Buffalo & Sickness

Be forewarned... LOTS of pictures.

I am sick.  Really, really sick.  Someone paid this sinus infection to bump me off.  Some godfather somewhere, I swear.  I look like crap and sound like Glynis Johns (yeah, you don't think you know who she is, but you do... Google her.  Especially, google her in Mary Poppins.... yeah... I told you that you knew who she was...)

But I digress.  Because I don't know for SURE whether it is non-contagious, I didn't go to church and bless the Federal Government's hearts...it was free admission day to National Parks.  So, we took the long 5 minute drive to Antelope Island (the first time for Aiden) and poked around.

I love it there.  Most people say that it is desolate and barren.  I love that it is desolate.  It is a place to think.  And I have done a-plenty of thinking out there.  I broke up with a boyfriend at Buffalo Point.  Don't remember his name, come to think of it... I went there the day after my mother died.  I have studied there in my college days and made huge life decisions among the sagebrush.  I consider it gorgeous, especially in the winter.

But it was almost 60 degrees today, so we took full advantage.  We ate lunch at Buffalo Point.  It was windy but warm... 

Then we left Buffalo Point.  I had the great opportunity to look at this...

Then, there was an older couple who were brushing their horses.  So we stopped and I rolled down Aiden's window so he could see.  The Grandpa shouted, "How's he supposed to know what a horse is if he can't get close... Bring him over!!"  So... we did.  He petted the horse (named Dusterly... most beautiful marbled eyes I have ever seen) and even got to ride him around.  SWEET couple.  They were ecstatic to show off their horses.  I think one of them sneezed on Aiden's hand - the horse.  Not the people.  Ah, well.  There were worse germs to come.

 

Bet this guy was thrilled for me to get a butt shot.  But I was trying to be inconspicuous and get a pic of Dusterly.

Then we went to see the buffalo.  BTW... they were close.. a little too close.  So we just rolled down the windows and stopped the car.  Aiden was allowed out of his car seat to see the "Lolalo's"  

Then off to the ranch.  He really didn't want Mom's help walking around, but he was stinkin' cute in his overalls. 

 Looks comfy, eh?

Perfect weather, perfect place, perfect day.

Oh!  and Valentines Day is going to be AWESOME, in spite of  Mr. Sinus Infection.  

Aiden's lunch is packed.  Tee hee..  Including love notes. 

And there may or may not be a sock monkey in his Valentine future...

The Playdoh incident

Aiden is a boy's boy.  A man's man.  He doesn't care about using something for its intended purpose.  He wants to know how it works, the mechanism as to why it works.  He takes things apart.  Curious George.

We were supposed to be "baking" with playdoh.  I have a mini rolling pin, a mini potato masher and many spoons and gadgets that make it fun.  (Heck!  I have more fun sometimes that he does...)

Here is what actually happened:

"Cool!  Mom got me this tub of squishy goo.  Sweet.  But wait!! The tub has this little cool lid that fits directly over another tub and snaps into place.  That is much cooler that the green squishy goo.  Oh wait!!  She brought me this rolling pin!  That is so much cooler than the tub that the goo goes into.  How does it spin when you hold the handles still?  I MUST find out by taking it apart.  Hmmm... won't come apart.  If I bang it, it may come apart.  No?  Well, how about me trying just one side of the rollers.   No, not that either.  Rats.  I will pull a fit and throw the green goo at Mom."

I played with the playdoh and Aiden played with the cooking utensils and we both had fun.

Oh, and there is a corndog picture thrown in here for kicks and giggles...

Posting from another blog

I have been a guest blogger on several other blogs (which I love doing, but am entirely too embarrassed to advertise about...) and one blog chose one of my postings for their 2011 Top Posts.  I am honored.  Here is the post...

There is a online parenting community to which I belong.  There are many groups within that community and one is specifically for single parents.  I have found over the last 19 months of single-parenthood that I have little or nothing in common with many of the single mothers in that group.  Today I made the momentous decision to cut the cord that is the Single Mom Group.

I have questioned, over the last 19 months, why the only topics that can be discussed on the aforementioned board include the hatred of the following:  the ex.  The baby-daddy.  The ex's family.  Custody battles.  The ex's lawyer.  Being tired.  Being poor.  Being alone.  Being celibate.  Working.  Depression.  Kids that get on the nerves.

So, in celebration of being a single mother, I will shout from the rooftops that I love, love, LOVE! being a single mother.  I love the screaming toddler.  I love cuddling with my sweet boy after a long day at work.  I love the dishes, the laundry, the mess, the diaper changes, the tantrums, the bills, the stress, the sleepless nights.  I love it all.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.

There were days that I would reach my level of stress.  One day, I stepped outside my meager, small apartment to have some peace.  Then, I realized that this is the life that I was born for.  I could choose, yes, choose, to be stressed or revel in every minute of this life with my beautiful boy.

