOOD match.

So we are sitting in the living room watching t.v. when this Bosom Max commercial comes on. (that is another blog in itself) We were cracking up. I get up to record it and out of the corner of my eye I see this mouse take off. "Oh, NO! IT's ON!" I said this in my head but to add umph to the story I thought that I would make you think I said it out loud. I tell Clay that I saw it. So he gets up to inspect "the situation" and low and behold that fast, little sucker climbed into our decorative plant's basket holder. I lifted up the plant to check and let out this horrific scream at the sight of that mouse running in circles in the basket. I now discovered that I have a slight fear of mice.

So Clay in his masculine greatness decides to grab the plant and bucket and take it outside. Problem solved.. easy right... NOT the case. This little guy..(we named him gus) climbed to the top of the basket and took a giant leap to the floor. I am now on the couch at this point and the plant has been tossed across the room. We chase after it and it ran right into our bedroom.

Maddie darted outside on the first attempt to get Gus outside. So Bentley, Clay and I are in our bedroom attempting to catch Gus. We try to out smart this thing by cornering it and attacking it with shoes. Not a good option. It wasn't working. Gus climbed into our curtains, he went under the bed, he ran under every piece of furniture. It was getting ugly. It was getting hot.

Bentley was absolutely no help. We send him out. It's just Clay, Whitney, and Gus.So we block off the doorways and set out a mouse trap. At this point I am all in a panic. I am not going to sleep in here because Gus, well Gus-alina (for the purpose of this next assumption) was under our bed giving birth to more mice. So Clay and I each man a side of the bed just waiting. It would come out, and we would attack. It would get away. This went on for 45 minutes until we finally were able to trap it into a bag. I must say it got a little rough when we trapped it. Gus died. I am sorry. Poor Gus died. But poor Gus doesn't have to worry about cleaning up our house that is a disaster now. Here are some fun pictures. I promise our house doesn't always look this messy. These picture's just show how crazy it was. We're talking bedding off, pillows out, furniture moved, and lamps out. Total destruction. 

TEAM Talent's Big Report

KNWA did a great job on our TEAM Talent story last night. I am so excited to share the news link. I am not so happy with the camera angle on my face. I should have been a little bossy with them to make sure the camera was up higher and to make sure they got my good side. Shoot. Why wasn't I thinking!?!?!  But I don't even care because I am so proud of the report. I love it!!

TEAM Talent- Art Gallery

I have had a blast this past year working to get the TEAM Talent program established in our clinic. It all started with a vision. Sometimes my visions can be a little scary, but with the help of so many volunteers and co-workers this vision finally came true. And it wasn't scary at all ;)

I was able to participate in a program called ACTS (Acting Creates Therapeutic Success) while I was in occupational therapy school. ACTS is an inclusive theater opportunity for people of all ages and abilities in Conway and surrounding communities.Through ACTS, occupational therapy and theater students at the University of Central Arkansas work with and learn from participants with disabilities. ACTS is structured in weekly theater sessions and participants create original theatrical works based on a theme they choose. It typically consisted of adults from age 18 and up. This program was very special to me. I almost didn't want to leave the Conway area because I loved it so much. When I graduated I knew that I wanted to help facilitate something like it. Surely it can't be that hard, right?!?!

Well, with the help of Amber Spencer and my bosses (weird grammar but I have two- Kym Hannah and Cindy Watson) at work we were able to lay out the foundation of the program titled TEAM Talent. This program allows children with special needs from Children's Therapy Team and the surrounding area an opportunity to highlight their abilities and shine like stars in an acting program in the fall semester and an art program in the spring semester. We meet once a week for an hour. During this time prepare for the performance in December and our art gallery in May. The goals of this program are to develop and improve appropriate social skills, encourage teamwork, improve self-esteem, and so much more.

