Jackson is making a big effort to talk more. It never fails to make my day. I've noticed that certain words sound almost exactly the same. For my own amusement and for my son's future amusement, I feel the need to record some of these here.
Airplane and apple are both apooh...
which sounds a lot like Papooh, for Pablo of Backyardigans fame.
Bibby is nearly indistinguishable from beep beep.
There is a festival of word switching on the changing table. My mom pointed out that Jackson thinks his diaper is a poo poo. He is learning that he tee tees from his pee pee, but that gets switched around a lot. (This is so complicated that I actually got it mixed up just typing it. Geez! What am I doing to my child?) And today I had to remind him that he watches Papooh on the tee vee, not the tee tee.
As I've mentioned before, Jackson constantly talks about his friend Ella. I just realized that some of the time he is actually trying to say "I like," which is a sweet coincidence. Today it's been Ella apooh. He likes apples. And he likes Ella too.
The funniest thing he's said up to this point was at my parents' house. He loves their dog Sunni. What you should know is that Sunni is never ever called by that name. For years her name has been Fwf. (No, there's no vowel. And it's inexplicable.) Once Jackson learned to say Fwoof, there was no stopping it. He said it night and day. Fwf and Beckham were sitting next to each other and he was saying Fwf's name. Pointing to Beckham the Big White Beast, we asked Jackson, "What's that doggy's name?"
"Dog."
"Yes, Jackson, that is a dog. But what is that doggy's name?"
"Dog."
There you have it. Dog and Fwoof. Little man's best friends.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Espero que...
I wish my fingernails weren't like paper.
I wish I could renounce fried food and cheese.
I wish the floors could clean themselves.
I wish I could pick up my mother-in-law from work and take her to lunch.
I wish the world weren't so crazy.
I wish I had the stomach to watch anything political on TV.
I wish I would go to bed earlier.
I wish I would read the new book I bought.
I wish I could make a roast and mashed potatoes like my mom.
I wish I could be impervious to merchandising.
I wish I would realize what's going on when I have a day when it seems I've totally let myself go, everything is harder than it should be, and I have no coping skills.
I wish I liked more sophisticated food than pizza and hamburgers.
I wish I were better about calling.
I wish I could spell exercise and surprise without second-guessing.
I wish we could stay up late playing dominoes with Curt's grandparents.
I wish I could renounce fried food and cheese.
I wish the floors could clean themselves.
I wish I could pick up my mother-in-law from work and take her to lunch.
I wish the world weren't so crazy.
I wish I had the stomach to watch anything political on TV.
I wish I would go to bed earlier.
I wish I would read the new book I bought.
I wish I could make a roast and mashed potatoes like my mom.
I wish I could be impervious to merchandising.
I wish I would realize what's going on when I have a day when it seems I've totally let myself go, everything is harder than it should be, and I have no coping skills.
I wish I liked more sophisticated food than pizza and hamburgers.
I wish I were better about calling.
I wish I could spell exercise and surprise without second-guessing.
I wish we could stay up late playing dominoes with Curt's grandparents.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
23 Months
Jackson, here are 23 reasons why you're such a big boy.
1) You wear size 8 or 9 shoes. What on earth!
2) Last weekend you picked your very heavy Radio Flyer rocketship completely off the ground. The next day you picked up your dad's guitar, parallel to the ground, and handed it to me.
3) You hop and jump so well.
4) You climb up on our bed, scale the enormous pillows, and reach the light switch at warp speed.
5) You will finally tolerate the apple skin instead of collecting it all in your mouth and spitting it out.
6) You can say "Thank you" and a not-so-clear version of "Jackson." (J's are not quite there yet. You did try to say "Jesus" when Ella was singing about him last weekend.) You also say "My daddy. My Bibby. My Pappaw."
7) You love to go to school.
8) When Daddy gets home from work, you immediately have to do or show him something manly.
9) You cooperate very well when I give you a bath.
10) You like to "swim" in the bathtub. You started laying all the way back with most of your head under the water and only your face sticking out. You kick your legs like you're doing a backstroke.
11) This morning I saw you go around the room to gather the blocks you had scattered everywhere. In order to pick up more blocks, you put the first one under your arm and held it there.
12) You tell me when there's stuff in your diaper. (Good one, Mom!)
13) You'll be watching TV quietly and you'll suddenly bust out laughing at something you thought was funny. It cracks me up.
14) You talk back now on the telephone.
15) You don't fight me anymore when I brush your teeth. You are getting used to toothpaste.
16) You have some radical breakdancing moves.
17) You talk about your friends when they're not around and you miss them.
18) When Mommy tells you not to throw something, you hold your hand up in the air and just let it drop out of your hand. Because that's dropping, not throwing.
19) You have so many teeth, I've lost count.
20) Sometimes you count things unprompted. "Two, twee, fi, siss, eigh."
21) You're learning your colors. You love blue and purple.
22) We have so much fun when I draw animals on your Magnadoodle and you tell me what they are. Even when they all look pretty much the same.
23) You will be two years old in three weeks!
UPDATE:
24) I just went in your room because you were supposed to be falling asleep, but I could hear you saying, "Poo poo. Poo poo." When I found you, you were sitting there on your bare behind, diaper in hand. Praise be to God, the Glorious Father, because there was no poo. I've been dreading the day this would happen and now it has arrived. Thankfully it was a dry run.
1) You wear size 8 or 9 shoes. What on earth!
2) Last weekend you picked your very heavy Radio Flyer rocketship completely off the ground. The next day you picked up your dad's guitar, parallel to the ground, and handed it to me.
3) You hop and jump so well.
4) You climb up on our bed, scale the enormous pillows, and reach the light switch at warp speed.
5) You will finally tolerate the apple skin instead of collecting it all in your mouth and spitting it out.
6) You can say "Thank you" and a not-so-clear version of "Jackson." (J's are not quite there yet. You did try to say "Jesus" when Ella was singing about him last weekend.) You also say "My daddy. My Bibby. My Pappaw."
