Not to Rub it in to the Fam & Friends Here at Home

But this will be the weather on our trip....
Tonight: High: 90°/Low: 48° SUNNY
Tomorrow: High: 83°/Low: 50° SUNNY
Saturday: High: 75°/Low: 49° SUNNY
Sunday: High: 77°/Low: 50° SUNNY
Monday: High: 73°/Low: 48° MOSTLY SUNNY

Missouri's 5-Day Line Up...
Today: Rain. High 57F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Additional rainfall may reach one inch.
Tonight: Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low around 40F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Tomorrow: Overcast with showers at times. High 56F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Tomorrow night: Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies late. Low 34F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Saturday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 30s.
Monday: A few clouds. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the upper 20s.

Okay, Now You're Just Showing Off...

The soymilk carton sat on the cabinet while I put Gabe's lid on his cup.
I heard him say, "M". I just, "Uh, huh." Not checking to see what letter he was pointing to. Because, surely it wasn't really the M.
But when I glanced over (at his insistance), it was indeed the M.
Then, the O.
The S.
The Y.
The I.
The L.
The K.

Boy, you have a birthday week & all of a sudden, you're a genius.

What's next?, Reading?...
Please, don't rush. At least wait until you're four to read like your sister did.

Small Steps

Part of the charm that has helped Gabe continued to be my baby has been his speech delay. Poor fella, he just wants to communicate; and as hard as I try to not smile & grab him to try to rock him, it's hard to not do that instead of how I've been taught to respond (which is to repeat what he's saying, in the correct manner -- or to encourage him to say it correctly).



I don't really care what others think when they see me literally applaud when my almost-three year old says the word "giraffe" correctly.
These small steps have been an encouragement to us that he will be talking normally by the time it really counts.



So today, when his totally-awesome-speech-therapist-who-we-wish-we-could-keep-here-and- not-let-her-move-on-with-her-career-and-schooling was greeting him, she did some reviewing & reassessing by asking him to repeat her name, "Prittine!" "Prittine!" (which I happen to believe is a combination of the word "Pretty" because she is + her name, Christine.) She giggled & clarified her name.

As I usually do, I started bragging to Christine with all the words he's said or the phrases we've understand since we last met. As I was recalling hearing him say, 'Wynn' yesterday (for Flynn), I decided to just let her hear it for herself. So I said, "Gabe, who is that?" (as I motioned to Flynn who was coloring at the table).



"FYN!!"

Aah, so surprised at the progress he made in 12 hours.... and so proud! We're so close!! Maybe we'll get that L mastered in the 9 days we have left until he's THREE. :)

My Daughter, the Model

Go to the site of our favorite photographer here in StL:
http://greatervisionphotography.blogspot.com/
& check out the cutie at the top.

Then scroll down.... you will see the photo we (sneakily) had done for Father's Day as a suprise to Jeff. And a little further down to see the G'man's debut.

If you are anywhere close to STL, I highly recommend Starla. She is patient (she should be, she's a mom of 5), she listens (to my crazy ideas, like Flynn wearing her pink high tops w/ her tutu), & is a real pro.
I recommend! I recommend!!

When I do go in with the free coupons to Picture People - now I leave disappointed becuz, well, they're just not Starla.

Highlights

of the weekend include...

• sleeping in Grammy's camper (& momma & daddy sleeping in their own tent)
• Flynn learning to use the brake on her big girl bike on level streets at the campground
• swimming in the pool, all of us, together
• the new Dora bug-catching kit
• Flynn's new rocks for her budding rock collection
• a fruit salad bigger than my head
• summer solstice moon
• hearing morning dew drip onto the tent
• doing our own family variety show at the campground's amphitheater (vid coming soon)
• tent naps
• roasted marshmallows

of today include...

