Pizzazilla

Ok, well that might be taking it a bit far, but I'm pretty darn smart if I do say so myself. Amy and Lil' Pete came over tonight for a little while to visit. I don't know why it surprised me but Brighton wasn't too keen on sharing his toys with baby Pete. We tried to explain to him that Pete wasn't going to take the toys and they were still his but he needed to share. For example, when baby Pete (8 mos) sits on the sit-n-spin, Brighton doesn't need to rush over as fast as he can and sit on it so that Pete can't. Bright did sit next to baby Pete and show him his toot toots which I was amazed by...but most other things, it was "MINE!" "NO!" "NO PETE NO!" He needs a sibling.

Here's where the genius comes in (has nothing to do with him not wanting to share his toys). Brighton naturally didn't eat his supper and so a couple hours later he was hungry and started exclaiming "PIZZA PIZZA!" 'Oh god here we go again...' I think to myself. Here's how the conversation went:

Brighton: Pizza Pizza!
Mom: We don't have any pizza...
Brighton : *whining* I want piiizzaaaaaaa.
Mom: Honey, we don't have pizza. Are you hungry?
Brighton: Shakes his head 'No' I eat.
Mom: You're hungry? Mom has an idea...You want pizza?
Brighton: Shaking his head vigorously with a smile creeping up his face Pizza!

Mom whips out the flour tortillas, left over spaghetti sauce, and mozzarella cheese. I Fry up the tortilla, add the sauce and cheese, cut it into four triangles, and VOILA! INSTANT PIZZA PIZZA! And it tasted good too! Bright ate all but one piece. He is henceforth going to have the nickname, Pizzazilla...though it's hard to type so you probably won't see it here...

YAY MOM! This was such a victory for me you have no idea. It made him happy, made me happy, made us all happy. And I feel like maybe my IQ is a little higher than I'd previously thought...which probably isn't saying much!!

jalapeno hands

just incase someone else out there makes the same stupid mistake and decides to cut 12 jalapeno peppers (from the garden, not the supermarket) to make jalapeno jelly and NOT wear gloves, here's my warning to you.

For the past three hours now I've been suffering with Jalapeno burn. I've tried oil, mylanta, lotion, milk, vinegar water, rubbing alcohol, and now I'm onto bleach. Nothing is helping. I've come to the conclusion that the only thing that can possibly help is a LOT of alcohol (the kind you drink) and time. Though the bleach water (5 parts water to 1 part bleach) did help and sure makes sense, it only helps after you dip and release...I have a feeling I'll be feeling this for a while.

The good part? I don't have to change Brighton's poopy diaper.

Jalapeno jelly anyone?

ps. here's a helpful website:
http://www.soupsong.com/fpepper.html

also, for more help call your poison control center.

Just to keep me humble

I know that the universe doesn't like anyone to get too big in the britches but ferpetesakes, a break once in a while would be nice. I worked lastnight at starbucks, the night went really well. We closed relatively early, the night went smoothly and we only had 2 groups of customers at 2 minutes 'till 9. I got home, played on the new computer and finally went to bed around 11.

We woke up this morning with no set plans, just the way we like to start a Saturday morning. We knew that at some point I had to go to Michaels (40 % off coupon), PetSmart, and the Market for green peppers. Andrew wanted to pick up the new Harry Potter book and we needd a few grocery items. We just didn't know exactly how the day would pan out. So about 9:00 AM after breakfast, we were on our way to CR to the market. I decided it would be nice to take Feebee since she doesn't get go to many places (keep reading and you'll find out why...) and now that Boomer is gone, she gets lonely at home.

We get to the market, I'm holding onto Feebee's leash, trying to find her pinch collar (NO it's NOT INUHUMANE!!) when my phone rings...Ring...Ring ring...Ring RING...RING RING RING!! It shouts at me. It's Star from Starbucks. "Um, I just got here and no one is here and nothing is done and I can't get into the back..."

Curses. I tell her calmly, "it's OK, i'll call over to First and Collins and see if someone can come over and open for you." Inside I'm giving a tongue lashing to the mnager who was SUPPOSED to open...Though I know that mistakes happen, this is the second time this person hasn't shown up when this person was supposed to. But no worries, the ASM from the other store agrees to come over and open and all is well. I tell him I'll try to call around to see if any other shifts can cover because I'm in Civi clothes and 1/2 hour away from home and with my family.

