John sent gifts...

John went out of town on what will be a zillion trips this year and since this one was a few days longer than normal he sent extra special cards in lieu of the normal postcard. Jack LOVED his. Dory, well... she had just waken up because after taking a ton of pics with Jack he decided it was time for her to see hers and show her his... so he went to the gate at the stairs and yelled at the top of his lungs for her until she appeared.



Overall, they were a HUGE success!

Leaf Piles

Over Thanksgiving, 'Uncle' Andy came to visit. He stayed over at the IL's and spent one of his days raking the front yard into piles 'o fun for the kids - who then had a BLAST. Thanks Uncle Andy!
Follow photo to Flickr for more of leaves...

Forgive me

Please forgive me for not keeping the blog up to date recently. I have been feeling like - see right now, words escape me. I can't finish that sentence. It's shameful. It's not quite depression, but more like apathy. Like the fight is being beaten out of me slowly. I hate it. What's even worse is I can't tell you for sure what is causing it. I can point out little things that prick at it... but not the root. So, as for blogging, I just don't even know what to write about. I have some responsibilities that I am falling down on miserably. Things that should not be hard for me to just get done... but seem like unscalable mountains.

So, here you go... I'll dump some out unceremoniously for you:
-Jack said "Walk the Plank, Arrr" on Saturday on the way to the IL's... it's his second sentence. His first was the week prior, "Here you go", as he slapped something into my lap and ran away.
-Dory is Dory... a bit starved for attention, brilliant and opinionated. I'm going to cut up an old sweater that I accidentally felted a few years ago, and still have, to be a winter coat for her. I think it will be a perfect fit.
-Thanksgiving was good. We had Turkey at one house, and Ostrich at the other. We did not celebrate it here this year, opting instead to travel. John didn't want to worry about company coming when he was going to be gone just prior to it on a business trip. Ok, I get it. But see? The fight is gone. As much fun as it was, I hated it. Is that awful to say? Thanksgiving was great! Really! It was! Good food, great company, behaved kids... and yet... Blah.
-John has lost 24 pounds so far and is making tremendous strides towards losing much more. He likely already has and just has not reported it yet. I'm so very proud of him and the accomplishment!
-We've been attending a new church that I am very happy with (or was until the last sermon series... not fond of the new speaker that we have had).
-Jack finally got his birthday celebrated at our Thanksgiving get together, and the weekend prior. I do have pics.
-Uncle Andy made a rocking pile 'o leaves and the kids, he and Daddy spent a good amount of time rolling in them Saturday. I have a video to edit of it to show you.
-More FOs to blog about for my knitting readers. Even a killer swap package that hasn't made it up. (Thank you Amy!!!)

How am I doing? *shrug* I'm doing.
And that's not good. See? I'm even apathetic enough to write this post. The list above just looks like a glaring list of failed posts to me.
So, please, forgive me. For not blogging more regularly like I usually do. For being snippy with you for what you think is no reason. For not being as joyous over your excellent news. For not getting that thing done on the time line that I set.
I'm trying. I am. I just have no zip right now.

A log with a hole.

Dory was fascinated by this hollow trunk. She practically wanted to climb in with whatever was hibernating.

A log with a hole.
Originally uploaded by Jonquil Mom

Happy Birthday Grandma Patty!

Jack and Daddy had a good time in the kitchen - Jack is quite the Monkey Man now, and will climb anything and everything! The age two antics are in full swing as of this last few weeks, its easy to see his birthday is right around the corner. We had a great day over at Grandmas house, and have all sorts of things coming up to do with Grandma still. ;-) Like a Tea and Chocolate pairing benefit Thursday evening!
John is leaving Wednesday for his annual Fish and Chips with the guys. He says he's going to be in a tent while the rest of the guys (other than Ted) will be in a cabin. Good luck... I bet he'll fall prey to temptation! Anyway, Grandpa is babysitting so Patty and I can attend the tasting/pairing. I'm pretty excited about it.

Dory painted Grandma two teacups and I knitted cozies for them. I drew frames around the pictures and even added a tiny plaque on the lower right hand side... then made them "Gallery Series" numbered editions on the bottom. I am super pleased with how they came out. They don't look like the traditional hideous kid scribble all over and actually seem pretty cool to me. But, I could be very biased on that. I don't know! Grandma loved the cups and said the only problem was that the cozies covered them up... of course!

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Adding the pattern to the Ravelry Database. Direct PDF download is here. Enjoy Patty's mug warmers.

Was something else, not now...

Who knows what I *was* going to blog about. I don't recall. John called for me to come get him from work because of an on setting migraine. I finally rounded us all up, walked out the door... and um.... well, I put the kids in the car, tried the front door, tried the windows... I'm happy to say our house was locked up tight. I called John back and he said in a groggy voice, "You outside?" I said, "No, well, yes... but not outside your office." There was silence as he tried to figure this out without the brain power the migraine sucked. I said, "I'm outside with two kids and my cell phone. I realized as the door clicked behind me I had neither my purse or keys." "Oh. Well, I guess I'll find someone to bring me home," he said.
About 15-20 minutes later he found us playing in the yard pulling weeds and eating tomatoes.

After the 30 minute "walk" with Ba this morning... I've had my fill of the great outdoors for awhile!

Even the DOG has gone nuts

Well, that time of year is upon us again, and John is working like no body's business.  We've not seen him much around here and all miss him something fierce.  I think, however, Abby might just miss him the most.  She sat outside all day yesterday, refusing to come in.  Refusing treats when she did come in, instead she asked to go right back out.  She acted like she does when a fierce lightening storm comes through, gong nuts and whining.  Last night, when John came home, she came right in and fell asleep athis feet as if nothing were wrong.  This morning she was fine... until he left.  He wasn't even out of the garage before she was practically doing back flips to go outside.  It's 3 hours after that event right now... and she will not come in.
So, what does that say about me? I'm not sure I want to think about it much.  All I know is I'm doing good... the dishes have been washed.

