Ansley and Stephen play school quite a bit. Or I should say, Ansley tries to talk Stephen into playing school. He is much less enthusiastic about it than he used to be. He will end his time with Ms. Debbie in May this spring :( and will start K4 in August :(
Ms. Debbie has been so wonderful for all of us. I told Jamey we may have another baby just so I can go visit with Ms. Debbie every day.
A few weeks ago, as Ansley was trying to convince Stephen it would be fun to sit in the "desk" and listen to her teach him "long vowel sounds", he told her, "I'm going to wear my underwear to school!"
"What?" Ansley said. "You can't wear only your underwear to school. It is not allowed. Unless you homeschool"
"What is home-school?" Stephen asked.
"It is where you stay home and your mommy teachers you instead of a teacher at school." Well, that was enough to sell Stephen on the concept on homeschooling right there.
"Imma homeschool, Mama. Me and you. Ansley will go to school and I will homeschool, ok mama?"
Um.....I am pretty sure homeschooling is NOT in our future...of course, never say never, but it is not in any of MY plans anyway.
So we are trying to positively talk about K4 as much as we can! Stephen is ignoring us on each attempt. Oh well - we have time, right????
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
up in the ATL
It was a great weekend in Atlanta. Despite torrential downpours and figid temps, the Duke and Self family had a great time. Here are a few pictures of the trip:
^Disclaimer - I left my camera in Mobile - so all of these pictures were taken on my phone. So they are not the best, but they get the job done. Steve gave the kids their own cameras, so it will be interesting to see how those pictures turn out when we get them developed!
Ansley's doll Kit took a trip to the American Girl Doll Store Salon and Spa (Yes, you read that right - the DOLL went to the salon.) My mom and I were amazed such a thing existed - yet, it does. Ansley loved it. Honestly, I loved it too. Stephen? Not so much. He hit the brakes at the Pink doors to the store and flat out told the store greeter, "There is now way I am going in there." He was very happy to have his Grandad and Mamaw take him to the Disney Store...
Here is Kit at the spa....She seemed to enjoy the pampering. I know I would have. :-/
Ansley with her loot from the American Girl Doll store...
Ansley and Kit. Kit is sporting glowing skin from her facial and body scrub, and freshly styled new hairdo, and a new winter outfit.
Big Steve and Little Steve....
Ansley giving Stephen some love at the Fernbank musuem
Very impressive bubble wall by Jamey
Stephen and his uncle (for some reason Stephen decided to just call Luke "Uncle" instead of "Uncle Luke" which cracks me up
Ansley and Jamey touching the sting rays and sharks at the aquarium (which is AWESOME, by the way.)
Ansley sitting on some rocks. She was not excited about taking a picture...
A fish.
A White alligator.
A sea dragon. This is a daddy one and he is PREGNANT. Stephen had a VERY hard time with this concept. He looked at the lady talking like she was nuts. "I am glad I am not a Sea dragon, " he said.
D-Jo and Punky posing for the camera
Stephen and Jamey get up close to the giant sting rays
A very beautiful jellyfish. Looks painful.
Notice the weather? Yeah - it was like that 90% of the time. They were engrossed in a movie in this shot. They were waiting to show their excitement at our daily adventures for outside the car I am sure.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
So I quit facebook...
Really?
yes - i did.
And I will just say I know it sounds ridiculous. I went from being a constant facebook presence - to nothing at all.
I did this for several reasons, but definitely not b/c I think facebook is a bad thing. I think it is a GREAT thing really - but I was just on it too much. Plain and simple. I actually had my seven year old say to me, "Are you STILL on facebook?" I took that as a sign. Apparently I like to look for signs. My mom said this weekend, "Think the sun coming out is a sign? You always look for signs" about something we were discussing. I said, "Do I say that a lot?" and she said, "You do say it quite a bit."
So here is my confession - I was actually checking facebook while pushing my son on the swing last week. I mean, if that is not ridiculous, I don't know what is. Hello. My name is Lettie and I spend too much time on Facebook.
So here I am facebook-less again. I thought about giving it up for Lent. I thought about just taking it off my phone. But I knew what I had to do. Although I did have to google the steps in actually deactivating the account. And did you know facebook asks you about 3 times if I really wanted to deactivate? Yes. I am sure. I mean, I think so. Yes. Definitely, maybe.... yes.....
Do I miss it?
YES. I am not going to lie.But I am starting to miss it less. But mostly I miss seeing the pictures of friends travels, adventures, and kids.
I am not sworn off for life. Or maybe I am. I don't know. I can just answer for today. And today, I need to focus my time better. I need to have time to keep up with housework, cook, grocery shop with my girl with my full attention on her, play Uno Moo with my boy without my phone in my hand.
