Confessions of a grocery store beating

Gage and Aspen are off track right now, and let me just tell you how I love off track. I always have these delusions that off track is going to be sooo much fun, I plan, prepare and try to keep the kids entertained 24 hours a day for 3 weeks. But instead of all my creative plans Gage and Trace would rather beat on each other. Soo, they have been banned from all play wrestling, sword fighting, boxing matches, and the likes. This came to pass after a little incident at Smith's. So picture me already at my limit because I have denied the kids the 450 items that they begged for, then they told me I was (of course) "the meanest mom ever" when I didn't cave. So on the way out the door after I scolded Trace 5 times to not use the divider rails between check stands as his own personal reformer the proudest mom moment happens. Gage turns to Trace, who is a step behind to tell him some sort of exciting news and all I hear is a giant THUD. The THUD was Trace (on the defense) giving Gage the biggest kidney punch ever in the back before he could even receive the news. So Gage lets out an OOOOWWWWWW and bends over backwards clutching his lower back. At which point Trace realizes that he has just dug the last shovel full of dirt for his own shallow grave and starts apologizing. "Sawwee Gage, sawwee, I didn't know, sawwee." This is all happening in the entrance to Smiths. So close, so very close to the door and we just couldn't make it. And all I can see playing in my head (as other customers are shaking their heads at me) is the scene from Dumb and Dumber were they are dressed up in their orange and baby blue tuxes with canes in hand and they start beating on each other. I think I may check ebay for some tiny little orange and blue tuxes, and I'll of course purchase the optional canes so we can at least film it and get some money from America's Funniest Home Videos. That will teach those judging grocery store onlookers.

The perfect day

So I love fall, and I would love for it to last right up until Christmas Eve, when the snow should start and snow everybody in for Christmas day. I'm just hoping that fall will hold out for a while longer. It always seems that around these parts you blink and fall (spring happens this way too) is gone. Yesterday we decided to take advantage of the perfect weather, and head to Tracey Aviary (the perfect price--free for UEA) and soak it in. We saw the keepers feeding the pelicans, a bird show and the 50 year old condor that is the size of a small car. We had Abby Koch with us, she was the tour guide with map in hand the entire time (I'll take her anytime Michelle, what a good girl) however, Trace felt a little dethroned (I'm sure you can't tell by the pic) having to share his "I'm the youngest" attention with another cutie. (Ruffled his feathers a bit--no pun intended!) It's good for him to share, and not so good for me to see how spooooiled he is! (yikes) So enjoy the fall, carve some pumpkins and if you have any power over the weather, grant me one wish...warm sunny weather through the middle of November for my birthday.

We're moving!!!

So Greg was just offered an awesome position on the big island of Hawaii, we're set to move before the snow falls. No more shoveling or coats for us. Dream on Sunni, don't I WISH that were true! I'd settle for a Hawaiian vacation. Seriously though, we are "moving". You know the toilet that needs a new strip of caulk, or the dings in the wall that need to be touched up. What about that closet, or drawer that need to be de junked and reorganized. Amy gave me some great advice as she was taking care of all those things before she moved to Az. She said that she would never again fix up her house to sell it. She plans to go through her house every 6 months to take care of all those little projects that add up around the house. What a great plan Amy! As you can see by the picture of my office, its at the "looks worse before it gets better stage." The good news is that my filing cabinet and all the drawers are de junked and organized! Progress. Although I'd rather just go to Hawaii.

Happy Birthday Trace!!

So I am officially an old lady now. My baby is 5 years old! I keep telling Trace that I am going to squish him back into a little baby ball, but he is not having that. I have even tried to guilt him into staying home from kindergarten next year so I won't be alone, but he says I have Jilly Boo (great I'm old, and a crazy cat lady). I guess at least he still talks with his little lisp. "Mom, I'm wiwee big now." I just love that . And I still slather him with pink baby lotion. I have him convinced that he has an allergy to the "big people lotion". I know, he's going to be totally warped, but I don't care I'll take what I can get. Today at Challenger they highlighted him and sang Happy Birthday. Then he got to show pics of himself, the day he came home from the hospital (he told them it was taken when he was 2 yrs old) and pics of him playing baseball (he told them he hits home runs). Then the teacher asked his favorite color (blue, of course) and about his favorite animal (dogs -at which point he shot me a dirty look because we only have a cat and stuffed animal dogs at our house). Then the teacher asked about his favorite food, I was expecting dinosaur nuggets, or candy but he said "mesican food". Who knew?!

