Boston Strong

Dear Cardinals,
Well, it just wasn't our year to win the World Series again. And as a proud Cardinal fan, I'm okay with it. We'll be there cheering you on just the same come April. Kudos to an excellent season and here's to hoping there is lots of rest in your future.

Seeing Boston be so strong and so happy in the wake of the tragedy they've seen this year is reason enough to get over the loss quickly. I am glad their city has something to celebrate.

So here's to a fun 2013 season, see you in April!

XoXo,

Me

Tough Loss

Dear Cardinals,
Well. Last night was a tough loss. But the World Series is special and despite the outcome, My Dad and I still had a great time.

It will be hard to watch you in Boston, because I think I already know the end result of Wednesday night's game. But I'll still be watching. Go Cardinals!

And just a side note...let's find some new bats that actually hit the ball in the off-season. Okay? Thanks.

XoXo,

Me

Letter of the Day

Dear Cardinals,
I didn't really plan to write you a letter every day. But seeing that it's becoming a trend, I think I'll keep it up. After all, I know you pour over every word.

I confess that I did not stay up until the end of the game last night. I turned off the TV after Gomes hit the home run and the Red Sox went up 4-1.

So I didn't see Kolten Wong get picked off to end the game.

But that's probably a good thing.

However, my resting up was for a good reason. Because I'm going to join you at Busch Stadium tonight!!! My Dad and I will be cheering you on in person.

Please, please, please get a winner for me. I would so appreciate it.

XoXo,

Me

Thanks and Request

Dear Cardinals,
Thank you for winning the game last night - I'm glad that staying up way past my bed time was worth it.

The obstruction call was a crazy way to end a game. But a win is a win and we'll take it.

Now, if you could play like you're in the big leagues on every single play, I'd appreciate it. I'm tired of hearing my Braves fan husband say the World Series is a little league game. [Insert roll of eyes.]

Thanks.

XoXo,

Me

Thank You Note

Dear Cardinals,
Thank you for the spectacular win last night.

And Carlos Martinez, my sister and I will not doubt you ever again.

Let's do it again Saturday.

XoXo,

Me

Dear Cardinals

Dear Cardinals,
Please don't act a fool again tonight. My nerves can't take it.

It's the World Series. Let's play like we've been here before.

We - as in you'll be at Fenway, and I'll be on my couch.

Thanks.

XOXO,

Me

Goooooo Cardinals!

Will We Add Another One?

I say WE like I'm playing the game or something. 

We shall see!

I've committed to my family that I'm going to be more in tune with their needs during this series. I did after all put Lila in the bathtub with her underwear on during Game 6 of the NLCS last week. 

Yes, she was hollering at me to get my attention. 

No, I didn't hear her. 

Yes, I was thinking a little too much about the Cardinals. 

I confess. 

I'll do better during the World Series. 

Maybe. 

Weekend Sweep

Nate lost another tooth on Friday night. I had to call Scott to bring some money home because the Tooth Fairy was out of cash. 

Saturday morning we celebrated the Cardinals winning their way to the World Series with donuts!

Saturday afternoon, we attended the beautiful wedding of Ryan & Jaime (Ryan is Sarah's brother). It was an outdoor wedding and the sky was gorgeous. Despite Lila's lack of enthusiasm in this picture, she had a great time. She told me she NEEDS a princess dress!

Baby Thane walked down the aisle with a sign around his neck. It was the cutest thing ever! I have to admit I didn't think he would do it, but he was a champ. He smiled, ran, fell down, got back up again, smiled, and ran down the aisle. He's so precious. Congrats to the happy couple!

Sunday was Scott's birthday. We were all sad that he had to work. But we let him decide where he wanted to eat breakfast since that was the only meal we would get to share with him. He picked Waffle House - of course!  Happy Birthday Scott! We'll celebrate some more this weekend when Mimi & Paka are here!

Happy Wednesday!

Bloody Peacocks

I had to memorialize a conversation I had with Lila when I was putting her to bed one night this weekend. Halloween is a big topic of conversation in our house right now. Nate loves Halloween. Like with a capital L. I do not like Halloween that much, but try to play along for his sake.

Lila has picked up on the love for Halloween and it took forever for her, or me rather, to decide what she would be for Halloween. I did try to let her pick, but it changed every couple days, so finally I nailed something down, showed it to her on the computer, got her approval, and ordered it. Yes, she changed her mind the next day, but I told her we already ordered it and it would be so cute.

Turns out cute isn't what she was going for...

Right before we turned out the lights for bed, after many conversations throughout the weekend about the costume

"Mom, am I gonna be a peacock for Halloween?"

"Yes, Lila, we ordered the peacock costume and it is going to be here very soon. Are you excited?"

"Yes."

"But I want to be a scary peacock."

"A scary peacock?

"Yes. A vampire peacock."

"A vampire peacock?"

