Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Butcher, The Baker....



Haven't posted a picture in ages...and I found this one on my camera. I took it a few weeks ago while we were making brownies to take to a friends house for dinner.

The dinner was the result of a last minute call to our friends George and Jess. I wanted to do something fun and that turned into an impromptu dinner at their house with a new experience- Indian food. So exciting, and really tasty! Cooper and I decided that we should make some brownies and I happened to have everything we needed. He was hilarious- and insisted on doing everything himself. He was so proud of himself and his baking skills.

Great night, great friends, great food- great brownies!!

PS- Happy Birthday Mom!!! Hope your day is perfect-

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

It's the Little Things-

I went to Cooper's back to school night last week. The children had worked so hard on making the classroom "ready" for their parents. Each desk in the classroom held a packet of papers, a cute paper monkey (they're doing an animal unit), a science notebook and a blank piece of paper that said love note at the top. Each parent was supposed to write a note so that they'd know we had been there and it would greet them the next morning. Cooper knew all about it and was excited to tell me what would happen.

I visited his classroom and wrote him a note. I was careful to use words that I knew he'd be able to read and wrote in my best 1st grade handwriting. I told him how his work made me feel (the book about you made me happy, the monkey made me laugh, etc) and let him know how proud I was of him for his good work. I signed my name with some hugs and kisses. Parental duty complete, I didn't think about the note again.

This morning he opted to have me walk him into the classroom instead of going through the carpool line. When he opened his locker to put his things away I saw the note! He looked up at me and said, "There's your note Momma. I put it there because I liked it. Isn't it a good locker decoration?". I melted and my heart swelled up into my throat.

A note that I didn't give a second thought to is now decorating my little boys locker. It's the little things- it always has been.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Thankful Thursday

I am at home, with my family and doing things that are important- making dinner for my husband, washing the laundry, feeding the cat, and most important of all, tucking my baby into bed. I am thankful that things are returning to "normal".

On Tuesday, my boss told me to take Wednesday off. I almost cried. I told Cooper that I'd pick him up from school and we'd go on an adventure. I figured we'd go to Dick's and look at the camping supplies and maybe eat some ice cream. Cooper had a different idea. He wanted to go on a real adventure, "somewhere that we've never been before". And so I figured out a plan. I'd pick him up from school and we'd take a trip to a rock store. He could choose a treasure from the store and then we'd go for ice cream. I am thankful for the perfect plan!

When I picked him up he was beside himself. He had a book that he could hardly wait to read to me. His reading is amazing! It just all started to click for him and each time he picks something up, he's amazed with his own skills. I am thankful that he loves to read, and that it's coming easily to him. On the way to the rock store, he read the story of Sly Fox and Red Hen. His little voice warmed my heart.

The rock shop couldn't have been more of an adventure if I had wished for it! The building is a little cottage, sort of run down and standing alone on the side of a busy highway. I was a little nervous about going inside but figured- how crazy could it be? The place was covered, stacked, piled, layered, balanced and just chock full of stuff. Not just rocks and stamps- but postcards, buttons, rocks, gemstones, bones, teeth, jewelry parts, magazines, fossils, snake skins and beads. We wandered around and the owners were so gracious. They answered all of our questions and showed us anything that we wanted to see. There was a woman who had to be at least 108 sitting at a desk separating stamps. People came in and out with all sorts of requests- and Cooper was mesmerized. We left about 90 minutes later with the following:

1 alligator tooth that glows under black light
1 fossil dating back at least 3 million years
1 arrowhead made from obsidian
1 stingray tooth (valued at 20 cents)

Total bill- $4.60
An afternoon spent on an adventure with my son- priceless
I am thankful for this time, for the unconditional love that we have for each other and for the look on his face as he arranged his treasures on the shelf in his bedroom.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Sprinkles.....Really?

Have been out of touch, simply because I have been crazy with work. I've also been extra cranky and would prefer not to remember this time when I look back months or years from now!

