Playdate Escape

Little Heads on My Shoulder

2010-10-08T00:44:00.000-05:00

I miss when my boys were so small I could pick them up and they'd rest their little heads on my shoulder in a hug or to sleep.

They are sleeping now and I just want to wake them up and steal a few more moments with them I'll never get back. Feel like every morning they wake up an inch bigger and 10x smarter.

How To Tick People Off

2010-10-07T11:58:00.002-05:00

The list - its awesome. Click it. NOW!

Describe Your Ex

2010-10-06T23:25:00.002-05:00

In One Word:

mean spiriteD
arrOgant
opportUnistic
Controlling
selfisH
judgmEntal
self absorBed
manipulAtive
self riGhteous

Cruising the web this morning

2010-10-06T08:17:00.000-05:00

I've been poking around the web this morning and in 15 minutes have seen:

a police officer knife hand strike a pimp (i'm signing up for martial arts cause that was just cool)
a small dog pee on a bride at her wedding (who let the dogs out?)
a hot foreign girl in pig tails teach me how to do a painful looking one legged squat (she got my attention, but i'm still eating a donut in my sweatpants)
10 tips for using twitter for business (novel)
random toothpaste for dinner comics (that were a waste of time)
a group of lions attack a "trainer" who was poking them at a circus (he deserved it, honestly)
a guy cop a cheap feel on a girl's chest at a soccer game (i couldn't tell it was a girl so perhaps neither could he. i'll give him the benefit of the doubt)

Words That Make Me Laugh

2010-10-06T01:46:00.000-05:00

My coworker Joey and I have a giggle habit of laughing at anything that might also entertain a 9 year old boy (coincidence that I HAVE a 9 year old boy? I think not.). Only way these words are funnier than standing alone is when they are used during a normal, serious conversation, like a client meeting. The quieter we're supposed to be, the funnier they seem. I know there are more....but its 1:45am on a Tuesday.

Gourd
Poop (heavy emphasis on the "oo" sound)
Stoo-pit (as said by Nicole Portman)
do do (especially as said in a meeting "Yes, when we do do that tomorrow.......")
Balls (funniest all by themselves)
Duties (singular "duty" is equally as effective)
Taters
Scram

Happy Anniversary VLG

2010-10-05T07:52:00.000-05:00

This is what we do at work when we're bored (not really) and are influenced by Shiner Bock (just a little).
Its our 5th year anniversary (it really is) and for times like these we thought it was worth a mention (or something).

Gimme Knucks

Powered By Red Curry (with Chicken)

2010-10-05T00:31:00.007-05:00

I haven't had thai red curry with chicken in 4 days and I'm feeling like anything else I eat is just water in the tank. Putter.
Have become a bit of a red curry snob and I must say these two are my favorites around the Plano/Richardson, TX area:

Sawadika at Campbell near 75
Noodles Ave. on Park in West Plano

Though this does not help me when I have a hankerin' closer to home. Wylie/Sachse/Murphy is in need of a Thai restaurant. Spread the word. We're Thai friendly in these parts.

Extra comments:

Steer clear of Mango at Park and Preston in Plano and the nameless Thai restaurant in the La Madeline shopping center in Addison. Both very yucky. That's a fancy culinary term for gross.

They're Already Gone

2010-10-04T23:29:00.000-05:00

Why do I feel like my 5 year old is already grown and gone? Why do I feel like my 9 year old won't see me as the only woman in his life very soon?

I just checked on them as they slept and stared at each of them for a few moments, thinking to myself how sweet and smart and precious they both are. I am not a mom who uses the word "precious", but well, they are and I realize that and my time with them is so short.

I wish they knew how much I adored them. How much I would do for them even though I am constantly trying to get them to do for themselves; its only because I love them. Because I want them to grow up independent, able to make decisions and care for themselves and the families they will soon provide for.

I do fear they will grow up with memories of me getting angry and yes, I've said a "bad word" in front of them a time or two, but I hope those memories won't dominate their childhood flashbacks when they recount their time with me to their future wives and friends. I have had moments of anger, but I am trying to look at my babies with my own memories of when they were first born and I held them in my arms as though nothing would ever hurt them or cause them pain.

They are great kids and I suppose some of that could be my doing, but I do realize they are wonderful individuals, and they, like me, will make mistakes. Their accidents are mistakes. My anger is not. I promise today to never get upset over spilled milk, dirty underwear and tiny handprints on the walls again.

Jake and Harrison. Your Mama loves you so much.

Just What I Needed

2010-07-02T10:03:00.000-05:00

At Jim's today and the boys are bored since they can't go swimming so I collected some dated magazines, scissors, paper and tape and asked them to make me a collage. I still haven't seen Jake's masterpiece, but here's what Harrison came up with:

He said it looked "girly". Doesn't get any more "girly" than this.

Feeling Clean

2010-07-02T09:26:00.000-05:00

I find it strange that by just putting a bra on makes me feel dressed and clean....even if I'm still wearing the same clothes I slept in the night before.

Short Rendezvous with WordPress

2010-06-30T00:25:00.000-05:00

Dear Blogger,

I was in the mood to try on a different blog provider tonight to give my upcoming grown up/adult only blog a new look. Needless to say my grown up/adult only blog never got made because WordPress has NO AVAILABLE domains to use and no filter to help you choose one. Stupid WordPress.

I cheated on you, ever so briefly, with WordPress and I'm back begging for your acceptance of my apology. I'm sure you have some pretty nifty grown up templates I can make my own for my filthy 32 year old thoughts that I'll hide behind in some clever name like surrfergrrlintx.

Hmmm, wonder if that domain is available.

Forever yours - for now,

Cori

Who Asked For Teeth Anyway?

2010-06-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

Jake: "Harrison needs some ice because his tongue is bleeding."
Me: "Did you bite your tongue?"
Harrison: "Yeah."
Me: "I'm sorry, buddy. I bet that hurts."
Harrison. "Yeah, but its not your fault. Its my teeth's fault."

Picture vs. Play

2010-06-22T14:34:00.000-05:00

Took the boys swimming last night as a easily earned reward for having great days at their respective day care/camp locations yesterday. I brought plenty of entertainment items for the boys IN the pool as well as for me on the sidelines. This, I have found, is one of the benefits of the boys getting older - I don't HAVE TO get in with them to make sure they don't sink, drown or bust their heads open on the concrete edges. I read a magazine, played on my ipad and kept a close eye on their whereabouts while a small family of three arrived and claimed two chairs next to me. A teenage girl was flanked by her parents and she and "papa" immediately got in, while "mom" tried to do what I was doing.....hang out, restful and unbothered.

Her daughter begged for a solid ten minutes to get her to come in the pool and she eventually won. "Mom" reluctantly joined and although all she did was float on a noodle, just being IN the water apparently was enough for daughter.

It made me think about whether I should have put my suit on and joined the boys in the pool, but as I watched them, happy, easily entertained with goggles, floaties and bubbles, I had the opportunity to appreciate some things about them I didn't realize before.

Harrison is 5 and with the "right" goggles, he runs toward the pool and does a respectable cannon ball into the water. Just last year he hated getting his head wet and wouldn't swim without his life vest. Now he swims across the pool, unassisted and keeps up with Jake without a problem.

Jake is a great big brother. He blows bubbles for Harrison and always welcomes him in his activities. He encourages Harrison to race, but is careful to let him win sometimes. He takes him to the boys' potty when Harrison is scared because its so dark. When we leave, he helps to carry his noodle.

I took a quick picture with my iphone because its all I had on me, so now I have a documented memory along with the observations above that I made. Next time, I'll be like "Mom" and create some mental memories by playing.

Its Gonna Be Tough Living in China

2010-06-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

Over dinner last night Jake explained that he believed it would be quite hard to live in China. I asked why he thought that and he proceeded to tell me:

Well, what if you were driving, but all of the street signs were in Chinese and you couldn't read them, so you didn't know you were speeding? And then, what if a Chinese policeman tries to pull you over but because you don't know you're speeding, you don't stop because you think he wants to pull someone else over? And then you finally stop and he gets out to talk to you, but you don't understand because its all in Chinese and he gets mad at you and sends you to Chinese jail where you don't know how long you'll be there because your lawyer is Chinese and is telling you what's going on in Chinese.

I guess if that's what happens when you're an American in China, Jake might be right.

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-20T22:27:00.000-05:00

The boys and I took a walk around the neighborhood this evening and happened upon.....

This poor guy was in someone's driveway and way too far from home, which, based on the layer of moss and wet gunk he was hauling with him, was the nearby pond. We checked him out, talked to him and he responded with an occasional hiss as he quickly retracted his head into his shell. I couldn't leave him in the 100 degree heat baking on the concrete, so I tore off some plastic from a Sunday newspaper bag laying in a neighbor's driveway and carried him the 100 yards back to the pond. He kept his head out the whole way, almost wanting to see where we were taking him and the boys and I found a spot level with the water line that was about a foot from the water. He extended his head, then his legs, looked around a literally sprinted toward the water. I'd never seen a turtle run so fast (or run at all for that matter), but clearly he was home and the boys were happy to see him "saved".

Jake gave me a long hug and Harrison narrated the event in great detail.

The boys did spend most of the day with their Daddy, but I enjoyed creating a nice Father's Day memory with them......that at least I know I'll remember.

Harrisonisms

2010-01-07T09:45:00.000-06:00

Harrison pointed to a package of life savers and asks, "daddy, why are they called swords when they look like doughnuts?". It took me a second then replied,"Harrison, they are called life savers, not light sabers" we had a laugh

Also, be sure to check your ears. Dr harrison says "If your ears are full of wax, you are not healthy."

House flies are very hungry because they always land on your food. Fireflies are not because they don't land on your food.

"The moon is in outer space and I have never been to outer space".

Something missing

2009-12-21T01:07:00.000-06:00

Had my children. Missed him.

Have him. Miss my children.

Someday I'll have everything.

Deerfield Lights

2009-12-19T00:24:00.004-06:00

Saw these tonight during our drive. So so cool.

Support

2009-12-19T00:20:00.000-06:00

Found a blog that has helped to pick me back up when my expected support system has failed me. If you're going through, have gone through or are considering divorce, this is reassuring.

Everything

2009-12-18T16:14:00.002-06:00

Harrison Sure Can Pick 'Em

2009-12-18T11:51:00.001-06:00

"I don't eat my boogers anymore. I don't like boogers."

--Harrison as I put on his shoes this morning and he didn't quite know what to do with the booger he picked

"Look at all the frosting on the houses this morning!"

--Harrison commenting on the frost on the rootfops as we drove Jake to school

You Don't Know Me

2009-12-17T22:49:00.000-06:00

i'm sorry if my journey through this short life toward happiness so far has inflicted any amount of hurt, pain, anger, hatred or disappointment. those who believe it was intentional, you don't know me at all.

Dinner = Growth

2009-11-08T10:15:00.000-06:00

After 3 unsuccessful attempts to dress Jake in pants that fit, we finally found some that didn't look like he was shopping the Michael Jackson collection, circa 1984.

I asked him (jokingly of course) to quit growing. Jake's response to that is always, "but I'll die." Harrison, in the background in the middle of a space shuttle launch countdown, offered his own, less morbid response.

"Jake keeps growing because you keep making him dinner."