We figure it out and We move on to the market.

With Feebee in tow, people of course stop and pet her and she goes ape sh** and everyone is either appauled or sickeningly sweet which feeds Feebee's fire. But no matter, she settled down a bit and all was well. I found the most beautiful purple peppers for $2/box of 4 and so I grabbed them. I was done. We stopped at our Kolache people, bought a kolache for each of us and then off to my favorite wine man, Paul Tabor (tabor home winery check out http://www.taberwines.com - my favorite is the red raspberry). We bought three bottles and sampled a red raspberry and the Catawba Rose' which of course were wonderful. Then we were off and running to the next stop, Starbucks.

We get there about 10ish and the ASM is there with Star and the new gal. Everything looks great (of course, thanks to STAR!) and so I feel comfortable leaving. We decide to hit Younkers and check out the new Evergreen Fiesta color. Cool. I go potty, and as I'm sitting there, my phone rings.

"Can you hurry up? Your son is bleeding..."

"WHAT?! What do you mean he's bleeding?"

"He fell and hit his lip on the fountain and now his lip is bleeding..."

I finish my business, wash my hands and grab a few extra towels for the downpour of blood that I'm expecting to see when I emerge from the ladies bathroom.

"That's it?" His lip was scraped, but not bleeding...I assume this was Andrew's new tactic for getting me out of Von Maur.

We leave, get to the car and Andrew is about at gagging stage. "Feebee, get back your breath stinks!!" I should preface this by saying she was sitting in the front PASSENGER seat when we got there.

"what's that on your seat? What the he&& is that smell?" I open the door and it catches me and about knocks me off my feet.

Two words. Anal Glands. "Ah cripes. Some little jerk must have scared her and she expressed them...dam it!!" Now my car wreaking of sickening sweet unnecessary scent gland, I grab the only thing I have capable of cleaning anything, Wet Ones. I blot and blot and blot. The smell goes away a little but not completely. Enough to get us across the street to Michaels.

We get to Michaels and all is well. I don't think anything happened after taht except that I am now exhausted and ready for a nap. But I have pepper jelly to make and a dog to bathe and gourd pigs to make. Maybe I need to brew another cup of coffee instead...

WAY off the beaten path...

I got this email from my husband. You see, he's more of a conservative and my friend Jill is more of a liberal politically. Andrew, an auditor in Iowa. Jill, an assistant director for public television in San Diego, CA. Makes for great comedy since one of the things they actually have in common is a good sense of humor...that I usually get to indulge in. So I'm sharing it with you. Remind me again what they get paid so much to do? I don't get to have nearly this much fun grooming dogs... Here goes: I've deleted their numbers and their emails and switched the timeline so you read the first part first...



From: Andrew
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 10:09 AM
To: Jill
Subject: FW: Funny Tees

I thought you would enjoy these.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Jill
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 12:12 PM
To: Andrew
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

I gotta git me one a them tees.

Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: Andrew
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 10:27 AM
To: Jill
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

Have you decided when you are going to come back to Iowa?

Andrew

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Jill
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 12:46 PM
To: Andrew
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

No, with Jason starting XX's Fire Academy on 8/23 my summer is out of whack...but if I do it will likely be over the Labor Day holiday. Tell me again what kind of car you bought..

Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Andrew
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 10:53 AM
To: Jill
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

It makes me feel old, I bought a 1999 Cadillac Catera. It only had 75k miles and was a pretty good deal. It smells like cigarette smoke so Marcy complains all the time when she is in it. It is also a small car similar to a Buick LaSabre, not a big boat like a Deville would be.

Lance Armstrong is hosting a presidential forum to discuss cancer research on August 27 for the democratic candidates and August 28 for republican candidates. I already have my ticket. If you are in town, you should go, you will probably see the next president, I don't expect to when I go on the 28th.

Andrew

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Jill
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 12:56 PM
To: Andrew
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

You should have bought a Deville, just to throw people a little. We could rename you "A to tha' O"

Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Andrew
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 11:01 AM
To: Jill
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

i thought about getting those things that go on your tires that spin the opposite way you drive and then fill my trunk with a big sub and listen to rap music. We saw someone in a mini van listening to rap music last night.

