Happy Memorial Day!

Gotta love a three day weekend! I had a wonderfully relaxing weekend. Poor Toby worked all weekend, but Spencer and I had fun! We shopped, played in the pool, scrapbooked and grilled out with friends and family. I finished my scrapbook from my Atlanta vacation (YAY!) and I organized my pictures.

On a sad note, my best friend's husband (Joey) was in an accident at work this past week and broke his hip, pelvic, and shoulder. He is still in ICU, has had hours and hours of surgery and is facing more surgery. He is on a ventilator and could use some extra thoughts and prayers. If you are reading this, please say a prayer for Joey Reynolds in Richmond, VA.

Well, Toby and I have been talking non-stop about the finale of LOST. Spencer is TOTALLY psyched about the CARS movie coming out. We saw Over The Hedge with him this past weekend. He really enjoyed it, but all he keeps talking about is CARS!!!!

Congratulations Spencer!

Spencer graduated from preschool today! With a cute little ceremony and an adorable cap and gown, my little guy went from preschooler to a young man getting ready for Kindergarten!

After graduation, we had some friends over at Nana and Boppa's for a Luau themed party/cookout/pool party to continue celebrating! Spencer received many nice gifts and really enjoyed all the attention. We combined Spencer's graduation party and Mom's birthday party--what a blast!

Thanks to all of our friends and family for making this day special!

Atlant-Ahhh!

Toby and I just got back from vacation! It was wonderful -- despite a nasty little stomach virus that decided to show up!!! The drive was easy, with very little traffic. We stopped at a few of the outlets and shopped some- which was very nice! We spent the night in Greenville, SC and ate at our favorite restaurant (California Dreaming) and then we drove into Atlanta. We spent too much, ate too much and had a blast-- but isn't that what vacations are all about? Our first full day was all about Toby. Sports shopping, Sports clubs and the Braves game. We found an awesome Sports Collectibles store where Toby found the perfect Michael Jordan UNC Last Shot framed picture--Cha-Ching! Instant Father's Day Gift! Then we went to another sports store and loaded up on souvenirs for the family and even some bigger ticket items for Christmas gifts. (Yep! I'm starting my shopping early this year!) After shopping we went to Jocks and Jills for fattening sports themed chow (wings, tater skins, chicken fingers, buffalo chicken sandwiches, rich desserts, etc!) Then we were off to Turner Field for the Braves game! This was our first time to Turner Field and we were really impressed. There were restaurants, shopping, museums, activities and play areas for the kids on site. We found our seats--which were awesome by the way-- and got settled in just in time for the game. The seats had a great view but were under the overhang just in case it started to rain we would be protected--awesome! Toby LOVES (and I do mean LOVES) ballpark food but we were so full from dinner (plus that nasty stomach virus was coming on) that Toby didn't eat one thing at the stadium. A big disappointment for him. BUT-- he used all that $$$ he saved towards an auction that night and bought an autographed Chipper Jones hat. The $$ went to a Children's Charity but I still nagged him all night about spending $75 on a stupid hat.......until ol' Chipper hit a 3 run homer in extra innings to win the ball game. What a finish!
Okay-- I'll fast forward through the next twelve hours of sickness--let's just say we didn't do anything we planned to tour and we were sick sick sick. But that's okay--the rest of the vacation was awesome. We went to our matinee performance of Wicked at the fabulous Fox Theatre. The Fox is BEAUTIFUL by the way!!! Wicked was awesome! It is one of those productions that is well written, with awesome effects, awesome stage design, EVERYTHING was PERFECT!!! We were mesmerized! I would love to see it again! After the production, we drove to midtown, had a light snack at Borders and then we went on to Spa Sydell for our Couples Massage--which was the most relaxing hour of our entire vacation. After the massage we went to a local beer garden for hors d'oevres and drinks and then back to the Wyndham. The next day we shopped our way back home and arrived home in time to bring in dinner (big salads from California Dreaming, of course) for everyone and give Spencer big hugs and kisses!

Happy Mother's Day

What a nice Mother's Day! Spencer gave me beautiful flowers and a pin he made at preschool. It says #1 Mom --see it in the picture? Toby gave me a book, my favorite wine and a corsage. The entire family met for dinner at Macaroni Grill and then we went back to Jimmy's and watched the hockey game. What a nice, relaxing day!

Did you miss me?

I haven't been in cyber world in a few days. I have been slaving away at work and the motherboard fried in my home pc. After my business trip and a quick purchase at Circuit City (nope--I didn't get a new computer at RadioShack!!!) I am back online!

Arthur Itis plays 3rd base for the Y?

