Homegrown Texan

Born and raised in Texas, I've found the home of my heart and soul in the Pacific Northwest. I love trees, cool weather, and rain. I'm a back to basics kind of gal just trying to raise my family and find a bit of time to slow down in this hectic life.

I haven't posted for a while, so here are some random thoughts about what is going on with me.

- I just finished work for today.  My eyes feel like I have been poking them with rusty forks (from staring at the computer monitor).  I don't think people were meant to spend their lives as computer programmers.  I'm also a bit behind at work, so I may be spending the weekend working.  The *holiday* weekend.  Bleh.

- Michael has his last day of preschool tomorrow.  I can't believe he's going to be in kindergarten next year!  I'm kind of sad for him, because he loves school so much and I know he's going to be sad not to go all summer.  I'm also sad for me, because he's growing up and I'd love for him to stay little forever (ok, not really, but in that fantastical mommy-world where it is actually *normal* for your babies to remain babies).  Nathan will be starting preschool next year (provided potty training continues to progress; he's not quite "school-ready" in that regard yet).  I'm a little nervous about how he'll do...he's not the best with crowds and noise, and the classroom acoustics are such that it gets quite loud in there.  I think if he can deal with this, he'll really love the class (it's a Waldorf-inspired school.  I love it.  See http://www.arizonawaldorf.org)

- I recently took up knitting.  I've been crocheting since my dear Granny taught me when I was 5 or 6.  I've always wanted to learn to knit, but never had anyone to teach me how.  I finally decided to teach myself (with the help of the internet and some awesome teaching videos I found there).  I am the proud owner of a handmade washcloth (it works really well, too).  Next I'm going to make a bag for Michael to carry his Viewmaster reels in.

- Jim is building a *huge* patio cover for me as a Mother's Day gift.  For those who are familiar with my house, it basically completes the square that the back of our bedroom forms with the Arizona room (that's an enclosed porch to you non-Zonies).  I love to grill, but hate standing in the hot sun to do it, so I'm very excited about this!

- Summer is officially here.  Bleh.  I hate summer in Arizona.  Heh.  I'm not even that wild about winter in Arizona.  But I'll refrain from sinking any further into that vortex of bitchin' and moanin'.

- Now it's time for dinner.  Leftover hamburgers (but they were very good hamburgers, so I'm looking forward to them).

Back in March the family went on our first ever trip to Canada. It was nothing short of spectacular.

Earlier this week (incidentally, about the time day temps started hitting the 100s here...coincidence?), Nathan started talking about wanting to go to Canada.

Ok, "talking about" is a bit of an understatement. Jim said he spent about 4 hours on Thursday *crying* because he wants to go to Canada. Four hours!!!! For the last few days, he's been pointing at his little Canadian flag luggage tag that we put on his backpack and saying, "We want to go back there, right?" and "Everything's red in Canada!" (?!?!?!?!)

Oh, and I never realized how many Canadian products are available here in the States. The kids notice that little maple leaf on *everything*. :)

Butt. Poop. Burp. Stinky. Yucky. Flush it down the toilet.

Yes, these are the favorite topics of conversation for my 2 boys. A dear friend who has raised several boys told me today that this is only the beginning. Thankfully, they haven't started the burp/poop/fart contests (yet).

A few days ago Nathan was drawing on his Magna-doodle, and drew something which I heard him say "looks like a butt". It was an ovalish shape with a straight line down the middle. Today I heard him say that he drew a "rectangle butt". Yep, you guessed it...it was a rectangle with a line down the middle.

Then, of course, Michael had to ask him to draw a triangle butt. Nathan had trouble accomplishing this and started to cry. Thankfully he got over it...I can just see myself trying to console a 3-year-old because he can't draw a triangle butt.

The words to all the children's songs are now modified to sing about some sort of excrement, or excrement-producing body part.

I can tell that this is way more than I can control. The best I can hope to do is to teach them to refrain from this kind of talk in key places (like restaurants).