So if there is anyone out there who thinks I am officially nuts now, feel free to say so. I don't mind. I know I am nuts. Melia told me I could text her my status updates to help ease the pain...
So far, I have not had to take her up on it - but you never know....
:)
Happy Sunday night to all, blogging friends!
yes - i did.
And I will just say I know it sounds ridiculous. I went from being a constant facebook presence - to nothing at all.
I did this for several reasons, but definitely not b/c I think facebook is a bad thing. I think it is a GREAT thing really - but I was just on it too much. Plain and simple. I actually had my seven year old say to me, "Are you STILL on facebook?" I took that as a sign. Apparently I like to look for signs. My mom said this weekend, "Think the sun coming out is a sign? You always look for signs" about something we were discussing. I said, "Do I say that a lot?" and she said, "You do say it quite a bit."
So here is my confession - I was actually checking facebook while pushing my son on the swing last week. I mean, if that is not ridiculous, I don't know what is. Hello. My name is Lettie and I spend too much time on Facebook.
So here I am facebook-less again. I thought about giving it up for Lent. I thought about just taking it off my phone. But I knew what I had to do. Although I did have to google the steps in actually deactivating the account. And did you know facebook asks you about 3 times if I really wanted to deactivate? Yes. I am sure. I mean, I think so. Yes. Definitely, maybe.... yes.....
Do I miss it?
YES. I am not going to lie.But I am starting to miss it less. But mostly I miss seeing the pictures of friends travels, adventures, and kids.
I am not sworn off for life. Or maybe I am. I don't know. I can just answer for today. And today, I need to focus my time better. I need to have time to keep up with housework, cook, grocery shop with my girl with my full attention on her, play Uno Moo with my boy without my phone in my hand.
So if there is anyone out there who thinks I am officially nuts now, feel free to say so. I don't mind. I know I am nuts. Melia told me I could text her my status updates to help ease the pain...
So far, I have not had to take her up on it - but you never know....
:)
Happy Sunday night to all, blogging friends!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Timing is everything...
So I think January is the longest month EVER. I mean, I know it has 31 days which is the same or more than all other months - but it still feels so long. Christmas feels like ages ago. Our trip to Vegas for our anniversary seems like a distant sleep-filled memory....And surely it should be against the law to have 5 weekends in one month between paychecks...
We head to Atlanta next weekend for a long weekend trip. We are going to see Peter Pan 360 and I am so excited. This is the show Jamey and I saw in London a year and a half ago and when we saw it, we immediately said as soon as we could, we would take our kids. And as an added (BUT SECRET) bonus, Luke is driving down to meet us. They move to CO the next week, so we are thrilled we get to see him once more time before they move.
In other news, I managed to somehow forget to pay the water bill - so guess who had a cutoff notice on her door yesterday? I mean, who does that??? Oh wait - my mom. My mom who handles everything with grace and confidence has actually done it quite a bit. Sorry to out you, mom - but as I said to her yesterday, "I am my mother's daughter." So at 3:40 when I arrive home and have Ansley run up to me asking, "Mommy - what does this special note on our door say?" I proceed to throw the children into the car as quickly as I can and fly (I mean, drive with a rapid, yet legal, speed) to the Water office, which closes at 4. (And why do they close at 4???? can anyone tell me the answer to this?) to pay the bill. And how much can you owe to get your water turned off you ask? Well, I will tell you - aparently I owed $55 for one month and $59 for another month. But is that what I have to pay? Nope - Add those two together with another $55 for a "reconnect" and "processing" fee (Does it take the lady more time to take this payment than one made on time????) for a grand total of over $150 written out in a check as fast as I could in the world's smallest office waiting area packed with people who also are panicked at the idea of spending the night in a house with two children and NO water.
"Are you gonna tell Daddy about this?" Ansley asked while we were standing in line.
"Why, yes I am." I told her. "In fact, I am going to call and tell him right now so that he must go to church before we can discuss this particular incident. Timing is everything, Ansley. Write that down."
We head to Atlanta next weekend for a long weekend trip. We are going to see Peter Pan 360 and I am so excited. This is the show Jamey and I saw in London a year and a half ago and when we saw it, we immediately said as soon as we could, we would take our kids. And as an added (BUT SECRET) bonus, Luke is driving down to meet us. They move to CO the next week, so we are thrilled we get to see him once more time before they move.
