Wednesday, October 24, 2007

It was a birthday trip to North Carolina to visit one of my dearest friends, Lauren.

the pictures are here.

It was cool and sunny, the trees were beginning to change, and the scenery was astoundingly beautiful.
We tooted around the the city of Asheville. One day we took a gorgeous drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Smoky Mountains. I met some rednecks and hippies and nice down-home people in between. We drank excellent beers from around the world.
The time with Lauren was nostalgic and I misses her.

Monday, August 27, 2007

OH CANADA

you can see our pics here .

We flew to Toronto and headed east to the quaint little town of Port Hope, where Dwayne's mum lives.
Our adventures included trips to the beach, getting naked and wet (that would be Holden and Sophie), outdoor barbeques, browsing shops downtown, splashing in the Ganaraska River, and lots of playing in the garden. Dwayne and I even escaped for two nights out!

After that we headed to the city to visit Dwayne's dad, his three cute younger brothers and Lori included. We visited a petting zoo, a splash park, had nice dinners together- including a mandatory trip to Swiss Chalet for french fries... mmmmm, and played a lot with Comso in the backyard.
We stayed in a sweet suite at the top of the Double Tree with windows all around, a giant bathtub in the bedroom with mirrored walls, and a private room for the kids.
nice:)


The Lummins were manageable and completely spoiled by their grandparents, allowing us all to have a good time. I give this trip two thumbs up!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

still here.
you thought I'd gone away didn't you?

in my absence:

I've learned that crayon will come off leather chair, wooden cabinets, tv screens, and a sofa.

I've learned my children cannot be left alone for longer than 3 minutes without getting into mischief.
and now they plot together. I figure our house will be completely destroyed by 2009.

I had a root canal.
which was wonderful! I mean I actually got to recline in a chair for a couple of hours, singing in my head to the tunes on my ipod, without any screaming crying children running around wreaking havoc everywhere.
I just might break some of my other teeth so I can go back.

I've found 8 scorpions in our house over the last month or so. They were immediately annhilated.
Sophie is an excellent scorpion spotter. She spotted the world's smallest scorpion in Holden's room, looked like a speck of dirt, and no bigger than an ant.
The baby was suffocated in a jar so I could precisely measure it without fear of being stung. measured 5 mm.
shudder, shudder.

Along with scorpions, we clean up a lot of poop and pee in our house. Holden must remove his diaper whenever he deficates or urinates (i'm using my fifty cent words instead of shit and piss).
If he's in his own room he'll take off his diaper, then take all 100 wipes out of the wipey box to clean up, but he won't get nearly any of the poop wiped off. So then we have poop on the bed, on the floor, on the bookshelf, on the rocking chair, and other various places. I've got his closet doors tied up so at least he can't get to all the stuff in there.

I've gotten a little wiser though. I put the little potty in his room.
and after a few days, hooray! this morning he pooped in his little potty. then set it on top of his bed like a trophy
go Holden!

whilst I have many other lessons I'd like to share with you, my free time is up.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Don't Laugh...

after hearing an ad on the radio today, I wrote down the number to participate in a free research study.
for this product.

Friday, April 13, 2007

the funnies over breakfast

Our little conversation at the breakfast table this morning

I was lifting up my shirt to investigate the small cropping of reddish bumps that have made an appearance under my boobies.
Me: "Hm. wish these would go away."

Sophie, checking out my chest:
"Mommy! Your boobies are small! Tiny. They are so small! What happened?"

thanks.

Me: "But Sophie, were my boobies ever big?"

Soph: "Yes."

Me: "When?"

Soph: "When you were a mommy...even though you're still a mommy. They were big when you were a mommy. But now they're small. So small."

Besides her rambling explanation, I guess it doesn't take much more than a 3 yr old brain to figure out I've got small boobs.

Monday, April 09, 2007

bright eyed and bunny eared

since holden turned two...

he awakes before dawn.
he’s given up his pacifier to sleep in a big boy bed. so now instead of the 15 minute routine of stories then lying down in the crib and sucking his way to dreamland, it’s an hour and many many tries to get him to sleep.
he’s sleeping 2 hours less at nap time and is nothing but crabby the rest of the day.
he can scream for close to an hour nonstop (with intermittent whining it can go on for much longer)
he tries to throw tantrums regularly and it can only be hilarious because it’s so damn ANNOYING!
he likes to cause mischief and does so round the clock. imagine a ping pong ball bouncing from one disaster to the next…
his favorite word is "shit" now that he knows it's bad.

We try to get out of the house everyday, but doing that can take well over an hour. everything has to be a fight. Getting the right color of sippy cup, getting him dressed and changed, eating, brushing his teeth, etc etc…every single freaking step is a fight.
he’s two and that’s just what it is.
I still love him even though I threaten to kill him everyday under my breath and I’m ready for a drink by 10am.


