Did you know that there is not ANY room that is ever childproof - wait, Blake-proof? It doesn't matter where you hide it, how high up it is, how hard it is to open, Blake can find it or get into it. And if there is nothing specific that he is looking for, he just makes up his own dangerous fun.

For instance. While trying to cook dinner on Thursday night, Blake came into the kitchen with a cut on his thumb. I took him downstairs to wash his hands and get him a band aid. On the way I was questioning how he hurt himself. I kept asking him over and over "what gave you this owie?" but he would only answer: "oh, nothing" or "I wasn't playing with anything", which started to make me really nervous.

Finally he mumbled something about a light bulb.

I flew upstairs into the front room and there was Sydney, with two handfuls of broken light bulb glass and a lot more spread out all around her. She was playing with the glass like they were those Styrofoam packing peanuts! I carefully (and slightly horrified) picked her up and had her drop the glass. I inspected her little feet and then her hands which had little cuts on the tips of her fingers and palms. Nothing major though and no bleeders after we washed them.

Blake had unscrewed the light bulb from the lamp and smashed it on the grandfather clock. And of course Sydney, being his innocent little sidekick, followed right along...

All of this was done very quietly while I was in the room right next door. And I thought that was a childproof room! With Blake? Doesn't exist.

Last night Dave and I took the kids to Chuck-E- Cheeze (I have no idea how much I botched up the creative spelling). Fun was had by all. Sydney and I played this game where air blows these "bees" up and you have a little net you have to catch them with and dump them into the honey pot. I helped Syd with the net and she basically just held on for dear life while mommy got wayyyy too excited about a very juvenile game. Sydney laughed and laughed the entire time, which had me laughing and acting even more frantic just to elicit harder giggles. I probably looked like complete idiot. We played the game until almost all of our tokens were gone and they I had to pry her little fingers from the lever.

We tried to catch a movie at the dollar movies, but the movie we picked ended up being a little too old for the kids (Arthur and the Invisibles?), and halfway through after a trip to the bathroom and a trip to the drinking fountain already, Blake was ready to go.

It was a great night and the kids were tuckered out by the time we got home. So were we! Gone are the nights where we could last until 2 in the morning. We are getting older aren't we?

Tomorrow is the first day of April and do you know what this means? ONLY 26 MORE DAYS UNTIL DAVID OFFICIALLY GRADUATES!!! HURRAH! No, I am not counting down or anything. I am so excited to finally have my hubby back and not feel like a single mom! Also, this means that I will be able to start thinking about going back to school - which is even more exciting!

I will leave you with a video clip of wrestle mania 2007 that was going on in grandma's living room the other day. This is only a brief moment of about an hour and a half of body slamming done by my toddlers. Okay, mostly Blake slamming Sydney but her laughing seemed to indicate that she was having the time of her life. I am so glad they are such good buddies!

Make an on-line slide show at onetruemedia.com

Just a little blushing...

I beheld the tantrum that trumps all other tantrums today. Too bad it had to be my son who threw it; and in the middle of Wal-Mart. I usually let him pick out a .97 hot wheel if he is on "good behavior" while we are grocery shopping. Well, today he decided that he was going to disappear into other isles, whine a lot about wanting other things and definitely did not merit a hot wheel. After taking away his walking privileges and putting him into the cart, he had a mini-fit. I had already warned him wayyy y too many times so even though I knew a tantrum was inevitable if I did it... I took away the hot wheel.

The chaos that followed was in a word: embarrassing (as all get out).

I have never heard Blake scream like that, nor did I know that he had that kind of lung capacity! He shook the cart and stomped up and down and threw himself over the sides. He told me he was going to "hit me", who knew I had "crazy wild Banshee" on my shopping list!

Every single person in the store was staring at us and the ones who couldn't see us, sure could hear us.

I got a few looks of understanding but most of the looks translated into "why can't she keep that child under control... if he was mine!... she probably beats him over the head with a spiked billy club every night to get him to sleep... mothers these days!... oh my aching ears!"

So I turned red, ignored Blake completely (except to tell him to stop trying to impale himself on the corners of the cart), and ...............................................laughed. Okay, more like smiled and inwardly giggled, but still.

I couldn't help it! I have never in my life seen a child throw such a fit, and lucky me, it just happened to be mine! Not to mention I have never seen Blake is quite a state and frankly, there was absolutely nothing I could have done to have stopped it except for give his car back which was definitely NOT the good option at this point. It would have been the wimps way out but I am no wimp! (okay, at least not with this).

