Life Unscripted

Creepiness

2012-01-03T09:58:00.004-06:00

I wish I could take a picture of my phone screen, but I am not, yet, that tech saavy. I wanted to share a text conversation that I had with Sydney on December 29th...

Me: What are your plans for the day/night?
Sydney: Nothing! Anything that you've planned?
Me: Dinner at home... Steaks... Inception.
Sydney: Sounds good! don't use the "..." It seems almost creepy
Me: What is creepy about "..."? I do much creepier things on a regular basis!
Me: ...
Sydney: See! Very creepy

A Christmas Hit

2011-01-12T21:33:00.004-06:00

Dear Aunt Debbie,
Thank you so much for the Easy Bake Oven! All of my friends are so jealous, and it makes me happy just looking at it... Thanks to you, my childhood won't be ruined!
I love you so much!
Love, Sydney

Happy Thanksgiving From The Strongs

2010-11-25T20:56:00.000-06:00

Project 365

2010-11-19T19:03:00.002-06:00

Lately, I've been a slacker when it comes to my blog. I was on FB the other day and noticed that my friend, was participating in Project 365. Since I love taking pictures, I thought that this might be a little less pressure than the blog. I'm not giving up on blog entirely, but I'm hoping that it might slowly get me back into the habit of posting on a regular basis.
If you're interested, click here. My user name is fivestrongs.

1st Day of School 2010

2010-09-01T19:33:00.003-05:00

Sydney- Sophomore
Reilly- 8th grade
Griffin- 5th grade

A Happy (?) Camper

2010-07-28T09:11:00.004-05:00

My little ninja survived his first camp experience.
I'm not sure who had a more difficult week- Griffin or HH. Griffin was extremely homesick. HH had a difficult time sleeping and sort of wandered around the house, not knowing what to do with himself.
By Wednesday, HH made a trip to the camp to take Griff a bedside fan under the guise that he was the only boy in his cabin at drop-off without one. This probably was not a good idea, because Griffin broke down in tears when he saw his dad. I think that he truly would have gone home with HH, had HH and the camp counselor not persuaded him to stick it out. He was having a great time during the day...it was the nights that were difficult.
Griff was a resourceful little camper, though. Before HH brought him the fan, he had been trading his snacks for the use of another little boy's fan at night. We all got a big laugh out of that!
He's home now, and we're back into our summer routine. I'm not sure what next summer will bring, but I'm hoping that he'll choose to try it again!

14 Fun Facts About Reilly... A Birthday Post

2010-07-21T09:26:00.014-05:00

Me: I can't believe that your birthday is Sunday. Do you realize that in a year you'll be eligible for your driving permit?
Reilly: Yeah, I really don't know how that's going to work out. I don't do so well with those race car games.

Yes, that was our conversation last week. I guess I should be worried about that statement, but Reilly is pretty careful and very meticulous in everything that she does, so I'm counting on that to be true of her driving as well. No need to worry before the fact, right?
I have been horrible about blogging lately. The other day, however, Reilly asked me if I would be writing about her upcoming birthday. I hadn't really given it much thought, but I figured if my daughter of very few words mentioned it, it must be important to her, so here it goes...

14 Fun Facts About Reilly:
1. She sets goals. Not only does she set goals, but she actually puts plans in place to make these goals happen. Remember the physical fitness test from school? I believe it was in the 6th grade that Reilly was unable to do a pull-up. The fact that she was unable to do even one, bothered her immensely. After the failed attempt, she went to work... at home, it was countless pushups. At the park, it was time spent on the monkey bars. Her perserverence paid off and in the 7th grade, she was able to complete one pull-up for the test.
2. She is 5'3 1/2" and weighs 88 lbs. She is all legs. Over the years, she has been my pickiest eater, but has recently made a conscience effort to branch out and try new things. One of her new favorite dishes is the Southwestern Salad. Yeah, I never thought I'd see the day that she would actually eat lettuce AND black beans. Go figure!
3. She is my only child who actually reads for enjoyment. I think that she would say that Stephanie Meyers is her favorite author, but she reads a variety of things.
4. She is a busy girl, but a girl who needs down-time, as well. She is active in soccer, softball, TKD & basketball. She also enjoys spending time with friends... but not TOO much time. She is definitely my child who needs time to herself.
5. She loves to shop and buy "cool", trendy outfits, but prefers to wear athletic clothing. This drives me nuts, but only because she comes by this sad fact naturally;)
6. This year, her eyesight changed dramatically. She went from wearing glasses only to watch tv and to see the boards at school, to pretty much all of the time. At the last appointment, the eye doctor suggested contacts. Unlike Sydney, she got the hang of them rather quickly, and now wears them daily.
7. She wanted me to let you know that she LIKES mechanical pencils, but does not LOVE them. A couple of years ago, I wrote about her love for mechanical pencils and she evidently has not forgotten this (click here for offending post). She requested that I not mention anything random or weird... which makes writing this extremely difficult for me:) She IS 14, though, so I'll TRY to abide by her wishes!
8. She is meticulous when it comes to her room, but no longer anally so... every once in a while, I will find clothes (in a neat pile) by her dresser on the floor. She also is the only one in the house who makes her bed every day. When I want someone to help me organize or deep clean something, she is my girl. I'm sure that my father is ecstatic that the McD. clean gene is not going to die with him:)
9. She is addicted to Ensure and will still occasionally horde cake rolls in her dresser drawers.
10. She is the only one of my children who will sit down and watch tv with me on a regular basis. I'd like to think it's because she likes that quality time and stimulating conversation that we have about the programming, but deep down I know the truth. I will only allow her to watch certain shows (Glee, 16 & Pregnant, etc.) if she watches them with me, so that we can discuss.
10. Favorite songs right now: "Ridin' Solo" by Jason Derulo, "Cooler Than Me" by Mike Posner, "Forever and Always" by Taylor Swift, "Bigger" by Justin Bieber
11. Favorite restaurant: Shakespeare's Pizza
12. Favorite Sports Figure: Yadier Molina
13. Favorite Movie: The Blind Side
14. She's beautiful inside and out and we love her very much!!!

Happy Birthday, Reilly!

Weekend Update

2010-05-25T10:37:00.013-05:00

We were finally able to get in a full weekend of games... no rain outs!
Even though it was close to 90 degrees, the sun made all the difference in my level of enjoyment.
'Cause you know... it's all about me;)
Griffin had a tough day on Saturday. He pitched for the first time this season. He did a good job, but was not happy with his performance. He was in a very foul mood, and we had to have a few discussions about his attitude. I'm sure this had a lot to do with lack of sleep- he slept over at a friend's house the previous night.
He settled down on Sunday, though, and HH said that he had a much better game. He also got to catch, which is definitely his forte.
Reilly had a softball game on Saturday, and 2 soccer games in St. Louis on Sunday. She pitched a good game on Saturday. She's not very powerful, but can throw strikes. She also laid down a great bunt. I was standing near the coach taking pictures and heard him say, "I didn't tell her to do that." When asked about it later, she said that she was much more confident bunting than hitting. If she gets on base, she can usually steal her way home... she's a quick little thing!

False Alarm

2010-05-02T21:13:00.004-05:00

My FB was NOT hacked. It was down for several hours on Saturday. I'm assuming that it was the large number of photos that I was trying to upload of the dance. I was a little disappointed... was hoping that someone had received something really offensive;)
Oh well....

Several times each summer, HH has the same conversation with Reilly about her softball swing. I'm not exactly sure what he says, but it always makes me smile to watch this interaction.

Darn Facebook

2010-05-01T16:21:00.004-05:00

My FB is down... not sure what's the problem. My account has probably been hacked.
I only hope that you aren't bombarded with material of questionable content. If you are, I hope that it's good stuff;)

This picture was taken last night at the 9th grade dance.
I don't know how many more of these events that Syd will let me chaperone, so I'm going to enjoy every minute of the ones that she does.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend... I'm going to!!!

Spring Soccer

2010-04-21T09:38:00.002-05:00

Boys At Play

2010-04-08T09:29:00.007-05:00

A rare moment: Griff actually needed help assembling a Lego Star Wars ship...

Griff's bedroom door...