I’ve been so busy, swamped in correcting my children and their horrible behaviors right now, I just don’t get a chance to sit down.
No time to upload pictures and blog even though I’ve had a bijillion things running around in my mind that I’ve wanted to say and share. It’s one of my ways to decompress and I miss it.

I’ve been having a lot more anxiety lately. panic attacks that leave me on the floor. I’m thinking about calling the dr about medicine but I’m scared.
April is a busy mofo of a month and I’m running and running to keep up with the runaway train.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Weekend Words Challenge (sponsored by Odd Mix)
...the idea is to shoot a photo for the given words, IMAGE and CAPTURE.

my photos:

IMAGE
provocative flower

What images pop into your head?


CAPTURE
white flag
white flag. surrender. capture.

here's hoping for sunnier days this week!!

Friday, March 23, 2007

WELL DAMN, IT'S ABOUT TIME SHE UPDATED THE BLOG...

I've been busy damnit.

Two weeks of company- first Dwayne's mum from Canada, then my folks from Saint Louis.

So recapping,
Holden turned two years old and had himself a nice birthday party complete with a train to ride on and a train cake to eat. and lots of presents with wheels. Holden's Heaven.
during that time I came down with a virus that put me down and out for 4 or 5 days. no beuno.
but then I did lose five pounds so I guess it wasn't all bad.
Shared virus with Dwayne after that, but not the kids thankfully.

My parents came after that and we began the house-hunting expedition.
Within three days they found one they loved and it will be there's in 2 weeks!
CAN I TELL YOU HOW FREAKIN EXCITED I AM!?!
they will be living just a short drive away from us by this summer.

If only I weren't so exhausted from the past week of activity I would have more for you to read.

Happy Weekend to You!

Monday, March 05, 2007

away


Mark down another milestone in the Lum household...
yesterday was the first time ever Sophie wore a real ponytail.

Lately I've been working with her hair trying to tame the wild beasties.
She doesn't wear barettes, or rubberbands, or anything in her hair for very long. they all fall out and then she looks like the bride of frankenstein with her hairs sticking up and out in every direction.
Last week I started using "product" in her hair. Some Curly magic goo that works wonders. A little water, a little magic goo, and some finger scrunching. Then her curls take life and form perfect ringlets around her head!
so cute.

But back to yesterday..
I started to brush Sophie's mane together and just for fun decided to try and pull it up into a ponytail.
A real ponytail on top of her head with a whole handful of hair... and oh my, it worked! and then I started to tear up.
For my little curly-headed baby, is not and never will be a baby again.
She was born bald and stayed that way her first year of life. Even when her hair began to grow, it stayed the same length as it curled up. she's never even had a haircut.

But now she's a girl. A big girl who can wear real ponytails.

sniff

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Today I can finally cross off
LOCKING MY KEYS AND CHILD INSIDE THE CAR
from the list of things I've never done.

oh yes.

Friday, February 23, 2007

little Lummin updates~


he's hard to catch
Holden
so close to two. and he never stops going.
He's already gotten the 2-year old charm. you know, like throwing screaming-at-the-top-of-his-lung tantrums that can last long past twenty minutes.
and are thrown over NOTHING
So help me god I've tried turning the radio up full blast and rolling down the windows to make him shut the f up so I can drive without feeling like a train wreck waiting to happen. I hate when he wails in the car so blasted loud. I've learned to deal, but still feel quite on edge and ready to get the hell home whenever he does.

The boy is hilarious though. Imitates his big sister and irritates her too.
He loves exploring and pretend play, and is still quite obsessed and fasicinated with trains and trucks.
we call him Mr. messy for a reason. he uses his food for paint and clay and various displays of art, treats for the dogs, projectiles and weapons, and decoration for his clothes.
It's physicaly impossible for him to stay clean for 2 minutes.

He weighs about as much as Sophie and still wants to be carried like baby when he's tired.
but I carry him up the 25 stairs. I love the snuggle time at the end of the day, when he cuddles up tight and rocks in my lap while we read. when he wants me to read story after story before bedtime.
I want to freeze frame those moments forever. remember the smell, the color, the feel, the warmth and closeness.




her mop of crazy curls
Sophie, Crazy Curls, now has a few more imaginary friends. Along with Eddie, we have Freddie and just recently Eddie's sister, Nettie.
oh. kay.
And she also pretends to be a dog.
Sounds typical for a 3 year old imagination.
But Sophie's imagination is wilder than the typical. she walks around on all fours throughout most of the day. barking.
She refuses so be called Sophie and you must call whatever dog-of-the-day name she's chosen. usually rotating names are used such as Cocoa, Lucky, Astro, or Lady.
Last week I awoke to Cocoa barking in her room until I let her out.
That day she also balked at peeing on the potty. because "dogs don't pee on potties, they pee outside."
Yes, and dogs can wear muzzles and stay in dog crates.


