One on one

Today Jerry and I decided to have a one on one day with the kids.  Jerry took Elijah and I stayed home with Grace.  It was really nice just having one kiddo to deal with.  Jerry took Elijah to Power of Play, then to get his hair trimmed, and out to lunch.  I think it was good for everyone.  Elijah has needed some one on one time lately and this was a good time for him to receive it.  He came home and had a GREAT afternoon.  I had more patience with him as well.  Grace and I hung around the house.  I think she was just happy to be able to play without someone "showing" her how to play or taking things away from her.  We worked on the playroom and their bedroom organizing and cleaning.  For lunch Grace had left over s'ghetti and decided that she did not need my help at all to feed her.  I think that children self feeding is pretty funny in and of itself, but spaghetti is just SO messy that it makes it cuter!  She had it all over her.

After Jerry and Elijah came home, nap was pretty much a lost cause.  No problem.  We hit the park.  I won some kids roller skates on freecycle and we took them so that Elijah could take them for a spin there.  After a lap, we decided to go on out to eat.  Now we are home and Elijah is watching Nemo and Grace is on her way to dream land. 

Jerry has recently been named Temporary Head of the Mass Spec Lab.  While this is awesome and has great potential, it has made for some long week and days lately.  Today was the first full day off he's had in a few weeks.  It's hard, but in the long run it will be a good thing.  Also there was a problem with contamination in the lab and so they have had some issues.  So this isn't the norm, it's been a hard week with me trying to recover.  Thankfully Kristie&Co. have helped a ton!  She watched the kids while I got my impression done and brought me soup and get well gifts!  I feel very lucky to have had such help.

Elijah wants me to come cuddle with him, so I will go do that!  He is OBSESSED with the diving boy (that catches Nemo and makes an appearance for a whole 10 seconds in the movie) in this movie and will now talk about it for the REST of the movie... ahhhh, childhood!

April 2009

April 12

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

From the Jones' Easter Bunnies!

 

April 21

A year in review... birthday perspective

So yesterday was my 33rd birthday.  We celebrated over the weekend.  Jerry got me family portraits as my birthday present.  I'm really happy with them.  We got the kid's portraits done as well and they also turned out really well.  My actual birthday was okay.  I hung with grouchy kids, went to Costco, and went to the park in the afternoon to hang with Kristie and co.  Kristie's birthday is tomorrow and we are having a joint Bearthday party this weekend to celebrate Earth Day and our birthdays.  I think it will be fun.  Thus far there are about 80+ people coming.  I'm making a rice krispie treat earth and my friend Jenn is making a sheet cake for the earth to sit on.  We will have a craft for the kiddos.  It's at a park, so there will be a playground for the kids to play on and a field for games and whatnot.  We are having a freecycle table for people to give/take what they want to get rid of/find to take home.

Okay on to the review:

This year has been a good one.  I had Grace.  And while we didn't go on a summer vacation, we did get to spend a week in the mountains and celebrate 10 years with friends from WWC.  I feel like I have learned to stop being concerned (as much) about what other people think of me/my parenting.  I have tried to get a thicker skin and not let my feelings get hurt so easy.  I have gone through the emotions of a new mom and learned to try not to let guilt get the best of me.  I have kicked myself for having two kids so close together in age and then turned around and found something like this:

  and realize I wouldn't want to have it any other way.  With the help of Jerry I potty trained Elijah and am SO glad...now onto night training!  I have learned to split my time between the kiddos.  I have found myself becoming more domestic-ish... in cooking and attempting to clean more.  I have found that my heart can indeed hold even more love than I thought.  I have supported Jerry through leaving an undesirable job to one that is MUCH more enjoyable.   I have gained a lot of perspective on what makes a true friend and have vowed to put forth more energy on friendships that will hopefully last, as for the others...I will definitely put the energy out there, but am not going to lose sleep over them.   I definitely get a kick out of the kids.  They are hilarious.  I will not feel bad that Elijah isn't in school, or that he doesn't know every color in the 64 count crayon box, or can't count to 10 without skipping a few numbers, or doesn't know his ABCs from rote memory.  I will take comfort in the fact that my children are happy, laugh easily, have fantastic imaginations, can make up incredible stories, love to play outside, love to pile up on Jerry and me, will sit and listen to stories, then make up their own (well Elijah does...Grace doesn't have enough words yet!) get along with their friends and show genuine concern for them, love to bake cookies, love to make mud pies, love to paint, love to play soccer.  I take comfort that I am a good mother.  This year has taught me that I can handle many things.  That my patience is VERY STRONG, but has a tendency to falter when there have been too many "NOOOOOO!!!!"'s   That I can run after my kids.  That my energy level is dependant on the attitudes of the kids.  I am continuously amazed by Jerry and his willingness to come home after a 8+ hour work day and chill with the kids.  That he will stay up with Grace and her itchiness.  That he will, without (to much) complaint watch over us and endure a horrid job in order to provide for us and make sure we are fed, have insurance, a roof over our heads, and a car to drive. (Now that he's in this new job, we joke that we don't have that much to talk about over dinner anymore!)  I am amazed that he puts up with me and my (occasional) insanity.  Though I shouldn't be.  We will have been married for 9 years next month.  It shouldn't phase me that I got such a GREAT husband.  It shouldn't phase me that he is such a phenomenal dad...but it does.  Maybe this year I will work on being okay with having all this... and feeling like I do deserve it!!

So that's it... for now... another year is starting for me and I think it will be just as good... if not better!

