Just when you think they aren't listening...

...they are!!! I was so proud of my little D-ster the other day, well I am proud of him EVERY day, but this past Saturday was an extra special "oh, tear" day!! I took Dominic and my friend Melissa's little boy, Landyn, to the park. I was sitting on the bench, some distance from where the boys were playing, just sort of soakin' up the day and how cute the boys were etc. I noticed that there was another little boy that had come to the park and started "playing" with Dominic. I tuned into their conversation just in time to hear the following:

strange boy: "...yeah well this is my gun and I am going to shoot you in the heart and you will DIE!"

my wonderful, beautiful, intelligent boy: "yeah well, um, that's not a real shoot-gun so you can't shoot me and you are not supposed to point shoot guns at people AND I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, so bye (insert shoulder shrug and pursed lips)"

strange boy: "well you can't go on any of these parts of the play-ground"

my wonderful, beautiful, intelligent boy: "um, yes I can - you didn't buy the park stuff"

angry, ready to take out her mama-bear claws on this strange, ugly little boy: "he can go on ANYTHING he wants so mind-your-business!"

From that point on they really didn't play with each other the rest of the time we were there!! ;) I was so proud of Dominic, not only did he not have any idea that I was listening or could hear him but he was standing up for himself to this, I assumed, older boy. He was actually repeating some of the things that I drill into him I feel like everyday of his life! Pretty much most of the time I feel like I am talking to a brick wall and saying to myself (in the middle of the night when I can't sleep because I am thinking about all the mistakes I am making in his life and my own) "is any of this stuff gettin' through - is he going to be socially inept or will he remember the things I am trying to teach him?" Well, I guess something is getting into his adorable cranium. Thank heaven!! Now, if only I was this confident about him knowing that it's really not such a good idea to spank girls on their behind...maybe then I could sleep at night!!! ;) I love you like no-body's business D-ster!!

"...I'm a IN-struction Worker"

As most of you already know, my mom spoils Dominic ROTTEN! Well the other night my mom took Dominic to the store and let him pick out a "prize" - he picked a huge set of Black & Decker tools. I can't even begin to tell you all of the items that came in this set, things that I didn't know existed in the "adult" world let alone as a toy. Anyway, after donning his gear this is what he said:

"Well, hmm, looks like now I'm a Instruction Worker mom"

He likes to wear the hat backwards ("cuz' that's how boy's wear em' mom") so he is wearing his hat backwards and he desperately tried to put ALL of the tools into his tool-belt. There are so many that they all kept falling out and he was getting angry-eyes so I told him just to stand very still while I took the picture so we wouldn't "loose" anymore tools!!

Demonstrating the workings of the pliers! Obviously this is the best function for this tool!!

Thanks Grandma for all my toys, especially my new Black & Decker Tool Set - I can build so many sings and I am a great builder like the builder's across the street and I am strong just like my dad! I love them and I love you!!

Off with the LONG...on with the SHORT!!

It's been a couple of weeks now, but I finally...CUT MY HAIR!!! I have wanted a change for awhile and decided to go for it and cut off my long, beautiful, sultry locks!! ;) OMG, I kill myself - I am pretty sure none of those words belong in the same sentence when describing anything about me! Anyway, here are a few pics from that fateful night:

Getting started! This is sort of a "before" pic - we had already started when I remembered to have someone take my "before and after's". My cute cousin AmberLee Marie Jacksonville-Florida is a cosmetologist and she was kind enough to come to my house for the cutting. How awesome is that??? Your hair-dresser comes to you!?!

Getting nervous! Amber working like a dog through my massive amounts of hair. Why is it everything I own is massive??? Oh that's right I do have small things - they are inside - non visible to anyone - ya know the important things; veins, bones, uterus etc. but by all means let's make everything on the outside GI-normous!!

Amber still combing through and getting rid of the ones that "didn't make the cut" :) It started to look like a bunch of little snakes curling up around the floor. By this time I think I was more than a bit nervous :(

And last but not least...the "after" pic. I know I am wearing a black cape and my hair is on the black side so it's hard to tell but if you look close you will see that my hair pretty much stops and lays right on the top of old smokey! Right on the top of my shoulders. Kind of a big difference.

So there you go, I did it! It is a big change and I am getting used to it and trying to figure out how to "do" it so I will have to post more pics when it is really "done" up the way it is supposed to look. Thanks Amz for doing such an awesome job and for always being at my "beck and call"! :) Speaking of which - my roots are out of control!!

Good Ole' Fashion Fun!

A couple of weekends ago we went to see some of Mario's family. One of the stops was to visit with his nephew, Ronnie, who had just had surgery on his knee (for the 1-zillion-th time!) - they practically took everything out, did some Origami, hammered the sh-- out of it and put it back in! So while we were there the kids decided to go out and jump on the tramp (no, not me). I love this tramp because it has one of those "kid-catcher" nets around it so, all things considered, it's pretty safe. Here are a few pics from the "kids" jumping around like a bunch of monkey's!!: Yup, that's ME on the left and Cat (Ron's wife) on the right!!! It was awesome!!! I don't remember the last time I jumped on a tramp-o-line. This is probably because since adult-hood, I have always been fearful that I would take one "jump" and hit the ground underneath me, make a hole and stay there - kind of like when a parachute jumper makes a really hard landing and his legs either brake off or dig in the earth below - yeah I'm thinkin' that's why I haven't been on one in say the last 10 years-ish. This tramp looked pretty taut so I went for it. Once again, it was awesome - I've been missing out for all of these years! This is a bit blurry but here we are: Cat, Dominic, Tino, me and Abby - the five "little" monkey's jumpin' all-around!!

We had such a good time that night - just visiting, chatting, laughing and making complete fools of ourselves - like I said, nothin' but 'good ole' fashion fun'!!

I have to post a few pics of Ron and Cat's newest AND oldest members of the fam (because they are both so flippin' cute!!

Baby Ava!

"Baby" Koda (Ko-Da) saying "cheese" ;)I had to put this pic in because it shows just how BIG he really is! I think he probably is a close 2nd to the big f-er!!

So as you can see Koda is GI-normous but he is gentle as a little "puppy"! He loves the kids and is so sweet and gentle to them. Such a good boy!!

Oh, thanks Ron and Cat for having us - it was so fun (it always is with you guys) - you are the greatest, we need to do it more often!! Love ya!