7) You love to go to school.
8) When Daddy gets home from work, you immediately have to do or show him something manly.
9) You cooperate very well when I give you a bath.
10) You like to "swim" in the bathtub. You started laying all the way back with most of your head under the water and only your face sticking out. You kick your legs like you're doing a backstroke.
11) This morning I saw you go around the room to gather the blocks you had scattered everywhere. In order to pick up more blocks, you put the first one under your arm and held it there.
12) You tell me when there's stuff in your diaper. (Good one, Mom!)
13) You'll be watching TV quietly and you'll suddenly bust out laughing at something you thought was funny. It cracks me up.
14) You talk back now on the telephone.
15) You don't fight me anymore when I brush your teeth. You are getting used to toothpaste.
16) You have some radical breakdancing moves.
17) You talk about your friends when they're not around and you miss them.
18) When Mommy tells you not to throw something, you hold your hand up in the air and just let it drop out of your hand. Because that's dropping, not throwing.
19) You have so many teeth, I've lost count.
20) Sometimes you count things unprompted. "Two, twee, fi, siss, eigh."
21) You're learning your colors. You love blue and purple.
22) We have so much fun when I draw animals on your Magnadoodle and you tell me what they are. Even when they all look pretty much the same.
23) You will be two years old in three weeks!
UPDATE:
24) I just went in your room because you were supposed to be falling asleep, but I could hear you saying, "Poo poo. Poo poo." When I found you, you were sitting there on your bare behind, diaper in hand. Praise be to God, the Glorious Father, because there was no poo. I've been dreading the day this would happen and now it has arrived. Thankfully it was a dry run.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Great Toddler Invasion
We had the best time on our road trip. The babies, now known as The Tods, were so good. I noticed that Jackson was particularly good and I think it's because he never had one moment of boredom the entire weekend. He and Ella played so hard. He was thrilled to have a friend at his Bibby's house. By the way, Jackson learned to say "my" and "mine" this weekend. I wonder why? He also learned "thank you" and a few other words, thanks to Ella's example. Homegirl talks in sentences!
Here's what we did:
Friday night - We had dinner at La Hacienda. Yum.
Saturday - We went to Memorial City Mall because Sunni had told us about their amazing play area and the two-story carousel. That night Janelle and I met some friends for a movie.
Sunday - We went to the Houston Zoo and saw lots of animals. Incidentally, we may have had the world's best pizza at the zoo. We made a stop at Dessert Gallery and got some cake to go. After The Tods went to bed, Janelle and I went to Target to buy a dual-screen DVD player for the car and some candy for the ride home. Let's just say that the ride home was a bit smoother than the ride there. We stayed up very late packing our suitcases. We could have gone on an international trip with all the clothes we brought.
Monday - We said goodbye to a Very Sad Bibby and a Very Sad Pappaw and headed over to Michelle's house. We got to meet Baby Jack and play with Keegan. Michelle's husband got us McDonald's for lunch. How fitting! We loaded up at naptime and started the four-hour journey home. The babies only slept one hour. Thank the Lord for the DVD player. We rolled into town at 5:30 and had to say our goodbyes. Jackson cried so hard when Ella drove away and said through tears, "Bye bye!" It was so precious and so sad!
Tuesday - My hubby gets home from his ski trip tonight. I can't wait to see him!
Here's the evidence of our mad photojournalism skills.
Ready to go!
We had to make a stop on the way to Houston. Can you guess where?
Amen.
When Jackson had had enough of the car ride, he took off his shoes and socks and picked fuzz out from between his toes.
At The Houston Zoo
Janelle and her Tod.
Me and my Tod.
The Goat Whisperer.
Ella enjoyed brushing the goats' hair.
That is one intriguing animal.
The Tods looking under the fence to get the best view.
Our favorite picture of The Tods.
Amanda, Jackson, and Bibby looking at something.
Mom and Tod looking at another Mom and Tod.
Big mom, big tod.
The Tods racing up the jungle gym stairs at the zoo.
Jackson was much happier going down the slide than brushing the goats.
Jackson jumping on the bridge, catching air under his feet. Mommy holding her breath.
In the car
Guess who wanted to ride in the back every time we got in the car?
Guess who's faking it in this picture?
Guess who's not faking it here?
Ella's hat hair.
A cookie liquefied in Ella's mouth.
At the house
One Tod's favorite thing is to put water on his hair and the other Tod's most hated thing is to have water on her hair. This was an interesting time.
We like to do draw-rings.
Mexican food. What else?
The Tods dancing.
The Tods in a moment of sharing.
Ella and Bibby doing their floor exercises.
Ella imitating Bibby's stretching moves.
The Tods trying to spy The Dogs in the backyard.
Ella being adorable.
Me and both Tods. I was the luckiest person in the room.
At the mall
Janelle and Ella at the Memorial City Mall playland.
Jackson relaxin'.
Ella at the playland.
Ella climbing some cute stairs.
The Tods on a carousel.
Playdate
The Tods at Keegan's house.
The Tods in a tent.
The Tods thank Bibby and Pappaw for a great weekend!
Here's what we did:
Friday night - We had dinner at La Hacienda. Yum.
Saturday - We went to Memorial City Mall because Sunni had told us about their amazing play area and the two-story carousel. That night Janelle and I met some friends for a movie.
Sunday - We went to the Houston Zoo and saw lots of animals. Incidentally, we may have had the world's best pizza at the zoo. We made a stop at Dessert Gallery and got some cake to go. After The Tods went to bed, Janelle and I went to Target to buy a dual-screen DVD player for the car and some candy for the ride home. Let's just say that the ride home was a bit smoother than the ride there. We stayed up very late packing our suitcases. We could have gone on an international trip with all the clothes we brought.