April 25

Signs of Summer?

Today it was 86 degrees.  Not kidding... 86 degrees!!!  Holy monkey!  It was hot!

We had a great time at the Bearth Day Party.  I only took 4 pics and three were of the cake!  I can't believe it!  But hopefully, Kristie & Co. got more and she'll share.  Anyway, here are a couple I took!

We are the few (to be explained in a later post!)

This is the cake...well, cakes... My friend Jenn made the sheet cakes.  There were FOUR different flavors.  I made the rice krispie treat Earth (with fruit roll up continents.)  It had some earthquake issues with the humidity, but hey... it's all about taste right?

Friday I realized that the heat was coming and we have no pool... sigh... so the kids and I went out and got one:

It's HUGE!  Has a pump and everything!  Pretty exciting thing! Of course, Elijah is completely scared of it... Alas, this too shall pass....probably tomorrow!

Our garden is starting to come along.  I realized that I planted the spinach WAY to late, so I hoed it under and planted cucumbers in its place.  Our okra, green beans, and carrots are coming up.  And our peas are going hog wild!  We will fill the second garden tomorrow and I will plant tomatoes, green peppers, corn, and squash.  WAHOO!

We went strawberry picking on Wednesday.  While there I purchased 2 new blueberry bushes that were already loaded with blueberries, albeit green, but they will turn blue.  Planted them on Friday near our other two.  I'm hoping to have some yummy blueberries when we get back from vacation.

We have been spending lots of time outside.  I think that one of the best purchases we have made is the swing set!  The kids love it!  Elijah climbs all over it and it expands his imagination...not to mention improves his already great balance!  Grace LOVES to swing.  This child is crazy about going high.  She'll giggle and laugh.  My only wish is that we had more shade in the morning.  The swings and the slide can get rather hot.  But for the afternoon, it's perfectly in the shade!  I moved the little picnic table (which Grace has decided is her Everest and climbs EVERY chance she gets...sigh) over near the swing set so we can have snacks and drinks right there.  It's close to perfect!

And finally... a sign that summer is indeed on the way?  ICE POPS!!!  I love a good ice pop.  Be it the ones you buy in the store that are really just frozen kool-aid or homemade from juice...you just can't beat it on a hot day!  I like to make them out of V8 Fusion.  It's 100% juice and it have veggies and fruit and comes in yummy, perfect for ice pops flavors.  The kids LOVE them too!!!

So here's to summer... bring it on!!!

April 27

The few

Over the past year I have made a couple of very good friends.  Kristie and Katie.  We started hanging out due to some unpleasantness that happened over a year ago.  This past summer we instigated Wednesday Friendsday.  We have been hanging out almost every Wednesday.  I feel very much that I am surrounded by kindred spirits with them.

A few weeks ago Katie's husband played for Wilmington's Country Idol.  While he is not a country singer, he is a talented singer and you do what you gotta do in the biz.  Anyway, we all went to support him.  I left my house after dark, for the first time...well, in a REALLY long time!  And I didn't get home until midnight.  It was insane!  But a lot of fun!

Then a week after that, Kristie's husband got stuck in NY due to really bad weather.  Kristie's little guy had not been napping and she was missing her hubby, so Katie and I showed up and hung out, drank some wine, sang some karaoke (not well!) and ate junk food until one in the morning!

My point is, that there are not many that I would do this happily for!  These women are the best!  We don't always agree on everything.  And that's okay.  I don't feel like I have to prove myself to them.

Last summer, when we really started the Wednesday Friendsday, we were rearranging our schedules to be able to hang out.  We were laughing one day that people were going to start thinking that we were a couple.  But a couple is only two people... so we became... the few!   I have to admit, almost every friendship I have been in has suffered if there are not an even number of people in the group.  The only time I have been GOOD friends with just two other women was in college.  This is not to say that I didn't have other friends.  But the three of us hung out a lot.  This is only the second time that I have been GOOD friends with two females together and it work.  Does that make sense?  For me, threes just haven't worked out.  Someone gets left out.  Feelings get hurt.  Sure Katie and I hang out with out Kristie.  Kristie and Katie hang out without me.  Kristie and I hang out without Katie.  Everything is fine.  None of us is threatened.  It's what I love about us!

And, who knows.  Maybe it's about growing up and growing older and getting over yourself.  But I don't know.

I still don't plan anything on Thursdays for that playgroup.  And I love the women in that group as well.  It's just a different dynamic.  It's a bigger group.  It's a different comfort.  Wednesday Friendsday is small.  I like that there is a difference and a balance.

I think it's important in life to learn who your true friends are.  I think it's important to put faith and trust in them.

I don't have a ton of friends, but the ones I do are the ones I care for and about.  I put energy into friendships.  And with these women, I feel the energy come back "few" fold!

April 28

Composed Whilst Mowing...

Dear Clover,

You are very soft under foot.  You also have non-annoying flowers... However, you attract bees.  And while this is not a bad thing... it IS inside the fence in our back yard.  See, while your softness is much nicer on our feet than scratchy grass, a bee sting to one of the kids might send me packing to Alaska (not really, because they have very little sun there in the winter and too much in the summer...but you get my drift.)  Therefore, I'm sorry, but I'm cutting you down.

Sincerely,

Erin

Dear Bees,

I know that you are in peril.  I am a BIG fan, believe me.  BUT, you tend to scare my kids, and let's be honest, me.  And I know they scare you too.  I really am sorry that our house has invaded your area.  And you are most free to buzz and pollinate OUTSIDE the fence, but I am cutting the clover down and composting the remains.  Please vacate the premise immediately.

