The Boddeker Blog

AGAIN?

2011-01-11T21:46:00.001-06:00

I'm thinking maybe I miss my blog. Maybe I'm done with Facebook. Maybe I can have both and just sleep less. Maybe I NEED to write.

Hannah got a Haircut

2010-06-09T00:45:00.001-05:00

Training Wheel Adjustment

2010-06-06T13:30:00.000-05:00

Hannah is determined to ride her bike without training wheels. We tried for awhile, but she just doesn't understand how to balance her bike yet. The training wheels went back on and off she went!

One of the sweetest things is to watch her take off on her bike to her Grandma's house. She races off pedaling at full speed, singing and talking to herself. Because she has yet to have had a hard, knee scraping fall, she rides with no fear going as fast as possible. I stand in the driveway watching her until I see her enter Grandma's house, safe and sound.

Hannah and Paul had a Fight

2010-06-04T00:37:00.000-05:00

She sure is scrappy, that one! She loves fighting with her Daddy!

Apple Junkie

2010-06-02T00:53:00.002-05:00

On Paul's nightstand table you will find an iPad, 2 iPod touches, and an iPhone.

Apple rehab...there's an App for that!

Rockpile Moves

2010-05-31T00:48:00.000-05:00

Holly and Hannah rockin' on the rock pile

Fancy Shoes, Multiple Uses

2010-05-29T00:55:00.000-05:00

Hannah calls these her "fancy shoes." Which obviously, they are. She clomps around the house in them constantly. The other day I found her wearing them outside stomping on the sidewalk. She explained to me that not only were they her fancy shoes, but they were also her worm killer shoes. It's where fashion and function meet.

Let's Pretend

2010-05-27T20:39:00.000-05:00

It seems that nearly every sentence Hannah says starts with these two words. She's very specific about how we pretend. I must do and say certain things, most of which I forget immediately. Usually I'm not needed much at all, except to agree, as in this video. I'm not really sure what is happening here, she is a cheerleader/dancer/jumproper (I think.)

Circus Day at Preschool

2010-05-25T00:56:00.000-05:00

She was the most festive clown at preschool. Unfortunately later that day she had a meltdown at Barnes & Noble and I had to carry her out while everyone witnessed the tears of a clown. I used lipstick on her face, 18 hour long lasting lipstick that lasted a lot longer than 18 hours. I believe it was 3 days before it was completely gone!

Happy 4th Birthday, Hannah!

2010-05-22T00:50:00.006-05:00

Born 2 months early, Hannah Marie's diaper was almost as big as she was!

Still bald as a cue ball, we celebrated her 1st birthday with friends and family!

By the time her 2nd birthday came around, Hannah was potty trained and talking nonstop!

Hannah started preschool when she was 3 and loved every minute of Ms. Laura's class!

And now, my sweet girl is 4 years old! Everyone says that it flies by, but it truly is amazing how quickly she has grown up! Once so tiny, in the NICU at Vanderbilt Hospital for 6 weeks, now in the 96th percentile for height! I have so much fun with her every day!

Do you see that look? That is me that she is looking at like that! Because I am her Mama, I know that at that exact moment she was feeling unsure of what to do, uncomfortable with all the attention and excited about blowing out the candles!

The Prayers of a 3 Year Old

2010-03-10T23:55:00.003-06:00

Night One

Dear God,

Thank you for my family. Thank you for helping me be a good girl. Thank you for being friends with Amen. I like gum. Amen. Thank you.

Night Two

Dear Whistling God,

Thank you for this whistling day. Thank you for whistling Mama and whistling Daddy. I hope you have a good whistling day. Amen.

(This was the day she learned how to whistle. She was a bit obsessed!)

Night Three

Dear God,

Thank you for my family. Thank you for my brains and my skull, and my toes. Amen

Night Four

Dear God,

Thank you for helping me a good girl. I wasn't always good so don't watch me when I'm not good. Thank you God, Thank you Amen.

Night Five

Dear God,

Thank you for my family. Thank you for my white hairded Mama. Thank you for this beautiful day. Amen.

(During this prayer she was rubbing my hair and noticed all my gray roots!)

I Know I Promised

2010-02-01T19:53:00.002-06:00

Way back when I promised you no more trampoline videos. But I meant no more videos of the kids on the trampoline. I said nothing about dogs.

I don't know why.

Little Drummer Girl

2010-01-14T00:38:00.000-06:00

True Story

2010-01-12T19:22:00.000-06:00

I was doing my annual cleaning of files at work. As I was looking through the customer service file I came across this gem from 2003:

Hi!

I have been heren about Barnes & Noble having a room out ther where single people meets and dates. Do you hafto be a member of some club and pay a fee? I am a white male 66 years old and dirt poor. I can find plenty of women for a one night stand. I don't do that. AIDS. I wont just one female at a time to date and maby marriage if we fall in love with each other. I like women that is verry entegelent from the age of 25 to 55. I am a spoler and if she don't treet me right I move on. I love women. I am 1/2 woman my mother was a woman. Ho Ho- a kidder. Ancer this letter if I fit in. Ok

P.S and send all information.

Mr. XXXX XXXX

He even attached an address label with a little snowman on it. I can't help it, I have a soft spot for Mr. XXXX XXXX. I wonder if he is still looking for the right lady.

Cousins

2010-01-10T23:41:00.000-06:00

Look at this wild bunch! We had all the cousins together for the first time in 3 years and a wonderful time was had by everyone!!

Gracie, Cassie, Hannah, Paul, Nathaniel

Holly, Lucy, Ezra, Christian, Alek, Jack.

We were only missing Little Paul for the Thanksgiving photo!

Playing Bunny

2010-01-08T11:53:00.000-06:00

At the Boddeker Family Christmas Party, Hannah and her cousin Gracie ignored the rough-housing of the boys and spent the evening playing "bunny." This is how you play the game (or so I gathered)

1. One girl is the bunny. You can tell because of the bunny ears on her head.

2. One girl is the vet. You can tell by the way she drags the sick bunny around the room.

3. There are shots involved.

4. Reverse roles frequently.

The Best Part of Baking!

2010-01-07T00:01:00.001-06:00

No One's in the Doghouse

2010-01-06T23:14:00.002-06:00

Paul made a gorgeous new house for our dogs. He insulated it and made it match our house.

Although it's freezing outside, our sweet puppies have chosen to sleep beside their new house, rather than inside. I said they were sweet, not smart.

I Have Some Things to Say...

2010-01-06T08:51:00.004-06:00

Just not enough time to say them. Stay tuned. Please. Don't leave me. I will return. Promise. I have to tell you all about:

Christmas

New Year's Eve

Turning 40

Going back to school

Family time

Funny Hannah things!

A Christmas Program

2009-12-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

First of all, I must REALLY apologize for posting these photographs. They are truly awful. I can make a million different excuses: bad lighting, operator error, horrible camera, my camera was intimidated by the other mommy's cameras, etc. Bad as they are, I think they illustrate Hannah's participation in her Christmas program.

Hannah's teacher said that she could not have been more shocked! Our little girl did not open her mouth once during her entire program. Except to yawn. Repeatedly. She also stretched and stood up when everyone else was sitting. Then she sat when everyone else was standing. She pulled her dress up. She did not sing. Her teacher said that during practices and during class she was the loudest and most expressive singer; that she would get on stage and sing even when there was no one else up there with her. I, however, was not shocked. Having just attended The Nutcracker with her a few days before, I could see where this was going.

Coloring Lesson

2009-12-19T20:25:00.000-06:00

Hannah and her Papa spent some time blowing noses and coloring. It was a pretty good day!

Happy Birthday, Paul!

2009-12-17T00:02:00.001-06:00

I love you because:

When you hold our baby, she looks at you like this (and she still does!)

You love me...all the time!

You can catch hummingbirds in your hand (that's a strange hybrid hummingbird with dog feet!!)

You tie dental floss to crab legs so that the kids can have a pet on the beach.

You built our kids a cool clubhouse!

You take pictures of rainbows. Every single time!

This just makes my heart melt! (This is Cassie, by the way!)

You are part monkey and totally fearless!

You play rough and tumble with our kids, which makes them brave and strong and also which evens out my warm and squishy!

Because you think this is a restaurant and you take us there to have dinner!

Because you Dance, Dance, Revolution like a pro!!!!

Because you now have reading glasses that you wear down at the end of your nose.

Because you could easily win any single reality game show (except The Biggest Loser.)

Because you have a huge amount of confidence and strength, and that makes me feel safe and loved.

You amaze me at your ability to do EVERYTHING!!!!

Happy Birthday!

Posted originally in February, 2008.

Cassie and Santa, Plus Some Jumproping

2009-12-17T00:01:00.003-06:00

The fancier the better for Cassie. She is actually wearing a hoop skirt (that came with a costume) under this dress.

Unfortunately, you can't wear hoops while jumping rope!

Santa- Visit #3

2009-12-13T23:29:00.004-06:00

Another visit to Santa.

Another ride on the cars.

Just like years in the past.

I Think I Let Her Down

2009-12-13T22:03:00.004-06:00

Holly danced in The Nutcracker on Saturday. It was also a tea party for little ones. They had it beautifully decorated and all the girls were dressed in their finest with shiny shoes and big bows. Hannah went with her cousin, Gracie, and both girls were very excited. They sat quietly on their carpet squares and looked back at us frequently, just to make sure that we were within arm's reach. Even during the scary Nutcracker vs. Mouse King part, they sat wide-eyed, completely enthralled.

After every dance, the ballerinas invited the girls to join them on the dance floor. They twirled and jumped and flitted and floated- except Hannah. She didn't know what to do. She felt uncomfortable and awkward. Dancing at home is very different from dancing in front of two rows of mommies with cameras. She stood in the middle of the dance floor while all the girls were in circles holding hands. She turned to me, and in a teeny, tiny, little voice said "Mommy?" I smiled super big and did the brush off motion with my hands and said, "Go dance!" My cousin, Melissa, finally took her to Gracie.

