Gigi and Pops Come to Town!

My parents took advantage of American's new direct service from DFW to Beaumont last weekend.  Pretty sure they won't be driving 5+ hours much anymore.  {Everyone else... COME VISIT!!!}  Unfortunately Carson was sick with some lovely virus the whole time. His fever would spike above 105/106 every 4 hours after the fever reducers wore off.  Either our thermometer reads really high when it is high or this kid just gets high fevers.  They've spiked this high a number of times when he's been sick and the doctor's are never really concerned as long as it's not sustained that high for a long time.  Who knew?  I NEVER had fevers this high when I was growing up.  The lowest it would even get with medicine was 101-102. Fun stuff.  The only good thing about having a sick kid is that you generally get a lot of snuggles.  Grandparents don't mind that one bit.  Luckily, even though he had a fever and was a total snot machine, he was still in pretty good spirits.  We just read books, played, and watched Cars.  A LOT.

Reading with Gigi

 

Snuggling with Pops

 

I think the 61-year old horse should retire.  I think he agrees.

 

Playing doctor and listening to Gigi's heart.

 

He had no fever by lunch on Sunday.  We were all suffering from cabin fever.  So, off to Roadhouse!

 

Matching Carhartt jackets.

 

Someone did NOT want Gigi & Pops to leave (check out those boogers).

 

He was OUT on the way home...

 

It was great to have them in town and hopefully they'll get to come more now that it is so much easier and faster to get here! YAY!!!

Wednesday Confessions

It's no surprise that bacon is one of my absolute favorite foods but for some reason fake Bacon Bits (the artificially flavored ones) are way better than real bacon pieces for bakes potatoes/cauliflower "potatoes" and such.

I may complain that our house is a complete and utter disaster right now because we've started remodeling, BUT.... it means I actually have an excuse for it to be dirty.  Other than doing the dishes, there will be no real cleaning until this whole process is done.   What's the point???

I probably spend way too much time talking to the workers.  Hey, I'm just happy to have someone besides the dogs to talk to during the day.

I seriously don't know how my mom (or any parent) made it through long shopping trips without an iPad or iPhone.  I might be slightly dependent on technology for shopping trips.  Oh well, it's better than listening to whining.  He's learning, right??

The entire contents of our wine cabinet had to be emptied in order to get the cabinet in the POD.  That entire contents is sitting right behind my desk.  This week has been a B----, very tempting....

My husband has concluded I'm crazy due to the million paint color samples in every room of our house (none of which have "spoken" to me).  I've concluded our house has to have the most inconsistent and worst lighting possible to choose paint colors.  I could NEVER EVER be an interior decorator.  I have a major love/hate relationship with this whole process.  I'm like a little kid.  Give me 2-3 choices, not the entire Sherwin Williams fan deck.  I'm horrible at making these kinds of decisions.

We got lazy and grabbed Carson a pizza.  After he ate, I found the pizza box on the floor.  The remaining pizza itself was outside the box, face down on the concrete in the living room (where they ripped up the floor).  A piece was missing.  Lucy was guilty.  FOR. SURE.  I was NOT happy.  Why? Because I rarely get pizza and it's one of my faves.  That was my lunch.  I started to emplement the 5 second rule, and Andrew said NO.  Probably the right call there, but hey, I REALLY wanted that pizza!

I'm proud of myself for not killing Cupid yet (our 2nd betta fish).  The first one lasted a day.

Wednesday Confessions

I FINALLY got an iPhone around Christmas... I'm clueless.  I totally feel like an old person trying to figure out new technology.  I'm getting there... I think.  Sort of.  Andrew and I had a fight with iTunes yesterday, so we certainly aren't there yet.

I've been a horrible blogger lately.  Part of that is because I haven't figured out how to get some super cute videos and pics off my new phone, on to this computer, and then on to the blog.

Carson gets way too many "prizes."  I think part of it is because we are thrilled that he finally likes a show that we don't mind watching over and over... Cars and Cars 2.  The kid is OBSESSED.  It's so easy to pick up a little something here and there.  I'm just thankful he's over Yo Gabba Gabba... oh lordy.  He still requests Thomas a lot and loves playing trains, but you can tell he definitely has a new interest/obsession.

Let's be real here... who actually gave their kid the Valentine's candy??  I totally ate 95% of the candy Carson got from his class party.

