We've Moved!

Just a quick note to my subscribers to let you know that I've moved over to WordPress.  You can find me now at http://storiesfromthemomzone.wordpress.com.  I sure hope you'll join me over there.  I've changed the format slightly, but I think you'll still enjoy reading along.  I welcome you to my new home at WordPress and hope to hear from you very soon.

Here's the link to my first post on the new blog: http://storiesfromthemomzone.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/were-back/.

See you soon!

-- Sarah

The Times? I Think They Have Changed: Thoughts on MLK, Jr.

Believe me, things can still definitely improve.  But the times have changed.  Even just from when I was Sister and Dude's age.

The most obvious change is the fact that we have an African-American President.  Whether you agree with his politics or not, this was a needless barrier that has now been shattered.  They told us when we were kids that anyone could grow up to be the President, and now that's really true.  How long before we see a woman as President?  Is that even out of reach anymore?

I think most kids are growing up color blind these days.  A person's color is even used less frequently as a descriptor.  Case in point: Dude and I were in Subway recently.  There were two other guys in the restaurant as customers - one was white, one was black.  As we left the store, Dude told me that one of the guys was the father of a friend of his.  When I asked which one, he replied, "the one with the big muscles".  Color didn't matter to him.

This past week, both Sister and Dude have been telling me what they learned about Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy in school.  They've had lots of questions too.  But mostly, they can't understand why people were treated any differently because they had a different skin color.  I can't either, and it's hard to explain.

It All Started With a New Pair of Cowgirl Boots

Somehow, my baby girl has grown up.  Right before my eyes.  I don't know how, but I missed it.  And it all started with a new pair of red cowgirl boots.

We've been discussing for years now about how Sister would go stay at my cousin's ranch for a week in the Summers once she was old enough.  Now that she's eight, we decided this would be a good time to start.

The planning began in earnest about a month ago.  There were things we had to plan around like Vacation Bible School, nature camp, vacations, etc.  Once we decided on the first week of June for Sister's ranch trip, there was no stopping her excitement.  On the last day of school, her teacher told me that Sister had been talking about going to the ranch for weeks now.  Katie bar the door!

We knew this would be a really fun experience for her, but being the practical parents we are, we also knew that she would learn some valuable life lessons along the way.  We hoped that she would learn the feeling of a job well done at the end of the day, that there is value in work, and that life doesn't revolve around the Disney Channel or her Nintendo DS (which she did NOT bring with her).  I think all of the above is being accomplished.

I have to say, I was a little hurt that Sister didn't put up much of a fuss when Dude and I left her at the ranch on Sunday.  She hugged and kissed me goodbye, but seemed to be waiting for us to leave so the real fun could start.  My cousin has been keeping her pretty busy, so she hasn't really had time to miss us.  But something tells me that even if she were bored, we would not be top of mind.

We've called her every night so far, and the conversation has been pretty one-sided.  We can hardly get a word in edgewise because she has so much to tell us.  Baby goats are being born.  There are eggs to gather.  Chickens to feed.  Cows to count.  Oh, and the all important, ranch vehicles to drive.  Yes, she drove a giant tractor and a four-wheeler under the watchful eyes of the college kids who work at the ranch during the Summer.

But I've gotten ahead of myself.  During all the discussion and planning of this trip, we told Sister that she could have a pair of real cowgirl boots.  So the first stop on our way to the ranch was Harry's in San Saba.  Harry's is a legend in those parts, with the best selection of boots for miles.  Sister found a cool pair of Ariats with bomber leather around the foot and a cool brick red leather upper.  I can't remember ever seeing her so pleased.

I packed only two pairs of jeans for her because, well, this is Texas and it's pretty danged hot -- even in early June.  Plus, Sister had specifically told me she was going to wear shorts the entire time.  I convinced her to take the jeans for the days when they would be working so she could wear her new boots.  According to my cousin, they've had to to laundry twice in three days because Sister will not wear anything but jeans and her new boots.

So my independent, boot-wearing child has been out the door by 7am.  Opening gates.  Feeding animals.  Learning to cook.  And going to bed tired, but fulfilled.  We will be forever grateful for my cousin (who is also Sister and Dude's godmother) for taking on an eager, inquisitive, and creative child, and showing her the ropes.  This will be a week that Sister won't soon forget.  But get ready, Cousin - Dude will be old enough for a week of his own in two years!

