Me and My Boy

911, What's your emergency?

2010-02-19T15:44:00.003-06:00

JP had school conferences last week and one of the questions they had asked him at some point was, "who do you call for an emergency?" JP had said he pushes the red or blue button on the alarm but it brought to my attention the fact that he needed a quick tutorial on calling 9-1-1. So... I taught him about 911 and when to call... if mommy falls and can't get up, if there is a fire, if mommy can't wake up, etc. I only have to tell him something once so he was on board and knew what to do. He already knew his address and phone number so this was easy. Fast forward to today...

I got in at midnight last night and was taking care of some business from my trip until who knows when so I was quite tired today and needed a little power nap. I told JP I was going to take a nap and he said OK... he was playing the Wii. At some point I guess he called to me from the other room and when I didn't respond he picked up the phone and called 911!!! He was on the phone with them and was walking into my room giving his address and I woke up and realized what was happening. Luckily I was able to convince the operator that everything was fine and I did NOT need help before he hung up the phone. It is quite a funny story, really... but I must say that I was a bit embarrassed!!! :p

2-0!

2010-01-25T21:23:00.004-06:00

Gooooo Jayhawks!!! JP's team won again! This time it was 8-2. JP scored another basket too! Way to go, JP!

Now if I could just shake this cold/cough/congestion. YUCK. Where is spring???

It's not what you know....

2010-01-21T12:52:00.002-06:00

It's WHO you know! Ah yes, my babysitting connections are paying off. You all know how JP got the baseball signed by Zack Greinke and David Cone. Well, I just talked to Bret Saberhagen via Facebook and I am mailing the baseball out to him and he's signing it for JP and sending it back. YAY! JP is sooo excited. Thanks, Bret!

JP has been battling a cough this week so he is missing school today. We went to the Doctor's office and fortunately it is just viral so it will just have to run its course. I hope he's better by Saturday.... he's got game #2 for basketball!!!

Off to watch: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs... we've never seen it!

1-0

2010-01-17T18:05:00.003-06:00

"We Won! We Won!!" ahhhh.. the innocent excitement! JP had his first "rookie" basketball game and yes, the Jayhawks won. 4-0 in fact... and JP was the high scorer (only scorer) with 4 points! GO JP!!! He had a blast and now I need to go and have his name put on the back of his shirt as well as his requested number 5. Should be a fun season!

Famous?

2010-01-16T17:25:00.003-06:00

Just adding this to the previous post from Fan Fest.... This shot was taken by a professional photographer for the Royals organization and low and behold it was on their Facebook page this morning! Cool! Oh.. and I think JP will end up getting Bret's autograph for his Cy Young ball... I messaged him on FB! :) Gotta love having "connections."

Fan Fest!

2010-01-15T20:21:00.003-06:00

Royals Fan Fest was today!! What a blast we had... It was so fun! You can't beat a fun Royals extravaganza in the cold month of January!! Makes us extra excited for opening day on April 5th! Can't wait!!!!

We got lots of FREE stuff... did I say LOTS??? Tshirts, hats, bags, autographs, beads... just to name a few! JP got to see his favorite player, Zack Greinke and he even got some pitching tips from Luke Hochevar. He got past Royals autographs as well as present. It was so fun and we are very glad we went early. JP got one of the 250 golden tickets to get the 3 Royals Cy Young winners' autographs. Too bad Bret Saberhagen was a no- show! Oh well. JP didn't care. I was going to say Hello to my old friend though. :)

Grandma, JP and I are so glad we went. And so tired! GO ROYALS!!!

The lesser of two evils???

2010-01-13T22:58:00.002-06:00

OK... we all get sick. No one is immune to it. No one. Well... there is being sick and being SICK. Barf? yuck. Diarrhea? yuck. But if you could choose.... which would you pick??? I mean when it comes to cleaning up messes in the middle of the night... yeah. I choose option 2. Unfortunately JP threw up the other night all over his bed and the floor. He later told me he thought he was dreaming when it happened. That was a LONG night!!! He's much better now. yay! Back to school tomorrow!

Hoop it up!

2010-01-09T17:55:00.004-06:00

JP had his first basketball practice today. He did great! The goals were quite high so I didn't know if any of the little kids would be able to make a basket but I was so proud of JP when he made ALOT of baskets. Even when they were finished with his session he came up to me and the mom next to me said, "You're the good player! You kept making so many baskets!" That's my boy!!! :) His dribbling is getting pretty darn good too... he even switches hands! I am looking forward to his first "game" when they play 3 on 3. He is on the JAYHAWKS team. It'll be another 7 weeks of fun!!! Go JP!

You WHAT???

2010-01-07T20:37:00.002-06:00

Yes, I did. I really did. I was called upon for a HUGE favor. How could I say no? Well, I guess I could have but I didn't have it in me. I was the dog-sitter for Jim's dogs yesterday/last night/today while he was in St. Joseph, MO. So in having 3 dogs in the house it added up to about 200 pounds of dog. That's ALOT of dog. They were fine though. Harley liked having the company! I got a big favor returned though.... Jim was nice enough to put the plow on the mower and then he plowed my driveway in the sub-zero temps. Sweet!!! It pays to be nice.

And now I'm watching the BCS Championship game between Texas and Alabama. Bama just busted open a 49 yard run for a touchdown to make it 13-6. OK, there's the extra point... 14-6. Texas is in trouble since Colt McCoy is out with an injured arm. Poor kid.

OH.. and JP didn't get to go to school today because of the cold/snow. Maybe monday? Let's hope. Well, saturday is his first basketball practice.... can't wait!!!

Back to School????

2010-01-05T22:00:00.003-06:00

HA! I can only wish. JP is SUPPOSED to go back on thursday but that isn't looking real promising as we are in yet another winter storm warning effective from 12 noon tomorrow through 6pm thursday! What?? MORE SNOW??? *sigh* Let's hope he can go back but we'll find out thursday morning!

I finally found a basketball "league" of sorts for JP to play in!! He will play every saturday for the next 8 saturdays in an instructional basketball league where they learn and then break up and play 3 on 3. He is really looking forward to it, and so am I!! Something new and different to do this winter! I wonder if he'll be able to dunk yet? :)

Harley is as sweet as ever. She is such a love and is a great sleeper at night, too. She shares my bed and helps keep me warms on these frigid nights! Such a sweet puppy!

Stay warm everyone and let's see some warmer temps!!

For Real?

2010-01-03T10:26:00.003-06:00

OK... Global Warming? HAH!! This snow and cold has been unbelievable. This is what you get when our wonderful weatherpeople predict a DUSTING:

Yeah. I'm not impressed!!! Add this to the foot of snow we got for Christmas and then we got a few more inches this past week. I really don't think the mounds of snow next to the driveway are ever going to melt!!!

Even Harley isn't impressed!!!

Yep... and it's STILL coming down. Niiiice. Oh, and did I mention it's about 8 degrees outside??? Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Who wants to come shovel my mega driveway?? Anyone?

Harlem Globetrotters

2010-01-02T17:38:00.004-06:00

Phew! They won. We had a great time at the Harlem Globetrotters today... they were hilarious! And did I mention talented? Wow. JP loved it... he was giggling and laughing most of the time!~ OK... gotta run as the little basketballer is pretending to be a Harlem Globetrotter in the house. With his new Globetrotter Ball. Oh boy. Here are some pics!

Nice seats, huh?
The bucket of water trick.. this one DID have water in it!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T12:56:00.002-06:00

BRING ON 2010!!!!

JP and I are excited to be going to the Hatch's house tonight for a fun New Year's Eve party. We'll eat, drink and play games and just hang out with friends. Here's my big question.... Will JP be able to stay awake until midnight????

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Winter Break

2009-12-29T14:53:00.003-06:00

Ahhhh... winter break! Well, what's winter break without friends? Clayton came over today for some afternoon fun. Lots of laughter, tag, hide and seek, Wii, wrestling, air hockey.... boys being boys! Harley tried to get in on the action but they were pretty crazy. Silly boys!!! OH.. and don't forget "Secret Spies" with the walkie talkies!!!! :)

Wow.

2009-12-27T21:55:00.003-06:00

JP went with his dad today to celebrate Christmas at grandma and grandpas so I decided it was a good day to catch a movie! My Mom had mentioned wanting to go so I called her up and I went to see AVATAR with my Mom and Dad. Wow!!! I LOVED it. It was amazing. I loved the story... loved the effects... loved it all! I really went into it not knowing what to expect and I was a little skeptical as I'm not typically a "sci-fi" fan. Well... go see it. You won't be disappointed!!!! All the hype is right on!!!

Oh... so one of the dumb shows I like to watch on TV is TMZ. I have also been known to surf their website as well. I like to read up on some of the celebrity gossip and their soap opera lives. Tiger has been laying low so there hasn't been much on him recently but why do they keep reporting on Jon Gosselin? That guy is just a douche and why even waste their news time?? I just saw a report on my local news about him and how his NY apt was ransacked and a note was left behind with a knife in it. WHO CARES ABOUT JON GOSSELIN??? Ok. Rant over.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T18:32:00.003-06:00

Merry CHRISTMAS!!!

