Saturday, February 28, 2009
Just a little humor to start out your weekend
I guess when my Dad was babysitting Connor on Monday (I was working in Jared's class), Connor dropped something and said, "Ahh NUTS!" and then quickly followed it with, "We say ahh nuts because ahh shit is a bad word."
Friday, February 27, 2009
Future underwear model?
I was fiddling around with my camera in the boys' room yesterday while the boys were playing with some toys on the floor. Connor told me he had to go potty and he wanted "pricey" (privacy) so I figured I'd give him a minute or two and then go check on him. Just as I was figuring he'd had enough "pricey", he came running back into the room in nothing but his boxer briefs, then leaned against his closet and said, "Wookit me, Mama!" (Look at me, Mama!). With camera already in hand, I simply couldn't resist snapping his picture!
PS They look wet or something in the back, but it must just be a shadow because I know for a fact he was DRY DRY DRY (even over night two nights in a row now...*knock on wood*)
PPS How adorable is he???
PS They look wet or something in the back, but it must just be a shadow because I know for a fact he was DRY DRY DRY (even over night two nights in a row now...*knock on wood*)
PPS How adorable is he???
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Mean Mom
Jared informed Dan the other day that "Mom's mean!" and I remembered this poem I'd read not too long ago and had to smile:
Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will
tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you
enough to ask where you were going, with whom,
and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the
bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I
stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours
while you cleaned your room, a job that should have
taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must
learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm
glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents, you
will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the
meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids
ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal,
eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a
Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you
can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all
times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She
had to know who our friends were, and what we were
doing with them. She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an
hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve
to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We
had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash
and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie
awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time
we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really
tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn
when they drove up. They had to come up to the door
so she could meet them. While everyone else could
date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until
we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of
things other kids experienced. None of us have ever
been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's
property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all
her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all educated,
honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean
parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough mean moms
Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will
tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you
enough to ask where you were going, with whom,
and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the
bubble gum you had taken and tell the clerk, "I
stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours
while you cleaned your room, a job that should have
taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must
learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm
glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents, you
will tell them.
Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the
meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids
ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal,
eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a
Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you
can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all
times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She
had to know who our friends were, and what we were
doing with them. She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an
hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve
to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We
had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash
and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie
awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time
we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really
tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn
when they drove up. They had to come up to the door
so she could meet them. While everyone else could
date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until
we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out on lots of
things other kids experienced. None of us have ever
been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's
property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all
her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all educated,
honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean
parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough mean moms
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Art Wall
Forgive me if this is a repeat, but I couldn't remember if I'd already shared this or not and didn't find anything in my past posts (though I truthfully didn't look all that hard; we're in a hurry to leave for gymnastics!).
I got this idea out of a magazine quite awhile ago and jumped all over it. I LOVE my kids' artwork, but there was never enough space to display much of it at a time.
Problem solved:
The kids love having their artwork displayed so prominantly in our home, and it's gotten rave reviews from people who have visited us!
I got this idea out of a magazine quite awhile ago and jumped all over it. I LOVE my kids' artwork, but there was never enough space to display much of it at a time.
Problem solved:
The kids love having their artwork displayed so prominantly in our home, and it's gotten rave reviews from people who have visited us!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Could it be true???
In the interest of not jinxing things, I'm currently knocking on wood, crossing my fingers, wearing my lucky socks (just kidding), throwing salt over my shoulder, etc while I share the good news:
CONNOR IS POOPING ON THE TOILET NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't changed a poopy diaper or underwear in three weeks. Wet pull-ups are limited to night-time (though he's waking up barely wet in the pull-up lately, instead of big-time wet like in the past). His day-time potty accidents over the last three weeks have been limited to three different times, and two of the times involved being at the park with his dad, and the last was while we were visiting my IL's last weekend. He's been rather good at telling me when he needs to go potty, and I've been rather good at keeping an eye on the time and gently guiding him in the direction of the bathroom if it's been 2+ hours.
Between all three kids, I've been changing diapers solidly since May 12, 2002. That's almost 7 full years without a break in diapers, people!!
*does a little happy dance*
(*throws more salt* *finds more wood to knock on*)
I'm so very pleased and PROUD that we're finally making some serious headway in the potty-training department. I won't go so far as to say we're TRAINED (because of the potty issues at night and occasional day-time slip-ups), but he's "poop trained" at least. LOL!!!
