File This Under...

...life with a two year old!
I should have taken the pic from a different angle because this doesn't do the damage justice. I had just placed one of those jumbo triple rolls of toilet paper in there and Pickle unrolled nearly the whole thing into the toilet. I had to weed out the sopping mess into a garbage bag.

I have been feeling bloguninspired lately. I think because

A). I'm still feeling logy (one of my all-time favorite words by the way!) from that awful flu.

B). I haven't gone anywhere or done anything exciting, mainly because I'm trying not to spend money and if I hole up inside I'm less likely to.

C.) When I'm home, I'm usually cleaning non-stop to keep the house presentable for these dumb showings that never amount to anything.

D.) Poor Teddy finally succumbed to our family flu so I'm in vomit mode again.

Other points of interest:

1.) I'm seriously wondering if this flu bug we've all had could be swine flu!

2.) Even though I'm trying not to spend money, I've gotten carried away on a couple of Ebay auctions for really weird things like doll heads and scary stuffed monkeys. And a clown doll.

3.) I'm really getting sick of cleaning the house and don't know how much longer I can continue this. We've extended our offer to Mr. Howell for 90 more days--please send me quick selling vibes!! I just want to get out of here!!

4.) I'm worried that because Teddy got the bug so late in the game he might reinfect all of us!

One more thing--I took this pic today of a robin building her nest:

Patrick's Shoes

These are Patrick's shoes:
I know I should should throw them out...

But I'm keeping them in case I come across an ugly beat-up shoe contest because I know we would win!
Don't worry--we got him a new pair today--but he was actually walking around in these! I didn't realize just how far gone they were but I cringe when I think he was wearing these to school. And the really scary thing is if I hadn't noticed, he would have gone right on wearing them!!

Pickle Humor

Pickle tells this joke approximately 200 times a day:

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Nana! (she means banana).

Nana who?

Poo Poo!! (followed by hysterical laughter).

Be sure to try that one out on your friends and family!

You're welcome.

Sick

Ugh--this stomach flu is slowly killing me! It has steadily made its way through my entire family--except Teddy--somehow Teddy was spared?

It hit me hard yesterday in the form of an all over body ache--seriously ALL over. My scalp hurt--my eyes were killing me. Then I alternated between feeling freezing cold and sweaty hot--I kept turning the heat either way up or off. All this plus the general stomach bug stuff. It was a nightmare!

On top of this, I had three sick kids at home. I could barely lift Pickle up to change her diaper. Then Andy called from school to say that he had suddenly broken out in a weird rash that was spreading, so I had to go pick him up and take him to the doctor.

The doctor wasn't sure what it was, but I think it's some kind of post-viral thing.

Anyway, through all this, I just kept telling myself that if I could just make it through until Don got home I could go to bed. I was just barely hanging on...

About fifteen minutes before he was due home, Don called from his train and said there was some kind of trouble on the tracks and the train had stopped. He didn't think it would be too long though.

Then, about twenty minutes later he called back to say someone had been struck (and killed) by his train and that there were police cars and fire trucks everywhere. He had no clue how long it was going to take.

After awhile, I gave up and had to give the little ones dinner and get them to bed, plus pick Teddy up from a party. I was SO tired and sick that I just started sobbing.

The bottom line was that Don got home THREE hours late! Finally the train was allowed to move, but everyone had to get off at the next station and he had to take a cab home. I don't know what the deal was with the person that was hit--but I think it was a suicide. Very sad...

Now Don is sick, but everyone else is on the mend. I'm not perfect, but about a million times better than I felt yesterday.

Sorry for this whiny complaining blog!!

Vomit and Rabbits

Last night, the stomach flu took two more victims--Gooser and Patrick. Now Teddy is the only flu-free kid. My sister's kids also started vomiting last night so I've determined that the gymnastics party was probably the source of the illness. I've renamed the foam pit--it's now called the vomit pit! I only hope I didn't infect every kid in Gooser's class with that party.

So today has been a lot of cleaning up messes and serving up Motrin and Pedialyte.

Pickle with Pedialyte pop.

I think the worst is over now (I hope!) and tomorrow I'll just have to reevaluate everyone and see if they are ready to go back to school. I think Gooser and Patrick will probably miss another day though--neither of them were able to eat a thing today.

In other news, I finished a sculpture I've been working on. Remember the little bunnies?
A little closer:


I'm thinking of calling it the Rabbit Whisperer, but I'm not sure.

Another bunny-related news item: Dr. Hoppy is definitely a male. I, um, saw something...

On that note--better go do more vomit laundry!

Taking the Night Off!

The stomach flu has hit the Fun House. First Andy, now Pickle. Poor little Pickle--she doesn't understand and the throwing up is freaking her out. Also--who knew such a tiny body could spew so much? It never seemed to end. Luckily, by the evening, she was able to keep down some Pedialyte--so fingers crossed for a good night's sleep for her.

