Hooray!!!

Make your own Countdown Clocks

Drunk Blogging

Way back in the day, I was a wild woman. I could drink anyone under the table and still be able to keep up with the most complicated line dance out there. Today?? 2 jack and diet cokes make me want to spin around and say "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Since I've had James, I haven't been interested in/had the chance to drink on a regular basis. I might have a beverage 2 times a year now.... which makes for a cheap date ;) lol

So I thought I would post some of the random thoughts I had tonight:


the term "swarming leaf gobbler" from James's movie is making me giggle

****************************************************

I should probably make the pizza BEFORE I start drinking. I forgot to take the pizza off the cardboard when I put it on the pizza pan.... ooops!

****************************************************

I wonder if you have to take a pregnancy test before you go on the Biggest Loser.

****************************************************

But then... wouldn't that be sexist unless they made the guys take one too?

****************************************************

I would totally be Biggest Loser Bob's Fag hag, Not Jillian's though... she's mean and she scares me

****************************************************

I let James watch a movie while eating dinner. The movie went off and American Idol came on.

I told James "I'm going to turn off the tv now"

and James said "Yeah... it's not appropriate for me!"

lol!!

Ok... I should NOT be allowed to watch infomercials....

I totally want this now

http://www.bulletexpress.com/

But not for $120.... even if it DOES come with a juicer....


well... maybe if it comes with a juicer.....



NO!! Not even then!! TURN OFF THE TV WOMAN!!



But it's sooooooo coool



Must. Turn. off. the. TV. NOW!

Your calendar is a little off Buddy!

James just came running into my room yelling "It's Christmas!! It's Christmas!!"

Me: "What??"

James: "It's Christmas!! It's Christmas!! LOOK!!" points and then drags me over to the window.

The storm system finally caught up with us and it was snowing.

Poor Buddy was a tad disappointed.

I think I may have a prodigy on my hands.

James was helping me make dinner tonight. We had assembled everything for the Spanish Chicken & Rice Bake (except putting the chicken on the top) when I heard the Woot-off Wootalyzer go off.... so all the ingredients were abandoned on the counter in my quest for the ever-elusive BOC (for those of you who don't know what this is, you are missing out.... for all of you who DO, you know just how important it is!! ).

While I was busy with the F5 and the BOC, James was "cooking" in the kitchen (in direct line of sight... don't freak on me here). By the time I slunk from my computer, defeated and BOC-less, James had created a bowl full of what looked to be nothing more than salsa and maggot soup.... with a dollop of butter for good measure.


"Can you make it with dinner?" my budding Emeril says to me.

"Suuuuuuuuuure, buddy.... um... it might not come out, just so you know" (there was a LOT of salsa and water)

"OK"


I poured it into an small oven safe dish, stirred in some extra rice, and covered it with foil. I then said a little prayer over it and slid it in the oven next to dinner.

45 minutes later, I pulled it out, took off the foil and fluffed what turned out to be almost perfect spanish rice! Color me shocked! Both of us had a serving with dinner and James proudly proclaimed "I made it my OWN self" and "I made my own recipe! and it was better than Mommy's!"

Gee thanks kid.


James's "I Can't Believe He Made It By Himself" Spanish Rice Recipe

some white rice in a bowl
a cup of water
1/3 jar of salsa
a few kernels of corn

Stir and give to Mommy
Sneak in a little extra rice, put in an oven safe dish and cover with foil
bake at 375 for 45 mins



My 4 yr old is a better cook than most 20-somethings I know! lol

OMG!

How stinking cute are these cakeballs on a stick?!?

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/03/spring-chickens.html

It makes me want to run out and make a bunch of chick cakeballs!!



Ok....



wait....



I'm over it now.





But they are still stinkin cute!

Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man

James was totally stylin' today. He had his new shoes on, khaki cords and a super cute stiped polo shirt.... yeah... MUCH nicer than the usual t-shirt and jeans with the worn knees, lol.

So I go to pick him up at school and find him tucked away in the science center, where he was not alone. He was surrounded by EIGHT girls, and they were all just having the time of their lives! lol One of the dad's quipped "Nice Harem" as he walked by.

I just can't *wait* until he's a teenager! ~insert eyeroll here~


eta: although, he *did* start out the day in Mommy's headband.... so maybe he's caught "the gay" and was giving the girls fashion tips! lol

Big News, Big News!

Though NOT as big as we thought it was!

We got a call a week ago last Thursday that our family was going to be PCSed to Fort Bliss, Texas, where Hubby would join a BCT (Brigade Combat Team) attached to a Cavalry Regiment and then be Deployed to Iraq. For those of you that don't know, Fort Bliss is in the VERY west corner of Texas, RIGHT across the Mexican border from Juarez, Mexico... you know.... the place where all those drug wars are going on and the Mexican Military has taken over for the local police?? Yeah... there....

The report date they gave us was June 10th, which means if Hubby wanted to take leave, we would have to be packed up and moving the FIRST WEEK IN MAY! Basically, we would be uprooted to a place that we do not know, have no desire to be and have no support system within less than 11 hours and that Hubby would leave immediately after we got there for 15 months.

I have been freaking out for over a week! lol But I decided that I would put off worrying about it until a) after my trip (which was AWESOME!!), b) until we found out more info about the job that Hubby would have and c) Hubby talked to some people who had already been there and could tell us a little bit about what to expect for housing/schools/services ect.

We were also waiting to hear if Hubby got on the list to be promoted to E-7, and they were supposed to release that info on Friday, but didn't until today.

So Hubby, the King of Timing, called me during James's gymnastics class today to ask me if I would prefer him deploying out of Fort Bliss or Here!


Then my phone went dead!!



Once I re-established a connection with him (and my heart quit pounding), he told me that he'd been offered the chance to deploy with his unit, under a SGT Major that he knows and respects, and that James and I would be able to stay here, in our house and life, while he was gone. And then he asked what I thought. Eventhough it was killing me, I told him to take which ever job was better for his career... that we can handle short-term discomfort to help him achieve our long-term goals. Thankfully, the jobs are equally good for his career. I cried for 15 minutes in the middle of gymnastics class from sheer relief! lol

*phew*

So we are STAYING HERE!! YAY!! <-------- NEVER thought I would be thankful for staying in Kansas. I have decided that this was God's way of telling me to quit complaining about Kansas and that it could be worse! lol So if anyone ever hears me complaining about being "stuck" here.... just say 2 words to me.... Fort Bliss, lol! Or Fort (Anywhere else but here would be considered) Bliss, as we like to call it! lol


So that's all the news/info I have for now. Oh... except that Hubby did NOT make the list for his 7. But I was so happy for the other news that this is just a small disappointment. I am certain that he will be up for his 7 in the future and that he will get it, so I consider this only a small set back, if it is a set back at all.

