...really! Why am I so excited about it being cold outside? Because this is the first time in 4 years that I have experienced a cold morning in September. And it is wonderful. Not so when you are standing in the wind while waiting on the bus, which was late, but wonderful when you are cozy and warm inside, hearing the wind outside.
It is also Friday and October begins in a couple of days. I was thinking out loud last night that we need to get our flu shots soon, before realizing the person I was "thinking out loud" to was Rhett. Rhett is terrified of shots. TERRIFIED. It takes 3 people to hold him down when he gets one. So, of course, he starts crying before I have to chance to take it back. (I take it back! I take it all back! I didn't say anything about shots!) We told him it wouldn't happen today or tomorrow or even this weekend. Still, he totally freaked out about it. This morning he even asked me about it, but much more calmly: "Will the flu shot be just a quick little poke?" Man, that was totally my bad mommy move of the month.
Have a wonderful Friday and remember to get your flu you-know-whats soon!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Batman, there's trouble!
...Rhett and Noah constantly crack Seth and me up. I wish I wrote down all the funny things they said because I always forget them. But not this time. I am sharing a Rhett funny with you tonight.
Seth had to wear a suit and tie today for work. (A quick aside: Why do you have to say "suit and tie"? Isn't it assumed if you wear a suit, the tie goes with it? Just wondering.) Anyway, he went to tell Rhett good-bye this morning and found Noah playing in the closet. (Yes, this is normal Noah behavior.) Seth was asking him what he was doing when Rhett said, "Hey, Dad, you look really nice today. You look just like Commissioner Gordon!" It took a minute for Seth to realize that Rhett was talking about Mr. Gordon from Batman! He is the guy who quotes this blog title in one of the many Batman books we have. My husband said he laughed all the way to work.
In a totally related story, Noah thinks I am Batgirl because tonight I put on my orange shirt with a black bat symbol on the front. He thinks I'm cool. How long does that last? Just wondering because I want to be prepared for the day when I put on my orange shirt with the bat on the front and the boys look at me, roll their eyes and say, "Mother! Please!"
I guess I'll worry about that later. Tonight Commissioner Gordon and Batgirl are going to bask in their high coolness factor.
Seth had to wear a suit and tie today for work. (A quick aside: Why do you have to say "suit and tie"? Isn't it assumed if you wear a suit, the tie goes with it? Just wondering.) Anyway, he went to tell Rhett good-bye this morning and found Noah playing in the closet. (Yes, this is normal Noah behavior.) Seth was asking him what he was doing when Rhett said, "Hey, Dad, you look really nice today. You look just like Commissioner Gordon!" It took a minute for Seth to realize that Rhett was talking about Mr. Gordon from Batman! He is the guy who quotes this blog title in one of the many Batman books we have. My husband said he laughed all the way to work.
In a totally related story, Noah thinks I am Batgirl because tonight I put on my orange shirt with a black bat symbol on the front. He thinks I'm cool. How long does that last? Just wondering because I want to be prepared for the day when I put on my orange shirt with the bat on the front and the boys look at me, roll their eyes and say, "Mother! Please!"
I guess I'll worry about that later. Tonight Commissioner Gordon and Batgirl are going to bask in their high coolness factor.
scrapbook share
...I know yesterday's blog was a little sad so I thought I would make today's a little more upbeat. And what is more upbeat than sharing my latest scrapbooking project?
This is for a mini-book challenge from Ali Edwards. She challenged other scrapbookers (or life artists) to make a mini-book of our Five Fabulous Favorites. So I made mine out of Mossimo clothing tags that I had been saving for "something". My Five Fabulous Five are: Bath and Body Works My Favorite Lip Balm, Oregon Chai Chai Tea Latte, Gilmore Girls, Third Day's song Rise Up, and the color red.
Mini-books are so much fun to do because they give you the "I finished a project" feeling. Scrapbooking is just the greatest because of things like this: you can share things, learn things, be inspired by others, and get these fabulous ideas to share your life. I also love participating in challenges because it keeps it interesting. And I get ot use things like clothing tags! :)
So, next time you cut the tags off of your clothes, keep them. You never know when you can make a mini-book out of it!
Have a great day!
This is for a mini-book challenge from Ali Edwards. She challenged other scrapbookers (or life artists) to make a mini-book of our Five Fabulous Favorites. So I made mine out of Mossimo clothing tags that I had been saving for "something". My Five Fabulous Five are: Bath and Body Works My Favorite Lip Balm, Oregon Chai Chai Tea Latte, Gilmore Girls, Third Day's song Rise Up, and the color red.
Mini-books are so much fun to do because they give you the "I finished a project" feeling. Scrapbooking is just the greatest because of things like this: you can share things, learn things, be inspired by others, and get these fabulous ideas to share your life. I also love participating in challenges because it keeps it interesting. And I get ot use things like clothing tags! :)
So, next time you cut the tags off of your clothes, keep them. You never know when you can make a mini-book out of it!
Have a great day!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
weekend recap
So, we went home for the weekend. (I still call my the town I grew up in "home" because I have never lived anywhere longer so it still is "home" to me). And the boys and I had a great time. I read a book, the boys got to play with their cousin, my mom and I talked till midnight one night just catching up on things, I saw my friend Abbey for a brief moment at church, I went shopping and we got to see our family. It was good.
And because of the five hour drive to and from here, I thought a lot. Now, normally, when Seth tells me he's been thinking, I reply, "That's never good." And, honestly, I have tried not to really think about things lately. A lot in our lives have changed these past few years and if I get to thinking about them too hard, it gets overwhelming and I start having to deal with all these things that I don't think I am ready to deal with yet. But when you are on the road and your kids are watching a movie, then you have no choice but to think.