Our Pizza-making Adventure

Today the kids and I had a ton of errands to run. We were out all afternoon, and didn't get home until 7pm. About two errands into our list, we decided we needed to stop for lunch. So as we usually do, we stopped at the Original Brooklyn Pie Co. in the La Frontera shopping center in Round Rock, TX.

They will make whole pizzas, but for us, there is only the pizza by the slice. They're delicious and HUGE! I'll eat one slice, and the kids usually split one. Yes. They're that big.

Somehow, without my noticing, something amazing happened. I overheard a bit of the conversation my kids were having with the owner, Rubio. He told them that if they ate all their pizza, he'd teach them how to make one! Now, most kids don't usually have a problem with eating pizza. But I promise you - you've never seen two kids eat pizza faster than Sister and Dude did this afternoon. They gobbled it up before I'd even eaten a few bites of mine!

They've watched Rubio make pizzas many times before. They always choose the best seats in the house - the table right next to the Plexiglas window where they can watch him toss up the pizza dough waaaay up into the air and then add all the yummy toppings.

Today Rubio outdid himself. He invited them both to come back behind the counter to learn how to make a pizza of their own. First, they had to wash their hands. Then, they had to flour the dough and the pizza board to prevent the dough from sticking.













The next step was to pound and flatten the dough into a small sized pizza.













Then comes the sauce. Sister got to help spread it around with a paint brush to make sure it covered all the dough.













And what's a pizza without cheese? Sister and Dude both get to try their hand at adding cheese and making sure it covered the entire surface.













After the pizza went into the oven, I snapped a photo of the pizza-making team. There's Dude, Sister, Mary, and Rubio. What a crew!













Ahh, the final product. Sister and Dude proudly display their creation. A delicious and made-by-my-kids cheese pizza!













I couldn't believe how incredibly sweet Rubio and Mary were to take time out of their busy day and teach my children how to make pizza. It just goes to show you that there really are some genuinely nice people out there. And you never know where you'll find them. Hmm, maybe you're one ...

Today started out being an ordinary day of running errands. It ended up being a day my kids will never forget.

If you're ever in Round Rock running errands and get a hankering for pizza, I'm sure Rubio and Mary would cook up a great pie for you. C'mon, you know you want one.

The Deepwood Santa - A Christmas Tradition

For the last several years, we've participated in our own family tradition. We have lots of traditions that are left over from either mine or my husband's childhood, or even borrowed from my sister's family. And they're all a cherished part of our family.

But this tradition is one of our very own. I hope it continues for many years to come.

You see, Santa has friends who live in Round Rock. He comes to visit for a few days before Christmas to rest up for his big day on Christmas Eve. And while he's here, he sets up shop on his friends' front yard. Brothers, sisters, Moms, Dads, grandparents, and friends are all welcome and encouraged to come visit Santa.

The part about Santa having friends in Round Rock is only partially true, but it's what we tell Sister and Dude. And for now, they still believe. Sister may not believe for much longer, though. She's in the 2nd grade, and the kids at school are already talking. I want her to hang on for a while.

The part about everyone being welcome to visit Santa is all true. Let me tell you about my Santa, and why I'm convinced he's the real deal.

There are these two people - an older couple - who are consumed with the Christmas Spirit. They live on Deepwood Drive in Round Rock. Every year in June or July, Santa - er, I mean the man - starts growing out a beautiful white/grey beard. He grows that thing for half the year.

A few weeks before Christmas, they decorate the front yard. I'm not talking about a few lights or an inflatable snowman here. No, these people go all out. Santa has built himself a life-size sleigh, complete with reindeer. The house and yard are covered with lights. There's even a separate area with a bench for taking additional pictures.

About the time the lights and decorations go up, a 2nd mail box goes up too. This mailbox is where folks can find copies of Santa's visiting hours. He usually prints them up on pretty Christmas paper.

