We had our carpets cleaned on Wednesday as part of our rid-the-house-of-any-allergen-and-all-dirt-particles-frenzy. We are having the air ducts cleaned next week, buying a dehumidifier, and doing some deep spring cleaning. Good times for us, better times for our checkbook. Not really.
Anyway, the guy who cleans our carpets is really a nice guy. When my in-laws lived in this house, he was the one who cleaned their carpets...and he remembers this. In fact, when I book an appointment and give him my address, he always says, "Gayle's old house, right?"
And his name is Jeff. Which is confusing to the little one.
Grant was a bit fearful of the loud equipment, but mostly that he was going to be taken away by the carpet cleaning man. I was trying to subdue his fears, and I introduced him to "Mr. Jeff."
My mom was over and talking with Grant about "Mr. Jeff" and how nice he was. She then said, "his name is Jeff just like your daddy!"
She might have confused him a little bit.
The next day, Grant asked me several times where "Cool Beans Daddy-O" was at. Now, I say "cool beans daddy-o" at least once weekly, so I wasn't sure what he meant, but went out on a limb...
"Grant, do you mean 'where is Daddy?'"
"Yes" (pronounced Yays--it is too stinking cute, get him to say it for you soon)
"Daddy is still at school. He'll be home soon."
Several minutes later, we're in the van on our way to meet Jeff at school. Grant, out of nowhere, busts out with the following:
"I no like Mr. Jeff. I like my DADDY!"
I hope he isn't scarred for life thinking I was trading Daddy in for the carpet cleaner just because they happen to have the same name!
Y'know, any old guy with the name of Jeff will work...just kidding, Honey:)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Campout
It's the first campout of the season!
If you know me at all, you know that I am NOT a campout-kinda-girl. I prefer my toilets to be indoors and for there to be running water and electricity--no matter where I am.
Picky, aren't I?
BUT...this kind of campout I can handle. My in-laws have 18 acres and so we go out to the back side of their land, take a fire pit, some dogs (hot dogs, and sometimes furry dogs), the kids, some treats, and cold refreshment down the hill behind their house. Then, our family (because we are allergy prone and I SWEAR our kids will sleep nowhere when other people are around them) happily heads home to sleep in our own warm and soft beds.
Perfect arrangement.
All the junk-foody-goodness of camping, without all the hassle of sleeping with "nature." Ugh.
Actually, I rather like being outside. It is sharing the outside that bugs me.
Speaking of "sharing the outside," there is a movie trailer out there right now that just might be the death of me (oh, I hope not!). We saw it last night while watching The Office. No, I still don't have a DV-R, though we did "tape" it so we could run, but unfortunately, sometimes we forget to fast-forward through the commercials. I am afraid that this one may be burned into my mind for life.
Like that scene from "Seven" where Gwyneth Paltrow's head is delivered in a box to Brad Pitt. One of the worst movies, ever, in terms of scariness, I might add--oh, maybe there's worse, but I have only allowed myself to be talked into one movie-- The Blair Witch Project since I saw "Seven"--too scared. And Jeff had to spend most of that movie reminding me that the people were actors.
And that they were likely eating donuts when we couldn't see them on camera.
Anywho. It's some movie about these people that live out in the country and there is someone terrorizing them. Then the terrorizer breaks in and presumably kills them.
Beautiful and happy thoughts.
After watching it, I was totally freaked out, but decided to bite my tongue. Jeff calls me a "wimp" because of my inability to stomach scary movies.
And he's mad because we can never see them at the theater.
Or rent them.
Or look at them in the video store...due to my inability to erase killer images from my mind.
It was Jeff who spoke up and said he thought that might have been the scariest preview he'd ever seen. We agreed on that. Because it was actually plausible. Shudder.
Anyway, so tonight when we are in the woods...far away from other houses...I am certain that awful image of the stranger standing in the woods will haunt my memory. Hopefully the delighted squeals of my children shooting each other and their cousins with marshmallow guns will drown out the fearsome images.
If you know me at all, you know that I am NOT a campout-kinda-girl. I prefer my toilets to be indoors and for there to be running water and electricity--no matter where I am.