While I have made fun of certain family members for hoarding, I realize I totally am one too.  I FINALLY gave in and donated my old formals (which are supposed to be "recent".... ha... don't think 1997 to 2000 are "recent") to the Cinderella Project.  Did I think I would actually wear then again?  No.  Did I think I would have a daughter that would play dress up with them?  Maybe, but doubt she'll be playing dress up with adult-size gowns (I've been the same size since about 7th/8th grade).  Am I really that sentimental about them?  No... it's not like I married any of the guys I went with.  Was the only reason I was keeping one so that I could someday dress up for Halloween as a beauty pageant girl... 'cause that's about the only way that sequiny thing could be considered acceptable?  Maybe, but highly unlikely that would ever be my costume.  Was the real reason I still had them because they fit and that made me feel good about myself?  Yep.  I did keep two though... one was a bridesmaid dress that would actually make a great dress to wear if I ever needed a long formal, but not too formal, dress.  It fits great and is beautiful.  The other was the dress I wore to Winter Formal in 10th grade.  I love the back of it and somehow it fits (I'm thinking I must have been in that slightly pudgy/post puberty stage for it to actually fit today).  I keep thinking it could make a cute LBD if I cut it off.  It would also be really pretty to have the neckline tweaked a little bit to be a deeper scoop neck.  Who am I kidding?? Like I'm really going to go to anything formal.  If I ever do, I'm sure it will be a Mardi Gras ball and that will require sparkle!!!

Andrew got me a pedometer because I've started running again (I use the term "running" loosely... it's usually just up to Carson's school and back which is 1.3 miles.  If I pick him up too, it's 2.6 miles/day total.  Some days I take a detour home and actually really run a couple miles but the weather has been crappy or I'm running behind already, so those days have not been as common. I've been wearing the pedometer around the house and realize I walk A LOT in our little 1,600 SF house.  At first I was super excited... hey, I'm working out and don't even realize it.  Then.... I realized that most of my walking was from my desk to the fridge.  Dang.

We started watching Swamp People because Andrew sort of knows the new Texas people on there.  This is what happens when you are married to a wildlife biologist.  What's worse is that he critiques EVERYTHING on the show.... "there's no way that one weighs 750lbs.  That one is NOT a monster.  They never fight like that when our hunters are hunting.  The shooting them in the head part is not as dramatic as they make it out to be.  No one would ever jump in the water.  This is just stupid."   I think he should be a wildlife consultant to those Hollywood types.  If it's going to be a "reality" show, there should at least be some reality.  Not really sure if this is a "confession" but I guess admitting to watching Swamp People kind of is.

Weekend Roundup & Photo Dump

Andrew was out of town (stuck up in that lovely blizzard in Kansas for work) all last week and didn't get home until 1:30am (late Friday/early Saturday)... Reorganizing all the old baby clothes/gear/etc. was my project.  I was pretty organized for a while, but I had a lot of the random stuff just everywhere.  Plus, I wanted everything in pretty clear containers, not diaper boxes that didn't close up.

BEFORE....

 

AFTER!!!!

 

Carson likes Mommy's new car!

 

Ready to go to Wannie & Papi's house...

 

Daddy brought home an ice chest full of SNOW!!!  Carson LOVED it!!!

 

On our way to the crawfish boil @ Wannie & Papi's...

He loves to "dance" (if you can call it that... totally a little white boy).  He busts it out to "Cars music"... "Life is a Highway"...the Rascal Flatts song from the movie.

 

Mommy should have been an engineer.. check out that tractor!

 

Cheers, Wannie!

 

Daddy brought the snow for Blaise to play with too (even though it's nothing new to him)...

 

Our Texas snowman...

 

Carson wasn't so sure about this....

 

 

 We were hoping the spicy crawfish would make Jamie go into labor... We are SO ready to meet you Miss Harper Grace!!!

 

 

You will never starve in this family...

 

 

Silly boys wrestling... Blaise TOOK OUT Carson and Carson probably has 15lbs on him!

 

 

Hold me, Jeremy!!!

 

 

Snuggles with Papi

 

Papi's pancakes!

 

Back home and wondering where the rain came from...

 

Perfect fit!

 

 

Gatorade face!

 

He had fun watching the Daytona 500.  He saw a picture of Danica Patrick and thought I was on TV.  He also thought Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was Steven (haha!!).  He saw #95 (Lightning McQueen's number) and wanted him to win!

 

How can this be comfortable??

 

And... the recent pics photo dump...

 

More monster trucks in town... We were going to take him to the show but just had too much going on Sunday... He was happy just to go see them in a parking lot.

 

Being silly with Shooter

 

Mommy's version of cooking when Daddy is gone...

 

Wanting to sit there =  MAJOR progress.

 

Boxes are FUN!

 

Big 'ole feet.  10 Extra Wide.  (I had no idea how much bigger the EW were compared to the regular... kiddo has fat feet!)

 

New favorite book is one of Daddy's old books.... Donald's Pizza!

 

Pop Rocks... haha!!

Kind of a Big Deal...

Last night was kind of a big deal around the Peters' house....

 

Carson went tee tee in his Cars potty for the first time!!!

 

He even asked to himself.

 

We've had unsuccessful potty time right before his bath but I've been inconsistent in that we don't do it every day. I usually will try to ask him and if he didn't want to, I didn't push it.  He's wanted to though the last few days.  He likes for me to read his "Michael book."  It's a book about a little boy learning how to use the potty.

