The Professional Mother

Monday Blues

2012-01-23T13:12:00.002-06:00

Realized half way to work, as I was feeling good about being so early, that George was still sitting in the back seat. Shit!

On another note, I got back to working out today. Just 2 miles to ease my way back into the swing of things. Happy Monday, everyone!

She said it; I thought it.

2012-01-20T13:05:00.003-06:00

This is a perfect article for Mommies to read and for my husband to read so he can understand the crazy internal war going on inside my head.

Friendly Fire

Feel Better Soon!

2012-01-20T11:37:00.002-06:00

Thinking of my sister Joan today and hoping that she's feeling better and able to go home from the hospital!

Love you Joanie!

Movie Quote 90

2012-01-20T09:02:00.003-06:00

Whoa, right? That's a lot of movie quotes. We watched this movie a couple of days ago and had forgotten how funny it is. Good luck. Here it is:

Looks like Chuck's takin' ol' one eye to the optometrist.

Hair

2012-01-19T15:39:00.001-06:00

I know it is time to get my hair done when ChuckyLuv mentions it to me. Getting the deed done today.

Who's that? Oh, it's me!

2012-01-18T12:37:00.003-06:00

And I'm back!

Missed me, didn't ya'? Well, dry your tears, I have returned from the court house defeated. What can I say? You win some, you lose some. Good thing I'm not a sore loser.

Unfortunately, I've been sick since last Thursday, which put me even further behind with my entire life . . . including, sadly, my running. I let it slip. My last run was six miles on the Saturday before trial. It's been over a week. I suck. I hope to get back in the swing of things, but I'm sad that I let it all slip so far. And that's all the pity I will allow myself. I'll have to get back to it asap.

Other than the trial, I haven't done much. Poor Chuck and the kids really missed me (or at least I try to convince myself that they did). I had the distinct pleasure of getting to be the official photographer of Luke's pinewood derby. I was volunteered by someone tall, smart, and funny. Any guesses? Yeah, I wasn't too happy, but I got a new camera out of the deal so I guess it's a wash. Nonetheless, I spent all day Saturday watching little boys and their dads race their wooden race cars with Cub Scouts. If you haven't heard of the Pinewood Derby, then just thank your lucky stars, glance at these pictures, and move on to the next topic in this blog post.

Luke won third place in his Den (yet, another Boy Scout term that I was unfamiliar with before Luke joined the scouts). We're proud of him and I think he had a good time. It was a very long day for the rest of us though. I'll grudgingly admit that it is interesting for a while, but severe boredom had set in by 3:00 p.m.

After being immersed in testosterone for a full day, Evie and I had a "Girlish Day" (her term, not mine) the next day. I was pretty sick still, but I dragged my happy ass out of bed, took a shower, got dressed, and went to see Beauty and the Beast with Evie at the movie theater. We also put make up on each other, painted each others nails, and watched princess movies at home to round out our Girlish Day. It was lots of fun, all at Evie's dictation. She's pretty cool, and she definitely looks older with makeup on her beautiful face.

I was fully recovered by Monday, but still taking it easy. It was tough though, because I watched the kids all day since it was a holiday. We ventured out to the movie theater to watch the latest Chipmunks movie, then took a ride on the train, and headed home for lunch and more movies. We are rather boring I guess, but these faces make me smile.

In Trial

2012-01-10T08:44:00.000-06:00

Stay tuned . . .

He's happy naked.

2012-01-06T13:48:00.006-06:00

I won't be overly surprised when he poses for Playgirl.

He refused to put his clothes on last night.

CENSORED FOR CONTENT
[pursuant to Chuck's request,
I have removed
these photos for
George's protection.]

We insisted on putting a diaper on him, but when we checked on him before we went to bed he was buck naked. We put on another diaper, but this morning he was naked again! Sheesh!

Sweet Sixteen

2012-01-05T09:55:00.003-06:00

Check out this Sweet Sixteen birthday present: CLICK HERE.

I was thrilled to get sixteen red roses from my mom. (She's kinda awesome that way.) Now I'm thinking I should have asked for a mansion . . .

Chuck better start saving his money now so he can get Evie something wonderful.

Evie-ism

2012-01-04T10:23:00.003-06:00

Evie: My eyes sweat when I yawn.

Me: *giggle-like-a-six-year-old-girl* When that happens we say your eyes are "watering" not "sweating."

God, she is absolutely adorable and precious and such a snuggle-bug!

I love this picture of her with her friend from school. They posed perfectly!

Resolutions

2012-01-03T13:45:00.002-06:00

So, the holidays came and went.

Did you survive?

I did.

I even survived an entire day at home with my children by myself.

Amazing, right?!

The family has a New Year's Resolution: To stop eating boogers.

I'm not kidding about this. It's disgusting and rampant at my house but really the boys are the only ones that eat their boogers. I can't believe Luke hasn't been bullied out of this by now.

Any good resolutions out there?

Christmas happened.

2011-12-30T08:58:00.008-06:00

Here are my babies at Christmas. I seriously need to get off my dead-ass and get out my good camera. It's just so easy to grab the iPhone since it is permanently attached to my hand.

The big gifts from Santa included a vanity with makeup for Evie, a remote control helicopter that takes pictures and video for Luke (along with some night-vision goggles), and a bike for George. I can unequivocally state that the bike has been the biggest winner of all the presents and all the kids are riding it around the house at ever chance they get.

Chuck also got Luke a tool set, which was quite handy during Christmas for putting together toys and installing batteries in all the toys.

I think there was some initial joy, as you see above, but then there were also plenty of looks of confusion. I'm not sure why.

In fact, I'm not sure Luke was ever very overly joyed.

Chuck sat there and accepted all the random gifts I scrounged up for him. I swear, I am the world's worst gift-giver. He's come to accept his fate.

And Grandma enjoyed all her time watching the kids open their presents and express their excitement. There has been a lot of Grandma Love at the house these past two weeks. How blessed we are to have such a wonderful Grandma!

And then we plummeted into illness the day after Christmas. Evie had a sore throat, stuffed up nose, and a tummy ache. I took her to the doctor, convinced that she probably had strep throat. After seeing the doctor, getting a throat culture, and throwing up three times at the doctor's office, we were told that she did not have strep and we should go home and take it easy.

Two hours at the doctor's office did not put either of us in a good mood, and so I spent the rest of the day on the couch with sweet Evie.

She is fully recovered now. Yay for us.

Now we are gearing up for the New Year!
Bring on 2012!!!

I believe.

2011-12-29T16:04:00.004-06:00

I believe.

Do you?

I hope to meet Ben someday.

He seems pretty amazing. I hope he inspired you too.

I suck.

2011-12-29T16:04:00.002-06:00

Forgive me for being a total loser these days. I really need to get back to the grindstone!

Still Celebrating!

2011-12-27T11:41:00.003-06:00

So, I'm back at work after a flurry of holiday activities. You know I love it, but I suffer from post-holiday blues now. I don't want to be here. I want to be at home with the kids. I want to be cleaning out closets and making dinner. I really do like my job, but it gets pretty slow during the holidays so I'm bored and it makes the day drag on.

On a bright note, I have kept up my running for three weeks and I'm starting my fourth week of running today. I ran five miles on Christmas Eve and then worked my tail off getting Christmas dinner cooked and tending to the children while Chuck sat on the couch because he pulled a muscle in his back. It was not ideal for either of us, but the holidays went on nonetheless.

The kids were thrilled with their presents from Santa. Luke got a helicopter that flies and takes pictures and video. He broke it within a matter of hours. Luke also got some night-vision goggles which are super cool. Evie was gifted with a beautiful dressing table stocked with lip-gloss, lotion, and perfume. She was content. And George received a red bike for Christmas. He was beyond overjoyed! He loves it. Chuck's mom taught him to ride his bike around the house so he makes circle after circle around our house (on the inside). He's already a pro!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I'm still celebrating on the inside!

Kurzy Christmas

2011-12-22T13:42:00.009-06:00

I seriously love the holidays. LOVE! Anyway, we were lucky to celebrate Christmas with my family last weekend and I managed to get some pictures to memorialize the event. All six siblings together always makes for a fun day - especially when everyone isn't rushing off right away. And so, here is our photographic journey through a Kurzy Christmas (eliminating the wine and food consumed).

My mom and my sister Joan

My sister Mary and my sister Joan

My sister Cathy, my mom, and my sister Joan
(Joan was feeling photogenic that day)

The whole family.
Mary, Mom, Thomas, Joan (back row);
Cathy, Mike, Theresa (front row).

Notice how we basically look like clones.
A little creepy, I'll admit it.

My dad who passed away 21 years ago is also in this
picture -- he's in the picture on the wall behind us.