What sent me over the edge was when on the way home, I told Blake he had just behaved like a wild animal and his response was:

(very indignantly) "Mommy, I am NOT A WILD Mami.... mimin... Aminal. Amininals wive in the zoo and I do not wive(live) in a ZOO!"

Really?

Could have fooled me!

Yesterday was a GREAT day. Took the kids to the mall in the early afternoon to look for a birthday present for aunt Lauren (HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!), played at the playplace and got lunch and ice cream.

Blake always seems to find the prettiest little girl in the playplace and latch on like a barnacle. Sure enough, within 5 minutes, he found an adorable little girl in an easter dress (she and her brother had just gotten their pictures taken), and he had her by the hand leading her around like a little lost lamb. She must have only been 18 months or so and looked at Blake like he was some sort of authority figure. Pretty soon Sydney joined in the fawning and had her other hand.

After asking about 10 times for them to just let her go and play (who knows what her mom was thinking!) I had to eventually just leave with them so she could get some peace!

Blake is so protective of little girls. He talks to them like baby's, kisses their cheeks, pats them on the back and does this adorable thing where he bends over and talks to them an inch from their faces.

Here is a couple pics of the kids on the rides.

Gotta love Blakes faces!

Here is my fun picture of the day:

We got home and I got a wonderful surprise. Dave and I have been worried about our tax situation. We sold our townhome after having it for less than two years and made a nice profit. Well, this can really hurt you tax-wise and we thought we were going to get stuck paying a couple thousand bucks back

We got our tax stuff back yesterday and lo and behold WE ARE GETTING MONEY BACK! YEY!

Our wonderful tax man (who we pay the big bucks to) really came through for us this year and I must say it was worth every penny...

We will get enough back to buy our plane tickets home to Windsor for Christmas!

Dave got home from work, we went to the California Pizza Kitchen for Laurents birthday (which means I didn't have to cook dinner) - so it was a great day!

Let's hope that today goes in the same direction.

SO CUTE

I posted about this a little while ago and today, caught it on tape... click on the video link and turn up the volume!


Sydney is so cute!

She sure loves her books!

I went into Syd's room before heading to bed to check to make sure she was warm enough and found this:

Dead asleep clutching her book. And the funniest part is, it was about 11:30 at night which means she had been sleeping in this position for at LEAST 2.5 hours. And she was dead to the world. Didn't even flinched when I turned on the light to take a picture. Or when the flash was lighting up 2 inches away from her face when I took this picture.

She really is a princess but I don't think a pea under the mattress would bother her!

And just because it was really funny...

Sydney has no bum and no hips thus when she isn't wearing pants... this is what happens. Oh and yes, she needed to be changed as well. The best part is, she still plays like it doesn't even matter.

I discovered a new spot in Utah today that is very charming. In a little town called Salem, right next to the city I live in (if you can call it a city). There is a huge pond with a couple of fun large bridges, ducks, geese, a playground, picnic area and giant ancient trees, many of which are willow (my favorite). You have to realize, Utah is a desert and so large trees are scarce unless you are up in the mountains.

It was an amazing day, very warm. The kids and I met my friend Rachel and her two kiddos and fed the ducks cheerios. Well, they fed them cheerios, we fed them a nasty health cereal that tastes like cardboard (hey, I was on my diet kick at the time - oops, I mean that I am still on *wink*). There were all different kinds of beautiful ducks and some very large, very aggressive geese. I am still afraid of geese ever since one chased me down (I was probably 5) and nipped at my calves in northern Michigan on Torch Lake. Every time the geese would start meandering towards my children I would scream like a crazy lady for Blake and Syd to "GET AWAY FROM THE MEAN BIRDS... THEY WILL BITE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!".

The kids had a blast with the birds, I had a blast watching them have a blast and am proud to say that I locked neurotic mom in the closet long enough to let them actually let go of my hands on the high, and in-need-of-some-child-proof-barriers bridge; at least for a minute.

There are a lot of older homes in the area; chalk full of character. I could see myself living there. Even though it is soooo... unurban?

And that is if David can't find a job outside of Utah. Not that I don't love Utah, I just love change more. And I miss my family. Our (okay: my) goal is to live no more than six hours away from mum and dad. This doesn't leave me many choices. Michigan, Illinois (I love Chicago), Ohio - not on your life. Canada? Wouldn't that be grand!

On a different note, I have been getting chastised by Sydney lately every time I scold Blake.

"Mommy - he's my best fwiend! Be nice to Bwakey!".

