Upon Us

I simply cannot believe that it is Halloween already! The summer has truly flown by, and I think we totally missed fall! Our pumpkin is carved up and we have our Trick or Treating plan all mapped out!

Steve and I are both HUGE fan of Charles Shultz. We both loved the cartoons as kids and still love them and make sure we are home for their airing. (We are the only people left in the world who don't have DVR and I'm proud of it....) However, this year my MIL purchased the Great Pumpkin video for us so we broke it out a few weekends ago when we carved our pumpkin.

We told Madeline how much we loved the video, thinking she wouldn't be very interested. She sat through it and that was that.

However, now she says " Watch Charlie?" about 47 times a day. So - ONCE a day I cave and we watch Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin. But I have to wonder if it'll be as special to her as it was to us since she can have it "on demand." There's something to be said for a little wanting.

Less is More

My husband turned me on to a Hemmingway story I've never heard before. I'm not the biggest Hemmingway fan . . . The Old Man and the Sea turned me off pretty quickly . . .

I was intrigued because he told me that one of Hemmingway's friends accused him of being too verbose, and challenged him to write a story in only 6 words.

In my Creative Writing classes in college I had a professor who made us write stories with only one syllable words, or make everyone start their story with the same line. I thought these were tough! I don't feel I can express myself in a Haiku let alone 6 words. So - here it is - Hemmingway's little masterpiece. I wouldn't have believed you could effectively communicate an entire story (let alone rising and falling action and denumount) in six words.
I stand corrected.


For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

As many of you know, we don't live in a traditional "neighborhood." There are a grand total of 5 houses on our street and I've come to really like it that way. Thus my growling at the 2 houses being built across the street... I miss the sidewalks and sometimes the noise, but for the most part I like it out here.

It's interesting, I don't know if it's because we live out in the country or what - but we have a really fantastic relationship with our neighbors one one side. Let's call them Ken and Barbie. They're pretty much like our second set of parents. I couldn't even begin to describe all that they have done for us - from watching Madeline when we were in a jam, to helping up weed our garden or mow our lawn. Steve and I constantly talk about just how lucky we are to have these neighbors. They adore Madeline and we trust them with her implicitly.

They have a gorgeous home, an impeccable yard (I would dare you to try to find a weed!), yard upon yard of gorgeous garden, and a pool they let us swim in!

Now contrast them with our "other" neighbors. Let's call them the Skys. They built their house only shortly after we built ours. Does it have curtains yet? No. If Steve and I have the hankering to sit out on our balcony or porch - we can see right into the children bedrooms. They take care of their yard, but have let these really odd looking weeds grow up just along the driveway. At first I thought they were some type of exotic tree or something. Then I saw them sprouting up all around their house. I told Steve that I"m just going to go over there one night and weed wack them all! I think we've maybe said 10 words to them this year (5 of those being "Hi.") It is just such an interesting contrast to have neighbors that we truly count as close friends, and neighbors - equidistant, whom we don't.

I'm not assigning blame - I know they're busy and I could have gone over there with muffins or something. It's just that we clicked with one set of neighbors and certainly not with the other. I guess that's just the way it goes.

"Before I built a wall. I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offence"

Kids Kids Kids

I've always been one of those people that believe that there are a LOT of people in this world who shouldn't have children. I mean, you have to pass a test to learn to drive, but just anyone can have a child.

I know it probably goes against everything I believe about living in a free society, but I kind of agree with this judge's decision.

When I first saw the headline that a judge mandated that this women not to have any more kids, I thought it was because she had like 17 kids or something (a practice that part of me wouldn't oppose) imagine my surprise.....

What do YOU think?

It's a rich man's world?

OK, I can't hold it in anymore. I have to admit I don't understand why some people are SOOOOO against privatization. I'm not saying everything in the entire United States needs to be privatized, but seriously...... isn't it competition that has made this country great? That has kept us on the edge? That has kept us from becoming stagnant?

It wasn't all that long ago that the US Postal Service *ahem unionized monopoly* told us they couldn't get something across the country overnight. That is was impossible? But - what do you know? Some competition pops up who CAN get it there overnight, and - BAM so can the USPS.

Remember how expensive long distance calls where? When it was the government who regulated it? You couldn't have an answering machine or caller id! I remember my mom giving my sister an egg timer to watch when she talked to her boyfriend in Florida. But, once again - competition steps in - quality increases and prices fall.

The last thing in the entire world that I want is the government stepping in and telling more of what I can and cannot do on issues that have nothing to do with other peoples safety. Big government doesn't want to allow stupid people to be stupid. Do I think people should wear seat belts? Of course! Do I think I need a law telling me that in my state that I live and pay taxes in, that I cannot CHOOSE to NOT wear a seat belt? Gag me! If someone is stupid enough to not wear a seat belt, I believe that is their right. I just happen to believe that the government has better things to do than spend thousands of taxpayers' dollars passing a bill that they really shouldn't have any right to pass.