For the two weeks prior to Christmas, Santa and Mrs. Claus are open for business. Mrs. Claus makes sure there is an orderly progression of children and imparts plenty of Christmas cheer. And Santa does what Santa does best. He causes spontaneous smiles on children's faces and sparkles to appear in their eyes. And he does this without asking for any payment or anything at all in return. I give him a big hug every year.

Family by family, groups both small and large await their turn to visit with the Big Guy. And family by family, he gives them their due. He visits with each child, asking if they've been good and what is on their Christmas lists. Then he reaches into his bag and pulls out a little trinket for each child. This year Sister got a golden bead necklace, and a little green bag with a Christmas pencil in it. Dude got a Spiderman coloring book and a small box of Crayons. Families can take as many pictures as they want. Moms and Dads usually get into the pictures too.

Santa does this each year. Each year charging nothing for his time or effort.

I've been calling him Santa, because to me and to us, he is. This man is kind, gentile, and full of love. He is the Christmas Spirit personified. I don't know their real names, and it doesn't matter one bit. They ARE Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

One year - a few years ago - he whispered something to me as I hugged him after our turn. I won't tell you what he said, because it was a message meant for me. But I will tell you this. Only Santa could've known.

Merry Christmas to All! And to All a Good Night.

2nd Grade Love Notes

I shouldn't have done it, but I did. I looked at Sister's love notes that she wrote to her newest boyfriend Cole. So now I'm sharing them with you.

Here's the story.

Last Friday when I picked up the kids from the YMCA after school program, Sister asked if I wanted to meet someone. I said sure, and off she went to find her victim. In no time she was back with a very cute little blond boy in tow.

She said, "Mom, this is Cole." Wanting to exhibit good manners, I extended my hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Cole." I then found out that Cole was also in the 2nd grade (just not in Sister's class), and that he was the latest in a string of boyfriends. Cole is also a very polite young man.

Once we got home, Sister began secretively writing in a little spiral notebook. Dude ratted her out. "Mom, she's writing love notes to Cole!" She replied by giggling. Uh oh. She didn't even throw anything at him! At that point, I knew I had to know what was in that notebook.

After she went up to bed, I sneaked a peek. Here's what I saw:

"I misted you this weekend. did you miss me?

Say what you need to say to me even if your embarrassed. it's OK I'll still like you even if you lie. I'll still like you."

On the next page she had drawn a big heart with C + J written inside it.

When I read the next page, my mouth hit the floor. I said, "Uh, honey? I think we may need to have a talk with Sister." When he asked why, I read him this:

I'm
so
lost
with
out
you
Cole

Where did she even hear anything like that anyway? And in the 2nd grade?! My fears, it turns out, were short lived. Here's what was on the following page:

I'm
never
talking
to
you
again
Cole

Followed by:

I
hate
you
Cole

So Sister may be getting herself a boyfriend or two, but she is still firmly planted in a 2nd grade mentality. Nevertheless, I am truly, deeply frightened by junior high.

Photo courtesy of Linds :).

Sunday Afternoon Is Saved

It's Sunday afternoon, and the kids and I needed to get out of the house. Brian is working on his grad school homework assignment, but the noise being generated by Sister and Dude was not creating a conducive work environment for him. The problem was the weather. Not exactly raining, but not the beautiful sunny weather we've been enjoying either.

The park would have been our first (and the obvious) choice. We have a great city park that adjoins our neighborhood. It's got walking trails, a small lake to throw rocks into, and two pretty cool playscapes. Sister and Dude always have a great time there when we go. But with the misty and cool weather, the park just wasn't an option today.

So, I turned to my Facebook friends for suggestions. My friend Katie came through! There's a great local place called Jungle Java. They have all the things a kid would want to play on - slides, an obstacle course, tunnels, rope swings - you name it. All with a jungle theme. It really brings out your inner Indiana Jones.

I'd forgotten about Jungle Java. We actually had Dude's 5th birthday party here in March, and the staff did a terrific job.

The best part, though, is that it's fun for grown-ups too. Remember the name? Jungle JAVA? Yes, sports fans, they have coffee! And it's pretty good coffee too!

So while Sister and Dude are practicing their Tarzan moves, I'm sitting in a comfy easy chair. Sipping on a latte. Playing on my laptop (yes, there's WI-FI!). And I brought a book to read too.

