Life and Times of Life at Home

11.05.2007

It's Not Very Often

that you & your hubby get to spend the weekend together. It's even more rare for your hubby to not only say okay to a weekend of faux therapy, but be excited about it to boot.

I don't know how great of a portion of the content directly applied to us, as I think our marriage is pretty darn close to perfect... but just being together all weekend. Having the opportunity to actually finish a sentence without screaming toddlers interrupting us abruptly.
I haven't stared into Jeff's gorgeous hazel eyes for that long, in a long, long time. Too long. So if I recommend it, for no other reason, I'd say that's enough.

And spending a night in a hotel?....

BONUS.

11.01.2007

A Wicked Trick or Treat Hangover

Today, after a very restful night of visions of twizzlers & candied apples, we are just plain ol' hyper. Sugar-induced misbehavior.
Lucky for these two kids, I completely understand & empathize with their inabilities to concentrate with so much going on.
That includes, but is not limited to:
"Get off your sister."
"Don't kick your brother in the face."
"Please put your pants on."
"Get off your brother."
"Don't kick your sister in the face."

We had a spooky time last night.
And here are some pictures to prove it...

Getting some nutrition. We had to get our strength up... to do some trick or treating.

Pre-T or T photos. Gammy said Jack was "udderly unhappy."

Mmm, pudding. What a cool thing to pass out!

Delish cookies that we made - safe for Sis!

A perfect fall night. Conner & Flynn were fast, while the frog was wheeled behind. Two year old's legs are slower & tire out more easily.

Halloween.... it's MOOcho Fun!!

10.31.2007

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

10.30.2007

Eternal Life

I was just informed, by a very good source, that Maya & Miguel have Jesus in their hearts.

I've Been Very Busy

It's been a stressful weekend.

When I have time again, there will be cute pictures.
Lots of them.

You won't be sorry for checking back.

Expansion Project

10.27.2007

Vocabulary Beyond Her Years

When Flynn was way-layed during her first game, she cried. Which was a shock to me as she never cries. And has such a high pain tolerance that sometimes I worry that she won't know if she's broken an arm or something.
During that game, she kept crying & wanting me to hold her, but I was all, "Go play. Get out there with your team, they need you. You're fine."
Later, we talked about why she was crying so hard & she told me, "I was embarassed."
'What in the world do you know about being embarassed?' I thought. Just wait 'til you walk out of a small gas station bathroom past a long line of people waiting, only to find out from your nieces, that the toilet paper you used as a toilet seat guard actually stuck to your behind & was currently spilling out of your pants.
Not that that happened or anything. really.

Today, at her soccer game, she was playing left defense, right by the row of parents, proudly sitting & watching. When she told Jeff, "I'm nervous!"
What does she know about nervous?

She is wise beyond her 3.97 years. And is keeping us on our toes.

We're in trouble in about 10 years. Lord help us.

10.26.2007

Judge Judy

Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

That's what I told Flynn.

She did "something icky" to Bubs the other day... I decided not to include the details as, even when you're almost four, there is some need for privacy. And she doesn't need all her dirty laundry aired.

Anyway, she was isolated in her room, a huge punishment as we were all in there playing & having a good time. Believe me when I tell you this was way huger than a spanking. After her being in there for a period of time, I went in to talk to her.
I asked her why she was in there & she told me.
I followed it with my attempt on guilt,
"I'm just so shocked that you would do this. You are so big. And you have Jesus in your heart."
With perfect reason, at least perfect for an almost-4-year-old, she tells me,
"But Bubby does not have Jesus in his heart."

******************************************************

Gi needed to be picked up from the 'car place' while her car was being worked on, and we were her ride. When we were almost there, I told the kids what we were doing.
Flynn asked, "why doesn't our car ever have to be worked on?"
I told her, "God has really blessed us. Our car has never needed to be fixed."

And I set myself up. As her response was, "God has not blessed Gi."

