New Year's Q&A

I borrowed this list of questions from another blog. At first I thought about not doing it, but the questions do make you think. It seems like earlier this year was ages ago when I was trying to dig deep for some thoughts.

When you're done go and check out All & Sundry. She's an amazing lady and I am inspired by her posts. I don't personally know her, but she seems pretty cool. And being a fellow runner with two boys - we have a few things in common. Plus she lives in the Northwest, where we'd like to check out the lifestyle one day.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Ran a 10K and a 15K race. Went to a horse race and placed a couple of losing bets. First son turned 4 and second son turned 2. Hosted a kid birthday party at my house. Wore running tights. Had a root canal and got a crown.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?



I don't remember having a resolution last year and I don't want to force one. Here are a few ideas that I've been throwing around for a while that I will put in print.
• Run a half marathon
• Incorporate more whole foods into our diet, and less processed junk
• Try to have a garden with more than just a tomato plant

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?



My baby sister had her first child, a sweet little girl named Blythe.

4. Did anyone close to you die?



No.

5. What countries did you visit?



Nothing outside the US - I need to renew my passport just in case 2010 has something in store.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More time outside doing whatever - running, playing, hiking.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?



July 12 - running the Boilermaker and Dec 21 - texting with my sister while she was in early labor.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?



Obviously running distances I'd never thought I could do. I was able to that because I was getting up before sunrise to run around my neighborhood. And I have never ever been a morning person.

9. What was your biggest failure?



Forgetting to mail thank you notes and birthday cards to people.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

My usual tonsilitis viral thing a few times and my knee was out of alignment for a few weeks.

11. What was the best thing you bought?



New couch and chair with ottoman.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?



I can't really think of anyone, especially not a celebrity. I'll give credit to my 2 year old for learning that being a good boy does not include biting his friends.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?



Tiger Woods, Michael Jackson's family, and the Balloon Boy's parents.

14. Where did most of your money go?



Daycare, daycare, daycare, and groceries.

15. What did you get really excited about?

Going to Atlanta to see family. Having a great manager who appreciates my work and actually knows what I do all day.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?



Not sure, probably a song from Phineas & Ferb.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


– happier or sadder? Happier, at least today.
– thinner or fatter? The same but more fit.


– richer or poorer? The same, I think.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?



Slowed down and paid more attention to everything around me.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?



Been in such a hurry to put kids to bed.

20. How did you spend Christmas?



At home and then to my mom's house.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?



I am in love with my boys more every day. But in regards to a new love it would have to be the gyros with fresh tsatsiki sauce in the caf at work.

22. What was your favorite TV program?



Royal Pains. I can't believe I have to wait until next summer for a new season.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?



No.

24. What was the best book you read?

I can't remember all the books I read this year. Currently I'm reading David Sedaris's "When You Are Engulfed in Flames". It's neat when he references where he grew up - because it's where I live now.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?


Nothing new, just the same old stuff.

26. What did you want and get?



Happy and healthy kids, on most days.

27. What did you want and not get?



A winning lottery ticket.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don't get to the movies very often. I did see "Run, Fat Boy, Run" this year and I liked it a lot more than other movies I saw this year. So that counts.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

The day before my birthday there was cake for two other co-workers. I said "hey, my birthday is tomorrow, can we have that cake again?" They thought I was joking. The boys gave me some games for the Nintendo DS (that I gave myself). I turned 32.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?



Not having to work as much. Going to the beach and showing the boys how to make sand castles.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?



Trousers and heels for work, jeans and sneakers for home.

32. What kept you sane?



Running, coffee, and happy kids.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Anthony Bourdain, maybe. Simon Baker is pretty fantastic, too.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?



There's been some local stuff like the school board and the governor with their internal corruption issues. Even on that level they have a ridiculous sense of entitlement and power.

35. Who did you miss?



My dad.

36. Who was the best new person you met?



I can't think of anyone that was new this year that was the "best".

