{Mu-Ah!}

To My Husband On Our Anniversary:

Our Love Transcends All Time

"So darling, say that you care

Take this heart I give gladly

Surely you know, I need your love so badly

Here is my heart, my life and my all dear

Please be mine and stay here in my heart" - Al Martino

Here In My Heart, 1952

"Love me tender,

Love me sweet,

Never let me go.

You have made my life complete,

And I love you so."- Elvis Presley

Love Me Tender, 1958

"It's right that I should care about you

And try to make you happy when you're blue

It's right, it's right to feel the way I do

Because, because I love you"- Dave Clark Five

Because, 1962

"'Cause you know it's you babe

Whenever I get weary and I've had enough

I feel like giving up

You know it's you babe

Giving me the courage and the strength I need

Please believe that it's true, babe, I love you"- Styx

Babe, 1979

"Close your eyes and give me your hand
Do you feel my heart beating, do you understand?
Do you feel the same, am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame?"- The Bangles
Eternal Flame, 1986

Thank you for making me feel like a Princess everyday!

"Oh, I love you more today than yesterday
But not as much as tomorrow
I love you more today than yesterday
But, darling, not as much as tomorrow"- Stevie Wonder


HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! XOXO

"Only Good Things"

That's what Gary used to say when you asked him "What's Up?" And that is seriously how we are feeling today. So many good things are going on, and I just know that he is up there smiling down at Jas, giving him the thumbs up. I want to jump up and down and freak out about what happened today, but I hate to say them out loud in fear of jix-ing anything!

But I am so excited, so I will just whisper them to you (and then do the "hex" sign and spit on the floor and turn around two times): Jas signed up with another school today. That director cold-called another school in front of him to see if they want him to teach there too. She then gave him the number of her best friend who also runs a school and told him to name-drop her. So that could be 5 schools. And if those schools reach 10 kids a piece that would mean he would quit his current job. And then only have to work 2 hours a day. We've come up with a great clinic-type event that is being welcomed with open arms at a local driving range. Getting ready to promote that next month. We are freaking out over with how well this has taken off. We believe that things have gone so well because he is doing what he was meant to do: be a great teacher- To do what he loves and do it well.

I am just so stinkin' proud of him! So, in honor of this joyous event, I thought I would share the golf photo that was a part of my psycho obsession with him our courtship. Isn't he so cute?!?

Husband Pleasin'

EW! No! Get your mind out of the gutter. This is simply a post to share my famous in my own mind Chicken Nugget recipe- I've been promising Fan Target I'd give it to her, and I just so happened to make it for dinner last night. Its the only thing I've made in our almost 8 years of marriage that Jas begs me to make again and again. (Sad, I know.) Its not fancy, doesn't have mysterious ingredients, there are not utensils needed that you can only get at Sur La Table- They are short and sweet. And Damn Good.

(Now lets take a minute for Lysh and Heather to get their defibrillators out and revive themselves from the shock-induced heart-attack I just gave them from the mere idea of me writing about cooking....)

Okay, girls? Alright, lets proceed.

You Need:
3-4 chicken tenders per person (I used to use chicken breast cut up, but Jas prefers then to be more nugget-y, so the tenders work better)3 eggs
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 Cups Corn Flakes (crunched up)
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
Canola Oil
A fork
BBQ Sauce ( I personally prefer good ole' Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce, but that's just me...)

Prep-ville:
1. 2. Pour enough oil in the your skillet to cover 2/3 of the nugget if you laid it in there and turn it on between the 6 and 7 on the dial. (Very technical, I know.)
3. Get out three mixing bowls and a plate. Pour your flour in the first bowl, beat the three eggs in your second one and then mix the corn flakes and the bread crumbs in the third. Put your plate at the end. This is your Road-To-Chicken-y-Goodness- assembly line.4. Set out a cookie sheet next to your skillet.

