Success at Last!

It's been a week, one week, and yet I have never been more pleaesed at the end of one. Backing up.....

The potty training has been going badly. Nothing we've done made a difference (treats, toys, reading, special trips to the "play area" at various fast food joints, time-outs, cold showers, even spankings!) until we took away his morning cartoons. Let me tell you, this kid loves his Disney Playhouse hours, there will be talk all day about OSO, Handy Manny, and, his favorite, Mickey Mouse. This worked for a couple days. Then he realized he could wait until after his shows to poop in his pants, his punishment would be set, and then he'd go in the toilet again right before bed bringing about the effect of his reward: being able to watch in the morning. We realized we were being played, and so we gave him a much bigger, better, exciting reward to work for. We told him that if he went in the toilet all the time we would take him to Mickey's clubhouse: Disneyland.

This whole week, there have been no accidents. He's still having trouble with cleaning up afterwards, but he is getting better. The difference this week has been huge! Not having to remind, remind, remind; not having to be the "bad guy" and punish, even though you hate doing it; not having to run the washer twice in order to get the smell out! And Dallas has been telling me the last two days theat it's time for him to go to Mickey's Clubhouse. We didn't think he would train up so fast, I guess we underestimated the power of Disney :)

Moving on!

This is the sight that met me upon returning to the kitchen. I'd just gone to let Josh now that dinner was almost ready, came around the corner and there was Dallas.....

That's not cheese. That's the shredded carrot that I was going to put on my salad. Not only was I able to get a picture, I even managed to get Josh out fast enough before Dallas made off with another two handfulls and decided it was time to go play. Honestly, if I had to catch him "in the act" snitching food.....I can definately live with this one!
Dallas got this for Christmas. It's a pretend shaving kit, and he loves it! Every time Josh shaves Dallas insists on going in with him with his own (not sharp) razor, and bubblegum-scented shaving cream. He's always very careful when "shaving" above his lip, and turning the "razor" around and dragging it forwards under his chin. Aww, they grow up so fast!

Hooray for STUFF!!!!!

I know it's not the "thing" to want stuff, but I think I'm in the clear because it was all mine to begin with!! All of it arrived Monday (Huge thanks to Mom and Dad M.! You're awesome!) and we finished unloading last night. Dallas gets really excited every time we open a new box, in particular the ones marked Christmas:) His favorite phrase while we were unloading the trailer was "good job putting it in the truck!" He's also had a lot of fun rediscovering all his toys, his dresser, his blankets and his stuffed animals--it's like Christmas came early! Josh is still sitting at his desk reacquainting himself with his computers, his games, his software, and those gosh-darned cords. I am wallowing in the wealth of appliances now occupying my kitchen counters: blender, mixer, popcorn popper, crock pot.....it's magical....

Here's an idea of the beautiful mess of our house

Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done but it's worth all the trouble just to have the convenience of it all back :)

The sweet, the good, and the disgusting...

My little sweetheart, taking an impromptu nap. I just could resist his cuteness. I just don't know how he managed to sleep that way...


An inspirational idea from Melinda (thank you!!). I made stuffed french toast...kind of. It's two slices of bread, both pieces covered in cream cheese and a dollop of strawberry preserves in the center. I used a pumpkin cookie cutter to seal the edges down (never mind it was a cute cutter), and cooked them up. I asked Josh to taste them before I took the picture, and I barely got to take it before he gobbled them up! I used the last of the cream cheese mixture to draw the pumpkin lines and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Very delicious!
What proper fall season would be complete without caramel apples? I admit to being a little disappointed because Dallas didn't want to help me unwrap them, I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to keep him away. Dallas also didn't want one once I was finished. Bummer! But Josh and I enjoyed them, and I can make more!

In search of somewhere new (we're trying new places to eat since it's so easy to fall back on your favorite places without trying anything different) we went to a Mongolian BBQ. I haven't been in years, and I don't know about Josh. It was good. We all ate with chopsticks, although Dallas had to give that up because he wasn't actually getting anything:( Josh and I especially enjoyed the egg drop soup (anyone happen to have a recipe for that?), but when we were nearly done, Josh decided to go around again (all-you-can-eat special). That's where the next picture comes in. I had beef and Josh had chicken the first time. But then he decided he wanted the seafood. When he brought his bowl back we realized this did not mean just some shrimp, crab, or calamari. No these were actual baby squid. I don't know what that other thing was, but suffice it to say we suddenly had an urgent appointment elsewhere. Yuck!

At Last!

