A few clips for Daddy...
Derek the Destructor
Dancing Queen
Motor Boat
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
I got my hairs cut.
Here is the fresh-from-the-salon, never-to-be-replicated head of hair.
EXTREME CLOSE UP
My plan is to never wash it and sleep sitting up to retain the salon-effect.
EXTREME CLOSE UP
My plan is to never wash it and sleep sitting up to retain the salon-effect.
The Big Top
An old-time one ring circus came to town and since not very many things actually come to this town we thought we'd check it out. It was interesting in a very mediocre kind of way.
Here is a picture of what the circus tent looked like. I think it had seen better days.
Simone was not only the trapeze artist, but also announced for other acts, rode a unicycle, and I think even hawked snow cones for awhile.
I was actually impressed with this act. Along with her husband, they also did a juggling bit.
We thought she looked familiar and the realized that she was the one running the bouncy house before the show started. Her juggling husband took our tickets at the door. Are you sensing a theme here? I must say these are probably the hardest-working circus performers I've ever seen.
Here is another picture of Simone on the unicycle...on a side note I do believe that the top the man is wearing was meant for someone with a little more ummm, brawn. (To get the full effect, you should click on the picture to see it bigger.)
This is us while we were still having fun. Then the 95 degree weather combined with a tired baby and cranky toddler became too much and we exited as the world's oldest elephants walked in circles.
We'll chalk it up to a life experience. I must say that the circus poster claimed that the show was "Internationally Renowned." They must have been a big hit in Rwanda or Myanmar.
Here is a picture of what the circus tent looked like. I think it had seen better days.
Simone was not only the trapeze artist, but also announced for other acts, rode a unicycle, and I think even hawked snow cones for awhile.
I was actually impressed with this act. Along with her husband, they also did a juggling bit.We thought she looked familiar and the realized that she was the one running the bouncy house before the show started. Her juggling husband took our tickets at the door. Are you sensing a theme here? I must say these are probably the hardest-working circus performers I've ever seen.
Here is another picture of Simone on the unicycle...on a side note I do believe that the top the man is wearing was meant for someone with a little more ummm, brawn. (To get the full effect, you should click on the picture to see it bigger.)
This is us while we were still having fun. Then the 95 degree weather combined with a tired baby and cranky toddler became too much and we exited as the world's oldest elephants walked in circles.
We'll chalk it up to a life experience. I must say that the circus poster claimed that the show was "Internationally Renowned." They must have been a big hit in Rwanda or Myanmar.
Friday, July 18, 2008
I have two nemeses:
Potty Training and Weed Eating.
Thankfully one has been conquered, but the weeds still grow.
Let me tell you with all seriousness that my daughter literally took a YEAR to potty train. And YEARS off my life. Finally, finally we are at a point where she can actually do the unthinkable--stop what she's doing and say "I have to go potty." Then she will go into the bathroom, do her business, wash her hands and come back out. Without me! It's a miracle :)
There have been many days/weeks this past year when I thought we had it down...I'm ashamed to say that I even dared to offer advice to other mommies training their kids! (head hung in shame) Sorry! Apparently when I dismissed all the writings that say "Don't potty train during times of transition" I was making a mistake. A BIG mistake. My advice to other moms now is 1) don't ask me for advice unless you want to train your kid for a year and 2) if you aren't going to listen to #1, then whatever you do, don't train your kid while living in temporary lodging, about to move into a new house, moving them to a toddler bed, and 2 weeks later pushing out a sibling. Things may start off well, but they go downhill quickly!
Whew, rant over. Really, I'm just happy that it's in the past.
Now on to nemesis number 2: The weed-whacker, now known as That Thing.
Josh, I think I needed a more in-depth tutorial on this before you left. Now in my dear husband's defense, I must let my blog reader(s?) know that Josh has told me time and again that I can just hire someone to do our lawn. But for some reason I'm resistant to this (read: cheap). So a few days ago instead of just mowing I decided to pull out all the stops and put That Thing to work. Well, it didn't. I pulled the string out too far and then couldn't get it back in. So I'm leaning way over in an effort to whack the weeds and not me. I'm mostly just tearing up the grass and whacking the concrete at first. Then I apparently got too close and That Thing attacked my ankle! This hurt. Badly. Then it started smoking and smelling badly. That's when I quit and decided that I hate weed eating and don't care if the weeds grow all summer long.
