Sunday, August 26, 2007

The Week Ahead...

I have the week off...again. I know, it does seem like I get to take a lot of time off, thank you for noticing! That's what happens when you stay at the same job for 12 years...vacation accumulates quickly! (I know, it is amazing that I could be just 25 years old and at the same job for 12 years...thank you for noticing! You in the back there...keep quiet!) ;-)

This is fair week...and while the bloom is definitely off the rose in terms of how wonderful I think the fair is...I do remember a time when I looked forward to it all summer, and I don't want to deprive Lucas of the joys of throwing all of your hard earned money at a bunch of carnies for the stellar prize of a dollar store bear, so off we go! My most fabulous friend Pam gave us a 10-day pass that includes parking, and since Lucas is still free...it makes going to the fair a few times totally within our budget. Thanks, Pam! I'm trying to convince her to let me borrow her three year old for the day so that Lucas has a ride buddy...my behind is decidedly too large for any ride that fits my son, and he's still not quite ready to ride on his own.

We'll post again next weekend...with many fried-dough-filled pictures to boot!

Hehehe...

My son (the comedian, remember?) walks by me bare naked today, fresh from the tub, and elbows me in the hip..."BANANA...get it?!" and then just continued on his way chuckling to himself. We still don't quite have a handle on the process of telling a complete joke...

Saturday, August 25, 2007

The Cursed Debit Card

I was at Walmart last night to look for a workout video (if you're laughing to yourself right now, I won't be insulted) and of course, as always, I found a cart full of other stuff to buy, but no workout video. Fine. By the time I got to the register, the store was about to close. I loaded all of my purchases on the belt and the cashier was perfectly friendly and quick and I thought I was actually going to get out of there with no hassle...until I ran my debit card through the machine and the lady handed me back $40.00. How nice, a gift with purchase. Yeah, right. I told the lady that I didn't ask for any cash back, but she just looked confused and told me there was nothing she could do, that I authorized a cash back transaction for $40.00, and there was my money and there was my receipt, so what was I complaining about. Humph. Not a big deal, my credit union is just five minutes away, I figured I would just make a quick run over to put the money back in my account. I don't ever carry cash...it's too easy to spend and too easy to lose. I drove right over and stuck my debit card in the ATM, where the screen instantly went blank, and then black, and then ate my card. Arghhh! On the one hand, now I'm glad I have forty dollars because it's Friday night and I won't have any access to my money until Monday, on the other hand, I wouldn't be in this predicament at all if the lady at Walmart hadn't decided for me that I was authorizing a money back transaction.

To top it all off, when I called the bank this morning, the lady gave me a hard time about cancelling my card and sending me a new one. She seemed to think her idea of just waiting for the ATM service personnel to find it and decide to send it back me via the US Postal Service was a fine solution, where I thought the idea of cancelling that card and sending me a new one was a better one. I did win out, but not before I got a little attitude from her...like I meant for the machine to eat my card and screw up my next 7-10 business days...hello!?

My Hundreth Post!

I can't believe I've had this blog long enough to post 100 times, but I guess I have!


Here are some pics from our trip to a friend's farm...mini ponies are hilarious...this little filly is trying to steal my Diet Cherry Coke...clearly she's never met me before, I do not share my Diet Cherry Coke. He didn't know what to make of the chickens and roosters...I'm not sure he's ever seen any live ones before...I decided not to talk about them too much, just in case he makes the connection between those birds and dinner...if you know what I mean!
This is Jaspar...the farm boss, or so he likes to believe...also the farm's only donkey.Our Wednesday field trips have been a blast...even if I don't think I actually like nature...I know Lucas had a great time...thanks for the invite, Lorna!

My Little Comedian

My son has discovered the art of the knock-knock joke. I'm not sure who was crazy enough to teach him how they go, but he has learned and has run with it. They crack me up, of course, but I am his mother, so that probably has something to do with it. He's really only perfected the first part...the knock-knock part. After that...things get a little disjointed. Really, they all go, "Knock, knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who." After that, his big finish is any one's guess. I get a lot of "BANANA RAYMOND's!" Funny. I get a lot of giggles with an "I don't know!" Still funny coming from such a little person. I always knew he had a great personality, it's just fun to see expressed out loud in the form of jokes. Let's hope he doesn't learn any naughty ones...I'm looking at you, Grandma... ;-)

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Tar-JAY!

I am in New York and I just got back from Target...my most favorite store...I am in retail heaven! We need this store in my state so that I don't have to drive 100 miles each way to to visit the red bulls eye!

