Peanut Butter and Jelly

The Absence of Sibling Rivalry

2011-10-17T14:33:00.001-07:00

It may be because Peanut is so much older than the Princess, or it may just be that she is not old enough to really annoy him yet, but my children actually get along so far.
It is a beautiful thing to watch them play together every day. Peanut shares his toys with her and Princess happily plays with all of his cars and batman action figures. They play ball together, and today they played peek-a-boo for nearly 1/2 an hour. It was super sweet. I love this and I hope they stay friends forever. I know it is too much to ask, but I can dream.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Baby is Mobile

2011-10-04T22:26:00.001-07:00

It's official. I should be losing my last ten pounds rather quickly now, since I have to chase around two kids instead of one. Libby has started to crawl.

Crawling is not a bad thing. It's what crawling leads to that I don't much care for. You see, crawling means Libby will be bashing her face into things... Like the giant brick hearth in the living room.
Crawling means Libby will be eating new things... Like Peanut's leftover food items that somehow got from the kitchen table to under the couch. Or leaves from house plants. Or dust. Or bugs. Now, keep in mind I keep a VERY clean house, but if it is on the floor, Libby's mouth will find it.

Crawling means I can no longer set her down on the floor to play while I use the bathroom, and expect her to be in the same place upon my return 15 seconds later.

But most of all, crawling means my princess is getting bigger and developing more and more every day, and I love every second of it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

For the love of Coach!

2011-09-17T21:31:00.001-07:00

Sometimes a mommy has to do something nice for herself. Really nice. Sometimes I just feel so frumpy and gross. Stuck in clothes that are either too big or too small, wearing flip flops and tank tops and messy hair. Dragging two fantastically beautiful kids around everywhere I go.

Now, I am not a super materialistic person, and I'm definitely not a fashionista, but I really love me some Coach.

Anything Coach. Purses, sunglasses, shoes... Everything. I don't really have a lot of Coach accessories because they are outrageously expensive, but the few things I do have make me super happy. They make me feel like a grown-up. Like I am worthy to like and carry something not baby-related. It's wonderful.

But expensive. Quite pricey, really. Almost more than I can afford. My darling husband hates it. "It's just a purse," he says. "You could buy 10 purses at Walmart and 10 more at Target for the same price as one Coach bag!"

Which is NOT true. And why would I need 20 bags, when one good bag is so worth it! I love the smell and softness of the leather. I love the sophisticated look and the sleek style and metal hardware. It's a whole bunch of happiness stuffed in to one lovely bag. Aaahhhh! Awesome.

Erm, where was I going with this post? I have no idea, but I just wanted to thank Coach for making my day :-)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Post surgery...

2011-09-08T17:43:00.001-07:00

This past Tuesday I underwent a minor surgical procedure that has landed me on bed rest for a couple of days. No big deal, except I am not very good at resting. I find it extremely over rated. Possibly because I do not get to rest very often, so I have subconsciously blocked the very idea from my mind.

I slept on Tuesday after surgery, but since then I have been cleaning, doing laundry and playing with the children as usual.

Two hours ago I managed to send them over to their grandparents' house because I was feeling pretty sore and tired. I thought, "OK, I am going to give in and rest."

Since then I have been laying in bed, restless. Reading, writing, blogging; anything but sleeping.
What the heck is wrong with me??? On top of it all, I miss the kids. I miss their screaming and laughing and squealing and running... Well, one of them running, anyway. It has only been two hours. What a sap I have turned out to be.

How does one learn to cherish child-free moments when their very faces bring such utter joy?

I'm going to try again to take a little nap, because I really am quite sore. I know they will run through the door as soon as I fall asleep, however, and all will be right with the world.

Mobile Blogging

2011-09-02T22:09:00.001-07:00

Well, I finally found an app that will let me blog from my phone, since that is pretty much all I use to get online these days. I have indeed missed my blog, and there is so much to talk about now that Libby has made her debut, but it is so hard to find time to write. Hopefully this will help. Meanwhile, this is a little smidge of the joy in my life. Isn't she precious?
Her big brother (and everyone else) adores her. She is quite the little darling. And to think, I was afraid to have a girl.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hiking with the Family

2011-04-28T11:55:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we finally got some lovely weather out here and I took the kids hiking. I also managed to drag along my mother, her husband, and my two brothers. Peanut and Princess had a great time, and I think the family did, too, despite whining and complaining the entire time about how tired and out of shape they were. I had to remind them a few times that hiking is a great workout and if I could do it after having a baby, they most certainly could as well.

Easter Re-cap

2011-04-27T09:44:00.001-07:00

I had to work this Easter, as usual, but I managed to get a picture of Peanut after he colored his Easter Eggs the night before. I also managed to get a picture of my angels after I got home from work when they were all dressed up. I missed all of the morning festivities and Daddy did not take any pictures, of course, so I can only imagine how sweet it was to watch Peanut open his Easter basket. Ah well; just one of the many sacrifices I have to make to make sure these babies have the best life I can give them. Hope everyone had a great Easter!

Tummy Time

2011-04-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Princess Libby hates it. Period. So did Peanut when he was a baby. I don't know why; they both had toys and a play mat and a mirror... everything you are supposed to have to make tummy time an enjoyable experience. I get down on her level, we have great music going. I do not know what else I can do. To her credit, Princess can last about 15-20 minutes now before she totally melts down. She has great head control and looks around and scoots around for quite some time before demanding to be turned on her back, so I can't really complain, but mostly she just hangs out and eats her fingers. It just seems like when my brothers and sisters were little they would play for hours on their bellies. Is it just my kids, or do all little ones hate tummy time?

My Beautiful Babies

2011-04-21T20:56:00.001-07:00

There is nothing better than coming home from a very long day of work and karate than hearing a sweet, sweet four year old calling my name (Mommy) as I step out of the car. I came home to a hug and a happy boy and a pretty baby girl ready to eat and a great husband watching over my babies. What a fabulous family! I am very lucky indeed!

2011-04-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

And Now There Are Four

2011-04-20T15:02:00.001-07:00

Well, seeing as I have not posted in eight months, you'd think I would have something to talk about. Life has been totally insane, and while I am sure nobody even checks to see if I have posted anything anymore, I am going to put it out there anyway.

After and long and grueling pregnancy (did I ever mention how I despise being pregnant?), we have added a lovely little lady to our tiny family. Libby made her appearance in late January and has been running the house ever since. She has been adamantly against sleeping on her own, and despite my insistence that I have a nursery because I would not be cosleeping with this baby, guess where she is? Yes, my bed. And I am not too sad about it. After a brief (two month) struggle to get her to sleep by herself, sleeping in the living room and waking up every 1 1/2 hours (max), I finally caved and took her to bed with me one night. We woke up seven hours later when my alarm clock went off telling me it was time to get ready for work. I had not slept seven hours straight since months before she was born. It was beautiful! She will now sleep a lovely 10 hours straight, with a feeding at about 4am. And I was against cosleeping... why? Oh, I remember! Because in a few months I will be relentlessly kicked in the head, face, back, stomach, legs, etc, by a flailing infant. It was the same way with Peanut. I have no reason to believe this young lady, as dainty as she is, will sleep quietly. Oh yeah, plus I miss my husband, who sleeps on the couch or in Peanut's room most nights because he is afraid of squashing the baby, or something. I must admit, however, that cosleeping is an extremely effective form of birth control...

Well, Peanut loves his little sister. She smiles at him when he is dancing around like a crazy man and he loves to just look at her. He always wants to be next to her. He is not overtly jealous, but to my extreme dismay, he has fallen into a phase where he either cries or screams at me when he does not get his way. He routinely melts down and I am at a loss for what to do. My once well behaved young man has become one of "those" kids I cannot stand. He is still my little angel somewhere in there, and remembers his manners most of the time, but sometimes the demon comes out and it breaks my heart. I, the mommy who did not have to endure the terrible twos or threes, or anything of the sort, have found myself with a terrible four. In actuality he is not even particularly terrible, but we are talking about the boy who's first words were please and thank you. I have found myself giving more time-outs than I thought possible. Have I ruined my son by having another child? I hope not, seeing as there is not much I can do about it.

Alas, the princess is calling for her afternoon snack, so further thoughts will have to wait... 'til next time!

Ultra Sound Picture

2010-08-18T12:05:00.001-07:00

Here is a pic of the little bugger (from about 6 weeks ago). I finally got it scanned in!

16 Weeks Is Pretty Good, Except for the Fat Part

2010-08-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well, now that the fetus only makes me throw up at random intervals throughout the week, I have been in a much better space. I can function at an almost normal capacity and this morning I even made dinner ahead of time for the family since I will be working tonight. They should be totally stoked they do not have to have pizza or burritos for dinner... again.

I am feeling much better, but I still honestly cannot say that I enjoy pregnancy. As I have mentioned, I am very happy for the outcome, but the means of growth and arrival are not my cup of tea. That said, I seem to be having a much better time of it than I did last time.

However, the worst is now upon me. Even more than being sick, I hate the weight gain. I dread getting on the scale every day, knowing that the numbers will only be going up and up for the next several months. Ugh. After I worked so darn hard (twice) to make it all go away. I know it is for a good cause, but I hate it. What's worse, it seems like every other pregnant chick I see only has a big belly. Why do my legs and butt have to be getting huge, too??? I have been walking and still going to karate twice a week, but it is not good enough.

Honestly, it is depressing. I am so lucky to have my very good husband who tells me I am beautiful every day. He is definitely lying, but nice of him to try to make me feel better.

Anyway, that is the end of my pregnancy rant, for now. I will try my best to enjoy my miracle as it grows; I so look forward to holding it in my arms instead of my guts!

Preschool and Other News

2010-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has once again been forever since I have even looked at my blog. What a terrible blogger I have turned out to be. Life, however, has been busy.

