My friend Angela sent me a link this morning to join her on Twitter. Todd-in-law was interviewed by Anita Cochran and on KSN last night. Watch it here.
This Twitter thing is taking over.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
just to annoy my neighbors, (and Monica)...
... I hung my Christmas wreath on the front door and put my Christmas trees in the black planters in front of my steps. A full five days before Thanksgiving. Last week when I told Monica that I wanted to put up my Christmas tree before Hubby came home she rolled her eyes. "Um, NO. Too early."
But my Christmas decorations are up! All of them that I could carry up myself from the basement. My new stockings hang in front of the fireplace, our sparkly branches rest on the mantle, and shatter-proof ornaments are kept around my home. And the Christmas music has already been played.
Yay for Christmas!
But my Christmas decorations are up! All of them that I could carry up myself from the basement. My new stockings hang in front of the fireplace, our sparkly branches rest on the mantle, and shatter-proof ornaments are kept around my home. And the Christmas music has already been played.
Yay for Christmas!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
girl is crazy
Seriously?
No, explosive diarrhea is not cute. It is stinky and gets all over your husband's aunt's bedspread when you are visiting for Thanksgiving. Women like this who proclaim that everything is so cute, implying that everything is roses, freaks out new moms who are stressed and tired and not yet able to laugh at the public explosion of their child's diarrhea.
Ms. Alba, just admit that you're tired. No one is going to think less of you.
No, explosive diarrhea is not cute. It is stinky and gets all over your husband's aunt's bedspread when you are visiting for Thanksgiving. Women like this who proclaim that everything is so cute, implying that everything is roses, freaks out new moms who are stressed and tired and not yet able to laugh at the public explosion of their child's diarrhea.
Ms. Alba, just admit that you're tired. No one is going to think less of you.
Friday, November 21, 2008
poop
I remember watching "Regis and Kathie Lee" back in the day and being offended for 3 year-old Cody when Kathie Lee would talk about his poops. Right then, the summer before my sophomore year of high school (I'm guessing) I vowed to never talk about my children's poops on national television. That vow morphed to the blog world since this is my outlet and I won't be on national television anytime soon. And one day, many years from now when my children are older and not so self-absorbed (I'm giving it 20 years) they might want to read about their childhood. And I wouldn't want them to be embarrassed. Well, in my youth and blissful ignorance I made lots of vows regarding the children who wouldn't be in my life for another ten years -- no making them eat their vegetables, no spit-cleaning their faces, never letting them sleep in my bed.
I changed my mind on all of them.
Little Missy has started hiding from me when she does her business. One time I noticed her tell-tale face of "The poo is coming" as she ran behind the chair for some privacy. She must have decided she'd be bored back there during those long 30 seconds so she ran out, grabbed a truck, and ran back to her spot, all with a quick "Don't look at me, Mommy."
A few days later the same look crossed her face and she ran behind the couch.
"What are you doin', Little Missy?" I asked.
"Don't look at me, Mommy!"
G walked into the room, saw his sister, and walked behind the couch from the other end.
"Whatcha doin', Little Missy?"
"G," I began, "leave her alone for a little bit."
Little Missy didn't hear me and quickly responded to her brother: "I poopin', G."
Now she poops in the other room, then nonchalantly comes into the room with us and asks sweetly "You smell stankies, Mommy?" "G, you smell stankies?" I think this is the 2 year-old version of internally worrying that those around you smelled your fart. Only, she has no internal dialogue and asking out loud is admitting that "Whoever smelt it, dealt it."
I changed my mind on all of them.
Little Missy has started hiding from me when she does her business. One time I noticed her tell-tale face of "The poo is coming" as she ran behind the chair for some privacy. She must have decided she'd be bored back there during those long 30 seconds so she ran out, grabbed a truck, and ran back to her spot, all with a quick "Don't look at me, Mommy."
A few days later the same look crossed her face and she ran behind the couch.
"What are you doin', Little Missy?" I asked.
"Don't look at me, Mommy!"
G walked into the room, saw his sister, and walked behind the couch from the other end.
