WHERE DID MY WEEKEND GO???????

Here I sit on Sunday night scratching my head thinking "where did my weekend go?" Let's see on Friday Sis and I left for St.Louis to move her friend Brett down to Arkansas. We were there less than 24 hours. It was a longer drive than usual since I was pulling our flatbed car hauler behind me so that we could bring his stuff back. But the set back was when we were leaving St. Louis when we realized we were not tied down well enough and I had to find a store to buy straps. Anyway, by the time we got here and unloaded his stuff it was 8:30 by the time I got home. Needless to say I was exhausted today and slept in. Then it was back to the garage. Will the nightmare ever end??????

Now mom, Dalton and I are leaving in the morning for Poplar Bluff to visit my Aunt and Uncle. Neither one is well right now, actually my uncle is in the hospital, and we are going to visit and help out where needed. Keep them in your prayers. We will be back on Wednesday.

THIS LITTLE PIGGY

This little piggy played in the dirt after getting out of his pool.

Then this little piggy got back into the pool. Doesn't it look like he is in chocolate pudding?



And of course, now he thinks he is all clean and doesn't need a bath now.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

I have been tagged by my friend Barb from Three Little Chicks, so here it goes.

What were you doing 10 years ago? (1998) Ten years ago was a tough year for me. Started adoption proceedings, my sister was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, my father died, I broke my leg on Easter and had to have screws put in my knee, stopped the adoption proceedings because I spent 6 months in physical therapy and changed jobs. We has several deaths in the family.
Things on my To-Do List today: My to-do list is very long and it carries over from day to day since we moved. Laundry, un pack more boxes and either put it in it's place-trash it-put it in the garage sale pile or put it in the storage building., organize office, wash the dog, finger paint with Dalton, take Dalton to the park, get the boxes out of the area that I don't know what it is called (we have an area in our house and I don't know what it is called-it will be a later discussion) general every day cleaning like dishes, sweeping, cooking.
What are some snacks you enjoy? Do I look like a picky eater? I think not!! sweet then salty keep them coming
What would you do if you were a millionaire? change my phone number
Name some of the places you've called home? St.Charles Missouri, Russellville Arkansas, Livingston Tennessee
What are some of your bad habits? making to-do list, making list, eating snacks ;) putting laundry in the dryer and forgetting to turn it on, leaving my grocery list at home
What are some jobs you've held? ohh my starting at 16.....cashier, fast food, cobbler, social work, accounting, preschool teacher, and best of all I am a mom.
Who are you tagging? no one I guess..I don't know anyone else who has a blog.

THE MODERN ART WORLD

I first need to admit I understand nothing about modern art. But, I think my child must be a modern art prodigy. haha Seriously now, I now know that the modern art in galleries was all done by 5 YEAR OLDS!!!!!! Yes, I said 5 year olds. Dalton and I did some finger painting today-ouside of course-in the 100 degree heat-with just enough of a breeze-that I didn't even notice until it started rolling our beautiful modern art pictures over onto each other. The gallery will have to wait!! Dalton has just enough impatientce and temper that we were both ready to give it up about the same time.

ABOUT THAT TEMPER........we went to the park this evening and all was well until it was time to leave. Leaving wasn't the problem. The problem was Dalton decided he had to pee. The restrooms were dark and by the woods. I was not taking him there. He's a boy. He's been peeing out doors ever since he potty trained. But suddenly he can't pee out doors cause someone might see him. We were the only ones left at the park...because it was dark! This went on for about 20 minutes so I made the crying little princess get in the car. I could only take it for so long though so I only went a few miles down the road and stopped at a gas station. grrrrr He gets it from Denny. I am referring to the temper. We all know Denny would have had no problem peeing out doors. I don't think it would have even mattered if anyone was around as long as he had a tree.

ANOTHER FAVORITE PHOTO (I couldn't find it earlier)

STUNT CAR DRIVING

Yes, I said stunt car driving. I am only telling this because I need to tell it before Denny or Dalton tells it to you. You see we were on our way to Church yesterday, LATE AS USUAL, and those of us who were ready waited in the car for the one who was not. Since he was running late I took to the drivers seat. You see I knew I would drive faster than he would and since he was already in pokey putt putt mode I knew it was up to me to get us there before the service was let out. (please fasten all seat belts, put your trays in the up right position while we prepare for takeoff) REALLY I MEAN IT! So we are going down one of the main streets (Parkway) and I was coming upon an intersection and the light turned yellow which I knew I was speeding to begin with, probably about 50mph, so I didn't slow down I just kept going. It was that or slam the brakes. We were at the intersection of Arkansas and Parkway to be exact for those of you who are familiar with the area. And we might have left the ground. I don't really think we did but it could have been possible. Just judging by the looks of the faces in the cars coming toward us. I couldn't stop laughing. It was over what else do you do. Dalton thought it was great and wanted Denny to try it over the railroad tracks. We didn't of course. And it is funny to hear Dalton tell about it. There is a reason I had one of those little yellow signs in my car when I was a teenager that read"STUNT DRIVER".