Trace helped me pick out his bday presents this year. So he has been carrying them around the house in their boxes for two weeks telling me that he isn't looking at them and that he is trying to forget about them like he promised at the store. The problem with transformers is that even though I purchased the ones that said 5+ I didn't read the fine print that it is not humanly possible to transform them back into anything recognizable after your 5+ child has played with it. Its like the Rubiks cube all over again. Anyway Tracey, we love you and are so glad that you are part of our family. There will never be a dull moment with Trace in the house, and I'm looking forward to the many many sporting events I will sit through (even the ones in the dead of winter) as your #1 fan. Happy 5th big boy birthday, I love you butter!

Chicago

So I just got back from Chicago, the "windy city". Do you know why its called the windy city? Nope, nothing to do with the wind, it actually has to do with politics and all the "hot air" from the politicians. I can't talk much on the subject of politics though because I only know enough to know that I'm voting for some obscure independent party. What with all the commercials and such I'll be glad to see Nov. 4th come and go. (Mostly cause my bday is the 16th, so who cares about the 4th.) Back to Chicago, Greg had a business trip so I tagged along on. I was the true blue tourist, I sported the Seinfeld look with my white tennis shoes and jeans (I'm hot) and my camera, and the dazed look of trying to figure out my north, east, south and west directions. I saw many interesting things on my trip, and most of them weren't in the 3 museums I visited. And if I were a better photographer, who actually used my camera instead of just letting it hang around my neck I would've had some great pics to add to this blog. I missed pics of the contourtionist man in the skin tight leopard print full body leotard stuck in 2 tennis raquets, and the man frozen on a box, everything painted copper from head to toe, and the sea of women in our hotel lobby meeting for their red hat society convention (purple and red truly are the new black). I did however get a pic through the bus window of an elderly couple with great style. The man had on bright blue shoes I mean bright blue and blue socks, with grey slacks and a pale yellow cowboy shirt complete with bolo tye, and his wife had a black and white outfit on accented with the biggest red flower I have ever witnessed on a lapel. I hesitate to put their pic on my blog because 1. I took it through the window of a city bus, so the quality is lacking, and 2. it might be your grandparents and I don't want to have to pay them royalties for using their photo. It was a great trip, Chicago is a beautiful city. If you haven't had the chance to go, you should.



Make sure to stop at Gino's for some deep dish pizza with cornmeal crust. (Thanks Mich for that reccommendation), just make sure to get in line at 4 o'clock so you can eat by 7. And you will be pleasantly surprized at how NICE Chicagoans are. I was really impressed and have made a promise to myself to be more friendly to everyone I run into. I feel like we are a little snotty around these parts-probably not on purpose (and of course I don't mean you), but I think we all get a little busy and forget to smile and we could maybe exchange a few more pleasantries, or let someone merge in front of us on I15. (Yes everything in my closet is either green or white, and yes Greg and I planned to look like Christmas -who doesn't like the holidays?)

Based on a True Story

So I've just started this book called "The Marvelous Journey Home" by John M. Simmons (thanks for sharing mom). Its about adoptions from Russian orphanages. I'm only a couple of chapters into it, but so far I haven't read many pages without eyes full of tears. I just can't imagine what kind of life those children live. I'm sure the providers do the best they can with what they have, but it breaks my heart to think of any child not being loved and cared for by his or her own family. I feel so blessed to live in the U.S., I'm thankful for our oppertunties, and hopefully I don't take all the abundance that I enjoy for granted. I will have to let you know what I think of the end of this book, but until then make sure you hug your kids and tuck them in tight tonight.

Move over Cinderella...

I've got my own Fairy Godmother! So I'm digging through the bottom of my disaster closet (hence the pic on the stairs, instead of in the closet) looking for my brown shoes, and happen into what seems to be an adorable new pair of shoes. At first I pay no mind knowing that I didn't pay for the "magic closet feature" when we built the house. As I reached out to touch them sure that my hand would pass right through the mirage, I was delighted to find that they were real! Of course I tried them on right away, walking back and forth in front of my closet mirror. I may have even clicked my heels a time or two. But alas, I had only Trace and Jilly Boo (the cat) to share my new treasures with, and neither showed the sheer delight that would have only been appropriate for such a find! So, I promptly changed my outfit to match my new shoes and headed off to the temple (I told you I was going FOR SURE this week) where I may have seen and envious orthopedic shoe or two! ;) Thank you Fairy Godmother...