Whaaa!

I feel like a whiny adult most of the time lately.  I'm just disappointed and annoyed by everything it seems like.  I need a serious attitude adjustment, so I went to WERQ (as in "work it" this morning, and it did not disappoint.  That class along with Zumba is just fodder for human oddities.  Here are my observations from that 60 min class.

1. I do not like to get low or shake my moneymaker all that much...especially w/o alcohol to aid me.  Though learning this songs did make me seem hipper the last time I went to a bar.  I was the only person in my group who'd heard at least 3 of the songs played in 1 hour...so old. I still feel stupid after a year of these classes doing this.  For the first time I felt sympathy with the actors on Glee who aren't really dancers.  Also those girls on that Pussy Cat Dolls be in the group show a few years ago.  Choreography just makes you feel silly if you don't know it, and you know you look stupid. 

2. I saw a woman wearing M.C. Hammer/diaper style pants.  I swear to you.  Straight out of 1990, but in capri length.  I wanted to vomit. The instructor kept saying how cute they were, I disagree.

3. The woman who randomly yells, I can only assume what she thinks are encouraging grimace noises during the workout, was there.  I have come to love/hate her.  Thankfully the music was really loud, so I couldn't hear her too much.  She yells things like, "Huh," "Show it to me," "Get it," and other unsolicited nonsense. Maybe when I move back to St. Louis I will try her strategy to see how many friends I make--NOT.

4.  When Adele's song "Rolling in the Deep" came on, and the instructor turned off the lights.  It was eerie with all that estrogen in there while we were stomping to that song.  Then it chilled when it turned into a stretch song.  For a minute it felt like a meeting of man-haters. 

You should treat yourself to some youtube videos of women doing Zumba and WERQ, I guarantee you will feel better.

The Longest day

I think I should just put a sign on C's bed that says "Puke Here" because that's what he does. C has been puking off and on all day.  It started when I went to get him up to get going for the day.  He said good morning, got quiet, and started puking.  Then he puked more in the hallway while I was getting laundry going.  The other times I got him to the bathroom in time. FFWD to lunch time.  He hadn't puked in almost 4 hours, and he'd been holding down a little gatorade and saltines.  So, I asked him if he wanted some applesauce or chicken noodle--b/c he kept asking for food.  When he was finished, I was cleaning up the applesauce, and I hear him go upstairs.  I ask him what he's doing.  He says he's going to lay down.  I ask him lots more questions, which he doesn't answer which means he's probably going to throw up.  By the time I get up there, he's starting the heaves. Then pukes right in the center of his bed and all over himself-a lot.  Now 2 more loads of laundry after the other 2 loads I've already done today plus the gazillion I did yesterday and Tuesday. While I was stripping his bed I told him to stay in the bathtub (just dry, but to contain any more puking). I make it back upstairs, and the bathroom doesn't smell like puke, but poop.  I asked him if he'd pooped his pants--nope.  I'd asked him several times today b/c I kept getting a whiff.  Everytime I checked...nothing.  Well this time, there was something.  He must have had a wet toot earlier and not told me, so back down to the laundry.  I'm officially calling it the flu!

Party Planning

Let's just say I've spent a lot of time on the internet recently, and I've run out of things to look at after a 3rd day stuck at home.  I am trying to come up with ideas for C's upcoming b-day party.  Sure it's 5 months away, but I've got time today.  He really wants a Voltron party.  This theme does not particularly speak to me.  He is determined to have this theme as he's been asking for it since November.  He always dreams of his cake first...no lie.  He has requested a the robot form cake and had the gall to ask for the lion forms for his 5th bday. In no uncertain terms I told him that's not happening. He can have one Voltron party--no more than that.  Everything is going to have to be designed and created b/c there are no stock parties in a bag for Voltron these days.  Though I did just find out they re-released the 5 lions/drivers and the robot.  For $30-$60 each.  The first released one is already sold out.  Wow.  None of those will be his present or part of the decoration.  What type of games do you have..."kill the ro-beast," "train the mice," or "fitness training?" These are really the only things the Voltron force does.  That and a lot of sweating when they are struggling to pilot their lions.  This will be a smaller scale party than last year's b/c chances are he's not going to have a lot of guests and we won't have the backyard space. 

Please, please, please give me ideas.

12 Dates

So, I'm totally stealing this idea from a blog I read at http://katiemohr.blogspot.com/2012/01/date-112.html She came up with 12 suprise dates for 2012 in an effort to purposely date her husband.  Mine are not "surprises" or particularly creative like hers, but I assembled them all together in a little booklet I made at MOPS.  I was going to take a photo, but I've just discovered our camera seems to be broken.  Weird...I just used it yesterday, but now it won't do anything but open the lens. 

Anyway, I gave it to Scott for Valentine's Day.  He can choose any of the dates whenever he likes, he can even plan them since they are fairly vague ideas.  I hope I can come up with more specific ones, but trying to move in the midst of them makes it easier for them to be generic. Some of them are good even to include Colin or not, and others are more "date"-like.My favorite that I have down is a scavenger hunt for yard art.  I can't wait to put that one together.

New Years...a little late...and a link to Joy again!

Because once again I took no photos, I'm linking to Joy's New Year's post.  We had a great time over at her house.  Joy's little girl is absolutely precious, and my C thinks she's pretty cute.  He thinks he's going to marry her one day, but I'm pretty sure he will have to get in line!  They play pretty well together these days, and I know C enjoys her company--and the mamas enjoy each other's company as well.  That's always a win-win!

Here's her post on ringing in the New Year.  http://chandlerpaige.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-years-fun.html

Thanks for hosting us, Joy and Jeremy!