What happens when you are cleaning out your car....

I'm Soooooooo excited!!

Make your own Countdown Clocks

It Sucks

Kmart sucks


Lane Bryant sucks


Walmart sucks


Pants suck


Shoes suck


My Fat sucks


Being Short sucks


Being Short and Fat sucks


Dressing my Short Fat REALLY sucks


Shopping to dress my Short FAT sucks


Attempting to look cute and trying to find shoes that won't kill my feet in 5 minutes for my weekend trip to California to have a meet-up with my imaginary friends sucks big time.


*sigh*

Oops

I just realized i've been walking around with my pants unzipped all morning.







And I'm wearing hot pink underwear.










Thank goodness it was 45 degrees this morning, which forced me to wear my long coat instead of the sweatshirt I'd laid out. I'm sure the people at James's school and the commissary are thankful too!

This just heard from the kitchen....

"Shoo-ee! That's good playin!"





*sigh*... I'm raising a redneck.

Daylight Savings Time

can bite my big toe.

I think they should just move the clocks back 30 mins in November and say "That's it!! We're done!! Go forth and change no more!! "

That would be awesome.

Our first meeting with James's OT

Today we met with James's Occupational Therapist. For those of you who may not know/recall, James was in 5 day/week preschool at the beginning of the school year and his teacher thought he might have sensory issues. I thought that was a bunch of hooey, but she kept harping on it day in and day out, so I decided to have him tested through the school.

It turns out that it WAS a bunch of hooey (and thank goodness we got him out of that class that was just too much/old/overwhelming for him and back into the 3 day/week class that he is thriving in now), but James does have some fine motor skill issues with which he needs a bit of extra help.

His OT started the meeting by telling me what a joy it was to work with James! She found him to be very personable, sweet, intelligent, and just a fun, easy child with whom to work. She was impressed with the width and breadth of his vocabulary and his ability and willingness to express himself verbally. She also finds him to be above average in his pattern making and problem solving skills, and was amazed that he could draw 8 out of the 9 "marker" shapes (all of which are necessary for writing letters) that they use for testing children of his age! She said that he was very sociable with her and she enjoyed having conversations with him... "It's like talking to a little man!"

She did discuss with us her concerns over his hand dominance issue. The issue is that he shows no preference at all.... in fact, he shows an equal NON preference for either hand and a reluctance to cross his midline to grasp something. In other words, if James is sitting in front of a piece of paper on the table, you put a pencil on the right hand side of the paper and ask him to pick up the pencil, he will pick up the pencil with his right hand. Similarly, if you put the pencil on the left hand side of the paper, he will pick it up with his left hand. If you put the pencil in the exact middle of the paper, lining up with his body's midline, he will 50/50 pick it up with either the right or the left hand. If you ask him to draw a big cross on that paper, he will draw the down line with which ever hand he has the pencil in and then, instead of crossing his body and drawing a straight line R-L or L-R in one stroke, he will start on the outside of the paper on the side he is holding the pencil, draw to the midline, switch hands and finish the stroke to the outside.

So... while none of this has anything to do with the original reason James was tested (thank goodness.... I think that teacher is full of hooey and just isn't used to teaching *just* 4's, as the 5 day/wk is filled with mostly much older 4's, 5's and young 6's), I'm glad we had him tested, and that the OT has space to work with James, as I never even thought one way or the other about his hand dominance! I can see where this could lead to frustration in Kindy if it had never been caught, thereby possibly souring him towards school at an early age. *phew* Now, if I could only head off the OTHER 436,784,965 reason he may come up with to hate school in the next 20 yrs or so, we might be getting somewhere!! lol

The OT will be coming to his school and pulling him out of class on Fridays for a 1/2 hour to work with her. This is nice because he is already comfortable at school (his *turf* so to speak) which will make less likely that he will be distracted by new surroundings and more able to focus on what he's being taught. The OT is very confident that we will be able to sort out James's hand dominance issues by early fall, even without her working with him over the summer (they only offer the services through the school during the school year... and she sees no reason for "special" work over the summer).

All in all, it was a very good meeting and we left it with a feeling of (not-excessive, imho) parental pride and not a little relief! It is always gratifying to have people affirm you opinions (high though they may be) of your own child, kwim?

It was a very good meeting. :)

Chapter 34: Prince James and the Tummyache

"Where are chapters 1-33?" You ask. Well... Prince James came about when *my* little prince was about a yr and a half old. Sometimes stories from books just wouldn't do when James was seriously distressed or overtired and the only way I could get him to calm down/go to bed was to tell him stories about Prince James, Queen Mommy and King Daddy. I always thought I should write them down, but it never seemed to happen. Tonight was the first night I've had to make one up since I started my blog, so I thought "Gee... I need to get this down before I forget it!!" These stories were made up on the fly, so don't start reading it expecting Dickensonian prose, mmmmmmkay? I settled on the arbitrary # of 34, because it felt right, but I have no actual knowledge of the number of stories that have come before... I hope that won't ruin the story for you, lol!

And so we shall begin.....

Prince James and the Tummyache

Once upon a time, in a far away land called Noplacelikehomatopialand (hey give me a break... I TOLD YOU these were made up on the fly!) , lived a wonderful young prince named Prince James. He lived in a fantastic castle along with his family, King Daddy, Queen Mommy and Sir Ichtheius Browntail. Prince James loved his home and everyone in it. He loved the gardens where he would play in the summer. He love the stables that housed all the ponies a little prince could ride. He loved the big, clear swimming pond where he spent most of his summer days. He loved the kitchen with all it's warmth and smells.... not to mention all the yummy food he and Queen Mommy would make whenever they wanted.

But most of all, Prince James love his bedroom.