As of an hour ago, I once again have internet in the house. Despite not leaving comments, I have been able to check everyone's blog and am completely caught up. And on that note.....

Dallas. Oh what word that has become. It really says it all. It's goes from a name, to a description, to an explanation, an expletive, and finally a reason in two easy syllables. I still haven't found my camera cord, so I don't have pictures of it, but Dallas's birthday went off splendidly. I made food--potato salad, jello salad, chips, dip, fresh watermelon, and burgers and dogs (ok, so Josh did the grilling). Josh invited a friend from work and his wife and their two kids and we all had a blast. There wasn't a set thing, and I didn't do games or an outside party (way too hot!) but we all sat together and a great time while the kids tore Dallas's room apart (really, isn't that why I cleaned it in the first place?). I also made a dirt cake which was a total hit! Dallas got a bunch of clothes, remote control dump truck and track hoe, movies (bee movie, Shark Tale, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Monsters, Inc.), Big Boy pants, and a cute lunch box. For such a small party he made a pretty good haul:).
However, he has also been given some brand new restrictions. It was a good morning. The weather was cooling off, Josh was at work, there wasn't a lot to do in the house, and Dallas wasn't in a mood. I took the opportunity to clear out some of the junk that had accumulated on the kitchen counter. Dallas made an appearance every five minutes or so, but only to run his cars on the floor, and was pretty quiet while in his room (rare occurances for any of you who have boys). I should have known something was up. When he hadn't shown his face for about seven minutes and I couldn't hear him, I decided to peak in and see what he was up to. So I did. His room was empty. I knew where he'd gone, though, he'd left me a clue: the open window with the screen pushed out. Oh, yeah. I panicked, ran straight out the front door, calling him, frantic...and he was across the street playing with a little boy who obviously knew better than to do something like this. I know that because said little boy was playing with Dallas through the rails of his patio, instead of climbing out his window. My heart having resumed it's pounding, I retrieved my little scamp, and explained very carefully (while squeezing the breath out of him) why we don't do
things like that. The new restriction: he now has an alarm on his window, a really loud one.

Josh is going direct! He's been a contractor for Aerotek for the last six months, this means he gets paid every week and only gets taxed on half of it. But it also means that the paychecks are stingy. Very soon, he'll be going direct with Bombardier (bom-bar-dee-ay), and get better insurance, more pay, better hours, more pay, and possibly be moved to a day shift. There are only two shifts there: 6:30-7:00. The am and pm are interchangeable. He's actually just been moved to days, as of yesterday, but because he's contractor now that may change once he starts direct. A little confusing, but when you live it day in and out you get used to it. Bombardier is the third largest aircraft maker, the first and second are Boeing and Airbus respectively.

We are also all looking forward to a visit from Josh's Grandparents next week. They winter here in Arizona and they'll come through Tucson to see us. We'll be spending Christmas with them too, no details worked out yet, but we get them all to ourselves this year and we're really excited!

On a side note, 'stupid' is not a nice word, why is it the one word I can't get Dallas to stop saying?

This is the longest post I've written in months, I'll do better, I promise, and I am going to work on getting those pictures up pronto.

SUPER!! AWESOME!! HOORAY!!

We have a breakthrough!!
Today, just a few minutes ago, Dallas went to the bathroom and pooped...in the toilet...without being told!!! We are so excited! I almost missed it, too; I saw him go in, he's been going pee just fine for a while now, and then I heard that distinctive *plop*. I got Josh's attention and we did a little dance and we told Dallas he would get a treat, whatever he wanted. (Dallas chose to have five oreo cookies.)
He didn't stay on the potty long enough and he's been having to go back several times, but he is going back!
Have I mentioned we're excited?!

We Made It!

Completely uneventful, nothing exciting, and oh-so-relieved to be here...finally!
We are all thoroughly sick of the car, and tired from the time change, and sunburned from teaching Dallas to swim in the pool here. I'd forgotten the sun was so intense out here, hooray for aloe vera!
We're still looking around at apartments, buying the paper, and living at the hotel, but we've seen some great deals in just going to the store and back, and we're very hopeful. I've taken some pictures, but the camera cable is missing right now, so....
I've found a great park nearby that's for dogs and kids, with the zoo in the same park and rose gardens, I think I'll take Dallas down there later this week, after I find my sunscreen again. (it's just one little hotel room! How far can that gosh-darned bottle have gone?!)

10...9...8...