THE ONE THAT DIDN'T GET AWAY

Ok, I think it is safe to say that Dalton will want to hunt with his daddy when he GETS OLDER. Poor little critters. How many of these do you think it would take to make a pair of boots?? I asked him how he caught it and he said "it wasn't easy." AS IF somewhere in my mind I was thinking of catching one for myself-he was trying to save me the trouble. I know I will be hearing a bazillion, yes that is right I said bazillion, stories on the one that got away, giant racks (on deer) and it was this BIG. I am thinking I have a few years to start checking out spa/retreats that I will go on while they are out hunting something. This will probably be when I develop an addiction to tranquilizers or some other nerve soothing drug!!!! haha

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES

I know what the date shows on these two pictures but they were actually taken in August of 2007 on top of Mt.Nebo Arkansas. We were obviously oblivious to the date set on the camera. duh

THREE WEEKS OF MISERY

I have had three weeks of misery! I apparently went through some poison ivy in our yard one night when we were putting the play set together and I still have it!!!! I thought I had finally gotten rid of the evil stuff and then I started working on the boxes in the garage again and I guess getting all sweaty has activated it again!! ugh I can't take it anymore. It's on my legs just above my knees and on my neck.
While I'm being a crab apple......... For some time now I have been using the help of "granny glasses" for reading or seeing things up close. I have tore a contact. So I went to the eye doctor and we decided to try the "multi focal contacts" that they have been advertising on T.V. I got my trial pair and it was a little freaky at first but I adjusted pretty quick and I could read the smallest thing on his vision screening card. By the time I went back for my 2 week follow up I was having a problem with my right eye and told the Dr. I thought it was a bit off. No, I had a tear in that one already. He adjusted the dimensions on that eye and ordered me another pair and I am waiting for them to come in. So, I am wearing my glasses. I hate that. He gave me a Rx. for new glasses too but they are for BI FOCALS!!!!!!!!! NO WAY am I wearing bi focal glasses too. I only wear my glasses around the house at night when I take my contacts out. Growing old stinks!!!!!!!! If you don't believe me just ask Denny because he is older than me. Sorry honey.

TO BE A KID AGAIN

I know when you are a kid the days seem to take forever. So I understand Dalton's disappointment yesterday when Amy called to let us know that Aubrey was going to her Nannies so Amy could help in the hay field. I understand how everything comes to a halt when it is time to start getting the hay out of the field-and I am so glad we don't have to deal with that anymore! So, when I explained to Dalton that it would be next week before we would have a play date with Aubrey he said "next week? But that would take forever!" And he walked away with the arms crossed and the bottom lip stuck out. Amy had to do the rest of her weeks errands before meeting her mom for the Aubrey exchange and got the idea of bringing Aubrey out to play while she did them. AWESOME IDEA AMY!!!!!!!!! Amy has learned when bringing Aubrey to our house she needs to bring extra clothes. Aubrey is quick to follow Dalton into the creek, mud and any other adventure he wants to take her on.

While I worked on going through the boxes in our garage they played in the yard, on their scooters, on the play set and IN THE CREEK. Warning them of the possibility of snakes did not change their want to play in the creek. While going through the boxes I came across the slip n slide.....wooo hooooo! I get the stinkin thing set up and neither one would go down. grrrr They both sat there wanting the other one to go first. Stubborn little toddlers!! (I know they both come by it honestly, hehe) They finally got hot enough to get over it and started playing in it then started sliding down it.

HEY AMY...DO YOU HAVE ANY MASHED POTATOES TO GO WITH THIS HAM

TRIP TO PLAY WORLD

Meet Aubrey. Aubrey is my friend Amy's little girl. Aubrey just turned 4 last month. Amy and I have been trying to get together to do some "big" stuff with the kids this summer so this past Sunday Amy called with a wonderful idea to take the kids to the park and petting zoo up on Petit Jean Mountain on Wednesday. We decided to take a picnic with us and make a day of it. Wednesday morning came and it was raining and storming like crazy. Plan B. Oh yea we didn't have a plan B. LOL Amy got her wheels turning and made a few phone calls on her drive to my house and came up with Play World. Play World is like a Chucky Cheese but I think the kids had more fun here than if they would if they had gone to C.C. http://www.playworldpizza.com/ We did have to drive an hour to get there and it had stopped raining by the time we got there but that's ok it was so worth it! We let the kids play for 4 hours!!!!

Aubreys game face while playing air hockey. Two little caged animals.

Dalton is part monkey. I'm not sure where he got his athletic ability but I know it didn't come from me. I gave him his sence of direction THANK GOODNESS!

We look forward to more playdates with Aubrey. They get along really good together. We are going to try the zoo next week. Stay tuned.

