Pinning and Friends

Friday morning started early.  Like, 7:00 early.  Luke was too intruiged with the hotel room to sleep any more, so I went ahead and got up.  We walked down to the breakfast area in our jammies, loaded up on some muffins and bananas and yougurt, and went back to the room.  I got him started on the food with cartoons so that I could shower.  Luckily we had adjoining rooms to Mom and Dad and Grandmother, so by the time I got out they had opened their door and Luke ran back and forth like a maniac.  So much for breakfast. 

By 9:00 we were all dressed and ready to go finished packing Ashley up.  Well, they got to finish packing Ashley, I went to visit another friend.  I've been friends with Sarah Lincoln (now Tappie) for a very long time, and I didn't realize she lived just down the street from Ashley!  So Luke and I got dropped off at their house while everyone else went to pack.  I think that was the best plan for everyone.  I didn't get annoyed and frustrated over the lack of organization at Ashley's house, they didn't get mad at me for bossing everyone around, Luke was out of the way all together, AND I got to catch up with an old friend!  It was great visiting with Sarah, and even though Luke threw about 10 tantrums for various reasons, it was still a good time.  I totally meant to get a picture with her, even had my camera, but I forgot. :(  Boo. 

When they were finished with what they could do at Ashley's house, the family came back by for me.  We picked up Sonic and took it back to the room so I could get Luke down for a nap.  Ashley's pinning ceremony was at 2 so he needed to get down as soon as he could.  Don't people realize small children nap in the middle of the afternoon?  By the time he got to sleep it was already 12:50 and we were meeting her at 11:40.  Awesome.  That's when I tried to sit down and start writing about the weekend.  But I got a frantic text from my stressed out mother that we needed to be dressed and ready to go ASAP because traffic was really bad.  Anyone who knows anything about Searcy knows that it is a super small town with little two lane streets.  Well, when there are slim streets with an influx of people for graduation, there tends to be back-ups EVERYWHERE. 

Fortunatly we got to the ceremony on time, and all was good.  Ashley got pinned, Luke got taken out only once, and I had cake.  Yummy cake with icing so sugary it crunched. 

Can you see her new pin right above the button on her cardi?!

He hitched a ride with Gran on the way back to the car.

After the ceremony we went to a steak house for dinner, even though it was only 5.  I had the best grilled shrimp, and Ashley got all of her graduation presents.  Then we went BACK to her house where they finally were able to start loading up Grandy's truck (Gran, Grandy, and Aunt Patty didn't get there until right before the pinning ceremony).  I was so beat from trying to keep up with Luke that all I could do was sit on the couch.  Eh.  They didn't need me anyways.  After they loaded up what they could we went to get frozen yougurt at this place called FroYo.  It was AMAZING. 

Packing break!

We took our wonderful treats back to the hotel room, where Ashely and Mom washed up a sweatly little boy and put him to bed and I got to go out with Lindsay.  I was so glad she had a free evening just for me.  We went to this little coffee shop we used to go to all the time when I was at Harding, and sat and talked and talked and talked.  Her life has been SO much more interesting than mine has in the last decade!  At one point I realized that if Cody called me for directions to the hotel (he had left for Searcy after work) that I wouldn't be able to hear the phone.  It was 10:30!  I couldn't believe time had flown by like that.  She took me back to the hotel and I was so very thankful that I got to spend time with her.  And with Sarah that morning.  What a blessing it is to catch up with old friends!  (I had my camera so that I could get a picture of the two of us, but I forgot to get it out AGIAN.  I am so mad at myself!)

Cody arrived at the hotel by 11:30 and we fell into bed.  Graduation would be here in the morning!

Day one of trip

It's Friday afternoon and I'm sitting here in a hotel room watching my baby sleep.  Actually, I'm not facing him, I'm facing a mirror where I can see him behind me in the bed.  It's not creepy at all.  We didn't bring the pack and play for him to sleep on, I'm letting him sleep in the 2nd queen bed in here.  Did you hear that?  My BABY is in a BIG bed and doing fine.  *sigh*  Someone remind me in 16 years when I'm ready to punt him out the door that at one time little things like this meant a lot to me. 

Are you wondering where I am?  Well, I have left the comforts of Texas and made my way to Arkansas, where my little sister is graudating from college this weekend.  We've made a big weekend out of it. 

