Ella says.....

Brady told me that on Sunday, while I was in the shower, Ella farted.
"Ok," I said, "she does that sometimes."
"But it's what she said after that was funny," he said.

Apparently, Ella farted, then started giggling. Brady asked her, "Ella, did you fart?"
"I'm not Ella. I'm Smella, and yes, I farted."

"Where did she learn 'Smella' from?" he asked me.
"My dad used to call her that when she would have a stinky diaper," I told him.

I love my family....farts and all!

G gets a haircut.

Well people. I did it. I finally cut Grayson's hair. With the exception of trimming his bangs once, this is his first haircut. He's 18 months old, and now, with this haircut, he looks so much older. My little man looks so grown up! I'm sad. I loved his hair. He had these soft bouncy curls, and I loved to run my fingers through them. I could have played with his hair all day if he would have let me. And now it's gone. Well, most of it. Seriously, I'm tearing up.

I got so much flack from people about his "mullet." I didn't think it looked like one; I thought he looked like a cute little boy. Some strangers thought he looked like a little girl. I was getting sick of my friends asking me, "so, have you cut your son's hair yet?" that I think I gave into peer pressure. Shame on me.

I do think he'll be a little cooler now; perhaps the breeze will reach his neck now. And maybe it will be easier to clean food out of his hair after he feels the need to rub it all over at every meal.

So there, people. I did it. You all nagged me and nagged me and finally I gave it. I cut Grayson's beautiful hair. Do you all feel better now?

I'm not an idiot.

I had to cancel the C.A.R.E. carnival the other day due to the high possibility of rain. Of course, it didn't rain. So I felt like a big schmuck when I woke up Saturday morning to sunny skies. Then I realized that B wasn't home from work yet. He had gone to work at 7 the previous morning. There had been problems at one of his Danville sites, and the last time I talked to him was Friday night around 9.

I get worried when this happens - he works all night long after working all day. I called him and I could tell by the ring that he was on the other line. He didn't answer. About 40 minutes later I heard him pull into the drive. It was 8:15, which meant he'd been at work for over 25 hours. He was so delirious when he walked in the house and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

It was at this point that I was glad I had cancelled the carnival. Even though we weren't rained out, I would have had to cancel so that we wouldn't have disturbed B. The last thing he needed was a bunch of screaming kids right outside his window or someone accidentally opening the bedroom door looking for the bathroom. Not to mention Spike - I would have put her in her kennel, which happens to be in our room. She would have just barked and barked.

So although I am sorry I disappointed a lot of people by cancelling the carnival, and although to most people I seem like an idiot because it didn't rain, I'm glad I did. It worked out for the best. At least for my husband.

5 Things about meme

Ok. So since I've been tagged for this "5 things about meme" thing not once, not twice, but three times, I suppose I am obligated to participate. I do appreciate that Quigs, Mommy Schiff, and Fearless Freak all thought of me, though. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to think that I'm making some nice friends here. Or maybe that's just the hot specialty coffee I made for myself this morning. Hm.

1. Post the rules of the game at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read the player's blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

What were you doing five years ago?
I was working at a BP station as a cashier, but really doing the assistant manager's job without the higher pay. I was playing summer softball. I was at the bars too many nights a week drinking too much beer. I was the on-again, off-again girlfriend to my now-husband, Brady. I was the thinnest I had ever been in my life, and I was loving summer.

What are 5 things on your to-do list for today?
1. Put laundry away.
2. Bathe the kids.
3. Weed the garden (if it doesn't rain).
4. Clean the kitchen.
5. Look online for cake ideas for E's birthday party.

What are 5 snacks you enjoy?
1. Ice cream
2. Iced coffee, blended
3. Oatmeal raisin cookies
4. Trail mix
5. Chips and salsa

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. Pay off all my debt, and that of my family (minus B's side of the family - they can stick it.)
2. Build/buy an amazing house on the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Put money away for the kids college fund.
4. Travel, travel, travel
5. Open a no-kill animal clinic and offer cheap spay/neuter services.


What are 5 of your bad habits?
1. Not giving myself "me" time.
2. Spending too much time on the computer.
3. I worry about the little things too much.
4. I expect too much from others.
5. My housekeeping skills are lacking.

Where are 5 places that you have lived?
1. Hennepin, Illinois
2. Carbondale, Illinois
3. Mark, Illinois
4. Streator, Illinois
5. St. Joseph, Illinois

What are 5 jobs you've had?
1. Retail sales clerk
2. Library assistant
3. Customer service rep
4. Gas station attendant
5. Substitute teacher

Five people I tag:
Ok. I don't have a lot of friends, and very few blogging friends. So those of you who tagged me already are getting tag-backs. No one called "no tag-backs" in the beginning, so THERE!
1. Quigs78 - 2 kids, 3 cats, and a blog
2. Mommy Schiff - Life Interrupted
3. Fearless Freak - The Fabulous Follies of a Freaky Family
4. Looseyfur - Looseyfur's Midwest Adventures
5. Lavender Lemonade - Limes, Lemons, and Beautiful Yarn

Dress-up

Every so often, Ella will disappear into her room for extended periods of time. Some days she is reading, coloring, or just playing with her toys. Today she was playing dress-up.

