The McMahans

The moment you have all been waiting for....A POST!!

2008-08-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's been over a month since I posted. Sorry to my dedicated readers. I am going to honest, I have been flat out lazy.

So lets start with the big news first. Craig was in a car accident Thursday. I am glad to report that Craig and the other person involved were OK. But the cars not so much. Both were towed and we are waiting to see what the insurance company says about ours. I will meet them at the wrecking yard Monday for the verdict. I am trying very hard hoping that the damage is more cosmetic than anything. After all, we have only made ONE payment on it. Yes - it was a new car. He bought it on 7/11. The area were the accident was is a construction area. I have my theory of what happened and who deserves what blame. But at this point, I will not share details until the investigation is over.

On an up-note....Conor is signed up for his 2nd season of soccer. He is so excited and so are we. My baby is growing up.

We FINALLY had a Sprinkler system installed at the house. When we were building 3 years ago, I got skimpy and decided no sprinkler. Now, I know why we should have just done it in the first place. It is a constant battle with keeping the yard up and now it will be much easier on Craig with having the system.

We had a heck of a thunderstorm come through here early this AM. I haven't seen this much rain in a long time. We had lots of lightening and thunder. A huge grid of city had a power outage this morning, which resulted in a lovely 6AM emergency call from my work. I did have to go on site and work a little bit this AM, but luckily everything came back up as it should without any major issues.

Craig got a new iMac at work. He is very very proud of it. It has a 24" monitor! Isn't is crazy how monitors are bigger than the TV's we had as kids.

Lastly, we just got back in town from a day trip to the 'ol Amarillo. My cousin got married. It was a very nice ceremony, the bride was beautiful, and the cake was amazing!

So, that is all for now. It is LATE and I am TIRED!

I don't have much time to chat...

2008-07-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I don't have much time to chat, so I will just post a few pictures. Afterall, that is why you visit the blog, right??

Making Cookies with Nanny...
Soccer trophy..
Spiderman face painting at the circus.
4th of July Parade!
My little Red Raider!

This post is long overdue...

2008-06-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have had a few requests for an update. Sorry for taking so long.

Gina - I wasn't ignoring you the other day at work. I was away from my desk with your IM popped up and when I got back in there you were signed out. BTW - doesn't look like I was picked for Boise. I kinda thought they would come out and ask for volunteers, but I guess not. I think Beth is going from our group. I was a little disappointed :-(

On to my post.... A couple of weeks ago, I wrote this huge long post about how I was healing and how upset I was with my Dr. For some stupid unknown reason, I clicked to spell check and the whole flippin' blog was gone. I was so discouraged that I slammed the laptop shut and went to bed.

So..not much going on in our lives. I am back to my old self. However, salsa does not taste the same anymore. Also, I used to be a Diet Coke addict, now I can barely stand the stuff. I am still hooked on room temperature tap water, which is not a bad thing.

I recently got on this Mineral Makeup kick. I went shopping on one of my days off at a new cosmetic store in town. I had one of the reps in the store do a makeover with Bare Minerals makeup. I loved it and bought the kit... After using it for 3 weeks my face broke out and my skin turned really oily. So I returned it. Then I set out on the internet to fine another brand. I came across this company based out of Austin, Texas called Everyday Minerals. They are totally internet based. They claim to keep to skin clear and control oil better than "other" brands. Best of all, the offer free samples!!! No kidding, FREE! So i sent off for my free sample kit. I have been using it for 3 weeks now...and LOVE IT! I encourge you ladies to give it a try!
Here is the website: https://www.everydayminerals.com/index.php?&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=32

Conor is enjoying his summer. He moved up to the Pre-School class at daycare. I am freaked out because this is his last year in daycare. He starts school Fall 2009. He is learning a lot and likes to practice letters and numbers on the dry erase board. His favorite things to say at the moment are:

"What the...?" Very similar sounding to "What the hell.." but w/o the hell part.

When he drops something or something doesn't go his way he says "Tarter Sauce". He gets it from Spongebob.

He saw the freckle I have on my backside today. He yelled and said "Mommy! What is on your butt"

The other night I was waiting for the water to warm up before his bath. I said, why don't you run around for a while and I will call you when it is ready. He started running in circles and when I asked him what he was doing he said "I am running around like you told me to."

When he wants something, he says "If you get me a drink, I will give you a lollipop." He must get this from school because we don't say it around the house.

We had our first experience with name brand shoes. There is a skechers commercial for Airators shoes. He absolutely had to have them. Luckily we found them on sale with a coupon. In the commercial, the kids are flying and jumping really high. He put the shoes on right after we bought them, turned and looked at me with his puzzled face and said "Hey, I didn't fly". I realize what effect TV has on him.

Kids are hilarious.

So Craig and I are entertaining the thought of building another house. We have been in ours for 3 years and have outgrown it already. When we moved, we knew we wouldn't be here forever. I just didn't realize it would be so soon. Right now we are in the process of getting the house ready to sell. This will literally take us a year. We are going to take our time. We plan to put in a sprinkler and do some nice landscaping the in front. We also have minor repairs to do around the house. I also need to clean out cabinets and closets and get the house ready for staging. So in about a year or more, you will hear more about our new endeavor. We plan to stay in the same district, we are most likely going with the same builder, the area we are looking at is a few blocks down. The house we like is exactly what we want. This time we are going to do it right. After building one we now know the mistakes we made.

Conor went to the circus with my parents and the pictures are at their house. Craig had one picture from his phone. This the fabulous spiderman face paint. We have better pictures. I have Thursday and Friday off so I will post them then.

Hope you enjoyed the update!!!!

God is good...

2008-06-05T15:41:00.001-07:00

I am usually a very private person when it comes to religion. I will not defend or explain my reason, I just hold my faith very close and private. Having said that I am here to claim that God is good.

Since having my tonsillectomy, our family went through and uncertain jog. My Dad was admitted to the hospital because he didn't feel well. It was quite scary for a few days. Rewind six years ago, around the same time of year he was admitted to the hospital where, after an unsuccessful attempt at a stent, we were given the news that he would need a triple bypass. Wow - a triple bypass at 57 years old. That is just too young. Given his family history, it was a given that heat problems would be there, but we had no idea it was to that extent.

The cath lab was quite busy and he kept getting bumped back on the schedule. We were upset and stressed and we all wanted to go home because he was feeling fine. God was certainly watching after us this week. They did an angiogram and a 90% blockage and blood clot was discovered in one of his bypassed grafts. The fabulous cardiologist suctioned out the clot and put in a stent and my Dad is good as new.

My friend, Nancy, who is pretty tight with God told me "If He brings you to it, he will bring you through it." If that isn't the honest truth, I don't know what is.

We made it through. Thank God.

P.S - As far as I am concerned, I am doing fine. My ears hurt so bad, but the nurse told me after a tonsillectomy it is expected. I had to call in another refill on my Hydrocodone and the pharmacist made me feel like a drug addict. Yesterday I ate 3 Cajun potato chips and nearly died from the pain. One gross thing I can tell you is that food gets stuck. Yes, it gets freaking stuck in my throat and it surfaces a few minutes/hours later. Totally gross, I know. Other than that, I know I will be able to eat jalapenos and Flaming Cheetos again soon!

I have seen better days...but the end is in sight.

2008-05-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, so day one was too good to be true. I should have known that feeling that good after having parts of your insides removed was too simple.

I have been able to manage the pain well with my drugs. However, I have to really be careful when brushing my teeth. I caught myself trying to scratch my throat with the toothbrush. What was I thinking?!?

One weird symptom I am having right now is total body aches. I feel like I just ran a marathon or climbed 1000 flights of stairs. My legs, neck and stomach are all sore. Makes you wonder when your body does when you are under anesthesia...

Right now it feels like I have a bad case of strep that just won't go away. Other than that, the whole thing wasn't as bad as I have heard. I know the benefits outweigh the downside by far. So if you read all the bad reviews of getting a tonsillectomy, take mine into consideration....it is not that bad if you are optimistic.

I will update again in a day or two. My friends are coming over soon to bring me some shaved ice. YUM!

Have a Happy Friday!

I am tonsil free..

2008-05-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been about 7 hours since I bid farewell to my tonsils. Those nasty little boogers have caused me a great deal of pain for a number of years and I am so glad it is over. I won't go into all the details, but I will tell you there were two kids, a little boy and a little girl, who were getting their tonsils out too. We all had the same Dr, the girl went first, the little boy (about Conor's age) was 2nd, and I was 3rd. GUESS WHAT! The 29 year-old was shedding tears of fear while the two kids watched cartoons and had a grand 'ol time before surgery.

I decided to list my reasons of being so emo!

I watch way too darn much TV. With shows like Grey's Anatomy and channels like Discovery Health Channel, you tend to "see" too much.
I made the lovely mistake of watching a tonsillectomy on YouTube.com. Yes, there was one one there. After seeing the inside of a mouth after the procedure, you can image why I have only opened my mouth to eat, drink and talk. No lookie for me.
Seeing two kids in line before me with great spirits and no idea what was about to happen made me wish I was 5 and knew no better.
I also cried, because I watched the parents of the kids walk off after they were taken in for their procedure. As a fellow parent, I can't even image how that would have felt. After seeing that I have NO idea how my Mom and Sister do the job they do. My sister especially. She is with those kids after the parents leave and THANK GOD for the kind of person she is, without a doubt I would want her in there with my kid!
I was terrified of having an "accident" while in the OR. Lets face it people, loosing all control over your body is intimidating and no one in the OR wants to hear "code brown"

When the Dr spoke with Craig and my Parents, he said my tonsils looked bad and it was evident they had suffered many infections. This takes me back about 13 years ago, when I kept having to go to my family Dr over and over again not being able to kick sore throats and Strep. He told me if I came in to see him again, he would have my tonsils taken out. I stopped going to him. It wasn't until I had Conor that I would go to the Dr when I was sick because I didn't want to spread it to him. Soooo all in all, I felt a little crappy after waking up. But after getting my prescriptions which include liquid hydrocodone a.k.a liquid HEAVEN, I am feeling pretty darn good.

Craig's B-Day and Mother's Day

2008-05-14T19:55:00.001-07:00

We had a full weekend. Craig's 30th Birthday was Saturday and it was so much fun. The night started a little slow, but it didn't take long before we were laughing the night away. Craig had a chance to be around some of his favorite people he had a great time. The pictures are on the other camera so I will have to post those later.

Mothers' Day was FABULOUS!!!! I got an iPod from Conor and Craig. I had wanted one for a while and was delighted when they gave it to me. It is so cute. My Dad cooked us a outstanding lunch and I think I ended up taking a 2.5 hour nap!!

Conor's last Soccer game is on Saturday. I am so sad it is ending, but certainly looking forward to another season in the fall. He really likes his coach and he gets along well with the kids. There is a little "end-of-season" party for the kids on Saturday evening. They are going to have so much fun.

We finally got rid of our old couch. I posted it for sale on EverythingLubbock.com last night and the first person that called bought it. I can park in the garage again!!

Coming up...My tonsillectomy is scheduled for 5/28. I have a week and a half off work. I am sure I will update again before then, but in case I don't wish me luck.

Update

2008-04-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Soo...I made an appointment with the Dr. today. The rash seemed to go away, but now I have terrible swelling in my hands and feet. I mean bad. I can't hold a pen or open bottles. My feet and ankles are so swollen that it hurts to walk. What the heck happened to me??? I am no petite girl, but swelling hands and feet are so not my deal. Something is really wrong. At the Dr's office, the PA is still standing by the original diagnosis that I had a "sensitivity" to the Antibiotics. Not allergy, but sensitivity. Whatever it is, it is really bad. I got a lovely steroid shot this afternoon and at the moment I really can't tell it has done any good. I don't "do" Dr's but it seems that weird ailments keep popping up on me more often. I guess it comes with age. So say a little prayer for me. Let's hope the swelling goes down by Monday and that I don't accidentally get prescribed Amoxicillin anymore....

Toodles...

Ouchie...

2008-04-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

I learned today that Antibiotics and the Good 'ol Sun DO NOT MIX. My goodness, they put the warning on the freakin' bottle for a reason. So I had STREP for the 6th time in less than 12 months. Friday morning, I knew something was wrong. Since I am the Strep queen, I can smell it coming from a mile away. I went to the Dr. Friday morning and sure enough, the Strep test came back positive. I have an appointment with an ENT in 3 weeks to discuss a tonsillectomy. Who would have thought, 29 years old and having my tonsils taken out. Anyhow, back to my incident in the sun. Monday is soccer practice and I was ready to get some nice sun, while at practice. I am sitting there and within 10 minutes I started to itch really bad on my legs. I was thinking it was the grass or something. 20 minutes go by and I am hurting....I looked down and I could not believe what I saw. It looked like I had a measles, chicken pox, and some kind of terrible skin disease all at once. Now hours later, it feels like someone is poking me with a thousand little needles...Ugghh..

Conor is doing great in Soccer. I don't believe we have won a game, but it's not about the winning right? Those little guys get out there and try, you can't ask for anything more. I am simply delighted that Conor is even out there without bribery. He actually enjoys it. He listens to his Coach, plays well with the kids. He isn't very outgoing, but that will come with time.

Not much else is going on. Craig is getting closer day by day to the big 3-0. We are planning a little shindig...More to come about that soon.

It's been a minute..