Oh snap! I laughed my rump off tonight! Toby and Jimmy are playing softball for a YMCA league. It is made up of 25-49 year olds-- most of which are in their early 30's. You should see these guys get ready to go on the field!!! I have NEVER seen so much icy hot, ibuprofen, wraps, braces, packs, splints, supports and bandages in one place in my life! I bet the special olympics and Jerry's Kids combined have less medical equipment than these "athletes." The team that played after our team showed up an hour early *just* to start putting on all their supports and braces! We watched a poor guy wiggle, squirm and eventually pour himself into a hamstring support-- which by the way looks like my granny's old thigh girdle!

Everything about this entire evening was silly. I think I laughed the hardest when one guy walks up to another guy and says "Hey man! I guess you have big party plans for tomorrow with it being cinco de mayo and all!?" and the other guy looks right at him and says, "FOR THE LAST TIME! I'M CUBAN-NOT MEXICAN!!!!"

An update from Toby

An update from Toby: Tom and I took Spencer to the driving range tonight. Spencer hit two large buckets of balls without even flinching while Daddy could only hit only 1/2 a bucket before his back gave out. Spencer would line up the balls and hit them back to back. Spencer enjoyed placing the balls in the divots and trying to hit out of the holes. Uncle Tommy hit 1/2 bucket before Spencer took over and nailed the rest! Afterwards, Spencer wanted to go home and hit some more-ha! Daddy was tired!

Can I brag a little?

Spencer aced his Kindergarten assessment! He got a perfect score! Toby and I are so proud. His awesome score validates that he is ready for Kindergarten but I am still so scared for him to face all the big boy decisions that going to school will bring. (Or am I just scared because my "baby" is growing up?)

He bought me flowers.

My little man bought me flowers for the first time. Ever since he was old enough to grasp he has always picked dandelions in the yard for me, but this is the first time he worked, earned money and bought me flowers. He helped Boppa out in the yard and cleaned up in the garage and Boppa gave him "pocket dollars." Nana had bought similar flowers to take to her Red Hatters meeting and he immediately asked his Boppa to buy some for me. Boppa gave him chores to do to earn the money. He was so proud of himself and I cried I was so happy. Nothing in the world compares to love of a child. Even when the house is a mess, work is crazy and things seem out of control, these flowers sitting on my table make me feel happiness and calm that the pharmaceutical companies only wish they could formulate--ha!

Been There. Done That. Got the T-shirt.

Spencer had his adenoidectomy this morning. He did great! The people at the High Point Regional Surgery Center were fantastic! Kelley (from church) came to wait with our family and we got tons of calls, emails and well wishes and prayers from friends. Spencer was very proud of himself and is more than happy to tell you ALL ABOUT his day! He got a special Tshirt and yellow socks at the surgery center that really impressed him and we can't get him to change clothes! Right now, he is enjoying a popsicle and watching SpongeBob.... what a trooper!

Easter!

Easter was a blast! The Easter Bunny left Spencer lots of nice surprises!

After church, we had a FANTASTIC egg hunt. I WON! (Yes, Mom and Dad still have an egg hunt for us and hide $$ in the eggs-- you should see our big butts running around the yard looking for the eggs! It is hilarious! Toby and I racked up this year!!!$$$$$

Afterwards, we had a nice dinner at our house! We had a big, traditional, southern ham dinner and all the fixins--plus several desserts!!!

Lovin the new pool!

Even though the concrete isn't poured yet, the new pool is SOOOOO nice! The water is heated so it is nice and warm. Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!

Egg-cited!

After church today, we went to an Egg Hunt at Erik and Caroline's church. We enjoyed seeing Erik and Caroline and Spencer had a great time coloring, listening to story time, hunting eggs and then having treats. All the kids were polite and adorable! Spencer's favorite part was finding a little orange egg--much smaller than the others-- it had one little Tootsie roll in it (which Spencer doesn't even eat!) but for some reason that little egg meant more to him than all the big eggs filled with his favorite goodies. I guess we assumed the candy incented him but he "hunted" for enjoyment!

He knows. And he doesn't want to talk about it.

Well. We told Spencer about his surgery. Toby and I agreed to give him enough detail to be honest but not to scare him but to answer anything he asked honestly. As expected, he had a million questions. His biggest concerns were what the doctor would use to cut with and --get this one-- what if the doctor thought he was asleep but he could still feel everything. Geez-- don't we all have that same fear about anesthesia??? After all his questions he matter-of-factly said, "I don't want to talk about this any more."

Spencer's surgery is April 19th. Remember him in your prayers!

My baby is growing up!

We registered Spencer for Kindergarten last night. Shocking, huh? Spencer is going to school in August. I can't believe that. I want my baby back!!!!!!!