"Leez Do it!" (say in your best Tone Loc voice)
1. Stab the top of your first piece of chicken towards the top with your fork. It needs to be able to wiggle around so you can properly coat it during this whole process. Now dredge (Holy moly! Look at that fancy cooking word!) each piece of chicken in the flour.2. Now dip it in the eggs, coat, coat, coat- this is your "coating glue"- make sure its everywhere!
3. Dip your nugget in the coating mixture. I rest it in there and shake the bowl a little to get it nice and covered. (Whoa! Where'd it go!?)No, worries! It was smothering itself in the corn-flake-bread-crumby-goodness...4. Put your ready-to-be-cooked nugget on the plate.
5. Rinse and repeat.
6. Once all your nuggets are coated, your oil should be nice and hot, so place as many nuggets as you can fit in the skillet. Check them and flip them when the bottoms have gotten crispy. Once both sides are cooked, move to the cookie sheet and continue until you have all your pieces nice and done.7. Put your cookie sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes.
NOTE: If you want to make frozen fries to go with this, you need to stick those guys in as soon as you turn on the oven. They take forever! This way you should come out all on time. If you make your own mashed potatoes, you should start to boil the potatoes when you start putting the pieces in the skillet, then mash once the nuggets are in the oven. That works out time-wise, too. We've tried lots of side combos: home-made fries, corn on the cob, mac and cheese...Morgan Jane is always suggesting new sides to try.Or you could have the sweetest husband ever, and he will drive through KFC for you and pick up a million different sides... and you don't have to worry about anything but looking like you slaved over these delicious guys!

"Bon Appetit! You may eat!"

Go, Jas!

There have been so many times in our marriage, that I have been extremely proud of my husband- and the past few weeks have really made me sit back and smile. I have seen him embrace a dream, and proceed to do all that he can to make it a reality- and every time he has another small success, my heart swells.

He had a moment recently where he realized that he wasn't doing what he loved, and that he had had enough of it. He loves to teach golf, and his position currently doesn't have any opportunities for him to really get out there like he used to- he's stuck behind a counter, inside- that's not how he pictured his golf career. He's discussed becoming certified to be coach, he looked at other clubs to see if they would be a better fit for him, and then in the end, he decided to create his own opportunity. And North Dallas Golf Instruction was born.

I was so proud when he hand-delivered his information folders to school- knowing how nervous he would be seeing has how he hates to have to talk to people he doesn't know. I was so proud when he received a call back the next day to set up an appointment. I was so proud when he signed his first school- seeing the excitement and nervousness in his face, while he tried to play it cool. I was so proud when he did his first Open House, and the sign-up sheet came back almost full. With every success he's had, I feel the push on my end to stay on top of finding more schools and organizing everything for the ones he has. The opportunity for this program to be huge is there- and know that we know it, I can see the drive he has even more to really follow through and make it a success- and I feel so proud. I love that he is true to himself- he knows he won't be happy until he does what he loves. He's always worked so hard to take care of our family and I love that we now have the opportunity to really work as a team. I just think he is so cute and precious and darling-and I know all of the parents, directors and students will too! Go NDGI!

Happy Father's Day

To our daddy who...

Gets up at 4:30am to go to work.

Puts up with Luke's feet in his face. Every morning.

Can make throwing a ball on top of the roof and watching it roll down the funnest game. EVER.

Will sing and dance to "Bop To The Top" for a few laughs.

Wore a suit and tie to Miss O's Open House at school because she asked him to.

Lets this tired Mommy sleep in once a week (and makes coffee for when she wakes up.)

Will sit through iCarly, Hannah Montana and Suite Life without complaining.

Smiles when he walks through the door at the end of a long day.

Tells our kids he loves them and hugs them a million times a day.

Plays the same Guitar Hero song over and over because its the kids' favorite.

Sets a great example for our kids. Everday.

I am blessed beyond words to have the father of my children be so patient, selfless and loving. I know that they feel it, even if they don't know it- and that's all that matters.

Big Boys

Bubs and Jas have been thick as theives lately, so it was no surprise this morning when I came upstairs and found them both in the bathroom, Bubs asking Jas what he was doing, and why (and why? and why?... Its is new favorite question.) It turns out Jas was about to shave and decided to let Luke join him. It was pretty much the cutest, sweetest thing I have seen in a long time, and I am so glad I caught it on film (Even though, yes, once again, let me inform you how much my camera is on its last leg and the pictures aren't good. This may change in 8 hours and 19 minutes though, if eBay has anything to do with it- I'll keep you posted!!!)

