Friday, May 27, 2011

Friday Funnies

I don't have a lot of funny moments this week.  Mostly because this week sucked.  With tornadoes and an absentee husband, not to mention the tantrums Reese began this week and the exhaustion of the end of the year, well you get the point.  Here are a few things that are cracking me up right now.

1.  Reese loves to play with lotion.  A squirt or ten at a diaper change is one life's greatest pleasures. Today she opened the bottle, squirted a little and got a face full.  She laughed an evil little laugh and then said, "o-shay" which is "okay" in baby language but the way she got so excited it came out suspiciously like "oh shit."  And I thought that was very appropriate for the situation.  And she probably has heard that a time or two these days.

2.  I went to check on her the other night before I went to bed.  I looked in and put her blanket over her and she stirred, rolled over and then cut a big toot.  It was so funny that I had to run out of the room to keep from waking her up with laughter.

3.  This week I fell down at school.  I have a chair with rolling wheels and I leaned over to grab a paper from my counter.  The wheels got away from me and I ended up flat on the floor with my feet in the air.  A kid came over and said, "who, Mrs. Neal, one minute you were sitting there and the next all I saw were two feet in the air."  He asked how I was and then said, "sorry, but that was funny."  I bet it was if kids laughed, they're usually very kind in those situations.

4.  We obviously had to duck and cover the other day.  One of the teachers, trying to pass the time, said, "Count backwards from 100 and then it should all be over."  I leaned to her and said, "or they could say their alphabet backwards so they can practice up for DWIs later."  Totally innappropriate but we laughed about that all day.

Well, it's almost the weekend.  Hallelujah for a long weekend and only two more days of school.  Have a great Memorial Day, Everyone!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

whew, that was a close one...

Today, our school district called for all of us to take shelter from the storm.  Nothing says panic like the school's administrative assistant getting on the intercom screeching to take cover immediately. 

Take cover we did.  For an hour and a half.  Let's just set the scene.  There were 7 classes of approximately 20 students (140 kids) in a hallway for an hour and a half in a crawl position.  Hands and knees, dead silent, head's covered.  For an hour and a half.  No one could use the bathroom, they missed their lunch time, and they were scrunched like sardines.  And did they whine about it?  You betcha.  But they also rose to the occasion.

There were many tears and fearful students.  There were many tears and fearful teachers too.  Our babies were out there.  Our cell phones had no service.  It was a scary day.

But one thing about a crisis, people stick together.  There were tears but there were lots of hugs too.  There were lots of comforting pats on the back and kind words.  I heard a woman quoted on the news saying (about Joplin), "it's just amazing to me how the people come together."  Honestly, it doesn't amaze me at all.  People care about one another.  People want to help.  People will reach out and help when the chips are down.  It would surprise me if they didn't. 

So, as we watch the tornadoes devastate communities and we see people band together to gather supplies and make donations, remember how they must feel.  Put yourself in the position of losing so much and how the good of people makes all the difference.  Look up the Red Cross and make a donation (text Red Cross to 90999), donate blood, throw a package of diapers in a bin to help a baby in need, do whatever comes to your mind when you think of helping your fellow man. 

And if for no other reason, do it because it would surprise me if you didn't.

Wordless Wednesday- A Shopper's Dream!


Monday, May 23, 2011

That Face!

Reese has a new face.  It's a Holy Cow, this is AWESOME! face.  Her eyes grow big and her mouth rounds into an O.  She looks just stunned.  It's adorable.  It's part of her new, "I'm hilarious" stage.  And oh boy is it a fun one.

She is intent on getting the most bang for her buck on making people laugh.  She comes up to us and play hits us and then cracks up at herself.  You can just hear her saying, "gotcha!"  She splashes in the tub and then cackles.  Her laughter is infectious. 

She does many things, oftentimes without ever knowing how funny she is.  She picks up her baby, kisses her and then launches her into the baby crib.  I hope that's not modeling for what she thinks we do to her.  Or maybe I hope she does think that.  That no baby should go to bed without a kiss, that wouldn't be such a bad thought. 

Reese goes around the house slamming down toilet seat lids.  She feeds the dogs 1 dog food chunk at a time.  She tries to diaper her babies and wipe herself during her own changes.  She likes to sit in the driver's seat of a car and pretend to drive us around.  And she loves babbling away on anything that even remotely looks like a phone.

We bang drums, play the recorder.  We read books and watch The Fresh Beat Band.  We hit balloons around the house and play make up.  Each sweet thing is more fun than the last but that face, that sweet surprised look, well that makes all the fun times even better.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

One is Silver and the Other is Gold

Today was a big day at West Englewood Elementary.  Change came upon us today and it was a bittersweet day.  People moved up the grade levels, some went down.  Grade levels changed across the board and it was wild. 

It's easy to get comfortable and grow roots in one spot, to form lasting relationships.  It's nice to know each day what you are going to get and be happy with it.  But it is also tons of fun to be faced with a new challenge, a fun twist, and some new relationships too.  So change has its rewards and challenges; just like everything else.

Next year I have a new team.  Two new girls to get to know better.  And two friends will move on to a new grade level, to a new team.  I feel pretty lucky.  I get to make new friends and keep the old.  So if change is happening this is the best place to be.  The best of both worlds.  One is silver and one is gold.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Potty Training- Or lack there of

Last night Reese was in the tub playing away.  She loves bath time and she loves to make a big ole mess.  Anyway, she started in on her little evening pooping thing she likes to do.  I panicked and thought, what am I going to do with this?  That's when I had the brilliant idea.

