Concert Observations

I was blessed to get to go to a David Phelps concert last night. I love this guy's voice. He sings the Christian song "End of the Beginnning", "Behold the Lamb", and "No More Night". If you ever watch The Gaithers on tv, you will most likely see and hear David sing. Anyhoo....the concert was tremendous. God really blessed that guy with a set of pipes! After the concert, he came out and signed his autograph on cds, music books, or whatever. I wanted to buy a cd and get his autograph but didn't have any cash. I did get his picture, although when I managed to get it snapped without someone else in the way, he was looking down and signing his autograph.

As far as observations go, the concert was held at Central Baptist Church. Personally, I wouldn't call it a church. When you walk in, it's like walking into a hotel. When you go into what would normally be called the "Sanctuary" where people would worship the Lord, it's called the "Theatre" (which is exactly what it looks like). It has theatre seats that slope up towards the back, it has two large balcony sections, and a stage with heavy velvet drapes. There is no pulpit (although I suppose that "might" have been removed for the concert). There are no signs of a cross, the American flag, or the Christian flag. My Dad used to go there and he said even during the services, those three items were absent.

A church without a cross????!!!!

Circus, Bubbles, and Caterpillars

The other day, Sawyer was sitting in his high chair eating cereal. He had his nose practically touching the milk. He was staring at the bubbles in the milk. By the time I got my camera out, he wasn't quite as deep into the bowl so this pic is the best I got of it.

I took Mallory, Jamison, and Jaxson to the circus on Saturday. The boys had never seen one before. We only stayed through 1/2 time though because they were getting restless. I love circus food!

Today, I was putting the boys down for a nap. I got Sawyer down but then I couldn't find Jaxson. He was hiding and being so quiet that I didn't see him right away. Clever place to hide, don't you think?

Go! Go! Go!

Here's my sweaty granddaughter practicing her soccer. Little brother, Sawyer wants in on the action!

Milestones

Sawyer is in a toddler bed now. He kept climbing out of his crib.

Now that he is closer to the floor, look what he can do.

Grandchildren

My grandchildren are so funny sometimes. I was thinking today of some of the funny things they used to say when they were really really little. Jamison, when he wanted you to pick him up, would always say "up-um". Most kids say "uppy". Not him. He used to call pumpkins, "pokins" and dunglebees for bumble bees. Jaxson, Jamison's little brother, calls mosquito bites, "chicken chickens". Don't know where he came up with THAT one! Mallory, when she was little, called vitamins, "bye nits". Amazingly, her little brother, Sawyer, calls them the same thing. All the kids call Noel (who is their aunt), "Tee tee" and their uncle Logan is called "Go Go". Where do kids get their funny ideas for names of things? Speaking of funny, here is a picture of Jamison that I took today. He wore this thing all the way into town from Marion to go to church. I'm surprised he didn't wear it into church.

Mallory had her first soccer game on Saturday. I got exhausted just from watching the girls run all over that field. Glad it's her and not me! She did really good for her first game. Their team lost (5-0) but then the team they played aren't novices anymore. Guess they all have to start somewhere.

The Backyardigans

I am glad I am home! What a zoo. Noel and I took the kids to the stage production of the Backyardigans at the Washington Pavilion tonight. We both swore we would never do it again (although I know we will). There were so many people and kids and for some reason it just seemed like ours were the most ill-behaved. Jaxson kept running off and throwing temper tantrums. Jamison wouldn't listen at all. Mallory wasn't much better, and Sawyer wanted to get down and run. It was a nightmare. Then too, Jaxson refused to go to the toilet all day today and ....go figure....when we are up in the Mezzanine of the Pavilion, clear into the middle of the hugely long row of seats, he has to go potty. More than once. Grrrrr.....

