Kate has wanted a horse since she was 3- more like begged for a horse! Finally I told her that when she's old enough and has enough money to buy the land, build a barn and fence, buy feed, and have her own transportation to go to feed and take care of a horse, then, she can have one! She still thinks that since we have the huge fenced in back yard and a shed, that we can have one here! I keep telling her that we're not zoned for livestock! Are horses livestock?
Anyway, last night she asked again and got the same answer. You'd think she'd get tired of getting that answer. So then we had the following conversation:
K: Some day when I do get a horse, I'm going to get a boy and a girl horse so they can have a baby. Does a girl horse really need a boy horse to have a baby, or can she just be single?
Me: She needs a boy horse.
K: But why? Horses don't get married! And what if the girl horse doesn't like the boy horse?
Me: I don't really think it matters if she likes him or not.
K: But what if she lifts her tail up and poops on him?
Me: I really don't know Kate.
After that comment, I told her good night, as this conversation started as a stalling tactic as I was tucking her in. Oh, and I guess she saw someone selling ponies for $100 Sunday wherever it was that she went with Chris' parents, so now she really thinks she can have one!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sex and the City
I finally got a chance to watch this last night! Back in the day, this was MY show, so I was too excited to hear they were making it into a movie. I just wish I'd gotten to see it in theaters! But seriously, it was so good! Much better than I had anticipated. From someone who rarely watches tv, and who also can't sit and watch a movie without doing something else at the same time, I can say that this movie had my attention from beginning to end with no interruptions, and I did nothing else but watch the movie! It was THAT good!
And in case you were wondering, Christopher made it home safely yesterday, and I made it to the airport without a single glitch. I had never driven to Lambert myself before, so that was a first. I did get in the wrong lane trying to find the parking garage and ended up in the shuttle lane with everyone gawking at me, but hey, at least I was going the right way through it! It was nice to have him gone for 4 days, but it's nice to have him back. It was too quiet without him!
And in case you were wondering, Christopher made it home safely yesterday, and I made it to the airport without a single glitch. I had never driven to Lambert myself before, so that was a first. I did get in the wrong lane trying to find the parking garage and ended up in the shuttle lane with everyone gawking at me, but hey, at least I was going the right way through it! It was nice to have him gone for 4 days, but it's nice to have him back. It was too quiet without him!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
No points scored for healthy eating!
We're all entitled to bad days, right? The day wasn't bad, but our eating habits were!
Preston started the day off by eating just the marshmallows out of his Lucky Charms, a biscuit, and 2 bites of a hashbrown. Then we head down to dad and Annette's for a Taste of Home party, which was a brunch. I had some TASTY monkey bread, coffee cake, and some egg casserole that I have to get the recipe for since I've been thinking about it all day! We were still down there at lunch time, and Preston went off with grandpa to make a S'more at the fire pit, which ended up turning into several s'mores, and several marshmallows on their own. Needless to say, that was his lunch! Miss Kate wan't hungry at that time, but she had some fruit, and not only did she TRY everything, she LIKED the strawberries! Granted, all she did was nibble enough to get the juice out, but still, this is a major accomplishment for her!
So then we decided to go see a movie, which just so happened to be the 5:00 show, so you can guess what we had for dinner... popcorn. By the time we left, no one was hungry. So yeah, we had a BAD food day. I feel bad, but oh well. This just means we need to eat better tomorrow!
Preston started the day off by eating just the marshmallows out of his Lucky Charms, a biscuit, and 2 bites of a hashbrown. Then we head down to dad and Annette's for a Taste of Home party, which was a brunch. I had some TASTY monkey bread, coffee cake, and some egg casserole that I have to get the recipe for since I've been thinking about it all day! We were still down there at lunch time, and Preston went off with grandpa to make a S'more at the fire pit, which ended up turning into several s'mores, and several marshmallows on their own. Needless to say, that was his lunch! Miss Kate wan't hungry at that time, but she had some fruit, and not only did she TRY everything, she LIKED the strawberries! Granted, all she did was nibble enough to get the juice out, but still, this is a major accomplishment for her!
So then we decided to go see a movie, which just so happened to be the 5:00 show, so you can guess what we had for dinner... popcorn. By the time we left, no one was hungry. So yeah, we had a BAD food day. I feel bad, but oh well. This just means we need to eat better tomorrow!
What's in a name?
I get so tickled when I think back on this story (OK, that was a Maw-Ma moment)!
Finding a name for Preston was hard... HARD! At 8 weeks, we thought we had it down. We picked Claire for a girl, and Charles (after P's great-great grandpa, who was still living), and loved them both. But one grandma refused to have a grandson that might be called Charlie, so Charles was out. Then we really liked Elijah (after Chris' grandpa) until his Grandma Lou told him that he'd always hated that name, and that's why he went by his middle name, Russ. I still hung onto Elijah, but Christopher pretty much nixed it. Then his aunt said that they wanted to name their future son Noah, which we both really liked. That lasted a few weeks until Christopher stated feeling guilty because if they ever did have a son (which they haven't), we'd have stolen the name. My feelings were more along the "first come, first serve" philosophy, but he couldn't do it. Then Christopher got on an Alexander kick. The first time he suggested that, I immediately looked at him like he was out of his mind. With a last name that rhymes with Alexander, that was just setting the poor kid up for a lifetime of teasing. He seriously thought that this was a good idea, but he finally gave in- although he still thinks Alexander would've been a great name. Men!
Nearing the end of my pregnancy, we were starting to get a little worried. Names were an everyday subject/arguement. So we decided to ask Kate for her opinion, because after all, as big sister, she should by all rights, have some say in the matter. Of course, that got us nowhere, as she wanted to name him Shoelace, after her beloved fish, also named Shoelace! Then she wanted to name him Alladin, too, being on an Alladin kick at the time. And she was very serious about these names! We'd go to the store, and people would see my belly and ask her if she was getting a brother or sister, to which she would reply, "I'm getting a boy baby, and his name is Shoelace!" You can imagine the looks on people's faces! But to a 4 year old, having a brother named Shoelace after your pet fish, is a big deal!
So with about 2 weeks to go, Christopher suggests James. Although I still really liked Elijah, and refused to give it up, I considered James. I figured out of Shoelace, Alladin, and Alexander, James was the best option. When I went into the hospital, we still had no name, and it appeared that our baby would repeat the fate of his Great Pa-Pa Henry, and go home unnamed (oh, and I wanted to name him Emmerson after him, too). By the day he was born, we were still no closer to having a name. While I sat and rocked, and walked the halls, Chris' mom read the baby name book to me, starting with the A's. She read all morning, each and every name. By lunchtime, she had gotten to the P's, and as she read them, I heard, Preston. I thought to myself, Preston... hmmm. I told Christopher that it sounded like a nice name, and he thought so, too.
Not long after lunch, things started up, and 2 hours later, Baby S. was here. He still didn't have a name. When Chris was calling everyone, he called his Grandma Lou, who asked what we'd named him, and he told her Scooter! She believed him wholeheartedly, although he was just teasing!
The next day, the lady came in to fill out his birth certificate, and needed a name. We had to ask her to come back later because we still hadn't decided. She comes back after lunch, and we still hadn't decided. She told us that she'd come back in an hour, and that if we didn't have a name by then, we'd have to go home without a name because she was getting off at 3. OK, pressure's on! I was still hanging onto Elijah, but it was clear that Christopher really didn't want to name him that, so I suggested Preston. It sounded prestigious, and Ivy League-ish, plus, he just looked like a Preston. Christopher agreed! One down, one to go! He then suggested James for a middle name, which I agreed to until I realized that someone would inevitably call him PJ at some point, which I wanted nothing of. So then Chris said, "What about Bryan?" Bryan is both his and his dad's middle name, and we had never once discussed or even mentioned Bryan. Immediately, I said yes, and BINGO! we had a name!
So that's the epic tale of how Pres got his name! Not an easy task, and we learned that if you really love a name, DON'T tell anyone, because that's the quickest way to have it shot down! Next time around (if there is one), we will know better! And what's funny, is that Chris' initials are CBS, and P's are PBS, and we didn't even catch that little tv connection until about a week later!
Finding a name for Preston was hard... HARD! At 8 weeks, we thought we had it down. We picked Claire for a girl, and Charles (after P's great-great grandpa, who was still living), and loved them both. But one grandma refused to have a grandson that might be called Charlie, so Charles was out. Then we really liked Elijah (after Chris' grandpa) until his Grandma Lou told him that he'd always hated that name, and that's why he went by his middle name, Russ. I still hung onto Elijah, but Christopher pretty much nixed it. Then his aunt said that they wanted to name their future son Noah, which we both really liked. That lasted a few weeks until Christopher stated feeling guilty because if they ever did have a son (which they haven't), we'd have stolen the name. My feelings were more along the "first come, first serve" philosophy, but he couldn't do it. Then Christopher got on an Alexander kick. The first time he suggested that, I immediately looked at him like he was out of his mind. With a last name that rhymes with Alexander, that was just setting the poor kid up for a lifetime of teasing. He seriously thought that this was a good idea, but he finally gave in- although he still thinks Alexander would've been a great name. Men!
