Lavinia...the Snake!

I would like to introduce Libby's latest pet....Lavinia the Snake (yes, she named it all by herself. She got the name from a doll in her book named Marabelle Lavinia Chandelier!) And before you ask, Hell No! I did not say she could have a snake! This is all on Mike! His friend, Dave, found it in his yard and thought Libby might like it. Of course Mike said yes, even though I said no! Anyway...I think the snake has been with us about two weeks now. Mike will take the snake out of its cage and hold it so Libby can pet it. She will only pet it if he has the snake head contained. They have dug up bugs and worms for it to eat, but poor Lavinia hasn't been eating. So today, sadly, Mike suggested to Libby that they set Lavinia free in our yard so she can eat and grow. Libby was ok with that. Thankfully, we are now back down to one pet, Ginger the Wonder Dog!

Idol Craziness!

For those of you who happened to miss Fantasia on American Idol a few weeks ago are truly missing something! For those of you who saw her performance on Idol, but missed Simon on the Ellen show after her performance, are missing something as well! So here I am to bring it all together for you! Cuz I'm cool like that! Words cannot describe this night on Idol! I was left speechless! So I posted both the videos from Idol and from Ellen so all of you may experience the joy I experienced that week! Please watch it over and over...it just keeps getting funnier!

Not Tickle Me, Elmo!

I'm debating whether I should really share this story with you or not...Please don't call CPS! I really am a good mom and Libby lives in a nice safe environment! The other night we were all lying on the bed watching tv in the bedroom. Libby was jumping around, like she always does, doing her somersaults, falling trees and what not. Then I started to tickle her...she is sooo ticklish and start laughing so hard...so I would tickle her, then she would want daddy to tickle her. She was lying on her back, I was just tickling her under arms and on her belly. Then she wanted me to tickle her feet, so she kicks her legs up in the air so I can tickle her feet. Then she wants me to tickle her all over, starting with her feet. So I tickle her feet, tickle her belly, then tickle her under her arms. She is just laughing hysterically. Then....she says, "Tickle my hoo-hoo!" Mike and I just look at each other with scared looks on our faces, then we start laughing! That makes Libby laugh, of course. I say, in a jokingly manner so she doesn't think she said anything wrong, "You can't tickle your hoo-hoo!" She says, "Why? I like it!" We both just say, "No!" Call her a "silly goose" and just go one with our day! I think I'm going to be in trouble when she's a teenager!!

New Glitter Jelly Sandals -- Look what they can do!

Yes, we have added yet another pair of shoes to Libby's collection! She found these on her own! I had nothing to do with it...except buying them for her to further encourage this behavior! This is my first video posting so I hope it turns out! Anyway...in the picture, you see Libby modeling the silver glitter jelly sandals that she picked out. In the video, Libby has just gotten out of the bathtub (thus the fuzzy purple robe) and is showing daddy her new shoes. She decides to turn some music on (courtesy of her keyboard) and show daddy how her new shoes are "dancing shoes!" Pay close attention to one of the moves she does...you'll know it when you see it...it is a cross between some Michael Jackson and something else...I think she got it off this video she watches were these two kids are trying to teach a dog (person in suit) "Head shoulders knees and toes" and the dog gets all mixed up. That's the only explanation I came up with. I hope this makes you laugh as much as it did me!

Weekend Festivities

Friday night, while I was at work of course, Libby, her daddy, and one of his friends, had a bonfire at our house. As you may or may not recall, it was a little drizzly out Friday night. You can see in the pic on the left, Libby isn't going to let a little rain spoil her fun! She is decked out in her raincoat and umbrella. What you may not notice are her shoes. She is wearing her snow boots! Since it was raining, the yard was a little on the mushy side. Libby outgrew her rain boots last summer and I haven't replaced them yet, thus the snow boots! Remember...I was at work! I am innocent...this is all her dad! Libby is sitting on the lawnmower...I'm not exactly sure why they had that out. I was afraid to ask! What a crazy pair! In the 2nd pic is the burn pile, aka, the bonfire. Most of the wood came from our hen house that Mike is converting into his new workshop, but that is another story for another day!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's days like this when I love my baby 10x more than any other day! When I got home from work this morning my routine was the same as any other weekend when I stumble through the door just trying to make it to my bed before I fall asleep! (Thanks Katie for talking to me on the drive home so I wouldn't fall asleep driving, which I do way too much!) I go to the living room and find Libby sitting on the couch watching a movie, just waiting for me to get home so her day can go on without me. I talk to her for a few minutes, give her as many hugs and kisses as I can squeeze into five minutes and ask her about her night. Then I ask her if she's ready to tuck me into bed. (This is all part of our every weekend routine!) Libby waits at the bottom of the stairs, at which point I run upstairs and hide so she can find me! Once I've been found, we go to my room and we both crawl into bed. Then Libby will sing me night-night songs! I used to get about 10 songs, now we're down to one song. This morning (this is the part that deviates from the normal routine) Libby sang "Happy Birthday to you!" to me, and when she was done she says, Happy Mother's Day! Awww! How sweet! Then as if my day could get any better... This afternoon, when its Libby's nap time, she comes to wake me up. She has a "prize" for me.... A little teddy bear holding a heart shaped box and a card (I'll post a pic later!). She is so proud of herself as she hands them to me and says, "Happy Mother's Day!" She had picked my prize out all by herself. She crawls up into bed with me and sits on my lap, offers to open my card for me. It is a singing care bear card...the little care bears are singing some sort of mother's day song. She loves it and opens it a few more times for me so I can hear the song again. I give her big hugs and tell her thank you, then I tuck her into bed for her nap! Now here I am, wasting away the afternoon blogging until my baby gets up from her nap!