Adventures in CoSleeping

For anyone whose had a baby in the last - m - 5-8 years knows all about "Attachment Parenting." It's basically holding your baby as much as humanly possible while they're light enough to hold. Cosleeping, breastfeeding etc etc etc......

Everyone does certain amounts of attachment parenting - but others take it to quite an extreme. That's fine with me as I think it's everyone's personal choice.

The choice was however, not for me. YES I held my baby all the time, YES I breastfed and practiced positive discipline. I drew the line at co-sleeping however - for many reasons. 1) I was too afraid of 3 people in one queen sized bed. 2) Um, I would like to have one private area of my home where I am an island unto myself. Of course Madeline and I snuggled there and we all spent many a Saturday morning playing as a family on our big bed. But nighttime? That's mine! Yes I (happily?) nursed 2-3 times a night, but by the end of a day at hoom with my daughter, I was "touched out." And treasured the few minutes when I could have total peace and quiet alone or with my husband. Nighttime was the time he and I got together and keeping that as our own kept our marriage strong and my sanity in tact.

However, as Madeline's gotten bigger, Steve and I both enjoy the few moments where she'll actually stop and cuddle with us. They are few and far between so they're a treasure. Sometimes as night when we'd check on her we'd say "Oh let's put her in bed with us!" and then we'd go on with our night. But the other night I told him that we really were going to do it.

It was around 11 so we were both ready to turn in. Steve slipped into her room and brought her into ours. We all snuggled up into bed, and as I inhaled her I thought, "Why haven't we done this for a long time?" She was quiet and still. We were all huddled in for our night when we heard "PAN! PAN!" as she pointed to the fan going. Then she proceeded to go through every word in her vocabulary.

KEN! BETTY! MAMA! GRAMPA! CHEESE! OCTAPUS!

She Shhhhhed her and she rolled over and koala-ed onto Steve. I was a little jealous but felt myself start to get sleepy. Then her noggin smashed into mine. "Mama" her little hot breath on my face. I gave her 491 kisses and told her I loved her. I wrapped my arms around her and thought we had discovered the best little secret in the world.

"PAN!PAN!" "YIGHT! YIGHT!!!!!"

After about 5 more minutes of non-stop talk, scratching of nails, and getting whapped in the head with her various limbs, I decided Cosleeping was STILL not an option for us. Steve deposited her back in her crib and we, once again, enjoyed a nice night's sleep all by ourselves.

Everybody knows everybody

When my husband first told me he lived in Pendleton, I said, "Where is THAT?" I can't say that I was in love at first sight with the house and the 5 acres. (Ok , maybe the house.....) Things like "tractors" and "composting" were not in my vocabulary. Passing combines on the road was not something I was particularly excited about.



I've never been that good with change. I like what I know and I see no reason to go about upsetting that balance. Moving from an apartment complex where I could hear (and smell) the neighbors' Chinese take out order, to moving to a street with 5 houses on it was one of the larger changes I've made in my life. I'm surprised at how quickly what was so far out of my comfort zone is now my status quo. As I walked to the garden tonight to pick some fresh tomatoes and peppers from my garden, I realized that I was walking the equivalent of some people's entire front and back yards. It was so quiet and Serene - no neighbors encroaching on me with their loud dogs and burnt barbecue. The few people who actually drive by our house on the street are all people we know by name. It's just the norm. I'm certainly not saying that this life is better than those in a suburb (I totally miss sidewalks) or that "country" life is for everyone, but I'm surprised that it's turned out to be for me.

Perfect 10!

So we got what we THOUGHT was a bounce house that Madeline would enjoy, but it ended up being this waterslide. I insisted on trying it anyway. I don't think I'm going to the Olympics anytime soon.

That funny little girl

It's been an insane last few weeks and for that I shall blame my tardiness in posting. Tonight is the first night I've sat down and caught up on things on my computer. ~Sigh~

As we close in on Madeline's 2nd birthday (Is that even possible? Really?) I find myself looking more and more at her newborn pictures. I remember my sister saying, "They're newborns for such a short time." It didn't register at the time, but it has proven so true. The days are long but the months are short. They go from farm fresh babies like above to little people who ask to talk to their little friends on the phone!!

I recently had the wonnnnnnnnnnderful luxery of attending a Girls Night Out with some of my Momma Friends. We went and saw Mamma Mia! and ate at the Cheesecake Factory. It was so much fun to be out with them all and cram about 6 months worth of conversation into as many hours. The food was sooooooooooooooooooooo good and I left with belly and heart both full.

It was my first exposure to this musical and the girls on either side of me were kind enough to help me with the plot and provide me with napkins during the unforewarned excruciatingly sad parts.

It made me feel lucky to have such wonderful friends to whom I didn't have to explain why I was crying and with whom I could, for the first time, close down a restaurant.

Walk the Dog

Dear Mr. Ma,

I just wanted to let you know that I will be seeing you in about a month. I am sure you are wondering where I have been! I, of course, being your greatest fan.

You may thank my sweet sweet husband for sneakily getting us tickets and a hotel room so that we could enjoy some time away from our baby whilest enjoying the greatness which is YOU!

Sincerely,

E Fulton