YA GOTTA LOVE THE LONG WEEKENDS

I love long weekends. I know I'm not working outside the home so it should seem like one giant non-stop weekend all the time but those of you who work in the home know what I am talking about. Besides it is good to have Denny home too. We recently bought Dalton a basketball goal. It is standard size but you can adjust it down to where Dalton can make baskets too. The bad thing about buying kids stuff is that you have to put everything together. Everything is made in other countries now and when they do the translation from whatever to English they do a really crappy job of it. This is where I have to step in because Mr. Impatient loses his cool and then the cursing begins. Not to worry, Dalton has heard all of the words before and had said them by age 2-was punished for it-and he doesn't say them but he will jump your butt if he hears you say them! Yea Dalton!!!!
I love my son!!! Having a boy you just never know what is going to happen next and it could change by the second. For instance yesterday I am in the shower and I hear that sweet little voice with a funny toothless accent say " mom guess what? I caught a lizard." "Did you let it go?" "No." "Is it in your bug catcher?" "No it's in my hands." Oh my!!!! I looked out the shower and sure enough my little toothless wonder is standing there holding a tail less lizard. It had a tail when he first caught it but it tried to do the distraction of popping it's tail off but Dalton didn't fall for it. That poor lizard didn't stand a chance. It didn't move for a really long time. I don't know if it came out of his coma or if Dalton threw it in the creek. He believes that all the creatures that he catches is for his benefit and that they are there to spend time with him. WE HAVE GOT TO GET AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE HIM SOME FRIENDS!!!! HAHAHA There is a list of "friends" that he has made from the yard that includes TOADIE (the name of all of the frogs that he catches) CRABDADDIES which are the craw fish in our creek, the fish in the creek, CRICKIE which of course are crickets that he catches and puts in his bug catcher. He put a small frog in the bug catches yesterday with a cricket and said "now Toadie will have a friend". I explained that fogs ate bugs and without missing a beat he said "ok then toadie will have lunch then!" Now if that child had my genes he would of felt bad for the cricket and let it out but obviously carrying Denny's gene pool he went on about his business without giving it a second thought. And last but not least.........while in Wal Mart yesterday he (quite loudly) asked if we could get more orange juice because orange juice makes him and daddy fart. Does anyone feel sorry for me yet???????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!!

Yes, today we are celebrating the birth of our Nation. Try explaining that to a five year old. Then exlain to him that our day is going to exist of moving his Aunt out of our house and into hers. Not what he was expecting. We managed to get home, hose off and go back to town just in time to hit the drive thru at Taco Bell and go park in a field to watch the fireworks display put on by one of the local churches. We were not disappointed.

Now on another note........we had some excitement last night. The kind you could go the rest of your life without!!!! To start with my cell phone rang, Dalton answered it but he had to take it outside because we do not get service inside very well. He took the phone out the back door onto the concrete patio. He was talking to meme on the phone and per her account of the conversation it went like this: meme there is a snake out here. Dalton stay away from it and go inside. (he then picked up a plastic kids rake) "No I'm not scared of it I will use my super hero strength and shoo it away". "Meme this snake is freaking me out!" "It's really freaking me out meme." Go get daddy Dalton, NOW! Denny gets outside and hollars for Dalton to go get a rake which he was able to pin the snake down with. Then he told Dalton to get me and to get a shovel. I was then instructed toCHOP OFF IT'S HEAD, yea I know some of you are in stiches now thinking about that one, and you are right because I could only pin the thing down. The evil little beast was striking at the shovel and spitting at me. Denny and I traded our medival tourcher devices and he chopped the head off! Blllaaaahhhhh Thirty minutes after he chopped it-it was still moving around and the mouth was still biting at the air. The snake was about 4 ft long and it was a cotton mouth.

IT'S A GREAT DAY TO GO TO THE LIBRARY

Today is Thursday which means "Library Day" in our house. We signed Dalton up for the summer reading program at our local Library and for one hour every Thursday they try to stimulate or entertain kids under the age of 14. This works with most of the kids there. Not so much with Dalton. He would rather be in the Library itself instead of the event room. He likes to play with the puzzles that they have scattered about or play on the children's computer. No he is not a computer whiz but to hear him talk about it you would think he is. He likes to pick out the books for us to read to him. I have recently learned to do a speed read through the book before we check it out. Why? Let me tell you there are some crazy scary books out there. Around the 17th of June we discovered Dalton had 2 loose teeth. He was a little freaked out at first when we explained that they would be coming out soon so new ones could come in. What better way to explain more to him than with a book right?! This is where crazy scary come in. I know I should remember the name of the book but I can't, so be sure to carefully preview any book about loosing your first tooth! The story went about each family member trying to pull out this tooth and no one could get it out. Some gypsy tooth fairy came along on a motorcycle ......oh never mind it was just horrible and left Dalton looking at me like I grew tusk! Needless to say I read the next one to myself before it was read to Dalton.
Dalton being an only child and not having many kids to play with has left him to be shy around other kids-especially in large group settings. One or two kids he is great but he tends to act like he is the adult or care giver to them. OK back to the teeth. June 24th he lost the first one in his sleep. Probably swallowed it. Denny thought I should watch for it. Yea he thought he was funny too. I on the other hand was not amused nor did I "watch" for it. The tooth fairy mysteriously knew it was coming out and left a dollar under his pillow. July 1st. the second tooth came out that evening and we were able to place the tooth in a baggie under his pillow for a scheduled visit from the tooth fairy. Now we have the toothless boy wonder!!!!!