Visit to the duckpond

After I pick the kids up from school, we head straight home for naps/quiet time. 90% of the time Livi needs a nap after being at school all morning. Well, after a fairly hectic morning (apparently some kid lost two teeth after bumping into a table)....so the adrenalin was running high. After an hour or so I realized no one was going to nap. It seemed fairly cool .....how sad is it that I am say saying high 80's is cool?? So, we loaded up and headed over to the duck pond.

We got there and noticed no ducks anywhere. The kids were quite bummed, so we started walking along the jogging path to the other side of the pond. After getting quite scared by some mongo earth moving equipment, we made it to the other side. Whew hoo.....ducks. We only saw about three. But as soon as the kids started tossing old hamburger buns at them about 8 more materialized.

Livi was fine with them while they were in the water. Once they came onto land she kind of freaked out. We were by a little bench, so she just stood on there. We stayed for a bit until their cheeks started getting rosy. I guess it wasn't as cool as I thought. I had to use this picture to show Mike how long Livi's hair is. When he left, she was sporting a mullet, so I had it cut into an ear length bob. It is still super fine at the top, just enough to put up in a little piggy for her bows.

I just noticed this picture looks like Will is shirtless....he's not. I totally love shots from behind. It always reminds me of that Dr. Seuss book "Oh, the Places You Will Go". Right after I took this, he said, "Come on, you two slow pokes."

As we were walking back to the car, we came across this gazebo. I told them they could have a M&M if they would let me take a few more pictures. I got a few that looked like "mom, put us out of our misery....let me go play now." So I said the all-time favorite word that is guaranteed a laugh and big smile....."UNDERPANTS"... it worked.....Great job guys....I think I have a Christmas photo now.

reflection award

After thinking about this award for almost a month from Natalie of Tulip Mom....I finally got around to it.

I don't remember when I started reading her blog. I think it was back in the summer. She has a son with Asperger's. She is also pregnant again after many tries. I love her little letters she writes to Sweet Boy. So thanks, I do appreciate this award (even if it took me almost a month to bestow it on a few more bloggers.)

Anyway, according to the rules,

This award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way...

I am grateful for the following 5 bloggers who encourage and inspire me:




Libby -- from A Study of Schoolbooks and Shoes....Libby's is another one of my favorite blogs. I am way impressed with her cooking skills amongst other things. We tried her banana bread and it was to die for! Sometimes banana bread can be dense, but hers was fluffy almost!

Lisa-- from Fleur de Lisa -- She has an amazing eye for photography. The pictures she captures on a daily basis inspire me to play around more with my new camera.



Works for Mom from What Works for Us-- I think I found her blog during a Thursday 13 post. She has a great attitude...Go help her decide what to do with her mom jeans...I was seriously cracking up about that one.

Carrieb -- from Blah, blah, blog....She throws amazing parties, does amazing scrapbook projects, and is all around fun.

Lisagh - from Grosgrain Garage- Lisagh first started reading my blog some time back. I quickly became a fan and friend. She shows many sides to herself. The fun zanny side you can imagine going out and having a fun time with...to the serious side during a break up. Her honesty is amazing.

When I started this blog, it was to keep in touch with Mike and family far away. But what I have found is so many great bloggers. I do enjoy my time in the evenings once the house is picked up and the kids are in bed....I can sit down with a few friends and get a few laughs. Some days those laughs go far when I am feeling all sappy.

I have another award....The Egel Nest Blog Award to give out as well. So start pimping....just kidding, I'll get to that one some time this week.

Weekend recap

We had a busy weekend of just hanging around here. I got all of the Halloween stuff out of the attic. We put a few decorations out. The kids had fun trying on their way--too-small costumes from last year. Will walked around with these glow in the dark teeth trying to scare both me and Livi. He kept saying, "I fink I need to go to da dentist." Then cracking up. His sense of humor is so cute. He reminds me of his dad so much.

