Sopa Box Thoughts

ahem...give me a minute while I take a step up onto my soap box. OK, here goes..... Call me old fashioned but I have some very passionate thoughts about raising kids. I don't know if it's because I was a Child Development major in college or because I'm a teacher and, heck, I don't even know if I'm right or wrong. But Rob and I have to do what we think is best for our child and luckily we agree.
P is at an age where I think it's time to get him involved in a class of some sort. Rob and I discussed the options and felt like it'd be best to check out a gymnastics class for him. However, there was a creative arts class that I wanted to preview. (Here's where I stand a little taller on my soap box) I do not believe in signing up a child, especially a toddler, for so many classes that he/she doesn't have the chance to be a kid. When I went to the class today I was disappointed to say the least. The activities and toys were all things we have (or can have access to for free). There were several kids there that P knows yet he chose to play by himself. I refuse to pay almost $100 for a 6 week "class" just to keep my child busy. I was talking to one mom that said she doesn't care that it doesn't give her child a lot. It's just something to get them out of the house and out of her hair for an hour. I don't get it! There are times when, like all children, P gets on my nerves and I'd like a break. But that doesn't happen often or long enough for me to blow money to have someone else entertain him for me.
On top of that I'm not into kids having video games, hand held or on the TV. I might change my mind at some point but I find it ridiculous when a toddler has an iPod to listen to music or watch videos. I find it ridiculous when an acquantance of mine turns on a video in the car for a 20 minute commute. I know I'm old fashioned and I'm ok with that. I believe in showing my child the world through experience, exploring, books and conversation. So, it floors me when a multitude of "classes" and technology are needed to entertain a toddler.
One acquaintance said she wanted to enroll her toddler in preschool because she feels her child needs more structure and needs to learn academics. I wanted to politely say, "You're child is 2. There is plenty of time for that in life." I feel (and am guilty of this to a certain extent) that parents want their children to be at a developmental and academic level that is well above the norm. I feel, as an educator, that this is not healthy. I am teaching 2nd graders what I used to teach 6th graders 4 years ago. And how are kids/teens/adults turning out these days? They can't add or subtract because they learned fractions and division in 2nd grade instead of math facts. They can't sit still long enough to read a book because of the TV. I get frustrated, as you can tell, that kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore. They can't explore and have fun on their own. It really makes me sad that it's come to this and I can't wait for the pendulum to swing back the other way!
OK, off my soap box....for the time being!

Sunday Fun Day

Rob got a whole day off.....wahoo! That doesn't sound like much but after the hours he worked Friday-Saturday every little bit off counts. In my opinion it was a perfect day! We went to church, watched NASCAR (Both our drivers got Top 10 finishes) and then spent the afternoon outside. Rob went with our neigbor to try out his new shotgun while P and I took advantage of all the new snow. We had to try out his new "boat" (what he calls his sled). I really liked the sled and he had a lot of fun! That is until he took a tumble and his belly and hand got in the snow. Then he was done! So he watched as the neighbor boy and I raced down our driveway. We came in to get warm and soon the guys were back. Ray came in and spent a couple hours while we had dinner and P got ready for bed. To top off the day I even got to get on the treadmill for a nice run. I have a LONG way to go before I'm ready for the 1/2 marathon I'll be doing in June but I'm getting there.

Which Way Are You Lookin'?

I try my best to be a "glass half full" person but, like everyone, I have my moments. Tonight happens to be one of those. I'm having a POINTLESS pity party. So, follow along as I play devil's advocate with myself......

Pity Party: I don't feel well.
Reality: At least it's just a cold.

Pity Party: P didn't nap today, which means I didn't nap today.
Reality: I went to bed last night while Rob was still at work and was still sleeping this morning while Rob got up and went to work (where he still is).

Pity Party: I was on FB and everyone was going out it seemed while I'm stuck at home.
Reality: I'm in a warm house with a sweet boy while Rob is working in single digit temps away from his son.

