Got Ice?

We do.  We’ve got plenty of it.

Three out of our four dogs aren’t crazy about the ice, but Duke doesn’t mind.  He goes outside every time the door opens.  I’m not sure what he does out there other than stand around and bark at the ice.  Granted, he’s not the Einstein of the dog world, but he’s as sweet as they come.

I didn’t think we were going to get the forecasted WINTER WEATHER, because the last time Memphis was supposed to get WINTER WEATHER, we got a dusting of snow.  And then there was the time that the school systems jumped the gun and cancelled school.  For rain.  So you can see why I didn’t put a lot stock in all the WINTER WEATHER talk.

So, naturally, the WINTER WEATHER came.

It started out with sleet, followed by a little — but beautiful — snow, and then the freezing rain started falling.  We kept hearing that the big, pretty snow was on its way to us, but it skipped right over Memphis.  My mother, who lives an hour northeast of us, called this morning to report that she was looking at about seven inches of beautiful snow.  I’ve never been so homesick.

David, Tater Tot, Small Fry and I have been crammed into our house for about 36 hours, and cabin fever is about to set in.  I asked David to drive us all to the grocery store, and he looked at me like I’d offered to clean the house and cook a delicious meal.  In other words, he was stunned.

After explaining that he most certainly would NOT put his family in the car and drive us to the store for diet coke and Fiddle Faddle, he promptly jumped in the shower, defrosted his Jeep, asked for my grocery list, and left.  Apparently, cabin fever got the better of him.

Tater Tot has managed to play with every toy he has while watching loads of movies and untold episodes of Scooby-Doo on Boomerang.

And Small Fry?  Well, he’s now crawling, so he’s led us on several chases.

Things are about to pick up around here.  If I think the ice is something, wait until Small Fry starts walking.

Yep, I Sure Did…

After fixing supper for my sweet people one night last weekend, I decided that I didn’t want to eat what I cooked.  I’d been staring at it for well over and hour, and I was tired of it.  (This happens to me often.  It drives David nuts.  It also makes him a little nervous, which is good.  I like to keep him on his toes.)

Anyhoo.

I found this in the cabinet.

And I ate Fiddle Faddle for supper.  I didn’t eat the entire box, even though its caramel salty-sweetness was tempting.

That would’ve been unhealthy…

And the Winner is…

(Well, of course, we’re all winners, right?)

Last night, Tater Tot and I conducted our very scientific drawing.  I simply printed all the comments, cut them into strips, folded them, and had Tater Tot pull a slip from the bag.

Here’s my assistant, always ready to help.

All the entries…

Choosing a winner…

He FINALLY pulled one out of the bag…

The winner of the Stay-Put-Socks giveaway is…..

Amanda from uncommonroad.blogspot.com!

Congratulations, Amanda!  I’ll get in touch with you so that I can send your mailing information to the folks at Stay-Put-Socks.

As it turns out, Amanda isn’t the only winner.

The owner is offering free shipping to anyone who left a comment and decides to place an online order with Stay-Put-Socks between now and January 31st.   Simply use the code “freeshipping.”  (I told you she was nice, didn’t I?)

Y’all, this giveaway has been oodles of fun!  The best thing about it, other than sharing a product that I just lurve, has been finding so many GREAT blogs!  It’ll take me a while to visit everyone’s site, but I’m slowly making my way there, and I know I’ll have so many to add to my Google Reader file.

Thanks to Kate Brotherson at Stay-Put-Socks for the great product and for making the give-away possible.  Also, thanks again to BooMama for sending so many great bloggers and readers this way.

Most of all, thanks to everyone who entered and left a comment.  It was a pleasure reading them all.  I hope to see you around the blogosphere again.

Goodnight all.

Waiting for the Giveaway and a Drive-By

How about I try to explain that title in bullet point format?

• Let me just start by telling you how excited I am about tomorrow’s giveaway!  I’m even more thrilled at the number of you who stopped by to leave a comment.  (Thanks, Sophie, for sending folks this way!)  I’ve found some great new blogs to add to my Google Reader, which means I’ll be staying up even later than usual from now on.
• About the giveaway, later tonight I’ll  draw a winner, using the highly scientific method of putting all entries into a bowl and having Tater Tot pull one out.  (Remember, I’m new to this giveaway thing.  I had no idea the response would be so great, or I’d have checked into some really neat computer-generated picking method.)
• Let’s set today’s entry deadline at 5:00 CST.

