Please dont stop the music...

Okay... so Nico is pretty much adorbs. Every time we pass by statue animals, he wants to go hug them. Seriously... how freakin' adorable is that? He's done it several times... down in the county we drive by a butcher shop that has a statue pig outside. He goes on and on and on about how he wants to "go hug that pig!" Last night we were down in the county and drove by Lindy's Chicken place on 319 when he declared he wanted to go hug that chicken.

So much so that I narrowly averted a THROW-MELT-DOWN over the matter. The only way I got him through dinner was to promise that we would go by after dinner (a fundraising thing for WHS) so that he could hug the chicken. I sat him up there and he was pretty happy.

He is hilarious because he says things like, "He's so cute!" (about the chicken, the pig or even the dogs). And it sounds so great coming from him...

I also introduced him to The White Stripes yesterday in the car. He wanted to listen to bag pipes- which I didnt have. I did have a mix cd that included "Seven Nation Army" which is pretty awesome, because its a duo- a drummer and guitarist.


I totally killed it on the air drums, which Nico thought was AWESOME.

Speaking of music... is everyone here aware of how much I used to hate live versions of songs and covers? WITH A PASSION. I think it was mostly due to the fact that I listened to a lot of greatest hits growing up (esp Bruce Springsteen), so I thought anything DIFFERENT than the original version was CRAP. Well... it started when Dave got me the 1975-87 Live Bruce Tour album, and my mind was changed. I love covers of songs I already love... and the live versions... sometimes they get a little different, but most the time its cool. For example, my favorite version of Thunder Road is off of the Hammersmith Tour, back when Bruce was a BABY... seriously... its so chilled out- a totally different feel than the Thunder Road you yell at the top of your lungs with the windows down doing 85 on the interstate.



In any case, because I am the biggest nerd of all nerds, I have a twitter account, which I use to "follow" people and things I like... so that I dont have to wade through lots of crap on the internet to see things I like. I follow the Counting Crows and was intrigued when they announced that they were putting out an album of live versions of songs off "August and Everything After", which is one of my favorite albums. EVER. So I downloaded. It hasnt been disappointing. At all. Long story long, if you havent had the chance, you should check it out.

Whorelando and the 407...

Not much going on around here. I am busier than a one-legged man in an a$$ kicking contest. And worse, at work, they are making me work!! Can you believe it? Noooooooo!

I am going to Orlando next weekend for a training in one of the programs we offer, Living Healthy. It is an evidence-based program that helps people manage chronic conditions (like arthritis, diabetes, cancer, etc) through action planning and such. We are, thanks to yours truly (yes, I am accepting all kinds of credit for this) ramping up partnership development with the Veteran's Administration, which involves them embedding our programs in their health care delivery system. So the training is mostly for the VA and my supervisor is sending me to learn more about the program, so that I can know what I am talking about when I try to convince others to do our programs. I am pretty excited about it... especially since it will give me the chance to meet people I have been talking to on the phone for MONTHS.

It means that Nico and Dave are going to be on their own next week. YIKES. Don't like. Which sucks. But it also means I am going to the Adidas outlet, Ikea and Joes Crab Shack. In no particular order. What- what? Of course, it doenst even come close to balancing out for six days with no Nico snuggles :( but it sure does beat sitting at my desk sending email and scheduling confernce calls.

The PRICE IS WRONG!!

We had an amazing weekend around here. 

It started with a workout at the YMCA on Saturday.  We planned to go to the pool, but it was closed for maintanence.  So Dave took Nico to Wade Wehunt for swimming and I came home to get lunch started.  True story: I lost the cap to the swimming pool that Granny You bought Nico for his birthday last year.  I tried two different places to buy replacement caps (for the valve where you blow up the pool).  I eventually had to concede that we weren't going to be able to use the pool and ended up throwing it away.  I know.  I am terrible.  Not only am I a shitty daughter but a terrible environmentalist.  In any case, I bought a replacement pool and ended up filling it on Saturday so Nico could swim at the house. 

