Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Cute
I wish I had a photo to show you how Tim fell asleep last night. Since he was born, we've been putting him to bed awake, but sleepy. He's never given us much trouble unless he was still hungry or had a diaper that needed changing...until recently, that is.
Now that he can crawl and pull up to standing in the crib, he crawls to the edge, stands up and screams. We have to go in occasionally and lay him back down, tuck him in and leave the room. After two or three times, he'll settle down and go to sleep.
Last night was the same as it's been for the past two weeks. I put him in bed knowing he was tired and then went to read Ryan the new books we took out of the library. Tim was okay for a bit, but could hear us reading so he started crying. I finished one book and went to put Tim down again (Adam was upstairs talking with his parents). We were interrupted while reading the other two books quite frequently, but Tim refused a bottle and did not need a new diaper.
Then Adam came down and dealt with Tim while Ryan and I finished books nine and 10 (since they were new we had to test them all out...after the first night he has his favorites and we just read those over and over again for the week). Tim settled down and so did Ryan.
When I walked Ryan to his bed, I didn't see Tim. Of course, it was dark, except for the dim night light, so I walked closer to see where Tim was hiding in the crib. I couldn't find him and started to panic a little. He really couldn't get far right? I looked a little closer at the blankets and discovered that Tim was asleep sitting up... head on lap, thumb in mouth. He looked just like the rest of the crumpled up blanket that he sleeps with.
I called Adam over so he could see, and then gently pushed him back on his side and tucked him in again.
Like I said, I wish I had a photo to show you....it was cute.
Now that he can crawl and pull up to standing in the crib, he crawls to the edge, stands up and screams. We have to go in occasionally and lay him back down, tuck him in and leave the room. After two or three times, he'll settle down and go to sleep.
Last night was the same as it's been for the past two weeks. I put him in bed knowing he was tired and then went to read Ryan the new books we took out of the library. Tim was okay for a bit, but could hear us reading so he started crying. I finished one book and went to put Tim down again (Adam was upstairs talking with his parents). We were interrupted while reading the other two books quite frequently, but Tim refused a bottle and did not need a new diaper.
Then Adam came down and dealt with Tim while Ryan and I finished books nine and 10 (since they were new we had to test them all out...after the first night he has his favorites and we just read those over and over again for the week). Tim settled down and so did Ryan.
When I walked Ryan to his bed, I didn't see Tim. Of course, it was dark, except for the dim night light, so I walked closer to see where Tim was hiding in the crib. I couldn't find him and started to panic a little. He really couldn't get far right? I looked a little closer at the blankets and discovered that Tim was asleep sitting up... head on lap, thumb in mouth. He looked just like the rest of the crumpled up blanket that he sleeps with.
I called Adam over so he could see, and then gently pushed him back on his side and tucked him in again.
Like I said, I wish I had a photo to show you....it was cute.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Done with winter
It's official. I am ready to be done with winter. The snow was fun in December, but it's not so fun now. I'm ready for the big thaw. I want spring flowers. I want lots of warm days spent playing at the park with the boys. But this is Maine and I'm afraid it will still be snowing in April.
On Sunday when I went to work it was raining. I was okay with that. An hour into my shift it was snowing big wet snowflakes and were sticking to the ground and piling up. Two hours into my shift I was one of two cashiers left in the store. And three and a half hours later I was being sent home since I was the cashier who lived the farthest from the store.
I made my way out to the car in what seemed to be about 6 inches of snow and started cleaning off the car. By the time I was done there was snow on the parts I'd already cleaned... quite a bit of it actually. I took a photo on my cell phone and sent it to Adam (I'd already called him and told him I was on my way home in almost white-out conditions).
It took an hour to drive what normally takes about 20 minutes. That's an hour of me in a silent car (when it's snowing I don't turn the radio or my mp3 player on) with super white knuckles attempting to see the road and hoping to get home safely. It was slow going.... like 20 -25 mph slow. There was one car off the road (there had been reports of two cars that had flipped over on route 4, but I was going in a completely different direction) and the police and a tow truck were working to get it out of the ditch. At times, I couldn't see which direction the road was going.... that wasn't fun at all. But I made it home safely.
To think of more snow next Sunday night doesn't make me happy at all. It's so cold we can't really enjoy playing in it, so that means I'm done with it.
Spring, please do your thing and make an early appearance this year!
On Sunday when I went to work it was raining. I was okay with that. An hour into my shift it was snowing big wet snowflakes and were sticking to the ground and piling up. Two hours into my shift I was one of two cashiers left in the store. And three and a half hours later I was being sent home since I was the cashier who lived the farthest from the store.
I made my way out to the car in what seemed to be about 6 inches of snow and started cleaning off the car. By the time I was done there was snow on the parts I'd already cleaned... quite a bit of it actually. I took a photo on my cell phone and sent it to Adam (I'd already called him and told him I was on my way home in almost white-out conditions).
It took an hour to drive what normally takes about 20 minutes. That's an hour of me in a silent car (when it's snowing I don't turn the radio or my mp3 player on) with super white knuckles attempting to see the road and hoping to get home safely. It was slow going.... like 20 -25 mph slow. There was one car off the road (there had been reports of two cars that had flipped over on route 4, but I was going in a completely different direction) and the police and a tow truck were working to get it out of the ditch. At times, I couldn't see which direction the road was going.... that wasn't fun at all. But I made it home safely.
To think of more snow next Sunday night doesn't make me happy at all. It's so cold we can't really enjoy playing in it, so that means I'm done with it.
Spring, please do your thing and make an early appearance this year!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
On Marriage
Today I was browsing Facebook when I got a message from an old friend. It said she needed to talk with me right away. She'd left her husband.
My heart sank.
Since we've been in touch over the last few months she's told me about how her marriage of seven years hasn't been all that she dreamed it would be. Now, I don't consider myself a marriage expert at all. All I really know is that it takes work by both people. At times it takes a lot of effort and at other times it just is right and easy.
