Noah.

The other day, we found Noah on the living room floor surrounded by Twix wrappers. We asked him why there was so many empty wrappers and he replied, "I don't really like Twix all that much, so I'm just getting them out of the way."
1. Thank goodness he has his father's body type.
2. Thank goodness he has the metabolism and energy level of a spider monkey.
3. Strangely enough, for about 3 seconds, that sounded perfectly reasonable to me. (Which is probably why I look the way I do!!!).

Ballet In The Morning (In P.J.'s).

This video makes me laugh. The last dance move is quite something. I think yoga might be in her future! The music really called for a dramatic ending...so a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

p.s. That would be her wadded up tu-tu in front of the TV. I think it was getting in the way.

Not Too Sure...

Not too sure about this background...it kind of hurts my eyes. What do you think...are your eyes crossed?

Big Girl Bed.

My Life With A 6 -Year Old Boy.

We stopped by Hills Bank today to check out their annual display of baby chicks that have just hatched. As we were walking back to the van, Noah asks me, "Mom, do chickens have one special spot where they pee AND poop out of ?" I reply, "I don't know, Noah." He gets a panicked look on his face and says, "I've got to get to a library QUICK, and check out a book on this topic RIGHT AWAY!" To a 6-year old this is urgent...a boy's got to know these things!

Happy 11th Anniversary!

Easter Highlights!

Cute little bunny. (With a chocolate mouth.)

Dividing up the loot.
Stretchy bugs.
Lovely Lily.

The Kid table.
Brown Boys (in matching shirts.)
Sweet boy with his sweet mom.

Just out of reach.

Candy in the morning.
Bunny cake.
Admiring the bunny cake.
Will's plate. He doesn't like meat.

The End.

I'm NOT Going To Smile.

Stinker!

My Very Own Leprechaun.

My husband pulls out all the stops on St. Patty's day. This year involved green food coloring and Sierra Mist. He really knows how to embrace his Irish heritage. He really needs to work on the Irish accent, though. He prides himself on his collection of accents...but this one comes out as a dirty, drunken pirate. Keep working on it, babe.


I wanted milk with my dinner, so he came up with this enticing cocktail. I just couldn't do it. I like green. It's the world's most wonderful color...just not in my milk. It's a little too moldy-ish.

Day 8.

Day 8 of Influenza Spring Break '08. I've calculated that I've taken approximately 84 tablets of ibupofen in the last week. That doesn't seem healthy...neither does having a fever for 8 days in a row. I'm doing good. I had my mental breakdown back on day 4 or 5. Sorry, Jill! You were the winner with that one!

New Makeover.

Have I mentioned I like green?

Quite Possibly THE Most Annoying Wal-Mart Experience Ever.

So, I broke down and had to go get a few groceries tonight. My choices were A. Go tonight even though I'm exhausted, or B. Go tomorrow with 3 kids and still be exhausted. My goal was go in, get my stuff, get out. I don't want to talk to anyone. I don't want to see anyone. I don't want to be "pleasant". Sorry. I'm sick. I'm grumpy. I'm tired. So, I get up to the checkout and Ms. Chatty gets in line behind me...
"Sounds like you've got a cough."
(I smile.)
"Sounds like my cough."
(smile)
"How long have you had it?"
"Since Sunday."
"Last Sunday or the Sunday before?"
"Last Sunday."
"I see you've got diapers in your purse."
(Why the h--- are you looking in my purse? But, I smile.)
"You must have a little one."
(The smile tactic is not working)
"How old?"
"2."
"Really? That diaper looks really small. Are you sure?"
"yeah." (does she think I don't know how old my daughter is??)
"Is that your only one?"
"No."
"How many do you have?"
"3." (Aren't my 1 word answers a clue? I'm TIRED. And GRUMPY.)
"How old are they?"
"2,6,11."
"Boys or girls?"
(Oh, for heaven's sake....YES! It's my turn! I move forward.)

Introducing Mouthy Mike Cashier...

