Peanuts and Pumpkins

Seven on Seven

2010-04-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Seven years ago
A cold, snowy April day
You completely changed me
And I became "Mommy"

Now, you have completely changed, too
A bright-eyed, smiley boy
With a gummy grin
Baby teeth have given in
To the inevitable future

The loves of your younger years
Seem seconds away to me
But are half a lifetime away
For you

Reading chapter books
And writing your own
Developing characters
And discussing marketing techniques
To continue your franchise

You love R2-D2
Though you have not yet seen Star Wars
We try our best to keep
That innocence we love around
But it won't be long

You called me "Mom"
For the first time
And I wished I could give
A time-out
For growing up

My first grader
Whose world was once completely reliant
Upon Mommy and Daddy
Now has other influences
Teachers, friends, mean kids
And girls who chase boys on recess

Seven years have passed
A warm, summer-like day
I share my birthday with you again
But now I know so well the many emotions
That come with being who you made me:
Your mommy

And I know that --
Without a doubt --
My best birthday gift
Will always be
You.

Make a Wish, Pumpkin!

2010-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that every mommy asks,
"How is my little baby so grown up?"
And I am no different.

I can't believe
What a little man you've become
A preschooler
Bringing home oodles of artwork
(Most of it in your favorite green)
Writing your own name for months now
Even with smiley faces in the letters.

You amaze me
With your story-memorizing brain
And dramatic monologues
About the differences between two games
Yet you still ask,
"Is this lunch or dinner?"

You are so affectionate
My "Huggy Buggy,
Huggy Shmuggy,
Lovey Dovey"
And you still love to play with my hair
Just like when you were a baby.

Your excitement
Cannot be contained
And you often wake up
Belting out "God Bless America"
Or making up your own intricate stories
While letting Mommy and Daddy sleep
Just a little longer.

I know these days of
Hugging with abandon,
Acting out your own plays,
Being the only one in the family
Who eats peas,
And choosing to sit on my lap
Will begin to fade

But as always
My love for you
Never ever will.
I will love you
Forever, my four-year-old!

Christmas New Year's Valentine's Day Winter Portraits

2010-03-04T21:37:00.004-05:00

Better late than never, right?!? By the way, that is real snow in the first two pics, but certainly nothing like what we have seen on the east coast this past month. We are finally able to see our lawn now amidst the huge puddles of several former feet of snowfall. Happy Winter! :)

Seriously...

2010-02-28T22:23:00.002-05:00

...who has a blog and then doesn't post anything on it for almost three (gulp!) months?!?

I couldn't...wouldn't let it become MARCH without letting you know I am still here.

We have had a few trials and triumphs these last few months, and I have lots to blog about, but alas, life sometimes gets in the way.

While I am contemplating my next post, if there is anyone still checking my blog, please leave me your best unanswered question about me/this blog/my hiatus. What would you like to know about most? I will try to include the answers to any question in my next post...coming soon.

Seriously!

Flashback Friday: What Nana Passed On

2009-12-04T00:01:00.003-05:00

For my Nana

12/28/17 - 11/22/09

Peanut, Pumpkin, and Nana in 2006

What Nana Passed On

Arriving at Nana and Pop Pop’s house
Their faces in the kitchen window
Making sure we arrived safely
No doubt their love was abundant

My nana passed on to me her love of sweets
In the smell of snickerdoodles
And homemade applesauce
That always greeted us
And the just-filled candy dishes
My brother and I liked to raid
When we were supposed to be sleeping

She passed on to me her love of music
As we performed impromptu recitals
With Nana at the piano,
Her passion for her chosen piece
Obvious with every keystroke

She passed on her love of cats
And I appreciated her inability
To throw away her beloved cat, Buffy’s, whiskers
And her choice to display them
In her miniature kitchen garden instead

Nana passed on her love of detail
Seen in every precious tatted card
She painstakingly handmade
After hours of designing a new one
Every Christmas season

She passed on her strong moral compass
When she chose to do what was right
And what was best for my Aunt Connie
Even when it was difficult for her
And others might not understand

She passed on her comforting hugs
In each afghan she crocheted
And gave as gifts to her family and friends
So that we would feel her warmth
Even when she was not there

She passed on her sense of humor
In each zinger and witty remark
She made to lighten the moment
And affectionately tease those she loved

And Nana passed on her most important gift to me
In the way she cared for my aunt, Connie
The way she mourned for my sweet Pop Pop
And in the way her eyes glimmered
Every single time she talked about my Dad
She taught me the importance of family
Especially during life’s trials

Nana will now see all that she passed on to me
And so many others
From a better view
And even though she has passed on
The loving gifts she gave us
Will be passed on to others as well

I imagine that when she reached eternity
My pop pop was waiting and watching for her
Through a window in heaven
And they will both be looking out for us
Making sure we are safe
Until we finally arrive to meet them
Once again.

Miss you already, Nana.

Trick or treatsgiving

2009-11-29T21:39:00.005-05:00

Okay, just call me "Slacky McSlacker." Or simply "Slacker" for short.

I truly had no intention of making everyone hold their breath until after Thanksgiving to see my little Pumpkin and Peanut's Halloween costumes. If there is a bad blogger award, I humbly accept.

I could give you a million and one excuses, but who wants to hear excuses when you could be seeing cute costumed boys instead? Right? I think you have waited long enough!

Pumpkin was just a wee bit excited to be Nemo

Pumpkin and Peanut (as VeggieTale's LarryBoy) make their grand entrance

I loved both of their side profiles

(and Pumpkin's tail swished as he walked!)

P & P's parents make an appearance

The boys had a great time, despite the fact that it was drizzling when we left the house and was in full downpour mode by the time we arrived safely back home. At one point, Pumpkin said to us in a desperate tone, "Oh no! Finding Nemo is getting all wet!" Eric and I said, "But Nemo is a fish. It's okay if he gets wet!" Pumpkin said, "Oh, yeah!" and all was right with the world again.

Single Sibling

2009-10-31T20:46:00.000-04:00

For my brother, Ken, 1/22/68-10/31/88

Two innocent children
Played together as siblings do
Fought one minute
Giggled the next
His feet were always so ticklish
But they were hard to get
When he was wrestling me
To the TV room carpet
We watched Fat Albert on Saturdays
Ate Dad's grilled cheese and tomato soup
While Mom gave piano lessons
We were each other's summer best friends
When we went on our annual camping trips
Hunting for weird bugs and baby toads
And singing Queen songs at the top of our lungs
In our one-of-a-kind TravelAll vehicle
We walked to school together in the morning
Almost always late
And played kick-the-can in the street at night
We blared the "Big Foot" record out of the window
And made up our own game to go with it
We took art lessons together
While listening to The Carpenters on WDOV
We convinced our babysitter
To fill up big cups with peanut butter for our snack
And we got caught by our parents
I went to his Little League games
He went to my concerts and recitals
He taught me Asteroids and Pitfall
But never once let me win
He attempted to drown out my Xanadu soundtrack
With his KISS albums
But he never expected that I'd like their songs, too
We created goofy lyrics to pop songs
And we called each other funny names
And he teased me endlessly
But defended me fiercely
And then somehow
We grew up
And in all that time
I would have never believed
That he wouldn't be here
To relive those memories
With me

Boo!

2009-10-30T23:12:00.002-04:00

That's a "boo" for this Halloween and a "boo" for not having a winning guess in my last post. Maybe I made you believe that the boys were going to wear the same costumes as a previous year by also posting links to their previous costumes. My intention was to give you the links so you knew what they weren't going to be this year and to see what types of costumes they have liked in the past. You know, like these:

See? They were plain and peanut m&ms last year. And they have both chosen new costumes this year. And no, unfortunately their costumes don't go together this time. But they are still adorable! And their outits really do look a lot like this:

Okay, fine. Here is some additional help!

Peanut will be...this...hero:

And Pumpkin will just keep swimming:

Now do you know?!? ;)

(Real-life little boy images to follow soon.)

Another Identity Crisis

2009-10-27T22:40:00.006-04:00

Okay, are you tired of guessing games yet? (Assuming you said, "Of course not, Kristin! We just love your silly guessing games!") Well, good.

Peanut came home with this gem of a drawing, and I just had to add it to my blog. After all, you are all probably dying to know what my little men have chosen to wear for their Halloween costumes.

So, here you go!

What...that's no help?!?

Well, let's see if anyone can venture a guess. What are Peanut (left) and Pumpkin (right) planning to be for Halloween based on this beautiful artwork by Peanut himself?

And, just in case you need a refresher, here are the costumes my boys donned last year and in past years.

On your mark...get set...guess! :)

My Tiger the Grrrrrrreeeaaat!

2009-10-15T20:35:00.005-04:00

Congrats to all of you who quickly and correctly guessed that Peanut has become a Tiger Cub. (Accepted answers also included "cub scout" -- the more general term -- and "boy scout.") And because I am feeling generous, I am going to give all of you shout outs! Thanks to Kristin, Kelly, Kristen, Heather, and Laura (who even specifically guessed "Tiger Cub"!) for participating.

Both my husband and my brother were cub scouts, so when Peanut heard that and some of daddy's stories of the pinewood derby, he was interested. Before that, he was really concerned that being a cub scout would entail us dropping him off in the far-off woods with only a tent to protect him from the bears. We assured him that we wouldn't do that until he was much older. ;)

Clearly a Hint!

2009-10-14T23:05:00.005-04:00

Okay, so apparently using the watercolor effect on the secret identity photo made all of your creative juices flow! I thought the pic would be way too easy without some sort of disguise. But I had no idea how much your responses would make me giggle.

So, let's try again. Now do you know what Peanut has become?!?

As much as I loved your pretzel superhero, fruit roll-up, Care Bear crusader, parachute, and insect-like guesses, alas, the answer is far less imaginative. But it is still exciting for Peanut! So guess again....on your mark, get set, GO!

Peanut's Secret Identity

2009-10-11T21:14:00.007-04:00

Let's have some blogging fun.
Can you guess by this picture
What Peanut has become?

As usual, the winner will receive lots of praise and a link to his or her blog. Oh, and you will also receive my utmost respect! Now that, ladies (and gentlemen?), is a prize worth fighting for!

Pumpkin Loves the Single Ladies...

2009-09-30T21:15:00.001-04:00

Note: Before viewing videos on my blog, you will want to pause the music. Scroll down to the Playlist on the left hand sidebar and click the pause button. :)

So, most people who listen to Top 40 radio know the ubiquitous Beyonce' song, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." The song's video was apparently so great that it even caused Kanye' West to become the most-hated musical artist of the year in a matter of seconds. But that's another story.

Many people also have seen this fun spoof of Beyonce's video with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live. And while I am on the topic, I wish every SNL episode would include JT. Just sayin'.

Now, this video of a talented little tyke named Ava is making the rounds. I have no idea how she dances like she does, but oh...my...word. It is so stinkin' cute, I became instantly addicted to it.

And the addiction to that video just might explain the video of Pumpkin below. Yes, he thought Ava was funny, too. And, yes, I admittedly ran around the house singing and humming the song over and over. But who knew he would be such a natural?!?

So now, I am addicted to watching Pumpkin's video. I hope when he sees this as a teenager, he knows this was an act of love and isn't mortified beyond belief. That could warrant all of us to chant: "Uh-uh-oh...oh-oh-oh..."

Things I should have been blogging when I wasn't blogging (Part I)

2009-09-27T22:53:00.007-04:00

So, during my blogging hiatus, lots of "blogworthy" events happened. Many of those things, I should have blogged about. But as you know, I didn't. So here are some of the highlights, and yes, some of them happened a good three months ago. So sue me.

Peanut attended and graduated from Safety Town

(and loved every minute of it!)

Pumpkin learned the great art of spraying others with a hose.

Peanut discovered -- gasp!-- vinyl records!

I definitely did not swipe a parked car. At church.

And Pumpkin definitely did not say the next time I parked without

hitting a car, "Great job, Mommy! You didn't hit anyfing!"

Peanut got a new bike and hasn't broken any bones yet!

Pumpkin responded so well to his potty chart...

...he jumped up and down when he completed it and decided

that he would be a proud wearer

of underwear from then on. Woo-hoo!

Eric and I managed to get a few days alone in the mountains to

celebrate our 12th anniversary. Don't we look relaxed?

Did I mention our resort had a spa? Ahhhhh....

So those are the highlights for now. And to those of you out there who are actually still reading my blog even though I have probably frustrated you with my lack of recent posts: I thank you. More posts to follow! (I promise!)

It's the most...difficult time...of the year....

2009-08-30T16:02:00.006-04:00

Remember this commercial from Staples?!? "They're going BACK!" Well, even before motherhood, I despised this commercial. Besides the fact that they began playing it in July (July!), it was a reminder for me that my summer off was coming to a close.

Thankfully, I haven't seen that commercial this back-to-school season. Yet I still have that darn song in my head, even though I replace the lyrics from "the most wonderful time of the year" to "the most difficult." I keep thinking that each year will get better. Because -- let's face it -- leaving a six-month-old for the first time and going back to work as I did with both boys is just plain heart-wrenching, no matter how much you enjoy your job.

So, why I am still so emotional?!?

I'll tell you why.

Because this little pumpkin is somehow, someway, starting preschool tomorrow.

And don't get me started about this little peanut, who now has an actual number as a grade, (even if it is only the number one).

Hold on. I have to go grab a tissue.

*Sigh.*

I remember thinking when Peanut had such horrible colic that those hard months would never end. Or when Pumpkin vomited after every nursing and had to have surgery at eight weeks that I may not live through the anxiety. I certainly won't forget the emotions those days created, but how can the days go by both so slowly yet so very quickly?!? I have a feeling that all you mommies out there know exactly what I mean.

In honor of the day that is tomorrow, I am copying this post from last summer. Because it really says all I am feeling (as long as you replace "kindergarten" with "first grade" and add in that Pumpkin is starting preschool). And if you say a little prayer for me that I won't bawl like the babies mine once were tomorrow, I promise to do the same for all of you.

***********************************************************************

Original Post:

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Singin' the Back-to-School Blues

Don't get me wrong; I love my job most days. I am aware that I am quite fortunate to be able to even have a job that offers two months off (no, we do not have three months off as urban legend would suggest!). But I miss those little boys. Desperately.

Somehow, the day before I return to work, all of the whines, temper tantrums, and messiness in the world mean nothing, and I only want to spend a few more precious days with my children...just us, playing together and relaxing on our lazy summer days, doing what we want, when we want. I realize I am not actually leaving my children; after all, I will pick them up every afternoon as per our usual school schedule. But it won't be the same. I will be preoccupied with all of the work I still have to do well beyond my "workday," Peanut will be starting kindergarten (!) and he will have his own brand new preoccupations, and Pumpkin will be read to and put down for naps by his babysitter and not his mommy.

Once I get back into the swing of things, I'll be okay. But I am never good at change, and these little boys of mine just change so darn fast. So excuse me while I relish the memories of these happy summer days that are gone way too soon with tissues in hand. I have to morph into Working Mommy tomorrow, and tissues will be a required part of the uniform for the first few days.

The Top 10 Reasons I Haven't Been Blogging

2009-08-24T21:18:00.005-04:00

10. I have been too worried about the drama that is Jon and Kate Plus Eight (or my renamed title, Jon Makes Me Vomit).

9. All my friends' blogs have been chock full of so much excitement that I have been enjoying reading blog posts more than writing them.

8. It's too hot. (What? Too lame an excuse?!?)

7. If I write that summer is almost over, it will be true.

6. We have been too busy celebrating that Pumpkin has finished potty training. (Woo-hoo!)

5. Full-time mommying is more tiring than full-time teaching.

4. I have been desperately searching for my favorite discontinued hair product.

3. Blogging doesn't burn enough calories.

2. I have been too busy rejecting Facebook requests from students.

And the REAL reason I haven't been blogging lately is...

1. I have too much competition to get on the computer from my three-year-old. (Seriously, Folks, who taught this child to scroll, left click, and use all the arrow buttons? Do babies these days just come with those genes?!?)

The Mexican Jumping Peanut Lives On

2009-07-26T21:39:00.005-04:00

I guess at least this time, he was supposed to jump. Although, you will notice halfway through the song, his Vacation Bible School teacher warns him not to jump all the way off the stage. But no doubt, he enjoyed himself just as much this year. Hope you enjoy, too!

Flashback Friday: Mexican Jumping Peanut

2009-07-17T20:39:00.000-04:00

In honor of the end of Vacation Bible School today, I am reposting this entry from last year. Tonight is the performance for families; I will let you know if the Mexican Jumping Peanut makes another appearance!

