Christmas Morning

Santa Claus is coming to town!

On Thanksgiving Day, Daniel’s Granny gave Daniel an adorable Santa Claus music box. Although Joe and I had taken Daniel to see Santa Claus on his first Christmas (which he obviously doesn’t remember), we had not really discussed much about Santa Claus yet this year with Daniel. But being the teachers we are, we viewed the gift as a “teachable moment” (gotta love the teacher terminology, but what else would you expect from not one, but TWO teachers?!?). We taught him that the music box was a figure of Santa Claus and that on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus would come visit our house and bring him toys and goodies.

Upon returning home that evening, we placed the music box on the mantel so that Daniel would not be able to reach it without our supervision (it is porcelain). However, that particular evening, the music box didn’t spend much time on the mantel, as Daniel was constantly pointing up to the mantel saying, ‘un clau’(his version of ‘Santa Claus’). He loved opening the music box and hearing the music while watching the little figurines in the belly of Santa Claus dancing around the Christmas tree.

Since that day, there have been tons of opportunities for Daniel to see and hear about Santa Claus. And being the observant little boy he is, Daniel has taken every opportunity to let us know when he has spotted ‘un clau’. Today, we felt the time was right for Daniel to meet once again with Santa Claus since he has shown such a fascination with everything Santa Claus-related. This afternoon, Joe and I took Daniel to a Christmas party hosted by the realty group with which we worked to purchase our home. At the party, we waited in line to have Daniel sit upon Santa’s lap to tell Santa what is on his Christmas list. As we waited in line, we pointed out Santa to Daniel and tried to make Daniel as comfortable with the environment so that when his time with Santa arrived, Daniel would be as at-ease and receptive as possible. Finally, it was Daniel’s turn to visit with Santa. I placed Daniel onto Santa’s lap, and Daniel immediately began laughing/crying very nervously. His reaction to Santa was quite similar to the girls you see in the footage from the old Beatles performances who are laughing and crying in nervousness and delight. I told Daniel to tell Santa what he wanted, a ‘melmo’ (Elmo), and directly after saying this, Daniel was reaching for me. I picked him up off of Santa’s lap, and still laughing/crying, Daniel meekly said ‘thank you’ three times in a row to Santa. It was so cute! Here are some pics from today’s visit with Saint Nicholas.

Post-Bath Frolicking

As he is always in search of a new adventure, there is never a dull moment in Daniel's world.

Blast from the Past

So, I arrived home today to find a package on my doorstep. Upon opening the package, I realized that Santa must have started delivering some of his goodies early this year. Inside the box was the most adorable little bus that instantly brought me back to my own childhood. Yes, Santa was perusing ebay last week for the Little People Bus that "he"remembered playing with when "he" was little. After finding that exact model at a reasonable "buy now" price, Santa excitedly ordered the bus. And I'm ever-so-pleased that it arrived so quickly to my home, considering that Santa just ordered it at the end of last week.

So, here it is--a little retro Little People Bus made in 1969 (and Daniel is going to be so thrilled on Christmas morning to zoom it around all across the floor of the house!).

BTW--Although this bus was created in 1969, Santa is NOT that old...Santa was born in 1978, really.

The Sweetest Cutest Lion I Ever Did See

Crazy Weather!

Here in NC, the weather has been from one extreme to the other. Last week, we had our air conditioning on because of the warmer temperatures and humidity. Fast forward to yesterday when a cold front pushed through the area bringing a sharp drop in temperatures...and this week, it appears that we are in for some bone-chilling cold weather. Last night, the cold front also brought rain and strong winds which made for a yucky cold night.
Luckily, Joe, Daniel, and I spent a good portion of Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening getting yardwork done while the temperature was more moderate in nature. We even put out a couple of fall decorations. Here is a picture of Joe and Daniel getting ready to light the jack-o-lantern outside on our front porch this evening.
Hope this message finds you staying warm and comfy in this fall season!

Is this comfortable?

Today, Daniel was napping, and I decided to snap some pictures of his peaceful slumber. For the life of me, I cannot imagine how sleeping in this position would be comfortable. But night after night and nap after nap, this is how Daniel sleeps. Weird.

Here is the center of my universe...

Guilty Pleasures

Only for you, my blogging audience, would I admit to actually liking the following things:

--The Delilah radio show (yep, very sappy, indeed)
--Adult Contemporary Christmas Music (none of those traditional carols for me, thank you)
--QVC (I'm REALLY trying to quit, but it just keeps sucking me in)
--Ketchup on steak (and it doesn't matter the quality of steak--I must have ketchup)
--Lifetime movies (the ultimate of sappiness, but who doesn't appreciate mindless entertainment from time to time?)
--Anthony Bourdain (Why am I obsessed with this man? He is absolutely fascinating, I cannot tell a lie)
--Russian Rock (I had to throw this one in. Ever since Joe came back from Russia, I've been hooked on music that I haven't the slightest clue as to what they are singing. But, nevertheless, it rocks.)

If You're Happy and You Know it...

Missing my time as a SAHM

Daniel was absolutely wild today. He is usually pretty wide open, but tonight, Daniel was wide open times 10. I suppose that even though we tried to keep him on the move, we just cannot replace the companionship that his daycare friends provide him. We all have had a lovely day off, but I truly think that Daniel is ready to get back to his routine and his friends.

I cannot say I'm ready to get back to work just yet. After having extended breaks with Daniel, I always start getting nostalgic for my maternity leave and wishing that I could be a stay-at-home mom once again. I know that if I was able to stay-at-home, I would miss my students and probably my independence, but I cannot help but wonder what life would be like if I didn't have to work. I know that tomorrow will be tough when I have to leave Daniel, and I know that there will be times during the day when I will be watching the clock not knowing how I am going to make it through the day without Daniel...such is the life of a WOHM. I know that I should be thankful to have a job so that I can support my son without outside assistance.