Peanut started Preschool last month and he adores it! He loves hanging out with all the other kids. What Mommy does not like is that he is around other kids! Yes, he is learning to be social and share and get along with others, but he is also learning to spit and hit and call people names. Ugh! I cannot stand it. My well-mannered, nice little boy is turning into one of the little monsters he goes to school with. It is incredibly frustrating to me to have to spend every afternoon reminding him that we do not do what other little kids do. What's worse, I have seen some other kids be incredibly mean to him. What are parents teaching their kids??? I took Peanut to the classroom one morning and he walked up to this one little boy and said, "Hi, I'm Paul. Want to play Legos?" And this kid says, "Get away from me!!" Poor Peanut does not know what to do, so he just walks away. Seriously? How rude.

A few weeks ago was Teddy Bear Week, and the kids are supposed to bring their favorite teddy bears. Well, Paul's favorite stuffed animal is a dog, so he brought it. This kid looks at him and says, "That's not even a Teddy Bear." Then looks at this other kid and says, "Come on, let's play somewhere else." I mean, how mean is that? These are preschool kids; aren't they supposed to be sweet little guys?

Am I overreacting? It breaks my heart to see that crap. Peanut gets along with several of the kids and is always having a great time when I go to pick him up, but the fact that he has to put up with little punk kids at any point in his three year old life makes me so sad!

If you have advice or opinions on this, please feel free to comment. Maybe I am being too sensitive...

Hmm, let's see... Anything else going on?
Oh yes, In January we will be welcoming a new addition to the family. Baby D. will be joining the family. We are very excited, but I must admit, I am not a very good pregnant woman! I dislike being sick and tired and unable to exercise or cook or clean my house.... Yes, I actually like to clean my house...

Anyway, every female I know is always telling me how wonderful her pregnancy was and how she loved being pregnant so everyone could pamper her. I do not want to be pampered. I want to go to karate and kick ass, then come home and have dinner and wash the dishes. Instead this baby has taken every last reserve of energy I have. My house is a mess and I have not been to karate in a week.

I am sick all day, and if I am not sick... oh wait, I am NEVER not sick!
Every food item is repulsive, including water. Every smell makes me gag and the mere thought of picking up the living room or folding laundry makes me sleepy.
I am hoping this part is over soon. So does the family. I have not cooked a proper meal in two months; these guys are definitely not starving, but there is a little too much pizza in this house lately!

That said, I am very happy we are going to have a baby around the house again. We told Peanut last night, but I do not think he quite gets it yet. He thought we were joking and laughed and laughed when we said mommy has a baby in her tummy. However, he absolutely refuses to let go of the ultrasound picture he found. Very cute.

Anyway, time to force myself to wash the dishes and straighten up. Laundry is calling...

On Marriage...

2010-05-05T08:56:00.001-07:00

OK, I know I said I was going to post more regularly, but honestly, there is not anything to write about. I mean, I could talk about the boring stuff, like how I painted all the doors in my house yesterday and have to continue working on the house and yard today. Or I could talk about how I was at the mall last week and saw this super adorable Coach Purse I absolutely just HAD to have, but then realized I was totally broke and could not ever afford it. Or I could talk about how my three year old son wants to marry me... oh wait, yes, let's talk about that.

So, Peanut has been on this kick that he needs to marry me. It started a few nights ago when we were getting ready for bed. Peanut stated, "Mom, I do not want to sleep in my bed. Let's sleep in your bed."
Me: No, I am going to put you to sleep in your bed tonight.
Peanut: Fine, then I am not going to marry you.
Me: That's fine. I am already married, anyway.

Yesterday:
Peanut: Mom, let's get married
Me: What do you know about getting married? What do married people do?
Peanut: They read lots and lots of books together. Books like Frog And Toad. (Peanut's favorite book)
Me: We can read books together anyway.
Peanut: OK, let's read books.

Last night:
Peanut: You get married if you love somebody mom.
Me: Yes, I suppose you do.
Peanut: So I am going to marry you and Daddy and Uncle James and Grandpa and Grandma. That's everyone I love.
Me: You do not have to marry someone just because you love them. You have to have the right person and the right situation. Preferably someone not related to you, and closer to your age.
Peanut: Hmmm. OK, can we play Scrabble?
Me: Yes, son. We can play Scrabble.

So, how do you explain to kids about marriage? Where did my three year old even get any information about marriage? He obviously understands people who love each other get married, but that is the extent of it. How do you explain the rest? Do I even bother right now? Do I just go along with it until he is older, or do I continue to try to explain why we can't get married?

Easter Egg Hunting... again and again and again.

2010-04-08T09:09:00.001-07:00

Peanut likes to find Easter Eggs. We have been hiding and re-hiding plastic eggs for days since Easter. Since it was raining and cold on Easter Sunday and the next few days after, we have been hiding eggs in the house. Here are some pics from Peanut's egg hunts:

Isshinryu Karate

2010-04-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

I have been in karate for eight months now, and it is the single best thing I have ever done for myself. Talk about confidence-building! Not that I was not confident before, but now we are talking improved self esteem, self-worth, attitude, courage, balance, fitness... everything! The style is Isshinryu, the school is Joslin's East West Karate. For anyone in my area, the school is very popular and if you ever thought about the martial arts, this is a fabulous place to start. Everyone is friendly and encouraging, but at the same time, serious about passing along this art. I can't say enough good about this school and staff.

HISTORY of ISSHINRYU:
Isshin-ryu was founded by one of the great karate masters, Tatsuo Shimabuku, and is derived from several of the other, older classical styles.
Master Tatsuo Shimabuku, began learning karate at the age of 14 and devoted the rest of his life to its study and teaching. For 26 years he studied the other styles, Shuri-te, Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu, each one under the master of its style.

Master Shimabuku took the best of each style, improved it and founded Isshin-ryu. From Master Motobu, Master of Shuri-te, he took the kumite; from Master Kiyan, Master of Shorin, he took the Kata and added improvements; from Master Miyagi, Master of Goju, he took Sanchin, the basis of all Okinawan karate.

Isshin-ryu, with roots going back 500 years, is a postwar development, modernized to meet the needs of today's world. It was founded in the 50's and has been taught ever since to American Marines stationed in Okinawa.

Shimabuku's reputation throughout Okinawa had reached its peak when WorldWar II struck the island. A business man as well as a karate teacher, the sensei's small manufacturing plant was completely demolished and he was bankrupt almost from the war's outset. He did his best to avoid conscription to the Japanese Army by escaping to the countryside where he worked as a farmer. As the situation grew more and more desperate for the Japanese and as the need to press the Okinawans into service became urgent, he was forced to flee.

As his reputation in karate spread among the Japanese, many soldiers began a thorough search as they wanted to study karate under him. The officers who finally caught up with him agreed to keep the secret of his whereabouts if he would teach them karate; it was in this manner that Master Shimabuku survived the war.

After the war, his business ruined and little chance of earning a living by teaching karate on the war-ravaged island, Master Shimabuku returned to farming and practiced karate privately for his own spiritual repose and physical exercise. Throughout Okinawa, he was recognized as the island's leading practitioner of both Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu Karate.

In the early nineteen fifties, the sensei began to consider the idea of combining the various styles into one standard system. He could forsee the problems that were developing out of the differences among styles; he sagely concluded that a unification or synthesis of styles would enhance the growth of karate.

He consulted with the aged masters on the island, and with the heads of the leading schools. At first there was general agreement, but later his idea met resistance as the leaders of the various schools began to fear loss of identity and position. Sensei Shimabuku decided to go ahead on his own; thus Isshin-ryu Karate was born. On May 30,1975, Master Shimabuku passed away, leaving a legacy to the world of karate, and to all the future Isshin-Ryu students.

Mizu Gami

Isshinryu Symbol

One day after working very hard creating Isshin-ryu, Master Shimabuku fell asleep. He dreamed that a man came into his dojo and challenged him. He declined the challenge saying he was a gentleman and did not fight unless necessary. Then a figure appeared over the man, that of a dragon. The dragon spit fire all around the Master. As the ring of fire drew closer, a figure appeared over Master Shimabuku, and put out the fire. The figure was that of Mizu-Gami (Water Goddess).
Master Shimabuku felt this "vision" depicted the "mold" that he wanted to fashion Isshinryu after. There is some symbolism in the visual representation of Mizu-Gami.
The three stars are his three instructors, Masters Kiyan, Motobu and Miyagi. The dragon is the dragon that spit the fire at Master Shimabuku. (It is interesting to note that Master Shimabuku's first name "Tatsuo" means "Dragon"). One of the hands on the figure is raised in the universal sign of peace, and the other is held clenched in readiness. The visible half is a woman to symbolize peace and kindness, while the hidden portion is that of a sea serpent. This tells us that although we are strong enough to prevail when necessary, we should keep our strength hidden and show a soft, kindly face to the world.

(History courtesy of New York Seibukan)

Whoa!

2010-04-08T08:03:00.001-07:00

It has been DAYS since I have been here! Sorry, if there is still anyone checking in! I have some pictures to post from a few different events, but otherwise, nothing exciting going on over here. Lots of housework and waiting for Spring to get here; soon we will be able to play outside full time. Can't wait! Being stuck in the same tiny space with a three year old all day is not always a good time. OK, pictures coming up!

Barky the Dog

2010-01-30T08:43:00.000-08:00

After being sequestered in the house for days with what appeared to be the flu, I decided last Tuesday I had to get out of the house and go.... to the mall. I mean, shopping is the universal cure, after all. Or, I thought it was, anyway. Turns out I have pneumonia, and that is cured by antibiotics, not the mall.

But, back to the mall. On Tuesday Peanut and I ventured out to window shop. And buy some new books, since being sick had exhausted my stash of books.

After the bookstore we decided to look around at Hallmark. Cute store, generally not kid friendly, but Peanut manages to stay out of trouble. I tell him not to touch anything and he sits quietly in his stroller looking around at all the fragile figurines.

We pass by a particularly precarious display of translucent hearts, and Peanut's little hand flies out with the speed of a Rattlesnake on Crack. Before I can stop him, my son has grabbed.... a colorful stuffed dog!

