100 Days out of the nest

Alex stamping 100 stamps in his Book of 100 Stamps

Yesterday was the 100th day of school for Alex. I don't remember celebrating the 100th Day of School, but then again we celebrated shocking traditional holidays like Halloween and Christmas...Not "Fall" and "Winter." Nevertheless everyone seems to celebrate it now, and sadly cupcakes aren't invited to this party either.

I am so lucky to be able to volunteer in Alex's classroom every week, and because my in-laws are so willing to help with Meredith, I can go in more when I'm needed. Alex's teacher, Miss Turner, is a first year kindergarten teacher. She is so much fun and incidently, has the whitest teeth I've ever seen.

I don't know if Miss Turner just takes pity on moms who are overly involved, or if she truly needs my help, but she is so gracious about allowing me to come into her classroom. I occassionally run copies or do other clerical stuff to help her, but mainly I work directly with the kids. Those few hours I spend in the classroom are often the highlight of my week. I don't know how Miss Turner, or any other kindergarten teacher does it, and she has a saintly level of patience.

Anyway, yesterday I helped the kindergarteners celebrate the 100th Day of School. We did 100 exercises in the gym, well they did, I watched. We had a "100"-themed, nutrionally balanced snack, and they moved from classroom to classroom doing different activities. It was fun, and I was amazed at how mathematically inclinded they all seemed to be. I was sweating everytime someone asked what 10 boxes of 10 equalled.

One of the things we were supposed to do was bring 100 items of your child's chosing to school in a gallon zip-loc bag. Alex wanted to bring 100 $1 bills. I put the squacho on that and convinced him 100 pennies would be much shinier and would standout on the bulletin board. Kids brought all kinds of things. Marshmallows seemed to be really popular, as were Legos, M&M's, and pasta, lots, and lots of pasta! But, hands down, this was my favorite.

The things I do for free

Now that the birthday dust has settled a bit, it felt good to get back into our routine. Comfortable is a good way to describe most of the beginnings to our weeks. My wardrobe tends to echo the feeling, and I wind up wearing some sort of elastic waisted pants to Meredith's ballet class every Monday. The other mothers probably think I don't own anything with a zipper.

Today was eerily slow-paced. Meredith went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to spend some one on one time with them. I can't imagine why they don't want them at the same time. If you simply learn to talk above the screams it really isn't that bad. I dropped off Meredith around 10:00 am and had an entire hour to kill before picking up Alex.

I went to the library http://www.carmel.lib.in.us/ ...ALONE...I'm not sure I've done this since 2001. I'm not kidding. It's always scary taking the kids upstairs at the library. That's where the books without pictures are housed, and it's very, very quiet. I can usually hear myself breathing after I've climbed the staircase. Last time I attempted to go up and choose a book for myself, Meredith fell off a step stool, or was pushed, the specifics are still being argued. Blood was spurting from her lip and the librarian looked like she had an instant face lift her muscles became so tense.

We go to the library quite often, and we're never out of there in under an hour. Even if we don't go to Toddler Tales, or Preschool Pages, or whatever age-appropriate story hour they might be offering. We spend loads of time selecting books and playing with virtually the same toys that lie neglected at our house.

The check out line is harrowing. They've sectioned it off with those divider things they use to keep people in a straight line, like at the movies. Anyway, they're heavy, shiny, and apparently magnetic, because my children cannot stay away from them. While we wait in line, a librarian will peek over the check out desk and say, "Oh dear, those are heavy and I would hate for one to fall over onto you." Translation, "Get the hell away from the dividers!"

Alex and Meredith are generally very well behaved at the library, but by check-out time, they're shot. They normally wait until then to pick a fight with each other. It's not unusual for me to be sweating by the time we check out our enormous stack of books. I let them check out as many as they want. Maybe because when I was a kid, I could only check out as many as I could peddle home with.

So, imagine my confusion when I walked into the library alone, walked up to the second floor, found a book, checked it out on the self scanner, and even had time to go to the bathroom AND look at the photography exhibit they're currently hosting. ALL in under 15 minutes! All the convenience didn't mean a thing when I saw other kids storm into the library and head straight for the children's section. I missed my yahoos!

I wasn't about to drive home before getting in the carpool lane, and I didn't have enough time to grocery shop. So, what to do, what to do???? I stopped at Starbucks, got a latte and read. AND the woman brought me a sample of some sort of chocolate chunk brownie. It was 15 minutes of bliss.