Original Post from July 26, 2008:

Our firstborn recently finished his first week at Vacation Bible School and loved every minute of it (and secondborn vocally wished -- every day in protest form as we left -- that he was old enough to attend as well). We were thoroughly impressed with the organization, lessons, music, and all the fun this summertime program had to offer. And the highlight was the final performance for all of the families at the end of the week filled with singing and dancing as evidenced in the video below. I would make a point to describe where Peanut is, but based on my post title, I think you will find him without any trouble. Suffice it to say that Peanut "likes God" ("oh, yes, it's true").

Oprah's Kristin's Book Club

2009-07-12T21:46:00.006-04:00

I attended a graduation party this summer for a student I absolutely adore; she is everything I hope my children will grow up to be: inquisitive and smart but equally as modest, talented in practically every aspect of her life but so giving to others, beautiful on the outside but even more so on the inside. I often tell her parents that I wish they would write a parenting manual; having also taught their older child, I can tell you that they obviously did so many things right. And while I was speaking to the aunt of these two incredible kids, she asked me what I typically read. And I answered honestly: I am addicted to parenting books.

I am one of those people who just wants all of the information -- about any topic -- before I make a decision. This is much harder to do as a parent; there is no real "deadline" for learning new strategies, and the information available is endless, so I just keep on reading. I want so badly to be a great mom to my boys. I know I provide for them and give them all the essentials, but I want them to look back and think, "Wow, we had a great mom who understood us and loved us so much." The aunt at the party asked if I had read her favorite parenting book. Not yet, but as coincidence would have it, I had recently placed that book on my online library reading list. She said it helped her more than any other parenting book out there. So I was excited, and I checked it out from the library a few days later.

I even love the title. I really want my kids to listen to what my husband and I say, but I also want them to talk to us about whatever is on their minds. And I am here to tell you, thirtyish pages later, that I am already excited about the methods in this book. I haven't even finished chapter one, but I wanted to invite any other moms or dads out there to read it, too. Grab it from your local library like I did and read along with me! Or, if you are a parent who has already read it, let us know: Did it help you communicate better with your children? I'd love for you to share your thoughts.

I admit that I am a total nerd when it comes to finding a good book, but usually I don't get this excited about a parenting book. So, please consider joining me! (Just don't pretend to read it and then try to have an informed conversation about it; I get enough of that at school. And yes, we do always know who you are.) Happy reading!

Four Stars for the Fourth

2009-07-05T21:35:00.007-04:00

Before my husband I had the boys, we used to go to the same festival each year and discuss our wishes and dreams on a blanket under the stars and fireworks. Inevitably, our conversations eventually led to having children. We usually ended up giggling and hugging when we thought of starting a family. But I remember both of us saying that it would probably be a long time 'til we were able to experience fireworks with little children. We had a feeling our kids might be the type who detest loud booms. And we were right. For the most part.

But we know now that our kids do love....

...dancing to their Pop Pop's band...

...playing fun games with fun prizes...

...making themselves comfortable when the mood hits...

...eating yummy treats at dusk (even if some is left on their faces)...

...celebrating our great country...

...and snuggling with their parents while anticipating their first real fireworks!

Besides the insane traffic leaving the event, we had an unbelievably successful day. In fact, Eric and I marveled at how well it went. When we were leaving, Peanut even said, "Mommy and Daddy, thank you for taking us here." Surprisingly, Pumpkin only shuddered a bit at the first few loud booms, but he was so impressed with the sight of the fireworks that he "ooohed and aahed" with the best of them. And -- unlike many days of late -- no one shed a tear. Unless, of course, you count the happy ones from me.

Thanks, but no thanks

2009-06-29T15:23:00.013-04:00

I remember sitting at the kitchen table as a girl in elementary school, grudgingly writing out thank you note after thank you note for birthdays and Christmases. My parents instilled the importance of a thank you note pretty early. I admit; I have never enjoyed writing them. Not because I don't want to say thank you; quite the opposite, actually. I always worry I will forget some detail that was important to me or that I won't express my gratitude as sincerely as I hope. Let's face it; a thank you note can easily sound cliche' and boring. Think back to your wedding thank you notes. I know that mine certainly weren't sent as punctually as I had wished; I needed some time off or else I worried they would all sound exactly the same. I figured out later that it really matters more that the gift was acknowledged than that the thank you note was terribly original or special. But I still try to achieve that in the notes I write, regardless of how punctual (or not) I am in sending them.

I was recently reading an article in one of my parenting magazines in which a mom was stressing to her teenage daughter that she should write a thank you note for a recent interview she had for a summer job. The teenager said, "But Mom, no one does that anymore." And the mom countered, "That's precisely why you should."

But the teenager is right. No one does that anymore. At a graduation party I attended this year, one of the parents so profusely thanked me for writing his son's college recommendation letter every time he saw me that he left me at a literal loss for words. But it was certainly nice to hear. And I started to think: I write dozens of recommendation letters every single year. How often had I received a thank you note?!? I can tell you this: In over a decade of teaching at my current high school, I can count on one hand. I'm not saying that for a sympathetic response; I just find it sort of a sad truth of my chosen profession. But honestly, I doubt it is much different in other work environments.

Peanut had a wonderful experience in kindergarten this year. He was assigned a teacher who quickly understood how his mind and heart work and the best ways to help him to excel. We were so impressed with her! I wanted to thank her in a meaningful way, but how do you express that in one end-of-the-year gift from a six-year-old?!? I thought about what I would find touching as a teacher. And I thought about what Peanut likes to do.

And here is what we did: We bought a photo album with pretty pressed flowers on the cover.

Inside, I wrote:

Dear Mrs. S, We are so grateful for all you did to make Peanut's kindergarten experience so special. Thank you for everything! Love, Peanut's Family

Then, we used a stack of plain index cards and inserted them into the photo slots. On the first one, I wrote:

Peanut wants to thank you in his own words. Thank you for...

Here are some of the pages that followed (in Peanut's own words!):

The last page is a picture of Peanut's teacher with him at their end-of-the-year ice cream social. On the next page, I inserted a gift card to Borders. Because, well...teachers love meaningful mushy stuff. But we also like gift cards. :)

I hoped that this gift would not only express our gratitude to an exceptional teacher but that it would teach Peanut a valuable lesson in saying "thank you." He worked very hard on this project for two nights before dinner, and I think he was surprised when Mrs. S was unable to look at the whole book because she "didn't want to cry so early in the morning" on their last day.

And guess what? Mrs. S sent Peanut a thank you note for his thank you gift. See? Told you she was a keeper.

And now I thank you for indulging me, my kind readers. Every time any of you leaves a comment or chooses to follow my blog and lets me know I am not writing just for myself, I thank you in my head. And now I thank you out loud. Well, in writing at least. Thank you, readers!

Birthday Portraits

2009-06-24T15:13:00.006-04:00

I promise that my blogging will not always be this boring, but for now, here are the boys' newest portraits taken in April after their respective birthdays. Let me know your favorites!

Flashback Friday: Daddy's Little Girl

2009-06-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

Dad and me at three weeks old

Since Father's Day is right around the corner, I thought this would be an appropriate Flashback Friday. I have and always will be a daddy's girl. I think most girls are -- I know that even my mom, my stepmom, and my mother-in-law were all daddy's girls, too. There's just some kind of unspoken code between a daddy and his daughter. My dad chose his words carefully and could scare the dickens out of me with just a stern look. He could also alert the entire neighborhood with his powerful whistle that we could all hear blocks away to indicate that it was dinnertime. We had a ritual when I was little of watching Fat Albert together on Saturday while eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup that he made. And he always gave me the sandwich with the most cheese drizzle, even though I know he liked them that way just as much as I did. But the most powerful of all things he has given me through the years is his unconditional love that has never wavered, regardless of some of my idiotic decisions or my immature perspective. While my dad's glares and whistles were strong, his hugs were even stronger. And he still is the best hugger ever.

At my Senior Voice Recital, December 1991

One of the funniest stories my dad tells is how I would not talk to him after he grew a moustache when I was three. I was scared of men with facial hair. If you think back to the seventies, you can see why; all men with facial hair were "bad guys" with the exception of Santa Claus (although I was not a fan of his facial hair, either). So, imagine my surprise when recently my dad arrived at my house, and I saw his upper lip for the first time in 36 years!

May 2009 -- My Now-Moustacheless Dad!

I know I am blessed to have such a wonderful bond with my dad and to have also had such other amazing fathers in my life: my Pop Pop who was my heart, my grandpa, my father-in-law, and now my own husband. (It is no wonder with such strong father figures in my life that I chose someone to love whose second job is being SuperDad.)

So, Happy Early Father's Day to my dad and all of the other dads who have influenced my life. And Dad, thanks for always letting me be Daddy's little girl, even though I'm not so little anymore.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2009 Edition)

2009-06-16T14:45:00.008-04:00

Hello? Hello? Do I hear an echo? Is anyone out there?!?

Well, I can't say I would blame you if you have cited me for reckless blog neglect and thrown me and my blog address to the wayside. But I have a reason (read: not an excuse!); I promise.

"How I Spent My Summer Vacation" by

special arrangement with the State Police.

Okay, so at least I didn't get arrested.

Anyone remember this beauty of a post? You know, it's the one where I got into a fight with the corner of a wall in my house on the very first day of summer vacation. If you've been reading my blog that long, I have a feeling that you'll remember. Does a purplish-black pinky toe ring any bells?!?

So, I am an overachiever for those of you who don't know. I have calmed down in my old age, but I used to be pretty bad. Evidently, I needed to surpass my own record from last June.

Last Friday was my first official day off from work for the summer. Woo-Hoo, right?!? Not so fast.

I woke up in the middle of the night with 87 little knives in my throat. Okay, maybe they weren't actual knives. But if you would have told me that then, I may have gotten a knife out to show you how it felt. Anyway, I couldn't swallow, and unless you really think about it, most of us probably don't realize how often we must swallow to do anything -- including sleeping. It hurt to drink water if that helps you understand. The only thing I could do without making it worse was cry.

So, after a trip to see a doctor first thing in the morning, it turned out that I had strep. Now, I have had strep before, but it never felt like this. In fact, the doctor I saw said he would have bet me a case of beer that it was not strep because of all of the blistering (Kristin speak = little knives) all over my throat (don't worry; no visual aides for this one). No problem...a quick visit to the pharmacy to get my medication, and I figured I'd be good as new in no time.

Or not.

Two days later, the little knives had set up camp and were toasting marshmallows in my throat with no intent to leave. Eric called the doctor since I had no voice nor senses left, and the doc wanted me to go back to the ER and get an IV of stronger (!!!) pain medication (I dare not tell you what he had already prescribed!) and perhaps get what he thought was a throat abscess drained (no visual for that, either; you're welcome). Upon hearing that, my blankets all of the sudden felt way better and I didn't want to trade them for any hospital bed. He did say that the abscess could drain on its own with continued use of antibiotics, so I hoped for option number two. And I am happy to say that the little knives have finally left and traveled...to my gallbladder.

Well, not exactly. I was actually dealing with the gallbladder pain before the throat pain, but I just found out yesterday from my surgeon that he definitely advises in my case that I have the gallbladder removed. I have gallstones (no visuals here, either), and the pain has been constant for over ten days (minus the days I was on the pain meds for my throat -- at least it helped something!). I was worried after reading so much about it that the weight loss could be the culprit, but I have done it sensibly, not rapidly at all. And I have never been a fried/fatty/spicy food fan. I am a carb girl. But actually, the doctor said that -- in his experience -- gallstones are very typical a few years after pregnancy if the patient is close to...well...that number looming ahead at my next birthday.

So, now I have to add a surgery to my summer plans. Think strep, a throat abscess, and gallbladder surgery trump a broken toe?!? Please say yes. I told you I'm an overachiever! I guess I'd better work on changing that for next summer.

The Please [Don't] Touch [My Kid] Museum

2009-05-28T20:27:00.024-04:00

I admit it. I have had very few incidences so far in my little boys' lives where I had to go into Mama Bear Mode. You mommies all know what I'm talking about -- you see your child in a threatening situation, and you do whatever it takes to protect him or her. I had been pretty lucky, and Mama Bear had been hibernating.

Until recently.

We received a wonderful gift of four tickets to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia from one of Eric's lovely aunts, and we were all very excited to go. The museum is designed specifically for little kids and is an amazing combination of play, experimentation, and education. The boys loved each exhibit better than the last, and they were truly in kid heaven.

Statue of Liberty Torch made out of toys
(above)

Drs. Peanut and Pumpkin, at your service

Playing, exploring, learning...

Peanut using a pulley to raise his plane creation

to the ceiling in order to watch it fly

Pumpkin's favorite part hands down: the pretend grocery store. Watching my little man with such determination in his eyes as soon as we got him his own cart was both unbelievably sweet and hilarious at the same time. He was in the zone!

Both boys really enjoyed the water area. We saved this part for last. The kids could experiment with the water toys, and they had all types of contraptions the kids could maneuver to experiment with water energy. Peanut was a pro in no time!

I had to pull out all of the mommy tricks I know to get Pumpkin to leave the special three and under play area. He loved this tree slide and the lilypads that made frog noises when he jumped on them to hop across the pretend pond.

Looks like the best day ever, right? I mean, nothing could put a damper on this day!

Oh. Except maybe this:

So, both boys were completely excited to play in the McDonald's area. Most of the kids were lined up along the back wall, busy using various assortments of play food to make all types of hamburgers and Happy Meals. Then, this sweet little girl walked up to the counter and just stood there, looking around. So, compassionate mommy that I am, I asked Peanut to be the cashier and ring up her order. Why can't I learn to just leave well enough alone?!?

Peanut happily obliged, and he skipped over to take the little girl's order. He was announcing each item into the microphone as he pressed the buttons on the register to announce her total. It was so cute that I had to take a picture. The above shot is now known as Exhibit A.

See the bigger brunette boy to the left of Peanut who was easily at least a year older? Yeah, the one in the green jacket. Well, he may or may not be the kid I am referring to in this story. If that was the same kid, I would know his name since I did hear it; however, since I am certainly not saying that was the kid, we will just call him "B.B." (for "Bully Boy").

B.B. was playing nicely beside Peanut for a few minutes until he decided that he had to have the microphone. Unfortunately, Peanut was still wrapping up the little girl's order, and he told B.B., "Hey! It's still my turn." But B.B. wasn't really interested in the whole taking turns concept. No, instead, he put all of his weight into pulling that microphone away from my son while -- compassionate mommy that I am -- I tried to intervene from my booth a few feet away and tell Peanut to allow Bully Boy to have a turn for a minute.

Too late.

Bully Boy -- and I am not using that name lightly -- decided he had a better solution.

After he pulled the microphone completely away from Peanut, he then focused all of his force on my son (who, by the way, morphed into my firstborn helpless infant in my brain), and Bully Boy pushed Peanut to the floor. Please congratulate me right now for resisting my motherly urge to demonstrate what happens to bullies who dare to touch my children. It was not easy to suppress the Mama Bear in me who wanted so desperately to give him my own Quarter Pounder. Anyway, Peanut was wailing at this point, and when I flew over to him, he said, "Mommy, he's so mean!" to which B.B. responded, "And you're so dumb!"

No, I am actually not writing this post from a prison cell, so please offer me congratulations yet again. First you dare to harm my child, and now you insult his intelligence?!? This kid had a guardian angel looking over him, for sure. I quickly swept up Peanut in my arms and consoled him in the booth. I felt guilty doing it, but I told Peanut that unfortunately there are a few mean people in the world, and that I was sorry that he had to meet one.

What? You are wondering where B.B.'s parent was in this equation? Yeah, me, too. A few minutes after "the incident," a mousy man brought B.B. over "to apologize."

Yeah, I put that in quotes. Because this is the masterpiece of an apology he offered my son:
"Sorry, piggy eye."

Yes, I did have to remind myself to breathe in and out repeatedly.

But B.B. had some audacity calling Peanut "dumb," because when he went back over to his dad, his father obviously sensed my disapproval and asked what he said in his apology. And then B.B. told his dad exactly what he said. Good job, Genius.

So, Mousy Dad begrudgingly brought B.B. back over to us. Again. At this point, I had seen enough of this kid's face to last a lifetime, and his presence was making Peanut's state of mind worse with every encounter. He finally mumbled something that sounded like "sar-RAY" with an attitude that somehow pleased his father enough. Thank goodness; they were finally gone.

It really took a while, but Peanut eventually got over it.

