Not quite tomorrow

Tonight, Carter was my only child. He fell asleep laying next to me. His little almost-3-year-old hand gripped my neck. His larger-than-life eyelashes could have hit me on the nose. His 3T little boy body was dressed in a pair of blue Mickey Mouse jammies he got for Christmas. His golden locks smelled like Johnson's Bath Wash. He won't be able to recount this, as he was asleep, but just before I got up, I kissed him square on the lips, then the cheek that's losing more baby fat every day, and then right under his right ear. For the understatement of the year, I loved every second.

As I breathe up moments such as this, I can't help but realize that "today" is my (our) only "today." No matter how sweet "tomorrow" may reveal itself to be, it simply can not take the place of "today."

So, I decided to take a few picture of him, in all his toddler glory. Can you tell his turning three in about six weeks is turning into a hard pill to swallow?

Oh, almost forgot one of the best parts, it was on Harkers Island.

Taste the Rainbow

There will SURELY come a day when my little family will not be so completely and utterly reliant on bright, colorful, plastic.






...Today is not that day.

Boo - Hoo

As in "Brady Boo-Hoo."

To anyone who hasn't ever quite understood why we call him "Brady Boo-Hoo" and/or "Brady Boo," I'll tell you, it was Aunty Aly's fault. She gave him that name when he was only weeks old... Not for the "boo-hoo'ing" that he always did (which he did not - he was such a pleasant and sweet baby!), but after Cindy Loo Hoo, from "The Grinch!" Isn't it something how some nicknames just stick?! I love it, though. Brady is even known to answer to the simple "Boo!" Good times.

Brady has started doing the sweetest thing at bed time. He takes a stuffed toy to bed, be it Pablo from the Backyardigans, or a stuffed horsey. Then he, himself, becomes the caregiver extraordinaire. He explains to me how his little friend is sick, how it needs medicine and a warm blanket, and then he holds it close next to him while he drifts off to sleep. Don't quote me on this, but I have a feeling Brady is a little more "in touch" than the average almost-5-year-old boy. Speaking of birthday, I asked him today about how he'd like to celebrate his birthday; As in, what type of party he would like. The only thing I got out of him, for sure, is that he wants a Triceratops Xtractaur. He has most of them already, so only missing a few, he's in "hunter and gatherer" mode! I have a feeling the party will be at Chuck-E-Cheese, though. ;)

Brady helped me plant some seeds earlier this week. Carter and I had shopped together during the morning, and found some neat little organic pots at Lowe's. We even had a go with the Burpee Concentrated Seed Starting Mix, which I had never heard of before. It's this brick of dry soil that you place in a container, just add a gallon of water, and voila - you have yourself a nice ready-ready-to use soil, whose intended use is starting seeds. How about those veggies!?

As for what we planted - here goes ...

Watermelon, Cucumber, Zuchinni, Carrots, Basil, and Pumpkins!
*Already in the ground are Strawberries, Chives, Broccoli, Tomatoes, and one more thing that I can't think of right now! ha!

Brady was such a great helper during this "chore." He carefully placed the soil in each pot, followed by a seed, and finished it with just the right amount of soil on top. He is not afraid of getting his hands dirty. Ask the frog. And the earthworm. And the crickets that we found in the yard on Saturday! :)

Enjoying the harvesting...

"S" is for...

SQUIRREL. We've been spending quite a bit more time outside lately, thanks to the much awaited return of Spring-like weather!!! Oh, how excited I am to officially welcome Spring back into our lives tomorrow, March 20, 2010, at 1:32 pm! Not only IS it Spring, but mother nature is in complete and utter agreement!!! Friday (today) - Sunny - Highs around 73! Saturday - Sunny - Highs around 78! Sunday - Partly Cloudy - Highs around 75! Can you hear that?! That's the sound of my painfully mild grin widening to a full smile! After such a LONG, COLD, NEVER-ENDING STORY of WINTER, this Spring could not get here soon enough!