A Change of Perspective

2009-09-20T23:34:00.000-05:00

My boys are back and sleeping soundly in their bunks beds. Seems like they were just laughing and bouncing around a few minutes ago, but they've long since settled down and I'm happy to have them with me.

My perspective on having them has changed.

Today I don't feel like a mother itching to act single. I feel like a single woman, happy to be a mother.

Today I don't feel like driving a car that gets attention. I feel like driving a car my children will be comfortable in (and can see out of the windows without needing to strain their necks).

Today I am not satisfied with providing the bare necessities for my boys. I want a place I call home, that I can make comfortable for them. A place they look forward to staying at, playing at, laughing at. I hope to have that place soon.

Today I know I did not hug them enough, tell them I love them enough or play with them enough.

Cow Pee

2009-09-20T21:06:00.000-05:00

During snacktime today, which consisted of a brownie and milk, Harrison announced that the milk he was drinking was actually cow pee.

Nice.

Step Aside If You Like Your Knees

2009-09-18T12:04:00.001-05:00

Got this email from Jason today. Offers a little insight into my 4 year old's personality.

So, Harrison rides his big wheel to Jake's school everyday. Yesterday on the way back home he did something a little nuts. The middleschool kids are all standing in the sidewalk waiting for the bus. Harrison decided to make a full speed run directly at them hoping they would move. They did, all scrambling to not get hit in the shins by the crazy kid on the big wheel. Harrison didn't slow down or even blink (he had that crazed look in his eye). I apologized for him. Today, they lined the edge of the sidewalk and cheered him on as he came barreling through. Seems he now has the upperclassmen's respect.

Blah Days

2009-09-14T12:42:00.003-05:00

I feel:

blah......impatient......frustrated...blah...helpless.......hurt.......
tired....blah.....concerned...blah.......confused.........uncertain
blah.......sad...blah.....jealous.........blah......stuck...blah.....

Mostly blah.

I'm Sorry If My Baggage Lands In Your Yard

2009-09-13T18:42:00.001-05:00

Um, I've done the unimaginable. I, Cori Lawrence, have been to church twice in the past month.

Seems it was a timely reintroduction to living a life with faith as Spring Creek Community Church was doing a multi part series on the power of forgiveness.

The first sermon described the amazing act of forgiveness that Nelson Mandela showed to his captors after he'd been imprisoned for more than two decades and how, with the help of Bishop Desmond Tutu, he led an anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

The sermon today focused on the spirit of forgiveness from Eva Kor toward the Nazis and Dr. Josef Mengele for the experiments Dr. Mengele performed on Eva and her twin sister. Several moving videos from WWII and interviews with Eva Kor were shown to further demonstrate just how amazing her willingness to forgive was after experiencing such brutality and torture.

In closing the pastor explained the purpose of the red helium filled balloon that hovered over the stage and how it symbolized the person or action that has hurt us and how we should write on the balloon what that action or who that person is and then say a prayer and let it go. Everyone was given a red helium filled balloon as we left the sermon.

I took my balloon outside. Before I uncapped my sharpie to begin writing away my pain, I looked around at all of the children, tightly holding on to their balloons, who were still too young to carry the burden of anger and hate. I envied them. Then I looked to the sky and watch as the hurt and pain of others floated higher and higher until eventually out of view and I wrote my hurt on my balloon and let it go, to join the others.

I'm not sure it effectively removed my pain from that person, all with the opening of my hand as the string slid away. Though I hope that in the future when I think again about how that person has wronged me, I'll imagine the moment I let my balloon go, and maybe in time, it won't hurt quite so much.

Nothingness Inspired

2009-09-11T17:53:00.003-05:00

Watched this in front of Jim the other day. He didn't think it nearly as funny as I did. I like potty humor and farts make me laugh. Yep, I said it, "farts".

SNL Gas Right

Randomness & Nothingness

2009-09-11T17:28:00.001-05:00

Its raining and I'm wondering why do wet dogs stink so bad? Even when they're clean and just bathed, they stink. I've puzzled this till my puzzler was sore.

I'm reading a book called People Are Unappealing by Sara Barron. Its written in essay style by a Jewish girl from NY who seems to have a knack for meeting the best that society has to offer. I've convinced a coworker to start reading it and I've embarrassed myself many a time at Barnes and Noble from laughing out loud. I'm also reading, very slowly I might add, the True Blood series, but it just doesn't have me hooked like Twilight did. I wish real well-written literature struck my fancy but really I just wanna laugh. Its probably why The Three Martini Playdate is still one of my favorites and probably why I read Ellen DeGeneres' books at least twice.

Laughing makes me happy....as do balloons shaped like Christmas ornaments....and clean high thread count sheets......and when my cell phone is fully charged.

Think this was more randomness. I'll bring nothingness to the table later.

Babies, The Boys and Me, Oh My!

2009-09-11T10:31:00.002-05:00

Jake had his 8th birthday yesterday and though I spent a lot of time executing traditional birthday efforts and a few that are special for us, you might as well thought it was a milestone birthday for me that I did not want to hit. My mother said my Dad spent his 30th birthday in bed. Not one for drama, I spent mine having cake with the boys, so I think I took it pretty well.

But Jake's 8th birthday was hard on me. Seems to me that he's completely through the first third of the time I'm responsible to get him to full adult hood (including college) and he'll soon be doing things and going places independently. This is an exciting time for him and I'm pleased, so far, with the work I've done.

Harrison will be 5 this year. Harrison works the TV, my AppleTv to play music, the Wii....all on his own. He "fixes" his own breakfast, does laundry, lets Moe out and can dress himself completely. I woke up this morning, in peace, Harrison fully sufficient to entertain, clothe and feed himself. Its an amazing feeling to have time to myself again, without the demands of babies dictating the direction of how my time is spent.

But why is it that I look at their baby pictures with that sense of longing for chubby cheeks, toothless grins, their smells, their bald heads, itty bitty shoes and somehow wish I could relive that time with them? I hated it at the time, but mostly the sleepless nights, the illnesses that make you feel powerless, the crying, the complete dependency......all those things that eventually you forget about in favor of the cuteness, the sweetness, the innocence.

Having an 8 year old makes me feel old...........but not old enough have outgrown the longing for another one.........

If you know me....you think I've gone nuts. If you don't, you're probably inappropriately going "oooh, how sweet."

No, not sweet. I've gone nuts.

Desperate Housewives Drive Lexus (and So Should You)

2009-02-09T09:17:00.005-06:00

Last night's episode of Desperate Housewives included the most blatant product placement I've seen (and heard) in a very long time. We're not talking about a simple little camera close up on the brand image, but a full blown two to three minutes of actual script time as well. I don't have the time to isolate the scene for you, but it is at the very beginning of the episode - right after the opening credits. If you thought you had the opportunity to walk away or fast forward during commercial time, think again.....

Lexus Placement, Episode 14

The Simple Life

2009-01-24T12:36:00.002-06:00

I want the worries of my children:

>>freaking out that the bathtub water has gotten too high and might overflow

>>frustration over being not being able to button their pants after they pee

>>getting upset the gumball released from the gumball machine is the wrong color

We've got it coming and going

2009-01-09T20:33:00.002-06:00

A couple of things:

"I did a candy cane poop."

--Harrison appropriately naming the apparent shape of his morning turd.

On a cleaner note:

I bought this jacket for Jake through a catalog I love because well, the jacket was super cool and on clearance.

I am posting this message because this is the coolest jacket I have ever bought the boys (and I have a jacket fetish, so this is saying a lot). It has satin lining, is made of a rugged and heavy cotton twill, has rockstar zippers, a "Sgt. Rock" patch on the sleeve, an embroidered last name on the collar, which I'm guessing is the designer or something and the coolest slots on the other sleeve for crayons. Jake just got this jacket today and he's gotten so many compliments on it. I think even Jason wants one.

It looks like they have size 10/12 and size 2, so if you have a little boy either of those ages and are looking for a new jacket, this one literally rocks!!! Love it!

I DO Grow While I Sleep

2009-01-05T18:10:00.000-06:00

"My penis was big while I was sleeping."

--The first thing Harrison said to Jason when he walked in the door from work.

I'm not in the mood for THAT.

2009-01-02T19:30:00.003-06:00

"Tickles are not massages."

--Harrison correcting Jake's attempt at a foot massage

Wii Boxing Amateur Match #1

2008-12-31T11:12:00.003-06:00

Sew What

2008-12-23T22:22:00.004-06:00

Jason and I were finishing up the Polar Express when I got to thinking about Jake's Boy Scouts uniform and how it needs its patches sewn on. Not well skilled in the way of sewing, I asked Jason if I should take it to a tailor to have his patches sewn on. He laughed at me. I don't sew. Never have, never will. Jason tried to sell me on "that's what Boy Scout Moms do", but not this mom, so I suggested that he do it. To which he replied:

Jason: "Do you want your boys to grow up to be boys?"
Cori: "Yes."
Jason: "Then don't let them watch Daddy sew."

I think I'll have Oma do it while she's here.

The Calm

2008-12-23T10:06:00.002-06:00

The house is quiet, except for the sounds coming from my laundry room. The boys are at grandma's. Jason is at work. I am home to clean and prepare for the storm* that is my parents' arrival tonight.

*Don't get me wrong. I like storms and I love my parents. Just saying here people, is that my house is now quiet, but after tonight, with 5 more people in it for the next 10 days it won't be.

This is how you repay me?

2008-12-23T09:44:00.003-06:00

Around midnight last night I threw in the towel on cleaning in preparation for my parents' arrival today. (I still have quite a bit to do today, but am currently debating a Starbucks run in my jammies to fuel up for today's workload.) Every night before bed, Jason or I go check on the boys to make sure they are warm enough, that they are facing the right direction on their beds and that they aren't sleeping on the floor or in the closet. Last night Jason was out with a friend, so I went in to make sure all was right in their world.

As soon as I opened the door, my nose went into overdrive. Sniff, sniff, is that what I think it is? I hope not, sniff sniff. I go straight to Harrison and stick my nose to his bum. Yep, poop. Super. I leave to get wipes and a new pullup. Turn the closet light on. Then go over to begin the hazmat process of cleaning him out of his own filth and into something fresh. (I did think about leaving him in it to make him sore the next day - that'll teach him - but it was midnight and I wasn't in the mood for teaching lessons about personal hygiene to my 4 year old.)

So Harrison is lying on his right side, facing me and is wearing a one piece footed sleeper with dinosaurs on it. These jammies make this even more of a pickle than it already is because now I can't just slide his pants off and clean him up discreetly, I have to unzip, pull his arms out, pull his legs out and tear off the pullup to keep the #2 in place. I do all of that, holding his legs in the air, I turn to grab some wipes and, what's that? My thigh suddenly feels warm and wet and NOW I can hear the ssssssss sound that is Harrison's PEE escaping in full force. Yep, I'm being peed on. While having flashbacks of his newborn days, I quickly react by covering his offending tool with the wipes. All this does is cause the pee to go down and get his jammies and his sheets all wet. (Now I'm rethinking letting him sleep in it next time.)

Harrison, in his half awake stupor, lets me finish wiping him, but then immediately gets in the fetal position and tries to roll over and go back to sleep. I grab a towel from the closet, pull the jammies away, Harrison rolls again to try to go to sleep, I pick him up, lay the towel down to cover the wet spot (I draw the line here - I am NOT going all out to change his sheets too.) and lay Harrison back down, he rolls again to try to go back to sleep, I put him back on his back to get his clean pullup on and I give up on putting new jammies on him, so I cover him with three layers of blankets and call it a night.

