S is for Snake

This weekend was the annual seafood festival in Ruskin, FL. We had never been in the past three years we've been here, but decided to give it a go since it's our last year here in Tampa. Nothing totally exciting, as far as festivals go. They had lots of business booths, a couple bounce houses and then the row of fried seafood...

We stopped in the Home Depot booth to make the free trivet with the kids. Hammers + Riley/Ronan = Nervous Momma, but the trivets turned out cute and the kids both got the signature orange aprons to keep. Did I mention that it was all free?

I don't want to brag, but I basically put Ronan's entire trivet together. I just let him think he hammered in the nails. LOL.

And then, Ronan showed us...

They had a rescued animal area where they had a black jaguar and huge tiger in these metal cages. As we were looking at them, I spotted a snake in the tree. Me, not being a huge lover of all things snake, mentally freaked out, but Ronan showed a huge interest in looking closer at it. The man brought the snake down and let Ronan pet it. Riley, well, she'd have NONE of it. She backed away about as far as I did...

And then the unthinkable happened. The man asked if Ronan wanted to hold the snake and while the rest of his family (and a growing crowd behind us watching in awe) thought he would say no...there he was, arms extended, ready to give his new friend a hug.

Ryan said that Ronan taught us all a lesson: Fear is all in the mind. Which, I guess makes sense (when Ryan has deep thoughts to share :)) Ronan had ZERO fear. He grabbed that snake like it was going to be his new pet and after the man asked if he wanted to wear it as a necklace -- which I was completely opposed to -- Ronan reluctantly gave the snake back...

If only you could have seen the crowd that gathered to see my little man hold this snake and their gasping of when he grabbed onto it. It was crazy.

So even though the festival itself wasn't anything to write home about, Ronan's adventure with the snake truly was...and thankfully, I have the pictures to prove it.

Riley Says The Darndest Things!

While showering the other night, I told Riley to really lather up the shampoo and get all of her hair...to which she responded:

"I'm gonna get my scallop really good."

I then said to her, "You mean your scalp?"

She quickly said, "Yes, mom, that's what I said, scallop."

Gotta love her.

The Purrell Conspiracy

I should own stock in it. Plain and simple. I carry it in my purse, I have some at my kitchen sink and I make sure Riley's classroom has it so she can use it there.

And that's what got me thinking...about the flu, germs, H1N1 -- and when I mentioned to Ryan how Purrell must be making a killing (as far as profits go, not death itself), he injected into my mind that it was probably Purrell who started the H1N1 virus in Mexico last year! Of course, I immediately dismissed the idea, but I can't say that when I hear a cough or the suction of boogies in the background, that it doesn't swirl around in my mind...
I haven't gotten the flu shot. Riley had the mist. Ronan...nothing. He's got allergies and although his first flu shot provided no negative reaction (to the egg protein), I am slightly scared to put him through that and then have to deal with what MIGHT happen. And now that the H1N1 vaccine is out (although scarce), I am torn as to what I need to do to keep my kids safe.

Talking to some friends recently pursuaded me to NOT get the vaccine. I mean, it's new. What if in 4 years they find out that the H1N1 vaccine contributes to some other heinous disease...I have no idea. BUT, the media is scaring me into thinking that if I don't get my kids vaccinnated, they are going to get it and be really sick...and that freaks me out. What's worse is that the one child who gets sick touching EVERYTHING, is the one that can't really even have the vaccine...so what am I to do?

I'm getting on an airplane with both my kids soon. In my mind, I have planned out exactly what I'm going to do when I get on that airplane -- which includes anti-bacterial wiping down all three seats, seatbelts, trays, light buttons and anything else the kids might touch...but then what do I do about all those people breathing on us? Can I had out masks? This is the nervous freak-out mom in me...I can't afford for them to get sick, especially being away from home...

Anyone have healthy travel tips to share?

Steak and Shake

Kids eat free ALL weekend. Need I say more?

I probably don't need to say anything, but I will comment that after spending about an hour at Steak and Shake nearby, it's like a small microcosm of Wal-Mart. You see the strangest mix of people there. Understand that we were there on Halloween, so the staff was dressed up...but the customers weren't. Or maybe they were. We have no idea.

We literally stopped in our tracks when a lady walked into the restaurant in a white crocheted triangle top bikini and white pants. Her belly was billowing out over the pants, to the point where I could no longer refer to it as a muffin-top of any sort. It was like a volcano had erupted. Ick. Now, I could accept the attire if we were a mile away from the beach...maybe even on a strip near a beach. We are nowhere near any beach. In fact, we have to drive quite a distance to get to one, so just the fact she wore this outfit into a restaurant far far far from the beach shocked me.

...although not much SHOULD shock me...I shop at Wal-Mart. Haha. What? They have some great deals.