• the bug man
• Flynn hearing the song, "You Never Let Go" & running to me yelling, "It's YOU NEVER LET GO, YOU NEVER LET GO!!!"
• my sis consenting to a last Grant's Farm trip before their departure in less than 40 hours
• Jeff taking the kids to the library & park before leaving for his soccer game (& I got to stay behind & do one of the four loads of laundry that await in the laundry room)
• Flynn being excited about carrying around a little Gideon New Testament & opening it & saying, "Would you read me this 'book'?"
• Flynn calling the dragonfly of rhinestones on her top, "Golden"
• Gabe's cocoa kiss when I was walking out the door this morning for staff meeting
• unpacking 'goods' from my sister's deserted pantry
• a full gas tank & a/c in my vehicle
• teaching the kids the 'robot' & seeing Gabe shake his boot'ay
• Gabe running to the potty at almost ten o'clock tonight; not making it in time & saying, "Oh man!"
• Gabe seeing Jeff's boo-boo (giant shin gash) after his game & voluntarily kneeling down & kissing it
• both kids cleaning Jeff's boo-boo & dressing it

The Bragmeister

Yep, that's me.
Like every other mom, I think the stuff that flies from my kids' mouths (save for vomit & chewed up food) is STELLAR & hilarious & intelligent.

So, here's the part where I document it because we all know that momma's brains become mush & there's so little we remember. And I don't want to forget a thing.

Yesterday, we were outside in the 85 degrees playing our little hearts out. I grabbed us bottles of cold water. Flynn unscrewed hers & started chugging away. She took a breather & said, "Phew. This is sure refreshing on a hot day like today."
I laughed & laughed & tried to burn it into my brain. But apparently, at dinner when I retold it to Jeff, I was a little bit wrong & she corrected me. Because she has a snap shot brain like her dad's; wherein she remembers quotes of movies & quotes of herself.

Some other noteworthy things I've heard her say in the last few days:

"Mom, this is amazing."

"I'm mad at you. I'm going to turn around so you can't see me." (don't explain to her that just because she can't see me that I can't see her)

"Oh look at bubby. What a cute little baby."

"Mom, you know this picture where Bubs is in your tummy & I'm kissing it? Was he born the next day?"

"Pink is my favorite color. I reeeeally like it."

"Mom, I do NOT like riding in the cart."

"I don't like having long hair. I want to get mine cut."

"Momma, would you call Grammy & tell her that I like going to her house?....
I want to spend the night with her. Mom, next time can I spend more than one dark nap there? And go to Nana's too?
I like both of those places....
can I spend THREE NIGHTS at both of those places?
I like spending three seconds at places (somehow nights converted into seconds), I never get to. I want to." (I think Grammy & Nana would prefer 3 seconds over 3 nights anyway)

And, I can't brag on my girl, without bragging on my boy.........................

Who thinks the word for DOG is "Woocy" (woocy = Lucy, Grammy's dog)...I think this is due to the fact that he knew her as a baby, before he got exposure to any other dogs.
He even calls a hot DOG a woocy.

Pee-Pee Pot is what he dubbed sitting on the potty, a long time ago. So much for the 'correct' words we taught Flynn (restroom, etc.). I have a feeling he's not going to use the anatomical terms that we use around here.

The bedtime routine is completely dictated by him. Typically, Daddy tucks him in, I tuck in Flynn. He tells daddy, "Down" for him to put his head on Gabe's pillow. And when he's tired, he'll just cut things short & say "Go" or "Bye" & point to his door.

He rides his horse & yells "YEE-HAWWWWWW!!" I need to get him boots & a hat.

He sings Itsy Bitsy Spider & Twinkle Twinkle...and bless his pea-pickin' heart. All I have to say is thank God he can carry a tune. Otherwise, I'm not totally sure we'd understand what song he is singing.

He knows his colors, has for a while now, but we're just now getting to the point of understanding which color is which. For a while, everything sounded like BLUE.