And if you made it all the way through my complaining post, I will reward you with these pictures of my super-cute kiddos.
I was just telling them about the painful, scary, smoking monster known as That Thing. I think their faces say it all.
Thankfully one has been conquered, but the weeds still grow.
Let me tell you with all seriousness that my daughter literally took a YEAR to potty train. And YEARS off my life. Finally, finally we are at a point where she can actually do the unthinkable--stop what she's doing and say "I have to go potty." Then she will go into the bathroom, do her business, wash her hands and come back out. Without me! It's a miracle :)
There have been many days/weeks this past year when I thought we had it down...I'm ashamed to say that I even dared to offer advice to other mommies training their kids! (head hung in shame) Sorry! Apparently when I dismissed all the writings that say "Don't potty train during times of transition" I was making a mistake. A BIG mistake. My advice to other moms now is 1) don't ask me for advice unless you want to train your kid for a year and 2) if you aren't going to listen to #1, then whatever you do, don't train your kid while living in temporary lodging, about to move into a new house, moving them to a toddler bed, and 2 weeks later pushing out a sibling. Things may start off well, but they go downhill quickly!
Whew, rant over. Really, I'm just happy that it's in the past.
Now on to nemesis number 2: The weed-whacker, now known as That Thing.
Josh, I think I needed a more in-depth tutorial on this before you left. Now in my dear husband's defense, I must let my blog reader(s?) know that Josh has told me time and again that I can just hire someone to do our lawn. But for some reason I'm resistant to this (read: cheap). So a few days ago instead of just mowing I decided to pull out all the stops and put That Thing to work. Well, it didn't. I pulled the string out too far and then couldn't get it back in. So I'm leaning way over in an effort to whack the weeds and not me. I'm mostly just tearing up the grass and whacking the concrete at first. Then I apparently got too close and That Thing attacked my ankle! This hurt. Badly. Then it started smoking and smelling badly. That's when I quit and decided that I hate weed eating and don't care if the weeds grow all summer long.
And if you made it all the way through my complaining post, I will reward you with these pictures of my super-cute kiddos.
I was just telling them about the painful, scary, smoking monster known as That Thing. I think their faces say it all.
Monday, July 14, 2008
My kids are weird.
Some examples:
1) My daughter likes to make requests by contorting her body into images of what she wants. "I want cheese. Tiny cheese that looks like this." Then she lays down on the ground with her arms at her sides in what I can only assume is what she feels "tiny cheese" would look like if it were a 3-year-old girl who rarely wears pants. Or, "I want something white and long like this." At this point she wraps her arms around herself giving the opposite of the long look she mentioned. In this case, I know that she is asking for dental floss. Which brings me to point 2)...is it normal for kids to want dental floss? She asks daily and then proceeds to lick the string for the mint flavor.
(By the way, tiny cheese refers to shredded cheese and she actually could just ask me for the dental floss instead of impersonating it but chooses not to.) Let me not forget to mention that Alex has 3) an Irrational Fear of Men. This is another post in and of itself.
So as not to pick only on Alex, let's talk about the little man. Derek will not eat any food with any texture other than puree. What the heck is this kid going to have on his birthday in a month? I see visions of a candle standing in a Gerber jar of Mango dessert. No soft chunk of banana, pear, avocado, ANYTHING has passed willingly through his lips. But of course he is willing to choke down on Spiney Fish's fin and suck any piece of paper until it dissolves in his mouth.
1) My daughter likes to make requests by contorting her body into images of what she wants. "I want cheese. Tiny cheese that looks like this." Then she lays down on the ground with her arms at her sides in what I can only assume is what she feels "tiny cheese" would look like if it were a 3-year-old girl who rarely wears pants. Or, "I want something white and long like this." At this point she wraps her arms around herself giving the opposite of the long look she mentioned. In this case, I know that she is asking for dental floss. Which brings me to point 2)...is it normal for kids to want dental floss? She asks daily and then proceeds to lick the string for the mint flavor.
(By the way, tiny cheese refers to shredded cheese and she actually could just ask me for the dental floss instead of impersonating it but chooses not to.) Let me not forget to mention that Alex has 3) an Irrational Fear of Men. This is another post in and of itself.
So as not to pick only on Alex, let's talk about the little man. Derek will not eat any food with any texture other than puree. What the heck is this kid going to have on his birthday in a month? I see visions of a candle standing in a Gerber jar of Mango dessert. No soft chunk of banana, pear, avocado, ANYTHING has passed willingly through his lips. But of course he is willing to choke down on Spiney Fish's fin and suck any piece of paper until it dissolves in his mouth.
