"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss
Monday, June 30, 2008
This post is mostly for Grandparents...you've been warned.
Cohen. Is. Potty. Trained.
How did this happen? I don't know, it all...just...sort...of...happened. One minute I'm changing my now-three-year old's diaper, the next second he wants to go in the 'big boy potty'. Maybe it was my reaction to him actually using the potty on his own (I all but Knighted him I was so proud) but he was so excited he just kept it up. It was amazing. Then, of course, 'day two' we had several "accidents", including one at his best buds-sisters birthday party on Saturday (Tanya, I understand if you want to remove him from the running of Tasia's husband. Ha ha). But that did not deter the little rascal. No, not a bit. He went potty on Larkins potty, then at Walmart. Sunday morning he woke up before me and Brett (big surprise), took off his diaper, and went to the potty in the morning. He went at church, then again at Aunt Woo Woo's house. Aren't you glad I gave you a moment-by-moment of where and when? Yeah, I'm sure you are!
But by far the cutest part was when I was neglecting my children and finishing up reading The Host and I heard the toilet flush. This is always a bad sign in our house when someone other than me or Brett flushes the toilet. I went to investigate, and much to my surprise I saw Cohen rinsing out his little toilet bowl. He just looked up at me and smiled and said, "I went by myself mommy!" He not only went by himself, but he dumped it in the toilet and cleaned it out and washed his hands, all without my help or prompting. I think I have the cutest boy in the world. Let me check....yep, I do.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Happy Friday!
While I'm here, why don't I sit down and enjoy a read from a first edition Pride and Prejudice, just for the fun of it? Not that I don't absolutely adore my wore-down, torn-up, rusty, sticky, stinky old Barnes and Noble copy, but there is something about the smell of the centuries old bound leather that really brings me back to my days in the early 1800's, frolicking around with my good friend Jane Austen. Can you see Jane Austen frolicking? Imagine with me for a moment...Kind of freaky huh?
Anyway, back in reality, the Neff Family is way excited not for the weekend but for the next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and (yes, of course) Friday. We won't be traveling abroad to the Chatsworth House as I had so hoped we would, but, we get to see Brett's long lost cousins Cora, Heath and their way cute kids Logan and Hunter. We get to go to a baby shower for his other way cute cousins Holly and Ryan, who are adopting a baby girl who will arrive in September. We get to go to Cherry Hill with all of these lovely people and more, and (drum roll please) Friday is INDEPENDENCE DAY! Woo Hoo! Can you tell I like this day? My layout didn't give it away, did it? Too subtle? I thought so. But for those of you lacking the divine knowledge, it is also my birthday. Didn't you know the fireworks were for me? Yeah, I didn't think so. S'okay. Truth is, I found out they weren't really for me on my 6th birthday, when my loving Uncle T got drunk and advised me "You little brat, those fireworks aren't for you!" Gotta love family! I think that was the same year he started the field on fire...not sure...I'll have to check into that...
Anyway, have a fantabulous-wonderful-awesome-glorious weekend!
Being a mom is awesome!
If that doesn't melt you heart, this might. When I was laying with him in bed last night, playing with his hair and having a little conversation, he said, "Ok, mommy, you go to your bed now and go to sleep." Rejected, I left, but not before I said to the whole room "I love you," to which two sweet little angels replied "Love you too."
Being mom is the greatest! I think I'll do it again today!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Copacetic
Turns out I've been using it correctly this whole time! That's a first for me, who in the past have used words like pontificate and execrable (which I would, of course, say in a French accent) microcosm (which I used completely opposite of it's definition) completely wrong or out of context.
Now, these are just a few examples, but you can imagine how excited I was to know that I was actually using a big word correctly. That's totally copacetic. Wait, is that redundant?
Anyway...yeah.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Confessions of the Ever Downward Spiraling Psychotic Housewife
Kelly: The kids, ignoring further pleads to listen to their mother, continued screaming, running around the living room in stinky diapers that she had begged her husband to change 20 different times and still he hasn't and ...
Brett: Are you narrating again?
Kelly: *deer caught in the headlights look* Um, er, no?
Brett: Do you need touch?
*Side note: I am a touch personality. I really respond to people touching me, as in handshakes and hugs and such. When I'm really stressed, and start narrating my life out loud to my piano, Brett has this uncanny way of de-stressing me through touch. Gross, don't be dirty. I mean rubbing my shoulders, playing with my hair, giving my cheek a kiss, that sort of stuff.
I have just about the greatest husband. He reads me like a book. And no matter what language I'm speaking that day, be it crazy housewife about to go on a shooting rampage, or cuddly-kissy-huggy-wife, or soppy-cry-baby-come-and-give-me-a-hug-mommy, he almost always knows what to do to make me smile.