Pity Party: I made a new recipe that I was dying to try but I was the only one that ate it. (P was not a fan!)
Reality: At least I got to eat a hot meal. Rob had enough time to grab a bottle of water for his dinner.

Pity party: The fire's almost out and I'm too tired/cold/lazy to go downstairs and get more wood.
Reality: At least the house is warm and I can grab a blanket if need be while Rob and the crew can't get warm.

I could go on and on but the reality is that life isn't as hard as I'd like to make it be at times. I'm thankful that Rob has a job that allows me to work part time. I'm thankful for a sweet boy that hardly misses nap time. I'm thankful for a warm house and lots of firewood. I'm thankful for a lot of things that I need to take the time to notice more often.

Snow Day....kind of

Snow Days are a Catch-22. I hate the commute but I hate being cooped up in the house as much as P does. So, when I woke up this morning and found out the school district did not call a snow day I was kind of relieved......until I got on the road. I thought getting out of our driveway would be hard but that ended up being the easiest part of the entire commute. People that visit us think it'd be horrible to live up here in the Winter but as far as driving conditions go, it's much better than the valley. Once I made it down the hill and into the valley, I began my white knuckle driving. People are crazy drivers, not paying attention to the weather conditions. By the time I got P to daycare it had already been 45 mins (which is usually a 20 min drive). Then it was almost another 45 minutes to my school (usually a 15 min commute). I was never so happy to get to my destination because, in the 3 years that we've been here, I think this is the worst driving conditions I've endured. They were so bad, in fact, that my principal was trying to find a way to let me and a few other teachers leave early. But that didn't happen and the sun was out for my commute home. The worst part is that the weather conditions caused Rob to be at work tonight. He'll be home at some point to sleep for a few hours then he has to get back to work. He was supposed to have this weekend off and we were going to take P to the railroad museum. But now he'll work and P and I will hopefully be able to get out tomorrow to get some fresh air and be around others. Rumor has it that it's supposed to snow some more tonight then clear out for a few days. One could hope because, as much as I love the snow, it's nice to get a break from snow days once in awhile.

Gotta Eat Your Carrots!

When I was younger my mom used to tell me to eat my carrots so I'd have perfect eyesight. Well, it must've worked because I'm the only one in my immediate family that doesn't need glasses or contacts. (Maybe that means they DIDN'T eat their carrots....ha!). Although Rob has good eyesight as well, I'd like to think that P inherited that trait from me. He sees planes well before I do when we're driving somewhere or just sitting at our dining room table. He'll find stuff on the carpet right after I vacuumed that I didn't notice. He'll point out things in the store that take me a minute to find. His most impressive moment was when I was at the AT&T store. He kept telling me there was a ball and I told him he was crazy because we were in a phone store. As we were walking out I caught a glimpse of a golf ball behind a computer screen. AMAZING! So, I don't know why I didn't believe him earlier today when we got home from Bible study. He told me there was a horse and I told him, once again, that he was crazy. He was adamant that there was a horse so I told him we'd go outside so I could show him he was wrong. I hate to admit it, but right there in between our neighbor's houses there was a lone horse just hanging out. It floors me every time he sees something that it takes me a minute to see, mainly because my optometrist told me there's nothing he can do to make my eyesight more perfect. Apparently, he can. He can make me have eyesight as good as our son!!

Blog Design

HI there, Just wanted to apologize for the blog design changing so much lately. I was trying to find a background that I liked, keep the title and get our pic to fit right. I also wanted to change the font so it's easier to read. Give me any feedback as to whether you like it better or worse than before. I can keep changing it til we get it right. :)