Of course, I am just getting one side of the story from this friend and there are always two sides to a story. From what she tells me her husband is stuck in the 1940s or 50s where the wife does all the work and he sits in his favorite chair and watches the news or game. But it's not the 1940s and generally, both husband and wife work. When both people work it makes a wife feel like she's doing it all. Working, doing the household stuff and taking care of the kids. That's a lot on one person's plate.
Of course, I am a stay-at-home mum. I just work two days a week for maybe 10 hours total in a week. I do a lot around the house, but I consider that my full-time job. When we both worked, things were split down the middle as best as it could be. We both helped with washing and putting away the dishes, we both did the laundry and we both shared the cleaning of the house. Then there were things we did separately. Adam mowed the lawn and shoveled the driveway (while I can shovel the driveway, I can't start a lawn mower to save my life). I cooked the dinner and ironed the clothes. I've also always been the bookkeeper.
Then when I came to stay at home, things changed. Probably the only things Adam still does is mow the lawn, shovel the driveway and help put the dishes away. I do the rest. Like I said, I consider that my full-time job these days and I don't mind. When I really need help, I ask and I get it.
Before we got married we always said divorce was not an option. There is counseling, things can be worked out. We'd sort of laid out this plan, too. It was THE PLAN and in the original PLAN, I wasn't supposed to work at all while staying home, but things change and you adapt.
Now, all that said, things haven't always been all roses. There have been times I've been so frustrated with Adam and his idea of the floor being a "low shelf" on which he stored clean and dirty laundry that I wanted to scream at him. But I didn't. I'm sure he's been annoyed many a night when he comes home and finds that I haven't bothered to cook dinner and suggest he have a hot dog or sandwich. And I'm sure he's been annoyed on days when he goes to get dressed for work and can't find a shirt or pair of pants. But he's always been gentle with me, even to the point of wearing wrinkled clothes, much to my pure horror.
That said, it's not like we've never yelled or fought, but we have always been able to resolve things. In fact, our first fight about a dust pan being in the sink is now the biggest joke between us.
So it breaks my heart to know that my friend has given up. But I get that she's been talking to a wall for over seven years. I just hope things will sort themselves out. I want the best for both her and her husband and their little boy.
While the distance separates us, I am glad she was able to talk to me. I just hope I was a source of encouragement.
So after our conversation yesterday, I had this song running through my head. "Can you reach my friend, you're the only one who can. Lord, I know that you love her, help her understand...."
My heart sank.
Since we've been in touch over the last few months she's told me about how her marriage of seven years hasn't been all that she dreamed it would be. Now, I don't consider myself a marriage expert at all. All I really know is that it takes work by both people. At times it takes a lot of effort and at other times it just is right and easy.
Of course, I am just getting one side of the story from this friend and there are always two sides to a story. From what she tells me her husband is stuck in the 1940s or 50s where the wife does all the work and he sits in his favorite chair and watches the news or game. But it's not the 1940s and generally, both husband and wife work. When both people work it makes a wife feel like she's doing it all. Working, doing the household stuff and taking care of the kids. That's a lot on one person's plate.
Of course, I am a stay-at-home mum. I just work two days a week for maybe 10 hours total in a week. I do a lot around the house, but I consider that my full-time job. When we both worked, things were split down the middle as best as it could be. We both helped with washing and putting away the dishes, we both did the laundry and we both shared the cleaning of the house. Then there were things we did separately. Adam mowed the lawn and shoveled the driveway (while I can shovel the driveway, I can't start a lawn mower to save my life). I cooked the dinner and ironed the clothes. I've also always been the bookkeeper.
Then when I came to stay at home, things changed. Probably the only things Adam still does is mow the lawn, shovel the driveway and help put the dishes away. I do the rest. Like I said, I consider that my full-time job these days and I don't mind. When I really need help, I ask and I get it.
Before we got married we always said divorce was not an option. There is counseling, things can be worked out. We'd sort of laid out this plan, too. It was THE PLAN and in the original PLAN, I wasn't supposed to work at all while staying home, but things change and you adapt.
Now, all that said, things haven't always been all roses. There have been times I've been so frustrated with Adam and his idea of the floor being a "low shelf" on which he stored clean and dirty laundry that I wanted to scream at him. But I didn't. I'm sure he's been annoyed many a night when he comes home and finds that I haven't bothered to cook dinner and suggest he have a hot dog or sandwich. And I'm sure he's been annoyed on days when he goes to get dressed for work and can't find a shirt or pair of pants. But he's always been gentle with me, even to the point of wearing wrinkled clothes, much to my pure horror.
That said, it's not like we've never yelled or fought, but we have always been able to resolve things. In fact, our first fight about a dust pan being in the sink is now the biggest joke between us.
So it breaks my heart to know that my friend has given up. But I get that she's been talking to a wall for over seven years. I just hope things will sort themselves out. I want the best for both her and her husband and their little boy.
While the distance separates us, I am glad she was able to talk to me. I just hope I was a source of encouragement.
So after our conversation yesterday, I had this song running through my head. "Can you reach my friend, you're the only one who can. Lord, I know that you love her, help her understand...."
Monday, February 16, 2009
Mommy workouts and cute Ryan sayings
So this mommy wants to know how other moms find time to work out. I can never seem to find a good time. I'll take any advice I can get. It's like 9 p.m. and I am just now getting done all the stuff that I do. Ryan didn't nap today so there was no time for that. I'd love to take a walk outside, but it's too cold. So, how do you workout in the winter inside when you are always with the kids?
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Ryan asked to read The Hungry Caterpillar before bed tonight. We have nine other books we've checked out from the library, but each time we check this one out, we read it a lot. So, tonight we were going through the book and I was letting Ryan fill in the pauses in my sentences. "He ate through one...." and Ryan says, "apple." "He ate through two...." and Ryan says, "Mushrooms!" (if you've never read the book, the pictures are of pears. I couldn't stop laughing. Ryan laughed, too.
