Friday, November 30, 2007

A Winner!

Wednesday was 4H day in school. It was the big speech competition day. All of the students had to give a speech about what they want to be when they grow up. After much debate Holden chose teacher as his future profession. He wrote the speech all by himself and was very proud to recite it to me over and over and over...

Well, all of that prep must have done some good because he won FIRST place and now will compete in the county-wide 4H competition! He's bursting with pride...

Mission Accomplished!

Things have been pretty crazy since I took O-boy to the doctor two weeks ago. I had early deadline at work for Thanksgiving and had to work on a Friday. That always throws my days of the week off. Then, of course, Holden was off for Thanksgiving Break and Granny was down for a nice long visit. The house was full and chaotic and loud! But for a change, we accomplished something around the house while she was here!

Ben and I have been putting off organizing our master closet for over a year now. It seemed too difficult to hang the shelving ourselves, too overwhelming to choose the design ourselves and too expensive for our tight budget. But after months of mess I absolutely could not take it one more day and no fear of the unknown, no indecisiveness, no amount of money was going to keep me from the peace of mind an organized closet would bring me. We could procrastinate no more!

I have come to accept a good degree less than what my dreams were. This isn't as bad as it sounds because as I have found we can be just as happy with a little less. For example, I used to dream of owning a nice, new SUV. A big one for at least seven passengers like an Armada, Sequoia or LandCruiser. When Emeline came along I held onto that dream. Then Owen came along and I saw the need for a van, but a new one. Time flies and so does the money. So I downgraded my dream to something more realistic: a used van. We ended up with a 2000 Toyota Sienna that was much nicer than we imagined we could find, but no where near that initial dream of a brand new Armada. And you know what? I wouldn't want anything else.

So this is what I did with the closet. I downgraded my dream to something we could manage to install ourselves and afford. It's simple, but I can't imagine it being any more perfect. As usual, we wondered what took us so long. It wasn't very difficult at all and would have taken much less time to complete if Ben didn't have to keep checking the UK/UT game score!

Here's the finished product. We are pretty proud!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Wild Man

Owen is getting so big! He'll be 17 months old on Wednesday. Last week he had his "16-Month" Check Up. He hasn't quite broken the 25 lb. mark yet, but he's working on it! Besides physically growing by leaps and bounds I've noticed his mental and emotional development taking off in recent months.

Owen scored perfectly on the Ages & Stages Questionnaire the doctor has us fill out. It covers communication skills, gross and fine motor, personal/social development and problem solving. I enjoy filling them out because I get to concentrate on what Owen is doing these days. Unfortunately, there's so much going on in our lives I don't always take the time to stop and sniff the flowers along the path of developmental milestones.

Physically, Owen excels. He's been walking since he was nine months old so at nearly 18 months old he's got running down pat. Now he's become expert at climbing. Chairs onto tables. Floor to coffee table. Pillows to bed. His favorite? Scaling the toilet... first, he climbs to the seat, then to the tank. He tries to stand on the tiny window sill above the toilet, but hasn't gotten his "spidey" legs to figure that part out yet.

That's not to say he doesn't have his fair share of accidents, but he's pretty tough. Last week I noticed a little dot under his right eye. Initially, I thought it was dirt then I realized it was a bruise. Upon close examination I realized that his whole right eye was bruised. The little guy had gotten a black eye at some point during the day and didn't even make a fuss over it. When he got his shots last week he first had a finger prick for a blood draw (remember how bad those hurt?) then a shot in the left leg and another in the right and finally let out a wail.

Owen is also making social strides. He says "hi" and "bye" but not always when I want him to. He often says hi to strangers and then looks intently awaiting their response. He continues to prefer men often reaching out to them. I have also noticed that he's developed relationships with people outside of the family... people that he feels comfortable with and remembers.

He's become very talkative. When he chooses to, he can repeat anything you say to him. He understands it all. A few weeks ago we were eating hot dogs and he said "hot dog" clear as day, but I've yet to get him to do it again. Here are his most frequent words:
  • Mom/Mama/Mommy
  • Dada/Daddy
  • Bubba/'Den
  • Emmy/Dissy (sissy)
  • Cat/Meow
  • Duck/Quack
  • Bible
  • Sing
  • Bus
  • Car
  • Bye-Bye
  • Hi
  • Dog
  • Dink (drink)
  • Bopple (bottle)
  • Dat ("that" for pacifier because we say to him, 'you don't need that thing')
  • Cup
  • Bite
  • Up/Down/On/Off
He'll say just about anything you get him to focus on so this list is just part of what he's says. And he's adding a new word to his repertoire every few days. He also says two word phrases like "Dada bye-bye"; "Bubba bus"; "Mama up".