Let's hear some cheers for Connor!!
CONNOR IS POOPING ON THE TOILET NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't changed a poopy diaper or underwear in three weeks. Wet pull-ups are limited to night-time (though he's waking up barely wet in the pull-up lately, instead of big-time wet like in the past). His day-time potty accidents over the last three weeks have been limited to three different times, and two of the times involved being at the park with his dad, and the last was while we were visiting my IL's last weekend. He's been rather good at telling me when he needs to go potty, and I've been rather good at keeping an eye on the time and gently guiding him in the direction of the bathroom if it's been 2+ hours.
Between all three kids, I've been changing diapers solidly since May 12, 2002. That's almost 7 full years without a break in diapers, people!!
*does a little happy dance*
(*throws more salt* *finds more wood to knock on*)
I'm so very pleased and PROUD that we're finally making some serious headway in the potty-training department. I won't go so far as to say we're TRAINED (because of the potty issues at night and occasional day-time slip-ups), but he's "poop trained" at least. LOL!!!
Let's hear some cheers for Connor!!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Quote of the Week
"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience."
~Victoria Holt~
~Victoria Holt~
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Jumping Rope
This started out as a
Jumping rope
You prob’ly think that
I’m a dope
But this started out as a
Jumping rope
And now I fear there is
No hope
But this started out as a
Jumping rope.
~Shel Silvterstein~
Emily came out of her bedroom wrapped in a jumprope reciting this poem the other day and it made me laugh!!
Jumping rope
You prob’ly think that
I’m a dope
But this started out as a
Jumping rope
And now I fear there is
No hope
But this started out as a
Jumping rope.
~Shel Silvterstein~
Emily came out of her bedroom wrapped in a jumprope reciting this poem the other day and it made me laugh!!
Friday, February 20, 2009
If only I'd known...
If only I'd known how to knit when Emily was a baby! She'd have been outfitted in things like this all the dang time!!!
(trying to show the clear flower-shaped buttons I used)
Dan says the "fluffy crap" is too much on a baby sweater, but it's gotten nothing but rave reviews from the people I've shown it to thus far (unless they're all just too nice to be honest with me??). Anyway, I hope it's not too much for a baby sweater, because it's SOON to be gifted to one of Dan's co-workers and his pregnant wife for their daughter-to-be!
I had a hard time judging what size to make the hat. The sweater is supposed to be 0-6 month (smallest size pattern I could find in a style I had the supplies for and the know-how to attempt), but it seems pretty huge (if it doesn't fit in this chillier spring weather, maybe it'll fit in the fall??). I made a larger size hat than I would normally make a newborn, so HOPEFULLY it will all fit at the same time. LOL I plan to make a flowerless hat in the same yarn in a much smaller size so they can at least use that right away for the baby. I guess we'll see how it all works out!
(PS Even if you think the fluff is too much, lie and tell me you love it, because I think this little set is about the cutest darn thing on the planet and I'm so pleased with how it all turned out!! LOL The pictures hardly do it justice either.)
(trying to show the clear flower-shaped buttons I used)
Dan says the "fluffy crap" is too much on a baby sweater, but it's gotten nothing but rave reviews from the people I've shown it to thus far (unless they're all just too nice to be honest with me??). Anyway, I hope it's not too much for a baby sweater, because it's SOON to be gifted to one of Dan's co-workers and his pregnant wife for their daughter-to-be!
I had a hard time judging what size to make the hat. The sweater is supposed to be 0-6 month (smallest size pattern I could find in a style I had the supplies for and the know-how to attempt), but it seems pretty huge (if it doesn't fit in this chillier spring weather, maybe it'll fit in the fall??). I made a larger size hat than I would normally make a newborn, so HOPEFULLY it will all fit at the same time. LOL I plan to make a flowerless hat in the same yarn in a much smaller size so they can at least use that right away for the baby. I guess we'll see how it all works out!
(PS Even if you think the fluff is too much, lie and tell me you love it, because I think this little set is about the cutest darn thing on the planet and I'm so pleased with how it all turned out!! LOL The pictures hardly do it justice either.)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Chicken Tetrazzini
This is one of my all-time favorite meals, but it's a bit of work the first time or two you make it following the recipe in it's original form. I'm going to type up the recipe how I follow it so that you should have great luck the first time around!!
