Surviving 3 Sons... So Far: 2011-02-27

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Pete and Re-Pete

Life is never boring at my Zoo.

Today, I pulled up to the house around 3:45. As I was parking the car, a dog crossed the street in front of me. And it was my Bantley. He had slipped his collar or wiggled out of it. Either way, he wasn't wearing it.

I got out of the car and called him, and he just looked at me. He came a little closer, but then he bolted. And that isn't like Bantley at all. Heathen #2 went into the house to find his collar for me. He immediately came back outside and told me, "Mom, that isn't Bantley. Bantley's inside!"

Bantley is on the right.

This is the stray.

Can you believe how much they look alike? We coaxed the stray inside finally around 5 pm. None of us recognized him from the neighborhood. So we now have a house guest until tomorrow afternoon when I can run him up to the SPCA.

Right now, the three of them are having a ball playing together. Poor Duchess won't be able to move tomorrow. She's getting a little old for this. But at least Bantley has someone to keep up with him!

Costume Hunting in March

On Friday of last week, Heathens #2 and #3 came home and announced that they had to dress as their favorite storybook character on Wednesday of next week for school. Ummm..... okay.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to throw together two storybook character costumes for BOYS with almost no warning? It was definitely not a fun experience.

First, there were the discussions of (these are all my lines):
Who do you want to be?
That's not a storybook character. That's from a cartoon.
No, that's not a storybook character. That's from a movie.
No, that's a TV show.
(Repeat this conversation in your head for 3 DAYS with 2 Heathens who are NOT getting the picture.)

My mother-in-law did have a Peter Pan costume that would possibly fit Heathen #3. But I didn't have anything for Heathen #2. Finally, I went to the local costume store and spent an obnoxious amount of money on a costume for #2 and a fall-back costume for #3 in case Peter Pan didn't fit.

Here are the Heathens dressed for "Read Across America" Day:

Heathen #3 as Peter Pan

Heathen #2 as the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz

Heathens #2 and #3 at the bus stop on "Read Across America" Day

Pink Vest Guy

I've always known that I'm married to a very social guy. I've always known he has a good heart. But I love it when drunk women take a shine to him and he's too nice to escape them!

Saturday night was the Pink Ribbon Ball. I had found "the" dress the Thursday before, we rounded up another couple to go with us, I had found a sitter at the last minute, we were going to have a great time!

The Asst. Zookeeper met this lady in line for the bar and she just adored him. She kept calling him "Pink Vest Guy" (for obvious reasons). She was very polite about asking me if she could dance with him since "it is SO hard to find a man that dances. You are SO lucky. Are you SURE you don't mind?"

The Pink Vest Guy and his admirer

The theme was centered around birthdays and they gave everyone a hat. This is the only picture of the Asst. Zookeeper and his hat that I would publish. I have another one the simply SCREAMS "Madonna!"

Heather and I had a great time watching the boys dance and cut loose!

Dress Shopping

Last week, on Thursday, my mother and sister and I went dress shopping to choose a bride's maids dress for my sister's wedding in October. We found one! You can't tell very well from this picture, but it is a very nice dress!

Ali and I (in the bride's maids dress)

Because I behaved SO WELL while we were trying on dresses, Ali told me I could pick out an ugly dress to try on (which I love to do!). While looking for a really ugle dress to wear, I found this dress below:

"The" Dress

As soon as I put it on, I decided that I was buying and that the Asst. Zookeeper was taking me to the Pink Ribbon Ball that weekend. It was Thursday, and the Ball was Saturday night. We weren't going to go this year, but "the dress" said we were!

Gram Flys AGAIN!

On February, I put my grandmother in the car and headed for the airport. I had talked her into joining me on a weekend trip to Texas to see the newest Zoo addition! This was quite a feat considering that she had sworn she wouldn't EVER fly again. All I had to do was dangle a chance to see the baby in front of her, and she caved!

We spend a great weekend visiting my brother, his wife, and their new addition. When we arrived, Ozark was wearing his "My Auntie is AWESOME!" onsie that I had mailed him. (I have the same onsie in the next 5 sizes also, that way he can continue to proclaim how awesome I am.)

While Ozark was absolutely adorable, I think my grandmother may have been cuter. I had a great time watching her hold him and talk to him.

I know Gram was exhausted when I got her home late Sunday night, but I think she had a wonderful time. And so did I.

Gram and baby Ozark (her great-grandson)

His Auntie is AWESOME!

This is my favorite of all the photos I took that weekend.

Me and the Ozark!

Mom Broke My Nose!

This past August, I purchased a pair of black cowboy boots for Heathen #3 at the thrift store for part of a pirate costume. He fell in love with them and wore them practically every day since, regardless of the weather. They were starting to look pretty rough and he had slipped on the ice while wearing them several times. But they were his favorite shoes. The only day he would wear some other footwear was for church, or on school days when he had gym class.

At the beginning of February, as we were getting ready for school, he dragged out this beat up old boots (again). I told him that he should probably wear snow boots because it was icy outside. I was informed that he WAS wearing boots and they were his FAVORITE boots and it was NOT a gym day. He was polite, but he was firm. He wanted to wear the boots.

Fine - I didn't feel like arguing with a 5-yr-old at 8 in the morning.

It was then time to head out to the bus stop. Heathen #3 couldn't find his coat. We tracked it down in the laundry room. Then he couldn't find his hat. We tracked it down in his bedroom. Then he couldn't find his gloves. At which point, I'd had ENOUGH! I told him to put his hands in his pockets because we were going to miss the bus. And we headed out the door with him mad at me (cause I was mean!).