Mama Bear, on the other hand? She had nightmares for weeks about people hurting her children. Retelling the experience still brings tears to my eyes. And I cannot with any sincerity guarantee that any future children with a penchant for bullying will get off so easily.

But for now, Mama Bear is going back into hibernation. And I hope she doesn't have to awaken that growl again for many, many winters to come.

Grrrr....

Flashback Friday: Left Foot, Right Foot...

2009-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

...Feet, Feet, Feet!

Oh, how many

Feet you meet!

These are Pumpkin's piggies when he was about four months old. I had recently purchased a new digital camera and wanted to try out the zoom. I haven't used the zoom very much since!

One of Pumpkin's current favorite books is Dr. Seuss's The Foot Book, so I thought this was appropriate (in case you were wondering, he always laughs at "sick feet" and "fuzzy fur feet"). Now I am gonna go put my tired, achy, seriously-needin'-a-pedicure feet up on the couch and grade some more papers.

I heart kitties

2009-05-20T21:44:00.002-04:00

Since I have been so neglectful of my blog lately, I thought I would entertain you with a delightful video my husband found. Maybe this will get your minds off the fact that I haven't added anything new or exciting here lately. Enjoy! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T11:45:00.003-04:00

My own mom sent me this poem, and I thought it was worth sharing with all of you moms who can so readily relate. Thanks, Mom! And may you all feel especially appreciated on this day set aside to honor the hardest yet most wonderful job known to [wo]mankind.

Before I Was a Mom

Before I was a Mom
I made and ate hot meals,
I had unstained clothing,
I brushed my hair every day,
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
I slept as late as I wanted and I slept all night long.

Before I was a Mom
I cleaned my house each day,
I never tripped over toys or forgot lullabies,
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous,
I had never been puked on,
pooped on,
spit on,
chewed on,
peed on,
or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom
I never thought about immunizations,
I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,
I never looked into teary eyes and cried,
I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt,
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down,
I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,
I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

Before I was a Mom
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts,
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,
I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so important,
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment,
or the satisfaction of being a mom.

Before I was a Mom
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much,
I never knew that I could love someone so much,
I never knew I would love being a Mom,
I didn't know the bond between a Mother and her child,
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much.

~ Author Unknown

Flashback Friday: Pumpkin and Great Nana

2009-05-08T11:43:00.001-04:00

This was Pumpkin and my maternal grandmother, Nana, at her 93rd birthday party when Pumpkin was only four months old. Sadly, she passed away the following year, right before Mother's Day. She will always be the quintessential grandmother to me; the smell of her home always made me smile, and I have sweet memories of playing restaurant in her basement, spending nights at Nana's by myself, and eating Pepperidge Farm Ginger Man cookies with her at the kitchen table that overlooked her bird bath and the beautiful garden on her hill. She was the most gentle and most God-loving woman I have ever had the honor to know. I hope some day that I will have the privilege of being the kind of grandmother she was to me. I still miss you, Nana.

Birthday Party Highlights

2009-05-06T19:31:00.007-04:00

Please sing this in your head as you read: It's the most...hor-ri-ble time...of the year....

I have two words for you: research papers. Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!! Run away while you can before I try to accost you with my red pen!

I really do enjoy my job, but I wish my job did not include grading over one hundred eleventh grade research papers. It takes forever. I have often thought of the old teacher joke of throwing them down the stairs; the ones that fall to the bottom get Fs and the ones that land on the highest steps are awarded As. Unfortunately, I have a conscience. Drat!

Anyway, here are some pictures from the boys' birthday party last month. They had a wonderful day with very generous friends and family.

Mommy and Peanut on our actual birthday

At the party play place:

Even Eric and I had a great time because we didn't have to clean anything up afterwards. (And I even ignored the pizza and cake who were trying to call my name as well. Yay, me!)

The heat will get you, my pretty...and your little dog, too

2009-04-28T20:14:00.007-04:00

Wonder why I haven't been adding a new post lately?!? Oh, don't worry, I still have plenty to say. It's just that I am so darn tired from making like the Wicked Witch of the West.

I'm melting...I'm melting!

It has been in the mid-90s the past four days, and guess whose school doesn't have the "air conditioning" ready to go yet? (Sidenote: "air conditioning" is in quotes because even when it is working, it is a bit of a leap to call it by that name.) Oh, and while you're at it, guess whose school closes all of the windows over the weekends so that the classrooms are people ovens on Monday? I had a plastic pencil cup on my windowsill, and it is a mutant now. None of the pencils will even look its way. It's embarrassing, really.

Anyway, I'm a miserable person in the heat. I am usually cold when it's 70 degrees, so when I am really hot, you know it's bad. My dad tells me I used to always complain when I was little in the summer that I was "BOY-ya-ling!" I am also exhausted from being so yucky and unable to accomplish much in all that thick air. I actually wore my hair up today because I go into survival mode when it is this hot. That's another way you know it's bad: I never wear my hair up. Oh, and my students all just love stepping in my room and feel the need to tell me so each period. Not. And as you can imagine, they are really motivated to get their work done in such a pleasant environment when they are all sweatballs and half of them didn't put on deodorant in the morning.

And after all this...tomorrow, they're predicting rain and a high of 59. True story.

P & P is Rated G

2009-04-21T21:28:00.002-04:00

I'm glad to learn through this easy little link that my blog is suitable for all ages. The only word it found that was questionable was "steal." I wrote about the tooth fairy not stealing Peanut's tooth, getting a children's book for a steal, and someone stealing the summer days away from me. I don't think any of that is too objectionable, unlike my husband's film blog, which is apparently way more risque' than my innocent mommy blog, because this was his rating:

I purposely tried this now, because after the next post I have planned, I may no longer qualify for a "G" rating. You'll just have to stay tuned!

If you have a blog, comment on this post and let me know what yours is rated (and you don't have to join anything; just click the "no thanks" link at the bottom right to see the rating). And if you have some favorite blogs, try their web addresses in the "rate it!" window as well. (By the way, MckMama readers...are you surprised that her adorable blog is also rated R?!?) You can try any blog your heart desires. The best part is seeing the objectionable words revealed. I will refrain from listing all of my husband's objectionable words here, even though some are laughable. I would guess if I listed them here, I would receive a much stronger rating. And I like bein' a "G"!

Hmmm... ;)

Flashback Friday: Uncle Bruce

2009-04-17T00:00:00.002-04:00

This is one of my very favorite snapshots of Peanut as a baby. He was eight months old, and his Great Uncle Bruce is holding him. Uncle Bruce is my father-in-law's brother, and the two of them are a lot alike in that both men are terribly generous, caring, and family-centered. My husband has vivid and wonderful memories of his uncle from his childhood. My favorite memories of him center around the day Eric and I announced our engagement to his parents and immediate relatives at a large family reunion. Uncle Bruce enthusiastically welcomed me into the family with a huge bear hug and an excited announcement over the loud speaker that made me humbled to be included in such a loving group of future relatives. Sadly, Uncle Bruce lost his long battle with cancer late Wednesday evening. We will miss him dearly, though we know he is again embracing his parents and other loved ones in his eternal family reunion in heaven.

Flashback Friday: Applesauce

2009-04-10T16:38:00.007-04:00

Kristin at age one

It's hard to believe that this little girl eventually had weight issues, huh?!?

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and support regarding my weight loss post. As I said, I had talked myself out of writing it numerous times, but I had a feeling that my readers were just that awesome and everyone would be positive. And I was right! So, thank you again. I will keep you posted on my progress (although I must admit that it is getting harder the more I lose!). I do have a long way to go, but at least I can say with all sincerity that I have never eaten straight out of an applesauce jar. Well, at least not recently, anyway! :)

My best birthday present ever...

2009-04-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Peanut,

Our first glimpse of you

Was so tiny and small

You were our baby Peanut

After Daddy and I saw

Your hand and your foot

And your sweet round head
And my heart skipped a beat

When it felt yours instead

You did not arrive quietly

Quite dramatic at birth

But the moment we heard you

You multiplied our worth

Your crying continued
And then so did ours

As we looked to the sky

And wished on the stars

And as fast as they came

Those hard days passed

We marveled at your giggles

Hoped this babyhood would last

But you took your first step

And you said your first word

And we sang "Happy Birthday"

As my teary eyes blurred

I am still that same Mommy

When your big day is here

Even though you keep changing
I just can't change my tears

So many milestones

As I add up the sum

Of the joys you have brought me

And the obstacles overcome

Almost done kindergarten

You've learned many new things

Like how to make friends

And how to spread your wings

But don't fly too fast

From your mommy's embrace

You get smarter every day

And I can't halt the pace

So on your sixth birthday

If you see Mommy cry

You don't need to be worried

You don't need to ask why

I'm holding on to my memories

And trusting all that's in store

Because with each day that passes

I can only love you more.

Meet me halfway

2009-03-31T23:00:00.000-04:00

I talked myself out of writing this post a million times. Okay, maybe not a million. A zillion is probably more accurate.

You see, as much fun as it is to be self-deprecating on my blog and tell you about all of those crazy mama moments in my house, it is still just that -- my blog. And who wants to show everything -- their warts and all -- on her own blog?!?

So, there is something many of you may not know about me. Everyone who knows me in real life knows. But many of my readers don't, because either we have never actually met or you haven't seen me in a while. Sure, you have seen pictures of me, but I have complete control over what I show you and how you see me. And quite frankly, I like it that way. That is part of the fun of having a blog and sharing everything you want to share and nothing you don't.

But I don't want to keep this a secret anymore.

To many, I have committed a mortal sin. Some would view it as a societal crime. And if you met me, I wouldn't be able to hide it. Unlike alcoholism, drug addiction, or a rap sheet from here to Timbuktu, I can't hide my horrible deed from others. And that is what made me write this post.

I had to have my very own eyes opened for me at least three times before I really, truly saw it myself.

The first time...I was in my classroom teaching with my door shut. In my peripheral vision, I saw someone in the glass door whom I didn't recognize. That person did not go away, despite my glares. After several double-takes, I realized that the "person" I saw was my own reflection.

The second time...I was asked to sing on stage in our auditorium at a concert as a surprise to my students. One of my friends videotaped my performance and was nice enough to give me a copy afterwards. The piece had gone surprisingly well, and I was eager to see and hear it to see if it matched the wonderful memory in my mind. Instead, I had to turn off the television before I sang a note because I wasn't able to watch through my tears of disgust.

The third time...I was at our high school's graduation. I was one of the teachers who would walk in with the seniors to "Pomp and Circumstance" and sit at the end of one of the aisles along with some other colleagues to represent the faculty. All of us wore graduation gowns (you know, the tent-like black robes) with our respective college hoods in back. I had dutifully worn mine every year, so before I left for the ceremony, I made sure it was pressed and hung it in my car. A few moments before the ceremony, I was helping others with their corsages and decided I should pin my own on as well. Soon after, I desperately fought the urge to run back to my car and drive the forty minutes home and instead find out if they -- possibly??? -- had another gown I could wear.

The moral to all three of these stories? I finally admitted to myself that I had a major problem. One that I couldn't control anymore. And believe me, it's not easy to convince a control freak that she is out of control. But I had to face facts.

I was extremely fat.

Now, you precious blog readers, do not misinterpret. I don't mean I was darn-it-I-still-have-to-lose-that-baby-weight fat. I also don't mean I was wow-I-must-have-gone-up-a-jeans-size fat. I mean I was capital F-A-T fat.

It's not that I didn't know what was happening. I have mirrors. I wear clothes. I knew the size I had to buy and the three stores in the mall that carried them. But what I felt like on the inside was never ever what I looked like on the outside. I really tried to avoid having my picture taken and I refused to see what the unforgiving lens showed me so blatantly when the occasional photo opportunity came along. I posed behind people and things and even cut myself out of other pictures.

All the while, I thought this was the ultimate, absolute worst monstrosity I could possibly have allowed myself to become. After all, when you want to really insult a woman, you only have to use one word: the "f-word." (No, not that f-word! The three-letter-one that's even worse than that.) In fact, in my opinion, one of the only acts of hatred that you can still admit in our society without being politically incorrect is a prejudice towards overweight people. Want a good laugh? Type "fat kid" into YouTube's search engine and see all of the "must see" videos. "Fat kid nearly dies on a rollercoaster! Hilarious!" Or think about conservative pundit Laura Ingraham's recently publicized insults towards Meghan McCain for asserting her opinion; Ingraham chose not to (as McCain says best) "intellectually debate our ideological differences" but instead use "heartless, substance-less attacks about weight" as a retort. In other words, she responded by calling McCain "fat." And how many people can't wait to call all of their friends and report that a fellow classmate has put on a bunch of pounds? I am sure that the classmate-who-put-on-a-bunch-of-pounds phone calls centered around yours truly after I had the courage to show my larger-than-life self at my twentieth high school reunion last year. I really forced myself to go to see so many people I cared deeply about, but I was relieved that there wasn't a prized doughnut for the Girl Who Gained the Most Weight Since 1988.

So why am I sharing this with you now?!? Why pour out my chubby heart to people who don't even have to know? Because I like being honest. And in all honesty, I am not a good liar. And because...well, I am now halfway.

Those last three eye-opening times made a definite impact. They caused me to get back in control. And just a few weeks ago, I cried in a store dressing room. But not for the same reason I cried at my performance video or because I could no longer zip my graduation gown. I cried because I fit into a size I hadn't seen since before getting pregnant with Peanut.

Since the summer, I have lost 48 pounds and four sizes. Whew. It feels good to write that.

For most people, that would be that. But I told you, I was capital F-A-T fat. For me, this is just over halfway to my goal. But I see the light. In fact, I feel the light, or rather, I feel lighter. I feel happier. I can see my progress, and the mirror no longer has to lie to me. I can look at the number on my pants now and not want to cut out the tag. And people are starting to see me and not the person I was using to cover up me.

So now you know the real me, [fat] warts and all. And you know what? I'm no longer ashamed to show you.

Before (obviously on the left) and After...so far (on the right)

P.S. Thank you, Weight Watchers!

Three Is a Magic Number

2009-03-29T12:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Pumpkin,

You are my snuggle bug
Love to hug

Car lovin'
Sometimes roughin'

Sing song man
Fan of fans

Alphabet reading
Lollipop pleading

Hands flailin'
Veggie Talin'

Don't like waiting
Story creating

Fresh milk addicted
Bath night conflicted

Occasional toy flingin'
Lemon car singin'

Happy when wakes
Lover of cakes

Shaky shaking
Funny face making

Tiggle Wiggles
Give great giggles

I'll soon be missin'
Sloppy wet kissin'

From my baby sweet pea
Because Pumpkin is three!

Flashback Friday: Prior to Pumpkin

2009-03-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

It has been exactly three years since this picture was taken. We took Peanut to get his three-year-old portraits taken, and we decided last minute to try this shot with my extremely pregnant belly. (You can tell that's my pregnant belly, right?!? I added some shading as to not shock anyone.) I was actually so pregnant that I had Pumpkin the following day. The women at the photo studio probably thought I was nuts, but I knew I'd better get the portraits done of Peanut then or they might never get done with a newborn in the house. I have such mixed feelings looking at this now; I am nostalgic, I am emotional, and I am wistful. But mostly, I am blessed.

MckMama Fans...

2009-03-23T19:54:00.007-04:00

I am so sad to say that this sweet, beautiful, almost-five-month-old baby boy needs our prayers yet again. He is hospitalized because his heart is in Supra Ventricular Tachycardia (or SVT = very high heart rate). This is the same heart condition little Stellan exhibited in utero when the doctors told MckMama that he would not survive. He has certainly proven them wrong before as he was born against all odds without complications. So my prayer is that God will save this tiny trouper from his diagnosis once more. Please join me if you feel so led.

Flashback Friday: Our Furry Baby

2009-03-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Before there were children, there were furry Boo Boo kisses. After all, she was our very first child. And she is such a love that she easily won over the heart of my "dog person" of a husband. He still gives her regular kisses, even though she isn't quite this tiny anymore. And so do I, even though she still insists on sleeping on my head.

Happy St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T20:14:00.007-04:00

My mom says I have a little Irish in me, and to look at me, you would probably believe it. I am very fair-skinned with some freckles on my cheeks and green eyes. My hair is also not actually this light (hmmm....it's called highlighting, people, and no, it has nothing to do with the stray gray hairs that keep defying me and showing their sorry selves in the daylight. Ahem.). Peanut and Pumpkin's real first names are both Irish, too, so I guess that means it's fair for us to celebrate a bit.