2008-04-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

I don't have my camera near me to add pictures, so you will just have to read for now. Craig and I aren't feeling very well right now. Not sure what the deal is. I am already dressed in my PJ's and could fall asleep any minute now. Conor is chugging along in Soccer. He is getting better, but since he is a shortie, he has a hard time keeping up with the bigger kids. He gives his heart and soul when he practices, well except for today. All the kids were kinda blah. I think I would be too if I had practice on Monday. Just for the record, Monday practices were not my idea. The weather is getting nicer, I think this week we will be in the 80's with one day near 90. I am very proud to report that Conor Mac is sleeping in his room 100% now. It was quite the struggle for the longest time. He tucks himself in, goes to sleep on his own, and knows not to get out of bed until the clock says "6". Most mornings, I have to wake him up which is just wonderful!! So since I don't have pictures, I am going to leave you with the top 20 fun facts about Conor...

1. Conor is learning about bugs at school. He loves the work "pupa". He laughs when he says it

2. His diet mostly consists of chicken. He very rarely eats red meat. Hot dogs and corn dogs are still at the top of his list.

3. He is dying to go camping in the back yard with his Daddy. I can't wait to see if he will make it through the night in the backyard

4. Everyday when we leave daycare, all his friends say "Conor can I come to your house". I guess I need to have a spring party and invite his friends over from school.

5. He says excuse me when he burps.

6. He is relatively neat for the most part. Sometimes he throws a fit when he has to pick things up.

7. He has the sweetest face.

8. He loves his puppy and is always concerned about her.

9. He will randomly tell you he loves you and doesn't want anything in return.

10. We went to the cemetery to take flowers to my Papa and Grandma. He said "This isn't their house, this is a garden." When I explained to him they were in Heaven with God, he said next week we will get a spaceship and go see them.

11. He repeats "Mommy" or "Daddy" over and over and over again. But never finishes what he started to say.

12. When he doesn't nap, everybody better move out of the way around 3pm in the afternoon. He is a terror.

15. He loves Power Rangers, The Backyardigans, Spongebob, and Transformers.

16. He likes to help Nanny with the laundry, but he is never interested at home.

17. He regularly asks to spend the night with my parents.

18. The other day it rained and hailed. That was the first time he was scared from the storm.

19. He has 5 freckles on his nose.

20. He has a little pot belly like my Papa did. Right after dinner is when it sticks out really far. Now since he is playing soccer, it is starting to flatten out.

Hello Readers..

2008-04-03T19:05:00.000-07:00

Every few months or so, I get curious as to who all reads my blog. I have a ticker that shows how many hits I get and I get them regularly. It is exciting to see that people from all over are interested in my family.

Sooo...leave me a comment and tell me who you are. You don't have to get in depth, just a line or two about you and what you like about my blog. Don't worry, I am not crazy, if I didn't want people to know about my family I wouldn't have a blog! :-)

Simply click on the link to the lower right near the word "audience" below that says "comments" and drop me a line.

I look forward to learning more about my audience!

Soccer and Upgrades!

2008-03-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

I don't know what is more exciting...the fact that Conor had his first Soccer game and did great or that Daddy got his new TV.

So Friday I had the day off...I started cleaning house around 830am and didn't stop until 12pm. Whew! I am not talking about everyday cleaning, I mean baseboards, window sills and ceiling fan cleaning. I didn't realize how dusty our house was, of course when you live near open fields, what do you expect.

Saturday, we were up bright and early for Conor's soccer game. I wasn't sure how it was going to go since he would be around kids he didn't know. Not sure why I was worried, because that kid got out there and kicked some booty. Of course we do need to work on a few things, like being more aggressive with the ball and kicking in the general direction of the goal, but other than that he did great. He started the game and played two quarters. I don't know what the score was, but I don't think we won. We did have the best jerseys though!! The other team seemed so much bigger than our boys. I am glad my Mom went with us, she was so delighted to be there. Enjoy some pictures..

Next big news....Daddy got his new TV! It is amazing how you tend to fall across a great deal when "just looking". We saved $700 because it had a scratch on it. Yes you heard me right, $700. The new TV is the same size as the old one, but better. Picture and Color are great. As much as I hate to admit it (cause I didn't really think it made that much of a difference), but you can tell the difference with an LCD HDTV. We spent nearly 4 hours getting it set up. Here is a picture of Daddy's new baby.

Soccer is a Success!

2008-03-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the pictures from Easter and Soccer...
Conor's first Soccer game is on Saturday, more pictures to come. He is really enjoying it so far!We had eggs for everyone...Conor, Mommy, Daddy, Nanny, Papa, Cookie, Pa, Guy, Rickey, Ashley, Beanie, Hay, and Ashlyn. He is the little guy in green.

We have new furniture!!

2008-03-16T19:02:00.001-07:00

We have been looking for furniture for about a year now. We just haven't come across anything we liked well enough. We had never gone to Haverty's because I just assumed to was too expensive. Craig and I found exactly what we were looking for and it costs less than the other places we shopped at....

Here is what we got.... the pictures aren't that great, but it gives you an idea. The set is in a dark burgandy leather. We got a sofa that has two recliners, a snuggler (chair and a half) that reclines, and a rocker recliner (sorry, couldn't find a picture of that). Last but not least, we got a way cool rug!!! Once we get everything where we want it, I will take a picture and post it up! No more plaid couch!!

Well....

2008-03-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

I am sure you guys are anxiously awaiting soccer news....

We learned two things yesterday evening.
1) Conor isn't much for unfamiliar situations.
2) He is definitely my Son.

So lets just say our first Soccer meeting could have gone better. The parents and Coach are great. The kids are great too. Conor was excited. Right up until it was time for him to practice with the other kids. He clung to me like a dryer sheet and I missed most of the parent meeting. What I did manage to hear is that practices will be on Mondays at 5:30, first game is 3/29, and the uniforms are either black and red or black and white. Oh yeah, and his jersey # is 1.

Craig and I really believe that once he gets used to this he will love it. I could tell that he wanted to go play with the team, he was just so shy. When we asked him in the car why he didn't play, he said he was scared. When we asked why he was scared he said "because they didn't know my name and I didn't know their names".

So....more updates to come as the story progresses :-)

Soccer News...

2008-03-11T19:25:00.001-07:00

Conor's soccer coach called tonight. He is on a team called "The Cobra's". We have our first meeting on Thursday so a schedule is soon to follow.

Conor is very excited. However, he didn't seem too thrilled when we told him the name of his team.

More info to come soon!!!
Happy Soccer Season

I have BBS - Blogger Blah Syndrome

2008-03-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I haven't been in the mood lately to blog. It's not like we have been all that busy, just the normal work and home stuff. We went through quiet a cold spell a few weeks ago and we just barely started to thaw out, when all of a sudden a blizzard hits on Monday. Crazy as it sounds, I am not kidding. The 'ol LBK is notorious for its off the wall weather and Monday was yet another example...let me give you a breakdown ...

12pm Sunday - the sun is out, it is around 75 degrees. Simply gorgeous weather.
6pm Sunday - cold front hits and temps drop to 45 degrees. The wind is horrible.
3am Monday - I wake to the sound of a creaking house. The wind is blowing so hard it is scary.
8am Monday - SNOW! huge snowflakes are flying horizontal.
1pm Monday - The sun is out and nearly all traces of our "blizzard" are gone!

I have been a lazy housekeeper. I literally have a pile of towels/sheets that have been sitting there for 3 weeks. Everything else is getting washed, I am too stinkin' lazy to do that load for some reason.

Conor is just as cute as can be. He talks like such a big person. Apparently, at school there was some discussion about good words and bad words. I picked Conor up the other day and he proceeded to tell me about one of his little friends saying a bad word at lunch. I asked (as anyone would) what did he say. Conor said "I can't tell you, because if I did I would have to go to time out". Craig and I couldn't help but laugh.

I decided to list some of his funny words/actions

"last-morrow" This is his way of saying "yesterday" or "the other day"
he has officially stopped calling my sister "lashy", he now calls her Ashlea
He has been learning Spanish at school. He has a sheet from school with pictures on it and practices his Spanish. He is so smart
He now references actions like "When I was a little boy.." for example - "I liked that movie when I was a little boy"
He loves the song "Party like a Rock Star" by Shop Boyz and "Low" by Flo Rida. He request that I sing it to him in the car.
He is becoming modest - He absolutely will not let his Daddy see him naked.
When he asks for an apple, he requests that it be "naked" as in w/o the skin
He loves to dip Cheetos in ketchup
He dips apples slices in barbecue sauce
He is already talking about he wants for Christmas and his Birthday
He likes to pick toys out of his toy box and give them to you as "gifts"
When he doesn't want to do something or go somewhere he throws himself on the floor and says "his legs hurt"
In the car, no matter where we are going, he asks "Are we there yet?"
On the way to my parents house, I was going to stop by another place first, when we passed the street we would normally turn on he yelled "Mommy, you missed the street to Nanny's house!!"
When leaving the house if the car begins to back up without him buckled, he will tell whoever is driving to "STOP! I am not buckled yet!"
He can sometimes be picky when it comes to clothes. I generally try to match him but sometimes he will argue with me that his clothes don't match.
He likes to brush his teeth like 4 times a day, especially after he eats Cheetos.
He is not much of a nose picker, but when he does pick he flips out when he has a booger on his finger
He is NOT a morning person and he has to follow a very specific routine of: strawberry gotart pop tart, milk, and power ranger movie. If any of these are forgotten, our day does not start off well.
He is very caring and thoughtful. When Craig had broke his ankle, Conor would ask "How is your foot doing?". When my Dad was sick last week, he would call and ask "How are you feeling, Papa?"

So we are gearing up for Spring....Soccer, yard work, going to the park, getting some sun! We are ready. The Soccer coach is going to call us next week some time so we will very soon know practices and game. I have pictures, but will post them later this weekend.

I am off the next two days...not sure what I am going to do yet but I will be enjoying the time nonetheless!!!

Check back soon for more updates!

I just got told...

2008-02-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Kids say the darnedest things....

Conor asked me over and over to cover him up on the couch. So I did. She then said he wanted to sit with his Daddy. Then he complained again of being cold. I replied to him "If you had stayed on the couch you wouldn't be cold." He then said to me "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." He said it in the most grown up voice I have heard from him every. It was so funny, yet rude in a cute kid way.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

2008-02-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is, but I tend to laugh more at Super Bowl commercials than I do at any other time of the year. They just seem funnier don't you think. The game isn't quite over yet, but once I have seen all the commercials, I will post my favorite one.

Anyway, I will tell you all about our weekend. Saturday Conor and his friend Ashlyn went to the Dental Fair at the Science Spectrum. Conor hasn't been to a Dentist yet, and we figured this would be a fun way to introduce him to the concept. We started the day off by meeting our friends for lunch. Conor and Ashlyn are so cute together. They get along so well and I love to watch him interact with someone his age. After lunch we headed over to the Dental Fair. We made it just in time for free screenings. Conor was fine as we waited in line, but when we got in the room and he watched other kids have thier teeth checked, he wasn't too keen on the idea. It really helped having Ashlyn there because she was excited about getting her teeth checked. It was thier turn and they sat next to one another. The lady checked in his mouth with a flashlight and gave him a clean bill of health. In fact, she acted almost surprised at how well his teeth looked. Whew!!!! I feel much better :-).

Moving on :-) Conor was very, very proud to wear this Patriots sweatshirt today. He went all over town in it. This is a special Christmas gift from my cousin Guy who brought it all the way from Boston. Thanks Guy!!!!!

We are watching the Super Bowl right now. I took a quick peek at the TV and saw the Patriots get a first down. I clapped loud and Craig asked what happened. I said "One of the little blue guys ran across the yellow line." Ok how nerdy does that sound. I know enough about football to understand what goes on. But that was just about the most nerdy thing I have said since, "the little yellow light is on in the car". Anyway, he got a kick out of it and said I needed to post it.

And lastly...Craig broke his ankle. A few weeks ago, I met him at work to have lunch. As he was walking me downstairs to my car, he rolled his ankle. He brushed it off and didn't think much of it. Last week, he mentioned it felt sore and a couple days later it was swollen. The Dr. took X-Rays and sure enough, broken ankle. He has to wear a boot for 10 days, then back to the Dr. to check on healing.

I just developed a headache, so I must sign off for now. Thanks for reading and have a great week! :-)

4 Year Old Check up and SHOTS :-(

2008-01-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention in my previous blog that I took Conor for his 4 Year Old well check and immunizations. That was the worst 1.5 hours of mine and his day. The appointment was at 3pm and my Mom agreed to go with me. Last year I devised a plan that worked pretty well. I play the "bad guy" with the nurse and hold him down for the shots, then afterwards he runs to my Mom who plays the "good guy". All I have to say is, I am glad he doesn't have to have immunizations for a while cause that sucked bad. He screamed so loud and fought so hard. It was gut wrenching. After the nurse was done he said "I don't like her, she hurt me." *tear* He didn't run fever, or get achy so that is good news. He did get a bruise on his arm at one of the injection sites. Luckily, it is on the back of his arm so he can't see it.

So literally, on a lighter note, Conor weighs a whopping 31.5 pounds and is 38" tall. He is in the 25th percentile in weight and 10th in height. The Dr. mentioned we need to watch his growth since he is measuring a little on the short side. Being the obsessive compulsive person that I am I started researching growth percentiles on the Internet. "They" say that children who fall at the 25th percentile and below in height or weight are associated with "failure to thrive". Sounds scary, huh? To me, failure to thrive sounds terminal or something. Needless to say we are giving him regular vitamins, making sure he is eating a good variety of food, and also forcing down the 'ol moo juice. I really want my son to be a tall grown man. He needs to be strong to take care of me when I am old :-).

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you all his stats as of his most recent Dr. Appt.

Having a 4 year-old is FUN!!