Yesterday morning we had some time before we hit the road, so I took advantage of it and got a pedicure.  About half way through it my phone rings and when I answer no one was there.  The caller ID said Mom, so I kept saying "Mom?  Mom?  Is everything okay?  Are you there?  Mom?"  A few seconds later I hear "apoijeaklndlkfn akhiodaiehiaojrweasdjf kj"  Ahh.  Luke found the phone when Nana wasn't looking.  I'm sure that all the Korean ladies were laughing at me a*s I repeated for a solid minute and a half "Luke, give the phone to Nana.  Go find Nana, baby.  Luke where is Nana."  And he just jibber jabbered to me like there wasn't a care in the world.  Finally Mom realized what was going on and got the phone, and I was able to go back to relaxing.  While I was relaxing I noticed how tiny the Korean women's feet were.  I may have gotten a little jealous.  I've always wanted tiny feet.  In fact, if you've known me long then you know that I used to buy shoes a size too small just so they would look smaller.  Please still be my friend.  I promise I don't (hardly) do that any more. 

Anyway, I got my pedicure and we got on the road.  Have you ever sat next to an almost 2 year old for six hours in a car.  Not the best thing.  But with a stop to stretch our legs and get candy, we made it to Searcy.  We got checked into our hotel room and boy, was it nice!  Luke and I got our own room since Cody would be coming in really late the next night, hence the reason he got to sleep in his own big bed.   Ashley came over to the hotel and we were hugging and catching up and making plans for dinner in the lobby when Mom says "Lindsey, where is your son?"  Uhhhhhhhh.......does anyone else just assume that someone is watching your child when there is a whole bunch of family standing around?  No, just me?  Between Mom, Dad, Ashley, Grandmother, and myslef, I figure someone had eye balls on him.  Except then I saw him running outside in the drive way.  I haven't run that fast in a long time.  The doors of the hotel are the automatic sliding ones.  He had walked up to the glass to stare outside and they just sliiiiiiiiiid right on open.  He made a break for it. 

Luke figured out that there was music coming from those little white things in Momma's ears.  The rest of the time I had my ipod out we had to share.

He self soothes by hooking the blanket I made through his fingers and then rubbing under his nose with it.  Apparently I did this as a small child too!

 

We got ourselves collected and headed out to dinner.  Ashley took us to a brick oven pizza place.  It was delicious!  And you would never guess who I ran into.... my old friend Lindsay!  We were really close freshman year, and then I transfered to ACU and we lost touch.  I couldn't believe it!  We instantly started chatting and it was like the 9 years of absence had never been there.  I got her number and we made loose plans to hang out the next night.  I told her to look me up when she got home on Facebook so we could keep tabs on each other, and she told me SHE DOESN'T FACEBOOK.  OR TEXT.  I was a little crushed...how am I supposed to see a million pictures of her baby, share a million pictures of my baby, and be able to keep up with her?  *shrug*  I guess we'll figure it out. 

After dinner we went over to Ashley's house to help her finish packing.  Or should I say pretty much help her start packing.  I was shocked at her room when we showed up.  Ms.  Bossy instantly kicked in, but I don't think she was appreciated very much.  Eventually we just went back to the hotel room and crashed.  Thursday was finally over. 

* The astrick is where I got interrupted and didn't get to finish till Sunday afternoon, even though I have gone back  and post dated these to the day that it happened.  Since this blog is mainly a journal for myself and my family, my OCD side needed it to be in chronological order.

That "diet" thing

Remember a few days ago I talked about trying to make better food choices, as opposed to going on an actual diet?  Well, I thought maybe since I mentioned it on here that would hold me a little more accountable for what I put in my mouth.  Well, I thought wrong.  About the only healthy choice I've made is to not buy a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper for the house.  Instead I just get the extra large when I go out. 

Take today for instance.  For breakfast I had two cups of coffee and a helping of coffee cake.  It's only one of my favorite things.  For lunch I had half a ham and cheese sandwich (which I didn't eat all of) and half a plate of crinkle cut kettle style salt and pepper chips.  We had dinner at church before bible class and they served taco salad.  With every kind of delicious topping you could think of.  And then I had an ice cream Snickers for dessert.  About the only "healthy" choice that I made was to NOT stop and get a large Dr. Pepper on the way to church.  But it was really hard not to do. 