"Whatcha doin', Little Missy?"
"G," I began, "leave her alone for a little bit."
Little Missy didn't hear me and quickly responded to her brother: "I poopin', G."
Now she poops in the other room, then nonchalantly comes into the room with us and asks sweetly "You smell stankies, Mommy?" "G, you smell stankies?" I think this is the 2 year-old version of internally worrying that those around you smelled your fart. Only, she has no internal dialogue and asking out loud is admitting that "Whoever smelt it, dealt it."
Thursday, November 20, 2008
logic
me: "G, don't do that. That's a bad idea"
G: innocently "What's a bad idea, Mommy?"
me: "SITTING ON YOUR SISTER'S HEAD. That's a bad idea."
G: innocently "What's a bad idea, Mommy?"
me: "SITTING ON YOUR SISTER'S HEAD. That's a bad idea."
braggin' on my kid
G got his progress report from school the other day. And I am going to transcribe it for you because I love it and I am so proud of him, and it's my blog, and the grandparents will love it.
So.
There are six areas the teachers comment on:
So.
There are six areas the teachers comment on:
- Listens Carefully
- Stays on Task
- Follows Directions
- Treats Others With Respect
- Follows Class Rules
- Does His/Her Best Work
There are three "grades:"
- Needs Improvement
- Satisfactory
- Outstanding
Little G received an "Outstanding" in each class. He makes me so proud. But then his teachers' comments made me tear up:
"G is very well mannered and plays well with other children. He listens well. Knows his letters, colors, etc. He is an excellent role model for our class." (I added the boldface.)
I read him the comments from his teachers and scooped the little stinker in my arms. The same boy who grabs toys from his sister, argues with me over which route is quickest to get us from Peel's Beauty Supply in Wichita to our home in Augusta, gets mad when I give him crew socks instead of his "big" socks, this boy is a sweetie-pie for others. At least he knows how to behave around others.
Which is most important because I want to keep up appearances.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
hubby is coming home!
...In three days!
How much weight can I lose in three days? Like, if I were to go all-out: fasting, honey & ginger whatever, laxatives ... how much weight? Because nothing says "love" like coming home to a wife who has dealt with her sadness by eating her feelings.
Lots of her feelings.
How much weight can I lose in three days? Like, if I were to go all-out: fasting, honey & ginger whatever, laxatives ... how much weight? Because nothing says "love" like coming home to a wife who has dealt with her sadness by eating her feelings.
Lots of her feelings.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
discipline?
Hubby and I made a decision a long time ago to not turn our children into little robots. You know, the kids whose parents enforce rules to the extreme and the children march through their lives scared of stepping out of line. We dreamed of raising well-behaved children who retained their spunk but knew when and where that spunk was appropriate.
Said spunk is not always appropriate while grocery shopping.
As a fellow mother at my church put it, when those automatic doors slide open, something snaps in their brains and they lose sense of who they are and how they're expected to behave. I go crazy when the automatic doors slide open at Forever 21, but I do not go crazy while entering Dillons. DILLONS. As a child when I went to the grocery store with my mom I got a free cookie from the Albertson's bakery. My kids don't get free cookies. They don't get anything they ask for: no coffee cake, no Kool-Aid, no cans of tuna. Well, I did acquiesce on the can of tuna, but that can is sitting in our pantry since neither Hubby nor I eat the stuff. Anyway, why are they so excited to be in the land of No-You-Can't-Have-It?
My top guess is because they get to run somewhere other than our living room-dining room-kitchen-hallway loop. They get to run up and down and up and down many aisles. We go in the middle of the day, when few shoppers or other moms are there, and for the most part their running doesn't bother me. They know to stay where I can see them.
But then the giggling starts. I am overjoyed that my children enjoy eachother. But sometimes the giggling and the squealing and the running gets to be a little much. Then the hugging starts, and that's when it gets really embarrassing. Little Missy hugs G, G laughs, so Little Missy hugs him tighter and they fall to the floor. Read that again: two siblings are hugging and laughing so much that they fall to the floor. Then they stay on the floor in a little ball of arms and coats and hands as I'm sternly whispering, "THAT IS ENOUGH. GET OFF THE FLOOR." We're not weirdoes, for Pete's sake. And all this time I am hoping against hope that I will not run into anyone I know. Usually I love running into friends, but someone overhearing my hissing and fruitless struggles to get my children in line would make my face turn red.