And, we're sooo close to be officially trained. He has been in undies during all his waking hours, all week. And save for Tues., where he both poo'ed AND pee'ed in his undies (numerous times) for my BFF who was visiting, he has done excellently. He yells "PEE PEE POT!!!!!!!!" and takes off trucking down the hall to the bathroom. I figure we'll save a good $40 each month (cable/satelite anyone?, just kidding) once he's fully trained. Of course, this week, what we've saved in diapers, we've spent on water to wash the bajillion soiled underwear. Or to replace the pair I *CUT* off of him & threw away.
Let's just say, some stuff should never go through the washer. ;)

Monday Mumblings...

on a Tuesday...

-I'm starting a diet. You heard it here first. I hope to lose 25 lbs. No kidding. And so, by letting my readership (a whopping 100 of you) see this, I'm making myself accountable to you. No more 1/2 gallons of bubble gum ice cream within 48 hours of buying it. No big pretzels dipped in cheese at 10 pm.

-There's only one thing I dislike more than singing in a wedding...singing in a funeral; which I must do today.

-I have not heard hide nor hair from any districts. Maybe I should've had someone pimp my resume, instead of pimpin' my van.

-Gabe starts private speech Thursday. Is supposed to have a complete hearing test (to rule out that hearing is the culprit) tomorrow. We found out that the insurance won't cover any of that too. So, keeping out appointment is a decision we must make based on whether or not I can sell an ovary.

-Gabe is feeling better - a little better each day. But, has had redness above his upper lip this past month (about the time he's been fighting this virus); which has gotten worse in the last 2 days. This is almost his last symptom - perhaps the virus leaving his body? (fingers crossed)

-Since Flynn's 'ride home' from Dancing Class is taking a week in Disney (lucky Madelyn!!), Papa picked her up yesterday, while I was in my staff meeting. But when Papa picks up, they don't come home, they head to the "Dollar Tree" (PS Gabe's vocab consists of only about 100 words, 2 of them are DOLLAR TREE!!) to pick out things that Momma would never buy for them. Including, but not limited to, a Happy Birthday mylar balloon & 2 jelly-like wall crawlers, which left an oily residue on my livingroom wall, creating the illusion of a giant spider's & mammoth frog's shadow.

-5 games left in this soccer season. Not that I'm counting down the days until we have Daddy for normal hours again (for a couple of months).

-Speaking of Daddy & soccer (which happens quite often), Daddy has put together a soccer team, for fun (if you call fun a brutal competition), wherein he'll be playing, outside, with guys 'his age', every Monday night.
Not happy about there being another night we don't see him, but am very happy that he'll be doing something just for him, having fun & doing what he loves (& is good at), soccer.

-It's in the 30s right now. That's just stupid.

-Why can't I like oatmeal bars?, they're the favorite of these two kids. They're healthy & a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. But they make me gag.

