You're My (Super)Heroes!!!

Overkill

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday, I vacuumed and cleaned out the van while the kids got some fresh air. With various week-old sippy cups, articles of clothing, shoes, trash and toys our van was smelling rather "pleasant" so I broke out some The Body Shop home fragrance oil. A nice pumpkin nectarine scent for the fall. I got some cotton face pads and liberally doused them in the scent before tucking them in discreet spots throughout the van.

With the heat going this morning on the way to school, our ride smelled like a homey candle shop and Austin noticed. "What's that smell?", he asked (neither a good nor a bad reaction). I explained to him what I had done and I thought that was the end of it until I arrived to pick him up after the end of his day. On average, we wait 20 minutes in the pick-up line every day as his teacher loads the students into their awaiting rides. As Austin finally climbed into the van he announced, "I could smell the van before I could see you!"

At least no one can accuse our van of smelling like a garbage dump!

The Cutest Thing

Overheard by Tom (why does he always hear the good stuff?)

Audrey to Austin: I'll be on your team because I like you and sometimes I snuggle you in bed.

Apparently they were preparing to play some sort of game or activity and Audrey thought it necessary to split into teams (though it was only the two of them). As a mom I live for these rare moments, when there's peace and love and all is well between brother and sister.

My Mantra

I refuse to dwell on the negative today. I will remain positive and upbeat. (Repeat. Repeat.) In an effort to do so I'm making myself list 10 things I'm loving right now, things I'm looking forward to, things that are making me laugh:

1. chai tea and meme bread (I thought I'd start out small)
2. Audrey sucking her thumb with her boo bunny
3. Lexi's little biscuits in her big girl underwear
4. Madagascar (the movie, not the island)
5. Seeing one of the senior girls at JCS on her "unicorn" (for spirit week) as I drove Austin to school this morning
6. clean laundry
7. vacuuming my living room
8. Reyna coming
9. eating dinner as a family
10. Audrey going to gymnastics tonite
11. spending time with Austin while Audrey is in gymnastics
12. going to work tonite (believe it, or not)
13. the beautiful sunshine

Wow, that was easier than I thought and I feel better already!=)

Playing Favorites

Anybody weird like me? Do you always order a certain drink with a certain meal? Without it your dining experience just wouldn't be the same? Take for instance Taco Bell. I always, always, always drink Dr. Pepper at the bell. Always. Until we happened to go to a Taco Bell far, far away from here and they didn't have Dr. P. Maybe they do things differently in that "neck of the woods". Anyways, I can't even remember what I ended up settling for, but it just wasn't the same. So, yeah, I'm weird. Here's some more favorites:

• Olive Garden: peach tea
• McD's: Hi-C orange
• Outback: coke with grenadine- if they try to slip me cherry coke I'll send it back
• Subway: wild cherry pepsi
• Knight's Steakhouse (our hangout for GNO's with my fave girlies): I'm starting to lean toward their margarita~ so good, so strong=)

Oh, and I always prefer Pepsi to Coke. Got any favorites?

Monday, Monday

Not a whole lot to post on tonite. A typical Monday. Austin had school. He came home with his first official homework assignment. An "All about Me " book due in a couple of weeks. Aside from what he has to include as his favorites and basic info, his teacher has pretty much given us free reign for the format and design of the project. I absolutely do not want to be one of those kind of mothers that takes over and does all of her child's work for him but I'm hoping maybe he'll be interested in doing it as a scrapbook style book~ maybe 8X8? I've got lots of ideas, but again, I don't want to force anything if he has his own plan.

Other than that, I've done 3 loads of laundry. I made an easy dinner and then we hit the trail for a quick walk/bike ride before bath time. The kids are in bed, Tom's off with his brother and I'm just enjoying the quiet before bedtime.

Happy fall, y'all!!! (today's the first day of autumn in case you didn't know;)

WHY?!?!