So the rhetorical question is this: How do we find the balance between raising robots and raising weirdoes?
Said spunk is not always appropriate while grocery shopping.
As a fellow mother at my church put it, when those automatic doors slide open, something snaps in their brains and they lose sense of who they are and how they're expected to behave. I go crazy when the automatic doors slide open at Forever 21, but I do not go crazy while entering Dillons. DILLONS. As a child when I went to the grocery store with my mom I got a free cookie from the Albertson's bakery. My kids don't get free cookies. They don't get anything they ask for: no coffee cake, no Kool-Aid, no cans of tuna. Well, I did acquiesce on the can of tuna, but that can is sitting in our pantry since neither Hubby nor I eat the stuff. Anyway, why are they so excited to be in the land of No-You-Can't-Have-It?
My top guess is because they get to run somewhere other than our living room-dining room-kitchen-hallway loop. They get to run up and down and up and down many aisles. We go in the middle of the day, when few shoppers or other moms are there, and for the most part their running doesn't bother me. They know to stay where I can see them.
But then the giggling starts. I am overjoyed that my children enjoy eachother. But sometimes the giggling and the squealing and the running gets to be a little much. Then the hugging starts, and that's when it gets really embarrassing. Little Missy hugs G, G laughs, so Little Missy hugs him tighter and they fall to the floor. Read that again: two siblings are hugging and laughing so much that they fall to the floor. Then they stay on the floor in a little ball of arms and coats and hands as I'm sternly whispering, "THAT IS ENOUGH. GET OFF THE FLOOR." We're not weirdoes, for Pete's sake. And all this time I am hoping against hope that I will not run into anyone I know. Usually I love running into friends, but someone overhearing my hissing and fruitless struggles to get my children in line would make my face turn red.
So the rhetorical question is this: How do we find the balance between raising robots and raising weirdoes?
Monday, November 10, 2008
tagged again
My friend Erin tagged me a few weeks ago and I still haven't completed it. Then Todd-in-law tagged me this morning so I figure I should probably "do this thing," as G would say. Here it goes:
OFFICIAL RULES:
-Link to the person who tagged you.
-Post the rules on your blog.
-Write 6 random things about yourself.
-Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post.
-Let each person know he/she has been tagged.
-Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
1. Right now I am mighty cold. This morning we woke up to the furnace loud and angry in the basement, bellowing and threatening to blow up. So I turned it off, gave it a rest, and when we came home from our morning errands I turned it back on. That time a small whimper came from the beast; still alive but no longer blowing warm air through the vents. McCune Heating & Cooling has me on their standby list. Before they get here we will be snuggling under blankets and probably drinking hot chocolate.
2. Over the weekend I went to a ladies' retreat with my church. Lots of testimonies, praying and reading and trying to better understand our individual relationships with the Lord. I sat in a room with 50 women from age 22 to 70-something, inspired by all the stories completely unique to them. Each flawed woman, made perfect by Him, daily trying to walk better in the light and knowledge He gives. What I love about the Lord is that even with 6 billion people on earth right now He gives me the attention of an only child.
3. Every day after preschool G has a new song that he sings around the house. His teachers have a song for everything: putting away books after reading time, walking down the stairs and holding the rail, finding out what the weather is for the day. And G is coming out of his shell more and more every time he goes. My previously shy little boy is getting quite comfortable around others and letting all of us see his spunk. Most of the time that's a good thing.
