So maybe, just maybe you were expecting three jots of randomness from my week. And yes, I will get to that. But not here.
I have a little bit of a confession to make. For months and months people have been encouraging me to start up a little etsy site selling my handmade stuff. What's etsy, you ask? It's basically a massive site dedicated to the sale and promotion of solely handmade goods. For a really long time I had my mind made up that I wasn't going to do it. Seriously...who would by my stuff? I would really need to perfect a few things before making it sell-able.
But a few months back I finally decided to go for it and give it a shot. Sort of a what-the-heck type attitude. I decided to keep it hush for several reasons. Partially because I didn't want to have to explain if I chickened out. Partially because I didn't want anyone to feel like they had to buy anything. (You don't. Really....it's all baby stuff anyway.) But mainly, I think, because I was afraid of it failing. I'm such a perfectionist, that I just really had this secret horrible self-doubt gut-feeling that it might fail and I'd be embarrassed. Which still may be true.
And for the first few weeks, it struggled. No sales, not much action. Of course, I hardly had anything in my shop so that didn't exactly help. But all of a sudden it took off. And in a big way. Tuesday, for example, I sold six items. Six! And two other websites have asked to review and feature my items on their sites in the month of October. Very cool.
And because most of the shops on etsy also have a blog that shoppers can access for more information...especially for when their items are featured on other sites..., I finally broke down and started a blog connected to my shop a few weeks ago. Let me first explain that had I known about this when I started the shop, I would have just somehow tied it in to this blog. But I didn't. And I couldn't think of a clever name for my shop so I just combined my two nicknames for the boys (Sweetheart and Sunshine) to make the name of the shop. Real original. I know.
I'm sure by now you're putting two and two together. The shop is called Sweetheart-n-Sunshine so the blog needs to be called that too. And this blog is not called that. And I'm not going to keep three blogs. Sorry. Just don't got it in me. So if you're up for it and not completely tired of my antics, join me for the move. I'll no longer be posting on this site anymore. Instead, the new blog http://www.sweetheartnsunshine.blogspot.com/ will be home to all my ramblings about my life at home with the boys along with bits and pieces related to the shop and my sewing endeavors.
Whew. No turning back now.
I know that quite a mouthful and I could have just said, "Hey, I'm moving this blog," and it would have sufficed, but I just had to put the whole thing out there. Every little detail of an explanation. You know me...never at a loss for words.
So click here for the new blog and the continuation of Three Thought Thursday. (Yes, I committed to doing TTT for an entire year and I'm not giving up now just because I'm moving! Not when I've got just three months left!)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 38
1. This week, it's kind of all about the new way of doing things around here. Yes, this week was the official kick-off to "school." Three days in and we're going strong! It's been both easier and harder than I expected it to be. Easier in the organization, planning, putting together aspect, and harder in the actual teaching part. I know, I know. I used to be a teacher! Like a public school one! But that was ninth graders. This is a two, almost three year old. Fifteen-year-olds know when to drop the sarcasm and silliness. (Usually.) Two-year-olds think it's funny to respond with "rooster!" every time I ask what a baby cow is called. I even left it alone for a day and returned to it the next, only to get the same answer. But all in all, it's been a great success so far. Kolbe loves when I ask, "Are you ready for school this morning?" And his learning board has become the perfect show-and-tell for when Dada gets home in the evening. And best of all, it has added some much needed structure to our days. Now instead of pulling my hair out when we reach a lull in our daily activities, I already have something planned. And if the activity I have planned doesn't take as long as I expected, I can always go back and review stuff we've learned so far. And each "school thing" we do really only takes about forty-five minutes. So the other things we used to do and still need to do (like the grocery store, for instance) still get done. It's nice. Really nice. I love structure! And so far, the boys do too. In fact, here's a quick pic of our learning board so far this week (number is today and rhyme is tomorrow...):
A few people have asked, so I'll dish: The "curriculum" we're following is the one found at http://www.letteroftheweek.com/. We are doing the Step One: Preparatory Curriculum. It's kind of like a pre-cursor to learning phonetics. So they're just learning what the letters and numbers look like...not the sounds and variations just yet. If all goes well, we'll be moving on to that in the spring. In case you're interested, the site offers various programs for children from birth up to elementary age. We're following this for now, with various living skills and Bible lessons added in.
2. In addition to our new "school" routine, we've also started a new Wednesday morning activity: Bible Study. Actually, it's more of a women's prayer and study group that I was invited to join. Right now we're going through a book about praying for our husbands. The women in it are the women from our Feast and Friendship group at church, but from what I've been told, anyone who wants to come is invited. (In case anyone is interested, it's on Wednesday morning at 7:45am) When first invited, I definitely balked at the time, but since some of the women work, this was the best time available. And really, it's rough getting out of the house that early with the boys, but I keep reminding myself that most working moms do that every.single.day! (God bless you!) We've been two weeks in a row, and I must say that it has definitely been worth it. I love having the fellowship time with other women, and have really gotten a lot out of our discussions about praying and caring for our husbands. It's easy to feel alone some times, when in all actuality, all married people are going through similar situations. Sharing with others helps so much!
3. Mark made it through his first week of work and is knee deep in week two. Last week made for crazy hours due to him being on call. This week hasn't involved any middle of the night phone calls, but he has worked insane hours. Six-thirty am to seven pm pretty much every day. We keep having to remind ourselves that this, just like Midland, is only temporary. He's training right now. Of course they're going to want him to stay for every single case and watch every single surgery. It's the only way he'll learn. Down the road, he and the other P.A. he works with will be able to trade off and hopefully we'll see him a lot more! It's a sacrifice we have to make for now. In order to have the life we dream of having later. And oh yeah...tonight he's off on a trip to Vegas for a conference. Completely paid for by his job. Three nights, all expenses paid to the Bellagio. Lord knows I've never been privileged enough to go to Vegas, but from what I hear the Bellagio is like the nicest of the nicest on the Vegas strip. And yes, I looked in to going with him, but the flights were completely booked meaning I couldn't use a buddy pass, and to buy one was going to be about $600. I don't think so. Maybe next time. He also got a new iPhone from them as well as a new Sony laptop. Perks! Lucky dog! I wonder if he could convince them that his wife needs an iPad...
A few people have asked, so I'll dish: The "curriculum" we're following is the one found at http://www.letteroftheweek.com/. We are doing the Step One: Preparatory Curriculum. It's kind of like a pre-cursor to learning phonetics. So they're just learning what the letters and numbers look like...not the sounds and variations just yet. If all goes well, we'll be moving on to that in the spring. In case you're interested, the site offers various programs for children from birth up to elementary age. We're following this for now, with various living skills and Bible lessons added in.
2. In addition to our new "school" routine, we've also started a new Wednesday morning activity: Bible Study. Actually, it's more of a women's prayer and study group that I was invited to join. Right now we're going through a book about praying for our husbands. The women in it are the women from our Feast and Friendship group at church, but from what I've been told, anyone who wants to come is invited. (In case anyone is interested, it's on Wednesday morning at 7:45am) When first invited, I definitely balked at the time, but since some of the women work, this was the best time available. And really, it's rough getting out of the house that early with the boys, but I keep reminding myself that most working moms do that every.single.day! (God bless you!) We've been two weeks in a row, and I must say that it has definitely been worth it. I love having the fellowship time with other women, and have really gotten a lot out of our discussions about praying and caring for our husbands. It's easy to feel alone some times, when in all actuality, all married people are going through similar situations. Sharing with others helps so much!
3. Mark made it through his first week of work and is knee deep in week two. Last week made for crazy hours due to him being on call. This week hasn't involved any middle of the night phone calls, but he has worked insane hours. Six-thirty am to seven pm pretty much every day. We keep having to remind ourselves that this, just like Midland, is only temporary. He's training right now. Of course they're going to want him to stay for every single case and watch every single surgery. It's the only way he'll learn. Down the road, he and the other P.A. he works with will be able to trade off and hopefully we'll see him a lot more! It's a sacrifice we have to make for now. In order to have the life we dream of having later. And oh yeah...tonight he's off on a trip to Vegas for a conference. Completely paid for by his job. Three nights, all expenses paid to the Bellagio. Lord knows I've never been privileged enough to go to Vegas, but from what I hear the Bellagio is like the nicest of the nicest on the Vegas strip. And yes, I looked in to going with him, but the flights were completely booked meaning I couldn't use a buddy pass, and to buy one was going to be about $600. I don't think so. Maybe next time. He also got a new iPhone from them as well as a new Sony laptop. Perks! Lucky dog! I wonder if he could convince them that his wife needs an iPad...
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 37
1. I love that fall is partially here! And by partially, I mean that football has arrived!!! Fall is definitely my favorite season. I like to be warm but not hot. And fall is the transition from hot to cold. So it's warm with a tiny touch of cool. As opposed to spring which is cold with a tiny touch of warm. Totally different to me, though Mark thinks I'm crazy when I describe this difference. You know what I'm talking about, right!?! Anyhow, other than the slight change in temp, football is another favorite aspect of my favorite season. I'm a total guy in that I could literally sit and watch college football all day long on Saturday. Doesn't exactly happen, but I could. And used to. We all know what prohibits that now-a-days. But one exciting thing this year is that Kolbe is fully aware of what's going on when football is on TV. He doesn't exactly understand how the game is played but he knows that essentially, they are playing a game, they throw the ball, catch it, run, etc. Even Rudy is down with watching it for a bit. Kolbe wasn't interested at all at Rudy's age. But then again, Rudy is our little linebacker. I'm sure he's naturally drawn to it. (ha!) This past Friday night Mark let Kolbe stay up (way) late so that he could take him to the final quarter of the Frenship/Monterey game. We knew he'd never make it through the entire game, and since they let people in free for the last quarter, it was an easy choice. Mark hyped it up..."Kolbe! You get to go to the football game with Dada! Just you and me!" Reagan didn't know to protest since he can't bear to keep his eyes open much past 8:30. So off they went after Rudy went to bed. Kolbe fully decked out in his pajamas. They were only there for about twenty minutes, but it was definitely long enough to leave a lasting impression on Kolbe. Ever since then at random times he'll say "Mama, I go to football game with Dada this week too. Just Tolbe and Dada." He's hooked. Age two and he's already hooked. Not just on football, but on Dada too.
2. Mark started his new job on Monday! I think it was met with much fear and trepidation, but hey, all new beginnings are somewhat scary. I think Mark's biggest worry is that he's never worked directly in neurosurgery before. He had a general surgery rotation, but nothing directly related to the head and spine. After doctors leave med school, they choose their field and then proceed to do a roughly three to five year residency in that field. Three to five years of on the job training. For PAs, you walk out of school and can get a full on job in any field you want. Whether you've had direct training in it or not. Three days in and so far Mark is enjoying it, but still feels that there's a lot to learn. And by a lot, he means a lot. But I know my husband, and he'll get it done. He doesn't give up on anything. Ever. This will take some time, but just like every other obstacle he's been through, he'll make it.
I, on the other hand, am struggling through "back to reality." Mark has been home with us for about a month now, off and on, and I've gotten so spoiled! Now that he's back to working full time, I'm getting hit with parenting two little boys who have gotten extremely attached to their daddy. Everything for Kolbe is now "with Daddy." For example:
Me: Kolbe, do you want to go to the library later this week?
Kolbe: No, I want go with me's Daddy.
or
Me: Lay down, Kolbe. Do you want your quilt?
Kolbe: No, I not want me's quilt! I not want me's covers! I not want me's stars on me's ceiling! I want me's Daaaaaaaaaada!!!!
Sweet, but frustrating all at the same time. I'm sure it makes Mark happy though.
3. I made my fourth batch of our homemade laundry detergent this week. If I'm not mistaken, it's been almost a year since we started using homemade instead of store bought. And I must say, I don't know if I'll ever turn back. I think I've finally perfected my recipe...with the right amount of ingredients including lavender oil to give it a nice scent. Four batches in one year means I only have to make it ever three months or so. Which is far less often than I had to buy it. And I'm still on the same box of Borax and Washing Soda as when I started. Really, I don't think it costs more than $2-$3 to make an entire batch. Three months worth for $2-$3. And our clothes are clean! Even the boys'! I've yet to put something in the wash while using the homemade detergent where it didn't come out totally clean. (barring the incident with Mark's pen in the dryer....) Needless to say, I'm happy I started doing this and am loving how much it saves us each year.
2. Mark started his new job on Monday! I think it was met with much fear and trepidation, but hey, all new beginnings are somewhat scary. I think Mark's biggest worry is that he's never worked directly in neurosurgery before. He had a general surgery rotation, but nothing directly related to the head and spine. After doctors leave med school, they choose their field and then proceed to do a roughly three to five year residency in that field. Three to five years of on the job training. For PAs, you walk out of school and can get a full on job in any field you want. Whether you've had direct training in it or not. Three days in and so far Mark is enjoying it, but still feels that there's a lot to learn. And by a lot, he means a lot. But I know my husband, and he'll get it done. He doesn't give up on anything. Ever. This will take some time, but just like every other obstacle he's been through, he'll make it.
I, on the other hand, am struggling through "back to reality." Mark has been home with us for about a month now, off and on, and I've gotten so spoiled! Now that he's back to working full time, I'm getting hit with parenting two little boys who have gotten extremely attached to their daddy. Everything for Kolbe is now "with Daddy." For example:
Me: Kolbe, do you want to go to the library later this week?
Kolbe: No, I want go with me's Daddy.
or
Me: Lay down, Kolbe. Do you want your quilt?
Kolbe: No, I not want me's quilt! I not want me's covers! I not want me's stars on me's ceiling! I want me's Daaaaaaaaaada!!!!
Sweet, but frustrating all at the same time. I'm sure it makes Mark happy though.
3. I made my fourth batch of our homemade laundry detergent this week. If I'm not mistaken, it's been almost a year since we started using homemade instead of store bought. And I must say, I don't know if I'll ever turn back. I think I've finally perfected my recipe...with the right amount of ingredients including lavender oil to give it a nice scent. Four batches in one year means I only have to make it ever three months or so. Which is far less often than I had to buy it. And I'm still on the same box of Borax and Washing Soda as when I started. Really, I don't think it costs more than $2-$3 to make an entire batch. Three months worth for $2-$3. And our clothes are clean! Even the boys'! I've yet to put something in the wash while using the homemade detergent where it didn't come out totally clean. (barring the incident with Mark's pen in the dryer....) Needless to say, I'm happy I started doing this and am loving how much it saves us each year.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 36
1. I know, I know. I'm late. Real late, considering I usually have my three thought Thursday completed by the early morning hours of each Thursday. But today has been hectic and so here I am at 4:49pm just getting started. The boys are out eating "lunch" at the kitchen table. Their earlier "meal" consisted of gummi bears, goldfish, and pretzels on the airplane ride home from Houston. They then slept from 1pm until about 4:30pm. Seriously. Normally I would never allow that to happen, but we are all exhausted. And Mark and I were asleep too which meant since they weren't waking us up, we weren't waking them up. Our final leg of our travelling adventures is over and we're finally home for a long. long. while. That is, if I have anything to do with it. Of course, as soon as I say that, we'll have something pop up that requires our immediate travel. But really, I've had a blast on our adventures and would do all of them all over again, but I'm more than ready to just stay home and get back to normal life right now too.
