The Clap Is Not a Dance!

Elizabeth cracks me up! Well, that...and I am really to the point where I need to watch what I say around her. (Not to mention needing to put a muzzle on "Uncle Jake" when he comes to visit - Aye-yi-yi!)

Anyway, this morning when I was getting Elizabeth into the car for the drive to Nana's & Papa's house, I got a wee bit clumsy. Not to say that I threw her in her carseat, but I have put her in it much more gently on thousands of other occassions.

Upon my plopping Elizabeth into her car seat she said,
"Holy clap, Mommy!"

Naturally, I laughed. Then she said it again and again..."Holy clap. Holy clap. Holy clap."

The novelty of that quickly wore off before she started going through what I refer to as role call: "Where's Daddy?" He's at work. "Where's Kennenny?" She's in the house being a good puppy. "Where's Grandma?" She's at her house with Papi. "Where's Papi?" He's at his house with Grandma. "Where's Nana?" She's at her house with Papa. That's where we're going now. "Where's Papa?" He's at his house with Nana. "Where's Aunt Anne?" She's at her house with Sean & Alex. They live in New York City. "Where's Sean?" He's at his house with Anne & Alex. "Where's Alex?" He's at his house with Anne & Sean. [Need I continue???]

It's like the song that ne-ver ends...Yes it goes on and on my friend...Some people started signing it, not knowing what it was...And they'll continue singing it forever just because...This is the song that ne-ver ends...

MEDICAL ALERT: Gem (WV) Chicken Bird Flu Virus

So Elizabeth went to Grandma & Papi's this week. Aunt Anne, Sean, and Alex came in from the Big Apple for a visit this week. I took Weezie to Grandma & Papi's on Tuesday afternoon. I came back to the friendly city of Fairmont on Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday was to be Elizabeth's big day on the farm at Grandma & Grandad Wine's in Gem (WV). Anne, Sean, and Alex came to Grandma & Papi's to get her. They played at the farm for a bit...and then it hit - the Gem Chicken Bird Flu Virus.

Elizabeth got sick...on the throw rug at the Wines...then in the bathroom as Anne was cleaning her up. Then later that evening at Grandma & Papi's - nasty, nasty sick during the night (requiring a bath in her somewhat sleep induced state.) Then again a couple more times while she was in bed with Grandma (as her pack-n-play was left uninhabitable for the night while "stuff" was in the washer/dryer.)

She bounced back rather well on Friday. Got to go back to the Wines' farm - played in the creek, drove a tractor (that wasn't on), played with Alex's swing, fetched an egg from the chickens' house - a complete farm girl for the day. Then it hit - Grandma was struck with the Gem Chicken Bird Flu Virus...then Papi. Anne went to Grandma & Papi's to collect Elizabeth so Grandma & Papi didn't have to worry about a 2-year-old while being sick. Reid & I went to the Wines' Friday evening and spent the night. Then it hit - Alex got sick in the middle of the night.

On Saturday at Grandma & Papi's (Grandma was still feeling the effects of the Gem Chicken Bird Flu Virus), we didn't stay long - trying not to catch whatever in the heck bug they have all been stricken with. Hoping Anne & Sean and all of the Wines can keep from getting it, too!

Alex took his first independent steps - at 11 months! He's so big. It's too much fun watching E & Ali together!!!

Check out my newly acquired mad skills

I'm going to toot a bit loudly here, so consider yourself warned...

Check out my newly acquired "mad" Photo Shop skills (to heck with my nephew, he knows he is cute...look at meeeeee - and what I have created, besides a monster!):

Dancin' Dancin' Dan-cin'!

I couldn't get to my camera quick enough yesterday - I would have totally interrupted the moment. I need to just set up some camcorders to truly make every moment of Elizabeth's life captured on film. Darn it! I'll do my best to explain what Grandma & I witnessed first hand.

It started with Elizabeth spying her TMX Elmo in her toy box. Until last evening, she has wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with the TMX Elmo. I pulled TMX Elmo out of the toy box and put him on the floor. I pushed his stomach and he did his shaking, laughing, and somewhat creepy thrashing thing. Elizabeth jumped up on the couch as he thrashed about, but giggled - a first that she hasn't just pointed at him and shouted, "No Elmo! No!" When he was done, she wanted to see him do his thing again. We would take turns pushing the button on his foot and every time she would run up and sit next to me on the couch while he thrashed about - a safe distance away.