Prince James's bedroom was the most fantastic place in the whole castle! It was lined floor to ceiling with bookcases and toy cupboards. When all the doors to all the bookcases and toy cupboards were closed, the most wonderful of murals was revealed. Even before playing with a single toy, if one stopped long enough, one could get caught for hours gazing at the mystical creatures, revealed one by one behind rocks, trees and in ponds only upon close examination. Prince James had spend many an hour flying with the fairies and conversing with the unicorns after stepping into that mural.

And the toys! Oh my... there had never been such toys!! All made by the local craftsmen and women specifically for Prince James! There were trains and trucks and dinosaurs that made real roaring noises, even a dancing toy mouse that played music! Every toy a young prince's heart could ever desire. Prince James loved his toys and his books and always made sure to take very good care of them, because he wanted to make sure that the people who made them knew he appreciated them. (I never said I was above sticking a moral lesson or 2 into these stories!!)

And at the end of the day, when all the ponies were rode, all the swimming swum, all the smells smelled, all the food eaten, enemies vanquished and fantasies explored, it was time for Prince James to go to bed.

And THAT my friends, was almost as lovely as the whole day put together, for Prince James had, dare I say it?? The most wonderful of beds! It was so big and so tall that Prince James needed a stool just to get in it! The head of the bed sported 3 of the biggest, lightest, fluffiest pillows that had ever been seen. Queen Mommy herself had bargained with the birds to fly up in the sky and fill her pillowcases with clouds (white ones only.... no storm clouds please.... Queen Mommy had had enough of wet beds when potty training Prince James, thankyouverymuch!) The sheets were smooth and crisp and printed with train designs, that, just in the 3 seconds before the person who was lying on them fell asleep, could be seen to move along their printed rails, across sateen countryside. If Prince James listened really hard, just as he was going to sleep, he could just hear the clickety-clack! of the the wheels and the whooooooo-whooooooo of the whistle. He'd been known to hop those trains right into dreamland and stay there all night long! The blankets on his bed were crocheted out of gossamer strands of love, by Dowager Queen Mum Great-Grandma Rose, herself. These types of blankets are the most valued of all as they create a warm, safe cocoon where only the sweetest dreams can be dreamt.

So it was on a night like any other, that Prince James brushed his teeth, listened to stories, kissed Queen Mommy and King Daddy and drifted off to sleep in this slumberiest of shrines. All was quiet in the palace as it denizens were winding down for the night. When suddenly, from the fabulous nursery, came a piercing cry! Queen Mommy, recognizing the cry, rushed up the stairs and straight into Prince James's room.

"Whatever is the matter, sweetheart?" said the Queen.

Prince James could only cry.

"Did you have a bad dream?" asked the queen (though, honestly, she could not imagine such a thing ever happening in such a fantastic bed)

Prince James just shook his head and kept crying.

"Did you bump your head?"

Prince James shook his head again and kept crying.

"Lose your favorite stuffed animal?"

Just a head shake and more tears.

"Do you have a tummy ache?" asked Queen Mommy, who by this time was quite near tears herself.

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssss!" wailed Prince James

"Oh, honey! Do you want me to rub your tummy?"

A watery sniff and a little nod later found Queen Mommy ensconced on the bed beside Prince James.

"I'm so sorry your tummy hurts sweetie, what did you have to eat tonight?" Queen Mommy knew what Prince James had for dinner... but sometimes he and King Daddy went down to the royal kitchens for a bedtime snack, and sometimes.... when he was being naughty, Prince James would go get a snack without asking first.

"ummmmmmmmm..... I had green apples.... and bananas.... and a hamburger.... and candy... and soda (at this point the real James piped up "Kids aren't SUPPOSED to drink soda Mommy!! Shhhhhh that's why it's a story buddy! Sometimes people in stories don't do what they ought! Oh, Ok) ... and cookies... and popsicles... and spaghetti... and chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and sprinkles. Then a bologna sandwich.... some cherries... a hotdog with mustard... some tomato soup... a cup or orange juice.. and...."

"Okay buddy!! That's enough! lol" interrupted Queen Mommy "you are making me sick just thinking about it!! No WONDER you have a tummy ache! How did you fit ALL that food in such a little tummy?!?"

Prince James thought about it for a moment and said "I don't know!"

Queen Mommy laughed and said "Well, let's try to not do that again, Ok?"

"Ok Queen Mommy! I love you"

"I love you too, Prince James."

And with that final declaration, Queen Mommy rose from the bed, retucked in all the blankets, dropped one last kiss on her son's forehead and quietly closed the door behind her as Prince James quickly drifted back off.

The end

Owie!

OMG you guys!

James found a piece of plastic pipe (about 1 in diam?) and was playing with it while I was putting stuff in the bread machine. He was in the living room for about a minute and then ran back into the kitchen. He was doing that gulping cry that proceeds a huge screaming crying fit while pointing to his mouth.

So I asked him "Did you bump your mouth?" He nodded and I said, "Well let me see"

Lips.... Fine
Teeth.... All there
Tounge... OK

By this time he was super upset and just wailing without making a sound and I just couldn't see ANYTHING that would make him act like that! So I checked again....

Lips.... Fine
Teeth.... All there
Tounge... OK... wait... there's a little blood...

So I had him tip his head back.... he had gouged a bloody flap in the roof of his mouth!! By this time he was screaming to beat the band! I let him have a few sips of water and then I squirted warm salt water over the wound (He did NOT care for that!! Let me tell you!! I managed to talk him into letting me do that again. Then I made him swish with cool water to get all the blood out of his mouth.

He's now laying on his couch, watching Scooby Doo to make him feel better.

He just turned to me and said "I just feel like there's a hole in my mouth"



Poor Buddy......

Today's Weather Report

Partly Moony


Courtesy of James's highly scientific method of looking out the window at 7am

Sunday Morning Sillies

Boy with hair in his eyes + Cheap Mommy who hasn't wanted to drag the kid to the one place 1/2 hour away that the child will sit nicely for a haircut and pay their outrageous prices + one stray red elastic spied under the loveseat = Ingenious solution (that we won't be mentioning to hubby, got it??)

Toss in some sunglasses for that "Oh so cool, extra toughness" factor!

Conflicted

I'm trying to decide if I want to go swimming today.

My fat says "No... You've been at death's door for the past week and you're nose is still 1/2 stuffed up and you haven't gotten your voice back! If you went swimming you would drown"

My house is saying "Clean me!! You've been neglecting me all week!!"