Mentally Exhausted

The reality kicked in yesterday....I had 3 exams to take today. If I failed I'd either a) Lose my paycheck until I passed or b) Get taken out of the classroom next week. Talk about anxiety! I'm usually on top of things like this so I don't have to wait until the last minute but this time was the exception. I had been studying but not diligently. See, I earned my Masters and Administrative Credential 2 1/2 years ago, where I had to take classes similar to what was in the study guide for this exam. I figured that, even though government and history have never been my strong point (neither is Math), I knew enough to do well. Yesterday I decided otherwise! I studied for about 3 1/2 hours yesterday then woke up when Rob left for work to study over an hour this morning before P woke up. His daycare graciously took him today so I could take the tests without Rob having to take off. I dropped P off at daycare then went to Starbucks to study for another couple hours. I had an appt and even studied during that time! A little before 2pm I parked (illegally since I couldn't find the pay meter) and marched up the stairs to the testing room. I took all 3 exams within 40 mins. I felt pretty good about the first two but questioned myself on a few questions during the US Constitution exam. There was a reason why....I failed it by 1 question! I was told I could retake it this afternoon (for an astronomical fee). So I studied in the adjoining office, paid my money and went in to retake it. I found out I didn't have another chance to take it before my NV teaching license expired. So it was all or nothing! Lucky for me, I passed with flying colors the 2nd time around. That being said, I get to keep teaching in NV without interruption. YAY! Now that those exams and my traffic school tests are over I won't know what to do with myself. No more cramming while P naps. WAHOO!!!! I can breathe a deep sigh of relief now.....and also start training for the 1/2 marathon I plan to run in June (while P naps).....aaahhhhhhhh!!!

Count Your Blessings

I never take for granted that P is such an awesome kid. But, the past few days have made me realize that more than ever. Whether it's watching him be his own biggest cheerleader (He cheers every time he does something he's proud of!) or saying "Thank you" to the birds for eating the bird seed we put out, my cup runneth over. My heart has been heavy the past few days because of parents that aren't as blessed as we are. Our school secretary found out that her 3rd grade son has Leukemia. They'll start treatment in Oakland soon, not knowing how they're going to pay for it since her husband recently became unemployed. A high school/college friend found out that her 10 year old daughter has Lymphoma. They had been trying to figure out what's been wrong with her for a couple months to no avail. After her last surgical procedure/test results came back that this precious little girl has cancer. P has not gone without his medical problems since he was born but I praise God that he is so happy and healthy now. Even when he grossed me out beyond belief this morning (I won't repeat what he did but trust me when I say it was horrible) I thanked God for giving us such a wonderful, all out boy. In closing, I'd like to ask that you keep the above kiddos in your thoughts and prayers because these parents (and kids) have it hard at the moment, their lives full of a lot of uncertainty.

Title-less

I find it ironic that God demanded us to rest and enjoy the Sabbath yet that is the one day that I find myself the most agitated. I know I'm not the only one as I remember my parents fighting all the way to church when we were younger. I've seen jokes about agitated families going to church. For some reason it's hard to follow the Bible when the command is so simple.
That being said, my day started out good and ended good but somewhere in between I got in a mood. P and I went to the early service so I could get back in time for the Daytona 500. He didn't yell out any embarrassing things but he was his usual antsy self as soon as Pastor walked up to the pulpit. We went to the foyer, where he had fun playing in the water fountain and running around. When I told him it was time to go he started crying and shaking his head "no", which made me happy. I'm glad he likes church and doesn't want to leave. (He now says "church" and "Jesus" which really makes this mama proud!)
After we got home and watched the race I had been in front of the TV far too long. I felt my mood coming on so I got snow gear on me and P and headed out into the beautiful sunshine. Our neighbors were out and let us borrow their sled so we could play in the snow. We were only out there about 45 minutes, if that, before P started crying because his hands were cold. We came back in and got his hands warmed up but I was still antsy. If you follow my blog you know that I hate being in the house when it's nice out and I hate having the TV on if there's nothing on to watch. So I decided that I needed to go to Home Depot. I am attempting to make P a growth chart that I saw on the Internet but I needed stuff for it. We ended up making the trip a family one. P loved riding in the car cart and cried when it was time to go. I've decided that on stormy days I'll just take him to Home Depot and push him around in the cart because he loved it! Once we got back home, P watched his Thomas video for a few minutes because he had been asking to watch it all day. After dinner, however, we turned off the TV and had some family fun. We wrestled, tickled each other, snuggled and played Connect 4. By the time I got into bed last night I was back to being in a good mood. Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to accomplish but I ended up following God's Word when it was all said and done which made for a good day!