2008-01-29T17:19:00.000-08:00

A few things have transpired since my last post. Conor is now a BIG BOY and sleeping in his own bed and own room! This is a revelation for us all. I know we probably didn't follow all the "rules" when it came to sleeping arrangements in our house. It all started 3.5 years ago when Conor got his first ear infection. The only way he would sleep was if he was snuggled right up to me. He never slept in his room again. The kid learned how to make himself throw up. The only way he would calm down was to put him in our room. So a few months back we decided it was time to "cut the cord" so to speak. We ventured out on the quest to find the perfect big boy bed. We went everywhere! Nothing seemed to be what we had in mind. I resorted to the internet and found the perfect bed from Step2. It shipped right to the front door and took about an hour to put together. The bed is about 3 ft off the floor. It has great storage underneath it and best of all, HE LOVES IT!

Here is a picture of Conor and his friend Ashlyn. They were painting Spiderman piggy banks.

Last and certainly not least, Conor has officially been signed up for Soccer through the Lubbock Soccer Association. I am so delighted that he shows interest in it. I am completely honest in saying that I have been looking forward to soccer since we found we were having a boy. I am officially a soccer Mom. Well, almost, the season starts in March. We will definately keep you guys posted on practices, games and most of all pictures.

PS - NEWS FLASH the Expedition gets the same gas mileage as the minivan did! I was fooled into thinking this whole time that the minivan was getting better mileage!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

Wow! So much has happened in the last few months...

Conor had a program at school. He sang all the words to "Santa Claus us coming to town" and "Jingle Bells" and even wore the Santa hat like all the other kids in his class. However, he refused to wear the cute Christmas shirt we had bought him...

He is the tiny little guy on the far left ....

After the program, Conor had a chance to chat with Santa Claus. For days he had been practicing what he was going to say over and over and over...
Conor had a Christmas Party at daycare. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go, but my Dad went and took pictures....
We had a cake on Conor's official Birthday. Papa did a great job on picking out a fabulous looking cake for our Big Man.
Can you believe that he is 4?? These dinosaurs are so neat. They roar and walk...
Conor has a serious fascination with his Red Power Ranger outfit from the Disney Store. He wears it a lot... in fact he is wearing it now..
I don't know what other people's Christmas trees look like, but this is how it looks at my parents house...
Conor anxiously waits for Daddy to start passing out the presents...

Conor got two new pairs of shoes for Christmas. He was really excited about them when we told him they were Optimus Prime and Bumblebee shoes...
Guy looks pleased with his Christmas gifts!
Cousins... The Fam before Guy left to go back to Boston.
Last but definitely not least, Craig and I bought a new car yesterday. Most of you know, we made the sad choice of purchasing a minivan 2.5 years ago. I thought I was making a good decision for gas by trading in my '03 Expedition for this van. Well, it turned out to make sense. I bitched about it quite a bit because it was so uncool. As time goes on, I learn to like the van and a couple of months ago, I had made the decision that I was going to drive the van until it fell apart. Well..... I didn't realize it was going to fall apart two months later. Let me list all the tings that were going to crap on it.....

From the 2nd month I had bought it struggled to start. I took it to the Chevy dealer on 5 separate occasions, but they could never "replicate" the problem. A few harsh words, and a couple of calls to GM, nothing was resolved.

I opened the glove box one day last year and it would never close shut. I took it in to the dealer and had it fixed under warranty. A few months later I opened it again, and it wouldn't close. The warranty had run out and I wasn't about to pay to have it fixed to I "fixed" it myself.

The motor went out on the passenger side window, had it replaced under warranty. A few months later the driver side window started acting up. Had it replaced too. Go figure a few months later the window would barely roll up or down.. (are you seeing a pattern here???)

The paint starting peeling on the roof... WTF?? Come on people, it is a 2005,

Last and worst of all, the transmission started slipping.

My advice to you don't buy a van that starts with a "V" and ends with "enture".

So Craig and I sat down and discussed all the issues...Do we keep it and hope we can get another couple of years out of it? Do we get it fixed and spend upwards of $1500 or more? Or do we trade it in, and hope to God the next person who buys it gets an extended warranty?

We chose the latter of the three. We are the proud new owners of an '06 Expedition. More importantly we have a 48 month/48,000 mile warranty on it. So if anything (knock on wood) goes wrong with it we are covered. So this is my third Expedition...I don't know why I ever tried to drive something else! I love these things..

So...it has been a fabulous 2007 and I am ready to devour my bowl of ritual black eyed peas. My entire family had a great year. We hope that 2008 has many more great things to come.

Cheers!

Chuck E Cheese Birthday

2007-12-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

We successfully survived our first Chuck E Cheese Birthday, or as Conor says is "Chunk N Cheese". With much anticipation the birthday was scheduled for Thursday and we invited mostly family and a couple of friends. This is our first Birthday out somewhere. We usually have them at home where I can be in control :-)

The pictures tell the story....Enjoy!!

Conor is wearing his new Transformer PJ's and did not want his picture taken.

Little Micah is enjoying the Party!!

Pizza Time!

Photo Op with CEC himself.

Mommy and Conor....Why can't this child look at the camera!!

Presents!

Hmmm...I am not sure about all this Birthday stuff??

Conor and Papa work on the Christmas Tree.

Christmas Tree at our house. I think this is my best year yet.

Beanie is giving us some attitude...

Busy Busy Busy

2007-12-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

Gina busted me twice on not updating the blog. I slacked the worst I think I have ever slacked before the last couple of months.

Where to start....I went to Sacramento, CA for almost a week for work. I had a chance to meet the Operations group for the Phone Bank which was very cool. Very nice people. Aside from having a great time, let me just tell you what a milestone in my life this business travel was. I have never traveled anywhere alone. Well, I flew to Austin once to visit a friend, but that was same state and only an hour flight, so I don't count that :-). Anyway, I boarded a plane on Monday, changed planes in Phoenix, rented a car in Sacramento, staying a hotel all by myself. This area all things I would have NEVER done. I made it back in one piece and did not suffer a complete mental breakdown. Yeah for me!!! Those of you who know me really well, will actually understand how big of a deal this is for me :-)

We are gearing up for Conor's Birthday Party. He has put in his request for a Chuck E. Cheese party. We invited a few kids, and I expect they are going to have a lot of fun. This year we are having the party way early. Having a Birthday so close to Christmas is tough on a kid.

We had a great Thanksgiving! It snowed here. Go figure, we don't get any moisture for weeks, then all of a sudden SNOW! Huge snowflakes. It didn't stick, but it was great to watch. Conor liked going outside and letting the snowflakes land on his tongue. Reflecting on that, it is so easy to forget how life is so simple when you are 3 years old :-)

Somehow our Credit Card info was stolen. Someone attempted to buy iTunes and something from Dell. Luckily for us we didn't have a lot of available credit on the card so it was declined. Just to say my peace - If anyone reading this has attempted or successfully stolen credit card info, you suck bad. If you can't afford something, tough sh!t. Get a second job. Don't steal from me. I work hard for my money and I get to choose what I do with it, not you. Whew - I needed to get that off my chest.

Now...on to the pictures... I have lots to share with you. I am disappointed to report that our Tennessee pictures were deleted. I am 100% heartbroken :-( I don't know how it happened, because I NEVER delete pictures until I know that I have at least 3 sets saved. We had some really good ones in there.

Mr. Incredible in the flesh.

Such a Cute Face!
This is the "I-am-mad-at-you-but-want-to-laugh-at-the-same-time" face.
Papa cleaning out a pumpkin.
Conor and Ashlyn - Ready for some CANDY!!
Trick or Treat!

Pumpkin creations compliments on Mommy and Papa.
We have Picasso Jr. on our hands... He spends HOURS drawing on this easel thing.

Seriously, I should be ashamed of myself....

2007-09-26T16:43:00.000-07:00

I am behind on my blog updating. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have disowned me vowing never to read anything from me again. Believe me, I would. So much has happened lately, and we have been super busy. Rather than be all proper with grammar, I will just start listing all the things that have taken place.

Craig started a new job with the TTUHSC. He is doing the same job, but just in a different department.

I started a new job too! I now work in the IT area of the bank. Craig and I now to the same kind of work.

Conor moved up to the 4 year-old class at daycare. He is a big boy now!! This is actually a pre-school class that he will be in until he goes to school.

The new Cooper school broke ground a couple of months ago, and they have made great progress. It will be ready for Conor when he starts Pre-K.

My sister is settled into her new apartment in Amarillo. She has the most awesome red couch that we found at a garage sale for $80.

Conor had his picture made for DigiKids at the mall this past weekend. He is 3'1" tall and weighs 31 lbs.

Conor knows how to lock and unlock the front and back doors. He lets Beanie out when she needs to go potty. He also feeds her and gives her water.

I had STREP throat twice this month within a 3 week span. I am better know, but I am one mad momma.

Craig also had strep last week.

We bought a Nintendo Wii. It is the most interactive video game system that I have ever seen.

My muscles were sore the next day from playing Bowling with Craig (which I won).

Conor is going on his first field trip tomorrow withe daycare. I need to say a prayer tomorrow when I drop him off. The prayer is mostly for me. I know he will be fine, but I am a nervous wreck!

My Parents, Conor, and I went to the fair this yesterday. Believe it or not, Conor, actually used $24 worth of ride tickets. He was fearless!!! (See pictures below)

Please enjoy the pictures below...

2007-07-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

100 Things

Tag...You're it! If you are reading this post, you must return the favor and post 100 things about yourself. It is harder than you think!!!!

1. I am seriously contemplating getting a tattoo. Maybe I will do something wild and crazy for my 30th birthday :-)

2. I love the smell of a new car leather.

3. I am addicted to Diet Coke from Sonic.

4. I drive a minivan and I hate it. I am constantly looking for ways to get rid of it.

5. I can't imagine life without DVR.

6. I honestly believe that Conor is the smartest and best looking kid in the world.

7. I truly believe that if I don't load the dishwasher, then the dishes won't wash right.

8. I am a complete sucker for any clearance sale.

9. I purposely looks for clothes with minor imperfections and ask for discount. 9 times out of 10 I can fix it.

10. When our house was built, before the sheet rock was put up we wrote bible verses on the studs. Each room has a verse that is special to us. If we ever move, I plan to leave the new owners a note with the verses and where they are.

11. I believe that Dane Cook is the most hilarious person alive.

12. Pepper jack cheese is my favorite.

13. I have a secret famous person crush on Andy Garcia.

14. When I was a kid, I wished that my name was Jennifer.

15. I smoked in high school.

16. I wear flip flops everyday in the summer. In the fall when I put my tennis shoes on, they don't feel right.

17. I wear contacts during the day. The glasses I have are so old and the lenses are cracked. I just am too lazy to get new ones.

18. I have a shoe fetish. Heels hurt my feet, but I have tons of pairs that I hardly ever wear.

19. My Dad and I have the same birthday September 4th

20. I worry all the time that our house will have a gas leak and we will suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning.

21. I could eat a whole pizza by myself if I didn't have the willpower to stop.

22. I love gingerbread house shaped houses.

23. My younger sister used to kick my ass regularly.

24. I was a serious nerd in school.

25. I got made fun of in school.

26. I have a hard time controlling my facial expressions. It gets me in trouble a lot.

27. I never had any wisdom teeth.

28. I am addicted to eBay.

29. I have a great job, but sometimes I want to quit so bad I can taste it.

30. The 5 minute drive from daycare to work is the most time I get alone to myself all day.

31. I would love to learn carpentry.

32. I have 10 different bottles of lotion open at one time. I use a different one each time.

33. I don't like to travel.

34. My grey hair count is growing everyday.

35. I love getting my hair colored.

36. My Dad does it for free :-)

37. I look forward to Chiropractor visits.

38. I have a hard time keeping my car clean.

39. I recently found a chicken nugget under the third row seats.

40. I dream of one day having a Mercedes SUV.

41. I have a very odd obsession when it comes to license plates. I memorize them. I know the ones of the people who live in our area and the people at work.

42. I can't live without my cell phone.

43. I feel the same about e-mail and the Internet.

44. I don't mind loading clothes in the washer, but I DO NOT like getting them out of the dryer.

45. I do not like to go to the Doctor, or take medicines of any kind.

46. I hardly remember to take my vitamins every day.

47. When I was a kid, I looked forward to SNL every weekend.

48. I love to receive cards, but am horrible about giving them.

49. The same is true with back rubs :-)

50. I wish I had the willpower to exercise.

51. I love spicy Mexican food. The hotter the better.

52. Lazy and dependent adults frustrate me.

53. If I happen to catch the clock at 11:11, I make a wish.

54. I love to get a pickle at the movies.

55. When I was in High School, I wouldn't give a gas station attendant my phone #. He followed me out to the car. I was scared to death. To this day have I never been back to Crystal Falls Gas Station on Quaker.

56. I have never been in a fight.

57. I am lazy when it comes to making my car payment.

58. I am terrified of guns.

59. I don't make the bed in the morning, but I do right before I go to sleep at night.

60. I love gossip. They say it is healthy :-)

61. I love to spend money.

62. After Christmas sales are fun!!

63. There are not enough hours in the day.

64. I am addicted to three shows right now. "Little People, Big World" on TLC, "Gene Simmons: Family Jewels" on A&E, "Hogan knows Best" on VH1.