And this is one thing I thought about:
*The church I grew up in has really changed. There are just a few children now. I remember when the classrooms were open and had children there, learning about God. Now there is only one room they open and that is the nursery. It made me sad. Because I remembered when I was a kid, we had this awesome preacher. I loved Skip. He was there before our church stopped growing. He was there before we went through preacher after preacher after preacher. He was there before all the kids grew up and left and our youth group was down to 3. When he left, I remembered being sad about it. But I got over it as people do. Then about 5 1/2 or 6 years ago, the unthinkable happened. Skip and his wife was found murdered in their home in Houston. And driving home, I realized that I don't think I will ever get over that. What could possibly make someone kill another person, let alone a man of God and his wife? I just don't know. But it makes you want to hold on to your loved ones even harder. It makes you want to shield your children's eyes from all that is bad in this world. It makes you want to go back to that time when you were a child and all that mattered in the world was whether or not you got to sit with your friends in church. (I always did). It makes hope that you are the kind of person God needs you to be, especially when you or a loved one goes through tough times: if you were there where you were supposed to be, did what you could, loved how you should have loved...
I hope I was and am that person.
And because of the five hour drive to and from here, I thought a lot. Now, normally, when Seth tells me he's been thinking, I reply, "That's never good." And, honestly, I have tried not to really think about things lately. A lot in our lives have changed these past few years and if I get to thinking about them too hard, it gets overwhelming and I start having to deal with all these things that I don't think I am ready to deal with yet. But when you are on the road and your kids are watching a movie, then you have no choice but to think.
And this is one thing I thought about:
*The church I grew up in has really changed. There are just a few children now. I remember when the classrooms were open and had children there, learning about God. Now there is only one room they open and that is the nursery. It made me sad. Because I remembered when I was a kid, we had this awesome preacher. I loved Skip. He was there before our church stopped growing. He was there before we went through preacher after preacher after preacher. He was there before all the kids grew up and left and our youth group was down to 3. When he left, I remembered being sad about it. But I got over it as people do. Then about 5 1/2 or 6 years ago, the unthinkable happened. Skip and his wife was found murdered in their home in Houston. And driving home, I realized that I don't think I will ever get over that. What could possibly make someone kill another person, let alone a man of God and his wife? I just don't know. But it makes you want to hold on to your loved ones even harder. It makes you want to shield your children's eyes from all that is bad in this world. It makes you want to go back to that time when you were a child and all that mattered in the world was whether or not you got to sit with your friends in church. (I always did). It makes hope that you are the kind of person God needs you to be, especially when you or a loved one goes through tough times: if you were there where you were supposed to be, did what you could, loved how you should have loved...
I hope I was and am that person.
Monday, September 25, 2006
sniff, sniff, hack, hack
...Both of my sons have coughs and stuffy noses. Seth is just now getting over a cold. I had a cold two weeks ago. You know what this means? Fall is here!
There are good things about Fall too but I am having a hard time convincing the boys that cooler weather is here. They still want to go barefoot outside and wear shorts and no shirts at night. I don't blame them. They have never experienced autumn weather (at least Noah never has; Rhett has but doesn't remember it). So this is a new thing for them.
I love when Fall comes around. It means cooking comfort food that makes you feel warm and cozy. Tortilla soup, anything with squash, warm apple pie, hot chocolate, lasagna, fresh baked bread...yum.
Fall means the holidays are soon coming. Which means I really need to finish the projects around the house before our families come in November. Today I am tackling the guest bathroom. The wallpaper must go! (And believe me, if you had seen it, you would agree).
Have a wonderful Monday!
There are good things about Fall too but I am having a hard time convincing the boys that cooler weather is here. They still want to go barefoot outside and wear shorts and no shirts at night. I don't blame them. They have never experienced autumn weather (at least Noah never has; Rhett has but doesn't remember it). So this is a new thing for them.
I love when Fall comes around. It means cooking comfort food that makes you feel warm and cozy. Tortilla soup, anything with squash, warm apple pie, hot chocolate, lasagna, fresh baked bread...yum.
Fall means the holidays are soon coming. Which means I really need to finish the projects around the house before our families come in November. Today I am tackling the guest bathroom. The wallpaper must go! (And believe me, if you had seen it, you would agree).
Have a wonderful Monday!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
i'm 29!
...just in case you didn't get that from my posts this week. Ha! Ha! So, technically, it is not midnight yet, so I'm not officially 29, but its pretty close.
Thursday was a good day. It rained really hard so my picnic and nature walk was out, but we had fun baking a cake (tell you more about that later), and going to the new Wal-mart. Seriously, they had fun. Good times.
Speaking of good times, I think I owe you one more list. I was going to do a "29 reasons I am glad I'm 29" list, but honestly, I could not think of more than 10. I'll give you my #1 though: It is not 30. :)
This list is going to be a little easier and a lot of fun. Here it is:
29 fun things to do for your birthday
1. Bake a cake. The boys and I made a Chai Tea Buttercream Golden Layer Cake with Fudge Dip on the side. Sound good? It was.
2. Eat 2 pieces of the cake you baked. Yes, I did. Seriously.
3. Watch the premiere of 3 of your favorite shows. Thanks to DVR, we were able to watch The Office, Grey's Anatomy (that is where Seriously is coming from, in case you don't watch this show), and ER.
4. Have someone take your picture. Noah took this one of me.
5. Show your sweetie how to do yoga to relieve a stuffy nose. He was doubtful, but it worked!
6. Paint your kitchen red! Yes, I did and I love it!
7. Enjoy the cards that your friends and family sent you! Thanks by the way!
8. Have a flour mini-fight. With boys, you can't have a full fledge flour fight or it would be everywhere, so we each put a small dab on our faces. See my white nose?
9. Stay up late writing silly lists. Yep, it is late and I'm gonna regret it in the morning. But it is my birthday and I can stay up late if I want to. :)
10. Eat a third piece of cake. Okay, I am just kidding. I did not have a third piece of cake. Promise. Thought about it. But did not do it.
11. Take your boys to Sonic for lunch. They love Sonic. And I have to admit, their tater tots are very good.
12. Eat Chinese food on your day. They boys got Sonic, so I get Chinese food on my day. Yummy!
13. Make a layout. Hopefully, I will get to do one in the morning.
14. Wish your twin brother "Happy Birthday" in person. I get to see him and Cameron and give them their b-day gifts. We are very excited!
15. Go on a trip. The boys and I are going to go see my parents and Seth's parents this weekend. We are looking forward to going! Seth can't come this time. And he will be missed. So...