But I should have saved her. I should have pulled her onto my lap where she clearly would have been happier. I recognized that look of shyness mixed with fear. Every time I picture her standing there alone, her little face so uneasy, it breaks my heart.

She told me later that she prefers soccer to dancing. Oh, and she tried to eat the really old gumdrops that were glued on the really old styrofoam tree.

Some Barnes & Noble Stories For You!

2009-12-05T21:56:00.000-06:00

A woman was placing an order for a book. I asked and received her first name. The problem came with the last name. When I asked for it she replied, "Well, now, that's a long story." Really? Does it have to be?

A woman locked her kids in the car on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I called the police to unlock her car, then stood outside trying to teach her two year old, through the window, the manual dexterity required to unlock all the doors. He really wasn't interested in learning new skills though, and thought he would just stick to continuously locking the doors. Over and over.

Question, "Do you have a book that has a picture of a lady on it, except that it isn't a lady, it's actually an ear? Oh, and I think it has 'renaissance' in the title." Yes, we have that. Not exactly as you described now is it?

The Mess A Ghost Can Make

2009-12-04T21:23:00.001-06:00

Remember when I told you about the panda bears? And the rummaging around in her room? Well, tonight the two met and created horribly loud crashes and horribly big messes.

Someone decided that the pandas needed bins to sleep in. Unfortunately the bins were filled with a million different toys. All of which had be dumped out. By someone. Not Hannah, but Baby Ghost. See? Hannah is here in her bed where she is supposed to be.

Feelings..and Some Random Hannah-ness

2009-12-03T00:44:00.004-06:00

Mommy did you ever feel like this when you were a little girl?

"Like what, baby? How do you feel?"

I expected some sort of big, powerful statement.

She said, "Like this" and she half closed her eyes and fell back on me.

Yes, Hannah, I have often felt just like that!

Every night I ask Hannah what her favorite part of the day was. Tonight she said that it was watching Rick Steve's Europe.

Hannah was gazing lovingly and longingly at the Mama, Middle, and Baby Panda Bears in Cassie's room. She said, "Mama, don't you just wish that those bears were yours?" Since then she has been dragging them around and assigning each one their own panda language.

More Baby Ghost stories. I told you about the wedding with Baby Ghost's daddy. They now call each other honey (I don't know where she got that!) Well, it seems that her honey went and got a bloodhound dog without asking Hannah. Now Hannah has to take care of it. She is not a happy wife.

Lately she has hit upon a new phrase that makes her feel powerful. It starts with "Don't you dare..." She uses it when fussing at her brother and sisters, mainly. I heard the following statements: To Cassie she said, "Don't you dare make fun of my baby, she is ill!" To Christian she said, "How dare you talk to a little girl like me that way!"

This week she started a new habit of ending every sentence with "Check!"

Hannah sleeps with a monitor on in her room, by her choice. When she was a baby it was necessary, but now that she gets in and out of bed on her own it isn't needed quite so much. I usually use it for entertainment purposes so that I can hear her when she is playing with her babies or singing to herself. Now she gets up out of bed at night to turn on her "termonitor." It's only a small part of her evening ritual. Another part of her ritual is calling me up to her room at least twice after I tuck her in and say goodnight. Tonight, after she called me up for the second time, she told me that I could turn her termonitor off. When I asked why, she told me that she didn't think she would be calling me again tonight. And she didn't. Because she didn't want me to hear her rummaging around long after she was supposed to be asleep.

What Did You Call Me?

2009-12-01T21:58:00.004-06:00

Hannah has many nicknames. So many that she introduces herself as Hannah Banana Marie Boddeker Snook Possum. She calls this her "whole name." In addition to these names she is also called "Sugar Lump" due to her proclivity to stealing Grandma Rowald's sugar cubes. Sometimes she is called "Banana Boat" (a variation of Hannah Banana.) She is frequently dubbed "Sassafras" when she is particularly sassy. Her Daddy calls her "Baby Girl" to which she replies, "I AM NOT A BABY!" She sadly, has recently changed the "Possum" part to "Princess." I sometimes call her "Fred" as in Ready Freddy. Grandma Lisa calls her "Lamby." Poppa calls her "Girly." Paul sometimes refers to her as George, for reasons only known to him. Today, Hannah told me that she would like to change her name to Cassie Cooper.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-29T19:59:00.003-06:00

We had such a great Thanksgiving. I get so excited to have the Boddeker-Hinkle families here! Everyone brings delicious food in true Boddeker style (dishes wrapped in towels loaded in laundry baskets!) My mom cooks the turkey and stuffing and I generally run around shoving things into closets and cupboards. We eat in the evening and then leave stuff sitting out so that we can nosh all night long. The kids are just getting old enough (most of them) to keep each other occupied while the men play poker and the women chat. It's so nice to feel welcomed into this big family!

The Gift That Wasn't

2009-11-25T22:01:00.001-06:00

This muscle woman may look like she can save the world, but she is actually a snoop and a thief. That is not name calling, it is just a fact. This Captain America costume was to be part of a Christmas Gift for a superhero lovin' little boy. Unfortunately, I left the gift in the dining room and everyone knows that if you leave a costume sitting around, it is fair game. If you can get the package open and your clothes off, it is all yours. Sorry Zackie, we will try again!

Some Things You Just Don't Borrow

2009-11-23T21:49:00.003-06:00

Lately Hannah has been coming home from Grandma Lisa's house with rolls of toilet paper. So much toilet paper that my mother-in-law pulled me aside and quietly asked me if perhaps we had stopped purchasing it. I assured her that we do indeed have plenty in our home. Apparently it is just not up to Hannah's standards.

Preschool Photos

2009-11-12T23:37:00.002-06:00

Hannah's 3 year old preschool pictures.

New Old Piano

2009-11-08T20:22:00.000-06:00

Thanks to the magic of Facebook, I was able to find and purchase an antique upright piano. For really cheap. It's not great, and parts are missing (like those brass sconces on the sides of the piano in the photo below) but it plays, and with tuning it will sound pretty good. It's mahogany and has some beautiful inlay work. I'm counting on my Daddy to make it look shiny and new again. He's amazing at things like that. I played piano for years and still read a bit of music. How fun to try again! It's going in our dining room, which I am slowly taking over as my own.

Some Random Hannah Cuteness

2009-11-06T20:24:00.006-06:00

Although at times I fancy myself a writer, this is really just an average, everyday, Mommyblog. Like a million other ones out there. I created it mainly for my parents and friends to see how our family is doing. So, please indulge me as I give you some bits and pieces of family cuteness. Of course, cute to me may be massive boredom to you. I completely understand if you just skip this one!

Hannah has been known to sneak in Cassie's room while I'm at work and Paul is in charge. She tends to do some rearranging and for Cassie that is the worst possible thing. So, Cassie posted a note on her door complete with many exclamation points.

Hannah is not one to let her sister outdo her. Her rebuttal:

So there!

Yesterday I received a phone call from Ms. Laura, Hannah's preschool teacher. Any conversation that starts with "Natalie, do you have a minute?" is always pretty scary! Ms. Laura told me that Hannah bumped her head at school that day. She was giving her hugs and kisses to make it better and then told Hannah that she was precious and so sweet that she was going to take her home with her. Hannah looked up and said, "Ms. Laura, can I tell you something? I'm not always this good at home." Sort of like a warning. As if Ms. Laura could take her home, but she was just letting her know what she was in store for! Laura thought it was so funny that she had to call to tell me!

I overheard Hannah telling Cassie while they were playing baby dolls, "Don't you dare make fun of my baby, she is quite ill!" There are times that she talks like a very old lady. A sassy old lady.

Hannah loves eating pancakes and bacon for dinner. I make her pancakes in the shape of teddy bears then I put chocolate chips for eyes and a nose. For some reason she then puts toothpicks all over them. They look like little voodoo dolls when she is done. It's kind of creepy, but she ate 3 of them tonight!

She told me tonight that she no longer wants to be a kite holder when she grows up. Instead she wants to be a kite flyer. She thinks this will be a great job, plus it pays $4.00 a week. I'm not sure where she got her information, but I believe it to be faulty.

My friend Melissa was walking Hannah out to her car to give her a present. Hannah looked up at her and told her quite randomly, "My Mommy loves me so much." And I do. It's nice that she knows it too!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T19:37:00.002-06:00

This year we had a spontaneous trick or treating party with our cousins. Holly made other plans that didn't involve her family, so we crashed our cousin's neighborhood and had a great time!!

If you ask me the Grim Reaper was pretty scary...

and Sandy from Grease was scary in a completely different way!

The Day the Grim Reaper Came to Visit Cinderella

2009-10-30T21:43:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to report that after this photo was taken, Cinderella beat the tar out of the Grim Reaper with her magic wand. Bippedy, Boppedy, Boo!

It's the Small Things

2009-10-27T21:08:00.004-05:00

I tend to get easily overwhelmed when I think of motherhood on a large scale. I start to hyperventilate when I think of Hannah as a college student, or when I think of Cassie dating. When I wonder if there is some big something that I might forget to teach them, or show them, or a tradition that I forget to start, I panic. It's also hard work, really hard.

But when I squint I can't see the big, scary stuff anymore, and instead I see the way Hannah's little legs swing and dangle in the chair while she sings to herself, and I beg myself to remember the way her sweet arms feel around my neck when she leans over to give me a kiss, or how very soft and plump her cheeks are when I kiss her. I see the way she makes up beautiful names for annoying weeds (bumble-fuzzies) and picks them to save "forever and ever because they are so beautiful."

I love it that she thanks God for Build a Bear Workshop and for gum in the same breath that she thanks Him for her family and the "wonderful day." My heart almost bursts when she asks me if I will always be her Mommy, even when she is an old lady. It makes me so happy to be able to say, "Yes, I will always be your Mommy."

