Wanna come help us dig out?

"What are we doing, Mama??"

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...This is fun!"

"But snow down my neck is SNOW fun!"

"I wanna play out here all day long, Mama!"

Snowballs on That Dog's leg. She had them on all four legs, and her tummy. That Kid thought it was fabulous!

So...two days of snow, and we're at about 18 inches or so. It's been nuts around here. That Kid, who's been in school for a grand total of THREE WEEKS has already had two teacher in-service days, and two snow days. He'll never have a full five day week at this rate! That Dad has been busy with the snowblower (thank goodness for snowblowers!), I've been busy keeping the coffee, hot spiced apple cider, and hot cocoa coming! And cooking. Lots of warm, comfort foods this week (speaking of cooking, I really, really, really want "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" That Grandma!! You can find it on Amazon.)!!

Come on over, help us dig out! I'll give you something warm to drink. :)

More important than anything else...

I have a very dear friend who is very sick right now. Upon a doctor's recommendation, she got the H1N1 vaccine. She stayed up doing research on the vaccine, and when she found out it was available she got it not only for herself, but for her three children as well. Shortly after the vaccination, she started having paralysis and other neurological issues.

Yesterday, she and her husband left for a hospital in a larger city, among other things for a spinal tap. She is very sure that she has Guillain Barre syndrome, that was triggered by the vaccine. She had to kiss her babies goodbye yesterday...the hardest thing she's ever done. Her two sons, Warrior and Forrest, have only been away from her overnight when she gave birth. Her sweet girl Fancy has never been away from her mother overnight, and isn't weened.

Please pray for my friend C and her husband L; their kids, and C's mom and aunt who are watching the kids right now. If C truly has GBS, there will be a very long hospital stay involved. A long stay away from her kids.

C, if you read this, remember that we all love you and there are more people praying for you than you can imagine. You're in my thoughts constantly, and we both know that our God is a God of miracles. He will get you through this.

Really? That really happened?

This morning, That Kid and I went to church, just as we do each Sunday. Hopefully some day That Dad will join us. But, anyway, the reason for this isn't to harp on That Dad for not coming to church. It's to complain about the jerk who, sometime between Friday afternoon and this morning, stole the GPS, radio adapter, and handful of quarters out of the car. None of my CDs were taken (clearly the theif has crappy taste...all my NKOTB CDs were in the car! ;) ), and my sunglasses weren't taken, but whoever did this ripped holes in our dashboard while they were removing the GPS system.

A report has been filed, and I need to find the box for the GPS system to get the serial number and model number for the report. Sigh...and today was going to be such a nice day, too! The sad thing is, I didn't even realize until I'd driven the 8 miles to church that our GPS system was gone. We keep this sticky pad on the dash that we put our cell phones and glasses on and it keeps them there while we drive and the freaking vandals, after ripping the GPS off the dash, put the pad over the holes they created in the leather on the dash.

Never again will I go out to the car and think that the reason there is a bunch of stuff on the passengers seat is because That Dad was looking for something in the console. And I just may go to the kid across the stree and punch him in the mouth...I'm sure he's got something to do with this...

What's that you hear?

NOTHING! SILENCE! BLISSFUL SILENCE!

Since That Kid was born, I can't really say that I've had much time to myself. Usually, That Kid is with me. Or That Dad. But today, That Kid is at school, That Dad is at work, and I'm kicked back. Bad Mama...I know. As soon as I hit "publish" I'm going to go hang up That Dad's clothes and put his drawers in the dresser.

But, I'm also going to take this time to brag on my kid. When he was 18 months old, his pediatrician was concerned because he only used four words. Yes, No, Mama, Dada. She recommended we put him in speech therapy. That started when he was 21 months old. He's now blossomed to at least 130 words. Last night, he was sitting by me when I was talking to That Grandma and That Dog started barking. That Kid looked at me and said, "OH NO! Sissy in trouble! Volcano! Volcano!" He also grabbed the phone from me and told That Grandma, "Phinny and Ferb COOL!" (He loves Phinneas and Ferb on the Disney Channel, and so do That Dad and I! What a great show. If you haven't watched it, you really must check it out!) Really...my baby boy isn't going to be in his special needs class for much longer! Just get him a little more structure, and he'll be going to the red door soon!

And I just have to say, I'm so proud of him today! He was EXCITED to go to school today! He did tell me on the way, "No School, Mama!" and I told him he was going to go see his school friends, and discussed who would be there. He still wasn't too sure, so I told him "School is like green beans for your BRAIN! It helps make your brain big and strong!" And through the purple door he went. :)

Not me Monday

That Family has been busy since moving, for sure! Not only did That Kid start school last week, but we've been making several trips to a certain store that sells things for the bedroom, bathroom, and beyond! We did not go last Tuesday, or last Wednesday, or last Saturday. Saturday's trip did not end up being a great Not me Monday topic. And I did not get a blue Snuggie that I would not be wearing if it were not 80 degrees today!