Peanut said that during recess today, a leprechaun snuck in his classroom and messed up all of their things. Apparently, he visited all of the classrooms in the whole school. He even was kind enough to leave green pee in their classroom toilet (um...really?!?), but one of the students flushed it before everyone could see. Peanut was terribly annoyed that he didn't get to observe that. He and his classmates determined that the classroom was probably a wreck because the leprechaun must have been looking for his pot of gold. His teacher laughed and said the leprechaun was searching in the wrong place since the pot of gold is -- obviously -- safe in her backyard.

While we were working on Peanut's homework tonight, his second tooth fell out on his paper. This one bled which completely freaked him out until he was no longer able to taste it anymore. But after I calmed him down, he immediately darted over to his room to retrieve his letter to the tooth fairy which -- you might remember -- plainly requests that she not steal his tooth. Can you see the new empty hole in his bottom row of teeth?

Better yet, check out Peanut's leprechaun drawing. He is so darn cute, I might even let him use our bathroom (if he asked politely and didn't mess up the rest of our house, of course). Although, messing up the house surely hasn't stopped me from allowing our two boys to use the bathroom.

Hope all of you had a little extra luck o' the Irish thrown your way today!

Speaking of running to Mommy...

2009-03-15T18:09:00.005-04:00

This is one of my favorite...photos...ever. 'Nuff said.

(Thanks again, Kelly!)

Flashback Friday: Great Strides

2009-03-13T20:46:00.003-04:00

This picture was taken of Pumpkin when he was about fourteen months old. He was still not walking yet, and even as a second-time mom, I was a bit concerned since he wasn't really even close. Peanut walked at fourteen months, and I thought that was late compared to other children I knew. We used to joke that Pumpkin was so smart to just allow people to carry him everywhere. Our pediatrician reassured me that he was perfectly normal and he would walk when he was ready. His verbal skills came fast, and the doctor also mentioned that sometimes babies work on one skill at a time. Pumpkin finally walked towards me while we were at a family get-together at my in-law's house (a.k.a. Gemma and Pop's). I was so relieved! But, in a way, I knew that the second he began walking, the world would change as I so vividly remembered that it had with Peanut. And I also knew he wouldn't be a baby much longer. Part of me was thankful that I had the opportunity to have my little one as a baby for so long, even though the other part of me naturally wanted him to continue to thrive and grow. There's something sadly symbolic about a baby who can walk -- and soon after, run -- away from his mommy. I have to admit, though, that I was very grateful to no longer have to fight with him about crawling outside when we walked down the block on the old sidewalks in our neighborhood. Scratched-up knees did not deter my determined little man. And once he walked, he went from walking to running in no time and earned more scratched-up knees.

As I write this, my almost three-year-old Pumpkin is sleeping away. But all night, he complained of "ickies" and "grossies" in his throat. He has had a rough week of a phlegmy cough, runny nose, tears when Daddy said goodbye in the morning, and more time-outs than he can probably count. And tonight, he threw up all over the hardwood floor. Now, throw up is usually my husband's area of expertise, but unfortunately, he wasn't home yet. I am really, really bad at throw up. But Pumpkin was so scared and confused that he got sick, I turned on my auto pilot while continually assuring him it was okay, and I simply cleaned it up and got him changed. Anything -- even cleaning up throw up -- for my little Pumpkin. (But don't tell my husband I said that.)

I'm hoping that in a few days, he will make great strides in the "ickies" department and that he'll show off his running skills again in no time (as long as he is running to Mommy, that is!).

Now in Technicolor

2009-03-10T19:47:00.017-04:00

Whoa...I really thought I had given away the answer to the newborn Peanut and Pumpkin pictures when I mentioned in this post how laughable Pumpkin's hospital pictures were. But I still fooled some of you! Thanks to everyone who participated. :)

And now for the illustrious winners....

(Drum roll please....)

Congratulations to Kelly and Laura! Seriously, that is impressive, girls. Even though Kelly was there the day he had his picture taken, she never got to laugh at the picture itself. And if I recall, she either wasn't in the hospital room with me at the time or was preoccupied with her own adorable baby. And Laura has never met Pumpkin, so major kudos for having such a great eye and paying attention!

If I would have posted the photos in color, maybe I would have had more winners.

Peanut (left) and Pumpkin (right)

They both had light blonde hair around their faces, but Peanut's was much lighter than Pumpkin's. I thought you would be able to tell by the sharper picture quality and more vibrant color of Pumpkin's pic if I posted them both in color. Peanut's little suit was actually a light baby blue with light blue and green striped cuffs and an embroidered train with button wheels on the jacket, but you can barely make out any of that detail. And thanks for the kind comments, but I was hysterically giggling when I first laid eyes on Pumpkin's picture. He was really not in the mood to have his picture taken, so the photographer gave him a pacifier and then pulled it out the split second before she captured his pursed little lips.

By the way, at the time, I thought these little boys looked nothing alike. I always reminisce that after having Peanut, that's what I thought Eric and I made. But then, Pumpkin came out with brown hair and a round little body, and I thought he was so very different. Looking at the photos now, I can't get over how many similarities there are. Those noses and lips look like I could cut and paste them from one baby to the other. And they both have such nice tans. Of course, that was due to the jaundice and surely not my skin tone (nor my husband's!).

I remember people telling me how much I resembled my brother as a child, too, but I think we looked less so as we grew older. So I am curious; did your babies (or you?) look like their (or your) siblings? And were you ever surprised at "what you made"? Do tell!

Flashback Friday: Peanut or Pumpkin?

2009-03-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

I gave you a few hints in my previous post, but I thought it would be fun for this installment of Flashback Friday to have a game. All you have to do is guess correctly which newborn picture is Peanut and which is Pumpkin. To make it a bit more difficult, I have made converted both photos to black and white so the color quality doesn't give anything away. I would think if you have been paying attention, this might be pretty easy.

Just tell me the number of the picture and your guess. And no fair if you already know (ahem...Gemma! Unless you forget, of course!). You will -- as per usual -- receive a link to your blog and many oohs and aahs if you are correct! :)

Picture #1

Picture #2

Can't wait to see how well you know my Baby Peanut and Pumpkin!

Time March[es] On

2009-03-02T20:41:00.007-05:00

It cannot be March already. Really?!? I really find it hard to believe in so many ways. Today we had a snow day with 9.7 inches of snow according to our local news station. It seems to me that we were just outside enjoying the fall weather and the leaves.

See?

Now, before you tell me that my photography skills have improved 100-fold since my last post, I have to confess that the following beautiful images were taken by my dear friend, Kelly. I was blessed to have roomed with Kelly in the hospital when I had Pumpkin and she had her sweet little boy, Jake. In fact, Kelly is also the one who introduced me to blogging. I followed her blog for over a year before even considering to start my own. I have to laugh looking back now because I clearly remember wondering why she didn't opt for the standard baby hospital photographer to take her newborn's picture. Someday I will have to post the newborn hospital photo I spent my hard-earned money on of Pumpkin. I felt it was an obligation to buy them; after all, I had done them for Peanut, and his were actually kind of sweet. Had I known I was rooming with this amazing photographer, I would have asked her to at least whip out her cell phone. The result would have been eons better than Pumpkin's hospital pic, I assure you.

Anyway, I have been meaning to post a few of the gorgeous photographs that Kelly took of our family around Thanksgiving. So, how did it get to be March?!? We were fortunate to be able to schedule a session in late fall with Kelly even though she and her family now lives out of state. And now that she has taken these great photos, we are all spoiled!

The boys warmed up to Kelly in no time and asked about her for many days afterwards. And I am certain we will treasure these images and her friendship for many, many years to come. After all, the fact that Kelly was the one who took these portraits just makes them that much more special to me.

You can see a few other images of my little men on her photography blog, and you have to check out her official photography site as well. It is no wonder to me that she recently won an award for her wedding photography. I have already asked her to book us for July 2022 to photograph our 25th wedding vow-renewal ceremony. I was worried she wouldn't have the date open if I waited much longer. She is just that talented!

So, while I stare at these photographs of these little boys I love so much in the leaves, it is so terribly obvious that time does, in fact, march on. Pun [always] intended. ;)

Flashback Friday: A Whale of a Tale

2009-02-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Some of you may recall that we have a budding artist in our mix already. You may also recall that I take no credit in this area of development since I have had years of practicing, yet I still can't master a simple Hello Kitty rendition of my own that I think is up to snuff. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Peanut also has proven to be quite the illustrator. In fact, when I looked back at some previous photos for this Flashback Friday, I found this little gem:

That is Peanut at age two and a half and his proud picture on his Thomas Aqua Doodle of a whale. I remember being so completely shocked when he told me he was going to draw a whale and then he actually drew something that resembled a whale. As any Aqua Doodler knows, those pictures dry up in a flash. Hence the picture. I had to show Daddy his amazing accomplishment!

Tonight was a similar scenario. Peanut was drawing the cover of his favorite Dr. Seuss book, and the next thing I knew, this had materialized:

What a difference three years can make! I still think that is darn impressive for an almost-six-year-old. But then again, if you asked me to draw a lion, it would probably look like a dinosaur. A dinosaur with a cute little pink bow on the side of its head, a' la Hello Kitty, of course, but a dinosaur all the same. And this, my friends, is the reason I have stacks of preschool and kindergarten artwork all over my house that I can't seem to part with. Although I know that even if Peanut had my more inferior drawing gene, I would love his artwork all the same. I might just feel the urge to put a little bow on his dinosaur, that's all. :)

And it's outta here!

2009-02-24T19:50:00.002-05:00

Peanut lost his first tooth Friday afternoon. Apparently, the going rate for a child's first loose tooth is one gold dollar. (I'm not sure if that is always the rate or if this one was simply special because it was the first.) Peanut was very pleased that the Tooth Fairy was kind enough to allow him to keep his first lost tooth, and -- by the way -- he said she is the size of a bee and she has a son, too. No, he didn't see her, silly! A friend of his in his kindergarten class saw her. And guess what? He already has loose tooth number two!

Don't be alarmed by this post...

2009-02-20T21:21:00.005-05:00

You have been patient waiting for my big reveal about my source of stress, girls! :)

Kristin (doesn't she have a great name, BTW?!?) made me laugh the hardest by guessing that I was making a denim skirt or pants. She obviously thinks way too highly of me. The last clothing I made was in 4-H in eighth grade. I did win some blue ribbons (and red and yellow) for my creations, though. If I recall correctly, my best ensemble was a blue terrycloth dress that I made in fifth grade. Terrycloth! Sooo early eighties.

Laura and Kathy B. had excellent guesses, too; I probably could add a patch to jeans if necessary, and I do love scrapbooking projects, even if most of them are sitting in boxes waiting for some attention in this decade.

Gemma's creative attempt #2 made me giggle as well, because frankly, who hasn't experienced some weird piece of the sole of a shoe driving you crazy?!?

But Kelly's guess and Gemma's first attempt were the closest. Yes, it is a tag! Good job, ladies! Can you hear me ooh-ing and ahh-ing? :)

But no, the tag didn't actually bother me. Well, at least I didn't realize it was bothering me. See, I got a great deal on this suede and faux fur coat last winter. And ever since, I have worn it a lot. Actually, I have worn it so much that I never even put 2 and 2 together.

Until I was putting it on the other day and noticed this tag that blended in with the coat and just happened to be right next to two other tags with the care instructions and fabric details on the left seam:

Okay...now who really looks inside a coat for a tag to be removed? But as soon as I felt it, I knew.

So that's why I am setting off alarms in all of my favorite stores!

Yup, folks, it is a sensor. And boy, did it work. Every single time I left my favorite store with all my new purchases, I made a bwamp! bwamp! bwamp! sound in addition to the red flashing lights and my look of total and complete embarrassment. In my mind, I was blaming the store for their faulty sensors and even the cashiers for possibly not removing a sensor. But I never even considered there would be a hidden sensor in my favorite coat -- one that no coat thief would ever suspect or look for. Or any honest customer who actually paid for the coat with her hard-earned money for that matter. Hmmph.

I do understand the point of the sensor and not making it obvious. But maybe the cashiers should be trained to point it out to their customers when they pay for an item with a crazy hidden beep-inducing do-hickey. I was constantly dreading the walk out of the door to my favorite stores because I might -- literally -- cause alarm. Even the cashiers said, "Oh, don't worry; our store alarms are sometimes too sensitive." No one ever mentioned my coat could be the source of my stress!

So, consider this a public service to my faithful readers. When you buy a new coat, check the inside. What you find just might be alarming!

Guess the source of stress

2009-02-16T15:17:00.008-05:00

UPDATE: I AM going to tell you what this is soon, but no one has guessed it quite right. Any second guesses? Hint: it caused me many problems for almost a whole year!

a) What is this little do-hickey, and b) why did it cause me so many problems?

If you guess correctly, I will ooh and ahh about you all day as well as create a link to your blog in my next post. Don't have a blog? No worries. I will ooh and ahh about you on my next post instead.

So get guessing! :)

Flashback Friday: Baby's First Valentine's Day

2009-02-13T10:29:00.001-05:00

Are there other mommies out there who have to have the holiday shirts? I love the children's shirts for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, even Fourth of July. I realize it's a sickness. Anyway, this was Peanut's very first Valentine's Day at ten months in 2004. He looks so angelic in this top picture. Ha! And I think that "Be My Valentine" heart turned inside-out into a bear. I have no idea what happened to that.

Now that looks more like the Baby Peanut I remember. He looks like he is up to something. I still adore his baby-fine blond hair. And look at those new little teeth! For those of you who read my last post, there has been no change in the status of the first loose tooth. And no change in my sadness over it. But I can't help it. After all, he stole my heart the second I knew he existed. So from my stolen heart to yours, happy hearts day!

Hope a certain fairy uses Google Maps...

2009-02-09T21:43:00.005-05:00

Could it be the troof?!?

My first baby has a loose toof!

I hope the Tooth Fairy doesn't disappoint. She has never been to our house, and I don't know how to send her directions. But I am more upset about my Peanut growing up. Officially. This is one of those mommy milestones that make us sentimental types weepy. I checked his baby book, and this was actually the third tooth he got at nine months. Don't you dare ask me to find that information out when it is Pumpkin's turn. In fact, please don't even mention to him that I ever had the slightest idea about his big brother's teething details. That page just might be blank in Pumpkin's baby book. Anyway, Peanut was visibly disturbed that the tooth fairy would consider taking his prized tooth away. So I told him we could write her a note and ask her to please leave the tooth under his pillow. I vaguely remember writing a note like that to the Tooth Fairy at his age, too. Looking back, my parents were geniuses! Now Eric and I don't have to silently fish under a sleeping boy's pillow ever-so-delicately for a teensy weensy baby tooth in the middle of the night. Score!

But score, shmore. The fact is, I can't stop my first baby from getting older. No matter how I try.

Just please tell me I have a long time before an armpit hair makes an appearance.

My happy place

2009-02-04T19:28:00.007-05:00

I have had a rough week filled with stress, tantrums, and tears (and don't even get me started on my boys!). Seriously, I need to transform myself sometimes and go to my "happy place." That could be anything from envisioning a relaxing moment to just taking deep breaths and evaluating how big a deal the current crisis is. As I tell Peanut, we need to decide if it's a big problem, a medium problem, or a little problem.

When I saw this Random Picture Challenge on Brittany's blog, I decided to check it out. The directions are to go to your November 2007 photo folder and choose the 44th picture. I have checked out my photo folders for her past challenges, but none of my shots were really blog-worthy. But this time? Jackpot. Lucky for me, I apparently downloaded several months of pictures back in November 2007. And here is the 44th photo:

Ahhhhhhhhh. There's my happy place.

That is Pumpkin and my wonderful dad at the beach in August 2007. I took several pictures of this in a row, and this is the only one with the kite flying in the background. I just adore this picture. Almost as much as I adore my father and my adorable son in the picture. Now that is a bonafide happy place.

Maybe I'll keep reading this post over and over again. I hear another tantrum brewing downstairs....

Flashback Friday: Pumpkin Phone Home

2009-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Like Mommy, like Pumpkin. At least on this video that was taped when my little man was just a year and a half last December. I dare someone to try to translate. :)

What a stinky post

2009-01-26T20:44:00.009-05:00

Someone needs a stinkin' thesaurus

I'm not sure if you can read between the stinky lines here, but there is a stinky word that our stinky five and a half-year-old keeps saying that is really starting to get old and stinky. I have heard other friends laugh at this stinky stage, but it is awfully trying at times (not to mention a little stinky). However, to our older son, this stinky routine is so much stinkin' fun. Please tell me this stinky stage will be over soon before I lose my stinkin' mind after hearing ten rounds of this stinky version of "Old MacDonald":

Old MacStinky had a stinky
Stinky, stinky, stink
And on his stinky
He had a stinky
Stinky, stinky, stink
With a stink, stink here
And a stink, stink there
Here a stink
There a stink
Everywhere a stink, stink
Old MacStinky had a stinky
E-I-E-I-Stink!

