Home Sweet Home

After riding in a van, on an airplane, in a bus, on a tram, on another airplane, and in a car, we are home! I was a very good boy on our trip, if I do say so myself. We woke up this morning at 5:00AM EST (4:00AM Iowa time); Momma and Daddy said that they're not going to stay up tonight to watch the ball drop (whatever that means). My My is home from her vacation now too, so I'm sure you'll hear from her tomorrow. Do you think she'll let me "guest post" again someday?
Hope to talk to you soon...Tyler J. Nugent

Sing, Sing, Sing!

I love to sing. I spent the whole day singing. I especially like to sing "Farmer in the Dell". "Old MacDonald Had a Farm". "Wheels on the Bus", and "Jingle Bells". We are at a hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina and will fly home tomorrow. I miss my room, my toys, and my pets, Lilo, Stitch, and Sadie. On Monday, I start going back to My My's house when Momma and Daddy go back to work. We're going to have to wake up REALLY EARLY every morning...no more sleeping in until 6:30! Have a nice night! Tyler Nugent (aka Ty Ty John)

I Think I Have a New Favorite

I have loved cows forever. I don't go anywhere without my "Baby Cow". But now I think I have a new favorite. Horses. We went to the Fort Bragg stables today, and I got to ride Amanda's horse, Billy. That was lots of fun. I got to see all of the other horses, too. This morning we went to the Airborne museum, the cupcake store, and the mall. I fell asleep just as we were getting to the mall, so Daddy, Momma, and My My pushed my stroller around until I woke up. (I don't remember any of that because I was asleep.) We went out for dinner tonight; I had fun playing with things on the table. The ketchup bottle was Daddy, the cocktail sauce bottle was Momma, the pepper was Uncle Guck, I was the salt, and the hot sauce bottle was Amanda. As you can see, just like my My My, I am easily entertained! Time for bed...TTYL...Ty Ty John
PS...My My has been taking lots of pictures. She told me that she will post some of them when we get home. : )

On Broadway

I appeared on Broadway today! Broadway on the Beach, that is. We went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I liked the mahi-mahi at the restaurant, the aquarium, feeding the ducks, and the fudge! I slept almost the whole way back to Fayetteville (good thing I wasn't driving). Momma and Daddy "distracted" me long enough to wash and dry my B (blanket). I heard Momma say something about it being filthy. I guess dragging it in the dirt isn't a good idea. Talk to you tomorrow! Ty

Three Strikes...We're Out!

Three strikes here today...
1) the museum we wanted to go to was closed
2) the pizzeria where we wanted to eat lunch was closed
3) the cupcake store was closed
And, there was a BLACK ICE ADVISORY here until lunchtime!
This afternoon, momma, daddy, Guck, and Amanda drove around Fort Bragg, did some shopping, and stopped at the stables to fed Billy (Amanda's horse). My My and I stayed at Guck's apartment and played with my farm animals and Mr. Potato Head. I took a nap, too. Tomorrow, we are going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to go to an aquarium. I am having fun on our vacation. I will talk to you tomorrow. Tyler John Nugent : )
PS...I like birthdays. I've only had two. I don't remember my first one, and I was sick for my second one. (My birthday party even had to be postponed!) Anyway, My My told me not to forget that we have a family birthday today. So...Happy Birthday, Susan!

It Never Snows in Carolina

Hi everyone! Momma and Daddy were excited when we got here yesterday...there was lots of green grass everywhere. They said it would be fun for us to be outside playing and going for walks. Guess what? When we woke up, this morning, it was snowing! Uncle Guck said that it snowed about 6 inches today. We ate sliders and sweet potato fries at Smokey Bones, and I ran around Macy's Department store, laughing and screaming. Tonight, my daddy, Uncle Guck, and Amanda went to the Hurricanes-Capitals NHL game in Raleigh. And guess who they went with? Matt Lauer!!! He was at Uncle Guck's apartment this afternoon, but I didn't get to see him (I was asleep). MyMy said he is really nice. I don't know what we'll do tomorrow! Tyler : )

I have wings!

Hi everybody! My name is Tyler Nugent. I told my MyMy that I would post for her for a few days so she can have a break. Guess what? I'm in North Carolina at my Uncle Guck's house! I went on my first airplane ride today (actually, two planes). I sat in my car seat in the plane and even took a short nap. I'm having fun at Uncle Guck's. He has lots of fun stuff to play with!

Say It Isn't So!!!!!

I've decided to give myself a little break from the blog. However, I've asked a guest writer to fill in for me while I'm on hiatus. Granted, he's a little inexperienced, but I've heard that he has a way with words. I have a feeling that you'll enjoy his posts. I'll see you next year... until then...Happy Holidays!

All Done!

Christmas shopping? Done
Gift wrapping? Done
Baking/cooking? Done
Christmas cards sent? Well, maybe next year.
(Three out of four isn't too bad!)

Shop 'Til You Drop

Is there anyone (besides me) who is not done Christmas shopping?

Full Moon

Did anyone else notice the moon tonight? One of the best I've ever seen!!!

I Deserve A Break Today!

It was SO nice to have ZERO kids today...especially since I'm starting to feel human again!

Christmas Food Groups

According to Buddy the Elf, there are four main food groups:
1) candy
2) candy canes
3) candy corns
4) syrup

I, however, prefer my own version of the food groups, of which there are only two:
1) everything salty
2) everything sweet

Any questions?

Christmas Eve Memories

When you're a kid, so many things seem magical. I remember every Christmas Eve in this way. We always went to church and, after the service, it was often snowing. The Christmas Eve snow was different than snow at other times; it covered everything with a blanket of sparkly glitter. And..the little brown lunch bags we were given as we left the church...I think I remember an apple, a popcorn ball, and a candy cane. Funny how things that are so simple and basic leave lasting impressions.

Happy 10th birthday, Arianna and Brianna!

Couches

Aren't couches a great invention? Ed (my cat) and I spent all day sleeping on mine!

Birthday Day

Happy Birthday, Leslie and Happy Birthday, Tyler!
That's all for tonight...writing that took ALL of the energy I have left! : (

Seasons

My least favorite? Cold and Flu

Maybe Next Year

Tonight, I had planned to entertain you with the lyrics from my song, The Twelve Days Before Christmas. However, I just realized that there are less than twelve days left! Rats...I missed my opportunity to impress you with my songwriting talents!

Someone Special

K and C's parents shared this story with me when they dropped K off this morning:
Last Thursday night, their family attended C's holiday program at his preschool. Toward the end of the program, the school's director announced that "someone special" was waiting in the hallway for the children. Mom and Dad said that they could literally feel the excitement in the room. C, eyes wide with anticipation, turned to his parents and said, "It must be Diane!".

Yes...you guessed it..."our" Diane. Thanks, Owly Lady and Jenn, for all you do for my kids and me. You are more special to us than the man in the red suit!

Love Those Late Starts!

Just got word that the Cedar Falls and Waterloo Schools are delayed two hours tomorrow morning (probably because of the wind chill). Late start days are always fun to anticipate...a break in the usual routine, a chance to sleep a few extra minutes, time for myself before the kids start arriving. Aaron's taking the day off tomorrow to stay home and play with Tyler (lucky them), so I'm just expecting K, D, and B.

Dolls, Dolls, Dolls

Is it just me, or do the Christmas memories of the Grant girls revolve around a recurring theme? I also remember the dolls and the doll clothes, especially the year I received a black patent leather suitcase full of Barbie clothes. However, I don't remember if mom made all of those clothes herself...Bev, did you do some of the sewing? Also the doll furniture... a high chair and a doll bed. And a "big" doll (which I still have). Looking back, I now realize how much Dad and Mom did with very little money. They always made sure that Christmas was a special day.

Whoops!!!

As you all know, Diane, Jenn, and I have been working on an accurate and up-to-date list of important family dates (anniversaries, birthdays, etc.). Thanks, everyone, for responding so quickly to Diane's request for corrections. I did learn something new this week...Peter's birthday is in November, not December!!! (His birthday is November 25; for some reason, I thought it was coming up on December 23.) And so, better late than never, here's my wish...

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, PETER!!!

Kids Say (and Do) The Darndest Things

This morning, K and D were arguing over a toy. I ushered them to separate parts of the room and put the toy away. A couple of minutes later, D approached K and said, "Sorry, K". K's reply... "It's OK, D. Let's hug".

Earlier today, D came walking down the hallway with no clothes on. I said, "D, it's too cold to not wear clothes. Besides, you have to wear clothes at my house". She turned around and ran in the opposite direction. Since she can't yet dress herself, I followed her and found her standing by the front door (still clothesless). "D, where are you going?". Her answer? "Swimming!"

Me... "K, please come here".
K..."I'm on my way!"

Early To Bed...

Hi everyone! Would you believe that I'm getting ready to go to bed? (I rarely go to bed before 11 or 12). Need to get my "beauty sleep"...all six kids will be here tomorrow! Thanks to Jenn and Diane for stopping in with soup, bread, and other goodies and for reading to Ty and putting on a fantastic puppet show, to Jaime for running my errands and for doing my laundry tonight, and to Ty for providing dinner entertainment!
PS...Thanks for all your great comments. I will write back soon!

It's Always Something

This week, it's the clothes washer. Last night, the knob that controls everything came loose. At the laundromat, someone asked me if I was "new". No, unfortunately, I'm not new. I feel like I'm at the laundromat way too often.
What's your something this week?

Time Management

I'm trying to figure out how to squeeze seven hours worth of evening work into four. Any suggestions?

