nobody puts baby in a corner!

by teresa

I have a mosquito bite on my eyebrow. It is really aggravating me.
I wish it would get cold enough to kill all those little buggers.

My sister called the other morning in a panic.
"Has Kristian and Ben left for school yet, she asked."
I had just gotten back from taking them and when I told her she sounded very upset.
I asked her what the problem was.
"I think she took my girdle to school!"
That made me smile all day.

Tackled a new recipe last night.
Chicken puffs.
It was good, but had so many steps that I will never make it again.
And the clean up was horrible. Flour and honey all over the counters.
Tonight I am keeping it simple....turkey tacos.
A crowd pleaser that you can make ahead of time, store ingredients in separate containers and everyone can assemble their own at dinner.

Tonight is a parents meeting at Ben's school for the strings program.
And so it begins...
Thirty minutes a day of the moaning and screeching that is 5th grade violin.

Before I go I wanted to express my sadness at the death of Patrick Swayze.
Ghost is one of my all time favorite movies. When someone dies I picture the "after" happening just like the movie showed. The good...and the bad.
It also makes me want to run off to Michaels and buy a potter's wheel, some clay, put on the Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" and wait for Chris to come home from work.
I'm just sayin'...it was a really good movie.
RIP Patrick Swayze.

conversation between husband and wife

by teresa

I finished cleaning the kitchen floor. I was on my hands and knees scrubbing and it is so clean.

Good. Now keep it that way.

Fine, then you're not allowed in it. That's where all the spills and messes come from anyway.

I do that so you will have something to do around here. If you didn't have something to clean you would be worthless. You should thank me.

the highlight of my night was the brawl over the foam finger in the third quarter *sarcasm*

by teresa

We had a blast at the ODU game last night.

Second game of the season..we are now 2 and 0.

It's unlike any other game I have ever been too.

Three hours of tailgating and then 20,000 other fans cheering and clapping.

Intense experience.

The boys are really enjoying it (especially the tailgating).

Grilled brats, wings, hot dogs and burgers....whats not to love?

We have a little friendly community going in our parking lot (season ticket holders were assigned certain parking lots to party in). Corn hole, football, tents, rvs, grills and coolers everywhere.

Can't wait to go back in two weeks (next week is an away game).

miss you

by teresa

This is a re-post of my entry on September 11th 2007. Little did I know how much it would mean later that day.

I can't believe six years has passed. Can you?
You never know when your time here on Earth is going to be over.
Make God first in your life.
Talk with him each morning.
Be kind to all people (even your kids...when they are being brats).
Forgive.
Be a light to all(this little light of mine...I'm going to let it shine).
Remember praise...don't pout.
Give more than you get.
Be thankful.
Make a difference.
This is the day that the Lord has made....let us REJOICE and be glad in it!

That is all I can muster up to say today.

Everybody dance now!

by teresa

Tonight is the series premiere of So You Think You Can Dance. It has a been a family favorite for years. Even the Green men get into it. When it aired during the summer our niece Kristian would come over and snuggle on the couch with me and watch. I love shows that the entire family can watch together. Today the top ten of last season were on the Ellen show. They got together and did the coolest routine. Please watch and enjoy. I SOOOO love Ellen!

PTL!

by teresa

The day after Labor day has arrived.
The showers (the actual showers and not the pool) are going early today.
I think I inhaled so much Axe this morning, it may stunt my growth.
The boys are very thorough with their body spray.
Beds and lunches are made.
I even tucked a cute lunchbox note in each bag.
Butterflies are flittin' in tummies and the momma is happy.
It's day one...the boys were up very early...bright eyed and bushy tailed (what the heck does that mean).
I bet tomorrow I am already having to drag them out of bed.
I wish it wasn't raining so we could get proper pictures under the family tree.
What will I do today?
Plan the months menu, entertain the cable guy (stupid cox), laundry and a quick meeting at Ben's school (pta stuff).

We're home

by teresa

What do I miss the most?

Fat Boyz Ice Cream's hot fudge cake sundae.

*sigh*

Don't ask me how many I had this past week.

horse and cat

by teresa

Basketball with the boys.
Chris won two games of horse...Ben won a short game of cat.
The way he is gloating you would think it was the NBA finals.

Jackie, George and Ben just left for a bike ride.
Chris, Nick and I are lazing.
Watching Reba and eating ritz and fudge.