Nearing the end of my pregnancy, we were starting to get a little worried. Names were an everyday subject/arguement. So we decided to ask Kate for her opinion, because after all, as big sister, she should by all rights, have some say in the matter. Of course, that got us nowhere, as she wanted to name him Shoelace, after her beloved fish, also named Shoelace! Then she wanted to name him Alladin, too, being on an Alladin kick at the time. And she was very serious about these names! We'd go to the store, and people would see my belly and ask her if she was getting a brother or sister, to which she would reply, "I'm getting a boy baby, and his name is Shoelace!" You can imagine the looks on people's faces! But to a 4 year old, having a brother named Shoelace after your pet fish, is a big deal!
So with about 2 weeks to go, Christopher suggests James. Although I still really liked Elijah, and refused to give it up, I considered James. I figured out of Shoelace, Alladin, and Alexander, James was the best option. When I went into the hospital, we still had no name, and it appeared that our baby would repeat the fate of his Great Pa-Pa Henry, and go home unnamed (oh, and I wanted to name him Emmerson after him, too). By the day he was born, we were still no closer to having a name. While I sat and rocked, and walked the halls, Chris' mom read the baby name book to me, starting with the A's. She read all morning, each and every name. By lunchtime, she had gotten to the P's, and as she read them, I heard, Preston. I thought to myself, Preston... hmmm. I told Christopher that it sounded like a nice name, and he thought so, too.
Not long after lunch, things started up, and 2 hours later, Baby S. was here. He still didn't have a name. When Chris was calling everyone, he called his Grandma Lou, who asked what we'd named him, and he told her Scooter! She believed him wholeheartedly, although he was just teasing!
The next day, the lady came in to fill out his birth certificate, and needed a name. We had to ask her to come back later because we still hadn't decided. She comes back after lunch, and we still hadn't decided. She told us that she'd come back in an hour, and that if we didn't have a name by then, we'd have to go home without a name because she was getting off at 3. OK, pressure's on! I was still hanging onto Elijah, but it was clear that Christopher really didn't want to name him that, so I suggested Preston. It sounded prestigious, and Ivy League-ish, plus, he just looked like a Preston. Christopher agreed! One down, one to go! He then suggested James for a middle name, which I agreed to until I realized that someone would inevitably call him PJ at some point, which I wanted nothing of. So then Chris said, "What about Bryan?" Bryan is both his and his dad's middle name, and we had never once discussed or even mentioned Bryan. Immediately, I said yes, and BINGO! we had a name!
So that's the epic tale of how Pres got his name! Not an easy task, and we learned that if you really love a name, DON'T tell anyone, because that's the quickest way to have it shot down! Next time around (if there is one), we will know better! And what's funny, is that Chris' initials are CBS, and P's are PBS, and we didn't even catch that little tv connection until about a week later!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Go vandals!
Kate cheered at the home football game with the other girls that attended the cheer clinic yesterday. She had so much fun! She's really coming out of her shell, and finding things that she really enjoys! She worried all day long about this, obvousily a precursor to her teenage years. First, we had to go buy a new pair of tennis shoes because one pair didn't fit, and I wasn't letting her wear her good ones on that nasty black track. So we got a cheap pair at Wal-Mart, and shoe buying with Kate is hell. "I don't like those. Those hurt my feet! NO WAY! I'm NOT wearing these, they feel bad!" You can never find shoes easily for her- she's so particular about her feet. Then she worried about what she would wear, even though she has a uniform and warm-up outfit in the school's colors. Then she worried about whether they would have her doing the stunts, or Rachel. Ah.... what an ordeal!
But she had so much fun at the game, and did all of the cheers. At the end, she got to be lifted up during a stunt, and she waved like crazy! She got to do her stunt! Yeah! She was so proud! Afterward when we met back up with her, Preston went up to her, started rubbing her back and said, "You did a good job, Kaitlyn!" Talk about sweet! She definitely says she wants to be a cheerleader, and hopefully this is something she will pursue. She'll have to talk to her Aunt Jessie about this one as I know nothing about cheerleading!
And I have to make note at how wonderful the lighting turned out on that picture! Straight from the camera with no editing. The lighting was just perfect! I guess we'll have to start going out front around 6:15 in the evening to do our shoots!
Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!
Wow! My sweet boy is 5! It seriously doesn't seem like 5 years since my sweets came into this world after the most perfect birth- completely natural, absolutely no medical interventions. Just me, birthing how I wanted, no one telling me to push, no counting, no one talked. Soft music, dimmed lights, and complete control. Just as I had planned. My sweet little 7 pound, 4 ounce little boy with the head full of thick black hair, born with no name (trust me, this will be another post- it's a doozie!), but loved more than life itself! All of those worries about not being able to love another child as much as I did Kate, vanished as soon as I laid eyes on him. Perfect. Bliss.
So Mr. P came in bed with me at 6:00 this morning, and I had no intention of getting up 45 minutes early, so we cuddled in bed. Before I even had breakfast ready, he was begging for his gifts, which he loved! Then it was off to preschool wearing his "5" shirt, with his Cars cookies, and he thought he was big stuff! We had a quiet afternoon playing and watching Garfield, not really doing too much. He's made good use of his car wash kit already, and will make this a post of it's own tomorrow. The pics are classic! He definitely has an imagination!
So happy birthday, Sweet Boy!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My last day
Today is my last day with my 4-year old. I have been dreading him turning 5 for quite some time, now. He's been my baby, and although he will still be my baby, age 5 just doesn't seem very babyish. It kind of feels like somehow, overnight, he will morph from this sweet, innocent little child, into something else. I know this is completely untrue and absurd, but that's how I feel. Most likely because I miss having a baby so much, and I just want to hang onto having a "little" one. Sniff. Why do they have to go and grow up on us? But he's excited about his birthday, and has been asking all day for his presents ever since Christopher had him open 2 last night since he won't be here. I did bake and ice all 36 cookies for his preschool class tomorrow, so that's all ready to go. Here I thought he'd have his birthday off since Kate's out of school tomorow, but no, the preschool is still open even though it follows the same schedule as the public schools.
But ah, do I feel a reminiscent moment coming on? Ya'll know that I can't pass up a chance to reflect on the past! Five years ago, I sat for another day in the hospital, much to the amazement of all the nurses and my dr. After all, a woman dilated to 7 should in all rights, be in full-blown labor, but no, not me! I waddled around the halls, in the same path each lap, until whoever was walking with me decided that they were too tired to walk anymore. By that night, though, for some reason, everyone thought that I'd deliver in the middle of the night. Maybe because I had some lower back pain, who knows. So Christopher spent the night in the bed in my postpartum room, while his mom slept in the recliner in my room. Why Christopher didn't sleep in the hard, plastic recliner, I'll never know! But it's sufficed to say, that by morning, my little boy still had no intentions of coming out.
And in case you were wondering, Christopher did make it to NC safely, although the flight from Chicago to Greensborough was quite rough. I think he's lonely, as he's called home at least 3 times so far, just to chit chat, nothing important. He usually does this when he travels, and this time no one else from MoBap went with him, so I imagine he's quite bored. I'll admit, it's too quite without him here, and even the kids commented on that! Let's see how I sleep tonight. I'll have to keep the tv on or else I'll be paranoid about every little sound.
Oh, and some very exciting news, Kate made Honor Chorus! She was SOOOOOOO excited, and ran out of the school screaming, "I made Honor Chorus!!!!!" I am so proud of her!! Her best friend, Jenna, also made it, so that will make it even more fun! I know she's really going to enjoy it!
But ah, do I feel a reminiscent moment coming on? Ya'll know that I can't pass up a chance to reflect on the past! Five years ago, I sat for another day in the hospital, much to the amazement of all the nurses and my dr. After all, a woman dilated to 7 should in all rights, be in full-blown labor, but no, not me! I waddled around the halls, in the same path each lap, until whoever was walking with me decided that they were too tired to walk anymore. By that night, though, for some reason, everyone thought that I'd deliver in the middle of the night. Maybe because I had some lower back pain, who knows. So Christopher spent the night in the bed in my postpartum room, while his mom slept in the recliner in my room. Why Christopher didn't sleep in the hard, plastic recliner, I'll never know! But it's sufficed to say, that by morning, my little boy still had no intentions of coming out.
And in case you were wondering, Christopher did make it to NC safely, although the flight from Chicago to Greensborough was quite rough. I think he's lonely, as he's called home at least 3 times so far, just to chit chat, nothing important. He usually does this when he travels, and this time no one else from MoBap went with him, so I imagine he's quite bored. I'll admit, it's too quite without him here, and even the kids commented on that! Let's see how I sleep tonight. I'll have to keep the tv on or else I'll be paranoid about every little sound.
Oh, and some very exciting news, Kate made Honor Chorus! She was SOOOOOOO excited, and ran out of the school screaming, "I made Honor Chorus!!!!!" I am so proud of her!! Her best friend, Jenna, also made it, so that will make it even more fun! I know she's really going to enjoy it!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
He's off (well, not quite yet)
Christopher leaves bright and early tomorrow for North Carolina- I think he said 4:30 a.m.! I'm glad I'm not taking him! I've been a little worried, with the 2 small plane crashes this week. Out of the 4 planes he'll be on, there and back, only one is a commercial jet. The others are all leer jet-type planes. One is only a 4-seater! Now I'm definitely glad we're not all going! He really wanted me to go, but since we'd be gone for Preston's birthday on Friday, there was no way I was leaving him. I'll be going to pick him up Sunday morning when he gets back so that I can do some more damage at Ann Taylor Loft. Can't pass up using my $25 off coupons!
