It Ain't Braggin' If It's True

Well, this is going to be a brag post, so if you aren't into that, better go get a snack or something and check back with me later.

First, my brilliant daughter. Ruth finished another reading poster this week (eight books on this one--for a total of 26 books since July)! We celebrated tonight with a trip to Burger King--the one with the huge playscape. I wouldn't have picked that for a celebration for myself, but Ruth couldn't have been more thrilled. We've upped the ante a bit for the "Nine" poster. For that one she will not only have to read the books, she will also give a book report on each one to whichever parent didn't hear the story. She needed a new challenge, and she thinks it's a pretty neat idea. We're so proud of her!

And now on to my advanced son. While we were at Burger King tonight, Weston came to me--from the playscape, mind you--to tell me he needed to go potty. I rushed him to the bathroom and found that his diaper was already quite wet. I thought that must have been what all the "potty talk" was about, but was still pleased that he was making the connection between a wet diaper and going potty. Still, I put him on the potty so that he would further make the connection between telling me he needed to go and actually going. And to my complete delight, he went! (This was a slightly messy undertaking since Mommy is still getting the hang of the boy parts, especially when there isn't a little shield there to keep everything going the direction it should). Even more exciting was the fact that this was his second time to go potty today! (The first time was on the little potty we have at home. And while we're talking about that, let me just say, I never really thought much about what kind of potty we used when I was potty training a little girl. But now, I'm definitely thinking about it, and I'm currently in the market for a new one. Again, it has to do with those boy parts that I'm not sure what to do with). We are definitely on the right track! Woo-Hoo! So proud of our little man! He's just getting so big!

--One funny thing was that when he went at Burger King, we tried to reward him with dessert there, thinking by the time we got home he might have forgotten what he was getting rewarded for. We underestimated the child. He liked the pie fine, but he wasn't going to bed without his special potty treat--a couple of Skittles. As I was putting him in bed, he puffed out his bottom lip about as far as it could go and said over and over, "Treat." I foolishly tried to reason with him: "the pie was your reward." Finally, as real tears were forming in his little eyes, I gave in and got him his Skittles. His whole face lit up with a smile and then he immediately went to sleep.

Hard Luck Haircut

I have had the worst luck with haircuts the last several months. I've been going to the same place for a few years and have been completely pleased with the lady who cuts my hair. Unfortunately, she sort of flaked out over the summer. And so I've been putting off haircuts, and finally searching for a new salon. I must say, it's not going well. I feel like I've been going around with shaggy dog hair since about June. And when I tell people I want it short, they don't seem to believe me. I went in to a place today, with pictures in hand, firmly saying over and over that I wanted it much shorter. The only thing she kept saying back was "I think it should be longer here, here and here." Consequently, she didn't cut it as short as I wanted it. Which means sometime next week, it will probably be driving me crazy. Ugh! If anyone out there has a fabulous stylist (who won't cost me an arm and a leg), who knows how to listen and/or can look at a picture and at least get a general idea, please, please send me their name. I'm desperate here!

Take Me To Your Leader

Apparently over the weekend, some of the woodland creatures who hang out around our house held an election, and the carved bear on the right hand side of our front door (as you face the house) won. The squirrels are paying homage to him by laying their biggest, most impressive acorns at his feet. I suppose he must be living up to his campaign promises. I think the whole scene is hilarious, and Weston thinks he's hit some kind of toddler boy jackpot.

More Pregnancy Insanity

Tonight, Jeff and I were having a conversation--about nothing unpleasant, mind you--and I spontaneously burst into a fit of crocodile tears. No rhyme. No reason. No explanation. Literally seconds before that I was laughing heartily. Nothing whacked-out about that.

Joys Of Pregnancy

Well, I'm past the morning sickness, nausea and debilitating headaches that accompanied the first trimester and have moved on to the joys of nosebleeds and heartburn that grace the days and nights of the second trimester. And I'm starting to have more pressure on my bladder and lungs. But the trade-off is that I can now feel the baby moving (playing soccer? practicing karate?) all the time, which at least makes all this stuff seem like it's for a reason. (And his brother is infinitely helpful in insuring that this little guy knows all the moves, since he seems intent on keeping regular practice times on my lap, where he kicks from the outside).

By this time around, I'm familiar with the drill. But I have the priviledge of knowing now what I didn't know the first time around: It's totally worth it! The end reward more than makes up for these few months of discomfort. I know the moment I see this little man, the path to get here will be nothing but a dim memory.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there is a bottle of Tums calling my name.

Orphans

Ruth and Jeff somehow got on the subject of orphans the other day. That was a new word for Ruth, so she asked about it and Jeff explained. Ruth voiced her concern over this with this question: "What do they do without grown-ups to get things for them?" In my mind, I picture this meaning, "Who gets the cereal off the top shelf, because I can't reach that even when I stand on my stool."

Volunteering

On Thursday afternoons, I leave Weston with some friends for a few hours, and then I spend some time up at Ruth's school. I am the "folder stuffer" for Ruth's class. And when I finish with that task, I go down and vounteer in the library until the end of the school day. My job consists of reshelving books, checking books in, checking books out and answering questions for the kids. It's so fun to interact with the kids and get to know more of the people up at the school. One thing that does disturb me, though, is how very many scary books there are, and how those are the most sought-after books--and I'm only there when the 2nd and 3rd graders are there. First of all, I just don't think those books have much educational value. And further, I just don't think kids that young (or really any age) need their heads filled with such scary thoughts. What is the benefit of that? If you're just looking for entertainment, surely there are better choices. So, now you all know where I stand on scary books. I didn't really mean to turn this post into a rant, but it's just so disturbing to me and I couldn't help myself. I do relish my time up at the school, though, and I'm so thankful that I have that opportunity.

All Is Vanity

Maybe once a year (or more like every 2 or 3, if I'm really honest), I begrudgingly set about the task of cleaning up my vanity area and the surrounding cabinets and drawers. Today was that day. Every time I undertake this task, I am absolutely amazed at how many products I find. And the purpose of each and every one of them is my own raging vanity. This one will make me smell better. That one will make my skin softer. Things for hair, nails, skin, lips, etc., etc. Now, raise your hand if this reminds you of your own vanity area? Come on, now, I know I'm not the only one. So as not to embarrass you further, we'll go back to me. (But I know you're out there). And the point is: all is vanity. And everything seems to be partially used up. Many things finally made their way to the trash can today. But today, as always, many things went back (more neatly, granted) into their hiding places with a promise from myself to check there first before buying anything new. But I'm honest enough to know that I will probably not be able to resist the siren song of the beauty aisle. And the real crazy thing is, I'm not really a product fanatic. Or a beauty nut. I just like to try new things every now and then, and they just add up over time. O.k. that's it. The point is, I have a lot of stuff, but it's more organized now.

This Vanity Insanity Moment has been brought to you by the letter (and the question) "Y," and the number "2," as in "2 Many."

Weszilla

With Jeff and Weston on vacation last week, and Ruth at school everyday, our house stayed remarkably clean. In fact, I don't think there was one day when I felt overwhelmed by mess. There weren't toys on the floor or books scattered about--no misplaced sippy cups and very few dirty dishes. This week, it's a different story. I think I've already run the dishwasher three times in the past two days, and I absolutely could not keep up with King Destruction today. He was ripping books off the shelves like his life depended on it. And when I asked him to stop, he toddled off to the playroom and immediately emptied the ball bin in the middle of the floor. "Don't like that, Mom? How about if I pull everything off Dad's nightstand?!" he seemed to say. It was just one thing after another, and I realized what I didn't miss about this little guy while he was away. It's a good thing he's such a cutie, and that he says adorable things like "Ho-Hay" (okay) when you ask him to stop doing something and "Lub-oo" (I love you), followed by a 'Zilla-sized hug!