Do you like my stinky silly face?!?

I became deliriously stinky tonight in the stinky car after hearing this stinky version and only added fuel to the stinkin' fire with my stinky laughter. I guess it could be stinkin' worse!

Flashback Friday: Ken and Kristin (1973)

2009-01-23T17:29:00.004-05:00

My brother would have turned 41 yesterday, January 22nd. I added a special post to his memory blog in honor of his birthday. This is my favorite picture of us, even though it is a little out of focus and it has a hole in it where I stuck a thumbtack through it to put it on my bulletin board when I was little. It makes it even more special because it was a favorite of his, too.

Tonight he's going potty like it's 2009

2009-01-19T20:47:00.014-05:00

Yay, Pumpkin!

We have hit a major milestone in our household. On Friday, I picked up the boys and was given some great news: Pumpkin used the potty!!! I was pretty surprised since I have not really been working on this with him. We have talked about it, and he has accompanied most of us to the bathroom on occasion, but after a rough potty training period with Peanut, my mantra was: He will use the potty when he is good and ready. Fortunately, he has been positively influenced by our wonderful daycare provider and by a little boy who just turned three and is actively learning.

So, with so much pomp and circumstance over his first pee in the potty, he did it again the next day and the next day. A few times this weekend he has told us he needed to go and he wasn't able to complete the mission, but I told him how very proud I was of him for trying. While I was reading him his nighttime books last night, in the middle of a (non-potty) story, he looked me in the eyes and said out of the blue, "Mommy, I peed in the potty!" I said, "I know, Pumpkin! I'm so proud of you!" When Pumpkin was an infant, he flapped his arms like he was imitating a bird learning to fly, and he still does this when he gets really excited; my mom said I did that, too (apparently, I have grown out of that, though, thank you very much). Anyway, every single time he talked about using the potty, he did his arm flappy thing. It makes me teary that he is so proud of himself! In fact, in the midst of going, he was yelling, "I did it! I am peeing in the potty!"

Just to keep the enthusiasm going, I have slowly pulled out my potty pack: Peanut's old favorite potty DVD called Potty Power (which I highly recommend to any other parent going through the process), another classic potty video called Once Upon a Potty and two books: Too Big for Diapers and The Potty Book for Boys. (However, I draw the line at ordering these guys.) I have decided that when he says he isn't interested, I am not going to push. He seems totally thrilled with these new books and shows right now, so I have used them as a way to reward him for doing such a good job. But he didn't expect anything even though he received a lollipop at daycare the first time he went. In fact, he hasn't asked for any sort of reward at all; he was so proud, I think that just actually doing it was enough of a thrill. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for me that he will be much easier than his older brother and that this enthusiasm will not wane anytime soon.

Gotta go...it's time to potty! :)

Flashback Friday: A Bumbo and a Big Brother

2009-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

My husband and I were talking tonight that even when Peanut is whiny and tired and pushes every single button we own, we are still so proud of him. He is such a good big brother to Pumpkin. I remember writing in our first Christmas letter after Pumpkin was born that nothing in the world makes our baby light up like his big brother. Probably like all moms who already have at least one child, I was so concerned about Peanut's adjustment to having a baby brother. I was so worried he would think we had betrayed him. But he loved his little brother right from the start. Even now, Peanut uses a different tone of voice when he is trying to explain something to his little brother or when he is telling him something fun they can do together. And whenever his big brother is out of the room, Pumpkin immediately wants to know where he is. They already have their own little songs and words that make them laugh until they get the hiccups. When they tell each other out of the blue that they love one another -- even right after they were fighting over Peanut's Leapster -- I can't help but stand back and smile. We are truly blessed.

I am a big dork (times 100)

2009-01-12T22:55:00.010-05:00

Okay, so I had it all planned out. I was going to have this amazing post for my 100th POST and blow everyone's socks off. It was going to be spectacular and grand. I have seen many other blogs celebrating their 100th, 200th, and even 300th posts, and I was looking forward to it. I would have more comments on my 100th post than ever before because it was gonna be so original and fun.

Well, guess what? I am a big dork...that's what.

I forgot.

I blame it all on my overzealous love of scrapblog, by the way. That, and the Superstar Blogger MckMama fans who flocked over here without any warning on the day she linked her blog -- one that frequents thousands of hits per day -- to my modest little blog. I got so caught up with my excitement over my new header that I had to post about it right away. And that's not like me. I am a planner who overthinks and analyzes most everything. And do you know where that got me? I wrote a post about my happy new header, and I didn't think for a minute about that super duper post I was going to write next for my 100th post. You know, the one I should have gotten all those comments about.

So, then a funny thing happened. On the post that was my 100th that I didn't remember was my 100th, I got 25 comments. Which -- if you remember from this plea on my blogiversary -- is almost twice as many comments as I have ever had on any one post.

And I owe it all to my sudden spontaneity about scrapblog.

Oh, and maybe to MckMama, too. ;)

Are you getting tired of me saying "scrapblog" yet? Yeah, me neither. But I promise my next post will have pictures of my sweet boys and no mention of the above word. I guess I better work on weaning myself off of it.

Honestly, I can't believe I have written (over) 100 posts!

Thanks to my wonderful readers for reading them.

You say the word "addicted" like it's a bad thing...

2009-01-10T16:23:00.003-05:00

So, last night, instead of what I was supposed to be doing again (which may or may not have involved warm blankets and dreaming), I couldn't resist creating another header in scrapblog for my other blog. For those who don't know, I began a blog last February to honor my brother's memory called Remembering Ken. (To read how I lost my brother, click here. But first, grab some tissues -- just in case.) I cannot get over how easy it was to make this second header now that I sort of know what I am doing! It only took about twenty minutes to make it from start to finish, and I played around with many different options before I settled on a design. But now what am I going to do?!? I better start making up new blogs just so that I can make some new headers. :) Lucky for me, you can also make photo books, greeting cards, and calendars on scrapblog. And no, scrapblog is not paying me a dime, nor do they probably realize they have created the greatest...site...ever. (Hmmm...Maybe my next blog should be called SBA: ScrapBloggers Anonymous.)

Anyway, head on over to my only other blog (for now) and let me know what you think of the new header. I'm sure you can guess where I'll be in the meantime. :)

A New Year and a New Look

2009-01-08T22:28:00.005-05:00

UPDATE: Due to popular demand, I have included directions at the bottom of this post. Honestly, I almost posted a how-to, but I figured that many people are much more technologically adept than I am. Also, I posted this before I even knew that MckMama had linked to me and that I would have brand new visitors. So, if you're a MckMama fan as well, welcome! I'm so glad so many of you like the scrapblog as much as I do!

I'm so excited! I finally have a real header on this blog. Instead of doing what I was supposed to be doing tonight, I chose to play around with this amazing website that someone recommended to me. Thank you, Beaver Bunch!!! She informed me that scrapblog.com allows you to make headers and downloadable scrapbook creations all free! And free is the right price for me. I was seriously considering paying a professional to make me a pretty header, but as an admitted creative control freak, I loved being able to create it all by myself. I just had to share this in case anyone else was interested. Let me know what you think!

Directions for adding your scrapblog header to your blog:
1) Click "publish" when you are finished with your header. (You can publish publicly or privately -- no one else will see your design on their site if you choose to publish privately.)
2) Click "No, thanks" when the pop-up asks if you would like to share your scrapblog with others on the site. (Don't click "view scrapblog" yet.)
3) In the upper left corner, click on "File" and then click "Export as JPEG."
4) Click "Download" on the page you want to use as your header, and save as you do your other photo images.
5) Then, after your scrapblog has downloaded, open your blog and go to the layout tab in Blogger.
6) Click on your header's "edit" link.
7) Then upload your image (you may need to check "shrink to fit") and save it! Voila!

Hope that helps everyone! Let me know if you have any other questions, and thanks again to the Beaver Bunch for helping me and introducing me to this cool site! :)

It's over already?

2009-01-01T23:10:00.009-05:00

Attention All Readers: If you haven't commented on my last trying-to-break-my-own-comment-record-post, it's not too late! Please add your comment below. Thanks a bunch to those of you who obliged with such nice things to say.

Do you guys wish Christmas was a lot longer as much as I do? I felt the same way last Christmas (as I documented here), so I guess it's one of my many issues. I just feel like we spend so much time in preparation for the big day, and afterwards, it's on to New Year's. Not that we don't spread out the fun over here; we have three sets of grandparents who want to have Christmas with us, which is a great way to continue the spirit. But I am so disappointed when the same radio stations who broadcast nothing but holiday music starting on the day after Thanksgiving refuse to keep those songs playing after midnight on Christmas and I hear Fall Out Boy for the billionth time instead on December 26th. Don't other people besides me want to enjoy Christmas music longer than that?

Oh, well. Here are some of the highlights of our holidays. Hope yours were just as happy!

Peanut showing Rudolph some love

Peanut showing Pumpkin some love

A little excited for Santa to come

Peanut's gingerbread house he made in his kindergarten class. He ate some of it before it came home and one of the walls was falling off, but it did survive a bookbag walk home, after all.

Our family attempt at a gingerbread house. It's certainly not Martha Stewart or nowhere near Adrienne's masterpiece, but the boys really liked it and we had a good time creating it. By the way, remind me next year to cut an even smaller slit in the icing package. You can always make it bigger, Kristin!

Aerial view of the House of Gs

Anyone excited that it's Christmas Eve?!? Anyone?

One of Peanut's favorite gifts...a Christmas Edition Buzz Lightyear

Peanut was so sentimental about getting this talking Larry Boy plush from the Veggie Tales (that turns inside out back into Larry the cucumber), he said that even when he is a grown-up, he never wants to sell it at a yard sale. :)

Leave it to Pumpkin to enjoy the $1.99 M&M fan from his stocking as much as all of his toys.

Happy "brudders" as Pumpkin says

And finally...our beautiful Christmas tree in our garden room

Okay, that may not actually be our Christmas tree. But we did go to see it. And we did take pictures of it (along with hundreds of other people who apparently also wanted the Christmas spirit to continue even though it was a few days after Christmas). Hope you allow the Christmas spirit to linger in your hearts a little longer than the calendar suggests as well, and hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season.

Happy anniversary to me

2008-12-28T20:54:00.003-05:00

Happy First Anniversary to Peanuts and Pumpkins!

(Can you tell they are excited about it?!?)

It's a bit hard to believe, but today marks my first anniversary of this blog. It's a bit funny to me that prior to one year ago, I never thought about whether parts of my life were"blog-worthy," and I certainly didn't have the creative outlet that I have found through blogging. A few years ago, I thought the word "blog" itself was a bit strange, and I falsely assumed that the people who had them must be somewhat self-important. I have since embraced term and the other blogs which I frequent have brought me both laughter and friendship throughout this past year.

So, in honor of my anniversary, I would like to thank each and every one of you who visit my blog. Whether you ended up here on accident, you read habitually and never comment, or you are one of my faithful commenters, please leave a comment if you are reading this. According to my Stat Counter, there are more visitors here than there are commenters, which is okay by me. I used to be a "lurker" myself and rarely commented on the blogs I read until I felt comfortable. But now is your chance! Let me know you were here and how you got here (if you remember). Feel free to also comment about anything else you want. Just comment! And if you have a blog, I promise to visit and comment, too. Let's see if you can beat the highest record of comments I have had on any one post: 13. I know you can! I have faith in my readers. :) And if you are a blog novice like I used to be, never fear. I have instructions on how to comment here.

Now let the comments begin! (And the thanks will most certainly follow!)

My Christmas Chipmunk

2008-12-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

For your viewing pleasure, here is Pumpkin imitating a famous chipmunk. He is feeling much better now, thank you very much.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Eve*

2008-12-24T15:57:00.004-05:00

*unfortunately, this is a true story

'Twas the night before Christmas Eve
When all through our house
Many creatures were still stirring
Daddy even caught a mouse. (Eeew!)

Little Pumpkin was sent home early
From his family daycare
And Daddy hoped that Mommy
Soon would be there.

For while the children were napping
All snug in their beds
Evidence of Pumpkin's illness
Was there on his threads.

On his clothing, his mittens
His coat and his cap,
We knew the stomach bug
Had lived way past his nap.

We tried to offer light food
When he wanted to eat
But he said it tasted funny
Even his very favorite treat.

After a bath and some books
Bedtime drew near
I sang him his lullaby
And said, "I love you, my dear."

A few hours later
I heard sad toddler chatter
I jumped up from giftwrapping
To see what was the matter.

Pumpkin sat up in his crib
And he started to cry
He had gotten sick once again
The poor little guy.

When I finally decided
To get to into my bed
I was feeling uneasy
"So much to do," I said.

But at four in the morning
I flew to the bathroom door
All of the sudden it just hit me
Thank goodness for linoleum floor.

I had to write lesson plans
Since I couldn't go to work
And Eric got a mop
While I felt like a jerk.

I'm no good with stomach bugs
The sight makes me faint
One more reason I am grateful
I married a true saint.

And I heard Eric exclaim
As he walked out of sight,
"I'm sleeping in the guest room,
Until you're all right!"

Surprise! It's not your birthday...

2008-12-16T19:55:00.008-05:00

Tim, Eric, Rick, and Ray

So, speaking of my husband (well, we were -- last week, anyway), I would never want you to think that I didn't bring my A-game for his big milestone day. I wanted to surprise him, but having thrown him a surprise 30th birthday party, I really didn't want to do the same kind of thing. Plus, we have two little children now, so I was not about to have a party here while they attempted to sleep. So I had to come up with something original, special, and out of the house. Not an extremely easy feat, I promise you.

It all started clicking when Eric saw that one of his very favorite comedians would be performing in our area late September. I told him I would take him to dinner and buy the tickets for him as an early birthday present and that I would ask his mom (a.k.a. Gemma) to babysit. As far as he knew, that was his big birthday bash. But he was wrong.

My husband rarely gets to see his best friends from high school and college since we don't live near them. All of them are scattered around several different states. That goes for his younger brother as well; he is the captain of a ship, so he is always traveling. We hardly ever get to see any or all of them, so to have them in the same place at the same time to celebrate Eric's big day with us would just be a wonderful gift, right? So, I invited all of them to meet us at the restaurant and come to the show with us. And after all, I was trying to do something memorable for his big day. Original? Check. Special? Check. Out of the house? Check.

I wish you could have seen his face when he saw his best out-of-town friends and his brother yell, "Surprise!" when we came into the restaurant. Especially since it was over two months until his actual birthday. But hey, that's a minor detail, I figured. Besides, getting everyone together in December would have proven to be much more difficult. So, surprise, Honey! It's your birthday party two months early. No wonder he never suspected a thing.

All of us at dinner

(Yes, I am making another rare appearance on my own blog.)

The show was one of the funniest I think I have ever seen. You may not know who Patton Oswalt is by name, but you may know him from television shows such as "The King of Queens" and from his voice-over work as the main character, Remy, in the children's film, Ratatouille.

Patton Oswalt

I had contacted the manager of the theater months in advance to set up a "meet and greet" with Patton, and after explaining the special night I had planned for Eric, she seemed on board to try and make that happen. My directions were to find Ms. Very Important by the stage right ushers when I got there to learn if Patton had agreed to meet with us. The manager seemed optimistic when she called earlier that afternoon, so I admit that my hopes were high. So you can imagine that I was a bit annoyed when Ms. Very Important said that Patton wasn't feeling well, but he would sign a program for Eric. Boo! I was truly disappointed and figured he was blowing us off because we were lowly Delaware peons. No, it turns out that he was so sick that at times he joked that he was coughing up different lifeforms. He even took his medication on stage because "it was time." By this time, he had totally gained my respect back even though he wouldn't see us; I was surprised that anyone would continue on with a show who was that obviously ill. And anyway, serious flu germs weren't on the list of items I had planned to get Eric for his birthday.

Outside of the theater

So, there you have it, folks. This was my big tribute to my wonderful husband's 40th birthday evening. Yeah, I am posting this a little late. But since I surprised him two months early, now that I am writing about it two months later makes it all even out, don't you think?

