Too Cute to Be Believed

This Blog Has Officially Moved

2009-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

This Blog Has Officially Moved to

www.HollyReed.com

Scope Creep

2009-07-28T07:11:00.001-07:00

I started this blog when Robbie was a baby. The original purpose (or scope - if you want to enter my world of project development) was just to keep out of state family up to date on his development and antics.

There's been a bit of scope creep over time - the focus of the site has been getting blurry around the edges. Even so, there are literally dozens of things I don't write about simply because they don't fit within the site's scope. I have other blogs - blogs where I can write about soap or photography. But I don't.

Keeping one blog up to date with fresh material is hard enough. Three fresh blogs - impossible. Besides that, three blogs with narrow focus are still cutting out most of what I'd write about if I had more freedom.

Add to that the constriction of dealing in blogger's interface. I'm a web designer for heaven's sake - I can do so much better!

Soon this site will be at an end....but a newer, better, fresher, and hopefully more interesting one will replace it at a new address.

Stay tuned.

We're Back

2009-07-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

We're back from our trip to Oregon. After a bit of a blogging hiatus I just wanted to say "Hi, I'm still alive." Once I finish shaking the sand out of my luggage and camera gear, I'll be posting plenty of photos and video of our adventure.

High Blood Sugar, Child Abuse and Patriotism

2009-07-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

If you think about it, an Independence Day parade in the eyes of a child is a lot like a reverse Halloween. The kids stay put, the adults dress up funny and go around tossing candy at the kids. What could be better?

What follows is a pictorial review of the Tooele parade with commentary from Robbie and I. But really it's just things Robbie actually said and things I imagine Robbie would have said if he were older, as sarcastic as me and not nearly so hopped up on sugar.

Best parade spot ever. Right in the front lawn of Uncle Kip's house!

So all-American. I love it.

Hey Dad, while we wait for the parade to start, wanna fight?!

Of course by "fight" I mean tickle.

And hold me upside down.

And put the strength of my bladder control to the test with more tickling.

Ok enough "fightning", let's jump off the stairs!

I have one cute dad, right? Right?

Um, excuse me. I was told there would be candy at this thing but so far I only see a bunch of people jogging past with numbers on their chests.

This is my cousin carter. We'll do just about anything for candy. Aren't we cute? Give us candy.

Ok I'm waiving this flag. When does the candy part start?

Well until the candy gets there, these huge sugar cookies will tide me over.

Mmmm sugar!

Ok Carter, here's the plan. When the candy starts flying, you take out the little girl in white. More for us, Cuz.

I think I see...is it...could it be?? Candy's coming!!!!

False alarm.

Fire truck! Finally, some candy.

Look mom, they're just like my ARMY MENS!

MORE ARMY MENS!

Hmph. They didn't have any candy.

Look at that kid. Look! That's just child abuse.

My mom agrees. Putting your kids to work pushing your political message. Child abuse.

Hmm, I can't read yet, but I scan left to right. So I think they're saying that I should have babies first, then get married, then fall in love. Ok, I'll tuck that away for future reference.

Ok, parade's over, time for dad to shake up all that sugar in my belly with some tossing!

Sugar high? Never heard of it.

My mom thinks she's so smart. She put my huge sack of candy in the car but this nice lady gave us ice cream sandwiches and otter pops. Did I mention it's not even 10:00 am?

Ahh, Grummy and Grumpy and cousin Carter. Life is good.

I Still Can't Believe I'm Going to Put this in Writing

2009-07-07T09:20:00.000-07:00

I hate running. I never loved it, but ambivalence started turning to loathing when I was 11. It was at that point that I was outrun on a race track by the 6 year old brother of a friend.

My high school gym teacher didn't help. He'd take our class on runs through town, trotting us around in our ratty gym-wear for traffic and bystanders to view. Of course, he usually ran right behind the stragglers, which meant that at least half the time my friend Jesse and I could count on his company.

Jesse wasn't in bad shape at all but she, like me, was only five feet tall and our stride was bound to be a bit shorter than the rest of the class'. We had co-ed gym, so half my class were boys, many of the class were in better shape and all of the class had longer legs. My memory is a bit fuzzy but the only kid I know for a fact was slower than us was in a wheel chair.

And in the ensuing thirteen years? Let's just say running hasn't had a big part in my life.

And now, at 31 and hopelessly out of shape, I've committed to run a 5k in October. Of this year.

I kind of wonder if my gym teacher does house calls. Maybe I could use the motivation. He was sort of a younger version of R. Lee Ermey. In lieu of Gunny, I have Toby and a progressively more difficult running schedule mapped out in Excel. The goal is to be race-ready in 12 weeks.

Now all I have to do is...well....just do it. Too bad the "doing" is so much harder than the planning.

Mini Vans and Time Machines

2009-07-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Before we even began trying to have children, Toby and I took a blood oath that we wouldn't own a minivan. I'm sorry if I'm offending any readers here, but I think I'm pretty safe on this one. Even if we had 4 or 5 or 15 kids, I think we'd find another solution before opting for a minivan. Even if that solution was a bus.

I'm not really hung up on cars. I can drive just about any brand of reliable car without a drop in my self esteem. But, to me, nothing says "I've given up trying to be anything but a chauffeur and I no longer try to keep the upholstery clean" like a minivan. My personal belief is that they should come with metal grate floors so the graham crackers can be hosed out periodically. Maybe a giant crumb tray like in my toaster oven.

Even Brad and Angelina couldn't make a minivan sexy - and they did try. See Mr. and Mrs. Smith for a refresher.

So where am I going with all this? Just here: this morning Robbie and I had the following conversation.

Robbie: Mom, we should get a slidey-car.
Me: A slidey-car? Explain please.
Robbie: A car with the slidey thingies on the side
Me: A minivan?
Robbie: Yes! That would be so cooooool. The doors slide back and forth! I wish we had one.

I'd never thought of it that way before. But to a three year old, sliding doors probably do seem pretty exotic and space-age. Almost as good as a DeLorean

Thanks for the perspective, Robbie.

Taking "tingly sensation" to a new level.

2009-07-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Old ads have always made me chuckle - especially when they advertise a product we now know to be completely useless or even harmful. When I saw this ad I was at first horrified. Lysol?? Down there? Yikes. I hope it was a milder form than what I currently use to disinfect my trash can. I really, really hope.

But this begs the question. What kind of products do we use that will make our grandchildren shrink in horror? My bet is Listerine. Future generations will probably discover it is the root cause of diabetes or erectile dysfunction. It would figure.

Better Late than Never

2009-06-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

This has seemed to be a strange summer. As a girl born and raised in the damp northwest I've quite enjoyed the constant rain but even I have limits. Especially when I've been spoiled by the last 12 or 13 years of nearly uninterrupted summer heat and sun.

So, when the rain finally took a break and we could get out in the Reed Family Truckster and RV combo it was indeed and exciting time. Diets were broken, bedtimes were forgotten and our skill in cooking over flame was honed.

Here is the Fireball in all its glory, resplendent in Avocado green racing stripes. I put Robbie up to posing in front of it to give you, gentle reader, a feel for the sheer scale of the beast.

Here is Woody and his "cousin" Jasper (my brother's dog). Both dogs are the same breed, born within a week of one another and yet....there is a 100% difference in weight and 180 degree difference in personality. Whereas Jasper could be compared to Barney Fife, Woody is an even mixture of neuroses: sex addiction and aggression. Poor Jasper will need to seek the counsel of a rape trauma center after this weekend. Here the dogs are tethered to within kissing, but not humping distance.

Here is my son, ever the soul of responsibility. See how he personally takes it upon himself to prevent forest fires?

And here is my boy once again. This time he's fashioning himself a grass mustache...or is it a nasal cannula? One never knows.

And finally, eating the requisite Cheeze-Its. Is anyone else put off by the way this product sounds like "Cheese Zits"? I am.

We Fight About Fruit Trees

2009-06-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Some couples fight about money. Others fight about housework. We fight about fruit trees. The fight is long over now but I am still reeling from the stupidity of it all.

What's the dumbest thing you've ever fought with your hubbs about?

Between Cleaners and Cleanees

2009-05-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

We moms spend a lot of time cleaning. The more children you have, the more cleaning - and it isn't just twice as much cleaning with two children. I suspect it's an exponential increase.

Today my neighbor's six year old daughter came the front door shortly after I'd attacked my kitchen floor with bleach water and a mop.

"Eww, your house smells like chlorine!" she said, wrinkling her nose.

Twenty minutes later, her mother came to my kitchen door. Just like in those Febreeze commercials, she poked her nose in for a good whiff. "Mmmm your house smells good!" she said.

An affection for the smell of chlorine...just one more way being a mom changes everything.

Just When We Thought We Had Him Figured Out

2009-05-18T05:59:00.000-07:00

I still don't know what made Toby ask this question. We were sitting down to dinner and he just tossed it out, totally without context.

Toby: "Robbie, where do babies come from?"
Robbie: "Uh, from the hospital.....Bow Chicky Wow Wow!!"

If you can't imagine what "bow chicky wow wow" sounds like - it's a tune, not a phrase. It's supposed to sound like bad "romantic" background music one might hear in the soundtrack of a really low budget 70s movie. He learned this at some point from us - it's kind of a joke between Toby and I. We use it ironically - such as when we see something that is quite the opposite of romantic...time to start censoring our conversation more carefully.

This Would be Funnier if it Had Happened To Someone Else

2009-05-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, if you're my parent or Toby's parent...just don't read this post. It has the potential for you to form mental pictures you don't need. Really. Just skip it.

This afternoon before nap time, I was running up and down the stairs bringing up baskets of clean laundry. The last time I brought up a basket, Robbie stayed upstairs. This is usually not a cause for alarm but after a few minutes of too much quiet, I called him downstairs. When he came down holding a shower head in his hand I had a moment of panic...but then I recalled we had a spare shower head under his bathroom sink.

"What else did you get out of your bathroom cupboards?" I asked.

"Nothing." and he batted his long eyelashes. Silly me for not pressing harder.

Twenty minutes later we headed back upstairs for stories and a nap. Our first stop was the little boys' room.

"Look mom!" He said after climbing onto the toilet, very proud of himself. He pointed to the mirror. There was white glob smeared all over it.

"What is....?" I started to ask and then I saw it. A small white jar of...well...mint chocolate flavored "body topping". He had apparently made use of his time alone upstairs to scour our nightstands and came away with this prize. He obviously hustled it back to his bathroom where he promptly decided, possibly because of the minty flavor, that it was a kind of toothpaste.

His toothbrush was doused in it. The mirror was smeared with great globs of it. The jar itself was nearly empty and what was left had been covered with water from the faucet.

I sent him to his room while I cleaned it up. The whole time he was crying and yelling that he was sorry and I was his favorite "grill" (girl) and begging for just one story. By the time I came into his room I was not angry. I was just trying not to laugh. He was still sobbing when I came in and he said:

"I'm sorry Mom. Don't be mad. You see that picture?" He asked, pointing to picture on his wall of me and him. "You were happy in that picture. Just be happy like that, ok? Can I have just one story?"

So of course, I read just one story.

The Wit of Children

2009-05-08T07:59:00.001-07:00

It's no doubt, kids are silly. Robbie just gets sillier as he grows into his sense of humor. Every day we have at least twenty conversations that get me chuckling. Here are a few from the last 24 hours.

Robbie: Mom, where do porcupines live?
Me: In the forest.
Robbie: Where do birds live?
Me: In trees.
Robbie: Where do hearts live?
Me: In our bodies (I pat his chest to show him where)
Robbie: (looks at me for a moment while he decides if I'm serious, then rolls his eyes and laughs) You're crazy, mom.

- - - -

This conversation took place this morning while Robbie was in the bathroom and I was in the hall.

Robbie: Mom, I have good news and bad news.
Me: What's the good news?
Robbie: I'm going to Megan's house.
Me: Ok, what's the bad news?
Robbie: (toots) That's my bad news! (then laughs like a maniac)

- - - -

Me: Good morning!
Robbie: Why you had your hair cut?
Me: It was getting too shaggy and I wanted to change the color. Do you like my hair this way?
Robbie: No, I liked the old way. Can I go downstairs now?

- - - -

Robbie: Mom! Last night I went to a big basketball thing! And I threw the ball and it went UP UP UP UP! And then down down down and then BOOM, it went in. And everyone said "Yayyy Robbie!!!" It was coooooool!

