Friday, February 3, 2012
Elevators and Alligators
When we were in Michigan back in November, Wyeth and Seren wanted us to read a sign like this to them over and over every time we got into the elevator.
Last night we were in a shopping store and took the elevator. Wyeth notes, "Mom! Remember! In case of fire, do NOT use the alligator."
Initials
Seren's initials are S.A.A.
A few months ago, she wrote the following on a piece of paper and said, "Look! My initials!"
A.S.S.
Hee-hee.
A few months ago, she wrote the following on a piece of paper and said, "Look! My initials!"
A.S.S.
Hee-hee.
The Wallet
Last Saturday our family was out hiking. And by hiking, we mean partly walking. Partly digging for 'bones' in the dirt. Partly nagging our kids to walk a little more quickly.
Regardless. We were out.
And we found this gorgeous wallet. Right there. In the path. Social security card, all his credit cards, the works. Beautiful leather.
After our hike we put his address in our GPS and found his home. I walked up to the home, as the designated wallet returner, and knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened up, the woman said, "YOU FOUND IT!"
She was in her late 50s. She was so excited! It was her husband's wallet. She immediately hugged me. Asked me to come in. Offered to buy me coffee. And then proceeded to tell me about her husband.
"He has done this before! I could kill him!" She then yelled to her daughter to call both her husband and her other daughter to call off the search. "They are out there looking. And my husband knows he will be eaten alive if he comes back empty handed. Oh! He is having a midlife crisis. He bought a mountain bike! A mountain bike! So I told him to take some ID with him. He is 59! He should have ID! So what does he do? He takes the whole wallet! And then drops it! And this has happened before. He travels for work and once I had a policeman call me from Kansas City. My heart nearly stopped. The police? They had found his wallet. My husband was fine. Didn't even know he lost it. Oh! I could have killed him!"
And on and on. And I was just laughing because this woman obviously loved her husband but was clearly beside herself. And she was my kind of woman- the hugging kind!
She insists on getting my phone number and address. I give her both. She leaves me with the following words. " You saved our marriage! I'm not kidding! You are going to heaven!"
When I laughed she added, "Ok! You are going to heaven but not soon!"
I get back in the car and we head home. The kids are full of questions. As always. 15 minutes later, the wallet man calls. I didn't pick up because I didn't recognize the number. He leaves an equally hysterical voicemail, "Thank you. Thank you so much for your kindness. I don't know what to say. Thank you. My family thinks I'm a dumb ass. But thank you."
What a riot!
Fast forward to Wednesday. I get a card in the mail. Beautiful penmanship. And in it? 75 dollar gift certificate to Olive Garden!!? WHAT!? Are you kidding me? I couldn't believe it.
AWESOME. Totally, totally unnecessary. We did the right thing! But so so so much appreciated!
As my father would say, "I'll be damned. How you like them apples?"
Regardless. We were out.
And we found this gorgeous wallet. Right there. In the path. Social security card, all his credit cards, the works. Beautiful leather.
After our hike we put his address in our GPS and found his home. I walked up to the home, as the designated wallet returner, and knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened up, the woman said, "YOU FOUND IT!"
She was in her late 50s. She was so excited! It was her husband's wallet. She immediately hugged me. Asked me to come in. Offered to buy me coffee. And then proceeded to tell me about her husband.
"He has done this before! I could kill him!" She then yelled to her daughter to call both her husband and her other daughter to call off the search. "They are out there looking. And my husband knows he will be eaten alive if he comes back empty handed. Oh! He is having a midlife crisis. He bought a mountain bike! A mountain bike! So I told him to take some ID with him. He is 59! He should have ID! So what does he do? He takes the whole wallet! And then drops it! And this has happened before. He travels for work and once I had a policeman call me from Kansas City. My heart nearly stopped. The police? They had found his wallet. My husband was fine. Didn't even know he lost it. Oh! I could have killed him!"
And on and on. And I was just laughing because this woman obviously loved her husband but was clearly beside herself. And she was my kind of woman- the hugging kind!
She insists on getting my phone number and address. I give her both. She leaves me with the following words. " You saved our marriage! I'm not kidding! You are going to heaven!"
When I laughed she added, "Ok! You are going to heaven but not soon!"
I get back in the car and we head home. The kids are full of questions. As always. 15 minutes later, the wallet man calls. I didn't pick up because I didn't recognize the number. He leaves an equally hysterical voicemail, "Thank you. Thank you so much for your kindness. I don't know what to say. Thank you. My family thinks I'm a dumb ass. But thank you."
What a riot!