Sincerely,

Erin

Dear Ants,

There is a perfectly good ditch not very far away that you can move too.  Our backyard has lots of little feet running through.  Leave now.  Please. This is your only warning.  I suggest you vacate immediately or you will be behold the wrath.

Thanks,

Erin

Dear Reel Mower,

I know that you are environmental.  I really like that our grass looks much better when we use you.  I like that you don't scare the kids.  I like that you don't pollute their little lungs.  But come July, you may be retired for a battery powered alternative.  But we'll see.  You were very helpful today and we did get the WHOLE lawn mowed...  Just wanted to give you a heads up.  We still love you... but it's hot out there...

Love,

Erin

Dear Spiders,

GET. OUT.  GET. OUT. NOW.

Erin

Dear Dandelions,

I admire your ability to adapt.  I cut you down, you simply grow back shorter.  It's really rather spectacular.  I have decided I don't really mind you.  Please just don't attract the bees, or I shall have to send you a letter similar to the one addressed to the clover (see attached.)

Thanks!

Erin

Dear Summer,

We are looking forward to you!  We are ready to have fun!  Bring it on!!!!!

Lots of Love,

Erin

March 2009

March 18

I know...

It's been close to a month since I've written.  I blame the weather...well, and my laziness, and my annoyance at microsoft right not... BUT whatever...

So Grace is 10 months now.  She is chattering up a storm and says words clear as day and then never says them again, but ya know!  She is cruising around and getting into EVERYTHING!  She is just about night weaned.  We have been having trouble with her actually eating stuff and last night we got exasperated and just put the spoon on her tray with food in it... and there you have it.  She ate most of her dinner... sigh... her eczema is still pretty bad.  She ate something that made her break out and so we got some Benedryl and that has helped on the occasion that she breaks out so bad that she is up all night long tearing at her skin... poor kiddo.

Elijah is doing well.  He's loving his soccer class, as am I.  He is full of energy.  We have many trying days, but the really good days make it all worth it.  We have decided that we will put him in preschool for a year before he goes to kindergarten.  He's been climbing into bed with me at night.  He's very quiet and just slips in bed.  And I must say that I don't really know he's in bed until I wake up half way off the bed because Elijah thinks that he should he sleep sideways in the bed...ah well... he doesn't wake up when I move him.  He talks... A LOT, but it's fun and I love that he's curious and making up stories!

So, on to what we've been doing.  We have decided to make raised gardens this year and we finally have one up.  I'm hoping that I can get the dirt into it tomorrow.  We also want to build at least one more for this year. Jerry's master plan is to have the least amount of grass to mow.  It's a good plan!  We are hoping to build a deck (or have one built for us) fairly soon.  My folks are coming next week and bringing their truck, so we have to make a choice by then.  If we build it ourselves, we'll 1) need their help and 2) need their truck to pick up all the supplies.

We've been hanging out with friends and enjoying the super warm weather...which ended last Friday.  Sigh... but it's returning.  We went to beach and played in the park and outside.  I actually got sunburned at the beach.  So I have the sunscreen out now.  I got to go to the movies this last weekend.  I saw Race to Witch Mountain.  I never saw the original so there was nothing for me to compare it too.  I thought it was decent.  There were a lot of families there and it made me happy.  I think this summer we will take Elijah to his first movie in the theatre.   Our local theatre does one dollar kid movies in the mornings.  They aren't new releases, but who cares?  It's a buck!

My issues with microsoft are as follows: my hotmail account got hacked...again... sigh... and I'm really not digging this new format with the web pages... but alas.  I have started transferring all my posts to blogspot.  I mean this blog is pretty much a chronicle of my pregnancies and the kids' lives.  So I'm sticking with here for the time being... but we'll see...

Okay... I'll post some pics from this month.  I'll really try to be better.  I know more stuff happened... 

March 31

A week with the parents

So my folks came in last Monday and then left on Saturday morning.  It was not long enough!  The weather limited us a bit as well.  We also decided not to build a deck...at all.  We may do some of these over the existing concrete and possibly under a gazebo/canopy thingy.   We'll see.  We found a decent deal on them on an e-bay store.

Anyway, my folks... We went to the big ship that's docked downtown and then to soccer class on Tuesday:

On Wednesday we went to the spin-y park.  I really like this park.  There are lots of spinning toys, which make me a little sick to my stomach, but the kids like them.  There is also a good walking path around the water shed.  I will say that this park will be a late fall/winter/early spring park because the mosquitoes will be insane soon.  But it's still a good park.  Jerry took half a day and we wandered around Lowe's and Target ALONE....sans children... we had an actual conversation!

On Thursday we went to a local indoor play place.   Since the weather was starting to become rainy it's nice to go somewhere that's inside.  We don't go there often in the winter due to cold and flu season, but I really enjoy it in the spring and when it's 973249570 degrees outside.  (On a side note, there is a great Children's Museum here.  We hadn't gone until the had a free day there a few weeks back.  They charge for anyone (including parents) over the age of 1 and it's 8 bucks a pop.  So, it will be a special treat.  But we are thinking about getting a membership there.  I think it will be worth it once Grace is one...in 1 month!!!!  HOLY MONKEY!!!)  So anyway... Thursday...

Friday Jerry and I got to go on a date!!!  We went to see Duplicity.  I really liked it.  I thought the storyline moved and was fun.  It was, again, nice to get out without the kiddos!

