Glammy is in town.

Glammy came in town this weekend while "the boys"  (14 total men descended upon East Texas at Ben's family's tree farm) and this year it included my dad.  He probably kind of died and went to heaven after how many years of living the daddy married life where he was grossly out numbered by females who secluded him to one bathroom and a life of enjoying mowing.  Please do not think about your yard.  Think about acres.  That require tractors.  And riding lawn mowers.  And push lawn mowers.  And sprinklers that look like tractors and travel around the water hose.  And liking it.  Or at least coming to say he enjoys it but probably because the estrogen level inside had become too much. So they go to the "farm" (little cabin in the woods) with a job to do.  Mostly, they go to have some beer, drink some whiskey, tell tall tales, eat good food, fish, and do a project.

My mom came this weekend and we had some bevvies.  Stayed up SUPER late watching bad reality TV.  Woke up early to feed the child (at which he went into her room and said, "Glammy, get up PWEASH!)  We went to a fancy bra store and spent too much $.  Went to target--ALONE and I didn't even have to buy her juice so I could peruse.  Cooked.  Watched more bad reality TV and basically had zero agenda.

Griffin became obsessed with the dog I got after my freshman year of college--Kobie Jack.  (Tobie.)  He woke up asking for Glammy.  She let me go to a birthday party for a friend (and have some beers) while she babysat.  She bought me ice cream.  She stayed up later than me one night.

It was an awesome weekend.  And makes me realize I NEEEEEEEEEEED to live closer.  Until then I'm having a drink outside while watching my husband do manual labor. (I randomly look up and cheer for him).  I'm good like that.

braided spaghetti

So I originally saw this on A Tale of 4 Micks (originally, 3 micks... but you get the picture)

It looked delicious.  I love spaghetti.  I love bread.  Free at last.  Free at last.  or something less dramatic than that.  Anyway, mine doesn't look as pretty and I made a few changes.  I think I'd maybe make it again.  Then again, I really like plain ol' sgetti.  Here it is.

Before.

After.

Oddly, I'm a decent hair braider.  One simply can't tell from this photo of braiding carbs.  Not my spiritual gift.  So I laid out the dough and cut it, then zested up some parm on the bottom, put the spaghetti and sauce down, put on some mozzarella balls (heh heh... balls) that I had squeezed the liquid off of, then braided it up, sprayed with olive oil, more parm, garlic and garlic salt.  Bake.  

My child who does not love pasta, meat, or tomato based items had TWO HELPINGS of spaghetti.  I also made him toast with some honey goat cheese on it.  Which he licked all of the cheese off.  Which is also how I feel about goat cheese.  

Before you know it he's going to be having wine at 3 pm and declaring that he's outdoorsy in that he likes drinking on patios.

I'm sick.

Like sick sick.  I don't find it to be pleasant.  I'm also out of town for work.  Just over night.  In a tiny town.  Where I forgot my hair dryer.  Needed meds.  Needed wine (even though alcohol is not allowed where I'm staying.)  Know what I remembered at target?  wine with a screw top.  face wash (didn't need.)  Elmo jammies (that g has grown out of).  Ice at the ice machine to put in my recently purchased wine that isn't refrigerated.  No hair dryer.  BUT I REMEMBERED SCREW TOP WINE.

I'm classy, yo.

On Sunday morning (we are heathens) Ben and I got a babysitter and went kayaking down on town lake.  This was a favorite past time of ours pre-baby.  It's awesome.  It's beautiful.  It's cheap.  We drink champagne outside on the water.  What's not to like?  The last time we went I was 31 weeks KU'd.  (That's knocked up in time transfer.)  

my friend said I had Michelle Obama arms.  which is one of the highest compliments EVER.

And I got this picture tonight from Ben.  G$ was brushing his teeth with a sweatyband on.  For when he works up a sweat.  Lets get physical.  Physical.

Thank gawd I remembered my ambien.

And screw top wine. (not that I don't keep a wine opener in my car.  because I do.  Because there are so many times you need one.)

I'm a mean mom.

It's true.  I'm mean.  I don't mean really, but I have rules (as opposed to the hubs... who has zero rules.)  I'm not saying it's fun, but it's character and years of therapy, right?  That's what being a parent is all about.  Well, that and someone to eventually do all of the cleaning for you.  Again, that helps build the character.  Kidding kidding.  It's also about momtails.  Well, that or all about the sweetness, and the kisses, and the everything so so wonderful.

except tonight when I had to be the mean mom.  When G gets exhausted he thinks it's funny to hit me in the face.  He's caught on to the quick recovery of saying, "sweet mama" and rubbing my cheek.  Then he did it again.  DAMN YOU LIMIT testing!  Then I said, "we don't hit mama.  i love you.  Goodnight" and laid him down.  And left.  Zero turning back.