After I picked up Alex we went to lunch. We sometimes do this when Meredith is occupied, so we can catch up. Mostly, he asks me questions like, "What's your favorite fruit?" I answer, "Watermelon." He says, "Me too!" It goes on like this the entire time. It's sort of like going on a first date, except I have to pay the bill and Brandon talked less.

After I dropped Alex at his enrichment program, I went grocery shopping. I absolutely hate to grocery shop, but until Alex can drive and understands a budget, I'm stuck. I had a limited amount of time, so I hurried through my list. I did it in under 30 minutes, which for me is a record. I have no idea why it takes me so long to shop, but it does.

I was in the check out line, and they check out lady said, "You know those Diet Cokes are 3 for $11." Right, that's why I bought three. "Well, honey they're also part of the buy 3 items get the 4th free promotion. Do you want to run back and get another?" I looked at the people behind me to gauge their hostility and bolted back to the display. I ran, with my 12 pack of Coke Zero Vanilla, like I was in the 440 relay. I made it back before she was even done scanning my frozen peas. My chest was pounding and I was sweaty. All of the sudden I heard a familiar voice say, "Hey lady, quit holding up the line!" It was a mom I know from pre-school. Luckily she's one of the normal, funny, down-to-earth moms and we laughed about my spastic nature.

I walked out of the store laughing and in disbelief I sprinted through the store over a free 12 pack of Diet Coke. All of the sudden I heard this, "HEY MA'AM, HEY MA'AM!" I turned around, and what had I left at the counter but my stupid free 12 pack!

I'm throwing in some cute pictures I took of Alex this morning. He was taking pictures of Meredith eating Rice Krispies and was so frustrated with his little rubberized camera. He's been hinting for a "real" camera for his birthday, so he took the opportunity to explain to me how "incredibly slow," his camera is.

This is my favorite shot of the last few days, and this is generally what Alex looks like when he's taking pictures. It makes him as happy as it does me!

This picture I snapped before he got on the bus this morning. Do you think I have trouble spotting him in the carpool lane??? I plan to dress him as long as possible.

I just had to leave in the middle of posting to grab the kids and head for the basement. Hail hitting the office windows was my first indication something was weird with the weather. Sure enough, we were under a tornado warning. In January. I'm not in any way saying I believe Al Gore, but this weather is strange.

Yippee Meredith is 3!

This says it all...

Meredith's first question of the day, "Mommy, did I turn three in the night?!" Her second question, "Can we have another party today?!" It goes without saying, Meredith enjoyed her birthday. Brandon said he plans to home school her for college, because we have a sneaking suspicion, she may be a party girl.

We had a pretty lazy day, and did whatever Meredith wanted to do. She gave me a breakfast order of chocolate chip, blueberry, and sprinkle pancakes. (Three separate kinds, not mixed. That would be gross. More convenient, but gross.) I surprised her with this pancake, which she thought was "fabulous!"

We played with all her toys, which all consist of small parts or require several costume changes. Meredith's already well-stocked dress up box, has now reached critical mass. We're going to have to abandon our cute dress up trunk, for a full on 20 gallon tub. There is nothing she loves more than slipping into someone else's shoes. Just remember to call her by the name of the particular princess she's currently embodies and all will be well.

Meredith fell in love with an outdoor playhouse a few weeks ago, and after a few phone calls to a couple of softies in Tennessee and some serious hinting to Daddy, the playhouse is in our garage. January birthdays and outdoor playthings aren't a good match, so we gave her a few things she could enjoy without risking frostbite.

I may have mentioned Meredith's obsession with all things royal, so Brandon thought she needed a castle of her own. Alex and Brandon are really into Alex's Playmobil http://www.playmobil.com/ castle, but it's gray, which in our house is code for boy. So, Meredith now has her own pink and white castle of 1,000 parts. Seriously, these toys make me want to cry. Our kids both love them and they spend hours playing with them, but unless you have a child who is into this stuff, you cannot possibly appreciate how tiny the pieces are.

The other big hit was a Cinderella dress. I gave it to her right before she went to bed, so after a few twirls around our bedroom, she noticed the skirt is embellished with glittery carriages. Meredith looked up at me and said, "Oh! Can I have a pumpkin carriage? A BIG one?! One I can ride in?!" I think we may be overindulging. Brandon told her she already had a coach, our van.