Then we get to the part of the book where he eats through everything under the sun. The second to last picture is of a muffin and what does Ryan say? You guessed right: mushroom! At least I could get how he could get a mushroom out of that one. What a funny kid.
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Ryan asked to read The Hungry Caterpillar before bed tonight. We have nine other books we've checked out from the library, but each time we check this one out, we read it a lot. So, tonight we were going through the book and I was letting Ryan fill in the pauses in my sentences. "He ate through one...." and Ryan says, "apple." "He ate through two...." and Ryan says, "Mushrooms!" (if you've never read the book, the pictures are of pears. I couldn't stop laughing. Ryan laughed, too.
Then we get to the part of the book where he eats through everything under the sun. The second to last picture is of a muffin and what does Ryan say? You guessed right: mushroom! At least I could get how he could get a mushroom out of that one. What a funny kid.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Da Boys
I love that you can see Tim's eyelashes really well in this photo!
Ryan always wants to take baths with Tim. He's getting better at playing with him in there rather than rushing me to get him out. Tim loves to splash at the drain.
Tim's official eighth month photo... almost a month late uploading it here.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Random things
- The other day a older guy with a white beard was dressed in a red ski suit. He looked like Santa. It was funny.
- WM: "Save Money. Live Better while our associates work themselves to death." (I'm not so happy with WM these days, if you couldn't guess. Adam is working himself silly because one of his associates has cancer, which is really sad, and is out indefinitely and they won't temporarily replace them. There are more projects on the way too. I'd like to see my husband this year.)
- I can't believe how big Tim is getting. We recently had to move him from a baby car seat to the "big boy" one. He loves it!
- I am ready for spring. I'm done seeing dirty snow.
- Ryan cracks me up. He makes me laugh out loud a lot. I love that he has a great imagination and uses it to create stories and play games.
- Tim now has a passport. It makes me want to pack up and go home to my parents for a month. I know Adam would miss us, but I'd like to see the sun and no more snow.
- I have lots of photos to post. I'll try to do that soon.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
An addition and a toll story
I was reminded today that I forgot to add someone I love to my 'N' list. That would be my brother Nathan. So I am adding to my list.
11. Nathan - The man who taught me the art of driving. He taught me the key rule when parking: "Go until you hear crunch." It works well :) The guy who bandaged my cut when I slid into third base unnecessarily. He's the one who taught me how to ride a bike, cheat at Monopoly and play Spades! He's been my friend and we've had lots of fun together through the years. He's an awesome guy who deserves a wonderful wife. Know anyone around 30 who would be a match?
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On a completely different note I went to Portland on Thursday. When we went to go through the tolls in Wells there was no one in the toll booth. For those who are familiar with Maine, you know that to get on the pike you need to pay $0.60. We used to have lines with baskets to put the money in, but recently those were replaced and are all EZ Pass Lanes. So if you want to pay cash you have to see a toll collector. Anyway, there was no toll collector there. Instead, a sign on the window read "Toll collector temporarily unavailable, please proceed with caution." I looked at the sign and was a bit puzzles, but did continue on to the pike. The guy behind me was equally puzzled and sat at the toll with his had out reading the sign. He proceeded really slowly.
As I drove down the pike I thought to myself... "I'm glad God is never temporarily unavailable."
11. Nathan - The man who taught me the art of driving. He taught me the key rule when parking: "Go until you hear crunch." It works well :) The guy who bandaged my cut when I slid into third base unnecessarily. He's the one who taught me how to ride a bike, cheat at Monopoly and play Spades! He's been my friend and we've had lots of fun together through the years. He's an awesome guy who deserves a wonderful wife. Know anyone around 30 who would be a match?
**********************************************************
On a completely different note I went to Portland on Thursday. When we went to go through the tolls in Wells there was no one in the toll booth. For those who are familiar with Maine, you know that to get on the pike you need to pay $0.60. We used to have lines with baskets to put the money in, but recently those were replaced and are all EZ Pass Lanes. So if you want to pay cash you have to see a toll collector. Anyway, there was no toll collector there. Instead, a sign on the window read "Toll collector temporarily unavailable, please proceed with caution." I looked at the sign and was a bit puzzles, but did continue on to the pike. The guy behind me was equally puzzled and sat at the toll with his had out reading the sign. He proceeded really slowly.
As I drove down the pike I thought to myself... "I'm glad God is never temporarily unavailable."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
My letter is 'N'
Val gave me the letter 'N.' I get to write a list of ten things I love that begin with this letter.
1. Nuts - I like just about all kinds. I love pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, psittacosis... the list goes on.
2. Nutella - need I say more? It's chocolately and nutty. Good stuff!
3. Naps - I especially love it when both boys nap at the same time and I can always drift off into nap land. I love getting that little refresher in the middle of the day.
4. Nike running shoes - of all the sneakers I have ever owned, Nike running shoes are my favs. I just got a new pair last week at Kohls on sale.... the only way I purchase Nike running shoes. I don't really run, but they are great for using on the treadmill and outdoors.
5. Notting Hill - I love this movie with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. It's so funny and so cute.
6. New Plymouth - It's the settlement on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas that we visit whenever we get a chance. I love how quiet it is and how people drive around in golf carts. It's here Adam proposed to me on the beach. It's the location of my favorite beach.
7. Navy - As in the color. I hate that it's our uniform at WM, but I like to wear the color all the same. I think it looks good on me.
8. NCIS - Like I've said before, I am addicted to this show and I am unavailable at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays for this reason. I've watched every season and ever episode (thank you Netflix) and know way too much about the characters and their lives in the show. Accidentally, our son Tim is named after Timothy McGee in the show. Wonder if he'll be a computer geek?
9. Netflix - I can queue up as many movies as I like and they just show up. It's $10 a month for unlimited entertainment. It's something Adam and I enjoy doing together. He likes coming up with movies he thinks I'll like and then sits me down to watch them. He LOVES it when I say, "Oh I've never seen X movie." And it shows up in the mail and I have to watch it. Netflix, worth the money and cheaper than going to the movies every weekend (like we once did).
