Thursday, August 31, 2006
Bus
Caleb's bus got here at 6:50am this morning! His school doesn't start until 8:15! The school is 5 minutes away. Last year he didn't get on the bus until 7:15-7:30. That was fine. This early stuff is really getting to me. We wake him up early enough but he's not interested in breakfast right away. He didn't eat anything this morning. *I emailed his teacher--she'll give him something to eat* I'm going to call the transportation office today to complain. The bus driver suggested it. She's mad, too. They don't have enough drivers and they are combining routes. You'd think they would want to keep the time on the bus to a minimum for kids with special needs. I can't complain too much because I really enjoy the extra time in the morning, but I don't want it to be at the expense of Caleb being uncomfortable. I should ask the morning drivers how he does. This morning was one of the first mornings he didn't want to get on the bus.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Choose to Rock
This blog title would have made more sense if you could see that I have on my CTR ring in the picture. When push comes to shove I will always "CHOOSE TO ROCK!". Ha ha. At least last night I did. 
Wendy and I went to see Pat Benatar. We had a great time and want all of our blog readers to be able to experience what we did (minus all the cigarette smoke).
Wendy has a magic UNL parking pass that allowed us to park less than 100 yds from the entrance. It must have been because I wore my "Optimism" deodorant.
We got there about 45 minutes early so we went to go and buy our fair food.
Yes, all that for just the two of us! The corn dogs and lemon shake ups didn't last long but we took some time to work on the Texas Taters and Onion Blossom. We ate as much as we could before we caused bodily harm.
While we were waiting for the concert to start we were checking out our surroundings. We picked a sweet spot next to some real Pat Benatar fans. This lady (I think she's a lady) was rocking out all night! Check out her sweet rat tail.
Her friend, another lady (pretty sure) was working the mullet action. 
Check out Wendy's blog later to see some other great pictures. She got one of a rocker sitting in a stroller. Some other things we saw but didn't capture on film:
1. A girl with a shirt that says "Mary is My Homegirl" and it has a picture of the Virgin Mary on it.
2. Some drunk chicks talking about their boobies. One of them had a shirt on that said "Not Everything is Flat in Nebraska". I should have asked her where she got it. ;)
3. A guy with a Pat Benatar tour shirt from 1981.
4. I know there were a lot of other things that I'm forgetting. I'm sure they'll get rehashed in the comments or over at Wendy's blog.
The first hour of the concert was taken up by some band from Norway. It could have been worse. They weren't too bad. We were just ready to rock with Pat.
She finally came out. She looked pretty sweet in a floor length black coat and black gloves! All of our pictures turned out like crap. Here's the best one from my camera.
Those lit up palm trees in the background had neon monkeys in them. Only the best for this tour.
In an effort to bring you the best concert coverage ever, we decided to take notes on the playlist.
1. All Fired Up. In our defense, we were little kids when Pat Benatar was at her peak and we only knew her most popular songs.
2. Shadows of the Night. See? Here we go. A song we know! I called Carl so he could get a taste of Pat Benatar goodness.
3. Wide Awake in Dreamland. When is she going to sing Love is a Battlefield? We're ready to dance!
4. Invincible. I do alright with the chorus.
5. True Love. Wishing I had a chair.
6. We Live for Love. Wondering when we're going to rock again.
7. We Belong. Here we go! I call back Carl so I can get the chorus taped to my answering machine. Too bad it sounded like crap when I played it back because in real life we ROCKED!
8. Let's Stay Together. Let's get back to some good songs is what I say!
9. Hell is for Children. Is she really singing Hell is for Children? Are those the right words? Yep. They are.
10. Hit Me With Your Best Shot. Classic. When I was little we had this Summer Fun tape and it had this song on it. That was an awesome tape. I miss it.
11. Heartbreaker. That's two sweet songs in a row! Now that I'm older, this is probably my favorite Pat Benatar song.
Is it over? Where is she going? Man, we gotta do the clapping thing so she'll come back out and do Love is a Battlefield.
12. Promises in the Dark. Not a bad song, just not the one we want to hear. Wendy's dying to break out her flippin' sweet dance moves.
13. LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD.
Need I say more? Just one more thing. You can't beat a good funnel cake for dessert!
Wendy and I went to see Pat Benatar. We had a great time and want all of our blog readers to be able to experience what we did (minus all the cigarette smoke).
Wendy has a magic UNL parking pass that allowed us to park less than 100 yds from the entrance. It must have been because I wore my "Optimism" deodorant.We got there about 45 minutes early so we went to go and buy our fair food.
Yes, all that for just the two of us! The corn dogs and lemon shake ups didn't last long but we took some time to work on the Texas Taters and Onion Blossom. We ate as much as we could before we caused bodily harm. While we were waiting for the concert to start we were checking out our surroundings. We picked a sweet spot next to some real Pat Benatar fans. This lady (I think she's a lady) was rocking out all night! Check out her sweet rat tail.
