Race for the Cure

My husband and I are running the Race for the Cure on Saturday. If you are able to donate to the cause - please go here to do so. Thank you!

On a personal note - I ran the Race for the Cure for the first time almost exactly 9 years ago to the day - it was October 2, 1999 in Charlotte, NC. It was one of my best days ever. I ran with a couple of friends, then went out to lunch and shopping at an outlet mall. The race was awesome, the friends were a lot of fun and - who doesn't like lunch and shopping?! THEN - I went out that night to see a Live (any other fans?) concert with a very hot guy (and some other people). It was kind of a group thing - but in my mind it was a date ( you know, the whole positive thinking/Law of Attraction thing). That night we (minus the other people) stayed up until 4am talking, laughing... and I think there was hot-tubbing involved. Not the sleazy kind.

Now, here I am - in a different city, the same weekend, 9 years later - and I'm going to spend the night with the same hot guy and our two beautiful children. We may not stay up until 4am or do any hot-tubbing...but it will be one of my best days ever - again.

On naptime

Brother: Mommy, can I keep my Harry Potter blanket forever?

Mommy: Yes.

Brother: Well...I'll at least keep it as long as I still have rest time at school.

Mommy: Ok - good plan.

{pause}

Brother: Mommy, do they still have rest time at college?

On your birthday...

would you rather:

A) Meet a bunch of friends out at a bar and do some shots or

B) Go out to dinner with a bunch of friends and drink some wine or

C) Stay at home with your husband and kids, eat popcorn and watch the presidential debate?

If you answer C - congratulations - you are likely part of the 36 and over demographic group. Party on.

A great weekend and a normal week...

Team T has been busy. The kids spent last weekend with Mum and PapaBob while we (the parental half of Team T) went to Boston. We had a lot of fun - attended a beautiful wedding, a Chinese banquet, spent the night and a day in Newport, RI, got to hang with great friends and slept until 11:20am one day (no hangovers even involved, just good sleep). NICE.

The kids seemed to have just as much fun as we did. They designed and painted their own t-shirts, picked our pumpkins (or as Little Bitty calls them, 'punkmums'), planted flowers, and were spoiled by three grandparents for a few days.

This week has flown by as I try to catch up on work, cleaning, sewing and exercise. Note - this stuff takes place between 8:30 - 4:30... after that it's family time. Family is one thing I try not to get behind on. ;) I am feeling a little blah... not sure if it is my impending birthday (which I really don't think it is... but perhaps 36 just feels this way. I don't know...I've never been 36 before) or if I just need to get my booty in gear and get all some a few of the things on my to-do list checked off. Whatever. Speaking of birthdays, my grandma turned 93 yesterday. I'm sure that feels even older than 36 - AND - I pray I am fortunate enough to experience it some day and be as with it as she is.

Here are a few pictures bound to make anyone smile...

Little Bitty's current favorite thing to do outside is to line all the toys up on the sidewalk.

A little odd, no?

Don't you just want to kiss that little face?! You have to be quick though - she's a little stingy with kisses lately.
Awww, the one picture of us together from our weekend.

Good Conversation

Little Bitty (screeching at an even louder volume than usual) : "MOMMY!!!!!! ...MOMMMMMMYYYYYEEEEEE!!!!!!!"

Me (startled): "Yes?! What?!"

Little Bitty (putting her finger to her lips and in a somewhat scolding tone - pointing to her doll): "Shhhh!!! BABY SLEEPING!!!"

*********** And in a separate conversation with my other young love********************

Me (to Brother): Hey- do you want to help me clean up downstairs real quick?

Brother (pausing, looking at me a little suspiciously): What do you think I would say to that?

Me: No?

Brother (continuing about his business): Yep. You're exactly right.

I'm a lucky girl.

I have moments with my kids when I love them so much I just want to squeeze them into little balls and put them in my pocket. I can hardly stand it - they are incredibly sweet and beautiful little people. How do I make sure they stay like this forever (not this size - but this sweet)?

Finally! A Soccer picture. That's my little #2!

We have family dinners at the table MOST nights. Breakfast? That gets served to them in the living room as they watch their morning shows (research shows that at least a half an hour of Pinky Dinky Doo each morning is critical for brain development). They like it this way - and I can get their lunches packed and things ready for school.

They were so sweet snuggling together in their recliner - until I went to take the picture and Brother gave me this lovely look.

AND - Today is my husband's birthday! Happy Birthday!! We are the same age for exactly 2 weeks a year. AND - I'd like to point out - to anyone who knows him but hasn't seen him for awhile - he looks- today at 35 - better than ever. I know - it's hard to believe he could even get better - but somehow he did. He's strong, fit, healthy and still has his amazing blue eyes. I'm a lucky girl.