Since I know he was just home with Toby while I got my hair done, I think this must have been his dream last night.

- - - -

Robbie: (walks up to me while I am sitting down and drops a bobby pin down the front of my shirt) I put it down your drain! It went down your DRAIIIIIIIN!" (more crazy laughter)

The Birthday Saga

2009-04-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was my birthday. Besides my birthday, many other blessed events occurred on April 14. In history, the Titanic struck its infamous ice berg on this day. This year on April 14 my husband made a wonderful dinner for me. Fettuccine Alfredo. Robbie loved it and had two plates.

Shortly after this, our basement flooded.

After frantically sucking water off the floor, out of the window well, (which was the culprit) mopping up funky smelling water out of my soap room and storage room, standing in the rain (while sucking out said window well), cleaning our carpets, etc, we came back upstairs for cake.

Robbie promptly fell off a chair right on his head.

After repeatedly kissing and calming him down we again tried to have cake.

Then it was way after bed time. We were all exhausted.

Then Robbie woke up at 1 am and began vomiting near impossible quantities of fettuccine and birthday cake. This didn't stop until 4 am.

In spite of all this drama, one little gem did come out of this. I got this video of Robbie singing me Happy Birthday. Robbie loves to sing but will rarely do it on film or even on command.

Please disregard the mountain of crud behind him in my laundry room and remember - we had just finished using all our towels to mop up nasty water and we were wet, tired, smelly and not in the mood to clean up the laundry room yet. The rest of my house was pristine - but that's husband for you...they will film the the dirtiest room in the house.

Afraid of the Water? Not Exactly.

2009-04-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

I am sorry for anyone whose children are afraid of water. I have a few friends with this problem and I don't even have a word of advice. Robbie has always loved it and his passion for it gets stronger every year.

For about a year we've been having him wear this shortie because it keeps him from shivering the whole time. The poor kid is just skinny. We don't know where he gets it from. Just last week we introduced the water wings and...well lets just say they were a big hit. The picture says the rest.

The goggles are also a recent thing - an Easter present. Does he mind when they fill with water? Not a bit.

Ah, you may be thinking. Does he mind when he goes UNDER water?

Not exactly.

He's even gracious enough to smile for the camera.

And if all that wasn't cute enough, watch this video. The way his funny little legs kick just cracks me up every time.

Global Warming

2009-03-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

Global warming? No. Bad timing? Yes.

We went to Yellowstone last weekend for a business meeting I had planned. The park was closed. All the shops were closed. Even the snow was closing up for the year. There was plenty of it - but only in hard-packed icy piles. What was left on the roads was, well...water.

Trying to entertain a preschooler in a town where nothing is open was a bit tough. Toby took him to the one and only open attraction while I was in my meeting. Afterward we drove around trying to find something to do. We ended up at the closed-down-for-the-season airport when suddenly Robbie started yelling he wanted out of the car RIGHT NOW.

Toby, exasperated, put the car in park in the middle of the road. The next car was at least three months away, after all.

It turns out, you don't have to have snow to make a kid happy as long as you're willing to drag a perfectly good sled down an asphalt road and then carve a hole in the ice for him to stand in.

Meet Woody

2009-03-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

Because we can't get enough of potty training, so we decided to start all over again.

Woody, Woodrow, or Nanna Boo Boo, whatever name he's being called at the moment - is a miniature Dachshund....emphasis on miniature. He weighs 1.5 pounds.

If I had a nickel for every time I've had to shout "watch out Woody" or "don't squish the dog!" I'd be on a beach in Jamaica by now. But he sure is cute, isn't he?

Spring is in the Air

2009-03-19T10:29:00.001-07:00

Reed Photographic now offers studio portrait sessions for individuals, children, newborns and couples.

Book a studio session before April 15 and enjoy your choice of the following specials:

Special One: Get a free high resolution digital copy of all pictures with a regularly priced studio session.

Special Two: Enjoy a free studio session for up to three. Digital copies and prints will be available at the regular prices at your discretion. No minimum purchase required.
Both specials include: 15% discount on prints ordered in the first week.

Sessions can be any time in March, April or May but must be booked before April 15.

To reserve your session, call 801-380-9113.

Don't wait. Availability is limited.

The Defiant Child

2009-03-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

I don't remember ever talking back to my parents as a child. Perhaps my parents do, but I just remember being too afraid to be so impertinent. That is, until I was about 14 and started pushing the limits of their patience.

I had a friend when I was about 10 that had no problem telling her mother to "shut up" or "get out" that she was stupid, fat, ugly, etc. I recall being shocked and embarrassed the one time I stayed over at her house and saw this happen. At one point her mother just turned to me and said "I bet you never talk to your mother like this do you?" I didn't know what to say. The truth was that of course I didn't talk to my mother like that but I didn't want to side against my friend either. I just shrugged and blushed...and never stayed over again.

As the mother of a three year old, it has come as a bit of a surprise to me that preschoolers back-talk. In fact, until recently I was starting to think maybe I just had a really smart-mouthed kid. We just squelched "shut up" and now we're dealing with "I don't love you" when he doesn't get his way.

We tried time-outs and all the usual forms of discipline with no obvious results. To say the least, its been very frustrating. Yesterday when I desperately needed to be catching up on work I decided instead to turn to my friend the internet for some advice. I read several articles on preschoolers and back-talk and I learned some things to try and that its a lot more common than I thought.

So, has your preschooler done this? What have you done to teach them not to do this, or even to explain what constitutes "back-talk" or "sassing"?

At times we consider the benefits of a shock-collar, so hopefully you have a better idea.

The above image is a worldle of this blog. Go have fun and make one for yourself.

Finally! The studio gets broken in "fer realz"

2009-02-26T14:03:00.000-08:00

Why is it so much easier to photograph someone else's kid?

I Should Frame These For the Studio Walls

2009-02-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

The studio has been finished for a week now and I've tried three times to take Robbie's photo.

Not happening.

There is a reason I typically just have another photographer friend take our family pictures.

All the same, I did get a number of "tosser" images that, as a collection, I think really tell a story. And that story is this:

"Parents, don't feel bad if your kids act up and don't cooperate or temporarily seem deaf when you try to take their photos. Everyone's kids do it - especially kids whose parents do this for a living."

"I'm the Captain. Argh!!"

Sleeping In, In Seattle

2009-02-23T10:37:00.001-08:00

Seattle was great fun. We got to catch up with an old friend, visit (briefly) Toby's aunt and see the sites.
Sans Robbie, my hands were also free to take a lot of pictures. This is a fact that a seagull later took advantage off too. He "bombed" my hand and my camera, which took quite a while to clean up.

Toby on the Bainbridge Ferry.

Holly on same Ferry.

Toby at Green Lake.

Experience Music Project

I also found our next house while were on the Ferry. Look at the picture below...see the little house? The last one on the tip of the island? That's it! I think I'll enjoy the view of Seattle each evening. Now...you can send donations for our new house, attention Holly...

One of the other things we noticed on this trip, besides just how crazy the streets are laid out in Seattle, is how expensive everything is. We started to tell each other we must be getting old because we kept whining about the cost of everything.

Perhaps it isn't just us, though. See if you fall of your chair when I tell you what we paid, just in parking, over the course of about 36 hours.
Hotel: $35 a day, so $70
Pike's Market: $12 for two hours
All around town: $18-20 at various parking meters
One parking ticket: $35 (we didn't see a meter and were out in the 'burbs and didn't realize we had to pay)
Total valet tips, every time we needed to get our car (not allowed to do it yourself): $14
Grand Total: $150!

So here's my tip if you're considering Seattle. Do stay downtown but don't rent a car.

Great Basement Project Pt. 2

2009-02-18T16:30:00.001-08:00

Toby was better at sitting still than Robbie - but less enthused. If that's possible. You see, his big stake in a finished basement was a home theater room (ie: studio waiting room). He had just gotten all the components hooked up and had Iron Man blasting in the next room when I made him plunk down in my studio.

Isn't he adorable - even when he's annoyed?

The Great Basement Project

2009-02-18T16:17:00.000-08:00

I feel like taking out an ad: The Basement is Done!
For two people with an unfinished basement we sure used ours a lot. Having it in progress for the last few months has been difficult. The anticipation as we got close to done has been excruciating.

We had an absolutely awesome person working on it, however. Anyone that needs any kind of remodeling work done, I have your guy.

So without further ado, here it is.

Robbie was really digging the new carpet and open spaces. We played "chase me" for a long time. Finally I was exhausted and ready to snap some shots but he was still going.

The family room (or as I like to call it; the studio waiting room)

The studio.

The studio's changing room / storage area. How do you like my handiwork on that floor? I laid rows 5 and 6.

So what does one do with a new studio? Practice on the family of course!

Of course - Robbie would NOT stand still or have anything to do with it.

Here he is making Godzilla sounds.

Crawling - way out of the light range.

Running away.

And finally - grudging cooperation.

Three

2009-01-27T14:19:00.001-08:00

For his third birthday, Toby finally got to take Robbie on a much anticipated (on both sides) ski trip.

Robbie was a champ. He never whined about the cold or all the gear. He had a great time and loved skiing and riding the lift about equally. I have a feeling we'll be going again soon.

Later that afternoon, several family members joined us for cake, ice cream and presents. Robbie was, if possible, more excited by the attention from so many people than he was by the presents.

The video below shows about 30 seconds of highlights from the big day - including his completely "hamming-it-up" behavior while unwrapping presents.

All I could do was roll my eyes and laugh.

Joy

2009-01-15T06:35:00.001-08:00

Not Exactly Baywatch

2009-01-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

One of the things I miss most about living in the Northwest (besides Abby's Pizza) is the Ocean. Somehow the Great Salt Lake doesn't quite measure up.

When we went to Oregon this December I really wanted to take Robbie to the coast but it was raining and miserable all week. But then I reminded Toby of the "rule of thumb" my family always used.

If it's raining in Roseburg, it will be nice at the coast. And the opposite is also true.

So we piled into the truck with my brother and his family and braved the rain. When we got there, it wasn't exactly Baywatch weather - but it wasn't raining either.

Wind, wet and cold not withstanding, I think it was Robbie's favorite part of the whole trip.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a little rushed this year because we were on the road to Oregon by 1 pm. I wish we could have spent more time just enjoying the day but we had to get moving in order to squeeze in a quick visit with my family.

The kids (Robbie and his cousin) being old enough to really understand the concept of the holiday and being able to anticipate it made this year, by far, the funnest ever. They were just as interested in everyone else's presents as their own.

This year's theme must have been tools. Robbie's really in a tool phase, which gets stronger every day. It doesn't help that Uncle Kip has been here finishing our basement. Robbie loves to go down and "help". Kip, for his part, is very patient and makes Robbie feel like he's an important part of the process. If scattering Sheetrock screws and eating Sheetrock dust are essential to the process, then maybe Kip is right.

The best part of this Christmas were the handmade gifts. Uncle Kip made both boys a wood tool box (a la Handy Manny) and a wood sawhorse. They are a little heavy but durable enough to last a few lifetimes. With any luck, Robbie can pass his down to his grandkids.

Why is it that no matter how we try to "scale back" Christmas morning always looks like this?

How was your Christmas?

Its all in the face

2008-12-19T20:32:00.000-08:00

We had a busy and hectic day. On the way back from Salt Lake we spent 2.5 hours in the car stuck behind five consecutive snow-related accidents. As soon as we got home we "helped" Toby clean off the driveway. Robbie's face clearly shows the evidence of a hard day; cookies I fed him to keep him happy in the car, snot crust from having no tissues in the car, you name it.

And Jack's face...it just says "?"

Take My Picture!

2008-12-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

We were cleaning out the basement last night when he climbed up on a bar stool (in my studio) and asked to have his picture taken in his favorite pajamas.

Christmas Food Gifts For $1

2008-12-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Continuing the series of one dollar gifts, this post is about food gifts.

For neighbor, coworker and acquaintance gifts, food is always a favorite choice. It's neither to personal nor too expensive. I used to make a lot of candy for gifts but, considering the glut of treats floating around during the holidays, I think foods more suited to year-round use might be better received.