My health is saying "She's been ignoring me more than a week!! STFU house, she needs to work out!!"

My ass is saying "I'm fine where I am! Do you have any more of those Valentine M&M's? Is there anything new on YouTube??"


So I blogged. lol

Kite FAIL

That's not my job, Bub.

Yesterday morning, I set James down for breakfast and went back upstairs to finish what I was doing. When I came downstairs to Cheerios all over the kitchen, I handed him the brush and dustpan and told him (very calmly) to clean them up.

He was not particularly fond of the idea and I kept having to redirect him to his cleaning.... each time being treated to a new deluge of tears, during which at one point in time, he wailed "You aren't making my life any easier!!"

A new sound in town

You may have noticed (if you don't have your speakers muted, that is) that I've added a new song to my blog. This song plays over the end credits to the movie "Inkheart" and is sung by Eliza Bennett. It really resonated with me and I thought that I'd share it with all of you. I hope you like it as much as I do.

(If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can see the video... because I am apparently too "bloggistically stupid" to figure out how to embed the song here without linking the video also!)


My Declaration
~Eliza Hope Bennett

I'm gonna be someone, I'm gonna give something,
I'm taking it on, I'm taking it on,
It's gonna be my life, so I'm gonna live each day and each night,
Taking it on, I'm taking it on

'cause I can't keep hiding, no I can't keep hiding, and I can't keep running away
So I'm gonna be stronger, I'm gonna be better made, I'm gonna give everything,
Just to bring me back again.

I'm gonna be a braver soul than this,
I'm gonna jump at all those many chances that i've missed,
I'm gonna live my life beyond all these fears and forms of cowardice that keep leading me on.
I'm gonna shine out like a beacon in the night,
I'm gonna wrap my fingers around the stars tonight,
'cause i'm taking it on, 'cause i'm taking it on...

No I can't keep hiding, no I can't keep hiding, no I can't keep running away
So I'm gonna be stronger, and I'm gonna be better made, and I'm gonna give everything,
Just to bring me back again.
So I'm gonna be stronger, I'm gonna be understood, and I'm gonna give everything
Just to bring me back again!

'cause I can't keep hiding, no I can't keep hiding, and I can't keep running away.

So... I went swimming for the first time in almost 3 yrs...

Like.... REAL swimming.



Laps!!





HALF an hours worth!!





In a pool... without my kid!




AND treading water, in the deep end for over 5 mins!!






O.M.G. My. arms. hurt. so. bad. I'm having to prop my elbows on my knees to type! lol


Why did I do this?? What insanity possessed me to bestir myself from my favorite chair sitting/laptop surfing/diet coke swilling existence??


I blame the weather.

I've been promising myself that I would get back in the pool for exercise. I still have "baby weight" that needs to be shed... but it occurred to me recently, that once the "baby" turns 4 (and a HALF!!) that it can no longer be termed "baby weight" and has instead, morphed itself into Fat. Not just fat..... Fat. With a capital F. *sigh*

I have been less than motivated, however, to go to the pool in sub-freezing weather. For some reason, I have absolutely NO problem dragging my child to swimming class in the snow (actually I do... it means my Fat and I have to get up out of bed and go out in the SNOW!!), but quail at the thought of doing it myself! So today when it was 71(!!!) degrees outside, my Fat could no longer come up with any reasons for me not to tuck it into a swimsuit (eeps!!) and go to the pool. I must admit that catching a glimpse of my Fat in a simple one piece swim suit (with no Fat disgusing qualities like a skirt or super duper, steel-belted, mesh paneling) almost had me convinced that I needed to stay home. I knew I was going to cry if I heard one "mooooooo" from ANYONE at the pool.


Note to self: Do NOT go swimming 1.5 hours after drinking a Grande White Chocolate Mocha and eating a slab of marble pound cake. You WILL feel the need to vomit in the middle of the pool.

Out of all my years on the swim team, I never knew that you could sweat in the pool.... but I found it out today when I was in the middle of a lap, praying to make it to the wall without yarfing. I HAD to keep going, eventhough I was breaking out in a cold sweat all over my body and the wall kept getting farther and farther away with every stroke instead of closer. It is SUCH bad form to puke and drown in front of your child's swimming teacher in the deep end of the pool.

After swimming for 1/2 hour (about 24 laps and 5 mins of treading water), I drug my Fat back to the locker room for a shower and 15 glorious minutes in the sauna, where I was forced to hold a naked conversation with an elderly asian woman who was devoid of the Fat. *sigh* Then my Fat and I got dressed and went home.

And one would think this was the end of the story.... but it's not! lol

Deluded and quite possibly still dizzy from the sauna, my Fat and I decided to WALK to James's school to pick him up!! Walk!! I felt the need to know how long it takes to walk from our house to the CDC; so that when it begins to be warm ALL the time, we will use our feet to go to school instead of the car in an attempt to first reduce the Fat to fat and then to be rid of it completely.

For those of you who want to know, it takes 15 mins (or 2 Ricky Martins, one Aretha Franklin, and 1/2 an Adam Ant) to get from my front door to James's classroom sans child.


Not bad.


It takes quite a bit longer with said child in tow, as we are almost compelled to stop at the blue playground on the way home. But it's all good.


The bad news?? My arms hurt too much to cook dinner (note #2 to self... do NOT try to lift a full gallon of milk, for like, a week).... so we had pizza. My Fat was happy again.

*sigh*

This can not end well

James just made his own slingshot out of my elastic headband and his paper airplane.

Mood = Anxious

The list for Iraq is coming out in the next few weeks. Hubby has never been deployed there (if you will remember, he went to GITMO 2006-07 and has been home for almost 2 whole years), so it's damn near a lock that he's going.

I hate the not knowing.

Wow... just wow.

I was just trying to explain to James what was happening on the tv. This picture was on the TV.


















I pointed out then President-Elect Obama and told James that today was a very historical day (I know, I know... Drink!) because Mr. Obama, who is a black man, was going to be our new president.


James said to me "Yeah... it's important.... Which one is the black man??"




I tried to explain why it was an important point and he just looked at me. He really truly sees no difference between black/white/brown skin. "Oh... the man with a tan?" He sees us as all the same! How awesome is that??

