Home Again

I convinced myself to go the South Carolina Ed Tech conference and while it was a fantastic experience I am so glad to be back home with my boys. I realized very quickly that I could never travel full time (or at all) for work. And even though I escaped the beautiful beach and came back to crying boys... I know it just "fits".

Copy Cat?

We spent the morning on the Greenway - it was such a great day for a hike - and we all needed to get out after a rainy day on Sat. Along the trail, we bumped into shirt eating goats, playful horses, and best of all... inactive cows! We spent a lot of time there - watching them- hoping for the one with the bell on his neck to move so we could hear it ring... instead we were lucky enough to see them walk and pee (never knew they could do that) and make some pretty stinky poop. Which brings me to when we returned home... I was changing Chase's diaper and while I am busy wrapping up the old, getting ready to put on the new, Chase thinks that it is funny to get up and run, thinking I might Chase him. Well, instead I went to the garbage to throw away the old diaper, and was immediately sidetracked (as the laptop sits on the counter).
All of a sudden, Andy says (impressively calm), Beck, did you forget to put a diaper on Chase?!?! Then crying. (Chase not Andy). I walk over to find Chase had pooped on the floor and had tried to catch it? So the scene that I walked into was... piles of poop on the hardwood floor and a crying baby boy with a dripping, poopy hand! I immediately scooped him away from Andy and plopped him into the tub. Andy was left to clean up the floor - with Landon trailing behind, pushing the Swifter.

Grandma and Aunt Sharon Visit

Alex not so happy here....Grandma to the rescue.

Who's pushing who here?
Landon, Sasha, Alex, and Landon at Aunt H's.

The Roemers

Go Bills!

Andy's old Halloween costume - fits... well, maybe a bit too big!

Skinner girls squeeze!

Grandma, Aunt Sharon, Landon, Chase

Chase's first Harley

Thank you Grandma and Aunt Sharon for such a great visit! We miss you so much already!

Warning about chapstick!

Do not apply chapstick this time of year before going out for a run. There will be large groups of gnats in several locations and they will stick to your lips!

Terrible Threes

Landon has been in a funk lately. He wants to wear what he wants whether it be his choice of clothes from the closet (which happens to be hand me down shirts from an 8 year old) or the shoes that were also passed down from his cousin that are many sizes too big. And it just not worth the fight... but I have to say, he is looking pretty rough lately. The boy in "Big Daddy" comes to mind. In addition to his urge to choose his own clothes, he wants to make ALL decisions all-by-himself. Our nights have turned into how to avoid a conflict that could result in a huge tantrum. Tonight did not go so well. We had a great walk down to the park. We packed up snacks and both boys ate and drank and we talked all the way down. They ran. They climbed. They slid. They had a great time and then we ventured home. Then came shower time. Landon decided that a shower was not on his "to do" list. And so it happened - crying...screaming...kicking. Andy had to hold him in the shower and wash him while he proceeded to hit Andy. He was put to bed immediately - no show, no snack, and no bedtime story. I am just wondering if this is going to be a blue print of our days, weeks, even months to come. I pray not.

Home Ownership = House Projects

We had to stain the deck again - we added onto our already existing and so had to stain the new section but then also gave the old section another coat. I know how much work it takes to stain the deck so we worked to synchronize Landon's nap with Chase's nap just so we could have maybe 2 hours (that's even stretching it) to do it together. We began yesterday... Landon never napped and needed to experience for himself what wet stain is (after we warned him to stay off). He clambered up with Andy's gigantic flip flops, got his feet "stuck" in the tacky spots, admired his flip flop print for only one second, looked at us, and then ran off! Another day and 75 railing posts later, we are finished!

Autumn Jubilee

We took the boys to a fall festival in Salisbury, NC. There were vendors galore selling anything that you would find at your great grandmother's house and also the most fantastic fried (really anything) food!

Growing up so fast!

Landon reminds me about how he is "growing up so fast!" and "Chase growing up so fast too!" They really and truly are! I can't believe the conversations that I have with Landon now. Yesterday he was telling me about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly - sometimes he really amazes me. And Chase will spill out full stories using hand gestures and everything...what he is saying, I have no clue, but he thinks he is saying words.
But just when I think they are all grown up... I took Chase shopping today and was in Pottery Barn. I was just about to check out when he decided he did not want to be in his stroller and longer. So I let him out and he wants to push the stroller all around the store bumping into whatever gets in his way. And trying to check out, I grab the stroller and him, he then falls over the wheel, knocks his head on the concrete floor (I heard the thump!) and he is hysterical. I scoop him up while a lady behind me decides to inform me of what just happened (hello? I was standing right there!). I nod politely, finish paying, carry Chase, push the stroller, and carry my one hundred pound bag out of the store.

My sweet boys...