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES
16 oz spaghetti (thin or angel hair work best because they boil up so quickly!)
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
greased 9X13 pan
sauce:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne or black pepper
2 tsp salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
mushroom:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 lb sliced mushrooms
AT THE SAME TIME, have a large pot of water heating in order to boil the noodles, AND heat a pan with 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp lemon juice in it. Add pasta to boiling water and cook al dente (I just cook it the time listed on the package). Add sliced mushrooms to the heated butter/lemon juice. Stir frequently until cooked through and most of the juices are cooked off. (I generally have the three chicken breasts boiling in another pot at this same time to cook them through, but some people don't like to cook chicken this way. I think it's easy and it tastes just fine and dandy in the finished dish!)
Once you get your pasta and mushrooms going, heat a sauce pan with 6 Tbsp butter. Once melted, add your 6 Tbsp all purpose flour and stir for a few minutes. Add pepper and salt, then slowly add broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Once slightly thickened, add 1 1/2 cups half and half and 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese (we buy pre-grated for ease).
While your sauce is simmering, you can be dicing your chicken breasts.
When the pasta is done, drain the water and return to the large pot. Add the sauce and stir well. Put half the pasta/sauce mixture into a greased 9X13 dish. Layer with half the mushrooms and all of the diced chicken (I find adding the chicken as a layer instead of mixing it into the pasta/sauce mixture allows you to more evenly distribute it in the baking dish). Add remaining noodles/sauce. Pour any remaining sauce from the pot evenly over the dish. Add remaining mushrooms, then sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Your 9X13 pan will be FULL, and will probably appear a bit soupy (the pasta absorbs a lot of the liquid during baking).
Place in 375 degree oven for about a half hour (parmesan cheese should be browned and entire dish should be bubbly and hot when finished).
Cut and serve. YUM!!!!!!!!!!
This is also something that can be made ahead of time and then baked when it's needed. And don't let the large number of dirtied pots/pans detour you from attempting this dish. I promise you that when you taste the end result, you will find it all well worth the effort!!
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375 DEGREES
16 oz spaghetti (thin or angel hair work best because they boil up so quickly!)
3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
greased 9X13 pan
sauce:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne or black pepper
2 tsp salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
mushroom:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 lb sliced mushrooms
AT THE SAME TIME, have a large pot of water heating in order to boil the noodles, AND heat a pan with 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp lemon juice in it. Add pasta to boiling water and cook al dente (I just cook it the time listed on the package). Add sliced mushrooms to the heated butter/lemon juice. Stir frequently until cooked through and most of the juices are cooked off. (I generally have the three chicken breasts boiling in another pot at this same time to cook them through, but some people don't like to cook chicken this way. I think it's easy and it tastes just fine and dandy in the finished dish!)
Once you get your pasta and mushrooms going, heat a sauce pan with 6 Tbsp butter. Once melted, add your 6 Tbsp all purpose flour and stir for a few minutes. Add pepper and salt, then slowly add broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened. Once slightly thickened, add 1 1/2 cups half and half and 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese (we buy pre-grated for ease).
While your sauce is simmering, you can be dicing your chicken breasts.
When the pasta is done, drain the water and return to the large pot. Add the sauce and stir well. Put half the pasta/sauce mixture into a greased 9X13 dish. Layer with half the mushrooms and all of the diced chicken (I find adding the chicken as a layer instead of mixing it into the pasta/sauce mixture allows you to more evenly distribute it in the baking dish). Add remaining noodles/sauce. Pour any remaining sauce from the pot evenly over the dish. Add remaining mushrooms, then sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Your 9X13 pan will be FULL, and will probably appear a bit soupy (the pasta absorbs a lot of the liquid during baking).
Place in 375 degree oven for about a half hour (parmesan cheese should be browned and entire dish should be bubbly and hot when finished).
Cut and serve. YUM!!!!!!!!!!
This is also something that can be made ahead of time and then baked when it's needed. And don't let the large number of dirtied pots/pans detour you from attempting this dish. I promise you that when you taste the end result, you will find it all well worth the effort!!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
mmm mmm good!