My nephew Colt and niece Amy.

Controlled chaos -- or maybe not really that controlled.

It's a beautiful Christmas for me. Everyone together, kids having a blast, and plenty of fun for the adults also. Blessed beyond measure.

Mary, my pseudo twin.

2011-12-20T13:22:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday to my sister Mary!

Friday.

2011-12-16T10:05:00.000-06:00

It's FRIDAY! Whoo hoo!

Y'all have a great weekend!

Not just your ordinary Tuesday.

2011-12-15T13:12:00.007-06:00

So Tuesday was a big day for the children at my house. We knew it was going to be big because it was (1) George's third birthday, and (2) the day of Luke's holiday presentation at school -- which couldn't come soon enough because he's been singing Oh Hannukah (in Yiddish) repeatedly for weeks! It wouldn't be so bad, but he was singing it in Yiddish most of the time, and the only other song in his repetiore is some spanish song about a bird in an apple tree singing "Chita-litta-lee" over and over again. It's been constant, and a huge surprise to his Sunday School teachers when he busted out the Yiddish song and bragged that he can sing in three languages: "English, Spanish, and Yiddish". Yeah, that's my kid. I digress.

The point is that we had a wonderful time celebrating both wonderful events.

We even started our morning out at Starbucks with a delicious chocolate doughnut, compliments of the Starbucks staff. Best. Starbucks. Ever!

Unfortunately, I got crappy pictures at Luke's event because I only had my iPhone. Oh well. The sweetest part was hearing the precious little voices singing Silent Night. It was one of those moments I'll always remember.

Afterward, we went to have pizza (George's choice) for dinner. Perrotti's is our family's personal favorite, so we went there. George consumed three regular-size pieces of pizza. No lie.

Obviously, he was not hungry for his birthday cake, but he did enjoy blowing out the candles.

(Again, remember this is all on my iPhone)

Then he tore into his presents, discovering a Mickey Mouse DVD, a paint with water book, a Thomas the Tank Engine Pillow, a Thomas the Tank Engine fuzzy blanket, and finally . . . George's favorite . . . a train.

We had to pry the train out of his hands to get him to go to bed. Luckily, he had his pillow and blanket to ease his separation anxiety.

Although George and Luke were the center of attention most of the day, Evie pulled out a spotlight moment at the end of the evening when her tooth fell out. Yes. Another freakin' tooth. The tooth fairy is losing money.

I insisted on taking a picture. It's a bottom tooth on the right side of the picture. On a related note, I really don't know how to stop these crazy eyes that she gets when she smiles. Seriously, I told her I had to take the picture again and that she needed to smile but not open her eyes so wide. The result is a picture that looks like my child just lost her tooth while she was toking up.

Suggestions on curing this problem are welcome.

Social Networking

2011-12-14T13:22:00.002-06:00

Call me a dork if you want, but this made me cry. . .
in a good way!

Happy Third Birthday, George!

2011-12-13T13:32:00.006-06:00

Three years ago today I was holding a newborn baby boy in my arms.

We named him George.

He has stolen the hearts of everyone he meets.

Happy birthday, George!

Maroon & White Ridiculousness

2011-12-12T14:17:00.005-06:00

So Chuck got a new car over the weekend. It is a white Suburban.

A few weeks ago, Chuck's best friend, Tim, got a new maroon Suburban.

They now have a complementary pair of Maroon and White Suburbans.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum ride again.

Or as I like to call them, J.R. Ewing and Boss Hogg.

Birthday Baby

2011-12-09T12:46:00.002-06:00

George's birthday is next week. He'll be the ripe old age of THREE! Holy crap, right? I asked him yesterday, "Whose birthday is coming up????" He answered, "Baby Jesus' birthday."

Precious little thing.

Dreams of the Pregnant Sort

2011-12-09T09:07:00.003-06:00

I have a recurring dream very regularly that I feel compelled to share with you. I have this so often and I have no idea why. In fact, I dreamed it again last night. In the dream, I am typically at a party. I've had several glasses of wine and then I realize that I have forgotten that I am pregnant - like 3 or 4 months pregnant - and I look at everyone in horror when I remember that I'm pregnant and say (and each time this is the same), "Oh my God! Why didn't somebody say something?!"

To set the record straight, I am not pregnant, and I do not foresee becoming pregnant, although the chance is always there. So, somebody, freakin explain this to me because I'm not sure my blood pressure can handle the panic that ensues in each dream when I realize that I've boozed it up while I'm pregnant.

It's On!

2011-12-08T13:21:00.003-06:00

I started training for a half marathon which I plan to run at the end of February. I ran 3 miles Tuesday, 2 miles Wednesday, and 3 miles today (Thursday). That's only 8 miles so far spread out over three days. FYI, a half marathon is 13.1 miles. I think I might be screwed. I've got a rest day tomorrow, but Saturday and Sunday are going to rock my world, and not in a good way. I have to run 4 miles on Sunday. That will be a personal record, as will anything over 3 miles. Yes, I'm a big fat wussie. I'll keep you posted.

Mother and Son

2011-12-07T08:56:00.007-06:00

Luke and I are more similar that you might think.

When I was in third grade, I brought home my first report card and it reflected a very bad report in one aspect of my education --- handwriting. I had received a 'P' in handwriting. 'P' stands for "poor." There is only one step below a 'P' and that was a 'U' for "unacceptable." I have to admit that receiving a 'P' was devastating. I was crushed, embarrassed, and effectively belittled. It was not a surprise that my mom also found this report card unacceptable and my punishment was that I had to copy out of the bible until my handwriting improved. That's right, folks -- out of the Bible -- the very big, very intimidating Bible. I remember dejectedly sitting down at our formal dining room table and begrudgingly copying from the Book of Genesis. Let me assure you that my family, while churchgoers, did not study the bible. I don't think I knew we even had a copy. While I resentfully complained about my punishment, I remember my mom telling me to cheer up. She said, "Just think, when you're done with this you'll have your very own copy of the bible!" I perked up a bit thinking that I would be rewarded with a brand new bible if my handwriting improved. I said, "Really?!" She chucked and said, "Yes, you'll have written your own copy!" My heart fell along with my fleetingly good attitude, and I settled into copying the bible. In spite of my very bad mood, it worked. And thanks to my Mom's creative punishment, I continue to receive compliments about my handwriting to this day.

Well friends, history repeats itself. Luke received an 'N' in handwriting this last six weeks. 'N' stands for "Needs Improvement." There is only one classification below an 'N' and I think that is a 'U' for "Unacceptable" - just like my school days. So, effectively, Luke has earned his very own 'P' in handwriting, just like his mother. I told him this story and then went on to explain that his punishment would be the same as my own. His response to the fact that he would have to copy out of the bible was confusion as he asked incredulously, "We have a bible?!" I rolled my eyes, and wryly responded, "Of course we have a bible." I looked at him in exasperation. I'm not saying we study the bible like some families, but we talk about it, go to church, and say our prayers every evening. It's not like we're complete heathens. Geez. Anyway, he responded in awe and asked, "Mom? I didn't know you were a priest!" I rolled my eyes even more this time. Good heavens, his view on religion is massively skewed. I went on to explain that lots of people have bibles and anyone that wants one can have one. I went on to say that you don't have to be a priest to have a bible. (By the way, they have multiple copies of various children's bibles, so I'm not sure where this confusion arises. Plus, the first thing the kids do at a hotel is pull out the Gideon bible in the bedside table and look at it in awe.)

So, I pulled our bible off the shelf, dusted it off just a little, and sat Luke down at the dining room table to begin copying from Genesis. I mean, it makes sense to start at the beginning, right? I indicated that he would have to copy three paragraphs in his best handwriting. I instructed him that he only had to copy from the Bible like this every night until his handwriting improved. He huffed, he puffed, he groaned, he whimpered, he sighed, he stalled, he hated, he grumbled, and he cried (just a little) for the next thirty minutes as he worked at copying just the first paragraph of the bible. One paragraph. That's it, folks. One, darn, blessed, paragraph of the bible. For Pete's sake! I sat next to him through the entire episode. I encouraged, threatened, domineered, complimented, sighed, growled, corrected, and almost cried in frustration as Luke proceeded to copy only one paragraph of the bible in the slowest possible manner and with very poor handwriting. And so we will continue . . . every night . . . until his handwriting improves.

Oh, this wonderful, frustrating child! It sure is a good thing I love him so much!

It's a morning thing.

2011-12-05T17:00:00.003-06:00

Slow on the draw this Monday. I really thought it was Saturday this morning so I snuggled in deep and listened to the cold rain hit the window. Then a deep, unforgiving voice reminded me that it was really Monday morning. It was rather depressing. On a brighter note, I'm thankful that I'm going home soon. Hope you all enjoyed your December Monday morning.