Flashback Friday: Christmas 2006

2008-12-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

We parents all know the drill. Sometime in November, we find the perfect matching or coordinating outfits (or -- depending on your level of perfectionism -- the perfect outfit that is currently not in the dirty laundry) for our little ones, and then we proceed to act like complete idiots. And by we, I of course mean the fathers of the family. At least that's the drill in this family; I am the picture-taker and my husband is the smile-maker. However, I had only had to acquire "the perfect holiday picture" with one toddler before the one below. I realized I would have my work cut out for me with a three and a half-year-old and an eight month-old, but I had no idea. Most of the pics of Pumpkin had his ubiquitous drool dripping down his chin. And Peanut had no problem showing his boredom at the entire process after just a few shots. After this attempt, we did seek professional [photography] help. But I'm sure my husband would have agreed to professional help of the other persuasion if he heard me utter, "Just one more shot, Honey" while he continued his best monkey impression for shot #82.

Below is the cream of the crop from 2006. And frankly, after looking through all of the "rejects," I had no idea how increasingly difficult it would become to get good shots when they became their current ages of two and a half and five and a half. Even the ones we vetoed back in the below shoot look fairly decent next to the ridiculous faces Peanut has now decided are more fun, and the drool of Pumpkin's yesteryear has now been replaced by a constant runny nose (which is even less forgivable when captured on film). But thank heaven for matching sweaters and hats. Those outfits really do make all of the frustration of getting a semi-respectable picture worth the hassle.

Did you get a Christmas picture of your family or children this year? I'd love to hear about it. And by the way, those of you with more than two children who send a Christmas photo where all children are looking in the same direction immediately get my vote for sainthood.

Flashback Friday: My Hubby

2008-12-05T11:34:00.004-05:00

Look at that cute little baby face. Today is a big day for that little boy below; it is his birthday. And it's not just any birthday. It's a milestone birthday. Most people would never believe it if I told them how old he is. I mean, look at that sweetheart. How old could he possibly be?

Well, I'll give you some hints: He is old enough to be married with two children. No help? Okay, he grew up playing Atari, he listened to AC/DC as a teenager, and he still loves the television show, M*A*S*H. He is also older than I am (sorry, Hon, I had to throw that in there). But it doesn't matter; he still has that cute baby face all these years later. I picture us walking hand in hand when we're in our eighties and people thinking I caught myself a younger man.

So go ahead and leave a comment and guess how old my wonderful husband is today. And if you wanna give him a birthday present, visit his blog and leave him a comment, too. I'm sure that would make his big day even better!

Define "gift"...

2008-12-02T21:41:00.006-05:00

Since it is now the gift-giving season, I thought I would share with you a gift I recently received in the mail. Remember when you were a teenager and all of the mail came for your parents? Remember how exciting it was to get a real, honest-to-God letter addressed to you? Or better yet, a surprise package with your name on it in the midst of all those credit card statements and junk mail for your dad? That's how I felt when I found this adorable addition to my own bill-filled mailbox. It did not have a company name on the return label -- simply an address. But it came in such a cute floral and polka-dotted box that I felt sort of silly because I was so anxious to see what was inside.

I really should have known better. But after all, I am an optimist. I try not to be cynical. I should have noticed that symbolically colored dot in the exclamation point. But I didn't. I just curiously opened the package, awaiting my surprise and the fitting gift just for me.

And what a cute play on words! I'm always up for a good pun. Fit to be tried! Hey, that's punny, right? So, what is this surprise that I can try? New shampoo? Body lotion? Cute miracle trouser socks that will make my feet hurt less at the end of each day? I opened the package with anticipation.

Ummmm...you are kidding, right?!?!? THIS is what passes as a "gift" these days? I mean, I know that times are tough, but seriously? Hmmph. Well, I guess I won't be re-gifting this one. All I know is it truly is better to give than to receive.

And just in case you are feeling like you just can't find that perfect present for someone, you will know that -- unless you give the one pictured above -- your gift-giving efforts are bound to be more appreciated than this "gift" was.

Flashback Friday: Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T16:22:00.011-05:00

I decided to start a new feature on my blog that I will deem "Flashback Friday." I am a sentimental soul at heart who loves to reminisce by looking at old pictures, so I decided it might be fun to include some of those past memories here. I can't guarantee I will add a new post each and every Friday, but I can tell you that if the responses are positive, I will most certainly try. So with that, I bring to you my very first entry in this new category.

Peanut the Pilgrim, age 3, with preschool turkey art

Pumpkin the Turkey, age 8 months

Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin's fitting obsession

2008-11-23T21:05:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: Check out the first comment for this post. I was FLOORED. The author of the Spookley book and writer of the film described in the post below, Joe Troiano, found my blog. Talk about making someone's week!

ORIGINAL POST: Don't break it to my pumpkin that most people only read and sing about pumpkins in October. He and his brother became very attached to a movie called Spookley the Square Pumpkin earlier this fall and continued to watch it all through the Halloween season and into late November.

It's a predictable but cute story of a little square pumpkin who is teased because of his shape but ultimately teaches everyone that it's good to be different (remind anyone of a well-known red-nosed reindeer story?). It is based on the book of the same name, and the lonely extra on the DVD is a reading of the story, page by page. So, when I found the book for a steal (just $1.00!), I knew my little ones would be excited.

I didn't anticipate, however, what a fan little Pumpkin had become. He wanted all Spookley, all the time. No other television viewing was allowed. The book needed to be read over and over ad nauseum to satisfy his thirst for Spookley. And each reading of the story needed to be followed by a serenade of the "The Spookley Song." Yes, the movie is a musical (and the music is actually tolerable until about the 857th time). The cutest song of the bunch is a melancholy little tune called "If I Was Round" in which Spookley sings: "If I was round/ I would be/More like them/And less like me/And maybe I/Would have a friend/If I was round/If I was more like them." (Hearing Pumpkin sing every line of that one nearly melted my heart.) But I knew this obsession needed to be curtailed when Pumpkin decided he would sleep with his Spookley book, open to his favorite pages.

Hi, I'm Pumpkin, and I am reading my favorite pages of Spookley.

Wanna see?

Here, get a good look!

After a while, I started enthusiastically encouraging other books so that he could enjoy other stories, too. But I had to include the video I filmed of him one night after reading the book when he sang every word of "The Spookley Song," complete with key changes and (his added) background vocals. Now that the ritual has ended, I have to admit, I kind of miss it. Then again, there's always next year.

And now, ladies and gentlemen (are there any gentlemen out there?), here is my pumpkin, singing about another pumpkin (with translations below).

The Spookley Song

He's so odd he won't fit in, look at Spookley, look at him

Spookley the square pumpkin

All the pumpkins in the patch are nice and round, we all match

Look at Spookley, look at him, Spookley the square pumpkin

Every time in every town the pumpkins they pick are nice and round

That's true it happens every year, the best will get picked

(I guess you'll stay here)

Look at Spookley, look at him, he's so odd he won't fit in

Look at Spookley, look at him, Spookley the square pumpkin

I can't help the way I am, I wish I could look more like them

It's hard to fit in when you've found, you're a square and the world is round

(Loser!)

Look, look, look, look (he's so rectangular)

Look, look, look, look (he's so triangular)

Look at Spookley, look at him, Spookley the square

Look at Spookley (so rectangular)

He's so odd (he's so triangular)

Look at Spookley, look at him

Spookley, Spookley, Spookley, Spookley

Spookley the square pumpkin!

Root for me!

2008-11-22T21:56:00.003-05:00

Okay, the odds of me winning a contest from a blog that a bazillion people read a day is slim to none. But hey, I am an optimist at heart. So excuse me while I take this opportunity to link to MckMama's blog so that I can enter her contest. It could benefit my awesome readers as well; up for grabs is a shiny new blog header (and I sure would love that!) and some camera extras (although I'm not sure if they would fit on my Kodak EasyShare, otherwise known as my Cheesy K-Easy, but I would be game). Wouldn't it be nice to see a pretty new blog header the next time you click over here and also see some prettier pics of my peanut and pumpkin? Well, if you agree, cross your fingers for me!

If You Give a Mom a Blog...

2008-11-19T19:54:00.008-05:00

...she'll want to post something like this on it. One of my friends sent me this mommy's ode to the storybook staple, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. If you know this favorite story, I think you will find it cute; I also appreciated the children's ages (which are coincidentally the same as my own boys' ages). Rather than fill up anyone's inboxes, I figured it would be more appreciated here. Enjoy!

If You Give a Mom a Muffin
by Kathy Fictorie

If you give a mom a muffin, she'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
Her two-year-old will spill the coffee.
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer, she'll trip over boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things to Make With a Pound of Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow.
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old.
While she is changing the two-year-old, the phone will ring.
Her five-year-old will answer and hang up.
She'll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Peekaboo...

2008-11-16T20:59:00.009-05:00

...I see you!

Is there really anything more fun than making a fort with your brother out of a blanket, couch cushions, and a yard stick?

If there is, these little buggers wouldn't know it.

What do your kids (or you) like to build?

The Ghosts of Costumes Past

2008-11-11T16:12:00.011-05:00

I told you that last year's costumes were an incredible feat. And I wasn't kidding! Peanut wanted to be Dash from The Incredibles and he wanted Pumpkin to be baby Jack-Jack. I ordered his costume from The Disney Store Online according to his measurements, and I found a Jack-Jack costume on ebay. A few weeks later, they both arrived, just in time for Halloween. Of course, I wanted Peanut to try his on before the big day. Uh-oh. He was swimming in it. I looked at the measurements and size on the package. Yup, just as I had ordered it. But I wondered how in the world would a boy his size fit in this costume without another boy his size in there, too. So, I called The Disney Store and explained that their measurements were really off, and I needed a Dash costume in five days. Guess what? They rushed a new (smaller) Dash costume to us -- for free -- and told me to keep the too-big Dash costume. I was pretty impressed with their costumer service. I guess the big mouse doesn't want any mad mommies out there. We used hair mousse to make Peanut's hair look swept back like Dash's, and we used it to make a point with Pumpkin's hair to look like Jack-Jack's. We had some issues getting good pics, but here is the final product:

Dash and Jack-Jack from The Incredibles, 2007

And, just for fun, here are all of the other previous costumes my boys have donned in years past:

Peanut as Pablo from The Backyardigans, 2006

Pumpkin as himself, 2006

Peanut as Simba from The Lion King, 2005

Peanut as Winnie the Pooh, 2004

Peanut as a puppy, 2003

Halloween will probably always be my least favorite day of the year. But these little boys of mine all dressed up in their sweet costumes certainly help me to smile.

I love both peanut and plain...

2008-11-09T20:43:00.008-05:00

Well, what else could be as sweet as plain and peanut m&ms? Neither of our boys actually eat very much candy, but when they do, m&ms are the candy of choice (although I prefer the Minis for our mini; I am well aware of the possible choking hazards). And you might remember this post which showed our entire family as m&ms. So, when I found a great deal on the yellow m&m costume and asked Peanut what he thought of the idea, he was thrilled. And I am happy that -- for the second year in a row -- Peanut has wanted to partner with his brother with their costumes.

But before the big night of trick-or-treating, we attended Peanut's kindergarten Halloween Parade. It was a big deal; even the high school band marched around the circle with them. Many of the kids' costumes were creative, and there weren't many duplicates (and no other m&ms). It took both Mommy and Daddy screaming full blast to get Peanut to look for this picture, but we were definitely not the only crazy overzealous parents there. Besides, no one really knows us at this school yet (but we didn't have any offers of friendship after our screaming, either).

In a strange twist, it was actually Peanut who wanted to come home first from our night of going door-to-door. Pumpkin was having a blast and wasn't even afraid of some of the scary scenes some of our neighbors created (although he did voice his disapproval of the googly eye glasses given out at one house in lieu of candy that Peanut is holding in the picture below). The funniest image of the evening was watching Pumpkin attempting to grab handfuls of candy from the nice neighbors' bowls when they offered with his huge rubber gloves on. Peanut ditched his gloves earlier, but Pumpkin was determined to complete the look while in public.

I have to admit that I will be excited if we can accomplish another brotherly costume choice next year. I am sure that there won't be many years left where they will want to choose a costume together since next year, Pumpkin might actually have a say.

But since I didn't have this blog this time last year, anyone care to guess the brotherly duo my boys represented in 2007? All I can tell you is that it was an incredible feat!

The Power of Prayer

2008-11-05T21:07:00.005-05:00

First, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you who expressed your kindness after reading my last post. I truly appreciated your genuine thoughts and prayers during what is always a difficult time for me and my family.

Secondly, I just wanted to update you on a previous post. Once told her baby would most certainly die of a heart condition, MckMama's baby boy was born last week -- with no signs of his previous believed-to-be-fatal heart failure. The doctors are all scratching their heads, but she isn't. She believes it might have something to do with the fact that she has had 1,595,304 visits to her blog and that she has 1187 loyal blog followers who all united in prayer for her family. It truly is a MckMiracle!

I promise that my next post will include Halloween costumes and two sweet little boys. Any guesses what they were? I'll give you a hint: I would love some right now!

Uncle Ken

2008-10-28T21:10:00.015-04:00

Me and my brother, Ken 1974

(UPDATE: See the bottom of this post)

I have hosted this blog for ten months now, and I usually try to keep my topics fairly upbeat and lighthearted. But I can't deny what is in my heart right now, and I want this blog to be honest. Anyone who knows me also knows the one topic I rarely discuss but that always shapes my perspective on life. Friends send me cards around this time of year -- those real, true friends who never forget no matter how hectic their lives are. And it is so important to me that they still remember. Especially since this event happened exactly twenty years ago on Halloween.

I was one of those girls who needed a boyfriend or I questioned my self-worth. So silly to think of now, but I am being honest. In seventh grade, I met a boy named Blaine* who I thought was the equivalent of heaven on earth. And in a shocking twist, despite my total insecurity, he became my first boyfriend in eighth grade. I was smitten with him as only a young teenage girl can be, and this first love lasted well into my high school years. Only it didn't last that long for him. We had a strange on-again, off-again sort of relationship. But during one of our on-again moments, I came back from a short vacation to my grandparents to the phone ringing. It was my friend, Hannah.* She called to tell me that I should brace myself because something happened while I was away. Blaine was now off the market. His girlfriend? None other than Hannah herself, gleeful to tell me of her apparent victory.

* Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

I hit the lowest point I can remember in high school. I had known many of my friends since nursery school, and I couldn't believe that a "friend" or a boyfriend who I thought was so amazing could be so completely disloyal. And the best part was that I got to watch them hand in hand, smooching, and Hannah deliberately eyeing me while she pulled Blaine closer. I felt like I was starring in a really bad remake of a John Hughes film. And while I can make fun of myself at how much I allowed my self-esteem suffer over a ridiculous high school romance, it really felt like the end of the world to me. I started to think terrible thoughts, and those thoughts consumed me.

Ken and me, 1984

What pulled me out of my rock bottom existence? Well, I had friends that didn't give up on me, despite how miserable I was. But my brother and a few of his football friends really helped the most. My brother, Ken, and I didn't usually discuss the nitty-gritty details of our respective boyfriends or girlfriends, but one day, Ken sat down and asked what was going on with Blaine. We were receiving endless hang-up phone calls night after night, and it was driving all of my family members crazy (remember, it was pre-Caller ID). I told Ken that I thought it was Hannah, and then explained the chain of events. In his big brother way, he was furious that a) Blaine would break my heart -- again, and b) that my "friend" made me question so many of my values. To get even, Ken -- a towering 6'3," 200-pound football player whose build was so muscular that the arms on his shirts didn't fit -- walked me down the hallway to one of my classes every day. When Blaine crossed our path, Ken and his football friends would make snide remarks or step in his way. I know; it wasn't very nice, but I appreciated them sticking up for me and my fallen self-respect so much. And speaking of respect, Ken was extremely well-respected by both his peers and his teachers, not only for his athletic talents, but for his unbelievable SAT scores and his famously witty (albeit goofy) sense of humor. He was honor society president and graduated at the top of his class with a scholarship to an extremely competitive college. In my mind, he personified success. He had everything, and even when we had our typical sibling squabbles, I was so proud he was my brother.

Fast forward a few years to Halloween night of my first semester in college, many hours from home. I came back from choir and band rehearsals to my phone ringing as I opened the door. I didn't make it inside in time to answer, but I listed to my answering machine and had several messages from campus security. OH NO! I thought. I knew what had happened. During one of their routine freshman room checks, they had found my toaster. We had been warned that such items were strictly off-limits and that they would be confiscated and the owners would receive appropriate punishment. I was certain I would have to beg them to allow me to stay in college and not expel me. What would my parents think??? Just then, a friend came by as the phone rang again. It was security again, and they needed me to report to their office immediately. I convinced my friend to accompany me for moral support.

