A little MOMS and ME(s) action

My friends Chrissy and Annie decided that they wanted to do an ALL girls camping trip. Originally we'd planned on camping overnight with all our kids. NO husbands. (since none of our husbands have schedules that would allow all of them to be able to come at the same time.)
That idea what nixed. Most the husbands felt uneasy about there not being a "man" there to protect us from all the crazys out there, the others laughed at the thought of us setting up the tents, making a fire, cooking dinner, taking down camp and watching our 13 kids all by ourselves.
So instead we decided to do a "day" trip. We went to a local state park where we all got lost (Except me. That's one bonus about being last. They all call you and tell you how to get there.) But most people would have had the same problem. It has a weird layout.
Once we all got there, we unloaded the kids, put them in their bathing suits and took a dip in the murky 80 degree lake water. The kids loved it.
One lady in particular (I'll let you guess which.) was afraid of the unnaturally warm and murky water, mostly because of what could be living and swimming in that murky water? But never mind the fact that she is from the OC and swims in the ocean with sharks???
Once we'd gotten the kids good and dirty we drove to the campsite, started a fire, (Thanks to Cheryl and Heather), put our tin foil dinners in the pit, ate all the side dishes while the main courses cooked, yelled at the kids: "DO NOT TOUCH THE FIRE! IT'S HOT AND IT WILL BURN YOU!!!!" Then yelled at them again when they each took a turn at. "who's kid can get hit by the wagon towing a trailer that has passed 15 times going 30?" All I can say is that I'd put my money on Tamara if I needed someone to jump in front of a moving car to save my life any day!
Once our dinners had cooked, we got out the 'Smores.


This was Liam's first time to encounter the art of roasting mallows, and turning that golden mallow into a a chocolaty gram delight.
He was super excited about the fact that he was finally allowed to get near the fire and, like his dad, burn something.
To be honest, I haven't had a 'Smore in over 15 years because as a child, they always made me throw up. Too much sugar I'm guessing? But I wanted to see if this was going to still be the case. And guess what? I was only mildly sick. Welcome back 'Smores welcome back!
We even set up a tent for the kids to play in. So there! I think we could all be boy scouts.


I think it was a total success except for the fact that my legs look like I have the chicken pox from all the mosquito bites, and the little red wagon is MIA. (I take that back, the ranger found it and needs its owner to pick it up. That'll happen.)
Thanks ladies! Lets do again. Maybe next time JUST the girls?

Where does the time go???

Can it already have been 6 months? I can't believe that our baby Owen is 6 months already. He is such a sweet baby. I'm glad I had him second, cause Liam demanded a lot more than Owen does. For the most part, he is content as long as he is either being held, or you are within close eye contact. People are always commenting on the fact that he is such a pleasant baby. To this I say Yes he is, most of the time.
He still doesn't sleep through the night. But occasionally he gives me a preview of what 7 hours sleep feels like, and it gives me hope.
Here is a slide of a day I took some pictures of him and Nate playing. there is also a video clip of him when he learned he had a tongue and could use it to make noise. (I'd lost my voice so that is why it sounds so weird.)
We always laugh because lately he has been sticking his tongue out for most pictures, sometimes I wonder if Nate is secretly having Owen watch old KISS music videos and calling him Gene jr.?
But every time Nate comes home from working in the NICU I count my blessings that he's healthy, happy, and a part of our family.
I truly feel like I am the "luckiest."

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

7-11-08

So what did we do on 7-11 this year? Well...
A friend informed me if you dressed up like a cow, and went to Chick-fil-a you received a free combo meal. WHAT FREE food you say? I'm there. I don't care what I have to do to get it either. (I reminded myself of the Jerry Seinfield Halloween stand up act follow this link if you haven't heard it yet. I laugh every time. We even have the book.
So I dressed up the kids and drove the 25 miles to the closest chick-fil-a (yes I know, I spent more in gas than the free food.)

On my way there, Nate called to see what I was up to. Here is our conversation.
Nate: Hey babe, whatcha doing?

Me: I'm driving to Mechanicsburg dressed like a cow to get a free combo meal at Chick-fil-a.

Nate: How old are you?

Me: (pause hmmm how old am I?) 28, but I'll do this when I'm 50 if it means free food. What are you doing?

Nate: I just got done helping deliver a preemie and am supposed to have another admit here real soon.

Me: You know you could be doing something a lot more exciting like dressing up like a cow, none of this saving babies stuff... Don't you wish you could come with us instead?

Nate: No. Hey, I gotta go, I'm being paged. (click)

Me: (as I'm hanging up the phone.) That's the story of my life.

I even dressed Owen up and we took his meal to Dada afterward.
I'd also planned on going to 7/11 to get my free slurpee, but that didn't happen. Next year. Next year.
That evening we went to listen to a local "Jazz" band for my dear friend Annie's birthday. I use "Jazz" becuase this band had obviously never been to New Orleans to hear what real Jazz sounds like.
That being said, it was still fun and the company was awesome. All in all, 7/11 was a great day!

