The Bug Girl

As you may well know, my daughter is a bug girl.

She will tell you herself..."Mama, I'm just a bug girl!" So today, this is what she brought in the house to show me. Call it the Catch of the Day, if you will.

My Kendall-bug is not afraid of the creepy-crawlies...but I don't really like them! I try, however, not to let on too much because I don't want her to "learn" to not like them. Let's just say I won't be running around trying to catch any dragonflies or spiders anytime soon. I will join in on catching crickets and fireflies though!


Also on the topic of Kendall today...

Today my friend Deetra was over with her daughter Shea, and we were all in the kitchen as I was making lunch. Anyway, I hear this rustling around in the pantry and realized that Kendall was the child who was MIA.
I said, " Kendall...what are you doing in there?"
NO RESPONSE.
Now, keep in mind, we have had a few conversations as of late about not sneaking food. Everything has to be approved through Mama. So I was not surprised that there was no response!
Again..."Kendall, what are you doing?"
I see my towhead daughter peek her head out of the pantry, and I ask the question again. And boy is that girl getting quick! Do you know what she said to me (without even a blink)?

"I was just checking the crackers to see if they were getting stale..."!

I guess they weren't!

It's another one of those days

Yep, another one of "those days" for sure.

It is only 12:15, and here is a list of things Noah has already accomplished:

1. Slamming his head into mine this morning while trying to give me a "good morning kiss". I should have a nice goose egg from that by this afternoon...
2. Screaming his head off in the kitchen right after the head slamming, demanding, "JOOS! JOOOS! JOOOOOOOS MAMA!!!" This was going on as I was trying to decide if I had a concussion or not...and still seeing stars.
3. Dumping the entire cup of said juice on the table, where it ran off and onto the floor, chair, and of course, Noah himself.
4. Dumping Scout's water bowl all over the basement floor, which of course, drenched his shoes and pants that I had JUST put on him.
5. Pulling all of the toilet paper off the roll and stuffing it into the toilet, while yelling, "Fetch! Fetch!" Don't ask....I don't know. I was still cleaning up the dumped water bowl.
6. Laughing and saying, " 's OK, Mama! 's OK!" while I was trying to fish the majority of the toilet paper out of the toilet to avoid an overflow.
   
7. Dumping Scout's water bowl all over the basement floor AGAIN while I was making lunch.
   
8. Refusing to eat his lunch because he wanted Kendall's. Of course, they had exactly the same thing, so... whatever. Then he proceeded to scream the rest of the way through lunch as Kendall and I ignored him. He never did eat, and I did NOT give him a cup of joos!
   
9. Playing fetch with Kendall. He is the dog and she rolls blocks across the room. (I've had to remind her 3 times not to throw things in the house.) He fetches them in his mouth...you understand. And when he brings it back, he says, "Goo Boy!"
   

Did I mention I'm tired?
I sure could use that Graeters right now...

Dreaming of...

Need I say more???

Mmmmmm...

Ok, I am sitting here watching Chris Daughtry on Regis & Kelly...

Oh, yeah...
That's what I'm talkin' about!
Now I am not really a guyliner-type of girl, but...
He is SOMETHIN' ELSE completely!
And of course, I'm strictly talking about talent here...

Yeah, right.

Sweet...

Just wanted to post this awesome picture of Kendall and her Daddy. This was taken on Father's Day, and I just realized I had it as I was organizing my pictures. She looks more like him every day, don't you think?

Don't go there...

Any good guesses as to what is going on in this first picture?

No, Kendall is not picking which chicken to have for dinner.

She IS lecturing Elvis the rooster for mounting one of her favorite hens in an attempt to "make sweet, passionate love" to her. (That is a throwback to the chef in Southpark, in case you were wondering where that little tidbit came from...) Anyway, Kendall has no idea what those crazy chickens are up to, and this mama is keeping quiet for now! Not ready for that conversation just yet! Plus, this kind of stuff is just too funny to watch!


These next two pictures are just an ode to the summer days I love most. I tell you...I love that hammock that Barry and the kids got me for Mother's Day! It's so relaxing just hangin' there in the backyard, listening to the kids playing, the breeze blowing...sun shining on my face. And, of course, napping with my favorite little girl in said hammock! What could be better, I ask you?