P.S. - There are no signs of my "mother's day dinner" anywhere! I think I have to cook it myself!

Dinner Conversation

Before coming to work tonight, I had dinner with my little family. At first, the topics of conversation were fairly normal (as normal as can be with a 3 year old)! I think we started by talking about my nephew Nathan. Libby made some comment about Nathan's dad, Todd. I was trying to explain to her that Todd is Nathan's dad, but he is Libby's uncle because Todd is my brother. Relationships are such a hard concept to explain to a child. Then she was trying to be funny (because I assure you, she knows the answer to this question!) and asked who is her daddy. Playing along, we said, Mike is your daddy. Then she started asking about Mike's dad, who passed away before I met Mike. Mike said that he has a dad, but he passed away and is not around anymore. Libby asked where he was. Mike further explained that when you pass away, you die and aren't around. Libby, the queen of 200 questions, proceeded to ask why he died. We explained to her that he was sick with a bad heart and that's why he died. Just wait...it's about to get good! Libby then asks where Mike's dad is now. I explained that he lives high up in the sky above the clouds with Jesus now. She then wanted to know how Jesus got him up there. Being the quick thinker I am....I say they went up the stairway to heaven! Mike lost it! He started laughing and I tried not to laugh! Of course, Libby didn't get the reference, but was most impressed anyway and says, "OH MY GOSH!" I just simply smiled and said, "Yes isn't that fantastic?!" She agrees and that is the end of our dinner conversation!

Bye Bye Love!

Last night was a sad night in Idol world (at least for me)! Jason's road to stardom came to an end! I knew he wouldn't win, but I really enjoyed watching him and listening to him sing! Idol won't be the same with out this delicious piece of eye candy that I have grown to love! *sniff sniff* I love you, Jason...see you in my dreams! I'll be waiting for your cd!

Old MacDonald Had a Farm!

Here is a pic of Libby in a tractor, and sitting inside a tractor wheel! Isn't she cool!?

Moving into the 20th Century!

I really wish I had a picture of my kitchen before my "before" picture on the left so you could get a true appreciation of how nonfunctional my kitchen is! For those of you who are unaware...I hate my kitchen! It is nice and big but other than that I have nothing positive to saw about it. My biggest peeve is the height of my counter tops. They are low, low, low! Apparently, they were custom made for a previous owner whose wife was very short. Nice sentiment for her, who was 4' something....for my 5'6" self, it just doesn't make my day! To top it off we didn't have a dishwasher. Doing dishes at a sink that is below my waist does not "create joy" for my back! For this reason, I loathe doing dishes! BUT, as you can see in the photos....We now have a dishwasher!! Yippee!! Mike had to cut away some of the useless cabinets that were next to the stove and build up the counter tops so the dishwasher would fit! In the finished picture on the right you can kind of see the progressive build up from the sink as it makes its way over to the dishwasher and stove! Now my counter top is the same height as my stove! I didn't know what to do when I was making dinner last night! Now, I'm not blind...I know this isn't a picture you would see in Better Homes & Garden (well maybe in a "before" photo) but right now it totally works for me...until we can afford to gut out the kitchen/laundry/bathroom and create the kitchen/laundry/bathroom of my dreams! I'm sure all of you are sharing my joy right now!

"Maybe when I get bigger..."

This phrase is something I hear quite often coming out of Libby's mouth. It's usually followed by something like, "I can drive daddy's truck," "I can go to work, too," "I can do my own laundry." But I have to admit, that little girl of mine caught me off guard last night while I was giving her a bath! It starts off like any other..."Maybe when I get bigger..." (I was really expecting her to say something like..."I can take a bath all by myself!") But what I REALLY heard was this... "Maybe when I get bigger I will have big boobies!" WHAT?? Where did that come from?! I was stunned and just quietly replied, (while laughing hysterically way deep down inside) "Maybe!" Then she continues to ponder the existence of boobies, as I do everyday..."Why do we have to have big boobies?" I could only come up with one reply, as I am still trying to figure out the answer to that question myself, "I sure don't know, Sugar!" Luckily, she seemed content with that answer and we continued on with her bath. Please, God, don't let her ask why we have to have "hoo-hoo's"!!!