Please check out the adorable-ness:

And on a funny note: I went in to get Morgan after her nap yesterday and it was obvious from the moment I walked in that she had a dirty diaper. I said, "Whoa, Morgan! You pooped!" She cracked up and said, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, poopah!" I know, I know, you are rolling your eyes and saying, She DID not, wishful Mommy! She's 9 months! Oh, yea: Listen to this:

See? Hahahaha.... ;0)

Validation

Remember my psychiatrist? One of the smartest women I have ever met? She once pointed out something about me that she found interesting: I say, "...so I don't/ didn't/ wouldn't look like a crazy person..." ALOT. She (jokingly) asked me why that is one of by biggest fears. Why do I worry what people think about the choices I make and how does that effect the things I do and the way I behave? I think it boils down to the fact that I have very strong feelings about certain things - but at the same time, I look around at other people and see how they are living and doing fine and I wonder if I am crazy for feeling the way I do. Am I wrong? Dr. S pointed out that we can spend an enormous amount of our lives searching for one thing: validation of our beliefs and feelings.

And believe it or not, last night I got a big whopping spoonful of validation. From Dave Ramsey of all people.

Jas and I have ALWAYS, for almost 8 years now!, disagreed about money. We have never seen eye to eye on things- and we have tried everything under the sun to make things work out: elaborate budgets, separate bank accounts, my handling all the bills, him handling all the bills. It has made both of us nuts and it has caused more shouting matches than I care to disclose. It is one of the only real things we fight about. Honestly. (That and the fact that he doesn't think that "butt" is a bad word. But, I digress...)

So last night at out FPU class the whole lesson was about Nerds (me) and Free Spirits (Jas). Every thing Dave said about each of us and our planning and living styles was SO SPOT ON we kept turning and looking at each other with big saucer-eyes. VALIDATION. I am not crazy for thinking we should have a budget and expecting us to stick to it. I am not crazy for making spreadsheets, outlines and Power Point presentations on the topic in hopes of getting him on board. That's just me. We are who we are. We handle things differently. And that's okay.

He touched on how men and women approach shopping. I can't tell you how many times I have asked Jas to go shopping with me, only for it to end up being a complete beating. Over the years, it bothered me that we would always leave in such a huff if we tried to buy something together- what was wrong with us??? Uh, nothing. We are completely normal, typical men and women. We don't like to shop the same way and have no business doing it together. More validation. We are who we are. We handle things differently. And that's okay.

But most importantly, and again, the reason for us attending this workshop, is the issue of saving. I have felt so uneasy about things since I have stayed home. I have told myself stories about how much stress and anguish I was causing Jas. I have worn myself into the ground trying to control so many areas of our life because inside I felt like things were so NOT in control. I was making everyone nuts. And it all boiled down to our finances- and the fact that we never have had it together, even when I was working. My major issue was that when I go back to school and then re-enter the workforce, I want it to bless our family. I want that money to help where it really needs it: college funds, wedding funds (we'll have 2 to pay for!), our retirement. I will feel secure when we are financially secure. Dave explained the feelings I had so simply, and I know Jas got it. He fought me tooth and nail about taking this class, and I think at that moment he finally understood. Again, more validation.

I love that when we leave the classes we actually talk. About the class. We sit in the car in the garage for a few more minutes after we arrive home, discussing how what we learned ties into our lives together. We get of the car and hold hands as we walk into the house. This process is slowly, but surely really truly strengthening our marriage. It is making us a real team, not just the default kind that comes from being married. Its funny, we have known each other for almost 12 years now and this stranger comes into our lives: he gives us the knowledge and the strength to make better choices, he opens our eyes to a new way of living and amazingly enough, he explained each of us to the other. So let people think we live like "crazy people" when this is all said and done. He and I will know the truth. (wink)

Wordless Wednesday

Have Your Cake...

Jas was so surprised by his golf-themed birthday cake! It turned out great...so great that a certain four legged friend of ours decided that he, too, needed a piece- Or should I say, all of the icing off the back side!

(See him back there, acting all nonchalant, like he's just lookin' out the window, minding his own business...)

Damn dog! I guess that's what we get for leaving it on the table and not keeping a close eye on that guy...

Oh, well- that's 450,000 calories we didn't need anyway!

Happy Birthday...

