VERRY CHRISTMAS

Hello all. I am going to do it "the boy" style and wish everyone a

"Verry Christmas!!!"

The boy has a small little attention span and doesn't completely pay attention to what I'm saying the few times that I have told him to say "Merry Christmas" so what he hears is HIS version of that phrase. I hope Christmas finds you all well and we hope the new year brings many exciting beginnings to all of you.

Here are some Christmas pics for you all to enjoy.

Christmas tornado is almost over:

The Girl is trying to get as many presents in her grasp at one time as possible:

The Man after a long day of putting toys together:
We are all doing "The Christmas March":

Small ReCap

The BOY: MOmMy- yoU NeEd a GoOd MomMY sTickeR!
The gIrL's New fAvOritE pAsS tiMe is pRoclaiming LouDly "hidinG" thEn rUNning to thE CoAt cloSet and dUcKing beHind the vAcuum. ThEn shE wAntS you tO oPen and cLose thE dooR, suRpriseD to seE her TheRe, and sHouT "tHere ShE is!!!"

See Below

Things That the Mother of a Toddler Couldn't Do Without:


That Big Wheel "BIKE"
This is the main source of transportation when outdoors. First thing they go for when the door opens.
The boy favors "flinstone style" (walking with his feet instead of using the pedals). The girl is a bit more freestyle. She will walk it over the the edge of an incline and pull her feet up as high as she can and let gravity do the rest.

A Basic set of Matchbox cars
Classic! Will last years and years. The boy finds a new favorite each day and carries it at all times that day. Note: you may find yourself surprised at the end of the day when you go out to the garage and find that your real van does NOT greet you with a "Hello mommy, I'm van, what's your name?"

A Pretty Doll
Not a necessity now, but I'm sure when the girl gets a bit older this will be the case. For now she's content in being a little shadow and doing and playing whatever the boy is doing or playing. (This includes time-outs)

A Good Friend also equipped with toddlers
This is someone you can call and get a good laugh with. This is also someone to cry with. You get a lot of support from this friend or friends. She will help you feel like you really are not alone, and there are others in similar situations. A HUGE thank you to my friends, I HONESTLY couldn't do it without you, and I rely on you in a way you'll never know.

A BREAK
24 hours a day. 7 days a week. All moms are amazing, but mom's of toddlers sure get worn out real quick. By the end of the day, I can fall asleep before my head hits the pillow. I've done a lot of things, ( I worked 2 jobs and went to school full time, ran marathons, traveled) and nothing has ever made me tired like this. Whew.

A Good Husband
Okay, okay. I hate to say this is a necessity for all, but it is for me. I don't know what I would do if the man didn't come home every day the minute my patience was wearing down. He loves me and supports me and he means the world to me.

It's a mystery

I have been trying to cut down on sweets lately. I finally gave into temptation and thought that I would allow myself one treat since I had been so good lately. I went to the store and bought myself a candy bar and put it in the fridge. I was super excited to eat it today. This morning I was downstairs doing the laundry (the Boy had opted to stay upstairs.) I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

If the dinosaur in the first two pics didn't give away whodunnit, I have included the last two photos for identification.





CAUGHT!!!!!!!!!

Victorious over violence (for now)

I feel that I am not a violent person, and would like to do the best to pass this trait on to my children and teach them that violence is not the answer. I do not allow toy guns in my house. Guns are not toys and should not be used as such. We do not play war games or shooting games.
It is however , important to teach children about guns and why we do not use them in this manner, and I don't mind them playing at other children's houses with guns as long as I can teach them the lesson. I cannot control what toys other children play with.

To my surprise a few days ago, we were at the in-laws and the boy was playing with a couple of action-figures. They were facing each other. As all boys are innately blessed with the gift of amazing sound effects, he was producing some serious blow-up sound effects and some that definitely sounded like the shooting of a gun. One of the action-figures was then knocked down by a pudgy little hand. Thinking that this would be a great time to teach a lesson, I asked what was happening.

"Well mommy, this guy just got squirted."

Lesson over.
Victorious. (for now)

My favorite quotes

The boy: Mommy, you're my very best friend

Okay, melt my heart I take back anything negative I ever said.





Here is our NeW hOUsE. It still might be a mad-house, but it feels like home.
The girl is starting to give kisses. Maybe this is part of it.