Things Worth Mentioning

• I mentioned before that CURIOUS GEORGE & his 8 am show, are a priority here at the P house. I typically turn the TV off after the show ends, not to be turned on again until the kids are in bed, so I think it's worth a watch. Plus that monkey is so dang funny. Just now, while Gabe was watching (because Sissy is at school), I could hear the show. From what I could gather (not actually seeing it), George was waiting for The Man with the Yellow Hat to finish up his speaking engagement (TMWTYH is a very smart occupation of some kind, maybe an archaeologist? A scientist?) wherein he was saying a lot of smart things that were apparently over George's head & no doubt to be boring for the intended audience; therefore, rather than watching TMWTYH say what he actually said, he said, "Blah biddy blah, blah blah. Blah diddy boo." And then the crowd applauded. Don't you think that's funny? (or is it starting to get to me that I rarely interact with potty-trained people?)
• Yesterday, I was drying my hair. Flynn had to stand next to me during this as she had already hit her brother twice during my grooming. I guess she figured she'd strike up a conversation while she was in there (which meant my 15 minute hair drying took twice as long since I had to keep turning oFF the drying to say, "Huh?"). So, the topic of the morning was her allergic reaction the previous night. We evaluated it, she recollected details (some of which I thought she was "out of it" for), and we decided that even though Benadryl can be a life saver, the Jesus is the ultimate life saver. She abruptly ended the conversation by saying, "Mom, I'm going to go pray now. Really quiet." Now, how could I not discontinue my hair drying & go try to spy on her communing with God?! I snuck down behind her where I spied her standing at the side of my bed, leaning over it (it's too tall for her to kneal at). There wasn't a slow or quiet moment. I couldn't hear much, when I got too close the floor creaked & she looked to see if someone was there - and I was not about to interrupt her prayer time. "Dear God. Will you help me to not be sick? I want to be better. I don't want to itch. I don't want to cough. Thank you God for helping me......." I couldn't hear the rest. But she was all business. And when I heard her wrapping up her time with the Lord, I high-tailed it back to the bathroom where I pretended to be finishing up my post shower activities. I tried to act cool, but inside I was a pool of proud momma mush. And because my girl knows to take it to God, I'm not quite as worried today while she is at school & I am here, 25 minutes away.
• Gabe pottied again last night on the pot. Our warmer temps are here, I have no more excuses. As soon as I get my act together, we will begin POTTY NAZI here. Sans pants & potty seats everywhere. He will fill up a chart & 'earn' a model plan to paint with daddy.
• Daddy's soccer season is half way finished. Not that I'm counting games & crossing them off with a big black marker or anything.
• Flynn is earning an elephant sewing kit. I decided that enough was enough with her pottying while sleeping at night. I want to be Diaper Free in '08! So, she too is filling out a chart. 10 "E" stamps on her chart & she will be Seamstress FJ. She is so excited about the project. Granted we were up at 1 this morning, stripping her sheets & cleaning her up (we wouldn't have even known that she was sopping wet had the neighbors not awoken us with slamming doors & general loudness). I'm hoping the promise of the new craft will make her more forgiving when we carry her half-concious limp body into the potty at midnight to prevent an accident.
• Tomorrow is Friday & Sunday is supposed to be 73. How could that not make me smile?

Things You Want To Hear Upon Your 4-Yr Old's Completion of the Preschool Screening

"Do you realize how intelligent she is?"
"We don't normally see scores this high."
"She's extremely smart."
"I know she won't start in the fall but she's ready for kindergarten."
"This section here, she scored as a 6-year old; and that's because that's as high as it goes."
"Flynn's an excellent drawer."
"She counted up to thirty...then I had her stop."
"This shows she scored in the percentile rank of more than 99."

Hello Lover

Two weeks ago, my day (week, month, etc.) was made by Hip Mama's Place when I won March Mom Blog of the Month.

And Oh. the. Bag. I've won....Oh the bag. Brought to me via Mr Postman straight from Shop Suey Boutique. (my new fav online shopping wishlist source) -- try to tell me you don't want this.

When FaithHopeLove Mama nominated me, she knew it should be mine because it's orange and...well...I'm Orange Momma.

Check out the space... I literally took the contents of my 'old' purse & dumped into the new one.
Look at orange bag, laying there, so coy.
"Take me out, show me off!"
"You got it Orange Bag! Let's go, let's go!"
Orange bag, be mine.
I love the orange bag.
I want to marry Orange Bag & have babies wallets with Orange Bag.
Peek-a-book Orange Bag.

Okay, so Hot Hubby thinks I fell out of the back of a pick-up truck at some point in my youth...he still can't believe I'm this crazy by nature.
But I just love this Orange Bag & everyone who knows me knows it was pure fate & love that I won a bag, that happened to be orange, but dearest Lord, it's so me.

Excuse my appearance in the photos (no make up) taken by my 4-year old (fuzzy, unfocused).