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.



People won't change, even when they say they're going to.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.



Keep on truckin.

2009 Close Out

A lot has happened in 2009. I would like to think you have all been reading along but just in case, here's a quick recap.
I ran 5K, 10K, and 15K races and managed to be successful at my job and impress people. We held our first kid birthday party at our house. Nicholas turned 4, Travis turned 2. I turned 28 again. And Adrian turned 37. Adrian attended a couple IT conferences, presented at one, and assisted at another. His lacrosse leagues, camp, and Stick It To Cancer tournaments were all successful. Nicholas is talking about kindergarten and shaving. Travis is starting to master talking in general. We traveled by car and went through North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, and Georgia to visit various family members and friends.



And this is the newest family member of 2009. My niece, Blythe Caroline, was born on December 22. She was in a big hurry to get here and thankfully my sister and brother-in-law made it to the hospital in time. They were released from the hospital and spent their first night at home on Christmas Eve. Now that's an awesome Christmas gift. She is a sweetheart and I can't wait to spend a lot of time with her and spoil her with lots of pink stuff.

We're Still Here

December has been kicking our tails. It snuck up on us real fast. My mind was running like crazy with things to finish, people to see. And the boys were going bonkers with all the excitement.

But we've managed to pull it together just in time. I learned that it's difficult for two boys to stand still and look happy at the same time. Some sort of photo montage was made through Snapfish and holiday cards were sent out with time to spare. Next year I'll try to collect some good photos of our trips and stuff and maybe I'll amaze you with a much better card next year.

I made several secret shopping trips to satisfy people's wish lists. Thank goodness no one ever broke into my car. My trunk was loaded with goodies for kids and grown ups. All presents are wrapped and under the tree - or hiding in a secret location for those who actually live here.
The boys' school had a teachers party one night. They rented normal size tables and chairs so I know they felt it was a very special occasion. My contribution was home made sugar cookies. The task of decorating got a little boring. I sampled a few just to be sure they were good enough. And we saved even more to keep for ourselves.

A new play place has been found in the house. I grew up playing in the basement, ours was huge. We had crazy cars, bouncy things, and lots of camel crickets. Now my kids can play in the garage. There's enough room for short laps with a bike and a tricycle. Nicholas uses the skateboard like a luge. And they throw balls all over. Travis even turns on the radio and dances his heart out. Then Adrian and I sit in the family room watching grown up shows. So relaxing.

I decided to lace up my running shoes again. I took a short hiatus and played chicken for a while. It's too cold and dark outside, I kept saying to myself. Then I woman-ed up (as opposed to manning up) and got some running tights and a cold gear shirt. Hey, it's dark, no one can see me in my running tights. Although I did get a honk the other morning from a work crew, so maybe I am not totally invisible. And you know what, it's really not that cold once you have the right amount of layers and get moving. I signed up for the Resolution 5K on New Year's Day. And I have the Tobacco Trail half-marathon in my sights for the end of March. I should be in good shape for Boilermaker again. It feels good to have the running bug back again.

My First Reading

Warm up a chilly December night with some warm poetry. A trio of poets presents: Cherryl Floyd-Miller with EXQUISITE HEATS; Rhett Trull with THE REAL WARNINGS; and Cecilia Woloch, CARPATHIA. - from the local bookstore's website.
I grew up with Rhett Iseman Trull. She was always wicked smart and scored A's with such ease.
After high school I didn't stay in touch with much of anyone. Then along came Facebook and I've become "friends" again with a few people.
Rhett published her first poetry book this fall and has been doing readings in our hometown area. I told myself if she ever came to Raleigh I must go.
And tonight she did come. I had never gone to a poetry reading before. Is it like that scene in "So I Married an Axe-Murderer" with the dark backdrop, spotlight, and giant cups of coffee?
I've never been a big fan of poetry. I get lost in all the imagery the author seems to force out there and sometimes I don't get the point or hidden message.
Each of the poets I heard tonight had their own style. And it was good to hear the backstory to a poem.
I really enjoyed it. I think I'd like to have people read their poetry to me more often. To hear it in their voice with the emphasis and tone in all the intended places.

