Boy, that was alot of work!

This weekend we decided to bite the bullet and get the kids a swingset. We knew it was going to be a tedious job, but I had no idea!

We picked up the boxes from Wal-Mart on Friday night. When we got home, we unloaded the 2 boxes to see what we were working with. After reading the reviews (all excellent, by the way) they all suggested the same thing: sort and label all of the wood pieces before you begin. And were we ever glad we took their advice! Starting with wooden part "A" we had wood parts all the way to "AQ"!!! Some letters only had one piece while others had 15. It's funny that the manufacturer didn't label any of the wood, but they did label every individual bag of nuts/bolts/screws/etc. with the description and size.

We called Dad and Carol on Sunday morning to see if they wanted to help. We could not be more grateful that they came right away. After about 8 full hours of assembly, we were complete and Landon was in heaven.

I don't know why we waited so long, but we're sure glad we finally did it!

Here are some pics of our progress:

In the beginning....


Slow and Steady wins the race....


Measure twice and drill once...


Safety First...


Sweet Victory!!! (Finally)

Mom, I'm Sorry...

...for never leaving you alone, in peace, when you were in the bathroom.

Yes, it is happening to me. These days I can't do anything, and I mean anything, without a very inquisitive little detective on my case. Normally it goes a little something like this...

"Mommy, what are you doing in there?"

"I'm going to the potty. I'll be out in a minute."

"Why you taking so long? 'Cuz you're a girl?"

"No, not because I'm a girl. Do you know how long it takes your daddy in here? Everybody has to go potty and sometimes it takes a little longer. I'll be out in a minute."

"Five minutes? And then I can watch a movie?"

"Yes, Landon, I'll be out in five minutes and then you can watch a movie."

"Okay, Mommy! I love you so so much."

Now, I know, that last part makes it all better. This week alone, he waits and helps me get the toilet paper I need and when the door is closed (and locked, mind you) I can see ten little fingers in desperate search of me. Just this morning while we were getting ready and I was putting on my makeup, he asks "Mommy, why you put that stuff all over you?" To which I answer, "Because that's what Mommies do." He agreed and moved on.

So Mom, please accept the most heartfelt apology I can muster. I'm sure you can appreciate those moments now, but I understand how frustrated you were all those years when you "never had anything of your own!"

I love you, Mom! Wholer than the world!

In Other News...

Kylie had her 18 month checkup on Wednesday. She is 23lbs 3oz. and 32" tall. 80th percentile for height and 40th for weight - long and lean! Everything looks good and he is impressed with her language skills. Dr. Hampton has assigned Landon to be her speech therapist, since they tend to learn words better from their peers. Our goel is 200 words/phrases by her 2nd birthday. At this rate, we should have that done next week!

For those who didn't know, at her checkup with the urologist in November, the VUR has completely righted itself. YIPPEE! We will have another ultrasound in December to keep a check on it.

Love and Trickery

Our little boy is a sly one! It appears he has learned to work the system. I knew it would happen, but I want to believe he will always have that innocence.

A little backstory: Landon's class uses a color chart to monitor the kids behavior - purple is excellent, green is good, yellow is not so good, red is a trip to the principal's office and black is "whoa mama"! When Landon is on purple or green he gets to watch a cartoon after dinner, yellow or worse and no movie. For this miniature movie critic, no movie means the end of the world as he knows it. On Wednesday, I got to school a little late to pick them up. Landon was waiting in the office and not his classroom, so I couldn't check his "report card". As soon as he saw me, he proudly proclaimed for everyone to hear that he was on purple. This usually happens about once a week, so I had no reason to doubt him. I gave hugs and kisses and praised him for good behavior. Boy was I wrong!

Fast forward a little to yesterday evening. I got home very shortly before Brian and the kids. When they walked in, Landon ran to me to tell me he was on green. I was so proud and then...dun..dun..DUN!!!! Brian whips out a note from the teacher dated Wednesday's date. On it was a long note telling us about why Landon was on yellow. Needless to say, we had a little mom-to-Landon coversation about lying!!! I hated to do it, but I had to tell him he couldn't watch a movie last night, even though he was on green. He was heartbroken. I was devastated.