The sweetest part of the day, was Alex's kindness to his sister. Don't get me wrong, we had our normal dose of spats, but he really made an effort to make Meredith's day special.

Around noon I asked the kids if they'd like some lunch. They were very busy playing, and both declined. I uttered my now standard, "Last chance for lunch. This is not a buffet. If you want some lunch you need to tell me NOW." Nope. They were sure.

About 15 minutes later, I heard the fridge open and close several times and the familiar smack of plastic dishes hitting the counter. I went into the kitchen to find that Alex had made lunch for himself and Meredith. Not only did this little guy make a lunch...it was a well-balanced lunch! Turkey sandwich, carrots, a cheese stick, and he was making every effort to divide an apple with a plastic knife. Alex looked at me, shrugged his shoulders and said, "We changed our minds."

Meredith normally complains about eating turkey sandwiches. She's a PB&J girl to the core. She scarfed it down and complimented the chef the entire time. I looked over at her sandwich, and it was three parts mayonnaise to one part turkey, which if you're under ten and don't know what cholesterol is, why not?!

When I took Meredith up for her nap, we opened her bedroom door to find her entire room decked out in balloons left over from the party. Alex tied them to all four of her bed posts and had the bouquets lined up on Meredith's headboard. She was thrilled! Alex came in after he heard the squeals of delight and said, "I wanted to make her room like a party." I'm telling you, I almost lost it in her room. Alex can be such a challenge sometimes, but he has a heart of GOLD! He even danced with Meredith and humored her as she called him "Prince."

Now, if he could stop running in place and threatening to run away every time I give him an answer he doesn't want to hear, we'd be set!

The Royal Bash

My feet feel like I imagine they would feel if I ever ran the Mini-Marathon.

I was up bright and early this morning caught up in the mad rush that comes with me hosting any sort of party. I absolutely love to do it, but somehow forget how much work it takes to get our house to the point that I'm not horrified to have people visit.

Meredith came into our room at 6:30 am, to ask when her friends would arrive for her tea party birthday party. "Excited" isn't really a befitting description. Around noon she started pumping her fist into the air and yelling, "Woo Hoo! It's party time!" If you watch The Real Housewives of Orange County, (you can admit it, we're among friends) think Vicki and you'll have a pretty close perception. We ate lunch out; Lord forbid we mess up the kitchen. Meredith told 90% of Chick-Fil-A about her party.

We invited six of Meredith's little girl friends, plus one brother she adores to have tea and do frilly things. They were all decked out in sparkles, feathers, tutus, crowns, etc. Precious! We made princess wands, had "tea" at three, and then did the whole presents and cake routine.

She's a lady!

The girls were all so well behaved! After one of our more boy-oriented parties, you can hardly see the floor, but there was barely a mess to clean after our little ladies left. I sent them home sugary right before dinner.

Alex made a late arrival to the party because he was at a friend's party, and Meredith was beside herself worrying about the whereabouts of "my brudder." He was 15 minutes late, and you would have thought he'd abandoned her for good. It makes it all worth it, when I realize how close those two really are; even if they do attempt to wreck each other physically and emotionally nine times daily.

We put the kids to bed extra early this evening. Alex stayed up late last night watching a Disney movie he was dying to see. He talked about the movie all week, and I told him we'd DVR it. After school on Friday, he sweetly asked, "Mom, can I please stay up until 8:00 pm, 7 central?" Clearly, advertising works. It was so funny, I agreed in a moment of weakness, thinking it would be over by 9:00 pm. Well, the darn thing didn't get over until 9:45 pm, which to Alex is like

2:00 am. Did he sleep a minute later? I'll let you guess.

Meredith was shot for obvious reasons, and was wound so tightly, she insisted on wearing her crown in the bathtub, and put on a wild dance show for us once she was in her jammies. Seriously, we could have sold tickets. Dollars to donuts, she's up at her usual bird-chirping, pre-dawn hour.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Our Princess in the Tub

I realized yesterday, I've been referring to Meredith as "our three year old," for weeks. Now that her last day to be two has come and gone, I long for her to be "our two year old." I guess the old adage, "the days are sometimes long, but the years are so very short," has never rung more true.

Special thanks to my friend Sally for taking a picture of Meredith and me. Our only one of the day!