For better or worse, through thick and thin,

you've been there by my side

sharing the laughter and the tears

through life's uncertain ride.
We don't know what the future has

in store for you and me

but this I know,

without a doubt:

The best is yet to be.

Wishes

Ahhhh, Valentine's Day. I love today! (only because it means my birthday is in 2 days- Just kidding!) I am lucky that Jas and I tell one another how much we love each other about 100 times a day, so its silly to make such a fuss on a this particular day. We usually just get each other one funny card and one mushy one and call it a day. Of course, I have saved everything he has ever written to me- letters when he first moved away, the card the wrote me the day Miss O was born, EVERYTHING- since it happens so rarely, and they are all little treasures that I will hold on to forever...


There is one thing that he gave me that I didn't hold on to and its something I still think about on every anniversary or Valentine's Day, or at those moments when I can't believe how lucky I am to have him as my husband.


The fall of my freshman year at UT, I flew out to Phoenix to see Jas for a little getaway. Stacie flew out too. So fun. We all decided to drive up to Flagstaff for the weekend and go see the Grand Canyon. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Seriously. And while we were there I saw all these people throwing coins over the side of the canyon, obviously making wishes. I figured if you're going to make a wish, something as breathtaking and amazing as the Grand Canyon would be a great place- I figured the scale alone would hold some pretty strong mo-jo. So I asked Jas for a coin to throw and he gave me a penny. Nope, too small. Again, if you're wishing in to the Grand Canyon, you need a grand coin. So I asked for a quarter.

I went to the side, held the coin tightly in my hand, and wished that Jason and I would be together forever. I didn't make it too specific or demanding. Just simple and too the point. Me. Jas. Forever. This picture was taken right after I made that wish. It would take another 3 years with a lot of tears and heartbreak, soul-searching, and growing up- but we came back together at a time that was right for us and set us on the path to where we are today. A path to be on together forever.

We are still very much in love. We are best friends. We still hold hands where ever we go. I still get butterflies when I get ready to go on a "date" with him. I love the sound of the garage door opening because I know that means I get to see him again. I love that no matter how awful a fight we have, he always makes us "hug it out" at the end- such sweet comic relief. I stare at him a lot and think how handsome he is. I am lucky that he loves me enough to put up with me since I'm kind of a toot about 77.4% of the time. We have a strong marriage that has survived a lot, we have a precious family that we love to pieces, and most importantly, I love him more when I wake up every morning then I did when I fell asleep.

And I still like to think that my Grand Canyon Wish had a little something to do with all that.

Not Moi!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. Here goes....

I did not take Luke to school on Wednesday with a new big bruise on his forehead. I did not try to explain to the greeter that he had been sleep-walking and ran into the door frame. She did not totally give me the "Yea, right"-face and was not in talking to the director as I was leaving. I did not putt around Hobby Lobby for a few hours just in case C.P.S. would be at my door when I got back home.

When Jas tried to put Luke's Gap tennis shoes on him without socks, and got mad that they weren't going on easily, I did not tell him that since wearing tennis shoes without socks is kinda white-trash that Gap has rigged their shoes so they have to be worn with socks. He did not totally believe me,("Really?!?") for about 10 seconds.

I did not douse my daughter in Bath and Body Works spray right before she left to go to a birthday party because I lost track of time and she had been playing in the backyard 10 minutes before she had to walk out the door and smelled like "outside". I would never send my child out into the world in less than perfect condition.

I did not lay in bed yesterday, sick as a dog, and instead of using my "Jas-Is-Home-Time" wisely and slept, I did not watch 7 episodes of TiVoed Days Of Our Lives. ( I did not get so excited at the prospect of Stephanie and Phillip actually staying together!)

And the night before, I did not wake up in the middle of the night and forcefully kick what I thought was Romo, the dog, from under the covers with all my might because he was totally laying on my feet and I couldn't move. I did not all of a sudden hear an "Ow!" and a thud. It was absolutely, positively NOT my 2-year-old who had snuck upstairs and curled up at the foot of our bed landing on the floor.