When I got there, I met two security guards who escorted me in another room where my resident advisor (whom I had talked to about twice) was sitting. I was handed the phone.

I still wish it was the toaster.

On the other end of the phone was my mom. I was very confused. I don't remember the conversation. I only remember the news.

My big brother had committed suicide.

I still can't say that -- or write that -- without tears. My world was shattered. Twenty years later, my feelings are not much different. My childhood hero and my only sibling is gone. How could he have helped me through my own depression, yet never told anyone about his own? My family and I have been deprived of so many moments we should have shared. Every milestone is difficult to achieve without him: my college graduation, my first teaching job, my marriage, and, of course, my children. My husband would have bonded with him over Monty Python, horror films, and 80s heavy metal. And my boys would have loved their Uncle Ken, his silly jokes, his made-up songs, and his infectious laugh more than I can imagine.

After every store puts away their back-to-school merchandise, I dread the constant reminders of the day that is looming. And turning the calendar over to October year after year has never gotten any easier. I often wonder if it would be less ominous if Ken's death had not occurred on Halloween. The anniversary of anyone's death is difficult, yet every year, when the leaves begin to turn, I am met with an increasing supply of ghosts, skeletons, and dead creatures seemingly reminding me of the day that is quickly approaching. But this year is even harder. Ken took his life when he was twenty. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of his death. That means that after this Halloween, with each day that passes, the amount of time Ken has been gone will outweigh the days Ken spent here on earth. I have difficulty writing that, too.

If you saw my last post, there is evidence that I have come a long way. Before having children, I would have never even considered donning my doorstep with pumpkins or any festive decorations -- most certainly not a ghost. But my needs take a backseat to my little boys' needs, and I understand the childhood excitement and anticipation of Halloween. But my Halloween will never be a "happy" one. It will always be a reminder of the loss of all that once was and all that could have been.

And Big Brother, you would have made a terrific Uncle Ken.

And I still love you more than words can tell.

To read more about my brother, Ken, you are invited to visit his memory blog here.

UPDATE: You can also read my anniversary post on Ken's memory blog here, which includes the story of the original song I wrote about him when I was eighteen, which you can listen to here.

Pumpkinland (May contain added Peanuts)

2008-10-25T12:20:00.010-04:00

We went to the most kid-friendly orchard recently to pick out some pumpkins with the boys. One of my friends suggested it, and she was right! There was so much to do and see:

Peanut loved the painted pumpkins. He picked a small one for himself and a miniature pumpkin for his little pumpkin of a brother.

This was a corn husk tee pee. The boys enjoyed running endless circles in it. Our apologies to the nice family who was just trying to capture a serene moment with their own children in the tee pee while our children attempted to crash their photo-op.

Yes, of course I dressed my own pumpkin in a pumpkin outfit. What you can't see is the best part; the hood has a green leaf with a stem at the top. Pumpkin flatly refused to wear the hood, despite the cold wind that day. I guess there is only so much a mommy can get away with in the boys' cute department.

They also had several of these wooden cut-outs which were a big hit...

...with all three of my favorite boys.

Then we paid a whopping fee (!!!) for each of us to go through the hay bale maze. It's for little kids, so how hard could it be? We stopped asking this question after running into the same two families over and over again. I think we were in there for a good forty minutes when we decided to go out the entrance because we were afraid we would end up sleeping in the maze that night. With a few cheers and claps when we exited the entrance, the kids were none the wiser.

Another great part of this orchard was this adorable playground with wooden apple carts, tractors, and castles to climb and play in. Don't ask how fast Peanut got to the top of this castle and how long it took him to get down. Apparently, I passed on my fear of heights and inability to slide down fireman poles.

Even our lunch was entertaining. They had numerous choices of foods and snacks, and we were serenaded by a band as the kids marveled at this juggling clown on stilts.

Oh, and there is one piece of evidence that I was there, too. But every pic of me and the boys turns out like this. Hello...the camera is over here, guys.

When we got home, Peanut wanted to decorate the house with pumpkins and the silly ghost he picked out. (The painted pumpkins are decorating the dining room.)

It was a great time! I can't wait to go for Easter when they change Pumpkinland into.....Bunnyland! :)

Serves me right...

2008-10-20T20:34:00.008-04:00

...for trying to get another sweet picture of the boys together.

First, this happens:

(Check out Peanut's "mean face.")

And then, this happens:

(I don't think I have to explain the issues I have here, do I?)

Oh, well. Our boys are obviously not lacking little personalities, right?!? Besides, if all I had were pictures of them both looking angelic, they would certainly not have genuine momentos of their respective childhoods. Just remember that I am trying to preserve their true characters if you get a Christmas card photo with a grimace or a belly shot, okay?

Boys will be (sweet) boys

2008-10-12T21:51:00.004-04:00

On our trip home from the in-laws this weekend, my husband and I heard some delightful words in the backseat:

Peanut: I love you, Pumpkin.*

Pumpkin: I love you, Peanut.*

Peanut: Wanna share my helicopter?

Pumpkin: Sure! (Peanut gives Pumpkin his helicopter.)

Peanut: Can I see your car?

Pumpkin: Okay! (Pumpkin gives Peanut his car.)

Peanut: We just shared, Mommy and Daddy.

Mommy: Great job, guys!

Pumpkin: Cough, cough.

Peanut: Are you okay, Pumpkin?*

Pumpkin: Yeah, I'm okay. Wanna see my helicopter?

Peanut: Okay! (Pumpkin and Peanut trade toys again.)

Peanut proceeds to sing his made-up counting song that begins at one and ends at ten thousand. Pumpkin joins in to the best of his ability.

I bring this perfectly sunny example of their loving brotherly relationship to you not to brag or to bore you with happily-ever-after stories, but rather as proof. Sometimes, when everything gets incredibly hectic -- when Pumpkin is cranky and has thrown the millionth Thomas the Train track while Peanut is patiently trying to put it together, or when Peanut trips on a leaf in the grass and Pumpkin laughs which upsets him even more, or when the boys decide that it's time to jump on Mommy's back while I am trying to play with them after a rough day at school -- it's good to remember that these times do exist. It's good to think back to a sweet sitcom-esque situation and remind myself that -- whatever the dilemma -- it will not last forever, and we will indeed get "back to normal" (whatever that is) soon. Today, when I was listening to their exchange, I couldn't help but imagine them as older boys, with Peanut sticking up for his younger brother and the two of them still the best of friends. I realize this is awfully idealistic of me, but it is a wonderful possibility to daydream about. And I just had to put it in writing as proof to me, their daddy, and perhaps --someday -- even proof to them that they were often this sweet to one another. Please try to remind me of this the next time I am in the middle of calming a nasty tantrum, okay?

*My children actually call each other by their real names (in case there was any doubt), even though Mommy often uses their nicknames (and many derivations of those nicknames).

It's hard being five and a half...

2008-10-07T00:00:00.001-04:00

That's right, just around the corner of the calendar from his little brother, Peanut is five and a half today. And it's not that easy being five and a half. For example:

Even if the character from one of your favorite shows is making an appearance at your local zoo, that doesn't mean you actually want to meet said character.

You have to share all of your toys with your little brother, but when you want him to share a toy with you, he throws it across the room instead.

Every day at recess, the same kid pretends he is shooting you, and you know that playing that you are shooting isn't allowed. You tell the teacher but it still happens every day. Then when you shake hands too hard one morning with the "shooters kid," you get in trouble and have to sit in "the thinking chair."

You wanted to shop with Mommy for your Halloween costume, but the stores with the costumes are all too scary.

If you do the same thing your little brother does, it's not okay because "you know better."

Your parents make you eat your food at dinner and not just the butter on top of the food.

Your mommy wants to kiss you all of the time and you want to wipe them off, but you know that makes her sad.

You are too big for your parents to carry you around now, even when you are really, really, super tired.

Your parents get annoyed when you get out of bed for the third time, but this time it was just to remind them that you love them.

Happy 5 1/2, Peanut. Despite all of the hardships of being a kid your age, you are a great big brother and a bright kindergartner, and we love you soooo much. (Just don't tell anyone how many years-and-a-half Mommy is today. Your great memory is dangerous!)

Two and a half today...

2008-09-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

Don't let this innocent-looking, lollipop-gooped sticky face fool you.

When Peanut, his older brother, was turning three, I remember thinking, "Wow....The 'terrible twos' weren't so bad. Whew! We made it through unscathed!" When I voiced my relief to a girlfriend, she quickly shot me down. "Oh, 'the twos' are nothing. It's 'the threes' that are the worst for a boy!" So, while at the time I truly did not appreciate her candor, "the threes" actually were a bit more tantrum-filled for Peanut. (Although I really have to wonder sometimes why moms constantly feel the need to "one-up" each other. Can't you just allow me to enjoy my ignorant bliss once in a while?!?)

Anyway, let's hope the same does not prove true for little Pumpkin up there. Because, in all honesty, if his "threes" are worse than his "twos," we may need to call for backup. At times, my precious silly boy is the most loving little toddler on the planet. And then, with virtually no warning, he morphs into a flailing, shrieking, throwing maniac whom we barely recognize.

And today, Pumpkin is officially 2 1/2. I could look at that two ways: 1) I am in the throes of the total tantrum stage, and I had better just accept it and pray, or 2) I only have six months left of the "terrible twos," and the threes have just got to be better, right? Just don't tell my aforementioned friend that second philosophy. I'd prefer to remain in my happy place right now and keep hoping that Pumpkin is just mature for his age and that my kindhearted second-born will reemerge without his evil twin someday very soon.

Until then...if you need me, you can probably find me presiding over the third time-out before dinner. Happy 2 1/2, Pumpkin! :)

The Sailboat Sandwich

2008-09-21T22:38:00.006-04:00

Update: No one really guessed, but I have to share that my husband did not learn this trick from his mom, either of his aunts, or from reading one of my many parenting magazines. No, my husband learned this from....his college fraternity. One of his tasks when he was pledging was to make this sandwich for a frat brother. Just visualize that for a second. Other guys had to do goodness-knows-what, and he had to make a sailboat sandwich. Just when you think you have guys all figured out, they do something unexpectedly cute like this. :)

When Peanut was old enough to begin eating sandwiches on a regular basis, my husband began a staple in our household known as "the sailboat sandwich." While making one recently, I thought I would share this fun tradition with my nice blog readers. So, here are the easy steps:

1) Make whatever type of sandwich your little one desires (Peanut --no shock here -- prefers the classic PB & J, but most sandwiches will work. I don't think I would recommend it for hot sandwiches like grilled cheese, though.)

2) Cut off the rounded part of the sandwich to make the boat, like this:

3) Then cut the leftover rectangle to make two triangles, seen here:

4) Flip the triangles so that they form two sails, like this:

5) Add Goldfish crackers (or whatever your kiddo likes) and enjoy!

Do any of you other moms out there do this? And do any of you have any sandwich or lunch tricks up your sleeves that you haven't divulged yet? I would love to hear them!

P.S. You may be as surprised as I was to hear that, no, my husband did not learn to make this adorable sandwich from his mom. Bonus points to anyone who correctly guesses who taught him this toddler trick. :) (And stop right there, Honey; you are ineligible.)

My Kindergarten Kid

2008-09-14T20:23:00.006-04:00

(Alternately titled Better Late than Never...)

Peanut is a kindergartner. It's hard to believe, especially since it seems we just took these first day of school pictures....

Preschool, Age 3

Preschool, Age 4

Kindergarten, Age 5

But here he is going off to kindergarten, and pictures don't lie. I guess it is also now an obvious fact that Mommy associates green and navy blue with the first day of school. I had no idea I even did that until now, but my excuse is that Peanut's favorite color is green. I'll have to remember to continue the tradition next year. I am also continuing the tradition of taking Peanut's picture by the front door as I remember my mom doing. It's easy to see how much he has grown just in two years based on the door panels; I hope we don't throw all of that off by eventually buying a new front door as we intend to do in the semi-near future. Anyway, I'm off to say a little prayer for my peanut that he doesn't have to "go sit at the table" tomorrow at school. Apparently, the transition into kindergarten has caused much discussion with my son (i.e. he talks too much). His teacher was very encouraging about his adjustment and reassured me that most all of the children have been sent to the table at some point. But since neither my husband nor I were talkers in school, my mother-in-law has offered to take credit for this trait. Whew! Thanks, Gemma. :)

Bug Me, Please

2008-09-10T20:00:00.002-04:00

Another tradition around our house this summer was bug hunting. I think I have made my feelings on this topic explicitly clear, but we have had many bug excursions in the backyard in the past few months. My boys are such bug enthusiasts that we even got them these shirts which tout their love of many-legged creatures (Peanut's says "Insect Inspector" and Pumpkin's says "I dig bugs").

The boys enjoy searching for little critters together.

Those poor bugs never have a chance when they meet this one. He has been known on several occasions to come running at me with one dangling from his just-slimed hand: "Wook, Mommy! A worm/swug/centipede!" In case you were wondering, slug goo requires many minutes of heavy-duty soap washing to be fully removed from the hand of a toddler.

Peanut is quite serious about his bug treasures.

Do any of you have these all over your trees like we do? My boys can't get enough of them. They are exoskeletons of a cicadas (but we call them locust shells). I guess I should be thankful that they aren't still creeping and crawling; seriously, I am itchy just writing about them. But what a talented Houdini-like feat for these insects to escape the "shell" and leave it all intact! Peanut has recently learned that you can hook one right back on a tree (where Mommy prefers) or to someone's shirt. My apologies in advance to the first innocent little girl whom he tries this trick on in the future.

How I Spent My First Week of School

2008-09-05T21:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, class...raise your hands if you remember this post. Yeah, I thought so.

I guess my appendages had rested long enough. And not to be outdone by their sister, the right baby toe, they decided to act out and rebel.

First, it was my right index finger. You know, the one you do everything with.

It was my first teacher day back to school. (No, I am really not kidding.) When the summer rolls around, the school custodians wax the classroom floors. As a result, the desks, file cabinets, tables, and everything that comes in contact with the floor sticks. I decided my first order of business was to move the furniture back where I wanted all of it. I attempted to move my desk first, and it refused to budge. Just then, I spied a friend walking down the hall and asked for his assistance. He helped me move it and reminded me that I was not actually a complete weakling; the wax just makes everything difficult to move. So when he left, I thought myself quite capable of moving my many student desks alone. But desk after desk was stuck to the floor, and it became frustrating. So, a little more elbow grease couldn't hurt, right?

Wrong. It did hurt. Badly.

I managed to push so hard on that desk that it practically flew backwards...into the one behind it. Except my index finger was still stuck there in between them. Yeah.

And then I went for a double feature. The very next night, I stubbed my fourth toe on our cat's scratching pad. The thing is made of cardboard, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?

Ahhh...wrong again. It hurt pretty badly. Again.

The good news is that, while I managed to bang up my finger and toe in two days flat, neither of them could hold a candle to this debacle of a toe injury. And since I know you are dying to know, that little piggy has not been normal since. While obviously no longer discolored, it now no longer resembles a piggy, either, and looks rather like a little sausage.

I'll try not to injure myself again for a few more months. Apparently changes bring on severe cases of klutziness for me. And while I would love to change back to my summer schedule again, I don't think my fingers and toes could take it.

Goin' Dutch

2008-08-31T21:00:00.000-04:00

As our last hurrah before school began, we decided to take the boys to their very first amusement park. Peanut had been on the rides at the beach, and after Pumpkin's first partially-successful attempt at the beach rides, we figured it was worth a shot. Many of my friends recommended we try Dutch Wonderland since it specifically caters to young children, so away we went!

We're here!

In front of the castle entrance...

Peanut's first ride at the park. Think he liked it?!?

Pumpkin got excited when he saw the monster trucks (his first ride there) and threw a fit when it was time to get off (so the nice people at the park let them all go a second time).

Peanut's first pony ride...

...and Pumpkin's first pony ride! He was a very proud li'l cowboy. (And yes...I was crying. Again.)

Peanut's first kiddie roller coaster! (I think Daddy had as much fun as Peanut did, considering how many times they went back on!)

Our first Thomas the Tank Engine live show!

And after sitting down for some yummy Dippin' Dots for everyone, we headed back home after a great day of fun.

And Pumpkin showed his utter appreciation about ten whole seconds later.