Round 2

2010-03-23T15:37:00.023-05:00

We took Reilly in for her 2nd (and hopefully, last) round of braces.
She's pretty excited about the new look.
HH & I are pretty excited that we were able to pay for the new look in advance:)
Now, it's time to start putting money away for Griff's smile...
It's times like this that I'm glad that we didn't have more kiddos:)

CLICK HERE to see photos of Round 1.

Missouri Weather For Ya

2010-03-19T16:16:00.001-05:00

Saturday
Blustery. Much colder. Rain...snow and sleet. Snow and sleet accumulation up to 1 inch. Near steady temperature in the upper 30s. North wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.

Saturday Night
Blustery...snow. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Total snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Low around 30. Northeast wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of snow 80 percent.

Sunday
Blustery. Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow...sleet and rain. High around 40. Northeast wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

Sunday Night
Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain and snow. Low around 30. North wind 10 to 20 mph.

Monday
Mostly sunny. High around 50.

A Little St. Patty's Day Humor

2010-03-17T09:00:00.006-05:00

This morning, I went into Sydney & Reilly's rooms as they were getting dressed. I had to remind them that it was St. Pat's Day & to put on something green.
I also gave them a bit of parental advice... reminding them of my experiences with the holiday as a child.
"Whatever you do, don't ask a boy who's not wearing green, why he's not wearing green. When I was younger, I did that and the boys would often say, 'I'm wearing green. You just can't see it.' Then, they would show me a piece of their underwear."
The girls thought this was hilarious.
I then made my way to Griffin's room. He was standing by his closet, dressed all in blue. I said, "Don't you know what today is? You should be wearing green."
Griff pulled up his shirt, which exposed the waistband of his green shamrock boxers.

I guess some things never change;)

Dressed For Cotillion

2010-02-06T17:10:00.004-06:00

I just dropped Sydney off at a Junior Cotillion pre-party. Thought I'd share photos of my gorgeous daughter...

I give her 5 minutes in those strappy sandals...

Junior Cotillion

2010-02-03T13:55:00.006-06:00

This weekend, Sydney will be attending Junior Cotillion for the second time. In my city, Junior Cotillion is a "nonprofit, private organization offering dance instruction and dances for all (my city) ninth-graders." Basically, it is a place to learn a variety of dances and social and dance etiquette.
When Sydney first broached the subject of Cotillion, she said that there was going to be something coming in the mail and as soon as I recieved it (the absolute very second), I had to fill it out and take it to a certain mailbox (and no other would do, because this mailbox would get it there the quickest), or she was going to be the only one of all her friends who would be excluded from this event.
I got all wrapped up into the Cotillion drama, cancelled my plans for the day, and was sitting at my mailbox on the day that the invitations were to arrive. I dutifully filled out the registration form, placed the check in the envelope and drove to the specified mail drop. The *emotional stress* accompanying this exchange was exhausting;)
Luckily, I must have done all the right things, because she made it in. Sydney was thrilled.
The stress was far from over, though. In the fall, we had to come up with a western outfit for the Western Themed dance. After many trips to the mall, many harried phone calls to her friends, and a trip to Springfield to pick up some cowboy boots (just kidding, we were actually there for a soccer tournament), Sydney was ready for the dance. She loved every minute of it. I loved it as well... I was asked to chaperone at the last minute.
Here are a few photos from the evening...

Now, we're gearing up for the next series, which is Ballroom Dance. We have been frantically trying to put together a semi formal outfit that does not look trashy. This is very difficult, as many of the dresses out there are not fit for a 15 year old. Sydney and I had a few good laughs over some of the dresses that she tried on... OMG, she looked like a street walker in more than one of them. Luckily, we were able to come to an agreement and purchased a very pretty black & cream dress. It's a little shorter than I would have liked- we had to sacrifice length for fit- but she looks gorgeous in it. Now, if she can only walk in the shoes, she'll be fine:)

Basketball & Stuff

2010-01-30T10:10:00.011-06:00

Sydney surprised us this fall when she told us that she would be trying out for the freshman basketball team. She did not have much experience with this sport- a short stint in the 7th grade & a few months of church ball... had never really even expressed an interest. She thought that after recovering from mono, she had better do something to help her get into shape for the spring soccer season. I was pretty proud of her for making that decision, though I didn't realize what kind of time commitment that it would require. It also didn't help that her school is across town and practices were often at 5:00 in the evening, every day that there was not a game.
The season ended last week, though. Sydney seemed to enjoy it for the most part, but claims that she will not play next year. We shall see...

Reilly played for her school as well. She, however, absolutely loved playing and (to my horror) signed up to play CYBA (a city league) this winter after her school season was over. Don't get me wrong... I love watching my kids in all of their activities, but I also enjoy a little down time. We used to have this during the winter months. Now, with TKD, basketball and indoor soccer, our week nights & Saturdays are pretty much packed. I guess it could be worse, though... we all could be plopped in front of the tv every night, right?

Griffin, thank God, is only involved in one sport right now. He attends TKD classes 3-4 times a week. When he's not in class, he is trying to avoid doing his homework.
HH and I will accompany him to a tourney in St. Louis this weekend. I'm really looking forward to some quality alone time with my boys. This will be Griff's first time competing as a black belt. It should be interesting...

My Current Play List (Which Doesn't Include "Hit Me With Your Best Shot")

2010-01-16T17:25:00.006-06:00

In my last post, I forgot to include my IPOD play list, so here it is:

1. "Rock & Roll" Eric Hutchinson
2. "As If" Sara Evans
3. "Song of Hope (Heaven Come Down)" Robbie Seay Band
4. "Light On" David Cook
5. "Cool" Gwen Stefani
6. "I Gotta Feeling" Black Eyed Peas
7. "Don't Stop Believin'" Glee Cast
8. "Whatever It Is" Zac Brown Band
9. "Love Like This" Natasha Bedingfield
10. "Every Time I Breathe" Big Daddy Weave
11. "In Love With a Girl" Gavin DeGraw
12. "4 Minutes" Madonna (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
13. "These Days" Rascal Flatts
14. "Fireflies" Owl City
15. "Glamorous" Fergie
16. "Halo" Beyoncé
17. "Settlin'" Sugarland
18. "He Reigns" Newsboys
19. "I'll Be" Edwin McCain
20. "All I Want to Do" Sugarland
21. "1234" Feist
22. "Don't Blink" Kenny Chesney
23. "Chicken Fried" Zac Brown Band
24. "I'm Yours" Jason Mraz
25. "Under Pressure" BD & HG
26. "Boom Boom Pow" Black Eyed Peas
27. "Open Skies" David Crowder
28. "Our Time Now" Plain White T's
29. "Take You There" Sean Kingston
30. "Viva la Vida" Coldplay

In other news, last week, we spent an evening with Baby Jack and his family...

Baby Gavin (the little guy that I babysit) celebrated his first birthday...

A Peek At Our Play Lists

2010-01-15T18:15:00.003-06:00

I just thought I'd share the kids' current IPOD playlists. I love to see how their tastes in music change thru the years.
I noticed that "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was mysteriously missing from any of their lists. I find this VERY interesting.
I also noticed that the song that nobody admits to listening to but has been listened to 354 times has fallen to #2 on our play count list... "Replay" by Iyaz has sadly surpassed it, though this song cracks me up.
Instead of "Na na na na everyday It's like my iPod stuck on replay replay-ay-ay-ay", I always sing "Na na na na everyday It's like an eyeball stuck on me plate." Yeah, it drives the kids nuts!