Daddys Turn

OK, Its Man time here. Apparently "The Mom" needed a break (you can see her lazily, yet sexily, sitting in the grass in the above picture!) anyway, I get to spruce things up with a little bit of Man. Yup, "The Man" is writing this update. Not to worry though I will keep it quick as to not mess up what a great blog this is.

So, We enjoyed a great Independence day celebration (sorry no pics, but this page has been edited for boredom purposes) we are enjoying our very nice new home. Its new to us and A LOT bigger than the 1950 cottage we lived in before. At any rate, its nice to have more space. The kids needed it, and so did we. Now there is plenty of space to run in and lots of weed free grass to play on.

The Boy (above) is always into everything, he loves to be outside, but lately its been so HOT, he has been asking to go inside. The Girl (below) just loves to eat, she can be done eating her meal and start on mom or dads, if that's not enough, which is usually never is, she turns to her brother, who rarely eats everything on his plate yet loves to share it with his little sister.

Yup, these two little ones are nearly inseparable, she can be found walking in his every foot step trying to do exactly what he does how he did it. And he can usually be found with the water hose in hand, nozzle set to jet, and you in the cross hairs. That is until I removed the faucet tap so he can no longer turn it on. I know, I know, rude, but we live in a desert and he doesn't need the water on every minute he is outside.

Well I hope you enjoyed my turn (The Man) as a blogger. Enjoy the pics, we'll see you soon.

Not Forgotten

Hello there. I just wanted to drop a quick post and let you know that I have NOT forgotten about my blog. I have been so busy these last few weeks that I have not been able to do much in the way of posting on my blog. We just moved into a new home. We are getting fairly settled in, so that soon enough, I will be blogging regularly once more. These are some old pics, but I've been neglecting the picture taking also due to packing up and moving a family of 5. Don't forget about us. We'll be back soon...

Come on Down

I did get a request to write about my Price is Right experience. I know I cannot keep my fans waiting, so here it goes. Although it will compound the woe and agony of not hearing my name called, I will tell it all.

My sister and I and 2 friends took our luck to Los Angeles. We happened to be headed out for dinner and decided to drive by CBS studios to familiarize our selfs with where it was, since we planned to be going there early the next morning. Like 4:00 am early. Well there was already a line, and everyone was telling us if we wanted to get in the show we would definitely have to camp out in line all night.

So we did. Slept on the sidewalk of LA with visions of new cars in our heads. And here is all I can say about the experience:
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
Got a ticket
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
little interview
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
waited
Saw Bob Barker. Watched someone ELSE play PLINKO. Watched someone ELSE kiss Bob Barker's cheek. But Bob was funny and he deserves to retire. He's been at it a long time. The have found someone else to replace him. It is Mr. Peterman from Seinfeld. I think he'll probably be good, but nobody can take Bob's place.

We waited and waited, but I am glad I can say I did it.
Good Times!

I'll post some pic's as soon as I get some.

A Day in the Life

6:00 am --- Hear baby stirring. Say a solemn and earnest prayer she will go back to sleep.

6:02 am --- Realize God has a sense on humor he is sharing with YOU. Pray again-- more earnest than before. Throw in some if-then statements. If the baby sleeps in today, then I will definitely say morning prayers!!

6:05 am --- Morning prayers are out of the question.

6:15 am --- Feed baby bottle (still hoping she will go back to sleep)

6:30 am --- Greet toddler. Not like the sleep-deprived monster that you feel, but the sweet nurturing mom that you fake. (at least this early in the morning)

7:00 am --- Holy Cow I gotta pee. Door open to keep an eye on the kids!

7:30 am --- Breakfast
7:32 am --- Wipe dropped spoonful of cereal from floor
7:34 am --- Wipe dropped spoonful of cereal from floor
7:36 am --- Wipe dropped spoonful of cereal from floor
7:37 am --- Wipe dropped spoonful of cereal from floor
7:39 am --- Wipe dropped spoonful of cereal from floor
7:40 am --- resign yourself to mop the floor later- you know when you have more time.

8:00 am --- Curious George--- need I say more. (This keeps one busy while you play with the baby)

8:30 am --- Good-bye Daddy. Blow kisses from the window
8:31 am --- Reassure toddler that Daddy will be back from work later

9:00 am --- Wrestle with toddler to get him to hold still long enough to change diaper and dress him properly. Pin all extremities of baby in order to change her diaper and dress her.