Her friend, another lady (pretty sure) was working the mullet action. 
Check out Wendy's blog later to see some other great pictures. She got one of a rocker sitting in a stroller. Some other things we saw but didn't capture on film:1. A girl with a shirt that says "Mary is My Homegirl" and it has a picture of the Virgin Mary on it.
2. Some drunk chicks talking about their boobies. One of them had a shirt on that said "Not Everything is Flat in Nebraska". I should have asked her where she got it. ;)
3. A guy with a Pat Benatar tour shirt from 1981.
4. I know there were a lot of other things that I'm forgetting. I'm sure they'll get rehashed in the comments or over at Wendy's blog.
The first hour of the concert was taken up by some band from Norway. It could have been worse. They weren't too bad. We were just ready to rock with Pat.
She finally came out. She looked pretty sweet in a floor length black coat and black gloves! All of our pictures turned out like crap. Here's the best one from my camera.
Those lit up palm trees in the background had neon monkeys in them. Only the best for this tour.
In an effort to bring you the best concert coverage ever, we decided to take notes on the playlist.
1. All Fired Up. In our defense, we were little kids when Pat Benatar was at her peak and we only knew her most popular songs.
2. Shadows of the Night. See? Here we go. A song we know! I called Carl so he could get a taste of Pat Benatar goodness.
3. Wide Awake in Dreamland. When is she going to sing Love is a Battlefield? We're ready to dance!
4. Invincible. I do alright with the chorus.
5. True Love. Wishing I had a chair.
6. We Live for Love. Wondering when we're going to rock again.
7. We Belong. Here we go! I call back Carl so I can get the chorus taped to my answering machine. Too bad it sounded like crap when I played it back because in real life we ROCKED!
8. Let's Stay Together. Let's get back to some good songs is what I say!
9. Hell is for Children. Is she really singing Hell is for Children? Are those the right words? Yep. They are.
10. Hit Me With Your Best Shot. Classic. When I was little we had this Summer Fun tape and it had this song on it. That was an awesome tape. I miss it.
11. Heartbreaker. That's two sweet songs in a row! Now that I'm older, this is probably my favorite Pat Benatar song.
Is it over? Where is she going? Man, we gotta do the clapping thing so she'll come back out and do Love is a Battlefield.
12. Promises in the Dark. Not a bad song, just not the one we want to hear. Wendy's dying to break out her flippin' sweet dance moves.
13. LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD.
Need I say more? Just one more thing. You can't beat a good funnel cake for dessert!
First Day of School
Caleb went back to preschool on Monday. My mornings have been really easy. Caleb leaves at 7am and Eva doesn't usually get up until 8:30 or so. Then, I just have her until 11:15 when Caleb gets off the bus. It's so much easier to run errands with just her. This morning we are daring to go to the DMV. I try really hard not to "waste" the time I have alone (before Eva wakes up). So I blog while I can and do some housework. I guess I better get some laundry done.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Roller Derby
My sister Lisa is going to join the roller derby. I think that this is really awesome. Especially since I live in the roller skating capital of the world. Last time we spoke on the phone we were trying to come up with some good names for her. I told her I'd throw it out to my blog friends and see what we could come up with.
Want to hear my choice? Hot Roller. She's a hairdresser. Get it? Ha ha. I'm sure you guys can come up with something fierce.
Have at it. If she chooses your name, I'll send you some chocolate or something equally awesome.
Want to hear my choice? Hot Roller. She's a hairdresser. Get it? Ha ha. I'm sure you guys can come up with something fierce.
Have at it. If she chooses your name, I'll send you some chocolate or something equally awesome.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Booty
Finally! My post about my state fair winnings.
I thought I'd start with a picture of the kids wearing their Eskimo Joe's t-shirts that I bought for them during our trip to Oklahoma. They're pretty dang cute.
I was disappointed with a few of the placings. My Snowdrop Shawl only got 4th! Are they crazy? They displayed it rather poorly as well. I had also entered it into a special contest ($25 gift certificate from Personal Threads) for an item knit from all natural fibers (it's 100% alpaca). I didn't win that.
I had a few other 4th place finishes--a bib (I neglected to take a picture) made from the One Skein book, and my wavy scarf from Knitty. I expected the scarf to do better.
I've included a picture of one that beat it. Huh? What the heck? My beautiful 100% wool scarf was beat out by some furry thing? Dang.
My crocheted items did a little better. I got a 3rd place on the baby bonnet that goes with my County Fair Best of Lot winning dress (only a 2nd place finisher at state). The first place finisher used the exact same pattern but, admittedly, hers was much better than mine.
My grandma's doily got 2nd. I entered a table runner I keep on our piano. It says "Nelson".