My kids are weird.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Deployment Days
So Josh has been gone for 43 days now, which puts us at about 1/3 of the way through the deployment. Boo. It feels like forever already; thank goodness for a full calendar of visitors and trips for the next month or so. I certainly didn't think it would be easy, but the monotony of daily life without him here is draining. Thankfully we get to talk to Josh on the webcam most days, which is a blessing. He's been able to see Derek crawl, check out his new teeth, and keep up with Alex's latest shenanigans (and of course, tell me that I'm beautiful despite not having showered and wearing snot on my shoulder courtesy of D-- I think God approves of some lying for the sake of marital harmony.) Thank goodness for technology! (which is the opposite of what I say when I can't get the DVR to tape my show, the computer breaks, etc. But I reserve the right to be fickle.)
Trying to get Alex to talk to the camera and actually say something that makes sense is like working with a monkey. Sorry Josh, I know you wanted to see some clips but this is all I could get out of her today...
Here are his long locks blowing in the wind :)
Missing you Daddy! Here's hoping that the next 80 or so days go by quickly!
Trying to get Alex to talk to the camera and actually say something that makes sense is like working with a monkey. Sorry Josh, I know you wanted to see some clips but this is all I could get out of her today...
(My friend Nicole sent Alex that outfit when she was a new baby...I can't believe she's old enough to wear it now!)
Proof! Josh contends that Derek is still bald because his hair is so light that on the webcam you can't see it. So I got a shot with it wet to prove that he does indeed have some hair.
Here are his long locks blowing in the wind :)
Missing you Daddy! Here's hoping that the next 80 or so days go by quickly!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Home Again
Good news! After 5 nights in the hospital Kennedy is back home! :) Other than 10 more days of oral antibiotics the doctors don't anticipate her needing any more treatment or further surgery. Thanks to all of you who said a prayer for her!!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Bloggy Face-lift
I updated my blog page...like it? We all need a new look once in a while. Speaking of which, I have an appointment for a haircut next week. I was just talking with my friend Heather and we were each lamenting that despite our attempts at different cuts, our hair always ends up looking the same. It's an odd phenomenon to be sure. Anyway, my appointment is with a much-coveted hair stylist in town and I have high hopes. She recently gave my friend Ashley a really nice cut and I'm hoping to go in and say "Give me the Ashley," who incidentally went in and said "Give me the Jennifer Anniston/Reese Witherspoon." She went prepared with pictures and everything! I'll let you know how it turns out.
Moving on, let me introduce you to Spiney Fish. Daddy brought this sqeaky toy back from Florida when he was TDY a while back & Derek loves to chew on him. If you look carefully, on the left side of the picture there is a fin on Spiney's side that is missing from the other side.
Moving on, let me introduce you to Spiney Fish. Daddy brought this sqeaky toy back from Florida when he was TDY a while back & Derek loves to chew on him. If you look carefully, on the left side of the picture there is a fin on Spiney's side that is missing from the other side.
Can you guess where I found the other fin?
Yup, in the middle of some pooh. You may wonder what I was doing checking out the middle of Derek's turd, but sadly old habits die hard and I still occasionally check for blood. No blood, just fin. These are the things that you don't read in "What to Expect When You're Expecting."
And I'll leave off with this clip of Alex "helping" her brother. All I can say is poor Derek these days! I have to watch her carefully, she is getting so rough with him. Today I actually had to stop her from trying to "ride Derry." She was seriously trying to climb on the poor baby's back!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Visitors!
Pepaw and Cindy came out for a visit last week. We really appreciate having visitors come since life at home without Daddy gets a bit lonely at times. We had a lot of fun while they were here--
We hung out at the river one day... This picture doesn't really show how pretty it is there, I'll try to find another to show you. The road to get there includes 10 miles on a scenic, but very curvy dirt road where you have to be careful not to hit the cows that are all around.
This is us at the park on base. After we left the park, we went to Make Your Own Pizza night at the club. They had a bounce house set up inside for the kids so Alex jumped while we ate. I was able to pile on so many toppings that I barely noticed the lack of cheese. (Oh Derek, PLEASE have outgrown this allergy thing when we check in August!)
I couldn't resist adding this picture in...this is Derek peeking out of the little tent we have while we were at the river. We put him in here to protect him from the sun and to get him to stop eating the rocks.