Christmas Lights

2011-12-02T11:56:00.004-06:00

Chuck drags his feet every year when it comes to putting up Christmas lights. And even after he gets to it, he's still not very Clark W. Griswold, as you may recall from this post. However, I wonder if this might inspire him to to decorate for little baby Jesus' birthday.

(You'll need to make if full-screen to see the whole thing)

Unfortunately, I have concerns that a display like this might induce seizures with all the blinking lights.

TCU Santa Time

2011-12-01T10:28:00.005-06:00

Our sweet nannies, Sarah and Meridith, asked to take the kids to the Christmas Tree lighting at TCU last night. I was more than willing to spend an evening with my sweet hubby, and I knew the kids would love it. I, however, did not realize how awesome it would be for them.

They had a great time! First, the girls took the kids to dinner. Then, they went to the event where they had hot chocolate, saw pretty Christmas lights, hugged on their very pretty nannies, saw Vixen, and got to talk to Santa. Lucky kids!

Doesn't Luke look naughty?!

We are so blessed to have Sarah and Meridith in our lives!
How cute are they?!

2011-11-30T12:54:00.002-06:00

Um . . . hello? Did anyone notice that tomorrow is December? The last month in 2011?! When did that happen?

Tooth Fairy Is Losing Money!

2011-11-30T09:29:00.005-06:00

I know I'm behind. Please forgive me. I ended up having to stay at home with the kids during Thanksgiving break, and I swear, I have no idea how stay at home moms ever get anything done!

Anyway, the big event of the week is that Evie lost two teeth in a matter of days! Chuck tried to pull the tooth earlier in the week, but it didn't move and only pissed off Evie. We felt pretty bad, because we were sure that it would just pop right out.

We were wrong.

Finally, on the day after Thanksgiving, Evie's godmother pulled one of her top teeth out because, I swear, it was hanging there just waiting to come out. Evie was thrilled after the event took place, and was even more thrilled when she found out that there is a little-known tooth fairy rule that the price of your tooth increases when it is pulled by your Godmother. So . . . Evie ended up with $5 under her pillow that night! What a lucky lady.

The next day, her other top front tooth was so loose, I was certain she was going to lose it while eating. But, she didn't. Chuck tried to pull it, but it wouldn't budge. Then, last night, Evie showed me how the tooth was hanging precariously at a very odd angle in her mouth. I insisted on pulling it and, for once, she was totally fine with it. So, I am proud to say that I successfully pulled my first tooth. I really have the heebie-jeebies about these things. I did not inherit my mother's unexplainable fetish for pulling teeth. I personally think it is rather disgusting.

So, now my dearest Evie has been singing "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" as you can see here.

I wouldn't call it a stellar performance, but it is certainly better than George's performance which he insisted I had to record.

Yeah, I really have no idea what that was, but we are definitely wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Food, Food, Food!

2011-11-28T11:51:00.003-06:00

I feel like bragging. Which means I feel like being praised. Please feel free to leave a comment about the following accomplishments --

Over the holiday weekend, I cooked (from scratch) the following dishes:

Pasta Salad
Chicken and Dumplings
Pasta Turitziani
Chili and cornbread

It may not seem like much, but we didn't have any turkey leftovers at our house, so I had to actually prepare food all weekend. It was delicious! I'm eating some of the Chicken and Dumplings right now. Yum!

Evie is a Daisy . . .

2011-11-21T13:15:00.005-06:00

. . . have I mentioned that? She's adorable in her cute smock! Here are some pictures of her doing crafts.

I hate that she constantly looks like a ragamuffin, but I'm starting to accept our fate. Last week they had a visit from the local firemen. I wish I could have been there. I definitely admire those men! Evie, on the other hand, looked less than thrilled.

Although this picture looks like a ton of fun.

I thought one of the interesting questions was what they like for breakfast. Apparently, the firemen and this Daisy Troop share a common love for bacon. How funny is that?

Also, let me announce that in order to get her smock fully prepared for her Daisy meetings, I had to use the ironing board and the iron. As you know from this post and this post, it was quite a shock to the entire family. But, in my mind, if I have to use the iron, I'm going to have a glass of wine handy to keep me sane and patient.

SUCCESS!

No burn marks, and the patches haven't fallen off yet!

Because sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words . . .

2011-11-18T13:36:00.003-06:00

Lawyering

2011-11-17T10:19:00.002-06:00

It is discouraging to read repeatedly articles like this one:

. . . it's no surprise that lawyers have one of the highest rates of suicide, many of us would choose another profession if we could, and some of us are headed for substance abuse and depression.

(an excerpt from It's Never Too Late: Finding Happiness In Your Legal Career by Kristin Scheel, published in The November 2011 Texas Bar Journal).

I urge everyone who contemplates becoming an attorney to really do your research. Divorce is also quite common among attorneys. It is hardly an easy profession and sometimes it doesn't even pay all that well.

For your Thanksgiving Pleasure

2011-11-17T10:04:00.003-06:00

She asked me and asked me if I was ready to see a show that she was going to give. The boys were at scouts and I was trying to do the dishes, finish the lunches for the next day, and finally, pour myself a glass of wine. I eventually made it out to the living room where I was tickled pink to hear this:

And then, I made her do it probably six more times because it made me smile so much. She is amazingly perfect in so many ways.

A new one.

2011-11-16T09:41:00.000-06:00

There's a new Marcel the Shell. I love it!

Candy

2011-11-15T12:56:00.002-06:00

So the other day, in the middle of the day, I noticed George was eating something. We hadn't had anything to eat recently and we were out in the car, so out of confusion I asked, "George? What are you eating?"

George happily answered, "Candy."

With more confusion, I asked, "Where did you get candy?"

George piped up, "My nose."

*defeated sigh*

Professional Mother

2011-11-11T09:22:00.004-06:00

To demonstrate the extreme opposites in my lifestyle, these are two invitations that are on my desk right now.

George Story

2011-11-10T10:03:00.004-06:00

I was informed by one of George's teachers about the following story. She said that she was changing his diaper.

[As soon as she said that, I was certain she was going to divulge some anecdotal story about him playing with his penis. I sighed and braced myself for the worst.]

Instead, she said that he was blinking his eyes quickly. She demonstrated, looking like a debutant batting her eyes at a prospective beau.

She asked him, "George? What are you doing?"

He looked at her and replied, "My brain is making the light blink." And then he kept blinking.

Seriously? His brain? Where does he come up with this stuff? I sure don't know, but he sure is cute.

See his Eeyore tail?

These two are cute also.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-09T15:23:00.006-06:00

Wow. I just realized that I didn't even do a Halloween post! How pathetic is that? So, here are some pictures of my adorable children having the time of their lives. They started with a Storybook Parade at school.

For the record, Luke was Anikin Skywalker, Evie was a Barbie Witch, and George was Thomas the Tank Engine. Unfortunately, I couldn't talk him into wearing this super cute Train Engineer outfit that his Grandma got him.

Then on Halloween Night, we went over to The Chesapeake's house for treats and drinks, like these Mummy Hotdogs.

And then there was the trick or treating. The older two were too fast to get pictures. But here's George winning over the quintessential old woman on the block.

And snarfing down his candy.

But our friends were the best part!

We just don't see them very much anymore and I'm certain that I emotionally gushed all over them that night about how much I miss them. Lorry, Patty, Emily, Ben . . . I'm really sorry about that, but I definitely mean it! And I love these pictures!

Movie Quote 89

2011-11-09T14:23:00.003-06:00

Man. Just when I thought I had everything under control, it seems like I can't spare a second for the blog. Sorry, friends. So, today, I'll start with a Movie Quote. Now, I know I've used a quote from this movie before, but this has been going through my head a lot lately.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Boy, do I know it. I feel like I might be missing it sometimes.

I'm Back . . . for now . . .

2011-11-03T09:13:00.007-05:00

I probably don't have to mention this because you've already figured it out, but I'm super busy at work right now. Seems like my days are jam-packed full of activities, events, and chores. I love every minute, but I'd also love to share all those events with you. Today, we'll just have to pick up with last night's events and I'll just have to catch up. Just so you know, the kids are growing and maturing like crazy.

Luke and Evie finished their soccer season last weekend. Evie had her team party last night where the amazing coaches gave out trophies.

The coaches also reminisced about how ridiculously shy and unhappy Evie was when she first started playing soccer a year and a half ago. You can read about it here and here. That kind of stuff wears us out, but she is now very eager and happy to play on her soccer team and loves to hang out with the other girls. Chuck and I are so grateful that she has come so far!

So here are some shots of her playing ball and receiving her trophy with the rest of her team last night. Remember, everyone is a winner. What an exciting night for her.