Key words there: way-too-small......so that got me thinking. I wonder how many clothes in their closets are way too small. You know how I love to clean. I told Will that he could have an M&M for every pants he tried on for me. I am so not above a bribe. I was able to clear out two kitchen sized garbage bags of things from last year. I always keep a Rubbermaid tote in the bottom of their closet for clothes that I find on sale that I know they will wear eventually....jeans the next size up, shirts for school, etc. I hung up all his 4T clothes, took inventory of what I needed to fill in.

It felt so good to get all of that done. So....I headed to Livi's room to do the same. I was shocked to learn she is wearing a 3T and some 4T in certain brands. She turns three in two weeks, but she has always been on the petite side. To put things in perspective, when Mike left almost a year ago exactly she was wearing 18-24 month clothes!!! I can't wait to see how much she as grown at her three year checkup. I bagged two bags of stuff from her closet as well.

I didn't hang up her fall/winter clothes where she could see them.. She has these little areas in her closet that are tucked behind the wall of her closet, so I hung them there. It is still in the low 90s here....we won't be needing these for a month or so. I feel like I am trying to make Fall hurry up and get here....we are ready when it goes come.

That shirt is one that is in the too small bag. Her little daisy headband is a sticker! They were playing in these tunnels with the grandparents.....she is such a little diva.

Happy Sunday, y'all

Retail therapy......gotta love it

I was feeling just a bit weepy today......In just a few short days I will celebrate an anniversary I could care less about.....365 days ago, my best friend loaded up a few duffel bags into my cool mom mobile, kissed the kids goodnight just like every other night. But then I dropped him off at a gym on post in the middle of the night under the stars. .....I didn't linger like some wives. I just couldn't. I gave him a hug and a kiss and said goodbye. Not knowing if I would ever see him again.

I dropped his parents off at the airport today. I don't know if it set off a flow of emotions, but I was strung as high as a kite all day.

So when my neighbor called about a jewelry and candle party I was all over it! When we lived in KS, a military wife made these super fun necklaces. I started with the basic black, brown, turquoise....you can mix and match these on different necklaces. So now I at the point of getting just some fun ones. Anyone who knows me in real life knows I am a black, khaki, white and denim sort of girl....throw in a slash of color and that is me.

Since so many wives have moved down here, they both have 'consultants' here.....AND they have parties!!!

This was the perfect retail therapy for me....I ended up with a necklace. It is kind of a coral red color. I wear this color a lot in the fall. It is on a thin brown leather cord. I have a black cord if I need to mix it up. Whew hoo, call me a wild child!

I also got this bracelet. Kind of a fun little colorful number....you might even consider it a happy little bracelet....hopefully I will improve my mood when I wear it.

I got a few candles from the Candle Queen. Flavors like Juicy Grapefruit, Red Hot Mama, Pumpkin Spice, and Mulled Cider. I absolutely love spicy warm fall flavors. I really wanted one called Angel Wings, despite the fruity name I thought it would smell like roses or something. But it smelled like a cabin in the winter with warm spicy scents of cardamon and nutmeg...just up my alley....but after my deal of buy three get one half off, I couldn't justify getting any more....

even if it was for some much needed retail therapy!

Drive thru zoo.....

While looking for things to do in the few hours the kids aren't in preschool or napping has been challenging to say the least. .....so when Mike suggested this drive through zoo thingy not too far from here, I was all game.

Okay, first off...see the sign there on the left? It says, "Enter at your own risk." I think to myself, "How risky can it be?? " But no, there are even more warnings....Stay in your car in case of emergency. POUND your horn and FLASH your lights." <----That should have been a clue....a huge clue. Like someone really needs to stand at the cattle guard and hit you over the head with it kind of clue. But we entered anyway.

First off, we see the biggest ostrich I have ever seen. But come to think of it, I think this is the FIRST ostrich I have ever seen, but it was pretty big. Its legs were as high as my window, its body filled the window area, then its big neck and teeny head was at least 2-3 feet tall.....all this adds up to one big A ostrich. While we are still on the cattle guard, the big A$$ ostrich comes along side our car. I ask the other adults (my in-laws)..where do you think his feet are....should I go forward? We all agree we should and I push on the gas. My car just kind of stays there. Thinking I am only stuck on the cattle guard, I push on the gas harder. Whew hoo, we are finally free....only to see the big a$$ ostrich limping around....DANG! I must have run over its foot! My heart is beating a thousand miles an hour as I see this in my front window.