I remembered the potty chair!  Yes, the potty chair was right behind me.  I grabbed the kid and plopped her down.  Only I was a little slow on the go.  She didn't make it to the potty chair and a little landed in a couple different places.  Which meant that I had a mess to clean up.  That sucked.  But it gets funnier.

I had her stand by the tub real quick so I could get rid of the remains.  I rushed to clean so I could get her back in the tub and I'll be darned if she didn't start peeing right there on the floor. 

So, strike one on the potty training.  Not that she was ready.  But every opportunity is an opportunity to learn.  We'll try again next time.  And laugh at the funny baby who pees on the floor.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Wordless Wednesday- Redneck Style

I'm a Redneck Woman, I ain't no high class broad....



I'm just a product of my raising and I say "hey y'all and hee haw!"

Friday, May 13, 2011

Friday Funnies

Lately Reese has been pretty funny.  And cute.  But then again, she's always been cute.  Here are a few of my favorite things she's done lately.

1. As we leave the house every morning she blows kisses to the dogs and tells them bye-bye.  The other morning she kissed them bye but she put her hand to my mouth so I would blow them a kiss too.  Then we went to Hobby Lobby where she saw a picture of a hook and pull rug with a dog on it on a banner hung from the ceiling.  As we left the aisle she waved and blew kisses to the banner too.  I'd say she has a thing for dogs.

2.  Reese has been throwing things away left and right.   I've seen everything from dog food to hand towels.  The other day I went to throw away my dental floss and noticed a five dollar bill.  Guess she thought we wouldn't be needing that!

3.  We found a new baby stroller for Reese the other day.  She loves pushing babies around and was just so thrilled by the new toy.  By Tuesday she was pretty bored with it though.  She wasn't content anymore just pushing it, instead she demanded that I get up and push it.  And as if that wasn't enough she sat down on the floor and watched me push her baby stroller around. 

4.  Dustin and Reese have a lot of tickle fights and do some of the rough stuff that daddies do with kids.  They were on the bed and every time she went to get up he would gently knock her down and they'd laugh.  After 5-6 times Reese decided she'd had enough.  She stood up and made the sign for "all-done."  Guess that works other places besides the dinner table!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tushy Tuesday

Sunday we took Reese to the park.  Before we left, Reese had lunch and then a little bit (okay, a lot) of macaroni and cheese ended up all over her shirt and in her hair so we had to give her a wardrobe change.  I ent ahead and changed her diaper too but I guess I didn't get it on correctly.  Her little tushy was hanging out pretty bad and we didn't notice it until she was toddling up the stairs of the slide.  That poor girl!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday was Rock Star Day at school.  We are having a Science Week and yesterday we were celebrating the rock cycle.  So Rock Star attire it was.  It was so much fun seeing the different interpretations of what a Rock Star meant to everyone.  Apparently, my version of a Rock Star was a little on the Cyndi Lauper side.  But I can't help it if I think black eyeliner, dangly earrings, big hair and a C.F.M. boots represent Rock Stars.  To make a long story short, I looked a little wild. 

In my wild rock representation style, I stopped off at Hallmark to get cards for all my loved ones for Mother's Day.  I felt a little ridiculous and I wanted to scream, "Don't worry, I'm teaching your children in this getup!"  But I didn't. 

Apparently Rod's Hallmark is having a gigantic 40% off sale.  The store was stripped completely clean of Mother's Day cards.  Not a one in the place.  I'm a card person and I was pretty bummed because I knew I'd never make it to another Hallmark to get cards in time to get them mailed for Sunday.

So here's my card.  It is my favorite poem and I think it makes a lot of sense with a lot of people and situations.  It's beautiful and it sums up the sentiment of mothers.  We carry our children's heart with us.  Wherever we go, we are never alone because there they are filling us with love and happiness.  We smile at the thought of their sleepy heads at bedtime and their little diaper butt running for blankies.  We melt at their smiles and giggles and do everything in our power to get them to laugh over and over.  When kids get older mother's roles change, they become friends.  But a mother is always a source of comfort, big or small, and they always carry the hearts of a child in theirs. 

To all the mothers I know, Happy Mother's Day.
This picture came from http://sprik.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Library

I love to go to the library.  Mostly because they have free books there.  But they also have great recommendations.  I especially like their reading programs and fun stuff for kids.  Reese is going to sign up for their summer reading program and we will probably hit up a lot of story hours this summer since she is a little older.

Last night we made a trip to kill some time before bed.  I had lost my card and Reese's books were getting boring so off we went.  We got a new card and then we went back to the children's section to browse.  Reese was in heaven!  She looked at books, she played with the stuffed animals, she put together a puzzle, it was the best.  Until.....

Oh yes, until.  There is always an until when one has a toddler.  And here is mine.  Reese was great until she very publicly pooped her pants.  Publicly.  Loudly.  Turning the head's of strangers.  She turned red-faced and grunted right there in the children's section.  People on the computers kept looking over at her because she was so loud.  I could've sunk into the floor. 

Since we were just quickly running to the library, I didn't bring a diaper bag.  That was a smart move.  So I quickly got our books, ran out the door and cleaned her up at home.  All was well, I just will never forget the night my kid pooped at the library.

Wordless Wednesday

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