Andrew

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Jill
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 1:05 PM
To:Andrew
Subject: RE: Funny Tees

Or maybe you go with a gansta/elderly stereotype combo and wear the over-your-glasses sunglasses with black socks and sensible shoes but get something airburshed on the hood and a bumpin' stereo....the possibilities are endless!

Jill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Andrew
Subject: FW: Funny Tees
Date: July 20, 2007 1:05:48 PM CDT
To: Marcy

She is out of control.

Andrew

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moral of this story: Careful what you send to a blogger with some extra time on her hands ;)

And the teeeeeeny tiny keypad

And I'm trying to get used to the teeny tiny keypad, which is why there are so many mistakes...sorry... Blogger does have a spell checker, I just usually don't have to use it...guess I'll have to get used to that too...

Dodging Bird Poop, Playing on The Mac gimmeanapple.

OK for some reason I can't see any photos that I've uploaded, all i can see is the html (which is very ugly by the way) so I hope these pictures and this blog look OK...Day one, with my new mac. I love it. I'm still figuring it out, but asthetically it's beautiful, functionally it's a lot easier than a PC. Despite that it takes me a while to navigate becuase I'm used to searching and trying to find things in obscure places. What that means is that instead of my files being hidden in remote cavities of my hard drive, they're usually right in front of me. I guess taht's why people love the mac. It's simple, straight forward, no fuss no muss, jsut pure creative beauty.
I'm sitting outside on our front deck by the water garden and the birdfeeders (thus the title). So if a bird is brave enough to grab a bite to eat while I'm sitting here, I'm trying to avoid being plopped on. I can see it now. Wonder if the warranty covers bird poo?
And as you can probably also see, I'm getting used to playing with the camera atop the screen. I thought it was pretty silly and thought I'd never use it...well...other than that when the laptop is on my lap, it's at a horrible angle that makes my face look a big like jabba the hut. But other than that...
I'm learning and really enjoying the freedom this lap top will offer me. You all know how I hate being confined...

We're Going Fruit Loopy

So Brighton is asserting his control over the people by only eating what he wants to eat. I spoke to my friend Jennifer about this and this was her conclusion. He doesn't have a lot of control (or so he thinks) over much of what happens in his life, but he can control what he eats, and right now all he wants is fruit loops... He refuses most things these days including but not limited to: meat, vegetables (except beans, carrots and potatoes), fruit (except grapes and melon) and milk. Is the fact that we’ve succumbed to his wishes and give him fruit loops for breakfast, and snacks, and supper make us bad parents? Did we feed that sweet tooth too early? WHAT DID WE DO! I made his food from whole ingredients when he was a baby, I painstakingly prepared and pureed everything from beans to cauliflour to broccoli to plums and apples and you name it I pureed it. Not a drop of sugar added. Ok, he got the occasional CONE from Dairy Queen, but he didn’t like the milk, just the cone, so we figured OK...And I DID give him chocolate here and there because any self respecting human likes good chocolate. Right? Well, we did something wrong, or it’s just the way of the beast...I just hope it ends soon before he breaks us completely.

A Long Couple of Weeks

I haven't blogged for quite some time now. Sorry about that! It's been a really crazy and difficult couple of weeks. Here's a quick lowdown on the goings ons... Brighton is really hitting his terrible twos, we put our dog Boomer to sleep a week ago Monday, Andrew got a new car, I got a new computer, storms to beat the band, generally just busy busy busy. I'm really tired right now so I'm sure I'm missing something.

Brighton's new favorite word is "no." I know, every kid goes through it. But he's REALLY asserting his independance. He's also into throwing things. He loves baseballs, basket balls, feebee balls (tennis balls) anything that resembles a ball or that is small enough to fit in his hand he throws. So yesterday he took his metal John Deere truck and threw it at me...three times. I told him the last tme that if he threw it at me again I was going to put it in the garbage. He looked at me then defiantly threw back his arm and got ready for the pitch. BLAM! It hit me square in the chest. So despite his cries, I took the truck and (pretended to) pitched it into the garbage. He cried and cried! Then later I caught him pulling things out of the garbage to find it...Nice.