Christmas Cards Round 1

I tried to take some photos last weekend at my mom's house to use in our Christmas card this year. I gave them a bath and dressed them in clean clothes. I'm going to have to keep at it, I think.

Unless you really want to see Travis with a nice thick snot trail.

And Nicholas very seriously pumping the air gun - which he only gets to play with at her house.

Thankful Things

• I am feeling much better today. It gradually creeped in Monday and Tuesday. And then Wednesday and Thursday I was down for the count. I worked from home to spare my co-workers and recover from the comfort of my couch in my sweatpants.
• Learning again why I should stick to my magical three-fold plan to keep from getting sick. Sleeping well, exercise, and eating properly. I've been paying closer attention to my body this year and have learned that as soon as one piece slips out of place, it's over.
  
• Spending turkey day with a good friend and our little family, lots of good food and laughs.
• Thanksgiving Saturday in Winston-Salem with 47 family members and a boat load of good food. It's so refreshing to catch up with people you haven't seen in a while. And hearing about my oldest niece and nephew making college plans. I used to change their diapers!!
• Stopping at Dewey's Bakery. I got to in alone (it's a small shop) and look over all the delicious pastries and baked goods. I felt it was my duty to introduce relocated New Englanders, i.e. my co-workers, to Moravian cookies. Of course they loved them and want more.
  
• Being at my mom's house with my little sister, Morgan. After her husband left with their dog to visit a friend and Adrian took the boys back home, we kicked back with a gallon of milk and watched Scrubs. So relaxing, almost like the good old days of our youth. We really have to do it more often.
• Going to Morgan's baby shower. A lot of fun making pages for her baby scrapbook. Everyone decorated their own and signed it. She's going to love looking back at the pages. Oh, and I totally won the word scramble game. Watching my baby sister cook up a baby in her belly is still surreal to me. I have to remind myself that she is old enough to do this. But I'll still make myself available if she needs help.
  
• Coming home on Sunday night and the tree was up with the lights on. It always makes the family room feel warm and comforting.
  

Please Don't Go

November, you can't leave yet. I'm not ready. I've only got the spirit for holiday music. I don't have the desire to think of gift ideas and go shopping. And I haven't taken a good picture of the boys for the Christmas cards. Plus a germ has invaded me and is threatening to take over.

Thanksgiving 2009

There are so many things to be thankful for. Like waking up before 7 am to watch Handy Manny. And then Adrian finds a place that's open. Like Starbucks. We lounged around the family room to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We played a few games on the Wii in which I beat Adrian's top scores on the ski jump and the hula hoop. And I've played enough on WiiFit to earn more games that no one else has, so I totally own the top scores on those too. But I'm not competitive, really.
We got some things done around the house sporadically. The downstairs bathroom which I'm sure had major health code violations was scrubbed down. A couple of loads of laundry passed through. Video game systems were rearranged. And most importantly, some cooking took place.

Nicholas loves to rough house with Uncle Jared. Travis wants no part in the activity. I am still fascinated by the wayward Yankees and their tendencies to wear shorts year-round.

We really love some carbs up in here. This is dinner after everyone made their first pass. The leftovers are going to be awesome. I'm looking forward to reheating that macaroni and cheese.

And here is dessert. Jared really likes to bake. He brought enough cookies and brownies for an army. And there is my pumpkin tart - recipe courtesy of the 5 ingredient lady on FoodNetwork. There's an itty bitty apple pie from Whole Foods.
So now that I'm totally carb loaded and won't need to eat for a long, long time. I need a nap. Tomorrow I should probably go for a good run in an effort to burn off of some of this. The average Thanksgiving meal is 3000 calories!