Tonight for dinner, everyone that was in Branson during P's party Saturday, gathered at Los Amigos for a little party. He got more presents, lots of souvenirs, and we ate good food. I LOVE Mexican! So really, he's had 2 parties and his birthday isn't even here yet! Friday night it looks like we'll be going to the home football game to watch Kate cheer with the cheer clinic girls. They just sent home the letter today, the clinic is tomorrow, and the game is Friday. Talk about short notice! It will give us something fun to do for his birthday!
Speaking of birthdays, it doesn't seem like I was sitting in my hospital room 5 years ago today. Sitting there hungry because Gozia refused to honor my birth plan, which allowed me to eat freely. Heck, I wasn't even in labor, nor would I be for 2 more days, yet she refused to let me eat. Thank heaven Dr. Dermody came in the next morning and told the nurse, "Get her some meals coming. She needs food!" After that, I ate what I wanted, when I wanted, and I was a happy camper/patient. And Gozia was smart enough to not even come in my room during my 4-day stay. She knew better. I won't bore you with the whole story about how I reported her halfway through my pregnancy and flat out refused to see her again. Some of you have heard it- it was pretty bitter. You know how I am... you don't want to mess with me!
Tonight for dinner, everyone that was in Branson during P's party Saturday, gathered at Los Amigos for a little party. He got more presents, lots of souvenirs, and we ate good food. I LOVE Mexican! So really, he's had 2 parties and his birthday isn't even here yet! Friday night it looks like we'll be going to the home football game to watch Kate cheer with the cheer clinic girls. They just sent home the letter today, the clinic is tomorrow, and the game is Friday. Talk about short notice! It will give us something fun to do for his birthday!
Speaking of birthdays, it doesn't seem like I was sitting in my hospital room 5 years ago today. Sitting there hungry because Gozia refused to honor my birth plan, which allowed me to eat freely. Heck, I wasn't even in labor, nor would I be for 2 more days, yet she refused to let me eat. Thank heaven Dr. Dermody came in the next morning and told the nurse, "Get her some meals coming. She needs food!" After that, I ate what I wanted, when I wanted, and I was a happy camper/patient. And Gozia was smart enough to not even come in my room during my 4-day stay. She knew better. I won't bore you with the whole story about how I reported her halfway through my pregnancy and flat out refused to see her again. Some of you have heard it- it was pretty bitter. You know how I am... you don't want to mess with me!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Mosquitoes, driveways, and singing... oh my!
Have I ever told you that I feel like we're living in some crazy African village with the mosquitoes around here? I guess it's all the trees, and maybe (most likely) the pond out back and the standing water in the culvert out front that is just teeming with little larvae. Gives me chills to think about them! But we can't treat the water out front because there is a family of frogs living in it, with a monster of a bull frog that is unofficially our new pet. I can't get the mail without Pres following me to the road so he can see the frog- and he's always in there! And of course, Mr. P with his allergies, has become extremely allergic to them. We were out for maybe half an hour yesterday with bug spray, and he came in with 15 bites. By bed time, they were swollen to the size of quarters, rock hard, and by this morning, had blistered over. Talk about gross! So now, he's quarantined to the house until it's cool enough again to wear long pants and long shirts so that he's completely covered. That's a pretty hard thing to do with a rowdy 4 year old that only wants to go out and play with his Batter Batter Baseball set that he got Saturday. Poor thing! He's had such a rough time with allergies his entire life.
And then there's the driveway. Pa was here bright and early at 6:45 this morning to check it out. He agreed that one area needed to be compacted down, and was dissapointed that Christopher's side of the drive was nice and sealed, but my side got cold before it was laid and didn't seal as well. It's a very noticeable difference. But the guy came and said that our driveway is in excellent shape and once we seal it this spring, we won't be able to tell a difference. I was still concerned, and he kept saying, "Lady, you won't have and problems with this driveway." That ticked me off! My name is NOT Lady! I paid him anyway, and he left. Calls back an hour later and says he's out front with some stuff. I go out and he'd bought us an 80 lb. bag of Quick Crete to fix the brick they knocked off of the garage, a bucket full of coal dust to even out the appearance of the rough spots, and 2 $10 gas certificates! I guess he felt bad! I thanked him, and let him know that we are appreciative of his work. He calls back at 2:00 and says his crew is on their way over to fix that ridge at the end of the drive, and 20 minutes later, they were there, and got it looking better. So overall, I'm very pleased with the work. Sure, it could've been done better, but still, it's 100% better than what we had before! And I think he felt bad for us, too, as I'd told him about being scammed in May, and I think he just really wanted to be sure that we were satisfied.
And today, Miss Kate auditioned for Honor Chorus! If you're not familiar, it's a group of 4th and 5th graders that sing and do dance performances throughout the year. It's really an honor to be chosen, and they have to maintain passing grades and have no disciplinary actions all year. Christopher and I were both in it, and it really was fun. So they had auditions after school today, and when I picked her up, she was SO excited! She says that she really hopes she makes it. From what she said, after her group sang, they had her stay behind while the other girls left the room, and they told her that she had one of the nicest voices they'd heard that day! We should know via letter either Thursday or Monday. By this, I'm assuming they're sending the letters home from school rather than the mail since there's no school Friday. I'm really excited for her! she's never been the performing type, but she's excited about it, so I can't help but be excited, too!
And then there's the driveway. Pa was here bright and early at 6:45 this morning to check it out. He agreed that one area needed to be compacted down, and was dissapointed that Christopher's side of the drive was nice and sealed, but my side got cold before it was laid and didn't seal as well. It's a very noticeable difference. But the guy came and said that our driveway is in excellent shape and once we seal it this spring, we won't be able to tell a difference. I was still concerned, and he kept saying, "Lady, you won't have and problems with this driveway." That ticked me off! My name is NOT Lady! I paid him anyway, and he left. Calls back an hour later and says he's out front with some stuff. I go out and he'd bought us an 80 lb. bag of Quick Crete to fix the brick they knocked off of the garage, a bucket full of coal dust to even out the appearance of the rough spots, and 2 $10 gas certificates! I guess he felt bad! I thanked him, and let him know that we are appreciative of his work. He calls back at 2:00 and says his crew is on their way over to fix that ridge at the end of the drive, and 20 minutes later, they were there, and got it looking better. So overall, I'm very pleased with the work. Sure, it could've been done better, but still, it's 100% better than what we had before! And I think he felt bad for us, too, as I'd told him about being scammed in May, and I think he just really wanted to be sure that we were satisfied.
And today, Miss Kate auditioned for Honor Chorus! If you're not familiar, it's a group of 4th and 5th graders that sing and do dance performances throughout the year. It's really an honor to be chosen, and they have to maintain passing grades and have no disciplinary actions all year. Christopher and I were both in it, and it really was fun. So they had auditions after school today, and when I picked her up, she was SO excited! She says that she really hopes she makes it. From what she said, after her group sang, they had her stay behind while the other girls left the room, and they told her that she had one of the nicest voices they'd heard that day! We should know via letter either Thursday or Monday. By this, I'm assuming they're sending the letters home from school rather than the mail since there's no school Friday. I'm really excited for her! she's never been the performing type, but she's excited about it, so I can't help but be excited, too!
Monday, September 22, 2008
OK, I lied!
Actually, I had another good laugh today! Sorry for the fib! If I knew how to edit my posts, I would've put it in there, so excuse the record setting 3rd post in one day post. Whew!
Mr. P has been wanting to have a friend over to play. Ever since school has started, he's been chummy with Eric, a little boy who's probably not the best influence. I know he's used the F-word freely, and have heard that he's referred to black people using a not-so-acceptable name. So when the subject of Eric coming over to play comes up, I subtly try to change the subject. So today as I pick him up, he says that he wants Eric to come over to play. So of course, Eric tells his mom that he wants to come over. As Eric and his mom and twin sister come out the doors, I hear him tell Pres. that his mom doesn't know which house is ours. So Pres tells him, "Just look for the house with the cats! If you see a yellow cat, and a black cat, that's our house! Another mom chuckles, to which I had to respond, "Yeah, and the cats live in the house!" So if you ever need directions to my house, never mind looking for the ugly, dated pickett fence and the green siding, just look for the yellow and black cats inside!
And for the record, no playdate! As we walked across the parking lot, Preston yells out our phone number for his mom to call us, and Eric yells out his. I'm sure his mom has forgotten our number just as I've forgotten theirs! ;)
Mr. P has been wanting to have a friend over to play. Ever since school has started, he's been chummy with Eric, a little boy who's probably not the best influence. I know he's used the F-word freely, and have heard that he's referred to black people using a not-so-acceptable name. So when the subject of Eric coming over to play comes up, I subtly try to change the subject. So today as I pick him up, he says that he wants Eric to come over to play. So of course, Eric tells his mom that he wants to come over. As Eric and his mom and twin sister come out the doors, I hear him tell Pres. that his mom doesn't know which house is ours. So Pres tells him, "Just look for the house with the cats! If you see a yellow cat, and a black cat, that's our house! Another mom chuckles, to which I had to respond, "Yeah, and the cats live in the house!" So if you ever need directions to my house, never mind looking for the ugly, dated pickett fence and the green siding, just look for the yellow and black cats inside!
