I'm going to Women's Conference in Utah this weekend. Without my husband. Or my child. I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself. I'm going with two very close friends and I don't care what we do while we're away, I just need a break. Well, I do care that we go to Cafe Rio and see Myndi, but that's about it.
In all reality, I think all three of us: G, Buddy, and I are all in for a rude awakening. G is fully capable of holding down the fort and I completely trust him, but honestly, he's never done it before. In all nine years of marriage, I've never left him home alone. He's left me so many times -- I can't count that high (8-week internships, trips to New York, trips to Utah, trips to Reno, trips to Bend every couple weeks lately, trips to the coast, etc, etc, etc.)
I know I'm going to be so painfully lonely. I've only spent two nights away from Buddy. One time he spent the night at my mom's house so I could chaperone a youth snow trip. In that case, I don't know which was worse: being away from Buddy overnight, or hanging out in the wind and snow with crazy teenagers. Then last summer G and I went camping at the beach with our dear friends, Steve and Tang. That actually was very enjoyable, but I couldn't wait to get home to be with my little boy. I very, very rarely even spend more than a few hours away from him. There's a reason we call him Buddy. He's always been my little Buddy.
This will be four nights and I'm really going to miss him. Oh yeah, and I'll miss Greg too. I always do when we're apart.
And Buddy... I've really been debating how he'd take the news that I was leaving. I was sort of afraid he wouldn't care because he's not a clingy child at all. He's extremely independent, which I love. Tonight G broke the news and his reaction made my whole day -- my whole month! Apparently G told him that the day after tomorrow I'd be going to a conference. Without him. Buddy quickly came into the kitchen where I was to get the story straight. Mommy is going on an airplane without me? We didn't mention that the conference was in Utah because he'd be so jealous, but I just said that I'd be gone for a few days but he was going to play with daddy and Grandma "Devi" and that he'd go to the zoo with some of his friends. Without skipping a beat he said, "I want daddy to go to a conference instead." We sat down to dinner and explained that the conference is only for girl's (although G has attended in the past-- but that's another story for another day). Buddy then stared right at me and sadly said, "But girls are supposed to stay at home."
That's why I love that kid. He's such a sweet little boy and I get a little teary thinking about leaving. But I'll get over it.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wii Play Wii
A few months ago we were invited over to our friends' house to play their new Nintendo Wii. It was so much fun that I finally convinced M that we needed one of our own. Luckily, we have another friend who has an "in" with a store and he was able to pick us up one. I don't know how many teenagers he had to fight for it, but we are glad he was up to the task.
Since the console only comes with one controller, I had to go buy another one. I went over to the mall to a game shop to see if they had one. Luckily, they had them in stock, but as I was trying to purchase one, I found myself on the receiving end of a 15 minute conversation from a 22 year-old female clerk about all of the new games that were coming out and all of the games she has played and is intending to play. All of the sudden I had this horrifying thought "Do I look like a "gamer"?" I guess I don't really want to know the answer to that question.
While I may not be up on all of the hottest new releases, M and I do enjoy the sports package that came with the console. We now resolve all of our marital disputes through Nintendo boxing. It's safer than the old way and now the police don't have to get involved.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Ringtones
Our IT guy at work showed me how to add .mp3 ringtones to my phone as well as a how to edit a song to make it into a ringtone. This, of course, has been the source of much amusement for me. Both M and I have come up with ringtones for specific people and some general ones as well. The possibilities are endless. However, it does come with some risk depending on what we choose. I'm sure that at some point, someone will call at an inappropriate time who has been assigned an inappropriate ringtone. Just like the time we were waiting in the temple before M's brother was about to get married and someone called M's sister's husband and Metallica started blarring. I laughed but M's sister was angry.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Happy Anniversary to you too
Just to set the record straight, G doesn't wear a bathrobe.