Picky, aren't I?
BUT...this kind of campout I can handle. My in-laws have 18 acres and so we go out to the back side of their land, take a fire pit, some dogs (hot dogs, and sometimes furry dogs), the kids, some treats, and cold refreshment down the hill behind their house. Then, our family (because we are allergy prone and I SWEAR our kids will sleep nowhere when other people are around them) happily heads home to sleep in our own warm and soft beds.
Perfect arrangement.
All the junk-foody-goodness of camping, without all the hassle of sleeping with "nature." Ugh.
Actually, I rather like being outside. It is sharing the outside that bugs me.
Speaking of "sharing the outside," there is a movie trailer out there right now that just might be the death of me (oh, I hope not!). We saw it last night while watching The Office. No, I still don't have a DV-R, though we did "tape" it so we could run, but unfortunately, sometimes we forget to fast-forward through the commercials. I am afraid that this one may be burned into my mind for life.
Like that scene from "Seven" where Gwyneth Paltrow's head is delivered in a box to Brad Pitt. One of the worst movies, ever, in terms of scariness, I might add--oh, maybe there's worse, but I have only allowed myself to be talked into one movie-- The Blair Witch Project since I saw "Seven"--too scared. And Jeff had to spend most of that movie reminding me that the people were actors.
And that they were likely eating donuts when we couldn't see them on camera.
Anywho. It's some movie about these people that live out in the country and there is someone terrorizing them. Then the terrorizer breaks in and presumably kills them.
Beautiful and happy thoughts.
After watching it, I was totally freaked out, but decided to bite my tongue. Jeff calls me a "wimp" because of my inability to stomach scary movies.
And he's mad because we can never see them at the theater.
Or rent them.
Or look at them in the video store...due to my inability to erase killer images from my mind.
It was Jeff who spoke up and said he thought that might have been the scariest preview he'd ever seen. We agreed on that. Because it was actually plausible. Shudder.
Anyway, so tonight when we are in the woods...far away from other houses...I am certain that awful image of the stranger standing in the woods will haunt my memory. Hopefully the delighted squeals of my children shooting each other and their cousins with marshmallow guns will drown out the fearsome images.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Countdown to Summer
Hard to believe, but we have only 12 days until our summer begins. We are more than ready. Lots of fun planned...
A vacation to Alabama--the beach! The boys have never been and it has been wayyyy too long since Jeff and I have been.
A new waterpark in our city. It is ALMOST finished being built, hopefully it is up and running in the next couple of weeks.
Grandma's pool! Gets filled up tomorrow! Brrrr!
Playdates galore...it seems that everyone wants to get together while we're off!
Basketball league games--this is Jeff, but it keeps us busy!
T-ball games
Down time. Much needed, for all of us.
I hope it doesn't go by too fast!
A vacation to Alabama--the beach! The boys have never been and it has been wayyyy too long since Jeff and I have been.
A new waterpark in our city. It is ALMOST finished being built, hopefully it is up and running in the next couple of weeks.
Grandma's pool! Gets filled up tomorrow! Brrrr!
Playdates galore...it seems that everyone wants to get together while we're off!
Basketball league games--this is Jeff, but it keeps us busy!
T-ball games
Down time. Much needed, for all of us.
I hope it doesn't go by too fast!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day 2008
We had a great Mother's Day...exhausting, but great. It began with a deliciously sweet breakfast of donuts from Lamar's...my favorite! Connor was so pleased that he and Daddy "tricked" me into thinking they were cooking me breakfast.
We headed off to church earlier than usual so that we could pack more into our day...my self-imposed craziness of trying to pack too much into too little time!
Connor made a bracelet...kind of big for a bracelet, but kind of small for a necklace. I say "kind of" but mean "way too" in that last sentence. I saw it when we picked him up from his Sunday school class and was so touched. I thought it was for me, you know, it being Mother's Day and all. I am so silly.
"Mom, look what I made for Hailey!" Hailey??!!!?? Are you kidding me? Hailey is his cousin, and of course, I love her, but she is not a mother! She is 7! I guess that makes her cooler than me, but alas, I have to admit that I was a bit saddened.
