10 Things I Learned This Weekend

1.  WIN OR LOSE, I AM A COUGARS FAN!
But if I have to be honest, I prefer winning!  This past Friday night our boys had the opportunity to play a State playoff game on our home court.  A win would have progressed them to Baker City with the top 8 teams in Oregon vying for a State Championship title.  We packed out our gymnasium, and cheered at the top of our lungs but when the final buzzer sounded our boys season came to an end.  It was a sad night, but I'm still proud of my Cougars.  And I have much to be proud of, they had a fantastic season, they were undefeated in their league, won the district championship and they were really fun to watch.  I'm sad they won't be playing for the State title, but I'm ready to cheer for them next season already!

The team, the crowds, the fans & the final score.

2. NO BAKE COOKIES ARE LIFE SAVERS!
I remembered at 7:00am on Saturday that I was supposed to bake cookies for a community outreach free oil change day starting that same morning!  So while I was fixing breakfast for my boys, and trying to get the whole family ready for the day - I quickly threw together a batch of no-bake cookies.  I love cookies that don't require baking. I love that they're quick and easy.  I love that they're delicious, and lastly I love that there was enough people there to eat them so I didn't have to bring them home with me... because I find them a tad irresistible.


3.  COFFEE IS AWESOME - EXCEPT WHEN IT'S NOT!
I love me a good cup of coffee in the morning.  I love the smell of it brewing, I love the taste with just the right ratio of coffee creamer (right about 70/30 for me - don't judge me!) However - when you're planning your outfit for your super cute and always stylish friends birthday party and you finally find something you're happy wearing... coffee is NOT awesome poured all down the front of said outfit.  Which is exactly what happened to me Saturday.
Coffee + clumsy = wardrobe fail!


4.  POTTY TRAINING IS AWFUL!
I think my 3-year old is trying to make me go insane.  I will not go into detail of the exasperation I've felt at the hands (or rather bodily functions) of my child because I may just get further depressed, but I need for this season to be over, and soon.


5.  I WAS ROBBED AS A CHILD!
I learned this weekend, that a golden birthday, is not in fact your 50th birthday as the anniversary would suggest, but rather the one time in your life when your birth date and your age are the same number.  For example, I was once 11 on the 11th.  I had no idea that was my golden birthday and thus feel like I was robbed of the grand occasion.  I can't even remember what I did on my 11th birthday so clearly it was far from golden; it wasn't even like a silver or bronze birthday.  In the list of metals... I'm pretty sure that my golden birthday was in fact the cheap nickel plated stuff that turns your skin green!  Not fair, not fair I say!

Nicole's golden birthday - 26 on the 26th

Me and the birthday girl!

 6.  GOLF HAS STOLEN MY HUSBAND!
Wii golf - he's addicted.  It is not uncommon anymore for him to still be on the greens in our living room at 11pm.   And no honey... I won't be your caddy.  Stop asking.


7.  OUCH!  CHARLIE BIT ME!
Okay, it wasn't really Charlie, but it was Elijah.  He just got his third tooth, the first of his uppers and somehow my finger and his teeth connected - and the kid packs a punch!  Owwww... And yes, I whined.


8.  NOT A ONE-MAN JOB!
Car seats - not for the faint of heart, or the weak of arm strength!!  I'd like to think that I purchased the world's toughest-to-install car seat rather than consider that I might be a total wimp.  I always tackle the thing with intensity and vigor - determined to conquer the proper installation process.  I push, pull, yank, grunt, sweat and then finally get angry in my failed attempts to tighten the straps adequately and then Dave has to come to my rescue.  Don't get me wrong, it's a FANTASTIC carseat... as long as you NEVER.HAVE.TO.MOVE.IT!  And move it we did this weekend - because we upgraded Elijah to Hayden's car seat (yay for no more infant carrier because frankly my arms were about to fall off), and we moved Hayden up to a booster seat that takes a regular seat belt.  Hayden's new car seat was delightfully easy to install - Elijah's new-to-him carseat, my installation nemesis - required his father's full attention.  Sigh.

VERY excited about his new carseat!  Please excuse his jammies, he wanted to "test" it out before bed!

9.  THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A QUICK TRIP!
Sunday after church my parents invited me to make a "really quick" trip up to Costco.  They were just grabbing a couple things, and since I needed to make a Costco run anyway I jumped on the shopping buggy.  Dave took the boys home from church and I told him that I'd be home in no time.  Somehow I forgot who I was shopping with.  Don't get me wrong - it was a delightful afternoon and I enjoyed Costco - but then I also got to enjoy Walmart, Best Buy and then another Walmart.  Our "quick trip" got me home just in time to put my boys in pajamas and send them to bed!  Ooops, sorry Dave.  Thanks for being gracious, and for being such a great dad, and for making the boys lunch and then dinner too.

Our family jokes about my mom's notorious shopping trips - and how she once spent 4 hours in a 4 aisle grocery store - but in all honesty, Dad's not a lot better.  He's the spontaneous "let's go here next" shopper while Mum is the "stay all day once you get there" shopper - together they're a dangerous pair, unless you have a lot of time on your hands.  (Truth is, I'd do it again in a heartbeat - they're a fun shopping couple!)


10.  IT NEVER STOPS GROWING!
I didn't think I could love my kids anymore than I already do.  You imagine what they'll be like when you're pregnant and you start to fall in love.  Then you see their tiny newborn faces and hold them for the first time and your heart doubles in size immediately - and then you get your first smile, and your first laugh and magically that love for them just intensifies.  I felt like I had a pretty good grasp on my love tank for my boys until this morning when Hayden spontaneously threw his arms around my neck and told me, "Mommy I love you sooooo much" and boom - magnified again.  Then he told me that he was going to go snuggle with his daddy because, "My daddy loves me so much and he'll be so happy to see me!"  That's a devotional right there!!

Daddy & son

You know, now that I think about it I'll cross out #4 - I might be able to muster up a little more patience for this kid!