I just hear him now, "YOU want a piece of me?" You bet your pretty panties I had my windows up....AND I was afraid it was going to push its beak through my windshield.

Okay, we drive on.....oh that is a cute little mini horse, more the kids speed. Not some Big Bird wannabee trying to put his head through my car.

oohh, what's next? Some thing with big curled horns. I was not playing chicken with this thing. He looked like he could do some serious damage to my cool mom car. *Pic taken through the windshield**

The kids did like the tiger, at least it was in a cage.

About half way through the drive, Will said, "I see a rainbow." Just over to the right was a beautiful rainbow.....we had gotten lost on the way there and driven through a bit of rain. Though it was dry and dusty just a mere five miles away at the drive through zoo thingy!

Second mistake of the day......see every animal in the near distance eating stuff on the ground? That car in front of us bought the feed to throw at them....we DID NOT. Mike warned me to not get it because the animals are so used to it, they will stick their heads in the car. Talk about freaking my kids out! This zebra kept running along side us right at Livi's level.....She did not think it was cool at all!

Third and final freak-my-kids out of the day: See this mongo camel...yeah, the one blocking the entire road? He would not move. Again I was not playing chicken with something that had the potential to damage my car. Livi is freaking out....don't hit the camel, don't hit the camel!! Since my batting average with big animals wasn't too great, I made sure to swerve WAY to the right!

There was a petting zoo at the end. Will would go up to the fence of them. His favorite was this big white bird named Knock Knock. Livi didn't really have a favorite...she just wanted to leave!

Finally, saw this thing....not too sure if it is funny or sad. Who would do this to a plant??

uuuhhhhooooo......Will made a mess

UUuuhhhhooooo, Will made a meeesss! This is what I hear Livi hollering from our bedroom. A mess, I think. Well, he was in there doing puzzles. He does quiet time in there this week while my in-laws are in his room.

Did he:

a.) dump two or even three puzzles out of the boxes and put all the pieces in the same pile?

b.) get under his daddy's cabinet and spray out as much shaving cream as he could?

c.) drag every car he owns out of the little carrying case and line them up end to end?

d.) or all three

Ding ding ding we have a winner.......D....all three. Somehow he left one "project" of puzzles in the entry way, his cars were on the floor in our bedroom. But this was the 'mess' Livi was referring to.......

He managed to not only get in the cabinet, but pop the top off the shaving cream, and spray it ALL over the floor. Oh well, he got a nice little lesson in cleaning up ....but not until I got the camera out.

"Icckky....it's on me." Well, duh, I felt like saying.

Happy Wednesday y'all

A boy and his toys....

Aaahhhh, can you hear that....no of course you can't. because there is nothing...but both kids are finally in bed asleep.

My in-laws came in for the week on Saturday. Since they live so far away, I never know how the kids will react to them. Both both kids have been so happy to have them here. As soon as we pulled into the airport and gave them shy grins, it has been pretty fun having them around.

Will has loved having a man in the house to horse around with....Mike plays with him like that. I attempt it, but apparently don't quite pull it off. Livi calls them both "grandpa"....but then again, they both call my mom "papa" so, I guess it is all the same.

When M (my mother-in-law) came with me to pick up the kids today, the first thing she said was, "Where's Grandpa?" But later that evening while story time at bedtime, M was her "new best friend".

My father-in-law J LOVES sweets....so we went to a shopping center that has a German deli, a donut store With a drive through, and a cookie addiction place...he was in heaven. sad enough the German deli was closed. Who knew they took the day off?? So, by default we went to the cookie place. First off, there was a but allergy sign on the door.....so, I couldn't even eat any. But he still managed to come home with a sack full of cookies that filled a platter! Oh well, if grandparents can't spoil them who can? ***edited to add: The sign said NUT allergy...but I like but allergy better, so I am leaving it!***

I finally got a decent picture of Will. Livi still needs a nap after school but Will has moved past that. So we do "quiet time". Today his quiet time included cars. He was playing so nice and quietly and I pulled out the camera.