Inauguration Day Drinking Game

Everytime someone on tv, in real life or on the internet says the words "historic", "change" or "Lincoln", you must take a drink!





You will be wasted before the actual swearing in! lol

Bedtime Smackdown!

Let's just say that the Nanny 911 "back to bed" bull crap does NOT work in this house. Ever since before Christmas, bedtime has gotten progressively worse and has practically disintegrated into a contest of wills. I don't' know if it's been due to the excitement of the holidays, the fact that James has been off his schedule, Daddy changing shifts, Mommy being sick or a combination of all those things.

Back to this week... but tonight especially. ~insert eye roll here~

James kept getting up, and getting up and getting up.... and MOCKING us about getting up. It would be one thing if he was still awake, quietly playing with a toy in bed or reading a book... but he was banging trains on his train table, jumping from the bed, "using the potty". Hubs and I were tag teaming it.... and James kept getting up, flipping light switches, running water in the sink, ect. I lost count of the # of trips I have made up and down the stairs.

So, finally fed up, I went up to James's room, sat him down on his bed, looked him straight in his eyes and told him that the next time he got up ALL his toys were going OUT of his room, and that Mommy was NOT kidding.

I barely made it down the stairs when I saw the landing/stair lights flashing on and off. So I grabbed my toy rake (the mini rake that I use to rake all the toys into a pile when cleaning), marched purposefully up to his room and said "You want the lights on, buddy? Ok... I'll turn your lights on... so you can see me remove all your toys!"

He thought it was funny, watching me push his train table out the door and rake and throw toys out onto the landing...

That is.....

Until I ripped the the plug to the Christmas tree lights out of the wall and chucked the whole tree, lights, garland, ornaments and all into the hall. It was a beautiful sight, watching that 4 ft tree arc out the door, let me tell you! I felt released of all the tension of a month's worth of sassy mouths and non-listening ears!

He stood up on his bed and started SCREAMING!! I tossed every train, car, Lego, mega block, Easter egg, EVERYTHING out the door (Hubs almost got hit several times, lol... but that was his fault for standing in the line of fire!)

James got to keep his teddy bear Remus, and I left all the books on the shelves.... but I cleared his floor, his bookcase headboard, the shelf and his closet of allllll the toys. I told him that if he laid down, and stayed in his bed that he could have his toys back in the morning.... but if he got up and didn't listen to Mommy that they would be going in the trash. (as if! We all know I'm too cheap for that!! Thank goodness *he* hasn't figured that out yet!)

All the toys are now sitting on my landing.... which is about 6x6 and has 4 doors and a stairway that opens up into it. James sat on his bed screaming the entire time I sat outside his door organizing the toys (so we could actually get into the rooms upstairs)

Then he kept yelling "I need a HUG!! I NEED a HUG!" I told him he could wait until I was done sorting the toys. I know this sounds harsh, but he was more upset that I wasn't dropping everything and rushing to his side, than he was wanting a hug.... if that makes sense.

And when I was done, I went in there and asked him why he thought I took his toys away. He got it right in one (smart kid). I told him that HE made the choice to have me remove all his toys by his behavior.... and it was HIS choice whether or not he would get them back in the morning. You could totally see the wheels turning in that brilliant little brain of his. And what do you know?? The tears magically dried up! I asked him what he needed to do to get his toys back, just to make sure he understood. He told me that he needed to lay down nicely until he went to sleep. EUREKA!! He got it!! He got his hugs and a kiss before Mommy went back downstairs.

15 minutes later.... all was silent.

Hubs thinks that I'm going to have a rough time getting James to bed this week while he's gone for training.






I have a feeling bedtime the rest of this week is going to be cake.

PSA for the Day

Do NOT mistake your window washing button for your cruise control when you are going 75 mph down the highway....

As heard from the living room:

In the meadow we can build a snowman
and pretend that he is raisin bran

We're happy tonight
We're happy tonight
walkin in the winter, run away

SLACKER!!!!

^^
That's me!! I admit it!! I'm a blogging slacker!! Get out your wet noodles and your sharpest edged tounges and give me the lashings I deserve!!

I WILL be updating tonight (or tomorrow...... )



WATCH



THIS



SPACE!!









(you can get up and go to the potty, but then you must immediately return!)

Even More Recent Conversation

Mommy... hugging you makes my arms happy!

Very Recent Conversation

Mom: What do you want to drink for dinner, buddy??
James: Milk
Mom: Ok... let me go get you some.
James: In a cup??

















No... I think I'll put it in a saucer on the floor. ~insert eye roll here~

I must be losing my mind.

I just realized my holiday baking list is insane!

I am making:
Dry cocoa mix
2 batches of cake balls - 1)Devil's Food Cake mix with buttercream icing and flaked coconut mixed in dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with peppermint. 2)Spice cake with cream cheese frosting chopped raisins and nuts and in white chocolate
6-8 loaves of pumpkin bread
Peppermint Pinwheel cookies
Grandma Paul's Sand Tarts cookies
Lemon Snowflakes Cookies
Lacy Oatmeal Crisp Cookies
coconut bonbons
Easy Butterscotch Chip Chocolate Cookies
Sugar & Spice Cookies
Mocha-Kahlúa Thumbprints
and quite possibly 4-8 mini loaves of lemon poppyseed bread.

All before Dec 19th.

And I haven't even started yet. Hell... I don't even have all the INGREDIENTS yet!!

*sigh*



p.s. Add put together and wrap 29 presents for James's preschool friends to the list, please. Kaithanxbai!

Day 6: Family Advent Calendar Activity

Today had to be one of the most perfect days I have ever spent with my child. Honestly.



We started the day off by driving down to Kansas City to a free showing of "The Polar Express". Now... we have the dvd and watched it AD NAUSEUM last year. It never enthralled me. I usually surfed the net, read a book or did chores while it was playing. I could not have cared less if it was off or on.

And then we saw it in the theater.



It.



Was.



Awesome.



Seriously.