Mom and dad brought my bike down so that I can ride with Elijah.  This weekend we got a seat for Grace and a helmet for her as well.  I haven't installed it yet, but once I do, I think it will be fun to throw the bikes on the back of the car and ride at a park.

Yesterday we went to the park with Kristie&co. and Katie&co.  Usually we have Wednesday Friendsday, but it's supposed to rain (AGAIN) tomorrow, so we played on Monday.  Today a couple friends came over for a tie dye play date.  After they left, I had some dye left over, so I dyed Grace's diaper covers.  Lately we haven't been using cloth because Grace's bottom breaks out when there is the slightest moisture.  I think that this has a lot to do with her eczema, which is flaring up from the stupid pollen that is EVERYWHERE... nevertheless, I'm hoping to give it another try in a couple weeks.  I hope the wraps turn out super cute!

On the topic of Grace:  She'll be 11 months tomorrow and I simply cannot believe it.  I have sent out the e-vites for her birthday party.  We're having a potluck in the back yard!  She is walking with her walker now.  She LOVES music and dances often (Jerry taught her the fist pump and it's pretty funny to watch her do it.)  She has four teeth.  She REFUSES to be fed and will NOT eat baby food.  She wants real food or nothing.  She loves broccoli, peas, corn, pasta, chicken, rice cakes, apples, and pizza crust.  She is drinking from a sippy cup and is mostly night weaned.  She starts out the night in her bed which is in the same room as Elijah.  He has adapted very well to this arrangement and sleeps through her waking.  She is fairly laid back and is quite chatty.

Tomorrow evening, I am getting to go out with the girls!  My friend Katie's husband is entering a local singing contest so we are going out to show our support!  WAHOO!

Okay... I think this is it for now. I leave you with my two favorite pics from the past week!

January 2009

January 03

Happy New Year

So I amazingly made it until midnight on New Years Eve.  We watched the last Harry Potter and then counted down.  It was nice.  Jerry had Thursday off so we went out for breakfast and then hung out at the house.  Yesterday I realized that I needed to do two things:

1) get organized for Elijah's party and

2) make a costume for him to wear to a birthday party we had today.

So I decided to make a piñata with pull tabs for Elijah's party.  I had never heard of these until we went to a Halloween party.  It was cool.  The kids take turns pulling streamers until someone pulls one that opens the trap door.  It's nice for kids that don't really have the strength to whack the crap out of a traditional piñata and eliminated the possibility of getting whacked in the head with a crazy toddler swinging a stick!  So I blew up a picture of Curious George in a fire helmet and painted a cardboard box.  Today I pasted the picture onto the box and painted George.  I also cut the trap door.  It needs some more work, but I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out.

Now, the costume.  Elijah has a little friend who had a princess/prince birthday.  I gotta say that a princess outfit is WAY easier to come by.  I guess I could have spent a lot of money on a costume, but I didn't want to do that.  We talked about dressing him as a Prince of Egypt.  I guess if I had worked on it before yesterday then that could have worked out, but ya know... I found a site that had some ideas and I took those and ran with it... this is what I ended up with:

I am pleased with how it turned out.  Elijah really liked it and I think he had fun at the party.  I was an amazing party to say the least.  They played games and won prizes, had lunch, had cake, and got a very nice parting present.  I think that Elijah's was the only homemade outfit, but he was one of three boys and one of the boys is super little.  The little girls were all cute in their princess outfits.

Tomorrow, instead of taking my movie day, I'm going to go party supply shopping.  I looked at the room we will be using at the fire station today.  I think it will be fun.  Once everyone gets there, we'll get a little presentation from a fire fighter, then we'll do a little craft, read Curious George Goes to the Fire Station, eat cake and pull the strings on the piñata... that's a lot to fit into 2 hours...  I am making most of the stuff to go into the goodie bags.  My folks are getting here Thursday afternoon, so I think I'll do most of the goodie bag stuff then.  I'm super excited about the whole thing!

Okay... I guess that's it!  Happy New Year!  Here's hoping that 2009 will be GRAND!

January 04

Starring Grace...

Look what she did tonight:

GRACE CRAWLING!!!

January 07

Cause it's just annoying me...

What is this, "Boys will be boys" shit!  I get really annoyed when people use this as an excuse.  "Oh, my son is climbing up the slide backwards even though there are children waiting to come down... but boys will be boys."  "Oh, my son drove really fast into a tree but I bought him a new car...but boys will be boys."  "Oh, my son beat the crap out of his girl friend, but that's okay, because boys will be boys."  WTF?!?!  When does this cycle that boys somehow get special treatment because they have a penis end?  It really aggravates me.  Especially when moms justify this.  How are you allowing your child to think he is better than a girl?  Better than his mom?  WTF?!?!?  Seriously?

Honestly, this hasn't happened to me personally, but I have read about parents getting mad at someone for requesting their sons act responsibly and it hurts me to hear them getting defensive of their children.  Then turn around and wonder what to do about their kid the preschool bully.  PLEASE!  Do they not see the cycle they are perpetuating?  Sigh.  I have had to deal with the gender issue.  Elijah likes to pick flowers and put them in his hair (which is now almost constantly in a pony tail... and I know he is a pretty child...) which leads people to think that he is a girl.  And when I tell them his name is Elijah, they come up with things, like, "Oh the flower threw me off, but I see the airplane in his hand now, that even things out."  Seriously?  I was asked in the grocery store the other day if I was sure Grace was a girl.  I had her in a blue and green sleep and play, "That's a girl?  Are you sure?"  SERIOUSLY?  Um, yeah... last time I changed her diaper... but ya know... What is wrong with people?