Organizing Myself

2009-10-24T17:27:00.003-05:00

I swear this is not my binder. The person that created this binder is seriously ill, but I feel certain they work at a Barnes & Noble store somewhere!

How could I have let this happen? I am typically a very organized person. I love all things school supplyish and can spend hours in Staples just petting binders, notepads, and planners. So how is it that I have a mess of a blog that is not organized in any way? I see nice, organized blogs with categories and think, "Oh yes, I must do that some day." Then I never do. Instead I think, "Oh, that's a good idea for a blog post. Wait! Didn't I already write about that?" Then begins the search through all the old posts until I forget what I wanted to write about and instead spend the time reminiscing. I guess it's now time. Be prepared to be wowed with the level of organization coming from this blog!

As Seen On T.V.

2009-10-23T11:27:00.005-05:00

Hannah is obsessed with the Touch N Brush hand-free toothpaste dispenser. I'm not sure why, but apparently (based on an informal survey) most 3-4 year olds feel the same way. I'm convinced that there is a subliminal message in the commercial that forces children to include this item on their Christmas List. Don't forget that you can also upgrade to the deluxe chrome model:

At least she isn't asking for these:

The always stylish Metal Detecting Sandals

Inappropriate Things To Do at Barnes & Noble

2009-10-16T22:27:00.008-05:00

Talk on your cell phone while in the bathroom, while going to the bathroom.
Yell at an employee while turning in an application.
Bring a large group to the cafe and smush all the tables together, then spread out your ChicFilA bags.
Pick out every decorating book that is in stock and leave them piled on your table until 5 minutes after closing time.
Drop your children off while you shop next door at T.J. Maxx.
Spill your decaf soy white chocolate extra hot mocha all over a table of books and not tell anyone (I know who you are!)
Stay in the store after you hear the closing announcement, then tell me that you are "Wrapping things up."
Take off your shoes and curl up in our cushy chairs. I don't know how to clean toe jam off cushy chairs.
Ask me where the copy machines are.
Try to convince me of the wonderfulness of the Kindle while at the customer service desk.
Act like you know more about espresso than any other person could ever know. Coffee is coffee, dude.
Hide books in my store because you are reading them and you don't want anyone to purchase them, then get annoyed when we put them back in their proper locations.
Steal
Lie
Be mean to my employees.
Be mean to me.
Buy a piece of cheesecake and leave the best part.
Act like I'm a dummy because I don't know the book you are asking for. You know, that one that you claim is a bestseller? There are a gajillion bestseller lists out there, people.
Repeatedly tell me that you are in a hurry. This tends to slow me down.
Ignore me when I smile and say hello, as if I am just a piece of the cash register.

My Ex-Wife

2009-10-15T21:26:00.000-05:00

I married a man with 3 children and an ex-wife. I naively thought my challenge would be with the children. It didn't take long to discover that the power lies with the ex. I realized that if this was going to work, I was going to have to take her on as well. This is by far the most challenging relationship I have ever, and probably will ever, have. There's a lot of good that comes from having an ex-wife; you have an instant co-mother to help with the difficult decisions and troubling conversations with the kids. She can take care of homework struggles with one child while I handle texting restrictions with another. Then we swap when one mom becomes ineffective. We can gang up on them when the power begins to shift a bit in their direction. We talk often just to touch base and relate any incidents that may have occurred, big or small, so that we can provide at least a little bit of consistency in their inconsistent worlds.

I realized pretty early on that I was going to have to set some boundaries for myself with this relationship: I never talk smack about my ex-wife, and although I don't know for certain what happens at her house, I get the feeling that she holds her tongue as well. One of the first lessons I learned as a new parent is that there is no room for ego. There are days when I feel a little bit like the jealous, unloved, evil stepmother and am tempted to say something snarky about their mom. And although it might make me feel better for a millisecond, ultimately, all I have done is criticized, out loud, the person they love more than anyone (except maybe their dad!) and how can that ever turn out good for anyone? Another rule I made was to never talk smack about my husband to my ex-wife. Tempting? Oh, of course, who else understands his quirks and weirdness on the same level? But as tempting as it is, I will always remain on his side. Which brings me to the other line I had to draw: I sometimes have to remind myself that we are not friends. I tend to get chummy quickly. I love talking to people, especially women with whom I have a lot in common, so it is only natural for there to be a level of friendship. But truly, that is not the appropriate relationship for us to have. I'm not sure that it is even very practical.

I remember being a year into my marriage and a year into my relationship with my ex-wife when I asked her for a performance evaluation. Coming from the corporate world, I was used to being reviewed on an annual basis and I wanted the same from her. I believe I even started the conversations by saying, "Well, it's been a year now, I was just wondering if you feel there are areas in which I need to improve?" I was prepared for the feedback, but all I got was an uncomfortable giggle as she told me that everything was just fine. How can I reach my goal of Best Stepmom Ever in the Entire Universe without some constructive criticism? After all, just 12 short months ago, I had been a very single girl raising two cats in my own home. Now I was a part time mother of 3 with a new husband and a new ex-wife, there had to be a learning curve.

Of course, having an ex-wife is not as glamourous as it sounds. After all, she is an ex-wife for a reason. The main reason being she dislikes my husband. A lot. So imagine, you have this person that you talk with daily about your children but she doesn't like your husband and your husband definitely doesn't like her. And while I'm grateful for that fact (since otherwise I couldn't have him!) it is hard. Also, while we agree, or at least can come to some good compromises regarding how to raise our children, we absolutely will never agree on the logistics. It just won't happen. We both want more time with the kids. This is really the only uncomfortable area in our relationship. This is when things get heated and she begins to talk with her hands and my neck gets red and splotchy. After we hold our biannual calendar discussions of summer break and Christmas vacation we generally need some space for awhile. We will go to our corners for a week or so until something comes up that requires direct conversation. Slowly things become "normal" again.

Another down side is that decisions are made via committee and my ex-wife has ultimate veto power. I believe for most parents if you think your kid needs a haircut, you just go get their hair cut. Not in this scenario. Maybe my ex-wife has a master plan for bang growth, or all-one-length-hair that I am not aware of. Most parents can register their kids for activities without committee approval. Or better yet, decide to not sign their kids up if you think everyone just needs a break from running here and there.

It's strange thing. We are a family; a big, weird, magnet family, where the strongest attraction is with whomever is the closest. Our job is to ensure that these kids are happy, secure, well cared for, and loved. At the end of the day I think they are lucky to have such a team of people working for them.

A Symmetrical Face, An Asymmetrical Face

2009-10-09T00:24:00.003-05:00

Stitches were removed today followed by a flu shot, because the Boddekers know how to party. Dr. Kniery was on vacation so he got to be the hero and poor Dr. Garrett had to be the fall guy (girl.) Hannah dictated a letter to me for Dr. Kniery that said (in her most proper voice) "Please may you come back and fix me when I am sick? Thank you, Hannah" Then she drew telescopes all over it. I think because Cassie learned about telescopes last week in school, but maybe because she loves telescopes. I don't know. Whatever, at least she has matching scars. I love symmetry.

The Scar of 2008

The Scar of 2009

Can we all hope for no scar of 2010? Please?

Chicago!

2009-10-07T22:35:00.010-05:00

We just got back from a whirlwind trip to Chicago! We were only there for 4 days, but we packed in as much as possible. We arrived Saturday afternoon and after checking in to the hotel and getting unpacked (sort of) we decided to walk to dinner. I brought several umbrellas with us, so even though it was raining we arrived intact. We started ordering when Hannah decided to check out things on her own and fell on the wet floor. She cut her head pretty deep and of course there was blood everywhere. Paul kept pressure on the wound with a billion napkins, Christian ran out and hailed a cab (I'm not sure how he knew to do this, t.v. maybe?) Holly and Cassie covered their eyes and for some reason I grabbed a cup and filled it to the very top with ice. Now you all know to NOT go to the Boddeker women during an emergency. We rushed to the ER where Hannah was quickly stitched up. We ate at the hospital cafeteria that night.

Even after all the drama, we found time to go to Navy Pier to ride the Ferris Wheel and watch the fireworks. Paul was in heaven after finding a McDonald's inside the food court there. He is a man of simple tastes.

The next day we headed to Lincoln Park Zoo. The monkeys and seals were our favorite (based on the informal survey I took on the drive home.) We spent a good 4 hours there until everyone was sick of animals.

Hannah fell asleep in the cab on the way to the Hancock Building and slept through lunch entirely. The view was great from the table, but even better from the women's room.

Holly and I ventured out to Michigan on our own for some serious shopping while the rest of the kids and Paul went swimming back at the hotel.

That night we ate at Ed Debevic's, a really fun, inexpensive place where the servers are quite smart mouthed and really cater to the kids. Their motto is, "Eat, Pay, Get Out!" It just happened to be their 25th anniversary so we also got free cupcakes for everyone!!

The Field Museum was next on our agenda.

We spent a long 5 hours there and still missed most of one floor. Someone (I can't remember who) told me that going through the museum with kids was going to be pretty quick, and they were right. It was Paul who slowed us down...way down. He was interested in everything so he had to read every single sentence. It is a beautiful museum, and much to Paul's delight, again came equipped with it's very own McDonald's. Oy. This night we finally got to eat some real deep dish Chicago style pizza from Gino's East. The most delicious pizza I have ever had!!! The kids loved it and especially enjoyed being allowed to write on the walls.

The next day, and our last, we went to the free day at the Shedd Aquarium. This was a pretty quick tour because we all wanted to spend some time on Michigan Ave. Cassie had been patient long enough and this was finally her day for American Girl Place. We started with a full bag of wish list items, then narrowed down to three stacks, "Can't live without", "Christmas or birthday lists" and "Never mind." She did a really good job of thinking things through and budgeting her money. She has been doing extra jobs around the house for months now to save up so I was pleased with the outcome. (As pleased as I can be while purchasing a sleeping bag for a doll.)