Got Gas?

2008-12-16T20:16:00.002-06:00

"Mama, if you put gas in your pants, would it make you fly?"

--Jake

Watch Your Fingers

2008-12-15T21:36:00.002-06:00

I finally mailed my Christmas cards today in the blue post office box and I got to thinking....

.....I wonder what is the weirdest thing a mailman has found in a mailbox.

I could think of some weird things to put in a mailbox.

Monday's Many Faces

2008-12-15T07:36:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning Harrison was a puppy dog in his underwear.
Yesterday afternoon Harrison was telling us he wanted to get a motorcycle (to Jason's dread), but that he would be very very careful on it.
Today Harrison stared at the washing machine, yelling at it to "stop" or "go" as though he had the magic to make it happen.
Then he built the "leaning tower of pisa" out of his legos until it collapsed into pisa rubble.
Ten minutes later he was a bat.

Now he's a 4 year old boy watching the Grinch.

New Favorite Blogs

2008-12-11T20:32:00.003-06:00

http://www.good.is/

http://overheardintheoffice.com/

http://brokershandsontheirfacesblog.tumblr.com/

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

my old favorite:

http://www.alphamom.com/smackdown/

and some holiday fun:

www.voodoosanta.com

www.elfyourself.com

Ridin' Dirty

2008-12-10T20:24:00.002-06:00

I don't know how it escaped me. Not just for days or weeks, but months.....nearly six months to be exact.

I was enjoying a little chuckle from the hokey elves I created from the www.ElfYourself.com website today at work when my coworker, Nicole, walked by and asked if I knew my car registration and inspection were expired. She admitted that because hers were expired too that she's noticing that stuff on other people's cars too.

A conversation in my head went a little something like this:

NO! That can't be right. Jason always takes care of that stuff. I don't remember ever changing the sticker on my window or seeing the reminder come in the mail. Maybe Jason just did it and I never saw it. No that wouldn't happen either. Jason always makes a point to tell me when he's doing something for me, especially when it comes to my car, which isn't his and he doesn't feel he should have to take care of these things. I should go look at it. Nicole has admitted she has "old lady eyes".

I go outside to check my stickers. Sure enough - vehicle registration expired in JUNE! Inspection, thankfully, is still ok. It doesn't expire until the end of the month, so with the grace period I can still skirt by for about 3 more weeks on that one.

Back in the office Nicole is giving me the run down of where I need to go if I'm in Dallas County like her (which I am not) and that I can ride with her tomorrow when she goes to take care of her car registration. Since I am not in Dallas County and don't have a friendly sidekick to share my legal woes with, I research online where I need to go for Collin County and find that lo and behold! Its only 2.5 miles away! I'm excited by this, but also feel like even more of a loser for not doing this sooner since its in my back yard.

Upon announcing that fact, Joey, our copywriter, who has witnessed this discovery from his open office, encourages me to disappear to take care of it NOW because although I've gotten away with it for 6 months, now that I'm aware of it, I am GOING TO GET PULLED OVER. He's right. Its karma or dogma or murphy's law or whatever belief system you follow - its that.

I call the tax office to make sure the registration isn't paid and somehow my sticker just got lost in the mail. I'm still in disbelief that I've overlooked this very important annual update. Nope, I'm 100% expired, but with my insurance card and my checkbook (what? who uses a checkbook anymore?) I can get it taken care of prontisimo!

Now I'm thinking about my insurance card. Our insurance policy gets renewed every May and November. I don't remember putting a new card in my glove box. Ten bucks says that damn card is expired too! Back out to the car to confirm my suspicions........I pull out my recent oil change receipt, an old insurance card from May 2007, warranty receipt from my speaker replacement a few weeks ago (because getting a distorted speaker replaced is an URGENT matter), and yep, my most recent insurance card that expired on 11/20/08. DAMMIT!

Joey shakes his head at me and asks if my kids are still wearing burlap sacks as underwear. ???? I'm mildly embarrassed because this is shocking to me - I've never let this happen before (to this degree). Last time this happened, it was my expired inspection that was only about 3 months late and the nice policeman was the informant. He only charged me about $200 to tell me that.

Odds are he'll find me again in the morning when I'm on my way to the tax office on my way to work.

2008-12-07T15:50:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

I'm Baaaaack

2008-12-05T21:24:00.002-06:00

Thinking about getting back into blogging again. If you're receiving an email update about this post its because you've ridden my a%& in the past about not posting enough.

If you've changed your mind, forgotten my number, forgotten my NAME or just decided that reading anything on the internet is a complete waste of time, please shoot me an email to "opt out" and I'll take you off my very long email list. Really its very long. I have a lot of readers and am very important.

By the way, if you do want to "opt out", you won't hurt my feelings, so go ahead. Let me know. I can take it. Now's your chance. You've got about 12-24 hours before I press on, full speed ahead, so don't say I didn't warn you.

My Review of Fisher Price Imaginext Spike, the Ultra Dinosaur

2008-12-05T08:29:00.002-06:00

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

He walks, he blinks, he growls: he's Spike, the Ultra Dinosaur! This remote-controlled robot dinosaur comes to life with the touch of a button. With the easy-to-use remote control, kids can make him stand on his hind legs, walk forward and turn right and left, open his mouth, and lie down. He ...

I Was Surprised

By Harrison's Mom from Dallas, TX on 12/5/2008

Pros: Realistic Movement, Multiple Functions, Easy to Control

Best Uses: Young Children

Describe Yourself: Education Oriented, Parent Of Two Or More Children, Working Parent

This was a grandparent gift for my son's 4th birthday. I honestly thought he would think it was cool for 5 seconds and get bored with it. I couldn't have been more wrong. He treats it like a pet and he's made a bed for it and he's given it a personality - who it likes, who it doesn't like, who it wants to bite, whether it wants its teeth brushed or not, etc.
The remote control is perfect for little hands and very easy to use. Its not so great for big hands. Really, people with big hands should stay away from this delicate plastic machinery and NOT make it chase your spouse, significant other, mother in law down the hallway threatening to have your left butt cheek for lunch. The rechargeable battery is nice and it does shut off automatically after a few minutes of inactivity (he starts to snore as he nods off to "sleep", or was that Jason when he was sick? I'll need to run a test of the "snoring" again. I think it snores.) to save battery life.
Though I never would have forked over the money for this gift, it does make a great grandparent gift if you're looking for the perfect wow present and a way to outdo the other grandparents. :)

(legalese)

The Biggest Waste of Time

2008-08-05T14:46:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, toggling between IM chatter, creating a sales presentation for a client and periodically checking my email, all the while I really have to go to the bathroom (#1, not #2 sickos), but can't seem to find a synchronous spot in my multitasking to break away.

I am dancing in my seat to music that doesn't exist. When I realize I look just like Harrison did about 3 hours earlier while he played with this toys on the floor, I put my grown up hat on and just go to the bathroom.

I sit down and I notice the very large mound of toilet paper that has been unwound from the roll and is lying in a heap on the ground just below the roll, held securely to the roll by several squares. I begin to reroll the toilet paper because its nearly a whole damn roll and as I'm re-rolling nearly an ENTIRE roll of toilet paper back onto the holder, I realize......

....this is the biggest waste of time ever. I have just lost 30 seconds of my life that I will never get back to save .75.

Wow.

My Latest Wo-mance

2008-08-05T14:37:00.002-05:00

A coworker sent this link to me (click on the title) and I love this woman.

Such a way with words.......

I think I should check my husband's trunk.

Not Rated E

2008-08-05T12:49:00.004-05:00

Last week I received this comment about my blog from my good friend, Jennifer, "Oh my...almost peed myself reading your blogs...you are a great writer....very funny Cori! Love it!" (Sorry, Jen, for not obtaining your consent for the use of your comment as a blog testimonial, but well, these things just come to me and I gotta roll with it. I'll take it off if you really want to be a prude about it.)

Anyway, when I started this thing a couple of years ago, I had no idea I would develop a very short list of readers who actually email me looking for new material to read. The key to this post is that while the list is in fact, very short, these people get me and they encourage me to keep going.

I really try not to offend people in my posts, but I do acknowledge that how I see (and write) things is not for everyone. While most of my posts do end up being about the boys, I try to twist it in a way that makes even people without kids want to read it, so its not just sappy mom speak that only my mother and me would appreciate. Who wants to read that crap?

I've been told I should be a writer and I have to admit I have contemplated the concept, fully knowing that NO ONE would really pay MONEY to read my thoughts, but its nevertheless a thought I haven't thrown out with the stinky garbage (just placed on a pile of "to look at later" material). When my company launched a new corporate website, fully loaded with a blog that all employees were supposed to contribute to, I thought, well, I can do this.

So, I've written two posts, that remain as drafts, unpublished and now dusty. The first I tried to make it relevant to marketers and serious and professional and businesslike (even though we are promoting a new internal "antiboredom campaign"). The second, I wrote more like me, rants about my experiences as a consumer, but that too sits on the shelf.

I try not to let it get to me, especially when comments like Jen's come through. It just makes me realize that I am not rated E (for everyone) and I don't really want to be.

Dr. Jake & Mr. Happy, Hug My Peet & Other Weekend Tidbits

2008-08-03T21:27:00.002-05:00

Jake is a fantastic kid - smart, sweet, creative, quiet and imaginative. He has lots of friends and never seems to have trouble socializing in many kid friendly environments. This is why I was surprised to walk into El Fenix on Wednesday "enchilada night" and found Jake clinging in fear to Jason's leg, while he Jason and Harrison waited for our table. He only parted himself from Jason enough to move toward gripping my hips and hiding behind me. When I turned around to ask him what was wrong, his wide eyes would only look down until I forced him to look at me, and then he'd just look around me at the other groups of people waiting for their tables. He was very adamant that everyone was looking at him and it scared him. We only waited about five minutes before we had him secured in a booth, but he was so bothered by his trauma in the lobby that he wouldn't even eat. I had a hard time understanding this was the same kid who just the day before was leading his friends in pool races and fell down in silliness with his tongue hanging out when he got hit with a beach ball. Tonight Jake had Harrison laughing on the potty while he pretended to be a dog who kept running into the wall. Then he moved on to a new audience (Jason and me) while he threw his dirty socks in his closet, one at a time and said "score" both times. Jason and I laughed, both of us thinking, "where does he get this stuff?"

We know where Jake gets his potty mouth - definitely his mom. Yes, I'll admit it. I don't do much to filter my language around the kids. I'm trying to improve that parental failure, but we socialize so much at the house unexpectedly, it just comes out. I know, I know, bad excuse. So, this weekend when Jake was trying to turn the television on and couldn't do it, he blurted out, "This damn tv won't turn on." Jason corrected his colorful choice of words.....and then reminded me that "the boys are listening."

Harrison is a boy with spunk. He does his own thing and follows his own rules, which I keep trying to replace with my rules, but he's feisty and I dig it, because he's well, a mini me of me. Most of the time his energy is a Harrison-ized version of Jake's imagination, but sometimes he comes up with things on his own that make Jason and me look at each other in disbelief that he is really only 3 years old. This afternoon we were all by the pool and someone wanted juice. Jason sent Harrison into the house to get juiceboxes for everyone. He didn't say how many, but just to get them. I was shocked when Harrison came out with 4 juices. I'm not claiming this makes him a genius or even on par with his peers, but it sure surprised me that he came out with 4 all at one time. I would have expected him to come out with two, hand them out and then realize he needed two more. Perhaps I don't give him enough credit.