And for the record, no playdate! As we walked across the parking lot, Preston yells out our phone number for his mom to call us, and Eric yells out his. I'm sure his mom has forgotten our number just as I've forgotten theirs! ;)
Check!
The driveway guys came today and resurfaced our drive! Pretty exciting for us since ours was in such disrepair. I came home from taking the kids to school and come home to find a steam roller in our backyard filling up with water (how it got through the gate, I'll never know), big trucks, a skid steer, and guys demolishing our driveway with sledge hammers clear down to the dirt! Once Pres got home at 11, he was pretty interested in all the action. He especially liked the fact that we had Bessie (the asphalt paver from Cars) in our driveway laying down asphalt. Except this Bessie was automatic and didn't need to be pulled! He ate half his lunch in the front bay window so he could see what was going on. They finished up around 2:00, and for the most part, it looks pretty good. There are some spots that we've seen that might need to be scraped out, rolled down, etc. Pa is coming over in the morning to check it out before the guy comes at 9:00 to collect his payment. I'm so glad that he was willing to wait for payment until after we'd had it thoroughly inspected and were pleased, especially after what went down with the last guy.
And speaking of the devil... I tried him again, and still no response. I'm at my wit's end. I will NOT let this go. So far, the BBB and the Attorney General haven't helped much, and I don't know who else to call besides the police and an attorney. Sigh............. Oh! And one of the guys that worked for this paver looked EXACTLY like the guy that ripped us off except he had shorter hair and had gained weight. I almost asked him for his name, and I plan to ask the guy tomorrow when he comes back. Maybe there's some relation. I swear, the resemblence was uncanny!
And let me tell you, that this paving co. was like a three-ring circus! One guy was doing back hand springs and back flips in our yard. When they stopped for lunch, they were all singing! At one point when we were outside, they were marvelling at how freezing cold the well water from the hose was, so they all were taking turns drinking from it! And they were smoking all day..... Had to have a discussion with Pres about that one, esp. when he found a pack lying in the grass.
And speaking of the devil... I tried him again, and still no response. I'm at my wit's end. I will NOT let this go. So far, the BBB and the Attorney General haven't helped much, and I don't know who else to call besides the police and an attorney. Sigh............. Oh! And one of the guys that worked for this paver looked EXACTLY like the guy that ripped us off except he had shorter hair and had gained weight. I almost asked him for his name, and I plan to ask the guy tomorrow when he comes back. Maybe there's some relation. I swear, the resemblence was uncanny!
And let me tell you, that this paving co. was like a three-ring circus! One guy was doing back hand springs and back flips in our yard. When they stopped for lunch, they were all singing! At one point when we were outside, they were marvelling at how freezing cold the well water from the hose was, so they all were taking turns drinking from it! And they were smoking all day..... Had to have a discussion with Pres about that one, esp. when he found a pack lying in the grass.
My laugh for the day!
We were driving home after picking up Preston from preschool and I asked him if they had talked about it being the first day of fall and asked him some random fall questions.
Me: What happens in fall?
Pres: I don't know.
Me: OK, what happens to the trees?
Pres: They get naked!
OMG! I was trying so hard not to laugh at that one! All I could say was, "That's one way to look at it!" I love the things that come out of his mouth!
Me: What happens in fall?
Pres: I don't know.
Me: OK, what happens to the trees?
Pres: They get naked!
OMG! I was trying so hard not to laugh at that one! All I could say was, "That's one way to look at it!" I love the things that come out of his mouth!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Our newest addition!
No, I'm not pregnant...... No, we don't have a new pet (although the kids are begging to bring home a kitten from grammy's). What we do have, is a new car!
I know I've blogged about Christopher's car before. After 4 years of driving back and forth to St. Louis to work everyday, his car finally started losing it's life. Really, he's VERY lucky that things happened the way they did! As soon as he got off the interstate in town Friday night, the transmission started to go out. It was bucking, making noise, and who knows what else. He stops, puts it in reverse, and it goes nowhere. He heads home. The first thing he said when he opened the door, was, "The transmission in my car is going out." He tells me what went on and that he doesn't feel safe driving it traffic anymore, and me, being naive, don't grasp the severity of it. "So, you'll take the Explorer to work, and I'll drive your car?" I ask. "I don't feel safe even having you drive the car. We have to buy a new one this weekend." WHAT??????? I'm thinking that we've got 20 people coming over the next day, and that car shopping is going to be impossible. But after going out to eat for his dad's birthday, we drove through the car lots and found one he liked. Came home, looked at their site, and couldn't pass up the deal! So bright and early at 8:30, he and his dad drove my little Grand Am to town, and came back 2 hours later with a 2006 Chevy Malibu.
Now we don't have to worry about that car anymore. He's really lucky the tranmission didn't go out in the middle of city traffic! But that car was a good car, albeit a lemon from the day we bought it. I still marvel at the fact that he was still able to drive that thing 160+ miles a day with 196,000 miles on it! I know that everyone feels the same way as they've been telling us to trade it off for a long time, now! It was just too nice to not have any car payments! Now we're back making payments (which aren't bad at all). That also means that now, I drive the piece of junk in the house! I hate that *#^(*$%^ Explorer with every fiber of my being, but I sure don't want 2 car payments now! I'm sure it will meet the same fate as my Grand Am- it will run until it can't run anymore!
I know I've blogged about Christopher's car before. After 4 years of driving back and forth to St. Louis to work everyday, his car finally started losing it's life. Really, he's VERY lucky that things happened the way they did! As soon as he got off the interstate in town Friday night, the transmission started to go out. It was bucking, making noise, and who knows what else. He stops, puts it in reverse, and it goes nowhere. He heads home. The first thing he said when he opened the door, was, "The transmission in my car is going out." He tells me what went on and that he doesn't feel safe driving it traffic anymore, and me, being naive, don't grasp the severity of it. "So, you'll take the Explorer to work, and I'll drive your car?" I ask. "I don't feel safe even having you drive the car. We have to buy a new one this weekend." WHAT??????? I'm thinking that we've got 20 people coming over the next day, and that car shopping is going to be impossible. But after going out to eat for his dad's birthday, we drove through the car lots and found one he liked. Came home, looked at their site, and couldn't pass up the deal! So bright and early at 8:30, he and his dad drove my little Grand Am to town, and came back 2 hours later with a 2006 Chevy Malibu.
Now we don't have to worry about that car anymore. He's really lucky the tranmission didn't go out in the middle of city traffic! But that car was a good car, albeit a lemon from the day we bought it. I still marvel at the fact that he was still able to drive that thing 160+ miles a day with 196,000 miles on it! I know that everyone feels the same way as they've been telling us to trade it off for a long time, now! It was just too nice to not have any car payments! Now we're back making payments (which aren't bad at all). That also means that now, I drive the piece of junk in the house! I hate that *#^(*$%^ Explorer with every fiber of my being, but I sure don't want 2 car payments now! I'm sure it will meet the same fate as my Grand Am- it will run until it can't run anymore!
Let's party!!!!!!
Yesterday was Preston's birthday party, and it was so much fun! It's something I always enjoy, and now that we have a house that's big enough to have them here, it's even more fun! We were short 9 guests that decided to skip town and take off to Branson for the weekend (teasing! Really, it had been planned for months), so it was a much smaller party, but nonetheless, FUN!
And of course, what would a day in my life be without some sort of drama???? Enter the twice-baked cake as it was referred to by the end of the night. I spent 2.5 hours decorating the Lightning McQueen cake Friday night. It looked great, and I was so proud of myself. Fearing a repeat of last year's cookie fiasco (Nonni found his way on top of the freezer and knocked down ALL of the cookies I'd decorated for P's preschool class), I stuck the cake into the oven so he wouldn't get to it. I KNEW that cake was in the oven. But when I preheated the oven to fix a pizza, I somehow forgot. I started smelling plastic, and wondered why, and then I remembered the cake! 270 degrees, and the cake was baking again! I whisked it out and stuck in in the extra refrigerator to cool it quickly, but luckily, the icing had set overnight, so it didn't melt! Some of the colors ran, but it still looked great! And tasty, too! And I don't think I have to worry about the contact paper coming off of my cake board again... it's pretty well sealed now! If I wasn't too lazy to download the pics from the camera, I'd show you!
But the party was great, and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did! I know Preston did!
And of course, what would a day in my life be without some sort of drama???? Enter the twice-baked cake as it was referred to by the end of the night. I spent 2.5 hours decorating the Lightning McQueen cake Friday night. It looked great, and I was so proud of myself. Fearing a repeat of last year's cookie fiasco (Nonni found his way on top of the freezer and knocked down ALL of the cookies I'd decorated for P's preschool class), I stuck the cake into the oven so he wouldn't get to it. I KNEW that cake was in the oven. But when I preheated the oven to fix a pizza, I somehow forgot. I started smelling plastic, and wondered why, and then I remembered the cake! 270 degrees, and the cake was baking again! I whisked it out and stuck in in the extra refrigerator to cool it quickly, but luckily, the icing had set overnight, so it didn't melt! Some of the colors ran, but it still looked great! And tasty, too! And I don't think I have to worry about the contact paper coming off of my cake board again... it's pretty well sealed now! If I wasn't too lazy to download the pics from the camera, I'd show you!