In other news, I managed to somehow forget to pay the water bill - so guess who had a cutoff notice on her door yesterday? I mean, who does that??? Oh wait - my mom. My mom who handles everything with grace and confidence has actually done it quite a bit. Sorry to out you, mom - but as I said to her yesterday, "I am my mother's daughter." So at 3:40 when I arrive home and have Ansley run up to me asking, "Mommy - what does this special note on our door say?" I proceed to throw the children into the car as quickly as I can and fly (I mean, drive with a rapid, yet legal, speed) to the Water office, which closes at 4. (And why do they close at 4???? can anyone tell me the answer to this?) to pay the bill. And how much can you owe to get your water turned off you ask? Well, I will tell you - aparently I owed $55 for one month and $59 for another month. But is that what I have to pay? Nope - Add those two together with another $55 for a "reconnect" and "processing" fee (Does it take the lady more time to take this payment than one made on time????) for a grand total of over $150 written out in a check as fast as I could in the world's smallest office waiting area packed with people who also are panicked at the idea of spending the night in a house with two children and NO water.
"Are you gonna tell Daddy about this?" Ansley asked while we were standing in line.
"Why, yes I am." I told her. "In fact, I am going to call and tell him right now so that he must go to church before we can discuss this particular incident. Timing is everything, Ansley. Write that down."
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
PawPaw vs. The Bear!
Stephen, Ansley and I were riding to church this evening when Stephen says, "My pawpaw has a real bear cutter."
"A real what???" Ansley and I ask.
"A bear cutter." Stephen says. "To cut bears. I don't know why he has a bear cutter, but he better be careful, because Pawpaw is pretty old, you know."
A bear cutter??? Where does he get this stuff from?
Upon further investigation, Jamey's grandfather (Pawpaw) was showing Stephen some of his things back before Thanksgiving. Among the treasures shown that day several months ago : a batteyr charge checker (I have no idea what those are called) and a very large buck knife (is that what those big knives are called?) And before anyone worries that Stephen was running laps around his great grandparents house with a giant buck knife between his teeth, he did not actually hold the knife and it went promptly back to its out of reach location.
"Could that thing cut anything?" Stephen asked him.
"Well, I don't know about it cutting anything." Pawpaw replied.
"What about a bear?" Stephen suggested.
"Maybe so." said Stephen''s Pawpaw.
End of conversation.
This day in November apparently made quite an impression on one little boy I know. And I am guessing has had, for the past few months, visions and dreams of his Pawpaw (who he loves very much) bravely hunting giant grizzly bears in the woods with his "bear cutter" and bringing back the giant bear for MawMaw to cook up for all of the family.
"Pawpaw has a giant bear cutter." Stephen told us. "He really does, you know."
"A real what???" Ansley and I ask.
"A bear cutter." Stephen says. "To cut bears. I don't know why he has a bear cutter, but he better be careful, because Pawpaw is pretty old, you know."
A bear cutter??? Where does he get this stuff from?
Upon further investigation, Jamey's grandfather (Pawpaw) was showing Stephen some of his things back before Thanksgiving. Among the treasures shown that day several months ago : a batteyr charge checker (I have no idea what those are called) and a very large buck knife (is that what those big knives are called?) And before anyone worries that Stephen was running laps around his great grandparents house with a giant buck knife between his teeth, he did not actually hold the knife and it went promptly back to its out of reach location.
"Could that thing cut anything?" Stephen asked him.
"Well, I don't know about it cutting anything." Pawpaw replied.
"What about a bear?" Stephen suggested.
"Maybe so." said Stephen''s Pawpaw.
End of conversation.
This day in November apparently made quite an impression on one little boy I know. And I am guessing has had, for the past few months, visions and dreams of his Pawpaw (who he loves very much) bravely hunting giant grizzly bears in the woods with his "bear cutter" and bringing back the giant bear for MawMaw to cook up for all of the family.
"Pawpaw has a giant bear cutter." Stephen told us. "He really does, you know."
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Thoughts from the boy and girl this week...
Jamey prepared a wonderful pork tenderloin on the grill last night - we fixed our plates, sat down to eat, and Stephen says, "What is this?" pointing to the meat.
"It's pork" Jamey replies.
"Pork comes from a PIG!" Ansley adds knowingly.
And then a look of horror comes across Stephen's face. "From a real pig?" he whispers to me with his eyes wide and his forehead scrunched in thought. "Yes, baby. Pork comes from a pig. Remember how chickens give us eggs?"
"'But is the pig dead?" Stephen asks.
"Very dead." Ansley tells him laughing.
"What else comes from a pig, mommy?" he asks.
"Nothing." Jamey quickly said with a look to Ansley that dared her to utter the words "sausage" or "bacon."
She did not say a word.