If you EVER get a chance to see it in a movie theater DO IT. The fact that it was free made it even better! (well... "free" discounting the purchase of the vat of Diet Coke and potato sack of popcorn, lol) And if you do... try to grab a 4 yr old to see it with you. If you don't have one at home, borrow one from a friend or family member. Trust me. A 4 yr old MAKES the viewing experience! Even the Grinchiest Grinch, Crankiest Scrooge, or Grumpiest Grumplegus would find their heart expanding 8 sizes and the joy and magic of the season being infused into every cell in their body. I spent 1/2 the time watching the screen and the other 1/2 watching James. I purposely haven't put the dvd in this year, so the movie would be fresh for him. His eyes were as big as saucers! He gasped, shrieked, covered his eyes, and made several exclamations through out the movie that had those around us chortling into their popcorn. I found myself experiencing the movie through my child's eyes... all the laughs, thrills and spills... I even teared up a few times!! James, of course, was oblivious to everything except the movie and consuming his weight in popcorn! lol I cannot recall the last time I experienced that pure level of joy at a movie.

From there we walked the shopping center, enjoying the dancing fountain, beautiful Christmas tree and decorations in spite of the blustery wind (and Mommy forgot to grab hats and mittens in the rush out the door this morning, oops!! In my defense, we didn't plan on shopping after the movie). We wandered around, visiting all the shops and sales. James was as well behaved as a child being dragged in and out of stores to look at clothes could be expected to be.

He even made a purchase on his own! In T. J. Maxx, He found a toy that he reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeealy wanted.... and while I usually wouldn't get him a toy this close to Christmas, I decided that since he had been such a good boy, he could buy it with his own money if he wanted (his wonderful Godmother had sent him some money for his birthday). So we sat down with the toy and his money and I helped him figure out how much the toy would cost and how much money he would have left over. We went through check out and he handled the transaction all by himself, handing the toy and money to the clerk at the appropriate times and gathering his bag, receipt and change. We counted his change that he got back and put it in his pocket. He left the store with the bag clutched in his hand and the biggest grin on his little face.

From there, we sauntered to Books-a-Million.... stopping at EVERY map on the way to double check our route and find the "You are here" sticker! lol Once there, we snagged a book for Mommy and then made a beeline for the train table. During the hour we were there, there were some minor disputes over the engines and tenders with other kids, but nothing that couldn't be solved with a gentle reminder on manners.

The trip home was uneventful. We listened to the PE soundtrack and sang along. I was glad we got home before Big G had to go to work. James had fun showing Daddy his toy and recounting our day for him.

I thought about taking James to see the Christmas Parade and tree lighting in town.... but we had such a perfect day that I didn't want to push my luck by taking him to stand still on a sidewalk out in the cold!! lol

It was a good choice.

Day 5: Family Advent Calendar Activity

Community Lighting Ceremony In Haiku:

Tucked in carseat
Spend Batteries Recharging
For the fun that waits





James sharing Wishes
Peppermint Conspiracy
St. Nicholas beams







Friends come together
many lights twinkle warmly
in the cold night air

Day 3: Pics are up!!

Enjoy!

Day 4: Family Advent Calendar Activity

It was the best one of all!!

Going to get our Christmas Tree!!! WOOT!!

James and I were thrilled that Big G decided to stay up and go with us to get our tree! I was *not* so thrilled to find out that, after tomorrow, he is going to have 8 days in a row working 12 hour shifts and then only one day off. *sigh* Looks like he'll have to miss most of the best of the Holiday fun. We're used to it... but being used to something and being happy about it are 2 totally different things, Kwim?

That being said, we were in high spirits today, after a rousing pillow fight had us all in stitches. James and Mommy ganged up on Big G and had him down, until he staged a brilliant comeback and turned the troops against ME!! Seeing an opening in my defense, he then scurried like a mouse up the stairs to hide put his socks on! Wuss.

Once we had located all the various and sundry outer gear from the four corners of the house, we all loaded up in the truck. We so rarely get to do things as a family that we try to cherish what little time we do have together. So with carols on the mp3 and goofy smiles on our faces (and in our hearts!), we set out for the Christmas tree farm.

Imagine our delight at being greeted by Rudolph when we drove up to Fulk's Tree Farm in Platte City, Mo!!



On the hunt for the perfect tree...



Over Hill....



Over Dale....



What about this one?




Look Mom and Dad!! A Charlie Brown tree!!




What did you say that sign said??




Hey!! WAIT!! Where *are* you GOING?!?!



Shhhhhhhhh..... don't scare him away!! It is a rare sighting of the elusive "Big G"!! He's a skittish one and wary of cameras!



Rasslin' round the Christmas tree...
let the Christmas spirit ring.
Latter we'll have some chicken nuggets
and we'll do some more rass-a-ling!




This is our tree!! It's HUGE! It's One Hundred tall!!



Of all the gifts and treats we will get this year, I can't think of anything better to put under the tree, can you??

Day 3: Family Advent Calendar Activity

(due to the unfortunate and pretty brainless misplacement by Mommy of the usb cord, pictures will be added at a later date. Probably in the morning. Mommy is too cranky and tired to look for the stupid thing. "Mom! That's a BAD word!!)

Cookies and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!!

NOW we're talkin'! THAT is some good, bonding Christmas family activities there!!

*whew* I was beginning to think this whole "advent" thing was a TOTALLY L-A-M-E idea!! lol.

Tonight, we made No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.

It *did* start out a bit rocky.... as James is a very "hands in on" kind of cook... yeah... he had his hands IN the sugar, IN the cocoa, IN the oats (is my kid the only one in the world who will eat RAW oats??), IN the Peanut Butter and *almost* IN the milk! lol



I was very close to calling the whole thing off! I'm sooooooooo glad I didn't. If nothing else, James and I connect really well over food. There is something comforting and special about working together, nourishing our love and souls by creating the food that will be nourishing our bodies (or not... when you consider we were making cookies!! lol). My only regret is that, yet again, Big G was sleeping as he didn't get home from work until after noon today!

I was really impressed with his manual dexterity!! It's NOT easy to use 2 spoons to drop cookies on to waxed paper!! (I *did* do a few cookies, so he could see how it all worked.... shhhhh) lol... the FACE sez it all!!





Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... Yummy!!




We had so much fun that James wanted to help cook dinner too!! Nothing exciting, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.... but he was thrilled to help.



(Oh, Ick!!! Pay attention to the cute kid with chocolate on his face and not the nasty stove! lol... I promise it doesn't look like that on a regular basis!! I should have cleaned that BEFORE I snapped the pic! lol)


And the other item on tonight's list?? Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!