4. I miss Hubby. But in this time my family and friends have surrounded me and helped me to not feel so lonely. They invite me over for dinner, plan activities for me, come over and sit at my house for hours to keep me company, let me spend the night at their house. When Hubby is home my eyes can easily become focused solely on him and the children, but during this time I am again reminded over and over how much love surrounds me. Thank you everyone. They all are a living example of this verse: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1: 3&4
5. This morning Little Missy and I went to Goodwill to look for clothes for me. I wanted to call my sister while I was there to see what Lucky would say about a jacket I was trying on, but she can't really talk at work, so I grudgingly put it back. But I did find a shrunken jacket, a shirtdress, and two shirts that are pushing my comfort zone in their respective cuts but they are solid colors and that makes them easier to wear. Hey, this is a random post.
6. What the crap is this girl wearing? Mischa is falling into a depression and we are all watching and laughing (I'm trying not to laugh, but seriously).
Here are my friends who will be so happy I tagged them:
1. Amanda
2. Ang
3. Jessi (if she ever decides to post again)
4. Angela
5. Niki
6. Christa
OFFICIAL RULES:
-Link to the person who tagged you.
-Post the rules on your blog.
-Write 6 random things about yourself.
-Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post.
-Let each person know he/she has been tagged.
-Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
1. Right now I am mighty cold. This morning we woke up to the furnace loud and angry in the basement, bellowing and threatening to blow up. So I turned it off, gave it a rest, and when we came home from our morning errands I turned it back on. That time a small whimper came from the beast; still alive but no longer blowing warm air through the vents. McCune Heating & Cooling has me on their standby list. Before they get here we will be snuggling under blankets and probably drinking hot chocolate.
2. Over the weekend I went to a ladies' retreat with my church. Lots of testimonies, praying and reading and trying to better understand our individual relationships with the Lord. I sat in a room with 50 women from age 22 to 70-something, inspired by all the stories completely unique to them. Each flawed woman, made perfect by Him, daily trying to walk better in the light and knowledge He gives. What I love about the Lord is that even with 6 billion people on earth right now He gives me the attention of an only child.
3. Every day after preschool G has a new song that he sings around the house. His teachers have a song for everything: putting away books after reading time, walking down the stairs and holding the rail, finding out what the weather is for the day. And G is coming out of his shell more and more every time he goes. My previously shy little boy is getting quite comfortable around others and letting all of us see his spunk. Most of the time that's a good thing.
4. I miss Hubby. But in this time my family and friends have surrounded me and helped me to not feel so lonely. They invite me over for dinner, plan activities for me, come over and sit at my house for hours to keep me company, let me spend the night at their house. When Hubby is home my eyes can easily become focused solely on him and the children, but during this time I am again reminded over and over how much love surrounds me. Thank you everyone. They all are a living example of this verse: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1: 3&4
5. This morning Little Missy and I went to Goodwill to look for clothes for me. I wanted to call my sister while I was there to see what Lucky would say about a jacket I was trying on, but she can't really talk at work, so I grudgingly put it back. But I did find a shrunken jacket, a shirtdress, and two shirts that are pushing my comfort zone in their respective cuts but they are solid colors and that makes them easier to wear. Hey, this is a random post.
6. What the crap is this girl wearing? Mischa is falling into a depression and we are all watching and laughing (I'm trying not to laugh, but seriously).
Here are my friends who will be so happy I tagged them:
1. Amanda
2. Ang
3. Jessi (if she ever decides to post again)
4. Angela
5. Niki
6. Christa
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
easy delicious-ness
from kraftfoods.com:
Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing
What you need:
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
6 boneless pork loin chops (1-1/2 lb.), 3/4 inch thick
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
6 boneless pork loin chops (1-1/2 lb.), 3/4 inch thick
Make It:
HEAT oven to 375ºF. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package.
SPREAD pie filling onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with chops and stuffing. Cover with foil.
BAKE 30 min.; uncover. Bake 10 min. or until chops are cooked through (160ºF).
HEAT oven to 375ºF. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package.
SPREAD pie filling onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with chops and stuffing. Cover with foil.