As Brian slaves away on his assignment, I'm getting to do something I enjoy while the kids wear themselves out. Early bedtime, anyone?

Photo courtesy of St0rmz.

Hunt Chickens and Sell Them to H-E-B!

If you haven't already noticed, some of our best and most entertaining conversations happen while we're in the minivan running errands.

Tonight's story is no exception.

Not too long ago (while we were running errands in the minivan), Dude began talking about guns. Only he still spells it out because "gun" is a bad word.

So, as I said, he was discussing G-U-N-S during this particular outing. He thinks they're cool ... he could fight bad guys with them, etc.

Then he began thinking (out loud) about what careers he might pursue that would allow him to carry a gun. He could be the second coming of Indiana Jones, which would please him to no end. He could be a robber. A robber?! Okay, not a robber, but what else could he do and carry a gun?

Then he finally had his epiphany. He would be a policeman! They were good guys AND they got to carry G-U-N-S!

Sister, who has been patiently listening to all this, finally chimed in. "Dude!", she said. "You don't have to be a policeman. You could be a hunter! Yeah! "

"You could hunt chickens, and sell them to H-E-B!"

H-E-B, for those of you who are not from Texas, is our fabulous, home-grown regional grocery store chain. One, as you may have guessed, we frequent quite often.

Obviously, we do not frequent the country often enough. Because these two children had lost their minds! Neither of them saw the slightest problem with this chicken hunting idea. Dude's fate was sealed.

Sister wants to be a dolphin trainer. Let's hope she doesn't plan to have her brother shoot THEM and sell them to H-E-B!

Photo courtesy of Okinawa Soba.

Best Rooster Name Ever

So as I've told you before, Dude has a thing for all things Indiana Jones. He likes the movies, the gear, the theme song, and most especially the hat.

He would hum that song at daycare this summer over and over - so much so that our dear friend and daycare provider banned him from ever singing it again in her presence.

Resolved: the boy likes Indiana Jones.

So earlier in the summer, we were driving from point A to point B and discussing some of the things we wanted to do for fun. We decided that our cousin's ranch would be a great choice.

Going out there is always a treat. We visit, kick back, eat well, feed chickens and goats, and just enjoy the country life for a few days. It's a great experience for the kids. They get to be outside a lot of the time and do things they'd never get to do in Suburbia where we live. The highlight of every trip - aside from seeing our cousin - is feeding the chickens and goats.

So prior to this conversation in the car, I had spoken with our cousin. She wanted me to tell the kids that she had a new rooster in need of a name. When I told the kids about this, the discussion and debate from the backseat reached new decibel heights. Finally Dude emerged victorious.

He declared, "I have the best rooster name ever! Henry. Jones. Junior!" Sister agreed ... and so did I. It was indeed the best rooster name ever. How could there be any other?

So we called up our cousin on my trusty iPhone to tell her the good news. I'm surprised she could understand them because they were talking so fast in all their excitement.

After Dude and Cousin discussed the name and the rooster for a bit - and just when I didn't think things could get any better - Dude asked her, "Can you go outside right now and tell him what his name is?"

I guess that once you have a name that good, there's just no sense in making the rooster wait.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Hawk.

God Is the Best

Dude and Sister get along pretty well ... most of the time. They play together and agree on TV shows and movies. But like any brother and sister team, they feel it is their duty to do whatever possible to annoy the other. And they can do it really well.

Sister, being the older of the two, has really honed her craft over the years. She calls Dude names - strange nicknames like "Bacon" - but names just the same. Dude hates it. She copies him when he talks, and is just generally annoying some of the time.

Dude isn't entirely innocent, though. He snatches toys out of her hands, copies her when she talks, and is just generally annoying. Sound familiar?

Whatever the offense, they really know how to push each other's buttons. So push they do. As the Mom and referee, I have learned that it doesn't help to try to resolve the situation, or to determine who has been wronged by whom. All I want is for the yelling and name-calling to end, and for peace and quiet to be restored. Mostly, I wish that in vain.

So one day, we were running errands and the pushing of buttons began. Names were called. Cries for help from Mom were made. There was even some pinching! Finally, Dude had had enough.