That was eligible for a $10 cash award for best "dresser scarf". Cha-ching. Won it. I probably had the only dresser scarf entered. I'll be making another one for next year. Anyone want one? I'll make it to your specifications (as long as it is flippin' sweet enough to win a ribbon and cash).
None of my crocheted items won the coveted $25 gift certificate. There's always next year.
The rest of my knitted items all received first place finishes. I guess I can't take out my snowdrop anger out on the judges too harshly. They liked my other stuff.
I made a bunny from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.
Remember my mini-sweater addiction from last Christmas?
And, of course, my state fair Hederas socks. I made these specifically for the fair because I had a good feeling about the pattern. They just happened to win the $25 gift certificate for the best knitted item. Yep, that's right. I'm a state champ. Poor Carl has had to live with me talking about it all weekend. Hey, I'm a stay at home mom that has to live for some sort of recognition for what I do. STATE CHAMPION KNITTER! Okay, I'm done...for today.
I thought I'd start with a picture of the kids wearing their Eskimo Joe's t-shirts that I bought for them during our trip to Oklahoma. They're pretty dang cute.
I was disappointed with a few of the placings. My Snowdrop Shawl only got 4th! Are they crazy? They displayed it rather poorly as well. I had also entered it into a special contest ($25 gift certificate from Personal Threads) for an item knit from all natural fibers (it's 100% alpaca). I didn't win that.
I had a few other 4th place finishes--a bib (I neglected to take a picture) made from the One Skein book, and my wavy scarf from Knitty. I expected the scarf to do better.
I've included a picture of one that beat it. Huh? What the heck? My beautiful 100% wool scarf was beat out by some furry thing? Dang.
My crocheted items did a little better. I got a 3rd place on the baby bonnet that goes with my County Fair Best of Lot winning dress (only a 2nd place finisher at state). The first place finisher used the exact same pattern but, admittedly, hers was much better than mine.
My grandma's doily got 2nd. I entered a table runner I keep on our piano. It says "Nelson".
That was eligible for a $10 cash award for best "dresser scarf". Cha-ching. Won it. I probably had the only dresser scarf entered. I'll be making another one for next year. Anyone want one? I'll make it to your specifications (as long as it is flippin' sweet enough to win a ribbon and cash).None of my crocheted items won the coveted $25 gift certificate. There's always next year.
The rest of my knitted items all received first place finishes. I guess I can't take out my snowdrop anger out on the judges too harshly. They liked my other stuff.
I made a bunny from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.
Remember my mini-sweater addiction from last Christmas?
And, of course, my state fair Hederas socks. I made these specifically for the fair because I had a good feeling about the pattern. They just happened to win the $25 gift certificate for the best knitted item. Yep, that's right. I'm a state champ. Poor Carl has had to live with me talking about it all weekend. Hey, I'm a stay at home mom that has to live for some sort of recognition for what I do. STATE CHAMPION KNITTER! Okay, I'm done...for today.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
13 Minutes
If you have 13 minutes and a box of tissue handy, please watch this video from Autism Speaks.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/inthenews/gma_autism_every_day_alert.php
It's a documentary called Autism Every Day. I'd have to say it's a pretty acurate portrayal of our life.
I'm also doing some more research on the potty training issue and came upon this great website.
http://www.autismtoilettraining.com/blog/?p=10
I know most of my readers could care less about this stuff, but I like to keep things on my blog handy for myself and to remember things I've done and researched.
http://www.autismspeaks.org/inthenews/gma_autism_every_day_alert.php
It's a documentary called Autism Every Day. I'd have to say it's a pretty acurate portrayal of our life.
I'm also doing some more research on the potty training issue and came upon this great website.
http://www.autismtoilettraining.com/blog/?p=10
I know most of my readers could care less about this stuff, but I like to keep things on my blog handy for myself and to remember things I've done and researched.
Worlds Of Fun
Last weekend we went to 4 different states in less than 3 hours. For people in New England, this probably isn't any big deal. Out in the Midwest, it gets a little more difficult. We drove from Lincoln, NE to Olathe, KS and on the way passed through Iowa and Missouri. We had Carl's brother, Jared, visiting us from California so we decided to make a trip to see their Aunt Judy and go to Worlds of Fun. I took zero pictures at Aunt Judy's house (sorry Janet--I dropped the ball on that one) but I did get some good shots at the amusement park.
Having Jared there was really nice. We didn't have to go on any of the bigger rides alone. I skipped out on the Mamba (holy moly--I'm getting too old for this stuff) but Carl and Jared liked it. The best roller coaster was the Patriot. After about an hour break, I could have done it again.
The kids rides at Camp Snoopy were ideal. I will definitely go back there.
Caleb and Eva loved the Red Baron ride, even though they didn't learn how to make it go up and down (just as well). 