Thanksgiving Eve

I took Travis for his hearing test with an audiologist. There is fluid in his right ear that keeps his ear drum from vibrating. He did pass the hearing test just fine. At his age they don't do the headphones but he could still tell which side of the booth the noise was coming from. The fluid in his ear could be from his current cold, or it could always be there. We are scheduled to go back in a month to see if the fluid has cleared up and go from there.
It was a work day for me so I had to put some hours in working from home. Adrian did his best at keeping the boys occupied. He took Nicholas to Target and Snoopy's (the local hot dog stand). They took pictures of Christmas ideas to email to Santa later. ;) Travis is pretty mellow on his own so it wasn't bad having him while I worked.
After I logged off the computer we drove to Cary to pick up Thanksgiving dinner. We were so impressed with our Whole Foods meal last year that we decided to do it again. We have 4 pounds of turkey breast and all the sides: sweet potatoes, homestyle potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, and apple pie. I feel that I have to make something of my own for it to be a real Thanksgiving meal. I am making stuffing, crescent rolls, and a pumpkin tart. And don't forget we have vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Any pie or tart would be incomplete otherwise.
We invited our good friend Jared to join us for Thanksgiving so that he is not spending the day bachelor style. And he will help make sure that we have very little leftovers.

That Powder Fresh Feeling

We had plans for Saturday, big ones. Adrian was going to take Nicholas to Home Depot, get hot dogs from the vendor outside, and then do some work around the house. I was going to take Travis to Target and Trader Joe's. Some one-on-one bonding time. Love it.
I was upstairs taking a shower and getting ready. Adrian was down in the family room watching grown up TV. This left the boys without close supervision. This is their house too and everything is safe and kid friendly. What harm could there be?
I heard a few noisy runs up the stairs, not unusual. They often "urgently need" a toy from their playroom or Nicholas is in a super hurry to get to the bathroom.
I came downstairs to see if Travis was almost ready to go. Travis had a small bottle of baby powder upside down in his gumball machine toy. And the big bottle of baby powder in his hand. I couldn't even take it all in. There was a powdery fog clouding my view.
I sent them downstairs straight away. They were disrobed and put it in their chairs.
Carpet, upholstery, curtains, window sills, all tables and chairs, TV, and select picture frames were coated. Some areas just had a light dusting while other spots got extra helpings. I am not sure why only certain pictures were dumped on. Toys were not spared either. For the most part I think he used the "hold the bottle and shake it up and down violently" technique.
Nicholas witnessed and indirectly participated, and failed to report the crime to authorities. He learned what it means to be an accessory to a crime. Your punishment can be equal to the one who committed the crime. His trip to Home Depot was canceled. Watching his TV shows was revoked for the day. And favorite toys of theirs were put away and will have to be earned back (legos, Bakugan, play doh for example). The living room has been upgraded to TV viewing only. Toys have been evicted.
I spent a good hour or more vacuuming, wiping down, dusting, and windexing. And then I went to Starbucks and Target all by myself. Later that afternoon Adrian went to Home Depot all by himself.
They will never hear the end of the great powder incident of 2009.

