Loyal

Call me loyal. I only wavered slightly wanting to dump our cable provider while waiting for PVR. But in the end, I remained loyal. It is our local co-op that provides our land line, cable and Internet service. We FINALLY have PVR (sometimes called DVR I hear) and already it has changed my life. Pathetic, I know. I have been so giddy recording everything I possibly can. I'm free to miss shows and watch them when it's actually quiet around here. (Usually after 8:30pm)


Bubba doesn't watch much TV, but there are a few shows that hold his attention for a few minutes. And I'll take what I can get. So I do have some shows for him too. For me? Ellen, The Doctors, Dr Phil. All the brain rot, as Trophy Hub would probably call it. And I love it.

This is what my living room looks like right now. I hadn't done laundry in a week. At least all the stuff in this picture is clean. I should have taken a pic of the laundry room before I started. Augh.

So what have I been up to since I haven't been blogging or doing laundry? Well...

We went to Adventureland on Wednesday with the same crew of 9 people that are going to Disney with in November. We had a blast. It made me really excited for Disney. It will be here before we know it! Does anyone that has been there before have any tips for us? I bought the Birnbaum book, but I haven't had a chance to really devote much time to it.

My mom and I met in Williamsburg yesterday to shop. We got Peanut's fall/winter wardrobe pretty much knocked out and got Bubba some clothes too. He should be ok though between the stuff from last year that still fits and Peanut's hand-me-downs. We also hit a few non-kid stores like Le Gourmet Chef for some garlic dipping oil and seasoning. YUM.

The boys spent last night with my MIL and I went to work with Trophy Hub. He's allowed to have people ride along with him with approval from the higher-ups. Not that I was surprised, but he is just so good as his job. He deals with crazy people amazingly well and is respectful to all people even while giving them their verbal spankings. He takes pride in what he does and cares for the community. It was pretty quiet until 11:30pm and we didn't end up getting home until after 2am (he's supposed to be off at 1am). He got up and went fishing with some friends and I slept until 10am. I can't even tell you the last time it was that I slept that late!

And to insure that I don't stay up passed my bedtime again tonight, I better get crackin' on that laundry pile.

Seriously...

There is a reason my crime-fighting career didn't last long. I have no tolerance for that behavior. I just don't get it. I know that sounds stupid. Rarely do level headed people get why off balance people do the things that they do.

I honestly remember thinking over and over during my crime fighting career "At what point in someone's life do they decide that it's ok to do ______?" Seriously!

There have been 3 bank robberies in our area in the last 10 days. And one of them at my bank. Not my branch, but my bank. And we are one big dysfunctional happy family. So now it's personal. Having been through 2 robberies several years ago at my (then) branch, I can testify how traumatic it is for everyone. You are never the same, even if you are not the one that was personally victimized. Each person that walks through the door could be the next one.

So, back to my question. When does that become ok? Do you just wake up one day and decide that you have the right to walk into a place of business, point a gun at someone and take money that does not belong to you? People who do things like should be locked up and they should throw away the key. I know, some of you may think I'm going too far. Because, again, it's personal to me.

But, the underlying theme of most crimes is there. The complete disregard for others. They do not care that they have traumatized people and changed their lives forever. I'm not sure there is any rehabilitation that could teach these people things that should be innate.

Augh...get a clue people. You will get caught. You may get caught in the parking lot, you may get caught later that day, you may get caught the next month or the next year. But you will get caught. And I hope they throw away the key.

Anatomy of a Peanut

Do your kids ever just seem like they have grown up over night?

Sure, I suppose there could be some wacky hormones on my part since kindergarten starts in a little over a month. But really, I'm ok with that. He's ready. He's not clingy. It's all good. I'm excited for him.

Last night at supper, he reached over and pushed Bubba's milk back so he didn't knock it over. It made me think of all the ways he's growing up. He's riding his bike like crazy now, learning how to spell words, taking showers instead of baths, feeding the dog, etc.

His make up is a good mixture of Trophy Hub and me...

He has my temper. I take full credit for that one.

He has his daddy's heart. Solid gold. I told him that my bike seat hurt my bottom and he told me that he would trade me because his didn't hurt.

