Sunday Thanks

I am thankful for little boy songs sung in squeaky little boy voices. I am thankful for missing BabyDaddy when he's gone, (I guess that means I still like him, which is always encouraging...), and I'm thankful for group hugs with the Muffin when he gets home. "You're back Daddy! I so gwad we all to-gether now!" I am thankful for good books - even if this means I have to take a short blogging hiatus because I spend every free second devouring more pages. (Yes, as I told a friend last week, I do realize that my Super Nerd tights and cape are showing. Tune in tomorrow for 'Monday's Moments'. I promise I'll deliver a blog worth your time.) I am thankful for children's museums and peach milkshakes. I am thankful for long afternoon naps and thunderstorms. I am thankful for Mommy/Muffin movie nights, complete with Kettle Corn and lemonade, even if the movie part consisted of watching Shrek 732 times. That stupid donkey still cracks me up. I am thankful for candles that smell good. Especially the ones that can neutralize 'hot dog' (not nearly as bad as 'hot dead' mind you, however still quite offensive to the nasal passages). I am thankful for warm afternoons and improtu games of backyard kickball. I am thankful for today.

I am also thankful for sunny window seats....even if it contributes to the afore-mentioned 'hot dog' smell.

Why I'm Happy Wednesday

Wednesday's are pretty crappy aren't they? You're close enough to the weekend to smell it, but still far enough away that those remaining days might as well be weeks. I generally abide by the life-rule that Wednesdays = Double YUCK. I figure if I set my expectations really low, I won't be too awfully disappointed. Today wasn't half-bad considering. In fact, I realized that there are several things today that made me quite happy, almost borderline giddy in fact. The first was that I have found the softest, jellyist/gel-iest (word police) flip flops on the planet -- that they only cost $1 at Michael's being an extra bonus --AND I slid them on in place of my not-at-all comfy work heels under my desk today, and so cushed around in sublime comfort for the rest of the afternoon.



The second thing is that my husband is finally feeling guilty about all the money he spent on that silly pile of metal in the garage and has offered both to keep the Muffin and Lady Jay's little JC tomorrow night so that Jay and I can have an evening to work out/gossip at the gym, AND is sending me on a self-imposed shopping trip for some new summer clothes. Since I've run off a few pounds, my current swim suit and I are experiencing a little butt-sag, which is never attractive, but I'm not complaining because saggy junk means a smaller trunk. Or something like that anyway.



The third thing is simply the Muffin in general. He never ceases to give my mood a huge jolt, even when a day has been wrong on SO many levels. Tonight was 'So You Think You Can Dance' night, and ya'll know this young 'un of mine loves to bust a move. Between his recent attempt at the for-real splits, back bends and his pointed-toe turns, he had me in the floor. "You wike my dancin' Mommy? I SUCH a good dancer. You wanna dance wike me don't you Mama?!" He even tried to help me fold a hamper of clothes on a commercial break. This basically meant that he perched on the back of the couch like a little spider monkey, snatching up random articles of clothing, hurling them into the laundry basket and screaming, "Socks in 'da basket!! I WIN! Shirt in 'da basket! I WIN!!! I SOOOOooo good at foldin' dese clothes!!" He even keeps track of who's turn it is on the computer. Unfortunately, it is apparently now his turn. A few moments ago he announced, "Umm, Mommy, I 'tink you been on comp-u-tah weally long time. 'EEet my turn now, kay?" He is sitting on my lap with our noses almost touching chanting, 'Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!' just like those annoying little sea gulls on Finding Nemo. I have been summoned my lovelies. Until next time..... :)

Sunday Thanks

I am thankful for a visit from Mom. I love being able to vent to someone, (that's active, responsive venting now - with BD, I can rant, and he just tunes me out), that will still love me in the end and not think I'm a selfish, superficial, whiny butt-head. The Muffin adores seeing Nana on his turf, and delights in introducing her to every toy, video game, sticker, action figure, and hot wheel in his arsenal. I am thankful for letterboxing. What a cool family activity, and it's free!!!! I love free - I'm very thankful for ALL things that are free. I'm thankful that BabyDaddy is a neat freak. (I'm especially happy about this little side of him when we have company coming.) If I had married a non-neat freak, I would certainly be in a figurative pickle, and my house would be a literal train wreck. I am thankful for the Muffin *GASP*, (Dare I say it??!!) being almost, unofficially, please-dear-Lord-let-it-be-true Potty-Trained!!!!! He was accident free all weekend, with the only slightly damp Pull-Up being after his nap today - and I will not hesitate to add that I'm sure this was because he fell asleep on the way home from Wal-Mart and didn't get a chance to hit the bathroom before nap-time as he normally does. I am thankful for happy dogs sunning in the window seat. I am thankful for air conditioning, sturdy hair clips, and Don't-You-Dare-Even-THINK-About-Moving/Frizz-be-Gone Hair Spray. I am thankful for another week. I am thankful for today.