10.24.2007

Watching Mambi

Most of the time, Gabe's lack of communication drives us nuts. His talking little equals big fits when he can't get us to understand what he wants or feels.
But because of his unskilled convo, there are some pretty cute incorrect pronounciations coming out of his mouth.
Sometimes it takes him saying it a few times before we go, "Oh....that's what he means."
And such was the case with Mambi.

Once when we were discussing watching a movie, Flynn of course had her choices & opinions, that's when Gabe interjected, "Mambi." And at the time it sounded more like, "Maybe."

We ignored him, because apparently that's what you do with people you don't understand.

A few times after that, I guess he decided to take matters into his own hands, and brought us the movie BAMBI & said it, "Mambi!"

We laughed & gushed a little at how cute it was that he couldn't get that movie out of his mind. And of course, at the way he pronounced it.

10.22.2007

Pukeville

Manna wasn't all Flynn caught this weekend...

ugh.

I wonder if a mom were to calculate how many times she'd been vomited on, by say the age of 45...I just wonder how many times that would be.

Last week, Gabe had this virus. This week, it's little Flynn.

And these poor kids, I am the one that needs to lose 5 lbs - not them.

10.19.2007

Catching Manna from Heaven

10.18.2007

What Will I Rename This Blog?

As the days near, to that point (when? I'm not sure) when the bulk of my day won't be spent at home, I am starting now to appreciate it.

Did we plan it to be this way? No. We didn't. We always planned to have these two kids & for me to promptly return to work after each of them.
But destiny has a way of making a person say, "huh?" & it definitely left us dumbfounded.

I've always been one of those people. The kind that are quick to do something...actually do without thinking...then later say, 'I wish I hadn't.' Or who want something -- the proverbial grass on the other side, that's greener. Then, I find myself on the greener side & realize, I miss the less-green side.

These days I've spent at home, knowing it could be no other way, I've basically spent grumbling, complaining, agonizing over unpaid bills. Living with just the basics. Clipping coupons. Garage sales. And tv antennae rabbit ears.

God forgive me...
He gave me this gift, the only way He knew I'd accept it. Without choice. We have made this work. And granted it's going to take us a really long time to climb the slippery wall of debt, we'll do it & we'll know that for the first few years of Gabe's life & the whole preschoolhood of Flynn's, I was here. Holding them when they were sick. Letting them sleep in (if they would already!). And not missing a single beat.

Just a few days ago, I was planning in my mind, my return to the full time work force. We know it will be fall of '09 (when Flynn can be away from me in the 'safety' of a nearby school...if not the school I teach in), if not sooner in the event she outgrows this crazy allergy -- or if something else were to work out. And it all started orchestrating itself as a reality to me.

Especially with Gabe, this is all I've known. Never taking him to a sitter or handing him to a stranger. Yet that will become a reality.

Today, in Gabe's poopy-stupor, we braved out to the post office because of sheer necessity. And in celebration of not being pooped on all day, we stopped at the park we were about to pass.

It was sunny. Not crowded. And for a single period of time, I kid you not, it was if God had a single beam of light shining down on the three of us. We played. Blew bubbles. I chased them around a tree & spun them until we were all dizzy.

They drive me crazy...I vent in honesty all the time. But today I was so blissfully happy to be with them.

I am so thankful how things have turned out.

It Would Only Happen to Me

Saturday evening, we were given tickets to join a bunch of Jeff's friends to watch the US Womens National Soccer Team play Mexico at Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis .

So picture it, over 10,000 loud & rowdy fans.

And who gets chosen for the half time contest.

Yep. Me.

That would've been fine if it had just been, say, a drawing to win a trip for two to Hawaii, or a big screen tv (as Jeff had hoped), or cable or satellite for a year (so we can throw out our rabbit ears antennae).

But it wasn't.

