Thanksgiving...

Another Thanksgiving... another year of the flu passing through three families from three different states as fast as you can say "turkey".

Christmas Shopping

So today I began shopping for the boys. I went up and down all of the aisles in Target trying to figure out what toys they would really enjoy. What I found was no big surprise... animals that talk and sing, a gigantic dinasaur that roars and stomps, any hot wheels car you could imagine, dolls galore, and Leapster has their entire line on display. And that is where I spent a good bit of my time. I was looking at every product they have. They have a new (well, new to me) book called Tag - it has story books that can snap into it and has a pen to go along with it. The pen will read to you if you press the words, and also will ask you questions such as finding words on a page, it will make up rhymes, and so much more! (ages 4 up if you are interested). But I couldn't help thinking about where my part comes in. If the book is taking place of a parent/adult, when do parents/child interact with each other? Which also made me think about our generation and how far we have advanced in technology... for better or for worse. I walked away from that computerized book (for now anyway). I am choosing to cuddle up on the couch with Landon and Chase, read to them, and ask them the questions that these amazing books now do. Pretty soon they may even take showers for them (that I would sign up for!)

Bribery...so bitter sweet

No voice for 5 days had sent me into the dr.'s office today. Not to mention that I just haven't been feeling great. And the mom guilt crept in and so I said I would keep the boys with me today. My thought was that I will take them to the doctor's with me, and then we can just hang out here and rest. The morning began with Landon up at 5 a.m., the boys fighting and then Landon crying saying he wanted to stay at home with daddy (who was not even working from home today). I bribed them with juice cups, and arrived at the dr.'s just before 8:00. The boys, happy with their juice and granola bars decided that it would be fun to play "chase" around the chairs at the office while I am signing in. I persuaded them to pick up a magazine (you know the ones that are on the table in the office and aren't even appealing to adults?) It worked for a moment anyway. Finally we got called into the office and Chase decided to push around the cart that has those glass containers filled with tongue depressors and q-tips. I put a stop to that in a hurry. Landon was fascinated with the curtain and the area behind it, so he spent his time in there playing peek a boo with Chase. Finally the doctor arrives, Chase gets checked out first and we find out he has an ear infection. I have an upper respitory infection and off we go with our perscriptions and to the pharmacy across the street. The boys are running up and down the aisles (I still have no voice to yell, although I am trying) and I evenually bribe them with gum, pick up our meds, and away we go. I know these acts of bribery will come back to haunt me.

Negotiator

It used to be that whatever I said, goes. And it is still that way but not without a protest from Landon who is learning quite early the art of negotiation. If I tell him that we can stay at the playground for 5 minutes, he will say, "How about 10 minutes?" Not that he really knows the difference, he just wants to be the one to make the decision. I have learned quickly that my five minutes can be "labeled" ten and everyone stays happy.

Exchange King?

Andy is the king of returning/exchaning things that don't work or he is just plain unsatisfied with. He is also a sucker for a "deal" or anything free. To name a few... we purchased an in home air filter system so he could get the free portable vacuum that came with it. He was unsatisfied, sent back the filter system, but was able to keep the vacuum. We have bought steaks through the mail because they have a special offer where you buy two, and then get two free. He also was persuaded into a timeshare where we stayed in Hilton Head for a very cheap rate (which ended up being fantastic) if we agreed to sit through a 90 minute presentation. If an item has gone on sale, it would not be out of the ordinary for Andy to dig up the old receipt, go back to the store, and get that price adjustment. With all of that said, Andy topped his list today... He had planted a tree purchased from Home Depot (back in March? or maybe April.) The tree never took and ended up dying. Andy dug up the receipt, and the tree, and took the whole dead tree/receipt combo back - so seven or so months later, he returns a tree. And they accepted it - in case you are wondering, it is part of their policy. So forty dollars later, which paid for a new tree, we have a live tree once again and a satisfied Andy!

Update

The weeks seem to slip away and I wonder why I ever complained about having too much time on my hands. But at the same time I love being back at work and don't miss the days that I would count down the hours and minutes until Andy came home or the weekend was here.

And so it is Sunday night and we accomplished a ton this weekend. Yesterday we took the boys to two stores that I would never recommend taking a 1 and 3 year old - Bath and Body Works and then Crate and Barrel. While in Bath and Body, Chase realized that they had bins designed for his height and as he took every travel size gel and sanitizer out of the bin, he would look at me, smile, and then would run around to the other side and dump it into a different bin. And while Landon is carrying over a very breakable candle for me to smell, the lady behind the counter came out, smiling, with two pieces of paper and a handful of markers the boys could draw on - clever on her part. While they excitedly worked on their picture, I could successfully shop.

Off to Crate and Barrel where everything is breakable and within reach for kids under the age of 3. Andy was returning a few dishes (did I mention that these dishes we received as a wedding gift, 6 years ago and we are still able to exchange them when/if they chip) and I was on kid patrol. We did make it out of there without having to purchase any broken items.

Edisto Island

I am back tracking, but wanted to show pics of our beach trip - we had a blast!

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.