how does she know?

I have noticed an alarming trend over the last few weeks. If Chris gets Ellie out of bed in the morning she will tell him she needs a "nana" and sippy's. And he goes and gets it!!! If he has already left for work when she wakes up and I get her up, not a word is mentioned about needing sustenance before breakfast. She knows I will make her wait til breakfast (which is like 10 minutes after she wakes up. Don't call 696-kids on me...I do feed her in a timely manner!)

The question is, how does she know that Daddy will do anything she wants him to do? Is it an innate ability for all little girls to wrap Daddies around their fingers? As I recall, I had it. My father was a sucker for my pouty look.

Bananas and sippy's of milk are one thing, but what happens in a few years when she wants a cell phone or a car? Chris had better toughen up!

I think I am destined to be the bad guy.

just a little funny

When I went in to get E from her nap yesterday she looked so cute with her hair all messy. She had slept extra hard due to our trip home and she was in that deliciously tired eye rubbing phase. I picked her up and sat her on her changing table and bent down to put her socks on, which she always takes off during a nap, and as I finished up she goes (and I am not kidding or exaggerating) "good job mom, fist pump!" and we fist pumped. Apparently I rock at putting on socks. Ha! I laughed all afternoon.

I also forgot to mention in my previous post that Ellie drew Scott Dixon in our family race poll and won $50. That's my girl!

indiana

Warning: This could be a long post! Lots to say. Settle in with a cup of coffee or something! There are lots of pics at the end, if you just want to skip to those, I won't mind...

We just had the best trip home. Ellie is becoming very comfortable there and is just loved by everyone so much. There is just something special about Parker and the people there. It is nice to be surrounded by people who have known you your whole life.

Here are my top 10 favorite moments from the trip home...in no particular order!

1. Putzing around Farmland with Linda. I love all those little stores and the coffee house has the best chai of anywhere I have ever been (Abby: I peeked in your windows, I hope you don't mind!) I got some soap, special popcorn and a little angel.

2. Going to Greeks Pizza with Chris. We left Ellie with Nana for a while and it was heavenly. I had forgotten how good that pizza is. However, I did feel old. The last time I was there I was a cocky college student about to graduate and I thought I could conquer the world!

3. Visiting with the Grismores. It was so nice to catch up. Great people. Beautiful family.

4. Sunday at the Thompsons Memorial Day extravanganza. What a nice relaxing day. A youtube video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGeIwTITtkc

5. Seeing Judy and family for a bit before they left for the lakes. Happy Birthday Randy!

6. Visiting with Kathie and running into Becky Cox (don't be such a stranger!!)

7. Having lunch with Quincy at school. Paige and Ken came and did this with me and I loved it! I am so glad Ellie and I got to do it with Quincy. It was special. Poor girl eats with all boys!

8. Jerry's - enough said.

9. Going out to visit mom. I took her a little pink flower and a robin. It is so peaceful out there.

10. Getting my haircut at Melissa's great new shop. That place is awesome and the company can't be beat.

Here are my fave pics from the trip home:

Having some breakfast in Linda's beautiful new kitchen.

Waking up Aunt Paige. She was not happy about it!

Having a serious discussion with Tanner.

Going with the big girls to see the train! Choo Choo!

Izzy taking a pic.

Playing with her 2 favorite people in the whole world.

Noonie and a puppy!

The "E.T."

Swingin' with Quincy.

Andy a.k.a "Vern" I think I am the only one who still calls him that.


I love my family. My immediate family and my entire Parker family. I am blessed.

fave pics of the week

E is napping and my house is clean and I have packed as much as I can to go home. In other words, I am caught up...

Thought I would post some fave pics of the week...

I snapped this pic of my breakfast and for some reason, just love it. I am a dork, I know.

My cute girl having a snack. How bad does my porch need painted? I am taking the artsy route and saying it looks "weathered"!!!

Ellie is no where near potty training, but little girl panties are the cutest thing ever and I couldn't put off buying some any longer. Of course she peed in them. Oh, and that is a duck tattoo on her arm that was there through 4 baths. It wouldn't come off!

Waiting for Daddy to get home.

Looks like a paparazzi shot this!

She was scoping out a cute 3 year old.

lazy weekend

We sure had a lazy weekend. Didn't do much at all and it was NICE! We went to a birthday party and to Build a Bear. Ellie got to make a new teddy just for fun. She named him booboo.

We are going home this week and I am really looking forward to it.

That is all for now.

then and now...the grocery

I think I am gonna do a "then and now" series. Just of different everyday events. The first is the grocery.

Then:

Get in car.
Listen to the cool new song on the radio.
Go through the drive-thru for a cuppa joe.
Get to the grocery.
Leisurely stroll up and down the aisles as I decide what I want to cook for the week.
Read magazine while waiting to check out.
Spend $50.oo for a weeks worth of groceries.
Load all 2 bags in car.
Come home and put groceries away.

