Getting Ready for the PBR

Professional Bull Riding practice has to start somewhere!  All Cullen is missing is a hat.  Yee Haw!

(Maybe I have lived in Texas too long.)

Week in Review

I haven't blogged at all this week!  My therapy was interrupted by the crazy train called my life.  Here's a quick review of what my week looked like.

1)  While I was in the middle of my cardio workout on Sunday, I was paged to the kids' club.  I go over and find Cullen needed a diaper change.  No problem, I do a quick change on Cullen then decide to finish my cardio workout with a quick 1 mile run on the treadmill.  Why do I torture myself?  I enjoy running some but not a lot.  I do it because it keeps me in shape.  It's a true love hate relationship we have.  I paid for my quick (11 minute which is fast for me) run the next day when Jackson had me chasing him in the back yard and my legs were screaming, "We hate you!"

2)  I had a hankering for cupcakes Monday night, so I baked white cupcakes with chocolate glaze icing.  From scratch people!  Yea, I roll like that.  They turned out great despite the fact I accidentally flung sugar everywhere in the process.

3)  Andrew had asked me to bake some cookies, so I also made Andes mint chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday morning.  While I was baking, I also fed both boys lunch and did a sink full a dishes.  I can multi-task with the best of them when need be.  The cookies turned out pretty awesome by the boys standards.

4)  A huge thunderstorm came through Tuesday night/Wednesday morning around 3am.  The thunder was shaking the entire house, windows and walls, and setting a bunch of car alarms off.  We were up because of the noise, but thankfully, both boys slept through the whole thing.  Oh to be able to sleep like the dead again, I would be in heaven!

5)  Wednesday morning, Cullen thought it would be a good idea to sit in the dogs' full water bowl after he had just pooped in his diaper.  Gross!  Enough said.

6)  I was going through a kitchen drawer Thursday night and found a few Mardi Gras beads from last year.  I put them on the counter and Jackson found them.  He decided to wear them which is fine, but he also decided Mea needed to wear Mardi Gras beads as well.  Yet another diamond in Mea's heavenly doggie crown.

6)  Thursday afternoon, a quick trip to the vet was unexpectedly thrown into the mix after Thibie's colitis acted up.  It might have had something to do with Jackson going into the pantry (behind my back), getting the bag of marshmallows out, and feeding 3/4 of the bag to both dogs on Tuesday.  The dogs ran outside for 2 hours straight after eating the marshmallows.  Its sad when all I have to do is call the vet, mention Thibie's name, her needing her medication, and they're like it will be ready in 20 minutes.  No last name is needed now.  Sad.

7)  My Friday morning is just barely over, and Cullen has already decided to grab a tupperware full of OxiClean off the counter (yes, he can now reach all our counters) and it spilled all over his clothes.  Luckily, he missed his head.

I hope this explains the absence of blogging this week.  Hectic was apparently on my schedule this week.  On a good note, a glass of wine has helped get me through each night!

Mommy, Daddy's stuck

Yesterday afternoon turned out to be really nice outside.  All three boys were playing outside while I was enjoying a brief moment of quiet inside.

The back door opens, and Jackson comes inside saying, "Mommy, Daddy's stuck."  It took me a minute to process what Jackson was saying.  I just wasn't expecting it.  I go outside to see what is going on, and Andrew is inside a hole in the play slide looking stuck.  I told him to hang on a minute while I go get shoes.  I go inside grab my shoes and camera (I had to document it!).  I come back outside and see Andrew sitting next to the slide laughing.  Apparently, he thought it would be hilarious to pretend to get stuck and send Jackson inside to tell me.  I didn't think it was that funny.

I go back inside and not a minute later Jackson comes back in saying, "Mommy, Daddy's stuck."  Thinking Andrew was playing a joke again, I walk back outside.  I see what looks to be a very uncomfortable Andrew actually stuck under the slide.  Being the awesome wife I am, I grab my camera again and start shooting.

Jackson trying to be helpful and push Daddy out.

Looks uncomfortable, huh?  Probably was.

After taking a few pictures and Andrew complaining his left arm was going numb, I did pull him out.  In my personal opinion, that's what he gets for wedging his body into a toddler slide in the first place.  I mean I wouldn't even do it, and I'm half his size!

I Don't Do Snakes

My gorgeous 79 degree afternoon was ruined by finding a dead snake behind the boys' soccer goal.  Ruined!