16. Laugh with your sweetie. We had a great time watching The Office together. I love hearing Seth's laugh. It is the best.
17. Make one of your favorite foods. I made calzones tonight. The easy version. I haven't made those in forever and just felt like doing it tonight.
18. Hide from your kids. Just for the fun of it.
19. Give your sons an extra hug. Even when they are stalling before going to bed.
20. Watch your child go across the monkey bars.
21. Pretend you are going across the monkey bars too.
22. Dance in the middle of your living room.
23. Make a new friend. I talked to one of the mothers at Noah's preschool today for a few minutes. And even though it made me late picking up Rhett, I was glad I did it. She is really nice and it is great when a new friendship is found.
24. Sing the big, bad wolf song with your child. Noah learned the story of the 3 little pigs today and so we sang, "Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?" together. I loved it!
25. Thank God for all the blessings you have been given. Because he has given me a full cup.
26. Thank God for your family. Because he has given me the greatest family I could ask for.
27. Thank God for your friends. Because he has given me wonderful, thoughtful, loyal friends.
28. Thank God for my husband. Because he has given the man who is right for me.
29. Sing Happy Birthday to yourself in the shower. Where else?
Well, look at the time: it is my birthday officially now. I am 29. Here's to another year. Thanks to everyone for participating in my lists. And tell me what you do to celebrate your birthday. I would love to know.
Have a great day! I know I will!
Thursday was a good day. It rained really hard so my picnic and nature walk was out, but we had fun baking a cake (tell you more about that later), and going to the new Wal-mart. Seriously, they had fun. Good times.
Speaking of good times, I think I owe you one more list. I was going to do a "29 reasons I am glad I'm 29" list, but honestly, I could not think of more than 10. I'll give you my #1 though: It is not 30. :)
This list is going to be a little easier and a lot of fun. Here it is:
29 fun things to do for your birthday
1. Bake a cake. The boys and I made a Chai Tea Buttercream Golden Layer Cake with Fudge Dip on the side. Sound good? It was.
2. Eat 2 pieces of the cake you baked. Yes, I did. Seriously.3. Watch the premiere of 3 of your favorite shows. Thanks to DVR, we were able to watch The Office, Grey's Anatomy (that is where Seriously is coming from, in case you don't watch this show), and ER.
4. Have someone take your picture. Noah took this one of me.
5. Show your sweetie how to do yoga to relieve a stuffy nose. He was doubtful, but it worked!
6. Paint your kitchen red! Yes, I did and I love it!
7. Enjoy the cards that your friends and family sent you! Thanks by the way!
8. Have a flour mini-fight. With boys, you can't have a full fledge flour fight or it would be everywhere, so we each put a small dab on our faces. See my white nose?
9. Stay up late writing silly lists. Yep, it is late and I'm gonna regret it in the morning. But it is my birthday and I can stay up late if I want to. :)
10. Eat a third piece of cake. Okay, I am just kidding. I did not have a third piece of cake. Promise. Thought about it. But did not do it.
11. Take your boys to Sonic for lunch. They love Sonic. And I have to admit, their tater tots are very good.
12. Eat Chinese food on your day. They boys got Sonic, so I get Chinese food on my day. Yummy!
13. Make a layout. Hopefully, I will get to do one in the morning.
14. Wish your twin brother "Happy Birthday" in person. I get to see him and Cameron and give them their b-day gifts. We are very excited!
15. Go on a trip. The boys and I are going to go see my parents and Seth's parents this weekend. We are looking forward to going! Seth can't come this time. And he will be missed. So...
16. Laugh with your sweetie. We had a great time watching The Office together. I love hearing Seth's laugh. It is the best.
17. Make one of your favorite foods. I made calzones tonight. The easy version. I haven't made those in forever and just felt like doing it tonight.
18. Hide from your kids. Just for the fun of it.
19. Give your sons an extra hug. Even when they are stalling before going to bed.
20. Watch your child go across the monkey bars.
21. Pretend you are going across the monkey bars too.
22. Dance in the middle of your living room.
23. Make a new friend. I talked to one of the mothers at Noah's preschool today for a few minutes. And even though it made me late picking up Rhett, I was glad I did it. She is really nice and it is great when a new friendship is found.
24. Sing the big, bad wolf song with your child. Noah learned the story of the 3 little pigs today and so we sang, "Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?" together. I loved it!
25. Thank God for all the blessings you have been given. Because he has given me a full cup.
26. Thank God for your family. Because he has given me the greatest family I could ask for.
27. Thank God for your friends. Because he has given me wonderful, thoughtful, loyal friends.
28. Thank God for my husband. Because he has given the man who is right for me.
29. Sing Happy Birthday to yourself in the shower. Where else?
Well, look at the time: it is my birthday officially now. I am 29. Here's to another year. Thanks to everyone for participating in my lists. And tell me what you do to celebrate your birthday. I would love to know.
Have a great day! I know I will!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
late night thoughts
...ok, I was prepared to make another list, but I think I am not going to anymore. See, today was not a good mommy day. Not a good mommy day is defined as one when mommy yells at her sons, is not patient with her sons and does not spend as much time with them as she should. Of course, I realize this after Rhett and Noah are asleep in their beds. Instead of making another list about blessings, I am going to take a break from blogging tomorrow and go out and spend a fun, fall day with my kids. We are going to have a picnic outside, take a nature walk, go to the park and hopefully see some signs of Fall in the air. In order to do that though, I have to get everything done that I wanted to get done tomorrow in the morning when they are in school. (That is when I usually blog) Those two mean the world to me and I want them to know it. And tomorrow, they will.
hopelessly devoted to you
…This list is for my husband because he has been with me throughout my whole 20s. He has really been a big part of who I have am and hope to become. I know I have frustrated him beyond belief at times but he still loves me. I also know that we still have a lot to learn and to work on, but I am glad that Seth is my partner. Thanks for being there for me! Love you sweetie!