Then, on a lighter note, tonight at bedtime, Jason and I told the kids good night. We hugged, kissed and tucked Jake into bed and then moved over to Harrison. While Jake was lying head on pillow and body under covers, Harrison was lying on his back, crosswise on his bed with his legs in the air and he demanded that Jason and I give him "peet (feet) hugs" and "peet kisses". Then he wanted no covers and would not lie his head down on his pillow. His own rules......

My house

2008-07-05T09:32:00.002-05:00

Its Saturday, 9:37am.

I am sitting on my very very comfortable couch, laptop in lap, jammies on listening to my house.

The boys are upstairs playing. Nicely I can only assume by the occasional scream of excitement that escapes Harrison from time to time. Don't hear anything from Jake, but he's likely doing something to squeeze those screams out of Harrison.

When I started this, Jason was asleep and the house was otherwise quiet. Now, he's in the kitchen, running water for coffee, banging cups together while his barefeet slap slap slap on the wood floors. He clears his throat. Puts the unused coffee grounds back in the fridge and takes a long swig straight from the opened gatorade bottle he started yesterday. He is in his "sexy" blue satin boxer shorts that at some point had light silver hula girls on it, but through many washings they are simply blue boxer shorts. The hula girls have gone. Closer inspection from the couch reveals that they are also, in fact, inside out. He calls them "sexy". There's nothing sexy about his junk swaying unrestricted all over the kitchen. More clothes please. Please! On he goes to get in the shower.

(Harrison is laughing a deep throaty laugh that make you want to check on him to make sure he's breathing ok.)

Behind me, outside I can hear hammering of nails to wood on a house that is being built behind me.

The coffee maker gurgles. Steam. More gurgles. I smell my morning cup in production.

"Dad-dy," Harrison comes down the stairs and whines. Back to laughing.

The world is right again.

Harrison Columbus Discovers A New World

2008-07-01T10:23:00.003-05:00

Harrison and Jake are great brothers, but as any parent of multiple children will tell you, no two siblings are alike.

Jake is sweet and gentle. Harrison is aggressive and rough.

Jake is artistic. Harrison is technology savvy.

Jake never played with himself unless he was "holding it" from going potty. Harrison has been playing with himself since he was an infant. Anytime his diaper was off, his hand went south. Sitting in the tub, he'd have one hand on himself and the other on a toy. He especially likes wearing underwear now because he can get a hold of it now whenever he wants it and its usually so often, I think he has to go potty all day and is "holding it" like Jake did.

Nope. He just likes to make sure its still there.

Recently after a bath, though, he explored a little further into the Old World and discovered a New World. I dried him off in his bedroom and scrounged in his closet for jammies. Then I knelt down to help him get dressed. He was squeezing and twisting and moving his junk around so much and then began to look up at the ceiling in deep thought. "Mama, this is my penis," Harrison reminds me. "Yes, buddy, that is your penis," I say to enforce that I heard him correctly. Still looking up at the ceiling he says, "Mama, there's um, there's BALLS in there!" "Yes," I say through giggles, "there ARE balls in there. Now go tell Daddy what you found. I think he would like to know about your discovery."

Summon the Troops

2008-03-26T09:53:00.003-05:00

The time is coming.

They are coming.

We don't know how many or who they are, but it will be big.

Big driveway is coming soon.

Kenny arrives on Saturday, March 29th from the Philippines.

Luke's arrival is imminent from Iraq outprocessing.

JJ is here from Pennsylvania and waiting.

The rest are waiting for the call. The call to action. The call to arrive.

iLove iPhone

2008-02-26T22:59:00.003-06:00

I'm sitting here blogging, while watching Jay Leno's "headlines" and an iPhone commercial came on.

I don't care how often I've seen the commercial, everytime an iPhone commercial comes on, I have to watch it from beginning to end. Its just a fascinating piece of technology.

I turned to Jason when the commercial was over and said, "I wonder how hard it is for people with fat fingers to use an iPhone. Wouldn't it get frustrating trying to push the little buttons if your fingers are fat? You know you would probably consistently push the wrong buttons by mistake."

Jason simply smiles and says, "Guess you won't be getting an iPhone."

Pee-ling the Paint

2008-02-26T22:32:00.002-06:00

The time: 9:15 a.m. The place: our house.

Harrison and I were packing up his backpack getting ready to leave for Harrison's speech class. Socks? Check. Shoes? Check. Keys? Check. Class folder and backpack? Check, check. Harrison go potty? Nope.

"Harrison, you need to go potty before we leave."

"Ok." He walks into the bathroom. I go in after him to help him pull his pants down and subsequently pull his shirt up so it doesn't get in the way of his steady stream. He relaxed and released a stream that could have won a water shooting carnival game contest. Went nowhere near the toilet, in the toilet or even around the toilet. No, it hit the wall. By the time he redirected his hips down toward the toilet, he was virtually done.

Super. So, my focus to save time and not have to change his peed on shirt, became an even bigger situation when I suddenly had to grab the paper towels and bleach cleaner, all the while I'm praying the cleaner won't discolor the green paint on the walls.

The time: 12:10 pm. The place: home again.

Lunch is over. I'm cleaning up the dishes and Harrison suddenly runs toward the bathroom, explaining, "I go potty real quick."

"Ok, Harrison, point your penis DOWN so you don't pee on the wall."

I believe Harrison only heard, "...pee on the wall." When I went in to check on him, he was pulling up his pants and grinning at the new yellow paint he added to the wall to the right of the toilet. He might as well have had his hands on his hips and his hips thrust out while he wrote his name - first and last - on the wall.

The clean up supplies and ritual played out earlier in the day was duplicated, with the same result - a newly cleaned bathroom........

........and bleach cleaner does NOT affect the color of latex wall paint. The silver lining to my Tuesday cloud.

A Bold Move

2008-02-24T19:59:00.004-06:00

Just want to give a shout out to Brian, the owner of Asado's Mexican Grill for agreeing to sponsor Harrison's blastball team, Orange Crush.

Brian introduced himself to Jason and me while we were having dinner there one night. He seemed like a really cool dude and when I found out our team needed a sponsor, he's the first person I thought of. So I called him Friday and he couldn't have been nicer. He said he sponsors six or seven other teams and would be happy to sponsor Harrison's team.

If you haven't eaten at Asado's yet, I highly recommend it. The food is great and we really need to support Brian - we would hate to see a great local business disappear.

A Memory Recorded

2008-02-24T19:56:00.002-06:00

Bedtime for the boys.

Jason and I are telling them good-night. Each taking turns with the boys.

Jason's turn with Harrison. He lingers a bit while Harrison scratches Jason's face and immediately follows by wiping his own face (cheeks). Jason calls it "stealing his rough". Harrison likes to "steal Daddy's rough".

To Translate Literally

2008-02-24T19:43:00.002-06:00

Jason and I took the boys to Dallas to meet Charlie and Kim for dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant, Alfredo's. (Alfredo's is closing and we're in the fetal position sucking our thumbs wondering where we're going to get great Italian food from now on, so if anyone has any suggestions, we're taking them. Please let me spare anyone from mentioning Olive Garden - that is NOT great Italian food - so let me just preface this request with REAL Italian food.)

Anyway, on to the point of this post.....

We were sitting at a round table which held all six of us comfortably. We were enjoying our bread, stuffed mushrooms, mussels, adult beverages and salad, visiting occasionally with Mario, the owner or someone else Charlie knew. Harrison was eating everything offered to him, with numerous extra helpings of bread. Jake wouldn't eat anything except the bread. I teased Jake a bit about Harrison eating all of his food and that he was going to get bigger than Jake.

Jake never can quite wrap his brain around that concept - that his brother could potentially (and probably will) be bigger than he will - because he knows he is older and always will be older.

I continued to tease him a bit by saying, "Aw, come on, Jake, you're not going to let your brother eat you under the table, are you?" Jake had no clue what that really meant, but just shook his head in an effort to respond.

Meanwhile, Harrison had grabbed his bread, pushed his chair back and was sitting literally "under the table" eating his bread. I had no idea he was even listening to me.

I forgot 3 year olds are still just learning the English language. The literal parts are hard enough, but to throw in the slang phrases, its just too much. He didn't quite understand why Kim and I were laughing and pulling him out from under the table.

St. Valentine Called The Tooth Fairy

2008-02-19T22:27:00.005-06:00

Valentine's Day morning I slithered out of bed to the boys' bedroom to make sure they were awake. I was greeted by a newly snaggle toothed Jake who had lost a bottom front tooth that suddenly appeared loose just two days earlier. He showed the tooth to me, protected in a small toy treasure chest. Phew, according to Jake, he can now start 1st grade in the fall with his other snaggle toothed friends.

Meanwhile Harrison was parading around in the background in his pajama shirt and pull up, announcing his success at peeing in the toilet that morning.

A great day so far.......

......that ended with Jason installing my Valentine's present on my car - a flowmaster exhaust. He knows me so well - its actually what I wanted.

(Note - On Monday evening, I walked into a local grocery store to find a man, possibly in his 60s, waiting for me. He said, "Miss, not only does your car look good, but it sounds good too. Really, it sounds great." After thanking him, he continued on, to do his shopping.)

The Humble Approach

2008-02-11T21:11:00.000-06:00

I come to you, humbly, head bowed and silently apologizing, begging forgiveness for my neglect of this site. Hard to believe its been nearly two months since I've visited here and left my mark, but the holidays beat me down, sat on me and locked me in a closet to the point where I willingly wanted to hibernate until all things red and green were safely in hiding, boxed in the attic until Mix 102.9 starts playing Bing Crosby's White Christmas again.

So, what's new? Guess I'll break it down by person (for simplicity).

Jake

Jake liked the first week of his first Christmas break from school. As soon as Christmas was over he was begging to go back to school and see his friends. His New Year's resolution was to stay on green in 2008, which means good behavior. He's five weeks into the year and he's stayed on green every day. I told him it looks like a forest in his folder, so every day he comes home with a new green, we say he's added a new tree to the forest. Jason wants to do something special for him if he stays on green the whole six weeks......something kid focused, like Chuck E Cheese, mini golf, bowling or a movie. Luckily I usually decide and my pick is to taxi Jake to Target and let him buy a toy with his Christmas gift cards he hasn't spent yet. Quick, easy and Mama doesn't have to dodge 500 other people's kids, their germs, sticky hands and pizza sauce faces. Gross.

Side note - Jake also learned how to ride his two wheeler and its been fun to go on family bike rides while he rides along side of us. Hard to believe he'll be 7 this year.

Harrison

Harrison has started his speech classes through the Wylie School District to help get him caught up from spending his first two years hearing like he was under water. Its definitely my kind of therapy for him - small classes, close to home, preschool environment, free time for me while's he's there two days a week and free. He is the only boy among 7 other girls and seems to love going to the big school like Jake does. Jason and I have already seen tremendous improvement in him - so much we're ready to play the "let's see who can be quiet the longest" game.

Side note - Harrison will be playing blastball (t-ball for 3-4 year olds) if I can convince Jason to step up and volunteer as a head coach. His league is short 4 volunteers.