Christmas with Wartburg

Today, I had the pleasure of accompanying the D Wolffs to Christmas with Wartburg, a holiday tradition that started 65 years ago. The concert was amazing and professionally done. The highlight for me was O Holy Night, sung by Simon Estes, the Wartburg Choir, a children's choir, and accompanied by the Wartburg orchestra. Wow! The dinner, as always, was excellent, too. I couldn't eat all of it; it was especially disappointing to not be able to finish the red velvet cheesecake with cream cheese frosting! Thanks, Wolffs for inviting me again this year. And, thanks for giving me a ride to the Durango (so I didn't have to walk in six inch heels...in the dark...and the cold...wearing no coat). As you can tell, I'm being stubborn about accepting the winter-like weather that has arrived! A little trivia question: How many years has the D Wolff family attended Christmas with Wartburg? (I don't know the answer, but I'm going to guess over 30. D, D, and J...am I close?)

You Are Invited...

to join me this month in a trip down memory lane. The Christmas season always brings to mind many memories of childhood holiday traditions and celebrations. I plan to blog about some of my favorite memories and invite you to do so, too. It would be especially great to hear from everyone (from the very young to the young at heart) in the Grant, Van Ornam, Weller, and Wolff families!

Busy Day...Lazy Night

A busy day...played with, fed, and cleaned up after four kids, anticipated a snowstorm that didn't happen, and ate dinner with Adam at The Hickory House.

A lazy night...sat down to watch a movie, Eddie crawled onto my lap and fell asleep, fell asleep myself because I couldn't jump up every five minutes, woke up two hours later (cat still asleep on lap).

Time Flies, Part 2...

No, they did not. Tyler got sick during the night Monday night, so they decided to stay home. We were disappointed that they missed the trip, and that Derek and Tyler didn't have a chance to spend time together. However, it was so incredibly hot while we were there...poor Ty would have been miserable! Fast forward to last night. I spent about an hour and a half on the phone and online, trying to book our Christmas flight to NC. This included a reissuing of one of the tickets from last June...complicated, but the agent finally figured it out. We're flying from Cedar Rapids on Christmas Day and will return on the 31st. I'm excited about seeing Derek, staying at his new townhouse, and having the opportunity to experience Tyler's first flight!
PS...No flu for me...yet!

Time Flies...Will We?

This past June, A, A, J, Ty, and I planned to travel to see Derek in North Carolina. Adam and I decided to road trip. On Saturday, June 12, we packed the rental car from the floorboards to the rooftop. In addition to our own "stuff", we had three large suitcases for the Nugents (so they wouldn't have to check luggage at the airport), a car seat, a stroller, a laundry basket full of toys, diapers, pillows, blankets, towels....the list goes on and on. Later that day, Jaime called to tell me that Tyler had thrown up. (I forgot to mention that the kids had all had the flu the week before.) No problem (we thought); their flight wasn't scheduled until Monday...surely he'd be well by then. And sure enough, on Sunday, he was fine. Monday morning, June 14, he threw up on the way to the airport. They went back home and rebooked their flight for the next day. Did they fly on Tuesday? You'll have to read tomorrow night's post to find out!
To be continued...

Dropping Like Flies

We are still being "hit" with the bug...another one of my kids, a sibling, a parent, and possibly another parent. Just hoping that I don't get it; then everyone will have to take another day off!

Three Letter Words

I've decided that, in addition to some four letter words (see October 8 post), there are some three letter words that I don't care for either. For example:
The Flu
We have been hit pretty hard with it, and it's not December (or even winter) yet! Two of my little girls missed an entire week at my house because of the flu. They were sick for three days; mom and dad decided to keep them home the other two days so the rest of us could avoid being exposed right before Thanksgiving. Very thoughtful of them, but some of us got the flu anyway. Tyler got sick Thanksgiving night (mild version); Jaime got it yesterday (heavy duty version). One of my kids had flu symptoms last Wednesday night; by Saturday afternoon, she was in the hospital. This is our third year together as a "child care family". The past two years, we had the flu bug twice. So, if history repeats itself, we have only one more bout to go. Yea!!!!!!

Throwdown! with Farm Girl

I am guilty of sometimes often watching the Food Network Channel. One of my favorite shows is Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. Bobby Flay is an American chef, restauratuer, cookbook author, and tv personality. On his show, he challenges another chef, whose specialty is a particular dish, to a cook-off. Sometimes Bobby wins; sometimes he loses. I'll be completely honest...my idea of cooking has become pulling a pan out of the cupboard to reheat whatever my refrigerated "doggy bag" has left over from the previous night's takeout dinner. So here goes..all you great and wonderful cooks out there...next June, I'm going to challenge one of you to a throwdown. Finding an impartial judge may be a little tricky, but I know we can find someone. The prize for the winner? TBD : )

www.foodnetwork.com

Dinner or Supper?

Dinner n. The chief meal of the day.
Supper n. An evening meal; a light evening meal when dinner is served at midday.

Whatever you want to call it, I'm sure we'll eat it in Iowa next June. Since many lunches may be "on the go", I'm going to suggest that we gather at the Wolff or Weller residences for the evening meal. It might be fun to plan specific menus, i.e. pasta night, Mexican night, cookout night, pizza night, German night, etc. We have so many excellent cooks that it'd be a shame not to put them to work! I don't claim to be an "excellent" chef, but I'll be glad to cook, too.

Black Friday Night

After avoiding the stores all day, curiosity won out, and I headed for Walmart at 10 PM tonight. No long lines...still lots to buy. The store was surprisingly clean (last year, I went to Younkers on Black Friday Night and, because there was merchandise strewn everywhere, I could hardly walk through the store). The only problem I had at Wally World was dodging the night stockers and their overloaded carts. Lots of customers, too. (I'm always a little surprised by the number of families, small kids in tow, out shopping late at night.) The customers and store clerks all seemed to still be in good moods. In fact, I rounded a corner in the automotive section (I was searching for power steering fluid) and bumped into a couple of teenage girls, both holding large containers of antifreeze, rocking out to Just The Way You Are (which was blasting from a car stereo). Fun at Walmart on a Friday night! That's Waterloo. My Black Friday/holiday purchases? 2 containers of Snow Melt (gonna need it sooner or later), windshield washer fluid, Bounce, mouthwash, a Diaper Genie refill, gum, candles, and a Christmas gift for Ty. And, the power steering fluid.

Were any of you brave enough/ crazy enough to venture out today?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that all of you had a great day! Adam and I want to say thanks to Darold, Diane, and Jenn for the delicious meal...turkey and all the trimmings...and for the scrumptious desserts (pumpkin pie and chocolate cake with raspberries)....making you hungry again, aren't I? Aaron, Jaime, and Tyler spent the day with Aaron's family. Jaime said that Tyler spent some time looking around Papa and Nana's house, searching for their cat, Maci (she was hiding). When it was time to go home, Tyler said to everyone, "Goodbye, friends"...something he often hears at the end of the day at my house. Derek said he got up at 4:00 this morning (3:00 Iowa time) to start preparing food for their feast. He and his roommate, Jared (a Wartburg grad Derek met at Ft. Bragg), invited several other Iowa friends, who now live in NC, as well as a few of the soldiers. Sounds like they served several "made from scratch" dishes, including pies! I told him that we expect some great cooking while we are visiting him during Christmas break!

What Are You Thankful For?

All six of my "two and unders" were here today. I'm thankful for A FOUR DAY WEEKEND!

And the Answer Is...

Yesterday, I turned around to see that K had intentionally poured her entire cup of milk on the floor! I gave her my What are you doing? look; the one that I've gifted to her a million times. She instantly recognized the look; shot me her Duh, what does it look like I'm doing? look and stated, "It's a duck pond!". Well, of course...I should've thought of that! We do have a toy duck somewhere in the house...I think we have a toy duck...maybe I should have the kids bring back some of the cute ducks that Diane and Jenn have given them...especially now that we have a duck pond!!!!!

A Riddle

What do you get when you take one little girl holding a cup full of milk and one adult who turns her back for ten seconds????
Answer tomorrow night!!!!!!!

My Favorite Pizza Places (not in any particular order)

Preface: As I was making my favorite pizza places' list, it occurred to me that most of these are favorites, not because of the pizza itself, but because of the people I was with and the memories that were made.


1) Ida Grove, Iowa We often stopped at the Pizza Hut there on our way home from a trip to Anthon. The kids had a lot of fun feeding the ducks. Lucille, do you remember going to the Pizza Hut with us?

2)Sioux City, Iowa The Pizza Peddler in the Sioux City Stockyards' KD Station was also a big hit with A, J, and D. Wilbur, the coyote, rode a tricycle around a track, delivering pizzas and talking with the customers.

3) Waterloo, Iowa Shakeys...another Weller favorite. We ate there a lot...I remember going for the Super Supper and the Bunch-a-Lunch. Neal especially liked the all you can eat buffet with pizza, broasted chicken, pasta, breadsticks, etc. My favorites? The Mojos (broasted potatoes) and the cinnamon rolls!!!

4) Chicago, Illinois If you like deep dish, then you'd love Chicago's Deep dish... nobody can beat it! They have a deep dish walking tour that I've never taken, but it sounds like fun. (If anyone ever wants to meet in Chicago, I'm there!)

5) Heidelberg, Germany The Pizza Hut on the Hauptstraffse (Main Street) was one of my first "alone in a sit-down restaurant" eating experiences. Maybe it was the fact that I was in Germany, but it was one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten!

6)Orlando, Florida...Omaha, Nebraska...Cedar Falls, Iowa Showbiz/Chuck E. Cheese...Pizza's not that great, but kids love it!!

7) Italy...Cinque Terre and Venice We were eating pizza in ITALY...need I say more?!? Actually, I will say more. In Monterosso, I ordered a pizza topped with french fries. Different, but good! In Riomaggiore, I became a big fan of the margherita (the pizza, not the drink!).

8) NEW YORK, NEW YORK...WORLD'S BEST PIZZA!!!!!! What makes it the best pizza? New York City's water, of course! In 2009, when Derek and I were in NYC, we went on the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour. We heard a lot of "stories", learned about the history of Brooklyn, and ate pizza at two amazing places! Definitely a tour I would take again.