In other ramblings about the week ahead:

• I’m supposed to have my final evaluation by  my principal at work sometime this week, and all hints point to Monday or Tuesday for the “drive-by,” as my friend, April, calls it.  This one is unscheduled, a “drop-in,” and can happen any time during the day.
• I was sure it was going to happen last Thursday during Language Arts, so I planned something fun for the class and started on time.  (That last part alone should be enough to earn a few high marks.)
• My principal didn’t come, obviously, which is proof that not choosing to make a living as a fortune-teller was a good thing.
• I spent the better part of Sunday planning another lesson in case she comes this week.  I still think the drive-by will occur during Language Arts because we’ve adopted a new method of teaching, and I believe she will want to see how it’s going.
• If she happens to come during Science, I’m sunk.  Dead in the water.
• If she happens to read the blog, please, fearless leader, drop in during Language Arts!  I would really like to keep my job.
• She is a very busy person and couldn’t possibly have time to read the blog.  That’s probably a good thing.
• Unless she knows someone who needs a pair of Stay-Put-Socks.

That is all for this Monday.  I hope to see you back tomorrow to find out who won the pair of Stay-Put-Socks. Thanks to the owner of the company, there’s even a deal for everyone else who didn’t win but would still like a pair!

Happy Monday!

Here’s Lookin’ at You, 40

In the last several months, I noticed that every single manufacturer had reduced the font size on every single label/tag/whatever.  Why, I had to squint to read the fine print that I’d never had to squint for before.  The very idea…

When I brought this injustice up to David, he reminded me that, “You just turned 29 for the 12th time.  Chances are, THAT’S the reason you’re having trouble reading the fine print.”  He didn’t buy my conspiracy theory at all.

So I made an appointment with our eye doctor, and several days ago he betrayed me and told me that yes, indeed, my eyesight has changed a little since my last visit.  And then he said, “Well, you just turned 40.  It’s time.”

Pass the Kleenex, please.  I’ve hit the age where people say that.  Bleh.  (Not that I’m not thankful to still be here or anything, but, you know, it DOES take some getting used to.  The being 40 thing, not the being here thing.  Oh, you know what I mean.)

I don’t need prescription glasses…yet.  My day is coming, though.  The doctor said I’ll probably need them next year.  Until then, he suggested buying a pair of these.

I found them at Stein Mart.  Turns out there are some pretty cute reading glasses out there, so I’m now on a mission to find the snazziest ones around.

I’m not crazy about wearing them, and they take some getting used to, even though the strength is only  1.00.  However, the fine print is now easier to read.

It says, “Welcome to 40, Grammaw.”

Stay Tuned for a Stay Put Socks Give-Away

For the last few months I’ve been chasing/hunting/calling/retrieving Small Fry’s socks.  It seems that I find them everywhere but on his scrumptious little chubby feet.  And while I love nothing more than a pair of baby feet, it is winter here in Memphis, and the child’s tootsies are like ice cubes most of the time due to the game he and I play called “You-put-em-on-me-and-I’ll-take-em-off.”

I tried longer socks, although I’m not sure why I thought that would work.  He simply had more sock to play with once he pulled the suckers off his feet.  I tried little shoes, but they got in the way of his trying to crawl.  I asked everyone I knew how to keep socks on an 8-month-old, and everyone I asked laughed in my face.  Then they asked what I did with Tater Tot, but I don’t think we had this much of a problem with him removing his socks.

Finally, I turned to the one all-knowing source:  the internet.  Oh, yes, I googled “how to keep socks on a baby,” and the most wonderful link came up for a product called Stay Put Socks.  What are Stay Put Socks, you ask?  Well, let me clue you in.  They’re little rubber rings that slip over your baby’s feet and rest loosely around his ankles.  They’ll let the socks slide only so far, but they won’t slip off.  It’s genius, I tell you.  GENIUS!  And affordable.  So I ordered a couple, one for Small Fry’s current size and one to grow into, and in just a few days they arrived.

Small Fry was more than happy to model how they work.  Here he is without them.

Here’s how one of the rings slips right over his chunky foot.

Now it’s on!

And the sock stays put!