I asked him to pick out his favorite. He leaned down and gave them a hug and said, "Can I pick them all?" Sure baby, you can.

catch up memes

I'm catching up. Heather challenged me. Here is her challenge. Post 5 song titles...with their artists names...and tell the signifigance of each song....like a memory....Here are mine:

1. First let's go back to high school.....get out your Michael Jackson clothes and Aquanet....big hair is REQUIRED!! Oh the memories of old boyfriends at class parties.....dang, almost makes me miss it....think Madonna...True Blue....if I were on my laptop I would link a Madonna True Blue video!!

2. then on to college...Go Boomer Sooner....should we just play the OU fight song. I remember telling a boyrfriend at the time...."if they are beating them by 50 points at half time, I am leaving!"......Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner., Boomer Soomer, Sooner Born and Sooner Bred, and when I die and I am Sooner dead, Go Oklahoma, Go Oklahoma, Go Oklahoma, OKU.......

3. Sarah McLachlan.....is there anything more symbolic of some mood music??? fumbling towards ecstacy(afterglow).....omg, just thinking about it make me antsy! uuuhhmmm, how many more days until hubby is home??

4. Will song........song that reminds me of when I was big ole preggo with him:: ."Here without you" by 3 door down

5. Livi song..(again, only because I love me some Sarah!!)..can it be....another song by Sarah.....I tend to think of Sarah music as 'gettin' in the mood music"........could this be the reason for two kids in two years?


6. and finally....love love love me some .RoCKstar....... http://www.nickelback.com/ love love love this song....what does this say about me?? click on Rocktar..speaks to me in a way I think would be fun and frivoulous! . .

BONUS:: Finally the song Stand by Rascal Flatts....this song give me the umphf when I need a little extra during these deployment days!. Again, I challenge any readers out there! I should be getting my laptop any day....why does it seem easier to link via youtube with the laptop!!!


okay, I finally have my laptop back....and adding videos doesn't seem any easier!!! so sorry....so open a window and search youtube if you are REAlly interested.....so sorry!!

Kickety Kick Ball....preschooler style

I forgot to take pics of out dinner time, so I will post my Thursday's America at home assignment later. I have had fun doing these.

Tonight we had a kickety kick ball game. We had the 6:45 game...since my kids are normally in bed asleep by 7:45 at the latest...I REALLY don't like to play the late game. But oh well....it's all in the fun of seeing kids kick the ball and run around the bases. It does wear them out. None of the 'please read me this book for the hundredth time!"

Even though Livi doesn't play, she sits in stands and cheers them on....or plays in the grass hollering out, "Cheese me, Mommy!" One little girl's grandma showed her a cheer...Livi is so funny, she has a very good clap and the head wiggle down..."Go... Mosquitoes.... go...sting ...that... team!" It is quite the sight to see. Since someone laughed at her doing it once, she continues to do it. She loves to make people laugh!

After the games, the kids run through an arch...kind of cheesy but they love it. After running through twice most are still wanting to 'do it again'.

As we were leaving the field, I saw this beautiful sunset....yes, we were there that late. I had to stop and take a picture. I feel like I am trying to preserve in photos everything Mike is missing. I think I must be hormonal because it brought a few tears to my eyes. I was glad I had my sunglasses on because I try not to get too weepy in front of the kids.

Happy thursday, y'all

9.19 Midday Madness

I am still hanging in there with the My America at Home assignments...today's assignment is Midday madness: "Who's home? Come one, come all. Show us your dashing kids, lovely friends or even that one strange black-crowned heron who just built a nest in your front yard maple tree."

Well, the midday is actually pretty calm....I do have a Midday map posted in the kids' bathroom....but all it is is: Put lunchbox away. Use the potty. Take a nap. Have a snack.