What an amusing day filled with firsts!

A Summer Tradition

2008-08-30T16:37:00.008-04:00

Every summer, we make sure to visit Pop Pop and Grandma (my dad and his wife) and go to our favorite beach with them. They live a lot closer than we do, and it is a fun way to incorporate a visit with them while hittin' the sand. They came up with a great idea this year to go to a much less-populated part of the beach and then walk the boardwalk and ride the rides as usual. Here are some highlights:

Peanut is happy as a clam!

Pop Pop carries Pumpkin back from chasing the seagulls (his new favorite beach activity).

Pumpkin's first ride EVER (at age 2) on the same boat as Peanut's first ride EVER (when he was 2, too!) P.S. I am fairly sure this was my first ride ever as well. Why yes, of course I was crying.

Well, now Pumpkin is crying...he definitely liked the boats better. I took him off the Merry Go Round after this picture (and before the ride actually began). He was content for the rest of our visit in my arms or in his stroller. But isn't this a cute picture of Peanut and Daddy?!?

Our grandparent beach trip was a lot of fun, and we plan to do it all again next summer!

Tag...You're It!

2008-08-26T21:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, okay...I know I have been neglecting my poor blog lately. And I am sorry. It's not that I don't have blog-worthy material; I have plenty. It's not that I don't have cute pictures to share; I have plenty. But it is that I have lost about nine hours of my time each day, and of that, I don't have plenty. But if you see those nine hours running away in a late summer breeze somewhere, could you steal them back for me? I really miss them.

Anyway, until I get to all of my fun end-of-summer and back-to school posts, I have to attend to some blog business. For the first time in the seven months I have hosted this blog, I have been tagged! And from what I gather, that means you are subjected to my answers to various questions which have been passed from blog to blog. So thanks to my new blog friend, Tiff! Here are my responses:

4 Things

4 things that I was doing 10 years ago:

1) I was a newlywed, married only a year, wishing summer didn't have to end (some things never change).
2) I was beginning a new teaching job closer to home after commuting 62 miles (one way!) for an entire school year.
3) I was totally obsessed with all things Titanic, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
4) I was wishing I had more time to do things on my days off besides lesson planning (and I would later learn what the word "busy" really meant after having children).

4 things on my To-Do list for today:

1) Blog something!
2) Remind Peanut for the 47th time since yesterday that he should sit -- not lie down -- during circle time (as his kindergarten teacher has probably also already told him 47 times in the past two days).
3) Make Peanut's lunch without his surprise Cars fruit snacks since he "never got to eat his sandwich because the fruit snacks took too long."
4) Get to bed at a decent hour and thank God for these wonderful boys that I get to worry about all day long.

4 random things I love about my husband:

1) He uses the best grammar of any normal guy I have ever met.
2) He has sent me flowers every year on the first day of school for the past sixteen years.
3) He doesn't wake up grumpy, and he knows how to deal with me when I (often) do.
4) He is an extremely sentimental, thoughtful giftgiver who tells me on a daily basis how much he loves me even when I don't deserve it.

4 jobs that I have had:

1) Salesperson at various retail stores: It's a Breeze, The Dry Goods, Boscov's, Leggett's, Dress Barn, Sunglass Hut
2) Telephone operator and announcer at Service Merchandise: "Good evening shoppers, and thank you for choosing Service Merchandise. The time is now 8:55 and the store will be closing in five minutes..."
3) Receptionist at a hair salon (I wasn't very good; sometimes I would forget how much time to plan for all of those early-90s spiral perms)
4) Private flute teacher

4 movies I've watched more than once:

1) When Harry Met Sally
2) Pretty Woman
3) The Breakfast Club
4) About Last Night

4 places I have lived:

1) A dorm room next to a stairwell where I could hear everyone's conversations
2) An apartment where the heating bills were more expensive than my rent
3) A townhouse with three girls I had never met before moving in
4) A home in the suburbs where we used to play kick-the-can with all of the neighborhood until my dad whistled for us to come back inside after dark

4 places I have been:

1) Poland
2) Czech Republic
3) Germany
4) Bermuda

4 places I want to visit:

1) France
2) Italy
3) Great Britain
4) Australia

4 TV shows I watch:

1) Big Brother
2) Grey's Anatomy
3) American Idol
4) The Bachelor[ette]

4 things you may not know about me:

1) I love it when things match. If Garanimals were made for grown-ups, I'd be in heaven.
2) Before we had children, our guest room was devoted to Hello Kitty, and several of my rare items were purchased on eBay from Hong Kong.
3) I don't have any first cousins, and neither do my children.
4) I was in two fairly bad car accidents as a teenager (I was not driving!) and have chronic back and neck problems as a result; I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia about ten years ago.

4 people I tag:

Lisa
Kelly
Kristin
Sarah

Whew! Hope that post was somewhat interesting. I'll be back soon with pictures; I promise!

Singin' the Back-to-School Blues

2008-08-17T21:34:00.006-04:00

I should be used to this feeling because it has come over me every year for the past five years. But it doesn't make it any easier. The tears just keep coming. You see, I am technically two different types of mommy. In the summer, I get to experience stay-at-home mommyhood. But then, just as soon as I am really getting used to my new schedule and having my little men all to myself, -- wham! -- it's time to go back to work again.

Don't get me wrong; I love my job most days. I am aware that I am quite fortunate to be able to even have a job that offers two months off (no, we do not have three months off as urban legend would suggest!). But I miss those little boys. Desperately.

Somehow, the day before I return to work, all of the whines, temper tantrums, and messiness in the world mean nothing, and I only want to spend a few more precious days with my children...just us, playing together and relaxing on our lazy summer days, doing what we want, when we want. I realize I am not actually leaving my children; after all, I will pick them up every afternoon as per our usual school schedule. But it won't be the same. I will be preoccupied with all of the work I still have to do well beyond my "workday," Peanut will be starting kindergarten (!) and he will have his own brand new preoccupations, and Pumpkin will be read to and put down for naps by his babysitter and not his mommy.

Once I get back into the swing of things, I'll be okay. But I am never good at change, and these little boys of mine just change so darn fast. So excuse me while I relish the memories of these happy summer days that are gone way too soon with tissues in hand. I have to morph into Working Mommy tomorrow, and tissues will be a required part of the uniform for the first few days.

Budding Artiste Matisse?

2008-08-09T19:30:00.005-04:00

When I was little, I loved to draw, color, create. I took oil painting, cartooning, and kids' crafts lessons. However, loving something doesn't necessarily equate excelling at something. Actually, I do remember winning my fair share of coloring contests, but I was always pretty good at staying in the lines. Drawing the actual lines myself, however, proved to be more difficult. As I got older, I realized the terrific artistic talents of other classmates and stuck to writing and music as my main areas of interest. And that is why I was in complete amazement when I witnessed my two-year-old's most recent doodles:

I had to document them because they were gone as quickly as they were drawn with one pull of the lever. Considering my own artistic abilities, I was pretty proud of my little 28 month-old. All I know is, I'm giving credit to the recessive genes!

P.S. I am not discrediting the artistic talents of my husband, of course. He drew some pretty impressive Bob the Builder characters with chalk on our walkway just this afternoon.

Completely Unsolicited

2008-08-04T14:20:00.001-04:00

The other day as I was folding laundry, Pumpkin came running up to me and landed in my arms.

Pumpkin: Mommy? I duv you.

Me: Awww...I love you, too, Honey! Thank you! [big smooch]

Pumpkin: You're wecum, Honey.

Luckily you didn't witness this, or you would have seen a mommy blubbering at her toddler's first independent offering of love without provocation yet snorting at the term of endearment he repeated to me. I'm sure it wasn't a pretty sight, but the memory will remain beautiful in my mind!

Have your children ever called you something funny (Honey)?

Treat Yourself

2008-07-31T12:01:00.000-04:00

Is there anything better on a hot summer night than licking a popsicle?

My boys sure don't think so!

What's your favorite summertime treat?

Heavy heart

2008-07-29T14:19:00.003-04:00

I have been thinking a lot about the heart these past few days: how much love a mommy's heart can hold for her unborn child, how much our hearts ache when a crisis strikes, and how we all search for friends who share their hearts with us. I am choosing to post these thoughts because my own heart has been consumed by the trials of another mother and her unborn baby's condition since Saturday. It doesn't matter that I have never met this mommy in person; I have shared silly puns with her, related to her stories of her three children, and smiled at her tremendous attitude through adversity. She has been courageous enough to continue sharing her heart through her blog, even though she is hospitalized and awaiting a miracle for her unborn baby. Since I originally found her blog last year through a prayer request of another favorite blog of mine, I thought it only fitting to do the only thing I can: ask that you consider including her in your own thoughts, prayers, and, of course, hearts.

Shameless Husband Plug

2008-07-23T22:15:00.001-04:00

So, besides being the most wonderful husband on the face of the earth, my spouse is also a total movie buff who can remember more about a movie he saw twenty years ago than I can remember about my agenda yesterday. However, he's not just a great film source, he also is a writer by trade, and a darn good one at that (no bias; I promise). I could argue that one of the main qualities that attracted me to my husband was his prose. Yes, I know I am a dork (didn't you read this post?!?), but when my then-major-crush wrote me letter after letter with total grammatical correctness, I knew I had found my soulmate. No one that married me would use a preposition at the end of a sentence or commit a comma splice. So, why am I so profusely touting my husband's writing abilities and film knowledge?

Well, because my husband has been terribly supportive of my rather new extra-curricular activity of blogging, now I need to return the favor.

While most of you reading this are women, most of you also have husbands and children. And lots of husbands (and children) like to watch movies. And if you are anything like us, you don't have much time to waste on movies that are sub-par. My husband's new blog to the rescue! His blog is dedicated to fathers who like movies, but have very little time to watch. He reviews children's movies and also movies that go beyond the rating of "G" for parents. And while it is aimed at the father figure, anyone can enjoy this blog. He even makes a special point in each review to address whether kids and moms will like the film as well.

So, what are you still doing reading this? Hop on over to FilmFather and see for yourself. And leave a comment so he knows you were nice enough to visit while you're at it.

We now return to our regularly scheduled blog. :)

I [still] do

2008-07-19T08:30:00.010-04:00

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the floor of my dorm room writing while three of my sorority sisters were chatting at the end of our junior year. Sensing my exclusion from the group, one of my friends asked in a semi-accusatory tone, "Kristin, what are you doing?!? Are you sending him a card?" I admitted I was, but we all knew I had a serious crush on him, and he was graduating from college, which is a big deal. The laughter ensued. I retorted in my best fake-serious voice, "Well, I will send him this card, and then he will have my address, and then he will write me a letter to thank me, and then I will write him back, and then we will stay in touch and start dating, and then we will get married and have children and live happily ever after." I smiled, proud of myself. And then, the real laughter ensued.

But you know what? I am still having the last laugh, because -- believe it or not -- that is exactly what happened.

And on our anniversary, eleven years after we said our vows, he is still my biggest crush, my best friend, my everything. And I feel so humbled that he still feels the same way about me.

And they lived happily ever after....

Our Blog-Neglected Daughter

2008-07-16T16:04:00.003-04:00

I'll bet some of you who have been reading my blog didn't even know we have a little girl. She arrived just months after we were married because I told my husband that we just had to adopt as soon as we found a place to live. She will be turning eleven years old in a few weeks, and she rarely backtalks, fights with her brothers, or complains about her dinner choices. She also has been a great sleeper and was potty-trained when she was only weeks old. Isn't she gorgeous (and fluffy)?

Her birthname is Bumpkin (we got her out in the country), but we have referred to her as "Boo Boo Kitty" (a' la Shirley from the sitcom Laverne and Shirley) ever since I can remember. She is a purebred Persian whose owners apparently didn't believe she was "show quality," so we lucked out and she moved in with us at about nine weeks old. She and I are the only girls in the house, and like me, she is very girly. We joke that she should be frolicking around the house in a tutu, except -- also like me -- she is a bit on the klutzy side for a cat. She weighs a mere six pounds, and my best guess is that two of those pounds are purely fur.

Like most Persians, she is a quiet kitty who only meows her sweet "mew" when she is happy or wanting a treat. She also has this amazing ability to "chirp" when she is scratched at the perfect angle under her chin, although this unique noise of affection is saved for special occasions. As a younger cat, she frequently ran down the stairs and then did a crab-like gallivant which finished in one final spectacular hop in front of us. We called it her gazelle impression, although, in all honesty, I have never seen a gazelle or any other animal put on such a performance. Lastly, Boo Boo frequently tells us that she loves us. Don't believe me? Well, I read the book 277 Secrets Your Cat Wants You to Know by Paulette Cooper and Paul Noble soon after we adopted our little girl, and I learned something I had never known about all the cats I loved growing up: Cats communicate their contentment, friendship, and love by blinking at another creature. It is a very slow, intentional, deliberate blink, so it is easy to see. I tried blinking at her immediately after reading that passage, and she blinked back! Now it has become habitual for us to blink at each other, and she blinks at my husband as well. (I once got a fearful cat down the steps of my dad's house by patiently blinking at her every so often. It sounds a bit silly, but it works!)

But as I said, Boo Boo will be eleven in a few weeks, and she is now a "senior cat" as our veterinarian informed us. And maybe her age is to blame for her forgetfulness, because she has been "forgetting" to go to the bathroom in her litter box and chooses to go on the carpeting in the hallway or on the carpeting in our master bedroom. (Sidenote: she has had blood and urine tests and has been declared totally healthy! So, this is a behavioral issue and thankfully not a health problem.) We have moved litter boxes to her chosen places, we have had our carpets professionally cleaned with animal deterrent, and my husband has used every cat product known to man (some more costly than others) to keep her from continuing this nasty habit to no avail. We finally gave in and paid for a prescription of anti-anxiety medication for her (the vet said this often helps), but she foamed at the mouth for several minutes after barely tasting it. We have since paid for another medication that can be inserted in her ears, but when my husband and I saw the rubber gloves and the child warnings, we became a bit skeptical.

Finally, if it isn't enough that our two-year-old human child is now in a clingy stage, for the past several months now, Boo Boo has chosen her perfect sleeping spot out of all five bedrooms and various other rooms: on top of my head on my pillow. Trust me; we have tried to move her. My wonderful husband has even attempted to put her on his head on his pillow. Nope. I tried the child sleep techniques like saying nothing and moving her out of my bed right away, and she simply does not tire of jumping back up (and at one point, she actually hissed, which I have only seen her do twice in her life). Anyway, I am more tired than usual. And my husband is more tired than usual of cleaning cat pee out of carpets.

But we do love our little Boo Boo dearly. She is our sweet, furry little daughter. However, if you know of any cat whisperers, please send them our way (or if you have any tricks, pass them along, too!). I guess we should look on the bright side: at least one of our sons isn't peeing on the carpet and sleeping on my head, right?!?

Math Lesson

2008-07-13T15:33:00.010-04:00

One five-year-old son...

PLUS one decorative glass stone...

MINUS logical thinking...

EQUALS one trip to the children's hospital...

PLUS several X-rays, which (thankfully)...

DIVIDE our worries, but...

MULTIPLY our bathroom chores.

And how did you spend your weekend?

UPDATE: Thanks for the concern, everyone. Peanut is, in fact, okay. He doesn't know why he swallowed the glass stone, but I doubt he will do that again. After complaining of a stomachache and passing on his dinner, he soon passed something else. We (and by "we," I mean "my husband") located the object and disposed of it (much to our son's chagrin who wanted to save it as a souvenir).

P.S. Don't forget to vote in my new survey.

K-I-S-S-I-N-Gross!

2008-07-09T15:54:00.006-04:00

Recently, Peanut was watching Chicken Little in the living room while I was in the kitchen. All of the sudden, I heard him say, "Eeeeeew! Gaa-ross!" Knowing we had both seen this film enough times to recite the lines and also knowing there was nothing remotely gross in it, I thought maybe something had gone awry in the other room. When I came in, this is what I saw:

I can't believe it is beginning already! Of course, I had to ask, "Why is that gross? They are animals!" to which he responded, "Eeeew! Kissing is gross!" I couldn't leave well enough alone, and I reminded him, "You kiss me all the time." Then I saw the little wheels in his head turning. Hmmm. Is anyone surprised that he isn't giving kisses as freely now? Good one, Mommy.

A few minutes later, he added, "I don't really like girls." I laughed and named some of his friends who are girls, and then I said, "And I'm a girl." He made a face, thought for a second, and then said, as he walked upstairs, "But you're not a real girl."

Sigh. My first baby is growing up!