And I have to tell you what my obssession of late has become.  I am obsessed with looking at fabric online.  I have poured over website after website of lovely cloth, imagining it in my home.  I don't think I'll ever buy any.  I don't know what I would do with it.  Actually, I do know what I would do with it.  I would put it in my cabinet and look at it.  Because looking a beautiful fabric makes me happy.  And I wouldn't do anything with it because what if I used it up on a less than worthy project and then the PERFECT project came along and I couldn't get any more of it?  Hmmm..... I don't seem crazy at all.

Terrified boy

If you will recall on Friday I told you about how Lukie was absolutely terrified of the band-aid.  Well, today I realized that it's not just band-aids, it's all things with an adhesive (oh I hate that word) back.  Like stickers.

Yesterday durning the service at church Mom pulled out a sheet of stickers to occupy Luke's time with.  He wanted no part of them, but that's typical.  He generally just wants to sit and make a cell phone light up before I haul him back to the kid's room to play.  So this morning I pulled them back out.  Enter the look of terror on his face, again.  I don't know what it is!  Ever the fool, I stuck it to my forhead just to show him that it was a silly fun thing, not a scary thing.  And there is a chance I may have chased him around the living room threatening to butt my head into him with it as he ran away screaming.  A chance. 

Awesome sales!

This morning I decided I needed some time off.  So around 11 I informed Cody that I would be feeding Luke lunch in a little while, put him down, and then be headed out to do some shopping.  I've been itching to get new clothes.  So I did just that.  Luke was down and I was out the door, showered and everything, by 12:15. 

It was fantastic.  First I went into (are you ready to see what I got and what fabulous deals they were?!) Anne Taylor's Loft, where I've amazingly never bought anything before, and found a black dress on the sale rack.  It is very similar to this except it's sleeveless and there is a ruffle that follows the neckline.  It was origionally priced for $80 and I got it for $25!  I will be wearing it to Ashley's graduation next weekend, with my new shoes I bought today.  I finally finally finally found some red shoes to call my very own!  They were also origionally $80, but I only paid $65.   I am so excited that I will also be wearing this outfit to church tomorrow.  You know, a test run before the ceremony. 

I also went to Express and bought a couple of shirts there too.  This is the only thing I paid full price on (I bought it in turquois) and I got a tank similar to this for only $5.  What I bought didn't have this ruffle, but a double layer around the neckline, and in grey.

 And what kind of mother would I be if I didn't find a steal for my little man?  I popped into a couple of kids stores, but Gap is where I hit the jackpot.  I know I said that the last thing Luke needed was any more polos, but how could a I resist this when it was only $8, down from $15?  Love it. 

See?  Fantasic shopping day.  I haven't gotten to do that in a long time.  When I got home I found out it was an even better day....Luke woke up from his nap poopy and decided to ditch the diaper by the time Cody got in there.  He said Luke was such a mess that he had to bath him.  Can you believe I side stepped that one?  YES! 

My great day was rounded out by a family dinner a Palio's.  It's a great little Italian place, with the best pizza.  We got Luke the pasta Alfredo, just to see what would happen, and he LOVED IT!  I just wish they had told me it was served with fettucini, I would have asked for bow tie or something.  Have you ever sat and watched a 23 month old boy try to eat long pasta with a fork?   It was a hoot!  He almost had to have another bath when we got home!  Yeah yeah yeah,  I could have cut it up.  But where's the fun in that?

It died

This afternoon Luke and I emptied the dishwasher.  This is a chore that occurs every couple of days, and I love my little helper.  Although his method of dumping all the silveware into the drawer is a little unorthidox and he scares me when I turn around and he has a glass in each hand, I will gladly sort silverware at a later time (give the kid a break, he can't really see into the drawer!) and buy more glasses if need be just to have that sweet face around.  Today though, we had to mourn.  I pulled out the bottom rack and this was laying in the heating coil. 

Rest in peace sweet sippy cup lid.  You did your job well. 

Note to self.  Make sure sippy cup lids are properly placed in the upper rack before turning washer on. 

Something else also died today.  My precious boy's love of band-aids.  Okay, that's kind of a stretch because I'm not sure if he really loved them or not, but let's just go with it.  He'll love them eventually.  Late this afternoon he was playing out back and skinned his knee.  This one was a doozy with blood and everything.  I scooped him up and plopped him next to the sink and somehow I managed to clean it amidst the shrieks of pain and wiggly legs that didn't want soap on them.  Then when it still wouldn't stop bleeding I thought "Hey!  I'll get a band-aid!  Kids love those things, they make everything better, and then he'll stop screaming!" 