After Jackson and Cullen woke up from their naps, I took them outside to play and burn off all the excess energy.  Both Cullen and Jackson had been behind the soccer goal already by the time I noticed the dead snake.  I was busy walking around the backyard picking up dog poop (sounds lovely right?).  Not the best job, but someone has to do it.  After dutifully picking it up, I was running around with the boys playing tag and soccer.  I happen to go behind the soccer goal which is in the corner of our yard when I spotted said snake.

Before I give you my reaction to finding this snake, here is a little background.

1) I hate snakes.  Yes, I know they are good for the environment, yada, yada, yada....  That's all good and find as long as they stay away from me.

2) I have no idea where this fear comes from.  All I know is that I always have had it.  I remember when I was probably around 3 years old, living in Florida.  My mom had taken my brother and I to the zoo with some neighborhood kids.  The zookeeper had a large python out for all the kids to touch underneath a pavilion.  I would not go near the thing.  My brother and mom tried to drag me over to touch it, but I gave them the evil eye and refused to budge.

3) To add to my non-liking of snakes, my dad has made it a point to torture me every time a snake has found its way into the garage or yard.  He actually chased me around the yard with a dead snake in his hand because he thought it was funny.  I didn't, and I was in college at the time.

So now on to my reaction, I believe the words were, "Holy F***!!!"  Along with me jumping about 2 feet in the air and 4 feet backwards simultaneously.  Pretty impressive, huh?!  I proceeded to do my heebie jeebies dance because I couldn't wrap my brain around a) what I just saw  b) Holy S*** that's a snake! and c) how close I was to said snake.  After calming myself, I grabbed the poop shovel and starting moving the snake around to ensure it was dead for my peace of mind.

Ensuring it was dead, I did the next rational thing.  I took a picture of it with my phone and texted it to my husband.  Andrew called me as soon as he saw the picture.  Not out of concern for me, but asking what was going on and why he received a picture of snake (he hadn't read the description I added to the picture).  After I told him the story, he asked me what kind of snake it was.  I don't know what kind of snake it is!  I'm fairly positive its nonpoisonous.  Andrew starts laughing at me, and I hear his coworker in the background laughing at me!  Then he has the nerve to start mocking me!  I'm so glad I have a supportive husband that mocks my unlike of snakes.  I hung up on his ass!

To one of my dogs that probably killed the snake, thank you!  Here is a picture to prove this actually happened.  The snake is probably about a foot long.

You can only see the underbelly because I
refused to touch it and flip it over.

A Visit from GG

My mom, the kids' GG, came to visit this past weekend.  My dad couldn't make it because he had to work.  Since my parents live in a different state, the kids don't get to see them very often.  Trust me, a heavy amount of guilt is constantly placed on my parents for abandoning their grandkids.  They just abandoned them!  My mom despises me when I say this, so of course it's going on the blog!  A dose of good ol' Catholic guilt is always in order when you just abandon your grandkids.  GG's visit went well.  Jackson and Cullen enjoyed showing off all their new found talents to their grandmother.

As a bonus, GG babysat two nights she was here.  Andrew and I were actually able to go on two dates!  I mean the earth stood still for a little while because we were able to see a movie and have dinner.  Talk didn't involve telling a child to be quiet or no.  Ah, the small things in life.  Andrew and I definitely enjoyed our two nights of freedom because we never know when we'll be able to do it again.  Although this year, we both pledged to get a babysitter more often and go out.

Here are a few pictures from GG's visit.

Stop Climbing Cullen!

"Look, Mommy!  I got up here all by myself!"

This child is going to be trouble with a capital T.  Cullen figured out how to climb on top of the toy chest just before lunch, and I can't get him to stop.  Every time I put him down and tell him no, he just goes right back to climbing on top of it.  Seriously child, stop already!

How do these things happen to me?

I had three rather amusing things happen yesterday.

1)  I had just walked into the gym with Cullen in my arms and Jackson walking beside me.  It was cold out yesterday, so I had both boys bundled up and hats on their heads.  We walked into the gym rather quickly because the wind was something fierce as well.  As I was walking up to the front desk to check in, Jackson decided to run up to it ahead of me.  I'm not sure why, but he literally ran head first into the desk.  With a loud thunk to accompany it.  Being the concerned mother I am, I waited, for about 3 seconds, before starting to snicker then full out laugh.  Jackson just lifted up his hat, looked at me with concern, and stood up.  A personal trainer, who was kind enough to hold the door open for us, saw me laughing and started laughing too.  Its like he was waiting for me to laugh to make sure it was OK.  I didn't stop laughing for a few minutes because it was too funny not to.