Monday - We said goodbye to a Very Sad Bibby and a Very Sad Pappaw and headed over to Michelle's house. We got to meet Baby Jack and play with Keegan. Michelle's husband got us McDonald's for lunch. How fitting! We loaded up at naptime and started the four-hour journey home. The babies only slept one hour. Thank the Lord for the DVD player. We rolled into town at 5:30 and had to say our goodbyes. Jackson cried so hard when Ella drove away and said through tears, "Bye bye!" It was so precious and so sad!
Tuesday - My hubby gets home from his ski trip tonight. I can't wait to see him!
Here's the evidence of our mad photojournalism skills.
Ready to go!
We had to make a stop on the way to Houston. Can you guess where?
Amen.
When Jackson had had enough of the car ride, he took off his shoes and socks and picked fuzz out from between his toes.
At The Houston Zoo
Janelle and her Tod.
Me and my Tod.
The Goat Whisperer.
Ella enjoyed brushing the goats' hair.
That is one intriguing animal.
The Tods looking under the fence to get the best view.
Our favorite picture of The Tods.
Amanda, Jackson, and Bibby looking at something.
Mom and Tod looking at another Mom and Tod.
Big mom, big tod.
The Tods racing up the jungle gym stairs at the zoo.
Jackson was much happier going down the slide than brushing the goats.
Jackson jumping on the bridge, catching air under his feet. Mommy holding her breath.
In the car
Guess who wanted to ride in the back every time we got in the car?
Guess who's faking it in this picture?
Guess who's not faking it here?
Ella's hat hair.
A cookie liquefied in Ella's mouth.
At the house
One Tod's favorite thing is to put water on his hair and the other Tod's most hated thing is to have water on her hair. This was an interesting time.
We like to do draw-rings.
Mexican food. What else?
The Tods dancing.
The Tods in a moment of sharing.
Ella and Bibby doing their floor exercises.
Ella imitating Bibby's stretching moves.
The Tods trying to spy The Dogs in the backyard.
Ella being adorable.
Me and both Tods. I was the luckiest person in the room.
At the mall
Janelle and Ella at the Memorial City Mall playland.
Jackson relaxin'.
Ella at the playland.
Ella climbing some cute stairs.
The Tods on a carousel.
Playdate
The Tods at Keegan's house.
The Tods in a tent.
The Tods thank Bibby and Pappaw for a great weekend!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Making Use of the Suburban
Ever since we got the Suburban, I have dreamed of the day when I would take an awesome road trip in it with my friends. That awesome road trip, in my mind, consisted of Janelle and Sunni and our three tots going down to Houston for a weekend. Totally awesome, right? Of course I've been telling them for two years now about this place and that place and what we could do here and there.
Fast forward one year. My hubby is on a ski trip with our church this weekend. I do not ski, nor do I ever care to take up skiing, so I had planned to stay in snow-less Texas and spend a long weekend with my folks in Houston. (Actually, I could have gone, but Curtis preferred not to have to worry that I might be bored while he was on the slopes. And I preferred not to waste my free babysitting days on a ski trip when I don't ski.) My friend Michelle, who was Janelle's college roommate, just had a baby and she lives in Houston, too. It was the perfect time for Janelle and Ella to come down with me. (If you're wondering about Sunni, she was in need of a calm weekend at home with her Hubs. We miss you though, Sunni!)
So this morning we embarked on the long-awaited road trip to Houston. We have been documenting the trip with our mad photojournalism skills. I can't wait to see what pictures we come up with. I'm sure they will look extremely professional. Anyway, it was a very smooth process getting the 'burban packed up and heading out. We immediately pulled through McDonald's because we were so hungry from lifting our enormous, overpacked suitcases into the truck. I was just telling Janelle that it was the first time all year that I've had McDonald's when lo and behold, snow began falling from the sky.
I felt in my heart that it was a spiritual moment. It was like finding a four-leaf clover. It seemed God was smiling down on us, His beloved daughters. Maybe He was glad for us to eat at the Golden Arches. Or perhaps this display of favor came because we were finally taking our road trip. Or maybe He wanted to bless me a little for not being a brat about Curt's ski trip. Or maybe the atmospheric conditions were just perfect for snow. At any rate, the fries were great and I do believe if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, that would be it. Glory.
Fast forward one year. My hubby is on a ski trip with our church this weekend. I do not ski, nor do I ever care to take up skiing, so I had planned to stay in snow-less Texas and spend a long weekend with my folks in Houston. (Actually, I could have gone, but Curtis preferred not to have to worry that I might be bored while he was on the slopes. And I preferred not to waste my free babysitting days on a ski trip when I don't ski.) My friend Michelle, who was Janelle's college roommate, just had a baby and she lives in Houston, too. It was the perfect time for Janelle and Ella to come down with me. (If you're wondering about Sunni, she was in need of a calm weekend at home with her Hubs. We miss you though, Sunni!)
So this morning we embarked on the long-awaited road trip to Houston. We have been documenting the trip with our mad photojournalism skills. I can't wait to see what pictures we come up with. I'm sure they will look extremely professional. Anyway, it was a very smooth process getting the 'burban packed up and heading out. We immediately pulled through McDonald's because we were so hungry from lifting our enormous, overpacked suitcases into the truck. I was just telling Janelle that it was the first time all year that I've had McDonald's when lo and behold, snow began falling from the sky.
I felt in my heart that it was a spiritual moment. It was like finding a four-leaf clover. It seemed God was smiling down on us, His beloved daughters. Maybe He was glad for us to eat at the Golden Arches. Or perhaps this display of favor came because we were finally taking our road trip. Or maybe He wanted to bless me a little for not being a brat about Curt's ski trip. Or maybe the atmospheric conditions were just perfect for snow. At any rate, the fries were great and I do believe if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, that would be it. Glory.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Q & A
Here are some questions and answers from last week's post. I hope I didn't miss any!
So what does the new do look like???? :)
Since the only people who mentioned it have been readers of this blog, I’ve concluded that it hardly looks different at all. It’s a tad darker, but not much.