Will gave up naps last year. But he still does a quiet time in his room. Or once Livi is sleep he can do a little bit of computer time. He loves Noggin's website and can play it alone. Livi is usually worn out after being at school all morning. But there are just some days where she is too wound up to fall asleep. I dread these days.....it means a breakdown about four o'clock. The kind of break down where she throws herself down on the floor like her best friend just left. These are the days I dare not take them out in public for fear of massive meltdowns. So after listening to her play in her room for about an hour, I let her get up.

I had some bananas ....b-a-n-a-n-a-ans....getting way too ripe on the counter. After seeing this delicious bread recipe at Study of Schoolbooks & Shoes: This bread is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s , I knew I had a plan for this afternoon.... so I got Livi up. We usually make muffins on Monday (Muffin Mondays)...but since Livi was sick I didn't want to bake something she couldn't eat.

Will is able to do the paddles on the mixer. He figured out how to line up the little notches. (Yes, he washed his hands!!) No little four-year old's germs were mixed in...

Livi can put the bananas in a zip lock bag and mash them.

This is a photo challenge I saw...something about focusing on the foreground and blurring the back. The recipe posted at Libby's is for a bread made into a loaf. We make mini muffins just because it takes a mere 15 minutes.

Livi is patiently waiting for them to be done. They spread a bit and looked like mutant mushrooms, but they tasted wonderful!!! Very light and fluffy...Note to self: make it in a loaf man and NOT mini muffins.

So that was our Midday madness for today.....yes, we even had the predicted meltdown....around 4 PM....so we had an early dinner, and early to bed.

happy wednesday y'all

9.18 My Morning Rush

The assignment from My America at Home for Tuesday 9.18 is your morning rush. From their website:
Breakfast of blueberries and walnuts? A bracing shower? Yoga on the patio? Packing up the kids' lunches for school? Let the world share your hectic sunrise routines.

My morning routine actually starts the night before. I get up at 6AM to attempt to be ready before they get up.....ideally this happens. Then I can shower, get dressed, maybe even have a cup of coffee before they get up. Though more often than I would like, they get up before 7...I hear the little pitter patter of feet sneaking into the bathroom......dang there goes my 45 minutes of silence. I swear they have some internal alarm that wakes the other one up if he/she didn't pop out of bed within four minutes of each other.

I do as much as I possibly can the night before. Make lunches, lay out clothes, pack the car with the anything I will need the next day....things like that.

Each kid has a "map" (Can you tell we watch too much Dora?) on their closet door. Both know exactly what needs to be done before we can walk out the door. The kids pick out their clothes and hang them on the door of their closet. Livi's outfit has her bow attached to the outfit. Her shoes are on the floor. Will's shoes have his socks in them. Now if I can get to dress themselves I would be on a roll!

The other day both were lined up with their stuff waiting for me. It has really eased up on the craziness of trying to get out the door by 8AM.

Okay, how is it I missed this???.....yes, these are goldfish in Livi's car seat. So even after all of my maps and planning, some things do get tossed my way that I didn't plan for.....as at exactly 8:03 this morning I was lugging out the big purple vacuum cleaner into the garage to vacuum out her car seat!

happy Tuesday y'all

Mon 9-17 The Big Tour

My America at Home is doing a Photo Assignment....straight from their website: The co-creator of the best-selling A Day in the Life and America 24/7 book series invites you to participate in America at Home, a nationwide photo project, September 17 to 23, 2007. For seven days, everyone in America is invited to join 100 of the nation's leading photojournalists to capture "the emotions of home." The goal of the project is to capture the extraordinary diversity that makes up American family life, representing a broad range of economic, geographic, racial, political, and socially diverse lifestyles.

Today's assignment:

Show us what makes your home your castle. Since our 'castle' is wherever the military sends us, I have had castles in Oklahoma, the middle of Alaska, back to Oklahoma, the east bay of San Francisco, the corn fields of Kansas, and now to the land of Longhorns. Along the way we started collecting local art from these places. Since we are now in Texas, I couldn't wait to get a big Texas star. I would have liked to get one from some torn down barn or something cool like that, but sad to say this one probably came from China as I got it off Ebay for a steal! But doesn't it look good on my mantle?