REMEMBERING 3

10 years ago, in turn 4 in the last lap of the 43rd running of the great american race, nascar nation lost a legend and a hero to many. dale earnhardt was a self made man that grew to nascar stardom from the textile mills of smalltown kannapolis, north carolina. his father ralph was a also a racer. i guess you can say it is in the earnhardt blood to be great. dale sr represented the blue collar working man and was as tough as the reputation he had. he raced a full season with a broken vertebrae in his neck. nothing would keep the intimidator out of a race car on sunday. it was what he loved to do and he did it well. noone has ever had the respect of his competitors and fans as dale sr did. he went on to tie richard petty for 7 nascar championships. there was one race that haunted dale most of his career. the daytona 500. dale came so close so many years but never could close the deal. dale felt that somehow there would be a little mark by his name for not ever winning the great american race and he would always be recognized more for not winning it, than for all of the things he did win. finally in 1998, dale took the checkered flag at daytona. every single person on pit road was lined up to pay tribute to the man who had finally won the big one. it was something that i know i can still think about today and get chills. the same chills i get today when i turn on the tube and dont see that black #3 lined up on pit road. that very next race at daytona, on july4th, his son, dale earnhardt jr won the pepsi 400 there. it seemed when that happened, we were healed. we knew then it would be ok. in many ways dale sr's death saved many lives in nascar. after his death, nascar made drastic safety improvements to increase safety for all the drivers. softer walls, safer barriers, hans device, and safer cars all were born due to dale sr's passing. every single driver that has walked away owes his life to dale. he meant alot of things to alot of different people. to me, he was living proof that a common man with a dream can achieve anything. he was the type that would wreck you in a heartbeat to win a race. i liked that. thats called a desire to win. alot didnt like his style of racing though. however, even those that didnt like him, still respected him. now, the earnhardt name rest on the shoulders of his son, dale jr. i hope jr can win today in honor of the the 10th anniversary of the passing of his father at this same track. today, we remember the intimidator. forever a fan of #3

Some Relief!

After almost going out of my mind yesterday, I am happy for 2 things today....1) The sun came out and 2) Rob was home. Those two simple things made my day 1000x times better. We woke up, had a big breakfast then bundled up for some fun in the snow. P couldn't handle it long so we came in and I did my dumb online traffic school. I tried to do it yesterday but P wasn't having it so it was "nice" (and I use that term loosely) to get it done today. Then Rob and P napped while I watched Smoke win Nationwide. Since I'm a Tony Stewart fan I was pretty happy with the way the season started. To celebrate, I met a co-worker and got pedicures. I asked for a bright red (Tony's paint scheme) but for some reason the polish looks more pink. Either way it was nice to get out of the house and be around other people. After a quick stop at my school to clean up from last week and a stop at Little Caesars (Their pizza is so good now that I urge you to try it) I made my way back up to our Winter Wonderland. The sun was still out so P and I made the most of it by playing in the snow. This time I was the one that got cold and he was the one that didn't want to come in. So we compromised by playing in his playroom once we got back in the house. Now I'm getting ready to settle in with my People mag for the night, something I love to do on Saturdays. I'm going to bed much for refreshed and relaxed tonight than last night. WAHOO!!!

Snow Bound!