Christian had a field day at the Hershey store and got a tin bucket filled to the brim with his favorites. We went to Niketown and found him some shirts and a cool bag.

At the Disney store Hannah got a tiny, pink, princess soccer ball. Holly and I bought some makeup and Paul got a new coat. Exhausted, we went to Portillo's for dinner. Later that night we rode the subway just for the fun of it.

We couldn't consider our tour of Chicago complete without going to the......wait for it........ yes folks, the 3 story McDonald's for desert. Paul had been dying to step foot inside so I had to grant him his one Chicago wish.

A Lucky Girl

2009-10-05T10:23:00.001-05:00

My friend and her husband has a foster child living with them. This little girl has come to them from a world of hurt, literally. She is cuddly and is aching for love and affection and really just for someone to pay attention to her. My heart hurts for her; for the system that she is a victim of and for the future that she has if she is forced back to her mother.

But what really amazes me is the act of selflessness shown by her foster parents. These people signed up for a job that is 24/7 and heartbreaking. But what they are doing for this little girl is going to shape her life forever. Hopefully she will stay with her foster family for a long time, but if she doesn't, she is being given the best possible communication and reasoning tools for the future. She is seeing for the first time in her little 6 year old life a family with a mom and dad who love each other and stay together no matter what. She is seeing faith in action. She has expectations to live up to and consequences if she does not. For now, she is a very lucky girl.

I'm Annoyed with my Chocolate

2009-10-03T23:00:00.001-05:00

I love Dove Dark Chocolates. When I was in the hospital after having Hannah I had quite a bad bout with postpartum depression. The nurse practitioner prescribed dark chocolate daily and since I take my health and doctor recommendations very seriously, I have followed orders and consumed one square of dark chocolate daily. Since one square is good for you, occasionally I have 2 squares, sometimes if I want to feel really good I have a third piece. But the problem (other than the expanding waistline) is the annoying messages that Dove feels the need to include in my treat..ahem...medicine:

"Do one more thing than you think you possibly can today" Seriously? I don't need pressure when I eat my chocolate.

"Send flowers to your best friend" Mary Jo, I love you. But I can't afford to send you flowers every time I eat chocolate. I'd be broke, and your house will look like a funeral parlor.

"Start a good habit today" I know they mean exercise, but they can't really say exercise because, you know, they make chocolate.

"Take a bubble bath" Well, I'm at WORK. Work is not conducive to bathing.

I hate my chocolates.

Yummy chocolates.

Playing "Neighbor"

2009-10-01T22:57:00.000-05:00

Hannah and I play a lovely game of pretend just about every day. She calls it "neighbor." Here's how it goes:
Hannah is in her "house" acting busy and talking to herself in a low voice. I am supposed to knock on the door. She takes her time answering because obviously she is busy doing something. Then we introduce ourselves and shake hands. We usually exchange some pleasantries such as, "Very nice to meet you, ma'am". She explains to her neighbor (me) that she was making an apple pie for us to eat. Although I never get to actually eat this pie because she tells me that it is too hot. Always. Sometimes she tells me that she burned it. Too bad.
This game ends when one of us gets bored (usually Hannah because I can pretend all day!)

We also play "Customer" quite often. The type of store changes depending on where we are. Upstairs in the play area we have a table set up with all her plastic food and a toy cash register. I always have to be the grocery shopper and Hannah is always the cashier. I load my basket up with pizza slices, cookies, bell pepper and eggs and go up to the cashier who helps me put them into old Walmart bags. Again, we exchange pleasantries and more often then not I invite the cashier over to my house for dinner. (This is very similar to how my mom's real life shopping experiences end.) We discuss her children (she named them Stick and Toots) and mine and then the game is over.

Sometimes "Customer" takes place in a pretend Cafe very similar to Barnes & Noble. Hannah is the cafe server who makes me drinks and scones. Don't bother asking for anything special to go with that because this cafe is bare bones. One time I asked for a fork and was told, "I'm afraid we don't have forks, only spoons." I asked for butter and again, "I'm afraid we are all out of butter."

I'm usually all about the make believe games and like to encourage them. I'm thinking maybe I've gone a little overboard. The other day Hannah told me that she and Cassie play a game called "Poacher and Baby Jaguar." Not. Good.

So Much Fun!

2009-09-28T23:04:00.006-05:00

Hannah, Paul and I have had the best time in the past few days! The weather has finally turned fall-ish, just perfect for playing outside. Yesterday we took the training wheels off her bike and practiced a little bit. We flew a kite. We ran races and played hide and seek. Hannah doesn't really understand this game. She wanted to hide first so I counted loudly then announced, "Ready or not, here I come!" I turned to find Hannah standing in the middle of the yard with her hands over her eyes, giggling hysterically.
Today we went to Christian's soccer practice and again ran races. Hannah brought her Spiderman ball, so we also played a little soccer. She found it hilarious when I chased her:

Gigglebox by nataliehin

We have also been playing all of her favorite games including "Neighbor", "Evil Villein" (or as she says, ebil billum), "Customer" and of course, the classic "Baby Ghost." Here she is "rockin' out" with Baby Ghost.

Glen Cove Mansion

2009-09-25T21:41:00.002-05:00

I went for a meeting this week in New York; Long Island, to be exact. It was one of those meetings when you come back all energized and ready to do some good work.

This Gold Coast mansion has been used in many different films such as Sabrina, North by Northwest and most recently Sex & the City 2.

Glen Cove was also the home of Billy Joel, Mel Gibson, J.P. Getty, J.P. Morgan, Franklin Woolworth and Telly Savalas.

Other than the fancy meeting rooms and really comfy guest rooms, it also has a 5 mile path to the Atlantic, a bowling alley in the basement, and an outdoor ice skating rink (in the winter, of course!)

Oh, and while I was gone, Hannah ate a small metal toy. No worries though, Hannah informed me that she was "still working on it" to get it to come out.

Just Call Me Doris

2009-09-21T10:30:00.002-05:00

This post was originally published in January 2009. I got nothin' here folks. Waiting for the writing muse to appear.

When I woke up today I looked in the mirror and thought I looked old. Not old all over, I just had "old face." I've never really noticed before, because old doesn't bother me, since the alternative is dead. I'm pretty sure I would be bothered by dead. So I went to work on my old face. I thought that surely this was a mistake and I must have slept wrong. You know, like an all over sheet mark or something. I pinched my cheeks to get the blood flowing, just like Scarlett O'Hara- still old. I put on an extra coat of makeup but then I just looked like an old floozy. I find that red lipstick usually cures most ails but my reddest red didn't even do the trick (unless I plan on turning tricks, then maybe I'm set.) So I went to work with the best face I could muster. I told some co-workers about my old face and got the response I was looking for, "What? Old? You? You look great!!" (Or at least that was what I heard.) But, no matter what I was eventually able to convince myself of, it ended the moment a customer ran after me shouting, "Doris, Doris, DORIS!" I finally realized she was talking to me. She had confused me for her friend, Doris. I will apologize now to all those 20 year old Dorises out there, but I'm pretty sure that Doris is an old lady name that fits with my old lady face.

This is Doris Lessing, not me.

Blue & Red

2009-09-11T19:40:00.006-05:00

The first few weeks in preschool have been quite productive. Not only did she learn to spell, but she has also had several jobs such as line leader, crayon passer-outer, and door holder.

Why Be Normal?

2009-09-08T00:07:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I wonder if she will go to grade school in these crazy getups. You guys let me know if you get tired of seeing Hannah in funny costumes, cause I never get tired of it, but I'm the Mama.

W. Eugene Smith

2009-09-07T17:45:00.009-05:00

W. Eugene Smith was inspired to be a photojournalist after the suicide of his father was ill reported. He was known for his thorny personality, his refusal to compromise his standards, and his workaholic personality. He became a world renowned war correspondent, famous for heartbreaking photos like this one, Wounded, Dying Infant Found by American Soldier in Saipan Mountains, June 1944:

Smith was severely injured in Okinawa during his 13th campaign. It was uncertain if he would ever take a photo again. After two years of recuperating and thirty surgeries he was inspired to take his first photo since his injury, my favorite photo, "The Walk to Paradise Garden".

“The day I again tried for the first time to make a photograph I could barely load the roll of film into the camera. Yet I was determined that the first photograph would be a contrast to the war photographs and that it would speak an affirmation of life. Thus I took a picture of two children. My children.”

Here is another one of his that I adore, Awaiting Survivors of the Andrea Doria:

Apple Fest at Jackson's Orchard

2009-09-06T22:30:00.006-05:00

I LOVE FALL!!!!!!!!!!!! I love being cold-ish. I love warm sweaters. I love jeans. I love Daylight Savings Time (or the end of it!) I love the smell of leaves rotting. I love my mama's pumpkin bread with cream cheese on it! I love Jackson's Orchard!

Fried peach pies, peach ice cream, apple cider, caramel apples. Yum! Yum!

The Bike That Makes Me Drool

2009-09-04T23:11:00.005-05:00

I walked purposefully into Nat's Outdoors today to donate a couple of old, beat up bikes to their Bike for Kids thing they do. My heart was full of good intentions. Then the bike of my dreams rang it's lovely bell and suddenly my heart was full of bike lust. I NEED THIS BIKE!! This is an Electra Blanc et Noir. See? Even the name is fancy. I feel certain that if Audrey Hepburn was still alive, she would own this bike and would wear a silk scarf while riding it!

I'm pretty sure my hiney could never hurt on such a beautiful saddle!

I think I like the black tires better than the lime green ones, don't you?

Look at the bell! So perfect!

This Post Brought to You by Cheerios, Ziplock, & Kotex

2009-08-26T11:32:00.004-05:00

The new Box Tops for Education website is live today! My friend Sonja and I are the box top coordinators for Natcher Elementary. I volunteered because I thought this would be something that I could do from home while drinking wine. Of course I was wrong, because it is hard to sort things while drinking wine. It is also hard to count things while drinking wine.