65. The thing that most frustrates me right now is the fact that I cannot get my sons eczema under control.

66. I really think that when my kids get older, they will think I am cool.

67. I am not a very good cook. But thanks to Kraftfoods.com the things I cook are edible.

68. McDonald's French Fries are the best!

69. Since I have been on my diet, I have lost 12 lbs. :-)

70. The paint on my bumper is coming off. I think it was in a wreck with its previous owner.

71. I do not like to spend money on my car, unless it is gas or oil changes.

72. I have to watch "My Super Sweet Sixteen" alone. I say such ugly things about those girls.

73. I used to not like Camo, but now I am obsessed with it.

74. I love to find a pair of jeans that fit the shape of my butt.

75. Since I have lost 12 lbs, I was able to buy a couple shirts a size smaller.

76. I love my boobs.

77. I have been to Mexico twice. I don't care to go back again.

78. I enjoy shopping for other people.

79. If I could make a living out of it I would.

80. I love expensive tennis shoes, but I can't bear to spend over $60 on them.

81. I have never step foot in a gym. But I think it would be a lot of fun.

82. I love to swim.

83. I appreciate my parents more now than I did when I was in High School.

84. I have a bad habit of washing things that shouldn't be washed. On the list are: a cell phone, money, Craig's bluetooth, gum, candy, pens, gummy bears, and just today my keys and clicker to my car.

85. When people crunch on ice, it DRIVES ME INSANE!

86. While I have huge feet, I think they are cute.

87. I have a hard time keeping plants alive.

88. I love Flamin' hot Cheetos.

89. We have a plaid couch that is totally out of style.

90. I would love to win a furniture shopping spree.

91. I am having a hard time listing 100 things about me :-)

92. I do not look forward to Monday's :-(

93. Vegas looks like it would be fun. I have never been.

94. Interior Decorating looks like it would be a fun job.

95. Children are so innocent, I learn so much by silently observing my son.

96. I became a Mother the moment the pregnancy test came back positive.

97. Craig knew I was pregnant before I did. Seriously, he did.

98. It aggravates me when people see you struggle getting a stroller through the door and don't offer to help!

99. I miss my Papa and Grandma. I talk to them often in my mind.

100. If I close my eye and concentrate hard enough, I remember the way they smell , their laugh, and the sound of their voice.

Well, this was truly hard work. It was fun at times and aggravating at others. Enjoy!!

Just when you think you have seen it all....

2007-07-26T18:11:00.000-07:00

I debated all day whether or not I wanted to post this, but I figured what the heck. Just when you think you have seen it all, people will amaze you. I almost got to see two ladies scrap in the hallway at the Daycare! No lie. As I am walking down the hallway of Daycare this morning, I notice a woman pointing her finger in the face of another person saying something to the effect of "Don't ever talk to me again." Since this daycare provides summer care of school aged kids, I thought to myself "Wow, this woman is giving her kid a mouthful early in the AM". As I get closer to the door, I notice this is not a child she is talking to but another parent. Voices were raised and the other lady kept saying "I don't even know who you are", "All I asked you is you were "kids name here" Mom". Well I don't know the whole story, but it sounded to me like the one lady doing all the yelling must have had a misunderstanding with the other parent. They daycare employees were in the middle telling the women to leave, but they continued on. Talk about crazy!! You just had to be there to witness it. One of the innocent bystanders, said very loudly "And they wonder why their kids act the way they do". Yikes!! I feel so embarrassed for those women.

No pictures today. The pictures are on my parents camera. Maybe this weekend I will have some time.

Shoes!

2007-06-21T17:07:00.001-07:00

This is kinda of a nerdy post. I have to show off this new pair of shoes I bought.
I have not found anything to wear them with yet, but believe me I am looking. They were regular priced at $90, I got them on sale for $18!!! As Paris Hilton would say "That's Hot". Oh darn, now I must buy a new outfit to go with the shoes!

Critterfest 2007

2007-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Nearly 4 years later, we finally have an entertainment center!!! We have looked for years something that will accommodate Craig's TV. At 57" wide, we had trouble finding something that would fit that we could afford. My Dad decided he was going to upgrade his TV, so he opted for and LCD TV that goes on the wall. Oh darn, he had no use for his entertainment center. We made a deal and Friday after work we moved it to our house. We had looked at the same one where my Dad bought it from, but they had already sold the last one and they never carried it again.

Saturday the 'ol Critterfest was in town. We have been to Critterfests before and this one was a little different that I expected. It was held at the Science Spectrum/Ominax Center. Admission to get in was a whopping $8.50 for each adult and $6.50 for kids 3-12. Soooo, $24.50 we had our stickers on and we were ready to explore. The first animal to the right was a snake. Those are so not my thing, so we went to the left. We checked out some dogs, Prairie dogs, lizards, fish and other things. Conor had more fun with the bubbles than anything else. We had a great time as family, just the three of us.

I am a bad blogger :-)

2007-06-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to Gina in Boise. We were supposed to be participating in conference call on Monday at work and I rec'd an Instant Message asking me why I had not updated my blog since Mother's Day. Here is your post, Gina :-) This is a long post. I have lots to share!

I will start with Conor's summer program at school. If you have read some of my previous posts, you know that Conor is not one for the stage. He is getting better though. This event nearly turned tragic. It was about an hour before the program on Saturday, we all piled into the car. Craig, Mom, Dad, my sister, Conor and myself were ready for some entertainment by 2-5 year olds. Craig puts the car in reverse begins to back out of the driveway from house. Conor starts crying that he wants his Daddy to stay home and not go to the program. We pass it off and Craig attempts to back out of the driveway again. At this point Conor is crying and screaming for Craig to stay home. Not sure what to do, Craig agrees to stay home and we drive to the program. He took some coaxing to get him to stay in the back with his class, but he did. He sang the song and didn't panic. I don't know why he didn't want his Dad there. He is the short one next to the kid in stripes.

Moving on..I took a week of vacation last week. I had not taken vacation time off this year yet and I was behind schedule. It was long overdue. What did I do? Not a damn thing. I wasted 3 days for the concrete guy to come out and give us an estimate for the storage building we are going to have built. Tuesday he didn't show, Wednesday nothing, Thursday NOTHING. This guy is a complete ass. If by some oddity the guy that was supposed to come out is reading this, you suck. Other than that I took my car in for an estimate for the dents, did some shopping, tanning, a little bit of laundry. Towards the end of my vacation Craig, Conor, my sister and I went swimming. I set this up by telling you that Conor was the only one with sunscreen on. Need I say more? In fact I will just show you a picture. This is Craig's shoulder. He burnt so bad that it blistered. My sister is the same. I however, was lucky enough to have a base tan so I got red, but I didn't blister. Whew.

Lastly - We put the van in the shop Monday. In three days and about $2800 later I should have more more hail dents in my car. Thank goodness for insurance. I should have taken before and after pictures. I got some major damage int he last storm we got. This brings me to my next point. Craig and I discussed a while back selling both cars and buying one really nice one to share. This is day # 2 of not having a car and one car for the two of us WILL NOT WORK! It actually frustrates me that I have to rely on someone else to get places. The ride to work after dropping Conor off at school and the ride from Work to pick up Conor are the most peaceful minutes I get just to myself. I feel like I sound selfish, but this allows me to prepare for my day at work and wind down after the day is over before I switch to Mommy and Wife mode. I miss listening to XM48 and jamming out to Mudvayne during my 5 minute drive to work.

That is enough blogging for now. Here are some random pictures I have taken.

Funny faces. Compliments of Conor :-)

This tummy is full of Macaroni and Cheese and popcorn fish.This is what happens with you bother Mommy in the kitchen.

Ms. Beanie is licking her chops. I wonder what found around the house to eat?

Conor likes to take pictures. I hope he doesn't grow out of that. He also insists on staring at the TV while smiling for the camera.

Ta-ta for now!

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

As I was reading the paper this morning, I came across this. Happy Mother's Day to you all!

Written by Cindy Lange-Kubick

This is for all the mothers who didn’t win Mother of the Year. All the runners-up and all the wannabes. The mothers too tired to enter or too busy to bother.

This is for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at soccer games Friday night instead of watching from the cars, so that when their kids asked, “Did you see my goal?” they could say, “Of course, wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer Wieners and cherry Kool-Aid, saying “It’s OK honey, Mommy is here.”

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they’ll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and made them homes. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who don’t.

What makes a good mother, anyway? It is patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, fry a chicken and sew a button all at the same time? Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the every first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread from bed to crib at 2 a.m. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a school shooting, a fire, a car accident, a baby dying?

I think so.

So, this is for all the mothers who sat down their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn’t. This is for reading “Goodnight Moon” twice a night for a year. And then reading it again,“Just one more time.”

This is for the mothers who mess up. Who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair and stomp their feet like a tired 2-year-old who wants ice cream before dinner.

This is for all the mothers who taught their daughters to tier their shoes before they started preschool. And for all the mothers who chose Velcro instead.

For all the mothers who bite their lips when their 14-year-olds dye their hair green. Who lock themselves up in the bathroom when babies keep crying and won’t stop.

This is for the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.

This is for all the mothers who teach their sons how to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for all the mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls “Mom?” in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home.

This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children’s graves. This is for the mothers whos children have gone astray, who can’t find the words to reach them.

This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation. And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers, and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money and mothers without.

This is for you all. So hang in there. And better luck next year, I’ll be rooting for you!

-Borrowed from the Lubbock AJ 5/13/07

Is severe weather season over yet?

2007-04-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

We have had a ton of severe weather this season so far. Lots of rain, thunderstorms, hail, and a few tornados have come close to us. What the heck is going on? I have never been one to weather a storm. In fact, the minute a severe thunderstore warning comes on TV, I have everyone put thier shoes on. If it get really bad, I start taking blankets and other things to the middle bathroom. Yes, I am a paranoid tornado freak. I believe there are some terrible ways a person can die, and one of those would be by tornado. So anyway, for like 3 weeks I just kept a pair of shoes in the hallway just in case (don't laugh, cause at least I will be able to get out an walk around in the even that we were hit). So anyway, last night the South Plains area had 4 tornando warnings at one time. They were all north luckily, but still it was scary to think it could have been us. Enough of that. Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. Enjoy....

Easter Morning at my Parents house. Conor's Easter basket was full of goodies.

Time to color eggs. Conor was intrigued with the colors.

Classic -- he goes straight for the ears. Then again, who doesn't??

The Hunt was inside, due to the SNOW we had on easter sunday.

The Loot! Conor came away with some mean cash from his eggs.

Today, 4/22, we celebrated my cousins 20th Birthday. She has been going to Tech the last couple of years and is moving back home to go to Baylor. Happy Birthday Tawnee!

Why my Dad doesn't smile in pictures, I don't know. Here he is with his two sisters. Aunt Shirley and Aunt Carol.

Tawnee, Uncle Connie, Aunt Carol, Tyler

Saturday we went the Arts Festival. We had a lot of fun.

This is an example of the weather we have been having. I took this picture 3 hours after the hail had fallen. It was still there!!

My my, how fast a month has gone by,,,

2007-04-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wow. Here I find myself nearly a month later. I can't believe that I haven't blogged in such a long time. Not much has gone on around here. Same stuff, different day. Today Conor had his Easter party at school. I took a few pictures..

Some buddies from Daycare.
The Hunt is On!

Here are some more pictures for your enjoyment...

Picture Day

2007-03-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today was picture day at Conor's school. Just in case the ones at school didn't turn out good, here is one from this morning. He is so darn cute!

Here is a picture of Beanie. She has grown quite a bit since we got her, but I think this is as big as she is going to get.

Happy Birthday Mom and Uncle Ricky!

2007-03-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

My Mom's and Uncle Ricky's birthday was last week and we celebrated with some steak on the grill and cake. Conor was very upset when he picked out the Dora cake and we wouldn't buy it for Nanny and Uncle Ricky.

Next, we had our lawn treated and scalped this past week. It looks fabulous! This guy did a great job on it. I am so ready for some nice green grass. I am going to redo my flower beds again. They totally overgrown with grass this past year. I don't know about you, but I thought that concrete curbing should have kept the grass out of my flowerbeds. Well, it didn't. So this year, I am going to transplant some Vinca from my Dad's house and let it grow like crazy. If I want color, then I will just put some shallow terracotta planters out with some annuals. That way, I don't spend a fortune on plants that will burn up and die. Sounds like a good idea. We will see if it works.

Conor has obviously learned his last name. For a nickname, we call him Conor Mac. It makes sense since his name is Conor McMahan (pronounced MACK-MA-HAN). The other day, someone called him Conor Mac and he quickly responded "I not Conor Mac, I Conor MACKERHAM" You guys have to hear it, it is absolutely hilarious!!!

Sunday, we went clothes shopping for Conor. I was certain that he would have grown into 3T's by now. After all, he is 3. Manufacturers must have changed sizing this year or something, because the 3T's he tried on fell right off. Literally. However, all the 3T shirts were too short. I think there is a conspiracy! So needless to say, we left Target with size 4T shirts and size 2T shorts. Talk about mismatched!

Here are some pictures taken of Conor tonight. He finally smiles when you say "Show me some teeth!"

You must excuse the Barbecue Sauce Moustache.

This post is dedicated to Linell :-)

2007-02-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Craig and I just got back from Tracy's wedding in San Antonio. We had a wonderful time. I was so grateful to be a part of it. She did so much for me, that this was the least that I could do for her. I also had a chance to see her family and meet new additions. They are just wonderful people. Craig and I felt right at home. I haven't been to San Antonio in a few years and I forget how beautiful it is. We flew into Austin, then drove to SA. This trip was monumental in more than one way. I had the chance to see a very dear friend marry a fabulous man and Craig and I had a chance to "fall in love" again. There is something about a wedding that helps bring to light why two people are together in the first place. When Craig and I got married it was a whirlwind of emotions. Let's be honest it all happened in less than a year of getting engaged and it was hectic. Less than a year from the date we were married we became parents. Some may think that dating for a short time, being engaged for a short time, and having a baby so fast after getting married could be a mistake, but I wouldn't have it any other way. On the other hand, Craig and I have missed out on some very important "getting to know you" stuff now that we went from a just us to a family of three. So this trip helped us realize why we are together. This was also the first time that we had been away together alone. That is right, in the nearly 5 years that we have been married this was our first trip alone. It was wonderful. We stayed on the river and inbetween wedding activites we managed to squeeze in some sightseeing. Now for some pictures.....
This cake was fabulous! I kept saying "one more bite"!
The handsome couple's first dance.
The toast.
Aren't we hot? I have never in my life worn anything like.