The production was cute but disappointing in the costumes. Mallory didn't like it at all (too juvenile for a 9 year old you know) and even Jamison, who is 6, said he wished they looked like they did on tv. We got to go backstage before the production to have their pictures taken with them and then they only had Pablo and Uniqua back there. I was hoping Tyrone, Tasha, and Austin would be there too. To make matters worse, the guy who played Pablo the penguin was a total "flame". I don't know how many of you know what that is, but it is a girly acting boy who prefers boys instead of girls. It was disgusting. Pablo doesn't act like that in the cartoon. They did do a great job of the scenery though.

I'm including pics of what they look like on the cartoon and what they looked like on stage. Amazingly, I found a website tonight that shows pictures of them in another live stage play and they actually look like the cartoons with the real faces of the characters - not the human face of the person playing them.

Potty Training and Water Heaters

My 3 year old grandson (Jaxson) suddenly decided to use the toilet today. I have been fighting him tooth and nail for what seems like forever to get him potty trained. What's weird is that he knows when he has to go, he knows how to go, but just doesn't want too. I finally told him that he couldn't watch cartoons anymore unless he used the toilet. He was fine this morning with that arrangement (which was hard to believe) but then all of a sudden, he told me he had to go potty and it was off to the races the rest of the day. He even did #2 in the toilet! What a shock! Needless to say, he has been able to watch cartoons the rest of the day and he has been putting Thomas the Train Engine stickers on his potty chart like crazy. Hope he doesn't regress tomorrow because that's what happened the last time he had a good day and then we went weeks without ever using the toilet again.

We also need a new water heater. The one we have is gas and of course, is vented through the chimney stack in the basement. Well the stupid pilot keeps going out. Don't know if it's actually the water heater getting too old or if it's a down draft from the chimney. If it's a down draft, a new heater isn't going to help. We are going to go look at a new one at Menards tonight after Jaxson goes home around 7pm. I feel like a scuz bag since I couldn't take a shower this morning. I look like one too. Of course, we won't be able to install it tonight either so it's going to be the "heat water on the stove" routine for a few days. What a drag.

Tomorrow, Noel and I are taking all the kids to the stage production of The Backyardigans at the Washington Pavilion. The kids love the cartoons. Today, we found at that we had won a "meet and greet" so we have to be there at 6pm to meet the characters personally and have our pictures taken with them before the show. The kids are going to be so excited.

New Owner?

I received a call from a man today about my Duncan (yellow lab) that I want to find a home for (sort of - on again, off again). He really needs someone who can spend the time with him and take him for walks, etc. He has so much energy and I just can't do it with my osteoarthritis. Anyway, he came over this afternoon to see him. He said he was retired (though he seemed kind of young for that to me) and had all kinds of time to devote to a dog. He is a lab lover and his chocolate lab of 13 years just passed away a month ago from cancer. He had decided that he wasn't going to have another dog because he was heartbroken over his loss. His wife told him that he needed another dog. So, he went out to Second Chance Rescue (where I have Duncan listed on their website) to check out the dogs. He discovered Duncan on their website so he called me about him. He and Duncan hit it right off (although Duncan would hit it off with anybody who would pay attention to him). Talking with this guy made me think that he and Duncan would be a match made in Heaven. He stayed for awhile and talked to Rog and I and played with Duncan. He wanted to know if I would be home tomorrow as he wanted to go home and talk it over with his wife. I had a really good feeling about the whole thing but you just never know. Even though he seemed really interested, it could have all been for show. Guess I'll find out tomorrow whether or not he was serious. I actually expected him to call back tonight if he wanted him. I know if I wanted a dog I wouldn't want to wait until the next day. If he takes him, I will be sad to let Duncan go. I love that dog but he can be a big nuisance. He is such a character. If you have never read the book, Marley and Me, you really need too. I have never laughed so hard in my life. It also made me cry. Marley was a male yellow lab. He is dead now, but if I believed in reincarnation, I would swear that Duncan is Marley reincarnated.