9:20 am --- Make a list of everything you want to get done today.

9:30 am --- Bottle for baby.

9:45 am ---Put her down for nap.

9:46 am --- Throw in a load of laundry

9:50 am --- Add Laundry to list and cross it off

10:00 am --- Yard and garden work while toddler plays

10:05 am --- Yell across yard for son to get fingers away from vicious dogs next door

11:00 am--- Baby's up. Fight with toddler over who gets to go get her. Give in, let him get her today

12:00 pm --- LUNCH

12:12 pm --- Tell the boy to eat more than the bread off his sandwich.

12:20 pm --- Plead with the boy to eat more than the bread of his sandwich.

12:40 pm--- Realize the boy is not going to eat more than the bread of his sandwich and give up the fight. Clean up

12:45 pm --- Say a prayer that the boy will go down for a nap today

1:00 pm --- Run any errands. Errands can be no longer than 1.5 hours of duration and cannot be longer than a 10 minute drive. If either of the above rules are broken kids grow little horns and turn into demons.

2:45 pm--- Baby bottle, nap. Put movie on for toddler for "quiet time".

3:30 pm --- Your Faith in God is reaffirmed! Say a quick "thank-you" prayer that the boy is finally asleep.

3:31 pm --- Do dishes as fast as you can, so as to prolong (or even GET) personal time

4:15 pm --- Dishes done. Whip out a Blog post.

4:20 pm --- Hear groans of baby waking up. Ignore them while you finish your post.

4:30 pm--- Go to baby. Pick her up. Love her. Kiss her. Appreciate that she will not be a baby forever. Think about dinner.

5:00 pm --- Start dinner. Think about waking up boy. Prolong it as long as possible. (we don't want cranky boy syndrome in the house tonight.)

5:30 pm --- Wake up boy, Greet daddy with kisses

6:00 pm --- Dinner

7:00 pm --- Bath-time

7:30 pm --- Baby bottle, bed.

8:00 pm --- Boy bed.

8:10 pm --- Put boy back in bed
8:12 pm --- Put boy back in bed
8:15 pm --- Put boy back in bed
8:21 pm --- Put boy back in bed. Tell him next time you turn off the lamp.
8:23 pm --- Turn off the Lamp
8:24 pm --- He turns it back on, but doesn't come out anymore.

8:30 pm --- Watch a television show or try to spend some quality time with husband. You may realize this is not going to happen... especially if the T.V. is on.

10:00 pm --- Go check on toddler boy and enjoy that he is peaceful and calm and beautiful when he sleeps. Remember this for tomorrow. Kiss his rosy little cheek a million times. Cry because you love him so much, because you love THEM so much.

10:30 pm --- Brush and floss teeth while watching the opening act of Leno.

10:40 pm --- This time is tricky. Try to finish getting ready for bed and turn off Leno after opening monologue, but before you get sucked in for the guests.
10:45 pm --- Try to ward off a frisky husband

10:50 pm --- Tell your husband you're serious that the only action he is getting tonight will be in his dreams and that next time he needs to start a little earlier so your not so tired.

10:55 pm--- Assure husband you love him and it's not a flat rejection, just a rain check for a better time (but seriously earlier next time).

11:00 pm --- Realize you never mopped the floor. Take a few minutes and feel guilty. Resign yourself to do it tomorrow. You know, when you have more time!!

Well, here you have it folks. For all those CURIOUS minds out there, I just knew you wanted to know all about my days.
The mystery is solved...

4 Minutes

As I sit here after doing the dishes, but before my children wake up I am frantically trying to write this new post so it might be done before I hear cries of "Mommy holdin, pweeeees- sugar on top"

Although I do love to hold the boy right after a nap, it usually coincides with the time the girl wakes up who ALSO wants to be held. Good Times.

The Price is Right was GOod. I didn't get called up. I tried to build myself up so that I wouldn't be disappointed when I didn't hear my name, but that didn't work. No new car for me. We had to sleep outside on the streets of LA to make dang sure we got in. Bob Barker is funny and I am glad I got to see him before he retires.