I am so happy that he's developing normally and doing all the typical things little boys do. I guess I should maintain that positive attitude even though I detect terrible two behaviors starting. My gut feeling is that it's going to be a pretty wild ride with our wild man, Owen.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Emeline Says The Darndest Things


Emeline is so funny. She says the most hilarious stuff and when we laugh she insists that we stop laughing at her. We try to explain that we aren't laughing at her but at what she said. She's a comedienne, I tell her.

This past week she made me laugh lots...

Sunday evening, Granny called someone a "hillbilly". (That's ok because we're from Kentucky!) Emeline wanted to know what a hillbilly was. After a few explanations, I summed it up by saying a hillbilly was sort a like a redneck. That spawned the question, "why are they called rednecks?". So after another explanation and clarifying that those words were actually meant to be put downs, she thought for just a moment then came back with "what about 'pink-neck'?". The car broke out in laughter while Emeline sat indignant assuming that we were laughing at her. Apparently, in her eyes if being a redneck was a bad thing; being a pink-neck would certainly be better. To a four year old girl, everything is better pink.

The scripture at Mathew 21:16 came to mind after a conversation I had with her last week. "Out of the mouth of babes... you have furnished praise"...

Emeline and I were reminiscing about swimming at Gramma's over the summer and the subject the torpedo toy came up. She informed me that real torpedoes are bombs but she wondered who has real torpedoes. I tell her governments have bombs. So then she asks "does Jehovah's (God) government have torpedoes?". "No", I say, "God's government is one of peace, not war." Then she wants to know if God's government is the government that "took her runny nose medicine off the market" (her exact words).

Her questions are endless. She is learning so much even when we are unaware that she's paying attention to us. But her mind is so logical and she is retaining everything. I am so proud of her.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Haircut Horror

A picture's worth a thousand words. So the saying goes. But what if you take a picture to a hairstylist hoping that it will convey the haircut you wish to get and the stylist doesn't speak picture?

That's what happened to me on Friday. I have been in desperate need of a trip to the salon for a while now, but my schedule hasn't worked with my usual hairstylist in Louisville. After much trial and error here in Clarksville to find someone decent, I keep going back to Sandy. Her skill and price just can't be beat. Plus I trust her completely. She's been cutting my hair since I was 15. She was with me when I had long, straight high school hair; been there through shag cuts and red dye; keeping me up to date with side swept bangs and highlights. But desperation drives people to do crazy things... like try yet another Clarksville hair salon.

But this time I felt pretty comfortable. I was going off a second and first hand recommendation. These girls have nice haircuts with pretty highlights. How bad could a haircut (based on a picture) be? Especially when I needed one so badly.

Well, here's the cut I wanted...

Yes, I know it's Jessica Simpson. Ignore that. Cute hair, right? On the longer side of medium; nice style. I've been growing my hair out since I had a bob last fall and was looking forward to keeping some length but updating the style. Here's what I got...



Short. Choppy. Poofy in the wrong places. Weird bangs. Did I mention short? I don't know what she was thinking. She cut way too many layers in my hair and they are much shorter than in the picture. She cut it shorter than the pic and it looks even shorter (and thinner) with all the crazy choppy layers in there. You know it's bad when your 10 year old son is giving you tips on how to "fix" it by getting another haircut. Holden's recommendation? Cut it even shorter so it's not so poofy on one side and not the other. Guess I see his point.

Kids do always tell the truth. Emeline probably said it best when immediately after the cut she wanted to compare my hair with the picture. After examining me and the photo she says, "Doesn't look the same at all."

In the process of looking for a hairstyle I found a great website with lots of great pictures of hair. Check it out before your next cut... if your stylist speaks picture! BeautifulHairstyles.com

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Chili Recipe

Thought I'd share my Chili Recipe in case you are in the mood for a chili weekend of your own!

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, finely chopped... this part is important! no giant pieces of onion allowed
2 cloves of garlic
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-8 oz. can tomato sauce
2-14.5 oz. cans of chili beans
1 large jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano or sweet basil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (I usually throw in some crushed red pepper flakes too)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp dry mustard
dashes of Tabasco sauce to suit your tastes

Saute onions in a tablespoon of butter. Add garlic after a few minutes. Don't let garlic burn! Add ground beef. Brown beef then drain. Add all ingredients to a large pot. Simmer to allow flavors to combine. Chili is usually better the next day... if it lasts that long! Top with your favorite toppings or nothing at all (the way I like it).

Our Chili Weekend

We are all so happy to have Granny visiting us this weekend. It's been a long time coming... she hasn't been in Tennessee since September! That's a very long time for us. So our weekend was off to a good start right from the beginning.

