Friday, March 26, 2010

Addison and Trey

early morning pic-notice the wild hair!!

Addison ready for spring!

Trey taking pics when no one is looking!


It's been awhile since I updated on the kids so here it is! As you can see in the picture above, Trey loves to get my camera and take pictures. Most of the time I have no idea he has done it until I put the pictures on the computer. He is still very much into electronics. His favorite thing to do is help us play the word game on our phones (words with friends) and solitaire on J.O.s phone. I came in the kitchen the other day and he had pulled a chair up to the computer and plugged the video camera into the computer (correctly) and was working away. Trey is still smart (I know..I'm partial!). He can count to 100 with little to no help, knows all his letters and the sound they make and can spell simple words and recognize them in books...mom, dad, Trey, Addison, Bella. He also has J.O.'s memory for numbers and amazes me how his mind can already wrap around math concepts. For example, one of his favorite games to play is this...

Me: "how many people are in the room"
Trey: counts whoever is there..."3"
Me: "how many people would be in the room if Nana and Papa came over"
Trey: recounts us...then points off in the distance to count new people.."5"

Then we do it with people leaving, more people coming...etc, etc. It amazes me that he can grasp this concept so early but not only can he do it, he loves to play it! J.O. and I joke all the time that he may not be the coolest kid in school but at least he will be able to support us when we get older.


On to Addison. She is my strong willed child for sure. She still loves to be carried around all day and prefers to "help" me do everything. There is seriously no activity that I can get her to do for longer than 5 minutes if I am not in the room with her. Oh well. I keep telling myself that one day she won't want to talk to me, let alone play with me. She is finally sleeping through the night with no bottle!! YEA! It was actually very easy to do and only took a few short nights of early morning crying. She goes to sleep around 7pm and gets up around 7-7:30. It's a perfect schedule for us! I plan to keep her in her crib until kindergarten because I imagine she will be one to get out of bed anytime she wants.

She loves playing with her cousins and loves to terrorize cousin Hadley. I actually saw her put her foot out to trip Hadley the other day because Hadley dared to "talk" to her. Both her and Trey love music and anytime a fast song comes on in the car she dances her little booty off in the car seat. She already knows how to work her daddy so I'm sure he's in for a rude awakening as she gets older. This morning she didn't want him to leave so she laid her head on his shoulder and he stayed around an extra few minutes. This never works for me!! Addison is so much fun and adds a lot of excitement to our house! I never realized how laid back boys were until Addison came along!
We consider ourselves so blessed to have 2 healthy kids and love every minute of it!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Warning...Politics!!

I have NEVER posted about politics because I usually don't try to get into that with people but this week with the whole healthcare issue I just feel like writing about it. Now, let me start by saying I have no idea who reads this blog but I can't imagine I have a huge following or anything so I also can't imagine that I will tick too many people off with this.

Obviously, if I have to give a disclaimer you should be able to tell I don't agree with the healthcare reform bill that passed. Now, I am not one who just sits around and watches CNN or Fox News (that would be J.O.) but I try to keep up with what's going on. Plus, since J.O. watches these channels I usually pick up a few things here and there. That being said.....WOW..I really cannot believe that the healthcare bill passed. Well, maybe I can since people seem to have lost their mind lately. The thing that drives me absolutely crazy is that 59% of the people don't like this bill and 14 states are currently suing the government over it. Seriously?? The main issue I have with this bill is the fact that every single person will be required to have healthcare and if you don't, you will be taxed. I'm sorry, but when did I wake up in China and not know it?? Who's business is it if I CHOOSE to have healthcare or not? The great part about living in a free country is the power to choose. I always intend on having healthcare for myself but if I wake up one day and decide I'm ready to live life on the edge and drop it, it should be my choice and not the governments. What's next?

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for some change in healthcare. I don't think insurances should be able to drop you for preexisting conditions you didn't know you had and I'm sure Trey and Addison will be thrilled they can stay on our insurance until they are 26, but there are just some major issues with it. The cost is another thing. States are going to be forced to raise college tuition a ton to cover the cost the states are going to incur. Maybe the Presidents girls don't have to worry about this but I know of 2 kids that will. Maybe we can start working on their trade now...I'm sure Addison will be just fine with a hammer.

