St. Jude's

When I was a kid, I always participated in the St. Jude's bike-a-thon. Mostly, I participated because I wanted to win a bike. Catherine Cookson won it one year. Alas, I never did.

As an adult, St. Jude's holds a special place in my heart mostly because of its mission, but also because when I was a kid, I raised a couple of hundred dollars to support its mission.

So, whenever I hear St. Jude telethons on the radio, I listen until I cry, and then I turn the station. And, I have looked forward to the day when my kids can do their part and participate in a St Jude's bike-a-thon. What I didn't know was that day would come sooner than I anticipated. It's not a bike-a-thon, though. It's a trike-a-thon!

For the trike-a-thon, they are only accepting Flat Pledges. I have decided to pledge $35 myself so that he can get a t-shirt and because I want to support the mission of St. Jude's. And, I would like to invite my readership (all 7 of you) to offer flat pledges as well! (Lucky yous!)

The more money Trevor raises, the more swell prizes he will receive, and the more he will be offering support to the mission of St. Jude's.

If you would like to pledge, send me an email at:
triciar98@comcast.net or give me a call if you know my number, and we will work out the logistics of getting your money in Trevor's collection envelope.

Now, imagine that instead of it being a trike-a-thon, it's a Jeep-a-thon!








St. Jude Trike-a-Thon links
Cool gifts for Trevor's school

Cool gifts for Trevor

Trike Safety AND Charitable Giving

Well, thank you!

Devin isn't feeling well. He has a cold which always turns to asthma for him. I'm sure you're thinking of him now. Well, thank you!

My little competitive Trevor, who likes to win shoes races, coat races, and sing better songs than me, is awfully sweet. Just like sugar. It's possible that I returned from Oklahoma speaking with a cadence that reveals my heritage as a Southern-ish, rural born, girl. I'm guessing. Because, on more than one occasion last week, I complemented Trevor on one thing or another (and possibly nothing at all but it was interpreted as a compliment) and he responded with,
"Well, thank you!"

And, the way he said it was exactly the way I would say if someone from my hometown told me that my blouse was pretty or the color of my hair was especially pleasing. Well, thank you!...sorta drawling out the you and emphasizing the well. I think my mom knows what I'm talking about.

DISCLAIMER: If I could speak with the cadence and drawl that I grew up speaking, I would. I miss my accent. Plus, folks in the Midwest like it when a purty girl speaks with a Southern Accent. At least, most do. It would serve me well. Since I started my new job, it's come back a little because I like it so much more than my old job. It always comes back when I'm tired or when I'm speaking to other people with any hint of a Southern accent. So, I'm not denying who I am, and I'm not trying to talk like a Midwesterner. It just happens.

Well, thank you!

Oklahoma Indulgences

Ever since I went to Oklahoma, I have been indulging in two things. Country music and Cappuccino. The country music because Oklahoma has a lot of country music stations and Cappuccino because Dad likes those, and I can have all I want at my work. I only want 1 a day, though. More than that, and I'm gonna be in trouble. I buy the ingredients for these things, and I know they are not good for me!

One of my new favorite songs to sing in the car with the boys is that Tim McGraw song about a singing bird:
1, 2, 3 Like a bird I sing
Because you've given me the most beautiful set of wings.
And I'm so glad you're here today
because tomorrow I might have to go and fly away.
Fly away
Fly away.

That's all I really know of the song, so that's all I really sing. And, that's all I've really taught the boys.

It certainly opens the door to a lot of Trevor questions. He wanted to know why the singer has wings. My initial interpretation of the song was that the daddy had wings because of his kids. So, that was what I told him. But, then he asked why the daddy had to fly away. This is where my interpretation really broke down, right? Because Daddy's really shouldn't go off and fly away from their babies. So, I suggested he needed to fly away to get food for his kids. My interpretation is really just not valid at all. But, Trevor bought it.

So, when sang the song, it went something like this:
1, 2, 3 Like a bird I sing
'cause you've given me the most beautiful set of wings.