There is a whole other blog entry that is stewing in my head about gender roles and how we as a society tend to deal with them.  Trucks=boys Dolls=girls kinda thing.  And while I don't believe in that, I don't push dolls on Elijah, yet he plays with them.  I don't push trucks on Grace, but she tries to steal Elijah's when he's not looking (though I think she just likes things that roll...she thinks they're funny.)  Anyway... another entry...

Okay... I'm done with my soapbox...for now... ;)

January 11

The Boy Child's Third B-day

I must say that the party was quite successful!   My mom and I got to the fire station a little after 9 and I gotta say that if we had gotten there any later, the morning would have started in a much different way.  Apparently, there was a communication breakdown between the station coordinator and the chief/firefighters.  They were on their way to a training across the street and didn't know we were coming.  Not too much of a big deal, except I had planned for time for a tour of the station (and we would've been locked out as well.)  But ANYWAY, not a big deal.  We got in and set up.  The chief got us hats and offered to come back over and do show us a fire engine or two and gave us his cell number.  He was REALLY nice!  So after setting up, my friend, Jenn, showed up with the cake.  Last year she did the train cake and that was amazing... but this one was even more so!!  She made a fire engine cake!  It was INCREDIBLE!!!  She did an amazing job!

As the kids came in we had a table set up with goodie bags that had crayons (among other things) in it and a Curious George mask out for them to color and play with.  We also had some snack out for them to munch on.  Our play group doesn't do presents, but we gave Elijah a Curious George Doll and the book Curious George and the Firefighters.  So he got to open that and I read the book to the kids.  (Dad said that was the best part....hehehehe!)  After story time, we had cake.  I gotta say I almost cried when I cut it.  I mean it was just that pretty...but it's cake and it was meant to be eaten.  It was very very yummy!  After they finished the cake, I brought over the pull tab piñata I made.  I was impressed with it.  I found a bunch of fun little toys in to fill it with.  I think the kids liked that.  One of the prizes in the piñata was Curious George balloons, so some of the parents blew a bunch up and the kids played balloon while I put in a call to the fire chief.  He had some of the firefighters come over and show us the one of the engines.  The kids got to climb all over it and play.  It was really cool.  They also ran the lights for us.

Overall, it was an incredible party.  Elijah had a great time, and that was the most important thing!  Grace did great with very little nap and horrid sleep the night before.  Elijah was hyped up and didn't take a nap that afternoon, but he did rest in his room.  After nap we went out to the condo my folks are staying in for the week out at the beach.  It's about a half hour drive out there, but it's not too bad.

My folks brought a ton of stuff down with them.  I found an easel at the Goodwill in Black Mountain while we were up there, but it didn't fit in our car, so they brought that.  They brought the bike they found for Elijah as well.  They brought Christmas presents from Laura (really cool stacking trucks for Elijah and Grace and a very nice necklace pendant for me!)

I will start a new album with the pics...

Three Years Ago Today...

I was still in the hospital getting to know my little man.  Who knew that in three years he would be such an amazing little man!Happy Birthday little guy!

my kiddo at birth: 8 pounds 6 ounces

one year old!

two years old

three years old!!

January 13

So there is news...

I hadn't really realized I hadn't blogged about this yet, until Megan commented on my Facebook Status.   I sometimes get so involved in Facebook and I forget that not everyone is on there...or is my friend on there.... ANYWAY...

The week before Christmas Jerry was asked in for an interview for a company here in Wilmington.  The next week he went in for a lunch interview and was offered a job.  He negotiated a higher salary and handed in his resignation the following day.  Last Wednesday he was promptly (yet amicably) fired.  He started his new job this Monday.  The great thing about the firing is that since he handed in his two week notice, they had to pay him through those two weeks.  So he's pretty much getting a week with two paychecks... sweet!  It's too bad that his former company didn't realize his importance until after he left.  He and another worker left for this new company the same week!  The new company is a direct competitor to his old company.  Apparently, last Friday after Jerry and his coworker left, the company promptly gave everyone a raise (some more than others!)  Still, if he hadn't left and they had given the raises, he 1)still wouldn't be making as much as he is now and 2)they would expect him to work even more than he was and no overtime pay.  Here he gets overtime pay, stock options, and there is actually a HR department.... what a concept!

Anyway, we are REALLY excited about it!!  He started Monday and thus far is enjoying it.  I personally am not thrilled to be staying here, but I am thrilled that Jerry is in a better situation.  I was really getting worried about the amount of stress he was under.  Also, this is an international company, so there is the possibility of travel overseas.  They also tend to promote from within, so he's not going to be stuck in the same situation with no hope of actually going anywhere.

So that's it!  Wahoo!

January 18

The folks have gone, but it's Jerry's birthday!!

So my parents left on Saturday morning.  (boooooooooo!)

But before they left, I was able to clean the WHOLE garage!!  It was a huge relief to be able to do this.  We've been trying to since we moved in!  And it's done and it's looks soooo good!  Our biggest issue is the recycling.  For some reason we just take forever to take it to the place.  And every time we do it, I'm always amazed at how little time it really takes.  So I moved our recycling to beside the garage door into the house.  My reasoning is if it's right there (instead of across the garage) then maybe we'll take it more often...we'll see.  I should have taken a before and after pic.  Someone came and picked up the front loader too, so that made a huge dent.

