My Newest Motto: "They're Only Young Once"

My dear friend Yvonne is the "Super Mom" I look up to and try very hard not to compare myself to. I am not really all that hard on myself about it, because I do like the way I do things, and I'm quite pleased with how Tim and I have been parenting. But I think of us mom's must know know someone like Yvonne...
She always has cookies for you when you visit, talks about the "something-something bisque" she is making for dinner (Here's me...what is "bisque"? Then I remember it was the name of my tomato soup I took out of the Campbell's can last night for dinner...."tomato bisque".) and just all over fully-on-top of everything mom of two. (Don't be embarrassed, Yvonne, be FLATTERED....really!)

So when we go there to "play", the play doh is out on the table, with some sprinkled on the carpet...the markers are sitting out, the kids eat their ice cream sandwiches while running around with milky white drippings dropping off of their chins on the....(wince) carpet...and Yvonne will say, "Don't worry, it cleans up. They are only kids once!". And her house is clean! No spotless, of course, but lovingly lived in. The toys are out just like at our house, so a stranger would know that kids live there, but it is always picked up and clean. Amazing.

I digress.

So I am trying, really and truly trying, to make this my newest motto.

Here is where I started:
95 degrees
Blazing hot sun
Gage wants Ice Cream (and maybe mommy does too)
No place indoors to get any

Okay!






And to be quite honest, after the use of about 14 wet wipes, it cleaned up pretty good! (Now the stroller seat is another story. That one will need the washing machine!)




(If anyone watches "Jon and Kate plus 8 on TLC they would know that she and I would most likely not get along...
she cries when one of her kids get one drop of ice cream on their clothes. But I guess she DOES have 7 more than me......)

Totally, completely and 100% random!

I have a confession to make:
I pay attention to weird things and sometimes become fascinated by them.
For example: when we were in Cancun this past February, my sister and I were laying out on the beach when 4 European men came down the beach and stopped in front of us, all sporting extremely small Speedos and posing in all sorts of unique and interesting ways for photos.

Katie and I sat in awe, watching them jump up onto one anothers' backs, and practically do flips over one another for one photo shot after another. Trust me when I say, this group of men were not (ahem) at all interested in the beautiful feminine bodies Kate or I possess...(wink wink)
they were just fine with what they had come with.

I was so enthralled in these antics, I got out my camera and pretended to take pictures of the waves, but captured their poses instead:




I have to admit to you that I found myself doing this again while at the park the other day.
I saw a man playing with his son while wearing these:



Was I right to be confused?

Hangin' With the Ladies

So Gage is a ladies man, what can we say?

Over Labor Day weekend, my good friend Yvonne and her husband Brian told me they were heading to Stillwater to Teddy Bear Park to hang out for the day. Since we live quite close to this area now, we thought it would be a great day to meet them. Little did we know it was going to be 95+ degrees out....
but it was still a fun day, nonetheless.

Yesterday, Gage and I headed to the MN Zoo where all the stay-at-home mom's go on Mondays as there are no school trips scheduled for Mondays, and we figured it was one of the very first weeks of school so it would be nice and quiet. We were right! This is one of the many perks to being home during the week days....
we met Yvonne and her girls Gabby and Sophie, and Stacy and her daughter Annika. See below for a picture of these three munchkins about a year ago....as compared to now. I thought it was cute.















Check it out. The first picture is of Gabby, Annika, and Gage in August of 2007. The second one was taken yesterday, one whole year later....look at those chubby baby faces!!!!!

Gassy 'n Sassy

Conversation takes place in the mini-van on the way to meet daddy at church for a community dinner and both mom and dad have meetings on this night. Mom has told Gage that a) they are going to the church, b) to meet daddy, and c) to have dinner (spaghetti).

Gage: "Mama, where going?"
Mom: "We are going to the church"
Gage: "Why?"
Mom: "To see Daddy and eat spaghetti".
Gage: "Mama, I farted"
Mom: "Gage, we don't say that word. We say "toot". Say, 'I tooted. Excuse me'."
Gage: "I farted"
Mom: "Gage Thomas. Say 'tooted' and then 'Excuse Me'."
Gage: "I farted."
Mom: (Ignores last comment)
Gage: "Mama, where going?"
Mom: "Where did I tell you we were going, Gage?"
Gage: "Church. See daddy. Eat saghetti.
I tooted. 'Scuse me."

Summer of Growth

Maybe the changes are only some that a mother could tell, but the first picture was taken in late May of this year, and the last picture was taken just this past Monday.

I think he's only gained 1 lbs, but about 4 inches. I mostly see the changes in his face...

New Season, New Look

I have so much to update on...
but so very little time.

The moments I get to be on my computer without interruption usually consist of doing something related to my jewelry business. Which, I may add, is still continuing to boom. Loving it, loving it...
but it sure keeps me busy.

My grandma O. passed away this past Saturday. She had been in ill health for awhile now, with a failing heart and requiring oxygen. She fell and broke her hip several weeks ago and seemed to decline from there. She was 89 and out of 8 children, and many grandchildren, has only experienced the death of 2 grandchildren and 1 brother. Amazing.
Katie and Johnny were here for the wake and funeral, and they stayed with us again last night so I could get them to the airport. Needless to say, it's been a long "short" week, if that makes any sense at all.

Tim is keeping busy with work and starting to prepare for the fall hunting season. We had to deal with Jazz's injury all summer long, which resulted in two surgery's on his front left paw and now is hopefully healing after several months of dealing with it. Let's just say that the entertainment center we've had our eye on for about a year now was invested in the dog's paw.

I continue to keep busy with the normal things I write about. I am planning on taking a meditation class and a comedy acting class through community education this fall/winter. Just some things on my mental "list" that I would like to do in my lifetime. Should be interesting. I also hope to sign Gage up for swimming lessons, as well as to continue our weekly playdates and being a part of the area mom's group. Gage and I are also planning a trip out to New Jersey in two weeks. We are going to try flying buddy passes through Kate, so not sure of the exact dates and times of our departure. I've started purchasing goodies for a "fun" bag to dig into during the flight. I'm nervous already.

Gage is growing like a weed. I cannot believe the before and after pictures of him this summer. He has grown taller and thinned out...
for being such a chub of a baby (I think I used to call him my "pudgesicle pants??") he is definitely grown into a thin toddler. And toddler he is. He talks up a storm, sasses back with "No, I don't want to", or "No I don't like it" more times than not. He chooses when he wants to eat, and what he wants to eat. (Yes, we make him sit for mealtimes, but that is our most difficult time of the day!!)
He is currently sprouting one faded bruise on the center of his forehead, one bruise on his left cheek and a brand new red scratch on his right cheek. All of these have resulted from falls that follow the word "Supermaaaaaan" and a thud.

He climbs everything, loves to run away from you, and thinks it's even funnier when you start coming after him. He made it down the center aisle of the church during the funeral mass yesterday and thought it was funny. Nobody was laughing.

(Maybe I was inside? It WAS cute).

State Fair '08

Another fun year at the MN state fair. Even though we are no longer "Minnesotan's", we will always attend the fair, as it is MY favorite end-of-summer celebration!

This year, we were able to introduce my sister and brother-in-law Katie and Johnny to the fair, as well as my goddaughter Madalyn who stayed with us for the week previous. We all ate great food, I even went on my very first fair ride (ending in a pounding headache, but it was FUN) and I got my deep fried pickles, which is what I go there for.

Madi getting a "Fair do"

FYI: This DOESN'T stain pillows! Just leaves a little glitter trail....