20 Things I'll NEVER do

My friend Heather has posted 20 things that she will never do. I'm trying to be on the 'up and up' with my blogging these days, so here it goes:

1. I will never live without TV. I've heard of families giving it up and I say "more power to you" but this junkie HAS to have her shows.

2. I will never eat meatloaf again. I had a recent encounter in tasting it for the first time since I was a kid and that was a mistake. I can't even bear to think about it.

3. I will never stop trying to do anything for a laugh. I wish I were not wired like this, but as I quote a contestant on Last Comic Standing last night "I live for the laugh." It's true. Sorry to my friends and family, my jokes (good and bad) are going to keep coming.

4. I will never have long hair. I know this is a bold statement, but I've tried and tried again. I don't think it will ever go past my shoulders again.

5. I will never be able to dive.

6. I will never stop loving my God, my family, and my friends.

7. I will never get addicted to Days of Our Lives again. Someone had better keep me accountable on this one since I'm about to start staying home and working part time.

8. I will never forget the day that I married Scott (how could I, the air was out at the church and it was 105 degrees outside that day)

9. I will never forget every moment of the days that my boys were born.

10. I will never stop loving pizza.

11. I will never understand the show LOST. On a side note, what about that finale last night!??!?! Holy moly please stop messing with my head.

12. I will never win a game of Trivial Pursuit unless I have a smart partner.

13. I will never be able to tell someone my maiden name without getting a weird look.

14. I will never be an animal lover. Dog people, I know how you are, please cut me some slack on this one.

15. I will never be caught up on my laundry or my scrapbook.

16. I will never not be afraid of storms.

17. I will never be good with directions.

18. I will never stop loving board games or stop calling the Hogs.

19. I will never be able to get over some of the ridiculous things I have done on stage in my life. I'm sure my family will never let me live that down either.

20. I will never stop thanking God for this life that I live.

Wow, that was kind of fun!!! :)

What's in a word?

Well, this is something I have wanted to bring up on here for quite some time. It all started about a year ago when I was at my lovely, stress-free, scrapbook weekend. I was sitting there at 2am scrapping away and I was telling my friend how much I like her house because she has a great snack bar in her kitchen. The more I talked about it the more crazy looks that I got for this. Then someone shouted "WHAT IS A SNACK BAR??????" I was flabbergasted to say the least. I couldn't believe that they did not know what a snack bar is. It is, of course, the bar in your kitchen (which I wish we had at our house) where you put your bar stools...duh!!! We decided to poll the entire group of ladies the next morning and of all of them there NO ONE had ever called it this. Yikes! Talk about humiliation at its finest.

I had to call my parents right away and tell them that no one had heard of this. I also mentioned that everyone pretty much looked at me like I was a loon. They even nicknamed me "snack bar."

Since this occasion several more words have come up that I supposedly do not use or say correctly.

I used to use the term "Back Catcher" for the person who plays catcher in softball. I said at one of Scott's softball games one night "You know, Scott always says it's stupid when I call it a back catcher instead of just catcher." Cue the awkward silence.....apparently no one uses that term either. To defend myself I actually had to google the term and then email it out the next day to show that it is an actual term.

My family calls a parking space a "park." You know, "I couldn't find a park at Wal-Mart." Or "I got the best park when we got to the mall.

I pronounce my grandparents "GRAMMA" and "GRAMPA." Apparently that is incorrect.

I think the main problem is that my Dad is so silly that he used to make up silly words and songs all the time when we were little. I guess we never really realized when something was a made up word. I do, however, know that the term "B-Binder" for the remote control is wrong & getting "Z-Boards" for catching some z's is not correct either. He also used to talk in a whistle that he called a "whistle talk" that was the funniest thing you've ever heard.

I have to say that I will continue to keep using my incorrect words because it's who I am and it makes my family unique and fun. I had the most fun childhood and we had the best time all the time.

As I was thinking about this post I thought "Wow, it's good that my kids won't have to deal with this because I will discover all of the wrong words so they won't have to be embarrassed."

Then it hit me...

We call fruit snacks "gummies"

We call those cheap, generic, barrel kid drinks "color juice"

We call Ritz bits "circle crackers"

We call taking your medicine "taking your yummies"

OH NOOOOOO!!! It's already begun. I can just hear Ethan at his friends house when he gets older...."Hey man, do you guys have any color juice??" I can just feel the awkward silence.

Give me your thoughts. Someone back me up on my incorrect words. I know that more of you love your "snack bar" at your house.