He meets new friends everywhere he goes. He asks kids at the park what their names are and introduces himself. I think us adults could learn something from him!

Trophy Hub and I have the same wacky sense of humor, and Peanut shares this. He thinks weird stuff is funny and makes jokes that we would. Let's just hope he has a sensor that tells him when to keep his mouth shut. Sometimes my sensor takes a snooze.

He can dish it out, but sometimes he can't take it.

His daddy is his hero, but he tells me daily that he loves me "so, so, so much".

He prays that he loves our family (naming everyone - including the dog).

He is the coolest 5 year old I know. And I am honored that I get to be his mom.

Hypothetically

Have you ever wondered how long you've been walking through the mall with your zipper down?

Nope, me neither.

Ahem.

No permanent damage...at least we don't think so.

No, don't worry - it didn't happen again! It's actually been 1 year exactly since Peanut has his massive head wound. For those of you who may not know or remember, here is what happened:We had just gotten to Buffalo Wild Wings and we had all ordered water. Peanut had to go to the bathroom as he always does 4 seconds into getting to a new place. I took him and on our way back to the table, he took off running (as usual) and he tripped a few feet before the booth. His head rammed right into the side of the wood booth. I grabbed him off the floor and instantly it started to swell. We asked for ice which I think helped some. But he was freaking out (and so was I) so we decided to leave.

I have never in my life seen anything like that and I hope that I never do again.

Trophy Hub and I were driving separately (I think I had met them after work) and I knew enough that I needed to keep him awake on the way home. For some reason, that night neither one of us felt like we needed to take him to the ER. I offered to take him to McDonald's and not only did he take me up on it - he ate! We are not doctors, but we pretty much ruled out a concussion.

The following morning, I did start to worry just because it looked so bad so I made a doctor's appointment. The doctor didn't seem to think that there was anything to worry about - as long as he didn't fall and hurt it again. The fact that the swelling was going outward was a good sign because that meant it wasn't going inward. Makes sense, right?

The next few weeks were like a freak show. People were staring at us everywhere we went. Some people were bold and would ask what happened. Others would just stare. Others would make comments once they thought they were out of ear shot...some out of shock & concern and others were hurtful. And for the first time, I felt what it must be like to have a child who is handicapped or with a physical abnormality. The pain those parents and children must endure on a daily basis is unimaginable.

So, one year later, the only scar remaining is a small dimple (dent) in his forehead. You can see it here:

He calls the dent "the sweetest spot". I have no idea where he came up with it, but I was kissin' on him one morning before work and when I walked away he told me I missed the sweetest spot. I asked him where it was and he pointed to his dent.

I haven't missed the sweetest spot since then.

Boys will be boys

Here I sit checking email...in a rare few moments of quiet (well, not really, but I am sitting) while the boys are awake. The boys are playing as nice as they can together outside and the window is open with a nice pre-storm breeze. I'm actually relaxed! And this is what I hear:

Bubba: "OH. MY. GOSH."

Peanut "What?"

Bubba: "Look at this poop!" (dog poop in the yard)

Silence.

Bubba: "You HAVE to come see this poop!"

Nice.

Zoo time

This weekend we headed off to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. We left Friday night after my MIL and I got off work. The trip was about 4 hours and the boys did GREAT in the van. What do you have to complain about when you are watching a movie and your grandma is sitting right by you giving you drinks and snacks??

On Saturday morning, we got the zoo about 45 minutes before we thought it opened (Trophy Hub likes to be early) but it apparently opened earlier. When we got in, we went straight to the aquarium based on advice we got from Carrie. From there, we made the rounds. I was really surprised that it wasn't more crowded since it was a Saturday.

The boys both loved the train ride (of course). As far as favorites, Bubba loved the giraffes and Peanut loved the monkeys - the ones with the shaved butts as he said. Bubba was quite disgusted that they had "diarrhea coming out of their bottoms" but he thought they were pretty funny too.

By the time we made it to the gorillas, cats and bears, they were all taking their afternoon naps. But a few of the gorillas got up and were putting on a show. Next time, I will definitely hit them first.