Griffin's Play List (age 10)
1. "Boom Boom Pow" Black Eyed Peas
2. "Fireflies" Owl City
3. "Replay" Iyaz
4. "Party In the U.S.A." Miley Cyrus
5. "Down" Jay Sean (feat. Lil Wayne)
6. "Fire Burning" Sean Kingston
7. "Hey There Delilah" Plain White T's
8. "Our Time Now " Plain White T's
9. "You Belong With Me" Taylor Swift
10. "Right Round" Flo Rida
11. "Never Going Back to OK" The Afters
12. "You and I" Anarbor
13. "Take You There" Sean Kingston
14. "A Little Faster" There for Tomorrow
15. "It's Not My Time" 3 Doors Down
16. "Watching You" Rodney Atkins
17. "Gives You Hell" The All-American Rejects

Reilly's Play List (age 13)
1. "Forever & Always" Taylor Swift
2. "Party In the U.S.A." Miley Cyrus
3. "Whatcha Say" Jason Derulo
4. "3" Britney Spears
5. "TiK ToK" Ke$ha
6. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" Beyoncé
7. "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" The Chipmunks
8. "Replay" Iyaz
9. "Fireflies" Owl City
10. "Down" Jay Sean (feat. Lil Wayne)
11. "Meet Me Halfway" Black Eyed Peas
12. "One Less Lonely Girl" Justin Bieber
13. "Love Me" Justin Bieber
14. "Rock & Roll" Eric Hutchinson
15. "Don't Stop Believin' (Glee Cast Version)" Glee Cast
16. "A Place In This World" Taylor Swift
17. "Jump Then Fall" Taylor Swift
18. "Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z (feat. Alicia Keys)

Sydney's Play List (age 15)
1. "Jump Then Fall" Taylor Swift
2. "Don't Stop Believin' (Glee Cast Version)" Glee Cast
3. "Two Is Better Than One" Boys Like Girls (feat. Taylor Swift)
4. "One Time " Justin Bieber
5. "Fifteen" Taylor Swift
6. "Need You Now" Lady Antebellum
7. "Meet Me Halfway" Black Eyed Peas
8. "You Belong With Me" Taylor Swift
9. "Rock & Roll" Eric Hutchinson
10. "Love Me" Justin Bieber
11. "Forever & Always" Taylor Swift
12. "One Less Lonely Girl" Justin Bieber
13. "Bless The Broken Road" Rascal Flatts
14. "Party In the U.S.A." Miley Cyrus

Oh, before I forget... there will be no pictures of my hair posted here. You are just going to have to imagine me with "rock star" bangs.
And while you're at it, imagine me 15 pounds lighter:)

Sydney's FB Status

2010-01-06T16:53:00.000-06:00

Sydney S. Dear Mother Nature, Please please please make it a snow day tomorrow. If you do, I'll make you cookies! Love, Sydney :)
46 minutes ago · Comment · Like

Still Unable To Solve The Pat Benetar Mystery

2009-12-24T21:25:00.005-06:00

According to ITUNES, somebody in my house has listened to "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", 354 times.
Nobody is 'fessing up.
I have my suspicions...

One Christmas Down... 3 To Go

2009-12-23T09:00:00.004-06:00

Last night, we celebrated our first Christmas of the season, with HH's family. We also got to meet our new nephew (born in November) for the first time. It really was a wonderful and relaxing evening... that is, until the gastrointestinal issues set in;)
All I want for Christmas is a stomach of steel!!!

Be Very Afraid...

2009-12-18T21:50:00.005-06:00

'cause 3 of my family members can now officially kick your butt!!!

New Moon Party & Midnight Premier

2009-11-20T11:05:00.004-06:00

Last night, the girls and I attended the midnight premier of New Moon.
More later... didn't get home until 3am... gotta go nap!

Seen On Reilly's Facebook Page

2009-11-20T11:00:00.003-06:00

One of Reilly's closest boy friends, took a facebook quiz and answered this question about my daughter...

If Reilly Strong were a serial killer, what would their nickname be?
the silent strong
Yesterday at 8:04pm via Friends Exposed · Comment ·LikeUnlike · See Wall-to-Wall

He's definitely got her pegged;)

Oh, Baby!

2009-11-17T12:23:00.005-06:00

Just in case you were wondering how I've been spending my days while my kids are at school...

I've been watching Baby Gavin on Mondays & Wednesdays since the middle of June.
Isn't he adorable?
He's pretty much non-stop giggles and smiles... that is, when he's not crying and pooping;)
He seems to tolerate me ok, but he is totally enamored with the kids... especially Sydney.

Well, I'm off to take my computer to be fixed and then to the dentist.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!

Proof That One Visit Can Change The Way You Feel About Church...

2009-11-11T21:30:00.003-06:00

Congratulations, Miss Henson (our TKD instructor and friend)!!!!

Licensed To Drive

2009-11-07T11:18:00.008-06:00

Above photo was taken on Tuesday morning BEFORE Sydney took her written test for her driver's permit for the first time.
Notice, how happy and excited she looks.
As we exited the testing center, she did not appear so joyous. In fact, she was down-right upset.
You see, she failed her first test EVER.
Her geometry teacher, who happened to be in the waiting room, tried to cheer her up by telling her, "If it's any consolation, I just graded your last quiz, and you got a hundred."
I tried to ease her pain by telling her that I don't think that I ever even passed a geometry test when I was her age.
Yeah, neither worked for this over-achiever. She was upset and embarrassed.
So, she went home and REALLY studied her driver's manual. She also took practice exams on the internet.
The next morning, we made the trek (the bureau was across town) and she PASSED her exam.
I can't believe that she's going to be driving on her own in less than a year.
Man, I feel old!

We Survived Halloween!

2009-11-01T12:29:00.008-06:00

Last night was pretty chaotic, but we survived another Halloween.
Reilly dressed as a cowgirl and went over to Deidre's house, where they helped with a haunted yard & attended a haunted garage. She had a blast, but was a little traumatized over the fact that a little boy had his bag of candy stolen by a couple of older boys. While she did not witness the incident, she did see the little guy crying hysterically and being led away by his mother.
HH took Griff trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, nobody got that he was a "nerdy" baseball player, so he had to revise his costume half-way thru the evening. His favorite treat was a can of Sprite. I'm sure HH would have sprung for a case of the stuff, if Griff would have agreed to forgo the 2 1/2 mile trek in the cold.
Sydney, attended a party in the neighborhood. HH & Griff walked her over at around 6:45. When I talked to HH later, he asked me if I knew that boys were going to be there. I had to remind him that Sydney IS 15 years old and is in the 9th grade. It was pretty funny. He also said that the house at the end of the party cul-de-sac had a huge screen with a football game playing on it. I'm sure that he & Griff hung around there for a while!
I picked Syd up at around 11:30. I was amazed at the set up... kids were sitting around a huge fire pit. There were tables covered with candles and food and The Shining was playing on a huge screen in the garage. The garage walls were covered with flouressant graffiti. I was pretty impressed with the set up!
I spent the evening volunteering in the youth area at my church with Deidre's parents, Julie and Scott. There were very few kids, so we took them up to the gym where they played games.
Anyway, after church, I picked up Arby's and headed home to eat a late dinner with my boys.
Just think... only 8 more weeks until Christmas!

Another Year, Another Fall Party

2009-10-31T15:30:00.006-05:00

I finally agreed to co-coordinate Griffin's room parties at school this year.
When the girls were younger, I was room parent several years.
I planned fun, interactive, upbeat parties, and although I complained about the amount of time and work they took, I still enjoyed the events.
By the time Griffin started school, I was a little older, a little less energetic & more-or-less "over" the elementary school party scene.
I know this is pretty typical for parents of multiple children, but I still feel tremendous guilt over this.
I'm really going to make an effort to be more involved with Griffin's school activities.
By posting this declaration on my blog, I'm hoping that you will help to keep me accountable.
I'm also hoping that it will be one less "my mother screwed up my life" moment, Griffin will have to discuss with his therapist in years-to-come;)

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the party...

Pick Up Lines

2009-10-29T21:11:00.005-05:00

I walked into the kitchen this evening, to find the girls deep in conversation.
Sydney saw me and quickly said, "Quick, tell us who has the best pick up line".

Sydney's pick up line: You must be a book, 'cause I'm checking you out!

Reilly's pick up line: Did you just break wind? 'Cause you're blowing me away!

Personally, (if I weren't married & I was into the cheesey pick up line thing) I think I would prefer hearing Sydney's line.
Reilly's delivery was much smoother, though. And, she had motions... always a plus, in my book.
I was unable to come up with a winner, so I'm leaving it up to you.
Please comment and let me know which of these pick up lines is your favorite!
If you know a funnier one, leave that as well:)

Sydney's Weekend In Photos

2009-10-25T21:18:00.006-05:00

Oh, to be 15...