I just go with the flow.
For these are phases. And like all before, they slowly pass and new delightful and or sometimes awful ones emerge.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

my Weekend Word Challenge photos:

Balance
balance
salt & pepper,
black & white,
yin & yang,
...balance.
something I strive for as a Libra, yet can never quite acheive. inevitably I tip the scales back and forth, continually see-sawing, yo-yoing, and aiming to find the closest thing to equilibrium I'll ever know.

anyway,
this guy is way off-balance!
off with his head!


Parallel
parallel
I know, a bit obvious and simple for parallel.
but these permeate nearly every room in our house, and that's just too much "parallel" to pass by.

and a few more new pics over on my Flickr site if you wanna see...

Sunday, January 28, 2007

This is the Weekend Word Challenge-
OddMix wants us to take pictures for the words START and AGAIN.

START-
beginnings
My first pair of Lucky jeans.

after much traveling to and from the dressing rooms, searching for that perfect pair of jeans and striking out every time, I was feeling quite low. the jeans fit in all the wrong places and didn’t fit in the right ones. (you know what I mean ladies)
But then last Thursday (I'd like to remember this as the day I fell in love with a pair of jeans),
I stumbled past the Lucky store at the mall...
A beautiful place with overflowing amounts of jeans in every different size, length, color, fit, stitch shine and buckle, of your choice. (of course all come with a beautiful price tag as well)

I perused the walls of denim and grabbed a pair called SWEET DREAM. exactly what I had been looking for- dark wash, regular length, size 2/26, low rise jeans.
I grabbed a few other choices and headed to the changing rooms.
I tried on the first pair,
a SWEET DREAM indeed!
They rocked! as if they'd been specifically made to fit all "my humps"oh so perfectly,
and frankly they just made me feel HOT.
We were a perfect match, written in the stars, destined to find each other this one day.
and we've been together ever since that moment.
seriously, I yanked off the tags, paid, and walked out of there wearing my Sweet Dreams.
sweet dreams :) finding the perfect pair of jeans gives me a high that I hope remains as long as my jeans are Lucky.


AGAIN-
again
damn i hate shaving.

never-ending cycles.
just like laundry

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

because we're a little weird...
final
(see slideshow)

We played yet another round of “Never Gonna Get It”
As in, never gonna get one really nice portrait of my two Lummins together.
But at least they’re a guaranteed laugh!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Monday, something wicked and evil came and knocked me on my ass.
I woke up that morning and promptly barfed up my cheerios.
Feeling so icky I snuggled into bed and laid down for what was to become a twenty-hour nap. or something close to that...
Tuesday morning I awoke to Sophie's hushed but extremely excited words,
"Mommy, it's snowing!"
I HAD to get up for that!
I bundled up and headed outside to see the winter weather. Winter, I said.
A mix of icy drizzly, sleety, kind of stuff covered our lawn and deck.
Giant snowflakes fell from the sky between the pelting ice-rain. (I say ice-rain because frankly even after numerous explanations I STILL don't know the difference between sleet and freezing rain. I'll just call it ice-rain.)
Yeah, it was a beautiful sight.
I tapped Sophie on the side of her head and said "Stick this in your memory. We don't see this very often in Austin."
And of course I had to take some pics for that same reason.
big ice storm hits Austin!
(click on this picture to see the rest...)

So now it's Thursday and I'm alive again, but feel like I've lost a week somewhere in between all the ailments, illnesses, and iciness around here.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Been gone again
it’s the same old song.
No time to sit down
and no time to blog.
My funny Lummin antics
and tales of woe,
will remain in my memory
instead of shared with ye.

But now,
I shall recap bits of my long hectic week.
After a good-friend goodbye (she’s moving cross country)
and one last Lauren hug,
I bid her farewell and wept all day long.
Holden is sick with an ear infection and more,
Sophie tripped and caught a big-fat busted lip.
Many hours in waiting rooms we’ve spent.
Aroused many early mornings before sunlight this week,
by crying or screaming child accompanied by his thundering feet.
The Lum husband is gone,
And I’m now feeling like whiny country song.

So that’s how it goes.
When the kids are well
I’ll send them back to school.
I’ll have some time for myself,
to get back to whatever-it-is I normally do.
And we’ll all return to the normal level of insanity around here.

Monday, January 01, 2007

the absentee blogger returns

We spent our Christmas holidays at my parent’s house in Saint Louis, joined by my sister and her three young ones.

We were aiming for a picture of all the grandkids here... ha ha.
all the grandkids

That was one week together with 10 people, 5 of them children, in an older home with creaky floors and small rooms, quite small in the bathroom when you have three other little companions joining you for makeup, toothbrushing, and potty times.
And while it was a noisy time, it was so nice to be with my family!

now we are back to a warmer climate, and a slightly quieter house...
a few more pictures from our trip are here.