It gets better....

Last night after not getting to watch a movie, he fell asleep in our bed. This is nothing new. We move him to his bed when it's time for us to hit the hay and there is usually no problem. About 10:00 last night, he tiptoes into our room and tries to get back in our bed. I immediately took him back and tucked him in. Not 5 minutes later, he was back. I asked him what the problem was and he told me there were spiders in his bed. Well, of course there are spiders! He has Spiderman sheets. He stayed in our bed all night, until dun..dun..DUN!!!! Apparently, the same second that the alarm went off, he shot out of our bed and ran to get in his. This is a second-hand account, because I was still sleeping. I woke up and asked where he went and Brian said he went to his room. This was very strange because he never wants to go to bed on his own. After about 3 minutes in the shower, I figured it out. I got dressed and went to his room to get him up and after he opened his eyes and sat up on his knees, he immediately looked under his pillow. I innocently asked what he was looking for, and he replied that he was looking for his prize. You got it, he thought that if he was in his bed when it was really time for him to wake up, the Sleep Fairy would leave him a treat. WRONG!!

All I gotta say is "I'm onto you brother!"

Grandma's Hands - This is beautiful!

This was emailed to me by my friend Cassie and it was too beautiful not to share...

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK.

She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking,' she said in a clear voice strong.

'I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK,' I explained to her.

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?'

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story: 'Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

'They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

'They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the wor ld that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.'

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

True Love

OK, so I remembered a little something from last week to share.

So you remember I injured my back a little last Sunday. Well, Monday evening I went to bed early enough for Landon to actually tuck ME in. While I was trying to get comfortable, I was oohing and aahing alot and he asked what was wrong. Brian explained that I hurt my back and that I didn't feel good. I could tell he was a little nervous. He didn't want to get near me so I told him that I was gonna be ok and that I just needed a hug and a kwiss. After he gave me some snuggles and tucked me in, he told me that since he wasn't sick anymore and I was , that I could have his sick bucket!

It gets better, if you can imagine...
The next night, I crawled into bed shortly after he had. This was pre-Sleep Fairy. Anyhow, after much moaning and groaning I leaned over to give him a kiss and to tell him "sweet dreams" he rolled over and whispered something that I couldn't make out. I didn't even realize he was awake. I asked him to repeat and I still couldn't get it. I told him to say it louder so that I could hear him and very sweetly he said "I pray you at school". For clarification I asked him if he said that he prayed for me at school. He agreed. Then I asked him if he knew how much I loved him, to which he replied, "wholer than the world".

There are tears in my eyes now, just recounting this story. I never truly realized how much you could love another human being until Landon and Kylie came along. I knew I would love my children but I never knew how much they would change me. I remember sitting in Kylie's room rocking her while she slept. She was only a few months old at the time. My mom came in to check on us and I was crying. She asked what was wrong and I told her that at that very moment I understood how much she loved me and my sister and brother. I think that was one of the most honest, and life-changing, moments of my life.

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and our children, and for our families and friends who, if we didn't have to lean on, I might be in the padded room next to Britney. I feel so very sorry for her, that she doesn't have the same kind of support system. I wish nothing but the best for her and pray that she gets the help she needs to be there for her own children.

The Sleep Fairy is REAL!!

Well, kind of.

First of all...SUCCESS!! Landon has slept in his bed for 2 nights in a row now. I went in to get him up this morning and before I even turned on the lights, I walked past the foot of his bed, dropped his small gift so he didn't see me do it and went to snuggle him awake. He rolled over, opened his eyes and before doing anything else, he said "I need something special". I asked why and he told me that he slept all night in his bed. Lo and behold, the Sleep Fairy left him a little treat (a deck of Frankenstein cards leftover from Halloween). He was so excited and couldn't wait to play games with his friends at school. Now, I need to hit the Target dollar spot and Michaels, too. I can't wait until Kylie is old enough to use this. Hopefully, Landon won't spoil the surprise for her. You know he'll find me out by then, for sure!