And he knows that if I put in Gone with the Wind or City of Angels, I'm probably needing a good cry, and he respectfully leaves me alone.
And he knows that if I've worked really hard to clean the house, he attempts to help by making the bed in the morning, without ever having to be asked.
And when the kids are cleaning up he sings the cute "Clean Up" song about forty times, and it's the cutest thing in the world.
And he knows when I get that crazy look in my eyes to quickly grab the children and run out the nearest exit to safety. I appreciate this.
And he knows better than any man in the world how to avoid the "Am I fat?" questions. Seriously, the man should teach seminars in how to get out of these potentially dangerous conversations.
And in case he reads this, he also knows how to really piss me off. (Don't want him getting too big of a head!)
Thanks honey. You're by far the greatest husband in the world, hands down, no bet, without a doubt.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Three Things
Three Things...
Three Joys: Brett, Cohen and Kembry.
Three Fears: Nothing. I'm fearless. Oh, um, well, a plane crashing, with me in it of course. Car accidents. Mostly just pain in general. My children getting hurt or taken from me. This is why I can't watch movies with kids in them. Kids getting hurt, kidnapped, put up for adoption (yes, seriously) or any of that.
Three Goals: Goal? Well, let's see...I want to lose 30 lbs. I've lost 8 (give me a Woop Woop Tanya!) This is mostly due to having Pneumonia and Strep-throat, never the less, 8 lbs. Read my list of classics (I'm a lot further behind thanks to Twilight and Harry Potter, but all is forgiven). Be the bestest wife/mom ever. Really, this is a goal.
Three Current Obsessions: It was Harry Potter, but that's all done now. Blogging. Hand washing dishes. Mind you, this is current obsessions. Brett is waiting "patiently" for this particular obsession to end. Ooh, and Tapioca Pudding. That's good crap.
Three surprising facts about me: I really don't think I can surprise you much more, so I'll go with some repeats. I memorize character voice names from Disney movies, because you never know when that will come in handy. So far it hasn't, but you never know. I would love to be a novelist, or just write in my diary on a regular basis, which ever. Lastly, I used to be afraid to even pee in the same house that Brett was in. Now I don't even have the luxury of closing the door thanks to Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. I could lock it, but they just sit there and try to open it and they keep saying "Mommy! Mommy!" and it practically breaks my heart. Privacy was a pre-kid thing. I've accepted this.
Three People I Tag: Jo, Hayley and Onnuh (all of Brett's Seminar Council Buddy's!)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Hello, Mr. Moon. What are you doing up so late? You really shouldn't be here this morning, you're throwing me off. What's that? The man who lives on you threatened to inhabit you with other humans if you set? Yes, well, don't listen to him. He's just a pushy realtor, no one wants to live on you. Now, shew. Go on, skat!
If I had photo shop here, I would do something fun like erase the moon from the sky. Part of that God complex I was telling you about earlier. Wouldn't it be great if we could just photo shop the weather? You know, cut and paste some lovely storm clouds on a hot, sunny day? Or, if you're one of those sick people who don't want rain on your wedding day, just take your eraser and clean up the sky of all it's beautiful, foreboding clouds, leaving you with the hot yellow orb of death. Me, I had snow on my wedding day. I loved it. Joy, our photographer, was all sorts of upset. I guess my nose kept getting red, and to photographers (which I am not, despite my many fantasies and daydreams, but that's a story for another post) this is some sort photography faux pas. I mostly just wanted to make out with Brett, but apparently this wasn't the look she was going for, the "suck face look", as I like to call it; so instead I had to have a blanket wrapped around me and Brett had to keep blowing on my face and nose to lessen the red. All in all, she got some great pictures, and I eventually got to make out with Brett on top of a roller coaster in California, so all was good.
Thanks for stopping by for yet another pointless post. I am so tempted to start calling these P.P's. I figure, if I haven't lost you yet to my disgusting ways, this will probably push you over the edge. I do what I can for you, my three faithful readers. And thanks to my new visitors, Mrs. Fox, who shares the love/hate drama of horror movies with me, and Mable's House, who takes some fine pictures and can slap on the rhetoric with the best of them. Hi, and thanks for stopping by!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
I. Am. Tired.
I'm really not sure what neurons are not synapsing in my brain that would entice me to see this movie on a weeknight. Never the less, the damage has been done. And this may come as a surprise to those of you who knew me in my pre-baby days, in which horror movies were a sort of life-blood for me, but I could not sleep last night. At. All. I just kept seeing people standing around looking creepy. It never got to the point that they were killing themselves, although I knew it was coming, so that gives me little solace. I did, however, wake up in the middle of the night screaming at Brett. Please, come into my bedroom with me. Last night. Approximately 2:38 A.M.