He summoned up the worst possible thing he could think of, and said, "You're just ... just ... just AWFUL!!"

To which Sister replied, "Know what's better than calling people names? GOD! God is the best thing in the whole wide world. So there!"

She ended this tirade by sticking her tongue out. Dude was deflated, because, well, Sister was right! He just couldn't think of anything to say or do to top that.

And me? Aside from being rather amazed, I was just thankful that it was quiet again!

Photo courtesy of radiant guy.

Stickers Don't Count as Surprises

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I sometimes have to travel for work. It's never very far flung or all that often. But it comes up now and then.

Most of the time, I'm only gone for one night. Sometimes I'll attend a seminar or conference that keeps me away from home for longer periods of time.

Our family rule is that if I'm gone for two or more nights, I have to bring a surprise to the kids. It's never anything extravagant. Usually it's some swag that I pick up at an exhibitor's booth at a trade show, or some other little free "gimme". Other times, I've had to go out on a special trip to pick something up for them.

This past week I was in Dallas attending a seminar on social media marketing. I was gone Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and home late Thursday evening. This necessitated a surprise. There were a few vendors at the seminar, but they really only had brochures and other "grown-up" information. A few of them were giving away branded pens, but there was really nothing that a kid would like.

And then I saw it. HubSpot, an Inbound Marketing company from Boston, was giving away stickers! Kids like stickers, right? Dude and sister always have, so a sense of relief washed over me when I found them. And these weren't just any old stickers. These were BIG oval-shaped stickers with HubSpot's squiggly orange brand on them. These stickers were cool!

So when I arrived home at 9pm, Dude and Sister were still up. Dude had reminded me about getting them a surprise every time I'd talked to them on the phone while I was away. And now that I was home, the first thing out of his mouth was about the surprises.

Once I was able to walk in the door and put down all my stuff, I dug out the stickers. Sister was out of the room, and Dude was first up. I asked him to close his eyes, and when he did, I placed the sticker in his outstretched hands.

At first, silence. Then the poochy lip. Then, Dude burst into tears.

"I didn't want a STICKER! I wanted a TOY!" Oh, I tried to show off all the great things about this particular sticker, but he wasn't having any. He cried and I consoled for a few minutes, and then he agreed to put it on his shirt. It was okay, but he still really wanted that Incredible Hulk toy. He just couldn't believe that they didn't have them at my seminar!

Sister was cool with it. She loves stickers of any kind. Thanks, Sister!

So HubSpot, I'm sorry to say that stickers - and specifically YOUR stickers - don't count as surprises.

Photo courtesy of Maria chanourdie.

Apparently, I Don't Know About Food

Wow! It's nearly been a month since I've updated you on things. Needless to say, we've been very busy - both at home and at work.

So I decided that I would sit down and do a quick post while I was inspired to do so ... and mainly before I forgot what I had planned to write about.

Picture this. The family is sitting down - at the table! - for dinner. I made a pretty dang good meal, if I do say so myself. Broiled Tilapia Parmesan. Green beans. And alfredo noodles.

As Sister and Dude were doing everything but eating, I announce that there is ice cream for dessert if they eat a healthy dinner first.

We don't make them clean their plates around our house, but they do have to - at the very least - try everything. Then the negotiating begins. Sometimes it's half of an item, sometimes it's two more bites, and still sometimes it's 4 more green beans. A little of everything is all I ask. Is that too much?

So when I told Dude that he needed to eat some more dinner before he got his ice cream, it was on! He burst into fake tears and whined that it was too much. He couldn't do it. He didn't like it. Again, I stated that there would be no ice cream unless he ate some dinner. Again with the whining.

Then I told him that if there wasn't room for dinner, then there wasn't room for ice cream.

"NO!," shouted Dude. "YOU JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT FOOD!!!"

Oh, really. I DO know how to get kids to eat their dinner, though.

I just got myself a bowl of ice cream, sat right back down, and ate it right in front of them. This time, they knew better than to ask where their ice cream was.

Sister and Dude actually ate everything I asked them to, and just finished up their own bowls of ice cream.

Ahh, problem solved.

Photo courtesy of St0rmz.

Out of the Mouths of Babes ...