Love It!

2009-10-20T20:47:00.002-05:00

You can't help but smile when you watch it, can you?
This guy totally makes me want to be an interpreter.
I wish I could still move my hips like that...

Dinner With Baby Jack & A "Stolen" Halloween Ecard

2009-10-08T21:53:00.005-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Wasn't that fun? I saw it over at Rosemary's blog and just had to do it myself!
Speaking of Rosemary... we had dinner with her family last Friday at Shakespeare's Pizza.
As always, it was a blast catching up.
If you can believe it, Baby Jack will turn two this month.
I'd like to thank Mike for introducing Griff to the Urinal Test Application for his Itouch...
Remember, Mike, paybacks are hell!!!

Griffin Cracks Me Up!

2009-10-05T10:18:00.002-05:00

Griffin came into my room last night to ask me what our plans were for Halloween. I told him that I was unsure as to what was going to happen, because Daddy and I were scheduled to work at church that evening in the Underground (youth area). I suggested that Sydney might take him trick-or-treating.
He responded, "When Sydney's around, I have to do everything by the book. And, no offense, but I don't even no what the book is!"

Fall Fun

2009-10-03T21:51:00.005-05:00

Just Say No To Beer Pong

2009-10-03T18:48:00.006-05:00

I was taking a peak at Reilly's FB page, when I noticed the results of a friendship quiz that someone had taken about her. This little item jumped out at me...
TJG just posted a quiz about you on Friend Quiz:
"Do you think that Reilly S. has ever played beer pong?"
TJG: No way reilly would NEVER do that

I wish her mother could say the same thing:o

Directionally Challenged

2009-10-01T09:56:00.004-05:00

I am directionally challenged.
I cannot read a map to save my life.
I cannot follow step-by-step directions from Map Quest.
And, after 20 some years of driving to my grandparent's house in Springfield, which is 3 hours away, I am unable to successfully navigate myself to their place without a myriad of phone calls to my parents. This frustrates my father, to no end.
And me, for that matter.

Two Fridays ago, I had to drive Griffin to a Tae Kwon Do tournament in Springfield. HH was unable to go along, because he was taking Reilly to a soccer tourney on the opposite side of the state.
I took Griff out of school at 12:30 so that we could make it a leisurely drive and then stop by my grandparent's house before his scheduled events at 6:00.
It didn't quite happen that way.
First of all, we made a pit stop at the lake (about 1/12 hours away) so that I could run into a couple of outlet stores. Griff was not too happy about this, but complied.
As we were getting back into our vehicle, he casually asked, "Mom, where is my uniform?"
I panicked. I had forgotten his uniform. Griff & HH had placed it beside his bag by the door & I totally missed it.
I picked up my cell to call HH and realized that I had low battery. I did not own a car charger, so this was a problem.
I made a couple of frantic phone calls to one of our TKD instructors and then called HH. He was rightfully ticked, but agreed to meet me half way to deliver the uniform.
So, Griff and I drove 45 minutes back to JC to meet HH.
When we finally made it back to the lake, we spotted a Sprint store, stopped & made a quick purchase.
Thank God, because I truly needed my phone once we finally hit Springfield at about 5:40.
I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I made a wrong turn somewhere and had absoulutely no idea where we were. I called my parents, who were able to point me in the right direction. Griff was a mess. He was afraid he was going to miss his event.
My dad was pissed. He couldn't understand how I could get lost AGAIN. I was a nervous wreck, just because the day had been such a disaster.
Luckily, we made it on time. The tourney was running behind and Griff was able to get himself together before his events.
My Grandfather met us at the site (which was only 1 1/2 miles from his house) and we watched Griff place 1st in Creative Forms & Creative Weapons. There were only 2 other kids in his ring, but he was excited because he had never competed in this division.
We spent the night with my grandparents and then headed back to the tourney at 11:00 the next day. We knew that he would have a much tougher time placing. We were right. He had 10 other boys in his ring.
He placed 1st in forms, 2nd in weapons and 2nd in sparring. I was so proud of him, and he was pretty proud of himself.
I haven't even gone into the drama leading up to the tourney. He almost was not able to compete because of some attitude issues. He worked hard, though, and followed directions & instructions. I think this made the victories even sweeter.

Anyway, we made it home without any major mishaps.
Only two more weeks before I have to make the drive again. Reilly has to be there for a soccer tourney.
I just know that I can do it this time without getting lost.
Famous last words, right???

Back At It

2009-09-30T22:34:00.002-05:00

Although terribly out of shape, Sydney is finally able to play soccer again.
One more activity to add to our out-of-control schedule.

Oh yeah, Reilly made the varsity basketball team at her middle school.
It never ends...:)

You Know...

2009-09-21T21:11:00.004-05:00

Griffin: "You know my friend, Adam, on my baseball team? You know the one with the twin brother? You know, they're nocturnal twins..."

Bruiser

2009-09-20T20:21:00.003-05:00

HH was wounded last week while sparring during a Tae Kwon Do class.
I secretly love a man who is bruised in a scuffle... it's hot!!!

Nana's New Knees

2009-09-18T11:03:00.005-05:00

On Monday, my mother had double knee replacement surgery.
She lost quite a bit of blood- had to have a transfusion on Tuesday- and the pain meds have periodically made her sick, but she has really been a trooper throughout the experience.
She is being released from the hospital this afternoon.
I can't wait to put her new knees to work. I think I hear the mall calling...

She's No Dummy

2009-09-17T20:36:00.003-05:00

I walked into the kitchen a couple of nights ago and discovered Griffin trying to persuade Reilly that his baseball "cup" was a gas mask.
Really, he was pretty darn convincing.
Luckily, she didn't fall for it. She flat out refused to let him place it over her mouth and nose.
I guess that's one of the perks of growing up with a brother in the house.
It gives me hope that (unlike her gullible mother) there will be no snipe hunts in her future.

Note to Griff: Please stop putting your nasty protective gear on my kitchen island. That's just gross!

Weather Talk & A Mullet

2009-09-17T20:13:00.004-05:00

Tonight, Griffin and HH were standing in the kitchen talking about Griffin's upcoming science test.
HH: Griff, tell your mom the definition for rain and snow.
Griffin: Duh, it's "precipivacation".
Bill Nye, he is not.

In other news, Griff got a much needed haircut today. It's very cute, but I do believe that it's a borderline mullet.
His dad is so proud;)
Photos to come...

I'm Going To Be There... Are You???

2009-09-10T16:51:00.001-05:00

ROCK for KENT EVENT
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18th
7:00 PM Doors | 7:30 PM Show
Woodcrest Auditorium, Columbia, MO

THE FOLLOW will perform live on Friday September 18th, 2009 at Woodcrest Auditorium in Columbia, MO, as well as broadcasting* a live video feed into Second Life supporting the band members' avatars. Doors are at 7:00 PM Central Time.

Check out The Follow's sound at www.thefollow.com

KENT RICKERTSEN, brother of singer/guitarist - Troy Rickertsen, requires treatment given by top neurological specialists. Kent has been a HUGE influence on Troy's early musical path. The band will perform to raise money for Kent's travel expenses. A humble goal of just $3,000 is both attainable and necessary for Kent to begin treatments.

Please support our friend, our brother, our son, our father. Join THE FOLLOW in our encouragement, our hope, and our love for Kent Rickertsen.

(suggested $10 donation - payable to Woodcrest with memo "Kent Rickertsen benevolence fund")

Woodcrest Auditorium
2201 West Nifong Blvd.
Columbia, MO 65203
573-445-1131 | Woodcrest.org

Now Eligible For Her Driver's Permit

2009-09-05T17:06:00.006-05:00

On September 2nd, Sydney turned 15.
It was a pretty lame birthday, though she's too polite to admit it.
She went to school, but called to me to pick her up early because she was exhausted.
She spent the rest of the day napping and doing homework.
HH and I were busy running Griff & Reilly around that evening (baseball games/ Tae Kwon Do practice)
I'm not sure she even ate dinner, & I know that she didn't enjoy a birthday dessert.
On Friday, though, our schedules were free and she was feeling much stronger.
We took one of her best friends to the mall with us, and then we went to dinner at Noodles and Company.
I love the friend that went along. She is outgoing and very fun... also, a wealth of information;)
Reilly & I were all ears, listening to the outpouring of dramatic tales from their junior high.