I chose that day to fix his Thomas the Tank Engine fourteen, fifteen, sixteen times and not lose patience.  I lay on the floor with my son and played.  I was the bossy engine, Spencer, and we played and played and played.

I ask the single mothers around the world, how do we do it?  How do we survive on little or no sleep, scrape mashed potatoes from every surface within dinner distance, and change a "sauced" diaper, but find time to read to our little monkeys, bathe them, and connect with the very little souls that we fell in love with when we held them in that hospital bed for the first time?  How do we teach them manners, but instill in them the sense of independence?  How do we keep our tempers, see our hands and faces age, sacrifice so much, and love it?

The answer might be the same as the one given by my mother years ago, "What is the alternative?"  The persistence of knowing or hoping that our children will choose to be more than we could ever be keeps us going - keeps me going, anyway.  I want my son to eat better, study harder, and laugh louder than I ever did.

My own single mother who raised eight children once said, "Our lives are a culmination of our choices."  After she passed away, I have thought that phrase nearly every day.  I am where I am because of my choices in my life.

I chose to eat poorly and not exercise, so therefore, I am overweight.  I chose the career field that I work in, so I am stuck in a field that may never pay well.  I chose to being a single mom, therefore, I am that choice and everything that comes with it.  I can choose to be upset about it, but in the end, it is my own choice.

And it is my choice to react how I will.   I chose this life.  I love this life.  I choose to choose JOY!

What is your choice, no matter your life situation?  What legacy of choice do you leave to your children, to your family, to the memory that others will keep of you?

Super Bowl and Beautiful Moments

Okay, we were Steelers fans this year so the beautiful moments were not IN the Super Bowl, but in SPITE of the game.  We had Uncle Chris over to watch the game, but he hates football (see last year's post) and left after about 1/2 hour.  Funny thing.  The two men that were in my house on SuperBowl Sunday were so disinterested in the game.  Ah, well. I enjoyed it.

Half way through the first quarter, Aiden had a sucker incident in which he destroyed his outfit.  When I stripped him, the Packers scored their first touchdown.  This is Aiden's version of TOUCHDOWN!  

Doesn't he look like all those starving children your mother threatened you with when you didn't eat your dinner?  He is sucking in his breath, FYI.

Roman really enjoyed the football game too.  He got a lot of dropped treats.

Right before bedtime.

Also, this weekend (and today) was full of beautiful moments.  I was able to see a dear friend of mine and have a delightful lunch.  She brought Aiden a Wiggles puzzle which he LOVES and made Aiden laugh.  And he made her laugh in return.  

Love ya, Steph.  Thanks for the pants.

I also had the wonderful privilege of teaching the 4-year olds in church yesterday.  Let me set the scene.  Several people (including the teachers of the 4-year olds) did not show up to church, so I did Sharing Time, Singing Time, then taught the class.  It was a spiritual moment when I was teaching them all about the Restoration of the Gospel and they looked at me and really got it!

Or so I thought.  We did a chalkboard drawing.  Let me explain (and I have made notation for your viewing pleasure):

Hard to see, but here we go.

#1 - I started.  We were talking about the appearance of God and Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith.  Each of the 6 kids were going to add.  I drew a pine tree to start if off.

#2 - (in red) - This is Jesus.  He is waving Hi.  Sweet.

#3 - (the two figures in green) are God the Father and Satan.  They are both smiling.  We couldn't quite explain why God is wearing a jumper, but... at this point I was feeling like they really understood.  

Until...

 #4 - (the tree circled in blue) is a Brambleberry Tree.  (???? I said???) The little girl said that they are magic trees that are purple and pink and have yummy striped fruit.  Okaaaayyy?

#5 - (the little squiggle circled in yellow) is a butterfly that Satan squished because he is a bad guy.  Mmmhmmmm???

#6 - This is where it gets good.  (bottom right hand corner with the frowny face)  This is Moroni who is sad because he buried his plates in the ground and couldn't find them.

#7 - (the smiling guy bottom left in pink) - this is Joseph Smith who STOLE the plates from Moroni and he is smiling because he was singing "Finders keepers, losers weepers, FOOL!" (as sung by a four-year old boy with a lisp... it kinda sounded like this 'finohs keepohs, yoosohs weepohs, foooo.')

#8 - (the trees on the left) these are coconut trees to sway so Moroni can "relieve some stress cuz Joseph stole the plates and he was sad"  (BTW, her mother is a yoga instructor... surprise, surprise.)

Um...... Close, guys.  Close.

Above average day, sad sad day

First, let's get one thing out of the way.  WinCo must come to Clearfield.  24-pack of Diet Pepsi with Cherry for $1.29... WHAT?!  Boo-yah!

Okay, now on to the day.  I worked from home today and was able to see a good friend of mine. A very dear friend of mine (you know who you are) who is going through a really, really tough time in her life right now. Someone in her life is making choices that effect many other little people and it breaks my heart.  And hers.  Hugs and kisses to you.   Thank you for letting me listen, even for a minute.  I hope it helps.

