Milk That Cow For All It's Worth! (or, for short, MILK IT!)

So- We have had quite an adventure the past 10 days. Two weekends ago, Owen got sick. He had a fever and a really bad cough. The cough has lingered, but he was well in a couple of days.

Then Hazel caught it and it quickly turned into pneumonia. Unfortunately we had to reach this diagnosis after a full day of dehydration leading to a trip to the ER to have IV fluids pumped into her. This, along with 10 hours of other poking and prodding and testing, made for a very traumatic evening for Hazel and for ME! (And for those who are wondering...yes- Nathan and I both got sick, too!)

As she has been recovering, she has been slightly dramatic at times, and needless to say, we have been catering to her every whim. Well- I realized it had gone too far today when she talked over Owen while he was trying to tell me about his day at school.

Me "Hazel, it's rude to talk when someone else is talking."
Hazel "Why?"
Me "Because I couldn't hear what Owen was trying to say."
Hazel (in a VERY pitiful voice): "But I like to talk when other kids are talking because that just makes me feel better."




Um, yeah....I think that's pushing it.

Tagged

I loved Nicole's (obligation free) version of being tagged, so I asked Owen to tell me five things about himself. It's amazing to me how such an imaginative, creative boy can go totally blank when I am outright asking him to be creative and imaginative. I guess he can't do it on demand. Here are his responses:

1. I'm cool... and I know that because people call me cool.

2. I like my space shuttle transformer.

3. I have a nice family and friends.

4. I like to go on vacation.
(I'm pretty sure this translates into "I like to skip school")

5. My brain just doesn't work very good.
(he was having a hard time thinking of a 5th thing and got a little frustrated with his brain)

And here is a picture of him that I love. I promise I didn't style his hair that way. The wind was blowing.

The Royal Treatment

This was one of those moments that I wished I had a camera! Hazel and I had a date at the nail salon the other day. I thought it would be fun for her to get her nails painted while I got my pedicure. I sat down in my vibrating chair and Hazel was whisked away to a manicure chair. It was the cutest thing to watch. I could barely see her because she was surrounded by women who were talking to her (some in languages that I am pretty sure she doesn't speak) and cooing at her and stroking her hair and touching her face...and that doesn't even include the girl who was painting her nails. They couldn't keep their hands off her. She just sat there in stunned silence the whole time. I think she might have been a little scared, but at least she came out of it with pretty nails. They even painted a little flower on her thumb nails. She felt like royalty.

In fact...I'm starting to wonder why they don't give me that same treatment! I guess she is a lot cuter than me. :)

Deep Thinking

Hazel and I were in a public restroom a few day ago washing our hands. The trash can was right on her level and she stared at it for a long time after throwing her paper towel away.

In a panic, she whipped her head up and looked at me with a very concerned look and said, "Mommy! You can't reach the trash can because you didn't already grow small enough."

I just smiled at her and tried to reassure her that I could just drop my paper towel down from my staggering height, but she wasn't having it.

She said "NO. You have to grow down like THIS!" and squatted down to the floor while motioning a gradual "growing down" with her hands.

Oh, the mind of a two year old.

And here is a precious moment I captured. They may scream and fight 99% of the day, but occasionally I hear silence (that phrase makes no sense) and I find them loving each other. :)

watching t.v. together

Do you see Hazel's little arm around his shoulder? So sweet. And what does it say about my picture taking habits that they didn't even budge while I circled around them for the best view? Poor kids.

Viva Las Vegas

Well...now I can say I have been to Vegas.

My Dad had a work thing in Las Vegas so we decided to hop on over and meet up with them for the weekend. We had our fair share of Casino hopping and show watching. Here are just a few of our pics from the weekend. We also stopped at Hoover Dam on the way home. You can look at the rest of our pics at http://www.familywill.shutterfly.com/


The fountains at the Bellagio (beautiful, but disappointing in it's brevity)




Hazel meets the lions at the MGM Grand

Just some random Hazel cuteness (Owen didn't want his picture taken)

New York New York- looks cooler on the outside than the inside.

This is what Hazel did while we casino hopped the second day. :)

The fam at Treasure Island (now THAT was a wholesome family show (this is sarcasm)).

Owen and Hazel liked Circus Circus the best because of all the carnival rides and attractions inside. They had to ride these helicopters twice ($8 per ride).

I think my favorite part of the trip happened on the way home. The kiddos fell asleep at about 5:00 pm and woke up hungry and whiny around 7:00. We were in the middle of the 2 1/2 hour stretch of desert....and I mean nothing but desert. Hazel had to pee in the rocks on the side of the road (which she loved). Anyway- as we pulled into Wikieup, there was a little rest stop/ restaurant that we took advantage of. It was a family-run business and the girl there was just as friendly as can be. She struck up a conversation as we waited for the credit card machine to work.

girl: "How you guys doin'?"

me: "Good. We're just kind of tired"

girl: "Have you been drivin' a long time?"

me: "We are just on our way home from Las Vegas"

girl: "Oh! Did you have a good time?"

me: "It was fun...I just think we need to go without the kids next time."

girl: " I know what you mean. We got married there and I was wishing we had a babysitter that night!"

me: silence....

Not So Scary Movie

Disclaimer:
This post is in no way an opportunity to make fun of my sister...ok- it is a little bit. But that is not it's main purpose.

Meredith told me that they rented a movie called 1408 and her strange husband wanted to watch the trailer before they watched the movie. Well, Meredith was so scared by the trailer that she made Jon-David return the movie. So I thought "I HAVE to rent that movie!" I like to be scared, but "scary" movies these days just don't seem to be scary! Nathan and I watched 1408 tonight and just looked at each other at the end like "What the crap?!" It was just weird and spastic.

Give me an hour of recorded 911 calls if you really want to scare me. There are just too many things in real life to be scared of for me to be scared by Jon Cusack spinning in a circle with a look on his face like he just rode a really good roller coaster.

Dead Man Walking

Owen: I've had the chocolate whoppers before, but I've never tried the strawberry ones.
Me: That's a sad story, Owen.
Owen: I'm going to have some when I'm a grown up....when my parents are dead.
Daddy: Your parents don't have to be dead for you to be a grown up. I'm a grown up and my parents aren't dead.
Owen: But your parents LOOK like they are almost dead. Grandaddy is a REALLY old man.