Big mistake.  As soon as I pulled out the package he looked horror stricken and started waving his arms, all while screaming even louder.  The noise escalated as I opened the band-aid up.  And as I was trying to apply it (in and around the 10 hands he grew to slap it away) you would have thought it was an alcohol soaked gauze.  I figured once it was on there he would see it was okay and get over it.  Nope.  An hour later I ripped it off.  Maybe that's why he didn't want it there in the first place. 

One a cheerier note, look what came in the mail for me today! 

Jill hosted a give away a couple of weeks ago and she was giving this note book cover away from Lindsey (coinsidence?!).  I've really enjoyed having her blog added to my daily list of reading material!  Both of these ladies are so talented when it comes to crafting.  I always love whatever they come up with. 

And finally, last but not least, I'll leave you with a sweet picture of Luke from this morning, to counter act all the screaming you've got pictured in your head right now.  We were waiting for his new ECI case worker to come (Dawn's baby decided to give her some trouble and she had to turn over all of her cases early.  boooooo.) and he thought he'd have a little milk in some semi-privacy.

Brussells sprouts?!

I don't know what came over me tonight at the grocery store.  I have never in my life had brussells sprouts.  Every now and then I see them and wonder what they taste like, but then I always think about how they are the default comparison to something horribly gross.  But tonight was the night.  Tonight I decided to buy some, cook them, and eat them.  So I did.  I made a nice little dinner of sesame teriyaki salmon and butter garlic rice with french bread.....and brussells sprouts.  I sauteed them in olive oil and used my grinder of garlic/cracked pepper/sea salt to throughly douse them and you know what?  It wasn't terrible.  Defininatly tasted a little cabbage-y, but I made it through.  It actually complimented the teriyaki very nicely. Cody thought I was crazy (I told him I didn't expect him to eat any at all) and Luke took one like and made a face, but I did it.  I ate brussells sprouts.  Cody actually fell asleep on the couch and didn't eat my dinner at all.  Now do you see why I hate cooking and rarely do it? 

And can I also talk about this wind we are having?  Oi.  It's HORRIBLE.  It was so bad that at nap time Luke's bedroom door was rattling so loudly I had to crack it open.  And all the windows and outside doors were closed.  Oh man, speaking of nap time.  Dude wouldn't sleep at all.  This morning he actually let me sit and rock him for a long time, and I think he dozed off.  And we've talked before about if Luke drifts off for even a moment before nap time he won't go down.  After two hours I finally had to stay in there with him to prevent any more toys from leaving the shelf.  His bed is low enough that I'm able to sit on the floor and still rest my head on his pillow next to his head while my arm is lovingly cuddling him/holding him down.  It took all of 4 minutes for him to conk out.  But the little man wasn't out for long.  He only slept for an hour as opposed to 2-3.  I put him to bed early tonight.....we'll see how he does tomorrow. 

Bubba

If I knew Luke was going to be a terrible big brother, the thought of him being an only child might be okay.  But this is what I found him doing today.

Not shoving it in Kayden's mouth, not forcing him, just sweetly placing the bottle within reach so he could get it if he wanted.  I didn't have the heart to tell Luke it was all done, but Kayden didn't seem to mind so I let it go.  In fact, Kayden thought it was funny and got the giggles.  See?  Someone needs to make a tape saying "Have more babies" so I can play it after Cody goes to sleep and will subconsciously need babies everywhere.  Yes, I think that's a fantastic plan. 

And now for a story of a different breed.  Yesterday I washed all the new towels I bought for Luke's bathroom before I put them on display or away.  And today I cleaned this out of the lint trap.

It was the biggest, thickest wad of fluff I have ever seen in my whole life.  I mean, it took up the whole compartment.  Aren't so soooo glad I took a picture of it?!

Totally embarrassed

This morning Luke woke up at 7- waaaaaay earlier than, well, ever.  Evenutally he got tired of being locked in his room, so he started crying/fussing at his door (now, before you feel sorry for him, this is that fake-I-want-attention cry that he shuts off the moment you open the door and smiles like "that's right.  I got what I wanted.")  I yelled from my bed, while my head may or may not have been under the pillow, to GET BACK IN BED PLEASE!!  The crying/fussing didn't stop, so I was forced to get up.  But where was that little stinker?  Sitting smack in the middle of his bed, grinning. 