We had chef salad the other night for dinner. I gave Connor a bowl, not really expecting that he'd actually eat it, because he'd been pooh-pooh-ing anything to do with salad thus far in life. He not only ate it, he DEVOURED it. You can clearly see he was all gung-ho in the picture, and it continued until the bowl was CLEAN.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Photoshop Fun!
I found that quote and really liked it, so dug through our most recent ocean pictures (which was August 2007!) and created the collage. The background of the collage is an actual sand "castle" the kids helped make on that trip. I will probably update the pictures this summer when we visit the ocean again!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!
These are the Valentines that the kids passed out in class this week. Actually, Connor ended up not getting to pass his out yet because he only has class on Wednesdays and class got canceled this week due to a two-hour late-start that day (thanks to some ice on the roads that morning!). I did these in Photoshop Elements and printed them as 4X6 pictures at Costco, then taped a heart-shaped lollipop to the back of each one
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Crowded Tub
by Shel Silverstein
There's too many kids in this tub.
There's too many elbows to scrub.
I just washed a behind
That I'm sure wasn't mine.
There's too many kids in this tub.
(Don't mind the crazy bow, but I figured that now that Em's 6.5 years old, I probably have to start being cautious of how much I show!!)
There's too many kids in this tub.
There's too many elbows to scrub.
I just washed a behind
That I'm sure wasn't mine.
There's too many kids in this tub.
(Don't mind the crazy bow, but I figured that now that Em's 6.5 years old, I probably have to start being cautious of how much I show!!)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
This made me laugh
How To Know Whether Or Not You Are Ready To Have Children
Author Unknown
MESS TEST:
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST:
Obtain a 55 gallon box of LEGOs (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake the child.
GROCERY STORE TEST:
Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST:
Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST:
Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls off soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST:
Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 p.m. begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 p.m. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more songs and sing these too until 4:00 a.m. Set alarm for 5:00 a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST FOR SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS:
Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a Ping-Pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST:
Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies, mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST: (Women)
Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now, remove the beans and let the bag just hang there.
PHYSICAL TEST: (Men)
Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the manager's office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild.
Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
-------------------
"Look cheerful" at the end of the night test cracked me up, as did the very last line "enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers." The dressing test with the bit about the octopus made me laugh as well as it's exactly how I felt trying to get Grace dressed last Thursday!
ha ha!
Author Unknown
MESS TEST:
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST:
Obtain a 55 gallon box of LEGOs (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake the child.
GROCERY STORE TEST:
Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST:
Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST:
Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls off soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST:
Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 p.m. begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 p.m. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more songs and sing these too until 4:00 a.m. Set alarm for 5:00 a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST FOR SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS:
Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a Ping-Pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST:
Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies, mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST: (Women)
Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now, remove the beans and let the bag just hang there.
PHYSICAL TEST: (Men)
Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the manager's office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild.
Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
-------------------
"Look cheerful" at the end of the night test cracked me up, as did the very last line "enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers." The dressing test with the bit about the octopus made me laugh as well as it's exactly how I felt trying to get Grace dressed last Thursday!
ha ha!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!!
Connor got a starter Geo Track train set for Christmas, with two additional trains that came with remote controls. We don't have enough track to do anything but an oval shape, but Connor LOVES his trains. He'll play with them constantly until we decide the set up has been in the middle of the playroom long enough and put it all away for a few days. It all came out Saturday afternoon and Connor played with it for a solid hour, and he only walked away because it was time for dinner. ha! There is NOTHING in life that has captured Connor's attention for AN HOUR (or more!) at a time thus far. He even holds little conversations with the trains and the little drivers that came with them. SO CUTE! I'm seeing additional Geo Track train kits for his birthday in June??
Monday, February 9, 2009
Some faces of Connor
I'm sure there would have been much more hilariousness from Connor, except we were in a huge hurry to get a nice picture and then rush off to Costco to have the Valentines I made in Photoshop printed. He was in such a silly mood; I wish I could have continued taking pictures! (the last one is the one I ended up using for his Valentines)
Friday, February 6, 2009
One seriously proud mommy!
