Sunday, March 30, 2008

I saw Barack!



Well, I didn't just see him.

I believed him.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Devin's favorite words:

1. Poopy
2. Eyeball

A couple of days ago, he was talking about a talking penis.

His mind is in the gutter! It's so far in the gutter, that we got a note from school on Tuesday that said Devin has to take time-outs during lunch and other activities for saying, "Poopy." I think they'd let him get away with eyeball, but I know (because I'm the MOTHER) that Poopy and Eyeball are both words he uses because he loves them because they sound GROSS.

I swear. We never had this problem with Trevor.

(Did that last sentence sound loving a little sarcastic? If it didn't please add that accent because I love my Devin more than I could have imagined when he was a gassy little needy thing, and I love Trevor too just as much as I imagined when he arrived all perfect and red-headed...and we really never did have a problem with Trevor and potty talk. It's really not his thing.)

Friday, March 21, 2008

Devin says

the darnedest things.

After elbowing me in the nose, he's very likely to say very quickly, "Are you still my best mommy?"

Yesterday, he told me the snack I was offering him would be "Super Duper Awesome!"

Requests for kisses and hugs are often met with, "I only give kisses on other nights."

He was sick last week, but by Monday, he was OK to go to school. He crawled into bed with us and asked if it was a 'chool day. We told him it was. "But, I'm sick!" he told us. The computer guy says, "We'll take your temperature and that will tell us if you're sick or not." We took his temperature and it was normal. The Computer Guy showed him the thermometer and said, "See, you're not sick. It says right here that you're not sick." Devin turned it over and pointed to the little LED light that indicated the thermometer was on. He said, "It says I'm sick right there!" (He went to school).

He's just a funny little character of a kid.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

NYC

So, the Hilton Vacation Club called us on the phone and said, "Come to Orlando." We said, "NO." So, then they said, "How about New York?" We said, "OK, but you better give us a sweet deal." So, they gave us a sweet deal AND we didn't buy into the Hilton Vacation club. But, we did seriously consider it. So, it was worth their efforts:


There's a slideshow.

Except for Devin getting a cold that turned into Asthma (which I was sure he had outgrown) we had a great time.

At first, I was just mad at Manhattan for not being Chicago. I had no idea that every big City isn't just like Chicago. And, at first, I was pretty sure they all should be! It's a new experience being annoyed with an entire city.

It was fast. The dance between cars and pedestrians was scary, aggressive and cooperative. So many pedestrians. So many cabs. So many street food vendors. I wondered why Chicago didn't have street food vendors, and then realized that Chicago residents aren't in nearly the hurry that Manhattanites are in. They have to eat and run. At least, I guess that's it. I certainly felt the need to rush and to eat while I walked.

There were so many people. They were all dressed in black. Except for me and the homeless people. I was so obviously a tourist (or a not-so-obvious homeless person). I don't mind looking like a tourist in Disney World, in Niagara Falls, and maybe even in Branson, MO. I don't want to look like a tourist in NYC or Chicago for that matter. But, I didn't look like a tourist in Chicago in my light blue Columbia jacket. Well, maybe I did. But, I definitely didn't look homeless. Chicago is slightly more accessible to people like me. People without a black overcoat.

Cabs were easy to catch. Cabs always scared me in Chicago, and I preferred to walk or follow the Computer Guy onto the El. In NY, I liked getting cabs. Walking was OK, too.

NYC is not as clean as Chicago. There. I said it. It's true. Even Trevor said that he preferred Chicago because it's cleaner. He was traumatized by the cigarette butts in the fountain outside of the Apple Store and FAO Schwarz. I was, too.

I was a lot more emotional about the idea of Ground Zero than Ground Zero itself. I worried it would make me cry. It didn't. We're moving forward. We're rebuilding.

Canal Street was a great shopping adventure that the Computer Guy says rivaled his trips to China. 'nuff said.


News was everywhere. It was scrolling in Times Square, scrolling on the Rockefeller Center, scrolling in 16 other places. There was a little TV in the elevator tuned to Fox News (AKA Elliot Spitzer frequented prostitutes News Channel and by the way...NOT MY BUSINESS AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT). Folks in Manhattan are just tuned in all the time.

And, guess who showed up on the last day we were there and gave a speech in the hotel we we're staying in? The president of the United States. It's not enough that this man has done more to undermine our Constitution, our democracy, and our reputation than anyone in the history of our nation, he has to inconvenience me with his presence preventing us from leaving the parking garage for a measly 10 minute speech on Economics. Seriously? He should talk about economics as we enter a recession? Really raised my ire. Did I mention the cost of oil is over $100/barrel. On his watch. Food Costs are up, too. On his watch. Also, I didn't vote for him, ever.

So, New York was cool. I want to go again. I hope Hilton Vacation club calls again soon.

Overheard...

"DEVIN JACOB ROTH! YOU ARE FIRED FROM PLAYING WITH ME!"

(Devin's middle name isn't Jacob...)

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

A Great Flood

We live along a creek, and we got a lot of rain yesterday. With that and the snow melting, the creek behind our house is flooded. I will post pictures soon. It's an interesting sight to behold. It's almost doubled in size. Seeing water flow where water only stands is something I could stare at all day.

So, it's not surprising that the kids noticed the fast flowing River that is running in place of our normally docile little creek.

Trevor said to Devin, "Devin, come look! I have something to show you."

Devin ran over to Trevor and said, "What?"

Trevor pointed out the window and said, "Look, a flood!"

Devin looked at Trevor and said, "Are we going to go swimming?"

"No, we aren't going swimming in the flood," Trevor shook his head sadly.