Pizza

Pizza is one of my many favorite foods...and I have many! I hope that one of our meals next June will include pizza. Lucky for us, there are several great local "pizza places" in the WaWa area. One, the OP (Other Place), is located in Waverly, Waterloo, and Cedar Falls. It's been around for about 35 years. All of their pizzas are delicious. The vegetarian, taco, and chicken alfredo pizzas are my personal favorites. In addition to pizza, the OP has sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta. One of the soups that I really like is their Chili Gumbo, a chili invented by college students, loaded with lots of veggies and mozzarella cheese. June isn't usually a "chili" month here in Iowa, but you never know about our weather! Another great pizza place is "Doughy Joeys" which has locations in Cedar Falls and Waterloo. They specialize in Chicago style and New York style pizzas and have many other items on their menus. We ate at their new CF location recently and were impressed with the restaurant, the staff, and, of course, the food. Might be a fun place to go if we decide to go "out" some night. Are there any pizza lovers reading this? If so, what kind do you like???

www.doughyjoeys.com
www.theotherplace.com

Making a Splash

Last night, Jaime and Aaron attended the DRUMLine performance on campus, so Tyler spent the night at my house. It had been a few weeks since I'd given him a bath, so I didn't know that he'd added splashing to his bathtime routine. I was amazed at the amount of splashing he did. I don't know who had more fun or who got wetter...him or me!!

Little Man of Few Words

Lunchtime conversation with Ty today:
Ty: (holding up a piece of meat) What's this?
Me: Fish
Ty: Gobble, gobble?
Me: No (moving my mouth like a fish)
Ty: Oh (moving his mouth like a fish)

Totin' Tots

Little kids typically tote around a favorite blanket or teddy bear. Although today was a typical day at my house, my twos (and Ty, my almost two) are rarely typical. Here's what was toted today...from room to room and up and down the stairs:
K... a monkey, a cat, a cheetah, Piglet, a doll, and two pink blankets= 7 items
Ty...three cows, a pig, a sheep, and his blue B (blanket)= 6 items

PS...And I should mention that K and Ty carried all of these things at the same time!!!!!
Talk about an armful! : )

Monkey Business

Ok, I'll admit it. I sometimes lick my finger when I'm trying to turn the page of a book. I've done it as long as I can remember and haven't really given it much thought. So, today, I thought it incredibly cute when I saw Tyler do this very thing as he was turning a page in a monkey book. However, when I googled this habit, I discovered that most people don't find this habit cute at all. In fact, most find it utterly disgusting! So, my sincere apologies to anyone who's read a book after me. (Sorry Diane...you probably won't want to lend me books after reading this.) Some of the comments re this habit were shocking. One person had the nerve to suggest that it's mostly old people who do this. Tyler and I beg to differ!!!
Other monkey business: Today we made a craft to accompany the "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" poem. After attaching our monkeys to their beds, K, who already knew it by heart, immediately began reciting the poem. She added her own little twist at the end. She tucked her little monkey back into his paper bed, looked up, and said, "I hope he learned his lesson".
Diane, thanks for the pumpkin bread, chili, and "snow" bells. You are so thoughtful!!! : )

Marvelous Monday

A really good day here...just had Ty and K. Was so nice to have just the two of them. We had a lot of fun playing, reading, singing, etc. It makes me look forward to the "distant" future when I'll have fewer kids and can do more with them. One of Adam's favorite sayings is less is more...so true in this case!
We are gearing up for the holidays...talk of baby Jesus, Christmas trees, Santa, snowmen, etc. At lunch today, I gave K one of those "What are you doing?" looks and, without me saying a word, she stated, "I'm just decorating". And so she was. Her slice of turkey (from the middle of her sandwich) was draped like a blanket of snow over her sippy cup! Ho ho ho!!!

Subs

I'm still on the lunch subject tonight. There are several really good places to buy subs in the WaWa area. (not the underwater type. I've never even been in one...have you?) Sub City can be found in both Wa and Wa (also in Cedar Falls). It's local, has been around for several years, and has great sandwiches. You can order any of the sandwiches as a "sub in a tub" (a salad). My favorite Sub City is in Waverly. It's in the old train depot, right along the bike trail. We also have Subways in both places and a Jimmy Johns in Waterloo. Subs may be a quick and easy lunch for all of us one day next June.
PS...It's Sunday night and I'm distressed because another nonproductive weekend has flown by. I always feel so guilty when I don't get as much accomplished as I'd planned. : (

Lunch (Luncheon)

n. A meal eaten at midday.

I decided to read a little history about lunch and discovered that in most countries, lunch is a light meal eaten anywhere between noon and 4 PM. It is also sometimes referred to as dinner. What did mom and dad call our meals when we were growing up? Obviously, I remember breakfast, but did we eat lunch or dinner? Wasn't our evening meal always called "supper"?
I assume that lunch may be "on your own" for everyone who's out and about next June. This is known as "out for lunch"...not to be confused with "out to lunch"! If anyone is interested in a great place to eat lunch, Diane and I both highly recommend Barn Happy in Cedar Falls. The food is amazing, and the shop/barn is filled with Iowa products. I know that some of you have eaten there with us on previous visits to WaWa. Check out their website which includes their lunch menu and lists some of the Iowa products they sell:

www.barnhappy.net

PS...Diane was the first person today to chat with me about the weather here in WaWa land. Then, I had a weather conversation with strangers at the grocery store, followed up by a phone call from Jaime later today which included, you guessed it, talk about the weather. Three times today...can you top that?

The Weather

Have you ever noticed how much people talk about the weather? I hadn't really ever thought about this until Adam mentioned it. Since then, I've noticed that it's virtually impossible to have a conversation (or to overhear one) that doesn't include a mention of the current weather, the forecast, or a weather catastrophe somewhere. Tonight, at the bank, I overheard a customer (four cars over) and the bank teller conversing about the weather. Even little kids are fascinated. It's been raining here most of the day, so D decided to sing "Rain, Rain, Go Away" all day. So glad she was feeling well enough to sing (only one mention of not feeling well).
As for me, I can't wait for the first snow day. There's just something so exciting about waking up to find out that, surprise, you have the day off!

Tomorrow's challenge: See how far you are into your Saturday before you talk to someone about the weather.

Hospital or Hollywood?

Much better day...my little angels were back. Still as dramatic as ever, though.
D, one of my sweet little "twos" has been pitifully complaining for the past couple of days... "I don't feel good. I need to go to the doctor." It's a little hard to take her seriously when she says that and then sighs, throws her head back, and plants the back of her hand in the middle of her forehead, as if she's about to faint. (And when she's spent the previous hour running around the house, laughing, screeching, and being crazy). Is it possible to diagnose hypochondria at such an early age?
Either that, or this kid needs to be signed up as a child star. I think I deserve the first autograph! : )

Angels & Demons

I believe in the former...I've witnessed the latter.
And how was your day???!!!

PS...But, I haven't seen the movie. Sorry, Ron.

It's a Girl's Prerogative

Sometimes the conversations at my house are a little difficult to comprehend. Take my conversation with K this afternoon...

Me: K, it's time to change your pull-up.
K: And then can I change my mind?

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, so I repeated my statement:

Me: K, it's time to change your pull-up.
K: Then can I change my mind?

I decided to go along with it, mainly because I wanted to see what she was thinking. So I said, OK, K, then you can change your mind.

After the pull-up change, K went out into the living room, put all six of our blue kids' chairs in a row, and placed her stuffed animals on them. So that's what changing your mind means to a two-year-old. Wow, I am really out of touch!!! : )

Time Changes and Times Change

Time Changes We were just a little "off" today...shorter than usual naps, a little grumpier than usual. I blame it on the time change. Or...maybe it's that we all seem to be coming down with colds. We had barely started our day when I realized that I was going to have a difficult time keeping up with all the sneezes, runny noses, etc. The sweater I wore today really came in handy. It had two big pockets... I filled the left pocket with clean tissues, and the right pocket... You get the picture. Sometimes I have to get creative!
Times Change There's been a lot of media talk lately about the current lack of manners and social etiquette. It seems like this lack is becoming the norm. Manners and social skills are a big deal with me...we practice them all day long. So now I'm starting to wonder: Are good manners no longer considered necessary? Am I wasting my time? Any thoughts out there???

Have a great night!!!! : )

Morg's

It's probably safe to assume that we'll want to eat breakfast "in" next June. However, if it is any one's heart's desire to go out for breakfast, then Morg's in downtown Waterloo is the place to go. Morg's, established in 1960, is a family-run diner that has an interesting staff as well as amazing food. Janie Brown, a waitress there for almost 30 years, unlocks the door for the regulars at 4:30 AM. If she oversleeps, they head for her house to check on her and vice versa. When Derek worked at the gas station, he said that she often stopped there to buy gas. A couple of times she gave him a gift card for Morg's, and she remembered him when he stopped for breakfast. For awhile, we went often enough that she knew exactly what we would order...just like the regulars. At Morg's, everything is made from scratch and the portions are huge (pancakes the size of a plate...my favorite...the pecan pancake.) No matter who I'm with, we always split a meal...I'd like to meet the person who can polish off an entire breakfast by him/her self!

Happy 14th Birthday, Maryann!

Breakfast

n. The first meal of the day, usually eaten in the morning.

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, is often skipped by people who are in a hurry to get to work or school, who oversleep, who are on a diet, and/or who just aren't hungry when they wake up. My breakfasts, like every other meal I eat, get inhaled as I am always rushing to get ready before the kids arrive. When I was in Europe, breakfast was my favorite meal of the day. Could have been the great food (fresh breads, croissants, cheeses, etc), the terrific company (Adam and Derek), or could have been the scenery (looking out at the Alps or the Mediterranean Sea definitely has a positive effect on the appetite). If you come to Iowa next June, we also promise great food and wonderful scenery. I know that the hotels in Waverly include breakfast and, of course, if you stay with the Waverly Wolffs or the Waterloo Wellers, you'll enjoy delicious breakfasts as well. (I'm planning to beg Bev to bring some of her amazing kuchen!!!)