(An exchange of pleasantries, etc., then..)
"Ya got far to drive tonight?"
"No."
"It's not the kind of night to be spent driving around..."
(What? It's like 50 degrees...whatever, maybe he means something else..I don't want to know.)
"You make a list tonight?"
"What?"
"You make a grocery list tonight?"
"No..."
"You got kids?"
"Yeah..."
"You should really make a grocery list. Especially if you've got kids."
(smile. Maybe it will work on him...)
"How old?"
"2,6,11"
"Boys?"
"Both."
"Which ones are which?"
(For heaven's sake. I'm TIRED. I'm SICK. I consider hacking my cough all over him. But, I answer).
"Who're these pillows for?"
"My boys."
"Why are they gettin' new ones? What about your girl?"
(Because they're suffering from pancake pillowitis, BUT IS THAT YOUR BUSINESS?) "She doesn't need one."
"New toothbrushes?"
"Yes." (Please don't ask me why, who they're for, and what their gender and age is...)

The rest of the conversation is a blur. I think my body shut down in defense-mode. I got my groceries and proceeded to wipe myself down with an antibacterial wipe. I feel much better. Perhaps, just perhaps, I'm overreacting. Perhaps the fever is skewing things. Now that I've written this little novella, I can shut this experience out of my brain and never have to think about it ever again. amen.

I got desperate today and dipped into my arsenal of Spring Break activities. And it's only Day 1. Not good. Here's Jackson's...And Noah's....
And last, but not least, Lily's...
By the end of next week I'm probably going to need to dig real deep.

The Joy Of Having INFLUENZA A During Tax Season...

Is that you can be six inches away from this....
and still look like this...

I Was Never A Fan Of The Flu Shot...Until Now.

Influenza A is evil. It's from Satan. Literally. And so are those long q-tip things they have to jam up your nostril. Evil.

Big Girl Bed.

Last night was Lily's first night in a 'big girl bed'. She finally got to sleep about 10 o'clock. I think she was feeling a little lost in all that space. She DOES look so tiny and small in it! She started out great, then a couple of times she called for us and when we went in, she was waiting right on the other side of the door. After a 'talk' with her father about staying in her bed, she got a little more desperate and dramatic. Have I told you she's quite the expert in the art of drama? The first time I went in there, this is what she said:
WHERE?
WHERE?
OH, NO!
I can't find it!
OH, NO!
WHERE?
WHERE?
I never did figure out what she was looking for. I think it was just in reaction to the vast amount of space around her. The next time I went in this is what she said:
OW!
OW!
OUCH!
OUCHIE!
IT HURTS!
IT HURTS!
OW!
OWIE!
I ask her, "What hurts?"
She replies, "My big girl bed."
Give this girl an oscar! The last time Joe went in there, it was about 10 o'clock. He was in there a few minutes. I asked him what she said and he replied, "I think she said something about biscuits..." Joe will be the first one to admit he is NOT fluent in Lily-ese. I'm not holding my breath that there will be a nap happening today. She did sleep through the night, for the most part. I woke her at 8 o'clock and asked her if her big girl was nice and warm and comfy. She smiled, nodded her head, and said "it's soft!"

Crazy Cousins.

There is definitely some genetic mutations going on in this family. Poor kids, they never really had a fighting chance....

Necklaces For Grandma.

The boys made necklaces today for Grandma's birthday. She loved them! They had a lot of fun. I haven't made any jewelry in awhile, and I think I've got the jewelry-making bug again. I'll let you know when I've got some posted on Thing With Wings. Hopefully soon. I'm thinking this will have to be a naptime project as little sticky hands and beads do not mix well together!

Project Runway, Here She Comes!

Lily has been adamant to pick out her own clothes lately. This is what she came up with the other day... the good news is she's got the legs to pull it off. The bad news...baby, it's cold outside!!! Put some pants on!

Ice Skater Extraordinaire.

Noah had his first ice skating experience this week. Apparently, they are learning about motion and gravity in Science, so they took a field trip to the mall. Seems a little fishy to me. I didn't see anyone taking notes or conducting any experiments. They sure did have fun, though. Noah took to the ice like Scott Hamilton in tight pants! He made a couple laps around clenched to the wall, then got brave enough to walk/skate into the middle. (Baby steps, baby steps.) He then took off like a pro.

There was, of course, some out of control moments...
Let's just say he had a very wet bottom at the end of the day.
His teacher came to the rescue a couple of times. We all oohed and aahed over her because she brought her very OWN skates. Very impressive.
I left a little early, but apparently, according to Noah, after I left he mastered some fancy moves. He said, "I was doing all kinds of turns...but it kinda hurted."

He Got Belted A Good One...

When you won't stay in your seat at dinner and continue to jump around the room even though you haven't been excused from the table...


Joe was apparently quite familiar with this technique growing up. I call it...ingenious.