Country Music

Jeff and I love music from almost every genre, but we especially enjoy country music, in part, because it's hilarious. Everything from the twang to the rhymes to the subject matter, even some of the outfits the musicians wear. It's absolutely great! I suggest that the next time you want to laugh, even if you aren't a huge fan of country music, you flip your radio to the local country station or turn on CMT or GAC for a few songs. It shouldn't take too long to come across one that makes you giggle.

Honey-Dos Done

Jeff came home from Vegas ready to tackle some of the honey-dos on our ever-present list. He ran the weed-eater today and our yard looks so much better! While he was at it, he and Ruth found a dead rat in the yard, which completely thrilled me! He also came across a beautiful spider lily, which Ruth picked and put in a vase on our table. Jeff also installed our new door knob, which has been on the list for at least six months. Now we can actually close the door without having to lock it, so no more taking guests prisoner! And finally, he fixed a swing on the swingset that has been giving us some trouble. It's great to check things off the list, but it's even better to have my honey home!

The Boys Are Back In Town

Our boys got back around 12:30 this afternoon, and we are soooo glad they are here--and I think they were pretty glad to see us too!

Fun Friday

• I had lunch with Ruth at her school today (at 10:30 am!) for the first time. That was really fun! Nothing makes a Kindergartner more popular with her friends than having her mom (or any grown-up, for that matter) have lunch with her. (Ironically, nothing can make a junior high kid less popular). I opened half a dozen milks and syrup packages and answered innumerable questions about everything under the sun. I loved it!
• I had a pedicure--(Thanks, Mom and Bill)! It was a very relaxing hour and I now have beautiful red toenails, which make me feel pretty!
• I cleaned off the desk in my bedroom, and I can actually see the desktop now! I feel like my life is a little more under control now!
• I talked to Jeff and Weston on the phone. I CAN'T WAIT for them to be home tomorrow! I miss them bunches!
• I deposited a Body Dulce check in the bank!
• I took Ruth to Half-Price Books and we cleared out the clearance rack! I bought the children 22 books for $17. Included was an almost-complete set of picture dictionaries, which Ruth specifically asked me for so she can make her own dictionary. She loves to copy words out of books. She makes thematic lists (animals, foods, etc.) and sometimes she also likes to illustrate the lists. I figure there are definitely worse things she could do with her time. I also got her some new reading books, since she's goes through them so quickly and our supply of "new" books was getting a little low.
• We ordered take-out from Chuy's, rented a movie and had another girl party.
• Ruth read to me, and I read to her.

It was a fabulous day and a great start to the weekend!

Ouch!

Slammed my finger in the door. Fingernail is turning purple. Burst vessels on pad of finger. Hurts like heck!

Almost Official

There have been some pretty exciting things going on with Body Dulce lately, and it's starting to feel almost official--which is sort of weird because it's just some idea I had a few months ago. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, Jeff and I met with a designer to talk about labels and overall marketing appeal, to basically make the product appear more professional. He got back to us with his first round of ideas today, and there were some things I really liked. So much there that was just beyond my brain to come up with! Also, I made contact with someone who works at a salon this week--(Thanks, Linda!)--who is interested in the scrubs, and there may be some potential to sell them in her shop. And, the pedicurist who works there is also going to try them out as a part of her pedicure routine, so that's really cool! In the meantime, I have had a steady stream of orders--still mostly from family members, but, hey, that works for me! This whole adventure is just so fun! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to pursue this, and I'm thankful to all the people who have encouraged me and helped me along the way. I still have a ways to go, but it's good to be going in this direction. Hopefully, sometime after my web guy gets back from his Vegas Vacation, we'll be able to get the site up and functional. I'll keep you posted as we progress. In the meantime, if you find yourself in need of a little pampering for yourself or a gift for someone else, you can contact me directly. (wink, wink).

Ruth's Book

Ruth came home from school today and set to work on a project up in her room. After a while she came down with this book, which she made entirely on her own. I thought it was fabulous, but for those of you who may be having trouble with the translation, it reads like this:

Page 1: My Book. By (bi) Ruth.

Page 2: This is me. I am a human (huemin). This is my brother. (My buthr this is).

Page 3: This is my room.

eRATication

A couple of weeks ago I discovered rat poop in a rarely used stroller. My hope was that is was something leftover from long ago. But, I knew then that a garage-cleaning was in order. Then, I started hearing munchy-crunchy-scratchy noises coming from somewhere near the drain of my bathtub, and that put me over the edge. My dear, sweet, super-hero mom volunteered to help me out, and so today we set to work. I want to tell you up front, this was no small under-taking. As happens, things have piled up. But this time, there weren't just our things, there were rat things, too. All over the place. It was awful and disgusting and horrible. But, we successfully cleaned out the garage--from top to bottom and left to right--and we put out enough rat poison to kill a small city of rats. We also filled up one large garbage can, one fair-sized box and a 5 gallon bucket with trash. And we hauled off two full van-loads of stuff to Goodwill. It wasn't just a cleansing of the garage, it was a cleansing of the soul. I just feel lighter. And I will sleep peacefully, knowing that if I happen to hear crunchy-munchy sounds at 2 in the morning it will be because the rat has found our poison and not because he is trying to figure out how to break into my bedroom and eat me while I'm sleeping.

Mostly Just The Girls

Well, we saw our boys off to Las Vegas this morning. They'll be there all week, with Jeff working part of the time and the two of them having a ball with Mimi and Grandpa. Meanwhile, Ruth and I are here, enjoying our girl time. I took her to Portuguese class today, and then we had lunch together at Wendy's. This evening, we rented a movie and ate our junk-food dinners in the living room, followed by ice cream. After the movie, Ruth finished her sixth book (of 7) on her third poster, and then I read a book to her. We had a great time just hanging out, and I think Ruth is thrilled to have me all to herself again for a while. She's funny. She did acknowledge that, even though this was a girl-only party, there was one boy present (referring to our little Tater). "But," she said, "He's hiding." "And, anyway, he can't really see the movie because his eyes are closed and he's in your tummy, where it's dark." So, this week, it's just us girls and one hiding little boy.

You Should Have Seen The Other Guy...

See that fat lip? The pictures don't really do it justice. It's a good one. We were at a little shin-dig at Jeff's office today, and the kids were running around having the best time. Weston was doing everything he could to impress a lovely little lady around the age of two. And he was doing fine, until he fell on his face...literally. There were lots of tears and a little blood, but no teeth were lost, thank goodness.

Popular

When I dropped Ruth off at school this morning, kids were calling her name from every angle. They all wanted to be the first to say good morning to her and they all wanted to sit next to her in the hall before the bell rang. Then, as I was giving Ruth a hug, one of the little girls in her class came up for a hug of her own. After I hugged her, she began telling me all kinds of fascinating details about her life. (Like, "Oh, your having a baby?! Well, my mom is going to have twins...and we already have one baby! It's really going to be busy!) The whole experience sent me home with a smile on my face. Then, when I picked Ruth up from school, the same little girl (now my best friend) about lost her arm in a waving frenzy. It's fun being popular.

the one where I explode from eating too much cookie dough

The pregnant belly wants chocolate chip cookie dough. Well, the non-pregnant belly wants cookie dough, too, come to think of it. But at our house the general rule is: the pregant belly gets what the pregnant belly wants. (Not so for non-pregnant bellies). Tonight, it was chocolate chip cookie dough. I mixed some up, filled a cereal bowl, grabbed a spoon and set to work. I did manage to show some self-control by not eating the entire bowlful, but I certainly had plenty. And that's all you need to know. I'm sure my doctor will be quite pleased with me when I go in to see her tomorrow. I prefer to look at it like this: educating my child on the very best life has to offer from a very early age.

