Daddy's boy

If Hubby helped the Things create their costumes....

Tagged

I've been tagged (thanks Stacy!)Even as a kid, I didn't care for tag...but being a good sport, I figure, what the heck? It isn't like watching the World Series is much fun these days (heavy sigh)

Here's the plan for this type of tag:
A. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names

Truth #1: I am a patient person. Maybe too patient and too forgiving. But there you have it, if you mess up with me, you pretty much get a second chance. And now that I'm getting older, you might even get more than that because I"m likely to forget that you blew it on your second chance with me.

Truth #2: oh wait, can I claim forgiving too?
Truth #3: and forgetful? But that is sort of a given since I'm over 40..

Truth #4: I love a bad, totally inappropriate joke. I was telling bad jokes long before I understood half the jokes I would tell as a kid. And yes, I've been known to pass on a tasteless joke or two to my kids. While in my every day life I try hard to be p.c. and not offend anyone, when it comes to a good joke, bring on the worst and I"ll probably laugh my hiney off.

Truth #5: The best day of the week for mail is Friday because I usually get my People magazine. Oh how I love my celebrity gossip!

Truth #6: I really find these sorts of challenges very difficult. Until I read someone else's and then I go "oh yeah, me too"...which leads to the final truth...I'm a copy cat! But, isn't imitation the highest form of flattery? At least that is my story and I"m sticking to it.

Now, who to tag/torture next? Of course, all you sister wives... Tracey, Aimee (you are long overdue for a blog update anyway, sister wife!), Colleen, and Dodi. Add to that Kaesmom and Ganelle. Oh wait, Ganelle doesn't have a blog. Perhaps now is as good of a time as any to start a blog (which brings me to my bonus truth: I'm a nag! giggle giggle)

*participation is totally optional, I'll forgive you if you choose not to participate.

A way with words..

The boys have figured out how the phrase "What the ..." ends. Luckily they knew it was something they shouldn't be saying, no how no way! But still, a sad reality that they've figured it out. For some day, probably too soon, they'll get over their hesitancy to use the phrase.

The youngest also announced he'd heard a new bad word this week. I was afraid to ask but he quietly whispered "Bic".

Needless to say, I didn't correct his pronunciation. He'll figure it out soon enough I fear...

Whatever happened to those days when the worst word they knew was NO?

Life Observation #387

If you are a muscular guy, you shave your head bald, you sport a tat or too and you are enjoying this beautiful Fall day here in nothing but your wife beater tank top...might I suggest you wear some other type of pants besides orange sweatpants?

'Cuz you sort of gave me a scare over there at the Sam's Club...you look like you had escaped the local detention facility and were stocking up before you made your get away!

Decisions, decisions...

Should I Let Hubby sleep in (he worked last night and it is his birthday today) or go upstairs and try to quietly take my shower so that I can get my day started out on the right (and clean)foot?

Why is it...

That when one kid is finally in the groove when it comes to all things school (he heads off to school with smile on his face, willingly does his homework, reads without any coercion required), the other one (who had a pretty decent attitude before we tracked off) decides to go all weird on me?

I so don't like this secret handshake/tag you are it approach that the Things have perfected over the years.

I'm old, I"m tired and I am just about out of patience.....

Fall Humbug!

The weather man was right. 'nuf said!

The Homestretch of track off..

We've rounded the bend on our time off from school. The Things return to school on Tuesday and I go back to my part time job sometime next week (I've not looked at my work schedule close enough to see exactly when). All in all, while we've had a good time, I think it is time to get back to the routine of school. We're getting a bit too lazy and comfy with being out of school.

Yesterday I spent the day catching up on my stockpiled tv shows. E.R., Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters. I watched them all. And yes, my house reflects this extremely non productive day! ?