Happy Halloween 2009

This year, we did a couple Halloween events with the kids...so here are just a few pictures from those events. We trick-or-treated on Halloween with a group of friends and although I took a whole bunch that night...there isn't one where one of my kids isn't blinking. Boo hoo.

Here is Ronan with a friend at a Halloween party... it was 90 degrees that day. I had to strip him down, just to keep him cool. He's a shirtless pirate. Arrr mateys.
This is also about the only time Ronan would wear his hat with his costume. In. the. car. I had to get the PPW (price per wear) down on this bad boy, as it cost us double of what his actual costume cost.

And for the first time in almost 5 years, Riley was NOT a princess or any form of one, other than in spirit! She originally wanted to be a witch, to 'witch' I purchased a hat, but after some shopping around at all the Halloween stores, she opted for the cowgirl look -- which we all loved. We had to buy her new boots for the outfit that *gasp* cost just as much as the costume itself -- but I reassured Ryan that the PPW for it would strongly decrease as we are headed to Pittsburgh soon and she can wear them there. Gotta justify everything!

Halloween was so much more fun for us this year. Perhaps it is because Ronan finally understood it and walked the entire time without being help. Maybe it was trick-or-treating in a group and having more adults keep track of all the kids. Or maybe it was because the kids got a ton of candy and we only had to walk around for an hour. Needless to say, I'm getting my Snickers fix and am paying for it with my peanut and chocolately love handles.

Prayers, please...

Religious or not...please pray for our fellow Coastie and Marine families involved in this tragic accident...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091030/ap_on_re_us/us_midair_collision

FOR SALE: 2007 Harley Sportster 1200 L 1K Miles

$7,900.00 -- It's not mine...it's a friend's and she's trying to sell it...if you know anyone that might be interested, please forward it along!

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/mcy/1417213782.html

Almost Fainted

Generally, I would preface this type of post with a "Caution: Not for the faint of heart..." BUT, apparently, I AM the one with the faint of heart -- when it comes to medical procedures.

Okay, so quickie background info: I had to have sinus surgery on Friday. Complete blockage of the left sinus, as indicated by a CT Scan and something the ENT wanted to take care of as soon as possible...and most definitely before me getting on an airplane anytime soon.

Surgery was successful, meds were prescribed (which I had a reaction to, but whatever...) and the "packing" inside was supposed to be dissolvable. Went in yesterday for a post-op follow-up and apparently...... he was planning to remove the packing.

OMG and I mean OMG. While it's hard to equate the entire procedure to giving birth...there are a couple places I feel like nothing should ever be inserted and one of them is the nose. Sure, I had a tissue propped up in my nose for almost 10 weeks...but no metal tweezer-looking object should ever go in there and never should it pull anything gauze-like out either.

I survived, but couldn't handle anymore...so I have to go back next week. While on my way to the counter to make my next week appointment, I felt light-headed, my lips became hot and tingly and I was on the verge of fainting. Immediately, I was rushed back to the exam room, legs were propped up and a juice was in my hand while the nurse patted a washcloth on my forehead. I was seeing stars.

Truly, this was one of the most uncomfortable things I have been through. And the worst part is that I HAVE TO GO BACK. I'm doing everything in my power to speed the dissolving process along, but I am scared to death. Dare I say it, I would almost rather go through child birth. Well, not really, but I would consider it. I wonder if I can take some sort of sedative before the next appointment...what do you think?

Wedgie Prevention Program

When Riley doesn't want to wear certain shorts, she will claim they give her wedgies. This morning, her shorts were giving her wedgies...even though they clearly were nowhere near the possibility of doing so.

And then, I heard Ryan giving her instructions on the Wedgie Prevention Program, which basically meant that instead of pulling her shorts on without unbuttoning them...she needs to unzip, unbutton, pull-up, zip and then button. Ta-Da...Wedgie Prevention...and of course, it also required some squats and lunges for stretch-out.

Amazing what you can hear when daddy is home getting the nugg ready for school...love it.

Steeler Sunday (Week 5)

Yet another Sunday in our year when we all dressed in Black and Gold...Uncle Mike came to visit us and we watched the game at Beef 'O' Brady's (wingies are yummy).
Ronan found his sunglasses and wanted to sport them with his Steeler's shirt (which our friend, Joni, gave him last year!)

My Riley and I...

Riley and her Uncle Mike. She adores him...and it didn't hurt that he provided all the quarters that kept them entertained in the little arcade room. Thanks, Uncle Mike!

This is how lovey Ronan can be when you bribe him to smile for a picture with a quarter. He calls it "monies." "Gimme more monies, momma." Eventually, he resorted to calling them quarters...but didn't just ask for one, he wanted two.

The hubby, brother and daughter...

And what happens when you surrender your camera to your two-year-old? You get lots of pictures with a blurry corner (due to tiny finger) of the most random things.

