The future Bruce Lee

Heard in our house each night "Daddy, let's fight."

Now, he doesn't really want to fight, he wants to do stunts, where he pretends to kick you, you grab his leg and he falls (on the bed of course.) He also likes to pretend box, where he ends up being tickled.

Wonder if he's taking after Uncle Kirk to be a boxer. Or maybe Daddy with martial arts. Maybe its cousins Chev & Kenny with the UFC. (I don't think mommy could take those though, no matter how big he will get seeing someone hit my little man will make ME want to fight!)

Or maybe he's just all boy.

We still have another year before he can go into karate to see if it really is something ingrained in him. Until then we'll just enjoy his fits of giggles.

Got my fix....

As my mom would have said, I sat on a book yesterday, into early this morning. I was "jonesing" so bad, its been over a month since I had a new book to read, that I indulged myself from cover to cover. Hope the "fix" lasts me!

New toy warning label.....

...toys for a child not your own come with the requirement that you go to the custodial house and make sure said toy is cleaned up every night.

Try to explain myself

It seems the idea of our family adopting a child or 2 confuses some people. I just wanted to clear a few things up:
- No, we don't have a lot of money, and no, we are not giving you any. You don't have to be Angelina Jolie to adopt kids, thank goodness that isn't a requirement, these kids have a hard enough time having families "find" them.
- Yes, I can have biological children, I have the scar running across my abdomen to prove it, and yes, we do plan to have 1 more biological child, so thanks, but no thanks to the offer to sell me an ovary.
- No, I really don't feel I am doing anything special b/c the reasons people adopt are kinda selfish, the same way when you have a biological child are, you're doing it b/c you want to add to your family, you want to give love, you want to receive it.
- No, I can't fully explain why we want to adopt. That same desire to "reproduce" that some people claim is purely natures way of making sure the human race continues, is actually the same emotional pull I have to adopt, its the only way I can explain it, this is something we are meant to do.
- Yes, I understand there are "risks" with adopting, but there was a risk when I got pregnant with JJ that something could go wrong, which I was fully aware of since I lost a baby before him. But I still got pregnant with him on purpose, and I'll do it again. Life is always about chance and things rarely go the way we plan them to. A child is always a blessing and the only guarantee you have with them is that life will never be boring.
I'm not trying to be facetious, we just seem to run into the same comments over and over. And the ironic thing is, not from anyone who would be reading this blog, I just wanted to get it off my chest, thanks for listening.

http://music.yeucahat.com/song/English/46605-The-Best-Day~Taylor-Swift.html

I'm five years old

It's getting cold out

I've Got my big coat on

I hear your laugh

And look up at smilin at you

I run and run

Past the pumpkin patch

And the tractor rides

Look now, the sky is gold

I hug your legs

And fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall

But I know you're not scared of anything at all

Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away

But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm 13 now

And don't know how

My friends could be so mean

I come home crying

And you hold me tight

And grab the keys

And we drive and drive

Until we found a town far enough away

And we talk and window shop

Til i forgotten all their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school

But I know I'm laughin

On the car ride home with you

Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay

But I know I had the best day with you today

I have an excellent father

His strengh is making me stronger

God smiles on my little brother

Inside and out

He's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house

And I had space to run

And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found

From back when I was three

You set up a paint set in the kitchen

And you're talkin to me

It's the age of princesses and pirate ships

And the seven dwarves

My Daddy's smart

And you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Now I know why the all the trees change in the fall

I know you were on my side

Even when I was wrong

And I love you for giving me your eyes

Staying back and watching me shine

And I didn't know if you knew

So I'm takin this chance to say

I had the best day with you today

The 2nd part of the theory.....

I think it's also built into the children the knack for realizing they've plucked the last nerve because that's when they do the cutest things, like Friday night JJ telling me "Guess what mommy, MY Brandon's coming" and then last night running up to me saying "Mommy, to the stars and back" (which is how much I tell him I love him.)