Bite Wings and Blue Bucks

A couple of years ago I was trying to find a dentist for Nicholas. There was only one pediatric dentist who was in-network for Adrian's dental plan and the office was about 30 minutes away. She was also the dentist with the really cheesy and bi-lingual commercial on TV. Yo quiero blue bucks. Hablamos espanol. Obviously it was well done if it stuck in my memory. Children are rewarded with "blue bucks" if they are cooperative during their visit and at the end they trade the bucks in for small toys.
Now there are several dentists we could choose from but things are going fine where we are. And Travis was ready to start going too. The dentist cut back to part time because she keeps popping out babies so she brought two more dentists into the practice. Today we saw Dr. Betsy. She was very personable and also has a two year old child. This makes her awesome.
Nicholas was first. He had bite wing x-rays taken and I got to see his 6 year molars hiding below his gumline. It's hard to believe he's going to have 6 year molars one day soon. He sat there while his teeth were cleaned and counted. The hygienist even got to spray water and use the suction machine. (I hate that thing) The dentist pointed out a stain on one of his molars. I already knew it was there, but I'm happy it hasn't progressed further to become a cavity.
Then Travis was up. His first dental visit ever! He sat in the big reclining chair like he was an old pro, well, aside from wearing the sunglasses upside down. The hygienist was able to clean his teeth just like she did for Nicholas with no protests from Travis. Double awesome. The dentist showed me that he has a 2 year molar erupting. The other three aren't showing any signs of erupting yet. They will probably all come in all at once and make him very miserable.
In the end, the boys combined their blue bucks and selected a few stickers and a small can of generic booger color play dough.
When I picked up Travis from school his teacher said he had his best day in weeks. They didn't have to talk to him about hitting or biting at all today. And he even said some words. I offered to take him to the dentist everyday if that's what it takes.

Nod If You Can Hear Me

Travis moved to the 2 year old classroom on his birthday last month. It's a much larger room with more kids and different teachers. He seemed to transition very well in the beginning. In the past few weeks his attitude has changed. He prefers to hit and bite his friends, express great frustration, and not listen to his teachers. They would call his name and get no response. And when they sat him down to talk about not hurting his friends he didn't indicate that he was listening and often looked around at other things. The teachers also said he doesn't talk at school, which is odd because he's a chatterbox - well, one word at a time. He doesn't string words together well just yet.

I had a conference call with one of the directors. She recommended a hearing test just to be sure nothing is going on. It's plausible that hearing loss and the inability to communicate would lead to physical and emotional outbursts. It's also plausible that he is utilizing his selective hearing skills and doesn't want to hear what they have to say. The new classroom could be a little overwhelming for him and he doesn't know what to do.

I also gave the director some feedback on what I thought might be leading to his behavior. Travis got plenty of attention in his old classroom. And those teachers let kids sit in their laps during circle time activities, gave out hugs, and were generally warm and friendly. The current teachers seem overwhelmed and spend a good deal of time monitoring the kids rather than getting down to their level and interacting. This is the age when they should be developing away from parallel play and the teachers can facilitate that by getting involved.

To comply with their recommendation I took Travis to the pediatrician today. He didn't understand what to do when the little machine beeped in his ear. I explained everything to the doctor including his occasional fits of rage where he clinches his fists, grits his teeth and growls. She gave us a referral to an audiologist. They have a sound proof booth with child-friendly methods to encourage them to respond and indicate if they hear sounds. I am still not sure if this will work on a two year old.

The next appointment is scheduled for next Wednesday. I'll post the outcome.

As an added bonus, he scored an H1N1 vaccination while we were at the doctor. They happened to have it available, but only as a shot not the mist. He took it like a champ and didn't even cry. He did quickly try to pull up his pants to prevent any more needles jabbing his other thigh. As a reward for his bravery I bought him a chocolate milk at Starbucks, and I bought myself a Caramel Brulee latte.

They're My Weirdos

If you ever think your kids are a little strange or do goofy things, come back here and look at my kids. You will feel much better. My boys do the weirdest things. All outfits were selected by them. It's usually for their own entertainment and it cracks me up.

Halloween 2009

Everyone took advantage of Halloween falling on a Saturday this year. Our celebration lasted three days. Thursday the boys wore costumes to school. There was a costume parade in the morning for all the class rooms. Then after school was the Annual Fall Festival. It's always a lot of fun. Nicholas loves the bouncy house, Travis not as much. There was bean bag tossing, knocking over cans, and cookie decorating. And a lot of other activities in the classrooms. Before we left we hit the parking lot for trunk or treating.

Nicholas as a knight.

Travis as Spiderman.

Friday the boys had classroom parties. Then I picked them up early to go to Adrian's work for office trick or treating.

Travis went as a firefighter and Nicholas was a knight again.