LITTLE BITTY, BIG VOICE

Have you read A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving? If you haven't read it - not only are you missing out on one of the greatest novels of all time - but you may not really understand what I'm saying here. The main character, Owen Meany, is a extraordinarily small guy and has a voice that "...to be heard at all he has to shout through his nose." The author also describes this voice as perhaps being damaged by dust from his families granite business. To constantly remind the reader of this unusual voice - all dialogue from Owen is written IN ALL CAPS.

Lately, when Little Bitty talks - I am reminded of Owen. Because she doesn't talk - she SCREAMS. She'll start out with a normal volume..."Mommy" - but if I don't get my response out in .08 seconds - or even sometimes if I do - it progresses to "MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY!!!!!!!" AND SHE DOESN'T STOP. AND SHE REPEATS WHATEVER IT IS SHE WANTED TO TELL ME AT LEAST SIX TIMES, EVEN THOUGH I'VE ANSWERED AND ACKNOWLEDGED HER AFTER THE FIRST TIME. AND THE VOLUME IS THE SAME WHETHER SHE BE TELLING ME THAT PABLO IS TAKING A NAP - OR THAT THE KITCHEN IS ON FIRE. AND IT IS SHRILL AND SOMEWHAT STARTLING.

Please understand, I'm not complaining. I LOVE my children's voices and laughter more than any other sound in the world. I'm just amazed at the intensity and volume that can be produced by such a Little Bitty girl.

In celebration of my Native American ancestry...

Good news - I was watching the fashion part of The Today Show (yes, I really do have a job - or two, but a woman needs to stay informed) and they said that moccasins are back in style this fall. I don't think anyone reads my blog that knew me in the 9Th grade (well, except my family and they actually don't read too often, ahem...anyway) but I lived in moccasins. I loved them. I still love them. How fancy am I going to look in these this fall? I'm totally going for the brown.

Big Words

Here's a picture of the kids enjoying Mum's (my mom) jacuzzi tub. They had a ball and stayed in here about an hour. Taken with my phone camera - so not great quality.





I'm thinking the soccer video post isn't going to happen - I forgot that there were other kids on the team. Their parents might not want me to post pics of their kids.

On an unrelated note - I just watched an interview with Jamie Lee Curtis on the today show. She's promoting her most recent book - Big Words for Little People. I love this. She said that in a previous book aimed at 4 year olds, her editor wouldn't let her use the word "consequence" because it wasn't appropriate for the age group. She was disappointed and so now she's written this book.

I really like the message she's promoting. My husband and I made a conscious decision when we had children that we would not dumb down our vocabulary and use "baby talk" with them. For example, if they say "baba" we still say "bottle". Not that we correct them or don't speak to them in an age-appropriate way... we just try to model correct pronunciation - and we go ahead and use the big words and let them try them out too. Brother's vocabulary is pretty impressive at this point (and he'll ask when he doesn't know a word and then try it out later) - and Little Bitty has big ideas - even if she doesn't have all the words to describe them yet. Plus, her inflection and expressions seem to indicate that she is going to also enjoy language like her Brother.

So - I'm tucking this book away on a list of possible gifts for Little Bitty - our maybe for a less fortunate child who doesn't have linguisticly gifted parents.

No creativity from me needed...

I'm having trouble coming up with any entertaining writing right now. I hope to share some video from Brother's first soccer game soon. For now - I'm sharing a clip from the Daily Show that I watched on someone else's blog. No comment from me needed.

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=184086

Why can't I get this to embed? Ah well. A link will have to do.

Love you too.

Little Bitty expressed verbal love for me yesterday as they were leaving for school. I said "Love you!" and she said "Love too" - actually it was "Love two" - she held up two little fingers as she said it. I always try to get her to say "Love You" or some form of that but she just laughs or says "thanks" - I think she just doesn't get it... or else doesn't love me. But, this time it was spontaneous and so sweet. My husband isn't totally convinced that that's what she said. But, it's my blog.

Labor Day Weekend

We had a great Labor Day weekend. We had visitors from out of town and our activities included going to the zoo, honky-tonking, soccer practice, eating hot dogs and some water play in the yard. It was perfect. They have a beautiful little girl who is a little older than Little Bitty and it was certainly fun to get to spend a little extended time with her. Here are some pics from the weekend!

This is blurry, but so sweet of two buddies with their little ones. Watching the elephants. I wish their high school and college friends could have seen them moments later racing the strollers through the zoo paths. Too funny. Both daughters yelling "FASTER!"

Goat brushing. Always a crowd pleaser.
Monkeys see. Monkeys do.
Our little friend got to try out our super duper water slide pool.

She didn't like it... She loved it. ;)

Two sweeties. Awww.