Wow, it's been awhile, huh? Now that my whirlwind of Jr. League Holiday Mart shows are over I need to make it a habit to come and post here again. No more excuses!!!

JP and I had a lovely Christmas. We are enjoying all of his new presents... I think *our* favorite is the Wii Sports Resort game. We like playing basketball, wakeboarding and swordfighting. He also loves the airplane dog fighting. Of course you can't go wrong with bowling or golf, either! We had our first "White Christmas" in YEARS!! It was beautful but a bit much, really. The first time KC has been in a Blizzard Warning in.... ages??? The snow came down in buckets and the wind was unbelievable. It is still snowing tonight but luckily the wind has simmered down. JP and I had a big day today playing with his loot... building with his Legos, playing games, pinball, reading, and of course... the Wii! Our Christmas was quite different this year but we enjoyed it very much and JP is still a very happy little boy. His gentle spirit and kind heart touches me in so many ways! I am truly blessed to have him!!!

We are looking forward to a bigger and better 2010. We have a birthday party to go to this week as well as a fun New Year's Eve party to attend at a preschool friend's house. We are excited about that! I am also taking JP to the Harlem Globetrotters next Saturday. That will be a blast, I'm sure! He was looking over his Royals 2010 schedule of games that we are going to and was super excited about opening day... April 5th!! Bring on those Tigers! He made it clear that he did NOT like the Yankees or the Indians. LOL The Royals Fan Fest will be in Mid-January so I'm sure that will be a great time... I wonder how many autographs he will get there??? We are going to Florida in March and are very excited to get out of the cold and onto the beach! Can't wait!!! So as you can see we are both looking forward to some big fun ahead!!

Well, I hope to be better with my blogging in the new year... Promise!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T09:17:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween!!! JP dressed as Zack Greinke (big surprise!) and had a blast trick or treating. He was especially happy that we didn't encounter any masks along the way. We went out early to avoid that possibility. Here is JP in his "costume." Actually... he looks like he does on most days, doesn't he???

Now, on to November!

Happy Birthday JP!

2009-10-11T08:53:00.004-05:00

WOW...I can't believe you are 5 now!! Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!

Fun was had by all!

New Phone!

2009-10-05T21:17:00.002-05:00

I got to upgrade my phone the other day... got the new Palm Pre! It's LOVE. Such a cool phone with so many neat features! I love being "in touch" with the world in the palm of my hand... the picture quality, music features, apps.... oh, what fun!!! So I took my new phone to the Griefs game on Sunday....

Too bad the Chiefs stink so bad. Is it Royals season yet??????

3 more sleeps until JP turns 5!!!

Bring on the freeze!

2009-10-02T22:57:00.002-05:00

Auuugh! Bring on the hard freeze. The allergies are going strong in this house and I can't wait for some relief! More for JP than for me. Every year at this time the seasonal allergies get the best of him. Well, he's much better than he used to be. Those up all night coughing sessions were harsh... and the gagging and getting sick? Yikes. At least he's outgrown that part, right?

It's birthday party mania here... not only is JP turning 5 but so are most of his friends... all within the next month or 2! We've got 5 parties (including JP's) within 12 days coming up. Gift shopping.... CHECK!!!

6 more sleeps until JP is 5!!!!

JP's Last Kansas City Royals game of 2009

2009-09-27T15:39:00.004-05:00

What a night for this almost 5 year old!!! You all know how much JP LOVES the Royals. His true passion for the team... such a true-blue fan!! You gotta love his heart, right? Well, we went to his last game of the year last night when the Royals played the Minnesota Twins. And what a night it was.

We got there an hour early to line up at the gate so we would be sure to get the George Brett Figurines they were giving away. We also love to try to catch batting practice and we did get to see the tail end of the Royals practice. Not only that but JP got tossed 2 batting practice balls within 5 minutes. Heaven for this kid. On to the "Little K" we went for some playtime.... JP hit in the Little K, fielded and rode the carrousel. Of course he waited in line until he could ride the bat/ball on the carrousel.... nothing else would do. LOL On to our seats we went...JP doesn't want to miss a pitch! He kept saying, "Come on, Mom! We can't miss "the storm!" That is part of the Royals intro... JP had dubbed it "the storm."

All season long JP has wanted to be on the jumbotron. This was probably his 12th game and he never got to see himself up there. Until this game. Not only was he on the jumbotron, we were told that he was on the previous night in the "Straight Talk" segment with Timmy Scott. Too bad we missed it but we are hoping to catch it on his Facebook page. JP was SO excited when he was on... up close and personal! He was in heaven. Then to top it off he got a tshirt in the tshirt toss. Even though it is an adult tshirt he says it is his "sleep" shirt so of course he wore it to bed last night. I think he dreamed about the Royals all night long.

It's going to be a long off season for this little boy. Can't wait until the 2010 season!!! And it's looking good that one of his favorite players, Zack Greinke, may win the AL Cy Young award for best pitcher. He ROCKS.

So, a professional photographer snapped a couple of pics of JP during the game last night and was kind enough to email them to me. Check out these expressions.... Yep, he's a true fan!

Gotta Love it. Go Royals.

Uh -Oh

2009-09-26T08:42:00.005-05:00

We are going to our last Royals game tonight of the year.... but please don't tell JP that. He will be heartbroken.

We've been super busy these past few weeks and my blogging got put on the back burner... sorry about that! JP is loving school and curbside dropoff/pickup started this week. Boy is that handy but it's a bummer that I can't chat up with some of the other moms when we go in. JP is doing so well at school.... he is a reading machine and can pick up any book now and go to town with it and rarely needs help with a word unless it's something like "suspicioulsy." lol He has even brought home a few art projects this year already that I have hanging on the pantry door... he's painted an elephant and a zebra! I know there are others but they hang them in the classroom for awhile. JP also loves going to sunday school at Church of the Resurrection. We have been attending the contmporary Sat. night service but since we are headed out to the "K" this afternoon we'll be going to a traditional service in the morning. Looking forward to that!

Softball started a couple weeks ago and my team is 2-0. I had forgotten how hard it was to run as fast as you can around the bases! LOL Most of my team pulled a quad muscle last week since we are old and didn't stretch before the game. Lesson learned!

I'm gearing up for all of my fall shows... OK City is first on the list. It is JP's birthday weekend so Mom and Dad are going to that one. We had an awesome 1 day show last weekend in Hillsboro, KS. Between that and an open house the night before that Judy put together for me it was a great weekend for the business! Thanks again, Judy! Cindy too!

We went to the Chiefs home opener last weekend. It was alot of fun and JP loved it but we lost. *sigh* Is it going to be a long season or are they just off to a slow start? Only time will tell. I've got a few pics from the game....

In other news... I got my 40th birthday present yesterday from my parents. Something I've been wanting for a LONG time. New carpet in the bedroom!! It looks fabulous. A beautiful frieze that feels heavenly under my feet. I LOVE it! The color is fabulous as well. It goes so well with the new tile in the bathroom and my new bedding.

JP and I are doing GREAT. We are so happy and are moving forward with our lives. I am doing everything I can to better our lives and I think his happiness is a sure sign that we are doing everything right.

A Day at the "K"

2009-09-06T23:01:00.002-05:00

What a great day for baseball! Grandma Judy came up for the game and the weather couldn't have been better. The only thing that could have made this day better was a Royals win. Oh well... it's not their year. JP doesn't care!!!! We got out to the ballpark a little early and we caught a few of the pitchers warming up and low and behold JP got a ball!!! New pitcher Dusty Hughes tossed him a ball and later autographed it. JP also go our ace closer to sign it, Joakim "The Mexicutioner" Soria. He was super nice to JP. So after the "I got a ball!" excitement we hit the family area so Judy could see what all the hype was about. JP got there in time to see Timmy Scott, the Royals emcee/entertainer doing his "Straight Talk" segment taping.... asking kids questions. Funny, right? So this is JP's big chance! The last thing I told him before it was his turn was, "don't be shy." So, he climbs up to Timmy and all I hear is "I'm in Pre-K!" and he went on and on and on. I don't think Timmy even got a question in. It was hilarious. I have NO clue what JP was jabbering about and I don't even think Timmy did. His facial expressions were priceless. JP was so proud of himself! Of course it wasn't aired during today's game so the chance of us seeing it are slim unless we find it on his FB page. Anyway....

We watched the game, did alot of cheering and of course JP did alot of eating. Peanuts, hot dog, another hot dog that was given to him by one of the cheerleaders during the "hot dog launch" and other goodies. After the game they had the Fun Run so we got to "run" around the outfield and then "Run" the bases. JP did more running that we did. Strict rules there.... Don't go on the grass!!!! It was very cool to be down on the field though. Very cool.