But the party was great, and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did! I know Preston did!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The search is on!
Kate has decided that she wants to be Kit for halloween this year. I should say that I saw this coming, as her obsession with American Girl dolls is still as strong as ever. I had the idea, and maybe great minds think alike (wink wink), because yesterday, she said she wanted to be Kit. But she wants to have the matching outfit from Meet Kit- the one they sell on AG's site for girls to match. Being ever-so-thrifty (and maybe cheap), I told her that maybe we could make her and Kit matching dresses. OH, NO! They had to match original Kit dresses. No matter what I said, she wouldnt budge. But my mom stopped by today, and she was able to convince Kate that we could make a dress like an original Kit dress, although I don't think Kate understands that there's no way we'd be able to find the exact same fabric or pattern. I'm sure AG has a patent out on those puppies! Believe me, I've searched! Oh, and no, she couldn't be Molly. That would be too easy. She already has matching Molly dresses.
But can I tell you, that I am just as obsessed with American Girl as she is? I find the whole concept amazing- the girl power, the history (I LOVE history, remember), everything! So when she wanted to have not one, but two American Girl parties, I obliged. And I had a blast dressing up for the mystery party. She says she wants to do another next birthday, and guess what... we will. Can I tell you that I scour ebay every night to score a great deal on Kit's bed? Can I tell you that I drool over every catalog that comes in the mail, and really, really want her to get Ruthie? Can I tell you that I already have several outfits for Kit stashed away for Christmas because I just had to order Kate and Kit matching movie shirts for the big premier? Just a tad obsessed, you say???????? Nah!
Now off to scour ebay for vintage dress patterns and just possibly, vintage feed sacks to make said dresses from! Now is that called devoted or what?
A little excitement!
If life weren't exciting, what fun would it be? Today was just one of those "you had to be there" moments, that really, only in which we can find the true humor.
Let's take a flash back to October of last year when we were still trying to get this house ready to move into. Christopher and his dad were on their way back to town with our new kitchen cabinets loaded onto the trailer. Luckily, Christopher made his dad take the back roads instead of the interstate, or this story might be even worse! Although they were all tied down, a gust of wind took off with the corner cabinet, and it tumbled down a ravine to its demise. Yes, the cabinet was destroyed (see above).
At the time, we only had about 2 weeks or less until we closed and had to be out of our old house, so while this was majorly stressful, it was also humorous. Luckily, the store ordered us a new one on rush order for no charge, we just had to return the smashed on. Still, it took 6 weeks to arrive, and we had to install the rest of the cabinets minus that one crucial cabinet, and we dealt with no countertop and cabinets on half our kitchen for a month.
Today we bought rock for inside our fence (which BTW, is still not totally finished), all 4.25 tons of it. Christohper was going over to the landscaping place to pick it up, and was waiting for his dad to come and get him. I had to leave to pick Kate up from school, so I missed the excitement. At about 4:00, Christopher calls:
Chris: "Can you move the car out of the garage and into the grass? We need to take it to buy a wheelbarrow."
Me: "Yeah. Why do you need a wheelbarrow? Doesn't your dad have one?"
Chris: "It blew off the trailer so we have to get a new one."
I nearly lost it! Seriously, how does this happen to someone two times? But it gets better... His dad called him in a panic before he picked him up, and said to meet him at the end of the driveway. So he runs to the road, and his dad slows down, but doesn't stop, so christopher has to jump in. He asks what's wrong, and that's when he told him that the wheelbarrow had blown off, and they had to go back and find it! They drive all the way back to their house, then all the way back to ours, and no wheelbarrow! In 5 minutes time, someone had taken it! OK, maybe that wasn't so great for Keith, but we got a good chuckle out of it, simply because it reminded us of the cabinet. But the rock is in, and he has a new wheelbarrow, so all is good. That is, if the new wheelbarrow didn't blow off on his way home!
We're down to 3 days to the party, and the rush is on to get everything done. I'm so glad the rock is in- it looks so much better than dirt (or mud). Shall look better tomorrow after I hose it all down and get the dirt off. And the guy finished tuck pointing our chimney tonight, too, so we can cross that off our list! And the good driveway guy is coming early next week to get that done! Whew! But I still have this cold that I can't shake. I'm fine if I'm resting, but if I get up and walk around, and my resp. rate increases, I start coughing and wheezing. Not good, I know, but I detest doctors, and I'm sure I'll get better. I need to take a breathing treatment, but I'm too busy to stop and take the time. Yet I'm on here! Priorities.....
And please enjoy the picture of our destroyed cabinet. It's taken all of 15 minutes to upload with this lovely dial-up. It's a rare treat, enjoy what few there are!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Bring on the stress
The countdown is on... 5 days until the party! So there's a lot to do this week, and it seems there's not enough time to do it. Among 3 grocery trips to 3 different stores, probably all made on Friday, there's picking up the house, making sure all loose ends are tied up, food to prepare, decorations to set up, and a Lightning McQueen cake and cupcakes to bake. Friday will be the worst- shopping and baking. But really, in the long run, it's all worth it, so I really shouldn't complain. In a few years, the kids will be old enough where they don't care if I make a fuss over their birthdays, and won't want a big party, so I'll cherish it while I can!
Since Ike passed over us yesterday, and left our backyard underwater, we now have a muddy mess with tons of branches and leaves strewn about in our yard. I swear, these trees will not stop dropping branches! And I'm not talking twigs, more like branches as big around as my arm, and twice as tall as me! So Christopher calls on his way home today: "Did you pick up all the sticks in the yard?" Me:"Uh, NO!" He seriously expects ME to go out there and pick up all of those sticks! No way, Jose! I told him what I thought of that plan! I've got enough to do around this place to be outside in the mud, picking up. Only 10 more days until his trip to North Carolina! I need those 4 days of peace and quiet... and no nagging!
I also have to call our scheister driveway guy this week and demand our money back before I call an attorney. I've filed fraud with the BBB and the State's Attorney, and still nothing. He's NOT getting away with this! Christopher found out about me filing with the SA when a letter came with her seal on it and he thought I was in trouble, so he opened it. He wasn't pleased, because he never wants to see the guy again, but I'm not going to let him go out there are scam more people. So yeah, I'm gonna lay down the law and see what happens. I know he'll try to come out and seal it again, but our drive is in worse shape now than it was before he fixed it. What he "repaired" is now washed away, along with a lot more. Plus, we're having the new asphalt guy coming early next week to do a proper job.
But I did get my hair done today, which was so great, and I feel so much better. It needed colored soooooooooooo badly! Ever since I had to cancel last Monday because Kate was "sick," I've had a major complex everytime I went to do my hair. Now I can relax! Ha!
Since Ike passed over us yesterday, and left our backyard underwater, we now have a muddy mess with tons of branches and leaves strewn about in our yard. I swear, these trees will not stop dropping branches! And I'm not talking twigs, more like branches as big around as my arm, and twice as tall as me! So Christopher calls on his way home today: "Did you pick up all the sticks in the yard?" Me:"Uh, NO!" He seriously expects ME to go out there and pick up all of those sticks! No way, Jose! I told him what I thought of that plan! I've got enough to do around this place to be outside in the mud, picking up. Only 10 more days until his trip to North Carolina! I need those 4 days of peace and quiet... and no nagging!
I also have to call our scheister driveway guy this week and demand our money back before I call an attorney. I've filed fraud with the BBB and the State's Attorney, and still nothing. He's NOT getting away with this! Christopher found out about me filing with the SA when a letter came with her seal on it and he thought I was in trouble, so he opened it. He wasn't pleased, because he never wants to see the guy again, but I'm not going to let him go out there are scam more people. So yeah, I'm gonna lay down the law and see what happens. I know he'll try to come out and seal it again, but our drive is in worse shape now than it was before he fixed it. What he "repaired" is now washed away, along with a lot more. Plus, we're having the new asphalt guy coming early next week to do a proper job.
But I did get my hair done today, which was so great, and I feel so much better. It needed colored soooooooooooo badly! Ever since I had to cancel last Monday because Kate was "sick," I've had a major complex everytime I went to do my hair. Now I can relax! Ha!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday the 13th, 2004
With Hurricane Ike slamming into Texas today, I remembered back to when we got a first-hand experience with a hurricane. Charley, to be exact.
We had flown down to Orlando with Chris' parents, and his sister and her husband for a little vaca. I'd joked before going that it was hurricane season, but we seriously had no clue what we were in for. Nor did any of us check the weather reports! We got there on Wed. and settled into our condo. I called Uncle Jeff in Vero Beach, and we made plans to visit him on Friday. I think by this time we knew a hurricane was coming, but still made plans. The next day, we did Disney, and had a blast. By the end of the day, though, we realized it probably wouldn't be a great idea to visit Jeff, so we cancelled, and made reservations at Arabian Nights.
The next morning, we all got up for breakfast, and some shopping. Reports were changing, and Charley was due to miss Tampa, and make a direct hit over Central Florida as a category 3. We had reservations for Sat. in Madeira Beach, so we were a little concerned about even having a place to stay once we got there, if they got hit. Chris and I were more than a little concerned, and went to the Dollar Tree to buy candles and flashlights while the rest of them hit an outlet mall. We met up with them, and all the stores were closing at noon, so we decided that we'd better call and see if Arabian Nights would be open, and they said they would be closed. So we went to Publix and bought stuff to make spaghetti. We stopped at Taco Bell's drive-thru to get lunch, and it closed right after our order was taken.