I was not being too silly right before bed time (who would rev their kids up before bedtime?), and decided to use the number of books we were reading for a little counting lesson. I did not get a little carried away and drop a hard-covered book on Luke's face. I did not bust his precious little lip right open. It did not bleed like all get-out and now makes him look like we really do beat him. (I did not get secretly mad because he curled up in a ball when it happened and bled all over this sheets that I had just washed and put on his bed! Any good mother would care about their child's injury and not the laundry it created!!)

Not Me Monday

I did not stay up waaaaay too late the other night searching Craigslist for antique shutters and doors. I then did not sneak into the bathroom without the lights on so as not to wake up Jas. I did not reach into the medicine cabinet and accidentally start to wash my face with this:

Instead of this:

I did not take full advantage of a complete stressed-out-melt-down I had the other night. While Jas was rubbing my back so sweetly and telling me everything will be okay, and 'what would make me feel better?', I did not sob, "New curtains for the living rooooooooooommmmm..."

I did not sit on the computer and play the Webkinz "Smoothie Moves" games for about 2 hours the other day after I saw Miss O play it. And even if I did, it was to earn points so her elephant can go on a trip and buy a new bed, alright?!

I did not break one of my SERIOUS, NOT EVER ALLOWED rules in our house and let Luke jump on his bed (while naked, mind you) after I had bathed him and Morgan because she thought it was the funniest things she had EVER seen and I couldn't get enough of her precious little baby cackle. I am not waiting for him to do it again on his own and wind up in the ER. Again.

I did not actually have to call the phone company and ask the woman what our phone number was. She did not ask me if I was serious, since it has been our phone number for almost 5 months now.

I did not have one too many "sips" of wine the other night while making THE BEST spaghetti sauce ever (Heather and Lysh would not be so proud of my from-(kinda)- scratch creation). I did not giggle all through dinner. My children did not think this was great fun.

I did not spend 2 hours grocery shopping the other night. I did not purposely stroll up and down every aisle at a turtle's pace, just because I was actually by myself. I ADORE spending every second with my precious family and HATE grocery shopping, so this is something I simply would not do!

I did not reluctantly agree to share one of my coveted Slim-Fast chocolate chip granola bars with Luke. After he had 3 bites of his and set it on the end table, I did not switch it with my almost finished one. What mother would do that? Its not like they are that good!

Sneak Peek

Brandi posted some of the pictures from the kids' shoot. Run over and sneak a peek- they are towards the bottom. Can't wait to get the whole CD!!!!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!!

And I Would Know You Froommm....

I don't think my son knows who his parents are. We are supposed to be the MOST important people in his life, by his little side from the moment he was born, we've kissed his boo-boos, dried his tears, clothed and fed him for Pete's sake, and this is what we get???

Yesterday Jas was reading a new book he had bought at the book fair with O to Luke and I (more on that book later) and when he came upon this page:

Bubs say, "Oh, look! There you are, Daddy!" We were both like, "Uh, where?" and who does he point out??? This guy:

WHAT?!?! The balding, caterpillar eyebrowed, too much chest-haired, Tony Soprano-y guy??? Needless to say, Jas was confused, seeing as how he looks like this: AND THEN! Today, I am putting away laundry, therefore giving Bubs plenty of time to get into something, which happened to be the magazines in my nightstand. There was a copy of the Frisco Image, which he started thumbing through. I am in the closet and...

Bubs: "There you are Mommy!"

Me: "Yes, I'm still up here. I'm in the closet." (Silly me, I think he's checking on where I am!"

Bubs: "No, you're heee-re! Right here! Look!"

I come out and he is pointing to a picture in the magazine.

Bubs: "You eating Staabucks!" (And, yes, while I do enjoy my Iced Venti Non-fat Caramel Macchiatos...)THIS IS NOT ME!!!: I am his MOTHER! And he doesn' know what I look like?!!? I told him it was not me(!) and he insisted that it was, so I asked him who I was sitting with then and he said, "Uuuuuhhhh..." (thinking)"...not Daddy."

Got that right.

On a S.D.P. Note: He has gone to the bathroom 5 times today- 3 of which were self-initiated! I think we had our Helen Keller "w-a-t-e-r" moment the other day, and he's finally getting it. Not to mention all of the Scooby-Doo fruit snacks he's been getting as treats when he goes. (They are turning his poo a weird color, but at least that poo is in the pot-ty!) "Whoo-ray" as he would say.