Below, what you see is what one gets with the many quarters in the arcade at Beefs. We ended up with a ton of monkeys...these were just a few of them.

Haven't made plans with Uncle Mike for this upcoming weekend game...but hopes he can come visit us again!!!! Can't eat wings without him.

"Not so fall" pumpkin patch fun...

Let's face it, Florida has no great fall weather. It's summer or not summer. So, you can imagine my distress when October arrived and all I wanted to do was take the kids to a pumpkin patch. I saw pictures of friends with their kids at pumpkin patches, with hay and wearing long sleeves...and there I was, upset because we are all still wearing shorts and tanktops -- in the middle of October.

Then, it came. A cold front! Only 80 degrees that day, we scurried to the local pumpkin patch - which equates to a church parking lot on the side of a highway. Didn't let it bring me down though, because the kids were stoked to be picking out pumpkins. And not just any pumpkin. A BABY pumpkin. You'd think with the enormous ones available to us, they'd go directly for those, but they didn't. They went for the 50 cent baby ones. Whatever. It was a cheap trip, filled with the most precious memories.

I was drawn to the weird looking ones. Scattered throughout, they were covered in bumps. Not sure why they captured my attention so much (perhaps it's because they remind me of the freakin' polyp I have inside of my sinus cavity!) Couldn't resist taking some pictures of them, though...

Reminds me of fall.....

The kids immediately ran to the area with the tiny pumpkins and picked one they wanted. And now Ronan has this new infatuation with everything having a "friend" so he made sure his baby pumpkin had his very own "friend."

Riley has always loved the tiny ones, so it came as no surprise that's all she wanted...

Ronan followed suit, of course...

You would never know from my amazing photography skills that this very area was right next to a highway...it's not a Trax Farms or Bates Nut Farm but it did the job.

They had a little wagon set up for photos...

Ronan was wiped out after a tough morning of picking baby pumpkins...

I'm hoping that next year, wherever we are, we're in a state that has leaves changing color and a for real pumpkin patch with hayrides, corn mazes and pumpkin pie for sale. Yum. Until then, I guess I'll just go to Costco for the pie.

Really?

My original intent of this blog was to keep our friends and family (those that cared) up-to-date with some of the crazy things that were happening in our life. I love sharing pictures of the kids and in a way, it's been my own digital scrapbook of their lives because not only do I post my favorite pictures, but I recount the best stories of what is happening in their lives.

It's also been therapy for me. I've gone through trials and tribulations with Ronan's eating habits and Riley's life of a 15-year-old stuck in a 7-year-old body...in many ways, it's my diary. I haven't shared the most awful events of my life -- not because I didn't want to share, but because it would have been dedicating more time to a subject not worth discussing. Until today.

In previous posts, I've said 'family is a loose term.' And I mean that. Just because you're connected through marriage or by birth, doesn't make you automatically entitled to having an enriching and lasting relationship. Things happen, emails are written, mean voicemails are left, mail is sent back and well...relationships end. Without going into major detail and copying/pasting emails...this is our life with my in-laws.

Today, an email was sent to me by an in-law sibling requesting that I "password protect" my site to avoid hurting the feelings of her parents. This is the same sibling who in her last email demanded that we not contact or respond to her again. Originally, outrage ran through my veins until I came to the realization that I no longer owe them anything. When the hurtful emails were written to us, inappropriate voicemails were left and it was clear that the 4 of us were no longer a part of that family -- we moved on. Does it suck that it's like that? Sure. Who wants to have dysfunction in a family? But have the 4 of us become stronger because of it? Yes. We have learned to depend on the family we do have. We have family that has stuck by us and are fortunate to have them -- and we love them for that. But, I also know what our lives have been like for the past 5+ years and ultimately, it's a case of "nothing is better than something."

Enough is enough already. I am not going to password protect my blog to protect people who haven't been a part of our lives for years. And, I was reassured by this sibling in her last email that she has no desire to read my blog again so I have nothing to worry about.

Thanks to all my readers who have visited my blog and continue to do so. I enjoy keeping up with it and plan to change nothing...except now y'all know a little more about me and where I'm coming from.

Need A Laugh?

Have you ever read something and literally just laughed out loud? A friend just started this blog and it cracks me up. I just have to share. http://batpoocrazy.wordpress.com/ Enjoy it.

Wings + Beer + Big Screen TVs + All the Black & Gold You Can Find = A Happy Steeler Sunday!

Everywhere you go, you will find a Steeler's fan. I'm not kidding...I mean EVERYWHERE. When we moved to San Diego, you would have thought we brought Steeler fans with us...and now, here in Tampa, it's not that much different. We headed to Orlando to meet up with my brother, "Uncle Mike" and sported our Black and Gold for all to see...and yes, we looked gooood.
Riley took this picture of Ryan and I. (Karly, like my new traditional Steeler's shirt? Get on at www.shopona.com and tell Karly I sent you.)