Report to gate 340's entrance to the field, they had said. So I did. Which was 1/2 way across the dome. I had to move fast & since it was half time, and everyone was out to get their nachos & go potty, I had no easy task.
When I finally make it to gate 340, I see the guy in charge, a young probably 20-year old fella wearing a headset. I join the two other contestants... an 8 yr old girl & a 15 yr old girl. Then the guy in charge explains to us that we're going to be going out on the field in front of everyone & kicking the ball, so that it rolls over & stops on one of the three jerseys they'll have laying in a circle.
Now I haven't played soccer in 20 years. And I'd never kicked a soccer ball on field turf.
That's not even the bad part.

Before we go out, he handed us each a shirt. "Put these on now & you can keep them." You think that would make me happy. But I noticed he looked very nervous when he handed me mine, like a panicked sort of look.
I didn't even look at the size, just noticed how hard it was to get my arms into. And I tugged, tugged, tugged to try to get it over my chest. It was so tight it was restricting my breathing, smashing my diaphragm. The shirt had no give, as it was almost completely covered with heat pressed letters, embroidery, the Nike symbol, etc. I stood there, just seconds before walking out on the field in front of 10,000 people, the words from Tommy Boy, 'Fat man in a little shirt', echoed in my head.
"Do you have any other sizes?" I asked the boy in charge.
He looked at me sympathetically & shook his head.

So off we head onto the field.
Had I not been in a shirt that was 2 sizes too small, I would've enjoyed the awesome experience. I quickly saw Jeff across the dome, as close as he could get, cell phone in hand, getting ready to take a picture. My name was up on the jumboTron. I couldn't believe this.

Why in the heck did I decide to do this? I should've just acted like my name wasn't called. Sure I would've had to resisted everyone's urging. But gees, this was so embarassing.

As we walked across the turf, there were actually people cheering. Or maybe they were laughing. I'm not sure.

I talked to the other girls. They were nervous. Both of them had been playing 1/2 their lives. This was nuts, I thought. I not only look like the Michelin tire guy, but I'll be the only one losing this contest.

Well, I wasn't the only one. It was actually pretty tough. None of us were able to get our balls to stop on a jersey.

All of that.
And they didn't give us one anyway.

10.17.2007

WEST VIRGINIA GHOST STORY

This happened about a month ago just outside a little town in the Low country of West Virginia , and while it sounds like an Alfred Hitchcock tale, it's real.

A guy was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a really dark night in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Time passed slowly and no cars went by. It was raining so hard he could hardly see his hand in front of his face. Suddenly he saw a car moving slowly, approaching and appearing ghost-like in the rain It slowly crept toward him and stopped. Wanting a ride really bad, the guy jumped in the car and closed the door, only then did he realize that there was nobody behind the wheel.

The car slowly started moving and the guy was terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running. The guy saw that the car was slowly approaching a sharp curve, still too scared to jump out, he started to pray and begging for his life, he was sure the ghost car would go off the road and into the marsh and he would surely drown.

Just before the curve, a hand appeared through the driver's window and turned the steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend. Paralyzed with fear, the guy watched the hand reappear every time they reached a curve.

Finally the guy, scared to near death, had all he could take and jumped out of the car and ran to town.

Wet and in shock, he went into a cafe and, voice quivering, ordered a cup of hot coffee, black, then told everybody about his experience. A silence enveloped the cafe and everybody got goose bumps when they realized the guy was telling the truth and was not just some weirdo.

About half an hour later two guys walked into the cafe and one says to the other: "Look Bubba, there's that idiot who rode in our car when we were pushing it in the rain".

Poops McGee

I have always worked with kids, to some capacity.
Always babysat. Always taught Sunday school.
Nannied in college. Worked at a day care for 5 years before becoming a teacher.
Taught for years.
Then had these 2 rascals.

So, I have definitely dealt with lots & lots of poop.

But never.

Ever in my life.

Have I dealt with so much poop.

As the last few days.

Gabe has a viral infection. We're hoping it's not rota virus. Lordy.