10. Nana - Oh, what would we do without this lovely lady? She sends my kids surprises in the mail, spoils them when she's here and listens to me babble on about being a mommy. She is my mommy and we love Nana. She spoils me too :)
That's my list. Anyone else want a letter?
1. Nuts - I like just about all kinds. I love pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, psittacosis... the list goes on.
2. Nutella - need I say more? It's chocolately and nutty. Good stuff!
3. Naps - I especially love it when both boys nap at the same time and I can always drift off into nap land. I love getting that little refresher in the middle of the day.
4. Nike running shoes - of all the sneakers I have ever owned, Nike running shoes are my favs. I just got a new pair last week at Kohls on sale.... the only way I purchase Nike running shoes. I don't really run, but they are great for using on the treadmill and outdoors.
5. Notting Hill - I love this movie with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. It's so funny and so cute.
6. New Plymouth - It's the settlement on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas that we visit whenever we get a chance. I love how quiet it is and how people drive around in golf carts. It's here Adam proposed to me on the beach. It's the location of my favorite beach.
7. Navy - As in the color. I hate that it's our uniform at WM, but I like to wear the color all the same. I think it looks good on me.
8. NCIS - Like I've said before, I am addicted to this show and I am unavailable at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays for this reason. I've watched every season and ever episode (thank you Netflix) and know way too much about the characters and their lives in the show. Accidentally, our son Tim is named after Timothy McGee in the show. Wonder if he'll be a computer geek?
9. Netflix - I can queue up as many movies as I like and they just show up. It's $10 a month for unlimited entertainment. It's something Adam and I enjoy doing together. He likes coming up with movies he thinks I'll like and then sits me down to watch them. He LOVES it when I say, "Oh I've never seen X movie." And it shows up in the mail and I have to watch it. Netflix, worth the money and cheaper than going to the movies every weekend (like we once did).
10. Nana - Oh, what would we do without this lovely lady? She sends my kids surprises in the mail, spoils them when she's here and listens to me babble on about being a mommy. She is my mommy and we love Nana. She spoils me too :)
That's my list. Anyone else want a letter?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Kids say the cutest things...
Sometimes the things Ryan says just make me smile. He's expanding his vocabulary every day! Here are a few of the random things that have had me laughing or smiling at him recently.
"Hello Uncle Bince, you come over to my house and play with my new tool box? Okay, see you soon." (pretending to call his Uncle Vince to come over and play with him.)
"Mom, can I have one cookie? Not two cookies, just one cookie. Thanks." (as if I would give him two at a time, espeically for breakfast!)
"This is a big problem." (when a wheel to his truck fell off...the wheels are meant to be taken off and put back on)
"Stay out of the kitchen." (just a random thing he told me one day)
"Mom, this room does not have little potty for me." (speaking of the bathroom at the library).
"This orange juice is not right." (upon getting real oj instead of orange gatorade)
"Mom, I am two and you are eight." (he's just 20 years off)
"Memere is O.L.D!" (in response to my question "if I am eight, then how old is memere?)
"Put your big bum-bum right here." (asking me to sit in a specific chair...)
And one I'm glad he said at home and not in public...
"Tim has little penis. I have BIG penis." (how do you respond to that????)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Ten year reunion, my ear and da boys
My ten year high school reunion is this year. Plans are a bit slow for the big event, but I'm hoping it all comes together so I can be there to hang out with my old friends.
In the past few weeks my classmates have been posting photos from our high school days on Facebook. Today, I scanned a bunch and put them up there too. It's been fun watching them comment on the pictures. It brings back great memories. Life was so different thing... so carefree!
Ten years seems like ages ago, but most people look the same. I'll be thrilled to post photos of the actualy reunion.
In addition to posting photos on Facebook today, I also visited my second home. For those of you who don't know, I consider my doctor's office my second home. I swear I am there multiple times every month. I was just there last week for Tim's second flu shot and then I was there today. It was a follow up on my ear and all of the infections. Since seeing the ENT, things have been fairly good. My ear hurts some days, but nothing like before.
So I'm thinking I'm all good and she says my ear is still swollen inside. So, we're trying some new allergy medicine to see if it's related to my sinuses (which we red and runny today). If it's still swollen or giving me pain in the next few months, she'll send me to a TMJ specialist. I really hope I don't have TMJ. I don't have a lot of the symptoms, but I keep reading that it's different for everyone.
The kids have been fun the last few weeks. I have photos on the other computer to post of Ryan taking a sled ride. He took one ride and then insisted on pulling the sled himself. He brought in the newspaper on the sled.
Timothy is almost crawling. Some days I can't wait for him to walk and other days I keep telling myself that he's just fine when he's little and barely moving. He's getting creative, though. He likes the speakers on the surround sound system for the TV so he rolls over a few times and scoots over until he can reach it on the low shelf and pull it down. He also likes DVDs.... not good.
More photos soon... probably later this week on an afternoon when Adam isn't here playing WoW.
In the past few weeks my classmates have been posting photos from our high school days on Facebook. Today, I scanned a bunch and put them up there too. It's been fun watching them comment on the pictures. It brings back great memories. Life was so different thing... so carefree!
Ten years seems like ages ago, but most people look the same. I'll be thrilled to post photos of the actualy reunion.
In addition to posting photos on Facebook today, I also visited my second home. For those of you who don't know, I consider my doctor's office my second home. I swear I am there multiple times every month. I was just there last week for Tim's second flu shot and then I was there today. It was a follow up on my ear and all of the infections. Since seeing the ENT, things have been fairly good. My ear hurts some days, but nothing like before.
So I'm thinking I'm all good and she says my ear is still swollen inside. So, we're trying some new allergy medicine to see if it's related to my sinuses (which we red and runny today). If it's still swollen or giving me pain in the next few months, she'll send me to a TMJ specialist. I really hope I don't have TMJ. I don't have a lot of the symptoms, but I keep reading that it's different for everyone.