We are down to under twelve hours now! Having overtime to cut, and desperate for a nap, I left early today. Being the shameful mom that I am, I'm leaving Dallas in daycare until the very last minute to get as much sleep as possible (he'll forgive me...right?). After I pick up my Bug, we're going to make a "Welcome Home" poster to take to the airport, I even got bright blue glitter for Dallas to dump everywhere. I'll try to take a picture of it before we leave, just in case it doesn't make it home; then I just have one laod of laundry and vaccuming left and we are ready!!
Dallas is so excited, he told me all the way to daycare this morning that he's "Daddy's Bug!" not mommy's.
BTW, we've moved up our move date, it will be this weekend, so this might be my last post before we get things set up in Tucson. I'll probably have pictures of this weekend, though, because it's Grandma's and Daddy Ben's 50th anniversary party, and we're supposed to be taking some family photos.
Wish me luck! I can hardly wait...

If I be good...?

Okay, there we were, driving down the road, almost home, when I tell Dallas that there's a surprise waiting at home.
"Guess who's at home," I tell him, trying to hide a smile.
"Gramma and Grampa!" I knew he would get it the first time around, but before I could go on to tell him he was right, and how much fun it would be, he continued, "And daddy?"
I didn't know what to say for a moment, then I rallied a smile and told him "no", that daddy was at work.
"If I be good?" my dissappointed son asked. I ask you, what am I supposed to tell him? Daddy's been gone for a while now, and no matter how often they get to talk, or skype, Dallas will ask every few days if daddy's going to be home. He even once demanded that Josh get on a plane and come back; he handed the phone back to me, crying, when Josh told him it wasn't possible right then. I can explain til I'm blue in the face that he has to work; that he wants to see us, but can't just now; maybe later when it's time to move; maybe we can skype tonight so you can see him and say I love you; maybe, maybe, if, when....they're all lousy excuses, and my little boy sees through every one. All Dallas can see is that Daddy is far away and needs to come back to see him.
On the bright side of that, Josh is actually coming home next week! He'll only be here for four days, but I'll bet that won't make much difference to Dallas, who will be only too happy to stay home from Ms. Kim's and be with his daddy instead. That weekend also happens to be Ben and Faye's 50th anniversary party. (Josh's paternal grandparents.) I have the honor of making the cake for the event, rather, I'll be decorating it. I'm very excited about it, even though I've been doing this for over a year now, and I can't wait to get started! I can see it all in my head, how the roses will be placed, the beautiful photos arranged...but I won't go on about it, I'll just post pictures when I've finished!
Back to Josh, we've decided to set some time aside for a little anniversary celebration, (it's five years now!) as well as seeing a movie (Shrek Forever After 3D), and probably some swim time. I know that I'm very excited about the whole thing, and I've been helping Dallas mark the days off on the calendar, so he knows when Daddy will be here.
Right now, Dallas is outside playing on his slip'n'slide, but we had a few incidents this week, where I would check, or, I admit, be completely distracted, and he'd run off. Now, he isn't running far, just to Aunt Sarah's next door. But to get there he has to go through a corner of the back field, which hasn't been mown, and very likely has snakes everywhere. He also isn't asking first, or if he has I've told him no. Usually I have a very good reason, the problem is getting Dallas to understand. Because Sarah is pregnant (see her blog for updates) and her blood pressure is up, I haven't thought that she'd want the extra noise-maker haning around. I felt like such a horrible mom, losing my son, and having to go bring him back home, not one but several times. I've tried to impress upon him the importance of asking first, and that he's not to go anywhere unless I'm with him, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to find more things to involve him in over the coming summer to keep him from dashing off. Sarah and I hung out this last Sunday and Monday--going to church together, going to the store, driving all the way downtown for her doctor's appointment, and we had a lot of fun. (I also followed her home and checked out her adorable nursery. All covered in butterflies, pink and green, little checkered things, cute blankets, tons of darling clothes...just the most perfect little room imaginable!) Esxtensive research on my part has also gone into finding the cutest thing for little Kaydence's arrival. While I'm making headway, I do believe I'll have to go shopping in every store with little girls' clothes in order to find just the right item. They're all just so sweet, and little, and...and...and Sarah is just going to have to put up with my "little girl splurges" until I get one of my own!
Oh yeah, my kid, the little escape artist, maybe I'll pick out one of those cheapie inflateable pools to help keep him distracted for the next six days....not that I'm counting!

Congratulations (grudgingly)...