We also had a picnic at a local park and played outside before it became bone chilling cold.  Elijah has mastered his bike and I bought him a bell and fashioned a basket on the front.  I think I'm in for a faster walk in the mornings and afternoons.  He can go a lot faster than he could on his tricycle.  But he's (so far) good about listening and pulling off the road when a car comes by.  Grace has taken off with the crawling and is in to everything.  She is very stealth.  Half the time you don't even realized she's moved, until you look for her in the last place you saw her and realize she's gone!  It's pretty cool and I think that she's quite proud of herself!

On Friday we went to the serpentarium.   It was neat, but a little creepy.  There were a lot of snakes in there and I gotta say that they were just in these glass cages with hinges and one dinky little lock.   There were some big honking snakes there as well as a man eating crocodile.   There was a cobra that was all riled up behind the glass and trying to strike at us as we went by... eek!   I'll post some pics in a bit.  Friday evening we met Kristie&co. at Brixx Pizza to celebrate Jerry's birthday and his new job.  We had invited some other friends, but due to weddings and the sickies, were unable to come.  I gotta say, we had to wait for a LONG time to get a seat, so I think it worked out for the best.  We'll have to go another time with all the friends and plan to get there at like 4 to be able to eat by 7!  Anyway, the food and company made up for it!  Today is Jerry's actual birthday and he went into put in a little overtime this morning.  So Elijah, Grace, and I went out and got balloons and a cake for him.

We have a busy rest of the month ahead of us, including birthday parties, an inauguration viewing, preschool, wednesday friendsday, and play group.  In February Elijah will start a soccer class.  He's really taken an interest in soccer, so we signed him up.  It's a parent participation class, so Jerry will take his lunch early to watch Grace and I'll go with Elijah.  If he likes it, we'll continue with other classes and eventually a team.  It's wild to see him grow up and really like and dislike things.  I will try to keep on top of things and post as often as I can!

January 20

Snow on Inauguration Day!!!

It very rarely snows here.  And when it does it very rarely lasts more than 10 minutes.  Today it started snowing around 10 and it's still flurry-ing now.  Since it is also inauguration day, I had the TV on all day.  But I totally didn't think to take pictures of Elijah and Grace with the TV watching our new president get sworn in.  Sigh...  Ah well.  Elijah and I talked about how great it was that we have a new president and that it was historic.  Here's our conversation this morning:

Me: Elijah who is that?

Elijah: Obak Mama

Me: Barack Obama?  Who is he?

Elijah: yes.  Obak Mama is the presidennn.

Me: Oh okay.  He's the new president?

Elijah: yes. Mommy, it's 'nowing?  Go p'ay?

So, out we went. Into the snow and this is what I did get pictures of:

It was a good day!

January 26

The days are lost on me...

I don't know why I even try to keep track on my days anymore.  I went through most of today thinking it was Friday... sigh...

Anyway, after the snow on Tuesday our week went by fairly quick.

Wednesday the kids and I drove our to an acquaintance's to pick up a climber/slide and delivered it to kate&co.  That was an adventure in and of itself, but the kind where you had to be there and know the people involved, so I won't bore you.

Thursday we went to the park for playgroup.  Not many showed up.  It was still chilly and the snow/ice was melting, but in the sun it was nice and the boy child needed to be outside.  Kristie&co met us there too and we ended up going to the mall and purchasing the last two Mario Kart games for the Wii!!

Friday we met Kate&co at the park for more play time.  I got to exert my badass-ness toward some jerk-y high schoolers.  They were trying to break the kid's equipment and were cussing and scaring the kids.  I went over and yelled at them and then hunted down their teachers (across the park relaxing under a picnic shelter!) and (nicely) told them to get their kids off the playground equipment that was meant for 5 year olds.  I couldn't believe they let the kids out there unsupervised.  Jerry said I should have asked what school they were from and called the principal...hindsight and all.  My adrenaline was pumping after all that.  I was REALLY mad.  Elijah wasn't even playing on the equipment, but there were lots of little kids and they were getting trampled.  I can't believe that more parents didn't stand up to them.  I mean what are they going to do?  Call you a name?  Whatever.  Anyway, we were all okay and the high schoolers were made to leave the playground area.

Saturday, Jerry had to work.  So I packed up the kiddos and went across town to the model train expo.  Elijah loved it.  He stared at one exhibit for two hours straight!  Insane!!  We left and met Jerry for lunch.

Sunday, Jerry worked again.  The biggest thing to happen was Elijah learned to pee standing up!  Not sure this is a good thing, but so far he has really good aim.

We are relaxing today.  I booked us a mini vacation in Myrtle Beach for mid February.  This place has got a huge indoor water park.  I'm sure the weather won't be great, but I'm just excited to get away.  We have something going on every weekend (except Valentine's) so I'm sure we'll be ready for a break.  I also confirmed with my folks our Outer Banks vacation.  We are going in early May.  Again, probably not the warmest weather, but I think it will be nice enough for the kiddos to enough the sand dunes and the light houses.  We are also going to see about going to see the wild horses in Corolla.

September 2008

September 03

busy days, busy nights....

I feel like we are super busy these days.  But that's okay.  I feel like it makes the week go faster.

SO when we last left our fearless heroes... Erin was fighting the stupid people at the gym....well, I'm still doing that, but I'm much calmer.  Last Friday I went shoe shopping for Elijah.  I went to my usual Shoe Carnival because usually I can find great deals on clearance.  Alas, there was not ONE shoe in his size on sale.  So seeing as we had a little time, we went next door to Marshall's and lo and behold on our way out I found (drum roll please....) Spiderman shoes that light up!!!  Am I the coolest mom or what?  Not that he knows who Spiderman is, but whatever.  Elijah was happy and I was happy and they were on sale!