2)  While I was at the gym and towards to the end of my cardio workout on the elliptical, I rubbed my left upper arm.  I felt something weird stuck to me right above my elbow.  I started pulling it at and realized it was a sticker.  I pulled the sticker off to find a Breathe Right strip was stuck to me arm!!  A freakin' Breathe Right strip which fell off of Andrew's nose the night before.  Apparently, it had been stuck to my arm the entire morning.  I never would have noticed it if I hadn't rubbed my arm at the end (yes, the end of a 30 minute) workout in public!  I was thinking this is too ridiculous to be embarrassed about it.  Yep, I was in public, working out, with a Breath Right strip stuck to my arm!  I just peeled it off and threw it away while going to get a paper towel to clean the machine off.

3)  After dinner, Jackson and Cullen were happily playing in Jackson's room.  No more noise than usual was coming from there.  Andrew went in Jackson's room after about 10 minutes.  Andrew called for me and asked me to come and see something.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but Jackson sitting on top of his chest of drawers was not on my list.  He was just sitting there happily playing with some clothes on the top.  Andrew picked him up and put him down.  I asked Jackson if he could show us how he got up there.  Jackson proceed to show us how he held onto the top ledge while using the closed drawers as toe holes until he pulled himself up to the top.  I have to admit I was way too impressed with Jackson to be mad.  That's impressive!  Andrew hauled him off again and told him not to climb to the top anymore.  Jackson's response, "Okay."

I'm not sure why three random, yet ludicrous, events happened yesterday.  All I know is they did, and I just had to laugh it off.

Brotherly Love

Oddly enough, my two boys do get along most of the time.  They play well together.  We do have our fair of disagreements and spats.  Usually, these spats involve Cullen taking something from Jackson and running off with it to get on his brother's nerves.  It's quite funny.  He actually grabs the toy and starts running (or going as fast as his little feet will take him) laughing the whole time.  Cullen even looks back to make sure Jackson is chasing him.

The opposite happens as well.  Although, it generally involves more crying and screaming which means I put an end to it quickly.  Jackson knows Cullen can't catch up with him and uses that information to his advantage.

Our house been under siege by a cold virus the past week.  I was the lucky first person to get it.  Normally, I don't catch whatever the boys bring home.  This time I caught it first, so of course it spread like wildfire through the entire household.  Aren't we lucky?!

With me not feeling up to playing referee with the boys, I put on a movie one afternoon.  I don't usually have the TV on at all during the day.  You know I wasn't feeling up to par if a movie came on so I could sit down and rest.  Along with the movie came snacks.  It was too cute of a picture for me not to capture on camera.  Give me some brotherly love!

This cute picture lasted for a little while before Cullen decided he was hungry and started taking Jackson's snack from his bowl.  Then all hell broke loose again.  At least I got a little while to rest!

Jackson's take on the BCS Game Tonight

That pretty much sums up the feeling of our household tonight.

Geaux Tigers!  Beat Bama!

Mister Mischevious

I've determined Cullen will be my mischevious child.  He's always pushing the boundaries, and he knows he is pushing them.  He'll get this look of, "I dare you to say no and stop me."

Doesn't this look scream "I'm up to something!"

For example, Cullen loves to aggrevate the dogs.  If one of the dogs is on the couch or chair laying down, he goes up and starts to poke at them.  Literally, poke them in the paw, leg, ear, snout, or any other place he feels necessary.  Both Mea and Thibie have a high tolerance for both kids, but Cullen pushes all limits with the poking.  The dog starts to growl as he starts getting his finger close, so he pulls back and laughs.  Cullen knows the dogs do not like his game of "I'm not touching you," but he feels the need to keep going.  So, the poking or almost poking continues until a) Andrew and I physically remove Cullen from his spot b) Cullen gets bored (which rarely happens) c) the dog being annoyed gets down and hides from Cullen or d) the dog being poked finally snaps out at him.

You would think a dog snapping at you with their teeth would deter Cullen.  Not so much.  He just laughs and keeps at it until option A, B or C from above comes into effect.  And 99% of the time, it boils down to Andrew or I physically removing him and telling him no.  But Mister Determined was having too much fun and goes right back to annoying the dogs.

Fortunately for us, Mea and Thibie never try to hurt Cullen.  They just want him to stop poking them.  I swear our dogs deserve a crown for putting up with this.