But, as I had a couple extra kids over, I really needed to be somewhere in the house where I could hear the interactions and make sure everyone was playing fair. The best place to police the area? Right here in the family room. Where the TiVo and the shows are. Imagine that? What a coincidence. Hey, that's my story and I"m sticking to it! :)

Some observations from yesterday's ABC marathon (yeah, ER is on a different network but I"m sort of done with that show, just watch it out of habit more than anything else)

• What do you think is the secret that the new neighbor is keeping from the others on Wisteria Lane?
• Come on writers of Brothers and Sisters, there are other options for pain management than narcotics. Send Justin over to the hunky acupuncture dude at Private Practice. Or better yet, try another nerve block. But, I forgive you, you've brought back adorable and oh so gay Scotty.
• Private Practice: my compliments to the casting crew...you serve up a delightful dish of eye candy for my viewing pleasure.
• Grey's Anatomy: please bring back that weird and wacky. I'm so tired of dippy Merideth and self centered Izzy. McDreamy? I'm about to call you "McStupid" for just putting up with all this for so long. For a brain doc, you sure are lacking in self confidence to realize there are plenty of women out there way better than Mer. These days, Alex is sounding like the voice of reason!

Well...now that I've outed myself and admitted to having serious TV issues, I"d better go do something productive with the day. Like feed my kids some lunch...

Oh Baby!

*Edited: yes, I took the slide show down. This non-geek girl is doing some editing and maintenance. The music was bugging me. :)

Without a doubt, the highlight of our trip to California was spending time with Baby E! He's everything a baby is supposed to be and more! But, alas, I can call him a baby only for another week when he turns the Big One! My how, this year has passed all too quickly. And gee, I"m only the auntie. Imagine how his folks are feeling?
Congrats to L and C...you've made it through this first year!

Annie had it right...

When that little orphan sang out "The Sun will come out tomorrow"....as that is exactly what happened yesterday! Thanks Auntie L and Uncle C for making up for our rained out adventure!

Washed Away

Yesterday it rained, then poured, then...oh whatever is worse than a downpour occurred. Washing away almost all of our plans for visiting the City. While the kids weren't all that disappointed...I was pretty bummed with the way the weather cooperated for us yesterday.

Oh well, today is another beautiful, sunny day and we're back in the car to see the Grandparents. I think I whined enough to BIL/SIL that they will take both their cars and let me be a passenger today. Trust me, after yesterday's downpour, I earned the right to just sit back and watch the traffic pass me by.
And folks that are in the path of this storm? Yeah, you over there in Colorado. Watch out: it is laden with moisture. Which I find hard to believe that there is any moisture left to fall from those clouds. Surely they are all drained out?

I know I"m drained from that silly storm...

Seeing the forest and the trees..

Kaesmom's comment made me realize, others may not recognize where I dragged the Things yesterday. Muir Woods. A forest filled with big trees...really big and really old trees. Getting there was an adventure: a curvy, twisty, winding road that made this chicken momma driver pull up her big girl panties and just DRIVE. But as you can see, the destination was worth the misery of getting there. Without a doubt, one of my most favorite Bay area landmarks. The peaceful quiet of the forest is there...even with my boys clowning around.

Picture Talk

Between navigating the California Highways and getting up on Rocky Mtn time...I'm tired. Here's a sample of what we did today.

The Simple Things

We're staying at a "Boutique hotel". Still looks like a regular hotel to me but there are a couple features my Things aren't used to seeing. A stocked mini-bar and snack center (HUGE threat issued not to touch that $4 bag of cookies...no matter how tasty it may look). Sterling silver ice bucket...and wine goblets instead of plastic cups.

The boys have had a blast playing bar tender One pours the soda into the wine class and offers it up to his brother. They even announced last night: "Happy Hour, just like Grandpa!". This morning? Thing One announced to his brother "I'll be butler, where is your goblet sir?".

who needs fancy toys and gadgets...they just needed soda (that we bought at the grocery store across the street) and wine glasses. They've been entertaining themselves for hours!

You'd think after all these years...

traveling to the West Coast, I still can't sleep in. It was really bad those first few years of marriage, when we would come from VA to see Hubby's parents here in the Bay are. That 3 hour time change did me in and I never would adjust until we left for home And even now, with the time change being only an hour, I still struggle.