He also has a new friend, Vava (Ava). It's Ava this and Ava that. It's like he wants to tell Ava everything he does. It is the cutest sweetest thing ever. He definitely thinks about her a lot. More so than any other friends like at Daycare...at least I haven't noticed him saying their names over and over again.

So I got this new computer. But not just any computer... I got a macbook. Not a big fancy pro or anything. Just the bottom of the line macbook (which BTW is comparible to a middle to top range PC) So far so good, but it's a bit strange getting used to a Mac. Though it's awfully pretty. The graphics are amazing. I just got it today so nothing I "need" is loaded on it yet, like my picasa or any of my photos. But I'll figure that out. Or more likely, Andrew will.

I'm ashamed to say that right now as I type, I am watching "Victoria Beckham comes to America"...OMG are you serious? I'm even more ashamed to admit that I kind of am enjoying it. She is a beautiful woman but she is ALWAYS posing. Always having her lips pursed, her head positioned just so. It's amazing. Right now she is in the home of an L.A. Socialite with other rich, blonde, hairsprayed, lipsticked, botoxed, vaneered women. I liked Victoria better than any of the rest!! Yikes.

Well, i'll leave you with this photo of Brighton Andrew and I from my new computer.

A New Vocabulary

So, it's July Fourth and instead of doing what I need to do (finishing my pigs for the market) I instead decide to blog since now thanks to Tom and Sally we have wireless internet (they gave us their old router-thanks!!). It's so much more fun. I've worked on these pigs for the last three days and I feel like I'm just inching along in progress. Anyway...back to the blog.

Brighton is in the midst of the "terrible twos." His favorite new expression is "Naooo" Which is NO but it sounds like Naooo! "are you ready for a nap?" "Naoooo.." "It's time for sleepy" "Naooo!" And so many other things. "Give me those scissors!" "NAOO!" Ok, he doesn't get scissors but you get the point. He's also learning new words every single day. Every day we hear something new. Today it was "Hurt." He has a bug bite in the crease of his arm that he's scratched raw. So he came up to me and said "Hurt." The phrase before that was "I want it" which comes out as "I wantnehh" or "I wantnehh naaowww" Wonder who he get's THAT from? My favorite of course is "mama's baby."

Tonight is our annual Fourth of July gathering so if I want to get anything done for that I need to get my butt off this computer. Dad's home from looking at his new car, so maybe he'll blog a bit about Brighton's new found vocabulary.

It's Summertime!

Baseball games, camping out in the back yard, dad cleaning the garage...Yep, it's officially summer! June 30 was Brighton's second Kernels Game but the first one was almost 2 years ago and he was just a button. He did go to a San Diego Padre's game, but still was a little too young to really enjoy it. Boy he enjoyed it this time! Andrew's work "picnic" was at the Kernels again this year. They gave us all ticket + enough $$ for one beer or $10 in kernels cash (which is 1 beer each).

Once Brighton warmed up, he was all about entertaining everyone around us. To the point that some people who didn't have kids got up and left :) MORE ROOM FOR US! He ran up and down our aisle, poked people around us with his and Eva's foam fingers, managed to make everyone laugh so hard they snorted. I've seen this side of my son before, but not quite to this extent. He was in all out entertainer mode.

Afterwards were fireworks (The Kernels won by the way) which Brighton fell asleep for last year so he's never really seen them until then. Naturally, he didn't like the noise, but he did like the colors. It was after 9 by then and he kept saying to us "Home" "Night night" "Home"...we got the point and got out of there. We were barely 15 minutes into our drive home and he was out...no surprise :)

Oh, and Daddy won a digital frame! I can't wait to try it out!


Last night Daddy had his annual camp out. He set up his tent and the air mattress in our back yard. We wanted to see how Brighton would do camping outside. Needless to say though it was cold outside, it was HOT in the tent and Brighton was all wired up. He would jump on the mattress, then hit the screen, then Dad and Mom and Bright would have some silly time. It was chaos. My back can't really take the air mattress, but I thought I'd give it the ol' college try anyway.

We went to bed probably around 8:30 but it was going on 9:30 or 10 and Brighton wasn't going to sleep. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer and we came inside and Brighton slept in our bed. So much for the ol' college try!! Maybe next year...

There's lots more photos. Visit my picasa web albums for more. Click on the 2007 JULY album for camping and 2007 JUNE album for the baseball game.