It's killing me.  I think it was the right thing (not asking for opinions.)  Sucks though.  Same mom who also thinks when Ben goes out of town that I could put G in bed with me and it would be sweet.  Except that it isn't.  And he's non-transferable.  And I like to have wine and then watch tv in bed.  Sometimes together.  ok, often together.  Who doesn't love wine in bed?  It's like being at a hotel.  Only hotels don't have laundry chair and snoring dogs.  And general clutter.

Which brings me back to the point that I need someone else to clean my house.  That and the whole mean mom thing.

Thanks blogger...

I logged in today only to find that the layout has changed.  to make it "easier" for me to find things.  Um.  no.  I am a creature of habit.  So unless they were able to reduce the # of blogs I follow but don't read without me putting in any effort, they have not made my life easier.

I did take a look at my stats which are very non impressive.  I also found that someone found me by typing in "National Geographic Tits."

Which made me laugh.  And then think that they were probably not finding what they were looking for.  I'm sure they could have found it on google+.  (insert dramatic eye roll.)

white, mama.

G-star loves to drive.  Loves.  He could spend a million hours in a car that is not running (with dad, mom turns the ac on) just pretending to drive.  Climbing from front to back.

Today he found some of my sunglasses and put them on.  tilted his head back like ray charles and said, "cool dude."  Which is what i tell him when he looks ridiculous in sunglasses.  Head always back to keep them on.

He also says, "white, mama" to say that my car is white.  It makes me laugh.

And when I put him to bed at night he's been big into saying, "tweet, mama" then rubbing my cheek.  Then "patting" me too hard on the chest.  

Tonight he said, "trong, mama" and rubbing my arm.  I have no idea what he was saying.  So I asked, "are you saying strong, mama?"  

"yah."

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssss.  All of this drinking and carrying around a 30 lb child have paid off!  I have strong arms!  

And that's what I'm taking from this evening.

Don't say shenanigans again.

Hey what's the name of that bar?

Oh... shenanigans?

I've mentioned the crazy work life.  That we have a front desk person with an inflection all her own.  With a 3 syllable tha-reeeeeeee that doesn't reflect my mom's at all.  Her emphasis is on the "tha" instead of the "eeeeeeeeeee."  she's doing it all wrong.

Our whole company is less than 40 people.  Probably 8 of which live out of the city so work from their own home/traveling.   Over the all call today she announced,

"Ruby.  Ruby X.  Your lunch box is on the counter in the kitchen."  Um, seriously?  And like we have multiple people named Ruby.

In case you were wondering.... Ruby is the one who is over 70, thought she was wearing contacts and won't give $ to Susan B. Komen.

Tower.

Teething?  Is that what is to blame on my child acting this way?  That, orrrrrrrrr I had our new cheap-o monitor on the wrong setting last night and my child could have cried for 4 hours without my knowledge?  but, I wouldn't know... because of that wrong setting thing.  Oopsies.  He was asleep when I got up for work this morning so there is that?  Oops.

I also made some spinach muffins yesterday.  He has had 5.  3 of which were today.  They're spinach.  That's healthy, right?  Here he is pretending to eat his dinner but is full from 3 muffins.  He built a tower with his drinks though, so he was like... overly impressed with himself.  Perps I should make a tower of all of the drinks I had tonight.  Ok.  It's more than 2, so maybs not.  Seems unsafe.

Here he is looking sweet.  Kid is SENSITIVE right now.  Seriously.  He can also open the pantry door FML.  He continuously points at a box of vegetable stock and says, "I want that."  granted, he says that for lots of things.  And things on tv, "I wanna hold it."  Um, dude.  You can't.  Because it's TV.  Have I mentioned that I'm thankful you finally like, and will sit still, for tv?

He is also really into sweeping.  He usually first brings me the big sweep and says, "Mama, sweep."  When is he going to learn to do dishes or clean the bathroom?  

Maybe I should have made a tower of drinks.

one... two... one... three.

My baby loves him some Gizmo.  My baby Gizmo does not as much love him some Griffin.  It's funny.

Maybe we should stop telling the dogs "no"? 

Maybe I should figure out how to get him to not say "miiiiiieeeeeennnneee."

Maybe I shouldn't sing "He works hard for the money.  So hard for the money" when he sweeps?

Maybe I should stop singing?

Maybe I should document the song, "Find my hands, find my hands.  They're at the ends of my arms." copyright, mofo.

Up All Night.

Please tell me you watch this show.  It is amazing in a way I can't describe.  Maybe because they remind me of us.  Only you know, more glamorous.  Same issues.  And clearly, we are also very funny...  I love it.

They got engaged to Total Eclipse of the Heart.  At a bar.  He re-proposed to that song.  And had random people in the bar sing.  And I can't stop singing it the "old school" way.  

I effing need you now, tonight.  

I.  Am.  Classy.

Don't shop at walmart.

We went to walmart yesterday.  We never go to walmart.  Ever.  Ben needed some sort of fishing lure.  I wanted to get bigger Elmo jammie's for G$.