Kindergarten Envy

Weston has really been sad to leave Ruth at school everyday...or at least sad to leave her backpack at school. So, I thought I'd be really clever and let him take his own backpack. He very proudly slung it over his shoulders and marched into the school like he owned the place. When we got to Ruth's classroom, I told him to give Ruth a hug and say good-bye. He hugged me and dutifully said "good-bye," and then took his place in the hall with his sister. That's when I realized that it wasn't leaving Ruth or her backpack at school that was making him sad. It was the fact that I wasn't leaving him at school.

Sea World Saturday

Better Frame Of Mind

I'm so sorry for my negative post on Friday. I think I have come down with a minor little bug, so maybe that explains the tiredness and bad attitude on Friday, but still, that's not really like me and I didn't want to leave that unresolved. We went on to have a very nice weekend. Pictures will follow.

Pooped

Tired. Exhausted. Beat. Wiped Out.

See also Grumpy. Moody. Annoyed.

I simply must go to bed now.

Hooray for Homework

All week, Ruth has been beside herself with excitement at the prospect of bringing home homework today. So today, the minute she walked in the door after school, she exclaimed that she had homework to do and she immediately got to it. She was so excited the whole time she was working on it--although she did admit that it was very easy. She wasn't supposed to turn it in until Monday, but she finished it all in about 30 minutes, so we just slipped it back in the backpack for her to return to school tomorrow. I really hope her enthusiasm for homework holds up over time, but I seriously have my doubts. I just can't see her coming home from high school doing a homework chant and dance.

Getting Handsome

Jeff had a business dinner tonight so he came home from work to hang with us for a while and to change clothes. When Ruth saw what he was changing into, she said, "Wow, Dad! Why are you getting so handsome?!" I personally think he's handsome all the time, but for Ruth clothes truly do make the man.

Precious Moment

All the moments that we have with our children are precious in their own way. But some moments are precious precisely because they are so rare. These moments come into our lives unexpectedly and go quickly away. And they are to be treasured completely and whole-heartedly. I had just such a moment with Weston today. He and I both had a hard time getting started today, after the long weekend and with the sky dark with rain clouds. Around 9:00, we went into the living room to read some books. I was lying on the couch and Weston was on the floor. After a while I noticed that Weston wasn't looking at books anymore, but was lying on the floor singing his "sleepy song." I was just watching him and thanking the Lord for such a sweet little person to love, and wondering if I ought to scoop him him and take him to bed, when he glanced in my direction and made eye contact with me. His face lit up and he toddled over and climbed up on top of me. He laid his head down on my chest and immediately fell asleep. And with my heart full of love and joy, I quickly fell asleep as well. We stayed that way for just about an hour, and it was absolute bliss. You don't get moments like this with your children very often, and for me it was truly precious. I'm so thankful for that moment, and I sincerly hope that the next time I have an opportunity for such a moment I recognize it for what it is and take full advantage of it before it slips away from me forever.

Pictures From The Wedding

As Promised...

I promised pictures and stories when we arrived back from our trip, and I am making good on that promise. The pictures have been posted in the form of a slide show in the post just before this one. The story is this:

During the reception, I took Ruth to the bathroom, where she desperately needed my assistence since she was wearing a mini-wedding dress. She even told me, "I'm a little Lindsay bride." Then she asked me why Jonah and Lindsay got married. I told her it was because they loved each other and wanted to spend their lives together, just like Daddy and I. I then told her that she might even decide to get married some day. To this, she immediately balked and said, "Oh no! I'm not getting married!" "O.k." I said, "You don't have to if you don't want to." She let out a deep sigh and said, "Really? I thought you had to." I don't know if she thought she was going to shock me by going against what she was "supposed" to do or if she truly thought at that moment that marriage just wasn't for her. I do know that she loved wearing that mini-wedding dress, though, so if the right guy comes along (way, way down the road) she might just agree to marry him despite her protests.

Off To The Crossroads Of America

That's right, we're headed to the Hoosier State tomorrow for the weekend. We will be attending a wedding, in which Ruth will be the flower girl. Plus, we will get to visit with our very good friends, the Kitchels. (It's their son who is getting married). We're very excited about the trip and are sure to have lots of pictures and stories when we get back on Monday. Have a a wonderful Labor Day weekend and we'll check in with you next week.

JohnDeere Jack

Ruth remains rankled over the fact that we are having a baby boy, and to get her out of this funk I have encouraged her to share any good boy names she comes up with. This afternoon she actually decided to consider this and came up with the lovely moniker you see in the title of this post. She came up with several clever names for Weston, but finally stuck with "Monkey Joe." I can't wait to see if she keeps this one for Baby Boy #2 or if she comes up with something even more creative.

Mother's Intuition

We had our (3rd) sonogram this morning and can finally report that we are having another little boy--just like I've thought all along! He's a very active little fellow and seems to be quite healthy. As of today, he weighs 10 oz. And I just want to know how someone so very small can make my belly look so very big?! The last sonogram I had put my due date at Jan. 22, but today they said maybe Jan. 20. Babies usually come when they are good and ready, so I put no stock in those dates whatsoever. We'll meet this little guy whenever he's ready to see the world. Ruth's reaction to this boy news (said with a foot-stomp and complete exasperation): "Mom, you always have boys!! When are you going to have a girl?!" I guess we have a little attitude work to do before Janurary! Jeff and I, at least, are very excited, and I'm not at all sure Weston understands whats going on, but he's enthusiastic nonetheless.

First Day Of School

Well, we made it through the first day, and it should be downhill from here. The only crying came from Weston, and I'd love to tell you some sappy little story about how he was crying because he was going to miss his sister, but it wouldn't really be true. He was still sleeping very soundly when it was time to take Ruth to school, so I just scooped him up out of bed and popped him in the car with a cup of juice. This pacified the dazed little boy until we got to the school building, but that's when the juice ran out. In it's stead, Ruth gave him her backpack to carry, which thrilled him. ("Backpack" is his new favorite word). But when we got to the classroom and he had to hand over the backpack, he went into meltdown mode. So, that's what all the crying was about. Jeff and I both made it through the morning without shedding a single tear, and Ruth gave us each a quick hug and then never looked back. She had many things to report at the end of the day:

• Her favorite thing of the day was running around outside on the track, even though it was hot.
• Her new best friend is Brodie.
• She got to sit by a little boy she already knew from preschool (both in class and at lunch).
• One little boy named Bennet was very "distracting."
• The teacher rubbed her back for a while during naptime, and she actually fell asleep.
• They did counting, and she didn't like that part at all. Why? Because she already knows how to do that.
• Etc., etc.

I'm so glad everything went well today and that we don't have to have another first day again this year!

This Is Important:

I DIDN'T CRY FIRST!!!

A subtle sadness settled over the adults in our house this evening, in anticipation of our big day tomorrow. I refused to talk about it and tried to drown myself in other activities. I really wanted to cry, but I kept myself under control. But when Jeff was tucking Ruth into bed, she admitted to him that she was feeling kind of nervous and scared about her first day, and Jeff admitted he was feeling the same way. And then he lost it. I'm not really trying to expose Jeff or his emotions, but I can't tell you how much comfort I took in the fact that this is an emotional time for even the most unemotional among us. We just can't believe our little girl, our not-so-long-ago-baby, is so big now. We are truly and completely excited for Ruth. That isn't where the sadness comes from at all. It's just the first time we've really had to let go, and it's hard. --Well, great, now I am crying!-- If we can all just make it through tomorrow, I think we'll be o.k. And I think it will be a wonderful year of growth for all of us.