Big fun was had by all. So glad Judy could join us!!! Great memories for sure!

A few pics... JP and Grandma before the game

JP with his autographed ball and his "tough" face. LOL
JP during his "interview" with Timmy. He wasn't shy at all! lol
Mommy and her #1 boy in the stands
JP running around the outfield...
We had a great day. Now I am staying up late watching JP's fireman costume on Ebay... the auction is about to end and it's up to...... $57.57!!! Seriously! I'm anxious to see if the final minutes will take us over the $60 mark. Gotta love Ebay!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Just Busy!

2009-09-05T09:14:00.002-05:00

It sure has been busy around here recently! Busy, but fun! JP and I are doing all sorts of fun things together and we are both very happy. Wow, how I love my sweet boy. We went to church on Thursday evening so I could go to a support meeting. I took him to the restroom before I dropped him off at the playroom and he said, "God is everywhere. I will follow God's words." Yep. He said it.

JP is loving school and of course playing with all of his friends. Clayton came over yesterday afternoon for a few hours and the boys had a big time. Air hockey, toys, wii, outside play... gotta love it!

Today we are going to Lauren's birthday party and then we are hitting the 5pm church service tonight. Looking forward to it!

Tomorrow JP and I are going to the Royals game! After the game he will be able to run the bases... .that'll be cool for him! First time doing that this season as they only do it after sunday games. Will have to remember the camera. :)

Got the bass boat listed on Craigs List! Unloading that would really ease my mind. I just wish I could get someone to realize their priorities and responsibilities. Oh well, I can only control what I do and I know I am doing the right thing for JP and me.

Movie Reviews

2009-09-02T16:01:00.003-05:00

OK.. so I had some free time and I saw two movies within the past two days!

Last night I saw Inglourious Basterds. Great film. It did have some blood and gore but it wasn't TOO bad. It's a Tarantino film... what do you expect? I enjoyed it.

Today I saw The Ugly Truth. Hilarious!!!! I enjoyed it more than The Hangover. It was very funny and had raunchy moments but nothing compared to The Hangover. I really liked Kathryn Heigel and Gerard Butler too. That guy is charming... I enjoyed him in P.S I Love You as well. Mmmm.

Thanks to the "Girls" and to Judy for going with me!!! :)

Dear God,

2009-08-31T19:12:00.002-05:00

Can I just tell you how much I LOVE listening to JP's little prayers each night? So heartwarming... the perfect thing to help mend a broken heart.

Last night:

"Dear God, Thank you for pizza, mac and cheese, my plump pillow, my webkinz and my Froggie. And God, thank you for everything. Amen."

I wonder what tonight will bring? :)

Oh, and for those of you who don't know, his "plump pillow" is his Snoopy Head Pillow. He loves the word PLUMP.

Emergency Worker Day!

2009-08-29T13:17:00.004-05:00

JP and I went to Emergency Worker Day at the Farmstead today... what little boy wouldn't want to check out the firetrucks and police vehicles??? Here are some pics from today...

First stop... the firetruck!!

This is inside the police water rescue truck. JP thought that was VERY cool. He was checking out the equipment they use.
JP with the dive vest, etc. Big boy water rescuer!
Again, more water rescue info... JP was asking him all sorts of questions.
The police motorcycle.
Posing with the Children's Mercy Lifeflight Pilots.
It was a fun morning! I think every single person we talked to asked JP, "What grade are you in? 2nd?" LOL! He needs a shirt that says, "hey! I'm 4 1/2! I'm only in Pre-K!" :)

Tonight.... Church!

Branching Out

2009-08-28T11:06:00.002-05:00

I think it's time to fill a void in my life. That void is church. JP and I met a friend last night at Church of the Resurrection (COR) to check it out, see the kids area where their classes are held, view the sanctuary, etc. I really liked what I saw and was not as overwhelmed as I thought I would be by the size of the campus. Once you are inside it doesn't seem that large. The parking lots (alphabetized, parking attendants) are more overwhelming than the church itself. So, tomorrow JP and I are going to church at COR. I'm going to attend the 5pm service and he is going to be in a COR Kids class for "sunday school." He really seemed to enjoy it there as much as I did. Looking forward to tomorrow! If all goes as planned I am hoping to join a BBM (Building Better Moms) group that is for single moms. They meet once or twice a month on Wed. evenings. Why not, right?

I as I... Not as We

2009-08-25T22:34:00.002-05:00

Scroll on down to the bottom of the page to my music and click on Song #1... here are the lyrics so you can follow along. Yeah, it struck a chord with me!!!

"Not As We" Alanis Morissette

Reborn and shivering
Spat out on new terrain

Unsure unconvincing
This faint and shaky hour

Day one day one start over again
Step one step one
I'm barely making sense for now
I'm faking it 'til I'm pseudo making it
From scratch begin again but this time I as i
And not as we

Gun shy and quivering
Timid without a hand

Feign brave with steel intent
little and hardly here

Day one day one start over again
Step one step one
with not much making sense just yet
I'm faking it til I'm pseudo making it
From scratch begin again but this time I as i
And not as we

Eyes wet toward
Wide open frayed
If God's taking bets
I pray He wants to lose

Day one day one start over again
Step one step one
I'm barely making sense just yet
I'm faking it til I'm pseudo making it
From scratch begin again but this time I as I
And not as we

First Day of Pre-K!

2009-08-24T23:06:00.003-05:00

First day of Pre-K! JP is such a big boy. He was SO excited to go back to school and to see his friends! He thinks it is very cool to be in the "oldest" class in his preschool now. He loves all 3 of his teachers, too!

All Smiles!

Out in front of school:
Walking into school:
JP and some of his buddies: JP, Ben, Noah and Jake. Yes, the same Ben from the "So I poked him in the eye!" story!!! :)
The boys and their backpacks. They actually made me take this picture BEFORE the other one! LOL!
Looking forward to a wonderful year at Aldersgate!!! The same 4 boys plus Caden even had a playdate afterschool.... McDonalds Playland! And they sure had lots of fun!!!

Picking myself up...

2009-08-21T18:59:00.003-05:00

I'm moving forward. Picking myself up and moving on. Staying strong. I've got motivation. His name is JP.

I'm reading a good book right now, "The Courage to be a Single Mother." It is a good read and offering me a great deal of insight from people who have been through this before.

I'm starting to live a life for ME. I'm doing more things for ME. I'm playing on a softball team and our first practice is this weekend and I am also playing some golf this weekend. Don't forget Bunco.... got that on Monday!

JP is doing great. He starts Pre-K on Monday but had his visitation at school yesterday and met his teachers and visited his classroom. JP is the elephant this year. Always such a big deal... what your symbol is going to be! He is so bright... every day he says or does something that blows me away. He loves to read. He can read any age appropriate book now... even some advanced books. And his numbers? Wow. The kid loves his math. He'll sit in the car and say, "hey mom... did you know that 10 + 10+ 5 is 25??? Did you know that 3000 + 27 is 3027??? When did he start counting in the thousands? I guess the hundreds were too boring. Oh, and don't forget his passion for baseball! We still "practice" every night! He's getting really good at catching pop flies! He'll be ready to go next spring, that's for sure!

So... Me and My Boy are doing good. Of course I have my weak moments but I am strong... and I will move on. Go Me.

Oops.

2009-08-04T18:42:00.001-05:00

Ok, so I lied. Today... I'm not so strong. It's been a rough one.

Curveball

2009-08-03T19:34:00.003-05:00

Wow. It really IS "Me and My Boy" now, isn't it?

How is it possible for someone's whole life to change in 1 month??? Just turn upside down? It is possible. Trust me.

Only the strong survive. That's me. STRONG.

One day at a time.

The Season is Over.

2009-06-24T22:18:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it! The Sharks season is over. :( Boo Hoo. JP is bummed... and so am I! This is really going to feel strange not having practice every Thursday and games every Saturday and/or Wednesday! The kids had a great season. It is amazing to watch them play every week and see such improvement! Way to go, Sharks!!! The final game was tonight followed by a pizza party!

Pre-Game Pics:

Fielding practice:
Let's go, Sharks!
The whole gang. Trophies! How cool!
Champs!!!
What a fun season. Can't wait until next year!

CAKE! and more baseball...

2009-06-17T17:32:00.003-05:00

Here is proof that I do bake on occasion!!!

Jim's birthday cake. It was yummy, too.
More baseball!!!! Enjoying the Royals/Reds game. Yes, we won.
Look! Willie Bloomquist! (He's #8, a utility player for those of you who aren't Royals fans)
Leaving the stadium... JP was being a cheeseball. He got that pennant since he joined the Blue Crew Kids Club.

We are going to another game this Sunday.... Father's Day! Should be fun! Hot, but fun. JP only has 2 little league games left. Bummer. He's going to be S.A.D. when it's over. :(

Love of the game...

2009-06-08T17:09:00.001-05:00

"Mommy, I want to play a baseball game EVERY night."