We were only at the bus stop about 30 seconds, when Heathen #3 slipped on the ice in his favorite boots. Normally, not a problem. However, his hands were in his pockets. So he couldn't catch himself as he fell.

So he caught himself with his face on the asphalt.

I picked him up off the ground and turned him around so that I could see him. He was covered in snow from head to toe and he was crying. I brushed the snow off of him in time to see the bridge of his nose start of puff up.

And at this point, the bus pulled up.

I put Heathen #2 onto the bus, and then put Heathen #3 into the car for a trip to the ER. I was not sending him to school so that the school nurse could call me to tell me to come get him.

When we walked into the ER, the triage nurse asked Heathen #3 what happened. He told the lady that he fell, because, "My MOTHER made me put my hands in my pockets. She wouldn't let me wear my gloves."

Definitely one of my proudest moments as a mother.

New Zoo Member

On February 8, the Zoo welcomed a new member. Bantley joined us from the local Humane Society. He's a great addition! Bantley is an 18-mo.-old Lab mix. He joins Duchess, who is a 6-yr-old Huskey Shepherd mix. They are getting along great, but they do squabble over who gets the first belly-rub when the Asst. Zookeeper gets home from work.

Duchess and Bantley

Belly Rub Time!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Groundhog Day 2011

For several years now, I've sworn I was going to take the Heathens to see the Groundhog. And every year, it just doesn't happen. This year it finally did!

The night of February 1, 2011, I packed the Heathens into the car around 8 pm and we headed for DuBois (it was the closest hotel I could find!). At the hotel, we were greeted with crayons and groundhog-themed coloring books for the Heathens. We arrived there around 10 pm and I let the boys buy a movie to watch on TV since we were having one of our "grand adventures." After the movie ended and lots of sleeping arrangement changes, we finally crashed around 2 am.

At 4 am the alarm rang! Normally, waking the Heathens is similar to trying to raise the dead. For once, they were up and ready quickly! The first huge hit of the day was the continental breakfast that was included with our room. We made waffles and had fruit salad. Then it was back into the car for the half-hour drive to Punxsy.

We were able to find parking at one of the shuttle stops and boarded our shuttle for Gobbler's Knob. It was still dark. As we pulled up to Gobbler's Know, the fireworks started!

Early arrival at Gobbler's Knob: approximately 6 am.

Because of the predicted snowstorm, there were only a few thousand people there to see the groundhog. The Heathens and I were able to get very close to the front and had a great view.

And for once, Phil predicted an early spring! (The link takes a minute to load, but it's great! And we were there cheering and chanting with the rest of the crazies!)

After the predictions, we stayed to have our picture taken with Phil. The boys had a great time playing in the snow waiting for our turn at pictures.

Bill Deeley is the President of the Inner Circle

Punxsutawney Phil!

After we had met Phil and had our photo shoot, we headed back into town for food! We ate breakfast at Punxsy Phil's Cakes and Steaks. At the restaurant, we finally found some good groundhog hats and we were able to buy some! After breakfast, the boys wanted to walk around Punxsy and see all of the groundhog statues - so we did!

Our favorite statue was the coal miner!

Our groundhog hats!

The Heathens made me promise to take their photo in front of this building.

We visited Phil at his home in the library.

The Heathens had a fantastic time! As we were driving home later that afternoon, the Heathens were already discussing about wanting to go again next year and what they wanted to see while they were there. Overall, it was a very successful day!

The "Junk" Professor

One of my favorite things with small Heathens is their inability to pronounce certain words. Heathen #3 definitely takes the prize for this one. He listens so carefully when people pronounce things and he pays attention to pronunciation. Usually he does a fantastic job. He was one of the only toddlers I know (along with his brothers) who could pronounce onomatopoeia correctly!

I took a new job (actually two) in January. I joined the faculty at UPJ and at Penn Highlands as an adjunct instructor. So far, I'm loving it.

The best part is listening to Heathen #3 tell people that his mother is a "junk" professor. Despite many attempts and lots of practice on his part, it just does NOT come out as "adjunct." At least I know I have a unique position!

Christmas's Greatest Gift: 2010

Ozark Rhys Ulerich

My brother, Rhys, and his wife, Michelle, received the world's greatest Christmas gift this year. Their first child, a son, was born shortly after lunch time on Christmas Day. I've never felt so far away from Texas as I did when I heard he was born. Congratulations to them and Ozark, welcome to the Zoo! You're automatically an honorary Heathen.

Christmas Pageant 2010

Everyone knows the traditional Christmas story. Everyone has seen a children's Christmas pageant at least once, if not MULTIPLE times.
Since I'm lucky enough to choose the pageant we do at our church, I decided to do something a little different. I found a play called Sleepover at the Stable and it was a pageant of talking animals!

Below are all my Sunday School kiddos in their costumes before the show started. They did a fantastic job!

The Reininger Girls

The Livingston

The Spontaks

Mr. Thomas

Ms. Miller

Mr. Miller & Mr. Toth

Heathens #2 and #3

The Updykes

The Rices

Mr. Gibbons

The Jabers

The Whole Ensemble!

Christmas at the Zoo: 2010

The Heathens had a fabulous Christmas. Not only did they get everything they wanted, but they spent the time with as much family as we could pack into two houses.