I already have changed out the little votives to a fall scented candle and some red berries. I might add some twinkle lights to those topiaries if I can find some small enough. I love fall...now if the weather would just cool down.

I will probably be keeping Livi home from school tomorrow....No, no more "can she stay? can't she?"....don't read this if you are eating.....just skip right on over this paragraph. She has had diarrhea cha cha cha.....I did the BRAT diet today and found some children's Imodium AD...but I glanced at the handbook. It says she has to be "diarrhea free" for 24 hours. I guess another Star muffin is in order. Tomorrow is the day of her old story time at the library as well. So maybe I can play that up...because I know she isn't going to like it one bit! Just a little note about that picture.....the shirt has two strawberries on it and says 'berry cute'....she asked me what those 'numbers' said....so I told her the LETTERS said 'berry cute'. She laughed and said, "Well, take my picture and send it to daddy, since there are two berries on there, I MUST be BERRY BERRY cute!" Then she cracked up laughing because in a two year old's little mind she is the funniest thing ever!

Happy Monday, y'all

Friday fill in

If you play, leave me a comment letting me know you played, so I can come visit!

I got this from Janet don't be thinking I come up with this on my own....it is late Friday evening, all my thinking cells are done for the day!

1. I met him/her _____.
2. We dated _____ before we got engaged.
3. I knew he/she was the one _____.
4. The thing I like best about him/her _____.
5. When he/she proposed _____.
6. The song we had/want at our wedding _____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

For those of you not inclined to do this one, I give you the Food Fill-In Friday!
1. Chips or chocolate? _____.
2. Pickles on your hamburger? _____
3. Baked potato: with everything or _____.
4. The perfect meal _____.
5. Martinis, wine, beer or _____.
6. Your favorite pirate is (technically not food, but still yummy)_____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!

Since I am missing my man, and we are down to 95 days.....
1. I met him at a New Year's party Dec. 31, 2006.
2. We dated 6 months before we got engaged.
3. I knew he was the one after about six weeks!!
4. The thing I like best about him is that he makes me laugh.
5. When he proposed, I about leaped off the couch.
****I tried to insert a video, but this computer makes such a BIG DEAL out of it** so no videos until my laptop comes back!
6. The song we had at our wedding...---eeks, we didn't do a traditional "first" dance....but I think Luther Vandross "Here and Now" was big then.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to eating pizza tonight (and I did enjoy it!!), tomorrow my plans include a three year old's birthday party and Sunday, I want to sleep in ( I swear one Sunday this will happen!

For those of you not inclined to do this one, I give you the Food Fill-In Friday! (and just for grins and giggles, I'll do both)
1. Chips or chocolate? chips....the ones with sea salt or vinegar...if I am going to look like a puffer fish the next day, I may as well bring out the big guns!
2. Pickles on your hamburger? Only if I am at Chick-fil-A
3. Baked potato: with everything or sauteed mushrooms and onions.
4. The perfect meal: filet mignon, my cheesy potatoes, and a Chateau St. Jean merlot.
5. Martinis, wine, beer or wine.....big wino here!!
6. Your favorite pirate is (technically not food, but still yummy)?? Pirate?? Like the Johnny Depp kind?? color me confused here??
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to pizza (we did the Papa Johns chicken, tomato, spinach, tomorrow my plans include birthday party, and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

Happy weekend y'all!

Drama.....do we bring it on ourselves??

Drama.....do we bring it on ourselves....or more accurately, did I bring it on myself?? I am not one of those people who has to have big drama going on...in fact I am more the opposite. What ever I can do to make my little life go by nice and easy, the better!! I had pretty much settled into the idea that the director was going to tell me that Livi needed to stay home. I went through all the being pissy to being okay, we can have some fun for a few more months, to the "Oh yeah! think of all the money I have saving!"

So today when I picked up the kids at 12:30, the office manager asked if I had time to talk to the teacher (NOTE: NOT the director, who I had a meeting set up with at 3:30)....I said sure...We went into a little room just off the classroom. She assured me that Livi does do all of the things I mentioned yesterday, but we really need to give her an opportunity to settle in with the rest of the group. Livi has attached herself to a little girl named Haley who is 5. The teacher feels like this is a great step. Livi is doing well in the routines they are learning this first month of school....circle time, social graces, getting her lunch out of the lunch box and setting her own place setting, waiting on the others to do the same....The little things that make the day go smoother with preschoolers.

