Caught him!

I feel like I write and take more pictures of Ashlyn, mostly because we are here all day together while Austin is at school but also because taking pictures of Austin is like trying to catch a moving target. He is always on the go and whenever I do grab the camera to snap a shot, he decides to make funy faces that usually involve some tongue contortions. I usually have to bribe him to give me a nice smile but this morning I managed to finally capture a few, and I didn't even have to pay for them!

*
To manage my Mommy guilt, I will have you know that Austin has like 3 baby books and a scrapbook while Ashlyn barely has one baby book completed and I have not even begun her scrapbook yet- so you see, it all balances out in the end. I am sure they will both need therapy regardless! :)

Hungry Hungry Hippo

Sometimes I feel like we have a hungry, hungry hippo on our hands.

Ashlyn must be growing because she is an eating machine lately.

See for yourself...
Watermelon and Oranges,

Triple Decker PBJ's and Pizza,

Three course meals and Crayons,
(What? A little paraffin wax is good for the digestive system!)


She has become quite adventurous lately, even trying such fare as fried rice.

Just don't mess with this girl and her food or you might see this...


"Ohhhh, no you didn't just take my bowl!!"

Big A, Little A, What Begins With A? (Part 2)

Ashlyn ATE an Alligator, A, a, A!

Apparently, they don't taste very good!

You know you're over 30 when...

You take your son to a water park and make a complete fool out of yourself while trying to prove that you are still young!

I used to be a bit of a thrill seeker ("used to be" being the operative words here) so I thought I would be brave and try the Great White while my friend Melissa sat in the kiddie area with the kids (This was Melissa's brilliant idea, I might add.) "The Great White awaits those who dare to defy gravity and live for speed (yup, that's me). Its 41 foot vertical drop sends you flying up a ramp on the far side of the slide, only to come down again in a giant zigzag motion." No big deal, right?

Well, for starters, I forgot to remove my flip flops prior to climbing the 38 flights of stairs so when I got to the top the tan, teeny bopper, park attendant said I would have to tuck them into my top! For most people, I am sure that this would not have been a problem but I am not most people. I have HUGE feet and my flip flops look more like water skis. So, here I am sitting in the tube with water ski-sized flip flops sticking out of my top. Pretty picture-huh? At least I gave the kids behind me something to talk, um laugh, about. The park attendant proceeds to tell me to put my chin to my chest (oh-no, did she see my chin hairs?) and lift my bum off the tube- clearly she did not see the size of my bum!! This is all too much for me to focus on- chin to chest, flip flops stuffed in top, bum off tube. I can't possibly be expected to remember all of this, can I? I am after all, the old lady on the ride! Ok, so here we go, down the 41 foot vertical drop. What was I thinking, I feel like I am going to fall right over top of the tube. Did she push me? Focus, focus-chin to chest, flip flops stuffed in top, oh shit, I knew I would forget something and the minute I felt the water rip against my butt I knew what it was- bum off tube!! OWWW, can you say atomic wedgie?! Why didn't I think to put the flip flops under my butt! Ok, let's try again, chin to chest, flip flops flying out of my top, bum off tube- FLIP FLOPS FLYING OUT OF MY TOP!! You have got to be kidding me; can this get any worse? Well, at least I remembered to lift my bum off the tube. I guess having my water ski-sized flip flops fly out of my top is better than the alternative of having my bum ripped off. Thank goodness the ride is almost over. I figure not much more can happen as I zigzag back and forth towards the safety of the exit pool. Apparently, figuring is not my stong suit as I end up flipping my tube over and end up upside down in the pool. I come up, all pride washed away, pick my bathing suit out of my butt, only to see the other tan, teeny bopper, park attendant standing there with eyes the size of oranges and her chin hanging down to where my flip flops were originally stuffed, asking if I am ok?! I smile, nodding, as I tuck my tail between my legs, and prepare to head back to the kiddie pool where clearly I should not have ventured from in the first place. Damn it- where are my water skis, I mean flip flops? I turn around and see the tan, teeny bopper park attendant fishing them out of the water as they float in behind me. When I get back to the kiddie pool, thankful that my son did not witness this humiliation, Melissa asks how it was. Being the great friend that I am, I smile and simply say, "Great, you should try it!" (Ok, so I altered the ending a little but this version is way better!)