I was at the kitchen sink yesterday afternoon waiting on the water to warm for Grace's bottle (I babysit her every Thursday). Jared and Connor were watching "a kid show" (that's what my kids call cartoons) and Emily was on the computer doing some math stuff for school. Connor started messing with the remote control and changed the channel, and I called over to Jared to please turn it back to a kid show. About a half hour later, Jared came up to me, patted me on my arm, and told me very seriously, "We need to take pajamas to the mattress store because I don't want friends to be cold and alone." Not having watched much TV lately, I was a little clueless as to what he was talking about, but assured him that friends would be fine and he was a very sweet boy to be concerned. I'm ashamed to say I didn't think much about it after that, being distracted with babysitting and dinner prep and my neck pain, etc. However, while watching ER last night, I caught a Sleep Country USA commercial, asking people to donate pajamas and socks and underwear so foster kids don't have to feel cold and alone. Tears welled up in my eyes when I realized what Jared had been talking about earlier in the afternoon, and how one short commercial made a BIG impact on my little boy. It just so happens that we have two pairs of girl pajamas I'd purchased for Emily that are too big. Instead of returning them as planned, I'm taking Jared to the nearest Sleep Country USA store today and letting him put those pajamas in the donation bin for the foster kids. I want to make sure to follow through with his concern and to encourage his caring and generosity. Let me tell you that I am one seriously proud mommy, and I'm also very thankful that Connor was a stinker and started messing around with the remote control at just that moment. It's a nice reminder to myself as well, that even in these hard times, there are other people, other CHILDREN, who have it far harder than myself or my kids can even begin to imagine.
Will you be out shopping soon (and you live in WA or OR)? Why not pick up a pair of children's pajamas and donate them to foster children at your local Sleep Country USA.
per the website:
A child’s bedtime should be a time to feel safe, warm and protected. For more than 26,000 Northwest foster children, separated from family and friends, nights can feel long and lonely. To help make those nights a little cozier, you can help by collecting pajamas for foster kids big and small. Bring your gift of new pajamas, packaged socks and underclothes to any Sleep Country and they’ll be matched with a local foster child in need. Help make a foster child’s night a little cozier with a gift of new pajamas and you’ll sleep better too!
The pajama drive goes through February 15th.
CLICK HERE to find the store nearest you.
Will you be out shopping soon (and you live in WA or OR)? Why not pick up a pair of children's pajamas and donate them to foster children at your local Sleep Country USA.
per the website:
A child’s bedtime should be a time to feel safe, warm and protected. For more than 26,000 Northwest foster children, separated from family and friends, nights can feel long and lonely. To help make those nights a little cozier, you can help by collecting pajamas for foster kids big and small. Bring your gift of new pajamas, packaged socks and underclothes to any Sleep Country and they’ll be matched with a local foster child in need. Help make a foster child’s night a little cozier with a gift of new pajamas and you’ll sleep better too!
The pajama drive goes through February 15th.
CLICK HERE to find the store nearest you.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Random facts about me
1. There are some nights where I just can't seem to get warm, so will get up and throw a clean pair of socks on my feet and I suddenly feel much warmer and fall right to sleep. HOWEVER, if I wear socks to bed, I eventually get TOO warm, and when I get TOO warm, I have WEIRD DREAMS! Mostly I end up waking up knowing I just had a weird dream, but I can't recall most of the details... And it doesn't always have to be that I have socks on, because sometimes I'll end up too warm anyway (as it gets closer to summer where the heavier blankets are still on the bed, but the weather is getting warmer...) and will have weird dreams then as well. But it's a sure bet that if I wear socks to bed, I'm in for an interesting night in dreamland!
2. I used to LOVE candy conversation hearts, but I discovered the other night that I'm really not a big fan any longer.
3. I keep seeing the outdated picture of the kids in my sidebar, and telling myself each and every time that I need to update it, but then I just can't seem to bring myself to take the few minutes to scan a pic and resize and post/paste. It's not like it would take very long. Probably about the same amount of time as it took me to think up this paragraph and type it up. HA!