Some Cuteness To Make You Smile.

Mom...You Didn't Think I'd Do It.

58 Reasons I love my mom: (purely "random" number I happened to pick out...completely random)
1. She's funky...and really likes to use the word "funky"
2. She has cute hair.
3. She lets me dye her hair a different shade of red every 6 weeks. "Oh, my gawwsh!"
4. She will give you the shirt off her back, or whatever else you need.
5. She doesn't need much in the way of "things".
6. She will tell you what's valuable in life.
7. She's had her heart broken.
8. She has unexplainable joy.
9. She is an amazing artist.
10. Her art speaks to everyone in some way.
11. She passed her artistic genes on.
12. She encourages her daughters.
13. She continues to grow and change.
14. She puts a good perspective on seemingly impossible situations.
15. She's got a great "crooked jaw" (from Joe).
16. She can be ferocious when protecting her children and grandchildren.
17. She worked hard and raised her kids well.
18. She made being a kid fun.
19. We got away with alot as kids...in the name of fun. (rollerskating in the house, etc.)
20. Money isn't important to her.
21. She gets to paint with little kids every day. Usually comes home with paint in her hair, face, etc.
22. She likes a good bargain. OK...we learned our "cheapness" from the expert.
23. She talks loud on her cell phone.
24. She can still silence her adult children with "the look"
25. She will paint her shoes...or a purse, if she gets a "wild hair"
26. She loves chocolate.
27. She readily offers up her husband's help to others (ie refills, etc).
28. She's wacky.
29. She's got colorful socks.
30. She's still working tirelessly to get Julie Thomas elected (also from Joe).
31. She likes to take scenic tours through south Chicago.
32. She treats her sons-in-laws like sons.
33. She delights in her grandchildren.
34. She has a "button" on her arm that beeps.
35. She stuffs her grandchildren full of mints.
36. She has a pouch in her purse strictly for mints.
37. She still has our framed poster sized senior pictures on her wall.
38. She never throws anything away. She's got ointments and creams from 1972. If you need it, she's got it. And usually know right where it is!
39. She's got glow in the dark angels on her bedroom ceiling and lets her grandkids find them with a flashlight.
40. The infamous quote, "I hate struggles" came from her.
41. She requested fried hamburgers for her special birthday dinner. (???)
42. She makes a mean pan of brownies that have 'removeable frosting'.
43. She makes presents to give away for birthdays and holidays.
44. She believes in the power of prayer.
45. She makes me laugh.
46. Speaking of laughing...she has a very weak bladder, which usually makes for some excitement.
47. She takes good care of her husband.
48. She goes along on family vacations and is brave enough to go down waterslides.
49. She doesn't charge for babysitting.
50. My kids ask for us to go out so she can babysit.
51. She takes good care of her parents.
52. She's our reliable loose tooth -puller.
53. I call her when I just "need my mom".
54. I can usually hold it together unless my mom asks, "What's wrong?" Then it all comes out.
55. She's an avid sports fan when her grandsons are playing. She sometimes gets loud...
56. She's silly.
57. She puts babies to sleep.
58. She's loved and cherished by all who know her.

Happy Birthday, Mom, I could have listed another 58. But I won't. This is it. I'm tired. :)

I Think We Have A Writer On Our Hands.

I apologize for the long post, but I thought you would enjoy Jackson's survival story as much as I did.

Knife Bound- by Jackson M.