After dinner, things started picking up. By 7:00, we thought the front window was going to blow out, so the guys moved the couch in front of it. Not that that really would've helped much! An hour later, the power went out. We started preparing our "safe room", which was supposed to be in the closet, but with 8 people, no A/C, and someone having gas, we had to use the entire room. By 8:40, the wind was so strong that it sounded like a freight train. The walls were vibrating, windows rattled, and we could see debris flying like crazy! The guys took the bed apart, and propped the mattress up against the windows, with a dresser in front of them in case they blew out. Around 9:00, we could tell that the eye was passing over, so Keith went to the car to listen to weather reports, wading through water to get there. Winds were around 90 mph, and we had 13 minutes until the eye passed. We could definitely tell when it had passed, as the winds really picked back up. We started getting calls from family back in Illinois, all glued to the weather to see how we were faring.
The next day, we were shocked to see the damage. It was crazy! We still had no power, and had to pack up and leave to head to Madeira Beach. That trip was an ordeal! As soon as we got onto the on ramp to I-4, Kaitly puked in the car. It took 10 minutes alone just to get onto the interstate, and another 45 minutes until we got to the next exit. All the evacuees were bumper to bumper! We got off and stopped at a gas station, which had no power, so we had to change Kate in the parking lot, and wash her off with a bottle of water and the paper towels they have by the windshield washers! We did find a Publix that had no power, but let us use their bathroom to wash our hands. Once back on the road, it took us a total of 4 hours to drive the 70 mile drive from Kissimmee to Madeira Beach. What a madhouse! Luckily they hadn't been hit by Charley, so our condo was safe!
So yes, it was an eye opening experience for all of us! Kate remembers it well- she was 5, but Preston, who was only 10 months, has no clue, although he claims to remember it! I wrote every detail down as it happened in my little Charley timeline for our scrapbook, and it was well documented with photos. I even bought a "I survived Hurrican Charley" t-shirt! It wasn't until after-the-fact that we realized that Charley had hit on Friday the 13th!
My prayers go out to all of those affected by Ike.
We had flown down to Orlando with Chris' parents, and his sister and her husband for a little vaca. I'd joked before going that it was hurricane season, but we seriously had no clue what we were in for. Nor did any of us check the weather reports! We got there on Wed. and settled into our condo. I called Uncle Jeff in Vero Beach, and we made plans to visit him on Friday. I think by this time we knew a hurricane was coming, but still made plans. The next day, we did Disney, and had a blast. By the end of the day, though, we realized it probably wouldn't be a great idea to visit Jeff, so we cancelled, and made reservations at Arabian Nights.
The next morning, we all got up for breakfast, and some shopping. Reports were changing, and Charley was due to miss Tampa, and make a direct hit over Central Florida as a category 3. We had reservations for Sat. in Madeira Beach, so we were a little concerned about even having a place to stay once we got there, if they got hit. Chris and I were more than a little concerned, and went to the Dollar Tree to buy candles and flashlights while the rest of them hit an outlet mall. We met up with them, and all the stores were closing at noon, so we decided that we'd better call and see if Arabian Nights would be open, and they said they would be closed. So we went to Publix and bought stuff to make spaghetti. We stopped at Taco Bell's drive-thru to get lunch, and it closed right after our order was taken.
After dinner, things started picking up. By 7:00, we thought the front window was going to blow out, so the guys moved the couch in front of it. Not that that really would've helped much! An hour later, the power went out. We started preparing our "safe room", which was supposed to be in the closet, but with 8 people, no A/C, and someone having gas, we had to use the entire room. By 8:40, the wind was so strong that it sounded like a freight train. The walls were vibrating, windows rattled, and we could see debris flying like crazy! The guys took the bed apart, and propped the mattress up against the windows, with a dresser in front of them in case they blew out. Around 9:00, we could tell that the eye was passing over, so Keith went to the car to listen to weather reports, wading through water to get there. Winds were around 90 mph, and we had 13 minutes until the eye passed. We could definitely tell when it had passed, as the winds really picked back up. We started getting calls from family back in Illinois, all glued to the weather to see how we were faring.
The next day, we were shocked to see the damage. It was crazy! We still had no power, and had to pack up and leave to head to Madeira Beach. That trip was an ordeal! As soon as we got onto the on ramp to I-4, Kaitly puked in the car. It took 10 minutes alone just to get onto the interstate, and another 45 minutes until we got to the next exit. All the evacuees were bumper to bumper! We got off and stopped at a gas station, which had no power, so we had to change Kate in the parking lot, and wash her off with a bottle of water and the paper towels they have by the windshield washers! We did find a Publix that had no power, but let us use their bathroom to wash our hands. Once back on the road, it took us a total of 4 hours to drive the 70 mile drive from Kissimmee to Madeira Beach. What a madhouse! Luckily they hadn't been hit by Charley, so our condo was safe!
So yes, it was an eye opening experience for all of us! Kate remembers it well- she was 5, but Preston, who was only 10 months, has no clue, although he claims to remember it! I wrote every detail down as it happened in my little Charley timeline for our scrapbook, and it was well documented with photos. I even bought a "I survived Hurrican Charley" t-shirt! It wasn't until after-the-fact that we realized that Charley had hit on Friday the 13th!
My prayers go out to all of those affected by Ike.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Where were you?
Seven years have passed since that infamous day when we were attacked. It doesn't really seem like it's been that long, perhaps because the memories are so fresh and vivid, that it will be hard to forget something of that magnitude. I always remember Granny saying that she remembered exactly what she was doing the day President Kennedy was assasinated- sitting in the dentist's office with my uncle- and naively thinking that there would never be something like that in my lifetime. Unfortunately, though, such an event did take place, and I can remember it like it was yesterday.
I was getting ready for a class, and Miss Kate, then 2, was watching a kid show on PBS, eating animal crackers. Chris' Grandma Lou was coming over to watch Kate. She arrived, and asked if I had seen the news. I told her that I hadn't, and she said that 2 planes had hit the WTC towers. The only words I spoke were, "We've been attacked." She took Kate in the other room so that I could quickly turn on the news, and what I saw shocked me. I had to leave, as I had a test that day, but it was so hard to leave Kate. I really didn't want to leave her. Who was to say what was going to happen while I was gone. She got an extra long hug and kiss, and I left. As I was leaving town, the first tower collapsed. By the time I got to class, the second had fallen. No one in class could concentrate, and every discussion was on the attacks. I took my test, left, and waited until it was time for my next class, which was several hours later. I went to the lake, sat, and listened to the radio coverage. Lee Greenwood's "Im Proud to be an American" came on, and I cried. It was so emotional. I went back to campus, only to find that class had been cancelled, and I could've spent the entire day with Kate instead of waiting. I drove home, and she was taking her nap, so I got to sit and see the first images of everything since early that morning. Shortly after, Kate woke up, climbed on the couch with me, and asked, "Mommy, what happened?" It was heart-breaking. I remember wanting to hang a flag so badly, but we didn't have one. The closest we had, was a little one that they hand out on street corners when you donate some change, so I taped it to our mailbox. Kate helped me. That little flag hung there until spring.
That one event shaped me so much. As bad as it sounds, I was lucky to have been studying political science at the time, and afterward, it completely changed the course of my classes, and really brought to light the broad scope of all of this. I came away with more than I could've learned without 9/11, and it greatly increased the strength of my political ties. I won't go into my political schpiel today, but being the conservative that I am, I am proud to say that I support every effort to bring these people to justice. We will NEVER be free of terrorism, simply because we are free. They are so jealous of what we have, what we take for granted almost every day. They don't have that freedom, that choice, and because of that, they seek retaliation. Be thankful for what we have. Support our troops overseas. We could be in much worse conditions.
So..... Where were you?
I was getting ready for a class, and Miss Kate, then 2, was watching a kid show on PBS, eating animal crackers. Chris' Grandma Lou was coming over to watch Kate. She arrived, and asked if I had seen the news. I told her that I hadn't, and she said that 2 planes had hit the WTC towers. The only words I spoke were, "We've been attacked." She took Kate in the other room so that I could quickly turn on the news, and what I saw shocked me. I had to leave, as I had a test that day, but it was so hard to leave Kate. I really didn't want to leave her. Who was to say what was going to happen while I was gone. She got an extra long hug and kiss, and I left. As I was leaving town, the first tower collapsed. By the time I got to class, the second had fallen. No one in class could concentrate, and every discussion was on the attacks. I took my test, left, and waited until it was time for my next class, which was several hours later. I went to the lake, sat, and listened to the radio coverage. Lee Greenwood's "Im Proud to be an American" came on, and I cried. It was so emotional. I went back to campus, only to find that class had been cancelled, and I could've spent the entire day with Kate instead of waiting. I drove home, and she was taking her nap, so I got to sit and see the first images of everything since early that morning. Shortly after, Kate woke up, climbed on the couch with me, and asked, "Mommy, what happened?" It was heart-breaking. I remember wanting to hang a flag so badly, but we didn't have one. The closest we had, was a little one that they hand out on street corners when you donate some change, so I taped it to our mailbox. Kate helped me. That little flag hung there until spring.