4. I'm refusing to be on the preschool board next year and have made my intentions clear. I spent two years as class rep, and while there are A LOT of things about the position that I truly enjoyed, there are a good number of things that I'm pretty over for now (people whining about the schedule, people calling and emailing with questions about things I'd already emailed or called about more than once, and that flyers had been sent home about already, or that pure common sense could have answered...LOL). That's not ALL that parents, or even most of them, but it only takes 2-3 to WEAR YOU DOWN. Plus, with Dan's schedule, making it to the monthly board meetings has been a hassel. And creating the schedule, working around people's vacations and work days, and childcare conflicts, etc etc etc gets really tedious and overwhelming. The only other positions on the board that are still open are even more involved than class rep (and another mom jumped in to take class rep anyway, which was MUSIC TO MY EARS because I thought for sure I was going to get bullied into it...LOL), and I just do not have the time to invest MORE time than I already have been.
5. I'm emotionally and physically very exhausted lately. My back just aches all the time, and now my neck has been stiff and sore (all part of the process, I'm being told by my chiropractor). No matter how I sit or walk, I'm uncomfortable. Everything I do causes me pain on some level. It's frustrating and disheartening and exhausting. I feel myself getting irritable and lashing out, and even while I'm aware that it's happening, I feel powerless to stop it. I would give a lot of money to be able to go back in time and to not be on the road at the time/place of the accident back on June 5th. While my pain is not crippling in any way, each day strips a little bit of SOMETHING and I just so desperately want this to be over so I can move on with my life. Dan gets frustrated with me and doesn't understand just how NAGGING this pain is or how it truly can be so emotionally draining and physically limiting. I'm tired of having to limit myself and cut activities short. Especially when it's something with my kids. I can't begin to count how many times I've had to say, "I'm sorry guys, mommy has to stop and walk around for awhile because my back is really starting to hurt sitting here." It's been enough times that all three of them have started complaining about back pain. Except my pain is legit and I mention in stopping activities I'd truly rather not stop! Do you know how horrible it is to have your children mimicking your pain, knowing that the reason for the mimickry is because it's not only affecting YOUR life, but theirs as well???? This is not how I want my children to remember me from their childhood, and it scares me a little bit that there's been ZERO improvement, even after 8 months.
6. I stay up way too late on a regular basis because the quiet of the house after everyone else is in bed is the only time I feel I can productively get much of anything done!! I also get easily distracted this time of night. I was being good and was all set to head to bed last night at 10pm, but then remembered that I hadn't tested out the new Shark steam mop I'd just bought (not LOVING it for the $70 I paid for it, btw), then realized I hadn't changed my blog banner to a February theme, and it was closer to 11:30pm before I ended up in bed. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN??? ha!
2. I used to LOVE candy conversation hearts, but I discovered the other night that I'm really not a big fan any longer.
3. I keep seeing the outdated picture of the kids in my sidebar, and telling myself each and every time that I need to update it, but then I just can't seem to bring myself to take the few minutes to scan a pic and resize and post/paste. It's not like it would take very long. Probably about the same amount of time as it took me to think up this paragraph and type it up. HA!
4. I'm refusing to be on the preschool board next year and have made my intentions clear. I spent two years as class rep, and while there are A LOT of things about the position that I truly enjoyed, there are a good number of things that I'm pretty over for now (people whining about the schedule, people calling and emailing with questions about things I'd already emailed or called about more than once, and that flyers had been sent home about already, or that pure common sense could have answered...LOL). That's not ALL that parents, or even most of them, but it only takes 2-3 to WEAR YOU DOWN. Plus, with Dan's schedule, making it to the monthly board meetings has been a hassel. And creating the schedule, working around people's vacations and work days, and childcare conflicts, etc etc etc gets really tedious and overwhelming. The only other positions on the board that are still open are even more involved than class rep (and another mom jumped in to take class rep anyway, which was MUSIC TO MY EARS because I thought for sure I was going to get bullied into it...LOL), and I just do not have the time to invest MORE time than I already have been.