A Two-Party Friday

We hosted a playgroup reunion this morning, with all of Ruth's old playgroup pals. They are all getting ready to start Kindergarten next week, and we wanted to get them together one more time before things really change. We met all these kids when Ruth was six-months-old at the library storytime, and the kids (and moms) have been friends ever since. It was a really fun party, complete with chocolate cake and a book exchange.

Then, this evening, we had a lovely dinner party with one of Jeff's co-workers and his wife. They are a really neat couple, and we enjoyed having the chance to get to know them better.

Now, we are all partied out and are looking forward to not having to wake up to an alarm tomorrow!

Meeting Mrs. Towler

We got to go up to Ruth's school this evening to meet her teacher and drop off her school supplies. Ruth immediately fell into her role as "teacher's helper." She was absolutely thrilled...and she didn't want to come home! Her teacher is really nice and very experienced, and we heard from quite a few people that she is simply the best kindergarten teacher at this school. The other bonus to the evening was finding out that Ruth already knows two of the other students in her class. After this evening, we are all the more excited about that big first day on Monday.

Nine Is Fine

Today Jeff and I are celebrating our 9th anniversary. It's hard to believe it's already been that long! Seems like we just started on this crazy life-journey together. And yet, it seems like there was never a time when we weren't "we." I am loving every minute of it!! It just gets more fun all the time! We always try to follow the "traditional" gift for the year, and this year's choices were pottery and willow. Unfortunately, last year was also pottery, so that well has kind of run dry. And willow, well, come on. So we had to be a bit creative. Jeff gave me a lovely copy of "The Wind In the Willows," along with a couple of off-theme gifts including a beautiful arrangement of flowers and the very romantic soundtrack to "Calculus, the Musical," (as a joke, of course. Although such a musical truly exists, if you can believe it). I gave him a "certificate" to a bed and breakfast in Fredricksburg called "Willow Ridge Retreat," to be redeemed if we ever have another free weekend. That works, right?! Thanks to our friends Tony and Meghan, we were able to go out to dinner at Truluck's. This was our first visit there, but it certainly won't be our last. Everything was wonderful. And I ate crab until I almost was one. Speaking of which, I better get to bed so I can meet that early alarm head-on.

And That's Tuesday

My alarm went off at 6:00 this morning (as it is apt to do these days) and I promptly turned over and hit the snooze button (as I'm apt to do these days). Jeff was already up and in the bathroom, so I knew he would get me up when he came out. Sure enough, he came out of the bathroom and the following conversation took place:

Jeff: Do you want to get up?
Mandi: You need to rephrase that question.
Jeff: Do you want to get up, Your Highness?
Mandi: Not that part of the question. You should say, "Are you getting up?" not "Do you want to get up?" No, I don't WANT to get up, but yes, I am getting up.

I actually said that. And the very next thing that happened was that I heard Ruth's alarm going off--at 6:40 while I was still in bed asleep. And in the background I heard Jeff in the shower. And then I remember thinking, just after the preceding conversation: I am getting up, but I'm just going to close my eyes for one more minute. It's not great to start the day feeling like you're behind. But despite myself, I was able to go on and have a very productive day. Here's what I did today:

• Got ready in time for "school."
• Made a very fancy salad that had to be made early so it could sit in the fridge all day.
• Made bread.
• Went to the grocery store.
• Unloaded, reloaded and unloaded the dishwasher.
• Listened to Ruth read her 3rd book on her 3rd reading chart.
• Washed some clothes.
• Steamed and put away all the laundry.
• Broke up and removed, from the middle of our backyard, two huge oak tree branches.
• Mowed the lawn.
• Read book after book to Weston as he attempted to go potty.
• Supervised a trampoline jumping session.
• Pushed my kids on the swings, and did a little swinging myself.
• Made dinner.
• Went to Curves to workout.
• Remebered to take the garbage out to the curb.
• Searched frantically for an anniversary gift for Jeff.

It felt good to get so much done, especially starting off the way I did.

New Toy

Thanks to Nana and Papa and their generous friends, we now have a new (to us) toy in the backyard. We only had a few minutes to play on it today after Jeff got it put together, but I can tell already that it's a hit.

"Don't Worry, It's Just Boogers."

Over the weekend someone said to my daughter, "What's that all over your shirt?" "Don't worry," she replied, "it's just boogers." Oh good. I thought it might be something gross.

Jeff says that at some point I should sit down and write the definitive work on parenting and that this should be the title. And I may just do that. But don't everyone run out to Barnes and Noble right away. It may be a while.

My Baby, Tater

Pregnancy is filled with more weirdness than should be allowed in one body, in one nine-month period of time. You've got your weird dreams, your weird emotions, that weird exorcist-type tummy dance that begins sometime in the second trimester, weird goings-on with every single part of your body and certainly weird cravings. With Ruth I craved corndogs-- especially from Sonic--and oddly I didn't like corndogs one bit before I got pregnant or after she was born. She loves them and always has. With Weston I really craved salad at the beginning. And now I've got this baked potato (with butter and cheese) fetish that just won't stop. Wendy's has become a favorite stop because they offer baked potatoes instead of fries with any combo meal. Thank you, Dave Thomas! Tonight we had steak and potatoes at my parents' house, and every bite of potato was like a little bite of happiness. It's weird and I can't explain it, but one of my pregnancy philosophies is to indulge and enjoy these things in these nine months, when I don't have to feel guilty about it. I'll worry about it sometime after mid-January, when my little "Tater" has had his/her fill.

Let's Play School

So, we decided that we definitely needed to practice the school schedule before the big day in just over a week. Since the tardy bell for Ruth's school rings at 7:45, we decided that best time for Ruth to get up is 6:40, meaning I need to get up even earlier than that. It has been really hard for Ruth to get up and get going in the morning (not to mention her mom), and she'll be the first to tell you that the new schedule isn't much fun. (I'll be the second)! We've been timing her breakfast-eating and her getting dressed, and I think the schedule we've chosen is the right one. She definitely couldn't get up any later and get to school on time. We've also adjusted the afternoon rest time to be a bit more like what it will be like at school, meaning Ruth isn't really getting much rest at all. And of course, the bedtime schedule has become a bit more ridgid as well. The decrease in sleep has definitely caused an increse in behavior problems--not helped by the fact that we were on vacation for 10 days just before this little experiment I'm sure--but hopefully by the time school starts, we'll have all the kinks worked out and things will run smoothly. I had a horrible dream while we were on vacation that we were late for the first day of school and the teacher wouldn't let me sign up for any of the classroom helper things because she said if I couldn't even get my own kid to school on time, I couldn't be trusted to do anything with any of the other kids. I'm definitely trying to avoid that scenerio!

Wacky Wednesday

The day has given me many things to blog about, so you're just going to have to deal with the hodgepodge.
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We had lunch with Jeff's parents today to celebrate his dad's birthday and to see them off before they head back to Las Vegas tomorrow. It was a bittersweet party. After lunch two things happened:

1. Jeff found out that he has to go to Las Vegas for work in September. He immediately worked it into a family trip, forgetting completely that we now have a school-aged child and it would not be advisable to have her miss a week of school after only three weeks of class. There is a chance that he will take Weston with him since he still flies free, but Ruth and I will stay here with our pouty faces on at having to miss such a fun vacation.