After a day or so of not finding socks in the car seat, the crib, under chairs, and in Small Fry’s mouth, I emailed the owner of the company to tell her how much I like the product, and she emailed back.  How nice was that?  Then, she even agreed to do a give-away.

Y’all!  If you have a sock-tugging baby, you definitely want to get in on this.  If you don’t, you still want to get in on it because these would make a great baby gift for an expecting mother who has no idea how much time she’s going to spend putting socks back on her child.  I’m thinking of ordering several pairs to give as gifts.  (Pregnant friends, so sorry to spoil part of your surprise, but it’s for the greater good.  I know you understand!)

All you have to do is check out the website.  Just click on Stay Put Socks.  Then come back here and leave a comment.  We’ll give it until Tuesday, the 26th, and then a random winner will be selected.  I’ll get in touch with you, and your pair of Stay Put Socks will be sent directly to you from the company.

That is all, friends.  I am off to do all kinds of things, except pick up Small Fry’s socks!

Random, How I Love Thee

More often than not, if it weren’t for RANDOM, I’d have nothing to write about at all.  Here is a heaping helping of Tater randomness.

(A)  A couple of weeks ago I decided that I would use an amazon.com gift certificate to buy a few little happies, and one of the things I got was Jillian Michaels’ 30-Day Shred.  So far I’ve gained 2 pounds from eating golden Oreos while standing there looking at the cover of the DVD and wondering if ol’ Jillian works at that smirk on her face or if it’s natural.

(B)  I have a new diaper bag.  Seeing as how Small Fry is nearly 9-months-old, I guess it’s about time.  I have a couple of old bags I’ve been using since he was born, but neither of them really floated my boat.  I am picky about diaper bags, purses, and all manner of things tote-related.  If they don’t feel just right when carried, it’s as annoying as having a rock in my shoe.  Or Jillian Michaels smirking at me as she counts the number of Oreos I’ve eaten.

Nonetheless.  I found this diaper bag several months ago but refused to pay the retail price.  Now that the pattern is discontinued and the store was ready to make room for new bags, I got this for a steal.  The thing that sold me on it?  The straps.  You can change them so that the bag hangs from a stroller or shopping cart.  Love it.

The little pacifier charm is cute, too.  And in real life, it’s not blurry at all.

(C)  While we’re on the subject, kind of, of Small Fry, he has an ear infection.  It could be a new one, or it could be that he never fully got over the one he had during the holidays.  At any rate, he’s on meds, and we hope he’s feeling better soon.  He won’t sleep in his crib.  I’m assuming it’s because lying down flat hurts like the devil.  So we’ve got him in his swing, which he’s really too big for, but what’re ya gonna do?  Besides, it looks like he’s getting a little relief, don’t you think?

(D)  I haven’t been able to get Small Fry to keep his socks on, and it’s been on the COLD side in Memphis for a couple of weeks.  And since Small Fry doesn’t particularly care for any of his little shoes, keeping socks on seemed like a lost cause…

UNTIL I stumbled upon these little things called Stay Put Socks.  They’re tiny silicone rings that slide over a baby’s socks and fit loosely around his ankles.  Y’all!  No more socks all over the place! I’ve been amazed.  They’re not expensive, and they do the trick.  If you’ve got a baby and have the same sock problem, you might want to spend a few dollars and get a pair or two.

(E)  Last week we had a snow day.  It was due to the SNOWSTORM OF 2O1O!  Just look at what we had to deal with.

Having school called off for this was almost as good as the year we didn’t go to school because of rain.  Several years ago, the weather forecasters got everyone all worked up about an impending ice storm, and the powers that be cancelled school the day before anything even hit.  As it turns out, the temperatures rose just enough to keep it from being an ice storm and we all stayed home because of rain.

(F)  In addition to the endless amounts of diet coke that I consume in order to satisfy my caffeine habit, I’ve discovered a couple of drinks at Starbucks that may push me over line into the CAFFEINE ADDICT category.  I used to order one of two things at Starbucks (regular coffee with room for cream OR a caramel apple spice).  Ordering anything too fancy just made me nervous.

Well, I’ve now latched on to the caramel mocha, iced caramel mocha,  and white chocolate mocha with a splash of peppermint — hot or iced.  These are completely addictive.  When I finished my drink Tuesday at school, I was almost mad because I couldn’t get another one.  A Starbucks intervention may be in my near future, but until it happens, you can find me at any one of the 403 Startbucks locations between our house and my school.