Infused Oils
Here is a great way to use up your garden herb surplus. Save interesting bottles through the year or collect them at low prices from dollar stores and places like Ikea, Oriental Trading, etc. Dry sprigs and cuttings of herbs from your garden. Add a mixture of compatible dried herbs to a large container of olive oil. (shop sales or buy a huge jug at warehouse store). Set aside the most attractive dried specimens. Then strain out the herbs from the jug of oil and discard. Fill your smaller bottles with the strained oil then add a few of the sprigs you set aside before capping and labeling the bottles.
Oils do have a rather long shelf life but because you'll be exposing the oil to air twice and adding foreign materials before gifting it, it's a wise idea to include a note on the label to indicate it should be refrigerated.
If you have a source for lots of small bottles, you can give a trio of three different oils.
Approximate cost: $1 for an 8 oz. portion if you have the bottle already. $2 if you buy a bottle.
See more exact instruction on flavoring oils here: http://www.cheftalk.com/content/display.cfm?articleid=125

Herbed Butters
Let butter (not spread or margerine) soften on the counter and then whip with a standing mixer or hand mixer. The butter will lighten in color and become fluffy. Add diced herbs like chives, dill, or combinations of herbs and spices like rosemary and garlic or lemon pepper. Use an icing tip and piping bag to make small, decorate "pats" on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer until the butter hardens. Package in a glass jar or a cello-bag with ribbon. Keep frozen until you're ready to gift them. These make great spreads and are also very handy for cooking. Include your favorite recipe on the card.
Approximate Cost: $1 if you use existing herbs in your cupboard or from the garden.

Pancake Mix
Store bought mixes are, to be honest, a total rip off. Pancakes are the easiest and cheapest thing in the world to make and a mix is even easier. All the ingredients are dry except the milk and egg.
To make the mix a step easier for the user, replace the egg with soy flour in the mix. Add one extra tablespoon of water to complete the soy flour egg substitute. Add powdered milk to the mix and adjust the ingredients to call for water to make it a complete "no brainer" for the culinary impaired.

Basic Pankcake Recipe
1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 C milk (don't add to mix)
1 egg (don't add to mix)

Make the mix more interesting by adding your favorite embellishments like mini chocolate chips, coconut flakes, cocoa powder, finely chopped macadamia nuts, etc. Package in a zip lock bag and then place that into a cloth bag you have sewn or saved. Include instructions for adding the milk and egg.

Approximate cost: $0.50 (with no extras and using their milk and egg). $1.00 with some embellishments for pizazz.

Christmas On a Shoestring

2008-12-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

At our house, we decided almost a year ago this was going to be a light Christmas - the economy has little to do with it. Last year we got very excited and went completely overboard - spending far too much on one little boy. He was overwhelmed and we realized ten minutes into the holiday that we'd gone too far. This year we're spending about 25% of what we spent last year on Robbie and we're limiting him to two presents (from us) and his stocking.

Additionally, we're not buying anything for each other. We want to finish our basement - so the more money we can spend on that, the faster it can be done. A new studio for me and a new rec-room for Toby is all the present we want. That doesn't mean we aren't getting each other gifts - we just can't buy anything.

It seems everyone is being impacted by the economy right now. Almost everyone I know has suffered a drop in income to some degree and those that haven't are at least bracing for it. So, many of us are holding back on Christmas spending. In my research to come up with no-cost gifts I came across so many great ideas. For obvious reasons, I can't describe here what I am actually making for Toby so instead I'll list some other great ideas we've done before and ideas I may do in future.

First up....

Car Kits
How many times have you been in the car and needed a pen? A wet wipe? Hand sanitizer? A piece of paper? One day I got sick of not having what I needed and made Toby and I both car kits, each in a 1 gallon zip lock bag. Think of them as a mobile version of a 72 hour kit. The great thing is all these items are laying around the house - the gift is in the the thoughtful organization and presentation. Zip-lock bags fit well in the glove box but you can get more creative and decorate a box or even sew a little roll-up organizer with little pockets for it all.

Suggested Contents:
A pen and pad of paper
Scissors (if you've ever bought anything in clam-shell and wanted to open it, you'll understand)
A $20 bill for when you leave your wallet at home (or a decorative envelope for one if you want to keep it n0-cost)
Four quarters (for parking meters)
A blank check
A laminated list of phone numbers that you could use if you lost or broke your cell phone
Hand sanitizer
Fingernail clippers
Chap stick
Cheap sunglasses
Single doses (in envelopes or baggies) of pain killer, allergy medication, antacids, or whatever things your sweetie is prone to using
Breath mints or gum
Lotion

Optional extras for those with kids. These are a life saver if you forget the diaper bag.
Small toy
Binky
Crackers
Small Suckers
Sandwich sized zip-lock bag of wipes and a diaper
Rags, cloth diapers or paper towels
CD of lullaby music
Children's Tylenol or similar

It's also a good idea to print up a little inventory of the kit and place it in the bag, facing out. Then sweetie can glance to see if the bag has what he needs before he stops at 7-11 and pays $5 for a handful or wet-wipes.

Road Warriors

2008-12-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Vegas with family. Robbie was pretty insistent on carrying his own rolling Thomas The Tank Engine suitcase. He looked like quite the seasoned traveler as he expertly navigated the hallways to find the elevator, pushed the call button, made way for other passengers and then found the exit.

Kids Can Do Chores?

2008-11-26T08:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the mindset that I have to do everything for Robbie because I'm still thinking of him as a baby. He's fully in the "I'll do it myself" toddler mode now, however. I'm learning there are a lot of things he can do for himself.

The other day we were in the toy department while he looked for the perfect toy on which to spend his hard-earned money..when he saw a toy mop.

Now when he has a little "misfire" in the bathroom he runs for the mop, gets up on a stool, wets the mop and - surprise - mops the floor!

He also likes to yell to me "Stay back, mom! Don't step in the pee!"

Now if I could just teach him to operate the Dyson....

The World Through A Toddler's Eyes

2008-11-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

Last night as I was getting Robbie out of the car to walk the 80 feet to the front door of Walmart, we had this conversation.

"Robbie, let's get your coat on."

"I don't want to wear a coat."

"Babe, it's cold outside."

"I not cold."

"You're not outside yet. It's really cold, let's put on your coat."

"I don't need a coat."

"Ok, well then do it for me. If you don't wear a coat people will think I'm a bad mommy."

"I tell them."

"You'll tell them what?"

"I tell them you a good mom."

- - - - -

Sunday, Robbie and his slightly younger cousin were playing with trucks in his room. They were having a good time and suddenly his (less verbal) cousin let out a gibberish squeal of delight.

Robbie looked up from his truck in amazement and shouted "Mom! Carter speaks Spanish!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" I said, hardly able to stop laughing. He thought so too, so he ran downstairs to announce it to the 25 family members chatting after Thanksgiving dinner.

Friday Fieldtrip

2008-11-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

The last three "Mommy Fridays" have included a trip to the downtown library. We splurged and shelled out the $80 for a yearly membership (we live outside the county so membership isn't free for us) and we're definitely getting our money's worth.

If you have not taken your wee ones to the library, you really should - and not just for the obvious, literary, reasons. The downtown branch has a lot for Robbie to be excited about, including play rooms, glass elevators, people watching, and books books books. They also organize story times and kids' events. I get a weekly newsletter with kids' book reviews and I can click to reserve the books that sound good. It saves us a lot of "hunting" when we get there; leaving more time to play.

This week we were joined by friend Emms and Kim, which made it twice as fun for Robbie and Mommy. Above is a cell phone picture of the kids in the "attic" reading room.

After the library we went to the world's busiest McDonalds so the kids could not eat and instead play on the world's most crowded PlayPlace. They seemed to enjoy themselves and Robbie walked away sweaty, dirty, exhausted and, I think, missing a sock.

What more could a kid ask?

At least he's honest

2008-11-20T15:33:00.001-08:00

It's disorienting parenting a child that swings from one extreme to the other. He went from not talking to never stopping talking in the span of two weeks. He goes from a rough and tumble two year old to a serious ten year old to a snarky 13 year old instantly.

While I'm driving down the road he screams for me to watch out for imaginary police cars and monsters coming toward us. Pretty typical two year old stuff, right?

Moments later he starts laughing histerically while looking at a one dollar bill. "He has funny looking hair!" he squeals, pointing to George Washington.

A bit later, after he goes down for his nap he yells for me to come upstairs.

When I get up to his room he says "I pooped." and he's wearing nothing but a shirt and a pair of cowboy boots and holding a very full pair of Go Diego Go undies in one hand.

Oh boy.

We go in the bathroom to do damage control and he says "There's some poop on the carpet, Mom"

Thinking he means the bathroom rug I say "no, it's ok."

"No, in my room." he says.

I go into his room and do a quick scan - all clean. I come back.

"No, mom. In my closet. Just a tiny bit." he assures me, very matter-of-fact, like he's telling me what time it is.

He was exactly right - and it felt like I was talking to an adult the whole time. Although, one one that thought it was perfectly normal to poop in the closet while wearing his John Deere cowboy boots.

Disorienting.

Shopping, Robbie Style

2008-11-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

This weekend we did the big shopping trip for Thanksgiving dinner. It's coming a week early to our house because there is a wedding in the family this weekend and some relatives that are normally in other states will be in town.

Our house was nominated to play host again this year - which I really don't mind. I just try not to count how many people will be here and then I don't hyperventilate. But I digress....

These pictures were taken with my phone, so the quality isn't great. Robbie was just being so funny, I had to snap a few. He found a circular and was walking around with it held up like he was reading it. Then he kept putting it down and pointing out different things and saying "do we have that?"

Those two people behind him? That's hubbs and "Grummy" - each with a cart. Yes, we bought that much food for that many people coming to my house.

A Very Good Day...and Pictures.

2008-11-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

Today has been a good day - my favorite kind of day where Robbie and I hang out and do fun things without the need for me to break into "Mommy Mode" of scolding, threats, and (let's be honest) begging. And he doesn't break into "Toddler Mode" with tantrums and the never-ending potty struggle or all-too-frequent nap time rebellion.

Days like this make me think I could handle 8 or 9 kids but at the same time, so grateful I have one that I get to spoil rotten and take on "Mommy and Robbie" days.

This morning we went to see his friend up at Primary Children's Hospital. He was very sweet and played quietly with her, sang her a song, and kept asking her how she was feeling.

Next we went to Burger King for a little lunch. An employee brought him over a paper crown, which I hadn't seen in years. Robbie was enchanted and kept saying "Mom, I'm the King!" His father has also taught him how to peel one end off of a straw wrapper and blow on the straw to shoot the wrapper across the room. He managed to grab both our straws before I remembered he coudld do that. But like I said - it was a good day: he didn't hit any other patrons.

He wore the crown to our next stop - the city library and he got lots of compliments on it. So many that he took it off and asked me to carry it. We rode the big glass elevator a few times then chased the pigeons all over the sidewalks back to our car.

We've been having a bit of a ... struggle, let's say with potty issues. The potty training went great for a few weeks and then has been gradually regressing, so I thought a new book might spark his interest. I don't know if it was the book or just blind luck but the results were immediate and very positive.

If you are having problems with your child being unwilling or afraid to do "number two" I think its worth getting them "Everyone Poops." Robbie thought it was very funny and it seems to have erased the stress that has built up around this subject.

Let's hope tomorrow is another good day!

And now - some pictures from Halloween and our Zoo trip the day after.

This was the first year Robbie was old enough to really "get" what the holiday was about. Once it clicked (just after the first door) he was on the run - trying to get to as many doors as fast as he could. For days afterward he kept saying "I go trick or treat today!" not realizing it would be a year before people would be giving out free candy again just because he rang their bell.

The next day we went to the zoo with Grummy, Grumpy and Cousin Carter. Of course, the train was the best part for him.

Grumpy showing him the zebras.

Checking out the turkeys - just before he swung his leg over to try to join them.

Boots! I mean, Monkey!

This Date Sponsored by Christmas '07

2008-11-07T14:23:00.000-08:00

We're lucky to have good friends and family that give us cool holiday surprises like gift cards to restaurants we like or theaters. Sadly, we're terrible about using these things in a timely manner. So, tonight Robbie is staying at his cousin's house and we're going on a date night sponsored by gift cards.
First a play, then dinner, then Grand America...where we'll draw those great "black-out" curtains hotels have and sleep in as late as we want...or at least until check-out.

PETA

2008-10-30T13:37:00.001-07:00

I recently read that PETA issued a letter to the Ben & Jerry Ice Cream company asking them to replace cow's milk with human breast milk in their recipes. This is to "lessen the suffering of dairy cows".

What amazed me about this story was not that PETA actually issued the letter, or even that they did it with a straight face.