Peanut immediately clutches the stuffed dog to his chest and says, "What a cute puppy!"

Peanut is not usually even remotely attracted to anything resembling stuffed animals, but apparently he had a connection with this dog. Peanut named this dog "Barky the Dog," and it was clear we would not be leaving the store without Barky.

Now Barky eats, sleeps and plays with Paul. It is pretty cute, actually.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Peanut!

2010-01-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

My baby is three years old. I cry.

Christmas!!!

2009-12-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

Peanut finally understands the concept of Santa Clause this year, and it was awesome to watch him open his Santa presents. Although I definitely want Peanut to believe in Santa for a long time, I struggle with the fact that "Santa" gets credit for the best presents, which Mommy and Daddy so lovingly worked to pay for, pick out, wrap and put under the tree at 2am Christmas morning. Does anybody else have a problem with that? Or am I just being selfish about this? Either way, I will make sure we believe in Santa for a long time.

And, of course, we must not forget the Reason for The Season. Jesus Christ was born and would eventually die for mankind. It does not matter that Christmas traditions are the way they are because the Church and America absorbed the traditions of others. It does not matter that Jesus was most probably actually born in the summer time. The date December 25th is the day we celebrate because the birth of Jesus represents light in the middle of darkness. It is a beautiful reason to come together and share the joy of the Season with one another.

Even if the Christian holiday is not to your liking, why do we need a reason to enjoy family and friends? Hopefully, no matter what you believe, you spent some time with the ones you love and shared whatever you are joyous about.

Merry Christmas!

Paul's First Big Snow Day

2009-12-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

It does not usually snow very much where we live; definitely not like this! Paul had a great time playing in the snow right outside the front door. Too fun!

My Little Man

2009-11-25T15:30:00.001-08:00

Mint Chocolate Cookies (Toll House Recipe)

2009-11-25T15:05:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup Nestle Baking Cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 2/3 cups Nestle Dark Chocolate and Mint morsels

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine: flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake: 11-13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to wire rack to cool completely.

I'm Not a Professional, But This Is Fun!

2009-11-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

Toasty

2009-11-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

How to build a fire if you have a wood stove and your house is freezing:

1. Crumple up five pages of yesterday's newspaper (or today's if you are finished reading it)

2. Tear up a small cardboard box (preferably a non-shiny box, such as the box from the zip lock bags you just finished using for leftovers at dinner), and place the pieces strategically on and around the newspaper crumples.

3. Place 10-15 twigs or small sticks on top of the newspaper and cardboard mixture, in a criss-cross pattern so air can flow underneath the sticks

4. Use a lighter to light the newspaper in several places

5. After the small sticks have started to burn, place a few slightly larger sticks on top of the burning pile.

6. When the entire pile is burning nicely, add a small log, and when that is burning nicely, add a larger log.

7. Sit back and be nice and toasty. Add logs as the old ones burn down.

More Pics

2009-11-19T12:00:00.001-08:00

Mommy's Birthday

2009-11-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

Yay for my birthday :)

And yay for my new camera :)

It has been a long time since I have been able to take any pictures, besides the ones I take on my phone. A phone is not really conducive to great pictures of a two year old, however, so I have been hoping for a decent camera.

Thank you, my darling husband!

Peanut and Daddy

2009-11-04T19:49:00.000-08:00

It's Been A While...

2009-11-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

Since I have been over here. Life gets overwhelming sometimes, and one tends to shy away from the day versus restate it for everyone. Things have gotten better (not that they were ever bad, just busy), and we are ready to share our growing up again.
Peanut is all potty trained. It was much easier than expected and the last few months without diapers has been wonderful!
Peanut has also developed quite the personality. He is like a real live little man. He can hold a decent conversation with you, and he has the best manners. The best part of Peanut is that he is always happy and loves to laugh. It brings me such joy just to see him! But, of course, all Moms know the feeling :)
My camera is broken, but I will hopefully be getting a new one for my birthday so I can get back to posting with some fun pictures.
Until then...

Potty Training...

2009-08-12T07:47:00.001-07:00

Is going very well!!! I am surprised it was so easy. It took a few weeks, but Peanut has not had any accidents this week, including sleeping through the night without wetting. I am so excited because I have been dreading toilet training basically since Peanut was born. One more milestone met, and my little tiny baby continues to grow.
Other than that, we have been busy working on the house, working at our jobs, etc. Always something to do!

Camping!

2009-07-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our annual trip to the coast for a few fun-filled days of camping. Peanut had a great time and loved the ocean!

2009-06-16T21:07:00.001-07:00

At Sierra college watching Daddy play softball. Peanut does not usually get to stay up so late. He is pretty stoked. I think he knows it's past his bedtime, yet he gets to play outside.

2009-06-15T20:56:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to say I have been busy and exhausted, but I will try to throw out a decent post soon, just to check in. Hopefully all is well with everyone!

I Cannot Even Name This Post

2009-06-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Seriously, if life got any more boring I would probably fall into a coma. I understand that one cannot have excitement every second, but give me a break. We have just been working on the house and working at our jobs and working at raising Peanut. Lots of work.

Peanut does manage to keep us entertained on a daily basis, and I am pretty sure he is the cutest thing ever in the whole world. He loves to talk, and the way he can put the craziest phrases together amazes me.

Yesterday Daddy brought home some clothes that another mommy was trying to get rid of. Nice; I am not one for charity, but I will take donations of toddler clothes any day. Anyway, there was a hat in the pile, and Daddy decided to take it outside to Peanut and put it on his head. Peanut has never liked hats, and I was pretty sure this was not going to work out, but hey, let Daddy have the benefit of the doubt.

I did not hear the exchange first hand, but a few moments later, Daddy came back into the house mumbling, "that's mean, son." I asked him what was mean. Apparently when Daddy offered Peanut the hat, Peanut declined it saying, "I do not need a hat, I have hair." There is nothing really mean in this particular statement, except that Daddy is very sensitive about his own hair. I could not help laughing.

Anyway, nothing going on; just living each day as it comes. It's all good.

My Blue House

2009-05-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

Remember how my house used to be all disgusting? How it was yucky barn red and dirty? I remember. I remember that it was awful!

But not anymore! My house is blue! And bright and beautiful! And BLUE! My neighbor and my mother-in-law are not very fond of it, but I think it is fantastic.

So, what do you think?

Pool Party

2009-05-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

It has been very hot the last few days, and everyone knows that the best way to stay cool is to play in the pool. I think it may be time for a slightly larger pool though; mommy wants to play, too!

Peanut and Daddy

2009-05-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

Will you just look at these guys! So cute. What a lucky mommy!

Twitter!

2009-05-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

Oh My Goodness!

I have been blogging for over a year now, and a few people have asked me if I Tweet. What the Hell does "Tweet" mean? That was always my response. I promised myself I would look it up some day, and since I was going on and on about how bored I was, I decided to look it up today.
Totally cool! Now I can keep you entertained with up to the minute accounts of my silly life. Sweet. Happy reading. I am going to go find something cool to do so I can Tweet about it.

Actually, I am about to start making a Taco Pie Casserole for dinner. If it turns out well I will post the recipe. It looks really yummy in the picture. Then I will find something awesome to Tweet about.

Oh yes, if you have a Twitter account, please leave the name/address in my comments so I can follow you!

Maybe I Need A Second Job...

2009-05-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

So, Mommy has finished with training and I have completed my first weekend as a CORE trained and liable officer. Exciting. I had so much fun, but I love work, so that is nothing new.

Now that I am finished with training I have gone back to my regular work schedule and that means having three days off each week. Most people would consider that awesome, but I get really bored at home, so it is not the best situation for me. Why? Because when I get bored I spend money. That's bad. Fun, but bad. So I have to try hard to ground myself to the house and not go out to play. I only went to the grocery store and the shoe store today; that is pretty impressive for me. Tomorrow I am going to try to stay home all day. I am going to try to work on the bathroom or out in the yard to keep myself occupied. Peanut never has a problem going with the flow no matter what we do, but he does favor a trip to the mall. We both need to cut back!

Any ideas for a bored Mommy at home? I have been cleaning and baking like a fiend, so those are out. I can do some work on the house, but it is nearly impossible to remodel anything with a two year old helping out. I guess I could give the dogs a bath, or wash the car, or get another job...

Another Milestone

2009-05-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

Does learning how to pedal a tricycle count as reaching a milestone? I am so proud of my little Peanut! He is growing up so fast and learning so much. I have said it lots of times: IT MAKES ME SAD!!!! uh, I mean happy. Very happy.

While Mommy Is Training...

2009-05-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Peanut are bonding. I am glad that they get to spend a good deal of time together, I just wish I could join them for nap time!

Training has been great; a good portion of it is review of things I have learned just from working, but a lot of it is new and all of it is done to make me liable. Pretty scary! I will never be able to use the excuse "I did not know" (not that I have or ever will use those words), but I better make sure I remember all of it when I go back to work. The physical part is the best; I love learning all the defensive tactics and the physical conditioning is extremely rigorous. I am left stiff and sore after every physical training day, and even though I am in pretty good shape it reminds me that I am not even close to where I want to be physically. Anyway, I have a week left and then it's back to work for me.

Home is good. The boys are all happy and healthy. Peanut is getting bigger and bigger, and refining character every day. He is polite, but he is not afraid to jump into any conversation with his little attitude and opinion. I think we are going to start potty training next weekend, so if you have ideas or suggestions please leave them in the comments sections. I think we are just going to quit diapers during the day cold turkey. Is that bad? Just put him in some big boy pants and get him to the potty every hour or so. I know we are going to be doing a lot of laundry, but it seems like we should just jump right in. Opinions, please.