At registration we saw several parents/kids that we know from baseball and preschool so at least we will know some people there. The principal seemed knowledgable and approachable. We took Spencer to the Media Center and he walked in, looked around and asked, "Is all this for ME????" Too cute!

What a week at Disney!

What a busy week! We were worried about the boys being tired--but they were fine--it was us that pooped out each night!

Monday- MGM
Tuesday- Animal Kingdom
Wednesday- Magic Kingdom
Thursday- Epcot
Friday- Park hop all day!

Now I need to get to work on my scrapbook, right?

Ready Ready Ready

We are SO ready for our trip!!! I can't believe it is almost here! Toby got all the laundry caught up last night and I started packing! We are stopping Saturday night in Savannah-- that's a nice half way point between us and Mickey! Plus we get to eat at The Lady and Sons-- you gotta love Paula Deen!!!

Spencer is SO excited about Disney! Pray for a safe trip for us!!!!!

Warning-- you *WILL* have to suffer through my Disney scrapbook at some point in the future!!!!!

a wee little excitement

Well let me tell you about our exciting evening last night. I am having some trouble with swelling in my right leg so my doctor put me on a very aggressive schedule of fluid pills since we are leaving for Disney in a few days. Anyway.... I came home with my new prescription. I took my first pill out of the bottle and laid it on the counter. I turned around to get some water out of the door of the refrigerator and when I turned back around (like literally 4 seconds later!) there is Spencer standing in the kitchen (where in the hell did he come from??) and MY PILL WAS GONE!!!!!!!! What? What? What? NO!!!!!!

I *tried* to be calm and asked Spencer if he took the pill that was lying on the counter. In Spencer's defense, I lay a Claritan on the counter for him every morning. Anyway, Spencer just looked at me. Again, I told him, it was very important that he tell Mommy if he took the pill. All of a sudden he started crying and asked if he would get in trouble if he said yes. We assured him that he wasn't in trouble but immediately called the pediatrician on one line and they had poison control on the other line. After checking his weight and the strength of the medicine, they instructed me how to re-hydrate him because that pill would really flush him out at that strength. I was so upset and totally mad at myself--what kind of parent leaves a pill on a counter even for 4 seconds????? Where was my head????

About an hour of crying and beating myself up, I went back in the kitchen and moved a piece of mail on the counter--and THERE WAS THE FREAKIN PILL!!!! I only had one out of the bottle and this was my first prescription so I know it was the ONLY one that could have been on the counter!!!! I showed it to Spencer and asked why he admitted to swallowing it if he really didn't. He said that when I got upset he got confused and then he couldn't remember if he did or not. How's that for a valuable lesson? My emotions can completely skew Spencer's ability to process information. Good to know right? My kid can be convinced he did something he didn't do all the while his daddy is sticking his fingers down the kid's throat trying to get him to vomit a pill he never took. I hate that we all had to go through it, but we learned a few lessons about (1) not leaving pills out. (2) Not letting emotion confuse Spencer (3) the pediatrician thinks I'm a nutcase and (4) Toby can't make Spencer vomit.

IV is IV

Today was IV's birthday party! I can't believe my little Ivlet Givlet Jackelina Hyena is 4 already!!! I love this picture of him. Mom had just handed him his plate of cake and icecream and he could barely contain how excited he was! IV is my nephew (Jimmy and Melissa's son.)

We had a nice, casual get together including a big spaghetti dinner-- hence the "sketti" stains all over the kids' clothes and faces in all the pictures!

I tell ya-- I don't know what they are using for food coloring dye in the cake icing but that stuff is nearly permanent!! We ALL had Power Ranger blue fingers by the end of the evening!!!

Baaaaaad one

A young cowboy from Prescott, AZ. Walks into the White Cafe in Winslow, AZ. He sits at the counter and notices an old cowboy with his arms folded staring blankly at a full bowl of chili. After fifteen minutes of just sitting there staring at it, the young cowboy bravely asks the old cowpoke, "If you ain't gonna eat that, mind if I do?" The older cowboy slowly turns his head toward the young wrangler and in his best cowboy manner says, "Nah, go ahead." Eagerly, the young cowboy reaches over and slides the bowl over to His place and starts spooning it in with delight. He gets nearly down to the bottom and notices a dead mouse in the chili. The sight was shocking and he immediately barfs up the chili into the bowl. The old cowboy quietly says, "Yep, that's as far as I got, too."

RAK high

I have a RAK high. I received a RAK (random act of kindness) in the mail from a friend. Something wonderfully unexpected, a little gift with no reason, no obligations, nothing but "here, this is for you just because I thought of you." Isn't that nice? Made an average day an exceptional day!!!