Peanut is almost 4 feet tall!!!

After the desert dome, Bubba wanted me to hold him. I knew what that meant.

We headed back to the hotel after we had an awesome steak dinner (did you think we'd go to Omaha and get a pizza???) and swam in the hotel pool. We also hit the hot tub and the sauna. I could have slept in the sauna, but the sign in there says that's not advised. Ha!

This morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed to Bass Pro Shops in Council Bluffs. That adventure was more expensive than a whole day at the zoo!

I hope you all had a great weekend too!

Having a bad day?

This will cheer you up.

Who are you and what have you done with my Bubba?

Can anyone tell me what happened to my wonderful 2 year old? He has turned into some sort of crying, red-faced, stomping, screaming, defiant mutant. If he wasn't so cute I'd sell him on eBay.

Bubba is giving us a run for our money. He is averaging about 2 meltdowns per day. It usually starts as something minor that gets blown up as a battle of wills. He will not win because I will not back down. If I tell him what the consequences are for his actions and he does it anyway, he has to take the consequence. I'm not talking about spanking. Are you kidding me? The child has no butt to spank! And I could argue that spanking rarely does any good. But, let's not go there. The consequence could be not watching a video, no book at bedtime, vinegar in his mouth for screaming, etc. If I back down now, he will never respect me, so that is not an option. There would be times when it would be so much easier to just let him have his way. But I would be paying for the next 16 years. So he may as well learn now who's boss.

The only good thing about 2 meltdowns per day is that he puts on one show for Trophy Hub in the morning and one for me at night. At least one parent isn't getting hit twice in one day. That would be unbearable. I'm sure it doesn't help that he has been refusing to nap.

BUT I'M NOT READY FOR NAPTIME TO BE OVER! Waaahhhh! I think I'm going to have a tantrum now. If he doesn't want to sleep, I can't make him, but I can make him have a mandatory "rest time" everyday where he has to sit on his bed and look at books or whatever. As long as he's quiet and on his bed, he doesn't need to sleep although every time I have done this he falls asleep within minutes.

Peanut really never went through the terrible twos. He definitely had (and still has) his moments, but they are usually short and easily correctable. Most of the time, he plays by the rules. He gets that from his dad. And when he sees Bubba in trouble, he usually is an angel. He'll even say "Mommy, am I being good?" or "Mommy, I'm not making you crazy." Way to rub it in - just like a good big brother should do. Peanut has a heart of gold and always just wants to please.

How is it possible that these two kids came from the same two parents?!

Peeves

I'm quirky. Everyone that knows me knows this. And the older I get, the quirkier I get. I have hundreds if not thousands of pet peeves.

Today, I'd like to focus on a few of my work peeves.

1. People who clip their nails at work. Seriously, people. We all have bathrooms in our homes, do we not? Why must we wait until we get to work to clip our nails?
2. People who pretend they didn't notice that the printer/copier is out of paper.
3. People who feel the need to have long conversations in the bathroom. Just let me pee, wash my hands and get back to work. I'm busy.
4. People who don't answer their phone even when they are sitting at their desk.
5. Time suckers. Enough said.

What are your work peeves?

Warning: I'm about to brag

Bubba is very verbally advanced. Peanut was/is the same way.

Braggity brag brag brag. I know. I'm sorry. I'm actually not posting this to brag. It's just that when he speaks like an adult it's just so dang funny.

I'm sure it's nothing that we did as parents. We read to them everyday (like most parents) and we have always talked to them like they understood even when they were infants (meaning no baby talk). This is probably more because I'm a lunatic. Since Trophy Hub has such a crazy schedule, I was alone with both of them a lot and they were all I had to talk to! This is also why our dog thinks he's a person. Anyway...

Remember, Bubba is just 2 and a half. Here are a couple noteworthy conversations in the last few days:

Bubba: "Mommy, where is the firetruck? I can't quite see it."

Seriously. He uses the word "quite" in the correct way.

Me: "Come here, Bubba, we need to get you dressed."

Bubba: Leans against the bed and crosses his legs in front of him. "Hold on. I need to watch the news for a few minutes."