At some point, she noticed that Dancing with the Stars was on while we were waiting for the tip of the NCAA National Championship. She picked up her TMX Elmo by the hands/paws and like the couple that was dancing at the moment, she began doing the Viennese Waltz in really rather good time with the music - Elizabeth and Elmo hand-in-hand turning round and round. They stopped when the music stopped. The couple kissed at the end of their dance - as did Elizabeth and Elmo. Then Elizabeth stood, with Elmo by her side, her arm around him, facing the TV and awaiting their scores. They did quite well. 10's across the board.

Perhaps I am too addicted to the TV...

What's Cookin???

I've been hearing the wonderful tune of The Masters (the music CBS runs for The Masters TV coverage) for several weeks now - always music to my ears.

I must admit I was a little disappointed this year with The Masters website that there are no quizzes. Bummer - I usually do respectably well.

Today is the Champions Dinner. I've been searching for what 2007 champion Zach Johnson will be serving to his fellow fraternity members tonight as this means I need to be making preparations of my own for my traditional Champions Dinner later this week (I do my best effort to replicate the Champions Dinner menu while we, and perhaps some friends, watch The Masters coverage.)

So, I ask this question: What if you won the coveted green jacket? (I'm sure members of Augusta National would first have to bend the rules to let me even play, but it's their course - their rules...I've got no beef with that.) What would you serve to the past champions - Jack, Arnie, Faldo, Player, Tiger, Phil - what would you serve them???

Still on the topic of golf...a hearty congratulations to Will, Justin, & "Booty"!!! Fantastic news from the WVIAC that these 3 Falcon golfers were named to the 2007-2008 1st Team All-WVIAC (Justin the only repeat performer from last season!) Here's the breakdown from the WVIAC:

2007-08 All-WVIAC Golf 1st Team:
Justin Caroli (Fairmont State, Sr., Bridgeport, WV)
Matt Hicks (West Liberty State, Sr., Sissonville, WV)
Will Gautreau (Fairmont State, Sr., Niagara, ONT)
Stephen Maynard (Charleston, Sr., Waterbury Center, VT)
Paul Raines (Ohio Valley, Soph., London, ENG)
Zach Rudy (Fairmont State, Jr., Fairmont, WV)
Scott Smith (West Liberty State, Sr., Morgantown, WV

What a girl wants, what a girl needs...

In Elizabeth's case, "What a girl wants, what a girl needs" are one in the same.

This evening Elizabeth climbed up on the couch next to me and declared, "I need ice cream" (pronounced very nasally i-cream). To which I, naively attempted to teach a 2 year old the difference between "wants" and "needs" when I inquired, "Elizabeth do you NEED ice cream or (doing sign language for all of this to help emphasize my point) or do you WANT ice cream?"

Elizabeth replied (also utilizing her sign language skills), "I need want i-cream, Mommy!"

Grandma & I have had quite the laugh over this. I figure I had this one coming...

Which way did he go?

I love my new GPS...and Reid is quite excited that I will be able to leave the house (once I am in Wheeling) without having to drop bread crumbs. I highly recommend.

Yesterday on the AM drive to Nana's & Papa's - I hear my little backseat driver, who has been quite interested in the GPS unit herself - telling me, "Go this way Mommy."


Glad I have the GPS as Elizabeth appears to be about as directionally impaired as me - she was pointed me completely in the wrong direction!

Uno, dos, tres...

I must admit that I am a little less than thrilled with the liking Elizabeth has taken to soccer as in our household we prefer a sport where you are supposed to use your hands. We lay the blame at the animated feet of Dora, Boots, and Go Diego Go!

These shows are at least good for more than buying me the time to take a decent shower...while at the playground on Saturday and again today, Elizabeth has been doing some of her counting in Spanish. As I took 2 years of French in high school and 1 more year in college - and can only say "$hit in your face, you red neck" (thanks Auntie Patty!), the essential phrase, "gimme a beer" and some other quality words like "ham," "here," etc. Needless to say, not a whole lot stuck from those quality years of French when my brain was not at its best for accepting a foreign language...any who, I've digressed...it is really amazing to hear our little amazing 2 year old saying a couple of numbers in Spanish - especially since no one in either of our families speak Spanish, she can only count to 12, and basically the only Spanish she is hearing is on Dora and Diego. Oh how we need to find a foreign language class for tots while her little brain is able to mop this up!!!

