here's come ike...

Here we are again. Another storm. It's the lovely part about living on the coast. The last storm was a bust - it never made it to our area. The last one before that was Rita. It didn't make it to our area either, but everybody freaked out in Houston and tried to leave. Most people ended up spending 18 hours on the road, stalled out with no gas. Can't blame them though - we didn't want to end up like New Orleans after Katrina. They're still trying to recover. This time, we're staying. Bring it on Ike...

Why Sarah Palin was not a good choice...

1. No experience: She's a former beauty queen, former sports broadcaster, and only been Governor of Alaska for two years.

2. Against equality and gay marriage.

3. Believes schools should teach "creationism".

4. Pro-Life. Not everyone deserves or should be able to have children. I see the affects everyday of children who are born to teenagers, drug addicts, abusers, mentally ill, and the mentally slow.

5. Had her ex brother-in-law (who's in the midst of a bitter custody battle with her sister) fired from his job.

6. Supports abstinence only education, BUT her 17 year old daughter is not married and 5 months PREGNANT. Hmmm...

Can you imagine the reaction of Republicans if Obama had a pregnant teenage daughter???

Republicans are trying to bring the Hilary voters over to their side by being "Pro-Woman". Yeah, their pro-woman politics enact ANTI-WOMAN policies.

well...

Well, summer is officially over for Michael and I and I'm sad. Sad to leave Oliver and Lennon. Sad I can't sleep in a bit. Sad for Mazzy. Sad I won't be carpooling with Michael anymore. Sad I don't get paid more to work with 4 year olds. Just sad. The summer went fast and we did NOTHING we said we would do. We said we'd paint the house (3 years and counting). We said we'd buy curtains. We said we'd finish he landscaping in the backyard. We said we'd finish Lennon's room. We said we'd go to Schlitterbahn. We said we'd go to Galveston. I said I'd meet a few friends for lunch. It always seems like you'll have lots of time, but before you know it August is here and school is starting. Life goes by so fast and I really need a pause button most days. Sometimes, it's 9:00 in the evening before I can sit, relax, and reflect. I just more time. More time in the day, more time in the week, more time in the year.

A few things that did happen though: Oliver just recently got the idea of potty training (seriously, he's just started to go potty everyday since this last Sunday - it's a MIRACLE), and Lennon rolled over and started to grab her tiny fat toes. That's something to celebrate.

So, next summer we plan to take a vacation, paint the house, do some landscaping, put curtains up, and have lunch with friends. I have enough time, right?

the endless summer...

Oh how I wish it was. One of the GREAT things about being a teacher: the summer vacation! The bad thing: having to go back to work and not being with my babies all day. Every August I get super sad and wish I could stay home. Oliver and Lennon drive me crazy sometimes, but I LOVE them dearly and love the time we spend together over the summer. Oliver becomes so attached to us and he really resists going to school or elsewhere. Today when Michael left for work, Oliver cried and told him"No work daddy!" Poor guy. Tomorrow I go back, but I am thankful that this year my kids will be watched by my mom and mother-in-law. I thought the older they got, the easier it would be to leave them - NOT TRUE! It's just as hard as the first day we had to leave Oliver in daycare. It broke our hearts and it still does. Guess I need to win the lotto...

three is the magic number...

Happy Birthday Oliver. I love you.

calgon, take me away...

Remember that commercial, long ago (I'm in my EARLY thirties, so maybe it was the 80's or 90's) for Calgon? The one where the woman says at the end, "Calgon, take me away"? Never got it until I became a mother. I was totally there today, except I imagined being taken away with an ice cold Corona on the beach in Mexico. Yum.

I decided to meet my gal pal and her kiddos at the mall today. Crappy day (never ending rain), but I wanted Kale and Oliver to play (they're good buddies) and I needed to visit with another adult other than my hubby. Oliver was even pretending to call Kale last night to discuss all the details. I'm getting ready this morning (I even tried to allow myself some extra time cause I'm ALWAYS late), but Lennon decided that she just couldn't bear to have me put her down and Oliver was taking advantage of that fact that all my attention was going to a crying and screaming baby (seriously, she was crying like she does when she gets shots). I'd pick her up and instantly she'd stop. Then I'd put her down to put mascara on, and there came the tears, crying, screaming, and choking. This went on for 45 minutes. Ugh! Lennon kept getting louder and louder and so did Oliver. Oliver was just running around the room doing everything in his power to annoy me and get in trouble and then run away laughing! I was hitting my boiling point..."THAT'S IT!"

Mike's been working these last two weeks at a rock-n-roll camp and let's just say it's been a challenge to be by myself with two kids. I've been a REAL stay-at-home mom these last two weeks. We're both teachers, so I'm used to him being around to help. I admire and appreciate all of my friends who are stay-at-home moms. I'm one of the few in the gang that's a working mom. It's hard to be a full time working mom (you're always tired and there's always a sense of guilt), but being a stay-at-home mom is just as hard. There's not the typical boss and paperwork, but it's ALWAYS CONSTANT ON-THE-GO. There's never a break, even when they're napping cause then you have housework to do (dishes, laundry, cleaning, blah, blah, blah). Of course, when it rains it pours. Why is it that both kids are hungry at the same time, both kids have poopies at the same time, and both kids are crying at the same time? Ugh!

By being working parents, we're giving Oliver and Lennon things that we didn't have. So I'll work as long as I have to, BUT I'd stay home in a heartbeat if I could. Don't ever under estimate a mom. We ALL work hard. It's the HARDEST job out there, but the MOST rewarding. Kids may drive you crazy, but we moms love EVERY minute of it.

But I'm still looking for a vacation...

baby o

My baby Oliver is turning 3 on Tuesday. I just can't believe how fast it's all gone (I know I say that ALOT, but it's true). Seems like yesterday he was in my tummy and we were calling him "Baby O" and wondering what he'd look like and what he'd be like. Well, he looks just like his Daddy and his personality is a combination of both of us. Oliver is funny, silly, wild, totally boy, gorgeous, hot tempered, independent, stubborn, sassy, smart, organized, a good brother, a performer, and all that we could have wanted in a little boy. I'm amazed everyday how much he has grown. He's a little sponge and he soaks up everything. The things he says, the things he does - it amazes both of us. We fell in love with that boy the first moment we laid eyes on him and we can't remember how life was before. As tired as we are sometimes, we just can't wait to see what the next day will bring us with Oliver. Oliver has brought us peace, love, happiness, frustration, sleepless nights, and TONS of laughs. I can't wait to see what kind of man he'll grown up to be (hopefully just like his daddy), but I also don't what him to grow up. Happy Birthday Oliver. We love you.