We're OFF...

to see the wizard! the wonderful wizard of, er, um...consumerism? We're skipping MOPS tomorrow and heading out the the mall, y'all, to see the Big Guy and get a picture. Gotta do it. It's in the mommy handbook. Gotta do it tomorrow because I'm not working and grandma can help keep the kids corralled. They be wild chillins at times!

Trey's first exposure to Santa was at 5 weeks old. How stinkin' cute is that?! We've gone every year but last year. I got an 'F' on the mommy report card, I'm sad to say, in 2004. I wasn't sure how Leah would react to the guy with all that fluffy stuff on his face so we skipped it. Leah hasn't shown any fear toward the Chick-fil-a cow, strangers or a camera lens, so I think we're good. The Chick-fil-a cow is way scarier than Santa. Besides, Santa has candy. That, and my daughter is a camera slut. Just pop one out and she'll drop whatever she's doing to pose for you. It's purely from the paternal side. Seriously.

I asked Trey who Santa was since we really haven't pushed the whole Santa issue. We didn't want to deliberately steer him toward that whole idea but if he picked up on it on his own that was fine. To him at this point in time, Santa is the guy who hands out candy canes at the mall. Works for me. Trey's way more excited about Jesus' birthday than some big guy falling down our chimney. I'm going to hold onto that for as long as I can.

Thinking...

I can't decide if I want to post my before and after pictures of the big Christmas set up. Are you willing to play along? I'll come visit your home and the massive decorating and maybe that will motivate me to post mine. Be sure to leave me your link in my comments...that means all of youse guys who come see me every day and don't say anything ;)

Traditioooooon, tradition!

This week marks the beginning of the Christmas season in our household. My husband is the child of a school teacher so they always put up the decorations the day after Thanksgiving, since that's the day dad was always guaranteed a four day weekend. I've been ready to decorate for a month. I would have been sick of it by now, but I can't wait. I banish everyone for at least a 50 foot radius, pop in the Home Alone DVD and bring in the red and green boxes from the garage. Yeah, it's probably not very nice that I don't let anyone help me decorate but honestly, Trey is much happier outside with his daddy while Bill puts lights on the house. I'd like to savor the control that I have for just one more year. The only problem is this: it's been 80 degrees this week. It's kinda hard to get in the Christmas decorating mood when you feel the need to prance through the sprinklers and your kid is asking for popsicles. Bah Humbug.

Trey hasn't grasped the concept of time just yet. He knows the days of the week but doesn't quite get it yet. He knows we're going to Nathan's house for Turkey Day. How many times do you think he's asked me if we're going to Nathan's today?

"Are we going?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It's not Thursday."
"When it's Thursday, we could go?"
"Yes."

2 minutes later...
"Hey mommy?"
"Yeah, Trey."
"Are we going to Nathan's now?"
"No."
"Whyyyyyyy????" Incessant crying here.

Ugh. Seriously, the kid has asked me at least a dozen times since 3pm today.

In the wise words of Mr. Lunt, "You jest doooon't git it."

So what are you doing this Thanksgiving weekend?

Punctuation

After two years and two months, I have joined the normal, functioning female human race. Can't say it's great to be back. At least I know why I've been so flippin tired lately. Sheesh! Now that the honeymoon is over, dd needs to stop her addiction of baby Starbucks aka yummy scrumptious mommy milk and let me stand up on two legs again and quit bein a cow.

Moo.

Darn it. I really haven't missed this.

Bad Blogger, BAD!!

I've been extremely neglectful of my previous ability to share with the world the goings on in Jennieland. It was a lot easier to do so whilst I was by myself. Now that I have my hubby home, there's always a reason to NOT be on the computer. I need to soak up every minute since he's currently scheduled to leave again next summer for a six month deployment to Okinawa, Japan. Man, it sucks but I'd rather he be there than in Iraq for the third time.