Since she hasn't been here most fall, Granny was worried that her fall tradition of making a "leaf road" with the kids would be missed this year. Usually the leaves all fall off in October and then we have our grass mowed one last time for the year and the leaves are all gone. But this year has been strange and not only have the leaves not all fallen but half of them are still green on the branches! The problem this year seems to be not having enough leaves on the ground to start with. They made do and constructed some highways and byways using the few leaves out there. It was the perfect day for it... crisp and clear, bright blue sky and warm crinkly leaves.

So it's finally FALL or at least, for today it's fall. And what better meal is there for a cool fall day than a piping hot bowl of chili? I have to admit I am a little picky when it comes to chili. I love the recipe I have had since I started cooking on my own and have never tried another. It's a family favorite. Ben puts in his request for it like clockwork during the cold months. Holden downs two bowls easily. Even Emeline relishes doctoring up her kid-size dish with just the right amount of cheese, crackers and sour cream.

Cooking seems to be the theme of the weekend. In addition to chili, we've cooked and pureed two pie pumpkins (from Huber's) and roasted the seeds. Tomorrow we'll make the pie... yum! Tonight we assembled a French toast recipe that has to soak in the fridge overnight for an easy breakfast Sunday morning.

So much for my jeans finally being loose! I'll start my "diet" again on Monday...

So What Are You?

You Are a Black and White Cookie

You're often conflicted in life, and you feel pulled in two opposite directions.
When you're good, you're sweet as sugar. And when you're bad, you're wicked!

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Hand-Me-Downs

Let me just say, I love hand-me-downs. I love giving them. I love getting them. Our family couldn't get along without them. With three kids growing from year to year and sometimes several times throughout the year it would simply break the bank to outfit them in brand new clothes every growth spurt. Hand-me-downs allow my kids to not only have wardrobes with nice variety but they also allow us to have gas money for the van!

I love hand-me-downs for other reasons too. First of all, it's so amazing to be on the receiving end of the generosity of others. Like I said, I love giving hand-me-downs, but I will admit it: isn't always easy. I have a emotional attachment to my children's clothes (toys, blankets, books, etc.) so letting go of what feels like my memories takes some getting used to. For someone to pass down a box full of their memories to our family means so much. It truly is generous when they could just as easily take the things to consignment and make a little money for more new clothes!

Earlier this week, Holden's bus driver, Mrs. Leah sent him home with a bag of hand-me-downs for Owen. She goes above and beyond her required bus driving duties. That just made my day! This same week I uncovered a box of boy cousin clothes; a box that I'd previously thought was empty! Owen had only about two pair of jeans until I opened that box; now he has about 20!

This brings me to another reason I love hand-me-downs: sentiment. As I took the cousins' clothes out of the box, I took a stroll down memory lane. Remembering when Parker wore this outfit... or when I bought those pants for Wyatt's baby shower... and even reminiscing over a few things Holden wore back in the day. It brings me joy too when I see other kids wearing things that are tied so closely to the experiences we've shared. They become a walking photo album.

So keep 'em coming... I will too!

Owen's stack of passed-down clothes towers over him. He's stylin' now...


Friday, November 2, 2007

Laundry

It's 12:12 AM Saturday, November 3, 2007. The laundry is caught up.

Just thought I should record this momentous occasion in Parker Family history.

Invasion!

I made a disturbing discovery yesterday afternoon (two actually, but I will address the other one another time). In the hallway of our addition, I noticed a small worm type creature on the wall. Then another. Another.

Upon closer investigation, I see that they appear to be some type of insect in the larvae stage. Want to know what's worse that having bugs in your house? Finding that the bugs have used your home for their gestation. Knowing that there were eggs of some sort that these things were springing forth from was almost too much for me to bear.

A cleaning frenzy ensued. Sweeping, mopping, Swiffering the walls, washing the baseboards and windows. All the furniture. Pictures came off the wall. I felt better... cleaner. I was able to sleep without feeling like I was in the Temple of Doom.

But this morning instead of waking to a clean hallway, there they were again. Instead of following my first instinct and freaking out, I calmly call Amy of Servall Pest Control. She's so sweet and understanding. I love that about people in those types of jobs. Just like you can talk to a gastroenterologist about the function of your bowels without her flinching or a fellow mommy about being projectile vomited on without her face showing even a hint of disgust. Amy listens carefully to my description of the pest du jour and asks a few questions (probably more that the gastroenterologist would!). Then she matter-of-factly diagnoses the problem.

Indian Meal Worms. Larval stage of the Indian Meal Moth. It is a common grain pest. These were coming from a pet supplement (full of grains!) I had stored in the hall by the cat food. I had thrown out what was left of it during my cleaning frenzy the day before, but apparently there were more meal worms hiding out... plotting their invasion.

So I clean more and Amy comes to the rescue with a special glue trap. She brings with her horror stories of other customers and their invasions. I feel better and the larvae invaders have been stopped!

See how frightening...