'Cause We're the Best of Friends

My niece Aubry is Ella's best friend. They are so close in age - only 2 months apart - that they've reached most milestones around the same time. They love each other so much, and I wish we lived closer to Aubry and her family. They ask about each other all the time, and when they get together there is no stopping them!
Here are a few photos of the two of them over the years.

Ella Crafts

If given a choice between watching television or crafting, Ella would pick crafting every time. These are pictures of what she did when I was in the shower the other day. These are simple crafts, but when I'm crafting with her, we use lots more fun stuff: feathers, glitter, paint. I think glue, stickers and buttons are pretty safe supplies when I can't be there to help or supervise.

Oh no he didn't!

Yesterday, Ella and I had some quality alone time. It was the middle of the afternoon, and we were watching Olympic gymnastics that I had dvr'd from the night before. We were snuggled up together on the couch, and we were cheering for everyone to do a good job.

The doorbell rang, and I figured it was just a delivery man. It was two children, a boy and a girl, and they were selling something. The girl was raising money for cheerleading. I know what it's like to have to go door-to-door to sell stuff (years of Girl Scouts and club fundraisers take a toll on a person) so I agreed to buy some cheese danishes. I filled out the form and said thank you, and good luck. As I was getting ready to close the door, the boy said, "Um. Actually. Can I please use your bathroom?" What? I thought. I almost told him to just go pee around the corner of the house, but I didn't think the neighbors would like that.

I told him that he could, and that my son was napping, so to please be quiet. I showed him where the bathroom was and went to get Grayson, who had woke up screaming. I took G out to the entryway, and the little girl was coloring with chalk on the easel with Ella. I asked her what grade she was in - "Second." I asked her where she lived - "Over by Sportsman Club Road."

I expected the boy to be out of the bathroom by this time, but oh no. And that could only mean one thing - he was crapping in my bathroom! I tried to keep the conversation flowing with the girl so that I'd keep my mind off of what was happening in my bathroom. For some reason, the fact that he was a very overweight kid made my mind think the worst about what could happen in there. I know, that's horrible, but I couldn't help it.

Out of nowhere, the girl says, "Can I have something to drink?" What? First the boy needs to shit in my bathroom, and not the girl expects me to give her a drink? I got her a Capri Sun from the refrigerator (E doesn't like them) and she thanked me. She then asked which door was for the bathroom and I told her. She proceeded to knock on it to tell her brother to hurry up. E then decided to show the girl her Wall-E toy. The girl didn't seem impressed.

The boy finally emerges, thanks me, and the two of them leave. Although he had closed the bathroom door, the smell of air freshener is overwhelming. E asks me what the smell is, so I told her that the boy pooped and it stunk so he sprayed air freshener. She told me it was too stinky.

I didn't open the door to that bathroom for about 5 hours - I had wild thoughts of what I'd find. And some of these thoughts came true when I finally went in. The boy had left me a little present. Seriously? Couldn't he double flush?

The whole incident was just weird. I understand that we are a small town, and I'm sure it's ok for these kids to go door-to-door selling stuff. I think the boy was in 5th grade; he looked like he might be, and so I'm glad he accompanied his little sister. That was nice. I could tell that the kids were from a lower-income family. So is that why their manners were so bad? I was from a really poor family, but there is no freakin' way I'd ask a stranger to use their bathroom or for a drink! If I had to go, I would hold it and rush home, or find a public bathroom. Seriously! I mean.....WTF!

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

I am leaving in a few hours for my long anticipated weekend away. I will be dropping my kids off at my mother's house and my best mate Troy and I will be taking our annual trip to Alpine Valley in Wisconsin to see The Dave Matthews Band with The Black Crowes. We will be camping at Snug Harbor, which will be overcrowded with other DMB fans. We will get stuck in traffic on the way to the concert, as always, which will lead to a party on the highway, beer included. We will tailgate for hours. We will find our place on the steep hillside and attempt to make it "our spot." We will inevitably lose each other 3 or 4 times through the course of the evening, but miraculously will end up back together for the end of the show. We will tailgate again while watching the hoards of people fight to leave the parking lot. We will go back to the campground and while we will already have a natural high, we'll get wasted. We will leave on Sunday morning, stinky and tired. But it will all be worth it.

Things I hear

Ella says so many funny and cute things on a daily basis. I try to remember what they are, but since I'm a mom, I have no real memory anymore. I've decided to just start posting them here. I don't care if I have 10 posts a day, because at least they'll be documented for all to read!

*This morning Ella gallops over to me and is making horse sounds. I ask her if she's a horse for today and she says she is a "horse unicornia." She calls unicorns, unicornia's. I tell her that she needs to go put on some underwear and she says very matter-of-factly:

"Horses, unicornia's, don't wear people underwear." She then turned her tail around and walked away.

*A few days ago B was opening some mail. I asked him what was in the envelope and he said, "It's just my European stocks."

Ella says in a very upset tone, "I don't pee in my socks!"

I need a vacation.