Pink Donuts and Door Handles

Today was Preschool registration day, and for those of you whom do not live in a suburb of a metropolitan area, you can't quite grasp the hysteria that comes along with this day. Nor should you want to.

The Preschool we attend just happens to be a part of our church. http://www.orchardpark.org/ It's a looooong commute, but I would seriously drive to another state in order for Meredith to attend. We feel so blessed to be a part of the school, and I'm already having panic attacks about the fact we only have two more years there.

Registration for next year's class opened today for current families. Now, as a current family you are guaranteed a spot in one of the classes. They offer multiple classes, and while you might not get your first choice, you'll at least be enrolled in your second.

Knowing full well they are going to have a spot in a class doesn't prevent people from pulling into the parking lot at 5:00 am for their coveted spot. Registration doesn't even open until 8:00 am, but nevertheless people are there three hours early. Because of Brandon's travel schedule, I've never been able to get there a minute before 8:00 am, and guess what, we've always gotten a spot! So, it always amuses me that people are that maniacal about getting there so early.

Now, for families not currently enrolled, it's a whole 'nother story. Especially for Sr. Preschool. Last year there were parents in the parking lot at...I kid you not...4:00 am. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I could register them ahead of time since we're already enrolled, I wouldn't be driving a mini-van.

After Alex climbed the bus steps, Meredith and I drove over to register. We got there about 8:15 am, and it was a ghost town. The mania was over. I leisurely handed off my registration and that was that. I may wind up with my second choice, but so far God has always known what He was doing and we wound up in the exact class in which we were meant to be.

Since we were dressed and I didn't want to come home and unload the dishwasher, Meredith and I decided we should stop for a donut (her) and a latte (me). http://www.dunkindonuts.com/
I asked her if she wanted to get a donut and she said, "Sure! Can we go to the place with the pink handle?!" I wracked my brain..."OH! Yeah, Dunkin' Donuts?!" "Yep. Mommy, that's the place."

We rarely stop for a donut, and even less rarely stop at DD. When you're shaped like me, the last thing you want to do is saddle your children with a donut habit. We've gone to DD once and it was probably four months ago. They have a pink "D" for a door handle; and Meredith remembered. I told her I couldn't believe she remembered, and she said, "Well, I a smart girl, Mommy, bemember?!"

Meredith sat, eating her pink donut, under the pink light, and chatted up half the patrons while they waited in line. At 8:00 am the clientele is mostly made up of sales people picking up huge orders of donuts. So, luckily they are every bit as chatty as Merdi. If she were older, she would likely have an internship already lined up for the summer.

Alex is intently listening for a train, and it'll all make sense after reading today's post, I promise!

Today is a holiday, so Alex was home with Meredith and me all day. We were all three really excited about that until we realized it's really, really cold outside, and everything we would normally do, is open to the public-- free of charge. Obviously, this means places are crowded. I don't like crowds and I'm even less fond of noisy crowds. I needed to think of something fun to do that was a little off the beaten path.

Years ago, I overheard a conversation about a Pizza King in Brownsburg that had some sort of a train that delivered pizza to your table. That was it. That's all the information I had filed in my pea brain. It wasn't much to go on, but after a call to confirm they did in fact have trains in their restaurant, our day was planned.

I didn't tell the kids anything other than we were going to a fun pizza place for lunch. Meredith was happy as a clam. It doesn't take much more than the mention of pizza. Alex on the other hand, couldn't stand not knowing anything else about our lunch plans. "Where is it? Have we been there before? Do they have toppings I like? Do you know how to get there? What if Dad wants to go? He's not home! Should we wait for Dad? Can I bring my camera?..."

So, we made our first trip to Brownsburg, which is sort of like Olney with an Applebees's and without white squirrels. Mapquest gave us a bit of a bum steer and it took a little while to find "the Pizza King with a train."

The place is nothing fancy, and it's in an 80's strip mall, but they have a little train track that runs through the entirety of the dining room. Without boring you with too many details, you sit in a booth, and a class encased tunnel is next to your table. Every once in awhile, a little train chugs by. There are menus at each booth, and you push an intercom to order. (Jill, this could work for you! There are literally no waitresses.)

Well, about five minutes after we ordered, up rolls the train and stops at our window with our drinks. I think I was every bit as excited as the kids! BTW, the pizza isn't delivered by train. You have to use your shanks ponies to walk up and get it when they call you over the intercom.