Subway for lunch was fast and cheap so we could head to the zoo! We arrived there by noon or so, and began our trip through Africa. Connor was tired from all of the walking, but the zoo really caters to moms on Mother's day, providing free ice cream FOR MOMS ONLY and a free train or tram ride FOR MOMS ONLY. Brilliant marketing, Zoo.
Really, it was fun and the boys liked the extra-special treats, so other than the endless walking with little reward in terms of actually seeing active animals, it was a great trip.
We headed home around 3:00--pretty much the time Grant normally WAKES from his nap, so he took a snooze in the car.
We were then off to dinner at Grandma's and riding big wheels in the front drive. Oh, how I always wanted a big wheel. I love how they kids fly around on them, spinning out. It's lots of fun to watch.
As Connor was winding down for bed, he was telling me how he was going to take the bracelet to school to give to Hailey's brother (since he'd forgotten to take it to his Grandma's) and I offered to make it smaller so that it would fit her.
He informed me that it would fit her just fine in a while. I put it on my arm and it fell off. After our discussion about wrist growth over the course of a lifetime, he did finally agree that making it smaller might be a good idea.
So, I lovingly took apart his bracelet and retied it to fit Hailey's seven-year-old wrist instead of my thirty-one-year old wrist. I was feeling kind of sad. I felt a little guilty, but I had to ask him:
"So, did everyone else make bracelets for their mom, you know, since it is Mother's Day today?"
Connor: "Oh, our teacher said we could give it to anyone we wanted."
I need to have a talk with this person.
"oh." I suppose he doesn't get "momspeak" for "you should feel guilty about this" yet.
It is really all very sweet and innocent. I really am fine, not scarred even a little bit. I do suppose that there will be many more times in my life that things like this will happen. I am just grateful for my boys and for the time I have been given with them. I got a kiss and a big hug and an "I love you" from my big boy. I also got a "Happy Mudders Day" said by a tired little guy.
Who needs a bracelet when you've got that?
We headed off to church earlier than usual so that we could pack more into our day...my self-imposed craziness of trying to pack too much into too little time!
Connor made a bracelet...kind of big for a bracelet, but kind of small for a necklace. I say "kind of" but mean "way too" in that last sentence. I saw it when we picked him up from his Sunday school class and was so touched. I thought it was for me, you know, it being Mother's Day and all. I am so silly.
"Mom, look what I made for Hailey!" Hailey??!!!?? Are you kidding me? Hailey is his cousin, and of course, I love her, but she is not a mother! She is 7! I guess that makes her cooler than me, but alas, I have to admit that I was a bit saddened.
Subway for lunch was fast and cheap so we could head to the zoo! We arrived there by noon or so, and began our trip through Africa. Connor was tired from all of the walking, but the zoo really caters to moms on Mother's day, providing free ice cream FOR MOMS ONLY and a free train or tram ride FOR MOMS ONLY. Brilliant marketing, Zoo.
Really, it was fun and the boys liked the extra-special treats, so other than the endless walking with little reward in terms of actually seeing active animals, it was a great trip.
We headed home around 3:00--pretty much the time Grant normally WAKES from his nap, so he took a snooze in the car.
We were then off to dinner at Grandma's and riding big wheels in the front drive. Oh, how I always wanted a big wheel. I love how they kids fly around on them, spinning out. It's lots of fun to watch.
As Connor was winding down for bed, he was telling me how he was going to take the bracelet to school to give to Hailey's brother (since he'd forgotten to take it to his Grandma's) and I offered to make it smaller so that it would fit her.
He informed me that it would fit her just fine in a while. I put it on my arm and it fell off. After our discussion about wrist growth over the course of a lifetime, he did finally agree that making it smaller might be a good idea.
So, I lovingly took apart his bracelet and retied it to fit Hailey's seven-year-old wrist instead of my thirty-one-year old wrist. I was feeling kind of sad. I felt a little guilty, but I had to ask him:
"So, did everyone else make bracelets for their mom, you know, since it is Mother's Day today?"