29 lessons I have learned from being married
1. Fight for a solution, not about the problem.
2. Sharing is as important when you are married as when you were a child
3. Being selfish doesn’t work. Period.
4. You always have a friend.
5. Surprises, little and big, are always appreciated
6. Kindness goes a long way.
7. So does compassion.
8. Brutal honesty is sometimes a necessary thing, but look at #6.
9. Sometimes little white lies are necessary too. (like complimenting on the burnt dinner)
10. You have to make sacrifices.
11. Appreciate what each does for the other.
12. If he wants to cuddle at night, let him. :)
13. Don’t try to change each other.
14. Be happy for each other.
15. Listen to each other. Really listen
16. Love each other unconditionally.
17. Laugh together. Do something fun together. Life is too short not too.
18. Sometimes you will have to do something you don’t want to. Don’t worry, it all evens out.
19. Always keep the focus on God.
20. Be the first to stand up for the other.
21. Men cannot read a woman’s mind.
22. Love does mean having to say you’re sorry. If you don’t, you’ll be sorry.
23. Support each other’s dreams.
24. Be good to one another. Don’t be mean just because you can.
25. When your spouse walks through the door, give him/her a hug. It means more than you think it will.
26. It is still nice to hear a wonderful compliment, no matter how long you have been married.
27. Go on dates. Even if it is a stay-at-home, watch a movie, kids are in the other room kind of date.
28. You are partners. Treat each other as such.
29. Remember why you fell in love. Then, when you are angry, think about that and you’ll be surprised how you anger doesn’t matter anymore.
Ok, what lessons did I leave out? Let me know, okay? Tomorrow, is the last list you will have to endure, I promise. :)
29 lessons I have learned from being married
1. Fight for a solution, not about the problem.
2. Sharing is as important when you are married as when you were a child
3. Being selfish doesn’t work. Period.
4. You always have a friend.
5. Surprises, little and big, are always appreciated
6. Kindness goes a long way.
7. So does compassion.
8. Brutal honesty is sometimes a necessary thing, but look at #6.
9. Sometimes little white lies are necessary too. (like complimenting on the burnt dinner)
10. You have to make sacrifices.
11. Appreciate what each does for the other.
12. If he wants to cuddle at night, let him. :)
13. Don’t try to change each other.
14. Be happy for each other.
15. Listen to each other. Really listen
16. Love each other unconditionally.
17. Laugh together. Do something fun together. Life is too short not too.
18. Sometimes you will have to do something you don’t want to. Don’t worry, it all evens out.
19. Always keep the focus on God.
20. Be the first to stand up for the other.
21. Men cannot read a woman’s mind.
22. Love does mean having to say you’re sorry. If you don’t, you’ll be sorry.
23. Support each other’s dreams.
24. Be good to one another. Don’t be mean just because you can.
25. When your spouse walks through the door, give him/her a hug. It means more than you think it will.
26. It is still nice to hear a wonderful compliment, no matter how long you have been married.
27. Go on dates. Even if it is a stay-at-home, watch a movie, kids are in the other room kind of date.
28. You are partners. Treat each other as such.
29. Remember why you fell in love. Then, when you are angry, think about that and you’ll be surprised how you anger doesn’t matter anymore.
Ok, what lessons did I leave out? Let me know, okay? Tomorrow, is the last list you will have to endure, I promise. :)
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Loving Life
…I loved doing this list. It is always fun to see what you love doing at a particular point in your life.
29 things I love in my life right now
1. Chai Tea Latte
2. Cooking
3. Reading magazines
4. Scrapbooking
5. My new house
6. Decorating my new house
7. Chinese food
8. Watching The Office with Seth
9. Jumping on the trampoline with my sons
10. Watching Gilmore Girls every afternoon
11. Blogging
12. Watching movies (funny, romantic and dramatic)
13. Reading blogs
14. Daily phone calls from Seth while he is at work
15. Planning Thanksgiving for my family
16. Seth (extra love for him) for giving me the special gift of getting my family here for Thanksgiving
17. Snuggling on the couch at night to read the boys a book
18. Checking on the boys before I go to bed at night
19. Getting emails from my friends and family
20. Reading a good book
21. Waking up to the sound of rain
22. The new church we started going to
23. Getting into bed on clean sheet night
24. Yoga
25. Anything chocolate
26. Shopping with Seth
27. All things Fall and leading up to the holidays
28. Sunday night dinners (or whatever nights we are all together to eat)
29. Wearing layers
Now, you tell me what you love in your life right now. I say right now, because tastes change, or you finally watch all the episodes of your favorite television show and no longer watch it. But I have to say, I will always love being with Seth, always love spending time with the boys and always love spending time with our families and friends. Just had to make that clear! :)
29 things I love in my life right now
1. Chai Tea Latte
2. Cooking
3. Reading magazines
4. Scrapbooking
5. My new house
6. Decorating my new house
7. Chinese food
8. Watching The Office with Seth
9. Jumping on the trampoline with my sons
10. Watching Gilmore Girls every afternoon
11. Blogging
12. Watching movies (funny, romantic and dramatic)
13. Reading blogs
14. Daily phone calls from Seth while he is at work
15. Planning Thanksgiving for my family
16. Seth (extra love for him) for giving me the special gift of getting my family here for Thanksgiving
17. Snuggling on the couch at night to read the boys a book
18. Checking on the boys before I go to bed at night
19. Getting emails from my friends and family
20. Reading a good book
21. Waking up to the sound of rain
22. The new church we started going to
23. Getting into bed on clean sheet night
24. Yoga
25. Anything chocolate
26. Shopping with Seth
27. All things Fall and leading up to the holidays
28. Sunday night dinners (or whatever nights we are all together to eat)
29. Wearing layers
Now, you tell me what you love in your life right now. I say right now, because tastes change, or you finally watch all the episodes of your favorite television show and no longer watch it. But I have to say, I will always love being with Seth, always love spending time with the boys and always love spending time with our families and friends. Just had to make that clear! :)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Celebrating 29
…This Friday, I turn 29. So this week, I am celebrating with lists that go from 1 to 29 of different things. Why? Because it is fun. Because it made me appreciate the things I take for granted, like being a mom. Because it is my birthday and I can do it if I want to. Hee. Hee.