Mr. Snotty

Well.. April 19th Spencer is having surgery. But SHHHhhhh! We're not telling him yet. You know what a sensitive little worry wart he is for 5 years old-- no need to make him stress out (and subject us to a million questions) over the next month. We do his preadmission stuff on April 3. Plus we have our Disney trip coming up-- we will definitely wait until after that to start "preparing" him for what will happen.

Hopefully, post surgery, his newly cleared out sinus cavity and his removed (abnormally large) adenoids will clear out all this constant infection. He sure deserves a break!!

Go Heels!

Carolina 83 Dook 76
It's all good!

Germ-a-palooza

Yep-- my poor little Spencer is still sick. We have Disney coming up in a couple of weeks so we need to get this kid well! He had ANOTHER doctor visit today and then he went for a CT scan. He was a perfect little angel and was v.e.r.y still for the technicians- I was so proud of him!

Scrap Retreat!

What a weekend! We left Thursday afternoon for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a Scrapbooking and Stamping retreat. We arrived that evening just in time for Margaritas at our favorite Mexican restaurant (Fiesta Del Burro Loco) and lots of laughs. Our poor waitress was having an "off" night and spilled an entire thing of Salsa on Dee and Mom. Dee's jacket was splattered in red--looked like a drive by salsa-ing!!!


We were set up and scrapping by 10 am Friday morning and pretty much worked until 1 pm on Sunday. We slept a few hours Friday night and very few hours Saturday night. We enjoyed the Make-It Take-It classes and I managed to get 54 pages done as well! I burned through all my Blitzen, we made obnoxious Merkin jokes, and we pretty much laughed the entire time!

Valentine's- Preschool style

My son brought home his bag o' love from preschool and I was ready- camera in hand- to capture his excitement. Joke was on me. All he cared about was the candy attached to some of the Valentines. He didn't even care about reading what they said or anything. I guess he is still too young to appreciate the fun of the exchange. He thought this was the most boring holiday ever!

Spencer's Social Calendar

It's pretty sad when our 5 year old has a better social calendar than we do.

He spent this week at Myrtle Beach with Mom, Dad, III, Melissa and IV. His week was filled with heated pools, sunny days playing in the sand, warm afternoons of miniature golf, basketball, shopping, eating out and goofing off! Next on his social schedule? Arena Cross with Daddy and III and then the Monster Truck Jam with Boppa and III. Geez! Little boys.....

Toby and I stayed at home and worked, worked, worked. Speaking of which, I have to give a shout out to my co-worker Susan who has been awesome on a project I am working on! Other than working long hours (and missing Spencer like crazy!) nothing much happened this week. We decided to keep Valentine's Day "low key." We picked up take out from Chili's and stayed at home. We had Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries and watched the Wedding Crashers. It was a nice, quiet evening for a change!

So... as Spencer spends wild days and nights doing all the fun stuff, Toby and I will be about as boring as this blog at either home or work....

Superbowl Sunday!

Sunday, Feb 5

We celebrated Melissa's (my sis-in-law) 30th birthday and had a Superbowl Party at Mom and Dad's house. We pulled for the Steelers in honor of our friends, The Camps. Everyone brought heavy hors d'oevres and sweets--we were stuffed all night! We enjoyed ranking the commercials and just goofing off together. Spencer and IV thought "streaking" was the best commercial. They laughed hard and then we laughed harder at the thought that they understood "streaking" humor!!!

We gave Melissa a huge pack of Disney scrapbooking papers and embellishments to take with her on the next retreat and a "bling" T-shirt that says Caffeine Rules to poke fun at her Starbucks addiction. Speaking of the retreat... Mom, Melissa and I (along with some some friends) are going to Myrtle Beach, SC for a scrapbooking retreat Feb 24-26. We can't wait!!!

January 2006

We started January 2006 with several rounds of antibiotics and infections. Poor kiddo-- he has become an expert on the flavors CVS can add to his medicines--blech! Good thing he keeps a happy attitude! Fortunately, we have had a mild winter and I think that has helped keep him from getting really sick. But the little nitwit prays for snow just about every night. Nana and Boppa gave him a snowsuit and snow boots for Christmas and he wants to play in the snow SO badly. We really haven't had snow since he was about two so he doesn't remember it. Last year at the beach, he made "snow angels" in the sand and pretended that he had snow. For his sake, I kind of wish we would get a couple of inches (no ice!) just for a day so that he could made a snowman, a snow angel, and throw some snow balls. I, of course, really need some snow pictures for my scrapbook--ha! Other than staying busy with work and all three of us fighting sinus and ear infections all month, January 2006 was quite nice!

Bandwagon

Well here I go jumping on ye olde Blog Bandwagon. No big surprise, right? Anyone that really knows me knows I can't shut up whether it be in person or on the keyboard. So here is yet another outlet for me to yap. And just think...you are VOLUNTARILY reading this.