You (i.e. the computer) are my means to the outside world today. I was supposed to be driving home from work right now but the district called a Snow Day. Because of all the snow we're pretty much house bound. We could get out if we wanted to but, because I don't need anything and because of the road condition, it's best if we just stay in. That being said, today has seemed eternally long. As much as I love P, it's always nice to have a break. My only break was a short run on the treadmill and a quick bath while he was sequestered to his crib. It was supposed to be his nap time but he figured out how to get out of his crib. I don't know if he was hurt or just shaken up (I couldn't find an injury) but he wouldn't go to sleep. Even when I held him he wouldn't sleep. I tried to wear him out before his nap since he hasn't played much today. I put him on my treadmill and had him do 30 sec "sprints" like they do on Biggest Loser. He did 5 sets so I thought that might help. Nope!
Excuse me...I had to take a quick break from our conversation to put P on his 4th time out for the day. He thinks it's ok to ride Holly, our arthritic Lab, like a horse. He even goes as far as to yell "Yee-Haw" while on her back. I know he wants someone to play with and Holly is a great playmate but she can only take so much from a 19 mo old.
Unfortunately, I've broken my own "rule" and have had the TV on a lot today. Not that P pays much attention to it (except for Thomas the Train is on) but I needed a distraction. Tomorrow I plan to get outside, whether it's to play in the snow or run errands. P and I don't do well being cooped up inside all day so I'm glad it doesn't happen too often. Being snow bound is only fun for so long.....

Let it Snow!

I'm going to replace my writer's cap for my photographer's cap this morning. We've finally got some much needed snow. So much that the school district called a SNOW DAY!
Much to Rob's delight, P and I are going to lay low, with a fire in the fireplace and our PJs on (Rob called to say he had a hard time getting out of the driveway this morning and that we shouldn't go anywhere).
Here are some progressive pics of the storm the past few days.....

Poor Guy!

Sunday I discovered a recurrence of a virus P has dealt with since he was a newborn. When I took him to his pediatrician Monday, I found out that he was also dealing with a double ear infection and another viral infection. So, instead of just one antibiotics, he's now on 2. Since I didn't know if he'd be good to go for daycare today, I called in sick. It's the first day all year I've had to do this and to be honest, with all the snow we're getting right now, I'm glad I did. Actually, I'm really glad I did it because there's no way P would've made it through the day at daycare today. The antibiotics are tearing up his stomach!! Not only did I get pooped on this morning, but I don't know how many poopy diapers I've changed already. Due to all the diarrhea, he has one of the worst cases on diaper rash. So, as soon as he goes to the bathroom he begins to cry since he knows what's going to happen. It absolutely breaks my heart that he's so miserable right now. He's such a happy lil guy that days like this make me realize what a great kid he is on a regular basis. Although he hasn't played much this morning, he was exhausted so I put him down for an early nap. I'm hoping and praying that when he wakes up he'll feel better and we won't have to contend with an upset tummy! It's not fun for any of us and I want my happy lil guy back!

Oh Sleep, Where Art Thou?

Saturday night I had the best dream I've had in as long as I can remember. I dreamt my Nana saw P. In my dream, she only got a quick glance at him but it seemed so real that I woke up smiling. All day I thought of that wonderful dream and couldn't wait to go to sleep so I could dream of her or my Papa. I can't remember having dreams of either of them so I was looking forward to spending more time with them, if only in my dreams. Well, not only has that not happened but I can't say I've really slept since Saturday night. I woke up 3am Sunday night with an upset stomach. It took me until about 5am yesterday to go back to sleep. I couldn't nap yesterday because I had work to do while P was napping. So, last night, I thought I'd sleep great because I was so tired. I even dreamed of having another good dream. Mother Nature had a different plan. The wind was so bad that I'd guess the gusts were close to 100 mph. I know Rob and I tossed and turned a lot, getting little sleep. I never heard P so I hope that means he slept better than his Mommy and Daddy. Hopefully the weather will cooperate tonight and I'll be able to sleep good, having sweet dreams about loved ones!

Happy Hallmark Day!