After I was finished working (around 3ish...) I packed up my little man and we headed to Ogden.  It was cold, but beautiful and I could not pass up the chance to see the trains.  We went to the Ogden Union Station and had a nice, cold, fantastic afternoon.

Oh, but I miss a good camera.  I would have had the best pictures.  Especially this first one...  Ah, well.  Maybe some day.  These were taken from my iPhone.  Boooo.

In between two HUGE trains.  And Tater in his bomber jacket.  Priceless.

He kept saying "Hiro!  Hiro"  There was a giant train that looked like Hiro.  (If you are not aware of who Hiro is, he is an old engine from Japan that Thomas finds broken down and saves him from the scrapyard.  Watch Hero of the Rails.  Or don't.  But you will miss the best Japanese Train Engine story there is out there...)

Okay, just so I don't get the "Mother of the Year" Award, this is a model train and, no, there is really not 600 volts of electricity about to kill my son.

Union Grill, bless you for having steamed veggies that I can eat on my diet.  

I heart you.

My OCD child and other random pics

Two posts in one day?  Yeah, take that!!!

Aiden likes things in order.  It is tough to have a mom that does not really need things really, super dee-duper organized, I am sure.  Between Aunt Kari's house and our house, Aiden is an organizing maniac.  Luckily it is only the toys that are supposed to have engines.  It has not progressed to food, clothing, or anything else...yet.

Okay, in his defense.  He loves trains.  And trains are in a line.  Therefore, cars and trains and buses and tractors and trucks... must all be in a line.

This goes on for HOURS at our house.   

Now - some random pictures.

I finally got a picture of it.  These are shakes that taste like pumpkin.  Unfortunately, the person who put up the sign does not write in English very well.

HA HA HA HA HA!!!

My buddy and me after a snooze...  Yes we both have bed head and yes his face is messy.  But check out that smile...

Every time I see this picture, my heart hurts.  He looks so big.

It is his Thomas Backpack that he wears sometimes.  It is his diaper bag.  But he looks like a big boy and I am having a hard time with that.

Unplugged

Last Friday at 3:02pm, I turned off my computer to go home from work and my lonely computer did not rear its ugly LCD head all weekend.  Not even out of the case.  I went unplugged for the weekend and it was divine.   We truly had the most special weekend - not because we did anything fantastically exciting - we just spend every waking moment together.  It was splendid.

Also, I am sorry for the pictures on this post.  Half way through our Saturday, my camera died.  It just won't focus.  Cheap things don't last long, alas.

Saturday started with a cleaning frenzy.  Then breakfast with Uncle Chris that included dipping in syrup and a cold wipe-down in the car with a quick clothing change.   We were going to spend the day doing... something.  I really had no plan, but Aiden was strapped in the car seat following breakfast and off we drove.  Gardner Village? Zoo? Aquarium?  Maybe, but when we would get to those exits, Aiden was asleep.  So I let him sleep and I drove further and further south.  We landed at Thanksgiving Point where we have an annual membership (that we have never used and the nice man actually let me activate it that day...thanks, man!).

So, before you see pictures, I have to mention that this is in my top 10 days with my son so far.  We have the perfect toddler trifecta - dinosaurs, farm animals, and.... (drum roll) - a model train show that just happened to be going on that day.  Not planned, I swear.

Standing at the foot of gigantahumungasaurus (okay, I don't know the name of this dinosaur, but it is the huge one.)

So, Aiden can walk around now which makes the entire museum experience more fun for him.  He would walk up to an exhibit and say ROAR at each of the dinosaurs.  He was very unafraid.

On the Dino Scale.  My poor little toddler.  24 pounds!

This was his favorite dinosaur, by far.  He would point and say, "Teeth, Mommy!"

Only my son would poke a dinosaur in the eye.

He loves, loves, loves walking around for a more hands-on approach.

And crawling under where he shouldn't be...

Our traditional picture in front of the huge Jaws.  Funny story - so there was another toddler about Aiden's same age that was near us the whole visit.  This toddler's parents were more interested in finding quiet corners to make out than actually taking care of their child.  So, this boy is tearing around out of control.  We were having our picture taken here when he comes running around the corner and sees the shark.  Dead stop.  Eyes wide.  Two heartbeats of silence.  SCREEEEAAAAMMM!!  Funny.

Then on to the farm section of our visit.  This, dear reader, is where the camera gave up.  But this little goat kept following around Aiden and Aiden kept talking to it and then saying, "Moooo!"  Um. Close.

They were Clydesdales. And they would have eaten them. 

Checking out the cows.

The wagon ride.  Can you see the beautiful day we had?

Bad picture, I know, but I had to include one.  We found that they were having this model train show and the lady at the ticket booth said that the only requirement for each of the participants is that they had to include a Thomas Engine somewhere on their model.  

Best $5 ever spent.

Best day spent with my boy.  

Then we ended the night with sushi. Life doesn't get much better.