Connor: "Oh, our teacher said we could give it to anyone we wanted."
I need to have a talk with this person.
"oh." I suppose he doesn't get "momspeak" for "you should feel guilty about this" yet.
It is really all very sweet and innocent. I really am fine, not scarred even a little bit. I do suppose that there will be many more times in my life that things like this will happen. I am just grateful for my boys and for the time I have been given with them. I got a kiss and a big hug and an "I love you" from my big boy. I also got a "Happy Mudders Day" said by a tired little guy.
Who needs a bracelet when you've got that?
Friday, May 9, 2008
Not about the boys...just this once
Just this one time, (ok, it may happen sometime again in the future) I am posting NOT about the kids...but about Jeff and me! We both ran a great race this past Sunday in Lincoln and really enjoyed it. Jeff ran the full marathon in 3 hours, 26 minutes. I ran the half marathon in 1 hour, 53 minutes. Both of us exceeded our own expectations in terms of our "must have" goal times, so we were pleasantly surprised! The course was GREAT--aside from a few miles of packed-in-like-sardines-sidewalk running, everything was perfect. The town of Lincoln seemed to thoroughly enjoy hosting this race and were perfect cheerleaders at the early hour of 7am.
Oh. Except for one poor soul. Jeff saw her, but as he recounts the story:
"We were running through this intersection and the police had the cars stopped until there was a break in the runners." BTW, this was happening all over the city, not just a couple of intersections. Anyway,
"There were cars stopped, and people yelling out their windows things like 'Go Runners!' 'You can do it!' and the like. Well, one woman had had enough. She got OUT OF HER CAR and YELLED: 'I HATE THIS RACE!' I am thinking that maybe she got out on the wrong side of the bed, or was running a titch late for something." (Actually, there may have been a few runners who echoed her sentiments at that exact moment!)
So, aside from this woman, the town of Lincoln was delightful.
If you've never run in a race, just trust me that it is SO much easier when there are people (even if they are strangers!) cheering you on. Like I said, people were even yelling (mostly nice things) from their cars. The weather was unbelievable. We had both been concerned that we'd be cold, thus our "winter" attire, but it was a gorgeous day.
The boys stayed with J's mom and loved every minute of it. I was informed that "We didn't miss you while you were gone." Which is about the most resounding recommendation for a babysitter that I could ask for.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Connor's 1st Ever T-ball game!
Connor's first-ever tball game, and thus our foray into what I assume will be our long relationship with community sports, began this past Saturday.He was SO excited...I think he woke up at 5am that morning. Not good, considering Jeff and I were trying to get just a little bit of sleep before our trip to Lincoln for our big race on Sunday.
He couldn't wait to get dressed in his sharp new uniform. "Snakes" T-Shirt? Check. Bright white baseball pants? Check. Cool super-long baseball socks? Check. Arctic layering pieces? Check??
Yes, they were necessary, as it wasn't quite typical baseball weather at the brisk temperature of 37 degrees. In addition to the temperature being cold, the fields where he plays are known as the local version of the arctic wind tunnel. Seriously. Running out there is like nothing I've ever experienced. No trees, no shelter, just lots and lots of wind. Standing out there is even less pleasant, at least in terms of the weather.
The game we watched, however, more than made up for the unfavorable weather conditions.It was wildly entertaining, what with the players being five years old and relatively new to the sport of t-ball.
Connor gave me a little grin as he headed out to bat.
A hit! YEAH! He was so excited, he forgot all about baseball and its rules. The coach yelled "Run! Run!" Oh, he ran. In circles. It was hilarious! He didn't know whether to run to the dugout or to first base. So he just ran--kind of a back-and-forth kind of run. The coach graciously took his shoulders and directed him to first base. Too cute.
Here he is in the "outfield" (they're five, remember?). Looking a little (yawn!) bored, I'd say. Not too much action this far from the plate, that is for sure.