2. This morning at about three minutes after eight while we were on our way to the airport, we received some wonderful news: Mark passed his board exam!!! (*choir of angels bursts into song.*....no, seriously. I know I say that one a lot about seemingly trivial things, but really. I think they probably did burst in to song at that moment. I know all of us in the car did.) We are officially, totally, completely...happily done! Yes, Mark is now Mark D. Asmussen, PA-C MPAS...meaning Mark D. Asmussen, Physician Assistant-Certified Master in Physician Assistant Studies. Thank God for abbreviations, right!?! I could instantly see a massive weight lifted off of his shoulders. He's been a hugely happy and laid-back guy since finishing his test last Thursday, but I can even see more peace in his demeanor since getting his results this morning. And I have to admit, it's a huge sigh of relief for me too! Our ship has finally come in.
3. School is soon to be in session at The Asmussen Household. As much as you'd never guess it from the looks of my often cluttered house, I'm a person who thrives on organization to not only things but time as well. Over the past many months, I've been feeling a need to develop some sort of organization to my days at home with the boys. I just don't like how on some days we do many things...lots of activities, lots of learning opportunities, etc. And on others we arrive at bed time and I have to wonder if we've read even one book that day. Other "things" seem to take over and raising the boys unfortunately takes a backseat from time to time. Just being honest. There are days like that. Where laundry, cleaning, cooking, packing, and errand-running seem to win. But I've always felt like if I developed some sort of organization to my days and my ideas of things to do with the boys, this would happen far less often. Granted, it sometimes may still happen. But maybe not as often. In my dream world it would be never. So my mom bought me the teacher planner of my choice at an educational store by their house in The Woodlands (I chose one designed for a pre-school teacher) and over the next week I plan on getting my act together and setting up goals for things I'd like to do with the boys each week. I also found a free pre-pre-school "curriculum" online that offers themes you can follow each week as well as activities, songs, poems, projects and more that accompany each theme. I'm not sure if we'll follow this exactly or not, but I'll definitely be getting lots of ideas from there. And I realize that the majority of our time will still just be the boys being boys and me being a mama. But at least I'll feel organized in my goals for them. Does that make sense? For me, an organized mama is a more peaceful mama. And for the boys, a more peaceful mama is a better mama. Which is what they deserve.
2. This morning at about three minutes after eight while we were on our way to the airport, we received some wonderful news: Mark passed his board exam!!! (*choir of angels bursts into song.*....no, seriously. I know I say that one a lot about seemingly trivial things, but really. I think they probably did burst in to song at that moment. I know all of us in the car did.) We are officially, totally, completely...happily done! Yes, Mark is now Mark D. Asmussen, PA-C MPAS...meaning Mark D. Asmussen, Physician Assistant-Certified Master in Physician Assistant Studies. Thank God for abbreviations, right!?! I could instantly see a massive weight lifted off of his shoulders. He's been a hugely happy and laid-back guy since finishing his test last Thursday, but I can even see more peace in his demeanor since getting his results this morning. And I have to admit, it's a huge sigh of relief for me too! Our ship has finally come in.
3. School is soon to be in session at The Asmussen Household. As much as you'd never guess it from the looks of my often cluttered house, I'm a person who thrives on organization to not only things but time as well. Over the past many months, I've been feeling a need to develop some sort of organization to my days at home with the boys. I just don't like how on some days we do many things...lots of activities, lots of learning opportunities, etc. And on others we arrive at bed time and I have to wonder if we've read even one book that day. Other "things" seem to take over and raising the boys unfortunately takes a backseat from time to time. Just being honest. There are days like that. Where laundry, cleaning, cooking, packing, and errand-running seem to win. But I've always felt like if I developed some sort of organization to my days and my ideas of things to do with the boys, this would happen far less often. Granted, it sometimes may still happen. But maybe not as often. In my dream world it would be never. So my mom bought me the teacher planner of my choice at an educational store by their house in The Woodlands (I chose one designed for a pre-school teacher) and over the next week I plan on getting my act together and setting up goals for things I'd like to do with the boys each week. I also found a free pre-pre-school "curriculum" online that offers themes you can follow each week as well as activities, songs, poems, projects and more that accompany each theme. I'm not sure if we'll follow this exactly or not, but I'll definitely be getting lots of ideas from there. And I realize that the majority of our time will still just be the boys being boys and me being a mama. But at least I'll feel organized in my goals for them. Does that make sense? For me, an organized mama is a more peaceful mama. And for the boys, a more peaceful mama is a better mama. Which is what they deserve.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 35
1. Since I wrote about poo last week, I'll write about it again this week. But in a good way! An oh-so-hard-to-believe-could-it-be-true kind of way. Rudy, my little eighteen month old dumpling, Rudy, went poops on the potty! Seriously!!! For a long time he has been curious about the toilet since he sees his big brother go in there all the time and watches me follow behind to either wipe or make sure no peepee got all over the floor or toilet. Every now and then he'll gesture that he wants to sit on the seat and so I'll put him up there for as long as he likes. Usually it's about 10 seconds. But in the past month or so, the kid as done his duty in the tub about three times. Sick, I know. And totally un-cool for me to have to clean up. But it got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, he had finally figured out his control of the matter. Literally...the matter. Why was he waiting till his diaper was off and he was in the bathroom to go? So a few days ago he came running up to me while I was in the laundry room switching a load over. He grabbed on to my leg and started making his little baby sounds. Brushing it off as just an attempt to get attention, I continued on with my task, until I saw him go grab the door frame, squat down, and start to do his business. I quickly rushed him to the bathroom, pulled off his diaper, and got him situated. A few minutes later, we had success! Kolbe and I cheered and clapped for him, though he acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on. Don't get me wrong; in no way do I think this event means that he's ready to potty train. I think we still have a little ways to go for that. But at least he's got the idea and knows that he can go potty on the toilet instead of in his diaper. I have a feeling he'll potty train much sooner than Kolbe which I'm certainly not complaining about!
2. Nothing quite says "I'm out of shape" like party hardying at a wedding and waking up the next morning feeling like I got hit by a bus. And no, I didn't have too much to drink. Saturday evening, the boys and I attended my cousin, Tim's wedding (to one of my former students, nonetheless) and had a blast dancing the night away at the reception. Mark was in Chicago and couldn't attend, so my dance partners for the evening were limited to Kolbe on one hip and Rudy on the other. They had so much fun! And it really was a fantastic reception. Sunday morning, though, I woke up and debated whether or not I should make a mad dash for the Motrin or attempt to find the nearest hot tub. This ol' bag of bones isn't quite used to so much aerobic activity in one day! Primarily it was my hips that were killing me...probably from toting the boys and dancing while wearing heals. Regardless, I took it as a sign that I need to start making at least some effort to keep my joints and muscles mobile. Who wants to have the mom that's crumpled up and looking like she's eighty-five when she's only forty-five!?! Right now, that's where I'm headed.
3. Today, right now today, right this very moment today, Mark is taking is board exam. Eek!!! I'm nervous and I'm not even the one taking the test! It's that last hurdle...that very last one that he has to jump over to make it to the finish line. Once this is over, he's done. For good! Like for.ev.er!!! No more school! No more stressing over exams! No more panicking over whether he'll make it or not! (Of course, I always knew he would...) He...I guess I should say "we"...cheerleaders get to be included, right???....finally did it! It reminds me a lot of when I was a cross country runner back in high school. There was this one course that we had to run every year in Aberdeen, MS. The very last fifty or so yards were straight up hill. As if we weren't tired and beat down enough, in order to prove that we could hang, we had to complete our sprint up a forty-five degree angle. Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But after two miles of trucking it, it sure felt pretty ridiculously steep! I imagine that's what Mark is feeling like right now. But he'll make it up the hill. Even if he has to crawl. At this point, who cares as long as he makes it to the finish line. He'll definitely be the first place finisher in my books.
2. Nothing quite says "I'm out of shape" like party hardying at a wedding and waking up the next morning feeling like I got hit by a bus. And no, I didn't have too much to drink. Saturday evening, the boys and I attended my cousin, Tim's wedding (to one of my former students, nonetheless) and had a blast dancing the night away at the reception. Mark was in Chicago and couldn't attend, so my dance partners for the evening were limited to Kolbe on one hip and Rudy on the other. They had so much fun! And it really was a fantastic reception. Sunday morning, though, I woke up and debated whether or not I should make a mad dash for the Motrin or attempt to find the nearest hot tub. This ol' bag of bones isn't quite used to so much aerobic activity in one day! Primarily it was my hips that were killing me...probably from toting the boys and dancing while wearing heals. Regardless, I took it as a sign that I need to start making at least some effort to keep my joints and muscles mobile. Who wants to have the mom that's crumpled up and looking like she's eighty-five when she's only forty-five!?! Right now, that's where I'm headed.
3. Today, right now today, right this very moment today, Mark is taking is board exam. Eek!!! I'm nervous and I'm not even the one taking the test! It's that last hurdle...that very last one that he has to jump over to make it to the finish line. Once this is over, he's done. For good! Like for.ev.er!!! No more school! No more stressing over exams! No more panicking over whether he'll make it or not! (Of course, I always knew he would...) He...I guess I should say "we"...cheerleaders get to be included, right???....finally did it! It reminds me a lot of when I was a cross country runner back in high school. There was this one course that we had to run every year in Aberdeen, MS. The very last fifty or so yards were straight up hill. As if we weren't tired and beat down enough, in order to prove that we could hang, we had to complete our sprint up a forty-five degree angle. Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But after two miles of trucking it, it sure felt pretty ridiculously steep! I imagine that's what Mark is feeling like right now. But he'll make it up the hill. Even if he has to crawl. At this point, who cares as long as he makes it to the finish line. He'll definitely be the first place finisher in my books.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 34
1. We survived the Colorado trip! And I must say that it was actually far better than Mark and I had anticipated. Call us pessimists, but going in to the trip something told us it might just be a nightmare. We were probably just tired from the previous two trips. And even after twelve hours travelling there, we were wondering if we should just turn back. But now we're so glad that we didn't! It was gor.geous! And we had so much fun with our family, too. It was different from our typical beach trips where we sit around and do nothing. On this trip, there was always something going on. Heck, I probably got more exercise there than I have in a long time! As for the boys, I'll give them an A- considering all we put them through. They really were great...most of the time! The only major set back was their rising at roughly 5:30 every morning. Partially because of the time difference (it was 6:30 in their little minds), and partially because they were sleeping in the room with both us and Pat and the curtains didn't completely block out the rising sun. They're used to their little nests of soft blankies, utter darkness, and white noise from the humidifier. Otherwise, I really can't complain much. I'd love to go back. And actually, we're going to get the chance sooner than later because our family reunion is being hosted very near to where we stayed next summer! Can't wait!
2. Of course, no vacation with kids would be complete without at least one little "mommy's nightmare." We ate the majority of our meals at my aunt and uncle's condo throughout the week. They make very elaborate breakfasts and each morning there was a large bowl of fresh fruit to accompany the various other dishes. Kolbe has always been a fruit lover and everyone kept going on and on about how much he was eating or how he loved the fruit. I repetitively jumped in and explained that he couldn't eat too much or he'd have bathroom problems. Sure enough, on Saturday afternoon, our last day, Kolbe came running over to me, frantic. "Mama, Mama! Me need go poops. Me need go POOPS!!!" Total panic had set in and he was crying. I rushed him as fast as I could to the bathroom only to discover that it was too late. Way too late. To make matters worse, I glanced back down the hall to see the whole family peeking in and one or two of them cleaning up "something" on the floor. I was mortified. Sure enough, that something had made its way all the way down his pants legs and left little droppings along the path. It was beyond the point of wiping him up. He went straight to the tub and got a massive rinsing followed by a full on shower and scrub down. Then I got to go at the tub with the Ajax and a scrubber. Poor kid. I felt bad for him. And for me. Just about the only good thing that came out the whole situation was that it forced me to go ahead and do the laundry at the condo instead of doing it once we got home. It sure was nice to open suitcases of clean clothes!
3. While we were in Colorado, I got to spend a lot of time with my Aunt Mara (Dad's sister), my Uncle Jeff, my cousin Sarah (their daughter), and my cousin Reed (also a Hefferly cousin from another of my dad's sisters...he is a junior at the Air Force Academy). Since returning home, I've thought a lot about them. Growing up Air Force, we were never really close to any of our cousins. Sure, we'd come to Lubbock roughly once a year and see family. And every now and then we'd some how connect with my dad's family that is spread all over the States. But never the live-on-the-same-street-go-to-the-same-schools kind of closeness that some cousins have. After moving to Lubbock to go to Tech, I naturally got very close to my mom's family here in Lubbock. I could probably tell you about each and every aunt, uncle, or cousin and what's going on in their life. And that's saying a lot, considering my mom is one of eight kids and there's something like twenty-seven grandkids. But it's not that way with my Hefferly cousins. I've seen Sarah twice since she was born. Once when she was three and they drove down for my wedding. Another time when she was four and they drove down for Andy's wedding. She's now seven. As for Reed, we used to see him every Thanksgiving when we were stationed in Mississippi. We would drive to his family's home in Georgia to share the holiday. But the last time that happened, I was eighteen and he was ten. Flash forward ten years and I'm now a married mom of two and he's a grown man pursuing his dreams of becoming a pilot. It really was a delight to catch up with these family members. To see who they are now. To see how much, despite so much time, we are so alike. To know that despite the distance, we are still family. And always will be. And it just makes me wonder about my other cousins. Reed's sisters Kristen and Madison. And entire separate family of Hefferlys with Fleming, Clancy, Mary Kendall, and Luke. I wish there was some way to bring us all back together. It's so hard once "life" begins to keep the ties with everyone else. Yet still so important all at the same time.