 

Well last night he asked ME to use his potty.  He was already naked and ready to get in the bath and told me he wanted to tee tee in the potty.  Normally he sits and reads while nothing happens, but this time he just arched his back, stuck out his little boy parts and let it go!!!  Most of it actually made it in the potty too!!!

 

I was SO PROUD of him and he was pretty darn proud of himself too!!!

 

I hope this is the start of something that we are all ready for.  A potty-trained child.

 

Way to go, Carson!!!

Random Carson Sayings/Doings

"Daddy got black" .... Carson's response to the ashes on Andrew's forehead on Ash Wednesday.

Carson found two of Andrew's insulin pens and two bottles of medicine and started playing the drums.

He saw two bucks fighting on TV and said the deer were wrestling.

The thought the gobbler (male turkey) in full strut was a chicken.

He ran into the couch and the "couch hurt me" so we put the couch in time out.  After the buzzer went off, we hugged the couch and reinforced that it's not nice to hurt people. 

For the record, Carson LOVES when other people have to go to time out.  Wannie went in time out for hitting Andrew (i.e. a little slap on the back in jest).  He will call anyone out if he thinks they hit someone.  At least he's learning that hitting isn't okay.... it's hard to explain to a 2 year old what a love pat is.

We told Carson that Shooter liked to have his booty scratched (i.e. on the end of his back right above the tail).... well... when we told him to scratch Shooter, he pretty much went straight for the booty hole.  GROSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.  We had to wash his hands REALLY good.  YUCK!!!

He tried to feed Rahul (one of his Cars cars) pancakes.

Always asks what things are even when he knows the answer.  I think he just likes me to say "you know what that is" just so he can tell me and then hear me tell him good job.  Silly boy.

"Fix ick" is "fix it"

Carson kept talking about a "monnie moo moo" for the longest time in the bath tub. We have FINALLY figured out what it is.... the water wheel on his Thomas toy. WTH? Where'd he get that??

Mommy's New Ride!!!

The 'ole Pathfinder has been a great car.  I got it in January 2005 after Andrew had a little incident in my other car... whoops.  It had around 50K miles when we got it, and I've since added another 100K+.  I really didn't have any issues with it at all until fairly recently.  I had to replace the air compressor in 2010 and then just recently replaced all the shocks and struts.  There were a few other minor issues.... the A/C always being on full blast.  So. Annoying.  I hate wind and felt like I was constantly in a wind tunnel.  The CD player had been jammed forever with who knows what CDs stuck inside.  The back brake light fell off a long time ago.  AND... just recently Andrew noticed it was leaking old.  No bueno.  Apparently that was not going to be a cheap fix, so ADIOS!!!  We've been talking about a getting a "new" car for quite some time, so.... went from this...

.... to THIS!!!!

 

A friend from church is the Sales Manager at Kinsel Ford, so I had him on the look out for a newer Ford Expedition EL with low mileage.  I flip-flopped between the regular Expedition and the EL (extra-long) forever, but we finally decided it was worth the extra room.  Between the one kid now and hopefully more later down the road, the two black dogs, and all our crap, we figured we needed the space.  We did.  For. Sure.  Eddye found us this beautiful 2012 with only 26K miles.  It was perfect! 

 

Andrew was out of town but I was really anxious to have a reliable car, so I {crazily} went to the dealership with a 2 1/2 year old BY MYSELF.  {what was I thinking???}  Actually, Carson was really good.  Totally wild, but good. 

 

Big Foot was there because of the Monster Truck show this past weekend...

 

 

 

 

He played iPad...

 

But he mostly ran around the showroom like a complete wild man.  Our friend has two little boys (one is only 3 weeks older than Carson) that come up there all the time.  He gave me the 'okay' to just let him play, so play he did.  As long as the doors were shut, where was he going to go??  They threw the football, he ran around crazy.  He slid his own race cars across the floor.  He threw his race cars up and they almost landed on one of these pretty new cars so he went to time out....

 

He wanted to play all over the golf cart.



We survived though.  I was tired.

 

My first parking lot failure was at WalMart... I was about 4 feet over the line.  Whoops.

 

 

Driving this car will take some getting used to but it's really pretty easy for a big car.  I already LOVE it!!!  You just push a button to fold the rear seats all the way down.  It has a remote for the back door.  It has a regular plug, not just a cigarette lighter.  I can plug my phone in and play music.  I can answer my phone over the speakers.  It has a little extra mirror I can fold down to see Carson in the back seat better.... and this is just the basic XLT, not Limited.  I've never had a new car, and while this one isn't "new" new, it's the newest I've ever had.  I'm amazed at what's standard now on cars.  Pretty cool stuff!!!  The only uncool part... a car payment again.  Yuck.  I was enjoying having a paid off vehicle.  Oh well... had to happen sometime so I'm going to enjoy it!!!