Overall, it was a successful game. Yes, it was cold, but we had fun. Connor is already counting the days until he gets to play again.Friday, May 2, 2008
MeThinks the Boy Doth Need His Own Sunglasses
He borrowed an old pair of mine to play his beloved baseball...we went to Wal-Mart that night and got him his very own pair.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Reality is spicy
We took the boys to Planet Sub for their Tuesday night special--Kids eat free! I love it when the kids eat free! Because I like to think that I am (somewhat) careful about the quality of food the boys ingest, and I am also cheap, I have a hard time forking over $5 for some over-processed junk that they barely nibble on.
Planet Sub has pretty good kids' meals, though. The boys could choose either a turkey or ham (Connor chose turkey, Grant, the ham--how appropriate) sub with chips and a drink.
Well, the boys generously "donated" their drinks to mom and dad while they drank water. Oh yeah, we didn't tell them the drinks belonged to them, we just took 'em. AND we also commandeered their bags of chips as family property. Though we did steal their chips and drink, I made up for it by buying 2 large cookies-for us all to share.
We were all enjoying our subs and chips...pretty happy for a little evening out that cost under $10. Jeff and I were sharing the jalapeno chips, while Connor and Grant were sharing Fritos.
Grant was rather "active" at dinner (read: crazy toddler, trying to escape the booth!) and we were plowing him with Fritos and the promise of his m&m cookie if he would just take a couple more bites of ham.
Grant then decided he wanted to try "Daddy's chips" though he grabbed one from my plate. These are the delicious kettle-cooked chips that are sooo crunchy. Oh, and they are coated in jalapeno flavoring. We didn't stop him, instead warning him that they were spicy and he might not like them. He took a teeny-tiny bite. Then he made this horrible face. (Why oh why, can't I remember to take my cell phone in for its camera!) I would have loved to have had a picture. He started spitting and taking a drink. Then, the most interesting thing happened.
He took another big ol' jalapeno chip and proceeded to take a huge bite out of it!
Again, horrible face, but this time LOUD crying, some screaming, spitting, and I am pretty sure gnashing of teeth accompanied his bite. He tried to spit it out, he tried to drink away the pain, to no avail. This went on for at least 5 minutes and was absolutely hilarious. Sorry, Granters, but it was!
In the end, he ate a bit more ham, killed the spice in his mouth and was able to enjoy the nibble of cookie that the rest of the family left for him.
Planet Sub has pretty good kids' meals, though. The boys could choose either a turkey or ham (Connor chose turkey, Grant, the ham--how appropriate) sub with chips and a drink.
Well, the boys generously "donated" their drinks to mom and dad while they drank water. Oh yeah, we didn't tell them the drinks belonged to them, we just took 'em. AND we also commandeered their bags of chips as family property. Though we did steal their chips and drink, I made up for it by buying 2 large cookies-for us all to share.
We were all enjoying our subs and chips...pretty happy for a little evening out that cost under $10. Jeff and I were sharing the jalapeno chips, while Connor and Grant were sharing Fritos.
Grant was rather "active" at dinner (read: crazy toddler, trying to escape the booth!) and we were plowing him with Fritos and the promise of his m&m cookie if he would just take a couple more bites of ham.
Grant then decided he wanted to try "Daddy's chips" though he grabbed one from my plate. These are the delicious kettle-cooked chips that are sooo crunchy. Oh, and they are coated in jalapeno flavoring. We didn't stop him, instead warning him that they were spicy and he might not like them. He took a teeny-tiny bite. Then he made this horrible face. (Why oh why, can't I remember to take my cell phone in for its camera!) I would have loved to have had a picture. He started spitting and taking a drink. Then, the most interesting thing happened.
He took another big ol' jalapeno chip and proceeded to take a huge bite out of it!
Again, horrible face, but this time LOUD crying, some screaming, spitting, and I am pretty sure gnashing of teeth accompanied his bite. He tried to spit it out, he tried to drink away the pain, to no avail. This went on for at least 5 minutes and was absolutely hilarious. Sorry, Granters, but it was!
In the end, he ate a bit more ham, killed the spice in his mouth and was able to enjoy the nibble of cookie that the rest of the family left for him.
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