James has never seen it before. And he was TOTALLY MESMERIZED. I mean, completely FIXATED on the tv..... that is, after CBS finally put the PICTURE up!! The first 10 or so minutes, you could hear Burl Ives talking... but the screen was blank! I was ready to go postal all over Time Warner Cable when the picture finally snapped on. Afterwards, the refrain of "I want to watch that AGAIN!! AGAIN Mom!!" was echoing through the house for a good 15 mins or so. We watch mostly "on demand" shows or dvd's and he doesn't quite get that I can't rewind all the shows on the tv! Oh well.


*********************************

Out of the mouths of babes 12/03:

In the discussion of what various animals/people say:

Hey buddy... what do cows say?? MoooooooooooOOOOOOooooooooooo!
That's great!! What do dogs say?? Bark, Woof!!
Very good, What do cats say?? Meeeeeow..... Meeeeeooooow!!
Perfect!! What does Grandma say??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Whining!!
Lol!! Yup! What does the radio say?? STUPID!! And that's a BAD word! Dave (Ramsey) and the other man shoudn't say that!!
You are so right, Buddy!! What does Mommy say?? What the HECK?!?!
Uh... yeah... um... let's try that again... What does Mommy say?? DAMMIT!!

Hmmmmmm, ok... Game's over!!

Day 2: Family Advent Calendar Activity

The activity?? ReArranging and cleaning the living room in anticipation of going to get the Christmas tree!! Yay!!



















Yeah.... it went over THAT well here too.




I'm now sitting in a totally rearranged and yet, completly trashed living room. Somehow, this isn't how I pictured it! The fam, Big G, little G, and I were supposed to be joyfully rearranging furniture to the wonderful strains of Christmas music wafting out of the cd player.

What actually happenned?? Big G was in bed asleep because he's getting sick and had to be at work tonight. Little G was doing all he could to get on Mommy's LAST nerve. It's not so much that I minded that James did not help me AT ALL.... it was the active HINDERING that made me just a *touch* cranky! lol It is slightly irritating to attempt to move a couch while a child is laying in front of it screaming "Don't run over me, Mommy!! Don't push the couch on me!!" You'd think I'd kidnapped his dog and was attempting to drive off on the getaway couch! ~insert eyeroll here~


Somehow, I'm thinking that these "family activities" need to get a LOT better a LOT faster... or I'm going to lose the crew's enthusiasm.


*******************

Mini rant:

All I want for Christmas is 3 more feet of width on my living room. Or a husband that is willing to have a fake tree that will fit in the areas that I already have open, so I don't have to rearrange my heavy assed furniture twice a year and get all pissed off at the fact that it is all really too big for my stupid living room. The only way to arrange it for Christmas cuts off 1/2 the room, ruins the flow, and creates huge blank, blocked off areas. *sigh* I love my furniture, but make no mistake...we didn't buy it at "Lilliputian's Furniture and Crap".


/rant

A little Christmas "Getting to Know you"

Feel free to bogart this and post it on YOUR blog or myspace.... or do one of those annoying mass emails to everyone you have ever met.



1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or artificial? Real when hubby is home... fake when he is deployed

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime After Thanksgiving and before Christmas! lol

5. Do you like eggnog? "leaded" AND "unleaded"!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? books

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? A very small one... I want a larger one

8. Hardest person to buy for? Hubby... he already HAS everything!

9. Easiest person to buy for? James... he wants EVERYTHING

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't recall the "worst" one.

11. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Mail.... but I believe in "Holiday" cards... they may get to you on time for christmas OR Valentine's day! lol

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Ref.... It's not really a "Christmas" movie... but Dennis Leary cracks me up! Followed by "Scrooged" as a close second.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Dec 26... lol for the next year!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.... shhhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell!!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Candy canes!!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both (I prefer white... hubby likes colored... so we compromise)

17. Favorite Christmas song? All of them

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yep... MUCH easier than the 7 dwarves

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? LOL... BOTH!! Again Hubby *has* to have a star and I have to have the stuffed angel that we got for the top of Daddy's last Christmas tree. (I do know a person who has topped their tree with a plastic duck!)

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas "Eve" and the rest on Christmas "morn". I use quotes because my husband always has to work on the actual "day" of Christmas. We usually wait Christmas until my MIL comes to visit the week after.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? The fact that Christmas seems to start Mid-October anymore.... oh and the RUDNESS and GREEDINESS of people!

23. Favorite Christmas tradition? Reading Christmas stories on Christmas eve by the light of the tree. Growing up, My Dad would read [url=http://www.allthingschristmas.com/stories/BirdsChristmas.html]"The Bird's Christmas Carol"[/url] on the nights leading up to Christmas. It was the best. I miss that the most at Christmas time

24. Up early or sleeping in? Sleep in.... as much as a 4 yr old will let you!

25. Who hands out the gifts? A designated adult hands them to James to give out

26. Does Santa wrap your gifts? Unless they are really big.... then he has the elfs add a beautiful, decorative bow.

27. Do you tell the Christmas story? Of course... kinda the whole "reason for the season"

28. Do you leave cookies for Santa? Heck Yeah, I want the good stuff!! And raisins and carrots for the reindeer

Day One: Family Advent Calendar Activity

I WAS going to post about our new family tradition. It is an advent calendar where each day has a wonderful memory making activity, that I would then blog about at the end of the day.

But seeing as how the world is conspiring to piss me the hell off.... the family fun crap is being postponed until tomorrow.

It is seriously a wonder I don't just start clearing the Jerks at the commissary and the PX out with a shotgun in a "end of my rope holiday frickin rampage". It's December FIRST for cripe's sake!! The RUDENESS I have encountered today has topped the all time charts! I usually just laugh off people's idiocy during the holidays or chalk it up to them having a bad day.... but when EVERY PERSON that I see/speak to/have cross my path feels the need to not give a flying crap about the people around them/mow children down/says something rude/gives general attitude/almost hits you or your car in the parking lot because THEY are in too freaking big of a hurry to get that stuffed rhinocerous horn that Grandma just *has* to have to obey basic traffic laws, then *I* get a little perturbed and cranky myself.

GET THE HELL OVER YOURSELVES PEOPLE!!!