Grace I am not, I never had much of it, but a thirty something mother of two who is not afraid to make a fool out herself I am. There could be worse things in life, right? RIGHT?

Embarassing Truths

Disclaimer: If you are one of those woman who has flawless skin, wake up in the morning with minty fresh breath and roll out of bed looking like you could be on the cover of Cosmo- stop reading this post now or you may be cursed with wirey chin hairs and dimply skin. :)


Ok, so we all have our "issues," right? The embarrassing truths of womanhood, as I like to call them. Some woman struggle with cellulite, others from stretch marks; some woman struggle with chin hairs, others with premature grays. I happen to suffer from all of these and more!! Just kidding :) Ok, seriously though, I suffer from excessive underarm sweating or hyperhidrosis (pleasant, right?) and have for as long as I can remember!!! It is incredibly embarrassing but thankfully, there are new treatment options for people suffering from this humiliating condition. One of these is Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections. Botox® prevents sweating by blocking the release of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, from the nerve endings, that causes the glands to produce sweat. I went last week and got about 25 injections in each armpit. It was pretty painless (I guess 7 tattoos is good preparation for Botox® injections) and I had virtually no side effects. I tried talking the Dermatologist into using the left over Botox® on my laugh lines and worry wrinkles but she didn't see the humor in this request. Anyway, it takes about 10 days for the Botox® to take effect and lasts 6-9 months. I am so excited to finally be able to wear a nice fitting top without this lovely side effect:


Now all I need is a little lipodissolve, laser treatment, electrolysis and a good box of Nice n' Easy hair color and I will be one of those flawless, minty fresh, Cosmo cover girls! ;)

Big A, Little A, What Begins with A?

Ashlyn and an Alligator, A, a, A...




Go to pediped's website to see this picture of Ashlyn featured on page 2 of the photo gallery. Scroll down about half way and you will see it!

That's my girl!!

"Y Itchy A"

Scene: Family gathered at dining room table, lights dim...

Take 1 (goes something like this)

Me (to Austin): "How was school today?"
Austin: "Good."
Me: "What did you learn about?"
Austin: "Letters of the Alphabet. And I learned a new song today; do you want to hear it?"
Me: "Of course; let's here it."
Austin: "Y Itch-y A, Y Itch-y A, Y Itch-y AAAAA-AA."
Me: (Bursting with laughter) "Isn't it YMCA?" (as I demonstrate the dance moves).
Austin: "No, it's Y Itch-y A MOM!"

Quality Education at its finest! :)

Take 2...

"Y Itchy A"

Austin singing his rendition of YMCA.

Pizza Pizza

Pizza Pizza!

More Pizza Pizza!

Tums Anyone?

Quotes

There are a lot of things that you probably don't know about me. Although, one look at my blog will tell you that I am a bit quirky, goofy, dorky (insert appropriate adjective here). I like to believe that it is part of my charm but my husband may think otherwise. ;) I suppose I could post "100 things you don't know about me" and may, at some point, but today I will share just one.

I love quotes! I love flipping through books of quotes. I love reading church bulletin boards as I drive past. I love reading the Quotable Quotes column of Reader's Digest (yes, I subscribe to Reader's Digest! [That was a bonus- you learned 2 new things about me today]) {Ok- 3 things, I have no idea how to appropriately use ([{ )]} in sentences, I don't even know what they are all called!!!!}. Where was I? I get sidetracked easily- that's 4 things. Actually, after going back and reading my post to figure out where I was going with all of this I think we are up to 7 (if you count all of the different ways I love to read quotes.) *I don't even know if another form of bracket thingy-ma-gig exists so I am going to stop now!*

Anyway, I decided to add a featured quote element to the left side of my blog underneath the pictures. While I show my dorky side more often than not, I also have a deep, reflective side and can be quite introspective (that's 8). I find inspiration in many things and in many forms and quotes is one of those ways (9) so I thought I'd share a little bit of inspiration. Feel free to share your favorite quotes!