5. I'm emotionally and physically very exhausted lately. My back just aches all the time, and now my neck has been stiff and sore (all part of the process, I'm being told by my chiropractor). No matter how I sit or walk, I'm uncomfortable. Everything I do causes me pain on some level. It's frustrating and disheartening and exhausting. I feel myself getting irritable and lashing out, and even while I'm aware that it's happening, I feel powerless to stop it. I would give a lot of money to be able to go back in time and to not be on the road at the time/place of the accident back on June 5th. While my pain is not crippling in any way, each day strips a little bit of SOMETHING and I just so desperately want this to be over so I can move on with my life. Dan gets frustrated with me and doesn't understand just how NAGGING this pain is or how it truly can be so emotionally draining and physically limiting. I'm tired of having to limit myself and cut activities short. Especially when it's something with my kids. I can't begin to count how many times I've had to say, "I'm sorry guys, mommy has to stop and walk around for awhile because my back is really starting to hurt sitting here." It's been enough times that all three of them have started complaining about back pain. Except my pain is legit and I mention in stopping activities I'd truly rather not stop! Do you know how horrible it is to have your children mimicking your pain, knowing that the reason for the mimickry is because it's not only affecting YOUR life, but theirs as well???? This is not how I want my children to remember me from their childhood, and it scares me a little bit that there's been ZERO improvement, even after 8 months.
6. I stay up way too late on a regular basis because the quiet of the house after everyone else is in bed is the only time I feel I can productively get much of anything done!! I also get easily distracted this time of night. I was being good and was all set to head to bed last night at 10pm, but then remembered that I hadn't tested out the new Shark steam mop I'd just bought (not LOVING it for the $70 I paid for it, btw), then realized I hadn't changed my blog banner to a February theme, and it was closer to 11:30pm before I ended up in bed. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN??? ha!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Quote of the Week
I asked Jared about his day at preschool after we arrived back home Monday afternoon. He looked at me for a minute, then said this:
"First, it was this (holding his thumb up). Then it was a little bit of this (holding his thumb down), and then it was just tilted sideways (holding his thumb out to the side)." LOL!!!!!!
"First, it was this (holding his thumb up). Then it was a little bit of this (holding his thumb down), and then it was just tilted sideways (holding his thumb out to the side)." LOL!!!!!!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cheer Captain for a day
Emily was chosen to be cheer captain for her squad for last Saturday's event. It was the first time one of the girls on the squad was in charge of leading the cheers during time-outs and half-time (usually the coach names the cheers and starts them). I was VERY proud of how she remembered to use her big voice and stood in front of an entire gym full of people and led the cheers. She did freeze a few times and momentarily forget how a certain cheer would start, but I think for being only 6.5 years old and it being her first time leading the squad, she did EXCELLENT. Plus, these little girls are just ADORABLE!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Cinderella turns into Sleeping Beauty
Emily and Dan attended a Father/Daughter Ball over the weekend. From what I hear, Emily had a BLAST!! Dan said she danced and danced and danced for the first two hours and then finally tired out and spent the last half hour socializing instead. Emily informed me that she and Dan danced to "My Girl", and that she requested it from the DJ (Dan begs to differ about her requesting it, but says it's possible...LOL). She was especially excited that they danced like REAL dates and she had her arm stretched up high to be on his shoulder and he had his hand on her back. She was SOUND ASLEEP when they got home, but perked up while I was getting her into bed and jabbered on and on and about how she can't wait to do it again!!
About three hours beforehand, we started doing her hair (I'm no expert, so it can take awhile sometimes, and I wanted to leave plenty of time for error, AND time to prepare dinner and give Dan and Emily time to eat the meal):
some mug shots...LOL
All of the curls were supposed to be pinned up in a "messy bun", but she changed her mind at the last minute and wanted them hanging down. I made the little blue bows with streaming ribbons myself to match her dress, and would have left the streaming ribbons longer if I'd known at the time her hair wasn't going to be all pinned up...
Here's my little Cinderella!
Recognize that dress? It's her Flower Girl dress from this past summer, her bride dress from this past October, and now her ball gown (best $32 I ever spent!!). I purchased the big blue rose pin from JoAnn Fabrics and some spools of matching ribbon and created the decoration on the front of the dress to change it up a bit. I think I spent $10 altogether (and have tons of ribbon leftover, too). I think it turned out pretty darn cute, and Emily loved it!
Here's Cinderella with her daddy
daddy being silly...
Then there's a big chunk of time where myself and my camera were not in attendance so you will have to use your imagination of how things looked... ha!
Here's how it ended: Cinderella turned into Sleeping Beauty
Dan brought her sleeping self into the house and laid her down on her bed and she didn't move a single muscle. LOL!! I had her half undressed before she actually woke up.