And yes, we've come a long way since those beginning days. What a difference 9 years makes!! We spent four months in that studio apartment, but our next home was even worse. It was an old Brigham Young home divided up into several apartments. It was an actual historic landmark and we paid $410 a month for that place. There was no heat in the house, besides an old gas furnace that we had to manually turn on and off. The furnace was in the bedroom, so it did nothing to heat the rest of house. And turning it on and off every five minutes really wasn't practical. The house was so unbearably cold, we literally didn't have to refrigerate anything and no one came to visit us the four months we lived there. It was miserable. The wiring hadn't been updated in a very long time. We couldn't plug in a computer or heaven forbid, a space heater because there was no ground wire. G rigged something up to the water heater just to protect ourselves.
We were really, really poor. We were both in school, and we knew G had years of graduate school in the future, and I just had the feeling we should save every penny we could. That savings has come in handy. We earned $17,000 our first year of marriage and that paid rent, utilities, food, tuition, books, car repairs, insurance, tithing, savings, and surgery for me. Every photograph from that period of our lives paints a pretty good picture of what life was like. We are wearing coats, stocking caps, gloves, and sleeping bags in every picture. The pictures of Christmas that year are priceless. We're bundled up in warm clothes of course, but we both got each other Yatzee because I wanted some games (and it was the cheapest one), G got me shampoo, makeup, and a wallet, and I got him eggnog and a CD.
Those first several months and years were rough. Our lives are completely different now. We have a beautiful home, an adorable little boy, we both received our undergraduate degrees, and G successfully finished law school. They say "money doesn't buy happiness," but I'll tell you, it sure does take the edge off. It's nice to be able to provide for basic needs now, like heat and dinner out together once in awhile. We were naive and happy then, but we've been through a lot together -- and we are much better for it.
And yes, we've come a long way since those beginning days. What a difference 9 years makes!! We spent four months in that studio apartment, but our next home was even worse. It was an old Brigham Young home divided up into several apartments. It was an actual historic landmark and we paid $410 a month for that place. There was no heat in the house, besides an old gas furnace that we had to manually turn on and off. The furnace was in the bedroom, so it did nothing to heat the rest of house. And turning it on and off every five minutes really wasn't practical. The house was so unbearably cold, we literally didn't have to refrigerate anything and no one came to visit us the four months we lived there. It was miserable. The wiring hadn't been updated in a very long time. We couldn't plug in a computer or heaven forbid, a space heater because there was no ground wire. G rigged something up to the water heater just to protect ourselves.
We were really, really poor. We were both in school, and we knew G had years of graduate school in the future, and I just had the feeling we should save every penny we could. That savings has come in handy. We earned $17,000 our first year of marriage and that paid rent, utilities, food, tuition, books, car repairs, insurance, tithing, savings, and surgery for me. Every photograph from that period of our lives paints a pretty good picture of what life was like. We are wearing coats, stocking caps, gloves, and sleeping bags in every picture. The pictures of Christmas that year are priceless. We're bundled up in warm clothes of course, but we both got each other Yatzee because I wanted some games (and it was the cheapest one), G got me shampoo, makeup, and a wallet, and I got him eggnog and a CD.
Those first several months and years were rough. Our lives are completely different now. We have a beautiful home, an adorable little boy, we both received our undergraduate degrees, and G successfully finished law school. They say "money doesn't buy happiness," but I'll tell you, it sure does take the edge off. It's nice to be able to provide for basic needs now, like heat and dinner out together once in awhile. We were naive and happy then, but we've been through a lot together -- and we are much better for it.
Happy Anniversary
M and I were married on April 25, 1998. Today marks 9 years of marital bliss (or hopefully something like that). We realized that 10 years ago we were in NYC with some friends of ours and during that time we got to know each other better (in some ways more than others). Then things were on-again, off-again, until we finally got married.