So........Saturday we ended up not going to that certain store mentioned above. We did not have a coupon for 20% off our ENTIRE PURCHASE. We did not go a little crazy buying things. I did not find an excellent deal on slipcovers for the couch and loveseat in the living room, and we did not get several Christmas presents for That Kid. We're not so prepared for Christmas that we're almost done shopping for That Kid. Nope, not us!

But that's not the best part of the story! Not even close!! Upon returning to That Family Car, That Dad did not unlock the car, throw his keys on the seat and slam the door...only to discover that the car was actually still locked because he hit the wrong button. He did not say to me, "Hey, you have your keys, right?" and I did not say, "Shut up...you're soooooo funny!" He did not pick up the phone to call That Brother-in-Law to ask him to stop by our house and come to our rescue when I did not notice that MY keys were also inside the car, sitting right in the cupholder where I tossed them when we got out of the car to go shopping. And while we did not save $42 on random stuff for the new house, we did not have to spend $85 for a locksmith to come let us in. We were not happy it was only $85. We did not think it was going to be closer to $150, and when the locksmith said, "OK, that'll be $85!" I did not think, "OMG...$185?!? We're eating Ramen for the next month! That includes at Thanksgiving!"

And in great stories about myself, yesterday I did not reach in the fridge for a Golden Arches Apple Pie only to discover they were GONE! I did not say, "Screw you, Pie eater!" and That Kid did not walk around saying "screw you" for the next several minutes. Nope...not me!!

"How's your farm?"

On Facebook, I have a farm. Three, actually. Three farms, a fish tank, and a cafe. And an island. I also have a three year old. A very active three year old who likes to get his toys out of the toy box and scatter them through the house.

I don't think That Dad gets it. He goes to work at 4:50am, and I try to keep things picked up before he gets home at 3:30...but let's face it...That Kid doesn't care if I pick up the house. He wants his toys where HE wants them. He doesn't realize that when That Dad gets home he wants to see the house neatly picked up.

So, honey, when you walk in the house and say, "How's your farm?" I hope you realize that yes, I have tried to pick things up, but That Kid won't let things STAY picked up. I hope you saw this yesterday as, right before the sprinkler man came to blow out the sprinklers I picked up all the toys off the floor and the moment That Kid woke up the toys were in the same spot they were before I picked them up.

And the next time you say, "How's your farm?" you better duck...Thomas the Train just might find your forehead!

We went to the pumpkin patch today!!

And That Kid was so so excited! We got in the car and he proclaimed, "Ready go to pumpkin patch!" and kicked the back of my seat until we left. We were meeting Crunchy Mama and her crunchy kids there, but the friend that Crunchy Mama brought along (with the friend's day care brood) was ready to go right as we arrived so they left. Bummer. But, an even bigger bummer was the fact that the Centennial State has had an unusually cold fall and all of the pumpkins froze. Crunchy Mama managed to find two that were salvageable, but most of them were soft and dented.

So, we get there, see Crunchy Mama and I get to snuggle on Crunchy Baby for a few minutes, and That Kid is fuuuuuuuhreaking out...he spotted a bounce house just like the one That Grandma and That Papa rented the last time we went to the Golden State. And That Kid is ready to get bouncy! Sadly, every day care center in a 50 mile radius of the pumpkin patch had decided it was a great day to bring all of their kids to the patch as well, and Crunchy Mama said that it was too dangerous for That Kid to get in the bounce house because the big kids from the day care centers were being nuts. So, needless to say I told That Kid he couldn't get in the bounce house. I told him he could go through the hay bale maze, or he could look at the animals and see the piggies being fed, but he was NOT going to get in that bounce house. Not not not! Instead, That Kid cried and screamed, and we were swarmed by bees, so we left. And didn't get a single picture. At least I got some delicious pumpkin bread (at $7 a loaf...), and That Dad found two tiny pumpkins and got That Kid a pumpkin shaped sugar cookie (which he got about half of all over his lap, of course!). Maybe next year will be better?

School days, school days...

That Kid started preschool today. He loved it. And he was perfect (so they said...)!! I still can't believe that my baby is old enough to be in preschool (and truly, if he didn't need the extra help in speech/language then he wouldn't be in preschool)!! Here is my favorite pic from this morning (I'm trying not to cry!!)...

isn't he cute, and doesn't he look so so big?!? His school is brand new, and still smells like new paint and carpet! Mmm Mmm!!!!

And here are a couple pictures from his birthday on Sunday...he had a great day. He stayed home with That Dad while I went to church (he was still sleeping when I was ready to go, and he and That Dad don't get much one on one time...), then I brought home burgers (his favorite!) and we played a little bit; then I went and picked up his dinner and cake (he got pizza, his other favorite!).