Then finally Halloween came. We cleaned up the garage and set it up to serve the goblins and princesses. The front door and entryway were out of service (see a future post). The boys ate dinner and I took them out for a short trick or treat. When they get older maybe we'll go farther. They had enough candy from the previous events anyways. We went to the houses of people we knew on our street. Then around the corner to the man who loves to decorate for holidays. He had music with synchronized jack-o-lanterns, lights, and fire pits that shoot flames 8 feet in the air. It was very impressive and the destination of people on foot and in car.

Nicholas as a lacrosse player and Travis as Ironman.

Apparently He Was Hungry

I took the boys to Target this afternoon. Nicholas needed some pants and shirts, just a few. Items I thought I was buying big back in the winter, yeah, not so big anymore. I was really hoping they would hold through the fall but he looks pitiful with his wrists and ankles showing. I let him take the responsibility of picking items he liked: a couple pairs of pants - with elastic waists because time is of the essence for young boys in the bathroom, and a few long sleeve t-shirts.
We grabbed a few grocery items. Nicholas wanted corn dogs and french fries for dinner. And I had to get the exact same kind of corn dogs as last time, and I have learned from the past to not deviate from these kinds of things. Travis has a fascination with frozen foods. He holds them to his face and pretends to mend a boo-boo. So I let him play with the box of corn dogs while we shopped some more.
Nicholas and I were looking over the selection of umbrella strollers with our backs to Travis (the cart safely near by, don't worry). When we turned around the sight of Travis was truly something to behold. That boy managed to open the box of corn dogs, take out his pacifier, and begin licking a corn dog. He was genuinely pleased with his accomplishment and seemed to like the corn dog popsicle.
We headed straight for the check out line. The cashier wasn't even phased, maybe she's seen this happen before or worse. We went home and I promptly cooked corn dogs and fries for us. Someone really wanted to eat.

Officially 2

Exactly two years ago today started off as a normal enough day. Adrian took Nicholas to school while I stayed home. And then things went a little crazy. Every now and then I felt a little something in my belly. Nothing painful, just a very mild cramp. No big deal. I was supposed to swing by the doctor's office to check my blood pressure. Adrian came home, we put some stuff in the car, and went out for the day. We were planning to go by the doctor's, grab some lunch, walk around the mall. Yeah, didn't happen. The doctor detained us. After a brief discussion and a friendly examination to find out I was halfway there, 5 cm already. That was easy. The doctor ordered, "go directly to the hospital, do not run any lights, do not stop for food." It was game on. Go time. Long story short - water breakage by knitting needle, considerable pain, glorious epidural. And Travis was in the world in time for Adrian to pick up Nicholas before school closed. (Who knew people had babies during daylight hours? It's never like that on TV.) Travis graced us with a convenient day time labor and delivery and has made his presence known ever since.



After a dinner of his favorite foods: chocolate chip waffle, eggs, goldfish, apple, and strawberry milk; we had cake and ice cream. He played with his new toys and shared with Nicholas. At normal bedtime the boys went off for teeth brushing and a story. Nicholas, a good role model, went off to dreamland like a champ (after ratting out his brother a few times). Travis on the other hand, got up repeatedly. We found him upstairs on the couch helping himself to some Disney Channel. Several attempts back to bed failed and we relented. Two hours of grown-up TV viewing, playing with his toys again, he went to bed and stayed there. It's his way of reminding us that he is here and to enjoy it as much as he does. And that he has wrapped around his adorable little finger.

Birthday -1

Just as I planned, we did the usual Sunday routine with some fun extras. Dunkin Donuts, watching TV, crafts, yardwork, and errands. The undecided fall weather brought out the digger wasps again. Hopefully Adrian's efforts have taken care of them once and for all. Travis had solo time with me at Target and Harris Teeter to get food for the week. After we got back I finished off a craft project. Below is the view if you were to lie down on the table and look up.