How I love these lazy summer days!

Little known facts about me!

I cut and pasted this from Lisa's blog...thought it would be something fun! Here goes...


1. Favorite candy - dove dark chocolate, cocoa almonds, or sour patch kids.
2. favorite ice cream - I think this goes without saying, but Graeter's Strawberry Chip!
3. favorite book - Anything by Stephen King, also The Mutant Message Down Under
4. favorite magazine - I am not ashamed to say that I am a sucker for People! I also love Real Simple.
5. favorite memory from childhood - playing in the woods behind our house with all the neighbor kids. We had forts, trails, and plenty of imagination...those were the days!
6. quality you most admire in your spouse and/ or best friend - steadiness, calmness, and a strong sense of self.
7. favorite way to spend your day - on vacation with friends and their kids...at the beach, relaxing! Ahhhhh...
8. how may meals you eat out each week - Me, personally? 2...one for each night I work. But as a family...maybe 1, but most of the time none.
9. how many kids you'd like to have - 2. And MAYBE, and that's a BIG maybe...3.
10. how many traffic tickets you've had - 3, I think!
11. best date ever - Barry picked me up and took me to Adolphs. He had made an arrangement with friends who worked there for us to have a private dinner in the back banquet room...they made us a special dinner and served it to us by candlelight...and I think Barry had to use the quarters from his change jar to pay for it! (Keep in mind, people... this was when we were young, broke, college students!) It was sweet and romantic and all the stuff teenage romance novels are made of.
12. favorite local eatery - I have 3. Windchimes, Columbus Fish Market, and El Vaquero.
13. suggestions for a free, fun, family day - Picnic and hiking at one of the parks
14. one place you'd like to visit - I'd like to take a train out west to the badlands. Just ride along and take in the scenery. I hear it's unbelievable!
15. favorite drink - fresh lemonade with frozen strawberries and a little Bacardi Limon. YUM!

You may now consider yourself informed about me! ;-)

Guess where we were?

Yesterday was a long day...
can you guess where we were?


If you guessed the zoo, you are right! Although, I guess technically you could say the we're at the zoo every day...right in our own home. It was Kendall's last day of zoo camp, so she finished at 12:00. Since that was the case, Noah and I decided to hang out and spend a bit of QT together looking at the animals, and we saw a LOT, especially since it was so early and very cool. The animals were out and about, playing and eating, and VERY active. I let him pick what he wanted to see for the most part.


Some of his favorites...

• The elephants. ALWAYS a hit.

• The kangaroos.

• Puffy, the worlds largest type of python. YUCK. She is 32 kids long. (I just wanted out of that building!)

• Discovery Reef...and I must admit that is my favorite too! I could sit in there all day, just watching.

• The tigers. Noah cannot get out of there without roaring at them.

• The penguins, OBVIOUSLY. What kid doesn't like the penguins?
  

As for that cute little pic on the carousel?
Well, that was all for show. He was all about riding that thing, thinking he was so cool... until it started moving. Then it was all screaming and grabbing Mama around the neck. So, needless to say, his carousel ride was spent with me holding him. He did seem to like the music, at least! I also found some time to let him play on the playground. I usually discourage this, since we are not at the zoo to play, but rather to see and learn about the animals, but I was starting to feel like he needed to burn off some steam. Too much time riding in the car and stroller makes Noah a very wiggly little tyke! So he played for 15 or 20 minutes, most of which was spent going down the spiral slide and complaining about the mulch in his sandals. I must have taken those things off and dumped them 6 times!

Then we picked Kendall up from camp and headed out for some lunch before her eye doctor appointment. She passed all her eye tests with flying colors, so no glasses for her! Thank goodness. We're hoping both kiddos get MY eyesight...not Barry's!

Hope you had a good, fun, and productive friday as well...

Bring on the weekend!























h

Puppy Love

So, many of you may be wondering, "How is Scout doing?"