2. Of course, no vacation with kids would be complete without at least one little "mommy's nightmare." We ate the majority of our meals at my aunt and uncle's condo throughout the week. They make very elaborate breakfasts and each morning there was a large bowl of fresh fruit to accompany the various other dishes. Kolbe has always been a fruit lover and everyone kept going on and on about how much he was eating or how he loved the fruit. I repetitively jumped in and explained that he couldn't eat too much or he'd have bathroom problems. Sure enough, on Saturday afternoon, our last day, Kolbe came running over to me, frantic. "Mama, Mama! Me need go poops. Me need go POOPS!!!" Total panic had set in and he was crying. I rushed him as fast as I could to the bathroom only to discover that it was too late. Way too late. To make matters worse, I glanced back down the hall to see the whole family peeking in and one or two of them cleaning up "something" on the floor. I was mortified. Sure enough, that something had made its way all the way down his pants legs and left little droppings along the path. It was beyond the point of wiping him up. He went straight to the tub and got a massive rinsing followed by a full on shower and scrub down. Then I got to go at the tub with the Ajax and a scrubber. Poor kid. I felt bad for him. And for me. Just about the only good thing that came out the whole situation was that it forced me to go ahead and do the laundry at the condo instead of doing it once we got home. It sure was nice to open suitcases of clean clothes!
3. While we were in Colorado, I got to spend a lot of time with my Aunt Mara (Dad's sister), my Uncle Jeff, my cousin Sarah (their daughter), and my cousin Reed (also a Hefferly cousin from another of my dad's sisters...he is a junior at the Air Force Academy). Since returning home, I've thought a lot about them. Growing up Air Force, we were never really close to any of our cousins. Sure, we'd come to Lubbock roughly once a year and see family. And every now and then we'd some how connect with my dad's family that is spread all over the States. But never the live-on-the-same-street-go-to-the-same-schools kind of closeness that some cousins have. After moving to Lubbock to go to Tech, I naturally got very close to my mom's family here in Lubbock. I could probably tell you about each and every aunt, uncle, or cousin and what's going on in their life. And that's saying a lot, considering my mom is one of eight kids and there's something like twenty-seven grandkids. But it's not that way with my Hefferly cousins. I've seen Sarah twice since she was born. Once when she was three and they drove down for my wedding. Another time when she was four and they drove down for Andy's wedding. She's now seven. As for Reed, we used to see him every Thanksgiving when we were stationed in Mississippi. We would drive to his family's home in Georgia to share the holiday. But the last time that happened, I was eighteen and he was ten. Flash forward ten years and I'm now a married mom of two and he's a grown man pursuing his dreams of becoming a pilot. It really was a delight to catch up with these family members. To see who they are now. To see how much, despite so much time, we are so alike. To know that despite the distance, we are still family. And always will be. And it just makes me wonder about my other cousins. Reed's sisters Kristen and Madison. And entire separate family of Hefferlys with Fleming, Clancy, Mary Kendall, and Luke. I wish there was some way to bring us all back together. It's so hard once "life" begins to keep the ties with everyone else. Yet still so important all at the same time.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 33
1. I'll be real honest; I'm not writing this on Thursday. In fact, I'm writing it on Tuesday. But as you read it, on Thursday, I'm enjoying a Colorado vacation and celebrating my anniversary with my husband and family. We returned home from the second leg of our travelling extravaganza late Sunday evening...I think technically it was Monday morning...spent all day Monday unpacking, doing laundry, and recovering. Today we're back to packing again. Total craziness, I tell you. Dallas was a blast though. We had so much fun visiting Brian and Cristi and just enjoyed the time away from Lubbock. Brian called us about an hour after he left and said that he and Cristi were sitting back in their apartment and feeling sad over how quiet it was. I suppose it was kind of like when the circus comes to town for them! I don't think Mark and I can even fathom what it would be like to live in a quiet house. In our world, quiet means someone is probably getting in to some form of trouble.
2. While in Dallas, I finally got to visit one of the meccas I've had on my list for quite some time: Ikea. When I have time to stalk random blogs I usually end up on ones that have something to do with crafts, sewing, or home decorating. Almost all of them mention items they found at Ikea time and time again. We all went on Sunday (kids included) and spent a few hours meandering around. Mostly I was just trying to take everything in. Next time I go, I'm sure I'll have a list of things to look for. It was overwhelming! I did walk away with a few purchases but nothing major. Among other things, I saw an adorable red dresser that I would love to have in the boys' room to replace their current 20+ year old one that nearly collapses every time I pull a drawer out. I also saw countless options of furniture that Mark and I could put in our room. Bedroom furniture for us has always been on our "someday" list. Currently we have a conglomeration of mis-matched what-ever-we-could-find type items. Like both of us have end tables for night stands--mine, a nice cherry color, and his more of a blond wood. And both dressers are of the particle board variety. But someday...someday we'll get nice matching dressers and nightstands. And maybe even the mirror that goes over the dresser!
Hopefully they'll be just right when we get back from Colorado and we can finally make the batch of salsa we've been planning!
2. While in Dallas, I finally got to visit one of the meccas I've had on my list for quite some time: Ikea. When I have time to stalk random blogs I usually end up on ones that have something to do with crafts, sewing, or home decorating. Almost all of them mention items they found at Ikea time and time again. We all went on Sunday (kids included) and spent a few hours meandering around. Mostly I was just trying to take everything in. Next time I go, I'm sure I'll have a list of things to look for. It was overwhelming! I did walk away with a few purchases but nothing major. Among other things, I saw an adorable red dresser that I would love to have in the boys' room to replace their current 20+ year old one that nearly collapses every time I pull a drawer out. I also saw countless options of furniture that Mark and I could put in our room. Bedroom furniture for us has always been on our "someday" list. Currently we have a conglomeration of mis-matched what-ever-we-could-find type items. Like both of us have end tables for night stands--mine, a nice cherry color, and his more of a blond wood. And both dressers are of the particle board variety. But someday...someday we'll get nice matching dressers and nightstands. And maybe even the mirror that goes over the dresser!
3. The Asmussen Garden has still continued to flourish though it's been painstaking waiting for the tomatoes to ripen! How do you explain to a two-year-old that "we can pick them in just a few more days..." when a few more days turns in to weeks!?! The jalapenos have been doing great, or so Mark says. The boys and I pick them for him and he blackens them and eats them whole. No thank you. My stomach is way to sensitive! But as of today we have several jalapenos that are ripe for the pickin' and the largest of our tomatoes look like this:
Hopefully they'll be just right when we get back from Colorado and we can finally make the batch of salsa we've been planning!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 32
1. We are one-fourth of the way through our month full of travelling. Translation: we've completed one of four trips that we will be taking between now and the beginning of September. With two boys under the age of three in tow, I know we're crazy and probably even unrealistic. But we're going for it. And hoping for the best. Did I mention that three of the four trips are via car? The first trip was this past weekend to Dalhart, TX. Mark's grandparents live there, so we went to celebrate Grandma's 80th birthday. While the trip was just a little over 24-hours long and completely crazy, we still had a blast and really enjoyed our visit. I particularly enjoyed getting to see the many places where Mark played as a child when he went to stay with his grandparents. I love hearing other peoples' stories. And I love just sitting back and watching people who all love each other coming together. There's just something about their faces that says "joy." The boys did fantastic in the car, both ways. It's only a three hour drive, so it was a great trip to start out with to get the boys acclimated to travelling. The only low point was sleeping in the hotel. Kolbe did fine, but Reagan was not a fan. I guess the strange noises and sights made him feel scared. He took a next-to-nothing nap and woke up countless times in the middle of the night. We've been home for a few days and are gearing up for trip number two tomorrow. We will be driving to Dallas to visit Mark's brother Brian and sister-in-law Cristi. Can't wait to go spend time with them on their turf instead of ours, how it usually is! We'll be back from Dallas on Sunday and then off on a nine hour drive to Colorado next Wednesday. I am sure that one will be the doosy! We are driving up there for a little vacation with all of my brothers and their families...except for Dave. Should be a lot of fun! After returning from that trip, Mark leaves for Chicago to attend a board review for his board exam while we stay in Lubbock to celebrate my cousin Tim's wedding. Mark takes his board exam September 2nd and after that we head to Houston to visit my parents for a few days. That trip is via plane, thank God! Why all the travelling? Well, Mark starts his new job on September 13th and we're pretty sure we won't be travelling much after that! Better enjoy it while we can!
2. This past weekend, prior to going to Dalhart on Saturday, I went to Midland to be with Mark for his final white coat ceremony. And I went alone. Sans the boys. My mother was coerced in to flying up to watch them for one evening so I could go up and attend Mark's class party on Thursday evening and then the white coat ceremony on Friday. It was the first time that I've left Reagan for an evening. Ever. Of course I was a little bit apprehensive and talked about the boys the entire time and worried about them and wondered how they were doing, but everything went just fine. And as I came to discover, I think it's probably a good thing to get away every now and then. Even if it is just for one night. Thinking about them and missing them made me realize how blessed I am to have them. I think there are times when I'm burnt out and feel the strain of mothering twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Having that one day away reaffirmed how much I love them and how precious they are to me.
3. So if you haven't figured it out already, Mark is D-O-N-E!!! (*choir of angels begins singing*) As of last Friday he is completely finished with PA School and has just one major hurdle ahead of him: his board exam. This is a time we knew we'd eventually reach, but it always seemed like it was so far off. And now that we're here, it feel so strange! No more school! Mark has been in school for our entire relationship. And now he's not. Hooray! And you know what, I am SO proud of him. Proud enough to use caps, bold, italics, and underline. He has worked so hard. Seriously, so hard. Never giving up despite the mounds of other stuff going on (can we say several surgeries for child #1, second pregnancy for wife, birth of second child...all of which occurred while living over one hundred miles away from mentioned persons...) It has been tough. Real tough. But all things worth doing come at some form of a cost, and you know what? We wouldn't change anything about all we've been through to get to this point. We're exactly where God wants us to be and it's such a good feeling. So what's next for us? Mark has accepted a job here in Lubbock with a team of neurosurgeons. Brain surgery. Scary, huh!?! I've already told him not to bring work home...ha! But again, I couldn't be prouder of my husband and I'm so excited for the next chapter of our lives!
2. This past weekend, prior to going to Dalhart on Saturday, I went to Midland to be with Mark for his final white coat ceremony. And I went alone. Sans the boys. My mother was coerced in to flying up to watch them for one evening so I could go up and attend Mark's class party on Thursday evening and then the white coat ceremony on Friday. It was the first time that I've left Reagan for an evening. Ever. Of course I was a little bit apprehensive and talked about the boys the entire time and worried about them and wondered how they were doing, but everything went just fine. And as I came to discover, I think it's probably a good thing to get away every now and then. Even if it is just for one night. Thinking about them and missing them made me realize how blessed I am to have them. I think there are times when I'm burnt out and feel the strain of mothering twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Having that one day away reaffirmed how much I love them and how precious they are to me.
3. So if you haven't figured it out already, Mark is D-O-N-E!!! (*choir of angels begins singing*) As of last Friday he is completely finished with PA School and has just one major hurdle ahead of him: his board exam. This is a time we knew we'd eventually reach, but it always seemed like it was so far off. And now that we're here, it feel so strange! No more school! Mark has been in school for our entire relationship. And now he's not. Hooray! And you know what, I am SO proud of him. Proud enough to use caps, bold, italics, and underline. He has worked so hard. Seriously, so hard. Never giving up despite the mounds of other stuff going on (can we say several surgeries for child #1, second pregnancy for wife, birth of second child...all of which occurred while living over one hundred miles away from mentioned persons...) It has been tough. Real tough. But all things worth doing come at some form of a cost, and you know what? We wouldn't change anything about all we've been through to get to this point. We're exactly where God wants us to be and it's such a good feeling. So what's next for us? Mark has accepted a job here in Lubbock with a team of neurosurgeons. Brain surgery. Scary, huh!?! I've already told him not to bring work home...ha! But again, I couldn't be prouder of my husband and I'm so excited for the next chapter of our lives!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 31
1. Mark has been gone this week and boy, has it been brutal! I almost always take for granted the sheer relief that his simple presence in our house brings. On a typical day, the boys and I go, go, go all the way up until dinner time. Toys, books, parks, walks, errands, meals, crafts...I do my best to make the day-time hours full and eventful. So by the time Mark gets home from work, we usually eat and then I manage to stumble to the couch and collapse. The boys still continue to play and do more "stuff" like books and baths and jammies and whatnot, but for those few hours before bed, Mark and I are able to collaborate on all the chores as well as have time to visit with each other. It's less direct one-on-two care of the boys like I give them during the day and more just hanging out as a family. But when he's gone, the boys don't seem to be able to make that differentiation. Dinner wraps up, and they're still demanding full attention. Seriously, last night, I gave up and just laid on the floor and let them climb all over me instead of playing chase like Kolbe wanted. "Dog-pile Mama" was just about all I had left in me. Thank God Mark is just in Midland for this week. And thank God he's not in P.A. School there in Midland during this stage of the boys' lives! I realize that I did this every day, every week for a year and a half a while back, but I had an fifteen-month-old and a newborn...not a two-and-a-half year old and a one-and-a-half year old! Babies are exhausting because you don't get much sleep; toddlers are exhausting because they are physically exhausting! Literally...Exhausting.