What the world needs now

The sweetest little face with big puppy-brown eyes gazing up at you saying, "I Luf you mommy, I LUF you" These are the days I LIVE for. The girl is cutting her seventh and eighth teeth now and life just couldn't get any sweeter than this...
Except if the warm beautiful springtime weather is here to stay and I could get out and enjoy the fresh air with the chitlin's.

The Price is Right

Hey Since I am going to the Price is Right, we wanted to make some shirts. Does anyone have a real great original saying? Let me know right away, I've got to get them made ASAP. We truly need some ideas...

Thank you PBS

So whoever had children and survived without television is a better woman than me. I always feel so guilty after reading articles about how children should not be watching TV. I must be a terrible mother. How the Heck are you supposed to get anything done if the little ones are not occupied. Maybe my children's brains are rotting from the hour of cartoons in the morning, or occasionally Sesame Street. Heaven Forbid. Are my children the only ones whose brains are going to disintegrate for all the television viewing? Is everyone else so good that they can still get by with no TV?? If So, WHAT'S YOUR SECRET?

My Turn

It's my turn to COME ON DOWN! That's right you read correctly. Number 30 on my Life's List will finally be crossed off After March 28. I am finally going to The Price is Right. With Bob Barker. This has been a dream since I was in elementry school. Perhaps I'll win a car, or 50,000 playing PLINKO or nothing, but at least I can say I went and met Bob Barker. Yae! I'm stoked.

So I always have this picture in my head that my blog will be poetry or eloquent or maybe even interesting. But usually I am trying to find a few minutes to jot something down so I don't get behind. One day I'll be a fabulous writer but until then I just have to make do with the four minutes I find after I do the dishes, but before naptime is over.

Is winter over yet?

Good grief, is winter going to last forever? I am really in the mood for some warmer weather. I think it wouldn't be as bad if it would just dump a good snow-storm on us. It just gets really cold and overcast here and that's about it. It has snowed twice, and it is so cold that we have really old snow that won't melt. It feels so dreary. I am definitely looking forward to spring, when I can plant my garden and play outside again. I think the boy feels the same. He looks out the window and says "Mommy outside?" It is so hard to make him understand that it is below freezing outside.


Mr. Sun Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like Father Like Son

As I was sitting with The Boy for his nighttime snack, I wasn't really paying much attention to him until he looked down at his left hand and asked, "Doing hand?"

As if his hands had a mind of their own. Well- maybe they do. I guess he must get that from his dad.

By the way, The Man's hands aren't the only thing on him that has a mind of their own...

Happy New Year

Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. The new year always reminds me how fast time has gone. I think that maybe if I write some of my new years resolutions, I might be more apt to keeping them. I'm sure you all know how that goes- New Years resolutions: great the first week in January then who remembers?
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, well you all might just learn a thing or two about me that you might not have known. Well I hope you love me anyway, because this might not be pretty:

1. Be a more patient person. I don't know how others view me, but I do not consider myself a very patient person. ESPECIALLY behind closed doors, this one is pretty ugly. Any ideas on learning patience? Maybe I should have done this one before I had children...

2. I WILL stop biting my fingers. I have this nasty little habit of biting the skin around my finernails when I'm nervous, angry or just bored. It's horrible and I've been doing it for more than 15 years. It's a HARD habit to break. But I'm super committed. Now.

3. Eat better. Excersize. Isn't this one used by everyone?

4. I am going to stop pretending that my house is clean. I am not generally a messy person, maybe jumbled and disorganized, maybe a packrat and a clutterbug (you get the point) but anyway, when you have kids it's so hard to stay on top of the housework. I am always apologizing about the mess when people come over, as if it's not always that way. Guess what- it is. And I want to be done apologizing for it. I think I have my priorities straight: tickle-fights outrank dishes, the monster mommy game outranks mopping the floor and story time will almost always win over scrubbing down the bathroom. I may live in a messy house but I think we're all still pretty happy. Maybe it will be clean when the kids move out! At any rate: I'M DONE APOLOGIZING. (maybe)

5. I think those last four will keep me busy enough throughout the coming year.

Well now that you all know what I am working on, call me on it. If I apologize for my house tell me you know that it's really always messy, and that you know I am almost always not REALLY sorry about the mess.

By the way the holidays were great on us. This is not the boy's Christmas train (he already has got that taken away for awhile) but he is done obliging mommy by looking at the camera anymore. But the girl can't get enough of it. They are just the best- I couldn't ask for more.