Coach Sean was gushing over her in that sweet way that we all do, and she ate it up!

Luke, on the other hand, was completely put out at having to be surrounded by a bunch of little girls for the evening. We asked him if any of them were his girlfriend. He emphatically told us no. We then decided to ask if he tried to kiss any of them, and he emphatically told us no again. And to make matters worse (because we love to annoy), we asked if if any of the girls tried to kiss him, and he emphatically told us no again. He's really no fun at all.

Such a great day!

2011-10-31T15:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween! I'll be back tomorrow!

Surf Board

2011-10-27T09:37:00.003-05:00

Evie: "Mommy?"

Me: "yes?"

Evie: "Why do we have a surfboard in our laundry room?"

Me: *squinting my eyes while I try to figure out the question*

*heavy sigh*

"Oh!"

*disappointed pause*

"Oh. That's not a surfboard, honey. That's an ironing board."

Evie: *confused look* "What's that?"

Me: "You use an ironing board with an iron to get the wrinkles out of clothes."

Evie still looked confused, but at least she now knows that we don't have a surfboard in the laundry room.

My Mom

2011-10-25T16:33:00.002-05:00

Missing my mom. Funny how that happens, right? In high school you're just dying to get out of the house and have some privacy, and now you're dying to have your mom's shoulder to lean on. I'll admit that it isn't like that all the time, and I'm certain that neither one of us wants to live together again, but it sure is nice to have a friend in your mom.

She gets me. She annoys me. She makes me laugh. She farts. She's quirky. She can't hear. She's getting old gracefully and ungracefully. She loves unconditionally. She laughs. She frowns. She shakes her head in agreement with the TV. She always thinks we're making fun of her, even when we aren't. She crosses her legs to sneeze. She protects her grandchildren like a mama bear. She coughs funny. She plays on the ground. She can't work a laptop. She adores her Kindle. She drinks coffee. She drinks wine. She obsesses about little things. She loves a bargain. She's empathetic. She prays. She hums. She's hyper. She takes big bites. She doesn't like dogs but she tolerates them. She gives affection freely. She picks up other people's babies. She cooks the best pork chops. She lives to please. She likes even numbers. She means well.

Different Generations

2011-10-23T19:08:00.002-05:00

Confirmation from my mother that we are from very different generations:

Mom: Can I use your computer to order my Nook books?

Me: Uh, sure. Don't use the PC. You can use my laptop.

Mom: *Pause* You know I don't know how to use a laptop, don't you?

Where am I?

2011-10-20T13:26:00.001-05:00

This is what I'm working on.
All.
The.
Time.

It's a night golf tournament using glow in the dark golf balls. And the wine tasting is taking place at the same time for non golfers. It's fun and benefits a great cause, but I'm the head honcho and very stressed. It will all be over tomorrow night and my life might return to some semblance of normal - whatever "normal" means.

I'll be back then!

2011-10-17T16:30:00.003-05:00

My favorite phrase for the past two weeks (and always said through clenched teeth and in my head):

"I'm so goddamn done."

On a side note: I don't often say God and Damn together, so it is really quite serious.

My Failing, My Apology

2011-10-17T13:06:00.005-05:00

I'd like to take this moment to officially apologize to my husband and my children for bringing my lack of athleticism to the family. It is truly unfortunate that my children have inherited my ability to run like a girl, inability to catch a ball, severe handicap with golfing, lack of a competitive drive when it comes to team sports, and a general aversion to sports in general. I will admit that we have hope for George, but the other two are lost already. I can assure you that Luke and Evie have no natural ability to run. Their arms are held into their chests and they vigorously and purposely pump them as they run, making them look like the orphans from the musical Annie that somehow ended up wandering the soccer fields. At any moment during the soccer games, I expect them to start pumping their arms and singing It's a Hard Knock Life. Can anyone picture this, or is it just me?

Anyway, I just think it is a sad state of affairs that my children will be deprived of any sort of popularity or college scholarship due to their ridiculous lack of athletic ability. So, for that reason, and for the reason that my husband will watch brokenhearted as our children never score a goal or hit a homer, I apologize. It is all my doing. I promise to make up for it with a full education on how to watch sports and athletics.

working inside and outside the home

2011-10-13T12:24:00.002-05:00

things have been pretty crazy with me, so forgive my lack of posting. we got our ADD results yesterday and it turns out that Luke has been diagnosed with a mild form of ADD. medication is not recommended as a first step. excellent news to us. quite honestly he's been doing really well in school after those first two weeks. we even got his report card yesterday and he had all As and Bs and an E in conduct as well as more Es than S's. i think those two weeks were probably part of an adjustment period in which Luke had to become familiar with his surroundings, his new friends, and his new routine. we're doing better at home, but he still has some issues. luckily, it is all very treatable. we're working on it.

as for Evie, well she did awesome at school too! she doesn't get letter grades, just indications of whether she is developed in certain areas or if she is emerging in her development (isn't that so nicely worded?). so, we had lots of Ds for her and only a few Es. not bad, in my estimation.

unfortunately, the week has been so ridiculously crazy with meetings, our nannies on fall break, planning a huge golf tournament and wine tasting on behalf of one of my favorite non-profit organizations, working, handling sick kids, maneuvering around random splinters that the kids have gotten, and trying to maintain some semblance of a real life. it is impossible. oh, yeah, and chuck's car broke down yesterday. a complete nightmare, but i remind myself how blessed i am to have healthy, happy children who have a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. blessings truly abound.

as for me, i'm ready to go to sleep already, but i don't anticipate that my head will hit that pillow for several more hours.

hope you all are having a better week than i am. much love to you all.

2011-10-12T09:46:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder how my life became so overwhelmingly complicated and then I realize that it is all through my own choices.

My Birthweek

2011-10-07T10:57:00.005-05:00

My birthday is Sunday.

My friend Tracey (aka Attorney Barbie) bought me lunch Tuesday.

There were two birthday cards on my desk this morning from my girlfriends at work.

I had a cup of coffee and breakfast waiting for me too from my dear friend Carrie.

And I just received a beautiful bouquet of fall flowers from Chuckyluv.

Aren't they just amazing?!

How blessed am I?!

RIP Fishie

2011-10-07T09:35:00.001-05:00

TMZ really cracks me up sometimes! RIP

Christmas Wishes

2011-10-06T16:25:00.004-05:00

Evie asked me last night with a ginormous stutter as if she couldn't get her thoughts from her mind to her mouth, "Um um um, mo mo mom . . . um um uh . . ."

I coaxed, "Yes, what is it?"

Evie, "Uh uh uh . . . I um was um wondering . . ."

Me, "Uh huh . . ."

Evie, "do you . . . uh . . . you know how Santa gives presents?"

My eyes widened with joy. My sweet girl was already thinking about Christmas in October. She's following in my footsteps! I answered, "Oh yes! I know. What about it?"

Evie, "Um do you think that he gives . . .um . . . wishes too?"

I took a deep breath and screwed up my mouth bracing her for disappointment by my looks. I said, "Well, I don't think it usually works like that. Why don't you tell me what your wish is." I was hopeful, but pretty sure I would be denied.

True enough, Evie started to open her mouth but closed it again before she responded, "Well, I can't tell you one of my wishes." To soften the blow, she followed up with a smile, "But I can tell you one of them."

I was satisfied and said, "Okay."

Evie moved my hair away from my ear, leaned forward and in her best whisper, she said, "I wish you could be a ballerina and I could sing for you to dance all, all, all the time."

I looked at her in shock and said, "Me? You want me to be a ballerina?"

She nodded.

I smiled.

I responded, "I would love that, sweetie."

And I would. She's so lovely in every way. Too bad I'll have to tell her that I don't think Santa grants wishes for Christmas.

2011-10-06T16:24:00.001-05:00

I think I need to take a mental health day.

Anyone with me?

Memorable Moments

2011-10-05T10:39:00.004-05:00

If you want to overload on George, you can visit Memorable Moments Photography and go to the Client tab. Enter the password GB (case sensitive) and there are 110 photos from his most recent school pictures which is really like a mega photo shoot. They are ridiculously cute!

She's an amazing photographer.

George and the Purple Band Aid

2011-10-05T08:57:00.003-05:00

Somebody was being extra cute this morning.

Pardon the purple band aid. He fell down at school.

A New Professional Mother

2011-10-03T13:18:00.003-05:00

Just had lunch with a dear friend who is also a new professional mother. Her dear little one is only a few months old and she's been back on the job for two weeks. It's amazing to find out how quickly having a child will affect not only your job, but your entire life. Everything changes. (Reminds me of those Johnson & Johnson commercials. The sentiment is so true.)