-J.P. 4 1/2

Really, I'm not lost.

2009-06-01T17:06:00.003-05:00

Really! No, really! I'm not lost... I'm here! Just busy. Baseball, golf, baseball, baseball, baseball, work, baseball..... oh, and of course Facebook. Darn Farm Town app! LOL

So here I am and here are a few pics from last Friday's tailgate/Royals game!

Kate, Me and Jim

Kate, Me, Jim and JP being goofy
Kate, Grandma Judy and JP
Kate at the game... we were WAY up there!
JP's individual shot from team picture day. I had to take a pic of the pic but it's too cute to pass up!
So, it's been busy in the Moore house. Let's see... this week we have 3 baseball games in 4 days and also have baseball camp Mon/Wed/Fri this week and next week. Oh.. .and the pools have opened. We need to go. Soon. JP wants to swim in every pool he sees.

Last week I played golf in a 3 day tourney and we won the championship flight. Gotta love it. It was nice to see some of my old friends from the club. MOST of them were friendly. Most of them.

So.. there's what has been going on! Afterall, it's summer! We're supposed to be busy, right?

JP's 1st Royals Game. It's LOVE.

2009-05-17T18:53:00.004-05:00

Big fun was had at the game! JP LOVES the Royals. LOVES them. And he loved going to the game. He is counting down the days to his next game which will be Thursday! His favorite player is pitching then... Zack Greinke. YAY. I foresee many afternoons and evenings at Kauffman Stadium this summer and for many summers to come!

Hanging out in left field before the main gates opened. The Outfield Experience was open and we watched batting practice. This pic is actually from the seats that we'll be sitting in on Thursday!

In front of "The K"
Got the tickets! LET'S GO!!!!!!

Hey guys! Over here! JP loved watching batting practice.

LOOK! JP got a ball! How cool is that? Mike Aviles tossed it up to him as Billy Butler had hit one to the fence. He couldn't ignore this cute face!!!! Of course the adults in the area who frequent batting practice were wanting a ball. Sorry! LOL
Hitting at the "Little K" We waited in line for 30 min to do this! Then he got to run the bases....
Clowning around from our seats. JP got a KC batting helmet too. He was cheering the whole time!
JP and Sluggerrrr.... the Royals Mascot. He's HUGE!
What a great day. Beautiful weather and wonderful memories for all of us. We can't wait to go back! We've got 2 more games on the schedule for sure. YAY! I wonder if we'll have to get a mini-season ticket package one of these days? Good thing we can get tickets through work for a bunch of games.

Happy First Royals Game, JP!!!!

OH... and the Royals won. 7-4. Go Royals.

The New "K"

2009-05-15T22:20:00.003-05:00

Got to see my first Royals game this year... at the all new Kauffman Stadium! It looks amazing and I'm so excited to take JP to his first game on Sunday. He is going to love the outfield experience... putt-putt, Mini K stadium, time trials to run to first, merry-go-round, playground... it's all there! He is SO excited!

A few pics from last night.... Ladies' Night!

Two more games coming up this week... can't wait! GO ROYALS!

Worlds of Fun

2009-05-13T00:02:00.004-05:00

JP and I had a great time at Worlds of Fun yesterday. It sure has changed alot since the last time I went! (15 years ago?) We have season passes and we wanted to take advantage of the slow days before school let out so off we went! JP got to ride every ride as many times as he wanted... he didn't even have to get off and get back on! He won that turtle he is holding... the "guesser" tried to guess his weight. Get this, the guy guessed 30 pounds! HA! I wish! Try 50!!!!

One of the highlights was hugging and meeting Snoopy. Next time we'll go back with Muffet and Clayton since they have season passes as well. Then Muffet and I can trade off watching the boys while we go and ride some of the BIG rollercoasters!!!!

Oh yes, can you believe that today was JP's LAST day of school???? How sad. :( He's still got lots of baseball left including a mini-baseball camp that starts the first week of June. He's also doing a little summer camp at his school but that doesn't start until the 3rd week of June and then we're off to Michigan! Summer will surely just fly by.... again!

So I poked him in the eye...

2009-05-08T14:18:00.002-05:00

A little incident occurred at school today. It goes as follows... this is all said by JP:

I went to sit by Ben and he called me a baby.

And then I called HIM a baby.

Then he called me a baby.

And then I called him a baby.

Then I poked him in the eye!!!!!!!

And then he cried... and I didn't know what my teacher said.

I got to a new spot and sat next to Carter and then he didn't call me a baby and he said, "Hi JP!"

The End.

I wonder if Mom will be hearing about this on Tuesday????

Football Clinic

2009-05-06T21:49:00.002-05:00

A mini football clinic was held this afternoon at Stilwell Elementary school for K-2nd graders. Yes, I know JP is only 4 and is still in preschool but I told Muffet I would help out with the pictures and run to get all of the 8x10 photos printed during the clinic so the kids could get the autographs of the retired Chiefs players who put on the clinic. JP and I had ordered some Stilwell Football jerseys with our names on the back since Muffet was the organizer of the event so we have matching #73 jerseys. Since they are authentic I'm going to have to beg Grandma Judy to shorten mine. Alot. JP can grow into his. LOL He had a big time watching the big kids but even got to participate a little.

Here he is with Shawn Barber and Billy Baber:

JP running the 40. That was funny!
Why did he choose #73??? Because "that is a big number and I will need a big number since I'll be tackling everyone when I play in highschool." So I picked 73 too so we would match. :)

My little sportster just cracks me up. And he was not happy about having to go to bed tonight without being able to watch any of the Royals game, either.

Zack Greinke

2009-05-05T21:48:00.002-05:00

JP: I love Zack Greinke.

Me: What about me?

JP: I love you AND Zack Greinke.

Me: Who do you love the most?

JP: Both!

Me: What? You don't love your mommy more than Zack Greinke?

JP: I can love whoever I want.

Ok, then! He is 4, isn't he.

And for those of you who don't know... Zack Greinke is the Royals ace pitcher who is 6-0 and has a .040 ERA and has pitched 3 complete games. Yes. He rocks. And JP thinks he IS Zack Greinke.

1st Game of the Year! Go Sharks!

2009-05-02T12:21:00.003-05:00

The kids did great. We got off to a rocky start when JP was warming up before the game. He somehow got his feet crossed and he did a face plant right into the dirt/sand of the infield. He had sand up his nose and in his mouth and he was NOT happy. He kept saying, " I don't want to fall again!" LOL He got over it but got a bit upset when one of his teammates fielded a hit and JP said to the coach, "But I don't want us to lose!" LOL! I wonder where he gets his competitive nature? :) He ended up batting 2 for 2 so he's batting 1000! Go Sharks!!!

First Uniform

2009-05-01T15:24:00.003-05:00

Team shirts and hats were handed out last night at practice. JP was SOOOOO excited! He had to put it on right away over the shirt he had on. He had his heart set on getting #10 and he got it! Don't you love the cheesy smile????

I took his shirt in today to have "JP" put on the back. Being the cheesy mom that I am, I took my shirt (parents could order for themselves) and had JP's number put on the back of mine.

I can't wait to see him all decked out in his pants, cleats, jersey and hat! Hopefully the first game won't be rained out tomorrow.

In the meantime, JP has his "best friend" over here... for the day and night! Hayden is spending the night. Let's hope they get some sleep as if there IS a game at 9am JP won't be a zombie. LOL The boys are having a blast together!!

VEGAS!!!

2009-04-29T19:41:00.004-05:00

Had a fabulous time in Las Vegas with my friends! The trip was too short though... we didn't get to see everything we wanted to see but we sure were busy and loved every minute of it!

Mmm... Fat Tuesday Drinks with Lisa!

First slots... we lost. I took this with my Macbook. lol
Oops, repeat pic. We did get a refill in those cups another day!

Red Rock Canyon

The whole gang! This was in The Venetian after dinner at "Tao"

Captain Jack Sparrow hanging out on the strip.
The Bellagio. BEAUTIFUL. Amy, Lisa and I saw "O" there. Amazing.
We had a great time! Oh... and did I mention the outlet mall? I have never seen anything like this one. They even had a David Yurman outlet store. No, I did not go in.

Bubbles

2009-04-23T08:02:00.003-05:00

For whatever reason, JP never liked bubbles. At all. He's taken showers for over a year now but even before that he never wanted bubbles for his bath. Well, times have changed. Bubbles are now cool. Bubbles that are in Mom and Dad's jacuzzi tub!!!!

He gets good and clean, that's for sure!

"She's not hot."

2009-04-20T23:03:00.002-05:00

JP was telling me about his friends in his swimming class. I asked him who his new friends were...

JP: "I like Phillip, he wears the green goggles."

Me: "What about the boy in the red goggles?"

JP: "Yes, I like him... that is Davis."

Me: "What about the girl in your class? Do you like her?"

JP: "No, I don't like her. She's not hot."

omg.

How lucky am I?