Jason

Jason just turned 31. No huge celebrations this year though. He spends his nights in the driveway drinking beer with Kenny almost every night, so I've started calling them boyfriends. Bothers Jason, but when he's running to his cell phone every night when the routine text message from Kenny comes through asking him to come out and play, its a little bit odd. Jason is making bi monthly trips to NY for work and I jokingly accused him of having another family up there until New Year's came when he needed to go up and invited me to come along.

Cori

Jason took me with him on a business trip to NYC for New Year's. We stayed at a hotel in Times Square, but decided that on such a short trip, I'd rather do a little sight seeing than spend most of my time shoulder to shoulder with dirty strangers in Times Square for six hours waiting for the ball to drop. So, instead we saw Ground Zero, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue and the Statue of Liberty. We ate a great dinner and turned the tv on during the countdown, muted it and opened the window to our room to listen to the noise live. It was different to be there and I would say I'd like to go back, but not with the kids for a long time. Too dirty, noisy and fast paced for small children. The cabbies are scary enough.

I finished up my stay at home mom career on January 20th. January 21st I began working for Vialuna Group (www.vialunagroup.com) in downtown Plano as an Account Manager. This is probably my dream job, next to working for BMW, and here's why:

>Office is 15 minutes from home

>I have been given the flexibility to get Harrison to his speech classes, so I am able to work from home two days a week

>I can wear ratty jeans and a baseball hat to work - even on Mondays - my boss gives me shit if I wear a suit to work - makes him nervous, like I have an interview or something

>Everyone is young, oldest person is like 36

>I get the week off between Christmas and New Year's and it doesn't count toward my annual vacation, Fridays off in July and August and office closes at 12 on Fridays in December

>My coworkers are friendly and helpful

>Office hours are 8:30"ish" to 5:30"ish", so there's no one taking mental notes of our whereabouts if someone is 20 minutes late

>My job itself is cool - my office is full of toys and cool objects from campaigns we've done in the past and are working on now

>I work with 4 aggies

Can't say enough great things about my job. Its quite a bit different than what I was doing before, but its fun and I'm lovin' it.

The only drawback is my gym schedule has dwindled.

Other News

My brother, JJ, is moving to Dallas!!!! We are all very excited about that. He'll be staying with us until he finds a job and then decide where he wants to live. Part of my master plan to get my parents down here too.

Got a new dryer. Its a fancy looking front loader, with the glass door and everything, but my old kenmore washer looks like an underdressed party crasher at a black tie affair. Jason is suspicious. If the washer turns up dead in the next 3 months, he's going to suspect sabotage. Anyone know of a dryer hit man for hire who knows how to keep his mouth shut and dispose of the evidence carefully?

I know these "catch up" emails are boring and I'll try to be better about blogging about the day to day stuff that I find humor in. A little late to the table, but perhaps that's my NY's resolution - at least weekly blog posts. We'll see if I can have the discipline my 6 year old has about his 2008 promise.

Will I get to go to Chuck E Cheese if I'm good?

I Love the Smell of Dead Trees in the Living Room

2007-12-20T12:02:00.000-06:00

We purchased our Christmas tree way too early. Got it on the 1st, I think, and well, its untouchable now. So dry at least one ornament tumbles to the carpet daily because the needles just aren't pliable anymore and as they crack and break, the ornaments are losing their grip.

Its a bonfire waiting to happen since all it would take is one wild ember to take flight from the fireplace and POOF! our pretty dead tree would be pretty no more.

What I've noticed most about the tree this year is that the "deader" (as if there are levels of "deadness") the tree got as indicated by the dry needles and inability to soak up anymore water, the more fragrant it got. Everytime I leave the house and come back inside, the tree is the first thing I smell and its so festive.

To all of you fake tree lovers out there - definitely worth the mess and hassle of a real tree. Come on over. I won't charge you to catch a whif of our lovely noble fir.

6 Going On 16

2007-12-16T12:34:00.000-06:00

I mostly dressed Jake today, but it was the way he carried himself that really made me stop and watch him. He was so relaxed, hands in his pockets just chillin' and it was this attitude that got me thinking he looked more like 16 than 6.

Shout out!

2007-12-16T12:31:00.000-06:00

Laura and I were shopping at the Allen Outlet Mall yesterday and I'd like to give a shout out to the extremely beautiful man at the Calvin Klein cashier station. He didn't handle my purchases, but OMG, I had to stop and stare at him through the window after I left in complete awe.

Beautiful beautiful man.

I Exist!

2007-12-16T12:25:00.000-06:00

In my desperate attempt to provide visual documentation that I existed during the boys' childhood, I volunteered a couple of family members to shoot some impromptu pictures of me with the boys. Here are a couple of the "better ones".

The Best Christmas Present

2007-12-10T20:40:00.000-06:00

I used to love Christmas. The smell of the tree (real of course), watching the same five holiday movies over and over again (typically National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, White Christmas, The Grinch, A Christmas Story - damn, that reminds me I haven't watched that one yet this year), the baking and decorating of the sugar cookies and who could forget the magic of opening present after present after present on Christmas morning?

Jason and I have tried to recreate my childhood traditions with the boys and have even added an additional tradition of our own, which is our annual horse drawn carriage ride to look at Christmas lights. The boys watch the same movies, help us pick out and decorate the tree and although the sugar cookie dough is rarely made from scratch, the process of decorating (and eating) them miraculously hasn't changed. The tradition of gorging the tree with presents for the Christmas morning greed fest continues this generation as well.

The problem we're having is the boys not only don't NEED anything, but they really haven't said they WANT anything. Ok, ok, Jake has mentioned a few things, but oddly enough the boys don't develop their Christmas lists from the 30 second breaks during their SpongeBob program. We really don't hear "I want that!" every time a small child on a sugar high is on the tv having the time of his life with the latest hideously colored turquoise or purple toy that is either loud, messy or claims to be educational.

So, I'm embarrassed to admit that Jason and I literally had a date at Toys R Us where we bought age appropriate crap we think they will like - it was a date to buy toys JUST FOR THE SAKE of buying toys. Its really sad.

Lately, while watching the boys play during our tri (yes tri) weekly visits to McDonald's, I realized the best present we could give Jake we've already given him - his little brother, Harrison. I would say the Jake is the best present we could have given Harrison, but that doesn't quite work, so I'll just have to say, "you get the picture."

The boys play so well together - they chase each other, they wrestle, they play legos and color and snuggle on the couch while they watch SpongeBob, they take baths together. Harrison adores Jake and does everything he can to be like him. Jake would be very lonely at McDonald's playgym without Harrison.

For anyone himming and hawwing over whether to have a second baby - definitely do! Yes its more work and you have to start everything over and over again, but it all goes so quickly and your first born (assuming they are within 3 years like Jake and Harrison) will love the built in playmate he/she can learn some of life's most important lessons from.

Plus, they occupy each other for hours on weekend mornings so Jason and I can sleep in.

Having Harrison was the best present we ever gave Jake, and our family.

Double Yum

2007-12-08T15:06:00.000-06:00

I'm not a super huge TV watcher. Honestly, I'd rather read a magazine or a book, than sit in a vegetable like trance for hours watching other people mimic real life. I'm not a TV hater or anything. I like my shows like anyone else, I just find that I seem to have less of them that I watch regularly than other people I know.

My dad, for instance, will sit and watch the Food Network ALL DAY LONG. When I tell my mother they need to get a tivo for their TV, she jokes that it wouldn't be any good since the only channel they get is the Food Network.

Friends of mine have at least one show every day of the week and sometimes multiple shows back to back. More often than not I find myself consistently repeating the phrase, "I don't watch that" or "I haven't seen that" to deer in the headlight looks of shock and awe.

I loved the show Friends, but didn't really start watching it until it was already on for 2 years. With Sex and The City, one of my all time favorites, I had to borrow the DVDs from Blockbuster for the first 4 seasons before I got caught up. Same with Sopranos, another favorite and now I've started the same intense focus to get caught up on Grey's Anatomy.

It reminds me so much of ER, which I really liked too, but ER never really had a super hot actor to keep my attention. I could stare at Patrick Dempsey all day long - and will never stop wondering how the dorky guy from LoverBoy became Dr. McDreamy.

Double Yum.

Yum

2007-12-08T14:55:00.000-06:00

I feel the need to share some thoughts regarding some tasty treats I've eaten recently. Its the Potbelly Sandwich shop's bag of a dozen mini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that are baked fresh in the stores daily. I've known about them for several months, but wanted to consume several dozen, in the matter of research of course, to be sure my recommendation is legitimate and not an overzealous promotion based on one fluke bag.

They are real and I believe you can buy one large oatmeal chocolate chip cookie instead of the minis, but I think the minis last longer and the bag is resealable - a bonus for saving the last two or three that you could definitely polish off, but out of nothing more than sheer guilt, you push the bag away begging your spouse to eat them before you do, but he doesn't eat more than one (how is that possible?), leaving you two to savor the next day.

I have no idea how much this bag of goodness costs, but I think its somewhere around $2 to $3 and absolutely worth it. Next time you're in a Potbelly Sandwich shop, you must experience the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie - EVER. Period.

This Moment

2007-11-23T13:14:00.001-06:00

My December issue of Real Simple suggested some "non traditional" Christmas songs for your holiday playlist, so I went to itunes today to check them out. Most, if not all, were in the R&B genre and I selected one titled, "Back Door Santa". Jason will laugh at it and suggest that he, too, should be the Back Door Santa.

The boys came down from an hour of silence upstairs (doing who knows what? refer to the Silence is Golden post earlier today) to request some lunch. I put my Christmas playlist on my ipod speaker and the boys and I jammed to "Run Rudolph Run" while I reheated Thanksgiving leftovers.

Jake scoffed at my lunch menu and disappeared. I stopped periodically to dance with Harrison and he just giggled and laughed and put his hands up for more when I would return to finish preparing his lunch.

One time, I picked him up and cradling him like a baby, I spun around and he giggled while watching the ceiling spin. I stopped, nuzzled his nose mimicking an eskimo kiss and listened to him giggle. Although today is a holiday for most (except Jason, who is at work trying to "carve out a living" as he calls it), it is these moments that make me truly thankful that I can be home with him, to play with him, dance with him and listen to him laugh during the day.

Happy Birthday Harrison

2007-11-23T12:08:00.000-06:00

Harrison celebrated his 3rd birthday at Build A Bear Workshop on Saturday, November 17th with Jake, Taylor and Bailey. Grandparents were also there to celebrate.

Harrison made a fireman dog, named "Fire Dog". The kids had a great time creating their new friends, not all bears, and then we headed back to the house for his paw print cake, ice cream and presents. The kids even played a few rounds of hot potato and once the prizes were all awarded, they lost interest in favor of exploring Harrison's new presents.

Harrison really digged being the center of attention and I know he just loved having his friends and family there to celebrate his big day.

His actual birthday was on Thanksgiving, November 22nd, which we acknowledged by covering his bed with balloons for him to find when he woke up. Guess he'll have to share his birthday and the attention with the turkey every few years.

Silence is Golden

2007-11-23T11:53:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday, Jason and I were reading the paper and watching home improvement shows. Other than the sound of an overzealous homeowner banging a sledgehammer through a wall on the tv, it was quiet. I asked Jason, "do we have children?"