The funniest part was Alex's determination to get a good picture of the train. He had his little camera propped against the glass just waiting for it to whiz by again. I finally went to the counter and asked them to send it back to our table so Alex could get a shot of it. I'm from out of town, what's a little humiliation?!

They also have TVs in each booth, which are coin operated. I don't know if the kids were more excited about the option to watch TV while they ate, or about plunking quarters into the slot. We watched Hannah Montana and ate pizza and it was the first time ever, I've not had to take anyone away from the table for a chat. We also avoided the usual 19 trips to the bathroom because they were so afraid they'd miss the train. We may eat here every day!

Wrapped in comfort

Bath time is just about my favorite time of day. Sometimes I'm so exhausted I can hardly get everyone bathed without falling asleep, but I know in a few minutes we'll read books, say prayers, and they'll be safely tucked in bed. I take huge solace in those very facts at the end of a long day.

Thursdays are known as "crazy day," around here. Here's our Thursday schedule and maybe some of you will know why you can't reach me:

8:00 am- Alex is on the bus

8:35 am-Meredith and I leave for her Mom's Day Out Program, on the other side of Carmel

9:30-11:15 am-I'm in Alex's classroom volunteering, and secretly spying on his classmates, determining which one could potentially corrupt him.

11:45 am-I drop off Alex at Kindergarten Connection (his enrichment program)

12:00-2:00pm-My two hours a week alone...I try to meet a friend for lunch and run any errands I'm afraid to run with two kids in tow.

2:20 pm-I pick up Meredith

2:30-Alex is picked up by Grandpa, and we meet them at their house, which usually results in a 30 minute visit and 45 minutes of me trying to load them into the van

4:15-We're finally home and everyone's crabby, hungry, and tired.

So, the bath tub is a welcome sight. It signals we've survived another Thursday. It reminds me to slow down and listen to them sing sweet songs and tell funny stories. It seems to calm everyone down, and they are fully contained.

There is no better reward than having a clean kiddo sit on your lap and excitedly talk about the book we're reading or what our plans are for the next day. I love to smell their clean hair and I still marvel at how impossibly soft their skin is, even without lotion.

I get to hang out with this kind of cuteness AND she smells like watermelon shampoo!

Tonight was really fun because Alex and Merdi both have new robes. Santa brought Meredith a princess robe and Alex has registered his annoyance since. Believe it or not, it's hard to find a robe for a little guy. So, today I came across one at the Old Navy clearance sale. We're not telling him it's actually a girls' robe, and he didn't seem to notice the pockets are in the shape of hearts. It's blue, and to him "blue means it's for boys." He was thrilled with it, and for $5 I made his day. Alex was so thrilled, he even agreed to let me take a few shots of him, which almost never happens! So, indulge me for a minute...

This cracks me up because even when he's goofing around, he still takes it seriously. You can see the look of determination on his face to make the perfect fish face.

Ciao Grandpa and Grandma!

Kylene is happy to report her parents are winging their way home from Italy, as I type. This is the longest period of time Alex and Meredith have ever gone without seeing their grandparents and they can't wait.

We're picking them up at the airport tonight. Kylene and her usual unbridled enthusiasm, has elected to stay home. I must say it's probably a wise move, since my astigmatism really poses a threat to us all when I drive after dark. Wish me and the other I-465 drivers luck.

Closet Chaos

For every wonderful day we have, there are 75 days that make me wish I had a j-o-b. O.K., maybe not 75, but there are certainly off days that more than balance out all the sweet moments I get to share with my kids.

My very good friend Jill C. paid me an incredibly nice compliment today and it's one I probably don't deserve. Oh Jill, if you could have been a fly on the wall of the Webber house tonight.

Jill sent an e-mail to a close-knit group of our friends, and among other things said this little blog made her want to work less and soak up precious moments with her kids. (I'm paraphrasing this since I, in no way, asked Jill's permission to mention any of this. Hi Jill! Love you! Ha! ) I'm all for every mom realizing how precious and fleeting time is with our chicks, but I don't want anyone to get the idea that we don't have our share of chaos...

Ladies, let me tell you, today was one of those days! The day started off fine. Everyone "slept in," which at our house means 6:45 am for the kiddos. We got Kylene to work a little early, and made it home in time to calmly walk to the bus.