This ride had horses that just went around and around. Eva had a smile on her face the whole time!
Caleb asked to ride 'Mary Poppins'--which could only mean one thing! The carousel.
We also had dinner with the missionaries one of the nights Jared was here. We had lasagna. Eva ate it up!
Having Jared there was really nice. We didn't have to go on any of the bigger rides alone. I skipped out on the Mamba (holy moly--I'm getting too old for this stuff) but Carl and Jared liked it. The best roller coaster was the Patriot. After about an hour break, I could have done it again.
The kids rides at Camp Snoopy were ideal. I will definitely go back there.
Caleb and Eva loved the Red Baron ride, even though they didn't learn how to make it go up and down (just as well). 
This ride had horses that just went around and around. Eva had a smile on her face the whole time!
Caleb asked to ride 'Mary Poppins'--which could only mean one thing! The carousel.
We also had dinner with the missionaries one of the nights Jared was here. We had lasagna. Eva ate it up!
Friday, August 25, 2006
First Concert
Caleb gave his first public piano concert today. We went to the Children's Museum and Caleb loves to play the piano that is by the stage. Today he was there playing some of his favorites--Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, The Hairbrush Song (Veggietales), What's this Button for? (Wiggles), Follow the Prophet, etc... One of the ladies that works there got on her walkie talkie and made the people working in the office come down and listen to "this three yr. old prodigy" (her words). They did. He played. They clapped. They all asked me who he takes lessons from. He doesn't. Did I teach him? Nope. He picks out these songs himself. Are all autistic kids this musical? Nope. It really is amazing. Sure is.
If I hadn't been a piano teacher for so long, I don't think I would have realized how truly amazing he is. He's really improved in just the past month. Carl and I aren't really ready to have him take lessons. We want him to have fun with it right now and I seriously doubt he would get much out of them. He still won't answer even basic questions. I did email a lady that teaches the Suzuki method to see what she suggested. If she says that he should start, I think Caleb is going to take lessons.
If I hadn't been a piano teacher for so long, I don't think I would have realized how truly amazing he is. He's really improved in just the past month. Carl and I aren't really ready to have him take lessons. We want him to have fun with it right now and I seriously doubt he would get much out of them. He still won't answer even basic questions. I did email a lady that teaches the Suzuki method to see what she suggested. If she says that he should start, I think Caleb is going to take lessons.
Stalker
I've been stalking the state fair website. I want them to post the results for the fair. Chances are, they won't do it before I get a chance to go to the fair in person tomorrow. But, I can't help myself. It's a sickness. I wonder if I should use one of my prepaid days and go tonight? I'm pathetic.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Thumb-free
I went to the dr. yesterday. I have problems. I also have problems that a dr. could help me with. Ha ha. Namely, my bum hand. She didn't send me to a physical therapist. Instead, I am to wrap my right thumb next to my pointer finger and keep it like that for a month. I need to ice it and take Aleve. After that, I have some exercises to do and if all this doesn't work, I need to get steroid shots. All I want to do is be able to pick up Eva without wincing in pain!
Do you realize how hard it is to do day to day tasks with no thumb? Try starting your car. Pulling up your pants. Trying to fasten a button. Drinking a pepsi! Writing. I'm actually quite adept at typing without a thumb. My other one picks up the slack. Changing diapers. Using a remote. Opening bottles. Knitting! Oh my. The horror. But, you know what? I tried it this morning and I can do it pretty well. I'm not as fast but I can do it.
My PCOS has also been cramping my style lately. Mood swings (what's new), more weight gain (lovely), and messed up periods (not pregnant!) just to name a few of my symptoms. I am now taking progesterone pills to start my cycle (I skipped a month) so I don't get uterine cancer (or something like that). Is this all too much information? Anyway, I'm looking like a million bucks right now. I had blood drawn out of my left arm so I have a big band aid on it and I've got my right hand all bandaged up. Woohoo.
Do you realize how hard it is to do day to day tasks with no thumb? Try starting your car. Pulling up your pants. Trying to fasten a button. Drinking a pepsi! Writing. I'm actually quite adept at typing without a thumb. My other one picks up the slack. Changing diapers. Using a remote. Opening bottles. Knitting! Oh my. The horror. But, you know what? I tried it this morning and I can do it pretty well. I'm not as fast but I can do it.