Ronan was soooo good there. This isn't to say that I didn't come fully prepared with a bag of mini Oreos, coloring books, crayons, a Nintendo DS and an iTouch...but to have 3 hours of no freaks out is nice. Real nice.

Riley entertained her little brother by letting him watch her play the Nintendo DS. Didn't last long, as little brother has now become quite strong with a loud voice and pretty much gets whatever he wants so as to not upset the parental units he is raised by. God Bless Riley for being so patient...well, at least some of the time.

I took this picture of Riley and Uncle Mike crooked on purpose. Mike was confused, but had I not, there would have been this bright white spot shining into the camera and you wouldn't have seen their faces. Thank me for that.

And here are Riley and I before the game. We don't get many pictures together. Why? I'm generally holding Ronan OR, I'm the one behind the camera. BUT, it was nice to get a picture with my girl...my first born...the daughter who is going to turn my shiny, dark brown hair ... well, gray.

Anyway, the Steelers beat the Lions. Surprise, surprise. Go Stillers.

Riley-ism: #567

I told Riley tonight that I really wanted her to do her homework. This is how she responded:

"Okay, mom. Don't get your hankies in a twist."

I think if I translate it in non-Riley terms, she's trying to tell me to not get my panties in a bunch? Right?

Can we just move already?!

Thanks to the Coast Guard, we are approaching that time again, where we get to look at a list and decide where we might like to go. No, it's not 100% we'll get the first choice or any choice, but from what the hubby says, the detailers do their best to give you something on your list, even if it's the last choice.

There are lots of states. LOL. But for us, our options are limited to about 30-40 cities and from there, the process can be so stressful. Eliminating the "heck no, I'm not going there" choices were pretty easy. I won't say where those places are because I know how possessive and loving people can be about those particular places...but I will say that a lot of thought went into those "definitely no" places.

Then there are the "definitely, maybe." The angst is in the unknown aspect of it. Have we heard of the town? Sure. Do we know anything about it? Not really. Am I researching? Yes. Do I actually look at the statistic of Asian %? You bet I do.

There are a couple things we have to look at before it can be on our YES list.

1. Job. Is it going to benefit Ryan's career? Will he enjoy the job?

2. Housing. Are we going to be on the economy or is there military housing?

3. Schools. Now that we have a kid in school, we can't just pick a pretty place because it's pretty. It needs to be a good school too...and let me just say, finding out the truth about these schools isn't easy. Everyone wants to say their school is A-rated or the best.

4. Shopping. How close it is to a Target?! Is there a commissary or exchange?

5. How close is it to friends/family?

I'm struggling with all of it because I am so ready to move, but moving itself can be so overwhelming. We've done it a few times, so we know what to expect, but we are at a point now, where we are just ready to go.

#5 on my list is something that is weighing so heavily on where I want to go. No billets are open in Pittsburgh (not that I know of), but I miss my parents, I miss my friends there and even though my *blah* in-laws are there, I would go back...just to have a few years with my friends again. This isn't to say I would have a tiny bit of reservation. My 'Burgh friends know how awful the last few months of our time in Pittsburgh was before we moved to San Diego. BUT, I miss them dearly and seeing them this year has made me miss them even more. I'm just wanting to be around people that love us all the time...

I also know that going 'home' isn't an option right now, so what to do...what to do... Well, it's mainly resting on the job for Ryan. That will eliminate a lot of questions and once we get that narrowed down, it'll just be a matter of numbering 1-10. We'll see, I guess!

I'll post more as we get closer to narrowing our choices down and once we get a top 10, I'll be asking for info about those places!

Picture Day 2009: Second Grade

I couldn't decide which of the two pictures I liked better, so I opted to post both. Here is La Diva on the morning of her 2nd grade picture day...and let me just say, if the eve of picture day is going to be any indication of what future picture days are going to be...well....we are in big trouble.

It started off about 2 weeks ago when Riley informed me that her pictures were coming and the would like to wear something "pretty." What it was, I had no idea, but she had it in her head it that it was going to be something worthy of having her photo taken.

It brought us to two nights ago when she asked me what she was going to wear. I told her to go to her closet and pick something out. She did, alright...nothing appropriate, that's for sure. She did a fashion show for Ryan and I, which comprised of her coming out in booty shorts and a size 4T top (way too small), sweatpants and a camo pink t-shirt with glittery writing and some sort of dress which wasn't going to be allowed to walk out of my house on picture day morning.

Then came the dreaded phrase: "I have nothing to wear."

