lover-boy

I was reading a friend's blog, and she posted some photos of her kid's pet lizards. My first thought was "whoa, she allows lizards in her home?"

And then I remembered a little something from my college days, that had long since been forgotten. A completely buried memory.

When I was at APU, I somehow became the sole guardian of a certain fire-belly frog.

I named him Lover-Boy. He was pretty shnazy, with his bright orange belly.
I think I got him from my sister's friend, Angela?? How can I not remember such crucial things as to who gave me my first frog??? I think all of my real-life memories somehow got knocked out of my brain while I was trying to memorize the Kreb-Cycle and the Electron Transport Chain...

It wasn't until I read a blog, of all things, that my memory was triggered. And though I was a bit squeamish touching Lover-Boy, I gave him a very good home. I faithfully scoured the college campus every other day, with my little jar, searching for live crickets to feed him with. I got some VERY ODD looks and comments when fellow students asked "pray-tell, what on earth are you doing scaling that tree with a jar in your hand?"

And on a rare occasion, when I had access to a car, I would go to the pet store and buy a bunch of crickets. At the time, I thought NOTHING OF IT, storing a bag of live crickets in my dorm room, while my poor roommates shook in terror at all the chirping.

And eventually, when I could no longer care for Lover-Boy, I think I gave him to Jessica's old boyfriend(once again, very sketchy memory here).

How things have changed since then. I used to hunt for crickets for a pet frog, but now run for the hills at the mere mention of getting the boys a pet dog(you know, a normal person's pet). 

So boys, if you read this when you are older, please forgive your mama. She really was more adventurous, once upon a time.

 As much as I love dogs, I just cannot handle the thought of being responsible for one more creature that poops.

our tree

This is what happens when you let your husband and 5-year-old go pick out the Christmas tree.

Meet Mr. Stumpy. Fat all the way to the top, and then, BAM! There's the skinny top.

I really should have gone with them, but John somehow convinced me that it would be easier if just Finn went with him. I had a long day and was too exhausted to argue.

Tonight, I got my second wind, and got out the clipping shears.

I like my trees to be sparse--that way my ornaments aren't awkwardly thrust forward by the wayward branches.

I know what you are probably thinking...I butchered a perfectly serviceable tree. But I am happy with my thinner tree.

Here are some of my ornaments.







 

John let the boys decorate the little tree. 

They pretty much clustered all the ornaments at the bottom, LOL. Here are some of the *survivors* from last year. 

John was so busy videotaping the boys decorating their tree, that I forgot to take photos of them. By the time I realized it, they were all tucked in bed:(

in which i exercised GREAT restraint

I had these little Old Navy infant/baby urban chic items clutched in my hands tonight, while I was supposed to be shopping 6 year old neice's birthday present. But I put them back.

IF (the operative word being IF here), I knew for sure I was having a girl or IF I wasn't on that darn budget, these little numbers would mine. 

in person, this yellow shirt above looks more like a dull mustard yellow. it appears erroneously bright as pictured here.

Paired with some grey cords, she would look just like a mini-Ellie Grover. These were REALLY hard items for me to pass up. You may not even think they are that cute. But I do. And so maybe I need to go back. Someone HELP me. I am hopeless.

away she went...

...in a Little Debbie truck. 

It was particularly amusing to see this truck in my driveway, and so I had to sneak a quick shot of it!

On Saturday, we sold our pool table. The prospective buyer seemed pretty serious over the phone, so John and I scrubbed our house to perfection before he came. 

John even put some cinnamon rolls in the oven. He said that nobody could resist buying our pool table if our house smelled like cinnamon rolls.

When the buyer arrived, he walked into the house, took one look at the pool table, and then said he wanted to buy it.

It must have been the cinnamon rolls, John claimed. I'm not sure how a cinnamon roll would compel one to buy a pool table, but it worked and I am not complaining.

The buyer actually turned out to be an ER doctor I saw when I was pregnant with Ollie. What a small world. I guess that's what happen when you are involved with Craig's List. I even wrote about him here in my Ollie story(you know, the part where they switched the pee samples?). And of course I had to remind him of that fact. It was a very glamorous conversation and I'm not exactly sure why I had to tell him about all that. However, he was the nicest guy and an even nicer doctor. So my pool table has a great home. And I am clueless as to how an ER doctor has access to a Little Debbie's truck.