PS They did pose for professional pictures, which are supposed to get mailed to our house at some point. Dan didn't think to have them mailed to his parent's house and our dog tends to eat packages from time to time, so I'm going to have to put a note on the door for the next few weeks saying "Please do not feed the animal". ha ha! Just kidding, but I will have to leave a note asking the mailperson not to leave anything on the porch.
PPS Those ribbons in her hair were a CINCH to make, and I'm quite pleased I thought of making them! I simply tied a bow out of some ribbon, then slipped a bobby pin through the knotted portion of the bow in the back, then looped a long piece of trailing ribbon through as well so that two ends hung down. Then I stuck the bobby pin into the base of her ponytail, adjusted the angle of the bow,and stuck a second bobby pin through the base of the ponytail so it crossed over the first one and held everything nicely in place. EASY, and really gave her hair-do a nice finishing touch. I used fray check on the ends so they wouldn't unravel, and if I'd thought about the ribbon idea earlier in the day, I also would have taken a needle and thread and done a quick stitch through the ribbon knot to ensure that nothing would come undone... Something to think about for next time!
About three hours beforehand, we started doing her hair (I'm no expert, so it can take awhile sometimes, and I wanted to leave plenty of time for error, AND time to prepare dinner and give Dan and Emily time to eat the meal):
some mug shots...LOL
All of the curls were supposed to be pinned up in a "messy bun", but she changed her mind at the last minute and wanted them hanging down. I made the little blue bows with streaming ribbons myself to match her dress, and would have left the streaming ribbons longer if I'd known at the time her hair wasn't going to be all pinned up...
Here's my little Cinderella!
Recognize that dress? It's her Flower Girl dress from this past summer, her bride dress from this past October, and now her ball gown (best $32 I ever spent!!). I purchased the big blue rose pin from JoAnn Fabrics and some spools of matching ribbon and created the decoration on the front of the dress to change it up a bit. I think I spent $10 altogether (and have tons of ribbon leftover, too). I think it turned out pretty darn cute, and Emily loved it!
Here's Cinderella with her daddy
daddy being silly...
Then there's a big chunk of time where myself and my camera were not in attendance so you will have to use your imagination of how things looked... ha!
Here's how it ended: Cinderella turned into Sleeping Beauty
Dan brought her sleeping self into the house and laid her down on her bed and she didn't move a single muscle. LOL!! I had her half undressed before she actually woke up.
PS They did pose for professional pictures, which are supposed to get mailed to our house at some point. Dan didn't think to have them mailed to his parent's house and our dog tends to eat packages from time to time, so I'm going to have to put a note on the door for the next few weeks saying "Please do not feed the animal". ha ha! Just kidding, but I will have to leave a note asking the mailperson not to leave anything on the porch.
PPS Those ribbons in her hair were a CINCH to make, and I'm quite pleased I thought of making them! I simply tied a bow out of some ribbon, then slipped a bobby pin through the knotted portion of the bow in the back, then looped a long piece of trailing ribbon through as well so that two ends hung down. Then I stuck the bobby pin into the base of her ponytail, adjusted the angle of the bow,and stuck a second bobby pin through the base of the ponytail so it crossed over the first one and held everything nicely in place. EASY, and really gave her hair-do a nice finishing touch. I used fray check on the ends so they wouldn't unravel, and if I'd thought about the ribbon idea earlier in the day, I also would have taken a needle and thread and done a quick stitch through the ribbon knot to ensure that nothing would come undone... Something to think about for next time!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Steelers Superbowl Prayer
Got this texted to me by my husband's uncle a few days ago and figured today would be a good day to share it (today being the SUPERBOWL and all...):
Our Father who art in Pittsburgh
Football be thy game
Thy Kingdom come
5 Superbowls won
On Earth as it is in Heinz Field
Give us this day a playoff victory
And forgive us our penalties as we defeat those who play against us
But lead us into a victory and deliver us to Tampa!
A-Ben
GO STEELERS!
LOL And certainly no disrepect meant for the proper Lord's Prayer...
Our Father who art in Pittsburgh
Football be thy game
Thy Kingdom come
5 Superbowls won
On Earth as it is in Heinz Field
Give us this day a playoff victory
And forgive us our penalties as we defeat those who play against us
But lead us into a victory and deliver us to Tampa!
A-Ben
GO STEELERS!
LOL And certainly no disrepect meant for the proper Lord's Prayer...
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