Landon amazes me lately with the things he says and his thoughts about things. Today he told me that a caterpillar turns into a butterfly! And tonight something new... he wanted to read to Andy and I, and just looked at the pictures and told us all about this "bubble machine" that was in the book. I am beginning to realize how grown up he is becoming.
Also tonight he wanted to help me put away silverware and I reluctantly let him (it usually never winds up in the right place and I end up doing it over) but for the first time ever he could actually see over the drawer and placed every spoon, fork, and knife in the correct spot! These are those moments where you wonder where the time has gone but yet feel excited for all of the fun times ahead now that they can actually wrap their mind around so much.
And Chase... still in love with his paci...is doing great. He is cutting two more teeth and has not been feeling so great this week. But he is still such a lovey boy. Tonight he was pointing to a picture of a dolphin and kept going back to that same picture wanting me to repeat the word. I think that is a sign... we need to move closer to the beach :)

My running protegee

Yesterday I took the boys for a run (in the jogger of course!) and as I was walking back up the driveway, Landon asked if he could take a run with me. I told him when Daddy is home from work that I would take him. After all he is only three and how long would/could he actually run? Well, he ran about 1/4 of a mile down the corner and then back, taking walking breaks of course but he did not complain nor did he want to quit and have me carry him. He would just simply say, "I need to walk... just for a minute." And then he would begin running again all the while asking me if we were going to get sweaty - that was his goal I guess! I have to say that I am proud of my little man!

More Zoo and Garden pics

We took another trip last weekend to the zoo - it was HOT! Chase really enjoyed the animals this time but the merry-go-round not so much!

Tega Cay Concert

We had our last concert for the summer and the boys had a blast! They even lasted until just after sunset!

My Life is a Meter

I have divided my life into four categories - Mom, Teacher, Wife, and Runner. If I give too much to any category, I take from the other. After all we are dealing with percents here and if I only have one hundred, I can't make (although I wish I could) any more. So, the weeks that I slack on one, the others get better. This week it was the latter that suffered. But at least I have the weekend to catch up on that.

Oh Me! Oh My! I think I saw a mouse!

On Thursday morning upon arriving at school, my students began filing into my classroom getting their school bags put away and were starting in on their morning work. When all of a sudden I hear "RAT! Mrs. Roemer, we have a RAT! The moment I heard the word rat, I of course spun around and within one second, painted the most gruesome picture of a rat in my mind. I was expecting to find a fat-bellied, gray beast with a long, wiry tail, pointed snout, and beady eyes staring up at me while sniffing around my room for leftovers.

Instead, I found a small little creature that resembled more a mouse, huddled in the corner of my room. At first, it kept running into the dark bathroom (located in my classroom) but then it kept coming back out. It was acting as if it was trying to get our attention! In fact, one of my students said that he "was so cute!" I tagged one of my students to be the "mouse watcher" while the others continued with their work until a custodian came into the room. But that didn't last long as it ran across my room, under desks, and began climbing into one of my students book bags! The boy yanked his bag from the mouse, and to my surprise yet again, the mouse did not scurry. Instead, it sat right there, next to the cold, metal leg of the desk. And myself, trying to be calm under pressure, quickly grabbed a plastic cup, placed/shoved it over the top of the mouse and caught it! I assigned the same boy to keep his finger on the top of the cup as the tail wiggled about outside of it until backup finally arrived!

Tega Cay 5k

We entered another race - we had to - it was in our community! Andy placed 5th overall and 1st in his age group and I was first female overall! The boys came to watch too and Landon was telling people "That is my daddy!" as he crossed over the line!

Broken?

After running in to use the bathroom right after Landon... he asks me, "What happened to your penis mommy? Is it broken?"

Holy Cow!

My day has become a string of "things to do" but I am actually liking my tight schedule - it really makes me look forward to the weekends! And I don't stress over where I should take the kids so that they are intellectually challenged each day.
Instead, I now wake up at 5:45 - I roll out of bed (literally) and talk myself into how much going back to work is worth it and blurry eyed, I make it to the shower. I usually have make up/hair dried before kids get up. I throw laundry in... get the coffee ready... one child is usually up by now. I get them up and try to get them excited about the day. As I am getting the first milk, then I hear the second one. Andy is getting ready for his run. He gets number 2 up and brings him downstairs. Breakfast is getting made - usually frozen waffles with choice of fruit. I am making my lunch. And in between trying to down my coffee, unloading/loading the dishwasher, double checking the diaper bag, making sure clothes are laid out so they go to daycare without having the "my dad dressed me" look, and most of all trying to squeeze in some quality time with my little cherubs before I leave at 7 a.m.

Panthers Game!

Andy scored great seats at the pre-season Panthers vs. Colts game - it was amazing to be that close to the field!

Back to Work...

I am officially back to work as of today. I have to say... so far it feels great to have a bit of separation between home and school. I love the boys - god I love them! But it makes our time that much more special when I pick them up at 3:15 and we have all afternoon/evening to play and catch up. And it also helps that they just love where they are. Yesterday they brought home an All About Me poster (even Chase too!) and under the "My favorite thing to do" category Landon told her to write "Drink some juice". I guess that at age 3 it's all about the simple things in life!

Anonymity? Not so much.

I was running the other morning without having to push an extra hundred pounds in kids and a stroller and as I was turning the corner, a woman says very nicely, "No kids today?"