Anyway, here are 15 fun favorites of the birthday girl:
1. Favorite Athlete/Team: Albert Pujols/ St. Louis Cardinals
2. Favorite Fruit: Raspberries
3. Favorite Singer: Taylor Swift
4. Favorite Store: American Eagle
5. Favorite TV Shows: Wizards of Waverly Place/ Chopped (on the Food Network. yeah, i had never heard of it)
6. Favorite Restaurant: Huhot Mongolian Grill
7. Favorite Movies: Get Smart/ Twilight

8. Favorite School Subject: Lunch (not the food, the social aspect)
9. Favorite Website: Facebook
10. Favorite Biblical Character: Ruth ("... because she has her own book in the bible, and that's cool!")
11. Favorite Nail Polish Color: Lime Green
12. Favorite Celebrity Crush: Zac Effron
13. Favorite Joke: A blonde wanted to go ice fishing. She'd seen many books on the subject, and finally, after getting all the necessary items together, she made for the nearest frozen lake.
After positioning her footstool, she started to make a circular cut in the ice. Suddenly, from the sky, a voice boomed, "There are no fish under the ice!"
Startled, the blonde moved further down the ice and began to cut yet another hole. Again, from the heavens, the voice bellowed, "There are no fish under the ice!"
The blonde, now quite worried, moved way down to the opposite end of the ice, sat up her stool, and tried again to cut her hole. The voice came once more, "There are no fish under the ice!"
She stopped, looked skyward, and said, "Is that you, Lord?"
The voice replied, "No, manager of this ice rink!"
14. Favorite Candy: Sour Patch Kids
15. Favorite Parent: (When you ask a stupid question...)

Can You Identify With Any of These Random Thoughts?

2009-09-03T21:05:00.003-05:00

My friend, Julie, forwarded me these random thoughts and they were just too good not to share...
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV.
There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this.
It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room.
Will we still be friends after this?'

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

What's Under Your Bed?

2009-08-27T07:59:00.004-05:00

About a week ago, I thoroughly cleaned my bedroom.
I tried to touch on every single area, which was no small feat.
I dusted the crown molding, the top of the armoir, the ceiling fan... all of the surfaces that are ignored during weekly (monthly) cleaning ventures.
I had Griff help me remove the mattress and boxsprings, so that I could vacuum under my bed.
This is what I found...

Do you see the Easter candy wrappers?
Yeah, I'm going to have to talk to the kids about that;)

What items do you have lurking under your bed?

My (Not So) Little Ninjas!

2009-08-27T07:50:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-26T21:52:00.002-05:00

(Check out the band-aid)

Had To Dust Off The Scrapbooking Supplies...

2009-08-25T09:46:00.002-05:00

1st Day of School

2009-08-24T10:02:00.002-05:00

Griffin's 1st day of 4th grade:

Reilly's 1st day of 7th grade:

Sydney's 1st day of 9th grade:

(Although she's feeling a bit better, the Mono is still pretty much kicking her butt)

My Baby's in Double Digits

2009-08-22T09:02:00.005-05:00

Griffin celebrated his 10th birthday on the 18th.
This summer, he has been so focused on obtaining the IPOD Touch, he decided to forgo the party in lieu of the cash payout.
Thank God. I don't know if I could have survived a sleepover party with 9 & 10 year old boys.
I'm still amazed at the amount of door slamming, running around & screaming that accompanies male tweens when 2 or more of them gather together:o
Anyway, Griff's actual birthday was pretty low key.
Nana brought over lunch and a birthday cookie cake. She stayed with the kids while I ran around trying to get Sydney's 9th grade schedule (which took a call to the doctor's office for proof of her Tetnus shot and 2 trips across town to her school).
That evening, HH took Reilly to get her schedule and to soccer practice while I accompanied Griff and his friend to Going Bonker's (a local indoor playground/arcade).
Later, we all gathered at the house with Aunt Debbie to sing Happy Birthday to Griffin and devour the cake.
I'm still reeling over the fact that I no longer have a child in single digits.
Can I really be that old????

10 Fun Facts About Griffin:
1. He loves the St. Louis Cardinals. Albert Pujols is his favorite athlete.
2. He loves music. We rarely see him without his IPOD (or now, IPOD Touch).
3. He's a TKD Ninja. He attends class at least 3 times a week and has been helping with a Tiny Tigers (preschoolers) class every Tuesday for the past year.
4. He's obsessed with Axe deodorant. Thank God for this... after running around, he definitely needs it!!!:)
5. His room is an absolute pigsty and this does not bother him a bit.
6. His favorite song is "Our Time Now" by Plain White T's.
7. He wears his retainers ALL. THE. TIME. I've never seen anything like it.
8. His handwriting is so tiny that we almost need a magnifying glass to read it.
9. His favorite applications on his IPOD Touch: The Fart Machine & Yo Mama (jokes).
10. He genuinely cares about others & is a great friend, brother & son. We LOVE Griff!!!!!

OH NO! MONO

2009-08-17T13:46:00.005-05:00

Exactly a week ago, Syd started complaining of a headache and neck pain.
She was popping IBUprofen like it was candy.
Last Wednesday night, she served communion at church. Once home, she put on flannel pj pants and a fleece sweatshirt and crawled into my bed, under the down comforter and fell fast asleep.
At 11:30, she threw off the covers and began disrobing. She had a 103.2 degree fever.
Never google illnesses in the middle of the night.
HH was in Dallas on business, so I called and woke him up. He had to talk me out of taking her to the emergency room. He also told me to stay off the computer;)
The next morning, I dragged my sick daughter to her pediatrician's office. I was sure she had Menengitis.
Luckily, I was wrong.
Sydney's doctor checked her out, swabbed her throat for Strep, ruled out Menengitis and told us that she thought the illness was probably viral.
Sydney spent the next day and a half in bed, running a 102-103 degree fever.
I phoned HH's dad (a physician in JC) on Friday night to get his opinion.
He encouraged me to take her back in on Saturday morning and have them do a blood workup (forgot what it's called) and suggested a few other things that the doctor should check.
I took Sydney back to the pediatrician on Saturday morning. The doctor on call ordered several blood tests. After the blood was drawn, Syd turned white as a sheet. The technician and I caught her before she hit the floor. She's a fainter... just like her mother:o
Final diagnosis: MONONUCLEOSIS
It's been over a week. Sydney's still in bed and still running a 102 degree fever. Because she is so weak, we are afraid to leave her alone.
She's probably going to miss the first few days of school and she's definitely going to miss a large portion of her soccer season.
I feel so bad for my little girl.

A New Softball Jingle

2009-08-02T15:16:00.005-05:00

Have you heard the O'Reilly auto parts commercial?
Oh Oh Oh O'Reilly... Auto Parts (I searched for it on the web, but couldn't find it).

Reilly's softball team made up a chant that they would sing every time she was at bat...
Oh Oh Oh, Oh Reilly... get on base!!!

My Little Champion

2009-08-02T10:06:00.006-05:00

I was cleaning up the photos on my computer last night, and came across an event from June that I forgot to blog about.
HH and Griffin took a little road trip to Little Rock, Arkansas for the Tae Kwon Do World Championships.
I can't remember exactly why the girls and I didn't tag along, but I'm sure that it had something to do with softball or the soccer season that wouldn't end.
I am excited that the "boys" were able to have some interrupted male bonding time together, though I don't know what they had to talk about since the girls and I weren't around;)
Griff was disappointed that he was not able to break into the coveted top three in weapons or forms, but did legitimately place 4th in both events... not bad for 13 kids in his ring.
No matter the results, though, he is and always will be my little world champion!!!

High Divin'

2009-07-24T21:56:00.005-05:00

Just got back from our annual trip to the Marshall pool with Nana. We couldn't tear the kids away from the high dive.
In case you didn't notice, Reilly still thinks she's at the Kiss Coffee House.
Fun times.