River pictures.

Craig was so totally excited to see the Alamo. He "touched" a piece of history. He is such a history person so he really enjoyed this.
I get the biggest lump in my throat when I see the Daddy's walking thier daughters down the aisle.

I burnt dinner...

2007-01-29T17:40:00.000-08:00

My house smells like burnt hamburger meat and I am mad. I come home after a long day at work, really looking forward to skillet burgers. I am not one to touch raw meat, but I dug in carefully mixing all the ingredients. The skillet is ready to go (or so I thought). Now anyone who knows me well, knows that I have a terrible fear of not cooking meat all the way through. I tend to overcook everything because I am afraid of all the deadly diseases one can catch from raw meat. However, I honestly feel this did not contribute to what happened in my kitchen this evening. I put 3 patties in the skillet and turned around to watch the news. I noticed a little smoke filling the air, but quickly passed it off. The recipe I was following said cook five minutes on each side. But since I am scared to undercook meat, I left it for a little longer. I turn the patties and low and behold the underside is burnt to a crisp. The entire house was full of smoke. I had the vent on, the fan, and opened a few windows and waited for the smoke alarms to go off. Yes, it was that bad. So I had made four patties and ruined 3. I cooked the last one. Honestly, it was a crappy recipe. It either didn't taste good because I was mad or because it flat out wasn't good. Conor had a corn dog, and Craig had a sandwich. Aside from that, here are some pictures from the recent snow and other stuff.

Here is a cool picture of Conor sleeping.

Last but not least, I made a potty chart for Conor. We are having some great sucess with him going potty and I thought this chart would help him understand that working towards a goal pays off.

Long time, no post....

2007-01-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

It has been two weeks since I posted something. Shame on me. I guess I have been working so hard on my New Year's commitments that I haven't had time. I have a few commitments and I will share them with you all.

Cook meals at home. One of the reasons why I wanted a TV for the kitchen is so I could watch the news while I cooked. It has been working so far. This is middle of week 3 and I am actually enjoying cooking. I use the website Kraftfoods.com It is wonderful if you need some ideas

Keep my house picked up. We are all guilty of putting someting down and stepping over it for weeks. Well, at least I am guilty. I have made the decision that my home would be more relaxing if it wasn't so cluttered. Commitment #1 is going better than #2 so far.

Save money. #1 and #3 go hand in hand. By cooking at home, we should save a ton of money. So far so good. I am expecting a couple months before we will get into a really good routine.

So, I will end my short blog with a couple of pictures. I don't have much to report.

Conor being silly.

Wierd hair one morning. It was really cute, but by the end of the day it had fallen flat.

Happy Holidays!!

2006-12-31T19:04:00.000-08:00

I have to say, this was one of the best Christmas' ever! We were surrounded by lots of great family this year. People I haven't seen in a while came to town to visit and spend the day with us. Among the crowd were Craig's parents, my cousin from Boston, my cousins from Dallas and my Aunt and Uncle from Amarillo. Enjoy the pictures....

This is Conor opening his Spiderman toothbrush and cup. He now brushes his teeth 3-4 times a day! Not bad for a 3 year old.

Here is Craig on crutches one day post op. He did really well with his knee surgery AND managed to enjoy the holidays.

This is my cousin, Guy, and Conor. They had a great time playing together. Boston is so far away, but I know we will see you again soon!

This is a family tradition to scratch lottery tickets the day of Christmas. This is my Aunt Carol and Uncle Connie. I came out on top with $26.00. I think everyone won a little money.

Here is a picture of my Uncle Connie and two of his grandkids, who are my cousins Tyler and Tawnee.
Conor got a train set from Santa Claus this year. My sister worked hard putting it together, but soon after Conor came in the room and demolished it. We made th decision to put it up until he gets a little older. He is still in the destructive stage.

Another present from Santa was a VSmile video game. He had a blast with it. This is yet another toy that hasn't been touched since Christmas day.

This Conor and my Sister, Ashlea. Cute aren't they.

This is picture from earlier in November. This is my sister and my friend, Cassie's baby. Her name is Micah.
Conor sporting some new pajamas.
Conor insisted on wrapping his own toys. I believe this was Woody. Woody stayed wrapped until Christmas. If I had known that, I would have wrapped some of his other toys and saved some money.

More presents.

We don't have any pictures from New Year's. My parents kept Conor over night and Craig and I did nothing. We watched a movie and I was asleep by 11. Craig woke up in time for a 30 second countdown, then lights out for me.

I hope you all had a great Holiday and a safe New Year. Cheers to 2007.

I am a proud Mommy!

2006-12-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am proud to annouce that Conor made it through his first school program!!!! For those of you who keep track of my family and read my blog regularly, you know that Conor is not one to get up in front of an audience and peform. Well you can imagine I was anxious and nervous when the date of the Christmas program was announced. The only thing I could think about was the past program experiences and how they didn't turn out well. I am excited to share that he made it!!! The "3's" had two songs to sing: Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Not a tear, not even a sign of being scared. It was fabulous!!

Moving on....We had Christmas at my parents house on Thursday. We had so much fun and Conor had a blast opening up all his presents in his pajamas

Last but certainly not least, Conor celebrated his 3rd birthday on 12/21. We had his party yesterday and it was wonderful. It is such a great sense of joy to know that as a parent you have made it thus far. To wake up every morning and see your child learn and grow everyday is such blessing.

Who are you?

2006-12-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

So...I have a hit counter on my website and I can see how many people visit my blog. I am just curious to know who you all are?

You don't have to tell me your name, I just want to know what state or country you are in. Just curious to know who is interested in reading about my family.

Thanks,
Blog Adminstrator - Mika McMahan :-)

Introducing Beanie Baby Bella, the newest edition to the McMahan Family!

2006-12-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Well folks, the most unthinkable has happened. We have adopted a puppy. Luckily, there is a cool story behind it.

Last week, Craig was on his way to work as usual. For those of you who know, he takes the Loop 289 and North Quaker exit to get to work. Snuggled up against the curb he see a small black object resembling a glove/sock. The closer he gets he sees it move. He pulls over to investigate further. Low and behold a tiny baby chihuahua is lying in the road, shivering and freezing from the cold. He quickly scoops her up and puts her in the car. She has no tags. He takes her to a vet and she is checked out. Perfect bill of health and she is only 7 weeks old. She stays overnight for observation just to be sure.

I get home from work that afternoon and I am presented with the question "How much do you love me?" Any woman knows a conversation that starts that way can't be any good. Craig tells me the story of how, what, when, where, and why. I have to be honest, I am upset. We have talked about getting another dog, but we didn't commit to anything. I didn't think it was the right time. I didn't think Conor was old enough to truly understand the responsibility of having a puppy.

The next day, Craig brings the puppy home. I like dogs, but I am not a crazy dog person. I mean, I could live a full happy life without one. Anyway, Craig walks in with this puppy that weighs no more than a pound and is no bigger than my hand. Honestly, she is the cutest thing I have seen. Conor thinks so too!

It snowed in Lubbock!

2006-12-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

What the heck happened? The weather predicted that it was going to snow, but we didn't believe it. Sure enough, during the wee hours of the morning of 11/30/06 it snowed. It was beautiful!

School was delayed by two hours that morning so Conor and I got the hang out around the house in our pajamas for a little bit longer that morning.

Here is a picture of Conor and Mommy..

The Holidays are my most favorite time of the year...

2006-11-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Now that I have become older and "grown-up" I really realize now that Thanksgiving is all about. Years ago when my Grandma and Papa were still alive we would have Holiday's at our house. Most of the time we had at least 20-25 guest. All the kids would be back in the bedrooms playing, the guys would be watching football on TV, the ladies would be in the kitchen talking and reading paper. Those were such fabulous days. Now, since they are gone, and everyone had moved on, we just don't get together like that anymore. I miss that so much. This Thanksgiving we had quite a few family together. I loved it, it reminded me so much of the big groups we had before.

I got smart this year and took of Wed, Thurs, and Fri. of Thanksgiving week. I have never done that before. Go figure Conor and I get sick. Ahh yes, my few days off work were not joyous. Conor had an ear infection and the throw-ups, while I had a sore throat and sinus trouble. Luckily I got him into the Dr for some antibiotic, I was not so fortunate. I had to tough it out all week. I am feeling about 85% today. I should be good to go for work tomorrow.

So, did anyone of my Blog readers attempt "Black Friday"? You will never guess whos alarm was set for 5am. NOT MINE! Craig actually, got up at 5am that morning and made his way to the Target for a bargain. He only stood in line for 30 minutes, after the doors opened, he was and out in 10 minutes. One of my Christmas presents was on sale fo $99.99. It was one of those under cabinet TV's. It is something that I have wanted for a while, I just thought that anything over $150 was just too expensive. Now my "I want to watch the news" is no longer a valid excuse for not getting dinner started earlier! Later that day afterr some much needed rest, we went to the mall. What were we thinking? It was packed and Conor was in NO mood for busy places that day. We managed to find a couple of good deals before heading home. We returned on Friday evening. I just had to take advantage of the Bath and Body Works sale before it ended. Glad I did because I got what I needed for way less than I would have paid the next day. I am no stranger to a bargain. Finally, last night Craig and I hit Wal-Mart and Toys R' Us to finish up the last few items of our lists. We are done except for one more item. I don't believe I have ever finished all my shopping before December. I am going to be so busy at work during the month of December that I won't have any time before we head out to Tenneessee. I am kind of glad that I don't have to worry about it anymore.

Since I was sick this week, I don't have any Thanksgiving pictures to share with you all. I tried to post some random pictures, but of course Blogger isn't being cooperative.

Turkey Day is almost here...

2006-11-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

So, the past few weeks have been busy! Since my last post, lots of things have happened....

Craig has taken two business trips.
My parents squeezed in a trip to Wendover, NV for some gambling.
Craig and I got the Christmas Lights up on the house
I decorated the inside of the house.
We have gotten nearly all of our Christmas shopping done!
Last, but not least, Conor has learned the phrase (which he also uses frequently) "I want to go shopping at Wal-Mart".

So this year, I got to put up my new Christmas Tree. Craig and I bought it at Wal-Mart last year during the after Christmas sale for $39.00. It was a fiber optic 7ft tree. I literally sat on the box until Craig could find a basket. So, this is the first time I have seen the tree. Much to my surprise, it looks nothing like I thought. I mean, this tree was $159 regular price, so I am thinking it is going to be a fabulous tree. Well....If anyone paid $159 for it, I feel bad for them. I am lucky I only paid $39. I would have liked something taller, maybe a little more full. Oh well, at least we have a tree. Here is a picture of my masterpiece.

Now that I have seen a picture, it is just me or is it leaning to the side? It looks a lot better in person.

Another Christmas item in the house that I pride myself on is my little village. I love these things. They are so fun to collect. This is a picture of my absolute favorite house.

Moving on. Here are just some random pictures of Conor.. He looks so grown up. He doesn't look like a little baby anymore.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin Patches Rock....

2006-10-29T18:58:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged very well lately. I seem to have been busier over the last couple of weeks at home and at work. The beginning of each quarter is hectic as always at work. On top of that Craig and I came down with Strep last week. Talk about luck. I came home from work on Monday. Everything was fine. No more than an hour later Craig crashed. He felt terrible. His throat was the culprit. He stayed home from work on Tuesday and went about my business. Around 1pm Tuesday afternoon, I crashed. I was out the Nancy doing out Monthy recognition purchases and I felt terrible. My throat hurt like nothing else! Craig scheduled he and I a Dr. appt first thing that next morning. Strep was the verdict. A fabulous shot and some antibiotics were prescribed, and we were on our way. We feel better now. I never want to be sick at the same time with Craig again. It was just pitiful and poor Conor was the one to suffer. Enough of the sick stuff.

Fall is in the air! Autumn is my favorite time of year. Three things happen: 1. Pa and Cookie usually come visit, 2: The pumpkin patches are open, 3: Halloween!

Conor loved the pumpkin patch. He asked for days to go and take pictures with the pumpkins. Here are some pictures.

Moving on....today was the Fall Festival at Conor's daycare. This is the first year he has gone. Last year he fell asleep on the way there, this year I was determined that he would go and go in his costume. Success!!!!!

Take some time to think.....

2006-10-18T18:30:00.000-07:00

I personally witnessed the hearts of kindness and generosity among the people I work with the other day. The e-mail below was sent from a co-worker. Read below...

Last week I had something amazing happen to me. I was going to pick up
Matthew, my oldest son, from school. I usually am there right on time, but on
this day I arrived about 15 minutes early. I was sitting in my car when I looked
over and noticed that the city was giving parking tickets to the cars in "no
parking". I glanced over and saw a man running to his car begging the
attendant not to give him a ticket. It made my heart sad because I had seen this
man everyday, brining his grandson to school and picking him up. The attendant
acted like she had not heard a word he had said and simply placed the ticket on
his windshield. I got out of my car and proceeded into the school, that's when
something very strange happened to me. There was a man sitting on a bench by the entrance of the school, as I walked past him he said out loud "that's a shame,
he's really struggling". I looked at him but he was not talking to me. Then
something inside of me said "turn around" so I did, and I walked up to the man
that had received a ticket and ask him if he would let me pay for the ticket. He
looked at me and said "why?", I told him I would like to pay for it if he would
let me. We started walking towards his car to get the ticket and I started small
talk about his grandson. He told me that he was his grandsons guardian, his wife
and daughter (the little boys mother) have both died within the last 7 month.
Tears came to my eyes as he proceeded to tell me that he had raised 5 children
but wasn't ready at his age to again take on the responsibility of a 5 year old.
He said he was trying to do his best but times were hard. I reassured him that
things would be ok and we said our goodbye's. After he left I went to speak with
the little boys teacher, I asked him if he knew of anything I could do to help.
His teacher told me that he wears the same clothes at least 2 - 3 times a week.
I contacted the social worker and the school and she has since talked with the
grandfather who let her know the little boy, is in need of clothing. I
am trying to get some things together for him. He needs shirts, pants,
socks, underwear, shoes, and a coat for the winter. Would you be willing to help
me out? I have received some donations already, some people are bringing clothes and some people are giving money. Whatever you are able to do it would be
greatly appreciated and make a big difference in a little boys life.