After you pray about something for forever (ok, slight exaggeration). Asking God for the right moment, the right opportunity. Telling yourself that when the time comes you'll have peace, you'll have words to say, everything will just fall into place because God has provided that exact moment. Why then, when God served me my moment tonite did I shove it back in His face and say, "no thanks!" Why? Because I'm a freaking idiot and I blew it again!

So Far...

... so good. Lindsey was absolutely beautiful last nite! As Miss Ann Arbor she was the first one out on the stage for both the swim wear and evening gown portions of the show. Her dress was a gorgeous shade of aqua with a high front slit and a small train. She carried herself with poise and grace. She was confident, but not overly so like some of the other girls strutting their stuff. I have NO pictures of the evening. Of course, there was no photography or video permitted and Lindsey was on a bus headed back to the hotel before some of the other contestants had even finished. She had her interview with the judges this morning and the big show is tonite at 8pm. All of the girls will do a dance number before they announce the top 15. Then the 15 will do the swim wear and evening gown again and then they will narrow it down to the top 5 who have the final on-stage question before they crown the Miss Michigan USA 2009. I have to work tonite so I'm going to try to get Micah to text me with updates throughout the evening and I'll post the outcome tomorrow.

Send Some Luck Her Way

So I' m off to the Miss Michigan USA pageant tonite. The winner, who will be crowned on Saturday, will go on to compete in the Miss USA pageant next year. What makes tonite so special is one contestant, Miss Lindsey Ann Wiley. Around here in Hosmerville, we simply refer to her as Winsey because she's my brother's girlfriend. I can't wait to see her tonite. She's got looks, she's got talent, and most importantly she's got the sweetest personality. How could she lose? ... not that I'm biased or anything=) Let's go Lindsey!!!

Playing Hooky

It's only the second week of school and Austin's already sick. His asthma flared up this week and last nite was pretty rough. I called the office to let them know he wouldn't be coming today. I think I'm more crushed than he is (only because now he has no chance at getting perfect attendance K-12). Ahh, the crazy hopes and dreams I have for my kids~ living vicariously through their little lives.=) Now we're just waiting for the doc to get back to the office from doing his hospital rounds. It's rainy and dreary~ a perfect day to lay low and chill. Maybe we'll swing by the library after Austin's appointment and check out some movies and come home to be lazy for the day.

Anyways, I'm a bit late on this one but I wanted to post about Austin's first day of school for memory's sake. He was so excited. The morning went well~ breakfast, getting dressed, loading the kids, and getting him to school on time. We walked in just as his teacher was leading all of the early arrivals from the gym down to the room. Austin jumped right into the back of the line. He was ready! I filmed him finding his coat hook for the first time and hanging up his back pack. I didn't realize it at the time but watching the video later, Austin hangs up his bag and marches right into his classroom, high fiving his teacher on the way in! No "good bye, mom" or anything *sniff, sniff* So as I sat watching my "footage" from the morning, I thought to myself~ wow! what a defining moment! My little man is off to conquer the world. Austin must have sensed the unspoken transition as he left his mommy's side and walked confidently into his classroom for the first time because he piped up from behind me, "and that's when I became a kindergartner!" *sniff, sniff, waahhh!!!*

The girls and I hung back and watched Austin through the big windows for a minute before joining him in the classroom. I helped him find his spot and took a couple of pictures. By that time other parents were saying their good byes and a couple of his classmates were starting to cry. I was worried for a split second that Austin would pick up on the tears, but no need to worry! Mommy was the only one with tears that morning. I asked Austin if he needed a kissing hand and when he told me no I held back my urge to ask him if I could have a kissing hand. I had to hunt down Audrey who was busy making new friends in the playhouse and headed out into the day to learn how to live my mornings without my baby Jamers by my side.

The morning went by quickly and we headed back to the school to pick Austin up. His teacher brought all of the kids out to the parking lot and loaded them into the waiting vehicles one by one. As Austin got settled and we drove away he exclaimed, "it's just like the drive-thru!" Yes, I'll have an Austin with a side of fries and a Pepsi, please!