And I'm really happy that you're here this week
because I have to fly away and get food for my babies
because I really love them a lot
And because they give me wings.
Fly away
Fly away.

Then, "how did you like my song, Mom? It was better than your song because it's longer, isn't it? Laugh, Mom. That was funny."

Then, Devin:
Fly away
Fly away
Fly aw-ay-ay-ay!

Am I bad mother if...

...Trevor has to tell me that Devin is poopy?

No?

What if Trevor has to tell me twice before I believe him.

Maybe...

Her name is Jacy

I bought her this pretty pink dress.




I hear she looks like her daddy.


There's probably some truth to what I hear.


But I just think she's pretty and sweet.


See, sweet.


But, she looks nothing like her Great Papa.


She doesn't look much like her surly, curly headed cousing, Jena, either.


She doesn't look like her angst-y Uncle Austin, either. (Isn't he a handsome young man?)


Steph, I hope you don't mind, but I let Logan hold your baby so that I could get this picture. She didn't drop her. I promise.


I wouldn't have done it, but I couldn't resist this face...


This sleeping face is pretty hard to resist, too. Because, it's sleeping.


One last shot of the little clothes horse. Her name is Jacy.

Grandma and Grandma

We drove to PA for Easter Weekend (a last minute decision because I had Friday off.) It was long and tiresome and we're not doing it again until we get a DVD player for the car, and all episodes of Little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Once we arrived, though, it was fine, and it was fun. The boys were on their very best behavior, ever. They even went to bed at bedtime and stayed in bed all night for the most part. I got up to check on them about 10 times each night, and brought an awake but quiet Devin bed with me so that I could stop having to check on him. I was just immensely pleased with my children on this little weekend jaunt (outside of the 22+ hours we spent in the car which were painful.)

Devin, as you know, has a lot of language. He does not have the word "grandpa" quite yet. I discovered this Saturday morning when Devin asked me, "Where's Grandma?" I told him she was in the kitchen, and he went to look. He came back and said, "Where's other grandma?"

Twizzine

"Mom, what is that Turkey Twizzine?"

"Turkey Twizzine? I have no idea. Where did you see it?"

"I saw it on a commercial."

"Nope, I never heard of it. Next time you see the commercial, let me know."

3 minutes passed.

"Oh, I remember! Lean Twizzine! Will you get one of those for me and Devin?"

"Ah, lean cuisine! You are so funny, Trevor."

Brilliant

As you know, Trevor learns a new letter every week at daycare.

T Week was fantastic because there are so many things in our lives that start with the letter T, including Trevor himself. That week, another kid put Trevor's name on the board for the list of T words. Trevor didn't get a word on the board that day because of that name-stealer. But, we corrected the situation the following day, and he got several words on the board.

During T week, his daddy tried to include T words that begin with the TH sound, like The, Thumb, That, etc. Trevor didn't really buy that these were really T words because they don't sound like T words.

During daddy's long weekend alone, which was 2 weeks after T week, Trevor started reciting words that begin with the TH sound. When Daddy asked who taught him Th words, Trevor explained that daddy did a couple of weeks ago.

Applied Knowledge. Proof of brilliance, right?

***********

This week is V week. V words are a lot tougher. I try to give him clues so that he can guess the V word I have in mind. But, V words are just tougher! Another word for winning? Victory. Another word for mean? Vicious. Second in command? Vice-President. These words are just not obvious. I'm not sure that Trevor's Vocabulary is advanced enough to know words like these.

But, daddy had a good word for Trevor. VAMPIRE! This worked out really well. Trevor likes scary things like witches, goblins, skeletons, and vampires. But, he always calls vampires...BAMFIRES! So stinkin' cute. It worked out well because now he says vampire correctly, and he got that big V word on the board yesterday. The passing of the word BAMFIRE, though, does make me a little sad. I'll miss BAMFIRE.

Good Day!