I think we may be really dumb. WHY would you stay anywhere where electricity could go off at any time and toilets not work and water not be available??? I'll tell you why: because you're an idiot. Yip - that means I am one of "those" (an idiot) that is sticking around for Ike. Actually, I think almost everyone I know including friends, neighbors and family are staying put, but I've never been one to follow the crowd. Every inch of my soul says to LEAVE; not because I am afraid of the actual storm, but because I am afraid of losing power and water. (Hello? Have you seen the radar pictures???) Unfortunately, it's not that easy to leave. Wait. I take that back. It is easy if you don't mind sitting in "Rita Traffic" for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours with two young children which would then cause you to go insane, rip all your hair out and bang your head against a wall. Kerry and I swore we would never do the "Rita Traffic" again which is a main reason as to why we are staying here. Have you seen the traffic reports tonight?? Holy moly! NO WAY could you PAY me to get out there in it. As Ike gets closer, however, my insides are shaking a bit as I have never been through a hurricane. I find myself wishing I was Samantha (not "Genie" - thanks, Jess) on "Bewitched" and I could blink my eyes really hard one time, and with a nod of my head (or is it a crinkle of my nose??), we would be in Granbury where I would feel safe. There are long lines at gas stations (there's lots of honking), grocery stores are swamped, traffic is pretty heavy, the news is on 24/7 as opposed to "Grey's Anatomy" and other fun shows, and schools and businesses are closing. As a matter of fact, both Grant's preschool and my school were cancelled for today AND tomorrow. Despite all this mayhem, "natives" to the Houston area are not scared - at all. This would include my husband; hurricanes don't frighten him in the least. As you could imagine, that little difference of opinion between us has caused some "loving" friction in our house today. Kerry thinks it will be no problem at all, and all I can see in my mind's eye are trees flying through our windows due to the predicted 100 mph winds, water lines bursting, electricity being out for days, and being stuck in a house without air conditioning with two small children until the cows come home. I should take comfort in that, as I mentioned, almost everyone is staying here because they think it really won't be that bad. What exactly do they not understand about the statement, "100 mph winds"???? Sounds pretty bad to me...
Anywho, due to my panicked state, I have been getting ready for Ike for 24 hrs now.
So far I have done the following to prepare for Ike: helped a few neighbors carry heavier outdoor items to their garages, purchased lots of diapers, filled my gas tank, done LOADS of laundry, placed everything that lives on the back porch on their sides (iron table, chairs, sandbox), taken the wreath off the door, brought in welcome mats and other outdoor decorations, saved lots of ice, got prescriptions refilled (especially asthma stuff), cleaned the house (dusted, vacuumed, shined, wiped, scraped, fluffed and mopped - my house is sooooooo clean), done three loads of dishes, made several lists of what to do when Ike gets closer (fill bathtubs with water, fill washing machine with water, fill other large containers with water, get candles, flashlights, cash, cell phones charged, plan meals) and packed up the kids and myself -oh, and the dog. That's right: I've been packed and ready to G-O since 11:00 p.m. Wednesday night which was when I learned Ike was turning towards Galveston/Houston. Never thought I would still be here at this point...
So far Kerry has done the following to prepare for Ike: picked up his dry cleaning, taken a nap and made a short trip to the grocery store.
I swear to goodness: if I did all of this work for nothing and Kerry comes out looking like the genius in all of this, I am going to be really...well...ticked. Mark my words though: if Ike ends up being as bad as they are predicting he will be, I told Kerry I get to sing "Told ya so! Told ya so!" for a year. I may even add a little victory dance to the routine.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Ike is not taking a hike!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
We're still here!
It's been quite a while since I last posted, so although there is not much to report, I did want to share a few videos and pics taken over the last few days. I am sure they will make the grandparents' day!
Rhett's Newest Tricks
Who's the couch potato in your family? Rhett is ours...
He's proud of it, too:
Baby-proof dishwasher lock needed: 
Pucker up! Rhett now gives sweet open-mouthed-baby-kisses that make your heart melt.