What amazed me is that the head of public relations at Ben & Jerry's was able to pick himself up off the floor from his laughing fit long enough to issue an official response to the letter.

That man needs a raise...and an Oscar.

The Eyebrows That Ate Chicago

2008-10-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

The natural eyebrows - or lack thereof.

The chemically assisted eyebrows.

Last night I went to the Sanctuary Day Spa for a little treat... at least as much as having hair forcibly ripped from your browline can really be a treat.

While I was lying there, the waxer asked "Have you heard of brow tinting?"
"Um yes."
"What did you think?"
"Sounds ok. Are you saying I should look into it because I have invisi-brows?"
"It would make them more ... visible"

She decided one application wasn't enough to overcome the albino fuzz that is my browline...so she did it twice. But now they seem to have acquired a life of their own and they keep getting darker. I'm sure this is completely in my own mind. I am just constantly surprised when I glance in a mirror.

This morning Toby said "Those eyebrows have to go. You don't even look like my wife."

When I gave him a dirty look, he said "I'm not saying they look bad, but I'm used to you have NO eyebrows and now you have BAM! Eyebrows!"

Needless to say, I'm a little self conscious. If you see me, don't be surprised if I have on sunglasses until these babies fade a bit.

Fall Fun

2008-10-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

About three weeks ago we picked up a few new fall clothing items for Robbie. Ever since then one, two or all three of us has been sick and every weekend has been spent seeing how fast we can run through kleenex or how many times one of us can throw up in one 24 hour period.

Robbie has a slight edge on me in this area.

Today we were all feeling sufficiently well go go see the gorgeous leaves in Middle Canyon in Tooele. We also had the foresight to dress Robbie in his new duds and bring a camera. Lately this little group of achievements seems like a miracle.

I want to blow this one up as a poster and title it "repentance" or "reflection". This still moment didn't last long!

Showing me his cool new leaf.

My turn to pose.

Tickle time.

This is probably my new favorite picture of Toby. I had just told him to sit down and Robbie came rushing over and said "No dad, put your hands here." and he placed one of Toby's hands one each knee and moved his fee. Then he backed up and said "Ok, good. Be Still." We were both laughing - I'm surprised the shot is steady.

And that's a wrap.

Gone Baby, Gone.

2008-10-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Robbie, summer is definitely long gone. Yesterday we went to the park for lunch and, even though we were bundled up, you were so cold you didn't even want to play. We just ate our sandwiches and walked back home.
Yep. Summer is gone. And I'm not sure what's worse. That we won't see it it again for nine months, or that by the time it rolls around again those sweet pudgy toddler legs will probably be taller, thinner big boy legs.

A Conversation to Remember

2008-10-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

This morning while I was putting on his clothes...

Robbie: I'm getting bigger and bigger, huh?
Me: Yes, every day. Pretty soon you'll be so big you'll be all grown up.
Robbie: Just like you guys?
Me: Yep, just like us. Before I know it you'll have a family of your own.
Robbie: Like Incredibles?
Me: Uh...yea.
Robbie: Great! That's Cool!

The Mad Scientist's Lab

2008-10-18T13:51:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my very sweet (and long-suffering) husband, I have a room in my basement just for making soap. He made it for me about two weeks ago but I've been too busy concocting new recipes down there that I haven't had a chance to crow about it on the family blog.

So without further ado.... here it is!

A prepped soap mold on my counter.

The work bench complete with microwave, fragrance and essential oils, tools, bowls, molds, etc.

The Ingredients side - oils, butters, nutrients and a few drying bars.

Some fragrance and essential oils.

Don't Act All Surprised

2008-10-10T05:11:00.001-07:00

Anyone that knows me well knows that when I get into a hobby...I get really into it. Most often it becomes another small business for me.

It should not come as a surprise then that my soap making is morphing into one too. I am trying hard to take it slow, and as part of that effort I've set up a year-long product development phase to really perfect the line of soaps I want to make, use and sell.

If you'd like to be an Official Product Tester and gets lots of soap goodies in the mail, go the Spotted Owl Soap website for details.

Plodding Along

2008-10-08T05:40:00.001-07:00

I must say Potty Training isn't as bad as I made it out to be in the last post. We're all sick here at Casa del Reed - which is not an ideal time to potty train, I know. However, the week was planned we had no sitter lined up, we'd been watching Elmos' Potty Time non-stop for 48 hours. The time was nigh.

What with all the nose wiping, bottom wiping, coughing, medicine dispensing and so on, it did seem a little overwhelming at first - but Robbie has been a real champ. Yesterday he went all day, incuding nap-time with no accidents.

For my part I am trying to let him be on a longer leash and not ask so frequently if he needs to potty. He's getting that teenager look now when he says, half rolling his eyes, "no mom, I don't need to potty."

Yesterday some neighbor kids came over to play in our front yard and he was having a great time with them. I didn't want him to have an accident but at the same time I didn't want to be "that mom" that shouts into a group of kids "Do you need to go Potty, Robbie?"

I shudder, remembering my mother and I in Kmart when I was about 13 or 14. I was one aisle over, looking for a new package of undies when my mother stage-whispered to me "Try the silky ones - they don't stain."

Braugh! What? Did you just say that out loud? In our home town? And who is worried about staining here? I'm not 3!

As you can see, the scars run deep. So, in the end I called Robbie over and whispered my question into his ear.

The last shred of dignity...gone.

2008-10-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Since we have no sitter right now (see below post) we're taking this "together" time to potty train. We started Saturday afternoon. Let me just say...this could drive me to drink.

He's doing really well, don't get me wrong....but sometimes the contest of wills, the cajoling, the begging, the bribery...it's all too exhausting.

Today after three hours of Robbie refusing to sit on the potty I finally went and sat on it myself and made a big deal about how "my body was telling me I need to go" (yes, stolen right from "Elmo's Potty Time"). Robbie suddenly got interested and ran into the bathroom.

He sat down on the little step stool I usually sit on.

"I sit right here, mom. I sing to you."

Then he sang me "happy birthday to daddy" which, honestly, was adorable.

"Thanks honey."

"Did you go?"

"Yep."

"Good Job MOM! You get a sticker!"

And then he ran out to get me one.

But he still refused to try it himself for another hour.

Drinking, I tell you. Drinking.

Crime and Punishment

2008-10-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the opinions on the spanking poll. It's nice to know that I'm not an over-reacting obsessive parent. Or, if I am, at least I am in good company.

For the past few months Robbie's been going to a day care / preschool. It's really an in-home daycare with a preschool schedule where they learn shapes, colors, numbers, etc.

One day recently I picked Robbie up and he said the caregiver, who I'll call Miss X, hit him. When I asked him to elaborate it came out that he and the other kids were drawing with sidewalk chalk and he started breaking the chalks (for what reason only a boy could tell you) and when Miss X saw it, she slapped his hands and sent him to time out.

We've been telling him that no one is allowed to hit him and that he should come to us if anyone hurts him - so I was glad at least that he told me quickly and clearly what had happened.

The next day when we went back I took Miss X aside and asked her about the incident. She told me the same thing Robbie had told me without embarrassment and without apology. She obviously found it perfectly acceptable so I told her that I did not. I said that if she couldn't correct him without hitting him I would definitely find another arrangement.

Fast-forward to last week. Robbie suddenly started putting up a huge fight about going to daycare. I kept asking him what he was afraid of and he couldn't name anything that was wrong, he just didn't want to go. We would show up to day care and, after half an hour of trying to get him to stay, we'd go home.

On the third day, Miss X said "You know I've just never had a kid not like me. I guess what's probably bothering him is that the other day "child X" was acting up so I was spanking her and dragging her to time out and she was screaming the whole time. It was a really ugly scene and maybe that's what scared him."

You could have picked my jaw up off the floor I was so shocked. Shocked that she's apparently beating on the other kids, shocked that she's freely admitting it, shocked that she couldn't imagine this would be a deal breaker.

We left and he's not going back. But part of me was unsure if I was over-reacting so I didn't give her the blasting she deserved.

A Poll About Spanking

2008-10-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

I know many of my friends choose not to work and so they don't have to deal with sitters and day cares. But, almost everyone has had to use a sitter, at least occasionally or maybe regularly at one time in their child's life.

Without any explanation or telling you where I fall on this issue (yet) I want to get your opinion. How would you feel if your sitter told you or you found out that the sitter spanked your kid? Remember, I don't mean to ask if you agree its right or not to spank your own kid and let's assume the sitter is not your mom..just a paid care provider. Would you be ok with them spanking your kids when he/she was "naughty"?

After everyone chips in their two cents I'll give you the back story.

Mommy Friday # 6

2008-09-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy and very fun Mommy Friday this week.

First, we went on a play date with our good friends Emma and her baby sister Ashley. Robbie and Emma played together very well at Skye Park. I never had to correct him for pushing or playing rough - which was a treat. I've noticed overall his little aggressive phase (which was never very bad, really) seems to be over...for now.

While Robbie and Emma played great together - they didn't want to pose for a picture. This image almost looks to me like they are saying "ew...girls/boys have koodies!"

Next we went and saw our good friends Trevor and Shannon to drop off a little treat and chat for a bit. They gave us some homemade jam which we're really excited to try. Robbie didn't want to leave (they have way cool toys, mom!) when it was time to go.

Finally, we went to my friend Marisa's to pick up some chickens. Yes...more chickens. But before you refer me to a really good therapist - the total population at the Reed Farm isn't really increasing. Some of those I already have are going to other friends.

Here we are meeting one of the new chickens, named Jane Doe.

AWOL

2008-09-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I posted...and with good reason. We've been completely busy!

A few weeks back, Toby went to Alaska to go fishing for a week.
Then, 24 hours after he came home, Robbie and I flew to Oregon for a week.
Toby joined us a few days into the trip and then we came home...which for me meant I had piles of work and deadlines waiting for me.

I promise I'll be posting again soon with pictures from our trips, our visit to the zoo last week and all kind of other goodies.

And now...I gotta go work!

Fun Friday

2008-08-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

This week for "Mommy Friday" we went to a park to play, then went into Salt Lake to have lunch with Toby. Robbie quite enjoyed himself at the park and was very adventurous and daring about what he wanted to try (basically, everything). He wanted me to "spot" him on the ladders but didn't actually want any hands-on help.

He's getting so much bigger and more imaginative. He's started having a lot more imaginary conversations on imaginary phones with his Daddy, Grumpy and Grummy. A typical conversation - which he had in the car right after we left the park...went like this:

"Hello Grumpy."
"You at home?"
"Grummy at work."
"Yea, Mommy at Work"
"Ok"
"Bye!"

The funniest part of this was that halfway through the one-sided conversation, he put down his "phone" (my iPod) and put his had on my arm and said "You quiet, ok? I'm on the phone."

It's interesting how having a toddler is like having a mirror pointed back at you showing your behaviors. He was mimicking me and in that moment I was very happy that I am normally pretty patient and reasonable when I ask him to be quiet while I'm on the phone.

We're not always so lucky when he repeats back our behaviors for us.

A Reason to Scrapbook

2008-08-18T05:27:00.000-07:00

Before we had Robbie, my main hobby was scrapbooking. Once Robbie was born this came to a screeching halt; first because I didn't have time - and then because the only time I had were his naps. Anyone with a napping newborn can understand why I was reluctant to pick up a hammer and start pounding brads into paper. The other probem was that by the time I dragged out all my stuff and decided what to do - nap time was over.

In the last 2.5 years, exactly 0 scrapbooking has taken place. Recently though, I've had a renewed interest and I have Robbie to thank for it.

He's started looking through my old scrapbooks (there are only two) and takes great delight in all that he sees there. For example, he finds it amazing (his word, not mine) that his mom is friends with Buzz Lightyear. There is a picture of me with the character from our honeymoon trip to D-land.

Whenever he asks to pull down a scrapbook he looks at the whole thing front to back and then back to front, naming everyone he sees as he goes. He's starting to ask why there aren't any pictures of him.....so I guess I better catch up on some album making!

More Conversations in a Car

2008-08-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

"Hey did I tell you how proud I am of you? You kept your hands in your pockets just like Mom asked. That was really great."

"Thanks Mommy."

"You're Welcome!"

"I want french fries."

He cracks me up. He's so grown up sometimes and then alternately so toddler-ish with that ultra-short attention span.

The conversation above happened after we went to Homebodies - a boutique in Tooele where we were going to pick up a coffee table. Like I told him, he was such a good boy even thought he was just itching to touch all the cute little curiosities in that shop.