Mark looked out the window. There was a rustling in the leaves. He was relaxed. He would not let anything disturb his trip to see his family. It said 12:28 on the dashboard of the fancy plane he was in, and he was starting to get bored.
We exploded at 12:30 in the afternoon with a huge explosion. The engine turned into a huge fireball; the windshield broke and the plane tilted at a steady downward rate in a wide circle. Mark looked around in panic. It was hard to see through the smoke coming in through the windshield but he could make out the limp figure of the pilot. Mark was sobbing in frustration as the flames licked the windshield, then he remembered something about this plane. It was a diving plane rented by his father. Mark searched the plane frantically, and then he found it. First, it was a red fabric. Then, as he looked under the seat he found what he was looking for, a red parachute. Quickly, he strapped it to his back and jumped right before another explosion. He felt like James Bond soaring in the endless sky. He had never gone parachuting before but it seemed simple enough. He pulled a cord at random and it seemed to work as it opened like an umbrella.
That's when everything bad happened.
Mark looked down in horror as the trees rushed up to meet him. The parachute snagged on a tree brach. He hung a good 50 feet in the air. SNAP. The straps broke free and Mark barely had time to grab the tree tunk before the survival pack fell. He quickly found it. When he opened it, to his surprise it was empty except for a gun. There were no bullets but he realized it was a dart gun. He stuffed the gun in his pocket and spent the rest of the day wandering the forest. It became dark and he was fast asleep.
He awoke with a start. He thought he had heard something. There it was again. Mark got up and walked to where he thought the sound was coming from. Sure enough. There was someone just getting into an army- like truck that had a huge gun mantled in the back. He realized the horrible truth. It wasn't engine trouble, they were shot down! He couldn't just sit there, he had to do something, his mind screamed. Quickly, he shot the driver with his dart gun who quickly fell asleep. The guard was asleep on the forest floor so he had no trouble getting into the front seat.The keys were left in the truck. Mark jammed his empty gun on the pedal. The truck sped off at an alarming rate then crashed into a huge tree. He ran away with all his might until he dropped. He knew that the driver would not be shooting any more American planes down.
The next day he saw something he didn't see the night before. He was back where he started and his parachute was hanging in the tree. This surprised Mark. He had thought it was all torn up, but it was intact and spread out like a canopy over the tree. Then he had an idea. Mark scaled the tree with ease. He was at the top and he looked up. The parachute was like a big roof. Perfect. Then he remembered that he had his pocket knife. He could not believe it got past the airport security when they got on their private plane. He gently set it in a safe spot then he cleared all the dead bracnches away until he had a shelter in the tree. Then it started raining. Mark couldn't go out or he would get soaked, so he kept himelf busy by using his pocket knife to cut the bark off and make a point at the end of a stick so that he would have a small spear. He soon became very thirsty. He cut off some of the parachute and tied it between two branches using his shoe laces. His new invention caught a lot of water. He drank it eagerly. Then he lay down and closed his eyes. He thought of his family. He missed them so much he could hardly bear it. Then he sat up. there was something touching him! As he turned around he saw who else lived in this tree. He must have disturbed him because sitting right in front of him was a huge black snake staring up at him. Mark didn't know what to do, but before he knew it he had his knif e in his hand. The snake hissed in disgust as he threw the knife. The knife saved and killed a life at the same time. The snake lay at his feet. Dead. Mark gently pulled his knife out of the snakes back. Thick black slime oozed out. It had stopped raining and he soon became aware of rushing water. But he decided to explore it in the morning. He would need the rest. All he could think about was all the possibilities that the river could lead to in the morning until he fell asleep.
When he awoke, he heard the sounds of thousands of bird calls. He got to his feet, yawned and then climbed down the tree. As he got to the ground a bird erupted out of the bushes in fright only to land on a branch. Mark was scared to death but he kept going. He was holding his make-shift spear, hefting it in his hands when another bird jumped out. But this time it landed on a bush as if it was playing a sick game for which he didn't have the rules. "That's it." Mark said in his head. Mark threw his spear in frustration only to be rewarded with a lost spear. Mark was mad that he lost it ,but found the river. At least that was good. The rain must have filled it up. Mark followed it until the bank ended. The river lead to a local farm. Maybe he could get to his mom and dad after all. He was so excited he jumped into the river not knowing they were raging rapids. He lost control, flipping up and down until he was bruised all over. But that was not the worst part. The river ended at a waterfall that fell into a canal that veered left. He skipped the canal soaring in the air and landed in a pile of fresh hay. The hay felt soothing against his bruised skin. All he saw was a farmer with a worried face and cold hands. Then he was gone, shut out of the real world like a closed door.
Mark awoke to a surprise. He was alive! That was a good surprise, but the best surprise was that he was in a bed with white sheets. The walls were painted blue and there was apicture of one of his favorite basketball player, and standing right next to him were his mother and father. He was home.

EPILOGUE

Daily News
Breaking News!!

Mark (12) has just been rescued from a Venezuelan forest by a farmer with the name of Hank. His mother and father were worried sick about him. Apparently, he had come from New Yok on the family's private plane. He had been missing for 5 days. The mother flew all the way over here to this little town. The family hired ($) a search party to look for the young boy. Apparently, if I'm correct, they found the plane (the pilot dead) and a military truck with an illegal gun on the back. This could mean a lot of things, folks, but if you ask me, I think it's good he is safe at home.