Meredith, changed clothes three times before 10:30, at one point donning a swimming suit. After a firm lecture I thought we were done with the mess that multiple costume changes create. All in all, not a bad morning.

Then the fun began. After the final school pick up of the day, we headed home with a van load of surly people. Alex shouted at Meredith for whatever reason, and in some sort of acrobatic feat Meredith managed to kick Alex in the face in retaliation. (At least that's what he claims, and to be honest I did catch quite a bit of flailing of limbs in my rear view.) Whatever happened resulted in me yelling "NOT ONE MORE WORD UNTIL WE ARE HOME; UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE TO SHARE!"

By the time we pulled into the driveway, Alex was sentenced to spend the night without his beloved blanket "Stripes," and Meredith was going to be without her Belle dress another day. Believe me, I know what buttons to push with these two.

Aside from some petty arguments and a couple of trips to T.O., the rest of the late afternoon wasn't terrible.

I knew I was in trouble when Meredith came to dinner in a blanket sleeper. Me: "Meredith Claire, why are you wearing pajamas?" Meredith: "Because I can't find my black pants. My room's messy." After Meredith noticed the steam coming out of my ears, she quickly said, "Don't wordy, I keen it aww up affer dinner!" Fine. Deal. Let's eat.

Like a fool, I did the dishes without a trip to assess the damage. When I finally did, I suddenly had the urge to go for a run. A long run. Maybe all the way to the border. Meredith has beige carpet, but you wouldn't have been able to tell. There was nary an outfit on a hanger and her huge dresser was nearly empty. I considered getting my camera, but I was afraid you'd think it was staged!

After I chewed out Meredith at full volume and spent the next 45 minutes hanging up clothes, I thought about Jill and her sweet comments (and her IMMACULATELY kept home!). I wondered what she would think if she could see my parenting skills in action now! ?!

Credit where it's due

Any image from the camera featured in this photo,

is the sole property of Brandon Webber.

After I posted yesterday, Brandon gave me a hard time about using the picture of Meredith and me. He threatened to copyright his pictures, and while I think he's kidding, I can never be too sure.


So, a big thank you to Brandon for contributing the picture of his wife and daughter to his wife's blog. The richness of the color, the composition of the shot, the subjects...the entire package is spot on. Way to go Brandon!

This was before the game!

I think it was an omen when part of Alex's "18" fell off his Peyton Manning jersey today and we discovered Meredith's cheerleading outfit was so short, it would be innapropriate if she was 18. Not a fun game to watch, but at least I won't have to stress eat my way through a Colts/Patriots game.

We had kind of a lazy weekend. Yesterday, the weather was nice and we should have taken down Christmas lights, but instead we went to Bub's for burgers and hung out as a family while Kylene was at a basketball tournament. Kylene will proudly tell you her team came in second! What she leaves out, is the part about there being two teams. The girl should really go into public relations.

We also had a birthday party to go to. This one didn't include jumping houses, lazer tag, or goodie bags full of candy. This was our good friend Dawn's birthday party; and there wasn't a kid in sight!

Happy 29th Birthday Dawn!

We don't have much planned for the week ahead, and that's always a good feeling. I keep telling myself I'll use the time to finish the laundry and get the house back into order, but I'm sure I'll find an excuse so I can end another week in self-defeat.

Band-Aid Chef

Have you ever tried to make meatballs one-handed?


Most of you know my father-in-law took my mother-in-law on the trip of a lifetime to Italy, and I'm on sister-in-law duty. Out of kindness---and the confidentiality clause Kylene made me sign--I'll spare you the details, but needless to say our house is even more chaotic than normal. I wish we were a family that easily absorbs changes in our routine, but alas we are definitely not.


Luckily, Kylene enjoys eating and I enjoy cooking, so I cooked up a storm last week. My kitchen is always a little nutty, but between Kylene's inquiries about when the next episode of Hannah Montana will be on, and the kids every day normal 200 questions/requests it's been every man (or child) for himself during dinner prep.


So, Thursday night I'm answering questions and fulfilling requests for apple juice while chopping onions. Now, I don't really like onions, but I'm not one to deviate from recipes and this one called for onions in the mini meatballs. Maybe because I don't like onions, I don't have all that much practice chopping them. Well, one thing let to another and before I knew it, I had a divot in my thumb. (Yuck! I'm even cringing when I type this, so I hope no one's eating while reading.)