Being the suckas that we are, Ryan and I packed both kids into the car and off to Target we went. Under strict instructions to only choose a top that could be worn with both shorts and jeans, Riley didn't let me off easy when we approached the girls' clothing section by saying, "don't you think I'll need bottoms to go with the top?" Uhhh, no. Noone is going to see you bottoms, sister. Nice try.

So circles and circles around racks and racks of clothing we did. Eventually, I came across the black top you see her wearing and asked what she thought. She said it was cute, but too long. (Not sure why she would think that, but whatever.) So a few more circles later with her whiny momma and we ended up deciding, mutually, on the black top. She tried it on, loved it and there it brought us to picture day morning.

Not only did I have to wake up early to make sure she didn't have sleepy eyes for the long-awaited photo shoot, but I was told that she wanted her hair curly. Yes, ma'am. I spent 40 minutes spiral curling her fine, brown hair with a 1/2 inch barrel curling iron, clipping it to the side like how she wore it in our friends' (Rochelle and Steve) wedding and off she was for the exciting Picture Day.

I don't have pictures yet...they come in like 4-6 weeks. I hope she smiled --because she still has all.her.baby teeth!

Emma Crew

I don't know this little girl, but I do know some of her family friends and after reading this post by their friend Kristina, I decided I just had to share this story:

Kristina posted this on her Facebook:

A dear friend of mine, Sophie Crew has a one year old daughter named Emma. On Friday, September18th, Emma was critically injured at her daycare. She suffered severe damage to her head and has been in a coma ever since. She has had two brain surgeries to remove parts of her skull to reduce the pressure inher head but she continues to still have high ICP which is her Intra Cranial Pressure. They had reduced the medications hoping she would begin to wake up but since then, they have had to increase those same medicines because of some of the risk with her ICP.

I have had the chance to visit little Emma in the hospitaland hold her little hand. The sight just makes your heart go into your throat and obviously think about her poor parents Sophie and Tyler who have not left her bed side since that horrific Friday. I never thought I would ever know anyone who has had to endure so much pain and heartache for a child so young. I think about my own babies, especially having a son so close to Emma’s age and can’t even begin to image what they are going through.So I can’t fix Emma, but the best I can do is try andsupport their family the best way I know how and that is why I am reaching out to all of you.

With the help of San Diego County Credit Union and my amazing friend Wendy Snyder, we have been able to open up a Fund for little Emma to help their family with their medical expenses they have/will take on through this time. Right now all they can think about is getting their baby back but we all know all of the other realities that will face them at some point.

If you are able to help this family they would so greatly appreciate it. We have set up an account through Paypal which will go directly into the “Emma Crew Fund” and can be accessed below or you can also write checks to: SDCCU marked “Emma Crew Fund – Account #000368773100” mailed to San Diego County Credit Union 6545 Sequence Dr. San Diego, CA 92121.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and hopefully you can contribute to this cause. If you are unable to at this time, please just pray for this little girl and her family and pass this message on if you can!!

http://hopeandloveforthecrewfamily.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading....

"Not Me" Monday: My first attempt!

I often visit mycharmingkids.net and read the funny things she posts about what she doesn't do...and made sure to think about what I don't do this past week just so I could share.

I don't mix whites, darks and towels in the same load of laundry, just so I can be done with it. That's just wrong.

I don't tell Ronan that if he sits in his dirty, poopy diaper that monsters and bugs will eat his bum. I mean, only a really evil mother would say something like that.

I don't leave my empty contact cases out on the bathroom sink so they collect and then Ryan has to throw them all away before garbage day.

I didn't tell Riley that I would take her back to school on Friday after I got her out early and she threw a fit. I would never threaten to leave her there until school closes. Never.

I don't use the TV as a babysitter when I want to shower or blog.

I definitely do not suck my tummy in and perk my chest out when I walk into a Hooters or hope that the manager will approach me and ask me to work there. I mean, I'm practically old enough to be some of those girls' mother.

I didn't laugh inside or out when Ronan accidentally shot Riley with the Nerf gun in the eye. It wasn't nice and Ronan was reprimanded for it, even though it was an accident. And no I didn't look at Ryan and contemplate shooting him with the Nerf gun so he could feel it.

And I definitely never have out of body experiences where I step out and wish for 30 seconds that I was 5-years-old again with no responsibility or care in the world.

What did you NOT do this past week?

Go Steelers!

So what if the Steelers lost, at least we looked cute! Kidding. We spent half the game at Hooters in Melbourne, FL, with Uncle Mike. The kids kept themselves occupied with coloring books, Ryan and Uncle Mike were actually watching the game and I, well, I was wondering how a man in his mid-to-late 30s could possibly sport a camel toe in Wrangler jeans the way he could. It actually looked painful the way he was sitting and I know, from the looks I was getting from Ryan, that I was checking it out way too much. He was with a friend. I wish his friend would have told him to get new jeans. I don't have a picture. I wish I did. I'm sorry. But, you can enjoy the picture of me and my babies.

