Thursday, September 26, 2013

Recipe For a Fantastic Day

Ingredients:
1 Carolena in a fabulous mood
1 Mommy in a fabulous mood
1 bout of "cool" weather
1 brand new finally finished deck in the backyard to spend the morning on
1 session of Toddler Time at the library
2 lunches at McDonald's playplace
1 nap for Carolena while Mommy watches HP and crafts
1 Daddy home early from work
1 baby big enough for Daddy to finally feel his or her kicks
2 Chipolte burritos for dinner

Mix all ingredients. Add sunshine and Disney music to taste. Enjoy!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Happiness Is

Happiness is...

     having Moom come over for almost a whole week

     two days a week in the Panda room

     the kid sized shopping cart at Kroger

     the large retro plastic snowman who has recently taken up residence in our garage

     getting to hold the "baby pumpkins" on the way home from the store

     coloring, stickers, glue, and all other tools for arts and crafts

     hop hop hopping to wherever you need to go

     eating cookie dough

     snuggling with Max and Olive


Huh... looks like Mommy and Carolena have very similar happiness lists

Friday, September 6, 2013

W.O.W.

Words of Wisdom, By Carolena

Looking for ways to stall when it comes to getting in your car seat? Here are some suggestions:
1. As soon as you get outside casually propose that you "wok" instead of drive.
2. Yell, "hot!" as soon as Mommy or Daddy puts you in the seat. It doesn't matter if your seat actually is too hot or not, it's hot outside so they won't doubt your sincerity. Just for good measure you could say it three times in a row, "hot hot hot" just like the song Mommy sings when putting you in the car.
3. Try to sit in the seat next to your car seat. Mommy will give you some gobble-dee-gook about "the law" but you should sit in the spot of your choice. Go for the backseat or wiggle to try and get into the trunk space.
4. If all else fails, squirm. Claw. Scream. Whatever you do: don't go in without a fight.

On "meet your teacher" day at school you should really make yourself right at home. Grab all of the stuffed animals you can hold and walk around the room finding new locations for them to reside. Watch another kid pull out a box of toys and dump it on the ground and then with an annoyed look on your face bend down singing your clean up song and put them all back where they belong. Don't drop your stuffed animals while doing so. When the teacher announces is "circle time" go and sit down as close to her as humanly possible. When she asks, "does anyone know what's in my circle bag?" yell, "circle!" Participate joyfully in all of the songs and games. When it's time to leave (which will come far too soon) cry and try to get back to the classroom as your parents carry you back to the car. You won't really know why your mom keeps calling you "Hermione" but that "school" place was awesome. You'll want to go back again soon.

So This is Love... mmm mmm...

Last night I said to Chris, "awww... this is just like our first date."

The context in which I said this was:
A) Chris cooked a special dinner and we watched a movie.
B) We went out for Mexican food and a mariachi band serenaded us.
C) Chris drove my car home while I threw up all over my own feet and then said every once in a while, "pulloverpulloverpullover" to puke on the side of the road.

Unfortunately for Chris the answer is of course C.

Fortunately for Chris he married me and gets to relive that romantic occasion time and time again. Sometimes I like to remind him that "plenty of men would kill for the privilege of being married to me." I assume that he thinks I'm referring to a plethora of broken hearted boys I left behind from high school and college (ha! what does he know?!), but I always neglect to mention that those unknown/made up men are most likely murderers on death row who actually would... but that's really neither here nor there.

First date: Casey + migraine
Last night: Casey + pregnancy + someone in front of us hit a skunk and the concentrated smell started coming out of our air conditioner

I realize that the skunk got the very worst end of the deal in this particular scenario but holy mackerel... that was something. Although, Chris (who is outside cleaning my car again right now) might in fact argue that he got the worst end.

The evening ended as Chris pulled into our neighborhood kindly promising he would deal with cleaning out my car while I sat in the backseat singing Cinderella's love song, "so this is love... mm mmm. So this is what makes like divine!"

Sunday, September 1, 2013

ANTM

"Take Picture Lena" she said to me... and then...








W.O.W.

Words of Wisdom by Carolena

If you get hurt, go tell Mommy. Be sure to maximize the sympathy you'll receive by telling her about what you hurt. Say "mouff!" in a pitiful voice if you bumped your teeth on the counter. Say "eye" if you happened to poke yourself in the eye. Then, just for good measure, tell Mommy you hurt each of your knees as well. "Mouff" means she'll look in your mouth and give you a sympathetic look and a kiss. The same goes for eyes, but then if you say, "knee" she'll check out your knee as well. After she checks and kisses the first, point to your other knee once again saying, "knee" so that she'll have to check that one too. Milk it for all you can because if you're not actually hurt enough to be crying, she's going to tell you to "walk it off." But, really, you're tough, so you can in fact, "walk it off."

Ask your mom if you can go to the beach... daily. Use her conversational openings to your beachy advantage. For instance, if you're at Home Depot and your mother asks, "ready to go home?" yell, "No! Go beach!" If she asks what you would like to do that day respond with a hearty, "Beach! Moom, Jimmers." When you wake up in the morning or after your nap politely request to spend some time at the beach. While playing gather together your set of keys and your favorite stuffed animals and spend time working on unlocking the front door. If your mom asks where you're headed, announce loudly, "beach!" If Mommy isn't budging call Moom and ask her.

When getting your diaper changed (what a hastle! geeze!) ask your mom or dad to read what they refer to as your "baptism banner from Grandma" over and over, "Carolena Michele, Christ's Own Forever." Then, smiling, request "Lena Shell, beach, again? Again? My shell?" You are so lucky to be named "Carolena My Shell." A perfect name for a beachy girl.