I yelled, grabbed a paper towel, and finished the job one-handed. I've become an expert at silent swearing lately.


What happened next is how our family dynamic usually plays out. Alex immediately comes over to check on me and then scales the laundry room cabinets to reach the emergency kit. He flies in with a band-aid, gauze, antiseptic solution, antibiotic cream, and of course, a roll of medical tape. (To know Alex, is to know his love for office supplies, tape in particular.) Meredith shrieks, covers her eyes, and yells, "Oh no! Mommy! Can you see your bones?! Please don't let me see your bones! I don't want blood on me! PLEASE don't get blood on my dress!!!!" Our house "guest" moseys on down and says "Hey, what's the problem down here?! I can't hear Hannah Montana!"

Equal Time

After a very Meredithcentric post yesterday, I started to have some mommy guilt over gushing over a girly day, which by it's very nature, excludes my other chick. Chick like a bird, not another daughter.

After school today we made a jaunt to the Children's' Museum http://www.childrensmuseum.org/ It's taken me five years of visits, but we finally figured out if we go around 2:00 pm, you can hear crickets chirp. For those of you who have listened to me gripe, complain, and guffaw at Indiana and it's "ridiculous half-day kindergarten program," please forgive me. After having a child in half day k, I've discovered it's precisely the right amount of time for Alex to be in school and away from home. I love the freedom the schedule affords our afternoon adventures. So, pass the salt and I'll now eat my words.


As soon as we got to the CM, we made one of our better discoveries. The large Chihuly http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/chihuly/ sculpture was being cleaned! That may not sound exciting, but for those of you whom have seen it, I bet you secretly wondered how it was cleaned too. (Or maybe that's just a crazy obsession of mine...Sara, don't tell me you wouldn't have the same thought!) The sculpture is made of loads of individual pieces of glass and is two, if not three stories tall. I can barely dust our end tables without breaking something, so I can only imagine. Well, in case you're curious, here's how it's done.............
After that, the afore mentioned guilt led us to Alex choosing where to go first. We headed for the Science area and there we remained for most of the time. Alex concentrates on the details and loves to figure out exactly how everything works. Clearly, he gets this from his father. I just love the look of wonder and concentration he gets when we visit places like the museum. He is a curator's dream. He truly explores each and every element, sometimes painstaking s-l-o-w. Meredith and I could do three floors in the amount of time Alex's brain can spend studying one display.

We also rode the carousel three times, and I was able to get some fun shots of Alex being a little boy, free from the stress of figuring out the world. He and Meredith also had a ball in the mirror area.

The next shot is my favorite of the day, in fact it makes me so proud my chest could burst. (It has nothing to do with the fact that I'm in it.) Alex is fascinated with my camera and really seems to have a love for photography. I was exactly his age when I got my first camera. A 110 at my birthday party at McDonald's. My first ever portrait...Jennifer Cardinal Glover holding a balloon. I kid you not! Now, with my first "big girl" camera, I'm excited to take pictures of her new arrival in May. Anyway, It's just that I see that same spark in Alex, and it's so wonderful when your kids wind up sharing your interest with no arm twisting. So, if you look closely, you can see Alex with my camera in the background. It's wee bit on the dark side, because we don't quite understand the concept of a warming flash, but it's still pretty impressive for five and a half. Watch out Herb Ritz!If there was any thought that I had a favorite, rest easy. I could never pick my favorite chick!

This is why I normally don't ask them to pose!

Another Milestone

Looking back, I'd say a haircut was definitely in order!

Every once in awhile when someone compliments Meredith on her outfit she'll shoot back with, "Thank you, and what about my hair?!"

Merdi loves her curls, almost as much as she loves attention.! Brandon and I love them too, and so I've had, what turned out to be a completely irrational fear, that the curls would drop to the floor if we so much as trimmed her hair. The longer her hair grew the more scraggly it started to look, so I started to suggest we get it trimmed. It's hard to say who was more shocked by the idea...Daddy or Meredith.

So, after much cajoling and bribery, I convinced Meredith it was time for a trim. I had to dangle the promise of a manicure before she bit. She said, "Oh yea! A manicure! Wait, what's a manicure, Mom?"

Today was the big day, and Merdi was so excited about the idea of a manicure, she wanted to get her hair done before breakfast. Our appointment wasn't until noon, and you haven't experienced frustration until you try to explain the idea of an appointment book to a two year old.