So, am I jumping for joy that I am finally rid of my pool table?

Not exactly.

Even though I did not love the pool table, it did fill the space nicely. The drums DO NOT fill the space nicely at all. Now, the entire flow of my house has been disrupted and reduced to a bachelor pad. I am not sure how to proceed. I can do one of two things.

1) Work very hard at converting the space to a presentable music room. This will take more time and money than I have at present. In the long run, I think the boys will love this. The drums would finally have a home--I feel like the drums are here to stay and I might as well embrace this fact. In the short run, it will stink because my house looks really bad.

2)Temporarily(or permanently) banish the drums to the corner of the front room. It's not my favorite room anyway, so I don't care if it's disrupted. Then, run down to my fav antique store and buy an inexpensive-but-cute-and-funky-huge-table...and plop it right down where the pool table used to reside. It will be my craft/sewing/scrapping table and the boys can also use it to color and do their crafts. I think the whole family would love it and get great use of it. Pros?The flow of my house returns. Cons? No music room for the boys--the drums will forever look like an afterthought. 

What to do! I know this is a decision I will ultimately have to make on my own. But, if you have any bright ideas, feel free to share!

So long pool table...my laundry table...my craft table! I will miss you. But not for long if I get a craft table.

that time of year

Hm...Can anyone guess what I am doing?





As I type this I am happily listening to my printer whirring and buzzing.

Tis one of my favorite times of year. I told John that my dream for this year what to work on my Christmas cards while sipping hot cocoa, listening to Christmas carols, right next to my Christmas tree. Doesn't that sound grand?

Well, I am not drinking cocoa, we listened to Ramsey and Focus on the Family instead of music and we have no Christmas tree. We currently have NO room in our house for a tree, because Finn's drums are in the way. And all this may be remedied very soon. We have someone very interested in buying the pool table. If all goes well, a crew may be whisking away my pool table at 1 pm tomorrow. And then I can move Finn's drums and buy a tree. Hopefully. 

Strawberry Shortcake

Growing up, Jess and I loved the Strawberry Shortcake dolls. Remember the ones that breathed fruit when you squeezed them? Jess had the Strawberry Shortcake one and I had Lemon Merengue. We also had those cute little plastic dolls too. I remember my Rasberry Tart doll quite vividly. Jess did you have Butter Cup? I have really sketchy and selective childhood memories.

This weekend I had the honor of making this present for a baby shower.

When I ordered this Strawberry Shortcake fabric, I didn't realize it was the same exact stuff Lorie used for some of her projects. But Lorie graciously said it was ok for me to use it:) JOY!!! Thank you, thank you Lorie! I have not made anything this girlie in while.

Like my new hanger?

Thanksgiving '08

We did a lot of traveling this Thanksgiving. And Ollie does not like to travel. 

Ollie cried. 

Ollie cried a lot.

We got to mom's house wednesday night and spent the night with my sister Lindsay. Ollie cried from 2am to 4 am ish??? And then got up before 7.

During the Thanksgiving feast, Ollie cried the first half of the dinner. So there are no photos of the actual dinner, because I was too busy flipping out over the crying boy. But here is a photo of Lindsay's lovely pecan pie for dessert!

Here is the little sour bus. His shirt described him to the tee that day. 

Thankfully, after giving him motrin for his incoming canines, and oatmeal rather than turkey, he was as happy as a clam the rest of our visit.

 

These two were happy with Nemo and Squirt.

Here is the rest of us in attendance! We missed Hayley and Nick and Jess, Steve and girls!









 

Can't forget about Olive. Doing her famous head tilt.

Here is Nathan on the guitar.

If there seems like there is a disproportionate amount of photos of Jamie and I this year...it's because there was a disproportionate amount of photos of Jamie and I this year.

What can I say? We were the only ones interested in playing with the camera.

But the biggest, bestest news came today. Our very own Lindsay got engaged last night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We are thrilled beyond belief. We love Jim very much and think they are just the cutest couple ever. Jim was with his folks for Thanksgiving this year.

Congratulations Lindsay and Jim!