Anyway... for those of you that don't know, it is FREE MONEY, people. Basically you buy the stuff you would normally buy like cereal, baggies, granola bars, and adult diapers, except that you buy specific brands such as General Mills, Ziplock, Cascadian Farms, and Depends because they contain Box Tops. These are little coupons that you cut off your boxes and send to school, then Sonja and I will count, bundle and ship them off. For every box top that we send in Natcher will receive 10 cents. Yes, it is a bit of a sad and pathetic way to have to earn money, but General Mills will give up to $20,000 per school! I realize that $20,000 = 200,000 box tops that have to be sorted and counted and bundled and shipped, but we are dedicated coordinators!

Then you have some partners, like K Mart. They are giving away 20 bonus box tops for every 5 box top items that you purchase. Buy five additional items and you get 70 extra bonus box tops. That's 100 box tops!!! Doesn't it just make you want to run over to K Mart sometime before September 14th to purchase your Hefty Garbage Bags, Juicy Juice or Avery Labels? You need that stuff anyway, right? Don't bother asking the cashiers about it, because they won't know what you are talking about. The register will automatically spit out a coupon for your extra box tops!
If your child doesn't go to Natcher Elementary you can just mail the box tops directly to me, because I'm sure your school doesn't participate in such programs. (I believe I said "Box Top" 12 times in this post, just sayin'.)

A Leotard and a Pink Tattoo

2009-08-24T00:35:00.000-05:00

Some recent ballet renderings. She told everyone that she saw that day that she was wearing a tattoo. Whatever.

A Redneck Wedding

2009-08-22T23:09:00.001-05:00

Hannah decided to finally marry Baby Ghost's Daddy. Baby Ghost was in attendance. This was her choice of wedding attire. She told me they got married at a place called The Sandwich Hut. I've never heard of such a place, but Baby Ghost's Daddy seemed to like it. Hannah said that he ate his sandwich the whole time they were getting married. Men.

3 Minutes You'll Never Get Back

2009-08-20T22:45:00.000-05:00

In other words, this is probably one post that only her Nana and Papa could love. To everyone else, you might want to just move along!

Precious Princess

2009-08-18T22:07:00.000-05:00

Hannah was in her bed quietly talking and singing to herself after being tucked in for the night. Suddenly we heard her get up and shut her door. Paul checked on her and she turned away from him, saying that everything was "sine" (she has trouble with her "f"s.) A little while later I heard her quietly crying while saying "What is going to happen to my nose? Oooh noooo! What is going to happen to my nose?" After checking on her once again it seems that she had a pink Precious Princess pump firmly lodged in her right nostril. She tried to solve the problem on her own by closing her door and digging around with her finger, but was slowly coming to the realization that she was not going to be able to solve this alone. Solution: a flashlight, tweezers, a few sneezes and viola! The pink pump was ready for another day (after a quick rinse!)

The Bravest Person I've Never Met

2009-08-17T21:36:00.003-05:00

Stephanie Nielson: a beautiful and brave soul. Please read more about her and her family and keep them in your thoughts.

First Day of Preschool

2009-08-11T19:10:00.003-05:00

Today was Hannah's first day of preschool. We started preparing awhile ago, but the dress rehearsal was Open House last night. Paul, Grandma Lisa, Hannah and I all went to meet her teacher, Miss Laura, and to see her classroom. She was pretty quiet while visiting her room and really didn't have much to say to Miss Laura, but she seemed to be taking it all in. When we got home later that night she asked to go for a golf cart ride. While riding she said, "Mommy, I need to tell you something. I was scared tonight at my school." I explained that everyone is a little scared the first time they go to school and that it was o.k. I told her how much fun preschool is going to be and how nice Miss Laura is. She then explained that really she was "a little disappointed that the children were so loud." You know, because she comes from such a quiet household and all. I told her that today would be much better and that the children would be better behaved.

Today we got up and started preparing for school. She decided that she wanted curls in her hair and a googly eyed piggy barrette for her hair (who doesn't?) We packed her special school backpack that Miss Candy gave her and away we went. We were told in a letter from the school to take Hannah into her classroom and help her hang her backpack on her special hook then to quickly say goodbye and leave as soon as possible. That part was a little hard because there were two screaming little boys and I could tell from the look on Hannah's face that she thought Grandma Lisa and I were leaving her to be tortured for a few hours.

I took her over to the only child that wasn't screaming and told them to play together. I promised Hannah a Happy Meal after school, then I forced Grandma Lisa out of the room. As we walked out to the car I swallowed a huge lump and promised myself a chocolate chip bagel with hazelnut cream cheese at Panera if I didn't cry.

Hannah and Miss Laura

Hannah's classroom.

Getting ready for school. Outfit and fancy monogrammed backpack all courtesy of Miss Candy.

Hannah in Disguise

2009-08-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

The many faces of Hannah.

Ziplock + iPhone=Underwater Camera

2009-08-07T22:04:00.000-05:00

Paul recorded Hannah doing some underwater swim moves.

A Little Redecorating

2009-08-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, it is a bit ghetto, but we took some old junk and redecorated. Then we moved Barbie and her dreamhouse to the basement. We used old curtains and a hula hoop to create an "American Girl Sanctuary" on top of the pool table. Only the best for the American Girls. We brought down anything that makes music to create a jam room for Cassie and Hannah. They rock out with their guitars, drums and accordion. There is nothing better than accordion music coming through the floors of your house. We keep a spray bottle of Febreeze handy because, well, it is a basement after all. I'm pretty sure HGTV won't want to interview me for their "Design on a Dime" show.

Oh, What a Great Summer We Had!!!

2009-08-03T20:34:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day of school. I can't believe it's over. So sad. We had such a great summer vacation! I took most of my available time off this summer (thanks to my boss) so that I could spend every day with the kids, and boy, was it worth it!!!!

We started off the summer with a cruise and a visit to The Villages:

We played numerous games of Sequence:

We had family pictures made:

We went to Beech Bend Park:

and made fancy cakes with fondant:

We got some dogs:

We went to the lake bunches where Holly, Christian and Cassie learned to ski:

We cooked with Easy Bake Ovens:

We threw in a Vacation Bible School:

We played with friends:

We had a picnic in the park with their mom, we went with friends to the Imagination Station and jumped ourselves silly. We went shopping in Nashville, and we camped out in the backyard. We went to some Hot Rod baseball games. We had friends over for sleepovers and swim parties.

Best of all, I got to spend really great, quality time with the kids and Paul. Both individually and together as a family. It was better than I ever dreamed it could be!!

Lyrics Included (to the Best of My Ability)

2009-08-01T18:14:00.002-05:00

Hannah rocks out with her "contar":

Beatles in the Sky, with Lucy in the Sky, With Her

Lucy in the sky had hearts with her, and Beatles too.

But nobody had a ____? (parasol gun?? pair of soft gum?? powerful gun???) so everybody picked out Lucy and not her Mom and Dad. Her Mommy and Daddy, too. And they picked out her Mommy and Daddy, too!!

Fun at Beech Bend!

2009-07-31T19:11:00.006-05:00

We had so much fun at Beech Bend park! Christian was a huge help and rode most of the rides with Hannah.

Some were more exciting than others.

The baby goats were adorable and on sale for only $30 apiece.

Hannah and Christian have matching skinned elbows from the Superslide 2000. This photo is right before the tumble.

Hannah and Christian spent most of their time on The Tornado, over and over and over again. Even when it started raining, even when Hannah fell asleep. No kidding, she fell asleep on something called The Tornado.

We practiced for Back to School by driving the school bus.

It was a great day, even with the rain! There were no lines, so it seemed like we had the entire place to ourselves; therefore, no one was around to notice that my daughter had her shirt on backwards. We had corndogs, funnel cakes, dippin' dots and lemonade (carnival food is my favorite!) We spent the entire day there, and still never made it to the water park. We have to save something for the next trip!

So, to summarize, this fantastic Mommy let her kids wear their clothes backwards in the rain to a carnival where she made them take a nap on a twirling thingie. She had no bandaids to fix their boo-boos after they slid off their burlap sacks. Then she fed them a bunch of fried stuff and topped it off with freeze-dried balls of sugar! Then put them back on the twirling thingie. Oh yeah, then she wanted to haggle with the petting zoo people to trade our horse in for two mini goats.

Not the Best Dining Experience

2009-07-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what Hannah has been up to in her playroom, but it involves serving bouncy ball coffee with a side of finger and the teeniest glass of wine ever. There are days when the extra zip in my coffee might be welcomed, but I've never had a taste for finger or tiny wine glasses.

Shyness

2009-07-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

For the first time Hannah was shy. We were in Barnes & Noble and there were a couple kids playing with the Thomas the Tank Engine train set. Usually when she is there, she pretty much has the entire children's department to herself. Tonight she saw the other kids playing and immediately tried to hide behind me. I have never seen her shy before, so it took me a bit to realize that she was having a hard time and didn't know what to do. We went over to an empty corner of the kid's department and practiced what to say. I thought she might want to say, "Hi, my name is Hannah, can I play too?" Hannah thought this was pretty good, so armed with her new phrase, she hedged over to the train set again. Slowly, she got closer and closer and finally very quietly said, "Hi, I'm Hannah, what's your name?" When the kids didn't answer she looked nervously at me for help. I suggested she speak a little louder and try again. This time she got a response, the kids scootched over and let Hannah in.

Being a super shy child, I was quite proud of my brave little girl trying hard to navigate her way through the difficulties of social interaction.