/rant





*sigh*

P.S. Today's activity(s) was "Pick an angel off the angel tree on the way home from school" and "Make advent Calendar". We DID pick an angel. James and I picked a little 2 yr old boy who loves trains. "Go with what you know" I always say! lol

The boy is quick on his feet!

James just came up to me and said "Take a picture of me and I'll say *November*"

The problem?? Yeah.... he's wearing socks. JUST socks.

"I can't take your picture, buddy. You're naked!"

He stops..... thinks for a second.... places one hand on his butt and says "My butt is covered!"

Then he places his other hand in front of his boy bits and said "My penis is covered.... NOW can you take my picture??"



*sigh*

At least he knows all the pertinent parts!! lol I'd be worried if he covered his knees or something! lol

James's Ensemble for the Evening

A pair of socks.


*sigh*

I must look cold

James keeps putting towels on me to "keep you warm, Mommy"

I'm currently sporting 4 towels, one hot pink hand towel, a blue/yellow/white striped towel, a dish towel with sunflowers, and a navy blue bath sheet.

My little Emeril!!

James helped me make dinner tonight. We're having Hamburger Helper.

Mommy: fried the hamburger, supervised, and poured the juice.

James:
picked the meal
helped read the box (he read the words: 2 cups milk and 1 1/4 cups Hot Water!)
helped measure Everything
poured the milk in the pan
poured the water in the pan
poured the sauce mix in the pan
stirred
poured the macaroni in the pan
poured the veggies in the pan
stirred
put the lid on the pan when the liquid started boiling
alerted Mommy to the stove beeping
stirred the Hamburger Helper
scooped Hamburger Helper into his own bowl
made his own toast
buttered his own toast
set his place
is now enjoying the meal that we created!

James just said "We are good Cooks together. We should get stars on our shirts. 2 on my shirt and 2 on yours!!"


My heart is so full of love and pride for this awesome kid that I have!

All that and Good Looks too!!

I went to a Parent/Teacher conference today with James's teacher, Ms. Brigita. Ms. Brigita pretty much confirmed my opinion..... that James is a fabulously brilliant child! lol

She says that he's the most academically advanced child in her class. She said he's the only child that can and will count past 20 without prompting and is impressed that he understands that numbers come in groups of ten (i.e.: He doesn't remember the word for 30... when counting he goes 28, 29, 20-10.. but if you tell him that 20-10 is 30 he will continue counting 31, 32.... with no prompting). She pointed out that he can identify his name in print and knows all his letters. She touched on the fact that he speaks very clearly, has a large vocabulary and a very descriptive way of talking.

She also says that he is very vocal and musical. She is VERY impressed that he changes words in songs and makes up different lyrics to go to the melodies of songs. She told me that he sings all day long, not just in circle time. He makes up songs to describe the things that he's doing or changes lyrics to fit what he is playing with. No other child in class does THAT either!

He handles writing implements correctly and uses them with equal dexterity in either hand. Neither she nor I have been able to catch him with a "preference" or a "dominant" hand. I even asked him this morning when he was *markering* (as he calls it) "Buddy, which hand to you like to write with??" He pointed to his left hand and said "I like to write with this hand", and then he pointed to his right hand and said "I like to write with this hand TOO!" (I mention this because there has been some question as to whether or not he is left handed, remind me to blog about that later...)

He doesn't play "with" kids as much as he plays "beside" them. We chalked this up to him not having a lot of experience with other kids. It's mostly always been James and me hanging out. But that when he does play with other children, he uses his words and is very kind.... if just a little thoughtless and grabby... if that makes sense.

She also mentioned that he's not a big "sitter" at school. He'll sit wonderfully for circle time, but has problems sitting and doing a project... He's like a bumblebee going from station to station. We think that may be because he is way more stimulated at school. She mentioned that he loves to play with the trains and the blocks and all the stations where you "create" things".

So there you go. I have a highly intelligent, creative child. Well... as I always say.... like Mother like Son!!


Since I'm bragging, I will add here that James can read any word that has short letter sounds, no matter the length of the word. He is ALWAYS trying to sound out words we see. He knows that when two O's go walking, that they make the "oo" sound and that when two E's go walking, that they make the "long e" sound. He can do simple addition and subtraction. We do adding games with our fingers and any objects (such as blocks or apples). He counts just about everything he sees.... sometime he even slows us down because he insists on counting or reading something... sooooooo much fun in the produce dept of the commissary... let me tell you!! lol

Happy Halloween!!

Yeah... I know I'm 5 days late! lol... so sue me! I hope these adorable pics will make up for my horrible oversight.

Mea culpa... mea culpa.... mea culpa!

And now..... (drumroll please)








The cutest firefighter EVER!!
















We started our evening at a Halloween party given by Housing at the Firehouse. We saw several people we haven't seen in a while and got to visit with several friends. It was a fun, fun time for all! While we were too late for James's section of costume judging, he did get to eat hot dogs and chips, run around with friends from school and then join up with the local volunteer fire department and work on clearing the area of those pesky trees that desperately need to be chopped down by plastic hatchets...



There were originally four... but the youngest firefighter needed to go potty so I wasn't able to get the picture with all four of them.

James with the Fire Dog



FireDudes!




We had such a good time! It was REALLY hot though... and poor James looked like he'd been hosed down under that helmet... and yet he REFUSED to take the costume off in the car on the way home! lol I practically had to bust out the Jaws of Life to get it off at the end of the evening!! ~insert eye roll here~

We hooked up with a family down the street for TOTing. So it was James and I, my friend Leah and 3 of her kids. And we walked....

and walked....

and walked...

and walked...

lol

We ended walking around 2.5 miles.... and with a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old, that is a LOT!! lol Too much candy and too much fun (on top of going to school, where they had a fall festival, that day too!) wiped the littlest fire fighter out and he went a-snooze in his bed with dreams of sugarplums and sirens!

This is a Historic Day for Us All

Barac Obama has been elected President of the United States.

It is my sincere hope that, even though he was not *my* choice, Pres Elect Obama can live up to his hype and be a truly great president. I pray that he proves my doubts wrong and that God keeps him safe to fulfill his destiny. Whatever happens in the next 4 years, I hope that it is what is best for our country. I hope he has the wisdom, strength, and character to stand in the face of all his future challenges and has the ability to lead the greatest country in the whole world.

I wish him the best.

And I am VERY proud to be watching this very important moment in history. Our country has come a LONG way!