So with my usual internal alarm clock going off at 0600, I instantly wake up at 0500 local time. And the Things were also stirring by this time as well.

Oh man...it is going to be one long day for sure. And I have to navigate my way through Bay area traffic without Hubby to do the driving for me.

Good thing they have good coffee here at the hotel.

Leaving on a jet plane

Or at least that is the plan. If I don't get my hiney off this couch and get started on the day's chore list...we won't be going anywhere.

I'm outta here...laundry, packing, errands, post office, bank...all sorts of stuff must be tackled if I am to leave for vacation with my to-do list mostly done.

If you see me lurking around, would you tell me to go tackle a chore, promise?

Call off the search party

There is calm in the kindgdom once again!

*shoe remains missing. But it was old and stunk really bad so we've moved on from that missing item.

One down, 2 to go..

And I don't think the Things have much cause for complaint. In the first week of their vacation, they had no less than 3 play dates with friends, one awards assembly and a road trip.

On Thursday, Thing One was officially recognized for being the character that he is. He received a character award for demonstrating outstanding responsibility. Yep, this decision was made by his teacher before he aided and abetted in the disappearance of one comcast remote. And while I believe such award ceremonies are a ploy to get families to come to the PTO meetings (big surprise they get their certificates at the monthly PTO meeting), we were proud of him just the same...that is until he got nervous and started in on his monkey act, complete with monkey inspired grooming skills. 'Nuf said on that.

We finished up this first week with a little road trip. We headed South to the North Pole. And if you live in Colorado, this makes perfect sense doesn't it? If you are not from these parts, then I'll catch you up. At the base of Pikes Peak is a very old, very tired, rather tacky kiddie amusement park all centered on the theme of Christmas. Yep, you can visit with Santa year round. But the price is right (with a coupon it comes to around $10/person for one of those all you can ride places) and the forest like setting makes it worth it in the long run. I figured it was a good way for me to get my leaf peeping fix while keeping the boys entertained. While I got my Aspen fix, the boys seem just about too old for this park. Not saying they are ready for more intense places...as we had to cut our trip short when Thing Two decided his head and tummy hurt really bad after his 3rd trip on the Tilt-a-Whirl!


So, now we're heading off into the second week of Track Off. Wonder what exciting adventures await us? Only time will tell...

The remote and the shoe..

In the old nursery rhyme, doesn't the dish run away with the spoon? Well, here at the House of Chang, the remote seems to have taken off with the shoe. OK, I get how a remote can go a.w.ol. Especially given the level of activity that takes place down here in the kid zone. But a SHOE? How does my youngest child come home from school with 2 shoes on but when he immediately takes them off in the van, one disappears.

Good thing he has some spare shoes and the one that went missing was starting to take on an odor all of its own. As for the remote, I simply must move on.

Last night, Hubby and I went out for date night. We lumped in several occasions worth celebrating (a couple birthdays and an anniversary, we figured) and went to see Spamalot. I'm not sure what I thought was missing with this show but I can't say you are missing a lot if you don't make it to this show. A few good giggles and at times rather "spoofy" but I think we're just too much into t.v. and do not know enough about Broadway to understand some of the references they were making. And of course, the last live performance show I saw was Lion King. And that is a very difficult act to follow. Anything will fall short by comparison.

Uh oh...the Things are arguing....my cue to sign off and go blow the referee whistle.

Now who is acting quirky?

We're missing a remote to the basement TV. Thing One mentioned it to me yesterday and on/off I've spent the past day looking in the usual spots. I've even checked upstairs thinking there might be extra ones in other parts of the house. This morning I even dumped the toy box and Legos in hopes of finding it sitting in with the toys. I've strip-searched the couch and the lazy boy recliner. Nothing I tell you (except an assortment of crumbs and lost Lego pieces)

I was getting ready to start all over in the search when Thing One said "Give it a break, Mom, it is ONLY a remote!"

My how far we've come...he's supposed to be the one with the persevering tendencies. These days he's telling his momma to ease up on the OCD stuff.

Full circle I tell you...full circle...and if I could stay focused long enough to be grateful I would!