Rest in Pieces, Rosie

2008-08-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

My neighbor came to my door this afternoon to tell me that his dog had gotten into my backyard and had himself a snack. You guessed it - chicken nuggets. Apparently, his dog brought one of my chickens (Rosie) home in his mouth - quite proud of himself.

I can't find the other missing chicken. I keep finding black feathers Rosie must have lost in her struggle but no sign of Giblet or her (blond) feathers. I keep seeing this image of Robbie stumbling upon an eviscerated chicken some time in the next week and that sends me out looking again to see if I can find it.

I am just so glad this happened while Robbie was at his cousin's house and not while we were playing in the back yard.

There are just so many things I want to rant about - my neighborhood's lax policy of letting their dogs run wild being number one. All the time and effort spent on raising them from day old chicks being washed away without a single egg is number two. My neighbor wants to pay me for them. A chick costs $2.79 at IFA. When you factor in the time and effort spent to raise them to date, three bucks is a joke.

Mostly I am just really bummed. I know they aren't as cuddly as kittens and most people don't see the attraction, but I am really fond of my chickens. Robbie and I have had a lot of fun looking after them.

I Won't Quit My Day Job

2008-08-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

I've recently had to add another item to my repertoire; voice over work. Don't worry I won't be hosting my own morning radio show anytime soon - but the client that keeps asking me to do this doesn't mind the sounds so I suppose I'll be doing it every week for a while.

I also do the photography and video editing that makes this little "episode" possible. So do me a favor, if you have a YouTube account, leave a comment on the video. Some suggestions are;

1. Wow - great video editing! Who do you use?
2. Wow - that narrator has a sexy voice!
3. Wow - that product sounds really cool. Do you give quantity discounts?

In case you didn't know - number two was a joke. Please don't say that!

Mommy Friday #3

2008-08-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Since today is another "Mommy Friday" when I don't work, we had a field trip.

First we had a little mommy-son breakfast date at - where else - McDonalds! Robbie was very excited to get some "McCancakes" as he kept calling them. After eating he played in the PlayPlace and actually climbed up the platform stairs about 15 feet - something he's never tried to do before. When he got to the top he pressed his face up against the mesh and yelled "Hi Mommeeee!" in his standard I-only-know-one-volume voice.

After breakfast we went to the new children's book store in Tooele called the Purple Cow. The world has fewer and fewer independent bookstores every week so I was very happy one was opening in Tooele. The staff was incredibly sweet and helpful, bringing over books he might like and saying how cute he was. They were the grandmotherly sort - as opposed to the high school sort you get at a chain store.

We had a hard time deciding but eventually came away with these keepers.

When we got home we played "hide and seek" Robbie style. This means he tells me where to hide, then runs away - counts - and comes and finds me. When he finds me he shrieks with glee and excitement as if he didn't expect to find me there. I can't help but get excited too.

However, one time he was counting, he went all the way to nine without missing any numbers...so I might have saved my money on the "Olivia Counts" book. Doesn't seem like he needs it!

Cellphone Pornography Hurts

2008-07-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend while driving up to Cherry Hill we saw a billboard on the freeway that said "Cellphone Pornography HURTS."

"Well yeah it would hurt - you'd crash your car" we joked. We got a good laugh at it all the way there and kept asking each other "who on earth would look at porn on a cell phone...in their car...while driving?"

We figured you'd have to be extremely desperate to do that on your phone....why not at least wait until you got home? Surely this had to be such an obscure problem that it did not need a community awareness billboard. Surely.

Today it popped into my head again and I typed it "Cellphone pornography" into Google. Boy are Toby and I behind the times. Apparently this is already a 400 million dollar industry and there are hundreds of services pushing porn right to your phone for a fee.

I realize the porn industry is huge - but this just seems like taking things a little too far. What has the human race come to that we can't even make it from our home to our office without a helping of porn?

If I were supreme dictator of the world, I'd just try this; make everyone walk around naked for a year. It would erase the mystery and ... depending on who you share an office with...completely wipe out any desire to ever see a naked person again.

Then those hundreds of billions of dollars we're spending on this industry could probably work out an alternative solution to fossil fuels in about...a week.

Cherry Hill

2008-07-28T15:13:00.001-07:00

We spent the weekend at Cherry Hill with Toby's family - it is a small waterpark with a big campground. Robbie and Carter seemed to have a great time. When they weren't swimming, they were typically running around semi-nude eating sticky things. What more could a kid ask for besides water, sugar and nudity?

First: sugar and nudity:

Now the water:

Craft Day

2008-07-25T13:19:00.001-07:00

Since I stopped working on Fridays I try to make it a fun day where we do something hands-on. Today we colored and made three origami projects. By "we" I mean we both watched the video on my laptop and then I folded and Robbie decorated.

Thanks to a cool site of video tutorials on all topics, I found a whole series on Origami. Ever tried making origami from a printed diagram? That will make you feel about 50 IQ points lower down the ladder. Video, on the other hand, rocks!

Origami Sailboat

Origami paper box. This is supposed to work great with a magazine cover too -but we used standard white printer paper and let Robbie color it. Conveniently enough - it is the exaxt size to hold markers!

Robbie decorated more than his box.

Then we had a tasty muffin tin lunch - an idea I borrowed from my friend Marisa. It was a hit!

It's a Real Hen House

2008-07-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon we moved the chickens outside into their newly completed coop and run. They are still figuring out the coop and the ladder to get in and out. They had no problems getting out, but when dark fell they didn't seem to realize they should go in. They were distressed by the dark and the fireworks (yes I picked the worst day to put them outside) but all they would do is huddle under the ramp/ladder and peep.

We haven't built in a gate to the run yet so in order to get them into the coop we had two options: tear down the run or send Holly through the coop and out the chicken door to get the chickens and bring them inside. Guess which one we did? Fortunately, they hadn't "christened" the coop yet so crawling around in it was not a dirty experience. If I have to do this again it will be a whole other story. So a gate is on the top of the priority list.

The coop project definitely tested the strength of our affection. For anyone not married, this means we fought about it...often. Toby did a great job and it has a great design. I can open the entire south side to expose it to light and air and to clean. It is ventilated along the very top on three sides and has a window.

The ladder to outside is also a fold-up door for night-time.

The big door has two heavy duty bolts to keep out predators and curious toddlers.

The nests are easy to access with a flip up egg door on the west side.

I'm looking forward to the girls getting a bit bigger. When they are big enough to defend themselves from the cat and too big to fit under the fence, I'll be happy to let them "free range" a little at a time until I'm sure they are safe.

Robbie enjoys peeking in the window which is just his height.

At the very last minute I made one "upgrade" - a chicken wire "flap" behind the big door. This way we can leave the door open for cleanings and water changes without having to worry that chickens will come out. The flap is only stapled on the top and halfway down each side. It isn't really a security system..just a convenience for me. An added bonus is that it lets Robbie observe the chickens roosting, eating, drinking, etc right at eye level.

He also likes to photograph them just like mom.

Tagged - I am "it"

2008-07-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Shannon, I've been tagged - which means I have to answer some of her questions on my blog. It's a little like a chain letter but without any promises for riches and none of the stamps.

8 Things I Love/Am Passionate about:

Toby
Robbie
Travel
Reading
Photography
Design
Gardening & Chickens (back yard farming)
Baking

8 Things I want to do before I die:

Get old - with style.
See Robbie a happy healthy well adjusted adult.
Go back to Europe for a very extended vacation.
Go back to Jamaica and exactly duplicate the perfect 2007 trip.
Go back to Hawaii - with my family this time. (Are you seeing a trend with the travel thing?)
Have one more child, if possible.
Become fluent in Spanish or any other language besides English.
Successfully grow a garden without the plagues of Egypt befalling it.

8 Phrases or Words I say often:

I don't have a lot of "catch phrases" but I do have a lot of nic-names for the boys in my life.

Butthead! (Toby)
Robbie-obbie (Robbie, of course)
Stinker (Robbie)
Buster Brown (Robbie)
Babe (Toby)

and a few things I seem to say over and over all day:

How do we play nice? (to Robbie)
Let's change your bum! (To Toby - no just kidding!)
Yes, Daddy was naughty (To Robbie - this requires a separate post to explain)

8 Books I have read and enjoyed:
The Time Traveler's Wife (reading this now and highly enjoying it.)
The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan
Stones From the River (excellent!) by Ursula Hegi. I just finished this one last week and am looking forward to reading the sequel.
John Adams, David McCullough (also reading this currently)
Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer (Hey I'm a girl, what can I say?)
Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides

I could actually go on and on listing books I have read and enjoyed. These are just from the last six months or so. I love to read.

8 Things I have Learned or Remembered this Past year:

Babies are cute but Toddlers are hilarious.

Simple words from a toddler can bring my adult-self to a screeching halt when I suddenly see something from his perspective. Like when Toby and I are "discussing" something intensely and he says "Mommy and Daddy - play nice!".

The Europeans have no bragging rights when it comes to hygiene. However, in spite of having less space, higher prices and huge taxes - they have figured out how to enjoy life more than we do. They spend far less on toys and far more on vacations and education. They also watch a lot less TV but spend a lot more time in cafes with friends. Meanwhile, we're all whining about our taxes and inflation and that there is nothing good on TV.

Squash bugs are the devil!

Chickens are hypnotic to watch.

Chickens won't eat squash bugs (drat!)

It is difficult, but oh-so-important not to project my tastes/fears/judgments/expectations onto Robbie about things that aren't dangerous, illegal or immoral. I may hate something that he turns out to love. If I had not kept my mouth shut he might never have discovered a passion for dirt, bugs and broccoli. I will just have to keep telling myself this when he's 14 and wants to dye his hair black and wear Geisha makeup. He'll have plenty of time to adopt his own fears, prejudices and anxieties without carrying mine along too.

8 People I want to tag.
I don't even know 8 people. In case all the books I've read haven't clued you in - I'm no social butterfly. So I'll tag the few friends (besides Shannon) I know with blogs: Marisa, Kim, Sharon and Amber

Date Night

2008-07-20T17:41:00.001-07:00

My sister-in-law and I recently struck upon a brilliant scheme. We keep their son for a night....and then they take ours the next. We went first with the kids - and survived. But I now have a newfound appreciation for any mothers with twins....or anyone with more than one child under three.

For their date, they enjoyed being able to purchase a car without having to keep a toddler happy through the process. I'm sure anyone who has had to buy anything more complicated than a stereo while managing a small child can understand the pure joy of doing it without one.

For our date we went to dinner at Ruth's Diner - and we traveled by motorcycle. We haven't been on a ride together for......I can't even remember how long. I think two years is probably accurate.

We also went grocery shopping the next day.

The bike ride was a blast... but I have to say that shopping without a toddler was almost as exhilarating. I was actually able to read labels! We went to three separate grocery stores; Costc0, Target and Whole Foods. I reveled in my freedom to be selective.

We may have gone a bit overboard with our freedom. We could barely fit all the bags in our little Civic but we did manage to squeeze it in.

I was THIS close.

2008-07-18T13:57:00.001-07:00

Just the other day I was thinking smugly that I have almost made it out of the diaper years without a serious "poop incident". I've never had it ooze out on my lap or been sprayed in the face. None of the number of horrific things I've heard about have happened to me.

I should have known it was time.

Yesterday after dinner I took Robbie outside so I could do some weeding. I'd been bent over pulling weeds for just about a minute when Robbie walked up to me and said "yucky" then wiped something on my head. He wiped so hard, he pulled hair free of my ponytail.

"Don't wipe things on Mommy, hon, that's not nice" I said and went back to weeding.

Then I got this horrible whiff.....of dirty diaper.....and I knew what he'd wiped on me.

Apparently he had had some kind of incident, reached down in his diaper to explore it...and well you can figure it out.

I scooped him up and ran into the house where Toby was just sitting down to watch TV. I quickly explained the problem. Then I ran upstairs to have a shower, leaving Toby with what had to be the diaper of the century.

I'm officially out of shampoo.

Note To Self

2008-07-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

I don't keep a separate garden notebook and I know I won't be able to find a post-it note to myself by next April. So this will have to do. Maybe any other gardeners reading might benefit from my "notes" or at least get a laugh at my follies.

Yesterday as I was bent over my zucchini spraying my home-made organic bug killer with one hand and picking off adult squash bugs with the other hand, I thought of a list of things I need to do differently next year.