I noticed where Melissa's getting married wasn't listed and I can imagine why. Smart move. Don't need any wedding crashers.
When Curt and I got married, our wedding coordinator’s biggest fear was that a tour bus was going to show up with a bunch of people we didn’t know. (For the record, no one in my family really thought that was going to happen.) Sure enough, on the big day a tour bus rolled in to the church parking lot. Peggy was horrified. She sent her son TJ to go handle the wedding crashers. He approached the bus, ready to handle it all, and they turned out to be a senior citizen tour group who could care less about us and our wedding. Ha ha!
I have a teenage daughter and would love to know a little more about the boundaries you had as a teenager. (Movies? Dating? MySpace?)
You know, I wrote a very long and detailed reply to this and then decided not to post it. Every kid is so different. What worked for my parents and me won’t necessarily work for you and your daughter. On the other hand, what didn’t work for us might work for you. That’s where parents have to be Spirit-led. Even though my parents set good and firm boundaries for me, by the end of high school I was breaking them outright and hiding it very well. When I was younger, I suppose my well being had a lot to do with the effectiveness of their rules. But in the end, it was all about the spiritual state of my heart and my character.
As for MySpace and other Internet issues, I would recommend for any parent to get familiar with Vicki Courtney’s ministry and get their hands on her book, Logged On and Tuned Out. My impression of MySpace is very negative. I don’t think teenagers have the wisdom to operate something like that while being safe and keeping their integrity. But that’s just my humble opinion. MySpace bombards you with seedy adds and invitations. You are always one click away from something nasty.
How did you survive a vacation without Jackson? How did you manage to get away? It is something I really want to do with hubs but I just can't bring myself to leave the kids (3 of 'em). The only night I've ever spent away from them was to be in the hospital having another one...sad, huh? Anyway, I'm on a workout kick myself and would like to plan a trip for next year. Love to hear your thoughts on it. Thanks!
Two things helped me survive four nights away from my child. One, I left Jackson with my parents and I knew he was being well taken care of. (In other words, I knew my mom would completely obsess over him like I do!) Two, we went to an all-inclusive resort where there were no children. It was so great because there weren’t any kids there to make me long for mine. We missed Jackson, but it was (mostly) a happy miss. It was very much needed – probably more than I realized – and I can’t wait to get away with Curt again. It was certainly an investment in our marriage. Plus, it is great to have something to work toward when you’re getting in shape!
What tools do you use for blogging?
Bloglines helps me keep the blogs I read organized. It lets me know when there are new posts to read.
Sitemeter helps me track visits to my blog.
Technorati shows me who is linking to my blog.
How do you make God fun for Jackson? I don't want to make our faith so serious (and yes, I do think that it is that but I want BALANCE). I have 4 kids and I struggle with this.
I think I will have more to say about this in the coming year(s). For now Jackson loves music, so we have a lot of fun jumping around the house to very loud praise songs. We have been watching a Hillsong Kids DVD while we eat breakfast (and I have my quiet time) in the morning. His teacher at mother’s day out has taught all the kids to pump their fist in the air when they say Amen! Jackson does it every single time we pray. Right now I am really praying hard for God to give him a mind to know Him and a heart to love Him.
Since you've moved to the DFW area what are your local addictions?
Mainly, my wonderful friends! Also JD’s Chippery for cookies; Scalini’s and DoubleDave’s for pizza; Northpark, the Galleria, and Southlake Town Square for shopping; specifically the Macy’s in the Galleria or any Nordstrom for my denim addiction; Baby Bliss for the Mister (more for looking than buying); Central Market for lunch and fun on the playground; Breadwinner’s for breakfast or lunch; Society Bakery for mean petit fours; Snuffers for killer cheese fries; La Duni for a girls night out; White Rock Lake Dog Park for taking Beckham swimming; the State Fair for a good corn dog; the Plano Hot Air Balloon Festival for lots of fun; Keller’s Drive-In for an amazing burger; and AMC’s The Grand for a movie with Hubs. It’s huge and no one is ever there! On Knox-Henderson we like to hit up all the great stores while walking outside and maybe snagging a hot dog or ice cream at Wild About Harry’s. DFW is great!
What do you miss the most from Houston besides family?
My wonderful friends, my co-workers, and Tuesday night Bible study. Places like Paulie’s for very tasty, beautifully decorated cookies; Star Pizza; Dessert Gallery, where you can play games and drink coffee while eating your cake; Willowbrook Mall just because my mom, sister and I have spent countless hours there together; going on long walks with my mom in the neighborhood where I grew up; the culture of the South Texas coast.
So just to throw a question out there for your Q & A - where did you get your fabulous red coat?
Thank you for calling it fabulous. I got it at Banana Republic back in November.
How about your favorite beauty tip?
I love Benefit’s Benetint because I can get rosy cheeks without having to sit down and do my makeup. It’s just like putting a bit of red food coloring on your face, as weird as that sounds. This works well when I want to look alive but I’m just taking Jackson to MDO or going to the gym. I don’t like to work out with a bunch of makeup clogging my pores.
BTW, are you serious about some of that weird stuff--that is really weird!!
Totally serious.
If I had one question, it would be how do you make friends and keep friendships when you seem so busy, just like we all are?
I have some really wonderful friendships with people I’m busy with. When you are serving somewhere, you develop a bond with others who are serving there, too. That is one big plus to pouring yourself out at your church or in your community. And it never hurts to ask God for meaningful friendships. I specifically asked God to bring me friends to have my babies with and look what happened! Janelle and I were literally in the hospital with our babies at the same time! How’s that for an outright answer to prayer? He cares about those things. Also, think about starting a bunko/bunco (how do you really spell it?) group or something like it. It’s a great way to get to know other women. I must say that I struggle just like everyone else to maintain friendships, especially with friends I don’t get to see very much.