For those of you curious about where I got that shirt, visit www.shopona.com and tell Karly I sent ya. I don't get anything out of it, but maybe I will if I get her enough business! :) Hint, hint, Karly.

Rachael and Ryan's wedding

Most of you might know that I've been working on making wedding invitation suites, baby announcements, etc... This summer, I spent some time working on lots of paper products for my friend, Rachael's, wedding and the photos came out on her photographer's website. You can see glimpses of the program, placecards and menus from her special day here.

Congrats to Rachael and Ryan and thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding (even if it was over 1000 miles away!)

Should I be worried?

This morning, I saw Ronan lying down between the ottoman and the couch. Because he wasn't squatting, I knew he wasn't droppin' a deuce, so I just didn't think much of it. I started dishes, picked up some toys and realized he was making no noise. (Don't get freaked out.) I bent over to see what he was doing and there he was, undressing Riley's Barbie doll. When I startled him, asking what he was doing, he started giggling.

Immediately, I called Ryan, asking if it was something I had to worry about. Apparently, I don't. But still. He's a goof. No more Barbies for Ronan.

No Manual Included.

Over 7 years ago, Riley came home from the hospital with Ryan and I...and we had no idea what we were doing. She didn't come with a manual or instructions and I'm finding that even though I was able to figure out the eating, sleeping and pooping part of a baby's life, each day comes with struggles and celebrations that noone ever prepares you for.

I didn't have a game plan when I became a parent. I never went into parenthood thinking that I was going to tackle certain obstacles a particular way. I, along with Ryan, just hoped (and still do) that our kids grow up feeling nothing but love from us and stay grounded.

When Riley started walking, she would fall and get right back up again. If she didn't feel like walking, she's drag her chubby thighes across the floor by crawling. These days, she can clearly walk and run like a champ...and if you have seen the post about her hula hooping, you know she can do that pretty well too.

Bike riding. Totally different issue. I, momma, am not a pro bike rider. Does a human balancing on two thin wheels make any sense to me? Not really. BUT, I did learn when I was little. This summer, we challenged Riley (and ourselves) with the task of learning to ride her bike without her training wheels. Who would have thought that it was going to be such a daunting task?

I think it was probably more Ryan and I putting it off than Riley's non-motivation to learn in the beginning. I mean, how fun is it to bend over for long periods of time, holding on to the seat of her bike, keeping her propped up so she doesn't fall over? Not fun at.all. But, last night, I felt overcome with sadness as she sat on her bike, helmet buckled firmly on her head, with nowhere to go. She couldn't ride alone and didn't know where to begin.

I wasn't sure how to go about motivating her initially. I mean, these days, everyone is all about positive reinforcement, positive this, positive that. I get it. I understand that kids need praised and I'll be the first to cheer my child on for an accomplishment she or he has made. At the same time, when kids feel failure (or what they think failure is), some don't know how to deal with it because we've spent all this time praising them for everything and not addressing how to deal with life when it doesn't go as planned.

Riley fell off her bike about 2 times before she decided to give up. I looked at her and I wanna say I had some sort of anger in my eye and said that if she wants to quit, she'll never learn. I actually said, "Riley, you always quit when you can't do something and I'm over it. Get on the bike and ride it. Stop acting like you can't do anything."

Was it the right approach? Probably not in the books of therapists or guidance counselors. Did I call my child a quitter? Sort of. I wanted to light a fire under her ass and get her going. I've gotten to the point where I'm sick of her whining about not doing something when I know she's capable of just doing something.

She did it last night. She rode her bike...a few house-lengths before she would veer into the grass. But, she freaking did it. Tears filled my eyes and I felt a sense of accomplishment. Not just for her, but for me, too. I usually tell people I have no patience. It's the truth. But last night, I took my own advice of sucking it up and just doing it -- held on to Riley, focused on her...and there she went.

And yes, I'm totally patting myself on the back right now.

I'm on a roll, huh?!

I know, I know. I went for what, a couple weeks - not one blog post - and here I am today, knocking it out like homework for a 2nd grader the night before it's due!

Last night, Ronan and Riley were playing Wii Sports Resort. Ronan was actually doing well doing some sort of bicycle game. Why teach them all the letters of the alphabet, when you can just tell them to keep hitting the "A" button. Eventually, I think they will learn.
This morning, Uncle Mike took Ronan and I out to breakfast to Mimi's Cafe. (At the time, I was stressing about Tricare -- see previous post!) It was delish. I love their muffins. Ronan, loves the chocolate ON the pancakes. Not necessarily the pancake itself, but the chocolate.

And this next picture just tells you what I do every single night:

Pathetic that my 2-year-old stuffed toilet paper in his nostril and said to me his nose was 'wunny.' Can't wait to get my nose situation remedied.