That one event shaped me so much. As bad as it sounds, I was lucky to have been studying political science at the time, and afterward, it completely changed the course of my classes, and really brought to light the broad scope of all of this. I came away with more than I could've learned without 9/11, and it greatly increased the strength of my political ties. I won't go into my political schpiel today, but being the conservative that I am, I am proud to say that I support every effort to bring these people to justice. We will NEVER be free of terrorism, simply because we are free. They are so jealous of what we have, what we take for granted almost every day. They don't have that freedom, that choice, and because of that, they seek retaliation. Be thankful for what we have. Support our troops overseas. We could be in much worse conditions.
So..... Where were you?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
I heart Baby GAP
I just love Baby Gap! Always have. Gap Kids, not so much. Maybe it's just the cute baby/toddler clothes that really appeal to me. I sorely miss having a baby girl to shop for, but maybe that's a good thing! Wink, wink. But aside from Mini Boden, Baby Gap is my favorite, by far, for Mr. P's clothes. If I didn't have constraint (and email alerts sent to christopher when charges are made), I could do some serious damage there. I had a shopping cart full a few minutes ago, ready to check out, but considering he's having a birthday party next weekend, and I know will be getting clothes, I will wait. Now, the week after his party, it's fair game! The poor kid may still be short on clothes. Most likely not, but I can still tell christopher to look at his closet compared to Kate's, and he'll tell me to get what he needs. Granted, Kate's closet is so full that I have to shove things in there. No boys closet is ever going to be as full as hers!
Fall!
Officially, there's 1 more week left of summer, but it feels as if fall is already here! It's been so cool, and I'm loving it! Loving not running the A/C (and the electric bill that comes with it), wearing jeans, cool mornings, new clothes... the list goes on. We've even got leaves turning brown and falling! Sure, that seems nice now, but in a month, when all 20 of the trees in our backyard lose their leaves and they're trapped inside our fence, that won't seem so nice.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Where's the water?
I swear, does anything go smoothly in this house?
I went to run the kids' bath tonight, and a few minutes later, the water stopped. I try the sink, nothing. I try the kitchen faucet, nothing. I couldn't get a hold of Christopher, and his dad was in a meeting, but his mom got a hold of him and he came over. In the mean time, the kids bathed in about 2 inches of water, which was all I got. Keith was able to flip a switch on our reserve tank and get it going again, but when Christopher went to take a bath, he ran out of water again. It may need a new switch. I was just scared that our well had run dry, but luckily, that doesn't seem to be the case! A good thing since we already mailed off our legal mumbo jumbo granting right-of-way for the rural water easement, but are declining hooking up. Why pay for the same water when we can get it for free???????
So what else has gone wrong with this house in the 10 months we've been here? Let's see:
The well froze
The furnace sprung a leak
The water heater took hours to warm up and we had to share baths
The garage has flooded countless times
The backyard has flooded even more times
The roof was damaged badly by 1.25 inch hail
A broken window
The A/C stopped
The roof leak/repair issues
The driveway ordeal (BTW, the Attorney General is on top of this now)
I know there's more. Chris' dad was here almost weekly this past winter repairing something. I told Christopher that we bought a money trap, but really for a house that sat empty for 2 years, it's actually in pretty good shape! We both love this house so much, so it's worth every penny!
I went to run the kids' bath tonight, and a few minutes later, the water stopped. I try the sink, nothing. I try the kitchen faucet, nothing. I couldn't get a hold of Christopher, and his dad was in a meeting, but his mom got a hold of him and he came over. In the mean time, the kids bathed in about 2 inches of water, which was all I got. Keith was able to flip a switch on our reserve tank and get it going again, but when Christopher went to take a bath, he ran out of water again. It may need a new switch. I was just scared that our well had run dry, but luckily, that doesn't seem to be the case! A good thing since we already mailed off our legal mumbo jumbo granting right-of-way for the rural water easement, but are declining hooking up. Why pay for the same water when we can get it for free???????
So what else has gone wrong with this house in the 10 months we've been here? Let's see:
The well froze
The furnace sprung a leak
The water heater took hours to warm up and we had to share baths
The garage has flooded countless times
The backyard has flooded even more times
The roof was damaged badly by 1.25 inch hail
A broken window
The A/C stopped
The roof leak/repair issues
The driveway ordeal (BTW, the Attorney General is on top of this now)
I know there's more. Chris' dad was here almost weekly this past winter repairing something. I told Christopher that we bought a money trap, but really for a house that sat empty for 2 years, it's actually in pretty good shape! We both love this house so much, so it's worth every penny!
I've been tricked
Remember last week when Kate was home sick? Well, she's home again. Last week, she really was sick- we were at the dr. to prove it. Today, though, not so much. She wakes up, doing this really heavy breathing, doubled over, saying she's going to puke. It was pretty good acting. No fever, though, and she knows my rule: no fever, no puking, you go to school. She spits up a few times, but nothing but snot (sorry, gross), leftover from the cold she still has. Finally, I told her that if she was that sick, she could stay home, BUT, she was banished to the couch for the entire day. No playing, no fun, not even if she started to perk up. See, I had my little plan. I remember my great-grandma doing this to my brother once when he tried to stay home from school, but he was banished to an un-fun bedroom with the door closed all day. He realized this was no fun, and never did it again, although he did have some fun and jumped out the window so he could run around and ring the doorbell.
So Miss Kate was on the couch. I knew she wasn't as sick as she was letting on, or she'd really be puking. So this put me in a grumpy mood because I had to cancel my cut and color for this morning, which was desperately needed. Now I have to wait until next Monday. UGH! Once lunch came, she ate, and perked right up! Surprise, surprise! I'd told her to eat breakfast, but she claimed she was too sick. I still made her sit on the couch, but by this time, sitting there was no longer fun. She wanted to play games with me and Pres, and do other fun things, but I wasn't budging! I also told her that since she was sick, there would be no treats to eat, just the things you eat when you're sick- crackers, toast- she wanted ice cream. She's also been told that after dinner, she's off to the tub and straight to bed, because that's what you do when you're sick. She's tried getting up, but keeps getting sat back down, only making her mad. Hey, this isn't a snow day, baby! And she asked about me getting her assignments today, but I think waiting until tomorrow will have more of an impact. Extra homework is never much fun.
So we're 3 weeks into school, she's missed 2 days already, and has forgotten her homework once. We're really off to a great start. And did I mention already just how desperately I need my hair done???????????
So Miss Kate was on the couch. I knew she wasn't as sick as she was letting on, or she'd really be puking. So this put me in a grumpy mood because I had to cancel my cut and color for this morning, which was desperately needed. Now I have to wait until next Monday. UGH! Once lunch came, she ate, and perked right up! Surprise, surprise! I'd told her to eat breakfast, but she claimed she was too sick. I still made her sit on the couch, but by this time, sitting there was no longer fun. She wanted to play games with me and Pres, and do other fun things, but I wasn't budging! I also told her that since she was sick, there would be no treats to eat, just the things you eat when you're sick- crackers, toast- she wanted ice cream. She's also been told that after dinner, she's off to the tub and straight to bed, because that's what you do when you're sick. She's tried getting up, but keeps getting sat back down, only making her mad. Hey, this isn't a snow day, baby! And she asked about me getting her assignments today, but I think waiting until tomorrow will have more of an impact. Extra homework is never much fun.
So we're 3 weeks into school, she's missed 2 days already, and has forgotten her homework once. We're really off to a great start. And did I mention already just how desperately I need my hair done???????????
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Fun weekend!
We had such a great time yesterday in St. Louis, despite being sicker than a dog. Yes, I still have this cold and it's kicking my butt! We got there around 11:30 and went straight to the Anhueser-Busch facility for our tour. If you've never been, it's something you should do at least once in your life, even if you don't like beer. Even though it is a state of the art facility, a lot of the original architectural detailing from the late 1800's and early 1900's are still present. Being the history nut that I am, I loved it! Plus, it's a free tour, and you get 2 free glasses of beer at the end, which the guys really liked! Chrisopher tried a glass of the new American Ale that they are releasing this week. Jess and I had soda.
After that, we headed down to the landing for a quick lunch, but not before Reid drove the entire length of a one-way street going the wrong way! We wondered why everyone was looking at us! We ate outside at Hannegan's, and then were off for a few quick exchanges at the Galleria, and to take advantage of Gymboree's baby sale. Gotta love $10 shirts and pj's! Not to mention their new cowboy line for Mr. P (a.k.a. Boots). Gotta go back with my Gymbucks to get the rest!
We had dinner at Bristol in Creve Couer, and it was delicious! Very neat, fancy place with fabulous food, even if they only had 1 chicken dish- the rest was all seafood. We definitely have to go back! Christopher got a free desert for his birthday, so he picked this chocolate mousse cake that looked TDF, but tasted like a liquor bottle was spilled on it, so I opted not to share. Yuck!
After leaving STL, we went to Fairview Heights to stop at Toys R Us for Preston's birthday supplies and gifts, but not before doing some damage at Ann Taylor Loft. It was well deserved, though, and I can't wait to go back and spend the 4 $25 off $50 coupons that I have! It was 10:30 before we got back to town, and I was so wiped out that I took a shower and went straight to bed, and slept until 9:00! I wish I would've gotten a chance to take a nap, too!