Ok, I better wrap this up before it becomes even more ridiculous! Check out my featured quote!

Recipe for Motherhood

I was browsing through Austin's baby scrapbook (because I am gushing with pride to have finally completed his first book- now that he is 5!!!!) and came across my baby shower page. This page includes a "Recipe for Motherhood" recipe card which was given as a favor along with duck cookie cutters. I can't tell where it came from so I can't give credit where credit is due, but whoever came up with the recipe- thanks for the inspiration.

Now that I am a little more seasoned in the motherhood department, here is my twist on the "Recipe for Motherhood."

1 heart full of love
1 heaping sense of humor
2 eyes in the back of your head
3 gallons of generosity
6 1/2 heaping cups of patience (I like mine with cream and sugar)
1 barrel of laughter

Sprinkle with kindness, add a pinch of humility and mix well.

For best results, serve with Margarita! :)

IERW- Initial Entry Rotary Wing

I was helping Toby study for a test tonight (what can I say, it's the only quality time we get together these days) and now know why he always looks like this...



Here is a sample question from our studies tonight:

You are holding a BITZY INT as depicted on the Dothan VOR RWY 14 approach plate. You determine that the inbound drift correction is 7 degrees left. Using the procedure in the AIM/IFH, what heading would you fly on the next outbound leg?

Ok- try this one on for size:

Describe how to perform a standard 45 degree Procedure Turn under no-wind conditions if you were outbound from JUDD on the COPTER NDB RWY 29 approach at Andalusia-Opp. How would you perform an 80/260 procedure turn for that same approach?

UH-WHAT???

RIP Rochello

Since the riveting story of Rochello the Roach received so much attention, I thought an update was warranted. Roaches, it seems, have survived for over 350 million years. They have survived nuclear warfare, the ice age, even decapitation-but apparently Roaches are thirsty critters who can only survive a week without water. Who knew?


(If Roaches and Camels were to recreate, we would really be in trouble!)

Other interesting Roach Facts:

-A cockroach can live a week without its head. The roach only dies because without a mouth, it can't drink water and dies of thirst.

-Roach mouths work sideways.

-Cockroaches have 6 legs and least 18 knees!!!

-Some female cockroaches mate once and are pregnant for the rest of their lives. (Um, no thanks!)

So, poor Rochello died of thirst of all things! Such a boring ending to such a dramatic life. The Roach Motel looks empty without him but hey, I am sure we will find a Rochella or Rochellito soon. It is, after all, only mid August!

May you rest in peace Rochello!! Thanks for the memories!

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Ashlyn is getting 3 molars right now and has been a little cranky lately, to say the least.

But Daddy can always turn that frown upside down!

My 'other' boys

Just wanted to show a little love to the 'other' boys in my life who give me so much love every day!

Aspen

Birch

Fish Frenzy

Ashlyn caught in action...

Fish Frenzy

After Ashlyn dumped the remains of a bag of goldfish (goldfish colors, none the less) on the floor, she proceeded to squish each fish with her finger. She seemed to delight in the fact that the fish crumbled beneath her fingers-poor fish!

I guess after all that hard work, it was time for a little snack. She started to shovel goldfish into her mouth. When I asked her how many she had in her mouth the little stinker opened her mouth to show me with a big AHHHH!!

All of this after I had just finished cleaning all the couscous she decided to fling all over the dining room at dinner time. It looked like it was snowing couscous! I wish had that on camera!!

Hairapy

Ashlyn's hair is growing so fast lately. I am experiementing with ways to keep it out of her eyes.

Clips only work if I wet her hair and put a little gel or spray in it as her hair is so soft.