So far that’s 720+ words of absolute random, and I think y’all deserve a break.

Wanna meet at Starbucks…?

Silly Song Titles

The other day as I was driving along, I flipped through the stations and stumbled upon one playing “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body, Would You Hold it Against Me?” by the Bellamy Brothers.  If you’re at all familiar with the song, you know that the next line is as good (or bad, depending on your take) as the song’s title:  “If I swore you were an angel would you treat me like the devil tonight?”

I love the Bellamy Brothers and have since a friend introduced me to the group’s music way back when I was a freshman in college.  The group has a nice sound.  They also have a good sense of humor when it comes to songwriting.  Another one of their songs is, “Do You Love as Good as You Look?”

As I was driving along, I started thinking about some of the funny/bad/odd song titles that the world of country music has given us, and before I knew it I was howling.  I thought I’d share some of my all-time favorites.

I Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back Cryin’ on My Pillow Over You

You’re the Reason Our Kids Are so Ugly

It’s Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night (That Chewed My Ass Out All Day Long)

I Guess I Had Your Leavin’ Coming

If Drinking Don’t Kill Me, Her Memory Will

If You Can’t Be Good, Be Bad With Me

If You Don’t Leave Me Alone, I’ll Go Find Someone Else Who Will

I’m Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home

I’m So Miserable Without You, It’s Like Having You Here

You Ain’t Much Fun Since I Quit Drinking

Get Your Tongue Out of My Mouth, ‘Cause I’m Kissing You Goodbye

Don’t Roll Those Bloodshot Eyes at Me

How Did You Get So Ugly Overnight?

Thanks to the Cathouse, I’m in the Doghouse With You

Whiskey For My Men, Beer For My Horses

Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off

The Weather is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful

and one of the best ones ever…

Thank God and Greyhound She’s Gone

What funny/bad/silly song titles did I leave off the list?  Are there any songs that make you laugh out loud when you hear them?

Good Daddy

I’m laid up with some sort of illness that I’m guessing is the adult version of RSV.  I’d like to say it’s not that bad, but since I hate to lie, I’ll go ahead and tell you that if I had to choose between this and, oh, a double root canal, I’d be lying in my dentist’s chair with a WELCOME sign strapped across my gums.

Being sick means that Tater Daddy is left to pick up my slack, and while I give him a hard time about a lot of things, this is one area in which he shines.  I’m not saying that he’s giddy about taking over most of the diaper duties and all things that usually fall under the umbrella of “Things Mama Just Does,” but he has enough sense to know that the sooner I’m well, the sooner things can get back to normal.

Since we got home from school yesterday and I staggered to bed, Tater Daddy has cleaned and straightened up the place, changed diapers, fed children, snuggled on demand, and taken care of everything else that has popped up.

I started looking back through my pictures from the last year, specifically those of Tater Daddy and Tater Tot, and it thrills me to my soul to see a Daddy so taken with being a daddy.  Because his 3-year-old is certainly taken with having him for his Daddy.

We had a really good snow about a year ago, and David (Tater Daddy’s real name) spent a good hour outside with Tater Tot building a snow bear and this snow dinosaur.  Tater Tot still talks about them.

We had a Cars-themed birthday party for Tater Tot.  Here he his with David, getting a little help with the candles.

Here they are on a trip to the zoo enjoying a lovely view of an elk’s behind.

It was cool enough on this particular visit for one of the Pandas to be outside doing what Giant Pandas do.

Last summer we went to a little horse show in our hometown.  You might think the main event is the part with the actual walking horses, but some of us showed up primarily for the Stick Horse Race.  Tater Tot and about nine other competitors did their best to ride those stick horses all the way around the track, but Tater Tot got tired about 2/3 the way around and decided it was too much.  He just couldn’t trot one more step in the 100-degree heat, so it was Daddy to the rescue.

This is one of my favorites, simply because it’s just another example of David stopping whatever it was that he was doing to help Tater Tot.  This time it was with his tools.

I realize that this picture wasn’t taken in the last 12 months.  It was when Tater Tot was a couple of months old, and it’s my favorite picture of the two of them.

It’s love.

Thinking Inside the Box

I know what they say about thinking outside the box.

But sometimes, thinking inside the box is fun, too.