My PCOS has also been cramping my style lately. Mood swings (what's new), more weight gain (lovely), and messed up periods (not pregnant!) just to name a few of my symptoms. I am now taking progesterone pills to start my cycle (I skipped a month) so I don't get uterine cancer (or something like that). Is this all too much information? Anyway, I'm looking like a million bucks right now. I had blood drawn out of my left arm so I have a big band aid on it and I've got my right hand all bandaged up. Woohoo.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Days 3 and 4
Here is my final installment of the Oklahoma trip. On Saturday we had a leisurely morning before we went into town to meet everyone for lunch at Incredible Pizza. It really was incredible. You pay for a pizza buffet and you gain entrance to this huge building with mini golf, bowling, go karts, arcade games, and party central. It was really crowded! I would write more about this place but I'm getting tired just thinking about it. *Tiffany-they have a smaller version of the camp snoopy ball things there*
I went shopping with my mom the rest of the day.
The kids just wanted to see the animals.
On Sunday we drove out to Broken Arrow for church. We saw some of our old college friends and their 4.5 kids. They were dating and got married the same time as we did. After church, we made the trek back home to Nebraska. I was pretty happy to be sleeping in my own bed again.
I went shopping with my mom the rest of the day.
The kids just wanted to see the animals.
On Sunday we drove out to Broken Arrow for church. We saw some of our old college friends and their 4.5 kids. They were dating and got married the same time as we did. After church, we made the trek back home to Nebraska. I was pretty happy to be sleeping in my own bed again.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Day Two and a Half
I'm resuming blogging about our Oklahoma trip now. It's a little late, especially considering that we just got back from another trip (this one to Kansas City).
On our way back to Tulsa after visiting the ranch, we decided to stop at Classic 50's for a beverage or two. I used to go to Classic 50's almost every day for a slush during happy hour. Once I started dating Carl, I would take him along. It was always a special place for us.
Most of you know that before I left on my mission, this guy from AZ wanted me to stay home and marry him. I wasn't going to stay home but he did get me thinking about what I wanted for myself and I even wrote Carl a "Dear John" letter. In my defense, I wrote one to the AZ guy at the same time. But, a couple of weeks later I wrote an apology to Carl and he "took back" the fact that I had written that letter. I didn't write back to AZ guy.
*I promise this story has a point and it has something to do with Classic 50's*
I encouraged Carl to date when he got home from his mission. I didn't encourage him to get serious about anyone else. But, he kind of did. He didn't have the guts to tell me about this relationship himself so my mom and my best friend had to write to me to tell me. I came home six months later and Carl knew he was in big trouble! I had pretty much figured that I was going to find some other guy and then let every girl we knew know what a two-timer Carl was and then he'd never get any more dates. I think you all can figure out that my plan didn't work. Instead, I decided to break up his other relationship. It wasn't hard. He couldn't resist me. It's true. ;) When we got back together, we resumed our trips to Classic 50's. I asked him if he ever took HER there.
He said, "No way. This place is sacred." Good answer! We got engaged there just a few weeks later. Yep, he proposed to me at a drive-in restaurant and I couldn't have been more pleased.
This guy has been working there for over 10 years, I'm sure. He brought us our engagement slushes and he served us again last week.
On our way back to Tulsa after visiting the ranch, we decided to stop at Classic 50's for a beverage or two. I used to go to Classic 50's almost every day for a slush during happy hour. Once I started dating Carl, I would take him along. It was always a special place for us.
Most of you know that before I left on my mission, this guy from AZ wanted me to stay home and marry him. I wasn't going to stay home but he did get me thinking about what I wanted for myself and I even wrote Carl a "Dear John" letter. In my defense, I wrote one to the AZ guy at the same time. But, a couple of weeks later I wrote an apology to Carl and he "took back" the fact that I had written that letter. I didn't write back to AZ guy.
*I promise this story has a point and it has something to do with Classic 50's*
I encouraged Carl to date when he got home from his mission. I didn't encourage him to get serious about anyone else. But, he kind of did. He didn't have the guts to tell me about this relationship himself so my mom and my best friend had to write to me to tell me. I came home six months later and Carl knew he was in big trouble! I had pretty much figured that I was going to find some other guy and then let every girl we knew know what a two-timer Carl was and then he'd never get any more dates. I think you all can figure out that my plan didn't work. Instead, I decided to break up his other relationship. It wasn't hard. He couldn't resist me. It's true. ;) When we got back together, we resumed our trips to Classic 50's. I asked him if he ever took HER there.
He said, "No way. This place is sacred." Good answer! We got engaged there just a few weeks later. Yep, he proposed to me at a drive-in restaurant and I couldn't have been more pleased.
This guy has been working there for over 10 years, I'm sure. He brought us our engagement slushes and he served us again last week.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
State Fair
I am feeling great relief now that I dropped off all of my items to the Great State Fair of Nebraska. I finished the socks last night. They are gorgeous. I used the Hederas pattern from Knitty. 
I didn't forget to enter Snowdrop, either. I have a good feeling about her. I didn't even wear my optimistic deodorant today! I did, however, wear some that smells like violets. I don't know how that is supposed to make me feel, maybe lucky. Here's what happened to me on my way to the fairgrounds.