The Sidestep

2009-07-22T20:49:00.003-05:00

Watching Obama discuss his plans for health care tonight, reminded me of Charles Durning performing "The Sidestep" in the movie Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ...

I didn't understand a darn thing he said.

Birthday & Baseball

2009-07-18T23:56:00.010-05:00

Reilly spent her 13th birthday at the little league fields playing in her second district All Star game.
I was really glad that they won (12-2), as it would have not been cool. Reilly pitched a great time, and scored 3 runs.
After the game, the team sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She hates being the center of attention (outside of the family), so I'm sure it was pretty much torture for her, as her head was down the entire time. How in the world did I give birth to a child that does not crave constant attention?
Her team won the first game (I forgot the score), but lost 1-5 (to that same team)in the championship game. The girls were truly upset with the outcome. They were hoping to make it to state.
I guess, there's always next year...

Officially A Teen

2009-07-18T12:17:00.003-05:00

Today, Reilly is celebrating her 13th birthday.
I can't believe that I'm now the mother of two teenagers:o

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Jack Edition

2009-07-15T12:08:00.003-05:00

Summer Sports: A Break From Our Vacation Photos

2009-07-15T10:34:00.004-05:00

Since my camera has been out-of-commission for the past couple of months, my heart has not been into sharing our summer's activities. To tell you the truth, I've felt kind of lost at the sporting events... like I'm missing an arm, or something. Instead of moving around and getting in people's way (all in the name of getting the perfect shot), I've had to sit (like a normal person) and actually watch the action. This is a difficult feat for a nonmedicated ADHD adult:)
We've spent a majority of our summer evenings at the ball park. Reilly opted out of competative softball this year, and decided to stick just with little league. It's been fun to watch her enjoy the game again. It's also been nice having our weekends free from traveling and a little extra money in our wallets. This weekend, she will be playing in the All-Star games which, luckily, are in our home town.
Griffin, has also had a ball (no pun intended) with his team. Though, he was hit by a few pitches early in the season, and subsequently jumped out of the box every single time he was at bat, he looked forward to every single game. They even allowed him to pitch a few innings, which made his entire season!!!

A Word To The Wise...

2009-07-14T23:56:00.005-05:00

If you take your kids to the Kiss CoffeeHouse, be prepared for the rest of your vacation photos to look like this:

Yep. I've got 24 others, just like these:o

Girl Or Grasshopper?

2009-07-13T21:05:00.003-05:00

BRB... At The Beach

2009-07-11T23:08:00.003-05:00

Don't Get Your Panties In A Wad...

2009-07-03T22:35:00.004-05:00

or accidentally leave them in the Mattson's guest bathroom!!!

The fine print says, "Please note that this is discouraged in the Mattson household and will not be tolerated!"

I love my friends!!!

Out of The Mouths of Babes

2009-06-23T17:21:00.006-05:00

Griffin (age 9) has been obsessed with the Twilight series. He has not read any of the books, but he has heard the girls talking about them for the past year.
Today, he came into my room and said, "Have you seen the New Moon trailer, yet? It's really cool. I don't think that I want to read the book though, 'cause it would just ruin it (the movie) for me."

Ughhh!!!

A Happy MEME

2009-06-20T21:52:00.005-05:00

I was over at Lakewood Manor a few days ago, and saw that Terri had tagged me for this MEME. I absolutely love her blog, and am hoping that she will be able to open it back up to the public at some point!!

What makes me happy is:

1. A camera that's not broken (sending it back to Nikon for the 2nd time this month... I'm praying they can fix it)
2. My blue decided TKD belt (thank God I made it through my form at testing without any major freezes or mishaps)
3. The campfire smell that is permeating Sydney's room & hair (even after 2 showers)
4. Sleeping late
5. A certain puppy pooping outside, as opposed to under the baby swing in my bedroom
6. Ovaltine (my new favorite drink, thanks to the Mattsons)
7. Listening to my husband sing along to country songs on the radio
8. Tick bites that are finally starting to heal after a month & a half
9. The movie Mall Cop
10. "Will It Blend?" (A funny opener that they do with the youth at my church before every service)
11. A friend who will look when I try to show her my stretch marks and the fat protruding out my swimsuit (ahem, Julie)
12. The Minute Maid Enhanced Boost Commercial

Now, I'm supposed to pass this onto 6 other people, but as you can see, I don't follow directions very well. I'd like to see what the following would say....
Alpha Dude at The World As Observed By... Me
Karla at Bringin' Up the Kaz Kid
Janelle at Dandelion Dayz
C.A. at Little Dynamite
Rose at Maggie Rose & Jack
Janet at Picklejoos & Peanut Butter
Alicia at The Casady Clan
B. at Soul Survivor
Angie at Wild Goose Chase
Audrey at Spicey Sour Salty Sweet
N. at Woo-Hoo

Let me know if you choose to participate! I'd love to read your lists!

Hallmark, Here He Comes...

2009-06-20T17:39:00.006-05:00

The night before Sydney left on her trip, Griffin had suggested to Reilly that they should each write her a letter. I guess he was hoping that she would be less homesick while away, if she had a little something to read from home. I was a little surprised at this, but didn't give it too much thought.
When Sydney arrived home last night and was unpacking some of her things, I noticed two crumpled letters sitting on the kitchen counter. Being the nosy mom that I am, I opened each of them up and read them.
I got the biggest kick out of Griff's. I have to say that he may want to consider a career with Hallmark...

Dear Sydney,
Thank for all you do for me. I know we don't get along but you make me who I am. You do things that I never had the courouge to do. You make me a beter person. I love you so so so so so so so so so much. We will miss you very much. have an amazing trip. love you bye.
your brother
Griffin
P.S. Sorry if I spelled brothor rogne.
love you

Were'nt you just waiting for him to say, "You complete me?" My mom was;)

Reilly's letter was a bit more predictable...

Dear Sydney,
I hope you have a great week in Colorado! I am sure going to miss you, and I'm sure you'll miss me too! You're a great sister and I'm not sure how this week is going to turn out without you here.
I'll miss you! 'sniff, sniff'
Love you!
Sincerely,
Reilly

P.S. Good luck camping!

I'm definitely going to save these letters. We've got a long two months of summer break ahead of us, and I plan on pulling these out as a reminder, whenever they're on each other's last nerve;)

On another note, the last day of school, 2 weeks ago, was my last day with Baby Liam. I'm so sad that his family is moving two hours away. I'm already missing this little guy a ton! Guess I'll have to see if I can borrow him for a day before they leave and get one last Liam fix:)

Safe & Sound

2009-06-20T10:22:00.004-05:00

At 10:30 last night, Sydney arrived home from her first trip to Colorado. She traveled with 18 kids from her youth group at church to experience hiking and camping for the first time in her life.
I wasn't really sure how this "city" girl was going to handle life in the great outdoors, but evidently it was a fantastic experience.
I don't have all the details, yet, but I'm sure when she wakes up, I'll get an earful.
And if you're wondering... HH and I survived the separation, as well, though, HH did have to talk me down from a panic attack on Monday:o

I Love the Plain White T's!

2009-06-19T17:09:00.005-05:00

My absolute favorite song and video right now...

I'm slowly putting together a video for HH for Father's Day. I say 'slowly', because Father's Day is less than 2 days away, and I still have at least 2 songs to finish.
I do tend to work better under pressure, so I'm sure that I'll be burning the midnight oil the next two nights.
Anyway, I'm not going to make you sit through the entire video, but I did want to share the 4th song with you. It's not as cool as the original, but it means a lot to me. ENJOY!
">

The Yankees Are Coming! The Yankees Are Coming!