When you have children, the silence is great......for about ten minutes. Then your mind starts to wander into all of the different deadly or destructive scenarios that could be taking place in silence and right under your nose, such as:

Jake has covered Harrison with a blanket and is holding him down, so he can't breathe.
Harrison has banged his head at just the right spot so he's passed out, unconscious.
Jake has opened the window screen and they both climbed out and are now lying, dead on the driveway from playing superman from the second story roof.
Harrison is contently stuffing an entire roll of toilet paper into the toilet, followed by an entire container of baby wipes, while Jake silently watches tv in the playroom.

Jason worries faster than I do, so he puts his paper down and heads upstairs to check on them. I am immediately summoned to see what they've been up to and I've been instructed to hurry. As I get closer to the playroom, I hear a child song, probably Pop Goes the Weasel (or something similar) playing from the Leap Frog music radio in the closet. Jake is lying on the ground, facing the open closet. I look in the closet and Harrison is sitting on top of some bookshelves, grooving to his music. I have no idea how he got up there and even less idea of how he was planning to get back down, but for the moment he was happy. Although we made it pretty clear he wasn't to climb up there again, I had to take a picture to give you (my readers) a visual.

Boys will be boys.

Lying Preserves

2007-11-05T07:59:00.000-06:00

I found a very useful trait that the boys have inherited from Jason - their inability to lie without getting caught.

I learned early on with Jason that he couldn't even tell me the smallest white lie while looking me in the eye. He always looks away at the very moment the lie is being exposed OR he'll attempt to look me in the eye while smiling.

For example, a few years ago, shortly after I'd gotten a new car, I noticed a few small blue streaks on the corner of my back bumper. "Jason, did you scrape my car with the trashcan while you were trying to get it out of the garage?" "No, I don't know what you're talking about," said while looking down. As I got closer and repeated the question, Jason giggled while looking at me even before he tried to proclaim his innocence.

So far, it seems, the boys have inherited this very useful trait from their daddy and I'm hoping that, like their daddy, they don't outgrow it or practice overcoming it. It will come in very useful in their teenage years.

Harrison now: "Harrison, are you pooping in your pants?" "No," as he looks at the ceiling.
Harrison later: "Harrison, did you have three girls in your room last night?"

Jake now: "Jake, did you stuff the toilet with all of this toilet paper?" "No," as he tries to hide a smile and looks to the side.
Jake later: "Jake, did you put tire tracks with your truck in the neighbor's front yard?"

Events in Pictures

2007-11-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

Things have been crazy for me lately as soccer wrapped up for the season, my internship is half finished, another company is hot for me (as they all should be), I've been working on AMA events, writing the monthly newsletter for my former employer, Harrison's birthday is right around the corner, school is officially over in two days, Halloween is behind us now, Thanksgiving is coming, my parents are coming and graduation is at the end of the month. Whew! November is a blur already.

I don't have a lot of interesting (aka "funny") things to blog about these days....just busy. But I do have some pictures to share that will illustrate some of what we've been doing.

Saturday. October 27. 2007. Jake (6) and Ben (almost 4) walking to Kyle Field in College Station to watch the Texas A&M Aggies host the Kansas Jayhawks in a football game. I graduated from Texas A&M in 1999 and Ben is the son of my college roommate, Barbara.

We're considering making one game a year an annual tradition. Barbara's husband, Max, is an Aggie too, but with Jason a longhorn, I'm not sure how that will work out. I'm sure I'll have to share my college brainwashing with Jason at some point.

Sunday. October 28.2007. Jake (6) and Harrison (almost 3) at a pumpkin patch in Richardson, Texas.

The Lawrences, the Martins and the Domaleskis gathered to take the kids to the Owens farm pumpkin patch, which was closer to home and never before explored by this group. Upon arrival we found each person was $6 to get in, so Laura and I took Jake, Harrison, Bailey and Taylor (4) in for pictures, hay rides and goat feeding while the dads stayed in the parking lot.

Wednesday. October 31.2007. Jake (the Scream dude) and Harrison (a spider) ready to go trick or treating.

We have a neighborhood tradition of eating chili at the Martins'. Then the moms take the kids trick or treating while the dads stay home to pass out candy. We had five kids, Jake (6), Harrison (almost 3), Bailey (5, who was a cheetah girl), Braeden (5, who was a swat team dude) and Andrew (almost 3, who was optimus prime) and all did very well.

Bedtime Beatings

2007-10-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

I realize two year olds are notorious for delaying their inevitable slumber after the sun goes down. Harrison is no different. Here's the screen play of our evening after I closed the boys' bedroom door (for the first time). (Jason had long since disappeared to play his piano with his earphones on.)

Cori (exiting the master bedroom sees Harrison's legs as he's crawling into the guest room): "Hey, what are you doing? (she picks him up and walks him back to bed) "I forgot to lock you in there." (closes the door and locks it from the outside)
Harrison: giggles (hot wheels truck in hand)

5 minutes later...

Harrison (banging on the door and screaming): "Mama! Maaaaama! Ma-ma!"
Cori (turns on the hall light and opens the door): "What do you want?"
Harrison: "I need go potty."
Cori: "No you don't."
Harrison: "Yes, I DO!"
Cori (leading him to the bathroom and stripping him from the waist down): "There, now you'd better go."
Harrison plays with the shower curtain and rolls his truck around the toilet seat.
Cori: "Stop playing with the shower curtain and focus!"
Harrison: "I no need go potty."
Cori (dresses Harrison): "I knew it. Let's go. Back to bed." (tucks him in) "Now go to SLEEP!"

2 minutes later.....

Harrison (banging on the door and screaming): "Mama! Maaaaama! Ma-ma!"
Cori (tries to ignore him for a bit, but he's banging harder, so she opens the door again): "What?"
Harrison: "I go time out."
Cori: "What?"
Harrison: "I go time out."
Cori: "No, nice try, but you're not going to time out. You can go to time out on your bed. Now good night."

2 minutes later.......

Harrison (banging on the door and screaming): "Mama! Maaaaama! Ma-ma!"
Cori (goes to the door for the third time): "This better be good."
Harrison: "I go poo poo."
Cori: "You really need to go poo poo?"
Harrison: "Yea, I go poo poo."
Cori walks Harrison to the bathroom and strips him again.
Harrison (plays with himself): "I no need go poo poo."
Cori (dressing Harrison): "Don't come out of bed again or I'm taking your truck away."
Harrison: "Oh."

30 seconds later.........

Harrison (banging on the door and screaming): "Mama! Maaaaama! Ma-ma!"
Cori (opens the door)
Harrison: "My need covers."
Cori (puts Harrison in bed and covers him)

3 minutes later............

Harrison (banging on the door and screaming): "Mama! Maaaaama! Ma-ma!"
Cori (opens the door ready to dispose of Harrison's truck)
Harrison (crying and pointing to his head): "Truck hurt my head."
Cori (walking Harrison back to bed): "Perhaps if you were in bed, the truck couldn't hurt your head. You're not bleeding, so I don't want to hear it. Get back into bed. Jake is asleep. You should join him."
Harrison: "Oh."

Wow, after typing all of that, I'm surprised I had as much patience with him as I did. Usually by visit two I would have killed his night light, taken his toy away and threatened to remove all of his stuffed animals too.

Conversational Counting

2007-10-17T21:33:00.001-05:00

Cori to Harrison this afternoon: "Harrison, are you tired?"
Harrison: "Yeah, I tired."
Cori: "Me too."
Harrison: "Me three."

Quote of the Day

2007-10-16T22:22:00.001-05:00

"When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?"

Said by a woman in a Cadillac commercial. I love it.

Never Thought it Could Happen: A Martini Letdown

2007-10-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

I was washing my hands at the gym earlier this week, when I noticed a new flier taped to the bathroom mirror. Awesome! Now I don't have to count to 20 like a good sanitary girl, I can read something to pass the time. Even better it happens to be a picture of a martini with a recipe below it! I know its only 10:30am, but I was hot and it looked so cold, fruity and frothy, so I stared at it with pitiful longing until I focused and started reading.

It was called a "proteini" and there was not one bit of the good stuff in there at all. It was a fake! An imposter! I felt betrayed and suckered and the worst part was that a martini still sounded mighty tasty. I'm not one to drink alone and my only available drinking companion at 10:30am was all of the ripe age of two, so I grabbed my water and decided that no matter how scrumptious the picture looked, I could not drink a beverage called a "proteini", which was simply a smoothie in a martini glass. That's just wrong.

My Parenting Manual: The Three Martini Playdate

2007-10-07T22:36:00.000-05:00

Saturday as we hung Halloween decorations on the outside of the house due to Jake's persistent prompting, the boys were whipping us so much that we placed an impromptu phone call to Charlie and Kim (Jason's Dad and Dad's wife) to see what they were doing. Ninety minutes later, the boys were downtown at their condo while Jason and I enjoyed a leisurely meal and some light window shopping.

While at Z Gallerie, Jason suddenly grabs my hand and pulls me to a large table with various books and novelty games on it to show me a book called, The Three Martini Play Date, A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting by Christie Mellor. I read a short paragraph and was instantly hooked. This is my type of book! I finished the entire 150 page book that night in about two and a half hours while watching tv. If anyone ever questions the method to my parenting madness, I will instantly hand them this book and tell them to read it. Then they will understand. THIS WOMAN IS ME! SHE GETS IT! I'M NOT MEAN AND CRAZY - I'M SIMPLY NOT LETTING MY CHILDREN RUN MY HOUSEHOLD! The whole book is genius and basically my complete belief of how children should be raised, but I will share a few snippits with you here........

First as an ode to my former post, "My Hell Defined" (if you didn't read it, pause here, go read it and come back), I must share with you this sentence found on the very first page of the book.

"One wasn't required to transport the little children hither and thither, here to T-ball practice, there to a 'playdate,' may the chipper mommy who coined that particular term forever rot in hell of eternally colicky babies. " You would have thought I read this book first and then posted "My hell defined."

Saying No Like You Mean It:
"To what depths have we sunk as parents? We have become ineffectual lap dogs to our children, with all the power and authority of retired security guards. We are bigger than they are. We are supposed to be running things. If you don't start saying no to your children as if you mean it, and you don't start now, the fussing will only get worse...........Learn to say no to your children while they are still young and somewhat malleable, and it will be like money in the bank when they reach those really unbearable hormone-laden years."

On Bedtimes:
"Often parents think that letting their child fall asleep 'naturally' is more, well, 'natural,' although I find nothing natural about a six year old building a fortress out of the sofa pillows at ten o'clock at night."

At Social Events:
"On the other hand, there is the overly precocious 'little adult' who is eternally encouraged to join in with the grown ups, having been told too many times she is 'beautiful' or 'so funny' or 'exceedingly smart.' These tiny party crashers find it necessary to dominate the grown ups' attention with a desperate display of their banter."

Child Labor:
"If your child is older than say, four, there is no reason on earth why he shouldn't be getting his own breakfast, and picking the paper up off the front lawn while he's at it."

"A child who has never been given chores to do is a child who grows up with a skewed sense of entitlement. He shares your home, but strangely, things get picked up after him. The bedsheets are magically changed and laundered, the dinner table is miraculously set every night, and he rarely is told to lift a finger to clean up his messes.......It is time for you to get some much deserved help around the house, not only to lighten your work load but to save your child from growing into an arrogant and spoiled teenager and, ultimately, a helpless grown up." Amen sister!