I Need...

It seems like every time we get into the car these days Elizabeth shouts from the backseat, "I neeeeed 'Ginia!" So the obsession with the Pride of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Marching Band.

On Saturday, Reid, Elizabeth, & I went to the elementary school's playground in West Liberty so Elizabeth could play on the slide - as she has been interested in the slide from some pictures in a few of her books. I took my camera, but am bummed that I didn't pack the video camera as well. She had a blast! Nearly every one of the (> 150) pictures Reid & I took of her is with her mouth open because she was laughing. "Watch this, Daddy." "I need slide." "I can do it." "I'm coming." "I go slide." Just a few of the expressions we heard during the trip to the park. What a blast she is!!!

We got a stove/oven for the house in West Liberty. (Sorry, Rikki, it wasn't moved in with the amount of fan-fare that some of your furniture was done in...no photos of items being lifted high in the air...) The closest we came to fan-fare while moving in the oven/stove was Elizabeth informing us, "I neeeed cheese, Mommy. I need cheese." (She is her father's daughter!) I'm amazed at how I am so dependent on that one kitchen appliance (sorry Kitchen Aide mixer, but it is true.)

I need to be able to go to sleep. Dang cough...dang sweet afternoon nap...I need to first post this series of pictures of Elizabeth...

Easter 2008

Elizabeth is now an expert egg colorer. Per my post of last week, she got off to a fabulous start thanks to weeks of prepping at Camp Nana. By the time Elizabeth & Caylin were coloring eggs, she was an old pro. So much so that on a few occasions Erin had to step in as the substitute colorer when Elizabeth got down to run around.

It was really fun watching Elizabeth & Caylin play together. Caylin can dish out some serious attitude when provoked, but she is so good with Elizabeth - very patient, good to share, very loving...but there is no doubt about who is in charge.

I made a sugar cookie dough earlier in the week and took it to Aunt Cathy's for some sweet treats. I would roll out the dough and Erin & Caylin would cut out the cookies. (Caylin still needs to learn the value of cutting from the edge first...every time she went straight for the middle...making us have to roll out a little more than what should have been necessary. You have to learn somehow, though!) After the cookies were all baked, the three "Maries" (Jennie Marie, Erin Marie, & Caylin Marie - the thrid of which cheats at Clue) iced & decorated the cookies. Elizabeth helped herself to the icing that dripped onto the wax paper. That was quite a bit of icing, too, mind you.

From Saturday until today, I have heard E's little voice on more than one occasion saying, "I need cookie, Mommy." Just like when we are in the car and she "needs" 'Ginia.

As usual, I outdid myself in shopping for Elizabeth. Great TJMaxx score again this year for Easter. She & her Cabbage Patch doll wore matching dresses. $15 for both...I think I paid the same for the cardigan as the dress is sleeveless...the Stride Right patten leather shoes were a Gabes score for $7. Damn I'm good!

E really enjoyed the egg hunt on Sunday. She only needed a little help to locate an egg or two. She is so much fun to watch!!!

I am learning some mad skills on PhotoShop (well, mad skills for me at least!) On Sunday I took a couple of pictures of my most adorable nephew, Alex, for his 1st birthday invitations. (That's where those mad PhotoShop skills are going to come in quite handy. I'll post the invite once I've permitted Anne & Sean to make their recommendations (not that this shouldn't be all about me, but...whatever...) I'm not using this pic of Alex for the invite, but thought it was rather cute!

Speaking of which...I'm bummed that the Lady Mountaineers lost in the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tourney, but proud of the strides the team has made during Mike Carey's tenure (not to say that I am surprised...)

Tomorrow's Sweet 16 match up of WVU vs. Xavier - tip off at 7:10 PM. I'm so excited for what the Mountaineers have done this season...and already getting nervous for tomorrow night's game.

Let's Gooooo Mountaineers!