Before I sign off, I want to tell you how much your comments on "A Small Can of Worms" meant to me. I was completely blown away by all the loving and encouraging things you had to say. Thanks for loving on me. And it was very nice to meet so many of you!
So what does the new do look like???? :)
Since the only people who mentioned it have been readers of this blog, I’ve concluded that it hardly looks different at all. It’s a tad darker, but not much.
I noticed where Melissa's getting married wasn't listed and I can imagine why. Smart move. Don't need any wedding crashers.
When Curt and I got married, our wedding coordinator’s biggest fear was that a tour bus was going to show up with a bunch of people we didn’t know. (For the record, no one in my family really thought that was going to happen.) Sure enough, on the big day a tour bus rolled in to the church parking lot. Peggy was horrified. She sent her son TJ to go handle the wedding crashers. He approached the bus, ready to handle it all, and they turned out to be a senior citizen tour group who could care less about us and our wedding. Ha ha!
I have a teenage daughter and would love to know a little more about the boundaries you had as a teenager. (Movies? Dating? MySpace?)
You know, I wrote a very long and detailed reply to this and then decided not to post it. Every kid is so different. What worked for my parents and me won’t necessarily work for you and your daughter. On the other hand, what didn’t work for us might work for you. That’s where parents have to be Spirit-led. Even though my parents set good and firm boundaries for me, by the end of high school I was breaking them outright and hiding it very well. When I was younger, I suppose my well being had a lot to do with the effectiveness of their rules. But in the end, it was all about the spiritual state of my heart and my character.
As for MySpace and other Internet issues, I would recommend for any parent to get familiar with Vicki Courtney’s ministry and get their hands on her book, Logged On and Tuned Out. My impression of MySpace is very negative. I don’t think teenagers have the wisdom to operate something like that while being safe and keeping their integrity. But that’s just my humble opinion. MySpace bombards you with seedy adds and invitations. You are always one click away from something nasty.
How did you survive a vacation without Jackson? How did you manage to get away? It is something I really want to do with hubs but I just can't bring myself to leave the kids (3 of 'em). The only night I've ever spent away from them was to be in the hospital having another one...sad, huh? Anyway, I'm on a workout kick myself and would like to plan a trip for next year. Love to hear your thoughts on it. Thanks!
Two things helped me survive four nights away from my child. One, I left Jackson with my parents and I knew he was being well taken care of. (In other words, I knew my mom would completely obsess over him like I do!) Two, we went to an all-inclusive resort where there were no children. It was so great because there weren’t any kids there to make me long for mine. We missed Jackson, but it was (mostly) a happy miss. It was very much needed – probably more than I realized – and I can’t wait to get away with Curt again. It was certainly an investment in our marriage. Plus, it is great to have something to work toward when you’re getting in shape!
What tools do you use for blogging?
Bloglines helps me keep the blogs I read organized. It lets me know when there are new posts to read.
Sitemeter helps me track visits to my blog.
Technorati shows me who is linking to my blog.
How do you make God fun for Jackson? I don't want to make our faith so serious (and yes, I do think that it is that but I want BALANCE). I have 4 kids and I struggle with this.
I think I will have more to say about this in the coming year(s). For now Jackson loves music, so we have a lot of fun jumping around the house to very loud praise songs. We have been watching a Hillsong Kids DVD while we eat breakfast (and I have my quiet time) in the morning. His teacher at mother’s day out has taught all the kids to pump their fist in the air when they say Amen! Jackson does it every single time we pray. Right now I am really praying hard for God to give him a mind to know Him and a heart to love Him.
Since you've moved to the DFW area what are your local addictions?
Mainly, my wonderful friends! Also JD’s Chippery for cookies; Scalini’s and DoubleDave’s for pizza; Northpark, the Galleria, and Southlake Town Square for shopping; specifically the Macy’s in the Galleria or any Nordstrom for my denim addiction; Baby Bliss for the Mister (more for looking than buying); Central Market for lunch and fun on the playground; Breadwinner’s for breakfast or lunch; Society Bakery for mean petit fours; Snuffers for killer cheese fries; La Duni for a girls night out; White Rock Lake Dog Park for taking Beckham swimming; the State Fair for a good corn dog; the Plano Hot Air Balloon Festival for lots of fun; Keller’s Drive-In for an amazing burger; and AMC’s The Grand for a movie with Hubs. It’s huge and no one is ever there! On Knox-Henderson we like to hit up all the great stores while walking outside and maybe snagging a hot dog or ice cream at Wild About Harry’s. DFW is great!
What do you miss the most from Houston besides family?
My wonderful friends, my co-workers, and Tuesday night Bible study. Places like Paulie’s for very tasty, beautifully decorated cookies; Star Pizza; Dessert Gallery, where you can play games and drink coffee while eating your cake; Willowbrook Mall just because my mom, sister and I have spent countless hours there together; going on long walks with my mom in the neighborhood where I grew up; the culture of the South Texas coast.
So just to throw a question out there for your Q & A - where did you get your fabulous red coat?
Thank you for calling it fabulous. I got it at Banana Republic back in November.
How about your favorite beauty tip?
I love Benefit’s Benetint because I can get rosy cheeks without having to sit down and do my makeup. It’s just like putting a bit of red food coloring on your face, as weird as that sounds. This works well when I want to look alive but I’m just taking Jackson to MDO or going to the gym. I don’t like to work out with a bunch of makeup clogging my pores.
BTW, are you serious about some of that weird stuff--that is really weird!!
Totally serious.
If I had one question, it would be how do you make friends and keep friendships when you seem so busy, just like we all are?
I have some really wonderful friendships with people I’m busy with. When you are serving somewhere, you develop a bond with others who are serving there, too. That is one big plus to pouring yourself out at your church or in your community. And it never hurts to ask God for meaningful friendships. I specifically asked God to bring me friends to have my babies with and look what happened! Janelle and I were literally in the hospital with our babies at the same time! How’s that for an outright answer to prayer? He cares about those things. Also, think about starting a bunko/bunco (how do you really spell it?) group or something like it. It’s a great way to get to know other women. I must say that I struggle just like everyone else to maintain friendships, especially with friends I don’t get to see very much.
