LOL

Last night...in the middle of my dream...I woke myself up by laughing! Is that normal?!? I literally laughed out loud! And then, trying to control the laughter (which wouldn't go away), I woke Steve up since the bed was shaking so badly due to my unsuccessful attempts to stifle the giggles! Now, if I could only remember what I was dreaming about...

How cute are they???

Seriously, how cute are my parents?!?!? This is the card that Garrett got in the mail on his birthday...though I guess that's slightly self-explanatory!!! Anyway, thanks Grandma and Grandpa...you made his day! :)

Confession

I have a confession.

It is now January 6th and my Christmas tree is still twinkling proudly in my living room! I know...what am I thinking?!? It is stripped of all its decorations except the lights...but it is still there. So here's my excuse...though that's really all it is, an excuse...I am a sucker - plain and simple. Garrett pleaded with me one day to keep it up until his birthday...and since I am a total push-over, I obliged, stacking his presents (as requested) neatly beneath the tree. I even thought about decorating it again with streamers and balloons...but I settled for hanging a million and two balloons from the ceiling instead and wrapping my painfully bare, post holiday banister in streamers.

So, there you are...my house in in the middle of two holiday decorations! A twinkling Christmas tree and birthday balloons! And I do have to admit...my favorite thing in the world is a lighted Christmas tree twinkling in the dark, while my boys' favorite thing appears to be the millions of balloons floating around the house...so we'll see how quickly it gets all put away! :)

WHY?!?

Why do I think it is necessary to bring my (usually) well-behaved children out into public...and especially the grocery store! From hide-and-seek (meaning, me frantically trying to find my sneaky boys - yes, Ethan too!) to broken jars of very fragrant pickled peppers on the floor to Ethan vehemently REFUSING to sit in the cart...I think I'm done. Or should I say, they are done! Usually I don't mind it...we make our trips out fun and hopefully not too annoying to other fellow shoppers...but today was my breaking point and it must have shown! The lovely check-out manager at HEB opened my own check-out line just for me! The stress must have been evident on my face...or maybe it's just the fact that Ethan has the shrillest most ear-piercing scream you've ever heard - both his joyful/excited shrieks and his upset cries...it's all the same earth-shattering howl!!! :) Regardless, we made it out of there in record time...once again, solidifying the fact that HEB is the world's greatest grocery store! Anyone that gives a crazed mother any sort of break, is an angel in my book!

Merry Christmas!

Nothing beats Christmas Eve as a parent! I love it! :) We've had a fun-filled day with friends, good food and fun times! And now, for my favorite part...I love finishing up the wrapping and getting everything in place! The excitement of Christmas is always so magical! Though not quite the giddy anticipation of years past...it's the preparing and excitement of seeing my own sweet kiddos so excited that they can barely sleep! I love it!!!

So, here's to wishing all of you a very merry Christmas! I hope your day is wonderful as we truly celebrate the most special miracle of all!

Mom??? Mom who???

Yesterday I was helping out in Ethan's nursery class. I thought this would be a great thing since he has been a bit hesitant about going lately. Honestly, he is so beyond tired by the time nursery time rolls around on Sundays, that he is beside himself and really doesn't want to be there. I'm hoping that our new 8:30 am schedule in January will solve this problem...but who knows...maybe I just have wussy kids!

So anyway, I'm in nursery with him for the entire 2 hours this week and still the poor boy is standing at the door crying and wanting to leave! Seriously, doesn't he know that I'm right there? And then I hear what he is actually saying in between his heart-wrenching sobs. 'Dad. Dad." When I scoop him up and explain that Daddy is in class and won't be back for a little bit, he walks back to the door and starts a new chant..."Woody, Woody. Dad. Woody." Ahhhh, my poor boy is obsessed with cowboy Woody from Toy Story! He watched a bit with Garrett this week and is completely smitten! Anytime the TV is on...he is chanting "Woody...Woody!" Except that it sounds more like "Wooey...Wooey!"

But seriously...Dad and Woody??? I'm standing right there?!?! Don't I amount to any sort of comfort for the poor boy! Does he really have to resort to fictional computer-generated characters to ease his troubles??? :) Ahhhh...the joys of motherhood are endless!

Out of the blue...

Picture this:

Garrett is just getting home from school. We're sitting in the kitchen getting a snack...and this is how the conversation progresses...

G - Hey Mom?

Me - Yeah?

G - Do you have Kaitlyn's phone number?

Me - (completely dumbfounded!!!!) Um...Kaitlyn in your class??? Nope, I don't have her number.

G - Oh......Okay.......We should get it sometime.

Me - Uh...okay. Good idea. Why do you want to call Kaitlyn? (he's never asked to call ANYONE before...let alone a GIRL!!!)

G - Uh, I don't know. I just do.

Me - Oh...okay. (again...not much to say as I am still picking my jaw up off the counter!)

G - Mom? You know what...Kaitlyn never has anything healthy in her lunch. She only has treats!

Me - Hmmm...that's interesting. (while I am secretly wondering if he is going to try and convince me that I am the only mother out there who insists that her boy eats some sort of fruit or veggi with his noon meal??? I don't think so!!!)

G - (now deep in thought) I wonder what she's going to bring tomorrow?

So, I've completely convinced myself that he was only concerned for her health...that is the only reason my little boy is in any way interested in calling a girl. Either that or he was going to try and have her bring a second pop tart for him too! Hardly likely...but that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Never mind the fact that this little girl is adorable! AAAHHHH...my life is over! I don't know if I'll be able to handle the rest of motherhood...I think I may have only been cut out for the 0 to 5 year old stages! Age 6 just might push me over the edge...how am I ever going to handle the teenage years?!?!

Maybe I can keep the girlfriends at bay if I keep posting goofy pictures on the blog...like this one, when he was running full speed towards me after a little face painting at the children's museum! I'll have to see what I can dig up next!!!