I know a lot of people disagree with me but I just can't stand the thought of the government being involved in every aspect of your business. However, I have never liked being told what to do so maybe that's why I get so ticked. Anyway, just remember to wear your red shoes on Monday and only walk on the right side of the road or you will be taxed...Obama said.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Easter Pics and P90X

Perfect example of trying to get their pics.


There are more really good pics on Amy's blog: http://www.amyaukesphotography.blogspot.com/



No, these two things have nothing in common but I am still going to talk about both of them.

Yesterday, Amy and I took the kids to Wye Mountain to take their pictures. Surprisingly they turned out great because my two kids were in no mood for pics. Poor Amy and Lane were unsure how to handle Addys "temperament" on the way up there. Its about an hour drive and Addison cried from about NLR on. I am very used to this and know that if you ignore her she will just fall asleep. Amy on the other hand is not used to this anymore and tried her hardest to keep her happy. I noticed in the rear view mirror that Amy was growled at more than once by my sweet innocent precious girl. Then Lane would start yelling every time Addison would cry that she needed her BLANKIE, or PACI or GOLDFISH.(all caps for the emphasis on Lanes yelling!) I don't think Amy was able to sit and relax once the whole hour. Needless to say she was falling asleep when we pulled in (Addison, not Amy) so I was prepared for grumpiness. It was Trey though that had a very hard time. He would not cooperate at all. It's not like he was doing this on purpose he just couldn't physically sit still. If he did happen to sit still he had his hands wrapped around Addison's neck pulling her down too. I started getting so frustrated and before I knew it I was bellowing at him to pay attention and sit still. Seriously??? He is almost 4 years old in a wide open field...what in the world did I expect??? So, feeling a bit guilty I let him choose our lunch place. He wanted Mexico so we headed to Mexico Chiquito with 3 kids and 2 adults. That's a whole different post. However, I have learned if you are ever feeling guilty about the way you talk to your kids just bribe them...it will make them happy and you will feel tons better. It's really parenting at it's best.


Now onto P90X. I have had it for about a week now and have been sore for a week. It is seriously the most hard core thing I have ever ATTEMPTED to do. It has successfully made muscles hurt that I didn't even know existed and made me look like a complete idiot while doing it. However, I don't think I have ever felt so incompetent than when doing Plyometrics. This is a combo of jumping and agility moves and I am terrible at all of them. The worst part though is there is someone on there with a FAKE leg and he does all the moves perfectly!! You have never known what it means to feel out of shape when someone who has a wooden leg can jump higher and faster than you. I was also trying to do the Yoga video one day when J.O. walked in. This particular part was having you balance your entire body on your elbows. I just started laughing but J.O. gave it a try and did it immediately so I thought I should be able to do it too. I mean, I don't know why I thought that considering he is much stronger than I am, but I didn't want to look dumb. So, I hiked my elbows on top of my knees and then tried to push up with my hands. I immediately fell forward onto my head and my old school clippy that was holding my hair back smashed into my skull. This was the exact moment Tony Horton (video instructor) said, "if you fall forward skip this move until you are stronger because you will fall on your head." Really Tony??? You couldn't have said this 5 seconds ago and saved my head from being crushed and the clippy that I have had since 1985 from being broken??

Anyway, I'm determined to stick with the videos and see what happens. Pretty sure I will do them all and then STILL put on my tankini to go lay out. Oh well, I can dream.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Target...

Okay, so I have posted plenty about Wal-Mart but never about Target. Since this is my second .
home away from Wal-Mart I figure I should post about it too. Thursday I stopped by Target to grab some things and when I was checking out the cashier started talking about a bug bite she had gotten. Okay, cool, whatever is what I was thinking. Well, then she proceeds to show it to me and talk about how bad it itched etc.. It was all I could do not to go, "Sick! Please remove your infested hands from all my items immediately." I mean, who does that? What if it was something more than a bug bite? I seriously considered running to buy a can of Lysol and spraying everything down quickly. Instead, I just mumbled something about spring being right around the corner and sometimes these things happen and grabbed my things really quickly.