Sewing Room Cupboard

I bought this great old cupboard last year from my son-in-law's brother and wife. It is a hideous green and partially stripped. I want to refinish it but not sure when I will ever get around to it. It has the old original flour bin and sifter in it and a bread box in one drawer with a metal slide lid. I originally had it just sitting in the grandkid's playroom but they kept climbing on top of it and I was afraid someone would get hurt. So today, I moved it into my sewing room and put all my quilt books on it and decorated it up. It's still ugly and need handles for the drawers, but until I can get it refinished, it looks pretty cool in my sewing room.

All Quiet on the Home Front

It's been quiet today. No little escapees. Of course, the weather was yucky today so I didn't have the front door open. Even if I had, I do have another chain on the screen door now. Hopefully the little boys can't squeeze through it like little hamsters. I was so wore out and exhausted from the trauma of yesterday and crying for over two hours that I could barely drag myself to bed last night. Thankfully, today has gone much better and my cold is a little better too.

I got an email on my dog today. A lady is interested in seeing him but she may not be once she reads my email response. Duncan is an inside dog and she wants to keep him outside all the time. Duncan would NOT like that at all. Will just have to see if she responds back. I really don't want to let him go to a home that will make him stay outside all the time when he's never had to before. Of course, she could tell me that she will keep him inside and once she takes him home, she could do whatever she wants to do. I am really going to have to interview people to see if they would be a good match for him. I'm not going to let him go to just anybody. I'd rather keep him myself than have him go to a home where he wouldn't be happy.

Horrific Day

I feel like I've been drug through a knot hole backwards ( and look it!)

I had the front inside door open so Jaxson and Sawyer could look outside. I do this on nice days and I can open up the window. I lock the door but you know screen doors only have a little black lever on the handle to lock them. Anyway, Sawyer managed to get out of the house today and wandered off a couple of blocks away to Burger King. I was FRANTIC! I was running and screaming for him all over the place. Had to call 911 and thank God, someone had seen him, picked him up and called the police. When I got down to Burger King, he was comfortably held in the arms of an officer and sucking on a sucker. His poor Nana (me) was about ready for McKennan Hospital's psyche ward. I cried for two hours!

Needless to say, we now have a chain on the outside door too so we can still open up the inside door for the boys to see outside and I can open the window for fresh air.

Quandry

Okay. My big baby is finally on the Second Chance Rescue website. Now I am really having doubts about adopting him out. I keep thinking that if I just give him a couple more years, he will be a much better dog. He has calmed down a lot since he was born but you can tell that even at 2 years, he is still very much a pup. Anyway, I am really afraid that if someone comes along to adopt him and I let him go, I will be kicking myself into the next county, wishing I had never made the decision to give him up. On the other side of the coin, when he gets really annoying, I'm going to be thinking, "You stupid hound! Why did I ever decide to keep you?!"

Snow, Tae Kwon Do, Dog

Well, we got more snow this week...as you can see. The next day it was practically all gone. We got a bit more today and it's gone too. Hard to believe we can get this much snow one day and have it gone the next.

Mallory tested for her senior blue belt on Saturday. Tonight was the awards ceremony. Four more belts to go and she gets her black belt - 1st degree. She is planning on taking a break from it though. She wants to play soccer. I sure hope she doesn't give up on Tae Kwon Do until she at least achieves her black belt - even if she doesn't go on to get the higher degrees. She learns her forms and moves so easily that she gets bored really fast. It doesn't seem to be any challenge to her.

I finally got brave and put my yellow lab on the website at Second Chance Rescue. He can remain here at home until I get him adopted out. He just got listed today but I paid for the website last Saturday. Since then I have been really struggling with adopting him out. But I keep telling myself it's best for him and for me. He's just too much for me to handle. I love him because he is so BIG. He's a huge boy. He weighs about 95 pounds. Duncan is bigger than any lab I have ever seen. Anyway, my listing will only last one month and if I don't get any takers, then I may just not list him again - depends on my mood at the time. I wouldn't feel so bad if I knew I could find someone who would give him a good home and wouldn't decide to get rid of him once they got tired of him. Will just have to wait and see what happens.