But I have to say again, that the networks & writers have been a'miss by not signing up this family for a reality tv show. We would have avid watchers everywhere & they would be laughing hysterically at the stuff that goes on here.

The first humorous scene was when he sat beside me in the recliner. This is one of our bedtime rituals. He sits on or by us & we read to him. As I started to smell it, I realized he had pooped... on ME. So, we put him in the tub. And me too. When I went back to check the recliner, I did not see a thing. Which now makes sense, as when you sit in a chair, you pull the cushion down & apart. When I went back & the cushion was where it normally is, I wouldn't have seen it.
But smelled it.
The next day.
And realized that the real source of the smell, was a small puddle beneath the recliner.
Can you say
EWWWWWWWWWW?!!

Then, the next day, which was yesterday, after one of his BM episodes, I put him in the shower (thank GOD for hose type of sprayer we just bought!!). Gabe has had "the big D" (& I don't mean Dallas) an average of 10 times per day for the last 3 days. This gave him, understandably, a pretty nasty rash..so after this shower, I thought I'd give him a few minutes to air out before putting his diaper back on him.
That's all it took.
And I sat here watching him, but as fast as he did this on the carpeted floor, he was walking through it.
I've tried everything. Next step it oxyclean. But I think this is the push we needed to rip up the carpet & go with hard wood floor. (cheap fake hard wood)

I decided to get proactive about his rash. So, on the internet, I looked up 'homeopathic rememedies / home remedies' for diaper rash. One particular treatment I saw was to bake flour. Just plain white flour, baked on a cookie sheet.
What it didn't tell me was that it would bake...and burn...immediately.
I guess I'm used to putting muffins, or cookies, in the oven & walking away & having about 10 minutes.
Not the case.
So when I put the sheet of flour in, I ran downstairs to switch over one of my many loads of laundry. While I was gone, the flour scorched, burned, & filled our tiny house with a thick stinky smoke.
Great, all I needed was for this to smell like a meth lab.

In the last 3 days, I've done 11 loads of laundry. We've went through an entire pack of diapers & an entire package of wipes. A thing of creamy desitin.

By the way?, I think the burnt flour worked.

10.16.2007

Little Lady

Lately, mostly because it's just easier, Jeff & I will divide & conquer when it comes to bath -- rather shower time. And since Flynn doesn't let anything slide by her without noticing, she tells me,
"I want a towel on my head too."
She definitely has enough hair to do the "wet hair twisted up in a towel" thing.
She also (too bad I don't have a photo of it) put lotion on BY HERSELF, PRETTY MUCH UNATTENDED, while I was finishing up my shower. When I peeked at her (after hearing scary silence), she was head-to-toe lathered up in lubriderm lotion. She could've entered a greased pig contest.
She is closely monitored now while lubing herself up.

And I hesitated posting about this for various reasons, but feel that the hearty laugh you'll get out of this will far outweigh any need for keeping this story in the closet.
And because my motivation behind keeping this blog is to remember these stories. The same way everyone in the family remembers a story about me, sulking (probably had just gotten in trouble), sitting in front of the news (about 4 I think?). When Betsy Bruce signed off (yes, can you believe she's been on the air for 30 years??!!), my hateful response was, "Betsy BUTT HOLE."
Icky icky words. But now we laugh. And what a brat.
Which brings me to this bratty anecdote...

Gi & the girls were taking Flynn to Six Flags on Saturday. They came & picked her up & not 5 minutes down the road, she announces to them in a precise & slow manner,
"My Mom is a butt."
Angie said she tried to quickly diffuse the situation (aka interject before everyone laughed) by turning around & explaining that's not a word we use or call anyone.
But she had a defense ready, "If you say it nice, it's okay & not so bad."

For the life of me, I could not figure out where she'd even heard something in such context. I'm proud to say my kids have a very sheltered childhood. That's how we want it. We use the correct anatomical names for body parts, and don't even say butt. I searched my mind, did I call Jeff a butt head in front of her? Did she overhear it in public?
We're very careful about what they see on tv. If it's not PBS, I would rather they not watch it. And they never watch anything but very mild children's movies as far as movies go.