And because it is my birthday week (yes, I am calling the whole week my birthday week) I want you to interact too. I’ll tell you what you need to do at the end of the post.
So here is my first list of the week.
29 reasons why I love being a mom:
1. Rhett
2. Noah
3. Getting to play the games I loved when I was a kid
4. Baking chocolate chip cookies (and sharing them so I won’t eat the whole batch!)
5. Snuggle time
6. Reading at bedtime
7. My children’s laughter
8. Leg hugs
9. Sweet, sloppy kisses
10. Chocolate covered faces
11. Little hands
12. Toothless grins (as a baby and then when they lose their baby teeth)
13. My kids wanting me to jump on the trampoline with them
14. Watching them learn new things (this week, Rhett learned how to whistle and climb the monkey bars!)
15. Teaching them about God’s love
16. Dancing with the boys
17. It is never boring, ever
18. Teaching them jokes
19. Listening to their stories
20. The unconditional love I feel
21. That when they get hurt or sick, no matter what their age, they still need me
22. Watching them sleep
23. Each day I find a reason to love them more
24. Seeing Seth’s and my traits in the boys is truly amazing
25. The things kids say! (The other day, Noah said, “Mom, I wish I were God.” Me: “Uhh, you do? Well, that’s a big job. A lot of responsibility. I don’t think you really want to be God.” Noah: "Well, I just want a magic stick like Him." I think he meant the rod that Moses and Aaron used.)
26. Cooking with the kids
27. Getting to watch Disney movies with them (or going to Disney on Ice! That was pretty neat, by the way!)
28. Being a superhero (even if it is just pretend)
29. Being a mother makes me appreciate my own mother and my husband’s mother so much!
Now, it is your turn. Give me one reason why you love what you do. Whether it is being a parent, a spouse, or what you do for a liveing, or being a Christian---I’ll let you decide that. Just click on the word “comments” right below this post and get to typing! Have a great day!
And because it is my birthday week (yes, I am calling the whole week my birthday week) I want you to interact too. I’ll tell you what you need to do at the end of the post.
So here is my first list of the week.
29 reasons why I love being a mom:
1. Rhett
2. Noah
3. Getting to play the games I loved when I was a kid
4. Baking chocolate chip cookies (and sharing them so I won’t eat the whole batch!)
5. Snuggle time
6. Reading at bedtime
7. My children’s laughter
8. Leg hugs
9. Sweet, sloppy kisses
10. Chocolate covered faces
11. Little hands
12. Toothless grins (as a baby and then when they lose their baby teeth)
13. My kids wanting me to jump on the trampoline with them
14. Watching them learn new things (this week, Rhett learned how to whistle and climb the monkey bars!)
15. Teaching them about God’s love
16. Dancing with the boys
17. It is never boring, ever
18. Teaching them jokes
19. Listening to their stories
20. The unconditional love I feel
21. That when they get hurt or sick, no matter what their age, they still need me
22. Watching them sleep
23. Each day I find a reason to love them more
24. Seeing Seth’s and my traits in the boys is truly amazing
25. The things kids say! (The other day, Noah said, “Mom, I wish I were God.” Me: “Uhh, you do? Well, that’s a big job. A lot of responsibility. I don’t think you really want to be God.” Noah: "Well, I just want a magic stick like Him." I think he meant the rod that Moses and Aaron used.)
26. Cooking with the kids
27. Getting to watch Disney movies with them (or going to Disney on Ice! That was pretty neat, by the way!)
28. Being a superhero (even if it is just pretend)
29. Being a mother makes me appreciate my own mother and my husband’s mother so much!
Now, it is your turn. Give me one reason why you love what you do. Whether it is being a parent, a spouse, or what you do for a liveing, or being a Christian---I’ll let you decide that. Just click on the word “comments” right below this post and get to typing! Have a great day!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
it's my sister's birthday!!!
...Happy Birthday to Jana! I hope you have a wonderful, fun day!
I have the most amazing sisters. They are both such amazing mothers, wonderful women, cool, smart, talented and I look up to both Jana and Krista. I appreciate them so much.
I wasn't always so appreciative of them. They were the older, wiser ones and Casey and I were always considered the babies. Jana left for college when I was in 5th grade and Krista left two years later. And although, I got to know Krista a little more than Jana because we shared a bathroom for those two years before she graduated, I still had a lot to get to know, if you know what I mean. And what I knew of Jana--I knew she was my sister, but I didn't know her as a person. (How many time can I use the word know or knew in a paragraph? Let's count and see...)
Then, my not-so-cool teenager years struck and I was hard to get along with (what teenager isn't like this?) I disliked that every time we had a break from school, we had to go see my sisters in San Antonio. I liked seeing my sisters--just not the good-byes that were inevitable every time we visited. I missed them and the longer we didn't see each other, the less it bothered me that I didn't know them. Then we would see each other and it bothered me again.
By the time I went to college, they lived far away from Texas. I saw them once, maybe twice a year. Now it wasn't that I didn't know them, they didn't know me either. Jana even said many times that she still thought of me as little.
Then, because of God's amazing timing, all four of us (Casey included), had children that are close in age. My parents have 7 grandchildren, the first born in 2000 and the youngest born in 2005. That instantly bonded us. We talked more. We shared more. We started wanting to get together more. I started to get to know Jana--not as my oldest sister, but as a friend. Krista and I renewed that bond again that was just beginning when we were sharing a bathroom all those years before. She became my friend too.
Now, I consider my sisters as two of my best friends. I love them both very much and I am so lucky to be their little sister. But I am also glad that I am not treated as their "little" sister anymore. I love sharing our children's lives together and I am so thankful for God's timing.
I have the most amazing sisters. They are both such amazing mothers, wonderful women, cool, smart, talented and I look up to both Jana and Krista. I appreciate them so much.
I wasn't always so appreciative of them. They were the older, wiser ones and Casey and I were always considered the babies. Jana left for college when I was in 5th grade and Krista left two years later. And although, I got to know Krista a little more than Jana because we shared a bathroom for those two years before she graduated, I still had a lot to get to know, if you know what I mean. And what I knew of Jana--I knew she was my sister, but I didn't know her as a person. (How many time can I use the word know or knew in a paragraph? Let's count and see...)