My car was on empty. Lucky? We'll see. I went to the station down the street because it was a "cheap" $2.83. The tanker was there so I couldn't fill up. Then, I remembered the station at 48th and Randolph. It was $2.89. Oh well. I was about to run out of gas. I pulled in. I started to fill up. I read a little flier on the pump. "Customer Appreciation Day! 5 cents off each gallon! Free hotdogs! Free ice cream! Free drinks!" Are you kidding me? This IS my lucky day! I filled up in every way that I could and drove off feeling might glad that I chose the violet deodorant today.
I didn't forget to enter Snowdrop, either. I have a good feeling about her. I didn't even wear my optimistic deodorant today! I did, however, wear some that smells like violets. I don't know how that is supposed to make me feel, maybe lucky. Here's what happened to me on my way to the fairgrounds.My car was on empty. Lucky? We'll see. I went to the station down the street because it was a "cheap" $2.83. The tanker was there so I couldn't fill up. Then, I remembered the station at 48th and Randolph. It was $2.89. Oh well. I was about to run out of gas. I pulled in. I started to fill up. I read a little flier on the pump. "Customer Appreciation Day! 5 cents off each gallon! Free hotdogs! Free ice cream! Free drinks!" Are you kidding me? This IS my lucky day! I filled up in every way that I could and drove off feeling might glad that I chose the violet deodorant today.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Day Two
We left early enough on this day to make it to Norman by lunchtime. We did forget the diaper bag in Tulsa, though. We made a quick stop at Love's to get diapers and wipes and then it was off to meet my dad, stepmom, and little brothers Sam and Joe at Cocina de Mino. Norman, OK has the best restaurants. I miss that. Lincoln, even though it is at least twice as big as Norman, does not have near the quality (and probably quantity) of restaurants as Norman. Could it be that I just haven't found them yet? I doubt it. We ate well.
Then, we headed out to the ranch. We spent most of our time outside. The kids loved the trampoline and all of the animals. Great grandpa Charlton was out on the tractor. It was too loud for Caleb to ride on it, but he was willing to snap a few pictures for posterity. What a good boy.
Eva was in hog heaven following around all of the dogs and going out to see the horses. She is quite the animal lover. Caleb is a little more timid around them. I sure don't blame him!
Sam, the oldest of the boys, is so much like I am---to the point of annoyance. He loves being smart and playing games. He doesn't care to be outside to much and he knows everything.
Joe is more like my younger sister, Lisa. He's got a good heart, loves his animals and enjoys spending time outside.
Both of the boys did a great job of taking care of the kids. They played well and I rewarded them with a couple of bucks each for a job well done.
We had an excellent visit but around 6pm, we packed up and headed back for Tulsa. Eva hadn't taken a nap all day and she was asleep in the car by the time we made it to the interstate (maybe 1 mile?).
Then, we headed out to the ranch. We spent most of our time outside. The kids loved the trampoline and all of the animals. Great grandpa Charlton was out on the tractor. It was too loud for Caleb to ride on it, but he was willing to snap a few pictures for posterity. What a good boy.
Eva was in hog heaven following around all of the dogs and going out to see the horses. She is quite the animal lover. Caleb is a little more timid around them. I sure don't blame him!Sam, the oldest of the boys, is so much like I am---to the point of annoyance. He loves being smart and playing games. He doesn't care to be outside to much and he knows everything.
Joe is more like my younger sister, Lisa. He's got a good heart, loves his animals and enjoys spending time outside.
Both of the boys did a great job of taking care of the kids. They played well and I rewarded them with a couple of bucks each for a job well done.
We had an excellent visit but around 6pm, we packed up and headed back for Tulsa. Eva hadn't taken a nap all day and she was asleep in the car by the time we made it to the interstate (maybe 1 mile?).
Monday, August 14, 2006
Whoa!
I've been avoiding doing days 2-3 of the trip because I actually took pictures and I want to include them with the post. However, my blog time is minimal and my camera is in the other room. A trip to go get it isn't in the cards. I'm not THAT lazy. It's just that if I go out there Caleb and Eva will know where I am and even though they are perfectly content hanging out with their Dad, when they see me...chaos ensues. So, I'll try and get the vacation pics up later tonight or I might not even get to it until Wed. when Carl's brother is here.
Even I hate coming to my blog when it hasn't been updated so I thought I'd give you a little random blog about nothing. Actually, about Dancing With the Stars. This next season promises to be a doozy. Check this out! Mario Lopez--Slater from Saved by the Bell! My sister and I saw him at Santa Anita one Easter when he was there "touring" as a dancer/drummer with Kids Incorporated (one of our FAVORITE shows---wish those were on dvd!).
Jerry Springer? Huh? That should be entertaining. 
Joey Lawrence! Whoa! 
I'll be getting the DVR ready for this season for sure!