I don't like graduation. Well, it was ok when I was the one taking the walk, but now all it means is a blizzard's worth of cakes. I don't think we've had fewer than 30 cakes for each of the last three Saturdays. Maria and I have been up to our ears in orders, and over our heads with the needed backup. Our individual overtime beats that of the rest of the bakery combined. To say that I'm tired of cake is an understatement, and the smell of frosting makes me want to lose my breakfast.
However, before i go off and bore you all, I'll tell you that Dallas is his normal bouncy, loving self. In fact, just the other day, I had a friend with me in the car when I picked him up from daycare. When we passed the turnoff for her house he asked if she was coming to our house; I told him she was, and he immediately responded with "I like you, Mommy!". I don't think I could handle all the work stuff if I wasn't able to come home to that little smile.
About Josh, we're still missing him a whole lot. Dallas is always anxious to talk to him when it's time for Daddy to call, although I have noticed that he talks less and less, more interested in just hearing Josh say that he loves him, and misses him. This has been just as hard, and harder, than I thought it would be. I try to distract myself with packing and find myself minutes later having packed nothing, merely staring at the items in my hands, remembering everything that has to do with Josh that's connected to them. I walk back and forth at Wal-Mart, to and from my breaks, and catch a glimpse down an aisle of a man holding hands with a little boy, or carrying one on his shoulders, and my heart jumps a little, only to fall all the harder when I realize how silly it was of me to think it might have been Josh. Only talking to him helps relieve the ache. I'm so grateful for this day and age where I can do just that, even though we are so far apart, and our schedules are contrary to the other's, knowing I can pick up the phone and hear his voice keeps me from getting too melancholy.
Soon, very soon, graduation season will be over, and we'll be able to see Josh again, and the world will be right once more.
Soon.

One is the loneliest number....

But two is a house full!

It's official. Josh is gone, and we've had no problems yet! Although, that's not saying a whole lot, seeing as he's only been gone about seven hours. Hmm, something tells me the drama with a certain Bug will start sometime tomorrow morning.

On a brighter note, I pulled out the pool and set it up in the yard. On a darker note, it has a slow leak and, even though I only filled it two hours ago, it is now mostly empty. Bummer!

Josh called not too long ago to tell me he was just outside Amarillo, TX, and he should be stopping sometime tonight, and when he does he'll call. (sigh) This day is lasting longer than I thought it would...

Ocean-Front Property in....

Arizona!!!
Well, of course it's not ocean front, but it is Tucson, AZ. Josh Sent his resume out last Wednesday, he recieved a reply on Friday that they wanted to interview him on Monday, and he accepted their offer. So, here it is Thursday, and I have only just sat down to tell you all this now because Josh needs to be there Monday morning (yes, this coming up Monday) and he's leaving early Saturday. This means that we have been calmy taking care of things like: pack his stuff, get a hitch on the truck, run wires for the hitch, nevermind! the wires are already there, where are those certificates? where are you going to stay? Mommy I want to go too, do you need more of this? measure the truck interior for the tool box, maybe we don't need a uhaul after all, more socks without holes, you can't go in that shirt, what are we going to do without you?!

Like I said, we are very calm about all this. But totally excited, too!!

Yes, Josh is leaving me, but I'm following in a couple months. After he gets himself established at work, and finds us a place, and after my transfer goes through (great not to have to quit and start over!) Dallas and I should be following round about end-of-June-beginning-of-July-ish. I'm getting ready, saving boxes from work and making lists of what I can do without right now and can easily pack away. For instance, I've already told Josh I'll be packing the dishes up and using paper and plastic instead. Dallas is helping by seperating his toys so we don't have to take them all with us. So many things to do!

Chris and Laurie have been a huge, enormous, gigantic help. All of Josh's truck-work and traveling assistance has come from them, I really don't know what I'd do if they hadn't been coming home this week. I can't imagine going through this without them. They've also given me plenty of talk-throughs about how it'll be over soon, and I'll see him again in just a short while; I am gratefully soaking it in because I'll need to be dishing it back out to Dallas in just a few more days.
Sarah is also a great help, offering her emotional support for when I have my really bad days and can't take it anymore. (I've already promised her that I'll end up at her house about a week after he's gone and sit at her table and cry over a dish of ice cream.) I am so grateful I'll have her to lean on during this; her advice and experience in the husband-away-working trial, and sister-ly hug whenever I need it will pull me up so I can be the best Mommy to Dallas, and most supportive wife for Josh. Sisters really are amazing friends.

I'm beginning to get teary about the whole thing, so I need to go focus on something completely inconsiquential...like which pair of flip flops I need to leave out of the box...

Tiers

One of these is not a tiered cake, not really. It's just a half sheet cut up and stacked. It's different because wedding cake, or tiered cake is defined by coming with the various items that make it so very pretty and elegant to display; and also by not being able to get it in anything except white cake (leastwise at Wal-Mart).

