Sign of Endearment

The sign hanging in the garage reads:

$70 tickets

3 hour drive

1 argument

& we still made it on time

 Actually, that would be somewhat inaccurate (other than the ticket thing).

Jeff and I went to Chicago to see a White Sox game this weekend and I once again realized that couples who live and drive in Chicago together on a frequent basis must have VERY strong marriages prescription meds.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we don't have a great marriage (and we obviously aren't on strong meds), but I do find myself questioning every time we go to Chicago for "relaxation", we were on that lead us to think it was a good idea, and then I usually start calculating whether I could make it on one income.  We (he) NEVER take the right turns, we (he) ALWAYS end up sitting at a standstill on Lakeshore and we  (he) ALWAYS end up having to maneuver the masses on Michigan Ave.  To be fair, I hate driving in Chicago too, and it is much easier to ask, "Why did you listen to me?!" than to drive  and end up saying, "I took the wrong turn". This particular trip also had the joy of a nice quarrel over parking (so you see, the sign is a lie--there was way more than 1 argument in this three hour period!).

After a stressful trip there, however, I guess we got over it--or at least Jeff saw it as an opportunity to possibly get on t.v. at the game.  At the White Sox games you can make posters to confess your love to players and whatever else you feel the stadium of 400,000 people plus t.v. viewers need to know about you. You already saw what Jeff wrote,now proudly displayed in our garage for neighbors walking by to see--again, I find myself wondering...

Just kidding.

Number one fan. . .of what?

We had dinner with my grandmother tonight following Ella's soccer practice.  Remember my earlier comment about how much I enjoy taking Keeton in public after a full day of daycare, work, and no dinner...yeah, he was a blast.  Anyway, we stopped at McDonald's on the way home and went  back to my grandmother's to eat.   Ella likes to make sure there is always engaging dinner conversation going on--tonight her pick of topic was what baseball team my grandmother liked.

"Do you  like the Cubs or the Cardinals? (Those are the only teams in Ella's mind)."

 "The Cubs," mommom replied.

Ella looked at her like maybe she had been switched at birth or something.

"I don't like the Cubs!  I like the Cardinals!"

Mommom asked, "Because your daddy and grandpa like the Cardinals?"

Ella (all indignant) says, "No.  The Cubs stink."

"What other baseball teams do you like?" (Again, refer to earlier comment on Ella's knowledge of the existence of other teams).

"I don't like baseball."

 Alrighty then.

Marrying them off at an early age

Jeff told me in the car yesterday that Ella had decided she was going to get married and wanted to know who she was supposed to marry.  Overhearing this conversation, Ella was completely prepared to discuss the topic – very matter-of-factly.

 

Me:  So, you want to get married?

Ella:  Uh huh.  Who should I marry?

Me:  Well, preferably a nice boy who is smart and makes a good living (Jeff sort of throws me a glance at this one—not sure what it means).

Ella:  Can I marry Keeton?

Me:  No, you can’t marry your own brother.

Ella: Why?  I looove him!

Me:  That’s just the way it is, sisters can’t marry brothers.

Jeff:  Unless you live in Kentucky (he states my sarcastic thoughts).

Ella seems to ignore Jeff’s comment—I was afraid we were going to have to start a geography lesson next.

Ella: Can I marry a friend?

Me:  That would be fine...

Ella: Can I marry Ethan?

Me:  Sure!  You can marry Ethan.

Ella: I want to call him and tell him he is going to marry me tomorrow.

Unfortunately, we didn't have luck informing Ethan of his "proposal" or arranged marriage, if you will, but Ella reminded me again this morning that it was on my to-do list. 

 Arrange marriage of four year-old daughter...check.

Saving moms sanity from life sized mice and overpriced pizza

Since I am kind of feeling like "mean mom" today (day number 3 out of 4 that Jeff has had to work late and I'm not "chipper"), I thought I'd share an idea that could save other moms and dads sanity and money, and did I say sanity?   Chuck-E-Cheese, the place kids go to get a carb/soda high while using their greasy-pizza fingers to touch all sorts of loud, electronic games that my children will then touch, thus becoming  contaminated by other kid's greasy finger germs is pretty much what hell would be like for me.  My nerves go on overload as I try to keep track of where my kids are (usually one is fending off another, bigger kid whose parents have apparently told him to "make sure you get all those tickets other kids don't get!" even though my kid hasn't even finished his game), or worrying about the aforementioned germs from the ball pit.  Then, there is the NOISE!!  And if the noise itself wasn't enough, the teacher and responsible parent in me has to hold back from telling other people's kids to stop running, stop swearing, stop stealing my kid's tickets...

 When it is FINALLY time to go, you get the pleasure of standing in obscenely long lines while kids shove tickets one at a time through a slot which then adds up the precious commodities to then be used to purchase....JUNK.  Ella can spend some VERY long minutes deciding which plastic ring, stale tootsie role or five cent tattoo she can purchase with her 100 tickets (read $20 in token money from me).  Yep, I can't stand this place.

 SO, without further delay, parents, this is what you have to do.  This only works if  you haven't already been suckered into taking your kids on a regular basis, though. 

Ella:  Can we go to Chuck-E-Cheese?

Me: (All apologetic) No, honey.  You know it is invitation only.  You can only go if someone invites you to a birthday party or something like that.  It isn't just open.

Ella: Oh, I forgot.  Can Aunt (insert any aunt, grandma, grandpa name here) take me?

Me: Sure!  If they were invited.  Let's call and see!

 And so goes my scheme...

Just froggy

Today was one of those crazy, hectic days where nothing goes as planned.  When Jeff and I left for work today our one goal was to not leave the house after we got home in order to try and conquer the pile of dishes, the pile of laundry, the pile of toys in the middle of the family room floor, and the piles of dog poop in the back yard.  Unfortunately, Jeff got called into work tonight, so it is 8:39 and I just got the kids to bed which means there are still many piles to be dealt with.  I did, however, get to that last pile on the list--actually that would be plural piles.  So, while I was scooping away in the backyard the kids were being even worse than the dogs about staying in the yard (the static collars work great for the dogs...I believe they would be illegal for toddlers, however).  At some point as I was hunched over the shovel, plastic baggie at my side, I noticed what I thought was a hunk of dog business, so I looked closer and the "poop" moved; that was no poop, it was a little brown frog!  Our whole neighborhood is infested with these frogs.  They live in the window wells and are apparently also free roaming in woodchips.  The kids have been on a mission to catch one, so feeling bad that I had been snappy  since I picked them up from daycare, I played cool mom and caught the frog in Ella's bug lamp (which I caught a butterfly in for Keeton just two days ago...I am getting good!).  Of course, Ella and Keeton were just giddy over the capture and named him Kermit, on the suggestion of our lucky neighbor who arrived home just in time to meet the new "pet".  Kermit was released by Ella before bedtime, because I told her he'd be sad in a bug light with no other froggy friends (and I promised to catch her another one soon). 

Angelmarie photography

I wanted to post my very good friend Angel's web site here.  Angel is stepping out in the world of professional journalistic photography and we think she is truly talented!  Angel has taken the kids' pictures since they were babies...at first just with regular film (do you remember--the kind you actually had to develop)?  Anyway, she was awesome with film, which I think is hard, because you really have to see the picture in your mind and now that she is digital she is even more fabulous!  Her web site is www.angelmariephotography.com -- take a look!