You can tell he has heard this a time or two. He also uses words like 'probably and 'actually' perfectly. He is a teeny weeny boy with a huge personality. And just take a look at this face...

I'm very exciting to ride with....apparently

Beware: My link is rated R

I love to people watch. I love to laugh at people. But tonight, I was just annoyed with people.

All the morons are out. Nothing like a national holiday to bring them out of the woodwork. I don't go into specifics, but all I could think about was this. It is so true. Who knew that a line by a stoned Keanu Reeves 20 years ago would stick with me the way it has?

Random Thoughts Thursday

Be prepared tonight for several topics and no smooth transition between them.

Tonight, I have a date. My kids are gone (with my MIL) and my husband is working. So, I have a date. With whom, you ask? Myself. And my bathtub.

Ahhhhh.
Bubble baths are soooo good for my soul. And my sanity.



Apparently everyone in America has the day off tomorrow - except for me. I'm not bitter though. It's going to be a wonderfully productive day at work and I'll get 8 hours of vacation to use on a day of my choosing. That's better anyway! Right? Right. Remind me of that tomorrow at 2pm when I'm wishing I was home. Or on the beach.


After we had supper and the boys went with their granny, I went to Wal-Mart. Can anyone tell me what has happened to customer service? Is there such a thing anymore? I know, I know, I shouldn't expect good customer service at Wal-Mart, but I really don't get it anywhere. It's annoying.

Have you ever used these space bags? I thought this would be great since the tubs I bought for my seasonal clothes are too tall to be put up in the closet. Of course, why would they fit? That would be too easy! And these bags seem a bit too good to be true.

Let me know if you've used them and how they were!


Look at this picture I took of Bubba the other night while he was sleeping with Max (his duck).
Couldn't you just eat him? Those cheeks are as soft as they look, let me tell you.

Head on over to Kelly's blog and pray for the healing of her heart as she lost her first true love...her dog Reggie. If you're not a dog person, move along. If you are, you'll get it.

I'm excited for the 4th. We have lots planned Saturday! Parade, visits with family, fireworks, etc.

Have I told you all lately how wonderful Trophy Hub is? There are so many things I love about him. One of the things that I find so admirable about him is that he is a role model...and he doesn't even realize it. Some kids rode by on their bikes today and stopped to talk to him about some issues they were having with another boy. (He didn't know these boys.) He helped them. He didn't think twice about it. Yes, that is his job. To sort out problems. And dang, he's good at it.

Did you follow all that? Hope so.

Everyone - enjoy your 3 day weekend! Have fun and be safe!

Follow up to the camping trip

Why the rhino, you ask? Well...when I was searching Google for an image for "follow-up", this was one of the first things that popped up. So, I'm going with it. It's 11:30pm and I should be sleeping. I think I'm delirious.

Anyway...many of you have asked how the camping went. Trophy Hub came in the house at about 11pm to go to the bathroom and so we could both vent about every single cotton-pickin' teenager that lives in our town jumping on the trampoline and playing basketball at the house behind us. OF COURSE on the ONE NIGHT they want to camp out, the neighbor girls invite the entire high school over.

Yes, once again, I'm turning into one of those grumpy old people.

Ahem.

By then, Peanut was already sleeping like a rock. (Note: this child doesn't sleep much, but once he's out, he's out.) About 4:30am, I wake up to the dog barking and chaos. All at once, Bubba came out of his room, Peanut came flying down the hall, Trophy Hub was making everyone go to the bathroom...it was weird. Everything is weird at 4:30am. It turns out the air mattress had a small hole in it - I warned Trophy Hub about this - so they woke up laying flat on the ground. Again, Peanut was OUT, but he woke him up and they came inside to sleep for a few more hours.

They had fun though. And I think if we did have a bigger tent - one that the 4 of us could fit in - and got a few new mattresses, I would consider going tent camping. Although there would just have to be so many rules...close to home, close to the potty, not too hot, not too cold...I'm just not sure it would be worth it. Trophy Hub would probably be better off leaving me at home. I could go camping at the spa!