An Adventure

I don't know about the rest of you but when I wake up in the morning several thoughts pop through my head first thing. They are (and in no particular order)
  1 - I don't wanna get up (done in my very best whiny voice)
  2 - I only have to get up one more time until my vacation
  3 - Why does it take so long to take a shower, put make up on, and fix my hair
  4 - Will Lil Hoff stay asleep so I can get it all done this morning
  5 - I want coffee
  6 - I need to go to the bathroom
  7 - Can I call in sick
  8 - I really have to get up
  9 - Why can't Farmboy be here to take care of Lil Hoff so I can sleep in
 10 - I need coffee
 11 - Wow has it really been 10 minutes since my alarm went off
 12 - OK I am getting up   

The one thought NOT on my mind this morning when I got up.....

This.

This was not on my mind.

I was not aware that I was surrounded by flood water.

Nor was I aware that I would being going on a adventure to get to work.

Come with me.

Come with me on this adventure.

It starts with the gravel road that I live on. (Shall we also count how many times I cross the same creek to get back to highway, oh yes! Lets!) As you can see there is water over the road but not bad. (oh this is once)

This is on another gravel road that I have to get on to get back to the highway. Water is a little higher and rushing a little faster. And this is twice

Same gravel road different spot. There is no low water bridge here just a spot where water collects waiting to be told where else it should go.

Finally! Dry flat land to drive on but if you look to your right

This is what you see. At this point Lil Hoff goes "Oh! Momma Boat!!" And mark a three on the board

It wasn't all peaches and cream driving on the road either. HUGE rocks that had been in the ditches but with all the water got swept into the road and all the wash outs. It's a good thing I drive a 4x4 SUV so my undercarriage doesn't get tore up.

Are we done on our adventure. NOT hardly....

 

Mark four and I am done!

 

and I believe my companion is too

Some of you may be thinking that seems like a lot of work why didn't you just go another way. Here are my alternatives. You know that same creek that I drove over four times.

Here it is if you take a left out of my driveway.

And on a normal day (in August) when it's a stifling 100 degrees by 8:30 in the morning and the dust cloud I create while driving down the gravel road is so thick I can't even see where I am going cause we haven't had a drop of rain in 8 weeks and I don't have to worry about the creek being over I travel this way.

But today, on August 8, 2013 it is a different story. 



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A real boy

This week was a big week in our household, maybe more for momma than for Lil Hoff. We said goodbye to something we loved and cherished. Sad but true. We said goodbye to the mullet. Farmboy assured me it was time. I on the other hand had a hard time grasping that my little baby was turning into a boy.

I had a appointment to get my hair trimmed Tuesday so I asked when Brittany (my hair stylist) could get my bundle of joy in to trim him up? "How about tomorrow at 11:45?" Really?? That soon?? As I choked back the tears I told her to put us down. She then said "Do you want a little boy hair cut or just a trim?" after asking what the difference was and being informed that "The little boy hair cut will make him look grown up while the trim just trims him up" I quickly informed her that we just needed a trim.

11:45 - Wednesday July 31, 2013 -

Two women, two cameras and one unsuspecting boy walk into a beauty salon. Very quickly did the little boy figure out he was out numbered and wanted out quick. When Brittany put the booster in her chair and got the cape out Lil Hoff was clinging to me with all his 32 pounds and would not let go. So mommy and Lil Hoff both got to sit in the chair. Let the fun begin.

"I don't like this mom"

"What's grandma doing?"

"I can see myself"

"What's going on outside?"

"Are we done yet?"

"She's in my personal space mom "

"My mommy will protect me"

"You mean you PAY to get this done to you?"

All finished (all in less than 10 minutes). The mullet is gone and I now have a very handsome little boy. *sniff sniff*

One cookie later and all was forgotten.

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Sting!

Let me set the scene..... It was a lovely Wednesday morning and my son and I were going out to spend some time out in this ridiculously cool weather that Mother Nature has chose to give Missouri this summer and I'm not going to complain about.

I was to spray weed killer around the house and my flower beds and Lil Hoff was to play with his toys and stay far enough away that I have no fear in him getting into the spray.

All was going well until I ran out of spray. Being the self efficient person that I am I thought I can mix some more up, how hard can it be? I had seen Farmboy next to the well house at the water hydrant mixing up the first batch so I thought maybe the chemical he had used was inside the well house. I went to the fore mentioned well house and started to open the door when I heard buzzing flying around my head.

In this order is why I don't like to be outside

1. Snakes

2. Spiders

3. Insects

4. Heat

Did you see number 3? Insects! Mosquitoes, ticks, flys, I can handle all those, but what I can not stand is a insect in my hair. Which at this point I had 2 or 3 flying in and around my hair. So I slowly walk away from the door, trying not to wave my arms and trying not to scream I AM trying to get away from the nest that I had just awoken. I am walking swiftly away thinking that I was far enough from the buzzing when a instant shot of pain is projected into my hand and I say "OH! GOLLY THAT HURTS!" Which by this time Lil Hoff has noticed mommy is acting weird and comes to investigate. I tell him very sweetly and between clenched teeth that I am fine and to go back to his truck and to hurry! Hurry! HURRY! RUN, RUN BACK TO YOUR TRUCK!!! But it was too late. He goes from walking to running to a dead stop and tears start to form and a ear piercing scream comes from his little body. He to had been stung by the buzzing insect.