"Yes. Like with some blood hanging out of my mouth."

Um. K.

The older brother strikes again...

Pinch Me

Pinch. Me. 

Web

www.missouri.edu

Enough. Said. 

Throwback Thursday!

Go Tigers!

Next week maybe I'll talk about something besides sports. 

Or maybe not...:)

Spoiler Alert: It's a Post About the Cardinals

I'm sorry (no, I'm really not sorry) to go on and on about the Cardinals. But it's pretty much our A#1 topic of conversation around here right now. I've been doing a lot of reading this past week about the Cardinals. And I've been shocked to hear some of the not so nice things some sportswriters have to say about them. "They win all the time, they act like underdogs, their fans think they are the best in baseball, yada, yada, yada." 

It made me a tiny bit irritated at first and then I told myself that the Cardinals are our hometown team, they are the team that I grew up with, they are the team that my kids will grow up with, they are the team that makes me so nervous my stomach hurts and I'm not even playing the game! Plus, it's realllllly reallllly fun when they win. No apologies from me. You can imagine I'm super fun to live with right now if you are a Braves fan (but I think he's slowly coming around to like the Cardinals.) (Maybe) 

I love them. No apologies. 

Unless they act a fool like they did Monday night. Then my sister and I reem them over group text with my Mom. She thinks we are really funny and laughs at all our jokes. 

Just last night, I laughed for 5 minutes straight when I texted Emily to say that Lance Lynn (the pitcher) looked like he'd never been on base before (he got walked and was so antsy on base, so much so that the 3rd base coach had to tell him where to stand). She replied back "He looks like he's never been on this planet before." True. Very true. 

So yes, we're aware of their faults. But we love them any way. 

Web

We would love if they would win tonight and clinch their way into the World Series. But that's probably not the Cardinal Way. We're all about winning only when we really have to, and sometimes that backfires on us. 

So even if they don't get to go to the World Series this year, they've already made our October super fun. Having Cardinal Day at the kids' schools never gets old for me. I hope they never forget growing up in St. Louis with the Cardinals. 

Friday is for Fred Bird

Last Friday, Scott, Lila & I were all at home around lunch time. I was catching up on house work while they played and Nate was at school. I was just about to run to Sam's, when I checked Twitter (I check it about every 32 seconds during the playoffs if I can:)) to find out that Fred Bird was going to be at the Stadium Store around lunch. I thought to myself, Lila would love to see Fred Bird! And both the kids need another Cardinals shirt in the rotation to keep up with all the Cardinals days at school (I'm hoping we can keep this wining thing going!) 

So to heck with Sam's! I can do that any day. But how many days can you go to Busch Stadium on the day of the NLCS Game 1? We decided to make the 10 minute drive downtown to visit the store. 

Lila didn't want to have anything to do with Fred Bird. So I snapped a quick pic from afar. Neither of my kids are into the characters up close. I guess I can't blame 'em.

She was much happier playing among the statues outside.

On Friday night, the kids sported their new Cardinals gear. And we got a WIN!

Go Cardinals!!

Apple Picking (And a Bit About My Tigers)

After a long sports day on Saturday, we were just happy not to have to watch any sports on Sunday! So we headed over to Illinois to pick apples. But I would be remiss if I didn't say, HOW AWESOME WAS SATURDAY FOR MISSOURI SPORTS!!??!!!!! Great wins for the Missouri Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals. I am a proud fan! 

I have to say the Missouri / Georgia game was again surreal. I never thought I would see my Tigers playing inside Sanford Stadium when I first started going there with Scott 15 years ago. Let alone WIN!! It was a GREAT day. Go Tigers! MIZ-ZOU!!!!! 

In case you were wondering...Scott was gracious about our win:) 

On to apple picking...we headed to Eckert's in Belleville, IL like we usually do. It was a gorgeous day and we got there at just the right time to avoid a long wait. And they're off!

Lila did not meet an apple that she didn't want to eat.

Literally. Every single one went into her mouth.

Nate had a couple bites, but stayed on task gathering them for our bags.

I'm serious. She must have eaten 7 or 8 apples. Yes, I know they make your stomach hurt if you eat too many. We're livin on the edge over here.  

Apple in hand...

Here's another one Lila! Why thanks, Nate.

See Mom, you can really eat them!

I love the apple orchards...so pretty and these go on for miles.

Wait Dad...I need to get a bite!

My sweet boy, who just loves to pick them.

I'm sad my camera decided to do that funny spot thing. But I'll take it anyway.

I'm glad we picked a Sunday that Scott was home! Things are so much easier when there are 2 adults around.

When we hopped back on the wagon, we were notified the next stop would be the pumpkin patch. Scott had already told the kids that were we not getting our pumpkins here. But that we were getting them at Aldi. The kids were fine with that.