Now:

Make a meal plan for the week.
Make grocery list.
Cut coupons for corresponding items needed.
Get online and look up more coupons.
Tell Ellie at breakfast that we are going to the grocery and she will get a cookie.
Plan exact "plan of attack" to minimize time in store.
Pack snack and sippy.
Shoes, jacket, hat, sunglass, sunscreen on Ellie.
Try to convince her she doesn't need to take her stuffedanimaloftheday to the grocery.
Pick up Ellie and stuffedanimaloftheday and put her in the car.
Load up recycleables.
Get in car.
Go back inside for reusable shopping bags I forgot.
Get in car.
Go back inside for coupons I forgot.
Drop off recycleables. "Doing mommy? DOING MOMMY???"
Ellie asks 47 times if she gets a cookie on the 5 minute drive.
Listen to Ellie's cd.
Park car and take Ellie and stuffedanimalofthedayinside.
Put Ellie in cart and wipe down with bleach wipe.
Start in the produce.
Ellie asks for her cookie which we get at the end of the produce section.
and again...
and again...
and again...
Get cookie. Say thank you to the snarky bakery lady.
Ignored by snarky bakery lady.
Pick up stuffedanimaloftheday.
Stopped by an old lady with one tooth to tell me how beautiful Ellie is.
Say thank you and move on. I have only got so much time.
Ellie finishes cookie and asks for sippy. Get sippy.
Get to the 3rd aisle before Ellie asks for a snack. Get goldfish out.
Stopped in 4th aisle as snaggletooth again ogles Ellie, and tells me all about her 11 grandchildren.
Pick up stuffedanimaloftheday.
Get to the 5th aisle before Ellie runs out of water.
Buy water bottle and fill up sippy.
Get to freezer section before Ellie starts to melt down.
Finish as fast as possible, picking up stuffedanimaloftheday at least 3 more times.
Get in line.
Realize I forgot waffles during the meltdown in the freezer section and go get them.
Get back in line.
Endure stares from unmarried bitches with no children as Ellie is whining LOUDLY.
Look longingly at magazines.
Pull out Ellie's animal book and we point out different animals. "A cow says moo mommy!"
Load groceries on belt while Ellie opens and eats a three musketeers. Ooops.
Add three musketeers wrapper to groceries.
Ignore the weird bagger lady who asks if Ellie is still in diapers as she bags them. I want to tell her that Ellie has been potty trained for months and the diapers are for my husband. Weirdo.
Pay $125.oo for a weeks worth of groceries. Damn organics!
Get out to car and realize I forgot stamps. Decide mail can wait.
Load all 10 bags.
Snaggletooth pulls up and says she offers competetive rates for babysitting. Um, no thanks.
Get home and unload bags from car while Ellie asks the entire time to play outside.
Let Ellie play outside while I put groceries away. Put bread away, check on Ellie. Put pasta sauce away, check on Ellie, put animal crackers away, check on Ellie, etc...
Go outside and realize it might take a little longer and cost more now, but it sure is worth it!

Go to cook dinner and realize I forgot milk....

godparents

When I was pregnant with Ellie I had an abnormal urge to find her the perfect godparents. We are not Catholic and Chris and I don't even have godparents but for some reason, I really wanted Ellie to have some. Maybe it is the fact that I am an only child and wanted someone out there to love her (as if she is not loved by all who know her!!), or maybe I was just thinking of guilt-free babysitting. Whatever the reason, we lucked out and picked the perfect people.

Enter Jeff and Megan. These two people are amazing and will make great parents of their own someday, but until then, I am glad Ellie is theirs. We wanted to pick people who are similiar to us, but different. Does that make any sense? For example, Jeff and Megan love winter sports which chris and i cannot fathom. Therefore, it is their responsibility to teach Ellie to ski and snowboard, 2 things you need to know how to do when it is winter 7 months a year. They also choose to live in the city "to get the urban feel". Chris and I would be in the suburbs in a minute if we could. They are just so cool and I have always kinda been in awe of them. Here is a little more about each of them.

Megan: Kind, funny, beautiful, vegeterian (and actually likes tofurkey), athletic, volunteer, dog-lover, can drink like a fish (honestly, everytime I drink with her I end up throwing up. It is really quite impressive.), only buys gifts that some African tribal woman in the Sudan made, and is a wonderful friend.

Jeff: Intelligent, political, corn-hole enthusiast, handsome (actually, kinda a hunk!), dry sense of humor, tends to hurt Ellie in some way everytime he sees her (but it is out of love), dog-lover, thinks men who drink out of straws are wussies, nicknamed Jeff-fa-fa, and is a wonderful friend.

I mean, seriously, with qualities like that, how could we not ask them? We love you guys. Ellie is lucky to have you!

what do you think?

I realized that my blog layout was depressing! I wasn't sure how much I would like doing this but I really enjoy it, so I thought I would brighten up my page a little.