I rush over and pick him up and inside we go where I try to nurse him and apply ice but he was having no patience with me. He wants the pain to stop. I quickly call Farmboy to come and assist me and bring something to kill buzzing insects. My knight in shining Dodge pickup shows up and takes care of the buzzing insect (which is now a confirmed wasp) nest and evaluates Lil Hoff. We can tell he had been stung on his face and this is what he sees.....

The poor kid's ear is swollen up and turning red.

Please disregard the white substance on the side of his face. It is a mixture of baking soda and water to help calm the pain.

After about a 45 minutes, the worse was over and everyone calmed down. There seems to be no allergic reaction and by the next morning all the swelling had gone down. Without the redness and swelling I could tell he got stung in his ear and on his face. TWICE! They must have known he would be a tasty treat.

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Boys round here

So I have been getting some flack about my blogging consistency and to those of you who thinks its funny to pick on the under dog, the one who is trying to work and make a home and be the best mom she can be I would like you all to know that I have taken it to heart and I will work on blogging more often. Hopefully AT LEAST once a week. Will that satisfy the need?? I know I am in high demand :)

So on this big occasion of breaking out the blogger and dusting it off I shall share with you all the latest craze in my house and that is daddy's boots. I don't know why my son feels the need to always drag his daddy's boots out and try to put them on all the while losing his balance and falling down just to get up again and try it all over again. Also I should mention that this whole time he is saying "boot, boot, boot" over and over and over again. There must be something magical about daddy's boots. This particular night though we had success putting on daddy's boots. Both of them!

And we parade around.....

These boots are the same ones that my very favorite friend who also happens to be photographer (I like to think of her as my family's personal photographer. It makes me think that I am a high roller) asked me when Lil Hoff was only 9 days old to bring them to his newborn photo shoot and we would photograph Lil Hoff laying in it. Well when he was only 9 days old he was too big or the boot was too small or he was too awake or whatever the reason it did not work, but now he is successfully wearing the boots.

When you live in the woods (and not a high roller) this is perfectly acceptable photo. Just a country boy hanging out in his diaper showing his guns and boots on the wrong feet. Sigh.....

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18 Months

78 weeks
546 days
13,104 hours
786,240 minutes
47,174,400 seconds

That is how long Lil Hoff has been alive

nano second

That is how long it seems

In other words. This little fella is celebrating 18 months old today.

Words he says:

Soos (shoes)
ffff fffff (fluff fluff)
esss (Reese)
Ma Ma
Nana (Grandma or Banana - not sure which one when he says it, if he points to a banana then I know)
mo (more)
bye
ello (hello)
momo (once again, dual meaning with elmo and mickey)
anki (blankie)
mamil (my milk)
ball
trator (tractor)

You eat EVERYTHING!! You are even starting to eat more fruit like strawberries and apples.

You still sleep soundly through the night (thank goodness)

You love bath time and go running when you hear the bath water start

You and Roscoe are best friends. He loves you because you feed him whether off the tray or out of you snack cup. You love him because he chases after you and licks your hands

You love a gator ride with daddy when he buckles you in you still so still and go along with for the ride.

You love being outside and fight me when I make you come in

You are interested in everything and love to watch things and figure out how they work.

You have been amazing for me and your dad and we love you very much.

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High in the Sky

One glorious warm and sunny Sunday not so long ago we went kite flying at mom and dad's. Now at this point I have to admit that I have a pretty short attention span and as my husband is always quick to inform me I like shiny things and are easily distracted by them. So I might have to take some of the responsibility of the following story. As Lil Hoff did not want to fly a kite. We tried, we really did. We headed out with our kite and big hopes.

But then the distractions happened

A trampoline.........

and a toy........

and something shiny this way.....

 and something shiny that way.....

and other people's kites.......

and the gator!!!!!.......

Hold on daddy we are coming back......

Nope, never mind daddy. Bubbles.....

And eating bubbles......

and Mommy........

And as you can tell by Farmboy's face a fun filled kite day was had by all









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Big Top Adventure

I had hopes, I had dreams, I fantasized, that I would be able to take my two boys to the circus and that we would have a good time and that I would watch Lil Hoff light up at the lights, and noises, and animals. That I would feel like I had won the "Mom of the Year" award when we left, because I  had created the perfect night. Oh, how I had hopes.

Then reality slapped me in the face, and made me realize that I have this guy to contend with. (my hopes had not been crushed when this picture was taken)

This little guy didn't like the circus, didn't like the lights, didn't like the noise, and did not like the animals.

We tried, we really did....

But through the lions, clowns, elephants, and acrobats, he was not having it. What he was having (and I list in no particular order)

- Fits

-Rage

-Fits with rage

-Hungry fits

-Boredom fits

-Confined to tight quarter fits

-Upset that the boy behind us has Doritos and he does not fits

-Mommy won't let me play with her camera fits

-Mommy won't let me tear my book up fits

-Mommy in general is making me mad fits

-Mommy won't let me run away fits

-Mommy is trying to hold me fits

-Mommy is handing me off to daddy fits

-Daddy is no fun fits

-Mommy is ignoring me when Daddy is trying to give me back to her fits

and the cycle continued until the ring leader announced that we will be dismissing for a intermission. Oh glorious intermission when the crowds parted and we bid our good bye to the circus and mom's hopes, dreams, and fantasies.

Althought I did get to see a elephant AND Farmboy and I treated ourselves to ice cream afterwards. We felt like we deserved it. So overall not a complete loss.

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