The kids have been fun the last few weeks. I have photos on the other computer to post of Ryan taking a sled ride. He took one ride and then insisted on pulling the sled himself. He brought in the newspaper on the sled.
Timothy is almost crawling. Some days I can't wait for him to walk and other days I keep telling myself that he's just fine when he's little and barely moving. He's getting creative, though. He likes the speakers on the surround sound system for the TV so he rolls over a few times and scoots over until he can reach it on the low shelf and pull it down. He also likes DVDs.... not good.
More photos soon... probably later this week on an afternoon when Adam isn't here playing WoW.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
100 things about me
So here's 1oo things you may or may not have known about me!
- I love Pizzeria Combos.
- I can eat an entire loaf of homemade white bread on my own.
- I love fishing, especially with my Uncle Carroll.
- I don't like it when people I don't know call me "hon" or "sweetie."
- I am addicted to NCIS. I am unavailable on Tuesday nights from 8 -9.
- I've always wanted to open my own restaurant and call it Mizpah's (after my grandmother).
- Emeralds are my favorite gem.
- I met George H. W. Bush at Walker's Point while I was a reporter.
- We used to own six guinea pigs.
- I miss driving my Saturn Vue.
- I enjoy working at Wal-Mart (I just get annoyed with the customers).
- I think everyone should have to work some sort of service job (waiter, cashier, receptionist) just so they know what it's like.
- My big toe is mammoth.
- I can quote many of the lines from the movie Cool Runnings.
- My favorite scene from from Cool Runnings is where they are naming the bobsled.
- I witnessed a car hit something on my way to deliver Ryan.
- I consider 13 a lucky number since it's my birth date.
- I don't like going to bed with dirty feet.
- I consider myself an excellent cook and I am offended when someone doesn't like something I make.
- I washed my husband's first cell phone.
- I washed my green iPod that my husband got me as a gift. (neither the iPod nor the phone survived).
- I once faked a sprained ankle to get out of P.E. (gym).
- I think it's fun to play in the snow.
- I like building snowmen.
- I ate salt and vinegar chips with ranch dip while pregnant with Ryan.
- I craved spoon fulls of mayo (but never ate it) while pregnant with Tim.
- I think it's hard to pick out good boy names.
- I hate it when I use the car and the gas light comes on (especially since I use it just twice a week).
- I have quite a few characters on World of Warcraft. My main (character) is named after a high school classmate.
- While trying to impress my husband on one of our first dates, I stepped on a ping-pong ball while attempting to stop it from rolling away (it didn't survive either).
- I used to play marbles in elementary school.
- I was the catcher on our high school girl's softball team.
- I've never been skiing.
- I've never been scuba diving.
- Driving is one of my favorite pastimes.
- My first drivers license had no photo and was laminated.
- I've never voted in a Bahamian election.
- I want to travel to Germany someday.
- A friend of mine took me for a ride in a city plow when I was a reporter so I could write a story about it.
- I enjoyed staying in the hospital after the kids were born. I was in no rush to get home either time.
- My first car was a K car.
- I have bad luck with cars and automatic transmissions.
- I've started a collection of Junkanoo dolls.
- I once bit into a piece of cracked conch and found a conch pearl.
- I had the conch pearl set into a ring.
- It's hard for me to keep gifts a secret.
- My favorite pair of shoes are my Danskos.
- I wish I had more than one pair of Danskos.
- I drove my husband's car (we weren't married yet) off the road in a snowstorm. It took an hour to get it out of the ditch. I also almost hit a utility pole. Thanks Julie!
- My part-time job at college required me to sort student and faculty mail.
- Adam and I have matching wedding bands.
- One of my favorite kids books is Mr. Popper's Penguins.
- My favorite chocolate bar is a Cadbury's Crunchie.
- The first CD I ever owned was Mariah Carey's Christmas Album. My brother gave it to me for a Christmas gift.
- My high school graduation gift was a Citizen Eco Drive watch. It died last year.
- Going to the British store in Freeport makes me feel like I'm a home.
- The only time I've been in Chicago was on the Bible and Culture trip my freshman year of college.
- I purchased six CDs at the HUGE Borders on that trip.
- Six CDs is the most I've ever purchased at one time.
- My best friend and I made up actions to the Christmas Song. It still makes me laugh.
- I used to get dizzy after having a vaccination or blood drawn.
- Needles don't bother me so much after my pregnancy with Ryan.
- Fall is my favorite season.
- I really like seafood.
- I've eaten squid and thought it wasn't so bad. I'd eat it again.
- I like baked stuffed lobster.
- I think Red Lobster makes the best fried shrimp.
- My favorite seafood is conch.
- I like catching triggerfish when I go fishing.
- I watched the Bone Collector the night before my wedding.
- The smell of cigar smoke reminds me of my Uncle Ross.
- I like the smell of pipe smoke.
- My favorite beach is in Green Turtle Cay.
- I can sing lots of commercial jingles.
- I sang commercial jingles to Adam on Sunday night when he was trying to go to sleep.
- The Real Men of Genius Budwiser commercials are some of my all time favorites.
- I still think the Dominos commercial for free cheesy bread is funny. "You're free cheesy bread. Free!"
- I used to play the piano.
- I used to play the piano for our youth group at church.
- My favorite classical music piece is Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.
- I think chocolate should be a food group.
- The farthest I've been away from home is when I went to Papua New Guinea.
- There was a massive tsunami while I was in Papua New Guinea, but we were on the other side of the island.
- One of my editors always pronounced the tsunami, "too sommy."
- I think it's an unwritten rule that all newspaper publishers have to be weird.
- I love taking photos.
- I wish I had more time to work on my photography skills.
- One of my professors in college did some sort of test on a peanut for Jimmy Carter in 1981.
- We still make fun of this professor because he always started his stories "Back in 1981, when I was in Atlanta..."
- I miss living close to St. Louis.
- I am the bookkeeper in the house.
- I know more about the eye than I ever thought possible.