Out of the mouths of babes. Kids say the darnedest things. What will he think of next? These sayings may be cliche, but they're true. I've found this to be the case time and time again with our kids, and I still wonder why I'm surprised by the things they say.

Dude has come up with a couple of doosies lately. In his defense, he's usually very serious about what he's saying and has no idea whatsoever that he's the reason why I'm stifling a laugh. It's just his honest thoughts or feelings in the moment. I think that may be that's why they're so priceless.

Episode 1:
So the other day, we had soccer practice. On soccer night (as you all know), our time for evening activities is extremely limited. Dude was already having some problems listening, and was having a string of never-ending tantrums. He and Sister were in the living room - probably arguing about something - when I announced that dinner was ready. As any hungry 5-year-old would, Dude comes running into the kitchen to see what delicacy I had prepared for the family that evening.

He took one look at the pasta awaiting him on his plate, and promptly burst into tears. Simultaneously, he cried, "Awwwwww! You KNOW I can't eat yellow food!" And ran out of the room. Since when, I ask you, can the boy not eat yellow food? Seriously. Yellow food? Never mind the mac and cheese. Oh, and the corn. And whatever else he eats that's yellow! After being informed that there would be no special, non-yellow dinner just for him, he ate it. That was that. Score one for Mom.

Episode 2:
Fast forward to last Monday night. My husband was at the school board meeting, so it was just me and the kids. Dude must have been really tired. The poor child just couldn't hold it together to save his life. Everything Sister said sent him into a crying fit. I could do nothing right. Oh wait. That's not unusual. But if you had asked him, there was most certainly a plot against him that night.

There was absolutely nothing that could set things to right with him. Sister and I endured a string of knock-down, full-on conniption fits. The likes of which you have never seen before. I do not exaggerate here.

So after a very long evening, it was finally time for bed. Before schlepping them and all their stuff upstairs for a bath and bed, I went into our bathroom to change into my comfy PJs. Dude joins me while I'm changing ... kinda just loitering, like he wants something.

He finally works up the courage to ask me this question. "Uh, Mama? Since I'm um, uh falling apart tonight, can I sleep in your bed?"

Somehow, that simple question just made everything right with the world again. My sweet little boy understood that he was falling apart, and needed some comforting from his Mom. The frustration and the fatigue were instantly washed away, and I got to snuggle with my little boy.

Photo courtesy of Photo Mojo.

Phone Call From a Friend

This evening when we got home, the answering machine was blinking at us. We had a message. As Dude and Sister were running around being noisy, I tried to listen to the voicemail. I quickly realized as I was listening, that this message wasn't for me or my husband.

It was for Sister!

Her little friend Candice from her class had called and left her number so we could call back. It was a very cute message too. Candice was obviously coached by her mother on what to say and to use polite manners. I could also hear her Mom in the background whispering each digit in their phone number as Candice recited it back into the phone. Very cute.

So then it was our turn. I told Sister what to say and gave her some pointers on what to do if Candice wasn't available. They chatted for about 15 minutes about mostly observational stuff. Some examples: "I have an orange cat." "No, that was just my little brother." "My Mom's cooking dinner." (Author's note: Since when does peanut butter and honey sandwiches count as "cooking" dinner?) Then the phone was turned over to the Moms.

The girls had set up a play date for this coming Sunday, and oh, "is it okay, Mom?" So, it looks like we'll be heading to the park for a couple of hours on Sunday. Should be fun!

I'm constantly reminded - on a daily basis, it seems - that my little girl is growing up.

Photo courtesy of Jason Nicholls.

The "D" Word

I don't have a potty mouth, but occasionally I let one slip. Worse even, sometimes the kids are around to hear it. I try. Really I do. But sometimes the situation just calls for a bad word.

Usually, if I catch myself saying one, I try to say it under my breath ... but not always. They're never awful or ugly words, but still, they're not words that five year old children should be hearing.

And using.

And using correctly.

The other night in the bathtub, Dude was playing with his pirate ship. One of the pirates fell out of the crow's nest and into the bath water. As this happens, I hear Dude say, "Dammit!". We had a very stern talk about how that was not an appropriate word for little boys to be saying, and he promised to never say it again. Problem solved.