2. Did you know that Pop-a-Lock is free if their visit involves extracting a baby? It's true. And yes, I learned this from experience. Yep, yesterday I had an ultimately-bad-mom moment and managed to lock poor Rudy in the car. With the keys in the ignition. Really, I had the best of intentions. We arrived home from the grocery store and one of Kolbe's favorite songs was playing on the radio. After turning off the car, he begged for me to turn it back on so he could dance. Obliging, I turned on the battery so the radio would play but didn't crank the car. After unbuckling both boys, I decided to let them climb out on their own so they could dance while I carried in all the groceries. (We were in the closed garage.) After a few back and forth trips, Kolb came in and said, "Mama, open door so me get in car." Upon returning to the garage I found all the doors of the car closed. With Rudy inside. Car still on. Baby hysterical. Hoping against hope, I frantically tried to convince Ru to hit the unlook button on the door. I knew Kolbe could do this so surely Rudy could too! Yeah, right. Within minutes his whole head was covered in sweat and his wailing only made it worse. I immediately called Pop-a-Lock and put in a request for them to send someone out, explaining that it was an emergency and my seventeen-month-old was in the running vehicle. Meanwhile, I continued to try to comfort and coax the little guy into hitting either of the buttons on the door. At one point he did hit the window button, opening the window just a crack. Cheering, congratulating, praising...nothing could convince him to do it again. So I began trying to stick things through the window, trying to reach the buttons myself. I thought I might have had it with Mark's fishing rod at one point, but it just continued to slide right off the button. Finally the Pop-a-Lock guy arrived and freed my poor soaking wet, red-faced baby. And wouldn't you know it, his crying stopped instantly. He wouldn't even stick around for a minute or two to let me hug on him. Just ran right off with Kolbe to continue their daily shenanigans. The Pop-a-Lock guy explained that most people call 911 (duh.) and so they have a contract with the fire department. When someone makes a 911 call with this situation, both the fire department and Pop-a-Lock get dispatched. If the fire department gets there first, they usually break out the window. So he congratulated me for just calling them instead and said that there would be no charge since it would actually be filed with fire department. Kind of a nice consolation for such a horrible event. Like lady, you're so ridiculous for allowing this situation to happen that we're going to spare you the financial burden since you're quite obviously burdened already. (*Laura bites bottom lip and hangs head in shame*)
3. Toot, toot! Yep, that's me tooting my horn. Why? Because I accomplished something that I've always wanted to do. Well, I guess I shouldn't say always, considering I've only known how to work a sewing machine for about one year now. But when I was little I always liked quilts and thought they must be amazingly hard to make. And then when I started sewing last summer, I decided that if I ever figured it all out, I would make a quilt some day. I never thought I'd be able to accomplish it just one year later! But alas, I have managed to make a completed I-spy quilt for the boys and I am so proud of it! Actually, it's kind of one of those things where I look at it and think Man, twenty years from now I'm going to look at this thing and cringe at what a horrible job I did! But it's my very first so it's not supposed to be perfect. And really the only parts that I think are kind of bad involve the actual quilting. The quilting itself is hard. Unless you have a big machine that does it for you. I did mine completely with a free-motion foot on my machine, meaning I had to manually feed it all through there myself and create a free-hand pattern by moving the quilt around in squigley patterns. It was tough! Luckily, Mark took the boys to the park for a good forty-five minutes after their nap on the day I quilted it so I could finish. And then hand stitching the binding on took another several hours as well. Now I can see why quilts are so expensive and so precious to so many families. And I must say, that I have loved the reaction to it that I've gotten from the boys. The quilt has eighty-eight squares, each with a different object on it so we can lay it out on the floor and play I-spy. They love it! Kolb is great at finding the items I spy, while Rudy just points at any random object when I call something out. It's adorable! From what I had heard, most sewers either love quilting or hate it. I definitely loved it and look forward to starting a new one soon! Here's a little peek at my first quilt:
2. Did you know that Pop-a-Lock is free if their visit involves extracting a baby? It's true. And yes, I learned this from experience. Yep, yesterday I had an ultimately-bad-mom moment and managed to lock poor Rudy in the car. With the keys in the ignition. Really, I had the best of intentions. We arrived home from the grocery store and one of Kolbe's favorite songs was playing on the radio. After turning off the car, he begged for me to turn it back on so he could dance. Obliging, I turned on the battery so the radio would play but didn't crank the car. After unbuckling both boys, I decided to let them climb out on their own so they could dance while I carried in all the groceries. (We were in the closed garage.) After a few back and forth trips, Kolb came in and said, "Mama, open door so me get in car." Upon returning to the garage I found all the doors of the car closed. With Rudy inside. Car still on. Baby hysterical. Hoping against hope, I frantically tried to convince Ru to hit the unlook button on the door. I knew Kolbe could do this so surely Rudy could too! Yeah, right. Within minutes his whole head was covered in sweat and his wailing only made it worse. I immediately called Pop-a-Lock and put in a request for them to send someone out, explaining that it was an emergency and my seventeen-month-old was in the running vehicle. Meanwhile, I continued to try to comfort and coax the little guy into hitting either of the buttons on the door. At one point he did hit the window button, opening the window just a crack. Cheering, congratulating, praising...nothing could convince him to do it again. So I began trying to stick things through the window, trying to reach the buttons myself. I thought I might have had it with Mark's fishing rod at one point, but it just continued to slide right off the button. Finally the Pop-a-Lock guy arrived and freed my poor soaking wet, red-faced baby. And wouldn't you know it, his crying stopped instantly. He wouldn't even stick around for a minute or two to let me hug on him. Just ran right off with Kolbe to continue their daily shenanigans. The Pop-a-Lock guy explained that most people call 911 (duh.) and so they have a contract with the fire department. When someone makes a 911 call with this situation, both the fire department and Pop-a-Lock get dispatched. If the fire department gets there first, they usually break out the window. So he congratulated me for just calling them instead and said that there would be no charge since it would actually be filed with fire department. Kind of a nice consolation for such a horrible event. Like lady, you're so ridiculous for allowing this situation to happen that we're going to spare you the financial burden since you're quite obviously burdened already. (*Laura bites bottom lip and hangs head in shame*)
3. Toot, toot! Yep, that's me tooting my horn. Why? Because I accomplished something that I've always wanted to do. Well, I guess I shouldn't say always, considering I've only known how to work a sewing machine for about one year now. But when I was little I always liked quilts and thought they must be amazingly hard to make. And then when I started sewing last summer, I decided that if I ever figured it all out, I would make a quilt some day. I never thought I'd be able to accomplish it just one year later! But alas, I have managed to make a completed I-spy quilt for the boys and I am so proud of it! Actually, it's kind of one of those things where I look at it and think Man, twenty years from now I'm going to look at this thing and cringe at what a horrible job I did! But it's my very first so it's not supposed to be perfect. And really the only parts that I think are kind of bad involve the actual quilting. The quilting itself is hard. Unless you have a big machine that does it for you. I did mine completely with a free-motion foot on my machine, meaning I had to manually feed it all through there myself and create a free-hand pattern by moving the quilt around in squigley patterns. It was tough! Luckily, Mark took the boys to the park for a good forty-five minutes after their nap on the day I quilted it so I could finish. And then hand stitching the binding on took another several hours as well. Now I can see why quilts are so expensive and so precious to so many families. And I must say, that I have loved the reaction to it that I've gotten from the boys. The quilt has eighty-eight squares, each with a different object on it so we can lay it out on the floor and play I-spy. They love it! Kolb is great at finding the items I spy, while Rudy just points at any random object when I call something out. It's adorable! From what I had heard, most sewers either love quilting or hate it. I definitely loved it and look forward to starting a new one soon! Here's a little peek at my first quilt:
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 30
1. Yesterday was no bueno. Actually, it really wasn't that bad. I'm just too much of a perfectionist. I don't allow myself to make mistakes.
Ever.
Especially when they're mistakes that cost us money....Money that we don't have!
So what did I do that was oh, so awful? Oh, only ordered my husband's seventy-seven dollar white coat about four sizes too small. And honestly, I thought I was being the best wife ever when I ordered it. Back in May he handed me a paper from his teachers in Midland explaining where you could get really nice white coats for their white coat ceremony. He has spent a full year wearing a really crappy short white coat during his clinical year and I wanted him to have a really nice long one for beginning his career as a PA. (short is for students, long is for clinicians) So I placed an order on May 10th from one of the sites recommended on the handout and planned on giving it to him as a surprise for Father's Day. Then I got the email confirmation saying that shipping usually takes about EIGHT weeks for custom orders. So there went the Father's Day idea. And here we are just over ELEVEN weeks later. Just a week before the long coat ceremony. The coat is beautiful. Nice, luxurious white cotton. Just small enough to fit me, not him. Somewhere in my ridiculous mind I ordered him the completely wrong size. Oh, and only coats that are not embroidered can be returned. Too bad I spent the extra money to have his name and credentials embroidered. Erg. And there's absolutely no way to let it out a bit. If only it had been a little too big. So off Mark went to the local scrub shop to pick up one of the cheap, crappy ones similar to his short coat. And once it's embroidered, I think we will have dropped roughly $120 and walked away with a yucky, crappy, cheap-o long white coat. Congrats, honey. I know, I know. I need not be so rough on myself. But 99% of the time, I can correct any little problem, fix any little mishap. It's that measly one perfect where there's absolutely nothing I can do that just kills me! Especially when there's money involved! I can't help but mentally list all the things I could have used that wasted money for. Instead, we have a $77 white coat to add to the Halloween costume box.
2. Want to know what's not cool?
The terrible twos.
Want to know what's really not cool?
Two children in the terrible twos.
That's right. My sweet little dumpling, Rudy has decided to join the ranks of other pre-two-year-olds that decide to give the terrible twos an early go. And don't get me wrong. He's not that bad at all. And neither is Kolb for that matter. But he has definitely decided to develop a little mind of his own all of a sudden. And picked up on a few actions that I certainly didn't teach him! Kolb, on the other hand, is on his way out. Not that he's suddenly become an angel. He still likes to rock his crooked hallow. But the reason he is on his way out, is that he's beginning to understand the choice to be good or bad. He's aware that he can be good. Or he can be bad. Here's a scenario from this week:
...Kolbe is playing with something he knows he's not supposed to touch...
Me: Kolbe, go put that back in the closet, please.
Kolbe: No, me just do dat one more time.
Me: Kolbe, I just asked you to put that away. Please go put it up.
Kolbe: NO!!!
Me: Excuse me? Go to your room please.
(crying, fit-throwing begins, though he does go to his room as told. Two minutes later I retrieve him from his room to rejoin society. We begin looking at books when I notice that Reagan has somehow found a passie that obviously had been overlooked. He's not supposed to have one unless he's in his bed so I snatch it from his mouth.)
Me: Rudy, you're not supposed to have a passie right now, baby.
Rudy: Uhhhhhh....wahhhhhhhh!!!
(He turns and gives me his best tear-stained, lip-pouting face, waits a sec for my response, wails even louder when I shake my head 'no', and then has the audacity to rear back and hit me on the top of the head with his closed fist.)
Me: Rudy Mark! Absolutely not, mister. We do not hit!
Kolbe: Mama, RuRu be bad boy dist like me be bad boy.
mmmmm-hmmmm. See. He knows.
3. It has been a while since I wrote about something around the house that I just love or am thankful for, but I've gotten a few new things recently that I just can't go without mentioning. You may remember a while back when I wrote about how I loathe vinyl table clothes. But some brilliant genius somewhere has created a solution! (enter singing angels) While looking for a birthday present for my brother at Bed Bath and Beyond the other day, my mom and I came across a these tablecloths that profess to be "fabric with the ease of vinyl." Hmm. A tablecloth that doesn't look like vinyl but acts like vinyl? I'm in. And you know what? It totally lives up to all that it professes to be! Looks like a pretty tablecloth, but everything from milk to ketchup to applesauce to spaghetti sauce has wiped right off just as if it were vinyl. And it's not one of those tablecloths where the liquid just beads up on it but the stains set in. It literally acts just like a vinyl tablecloth but doesn't look anything like one. Plus, it matches my kitchen, to boot! And the 20% off coupons that show up in the mailbox all the time help off set the slightly-more-than-vinyl price. Totally worth it.
Ever.
Especially when they're mistakes that cost us money....Money that we don't have!
So what did I do that was oh, so awful? Oh, only ordered my husband's seventy-seven dollar white coat about four sizes too small. And honestly, I thought I was being the best wife ever when I ordered it. Back in May he handed me a paper from his teachers in Midland explaining where you could get really nice white coats for their white coat ceremony. He has spent a full year wearing a really crappy short white coat during his clinical year and I wanted him to have a really nice long one for beginning his career as a PA. (short is for students, long is for clinicians) So I placed an order on May 10th from one of the sites recommended on the handout and planned on giving it to him as a surprise for Father's Day. Then I got the email confirmation saying that shipping usually takes about EIGHT weeks for custom orders. So there went the Father's Day idea. And here we are just over ELEVEN weeks later. Just a week before the long coat ceremony. The coat is beautiful. Nice, luxurious white cotton. Just small enough to fit me, not him. Somewhere in my ridiculous mind I ordered him the completely wrong size. Oh, and only coats that are not embroidered can be returned. Too bad I spent the extra money to have his name and credentials embroidered. Erg. And there's absolutely no way to let it out a bit. If only it had been a little too big. So off Mark went to the local scrub shop to pick up one of the cheap, crappy ones similar to his short coat. And once it's embroidered, I think we will have dropped roughly $120 and walked away with a yucky, crappy, cheap-o long white coat. Congrats, honey. I know, I know. I need not be so rough on myself. But 99% of the time, I can correct any little problem, fix any little mishap. It's that measly one perfect where there's absolutely nothing I can do that just kills me! Especially when there's money involved! I can't help but mentally list all the things I could have used that wasted money for. Instead, we have a $77 white coat to add to the Halloween costume box.
2. Want to know what's not cool?
The terrible twos.
Want to know what's really not cool?
Two children in the terrible twos.
That's right. My sweet little dumpling, Rudy has decided to join the ranks of other pre-two-year-olds that decide to give the terrible twos an early go. And don't get me wrong. He's not that bad at all. And neither is Kolb for that matter. But he has definitely decided to develop a little mind of his own all of a sudden. And picked up on a few actions that I certainly didn't teach him! Kolb, on the other hand, is on his way out. Not that he's suddenly become an angel. He still likes to rock his crooked hallow. But the reason he is on his way out, is that he's beginning to understand the choice to be good or bad. He's aware that he can be good. Or he can be bad. Here's a scenario from this week:
...Kolbe is playing with something he knows he's not supposed to touch...
Me: Kolbe, go put that back in the closet, please.
Kolbe: No, me just do dat one more time.
Me: Kolbe, I just asked you to put that away. Please go put it up.
Kolbe: NO!!!
Me: Excuse me? Go to your room please.
(crying, fit-throwing begins, though he does go to his room as told. Two minutes later I retrieve him from his room to rejoin society. We begin looking at books when I notice that Reagan has somehow found a passie that obviously had been overlooked. He's not supposed to have one unless he's in his bed so I snatch it from his mouth.)
Me: Rudy, you're not supposed to have a passie right now, baby.
Rudy: Uhhhhhh....wahhhhhhhh!!!
(He turns and gives me his best tear-stained, lip-pouting face, waits a sec for my response, wails even louder when I shake my head 'no', and then has the audacity to rear back and hit me on the top of the head with his closed fist.)
Me: Rudy Mark! Absolutely not, mister. We do not hit!
Kolbe: Mama, RuRu be bad boy dist like me be bad boy.
mmmmm-hmmmm. See. He knows.