Cullen also loves to take the rocks out of our gas fireplace.  He knows he's not supposed to touch the fireplace.  He sneaks over there puts a rock in each hand and usually one in his mouth.  Then runs away waiting for you to take the rock out of his mouth, so he can put one of the other rocks he's caring into his mouth.  He thinks he is so sly.  Cullen hasn't learned Andrew and I are onto his scheme and take all the rocks away at once.

And to top all of this all off, Cullen has learned to climb onto some of the furniture.  I caught him standing on a kitchen chair the other day.

Look, Mom, I made it on top of the chair!

 So, Cullen will be my mischevious child, pushing all limits.  Wait until he finds out, I was even more mischevious than he is, so I'll know exactly what he's up to.  And Jackson loves to tell me when Cullen's doing something he's not supposed to.  My secret weapon!

The Play "Tent"

I bought Jackson and Cullen a play "tent" a few months back.  It was around the beginning of September when fall was supposed to start.  It was still in the 100s around here.  I won't get started on the ridiculous heat of this past summer.  Its at least a blog in and of itself.  Lets just say that if we have another summer like this past one, I won't be the only unhappy person in the area.

Anyway, the reason for the quotation marks around the word tent is pretty simple.  The kids may use this as a little tent, but its actually a pop up dog crate.  Yep!  I bought my kids a dog crate to play with!  And, I'm quite proud of it even though it sounds a tad ridiculous.

Andrew and I bought a pop up dog crate for our dogs when we traveled BC (before children) with the dogs to see relatives.  A former co-worker of mine suggested it because she used one for her dogs.  It ended up fitting our purpose wonderfully.  It folds up to a small little circle and was ideal to take in the car.  Well, we had to start crating the dogs at night again for various reasons, and Thibie was too big for her old crate.  Andrew had the idea of using the pop up crate instead of buying a new one.  It worked out great for Thibie.  She has plenty of room now.  A side effect we did not foresee was the boys constantly climbing in and out of it to play.

After a couple weeks of pulling the boys out of the dog crate, I came up with the idea of getting them their own play tent.  I went off in search of one.  Honestly, I looked in several different stores, several different times, and couldn't find a play tent.  Sounds ludicrous, right?  After not finding one, I thought of just buying another dog crate, and the boys can pretend its a tent.

Don't you love the static electricity's effect on their hair?

That is how Jackson and Cullen have their own pop up tent/dog crate.  Funny thing is, the boys love it!  Especially when I attach a play tunnel to the opening.

The reason for me writing about the tent now is I just pulled it out for the boys to play with again.  I had put it away for awhile.  Jackson and Cullen started playing in Thibie's crate, and I remembered I had it.  Out it came, and the boys are happy to be playing with it again.

Where have all the pacifiers gone?

Cullen loves his pacifier.  He's not completely, hopelessly addicted to it (at least I hope not).  As in, he doesn't have to have one in his mouth at all times, but he has to have a pacifier at nap time and night time.  Not just one pacifier, but 3 in his crib.  Cullen seems to need one for his mouth and one in each hand in order to fall asleep.

At one point in time, we had 6 or 8 pacifiers around the house.  Now, I can only find 4.  Andrew and I are convinced we have a black hole that swallows pacifiers somewhere in our house.  They just disappear when we know for a fact we've seen them not more than an hour ago.  These seemingly missing pacifiers do show up, but we never know when it will be.  Sometimes it will be minutes, hours, days, and at one time, it was 2 months.

We are currently searching for 2 missing pacifiers.  One has been missing for a month and the other for a few days.  I'm certain they will turn up eventually.  Although to be honest, the pacifier that's been missing for a month now is a lost cause.  We bought it to replace another missing pacifier and lost it within days of acquiring it (damn black hole!).

So for now, I spend at least a good 30 minutes of cumulative time looking for pacifiers which mysteriously get sucked down said black hole.  All in the name of making Cullen a happy sleeper.

One day I'll tell you how eerie it is to have a toy all of the sudden turn on on its own accord.  That's just creepy!

Uncle Matt's Visit

It has been busy in our household this week, hence the lack of blogging.  We are still making steady progress with Jackson's potty training.  Nothing earth shattering, but progress nontheless.

My brother also visited us for a couple of days this past week.  It was a fun visit for both boys.  Uncle Matt took Jackson and Cullen to the park and played with them around the house.  We didn't do a whole lot, but it was nice.  Matt needed to catch up on his sleep anyway.  Jackson was quite upset with Matt left and had a mini meltdown which lasted about 1 minute before he took off running.  He kepts going upstairs looking for Matt.  Here a few pictures of Matt playing with the boys.