We have been working on the house when we can; we just put new lighting in the kitchen, got a new living room window put in and we are getting the house painted when the rain stops. Guess what... the bathroom is still not finished. I get a new promise weekly of the date it will be finished, but I have resigned myself to no bathroom forever. The saddest part is that it is basically finished! If someone would get in there and finish the wainscoting then I can paint and we can put in the toilet and sink and fixtures and we will be finished! Someday.

Anyway, the days are busy, but there is not a lot to talk about. Life, day by day, is not that exciting. On the upside, I have been spending Friday evenings with a friend of mine and it has been so great to get away once a week and just chat with her. I do not have to think about the family or the house, and while that sounds a little selfish, I really need it. Sometimes I spend the night over there and we get a few girls together and talk about nothing and eat a lot; I feel like a teenager, but whatever. It is like therapy. I never really cared if I had close friends before, but it has become more important to me lately. I think it is keeping me from going crazy. I think you understand.

My thinking has turned to rambling. Have a great week!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter from Peanut and family! Whether you celebrate or not, I hope the day is a joyous one.

Breakfast with Peanut

2009-04-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

Peanut and Mommy had oatmeal for breakfast today. It is one of our favorites; so easy and so yummy!

2-2/3 cups water
1-1/3 cups regular rolled oats

Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add oats. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until oatmeal is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Per serving: calories 104, fat 1.7g, 15% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 4.3g, carbohydrates 18.1g, fiber 2.9g, sugar 0.5g, sodium 6mg, diet points 2.1.

Peanut Has A Shoe Fetish; He Inherited It From Mommy

2009-04-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here is Peanut after his shower, trying to decided what shoes to wear for the day. I have mentioned before that Peanut has been around shoes since he was a tiny, tiny seed in the womb and he has loved shoes ever since. He knows every Famous Footwear in the area before we even go inside and asks specifically to visit Mommy's friends at the shoe store because he knows he will get to play with shoes.

A little scary, but definitely a boy after my own heart.

P.S.: He also plays with trucks and stuff, in case you were worried.

Edward and Nathan

2009-04-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

Even though we have beaten polio, the fight to save babies goes on. March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators, outreach workers and advocates work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health. Things like: prematurity, birth defects and low birth weight. Each year, more than 525,000 babies (1 in 8) are born too soon, some so small they can fit in the palm of a hand. Many of these babies must fight just to survive; others must struggle with lifelong health problems. No one knows the causes of nearly half of all premature births, and no one is working harder than the March of Dimes to find out. (Excerpt from the March of Dimes)
Every year for the last 5 years we have donated to this wonderful cause and participated in the walk. We had never known personally any family with a baby born premature, and while the pain, sympathy, hope and love we feel is not for show, it is hard to fully understand without firsthand knowledge of the grief it causes. Until now. One of my dearest friends' sister just had twins, born at 29 weeks. Please welcome Edward and Nathan, born March 30th at 1:24am, weighing 3lbs and 3.3lbs. They have been in the NICU since birth, of course, and while I have never met them, I have been a part of Cyndi's sadness as well as her joy at any progress the boys make. It is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time, and only reaffirms the importance of research and effort put forth by so many doctors, hospitals and the March of Dimes to save the lives of so many babies.
It is hard to imagine any moms who have not heard of the March of Dimes, or have not at least taken the time to understand all that the March of Dimes does; but there are so many people who have no idea. Really, even if it is not your charity of choice, take the time to find out about how the Organization and people across America have been saving babies since 1938. It will not be time wasted, I promise.

Getting Ready

2009-04-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have been working super extra hard this week at everything. I am going to training for a month starting next week, and I will still be working on the weekends, so I will be working 32 days without a day off. Awesome! I have been working out extra hard, cleaning house extra good (because it is going to fall into disarray while I am working and training), working outside in the yard (tore down about 30 feet of fence today), and just staying busy. I am nervous about training, but very excited, and I think I am as ready as I am going to get.

I am going to miss my little Peanut and Daddy while my time is consumed with work, but I will be home every night at least, so we can spend some time together before bed. I actually think this will be good for me, since I have been wanting to get away from the house for a while now. I need to be away, even if it is at work at day. It has been a while since I was ridiculously stressed out, and as we all know, I am a stress addict. Things have been a little too calm and predictable lately.

I know, I am insane.

On the up side, Peanut and I went to the mall today and I got a new purse. I had this really great 30% off coupon for Coach. That makes their bags still totally over priced, but this was irresistible. Besides, if one is going to go to very physically and mentally demanding training and still work on the weekends and take a little vacation from normal life, one should do it with a new bag.

Springtime!

2009-03-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I pretty much only like my front yard for 2 months out of the year: April and May. It is so pretty and colorful and I really want it to stay this way forever. Alas, in a couple of months everything will dry out and we will have a brown lawn with lots of stickers and we will not even be able to walk out there.

But for now:

False Alarm

2009-03-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

So, apparently Peanut and I cannot even go enjoy a coffee and chocolate milk at Starbucks without wreaking havoc. Yesterday Peanut and I went to Starbucks to meet with a wonderful lady from our church. We had been there, sitting in the comfy chairs and chatting for about 10 minutes when Peanut decided it was time to go insane. First he had to try locking the doors, then he tried escaping to the bathroom. I do not like him running around stores and restaurants, so I had to pin him to my lap and make him sit.

Suddenly Peanut becomes very still. Cool. He is learning to sit still. He slips into the chair behind me and sits for a moment, and I turn back to Sylvia to look at a book she has for Peanut. Approximately 2 seconds later Sylvia says "Uh Oh!" and I look behind me just in time to see Peanut pulling the fire alarm. Oh crap!!!!

So, we are sitting in Starbucks with the fire alarm going off, and nobody is evacuating or doing anything about it. The management does not know where the key to the panel is, and they spend a few minutes looking for it. When they find the key and reset the panel the alarm is still going off and they do not know how to turn it off, nor do they know who is in charge of their security/fire alarm system.

We decided it was time to leave when the fire department arrived, found there was no fire, and then just stood around, also not knowing how to stop the alarm from sounding.

All in all it was an exciting morning for Peanut and an embarrassing one for mommy.

I really do need a vacation.

Still Alive

2009-03-16T15:40:00.001-07:00

No, I did not drop off the face of the planet, or disappear, or get eaten by a vampire, or... whatever. I am here.
But life is busy and boring.
The house is still (and always will be) a work in progress. Every spare moment is spent in the yard or bathroom or kitchen, fixing something or cleaning.
Always cleaning.
Every other moment is spent chasing around a super hyper 2 year old, and nothing else gets done because he might eat dirt or bugs, or squash the puppy, or flush the toilet 35 times, or bring all his toys out in the livingroom right after it has been cleaned for the 5th time, or... whatever.
There are no moments available for blogging or reading or relaxing.
I need a vacation. Away from everything. I may be a teensy bit depressed.
Any other moms feel that way? I am 28 and everything fun is over; it has been over for years and years, and may never have been there in the first place. What do I do?
What do you do to get away? And how do you find time to do it? Or do you just deal? Or do you not feel like me at all?
My escape is work. Even though I am locked down with 45-60 institutionalized youth I still feel wonderful at work because I do not have to talk about or think about home. All I have to do is get these kids through their day and work with the rest of the staff to keep each other safe and get us all home every night. And the next day is a new day.
Anyway, enough ranting. This blog is about my Peanut (who is doing wonderful); just had to tell someone that his mommy wants a vacation.
Hope everyone else is doing great!

Something Inspired

2009-02-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

I was just reading one of my favorite blogs and noticed she had blogged about this really great Mommy Business. This jewelry is so cute, sweet, precious... you pick the word. I love it because it is simple, yet each piece conveys a very personal message. There are so many keepsakes for baby, bobbles for a proud and loving mommy (or daddy) and great gifts for Mother's Day. Take a look!!!

Just Something Cute

2009-02-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

As you well know if you read this blog, my house is a total fixer and we have lots of projects in various stages of finished. One of these projects is the kitchen; it is basically done, but we need to get new covers for the heater vents. For the last few months various items have disappeared down the vent under the sink because the kitchen is one of Peanut's favorite places to play, and a black hole under the sink is the perfect place to make things disappear.

That said, another golf ball made it's way into the vent this morning, and I told Daddy that we really needed to get a cover for the vent. Peanut ran from the kitchen, returned moments later with his favorite blanket, and placed it over the vent.

"Here's a cover," Peanut said.

Mommy and Daddy laughed because Peanut is trying to be so helpful, and he looked at us like we were crazy to laugh at his idea. So we very seriously told him that he had a very good idea, and the blanket is currently lying in front of the vent (since he could not find a way to hook it up on the counter).

I love toddlers!

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T13:47:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day: a day where women all over the country get special presents, cards, flowers and dinner just because the calendar says so; men have to spend extra time and money to say "I love you," when women already have birthdays, Mother's Day and various anniversaries.

That is Daddy's version of Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day: A day just like any other, only with a little extra love.

That is Mommy's version.

Actually, Daddy had a lovely pot of flowers and a very cute card waiting for me when I woke up. It made me very happy; I also get to go to dinner and maybe even the movies! I am very excited, I love to go on dates!

Happy Valentine's Day, however you see it :)

More Snow

2009-02-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

The snow heard that I loved it, so it decided to come and visit! It did not snow at our house, but only twenty miles up the road there was a lovely winter wonderland just waiting for Peanut to come and play. Peanut has never really gotten to play in the snow before, so we wanted to let him have the experience since the snow was such a surprise.

It is freezing here, or feels like it, so I am going to build a fire.

Transport

2009-02-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I am probably one of the very few people on this planet that LOVES their job. I adore my work every single day; I love to go during my regular shifts and I love to work overtime. I am a work-aholic, but who wouldn't love their job when you get to do things like take minors up to placement in Tahoe. Awesome.

It was an absolutely fantastic drive, even if I did have to wear my duty belt in the car for 6 hours. It was a beautiful day, even when it was snowing, and the minor we had in the car was pleasant to transport.