We've had a week with the Ohio people, aka Bill's family. His sister decided to lie to us and tell us that she was NOT coming out and then decided to show up on our doorstep like a lost puppy. Now we're one big, huge, giant family driving around in a minivan and having to compare schedules and shoving the kids off to the grandparents so we can go about our busy schedule. I wonder how much longer they are going to lie to themselves before they just get to it and move their little tushies out here.

Today is the big prep day for the weekend. There is cleaning, laundry, packing, shopping and a manicure needing to be done before we depart for Las Vegas tomorrow morning. Wouldn'tchaknowit...I'm sporting a cold flown all the way from Ohio and gracefully shared with me. Bah Humbug. Gotta remember to pack the Sudafed. Otherwise my head will explode when we drive through the Cajon pass on our way to Nevada. (If you clicked on that link, you'll see that the roadway was created by and earthquake!!) Man, I've been on that road countless times and never knew that!! Bill's parents are going to stay here and be eaten alive by entertain, love and nurture our children while we pretend we remember what it's like to be a couple without little bodies trying to squeeze in between us whenever we steal a hug. I get to dress up! And smell good! And no one will slobber or wipe their nose on me! And when I do my hair, it will stay that way! And I don't have to hide a spare pacifier in my purse! I have an awesome top to wear with my very cute jeans for our night on the town, a chunky sweater to wear while we're hitting the outlet stores and I will be wearing a dress for the first time in over two years. Not because I'm not a dress girl, but it's kind of hard to nurse when you have to lift your entire dress up to your collar bone. Most people wouldn't be very understanding of that whole situation. I'm hoping this trip will end my daughter's ongoing need to be attached to me. Please God!! On the plus side, I'll be very voluptuous in my dress by the end of the day which is not a term commonly used for someone who is 5'11" and 140 lbs. There you have it, internet. My weight officially posted for the world to see.

And THAT my friends, is how I'll be celebrating Veteran's Day. Happy 230 years, Marines.

Time...time!! Who's got the time??!!

Halloween pictures aren't even uploaded yet. I haven't called back one of my best friends and it's overdue about two weeks (at least). I'm overdue for an eye appointment by two years. There are blogs I should have commented on or responded to, and I haven't. I need a few more hours in the day, please.

Bill's three week leave period has come to an end. We did nothing significant. Not one thing. I worked. I did the MOPS thing including leading the devotional yesterday. I've gone to my women's Bible study. Trey went to school. We started choir practice for the Hanging of the Greens program in December. We've started an artists' Bible study. Bill has a race he's running with a buddy tomorrow morning that he's been training for. Trey started speech therapy today. Too much going on.

Bill's parents fly in tomorrow morning and are here for about ten days to really sink their teeth into their grandchildren. Bill and I will both be working and doing our thang while Trey is in school, so really, they'll only get to sink their teeth into Leah. She's a sly one, that girl. Just when you think she's oozing with cuteness, she'll turn on you and scratch your face off. She's dangerous.

Bill and I and the future inlaws to our son are going to see Jarhead on Sunday. When we saw the previews at the theater a month or so ago we knew we had to see it. We're dragging our friends to it since we're also dragging them to the annual Marine Corps Birthday ball over Labor Day Veteran's Day weekend and they are military virgins. This, at least, will help them to see where Bill's coming from. Yessiree...busy life, inlaws visit, movie date and then Vegas, baby. This will be my tenth Marine Corps ball. It's like prom, but for adults and with legal alcohol. This will be my second one in Vegas. We've gone to one on the Queen Mary in Longbeach, Laughlin, Midieval Times, and a few other local spots but we are going to Sin City and bringing people with us!! Our mode of transportation for the six hour drive? A minivan. How parental is that? Hey, it has more room than our SUV and they have a DVD player and there will be no Dora or Baby Einstein playing.

And on a completely different tangent, Trey's first day of speech therapy revealed that he's at the equivalency of a six year old. Whodathunkit? I think he's behind and he's actually two years ahead. Well, slap me silly and call me crazy!