This is after I did my 10 miler.  That was awful.  Turns out I'm having these hideous breathing problems that my newest inhalers aren't working.  I finally started my prednisone today.  I'm hoping this will lead to miraculous breathing.  I'd also take all of these meds lowering the humidity and the temperature.  It was 75 and 90% humidity.  at 6:30. ew.  Then little gym (post shower), some tacos, some walmarts.  Where G declares he wants to "push" the buggy.  So since I'm a smart mom who totally has it together I don't let him down because I'm fully aware that he will run.  And run and run.  And I'm tired.  So I hold him.  let him "push" the buggy while I'm steering it with my shoulder and someone actually stopped to tell me about direct tv.  Really?  this looks like a good time?

Then it happened.  I hit my foot.  And my toe broke.  And it hurts.  

please done judge the pedicure.  Blame it on the shopping cart.. and the wrinkly toes.

then I gave Ben the silent treatment while he mowed the lawn.  I alerted him to this silent treatment when he was finished.  Mostly because I was in a hideous mood.  

G has a crazy remembery.  so as soon as we pull into the parking lot he is all about the fish.  It's quite the bribe.

Today.  Awesome.  Beautiful weather.  Whole foods.  Fish looking.  long walks.  lots of laundry done.  dusting done.  shower done.  wine and cheese for dinner.  Done.  ben in Boulder, done.  Monitor surprisingly not working once my child has already gone to bed?  done.  

Easter 2012

Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  Not just because Jesus comes back (I say this tongue in cheek.  I really think it is a beautiful service.  I also dreadfully love good friday service.)  I love celebratory worship time.  Yah, I said it.  I also love family time.  This year we had a Blachols night, a night with the inlaws, a night with my fam, a day visiting my friends newly adopted baby.  That's a lot of events in 3 days.  Just sayin.  My hair didn't look as good as I'd like it to for JC to reappear, but I let it slide.  This year.  

daycare Easter Egg hunt day.

With mama at church.

bracelets.

 G chose not to nap on sunday.  We put him in my bedroom (now my mom's accessory room) which has a hanging thing over the door with her abundant jewelry.  He was in there talking.  Ben went in and he was wearing about 10 bracelets with 10 more in the pack in play.  Ben said, "please come see this."  Griffin proudly announced, "bracelets, mama!"  Oh, G$, you out smarted us this time.

Easter egg hunt.  Griffin just chased Elliott.  Then made a break for it to the field.  he's sly.  And busy.  And quick.  and has zero interest in Easter egg hunts.

Sadly, Ell no longer yelled "CANNY MANNY CANNY!" this year.  

Hold up, wait a minute, is that GRASS?

Glammy encouraging G to look for eggs for a picture.  G giving glammy a flower.

Elliott's basket.

My cute frat boy.

The kids together.

Griffin literally SAT on Brooklyn.  Sorry, brook brook.  He has a mind of his own.  And you're small.

Sweetness.

Riding the tractor with poppy.  highlight of the entire weekend.  He now randomly says, "I ride tractor.  poppy."

These are the non celebratory Jesus not ready roots I have been talkin' bout.  

Glammy and Poppy and the g-kids.  

Courtney's frat boy.

I got tired of captioning these.  It was a fabulous time.  Now it's time to move.  I've been putting the hard sale on The B.B. to move closer to the fam.  My mom suggested we build a house next door to theirs.  I'm all in.  Sounds pretty fabulous to me.  Think of all of the tractoring.  And the free childcare.  And the love.  

Happy Easter, y'all.

Almost cured.

Today, when checking Facebook, I came across the following update from my friend Kelli (who attended Rice with Ben.)

 

"Five years ago today, on another Friday, April 13th, my family and I were sitting in Danny's apartment the day after my biopsy when the phone rang, and I was told that I had cancer. And thus began a journey of chemo, hair loss, emergency room visits, and the fight of my life. It truly took a village to get me through those 6 months, but I am a proud 5 year survivor, and six months from now, in October, I will officially be declared CURED. Thank you to my family, friends, LLS and TNT family, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Wynne, Dr. McLaughlin, the awesome nurses, modern medicene, Zofron, milkshakes, the Box set of LOST, all the cancer patients who came before me, and God."

 

Kelli continues her battle, even took a position with LLS in Houston.  She is truly an inspiration.  I run in honor of Kelli.  I run and continue to raise funds for research so that others may be declared CURED. 

 

I am running and fundraising in memory of Ruben Garza. I run with his widow, Jen the woman he married shortly before passing because he said she gave him a reason to live.  Now Team Ruben is aiming to raise $200,000 to have a research grant in his name.  We are curretly at $94,926. 

 

Please help me reach my goal of raising $2300.  We have only one month (May18) to make this happen.  Every and any amount make a difference.

 

Relentless for a Cure,

Amanda

The highest compliment.

I was just singing... and ben was "harmonizing" (to my off key singing.)  And he then said..

Ben:  "you're pretty."

me:  "I'm pretty when you're drunk?"

Ben:  "no, you're pretty when I'm sober, too.  That's the highest compliment you can give a woman.  Right?"

Typical Ben and Nathan poses post... "event" night.  Outside of the playroom.