I have spent a good part of the day cleaning up vomit so I'm giving myself a break from my no t.v. watching and spending the evening with the Real Housewives of New York--though the housewives are semi-vomit-inducing. Could Simon be more of a creep?? He just bought his wife a burlap corset for seven thousand dollars.

I kind of feel like a slacker, but I'm not feeling so great myself...

Gooser Party

We had Gooser's birthday party over the weekend--but I was too out of it to deal with the pictures, but have finally got around to it. Here we go...

It was a gymnastics party and the guy who ran the show was somewhat...difficult (he was dubbed the Gymnazi) but the kids managed to have a good time anyway! Don got yelled at a few times though...

First things first--here is the cake. Did you have any doubt it wasn't going to be Batman!?
Here's Gooser doing some warm-up stretching:
And Pickle sort of falling off the mat:
They did all sorts of things--obstacle courses, trampolines, swinging, jumping, climbing...Here's Gooser in the balance beam:
Pickle mainly did whatever she felt like doing! This was really fun--a giant pit filled with blocks of foam. The kids got to jump or swing into and play around. I think this was everyone's fave!

Then it was back to the party room for cake. Here's Gooser blowing out the candles:
Cake Face #1:
Cake Face #2:
Goodie bags!!
And, finally, back at home about to rip into the presents!
If you were guessing he got a lot of Batman stuff--you guessed right! And surprisingly--not a single duplicate!

<

No T.V.

A no watching t.v. update: It's taking over my life!

Since I stopped watching t.v. it's amazing how much I've done--and the interesting thing is that the momentum of getting stuff done makes me want to do more and the result is that without t.v. I'm busier than ever!

It was so cute--today Gooser said to me "Wow Mommy, not watching tv. has really paid off for you." Then he said he wasn't going to watch t.v so he could get more artwork done. SO cute!

As I write this, it's super late at night and I've got these babies:
baking in the oven. They're part of a sculpture in progress that should be finished soon.

I also did this guy:
Keep in mind that is my first oil painting ever except for the still life that we started in class last week--so, not too bad for a first try! So far, he's only taught us to paint with one color, hence the monochromatic thing.

I started a pink one too, but Pickle put her own special touch on it:
Those are the pitfalls of trying to paint with a two year old around! I fixed it though.

I did take time over the weekend to catch the HBO version of Grey Gardens which I have been desperately waiting for. It was fun because I watched it with my two "Grey Gardens friends"--we're equally obsessed! My friend came to the door in full Little Edie regalia--it was HILARIOUS. I would share a pic but I think she would kill me.

Anyway, the movie was excellent, though I wonder how someone who wasn't familiar with the documentary would like it--I think they probably would. The acting was incredible--I would be surprised if Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange didn't get Emmys.

Better check on the bunnies in the oven--also the stomach flu seems to have arrived at my house tonight via Andy. Noooooooo! Let's hope it doesn't make the rounds!

Dr. Hoppy's Dinner?

Just when I had absolutely NO ideas for a blog post tonight, Dr. Hoppy comes to the rescue!

I have told you before that this rabbit is not normal. He (She? Still don't know...) thinks he's a cat or a dog, or a weird combination of the two. The second he is let loose out of his cage he heads for the dog dishes and scrounges around for any kibble remnants. Then he makes the rounds to any semi-accessible plant--even if it means jumping on furniture to reach them. The other day he jumped from the sofa to a table and knocked down a lamp and a phone so he could reach a hyacinth.

Tonight we caught him in the act!

Up on the sofa and ready for action:

Don't try to stop me, lady, or I'll shoot you with my laser eyes.
Sweet, sweet azaleas--come to the doctor!
Making a fast getaway...

Now please stop over to Candid Carrie's Foto Phiesta and check out her puppy before he grows any bigger!

Birthday Goose

First of all, thanks for all the birthday wishes for Gooser. He had a great day!

When he came downstairs this morning, Andy had decorated the kitchen with streamers and signs and had some birthday music playing.

Then later, Pickle and I took his birthday cupcakes over to school--Batman, of course.

Then he got to choose something from the "birthday box."
And Pickle got something too!
Here's Gooser eating his cupcake:

Pickle wouldn't sit down to eat hers because she wanted to play "Princess." Which meant wearing the plastic fancy high heels they keep in the dress up area.
When he got home his presents and Batman balloon were waiting!
He loved all of his presents which included multiple Batman toys.

Pickle appeared in the doorway looking like this:

Then later, we headed off to dinner at a fun Japanese restaurant where they cook at the table.

We encountered some geese in the parking lot and I told Gooser to try and pose with them:

Gooser and Geese

But then they started attacking! Did you know that geese hiss? I didn't, but I do now!

Killer Goose!!
Here are the big boys eating:
And Pickle having some soup. Japanese food is her second favorite food (bacon, of course, is first.)
And Pickle acting crazy in the booth:
Then on the way home we spotted a deer family! I pulled over to get some pics:
It was fun because we told Gooser that all those animals came out to celebrate his birthday.

And he did conclude that it was the best day ever!!