My dear friend is facing all the same issues that we professional mothers face. There's always the issue of placing your family ahead of your job and having to explain that change to your supervisor. There's the issue of taking off time with a sick child. There's the consideration of whether to go part time. There's the impossibility of explaining to your male counterpart that maternity leave is not a vacation. There's the incessant nagging of guilt as you risk the possibility of missing your child's first words, first steps, first lost tooth, first scraped knee, or any other first. And for me, at least, there's the idea of wanting to be more than a mother while still maintaining your status as "The Best Mom in the World." (The title is self-given and obviously an aspiration as opposed to a reflection of the truth).

This mothering thing is a complicated business, and it just gets more complicated when you throw a career into the mix. So, for all of you new professional mothers, welcome to this wild ride. Hang on tight!

Random

2011-09-30T10:21:00.003-05:00

This one is for all my high school friends. I saw this picture at the bottom of the TMZ website. (yes, I'm very busy at work these days). Doesn't it look like Carrie?!

Full Week

2011-09-29T11:08:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it is Thursday. I've been totally unproductive at work, but fairly productive at home. I cooked dinner (real home cooking) twice this week. Plus, I went running three times. I cleaned our bedroom. I volunteered at the kids' library. Attended the kids Open House. Worked on homework. Hit up grandparents for the kids' school fundraiser (thanks Grandma and Nano). (Speaking of, let me know if you want to sponsor Luke and/or Evie in their Boosterthon--flat donations accepted or sponsor them for a $1 per lap). Attended a Second Grade Parent's mixer. Took Luke to soccer. Stayed home with a sick little girl on Tuesday. And I took our dear Lindsey to the airport. Plus, we started potty training. It's been a full week already.

And how can I even explain how many times this little man has called out, "Momma!"?

Open House 2011

2011-09-28T11:29:00.006-05:00

Last night was open house at the kids' school. They had fun showing us their classrooms and all their work. Evie was very proud of herself and Luke was just acting like his crazy self. The teachers always have the kids do some sort of work to show off their skills before open house. Evie's class got to draw self portraits. Evie's is sweet. (I figured out that those are supposed to be tiger paws on her shirt because the school's mascot is a tiger. And don't be disturbed, she actually has all 5 fingers in real life.)

Luke's class was asked to write about why we need rain (fitting for our drought), and what they do when it rains. Chuck and I couldn't help but laugh our heads off when we read Luke's. He's just so blunt.

I'll translate: "Let it rain, god becouse my tomeytos are dead."

Clearly, we still need to work on spelling and handwriting, but his picture of the dying tomato plants in our back yard is very accurate - all the way down to the red cages around the pathetic brown sticks that remain. The curious part about this is that we never talk about the tomatoes being dead. He never even sees them as far as I know. So, what makes him think of this stuff? All the other kids wrote about how it was hot, or the grass is brown, or it's not good for the animals. My kid wrote about my failed attempt at growing tomatoes in our backyard during a drought. It cracks me up!

We saw so many funny things on the walls that were written or drawn by students. I often wonder if the teachers get used to all the funny things that the kids say and do, or if they still laugh as hard as we do.

Back Across the Pond

2011-09-26T10:04:00.006-05:00

Today a member of our family is leaving us. Lindsey is going home to England. She fits into our life so perfectly. I would have never imagined that someone from across the pond would become so much a part of our family. What a blessing it has been to have had her with us for a two-month visit. We fell right back into our old ways. She will never be a stranger in our home. I hope that we will be able to visit her sometime soon. Until then, we wish her all the best and all the love in the world!

You might notice that there is a certain little boy in the family who is going to miss her the most out of all of us. We love you, Lindsey!

Six and Beautiful!

2011-09-22T09:07:00.009-05:00

So in love with my little Evie who turned SIX years old yesterday. She was thrilled and all she could think about was opening her presents.

It's been a drawn-out birthday celebration, starting with a party at Grandma's house Sunday with my entire family, and ending with a birthday dinner at Pappasito's.

Sitting with Grandma.

Thanks to all my brothers and sisters and their families for coming to celebrate Evie's sixth birthday. It was amazing to be all together! And thank you for the sweet gifts. Evie loves them all!

Last night we went to Pappasito's for Evie's birthday. She loves their beans. Ate two servings of them, plus ice cream!

Hugging Daddy at Pappasito's.

Georgie at Pappasito's.

Lindsey feeding her BFF at Pappasito's.

Lindsey and Crazy Luke.

Opening Presents.
They loved this wrapping paper!

The Mystery Present from Nano & Pawpaw which occupied Evie's thoughts and dreams in the days leading up to her birthday. There was more anticipation about this present than there was about the first episode of Two and a Half Men with Ashton Kutcher.

Mystery Present Revealed: Bead kit.

The AMAZING Cake!
Courtesy of Lindsey Molloy.

George blowing out Evie's candle.
Evie is there too, you just can't see her.

She had a blast and loved every minute of her birthday, including her cookies in her class and getting ice cream with Sarah and Meridith.

There is so much fun in a birthday when you're young!

Happy birthday to my sweet angel!

2011-09-22T09:07:00.001-05:00

Sorry for my absence. I've been busy at work. What?! That's right, busy at work!

Un-freakin-believable.

2011-09-16T09:50:00.003-05:00

From Lindsey, who is at home with the kids today.

Bless her soul.

What can I say?
It was Champagne Thursday last night.

Pretty Princess!

2011-09-16T09:32:00.001-05:00

George loves to play dress up with Evie. Unfortunately, all we have for dress up are princess dresses. It doesn't seem to bother him at all.

Don't smurf with me . . .

2011-09-15T10:11:00.004-05:00

The kids went to see the Smurf movie the week it came out in theaters. For some reason, whenever they toot they say "I smurfed!" It cracks me up! I love hearing the question, "Did you smurf?" or when Lindsey asks, "Are you smurfing with me?" The replacement of the word "smurf" for just about any other word is just hilarious to me. Plus it makes me think of little blue creatures that are three apples high. It's a flashback to my past. What can I say?

Make Believe

2011-09-14T09:55:00.001-05:00

I don't think it is much of a surprise that there is inappropriate laughter that often takes place at our house. Still, I was appalled when Luke announced the make believe game he and Evie were playing last night. I knew they were behind the couch in our den playing with Legos and other toys, but Luke made my eyes widen in shock when he popped up from behind the couch and explained, "Mom. We're pretending that this great big building that we made out of Legos was hit by a plane and now we're praying for all the people who died."

My mouth dropped. My breath hitched. My lips formed an "O". And I eventually said, "Okay."

He popped back down behind the couch. I looked at Lindsey and mouthed the words, "Oh. My. God."

After the kids when to bed a few minutes later, I popped behind the couch and found this.

True to their word, they had been playing make believe 9/11. My feelings are mixed. They obviously learned about this in school, but they clearly don't know how horribly this event affected us who lived it and the country that is still recovering from it. So, wow. Any suggestions?

*And yes, I realize there is a split infinitive in there. Get over it.

30 Day Challenge Busted.

2011-09-14T09:50:00.000-05:00

Let me confess that dieting and exercising are just not happening. I'm afraid that my desire to be there for my kids as they experience this whole ADD/2nd grade/kindergarten/soccer thing is really just overtaking my desire to be thin and attractive. Oh, and plus there is my great desire to drink wine after two hours of second grade homework and spelling review. It also helps ease the pain of Luke's grades and frustration.

So, my 30 day challenge quickly circled the drain and is so far gone, that I don't think I can salvage it. Nonetheless, I still have the desire at the end of the day to be thinner. This desire also shows up at the beginning of the day when I'm trying to find an outfit that will fit and flatter this unwieldy figure. So, enough about me and my woes - which are really petty - and on to the rest of life.

Movie Quote 88

2011-09-12T16:40:00.003-05:00

Movie Quote 88: Sounds like somebody's got a case of the Mondays.

Just so you know, that would be me. Blah.

Susie Homemaker . . . Almost.

2011-09-09T09:14:00.006-05:00

You're not going to believe it!

I've become so freakin' homemaker-ish!

No kidding!

I actually had Luke help me bake three loaves of pumpkin bread this week. Luke loves that stuff, so he loves to help cook it. I also promised him (without confirming) that it would help him earn a scout belt loop. (Apparently, cooking is not a skill awarded with a belt loop in scouts, so I'm going to have to figure out some other way to reward his hard work.)

Anyway, we had three loaves and I decided to send some to the kids' teachers. That's right, I just moved up in the rankings at school with the kids' teachers. I'm a freakin' genius!

So, on Tuesday I sent the kids to school with these clever little packages for their teachers. I rock!

In bigger news, I also (and this is HUGE!) signed up to be . . .

wait for it . . .

wait for it . . .