Well, he's doing really well, actually! After about a week he started sleeping through the night in his crate, and the accidents have been minimal. Of course, that's probably because we don't give him much of an opportunity to have one! He went for his first swim last week, and really thought he was big stuff...so now he has to jump in the pond every chance he gets. Haley has still not warmed up to him, but we are hopeful. She still sneaks around to get to her food dish and litter box and still hisses and growls at him if he gets too close, but he is not even a little afraid! He just stands there and looks at her like, "What's your deal?" She is also letting us know that she is really quite pissed off about this new puppy. She has been peeing in our closet, and this weekend do you know what she had the nerve to do????

She peed in my Birkenstocks! I couldn't even speak.

She WILL get over this, right?

So, we are doing well here, adjusting to this little canine being we've adopted. Sure, it's still a little stressful at times, but that's ok. Noah and Kendall both think he's just the coolest thing ever, and even Noah steps up with the discipline..."No! NO, 'COUT!" . We hear this a LOT. Or "C'mon, 'Cout! S'ok, Cout!" Kendall has been eating her breakfast and lunch out on the picnic table every day so she can be outside with him, and I think that is really sweet. They are all doing a great job!

Puppy classes are due to start next week...Fun, Fun, Fun!!!!

Summer Hoops!

Right out of the gates after school was let out, Kendall had little downtime. Her Summer Hoops daycamp started the first week after school was finished. Even though it was summer break, we were at the park every morning by 9:00 so she could learn about basketball and hone her skills... or lack thereof at that point! But I promise I am not just being a biased mom when I tell you that by the end of the week I could see remarkable improvement! In fact, she wants me to sign her up for the next session. So, we'll just see if there are still any openings. Who knows, maybe basketball will be her thing!

Now, this week she is on to zoo camp. We are at the zoo every morning at 9:00 and she stays until 4:00. Let me assure you, this is BIG FUN. She looks forward to it all year long. Last night I heard all about chinchillas, different kinds of tigers, alligators, and about all the endangered species...and this was after my lecture on animals that are now extinct! Who knew zoo camp would be educational for me too??? Stay tuned for pictures, if I can get any!

And Noah hasn't been a slacker either! Don't go getting that idea! He started swim lessons yesterday and he and I are spending some time at the zoo while Kendall Bug is at camp...not to mention the level of business here at home. That kid has lots to do! No pics of swim lessons...I have to be in the pool with him, so that makes it just a little bit difficult! But don't worry, there are plenty of other cute pics of that little heartbreaker! See below, if you don't believe me!

The Last Day of Kindergarten

Stay with me here, folks, as I go back through some pictures of events I didn't seem to get the time to post...

As you all know, Kendall started Kindergarten last fall, so she just finished up her first year of school. My, was it exciting! She (and the rest of her class) were on a countdown for the last 20 or so days of school, and she would tell me every morning exactly how many days she had left before summer vacation. For their last day, the school had a picnic with the parents, a procession down the parent-lined hall, and then little presentations in each classroom. And I must admit that now, after becoming this emotional mess of a mom, I teared up quite a bit during it all. What is it about motherhood that makes you cry about every little milestone you watch your child achieve? I feel every emotion much more intensely now than ever before in my life, and if I'm being completely honest with myself (and you), it leaves me a bit unsettled. I don't like being so emotional. But alas, as my husband says all the time... IT IS WHAT IT IS. So I will embrace this new overly emotional side of myself...whether I like it or not!


Ahhh, I digress. Let's get back to the pictures... what do you say? The first picture was taken on the playground after our picnic lunch. That is Kendall with her friend Haleigh. These two get all excited everytime they run into one another and simply MUST throw their arms around each other! Too cute.

The second picture is of Kendall with her friend Seaonna. These two are the same way...lots of squealing and LOTS of hugging!

That last picture is of Kendall receiving her "graduation" packet from her teacher, Mrs. Hurles. Kendall really liked having Mrs. Hurles this year, and she is really happy that next year the kindergarten classes will be moved to the elementary building so she will still see Mrs. Hurles on a daily basis.