I used to live in the mountains, and I would gladly live there again if Daddy did not have such an aversion to snow. I do not particularly like to be out in the snow myself, but there is something so cozy about having your house surrounded in white for a few months out of the year; it is so peaceful and lovely.

I only managed to get a few pictures, since I was supposed to be a professional on-duty officer, but I snapped a few when I could not stand it anymore! I took these on my iPhone, which the driver on the transport said I was crazy to bring, but he was later thankful for the GPS when we got lost :)

Will It Ever Be Finished?

2009-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

The bathroom project we started three months ago is still in the works, but we are coming closer to having our bathroom back every week. I am so excited because all the new drywall is up and the floor is completely finished (thanks to a lot of help from brother and sister in-law and nephew and friends). We are hopefully going to finish the shower by next week and the drywall the weekend after. Hopefully by the end of February we will be able to paint and install fixtures. Yay! Wish us luck!

Hide and Seek

2009-01-26T09:00:00.001-08:00

Peanut and Daddy were playing Hide-and-Seek this weekend; here are some of Peanut's best hiding places.

Questions

2009-01-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

My little Peanut has learned to catch a ball tonight! I am so excited. Yes, I know it is only catching a ball, but he could not do that yesterday. He is, as I always say, growing every day. Crazy. He loves to dance, and his favorite new phrases are "What's going on?" and "I'm busy." Both of those are a little annoying, but cute nonetheless. He understands so much and loves to show it; I think it is so funny.

I have an issue, though. I think he may not be getting enough social interaction. When we used to have the baby group Peanut was able to play with other little guys at least once a week. Then it got a little overwhelming with work, life and managing a playgroup, so we stopped. Peanut still goes to the park a few times a week and plays with the kids there, but is that enough? I am glad that he stays with his grandparents while we are at work, but is he missing out on some vital interaction by not being in daycare?

Bottom line, I am thinking about restarting the playgroup. Maybe I can enlist other members to help out more than last time, or maybe I can just do a few things a week instead of several things. I just want to be able to keep up with everything. It is hard with all the projects we are working on, but I do not want Peanut missing out on anything. He seems well-adjusted, so far.

Parenting is rough. How do you know if you are doing it right? If you have a happy healthy baby? But what if you are leaving something out that will not show itself to be a mistake until later? I cannot help but think about some of the kids I work with; would they be in a different situation if one of their parents stayed home, or took them to playgroups, or... I don't know.

I just get worried sometimes that we should be doing something different with Peanut during the day. What do you think? Daycare or grandparents? Playgroups or a non-stressed mommy?

Checking In

2009-01-17T23:41:00.000-08:00

Just checking in. Everything is great, just trying to make it through January. Not bad so far; I have been at training for the last week and then practicing all my cool new moves on Daddy and James. Peanut has been a little put out this week because I have been gone all week, but he is happy and healthy, so I am happy.
I managed to sell enough of my old toys on eBay to get an iPhone, so I am playing with my new toy tonight. Too cool; I love new toys and have been wanting one of these forever. Besides, I figure that once I am working graveyards next shift rotation I will need something to keep me busy.
Anyway, nothing interesting here. I'll keep you posted.

Casserols to the Rescue

2009-01-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness!!! This is my new favorite cookbook in the universe! I love making casseroles, but I sometimes run out of ideas or want to change the ingredients a little bit. I found this book while doing some after Christmas shopping (you gotta love a good sale).

I mean really, try this:

Chili Relleno Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

1 bell pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon dried cilantro leaves

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 (4 ounce) cans whole green chilies

1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese

1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup half-and-half cream

1. In skillet, brown meat with bell pepper and onion. Add chopped green chilies, oregano, cilantro, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

2. Seed whole chilies and spread on bottom of greased 9x13 inch baking dish

3. Cover with meat mixture and sprinkle with cheese

4. Combine eggs and flour and beat with fork until fluffy.

5. Add half-and-half, mix and pour slowly over meat in casserole.

6. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

Lots of the recipes are even less complicated than this and I cannot wait to try them out. I have a feeling we will be eating a lot of casseroles this year.

Student Driver

2009-01-11T12:51:00.000-08:00

Uncle James is going to take his driving test tomorrow morning, so we have been out today getting some extra practice. He is not a bad driver yet (I think bad driving comes with experience), and he will probably do just fine tomorrow, but he could use some practice stopping and starting. One should not get whiplash stopping at stop signs. We are going to practice some more this evening and tomorrow morning, but I think he is good to go. He uses his turn signal and merges when there is room, maintains the speed limit, leaves room between himself and other cars, and realizes that a yellow light does not mean speed up.
I let him drive today with my Peanut in the car, so I must have some kind of trust in his ability. I hope I remember this experience fondly when it is Peanut's turn to learn to drive (in 18 years), because it really has not been as bad as lots of parents make it out to be. James is 19, and I think that makes a difference. I did not get to drive until I was 18, and I could not imagine driving at 16, anyway. I do not think many kids (if any) have the required maturity to control thousands of pounds of metal on the road with thousands of pounds of other people's metal. It is bad enough to have middle aged people on their phones, eating, applying makeup, reading, etc because they think they know how to control a car; to have a sixteen year old doing the same things and learning to control a vehicle on the road... The thought scares me to death. Driving is such a huge responsibility, but I think James is up for the challenge of keeping himself and others safe on the road. I guess we'll see; wish him luck :)

Rainy Day

2009-01-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

Since my promotion and new schedule went into effect three weeks ago I have gotten to spend five out of seven mornings home with my Peanut. I love spending the morning at home; we do not get to sleep in because Peanut is a very early riser, but we do get to get up and have breakfast together and get dressed for the day and play toys leisurely and clean the house... it is wonderful. Then the afternoon comes along and Peanut goes to play with grams and gramps and I can get ready for work in peace. Lovely.

This morning we had blueberry pancakes for breakfast, kicked a soccer ball around the house and tried unsuccessfully to make a fire in the wood stove with the tree that fell down in our backyard on Christmas Eve. (The tree is totally dead, but the wood is not all dried out yet, so our fire is lame and we are cold.) I will have to turn the heater on if this fire isn't blazing soon.

Anyway, it is all the more peaceful and lovely this morning because it is raining. I love the rain and my yard needs it, plus it makes the day more cozy and Peanut likes to snuggle. Cute.

What's not cute is that my Peanut has a cold and an icky, runny nose; not so bad, except he hates to have his nose wiped and therefore ickies are leaking out of his face at any given moment. Any suggestions?

Happy Birthday, Peanut!

2009-01-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today my Peanut is two years old! Two years ago this happened. I am happy, of course. Yep, happy. Definitely not at all sad that my tiny baby is getting bigger and bigger and older and older. Really.
He had a great day, despite his mommy's mixed feelings. He woke up at 3am this morning to start the day. I think he instinctively knew something awesome was going to happen today; he was so full of energy we had to get up immediately and play. Not awesome for mommy and daddy, but fine. Then we cleaned the house, baked a cake (strawberry and chocolate) and everybody came over for the party. Peanut has a bit of a cold, so we did not invite little friends, just family who was not afraid of germs. The party was short and sweet, and now my child is running off his sugar high playing with his toys and wreaking havoc in general. I am going to try to give this kid a bath and coax him into his bed. Wish me luck.

Oh, Boy.

2009-01-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Starting the New Year

2009-01-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

Peanut woke up at 4am ready to play; that means everyone gets up ready to play. Then Peanut took a nap at 11:00 and everyone else did chores. Nice. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! It is about 4 1/2 hours before the new year here, but I am probably going to fall asleep before it arrives (I have an exciting life) so I am greeting the new year early. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday! See you in 2009!

Happy

2008-12-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

He may not be my Boo Bear anymore, but he is still so cute and very happy :)

No, I Am Not Boo Boo Bear...

2008-12-27T17:40:00.000-08:00

Being a Mommy, I have lots of nicknames for my little man that convey all the love and affection I hold for him; but now that he is almost two, he knows everything, including the fact that the lovey names I call him on a daily basis are not his name or what he is.

Mommy: "I love you, Boo Boo Bear."

Peanut: "I not Boo Boo Bear, I the baby."

Mommy: "Oh. OK, baby."

Mommy: "What do you want to eat, Peanut?"

Peanut: "No, I not a Peanut, I a baby."

Mommy: "You aren't my Peanut?"

Peanut: "No, I Pauly the baby."

Mommy: "Oh. OK."

Not only does he not like nicknames anymore, he also knows EVERYTHING.

Mommy (pointing at a strawberry): "Look, Peanut; a strawberry."

Peanut: "No, it not a sawbry, it a mato."

Mommy: "No, it is a strawberry."

Peanut: "No, it a mato."

Mommy (pointing at a snowflake ornament): "Look, Peanut; a snowflake."

Peanut: "No, it not a snowfake, it for driving."

Mommy: "For driving? No, it's a snowflake."

Peanut: "No, it for driving." (moves it back and forth in his hands like a steering wheel)

And so on, with everything from mustard bottles being sugar to a receipt being a telephone.

Well, if he is going to know everything already, at least he has some imagination.

The Morning After

2008-12-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas is wonderful; the day after Christmas is not. If there is anything I do not like it is a messy house, so I am off to do chores today.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

It has been a long day and a lovely Christmas. I hope everyone had a great and fulfilling day. I hope everyone remembered to love everybody and share the joy that is Christmas. Even if you do not celebrate Christmas, the season is one of happiness and love, and those can surely be celebrated by everyone!

I'm IT

2008-12-25T20:20:00.000-08:00

Holy Moly!!! I am so excited! I got tagged for a meme by someone! Not just anyone, either; it was by my most favorite blog writer EVER. Anyway, I was required to take a picture of myself right now, which is pretty scary since I am in PJ's and my bathrobe and have a child attached to my side, but here you are:

Now I am supposed to tag some other folks, so I hope these guys are in:
1.I Gotta Theory About That
2.U Can't Right This
3.Slush Turtle

The Shower So Far

2008-12-21T10:12:00.000-08:00

Here is Peanut in the morning (no resemblance to his mom), and our shower so far. I am happy to have gotten this far, but we are still not even close to finished. We are working on the tile today, and perhaps the drywall, but anything is better than nothing. Hopefully we will be showering in our bathroom in a couple more weeks! Yay!!!