But we do go to Target, and soccer, and I can't control the language of everyone she is around. But I will explain to her different things that she hears & that not everything someone else says is okay for her to say.

But as far as her rebuddle...her twist of Thumper's, 'if you haven't got something nice to say, don't say it at all'?...

Lord help me.

10.14.2007

This kid...

Makes me CRAZY...

And,
does anyone know how to get a magnetic plastic letter OUT OF a dishwasher DOOR?

Just askin' is all.

10.12.2007

I Just Noticed This

Sometimes I open a file of pics, when needing to be "inspired" for my blog entries (you're saying to yourself, "that's inspiration??").

So, I opened up the file just now & somehow these two pictures aligned & VOILA!, twins.

It's just like when Flynn was a baby & in our bed with us one morning. She looked so much like Jeff back in those days, with her lack of massive hair...that I propped her up on his pillow & said, "Look! I'm Daddy!"

And we laughed & laughed (probably sleep deprivation) & now it's one of 'our sayings.'

Anyway, do you see the likeness???!!

10.11.2007

Head Over to My Other Blog

The dairy free blog... link posted at the left....

For a REALLY good entry.

Good Question

One of the perks of my job is that I'm able to do some of my work with my kiddos either in the next room, or in tow.
So, as I was delivering curriculum to one of our teachers this morning, Flynn yells up to me, from her car seat,
"Mom. Why am I not wearing any underwear??"

Knowing we were just down the road from our destination & that I did not have the time, nor the energy to turn around to go back home for unmentionables,
"Good question Flynn."

10.10.2007

The Friends

I should've posted this a few months ago, as it seems since this picture was taken, Flynn has almost outgrown her infatuation with her "friends".

In the picture above, see her friends, Tiger, Duck, & Bunny. These three never left her side. She could not sleep without them. She didn't leave her room without them. She loved them & treated them like they were real. Sometimes they sat at the table with us & often, Tiger went places with us. Namely Florida. If we were headed somewhere, I usually restricted her companionship to one. And he was the choice.

Tiger was her Valentine gift from us. Just a cheap beanie baby from Target. Duck is a TY from Miss Heather & boys... given to Flynn before she was even born. And Bunny, I believe is from Aunt Judy, a few Easters ago.

What's funny is that I limit the amount of plush that we keep. Sometimes the kids get them as gifts, and no sooner do they open them, then I am taking them aside & holding them for donation.

Thank goodness I let her keep these guys.

Her next obsession? Her birds. You'll hear more about that later.

10.09.2007

Deep Thoughts 6

Flynn: Mom, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Me: What would that be? (w/ a giggle because I can't believe she said that)

Flynn: That you should color with me.

10.08.2007

Officially a Soccer Mom

At 9 mos, right before taking her first solo steps, Flynn could dribble the ball down the hallway; with just the assistance of holding our fingers.

For her first birthday, we gave her a soccer net. And she was able to shoot goals with finesse.

Now, she can dribble the ball down the field, making sure to maintain control & keep the ball within her control.

So someone tell me why that now she's on a team, and plays "real" games, that she only pulls on her braids & sucks on her finger?

Comments closed to Gammy & Nana on this post. I already know what you think.

10.04.2007

When She's Not Allergic

Yesterday Flynn was watching some show on PBS. They featured pets & pet-care.

Afterward, she came up & leaned on my bent knees.
"Momma, when I'm not allergic..."
"Yes baby?"
"When I'm not allergic, I want a pet."
Me, always heartbroken when I hear her look the future, of days free of allergies.
"Okay baby. What kind of pet will you want?"
Me, thinking she'll say a dog -- as that's the only animal she's allergic to (that we know of).
"A cat."
Actually Daddy's the one allergic to cats.
For once, someone else is allergic to something she's not!