Why can't I just be happy with things as they are? Why can't I ever be satisfied living my current reality? Why is the grass always greener on the other side?

Here is the product of procrastination

All day, I have been procrastinating washing and folding laundry. This evening proved to be the height of my procrastination. I found a website that allows users to create virtual makeovers. I asked Joe if he might pose for a picture that I could use to attempt a virtual makeover, and he obliged (bless his heart, he seriously needs an award for allowing me to do this AND to post it on my blog). Above are the results. Do you like????

What a busy day!

Daniel was supposed to be participating in the
graduation ceremonies, but he was too busy
pointing at us because he wanted to go play on
the playground instead.

So, Daniel got to go play with his best friend.

The musical entertainment at the graduation
with a graduate.

Relaxing in the pool with Dad

He learned this move in the bathtub (splashing,
that is).

Daniel had so many appearances to make today! First, he was a participant/attendant at the annual graduation at his daycare. Daniel had a great time playing at one of the daycare's playground areas with his best friend Nicholas. Later today, Daniel attended a cookout and pool party hosted by some local teacher friends of ours. This was the first time that Daniel has been swimming in a real pool, and he LOVED it. We had such a nice time watching our little boy laugh and play all day.

Finally, I've decided to blog again.

Random squirrel in the nature reserve that
is our backyard (LOL) eating Daniel's leftover
graham cracker snack


The latest picture of le petit prince.

At the end of July, I was in a serious funk. I stopped blogging because, frankly, I questioned who would be interested in the mundane that was my existence. I mean, who really wants to read about me having headaches and feeling the crap-funk 24-7??? Nobody! So, I decided that I should step back and reevaluate my life (hum?) and, in the process, my blogging.

Since that time, I have started back to school. Even though being a teacher makes me crazy-tired and just plain worn-out, it is the most therapeutic cure for breaking out of the rut that had become my routine (or lack thereof). I also have figured out the pattern of my summertime vacation. I always look forward to the summer break with great anticipation, but without fail, as the summer progresses on towards fall, I literally crave the structure and routine that is found within my job and my school. So, even though I know that there will be plenty of times this school year when I will have massive amounts of work piling up with no end in sight and I will definitely feel like I am losing my mind, I know that this kind of thing works to keep me feeling balanced, and I am thankful that I have that opportunity. Kinda crazy, huh?

To accompany this blog entry, I am including two unrelated pictures for no particular reason.

Happiness is...

iced tea--sweet tea, preferably, but being health-conscious here, unsweet tea will suffice as well. I just can't imagine a more perfect drink. My absolute favorite tea is from McAlister's Deli. The picture above shows my beloved tea in all its glory, just as it is presented to me each time I frequent this restaurant (sans lemon...not too big of a fan of the whole lemon-in-the-tea deal). It is brewed to perfection--not too bitter, but definitely not bland or watery. The best thing about their tea is the fact that it is not only sold by the glass but also by the gallon. What good Southern girl could pass that up? Oh, and Liz, when you come to visit me one day, we're making a b-line to McAlister's for a tall glass of sweet tea. I promise that you'll be hooked!

Visiting With My West Coast Peeps

This afternoon, Daniel and I went to my hometown in NC to visit with my Aunt Caroline and Uncle Robert from Arizona and my first cousin Matt from Oregon. They are staying overnight with my grandma, so we had a mini family reunion while they are in the area. Daniel kept everyone busy and entertained, and of course, I had to get a picture of the West Coasters with Daniel before heading back home.

Who Hasn't Had This Kind Of Week Before???

This is what I found on the floor of our house today. Apparently, Daniel was dragging this bunny around the house by its ears but tired of it and just left the bunny in this position in the middle of the floor.

Poor little bunny, so defeated and so spent...it was definitely that kind of week in this household. What a relief that today begins a new week and a new start. I hope that all of us who can relate to this particular bunny find some solace in the promise of a new week.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

July 2007



July 2008

I was looking at my friend Kristin's blog, and I got the idea to compare pictures of Daniel from last year at this time to those of this year. I found these pictures of Daniel from last year in July, and I couldn't believe the difference that a year has made. Where has my little baby gone???

How does your garden grow?

Here is our garden...and we just started it at the end of June. I am ever-so-proud. I can't wait to have some homegrown tomatoes. Oh, and that picture of the fruit that is being produced by the plant that volunteered--I think that it is a pumpkin! We'll do our pumpkin-pickin' in the backyard this fall since we have our own small-scale pumpkin patch.

The Crap-Funk Hits Home

Daniel was in a crazy funk yesterday...the proof's above.

The Evening Bath

Embarking on a Gardening Journey

On Saturday morning, Joe and I were watching the Early Show, and we saw this segment. I had thought that it was too late to start a garden, but I must have been wrong. The expert on the segment emphasized the fact that a garden could still produce a nice harvest even this late in the game, especially gardens in warmer climates like those found in the South. Joe and I decided to jump right on it and checked out this website (maintained by my favorite Lovely) and this website (recommended by the same Lovely) to get started. Yesterday, we worked together the best we could with an almost 18 month-old to create the garden that you see above.

We also have this random plant (see above picture) that has volunteered in our compost pile. Any guess as to what it might be? I also have included a picture of what seems to be growing on this plant. My guess is that this is a watermelon plant (or, at least, that is what I am hoping for).

And finally, for good measure, I have included some pictures of my hottie husband Joe and our dogs Patsy and Susie before going on a run this morning. NOTE: Please ignore the yucky green wall behind my husband...that is our next project--pressure-washing the vinyl siding.