When we were first married, we moved into a studio apartment in Reno, NV where the cigarette smoke from the upstairs tenant would filter into our closet and bathroom so that we smelled like heavy smokers; where the male landlord, with a very pronounced lisp, would run around in daisy dukes and make flower arrangements; and where every morning some dude across the parking lot would hang out in front of his apartment in nothing but a robe and read the paper. I was sure that he was going to molest M at some point. Now we live in a home, have a son, we haven't taking up smoking, and the only person in a bathrobe M has to worry about molesting her is me.
We both agreed that we would stay married for 10 years with the option to renew at the 10 year anniversary. I think that we'll probably renew next year since we continue to have a lot of fun with each other. Despite how annoying I can be, I think M still likes me enough to hang around.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Cell Phones
Recently, M and I (mostly me) decided that it was time to look into changing cell phone companies. I asked everyone I knew who they had and if they were happy with the service. After weighing the options, we switched from Verizon to Cingular. I have more friends and family on Cingular and I liked the roll-over option. Going through the process made me realize, however, that I am slowly reverting into a teenager.
I had to add the unlimited text package because I like to text my friends. I could call them, but why call when you can text? In addition, I have also found out that picture messages are included in the text package. This has opened up a world of possibilities that I have never tapped into before. Needless to say, now my friends are getting picture messages of all sorts of things: fat people, squirrels, my nose, people wearing things that I disapprove of, and the like. I love technology.
I had to add the unlimited text package because I like to text my friends. I could call them, but why call when you can text? In addition, I have also found out that picture messages are included in the text package. This has opened up a world of possibilities that I have never tapped into before. Needless to say, now my friends are getting picture messages of all sorts of things: fat people, squirrels, my nose, people wearing things that I disapprove of, and the like. I love technology.
Is 3 years old too young to have a girlfriend?
Buddy likes girls. It's starting to freak us out a little. There are two sisters in the ward who Buddy likes. He gets embarrassed if you ask him about them.
But his latest major crush is Kaitlyn. He likes to sit by her at McDonalds, he asks where she is when we don't see her for awhile, he loves holding her hand, and he screams if any of the other boys tries to touch her. It's been the source of a lot of jokes and laughter for the past few weeks. But last night she was over at our house and while they were playing he said, "Climb up here, baby" and when it was time for her to leave, he kissed her on the LIPS! We all about died. We think he likes her because she's strong willed, but she doesn't talk as well as he does, so she pretty much just goes along with whatever he wants to do. I guess in his eyes, that would be a perfect match, wouldn't it?
But his latest major crush is Kaitlyn. He likes to sit by her at McDonalds, he asks where she is when we don't see her for awhile, he loves holding her hand, and he screams if any of the other boys tries to touch her. It's been the source of a lot of jokes and laughter for the past few weeks. But last night she was over at our house and while they were playing he said, "Climb up here, baby" and when it was time for her to leave, he kissed her on the LIPS! We all about died. We think he likes her because she's strong willed, but she doesn't talk as well as he does, so she pretty much just goes along with whatever he wants to do. I guess in his eyes, that would be a perfect match, wouldn't it?
WWIII
It's a Tuesday tradition. We go to music class first, then walk over to the library to read books and look for movies of the 'whale,' 'crocodile,' or 'dinosaur' variety, then we go to story/songtime there at the library, then we drive over to McDonalds for lunch. We do this every week and we've rallied quite a group of friends that come along each week too.
Music class is taught by a dear friend who has incredible patience for Buddy, so we rarely have issues with that activity. Library time is usually fine because Buddy is so excited to see his friends -- and the teacher does an outstanding job engaging the kids. Even if she does request that 'all parents sit in the circle with their children because they participate better with a parent nearby.' Come on and give a mom a break! I spend all day, every day playing with Buddy. He's outgoing and would always rather stand next to the teacher than me. If I sit too close or try to interact with him, he yells at me and runs around the room until I walk away. He's independent and I'm proud of that. All the teacher knows, though, is I'm that clueless young mom that sits in the back and gossips with her friends while she engages my son. I have no problem with that.