We then met Angela and went to the Bargain Box to find clothes for the kiddos.  I found some pants and a couple of shirts for Elijah... Grace is taken care of for the most part.  I also found a good amount of things for Christmas presents for Elijah.  But the biggest hit is a little tent house that I found for 5 bucks!!  I actually can't believe that I haven't taken pics of it yet...  Oh well, eventually.

That evening Grace and I went for some of the best ice cream I have ever put in my mouth with some friends.  It was a nice day.

The weekend was hot and I feel like we didn't accomplish all that much.  But that's okay.  Our washer is still not fixed but they say the part is going to be in on the 12th... sigh... We can still wash clothes, but the final spin doesn't work, so they are soaking wet.  I am too paranoid to do the diapers, so we have to take them to the laundry mat.

I don't think that I have blogged about this, but I am planning on going to grad school starting next year.  Well, the undergrad classes I need start next year.  I will take a year of undergrad and then three years for grad school.  I will be doing the whole thing online and I'm going for speech pathology.  My goal is to be done by the time Grace starts kindergarten.  So it's a five year plan.  This is something I thought about a long time ago, but never pursued.  It came up on a board I belong to and I started looking into it.  I know that it will be very challenging  having two kids at home and attending school, but I feel confident I can handle it.  I have superb time management skills!  Also Jerry will be in school (more than likely) so we will be able to both watch the kids and do what needs to be done.  I'm a little stressed about it, but I think in the long run this will be a huge benefit to us both financially and career wise.

This week is an exciting week.  Yesterday was preschool day.  We met and talked about musical instruments and made drums.  It was lots of fun!  Today we met Kristie at the park and played and walked down to the river where we saw and ALLIGATOR!!!!!  Big excitement... Glad that we were on the boardwalk and the alligator was in the river!

Tomorrow Grace has her four month check and shots and Jerry...sigh...is getting a vasectomy.  This is bitter sweet, but a good thing.  I don't want to go through labor again (not that I'm complaining) and I feel it's the right thing to do for the environment and for my sanity.  If we want more in the future, I am more than happy to adopt!  This also means Jerry will be home on Friday, so it feels like a short week!

Okay, that's all for now!  I hope that you enjoy the new pics!  I added some today... the baby legs that Grace is wearing is my newest design.  There are some glitches that I want to work out before I start to sell them, but I think for making up something off the top of my head they came out very cute... and I'm in the process of making a matching hat... hehehehehe!  Oh yeah, please help me convince Mother Nature to keep Hanna away from here.  I really don't want to be trapped inside all weekend with two kids and a recovering husband with no power... Thanks!

September 04

Grace's four month well baby check

So we went to the doctor's this morning.  Grace is weighing in at 15.4 pounds (90%) and is 25 inches long (75%) and her head is in the 50% (can never remember that number.)  She is very healthy and is growing as she should.  The doctor was a little concerned with her eczema and he said that she may have to go to a dermatologist this winter, but we would discuss that at her 6 month check up.  She also is having some yeast-y issues in her elbows, under her neck, and under her arms, so she got a script for that.  She was a very good baby and handled her shots (all four of them!) very well.  She got some baby Tylenol in her and she's as happy as a clam.  So yea!!!  We got back in two months and then not again until 1 year!  I can't believe how fast time is flying here!

September 07

And this is all that needs to be said about the RNC... well for now...

WARNING: may not be appropriate for young viewers.  I get all my news from the Daily Show...seems to be the only reliable news source lately!

I was going to post the actual video, but the traffic on the video is so heavy that it can't upload... so here's the link.  Check it out!

Remember I am a liberal...

September 14

A Week of Stuff

It seems like I'm only having time to blog every once and a while lately.  I can't imagine what would be keeping me so busy! HA!

This week was okay.  The weather was really humid and hot.

We went to the park with some friends on Monday and got eaten by the biggest mosquitoes I've seen since I was in Alaska.  I started out with the non-deet stuff and moved to the real stuff and still got eaten.  The only one that was spared was Grace and that's only because I had her baby legs to show off and I put them on her.  We ended up at Kristie's house to eat lunch and chill out.

Tuesday was preschool day and we talked about the great outdoors.  Along with that came marshmallows because that's what you eat when camping!!!  Elijah really liked them.  He's so funny when I give him a candy treat.  He takes forever to eat it!  We left school just in time to get caught in a huge downpour!

Wednesday we ended up at Kristie's again and she had all kinds of craft projects and stuff to do with us for Patriot's Day.  She is from NY and 9/11 has had a great impact on her life.  Not to say that it hasn't had a impact on everyone's life, but sometimes I feel like I was simply a bystander.  After two days of watching the news, we turned to DVDs of FRIENDS to help try to get the horrible-ness out of our everyday life.  There is only so much one can take.  But she was there in NY in the Bronx and I think that being that close to everything sticks with you a lot longer.  ANYWAY, we did crafts and hung out.  And when we left we got caught in the worst rainstorm I have ever been in.  I couldn't see anything.  I was so worried about the roads flooding that I continued on home instead of pulling over.  It turned out fine (obviously) but it took us FOREVER to get home.  Katie gave us a Johnny Jump Up Thingy to use because Grace's favorite thing is thing is to jump on us.  Some might say that these things are bad for kids that aren't sitting yet, but Grace is oh so close to sitting on her own (can do so for about 1-2 minutes before falling over) and oh my goodness she gets SOOOO freakin' excited when we put her in it, so THANKS KATIE!!!

