Night out

It had been way too long since Sean and I had taken the oppertunity to go out on a date! So when my office presented us wtih the oppertunity to go to a charity dinner on my Boss' tab- we gladly took it! I decided to make the most if it, and asked a friend if she would do my hair for me. It was so fun. I've never had my hair professionally done, and although she no longer works in a salon, she used to. It was fun to do something different. I wish I had taken a picture of he back, but oh well. While we were there we bid on tickets to Phantom of the Opera at the silent auction...and we won! So this last week end we used our tickets...it was amazing!!! I loved it. For those of you who don't know, when Sean proposed to me he did this elaborate plan and took me up to an out door theatre that was mean for Shakespearean plays, it looks like a castle. Then he dressed up like the Phantom and got my roommates to dress me in a big costume dress as well and proposed to me much like Raoul proposes in the phantom...except Sean was dressed as the Phantom (complete with a mask and cape). So Phantom of the Opera has a special place in my heart because of that...and yes, it did make me tear up when I watched and listened to the song "All I Ask of You." But the overall experience was one that made me feel like an astonished child watching in complete amazement and excitement! It was incredible! I would totally go again if given the chance! So I ended up getting 2 dates out of my one decision to go to the Charity dinner for Autism.

Blast from the Past

So a couple of weeks ago we went to play over at a new friend's house and James loved that these kids had Star Wars toys. He hasn't stopped talking about it since. That play date sparked some interest in my husband Sean, because he too used to play with Star Wars toys...but unlike most kids he got rid of very little of his stuff growing up. His mother has been storing a car load of old toys for Sean (that didn't even include his comic book collection). So when my in-laws decided to drive down here for a short visit this last weekend Sean asked them to bring his old toys so we could go through them and pick out some stuff for James' Birthday coming up in a couple weeks. I believe there were 2 medium sized boxes and one large tote full of some cool, and some not quite so cool stuff. Be had a blast going through it all...and here's the proof! This is Sean surrounded by all his long lost treasures.

So can you tell what era he grew up in? He teases me all the time about not knowing anything abut "pop culture" well, it looks like he's got us covered!

James' goes to Preschool

Yesterday I took my first baby to preschool for the first time. Of course I did the obligatory cry (as I blinked back a couple tears and made sure they didn't make it over the eyelid). When he first got up he said he didn't want to go to school anymore because Mommy wasn't going to stay with him. After bargaining that if he would try it out for a couple weeks and still didn't like it then I wouldn't make him go- he agreed to try it out. I figured either way that went it was fine with me. I'm not going to be the Mom who forces her 3 year old to go to preschool if he hates it! When I made it back to pick him up 2 hours later he couldn't say enough good things about how he liked school and couldn't wait to go back. I am so glad, and I was pretty sure that was how things were going to work out.

James before school! Ben had to get in on some of the picture taking action!

James reported that he did finger painting "with only one finger, not two or all because that makes a mess." I can't wait to see the picture. He said he drew a picture of our house...we'll see if that's what it actually is. He was also happy to announce that he got to go outside for a snack of crackers and grapes. He says snack time is his favorite part of class. Go figure, he is Sean's son!

Here goes nothing-school here he comes!

While James was at school Ben and I had an adventure of our own. I figured school time was a good time to get the grocery shopping done as I would only have one kid in tow, and of course the kids are always better behaved with there is only one of them...always always that way- So we did our shopping without incident, Yeah! It has started to really pour rain by the time we got out of the store (very unusual weather here in the desert, but definitely welcome). Ben didn't like the rain at all so I was trying to hurry. In my haste I shut the truck door with...you guessed it, my keys in the trunk, along with my cell phone. Now what? I has just over a hour to get my car situation figured out and get back over to pick up James. All my phone numbers, and keys to my house were also locked in the car. There was only one thing to do- call and admit my stupidity to my husband and ask him to rescue me.

So when I went back into the store to call I had to ask for some one's cell phone to call my husband's long distance cell phone number...but after two tries he called back and talked his attending into letting him come and bail me out of my predicament. About 20 minutes later my husband put his arm around me and laughed as he said, that's okay- you had to come bail me out of the same situation on that long ago. That reminder made me feel better. And the people at the store were super nice too, they gave Ben like 4 helium balloons, and three suckers (one for Mommy and brother when we got home), and free cookies! Ben thought he had died and gone to Heaven- I better be careful not to let him have my keys next time we are at the store...

I hurried home and had just enough time to put the groceries away and then go and pick James up.

Ben holding tight to his spoils from the store

So, unfortunately I actually thought to myself "well, as long as nothing else happens, today won't be so bad after all!" I didn't say it out loud, but apparently thinking it is enough to jinx yourself. I had to go to work for an hour after lunch. Even though he had enjoyed school, he still didn't like to be left, and apparently the two hour separation from Mommy while at school was his limit. He clung, and cried as I tried to get out the door. That's a new act for my Jamie, one he apparently learned from Ben! But luckily I slipped into work about 2 minutes before I was supposed to start my therapy session. But it was just fine. Unfortunately today just was not my day, as about 40 minutes into the hour I started seeing spots in my vision. I hoped they would just go away, but as they usually do when the appear, they began to get worse. I cut my session a couple minutes short and got home as soon as I could hoping my vision didn't get so bad that I would have to call my husband again...this time to drive me home. Luckily for me I made it home just fine. The bad news was I was laid out on my back on the couch with one of my killer migraine headaches...for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

My wonderful husband didn't make me feel bad and just laughed at me as he made frozen pizza for dinner, put the kids to bed, and then put me to bed as well. Of course I wasn't able to sleep for another two hours, but he still put me in bed and did the dishes before putting himself to bed too. All and all a pretty good performance from my stellar hubby- but as for me, I'm going to say it was a "Horrible, Terrible, No good, Very bad, make you want to move to Australia" kind of day. But, my Mother informs me that even in Australia they lock keys in cars, and get migraines- so I guess for now I will just stay here where I am.