Jen

P.S. Just be glad I didn't bring up the strange, Poskocil dinner called "Clenix." Hee hee! :)

"Gladiators don't get hurt"

Gladiator-mania is continuing at the Kailey house. Ethan was so excited to see the new shows back on. He likes to play "gladiators" here in the living room and he and has been playing it with his cousins and his friends. It's actually pretty funny.

Yesterday the boys had their 2 year and 5 year old check-ups. Ethan's consisted of his FOUR kindergarten shots. I had a talk with him the night before telling him that he had to go to the doctor so that she could make sure he was ready for school. He was happy about that. The next morning I told him that she would have to check his vision and hearing and he was fine with that, too. Then I told him that he was going to have to get some shots. He was NOT happy about that. He said "Are they going to hurt?" I said, well, it's just going to be a little pinch, but remember all the kids have to get them before they can go to kindergarten. He said, "will they hurt a little bit?" I said, "Well, it may pinch for just a second but then it will be fine." He said "Welllllll, Gladiators don't get hurt so I'll be ok." I cracked up.

When it came shot time he sat there as still as a statue (unlike his brother who at one point during the appointment jumped off of my lap, opened the door, and ran down the hall...in his diaper). He got all four shots and did not shed one tear and did not flinch one time. Wow, I actually teared up seeing how big and brave he was being. I remember the days of having him pinned down on the table with unbearable crying praying I could keep him still long enough to get his shots. The nurses were all so proud of him and couldn't believe he didn't cry at all. I said "do you think that was because of your strong muscles?" He smiled really big and "Yes, I think so."

Potty training at it's finest

Here are the events at our house:

Reece: "Mommy, I want to go potty!!!"
Jen: "GREAT, let's go!!!!!!!! Let's take your pants off!"
Reece: "NOOOOOOO"

Reece runs into the bathroom and puts two trains in his training potty, sits down (with diaper and shorts on), screams "I DID IT!!" Jumps up and gets his trains and then pulls the bowl out of the potty and puts it on his head and says "Look Mommy, a hat!!!"

We have a long way to go. Wow.

Mother's Day!!!

Happy Mother's Day! I have had such a great day today. Scott really spoiled me this year (& picked up on my hints!) and got me some time at a day spa including a massage, manicure and pedicure. I think I even get a snack while I'm there. You can't get any better than that!! I am SO excited about this. I also got a handmade card by Ethan which was so great! He made the card last night and I'm assuming that Reece helped because he had red marker in his hair and on his pillow last night. Let me also add that I am SO proud of myself for not snooping on our bank account to find out what I was getting. He told me a few days ago that I was not allowed to log in and I didn't this time...can you believe it!??!? I love to snoop but resisted this time!

We went to church and then had a great lunch at Whole Hog (best potato salad EVER). Then we came home and I got a much needed two hour nap!! We then headed to my parents house and celebrated Mother's Day with my Mom.

I am so thankful for my Mom and all she has taught me and for her unconditional love. I am also so thankful and happy that I am a mom.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there and I hope you have all had a day to reflect on God's gift of motherhood.

Here's a funny video that they showed in church this morning. This house unfortunately looks a lot like ours. Enjoy!

I blinked, and you turned FIVE!

Ethan Scott Kailey, how did you turn 5 already? Sometimes I think and can't believe it has already been 5 years since you were born. On other days (hey, I'm being honest here) it seems like you will never grow out of these little boy stages.

You are such a joy and the biggest ball of energy I have ever seen. You are so happy all of the time and your energy radiates out of you. You cannot help but smile just by looking at those big hazel eyes.

I have to say that there is no one like you and I couldn't thank God any more for that. You get excited about the smallest things....anything that is the color red, the thought of playing with your friends or cousins, seeing a flower about to bloom, playing with Reece, being able to do things alone because you are FIVE now. If you hear the word KINDERGARTEN your eyes light up and you just can't believe that you will go there in August. You are just plain silly sometimes. You have been counting down since April when the new American Gladiators will be on (it's May 12 for those of you who don't have it on your calendar like we do).

You have graduated from your pre-school and you were the funniest, cutest guy on stage. You waved to the audience and totally hammed it up. I have no idea where you get this--hee hee. I couldn't be more proud of the things you have learned this year and how much you have grown. You can READ like a pro!

As sad as it is for me as your mom to see you start kindergarten, I couldn't be more proud and excited about the things to come. I pray that God will direct your path each day. I pray that your strong-willed spirit will always be there and never let your faith grow wary.

I love you sweet Etharoni! :)