As the rest of the week went on, tons of items and money has been donated. It is amazing how people can come together and give give give. My friend Nancy and I went to Wal-Mart that very same day and bought some items that we thought this little boy might need. As I stood there looking socks, I started to cry. This little boy, who at this young age, no longer has his Mommy or his Grandmother. It just seems so unfair. From day to day, my family and I live our lives. My son has everything and more that he could ever need. I have a beautiful home, a nice car, and husband to die for. My parents are wonderful, my sister is great, my in-laws are fabulous. I have, what I consider, a great life. I have so much to be thankful for, and I get so disappointed in myself when I take it for granted. All that I have could be gone tomorrow, so I must ask myself -- If today was my last day, what did I do to make it my best.

Fall Daycare program...

2006-10-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

What can I say, Conor is not much for the stage. Today was his second program at school. The kids have been practicing for weeks to get up on stage and sing two songs. "Let a Little Love in Your Hear" and "Walking on Sunshine" were the two songs. The program is held at Frenship Junior High Auditorium. We arrived shortly before 2pm and I walked Conor to the back to prepare with his class. It took some bribing and help from the Director to get him to stay back. I took my seat with Craig and my parents and patiently awaited the curtains to pull back.... I just knew in my heart this would not be good. Trying to be optimistic, I tried to make myself believe that he was just going to follow along with his class and sing the two songs. Nothing prepared us for what we saw when the curtains pulled back.

My poor son, is standing at the end of his class row, apart from the group, crying hysterically. So, I have two options. 1) Look like this asshole parent and leave him up there. 2) Run up and get him because leaving him up there only makes it worse. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a softie. I ran up and got him. He was crying so hard he could barely breath. So skipping nap today didn't help, but he absolutely does not like to be on stage. That is ok with me, that just means he is destined for other things. As long as he gets over his fear before he is presented the Heisman, he will be fine.

On a happier note, Craig and I celebrated our 4th Year anniversary. Our actual anniversary is on 10/12, but Craig is going to be out of town on business that day. So we decided to celebrate early. We went to O'Hana for some Japanese cuisine. Then we took in a movie. It was a nice night. We haven't been able to just be the two of us in quite a while.

Finally, we visited the new Target today. Holy Mackeral, that thing is huge. There were so many people, that you bascially had to find your own basket in the parking lot before going inside. I will give it another month or two before I go back. Too many people for me.

Short post I know, but I have a little bit more homework before I finish up my class. Talk to you all next week.

Family Reunion!

2006-10-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the 41st Annual Sanders Family reunion. You know, when I was kid I was a brat. Of course, some my argue I still am a brat. Anyhow, I used to think family reunions were so boring and a waste of time. What the hell was wrong with me? I love my family and my extended family. There are so many of us. Attendance each year is over 100 and still growing. What is not to love about a family that big? As the years have gone by, especially recently, the old veterans of the group have passed on. Now it is what you make of it. They will never be the same, but we will have many more memories made. Now my kid(s) will have the same memories that I had when I was kid. Only this time around, I will make sure they appreciate it more than I did at that age. There is something comforting when you learn about your family history. It makes you so proud. Finding out where you came from and knowing the stories behind it, is so exciting to me. Especially, when you get to the age where you are really interested. Just recently, when Craig and I were driving back from Thanksgiving in Tennessee, we stopped in New Boston, Texas. That is where my Paw-paw was born. I got instant chills when we drove into the little town. I even cried. Just knowing that I was in the same town where he lived made me feel happy inside. I wish we had had more time to look around to learn more, but we were right smack in the middle of a 15 hour drive and home was the only thing on my mind. Maybe next time. Anyway, I got off the subject....Here are some pictures from our family reunion. Cheers to another great year. I love you all :-)

Conor with the some of the cousins..

This has to be one of the most awesome family trees I have ever seen.... The night before. Aren't we cute! Aunt Ashie and Conor acting up.... And people say we are related....Here is the 'ol Beal clan. There is a whole lot more of us, but they didn't get to make it. The terrible trio Another terrible trio! More family... The biggest group of them all!!So anyway, Blogger is probably upset with the size of this blog so I better stop. Let's all raise a glass.... Here is to family reunions. If you don't have family, you ain't got nothin'

So, fire me. It has been two weeks since my last confession..um I mean post :-)

2006-09-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I know, I know. It has been two weeks since I posted last. I somehow developed a bad attitude towards my posting because I thought that no one ever reads it anyway. I mean I can't tell who if anyone is reading up on the McMahans. Then I got to thinking about how neat this will be when Conor gets older to see a week by week journal of our family....

We learned that Conor is allergic to Cashews. So anyone who is reading this that comes in contact with our family, please please please DO NOT give Conor a cashew. Better yet, no nuts of any kind just to be safe. We were hanging out at my parents house on Wednesday. Craig was eating some Honey Roasted Cashews and Conor came up to get one. Within a few seconds he complained that his tongue was hot. He started scratching at his neck. Next thing we know, he lips started to swell. Then his left eye nearly swelled (sp??) shut. Whoa! Talk about scared to death. We gave him a dose of Benadryl and the swelling went down quite a bit. His eye was back to normal by the next day. Here is a picture...

Moving on....Conor came down with a terrible cold on Friday evening. I noticed he had a cough on Thursday, but he acted fine so I wasn't worried. By Friday, he broke out in fever and threw up and stopped eating. Thank goodness his Dr.'s office is opened on Saturday. I had the phone in hand waiting for 9am to call for an appointment. By 930 we were sitting in the office. Conor's regular Dr was out, so we saw the other one in the practice. Conor had an ear infection. She seems to think he had strep too. Since she was going to put him on antibiotic, she opted not to test him for Strep. He felt bad enough, I didn't want to make it worse. After 24 hours of antibiotic he feels so much better. I hate it when he is sick. I know how bad you can feel, especially with fever.

My Mom and Dad had to return the Superman Halloween costume for Conor. He absolutely would not wear it. If you don't already know, he is going through is Buzz Lightyear/Power Ranger phase. He decided on the Buzz Lightyear costume. He actually put it on so we should be good to go for Halloween. It is a littl big, but anything smaller would have been too short. Get a good look, this may be the only time you see him in it. :-)

That is all for now!

I think we can finally throw the pacis out...

2006-09-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend Craig and I went to a wedding down in Midland. It was a nice get away. Funny thing is we went back to the hotel, I worked on homework and Craig watched ESPN. We are so routine!!

Anyhow, Conor stayed with my Mom and Dad this weekend. I had taken all of his stuff over that Saturday morning, but somehow left his paci in the car. Yes, for all you readers out there Conor still used his paci. Not much, but usually when he gets really tired. Anyway, Craig and I take off for Midland not knowing we left the paci in the car. When we get back my Mom told me in secret that Conor went the entire weekend without it. As soon as we got home this evening, I hid them all in the cabinet. He never asked for it and even went to sleep without it!!! Yea!!!

I remember last week watching Super Nanny tackle the paci. She put them all in a bag and tied them to a tree telling the little girl that the paci fairy was going to come and take the pacis to the babies who needed them. The next morning the little girl went outside to the tree and instead of the bag of pacis she found a new baby doll. I was just convinced I was going to have to do the same with Conor. We will see how the next few days go. Craig is going to be out of town on business from Tuesday night through Friday and I may give in before the week is over with. Let's hope not.

They finally started building the house next to us. The trenches are there for the footings. I can't quite figure out what it is going to look like. You know me, Craig calls me nosey but I call it well informed. We can't wait to have neighbors. Hopefully, they are cool people. Kids would be nice too.

I end the blog with a couple of pictures from the wedding.
Have a great week!

The last picture is from my Janelle and Jay's wedding back in July. I had not seen these guys in almost 10 years. What a great reunion.

Happy Birthday to Dad and myself!

2006-09-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This is a really long entry. :0)

We are going to start this blog with Friday. I washed my cell phone in my jeans. I was on the phone when I got out of the car. My hands were full, so rather than throw my phone in my purse, I put it in my pocket. I do it alot at work, but generally I keep it in my purse. I was sitting in my chair and suddenly got a sinking feeling in my stomach. I jumped up and ran into the laundry room. Sure enough, I opened the washer in mid-cycle and there was the cell phone. This is the second expensive electronic item that I have managed to destroy in the last month. First the vacuum, now the cell phone. I made a comment about the dishwasher the other day and Craig said "watch it, don't break the diswasher". Hopefully, I am done breaking things. Then again, we have all heard the saying that things happen in three's.

We made it another year! For those of you who may not know, my Dad and I have the same birthday: September 4th is the Lucky Day!

It was a weekend full of celebration. I love it when my birthday falls on a holiday. It lasts the whole weekend. I had the day off work on Friday. My mom was off too and we took Conor to the Dr. For his Hepatitis A booster shot. It is getting harder and harder for Conor for shots. I think I have discovered a trick, though. Here is my secret. I take someone with me. I do the holding, so I am the bad guy. Then after the shot is done and over, Conor goes to the person who didn't hold him down for some much needed TLC. He only screamed for a second or two. Then all he wanted to talk about was his "owie" and how much it hurt. To take his mind off things, we went to McDonald's for lunch, then to the mall to play and see the puppies.

Saturday, we spent most of the day at home. We visited Craig's cousin for a bit. Then we went out for our birthday dinner. My Dad and I chose Texas Roadhouse. Great steak, but hostess sat us in the crappiest place. The booth was too small for 8 of us, so we ended up at two tables across from eachother. After dinner we were all too full for cake. We saved it for Sunday.

Moving on to Sunday... We all went to breakfast that morning, then on to Target. Target had a sale on the boy's jeans and t-shirts and Conor needed some for the cooler weather. The rest of Sunday we just hung out and my Dad cooked dinner for us. Then we had birthday cake!!

I promise I am not tired in this picture.

On Monday, since it was a holiday, we all got to spend yet another day together. We decided to go ahead any buy Conor's Halloween costume. I am always afraid that we will wait too long and they will be out of what we want. This year he will be Superman. He tried it on today, but not long enough for pictures. That is ok, we will save the pictures of Halloween.

On to the weather. It has been raining here since Friday! It was much needed, much welcome rain. I don't know exactly how much it was something like 3-4 inches I think. It was a slow rain, not a downpour. It finally cleared up this evening. I am kinda sad to see it go, but at the same time I and feeling the need to some sunshine.

Finally, I told you all I would update you on my first week of school. I am glad that I have made it through the first week of grad school. But, I think this will be my only class with UPhxOnline. There are two reasons why I am dissatisfied. #1: I am unhappy with the format of the class, it seems very unorganized and confusing. I am generally comfortable in the online setting, so many of my classes at Wayland were online and I did fine in those. #2: I saw my bill. Holy mackerel!!! $1900 for ONE stinkin' class. I am fairly certain that my adviser discussed the cost with me, but I am also fairly certain it wasn't that much. I am smarter than that. At that rate, I can only take 2 classes a year before my tuition benefits are used up at work. If I only take 2 classes a year, then I won't finish my graduate degree for another 4 years! YEA RIGHT! I started looking into other options, and I going to call West Texas A&M Online and see what they have to offer. On the WTAMUOnline they have a tuition calculator, I can take 3 classes there vs. The one at UOP.

Back in school....

2006-08-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I decided to go to graduate school. I never thought that I would take the next step. After all, it took almost 10 years to get my undergrad degree. I chose to attend the University of Phoenix Online pursuing a MBA with emphasis in Marketing. I have had a lot of people ask me "Why UOPXOnline?". Here are my reasons....

I don't have to take the GRE. If I can get out of taking a test, believe me I will. Besides, that is one less thing I have to pay for and I don't have to worry about my scores.
I don't have time to attend a traditional University. I don't like to be away from my family and quite frankly, night school was a pain in my butt.
UOPX is quite pricey. Luckily, Wells Fargo hooks its employees up with a sweet tuition reimbursement program. Nothing like going to school for free.
I can be done in as little as a year and half with accelerated schedules. All this from the comfort of my home.
What do I plan to do with my additional education? I have no idea. I know it will come in handy one day. I thought about getting a teaching certificate a few years down the road so I can be off with the kids in the summer, but I haven't made up my mind about that one yet.

So, my class start Tuesday, and I am kinda nervous. I am not sure why. Maybe since I worked on my undergrad from the time I was 18-27, I had gotten comfortable. Maybe I am nervous since an MBA means business. Or I am simply nervous because I don't know what to expect. Anyway, I will follow-up sometime this week to let you all know how the first few days go.

Pictures of the new vacuum...

2006-08-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

So I caught the vacuum on fire.....