We let Stephen look at his plate for a minute and then we encouraged him to eat.
"Dip your porkchop in your applesauce and it will not taste like a real pig." Ansley suggests to him.
This apparently satisfies him and he begins to eat his share of the "pig" Perhaps a vegetarian may emerge eventually :)
Ansley was reading her Community Helpers book to us in the car this afternoon. We listened as she read about fireman ('don't be scared of them" she tells Stephen), a policeman ("They don't just take people to jail" she adds) and finally a pastor.
"What is a pastor?" Stephen asks.
"You know, a pastor - like Pastor Chris from church - David's daddy."
"Oh yes" he says. "But what does a pastor do?"
Ansley replies, "A Pastor can be a boy or a girl. He shakes everyone's hand no matter what. And he tells you God is not mad at you forever."'
God isn't mad at us forever and pork comes from a pig. Big lessons at the Duke house this week. Lessons for everyone - big and small.
"It's pork" Jamey replies.
"Pork comes from a PIG!" Ansley adds knowingly.
And then a look of horror comes across Stephen's face. "From a real pig?" he whispers to me with his eyes wide and his forehead scrunched in thought. "Yes, baby. Pork comes from a pig. Remember how chickens give us eggs?"
"'But is the pig dead?" Stephen asks.
"Very dead." Ansley tells him laughing.
"What else comes from a pig, mommy?" he asks.
"Nothing." Jamey quickly said with a look to Ansley that dared her to utter the words "sausage" or "bacon."
She did not say a word.
We let Stephen look at his plate for a minute and then we encouraged him to eat.
"Dip your porkchop in your applesauce and it will not taste like a real pig." Ansley suggests to him.
This apparently satisfies him and he begins to eat his share of the "pig" Perhaps a vegetarian may emerge eventually :)
Ansley was reading her Community Helpers book to us in the car this afternoon. We listened as she read about fireman ('don't be scared of them" she tells Stephen), a policeman ("They don't just take people to jail" she adds) and finally a pastor.
"What is a pastor?" Stephen asks.
"You know, a pastor - like Pastor Chris from church - David's daddy."
"Oh yes" he says. "But what does a pastor do?"
Ansley replies, "A Pastor can be a boy or a girl. He shakes everyone's hand no matter what. And he tells you God is not mad at you forever."'
God isn't mad at us forever and pork comes from a pig. Big lessons at the Duke house this week. Lessons for everyone - big and small.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Good News
I have not posted anything in a month! A month??? How can that be? Well, my excuses range from 2 kids birthday parties to finishing up work, to flying to NC, to driving back here, to flying to Vegas, to flying back (via Minneapolis) and then the onset of Christmas. I have lots of good pictures - but I can't get them off my camera b/c my cord is missing. "Where is the last place you used it?" Jamey asks me. Um, if I knew that - it would not be lost. So he gets no helpful points from the couch this morning.
My dear friend Kelly asks on her blog this morning - what good news do I have to share? So here goes:
1. The kids biyearly trip to the dentist revealed Ansley is cavity free and she has her permanent molars. We will not discuss the results of Stephen's visit as his results are neither physically or financially good news. Poor man.
2. We had a great time in Vegas. It rained and rained and rained and rained. And guess what? The streets and sidewalks there are absolutely not designed for more than a centimeter of rain at a time - so flash floods were the weather highlight of each day. But we did indeed celebrate 10 years, had lots of fun and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for him. A Great husband and father. And a great son and son in law.
3. Still off work for 5 more days. This is good news, right?
4. Christmas was great with my brother and Sara here - we ate and opened presents and ate and opened presents. We were just glad to all be together.
This is all the good news I can think of at the moment b/c all I can think about is where that stupid camera cord is! Ack!
Happy Wednesday everyone!
My dear friend Kelly asks on her blog this morning - what good news do I have to share? So here goes:
1. The kids biyearly trip to the dentist revealed Ansley is cavity free and she has her permanent molars. We will not discuss the results of Stephen's visit as his results are neither physically or financially good news. Poor man.
2. We had a great time in Vegas. It rained and rained and rained and rained. And guess what? The streets and sidewalks there are absolutely not designed for more than a centimeter of rain at a time - so flash floods were the weather highlight of each day. But we did indeed celebrate 10 years, had lots of fun and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for him. A Great husband and father. And a great son and son in law.
3. Still off work for 5 more days. This is good news, right?
4. Christmas was great with my brother and Sara here - we ate and opened presents and ate and opened presents. We were just glad to all be together.
This is all the good news I can think of at the moment b/c all I can think about is where that stupid camera cord is! Ack!
Happy Wednesday everyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