- Our first apartment after we were married was infested with cave crickets.
- Big Daddy's and Shain's of Maine are my favorite ice cream shops. Ted Drewes comes in third.
- Homemade coconut ice cream is my favorite ice cream.
- I once had a fishing "pole" made out of a length of fishing line and a half of a clothes pin.
- I can still remember playing Raiders of the Lost Ark on our Atari.
- I often have pajama days with the kids. We all get a bath or shower and then put on clean pjs for the day. We go nowhere and it's awesome!
- My dad used to tickle my feet to get me to go to sleep at night.
- I still like it when someone touches my feet.
Monday, January 12, 2009
It keeps me up late
I haven't stayed up late on purpose for a long time. I have two boys who insist on getting up at the crack of dawn. I need my sleep. I like to sleep. I like lots of sleep.
But the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers is keeping me up well into the early morning. The kids bedtime and nap time are really my only times to read. I've devoured the first three books in record time for me.
Here's the thing you need to know. I wasn't interested in reading these books. I thought it was silly, just like I thought the whole Harry Potter craze was silly. When Adam and I saw the preview for the movie, we looked at each other and said, "nope." We do this with all previews. We either say "yes" or some version of "no" to determine if we will see a movie. We often disagree...
Just two months after the movie's release and here I am impatiently waiting for my friend Jenni to finish Breaking Dawn so I can read it too. (Jenni was the one to lend me Twilight and convince me to read the books). I also want to rent Twilight when it's available on Netflix.... March 22 according to the Stephanie Meyer website. I'm curious about how Bella's Lullaby sounds. I'm curious how certain aspects of the book play out in the movie.
I am also excited there will be other movies. I'm excited to see what Meyers writes next.
So this morning I typed Twilight into the search bar on Facebook and discovered there are some funny groups like "I wanna be a Cullen," "Because I read Twilight I have unrealistic expectations in Men," and "After reading Twilight human boys seems lacking." Jenni and I can't stop talking about it. I sense a girls night of lots of Twilight Saga talk.
And though I stayed up till well past my bedtime (giving me just 5ish hours of sleep last night) I am feeling okay. I know the boys will nap later and I can nap too... if there's time (there's laundry to do, a cake to bake, dinner to make.... you know the usual). Because Jenni is probably not done with the last book, I can go to bed early.
Breaking Dawn will probably keep me up late the night it comes home in Adam's work bag!
But the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers is keeping me up well into the early morning. The kids bedtime and nap time are really my only times to read. I've devoured the first three books in record time for me.
Here's the thing you need to know. I wasn't interested in reading these books. I thought it was silly, just like I thought the whole Harry Potter craze was silly. When Adam and I saw the preview for the movie, we looked at each other and said, "nope." We do this with all previews. We either say "yes" or some version of "no" to determine if we will see a movie. We often disagree...
Just two months after the movie's release and here I am impatiently waiting for my friend Jenni to finish Breaking Dawn so I can read it too. (Jenni was the one to lend me Twilight and convince me to read the books). I also want to rent Twilight when it's available on Netflix.... March 22 according to the Stephanie Meyer website. I'm curious about how Bella's Lullaby sounds. I'm curious how certain aspects of the book play out in the movie.
I am also excited there will be other movies. I'm excited to see what Meyers writes next.
So this morning I typed Twilight into the search bar on Facebook and discovered there are some funny groups like "I wanna be a Cullen," "Because I read Twilight I have unrealistic expectations in Men," and "After reading Twilight human boys seems lacking." Jenni and I can't stop talking about it. I sense a girls night of lots of Twilight Saga talk.
And though I stayed up till well past my bedtime (giving me just 5ish hours of sleep last night) I am feeling okay. I know the boys will nap later and I can nap too... if there's time (there's laundry to do, a cake to bake, dinner to make.... you know the usual). Because Jenni is probably not done with the last book, I can go to bed early.
Breaking Dawn will probably keep me up late the night it comes home in Adam's work bag!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Smiles
Tim loves to smile. I can't believe how big he's getting.
He's so good at sitting up by himself and recently started army crawling. He also gets up on his hands and knees, but isn't sure what to do next. Crawling is on the way.
Ryan loves Winnie the Pooh too!
Pooh and my two boys. Ryan really wanted his photo taken too and I had to agree to it. This is the first time he's sat next to him without getting upset that he'll be in the photo too. We're making progress!
And our New Year's photo at my brother-in-law's house.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Gnomes
I hate it when the gnomes come to our house and take things we need. Like today I was going to vacuum the floors and there's a part of the vacuum missing. I asked Ryan if he knew where it was, but he had no clue. I searched through toys and under things.... things that are all cluttered up because we have no space. It doesn't help that I am already grry. I ended up borrowing the vacuum from upstairs. I don't even know if you can replace the part that's missing. I wish the gnomes would just leave me alone and that our little space in the basement would just magically clean itself!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Tim's growing up
Timothy is growing quickly. He's getting better at sitting up on his own and no longer needs something behind him incase he falls over. He even scoots around these days. He is good at going backward, turning around and has figured out do a tiny bit of army crawling. I'm not ready for full out crawling yet. I kind of just want him to stay little.
The funniest thing is that he really, really wants to eat our food. He has zero teeth, which makes it so funny to watch. We've always known he's wanted to eat our food since the day he stole my bacon at breakfast with my parents. The other day Ryan left his banana in Timothy's reach and he ate quite a bit of it. And this week Timothy ate some bread, turkey and bacon from my turkey club sandwich.
At his last visit with the doctor Tim was 17 lbs 5oz and just about 28 inches long. He's tall and easily fits into 12 month clothes. I fear it won't be long before we get into 18 month stuff. We've even had to dig out bigger socks from Ryan's old stuff. He's only got one more inch and then he can transition to the big car seat.
It's lots of fun watching him grow, but I wouldn't mind it if he stayed little for awhile.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Christmas 08
Here's a quick review of our Christmas.