Then, my not-so-cool teenager years struck and I was hard to get along with (what teenager isn't like this?) I disliked that every time we had a break from school, we had to go see my sisters in San Antonio. I liked seeing my sisters--just not the good-byes that were inevitable every time we visited. I missed them and the longer we didn't see each other, the less it bothered me that I didn't know them. Then we would see each other and it bothered me again.
By the time I went to college, they lived far away from Texas. I saw them once, maybe twice a year. Now it wasn't that I didn't know them, they didn't know me either. Jana even said many times that she still thought of me as little.
Then, because of God's amazing timing, all four of us (Casey included), had children that are close in age. My parents have 7 grandchildren, the first born in 2000 and the youngest born in 2005. That instantly bonded us. We talked more. We shared more. We started wanting to get together more. I started to get to know Jana--not as my oldest sister, but as a friend. Krista and I renewed that bond again that was just beginning when we were sharing a bathroom all those years before. She became my friend too.
Now, I consider my sisters as two of my best friends. I love them both very much and I am so lucky to be their little sister. But I am also glad that I am not treated as their "little" sister anymore. I love sharing our children's lives together and I am so thankful for God's timing.
music, books and birthdays
...I gave Rhett some old cds that Seth and I never listen to anymore. They were just taking up precious space in the drawer (my mom can testify to that because she is the one who stuffed the drawer with cds and movies) so I thought maybe Rhett might like some of them. Well, he does. This morning before school he listened to REM's It's the End of the World over and over. At least 10 times. A few weeks ago he was on his country music kick, now REM. He is a funny kid.
Moving on...so I'm trying to read some classics. The last book I read make me realize I know little of the great books of the world. Last week at the library I decided to move past the breezy fiction and and picked up Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. First of all, you don't just "pick up" Jane Austen. I learned that fairly quickly. Second of all, I did not get past the first few pages! See, the last book I read, Literacy and Longing in LA, was about this woman who would go on book binges when things fell apart in her life. It was in this book that I learned what type of reader I am. She talked of four, I only remember my type. I am a skim reader. I read the dialog, skip past the long, detailed paragraphs and am finished within a day or two. I have only become this type of reader after becoming a mother. (Remember the mommy brain I referred to last blog? Well, it affects my concentration for books too). I don't mean to do it, I just do. When I began reading Austen, I knew that I couldn't skim this book. I was going to have to study each long sentence and it was going to take awhile. So I stopped.
I do still want to read some classics. I know that I am going to have to read all them slowly. I just can't start with that one. So, here is where I need help. I know several teachers (two of them English), an English major, many book lovers and all of you intelligent read this blog. You tell me your suggestions of what books I should read. I'll let you know if I can get through them! :)
One more thing...Today is my nephew Cameron's birthday! He turns 3 today. He is the happiest little boy I know and the pride and joy of my twin brother. I hope he has a fun day! Here is a layout I made for Casey about his cute little son. I am going to give it to him, framed, for his birthday (which is in a week--that means mine is in a week too! Yay!)
Moving on...so I'm trying to read some classics. The last book I read make me realize I know little of the great books of the world. Last week at the library I decided to move past the breezy fiction and and picked up Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. First of all, you don't just "pick up" Jane Austen. I learned that fairly quickly. Second of all, I did not get past the first few pages! See, the last book I read, Literacy and Longing in LA, was about this woman who would go on book binges when things fell apart in her life. It was in this book that I learned what type of reader I am. She talked of four, I only remember my type. I am a skim reader. I read the dialog, skip past the long, detailed paragraphs and am finished within a day or two. I have only become this type of reader after becoming a mother. (Remember the mommy brain I referred to last blog? Well, it affects my concentration for books too). I don't mean to do it, I just do. When I began reading Austen, I knew that I couldn't skim this book. I was going to have to study each long sentence and it was going to take awhile. So I stopped.
I do still want to read some classics. I know that I am going to have to read all them slowly. I just can't start with that one. So, here is where I need help. I know several teachers (two of them English), an English major, many book lovers and all of you intelligent read this blog. You tell me your suggestions of what books I should read. I'll let you know if I can get through them! :)
One more thing...Today is my nephew Cameron's birthday! He turns 3 today. He is the happiest little boy I know and the pride and joy of my twin brother. I hope he has a fun day! Here is a layout I made for Casey about his cute little son. I am going to give it to him, framed, for his birthday (which is in a week--that means mine is in a week too! Yay!)
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
the state fair
...of Oklahoma starts Saturday. It is the 100th year so it is expected to be a huge celebration. I had actually forgot that we bought tickets to see Disney on Ice: The Incredibles for that day and was going to go to my hometown 100th celebration and parade, but happened to remember when I saw a sign while getting gas. Oh yeah, we are going to the state fair.
I am actually more excited than that. Almost forgetting about it was not because of my lack of excitement, it was my mommy brain. (or the lack of brain). I have wanted to go to a Disney on Ice forever and now that The Incredibles are the show, I know the boys will enjoy it too.
I have never been to a state fair. I have read horror stories about them (falling ferris wheels stories that make you want to never, ever get on one), read about their unusual and delicious food in the paper (turkey legs, roasted corn-on-the-cob, Indian tacos and cinnamon rolls are the favorites around here), and heard about the people that never miss a state fair. Ever.
So this will be an interesting experience for us. I want to find out what kind of food an elephant ear is. I want the boys to try funnel cake. I want to try an Indian Taco. I want to find out if this is really worth going to year after year. Whether it is or not, you will read about it hear. Hopefully, I will remember my camera. And some Rolaids.
I am actually more excited than that. Almost forgetting about it was not because of my lack of excitement, it was my mommy brain. (or the lack of brain). I have wanted to go to a Disney on Ice forever and now that The Incredibles are the show, I know the boys will enjoy it too.