2. Ruth went shopping with her grandparents for a few new outfits for school. She came home with some adorable things. But the precursor to this outing happened while we were still on vacation, when Mimi declared her intentions to get Ruth some new school things. Mimi said she wanted to take Ruth shopping, but didn't know if they would be able to squeeze in a shopping trip before she left for Vegas. She told Ruth that in that case she would just give Jeff and I some money and we could take her shopping. Ruth immediately piped up and said, "Oh, you don't need to give them any money; they already have some!" I thought it good that they asked us instead of just taking her word for it!
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Tonight at dinner, Ruth requested a knife to butter her bread with. Since we were already seated and Jeff hadn't used his fork yet, he just gave her that as a substitute. The next thing I know, Ruth is scooping butter out of the butter dish with the fork, transferring it to her fingers and then using her fingers to spread it on the bread. What can you even say to that?! Except maybe this:

Mom: Ruth, what are you doing??!!
Ruth: Just spreading butter on my bread.
Ruth: (Putting her hand on the back of the chair to steady herself)
Mom: Don't touch the chair!!!
Ruth: What?! I licked all the butter off my hand.

And there truly is nothing you can say to that--especially when both parents can't catch their breath because they are laughing so hard.
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WESTON WENT TEE-TEE IN THE POTTY TONIGHT!!!!! It was a big first for us and we are super-excited. I have been intending to really get serious about potty training when Ruth goes to school, and I'm glad to see that that may actually be possible! He was sort of confused at first, but then he was so proud of himself. And he was especially excited when he got a candy reward. I hope he remembers how much fun that was and continues down that path. Up until now, I couldn't even get him to sit on his little potty without promising to brush his teeth, but maybe now he'll be a bit more motivated.

What We Did On Our Summer Vacation: A Pictoral Review

Back In The Saddle Again

The blazing saddle, that is. We just spent the last ten days in Utopia, where we never saw a temperature over 85, wore jeans and long-sleeved shirts and occasionally a jacket, and slept with our windows open with no air conditioning and no fan. It was absolutely wonderful...and then we came home to find that we actually live in a furnace. It got up to 100 today, and even now it's 90. Yuck! Fortunately (there's irony in that choice of word), we have a mile-high pile of laundry to work through so we haven't been out in the heat. So, what did we do on our summer vacation, you ask? Well, here's a brief review:

• We worked on our cabin--texturing, painting, plumbing, cleaning, organizing, etc.
• We laughed, talked, sang, danced, played games, rested, ate lots of yummy food, etc.
• We abandoned all responsibility--no cooking, no dishes, etc.
• We spent quality time with family
• We took a scenic drive through the mountains
• We enriched our lives with a cultural field trip to a minimalistic art gallery
• We took a special trip to the the McDonald Observatory, looked through a really big telescope, saw millions of stars, a few galaxies, some nebulae and tons of falling stars and meteors.
• Sometime during all this, I turned 30, and honestly the anticipation of that event was worse than the actual action.

So, anyway, we're home now and back in the saddle.

Leaving This Crazy Week Behind

It has been a very crazy laundry-doing, dentist-visiting, book chart-finishing, reward-bowling, sugar scrub-making, lawn-mowing, stair-falling, park-playing, parent-visiting, suitcase-packing, errand-running, early birthday-celebrating, iJoy chair-getting, back/foot-massaging, livingroom-rearranging, date-having week (just to hit the highlights), and we're exhausted. Thankfully, we are on our way to the Davis Moutnains tomorrow morning to spend the next ten days doing absolutely nothing. When I get back, I will have had a birthday, so get ready for the wisdom that comes with age to pour forth.

The Early Bird Gets It, Alright

I am not a morning person, but I have resolved to try to get up earlier so I can have a little more "me" time and get some things done that just aren't that easy to do with the kids under my feet. It sounds like a pretty good plan, huh?! Well, apparently, my eldest child has some sort of timer built into her body which runs right along with whatever clock I choose to use. The earlier I get up, the earlier she gets up--leaving me not with more "me" time, but actually more "mommy" time. Maybe there's some reason I'm a night person to begin with!

Where Idea Meets Reality

Earlier this summer, I came up with a little business idea, which I've kind of been gnawing on. It's homemade, all-natural sugar scrubs, and the name I came up with is Body Dulce. Over the weekend, I gave out the first samples of the product to family members. I also got my first few orders (also from family members), and now I'm trying to kick this little business into high gear. I'm no where near official, but I'm having fun, and I'm definitley busy. I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Filling Up Our Quiver

We have a big announcement to make: We're going to have a new baby!!! Sometime in mid-January we're going to be bringing home a new little bundle of joy. When we told the kids, Ruth's first response was, "Now I'm going to have two babies to take care of...and I'll be in school!" I told her I might be able to help out ever so slightly. Her next observation was, "Now we're going to have three kids and only two adults!" Oh boy. She's already realized how the scale will be tipping. We are so excited and we feel very blessed with this new addition to our family. Here's a preview of our new little one:


Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them...(Psalm 127:3-5)

Pampered

I got in on a little spa treatment tonight at Curves. Everyone who participated got to enjoy a mini-facial and forearm massage, along with a few moments of relaxation, a lip mask and silky balm, refreshing eye pads and some nice foot lotion. Then, when I got home, Jeff and I experimented with some homemade brown sugar scrub on our hands. Jeff didn't particularly enjoy the kitchen spa treatment, but I loved it. My face and hands just feel so smooth and wonderful now. Makes me want to pamper myself a little more often.

The Kayaking Trip That Wasn't Meant To Be

When we had our vacation in the hill country a few weeks ago, we had planned on doing a kayak trip with all of Jeff's family on the Guadelupe River. But becuause of all the rain, the river was flooded and we couldn't do the trip. We rescheduled for this coming weekend. Well, guess what?! It has been raining pretty much non-stop since then and the river is not safe for kayakers. Maybe next summer...

When at a loss for words, just distract the audience with pictures of your kids

Growing Up

It seems everyday my little girl grows up a little more. Today was a big day. Everything clicked with tying her shoes! We aren' t even sure how she learned. We showed her a couple of times but we never really worked on it with her. She says she just figured out how to do it. Also, she had a dentist appointment today and went back with the hygenist all by herself, while Weston and I waited in the waiting room. And, we bought all her school supplies today, which was so fun! She was so completely excited, it was contagious! I can't believe how big she's getting to be!

Jam-Packed Weekend

We maxed out our weekend with all kinds of fun. On Saturday, Ruth had invitations to two different birthday parties. The first was at a sprinkler park in Leander. Ruth and I attended this one solo, and had a really good time. That party finished up with just enough time for us to come home and get the boys before heading out to the next party at Capital Gymnastics. Ruth and Weston had a blast, along with all the other kids, while jumping on trampolines and sliding on slides and doing all kinds of other fun gymnasticy things. At the end of that party, we all jumped in the car and headed to Houston to spend the night with our friends and attend church services last night and this morning. We spent the afternoon helping out with a mailing project for the church and then headed back to Austin. We are all pleasantly exhausted now and are looking forward to another busy week.

And Still The Rain Came Down

This is the mantra of an adorable children's book, which I can really relate to. The constant raining makes everyone a little irritable and causes crazy things to happen. But when the sun comes out, everyone seems to forget their troubles and remember how much fun it is just to enjoy life. I love it! Don't get me wrong, I'm not really complaining about rain in JULY or the cooler temperatures that result. It's just hard for me to get motivated when the skies are gray--and are predicted to be that way for the next ten days--(and have been that way for more days than I can count this summer). It's not all bad, though, the yard looks better than it's ever looked and, like I said, the temperture is much more moderate. Plus, the napping is pretty good when you can get it!

