This is just about our lives - four cats, two kids, a musician and a preacher.
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This is where you stick random tidbits of information about yourself.
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Monday, October 31, 2005
My Dad has been reminding me that I need to write down the funny things that my son says. Nathan cracks us all up, especially my Dad.
We've all had this awful virus - it starts with a headache and then the fever hits. Both kids had already passed it around, and I thought that we were on the mend last weekend. So we went ahead and drove to Mom's for our photography session. Not a wise move. By dusk, we were all in a bad way. I packed up the van to head for home.
Nathan woke up halfway home with the headache. Poor guy. He was in the backseat crying "My head! Make my head stop hurting!" I told him we'd stop in Bardstown so he could take some Tylenol. "No, not the Tylenol! It's yucky and it scares me." Just as we were turning off the ramp at Bardstown, I heard him throw up.
Have I mentioned that I was running a fever, too? While I was peeling Nathan out of his gucky clothes, Lila filled a diaper. There we were in the brand new Lowe's parking lot, all three of us crying.
On Sunday morning, I asked Nathan if he still had his headache. He said "No, I lost it." I mentioned that I still had mine, so Nathan told me "You should just throw up. You'll feel better. That's what I did." Such sage medical advice from a four year old!
Just so you know - anything disruptive that happens in our life almost always happens on a Saturday night. Stomach bugs, food poisoning, baby birthing - all on Saturday night. I think it might be God's way of suggesting that Randy needs to lighten up! Sunday morning worship will go on even if he's not 100% fresh.
5:42 PM
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Sunday, October 30, 2005
"Name five foods, dishes or otherwise, that were a part of your childhood, and that you sometimes miss when nostalgia gets to you..."
This might be difficult! As much as I love food, my favorite foods now don't echo back to my childhood. The things I crave now - Pad Thai and Pad See Ew, extreme dark chocolate, latte's with creamy foam - are far removed from my plain Jane childhood food.
1. This one is embarrassing. Chef Boyardee Ravioli. Wouldn't touch the stuff now, but I ate it for lunch every day. Preschool through kindergarten, my lunch came straight from the can. And I loved it. My Mom has always blamed my weight issues on Chef Boyardee.
2. Chocolate milkshakes from Wheeler's Pharmacy. Eating at the counter was one of our big treats growing up. We'd get hamburgers on buttered buns, fries, and a chocolate shake. They used real ice cream. They would pour it into a curvy Coke glass, then serve the extra in the shiny metal mixing cup. I loved it. Drinking a yummy chocolate milkshake and spinning on the counter stool.
3. Meat loaf. My Mom makes a truly yummy meatloaf. We probably ate it every other week. I know this is truly comfort food, since my Mom brought me meat loaf the week after Nathan was born.
4. We didn't come across Chicken Enchiladas until somewhere in high school. It's really an Americanized casserole version of enchiladas. I made it for Randy often right after we got married (before our Weight Watcher days). It's cheesy and saucy, with lots of cumin and chili powder.
5. My Grandmother D's ham bisquits. She made these for every single family function. She doesn't entertain as often now, and my family is usually not invited when she does. But I still love her ham bisquits. She always used county ham, and the bisquits were always tiny and perfect, and always piping hot straight from the oven.
7:41 PM
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Tuesday, October 25, 2005
We had the most interesting anniversary celebration today. Randy and I usually go out for a quiet evening when we can schedule it. On our actual anniversary day, we only do cards and maybe flowers. But Nathan needed more of a celebration.
So this afternoon, Nathan found a way for us to commemorate our 8th anniversary. We only had 20 minutes between coming home for the Science Center and Randy's afternoon meeting. But we fit it in!
We found a candle and took it outside. Then we gathered some special toys - a plastic baseball bat and a plastic sword. Nathan found a special spot for the candle in the front yard, and arranged the bat and sword beside it. After we lit the candle, Randy and I danced slow, stately dance. Nathan provided the background music as he rode his Big Wheel around the driveway. For those of you who watch Nick Jr., it sounded kind of like an extended BC Builders commercial.
Then we blew out the candle, and Nathan and Randy had a bit of combat play with the sword and bat. Then we lit the candle again and had some more dancing and Big Wheel riding.
Have you wondered what Lila thought of this? She was asleep in the van. She slept through the entire celebration. But she did get some anniversary cake later.
7:01 PM
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Monday, October 24, 2005
7:31 PM
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If we were made of money, we would visit Jennifer's home photography studio every week. She's great with kids!
7:23 PM
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Sunday, October 23, 2005
http://Jennifer.smugmug.com/photos/41066285-S.jpg
8:37 AM
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Friday, October 14, 2005
We have trouble next door. Trouble that spills out into our lives. I never thought that I'd wish for cold, rainy weather, but we need to see much less of our neighbors. This will probably be a long account, but the events have really bothered me.
