Beef Turkey

Yesterday, Tod took the kids into the 7-11 and got them a treat. Both kids came out showing me what they had choosen. (By the way, Tod says Spencer has the Michelle disease when it comes to picking out treats, he takes forever to decide) Spencer kept going on and on about his treat but Daddy was going to let him have a bite of, "Beef Turkey." I couldn't figure out what he was saying until Tod gave me that look. You know the look one parent gives to another when the child is saying something really cute and you don't want to draw attention to the flawed word because it is so cute the way they are saying it so you just go along with it? That is what Tod did with me as he held up a piece of beef jerkey. I had to turn away my head and silently laugh at Spencer and his word.

Thank goodness children give us so many things to laugh at.

Our Anniversary celebration

Tod and I had planned to go out to a nice resturant for our anniversary last night (Saturday). Plans changed and we ended up spending the evening in a little different way. We took the kids with us to Chili's and then went to Walmart. On the way home Tod and I laughed and said this is what 14 years of marriage gets you. Oh well we had fun.

I'm a lego maniac

For Christmas, Mom and Dad gave Spencer a Star Wars Lego set. Spencer really enjoys playing with Robert's legos when he is at Mom and Dad's house. This set is a little advance so, gosh darn it, I have to help Spencer put it together. I am really enjoying watching the pieces come together and form the chassiy (?) and frame of the space ship. Fun Fun Fun.

And then there was none.

Ok, "And then there was none," might be a bit of an exageration but, there is a lot less than there was. The last time I had my hair cut was nine months to a year ago. Melinda my mother-in-law gave me a nice gift of, "pampering," for Christmas. I scheduled an appointment with Sherri my sister-in-law. She works at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach. With a little bit of die (I have more gray on top than I care to acknowledge) and a sharp pair of scissors, I am now a new woman. I was so excited to have my hair cut and colored. Sherri did a great job and now I have a hair style. (Long is not a hair style. It is the lack of a cut.) I love my hair. I loved my pampering experience. I can't wait to do it again. Thanks Sherri! Thanks Melinda!

Made it through the Desert, aka Life after Twilight

So, I have been having a hard time reading anything other than the Twilight series. I love Twilight so much that nothing else seemed to appeal to me. I really wanted to find other stories to read but just couldn't imagine anything else capturing my attention like Twilight did. Well, I am happy to report that I have begun reading other things. So here is what I have been reading.

1. The Wednesday Letters - Wow! What a story.
2.The forgetful Bride by Debbie Macomber - Fun Story
3.When Christmas Comes - Debbie Macomber - in the middle of it right now but I like it.

Christina Overton, my sister-in-law, gave me a large box of books for Christmas. How cool is that. What a great present. I will be diving into that box as soon as I am done reading When Christmas Comes and one other book by Debbie Macomber that mom lent me. I am pleased that I am enjoying reading again.

I absolutely love Twilight but it did ruin reading for me a bit. I have made it through the desert and enjoying reading once again. There is life after twilight. Who knew.

Things I have learned in the last week

For the last week, Tod and I have been kid-less. It has been wonderful. Don't get me wrong, I love my children. I love being a mother. I have decided though, there is a difference between the kids spending the night at Grandma's house and being gone for a week. When the kids are gone a week, you can really get into being without kids. While the kids were gone, I observed a few things and learned a few things...here they are.

1. I like my husband.
2. The living room stayed clean for 5 whole days. No kidding.
3. Tod and I could not make enough dirty dishes to do a load of dishes in the dishwasher.
4. There is such a thing as sleeping in.
5. Sleep comes much easier and long in the mornings when the T.V. isn't on, no one is arguing with anyone else, or coming in to see if we are awake yet.
6. Cleaning the house goes quicker without kids.
7. You can see progress when cleaning the house.
8. When it is all said and done, (raising the kids that is) Tod and I will still have lots of things to talk about and we will both genuinely enjoy eachother's company.

Just a few things I have learned this week. Let's hear it for Melinda for taking Madelyn for Grandma camp and Jared and Christina for taking Spencer to visit with his cousins. I feel refreshed and see a bit of a different perspective on life. Thanks.

Popping in the New Year

Just 15 minutes ago, Madelyn, Spencer and I rang in the new year with Poppers and pots and pans. Both of the kids were very tired and, although they protested, were put to bed at 7:45 p.m. and promptly went to sleep. I told they I might wake them up to watch the new year come in. Well as the time got closer, I decided they would really want to participate so I woke them up about a 1/2 an hour before midnight. Madelyn said she did not want to get up. Spencer said he did and quickly got out of bed. Amazingly, Madelyn decided to get up too. Maybe she decided if her brother was going to participate, she wanted to also. In the time it took me to blow my nose in the bathroom (battling the beginings of a cold) both of my children were up and out of bed and wrapped in blankets on the couch. They watched the Jonas Brothers perform on TV and watched the count down. They we went and got our poppers and pots and pans and went outside and let off 2 full packages of poppers. I guess I didn't give an accurate tutorial on how to properly set off a popper because Spencer pulled the string on his popper with the part that should be aimed up, aimed down...right into his pj sleeve. When it was all said and done, I was pulling streamers out of Spencer's sleeve. Funny Huh?

Madelyn remembered a New Year's we spent in WA with Tod's family. She remembered that Grandma had poppers and noise makers for New Year's celebration. I am glad that she rememberd that. It was 2 years ago when she was 7.

Well Happy New Year. Who knows what this year will hold. Well, off to blow my nose again.