Childhood Favorites

I normally try to leave my emotions and appetite at home when I do the grocery shopping, but lately I have been unable to resist the lure of some of my childhood favorites:

• Honey Roasted Peanuts
• Ovaltine
• Shells and Cheese
• Cracklin' Oat Bran
• Peanut Butter Capt'n Crunch
• And even Spaghetti-O's

It's so fun to eat these newly discovered old treats. It's like reclaiming a few short minutes of childhood with each bite. The next time you are at the grocery store, I suggest you splurge on just one thing that takes you back to when you were a kid. The scientific world might argue that it will cut years off your life, but I would say that it actually gives back a little of the life that has already slipped by.

5 And 8

Ruth completed her reading chart today!!! That's five books in ten days! It's amazing to see what a confident reader she has become in such a short time. We are so proud of her and she is definitely proud of herself! As a reward, we took her out for ice cream at Amy's this evening and then to the book store for a new book. Her new chart is already hung and ready to go. This time she has to read six books before she gets her special reward, which she told us she wants to be a trip to the bowling alley. And while I'm shamelessly bragging on my child--(it is my blog afterall, and that's kind fo what it's for!)--let me just say how impressed I was yesterday when she was counting how many lines she had to read on a particular page. She was adding them up by sentences. There were two sentences, each with four lines. So, Ruth counted up the lines in the first sentence and said "Four." Then she added up the lines in the other sentence and again came up with four. Then she announced--without using her fingers or any other adding device--"Well, it looks like I have eight lines to read." I hadn't seen her add in her head before so I was quite surprised and thrilled. Then, tonight at dinner she went on to tell us the sums for all the same number problems (1+1, 2+2, etc.) up to 5+5. She did them all in her head and got them all right. It's truly a wonderful thing to watch your child blossom in this way.

Who Let The Dogs Out?!

The other day I was mowing the grass, and I came across a cute little frog. I caught it in a cup and brought it up to the deck so the kids could see it hop around. They were enjoying the little critter immensely, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, these two huge bulldog-looking dogs appeared in our yard. I told the dogs to "get," and instead of politely leaving my yard, they began to growl and bark. I quickly moved the kids inside, and I think Weston was just a bit traumatized. He began telling Jeff about the dogs quite animatedly, and the next day he didn't want to go outside, which is highly unusual for him. Then, when we saw Jeff's aunt and uncle and their two little dogs over the weekend, Weston didn't really want to have much to do with the dogs, which he normally loves. It absolutely infuriates me when pet owners let their animals run wild--especially dogs. We don't have pets, and there are many good reasons for that. I don't like to feel "threatened" when I'm in my own yard, minding my own business. I think if you are the pet owner it is your responsibility to have a fence or a leash and keep your animals under control. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't have the animals to begin with. I'm sure the owners of these dogs would probably say, "But they are quite harmless. They just wanted to play." That's all well and good, but we had no way of knowing that, and they certainly didn't seem friendly. If they want to play, they should be playing in their own yard with people who actually want them around. If you own a dog, I think you should go to the park with it and play frisbee. I think you should watch it chase squirrels. I think you should let it lick you all over the face, if you enjoy that sort of thing. But don't impose your lovable (in your eyes) little pooch on me and my family.

Ruth's Dictionary

hy-po-chon-dri-ac
noun
1. a person who has two things wrong with them at the same time.

Mommy was feeling carsick and had a cut inside her nose, therefore she is a hypochondriac.

The Little Swimmer That Could

Ruth has always been a little nervous around water--and that's really putting it mildly. We started her in swim lessons in September just to try to get her more comfortable with the water. And when we went to that first class, I really had my doubts about whether she would even get in the water at all. Well, she did get in and she absolutely loved the class. So, we signed her up for the next class. She loved that as well, but wanted to take a break and do gymnastics for a while. Jeff and I still felt that she could be more confident in the water so we insisted that she take another class this summer. So, she has been going every day this week (and she will go every day next week as well). And since there weren't enough kids to make a class at her current level, they bumped her up to the next class. It's almost like I'm watching a totally different kid. She has really blossomed. She is going under and swimming the length of the pool pretty much all by herself and diving and floating on her back without help and, most amazing of all, jumping into deep water with no one there to catch her. I'm so proud of her, and I can tell she really feels good about herself. She's even talking about being on a swim team at some point in the future! She's definitely come a long way in just a year!

Eat A Rainbow

I think the geniuses that thought up this clever little saying were looking to inspire children (and people in general) to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. My son, however, decided to take that saying to a whole other level today. He managed to somehow find Ruth's secret stash of markers, pop the lids off, and eat--that's right, EAT--them. I found him--not once, but twice--today chowing down on Crayola's best. Thank goodness Crayola thought to make them washable and non-toxic! In the heat of the moment I failed to grab my camera, but maybe you can create a mental image with the help of this "Little Guy" I found on the internet. Only imagine that there isn't one single, solitary sliver of pinkish skin tone anywhere near the mouth, tounge or hands. He defintely ate his purple and teal today. And, as an aside, he did also manage to get some green at dinner time, when he went absolutely crazy over the spinach nuggets I served. (He ate 7 of them as quickly as he could get them into his hands and shove them in his mouth). If you decide to "eat a rainbow," may I suggest you stick to the spinach nuggets and avoid the markers. It's a lot less messy and it has to taste better!

Now We're Really Reading

Ruth has been reading individual words for quite a long time and short sentences for a while. But today was truly monumental, as Ruth finished her first real big-girl book (Eloise and the Big Parade) all by herself. She read it out loud to Jeff and I over the course of the last few days, and she sounded out every single word all by herself. She was even able to figure out the words that didn't come out perfectly according to the phonetics. She was soooo proud of herself, and Jeff and I were extremely proud of her as well. As a reward, we all went to the bookstore and she got to pick out any book she wanted. This will be her next conquest. We made a chart for her to hang on the fridge to help her monitor her progress. Every time she reads a book, she gets to pick out a new one to read, and after she reads five, we will take her out for a special treat--most likely ice cream. It's so exciting to see all this click for her, and to see her so excited about it! Feel free to to give her a (physical or verbal) pat on the back the next time you see her or talk to her.

My Crowning Achievement

No, I'm not talking about getting the stench out of Weston's carseat.

And it's not that I sucessfully completed Portuguese I.

Good guesses, but my crowning achievement for today was parallel parking at UT--without hitting any other cars, or giving up or getting one tire up on the curb or getting so close to the curb that I couldn't get the sliding van door open or anything. Normally, the very thought of undertaking this task is enough to send me speeding to the parking garage. The only time I will even consider it is when I can ease into an "end" spot. But tonight, I decided to go for broke. And thankfully, I didn't actually break anything! I slid into a spot right between an SUV and a little compact, and it was awesome. I do have to give some props to my backseat driver. Ruth climbed into the very back seat and told me when I was getting close to the car behind me. I don't really have any idea how accurate her "help" was, but she felt important and it kept her from any other distracting remarks, for sure.