Not Me Monday

Potty Time!

I would not decide to pick a random day out of the air and decide it was time to start potty-training Luke- full force. I did not pick yesterday.

I did not have a sad Come To Jesus moment with myself when I realized I really had no part in potty-training Olivia, and really had no idea what I was doing- Come on, Mommies just know these things! I did not doubt my patience with the whole process and consider going back to work full time just long enough to have someone else do it for me.

I did not make Jason take us both to Target where I did not proceed to let let Luke pick out every package of undies with characters on them that he knew, hoping they would be modivation. Because it couldn't be that many, could it? Oh...just Mickey Mouse and Goofy and Donald and Handy Manny and Elmo and Big Bird and Ernie and Lightening McQueen and Mator and Thomas the Train and Duncan and Percy and James... He doesn't know every character ever created by Disney, PBS, Noggin, Nick Jr. or Sprouts because he doesn't watch that much TV...

I did not have a BIG 2-Year-Old dicussion with Luke about why we do not pee pee on Mickey Mouse because he would never pee pee on us. That's just plain silly.

I did not sing 18 rounds of "Bringin' Home A Baby Bumble Bee", "10 Little Indians" and various other kid songs just to keep him on the potty, only to finally let him get up and have him go 2 minutes later. (From his room: "Oh, no! I tee-teed on Thomas!") Damn. I did not continue to be about 5 mintues behind the pee all day.

I did not feel totally discourage and I did not sit at the computer and read every article I could pull up about potty-training during the two hours of naptime, only to be more confused than ever about what I SHOULD be doing. I did not almost cry.

I did not do a little ghett0-rigging, and let him wear his undies under a diaper after we had been through 20 pairs by 3pm. That would be giving up a little too soon, and I am NOT a quitter.

I did not feel totally suckered when he came running to me in the late afternoon and asked to sit on the potty. I did not run with him excitedly to the bathroom like a fool. I didn't think "Yea!! This is it- He's getting it!!!" only to then have him ask me to sing the "Super Duper Pooper" song to him and once I was finished, he did not hop off the potty as if it was the place where he only sits so I will sing silly songs to him. I have not accidently turned the bathroom into our own little version of Kindermusik.

I did not think that maybe I am a total Potty Training failure, when at the end of the day the score was: PeePee in the Potty- 0, PeePee In the Undies- 8.

I did not let him wear a diaper today while I regrouped and came up with Plan B. I am not thinking this might have been a bad idea. I do not keep repeating to myself like Rain Man, "Everyone goes to college potty-trained, everyone goes to college potty-trained"....

We're old...

'Took these pictures the other day when Jas was outside helping O ride her bike after she had asked him to take off her training wheels. Once I had them uploaded on the computer and could really view them, I had one of those "We are parents. We are old. We are really grown-ups."- moments. He just looked SO much like "a dad". I know we have been parents for over 6 and a half years, but it really hasn't been til recently that I have started to feel like I'm not 20 anymore. How weird is that? Growing up you have such a vision of what "Grown Ups" look like, act like, and I don't really feel like I've fit into my vision: I love to watch the Hills and Gossip Girl. I check my Myspace everyday (sometimes more than once). I just went to the So You Think You Can Dance AND the America's Best Dance Crew tour shows. I would much rather listen to Cee-Lo than Laurie Berkner in my car. I don't feel old.

And then I do. I have three kids. I have a mortgage. I have to check homework and make sure lunches are made before I head for bed at night. I worry about getting good health insurance and saving for the kids college funds. And I watch my high school sweetheart, who I can still remember as quite the little punk kid, holding up our daughter by the back of her jacket while she learns to ride her bike, so he won't let her fall, like a grown-up dad. And I know getting older means lots of loss- loss of old childhood friendships, death of loved ones, even the loss of that freedom we had when we could come and go and do as we pleased... But at this stage of life, I wouldn't trade any of those things we've lost for the wonderful thing we've gained: New friendships, beautiful children and the great responsibility of raising them to be good people. And I've realized that as we've grown up, so will they- and our job is to do what we can to hold them up, and help brush them off when they do fall. Its a great grown-up job, so its not so bad being "old"..... ('Still won't drive a mini-van though. Wink.)