Christmas Eve
We traveled to New Hampshire to spend Christmas with our friends (and Ryan's Godparents) Vince and Kristin. We ate a lovely seafood stew for dinner with some really yummy herb bread. There was dessert, but I was so full I never tasted it. Ryan insisted on opening gifts. Kristin decided it would be good to let him open one. It was a sippy cup. Ryan said he didn't want it and was completely uninterested in opening gifts after that.
Christmas Day
Breakfast, church and present opening filled the morning. We played in the snow and with the kids in the basement until it was time to cook dinner. Dinner was yummy and we were all so sleepy we went to bed early. Ryan LOVED opening every one's gifts, including his gifts. Little did he know there were more to come. Ryan didn't want to leave his Uncle Vince. He thinks Vince is the most awesome person, which is great. We know we can leave him with them and he'll always be happy and fine.
Boxing Day
My friend and former high school maths teacher, Tom Barkley, came to visit. We had a nice time catching up. When he left Ryan was so excited to open the rest of the gifts under the tree. He opened every one's gifts again and didn't want to go to bed. He's particularly in love with his new road that Nana and Papa got him, his travel auto repair shop and his tool box. Tim got a new buddy (so he can leave Ryan's beloved Paws alone). He was picked out by Ryan at Build-a-Bear. He's black and his name is Duke. Tim thinks he's great. Ryan holds him sometimes for Tim. It's really cute.
And now for the ear update...
I saw the ENT today... he says the swelling in my ear will go away in one week if I just take some ibuprofen. I am not convinced, but will try it anyway. He says the pain I feel is from swelling from the last infection. He was nice and all, but I'm just not convinced. The pain is intense and ibuprofen doesn't do anything for it. Sigh.
And I tried to add photos, but blogger wasn't interested in letting me do that. They are on Facebook for those of you who have that. The rest of you will have to wait. Sorry!
Christmas Eve
We traveled to New Hampshire to spend Christmas with our friends (and Ryan's Godparents) Vince and Kristin. We ate a lovely seafood stew for dinner with some really yummy herb bread. There was dessert, but I was so full I never tasted it. Ryan insisted on opening gifts. Kristin decided it would be good to let him open one. It was a sippy cup. Ryan said he didn't want it and was completely uninterested in opening gifts after that.
Christmas Day
Breakfast, church and present opening filled the morning. We played in the snow and with the kids in the basement until it was time to cook dinner. Dinner was yummy and we were all so sleepy we went to bed early. Ryan LOVED opening every one's gifts, including his gifts. Little did he know there were more to come. Ryan didn't want to leave his Uncle Vince. He thinks Vince is the most awesome person, which is great. We know we can leave him with them and he'll always be happy and fine.
Boxing Day
My friend and former high school maths teacher, Tom Barkley, came to visit. We had a nice time catching up. When he left Ryan was so excited to open the rest of the gifts under the tree. He opened every one's gifts again and didn't want to go to bed. He's particularly in love with his new road that Nana and Papa got him, his travel auto repair shop and his tool box. Tim got a new buddy (so he can leave Ryan's beloved Paws alone). He was picked out by Ryan at Build-a-Bear. He's black and his name is Duke. Tim thinks he's great. Ryan holds him sometimes for Tim. It's really cute.
And now for the ear update...
I saw the ENT today... he says the swelling in my ear will go away in one week if I just take some ibuprofen. I am not convinced, but will try it anyway. He says the pain I feel is from swelling from the last infection. He was nice and all, but I'm just not convinced. The pain is intense and ibuprofen doesn't do anything for it. Sigh.
And I tried to add photos, but blogger wasn't interested in letting me do that. They are on Facebook for those of you who have that. The rest of you will have to wait. Sorry!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Ready
I am so ready to see that ENT tomorrow. The pain in my ear is insane. It's like giving birth in my ear... not fun. I hate that I've been living off of pain killers since Tuesday... I've been sleeping a lot, but that doesn't seem to help. The pain is still there when I wake up. It's only dulled a little by the painkillers from the doc, but it's better than feeling like someone is stabbing me in my ear. Sigh.
I promise to post more happy Christmas stuff after this ear is feeling better. Promise.
I promise to post more happy Christmas stuff after this ear is feeling better. Promise.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A Christmas Good, Bad and Ugly post
The good: It didn't snow like this today. Yay!
The bad: The coconut fudge didn't quite come out right. It still tastes good, but I think it's a keep at home dessert.
The ugly: I went to my second home again today (that's the doctor's office). My ear is not better. It's still all swollen and has "goop" all stuck to the eardrum. I get to see an Ear, Nose and Throat doc on Monday. It's frustrating... it's like having a fairly new car that you take care of and it just keeps breaking down and costing you money. Grr! For now I take some super pain meds and some steroids. Just what I always wanted for Christmas.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The First Noel
We missed church this morning. Thanks to another snowstorm and yet another earache we stayed home. There were pretty much whiteout conditions all day (more about that tomorrow) so we were playing it safe by staying home. I was really sad to miss this Sunday. I like the Sunday before Christmas. I like the Christmas Eve service too.
Adam was probably breathing a sigh of relief. After all, he had no tears to wipe up with his scarf this morning during the singing of certain Christmas carols.
Since Adam and I have been married we’ve spent all six Christmas holidays with his family. I have longed to be with my family and spend a Christmas showing him our Bahamian traditions. I’d love to take him to Junkanoo, to see the Police Band play, to a Christmas Cantata and to the Live Manger scene at church. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult, yea, impossible, to get time off at this time of the year when you work for a certain company. We’ve never been able to spend that Christmas in the Bahamas.
The first year of our marriage we went to church on Christmas Eve just like we always do now. I love Christmas carols. I could sing them with the best of the best. I can sing the harmony and all the special do da’s that go with them. We started to sing Joy to the World at the end of the service and I cried my little eyes out. Of course, Adam wanted to know what was wrong. He understood missing my family and was very gentle and comforting about the whole situation.