Nathan plays with the boys next door fairly often. Their mother (R) left an abusive boyfriend who tried to kill her and moved back in with her Mom and Stepdad (S). Sounds like it would be better, right? I'm not so sure. Stepdad has a drinking problem. Beer brings out an ugly, mean side of him.
We first heard of this problem when R came to our house sobbing, asking to use our phone. S had threatened to "finish what ___ (ex-boyfriend) started." She moved out for a few days, but then came back.
I've tried to keep a better eye on Nathan since hearing about that nastiness. But when the boys play, they run between both houses. The boys have not been playing well together for the last few weeks, either. They can't agree on what to play, and it ends with tackling and hitting. I've been around them enough to know that there isn't ever one lone instigator. They all take turns being bad!
Yesterday the boys came over to see if Nathan could play. I decided to stay outside with them and referee. When a conflict came up, I tried to help Logan and Nathan find an alternative to grabbing and slapping. But their Grandmother heard us their yard and yelled for the boys to get back in their own yard. They went , and Nathan followed. I went with him to keep an eye on things.
S was sitting in his lawn chair guzzling a beer. He tells me what a rotten day he has had, and how we need to limit the boys' time together. I'm in agreement there - dh and I had already talked about that. Then he says "At *our* house, we've been working on not hitting, pushing, or shoving. I just put a poster up that has all of that printed on it." That's good. Never mind that the boys can't read yet. And did you have that in mind when you threatened to kill their Mother not too long ago?
All three boys headed over to the woodpile to play. They all had small sticks in their hands, and ran off to a patch of dirt a few yards away. S told the boys to put the sticks back. Boys continued to run around. While I'm telling Nathan to listen and put the stick back, S starts *yelling* at my son. "I told you to put that stick back on the pile. I'm sick of picking up sticks every time I turn around." His boys weren't included in the rant - it was only directed at my son. With me standing right there.
I gathered up my kids and headed home. As we were leaving, he was yelling at me about how my son doesn't listen to authority and we need to teach him how to listen. Blah, blah, blah. . . While both of these accusations are true to some extent, our son's discipline issues are none of his business.
This incident was just a real eye-opener for me. I knew that they had problems next door, but I had no idea that so much hostility was being directed toward my son. It was apparent to me that S sees my son as the problem when the boys don't play well together. I've spent enough time with all three to know that it's just not a good mix. Nathan has his own agenda for play plans, and they almost never suit Logan. Logan whines and cries, and Nathan just does his own thing. So Logan tackles Nathan, and Nathan pops him one. It isn't pretty, but it isn't any *one* child's fault.
I've already told Nathan that he won't be playing next door. The other kids can play at our house, but they have to stay here. Nathan wasn't a bit upset to hear this, which tells me that visits next door weren't always pleasant.
I hope that R can get herself collected quickly and find an apartment.
1:06 PM
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Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Want to hear what Lila's talking about? Sure you do! Here is her vocabulary so far:
Ma ma usually means that she's hungry
Me meeeee sometimes means Mommy, sometimes not!
She calls Randy Da! usually at full screech in the middle of church
Neh neh is Nathan
Cat comes out very clearly
She usually just barks at dogs!
Lila loves to tell people Bye bye
And she always says Eh oh for hello when she picks up the phone
She has also mastered the pursed lip Mm Mm with a vehement head shake. That was her response to every food that was offered yesterday.
I still want to get a sign language book and help her learn some signs. I know that she has a lot to tell me, and gets frustrated with the lack of language.
8:40 PM
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Thursday, October 06, 2005
Thursdays are my tired days. My long teaching day away wears me out. Lila misses me, so we have to spend some serious reconnecting time during the night. She was up four times last night.
I always look like something out of a horror movie on Thursdays. No hairdryer, no styling products, usually no makeup, and my baggiest, sloppiest Mom uniform.
So what do we do on Thursdays? We go out and about! Today I met the coolest Mom at Iroqouis Park. I felt like such a slug, but we had a nice conversation and exchanged phone numbers. It was great to talk with someone who shares common interests! That would have been a good stopping place. I could have gone home and gotten some great mileage out of a pleasant park outing. But Randy wanted to meet up at the McDonald's Playland. I can't remember why.
Thursday is the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) day at the huge Baptist megachurch down the road. After their event, a group of Moms meet up at the Playland. I had forgotten this until we got there today. Then I remembered that I looked like hell the last time I met them. Not that it should matter. It really shouldn't. But somehow it does.
At least I know that I'm meeting a whole group of Moms from Nathan's preschool tomorrow. I know that I've been looking forward to this playdate as much as Nathan! I've been feeling really isolated lately.
8:55 PM
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Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Tonight when I came home from my long teaching day, Lila was in the tub. I heard her splashing around and singing to her animals from down the hall. But when she saw me, her face wrinkled up with that "oh please, help me" look. She pointed towards her room and told me "Ni ni! Ni ni!"
She definitely meant "night night." That was the first time she had told me that. She was one tired baby!
8:11 PM
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