What's Up???

2008-12-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

I have been absent for too long, but the holidays are the craziest time of year. I finished Christmas shopping two weeks ago (thank goodness, because I do not have time right now), but we have Christmas and birthday parties to attend, gifts to wrap, a bathroom to finish, new position at work to get used to and scrapbooks to scrap.

The presents are wrapped and under the tree (Daddy has not started shopping yet, but I have a feeling that all the men in the United States will be out with him on Christmas Eve). Today I start work as an officer; I am nervous about it, even though I have worked in the same building for a year and a half, but it seems like it is going to be totally new. Scary.

To relieve my stress about work I have been working on Peanut's first year scrapbook. I just finished it a couple days ago and I am going to start on year two. Very exciting. It was fun to go back and see all the changes throughout his first year. I think babies change more in that year than any other, going from newborn to little person it totally amazing. The second year is filled with cute stuff, but the changes are more subtle.

Peanut has been great, by the way. He is going through another climbing phase and is currently loving the cat tree and the rocking chair. Anything dangerous. On a safer note, we have been practicing a ton and now he can say the entire alphabet on his own. I am very excited about that, but it is still memorization. Now he must learn what the letters actually look like and the different sounds they make.

It is raining here, and I am going to build a fire because it is darn cold!

Nothing In Particular

2008-12-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

I really have not had much to blog about lately, so I have faced the dilemma of either writing boring day-to-day events for you or just not writing. I have chosen to keep quiet as a reflection of life as I know it. Except for two things:

1. I got my promotion! Now I am a probation officer at the juvenile hall instead of just a glorified receptionist. I am very excited to be able to work with the kids and my fellow officers in close proximity instead of from in an enclosed box. Daddy is OK with it, since for now I have basically the same work schedule. I am going to start in my new position and be sworn in during Christmas week. So cool.

2. I tiled a wall in my shower. Yeah; haven't heard anything about the bathroom remodel in a while, have you? That's because we have not even opened the bathroom door in two weeks; but today we did one whole wall, and would have continued if uncle James did not have to go to work instead of babysitting Peanut. Hopefully we can get some more done when I get home from work tomorrow, but probably we won't work on it again until Wednesday. I think it looks OK, but I have a profound respect for anyone who works with tile on a regular basis. Everyone keeps saying how easy it is, but I do not think it is easy at all. I mean, it is not really hard, it just takes a while to get every tile perfect. Anyway, someday I will have a bathroom again; and it will be beautiful.

Nothing else going on. As always there are tons of chores to do and I still have some Christmas shopping to do, but I have been putting everything aside so I can work tons of overtime... bills to pay, you know.

Property Taxes...

2008-12-03T23:16:00.000-08:00

seriously interfere with my Christmas shopping. Owning a house is lovely and all, but when the bill comes that tells you to pay several thousand dollars for the first installment in December and several thousand more in April, the damper is definitely on regarding the removal of the wallet from the purse. Sad, but true. Ugh. People are getting very little this year, but it's the thought that counts, right?
In better news, Peanut has not touched the Christmas Tree at all, except to admire it in passing, and nothing else has been broken since the first night. Awesome. Maybe I will not have to replace my pretty glass ornaments after all...
Also, I have been transferred to the position of DPO I and will be a sworn officer in a couple weeks. You should have seen me yesterday when I got the news; I have dreamed of being a sworn officer since I was 16, and I was ecstatic. Too awesome. Daddy is happy for me, I think. He says he is, but obviously he does not share my foolish happiness, so he keeps me grounded; I am on cloud 9 anyway :)
I have been working so much, but we have bills to pay and holidays are coming, so I cannot turn down any overtime offered, but I am tired. And I still have to tile the bathroom. I need another me.
Sorry, no new pictures of anything. The animals are all good; the place is a zoo, but everyone is so cute and what a dear family we make. I will try to post something like a family photo later.

The Holidays Are Here

2008-11-29T08:12:00.000-08:00

Yay! Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is here. The month before Christmas is just lovely; I love all the excitement. Lights, music, church, shopping... the weather does not seem to be cooperating, though. It is absolutely beautiful here, if a little chilly. I want to see rain and even snow, but that does not seem to be the case this year.

Anyway, we put up the Christmas tree yesterday and one ornament is broken already. I have a plan set up to replace all of my glass ornaments with plastic ones over the next couple of years, but the tree may be bare by the end of the month. Hopefully Target has lots of ornaments on clearance after the holidays...

I have started shopping already. I have almost half my shopping done and I have not even left my house. I love online shopping!I will go out to get stocking stuffers and maybe a couple of gifts for people, but online is the way to go.

Peanut is calling for breakfast and then we are going to put a couple of strands of lights on the house. Then, I hope, if my diabolical plan can be carried out, I am going to tile the shower.

Too Ambitious?

2008-11-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

So I am trying for a promotion at work, and it is making Daddy a little unhappy. Currently I have a great schedule; 12 hour days, but only 3 or 4 per week, so I have lots of days off with Peanut. Most important to Daddy, I have all Holidays off. I have to admit, it is an awesome schedule, but I am not a sworn officer and I really want to be. If I were an officer I would work four days a week every week (2 eights and 2 twelves), I would work any holiday that was on my regular schedule and I may have to work graveyard shifts; but I would be an officer instead of an assistant. If I were an officer I would get to work with other people throughout the institution instead of by myself in a little room for 12 hours a day. I would get to go to Use of Force and Pepper Spray training and learn cool new things and I would get to work with the kids instead of with their parents.

But Daddy doesn't like it. He will not hold me back, of course, but I do not want him to be unhappy with me. What do I do? I want this, but I think the happiness of my marriage is much more important. Do I back out and just stay where I am, or do I go for it and risk Daddy's feelings?

Your opinion, please.

Our New Baby

2008-11-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Check this out! Now I really do have a zoo in my house. Yesterday I got a new puppy. He was on his way to the pound; can you imagine! He is a long hair Chihuahua and he is 10 weeks old. He was named Boca at work yesterday, but Daddy did not like that name, so we have been trying different things. I think his name is Edward now. It's Edward or Scrappy or Dinky Doo. What do you think?

Spaghetti

2008-11-20T09:08:00.000-08:00

Peanuts love spaghetti... and a bath after dinner.

A Good Day

2008-11-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! Today has been great!

The concert was awesome last night; unfortunately they said no cameras, and I am too afraid to break the rules, so I do not have any cool pictures; you will just have to check out their website, or better yet, go to a concert. Daddy reminded me that this was actually the seventh time we have seen these guys, and I think last night was the best show I have ever seen. The music is fabulous (but I have a particular love for classical music, especially paired with rock music), and the light show is worth seeing all by itself. There are no words; it's just great.

Anyway, today was my birthday pot luck at work, and everyone had a great time. It was a pretty laid back day, and all the kids were mellow. I love those kinds of days because the staff is all happy, and if you add food to the mix it is hardly like being a work at all... except for the part about being locked down with 52 juvenile criminals. Awesome. My good friends made today special and one of them gave me a gift of tons of new scrap booking stuff. I was in heaven all day just thinking about the pages I am going to create this evening.

After work I stopped off at Target and got Peanut some new puzzle toys so we can practice shapes and colors. He knows a few colors, but I think he should have a better grasp on them, so we will be playing with colors and shapes for a while. Fun and learning together; I love it!

The new kitty, Jake, has adopted Daddy as his official bodyguard and has been sitting on his neck for the last two nights. Daddy says the cat is annoying, but I think they are cute little buddies.

That's about it...I am off to be creative with all my new toys!

An Evening Out

2008-11-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight Daddy and I are going to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra in Sacramento. I have lost count, but I think this will be the fifth time we see them. We missed last year because they always do the same Christmas show and we had decided that we did not want to spend the money to see it again. Then we were sad that we did not go. It is a Christmas tradition now for us, although the season is starting a little early this year. Usually TSO does not come to Sacramento until December; I guess next week we will have to put up the Christmas Tree...

I will let you know how the evening went; I am so excited and have been looking forward to this for weeks!

Busy, Busy

2008-11-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have not even looked at my blog in a week! That is crazy. It has been so crazy that all I can do is finish all of my work and tasks and then fall into bed; and even that is not restful, as I have been so stressed out that I have been having nightmares for the last few nights. Last night was not too bad, but I dreamed I was in Paris all by myself and I had to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower for something. The night before I dreamed that several people were chopping me up and cutting me with knives. Pretty scary. I think I need a vacation.

I am applying for a new position in my department, and I just turned in my background packet. I am sure there is nothing more stressful than filling out one of those. I had to get transcripts from everywhere, email everyone I know and ask them to be references, get several papers notarized, and spend hours filling out papers with my entire life history. Fun. I hope it is worth it.

I have been working a ton of overtime at work so I can get the money together to finish our bathroom and continue to pay the bills. Besides that, the bathroom has been a nightmare in itself and we are having tile trouble. The walls in the shower are a little crooked, so we are going to have to do something about that before we can start tiling, etc, etc. Aside from that I have a kid to raise and a house to keep.

My little brother thinks that now that he has a part time job he can eat more than before and not do any chores, and he is all pissy when I ask him to help out. So what am I going to do with him? I would like to kick him out and tell him to find his own way, but I am not that kind of person, so I will just let him continue to live here and try to remind him nicely that he is not paying for anything, so it would be nice to have some help around the house. What would you do in this situation?

Daddy is good, but I am feeling neglected lately. I do not want to go into my married life here, but gee. He has never really been romantic or anything, but sometimes I need him to really want me by him. Not just sit next to him while he watches TV, but really want to spend time with me. I know, I know, men don't care about that stuff. So what do I do about that? Nothing?