Fun friends

Here are a couple photos I've had floating around from Bree's cell phone that I've never put up, so while I'm thinking about it, I'm playing a little catch up.

These are from Joy's bday in November.  We went out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. 

While on the topic of these fun friends, they have hilarious husbands.  Last week we all got together for Super Bowl at Steph and Bryan's house.  Well it was not your traditional watch the game deal.  We stood around and ate of course, but it was tons of fun for the kids.  Bryan with the help of Bree's hubby, Stan, put together an amazing obstacle course for the kids. There were 5 couples besides me, so there were a lot of kids.  As soon as anyone posts pics, I will nab them b/c I didn't take any photos.  The o.c. was awe-inspiring.  It took up their whole basement...which is huge.  They had 13 obstacles the kids had to complete before finally bursting through a banner with their name on it.  Yes, they had banners for all 9 kids.  Crazy fun.  C wasn't sure at first, but he went after all the other big kids, and before the younger ones. It was so cute.  Bryan is the same dad who mowed into his lawn a race course for the kids to use their ride on toys.  He lit the track with Xmas lights, which was awesome. The kids loved it.  C didn't get to use it much b/c it was his first try with a motorized toy, but he still loved it.  That same night, C and Scott camped out with Bryan and his son, Mason.  C is always asking when he will get to do it again.  I can't say enough about how much fun all of these friends are.  We have fun, kids included and excluded occasionally, when we get together. I really enjoy how when we get together, we often have the kids together as well.  Colin will truly miss these adults and their kids as much as Scott and I.

A little linky love: Moms' Social

I'm linking up with my girl Joy because she wrote a nice post with good photos about our recent social.  It was lots of fun.  I was one of the people that helped organize the event.  I helped with food--the coordinating of the purchasing--not cooking; the centerpieces, data collection for prizes, and putting together prize baskets.  It was soooo much fun.  I am going to really miss all these gals.  I love my friends here.  So if you want to see what 53 moms do to have a night of fun, check out http://chandlerpaige.blogspot.com/2012/02/fun-with-my-marvelous-mamas.html

I love being a part of this group. I have made some great friends within it, but I love the collective group of support as well.  Anytime I have a question about our community, need parenting advice, or really anything, even just a private place to vent, I turn to my moms group.  They really are a marvelous group of mamas!

Move update

We heard back from the bank Friday.  They've presented us with a counter-offer.  It's not what we hoped for, but we don't really have any other options.  We still like it better than anything else available in our price range, so we are going to try to make it work.  We counter-offered with an offer that still nets the bank what they want, but changes closing cost dollars, so hopefully we will hear they accepted it quickly.  I think if everything goes through, and we are happy with inspections, it will be ours by mid-March.  I know Scott, C, and I are already tired of the separation. I am also apprehensive about actually moving.  I can't say I'm super thrilled about the move.  I have such good friends here, I'm not in a hurry to move.  We are going to really miss our friends.  The majority of our close friends in St. Louis have moved away, so it's going to be a lot like moving to a new place.  Here is just so comfortable.  We know what we like to do as a family here.  We didn't have kids when we were in St. Louis. I feel like I have to learn it all over again.  I have to find C a preschool again. If you remember that was an agonizing process last year, and I don't really want to do it again.  I don't know anything about pre-schools there, and I don't have a mom's group to turn to for advice about that area.  There are moms groups there, but there are almost too many to choose from.  I am feeling overwhelmed.  I am sad that C is not going to finish the school year.  He loves his teachers and he loves his friends.  I know we will find another school, and we will make new friends, but here is what's currently comfortable.  I'm going to have to find a new gym, but there don't seem to be any close other than one really pricey one.  When the time comes, I'll do what I have to, and I'll put on a happy face and make it work, but it doesn't make it easy. 

Now we will have to try and make this place a home.

And just so you know, it's a lot more yellow (almost neon) than this appears, and it needs tons of work inside.

early February

Here's what we've been doing so far.  Scott was supposed to be gone Feb 1, but he ended up staying until the 5th to help tie up loose ends at his last job.  He did leave Sunday, and C and I were on our own for the weekdays/nights.  He came back Friday evening. 

Last week C and I hit the CDM with some other Mamas, but I don't get much of a chance to visit at those type of public events since C is kind of everywhere. 

making a pizza, so he can deliver it in the truck...he loves this part at the museum

That same week we visited the library.  We went back the next week at night with Daddy, too, so he could show off for him.

at the library in the reading loft--all by himself.  he's getting so big! i'm down on the floor being obnoxious taking these photos through the rail.

I took C on a date Wednesday night b/c I needed to get out of the house.  We went to Avanti's (a local Italian-ish restaurant...they serve very American Italian food/ sandwiches. He was so tired at first, but he perked up once the food got there.  He ate his applesauce in about 2 minutes, over half a loaf of French bread, all his chicken tenders, and about a third of his spaghetti.  It was insane.

We've spent the whole weekend together with Daddy. Yesterday we went to Carl's for lunch--got his favorite strawberry ice cream.

I think we have a lot of photos that look like this.

Then we hit the chocolate store in town for some gifts (and samples)!  Then we stopped by our favorite bakery for cookies. That's about all they had left at 1:30 in the afternoon...pastries were virtually all gone.

Daddy heads back to St. Louis this evening, but we will be joining him early for a little Xmas time with my family.  C is thrilled to see his cousins.  He hasn't seen one of them in over a year and the other in 7 or 8 months.

Tomorrow is C's Valentine's party at school.  I did his Valentine's early.  They aren't anything amazing.  My capacity for creativity is at an all-time low.