Note to self:

Next year, lay black plastic or garden fabric over the ENTIRE garden. Poke holes for plants and then you can shave about 39,082 hours off of your weeding routine.
Next year, don't plant peas or cabbage - or if you do, plant them much earlier. My cabbage are at a stand-still in this heat and my peas get dried out in the sun before they are ripe.
Next year, plant a lot of corn. You know that's one thing you'll be able to eat and also preserve by freezing.
Next year, bury jars (with sugary liquid in the bottoms) in the soil to trap crawling bugs like the worms currently devouring the cabbage leaves.
Next year grown potatoes - preferably with Marisa's barrel system.
Next year, install some serious vine supports for the squash so that picking off the bugs will be easier. Also, pick them off early - like in May before they lay a bazillion eggs.
Next year, really do make lettuce boxes. Stagger the plantings by 14 days so you don't have a cubic yard of lettuce ripening all at once.
Next year, don't bother growing eggplant, cucumbers, or peppers - it never works for you.
Next year, plant more strawberries. Half the garden would be fine. Robbie loved to look for them every day....so make sure next year you don't buy the June-bearing kind, but the ever-bearing kind.
Next year, grow mostly from seed - it's a lot cheaper!
Next year, grow beans - with poles or lattice.

Sheesh, did I do anything right this year?

Well yea - I have tons of lettuce, onions, cherry tomatoes, squash (although they are fighting to survive right now) and the herbs are all doing terrific. My strawberries are sending out shooters all over so next year should yield a good crop.

Pay Off

2008-07-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

Robbie was a quite a stinker most of the weekend so I was a bit worried about how he'd do his first day at a new sitter. This is his first real "day care" type of environment since he's only been to sitters that watch one or two kids. Now he's going to an in-home preschool/daycare with four toddlers.

When I picked him up he appeared to be having the time of his life. He came running to do the door and dragged me into the house "mommy come HERE!" and brought me in to watch him play.

In the car on the way home he became very quite. I was trying to ask him leading questions to get him to talk about his day but he wouldn't really bite. When I kept asking what he did that day he just kept saying he had a sucker. If I asked if he had fun he just said "yes" but didn't elaborate.

Finally I asked "who is your favorite friend there?"

He looked at me with a serious expression for a moment, then broke out in a huge grin and said "Mommy's my favorite friend!"

I realize I'm supposed to be the adult here - but that was all the positive reinforcement I needed to spend hours thinking up newer, funner activities we can do together.

If he had any idea how far a little praise goes with his parents he could manipulate to an even more extreme degree than he already does. And that is saying something!

Quiet Time

2008-07-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

The girls have been getting short spells of outside time each evening. They seems to enjoy themselves and putter all around their little makeshift "yard" of chicken wire. Robbie and I play nearby, watching them and making sure the cat does not dive in for a buffet dinner.

They seem to handle Robbie's shrieks and squeal and sudden movements pretty well. So far the cat has been content to observe from about a five foot distance.

It's amazing how relaxing it is to just sit and watch them putter around. All of us, at one point or other, would stop for a while and just kind of zone out staring at them. Even Toby...but he'll never admit it.

I Love Me a Three Day Weekend

2008-07-07T07:46:00.001-07:00

Memorial Day weekend was great. Fourth of July weekend was also pretty outstanding but very warm.

We spent a lot of time outside. So much so, that I think Robbie's skin may be twelve years older before we get the last of the layers of sunblock soaked off.

It all began with a small-town Grantsville parade....full of rural charm and local color.

Like this fellow.

and intersting floats...like this one decked out with severed heads.

We were sweating like...well....people standing in the sun. Robbie included. He was so red we thought maybe his sunblock was breaking down so we went and slathered even more on him. The poor kid was a walking grease stain.

Because it's Grantsville, the "floats" mostly consisted of emergency response vehicles, which we saw last week, and a lot of military vehicles. Robbie really enjoyed the motorcycles, fire trucks, tanks and tractors - especially the tractors. He also loved the marching bands and would dance pretty enthusiastically.

He did catch on to candy wrangling rather quickly and soon collected quite a stockpile.

To see a video of him rocking out to the band and running for candy, click this:

Thou Shalt Not Let Thy Toddler Dress Himself

2008-07-07T07:43:00.001-07:00

Or this is what happens:
Thomas Slippers, Tank Top, Diaper and Ninja Staff.

Garden Update

2008-06-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

The garden, after a lot of dilly-dallying around, has finally started to take off....all at once.

The weeds have been worse than I remember them ever being at the old house. it must be because its the first year...or maybe because of how much uncultivated area there is around my house...or both. I finally got exhausted from pulling weeds and laid ground fabric everywhere that wasn't a growing place.

My mixed greens are more than ready to eat - I harvested a bunch but since haven't been able to get through those, I haven't taken the rest.

My Zucchini are getting big and are flowering nicely.

My sad little eggplant bush is being choked out by some very aggressive Tomatoes...but still managed to produce this one eggplant-in-the-making.

And finally - the coop is half done. The sawhorses are stored inside it for now - but won't be a permanent fixture. If you look closely you can see the little chicken door framed in on the left.

Home on the Range

2008-06-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Toby has been putting in some serious overtime this weekend. I'm sure he didn't know he was signing up to build chicken coops when he married me - but he's been a good sport about it....99.9% of the time.

Robbie has also been enjoying the project, as he typically enjoys anything involving: dad, outside, power tools and dirt.

Toby and Robbie picking up the nails Robbie dumped out...again.

Robbie trying to look innocent. "What nails? Me?"

Bob, the ever-helpful draftee into our crazy projects....and look close - Robbie is never far away.

Neighborhood Party

2008-06-27T07:54:00.001-07:00

Last night we were on our patio, finishing off the last of our watermelon dessert when we heard sirens.

"They sound like they're getting close." said Toby and we went back to debating if we should do something fun or productive after dinner.

I heard the hiss and squeal of breaks in front of our house - it sounded like a dump truck or something else big so I went to the fence and looked through. I saw a firetruck parked right in front of our house and smoke coming out of the house across the street.

We grabbed Robbie and stood in our front yard to watch. The fire crew piled off the truck and started making preparations....and then they kept preparing. They put on their clothes, they pulled out some hose, they hooked up the hose, they adjusted clothes, the fixed the hose hookup, water gushed out of the truck, they put on their tanks, and on...and on.

Toby and I looked at each other.

"Isn't this taking a long time?" I asked.

"This is a fiasco." he confirmed.

If a fire was so bad it required 911 attention - why was the fire crew proceeding so slowly to help? As they kept preparing, more emergency cars and trucks pulled up. One, then two ambulances, another fire truck, several police cars, even the division of natural resources truck came to the scene. Before it was over there were 6 fire vehicles, two ambulances, four cops and a few other odd and ends - sherrifs and forrest rangers...all we were missing was a meter maid.

Not only were we flush with emergency crew, we had the whole neighborhood out in little clutches. I met neighbors last night I'd never even laid eyes on in 18 months of living here.

"We don't need a neighborhood barbeque," said Toby "we just need to set someone's house on fire."

So what was going on in the house? Apparently one of their kids (they have five boys) was playing with a lighter or some such thing and caught a closet on fire. Lucky for him, he was not the same boy that broke their living room window with a rock two weeks ago. One kid can probably only take so much punishment. I can only imagine what kind of punishment I'd have gotten for setting the house in fire.

Fortunately the family is fine...but I am very nervous about the possibility of our house ever catching fire, given the "rapid response time" of our local emergency crew.

Why Chickens? Why NOT Chickens?

2008-06-27T06:52:00.001-07:00

I know most of my family and friends were just being polite when I said I was getting chickens. They said "oh...neat...." but I am sure behind their smiles they were thinking "Why chickens? Is she losing her mind?"

I completely understand why it would puzzle most people. Chickens (at least grown ones) don't seem cute and cuddly like cats. They aren't good at games like dogs. So why chickens?

Well...they only thing my dogs have every given me in return for all the time, money and effort given to them is a big steaming mess. My chickens will give me eggs.

My dogs eat about $30 worth of food a month. My chickens will eat about $5, while producing about $23 worth of organic "farm fresh" eggs.

The only thing my dogs ever did for my backyard was tromple it, chew it, poop on it and destroy it (including a hot tub). The chickens will eat any insect they can lay their little beaks on - including garden pests.

The dogs have to be walked, played with, vaccinated, spayed, bathed, etc. Chickens....not so much. Their medication is in their feed, they'll happily eat kitchen scraps, they exercise themselves while hunting bugs and they only need about four square feet each to live in.

And unlike my dogs....if the chickens destroy a hot tub, I can feel fully justified in eating them.

If all that weren't enough....just look how cute these girls are:

For any chicken people out there - the top photo is a Barred Rock and the bottom is a Buff Orpington. We have two of each.

The Pitter Patter of Little Feet

2008-06-25T21:30:00.000-07:00

It's official - we are the proud parents of four tiny, fuzzy chicks.

Robbie helped with the naming and, not surprisingly, he chose "Rosie" and "Thomas". All our chickens are girls - but I just laughed and said "That's a GREAT name!" when he suggested it. He was really proud of himself and I didn't have the heart to remind him Thomas is a boy name. I hope it doesn't confuse her and put her off laying eggs.

I chose the names for the other two chickens and they are "Giblet" and "Chickenoby". The latter is an homage to Toby's toddler years when he, about to become a big brother, kept telling his mom to name his sister Chickenoby. His thinking was that the name was a good combination of "Chicken" and "Toby". What better way to pick a name for a little girl?

I am sure Rikki's glad her mom overruled Toby's choice.

About every ten minutes we have to go downstairs to check on the chickens (according to Robbie) and then he asks me to take a baby bird out for him to touch. He puts one finger on it and says "Hi Baby CHICKEN!" and then we go back upstairs.

Silly kid.

Can He Read - or Am I Crazy?

2008-06-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Robbie does things that convince me that he's merely pretending not to know how to read. Today he did it again.

"Robbie, what are you going to name your new baby chicken?"

mumbles something incoherent

"Wumsie?"

"No."

"Wubsie?"

mumbles it again

"Percy?"

"No."

"Say it for me again, please"

mumbles something again that I can't make out

"Fuzzy?"

Robbie sighs, walks out of the room and comes back in holding a small purple train he rarely ever plays with. He turns it over and shoves it under my nose.

"Rosie!" he says.

And there, printed in tiny letters on the underside of the train is "ROSIE".

The Most Stubborn Boy

2008-06-24T15:19:00.001-07:00

When Robbie doesn't want a nap...he really doesn't want a nap. Sometimes I just cave in and let him play quietly as long as he stays in his room. Sometimes even that doesn't satisfy him.

Today was one of those days.

After tearing apart his room, sneaking out, taking off his clothes, being re-clothed, put back in his room and baby-gated in...... he stood at the baby gate calling "Mommmmmeeeeee" for quite a while.

Suddenly I realized he'd grown quiet - I couldn't tell for how long. I went up to check on him. This is what I found.

After working for more than two hours to get him to go to sleep, I was torn about what I should do. I weighed my options... peed-on carpet....or angry awake child.... tough call.

I put him in bed with a blanket - no diaper.

Europa Europa

2008-06-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Europe was....great. I've always wanted to go there but business and family seemed to take me everywhere except there. I was pretty nervous about leaving Robbie for 8 days - but he had a great time with Grummy and Grumpy.

Amsterdam is probably one of the 3 most interesting city I've ever been to...and I've been to a fair few: Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, Melbourne....not to mention a few stateside cities.

What I loved most about this city was that no matter where you went, the architecture was charming, old and unique. The canal houses on postcards and in guide books weren't just one "section" of the city as I had expected - the WHOLE city looks like that.

The other thing Toby and I really enjoyed was the thousands of individual tiny shops, cafes, coffee houses (we never went in to any of these - I'll explain in a minute), restaurants, etc. They don't have Chili's, McDonalds and Starbucks on every corner like we do. They had very few chains at all from what I could tell. Instead they have a profusion of family-owned establishments occupying tiny buildings that have stood longer than we've been a state...most of them longer that we've been a country.

A culinary adventure? To be sure! But we never went hungry and the food was universally tasty, fresh and interesting.

I had been looking forward to taking billions of photos all over Amsterdam but 98% of the photos I have were taken with my pocket camera.