Still no baby on the way; I do not want to give up, but really... I give up.

We recently acquired another cat, so now we have a dog, two cats and four fish. This place is a zoo.

My Peanut is growing and growing; he is such a good boy and truly, he is what gets me through each day. He is learning so fast and I love to talk with him and play with him. Aren't kids fabulous?

"I'll Get it, Mama"

2008-11-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

Although I adore my cell phone for the email and texting forms of communication, I detest talking on the phone. I think I have said before that I prefer almost any form of communication to talking on the telephone. I think it is impersonal, and it is just really annoying to hold it up to the side of your face for the duration of the conversation. I try to keep phone talk very short on my cell, and I never answer my house phone. Ever. I think the combination of phone dislike and having to spend at least half my work day on the phone talking to the parents of juveniles and various law enforcement makes me detest it even more. The only person I really do not mind talking to on the phone is Daddy, but I love to talk to him anytime, so that doesn't count.

That said, Peanut obviously does not get his communication gene from me. He LOVES the phone and will answer it at every opportunity. As soon as he hears it ringing, he abandons whatever he is doing and runs to the kitchen saying "I'll get it, Mama!" Which is fine with me, especially if it is telemarketer. This morning the phone rang and Peanut promptly began telling whoever was on the other end what he had been doing so far today. Then I heard "I give you kisses," and he started making some kissing sounds. I figured it was either a relative or some creep, but I had better take the phone from him either way. It was grandma, and Peanut was quite upset I had taken the phone away. I gave it back to him and he climbed up on the couch and resumed his conversation. Too funny. Hopefully he will outgrow his love for the phone, as he also loves the cell phone and I won't be supplying him with one of those anytime soon.

Let's Pretend...

2008-11-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

That dinosaurs are taking over the airport and having lunch together at the picnic bench and then stomping down the runway calling each other cute. My baby is developing his imagination, and it is quite interesting to listen to what his little mind comes up with. He has been playing pretend for a few days now, and each day the stories get more and more complicated. He started out with his dinosaurs, people, cars and blocks just talking to each other and then flinging themselves through space (across the living room) when they are finished playing. Tonight Peanut pulled me into his room as soon as I got home from work and I sat next to him and listened to him play. His dinosaurs walked around the Little People Airport eating and talking to each other. One dinosaur would say "Hello, friend," and another dinosaur would say "you are cute!"
How fun.
I majored in psychology in college, and although I have a decent understanding of the human mind I find it so amazing to actually watch it in action. Especially when it is my Little Peanut doing the playing. I will probably never get over how wonderful it is to watch him grow.

Pumpkins and PJs

2008-10-31T19:40:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween and here's what we are up to: nothing. Peanut was supposed to be batman, but it is a little too cold for those pajamas, plus he got new Thomas PJs and a robe today because it is freezing in my house and short sleeves just will not cut it anymore. Daddy brought home some electric pumpkins that he and Little P are currently placing all over the living room in an attempt to decorate for the festive evening. It is sort of difficult to get into the spirit when we live on a very busy road that does not get any trick-or-treaters due to the danger of being hit by a speeding car, but Daddy is making a good attempt at decorating. We are currently watching Oswald on NOGGIN and this catchy little Halloween tune came on. It is stuck in my head now; awesome.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!

The Afternoon in Review

2008-10-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

We tore up the floor in our bathroom and then I decided that since I was already in destroy-mode, I might as well take down all the icky tile. So I did. It took about 4 hours to do the floor and the tile. Somebody else gets to clean it up... I have to work tomorrow, so Peanut and I are going to bed. Yes, I am aware it is not even 7:30; no, I do not have a life. Night!!!

The Results...

2008-10-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Of our Home Depot trip:

8 cases of tile

4 bags of mortar

1 roll of shower pan liner

1 shower drain

and a partridge in a pear tree.

The plain tile is for the shower walls and the bathroom floor. The mosaic type tile is for the floor of the shower. I am taking all of the icky green tile off of the walls, so we will have to put up new drywall, but we'll talk about that next time. Then I am going to do light brown walls with dark brown texture (never done that before, so we will see how that turns out).

This is going to be so much fun. We actually did not get everything we need, because Daddy was afraid my car would be overloaded and we would not make it home, but we have enough to start the project. I am going to tear up the bathroom floor and remove the vanity right now.

Time to Call in the Tile Guy

2008-10-25T07:23:00.000-07:00

The new shower has been framed and is almost ready for whatever we are going to do with it. First we have to decide where the plumbing is going to go, and we have to go pick out the tile. We looked at shower inserts a couple days ago, but I think we have decided that the shower would lose too much space (which is not enough to begin with). We are going to tile it, but we are going to have to enlist some help for this part. Good thing one of my friends from work knows how to do this stuff and has offered to help out; we are going to need it!
Before we do anything to actually make the bathroom look nice, we are going to have to finish tearing it apart. This afternoon I will be tearing up the floor, and (if I can talk Daddy into it) I will be removing the awful green tile from the walls. I would love to tile the walls as well, but I would settle for new drywall, texture and paint. I do not think we can tile the shower and floor and leave the rest of the bathroom the way it is. That's just wrong.
Anyway, I am going to work out and then come back and try to get Daddy up and ready for a trip to Home Depot and Lowes. Yeah! One of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday.

Son, It's Too Early...

2008-10-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

I guess I bring this on myself, but it has been a long morning, and the sun is just now coming up. Right now, as I write this; I have been up for three hours already. I got up at 4 to go work out. Fine, no big deal. I came home, washed the dishes and took Uncle James to work. At 6:15 I got home and was just sitting down to read my book until Peanut got up when... Peanut got up! At 6:15. I scooped him out of his car bed and took him to my room to lay down with Daddy and I, hoping he would fall back asleep (miracles do happen). It was nice and dark and quiet for five minutes.

Peanut: "Hi, Mommy."

Me: "Hi, Baby."

Peanut: "Hi, Daddy."

Daddy: "Hi, Peanut."

Peanut: "Give me your hand, Mommy."

I hold my hand up in the dark... somehow he finds it (I think he may have infrared vision)

Peanut: "High Five, Mommy!!!"

Me: Sighs.

I guess it is time to wake up, since Daddy then gets a high five and Little P tries to climb over us to get down.

It is 7:22am. We have already played dinosaurs, taken a bath, gotten dressed, eaten breakfast (Kiwi, string cheese, dried cranberries, milk and a marshmallow)

I am not sure where he learned about marshmallows, but he talked about eating one the entire time he was taking a bath. He must have been dreaming of them.

I am going to make some coffee.

This is Soooo Not Cool

2008-10-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

So, we knew we were going to have to redo the floor in our "master" bathroom soon, and probably replace some of the structural wood in the shower because of Dry Rot. Not too big an issue, but something we would have to work on soon. Daddy found this contractor that needed some work (big surprise with this economy), and decided to hire him to do the work. I am so glad, because our little bit of structural damage turned into a HUGE project! Oh my gosh, I do not know how the shower was still functioning. I cannot believe it did not cave in on us and we did not fall through the floor. The walls were rotted all the way around and the floor was completely ruined by very extensive water damage. By the time Mike (the contractor) finished removing the rotten wood (for today) we ended up with no walls and barely any floor. There are large holes in the bathroom floor; I can see the dirt under my house. That is something I never wanted to see, ever. Bottom line, we need a new everything in the bathroom, and we are so glad we hired someone to help us this time! Hopefully this will not take too long to finish. In the meantime I will just chant the mantra that I have chanted since we first started pouring sweat and tears and money into this house:

"I love my house. I love my house. I love my house"

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2008-10-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today is Daddy's birthday, but since we all had to work, we had a party yesterday. It was fun; I invited tons of people, but only family and a couple others showed, which is great because my house is not big enough for major entertaining. Jim's brother AND sister came, which is a miracle in itself, because the three of them together is a rare occurrence indeed. Everyone is always busy at different times, and it keeps us apart too often. We had a BBQ and I made a lovely cake and we all just hung out for the afternoon. It was very nice. I drank two glasses of wine, and it was one glass too many. Bedtime for Mommy was 7:30pm. Low tolerance for alcohol, or something. There is tons of food left over, so come and have dinner with us if you are in the area!

Crrrruuunnncchhhh

2008-10-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

That is the sound the door of my car made this morning when a freakin' truck ran into it. Let me just tell you that this crunching sound is even more scary when you are directly on the other side of the crunching, and the only thing separating you from the the bumper of a truck is the door currently crunching in. Nice.

That is the dramatic version. Now, here is what happened. I got a $10 off coupon for Best Buy, and since we have a lovely new Best Buy here in town, I decided to go there and get the Leona Lewis CD I have been wanting (but not wanting to spend $14 on). So I got a new CD for $4 (which is about what CD's should cost anyway).

And the day was happy.

Then I had to go to Kmart because they had an ad in the paper last weekend and I wanted to see if the shoe organizer I wanted was still on sale. It wasn't, but that is OK, because I really did not need it, I just wanted it if it was cheap.

And the day was still happy.

Then I had to go to Safeway to get coffee creamer and a few other food type items. I ran in while uncle James and Peanut sat in the car listening to my lovely new CD. I grabbed my creamer, a new toothbrush, some dried fruit for Peanut and I was out of there. Record time in the grocery store.

And the day was quite happy.

I got back into the car, looked behind me and waited for a guy to walk behind the car before pulling out. So far, so good. I pulled out of my space and had just started to put the car in drive when suddenly the back of a truck is headed straight for my face. My brain hoped for a tenth of a second that the truck would see me and stop, but there was not time to finish the thought before the crunching told me that stopping was not going to be an option for this driver.

And the day was NOT happy!

It turned very sad, very quickly.