Before I sign off, I want to tell you how much your comments on "A Small Can of Worms" meant to me. I was completely blown away by all the loving and encouraging things you had to say. Thanks for loving on me. And it was very nice to meet so many of you!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Lovely Morning at the Gym
This morning I went to the gym for my third personal training session. Let me just tell you, I did not feel like going today. I had already been up there four times since Monday. Also? Friday is supposed to be date day with the Hubs. I really just wanted to get dolled up and be treated to a nice lunch and maybe some shopping at Northpark or a stop at JD's Chippery. Instead, I wore something really unflattering from Academy Sports & Outdoors and I went to have my tush professionally kicked. Glory.
My trainer is really into martial arts and he likes to talk about it. A lot. And about all the guys he trains and about all the injuries he has from it. Okay! Smile and nod. Concentrate on not falling out. It seems like most of the conversation has been one-way. I'm not sure he's asked about my life yet, except whether I was ever a cheerleader or a dancer (because that would mean I would be more advanced with my high kicks). No, I wasn't. But I can spike a volleyball, mister! Turns out, so can he.
So I guess today I felt a little too comfortable sharing some things about my life that were not going to interest him in any way, shape, or form. Things that might, in fact, horrify this man who was not really in a stage of life that led him to relate to a MOP. I might have lost some propriety when I was on the floor doing ab work. My legs were stretched out in front of me, hovering 3 inches off the floor. Three inches? That is not very much. I was shaking, holding my breath, contracting my abs, and just trying not to collapse or pass out while he slowly counted down, "Five, four, three, two, one." So I might have forgotten myself and yelled out, I feel like I'm in labor!
Okay, so what would that exercise remind you of? Is it not labor? Pushing, to be more exact? He was taken aback. Just a bit. I was really amused with myself, but as the hours have passed I've become a little embarrassed. I had just told him minutes before that they really should have some female personal trainers in the house. He was reluctant to agree with me, but I bet he can see the merit in it now!
(Q&A coming soon. But Michelle, a MOP is a mom of preschoolers.)
My trainer is really into martial arts and he likes to talk about it. A lot. And about all the guys he trains and about all the injuries he has from it. Okay! Smile and nod. Concentrate on not falling out. It seems like most of the conversation has been one-way. I'm not sure he's asked about my life yet, except whether I was ever a cheerleader or a dancer (because that would mean I would be more advanced with my high kicks). No, I wasn't. But I can spike a volleyball, mister! Turns out, so can he.
So I guess today I felt a little too comfortable sharing some things about my life that were not going to interest him in any way, shape, or form. Things that might, in fact, horrify this man who was not really in a stage of life that led him to relate to a MOP. I might have lost some propriety when I was on the floor doing ab work. My legs were stretched out in front of me, hovering 3 inches off the floor. Three inches? That is not very much. I was shaking, holding my breath, contracting my abs, and just trying not to collapse or pass out while he slowly counted down, "Five, four, three, two, one." So I might have forgotten myself and yelled out, I feel like I'm in labor!
Okay, so what would that exercise remind you of? Is it not labor? Pushing, to be more exact? He was taken aback. Just a bit. I was really amused with myself, but as the hours have passed I've become a little embarrassed. I had just told him minutes before that they really should have some female personal trainers in the house. He was reluctant to agree with me, but I bet he can see the merit in it now!
(Q&A coming soon. But Michelle, a MOP is a mom of preschoolers.)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Furry Happy Monsters
Not that I'm a fan of R.E.M., but I saw this on Sesame Street this morning and it cracked me up. I was trying to have my quiet time while Jackson watched and ate his breakfast, but I just had to stop and watch it with him for a minute. I think the girl singer flinging her hair was my favorite part. Furry sobbing monsters feeling sad...
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
A Small Can of Worms
I think I opened a small can of worms with some things I said yesterday. Maybe a little cup of worms. A demitasse of worms. Isn't that a lovely picture? At the risk of sounding extremely self-important, I just want to address this real quick.
I've been asked several times how I feel about strangers reading this blog. A few people have said that they feel guilty reading it because they think they're invading my privacy. Please, there is no need to feel that way. If you show up on my front porch unexpectedly and I've never met you before, that is weird. If you do a google search, like someone did a few months ago, to find out how big my parents' house is, that is kind of weird. (And I'm wondering, did you find your answer?) If you move into our neighborhood to be near us or to be near our office, like someone did a long time ago, that is really weird. But reading this blog doesn't make you weird. Well I guess it could because I am kind of weird, but you know what I mean. I have a site meter and it tells me a lot about who visits this blog every day. It's not a huge number, but it does tell me that more than just my friends are reading, and have been for a while. So even though you may be a lurker, your presence is not a secret. It is known about and, unless you are weird, it is welcome.
Anyone who has a blog knows (or should know) that they can't have their cake and eat it too. You can't put yourself out there for readers and expect to maintain perfect privacy. The closest you can get is to have a password-protected blog. Maybe one day I'll decide to do that, but unless I do, all of you are welcome to read this blog. I won't lie. I really don't like mean, hyper-spiritual, legalistic comments, but thankfully I don't get a lot of those.
The reason I wanted to keep this blog separate from my work blog is because I don't want to have a work voice when I write here. I want to write like I'm writing to my personal friends because that is who I think of when I do it. Plus, there are lots more readers over there and I'm not really looking for that. Also, it's hard when I get work-related questions over here because sometimes they get lost. It helps me stay organized to keep things separate.
With that said, if you have any more burning questions (not related to when certain products come out or if my mom can speak somewhere), send them my way today and maybe I'll do a Q&A post. Don't forget that I'm a MOP and not a theology student! Not that you can't be both...