I also made the cake today. We don't get Columbus Day off here and I knew tomorrow would be otherwise very busy with work and school. So tonight was cake night. Travis loves s'mores and pretty much chocolate in general.


He was so pleased when the cake was brought out and he realized it was for him!
Travis ate the cake with a fork and fingers. Much better than the face first and finger smearing technique used last year.
And this is the happy cake dance in your chair move he does. It means he likes it.

Birthday -3 & -2

Travis is turning the big 2 on Monday. Some of the typical 2 year old overly dramatic, throw yourself on the floor behavior has started. We're ready for when it really kicks in, because we know it will.

He is moving to the Teddy Bear 2 classroom on Monday, so he celebrated with his old classmates, the Monkeys, on Friday. I left my camera with his teacher to capture the cupcake mess. She also signed his card with his classmates and teachers' names.

The school rule is store bought, peanut free cake. He picked cupcakes with Sesame Street rings on top.

On Saturday we went to Marbles Kids Museum as a family. (The original plan was to go to the local pumpkin patch but rainy weather came earlier than predicted.) We usually start out together doing activities and then split up based on their interests. Nicholas was into the Mr. Potato Head exhibit. Travis was into driving the bus, building race cars, and making art.

Here they were in the multi-cultural section banging on the drums like the festival in the video. They also played in an igloo, ice-fished, and touched a real piece of the Berlin Wall.

Then it was on to Target for Travis to pick out a few birthday toys. Nicholas admitted he was jealous that he wasn't getting anything. We explained that these toys would intermingle with the existing toys just fine and they will end up sharing. Jealousy still defies logic.

Stay tuned for tomorrow, Birthday - 1. Nothing exciting planned yet, just the usual Sunday activities of hanging out, yard work, and grocery shopping.

Capital City Bike Fest

We took the boys downtown to the Capital City Bike Fest. Lots and lots of motorcycles of all shapes, sizes, noise levels, and ages. One of Travis's favorite words is "bike". He will happily point out any form of a cycle whenever one is in view. He will repeatedly say "bike" in increasing volume until you acknowledge that yes, in fact, that was a bike he saw. He thought it was neat at first and then I think he got overwhelmed at the sheer number of bikes he saw.
Also, there was a local BMX group doing a show. They pulled off a few stunts on the ramps before the misty rain rendered it unsafe. Then they did flat land tricks until their brakes got too wet. It took a few tries to get the hang of the timing, but I was able to grab one good shot. "Look mom, no hands!" The boys were in heaven today. They love BMX, motocross, and skateboards.
And did I mention it was free? Cheap entertainment is there for the taking, you just have to find it.

Decorating Idea #1

After seeing this concept in a couple catalogs (PB Kids, Land of Nod) I decided to attempt it myself. It comes pretty close - I'm just missing those $5000 bookshelves and coordinating bins. Just head over to your local craft or hobby store. Total cost is $4 for the planes. The magic of making your planes hover in mid-air depends on the supplies on hand. I used thread and small brass nails.

Heart Walk 2009

I will be participating in the Heart Walk to support the American Heart Association. My team captain this year is my current manager. His wife has a serious heart condition that has her in and out of the hospital regularly for monitoring, surgery, and changing medications. She plans to celebrate her 44th birthday next month with a huge party - actually I think he's throwing her a surprise party. It's because she will have outlived her mother and aunt who also had heart conditions. Seeing how my manager does everything he can to take care of his wife, keep their children in a normal routine, and never show his fear is amazing.

Some of you have made donations already, and I am really thankful. Every little bit counts. I am almost at my goal amount. I would love to exceed my goal and show my team captain how much people care and want to support the American Heart Association. Please follow this >link< if you want to contribute through my homepage.

How Your Donations Make A Difference

$25 Teach up to 50 people how to asses their risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke and provide the steps for them to identify and reduce their risk.