Kelly: Brett, wake up.
Brett: What?!
Kelly: Switch me sides, I don't want the plants to get mad at me.
Brett: What plants?
Kelly: Hurry and switch me sides, the air is blowing them on me.
Brett: Are you seriously waking me up at 2 in the morning because of plants.
Kelly: Yes, hurry, switch me sides.
And I actually thought there were plants on my headboard. I remember this conversation, I was, albeit still dreaming, very coherent. Brett, bless his heart, switched sides with me. Unfortunately, so did the plants in my dreams. It's ok though, because I did what they wanted, and all was forgiven. Stupid, evil plants.
Anywho, for those of you readers who've managed to hang on this long, I really enjoyed...well, not enjoyed, but I really liked "The Happening". I like M. Night Shymalan because he always gives us a glimpse a few months into the future after everything...er...happens. I appreciate that, being a woman. I need that closure.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
One year, two totally different kids
Would you look at this sweet face? Those chubby, red cheeks. That thin, wispy hair? Those Roley-Polly little arms. So innocent. So sweet. No delirium here. 10 months old, unable to walk, unable to steal her big brothers toys out of pure mischief, run around the room laughing at his pain. Her laugh then was simply bells floating on the wind. Now I have to wonder if something is on fire.
She's actually quite a cute little fairy. "Ouch, she bit me!" "What did you expect fairies to do?" "I thought they did nice things, like granting wishes." "Ha! Shows what you know!"
Monday, June 16, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARTY!
So did NASCARS personal advertiser, Papa Scott, and cousin Chris. They're not much for smiling for the camera today...
Then we have the coven. I kid, I kid. Here are the Hyde sisters, also known as Susan, Sharee and Maryland. Sorry, Marilyn. Just a little tease.
And here are the boring people. Guess what they're talking about? Guess what they talked about for a solid two hours? Guess what they always talk about. Anyone? Perpetual Motion. Ugh.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Water Signs, Good Friends and "Iron Man"
Anyway, we got to see Iron Man last night. I was a little bummed because, well, it's a comic movie. Another one. I have never been a big fan. HOWEVER, I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this movie. Really. I was on the edge of my seat. It was a great movie, and I highly recommend to you, my three faithful readers and someone from California who I don't know who found my blog on google...random...anyway, I highly recommend you see it. Definitely great.
And, if possible, go with some good friends. It makes a world of difference.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
My Gift to You
As we were driving there, Brett and I decided if anything turned questionable, like giant knives hanging from the ceiling, large, open, body bags awaiting, that sort of thing, we would swallow the SD card with all of these pictures on it hoping there would be a body on which to do an autopsy (we watch way too much CSI). Luckily, it didn't come to this. Brett and I left feeling slightly disappointed. Anyway, here are some pictures from our exciting television debut.
Looks quaint, doesn't it? Well, our fears were soon evaporated as we met the mans wife and family, and the five or so people who work on the show. Let me introduce you.
I'm not sure what's going on here. I was just excited how well I did on the second round. That's me (another fine black-mail photo) pointing to my points on my plate.
And here's Brett with Jeff and Sara "behind the camera's", as we Hollywood folk would say. Jeff is holding his precious bell. I won't delve too deeply into that, it's just disturbing.Here is John going over his questions for the next segment. Brett's in the background. I'm sure he was begging them to tell him the answers in advance. Had he any money, he would have bribed them. Sorry honey, this game is for those with brains of steel!
Brett. He's just cute. Sara, she's cute too.
And here are the great goodies we got for being "good sports". Or in my case, for kicking some serious booty. Ok, so Brett got the same exact stuff. But I still won. HA! I had no idea I was so competative.
All in all, it was a lot of fun. We laughed a lot, and I beat Brett, so life is good. If anyone is interested in going on the show and having a great time and meeting really awesome people, let me know, and I'll get you their contact information.
For black-mail information, also contact me.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
I think it's gonna rain today...
Enjoy this beautiful day.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Here are our little rug-rats helping each other along. I think Cohen is pulling Kembry against her will, but that's the beauty of taking the picture from behind, I can remember it any way I want to.
Just cute. Of course, I'm biased. Still...cutest...kid...ever. Despite the drunk eyes.
I can't tell you how flattering it is that people keep telling me how much they look like me. I had no idea I was so flipping adorable.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Just reeeaaaal quick!