It is long enough to put in a ponytail, or pony, as Austin calls it, but I have to put the ponytail just about on top of her forehead.





Maybe I should just put a little bone in it and call her "Pebbles." Better yet, I think we need a little hairapy!!

He sleeps!!!

For those of you who have wondered if he ever stops, he does,

but only when he is sleeping.

He goes from mach 10 to sleeping in a matter of seconds, literally.

I guess this is what a "long day of learning" does to even the energizer bunny.

More Austin-isms...


Yesterday he was telling me about these brothers Matthew and Cole in his class. I asked him if they were twins and he said, "no, if they were twins they would be Matthew & Matthew or Cole & Cole." :) Anyway, he was telling me that Cole got in trouble and had to go see the "judge" of the school. I asked him who the judge was and he said, "the person in charge of the school," aka, the principal. How funny is that?! He doesn't know yet that the principal is the judge and the jury but he got pretty close yesterday! He got in trouble for talking too loud after being told to quiet down and had to move his name over to the yellow (warning). Uh-oh spaghetti-o's!!


No worries, we took extra precaution to ensure that he doesn't have to see the "judge" tomorrow!

First Day of Kindergarten

All I Really Need to Know...

Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. ___________________________________________________________

Today was Austin's first day of Kindergarten. Yesterday we went to Open House and met his teacher, Ms. Tessier. Afterwords, we got ice cream to celebrate his last day of summer vacation-I think we are going to make that a tradition! When he got home today, I asked him how Kindergarten was and he said, "two thumbs up." I guess that is good!

OMG- While I was writing this, Austin's friend rang the doorbell to see if he wanted to play. He opened the door and said, " I can't play right now because I just got home from Kindergarten and I want to relax for a little while, so maybe later, ok?" Then he turned to me and said, "Mom, I need some time to relax ok, because Kindergarten is a long day of learning!" He cracks me up! He can sound so grown up sometimes. Where did my little boy go? He is growing up so fast (fan the eyes, fan the eyes). Just last week he gave his blankie to his sister because he is 5 now and doesn't need a baby blanket anymore. I couldn't believe it! This is the same blanket that went on every road trip, that brought giant aligator tears if it had to be washed, that he rubbed every night to fall asleep. How much can a mother take in one week? Oh- the agony!

Kodak Moments

I caught Ashlyn reading all by herself in her rocking chair like a big girl and couldn't resist my urge to capture the kodak moment. She loves to turn the pages in her books and has her favorites. If I start reading a book that isn't one of her favorites, she reaches over into her book basket and hands me one of her current favorites: "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," "Pat the Bunny" or "My First Word Book."

Austin came in a few minutes later and climbed up into the rocking chair with her and they started reading together. It was so cute and you can see how much Ashlyn loves her big brother.

Later that evening, I captured these kodak moments:

Austin popping out of the stool trying to scare me and...

Baby buns!
I couldn't resist this naked baby pose!!

New Ink

I finally got some new ink. This is lucky number 7! It is a representation of a Celtic Tree of Life and is very symbolic to me.

It represents many things to me on different levels: my own growth and strength, my tree of life, and also my family tree. There are two trees growing together in the center which represent me and Toby as we continue to grow- both individually and together. There are also two flowers growing from the roots, one pink and one blue, which represent Austin and Ashlyn. I got it over a large scar on my leg which is symbolic in itself since trees can heal themselves and continue to grow and thrive.

My next one is going to be the musical notes to Amazing Grace, for Ashlyn Grace. I already have one for Austin Rain, a symbol of Rain on my shoulder.

Video Game Vengeance

I was playing video games last night, Lego Star Wars to be exact, and got smoked by my five year old. I know that boys are typically better at playing video games than girls (something about the way their brains are wired- I don't know) but come on- it was ridiculous. He was getting so frustrated with me and had to keep showing me how to do things. Toby just sat back and enjoyed, watching like it was some kind of spectator sport. I guess this should come as no surprise considering these two started playing video games together before Austin could walk. Ok, so Austin was walking, but barely!!!