Then two days later we were in the soccer mom mobile on our way to pick up Sister from her after school program. Dude was going through his backpack looking for something, when from the back seat I hear, "Damn!". Apparently he had forgotten something at daycare and this upset him.

And this from the kid who didn't want to say, "What the hell!" when he thought I was driving too fast!

So once we were at home, we had another stern discussion. He again promised never to utter the "D" word, and I promised not to say it around him anymore. Okay, so I slipped up once. Just once, though, in a week. That's pretty good, right?

He reminds me daily that he is remembering not to say the "D" word. He also happily pointed out to me on the occasion of my one slip up that I HAD said it ... and he had not.

Photo courtesy of Alice Chaos.

Name Change Alert

So I wanted to let you know that I'm changing the names I use for my children on this blog. I still plan to keep their real names private for security reasons, but I'm giving them new blog names (as it were).

I've been calling them Thing 1 and Thing 2 since the inception of this blog. It's working fine, but it can be a tad bit confusing when dealing with two children of the opposite sex. Who is who, really?

So as of tonight at 12:25am Central Time, I am officially changing their names. Here's the skinny:

• Thing 1 (female) = Sister
• Thing 2 (male) = Dude

I'm doing this to clarify any confusion over their gender, but mainly because that's what I really call them when I'm not using their given names. Don't ask - it just seems to fit.

So there you go. From now on it's Sister and Dude.

Life Is Uncertain. Eat Dessert First. Or Upside Down.

Okay, so day 1 of Spring Break didn't exactly go according to plan. We left home with the best intentions. But wound up not doing the activities we'd planned for the first day, canceling our hotel reservations in Glen Rose, and getting a room in Burnet.

The first day was a bust. Thing 2 wasn't feeling well when we left, but we thought he'd snap out of it once we got to the cave. As my husband was in line for tickets, Thing 2 promptly threw up ... on the floor in the lobby of the cave. We waited for a while to see if he would feel better, but no dice. Rather than subject him to a 2 1/2 hour car ride up to Glen Rose, or a 1 hour car ride back home, we just got a hotel in Burnet.

So after a bit of a rest, it was time to get some dinner. Thing 2 seemed to have rebounded and was starving. It hit him again at the restaurant and he didn't even touch his dinner. My husband took him out to the car while Thing 1 and I finished up.

The buffet included dessert, and not being the type to pass up a free dessert, Thing 1 and I decided to take part. Thing 1 is a keen observer. She can spot the smallest speck from great distances. It's amazing what she sees and finds.

Her powers of observation are not limited to what she can see, however. She is also pretty insightful. So tonight while we were eating our chocolate cake, she turned her piece of cake over so that the icing was on the bottom. When I asked her why she did that, this was her reply. "This way", she said, "the best part of the cake goes into my mouth first."

So I'm amending the old saying (that my mother loves) to read: Life Is Uncertain. Eat Dessert First. Or Upside Down.

Photo courtesy of Sifu Renka.

Spring Break - Time To Hit the Road

With strains of "Holiday Road" from the movie Vacation running through my head, I am eagerly anticipating our family Spring Break trip next week. Nothing too far flung, but enough of a trip to satisfy our need for "Go, See, Do".

Texas has some great places to visit, and by no means have we seen them all. So with keeping close to home in mind, here's a brief run-down of our week away from school and work. Yay!

Monday we're heading out. We plan to visit Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls to pick our own strawberries. Yum! From there, we'll head up the road to Burnet where we'll visit Longhorn Caverns. Then it's up north to Glen Rose where we'll end the day.

Tuesday in Glen Rose looks like this. A visit to Dinosaur Valley State Park where there are actual dinosaur tracks in a rock stream bed. Very cool. Of course, there are also the life-size dinosaur statues that make great photo opps too. Next on our Tuesday itinerary is a trip to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Fossil Rim is a drive-through exotic wildlife park that is an awesome experience. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are really going to love it!

On Wednesday, we'll be in Waco. There we'll visit the Mayborn Museum, which has some terrific hands-on exhibits for kids. Also in Waco is Cameron Park Zoo - a surprisingly great zoo for a town the size of Waco. My nieces, who are students at Baylor, will be taking us for a brief campus tour which will include the famous Baylor Bears. The kids are going to love that too.

