Some Advice to Other Mothers of Little Men

My David is a very funny little guy. He loves to get people to laugh and be silly with him. I like to share stories about him that might make others smile as well.
This past Monday morning my mom, sister and I went to the Y to do our work out. I have had a terrible cold and now my allergies are starting to be horrible, so I wasn't in a very cheery mood. David was being his normal, goofy self, but it was really annoying me because I just wasn't feeling good. When we left, mom wanted to go to Great Harvest for breakfast. David had to go potty after we got there. We were sitting right by the 1-person bathrooms, so I mistakingly, let him go alone. I can be so stupid...about 4 minutes later I hear the shriek from the bathroom, (that all moms are SO lucky to hear), "Mom, I pooped, come and wipe me!". Well, aside from being just slightly embarassed, I was also horrified when I walked into the Men's room. My dear husband taught David to pee in the urinal, bless his heart, he forgot to mention you DON'T poop in them. There was my little guy, perched on top of a full-sized urinal, (God only knows HOW he got up there in the first place), butt in the water. He hopped down, "Mommy, I pooped a big one!", so proud. There it is, a good-sized turd, half in the flush-hole and half poking up out of the water. I just stood there, frozen, knowing I had to somehow scoop the poo out of the urinal and into the toilet. I was so very annoyed, thank God I was too sick to eat breakfast, I'd of greeted it again I'm sure. Well, I unclogged the urinal and that's all that needs to be said about that part of the story. I just couldn't be upset with David, he didn't know any better...but believe me, he DOES now! When I got home I thanked Aaron for failing to completly inform young David of the "rules of the urinal". All he could do was laugh, showed no sympathy for what I had to go through. In hindsight, I have to laugh as well. And that, my friends is going in the baby book and WILL be told to his wife one day, (I have to get a payback from that one somehow!!). But I urge you, any mother's of little men, please be sure daddy is clear on the "rules of the urinal" and that he shares them while teaching him to be a man-ly man!!
(One day I'm going to write a book.)

I'm a Blubbering Idiot!

Well, it's official...my "baby" girl is now a Kindergartener, (wow, is that even spelled right? Can't quite figure out the blogger spell check???) they sang some really cute songs last night at their program. The last one was a good-bye song to their teacher, Irina. She was quietly crying as they sang. I was quietly bawling, tears STREAMING down my cheeks. My brother said, "Wow, are you alright?" (SOOO guy!). I just can't believe she's 5 and ready to start school....REAL school. School where she will probably be bullied and picked on at some point and for a stupid reason. School were there are clicks and mean girls, teasing and name-calling. People who tease you because your boobs are to big....woa, wait a minute, is this about Lexi or about her mommy? It terrifies me that someone will call her a mean name and that it will scar her FOR LIFE. Thank you Kristel K.. Thank you for making me go to extremes to change myself and try and fit in. Yah, thanks a lot. Let me tell ya, there had better not be a Kristel in Lexi's class...or I may have to pay a big kid to kick her ass!!!

A Nice Weekend

We have had a good weekend. Not too much going on really, which is sometimes nice. The kids had a birthday party across the street yesterday and Aaron took his boat out for it's maiden voyage, (with him anyway). Gave me a little time to myself, which is never a bad thing. I was able to get 2 tomato plants planted in my greenhouse, (hoping the warmer waether is here to stay) and also planted the Irish Moss underneath my comcrete bench in my flower garden. I hope it will spread nicely. Had a yucky night though. Sore throat for both Lexi and I. Up a couple times to take ibuprophen, then back to bed. Today my father-in-law came to help Aaron with a bit of work on the basement and hallway. It will be so nice to finally have that done and out of the way. Construction has been a way of life since we bought this house in '99! Probably will be until we move...which may not be as far off as we'd origionally intended. Aaron is "sniffing out" a job opening in Portland, OR. He came home on Thursday asking what I thought of the idea. I've always loved Washington, (which might also be a possibility) but Oregon would be really nice too. I really love gardening and have always been so sad we're too cold for fruit trees. We'd be about 70 miles North of Portland. Smaller would be good. Anyway, right now it is just a possibility an expansion of the horizon perhaps. Sure would be fun to go somewhere totally new. A little scary and sure, at times lonely. But, I've never had a hard time making freinds...not too much on the shy side. There's always MOMS Club right?!
I think Aaron and I will end our weekend with a quiet dinner out, just he and I. My sweet sister is willing to watch our kiddos, she's always so good to me.
Tomorrow, getting geared up for pre-school graduation. 2 more days of school and then the program Tuesday eveing. Lord, help me!

The Smell of Rain

I just LOVE that smell. We've really gotten a lot of rain so far this spring. Everything is getting so green and the flowers and trees are blooming. The kids both have rubber boots and so enjoyed splashing around in them yesterday. I planted bulbs in my new planter that Aaron built for me last summer. They are about 3 inches high now and all along the outside edge of the planter. I've even forgotten what I planted, all I do remember is that they were an assortment. I plan to plant 2 peonies at each end and differnt colors and sizes of daisies, since they are my favorite. There is grass growing in all around the planter as well. It use to be a big, weed infested flower garden. The planter is pretty big and sort of shaped like a (corded) telephone receiver. With the "handle" lining the fence and the "earpiece" and "mouthpiece" facing out. (To sort of give you a visual.) There is a concrete bench that fits perfectly inside that innie part. And in front of the bench a little ways grows a big choke-cherry tree for shade. Looks really nice, he did a great job. Will look even better with all the flowers in it. Maybe I'll take a picture??? I'm so glad we are getting this extra rain. Our rivers were really low for this time of year. The last late snow we got was really great for that too. I hope it will decrease our fires and increase our time to go camping.

Summer Vacation is Coming.

My kids only have 6 more days of school left and boy are they glad. They have just wanted to stay home lately, can't blame them since it has been so nice out. We are planning our first ever Brown Family Vacation. (I feel like a Griswald!) We will be driving through N. Dakota to Minnisota to see a friend in Moorehead and Aaron's mom's sister in Minneapolis, (3 words baby...Mall-of-America!!!) then on to Chicago to visit my mom's cousin and family and dad's sister and family. From there to Ohio to visit Aaron's dad's sister and her family. Then we will come back through Indianapolis, Kansas and Colorado, just to see what we see. We will be gone nearly 3 weeks. Should be a lot of fun, but it is so far. Aaron wanted to go to Washington D.C. but I asked if we could save that for another trip, (maybe one where we can FLY there!). The kids are getting excited. But I told them it was as far as Texas, so they understood a little the venture we were going to embark upon. We went to Texas last spring and stayed almost 2 weeks with my wonderful, bestest friend Jody and her famiy. A trip I hope to take again one day. After we got home Lexi had told me she didn't want to drive anywhere, "like to Texas" again in the near future. Hopefully, our trip to the East will be as easy as our trip to the South was. The kids were great and this time I'll have Aaron with us. So anyway, if anyone has any suggestions on places to stop along our route, please feel free to share. We're leaving June 18th.

My Sweet Boy

David is a very sweet little man. Sure, at times he tries to act like a total tough guy, but at just 3 1/2 the soft side of him shines through from time to time. My sister and I were going to look at a house in a nearby town on Thursday afternoon. We got off the highway and headed towards our first traffic light. David hollars from the back of my minivan, (yes people, I drive a minivan) "Mom, there's that house!" I have no idea what he is talking about, "What house buddy?" "You know mom, that one house. The house of the Lord of love!". Then I realize we passed our church. He just couldn't find the words he wanted to tell me he saw our church. I thought it was just so cute. In his innocence he reminded me that it is indeed a house of the Lord of love. I was touched.