HOMEROOM MOM!

Oh, yeah baby! I totally fell victim to the pleading letters from the PTA that said Luke's class still didn't have a homeroom mom. As you may have read here, I really love the idea of being a homeroom mom, but my career and lifestyle pretty much prohibit it. I mean, it's not like I've been ordered to stay 50 feet away from all schools and playgrounds, but seriously, it is most likely that your kids' first experience with a tipsy adult will take place in my presence. I'm just sayin'.

Nonetheless, I answered the call! I stepped up to the plate! I'm taking the bull by the horns! (And any other phrases you want to use to describe it.) I'm officially a homeroom mom!

Now the genius part about this is that I'm sharing this honor (by chance) with one of my friends who is also a working mom (actually owns her own business - flippin' rock star that she is!). So, the pressure is off. I have a partner in crime! Plus, I can't wait to spy on Luke and his friends in class. How lucky am I? -- Totally lucky, very blessed, and mostly crazy.

Luke.

2011-09-08T13:50:00.005-05:00

This morning I met with our pediatrician to discuss the possibility of Luke having ADD. *big sigh*

I can't say I didn't see this coming. I did. All the way back in Kindergarten.

Still, I was freaking out Friday night when his 2nd grade teacher sent home a note requesting a parent-teacher conference as soon as possible.

I called her that evening. She called me back at 9:30 p.m. We spoke until 11:00. That's right an hour and a half. That's a long time to talk about one kid (unless you only have one kid).

So, we talked about the problems Luke is having. He's already behind all his classmates and we're only in the third week of the school year. She was super sweet about everything and I was soooo glad she called. I want him to succeed and to be happy in school - what parent doesn't want their kids to be happy, right? She was wonderful. She told me what she was seeing. She asked what I was seeing. She said we are doing all the right things at home. And then she suggested that we talk to his pediatrician. Thank God. I have been waiting for one of his teachers to finally say the words, since all I've heard are the following things:

Unfocused. Talks. Daydreaming. Not a mean bone in his body. Can't stay on task.

These are all words and phrases the teachers (since Kindergarten) have used to describe my sweet boy. He's actually fairly bright - and I'm not trying to claim that my kid is the smartest in the class. He's just plain good at reading, competent at math, and terrible with spelling (like his mother).

The problem is that he can't concentrate for long enough to actually do his work. He gets behind on spelling tests and dictation tests. He'll miss several problems or fail to turn a math worksheet over and finish the entire thing. He is not a genius that is bored in class, like some people claim. No. The situation is that he will get distracted by just about anything.

For the past year and a half I've sought informal counsel from friends of mine who are teachers. Each one told me that if it isn't affecting his grades, I should wait until 3rd grade to have him tested. Well, by the end of his first grade year, Luke's grades had plummeted. He actually had C's on his report card. It was disheartening.

We've had his hearing and eyesight checked. He's wearing glasses now. Things haven't improved.

So, after speaking with our wonderful pediatrician this morning, I am currently arranging to have Luke tested by a psychologist to rule out IQ deficiency (not a problem that I can tell), learning disabilities/differences (also, unlikely), and finally, ADD/ADHD. I don't think he is particularly hyper, he just gets distracted when walking from his bedroom to the bathroom to brush his teeth. I'm not even sure he would remember to go pee if it wasn't for fear of soiling himself.

So, while I am grateful that none of my children has been diagnosed with any major ailment or disease or disorder (and I thank God for that everyday), I am somewhat heavyhearted to know that Luke is having issues. And the worst part about it is that he hates school now. He cries in the morning that he hates school and he hates homework. In his words, he wishes homework and school had never been invented. It shouldn't be like this. As his sweet teacher said, "Every second grader should love going to school. It should be the most exciting thing for him to see and learn new things." Sadly, we are no longer at that point with Luke. He is simply frustrated and sad. I hope that whatever we figure out with the psychologist will bring my sweet Luke back and help him to fall in love with school again.

He's just too awesome to not be happy.

Beyond Cute.

2011-09-07T09:18:00.005-05:00

His cuteness is not overrated. It's even better if you can hear him talk and watch him smile at you.

Make no mistake, Luke and Evie were this cute too! You can see that here and here.

Oh my gosh, and here is one of my favorites!

Basketball!

2011-09-01T16:39:00.001-05:00

Here he is with his basketball. He loves to play basketball. Loves it!

Love him!

Too Cute!

2011-09-01T10:17:00.002-05:00

George is cuter than you can possibly imagine right now. I need to take a bunch of pictures so I can prove it!

30 Day Challenge

2011-08-31T08:46:00.002-05:00

After yesterday's post, it was not a difficult decision to take part in the 30 Day Challenge going on over at Adventures of Z-Man and Mar k. So, I'm keeping track of my progress and hoping that I can drop some of the pounds that are contributing to my pregnant appearance.

I could really use your support during this time, so if you have a chance, please send me messages that say things like:

Put down the doughnut!

and

NO CHIPS, you fatass!!

and

That pizza will make your arms even fatter than they are!

You know . . . inspirational messages that that are really going to get my attention. As a real motivator, I'm considering posting pictures and stats, but I'm not committing to that quite yet. Anyone have any other idea as to how to keep me accountable?

Brought a Baby Back

2011-08-30T09:30:00.003-05:00

I came back from a whirlwind trip to Vegas yesterday. (More on the trip later). I was at the house when our TCU nannies brought the kids home from school. The nannies look like this:

I was worn out from Vegas and an early flight home and wearing yoga pants and a clingy gray t-shirt with flip flops. As I was talking to the nannies, Luke ran up to me with excitement, placed his hand gently on my stomach, and asked, "Mom! Are you going to have another BABY!?!?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before answering him, "No . . . I'm not having a baby . . . I'm just fat."

The TCU girls looked embarrassed and amused. I felt embarrassed and amused. Luke was disappointed and responded, "Awe-uh!"

I squinted my eyes at him and asked with surprise, "Do you want me to have another baby?"

He looked hopeful and said, "Yeah!"

I shook my head. "No. I'm not pregnant, but I am reconsidering my outfit and will be starting a diet immediately."

Luke ran on. I groaned. The girls giggled.

I am currently on a diet and I intend to lose this food-baby ASAP.

Professional Motherhood

2011-08-26T09:55:00.004-05:00

And here it is! The moment you've all been waiting for (or not) . . .

My first guest post! Whoohoo! Click here to read it!

Thanks to my sweet friend Angie who invited me to appear on her blog Professional Motherhood. We're totally kindred spirits. As you can see, even the names of our blogs match!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday Blessings.

2011-08-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

Apologies for my absence. I had a migraine on Wednesday and depositions all day Thursday. On the bright side, I will be guest blogger very soon and that has made my week! I'll keep you posted on that one. Other than that, all I can ask is that we all take a moment to praise Xenu and Tom Cruise for blessing us with Friday! Amen. (Do Scientologists say "amen"?) Bah, whatever.

Conversations that Surprise

2011-08-23T16:05:00.007-05:00

This conversation took place several weeks ago, but it is fitting for our anniversary today.

Luke asked me out of the blue, "Who is your best friend?"

Without thinking or looking his way, I answered, "Daddy."

Luke responded with surprise in his voice, "Really?"

Still almost oblivious that I'm in the middle of a conversation (I think the television was on and I had probably had a couple glasses of wine), I answered nonchalantly, "Yeah."

Luke became more interested and asked with suspicion, "Have you been dating Dad?"

I finally looked at Luke and entered the conversation with a smile, "Not exactly. I married Daddy."

Luke then asked, "When did you marry him?"

Caught off guard, I gathered the years together and finally answered, "Um . . . almost 14 years ago."

He contorted his face in shock. And then he killed me with, "And you still like him?!"

Laughing, I responded with a nodding head and the sputtered words, "Yes! Very much!"

Pathetic face

2011-08-23T13:53:00.005-05:00

The second day of school started without a hitch for Luke and Evie. They were thrilled to be going. Unfortunately, their little brother was less than thrilled about being left behind. He insisted that he wanted his uniform and wanted to go with us to school. He even grabbed his diaper bag so he could go with us. Poor baby cried his little head off when I finally made it out the door (after snapping some candids).

Poor Lindsey had to lock the door because he kept trying to escape. As we drove away I saw her holding his flailing limbs as he cried is eyes out. It was so darn pathetic that it was cute. And then I received these texts from our dear Lindsey.

On another note, my office smells like a florist because today is our wedding anniversary.

Fourteen years together and blessed with three beautiful children and lots of good friends. What a wonderful life we are living. You may congratulate us on our accomplishment!

Crazy Eyes Don't Lie!

2011-08-22T16:12:00.004-05:00

Those crazy eyes prove that Kindergarten was a hit!