McDonalds is another story. For some reason, we have issues 'getting along' at McDonalds. We live in a small town with lots of small children and stay-at-home moms. The McDonalds is always very crowded to begin with, then it swells to almost overflowing when our pack of friends arrives every Tuesday around 12:30. We have had more incidents of children fighting than I can even count -- and one way or another, Buddy is often involved. He's aggressive, but not mean. He has an attitude and talks way better than he should. Plus, he's bossy and doesn't let anyone -- big or small -- push him around. I'm proud that he's confident, but I don't tolerate him fighting with other children. We've had incidents where the opposing mom and burst into tears because she was so shocked and sorry for her son's behavior... we've had incidents where Buddy has been drug out to the car by his irate mother because he wouldn't stop bullying a younger boy, not to mention, several of our friends have gotten sick there because they don't exactly keep it clean. And I mean the throw-up, diarrhea kind of sick. Seriously, if it's not one things it's another every time we go.
But today was the worst. And I wonder where my son gets his attitude.
So, today started out fine. I noticed at one point Buddy having an issue with a younger boy, about 2 years old. Buddy's good friend, Noah C., always a good defender, was nearby. I ignored it because it didn't seem like a big deal and I figured no one was yelling or hitting, so they could work it out. A few minutes later, I looked over to see a crazy-rabid mom snatching a McDonalds toy out of Noah C.'s hand. He stood there stunned for a moment, then walked away and layed down on the floor and started to cry. Noah C.'s mom was in the bathroom changing her baby, so I figured I should figure out what was happening. Noah C. was crying hard enough that it was hard to make out what he was saying, but I pieced together that the lady had taken Buddy's toy. So, I asked Buddy what had happened, and he said the same thing. I went to approach the lady to get her side of the story -- and to get Buddy's toy back -- when she unleashed a tirade about 'not watching my child...' I'd never start a fight with a stranger, but I have a terrible temper and will not tolerate ANYONE bullying children. I didn't approach her intending to start a brawl, but I am a strong-willed mama and in an instant I felt that temper swell within me to defend Noah C. and my Buddy. We went back and forth shouting accusations about who's child took who's toy. Meanwhile all the adults and many of the kids had stopped to watch. The argument ended with her and the boy's grandma getting up in a huff and shouting "You are SO immature," as they stormed out of McDonalds.
I'm not proud of my behaviour, but to put the record straight, here's what I argue happened: The little boy took Buddy's toy. Noah C. took the toy back and pushed or hit the boy. Crazy mom sees that and bolts from her seat to take the toy away from Noah C. (How un-cool is that?) Crazy mom wouldn't for a moment entertain the idea that her son started it. In her mind, our boys are older and were picking on him. Whatever lady...
For some twisted reason we keep going back to McDonalds week after week. I can hardly wait to see what next week brings.
Music class is taught by a dear friend who has incredible patience for Buddy, so we rarely have issues with that activity. Library time is usually fine because Buddy is so excited to see his friends -- and the teacher does an outstanding job engaging the kids. Even if she does request that 'all parents sit in the circle with their children because they participate better with a parent nearby.' Come on and give a mom a break! I spend all day, every day playing with Buddy. He's outgoing and would always rather stand next to the teacher than me. If I sit too close or try to interact with him, he yells at me and runs around the room until I walk away. He's independent and I'm proud of that. All the teacher knows, though, is I'm that clueless young mom that sits in the back and gossips with her friends while she engages my son. I have no problem with that.
McDonalds is another story. For some reason, we have issues 'getting along' at McDonalds. We live in a small town with lots of small children and stay-at-home moms. The McDonalds is always very crowded to begin with, then it swells to almost overflowing when our pack of friends arrives every Tuesday around 12:30. We have had more incidents of children fighting than I can even count -- and one way or another, Buddy is often involved. He's aggressive, but not mean. He has an attitude and talks way better than he should. Plus, he's bossy and doesn't let anyone -- big or small -- push him around. I'm proud that he's confident, but I don't tolerate him fighting with other children. We've had incidents where the opposing mom and burst into tears because she was so shocked and sorry for her son's behavior... we've had incidents where Buddy has been drug out to the car by his irate mother because he wouldn't stop bullying a younger boy, not to mention, several of our friends have gotten sick there because they don't exactly keep it clean. And I mean the throw-up, diarrhea kind of sick. Seriously, if it's not one things it's another every time we go.