Now to the Sleep Fairy being real. I received an anonymous comment on my previous post about the Sleep Fairy, and it turns out that genius parents have been using the Sleep Fairy to help get their kids to sleep faster and all by themselves for years! Who knew? I just thought that I had made her up on a hope and a prayer that he would buy it. Apparently, there are books and CD's and websites dedicated to the Sleep Fairy. I came across alot of information about how to use the Sleep Fairy and some pretty funny parenting tactics, too. Listen to this, some brilliant parent told their kids that boys and girls that don't listen get sent to Listening School. Are you kidding me? I may have to try that one!

Anyone got any other out-there parenting ideas?

Somewhere I read that parenting is basically just BS-ing your way through. So true!

Girls will be girls!

Kylie got her first pedicure this evening and Brian wasn't even mad! That's his little girl, you know.

While Kylie was eating dinner I noticed her toenails needed some trimming. So while she ate, I trimmed her toenails. (You may think this is gross but if you've ever had to get this girl dressed, you'd know that while she's buckled in and distracted with food is the best time to tackle a delicate job such as this.)

After her nails were trimmed and she was finished eating. She got a bath and I started wondering if she'd sit still long enogh to have her toenails painted. Yeah right!

From a distance (and I mean like 10-15 feet) they look great, but up close you'll see how patient she really is. She was so proud of her pretty toes, I had to grab the camera. And before you ask, yes her jammies have dinosaurs on them. Some of Landon's old jammies.

Those feet are so cute!!

Memory loss, chaos and a very long post!

I hate that this once a week posting is becoming a habit. I will try harder, I promise.

Ummm.........*crickets*

I can't even remember what happened last week to even tell you about it. It's one of those things that I'll probably remember at 3am. All I can say for sure is that it was very busy.

Since I have taken on some additional responsibilities at work, we;ve had to adjust our schedule a little. I get up at 5am and try to get myself dressed before the kids get up. Lately, Landon has been coming into our room at Lord knows what time to "check on us". He ends up sleeping in our bed until morning, at which time he is up at 5am with me. This has to stop. He is so grouchy by the time he gets home from school I can't stand it. So our goal is not to get the kids up until 5:45, right about the time that Brian leaves for work. I get the kids dressed and we head downstairs to gather all the necessary items for breakfast and "pony-tale" (to us old folks that's show-and-tell). After all the bags are packed, I get the kids loaded up and we head to school. They usually arrive about 6:20(on a good day) and 6:30. Then I get a few minutes of peace and quiet before I get to work at 7. Brian is usually responsible for picking up the kids from school, unless his boss calls one of his famous 15 minute meetings that start at 5pm!! Just long enough to make Brian late picking up the kids. I try to leave the shop by 4:30 so i can get home and get dinner ready before they get home at 6:15. By that time, it has been a long day for everyone. Kylie is ready to eat the second she walks in the door and just as ready to go night-night after her last bite. So she's in bed by 6:45. Our goal is to have Landon sleeping by 7:30, but anyone that has a 3-year-old can attest to the fact that when they know you are on a time crunch, the more excuses they make.

This week I had what I think is a brilliant bribe idea: the sleep fairy. Similar to the Tooth Fairy she checks to make sure that little boys and girls are sleeping in their beds and if they sleep in their bed all night long, she will leave a little trinket for them to find in the morning. I tried it for the first time last night and it worked!!! I actually had to go in and wake Landon up this morning. It was bliss!! I actually got myself dressed in peace! I woke him up and he was so excited that the Sleep Fairy left him some planet stickers. We'll see if it works again tonight. All I can say for now is that he's asleep, in his bed, by himself and has been that way for about 15 minutes. Only 15 minutes past bedtime! Yay me!!! I know it won't last forever but it's worth a try.