It was playground day today, so we went ahead and got dressed, ate breakfast, and left the house by 8:45.  It's a Christmas Miracle!  (name that movie)  We went to Target where I got new towels for Luke's bathroom to match the stool, and I tried on a few things.  One of those things was a new swim suit (there is a small chance we might get to hit the beach this summer).  Oh man.  Bikini's do not look the same on me anymore.  I even got the size bigger than my undies are, and they were too small.  I couldn't tell if they were physically too small, or just cut that way on purpose, but there was too much panty sticking out everywhere for me to feel even remotely comfortable.  And I won't even talk about the top.  Let's just say bandeau style is not my friend.  I tried on a couple of shirts too, and they weren't good either.  I think my wallet was glad all the clothes and my body were at war today.  It also got me to thinking.  I don't want to go on a diet, per say, I don't think I could ever in my life stick to a diet, but I do need to start making better choices for myself.  Like, maybe having water after my Dr. Pepper instead of another Dr. Pepper.  And limiting it to one scoop of ice cream instead of 4.  Who knows.  Maybe I'll actually not be ashamed of my body this summer.  I always have good intentions like this.  But then I get derailed.  Like tonight.  Mere hours after I made this decision I couldn't for the life of me bring myself to cook dinner and ordered pizza.  Then ate 4 slices.  But I had water insed of DP, so does that count?

After Target we went to Lowe's to get flowers for a big pot Mom gave me (which I had forgotten to get out of the back of Cody's truck and now he's told me it's at work because he had to move stuff yesterday and it got in the way.  I'm going to be a little peeved if it's gone tomorrow.)  and to get the polyurethane.  By the time we got all that done we still had  20 mintues to spare before I told people I would be at the park at 10:30!  We just got there early.  And it's unfortuante that we did, because some Methidost church's preschool was having a field trip.  There were about 100 kids all in blue shirts with a million adult chaperons clogging up the place.  As annoying as it was, I think Luke and Jayden (Tamera got to come!) had fun running around.  Eventually Luke started to get clinging and whiney so I deemed it lunch and nap time. 

We got home and I immediately put Kayden down to sleep and fixed Luke some lunch.  Then I got him off to bed and I went out back to spray down the step stool.  I shalacked the heck out of it.  When I finished, Kayden was up.  Booooooo to not getting any Momma time.  I brought him into the living room with me to watch tv, and someone comes walking up the sidewalk.  I meet him at the door so he won't ring the door bell, and what does he hand me?  A city warning to mow by Monday or we will get a ticket.  I'm sure my face turned bright red.  How......embarrassing.  I take great pride in how my house looks on the inside, and it horrified me that the outside was bad enough that someone called us in.  Of course Cody could have cared less and almost didn't mow tonight, but there was no way I was sleeping tonight before it was taken care of. After numerous threats and a little pouting, it's done.

And now I'm going to get in the shower (nope, didn't do that today) and then go straight to bed.  With any luck I'll be tucked in a good 15 minutes earlier than normal.

Painting a step stool

So Saturday I started a project that is, for the most part, finished.  Mom bought Luke a step stool for the bathroom at Canton a month or so ago, and I've been trying to decide how to redo the bathroom and then paint it to match.  I've made my decisions and the paint has made it final. 

First I started with a plain stool that Dad puttied and I sanded.

Then I removed the child to start the blue base coat.

(What.  You lookin' at me?  You-a think I'm-a movin'?)

While that dried over night I created a cut-out of the step, drew out the design, and cut out what I needed to.  Template complete!

Then comes the layers.  Each layer required it's own tape and had be allowed to dry before moving on. 

First layer:  green

Second layer:  navy

Third layer: cream stripes going in one direction

Fourth layer:  cream stripes going in the opposite direction.

Just a tip.....when you are making things that need precise lines, it's best to go over with the base color after taping before adding the actual color you want to prevent bleeding.  Example:

And if you get impatient and start painting the top color before the base color is totally dry, you can use your leg to wipe off your brush. 

Once it's all dry....voila!  A step stool for a sweet little boy!  All I need to do it get some polyurethane to seal it all in, but since that's clear it won't look any different in a picture.  And it only took three days and horrid back pain from hunching over!

The shower curtain in his bathroom is cream, so I'm getting some navy and grass-green towels to mix and match for a finished look.  A little boy's bathroom that's not overly kiddy!