Patriotic WACAMOA

So our fearless WACAMOA president (Ruth) graduated last month and moved on to greener pastures. We will miss her and the rest of our fellow WACAMOAer's. I know I've blogged about WACAMOA before, but for a refresh, Ruth started a brunch group with some of the anesthesia wives but instead of calling it brunch group,(cause that's a lame name), she came up with the title W.A.C.A.M.O.A. = Women Absolutely Crazy About their Men Of Anesthesia. So for the last couple of years, the anesthesia residents wives are known to be found every other Thursday at someones house, a park or even Chocolate World. We enjoy good food, (we all bring something to share), talking, letting the kids run free, talking, oh and did I mention talking? It's a great group of ladies and such a fun tradition.
This being said, I didn't want my monthly dose of talking to other adults vanish so me and a friend decided to take over the "President and Vice President" roles and keep the tradition going.
This week Molly hosted and since the fourth of July out here was wet, wet, wet. And since it's an election year she chose to do a Patriotic WACAMOA theme. We had it at one of my favorite parks.
The food and company were awesome. Molly makes a mean flag cake! Here are the pics.

Give 'em here Mama...

So my favorite Liam tale as of late are from church the last two weeks. Week before last, we got there late (when I say late, I mean 5 minutes early, but you have to be there 15 min. before the meeting starts if you want a bench towards the back, 10 for the middle, and you guessed it, 5 for the front.)
We were on the second row and Owen was getting all fussy cause he needed to eat. They were just getting ready to start the sacrament and so I decided to try and nurse Owen right there. I had my nursing cover and figured it was better that, than getting up and walking all the way back and across to the doors to get to the mother's lounge.
Owen did not want to cooperate (he no longer likes it when I nurse him with the cover on, he wants to be able to see what's going on around him.)
I got myself back together and placed the cover on the bench next to me. A few minutes later Owen is fussing again and all of a sudden I look over and Liam has put on the cover, pulled up half his shirt and has his arms out to me and say's "here mama, hand em to me."
Nate and I both bust up laughing and are trying to control ourselves since it's completely quiet with people who are trying to take the sacrament in peace and meditation.
Then this week I decided to bear my testimony since it hadn't been done in over a year. I walked up to the stand just as 3 other people did and I was last, so I sat down in one of the chairs to wait my turn. (we were once again on the second row, but this time front and center.)
Liam wanted to come up there with me but Nate told him no. Liam stands up and slowly starts inching his way up towards me. He has his arms folded. Thinking maybe no one will notice the kid with the bright white hair that almost glows gliding up to the stand??
He gets almost to the stairs when it's my turn, Nate stands up to grab him and he starts to scream, "MAMA MAAMAAA MAAAAMAAAAAAAA..." A friend takes Owen so Nate can take Liam outside to calm down.
See why I don't do this very often???

Happy 4th of July

We just wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th of July!
Corinne sent the boys these outfits. Thanks!!!
Hopefully the weather clears up and stops raining so we can see the fireworks.

Daddy Time

Owen was cuddling with his dad the other night and I loved how sweet they looked. He stayed like this for an hour, just playing with Nate's hands and cooing.

Ahoy!!!

Liam Loves to dress up as a pirate. He had me get out his pirate Halloween costume and then wanted Owen dressed up too! Don't they look fierce?

The Big Apple

So Nate's Mom Marie and Sister Amy were in New York for work a few weekends ago, Nate surprisingly had the weekend off so we decided to drive up there to see them and see some of New York. (Nate and I have only been there once before and it was only for an afternoon. We saw A LOT that day but so much that it's all a blur.)
We loaded the kids in the car and took some advice from a friend, to drive to Newark and then take the NJ transit in.
This would have worked perfectly if Google maps hadn't been off by 10 blocks. It had the station listed on the wrong street completely. But after driving up and down the wrong street 15 times, I finally saw some signs pointing us in the right direction. (The trip home went flawless and I too would suggest this route to anyone driving to NY.)
It was so fun to see family and to have four extra hands to help with the kids. I think Amy carried Owen most of the time. We had a stroller for him but she didn't want to waste anytime pushing him in the stroller, if that meant she'd get less time to hold him. I'm guessing she carried him for miles, and I know her arms must have been tired, but every time I offered to put him in the stroller she just kept walking. She definitely wins the best aunt award, and of course, Owen LOVED it!
We still want to go again cause there is still so much we didn't get to see. We are hoping more family members come to NY so we drive up and can see it all!
Thanks Nana and Amy for the great weekend. My boys were so spoiled, I'm not sure if they'll ever recover. Liam is still wearing his pirate hat and hook most days. I blame you for his new vocabulary of Arrgghh, Pirate captain Liam, and matey!