1. Cohen said the CUTEST thing last night. Our little neighbor Destiny came over and was saying "Come here baby Kembry," and Cohen said, "No, she's not Kembry, she's my princess."
2. My blog layout is funky because I yet again managed to mangle it. Say that three times fast. I won't have time to fix it today, so I'm sorry! Good luck reading my sidebar without a background!
Oh, three things:
CONGRATULATIONS MRS. KASSIDY KELLER! Good luck Justin!
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Random Top 10
Count Down...
10. I make my kids watch Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice (A&E version, of course) and a number of musicals and other 'old' movies. I think this will make them well-rounded children.
9. I only take about 10 minutes to get ready. I should probably try to take longer, maybe actually put on make-up and, oh, I don't know, iron my clothes, but I don't. You love me anyway, right?
8. I get mad at the people on "Millionaire" when they don't know the answer and I do (usually like the $200 question, after that I'm brainless).
7. I'm still giggly about my husband. If I talk about him to strangers, I start to miss him. And for some reason I really like kissing him at bowling alley's. He likes it too.
6. I'm easily offended but VERY QUICK to forigve. It's sort of an oxymoron. I think Brett and the kids take advantage of this fact.
5. I 'believe' in astrlogical signs and color personalities. You would be amazed at how most people fit perfectly into their 'catagories'. It's the funnest to disect them. Frogs too.
4. I memorize character voices on old Disney Movies in case one day they do a "Disney Millionaire" show and I'm chosen. Ilene Woods is the voice of Cinderella. I couldn't tell you the fifth president of the US though.
3. I LOVE movie previews. If I miss them, I usually have a hard time enjoying the movie I'm watching, I'm so bummed.
2. I sing really loud in the car to musicals. My kids are starting to sing along with me. I think this is the greatest thing in the world.
1. This may shock you, so brace yourself. I love blogging and blog hopping. I consider it a sport. It should be an Olympic event.
Alright, I shared my top 10, what are yours...Alysea, Nini and Kimby? Lay it out for the WWW to see girls.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Enjoy some music, why don't you?
Socieites Child by Janis Ian
My dad played this song for me when I was a really little girl. Music is very important to my dad, and my husband. Through this song he taught me a little about racism and the pain associated with it. Racism was a very real thing to my parents growing up, and it's so weird to think of that. It seems like such a distant thing to me. I remember him telling me how important it is to see everyone and judge everyone by their actions, not by the color of their skin. This song has always spoken to me. It has made me cry in the past, and still gives me goosebumps. Janis Ian created this song and performed it under much controversy. I'm grateful for Janis Ian and her...audacity? I hope you enjoy it too.
Some of my favorite parts of this song, if you can even begin to disect it...
"I could understand your tears and your shame..she called you boy instead of your name..."
"...when she wouldn't let you inside. When she turned and said 'But honey, he's not our kind.'"
"...preachers of equality why won't they just let us be?"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COHEN!
Cohen is such a stud muffin. Even though he had oodles and gobs of presents sitting in front of him, tempting him ALL DAY, he didn't once ask to open them. He just kept pointing at them saying, "Those are my presents for my birthday and I'm free."
He was so excited to go to nursery, thanks to the enthusiasm of one of the greatest nursery leaders ever. And after church, he was so excited for birthday cake, he could barely contain his excitement.
There are so many things we love about Cohen, so many, but here are just a few for our friends who maybe don't know our little red-headed stud-muffin as well as they would like.
Cohen LOVES to read books; to himself, mommy, daddy, and Kembry.
He has a wild imagination, but he's really quiet about it. Sometimes we'll catch him talking to his cars, saying "Ok, come on daddy. Let's go get mommy. C'mon Kembry, let's go find daddy, he's hiding." So cute. Larkin also makes a guest appearnce in the Soaps of the Cars.
He LOVES trains, buses, tractors and fire engines. Every where we go he can spot one. Sometimes I don't see them until he points them out to me, and I wonder how he even saw them at all.
He sings to himself in his car seat or at night in bed.
He loves helping Kembry with everything, even if she doesn't want help.
He says bless you whenever anyone sneezes, and if you don't say "Thank you," he'll keep repeating "bless you" until you do. Also, if he say's "Thank you," you must say you're welcome.
Cohen loves church. He's starting to understand days of the week, and whenever we tell him what day it is, he'll list the days events (I'm going to Kristen's today and Mommy is going to pick me up and then we'll take a nap and then daddy will be home, etc.) but it always ends with, "On Sunday we go to church and to nursery and sing songs and say a prayer too."
We love you so much Cohen. We couldn't have asked for a better first born.
HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY STUD!