I can't believe I forgot to blog this... Valentine's Day. It's different for us because of last year. This year Larry worked because of the Memorial Services held for the NIU anniversary of the shooting that occurred last year http://www.niu.edu/PubAffairs/RELEASES/2009/feb/2-14-09.shtml. Larry invited me to a luncheon reception for the first responders. Meaning, all of those who were the first on the scene and in the hall afterwards. The DeKalb firemen, 8 NIU officer's including Chief Grady, Larry, the LT's, and the rest of the officer's and Sgt's. I had been so detached from the whole thing, but it was a really emotional day, and actually let me appreciate my husband a lot more. It really touched me that the family members of the victims and deceased would come up and shake the officer's hands and thank them for all they did.

Obsessed~

This is our lives... Thomas the Tank Engine. It started just before he hit 2 yrs old, and has been ongoing since. Every morning, "Hey Ma! You wanna watch Thomath"? "Watch Moo Moo Choo Choo" (which is Boo Boo Choo Choo, a Thomas the Tank Engine music video)? Every time he wakes up: "Find Gordon, find Duncan, find Emily, find Fergus, etc..." Ethan is not content to have the DVD's playing, he wants Thomas on the laptop, on the TV upstairs, and on the PC... pretty much everywhere! We are going insane. Larry and I will catch ourselves singing a Thomas song! Argh! But, we are going to the live show anyway... the things we do: http://www.thomasandfriends.com/usa/liveonstage.asp

Uncle Casey and Megan!

We went downtown and met with Casey Lennon and Megan LaBelle. We don't get to hang out with them very much since our schedules are so conflicting, but when we do, we always have a good time. Casey is Larry's best friend growing up in Florida. They have been friends and practically inseparable since 11 yrs old.

Uncle Casey, I scared...

Friday the 13th!

My birthday fell on Friday, the 13th this year. It was a great day, though! First - it's the Chinese year of the OX! I'm an Ox, it's MY year! Larry got me pots and pans that I've been wanting for a while and a gift card to Gilly Hicks, which is one of my fav stores! A bunch of us from work went out after work hours and celebrated a few birthdays.
Thanks, everyone, for the warm and happy birthday wishes! I had an awesome day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Gooooo, Allie!

This is our niece, Allie. Isn't she a doll? We are so proud of her - she is graduating this year from HS, where she is both on the basketball team and the cheer squad.

Okay. I realize I have been absent for a few weeks. It has been so crazy here. I have been sick with an URI (upper respiratory infection), the following week Ethan caught it, now Larry has it! Argh! I have been on mandatory 'additional work hours' and working on weekends.
Now, I have learned why this age/phase is called "terrible two's". Ethan has always been a patient and wonderful child (what am I saying - it's been like 2 yrs), but lately... O-M-G! Seriously! The tantrums. He'll come grab my hand crying and whining and yelling "Ma! Ma!", so I pick him up, but he doesn't want to be picked up, so I put him down, he doesn't want down. He ends up throwing himself on the floor and squirming and wriggling around crying out various things: "I hurt! I sad, Ma! I fell! Drink, drink! Cheese! Get outta here Kita! Daddy, help!" Nothing appeases him. He is still upset. I laugh - literally - very loud at him. I know that's not right, but it's seriously so funny. Yes, it makes him more mad. It usually results in me telling him to work it out and walk away - is that a bad thing?
Eventually he either works it out himself, or we put him in time out. After time out, he winds up saying "sorry, ma", disgusted, though and not sincere at all. By this time, he has been so hysterical that he can barely breathe.
I know, I know. This is my own fault. This child is so spoiled, and when he gets sick, I totally give him anything he wants. Now... how the crud do I fix it?

Blogthings...

You Are Puzzled Over

You are quirky, complicated, and brilliant. You tend to feel a bit misunderstood by everyone, and that troubles you. It's likely that you will have two or three children. You can conceive pretty easily. You are easily effected by the world around you. You are emotional and even a bit moody. You are very detail oriented and tidy. Some may even call you obsessive. You are quite conservative. You are neither a flirter or a flaunter.

What Does Your Belly Button Say About You?

Best Ever...

So, I said I love getting Christmas cards, and I totally do - these, though, are my fav this year!

This is my friend from HS, Lavinia's family - she and her husband have an awesome sense of humor, as you can tell:

This is another HS friend, Nancy - she too, awesome sense of humor:

And this... one of my first cousins - he is hilarious!

My Mom & Dad sent us a Christmas package with lots of goodies. Mom knows how much I love to tinker around in the kitchen so she always sends me cute cake pans. One year she sent me a bomb pan, another a heart spring-form pan, and last year a soccer ball shaped pan. This year Mom sent this cute snowflake pan. It turned out cute, but I think I dusted too much cause you can't see the embossing...er... better luck next time?

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I love Christmas because I love getting Christmas cards. It seems like these days everyone has jumped on the photo wagon... I am totally digging it and loving it. There are so many people we have reunited with and children are changing so fast, it's really fun to see the differences from year-to-year. Because we have a mischievous toddler and 2 cats leaving cards on the piano or ledge was not working. So, I started taping them to our laundry room door. Ethan loves it because he gets to look at them.

Merry Christmas, and thanks for the cards, y'all!

I totally Heart ABBA! Y'all know I LOVE disco, especially ABBA and anything to do with ABBA. Of course I got the Erasure ABBA-Esq, and Muriel's Wedding. Now, there's Mamma Mia! I saw the preview and have been dying to see it ever since. Larry surprised me with it a couple of Saturday's ago, and I literally screamed! I Have watched it 5 times since. Thanks, Lar-Bear! I heart you too!

Chug chugga!

We got this gift to Ethan, for Christmas. Those that know me know that I do not wait. Ethan saw the box as it came in and Larry had no idea it was coming so he didn't know to hide it. Right now Ethan is obsessed with trains. When I say obsessed, I mean like in a crazy maybe needs to be committed kind of way. He has to sleep with all three rubber trains, wakes up and wants ALL his trains (which isn't that many, but his babysitter, Becky gave him a train set for his birthday).

This train has tracks that can be added and it's battery charged. For those concerned, yes, there is a very loud and obnoxious whistle.

Every morning since we got it, it's about the train - living and breathing this train. He eats on it, sits watching TV on it, and lays on it. This is the best present he's ever received in his whole life!

So, I have finally given in to the pressure. I went to Target and threw some cheap things in a basket. This is the experimental year. I am just trying to see how everyone handles a tree. So, the tree is like, what, two feet tall, a sting of lights and a box of cheap glass ornaments... voila! It's sitting on the wine cabinet with the Christmas Village and already Kita is trying to eat the tree and the wires, and Ethan is trying to get the bulbs... sheesh! This is why! I have to admit, it is kind of fun and gets me in the Holiday spirit, but man, lights on the tree are a pain in the a.....!