I am actually not dreading the return home tomorrow.
Lots to do before school on Tuesday.
A few more school supplies and bookbag check.
*I am giddy just thinking about getting back to my normal schedule*
My days are MINE. A clean house and dinner menus. Shopping done without kids in tow and all beds made by 9:00am.
A perfect world.

don't get cereal in the hot tub!

by teresa

Up by 6:30am.
I have been sleeping so good here.
Once the sun peeks over the dune I am ready to start the day.

I woke Ben and his friend Joe to join me for an early morning boogie boarding session.
They whined about the cold water and only surfed a few waves.
The boards were swapped for a shovel to dig holes and write names in the sand.

Chris joined us on a walk to the end of the beach.
There is a house down there that the ocean is making claim to.
It's up on stilts...but completely surround by water.
Next year I'm sure it will be gone.

The boys greeted a few beach dogs, scooped up some sand fleas and tossed a tennis ball at some irritated sea gulls before making their way in for breakfast.
Captain Crunch and Biscuits....in the hot tub.
What a life!

After taking Joe back to his grandparents on the sound side, we took Nick and Ben go-carting. Around and around they went. Bumping and crashing into each other...even though the signs said NO BUMPING ALLOWED! Playtime immitating life.

Tonight's plans?
Who knows?
Beach life is an adventure even without planning for it.

down by the seashore...where life is a little easier

by teresa

"maggie and millie and molly and may"

maggie and millie and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,

and millie befriended a stranded star
who's rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles;

and may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea.”

E.E. Cummings

If you want to know how much I love you, count the waves

by teresa

Yesterday we flew a kite (or at least tried).
Nick would throw it up, it would hover for a second and then turn and beeline for our heads.

We at dinner in Big Al's diner.
Coca Cola memorabilia from floor to ceiling and a big dance floor.
Chris refused my dance requests. Wet blanket.

He made up for it by buying me a sweet little blue bird necklace.
I truly adore it!

Homemade Frappacino's in our pajamas.
So frothy and thick...and it didn't even keep me up.
Today we will pick up caramel and whip cream to add to tonight's concoction.

The weather is chilly this morning.
It's a jeans day.

George took Ben to breakfast.
He came in and asked for alka seltzer.
It must have been good.

peace, love and poker

by teresa

Our first evening in the outer banks passed with no drama (aside from a thunderstorm).
What more can a mom ask for?
We unpacked the car and got the rooms all organized (I thought I would die walking up and down all those stairs...arms piled high with toiletries and towels).
The boys were happy with their room assignments and kept running from level to level to level marking their territory.
The house is far more wonderful than I even expected.
Praise the Lord!
When you shop online (and spend that much money) it's nice to be happy with your decision.
After dinner (pizza and Stromboli's) we headed over to stock up the house with food.
I was a bit worried when we arrived at the grocery store. The boys do not enjoy going with me, so I figured we would have a few meltdowns to deal with.
Didn't happen.
Chris handled it.
He gave them a cart of their own and let them loose in the store.
I gasped....and off they went.
They returned 20 minutes later, both of them pushing the cart at the same time, laughing, side swiping displays and leaving a trail of traumatized tourists in their wake.
what did they get?
A watermelon, orange soda in glass bottles, sugar cookies, oreos, sausage biscuits and 2 limes.
In their eyes...the makings of a good time.
In my eyes...the makings of two tummy aches.
It's vacation....and what happens at the beach...stays at the beach.

The rest of the night is a blur (I was in a euphoric state).
Unpacking groceries, showers, pj's, Food Network, magazines, dig dug (yes I brought dig dug), leftover stromboli and poker (George and the boys).

OBX bound

by teresa

The Green's are unable to talk your call right now...leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.
Thank you and have a blessed day (week).

“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.”

by teresa

Cleaning today.
From the hampers to the car.
OBX vacation in T-minus two days and counting.
My goal?
To have everything cleaned, packed and ready to go by Saturday afternoon.
That means all the good clothes are off limits until we reach Nags Head.
I did all the important shopping locally (Sams Club size sunflower seeds and Captain Crunch) and the rest we will buy once we have checked in.
It's noisy around here at the moment. Nick is vacuuming the car outside the office window(Sandbridge sand), my last load of beach towels is tumbling in the dryer, the dishwasher is running (chicken parmesan for dinner) and Ben's tv is up full blast (I know he will have some auditory damage it's so loud) in protest of being sent to his room for the night (fighting with his brother...of course).

And yes, they have separate rooms at the beach house.