I told her this decision was fine and dandy with me, but I did NOT want to be addressing this again in a couple of weeks. If I am taking her out, I am going to do it now with only three weeks of school under her belt....not in October! She agreed.....Dang, I need that crystal ball again!

On a much lighter note....I saw this at Arlene's :

“You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.”

I go by my first name.....well a shortened form of my first name, so here goes!

T - tetris: Love this game, but I get a cramp in my forearm if I play it!

O - OCD....some claim I have it...I prefer to say Organized!

M - mail: I love to walk out to get the mail every day. Even if it is just junk I get to use my shredder. Have I mentioned I love my shredder!

M- movies....not a big movie watcher....though I do love Princess Bride. I will sit down and watch it if is on while I am flipping channels.

I - Ikea: One just opened near here and I haven't even gone yet! I do like their catalog though.

E - Entertaining: I love to have people over for dinner. It is one of the things I miss the most about Mike being gone. I love Barefoot Contessa's party philosophy....even if she drives Mike crazy!

So there you have it folks. I’m not tagging anyone, but I hope you guys do it…let me know so I can read ‘em

Does parenting ever get easy??

***Edited to add: When I picked Livi up, her teacher told me there was no need to have a meeting with the director. She said we need to give it more time to let her adjust. I agreed with her but did say that I do NOT want to address this again in a couple of weeks. If I am going to have to take her out, I want to do it now with just three weeks into the school year...rather than a month from now!!** I hope I am making the right decision...dang I wish I had a crystal ball!**

I think I have to break my little girl's heart tomorrow. I have to tell her she can't go back to preschool next week.

I casually asked one of her teachers how she was doing today (on Wednesday). When I got back home around 9 ish (only 30 min after I dropped them off) there was a call on the caller ID from the school. I think to myself, "That is strange...no one called my cell phone." I went to see if there was a message on the machine. Sure enough there was. It is the office manager. She said that Livi's teacher had spoken to the director about my 'concern' and that the director wants to see me. BUT she can't see me until at least Thursday sometime.

A little background info here: Livi is only two....She doesn't turn three until mid Oct. I was very reluctant to start her in August for that reason alone. Will started when he was three years and three months. Livi would be that age when the new semester starts in January08. But the director played me like a harp and assured me after paying out the wazoo for the assessment that she would do fine. Also, I didn't want to risk that there wouldn't be a spot for her in January. OK....I went ahead and put her in school. Doubt lingered in me most days...but she loves it so much!

There is also the potty training issue. She still has peepee accidents but no poop accidents. The first week she had accidents on two days. The second week, no accidents at all. I am thinking all things are going well.....Well this week, back to accidents on Monday and Tuesday. She cannot wear a Pullup at school. There is one kid who wears them but I have been told he has "bladder issues". Livi saw his Pullups in the bathroom and tried to put them on! LOL

Third thing...Livi is a thumbsucker. BUT she only sucks when she has bunny. Bunny isn't allowed at school. I wondered how 'oral' she would be since she didn't have bunny to suck her thumb. Well, apparently more than they would like. Montessori is very hands on....there are open shelves for all the projects. Lots of little things to shove into her mouth.

So I guess what this amounts to is "three strikes and you're out" ....I still haven't had my meeting with the director, but I am pretty sure this is what she is going to say. I feel so bad. I am wondering why I didn't listen to my heart when it was saying doubt means don't <----one of the few things I like that Oprah has said recently. I kept telling myself, she is only two! She really wants to be there. I just wish I had come to this conclusion BEFORE she ever started. Now three weeks into school I have to break her little heart. I don't know how she will handle it. My poor baby girl, I will definitely have to take her to Starbucks and get her a star muffin....and a pumpkin latte for me!

Since this is supposed to by my Thursday 13 post, here are 13 things we can do again.