Pepaw and Cindy came bearing camouflage gifts :) My dad is a hunter and so apparently are his grandkids. I know this because I've seen Alex hunt for many a booger, and she doesn't give up until she has a prize to show! Alex is actually wearing a camouflage dress...who knew they made such things??
Another update on Kennedy-- She had a very bad night; we think a reaction to the anesthesia. The only sleep she got was 4 hours, and for that she had to be sedated. She has been crying non-stop, has been very combative, and not at all herself. The last I spoke with my sister, they were planning on giving her another sedative so she can rest. The good news is that they were able to remove the drain from her wound already so hopefully if they can get her to calm down and stay that way she may be able to get home sooner. I pray that's the case!
We hung out at the river one day... This picture doesn't really show how pretty it is there, I'll try to find another to show you. The road to get there includes 10 miles on a scenic, but very curvy dirt road where you have to be careful not to hit the cows that are all around.
This is us at the park on base. After we left the park, we went to Make Your Own Pizza night at the club. They had a bounce house set up inside for the kids so Alex jumped while we ate. I was able to pile on so many toppings that I barely noticed the lack of cheese. (Oh Derek, PLEASE have outgrown this allergy thing when we check in August!)
I couldn't resist adding this picture in...this is Derek peeking out of the little tent we have while we were at the river. We put him in here to protect him from the sun and to get him to stop eating the rocks.
Pepaw and Cindy came bearing camouflage gifts :) My dad is a hunter and so apparently are his grandkids. I know this because I've seen Alex hunt for many a booger, and she doesn't give up until she has a prize to show! Alex is actually wearing a camouflage dress...who knew they made such things??
Another update on Kennedy-- She had a very bad night; we think a reaction to the anesthesia. The only sleep she got was 4 hours, and for that she had to be sedated. She has been crying non-stop, has been very combative, and not at all herself. The last I spoke with my sister, they were planning on giving her another sedative so she can rest. The good news is that they were able to remove the drain from her wound already so hopefully if they can get her to calm down and stay that way she may be able to get home sooner. I pray that's the case!
Monday, July 7, 2008
More News
Thanks to those of you who are following along and praying for my niece. She just got out of surgery to drain an abcess from her neck. We still don't know if there is a cyst there that started all of this, but if so it may have to be removed later. Right now the doctors are working on getting the infection under control. Kennedy is still in recovery now and has a drain in place that will have to stay in until Wednesday.
I'm so thankful that it doesn't seem to be anything too serious. I can't imagine what parents go through when their child is chronically ill-- hospital stays are so terrible.
Here is another picture of Kennedy
Update
I just spoke with my mom this morning, and they are in the process of moving Kennedy by ambulance to a children's hospital. Her doctor yesterday did not think it was mumps, and they did a CT scan on her swollen gland. I never heard about the results, but my mom said today that it looks like she has a large cyst. I don't know what the plan is-- surgery?
Please pray for the Shea family-- My sister Corie, her husband Kent, Connor, and especially for little Kennedy.
Thank you.
Please pray for the Shea family-- My sister Corie, her husband Kent, Connor, and especially for little Kennedy.
Thank you.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Kennedy
Hi Friends,
I'm posting to ask for your prayers for my sweet niece, Kennedy. She is sick and was admitted to the hospital last night. She's had high fevers, been super sleepy, and then developed a hugely swollen gland in her neck. The doctors haven't been able to come up with a diagnosis yet (they think maybe mumps?? Yes, she's been immunized). But after a miserable night in the hospital, my sister is ready to get this figured out and get home for some rest. So if you think of it, please just say a prayer that the doctors will work this out quickly and they can get home soon!
Thanks :)
Here is picture of Kennedy (2 years old) with her big brother Connor (who will turn 7 tomorrow!)
I'm posting to ask for your prayers for my sweet niece, Kennedy. She is sick and was admitted to the hospital last night. She's had high fevers, been super sleepy, and then developed a hugely swollen gland in her neck. The doctors haven't been able to come up with a diagnosis yet (they think maybe mumps?? Yes, she's been immunized). But after a miserable night in the hospital, my sister is ready to get this figured out and get home for some rest. So if you think of it, please just say a prayer that the doctors will work this out quickly and they can get home soon!
Thanks :)
Here is picture of Kennedy (2 years old) with her big brother Connor (who will turn 7 tomorrow!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