I have never been to a state fair. I have read horror stories about them (falling ferris wheels stories that make you want to never, ever get on one), read about their unusual and delicious food in the paper (turkey legs, roasted corn-on-the-cob, Indian tacos and cinnamon rolls are the favorites around here), and heard about the people that never miss a state fair. Ever.
So this will be an interesting experience for us. I want to find out what kind of food an elephant ear is. I want the boys to try funnel cake. I want to try an Indian Taco. I want to find out if this is really worth going to year after year. Whether it is or not, you will read about it hear. Hopefully, I will remember my camera. And some Rolaids.
Monday, September 11, 2006
my evening out
...was absolutely wonderful! Because the Julie Andrews event was downtown, at night, Seth did not feel comfortable with me going alone (in truth--I didn't want to deal with the parking situation) so he and the boys drove me to the music hall and then they went to Bricktown to have some fun.
Dame Julie Andrews was just lovely. I can't think of any other word to describe her. She talked of her life as a young girl, told stories about meeting Walt Disney and all the leading men that were in her movies, relayed humorous antedotes about her life and was so gracious to everyone. You could tell she was totally in control of the whole situation, but she did have a question/answer session where she talked candidly about who was the best kisser. (She picked James Garner! I think it was because he is from Norman and she knew how to get in good graces with Oklahoma people with that answer). The total event was very enjoyable for me.
Then, I called Seth and was picked up quickly and we went to Marble Slab for dessert. I was not allowed to take a picture of Julie, so I took a picture of my three main guys, enjoying their ice cream. Seth had taken them to the Bass store to look at all the fish and Sonic, one of Noah's favorite places. I am very thankful for him. He wanted to watch the UT/Ohio State game (not because he likes UT but because he thought it would be a good game--had to make that clear) but instead he took care of the boys while I did what I wanted. Sweet.
What better way to spend a Saturday night than with Mary Poppins, sweet boys, an amazing husband and good ice cream? I sure can't think of any.
Dame Julie Andrews was just lovely. I can't think of any other word to describe her. She talked of her life as a young girl, told stories about meeting Walt Disney and all the leading men that were in her movies, relayed humorous antedotes about her life and was so gracious to everyone. You could tell she was totally in control of the whole situation, but she did have a question/answer session where she talked candidly about who was the best kisser. (She picked James Garner! I think it was because he is from Norman and she knew how to get in good graces with Oklahoma people with that answer). The total event was very enjoyable for me.
Then, I called Seth and was picked up quickly and we went to Marble Slab for dessert. I was not allowed to take a picture of Julie, so I took a picture of my three main guys, enjoying their ice cream. Seth had taken them to the Bass store to look at all the fish and Sonic, one of Noah's favorite places. I am very thankful for him. He wanted to watch the UT/Ohio State game (not because he likes UT but because he thought it would be a good game--had to make that clear) but instead he took care of the boys while I did what I wanted. Sweet.
What better way to spend a Saturday night than with Mary Poppins, sweet boys, an amazing husband and good ice cream? I sure can't think of any.
just so you know
...jcpenney's Home Furnishings in Tulsa, OK does not carry its own furniture found in the catalog or their online site. They carry something completely different that can only be found in their store. Are you confused yet? We were. The saleslady said they had 3 different ways to shop--in the store, online, or catalog. Yes, but doesn't that mean you should have available most of the items in the catalog or online? Apparently not. And our couch shopping saga continues.
We have been trying to find the perfect couch, chair and ottoman since we have moved here. We want something comfortable, something pretty, something that fits in our formal living room that has western pictures hung in it. Seth and I have two completely different tastes so this has not been easy. Our search has led us all over OKC and then finally, to Tulsa. We saw a couch and chair that would be perfect online, but wanted to touch it and sit in it. It never occured to us that we should call the store first to see if they carried their own furniture. The items we were interested in did not say, Catalog and online only. Needless to say, we were disappointed. Even more disappointed and about as perplexed as the time we went to an Arby's in Houston and they had no roast beef. Seriously.
We did find a nice set in Macy's at the mall in Tulsa. So we at least have another option. But this couch expedition has taken it out on us emotionally. After shopping, we went to eat and ended up fighting over a silly issue and I had to excuse myself to the restroom to cry. Don't worry, all was forgiven after a few moments and we had a great time in the car on the way home, but I think we were at our wits end at that point in the restaurant.
Then, last night in bed, I began to think about all of those people who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. They could no longer shop for couches with their spouses or have silly fights in restaurants or laugh hysterically in the car until you are crying after that day. I truly hope that most have found a way to get on with their lives to a point where they have found some happiness again. Where they feel like they are living again. But hopefully, we will always remember those heroes and victims and their families who lost their lives that fateful day. I know I will. And I know that I will try to appreciate my family more. And today, I will give them extra hugs and "I love yous".
I hope you do the same.
We have been trying to find the perfect couch, chair and ottoman since we have moved here. We want something comfortable, something pretty, something that fits in our formal living room that has western pictures hung in it. Seth and I have two completely different tastes so this has not been easy. Our search has led us all over OKC and then finally, to Tulsa. We saw a couch and chair that would be perfect online, but wanted to touch it and sit in it. It never occured to us that we should call the store first to see if they carried their own furniture. The items we were interested in did not say, Catalog and online only. Needless to say, we were disappointed. Even more disappointed and about as perplexed as the time we went to an Arby's in Houston and they had no roast beef. Seriously.
We did find a nice set in Macy's at the mall in Tulsa. So we at least have another option. But this couch expedition has taken it out on us emotionally. After shopping, we went to eat and ended up fighting over a silly issue and I had to excuse myself to the restroom to cry. Don't worry, all was forgiven after a few moments and we had a great time in the car on the way home, but I think we were at our wits end at that point in the restaurant.
Then, last night in bed, I began to think about all of those people who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. They could no longer shop for couches with their spouses or have silly fights in restaurants or laugh hysterically in the car until you are crying after that day. I truly hope that most have found a way to get on with their lives to a point where they have found some happiness again. Where they feel like they are living again. But hopefully, we will always remember those heroes and victims and their families who lost their lives that fateful day. I know I will. And I know that I will try to appreciate my family more. And today, I will give them extra hugs and "I love yous".
I hope you do the same.