So we have just completed our first full year of TEAM Talent and I could not be more pleased. It makes me all teary eyed thinking about it. It all started in August 2009 with a great group of kids working together to create their own story line, come up with costume ideas, design and make props, and ultimately direct their own play for their performance in front of a crowd of about 250+ people. Talk about shocking. We really only thought our first performance would be in front of about 75 people. The kids did awesome. The volunteers were amazing and our first performance was a huge success.

Yesterday was our art gallery which went AWESOME! The volunteers worked so hard to frame the art pieces and prepare them to be displayed. They all worked so hard to make it a great experience for each kid and I could not have been more pleased with the way it all turned out. We were able to use the Fayetteville Town Center and all of the art was displayed on the walls. We also had a face painter and a balloon animal artist for the children and families of our clinic. It was such a rewarding experience. Can I just say, I LOVE MY JOB! Each kiddo dressed as a some of their favorite television characters and favorite TV personalities. We also had KNWA come out and do stories on the program. Below is the clip they showed last night and they will be broadcasting another one tomorrow night. I will be sure to record it and post it. The video I am about to post is of Samuel Spencer. He actually dressed as our local meteorologist and everyone that came to see his art also got the weekly forecast. He is absolutely precious and did a great job last night. It was really neat because they invited him over to the news studio and he got to watch his favorite meteorologist report the weather and was actually pulled up to sit in his lap on live TV. Such a great experience. Enjoy the video and pictures! Check back for another posting this week. Hopefully I can catch the next news broadcast. It will be a longer broadcast focused on our program. That's what I am hoping anyway.

And I apologize for the video quality, but it is actually my camera recording of recorded television. I do what I can!

I will be 6' 4.5"

I made a resolution this month to do my best to dress my self a little better and make an effort to do my hair and make up. I have seen pictures of myself lately.... and it has been a little scary. It is easy to throw my hair into a ponytail and throw on some scrubs and head out the door to work. But I need to do a little bit better than that. I did much better this week and felt so.... "woman-ly". I may continue to fix my hair next week ;) So all of this "woman-ly" effort induced a new feeling this weekend.

Ok. I am not a big shopper. I know it is not possible that I don't like to shop because I am my mother's daughter. She is so in style. I raid her closet when I go home. But something happened to me today. I became this shopping machine. We have family in because Kami graduated from high school, so Kaitlen and I went off to hit the town today. I didn't buy a whole lot, but I NEVER really go shopping so it was a big event for me. I also NEVER buy shoes.... And if I do, I am a very practical person. I only buy black or brown. Well today I bought these bad boys. I love them. But the only kicker is.... I will almost be 6'5" when I wear them. I don't care. I can wear heels too. Such a fun summer shoe.

I also bought this fun little romper from NY & Co. which was on sale for 9 bucks!

I think I will pair the two together and will look GQ. I won't know what to do with myself. So I don't really have anywhere to go, but I know when the opportunity knocks on my door... I will be ready ;)

Tampons

Ew, gross Whitney... I know, I know. You probably don't want to read any of this but hear me out. I don't know why I like these commercials so much but every time I see them.... I CRACK UP! Yes it is about tampons, but don't think about it. Just watch it and take it for what is worth. Kotex is changing up the way they advertise with these new commercials. Not your average tampon commercial!

Dog-a-tonic

I can't help it... My secret is out. I really like watching "The Girls Next Door". I really liked the original show with Holly, Bridget, and Kendra. I don't know why I like it. But for some reason I enjoy watching that show. It was on this show that I learned the phrase "Dogatonic".


The Girls Next Door - "Dogatonic"

Ellis Dee | MySpace Video

We have a little "Dogatonic" dog at our house. Little Bentley always goes dogatonic when we try to put him in his crate before we leave every morning. It is so funny!! A little sad, but funny!

So the next time you see a dog, all laid up and frightened... You can safely use the word "Dogatonic" as a descriptor or medical diagnosis. It's Legit. Please ignore the awful hair cut. I tried to disguise it with a bandanna.