Nico had a shortish nap on Saturday and when he woke up swam for a little with Daddy while I went to Lowes.  I wanted to get a few more strawberry plants for the garden.  My plan is to have a ton of strawberry plants in the spring.  When I got home from Lowes, Nico and I planted the strawberry plants and transferred the herbs we bought last week to pots.  We now have rosemary, mint, and basil growing in pots.  Not to mention three new tomato plants with blooms (so they should come in any day now).  The pepper plants are going like crazy- I harvested another 5 jalapenos on Saturday.  Plus, I put some bibb lettuce and arugula in the ground last week.  The only thing I need is for cucumbers to get on board and grow. 

We ended up grilling on Saturday... can I share with you how I was able to make my favorite burger ever?  Hardees used to have a jalapeno thick burger on toasted bread.  Yes.  I went there.  It was amazing.  I am still blown away by its awesomeness.  Nico has either turned the corner on picky eating or he is growing through a growth spurt, because little homey is eating everything.  Except for vegetables.  No joke.  So where we used to have a bag of chicken nuggets on hand (just in case), we are just giving him what we eat, plus supplementing with stuff he should eat (like yogurt, fruit, etc.)  In fact, Saturday night, Nico put away most of the bag of grapes I bought on Friday.  A lot like Uncle JJ, I think. 

Sunday I went to campus to work...after realizing I lost my keys.  Yes.  I am a grown ass woman.  I lost my keys.  I have no idea where they could possibly be.  So that was annoying.  I got about half way through the edits that Ike suggested on our paper.  Hoping to email that thing off this week-on Friday.  When I got home, we all worked out side.  Dave spilled a can of paint on the patio... so he was busy turning that into an ecological disaster when I detailed my car (except for the floor mats- suck!!)  I even replaced the bulb in my headlight... my own self.  And I replaced my wipers.  And Dave changed my air filter.  Everytime I have a little win like this, I think to myself, "The PRICE IS WRONG, BITCHES!"  I don't know why, or why I would share that with you... but I just did.  Boo yah!!

So that was our weekend.  Some pictures of the cute!!

A is for Aston Villa...

So, we had a pretty good weekend. 

We started with some errands on Friday night.  I scooped up Nico and went to Jo-Anns... I wanted to finish buying the 1st Annual Emme Maddox joint Birthday Box.  Someone is getting a pink camo bandana.  Just sayin... I also needed some supplies to work on the first of my handmade christmas gifts, as that season has started... that person's name rhymes with Micole... sssssshhhh dont tell her!!  She is going to LOVE it!!

After Jo-Anns, Nico and I got some grocerieis... with preseason starting up this week, we are trying to do a lot of crock-pot and make ahead meals.  Also, I bet you didnt know this, but the pepper plants I planted back in the summer are really putting out some awesome jalapenos.  In fact, at the grocery, I bought some habaneros to make some hot sauce as a Christmas gift for the Nicodys.  The reason that I mention it now, is that apparently the hot sauce tastes like burn... so I dont think it will be a gift.  Turns out hot sauce isnt just like setting kerosene on fire and putting it in a bottle... apparently its supposed to have a flavor other than burn.  Who knew?  In any case, I have opted out of the hot sauce as a gift item, which is unfortunate, because I am afraid to throw it away, that it might turn into some sort of natural disaster at the dump... kind of like what happend when Homer insisted on keeping a pig in the house in The Simpsons Movie... meh?

Saturday we took Nico swimming at the Y, which he loved (obviously).  I then went to a soccer/booster club meeting, to get our ducks in a row for the season, which starts tonight.  All I have to say is this:  THERE WILL BE PUKE! 

I am making the girls do a cooper test run (which is 1.3 miles in 12 min, which is a brisk pace.  Plus circuits, indian runs and plyos.  Gonna be awesome.  The season should go well- we graduated only 4 seniors this year... but now we have the culmination forces resulting in an epic decision.... we have several girls who are seniors who have been on JV, and we gotta figure out what to do with them this year.  Plus we have something like 2349057923487 seniors on varsity... so we have to balance how to get some younger players some experience while still ensuring that we get the outcomes we want. 

Sunday I finished up a paper and got two applications sent off (University of Buffalo and La Salle Univeristy).  Fingers crossed.

Nico is talking up a storm lately... Dave has been teaching him the letters that stand for soccer clubs in Europe- which is adorable.  Like A is for Aston Villa and Aberdeen.  Hope to get him on camera doing it this week.  Very cute. 

More tomorrow.

The sea turtle came to see him...

Well, we had a brilliant holiday here!