• 
  
  go to the park


• 
  
  Ooyey Gooyey Friday


• 
  
  Open gym at gymnastics


• 
  
  story time


• 
  
  kindermusik


• 
  
  Starbucks


• 
  
  Target


• 
  
  playgroup


• 
  
  get our toes done (okay we have never done that, but it would be fun!)


• 
  
  chick a lay (what she calls Chick-fil-A)


• 
  
  shopping


• 
  
  snuggling on the couch


• 
  
  just being a mommy's little girl for a little bit longer

I hope she takes it okay.......dang it I am crying now....my face will be puffy tomorrow if I don't stop! Happy Thursday y'all.

Wild Card Wednesday.....water

The Kept Woman also known as the Garage sale diva plays this little game.....my W for this week is water....in the form of rain. I feel like the Wonder Twins..."Wonder Twins power, activate. Form of water, form of tiger"....or something like that anyways.

We had a nice little shower to cool things off yesterday. Will was super sad because he was supposed to have kickety kick ball practice. How sad is it that I was secretly elated when I opened my email and there was a "practice cancelled" email. Bad mommy!

So I let them do their favorite thing....go play in the rain.

We live on a street with a slight incline....We also have a few oak trees in the yard. Water + acorns = at least a good thirty minutes of fun! They looked like little squirrels gathering as many nuts as they could. They were sticking them in pockets I didn't even know they had. I am sure I will find some in the wash this week. They carefully placed them right in the center of the stream.....

Whew hoo! Look at them go, Mommy! Then of course we get into the argument 'mine beats yours'.....yada yada yada....What can we do next?? I know, kick your shoes off kids....stomp stomp stomp like a dinosaur. Yes, we watch too much Diego in this house!

I had a hard time taking pics of Will again....he is back to using his arm as a shield and running. I wasn't running after him with my new camera...far be it I drop my precious little baby!

So, that's all folks. btw, the rain cooled things off tremendously! We couldn't go say goodnight to the moon since it was still cloudy...but we did see a few twinkle little stars. But I will take cool and cloudy over heat any day!

Happy Wednesday...

Gotta stop and smell the flowers

Just a little note...I am probably going to get sappy here...

When Mike told me he was deploying, I got a pit in my stomach. We had to make up wills and have all kinds of conversations that you just don't want to face. That was a big slap in the face of reality. I knew at this time I could make one of two choices....become a gripy wife who hates the military life (and I know many who are like that) or accept I have no control over those choices BUT I do have control over the way I react to it. I realized alot of things that used to irritate the bejesus out of me really didn't matter. Does it matter that the toilet seat is left up or down? When you are looking at it in the same limelight as my husband is going to an wartorn country....I don't even care if the toilet seat is clean...(Okay maybe I do care if it is clean, but you know what I mean!)

I could let fear guide my every choice or I could accept it and drive on, continue to take my kids to the park, to kickety kick ball, to the sprinkle park, and just attempt to have fun. Sometimes it takes a two year old....make that an 'almost three year old' ...to remind me to stop and smell the roses..... or the geraniums each day.

It is a good reminder on this anniversary of today of these uncertain times. Like the old cliche live, laugh and love....just a little bit everyday!

99....Ninety nine.....

Let's see what these all have in common???

a highway??

Just thinking of 99 steps makes my thighs hurt!

99 bottles of beer on the wall....okay those look more like bottle of liquor but you get the idea.

Party like it's 1999...should I break out into song and dance??

99cent stores....

Wayne Gretzky's number

99 red balloons go by...

Some random race car.....

In 99 days Mike will be home! Whew hoo!!! We are down to double digits! We just passed the 11 month mark on the 8th. I knew the "less than 100 days" was coming....he reminded me today. Now I am getting antsy. Do I let the kids make the paper chains from 99 days.....?? Is that too long for them to get the concept? Cutting only one off each day would be a HUGE challenge for them! They would want to cut off several every day.

I am getting all giddy.....should I get a new outfit?? Do the kids and I wear matching shirts?? Should I order a cute banner? Oh whoa is me....so many things to start thinking about.