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Too Tired to Hold My Head Up

I was exhausted before I ever even made it into work today...but that's okay...because I have all week off. Five glorious days of unending laziness and HGTV and snacks...it's no wonder my pants don't fit.

Today was the baby shower that I made the yummy berry trifle for-last week. I was far too lazy and a bit too busy to make that again today, so instead I brought a lovely Parisian salad blend from leCostco. Fancy, I know...snicker if you must. In an effort to fancy it up a bit, I did serve it in the trifle bowl. Those folks at Costco know what they're doing...it was tasty. Anyway, Lucas was very well behaved at the party. He had a little issue on the way home because he didn't have gas and brake pedals in the back seat (to help with me my driving, as he clearly feels I am lacking in that department), but he got right over it by falling asleep. Just before he drifted off he announced, "I'm takin' a wittle weep...wake me up at Amma's, OK?!" OK.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Brought to You by the Number Five

Lucas has found himself a lucky number. His world revolves around the number five. He wants five yogurts, five ice pops, he takes five poops, if you don't mind me being a little graphic. He tells me "I need a new train-FIVE trains!" with all five fingers stretched out on his small hand. When he's asked how old he is he answers very seriously, "five" followed by "I'm a tiny big kid". That is exactly right. He is my tiny big kid, just 3 1/2 but all grown up, in big kid clothes and big kid shoes. Riding his bike and trying to skateboard. He tries to do everything the older kids do and go everywhere they go, and he gets mad when I tell him so, but he'll always be my baby...even when he's taller me, which should be any day now.

(I Have a Friend Named Summer...)

Me: "Lucas, pick up your trains, Summer is coming!"
Lucas: "NO...it's almost Christmas!"

I Simply Can Not Decide Which is More Fun...

Scraping play do off the carpet with my fingernails or scrubbing play do off the floor on my hands and knees. We love play do.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Bossy Britches Strikes Again

It's difficult to drives a straight line when the passenger in the back seat won't stop issuing orders at me. "Turn here, Mommy...turn right...is that a deal?" or how about "Hold your hands on the wheel like this Mommy, no like this, no LIKE THIS MOMMY...just look at me do it!" Certainly a three year knows more about navigating the open road, then say, me, for instance. I have been driving for 16 years after all. (That staggering amount of years makes me throw up in my mouth a little...I certainly can't be old enough for that, can I?) Yikes. Where is his mute button, I wonder?

Monday, August 13, 2007

This Old Brain 'Ain't Firin' on all Four Cylinders...

if you know what I mean. I had my pants on for an hour (and was half way to work) before I realized they were on inside out. This was after multiple attempts to put things in my pockets...wondering all the while why I didn't seem to have any...

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Poor Moose...

Apparently the moose we've been all excited about for the past two days was shot to death by the Fish and Wildlife Service tonight because he was sick. Didn't hear the newscast firsthand, so I'll have to wait until morning to find out what happened. Glad I stopped again today and let Lucas take a good long look.

The Reason Why I Need to Write Things Down

My weekend. Most people look forward to the weekend. I sort of dread them...like other people dread Mondays. It's my start of the work week, and I realize that I picked this schedule, because it really does work well for me, and by extension of course, Lucas. Having said that, everybody else in our life has weekends off, and plans all of the fun stuff on Saturdays, or Sundays (what's wrong with Wednesday, people!)...when I'm working 12 hour shifts. I still try and fit in the fun stuff, though, because otherwise we might never see some of our friends who work all week while he and I are home being lazy.

So...this weekend and next weekend we had parties to attend. Both on Sunday and both at 11am at the same house for completely different parties, one was a birthday, the other a baby shower. Well, because I have a tendency to not write anything down I spent Friday running all over town to get a baby shower gift with the money we pooled at work, pick gift wrap (have you ever tried to wrap a Kelty Kids Tour pack--um, yeah--super fun), get a card, bake a pound cake and hand pick blueberries at the local farm to make a berry trifle for the shower...you know...the shower that's not until NEXT Sunday. The shower that I didn't realize was not until next Sunday until I showed up for work yesterday...completely unprepared for the birthday party that I was taking my son to the next day. You know, after I get out of work at 3am and pretend to get some sleep...thank heavens for the gift closet because there was no way on earth I would've made a trip to the toy store before the birthday party...a big train set that I knew the kid would like because Lucas has the same one and he adores it. Bhaa! But that's OK...when I get home tonight (tomorrow morning really) I'm having me a big 'ole plate of homemade berry trifle! Oh...and the birthday was a blast!

A Moose is on the Loose!