Back to the squirrels. Yesterday, Carter and I were walking along a path in the park, when we noticed squirrel after squirrel along the way. I asked him what he thought the squirrels were hungry for... His answer was, "burgers... and m&m's." Today, at a different park, I just had to ask him again, to see if he'd answer it the same way... His answer, "fruit loops."

"S" is also for "sweet tooth." Ya think? I know this much, he got it honest.

Since I have a few extra minutes to journal here before heading out to carpool, I'll take this time to tell a little about the highlights of this week...

Wednesday was the first day of T-ball practice for Jackson and Brady's team. Rodney is their coach this year! In the Rolesville City league, there are 18 teams, with over 200 kids! He's the team's only coach at this point (recruiting in progress), and with 12 kids, aged 4, 5, & 6, (plus Carter) he's got his hands full! Unfortunately, I was tied up during the first practice, teaching piano at home. Fortunately, the next several practices and games are going to be on Monday and Saturday nights, when I can come and help shoulder the load of coaching, and also keep Carter happy...

Thursday, Jackson's 1st Grade class went on a field trip to Durant Nature Park in Raleigh. Brady was at preschool that morning, so Carter and I naturally tagged along. (I had also signed a waiver that I'd be willing to be a chaperone, and since it was a park, I had no hesitations about bringing Carter with me.) It was a beautiful morning, filled with a visually exciting lesson by a park "ranger" (I guess that's her title?), during which she helped the class understand some basic outdoor terms and concepts, like "habitat," "food chain" and "metamorphosis." The kids were then given little nets on sticks to use at the edge of a huge lake, where they could find all kinds of critters and grossey-thingys. Jackson caught two teeny-tiny baby crayfish. Another couple of classmates caught bullfrogs that were still metamorphing (I don't think that's the right word, but if not, it's close). I had never seen such a thing! It was big and fat, almost like a full grown frog, but still had a big ol' tadpole tail! Unbelievable! The only sour point of the morning was when Jackson's teacher apologetically informed me that the Wake County PSS's policy is that siblings are not welcome on field trips. Darn it! We left soon thereafter, me feeling like I will one day get all my ducks in a nice, straight row. Just not this day. "S" is for someday.



Friday (today) was Brady's field trip with his Preschool class from Hope Lutheran Preschool. I fondly remember Jackson taking the same trip to Kazoom two years ago, and with the same teachers, Ms. Lydia and Ms. Judie. I love how they present to their class ideas of exciting activities that I would have otherwise not considered, or even known about. :) Kazoom is a comedy club where puppets are the name of the game, for clean and timeless family entertainment. Brady sat right next to Ms. Judie, in a perfectly "criss-cross-apple-sauce" manner. I think he really likes her... And judging by the way she glanced down at him, at the first mention of dinosaurs, I believe she thinks fondly of him too. His plaid shorts and brown leather flip flops (which didn't get photographed, "s" is for SHOOT!) reminded me of his daddy. "S" is for sweet.

STAKE CONFERENCE - is this weekend. On Saturday night, I'll be going to the Stake Center on Six Forks Road to sing with the Stake Choir, which I absolutely love doing. I just said "Stake" 3 times! Now I'm feeling hungry.

SUNSHINE - where the boys and I will now go eagerly await daddy's return home from work. He just called and said he was leaving a few minutes early. Balls, bikes, and SIDEWALK CHALK ~ HELLO!

Jackson

Jackson wanted me to share a masterpiece he created today! He did it first on the whiteboard at school, and came home to eagerly recreate it with a pencil and stark white piece of paper.

Let me 'splain. No, let me sum up. According to Jackson...

*pointing to the eyes - "they're different because he's like, crazy..."
*pointing to his forehead - "those are little dots where hair got cut off!"
*pointing to the ears - "the right one has a beetle coming out of it... those are ear rings... the left one has a centipede, and nails."
*pointing to his chin - "a beard."
*pointing to his nose - "it has nose hairs coming out of it."
*pointing to his mouth - "he has buck teeth, and a mole."
*pointing to his cheek - "that's a piece of fabric - to patch the hole."

WOW, right?!