PS...Did you know that breakfast dates back to the late Stone Age era when stones were used to grind grains into porridge? And, that in ancient times, beer was the "breakfast juice" of choice?!?

Happy Birthday, Karel!!

The Man

My annual sump pump check-up was scheduled for this morning. Since we rarely have visitors that the kids don't know, I talked to them about someone coming to the house. In the past, when the kids were younger, they were always a little shy whenever the doorbell rang and a stranger entered. Not so this time. They followed him around like little ducklings following the mama duck to the pond. We all went in the basement with him; K, D, E, and Ty stood in the storage room and watched him work. Whenever they had a question about what he was doing...What's that? (a garden hose), Where'd the man go? (to the truck to get his tools), they'd ask me. Otherwise, he had a captive audience. I told him to let me know if they were in the way, but he said that he has a two-year-old at home; he did seem pretty amused by their attention. I started to think about how helpful it would be to have an assistant like The Man. He could keep the kids entertained while I cooked lunch, changed diapers, read a book, took a nap... My want ad would look something like this:
Wanted: A man to work as The Man. Must love kids (negotiable). Must look exactly like George Clooney (non-negotiable).

Birthday Wishes

Today is D's dad's birthday. This afternoon, while she was playing with one of our toy telephones, I suggested that she "call" her dad to wish him a happy birthday.

D: Hi Dad. I at school. E's here. Sheryl is, too. Bye.

Me: D, it was nice of you to call your dad, but you forgot to say happy birthday!

D: (lifting the handset again) Hi Dad. Happy birthday dear dad. Bye.

D's dad planned to pick the girls up today, so we practiced her birthday greeting (several times). The plan was for her to say, "Happy birthday, Dad" as soon as he came in the door. However, when he picked her up to give her a hug, they bumped heads, she cried, and the opportunity was gone. Hopefully, sometime this evening, she remembered our plan. : )

There May Come A Day

There may come a day when I don't post anything. No, it won't be that I don't have anything to say (rarely do I have nothing to say)...it'll be because my computer finally gave up. I've been told by a Mac Tech that this particular model has a problem that can't be repaired and that will eventually cause the computer to quit working. : ( I have absolutely no idea when that might happen (could be next year; could be tomorrow), so I wanted to give you a heads up. If and when that does happen, I'll go to Plan B (as soon as I figure out what Plan B is!!!) TTYL

Class Clowns

I am convinced that Tyler is destined to be a class clown. He is free spirited and very silly 99% of the time. Today, during lunch, he was in one of those silly moods and proceeded to entertain everyone at the table, even checking to make sure they were all watching him. At first, the thought of him becoming a class clown conjured up all kinds of visions of things to come...calls from his principal, bad grades, etc. I've jokingly offered to A and J that I'd be glad to either 1) field the calls from school 2) go to school with him and/or 3) home school.
Tonight, I've done a little research on class clowns. Evidently, they're not necessarily as bad as the name implies. For instance, most class clowns are extremely bright. Did you know that Albert Einstein was a class clown? Yes, you read that right, Albert Einstein! Also, Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams was a class clown. (One of my favorite movies is Patch Adams starring Robin Williams. If you've never seen it, I recommend it...It's definitely a feel good movie.)
I hesitated to write this post so soon after the sad news about Aunt Myrtie, but then I started to remember the laughter and joking around that always occurred whenever the Blacks or Grants got together. I'm pretty sure that we have a few, if not many, class clowns in our family tree. And, of course, the name Mervin and the words "class clown" are practically synonymous. So I think that Ty comes by it naturally, which is, I guess, a good thing. (Remind all of us that the first time that A and J get a call from Ty's principal. Ha ha!)
PS...Robin Williams was also a class clown. No surprise there!

Playing With The Food

I encourage my kids to play with their food. "Play food", that is. We have tea parties, pizza parties, picnics, birthday parties, even tailgate parties. The kids feed the dolls, the stuffed animals, each other, and me. We have a fruit stand in the basement; they buy fruit, sell fruit, and put money in the cash register. Ty loves "working" in the fruit stand...he greets every customer with a grin and a "Hi!". The toy food and dishes are definitely our favorite toys; they get played with all day long. Real food? We like that, too. Today's favorites...green beans and cottage cheese.
Speaking of real food...Diane, thanks for your post today. Alas, so many good choices...so little time!!!

Food Food Food

Farm Girl is letting me use the Blog Site to mention food options for June. The money pot/grocery list/cooking meals sounds good! Other options in my neck of the woods are: McD, B King, 4-5 pizza places, 3 chinese, 2 mexican, 2 bar eateries, 1 italian, 1 breakfast/lunch, 2 more $ evening type places and of course the Wolf Den is open 24/7, will not quite! Come with recipes!!!!! Owly Lady

End of October...Already?

Where did the month of October go? It seems like yesterday was October 1. Starting tomorrow, we're back to our regular schedule at my house. I never know what kinds of adventures we'll have from day to day, but on Mondays the kids are usually tired and a little off routine. Hopefully, none of the kids ate too much candy this weekend!

Can you handle it?

Can you handle one more post about water? I think so! There's a boat tour in NE Iowa that will take a private group out on the Mississippi River. We'd be able to take our own food and beverages...the boat operator is willing to talk about wildlife, history, etc. of the region.
You have heard me say how much I like being on the water, so I'm looking forward to at least one "boating" adventure next June. If all else fails, I'll float a personal watercraft (aka one of Ty's inflatables) in my bathtub.
Last Thursday, when it was time to get dressed for our party, everyone gladly donned his or her costume. That is, with one exception...Ty.
(When and where did he learn how to use the word "No!"?)
So, this morning, I suggested that Aaron and Jaime try to "catch him off guard". When they arrived at Waterloo's Farmer's Market/ Halloween festival, Aaron took him out of his car seat. Jaime walked up behind him and said, "Tyler, it's cold. You need to wear your coat and hat". On went the costume...sneaky, but brilliant. It worked!!! : ) (It probably also helped that he didn't know that he was a dog. He thought he was a cow...currently, his favorite animal.)

See if you can handle this website:

www.maidenvoyagetours.com

Men in touch with their feminine side

Tonight, I spent a couple of hours with Tyler while Jaime and Aaron went to a birthday party.
My drives to and from Denver are usually interesting; tonight's drive was no exception. As I drove through downtown Waterloo, I spotted two men on a street corner. One was dressed like a fairy (complete with a wand). The other was wearing what looked like his mother's old nightgown. Halloween weekend and the crazies are out! Anyway, I think they were dressed up for Halloween (in downtown Waterloo, you never know!!!).

Response/Question for yesterday's Jeopardy clue:
What Halloween costumes showed up today for our Halloween party???

Jeopardy

I like to watch Jeopardy!, but I don't think I'd be a very good contestant. I can often figure out the correct response, but I know that I'd forget to answer in the form of a question. Let's see how you fare in my Jeopardy game. Here are the clues:

a shark, three puppies, Strawberry Shortcake, and a bumblebee

Stay tuned for the answer (in tomorrow night's post).

Mom's Birthday : )

Today is mom's birthday. Whenever I think about mom, two things pop into my mind right away. She often said "dishes smishes"...I find myself saying that to "my kids" whenever we have a lot of dishes. Funny how that momerism has become part of my vocabulary. I also think about the time we were visiting her in Anthon, and she was trying to place a long distance call (I think to Bev). She got really irritated at the operator...about as mad as I've ever seen her! It was funny! What funny "mom" memories to do have?

PS...Yes, I realize that I used the word "funny" three times in this post. I'm in a funny mood (just spent the last two hours shopping for our Halloween party tomorrow.)

PSS...Now I'm up to five! : )

Today's Highlights

1) Watching B (almost 8 months) maneuver her way around my house. She can't crawl yet, but she sure can get where she wants to go!
2) Overhearing K ask D (both age 2) to play with her:

"Come over to my house. I like you. I have ice cream."

3) Watching K put together a 28 piece floor puzzle all by herself!
4) Not currently living in North Dakota (Snow shovels, anyone?).

Multiple Choice

Over the next few months, I hope to become:
1) a pack rat
2) a rat fink
3) a gym rat
4) a muskrat
5) a chef like Ratatouille

Canoeing

Hi! I hope that you all had a great weekend! It was quiet here today; I feel like I accomplished a lot (meaning I got about half of my "to do" list done). There's a great canoeing place here in NE Iowa...the owners do all of the work...our only job would be to show up. Derek and his friends went canoeing at Chimney Rock a few summers ago...he said it was a great experience.
Here's to a wonderful week for everyone and the hope for a few funny stories from this location. Ciao!

Check it out:
www.chimneyrocks.com

White Water Rafting

As if you hadn't noticed, I've been spending my October weekend posts trying to appeal to the young and young at heart Grants. Thus...water and water adventures. Much to my surprise, a recent article in our local newspaper mentioned that a whitewater rafting park is being developed in Charles City. For those of you who experienced w.w. rafting in Colorado, I'm not sure that this will "measure up", but I have no doubt that it'd be a fun experience. I'll even promise to try it if someone else will...but, just keep in mind...I like to be ON the water, not IN the water.

Good news...if you are tiring of my water posts, never fear...the November weekend posts will be devoted to FOOD!!!!!!! : )

So Sorry...

Hello! I'm so sorry that I haven't had any "cute kid" stories this week. Lots of tantrums and toilet training drama...hardly the things that dream blogs are made of! Anyway, it's Friday night...another weekend is awaiting...yea!!!!!!