"Howd-ey pad-nah...." the Muffin growls as he sidles up beside me. We got him a cap gun today at Wal-Mart, and you would think the spirit of Jesse James himself had taken up residence in that boy. Although, I will say, it's a bit hard to act properly alarmed and distressed when the cowboy holding up the bank doesn't have on any pants. Tiny, multi-colored dinosaur print undies just don't inspire fear in me I guess... We had a lovely day - we went to our state capitol for some new letterbox adventures, and as always, we end up in the most random but usually fun places. And the highlight of the day? THE MUFFIN DID NOT PEE IN HIS PANTS. AT ALL. LIKE NOT ONCE. Can you tell I feel a bit like throwing confetti? Potty training is a many splendored thing. Or is that love? Ah, no matter. We had some fun finds and ended up at some hole-in-the-wall seafood place right on the river for dinner. Apparently, we all had legs on the brain -- I had crab legs, BabyDaddy had frog legs, and the Muffin had chicken legs. It was deliverance on a plate. The Muffin got an ice cream sundae for his potty faithfulness and we all left full and happy. Now we're hanging around at the house waiting for Mom to make an appearance. Apparently, she missed us so much she just couldn't stand it, and decided to drive up from God's Country for an impromptu visit. The Muffin has been tirelessly asking, "Where's Nana?" and "When is Nana coming?" and "Is Nana here yet?" so I'm really hoping it's soon, otherwise I might have to lock myself in my bedroom for a while....

A waterfall at one of our stops.

We found it!

We were hot on the trail of a letterbox when the Muffin pinched his nose and said, "Ew Daddy, es' smells wike doodie". Then we saw this sign. I would hope the smell would stop someone from swimming, and they wouldn't need the sign, however, there are a lot of dummies in the world....

Outside of the restaurant.

THE END.

**UPDATE -- Nana's here. My child is occupied. Thank you Lord.

Weekend Wordle

I love these things! (Wordle.net) It takes a look at your blog and makes a collage of the words you used the most. Can you tell I'm bored? I'm waiting for BD to finish getting ready, then we're taking the Muffin to get a hair cut and go letterboxing!

Sunday Thanks

I am thankful for long weekends, even if it feels like they pass by even faster than normal ones. I am thankful for being bored - it's a treasure to not feel like you are constantly rushing to get to the next event, the next place, the next appointment. I am thankful for time spent with the Muffin and BD, hatching sponge animals, reading stories, and playing on the computer. (Lots of playing on the computer.) I am thankful for Farm Town on Facebook. BD and I have arrived at a new level of cooperation -- 'You harvest my corn, and I'll harvest yours', or, 'I'll trade you three cows for a turkey'. I am thankful for the endless buffets at Golden Corral and for big-budget fireworks at the county park that I got to watch standing in the rain with BD's arms wrapped around my shoulders. (Go ahead, let's have it. A collective, "AWWWWWwwwww." Yeah, I know. We're still corny like that.) I am thankful for being able to spend the afternoon with Jay and JC. The pool was lovely and uncrowded and we simply had a blast. It beats the outdoor pool any day - not having to worry about sun screen and having heated water take the cake. I have to say that the highlight of my afternoon was watching JC do his slow-motion 'sea monster' bit. He should have been in MJ's Thriller video. Like, totally. Even though I didn't get to come back and work out - sorry Jay - it was $5 bucks well spent.) I felt pretty good about all that activity in the pool, so I came home, ate three Oreos, and took a nap. I am thankful that there is always tomorrow to work out. Maybe I could have just one more Oreo.....then again, there was that whole Golden Corral thing from yesterday, so I'm sure I'm still a smidge behind on the whole excercise-to-junk food ratio. RATS. Oh well, I'm thankful for all that anyway. And most of all, I'm thankful for today.