Tricare, not so caring...

I hate hate hate to complain about healthcare. Why? Well, there are lots of people out there that don't have it and I feel extremely blessed to have it through Ryan's career with the Coast Guard. There are definitely things, though, that annoy the heck out of me and frankly, today...completely threw me into a tizzy. Yes, I said tizzy.

I'll start with the "TMI" part of this. I have a nasal polyp. Sounds gross, right? It is. It's freaking nasty and it has taken over my life for the past 7 (seven) weeks. I'm not going to post a picture of it because even the sight of it via webmd grosses me out. Basically, it's this lump of skin (which is what it looks like) or tissue that is blocking my left nostril.

If I pinched my right nostril, I would not be able to breath...that's how big this polyp is. (By the way, let me first start off by saying that I actually self-diagnosed myself with this weeks ago and went to my doctor and told her what I have. She agreed. This is where I have my moments where I should've been a doctor. Nevermind that I get grossed out easily...or that I got my information from webmd. LOL) Anyway, this nasal polyp blocks my breathing but the kicker isn't the lack of ability to breathe, it's the fact that my nose is constantly running. And I mean ALL DAY LONG. At night, I sport the sexy "small wad of tissue stuck in nose to prevent running" look. It's done wonders for my relationship with Ryan.

So here I am, 7 weeks into this, 2 visits to my primary care physician and a hopeful referral to an ENT. For today. At 3 p.m. Today. I get a phone call at 8:30 a.m. Today. From the ENT. No referral, honey. No appointment unless I want to pay out.of.pocket. Well, I am emotional. I cry, over everything.

I almost started crying. After phone call to here, there and everywhere...two hours later, I find out that I have no referral to an outside doctor and that I have to go on base. Fine...but why didn't you call to tell me? They said they have no correct number...however for every appointment, they call my cell phone. What.ever.

I appreciate that I have the healthcare to get me eventually over this nasal polyp (I hope.) BUT, why can't they just do it right the first time, so we don't have to go through all this crap?! I'm going to live with this for yet another week, at least, and although it's a non-emergency issue, it's still debilitating for me.

I'm just annoyed. And while Tricare positions themselves as the 'world's best healthcare for the world's best military,' it'd be nice if they could get all their ducks in a row so we don't end up spending more money going to the ER for things that could've been treated in a routine visit. Argh.

Torturing Uncle Mike

If you have ever had experience with new toys on a birthday or holiday, you know that most toys are bolted down with screws, wrapped with plastic ties, or taped down to the box so the toy doesn't get up and out on it's own and leave the store. We have spent hours opening toys for the kids and it's a big reason why I don't like to buy them anymore. Call me Scrooge, call me whatever. I like to think of myself as being smart because I avoid the hassle of opening gifts, AFTER they have already been opened!

Uncle Mike came to visit us and one of our first trips was to Wal-Mart, where he let the kids each pick out a toy. If you know Mike, you know this is a big deal. He's normally the one that gives savings bonds you can't cash until your kids retire. I'm not complaining. I'm just saying...

So, I gave him the opportunity to spoil the kids and in return, he had to open everything. Seeing him slightly frustrated was a tad bit amusing, but then I did jump in to help him out, as the kids started to get restless!

Thanks, Uncle Mike!!!! Can't wait for you to come back and visit us again!

Talk of the Night

At a Pampered Chef party last night, the most raved item of the night wasn't the pizza stone or the measuring cup that my friend, Christine, can't figure out...it was the ice cream dipper. Apparently, this bad boy has a liquid in the handle that is warming, so when you shake it up and head towards the 1/2 gallon of Breyer's Natural Vanilla with Vanilla Bean spreckles, it's supposed to scoop out like, "butta."

I haven't tried it yet, but I am thinking I need to order me one! What are your favorite Pampered Chef items out there? What can't you live without?

Long Overdue (and I'm not talking about pregnancy!)

I probably won't have pictures in this post for one main reason. I'm a bad Asian. Often times, I have been depended upon as the resident photographer but for some odd reason, I have just not had it dangling from my neck these past few weeks. I think I'm just going to chalk it up to pure laziness. Yeah, that's it.

So, in this post, I'll be providing you with mere text updates. If you don't feel like reading, call me and I'll read the post out loud to you. (I'm kidding...)

I. I've been busy volunteering on PTA. If you aren't a parent, then you probably don't know what it is, but let's just say I make things happen. And when I say things, I mean LOTS of things. I am the VP of Membership and my main job was to get parents, teachers, community members to join. I might not be successful with working out on a regular basis, or showering, but I think I was really good at this job. So far, we have a total of 321 members (a 72% increase from last year!) and each day, we get a couple more here and there. That says a couple things. Either parents are really interested in what's happening at their child's school OR, I'm really good at this job. I am going with the latter.