3. It has been a while since I wrote about something around the house that I just love or am thankful for, but I've gotten a few new things recently that I just can't go without mentioning. You may remember a while back when I wrote about how I loathe vinyl table clothes. But some brilliant genius somewhere has created a solution! (enter singing angels) While looking for a birthday present for my brother at Bed Bath and Beyond the other day, my mom and I came across a these tablecloths that profess to be "fabric with the ease of vinyl." Hmm. A tablecloth that doesn't look like vinyl but acts like vinyl? I'm in. And you know what? It totally lives up to all that it professes to be! Looks like a pretty tablecloth, but everything from milk to ketchup to applesauce to spaghetti sauce has wiped right off just as if it were vinyl. And it's not one of those tablecloths where the liquid just beads up on it but the stains set in. It literally acts just like a vinyl tablecloth but doesn't look anything like one. Plus, it matches my kitchen, to boot! And the 20% off coupons that show up in the mailbox all the time help off set the slightly-more-than-vinyl price. Totally worth it.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
three thought thursday: episode 29
1. This post will more than likely have very few capital letters in it. or symbols that require the shift key. why? because my adorable son, rudy, managed to permanently rip off one of the shift keys and permanently disable the other to the point where you have to hold it down forcefully in order to make it work. who has time for 'forcefully' when trying to type fast/ ....yep, that slash is a question mark without the shift key. normally i attempt to be pretty diligent about keeping the laptop on a table that's out of his reach. actually, he can reach it, but he's unable to lift it and therefore can't open the top. but the other day after nap time, i was in the boys' room helping kolbe put his shoes back on while reagan toddled out to the family room. apparently i wasn't on my a-game and managed to leave the laptop sitting wide open on the couch. kolbe and i walked out to find him going to town on the laptop like an everyday news journalist. you would have thought he was frantically trying to beat a five o'clock deadline for his weekly column. i'm not sure what was so attractive about the shift keys. maybe they were weak of character in their making. 9hahaha9...yep. parentheses. oh well. my brother dave tells me you can get replacement keyboards for this pitiful dell online for a mere 410. that's ten dollars. the 4 is a dollar sign.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
2. we got to see my sweet little nephew, jackson twice in the past week. and of course his lovely mama, casey, too. 9isn't it sad how once the kids come along the parents are somehow forgotten///9 casey and jackson came to levelland from boise to stay with her parents while mike was tdy in pensacola. we went out to their house on friday night for a yummy lasagna dinner and then again yesterday for a lunch consisting of brisket, beans, potato salad, homemade bread, and a scrumptious dessert. did i mention that casey's mom, miss lynette is probably the best cook ever? hey1 the shift key worked on that question mark. anyway, baby jackson is just super sweet. and it's almost spooky how much he looks like his father. it's like an infant version of mike. and cuddling him just made me realize even more how much my babies are not babies any more. not even rudy. he's totally turning in to a real boy. but in my mind he's still a baby. always will be. kolbe too. but goodness, there's still nothin' better than cuddling an infant.
3. on the rough side of our second visit to levelland, we had quite the meltdown yesterday afternoon due to the off timing of our regularly scheduled naps. i like to think that the boys are pretty flexible. and they are. gone are the days where we had to say no to attending events or gatherings that didn't fit into their typical routine. but sometimes things just don't go as smoothly as how i hope they will. when my mom, who is in town to take care of my other nephew, john, told me we'd be going out there for lunch at noon, i quickly sketched a game-plan in my mind. kolbe can manage to put off the nap a few hours...rudy will fall asleep on the ride out to levelland...that cat-nap will tide him over a few hours...they'll both fall asleep on the way home from levelland and can finish their naps at home...things went exactly according to plan. rudy napped on the way out there and the boys were both really well-behaved. they had a great time and no fits all the way up to the point of getting into the car. and even the ride home part went as planned. but the ride home part didn't even start until 3pm. so inevitably, kolbe's nap lasted from 3 to 4:30. a far cry from 12 to 1:30. normally at 3pm he has been awake from his hour and half long nap for ....well, an hour and a half. so when he woke at 4:30, which would normally be about 30 minutes before his typical dinner time, he was all kinds of out of sorts. crying, fussing, disoriented. wouldn't let anyone touch him except for me. refused any form of typical comfort. snack. drink. cuddles. he just was not happy at all. which just went to show me that despite the fact that he's growing up faster than i can keep track of, he is still a child. and man, do they ever thrive on a schedule! a routine! something that is normal to them. 'cause when things aren't normal, there's no telling what's going to happen but there's a good chance it won't exactly be enjoyable for either kiddo or caregiver.
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
2. we got to see my sweet little nephew, jackson twice in the past week. and of course his lovely mama, casey, too. 9isn't it sad how once the kids come along the parents are somehow forgotten///9 casey and jackson came to levelland from boise to stay with her parents while mike was tdy in pensacola. we went out to their house on friday night for a yummy lasagna dinner and then again yesterday for a lunch consisting of brisket, beans, potato salad, homemade bread, and a scrumptious dessert. did i mention that casey's mom, miss lynette is probably the best cook ever? hey1 the shift key worked on that question mark. anyway, baby jackson is just super sweet. and it's almost spooky how much he looks like his father. it's like an infant version of mike. and cuddling him just made me realize even more how much my babies are not babies any more. not even rudy. he's totally turning in to a real boy. but in my mind he's still a baby. always will be. kolbe too. but goodness, there's still nothin' better than cuddling an infant.
3. on the rough side of our second visit to levelland, we had quite the meltdown yesterday afternoon due to the off timing of our regularly scheduled naps. i like to think that the boys are pretty flexible. and they are. gone are the days where we had to say no to attending events or gatherings that didn't fit into their typical routine. but sometimes things just don't go as smoothly as how i hope they will. when my mom, who is in town to take care of my other nephew, john, told me we'd be going out there for lunch at noon, i quickly sketched a game-plan in my mind. kolbe can manage to put off the nap a few hours...rudy will fall asleep on the ride out to levelland...that cat-nap will tide him over a few hours...they'll both fall asleep on the way home from levelland and can finish their naps at home...things went exactly according to plan. rudy napped on the way out there and the boys were both really well-behaved. they had a great time and no fits all the way up to the point of getting into the car. and even the ride home part went as planned. but the ride home part didn't even start until 3pm. so inevitably, kolbe's nap lasted from 3 to 4:30. a far cry from 12 to 1:30. normally at 3pm he has been awake from his hour and half long nap for ....well, an hour and a half. so when he woke at 4:30, which would normally be about 30 minutes before his typical dinner time, he was all kinds of out of sorts. crying, fussing, disoriented. wouldn't let anyone touch him except for me. refused any form of typical comfort. snack. drink. cuddles. he just was not happy at all. which just went to show me that despite the fact that he's growing up faster than i can keep track of, he is still a child. and man, do they ever thrive on a schedule! a routine! something that is normal to them. 'cause when things aren't normal, there's no telling what's going to happen but there's a good chance it won't exactly be enjoyable for either kiddo or caregiver.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 28
1. If you live within a twenty or so mile radius of Lubbock, you're well aware of the fact that it has rained off and on for about two weeks. More on than off. And at one point I think it didn't stop for a good 48 hours straight. I'm usually not one to complain the rain. But then again, it's usually refreshing. It's usually a nice cool-down to the hot summer days. It's usually enjoyable. Call me a grouch, but this time around the rain has kinda turned into a bit of a drag. Lubbock is now super steamy. A la Houston, TX. Icky. Sticky. Sweaty. As if we weren't already cooped up in the house during all the rain...now we can't be out there for more than a few minutes without Kolbe getting completely flushed and Reagan breaking out in heat rash. Not to mention...
2. The mosquitoes. Ugh! The mosquitoes! With all the standing water around, they're throwing quite the reproduction party across the whole city. It wouldn't be so bad if Kolbe and Reagan didn't react to the bites so ridiculously. We're talking golf to tennis ball sized welts. And it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't bite through your clothes. Seriously! I have a mosquito bite square in the middle of my back. I know I haven't be outside without a shirt on any time recently! And it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't seem to be somehow immune to bug repellent. So annoying! I completely douse the boys and myself in bug spray before going outside and they still manage to attack us full on. Reagan looks like a spotted leopard. And Kolbe is working the huge-growth-on-the-side-of-his-head look. Adorable, I know. I tried some of the Avon lotion stuff yesterday and it actually worked better than the regular spray on stuff. And I intend to try out the treatment you can hook up to your hose and spray in the yard and trees to kill the skeeters and their nests. Hopefully that works; otherwise, we're stuck inside for a while longer.
3. We'll stay on the outdoor/results-of-rain theme. But I'll stop with all the complaining. On a positive note, the multitude of rain has managed to add quite a bit of green to our yard. The grass...er, weeds....have never looked so lush! Mark cut the lawn and within three days it needed cutting again. But better than the green lawn are the beautiful flowers! Many many months ago I wrote about trying to develop my green thumb. And I'm so excited to see the fruits (literally!) of my labors come to fruition. Just thought I'd share a few pics of what's going on in the "Asmussen Garden" since the flood of rain kicked things into high gear. Hope they bring a little sunshine to your Thursday!
2. The mosquitoes. Ugh! The mosquitoes! With all the standing water around, they're throwing quite the reproduction party across the whole city. It wouldn't be so bad if Kolbe and Reagan didn't react to the bites so ridiculously. We're talking golf to tennis ball sized welts. And it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't bite through your clothes. Seriously! I have a mosquito bite square in the middle of my back. I know I haven't be outside without a shirt on any time recently! And it wouldn't be so bad if they didn't seem to be somehow immune to bug repellent. So annoying! I completely douse the boys and myself in bug spray before going outside and they still manage to attack us full on. Reagan looks like a spotted leopard. And Kolbe is working the huge-growth-on-the-side-of-his-head look. Adorable, I know. I tried some of the Avon lotion stuff yesterday and it actually worked better than the regular spray on stuff. And I intend to try out the treatment you can hook up to your hose and spray in the yard and trees to kill the skeeters and their nests. Hopefully that works; otherwise, we're stuck inside for a while longer.
3. We'll stay on the outdoor/results-of-rain theme. But I'll stop with all the complaining. On a positive note, the multitude of rain has managed to add quite a bit of green to our yard. The grass...er, weeds....have never looked so lush! Mark cut the lawn and within three days it needed cutting again. But better than the green lawn are the beautiful flowers! Many many months ago I wrote about trying to develop my green thumb. And I'm so excited to see the fruits (literally!) of my labors come to fruition. Just thought I'd share a few pics of what's going on in the "Asmussen Garden" since the flood of rain kicked things into high gear. Hope they bring a little sunshine to your Thursday!
Verbena...grown from seeds.
Zinnias...grown from seeds.
These actually look better in person than in this picture. They've ended up being one of my favorites. They're called bachelor buttons...or cornflowers. We grew these from seeds too. They kind of looked like weeds in the beginning but turned into the cutest little wildflowers.
I forget what this one is called. But it's pretty, right!?! It's some form of a succulent (stores its water in its leaves like a cactus). We did not grow this one from seeds. Rescued it from the dying plants cart at Walmart for $1.00. It's been pretty...and not dead...ever since!
And we finally found a good place for the Jesus statue from Popo's backyard. I bought a bag of caladium bulbs for $3 and planted them in a semi-circle around the statue back in March. Having forgotten to water them, I just assumed they were dead. But about a month ago, they started sprouting up. All six of them! Love caladiums! And the same bulbs can be replanted next year. No need to repurchase.
On to the produce. These are the tomatoes that we grew from seeds. They started in tiny seed pots. Then we moved them to a bigger pot. And finally Mark's dad came over and helped me transplant them into the ground. Now they've turned into these huge bushes. And prior to all our rain, I was kinda sad that they hadn't started producing any fruit. (despite the fact that Mark's dad told me it would probably be August before they did...)
Until I noticed these three tiny little tomatoes yesterday! Yea! I'm not sure if you can even see them in this pic. They're like the size of a peanut right now. But I can see them. And I'm excited! My very first produce! Ever! (I know...I sound like such a novice...)
And here's our jalapenos. They're much much smaller. Small, but mighty!
This plant actually has 4 jalapenos growing on it right now. I sense yummy salsa with our jalaps and tomatoes in the near future!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Kolbe Kwotes: 2nd Edition
Just thought I'd pop in and share a few "conversations" in case you were interested in eavesdropping on our little Kolbe. He is such a hoot! And oh, so smart!
Most often I hear Kolbe repeating things I say; however, lately he's been more prone to repeat things that Mark says frequently. One of these sayings happens to be "Dang girl!" It comes about it expressions such as "Dang girl! Why did you make all these cookies!?!" or "Dang girl! You got all that done today!?!" So the other day Kolbe was trying to tell me something in his special little Kolbe language....
Kolbe: Where's me's tugol go?
Me: What?
Kolbe: Me's tugol.
Me: Say it again???
Kolbe: ME'S TUUUUUGOL!!!
Me: Kolb, I can't tell what you're saying!
Kolbe: Dang, gul! I said. Me's. TUUUUUGOL!!!!
Me: You're turtle?
Kolbe: Yeah! Me's tugol!!
Me: Oh. So-rry.
A while back we were traipsing through Walmart picking up a few odds and ends. Reagan was in the cart and Kolbe was walking along behind me.
Me: Come on Kolbs. Keep up with Mama.
Kolbe: Me's wants to walk s-yow.
Me: Well Kolbe, people need to get by us. Do you want me to carry you?
Kolbe: Yes. You carry me.
Me: (after picking Kolbe up) Good grief, Kolbs! When did you get so big!?!
Kolbe: Monday.
Me: Oh really! Monday?
Kolbe: Yes. Monday. Me's gets big on Mondays.
Alrighty then.
Kolbe has become quite the disciplinarian for Reagan. Unfortunately. I often tell him he's not the boss, but he's determined to be a typical first-born....
Reagan: Waaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Eeeeeeeee!!!! Uuuuhhhhhhhh!!!!
Kolbe: Mama!!! RuRu whining!!! RuRu whining!!!
Me: Kolbe, Reagan's fine. He's just fussy cause he's hungry. I'm getting your lunch ready.
Kolbe: You tops that, RuRu! Yock it up! (Lock it up!)
....That's definitely one he picked up from Dada.
From time to time I add the word "boy" to the boys names. Such as Kolbe Boy or Rudy Boy. On top of that, I love to make up little songs using the boys' names. This morning while we were playing with puzzles, Kolbe started singing his own little song made up of both of these habits....
Kolbe: Kolbe Boy, Kolbe Boy.
Rudy Boy, Rudy Boy.
Dada Boy, Dada Boy.
....(long pause)........
Umsbody Boy, Umsbody Boy.
Umsbody Else Boy, Umsbody Else Boy....
Me: Kolbe, Who is "umsbody"???
Kolbe: You know. Umsbody else. Like Uncle Brian.
