3 YEARS OLD!!!

Today, was all about Grady...since it was his 3rd Birthday! I'm amazed to be even typing that...I still think of him as my Baby, but everyday he's growing "bigger and stronger"...amazing.

We kept the festivities simple, and had a hot dog cookout with the fam and a few friends. The weather actually cooperated, despite the freeze last night, and we spent the entire day playing outside in the fort and on the trampoline. It was a little windy, but I love letting the hoodlums run themselves ragged in the fresh air. :)

Here is a shot of some of the craziness going on in the Treehouse/Fort. There was sidewalk chalk, a newly installed steering wheel, and a periscope involved. :)

The hit of the day was definitely the series of "open cars" Grady received from those who so wonderfully hunted them down. "Open cars" are simply cars whose doors open. Yep-that simple, but the gold standard in Grady's world. Once he opened these little beauties, he had eyes for nothing else.
Happy Birthday Little Man! I hope your day was superfun. I love you.

actual scientific science fair project results

"This one was not a dud."

-a sixth grader

a study in contagious disease

Grady---->Tanner---->Madison---->Abby (cousin)---->Todd---->Gary---->Elaine (Todd's Coworker)---->Audit Team Member (also working with Todd)---->Danielle---->Becky?

This is the path pink eye has taken through our house in the last 2 weeks. Personally, I am very fearful of this particular infection and have dry, brittle hands from washing them so often from the onslaught of our infestation. Yesterday, however, my eyes started feeling a little muddled. I've been self medicating since that time. Todd's eyes look like they have been turned inside out, and I'm paranoid we are going to start the entire process over again if we don't kick this in its little pink booty.

Moral of the story: Wash your hands every minute of every day, and quarantine yourself and your family.

Also: stay away from our house! yikes!

Skiing Lessons - Check!

Todd and Madison went skiing with Todd's parents over Spring Break. Todd came up with a Master Plan to teach each kid individually how to ski, so when we go as a big Clan it won't be such a BEAT DOWN with 3 kids not having the skills. That's his story anyway...

Madison had superfun with her one-on-one daddy time, despite running herself a little haggard and into a coughing stupor.

I wonder if Todd's teaching methods worked?

Francis Coppolla-Alicante Bouschet 2007

My friend, Jennifer, gave me this bottle after a week of "sharing kids." You know those weeks where you feel like you've called in every favor to every friend? I think that's how Jennifer must have felt (even though I'd happily pick up kids and take them anywhere anytime!) She gave me this lovely little end-of-week-present after one of those kind of weeks.

Todd and I decided to celebrate spring, and our productive day in the yard with this bottle-and it was so lovely! It was a little more dry than we usually go for, but we still give it a 3.5 on our little 5 point scale.

Thanks Jennifer!

Danielle, there are NOT Shasta Daisies growing in our yard....

Ummm...really? because this is what I found growing under some trees out back. Call me crazy, but I THINK that's a daisy...TODD

I totally found these beauties growing "wild" in my backyard! It was like finding buried treasure in my love and peace kind of world. :) Everywhere we've moved I've planted some Shastas, and this time they popped up all on their own like some little present from nature. How cool is that??

all about me

Today, I met my friend, Sona, at Babies R Us to help her register. SO SUPER FUN! It was such a different experience from when I tried to register 8 years ago-only to leave in tears. I can't believe how much knowledge I have of all those products that were so foreign to me when Madison was a baby. I guess I have learned something! Of course there were some new inventions, like the way cool paci-purse, and a bottle mixer (!), but most things were old hat, and hopefully, I didn't sound too bossy explaining their necessity. Ok, I was pretty bossy one time-Sona thought she didn't need a pack-n-play. She explained that she had a crib and a cradle, so didn't see the need in another sleeping place for baby. I ever-so-nicely explained that the pack-n-play could be set up in the living room for sleeping baby, in the yard for crawling baby, and in a hotel for traveling baby. So, she fell to my peer pressure when we found one that matched her crib bedding. Nothing like mixing and matching to push the argument over the edge!! She won't be sorry though, even the Babies R Us-father of 3-ex marine-worker guy (bloggable issue on its own right there!) was a little shocked that I had to lay on the pressure for that one. :) We registered for over 150 items, and I think have enough variety for Sona and Kevin to have a little stash here and there for each stage of baby-ness and toddler-ness. I have to admit, looking at all the baby stuff did make me yearn for when my babies were babies-but not necessarily to go back to that time. There's something to be said for the ability to use the potty and to read. :)

From there, we had a lovely lunch and chatted the early afternoon hours away. I'm pretty sure our waiter was ready for us to pack up, because our table was shiny clean when we returned from a superfast potty break. I guess it was time to part ways anyway, and Sona headed home to drift into a well earned nap!

Only then, did I realize I had the entire afternoon to myself if I took advantage of it-so I did! I felt a little guilty at the realization and abuse of my newfound freedom, but trudged on anyway. I spent the rest of the afternoon browsing Old Navy, listening to my OWN MUSIC (Todd Snider!), sipping iced tea (blah), grocery shopping (alone!!), and getting my toes done (flip flop season is here!). I savored each moment of doing ONLY what I wanted to do, and concentrating on recharging my spirit from the past crazy week.

I arrived home refreshed, calm, and ready to tackle my reunited family-which is good since Madison is coughing up a lung and delirious with fever. Here we go again...