$30 Provide one pediatrician, nurse, or emergency healthcare provider with the specialized training to recognize and treat cardiovascular diseases in infants and children

$40 a month/year Send a doctor or scientist to the International Stroke Conference, where they will be introduced to the latest advancements in the treatment and prevention of stroke

$50 Provide an early career scientist with the opportunity to participate with peers in the latest cardiovascular diseases and stroke research through a one year professional membership with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

$100 Equip one hospital or health department with American Stroke Association resources to educate patients, the public and health professionals on stroke prevention and life after stroke – the #3 cause of death and leading cause of disability

$250 Teach 50 people in your community the connection between good food and good health by showing them heart-healthy ways to prepare food using the Recipes for the Heart cookbook

Nicholas Hears a Who

Nicholas was complaining that he couldn't hear out of his right ear. He kept pulling on his ear because it seemed to help. No fever, no pain. I took him to the doctor (I love that they have weekend hours) this morning. The doctor said his ear was full of wax and ordered an "ear bath". The nurse flushed his ear out with nice warm water. It was a neat contraption that hooks up to the faucet and has a hose running water in and a hose sucking water out. At first it must have tickled like crazy but once he got used to the sensation of a water gun shooting in his ear he settled down. When it was done he noticed an immediate difference. He told the doctor he could hear again. I said, "well, then, you'll have no more excuses." The doctor's response, "hearing and listening are two very different things." Classic. And so so right, especially regarding a four year old.

Also His Birthday

Friday was Adrian's birthday. So he geeked-out at his conference and then spent the evening with the boys and me. I bought him dinner and ice cream because he deserved the special treatment for everything he does - even if some of it drives me bananas.
Caden's birthday was a couple of days prior and he wanted to wait until we were there to celebrate.
So on Saturday, I snuck off with Tonya to the local grocery store (if you ever watch Alton Brown on Food Network, it's where he films his shopping trips - so cool). We surprised Adrian and Caden with a very delicious cake that I am still dreaming about. Happy Birthday to both of them! Without acknowledging their exact ages let's just say they are 30 years apart and leave it at that. :)

ATL Trip

(Centennial Olympic Park in the daytime and nighttime as seen from our hotel room.)

Adrian had a conference to go to in Atlanta and we tagged along. We stayed at the Omni Hotel in the CNN Center. It worked out great. It's very centrally located to all the attractions. We arrived Thursday night. Adrian's conference was all day Friday so he set out around 8 am. The boys and I got ourselves ready and attempted to leave the hotel. That is until Travis took the fast train to meltdown city. So we made our way back to the room and after a few tries (and a visual barrier made of armoire doors and a blanket) he took a nap in the pack and play. Nicholas and I watched Monsters vs. Aliens. Then it was time to try leaving the hotel again. Phew. This time we survived waiting for the conceirge driver (yes - one of the perks of a hotel like the Omni) to take us to the Imagine It! kids museum. We rolled up to that place in a shiny black Escalade because we are awesome like that. There were a lot of activities and it was just perfect for them. Entertained for several hours with lots of exploring, pretending, and creating.





























Oh, and I could see Nancy Grace's gorgeous mug from the room, too. I took this photo just for my mom. They are like separated at birth and would just love each other to pieces in real life - not. ;)

After Adrian's conference was done we went to Johnny Rocket's for dinner. So good! Then we went to the Georgia Aquarium. During the summer they are open late on Fridays, it worked out great. It was a bit pricey to see giant fish tanks, but the boys were in awe.














I wanted to find a way to put one of these in my purse and cook it up for supper later.






SHARK!













ANOTHER SHARK!






















Saturday morning we drove over to Marietta to spend the weekend with Adrian's cousin and family. We are so grateful for their hospitality. The boys played and played for hours with their cousins. And we got to just hang out all day - so relaxing.






























































Believe it or not, all three boys slept on an air mattress all night. Travis had issues staying on but he didn't complain. Nicholas and Travis will remember their first slumber party fondly. We can't wait to visit with them again.