Maybe it's because of my years in the floral industry or maybe it's because of my years being single or maybe it's because of Rob (I'll explain that one in a minute) but I am NOT a fan of today. People give me grief for it but I don't see any valid reason in celebrating your love in a big way one day out of the year. I grew up watching two romantic people share their love on a daily basis. My mom wakes up a little early every morning to make my dad his lunch. Sometimes she even writes him a love note and puts it in there. My dad brings my mom her favorite Starbucks at work when he has the day off or flowers just because. After watching their marriage and all that they do for each other, I've become a hopeless romantic. I love the little every day gestures that say, "I love you" more than overpriced, wilting roses on Valentine's Day when every other person is getting the same thing.
Over the years I came to dread today, mostly because I was usually single. I'd find some other single friends and we'd go out to dinner just so we weren't sitting at home alone. Even when I was in a relationship I dreaded it. I think it all started when I was in 2nd grade and this little boy chased me to my mom's car to give me a pink stuffed dog. I was mortified and it scarred me for life. In recent years when I was in a relationship, it seemed so stressful to find the perfect gift. And usually I was disappointed with what I got in return. For example, one year I got my boyfriend a pricey saw he had been wanting. What I got in return was a bug repellent candle and some slack hangers so I "wouldn't have to waste so much time ironing my work pants". There's only one Valentine's in recent years that I can remember for good reasons. That's pretty sad when I've been around to celebrate 35 of them!
So, when I met Rob I was elated that he used to write me love notes all the time, send me romantic emails telling me all the reasons he loved me, baked me cakes once in awhile, sent me flowers, bought me things that I had mentioned that I wanted just because. I realized I had what my parents had. We didn't need to go all out one day of the year because we said "I love you" every day in small ways that meant so much more. Once I got into NASCAR and realized that opening weekend usually fell on or around Valentine's Day, I told Rob I'd rather celebrate that than the national Hallmark Holiday. So now we give each other a small token of (NASCAR) love and call it a done deal. It's a perfect way for us to share our love in a way we both enjoy!
For those of you reading this, floored by my views, I'd like to suggest that you research the holiday. I looked on 3 different websites yesterday and the bottom line is that no one can pinpoint when or why this holiday started. That, to me, means it's not valid but it's a way for floral companies and Hallmark to make more money. That being said, I celebrate the day with P because I want him to enjoy it. We went to a little Valentine party yesterday with his buddies and today we're going to decorate Valentine cookies. My parents still send us small gifts, cards and a gift card to a local restaurant every year which is very much appreciated. It's not that I don't like love. I just like it every day of the year!

Mother/Son Bonding

Rob chose to work this weekend so P and I have had plenty of bonding time.


Yesterday we spent most of the day outside, enjoying the beautiful weather. We went to the park, where he rode his trike. We also played in our yard for quite awhile, walking around, exploring and throwing rocks into the horse trough. After being outside, we decided to go cheer on P's babysitter at her high school basketball game. Our next door neighbor was also doing the halftime cheerleading and we wanted to watch her as well. When we first walked in, P was mesmerized by all the people and music. He made me proud when he put his hand over his heart (with my help) for the National Anthem. Once the game started he lost interest...quickly. 5 minutes into the game he was saying "Done". When I ignored him, he started doing the sign for it as well as saying it. I guess he thought I didn't hear him so if I saw him then I'd acknowledge him. I bought him some popcorn and that did the trick, as did the mascot. The Mucker mascot is a teacher or parent that wears jeans, sweatshirt and a big grizzly looking mask. P just stared at him the whole time. At one point the mascot came over and asked for High 5. P licked his hand then slapped the guy's hand. The guy didn't seem bothered by the slobbery High 5. (I watched when he walked away to see if he'd use hand sanitizer- like I would- but he didn't so my guess is he's a parent). After our neighbor did her little cheer routine we left because P was antsy again and I wanted to get home for the NASCAR shootout. In our house we don't celebrate Valentine's Day (aka Hallmark Holiday) but we celebrate the opening weekend of NASCAR. (You can read about my thoughts on tomorrow's holiday....well, tomorrow).
This morning P and I went to the early service. About 10 minutes into the service, our pastor got up to announce that someone in the congregation had passed away. P took that opportunity to shout,"Daddy!". I put him in my lap and told him we'd go bye-bye in a few minutes. Wrong thing to say! He started yelling,"Buh-bye" and waving to everyone. I quickly scooped him up and took him to the foyer where he proceeded to run around and entertain the stragglers out there. He was getting so loud that I finally decided it was best to leave. We came home and read about 7 or 8 books and now he's down for a nap. I should be studying for my exam but when given the choice between studying or writing you know what I'll choose every time.
Stayed tuned to hear about P's first Hallmark Holiday party that's happening this afternoon and my thoughts on the romantic national holiday.......