Getting Ready for Grandma's

2009-07-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

Going to Grandma Lisa's house is an almost every day occurrence. Grandma knows to not expect perfection from us early in the morning. She knows that some days we are just lucky we have on panties (aren't we all?) All of these photos were taken right before leaving for her house. Some days she arrives there dressed, with hair brushed and cute, but most of the time she goes with that "just rolled out of bed look" that her mother is so fond of. About every week or so, Grandma sends home a bag of miscellaneous accoutrements and the cycle starts again. There is nothing quite like opening a bag filled with magic wands, tiaras, red ruby slippers and gum!

I seem to be out of anything interesting to say. Apparently I can only write effectively at 2 am, and I haven't had any late nights lately.

I Know Where She Got Them!

2009-07-16T22:56:00.005-05:00

Look familiar?

A Visit with Mary Jo, Zachary and Cooper

2009-07-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went to Elizabethtown to visit Zachary and his new little brother, Cooper. Of course, I went to visit my sweet friend, Mary Jo. For the first time since we had children, we were actually able to have a somewhat adult conversation. Zachary and Hannah are now old enough to play in Zachary's room without much supervision. They came down every now and then in different costumes:

Meanwhile I got to snuggle with a teeny, tiny baby boy and gab with my friend!

I'm not sure how this picture happened, because really and truly, they didn't sit down for more than 2 seconds at a stretch. I'm thinking that she was just blinking when it was taken.

2009 Family Photos

2009-07-14T23:51:00.002-05:00

We had some really nice photos made by Gabrielle Bush. What do you think?

Click here to view these pictures larger

Don't Call Them Strange, Call Them Pyrenees

2009-07-11T23:20:00.002-05:00

We LOVE these dogs; these sweet lab/pyrenees mix muts that we adopted. Charlie appears to be more of a lab, while Rosie is more the pyrenees. Which is just a nice way of saying that she is a weird dog. Apparently pyrenees are diggers. They are also barkers. Oh, and they need a job in order to feel useful. Oh yes, and they are independent thinkers, so they are quite difficult to train.

Rosie

So, as I understand it, I must let Rosie bark, while digging a trench around our house to protect it, since this is her job. And she works 3rd shift.

But, when she is not working, she likes to sit in my lap so I can brush her. She has the sweetest brown eyes that look up at you from her freshly dig hole.

Charlie

And then there is Charlie. He is perfectly content to let Rosie have the job. He is a house husband that spends the day lying in the hole dug by Rosie. He is easily bribed by doggie treats and has a bit of a beer belly.

Rough Week

2009-07-10T23:24:00.000-05:00

I got poison ivy. I think I got it from our new puppies, since I'm not really one for yard work. I have it on my forehead, jaw, fingers, lower legs, and arms. I am scratching everywhere all the time. It's a good look.

I broke my pinky toe while inner-tubing on the lake. Tubing is a strange thing. I find it so painful, sort of like whiplash (more on that later!) but it is one of my very favorite things to do! Paul zips us around so fast that you have to hang on for dear life. I think I was trying to hang on with even my toes, when my pinky got jammed.

My car got side swiped while in the parking lot at Barnes & Noble. This is the second time that someone has hit my car then driven away. So, I took it in for $1,500 worth of body work.

I was supplied with this awesome 2009 Ford (sorry Daddy, I didn't have a choice) Escape in the meantime. I loved driving it, except we didn't all fit in it. So, Cassie stayed at Grandma Lisa's house while the rest of us ran some errands. Later, at a tricky intersection, a car came shooting over the hill and slammed into our rear end. Our car was turned 180 degrees and the airbags all deployed. I have never been in an accident before and was never so scared in my life. I felt like 10 Second Tom, because I kept asking the kids over and over again, "Are you o.k.?" Luckily, we are all fine. Oh, except the rental car.

Let's hope next week is better!

We Are Not Cake Bosses, Nor Are We Aces of Cakes...

2009-07-09T23:05:00.005-05:00

But we sure had fun! This was our first time using fondant. Can you guess which one Holly made and which was decorated by me? I'm not sure if they are edible or not, since we won't let anyone actually cut into them.

Just What You Need After A Long Day!

2009-07-06T19:43:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Miss G for introducing me!!

Bedtime Rituals

2009-07-05T21:45:00.001-05:00

Hannah won't sleep until all bedtime rituals are performed. These rituals change from time to time. Currently, we have to rock, and sing some songs. One of the songs is the made-up "Everyone Loves Hannah". It goes like this: "Mommy loves Hannah, Daddy loves Hannah, ____ loves Hannah, ____ loves Hannah." Until I can think of no one else that might possibly love Hannah. If you have ever met her, you have probably been mentioned in this song. Her Nana made this song up when she was in hospital and we have sung it every night since. At some point I know that she will realize that everyone does not actually love her, but I'll let kindergarten teach that lesson. Then we read a book, these days it's Harry the Dirty Dog, we also love to read Martha Speaks. First I read it to her, then she reads it to me. Then we talk about our favorite part of the day, her favorite part is usually whatever she did in the past 15 minutes; what with the short attention span and all.

Then we make our way to bed where I do what she calls "The Ipsy, Ipsy Spider" on her back. Except that she doesn't like spiders so we have to do butterflies, which is just hard to say. Then we have to do it on her tummy, then again on her back, then her tummy. Then I have to tickle her tummy, then her back, etc.

Then she asks for a glass of water, which I keep in her play kitchen's refrigerator. Then we go through the goodnight sayings. "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite," and I love you more, no I love you more, no me more, no me more..."

Then I'm exhausted and want someone to tickle my tummy... then my back, then my tummy.

What Does it Take to Get a Smile?

2009-07-03T13:19:00.000-05:00

Christian is known for his general lack of smileyness in pictures. Here are some examples throughout the years:

But give the kid a teeny lizard and look how he lights up! Who knew that was all it took?

We also have video of him doing the Electric Slide with the lizard, but I'm saving that for his first girlfriend.

You Don't Get a Badge for Everything

2009-07-01T20:55:00.018-05:00

Juliette (Daisy) Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts

I was probably the oldest living Girl Scout, except maybe Juliette Gordon Low. I was lucky enough to be in a wonderful troop that never finger painted or glued macaroni onto cigar boxes that were then spray painted gold. Instead we did some hardcore scouting; things similar to what Boy Scouts would do, heaven forbid. It was the same group of us from 5th grade through 12th grade, so we were pretty tight (and yes, I said 12th grade.) For every new adventure we successfully completed, we earned badges that were sewn on our fancy green vest. Those who know me know that I was just in it for the badges.

We hiked part of the Appalachian Trail with a woman named "Mama Boots". At the time we were in the 8th grade and all that was important to us was sleeping in, our hair and boys. You can understand the frustration Mama Boots felt when we were not exactly psyched to get up at 5 am and start our day of sweaty walking. I grudgingly earned this:

We spent many weekends at Barren River Lake earning our American Red Cross Sailing cards. We navigated our little Sunfish sailboats all over that lake and although I know the difference between port and starboard, I can't remember any of the fancy knots. But still, I earned this:

I won a ton of cookie contests because, for whatever reason, I was never too embarrassed to take my cookie order form to high school to get my orders. It's not like I wore the vest to school or anything. Yet, I'm pretty sure that I was made fun of , but at the time I was all about winning, and I had pretty great sales strategy. I knew that the kids who hung out on the "smoking patio" in my school would probably have the munchies at some point during the day. They were always my best customers. (They don't have smoking patios in high school anymore, do they?) It was worth the humiliation in order to sew this beauty on my vest:

When I was 16 I went to Great Britain with a group of Girl Scouts, a few of the girls had been in my troop since we were 10 years old. The others were probably just the only other 16 year old Girls Scouts in the state that wanted to travel. All 12 of us went to Ireland, Scotland and England for 3 weeks with only 2 adult chaperones. I can't imagine how my parents must have worried. I can't imagine how those 2 adult chaperones survived. We travelled around on a huge tour bus with our very own guide who would occasionally scream at us for sleeping when there was so much history to be seen. He was proud of his country and it's landscape and we were 16 year olds. We stayed at Bed & Breakfasts that served us six course dinners every night. We were conceited enough to think that even though we were told that our curling irons wouldn't work without a converter, it certainly looked like they would. I still remember the smell of burning hair right before the breaker tripped. Our super cool bus driver took us out at night for our first beers in a pub (the drinking age in Ireland was 16!) I'm pretty sure neither our chaperones nor parents were aware of this fact. It all just horrifies me to think of this now. I'm sure we didn't deserve it, but we received the travel badge:

When I was 18 I spent a few days with a friend (another scout) helping the younger girls at Houchens Day Camp. We helped with outdoor activities, campfire cooking, and nature hikes. We were practically adults, you know, so we were allowed to set up tents and spend the night at camp. I don't recall the logistics of this next part, but our boyfriends came to visit us late in the night. Now remember, this was back in the day, so there were no cell phones, and most boys had never been to the girl scout camp before, so I don't know how they found us. Don't worry, we were good girls, yet I'm afraid there are no badges for that.

We went on a survival week. I may have some of the details wrong, but as I remember it, we were dumped in the middle of nowhere with flint and a ziplock baggie of powdered milk. For that experience we earned both the outdoor survival and the orienteering badges:

We did crazy ropes courses and rappelling adventures that earned us this one:

During high school I submitted an essay and received a scholarship for college, although I am convinced that I was probably the only college age Girl Scout left to apply.

My vest was filled front and back with all my badges and pins from my Brownie days on up. After college, while cleaning my old stuff out of Mom and Dad's house, I found a box filled with things I didn't think I would need again. So, I threw it out, and inside that box was my Girl Scout vest. Maybe one day I will get another one and this time I will earn these:

The Stress Less Badge

The Healthy Relationships Badge

The Conflict Resolution Badge

What Would You Do?