2009-04-20T08:18:00.002-05:00

How lucky am I to have such an amazing husband? Even better? How lucky is JP to have such an incredible Dad. Seriously... the best Dad ever! :)

The love these 2 share is priceless.

Anniversary Weekend

2009-04-18T22:59:00.004-05:00

A few pics from our Anniversary Weekend Getaway!!!

JP and I went on a hike and this was at the top of this giant hill... he wanted me to carry him on my shoulders and that was NOT going to happen! LOL
When you gotta go...
Back down the "hill"...
Nice stringer!

The bumble bee wouldn't hold still for me. :)

JP the Rock Star!

2009-04-15T20:15:00.002-05:00

Yes, JP is a rock star. He rocked it at the dentist today. I am SOOOO proud of him! Remember back in October when he would only sit in my lap? No chair... no masks... no brushing... He ONLY let them count his teeth. And that was not an easy feat. Today? With just a little encouragement he sat in the chair and laid back so she could count his teeth first. She even had her mask on... no issue with that! Then she asked him what flavor of toothpaste he wanted so she could brush his teeth and he chose..... chocolate! LOL! I would have thought he'd go for the grape like his Mom. :) He got a bit nervous when he heard the brush but once she started he was fine. Until the sucker came out. He cried a bit over that and screamed (not LOUD screaming but loud enough) and I convinced him it was still ok and he let her finish. Then she did the bottom. No problem. He even let her floss. WAY TO GO JP!!!!! He waited patiently so Dr. Susan (she is SO nice... we love her) could come in and check out his teeth. She was so happy that he did so well and of course praised him about it. She commented on what gorgeous and healthy teeth he has been blessed with... I can't even imagine having to get a cavity filled with this kid! I am over the moon happy with how well he did. This is our family dentist so I think when I go back in September it's a day he's out of school so he can go and watch/hang out. He was so funny today because when he was done he was looking in all of the rooms to see all of the people getting their teeth brushed.

My boy is growing up!!!!!

Do you think it helped that I bribed him about his visit? If he did everything they said he could pick out a new Wii game. Of course I kept bringing that up during the cleaning for motivation. Hey, whatever works, right?

What game did he pick? The new Vacation Sports game. It's cute... he'll enjoy it!

Busy Easter Weekend!

2009-04-12T22:03:00.003-05:00

We had a busy weekend and everyone is wiped out. It's just after 10pm and as soon as I post this I am going to bed! *gasp!*

Saturday at my parent's house.. egg hunt with Lauren and breakfast.

Easter Eve! Boxing in Grandpa's garage... the boy LOVES to box!
Easter Day! Making a Bunny House with Kate and Aunt Kat! Kate is so creative!
Aunt Kat and JP hard at work.
THE Bunny House!
I'm too tired to upload more pics. JP fell asleep in the car on the way home around 5pm. He woke up slightly when we got home but fell right back to sleep so I took him upstairs and got his pj's on and he konked right again! I wonder if he'll sleep all night long? This will be interesting. He did have a big weekend but I imagine he'll be up and ready to go by 5 am. We'll see! Jim should be up at that time so they can hang out while Mommy catches her Zzzzzz's. :)

Good night!

Batter Up!

2009-04-10T16:25:00.003-05:00

Hooray for baseball season! JP is really getting into it. He had his first practice last night and loved every minute of it... even with the COLD temps and 30mph winds! I had to get him some black baseball pants for his uniform today and couldn't resist this Royals jacket. It should last him for 2 seasons, I'm sure! Here he is taking some "batting practice" this afternoon:

"No more pictures! Pitch the ball!"
We can't wait for the games to begin!!!!

Lunch with WHO?

2009-04-07T19:24:00.002-05:00

JP had school today so Jim and I did some work around the house. What else did we do? We went out to lunch. Just the 2 of us. Alone. No little boy with us. **GASP!**We actually didn't even bring him up until the very end when we were paying the bill and I said, "Isn't it weird to eat a meal and not have to say... 5 more bites! Sit on your bottom and face the front! No ice cream unless you finish your dinner! Wipe your face!"

I don't even remember the last time the 2 of us went out but it was fun!! What made it even better was that it was a spontaneous outing and not planned. :)

Just busy!

2009-04-06T19:25:00.002-05:00

We had fun camping this weekend although our trip was cut a day short due to cold weather. It's not fun to fish when it's 35 degrees with the winds gusting over 30mph! Saturday was beautiful though and we caught alot of trout and had alot of fun riding bikes, playing baseball and eating the trout. And s'mores too!

JP has his last preschool swimming lesson this Wednesday at the rec center. He's moving on up to the big leagues of swimming! He'll be in Level 2 aquatics which is really geared to the 6-15 year olds but he's ready for it so onward he goes! He's excited and is always ready for a challenge. He's mastering swimming on his back so maybe he'll start learning more strokes!

We are hoping that baseball practice will be held this Thursday since it was cancelled last week. The team voted and they will be the Shore Tire Sharks and they will be blue/white or blue/black... depending on the blue. JP took his bat and glove camping and it finally "clicked" as to how to watch the ball so he can hit it more often. The kid was "knocking the poop" out of the ball! We were so proud of him and he really enjoys it now that he can hit it about 8 out of 10 times! GO JP!

Sorry I didn't take any pictures this weekend... the camera never came out of my computer bag. Oh well!

Words.

2009-04-01T17:34:00.002-05:00

Random!

Words I LIKE:

Love
epidemic
refreshing
coo
incredible
roll
eclectic
mystery
heaven
lily
puffy
pulverize
character
enlighten
creepy
blush
isotropic
dominate
cushion
boogie

Words I DON'T like:

crotch
blubber
carafe
isthmus
neanderthal
decay
worm
cow
speculum
poach
cult
ferry/fairy
ejaculate
custard
biggity
eager

Notice I left off bad words. :) Why did I do this? I don't know. Boredom!

Let's go sledding! (since we got SO much snow...)

2009-03-29T19:49:00.002-05:00

Some cool shots of JP in action. Here he was going over a jump. Click on the picture and you can see his face better... an awesome expression! He loved it!

Snow Angel!
We had fun sledding... about 2 hours of fun! I also got a video of JP doing the jump. That was his favorite!

Where's that FOOT OF SNOW???

2009-03-28T21:23:00.002-05:00

Alarmists! That's what our weather-people are. Alarmists. All we've heard for the past 3 days is what a MAJOR snowstorm we would be getting. MAJOR! THE SKY IS FALLING! STOCK UP ON GROCERIES! YOU WILL BE STUCK AT HOME FOR DAYS!!! Come on. Last night when I went to bed the last thing I heard one of them saying was that we would get a dusting, maybe. The others were still promising snow. When I got up this morning there still wasn't any snow. NONE! They were then saying the snow would start around noon but it would be SOOOOO heavy and treacherous. Another weatherman was saying, "These storms have a mind of their own." Ya think? I wonder if that was his way of saying, "I was WRONG!"

It finally snowed. Did we get a foot? No. Did we get a dusting? No. We got around 4 or 5 inches. Maybe. The streets are fine, too. Stranded? Hardly!

I want SPRING! Then they can mess up the thunderstorm/tornado forecasts...

Best friends monkeying around...

2009-03-26T15:52:00.002-05:00

We didn't have any plans for today besides enrolling for summer camp at school so I thought it would be fun to go to Monkey Bizness at the Great Mall. I messaged a few of JP's classmates (well, their moms!) and a bunch of us met up for some fun! Monkey Bizness is great... giant inflatable slides, obstacle courses and a big climbing structure. The kids had a blast... so did I! Yes, I went down the slides a few times. Why not? Of course I only did that at first when we were the only ones there. :) It's a neat place and now JP is talking about wanting his birthday party there. Why not? It's clean, fun and you get a room of inflatables all to yourself! All we would have to do is bring the cake and the kids! There were lots of sweaty kiddos when we were finished! JP said his favorite part was tackling and wrestling with Hayden. No surprise there!

Picture this...

2009-03-24T17:16:00.003-05:00

Picture this:

I am in the kitchen going through the mail. JP is in the family room playing the Wii. I hear a "clank" and a "spash" followed by little feet running into the kitchen. JP starts looking around for something, grabs a towel and runs out of the kitchen and as he passes me by he says, "Stay there!" Did I stay put? Nooooo. He spilled a glass of water on the coffee table and some got on the carpet. Not much and it's only water. How it missed my camera that was inches away from the water is a miracle but I think it's cute that he wanted to clean it up really quick before I saw it. :)

Let's go fly a kite!

2009-03-22T09:19:00.002-05:00

There's nothing like flying a kite on a beautiful spring day!!! We didn't lose it in a tree, either.

And how about some batting practice? We were pitching to JP and Mommy came up with the brilliant idea to hang the ball from something so JP could get used to hitting it suspended in the air. The willow tree is perfect!

We had a great day outside. :)

WHAT?