From Waco, we plan to take it easy with a visit to my parents' house. We'll spend a couple of days there just relaxing and getting in some good grandparent face time. Then it's home for the weekend to get ourselves ready to get back to the grind.

If you're interested in how La Quinta has already made our trip better, check out another blog I write for the tourism industry - Tourism Tech.

I'm sure our Spring Break trip will give me lots of fodder for this blog (and hopefully Tourism Tech too). I'll get back to you as soon as I can with all the fun you can handle.

Minivan photo courtesy of kaydee did.

Indiana Jones Is Living With Me

And he has been for the last 3 days. Don't worry, my husband knows all about it. Our (now) 5-year-old son, Thing 2, had his birthday last Thursday. Because he's been on an Indiana Jones kick lately, we got him presents with an Indy theme. His birthday party will follow suit.

My husband and I got him the Lego Indiana Jones game for Play Station 2, along with the Lego Star Wars game. Thing 1 got him Bendaroos - but only because she wanted to play with them. I don't think he's even gotten to touch them since they were opened Thursday night.

Since we aren't having his party for another couple of weeks, we had a small family celebration on the big day. Thing 2 chose Luby's for our dining pleasure, and we invited our friends Andrea (Andy) and Michael to come along. Andy made him a cake, which we brought in to Luby's with us.

So after dinner we lit the candles, sang happy birthday, and ate some cake. Our waitress was so nice and helpful, we gave her a piece too! Following the cake, it was present time. He was respectably appreciative of our gifts and the Bendaroos from Thing 1. But it was the gift from Andy and Micheal that has now become the gift to beat ... forever more, I fear.

Under the newspaper comic wrapping paper was a box. A box that was chock full on Indiana Jones garb and regalia. This set had it all: the shirt and leather-like jacket, the signature Indy hat, a satchel, a holster, and ...... the WHIP!

There was no waiting. Thing 2 immediately put on everything right there in Luby's. He wore it on the drive home, and dang near wore it to bed. He took it to daycare the next day, where he wore it the entire time. He's worn it all day, both days this weekend, and even wore it out to dinner last night. He's informed us - in a matter-of-fact way- that when he is wearing his new outfit, we are to refer to him as either Indy or Indian Jones ... and NOT by his name.

So now you see what I mean when I say that Indiana Jones is living with me. He may even be coming with us on Spring Break too!

Some Errands, My Son, and a Pair of Walkie-Talkies

Yesterday afternoon I needed to go run some errands. Nothing fun really, just dropping some stuff off at Goodwill, getting the oil changed in my Soccer Mom mobile (a.k.a. our van), and going to the grocery store. Despite the lack of any prospect of fun on these errands, Thing 2 wanted to come with me to "help". So the boy and I pile into the van and head out for our afternoon of errand-running.

Now, I've mentioned before that Thing 2 has a thing for superheroes. His current favorite among the superhero set is Iron Man. For Christmas, Santa brought Thing 2 a pair of Iron Man walkie-talkies. This gift was hours of fun for Thing 2 and his older sister, Thing 1. They had long conversations with them from the far reaches of my parents' house while we were there for Christmas. Very cute.

But since Christmas, the walkie-talkies have played a fairly minor role. We've really not seen much of them at all ... until yesterday afternoon. Apparently, they were gone but not forgotten.

As Thing 2 and I were about to leave, he handed me a walkie-talkie. I was instructed to put it in my purse because that's how he intended to speak to me while we were out. I'm sure anyone who happened to look into our van at a red light would've had a little chuckle at what they saw - Mom and son (sitting a scant 2 1/2 feet behind me) talking away on his Iron Man walkie-talkies.

We were gone for 3 hours and that's pretty much how we spoke to each other the whole time. He even wore it clipped onto his pants every time we went in a store or got out of the car. I'd hear things like this:

(static) "Uh, Mom. When are we going to get ice cream?" (static)
(static) "Sounds good. Over and out." (static)
(static) "Can we stop at Old McDonald's for lunch?" (static)
(static) "But I don't want to go to the grocery store!" (static)

So that's pretty much how our afternoon went - a new twist on running errands. It was kinda fun.