I figured that each year being away from my family at Christmastime would get easier. Each year we’d build on our own traditions and our Christmas holidays in our family would become special and the norm.
But I think each year gets harder. I long to be with my family more. I keep wishing that I had just that one more Christmas with my parents (they wont’ be around forever). Now that we have children, I want the boys to see what Christmas is like in the Bahamas. I don’t want Junaknoo, the police band and other items to just be stories that I tell them.
This Christmas Eve will be a bit different. Ryan’s Godparents have asked us to spend Christmas with them. Instead of being at church we will be on the road (provided the forecast is correct). On Christmas morning we will be in church. I will be prepared. Not only will I have Adam’s scarf to wipe my tears into, I will also have a package of tissues, used especially for the carol The First Noel.
Why The First Noel? Well, the year we were married I started working on a family history book. It was about my dad’s family and what their life was like for them growing up. My Aunt Gloria wrote to me about memories she had of her father (my Pa Ernest, whom I never met) while growing up. In it she wrote, “He also enjoyed a drink occasionally, and I remember once during a midnight Christmas Eve carol service at the Anglican church he staggered in and sat down. He wasn't the only man who had had one drink too many, and the man behind him leaned forward during a lull in the singing of The First Noel and said to him in a voice all the church could hear, ‘You hear that ol' Ern, no hell, no hell.’"
I can easily make it through the first verse and maybe the first “Noel, noel” before choking up. I know it’s a silly thing to choke up on, but it’s a memory, one connected to my family who I miss dearly during the Christmas season.
There are other Christmas carols that make me tear up, all for different reasons. They are all associated with different stories that remind me of my childhood. Like I can hear my brother singing “While Shepherds washed their socks at night…” Once we were singing O Holy Night and I was wearing socks with many holes in them. Silent Night is the first song I learned all the signs to in sign language. Once in Royal David’s City is a super favorite of mine. While working at the Christian Book Shop, we sang Christmas carols before devotions and we could really mess some up like Angles from the Realms of Glory.
Christmas carols are a big part of my Christmas. I love to sing these songs that tell of the birth of Christ.
While I anticipate celebrating that First Noel with my children, husband and dear friends, I will be missing my family. I’ll be missing those good old times with friends and co-workers too.
Maybe next year we’ll spend Christmas together. And without tears I’ll be able to sing that final verse of this beautiful carol (which I think sums up why we celebrate Christmas).
“Then let us all with one accord, sing praises to our Heavenly Lord
Who hath made Heaven and earth of naught and with his blood mankind has bough.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel. Born is the King of Israel!”
Adam was probably breathing a sigh of relief. After all, he had no tears to wipe up with his scarf this morning during the singing of certain Christmas carols.
Since Adam and I have been married we’ve spent all six Christmas holidays with his family. I have longed to be with my family and spend a Christmas showing him our Bahamian traditions. I’d love to take him to Junkanoo, to see the Police Band play, to a Christmas Cantata and to the Live Manger scene at church. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult, yea, impossible, to get time off at this time of the year when you work for a certain company. We’ve never been able to spend that Christmas in the Bahamas.
The first year of our marriage we went to church on Christmas Eve just like we always do now. I love Christmas carols. I could sing them with the best of the best. I can sing the harmony and all the special do da’s that go with them. We started to sing Joy to the World at the end of the service and I cried my little eyes out. Of course, Adam wanted to know what was wrong. He understood missing my family and was very gentle and comforting about the whole situation.
I figured that each year being away from my family at Christmastime would get easier. Each year we’d build on our own traditions and our Christmas holidays in our family would become special and the norm.
But I think each year gets harder. I long to be with my family more. I keep wishing that I had just that one more Christmas with my parents (they wont’ be around forever). Now that we have children, I want the boys to see what Christmas is like in the Bahamas. I don’t want Junaknoo, the police band and other items to just be stories that I tell them.
This Christmas Eve will be a bit different. Ryan’s Godparents have asked us to spend Christmas with them. Instead of being at church we will be on the road (provided the forecast is correct). On Christmas morning we will be in church. I will be prepared. Not only will I have Adam’s scarf to wipe my tears into, I will also have a package of tissues, used especially for the carol The First Noel.
Why The First Noel? Well, the year we were married I started working on a family history book. It was about my dad’s family and what their life was like for them growing up. My Aunt Gloria wrote to me about memories she had of her father (my Pa Ernest, whom I never met) while growing up. In it she wrote, “He also enjoyed a drink occasionally, and I remember once during a midnight Christmas Eve carol service at the Anglican church he staggered in and sat down. He wasn't the only man who had had one drink too many, and the man behind him leaned forward during a lull in the singing of The First Noel and said to him in a voice all the church could hear, ‘You hear that ol' Ern, no hell, no hell.’"
I can easily make it through the first verse and maybe the first “Noel, noel” before choking up. I know it’s a silly thing to choke up on, but it’s a memory, one connected to my family who I miss dearly during the Christmas season.
There are other Christmas carols that make me tear up, all for different reasons. They are all associated with different stories that remind me of my childhood. Like I can hear my brother singing “While Shepherds washed their socks at night…” Once we were singing O Holy Night and I was wearing socks with many holes in them. Silent Night is the first song I learned all the signs to in sign language. Once in Royal David’s City is a super favorite of mine. While working at the Christian Book Shop, we sang Christmas carols before devotions and we could really mess some up like Angles from the Realms of Glory.
Christmas carols are a big part of my Christmas. I love to sing these songs that tell of the birth of Christ.
While I anticipate celebrating that First Noel with my children, husband and dear friends, I will be missing my family. I’ll be missing those good old times with friends and co-workers too.
Maybe next year we’ll spend Christmas together. And without tears I’ll be able to sing that final verse of this beautiful carol (which I think sums up why we celebrate Christmas).
“Then let us all with one accord, sing praises to our Heavenly Lord
Who hath made Heaven and earth of naught and with his blood mankind has bough.
“Noel, noel, noel, noel. Born is the King of Israel!”
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