But today was the worst. And I wonder where my son gets his attitude.
So, today started out fine. I noticed at one point Buddy having an issue with a younger boy, about 2 years old. Buddy's good friend, Noah C., always a good defender, was nearby. I ignored it because it didn't seem like a big deal and I figured no one was yelling or hitting, so they could work it out. A few minutes later, I looked over to see a crazy-rabid mom snatching a McDonalds toy out of Noah C.'s hand. He stood there stunned for a moment, then walked away and layed down on the floor and started to cry. Noah C.'s mom was in the bathroom changing her baby, so I figured I should figure out what was happening. Noah C. was crying hard enough that it was hard to make out what he was saying, but I pieced together that the lady had taken Buddy's toy. So, I asked Buddy what had happened, and he said the same thing. I went to approach the lady to get her side of the story -- and to get Buddy's toy back -- when she unleashed a tirade about 'not watching my child...' I'd never start a fight with a stranger, but I have a terrible temper and will not tolerate ANYONE bullying children. I didn't approach her intending to start a brawl, but I am a strong-willed mama and in an instant I felt that temper swell within me to defend Noah C. and my Buddy. We went back and forth shouting accusations about who's child took who's toy. Meanwhile all the adults and many of the kids had stopped to watch. The argument ended with her and the boy's grandma getting up in a huff and shouting "You are SO immature," as they stormed out of McDonalds.
I'm not proud of my behaviour, but to put the record straight, here's what I argue happened: The little boy took Buddy's toy. Noah C. took the toy back and pushed or hit the boy. Crazy mom sees that and bolts from her seat to take the toy away from Noah C. (How un-cool is that?) Crazy mom wouldn't for a moment entertain the idea that her son started it. In her mind, our boys are older and were picking on him. Whatever lady...
For some twisted reason we keep going back to McDonalds week after week. I can hardly wait to see what next week brings.
Glad to have joined you
Well, we've finally joined the blogging ranks. I read lots of blogs and have often thought of starting one myself -- maybe one dealing with parenting, all the hysterical things Buddy says, infertility, or adoption. G approached me and wanted to start one together, so here goes. Since we're in this together, I guess I can't make it too mommy-ish. That's going to take some creativity and restraint -- both of which I could use more of in my life! I am a great appreciator of funny things and I love reading blogs, so the pressure is on. Leave us a comment to let us know you've joined us and Enjoy!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
And So It Begins
We have been reading Blogs for a while and have finally decided to start our own. The inspiration for the name of the Blog come from a phrase that M has coined. Usually after a long day with our 3 year-old, she will say, "Another day, another dollar; oh wait, I don't get paid for this!" I then try to explain to her that living with me and raising the boy should be all the payment she needs. Unfortunately, she doesn't see it quite like that. Her typical response is something like "living with you and raising the boy is like constantly fighting with 2 teenagers." The trouble is, is that she is probably right.
There is not anything in particular that we are trying to accomplish with this Blog nor any news that we intend to disseminate. Mostly, it will give us an opportunity to share stories, 3 year-old quotes, rant and rave, and anything else we feel like. This should come as no surprise because anyone who knows us, knows we have opinions on everything and freely give advice whether solicited or not. Here we go.
There is not anything in particular that we are trying to accomplish with this Blog nor any news that we intend to disseminate. Mostly, it will give us an opportunity to share stories, 3 year-old quotes, rant and rave, and anything else we feel like. This should come as no surprise because anyone who knows us, knows we have opinions on everything and freely give advice whether solicited or not. Here we go.
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