Yep.....I am one obsessed farmer.

Nemo likes to help us pick out our seeds. She has an unlikely preference for cabbage.

Because they're cool - and they were only $1.

He was super pumped about the fireworks. (He did actually wake up when they started booming.)

It was a good weekend. (BD says he looks like he's about half ripped in this picture - I told him he always looks about half-ripped in pictures. He didn't like that too much.)

Happy Birthday America!

The Muffin is out of the bath and on his way to being dressed, -thank you BD- my hair is sufficiently curled, defrizzed, and sprayed (darn you humidity, DARN YOU), and we are headed out the door for some food and pyrotechnics. Have a happy night! Thanks to all of our nation's protectors; we realize that we wouldn't be able to have this privilege without you. Be safe! (That means pay attention to which way is up on those Roman Candles PJ. We wouldn't want you to blow off a toe like you nearly did last year....)

Sometimes, Pet Smart is just as nice as the Zoo...

And it's totally free! Or, at least, it starts out that way. Dear BabyDaddy. You shall rue the day (which will probably be tomorrow) that I hand over my debit receipts for this one. We were just bored you see - with BD at work and the afternoon rolling out before us, I thought it would be nice to make a quick trip to town. Just a little window shopping and wandering. You know, just to get out of the house. Silly me, silly me. Does 'just a little window shopping' ever really turn out to be just that? Well, at least with me and the Muffin it doesn't. Our two resident rodents Ming-Ming and Nemo are thoroughly enjoying their brand new two-bedroom/one litter pit town home and their shiny 'Silent Feet' running wheel, while munching on celery and carrot stuffed gourmet wood chews. I adore Pet Smart - and I'm sure MM and Nemo adore that I adore it. I can practically see the joy in their beady little eyes. They both look rather like that rat Templeton in Charlotte's Web after he gorges himself at the county fair. Then, we went to Michael's, because it was the next store down and we didn't have anywhere pressing to be. Don't you just love how walking into a place like that makes you feel all crafty even if you aren't in real life? I get very ambitious when I go to Michael's usually, but today I decided to play it cool. We ended up with two kiddie paint by number books for the Muffin, along with some of those 'Grow a Farm Animal' capsule things that hatch into various spongey, vaguely-animal-looking shapes that seem so exciting at the time and are typically in the garbage five minutes later. But hey, it's the journey right? My project was a super pair of comfy black flip-flops with two packages of fabulous rhinestone jewels in pastel shades. (Ya'll know me by now - if you're gonna do something, do it big. And do it sparkly.)

Last night, we went to our favorite Mexican place for dinner (hooray for fried ice cream! Down with diets!) and then took the Muffin to the park for some 'Please-dear-God-let-him-run-himself-silly-so-he'll-fall-asleep-at-a-decent-hour' activity. Did it work? Oh yes. But unfortunately, the above tactic also worked on the parents, and so the whole idea of getting some 'Mommy and Daddy' time was a moot point in the end. *Sigh* Parenthood at it's finest. Ah well, we had a good time chasing each other around the playground, except for when BD spun me on the weird Tilt-a-Whirl thing until I almost threw up. (He thought I was pretending, but no, I really WAS about two seconds away from projectile-vomiting up my fried rice right next to the swings.) We were going to feed the ducks on our way out, but then realized we had forgotten the bread. Being the over-packed Mommy that I am, I remedied the situation by retrieving a ziplock baggie of stale Froot Loops (hey, those babies are super high in iron and fiber thankyouverymuch), and we all left happy. I do believe the ducks even had a bit of pep in their waddle. Or maybe that was the sugar rush beginning....

Because it is totally 'Me'. 'Nuff said.

As previously posted on Facebook, and because it has achieved the esteemed classification of 'one-of-those-things-I-can't-get-enough-of'.

At twenty years of age, I'm still looking for a dream

A war's already waged for my destiny

But You've already won the battle, and You've got great plans for me

Though I can’t always see

Cause I got a couple dents in my fender

Got a couple rips in my jeans

Try to fit the pieces together

But perfection is my enemy

On my own I'm so clumsy

But on Your shoulders I can see

I'm free to be me

Sometimes I believe that I can do anything

Yet other times I think I've got nothing good to bring

But You look at my heart and You tell me That I've got all You seek And it’s easy to believe...