The moose appeared again out in the field by our apartment...we got to see it on my way to work today. A couple that had pulled over behind us wondered if it had lost it's Momma. Apparently I know know nothing moose (what's the plural for moose? Mooses?) I just assumed that giant mass was a full grown adult..but no, the lady corrected me...it's just a baby. Poor baby moose.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

I Spy With My Little Eye...

How often do you get to say "MOOSE"?! I was driving to work today, all in a hurry, like usual. We were playing "I Spy" and I saw a long line of cars on the side of the road. Now, I don't exactly live in the sticks, we don't get to see a moose very often. I thought for sure there must of been a car accident and the line of cars and gawking people were all just standing around staring at the horrific wreckage of a major crash. Morbid, I know. But no, there in the field stood a moose, he was a big 'un! Even though I really needed to get to work, I pulled off on the shoulder and whipped Lucas out of his car seat so that we could get a good look. As luck would have it, I also had my camera, and we got a great shot! Something to scrapbook, even...if I could ever find time to do it. I think the last time I was this close to a real moose it was walking around the grocery store parking lot in the town that I grew up in, and the whole town came out to see it.

Also because I was rushing around...I left my lunch and my wallet on the kitchen counter when I ran out the door. And since I'm working until 3am, the thought of no dinner and no munchies was a real bummer. Soooo, I called my Mom (like a ten-year-old)and told her I forgot my lunch and do you know what she did?? Packed me a yummy dinner and she and Lucas brought it all the way up here and we had dinner together on the picnic tables out front.

Best. Mom. Ever.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Sleep is for the Weak

So I got home from work this morning at 3:40am, was back up with Lucas at 7:00am, and puttered around my wreck of an apartment until 8:00am. (Seriously...I need to cleeeeean.) That's when I realized that my cell phone, my only phone, was not in my work bag. Grrr. I packed us both up and drove back to work this morning to see if I could find it. Would of been nice if I could have just called and asked someone instead of driving two towns away and parking in the garage that's the length of two football fields...but I didn't have a phone. Good news: I got my phone back. Slightly embarrassing news: Lucas was wonderful around my coworkers and my supervisors...manners and charm spot on. He did however decide to tell every person we passed on the way out that he had to pee, and one lovely old couple got the news that he also had to poop. Why???? Why does he do that to me? He walked straight up to a group of doctors rounding in the hospital and said "HI! I have to pee!" Super. Super Duper! They actually stopped and smiled at him, which is incredible, 'cause the docs around here won't let anyone interrupt rounds on a normal day. Ah, well...at least he's potty trained...during the day.

Only In My Hair...Not In My Face!

Hehehe...I hear this every day when I tell Lucas it's time to take a bath. It cracks me up to hear it shot back at me without missing a beat every. single. time. Okay kid, I get it. Don't dump water in your face. I didn't get this job yesterday, you know.

And also, what on earth did I do with all my time before you came along, I wonder. I'm pretty sure I wasn't boring, or bored for that matter. Can't for the life of me figure out how I filled my days, though. Thank heavens you came when you did...

Sunday, August 5, 2007

I Guess He Told Me...

I said: (all gushy and lovey-dovey) "Aren't you my good big boy!"
He said: (all forceful and bossy) "I'm not a big boy I'm just a tinybigkid!" (all one word) hmn, okay then.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Like the Big Boys!

Ever since our camping trip on Burton Island, where the bathrooms were far, far away, but trees were nice and close by, Lucas has been doing his business while standing on both feet. Can I get a big YIPPEE from the crowd? No more do I have to accompany every trip to the bathroom to haul him up on to the seat. I don't have to "race him" to the second floor every hour anymore either. Thank heavens! I was wondering how he might learn this skill, seeing as I myself am not capable of it...problem solved! What a treat it is hear him announce where he's headed without having to drop everything and follow him. Don't get me wrong, the bathroom is certainly going to need a thorough cleaning on a much heavier rotation, but this alone was worth the trip to camp.

Just Because Three Sets of Trains Seems Like a Lot to a Mom...

doesn't necessarily mean a lot to a toddler. I told myself that after spending hundreds of dollars on the real Thomas the Train wooden railway sets, I wasn't going to be tempted to spend any money on the the little die cast take-a-long sets or the big plastic battery operated sets...because the wooden ones are classic, the wooden ones last a lifetime. And, well, yeah...that lasted until the first trip to Walmart...where the isles are filled with both the take-a-longs and the big plastic but no wooden trains. Some pics of Lucas playing with his newest obsession...big, plastic, battery operated Thomas...he's lucky he's cute.