Jackson... Man, he's a cool cat.

catch up time

it's been far too long since i blogged last... tonight, i'm procrastinating a pretty lengthy to-do list, and thought i'd take a look at an online interview that i answered a few months ago (facebook, of course!)... so, considering it's been so long, and everyone is probably feeling painfully detached from me (ha!), i thought i'd share it here...

BOO!
who!?
What was your favorite high school subject?
art
what is the best part of high school?
musicals
Is your name Kelera?
LOL
Do you spend too much time on facebook?
uh huh.
If you had to make a movie about your life what would it be called?
"how can i keep from singing?"
if you fell off a cliff what would be you last thought?
rodney and my kids...pretty sure about that one...
Describe your evil twin.
she says what she thinks instead of holding it in.
If you could make any junk food super-nutritious, which one would you pick?
oreos
Do you like to go online everyday?
have you met me!?
What is your favorite kind of cheese?
any kind.
What do you want?
more hours in the day
where were you born?
morehead city, nc. but went home to harkers island for the next 17 years.
Last film seen
some kids' flick about a hamster (or guinnea pig?) that saves the day. carter gave me a work out that day.
What was your SAT score?
1170... i think. i'm not really the best at remembering numbers.
What is your ideal pizza?
"garbage." or "trash" like my kids call it.
Look to your left: What do you see?
my bedroom. where i should be sleeping.
Apple juice or orange juice?
oj
Have you ever been anywhere outside of U.S.?
i wish.
Ice Cream or Sherbet?
marble slab. does that answer your quesion?
Two sports I played in middle school?
softball, volleyball
Do you have a college deree? If so what?
not yet.
What musical instrument do you play?
piano, french horn
Favorite NFL team?
Pittsburgh Steelers
Family or friends?
seriously? have you met me?!
Why do you go on facebook?
because i'm an addict, that's why.
Do you drink coffee?
negative
Do you like to bake/cook?
yes
Do you believe in ghosts?
kinda
Winter or summer?
summer
Do you have any piercings/tatoos?
one piercing in each ear. boring always did work for me. :)
What kind of car do you drive?
minivan, baby.
What are your "comfy clothes"?
anything that doesn't require high heels.
if you were one of the seven dwarfs, who would you be?
happy
Do you believe in heaven and hell?
si.
Is this boring?
somewhat.
What colour are your eyes?
Colour? mkay. They're blue. :)
What sort of character would you play in a comic book (hero, humorous sidekick, villian, that abrasive newspaper guy, etc.)
The girl that falls for them all...
Coke or Pepsi?
Coke
If you were on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; what kind of room would you ask for?
Outdoor living space. 20x20 screened in back porch with a shabby chic theme would be pretty cool. :)
If you were one word, what word would you be?
Simple.
If you could time travel, what would be your first stop?
1986. Summer night. Harkers Island. In grandma's yard. 30+ family members just hanging out .
What is your natural hair color?
dirty blonde
How many people are in your family?
5 in my house now, 8 in my house growing up
Favorite Rapper
2pac - there was this one song i loved of his in highschool... can't think of it right now, though! LOL!
Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt?
brad pitt. tom cruise is crazy
Whats the First Thing You Notice In A Boy/Girl?
well, in new friends/acquaintances - i notice their countenance and general attitude - are they friendly? rude? charming? thoughtful? lazy? obnoxious?
What language would you like to speak fluently?
italian
Desktop or Laptop?
laptop
Whats your favorite sport?
to play: volleyball ...... to watch: football
How many kids (or any at all) would you want to have?
3 is just right for us!
Chocolate or other candy?
all sweets are my friends. 'specially when paired with salty.
Sour or sweet candy?
sweet. seriously can't stand when my jaws lock from sour!
City or the suburbs?
suburbia!
Performing Arts, Fine Arts, or Sports?
multi - already told you that!
Riding horses or riding dolphins?
horses
Do you believe a good life is attainable? or is it something that is out of our control ie subject to luck etc.
attainable
What is your favorite color?
sage green
left handed or right handed?
lefty
Why are you taking this interview?
to procrastinate preparing supper
who do you count on when feeling down
rodney
do you plan in advance