After that, we headed down to the landing for a quick lunch, but not before Reid drove the entire length of a one-way street going the wrong way! We wondered why everyone was looking at us! We ate outside at Hannegan's, and then were off for a few quick exchanges at the Galleria, and to take advantage of Gymboree's baby sale. Gotta love $10 shirts and pj's! Not to mention their new cowboy line for Mr. P (a.k.a. Boots). Gotta go back with my Gymbucks to get the rest!
We had dinner at Bristol in Creve Couer, and it was delicious! Very neat, fancy place with fabulous food, even if they only had 1 chicken dish- the rest was all seafood. We definitely have to go back! Christopher got a free desert for his birthday, so he picked this chocolate mousse cake that looked TDF, but tasted like a liquor bottle was spilled on it, so I opted not to share. Yuck!
After leaving STL, we went to Fairview Heights to stop at Toys R Us for Preston's birthday supplies and gifts, but not before doing some damage at Ann Taylor Loft. It was well deserved, though, and I can't wait to go back and spend the 4 $25 off $50 coupons that I have! It was 10:30 before we got back to town, and I was so wiped out that I took a shower and went straight to bed, and slept until 9:00! I wish I would've gotten a chance to take a nap, too!
Friday, September 5, 2008
I hate being sick
I knew as soon as school started, that someone would come home sick. Pres woke up with a cold Sunday morning, and Kate woke up with one Monday morning, which turned out to be bronchitis. Did I already mention this in another post? Oh, well. But yesterday, I woke up with a sore throat. So today, I've felt like crap- sore throat, drainage (sorry), and some funky ears... let's hope I avoid an infection. I need to go to bed, but I have to wait to put the clothes in the dryer when the washer stops.
We've got a busy day tomorrow! Bright and early at 9:00, I have to be at the park with Kate to sign her up for another year of Girl Scouts. She's a junior this year! Yeah! Then at 10, we're supposed to meet Christopher's sister and her husband for a trip to St. Louis- Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Galleria, Anheiser-Busch tour, and dinner reservations at Bristol's. Plus whatever else we figure out to do. An early morning and late night. But seriously, I NEED a full day of no kids to do whatever I want! Especially being sick! I did get a full kid-free day last Sunday, but I spent it painting the fence while the guys roofed, so that didn't really count. Painting that **^(*^(# fence is NO fun! And yes, I am STILL working on it. The inside is finished, so we can get rock now, but the outside... that's another story.
Speaking of other stories, after watching the Republican National Convention this week, I'm all fired up! I was going to come here with some huge political schpiel, persuading you all to lean to the right, but that will have to wait until the next day- I feel to bad. But don't worry! I never pass up a chance to launch a huge conservative conversation that will make you all run to the polls chanting, "GOP!" Shall be fun!
We've got a busy day tomorrow! Bright and early at 9:00, I have to be at the park with Kate to sign her up for another year of Girl Scouts. She's a junior this year! Yeah! Then at 10, we're supposed to meet Christopher's sister and her husband for a trip to St. Louis- Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Galleria, Anheiser-Busch tour, and dinner reservations at Bristol's. Plus whatever else we figure out to do. An early morning and late night. But seriously, I NEED a full day of no kids to do whatever I want! Especially being sick! I did get a full kid-free day last Sunday, but I spent it painting the fence while the guys roofed, so that didn't really count. Painting that **^(*^(# fence is NO fun! And yes, I am STILL working on it. The inside is finished, so we can get rock now, but the outside... that's another story.
Speaking of other stories, after watching the Republican National Convention this week, I'm all fired up! I was going to come here with some huge political schpiel, persuading you all to lean to the right, but that will have to wait until the next day- I feel to bad. But don't worry! I never pass up a chance to launch a huge conservative conversation that will make you all run to the polls chanting, "GOP!" Shall be fun!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Someone turned 30 today!
Christopher turned 30 today! We didn't do anything special, unless you count him taking the rest of the week off of work. That alone has thrown me for a loop! Having him home really throws off my schedule! The kids got him a musical palm tree, that has been the hit of the house all afternoon! Pres just keeps playing it over and over, and even had to take a bath in the dark so that he could see the tree light up. What a hoot! This Saturday we're going with his sister and her husband to St. Louis for the day, so that should be fun! She has had this all planned out for weeks, and was going to have a balloon boquet delivered to his office today, so when Christopher called on him way home last night and said he'd taken the rest of the week off, I had to call her to make sure she didn't have it delivered to Mo Bap! So it was delivered here!
And the hunt is on for Halloween costumes! It was so much easier when Pres was too little to care/choose, and I could pick for him. I think they would be so cute as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, but Mr. P won't be a wolf. He wants to be a cowboy again this year, but again, doesn't want to wear a costume. UGH! He did that last year, and at the preschool program, he wouldn't wear his hat or his lasso, so he just wore his shirt, jeans, and boots (and he wore the boots everyday), so he didn't look any different. A little boy came up to him and said, "Preston, you're supposed to be dressed up!" I'll get him in a costume, yet!
And the hunt is on for Halloween costumes! It was so much easier when Pres was too little to care/choose, and I could pick for him. I think they would be so cute as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, but Mr. P won't be a wolf. He wants to be a cowboy again this year, but again, doesn't want to wear a costume. UGH! He did that last year, and at the preschool program, he wouldn't wear his hat or his lasso, so he just wore his shirt, jeans, and boots (and he wore the boots everyday), so he didn't look any different. A little boy came up to him and said, "Preston, you're supposed to be dressed up!" I'll get him in a costume, yet!
Monday, September 1, 2008
It's that time again
I'm getting nostalgic, thinking back to where I was 5 years ago at this time. I was 34 weeks pregnant, feeling huge, dealing with painful, regular contrations on a daily basis, and near hospital trips twice a week thinking that Mr. P was coming early. That little booger just couldn't wait to get out- he'd been trying since 16 weeks along!
I get this way every year about this time. I reflect everyday, exactly how I was feeling, and what was going on. And of course, I have to watch his birth video the day of his birthday, at 4:15 p.m. Sometimes he will watch with me, sometimes he could care less. Thinking now, I need to get my pregnancy journal out. That is, if I can find it since we moved..... I guess I just really hate seeing my "baby" growing up. The newborn, tiny baby stage is by far my favorite, when they just cuddle, all snuggly and warm. I miss it terribly.... too terribly much. Why do they have to go and grow up on us?
I get this way every year about this time. I reflect everyday, exactly how I was feeling, and what was going on. And of course, I have to watch his birth video the day of his birthday, at 4:15 p.m. Sometimes he will watch with me, sometimes he could care less. Thinking now, I need to get my pregnancy journal out. That is, if I can find it since we moved..... I guess I just really hate seeing my "baby" growing up. The newborn, tiny baby stage is by far my favorite, when they just cuddle, all snuggly and warm. I miss it terribly.... too terribly much. Why do they have to go and grow up on us?
What's that eerie silence?
That would signal that our roofing project is finished! After 3 days of people in and out, and banging around, it is finally quiet around our house! It's a little strange, and will take me a bit to get back into the groove. I'm so glad to have it finished, but still, I kind of liked the commotion. There was always something going on! The roof looks fabulous, so much better than our old one. Now we just need to get the rest of the house up to par, but that will wait until spring.
We have our solar tube in, now, as well. I was going to title this, "Warning, do not look directly at the solar tube," but really, the newfound silence sums things up better. But seriously, you don't want to look directly at the solar tube in the middle of the day! It is BRIGHT! It lights up that bathroom really well, and I'm so glad to have it in. I'd really love the have one above my stove so that I don't have to use those halogen lights, but since it has to go under the shingles, I doubt we get another one, soon.
Oh, and why is it also so quiet in our house? Miss Kate has lost her voice! Her throat has been hurting all day, and despite Motrin, she claims that it hurts too bad to speak. I'm not sure if she really lost her voice, or has just voluntarily decided not to talk- either one is a big thing for her. She never stops talking! Hopefully tomorrow she's better, or it looks like we might be in for a strep test. And Mr. P is still snotting around, but luckily, is not feeling worse today, so that's good. And this is his first head cold since his tubes were put in in March, so hopefully those tubes do their job! Before them, he would've had a full-on infection by now. Ah, can't you tell I just love it when my kids are sick.......................................................
We have our solar tube in, now, as well. I was going to title this, "Warning, do not look directly at the solar tube," but really, the newfound silence sums things up better. But seriously, you don't want to look directly at the solar tube in the middle of the day! It is BRIGHT! It lights up that bathroom really well, and I'm so glad to have it in. I'd really love the have one above my stove so that I don't have to use those halogen lights, but since it has to go under the shingles, I doubt we get another one, soon.
Oh, and why is it also so quiet in our house? Miss Kate has lost her voice! Her throat has been hurting all day, and despite Motrin, she claims that it hurts too bad to speak. I'm not sure if she really lost her voice, or has just voluntarily decided not to talk- either one is a big thing for her. She never stops talking! Hopefully tomorrow she's better, or it looks like we might be in for a strep test. And Mr. P is still snotting around, but luckily, is not feeling worse today, so that's good. And this is his first head cold since his tubes were put in in March, so hopefully those tubes do their job! Before them, he would've had a full-on infection by now. Ah, can't you tell I just love it when my kids are sick.......................................................
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