You never know...

I hate to be so serious - but I suppose when something touches you so deeply, it has to be shared. So here I am... sharing...

Tonight I went to the NCAA Women's game with my dad up at UConn. Even though we had a great night (I'll share later), I'm left with a melancholy feeling that I can't shake. I wish I had more answers, but right now all I can do is hope things turned out for the best.

See, I happened to come across a car accident - a pretty big one. A truck up on a side road, and a Taurus-like car on the right side of the road, facing the wrong way. Lots of police cars, paramedics, fire trucks... sand scattered about to sop up something (gas maybe?)... I never really like looking at car accidents (who can blame me?) but this one left me not wanting to ever look again.

I was about to drive past when a police officer stopped me. It gave me the chance to take in the scene... I happened to stop right next to a green SUV with the back tailgate open. I looked up to notice a man take a car seat from the Taurus, throw it in the SUV, and get in. I had been stopped to let this man leave the scene of the accident. Once he pulled out I was able to go, and ended up behind him all the way to the hospital, where he turned in and I kept going. At one point he had his arm out the window, and I could see his wedding band. I can only conclue that this man was the daddy to the little one in the car seat, and husband to the mom driver...

I checked the news, and as of now there's nothing posted about the accident. I'm hoping that Dad had to get the car seat so he could pick up the little one at daycare, and now they're all home, snuggled on the couch - mom with a little stiff neck, but all of them happy and safe.

I guess my point is this - you never know what's going to happen. And when it's going to happen. I bet these people started their days like any other - and in an instant, it's all changed.

I couldn't help but imagine my own family in this situation. What if I had been in that Taurus, with the boys in the car? How would I have felt if I was hurt and had to be taken away... what would happen to the boys? Where would they go? Who would give them kisses and tell them Mommy will be ok? What if Jake was waiting for mommy at school, and I never came? Or worse yet... what if I was like that Dad... What if *I* got the call that there was an accident and I had to go to the scene to get a car seat like he did, or have to rush to the hospital... Who would comfort them until mommy got there?

I know I can't live my life holed up in my house, with the boys locked in a bubble. But the accident made me think of some things that need to be addressed in my own life - in my home, relationships...

Needless to say, I gave both of the monsters a sweet kiss and gentle back rub as soon as I got home. I left each a little post it that says "I LOVE YOU" next to their pillows (even though they can't read!). And you can bet I'm checking those car seats first thing in the morning...

Goof

What's not to love??

Why I love them - part 2

Today was actually a really good day in Mommy-land. Yeah, the kids were nutty - but not any more nutty than usual. At some points they were actually calm! But the little monsters graced me with some little nuggets of joy... and I share them with you now...

Jacob has been learning about germs in school. I've always stressed the importance of hand washing and whatnot - but I think the lessons with his teacher really connected. He came home today telling me he knows what the germ that causes colds looks like, and that he knows germs make you throw up. I asked him how he knew that - and he said "Because S barfded all over the floor!" Lovely...

In the same vein... Justin has always been a little scamp. We've had trouble the past few months getting him to keep his diaper on - on very rare occasions it stays put without needing duct tape (JUST KIDDING!) I had managed to change him this morning - but decided not to wage the war of clothing just yet, so I let him romp around a little just in the diaper. About 5 minutes goes by, and I notice the quiet. Quiet is NEVER good with my kids. So I go into Justin's room to discover an entire package of wipes strewn about... an equal number of diapers scattered around... and the cutest little face sitting naked in the middle of it all - - - he kept saying "BEE BEE DIPEE!!! BEEBEE DIPEE!!!" I think it's time to start potty training...

Kitchen Therapy - the sequel

Today was another day in need of some kitchen therapy. I wasn't able to start until later in the afternoon, but once I started...

My first treat was fresh baked bread. The boys LOVE it, and I love making it. I just pulled it out of the oven and I'm trying not to grab a huge chunk, smother it in honey butter, and enjoy the sweet taste!

Once the bread was left to rise, I made some Cheesy Chicken Roll-ups for a birthday party tomorrow. (I'd share a pic, but it's pretty unremarkable). Equally unremarkable - but also equally delicious!!! - was the marinara sauce I made. This is my second batch, and I love it! It's so easy, so healthy - and the boys eat it like it's going out of style! I managed to freeze half the batch, so I don't have to worry next time I get the request for "noo-noo an soss".

I had to run out to get a few remaining goodies for my last treat of the night - but that was OK, as I needed help from Chef Jakers to complete the dish. I've recently joined Weight Watchers (keep an eye out for a post on that in the near future) - and one of the recipes I came upon was this Asian Vegetable Soup.

It may not look like much in the pot, but it is absolutely FANTASTIC! Just enough spice to warm your mouth and satisfy your tastebuds. And the veggies are so yummy! I've already got a batch in the freezer...

Some people clean when they're irritated... some shop... but I cook. YAY!