2009-06-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

While we were at the Aquarium Restaurant last week we sat next to a couple of mommies and their children. The kids ranged from about 2 to 10 years old. The older kids ran around the restaurant looking at all the fish (as did mine!) The mommies and the 2 littler kids stayed at the table. They looked like they were having a nice mommy's day out, until one of the little ones started fussing. Not bad fussing, just a little bit of whining. I heard the mom threaten her child with what sounded like "hot sauce". I thought sure that I misunderstood because I have never heard of punishment like this before. When I glanced over I saw the mom with a dropper that she was putting in her child's mouth. Obviously the little girl (about Hannah's age) was used to this because she opened her mouth like a little bird, all the while crying "It's hot, it's hot!" The woman then apologized to her friend for the noise. I was so infuriated and stunned but I didn't know what to do. I mean, what could you do? It is so passive-aggressive to just shoot her dirty looks and if I was braver maybe I would have said something to her. Is it an over-reaction on my part to be so upset by this?

Being Three

2009-06-28T13:57:00.000-05:00

Hannah had her 3 year old check up today. Here's the verdict:

1. She's quite verbal.
2. She is in the 90th percentile for height.
3. She is in the 45th percentile for weight.
4. Everything looks great!

Here are the conclusions that I reached from this visit:
1. Sitting around discussing global issues and politics with Hannah has really paid off when it comes to vocabulary. I'm sure I can thank the news anchors for teaching her to say "I'm gonna kick your heiny!"
2. The weight and height were no surprise. Even though she was 2 months premature, my obsessive attention to organic, homemade, low fat, gluten free, low sugar meals combined with my strict "no snacks" policy is really going to pay off for her in the long run.
3. I learned that I can use Dr. Kneiry's name as a bribe. Now I say "Dr. Kneiry said you have to drink milk, Dr. Kneiry said no more apple juice, Dr. Kneiry said you have to go bed now." Not that I ever have to bribe my child to do anything, but it's nice to know that I have options.

Trying to Figure Things Out When Not Everything Makes Sense

2009-06-26T22:48:00.002-05:00

Hannah informed me that she would like to get a book about pigs the next time she is at Barnes & Noble. Why pigs, I asked? She told me that while grocery shopping with Grandma she saw some "piglet eggs" and she wanted to know why. I told her that piglets don't come from eggs, and she said she knew that, but then she saw them at the grocery store. Very confusing. After some discussion I realized that she saw PICKLED EGGS and pig's feet. Still confusing, but a little less so.
Hannah told me that she knew that I was her boss, and when I was gone that Daddy, Nana or Grandma Lisa was her boss, but she wanted to know who she was the boss of. I told her she was the boss of her baby dolls. She immediately said "I'm going to my room to boss my babies."
I asked Hannah why she was up so early one day, she replied "I said, Hannah what is that light? And it was morning, so I got up." Yes, of course.
Christian and Cassie were fighting (shocking, I know) over who was getting the most air conditioning in the car. Hannah laughed and said "Christian and Cassie, wind is inbisible like Baby Ghost and God" So wise.
Cassie taught Hannah (and her cousin, Gracie) a new game on the trampoline. I'm not sure exactly how it works, but I do know the words. It involves jumping around in a circle while singing, "Dead mummy, dead mummy come alive. Come alive when I count to five." I didn't really like the morbidness of this, but I really hated it when Hannah started singing later, "Dead Mommy, dead Mommy come alive, come alive when I count to five." I mean, sometimes it takes until 50, at least.

Special thanks to Heather, Joe and Ezra for the baking kit. She plays with it all the time, although when she puts on the apron and hat she likes to be called "Cooker" and I think that's kinda weird, but whatever!

Charlie & Rosie

2009-06-24T18:14:00.004-05:00

One of the things on our summer to do list was to get a dog. Our dog, Duke died about a year ago and we have been petless for too long. So last weekend (with 6 of Holly's friends in tow) we all went to the Humane Society to find our new dog. With 7 twelve year olds with us it was a little hard to focus. There were many squeals of delight over the cuteness of this little dog, or that little dog. What none of us realized is that we were brought to the Humane Society on false pretenses because Paul was ONLY adopting a Labrador. So that narrowed it down a bit. We found a yellow Lab with some Chow mixed in that seemed really sweet, so we filled out the necessary paperwork and waited to be approved. After the reference checks and home visits were conducted we were allowed to pick up our new 6 month old.

The wonderful people at the Humane Society (especially Leah and Elizabeth!) brought our new dog to me and after a few minutes I realized that this was not my dog, but looked a lot like him. Turns out she was the sister of our new dog. Out loud Elizabeth said, "Oops!" but I'm pretty sure that inside she said "SUUUUUCKER!!!" Well, after that I really had no choice, The next day, I was forced to pick up his sister.

Meet Charlie and Rosie!!!

Daddy

2009-06-21T08:14:00.001-05:00

Some people have Dads, some have Fathers, but just a few have Daddies. I absolutely have a Daddy. When I am 60 years old I will still call him Daddy. Here's 20 things you should know about him:

When I say "I love you" he says "me more" always has, always will.
Growing up our family always sat in the back of church because sometimes Daddy would get the giggles and not be able to stop. He acted like he was coughing, but everyone knows the sound of smothered laughter!
He had to work nights for awhile when I was little, that meant when I got home from school he had to leave for work. He wouldn't get home until I was leaving for school in the mornings. So, every Saturday he would get up early and take me roller skating, or sometimes fishing- it was my choice!
About 10 years ago he tried his hand at retirement. He found himself bored and took up the obscure hobby of sweepstakes entry and free sample offers. He had a whole assembly line set up with his stamps, envelopes, scissors and pen. Then, because most sweepstakes have crazy rules about one per household, I would receive phone calls from him to look out for bars of soap or free underwear in my mailbox. Luckily this was just a phase and he decided to go to work as a consultant until he could move to Florida and do it right.
Daddy is the best snuggler. He lays on the floor with huge pillows and watches t.v. Just perfect for cozying up to!
Together we joined Indian Guides. I guess it was pretty politically incorrect, but it sure was fun. Dads and their daughters or sons got together a bit like Scouts, and made totem poles and did leather sewing and horseback riding. We also went camping in a gigantic metal teepee that had beds and a t.v.! My Indian name was Princess Songbird.
I'm pretty sure the only time my Dad has ever called me by my name has been when he asks for me on the telephone. He has a variety of nicknames for me, Poose, Nanny, and my favorite, Girl.
When I was three I received a fantastic metal toy kitchen set for Christmas. I played with that thing until it rusted. We had to put bricks in the stove to keep it from tipping over and squashing me. I'm sure it was recalled because of the number of children that cut themselves on the sharp tin edges. Whatever. My Dad stayed up all night long putting a million teeny, tiny nuts and bolts in that kitchen because apparently Santa couldn't be bothered. Then he did it all over again 30 years later for his grandbaby.
Daddy reads anything that is sitting around. The backs of boxes, People magazine, anything! Several years ago I caught him at the pool reading a Sandra Brown romance. He is why I always have my nose in a book!
He is a perfectionist. Because of this everything he has ever made is beautiful and perfect!
He collects golf shirts. I believe he has over 50 of them.
Daddy used to pick me up from school at lunch time and take me out to eat. Just the two of us. I felt so special because I actually got to leave school to eat with my Dad!
He loves my mama! A lot!
Disappointing Daddy has always been the worst punishment!
He saves and files instructions and warranty information for every appliance he has ever purchased.
My Dad learned to dance at 63 because he said he was tired of watching everyone else have fun.
He calls it as he sees it. He lets most things go, but when he decides enough is enough he starts his sentence with, "Now, wait a minute..." then he tells you how it is! I always go to him first with news or questions about work!
He reads some sort of newspaper every single day no matter what!
He will not watch a television show that is bloody or one where a child is harmed- both make him sick to his stomach.
He loves me so much and has always played with me when I wanted it and listened to me when I needed it!

Happy Father's Day!

Helpful Hints from Vilas

2009-06-18T21:57:00.003-05:00

Mama, you crack me up! I love this email you sent! We will stop using Zicam and I will try to not fall off a cruise ship anytime soon!

Hi Honey,

Just heard last evening another lady fell off a Carnival ship near Destin, not our ship, but she was not found. Crazy people! Also they were talking about Zicam, the FDA does not approve this nose spray and has asked that it be pulled off the market because it causes loss of smell and taste. Don't know if you use it or not, we have a couple of times. They have several lawsuits due to the loss of these senses. Just want to keep you all safe. Love you, Mom

I love you too!!

Being There: Part 3

2009-06-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at the magic show on board the ship. Paul was pulled up on stage in front of 1,000 people to be the "lovely assistant" for a knife-through-the-throat trick. Then Christian was pulled up to be the assistant in a card trick. Christian was so hilarious on stage that he became famous for the rest of the cruise! This is what you get when you sit in the front row!

Hannah was so enthralled by the magic show that she performed nightly in her cabin window her own special "magicianal show" where bears disappeared.

We also did a little putt-putt golf on the top deck, which with the high winds, became a little more like hockey for some of us!

Every night we came home to very creative towel art, a clean cabin, and some chocolate!

Being There: Part 2

2009-06-15T21:01:00.001-05:00

So we got on the ship and for awhile all I could think of was Hannah falling through this:

But Mom comforted me by informing me that only 5 people have fallen off Carnival Cruise Ships this year so far, and they were likely drunk. I'm afraid this did nothing to ease my mind.

Hannah was fearless in the ocean, but was freaked out by the sand washing away under her feet on the beach.

She was so tired at the end of the day that she couldn't hold her head up, but would not allow any assistance whatsoever; therefore her head bobbed around the entire trip back from the beach!

Being There: Part 1

2009-06-14T20:55:00.008-05:00

We spent a few days at The Villages before we boarded our ship in Tampa. We swam and danced at the town square every night.

Hannah and Cassie really found their mojo.

Cassie is the best big sister! She made games for Hannah out of everything, including waiting in line for check in!

Our ship, complete with water slides and 24 hour buffets! Christian was on a first name basis with Mario, the pizza guy. I was on a first name basis with the frozen yogurt machine!