By the way, Hip Mama's Place has giveaways all the time in addition to some of the savviest stuff I've seen in a while. Also, lots of organic goods. Go there, and nominate me again your favorite blogger for April's Mom Blog of the Month.

My Mom is SO Blogging This

Woot! Check out the shirt I scored from MCKMama.

If you're as addicted to blogging as I am,

You can get your little bloggerette one too.

Thank God for diapers, they keep your wedgies to a minimum.

Even Without a Turkey Dinner

I thank God today for a thankful spirit He has given me.




Unfortunately, and because of my own downfalls, it often takes hearing of someone's misfortune, to be gracious for my blessings.

The photos I post alone, could display how much God blesses us.

We don't have a lot of money. Our home is modest. Our "possessions" are nothing to brag about. But the more I bask in God's greatness, the more aware I am that those things sometimes just get in the way.

Here are a few of the many ways that God blesses us...

About once a month, someone gives us clothes for one of the kids. They're hand-me-downs, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Did you know, that I only have to buy my kids clothes about twice a year? -- and at that, the spending is usually in the clearance aisle?

About once a month, I find a really great garage sale treasure. Like tap shoes for Flynn, for when she grows out of these. Or a J Crew wool green sweater for Flynn (then, Gabe when she grows out of it). Or dress-up slips, for the few times a year that I 'doll' Flynn up. Or "Marble Works", a Discovery Toys game (the kids' favorite game for the last few months).

An occasional curb-side find. Like our new grill, or the bookshelves which serve as Flynn's "chest of drawers" (chest of baskets).

Or the way certain family members help us out to make sure our kids get to enjoy the extra things. Or that we are always able to get all of Flynn's meds.

We have family, and church family, and tons of friends, who love our kids so much. Our family is showered in affection.

My body, though it's seen its better days & I've had my share of weird diagnoses, was strong enough to bring two babies into the world... and it works well enough everyday to play with and take care of those two babies.

I was raised with the skill & creativity to be frugal & inventive. I'm sure when my mom brought me up the way she did, she had no idea how she was instilling me with values I'd depend on in my adulthood.

And if none of the previous reasons existed,

I'd still be so thankful....

Because of these two.

Bubby, the Care-taker

I think it's strange & worth mentioning, that Bubs -- even tho he's younger & "the boy", is always taking care of Sissy.

When he gets his cup out of the fridge, he also gets her's & takes it to her, "Sis, cup! Sis, cup!"

And really, it's not limited to her cup ... anytime he sees ANYTHING belonging to her, he RUNS to her with it, "Here Sis! Here Sis!"



It's cute & certainly a trade of roles.



Too bad Sissy doesn't appreciate it like we do.

Meet Lucy

This is Lucy.

She is my new baby.
Not only is she orange, but she will be the reason for me completing so much housework, chores, and maybe doing it all with a little pep in my step.

She's perfect becuz she's small, and won't take up too much room.

Unlike everything else in this house.

She's also perfect because she's a gift from Hot Hubby.

Who I've convinced to name his iPod 'Linus'.

A Trip to Build-A-Bear, compliments of Aunt G

When Gabe was born, Flynn was freshly 21 mos. & along with that &
her new title as BIG Sister, she was ready for a field trip without us.

And so, Aunt G & cousins picked up Flynn in true date fashion

(she was sporting braids & her strawberry shortcake backpack).

And off they all headed to the mall to build Flynn's Happy Tappy Elmo

(complete with tuxedo & patten leather shoes).

So, when this same milestone hit with Gabe (not the being a big sib part thank goodness),

G decided a trip to BaB was in order for him as well.

Here he is pressing the peddle for the fluff.

(check out his flip flops)

And choosing a heart.

Bubby built a cute turtle, complete with turtle shell back pack.

He is named, "Trek".

G also bought Trek a birthday ensemble (party hat, sash, blower, you know -- everything a birthday turtle wears for a birthday celebration).

Before we went, Flynn was all, "I'm going to build a bear too."