2009-05-30T22:14:00.008-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, the kids and I went to a Civil War reenactment with my dad and nephew. I wasn't really invited, but tagged along, as I was hoping to score a photo of a period person wearing a fanny pack (one of my favorite blogs right now is Fanny Pack Antics).
Despite the cool weather and the mud, we enjoyed watching the mock battle. I had forgotten how loud these recreations are. I loved looking around to see all of the bystanders covering their ears. It was pretty comical.
After the battle, we walked around and toured the war camps. Bobby even shelled out $16 for Root Beer... he never would have done that when I was a kid;)

Dang, It's Cold & Naked Dave

2009-05-26T19:36:00.007-05:00

HH was in KC all weekend with Sydney for a soccer tournament. Griffin, Reilly & I stayed behind and worked around the house.
We mulched the front & sides of the yard... I've got the blisters to prove it! We also braved the cold water at our neighborhood pool. Well, the kids went for a swim... I sat in my chair and watched, as I refuse to stick one foot in the water until July.
We also joined my friend, Julie & her family for dinner on Friday night at Cooper's Landing. Naked Dave & The Blue Cats were playing & we enjoyed BBQ & Thai food.
The highlight of the night, though, was the people watching. There was a girl in braids, who the kids endearingly nicknamed "Sacajawea". She definitely marched (danced) to the beat of her own drum. She even broke out some of her yoga moves at one point:o
Fun times!!!

Inappropriate Photo Op?

2009-05-23T09:20:00.007-05:00

I am the family historian and photograph all aspects of our lives- the good & the bad, the appropriate & not-so-appropriate...

I believe the girls were 2 and 4 at the time this picture was taken. We had gone with my mother to the cemetery in Russellville to visit her sister's grave on this particular Memorial Day. Of course, I wanted to record this moment.
Sydney, even at age 4, was fully aware that this was not something the typical mother requests of her daughters.
It took several minutes of cajoling and coaxing, but I finally got my photo.
Sydney, however, had the final say on the subject...
"I'll sit here, but I'm not going to smile."

Reilly- Spring 2009

2009-05-17T22:05:00.008-05:00

You Learn Something New Every Day (Vol. 2)

2009-05-03T10:16:00.005-05:00

About a month ago, my mom brought over several ingredients for a recipe that's supposed to make drinking water a little bit more appealing. I was scanning the items that were lined up on the counter, when I spotted something that I had never layed eyes on before. "What the heck is that?" I asked. To me, it looked like an internal organ or a voodoo doll. She proceeded to tell me that it was ginger root & that the recipe called for it to be grated and put into the drink. I was a little freaked out, as I don't typically enjoy brown floaties in my water.
When Sydney got home from school that afternoon, she tracked me down and asked, "What are you going to make with the Ginger Root that's in the kitchen?"
I was dumbfounded.
I turned to her and asked how she knew what that was. She replied, "Mom, I watch TV."
I should have known... her favorite channel is the Food Network. How on earth did I wind up with this child???

Ya Gotta Love A Man Who Folds...

2009-04-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

even with an ear infection:)

Introducing... Baxter

2009-04-30T09:01:00.006-05:00

It's funny how things tend to fall into place.
A few days after Mugsy passed away, I was having lunch with a couple of friends from high school (you should really check out their blog, Bringing Up The Kaz Kid). I told them the story of Aunt Debbie losing Mugsy. It turns out, they had been given a pug puppy by a well-intentioned relative a few months earlier. With their adorable, but busy, 3 year old, frequent travels and plans for a second adoption, they were looking for a good home for their little pug, Baxter.
I hooked Aunt Debbie up with Ben & Karla, and the rest, as they say, is history...

Maybe, I should consider a career in matchmaking...

Wordless Wednesday: Griffin Cops A Feel (Age 3)

2009-04-29T09:21:00.001-05:00

Rest In Peace, Mugs

2009-04-27T19:41:00.006-05:00

My Aunt Debbie's pug, Mugsy, passed away a month ago, from complications due to Diabetes. Aunt Debbie was devastated, and rightfully so... Mugsy had been with her for 8 years. He was her baby and loyal friend.
People truly stepped up to the plate and offered support and condolences, as if Mugsy were an actual person. She received plants, flowers, meals, candy & cards from colleagues, students, neighbors & friends. Many tears were shed over this pup.

Nana & Molly put together the following gift bag for Aunt Debbie...

10 Good Things About Mugsy:
1. He was a cute, lovable, brown-eyed Pug.
2. He stopped and smelled each blade of grass while on walks.
3. He was not a "poor quality" Pug (like his girlfriend Zoe).
4. He snored louder than you, Debbie.
5. He initiated anatomy/ sex-ed lessons for Griffin by "pooping carrots".
6. He protected you from the crazy lady next door.
7. He was right up there with Jesus, according to Nannie (not to be confused with Nana)
8. He always acknowledged you by tilting his head when you spoke to him.
9. He made friends where ever he went; and, he helped you make friends, too.
10. Mugsy loved you, Debbie, very, very much!

Mugsy's last photo... (sorry, Debbie)! :)

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T10:01:00.002-05:00

You Learn Something New Every Day

2009-04-11T09:50:00.005-05:00

This may be TMI.
But, I am the queen of TMI, so I'm going to tell you anyway...

This morning, I was gathering clothes before getting in the shower. I was partially dressed (all the important parts covered) when I entered my bedroom, where Reilly and HH were watching tv. I reached inside my dresser and HH said, "What is that on your side? Is that a birthmark?"
I happen to have a baseball-size birthmark that spans the left side of my rib cage. I have had it since birth.
After 15 years of living with me, my husband just now noticed this.
Thank God, I have never been in an accident where my identity was in question due to disfigurement of my face.
I take solace in the fact that before this incident, HH just might have made a positive identification based on my stretch marks...
Men can be so clueless!

Little Liam

2009-04-05T19:22:00.002-05:00

I've been babysitting (not fostering) this little guy since November. Isn't he adorable????
More to come...

Discover Your Sins

2009-03-31T20:57:00.002-05:00

I'd say that this is pretty accurate...

Greed:	Medium
Gluttony:	High
Wrath:	Medium
Sloth:	Medium
Envy:	Medium
Lust:	Very Low
Pride:	High

Discover Your Sins - Click Here

I Tend To Get This A Lot...

2009-03-30T12:17:00.002-05:00

And for the life of me, cannot figure out why???;)

For the record, I WAS the biggest loser of the game. *Sigh*

Catch Up (In No Particular Order)

2009-03-25T07:40:00.013-05:00

A New Member of the Family:
Because we don't have enough people/creatures coming and going in this house, we decided to add a puppy to the mix.
A small puppy with very small teeth ( I don't think my nerves or insurance company could handle any other type).
Other than trying to settle on a name for the pup, the transition has been relatively easy. The kids wanted to give him sweet little people names. I kept insisting that a little dog needed a big name... like "Moose" or "Franc" (which rhymes with "bonk").
In the end, we named him "Max". This was a name that we could all live with.
Reilly has taken full responsibility of little Max. She feeds him, sleeps with him, and takes him out at all hours of the day/night (usually beginning at around 5:30am). The biggest downside to the situation, is that her room smells like a kennel.
It looks like new carpet is in our future:o

Awards:
Griffin had one of his school art projects displayed this month at the Walters-Boone County Historical Society Museum. His weaving was titled "Holiday Sparkle" (the orange one to the left of his head).
I was pretty impressed with the amount of time/persistence it took to complete this project. You would think that if Griff could sit for hours completing an intricate project like this, picking up dirty underwear off his bedroom floor would be a snap.

Sydney was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society at her school. To qualify for this honor, she had to maintain a certain GPA (I've forgotten what this is) and be active in two clubs.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend, as I literally had absolutely nothing to wear. Last year, when I put on baby weight (I know, I did not give birth), I pared down my wardrobe considerably and have refused to buy the next size up in anything but jeans and sweat pants (thank God, I can wear these things to church).
It's a sad day when you miss an important event in your child's life because of a fashion emergency.

Baby Jack:
Speaking of baby weight, we've gotten to spend some time with Baby Jack and his fam over the past few months. He's 18 months and is busy busy busy. He's obsessed with cars, trucks... all things with wheels. He's beginning to talk, though he can't yet say "EE" (no matter how much I drill him). He is still a bottomless pit and thankfully is not a picky eater. He is as cute as can be and I absolutely can't stop kissing him. As I write, he is chasing Griffin around the living room.