Happy Family

Did I share this picture when I posted about Biltmore? I think I neglected to get it downloaded (or use the camera to take a picture of the picture....) We love it. It is our first family picture since Jack has been born. We are certainly due to go have one really taken.

*Gasp*

It's true. They ARE his kids!!!!

They DOWNED a can of sardines for lunch. Oh, my. Both of them. It was freakish.

The Humiliating Post (graphic content)

Dory has, just today, learned to 'tickle her "body" '. Or at least she is just now sharing this with me. Oh, the joys.
('Body' is her very own made up euphemism. We have tried using real terms, she's not taking to them.)

I was just about to put Jack down for a nap and I look over at her as she plops down in the chair and proceeds to tell me, "Sometimes, I move my panties, like this, and let the air in to tickle my body... sometimes I do this (spreading herself out some more)..."

Oh. dear. Lord!!!!

HOW, oh HOW, do I handle this one? Better be quick. I was awesome when she asked about penises, why Daddy and Jack both have ones and she and mommy do not. I did really well explaining how babies are born and in general how they are made. I have sown her with a mirror her parts and explained why we have to work to keep them clean so it doesn't get infected and hurt. But this? Right now? Isn't there some rule about being given a warning? There should be. (Yes, I know. Stop laughing at me. I know the age is right... don't rub it in, I should have seen it coming.) I'm rethinking the whole open about sex and our bodies thing right this split second... Wow. I know I did it to my mom, I even remember some of it as one of those humiliating early memories... but that doesn't matter right now. How is the right way to deal with this? I don't want to tell her it's dirty and she should be ashamed, I don't want to set up sex as something bad... but I'm dying to jump up and start yelling stop!!! I don't want her to think it's appropriate anytime and anywhere either though. I don't want her chatting casually about her exploits as we walk down the aisle in a store... seriously... I think this is bad? Oh, the TRUE horror.

When I came to my senses, after a thankfully brief few seconds, I told her we do it in private. Not with other people around.

She asked if she could go to her room. Um... Unfortunately I had to put Jack down, (remember?) for a much needed nap. I told her not right now.

She asked me where she could go then... I told her she would just have to wait. Simple enough, huh? Whew! I made it through!

No. HA-HA! Silly Mommy!

Then she started in about the multiple ways to tickle one's self, counts her 4 fingers, and THEN asks if she can use Jack's dragon (from his castle book set - it's a soft plush). Um, no, you can't dear. "Why not?" she asks. "Um, because it will make it dirty, and it's not yours and you don't want to make it dirty. We don't do something like that." Gulp - is that a good enough answer? Geez! I feel like she's asking me for a Pure Romance Party already with that question...
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A few minutes after I get Jack down, John calls. He's just finished me all about the DMV trials (there's always something... the camera broke on the person before him) when I pull my trump saying, "Well, at least you aren't here learning about how Dory tickles her 'body'."

He says, "Oh, no... really?"

Yes my dear. Yes.

"Well, I gotta say, I think I would have handled that really well." (I'm thinking about the penis comment that took him off guard leaving him pale and stuttering...)

"Oh? What if she was showing you while she was telling you?"

"On second thought, I would have had a coronary, " he said. "Chest clutching 'Elizabeth I'm coming home'."

Yeah, that's about right.

____________________________________

But, oh, dear... what a day. I wonder if John will be coming home now... I think I scared him.

At least boys start yanking on day one. Less shock involved there.

The Zoo

We went to visit Clay and Amy this weekend down in Columbia, we had a wonderful time! They took us to the Riverbanks Zoo for the afternoon. A great time was had by all. It turns out my son wants to be carried by everyone but me... well, not really, but Clay and Amy both spent lots of time cuddling him. :)


Carousel fun.


Jack and Amy look at chickens. Some had very fluffy feet!


Yes, we were that close... he was HUGE.


Dory finally sees her bears!


The men folk. Aint they good lookin'?


Don't let her fool you, she wasn't asleep.


Neither was he, but he was tired, and hungry.


Taken right after being caught 'asleep'.


Tearing up the kitchen.


Thank you Mr. Clay. :)

Did you hear?

That gigantic ROAR that leapt from our living room last night? That was John, Dory and Jack cheering in disbelief over the final few minutes of the Super Bowl as John's longtime 'home' team WON. (I even have a picture of the hoopla that I'm forbidden to post.)

Dory was the reason they won, as my superstitious sweetheart will tell you. She perched herself on his shoulders for the 4th quarter and did all sorts of wonderful cheers. Every major play, there she was rooting them on. John has tried hard not to push his love of the Giants on her, since her official home team is the Panthers. I've told him I think he is crazy, of all things to push on her, football would be the best. LOL Well, she caught the fever last night. I don't know how this will affect her love of Jake (why she latched on him, I don't know), but she is a Giants fan as well as a Panthers one... that is for sure. It must be true, she helped them win the game.

It was a beautiful Daddy-Daughter moment. A true blissful memory.

Dory to Daddy

"You really have to take off those spikes." ...in regards to bedtime kisses. Apparently he really needs to shave. This is the second night she has told him this.

An 'Art Show'

Dory misunderstood 'art project', meaning 'holiday craft' for leaving to go to an 'Art Show'. But that said, once Grand started poking holes in the orange for her, those cloves went in easy. Her cloved orange was a wonderful centerpiece along with Patty's leaf placemat and we didn't even go anywhere. She recovered from the sad fact that art project did not involve a gallery.

Love