Beauty Sleep

I consider myself lucky...I can virtually fall asleep anywhere at anytime. (ie...Flying is a breeze...I sometimes fall asleep before the plane takes off and wake up to the sound of the pilot's "descending" announcement.) Every once in awhile I can successfully function with only four hours of sleep. (Hard to do that two nights in a row, though.) The longest sleep that I remember was last fall when I had H1N1; I slept 18 hours without waking up. Crazy. Today, the girls were out the door before 5 PM, so I stretched out on the couch and slept for a couple of hours. Now, I'm making up for that little siesta by rushing around, trying to get ready for tomorrow.
Sleep...It's a beautiful thing!!

Who says?

Who says that kids need expensive toys? Not needed at my house. Here's what the two-year-olds "played with" today:
.a plant stand (great for standing on top of to get into things on top of the TV
.a table (also great to stand on to reach the light switches)
.an empty box (to sit in)
.a basket (nice hat)
.my television screen (fun to lick)
.a baby crib (for diving into off the arm chair)
.small kids' chairs (when lined up, they make a terrific train)
.computer discs (how far can they roll?)
.kitchen counter (better than a Slip 'n Slide)
.my purse (any money or makeup in there?)

This list could go on and on, but I think you get the point. Besides, I'd be up all night "posting" and let's face it, after today, I need plenty of sleep so I can be prepared for whatever tomorrow brings!

PS...Just in case you're wondering about the plant that's supposed to be on the plant stand... no worries. That was taken care of months ago by a little guy who pulled the leaves off, one by one.

Job Security

Today, one of my families informed me that they are considering having a baby. We checked my childcare guidelines to see if I could care for another baby next year (I can). Does anyone know if there's a bonus for not claiming social security benefits until age ninety???!!! : )

Nugent Family Photos

Last week, Aaron, Jaime, and Tyler went to Cedar Rapids to have family pictures taken. The proofs were posted on-line today and will only be available until this Friday. We have been studying the proofs, trying to decide which we like best...impossible decision. Feel free to visit the site and let us know which ones to choose. We need some help in narrowing down our choices. Thanks! : )
PS...Speaking of pictures, I'm already dreading the TOO MANY family photos that will be taken next June. (You know how much I love getting my picture taken...not!!!)

To view A,J, and T's photos...
Go to: www.kliks.biz
Click on: click here to enter
Click on: on-line proofing
Enter password: tyler

Happy 41st Anniversary, Karel and Nancy!!!

'Tis The Season

'Tis the season to visit a pumpkin farm. Today (another beautiful fall day), I went to Pumpkin Paradise (NE of Waverly) with Aaron, Jaime, and Tyler. Besides pumpkins, there was a petting zoo, a boat full of shelled corn and digging tools, riding toys (Ty rode a little tractor), swings, slides, a haunted forest, inflatables for photo ops, small wagons for hauling kids and pumpkins, and a hay ride. Also...a little shop selling homemade cookies, caramel apples, hot chocolate, etc. The farm is family owned and operated (grandma bakes the cookies). Ty's favorite part was the animals. He called the mini horses "cows", chased a cat, and took home a pumpkin that had a few nibble marks (compliments of the llama). I took a few pics and will try to post a couple this week. All in all, a very quintessential fall day in Iowa. : )

You've Probably Noticed...

that my weekend posts this month have all mentioned water. I love being on the water (notice that I didn't say "in" the water). I've got a lot of "on the water" stories so, if you're in Iowa next June, you might hear a few. Tonight, I spent some time looking for a boat ride called "The Spirit of Greene". This ride no longer exists (perhaps because of major flooding in Greene in '08), but I did find another possibility. Clear Lake, Iowa (approx. 1 hour northwest of Waverly) has a riverboat called "Lady of the Lake" which features public excursions. In addition, Clear Lake Boats rents boats by the hour, including a two-level pontoon with a slide (great fun for kids of all ages)! Clear Lake also has a nice tea room where we ladies could have lunch. Am going to keep throwing ideas your way...bet you didn't know that NE Iowa had so much to offer!

Websites to check out:
cruiseclearlake.com
clearlakeboat.com

Wiped Out

Hi there! Friday night here. I still feel "wiped out". (It's a good thing that those bonfire nights don't happen very often.) I'm planning to go to bed early again tonight because I have a very busy weekend ahead! Talk to you tomorrow!!!

Writer's Block

I feel like I have writer's block tonight...I can't think of a thing to write about. (Could it be because I didn't go to bed until 1:00 this morning?!?) I did go to C's preschool open house tonight. He was VERY excited to have mom, dad, sister, grandma, grandpa, and me in attendance. He took us on a thorough tour of his classroom, the hallway, and even the bathroom. His teacher remarked that he's always so quiet at school, and that he rarely talks. His family and I are all accustomed to his "other" side...the one that never stops talking! Friday tomorrow...I am ready for a weekend! TTYL : )

A Busy Night

A busy night...
5:30 PM
-My Durango's still not running, so Adam picked me up for dinner.
-We stopped at his house to search for his wallet (didn't find it).
-We stopped at HyVee so I could cash a check.
-We met Aaron, Nathan, Jaime, and Tyler at Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner.
-I drove Jaime and Tyler back to Denver (in Aaron's car).
-Aaron and Nathan rode with Adam back to his house.
-J and I played with Ty for a while and then put him in bed.
-I stopped at HyVee to get groceries (not the same store that we went to earlier).
-I stopped at home to put away the groceries.
-Then I went to Walgreens to buy the garbage bags that I forgot to get at the grocery store.
-Next, I dropped off some paperwork at the childcare office.
-I drove to Adam's house and sat around the bonfire with Adam, Nathan, Aaron, and Sarah.
-Nathan and Aaron gave me a ride home.
-NOW, I get to start prepping my house for kids tomorrow! : )
11:30 PM

Impulsivity

First of all, I had to google the spelling of the "title" word; then I checked the definition. Yes, it's the word I wanted..."impulsive" describes my two-year-olds. Today's lunchtime provided a perfect example. Midway through lunch, K leapt out of her chair, shouted "Clothes off!" and proceeded to do just that. Quickly, D followed suit. At that same time, K must have noticed the dumbfounded look on my face, because she said, "Yogurt". Of course. It all made sense. Both girls had spilled a miniscule amount of yogurt on their clothes and felt the immediate need to be rid of the mess. And they were. After undressing, both girls sat back down in their chairs and finished their meals. These girls never cease to amuse me! : )

If At First We Don't Succeed...

For the next three weeks, with the exception of a couple of days, I will have just three of my kiddos. SO...in my infinite wisdom... I decided that this might be a great time to "revisit" toilet training with my 2 two-year-old girls. Accompanied by stickers, M&Ms, a chart, a pen, and a timer, we spent a good portion of today in the bathroom. I am proud to announce that there IS learning taking place. Yea!!!
1) I am learning that two-year-olds have bladders the size of the head of a stick pin.
2) I am learning that aforementioned bladders contain liquids of oceanic proportions.
3) I am learning that Cinderella underpants are "cooler" than Dora underpants.
4) I am learning that shiny shamrock stickers are a big hit (even in October).
5) I am learning that I have a lot to learn.

Good news for Aaron and Jaime...By the time Ty is ready for toilet training, I should be a pro.

Sunday Night ( Already?)

Another weekend just flew by...I barely put a dent in my weekend list of "what to do". (Oh, well, there's always next weekend!) I spent 2 more hours in the yard today, putting my total to 6 hours of outside work this weekend. I have the front yard pretty well taken care of with the exception of some piles of leaves, branches, etc. that still need to be cleaned up. The maple tree in my front yard drops its leaves LATE in the fall (sometime in November), so I'll still need to rake those. I hope that next weekend will be nice too...the backyard needs attention as well. Jaime and Aaron's friend, Nathan, (from California) is visiting this week. (His wife, Amanda, graduated from high school with Jaime.) Amanda was home just a few weeks ago for their class reunion; she decided that Nathan should take a little vacation before she deploys to Afghanistan. Aaron had police training today, so J, Ty, and Nathan stopped over and we went out for lunch.

Diane, thanks for the info. Your house sounds perfect...SIGN ME UP!!!!!! : )

Have a good week, everyone. : ) : ) : )

Housing in Waverly

Thanks Sheryl for the early morning lesson! We have given our bedroom to the C Wolffs but have the downstairs open. One bedroom with full size bed, one bathroom with shower, a full size couch, a two-seater couch, a recliner, a king size air mattress, and lots of tiled floor. I checked on a retreat house in Waverly with bedrooms upstairs but cost was same or more than the motels and no breakfast or pool, and use of the downstairs/kitchen would cost extra! The Comfort Inn prices are from $89.95-$69.95 depending on how many people and beds. The manager gave me a card that says he would give 10% off that if more than 10 nights were booked. They have breakfast bar with a hot item each day and a pool. The Super 8 manager gave me a card that says 1 or 2 queen beds $70.88, 1 king bed $75.88, suites with king bed $85.88-119.88, 5% discount for 3 rooms, 10% discount for 5 rooms. I think I could get the 10% for 3 rooms if I tell him that is what the CI is offering. They have a breakfast bar, too. We do have a third motel but no one speaks favorably about it. I will go there to have a look, Dave and Nancy stayed there 3 yrs ago when they came to help us move and didn't think badly of it at that time. We'll see! We will be the base house, someone always home and will have Sheryl (pretty-blonde-young-energetic) be the hostess on the move. Oh, the managers said the bookings would have to be made through me with the card, so when you all have decided what to do, be it Waverly or Waterloo, let me know. Phone numbers for the motels in case you would want to call and firm up the accommodations before I would book them are: CI 319-352-0399/800-424-6423 Super 8 319-352-0888. I will check on the 3rd motel this week. Hope everyone is well!