BAKE 30 min.; uncover. Bake 10 min. or until chops are cooked through (160ºF).
while the cat's away
My mom suggested that while Hubby is gone I should make the dinners that he doesn't like to eat. Problem is that I'm not much of a cook so Hubby is always kind when I actually do cook and he doesn't complain too much. Although one time he did say "If my father ever knew how much chicken I eat ... " Because we do eat chicken for most of our dinners, and Hubby grew up on red meat. While he's gone we'll still be eating chicken most every night. Although tonight I cooked pork chops that I was planning to cook while he was here, but then he left suddenly, and now I have an amazing and delicious meal in my fridge. So much of it that I'll have to eat it for all my meals tomorrow.
I decided that I would watch "Law&Order" after the kids went to bed. Hubby HATES L&O, smirks when I watch it, totally ruins the experience for me. So tonight I was going to watch it. But of course the kids were riled up after their nap (they never nap anymore) and church and they didn't go to sleep until 9:55. Boo.
Tomorrow night I'm watching "Lars and the Real Girl." That's not really a movie Hubby is against watching, but it was the only movie I really wanted as #1 on my queue from Netflix. I'm really trying to not watch the rest of season 2 of "Battlestar Galactica." And I'm also trying not to read ahead on Television Without Pity as to the rest of BG. Because it is an awesome show and we've been watching it almost every night and now Hubby is gone and I can't watch it for two weeks.
That's all for now! But I will post the recipe for the pork chops and then you can all comment about how much you love me.
I decided that I would watch "Law&Order" after the kids went to bed. Hubby HATES L&O, smirks when I watch it, totally ruins the experience for me. So tonight I was going to watch it. But of course the kids were riled up after their nap (they never nap anymore) and church and they didn't go to sleep until 9:55. Boo.
Tomorrow night I'm watching "Lars and the Real Girl." That's not really a movie Hubby is against watching, but it was the only movie I really wanted as #1 on my queue from Netflix. I'm really trying to not watch the rest of season 2 of "Battlestar Galactica." And I'm also trying not to read ahead on Television Without Pity as to the rest of BG. Because it is an awesome show and we've been watching it almost every night and now Hubby is gone and I can't watch it for two weeks.
That's all for now! But I will post the recipe for the pork chops and then you can all comment about how much you love me.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
my Hubby is gone!
Hubby is in Seattle, climbing the work ladder by fixing other Spirit employees' mistakes before the planes are handed off to Boeing. Yesterday afternoon Hubby was thinking about volunteering for the job, this morning he talked to his supervisor, and at 2:55 he was on a plane to Seattle. My Hubby is gone for TWO WEEKS. I still haven't wrapped my mind around how long that really is -- how many baths and bedtimes I'll deal with alone, how many cups of milk I'll pour, how many fights I'll mediate and try to resolve. But on the flip side I'll receive all the smiles, all the hugs, watch the rays of sunshine as they run through our home. So it will be difficult for each of us.
Monday, November 3, 2008
best friends
Hubby has been home quite a bit lately due to the Boeing strike (which is now officially over, but his 3-day workweeks are not). So he has been spending quite a bit of time with the kiddos ...
... reading ...
... playing with Stomp Rockets outside ...
... so much time, in fact, that G is no longer content for his chair to be around the corner from Daddy's, but must have it THISCLOSE to Daddy's when they eat their lunch.
... reading ...
... playing with Stomp Rockets outside ...
... so much time, in fact, that G is no longer content for his chair to be around the corner from Daddy's, but must have it THISCLOSE to Daddy's when they eat their lunch.
lots and lots o' parties
The Saturday before his actual birthday we had a birthday party for G's friends and families. Tuesday night we went to Chuck E. Cheese with Auntie Leelee and Uncle Todd. Wednesday morning we had birthday treats in preschool, then Wednesday evening we ate dinner at the McDonald's in El Dorado because it has a playplace. Four parties for a four year old!
The Thomas-themed food table at party #1:
Surrounded by friends and family:
The Thomas-themed food table at party #1:
Surrounded by friends and family:
Our neighborhood block party happened to be at the exact same time and they brought in a fire truck. So we all walked down and took a look:
At Chuck E. Cheese:
G got to have his sister with him for his snack-time on his birthday:
With his birthday crown:
With his birthday crown:
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