This other "stacked" cake is easier, and yet more difficult. Although it does not require the severe amount of smoothing that a wedding cake undergoes, it is intense in detail, and rather exhausting to make.
So, this is my first wedding cake (yes, I have only just been entrusted with one of them), and a stacked cake that Maria can do in her sleep, and is her contribution this time. The tiers are actually each two cakes stacked on top of each other. The colors are silver and black, and while not very pretty, maybe, are very striking together and make a nice setting.

Okay, here it is. LaNita has finally put up a post. No, pigs aren't flying....and no, H*ll didn't freeze over. Yes, I did just finally get up off my tush and do it.

Starting with the top and moving down in no particular order are some of the fun folks I work with at Wal-Mart. Not all of them were happy to have their picture taken, so I apologize for any bluriness in the photos.

This is Sue; she works in the back and processes all of the packages that come through via UPS or FedEx. she's super nice and calls everyone sugar.

This here was a stroke of luck. I had no idea that all of them were in here at the same time. Starting from the left is AM Lorenzo, Casey, Personel manager Sally, and Ebony. They do work hard, don't they?

Door Greeter Malinda is next and she is probably Dallas's favorite person. He always insists on stopping to give her a hug, and of course get a sticker.

Alice in HBA, relaxing in the break-room, playing a game on her brand new iphone.

Melissa is my next-door neighbor over in the deli. She is always willing to come over and "see" what cake we're working on, although she usually manages to walk away with a little bit of frosting having magically made it onto her fingers.

The handsome fella is Mike in produce on our other side. He wears this sweatshirt and hat every single day and his favorite pastime is to leave rubber snakes in the bakery for us to find.

This is also Mike in produce. Usually specified by being called Big Mike, being as he's...you guessed it, Big!Jennifer was kinda stressed when i caught her, she isn't usually this grumpy looking. But she has a wicked sense of humor; unfortunately we don't get to see all that often anymore because she was moved from deli to manager, and her new duties keep her pretty busy.


The rest of these are of some of my cakes. I meant to take more, but everytime I thought about it, I'd already written a name on it, and I didn't want any problems with that kinda thing.
So here's the several pictures of some of my work. Next time I'll get a good cake in, one that is more than borders and writing.

On a more familial note, Josh is still working his business, enjoying all the challenges that it brings, and glorying in the expansions we've managed in the last month or so. Dallas is growing up, if not out, and we're seeing more sock at the end of his pants than we used to. He's also learning at his father's knee. I mean it literally, as Josh is using some of his spare time to teach Dallas to drive. Yes, Josh is actually in control of the pedals, but Dallas can now successfully steer from Aunt Sarah's house to ours, with Josh only applying the gas and the brake. Complete and correct turns are executed with verbal explanations of which way he is turning and how far there is to go, both during the day and at night. Not long now, and he'll be legal to do it, too.

Mmmm, well, dinner calls my name, and my Bug is anxious to play outside afterwards,

Comp-Fixits

Josh here!
I have started a small business called Comp-Fixits. It is a computer repair business based out of our home. Computer technology is not only constantly changing, but also requires constant upgrading to keep up with the new technologies. Just when you think you have the latest, it is already obsolete. No matter how good the system there are always wrinkles needing ironed out, and sometimes Geek Squad just doesn't know enough (never mind that they charge exorbitant prices).
Check out my website and see how I can help you today!
www.comp-fixits.com

We have also pasted the link on the sidebar for future reference.

Father's Day

To all the Dads, Grandpas, and Almost-Dads....
Happy Father's Day!!

This year for Father's day, I decided that Josh's usual gift of computer games (his first choice) or tools (his second), Dallas and I would find a way to make him something that is ultimately useless, and at the same time priceless. So, I Googled.
I found a great craft that was not only easy, but also could be continually expanded for as long as we have kids and pictures. Or until he has too many.
Anyway, we made these out of the flat bottomed clear marbles, magnet buttons, and all those pictures I haven't found a way to use because I'm a lousy photographer.
First, I made the little picture magnets, and then made a collage of Josh and Dallas together, backing it with magnets as well.
(By the way, they are all magnetic because Josh can take them to work and stick them to his giant toolbox for showing off.)
Each of the little pictures was more trouble than I thought they would be, mostly because I'm not used to cutting things that are that small.
The best part about it all was that we managed to keep it from Josh entirely, he expected tools or some-such, so it was even more satisfying.