PDA

What a gorgeous day! I don't remember the last time that we had such a long string of nice fall days. I could live with this kind of weather year round!

PDA (Pools, Diane, & Alligators)

Pools...Last weekend, I mentioned the water park in Waterloo. I also want to mention that Waverly, Waterloo, and Cedar Falls all have nice public swimming pools if anyone is interested. I'm sure that the hotels/motels that Diane has been investigating have pools, too.

Diane...Diane plans to post some info about places to stay. Thanks for doing the research, Diane!

Alligators...I DID NOT see any alligators in my front yard today (nor did I expect to). What I did see was a lot of progress! So here's the score so far:
Halftime (Saturday night)
Me 4 (the number of hours I worked in my front yard today)
Front Yard 0

Not too shabby for someone who really doesn't like yard work! Will post final score tomorrow night. Until then...

Four Letter Words

This blog is usually "G" rated but, tonight, I'm thinking of a couple of four letter words to describe my weekend plans. Are you ready? Are you sure? Here goes. Yard Work. Neal and I had been married for eleven years before we purchased a house with a yard. It was only then that I learned that he really didn't like doing yard work. And, to make matters worse, it was about that same time that I discovered that I really didn't like it either! Fast forward to tonight, facing a gorgeous October weekend with a front yard chalk full of stuff that needs to be taken care of. Wish me luck...

Is It Friday Yet?

I don't know why, but this has seemed like a LONG week! The weather has been great, and the kids have been good, so I can't complain. Wait a minute...I can complain! Last night, I needed to run an errand and my Durango wouldn't start!!! Adam came over today and tried to jump start it...no luck. So, after a quick trip to Lowes to buy a socket wrench set, he removed the battery. We'll take the battery to Advance Auto Parts tomorrow to exchange it for a new one. Then, I need to take the D to Best Buy to have them work on the remote starter (I think that's what drained the battery). At least I'm two for two on the picture front! Yea!

Happy Anniversary, Kelley and Kyle! Congratulations... Has it really been sixteen years?!? Hope you're planning a fun celebration!

Mustard

Adam and I had dinner together tonight, and then he stopped over to show me how to upload photos from my camera for my Blog. And so, thanks to Adam, you can now see my first photo! The real test will come tomorrow night when I try to add another; we'll see if I remember how to do it.
Lunchtime today...We had fish, sweet potato fries, and lettuce salads. I had given the kids a little ketchup, and D asked me for some mustard. About 30 seconds after hearing that I had no mustard, D and K both stood up at the same time and said that they needed to go potty. Now, I'm not one to tell two two-year olds whom I've been trying to get into the bathroom all morning that the middle of lunch isn't the best time to need to go, so I watched them race down the hall. Not thirty seconds later, they came running back down the hall with a toy plastic bottle of mustard!
(And no, they had not been anywhere near the bathroom!!!) I pride myself in staying one step ahead of the kids but, every once in awhile, I don't "cut the mustard"!!! Ha ha!

7 Bad Habits...Chapter III (Three)

Time for a habit update! I'm still working on the family room mess! Will I EVER get it cleaned out? Good news...I am doing well on my eating late at night habit. I've only eaten after 7 on three nights...all because I was with other people. (I've actually been surprised at how easy it is to get through an evening at home without snacking!) And so... moving right along to bad habit #3, which is eating WAY TOO MUCH JUNK. My plan is to "clean" up my diet one day a week at a time. I'm going to start with Thursdays...being really careful what I eat that day. (Will keep you "posted".) Hope you're having a great night! : )

Cheers!

There are many explanations for the origin of saying cheers followed by the touching or clinking of glasses. At my house, it started a few weeks ago with the arrival of our newest "two". At his first meal here, he raised his sippy cup, said "Cheers", and clinked D's sippy cup. Now, everyone is getting in on "Cheers". Kids sure like to overgeneralize, so they're not only clinking their sippys...they are clinking spoons, cereal, chicken nuggets, yogurt cups, bananas, bread sticks...you get the picture. Goofy kids. : )

Lost Island

Good evening. I cannot believe that it's Sunday night already! Where do the weekends go? I'm all in favor of a flip (two day work week/five day weekend). Is that what retirement is like?
Before I talk about "The Island", I want to apologize to anyone who is not getting the fall leaf background on the blog. (Diane said that her background is white, so I can only assume that this is true for others as well.) I'm not sure why...different computers, older computers,etc.
I think that the water park would be a terrific way to spend a hot summer day; fun for kids as well as for the adults who want to accompany them. I could go on and on about the park, but instead, I'll give you their website address. It is:

www.thelostisland.com

Don't worry about the cost...we can get a better deal. The food at the park is good, but if you'd rather, we can pack a picnic lunch for everyone. Rob (Bob and Ginny Knepper's son), his wife Tracey, and their three sons have come to the water park, and they brought a picnic lunch. The park is not too far from my house, so anyone who wants to go later, leave early, or wants to shower is welcome to come here. I'll even be glad to shuttle! Diane and I will keep tossing out ideas...as June gets closer, we can decide how we want to spend our time. Until tomorrow...

Water Fun

It was a beautiful fall day here...great football weather! Diane, Jenn, Jaime, Ty and I took a little road trip to Cedar Rapids. We had brunch at Granite City, shopped at the mall, picked up a "Kathy's Pies" chocolate pie and some monster cookies, and bought donuts at Donutland. And, Jaime purchased a huge caramel apple at HyVee, which we ate with our leftover Chinese for dinner. A delicious day! Ty didn't nap all day (he was having too much fun) and fell asleep at my house at 4:45 PM. He's still sleeping, so J left him for the night with a promise that he'd stay asleep until at least 6 AM. Think I'll go to bed early just in case he doesn't!
Back to next June...Waterloo has an amazing water park. I'm planning to organize a "water park day" for anyone and everyone who wants to go. The park has something for everyone, even if you just want to go and watch others have fun. I'll talk in more detail about the park in tomorrow night's post. Until then...

Happy Me!

It doesn't take much to make me happy...car keys (I found them this morning...right where Tyler had left them), curly ribbon (which I needed yesterday to repair the helium balloons that survived the ceiling fan fiasco, Ty's little voice that woke me up this morning at 5:40 (he spent the night; I went to bed at 1:00). Figuring out how to change my blog background and text ranks right up there. A few days ago, Jaime and I tried to change it but couldn't figure out how. Tonight, I just started searching and, voila, a new look! Welcome, October!

THINGS

THINGS that don't go together:
-helium balloons and ceiling fans
-small hands and cats' tails
-a board game (that quacked most of the day) and my headache

THINGS found on my living room floor today:
-shoes and socks
-several blankets
-corn
-a tipped over sippy cup
-a puddle of milk (see above statement)
-2 barking dogs (stuffed ones)
-cupcake crumbs (from E's birthday party)
-leaves and maple tree seeds (that blew in every time the front door opened)
-a pair of Ty's jeans
-a very cute baby who can now sit by herself
-my mail and the newspaper (As soon as they drop through my mail slot, there's always a mad dash to pick them up and bring them to me. : )
-pieces of string cheese (scattered by E before I could guide him back to the table)
-playdough
-a plastic jack-o-lantern that lights up
-two mad cats with sore tails
-a million plastic Easter eggs
-tennis balls and a football
-my car keys (Oh, don't I wish...they disappeared today)
-Piglet
-a school bus
-plastic ducks from aforementioned board game
-a car seat with Cheetah strapped in it
-a diaper (a clean one for those of you who must know)
-two of my shoes that Ty got out of the closet
-yesterday's dried up yogurt
-and a partridge in a pear tree (not really...I just threw that in in case anyone was crazy enough to read this whole list!)

An Eventful Day

1. 2 girls + nail polish = TROUBLE!!!

2. Have you ever stepped in a puddle of urine? It's wet!

Nighttime

I am a night person. I like to stay up late. On Saturdays and Sundays, I usually wait until evening to start housework, paperwork, etc. The downside of being such a night owl can be summed up in one word: morning. I love to sleep and very rarely have trouble sleeping, but I have a terrible time waking up (even when I do go to bed early). It takes multiple alarms, set at multiple times, at multiple volumes, and placed in multiple spots in my room to jar me awake. And even then, I sometimes oversleep. This morning, for instance. I slept through my multiple alarms
and woke to the sound of Aaron unlocking the front door. I'm so glad that he and Ty are first to arrive each morning.

Happy birthday, Lucille! Hope you had a great day!!

The Money Pits Revisited

Here's an update on the Weller/Nugent Money Pits (see September 14 post):

House number 1 (Adam's house) Adam now has his new living room carpet, and it looks really good. It has been cooling off, so hopefully, the air conditioner won't be needed again until spring. Next project will probably be his bedroom ceiling. : )

House number 2 (Aaron and Jaime's house) The vinyl flooring has been replaced with tile, and the bathroom now has cupboards, new light fixtures, a toilet, and a tub (the tub came from the D Wolff's new house). Most of the new doors have been installed and the kitchen appliances are back in place. Looks great! : )

House number 3 (My house) The basement stuff is STILL in the garage, some of the Christmas stuff is STILL in the family room, and the storage stuff is STILL in the dining room. And the dishwasher lock is now broken so, whenever it runs, water leaks out! : (


Lucky Derek...he's still renting an apartment. : )

B & B continued...

Hi! Just wanted to add a note about the B & B near Elkader. If we decide to stay there, I've discovered that there are many interesting and fun things to see and do in that area:
For instance, we could:
1) see a performance at the Elkader Opera House
2) go swimming at Backbone State Park
3) hike on one of the many nearby scenic trails
4) eat at the world famous Pete's Hamburger Stand
5) shop at McGregor's antique stores
6) have a picnic at Pikes Peak State Park
7) ride in a boat through Spook Cave
8) take a river boat tour on the Mississippi
9) go to a movie
10) try catching a fish at a local river, stream, or lake
11) tour the Villa Louis mansion
12) tackle a Gunderburger at the Irish Shanti
13) visit the Osborne Nature Center
14) walk on the trails at Effigy Mounds
or
15) relax at the B&B!