On Adult Socializing During Playdates:
"I have discovered an easy and fun solution for quickly weeding out the types of parents with whom you would rather not share your afternoons. When forced into a playdate situation, invite the parents over around the cocktail hour........at which time I suggest you noisily and with much gusto mix up a cold batch of martinis. This is a surefire way of separating the wheat from the chaff, the cream from the nondairy soy alternative. If after you have offered drinks all around, the visiting parents quickly gather the child and run silently from your house, enjoy your martini with the knowledge that these people were not the sort with whom you would want to embark upon a long term playdate relationship."

Finally, I leave you with a list of activities called the "Do It Yourself After School Enrichment Program", which are suggestions as an alternative to overscheduling your children in 500 extracurricular sporting and cultural events during their waking hours:

1. Care and Cleaning of Barware
2. Fun Foot Rubs for Mom and Dad
3. Finding Neat Hiding Places to Build Forts and Hide from Parents for Hours on End
4. Skedaddling for Beginners
5. Emptying the Dishwasher
6. The Mediative Qualities of Furniture Polishing
7. Hospital corners and the Well Made Bed
8. Make Yourself Scarce
9. Weeding for Fun
10. Delicious Snacks for Mom and Dad
11. The Magic of Sock Sorting and Clothes Folding
12. The Art of Walking on Tiptoes
13. Chemistry in Action! The Gin Fizz
14. Letting Mommy Nap 101

I hope you've enjoyed this post as much as I have. Its like reading the book all over again - and I just might do that! I highly recommend it, although if you subscribe to the philosophy of parenting Christie is mocking, not only do I recommend it, I DEMAND that you read this book. Its never too late to take control, teach your children respect and above all else, how to make a very tasty martini. Its a character building trait that will serve them well for many years to come.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2007-10-05T20:58:00.000-05:00

Gotta brag on my big boy kindergartner (stop sighing in boredom - I can hear you) for what a great job he's been doing at school.

Last Friday he came home with a "Good Work Award" for doing "nice work". He stayed on green for good behavior all week and today at the school's Friday afternoon pep rally called "Coyote Call Out", Jake was recognized as one of three kids in the whole school to get a respect award.

During a conference with his teacher yesterday, Jake was commended for being one of the class' most respectful students as well as for taking exceptional pride and care in doing his work. He is starting to read and is at or above all of the skill sets the class has worked on so far the first six weeks.

He must get it from his mama.

Harrison's Quote of the Day

2007-10-05T12:41:00.000-05:00

The four of us were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast this morning. In the ongoing need to rub in that I am now 30, Jason asked Harrison, "Harrison, is Mama 30?"

Harrison's smile quickly turns into a little giggle as he says, "No, Mama is not dirty!"

With a different image of "dirty" in his head, Jason now decides that being 30 means I am also dirty. Super.

My First 30th Birthday

2007-10-02T22:28:00.000-05:00

Today was notably the busiest day since I became unemployed in April and it began with an alarm clock wake up at 5:30 am. I was out the door at 6:30 before any of my boys knew it was a new day and headed to my first day as a part time intern at D Magazine.

Finished my "Dtention" (as the creative/design team calls their office) and was finally forced to make up with my step mother in law, Kim, from a heated discussion we had nearly a month ago as she was keeping Harrison for me while I worked. Thankfully she is still just as wonderful as I always thought she was and we parted back to normal, I believe. She and Charlie wished me Happy Birthday.

Harrison passed out in the car as it was 1:45, so to maximize his nap, I pulled up to Jake's school at 2:15 and sat in a running car for 30 minutes until school let out.

At 3:30, pink roses (that I was told later were supposed to be purple - my favorite color) were delivered by one of my most wonderful friends, Kinsey. I called her to thank her and she always makes me laugh so we had a great visit.

Jake had a 6:00 soccer game, so after inhaling a dinner of hot dogs, yogurt and cheetos, we rushed to the game. At 7:30 I was serenaded "Happy Birthday" by my boys in a dark kitchen with only the flicker of two candles, a "3" and a "0" side by side. Harrison couldn't wait to get to the cake and actually had poked several holes in the side to taste the purple frosting Jason created.

My mother in law sent a gift home with Jason. So thoughtful and my parents called to hear about my day. It was a nice birthday. Quiet, but busy, so I didn't have too much time to mope about how old I feel now. The first of many 30th birthdays to come.

Leaf peeping

2007-09-20T21:37:00.001-05:00

My mother always said Virginia was her favorite place to live. She would know. Throughout Dad's military career they spent the better part of their time there, off and on. She really loved their proximity to the DC area as it always made for easy and inexpensive entertainment for out of town visiting guests and family. I can only hope when the boys are old enough to appreciate all of the museums and history, that everything will still be free to tour.

Anyway, another reason she loved the north east (although Virginians think they are in the South) was the defined four seasons that existed, spring, summer, fall and winter, specifically the fall where the leaves turned colors and made a vivid transition from summer to winter.

It wasn't until I received an email today from a former client (and now friend) who is traveling throughout the north east, that I was exposed to the term "leaf peeping". Like the word "'shrooms", I got a little chuckle out of the phrase "leaf peeping" and had to do some quick research to see what its truly all about. Wikipedia provided the following insights:

Leaf peeping is an autumn activity in areas where foliage changes colors. 'Leaf peepers' are those who participate in photographing and viewing the fall foliage.

"Leafing" is a tricky prospect because in numerous areas, the leaves are only visible for a limited number of weeks. Arizona's displays, though stunning, are only in their prime for a three-week period, on average.

The term "leaf peeping" made an appearance in "And It's Surely To Their Credit," an episode of The West Wing which originally aired on November 1, 2000. President Bartlet, during one of many attempts at recording his weekly radio address says, "This month, as autumn is in full bloom in much of the nation, the weekends will be devoted by many of you to leaf peeping and foot....Leaf peeping? Is that something we do now?"

More work for no pay

2007-09-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

I guess I can't stand the thought of being labeled a "stay at home soccer mom" so much that I must prove my self worth through work of some sort......even if it is unpaid.

Today I was offered and accepted a part time internship position with D Magazine, THE magazine of Dallas, in their custom publishing department. Not quite sure what I'll be doing yet, but I will be circulating among account managers, sales and the branding strategy departments.

Its twelve hours a week and I can set my own hours. Luckily I have a fabulous and supportive neighbor who has agreed to keep Harrison for me......gotta give props to Laura. Much love to you Laura (beats fist on chest and throws the peace sign).

I'm so excited about it! Its freaking D Magazine! Awesome! I should be intimidated by the whole Devil Wears Prada appearance of all of the staff I saw walking the halls (everyone is hot), but I haven't let that hit me just yet.

Jason's Quote of the Day

2007-09-17T23:18:00.000-05:00

"I'm a simple man. I just want beer and some sex."

Enough said.

Eeewwwww, Pink Ponies

2007-09-16T23:42:00.001-05:00

Jake shared his birthday party at Bounce Town in Wylie, TX with his great friend and our neighbor, Bailey, who turned 5 just six days before Jake celebrated turning 6. There's not a lot to say except the party was fantastic. We had 18 kids, evenly split between Jake and Bailey and everyone had a great time! Even Laura and I took turns bouncing with the kids and I had nearly all of them pulling at me at one time in a very powerful attempt at trying to make me fall down. They followed me everywhere until I had to remind them that they were there to bounce and not wrestle with me.

The present opening was my favorite part because as Bailey held center stage, opening pink box after pink box the boys started chanting "ewwwwws" and "gross, more pink ponies!" Jake had his turn and upon opening a box of matchbox cars, one boy yelled at the girls, "matchbox cars, beat that!" Ah, I love boys! They make things so lively.

Lots of pictures were taken, but this one is one of my favorites.

Jake and almost all of his buddies (Harrison was throwing a fit and wouldn't participate). Some are from soccer and some are from school and some are from the gym day care where he spent many summer mornings while I worked my buns into an acceptable bathing suit appearance.

'Shroom Gallery

2007-09-16T23:28:00.000-05:00

Lately when it rains, we've noticed large mushrooms pop up in the yards of some of our neighbors. A week ago, an excessively large "shroom" blossomed in our next door neighbor, Jon's, yard. When I finally made the effort to grab my camera for a 'shroom picture, someone had hacked the head off. It made me sad. I thought it was kind of pretty. (Remember I'm not a girlie girl.)

More recently, after a rain, I found I had a second chance! More 'shrooms (I just love saying 'shrooms) appeared and I didn't wait around this time. Seizing my camera, Harrison and the moment, we went to inspect the fungi beauties. Luckily I caught some close ups before Harrison whacked the heads off with all of the grace of a high powered weed eater. I almost shed a tear. I still wonder just how big they would have gotten.......

Quote of the Day

2007-09-14T13:28:00.001-05:00

Jason and I were wrestling in the kitchen (not in a kinky way) and he accused me of going too low which is why he couldn't weaken me. I told him football players go low, they go for the legs. Jason tried to go low and when he didn't succeed he started tickling me. I told Jason, "football players don't tickle." That's when he said,

"Football players should tickle."

Babo vs. The Sharpie

2007-08-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

About a week ago, I woke up to find that Harrison had obtained my black sharpie permanent marker. Immediately I took it away and figured whatever artwork he had created would surface quickly, so I didn't frantically search the house for the damage.

I was right. Before the morning was over, Harrison handed me his newly tattooed best friend, Babo. Appeared Harrison was applying for the latest episode of "Miami Ink" and I doubt Babo had much of a say in the location or size of his tats, which in my opinion, look like Babo now has a mustache and hairy chest. Get in a fight with a sharpie and it'll put hair on your chest. Harrharrharr.

"Babo dirty. Babo need bath." Harrison demanded. Hard to explain the permanence of what he had done considering every other time Babo was dirty, I could give him a washing machine spin and he'd be an acceptable sleeping companion again. Not this time. Jason even tried to wipe him with a baby wipe, which only succeeded in smearing the ink into a dark grey tint all around the original markings. He looks worse. Either Jason did not anticipate the wipe would do that or he was attempting to show Harrison that Babo could not be fixed this time. I'll assume it was the latter. Harrison has continued to declare Babo dirty, but has accepted him nonetheless into bed. His markings do disappear in the dark.

Harrison's Happy Place

2007-08-27T22:59:00.000-05:00

Harrison has already lost interest in going "potty." Most of the time I catch him grunting before I grab him, legs dangling, to rush him to the bathroom, strip him of his drawers and sit him down. All the while he is yelling, "no, no, no go potty" and I am lecturing him about his (my?) need for him to use the toilet.

Since most of the time I am in the middle of something while we're going through this ritual, once he's seated, I leave him for a few minutes to attend to my existing work in progress. When I've come back to get Harrison, to check on him, here's what I've walked into the last three times:

Time 1: Harrison has unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper and it is now in a very large cloud like mound on the floor. I spend 5 minutes of my life (wasted) rerolling the toilet paper and yelling at Harrison.

Time 2: Harrison has taken only a couple of toilet paper squares (good boy - who says yelling doesn't help?) and has apparently hand dunked it in the toilet water and is now wiping his penis clean. "You just had a bath," I whine in frustration to him.

Time 3: Harrison is off the toilet, but has gotten a hold of my clorox cleaning wipes and is yanking them out of the container and dropping them in the toilet, one by one. I could only thank him for insisting on following through with his project so I had time to catch him BEFORE he attempted to flush them.