So there you go, folks. Kendall has successfully navigated the perils of her first year of school. She has made friends, met teachers and school staff, had things stolen by a classmate, been called a "friend-stealer", made up with the child who called her that, started reading chapter books, learned a lot about math and science, went on field trips, and all in all, had a really good year. Now, 12 short weeks of freedom and then back to the grind!

Top Ten Reasons (by Kendall and Noah)

To all you Dads out there...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! The world would truly not be the same without you...

So, in honor of the most important man in our house, the kids have compiled a list of the top 10 things that make their Daddy so special:

1. Daddy is the best daddy in the whole world because he gives us lots of hugs and kisses and loves us so much!
2. He helps cheer me up when I'm sad.
   
3. I get to ride on my Daddy's shoulders and it's fun!
   
4. Daddy is really good at math.
5. Daddy makes us popcorn when we watch a movie!
6. I love to sit and listen to Daddy read me a book.
7. My Daddy is so strong, he can lift me up really high!
8. We like it when Daddy takes us for a ride on the Cushman to scare the geese.
9. Our Daddy can build ANYTHING! Really, he can!
10. Daddy loves Oreos! He can eat a whole box!

Just a few of the reasons...and I can assure you there are many more! Everything in our lives is richer because Barry is a part of it. There is no one I would rather share this crazy world of parenting with...he is the calm in the middle of the storm, the stability in the midst of chaos, and the ultimate shoulder to lean on. So, thank you Barry, for being everything we need. We love you!

Calling all lurkers!

Ok all you lurkers...

You know who you are... all of you who read the blog and lurk in the shadows! This post is specifically for you!

If I were to go by any of the comments on my blog, I would think no one ever reads it...but alas, when I am telling stories about my family to various people, I always hear,

"Oh yeah, I read that on your blog!"

REALLY! You do? So I am asking, just this once, leave a comment today! I just want to know who is lurking out there in the blogosphere, and who my audience is!

Don't let me down, people! I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

That's one big frog!

Well, on Sunday, we were all outside talking to Joe and Jessie, when all of a sudden we heard Kendall shout,

"Hey, look what I caught!"

Holy Cow! She said she saw something move in the gravel around the back of our house, and then she realized it was a frog and chased it. Well, unfortunately for the frog, it had gone ahead and hopped right up to the house where the retaining wall wrapped around, so it had nowhere to go! So, Kendall, my little nature girl, scooped him up and showed him off like a trophy! I don't even know why I am surprised anymore...

Girls Night Out!

Watch out Columbus Ohio!

The Lake Choctaw ladies were out on the town to celebrate a birthday...Happy Birthday, Jen!

We started our evening at Gordon Biersch in the Arena District for dinner, and then the girls decided we couldn't just go home! After all, how often do we all get out without the kids?


So, we headed to Spice for drinks (watermelon martini, anyone?) and conversation...and a couple of pictures...but the dancing there left much to be desired. It was like someone's basement with some fancy lighting and curtained cabanas...but a cement basement with a lousy sound system nontheless. So, we weighed our options...

and it was off to Sugar, which was essentially dead. Only a few people dancing and drinking...which prompted us to leave and head to the Lodge Bar. They had a band, and a good amount of people dancing, so it was by far the most fun place we went! Plus, Jodi whined to the bouncer about us "housewives" having to pay a $5.00 cover, so he got us free passes, which was a plus!


I know you can probably hardly believe it, but we little ol' moms stayed out until 1:30 am....we can hardly believe it ourselves! Enjoy the pics...I know you'll all want to know where we're going next time so you can join us! I promise you won't be disappointed!

Introducing Scout!

Here he is...our sweet new puppy, Scout!

He will be 9 weeks old on Tuesday, and is a black lab/golden retriever mix. Isn't he so cute, with his dark eyes and big, wavy ears?

Kendall and Noah are having a ball with him. Noah is a little more hands-off than Kendall, but he is a champ at telling Scout to "Shhhh--Shhh!", and " 's ok, scout....'s ok" when he's crated and whining. We've only had 2 accidents so far, and he is quite the sleeper! He has a great temperament and is such a funny, clumsy little guy. And, you've just gotta love those big feet!

We are so happy to have this new little guy as part of our family... Come out and meet him when you have time!