A new theory

I've been thinking lately, the feelings of love we get are just a part of nature, just a release of hormones that are built into us which ensures we will allow our children to make it to adulthood. Otherwise there's just no way we'd be able to deal with the stages. Right now, we are at the whiney stage. What's worse, I think its contagious b/c I want to whine SO bad myself!

It comes out of no where sometimes....

I'll be going about my day, and something will seem to come out of the blue, making me yearn for my mom, then the awful sadness hits that I can't call her, or go over to see her. I can't share good news like before, I can't share with her about all of JJ's daily feats and accomplishments, I can't just get her advice on doing something. The little thoughts still pop in my head all the time "oh, I have to call mom to tell her that." At least these moments are outweighed more and more with the pleasant memories of so much that we shared together, but it still hard, and I expect, will always happen.

Our Swashbuckler

Since the other pirate page on JJ was a paper page for his "ABC of Me" album I wanted a digi page for my own books. *updated digi page with extra photos, now it looks complete!*

Tagged from Facebook

I'm changing the rules a little, if you're reading this you've been tagged. Since you've been tagged, you write a blog post with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. Once you're done leave a comment here so I know to check your blog out to learn some new things about you.
1. My tastes in music is quite eccletic, I know some people think I only listen to country, but I love old rock, jazz, swing, R&B, just about anything!
2. I love old movies, my favorites are Gone With The Wind & My Fair Lady.
3. I have a weird way of remembering useless trivia, but lately I can't remember what I did yesterday.
4. Easter is my favorite holiday, I love seeing my family grouped together and the excitement that the kids have doing all the activities!
5. The sound of kids laughing brings me the greatest joy, doesn't matter if they are my kids are not or even if I know them (and when it happens in public, seeing the smiles on other adults faces brings me pleasure too, it shows that we can all appreciate what really matters and remember when we laughed like that too!)
6. The new song "Cowgirls Don't Cry" makes me cry every time I hear it. Guess I'm not a cowgirl.
7. I was never a chocolate person until I was pregnant with JJ, now I can't get enough.
8. I am addicted to reading. I haven't read a book in about a month and I'm currently going through withdrawls.
9. Photographs are the 2nd things I would save if something happened to my house (my guys being the 1st of course.) I swear that when I'm 90 and have dementia I will be going through my photographs every day.
10. I've always lived within a mile of train tracks.
11. If it were feasable to be the next Duggar family, or of course be like my grandparents who had 21 kids, I would do it in a heartbeat. And it does not matter to me 1 iota how those kids would come into our family!
12. My ancestors came to this country off the Mayflower, others were Native to this country, another is the "Father" of our country. I think its wonderful that JJ is considered a 1st generation American being John wasn't born in the states, but he also has the blood of the 1st generations running through him as well.
13. I consider 13 one of my lucky numbers.
14. I've always been a tomboy, playing baseball with the guys, getting covered in mud, riding 4 wheelers, watching sports. Goes against the 1st impression many seem to have of me.
15. I have a not-so-secret crush on Tyrese Gibson from his Calvin Klein days which was reignited when "Annapolis" came out.
16. I love being a tour-on (tourist/moron). Give me a landmark, a museum, a tour and I'm in heaven!
17. Even though I love the beach, the water still scares me. I tought myself to swim at 9 years old and never got over not quite feeling adequate in the water.
18. I love to play board games or cards.
19. Funky socks and pajamas are a weird weakness for me, you can never have enough!
20. I love sending "care packages" to my dad. A book, a movie, with candy. I like knowing he's getting a little something as a surprise.
21. I want to redo my bedroom so badly right now, getting rid of the purple and going to red & black! But I have no clue just how I'm going to do it yet.
22. Las Vegas and Niagara Falls (Canada) are my top 2 places to visit in the next 5 years.
23. I disdain cold weather, snow makes it 10 times worse to me.
24. I secretly yearn to be able to sew, like I'm meant to do it. Really makes me sorry that I didn't do it more with my mom before she passed away!
25. One day I'd love to write and illustrate a children's book. Just not sure what just yet!