And I was all, "No you aren't...this is Gabe's special day."

And then, Miss Renee gave Flynn her bear bucks.

And Flynn built a bear too (Reed, the cute curly-haired bear with reading glasses and Cat in the Hat boxers).

Two Things...

Two things I like about Flynn...

ONE is:

and the other is:

Paul Bunyon

Gabe still sports the olive on a toothpick look....

His stats are a whopping 25 lbs & 36 inches tall.
Putting him at the 95th % for his height, but only the 15th for his weight.

And going by the formula at projecting adult height,
Dr says he'll be at least 6 feet tall.

This makes momma happy....finally, passing on the height gene.

SuperStar

Jr Stars is a competition here in St. Louis, a little like American Idol (minus the other states & all the drama). It takes place at Six Flags.

There were hundreds & hundreds of kids who auditioned.
Mattie was selected to be a finalist.
She competed a month ago.
And it aired on the 11th, the day after she turned 13.

Here we are enjoying watching the tivo'ed episode.
Crowded around the tube with the star herself.

She's #1 in my book!

Not Just Because He's Hot

There are several other reasons I LOVE my hot hubby....

THIS

is one of them.

Our little pal Zach inspired us to have a challenge

to our KidsPoint kids,

that if they raised enough money,

I'd shave Jeff's hair into a faux hawk.

and just like every other hairstyle he has,

he looked delish this way too.

Man!, he's a dreamboat.

Favorite Parts of Vacation

There are a few fav parts that stand out in my mind.





One was being able to relax.

Totally relax.

And do so, without feeling guilty for it.



When the kiddos went down for nap, sometimes we did too! And as I would lay there on that couch, I didn't think about laundry, or work emails, or making my bed (shh, secret -- we never made our bed on vacay, not once!!).

Sometimes we read or just aimlessly surfed the channels.



That was one favorite part.



The ocean / beach was another favorite part. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the beach. It defines beauty. And when I stare out into the horizon, that seems to drop off beyond the last drop of ocean, I am quickly reminded of God's magnitude. How cool that He made something like that for us to enjoy. It's all just so huge (for lack of a better word).



Then there is the pure lack of schedule. Oh sure, we still kept a naptime, and a bedtime....but we left in the morning when we wanted to head on down the beach, and came back when the kids' tummies were growling, or when I felt they had had enough sun (PS these kids were coated w/ 45 SPF & 1/2 the time I even made them wear a shirt). There was no rush to get out the door first thing in the morning & we let fun dictate our whereabouts & whenabouts (is that a word?).

Also, things that stand out in my mind are when Flynn asked to swim in the kitty-cat pool (her take on Kiddie Pool), and when Gabe stood in awe at the advertising planes that flew over.

When we go through great pains (like a 14.5 hour car trip) for family fun, I keep in the corner of my mind, how they'll remember this. Yes, they're small; but, I have memories of a trip 'out west' that the Simpsons took when I was almost 4. I have so many flashbacks of that (one is being horribly car sick in our '78 emerald FORD van). But I also remember Sea World & a Penguin character who stood behind me while my mom was taking a picture....and he removed my sailor hat which was very offensive to me at the time (I went through some kind of obsession with wearing a sailor hat, don't ask). I was a weird kid with a very active imagination & an imaginary friend named Sherri (she passed us on our trip, her family drove a wood-paneled station wagon).

My mom thinks we run the roads too much. I think that I'll always do what I can to give these sheltered kids some life lessons & rich experiences. Some times that means the beach 12 hours away. Some times that would mean taking them to see Shrek 3 (which we plan to do today after nap). Soon, I'll be working full time again, and our time & energy will be limited to preparations for the following day. I want to squeeze every drop out of life. On our trip, I was reading a magazine with advice from seasoned moms. One said, "The day is long but there years are short." It's so true. Even in my 4 short years of being a mom, I've seen that as truth.