2009-03-21T13:39:00.003-05:00

"Mommy, I want to talk about your boobies."

Yep, you read that right. That came from left field, didn't it? We have talked about our "private" parts and that we only talk about those things with Mom or Dad. I guess he wanted to talk about my "boobies" over lunch.

Oh to be 4.

Spring Break!

2009-03-20T16:59:00.003-05:00

Well, it's almost over. Boo Hoo! And BOOOO that Kate had to go home today! We miss her already. We had a great time at the lake and going to the zoo yesterday. What fantastic weather we had all week as well!!! Here are a few pics:

LOVE those freckles on his nose!
Trout, trout and more trout! Oh.. and check out JP's "hillbilly" shirt. LOL!
Kate made a new friend with this crawdad.
What a view!

JP got to see his buddy, Hayden today for a quick playdate. Those boys crack me up... they are tackling each other and rolling around in the grass constantly! It's always so fun to watch them in action. I think JP will be real excited to go back to school next week! Swimming, too!

Sorry!

2009-03-14T00:04:00.003-05:00

OK.. so I've been a lame blogger this week! Most of you have Facebook so you catch up with me there if you aren't on the Patch so it's not like you haven't heard from me at all, right?

OK.. a recap!

1. My jacuzzi bath was heavenly. It felt SO good! Have I take another one since that night? No... but I will. Soon.

2. The boys went out to breakfast yesterday at Mom's Kitchen while I ran some errands and then we met up for some bowling! Yes, the real kind. Jim actually beat me in both games. I do better on the Wii. ;-)

3. I baked a pie yesterday! Yes, you read that right. A pie. A choc chip cookie-like pie. It's yummy! Kate... there's some left so you can try it tomorrow or we'll take it with us on our trip.

4. I got to be the snack volunteer at school today. So fun! I love to see JP in action and he's always so happy to have me there. Awwww. He's really been throwing out the "I Love You's" recently too. LOVE that. Such a sweet kid.

What else....

5. I have been hitting a wall every day around 3:30 or 4pm. I just feel wiped out at that time. I always get a 2nd wind though so then I'm up until midnight doing things like race on the Wii or type on my blog! LOL

6. We are going to the lake tomorrow! WOO HOO! Kate is coming with us and we are SUPER excited about that. It's going to be so fun and the weather is looking perfect! Mid-upper 70's Mon-Wed... NICE! I see alot of boat action in our future! We'll be swimming too... but it's an indoor pool.

7. Jim and I are officially members of Metcalf Ridge Country Club. Yep... a new golf membership. Before you *gasp* keep in mind that we only have to pay $10/month to belong. YES! I need to have my GHIN number active somewhere so I can play in some Invitationals with my friends and this will be perfect! We can only play after 10am each day with this "cheap" membership but who cares??? There isn't a pool... or a restaurant for that matter but it's a nice golf course and there's a snack bar. What else do you need? Oh.. beer. There is that, too. (for Jim, not me!)

8. Our family friend is about finished with our taxes and I am sure we are getting a refund! Nice. It will all go towards our property taxes that are due in May but still.... nice!

9. Jim is going to take Jake to JP's school on March 27th for "Pet Day." Jake only listens to Jim and will do "tricks" so I know he will be a big hit. JP tries to get Jake to sit, fetch, come... and Jake looks at him like he's nuts and then just looks at Jim for a command. too funny. The kid tries, though!

10. It's Spring Break week! YAY! Hope everyone has a great one and a HAPPY St. (James) PATRICK'S DAY!!!!

Ahhhhh....

2009-03-11T18:23:00.002-05:00

I have been waiting for this day for about 10 months now. The day I can once again take a bath in my jacuzzi tub. When we decided to renovate our master bathroom we decided to get new fixtures for both sinks and the tub since we upgraded our shower/shower fixture. So... the jacuzzi fixture was removed but the new fixture (which sat in the box on the ledge of the tub all this time)wasn't installed.... until today. I can not wait until tonight!! YAY!

Egg Dive

2009-03-09T11:43:00.003-05:00

Spring Egg Dive at Blue Valley Rec = FUN! JP had a blast. The Easter Bunny was even there!!!

Going for those eggs!
Check it out!
Turned in his eggs and got a great goodie bag!
They had a raffle too but we didn't have a lucky ticket. 5 eggs in each pool were marked with black stars on the bottom and if you found one of those you won a gift basket. Amazing how psycho some parents are about those! Some dad was dragging his kid across the pool to get a starred egg that he saw. Nice. JP could have cared less so that's good!

Can't wait for next year!!

Pizza Box Racer!

2009-03-06T15:31:00.004-06:00

JP and I got to go the Emporia State University womens basketball game today with Grandma Judy and JP was selected to be in the pizza box race during the media time out. He was so excited to give it a go! And even better.... he got to carry Minsky's boxes! :)

He did great and would have won if it was 1 length of the court but they had to turn around and come back and when JP turned he dropped a box. (Wade dropped one going the other way) It was hilarious and JP did great and was especially happy that Corky the ESU Hornet raced all the way back with him.

Here is the video I got of him coming back...look closely and you can see JP dropping the box. LOL

We were so proud of him to do that in front of all those people! GO JP!

Interview with JP

2009-03-03T21:39:00.001-06:00

Interview with JP... age 4 1/2: (copied from my Facebook Notes)

1. What is something mom always says to you?
'I love you more than anything in the whole wide world!' (Awww!)

2. What makes mom happy?
'Playing with me'

3. What makes mom sad?
'um.... other people biting you.'

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
'Tickling me'

5. What was your mom like as a child?
'You were a girl'

6. How old is your mom?
'38' (almost! Wish I was...)

7. How tall is your mom?
'Medium'

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
'Playing with me.'

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
'Play on your computer'

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
'Because you are old.'

11. What is your mom really good at?
'Playing the race car Wii with me'

12. What is your mom not very good at?
'You're not good at feeling so good.' (I'm sick)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
'Get people to buy things.'

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
'Your favorite food is..... diet coke.'

15. What makes your mom proud of you?
'Swimming! Diving for things.'

16. If your mom was a cartoon character, who would she be?
'Maybe... Toad.'

17. What do you and your mom do together?
'Play with my Batcave and play airhockey.'

18. How are you and your mom the same?
'We both got the same thumbs and fingers.'

19. How are you and your mom different?
'I talk like this and you talk like that.'

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
'Because I love you.'

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?
'Maybe to the grocery store.'

22. What is your mom's favorite color?
'Purple!'

23. What does mommy like to wear?
'This sweater.' (points at sweatshirt)

24. What else do you want to tell about your mommy?
'Tell my teachers about my mommy that we got different tops.'

The end!

Nerd Crusted Deer Sausage

2009-02-28T17:50:00.001-06:00

Yes, you read that right. JP was eating some Nerds and Jim was eating some deer sausage. Jim dipped the end of his deer sausage in the nerds and ate it. Oh my. So what does JP do? The same thing. He finished off the sausage... dipped in the Nerds. Nasty. And yes, I tried it. *shudder*

Art 101

2009-02-26T16:09:00.004-06:00

We broke out the scissors today since JP's teachers said that is something he could work on... he doesn't use his left hand to navigate as the right hand cuts. With a little help from me he got it! Check out his "Happy Face" Caterpillar!

I cut the antennae, eyes, mouth and yellow circles and JP did the blue. He was pretty proud of himself!

Cute, huh?

Flying High!

2009-02-25T15:39:00.002-06:00

JP's newest favorite thing to do on the play yard... jump from the swings! Weeeee!!!!

Big Fish in a Little Pond

2009-02-23T10:41:00.002-06:00

JP had another swimming lesson today. He has missed a couple from this session since we were out of town but he got alot of swimming time in Florida. This was his first session, 2nd lesson in Preschool 2 but the instructor told us today that he is ready for Preschool 3. Ok then! I had already signed him up for Preschool 2 for March so I went to the desk to transfer him into Preschool 3 and she wanted to put him in Aqua Level 1 (not preschool)... OK, so what's the difference? Level 1 is 6-15 year olds. OK.. we'll do preschool 3 which is pretty much the same thing for younger kids and then he'll be able to move up to Aqua Level 2. The kid loves his swimming!!!!

Wedgie Time

2009-02-19T18:35:00.003-06:00

This is what happens when a game of Farkel starts getting crazy.... JP ends up rolling his dice like a maniac so they roll off the table and he KNOWS the consequences... WEDGIE TIME!!! He thinks it's hilarious.

Paybacks are hell, Daddy. JP gets Daddy back by uh, farting on him. LOL!!! Where do you think he learned that?
And just because it's cute!

Boys will be boys.

ICK.

2009-02-18T16:56:00.002-06:00

ICK. GAG. BARF.

Don't eat boiled peanuts. Well... don't eat the ones that you can get in southern Missouri.

Hey Kat! Remember that little roadside shop that has the sign outside that advertised boiled peanuts as well as fudge and other goodies? The place you drive by on the way to the fish hatchery? Yep... that's the place.