Fast forward to Wednesday. I get a card in the mail. Beautiful penmanship. And in it? 75 dollar gift certificate to Olive Garden!!? WHAT!? Are you kidding me? I couldn't believe it.
AWESOME. Totally, totally unnecessary. We did the right thing! But so so so much appreciated!
As my father would say, "I'll be damned. How you like them apples?"
Sunday, January 29, 2012
End of Weekend
We do a lot in our weekends. I love it! Some are more fun than others. This weekend brought a big train trip to Philly to attend the Chinese New Year.
Here is our January weekends in review.
New Year's Countdown to Noon with friends:
Mom turns 35!
We hiked. We always hike.
And it snowed last weekend. The only other time this winter? On Halloween. WACK!
One month into 2012? I'm feeling good! YOU!?
Here is our January weekends in review.
New Year's Countdown to Noon with friends:
Mom turns 35!
We hiked. We always hike.
And it snowed last weekend. The only other time this winter? On Halloween. WACK!
One month into 2012? I'm feeling good! YOU!?
Proud
So maybe every blog post is one mom's way of saying, "Look at me. Look at us. We have something to tell the internet." I try not to make mine brag happy. But I'm sure I fail. And I'm mostly ok with that.
Today I am proud of Seren.
I'm proud of Seren because the girl can read and write. It is amazing to see her just take off!
I'm also proud because 2.5 years later she decided that she would just give up her pull ups. Well, that isn't true. We discovered that she was scared to death of going to the bathroom at night. We installed flashlights and many nightlights last week. Still no dice. But we told her that when she was ready, we'd like to give up her pullups. She and Wyeth could have a contest as to who get out of diapers/pull ups first. We even threw in the idea of a pretty pony purchase if she could be dry for 7 nights. She was so excited to wake up every day this week. DRY. Six nights in a row last night!
Tonight for the first time in her entire life, she went to bed in undies. I'm confident she'll be dry. She hasn't mentioned the pony.
I'm proud because she tries new things. Not always with gusto at the start. But she does them! This weekend, we tried basketball.
I laughed until I cried. Full on tears, people. It was hysterical!
And I'm proud because with all of the reading, trying new things, learning the ropes of school and being a big sister, I see her as an infant. If I could tell the post partum mom that really, "It would all work out." I would.
At the same time, I'm still worried. We have miles to go before we sleep. She isn't grown for goodness sakes! Just wearing undies to bed! We have miles to go!
But for now, I'm just proud.
Today I am proud of Seren.
I'm proud of Seren because the girl can read and write. It is amazing to see her just take off!
I'm also proud because 2.5 years later she decided that she would just give up her pull ups. Well, that isn't true. We discovered that she was scared to death of going to the bathroom at night. We installed flashlights and many nightlights last week. Still no dice. But we told her that when she was ready, we'd like to give up her pullups. She and Wyeth could have a contest as to who get out of diapers/pull ups first. We even threw in the idea of a pretty pony purchase if she could be dry for 7 nights. She was so excited to wake up every day this week. DRY. Six nights in a row last night!
Tonight for the first time in her entire life, she went to bed in undies. I'm confident she'll be dry. She hasn't mentioned the pony.
I'm proud because she tries new things. Not always with gusto at the start. But she does them! This weekend, we tried basketball.
I laughed until I cried. Full on tears, people. It was hysterical!
And I'm proud because with all of the reading, trying new things, learning the ropes of school and being a big sister, I see her as an infant. If I could tell the post partum mom that really, "It would all work out." I would.
At the same time, I'm still worried. We have miles to go before we sleep. She isn't grown for goodness sakes! Just wearing undies to bed! We have miles to go!
But for now, I'm just proud.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Gendered Sandwiches
The cute things that the kids say just keep coming! There is no way to write it all down or record it. But here are a a few.
Wyeth says 'schene' for 'machine'. As in 'this lawnmower? It has a schene in there to make it work.
He also says 'noculars' for binoculars. and 'Bitamins' for 'vitamins'.
****
Wyeth started forced potty training last week. He has to sit on the potty for 10 seconds twice a day. I swear I wouldn't force and just let it 'happen' after my experience with Seren. But he has shown NO interest. So far, he is 'ok' with sitting there. He gets sticker. Just for sitting! Pathetic! But we are working on it!
****
Seren got her booster seats two weeks ago. Still seems strange to not have the five point harness. She was just too tall for it! And it was unsafe. We splurged and got her our first Britax for the main (daddy) car and a cheap one for my car. She looks all grown up back there.
****
The kids are missing Christmas. Wyeth and Seren frequently talk about elves. And our lights on the outside of our house are still up. They still request plugging them in. We do from time to time. Wyeth announced last night, "I want Christmas. But we have to do Easter. Then we have to do the beach. Then we have to do Halloween. Then Thanksgiving. and THEN Christmas." It is a long wait, Buddy. A long wait.