Even I hate coming to my blog when it hasn't been updated so I thought I'd give you a little random blog about nothing. Actually, about Dancing With the Stars. This next season promises to be a doozy. Check this out! Mario Lopez--Slater from Saved by the Bell! My sister and I saw him at Santa Anita one Easter when he was there "touring" as a dancer/drummer with Kids Incorporated (one of our FAVORITE shows---wish those were on dvd!).
Jerry Springer? Huh? That should be entertaining. 
Joey Lawrence! Whoa! 
I'll be getting the DVR ready for this season for sure!
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Asesina del calcetín
When I get up early and browse knitting blogs, this is what happens. I join things like SOCK WARS!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Day One
We woke up somewhat early trying to get packed up and ready to go by 10am. That worked. We were in the car at 10am and Carl said a prayer. I had a few errands to run on the way out of town so our first stop was to the post office. As soon as we pulled out of the post office, the power steering went out, the AC stopped working, and the van started heating up like Hades. The post office is 2 blocks from the house and we have a service station with a mechanic a few blocks away as well. That's where we went. In the meantime, I'm mad at Carl because I'm sure he did this to the car since he just changed the oil that morning. He must have messed up something. It's got to be more than coincidence that every time he touches any machine of mine (car, computer) it breaks. Sure, he's got a PhD in Mechanical Engineering but he's no expert at cars.
When we got to the service station I realized that it wasn't his oil change that did it. It was his prayer. If this would have happened any other place than where it did, we would have been stranded somewhere for a long time. Instead, Carl was able to walk home and drive his car back. We packed up the Honda and headed out anyway. Our van is at the service station for the weekend and hopefully it's not too messed up. Carl said it was the tensioner for the serpentine belt. On the drive to Oklahoma we started talking about trading in the van when we get home.
Once we got out of town (11am--not bad) we drove to Concordia, KS to make it with only five minutes to spare for the Pizza Hut buffet. This is the best place for us to feed the kids. They are free and I had a coupon for a buy one get one free buffet. We fed all four of us for under $10. Sweet. They tried to charge me for Caleb. Sure, he looks five and eats like a ten year old...but he's still only 3! ha ha
The trip was smooth sailing from there. We made it to my mom's house at 7pm. They had lasagna waiting for us and my sister brought her dvd of The Pirate Movie. Very few people understand why I love that movie. Actually, I don't even understand why I love that movie. Could be something about my adolescent crush on Christopher Atkins. He was one of the few people that I had a poster for in my room. Aaah. Young love. Plus, you can't beat a good pirate comedy with great songs and choreography.
The kids are enamored with the dog. My mom has a little weiner dog named Peter. They chase that dog around and giggle. There is also this toy here that is a thing that uses air to pop up little balls. They LOVE that toy.
Potty update: Caleb made it the whole trip without having an accident. We'll see how he does on our mini road trip today.
I have taken ZERO pictures so far. We're going down to my dad's today for a quick day trip. Sorry, I won't be stopping Melessa! I'll wave as we pass your house.
When we got to the service station I realized that it wasn't his oil change that did it. It was his prayer. If this would have happened any other place than where it did, we would have been stranded somewhere for a long time. Instead, Carl was able to walk home and drive his car back. We packed up the Honda and headed out anyway. Our van is at the service station for the weekend and hopefully it's not too messed up. Carl said it was the tensioner for the serpentine belt. On the drive to Oklahoma we started talking about trading in the van when we get home.
Once we got out of town (11am--not bad) we drove to Concordia, KS to make it with only five minutes to spare for the Pizza Hut buffet. This is the best place for us to feed the kids. They are free and I had a coupon for a buy one get one free buffet. We fed all four of us for under $10. Sweet. They tried to charge me for Caleb. Sure, he looks five and eats like a ten year old...but he's still only 3! ha ha
The trip was smooth sailing from there. We made it to my mom's house at 7pm. They had lasagna waiting for us and my sister brought her dvd of The Pirate Movie. Very few people understand why I love that movie. Actually, I don't even understand why I love that movie. Could be something about my adolescent crush on Christopher Atkins. He was one of the few people that I had a poster for in my room. Aaah. Young love. Plus, you can't beat a good pirate comedy with great songs and choreography.
The kids are enamored with the dog. My mom has a little weiner dog named Peter. They chase that dog around and giggle. There is also this toy here that is a thing that uses air to pop up little balls. They LOVE that toy.
Potty update: Caleb made it the whole trip without having an accident. We'll see how he does on our mini road trip today.