Too Much

I pondered whether to write this, knowing I'd receive no sympathy from the readers, but Rob said he was tired of reading "Slumber Party" so here are my thoughts. Some weeks 2 days of work seems like a lot! I know, I know! No sympathy but I just had to get that out in the open. My wonderful husband, who usually works 7 days a week, shot daggers at me when I mentioned that to him over dinner.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love everything about my job. But, it makes for a long day when your toddler is sick, you're not feeling 100% and you don't sleep well. That was the case yesterday. To top it off, I had an eye appt that I was late for because all the buildings look the same and I haven't been there in a year. (I don't have to go back for another year because my optometrist told me he can't make my vision any more perfect than it already is, thank you very much!). So I left the house at 7am with a toddler who was under the weather and didn't get home until 5:30pm. Then I had to make dinner with a fussy toddler hanging on my leg. Fortunately, Rob helped clean up and gave P a bath so I could wash the dishes. After I put P to bed I was beyond tired so I soaked in a hot tub. I was supposed to study for this 3 hr exam I have in a couple weeks but my brain was mush.
I was kind of praying that P would be under the weather enough this morning that I wouldn't have to go to work. But he woke up not coughing as much and definitely not as fussy. So I couldn't justify not going to work since I had only worked one day this entire week. But man, oh man, even though today was much better I was sure happy when that 3 o'clock bell rang, signaling the weekend. Bummer that some people aren't as fortunate to have the weekend off. Rob's alarm will be going off at 4:30am so he can begin day 6 of his work week. (At which point I will be grabbing his pillow to put over my head so I can get 2 more hours of shut eye.) Guess I won't be getting any sympathy from him for this blog, but I'm sure glad my 2 day work week is over. It was rough!

Slumber Party

When I was a little girl and was invited to slumber parties I would be excited for days. The girls and I would have fun enjoying junk food, girl talk and staying up way too late. Now when I think of slumber parties I cringe. Maybe it's because I'm older or maybe it's because my slumber parties these days don't include the fun times that they used to. Either way, I am no longer a fan of them anymore. Please give me the honor of describing my latest slumber party....
I was sound asleep, next to my husband, enjoying sweet dreams when all of a sudden I was awoken by screaming. I groaned, rolled over and prayed it'd stop. No such luck! After about 20 minutes of listening to P cry and scream I went to his room. I rocked him and rubbed his back, praying he'd fall back to sleep. When that didn't happen, I took everything off the QUEEN sized bed so he and I could have our monthly slumber party. It started out great and I thought, "Finally I'll get some sleep!". Yeah right! First his head rammed into my lower back then it moved to a side kick into my ribs. The fun of getting head butted, kicked and punched went on for about 6 hours. My slumber party buddy ended up sleeping sideways when he did sleep and took up the entire bed! When I dared to open my eyes this morning, P was patiently waiting for me to wake up to inform me of the obvious.... a plane was flying over our house. I guess some things don't change: little to no sleep and one person always wakes up first, waiting for everyone else to wake up. I'm sure one day I'll appreciate even the slumber parties with P but right now I just really appreciate a huge cup of coffee!