GROSS.

Back to Kansas

2009-02-16T08:40:00.002-06:00

Well, all good things must come to an end and we are home. We had a wonderful trip and I'm sad the week went by so fast. Oh well.. what can you do? Back to the grind today... JP has a swimming lesson and of course Jim is at work. I'm looking forward to tonight as it's Bunco night! YAY!

JP is excited about school tomorrow and I have his parent/teacher conference after I pick him up. They conducted all the conferences last week so we scheduled it for tomorrow since we were gone. I'm looking forward to it! It was nice to be gone last week as he didn't miss any school.

Off to swimming... JP can't wait to show his teacher how deep he can swim now!

Florida, Day 6... last day.

2009-02-13T14:29:00.003-06:00

Last day in Orlando! How about a little Putt-Putt? I must say that I was on fire today... I think I got 10 hole-in-ones on the second 18! Go Mommy!

A little lesson....
JP diving under water to retrieve his torpedo. He was going down 5 feet! Go fish-boy!
I think he spends more time underwater now than on top of the water! :)
Hey Grandma... you may notice some gills the next time you see JP!

Tomorrow we go home. :( We had fun but all good things must come to an end, right? Our flight leaves at 8am so it'll be an early morning!!

Florida, Day 5! Atlantic Ocean!

2009-02-12T19:58:00.004-06:00

We went on a big adventure today... to the Atlantic Ocean! We visited the town of Sebastian, Florida where there is a quaint resort that we thought we may want to exchange to next year. After visiting we are sure that it's the perfect place for us! You get a 15 ft boat to use for the week to fish in the bay area and it has 2 heated pools and it is really a neat little resort. It's older so we won't have the granite countertops, etc but we'll have the 2 bedrooms we need, full kitchen, etc... and it's CLEAN. We are really excited about it. I talked to a couple from Wisconsin who go there for 3 weeks every year and they let me see their unit and then told us about this wonderful beach within a few miles that is never crowded. We found it and here are some pics from our adventure! We didn't have our swimming suits or towels but we still had a great time. We are so excited to go next March!!! We are already booked at the resort! :) Of course Jim is really excited about the fishing....

Yep.. we even found a bunch of seashells... JP filled his pockets!
Digging some holes to bury his feet...
JP! Where did your legs go?
Run from those waves!
Gotcha!
Tomorrow is our last day in Florida. :-( We'll be spending most of it at the pool! We got to do some swimming today after we got home but tomorrow will be a big pool day.

Florida, Day 4! Disney World

2009-02-11T18:18:00.004-06:00

Whew! We survived our day at Disney World. It was fun but I honestly think that JP has more fun at the pools! LOL He just isn't that INTO the Disney thing. Don't get me wrong... he had fun, but he wasn't bouncing off the walls with excitement and he wasn't into that many of the rides. If the whole park was a NASCAR race park with car rides he would be in heaven but Disney? Not so much. He rode the racecars, elephants, tcups (with coaxing), buzz lightyear (lots of coaxing to get him in there), merry go round, magic carpet ride, It's a Small World and I think that's it! He rode about everything the last time he was there but now he's just so analytical about everything. We got a few pics from our long day....

These totum poles were spitting water at random times and he loved that. We had to drag him away...

Well, it was a fun day but if we come back to Orlando next year we probably will skip Disney. I think we'd all have more fun playing golf! We are very tired from walking around all day... JP was a trooper! That's a ton of walking for a 4 year old.

Tomorrow we are going on a rode trip to Sebastian, FL... a quaint fishing village over on the atlantic ocean about 80 miles from here. We may exchange for a resort there next year and we want to check it out. Should be a fun day! We'll probably be back in time for some afternoon swimming!

Time to rest... I'm pooped out!

Florida, Day 3! Pool Time!

2009-02-10T19:58:00.003-06:00

We spent day 3 at the pool... it was a beautiful day! Check out these cranes... they are as tall as JP!

Bombs away!!

Mommy and JP
Daddy and JP

We went to dinner at the Outback Steakhouse and that was yummy... now both boys are asleep and I'm catching up here and watching a movie, Reservation Road. Wow.

Tomorrow... Disney World!!!

Florida, Day 2! Seaworld!

2009-02-09T16:20:00.004-06:00

Day 2 in Florida... Seaworld style! We had fun and are pretty worn out from our big adventure. We saw the Shamu show and the Sea Lion Show but will hit the dolphin show when we go back. JP rode some rides but we just couldn't convince him to go on the Journey to Atlantis water ride. Oh well. Here are some pics:

Petting the sting rays was a favorite for all of us!
JP loves the dolphins!
JP bought that little Shamu after we visited Antarctica with his own money. He still has a little left to spend at Disney World...

See that giant frog he's holding? That thing is as tall as JP. I won that for him... remember, mommy doesn't lose at those squirt gun games and it was a full field so he won the largest price and he picked the frog. His name is "Bull." The whale's name is "Swim."

A new ride in Shamu's happy harbor... we also rode these crabs that go up in the sky and shake you up and down. Of course JP and Jim rode the Shamu rollercoaster too but JP only wanted to ride that once.

More tomorrow!!

Florida, Day 1!

2009-02-08T19:12:00.002-06:00

Hello again from Florida! I thought I would post some pics from day 1... alot of swimming and sunning today! We are all waterlogged, especially Jim and JP. JP insisted on swimming with Daddy 80% of the time. It was very sweet. We pool hopped a bit today as before lunch we hit the following pool that had a waterslide and after lunch we went to a different pool that was bigger but no waterslide.

Early morning adventures... waiting for it to warm up enough to swim!

Hammock time! I got on one and JP tried to climb on with me and we tipped over. It was funny!

Would you believe that JP went to bed at 7pm! That is 6 KC time but he was super tired and we know he needs his sleep as tomorrow we are going to Seaworld!!! YAY!

More tomorrow!

We're HERE!!!

2009-02-07T19:43:00.002-06:00

We are in Florida! Woo Hoo! We had a great trip.. no travel issues at all. The plane was ontime and the only thing that seemed to take forever was getting our baggage. We hopped onto the Hertz bus and by the time we got to the lot they had our car pulled up to the drop off for us. We were given a brand new Nissan X-Terra for the week. Seriously... only 1100 miles on it! We got to the resort and checked in and after saying NO THANK YOU about 10 times to go to the "informational breakfast" (really a timeshare sales pitch... 1 1/2 hours? no, try 3 hours. Not going to happen.) we got our keys to our condo and were on our way. The outside of the condos leave alot to be desired but we walked in and WOW. It is incredible! Our until has completely been renovated... granite countertops, tile floor, new carpet... you name it! Oh... and it's HUGE!!! 2 full bathrooms and JP's bedroom is as big as the master. A great kitchen, dining room and family room... and even a little desk area. We have our own walk out patio that is right on the golf course too. Oh.. and Wi Fi! Score!

JP had to go swimming as soon as we unpacked so I took him for a bit while Jim hit the grocery store for some staple items. I didn't swim but I never relaxed either because JP insisted on staying in the deep water the whole time and he spends more time under water as on top so yeah... my eyes were glued on him the whole time. Tomorrow will be fun... swimming for all! We'll familiarize ourselves with the whole resort and check out Splash Lagoon and River Island and see if we should swim there or stick with the pools that are closest to us. This place is like a small village... so glad we have a car!!!

We think we'll hit Seaworld on Monday since tomorrow it'll probably be busier as it's the weekend. Then we'll take Tuesday off for more pool time, Magic Kingdom on Wed, more pool time on Thurs and then Seaworld again on Friday. That's the plan but we'll see!!! It's supposed to be in the upper 70's and low 80's all week so we're set!!!

I'll post pics next time... when I have some to share!

"You hurt my feelings, Mom"

2009-02-06T06:10:00.003-06:00

Ouch. Nothing like these words to make you feel horrible: "You hurt my feelings, Mom!"

Last night I was getting dinner ready and JP was trying to get something off the phone counter and in the process he knocked a bunch of papers/things off the counter to the ground. I snapped at him. I yelled. Not cool, Mommy. He cried, I felt horrible, I apologized as he cried and he told me that I hurt his feelings when I yelled. *sigh* Boy do those words sting.

I feel like an a$$. :(

In happier news... 1 more sleep until Florida!!!!!!!!

Ouch!

2009-02-04T23:47:00.003-06:00

Poor Jake. He had a run-in with a yellow lab in our neighborhood who is in heat! Let's rewind: 2 days ago Jake was acting like a crazy dog. He was barking inside, barking outside... wanting out/in/out... barking at everything! I was beginning to think that he had lost his mind and thought our house was under attack. So yesterday Jim was here while I took JP to school and Jake was outside with one of the neighborhood yellow labs. We get visitors often so Jim didn't think anything of it. He looked out the shop window a few minutes later and sees Jake uhh... hung up on the dog. He was on top of her but she somehow got him flipped around so they were actually tail to tail and he was inside of her but his puppy parts were bent in half... backwards! Poor dog! Jim went out there and somehow the bitch pulled free (Jim said he heard a POP!) and then Jake just collapsed to the ground. Jim had to carry him to the shop and I guess he was a mess. (For those of you who don't know... Jake is fixed) He said he was bloody and it was nasty and he was trying to figure out what he was going to say to the vet. "Hey George! Jake has a broken penis!" Jim put Jake in his kennel so he could rest and after awhile Jake was able to get his parts back inside and started to act somewhat normal again. phew.