Yay Evie!

And, I want to add that my au pairs have been absolutely wonderful. They are cheering Evie on today and that means so much to us! You guys are wonderful! Thank you Rosie (who is cheering us on from Australia) and Lindsey (who generously gave us two more months of her life out of the kindness of her heart). Blessings abound.

Bleepity Bleep! I'm old!

2011-08-22T09:17:00.007-05:00

So it started today!
My little, precious baby girl started kindergarten today.
Good God, I'm old. When did all this happen?

From this.

To this.

And this.

To this.

Friday afternoon we picked up school supplies and bought school uniforms. They were in pretty good spirits.

Saturday morning, we went to a Kindergarten Popsicle Social at the park across from the school. I insisted that Evie go it alone so she could really meet other students. She was ridiculously shy and hid her face in my stomach most of the time. She played a little bit though. (Yes, she wore the same dress both days. I never said I was a good mom.)

Sunday, I spent the entire afternoon and part of the evening at parent-teacher meetings and then I had to go purchase some last-minute school stuff, such as shorts for under Evie's dresses and other obvious things that just slipped my mind.

This morning they rolled out of bed and reluctantly got dressed, although I think they were actually pretty excited.

They posed for pictures in front of the house and then climbed into the minivan and chatted all the way to school. (By the way, a mom at the school tried to convince me to buy a bigger bow than this. Apparently big bows are all the rage right now. I'm actually not sure how she's holding her head up under the weight of this bow.)

We walked approximately half a mile from our parking spot at the school to their classrooms. (I'm not exaggerating here.) As we made our way into the school, Evie kept asking, "What am I going to do in Kindergarten?" I'm not sure what kind of specifics she was looking for, but I insisted, "You're going to have fun! Look at how excited everyone is to get to school. That's because it is so much fun!" Another parent that was walking in front of me, turned around and gave me a look that said, "Nice lie, Mom." I winked and said slowly as I nodded my head, "It's going to be so, so much fun! You'll love it." She appeared unconvinced.

And the big smile she had from in front of our house was replaced with this look of apprehension in front of her classroom.

She looks like she just got arrested. I will have to compare this picture to her first mug shot. (Oh God help me if she ever has a mug shot!) She whispered to me, "I'm scared, Mom." I said, "You'll be great, baby. No need to be scared." Then I pushed her gently into her room and called, "I love you!" before taking off down the hall with Luke in tow.

Then I dropped Luke off in his classroom. He was less apprehensive, but still a little nervous. I'm sure he'll be in full swing by the end of the day, but he sure looked pissed about actually getting into his classroom.

So, I'm proud to report that there were no tears at our house today - from me, or from the kids. I guess it's possible that Evie cried after I pushed her into her room, but I'm hoping that she had a stiff upper lip.

I'm so blessed to have such wonderful children!

Our Adopted Panther Pride

2011-08-19T13:52:00.007-05:00

Do you guys remember how Luke got to adopt a football player named Big Chocolate last year? You can read about it here and here. It's all about allowing younger students that feed into the local high school to adopt a football player. We had this great kid last year named Dominique (whose nicknames were Big Chocolate/Sexy Chocolate/Blindside), I still keep in touch with him and his mother on Facebook. He is currently playing football at the University of Dubuque. (Angie - you need to go see him play for me!). He's such a great kid. So kind and polite and sweet to Luke!

Anyhow, we enjoyed it last year so we're doing it again. This year Luke adopted Ben. Here is his picture from the Roster.

And here is his picture with Luke.
(The sun was bright behind me)

We didn't get to stay for the whole thing last night, because I had yet another meeting to attend last night. Still, we plan to attend the games and support all our football players. I love high school football and it is so much better when you can cheer for someone on the team.

While we were waiting to meet Ben, the kids conned me into getting them a SnoCone and hotdogs.

SnoCones

Evie doesn't like snocones or popcicles so she threw hers away.

Hot dogs

Sadly, some cheerleaders, watched in horror as George dropped his hotdog on the sidewalk and then picked it up and finished it off.

I thought one of them may have even gagged a little. I looked up at the sound of several high-pitched, "eeews." I shrugged my shoulders, looked down at George, looked back at the cheerleaders and said, "Don't judge." Their coach--clearly a fellow mother--nodded her head in agreement with me.

Here are said cheerleaders with George in the background.

Looking forward to a fun season!

Champagne Thursday

2011-08-18T10:02:00.001-05:00

It's Champagne Thursday, friends!

And I am soooo ready for it!

New Blog for your Pleasure!

2011-08-17T08:58:00.003-05:00

Found a fabulous new blog today called What the Bleep Happened to My Rump Roast!

Oh my, this lady has my number. She cooks exactly the way I cook . . . or just the way I wish I cooked . . . oh, hell, let's be honest, I don't cook and we all know it.

So, anyway, I fell in love with her Meatball recipe and she won't be able to get rid of me now. I'm reposting her meatball recipe (giving her all the credit of course), and I'm highlighting in bold my favorite part of the recipe. Seriously, I've got to meet this woman.

How to Make Meatballs in a Pinch

2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup bread crumbs (fresh is better, but out of the box will work in a pinch)
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, or 1/4 cup parmesan out of the green can
2 heaping tablespoons dried basil
2 heaping tablespoons dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic powder or 2 teaspoons of already chopped garlic out of the jar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small bowl, mix parmesan, bread crumbs, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic. Pour a glass of wine and take a sip because wine makes everything more fun.
3. Put beef or turkey in a large bowl and add bread crumb mixture to it. Mix well with your hands and when everything in combined, roll meatballs in your hand about the size of a golf ball.
4. Spread oil on a cookie sheet (with sides is preferable) and cook in oven for about 30 minutes. The size of your meatballs will determine when they are done, so give them a little longer if you made larger ones, or take them out earlier if you made smaller ones.

I must try this recipe soon!

Educational, if not fun.

2011-08-16T14:08:00.007-05:00

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo on Sunday afternoon. It was hot, but we managed. The kids love the zoo. Luckily it is basically across the street from us. We could walk there if we wanted to. But we don't. Ever. Never.

It's great to have yearly passes to one of the best zoos in the nation. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a zoo right there, but I fear that my children will grow up thinking that everyone has a zoo across the street. They see zebras, giraffes, hippos, tigers, bears, apes, flamingos, penguins, and numerous other animals on a regular basis.

The beauty of living here and going whenever we want is that we don't have to cram the entire zoo into one visit. We ask the kids, "what animals do you want to see today?" and then we see those animals and go back another day to visit different animals. It's quite nice, particularly in this insane heat.

So, here are some pictures (on my iPhone again) from our most recent visit.

The Zoo's newest exhibit: MOLA (Museum of Living Art).

George posing on a statue of Bluebonnet ("Bonnie") - a baby elephant born at the zoo.

Evie posing on Bonnie.

Feeding the fish - our favorite part I think.

Standing under the misters. Felt good!

Posing on the Komodo Dragon statue.

Posing on the kangaroo statue.
Do you see a trend?

It was a great day. Especially since the day before we took them to Fort Worth's Oakwood Cemetery - one of the older cemeteries in town, filled with historical founders of Fort Worth. There are even tours on Halloween called "Ghosts, Gamblers, and Gunfighters." So cool, but not to the kids apparently, even though they ran through there and tried to open every single mausoleum we came across. It looked like they were having an okay time and not at all traumatized by the activity. That evening, however, they complained that they had had a bad day because - and I quote - "All we got to do was see dead people." Perhaps my title as Mom of the Year is yet again in jeopardy.

Unquantifiable love

2011-08-16T09:29:00.002-05:00

Evie, "Mommy, I love you a million six ninety thousand hundred forty-eight."

Me, "I love you that much too!"

Luke, "Mommy, I love you a googolplexplex."

Me, "Thanks Luke. I love you guys more than I can say!"

FYI - About a year ago Luke asked me what the biggest number is and I told him that there isn't a biggest number. This was more than he could comprehend so I suggested that we Google it. So, I typed in, "What is the biggest number?" Of course, I consulted Wikipedia, because that is obviously the truest source of mathematical wisdom, right? Wikipedia identified the largest number as a googolplex. And after consulting other similar pages, we settled on a googolplexplex as the largest number (at least that I was willing to research and discuss). So, I get a lot of love as you can see!

Modern Art

2011-08-15T11:15:00.009-05:00

While poor Lindsey moaned in pain at home on the couch, I took charge of the children. George spent the day at his school (thank Heaven) and I dragged Luke and Evie to work with me, where they spent a couple hours drawing on my white board and playing games while I snapped at them every five minutes saying, "Be quiet!" or "Hush up now!" or "Don't make me shush you one more time!" Poor kids were troopers.