I have taken ZERO pictures so far. We're going down to my dad's today for a quick day trip. Sorry, I won't be stopping Melessa! I'll wave as we pass your house.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
My Life
I thought I'd do this little quiz to have posted while I'm vacation. I don't know how much I'll be posting while I'm gone this weekend. Apparently, I have a pretty good life. It's true.
| This Is My Life, Rated | |
| Life: |  7.5 |
| Mind: |  7 |
| Body: |  4.3 |
| Spirit: |  8.4 |
| Friends/Family: | 7.7 |
| Love: | 9.1 |
| Finance: | 6.6 |
| Take the Rate My Life Quiz | |
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Kids
Nothing like a picture of the kids to keep the grandparents happy. Eva loves to pretend to talk on the phone. She always has something up to her ear (even if it is just her hand). What a girl! I just have random things to blog about today. I guess this is no different than any other day.
1. We're buying tile to put in our kitchen. The vinyl gets scuffed beyond belief and has a hole in it.
2. In the process, I'm designing our bathroom. We won't have the time/money/etc... to do this for at least a year but it sure is fun thinking about it. Jacuzzi tub--here I come!
3. The weather has been great lately. Kind of overcast, raining. Too bad we're going on vacation to the freakin' SUN (Oklahoma) this weekend.
4. Next weekend we will be vacationing in Kansas City with Carl's aunt. His brother is coming to stay with us for a week, too.
5. I bought some really cute capris at Old Navy last weekend. They said that they had a low waist. That's okay--I've done that before, I have long shirts. Unfortunately, my shirt would have to cover my whole butt because that's as far as those low waist capris go. How in the world do people wear this stuff? I'm taking them back today.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Eight
Eight years ago, I married Carl. It's been a good run so far. I think we'll be able to keep this up for eternity.
Twelve years ago, we started dating. I have a bunch of letters from him when we were dating. Granted, we spent 2 1/2 of those 4 years writing letters because of missions. But, I found some letters from his first Christmas home after we just started dating. They are so cute! He tells me, "Happy 2 month anniversary!". We thought we had a pretty good idea that we would end up married--but really, who could have predicted the kind of life we would have.
I'm blessed and everyone that knows Carl realizes the truth in that.
Twelve years ago, we started dating. I have a bunch of letters from him when we were dating. Granted, we spent 2 1/2 of those 4 years writing letters because of missions. But, I found some letters from his first Christmas home after we just started dating. They are so cute! He tells me, "Happy 2 month anniversary!". We thought we had a pretty good idea that we would end up married--but really, who could have predicted the kind of life we would have.
I'm blessed and everyone that knows Carl realizes the truth in that.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Chores
Even though I am a multiple ribbon winner, the chores still have to be done.
I watered the plants.
I cooked some dinner. It was tilapia and rice.
I put a trash bag in the can.
I "chilled" with my little Jack Sparrow doll.
I had to take it easy. After all, it is Sunday.
I watered the plants.
I cooked some dinner. It was tilapia and rice.
I put a trash bag in the can.
I "chilled" with my little Jack Sparrow doll.
I had to take it easy. After all, it is Sunday.
Baby K's Shower
I had a fabulous time yesterday at a baby shower for Julie, a member of a knitting group that I attend twice a month. She's due in three weeks with a little girl. It was so great to see all of the awesome hand knit gifts. Mine wasn't (I've got a hand knit that she will be able to have AFTER the State Fair). I only took these two pictures. Lame , I know. We had a fabulous lunch (we were at Wilderness Lodge) and then after the shower, we went to our regular place to knit (Wilderness Perk). I'm working on some Hederas socks for the state fair.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Rollin'
I can't deny all of my fabulous blog readers the pleasure of knowing what awesome event we have going on in Lincoln right now. It's the NATIONAL FIGURE ROLLER SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS! I know, I know. If you were me, you'd be there EVERY DAY! But, alas, I could only afford one day. Unfortunately, I didn't take too many pictures of the skating. I had one or more kids on my lap for the majority of the time. Here are the pictures I did take. 
Caleb did eventually take his hands off his ears. It was a good thing, too. Otherwise he would have missed the Pirates of the Caribbean music that every other skater decided to choose for her routine. I was pretty good at guessing the music based on the costumes. Red and black? Why, it's a Paso Doble! Neon w/ a flower in the hair? That's gotta be a merengue beat. There was one girl that had on an interesting outfit. Based on that, I thought her number was going to be Gladiator Disco. I was so close! It was Egyptian Disco.Tiffany's son N was clearly amazed at the artistry.
The actual skating wasn't that impressive. Okay, I couldn't do those things. But the "best" part of it was when they would fall and Caleb would say, "Are you okay?" or "Oops!". There was a lot of falling.Eva just wanted to walk up and down the aisles. We ended up "driving" on some of the arcade games. That was fun.
I think we were the only ones in the arena that weren't competitors or families of the competitors. I don't know why. It was totally sweet and I can't wait until the next one! If you live in this area, don't despair! You can still see them. It's $8 at the Pershing Center for just a few more days.
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