P(isms)

P is full of funny antics and entertains us daily. Today was no exception. Here are some funny things that took place today:
* Walked around and played for HOURS, holding a sweet pickle. He licked it but never ate it. Finally I took it from him because of how many times it fell on the ground.
* In the car he held up his foot and said, "Please help", wanting his shoes and socks taken off (This is a daily occurrence).
* He loves the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" so he plays that on one of his toys and waves his hands, twisting his wrists, trying to do the spider part of the song.
* He tried to open mouth kiss/lick his lil(male)buddy when their play date ended.
* I made homemade chili tonight and knew P wouldn't be a big fan. So, I gave him applesauce with his chili. He proceeded to take his chili out of the bowl and put it in his applesauce bowl. Then he ate both as a combination.
* My dad plays cars with him and says, "1,2,3....GO!" before rolling the car across the floor. Today, P brought his toys to the kitchen and would say, "2...GO!" and LAUNCH his cars across the floor.
* After dinner he saw Rob relaxing on his recliner. P went over to his "recliner", put his hands behind his head and crossed his ankles, relaxing himself.
* Last but certainly not least.... During his bath he grabbed his testicles and yelled, "Balls!", proud of his discovery.

He constantly makes us belly laugh! We are so very thankful to be blessed with such a fabulous kiddo and we never take him for granted!!!

Let's Recap....

I was woken up way before I wanted to this morning which started my day out wrong. Then we ate breakfast in shifts because I didn't get all the french toast done at the same time....grrrrr! After breakfast, P and I went out to enjoy the beautiful weather while Rob watched "Cars". With the gorgeous weather and training last Sunday, I thought we'd have a good training with Ruby today. Wrong! Well, I take that back. I did not have a good training with Ruby but Rob did. On the way home we grabbed pizza for the Superbowl.
Now I am not a huge football fan. I don't understand the fascination with grown men wearing tight clothes (white pants none the less), chasing each other on an "empty" field to gain possession of a piece of leather. Kinda freaky if you ask me....especially if you add in all the butt smacking that takes place. But, that being said, I enjoy the Superbowl for the parties, food and commercials. However this year Rob asked that we don't go to a Superbowl party because his team, the Packers, were on and he wanted to hear the coverage. So I agreed, still looking forward to the food and commercials. Well, the pizza was devoured before we even got home and the only good commercials were the McDonald's bear one and the Darth Vader starting the car. There's been no "wardrobe malfunctions" or controversial plays or even good fights. So, that being said, I am spending the 4th quarter sitting on the toilet. Watching P take a bath of course. Good luck boys! I'm sure you'll play just fine without me watching the game!!

Gorgeous Genoa

Yesterday we decided to have a family exploring time so we went to a new place about an hour from here! Genoa is my new favorite "I-want-to-live-there-in-my-dreams-and-if-it-didn't-get-dark-there-at-2pm" place. It's a quaint historical town. We drove through it and had to stop to let the deer cross the road. Then we went back to the community park and let P run around. He collected sticks and watched more deer while Rob and I had a knife throwing contest (I won by the way!). We went to a few of the historical buildings and shops. Then we drove back through the town. As we were leaving Rob called his friend, John, who lives down the road. He invited us over so we went to his house for awhile. P slept in the car but when he woke up he and John played with his tractor and some rocks. Once we got home I did a quick cleaning then our neighbors came over for dinner. It was such a great Saturday! I love visiting new places and exploring so the combination was perfect. I love family days spent in the beautiful outdoors!!

Ode to the iPhone

Just like TV, I'm not big on cell phones being "babysitters" for kids. However, P sees me on my phone A LOT...probably too much. On the way home from the store, P asked for it. He held it up, said "Cheese!" and "took" a picture with my phone. He did it like a pro! Then a few minutes later he held the phone up to his ear. He plugged his other ear and had quite the "conversation" with his daddy. At one point he laughed hysterically and nodded his head. So whatever they were "talking" about was funny. He cracks me up, catches on quickly, (ok, maybe he's seen me on the phone SEVERAL times) and is so good with technology! Gotta love modern times!!!!