II. Ronan does this new thing and while I'm ecstatic he is speaking in sentences...he says "ah-bah-bah-bah" for no reason. And, he thinks it's funny. It started around the time of his Baptism when Rochelle and Steve came to visit. He will say, "I gotta tell you sumpin." Then one would answer, "what's up, Ronan?" And then his response would be "Ah-bah-bah-bah. I got chu!" What it means, I have no idea, but it makes him laugh and that's enough for me. Now, if only he would just pee in the potty. We'd have progress.

III. Riley sends us notes under the door. I know, you're thinking...how cute! But, it's not because she's trying to be cute, it's because she's upset. The other day, we had a note that said:

Do you like Ronan more than me? Please check 'yes' or 'no' (with sad and happy faces corresponding).

Does this make me a bad mom because I ran out into the livingroom giggling? I did respond with a note slid back under her door reassuring her we love them both the same. (Well, at least on most days!)

IV. The Pediatric Dentist Visit. Not so fun, I must say. Ronan 0, Riley 8. I'm talking cavities, people, not tattoos. It was absolutely devastating and it's all my fault. I'm not one to floss her teeth...well, I wasn't, until that night! BUT, the worst part was how the dentist and the staff made me feel about the number of cavities she had. I honestly thought I was going to have CYS knocking on my door that night. Riley was traumatized because she's heard horror stories from her fellow 7-year-old friends who've said that the dentist drills all the way to her brain, but whatever...let's just say she cried from the minute we left the office until an hour after we got home. And no, she didn't even have them filled yet! We're still talking about what we're going to do...but whatever it is, it's going to require lots of nitrous oxide and alcohol and probably some nitrous oxide for Riley too. Stay posted on this...

V. Toy Story Mania for the Wii is awesome. If you have a Wii, get it and play. It could entertain me for hours. But, I also have the brain mentality of a 6-year-old...so that would explain it.

I will put pictures in the next post, I promise. But, until then...know that we are all happy, healthy, and well, sweaty in this humid Florida heat.

My pack-pack momma...

It's the little things in life that seem to make Ronan happy. A tiny car... A tiny nugget... Or a tiny new backpack (or pack-pack) from Pa via the Fed Ex man in the big, white truck.
When he saw the pack-pack in the box, he pulled it out, as if he knew it was his. He asked what it was and when he realized it was, in fact, for him...he couldn't contain his excitement. We place the two Thomas the Train books inside and there he was, happily displaying his new bag, his new pack-pack for school.

He said two adorable things. 1. My show Why-wee (Riley) my pack-pack, momma? My show Why-wee?! and 2. I wub (love) it. I wub my pack-pack.

And because he's Asian and know what to do when the camera comes out...he struck a pose. What a ham. Hopefully that pack-pack will last another three freaking years, because I guess that's how long I'll have to wait before he'll be in school full-time. Thanks, December baby.

Fun with Family

Living in Florida, we've been quite fortunate to have the opportunity to spend some time with family. The weather happens to be a great incentive for family to come and visit us (thanks Jason & Courtney, Pa/Grandma/Aunt & Alin). But, lucky for us, we have even more family close enough that we can pretty much see them without having to book plane tickets or plan months in advance. You can't beat that!

Ryan's cousin lives not too far from us and invited us to meet up with them this past weekend at a resort they were staying at close by. You just can't pass up the chance to go swimming on a hot day and spend time with people you actually enjoy being around! Riley and Mikenna are second cousins and a year apart (Mikenna is younger, can you believe it?!)
They had a blast together , as did Ronan and Adin. Ronan doesn't ever really have the chance to hang out with boys here, so he was soaking up the rough-housing and expenditure of energy with his second cousin....

And of course, how can you forget precious Morgan...she's the baby in the group and such a happy baby!

It's not easy to get 5 kids to look up at a camera. But, you get the point...they are cute.

We ended our evening at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, where Ryan's other cousin met up with us and had a great time watching the chef throw shrimp and make volcanoes while we stuffed ourselves so full, we had to be rolled out of the restaurant. Love me some of that white sauce they serve there....why oh why did Benihana Pittsburgh stop making that, I'll never know...

Thanks to Mike and Alana for a fun day!!!

Our Hula Hooping Queen

This video does Riley no justice because if you saw her in person, you would see how truly awesome she is at the hula hoop! I say this because in her first few attempts, she exhibited nothing but frustration and anger...but somehow, (sans the help of her uncoordinated parents -- don't even ask to see Ryan try and hula, it's a scene all in itself!) Riley taught herself how to do it.

Seeing her tonight, she barely moves her hips and I swear, it looks like the hula hoop is moving on its own!

Just so great to see Riley do something she enjoys doing and how well she actually does it! Hopefully this motivation and excitement continues to her studies of multiplication in the future! LOL.