I pulled back into my space and got out my insurance info, we traded stuff, I took some pics with my phone and then we went home to call the insurance company. The man was very nice on the phone, and when I talked to Daddy he said it was all good, too. So, I am currently calming myself down. I am not so much upset about the accident as I am about my car. My beautiful little car was not in mint condition before today, but I am never happy when something big happens to something I still owe so much money on! I am glad I actually witnessed this accident, though. My car has two other nasty dents and some pretty bad scrapes from three other cars smashing into mine in parking lots while I was at work; and of course, nobody thought to leave any insurance info when those happened. At least I can get this one fixed, and nobody was hurt; I guess it's all good. Still, upsetting. Just thought I would share.

Peanut and I are off to a play date at a friend's house... wish us luck on the road!

Dinosaurs

2008-10-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Peanut loves dinosaurs. He does not have any idea what a dinosaurs are, but they are loads of fun. He is obsessed. I guess there are worse things.

What To Write...

2008-10-12T18:58:00.000-07:00

There has been absolutely nothing going on this week. It was a pretty uneventful weekend, except we went to Denios Farmer's Market in Roseville for a day out. What better way to spend a Saturday morning than walking around looking through people's old stuff and some new stuff for great deals on stuff you probably don't need? I love it. It's like going to a ginormous garage sale and discount store all in one, and outside. Cool.

I spent the rest of Saturday moving wood from various piles in the back yard to the carport, because it is almost time to start using the fireplace. Yes, the fireplace. The house we live in has terrible insulation, and the furnace does not put out hot air, so most of the time the house is freezing, and colder than it is outside. This is great in the summer; but when you wake up in the morning and it is 42 degrees (NOT and exaggeration) in the house (and heats up to a maximum of 54 degrees by afternoon), the wood stove comes in handy. True, we must spend the day and half the night huddled in the living room, but it makes for great quality time with the family. I am not complaining. I wish it was warmer in the house, but at least we have a house, and a wood stove is better than nothing. Anyway, I spent the afternoon moving wood to the carport so that I do not have to hunt through the piles in the rain for dry pieces like last year. It is really rather pathetic, but I remember bundling up Peanut and putting him in his backpack carrier and going out to hunt for dry wood in the yard (no uncle James living with us then to watch him while I went outside, and Daddy was at work). Oh, I have learned much in the way of county living. Don't try to light a fire without kindling and never store your wood in piles under tarps in the yard; they get wet, no matter what. So, I got my workout yesterday doing that.

Then I went with a friend from work to have sushi. I had it for the first time a couple of months ago, and it has grown on me. I have even learned how to use chopsticks. I try to stay away from anything too raw, though. I had a lobster roll that was scrumptious (and all cooked) and even the leftovers were good, which is rare for sushi, I think.

Anyway, my Peanut and Daddy are good. Just living life and being cute, as usual. I am pretty sure Daddy would like to be referred to as something other than "cute" but I am running short on intelligent thought right now. I have been working out like a crazy fool, so I am really tired, but still not much result. A quarter of a pound, in three weeks. I feel pretty lame about that, but I am becoming addicted to working out and find myself getting up every morning to go to the little County gym to start my day. The good thing is that I am getting a workout partner, I hope. Her first day is tomorrow, and we will see how long she lasts, but she is pretty dedicated, so it might work out well.

I guess that's it. So much writing to say so little. Life is quiet, and I like it that way, but it does not make for blog fodder.

I Love Chickens

2008-10-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was making waffles for dinner (yes, I am lame that way sometimes and cannot prepare a decent dinner for the family), and as I was getting out the eggs I started singing this little ditty I made up: "I love chickens, I love chickens..." I cannot carry a tune to save my life, so I figure that if I feel like singing out loud, the lyrics may as well be as interesting as the voice belting them out. Anyway, I was zipping around the kitchen singing and a few moments later I hear Peanut outside singing "I wuv Chick-ins, I wuv Chick-ins, too!"

Glad what I was singing was innocent, because Peanut was nowhere in sight when I made up that song, and an hour later... he is STILL singing it!

Richard and Hannah's Wedding

2008-10-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today we got all dressed up and drove two hours to Sierra City, Ca for my cousin's wedding. He and his new wife have been together since they were in grade school, so all I can say is "it's about time." It was seriously a sweet little wedding, but Peanut isn't really interested in weddings, so he got to play outside with uncle James during the ceremony. After the wedding we walked over to the community hall and stayed at the reception for a little while, but ended up leaving early because it was incredibly crowded and Peanut was all about running around like a crazy toddler; besides that, it was going to be a long drive home. The day really flew by, actually, and before we knew it we were in Downieville having pizza by the river. I lived in Downieville for a couple years with my family and I consider it my hometown, even though I was born in the Bay Area. There is nothing like small town life, and I wish I could have lived there longer. Instead I will just have to live vicariously through my cousin and his lovely bride, as it seems they are making quite a life for themselves up there in the mountains. We are home again, and glad to be, but take a look at my beautiful mountains and say a happy prayer for Richard and Hannah's new life together.

It Is Raining

2008-10-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it's started. Yesterday was a bit overcast, but still warm and even sunny sometimes. Today looks like the middle of winter, and it feels like it, too. It is suddenly very cold and raining, which means we could not go outside to play; so what did we do?

I have been working on deep-cleaning the house for the last couple of days, but today I had one too many cups of coffee and really went to work. I swept vacuumed as usual, but then I dusted (which happens about once a year), scrubbed walls and floors and moved furniture around. I still have some energy left, so I might go clean the bathroom...Nah!

Peanut played all day long, and while he was a little grumpy about not being able to go outside, he managed to keep himself busy. He played with his farm and airplane, he ran around the house like a crazy person and he pretended his new dinosaur was eating the fish right out of the fish tank. Now he is crawling around asking for a bath and being incredibly tired. I think the furniture arrangement has thrown him off, as he has been used to certain hiding places and jumping platforms, but now he has to stop and look around for new places to hide when he plays Hide-and-Seek with uncle James.

Daddy and James cleaned the gutters... in the rain... they will probably both catch cold and I will have to make more chicken soup. Speaking of soup, the recipe I posted the other day turned out fantastic. I was pretty impressed with myself, especially when I reheated the leftovers tonight, made some drop biscuits and had dinner ready in fifteen minutes. Nice. More time for cleaning.

Well, off to the bath and then to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow; I will tell you about it when we get back.

Folsom Premium Outlets (a.k.a. Disneyland)

2008-10-02T14:57:00.001-07:00

The good thing about me working 12 hour days is that I have lots of days off to spend at home with my Peanut.
The bad thing about me working 12 hour days is that I have lots of days off to spend with my Peanut. Not that I do not love to spend every second with my baby, but we (read: I) get bored sitting at home; that means we have to go out and find things to do that do not require spending too much money while keeping both of us entertained. We spend most of our time playing outside at home, but when I simply cannot look at my yard anymore I decide we must go out. We go to the park a lot, and we still play with some of our friends from my old baby group, but sometimes I really want to go shopping. Peanut does not generally like shopping, but he has been going with me since he was two days old, so he knows what to expect and he tolerates it pretty well. Today we went to the Folsom Premium Outlets to play. We have been here lots of times, as I used to work for Famous Footwear at the Outlet store, and Peanut loves to go and visit all of our old friends. Today we did something a little different than just shopping; we went all over the center and Paul got to play in all of the little rides.

I put him in one and put in 50 cents, but he actually did not like when the car moved, and asked to go find another one. We went to another car and he played in it for about 15 minutes (not running) before asking to get out. I thought that would be the end of our little adventure, but we passed another car (there are about fifteen of these things around the mall) and he had to play in it. So, we came to a truce. Mommy would get to look around a store, but then we had to go play on a ride. One ride for every store, and mommy got to look around as long as she wanted, but Little P also got to play for as long as he wanted without me telling him it was time to move on. He did not whine at me, and I did not whine at him. We were there for four hours. When it was clear that we were both tired we walked back to the car and my Peanut had a meltdown because he was leaving the "cars". I mean a giant meltdown, to where he was hyperventilating and still whimpering after he fell asleep (about 10 minutes after we started driving). I think one should only throw a fit like that when leaving Disneyland, but then I thought: Food, shopping, rides, lots of people... The Outlets are the Happiest Place on Earth!

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-10-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

One of my friends at work made this soup and brought it to work for lunch. It is fabulous, and I told her so, so she gave me the recipe. Admittedly, I have not made it yet, but it is on the menu for tomorrow night's dinner. I will let you know if it turned out as good as hers, and you can tell me if yours was good, too.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts (I am going to use boneless breasts, but you can cut up a whole chicken, if that's your pleasure)

2 cans black beans (14 1/2 ounce) undrained

2 cans stewed tomatoes (14 1/2 ounce)

1 can tomato sauce (14 1/2 ounce)

1 cup of salsa (your favorite kind)

1 small can of green chilies

Throw everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

When it is finished, dish it up and add shredded cheese, crunchy tortilla strips and sour cream.

Yummy.

When Peanut Grows Up...

2008-09-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

He wants to play music. Tonight Daddy and Peanut were playing and Peanut started banging on a tin can like a drum. Uncle James said that he was going to get P a real drum set someday and I said no way. Daddy mentioned that this was not a bad idea, as he could potentially become a star and be famous, rich, etc. Not too bad a future. Then Daddy said that Peanut was probably going to play football and be some giant linebacker, or else a baseball player.

Me: Peanut, do you want to play football or baseball?

Peanut: No, thanks.

Me: Do you want to play music?

Peanut: OK!!! (resumes banging on the can)

Daddy: Great. Son, you're going to be in the band? Not cool.(just kidding)

Later, Little P wanted to play Uncle James' guitar, so he got to pluck the strings on that for a while before going to bed. He had a great time and was quite upset when it was time to put the guitar away. We are all for nurturing Peanut's musical side; I just hope he is more coordinated than I was in that area. I played the flute for several years in elementary school, but I was never any good at keeping time on my own and songs usually got jumbled up when I practiced. Daddy did not play instruments in school, but he has a great voice and can sing well when he wants to. Hopefully Peanut takes after Daddy!