10.03.2007

High Tea with Friends

This should've been posted a couple of months ago, but if you don't tell, I won't....

Flynn had a playdate with some friends of ours who were moving. So they were able to spend the morning with us. And what better to do when you have a few girls together, but a tea party!

We flipped over the train table, threw on a sissy tablecloth & voila! instant tea party.

They thought I was bizarre, but I had them each choose a hat. And I talked in an English accent.

So basically, the tea party was all about me. Then one of Flynn's friends said, "Do we have to keep having the tea party?" So I started to cry & stomp my foot & said that I wouldn't be her friend.

Then we played with something else.

10.02.2007

How a Child Might Describe a Reaction

Children have unique ways of describing their experiences and perceptions, including
allergic reactions. Precious time is lost when adults do not immediately recognize that a
reaction is occurring or don’t understand what the children might be telling them.
The following text contains examples of the words a child might use to describe a
reaction.

In addition, know that sometimes children, especially very young ones, will put their
hands in their mouths, or pull or scratch at their tongues, in response to a reaction. Also,
children’s voices may change (i.e., become hoarse or squeaky), and they may slur their
words.

If you suspect your child is having an allergic reaction, follow your doctor’s instructions.

• This food’s too spicy.
• My tongue is hot (or burning).
• It feels like something’s poking my tongue.
• My tongue (or mouth) is tingling (or burning).
• My tongue (or mouth) itches.
• It (my tongue) feels like there is hair on it.
• My mouth feels funny.
• There’s a frog in my throat.
• There’s something stuck in my throat.
• My tongue feels full (or heavy).
• My lips feel tight.
• It feels like there are bugs in there (to describe itchy ears).
• It [my throat] feels thick.
• It feels like a bump is on the back of my tongue [throat].

Food Allergy News, Vol. 13, No. 2. ©2003 The Food Allergy &
Anaphylaxis Network. All rights reserved.

10.01.2007

Like Father, Like Son

Jeff's Grama emailed me this picture she got, after receiving a photo of Gabe in the mail. Here's what she had to say about their likeness,
"Do you see any resemblence?
I do. Lots."

September Goodness

One of the things that the Perrys' love more than fall is camping.
And that's exactly what we did this past September weekend.
We joined Gammy & Gampa & their camper (otherwise known as my weekend sanity)
& probably found themselves 1/2way thru the weekend, wondering what they were thinking by allowing the little sweeties to interrupt their sleep by joining them in their warm camper.

We took out the canoe (I just kept saying "Tippy canoe & Tyler too", cuz I think I heard that in history class back in high school)....and Flynn even got to take a spin around the lake (photos to follow).

We found safe chocolate & made s'mores, sat around the fire, barbqued and caught a walking stick.

How does it get any better? I mean, seriously, can you think of a funner way to spend a weekend???

Now, the 'icky' part is that we spent the last couple hours of our hiatus at the local rural hospital as Flynn had a reaction.
But once again our girl proves courageous, only cried while getting a shot, and then slept for 5 hours.
And also once again, God shows provision with the fact that it was not an anaphylactic reaction, we knew exactly where the hospital was, and made it there w/in 10 minutes.
We also have the absolute best church family around, with one family coming to the hospital to check on us, 2 families calling once we were home, and another family bringing us dinner (along w/ chocolate covered strawberries, which I inhaled w/in 18 hours, and played games w/ Flynn on her floor for 2 hours...Caseys, you rock!).
I had planned on taking a photo of the strawberries as they were beautiful, w/ orange drizzle, but I sat them out to take the picture, and ate them before I could even turn on my camera.

11.05.2007

11.01.2007

10.31.2007

10.30.2007

10.27.2007

10.26.2007

10.24.2007

10.22.2007

10.19.2007

10.18.2007

10.17.2007

10.16.2007

10.14.2007

10.12.2007

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10.09.2007

10.08.2007

10.04.2007

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10.02.2007

10.01.2007

Head Over to my New Site!

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