Why I love them - part 1

There are times when being a stay at home mom is total torture - cruel and unusual punishment. But there are times - more often than not - that I take such joy in my boys. Everyone told me it would get easier - and while each day brings a new challenge, it is, in a sense, getting easier.

I've decided that the best way to survive is to focus on the positive - so I'm starting a new "series" of little anecdotes - that I'm going to call "Why I love them". Hope you enjoy!

So to start... some recent little sillies from the boys...

Justin has his own language. He is talking a lot more - although for someone who doesn't know what he's saying, it sounds like gibberish. But his favorite phrase seems to be "YAYA! Doo-een? Det dow... Det down... Yaya - doo-een??" In English, that's "Nala! What are you doing? Get down! Get down! Nala! What are you doing?" His favorite show is "Tine-tine" (Little Einsteins) - his favorite things are his "nie-nee" and "nie-nah" (blanket and binkie). He loves to splash in the "tubby" with his big "buddah", read "boohs", play with "cais" on the race track and kick "blalls" in the yard.

Jake has discovered nutrition (yay!) I guess they did a segment in school on healthy eating and the food pyramid. He was always a bit of a picky eater, but I'm finding it a little easier to get him to try (and enjoy) new things. And as usual, he has to do it in his own special Jacob way. He can't ask for breakfast, or a snack - he has to ask for the particular nutrient. "Mom, I want some protein." "I don't want dairy, I want fiber!" "I had enough bread, I need milk." It cracks me up! But it has made things a little easier for me - if there's something I'm trying to convince him to eat, I emphasize the nutrition of it - and so far, it seems to work!

I hope to add these little sillies now and then - to remind myself why I've decided to stay home - and to give ya'll a little chuckle in your day!

More nice weather...

I've come to the realization that I'll be spending a LOT of time outside this year! The boys just chomp at the bit to get outside whenever there's not rain or chill. I figure it'll give me time to catch up on yard work!

Last week, while Jake was at school, Justin refused to nap. I needed the fresh air - so we headed out to romp for a little bit. First he climbed on the little bike - that was actually Jake's (from Paul and Kate) - and now both have outgrown it! Then he decided it was time to mow the lawn..

After mowing the lawn, he tried to go sledding...

As a last ditch attempt to enjoy the outside, he headed for Jake's bike... Believe it or not, he actually managed to get on the seat!

When it was nice outside...

Last week we had a nice spell of warm weather. I use "warm" in the sense that one could go ouside and not have their nose freeze off. Come on - it's New England - it doesn't matter that it's March!

But with the warm weather came some major cabin fever - so I took the boys to one of our favorite spots - the Rhododendron Sanctuary in Pachaug State Forest. It's a bit hard to visit in the winter, as the road and path are usually unplowed - so this is the first time we've been since the fall. I loaded the kidlets in the car - along with some bread crusts to feed the waterbugs - and we had a nice afternoon in the fresh air.

"Come on, ma! Stop with the pictures! LET'S WALK!!"
Some spots on the trail still had snow...
...while others were nice and clear.
Feeding the waterbugs... I doubt there were any waterbugs out... and I *really* doubt they like dried bread crusts... but they boys like to feed them - and I'm sure there's some creature downstream that LOVED the buffet!
And finally, a few scenic pics I managed to take...

Carb Overload!

It's only 945, and already I've made a loaf of white bread - and there's Irish Soda Bread in the oven. Jake was BEGGING to cook this morning...

Mystery Solved

So we've been in this house 4 1/2 years - and I'd like to think we've got everything figured out at this point. We've had a few problems here and there, and it never fails that some sort of half-arsed attempt at repair had been made before we moved in. Needless to say, when something goes wrong, we're never surprised at the reason.

We have a ceiling fan in our bedroom - which has come in handy in the warmer months. It's got this neat handy dandy remote - for those moments of laziness when you can't be bothered to get out of bed to turn off the light or adjust the fan. Unfortunately, the remote has often been a fun toy for the boys when they've been fast enough to beat me to the switch.

Which leads to the mystery being solved. The mystery is this - over the past 4 years, we've had 2 incidents where the light in the room was so incredibly dim. Like night-light dim. And we couldn't figure out why. We replaced the bulbs. Steve checked the wiring. Nada. We just chalked it up to another one of those half-arsed things in the house, and planned on getting a new one in the future.

Last night, they boys and I were hanging out, watching TV and snuggling before bed. Justin had grabbed the remote, and I thought nothing of it. All of a sudden, the light got really dim - I noticed his little meaty hand just clutching the remote where the light switch is. Then my own personal light got brighter - It has a dimmer switch! So lo and behold - there was nothing wrong with the light in the first place. The problem was us not being able to figure out how to operate a simple light switch remote!

If we can't figure this out, our VCR and DVD player are totally out of the question...

Pride got the best of me...

I think I've learned my lesson.

KEEP YER TRAP SHUT!!

I was so proud that none of the family had come down with any of the ick that has been going around. I was thrilled that Justin was so healthy, and that Jake had managed to weather the winter in preschool without any of the cooties...