“The Rule of Sibs: If your sibling gets something you want, you (1) try to take it; (2) break it; or (3) say it's no good”

by teresa

I spend most of my days keeping my two sons as far apart from each other as possible.

It's exhausting.

Two (of my 10) plates....spinning on opposite ends of the stage.

There I am, back and forth, back and forth....keeping them both going.

Just when I feel comfortable walking away for a moment...crash!

"You are stupid."

"Why do you always smells so bad?"

"No one likes you."

"I'm going to tell everyone you pee the bed."

"That's a lie!"

"So, they will believe me anyway."

"You are never getting a girlfriends!"

"You're teeth are yellow...butt head!"

Two minutes alone and the insults fly.

With others they are kind, thoughtful and supportive.

Every once in a while they forget the bitterness and enjoy a game of cards or toss the football. I usually grab my camera, sit and enjoy the bliss...the ticks...moments of joy, knowing it's fleeting.

And then boom, right in the middle of laughter they remember they can't stand each other.

Back to their separate corners.

I hate it.

"That's how all brothers are." I'm told.

It sucks.

Can't we all just get along?

When will it end?

In their 30's maybe?

explore the space...

by teresa

Recently Nick has become active with the youth band at church.
Although he plays the trumpet quite well...that is not what he does in the band.
He is the sound guy.
We were excited when they invited him to join in on the weekly jam sessions.
He got real into it. Throwing a lot of tech talk around, picking up new plugs and such for the board with his allowance. um...kinda geeky...but whatever.
The other day he came home and said he had joined in and played some with the guys.
We were thrilled. He played...not just pushed a button. So cool. Nick jamming out with the guys.
Then he told us what he played.
The cowbell.
Chris and I busted out laughing. (By the way...I do not recommend laughing at your children. It kinda does weird things with their self esteem.)
Nick got a bit offended, but then we told him about the SNL skit we had seen.
Will Ferrell showing off his musical skills.
Now whenever Nick goes to practice I picture this going on.

NO WIRE HANGERS!!

by teresa

The hubby cleaned out his closet the other day. With all of his work clothes rotating back and forth from the dry cleaners he had accumulated quite a stash of wire hangers. He pulled them all out and layed them in the hallway, with the intention (I assume) of taking them to the trash on his next trip downstairs.
That was Saturday morning.
*clears throat*
It is now Tuesday morning.
He has been up and down the stairs approximately 17 times (I actually calculated this amount factoring in going to bed/waking up, changing clothes after work/getting running shoes out of closet, naps and leaving his glasses and blackberry upstairs a few times).
The blessed hangers are still sitting there.
They need to reach their intended destination soon or I am going to go Mommy Dearest up in this house.

week at a glance

by teresa

My long Sunday afternoon nap has me up in the wee hours of Monday.
No biggie...I am just working on some PTA stuff for my meeting this afternoon.
I'm so excited for the school year to begin (only 14 more days). Not just to reclaim my house, but to spend time at school working on making connections between parents and teachers. I love the politics of it all.

This week I will be supply shopping and getting all the long pants and other school clothes out of the attic. Need to see what the kids have already before I go shopping. I think I'm pretty much set for Ben between consignment and thrift store shopping this summer. He may just need a pair of shoes. Chris took care of Nick's needs last week...which was a nice surprise. That boy is no fun to shop with!

I also need to pick up some supplies for next week. We are heading out Sunday for a week of fun in the sun. The beach...now that's the way to wrap up an awesome summer vacation.

Best line of the day:
Why didn't you pick up his underwear from the bathroom floor?
Because I couldn't find even a tiny spot of cloth that didn't look contaminated.
I don't think there's any hope for them...just put them in the trash.

offense sells tickets defense wins games

by teresa

Ben traveled to DC this weekend to see a professional soccer game.
DC United hosted the LA Galaxy.
The score was 0 to 0...but he didn't care.
The thrill of that huge stadium and the thousands of screaming fans was incomparable to anything he had ever experienced.
I bet he thinks one day that many people will be cheering for him.
This man (David Beckham) makes 1 million dollars a week playing soccer...

I could live with that.

“If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.”

by teresa

Our church hosted a Back to School Blast for a local elementary school today.
Pony rides, tractor rides, free food, music and backpacks filled with school supplies.
Over 700 people attended. It was amazing to be a part of it.
Kids squealing and rejoicing over their new backpack and parents crying from the unexpected (and much needed) gift.