Hill Country Holiday

We spent the last few days and nights in the adorable Bluebonnet Cabin at the Top of the Hill RV Resort in beautiful Boerne, TX. We had the most wonderful time, and here are some of the things we did:

• attended a small-town 4th of July parade in Comfort, TX
• did some grocery shopping in a small-town grocery store
• cooked burgers in the rain
• watched a spectacular fireworks show
• enjoyed the cool breeze and rocking chairs on the front porch of our cabin
• watched spiders build and re-build their webs
• watched the sun set over the hills
• laughed ourselves silly
• read lots of books
• went on scenic drives
• saw Stonhenge and Easter Island-like structures in Hunt, TX
• stopped at the "apple capital of Texas" for a picnic lunch and the most amazing apple ice cream
• swam like fishes
• saw and photographed a hilarious chicken car
• visited The Cave Without A Name
• went to my sister's wedding
• enjoyed live music in a couple of different resturaunts
• drank Yoo-Hoo
• saw the Guadalupe River in a serious flood-state
• spent quality time with our immediate family and some of our extended family

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

Misadventures In Babysitting

When you have five kids at your house (and you haven't used the Force to put them all to sleep), you find yourself looking for fun, free activities. I actually had it all planned out before our friends arrived. Monday we would go to the sprinkler park, which we did. And when we got there, the whole operation was broken and we ended up back at home with the sprinklers on in the yard. As you may or may not know, it takes approximately 5 hours to get 5 children greased up with sunscreen and ready to go on an outing like that, so I was thrilled, of course. Today's plan was to go play at the Toys-R-Us playscape, since we needed a dry activity. And you'll never believe this, but when we got there it was broken. Determined to keep sanity in tact (both the kids and mine), I decided to drop into the storytime at the library. We barely squeaked in, and then the two youngest kids immediately went into melt-down mode. So, the three of us spent the entire storytime outside. At least the big girls got to do something fun this morning. Best laid plans, huh?! I feel like I've earned a vacation, and fortunately we just happened to have one planned. We're off to the Texas hill country for the next few days. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe July 4th.

Using The Force

The most amazing thing happened at my house today: I put 5 kids between the ages of 18 months and 7 years down for a "rest time," and they all fell asleep. That's five children sleeping in my house, in five different locations, all at the same time. And not only that, the shortest of all the naps was 2 hours--and that by Weston, if you can believe it! The only possible explanation for this is that the Force was with me-- because at least half of these kids are staunch non-sleepers. I don't think I can really take credit for this phenomenon, but it certainly felt like a triumph of some sort. The stars may never be aligned like this again.

Frank

This is the nickname my husband came up with for our daughter, because frankly, she is a weinnie when it comes to almost everything. I normally tell people she's just very cautious, but if I'm honest, it's really just all-out cowardice. So, as you know, she spent the week with her grandparents at Lake Buchanan, and she had the chance to work on her water skills. When Jeff and I got there on Friday, she came up to me and said, "Mom, you guys aren't going to be able to call me 'Frank' anymore, because I'm really brave now." This was a reference to the fact that she had discovered during the week that not only could she jump off Grandpa's shoulders in the water, but that it was also quite fun. Then, yesterday she discovered the joy of jumping off the boat dock to Grandpa in the water...and then jumping off with no one in the water. We are very proud of her for overcoming her fears, and we are hoping to be able to drop the nickname completely someday soon.

Pre-Cleaning

I've always loved the concept of "cleaning up before the housekeeper comes." Be sure and get everything nice and tidy before someone comes to clean your house, so that person won't think you are slobs. Yeah. That makes sense. And yet, I spent the majority of this day in pre-cleaning mode. But it's a little different than you may think. We are having our carpets and sofas professionally cleaned tomorrow, and so I was busy trying to get the floors and sofas vacuumed and the smaller furniture moved so that the cleaning process can go as smoothly as possible tomorrow. Basically, I took care of the big chunks. Hopefully, Steam Express will take care of the rest. Now, I must rest my tired body and mind. Until Sunday evening...

Two For One

You'd think that attending two Portuguese classes in one night would make you double-good at Portuguese. You'd be wrong. I decided to sit in on Jeff's Portuguese II class tonight after my class, since the kids aren't here and since I wanted to test drive it before I sign up for that session in the Fall. Now my brain is fried and I'm definitely none the wiser. It was way, way over my head. And sitting in on the class means participating in the class, so I was quite embarrassed when it was my turn to read. I must discipline myself to study more.
And speaking of reading and ignorance, I simply must share these stats with all of you that Jeff posted on his brand new blog. It's shocking and appalling. The data is quoted by Para Publishing, who is quoting Jerrold Jenkins:
--58% of the US adult population never reads another book after high school.
--42% of college graduates never read another book.
--80% of US families did not buy or read a book last year.
--70% of US adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
--57% of new books are not read to completion.
--the average person stops reading a book on page 18.
I'm proud to say that I am not helping to make up these statistics. I absolutely love books--I love to read them, to hold them, to smell them, literally everything about them. And I think everyone should be able to find some book that they can enjoy past page 18! Here are some of my favorites:
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Lord Of The Flies byWilliam Golding
Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck
A Woman Of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
The Devil In The White City: Murder, Magic andMadness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson

That is just to name a few. I am currently reading My Gal Sunday by Mary Higgins Clark. I urge you not to be a statistic. Pick up a book and read it to completion. Do it for yourself, and do it for America.

The Sound Of Silence

The kids are staying with Jeff's parents all week, making it very quiet around our house indeed! This is a situation I'm not the least bit used to, and so every once in a while, I imagine that I hear the children playing or talking or laughing or screaming or whatever. It's weird--the silence and the imaginings. Jeff and I have tried to make the most of our kid-free time. We saw a movie and went out for dinner on Sunday night. We had a quick bite to eat together before Portuguese class last night. And tonight we went out to dinner and then did a little shopping--long after the "normal" hours for those events. I also did some shopping during the day today--the kind that just can't be done with two little ones tagging along. And yesterday afternoon, I took full advantage of the silence (and the rainstorm) to read a little of my book and nap away my migraine. We talked to the kids last night, and they are having a blast. And the grandparents are thrilled beyond belief to have the kids there. It's definitley a win-win-win. But on this end it's definitely a silent victory.

Our Weekend In Pictures

A Day At The Museum

Going Postal

A few days ago I drove by my neighbors' house and saw that their brick mailbox had been knocked over and was lying flat in the yard. I thought maybe they were thinking of replacing it or, at the very worst, some teenagers in the neighborhood knocked it over for fun. Well, today I had a chance to get the story from my neighbor directly. She said they were sitting in their livingroom one day when they suddenly heard a loud crash outside. They immediately hopped up to look out the window and saw the mailman parked just in little past their mailbox. He sat there for a minute and then just went on. (At the time, the mailbox hadn't actually fallen over, but sometime in the night it did). The next time that mailman came by, they noticed a large, supicious-looking dent in the bumper of the mail truck. They have since contacted the post office and have been told that the mailman says he didn't do it, and it's pretty much his word against theirs. The problem with the mailman's story is that I have personally seen him run into another neighbor's mailbox, knock it over and leave it. Unbelievable, right?! You always kind of think of your postman as a "good guy." I guess that just isn't always the case. I do think I'll start parking my van a little closer to the house. Our house is the last house on the mail route and the mailman turns around in our driveway. I hate to think of the bruise he'll leave on Minnie, if we aren't careful.

You Can't Give Panties For A Gift

Apparently, when Ruth was staying with my parents, my mom commented on Ruth's fancy panties. Ruth proudly told her they were new. And so Mom asked her if she got them for her birthday. Ruth was absolutely appalled and said, "You can't get panties for your birthday!!" So, today we were out shopping for a birthday gift for my mother-in-law, and I was asking Ruth if she had any ideas. She offered up a few and then said, "Well, I know one thing: We can't give her panties, because you can't give panties to someone for their birthday!!" So, no panties for birthdays, got it?!

A Boy By Any Other Name...

Last summer, Ruth took the idea into her head to start calling Weston "West." She kept that up for several months and then decided to start calling him "Weh." Both of these nicknames really got on my nerves, but I saw very quickly that the more I would try to correct her, the more exciting it was for her to call him by those names, so I dropped my attempts of correction. But in the last few weeks, she has started calling him "Wel," and that one I just cannot tolerate at all. So today I quit biting my tongue and told her in no uncertain terms that she could not use that nickname. And then I told her if she kept it up I was going to start calling her by some name that wasn't anything like her real name. She didn't like that idea one bit, and I think she got the point. No wonder Weston doesn't know how to say his own name. He doesn't even know what it is!