Friday, September 08, 2006
julie andrews
..in all her glory, is coming to Oklahoma City tomorrow night as a keynote speaker in a women's health forum and I get to go see her!!! I am very excited. I am aware that she is not able to sing anymore, but that does not matter to me. I am going to see Mary Poppins. Maria. The Queen from Shrek 2. (that was for the boys). I am going to see an amazing, talented actress and a children's book author. It will be wonderful just to hear what she has to say about women's health. Heck, she could be talking about laundry and I would still want to go see her! (ha, ha)
Have a wonderful Friday!
Have a wonderful Friday!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
the things that impress
...little children. Ok, I was impressed too. We bought a new washer and dryer the other day because our old ones were leaving rust stains on our clothes. As my dad would say, "Bad business." Especially on Seth's work clothes.
Anyway, the impressive part is that our washer is the front-loading kind. That means you can see the clothes spin around in soapy water. The boys love that! And it really is kind of mesmerizing to watch.
The negative thing is that you need to use High Efficeincy detergent with this washer. Well, I just bought a huge bottle of regular detergent at Sam's. We are talking 96 loads here. So we had to go and buy some of this HE detergent. I told Seth I felt like a laundry snob. No, I don't use the regular detergent. Only HE for this household. Sniff.
But I am excited about it. It will be nice to wash something and it come out cleaner than it went in.
Ok, I just realized I devoted a whole post on laundry. I gotta go now before I start talking about the advantages of using non-chemical cleaners over chemical ones. Or what takes out the toughest stains in the boys' bathtub. Now that is impressive.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
noah's turn
...for a first-day-of-school picture. He was so excited to finally be going to school. Just a quick wave good-bye to me and he was ready to go with his teachers at the school.Now I just have to figure out how to pick them both up at 11:30. Today was a bit stressful for me. I don't like showing up late and in this situation, it is inevitable that I will be late for one. I picked Noah up first and hooked it over to Rhett's school, but I was the last car there. It was 11:35. It was fine, but I don't like it.
What did I do for the 2 hours I had to myself this morning? I went to SuperTarget, where else? I found some sheets for the boys' rooms and a blanket for Noah's room--all on sale. I love that place!
I also found out what I needed to do to get an Oklahoma title and registration for my car. It will be easy but I am a little sad. I have never had a license plate that hasn't said Texas on it. I know it is silly, and as much as I am enjoying living here, I miss Texas.
I was so heart-broken the other day because I was looking at The Oklahoman (the newspaper) and just happened to glance down at the left-hand corner of 15-A and there I saw that Nellie Connally had passed away. I was sad because, not only is she part of our nation's history, but there was only a tiny blurb about her in the Oklahoma paper. I hope that she was on the front page in Texas. She deserved at least that.
I have read her book From Love Field: Our Final Hours with John F Kennedy twice already. The book is based on her notes that she wrote a short time after it all happened. She was a woman who was deeply devoted to her husband, John Connally and the book is not only a factual account of what happened but a story of love, friendship, pride in Texas and heartbreak. She dedicated the book to her deceased husband with these words: Sunrises and sunsets have never been as beautiful as when I shared them with you. Sleep well, my darling.
Now, all the people that were in that car on that fateful day in November are gone. In Connally's book, she included two speeches that President Kennedy was supposed to make later that day on November 22, 1963. I have read the last paragraph on his speech, The Country is Moving...And It Must Not Stop, and I think it is still so fitting in today's world. Especially as we approach the five-year anniversary of 9/11. Here are his words:
So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our nation's future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our case--united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future--and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.
(text of speech President JFK was scheduled to deliver on the evening of 11-22-63).
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
what a weekend
...we had with the boys' grandparents! We went shopping, went to the zoo, went out to eat, went fishing, caught a can...A can?!? Yes, a can. Pop wanted to take the boys fishing and he bought them poles, worms, the whole enchilada. After fishing at a lake (that is about 10 min away from our house) for an hour, Pop finally got a bite. We were so excited we all ran over to see. He let Rhett and Noah help reel it in and as you can see in the pictures, our big bite was a rusted, mucky can. Rhett held up our only catch for the day so we could take pictures. It was hilarious!
The lake was beautiful, the weather was nice and although I am not generally a nature person, I had a great time just relaxing, catching up on my scrapbook magazines, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and watching the boys have fun.
And I think Seth may become a fisherman. He didn't want to stop!
Noah didn't fish for long. Actually, he fished just long enough for me to take this picture. But he had a great time playing in the murky lake water.
So we had a great Labor Day weekend. It went by too fast and today we are all exhausted, but it was a lot of fun.
What about your weekend? What did you do? Tell me about it!
Friday, September 01, 2006
japanese beetles
...are invading our little willow tree. They are clumped together and look like they are having a great feast. When I first saw them I thought they were locusts because locusts love willow trees. Or at least they loved the willow tree in my front yard at my childhood home. (Doesn't that sound somewhat pretentious! Ha!) But, upon further study, I realized they don't look like locusts at all. So I looked yahooed "green, flying, large beetle that likes willow trees" and Japanese beetles came up. Isn't technology great?Apparently, Japanese beetles are bad business. They lay eggs in your lawn and the larva eat your grass roots. They could possibly eat this whole tree (yes, I am being dramatic). The weird thing is they aren't even that big of threat in Japan because of natural enemies. But here in America--they are huge nuisance. They were dive bombing us they other day while the boys were on the trampoline. They are loud and attract wasps. So, Seth is going to get rid of them.
Other than the beetles, I really love Edmond so far. I love our house, the neighborhood, the hills and how we can see the beautiful sky from our windows-instead of the house beside us. I love that it is actually cool in the mornings now as we wait for the school bus. I love that we have butterflies in our yard on those cool mornings.
Today I told Noah to sit really still and maybe a butterfly would think he was a flower and land on him. And one almost did, but Noah got fidgety. He was more interested in chasing them. He wanted to touch their wings. I told him if he touched their wings, their magic dust would come off and they couldn't fly anymore. Noah's response: "Then it would be on me and I could fly!" Ahhh, the innocence of children.
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