And then it hit...

At the beginning of last week, Jacob started with some sniffles... then a bit of congestion... then the cough. ACK! I kept him home on Wednesday - he didn't have a fever, but he was pretty congested, coughing a bit. And he was totally content to sit on the couch with his blue blankie... which, if you know Jacob, is TOTALLY out of character! The "ick" seemed to be defeated with lots of fluids (yay rocket blender!!) and some good sleep... and by Thursday he was ready to go back to school.

Thursday was a pretty good day! Then Friday came... Both kids were a little snotty - but still, I hoped the "ick" would just pass over us OVER...

Until Saturday...

>Lucky Jake was better - he still had a bit of a cough, but he was well enough to be the little dictator I love... Poor Justin wasn't so lucky. He woke up with a runny nose, some nasty congestion, and that tell-tale cough. I had some errands to run, and I hoped the car ride would put him down for a good nap... No such luck. The poor kid must have felt so lousy that his little red-cheeked face just screamed "Mommy GIMME SOME NYQUILL!!" Unfortunately, that's not on the list of approved meds... I cut the errands short and gave him some Motrin. Even though he didn't get in a good nap, he seemed in better spirits. He woke a few times through the night - but for the most part, he slept well.

But I think the hours of good sleep let the "ick" really set in... He woke up this morning (Sunday) with a 101 fever and one whopper of a chest cold. I've been keeping a real close eye on him, to make sure it doesn't go beyond this. Jacob has his share of respiratory illness his first 2 years, so I know what to look for - - - and so far, Justin is just in the "I feel like poo but I don't need to go to the doctor" stage. I made sure to give him whatever he wanted - which was nothing more than juice, milk, and the occasional apple slice. He did gulp down a container of yogurt before bed, so I'm hopeful he's satisfied. Between a full tummy, some Motrin, and the remainder of my "taken-off-the-market" PediaCare cough and congestion formula, I hope he feels well enough to sleep well... Poor little man!

That being said, *I* am going to bed. I've started with a wee bit of a scratchy throat this morning... and as we all know, Mommy can NOT get sick!

Dancin' Machines

This is what happens when my kids get the boogie bug...

Sweet boys

Thanks to the lovely plow guys in town, we were FINALLY able to get out of our road this morning- - - having met up with neighbor Dave, I know there really *ARE* people in town that care for children - - - When I thanked him for doing our driveway, he simply said "If there was an emergency with those boys, you'd need to get out. I did it for the boys." Dave and Judy have twin grandsons that are almost 3 - - - so they know what life is like with little ones. It really warmed my heart... We don't see them but a few times a year... but living in a "neighborhood" where people know you and care is one of those things I've always looked forward to...

So today, Jakers was finally able to go back to school - - - to some mixed emotions. He started a cough over the weekend, and it got a little worse as the days went by. This morning I was a little undecided as to whether or not to send him to school... he didn't have a fever, just some coughing and a smidgen more crankiness (which, for Jake, could be as little as not getting the right jelly on his PB&J). So off he went. We ran some errands and he was FANTASTIC! Even Justin cooperated... until bedtime.

I had been trying to get Justin to bed so Jake and I could have our treasured "mommy/Jacob time" - meaning any time we do something special. Tonight was coloring - - I had been given some volunteer work from his teacher, and Jake had to join in. Justin was tired as anything. but fought the good fight. Just as I was at the end of my rope, Jacob comes to me and asks what was wrong with is baby (how he refers to Justin) . When I explained that Justin was tired but didn't want to sleep, Jake began to sing "lullabye... and goodnight... sweet baby it's sleeps time..."

Nomally, I would have scooted Jacob out as fast as I could... but tonight I let him settle his little brother...

And now they are both asleep...

I love my little men!

SNOW DAY!

OK - so maybe a snow day in CT isn't such a big deal, but I actually managed to get some pictures this time! Our neighbor Dave came over with his snow plow and was halfway through the driveway before I noticed - which allowed Steve to get out and play with us, rather than suffering through shoveling duty. (I'm going to deliver some sort of delicious baked confection tomorrow as a thank you...) So I bundled up the boys and myself, and outside we went.

I was a bit peeved when the lovely town plows managed to plow us all in - the plow came DOWN the street, but looped around OPPOSITE all the driveways. NO ONE could get out! We got quite a bit of snow...

This was taken at the far side of the cul-de-sac, opposite our driveway. Notice there's NO WAY to get out!

Jake LOVES the snow, so it didn't take long before he was climbing in and out.

Justin wasn't so sure... I think it was a wee bit too deep!
Once they found the sled (my $15 steal at LL Bean a few years ago, regularly priced at $100!) I got the best moment of the day - my 2 boys playing nicely with each other! Jake had a blast hauling Justin around the street, both of them laughing the entire time.
Although it was nice for us all to get outside, I'm praying for school (and work) tomorrow...