Yes, I've learned my lesson. He cannot be left alone on the potty. Who knew such an everyday task could be so entertaining?

The Teacher Knows Too Much About The Lawrence Family

2007-08-27T22:43:00.000-05:00

Its 10:46 and I had to get my pictures from my camera to document Jake's first day as a Kindergartner at Cheri Cox Elementary School.

He had a great day! Made new friends. Reconnected with a couple of familiar faces from his days at Bearfoot Lodge. He got to see the biggest gym he ever saw and use his brand new lunch box, wear his new shoes and clothes and show off his brain skills to his new teacher, Mrs. Frame.

Mrs. Frame, it turns out, lives right behind us. I was pretty eager to share with her that we are closer than "just in the neighborhood", but didn't think about our affinity for late night/early morning pool parties that may have pissed her and her family off from time to time. Yikes! She was nice enough to only acknowledge seeing our tiki torches. Perhaps I should have cleared the slate by thanking her for not calling Sachse PD on us.

Jason's Quote of the Day

2007-08-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

"Honey, I like you. You're a pain in the ass, but I kind of like that. You're not boring."

-The last thing Jason said to me before bed last night. I almost cried.

Retail Pet Peeve

2007-08-23T13:33:00.000-05:00

I'm in marketing. I am fairly educated about layout, placement and retail tricks when it comes to selling merchandise. For the most part it all makes sense.

For example, grocery stores put the milk and eggs (staples) at the BACK of the store. Why? Because then you have to walk through the store to get to them and it makes you more inclined to make other impromptu purchases. Genius.

What doesn't make sense to me is this: at womens' clothing stores, shirts on mannequins are pinned at the back, making them appear to have a form fitting cut. Why? Women do not pin their shirts at the back when they wear them. You don't even need to try the shirt on to find out it doesn't fit on you the way it does on the mannequin. All you need to do is carefully (so as not to piss the employee off who is standing there glaring at you with her cart as she neatly re-folds the destroyed stacks of shirts) remove said shirt and hold it up to determine the mannequin is LYING!

Why? Why? Why do they do that? Does it really work to sell clothes? Doesn't work on me. It just pisses me off. If the retailer wants the shirt to fit that way, it should be designed and created that way, shouldn't it?

Is Daddy A Calvin Klein Model?

2007-08-22T13:17:00.000-05:00

Sunday at 4:00, Laura and I braved the herd at the Allen Outlet Mall during the last three hours of the tax free weekend. Mostly shopping for ourselves, we quickly scanned the GAP, Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, Nine West, Guess, a couple of kids' clothing stores and Calvin Klein.

Laura found some $50 jeans that she had to have after trying them on in front of what she called a "skinny mirror" in the fitting room. Since I verified they did, in fact, make her look skinny (she's not fat to begin with), she splurged on a purchase she said she hadn't made since Bailey was born five years ago.

I wasn't in the mood to splurge, but did find a 3 pack of tighty whities for Jason, packaged all nice and neat in a plastic package with a frontside (from the chin down) and backside (from the neck down) picture of a very muscular and tanned model, almost seeming to say, "if you buy these underwear, you will look like me." Its the same psychological crap that occurs when I'm looking through a Victoria's Secret catalog. If I buy these string bikinis, I will look just like her. It worked. I bought two of them and to my disappointment, I still look like me.

Anyway, that night as we were standing in the kitchen while the boys ate their yogurt at the bar, Jason pulled the underwear package out of the bag. He looks at it and then showing the backside picture of the model to the boys, he says, "Hey, guys, does this look like Daddy?" They swallow their yogurt and while looking at each other agree that sure, that looks like Daddy.

Then Jason flips the package over and in a repeat performance, says, "Ok, guys, does this look like Daddy?" This time they hesitate, look at each other and while Jake shakes his head "no", Harrison says, "It looks like Luke."

Jason's shoulder's dropped, he rolled his eyes and quickly stuffed the package back in the bag.

Side note: Luke is our single Marine neighbor who lives across the street and while we're certain he's in great shape from his Iraq training, he does not moonlight as an underwear model.

Victoria's Secret

2007-08-17T17:41:00.000-05:00

Got a Victoria's Secret catalog in the mail the other day.

Side Note: Incidentally, I got one today, too. VS apparently hasn't caught onto the "green" movement of conserving trees, paper, recycling and all of that. But who can think about recycling when there are pages after pages of hot girls in their underwear? I suppose I need to put a deadline of about five years from now to stop ordering from their website and catalog or my sons will begin to intercept the mail and I'll find my catalogs ragged and dog eared while changing their sheets on Saturday mornings.

Ok, I've digressed. Back to the subject at hand. VS has their "pink" line. Most of you know what that is - sweats, cotton skivvies, t-shirts, that sort of thing. For the most part, I prefer the comfort of the cotton, so I dig this line. Like most men, Jason prefers whatever is most uncomfortable......which usually includes lace, mesh, strings and/or thongs. Yuck. Honestly, some of you may shudder to read this, but I don't dress "under there" for Jason. I dress for comfort and will even wear things I know he will hate just to get a disappointed rise out of him. Oh, the games we play. :)

While perusing the latest catalog, (before the one I got today), I found the perfect underwear......boy underwear! Woo-hoo! Boy/Men's underwear is soooooo comfortable. Its thick and roomy and almost feels like sweats for your buns. Yum. The best part is they are part of VS' pink line so they come in super cute colors and patterns AND they are low rise, so they'll fit perfectly under all of my low rise pants/jeans without peeking through the top everytime I sit down. I showed them to Jason and shockingly he did his crotch grab while bouncing up and down and whining "oh dear", so I knew he approved. (They won't be fun for my "torchure Jason with ugly underwear game" though.) When I told them they looked like little boy underwear, he composed himself and suddenly decided he didn't like them so much. Liking little boy underwear, even on a girl, he decided, made him sound like a perv. Woo-hoo - the game is back on!

Excited to make purchase at 5 for $25, I went the next day to the VS down the road only to find they had every stinking style of the pink line EXCEPT my "extreme low rise boy brief"! So sad. Now I have to order them and wait for super cottony softness on my bum for two more weeks.

To Work or Not To Work, That is The Question

2007-08-13T20:16:00.000-05:00

When I left FFSS, I knew three things: (1) I was going to have the boys all day (which was terrifying, to say the least-would we survive?), (2) I was going to continue my involvement with the American Marketing Association (AMA) and (3) I was going to finish school.

What I didn't know was when I would consider going back to work.

When I'm home with the boys I am happy to play with them, do a few domestic chores and can wear jammies, sweats, shorts or whatever. I have no schedule. Don't particularly have anywhere to be and I enjoy being moderately lazy.....or as lazy as one CAN be with two small children.

Then I get invited to a lunch meeting or attend a networking event through the AMA and I am quickly drawn back into the corporate America mode that makes me crave stylish suits, strategy conversations and scheduled meetings.

You would think its the paycheck I miss most, but similar to my fanatical desire to go back to school, I actually miss working. I do not miss where I was. I miss the possibility of where I could go. New atmospheres, new people, new potential, new challenges and all with the hope that new = fun, motivational and inspiring. (Not to mention flexible with the whole work/life balance situation.)

The question still remains, "when will I be ready to go back to work", but I doubt it is so much a question of "when will I be ready" as it is a question of "when will the right job come along?"

Is there a pill for this?

2007-08-12T18:55:00.001-05:00

I need help. Its only been 8 hours, but I can see the signs. I didn't get out of my jammies until 1:30 this afternoon. No one has to ask where I am because they go straight to the computer. There are three empty glasses sitting on my desk with an abandoned toy and both of the telephone handsets.

My name is Cori and I am addicted to LinkedIn. Just by adding 17 of the right people to my first level network, I now have more than 40,000. Wow! Its going to take me a while to get through those people, send my personal "welcome" email and request recommendations. So, I can't stop. I'm just getting started.

Anyone else addicted? Want to create a support group? I'll add you to my network.

Linked In

2007-08-12T12:50:00.000-05:00

I received an invitation to join someone's network today and decided to go ahead and not only accept the invitation, but also dig deep in my archived emails for the other invitations I received and ignored. Sorry.

So I'm caught up and even went in and updated my profile, gave my profile a snazzy URL address and attempted to put the button to my profile on my blog homepage. As you can see the button is there, but its not linking up properly to my profile.

So, I know you're biting your fingernails in anticipation, but I'm going to label it "under construction" for now until the Linked In people can straighten me out.

In the meantime, if you have gotten down to your nubs and just can't take it any longer, the following link should work to Cori's LinkedIn Profile.

Up Up and Away

2007-08-09T21:59:00.001-05:00

The time 6pm. Jason just got home from work. I am in the back yard watching the boys while they swim. Occasionally they get out of the pool, grab their inflatable donut shaped tubes, pull them up around their waist and jump in together from the side. I love having the pool. Makes 104 degree heat indexes not worth complaining about.

Jason puts some weenies on the grill. Inside I've got mac and cheese and broccoli ready to join the hot dogs on a plate. We eat al fresco while Jason grumbles about the bills that arrived today. (Why couldn't he wait until later to do that?)

Harrison finishes his dinner first and says he wants to go swimming again. I get him out of his seat and grab his life vest. Jason gets up to pull the vacuum out of the pool. Harrison is in front of me by about 18 inches and close to the edge. He looks like he's going to jump, but surely he won't because he doesn't have his life vest on and he's just being naughty, but "splash", oh yes, he jumped. I fell to the ground to reach in after him in an attempt to grab him before he sunk too low. Jason, fully clothed from work including his shoes, jumped in after him and immediately pulled him out. Harrison didn't even cough, but the look on his face said he knew he did something he shouldn't have. Could have been that his daddy holding him was still wearing his jeans and shoes was an indicator that perhaps big H shouldn't have taken that leap.

Jason handed Harrison to me, I wrapped him in a towel, knelt down in front of him and calmly told him he scared me and that he should never jump in the pool without his life jacket on. With his big brown, sad puppy dog eyes he said, "ok" and gave me a hug. Then I kissed him and put his life jacket on.

What's Wrong With Boys?

2007-08-09T14:10:00.000-05:00

I would say about twice a week now I run into someone who, in casual conversation, asks me if I'm going to try to have a girl.

Heaven help the next person who asks me that question.

I am perfectly happy, no, let me say, thrilled, with having two boys. Here's my list, as if I have to justify my feelings on the subject:

I am not a girlie girl to begin with.
I don't have to pretend to be a lady and set a good example for how my daughter should behave.
I can burb and fart, even at the dinner table, and not get mad when the boys do.
Boys are cheaper.
Boys don't have to be dressed in shoes that match their shorts that match their hair bows that match their earrings, etc.
Two boys can share toys and clothes.
Boys aren't as emotional (usually).
I'm a pretty hard disciplinarian. Don't know how a girl would handle that.
Boys can share a room and the bath tub.
I can only tolerate pink in very small quantities.
I don't like to do my own hair, let alone a little girl's. Sometimes I don't brush the boys' hair for days and you'd never know.
I would rather play cars, dinosaurs and rough house any day of the week than play ponies, barbies or house.

I'm sure I'll come up with more reasons later and maybe then I'll add to the list, but for now, I think this will do. I love having boys. They suit my personality better and they are great brothers. Wouldn't trade them or add to them for a thing.