2006-08-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, the heading is true. I, Mika McMahan, caught our vacuum on fire Saturday morning. As I was cleaning house on Saturday, I decided that the baseboards needed to be vacuumed. I always use my vacuum hose attachment because it is easy and I don't have to sweep anything up. While my back was turned in the laundry room, one of my cleaning clothes on the floor got sucked up in the Hoover. I didn't realize what happened, of course I didn't see anything get sucked up. Next think I know, the laundry room and front of the house if filled with the horrid smell of burning electrical stuff and smoke. I started screaming for Craig, who was out in the front yard doing some yard work. He threw it outside, looking underneath and there, tangled up on the brush was a damp cleaning cloth that I had just used to dust with. #1: Thank goodness I was electrocuted for the wet cloth on the floor. #2: Why in the hell were the brushes running while I was using the hose attachment. I don't know about you, but I thought those things were only supposed to run while you were actually vacuuming. Well I was wrong. So, Craig checked to see if it would work, and it didn't. The wires and plastic are all melted. There goes a nice 4 year-old Hoover in the trash.

Now, on to the hunt for a perfect vacuum. Do they even exist? I always pay attention to home electronic commercials. It is just something I do. I like to know about the newest technology. Crag and I set out on the quest to find us a new vacuum. We visited tons of websites with customer reviews comparing one brand to another. We went to Sears, Best Buy, Sam's to price check and see what was out there. After quite a bit of back and forth, we decided on a Dyson. So the first thing that come to mind is the price. I am not going to lie, it wasn't cheap. But we figured for the low maintenance and funtionality, you are getting what you pay for. Right? So we get it home, and within like 7 minutes I have it put together. Yes, I did it! No tools, it all just snapped together. Being the cool blogger that I am, I took a before picture of the vacuum and an after just to show you all what this thing could do. Surprisingly, it was quieter than the Hoover. It also moved easier across the floor. Now the true test. Look at the before pictures of the canister.....

Well, blogger won't let me post pictures. I will try again later....

New Baby...

2006-08-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Don't get too excited by the heading :-) The baby news is for Cassie. Micah Lynn was born on Friday morning. I just love babies! We went to visit her on Friday evening. For those of you who may not know Cassie, she is our dear dear family friend. She has been my sisters friend for YEARS! She has stuck by her through thick and thin and is still around. She has been there for our family and is like a sister to us.

Such a cute baby, with a cool name.

Conor was being hilarious this weekend. Last night we were all rolling around on the bed. Conor would pat me on the back and say "Mommy, you're so tired". That just goes to show how much he pays attention to what we say. Then, Craig would hit me on the leg (playing around) and Conor would say "Don't hit Mommy". Then, Craig would try to argue with him, and Conor told him to "Shhh". I really wish I had that on tape. It could be worth $10,000 on America's Funniest Videos.

More about Conor. He has discovered Band-Aids. Everything calls for a band-aid. The disc shooting toy pinched his finger...he wanted a band-aid. He stumped his toe on the picnic table, he insisted on a band-aid. He has a TINY scab on this knee and he is not complete without his band-aid. He was opening a DVD case and it hit him in the face, he was not happy until I got a band-aid. Here is the proof..

And last but not least. Here is a picture of Mommy and Conor together. I wish we took more pictures together, because he won't be this little for much longer...

Last but not least, Craig and I went to see Ron White in concert on Thursday night. He is so damn funny. I mean this guy is just raw to the bone and his comedy routine is so real life. What shocked me was the population older people in attendance. I am talking people in their 50's and 60's. Ron's comedy routine is, how would you put it, vulgar. Lots of cuss words and sex jokes. We had a group of older people sitting next to us and would have so hard. I would almost get embarrassed. Nonetheless, we had a great time.

Party!

2006-08-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous week. Nothing much to report. I had a day off work on Monday. Conor and I spent the day together. We went to Wal-Mart to do some grocery shopping. It was nice not to have to rush and to just take our time down the aisles. Amazing that I only forgot one thing off the list. Usually, I am so distracted when I take Conor with me that I forget why I was there in the first place. Craig and Tye were out for lunch and stopped by to visit us in the Wal-Mart. About an hour later I get a call from Craig saying some lady pulled out of the Wal-Mart parking lot and hit him. And go figure it would be the same side and the last accident. Geesh! What the luck! This is now the second accident with the PT Cruiser. Thank goodness neither one was really bad or his fault, but still it is frustrating. Oh, and just to get something off my mind....what is up with rent cars these days. Maybe it is because I haven't had to drive many rent cars in my lifetime, but with the last two Craig had, they are just terrible. These poor cars are just run to the ground and they smell weird too :-(

Anyhow, Craig and I went to a 40th Anniversary for our friends parents, Pete and Chavela. It was such a wonderful party. The place looked fabulous, the food was good. Craig made a picture slide show for Pete and Chavela. They were so surprised and shocked! He did such a great job. Here is a picture of the dance and the cakes. The other pictures came out too dark.

I made Craig take a picture with me. I wish it came out better, my hair was so cute that night!!!

We are going to see good 'ol Ron White's on Thursday at 7:30. We are so excited. I am so looking forward to it! I will definitely update as soon as I can after the show. Hopefully, I will have some pictures to post.

Have a great week!

Weekend full of fun!

2006-07-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a great week! Our weekend was full of activities. On Sunday of last week, I went to a friends Wedding Shower. Let me give you a little insight. Janelle and I have been friends since we were in High School. Through the years we just lost touch, in fact I lost touch will all my high school friends. I was on MySpace.com the other day and I found Janelle!! I just had to contact her and get caught up. Well, it just so happens that she was getting married in just a few weeks. I am so excited that we were able to get caught up and that I was able to share in her special day.

So as the week flys by, we find ourselves on Friday. I took the day off and Conor, my Mom and I spent the day together. We went to the Mall and just walked around for a couple of hours. I got some GREAT deals. There is nothing like an $8 pair of shoes. My mom ended up having to go to work at 3 that afternoon so Conor and I went home and waited for Craig to get off work.

Saturday, Craig, Conor and I went the Family Fun Festival. We had so much fun. I love it when we get to spend time together as a family. We also got tons of free stuff and I love that too!

Ok...Pa, don't get any ideas! I nearly had an anxiety attack when Conor climbed on this little dirt bike! In my defense, he is only 2.5 he needs to wait at least until he is 20.

The St. Luke's United Methodist Church had an Arts and Crafts tables. Conor loves to color!

I cannot believe that Conor actually let someone paint his face! He picked a football.

Next, we visited a balloon animal booth. Check out the Monkey on the palm tree. Wow!!

Last but not least, Conor played at the Pampers Diaper Derby booth. He won a sippy cup! Oh yeah, did I mention I love free stuff!

Later than evening, Craig and I went to Janelle and Jay's wedding. Here are a couple of pictures. The wedding was absolutely beautiful!

This is my friend Tara and I dancing. Yeah, we are Crazy!

Here are some pictures....

2006-07-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

So I am making up for like three weeks of not having pictures posted to the site....

Hope you enjoy.....

We had the most disgusting dust storm that came through on 7/12. Since we don't have any houses around us on either side the sound of the wind was scary. I honestly thought the roof would blow off at any minute.

My husband, being the child he is, bought a remote controlled shark. Yes, they do make them. This is a picture of the shark in our garden tub. Conor loved it...

He is getting SO BIG!! What happened to the little baby I brought home from the hospital? I mean, just the other day he was so tiny and helpless....now he is becoming such a handsome little man. Watch out Girls.....this little hottie will be on the market in 12-14 years. Just remember, if you hurt him you must deal with me :-)

I know this isn't much....but I will take some more soon.

I just have to say my piece about Rude people....

2006-07-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I think God was trying to tell me something over the course of this weekend. I came in contact with more rude people than I ever have. It was a wide variety of acts I witnessed. Some directly against me, and some were against other people.

On Saturday, I patiently waited in line like everyone else at the Xtreme Clean car wash a few blocks from the house. At this establishment, the have two lanes that eventually merge into one and there is a cute little sign that stats "Please take your turn". I don't know about you, but I pay attention to what order I am in line. One would expect that everyone else pays attention as well. As I begin to merge into the single lane, the guy next to me cuts me off. Not accidentally I might add. He then looks at me and laughs. COME ON! I few bad words were mumbled under my breath. Afterall, Conor was in the car with me. I would have just loved to give the guy a piece of my mind! For the sake of this being a family blog, I won't express my true feelings. P.S if the person who cut in line ahead of me is reading this, I have one thing to say...How would you like it if someone did that to you Mom?
Sunday, My Mom, Dad, Conor, and I went to Wal-Mart. Sunday and Wal-Mart should not be in the same sentence, but it is the only day that we all get to spend together. We venture down the baby isle to buy Conor some big boy underwear. Go figure there would only be two packages in his size left. Must be potty training month or something. Back to the story, toward the end of the isle there was a basket in it that had a crib in it. I didn't touch it or anything, I simply reached around it to grab a bottle of hand sanitizer. As I am reaching up on the top shelf, this guy throws a stroller in a box on top of the basket. In doing so, the basket slams into me. WTF? Ok, so I am one to avoid confrontation, especially with strangers. I look at the guy, his wife or whatever is looking at me, I look at my Mom, my Dad is looking at the guy. After we exchange stares, no words, he walks off a mumbles something rude under his breath. I had to quote the serenity prayer, because a lot of inappropriate hateful things were going through my head. I just have to say, THANK GOODNESS Craig was not with me. Otherwise, I would have to sell some stuff to come up with bail money.
Sunday - After leaving Wal-Mart, we go to Target. My Mom and I are trying to find a checkout lane. This psycho guy with a basket was trying to get to a register towards the front. Rather than say excuse me, or try another route, he VERY rudely (like he is trying to make a point) moves this lady's basket for her. In the process, he spills her drink. He mumbles sorry and rushes past her, not before giving her the "move B****" look. The husband, who does NOT look friendly, was ready to thrown down in the middle of Target, but he composed himself long enough to get out of there.
Sunday - Mom and I are on the way to the Dollar Store on 34th and Slide. I'll be damned if someone didn't run a red light and almost took the front end of my car off. I honked, because I felt like the man needed to know he was wrong. I got a "look", and we all know what look I got. He didn't even brake as he flew through the intersection. GEESH!! Hello, I would appreciated a wave or something.

Needless to say, today Lubbock was full of idiots. They were everywhere. I took my butt home after the last incident and stayed there. I am just taken aback at how rude of a society we have become. What happened to "excuse me"? Why do we have to be some damn mean to eachother? We wonder why kids are so hateful now days....They are watching their parents.

So, on that note I will go to bed. Just remember, a little bit of manners goes a long way.

Blogger is still giving me heck on posting pictures, so I will try again tomorrow...

Peace Out!

Yet another week has gone by....

2006-07-15T22:35:00.000-07:00

Not much new to report in the McMahan house this week. Friday, I told Conor I would cook Pizza for dinner. I had bought one of those pizza kits from a fundraiser. Before you can cook it you had to defrost it completely. So I had taken it out of the freezer about a week ago. I started opening up all the packages to start putting all the pizzas together. The crust had mold on it. EWWW!! So anyone that knows my kid, knows that you can't go back on your word. He is smart enough to know that you better come through when you say something. Ok so I had to come up with a backup plan. Well, usual Friday routine is to go to my Mom and Dad's. Thank goodness Taco Bell also conveniently serves Pizza Hut Pizza. I go through the drive through and order a pizza, cheese, no sauce. Conor is allergic to sauce, it makes his little body break out. Anyhow, the guy tells me that it will be 7 minutes to make a fresh pizza with no sauce. Of course I agree to wait. As we are sitting in the car, Conor keeps asking me where is his pizza. I told him that they had to make is special for him. In his cute voice he says "No, No make special". I thought kids love to know that something is made special for them? I guess I am mistaken :) Anyway, 7 minutes later the pizza is in the car and we on our way to my Mom's to eat. Two bites into the pizza, low and behold, sits a TON of pizza sauce. DAMN. Someone please let me why I waited for 7 minutes for a pizza with sauce on it? I specifically mentioned to them that my son is allergic. Hello!!! Anyway, I had to vent.

Saturday we slept in really late. Conor, my Mom, Ashlea, and I went to a baby shower for my sister's friend Cassie. It was really nice. Lots of great gifts.

And here is sit at 12:45am on Sunday morning. I just got done listing about 20 items on eBay. I did some CLEANING out of closets during my vacation and I am just now getting around to selling the stuff.

Dang Blogger won't let me post pictures so I will have to try again tomorrow.

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

Late Post

2006-06-28T19:24:00.000-07:00

Oooops!! Already falling down on the job. It is now Wednesday and I am just not getting my post up from the week. Hopefully, I can remember what I did last week. Wait....It was my week of vacation! That's right.

I didn't get all my stuff done, but the most important was taken care of.

The guest bedroom is now functional. Bud and Ann can now visit and not have to sleep on the couch :-)
All baby items such as the highchair have been cleaned and placed in storage. It is amazing how much stinkin' room that stuff takes up.
I spot cleaned the carpet. If you look really close you can see applejuice dots all over the place. I think I got them all.
The tile in the kitchen, dining, and entry way was cleaned with the FlipIt! Ok, I love that thing!! Craig gave it to me as a Christmas present. I used it for the first time last week. Hopefully, that doesn't tell you what kind of housekeeper I am.
Conor, Mommy, and Nanny went swimming on Monday. Fabulous time. I think we spent nearly 2 hours at the pool. Needless to say, we were tired after that.
Conor's baby toys and clothes that he has grown out of have been placed in plastic storage bins and stored for later use. I bought 4 of the big ones and used 3. Two were strictly clothes, if that tells you anything about what I went through.

Conor was involved in Ceramics class on Tuesday!! The final masterpiece will be ready for viewing on Monday. I will post pictures of that when I get it. Well, I think that is about it. If you don't hear from me before then, have a safe and happy 4th of July!!!

Someone check me for fever....Two posts in one day??