This is a video of Rhett portraying an elephant; one of his favorite animals. You have to wait 'till the very end, but he lifts his arm (the elephant's nose) and trumpets.
Gee whiz! Talk about a temper!! No doubt he's got Martin in his blood. Does anyone else get the idea that he does not want to perform as an elephant in Mommy's Talent Show any longer? He got in trouble for this one. (it's really funny though) On the bright side, he's got a good arm. Look out Astros; you've got a new pitcher coming your way...
High-fives are great fun. Rhett saw me give Grant a high-five the other day in the car, and he wanted in on this "allowable hitting" game as well.
Grant's Turn
Looks like Grant loves Jesus and God after all... (little inside joke for the fam) As we were sitting on the couch talking tonight, out of the blue Grant looked at me and said, "I like Jesus and God." It was so sweet I asked him to say it again so I could get it on video.
Gramma told Grant to smile for the camera and look handsome. He looked at her and said he already looked handsome... I'd agree to that!
Until next time, take a hike, Ike!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Girls' Weekend
HOORAY for weekends without kids! A group of us gals spent the weekend in New Braunfels to celebrate Alicia's 30th birthday while the hubbies got the kids. We enjoyed shopping at the outlet malls, eating, gossiping, eating, attending a Cory Morrow concert, eating, staying up late giggling and eating!
It does a girl's heart (especially a mommy's heart) good to be able to get away and be... ME. Sometimes I think I will never get "me" back since every bit of me is used up by my kids by the time I go to bed each night. Weekends like this, however, remind me of who I am, my "Amanda" bucket is refilled, and I'm ready to take on the world yet again.
Here's to next year: Alicia, Emily, Jennifer, me, Laury, Lisa, Carrie, Erin, Kandy, Courtney, Shaye, Micahand Angie. (Shaye, Micah and Angie are not pictured but are still loved!) The theme has already been chosen and there will be shirts commemorating the event that read: (front of shirt) All I know is... (back of shirt) we're in Canton! Nothing like a little inside joke to keep you smiling.
theme and shirt design by Micah and Amanda 
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Grant is driving!!! (and other random happenings)
Well, not in the sense that brings fear to your heart as you read the title of this post. He IS driving the "car of his dreams", or what would be equal to a four-year-old's dream car. Thankfully he can't go faster than a slow run, so we're all safe.
I am a new HUGE fan of Craig's List. Forget ebay - Craig's List is INCREDIBLE! It was so easy to contact the sellers, and the actual buying was done in person as these people live near you - it was a great experience. Anywho - check out Grant's new "Craig's List jeep"! Grant has been
B-E-G-G-I-N-G for a jeep for months. One of my biggest downfalls (I guess I get it from my dad) is that I want my kids to have whatever they want - to a degree. And although Grant has wanted a jeep for upteen million years now, I just could NOT bring myself to buy a brand new one (they run between $300 - $400). What if he gets sick of it quickly? What if it didn't run well? What if charging up the battery was a HUGE hassle? With all of these valid concerns, I decided to hunt down a used one; it's been quite the challenge. Craig's List came to the rescue as I found this used one being sold by a (very sweet) local family for $50. Hello!!!!???? I just saved myself at least $250. Yip - I gave myself a pretty big pat on the back for that one.
Oh, and Grant LOVES it. He cherishes it about as much as I cherish my alone times on the couch with a chocolate something, a cold DrPepper, and an episode of the "Golden Girls" while snuggling up with a blanket.
Grant loves pretending the jeep is having battery problems so he can "fix" it.
Rhett enjoys s-l-o-w rides. If Grant goes too fast, Rhett wants out! He's no fool.
This is Grant's recent contraption. WHY can't he "build" these things outside?
Here is a picture of Grant putting away all of the glasses he took out of the cabinet. I caught him loading them up in his fishing net, and then placing them on the counter. Not one of his best ideas, but it certainly was creative.
Grant and his buddy Stephen enjoying a ride at Chuck-E-Cheese.