"Hi! I'm this many!!"

Cars from That Grandma and That Papa...I'd say he likes 'em a little!

"Is this whole thing for me?!?"

Eating his ice cream the way That Papa must have taught him...

How is it that we went from...

THIS...






to THIS...





in just three short years?!? It seems like just yesterday I got this...





Happy birthday, sweet kid! Mama and Daddy love you very, very much! You've brought us so much joy, and we're so proud to be able to call you our son!!

Let's all welcome That Grandma!!

Ha! Today my mother informed me she found my blog. Even said I was a pretty good writer! :) Thanks, Mama! She also made sure to tell me that my house is a disaster. And I made sure to tell HER that she needed to come help me unpack boxes. But, we decided that the week would go like this...

Monday: Wake up, look around the house, have breakfast and coffee. Discuss where we were going to have lunch. Talk about maybe getting some things organized. Talk about going to the Bullseye store to buy things for the house. Go get lunch. Go to the Bullseye store. Get That Kid a cart full of stuff he doesn't need, get nothing for the house. Decide to go to SteinMart and Kohl's. Buy lots more stuff we don't need. That Grandma has to go back to the Bullseye store for a second suitcase for all the new clothes she just bought. Get back to the house. Decide we're tired. Take a nap. Wake up. Talk about what we're having for dinner. Have dinner. Watch Judge Judy and The Peoples Court, and Desperate Housewives. Have popcorn. Have ice cream. Go to bed.

Tuesday: Starts the same as Monday. Unpack a box. Maybe two. Watch Jon and Kate from the night before. That Grandma mentions how much she dislikes Jon and Kate...throughout the entire episode. Instead of "delete" I hit "keep" and watch it again after she leaves. Talk about where we are going to have lunch. Go get lunch. Come back. Watch The Peoples Court. Watch Castle. Watch Judge Judy. Look around and say, "We're sure not getting much done!" Discuss what's for dinner. Have dinner. Watch another episode of Judge Judy. Watch Boston Legal. That Grandma falls asleep in the glider and her snoring wakes her up. Everybody goes to bed.

Wednesday: See Monday...except That Grandma doesn't buy a third suitcase and we watch The Forgotten instead of Desperate Housewives.

Thursday: That Dad is home from work, he helps us get at least one room organized.

Friday: That Dad is home again, so we decide to take a trip to the museum/zoo/aquarium...where ever. We're not picky. We just want to do something fun after the hard week of organizing we've had!!

Saturday: That Grandma flys back to the sunshine, I sit around crying for the next 2 days.

So, I suppose it's best for That Grandma to not come help organize. As much as I love her, we are smart enough to know that we won't get the job done! However...it would be nice for her to come visit and help me make the new headboard I have decided I want to make since I'm sick and tired of our bedroom furniture and want to sell it all on Craigslist and get a newer, smaller set!

Wordless Wednesday

It's bad, real real bad...

Not Me Monday

Hey all! That Family has been slowly making progress in getting the house put into some sort of order. My internet time has been a few minutes here and there, so I haven't been able to update. However, it *is* Monday and we all know what that means! And this time I have a whole weeks worth of stuff! W00T! This should be good!!

In the last week I have not eaten fast food for every meal every day. That Dad did not say, "We have spent $300 on fast food in the last week!" and I am not tired of hamburgers, french fries, chicken nuggets, and the Arches in general!

Last Tuesday, while we were not waiting for the moving company to arrive, That Kid did not watch Daylight. I did not leave the VHS tape running in the VCR after Ferris Bueller's Day Off was over (note to self...must have an entire post on the awesomeness that is Ferris Bueller!!) He did not think it was awesome (because he does not have an infatuation with tunnels...). He did not get scared a few times, and I did not have to keep reminding him it wasn't real.

As for everything else, we have not been sleeping on the living room floor on an air mattress because our bedroom furniture is not too big for the new bedroom. That Kid's room is not a huge jumbled mess of crap. There are not boxes full of crap in every.freaking.room. Yesterday was not the first day I didn't cry the whole week. It was also not the first time I didn't have to go to the rental.

OK...I better not sign off. My friend's mom is not coming to pick me up to take me to the podiatrist and keep That Kid company in the waiting room while I do not get my toenail removed after I did not run it over while moving a piano two weeks ago. I am not in excruciating pain. Oh...and we did not just use the last diaper in the house! I do not need my Mama to come hang out with me and help me unpack boxes. And I most certainly did not think, while watching The Incredibles last night, that we're going to be just like the Incredibles and in three years I'll be calling That Dad to tell him we're officially moved in because I just unpacked the last box. Nope...not me!!