So, another hurricane....and my company again throws lots of resources to make sure that folks in harms way are taken care of. This is the reason that I love where I work and this is also the reason that I'm struggling right now. I miss my family.

I needed to travel last week, and so was out of town beginning on Tuesday. I returned on Thursday night, thankfully in time to tuck Cooper into bed. I wasn't supposed to get in until later but was able to take an earlier flight.

As I was cleaning up the kitchen, I noticed a bowl full of sprinkles. I wondered about them, but figured that they had had ice cream and Jon decided to add sprinkles for some extra fun.

The next morning at breakfast, I asked about the sprinkles. The conversation went like this:

Me: Cooper, do you know why there are sprinkles in that bowl?

Cooper: Well, while you were gone I got really hungry and I wanted a snack. I asked Daddy for one and he told me to get something myself. So I looked all around and I could only find sprinkles.

Me: So, you ate sprinkles- plain sprinkles- for a snack?

Cooper: Yes. I was still kind of hungry though. I'm really glad you're home Momma. I missed you.

I simply cannot ever leave again!




Thursday, September 4, 2008

Thankful Thursday

Remember my new job.....well, something I didn't realize was that "disaster recovery" is a part of my job description. And this week, a region of the company experienced a disaster- GUSTAV (I can't stand that guy!!). So....I gave up my holiday weekend to help prepare to assist in making sure that our friends further south were ok. I worked on Sunday, for 14 hours on Monday and late each night this week. I also took a conference call before seeing Jimmy Buffett....but I drew the line and hung up exactly at 6pm. I do have standards! That being said, I did come home each night to a cool house with bright lights burning and my sweet, sweet family anxiously waiting to welcome me.

I am thankful that the storm was not worse, that lives were spared and that I work for a company that truly is concerned about the well being of its associates. I am so blessed and I know that- but part of me struggled so much with leaving my family and was irritated that I was making a sacrifice. I feel so crummy....so many people made larger sacrifices- and still are.....


Jon and I had the BEST TIME EVER at the concert- seriously, the BEST TIME EVER. Our seats were fantastic- we were actually in the 10th row (2 rows better than I thought). I took some pictures, but need to figure out how to get them out of Jon's iPhone. We felt like we were royalty- and couldn't stop giving each other high fives and saying, "can you believe this??"!!
At one point, Jon leaned over and said- I can see the hairs on Jimmy's legs! So great.
I am thankful for the joy that we shared, for the time that we had together and for the memories that we have from that night.

There is a story about how Paula Deen met her husband that I can't get out of my head. She was really sad and lonely, and so she said a prayer over and over. God, please send me a neighbor. And He did. She met her husband when she was walking her dog on a route that she had never taken before. Anywhooooo- I've been praying for a neighbor. Not necessarily because I'm sad and lonely, but because I once had a neighbor who was/is also an amazing friend, and I miss that. And because there are 2/3 lots behind our house that have been vacant since 1960 and now, 1 has been sold and the others remain on the market. And a neighbor may bring a fun 6 year old friend for Cooper and all sorts of possibilities.

Last week, I was talking to one of our neighbors from further down the street and something made me ask her whether she walked in the mornings. And she did! I asked her when she walked, and she said 5:30-6:15. That is the only time that I can walk in the morning- Jon leaves at 6:30 and I cannot possibly wake up before 5 (I'm SO not a morning person). I asked her whether I could join her- and she said- Sure! And so, I am thankful for God's answer to my prayer.

Seems like this weekend may bring a relative of Gustav's to our parts.....I am hopeful that we won't be needing any disaster recovery. Stay tuned-

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Funny Site-

My friend Sallie and I have horrifying stories of birthday cakes that we've purchased over the years for our children. We do it to ourselves- by ordering every year without fail from the same bakery. And every year, we call each other from the parking lot, or on the way home, to lament about the disaster that we've paid dearly for!

I think we've both finally wised up....but this blog made me realize that we weren't alone for all those years.

The Barbie cake description made me laugh out loud. A definite mood lifter......enjoy!