Part of the reason for this was not wanting to be weighed down with a hulky camera. We walked an average of 6 hours every time we went out in the city. Our hotel was outside of town so we had to take a shuttle, a train and then a metro tram to get to where we wanted to be - more reasons not to be lugging a camera. Finally, Holland does not suffer from high rates of violent crime or even drug crime (how can it be a crime if it's legal!?) but theft is rampant. Bike theft is a national pastime.

So, without further ado - here are some of my pocket camera photos of Amsterdam. These are just Sunday's pictures - we did nothing much more than walk around neighborhoods.

Evening canal - notice the locals enjoying their dinner canal-side. You could also call it "parking lot" side because their bikes are all chained up nearby.

One of ten thousand charming streets in Amsterdam.

The cafe where we ate dinner Sunday. I love this scene because it was so typically "Amsterdam". This was a neighborhood cafe we stumbled upon. There was a football (soccer) game on inside, a kid playing soccer out front, everyone was just lounging about. Waiters in Holland (and in most of Europe, I suspect) do NOT bring you your check unless you ask. Europeans spend about twice as long eating dinner as Americans... and bringing you a check would probably seem like showing you the door.

A side view of the same cafe. Are you beginning to see a trend with th bikes?

More bikes further down the alley of the cafe.
Amsterdam has one of the highest people-to-bike ratios...and they don't ride them as a leisure activity. They are aggressive, fast and extremely daring on a bike! They could give bullet bike riders a lesson in lane splitting.

One of Amsterdam's 1300 bridges. Think about that...I bet all of Utah has fewer than half that number and Amsterdam is a small area!

For a lot of people, Amsterdam is also synonymous with vice - but as you've seen above there is really so much more than that. They do have the red light district and they have hundreds, maybe thousands, of coffee shops. The name "Coffee Shop" seems to be a code word for "place to come smoke pot with the windows open so that when naive tourists walk by they say 'what is that smell?!' "

Unless you like the smell of pot (and why would you?), don't linger near a coffee shop.

The red light district is easily avoided but worth a tour at least once...because it really takes seeing it in person to grasp the concept. We walked through it with a hundred other tourists. We saw elderly couples and a few families with small children (I wouldn't do it...but to each their own) and all kinds of people....mostly just tourists.

There were also some patrons, mostly intoxicated, singing Dutch soccer songs to passers by wearing the opposing team's colors.

Conversation in a Car

2008-06-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Toby: You just know one day Zoe is going to land one of your chickens. I'll get a phone call at work ...Toby, Zoe killed Giblet...boo hoo....she's eating her....
Me: laughing
Toby: And Giblet's kicking her chicken legs saying "Buckaaaawwww..... Buckawwwww... BuckHollllleeeeee!"
Me: laughing uncontrollably...because it's probably true.

I had better make sure I get BIG chickens that can defend themselves. And we are definitely naming one Giblet.

The Smart Car

2008-06-16T01:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we rented a "Smart Car" and drove it to Zaanse Schance, a town about 30km from our hotel. Yes, we drove in Europe.

The smart car is extremely small - picture a Geo Metro cut in half. Now picture Toby driving it. He makes fun of his mom's Geo so you can just imagine how many jokes he made about the Smart Car. Here are just a few...

1. It's a good thing it's called a smart car. If the name were any longer it wouldn't fit on the car.
2. If we can't find the car in the parking lot, we can take the train and just have the museum mail it to back us.
3. I hope it stops raining before we have to drive back. Six inches of rain, and we'll need paddles to get home.
4. If Robbie were here, we'd have to get him a side-car.

The whole day went like this. Then we pulled into a large gas station with several pumps and we got blocked in. There were cars all over and we couldn't go forward or back to go out. I told Toby I had seen someone in a similar car drive between the pumps to get out. In one turn we were out.

I turned to Toby and said "Ok now try to make fun of the car."

He didn't.

Things I've Learned in Amsterdam

2008-06-14T03:04:00.000-07:00

In my mind, at least, the Europeans have alway seemed more "polished" and sophisitcated than Americans. That impression is eroding quickly after being here 24 hours and having seen:
1. someone vomit about 8 inches from where I was eating lunch (glass between us thankfully)
2. the "public" restrooms here which are really just tall plastic buckets on the sidewalks for men to step up to (pictures to come)
3. the local soccer fans (football over here) that make Oakland Raiders fans look like sissies
4. I know we all hear about the "window" girls in the red light district...but knowing about it and actually seeing it are totally different. For some reason I always thought the window girl was an "ad" for the business inside. Nope. She is the business inside. The window opens up and the guy just steps in, the curtain closes....blagh! There is no "back room" or upstairs. This is all happening inches from hundreds of tourists.
5. On television here porn is totally mixed in with kids channels, CNN, you name it. We got to our room and started channel surfing...click...click...click...EEEK!

The above picture is Toby and I at the hotel - taken by my laptop. We're working today so that is why we have on matching shirts. We have not been married so long yet that we actually dress alike by choice.

Call Me the Crazy Chicken Lady

2008-06-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

For several weeks I've been teasing Toby saying I want to get some chickens. After all, we live in "the sticks" as I never let him forget ... time to start assimilating. He has adamantly refused, which makes me giggle because I enjoy pushing his buttons. It's only fair since he does it to me constantly.

The real reason I half wanted chickens wasn't to fit it - I wanted them for free, non-disease ridden, non hormone laced eggs. Basically, eggs that don't come from four de-beaked chickens living in a 2'x2' cage. This is wear Toby usually says "Enough with your vegetarian propaganda!" so I'll stop there.

Then Sunday we were eating our eggs at breakfast and Toby said "I think you should get some chickens."

I almost fell off my chair.

Since then I've been looking into the backyard chicken thing. I had to re-read our HOA bylaws, call our city's zoning department (consisting of one nice lady) and do a little reading on what it takes to raise egg-layers. The long and short of it is that it's do-able...both in terms of municipal regulations and my low threshold for squeamishness.

But one thing is holding me back. I feel like I would have to keep the chickens totally and completely hidden from friends and neighbors. Otherwise, people are going to make all kinds of assumptions about me. After all, if I raise my food in my back yard I probably carry Skoal in my purse, marry my cousins, give birth to litters of sticky children born with Kool-aid mustaches already in place, have ducks in the bathtub and...the list goes on.

Until recently these would have been my assumptions of anyone who told me they had a chicken coop.

On the other hand, I keep looking at chicken websites. Oh yes, there are many websites dedicated to the backyard chicken farmer. I'm starting to develop a preference for certain breeds and what kind of coop I want...

Am I crazy?

Deep Denial

2008-06-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

My mother in law called me yesterday to say she had read our O.B./G.Y.N (yes we go to the same one) had suddenly died. I cant recall how many times I said "What?" and "You're kidding" and "Are you sure it was the same guy?". All those psych classes were right - denial is the first step to accepting any loss.

We didn't hang out together or send each other Christmas gifts. But, he'd been my doctor for years and held my hand (metaphorically speaking) through four pregnancies, a couple of surgeries, three miscarriages, and a lot of stress. I just saw him last month.

No only was he my doctor and my mother-in-law's doctor but also my grandmother-in-law and my sister-in-law's doctor. He delivered the only two grand children in our family - so it stands to reason with all that connection to us he was more to us than, say, a dermatologist.

He wasn't old. He seemed very fit and healthy. Then he went home, went to sleep and never woke up.

I can't explain why I am so stunned....except this: he was a pretty formal "by the book" doctor and even though this is very absurd and even childish sounding...I just can't believe he would go off and die (as if he had a choice) before my sister-in-law and I were done having kids. At least not without referring us to someone?

It's very weird how our brains work. I feel terrible for his children of course..but also his patients.

It took so much drama, effort, grief...so many exams, ultrasounds, appointments, blood test, prescriptions, hospital stays and panicked 2 a.m. phone calls before we got Robbie. I feel like we climbed a mountain over the course of three years. At least we had the comfort that if were going to climb it again we'd have the same guide. But now we won't...and I'm seriously wondering if maybe I should just hang up my hiking boots and call it good.

Child Prodigy?

2008-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

When I was four I couldn't yet read but I'd memorized my favorite books and I pretended to be able to read to my friends. They usually bought it.

I was reminded of this just now because I am working in my office and above me Robbie is "trying" to have a nap. I just heard him shouting "Mamma, Mamma. I Wenna Town. Innide, Owside, Uhside, Down!" which is the last line of one of his favorite books. He loves to shout it out when we get to that page.

It won't be long until he'll be trying that trick on his friends.

Tent for Sale

2008-05-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

It is a truth universally recognized (to steal a line from Jane Austen), that when a tent manufacturer prints "Two Man" on their product, they don't mean to say "Two or Three People - give or take."

What they really mean is:

"No more than Two Men. Ever. If those Two Men intend to be comfortable, they should be adolescent Little People from a tribe of Pygmies."

This "Universal Truth" however was lost on Toby, who bought us a Two Man backpacking tent at REI last weekend. In his defense, I know why he did it. He wanted us to go backpacking so the tent had to be small. He also figured Robbie didn't count as a "man" so we could just slip him in between us. Finally, he was trying to stay within a budget we had agreed on and the three man tent was $50 more.

What he did not realize is the amount of thrashing, squirming and flailing a two year old does before, during and after the process of falling asleep.

Last night we went camping about 12 miles away to give the new gear a test drive before going on a full-fledged backpacking trip. All I can say is thank goodness we were so close to home - I almost didn't make it through the night and gave serious through to abandoning camp.

When Toby spread out the foot print I said "That's it?" several times. It was about six inches wider than a twin bed. The tent, against all my fervent hopes was no larger than the footprint. It wasn't even tall enough inside for me to kneel without hunching over. I'm five feet tall. Our two very compact (backpacking gear, remember?) bags were overlapping Robbie's child's bag when we laid them down inside.

Robbie was easy enough to put down but he refused to get in his sleeping bag. Instead, he insisted on sleeping curled up right where my pillow should have been - feet in my forehead. We tried moving him two or three times before he fell asleep and about five times after - nothing doing. He would immediately slither right back on my head.

To make matters worse we realized too late that we were on a slight downhill grade - my end of the tent being downhill. All three sleeping bags were of the slippery nylon variety. Before I could even get drowsy I was having serious claustrophobia - with Toby sliding toward me from one side and Robbie worming ever closer from the other.

I'm a pretty claustrophobic person on a good day. Clothing can sometimes make a freak out if it is too tight and not breathable. Last night I had to talk myself out of just ripping through the tent Incredible Hulk style and running into the night.

I woke up once to find Toby awake also. It seemed a bit lighter and I desperately hoped it was 5 am so I could get out of the coffin tent.

"What time is it?"
"You don't want to know"
"Just tell me."
"You really don't want to know"
"Toby!"
"It's 2:30."
"Oh my God."

"I told you, you didn't want to know"

Still later: "If you want, you can just take Robbie home and I'll pack everything up after dawn."
Thinking: "Yes yes yes, great idea you wonderful wonderful man."
Actually said: "No, I won't just leave you here."

Morning finally did come...slowly and with very little sleep.

I got Robbie dressed and diapered in record time and we crawled over Toby to get out.

While we were standing by the tent waiting for Toby I said, mostly joking:

"Robbie, Daddy doesn't love us anymore."

From inside the tent, I heard Toby laughing and then he said:

"How did you know?"

Does anyone want to buy a Two Man tent? I'm sure you could fit two or three people...in a pinch.

Frazzled

2008-05-30T14:35:00.001-07:00

I must have been a bit flustered this morning while rushing to make Robbie and I each a pancake. I just reached into my pantry for a cookie and saw a half gallon of Winder milk sitting on my cereal shelf.

Oops.

On another note - we did have a pretty good morning. Robbie woke up at 6:45 ready to play. We had pancakes on the patio and tinkered in the garden for a bit. I couldn't stop him from reaping a second harvest of berries - some a little more green than I would personally eat but he refused to take my advice.

First Harvest

2008-05-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

Today we got the first harvest from our little garden - strawberries! Robbie was very excited and started gobbling them before I could even wash them. It took some convincing to slow him down so I could pick off the leaves and give them a little clean-up.

Little Engineer

2008-05-28T22:21:00.001-07:00

He's had this hat over a year and would never wear it. Yesterday he woke up from his nap, saw it hanging on the wall and insisted he have it. I think after the Day Out with Thomas he finally realized what kind of hat it was supposed to be.