He has also become very thoughtful and conversational recently. Like he is finally aware that people have different experiences than what he's having at any given time. The other night Mark and I went to a wedding. Kolbe and Reagan stayed with Mark's mom. On the drive home, Mark and I were talking to each other about people we had seen at the wedding while Kolbs and Reagan sat in the back listening.
Kolbe: Mama!
Me: Yes, Kolb?
Kolbe: Mama, you have a good time at wedding?
Me: Well as a matter of fact, I did.
Kolbe: Un-huh. You did. And me's has good time at G-ma's. Good time.
Hopefully it won't be long before we have a post like this about Reagan! He's kind of following in Kolbe's footsteps and not saying much just yet. He likes to do his signs but still just grunts and moans a lot. Kolbe went through the language explosion around two, so I'm sure the same will happen with little guy! Love my babies!
Most often I hear Kolbe repeating things I say; however, lately he's been more prone to repeat things that Mark says frequently. One of these sayings happens to be "Dang girl!" It comes about it expressions such as "Dang girl! Why did you make all these cookies!?!" or "Dang girl! You got all that done today!?!" So the other day Kolbe was trying to tell me something in his special little Kolbe language....
Kolbe: Where's me's tugol go?
Me: What?
Kolbe: Me's tugol.
Me: Say it again???
Kolbe: ME'S TUUUUUGOL!!!
Me: Kolb, I can't tell what you're saying!
Kolbe: Dang, gul! I said. Me's. TUUUUUGOL!!!!
Me: You're turtle?
Kolbe: Yeah! Me's tugol!!
Me: Oh. So-rry.
A while back we were traipsing through Walmart picking up a few odds and ends. Reagan was in the cart and Kolbe was walking along behind me.
Me: Come on Kolbs. Keep up with Mama.
Kolbe: Me's wants to walk s-yow.
Me: Well Kolbe, people need to get by us. Do you want me to carry you?
Kolbe: Yes. You carry me.
Me: (after picking Kolbe up) Good grief, Kolbs! When did you get so big!?!
Kolbe: Monday.
Me: Oh really! Monday?
Kolbe: Yes. Monday. Me's gets big on Mondays.
Alrighty then.
Kolbe has become quite the disciplinarian for Reagan. Unfortunately. I often tell him he's not the boss, but he's determined to be a typical first-born....
Reagan: Waaaaahhhhhhh!!!! Eeeeeeeee!!!! Uuuuhhhhhhhh!!!!
Kolbe: Mama!!! RuRu whining!!! RuRu whining!!!
Me: Kolbe, Reagan's fine. He's just fussy cause he's hungry. I'm getting your lunch ready.
Kolbe: You tops that, RuRu! Yock it up! (Lock it up!)
....That's definitely one he picked up from Dada.
From time to time I add the word "boy" to the boys names. Such as Kolbe Boy or Rudy Boy. On top of that, I love to make up little songs using the boys' names. This morning while we were playing with puzzles, Kolbe started singing his own little song made up of both of these habits....
Kolbe: Kolbe Boy, Kolbe Boy.
Rudy Boy, Rudy Boy.
Dada Boy, Dada Boy.
....(long pause)........
Umsbody Boy, Umsbody Boy.
Umsbody Else Boy, Umsbody Else Boy....
Me: Kolbe, Who is "umsbody"???
Kolbe: You know. Umsbody else. Like Uncle Brian.
He has also become very thoughtful and conversational recently. Like he is finally aware that people have different experiences than what he's having at any given time. The other night Mark and I went to a wedding. Kolbe and Reagan stayed with Mark's mom. On the drive home, Mark and I were talking to each other about people we had seen at the wedding while Kolbs and Reagan sat in the back listening.
Kolbe: Mama!
Me: Yes, Kolb?
Kolbe: Mama, you have a good time at wedding?
Me: Well as a matter of fact, I did.
Kolbe: Un-huh. You did. And me's has good time at G-ma's. Good time.
Hopefully it won't be long before we have a post like this about Reagan! He's kind of following in Kolbe's footsteps and not saying much just yet. He likes to do his signs but still just grunts and moans a lot. Kolbe went through the language explosion around two, so I'm sure the same will happen with little guy! Love my babies!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 27
1. On Tuesday one of my girlfriends, Lisa, gave me a great treat. She came and watched the boys in the morning so I could go indulge in a little guilty pleasure of mine: a viewing of Eclipse. Yep, I'm one of those crazies that loved the Twilight series of books and can't get enough of the movies either. Slightly embarrassing, considering I'm a mom of two and obsess over a story-line based on high schoolers (kind of...). But hey, it's a little somethin-somethin I can enjoy completely separate of the kiddos, and lets admit it, it's fun getting into a good story line with unique characters that carry admirable qualities. And no, seeing a couple of good looking fellas on the silver screen isn't exactly torture, though I do feel like a bit of a perv for thinking so! The better looking of the two guys is younger than my baby brother! Creepo. The movie was great (the best one so far), and it was fun to get out with a couple of girlfriends during the hours when I'm normally ankle deep in toys, changing dirty diapers, or applying a fresh coat of medicine to an out of control mosquito bite. And even better, when I got home, it was nap time so it was like back-to-back me time. Score.
2. Yesterday was a total bust. I suppose that's what I get for such an awesome Tuesday. I stayed up reading way too late on Tuesday night and was not so happy when Kolbe stumbled in to our room at 4:15am soaking wet. We went to the bathroom, got him cleaned up, and back in his bed, but not without waking up Reagan in the process. By 5:00am I had all parties involved back to sleep, just to have Kolbe return at 6:00am....with Reagan hollering in the background. To clarify, these guys usually wake up around 7:30ish. And to add to it, Kolbe stayed up way too late the night before. Things just continued to unravel. Kolbe threw a colossal fit in Target because we didn't have time to stop and look at the toys. Reagan threw an entire carton of yogurt on the floor. And on and on. These things probably wouldn't have bothered me so greatly had I gotten enough sleep the night before. Why is it that after having a baby, you can easily get by with four to five hours of sleep and still somehow have enough energy to keep going!?! And here I am with two toddlers and I go one night with less than seven hours of sleep and completely lose it!!! I suppose it's got to be all those great post-baby hormones that provide the fuel to keep you going. I could have definitely used a big dose of those yesterday, because, as always, probably the biggest factor in a bad day with the boys isn't the boys; it's me and how i deal with them.
3. We are soooo close to being done with PA School. Soooo close. Actually, Mark's final white coat ceremony is a month from this past Tuesday. Granted, he doesn't take his board exam until September 2nd, but it still feels like it's just around the corner. I can taste the freedom of no school. Mark has literally been a student for our entire relationship. Dating included. It will be so weird, but so great to not have school to worry about! Not to mention a paycheck to live on instead of financial aid. School has always been a big black cloud hanging over our heads and both of us are thrilled to give it the boot. We're not crazy enough to think that there won't always be something to provide us with stress, but at least we'll have the future paved and be on the road to great things for our little family. Can't wait!
2. Yesterday was a total bust. I suppose that's what I get for such an awesome Tuesday. I stayed up reading way too late on Tuesday night and was not so happy when Kolbe stumbled in to our room at 4:15am soaking wet. We went to the bathroom, got him cleaned up, and back in his bed, but not without waking up Reagan in the process. By 5:00am I had all parties involved back to sleep, just to have Kolbe return at 6:00am....with Reagan hollering in the background. To clarify, these guys usually wake up around 7:30ish. And to add to it, Kolbe stayed up way too late the night before. Things just continued to unravel. Kolbe threw a colossal fit in Target because we didn't have time to stop and look at the toys. Reagan threw an entire carton of yogurt on the floor. And on and on. These things probably wouldn't have bothered me so greatly had I gotten enough sleep the night before. Why is it that after having a baby, you can easily get by with four to five hours of sleep and still somehow have enough energy to keep going!?! And here I am with two toddlers and I go one night with less than seven hours of sleep and completely lose it!!! I suppose it's got to be all those great post-baby hormones that provide the fuel to keep you going. I could have definitely used a big dose of those yesterday, because, as always, probably the biggest factor in a bad day with the boys isn't the boys; it's me and how i deal with them.
3. We are soooo close to being done with PA School. Soooo close. Actually, Mark's final white coat ceremony is a month from this past Tuesday. Granted, he doesn't take his board exam until September 2nd, but it still feels like it's just around the corner. I can taste the freedom of no school. Mark has literally been a student for our entire relationship. Dating included. It will be so weird, but so great to not have school to worry about! Not to mention a paycheck to live on instead of financial aid. School has always been a big black cloud hanging over our heads and both of us are thrilled to give it the boot. We're not crazy enough to think that there won't always be something to provide us with stress, but at least we'll have the future paved and be on the road to great things for our little family. Can't wait!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 26
1. Kolbe has developed the sneakiest little habit. Every day when he stumbles out of his room after his nap, I ask him: "Kolbe, are you wet or are you dry?" He used to tell the truth. But that was before he put two and two together and realized that 1) he knows where his dry undies are stored and 2) he's fully capable of changing his undies on his own. Most days he comes out and is, in fact, dry. But then there are days when he comes out and the convo goes a little something like this:
Me: Kolbe, are you wet or dry?
Kolbe: Dry.
Me: Kolbe, I'm pretty sure you had on your truck undies this morning.
Kolbe: Me wanted to wear me's Buzz Lightyears.
Me: Well where did the trucks go?
Kolbe: In me's hamper.
Me: Well are your truck undies wet or dry?
Kolbe: ummmm.....
Hey, on a positive note, at least I don't have to change the wet undies! But he fails to realize that it's more than just his undies that are wet when he has an accident. That part still gets left to good ol' mom.
2. My birthday was way too wonderful this year! It was celebrated on two separate days and was so much fun! As I wrote last week, it kind of seems like turning a non-significant age like twenty-eight is about as exciting as sweeping the kitchen floor...not horrible, but certainly nothing to rejoice over. But after so much fun and attention from my doting husband, family, and friends, maybe birthdays are something that should be amped up, no matter what the age! And it must just be blatantly obvious that I'm obsessed with sewing. I got five gift cards to either Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or Hancocks. FIVE! And two to Target! My heart has been fluttering ever since! Hey, at least my loved ones know me well! They really really shouldn't have gotten me anything, but the fact that they did just adds to my obsession. I'm sure you all can see the wheels in my head turning...
3. Notice anything special about Three Thought Thursday: Episode 26? I'm half way there! Hard for me to believe. I set out at the beginning of the year in hopes that I could force myself to write and exercise my noggin at least once a week. And honestly, around March I was starting to think it was a bad idea. But now that I've gotten in the routine of it, I must admit that I really love coming up with three little things to talk about each week. It's been a pleasant outlet to talk about things Kolbe and Reagan could care less about and Mark probably isn't interested in hearing when he gets home from an exhausting day of work. Who knows, you, dear person reading this thought, may not be interested in most of the stuff I have to say either. But thank you for reading anyway! As a stay-at-home mom, there's often times where it feels like I have absolutely no contact with the outside world...or with anyone over the age of two. And even if you are just reading this and aren't exactly holding a conversation with me, it still feels like someone is listening to me. Like I'm being heard, in a way. So thanks!
Me: Kolbe, are you wet or dry?
Kolbe: Dry.
Me: Kolbe, I'm pretty sure you had on your truck undies this morning.
Kolbe: Me wanted to wear me's Buzz Lightyears.
Me: Well where did the trucks go?
Kolbe: In me's hamper.
Me: Well are your truck undies wet or dry?
Kolbe: ummmm.....
Hey, on a positive note, at least I don't have to change the wet undies! But he fails to realize that it's more than just his undies that are wet when he has an accident. That part still gets left to good ol' mom.
2. My birthday was way too wonderful this year! It was celebrated on two separate days and was so much fun! As I wrote last week, it kind of seems like turning a non-significant age like twenty-eight is about as exciting as sweeping the kitchen floor...not horrible, but certainly nothing to rejoice over. But after so much fun and attention from my doting husband, family, and friends, maybe birthdays are something that should be amped up, no matter what the age! And it must just be blatantly obvious that I'm obsessed with sewing. I got five gift cards to either Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or Hancocks. FIVE! And two to Target! My heart has been fluttering ever since! Hey, at least my loved ones know me well! They really really shouldn't have gotten me anything, but the fact that they did just adds to my obsession. I'm sure you all can see the wheels in my head turning...
3. Notice anything special about Three Thought Thursday: Episode 26? I'm half way there! Hard for me to believe. I set out at the beginning of the year in hopes that I could force myself to write and exercise my noggin at least once a week. And honestly, around March I was starting to think it was a bad idea. But now that I've gotten in the routine of it, I must admit that I really love coming up with three little things to talk about each week. It's been a pleasant outlet to talk about things Kolbe and Reagan could care less about and Mark probably isn't interested in hearing when he gets home from an exhausting day of work. Who knows, you, dear person reading this thought, may not be interested in most of the stuff I have to say either. But thank you for reading anyway! As a stay-at-home mom, there's often times where it feels like I have absolutely no contact with the outside world...or with anyone over the age of two. And even if you are just reading this and aren't exactly holding a conversation with me, it still feels like someone is listening to me. Like I'm being heard, in a way. So thanks!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 25
1. Yesterday was Kolbe's first official dental procedure. (other than a cleaning) Before he was born, he developed a little pocket up in his gums where his cleft is. The pocket itself isn't a problem right now, but food and liquids are able to get up in to the pocket which has led to decay in his right front tooth. The plan was to do a crown on this tooth to prevent further decay but after beginning the procedure, the dentist found that his "shark tooth" (a tooth that has grown in behind his front tooth) was too close and decided to just do a filling instead. At first he doubted that Kolbe was old/mature enough to make it through the procedure. He normally doesn't even attempt it on kids younger than three without putting them completely under. He was so impressed with Kolbe at his first appointment that he decided to go for it with him. Kolbe came through with flying colors. We showed up around 8 and they had him drink some special medicine (Demerol) to give him a somewhat sedated demeanor. After hanging out for about an hour while the medicine took effect, they took us back and got started. Kolbe was a little nervous when they made him lay back on the chair and hooked him up to the blood pressure monitors, but he quickly relaxed and was nothing but compliant for the rest of the procedure. They hooked him up to some nitrous oxide before injecting his gums and finishing the filling. It only took about ten minutes total. The dentist had told me that if at any point they had to hold his arms down, they would just stop the procedure all together; they weren't going to restrain him. But Kolb kept one hand on his blankie and the other on his belly the entire time. He was absolutely great and did everything the dentist asked him to do. Didn't even flinch at the creepy drill noises! What a trooper!