I've been asked several times how I feel about strangers reading this blog. A few people have said that they feel guilty reading it because they think they're invading my privacy. Please, there is no need to feel that way. If you show up on my front porch unexpectedly and I've never met you before, that is weird. If you do a google search, like someone did a few months ago, to find out how big my parents' house is, that is kind of weird. (And I'm wondering, did you find your answer?) If you move into our neighborhood to be near us or to be near our office, like someone did a long time ago, that is really weird. But reading this blog doesn't make you weird. Well I guess it could because I am kind of weird, but you know what I mean. I have a site meter and it tells me a lot about who visits this blog every day. It's not a huge number, but it does tell me that more than just my friends are reading, and have been for a while. So even though you may be a lurker, your presence is not a secret. It is known about and, unless you are weird, it is welcome.
Anyone who has a blog knows (or should know) that they can't have their cake and eat it too. You can't put yourself out there for readers and expect to maintain perfect privacy. The closest you can get is to have a password-protected blog. Maybe one day I'll decide to do that, but unless I do, all of you are welcome to read this blog. I won't lie. I really don't like mean, hyper-spiritual, legalistic comments, but thankfully I don't get a lot of those.
The reason I wanted to keep this blog separate from my work blog is because I don't want to have a work voice when I write here. I want to write like I'm writing to my personal friends because that is who I think of when I do it. Plus, there are lots more readers over there and I'm not really looking for that. Also, it's hard when I get work-related questions over here because sometimes they get lost. It helps me stay organized to keep things separate.
With that said, if you have any more burning questions (not related to when certain products come out or if my mom can speak somewhere), send them my way today and maybe I'll do a Q&A post. Don't forget that I'm a MOP and not a theology student! Not that you can't be both...
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Looking Back
Random Item A:
Well, the big news that I have not been allowed to blog about yet (since September, folks!) is finally out. Yay! My baby sister is getting married! For the record, it has not been a real secret. We just haven't wanted to spread the news around the W.W.W. yet. Lots of people made guesses about it, but since I am the gatekeeper, I didn't publish their comments. (By the way, you might notice that I don't ever publish any comments on the other blog that mention this blog. That's only because I want to keep this one personal and separate from work.)
Random Item B:
I am feeling very nostalgic about Jackson's birth. I just look at this little man running around my house and I cannot believe how my life has changed in the last two years. I keep thinking about being in those childbirth, infant care, and breastfeeding classes with Janelle and Sunni and our hubbies. We had no idea what we were in for. And even a year ago, we couldn't have imagined how much the babies would grow and develop such distinct personalities from then until now. I feel so blessed to have an almost-two-year-old. This is my favorite stage by far. It really does keep getting better.
Random Item C:
My mom is teaching Breaking Free in Houston this semester. It got me thinking about all the things that happened in my family's life in the years that led up to that study. I generally look at the whole of my life and think of it as having been very happy. But I guess today I took a close look at everything that went on during my high school years - everything that the enemy threw our way - and those four years were unbelievable. Unbe-stinking-lievable. Not in a good way. And the things that happened in those years weren't even sin-induced crises. I think they helped lead to my own sin-induced crisis, but that's another story.
What is weird to me now is that I don't remember ever crying out for help. I don't remember talking about the pain I was in or about how stressed out my heart was. I think "stressed" is a good word for it. I know I talked to my parents, but I kept a whole lot of that away from them. I didn't confide in any youth worker and ask for prayer. There were some that reached out to me, but I refused. I felt so sad this morning when I realized that. And it wasn't for lack of friends or godly adults who would listen. I just didn't open up about the real stuff. Maybe I did those things, but I can't really remember them. In fact, I remember trying at about age 15 to train my heart not to ache. I felt pathetic for hurting. Man, that was healthy! Why on earth did I do that? I kind of want to go back and beat my teenaged head against the wall. It's funny because I would never do that now. I am all about talking it out!
Another person's head I'd like to beat against the wall? Well, he's not an actual person. I won't do him the honor of mentioning his sorry name in this blog post, but I'll be very happy for the day when I see Jesus beat his head against the wall of hell. Even though we turned out alright and we saw God's faithfulness, what he did to us stunk. That is not even close to a good enough word for it.
Well, the big news that I have not been allowed to blog about yet (since September, folks!) is finally out. Yay! My baby sister is getting married! For the record, it has not been a real secret. We just haven't wanted to spread the news around the W.W.W. yet. Lots of people made guesses about it, but since I am the gatekeeper, I didn't publish their comments. (By the way, you might notice that I don't ever publish any comments on the other blog that mention this blog. That's only because I want to keep this one personal and separate from work.)
Random Item B:
I am feeling very nostalgic about Jackson's birth. I just look at this little man running around my house and I cannot believe how my life has changed in the last two years. I keep thinking about being in those childbirth, infant care, and breastfeeding classes with Janelle and Sunni and our hubbies. We had no idea what we were in for. And even a year ago, we couldn't have imagined how much the babies would grow and develop such distinct personalities from then until now. I feel so blessed to have an almost-two-year-old. This is my favorite stage by far. It really does keep getting better.
Random Item C:
My mom is teaching Breaking Free in Houston this semester. It got me thinking about all the things that happened in my family's life in the years that led up to that study. I generally look at the whole of my life and think of it as having been very happy. But I guess today I took a close look at everything that went on during my high school years - everything that the enemy threw our way - and those four years were unbelievable. Unbe-stinking-lievable. Not in a good way. And the things that happened in those years weren't even sin-induced crises. I think they helped lead to my own sin-induced crisis, but that's another story.