I'm tired. I'm really tired. Things in our house have been so crazy these last few days.

Grayson got sick on Monday. Ok. I guess "sick" just makes it sound like he caught a cold. He had a fever and I thought it was teething related. Oh no. The kid was sitting on my lap while I was at the computer when he started crying and proceeded to vomit mass amounts of undigested milk all over me. I had never seen anything like it. Chunks upon chunks of what looked like super large cottage cheese curds. Gross, I know. And the smell!

After cleaning up and taking a nap, I tried to soothe him with a bottle of just 4 ounces of skim milk. I thought it'd be ok. It wasn't too much and it was lighter than whole milk. Five minutes after he had that, he threw it up....all over my favorite, expensive, cream-colored sheets which were on my month-old pillow-top mattress. Oh yeah. That was loads of fun to clean up. At one point I was actually cursing myself for buying a mattress that can't be turned over.


I rushed him to the doctor because I was really worried. He's never thrown up before, and the fact that he had a fever just added to my worry.

Ella was a trooper. She listed to me and played nicely in the waiting room at the doc's office. Of course she had to tell anyone who would listen that: "My name's Ella. I'm 3. My brother is sick. He threw up on my mommy and he threw up on Mommy's bed." After her speech, the parent to which she was speaking would look over at me and smile. All I could do was politely wave and say hello.


The doctor said he had a 100.3 fever, and that since everything else seemed fine, she was diagnosing him with the stomach flu. I was glad it wasn't anything serious, but now I had to worry about E or me getting it because we leave on Friday.

So we've camped out on my bed for the last couple days (with old sheets on it). I sleep when I can. I've watched Baby Einstein movies and way more Noggin than any one adult should. The little man was dazed and confused for the first 2 days but he is now feeling better. Last night he slept until 4, then we finished our morning on the couch, not getting up until almost 9.

Last night he was crying and I gave him some Tylenol but I pushed the syringe a little too fast and he started to choke on it. He started coughing and I had flashbacks of him getting sick all over me. Ella was standing there and she immediately got me a towel just in case. She said, "Watch out! He's gonna blow!" Leave it to E to add humor to the situation! He didn't "blow," and after he calmed down, he was just fine.

I chanced things last night and gave him 2 ounces of milk and he did fine with it. But I was worried all night that I was going to pay for it this morning. However, he seems to be almost back to his mischievous self. I'd say he's 90% better. And neither E or I are sick, so thank goodness for that!

I don't know how single parents survive. I've been like a single parent for a week and a half while B's out of town, and I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown. Of course G being sick didn't help, but really! How do those women and men do it? I couldn't imaging having more than 2 kids and going at it alone. It's hard work!

It's times like these that I wish we lived closer to family and that I had more friends down here. It would have been nice to drop E off at someone's house the other day when I had to rush G to the doctor's office.

At least I get a two day break and then B will be back home. I've already informed my partner-in-crime for the weekend to watch out: I'm really going to cut loose and have a good time!

The Princess and the Frog

I love Disney movies. I enjoy Disney Pixar movies too, but it's just not the same as the hand-drawn musical movies that I, and so many generations before me, grew up with.

I just saw the teaser-trailer for the new Disney movie due out next year - The Princess and The Frog. I am super excited! This movie has an African-American princess and takes place in the bayous of Louisiana. There is a trumpet-playing alligator and a Cajun firefly, which I know Ella will get a kick out of.

Our family is big "into" Cajun stuff, due in part to my stepfather. We often eat at his favorite restaurant when we're home, Cajun Connection. Ella and my niece Aubry love playing with their crawfish before making Grammy open them up so they can chow down! So the fact that this movie has a Cajun theme to it should ease the pain of my stepdad being forced to watch it after it comes to DVD. (He thinks Walt Disney was evil).

Anyway, our household is loaded with Disney movie and paraphernalia, so I'm sure this movie will make it onto our media shelf!

Beans, Beans

The other day, I made a goulash of sorts for dinner. Ella kept asking what was in it and why. One of the items I threw in was butter beans. I love them, and I'm trying to get the kids to like new things. I thought I was a little sneaky because the sauce in the food masked the color of the beans; I thought they'd be hidden. Of course my daughter found them immediately. She used to eat everything. Now? Not so much.
I told her that they were beans and they were good for her; they'd give her muscles! She whined a little, and so I broke down and sang her the song.

Beans, beans, the magical fruit

The more you eat, the more you toot.

The more you toot, the better you feel,

So let's eat beans with every meal!

She thought I was so funny, and made me sing it to her again and again and again. After the sixth time, I refused to sing it any longer and I walked out of the room.

This morning, while she's eating her cereal, she says, "Momma!" with such urgency that I quickly turn around to see what's happened. Had she spilled her milk from her bowl? Had Grayson tried to change the TV channel because he was tired of watching Strawberry Shortcake? Oh no.

"Momma! Sing the bean song!! Sing the bean song!" she yells. It took me a moment to register what she had just said. I laughed.

"You want me to sing the bean song," I asked her.

"Yes, puh-leezzz!" She begged.

Of course I gave in and she giggled as I sang the song for her....only twice!