2. Ok, I'm traditionally an American sports fan (football, baseball, basketball...), but I have to admit that I've gotten a little bit hooked on the World Cup. I'm sure my brother Pat would have a heart attack to read such an admission. And don't get me wrong; I can't bare to watch an entire match start to finish. Not enough offense. It's like watching a football game that ends 7-0. Or watching hockey. Or watching nascar. I have to have something else to do while watching and just look up when I hear the crowd or the announcers get excited. But I will admit that I was a bit peeved when I discovered that Kolbe's dental appointment would take place during America's game against Algeria. As soon as we got home I pulled it up on the ol' tivo, clicked play, and watched it from the beginning in super fast speed, only keeping my eyes on the score box in the top left corner. If the score changed, I would stop and watch the goal. But it never did. Till the very end. And what a great goal and win for the U.S.A! I definitely was excited that we won and am pumped that we're headed to the round of 16. Now will I become a big soccer fan? Probably not. But hey, it gives me a sport to get in to until football season starts.
3. Tomorrow is June 25th, the glorious day of my birth. A day that held such excitement in many years gone by, but seems somewhat inconsequential now. Yea! I'm twenty-eight! (...snore, snore...looks down and files nails...) But really, I suppose, it is something worth celebrating. All life is worth celebrating. And twenty-eight years ago my awesome mom did her best to bring mine out into the world. And I've been loving it ever since. Mark has been reading a book that I gave him for Father's Day and one of the chapters was about asking yourself the question How do you want people to remember you when you die? I told Mark that I wanted to be remembered as someone who loved God, who loved her husband, who loved her children, who loved her family, and who loved life. And it's true. I love those things more than all else. So I suppose my birthday is another chance to celebrate the opportunity I have to continue to love those things with all my heart until God calls me home. I'm not one of those people who fears getting old. You won't see me getting botox to hide my wrinkles. I already have some right now. And I actually like them. They're evidence of many smiles, countless conversations, and lots of laughter. I hope that someday I'll be a wrinkly-faced old lady with time-worn hands. Evidence of a life well-spent.
2. Ok, I'm traditionally an American sports fan (football, baseball, basketball...), but I have to admit that I've gotten a little bit hooked on the World Cup. I'm sure my brother Pat would have a heart attack to read such an admission. And don't get me wrong; I can't bare to watch an entire match start to finish. Not enough offense. It's like watching a football game that ends 7-0. Or watching hockey. Or watching nascar. I have to have something else to do while watching and just look up when I hear the crowd or the announcers get excited. But I will admit that I was a bit peeved when I discovered that Kolbe's dental appointment would take place during America's game against Algeria. As soon as we got home I pulled it up on the ol' tivo, clicked play, and watched it from the beginning in super fast speed, only keeping my eyes on the score box in the top left corner. If the score changed, I would stop and watch the goal. But it never did. Till the very end. And what a great goal and win for the U.S.A! I definitely was excited that we won and am pumped that we're headed to the round of 16. Now will I become a big soccer fan? Probably not. But hey, it gives me a sport to get in to until football season starts.
3. Tomorrow is June 25th, the glorious day of my birth. A day that held such excitement in many years gone by, but seems somewhat inconsequential now. Yea! I'm twenty-eight! (...snore, snore...looks down and files nails...) But really, I suppose, it is something worth celebrating. All life is worth celebrating. And twenty-eight years ago my awesome mom did her best to bring mine out into the world. And I've been loving it ever since. Mark has been reading a book that I gave him for Father's Day and one of the chapters was about asking yourself the question How do you want people to remember you when you die? I told Mark that I wanted to be remembered as someone who loved God, who loved her husband, who loved her children, who loved her family, and who loved life. And it's true. I love those things more than all else. So I suppose my birthday is another chance to celebrate the opportunity I have to continue to love those things with all my heart until God calls me home. I'm not one of those people who fears getting old. You won't see me getting botox to hide my wrinkles. I already have some right now. And I actually like them. They're evidence of many smiles, countless conversations, and lots of laughter. I hope that someday I'll be a wrinkly-faced old lady with time-worn hands. Evidence of a life well-spent.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 24
1. Kolbe spent the night out for the first (real) time this past weekend. No exclamation point on the end of that sentence as I'm filled with mixed emotions. Thus far, Kolbe has always been very attached to his mama. Don't get me wrong; he has managed to develop many very meaningful relationships with other people, but has always been a mama's-boy at the core. He has spent nights away from me on two previous occasions. The first was for three nights when I was in the hospital having Reagan. Pretty much unavoidable. But he was still staying at our house. In his own bed. The second time happened when we were travelling down to Houston a while back and he flew down an afternoon early with my mom. The following morning Reagan and I joined them. So I wrote it off as a travel incident. But this time it was all on his own deciding. He made the choice to spend the night out. And was completely ok with it. Mark and I had a date night and Mark's mom, Miss Lora, was gracious enough to watch the boys for us. After returning to her house around 9:30, we found both boys still wide awake. Of course there was no debating with Reagan; he was headed home with Mama and Dada for sure. But Kolbe teeter-tottered back and forth between wanting to stay and wanting to go. His usual method is to say that he wants to spend the night and then as soon as we start loading up the car, he changes his mind and insists on going with Mama and Dada. But this time I tried very hard to reassure him that Mama and Dada would be back for him in the morning. That he'd get to spend the night on grandma's big bed and cuddle up real tight and in the morning we'd be there to get him. I guess he believed me and as Mark, Reagan, and I loaded up the car, he stood on the front porch with Miss Lora excitedly waving goodbye. Mark and I were both certain that we'd be receiving a phone call momentarily informing us that he was freaking out and we needed to come get him. The time passed, and the call never came. As we put Reagan to bed in the boys' room, Kolbe's empty bed sure looked lonely. It just didn't seem right without him in there. Mark asked me if I was ok with it and I told him I was. After all, he is growing up. He made the choice on his own and I have to be willing to let him have his little tastes of independence when he approaches the buffet of life. As promised, Mark was waiting at Miss Lora's house for Kolbe before he woke the next morning. Not only was he oh-so-excited that he had spent the night with "G-ma," but I'm pretty sure that it just about made Miss Lora's entire week. Totally worth it to make them both happy!
2. So that one little thought could have been an entire post, right? Sorry.
Last week kicked off the beginning of two of our summer activities that we'll be enjoying this year: swim lessons and gymnastics class. Gymnastics class is filling in to replace music class which wasn't being offered this summer as the beloved Miss Kris is on vacation. It's at one of our community centers and I signed both Kolbs and Rudy up for the class. Needless to say, Kolb is one of the class's "more elite" performers and Reagan could easily be pegged the class clown. Miss Hedi is teaching the boys how to do basic motor skills such as bear crawl, frog hop, stretches, walking the balance beam, etc. Kolbe can do them all with little effort. Reagan simply runs around snatching the rings she sets on the ground for the kids to tip-toe through. Too bad they don't offer trampolining. Kolbe is the only one I signed up for swimming classes. (Thank God, right!?!) It's a mom-and-me type class that they have at Tech. Realistically speaking, he's really not learning anything any sensible parent couldn't come up with on their own. Splashing in the water, kicking in the water, blowing bubbles in the water, jumping in to the water, going under the water. Pretty simple. But my thinking on it was that we don't know anyone who has a pool and Lubbock is pretty much horrible when it comes to community pools. I wanted him to at least get the opportunity to gain some experience in the water and have some fun swimming. Not sure if we'll do it next year or not. I definitely can't handle two in the pool without some sort of flotation device to assist me and I'm doubting Mark will be able to guarantee his attendance twice a week in the evenings. Might just have to wait till Kolb is old enough to attend the real swimming lessons and Reagan and I can go to mom-and-me. Note to self: must find friend with pool.
3. Do you ever have days where you feel like you've totally got your A-game on? I do. Rarely. But every now and then, I do. Like once a year. If that. Usually it's a steady B, occasional C or D, and the rare but still present F. Yesterday was totally an A-game day. Here's how it went:
- woke up, got the boys dressed, fed them breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, headed outside
- pulled weeds for a good 30 minutes with my assistants who don't know weeds from grass
- fertilized the plants with my assistants who don't understand why it's bad to pour the fertilizer directly on to the plant instead of into the soil around it
- visited Miss Debbie, Kolbe's old sitter with my assistants who were oh-so-happy to run around on her hardwood floors
- stopped by Holland Gardens with my shopping assistants and picked out two lovely jalapeno plants
- returned home, fed boys a deliciously healthy lunch of turkey, cheese, and strawberries
- put boys down for nap
- listened to boys do shenanigans and giggle while sewing a new changing pad cover for our changing table
- actually got boys to sleep
- sewed a teeny tiny little dress for "baby," the doll that Kolbe carried around when we were trying to get him used to the idea of welcoming Reagan in to our family. Baby has been naked since we permanently borrowed her from Popo's house. It was only fair that she had an outfit of her own. And since "she" doesn't have to be a "he" any more and I'm out numbered 3 to 1, I decided "he" should be a "she" and made her an adorable little dress. Much easier than attempting pants and a shirt.
- put away sewing and went out and planted new jalapeno plants beside the tomato plants in the backyard. Made sure the little fence was secure around them so the animals...er, boys...wouldn't touch them.
- hosed down back of house to wash off dust from latest dust storm
- woke the boys from their nap
- changed Kolb's sheets from his unfortunate accident
- made a loaf of banana bread with my sous chef Kolbe while Regan played with Mark who had returned home from studying
- read books with the boys
- vacuumed and cleaned up toys
- made a dinner consisting of pork chops, noodles, peas, rolls, and gravy (also with my sous chef) and enjoyed eating it with the whole fam
- took Kolb to swimming lessons and endured thirty minutes in a freezing pool while pretending I was having the best time of my life
- returned home, bathed the boys, got them ready for bed
- bathed myself (yes, it is a required step in an A-game day)
- played with kids more
- put kids to bed
- marvelled at how well the day went!
Now if only I had done it all in heals, I could have added a plus to that A! Ha ha! I love days that run smoothly like that. The other days are great too, but man, an A-game day every once in a while is so rewarding! Cooked, cleaned, gardened, shopped, and sewed all in one day!?! Sweet. I'm usually lucky to hit about two of those. So now you know what a day in my life looks like. I'll get back with you soon on the play-by-play events of a day contributing to my lower-than-4.0 GPA. It certainly won't look nearly as earth-conquering.
2. So that one little thought could have been an entire post, right? Sorry.
Last week kicked off the beginning of two of our summer activities that we'll be enjoying this year: swim lessons and gymnastics class. Gymnastics class is filling in to replace music class which wasn't being offered this summer as the beloved Miss Kris is on vacation. It's at one of our community centers and I signed both Kolbs and Rudy up for the class. Needless to say, Kolb is one of the class's "more elite" performers and Reagan could easily be pegged the class clown. Miss Hedi is teaching the boys how to do basic motor skills such as bear crawl, frog hop, stretches, walking the balance beam, etc. Kolbe can do them all with little effort. Reagan simply runs around snatching the rings she sets on the ground for the kids to tip-toe through. Too bad they don't offer trampolining. Kolbe is the only one I signed up for swimming classes. (Thank God, right!?!) It's a mom-and-me type class that they have at Tech. Realistically speaking, he's really not learning anything any sensible parent couldn't come up with on their own. Splashing in the water, kicking in the water, blowing bubbles in the water, jumping in to the water, going under the water. Pretty simple. But my thinking on it was that we don't know anyone who has a pool and Lubbock is pretty much horrible when it comes to community pools. I wanted him to at least get the opportunity to gain some experience in the water and have some fun swimming. Not sure if we'll do it next year or not. I definitely can't handle two in the pool without some sort of flotation device to assist me and I'm doubting Mark will be able to guarantee his attendance twice a week in the evenings. Might just have to wait till Kolb is old enough to attend the real swimming lessons and Reagan and I can go to mom-and-me. Note to self: must find friend with pool.
3. Do you ever have days where you feel like you've totally got your A-game on? I do. Rarely. But every now and then, I do. Like once a year. If that. Usually it's a steady B, occasional C or D, and the rare but still present F. Yesterday was totally an A-game day. Here's how it went:
- woke up, got the boys dressed, fed them breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, headed outside
- pulled weeds for a good 30 minutes with my assistants who don't know weeds from grass
- fertilized the plants with my assistants who don't understand why it's bad to pour the fertilizer directly on to the plant instead of into the soil around it
- visited Miss Debbie, Kolbe's old sitter with my assistants who were oh-so-happy to run around on her hardwood floors
- stopped by Holland Gardens with my shopping assistants and picked out two lovely jalapeno plants
- returned home, fed boys a deliciously healthy lunch of turkey, cheese, and strawberries
- put boys down for nap
- listened to boys do shenanigans and giggle while sewing a new changing pad cover for our changing table
- actually got boys to sleep
- sewed a teeny tiny little dress for "baby," the doll that Kolbe carried around when we were trying to get him used to the idea of welcoming Reagan in to our family. Baby has been naked since we permanently borrowed her from Popo's house. It was only fair that she had an outfit of her own. And since "she" doesn't have to be a "he" any more and I'm out numbered 3 to 1, I decided "he" should be a "she" and made her an adorable little dress. Much easier than attempting pants and a shirt.
- put away sewing and went out and planted new jalapeno plants beside the tomato plants in the backyard. Made sure the little fence was secure around them so the animals...er, boys...wouldn't touch them.
- hosed down back of house to wash off dust from latest dust storm
- woke the boys from their nap
- changed Kolb's sheets from his unfortunate accident
- made a loaf of banana bread with my sous chef Kolbe while Regan played with Mark who had returned home from studying
- read books with the boys
- vacuumed and cleaned up toys
- made a dinner consisting of pork chops, noodles, peas, rolls, and gravy (also with my sous chef) and enjoyed eating it with the whole fam
- took Kolb to swimming lessons and endured thirty minutes in a freezing pool while pretending I was having the best time of my life
- returned home, bathed the boys, got them ready for bed
- bathed myself (yes, it is a required step in an A-game day)
- played with kids more
- put kids to bed
- marvelled at how well the day went!