If we do decide to book the B&B, we can take another look at this list.

Have a nice night!!!!

Bed and Breakfast

Hi! It's Saturday night and Ty is spending the night. He's asleep, so now I have time to write. Last weekend, I mentioned the possibility of having all of us spend a couple of nights next June in a bed and breakfast. It was SO MUCH FUN to stay in the rental house in Breckenridge with Clayton, Bev, Penny, Wendy and boys, and to have Dave, Nancy, Amy, and Marco so close. The scenery and activity level in Iowa isn't quite the same as that of Colorado, but I know that we'd have a really good time! The B & B that I'm thinking of is called the Barn On the Bluff near Elkader. You can read about it on their website:

www.barnonthebluff.com

I've met the owners (Julie put together the video that was shown at Jaime and Aaron's wedding); they're great people. Please let Diane and/or me know what you think!

PS...Don't let the price scare you...I know we can get a better rate.

Colds Can Be Cute

For the past two weeks, almost everyone at my house has battled cold symptoms...coughing, runny noses, etc. (During cold and flu season, I always consider hiring a part-time employee just to handle the nose wiping.) Today, a couple of funny things happened that created a new appreciation of colds.
1) E is the politest two-year-old on the planet. Words such as please, thank you, and you're welcome are a natural part of her vocabulary. So it was no surprise today when I heard her sneeze and then say "Bless me".
2) There are five thousand million books in my house, but someone invariably wants the book that someone else has. This morning, D starting sobbing because someone was looking at a book she wanted. Her nose, which has been like a faucet this week anyway, started to run. And then, two HUGE bubbles appeared in her nostrils! We all started laughing...even D!

7 Bad Habits...Chapter II (Two)

Last week I started tackling my procrastination habit. I feel good about the progress I made and plan to finish this weekend. (There are a few things that I can't move by myself; I asked Adam to help me with those next week.) And so...I barrel into Bad Habit number 2...eating late at night. I have terrible eating habits which include eating up until the time I go to bed. I've decided to challenge myself to stop eating at 7 PM. Of course, I have exceptions...like when I'm eating with someone else, at a movie, etc. Already tonight, I'm fighting with myself after a run to the grocery store. I'm thinking..."Maybe I'll start tomorrow night". Nope...gonna start tonight. Will let you know if I can't sleep tonight because I'm hungry!!!
Good day again today. Diane, we enjoyed your visit. As I was putting D (not Diane) in bed for her afternoon nap, the doorbell rang. D said, "It's Diane and Jenn". (I wasn't expecting anyone to drop by.) Surprise...she was half right! D even climbed out of her crib and came out to see Diane. As you can see, Diane's pretty popular around here! Thanks, Diane for providing my dinner and dessert tonight...as always, Barn Happy didn't disappoint! Speaking of food...I'm hungry!!!!!

All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Google

Recently, after my old refrigerator "died" and I spent a couple of weeks feeding kids out of ice chests, a new refrigerator took the place of the old one. The new one has French Doors. I've never been to France and was curious about the origin of the term "French Doors", so I went to Google. There were as many varied definitions for French Doors as there are mosquitoes in the Mile-Wide city in the summer. One definition stated that a French Door has a window. Now, sometimes I'm not too observant, but I'm pretty sure there are no windows in the front of my refrigerator. (Would be handy though...would save opening it a million times a day to find nothing fun to eat.) So...I'm no smarter about what a French Door is than before. Plus, according to Google, French Doors didn't even originate in France. What???
Today was a MUCH better day than yesterday. I've realized that my definion of a better day is one where I have at least one hour to myself (when everyone is napping) to do dishes, laundry, mop, do paperwork, etc. Today, I had TWO of those hours! : ) This morning, while I was changing a diaper, I started hearing dropping noises coming from the living room. The girls had been toting toys from the play room to the living room, so I decided that it must be the sound of lots of little plastic sorting bears hitting the floor. Imagine my surprise when I got to the living room and found ice cubes covering the floor. The girls had gotten into the freezer (on the bottom of my refrigerator) and decided to turn the lr into an ice rink. Thank goodness I wore my super absorbent socks today...they work better for mopping up puddles than Bounty paper towels!

Teeth, Tears, and Tuesday

Hi there! Almost all of the little ones at my house were cranky today. Three are working on their two year molars...not fun for them or me! Here's hoping for a much calmer day tomorrow!!!

Wet Cows

Little by little, this blog is taking shape (now that I've figured out how to invite people to view it). Thanks, Bev, for your patience and persistence...I'm glad that you let us (Diane and me) know that you weren't able to access the site. Everyone...if you know anyone in the family that I've forgotten to send the address to, please share it. I don't have everyone's e-mail address and definitely don't want to leave anyone out!! The address is:

http://iowa 2011.blogspot.com/

My goals for this blog for the next two months are to figure out how to change the background and how to add pictures. And of course, to share more info about Iowa 2011.
Quiet day here..only 2 kids. Diane and Jenn stopped by for a visit this morning. Thank goodness they know how badly I need adult conversation and are willing to oblige me once in awhile! Thanks for the yummy treats that you brought. Haven't quite devoured all of them yet, but I'm having fun working on it! Lately, Jaime has been giving Tyler a bath here before they go home (see Money Pits post). Since I just had Ty and K today, I decided to start his bath early. When I heard J open the front door, I said to K, "Go and say, "Hi Jaime!". As she was running down the hall, Ty, not one to be left out, yelled, "Hi Jaime!". (He does know Aaron and Jaime's names but usually calls them Daddy and Mama.) He had several bath toys to play with. K brought his stuffed cow (one of his favorite toys) into the bathroom. When I told her that it couldn't go into the tub, she laid it down on the floor. When I wasn't watching, Mr. You Know Who swooped it up and put it in the tub. He looked at the cow and said, "Hi cow! Hi udder!" and then looked at me with his "I just did something that I wasn't supposed to but I'm so cute anyway" look! Kids...gotta love em!

Quirky People

The dictionary definition of a quirky person is a person who has strange or unusual behaviors. How many strange/unusual behaviors does a person have to have in order to be considered quirky? One? Several? Many? I know I have several. Take my procrastination for instance. I really did not want to tackle my cleaning project this weekend. I've discovered that I can get myself to dig into a project if I set a timer for a set period of time (ie...30 minutes, 60 minutes, etc.). I wont let myself stop working on the project until the timer rings, at which time I can take a break and then start over again. The interesting thing is that, most of the time, I end up working for quite awhile after the timer rings! Way quirky, huh??!! I did make a lot of progress on my cleaning project this weekend. Didn't get done though. There are some things that need to be moved that I need help with...I'll see if Adam can stop over one night this week.
Am going to try to get postcards sent out this week with info about this blog. I know that several of you have had trouble signing on, making comments, etc. Lots me for to learn about how this works.
Am anxious to start hearing from all of you about next summer and what you'd like to do while you're here! Have a great week. FG

Fireplace Weather

This afternoon I had an appointment to get my hair cut. There was a short wait for my stylist, so I was ushered into the spa to wait. Lights dimmed, soft music, the fireplace crackling...Fireplace? Yes, it was cold here today! Cold, as in 50 degrees, which feels cold compared to what we've been used to. Anyway, back to the spa...I could've fallen asleep. If anyone wants a spa day next June, I know a good one. Speaking of next June, Diane has been hard at work, checking on places to stay in the Waverly area. It does make sense to have everyone (who wants to stay in a hotel) stay in the same one. I have also been checking on a bed and breakfast here in northeast Iowa. The one I'm thinking of is a 100 year old barn converted into a B & B that can accommodate over 20 people. Might be fun to throw that in there for a couple of nights.
Will let you know more about it tomorrow...As for me, I'm getting ready to watch the Iowa-Arizona game. Might even start the fireplace. Go Hawkeyes!

Do Nothing Night

Friday night is usually my "do nothing" night. After a crazy week, it's nice to have a night to do absolutely nothing. However, now that I have become determined to do something about my procrastination issues, I find myself feeling guilty. So, I'll check back in a couple of hours to give my "did something" report...

2 hours later...In the past 2 hours I did 3 loads of laundry, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned one bathroom, finished some paperwork, mopped the living room and kitchen floors, and cleaned the basement. Gotta love these do nothing nights!

Boys and Girls

Most days, Tyler is here with four lovely little ladies, two and under. He spends a lot of time playing beside them or watching them play. They cater to him, often rushing to get something that he wants. Interesting to observe. Once in awhile, another boy spends the day with us, as was the case today with almost two-year-old E. Whenever there's another boy around, Ty gets involved in whatever he's playing with and even enjoys a little "rough and tumble" play. I had no clue that kids would notice the gender difference at such an early age.

7 Bad Habits of Sometimes Effective Me Chapter I

I've decided to tackle the task of getting rid of a few bad habits I've acquired. My hope is that, by going "public", I'll really work on turning some bad habits into good ones! And so, I'm going to start with a big one: procrastination. My mantra has become "Why do it today if there's a possibility that it can be done tomorrow (or next week, next month, next year, never)". So now I find my house full of projects waiting to be done. My four seasons room (also known as the back room) is full of random stuff. This weekend I plan to clean everything out by deciding to keep, throw, or give away everything that is back there. Will let you know in Sunday night's post how well I did with my first "Procrastination Challenge". I'm actually kind of pumped...maybe I'll find something interesting!! Wish me luck!