Little Blessings

Minnie (our van) heard about AhRoi's problem and became very sympathetic--to the point of death. The kids and I were out running some errands today and came back to the van at one point to find the battery completely dead. Instead of becoming frustrated, I decided it was a good time to count my little blessings. So here they are:

1. It was near the end of the workday so we didn't have to wait too long for our knight in shining armor to arrive.

2. One of the stores had a kid-sized table and piles of books for us to read while we waited for Jeff.

3. That store also had a nice bathroom and a Coke machine--and I actually had enough change to purchase something.

4. I actually made it out of the house with a sippy cup, snacks, an extra diaper and plenty of wipes.

5. We did get the car started and made it back home.

6. Jeff got the computer to cooperate so I could share our little blessings with all of you.

Near Death Experience

Well, my right-hand man--my e-mailer of e-mails, blogger of blogs, keeper of schedules, planner of vacations, finder of information, connection to the world--seems to be trying to die on me. Or maybe he's just had a stroke, because certain parts of him are just not working. And even my computer guy (a.k.a Jeff) doesn't know what the problem is. This makes me very, very sad. I depend on AhRoi too much for him to leave me. It's a miracle I'm even getting to post this blog tonight. That's one of the functions affected by the stroke, along with some other internet access. My e-mail program still seems to be working fine and my Skype phone is working as well as it ever has--but that's a whole other story. I will try to keep the blogs coming, but I just never know if AhRoi will be up for it. And some nights it's just not worth trying to rouse him. Don't forget about me if I disappear for awhile. I love you all...

Summer Fun

Go, Spurs, Go

I like sports fine, but I'm not usually too much for watching them on TV. I make an exception for basketball, especially the NBA finals, especially when the Spurs are playing. They were really on fire the first half, and I look forward to seeing how the second half comes out. They are a great team and very fun to watch.

Sure Plays A Mean Pinball

Well, with a quaratine in place at our house, we had to come up with some creative things to do today, and one of them was dragging out the old-school 8 bit Nintendo. We played Mario Bros., Mike Tyson's Punch Out, some pinball game, Mega Man III and my personal favorite, Rad Racer-- some with a little more coaxing of the old machine than others. Ruth loses interest in these old games very quickly, and I'm not really too far behind her. But Jeff really loves them. You can just see on his face and hear in his commentary that he's 10 again. We should all have something in our lives that take us back like that. Ruth and I also found refuge in the equally old-school game of Yahtzee. The girl is good. I have never played that game with her that she hasn't beat the pants off me, and today was no exception. Our quaratine is still on for tomorrow, so we'll see what else we can come up with for entertainment.

Friday Updates

1. I reported that Jeff and Ruth were sick. Well, that remains. But, after seperate trips to seperate doctors in seperate towns, we now we know what they have (kind of) and they are being treated. Turns out Ruth has Strep Throat, without ever actually manifesting a sore throat of any kind. And Jeff has something that definitely ends with "itis," but due to a slight language barrier between doctor and patient, we aren't quite sure what the first part of that is. They will be laying low another couple of days for sure.

2. I reported that Weston (or possibly Weston's mom) was disappointed in the selection of boy's sandals. Well, this morning he found a pair he liked,that fit, that looked manly, and have at least as good a chance as any other pair of not stinking to high heaven like the previous out-grown ones.

3. I reported that Weston had a minor "yeast infection." That's true, but what he really has is "jock itch." My mom said, "I knew he was a big boy. I just didn't know he was that big." We picked up some cream for him so that little problem should go away before too long.

4. I reported that Ruth would be attending art camp this week. She did, and she enjoyed it very much. She finished up today with a parade and reception, which parents and grandparents were invited to attend. The theme of the camp was "Asia," and they really made some neat things, including homemade paper, masks, paper lanterns, headbands and many paintings and drawings.

The Weston Report

Weston had his 18 month check-up today and the doctor's exact words were, "Well, I guess he's just perfect." I've thought so all along, but it's nice to have that motherly intuition confirmed. As soon as we got in the elevator to go up to her office, Weston was intent on charming the socks of every person he saw...and that certainly didn't stop with the doctor or her nurse. He was melting hearts with his smile and his many blown kisses. He is 33 1/2 in. tall (80th percentile) and weighed 28 pounds (also 80th percentile). And, aside from a small yeast infection, he was in perfect health. He's getting so big and we're so proud of him.

Sickies

Jeff had originally planned to work from home today. Instead, he spent most of the day on the couch--hot, then cold, asleep, then barely awake, headachy, and general body achy. This afternoon, he finally took his temperature and found it to be 102.9. Yuk! Then, my mom called around 7:30 to say that Ruth was sick, running a temperature of 102.9 and that she had had a headache and been very tired when Mom picked her up from camp. (Fortunately, she seemed not to have the fever until later in the afternoon). Double yuk! Obviously, Jeff and Ruth somehow came down with the same thing without even being in the same town. I just hope Weston and I don't come down with it tomorrow. The bright spot in the day was getting have lunch with Jeff's aunt...I just really hope she didn't pick up any of these icky germs.

Little Boys Need Shoes, Too

Weston and I were on a mission today (whether Weston realized it or not) to find him some new sandals, because his little feet are just getting too big for the ones he has now. And what I want to know is why on earth should there be fifty choices of girls' sandals and one, maybe two, for boys?! I mean, little boys need shoes, too. It's just not right. Jeff said, "Well, we men just don't care that much about shoes," which may be true, but wake-up and smell the dollars you sellers of shoes, we mammas (read "purchasers of shoes) do care! And we want choices!

Stretching The Old Brain

I attended my first Portuguese class this evening, and I really enjoyed it. I went in to it a little nervous that it would be a bit over my head and a little overwhelming, but it was just the right pace for me. And I must admit that for this near-thirty, stay-at-home mom it was nice to stretch my brain a bit in a non-child dominated environment. Jeff is taking another stab at Portuguese II, but I'm sure it won't be any problem for him as he's practically a professional translator. Well, at least he's the only one who could even come close when a Brazilian visitor showed up at church on Sunday. I'm so glad I let him talk me into taking the class. Maybe someday (a long, long time from now), I can pinch-hit as the church translator.

Quiet Night At Home

Ruth left this afternoon to spend the week with Nana and Papa. She will be attending Art Camp and enjoying the exclusive attentions of her grandparents while partaking in lots of other fun activities, I'm sure. Weston was absolutely exhausted by 6:00 this evening, so off to bed he went. Jeff and I had dinner by ourselves at the very adult dinnertime of 6:30. Then, we each retreated to our respected flopping places and dug into our respective books. So, aside from the thunder that has been rocking the house for the last few hours, it's been really quiet around here. And, I have to say, it's been kind of nice.

Pain In The Neck

And it's not Jeff, in case you were wondering. I woke up this moring with a terrible crick in my neck that I haven't been able to shake all day. I'm planning to go to bed here in a few minutes, and I really hope it will disappear while I'm sleeping.

My Little Cuddle Bug

I have never really been what you might call a "cuddler". I guess I have never been able to be still long enough. Jeff has been working on me for almost 9 years, and I really have gotten better. But what has really worked on me is this adorable little boy who lives in my house. He is just such a little cuddle bug. Today when I got him up from his nap, I took him into my room and laid down with him on my bed. He just laid his head down on my chest and rubbed my arm with these sweet little strokes for about 10 solid minutes. Then, he sat up for a few minutes and then tackled me with the biggest bear hug. He did that several more times before he was really ready to get up and go play. So, so sweet. It definitely makes me want to be a cuddler.