I personally miss Christmas but I also really miss the beach!
****
Since Thanksgiving Wyeth has asked me about why I work. I said, "To make money. So we can do things and have some fun." He suggested, "You work so we can ride on the Hucklebyberry rail road?" (the Huckleberry railroad is in Michigan and he loves it.) So according to him, up until yesterday, I toil at my 40 hour work week so we can go on a railroad trip/ride. But yesterday he said, "But we did the Hucklebyberry rail road! Why else you work?"
I responded to keep our house, to have food, to put gas in the car.
He said, "Daddy doesn't work because he doesn't need his own house. We share the house."
Gosh! Life is so simple.
***
The strike is over! Thank goodness! She has been to school twice now. Since December 22nd, she has now had school for a grand total of 6 days. What a month! Kindergarten has been rougher than we anticipated!
***
On Saturday, I was making sandwiches. I called out, "Seren! Do you want a grilled cheese? Wyeth? What about you?"
He stomps in with his pouty face on. "NO, I don't want a grilled cheese. I want a BOY cheese."
What a goofball!
Wyeth says 'schene' for 'machine'. As in 'this lawnmower? It has a schene in there to make it work.
He also says 'noculars' for binoculars. and 'Bitamins' for 'vitamins'.
****
Wyeth started forced potty training last week. He has to sit on the potty for 10 seconds twice a day. I swear I wouldn't force and just let it 'happen' after my experience with Seren. But he has shown NO interest. So far, he is 'ok' with sitting there. He gets sticker. Just for sitting! Pathetic! But we are working on it!
****
Seren got her booster seats two weeks ago. Still seems strange to not have the five point harness. She was just too tall for it! And it was unsafe. We splurged and got her our first Britax for the main (daddy) car and a cheap one for my car. She looks all grown up back there.
****
The kids are missing Christmas. Wyeth and Seren frequently talk about elves. And our lights on the outside of our house are still up. They still request plugging them in. We do from time to time. Wyeth announced last night, "I want Christmas. But we have to do Easter. Then we have to do the beach. Then we have to do Halloween. Then Thanksgiving. and THEN Christmas." It is a long wait, Buddy. A long wait.
I personally miss Christmas but I also really miss the beach!
****
Since Thanksgiving Wyeth has asked me about why I work. I said, "To make money. So we can do things and have some fun." He suggested, "You work so we can ride on the Hucklebyberry rail road?" (the Huckleberry railroad is in Michigan and he loves it.) So according to him, up until yesterday, I toil at my 40 hour work week so we can go on a railroad trip/ride. But yesterday he said, "But we did the Hucklebyberry rail road! Why else you work?"
I responded to keep our house, to have food, to put gas in the car.
He said, "Daddy doesn't work because he doesn't need his own house. We share the house."
Gosh! Life is so simple.
***
The strike is over! Thank goodness! She has been to school twice now. Since December 22nd, she has now had school for a grand total of 6 days. What a month! Kindergarten has been rougher than we anticipated!
***
On Saturday, I was making sandwiches. I called out, "Seren! Do you want a grilled cheese? Wyeth? What about you?"
He stomps in with his pouty face on. "NO, I don't want a grilled cheese. I want a BOY cheese."
What a goofball!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
"Friends"
Oh, the meaning of a friend. A long standing question. For me at least. There are facebook friends. Work friends. Social friends. Neighbors that are friends. Close friends and then that inner circle, friends that are your chosen family.
All of them are wonderful.
I love how young kids talk about friends. Anyone that is Seren's age is a "friend". See that other girl at the playground/beach/park/shopping mall playarea? A friend.
"Well, I met some new friends today."
She is in gymnastics (hysterical) and the new session just started up. Her take on it, "Mom! Guess what? I now have 8 gymnastics friends."
I love it. It is so simple. And so universal.
It will suck when she realizes, as we all do, when we mature, that not everyone is really your friend. Lord, the girl drama I see on the horizon!
But for now, I'll take it.
All of them are wonderful.
I love how young kids talk about friends. Anyone that is Seren's age is a "friend". See that other girl at the playground/beach/park/shopping mall playarea? A friend.
"Well, I met some new friends today."
She is in gymnastics (hysterical) and the new session just started up. Her take on it, "Mom! Guess what? I now have 8 gymnastics friends."
I love it. It is so simple. And so universal.
It will suck when she realizes, as we all do, when we mature, that not everyone is really your friend. Lord, the girl drama I see on the horizon!
But for now, I'll take it.
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