Grant "driving" Pops' boat.
Grant and Rhett playing in the rain at Mimi and Pops' house.
Pops and Grant using their tools...
And ending on a sweet note: Pops and his grandsons. (Guess what??!! Grant's blankie as seen in this photo is LOST! Hooray! No more pictures of Grant smelling his blankie!)
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Rhett's New Tricks & Grant Gets "Pushy"
New word: Rhett saying, "Dude-Dad." ("Dude-Dad" is what the boys call Kerry's dad.)
Introducing Rhett's newest trick: a (cute) fake sneeze. Bless you!
Rhett saying, "Dude-Dad" and Push #1... (Good luck trying to ignore CRAZY Grant in this video. He gets WAAAAY out of control from here on out. Get the Advil ready. Consider yourself warned.)
Push #2...
Push #3...
Push #4...
No, Grant is not allowed to knock Baby Brother down all day.
Yes, I am a bad parent for taking videos of it. (but it IS funny)
Yes, Grant got in trouble.
Yes, someday Rhett will be bigger than Grant, and Grant will get what's coming to him. At this point, Grant does not seem scared.
No, Grant has not been diagnosed with ADHD although I can see why you might assume he has been... ha ha
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
A True Boy? A True Texan? Or Both???
On our way back from Granbury yesterday, I pulled over in Hearne so Grant could potty. Because I am a germ freak, and because it is such a pain getting Rhett in and out of the car seat (surely it's similar to trying to put a monkey or octopus in a car seat), I usually just pull over in somewhat of a hidden-from-view area and let Grant pee there instead of a dirty convenient store's restroom. So, as to routine, I parked next to a shed behind a restaurant (the Dixie Cafe) that offered plenty of privacy and Grant willingly got out to do his business as he felt the bathroom location I had chosen would suffice. However, instead of peeing on the ground as usual, this time he peed on the side of the shed for whatever reason. (That is obviously a guy thing.) Anyway, when he was done, he pulled up his pants and said proudly, "Look, Mamma! I tee-teed in the shape of Texas!" Sure enough, there was a rough outline of the shape of Texas mapped out in pee on the side of the shed. Oh, to be a boy! Oh, to be a Texan! Oh, to be that lucky shed!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
What has gotten into me?
Let me start by saying that yes, my dear friend Shaye, I will oficially agree that I blog a LOT. ha ha
Talk about wild emotions tonight! What is the deal? The strangest things touched my heart tonight, and I gotta say I truly feel like a dork because of it. I mean really, they are STUPID. But like my mom always said, you can't apologize for the way you feel. So, I've taken that bit of advice and am trying to figure out where to "place" these odd emotions I'm experiencing since that's what us girls do. Normally I would most likely talk to Kerry about all of this, feel better and go on with my night. Unfortunately for you though, he is at a business dinner, so you get to be my listening ear tonight. Get comfy.