Wednesday afternoon I got a call from the stupid people at the gym.  Not good news and I really don't want to talk about it because it makes my blood pressure go up.  So all I'm going to say is it looks like we may be up a creek without a paddle.  Rest assured, I am contacting the news paper and the local TV stations as these people are opening a new facility right up the road and people need to be aware.  Also am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau...JERKS!

Thursday we ended up at playgroup at a different park than usual.  It was nice to have a change.  We all thought that it was going to rain, so we wanted somewhere where if it did rain we could get inside.  It was nice.  I brought some of the pear/apple butter that I made to share.  It's really yummy.

Friday we stayed home all day.  It was sorta nice to be home.  Elijah and I cleaned around the house and in the afternoon we made some cookies.  All the while I got irritated with people's irrational response to gas!  I mean seriously, you can't stay home for a freakin' weekend?  Whatever.  We had a quarter tank of gas and that's really all we need.  Sigh... Our local gas station ran out of gas Friday afternoon but they got more in yesterday evening.  Our gas prices (at that store) never went above 3.79.  When I was teaching I remember that some parents went insane when Katrina came through and shut down the refineries and everyone was freaked out about a gas shortage.  These moms came in with gallons and gallons of gas stored in the trunks of their cars and were comparing how much they had hoarded.   It's ridiculous.  Sigh... we got some gas this morning and will fill up later this week.  But seriously people...

SO that brings us to yesterday.  We went to Costco in the morning to get stuff for the Cookout for Change (sponsored by the Obama Campaign) and some other things for around the house.  During nap I made the kids t-shirts that said, "My Mama is an Obama Mama!!!" (I'll post pics in the album!)  They turned out quite well if I do say so myself.  The cookout/potluck itself was, hmmm, interesting?  There were a few local campaigns that showed up and kind of took over the cookout and I was a little annoyed about that, as it wasn't for local campaigns, and also I don't think a lot of the local campaign people brought food.  It was fine, but odd.  Not what I expected at all, but whatever.  My kids looked cute!!

Today, we are relaxing around the house.  There are definitely things that need to get done, but I honestly am beat.  Grace is having some issues with itching at night and wakes herself, and in turn, me up about every hour.  She seems to only be soothed by being held chest to chest or nursed.  Friday night she actually slept 5 hours straight and I woke up feeling rather refreshed, but last night...not so much.  I know this will pass, but I really just want to go back to sleep right now and that's just not an option.  I will try to nap with her this afternoon though.

Okay, I guess that's it.  We are counting down the days until we leave for the mountains (first of October.)  And I am super ready for that!!!

Totally forgot...

thanks to my great friend Angela, we are the proud owners (finally!!) of the Wii Fit and it is totally kicking my butt... in a good way.  it's my new favorite thing!!!!  Thanks angela!!!!!!!

September 17

READ THIS NOW!!!!!!

What Is White Privilege?

via My Feet Only Walk Forward by Brandon Lacy Campos on 9/16/08

Hey folks:
As much as possible, I try and do only original content on my page. But sometimes, as with Rocki's letter and this blog post, there shit that needs circulating. The following is one of those things.
This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise / September 13, 2008
For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family has challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."
White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.
White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.
White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do--like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.
White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.
White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it a "light" burden.
And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain…
White privilege is, in short, the problem.
Tim Wise is the author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son, and Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White. He has contributed essays to seventeen books, and is one of several persons featured in White Men Challenging Racism: Thirty-Five Personal Stories, from Duke University Press. A collection of his essays, Speaking Treason Fluently: Anti-Racist Reflections From an Angry White Male, will be released in fall 2008.

September 18

Check this out!

I'm really worried about this election.  I'm really worried that the women in America are even thinking about voting for a President that is quite old and who has chosen such a woman as Sarah Palin as his running mate.  I'm worried for my children if these two should get into office.  I'm worried about privacy issues that could ensue.  I'm worried that women every where will suddenly be pushed backward instead of forward.  I'm just plain worried.  So I found this article (thanks to a link sent to me by my good friend Laura) and it gave me a little peace that maybe there are Alaskan's that aren't completely 100% behind this woman.  I really don't like to blog about politics.  But this woman has me really really worried!!!!!!!   Any woman should be scared.  Anyone with a daughter should be scared.

September 20

Gotta Love the Dollar Tree for Halloween Costumes...

hehehehehe!!!  Elijah is going to be a dragon-slaying, fairy butterfly warrior in a sheer blue tutu for Halloween.  hehehehehehe...  (not enough hands for the magic wand....)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 23

what a weekend! (and a week so far!!) a picture post...

Saturday:

saw Curious George...warped boy child with huge rendition of favorite cartoon and maniacal laughing...

made it up to him by taking him to the park.

finished new babylegs design (made from socks this time) and forced (obviously) girl child to model them... she's still pretty freakin' cute!

Sunday:

in order to do mowing had to put girl child in carrier (don't know what was going through my head here...) and carried her while pushing the reel mower (kinda bad ass....)

girl child got to nap...

while boy child played.

Monday:

watched the train go on the track at Kristie's house

fixed the flannel to the wall for BIG flannel story play

and had some fun wrecking the play room and entertaining each other!!

Tuesday:

GOT TO GO TO THE FIRE STATION!!!!!