Friday, September 24, 2010

First Grade FALL Party

Today was Blake's first grade fall party!  I wasn't sure if I were going to be able to volunteer / attend this years parties...Taylor is at the age where I can't just "carry her along"..she wants to be a part of everything, including big bro's party!!  I don't have a sitter for her, so I just sent in some goodies and a game and figured I'd try to make it next time.  Blake kept asking me to "please just come", so I asked my Aunt to watch Taylor.  It made for a hectic, busy day, running all over town, but was sooo worth it!!  It was a blast!! 

The kids played some really fun games.  They got to bowl with a pumpkin and knock down "squash pins" , do an apple-toss, and play "pass the apple".  Their teacher, Mrs. Vice,  really went "all out", she had the kids make their own place mats, decorate and fill goody bags, and kept the children organized, excited, and well-behaved all at the same time!! AMAZING!!! 

I started thinking...a time is probably going to come that he doesn't ask me to school events or is such a "big kid" that he doesn't need me, so I better take every chance I can to be involved.  I really enjoy the "one-on-one" times that I get to spend with Blake, and even though they may not happen as often as I'd like...I love them so!!!




Saturday, September 11, 2010

Pulling Teeth vs. Shoe Shopping for Blake

I pick "pulling teeth" !!!

Shoe shopping for Blake is an absolute misery! He has been complaining that his feet hurt. He has been wearing this old pair of Nike's for almost two years now, they look terrible and are too small, but he refuses to wear the newer ones, because they all hurt....he literally cries and throws his shoes across the room out of frustration before school, because he can't get a shoe to "feel good"!  Needless to say, I couldn't take another tantrum, so out we went to the mall to find him some comfy shoes.

I have to admit, my kids wear second-hand clothing and shoes...I love yard sales and consignment shops, so I dress them really well, in an affordable way.  I am proud of that, because I find great deals, and with me being a "stay at home" Mom, every penny counts! I started thinking... this school year, I was amazed at how cheaply I got by...thanks to some great sales, I purchased all of his school supplies (and it was a ton of stuff) for less than $20.00.  He was happy to use an older backpack and lunchbox. He didn't need any clothes, just some new socks. Can you tell that I am totally trying to justify spending $$$ on shoes?!?  Anyways, I decided that we would just go to a shoe store, have his feet measured, and buy him some NEW shoes!

Billy called and offered to go with us, I tried to warn him that it would not be fun, but he said, "It can't be that bad...buy him some shoes and get outta the mall", YEAH RIGHT!!! See, the problem is....Blake doesn't care if he gets new shoes, he begs to NOT have to go shoe shopping.  Thank goodness for some super-patient sales clerks:

The clerk would say, "How does this one feel?"
Blake answers, " It doesn't hurt all that bad"

Clerk: "What do you think of this one?"
Blake: "It kinda feels okay."

Clerk: "Do you like this style?"
Blake: "Na...not really"

Clerk: "How does this shoe feel?"
Blake: "It feels kinda good, except at the toe."

Clerk: "Does this shoe hurt anywhere?"
Blake: "Not too much, just the toe, heel, top of the foot, and the bottom."
Clerk: "Oh, so you mean, it hurts your WHOLE foot??"

Seriously, I know this is sounding like he is a smart-mouth punk kid, but he is trying really hard to describe what the shoe feels like on his foot. Throughout four different stores, fourteen pairs of shoes, and several threats from Billy. (at one point, Billy threatened to buy him neon pink high-tops, lol!) We finally found some shoes that looked like LEGOs. He wasn't going to try them on, but the young sales girl talked him into it, he gave in and actually ran around the store, cracked a little smile and kicked his heels together in mid-air....I think we found the pair! As a matter of fact, I KNOW we found the pair, because we bought them. and he is stuck with them, because there is NO WAY I will go back into a store with him for a long, long time!!!


Thursday, September 9, 2010

The sign

Today, Billy and I celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, which brings me to a silly story from the beginning of it all.

The first time I saw the “sign”…I thought Billy was a stalker…

I met Billy in February 2001 at a sports bar named, “Eddie’s”. It was taco night and I was having a good-bye drink with my friend, Hannah, who was moving back to New Orleans. This guy kept looking at me from across the room… it was Billy. As my friend and I left the bar, Billy approached me and apologized for staring, claiming that he couldn’t help it! Lol!  Anyways, we chatted and he seemed really nice so we agreed to call one another sometime.

Within the next couple weeks, Billy and I had gone on a date, and had a couple casual telephone chats, he seemed to be a really nice guy. My pleasant thoughts of him were about to change...

While at my sister’s house, I noticed this rather large FOR SALE sign in the windshield of my car. On it read, “ 216-6016 Call Anytime!!” I wondered why there was a FOR SALE sign in my car, who put it there, and “Wow, does that phone number sound familiar?”…I get this weird feeling as I dig out my cell phone to check my call list (Billy wasn’t even entered into my phone list yet) AND sure enough….it was Billy’s phone number…I immediately call him and start basically accusing him of being a stalker, I have dealt with guys like this before and wanted nothing to do with someone who would follow me to my sister’s house and put a sign in my car!!!! At the other end of the line, there was silence for a moment (now knowing Billy, he was quietly collecting his thoughts before speaking), he said, “Look, I really like you, but I am NOT a stalker and I did not put a sign in your car with my phone number on it!!” At first I thought  he had to be a stalker AND a liar…he doesn’t seem like that kinda guy, but… I start thinking back to who I might have told, and other than my sis, no one had really heard of this new guy in my life…I’m speechless…until…I hear my brother chuckle from inside the house…he has this BIG grin on his face, which means that he is GUILTY !!! My brother is a joker and a prankster and always being funny and goofy! As it turns out, Billy had just sold a car to his cousin, Vicky, my brother happened to be friends with her , took the sign out of her car window and just for kicks, placed it in my car later that day. THAT is how Billy’s “For Sale” sign ended up in “my” car !!! My brother, his cousin, nor anyone else even knew that Billy and I had met…strange…

It might not have been a sign from a stalker, but it was a “sign” that we were meant to be together!!!


Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Visiting Klondike park

Billy actually got Labor Day off, so we decided to take a road trip and head out to Defiance, Mo.  We love to visit Klondike park because of it's beautiful white sand and clear water fishing lake.  It was the most wonderful day... we got to lounge in the sun, have a picnic, fish, and especially play in the sand.  The sand is so fine that it feels like powder!! 
My little fisherman!!!

Use this "pretty" lure !!!
Taylor & Daddy on the edge
It's sooo bright out here!
My girl
A beautiful park
Playing in the sand
My guy
Ten little piggies love the sand too !!!
My sweetie!!
writing his name in the sand
gymnastics
Sand in the eyes hurts!!
sand doesn't taste good either!
Happy fishing!
Time to bury Taylor...
I did it!
Over the bridge
We took as hike around the lake and enjoyed the beautiful scenery...it really wore the kids out, they slept all the way home.  Happy Day!!