A Baby Mama Baby Shower:
In January, my friend (and former boss), Karen, and I had a baby shower for Lynne B. Of course, since I've waited so long to post about this, the baby has been born and is about a month old. He is the cutest & sweetest darn thing and luckily pretty easy going. Mom & dad are both pretty smitten!
Anyway, we absolutely love Lynne at my house. Actually, anyone that meets her, immediately loves her. She is on staff at my church, and is Sydney's small group leader.
So, Karen and I got together and planned a shower. I absolutely love planning things with Karen... it takes me back to when we worked together at WC. Together, we can come up with crazy fun ideas (at least we think they are). We have a ball throwing around ideas, and NOTHING is off limits! The problem with us, though, is implementation. By the time reality sets in, we usually wind up cutting out about 3/4 of our "great ideas".
My favorite part of the shower was the games. Lynne found out she was pregnant right about the time that the "Baby Mama" movie came out, so we had a "Baby Mama" trivia game. Shower attenders were given papers with movie trivia questions... and, yes, there was a question about the taint:o
Our second game was "Name That Famous (and Infamous) Baby". We had searched for celebrity babies online, and had posted these photos around my house. We included the following babies: Violet Affleck, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Britney Spear's boys, Obama, George W. Bush, Chuckie, Madonna's baby David, Mary-Kate & Ashley, Jennifer Warren, the John & Kate sextuplets, Hitler, etc.
Since it was mainly church staff in attendance, yes, we also included a picture of Baby Jesus. I'm not naming names, but one person failed to correctly identify our Savior. We gave her a Dashboard Jesus, so that this would never happen again:)
Other party favors/ prizes included: Crying Head Balls (they cry when you slam them down on a hard surface), Bath & Body products, and a smoking baby. Our children's pastor wound up with that one;)
Thankfully, Karen took care of the food & it was yummy. My mom made the cutest baby bottle sugar cookies & Debbie and the kids made a kick-@$$ diaper cake out of real diapers.
Good times!

Next Post: Baby Liam & Spring Break
Don't know why this post italics... it mysteriously appeared and I can't get it off....ugh!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T19:52:00.003-05:00

(A gift (?) from my friend, Julie)

A Sad Goodbye

2009-03-09T09:41:00.002-05:00

I've put this post off for the two months.
One of my best friends moved away... three and a half hours, to be exact.
I'm excited about the fantastic job opportunity for her husband, Matt, but can't believe that I can't just jump in my car and be at Murphyland in all of 5 minutes.
As spring approaches (and I slowly emerge from social hibernation), it's finally starting to sink in.
I'm sad.
I blame the democrats for this;)

Holy Cow!!!

2009-03-07T18:52:00.004-06:00

What in the world are we going to do with all of these?

We'll Be Brushing Up On Our Black History...

2009-03-07T10:59:00.003-06:00

Griffin spent the night with his friend, Grant, a couple of weeks ago.
I received this email from his mom a few days later...

Erin,
Griffin is so sweet!! He just thanked me for having him over – out of the clear blue. Last night I made them hot fudge sundaes and he thanked me before his first bite!

Funny story now. We were watching Perfect Storm with George Clooney and he said, “Didn’t George Clooney invent peanut butter?” I said, "No, I believe that was George Washington Carver." I then asked him if you texted, because I wanted to text you that cute info. He said, "no way, she doesn't text." He knew what I was going to do.

S.

Hitting The Books & The Fields

2009-03-04T10:19:00.003-06:00

I snapped these pictures, because they show how Sydney spends about 45 minutes every evening.
Math comes easily for her and she actually seems to enjoy it. She is currently taking Honor's Algebra. I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm so dang proud of her, that it bears repeating... and OFTEN.
I am SO living vicariously... I STRUGGLED through every Math course that I ever took. I really need to thank my friend, Karla, for all of her help (shared assignments;). I don't think that I would have ever made it through Algebra 1 or Geometry without her!!!
I've secretly envisioned sending Syd's grades to my former teachers;)
Nah, they'd never believe it!

In other news, Syd's spring soccer season has officially begun.
We spent Sunday in STL freezing our hiney's off.
OK, I sat in the car while Syd and her teammates ran around chasing a soccer ball in 32 degree weather. It was crazy!!!

Alive & Kickin'... Unfortunately

2009-03-04T10:07:00.000-06:00

Despite HH's attempts at sending our furry friend to an early grave by over-feeding him, Gordo is still alive and kickin'.
Or, I should probably say, shedding all over our furniture and peeing in Griffin's bed.
I hate cats.

Help

2009-03-02T10:35:00.005-06:00

I've been trying to post for the past few days, but blogger is not allowing me to post pictures. I keep getting a message that says that I've exceeded my photo storage capabilities and need to purchase more...
I depend on my photos to "carry" my blog, since I have absolutely nothing interesting to say.
I need help.
Should I break down and purchase extra storage?
Has anyone experienced this major inconvenience?

Hotness!!!

2009-02-23T19:12:00.004-06:00

Backne

2009-02-21T12:17:00.003-06:00

Reilly: "If you have acne on your back, is it called Backne?"

Fear Sucks & Our Favorite Black Belt

2009-02-21T08:40:00.010-06:00

Last night we had testing for our next Tae Kwon Do belts. We test in groups of 4, and 2 groups are being tested at once in our studio.
Six weeks ago during the last testing cycle, I panicked and froze in the middle of my form (which consisted of 40 some moves). After about 30 seconds, I was able to continue and complete the form, but I gotta tell you, that it was the longest 30 seconds of my life. I was so shook up, I don't even remember the rest of my time in front of the judges. As I made the walk of shame back to where my family was sitting, Sydney looked up at me and said, "Maybe next time, you should practice more." GRRRRR... I replied, "I don't think that had anything to do with how much I practiced."
Well, karma came back to bite Syd in the butt (heh heh), because her group was next and she did the same exact thing. The only difference, though, was that she raised her hand after she was finished and asked for permission to perform again (it is rumored that you can get extra points for that).

Anyway, last night, I did the same darn thing. This form was a bit shorter, but after the second move, I froze again. I felt the same feelings of panic rising inside me. I was able to shake it off and continue, but it was shear hell for those few seconds. My 12 year old partner was able to drag me through the self-defense segment (I truly don't remember much about those few minutes). I then stood before the judges awaiting the dreaded questions. Silently, I prayed, "Please, God, let them ask me something simple. Don't let them ask me the camo belt philosophy." Of course, that is exactly what happened. That sickening feeling again welled up inside me and I stumbled through the sentence, ""The sapling is hidden amongst the taller pines and must now fight its way upward."(WTH does that really mean, anyway???) I'd like to think that this will get easier for me as time goes on, but experience tells me that it will only get harder. I'm determined to get that black belt, though, so I guess I'll just continue to plug away and just pray that if I make it through future testings without peeing my pants or dropping the "f" bomb, I can consider these events successes;)

After testing, we had promised the kids that we would go to Angelo's (a pizza & steak house) for dinner, so we loaded into HH's mini van (yes, my husband drives a mini van) and drove to the restaurant. Once inside, we seated ourselves at a table for six. The kids sat down at one side of the table and HH & I on the other. After perusing the menu, I looked up to see Reilly reading a book, Sydney texting on her phone & Griffin listening to his IPOD. HH & I immediately put the big kebosh on that, because it's rare that we are all able to sit down together to eat. They begrudgingly put away their things and we had an amazing time talking, laughing & stuffing our faces. It's definitely been a while since the 5 of us have enjoyed a leisurely dinner out together. We definitely need to take time out of our busy schedules to do this more often!

To see a darling photo of our favorite little black belt kiddo, CLICK HERE!

Hope everyone has a great weekend. TTFN!!!
(PHOTO taken from HERE)

Not For the Faint of Heart... (Or Foot)

2009-02-16T19:16:00.008-06:00

While viewing this photo, please overlook the fact that HH is in desperate need of a pedicure...

Yeah, the orthopedists around here love my family.
I think I ought to lock the lot of us up in a padded room and throw away the key.
This Tae Kwon Do thing is fun, but dangerous;)

Look, No More Braces!

2009-02-15T16:06:00.006-06:00

We're already starting to save up for round 2.
I hope our kids appreciate the money that we've invested in their smiles;)

Happy Belated V-Day!

2009-02-15T15:57:00.004-06:00

It didn't phase Griffin a bit that his Valentine box was crushed on the way to school.
Typical boy.