What is weird to me now is that I don't remember ever crying out for help. I don't remember talking about the pain I was in or about how stressed out my heart was. I think "stressed" is a good word for it. I know I talked to my parents, but I kept a whole lot of that away from them. I didn't confide in any youth worker and ask for prayer. There were some that reached out to me, but I refused. I felt so sad this morning when I realized that. And it wasn't for lack of friends or godly adults who would listen. I just didn't open up about the real stuff. Maybe I did those things, but I can't really remember them. In fact, I remember trying at about age 15 to train my heart not to ache. I felt pathetic for hurting. Man, that was healthy! Why on earth did I do that? I kind of want to go back and beat my teenaged head against the wall. It's funny because I would never do that now. I am all about talking it out!
Another person's head I'd like to beat against the wall? Well, he's not an actual person. I won't do him the honor of mentioning his sorry name in this blog post, but I'll be very happy for the day when I see Jesus beat his head against the wall of hell. Even though we turned out alright and we saw God's faithfulness, what he did to us stunk. That is not even close to a good enough word for it.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Christmas In Review
These first two pictures came from when I was in Houston a few weeks ago. My Memaw and Pappaw gave Jackson a ride-on train with a circular track. Jackson got so excited and said, "Choo choo! Choo choo! Yeah, yeah, yeah!" His reaction made me so happy. These pictures are dear to me.
The rest of these are from our time in Missouri. It would take all my pictures, together with my mother-in-law's, my sister-in-law's, and cousin Erin's to really capture the whole week, but here's what I have! We had a blast!
My little fam on Christmas Eve.
Jackson's amazing new stocking, sewed with lots of love and skill by Cinde! It is the coolest stocking I've ever seen. This picture doesn't even convey how sparkly it is.
I loved these fun wooden toys from Target's $1 aisle. And Jackson has always loved maracas.
Jackson's Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Matt, cousin Gavin, and the ever-present Beckham on Christmas morning. Jackson loves playing with Gavin!
Gavin was commissioned to hand out all the presents. Jackson was eager to assist.
This lucky boy also got a stocking from his grandparents. He had fun digging down in there and pulling out all the fun things.
Jackson loved his new books. One was in the shape of a car and had wheels. Another was in the shape of Diego's camera - Click. It provided many minutes, if not hours, of entertainment.
Jacks was never far from Gavin's side. There's the Click the Camera book.
First Pumas. Yesssss!
Sweet new kicks.
Look closely at his feet and you'll see that he immediately had to hop and dance in his new shoes. Even at 22 months, he really does believe that new shoes make him go faster and jump higher.
Jackson found some shredded paper/confetti and it might as well have been a pot of gold.
Seriously, Mom? Why you gotta put bows on my head?
We got Jackson a Little Tikes bounce house for Christmas. There was plenty of room for it in Nana and Pappaw's new house. It has been so much fun! When we took him downstairs to see it on Christmas morning, he squealed and did a dance. He was so happy. It's all on video, but unfortunately I couldn't capture that fun moment on my camera.
Going down the slide.
One of Jackson's special "things" with his Nana is playing the piano with her. When he was itty bitty, she would sit him in her lap and play for him. So we absolutely died when Jackson figured out how to climb up on the piano bench and play by himself, even turning the pages at regular intervals. Uncle Wayne, I thought you would appreciate this!
He was even looking at the music while playing! Isn't that hilarious?
Playing around with Pappaw Steve.
He nabbed Nana's iced tea and was not about to give it up.
Curt's Grandma Ilene, Jackson, and Pappaw.
Lindsay was the luckiest person in the house that day with a record twelve big hugs in a row from The Mister.
We took Jackson to meet Nana's new horse, Peaches. Peaches was a little muddy that day, but she is a lovely fox trotter. Jackson can't say horse yet, so he calls them all "Neigh!"
The rest of these are from our time in Missouri. It would take all my pictures, together with my mother-in-law's, my sister-in-law's, and cousin Erin's to really capture the whole week, but here's what I have! We had a blast!
My little fam on Christmas Eve.
Jackson's amazing new stocking, sewed with lots of love and skill by Cinde! It is the coolest stocking I've ever seen. This picture doesn't even convey how sparkly it is.
I loved these fun wooden toys from Target's $1 aisle. And Jackson has always loved maracas.
Jackson's Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Matt, cousin Gavin, and the ever-present Beckham on Christmas morning. Jackson loves playing with Gavin!
Gavin was commissioned to hand out all the presents. Jackson was eager to assist.
This lucky boy also got a stocking from his grandparents. He had fun digging down in there and pulling out all the fun things.
Jackson loved his new books. One was in the shape of a car and had wheels. Another was in the shape of Diego's camera - Click. It provided many minutes, if not hours, of entertainment.
Jacks was never far from Gavin's side. There's the Click the Camera book.
First Pumas. Yesssss!
Sweet new kicks.
Look closely at his feet and you'll see that he immediately had to hop and dance in his new shoes. Even at 22 months, he really does believe that new shoes make him go faster and jump higher.
Jackson found some shredded paper/confetti and it might as well have been a pot of gold.
Seriously, Mom? Why you gotta put bows on my head?
We got Jackson a Little Tikes bounce house for Christmas. There was plenty of room for it in Nana and Pappaw's new house. It has been so much fun! When we took him downstairs to see it on Christmas morning, he squealed and did a dance. He was so happy. It's all on video, but unfortunately I couldn't capture that fun moment on my camera.
Going down the slide.
One of Jackson's special "things" with his Nana is playing the piano with her. When he was itty bitty, she would sit him in her lap and play for him. So we absolutely died when Jackson figured out how to climb up on the piano bench and play by himself, even turning the pages at regular intervals. Uncle Wayne, I thought you would appreciate this!
He was even looking at the music while playing! Isn't that hilarious?
Playing around with Pappaw Steve.
He nabbed Nana's iced tea and was not about to give it up.
Curt's Grandma Ilene, Jackson, and Pappaw.
Lindsay was the luckiest person in the house that day with a record twelve big hugs in a row from The Mister.
We took Jackson to meet Nana's new horse, Peaches. Peaches was a little muddy that day, but she is a lovely fox trotter. Jackson can't say horse yet, so he calls them all "Neigh!"
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