It all started when I was packing up some of my maternity clothes to send to my best friend of 27 years, Marijon. She is about 4 months pregnant with her first baby, and we are soooooooooo excited. I think she and her husband Rance have been married for 10 or 11 years, so this is news I have been waiting for for... well... 10 or 11 years. Now that baby Pernell is on its way, I am loaning LOADS of maternity clothes to her. When I say LOADS, I mean L-O-A-D-S. Since both of my pregnancies occurred in different seasons, I have all sizes for all seasons. This means Marijon is set. And this is good. I am MORE than happy to loan her these things as I know I can trust her with them, (LOADS of them) and I can think of no one I'd rather loan them to. Well, not true. I'd also like to loan them to my sister, but she is not pregnant. :( Hint, hint, Jessica and Josh... Anywho, despite my desire to want to send these clothes to her during this special time, I actually started crying while packing them up for her. How crazy is that? It threw me completely off guard. (For those of you moms out there, I would almost compare it to the feelings you get when you box up or give away your child's baby clothes. It's hard, huh??!! It even hurts a little. Big difference though: baby clothes are little, not big like maternity clothes.) For my own sense of relief, I'd like to try to explain why I feel this way to prove to myself (and Marijon) that I am not insane. First of all, I am so excited Marijon is pregnant, and I am thrilled to take some small part in this life changing event with her. We played baby dolls and mommy and school for years together growing up. Now, we will both actually have our own kids; something we both have always wanted. So in a way, I think I cried because this is special. Very special. Second, as I fingered through hanger after hanger of the "maternity section" in my closet, so many pieces brought back "pregnant" memories. If you know me at all, you know I HATE being pregnant. It is the WORST thing that can happen to me, and I loathe every second. This is why I was surprised to find so many happy emotions attached to each article of clothing. A green dress reminded me of Rhett's baby shower, and some ugly grey outfit reminded me of how miserable I was at the end of my pregnancy with Grant and how I couldn't wait for him to finally get here so I would not feel miserable anymore. These pants reminded me how surprisingly spunky I felt one day between multiple pukings. A certain shirt reminded me of the day I bought Rhett's nursery bedding. I guess I could sum it all up with the statement that the maternity clothes represent a very special, exciting (yet very miserable) time in my life. I feel so lucky to be a mom. I LOVE being a mom. It's all I've ever wanted; and I am a mom x 2!!! How blessed I am. (and how dorky I sound) What a weird thing to make me feel lucky about being a mom. Who knew I would go into my closet tonight and have memory after memory race through my brain (and heartstrings) while packing up maternity clothes for a dear friend???? I learned something tonight while folding each piece and placing it gently in Marijon's box: Can I comfortably say I'm done having kids?? What a huge question. I guess I had figured we were probably done having kids, or at least I was done having kids. Kerry really wants to adopt a baby girl from Russia, and I really hate being pregnant, so I think I've been thinking I'm "done". But stepping over to the maternity side of my closet tonight was, in a way, exciting, and now I'm thinking maybe we should have at least one more. Having a new baby is the most exciting thing a woman can go through, and I hate to deny myself (and Kerry) that happiness for a third time. I can't believe I am saying that. And if you know how sick I was with Rhett, you are probably thinking I am smoking crack right now to be saying this, but it was hard to think that I was sending away my "special clothes", and that I might not ever need them again. As I was folding up the last bit of clothes, I felt the need to call Marijon for comfort and a quick slap of reality. I hope I did not make her feel bad about lending her my clothes. She did not ask for them - it was all my idea. And I'm glad to do it; really, I am. I would have LOVED to have been able to borrow maternity clothes from someone, so I know how much she appreciates this. But I guess I wanted her to know that crazy me was getting a bit emotional over this, and I needed her to remind me they are just clothes that she will return to me. And, she did. I am sure that as soon as she hung up the phone, she probably looked at Rance and said, "She's lost it. I mean, she's really lost it this time!" She certainly has the right to do so because like I said, I surprised myself with all of this. It was random to me; I can't imagine how random it was to Marijon. We talked, and I do feel much better. Now what to do with these baby #3 feelings...
All of this led to my next crazy emotion: How much do I love David Hasselhoff??!!! Did anyone else get extra teary while watching "America's Got Talent" tonight? That 'ole David is so sweet. He's the first to throw in a positive comment to cheer a participant up. He's quick with the thumbs up and the high fives and even the hugs! What a cutie. He's not much of a great singer of German music (ha ha, Garrett & Jessica), but ahhhhhhh, the world needs more David Hasselhoffs.
Well, I certainly feel better. I believe I've expressed my odd feelings in writing and I now feel lighter. I think I'm even typing spunkier now. You know, all of this probably has to do with two things:
1. It was a hard kid day. Both boys did not get up on the happy side of the bed this morning. LONG day.
2. School is starting soon, and I always get a little emotional and extra attached to the kids at the end of the summer - a sort of trying to appreciate-every-moment type thing. It's ridiculous because I only work two days a week, but still, I feel badly about leaving them; especially Rhett.
As Marijon says though, I'll get over it. She's right.