The Greatest Day of His Life

2008-05-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

This last Saturday was probably the greatest Day in Robbie's young life. The whole weekend was pretty good for him. It's safe to say that if he could verbalize this, he would proclaim that never, in his roughly 850 days of living, have so many wonderful events coincided in one 72 hour period.

To name a few:

I made banana pancakes - a never before tasted (by him, at least) marriage of his two favorite foods (though he calls them "Cancakes").

He got first pair of cowboy boots - John Deere boots, no less. They were an instant hit.

The biggie: he finally got to meet Thomas the Train at the "Day Out with Thomas" event put on by the Heber railway. To say he was excited doesn't really cover it.

We spent roughly the gross national product of Aruba on new train sets while at the event. (not really - but it felt like it at the time)

After the train ride we went to lunch at the Dairy Keen - a train themed burger joint. Robbie got to sit in another train - this one a table. I would say he ate there but there was no eating going on.

Grummy, Grumpy, Rikki, Jason and Carter were all there at the Thomas event and at lunch - a huge bonus.

He went with Toby to pick up rocks in a rented dump trailer. Toby had taken him to do this before and Robbie had not stopped talking about it since.

While they were in Salt Lake they also picked me up a big surprise - sod!

We laid sod - which to him probably seemed like everyone was playing in the dirt with him.

While I was pulling weeds, he got to nail me right in the bum with a precisely aimed jet of (cold!) water from the hose. Toby enjoyed that as well.

He helped Bob work on the sprinkler system by strategically hiding ..er...placing the parts he needed.

He played with his cousin Carter in Carter's lovely green backyard while the whole family paid him rapt attention.

We went to his favorite restaurant. I call it his favorite - but that's a bit of irony. It's just that every time we go there he acts like a completely sugared up crack addict. He spills drinks, throws silverware, pours salt on the table and licks it off, screams and cackles like a banshee, shoves lime wedges in his eyes (and then screams more - but with a different edge)...and in general makes us so embarrassed and frustrated we have to wait three or four months before we can bring ourselves to go back.

On Monday he went to lunch with just mom - a very brave thing on my part considering the above paragraph. This time went to Chick-Fil-A and I have to say... he was an angel. He ate his whole kids' meal, never whined, never jumped up, never threw anything, never spit food out partially chewed.

Afterward he got play in their (very cool) play area for about 45 minutes. It was pouring rain when we left and he insisted I not carry him to the car - he wanted to walk. We held hands and ran splashing through the parking lot with him shouting "rain rain rain cold cold cold windy windy windy". He was delighted and passed out about 10 minutes into the drive home.

This isn't even everything we did - there was so much more that I don't have time to type. I think this has to be the most densely packed three day weekend I've ever had....and certainly the best weekend Robbie's ever had.

The Glass Boot

2008-05-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have had a boot shaped drinking glass for twelve years. I bought it at a yard sale when I was about 17 or 18. My friend Jill was a Beatle-Maniac and we regularly went "yard saling" on Saturday mornings the summer I got my first car. She was always looking for an original album - and never found one. I was along for the ride (or rather - to give the ride) with no goal in mind - when I found the boot. The glass has come with me from Oregon to Pleasant Grove to Tooele and Grantsville.

Every time we have moved or cleaned out the cupboard holding our glasses, I have had to defend the boot glass to Toby.

"Why are we keeping that stupid boot? It's the only one we have. You never even used it."

To which I would say "Someday we'll have a kid who will think this is the coolest glass in the world and he'll freak out if we even suggest he drink out of anything else. I am keeping it." and it would go back on the highest shelf to be forgotten again.

I didn't buy the glass with the intention of passing it on to my children - not at all. I just thought it was cute and it reminded my of my friend Katy's little brother. He had an identical glass that he would use on a daily basis. If we tried to give him milk in anything else he acted like we were trying to make him drink boiling oil. Plus, the glass was a nickel.

But, even though I didn't really have a clear purpose for the glass, I just hung on to it...part of my inherited pack rat nature. Ask me about my dad if you're not sure what I mean.

Today someone (not Toby) cleaned out my glass cupboard for me while I was out of the house. When I came home, she was gone but the glass boot was sitting on the counter, an obvious statement that it did not belong. Perhaps her way of saying "didn't you want to throw this out?"

I picked up the glass, and was about to put it back in the cupboard when Robbie saw it and started squealing "I want it, I want it, I have it!"

And to further prove me right, he commenced to have a melt down twenty minutes later when I suggested he use a sippy cup at story time (a traditionally horizontal activity in our house).

Fastest Shot in the West

2008-05-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

We have a new game in our house called "Mommy Fall Down". It's quite popular in these parts and here is how it is played:

Robbie points his toy rifle at me and clicks the trigger. He can't pull it yet so he just taps it. When I hear the clicking I have to clutch my chest, leg, head, etc and start gasping and staggering. Then I fall down - preferably on the ottoman, couch or stairs. The more dramatic the staggering, the more he enjoys the game.

Once I hit the ground he giggles excitedly and says "Mommy Funny" and then puts down the rifle and runs over to give a big hug and lots of kisses wherever he shot me. Sometimes he gives me a drink from his sippy cup.

Then he says "Mommy Fall Down More!"

We have played this game about 849,201 times just today.

Where does a two year old learn this stuff? All he watches are Pixar movies, Noggin and Sprout. It's not like we sit him down each Thursday with a new version of Grand Theft Auto... the gun obsession must be passed down in the DNA.

EDIT: As soon as I hit "Publish" I realized where he learned this! His favorite movie for several weeks has been The Fox and the Hound...lots and lots of rifle wielding scenes!

Proof My Cat Loves Me

2008-05-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

I said to myself I would never blog about my cat (tones of "crazy cat lady")...but I can't resist this one. Toby calls our cat The Great White Hunter because, although she has no front claws she manages to regularly capture and kill small birds and rodents. Sometimes she even manages to capture and kill quite large rodents. How large? Well it involves using a pressure washer to remove the blood stains (and organs she doesn't like to eat) from our front porch...that's how large.

I work at home in an office with a window that looks right out at the front porch and the street. Under the window there is a bench and today while I was trying to work, my cat stood on the bench and howled and cried. When I opened the blinds I saw she was holding a five inch long rodent that she desperately wanted to show me.

As soon as I pulled up my camera, she ran for the front door...so I apologize for the blurry image.

When I came outside she dropped it on the welcome mat for me. Yum.

Boys Like Bugs

2008-05-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

This was the other thing I learned last week - boys have no gene that make them repulsed by bugs *shiver*. Robbie and I were playing outside when I saw this HUGE bug walking over the rocks. I pointed it out to Robbie and he started following it.

Then I said "You want to pet it?" Totally joking! I had no idea...

That he would reach out and pet it. Blagh!

My hysterical gasping probably clued him in that he was doing something wrong because he immediately let go - but the bug stiffened up, flipped over and played dead (it really was pretending - I've seen them doing it and I checked the bug later - it was fine).

I didn't want Robbie to feel bad and I didn't know if he knew what "dead" meant so I said

"Oh...the bug is sleeping"

to which he said...

"No. It's dead" and walked away to play another game.

Things Overheard at Our Dinner Table

2008-05-20T21:48:00.001-07:00

"Robbie please don't put your hand in my water glass."
"I want to."
"Your hand probably has snot on it. So if I drink that, I'm probably going to get whatever funky funk you have, right?"
"Yeah!"
"Should I go get another water?"
"Yeah!"
"If I do, are you going to put your hand in it?"
"Yeah!"
*sigh*

A minute later...

"Did you watch Curious George today?"
"Yeah!"
"Who is George's friend?"
"Yellow Hat Guy"
"What color is is hat?"
"Yellow"
"What color are mommy's flowers?" - pointing to huge vase of yellow sunflowers right in front of him.
"Red"

A minute later....

"Do you want some pie?"
"Yeah...I like-ah the Pie! I WANT it!"

It's interesting what kinds of topics elicit an entire sentence...obviously sugar loosens the tongue.

I'm on YouTube!

2008-05-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

The workshop I went to back in March is now up on YouTube courtesy of Leo Patrone who shot it on old school Super 8! It's pretty cool and worth checking out - and I'm even in it here and there.

Update

2008-05-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

Robbie is doing well. He hasn't been wheezing or coughing (much) and hasn't had a fever. He has just been really tired, a little whiny and definitely very much a mama's boy.

For a few weeks now he's been angling for us to get him a toy gun. When we go to a store with toy guns or gun arcade games (Cabellas) we nearly have to peel him off of whatever gun he's found. We're not sure where he got this fixation but it hasn't died down.

Today I took him to the grocery store for a quick trip to pick something up and the whole time we were there he kept wimpering something to himself I couldn't understand. I kept asking him what he meant but it wasn't until I was at the check out counter (which perversely is where they put the toy section) that I realized what he'd been saying.

"Robbie big gun."

They didn't have the gun anymore that he had seen there four days ago and he cried softly to himself about it for about half an hour. Then he started sayin "robbie no want gun" and "no gun". Was he trying reverse psychology? If so, I am very frightened that he's catching on to that level of manipulation so early.

When Toby got home he bought Robbie not only a gun but bandana and a belt for his gun. It was pretty cute but he was mad about wearing the best and bandana and just wanted to hold the gun part of it.

Boys.... are guns imprinted on the chromosomes?

Kid...you really know how to kill a weekend.

2008-05-18T18:37:00.000-07:00

We'd been looking forward to this weekend for a long time - not just because we had some plans but because the news forecast every day in the week leading up to it kept promising wonderful weather.

With the highest temperatures for the year to date it seems particularly ironic that Robbie would come down with a winter-time illness: croup.

It started off with a little wheezing on Friday evening but by Saturday evening we were in an "Instacare" doing breathing treatments. The albuterol and epinephrine didn't work as well as hoped on his breathing and his temperature kept climbing. When threw up the steroids and Tylenol (down my shirt) they sent us to Primary Children's hospital.

It was a long, long night of holding an exhausted toddler in one arm and a oxygen mask in the other. There was no way on earth he was going to let them strap it on his face and just as little chance he would let me touch it to his face. Instead I played a game where I held the mask about an eighth inch from his skin so he could inhale the vapors without waking up.

Toby was kind enough to run to the 13th south Wal-Mart at about midnight (and he survived without gunshot wounds - barely) to get me a clean shirt....but it was still nice to come home tonight, get out of my cherry Tylenol vomit clothes and shower.

Children's Photography 101

2008-05-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

You learn something new every day... and yesterday I learned two. The first is for another post - but the second is a recipe for getting good shots of your own toddler boy. This is something I previously regarded as hopeless since he scowls at me whenever I break out the camera.

1. Take your child to a park about an hour before sunset so the light is lower.
2. Let him play a while before you break out the camera
3. Have him run. A lot.

4. Take pictures of him running but be sure to stop shooting before he slams into you...knocking you over. If you want to keep him going it helps to let him knock you over...a lot. They get a lot of pleasure from this. Take a lot of pictures.

Heck, take some pictures of them knocking you over and trying to pull off your shirt....in public.

Don't be afraid if some shots look absolutely terrifying.

You're bound to get a gem or two as long as your shutterspeed is at least 1/250th of a second.
5. Eventually he'll get tired of running and need a break. Now it's pay-off time. That cute relaxed shot you wanted all along. Now it is yours!

Keep shooting - because they recover fast...and then it's play time again.

Just when the memory card was nearly full (remember...take lots of pictures) Toby stopped by on his way home and got in on the action.

Husbands and Children

2008-05-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

True story...

Toby: So my friend needs to borrow my truck tonight...and that's ok because my motorcycle is at his house and I can just ride it home...

Me: Ok....?

Toby: Well there's just one problem... I don't have a helmet or my jacket.

Me: Ok....so do you want me to drive it in to you? Because I could just pick you up if I'm driving in? Or do you want to go buy a new helmet?

Toby: Well....I don't want to go spend a bunch of money on a new helmet. Maybe I should just ride home without one.

Me: No...why don't you just borrow your friend's helmet?

Toby: It doesn't fit - my head is too big. And besides, if I take his helmet, he won't be able to ride his motorcycle.

Me: Nice try. His motorcycle is sitting in our garage, remember? His helmet is not too small, I remember what size it is. You're not riding home without a helmet....but nice try. You're as bas as a kid!

If you think I am kidding about how boy-like Toby is about the bike....here is a photo of him while were sitting in the bike dealership waiting for paperwork to be done. He was zoned out....

Then I said "hey you're getting a new bike, remember?"