We had the "salon" all to ourselves, and when Meredith found out she got to sit in a Princess Jeep, there was no holding her back. The stylist was great and the receptionist chatted us up the entire time. The haircut was pretty fast, but the manicure took awhile. I couldn't believe it, but she sat very still so she didn't goof up her nails. The three of us, were rolling listening to Meredith talk with the stylist as she did her nails. It seriously sounded like a 25 year old just having a run of the mill conversation. I kicked myself for not bringing the video camera.

Afterwards, we had to make a trip to my old office to show off her manicure and new 'do to Meredith's good friend, Miss Barbara. Miss Barbara, according to Meredith, has beautiful nails and would want to see hers. Meredith loves to visit her because she always has multiple lipstick tubes which she allows Meredith to try on.

We stopped for drinks at Starbucks afterwards and she was sitting on a big leather couch just saying one hilarious thing after another and holding my hand. I was almost overcome with love for her right there in front of half of Hamilton county. I know how fast these moments go by, and I wish I could keep her little forever. Maybe it wasn't the curls I was afraid of losing after all.

Clare and Kendall

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to spend some time with our friends Jill and Scott and their precious little girls. It was my first indoor shoot at someones house...in the winter, on an overcast day. I'm afraid of heights, snakes, and indoor lighting. With the help of my new external flash and a great lens, I'm overcoming my fears. Of indoor lighting, at least.

The pictures turned our really well, but the sharing part is turning out to be more of a challenge. I spent a little time editing some shots, only to find they can only be viewed within a specific program, unless I re save them in a different format...blah, blah, blah, my eyes started to glaze over. So, until I can figure out how to show you the rest of them, here is a little preview.

Boy did I miss them!

After a salt-pelting drive to Nashville, I was so excited to see the kids! It was hard not to drive 90 down the road to my parents' house. It was nice to have some time to myself for a couple of days, but I'm kind of lost without my little sidekicks. I must have asked Brandon 20 times if he "missed the kids," but then it dawned on me, he has to leave them every week, so it was pretty routine for him.

GramPam has some sort of bug, so the kids and I went out to see a movie and grab some dinner at what Alex considers to be one of the finer restaurants in the world... http://www.theolivegarden.com/. (I blame our trips to the OG on Alex, but secretly I still harbour the same love for their salad and bread sticks that I always have. Foodies be damned!) We wound up eating at Chick-Fil-A, because, get this there was a 50 minute wait at the afore mentioned culinary gem. Someone apparently still likes the angel hair with marinara too.

Now, if we'd gone to eat when we originally planned--at 4:45 pm, the wait wouldn't have been an issue, but if you think I'm paying anything aside from a matinee price for a movie, you don't know me well! There was a 4:50 showing of The Waterhorse, which I thought was going to be a cute little story about a creature from the sea who happened to be raised by a little boy....In my defense Alex picked it, but I wasn't really prepared for the story of the Lochness Monster and how he became violent as a result of Scottish bombings! Meredith claimed to not be scared, but she watched most of the movie through her popcorn-scented hands. http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thewaterhorse/

Before bath, Alex put his new best friend "Robancha" to work cleaning the baseboards. If only Robancha could pick up Lego's and grocery shop. Then, he would be my best friend too.

I grabbed my camera to capture Alex's budding engineering skills, and Meredith put on her own show.

In case you ever wondered what Sally Jesse Raphael looked like in her early years...

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Yes, that's the same "champagne" we've been drinking since our Bradley days. Why bother with perfection...at $10/bottle?!

Hope you all had a fun and safe night welcoming in another year.

Brandon and I had a great time in Chicago, and we were asleep before the ball dropped. I think that's the first time I've not made it to midnight since 5th grade. We had dinner at a new "coastal Italian" restaurant; "Prosecco."

They've only been open a month, so it was newer than we thought and better than we expected. "Coastal" is apparently Italian for seafood and cream. The meal took us 2.5 hours to eat and I probably ate somewhere in the neighborhood of my Weight Watchers point allowance for the year. That didn't stop me from cramming a Portillo's http://www.portillos.com/portillos/ hot dog into my mouth before we made it home.

I'm off to watch the Fighting Illini beat USC in the Rose Bowl! I may be a Hoosier captive, but I can still sing Illinois' fight song by heart. Just ask Brandon, I sang it for him in the car, much to his delight.