And then we drove past the pumpkins and Scott decided they looked better than the ones at Aldi.  (Why yes, that's an apple in her hand!)

So we hopped out to look for a perfect pumpkin.

And we'll be carving Elmo into it. I'm not sure why Scott promised that, but he did. Probably to make this little one happy!:)

We paid for our apples and pumpkins, then went over to the general store to buy some apple cider. After we got home and rested, we grilled chicken (& apples!) and also made an apple pie. I think we all got our apple cravings out of the way for the year.

Perfect Day!!

Now back to worrying about the Cardinals for Game 3 tonight!!

Truman Faces the Dryer (And Wins!)

When I picked out Truman on that hot day back in August, my aunt Lee told me that he was the feistiest one in the litter. He was so little and sweet that I thought that we could surely handle it. I'm rethinking my confidence. 

I know that our Kitty P was feisty, but I don't remember her being as relentless as Truman seems to be. We have to close him up in his basement quarters (jail, as we call it) when we just can't take anymore of the biting and scratching. When he's after Lila, or her breakfast, she shouts "We're gonna send you back to Lee's!!" We know he'll get better, so we just keep trying to love him. He lets us sometimes. For about 2 minutes after he wakes up from a nap.

So. I have to tell a little story on myself that involves Truman. Last weekend, I was switching over the laundry in the basement and I thought to myself...I need to be careful about the dryer and I need to remind Scott to be careful too. I don't know why this thought occurred to me. I have never worried about it before, even when KP was little.

I went on about my day. Forgot to tell Scott. And forgot all about it really. When it was time to switch the laundry again, I did and ran back upstairs. I was talking to Nate and I heard a ker-thunk, ker-thunk, ker-thunk coming from the dryer. Uh-huh, yes.

I said out loud, "I don't remember putting a tennis shoe in the dryer? Oh well." Continued to go about my business for 1-2 minutes. Uh-huh, yes again.

Then I had to run downstairs to get something for one of the kids. Time elapsed: 3-4-5 minutes. I decided to see what was in the dryer.

It was Truman.

I took one look at his dizzy stare and his tongue hanging out and went screaming upstairs. Scott dashed back down and got him out of the dryer. Since his tongue was hanging out, we thought it would be good to offer him water. So we did. And Scott rubbed cold water all over him.

He was stunned to say the least. But as soon as his tongue went back in his mouth (it took at least an hour), we started to see signs of our beloved Truman. He then slept for 16 hours straight and has been back to normal since. Worse than normal if you ask me. I was hoping the spin in the dryer mellowed him out. But no such luck.

So we will remember September 29th as the day Mom almost killed Truman. Right before she was leaving to go out of town. Thank goodness cats have 9 lives.

Fall Weekend

After walking to pick up Nate at school on Friday, I actually caught myself saying, "Why does it have to be so hot in October!!" But I quickly took it back and reminded myself that I'll be wishing for 88 degree heat in a few weeks. Our first real taste of fall (if you don't count the cold snap we had in July) came on Saturday evening. I welcome it, really. Now if it will just stay above 60 degrees until March. 

On Saturday, we needed an activity, so we decided to go to Grant's Farm. It started pouring down rain right as we were walking out the door. Fits ensued. Mainly from me. But I checked the radar and decided we were going anyway. So we did. And it didn't rain on us once. 

Here we go on the tram!

Nate was not super excited about the trip, but he rallied. Thankfully.

Home Home on the Range...

I don't know that we've gone to Grant's Farm when Lila could remember it. Shocking. She liked everything of course. But she typically does. Thankfully.

She really wanted to feed the goats. I was the mean mom who said we should just look at them thru the fence. These goats are VERY aggressive and Nate was so scared the time we did let him go in there when he was younger. I do have to remember that they don't have the same fears though. But heck, the goats scare ME!

The Dancing Bird. When we used to go to Grant's Farm all the time, we could make this bird do a twirl. But we've lost our touch.

The bigger the bow, the better the Mom:)

Lila talked me in to letting them ride the carousel. I have to admit, it was fun.

They were confused about having to be strapped in. I guess the one at the Zoo doesn't have straps.

I dislike this picture of me, but the look on sweet Nate's face prevailed.

Nate must have thought his feet needed photographing. How are his feet that big!?

After we were done at the "farm," we walked over to see the Clydesdales. They are so big and beautiful, it is breathtaking. Nate was not a fan of walking over there, so I bribed him by letting him take a few pictures. All in all, it was a fun day. But Nate and I both agreed that Grant's Farm isn't what it used to be. I think the fact that the Busch's don't run it anymore takes away from it's charm. Just my opinion.

On Sunday, it was chilly. A perfect day for collecting leaves. So we walked around the block and came back and did a collage project.

 

They both enjoyed it...

But not so much that they didn't fight over the glue bottles. Which were EXACTLY THE SAME.

Sigh. 

Happy Monday!