Today the bitch came back and brought a boyfriend with her... another yellow lab! The two of them were going at it and Jake was outside running around with them. A puppy threesome? I got him inside so he wouldn't hurt himself again. Poor Jake!

That dog is going to have some interesting looking puppies in a couple of months! There are LOTS of dogs out there and I doubt most of them are fixed!!!

Helper today, Sub tomorrow???

2009-02-03T19:21:00.004-06:00

I got to volunteer at JP's preschool today and it was super fun. It was so neat to see him interact with his friends in class and see how the teachers do the curriculum, etc. I am extremely impressed and am grateful he goes to that preschool. They truly have a wonderful program.

After I was finished being the snacktime helper I was talking with the Discovery Days Head and she said that I should apply to be a substitute as they are always needing fill-ins. I'm all over it! They would schedule me on the days that JP already is there so it's a win-win. I'm going to turn in my application this week. Oh... and you get paid, too! :)

The best part about being there today was seeing JP in action and watching him with his peers. He has grown leaps and bounds this year and has so many friends and it touches my heart that he adores his school so much!!!!

Thank You, Molly!

2009-02-02T12:17:00.003-06:00

How do you like the new header? That is courtesy of my friend, Molly who was sweet enough to create that using her digi-scrapping skills. Doesn't it look great? THANK YOU Molly! You are so sweet to do that for us. :)

My other header was made by my friend, Sarah and it was SO nice of her to do that as well... It was just time to "update" the blog with some current pictures. THANK YOU, Sarah!!! :)

How 'bout that Superbowl last night? I was sad the "dumb red chickens" lost but it was a great game!

70 degrees on Jan. 31st! Love it!

2009-01-31T21:15:00.005-06:00

What a beautiful day! The weatherman said we hit 70 but since the winds were gusting to 50mph you wouldn't have guessed it. It was a fun day! We even got a game of washers in... Jim won, of course!

I LOVE his expression here:

Watch out below!
Jake likes the clubhouse too!
Such a pretty dog... he even got a bath today!
Sliding dog! He went down a few times.. LOL

Perfect day for Batting/Fielding practice:

Taking a break:

We are on the official countdown for Florida! 7 more sleeps! JP is SO excited.

Random questions

2009-01-29T12:34:00.002-06:00

JP always amazes me with some of his questions and knowledge about things... and then he tells me where he learned these things! His Tag Reader, Noggin dot com, school...

"Mom... is my house my "habitat?"

"Mom... where is Africa? Is Africa a continent? What about Europe?"

"Kangaroos live in Australia, right? That's a country!"

Every day is something new... I'm always amazed!

That doesn't match!

2009-01-27T22:06:00.003-06:00

On most mornings I grab some clothes from JP's room and bring them downstairs so he can get dressed but this weekend when we weren't rushing out the door we just sent him upstairs to pick out some clothes and put them on. We loved seeing the outfits he would come downstairs in. Yesterday he decided his brown/cream longsleeved football shirt would be the perfect thing to wear under his light blue Wall*E tshirt and then he wore his navy blue athletic pants with them. Too funny!!! Hey... he liked it! :)

I picked his clothes for school today.

Farkel!!!

2009-01-24T21:40:00.004-06:00

OK... who here has heard of Farkel?? It's a fun dice game that can be played with 2-6 players or even teams or you can even have Farkel parties similar to Bunco parties. It's totally different than Bunco though. It's a game of guts AND luck! I went to the Merchandise Mart today to look for new products to carry and we know this will be a hit. The game below that JP is holding is the Mini-Farkel and it's about the same size as the old 35mm film containers. Inside are 6 smaller dice and instructions. We ordered "themed" Farkel games as well as the original colored games. We also ordered the regular sized dice games that come in a colored flip top box. It's a lower price point but it's super fun and will surely be a hit for any game lover! It says ages 8 and up but JP picked right up on it and even figured out the ideal strategy after a few rounds. I just helped him add his score as you count in the 100's and the first to 10,000 wins! NO... it doesn't take forever to play. LOL

Anyway... here are some pics from our friendly game tonight. JP won BOTH times!!!!

Checking out his roll... any 1's or 5's JP???
Rolling the Dice!!
Pulling the dice he will use as points.. and getting ready for another roll!
I can't believe Jake slept through our screams, shouts and giggles but here he is... snug on the couch. WITH a pillow of course! Silly dog.

So... we are fans of Farkel and I recommend it to everyone! Fun for the whole family! If you need a game I can hook you up!!! :) What's your favorite color?

Cute Boy

2009-01-23T20:12:00.003-06:00

It's not very often when you can play outside in mid-January without a coat, gloves and hat! JP took full advantage of the beautiful 2 days!!!

He's pretty cute, isn't he?

You know what? It's snowing today! Crazy.

#$#(*&@!$^ Girl Scout Cookies!! #&()%@%&

2009-01-22T09:02:00.004-06:00

It's Girl Scout time!!! Of course I had ordered some from my niece back in November, not knowing that Jim ordered some from someone at work. OK then! We have received my order and the boxes have been opened. *sigh* I wish I could eat THESE cookies instead of my diet cookies! LOL

JP tried the Thin Mints first and was just "eh" about them. Then he tried one of the Lemonades. He giggled as he ate it. Alot. Yes.. my kid giggles when he REALLY likes something. He LOVES the Lemonades. Good thing because I wouldn't want to have to eat all of them!!! I wonder what kind Jim ordered?

What's your favorite Girl Scout Cookie???

New Puppy!!!

2009-01-21T11:23:00.004-06:00

JP got a new puppy!!!!!

Meet the newest member of our family:

HA! Had ya going, didn't I???

This puppy even came with his own bone! JP got him at Red Robin last night.

January 20, 2009... A New Hope

2009-01-20T20:53:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to our new President, Barack Obama. Let's work together everyone... for a better today and a better tomorrow!

10? Balls tonight? Wow... our new President likes to party! :)

Snow, snow go away...

2009-01-19T23:46:00.001-06:00

We had Tball registration on Saturday and JP is signed up and ready to go! He is SO excited... we turned in his paperwork and when we left as we drove away he said, "Snow, snow go away... so I can play baseball today!"

My kid is so cute.

"J.P.'s Mom"

2009-01-18T10:16:00.002-06:00

We went to dinner at our friends/neighbors house last night and had a great time. JP is so lucky to have 2 four-year old friends to play with right on our street! They are all going to be on the same Tball team too!

Can I just tell you how much I love being called, "JP's Mom"???? Ben and Chris kept saying that last night and it makes my heart smile.

"JP's Mom... can I have a napkin?"

"JP's Mom... can JP come up to see my room?"

Too cute.

Fashion Statement

2009-01-17T13:31:00.004-06:00

What do you think of JP's fashion statement? Think he's onto something here??? LOL!

Oh... BOY!

2009-01-16T13:52:00.001-06:00

This morning when JP got up he was walking out of his room, looked down and said, "My pee-pee is sticking up!!!"

Step 2

2009-01-15T17:54:00.003-06:00

JP loves books and he loves to read books. Now he loves to read books to me and I love that! Today he was reading me a Step 1 book (ready to read), Wall-E, and he pretty much breezed through it although he needed help with the words EVERYTHING and ALARM. He had no trouble reading GOODY, GOODIES and TREADS. Huh. I guess I should explain that this is a book I read to him 1 time about 6 months ago as he "found" it in his playroom today under the bed.

So when he was finished reading me the book he proudly told me that he was now ready for Step 2 books (reading with help). Or maybe Step 3?? :)

Oh... and have I mentioned how much he loves to read street signs as we are driving around town? Too funny!

*** I have no idea why that first paragraph is underlined... I was backspacing and it just appeared and now I can't get rid of it! LOL!!!

Use it!

2009-01-14T14:34:00.004-06:00

HUH??

1. That little stick-type thing in your automobile that protrudes from the steering column on the left side... It's a TURN SIGNAL!!! USE IT!

2. Those big metal enclosed areas that are scattered around grocery store parking lots are called CART CORRALS!!! USE THEM!

3. That space that is within arms reach around every human body is called your PERSONAL SPACE!! KEEP OUT!!! Unless you are invited in.

4. The handles that are on large trashcans double for LOCKS. LOCK your lids down on windy trash-pickup days! USE THEM!!!

5. The magic words that you should speak when someone does something nice for you are THANK YOU. USE THEM!