usually
What attracts you most?
smile
Do you feel comfortable showing PDA in pubic?
nope
Do you say "I love you" in the relationship?
you betcha
Aliens have landed and selected you to visit their home planet. Do you go with them?
hizell to the naw. i'm a scaredy cat like that
If you could be successful at any job in the world, what would that job be?
too hard to answer - changes every day - one day it's art & design, the next day it's photography... one day it's music, the next day it's cooking... i'm multifacted
If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?
Mack Wilberg, the conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - oh to get in his head!!!
If you have friends coming for supper what would you cook?
steaks, potatoes, greens & watermelon.
What is your favourite word?
fabulous
What makes you cry?
lots of stuff. singing the national anthem. singing "god be with you till we meet again." witnessing reunions. talent. poverty.
What makes you laugh?
not practical jokes. those make me sorry. i really prefer g-rated humor.
If you were an animal in the wild, what would you be?
not really wild like that. seriously - i can't even think of one. a lioness?
If you won the lottery, how would you spend your millions?
1st - buy beach house in carteret county... 2nd - a private jet ... the rest is all trivial
If you could travel back in time, what mistake(s) would you want to correct?
i would have deeper friendships with girlfriends, and not waste my time with boys.
Do you believe that the cup is half empty or half full?
always half full... if i ever turn into a half empty kind of person, somebody slap me!
Who was your hero as a child?
my momma
What do you do for fun?
play the piano, sing, go to the movies, create
Are you an outdoor or an indoor person
that's a hard one - i love the comforts of the indoors, but the freedom of the outdoors (especially with little ones)
If you had only six months to live, what would you do first?
see more, sing more, laugh more, travel more, dance more, hug & kiss more
Where do you see yourself in five years?
on this day (august 5th) in 5 years - how about having a summer vacation with my family - at disney!
What are you most proud of in your life?
oh, where to start!?! .... kidding! definitely my family - close and extended
Do you own any pets, and if so what do you have?
none right now
Do you have any tattoos, and if so what and where?
nope
When do you plan on getting married?
btdt. :) december 16, 2000 to be exact.
Get the number or give the number?
both - what if one of us loses it!?!
How do you feel?
inspired
What size shoes do you wear?
9.5
What size shoes do you wear?
9.5
Water or 100% Juice?
neither. crystal lite.
Would you rather be hot or cold?
hot. any day.
Would you rather lose an arm or a leg?
right arm. need that left one.
Opera, Musical, Concert, Play, Performance, or Other?
Musical
What is your favorite clothing brand?
Whatever's on the sale rack at Target
If you had to pick one car, which would it be?
Jaguar S-Type
What was your last thought?
mommy needs a nap
Juice and crackers or milk and cookies?
milk and cookies (especially oreos)
Favorite fruit?
watermelon, by a mile!
Are you a cat or a dog person?
dog
Are you a cat or a dog person?
dog
Would you rather be blind or deaf?
really hard one... probably deaf
Define yourself in 3 words...
kind, low maintenance
Do you eat cold cereal at night?
abso-freakin-lutely!
What is your favorite TV show?
so you think you can dance (but alias was, back in the day!)
Kill the spider or let it out?
another one that depends - on my mood. :) if i kill it - i absolutey tell it "sorry dude," as i do when i kill any bug.
Do you shower every single day?
i wish.
Walking past a beggar, spare change or ignore?
depends - i probably share with the beggar more times than not
Where do you want to travel next?
besides the trip coming up in sept. to SLC, maybe a cruise!
What would you do if Michael Jackson asked you out
not likely :(
What is your favorite food?
thanksgiving spread - with lots of gravy
Do you read harry potter books?
no - only vampire books
If you could have one super human power what would you choose?
time travel
Have you had a beer in the last week?
no
Vitamin Water or Gatorade?
gatorate
Flip flops or tennis shoes?
flip flops
What do you do on fridays?
nothing exceptional - just look at the clock more
What is your favorite song of all time?
"the first time ever i saw your face" sung by celine dion
Do you like bananas?
yes