So heartwarming and annoying at the same time!

Oh, and I got some mail about Dave ordering his cap and gown. IT WAS LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY! ALMOST DONNNNNNNNEEEEE.

Ramblings

Total Raisin bran is the best cereal on the face of the planet. No but seriously, I have been craving this cereal all week. I thought people were supposed to crave things like chocolate or jelly doughnuts - but for me, Total Raisin Bran. At least it is going to keep me regular. TOO MUCH INFORMATION LIZ!!! self censoring is not one of my strengths.

My life is completely boring at the moment and I have absolutely nothing of importance to write about. So I write about... raisin bran. I know. Can't wait for things to be shaken up a little bit in the next few months.

I told my friend Courtney (who's husband dragged them to Italy so he could further his career as an artist - poor, poor Courtney!), that if she found Dave a job in Italy, we could be neighbors. And I was serious as a heart attack. That would be an amazing adventure - with kids and all. I am coveting at the moment (slap my wrist).

For now I guess I will just have to be content to sit at this computer and eat my raisin bran. *sigh*

Hummingbirds?

The box of Hummingbird feeder mix sitting on the cadenza should have read: "Attracts hummingbirds... AND TODDLERS".

While I was busy cleaning up after dinner, it was eerily quiet but since I didn't see the kids, I thought they were downstairs playing.

Not so.

I walked into the dark office to find both of them poised over the chair with the entire box of hummingbird feeder dumped out and their fingers, red and sticky, being pulled from their little mouths.

Their own version of lick-a-stick?

It looks like the main ingredient in this stuff is like 5 different kinds of sugar so hopefully all it does is satisfy their sweet-tooth.

It never fails. Wherever you find quiet in my home, you will find those two causing some sort of trouble!

Quote of the Day

"I try to laugh at whatever life brings. When I look down... I miss all the good stuff. When I look up, I trip over things".
- Ani DiFranco

My favorite thing to yet come out of Sydney's mouth:

Me one morning walking up the stairs: "Sydney, why are you so cute?"

Sydney very matter of factly answers: "Deesus made me coote". (translation = Jesus made me cute)

Yes... he sure did.

Heard from Blake 30 seconds ago:

"Mommy, your my best friend!"

This is why motherhood is the most wonderful thing ever.

Ice Cream and More...

We have spent the last couple afternoons at the mall. One at the playland visiting with Rachel and Staci, the other for lunch with Staci and Marina and their adorable kids.

On our first visit, we found an adorable pair of pink patent leather spring dress shoes for Syd. She calls them her ballerina shoes and refuses to take them off. Here is the proof...

Yes, she is sleeping in her shoes. Of course as soon as I took this picture I slipped them off her very sweaty little feet. You will also notice the arsenal of books that she must have in her bed every night and the wonderfully flexible sleeping position. Sometimes I just want to eat her up. She also insisted on wearing them all day today. Even with her new swimsuit that I ordered from Old Navy.com - the one she has also refused to change out of. Good thing we didn't have anywhere else to go this afternoon!


Today we met and had lunch while our kids ran around the entire perimeter of the food court and assaulted each other and every living plant in the vicinity (I have discovered that Blake likes to chew on leaves, he says they are "bitey" - hopefully they are not poisonous!). Afterwards we all got ice cream. I had a battle with Blake who wanted the pomegranate flavored ice cream (which I was pretty sure wouldn't thrill Sydney and they always split a kids cup...), I finally went against his wishes and ordered the cotton candy which sent him into a royal fit. He got over it though after his first bite.

I convinced Staci to be bad with me so we both got a small cup of the most fabulous peanut butter ice cream with hot fudge. If I told you this wasn't the second day in a row I got this... I would be lying. Sidenote: GIRLS, STOP INVITING ME TO THE MALL WITH YOU! YOU ARE SABOTAGING MY DIET! Marina got nothing and of course made us feel even guiltier. (Don't worry my dear... we will get you to join our evil plot to fatten ourselves up sooner or later!)

The kids all gathered in the sitting area to eat their ice cream and an elderly man sitting on the opposite couch was highly amused with all the different colored little messy ice cream faces. So were we.

I had to include one of Jaylee (Staci's daughter whom I adore and who cries "WHIZ! WHIZ!" in the most heartwarming way every time she sees me). Her ice cream matched her sweater and she knows how to smile for the camera.

How blessed we are to have such wonderful friends to brighten our days and ditch our diets with.

LOVE YOU GUYS!