Interviewed by Michelle

1. What are your career goals? Do you want to stay in the same field?
I actually love the medical field. But no matter where I am I just don't want to be complacent, I want movement, challenge. But in reality, no matter what, my career isn't my biggest goal, its my guys. The only job I never wavered from wanting growing up was being a mom and I've been blessed with that coming true.

2. If you could move anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
A warm place! We say when Bran's 18 the plan is FL, which is less than 4 years away! I'd love a couple years in Hawaii with my siblings, but I think that we will have to be happy with going to visit every decade or so.

3. How many children do you see yourself having? Either biological or adopted.
We'll have 4 or 5 (Bran of course included.) We will have 1 more biological child and adopt 1 or 2 children. There's more dependent on what has been planned for us than what we are planning on. I just have to remind myself all the time that things happen for a reason, in their own time! I am not a patient person by nature. But the anticipation will make everything that much sweeter when the additions for our family arrive!

4. If you had to pick a TV character or a character in a book that you were MOST like, who would it be?
Hmm, Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady, I am so not refined, too much of a country girl at heart, but I can pass if needed. Also, it took some time before I discovered the self-confidence to see my own independence (something else that I think I pretended for a long time before actually accomplishing my own identity.) Years ago I would've said Scarlett from Gone With The Wind, and while her strength is an admirable quality, I have tried to move myself away from the selfishness that as an adult I now see in her character.

5. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want with you?
Can I say family, even though there are way more than three? I can't imagine anything without them. I'd literally go mad without having contact with them! If I'm limited to material things, I'd say books to escape into, a camera to record the important moments (so many years after I died people can find it and see me making funny faces with coconuts) and lastly candy, a girl can't survive without chocolate and sour gummy worms!

Thanks Michelle, that was fun! It was a nice break from the way today went and I liked learning some things about you from your interview as well!
Now, I get to keep it rolling!
Here are the official rules:
Want to be part of the interview fun? Follow these instructions:
1. Leave me a comment involving the words, “Interview me.”
2. Be sure to include your email address if I don't have it, because I will respond by emailing you five questions.
3. You will update your blog with the questions and your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will get to ask them five questions.

Today's forecast

29 degrees and snow, 30 degrees and snow, 30 degrees and wintry mix, 29 degrees and freezing rain. ALL DAY LONG! Literally, it doesn't change to rain until midnight (which I do give thanks for since we REALLY do not need frozen roads tomorrow morning!)

Does anyone else find this depressing? I'm sick of the cold for one, I am not meant for winter, this was a cruel joke of nature that I was born here, and just another cruel joke of life that I'm still here. But add to it precipitation and I'm grumpy. Add to it that this all means another high electricity bill for the month and I'm just sour. Add to it that JJ keeps getting sick every couple of weeks, and I keep getting a small dose of each illness, just enough to make itself noticed, and I'm miserable.

I want Spring. I want warmer weather! I want outdoor activities! And I'll sit here in my corner stomping my feet and pouting until I get my way!

Rodeo

Last night was the rodeo at the WYCC. JJ had been seeing the commercials for weeks, telling us he wanted to go. He was enthralled with everything (after he had a tantrum when we 1st got there b/c I wouldn't get him ice cream after he wanted an icee. He's never had a melt down in public before, but the friends we were with he's all comfortable with, so I think some of his true colors came out, lol. BTW, Thanks Tarin & Kerri for going with us!) We did leave right after the intermission, I had no idea it was going to be so long! But after seeing his reaction to everything, I can't wait to take him to Frontier Town this summer! He will have a blast, and I have great memories of taking Bran and Brit there when they were younger, it will be nice to build on those! I still wonder where his interest in cowboy stuff comes from, he even watched a western movie yesterday! Can stuff like that skip a generation, could he be getting it all from my Dad?

Found together again

Man, can't trust these 2 together at all huh, LOL.

Lost his voice

Is it behind your ear? How about between your toes? In your hair? Maybe up your nose? Under your shirt? Maybe its hiding down in the dirt?

Playing find your voice may not have been such a good idea last night, but it was still so cute with a hoarse JJ telling us that his 2 friends took it and we had to go to their house to get it back.

I think last night was the quietest our house has been in a little over 3 years!