The Money Pits

The Waterloo Wellers and the Denver Nugents (Hey, isn't there a basketball team by that name?) all own money pits! See if you can guess whose house is whose:

House number 1...Currently, this house is waiting for new carpet (a floor air conditioner leaked and ruined the old floor. An attempt to install new carpet went awry (the carpet was cut wrong) and the lucky homeowner(s) is/are waiting for the second carpet delivery. The faulty floor model not only ruined the carpet but also the wood floor beneath it and some things in the basement. In addition, a bedroom ceiling caved in on top of the bed in that room. (Luckily, no one was in the bed at the time.) Plus, the house is HOT because the central air conked out which resulted in the use of the faulty floor conditioner. : (

House number 2...Currently, as I type, this house, too, is missing floor covering...and a bathroom...and several doors. Oh, and the kitchen appliances are in the living room. Good news...the plumber showed up at 8:30 PM!!! : (

House number 3...Currently...The basement stuff that was moved upstairs when the basement flooded was moved into the garage. It was then moved to storage when the house was listed for sale. In the meantime, the Christmas tree and several boxes of Christmas decorations and other misc. are still in the family room which is currently being used as a storage room. Meanwhile, the stuff that was in storage is now back in the house, currently in the dining room until the homeowner(s) decide(s) what to do with all of it. And finally, the garage too, is full of stuff and the garage door opener does not work, making it extremely difficult for the homeowner(s) to clean out the garage! : (


Lucky Derek...he rents an apartment. : )

Toilet Training

OK...I'll admit it...I know absolutely nothing about toilet training. That was Neal's department. So, I'm learning right alongside my three girls. I will admit that I'll be very glad when the TT time is over. Here's just one reason why...This morning, my little Miss Independent stripped off her clothes (while I was in the other room) and did her business in the toilet. When I went to check on her progress, she was no longer in the bathroom. She had gone into my room, climbed up onto my bed (which is pretty high), and had perched her pretty little bare bottom right in the middle of my pillow!! Guess what's getting washed tonight!?! : )

Sunday...a day of rest

I did absolutely nothing today...other than play with Ty, run errands, and a little cleaning. Diane is planning to post some info about hotels/motels in Waverly. Sounds like she's found some good deals! Happy birthday to Madison yesterday. Two already! Time flies!

Great Day

The weather was perfect, the Hawkeyes won, and Amanda, Jaime, Ty, and I had fun at the Amanas...a great day!
Re. June 17-26, 2011...when Diane and I started planning this, we decided that the majority of our activities would occur between Monday, June 20 and Friday, June 24. The weekends would be left a little more open for those of you who need travel time. However, everyone's welcome to come whenever and to stay until whenever! Diane mentioned that she plans to post info on the blog about where to stay in Waverly. For those wishing to stay in Waterloo or Cedar Falls, there are a variety of nice hotels as well as a few bed and breakfasts (including mine, which is FREE), camping, and even a couple of cabins to rent. If you are interested in a camping/cabin experience, you can check with me or google:
George Wyth State Park
Hickory Hills State Park

Both of these parks are fairly close to me. Hope you're having a fantastic weekend! : )

The Weekend..At Last

It's Friday night finally! This seemed like a LONG week, even though it was only a four day work week. Jaime's high school friend, Amanda, flew in last night from California for their class reunion. J and A helped me with the kids today...it was great to have some extra hands! We're planning to go shopping and to the Amanas tomorrow; Ty will spend the night here on Saturday night while they're at the reunion. (Aaron's in Des Moines this weekend.) And now...the answers to yesterday's quiz questions:
1) b blanket
2) cepic cupcake
3) guck Ty's name for Derek
4) apple pie pineapple
5) pug pacifier
6) am am Ty's name for Adam
7) bompa grandpa
8) mo peas More, please!
9) do do Thank you!
10) kepuch ketchup

Have a great weekend! : )

Quiz Time

Hi there! Diane, I just read your comment...the Waverly Wolffs are as busy as me! You know that the kids and I love to have you (and Jenn when she can get away) visit! Anytime! Here's this month's quiz...How well do you comprehend "Toddlerese"?
The following are ten words/phrases that are frequently heard at my house. How many can you decipher?
1) b
2) cepic
3) guck
4) apple pie
5) pug
6) am am
7) bompa
8) mo peas
9) do do
10) kepuch

Answers tomorrow night!

A Typical Day

Hello! Just a typical day here...eleven hours with kids, errands, mowing, three load of laundry, dishes, paperwork, prepping for tomorrow...How was your day?!?

In The Zone (The Twilight Zone)

THAT WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE STRANGEST CLASS I'VE EVER ATTENDED!!!!!!!!!

What day is it?

I spent all day today thinking that it was Sunday! I'm sure that tomorrow will be Monday. It was nice to have an extra day off this weekend. I spent the entire day cleaning and organizing...my bedroom, the computer room, and the kitchen. Cleaning...what a never ending project! I have four kids tomorrow and then CPR re-certification at 6PM. Talked to Derek today. He said that a few units on post were "on call" for Hurricane Earl but, luckily, they weren't needed. He was planning to ride the trails (on a mountain bike) this afternoon and will be doing a lot of paint balling with his guys this week. On Wednesday, he and several co-workers are going to Raleigh to attend the Get Motivated Seminar. Among the presenters will be Colin Powell, Zig Ziglar, Steve Forbes, Rudy Giuliani, and Robert Schuller. Wish I could go...those types of conferences are always inspiring! Well, off to finish mopping before calling it a day. Until tomorrow...

World's Best Chaperone

Hi everyone! Can you believe that I almost forgot to post today? I'm such a creature of habit...I think that this three day weekend is throwing my routine off. Anyway, back to sleeping arrangements for next June. For anyone interested in staying in Waterloo, I'd be happy to have you stay at my house. You could stay as long as you'd like...the only catch is that I have one queen bed, three baby cribs, one pack and play, and a love seat. Oh, and one rocker recliner (I've fallen asleep in it many times...usually while holding a sleeping child.) I have a huge lower level area that has room for lots of Aero beds, sleeping bags,etc. A couple of months ago, friends of J and A's from Alaska stayed with me for about a week. They all slept on the floor down there and said that they slept very well. Now, I'll admit that I'm not the one to consult if you need a "cushier" sleeping space. I can fall asleep on concrete if I need to. I once chaperoned a sleep over at a church. I slept in a sleeping bag on a gym floor. At the end of the weekend, the kids said that I was the best chaperone because I slept through everything!!! If you do want to stay here. I promise that you'll be well taken care of. Just let me know!

Where will you be sleeping

next June, 2011? The Waverly Wolffs and Waterloo Wellers hope that you'll be sleeping with us. No, not literally. Duh. We mean we hope that you're planning to spend a few days with us (which of course would mean that you'll probably need to sleep at some point). And, being the ever so accommodating hosts that we are, we'll be happy to help you with your arrangements. The choices are endless...motels, hotels, campgrounds, at our homes. etc. etc. If you think you'd like to stay in Waverly (a quiet, peaceful, scenic town), talk to the Wolffs. If you'd like to stay in Waterloo (a city that only sleeps if you want it to), talk to me. Thanks to Diane and Jenn for the great dinner tonight. The weather was perfect, the food was great, the restaurant was nice, but...that guy doing the entertaining was a little goofy! Sorry if this is loopy...I sang "Wheels on the Bus" ten thousand million billion times today, and MY BRAIN IS FRIED!!! (Hey, I wonder if that might be a world record?!) Guess I'll have to Google it. Good night...

Denver...the mile wide city

Hi! I'm spending the night in the lovely "city" (about the size of Anthon) of Denver, Iowa. Jaime and Aaron decided to take advantage of the long weekend to go to Minneapolis, so here we are, Tyler and me, pet sitting for Sadie, Lilo, and Stitch. I'm using A and J's computer. At first, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to post from here, but obviously, I can! Thanks to two of my loyal followers, Jenn and Diane, for their comments! This may turn out to be as exciting (and time consuming) as FaceBook, which to date I have stubbornly refused to join. I am reminded daily that "my kids" (ages 30 months, 26 months, 24 months, 20 months, and 6 months) are growing up too fast. This week I put two high chairs in storage and moved the 4 oldest to a rectangular kids' table. It's VERY cute to see them all sitting together while eating, but it makes me a little sad to see Tyler looking and acting more like a little boy than a toddler. We've all been practicing our please and thank yous, asking to be excused, and pushing our chairs in when we're done. This morning, during play dough time, Ty sat down at the table and said, "Hi friends!" A perfect day...B (age 6 months) slept for over 3 1/2 hours! I'm pretty sure that she would have slept longer if one of the kids hadn't started talking to her. And she was in a great mood while she was awake. I got to spend a lot of time with my big kids... talking, reading, and playing. Yes, a perfect day. (See how easy I am to please...I love to sleep and I love it just as much when other people sleep). As promised, tomorrow my post will focus on next June. Talk to you then!

And the good news is

1) Adam's eye looks better today!
2) The plumbing/heating guy was here within two hours after my phone call!!
3) Resolve carpet cleaner really does work!!!

Welcome to my blog

Hey there! I decided to start this blog for two reasons: (1) to share info about the Grant family get-together planned for next summer and (2) to become a little more computer savvy by trying something new. I'm sure that you'll either be thoroughly entertained or thoroughly bored with the recap of the events in my life. So...if you'd like to avoid the humorous, inspiring, and crazy stories, here's what you can do... just skip to my Saturday and Sunday posts. That's when I'll talk about plans for next June.

Overheard in my bathroom today: "I want my privacy. I need to go to the bathroom". No, that didn't come from me... it came from a two year old! Later, her dad told me that she's asked for the same thing at home and has been told that she has to be three to have privacy in the bathroom.
Later, a different two year old, ( I have three of them) touched Tyler on the back and said, "I like him". He grinned and laid his head against hers. So I guess that means that his current girlfriend (age six months) now has some competition!

More tomorrow...

Here we go

Testing...1 2 3

Testing...1 2 3