It's so strange to me how open people feel the need to be sometimes. Some things should really be left between you and your doctor and odd growths on your hand should be one of them.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Vendor Booth....




I have been a terrible blogger lately. I could blame it on 2 kids, starting t-ball practice, working, cooking, cleaning (ha!) or I could just be honest and say I haven't really had much to talk about lately....until now.
Janelle and I put our tutus and dresses on display at a consignment sale in NLR and my friend's photography. Now let me be honest and say that we didn't pay much for this booth and perhaps we should have known you get what you pay for.
I also have to admit I haven't been super excited about this from the start. I just haven't been looking forward to the time commitment of sitting at a table all day hocking my items. Well, right before the sale started I got a little more excited thinking about making some extra cash....HAHAHAHA! This is the biggest joke of a consignment sale. I mean, granted this isn't Rhea Lanas or Duck Duck Goose. This one is a smaller more affordable one but the owner made it sound so much better than it is.
However, let me kinda explain the way this one is set up. To start, it's in an old building that has absolutely no sign hanging above the door to let you know the sale is inside. The way they have advertised is from the street by using a chalkboard with the name on it. I was very worried about the rain last night washing the chalk writing off and then people would really be confused. Then, we got there Tuesday night for the pre-sale and people had to pay $5 to shop early. Seriously??? They advertised food and drinks as an incentive to shop early, but I hardly call grapes, bottle water and wine served out of a dixie cup a good enough incentive.

There is hardly anyone coming through it and the people that do make comments like this:


Lady looking at my dress: "This is like the one I sewed but she made her arm holes purtier, but look how much money I saved by making my own."(while showing people our price tag)
Teenage girl she was with who picked up a tutu: "I don't understand tutus. I think they are nasty. I mean, who wears them. They are so gross."
At this point sarcastic me had to say, "So I'm guessing you aren't interested in one?"

Please keep in mind these people were directly in front of us and knew we were sitting there. We could have spit on them we were so close.

I mean, the best part about doing this is definitely the people coming through. It's just amazing to me what people say, do, wear, don't wear, smell like...etc. I think we have all learned a lot through this experience. Don't set up booths at sales that advertise by using a chalkboard and serve wine out of dixie cups to the people that shop.



Monday, March 1, 2010

T-Ball Practice!



Well, it has officially begun....t-ball practice. We met yesterday for the first time and I was very nervous that Trey would be a lot smaller than everyone and way behind everyone else since he is so young. (the big kid in the picture is the coachs son and not on their team!) Luckily though there are 5 three (almost 4) year olds on the team so he fit right in! I feel kinda bad for the couple of 5 year olds because they were out there for business and the other kids obviously were not. The bigger kids would step up to the T and slam the ball as hard as they could. Trey would go up there after being called numerous times and then swing a few times and dance around. However, he did hit it pretty good a couple of times.

I didn't take my camera because I was unsure of how the parents would be. I decided to feel it out the first practice and then if their were other crazy moms, take my camera to the next practice. I don't think I should have worried though. There were cameras everywhere and at one point I thought someone had hired a professional photographer. She was following her son around like the paparazzi and even got down on all fours at one point to get him at a better angle. I also found out that t-ball is no joke. We are practicing 2x's a week and the league would prefer you practice 3x's. Wow....

This is how serious Trey thought it was....at one point he stood up in front of a kid and started dancing and the other kid got up and did it too until the coach told them to sit down. Then, I heard Trey asking a kid if he wanted to go play tennis because he was really good at tennis. I think Trey has seen tennis being played maybe once and that was on the wii.

All in all we are very excited and just really hope he enjoys it. Their team is the red socks (or cardinals, I can't remember) so I see a red dress with Treys number in Addisons future.