2006-06-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

That is right folks. Two posts in one day. Can you believe it?
I just had to add a few more pictures from today. Conor and I spent about an hour and a half at the pool today. We had subway for lunch and in his kid's meal he got some pretty sweet tattoos. Ok, so tats aren't my thing but Craig, as most of you know, has six of the darn things. As my sweet baby is peacefully sleeping, I got a wild hair and put one on him..... What do you think???

Next, in my post earlier today, I mentioned that I had worked in the flower bed on Saturday. I just had to post a picture to show my hard work. I am proud. I just hope I can keep it up!

Last but not least, I just have to post a couple of pics of Conor and I together. My poor baby needs a tan. Compared to his Mommy it hardly looks like we are related!!

Happy Monday!

2006-06-19T07:20:00.000-07:00

For the rest of everyone that has to work, today maybe it's not a happy Monday. I start my week long vacation today. It is so refreshing! No work, no e-mail, no hot car in the afternoon when I leave! Will I accomplish all that I have set out to do? Sure hope so. You will find out next week in my post if I did it all.

Our weekend was great. Friday night, we hung out with my parents and sister. Saturday, Craig, Conor, and I had a day full of errands to run. Oil Change, Pack N Mail, Uncle Geralds house, and Toy R Us were on the list of things to do. Then, I got the bright idea to mulch the flower beds about 1pm. Duh!!! What was I thinking. I don't believe I have ever sweat that bad in my entire life! I suffered for the rest of the afternoon. I hope I leared my lesson.

Father's Day was fabulous. I got to spend it with the wonderful men in my life. My Dad, Craig, and Conor. It was a relaxing day, with a little bit of shopping sprinkled in. Dad, Craig, and Conor put together a car for Conor. It was a nice project for everyone to be involved in.

I have the coveted job of "sticker application specialist". I have put stickers on all of Conor's toys. I actually enjoy it.

The finished product. That was probably the best $10 my Dad has spent at a garage sale in a long time!!

It's been a short weekend!

2006-06-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

When summer hits, it never fails, the weekends get shorter and shorter. I can't believe tomorrow is Monday. Ewww. One thing I have to look forward to is my vacation next week! Usually, by this time of year, I have already had a week of vacation, but for some reason this year I just haven't taken anything. I am going to spend Monday - Wednesday by myself. I actually have a list of things that I need to work on.

1. Clean up guest bedroom. It is a nightmare.
2. Go through Conor's clothes and decide what to store and what to give away.
3. Clean out the pantry and fridge
4. Sweep the outside of the house
5. Pull every weed I can see in the front
6. Thursday will be Mommy and Conor day. We are going to swimming during the day and Then we will go see Cars when Daddy gets off work.
7. Friday - My mom has the day off work and we are going to hang out.

That is enough to keep me busy! Hopefully, I will get it all done. When you have kids, it is amazing how much you can't get done. Without Craig and Conor in the house I can listen to the music as loud and I want! Yippy!

The only pictures I have to post today are the ones from swimming. We went to Seahorse today. The Seahorse brings back some memories. I took swimming lessons out there when I was a kid. I'll be darned if it doesn't look exactly the same as 20 years ago.

Spiderman Floaties!

Mommy and Conor getting out to take a break.

I bought this little floatie thing on clearance last year for $5. It is the neatest thing.

2006-06-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

Thirteen Things about MIKA!1. I woke up about 5:45 am this morning. That is the earliest in a long time.
2. I made potato, bacon, and cheese burritos for breakfast today. They were delicious.
3. I went to Target on my lunch hour.
4. My son finally went to bed before 10pm tonight (believe me this is a big thing)
5. Conor and I went to our second swimming class.
6. I need a manicure, pedicure, and a massage :-)
7. I had a project meeting today and I am so excited to work on this project team!!
8. I have an off-site training tomorrow, and I can sleep in!
9. I am so glad tomorrow is Friday.
10. I can't wait to get pregnant again.
11. I would do anything to have my old car back
12. I wish someone would build a house next to ours. These empty lots are driving me crazy
13. I love my family.
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My first Truck and Swimming Lessons!!

2006-06-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

In the last post I mentioned Conor is the proud owner of a new F-150 Power Wheels truck. It is just the cutest darn thing! I will go ahead and warn you now.....I let my kid run around in a diaper. And, Yes, in the front yard in daylight :-) I just have to remind everyone that Craig and I got a fabulous deal on this thing! Less than $100 bucks!

Moving on.... SWIMMING!!! We had a fantastic time. I wanted to get there early thinking Conor needed time to get used to the water. BIG MISTAKE. Conor wanted to get right in immediately when we walking in the door. Unfortunately, the "Y" had other classes going on at the same time so we couldn't just hop in when we wanted we had to wait until 6:30. So after some arguing and crying our cute little swim teacher said it was time. We all line up on the shallow end and moms get in first, then babies. Conor had a blast. He wanted me to let him go, but the water was too deep for him to be alone. He splashed and reached out for the floating toys, he loved to twirl in circles and kick his feet. Towards the end of our lesson, he wanted to jump of the edge to me. The 30 minutes went by fast, but it was much more of a workout than I expected. Some of the moms had younger kids who were still and allowed them to be held, but the rest of us had active toddlers who squirmed around the whole time. Needless to say, I was tired after that!!! The pictures from this time didn't turn out well. They were dark, but I was able to salvage one. Craig is going with me again on Thursday and he is going to try some different techniques with the camera to get some better pictures. I do have a scrapbook to fill you know :-) I have a week of vacations scheduled this month so Conor and I are going to have a swim day in a pool where we can stay longer. I LOVE being a Mommy!!!

Another week has gone by fast....

2006-06-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
We have had a very busy week! With the Memorial services and family in town, we haven't spent more than a few hours at home this week. Conor is now the proud owner of a F-150 truck (Power Wheels of course). Craig and I were at Wal-Mart doing our monthly shopping and near the check out lane they had a pallet full of these trucks on clearance. I always told myself I would NEVER buy my kids those battery powered cars. I just thought they spelled trouble. Well darn if they didn't look so cute on the box. Also, the clearance helped too! You know me and my bargain shopping. We have to let it charge for 18 hours, so tomorrow I will have pictures to post. It's a good thing we have empty lots on either side of us, that gives Conor plenty of room to "drive". Until we get pictures of the truck, here are some from the family.

Here is Craig, Conor, Ashley, Kerri, and Beth. Everyone was outside playing with the remote control cars that night.

Next we have the ladies hanging out on the back porch. Haylie, Terri, Aunt Ruby, Missy, and myself.

The Men hanging out inside. Here we have Bud, Uncle Jimmy, and Uncle Gerald.

Beth and Rex. Isn't she just the cutest thing!!!

Check for another update tomorrow!!

I am getting better!!!!

2006-05-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Look... only 9 days between posts. That is a considerable improvement from the last time. I hope this posts finds you all well. This is a week of bittersweet for the McMahan/Beal family.

Friday evening, we got the unexpected news that Aunt Barbara had passed away. She is the most fabulous person you could meet. She has a way to make you laugh no matter what the conversation. She has the most gorgeous full lips that people pay thousands for. We love you Aunt Barbara and while you are absent from body, you are with us in spirit. Please visit http://www.mem.com/display/biography.asp?ID=1376456 to learn more about her.

On Saturday, My parents, Conor, and I made an early morning trip to Amarillo for my cousins graduation. It brings back some awesome memories from when I graduated from High School. It made me so proud. Yes, I even cried. Not just because it was a High School graduation, it was so much more than that. My cousin graduated from the Richard Milburn Academy. For those of you who don't know it is an alternative school that gives you a "second chance". As I sat in my chair and listened to the commencement, it made me realize these kids didn't have an easy journey in High School like most of us take for granted. They had to work extra hard with many hardships to achieve the same goal. It made me really appreciate what they had to do to get where they are today. I don't have pictures right now, but I will upload when I get them in.

Moving on.... In order to prepare Conor for his swimming lessons which start next week, the mini pool was in running order on Sunday afternoon! I really think he is going to LOVE this!!! He calls it swimming, even though the pool is no wider than 4 feet and only 6 inches deep.

Lastly, Cookie and Paw are in town!!!! They arrived yesterday afternoon. It is always such a pleasant visit when they are here. Conor loves to visit, even though it takes him a few hours to reaquaint himself.

So that is all for now. Next week should include adventures of swimming lessons at the "Y".

Family Update

2006-05-20T23:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, in my first post I mentioned "if I do a good job at this blog thing, you will learn a lot about our family". I'm a little behind. I guess I just have to be in the mood to start writing and we have been very busy lately. Easter, Mother's Day and Craig's Birthday, as well as two business trips for Craig this month have taken place. Other than that nothing major has happened. I decided to post a few pictures of our family. Hope you enjoy.

About a month ago, we decided to landscape our flower beds. I never realized that my son would be such a horticulturist. He is very involved in the digging and watering of the tree and plants.

Moving on to Easter....

Conor had a very cute party at school. I absolutely love the daycare that he goes to. They are the best in town by far and they love him like their own. You just can't beat that.

Easter Sunday was spent at my Mom and Dad's house. Conor did a spectacular job of hunting eggs in the front yard. We learned our lesson though on using hard boiled eggs. Each time he picked one up he would throw it the basket. By the time it was all said and done, they were all cracked. We are sticking to plastic for a while.

Next in line..... Craig's 28th Birthday 5/10!!!! He swears he feels and looks older, but I tell him he is getting more handsome by the day. Unfortunately, on his Birthday he was in Dallas on business due back in Lubbock around 8 that night. He didn't get much time to celebrate, but we at least has presents and cake when he got in. My husband always gets on to me because I am a "practical" gift giver. Clothes, tools, stuff for the house are gifts that I usually give. This year, I got a wild hair and attempted to be fun. I am roaming down the toy aisle at Wal-Mart wondering what would be fun and what would he enjoy. Then strikes me, Craig is a huge fan of anything Remote Controlled. I quickly load up a cool red dodge offroad looking truck. Needless to say, the gift was a hit.

Mother's Day was wonderful. My Dad and Craig cooked fabulous lunch for my Mom and I. We got beautiful cards and some cool gifts. Conor gave me a digital picture frame full of pictures. AWESOME!!! I am so lucky to be a Mom. There was a point in my life, where I was told that I may not have children. I am just so fortunate to have my Conor, I just can't Thank God enough for blessing me with him. I have grown so much as a person because of him and I love myself now more than ever because of the person that I have become.

And lastly, I want to mention Conor's hair cut. YIKES!! I now know what the heck a "2 guard" really means. My Dad, who is a hair stylist, warned me before he made the first cut. I told him it was ok, a "2 guard" would be just fine. Besides it is summer and the kid needs short hair to keep cool. Well, my Dad runs the clippers right down the middle of Conor's head and we all gasped in shock. Any shorter and my little man would have been bald like Lex Luther on Smallville. Of course there is nothing you can do, but it took some getting used to. When I picked Conor up from school the next day, his teacher told me she had to look at him twice because she didn't recognize him. Ooopsy!!

So, hopefully, I have gotten you all up to date with our lives. I will try to do a better job of posting. Have a great rest of the weekend!!!!

Coming soon..... Conor and Mommy will be taking swimming classes at the "Y" starting June 5th. Wish me luck!!

1st Post

2006-04-15T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,
So I see that tons of people have these blog things, and it peaked my interest. I love to blab about what is going on in our life, so this sounds like it is going to be fun. If anything, I will have some funny journaling to look back on in a few years.

Lets jump right in. I won't tell you our entire life story, that would take too long. I will let you know who we are and how we got to where we are today.

My name is Mika. I am a life long citizen of Lubbock, Texas. I graduated from Coronado High School in 1997, South Plains College in 2001, and Wayland Baptist University in 2005. I have worked for Wells Fargo Bank as an Operations Analyst since 1999. I am married to a crazy person named Craig. We met in November of 2001 and have been inseparable since. We married on October 12, 2002 and had our first (hopefully of many) child on December 21, 2003.

Craig is 1996 graduate of Cooper High School. He attended Lubbock Christian University for a while. He currently works for Texas Tech Health Science Center in Lubbock as a PC/Network Technician. After Craig graduated from high school, his parents, Bud and Ann, made the decision to retire to a small town in Western Tennessee called Bolivar. It is about an hour outside of Memphis.

Before Craig and I actually met, we had a "run-in" with each other at Static, a local night club. It was the night of one of my friends bachelorette party. We had gone from club to club and finally ended up at Static. My friends and I mutually agreed that it was late and time to go home. We all (so I thought) gathered our things and walked out of the club. I get half way out the door only to learn that I was heading solo to the car. I turned around to walk back in and this smart a$$ bouncer told me that I could not go back in. I tried to reason with him, and the only "advice" he could give me was to get back in line to go back into the club. So, I am thinking, #1. How could someone be so rude to a woman who is obviously all by herself in the parking lot of a night club. #2. What harm could it have done to just let me go back in and find my friends? Needless to say, my friends finally came out and the rude bouncer and I went our separate ways. A few months later, I meet this guy and I kinda like him. We started dating and sharing all about our lives. When talking about where we have worked in the past, Craig shared with me that he was a bouncer at Static. Being the person that I am, I can stay upset about things for months, and in some cases years. I proceeded to tell Craig about this rude bouncer. The stories matched up and it turns out Craig was the bouncer that was so mean to poor innocent me.
In Craig's, defense, he states he "was just doing his job". I say he still could have let me back in! Funny story, huh?

So now, we move on to our son. Conor is the light of our life, the apple of our eye. He is two and has the attitude to show it. He loves Apples, Bananas, and Corn Dogs. He enjoys watching Blue's Clues, the Backyardigans, Chicken Little and countless others.

If I do a good job with this blog you will learn a lot about our family.