I don't know who all reads this, if anybody even reads this, but if you do, look at my slideshow, take my poll (i cannot figure out how to change the font color), and let me know if you like my new layout!

mother's day

Today is Mother's Day. Since today is all rainy and yucky, we celebrated yesterday. Chris surprised me with an antique oak ice chest I have had my eye on and then took Ellie out for some fun so I could have some time to myself in my house. It is amazing how much I took that for granted! I read my book and took a nap. It was pure bliss. He is the best husband ever!

Today we went to breakfast and I had a belgian waffle and 4 slices of the best bacon ever. I mean, it was heavenly. Of course, now I can't eat til Tuesday because I probably consumed 4,000 calories, but it was worth it.

The real reason for this blog is to say out loud that I really miss my mom. People assume that since a lot of time has passed, I am probably ok, and for the most part I am, but days like today are hard. Really, really hard. So, in honor of my wonderful mother (who left way too soon and would be so proud of her granddaughter) here is a list of all the things I miss most about her.

She told me everyday that she loved me and gave the best hugs.
She made the worlds best mac and cheese.
Her love of adventure. We would take trips into the country and just drive to see what we could find.
She put vegetables in everything. Chris hated this. The first time we had him over for chili he laughed and said "this isn't chili, it is vegetable soup!"
She would make me raise my arms by telling me she wouldn't love me if i didn't. When I did, she would tickle me. She did this even after i was married. I always raised my arms though.
Her armpits didn't stink. Ever. She would work for hours outside, or play 18 holes of golf in the July heat, and nothing. How do I know this? She would tell me to smell them. And I would! She was very proud of her unstinky armpits.
She had the most beautiful hands.
She loved robins and hated rabbits. They ate her flowers.
On all road trips, we had to look for "scenics" and play cat and dog.
Our song was the theme song to "Cheers".
She and my father fought by beating each other with rolled up newspaper. Try it. It doesn't hurt and you really can't stay mad at each other while doing this.
When I was little, we would almost always stop and play if I saw a playground. Now that I am a mother who has a little one who asks to stop and play, I know how hard that must have been. There is always so much to do!
She made me move far away. I didn't want to go. She said it would be good for me and she was right. That had to be hard for her to do. I hope I am that strong for Ellie.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the gist.

She was wonderful and I am lucky she was mine!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mother's in my life!

poop and hippos

Not much is happening these days that is blogworthy. It has been 3 whole days since I last blogged. Just typing hoping that some witty comment or funny story will come to me.

Oh I know one...

The other day I was playing hide and seek with Ellie. For some reason she just had a shirt on (no diaper or pants). I don't remember why she was nekky from the waist down, but it is integral to the story. So, anyhoo, she is counting and I am hiding behind our bed, which I can see under. So she comes in to look for me ("ready, here i come mommy!") and I see her little feet on the other side of the bed. There is a pause and I think she is looking for me. Nope. The next thing I see is two little turds hit the floor. Ha! I tried desperately not to laugh. She was so embarrassed that she had done it and kept saying "i sorry i pooped on the floor mommy." I just kept reassuring her that all was well, etc....I did manage to get her on the potty before the third turdlette came out. I am not looking forward to potty training.

She also woke up from her nap yesterday crying saying that a hippo was coming. She was really scared. "A hippo coming mommy! Help me! Pick me up! I scared!" I can only imagine what she was dreaming about.

Ahhh, the life of a stay at home mom. Poop cleaner upper and hippo wrangler.

a day at the zoo

We go all the time. We are members and I love it there. It is not a terrifically big place. And there is a hill that goes to the monkeys and the playground (ellie's 2 favorite parts) that could give anyone a heart attack! I am going to have a butt of steel after a summer of pushing 30 pounds up that damn hill.

Today was so nice. It was just ellie and me. I love being a mom who is able to stay home. I can't always say that in January when I am desperately trying to fill our days with fun, educational activities. Today I almost felt guilty Chris had to work (on a sprained ankle no less!) and I was spending the day at the zoo...

Here are some pics from our trip today...

i am lucky

I love my husband. I am very fortunate that not only does he give me time to myself, but he WANTS one-on-one time with Ellie to give me time by myself. This weekend I went to lunch and a movie with a friend on Saturday and went to brunch with the moms on Sunday (shout out to Julie, it was AWESOME!) Now this is not the norm. I don't usually spend the entire weekend away from my family but it was like a little mini vacation and it was nice.

A few of the many other reasons I am lucky...

I have the best group of mom friends ever.

Chris doesn't mind when he comes home from work and I say we are "fending" for dinner, which means he is on his own.

I just discovered the best new snack, roasted garbanzo beans (beans, olive oil, garlic, salt, roast at 400 till you like em) YUM! thanks to Megan on this one.

Ellie has lots of toe jam and i get to pick it out. I live for this! I love it!

I know the secret to making the worlds best popcorn

Ellie blesses me when I sneeze.

I started golfing when I was young.

Chris rubs my feet every night while we watch tv.

My mother taught me the value of eating healthy which makes it so much easier to teach Ellie the same thing.

and most importantly, this face...