the safest tree on the block

a present to myself

a few weeks ago, i made a purchase online, and i am still oh-so-excited about it! i was actually looking for a magnetic doorstop, but instead i found my new most favorite thing!

i know that mandy is going to read this and roll her eyes. and actually, i think the only person that will really appreciate this is my mom. and maybe marty. i'm not sure why i think marty would like this, but it seems like something that would be right up her alley.

anyway, for as long as i've known me i have had a huge box full of wrapping paper, ribbons, tags, gift bags, tape, etc. it has always gotten on my nerves because it was so unorganized, and i swore to do something about it every time that i wrapped a gift. yeah...never happened.

until now!!!

yes!! this is my new handy, dandy wrapping paper organizer. complete with a zip top spot for ribbons and whatnot. and side pockets for tags and tissue paper!



i was so giddy when it came in the mail that i sat down immediately and got everything in its spot. so unfortunately i do not have a before picture.

but i do have an after pic of the aforementioned box and the nice organization of the gift bags and gift boxes that now occupies that space!


yes, i know i'm a dork. but i can say with confidence...bring on the christmas season. i am more than ready!!

the doctor's office and diego

a few days ago, i walked into the den to find this:

wes was sitting in his bean bag being perfectly still and watching the backyardigans. that should have been my first clue that something was wrong. he doesn't sit still for more than 1/2 of a second, and he never watches tv for any longer than that either.

so...after red, swollen eyes glued shut with green, gunky stuff, snot everywhere, coughing, a 103.4 fever, an 11pm-445am sleepless night, the diagnosis of an ear and eye infection, eye drops, antibiotics, and all the g.i. issues that go along with giving a kid an antibiotic...here we are!

oh, the joy that fills this house at the moment!

on the other hand, i got a major shock when i took wes to the doctor. i took william with me because it's just loads of fun to take multiple kids to the doctor's office.

anyway, i brought some crayons along to let them draw on the paper that is on the patient bed/table in the room while we were waiting. it proved to be quite a brilliant idea. they had tons of space to create masterpieces and were totally occupied.

after a few minutes, i looked over to see what william was working on and found this:


hello?! i had no idea my kid could write his name! (ok, so the M is actually a W...but come on...close enough.)

me: "william, who in the world taught you how to write your name?" (because i sure didn't)

william: "i don't know."

me: "did you learn that at school?"

william: "no. maybe it was diego."

i've seen diego rescue animals, but i have never seen him write. however, if he can have that sort of influence...wes will no longer be watching the backyardigans. go, diego, go!

he conquered the night!

william has been potty trained for about a year now. but, now along with the daytime, he has conquered the nighttime! that's right, folks! he is now sleeping in underwear!

and, although he manages to get dirty at some pretty strange times of night (or early morning really)...mama is super excited! sometimes when your kid hits a milestone, it makes you a little sad knowing that they are leaving that certain stage behind. well...this ain't one of them!

so long, pull-ups!!!

well...it's not a little sister

if you recall, last year william came home from school with a family portrait that he had drawn of his family. it included this cute, little person with a skirt and a bow whose name was "little sister."

well, today i picked him up from school to find this year's version of the family portrait. there was a scribble labeled "mom." another scribble was labeled "dad." and this year, even wes got a scribble named after him. however, there was another scribble that made it into the family this year. his name was "garbage man." apparently, william feels quite a strong connection to the guy that picks up our garbage and waves to him every week. i'm not so sure i feel the same way.

fun times at the car wash

happy birthday, charlie!

what better way is there to celebrate turning 3 than dressing all your buddies up as trains...


and eating a chocolate train cake and ice cream?


"cut me some cake, woman!"


racing each other down the slide just topped it off!

happy birthday, charlie!! we had a blast at your party! and for an hour or so chugging around as trains in our backyard when we got home.

i asked william if he had fun at charlie's party. he said, "yes. he's 3 like me. can he turn 4 tomorrow?" that means he had a good time, but i'm not sure that this party can be trumped when charlie man turns 4!! but hey, as long as there is cake, wes is totally there!

fun...except for the football part

so we sat in the stands, yet again, this past weekend to watch another not so great football exhibition by our bulldogs. despite the loss, we still had a blast. there are tons of fun things at football games besides football (good thing, huh?):

1. watching the drummers perform before the walk-through. william can play a seriously mean air drum.


2. jumpy things at the fan fare area. william and sara beth waited patiently for what seemed like forever, but they got their turn and enjoyed every second of it.


3. rice krispie treats at the tailgate


4. practicing our punting form so we can have an awesome punter in 15 years


5. wooden bulldogs. there will be no need in us purchasing a real, live animal to chew up our house. i just need a wooden dog to make this kid happy.


6. the paratroopers (is that what they are called, allen?). 4 guys jumped out of a helicopter before the game, flew right over us, turned and landed perfectly at midfield. it was amazing. and sadly, it was the loudest cheers from the stadium all day.


7. ford. william loves ford. here they are discussing football strategy (or maybe politics knowing the 2 of them).


8. the jumbotron. hello? how cool is this thing? at least msu can boast about the largest hdtv in the land.


so see...if you left out the actual football game, then football games would be awesome. and my husband would be happier.

never fear...basketball season is just around the corner. i don't know about the rest of y'all, but i'm ready to switch gears and spend some saturdays at the hump. we'll have to do without the paratroopers in there, but maybe we can score a rice krispie treat somewhere along the way!