We left for Atlanta on Sunday, and drove the four hours up with Nico being a peach most of the way.  I worked on a christmas gift- getting it started early!!  Woo hoo!!

When we checked into the hotel, we noticed a rather large presence of weirdos.  Turns out there was a dragon convention called Dragon Con.  A full on festival of dorks dressed up as characters from sci-fi and fantasy books, movies and television shows.  Seriously. 

We've been telling Nico for a week how much fun he was going to have, that we were going to ride on a train (the MARTA subway) and taxis. So after Nico's obligatory swim in the pool  we headed out for dinner.  We found a place online called Marlow's Tavern.  We took the MARTA three stops to get there... Nico was kind of nervous.  Lets be real, he was scared.  He didnt want to go on the subway train.  But after a while, he warmed up a bit to it (some Mama Snuggles helped).  I am a terrible mom, so I didnt manage any pictures of his first train ride.  :(

The dinner was awesome... I had shrimp and grits (yeah, dont tell mom) and Dave had a burger.  Nico had "fish sticks" that were grown up quality.  We took a taxi back to the hotel and Nico was asleep in about 2 minutes.  Monday morning we woke up and headed to the aquarium.  We walked, even though it was raining... a lot of fun. 

When we got to the aquarium, we bought tickets to see the dolphin show, which Nico really liked. 


There were some parts that were a little scary- there was some thunder and it was dark... but overall, he was intrigued.  He seemed to really like the dolphins... and I want one... they are kinda like dogs, like you can hug them and everything.  They are pretty cool. 

There were some other things that were pretty cool, like the acryllic tube that goes through a fish tank.  Lots of cool things to look at like sharks and sea turtles and penguins.  Nico has been saying tha tthe sea turtle came to see him (because he swam right up to him while Nico was standing in front of the window looking at him).  Very cool.  I think Nico would really enjoy it when he gets older.  There is also this thing called the "Beluga Program" where you can get in the water with Beluga whales... am thinking this would be an amazing birthday gift when he gets a little older one day. 

The trip back was relatively uneventful.  Fast forward to last night when Dave was giving Nico a bath and he said he wanted to sit on the frog (its a little kid potty that Grandma and Grandpa Royse got Nico when they were in town last month).  I wasnt really sure what path we wanted to take with the potty training- the, everyone is on lock down, Nico drinks five gallons of juice and only goes in the potty trainer method, or the more gradual, lets let him show some interest and then move on to going onto the big/real potty with the seat on it method that they use at his school.  I know some people (like Nicole and Cody) who have been really successful with the lockdown weekend method.  But I also have Nico's school to contend with... plus while he has shown SOME interest in using the potty, he seems a little young and not quite ready to make the leap. 

So guess what he did last night?  Peed in the frog potty?  WHA-WHAT?  Couldnt believe it!!  It was awesome.  Part of the problem for me has been, does he know what "peeing" is, what should go where and when?  So him peeing (and our subsequent celebration of it) I am hoping is proof that what he did should go in the potty... so who knows? But very cool though. 

Know what's also cool?  This video of Nico doing Judo.  He is growing up to be quite the judoka. 

Nico Cutes

I started a post yesterday, but didnt get around to finishing it.  So far the week has been okay.  I was supposed to get my wisdom teeth out today.  Between them not having x-rays and my dental insurance not being as awesome as I thought it would be, I decided to put off the surgery until later in November.  So I gave back my day off on Thursday but am still taking Friday off... to do the x-rays and other variety of nonsense.  

This week we have been working on a report to the CDC.  Its been kind of annoying because my supervisor isnt terribly adept with technology.  So she and my coworker have been asking me to complete minor tasks and rather than doing the EASY thing, which is to put it in an email and copy and paste into the word document they are using, I am doing things like putting it all in a text document and formatting it properly and then sending it... which is frustrating, because it creates extra work for me and for the person who needs the information, when you can just as easily copy and paste as text.  Of course when I try to explain this isnt very efficient, my concerns are dismissed like I dont know what I am talking about.  Working with MS Word is hard.  Whatever.  

I made a kickass meatloaf for dinner tonight.  It was AWESOME.  And I dont really like meatloaf all that much.  Who knew?  Here are some Nico pics:

Nico playing the drums.  

Nico working in the garden this afternoon.

I know.  Seriously.

Nico at Wakulla Springs a month ago.  Swimmin...