After I finished up a few loose ends at work, I decided to make it a fun Mommy-kids day. We were off to the museum since it is just plain too hot to do anything outside. We went to The Modern, which is amazing if you've never been there. Luke attends an elementary school with an excellent art program and he has decided that his favorite artists are Andy Warhol, Michelangelo, and Pablo Picasso. They are all very different, but we got to see two Andy Warhol pieces and one Picasso so I thought it was a pretty good trip for him.

We started off with this amazing self portrait of Warhol.

We got there right when the museum opened so we were practically the only people there. They gave the kids these cool sketch books and I told them to take a few minutes and sketch their own self portraits.

I thought I was being super-mom with my creativity and attempt at fun education. We spent about an hour and a half in the museum and another half hour in the gift shop. I'm glad we did this. It was pretty fun.

The Picasso

The piece of art that makes me rethink my career choice.

Evie knew what this was right away.
Do you?

I didn't see it until she told me what it was - paint.

I really should have brought a better camera, but I didn't have a plan at the beginning of the day. Here's one of my favorite pieces.

From the top.

From the bottom.

Some others.

I also asked them to pick out their favorites. Evie had a couple.

I'm not sure what she likes about this stone creation.

She really liked all the colors in this one.

This is my favorite.

I asked Evie to take a picture of me with it.
I'm a little fuzzy.

And this was Luke's favorite.
It's a video of planes taking off and flying in a house.

The entire building is a piece of art. And they have artwork outside too. The kids love to go into this piece and make echos. We spent about 15 minutes in here. You can see how large it is by comparing it to the car parked behind it and the trees beside it.

Unfortunately we had to go back to my work for a couple hours after lunch and then we went grocery shopping. It was not their favorite day. But, I enjoyed it!

It's back!

2011-08-12T09:48:00.001-05:00

Strep throat strikes again. Poor girl. She'll be better by the end of the day hopefully.

Just a few days

2011-08-11T10:07:00.002-05:00

We started our countdown to the first day of school.

Holy mackerel!
I have a 2nd grader and a kindergartener!

Barbie Pink

2011-08-11T10:05:00.001-05:00

Evie found the car she wants when she starts driving.

We took a picture so Daddy would know what to start looking for.

Breaking News: Moms are Overwhelmed!

2011-08-10T14:38:00.003-05:00

The Today Show uncovered a secret that I already know: Moms are overwhelmed. Welcome to yesterday, Today Show!

Here's the article that explains a study of how moms feel overwhelmed. No offense, but I really didn't need a scientific study to tell you that.

Okay, with that said, the article is still worth reading, even if it is to just make us moms feel better about our shortcomings. (And if you don't have any, then go home and stop kidding yourself.) Here's the full article written by Rebecca Dube.

It's Not Even Dark!

2011-08-10T09:53:00.003-05:00

Dear George has taken a lesson from his siblings and now argues when bedtime is announced. His favorite excuse is, "It's not even dark." And here he is justifying his argument. He also tries to tell time as you can see here. He's a funny guy.

Pardon the mess in the house. And let me add that Lindsey promptly wiped her face after that sweet kiss.

Movie Quote 87 and Updates

2011-08-09T09:37:00.007-05:00

Did you know that I get called out by my friends and family whenever I miss a day or two on the blog? Yeah, well, it's not that big of a deal guys. I'm not even all that busy. I just don't have anything overly exciting to report. Still, I'm happy to share a few items of interest today just to satisfy those who actually want to hear all the boring details of our lives. I can't believe you people are out there, but I'm glad to have friends!

This entire summer has been spent (by me) avoiding the ungodly, ridiculously painful, hellish, tortuous heat. I can't stand it. I think I was actually meant to live in Seattle. "It rains nine months a year in Seattle." (That's right fools - that's Movie Quote No. 87). So, anyway, my choice to avoid swimming (the kids' favorite thing to do) was to go bowling at Main Event. Unfortunately, Saturday evening was a popular evening for bowling and the wait was over an hour long. Luckily, Main Event has games to play while you wait - a lot of games - money-sucking, wallet-draining games. So, the three kids played games while Lindsey and I oversaw what I would otherwise describe as "germ-collecting." The kids had a great time and revealed a side of themselves that I would have never guessed existed: the great ability and commitment to shoot electronic images of bad guys, planes, cars, and tanks. Weird, but look at the intensity!

Even George got in on the shooting. Sorry for the poor quality. It's tough to capture a moving 2-year old.

Unfortunately, after over an hour of waiting, we still didn't have a lane for bowling and I called it a night. We headed home with full-on grumbling from all three kids.

Other non-outdoor activities included napping. And it doesn't get any cuter than this little one snuggled with his BFF for a sweet nap.

Seriously, doesn't he look like he's faking it? I promise he wasn't because he was very annoyed when we woke him up to go bowling. Consequently, he was also very annoyed when we dragged him away from Main Event after waiting for over an hour to go bowling, and yet never getting to go bowling. He's still focused on it and asked Chuck multiple times last night when we could go bowling.

Among our other activities were (1) doing our nails - which George insisted on being included in, and (2) doing our hair - which George also insisted on being included in.

And so, I am somewhat proud, and only a little dismayed, to display George's first ponytail:

Can you see it? It's tiny, but it is there and he loved it. He's going to be the toughest gay guy you ever met if we keep it up.

A Very Bad Day

2011-08-05T10:25:00.004-05:00

Chuck was diagnosed with Strep Throat on Wednesday, after contaminating everyone he came into contact with on Tuesday.

Evie woke up with a sore throat on Thursday and was diagnosed with Strep Throat after throwing up twice at the doctor's office. After determining that she would probably not be able to keep any oral antibiotics in her system, Dr. M ordered a shot of antibiotics. The poor thing was miserable before the shot and she just got worse after the shot. She thew up two more times after we left the doctor's office - the 108 degree weather did not help.

Luckily, we got some anti-nausea medicine for her too and she was at least able to keep some water in her system that afternoon. She spent the rest of the day and evening laying on her bunk bed watching movies on my laptop. I insisted that the other children had to stay away. We'll see who comes down with it next. I'm the most likely candidate since I kiss Chuck and handled Evie all day yesterday. So far, I'm okay, if a bit tired. Evie, on the other hand, is back to herself and spent the morning telling her brothers what to do. It was lovely to see her back to normal. I don't think I had ever seen her quite so miserable. She announced this morning that she "had a very bad day yesterday." I completely agree. Poor, sweet girl.

The Tooth Fairy is BUSY!

2011-08-02T09:24:00.004-05:00

I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it. It just happened so fast! (Sounds like it's something really monumental, right? - Well, sorry to mislead you.) But it's just such a shock! Evie lost another tooth yesterday! Yes, just a couple days after the loss of her first tooth. The other front tooth was a little loose, but not that loose last time I checked. Nonetheless, it fell out . . . on its own . . . with out any tugging! Amazing!

So, here's the ragamuffin with two teeth missing. I took this first picture, but you can't see her missing teeth.

I told her to smile bigger so I could see the missing teeth, and this is what happened.

Didn't want to spring that picture on you without a little warning. The focus is supposed to be on her missing teeth, but all I can see are crazy eyes when I look at this photo.

So now Evie has proclaimed that she and Luke are twins because they are missing the same teeth. (Luke's teeth are coming in already though and he has no sign of any other loose teeth).

George has also jumped on this bandwagon and declares to anyone that will listen that he has a loose tooth too.

Not quite, sweet boy.

She finally lost it!

2011-08-01T12:07:00.006-05:00

While swimming this weekend, Evie announced, "I want to be a mermaid . . . with wings . . . and water powers!"

Um, okay.

As for my little winged mermaid, she lost her tooth this weekend . . . finally!

She agreed to let Daddy pull it. I sort of insisted that it had to be pulled before we could go to the playground that evening at Central Market. I said, "It has to come out before we leave." And so, with a little loving help from Chucky Love, the tooth was removed with little fan fare.

She was very excited once it was done. This little tooth fetched a whole $2.00 from the wondrous Tooth Fairy.

Evie was quite pleased and very brave.

Speaking of bravery, Rosie got her second tattoo before heading to Australia for her second stint as an au pair! She's so brave!

I don't think I would ever choose this location because I would want to look at it all the time!

Lindsey's Visiting!

2011-07-28T08:56:00.006-05:00

Guess who's coming back into our lives!

LINDSEY!

That's right, she's coming for a visit and we are super excited. She was supposed to get here last night but her flight from Amsterdam to Detroit was delayed by more than five hours.
But she's here now!

I think we're going to have to have Lindsey Party to celebrate her arrival, that is, only if she
doesn't bolt after experiencing the heat of hell!