Vacation: The Getting There Edition

2009-06-10T10:37:00.001-05:00

We started with a smidge of traffic, not too bad, except this is still Nashville. We have another 10 hours ahead of us. In about 2 more hours I will discover that I forgot the passports! Luckily, my mother-in-law and the UPS store saved the day and they arrived just in time!

Hannah and Christian shared an ipod and sang their songs loudly in the backseat until this happened:

Unfortunately this didn't happen for Hannah until around 2 am.

Everyday at The Villages it rains just long enough to get in a game of Sequence.

Summer Plans

2009-06-09T01:39:00.000-05:00

School is out!!! This year I arranged my work schedule differently (thanks to the kindness of my boss) and am taking vacation days one day at a time so that I can be home with the kids every day they are at our house! I'm so excited to be able to spend the entire summer break with them. I have been making notes for fun things to do although I don't want to spend the whole time just "doing." We have to have the appropriate amount of "do nothing" time as well! And of course, enough time to just play outside and dig holes, or whatever. Here are some of the things on our agenda:

Go on a cruise
Imagination Station (I love to jump on those bouncy things!)
Get a dog or at least spend some time at the Humane Society until we find one that adopts us!
Go to the Butterfly park at Lost River Cave and have a picnic there!
Spend a few nights camping in the backyard campsite area!
Go to Kentucky Down Under to see the animals. Hopefully I am not banned from there.
Feeding the ducks at the park.
Read some books.

Man, what a great summer!

A Bit of an Obsession

2009-06-06T01:12:00.001-05:00

Listening to my friend Rachel talk about her daughter's recent enchantment with Anne Shirley (of Green Gables, of course) reminded me of my own love of Anne. I read everything by Lucy Maud Montgomery over and over again. But that love was nothing compared to my obsession with Laura Ingalls Wilder. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Copley, read Little House on the Prairie to our class every afternoon. I was so in love with the book that when she finished reading it she presented it to me. I carefully printed on the inside cover:

"Mrs. Copley gave this to Natalie

1st Grade 1976"

I quickly made my way through the entire series, picking out my favorites as I went. Little Town on the Prairie, The Long Winter and These Happy Golden Years were the ones I read over and over. And over. And over. Some people eat for comfort, I read my soft, squishy, yummy books.

The older I got, the more fascinated I became with the woman behind the books: the real Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read every biography I could get my hands on. I even read the articles that she wrote for the Missouri Ruralist about being a farm wife.

Mom and I went on a pilgrimage to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Mansfield, Missouri. This may be the point where keen interest crossed into obsession. While we were there we saw Pa's fiddle and Laura's writing desk among so many other things. Years later I went on a camping trip with a boyfriend who was nice enough to let me include a side trip to De Smet, South Dakota. I was able to walk among the Cottonwood trees planted by Pa Ingalls and I strolled down the same Main Street described in Little Town on the Prairie. Books bring things to life, both real and unreal.

Yes, I'm a huge dork but it's not my fault! I blame Mrs. Copley!

Isn't Laura pretty? Her hairstyle is the one she calls "Lunatic Fringe" in Little Town on the Prairie.

This is her desk where she wrote all her books on legal pads.

Her house in Mansfield, Missouri.

The Cottonwoods that Pa Ingalls planted in De Smet, South Dakota.

Pa & Ma's house in De Smet. The organ is the same one that Pa & Laura purchased for Mary.

Hunky Almanzo Wilder.

The Ingalls family, looking a bit grim.

Laura, the farm wife.

Another Week at the Bookstore

2009-06-03T23:23:00.000-05:00

A customer called right at closing to tell us that her daughter accidentally threw away her retainer in our cafe trash can. Would we mind digging it out? Of course we don't mind. We found it, wrapped it in a paper towel, and put it in the lost and found. O.K. maybe we minded a bit because the whole thing was pretty gross.
A woman walked in with a huge walking stick. It wasn't like this was a cane, or an obvious assist for her, it was more like she walked out to her car and saw a big long branch in the driveway and said, "Hmmm...I think I'll walk around with this stick today." And so she did. She came to Barnes & Noble with her big ol' stick and propped it up against a cushy chair while she read.
I stayed late one night with the carpet cleaners and got so involved with a project that I wound up staying until 11am the next day (a 16 hour day.) How fun it was to be so excited about moving sections around a bookstore!
We called the police with a license plate number when we watched a customer who was obviously drunk (at 10am) leave the store with his young daughter and drive out of the parking lot. I don't know what happened after that, but any way you look at it it isn't good for the poor little girl.
A customer asked for books on "farms" but when the bookseller took him to the agriculture section he was puzzled because he could not find any books he was looking for. Turns out the customer was actually saying "firearms."
I became addicted to Green Tea Frappuccinos with a shot of Raspberry. It looks like something you pull out of your garbage disposal but it is DE-lightful! A cafe server, Megan, recommended it to me, so we have started calling it "The Dirty Megan." I'd like to start a trend, so please go into your local B&N and ask for a Dirty Megan, just for laughs!
Today we had to ask a customer to leave the store. This is not our favorite thing to do, but she brought her pet into the store with her. Now, I have been known to overlook the occasional tiny, quiet dog, but (Candy- you might want to skip this part) this customer had a pet mouse. It too, was tiny and quiet, but for the love, who would bring a MOUSE into a place of business that serves FOOD? Other questions I have regarding this: Why would anyone purchase a mouse to have as a pet? Why would you take it with you while you shop? Why would you carry it around in your hand while reading books in the Current Affairs section? So many questions.
We moved the Science Fiction section. Never in my life have I seen so many upset people. We had to keep assuring them that it will all be o.k. and even better when it is done. You will LOVE it, we kept telling them. Still, they were pretty grouchy about it.

Vacation Bible School

2009-06-01T20:36:00.005-05:00

This week Gracie and her Mommy invited Hannah to spend the mornings with them at vacation bible school. Knowing how much I loved it when I was a kid, we jumped at the chance! She had so much fun! Here is her synopsis of the day's events:

There were alligators and raccoons

They had brownies and green beans for snack

They climbed a giant beanstalk

She was asked to dunk her head in prayer

She learned the classic bible hymn "Jesus' Bible has a Merry Go 'Round"

If you don't know this one, maybe you can go to Vacation Bible School next year. I hear there are green beans there!

Thanks, Melissa for taking her, for sending the photos and for the update (you must have known that I was dying for details!!!) I'm shocked to hear that the day didn't go quite as Hannah had described it!

Our Guest House

2009-05-30T00:11:00.001-05:00

The Pool House is pretty much done and open for business!

The guest room has a great view!

Beautifully decorated by my mom!

Any and all are welcome. The room comes with it's own bathroom, television, access to the pool, and kitchen (complete with a coffee pot, Rachel!)

Guess Where We Are Going!!!!!

2009-05-28T22:23:00.001-05:00

Soon, soon, soon we will be driving to Florida to spend some time in The Villages, our very favorite vacation spot. Then we will board this boat for a few days, stopping for some time in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.

The rest of the time we will be playing in the pools and water thingys. When we get off the boat we will go back to The Villages for more

line dancing, golf cart riding and ice cream eating.

Oh my goodness, I can hardly wait!!!!!!!

Some Practical Advice

2009-05-25T01:54:00.001-05:00

I think there should be a required high school class on job searches. This class would include things like how to ask for an application, how to fill it out, how to follow up, interviewing techniques, etc. Until this happens, here are some helpful hints:

Don't apply for full time employment if you can only work on Tuesdays and Thursday from 4:00-8:00.
Do not ask for a job application in a tube top and flip flops.
Use a dictionary to help spell words that you are unsure of.
If you left all your previous jobs because of problems with management, chances are you will have problems with me as well.
Be wise when choosing your email address. All things being equal I will probably not hire "hornygrrl"
Do not have your mother call to inquire about a job for you.
$10.00 an hour is an unrealistic salary expectation for an entry level part time bookseller position.
Even if you feel particularly skilled at operating a calculator, it is best not to mention it as a computer skill.

Today a girl walked up to me and said:

Her: "Hey! How old do you have to be to work here?"

Me: "16"

Her: "Cool. How many positions do you have?"

Me: "None:

Her: "Awww. That sucks"

Don't be the "Her" in the above scenario.
When the application asks for references, do not write "Upon request." Because, see how the application was the request?
If you list a conviction for armed robbery I will not hire you. Probably.
If you come to the interview late you can forget it.
Do not shake hands like a dead fish.
Do not be rude to current employees, they will rat you out and you will not be hired.

Wedding

2009-05-24T20:57:00.001-05:00

A few weekends ago our cousin, Doug, married Anna. The wedding was at The Octagon House in Franklin, Kentucky. I'm sure that there are stories attached to this house, but all I know is that it is shaped liked an octagon, which alone makes it interesting in my book. It was a beautiful ceremony, so I heard. I had to stand outside the tent because a very inquisitive, almost 3 year old, had many, many questions to ask about what was happening, loudly. Gracie was an adorable flower girl, Jack was a very handsome ring bearer and their mommies did a fantastic job of escorting them down the aisle.

Congratulations to Doug, Anna, Nathaniel, and Alek!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl

2009-05-22T12:34:00.001-05:00

Today my little baby is 3 years old. I remember a lot of when she was this size:

It seems like she was this age for about 5 seconds. I remember the way she felt and smelled, but not much more.

This was her first birthday:

And then what seemed like 2 days later, was her second birthday.

Now here is my big girl. I hope time starts slowing down. Today, while driving the kids to school we saw a rainbow on one side of the car and a hot air balloon on the other side. We spent the day doing crafts outside on her new picnic table and playing with her bunny house. Then we went for a golf cart ride and picked wild poppies, wheat and daisies. We sat still in the woods and listened to the birds chirp and watched the bunnies hop. It was a great day!