Now if only I had done it all in heals, I could have added a plus to that A! Ha ha! I love days that run smoothly like that. The other days are great too, but man, an A-game day every once in a while is so rewarding! Cooked, cleaned, gardened, shopped, and sewed all in one day!?! Sweet. I'm usually lucky to hit about two of those. So now you know what a day in my life looks like. I'll get back with you soon on the play-by-play events of a day contributing to my lower-than-4.0 GPA. It certainly won't look nearly as earth-conquering.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 23
1. Things have finally settled down a bit around here. I guess we're getting back to normal after our crazy May. One thing that has always made me slightly cringe before travelling is the thought of having to "get back to normal" with the boys after returning home. In previous experiences, Kolbe in particular did not fare well with returning to our boring ol' lifestyle after having so much attention from my parents and other family members. Each trip involved at least a weeks worth of acting out and breaking the rules until we could establish our routine again. Don't get me wrong...my parents try to do their best to maintain our rules while we're there, but there's just so much excitement, so much fun, so much attention! I don't blame him for getting home and thinking hey! why are we just sitting here reading books? The backyard?!? You can't be serious, lady! Not to mention the broken sleeping routine from staying up later than normal! But I guess my little guy is growing up a bit. I braced myself for the standard week-long recovery from our recent trip to Houston, and wouldn't you know it, I don't even think it took a day. Kolbe is finally starting to get the concept of "the way we roll." Certainly helps me out a bunch!
2. Mark's cousin Melisa has an adorable little girl named Hayden who is just a few weeks older than Reagan. Hayden's regular sitter is on vacation this week so she has been staying with the boys and me. It has definitely given me a perspective of what it might be like to have twins! And honestly, I don't think it would be as rough as I once thought. They're at the same stage, have the same needs, like the same things. Just double whatever I'm doing for one! Not that I'm trying to have twins any time soon or anything! Also, it's been fun to have a little girl around the place for a while. They're so different than boys! Soft, dainty, cuddly...gentle. Now that's something I really wouldn't mind having in the future!
3. As always, Kolbe cracks me up with some of the stuff he says. Here's his conversation with Mark and me a few nights ago:
Mark: Kolbe, is Pinkie a girl or a boy?
Kolbe: Gul.
Me: Kolbe, is Uncle Pat a girl or a boy?
Kolbe: Boy.
Mark: What about Uncle Andy?
Kolbe: Gul! (he, he, he, he)
Me: Oh, don't be silly! Uncle Andy isn't a girl!
Kolbe: Uh-huh! Yeah!
Me: (curious as to what he would say in response...) No, what do girls have, Kolbe?
Kolbe: PONYTAILS!!!
Oh so observant! Little stinker!
2. Mark's cousin Melisa has an adorable little girl named Hayden who is just a few weeks older than Reagan. Hayden's regular sitter is on vacation this week so she has been staying with the boys and me. It has definitely given me a perspective of what it might be like to have twins! And honestly, I don't think it would be as rough as I once thought. They're at the same stage, have the same needs, like the same things. Just double whatever I'm doing for one! Not that I'm trying to have twins any time soon or anything! Also, it's been fun to have a little girl around the place for a while. They're so different than boys! Soft, dainty, cuddly...gentle. Now that's something I really wouldn't mind having in the future!
3. As always, Kolbe cracks me up with some of the stuff he says. Here's his conversation with Mark and me a few nights ago:
Mark: Kolbe, is Pinkie a girl or a boy?
Kolbe: Gul.
Me: Kolbe, is Uncle Pat a girl or a boy?
Kolbe: Boy.
Mark: What about Uncle Andy?
Kolbe: Gul! (he, he, he, he)
Me: Oh, don't be silly! Uncle Andy isn't a girl!
Kolbe: Uh-huh! Yeah!
Me: (curious as to what he would say in response...) No, what do girls have, Kolbe?
Kolbe: PONYTAILS!!!
Oh so observant! Little stinker!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 22
1. Yesterday, I took Kolbe to the movie theater for the very first time! The Cinemark theater here has a summer program where every Wednesday morning at 9:00am, you can bring your little ones to the theater to watch an old kiddie movie for just one dollar. Granted, the movies being shown aren't the current movies out at the theaters, but they're still relatively fun kid movies. I was fairly certain that Kolbe wouldn't make it through the whole movie, and I was right. He can follow the plot of a book, but not a lengthy movie! At first he was very excited about climbing up the steps to find a seat. And the massive screen was quite impressive. But about thirty minutes in he had already started in with the "go bye-byes" and "me go play, Mama." He's definitely an action boy! Unfortunately, the movie being shown appeared to be something from the seventies about a penguin trying to find a pebble. Maybe the next time we attempt it, I'll make sure it's something a little more entertaining and less musical-y. It was still so much fun for me to get to see him experience the theater for the first time. Too cute! I'm pretty sure this same summer program is available at most of the Cinemark theaters across the country. If you're interested, check out the cinemark website for more information or to see if your theater is participating. It's a steal for just a buck!
2. We have a wonderful shed/workshop in our backyard that serves as awesome storage for our family. Apparently the previous owner built the shed shortly before he sold the house to me and never got around to painting it. And here we are six years later, the shed still unpainted. Every time my dad comes to visit he mentions how if we don't paint it, it will eventually start rotting. So last Friday we got busy and four gallons of paint later, finally had a painted shed on Monday. I must admit that the shed does look a million times better. It was once a greyish color that resembled a wood fence that hadn't been stained. Now it's a lovely tan that matches the trim on our house. And I'm sure the paint will help preserve the shed for many years to come. And to be completely honest, I love, love, love doing home improvement projects. There's something about good ol' manual labor that feels so rewarding at the end of the day. Plus, the actual improvement to the property is a reward in itself. Now if only I had enough money to fund the four pages worth of home projects that I've dreamed up!
3. Mark's graduation and party two weekends ago went so well! We feel very blessed to have so many supportive family members and friends surrounding us. Mark received many generous gifts that we are so thankful for. One of them just happens to be something he's been greatly desiring for quite some time: a hammock. Every time we go over to his cousin Mika's house, he's quick to run out back and chill in their hammock. At least once every visit he asks Mika's husband Larry "Where did you get this hammock?...How much did it cost?" Sure enough, Mika and Larry surprised Mark with a hammock of his own! We finally got it set up properly in our backyard a few nights ago and have been loving hanging out in it. I'm pretty sure that when I was a baby, I probably loved the baby swing. Every time I get in the hammock I manage to doze off! Nice little cat nap! The boys love climbing in and cuddling too. In the cool Lubbock mornings this is so much fun. Of course, when they want to do it at four in the afternoon, it's pretty much miserable! Overall, it's definitely a fun little addition to our backyard. Can't wait till the fall when I can take a real nap out there without roasting!
2. We have a wonderful shed/workshop in our backyard that serves as awesome storage for our family. Apparently the previous owner built the shed shortly before he sold the house to me and never got around to painting it. And here we are six years later, the shed still unpainted. Every time my dad comes to visit he mentions how if we don't paint it, it will eventually start rotting. So last Friday we got busy and four gallons of paint later, finally had a painted shed on Monday. I must admit that the shed does look a million times better. It was once a greyish color that resembled a wood fence that hadn't been stained. Now it's a lovely tan that matches the trim on our house. And I'm sure the paint will help preserve the shed for many years to come. And to be completely honest, I love, love, love doing home improvement projects. There's something about good ol' manual labor that feels so rewarding at the end of the day. Plus, the actual improvement to the property is a reward in itself. Now if only I had enough money to fund the four pages worth of home projects that I've dreamed up!
3. Mark's graduation and party two weekends ago went so well! We feel very blessed to have so many supportive family members and friends surrounding us. Mark received many generous gifts that we are so thankful for. One of them just happens to be something he's been greatly desiring for quite some time: a hammock. Every time we go over to his cousin Mika's house, he's quick to run out back and chill in their hammock. At least once every visit he asks Mika's husband Larry "Where did you get this hammock?...How much did it cost?" Sure enough, Mika and Larry surprised Mark with a hammock of his own! We finally got it set up properly in our backyard a few nights ago and have been loving hanging out in it. I'm pretty sure that when I was a baby, I probably loved the baby swing. Every time I get in the hammock I manage to doze off! Nice little cat nap! The boys love climbing in and cuddling too. In the cool Lubbock mornings this is so much fun. Of course, when they want to do it at four in the afternoon, it's pretty much miserable! Overall, it's definitely a fun little addition to our backyard. Can't wait till the fall when I can take a real nap out there without roasting!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Three Thought Thursday: Episode 21
1. So as previously mentioned, I am currently on "vacation" down in Houston with the boys. Unfortunately, vacation has turned in to taking care of sick children in someone else's home. Remember back in February on our last trip to Houston when Reagan's barfing episode happened? Well this time around we've been blessed to not have to mess with anything toilet related; however, this time it has been both boys instead of just one. We made it down here on Sunday with the big hyped event of the trip, going to the zoo, being scheduled for Tuesday. On Monday we had fun going to the park, going to the splash pad fountains, and eating at Johnny Rocket's. We planned to leave for the zoo the next morning at 8:00am but around 4:00am Kolbe woke up with a blazing fever. All I had on hand was my NFP thermometer and he certainly didn't want his temp taken but after sticking it under his armpit I got a read over 103 degrees. We were up for almost two hours doing cool compresses and trying to get fluids down. Pinkie had to run to the store to track down some ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the fever. Needless to say, the zoo trip was squashed. Once Reagan woke up, we discovered that he had a fever too. Not as high as Kolbe's though, thank goodness. So we spent all day Tuesday attempting to control their fevers and keep them happy. But as is customary with most children, when they're sick they only want their mama. Kind of hard when they're both sick! And both want to be held. At all times! When the medicine was working, they were both completely their normal selves. But when it started to wear off, it was all drama and emotion. We were able to talk to my mom's neighbor whose boys' had a similar bug and she said that essentially it's just a fever. No other symptoms. The only problem is that it lasts several days. Not just twenty-four hours. So yesterday was spent doing much of the same thing. Attempting to do a few little fun things here and there while the medicine was in effect and then grinning and bearing it when the temps went up again. Thank goodness for Pinkie and Pa's extra hands! Guess the zoo trip will have to be postponed till our next visit.
2. My mom and I managed to sneak out (while the meds were kicked in) and head to a specialty bra store in Houston the other day. Both of us needed help in this department for entirely opposite reasons, if you know what I mean. I remember getting fitted for a bra sometime in my high school years but as that part of my body continued to change with the addition of motherhood to my life, I had always just desperately searched for anything that would fit. (and probably spent way more money on bras that didn't fit than I would have spent on a few nice ones that did if I had only gone in to get fitted!) Though it's slightly embarrassing, I must admit that it was nice to have a "professional" tell me exactly what I needed to buy to support "my people." And she gave me several other good tips that I never knew before. Like that 90% of your support needs to come from the band, not the straps. Shoot, I've been relying on the straps for years! Or that your band should only be able to stretch out about two inches from your back. If it stretches more, you need a smaller band size. So I needed a 32. Not a 36. Doh. We were in the store for over an hour but left with some awesome goodies that are sure to make my back feel a whole lot better, now that I have the right support! And call me crazy, but there's something secretly enjoyable about wearing new undie-gear. Like a new dress or new shoes, except it's a secret. You're the only one that knows about it and gets to enjoy it! One of the joys of womanhood!
3. Though it's quite shameful, I must admit that I'm a hopeless reality TV junkie. Mark always asks, "So which one of your shows is on tonight?" Pretty sad, huh. While there's countless reasons for watching them (such as mind-numbing entertainment or something to gaze my eyes on while tutoring online), there's plenty of reasons not to watch them too. This spring I literally had three reality shows that I followed: Survivor, The Biggest Loser, and Dancing With the Stars. I haven't watched Survivor since 2001 when Colby, a Tech grad was a contestant. And the only reason I watched it this season was because he was back on the show again. I've always been a Biggest Loser fan because I think the point of the show actually has merit though it's not something I personally am connected with. And as for Dancing With the Stars, it's really something my mom adores and so I started watching it on her insistence so that we could have something fun to talk about. (yes, we sit around and talk about other peoples' lives and dancing abilities.) Plus, the former dancer in me can't help but enjoy watching them dance and thinking oh I remember learning a sequence like that before or ooo, it would be fun to do that number! Mark doesn't usually like for me to watch it in front of the boys because of the scantily clad women on the show. I agree; I don't want our boys thinking that's normal. But I do have to admit that I watched this entire past season either live or tivo-ed and was sad to see it end this week. Same with Biggest Loser and Survivor. I guess now that my trio of pointless, mind-numbing, exhausting shows is over, I'll actually get some more sewing or house work done in the evenings... And probably wait for the fall when they start up again!
2. My mom and I managed to sneak out (while the meds were kicked in) and head to a specialty bra store in Houston the other day. Both of us needed help in this department for entirely opposite reasons, if you know what I mean. I remember getting fitted for a bra sometime in my high school years but as that part of my body continued to change with the addition of motherhood to my life, I had always just desperately searched for anything that would fit. (and probably spent way more money on bras that didn't fit than I would have spent on a few nice ones that did if I had only gone in to get fitted!) Though it's slightly embarrassing, I must admit that it was nice to have a "professional" tell me exactly what I needed to buy to support "my people." And she gave me several other good tips that I never knew before. Like that 90% of your support needs to come from the band, not the straps. Shoot, I've been relying on the straps for years! Or that your band should only be able to stretch out about two inches from your back. If it stretches more, you need a smaller band size. So I needed a 32. Not a 36. Doh. We were in the store for over an hour but left with some awesome goodies that are sure to make my back feel a whole lot better, now that I have the right support! And call me crazy, but there's something secretly enjoyable about wearing new undie-gear. Like a new dress or new shoes, except it's a secret. You're the only one that knows about it and gets to enjoy it! One of the joys of womanhood!
3. Though it's quite shameful, I must admit that I'm a hopeless reality TV junkie. Mark always asks, "So which one of your shows is on tonight?" Pretty sad, huh. While there's countless reasons for watching them (such as mind-numbing entertainment or something to gaze my eyes on while tutoring online), there's plenty of reasons not to watch them too. This spring I literally had three reality shows that I followed: Survivor, The Biggest Loser, and Dancing With the Stars. I haven't watched Survivor since 2001 when Colby, a Tech grad was a contestant. And the only reason I watched it this season was because he was back on the show again. I've always been a Biggest Loser fan because I think the point of the show actually has merit though it's not something I personally am connected with. And as for Dancing With the Stars, it's really something my mom adores and so I started watching it on her insistence so that we could have something fun to talk about. (yes, we sit around and talk about other peoples' lives and dancing abilities.) Plus, the former dancer in me can't help but enjoy watching them dance and thinking oh I remember learning a sequence like that before or ooo, it would be fun to do that number! Mark doesn't usually like for me to watch it in front of the boys because of the scantily clad women on the show. I agree; I don't want our boys thinking that's normal. But I do have to admit that I watched this entire past season either live or tivo-ed and was sad to see it end this week. Same with Biggest Loser and Survivor. I guess now that my trio of pointless, mind-numbing, exhausting shows is over, I'll actually get some more sewing or house work done in the evenings... And probably wait for the fall when they start up again!
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