Dollywood or Bust (no that is not a reference to my frequent trips to the bathroom)

So the bulk of my Spring Break was spent preparing for and going on our Dollywood trip (sans BLew and plus Mimi, Pop & LeLe). THANK GOODNESS we took them because I just couldn't keep up with Bo-Diddly on this trip. He wore me out just watching him. We stayed in an sweeeeeet suite (yep, just like Zack & Cody for those of you with upper elem kids) for a great deal (sight unseen) thru Expedia. Dollywood was having their "Festival of Nations" while we were there. I highly recommend it...waaaay better than the BBQ&Bluegrass Festival we hit up last fall. The music/shows that we saw were amazing and I cannot believe that it doesn't last longer or we'd go back before it ends (Apr 27). They had Le Grande Cirque "Imagine" show that we saw twice, Jennifer Roland band (Scots-Irish fiddler), and a group from Zambia that LeLe saw twice--all 10's on a scale of 1-10. Bo-Diddly even starred in part of the Jennifer Roland show---and they didn't even ask for volunteers. haha. He just imagined that he was the only audience member and took a few cues from her dancing. Tyrone was picked to be a volunteer in the rain maker show...and surprised some people with a nice cold shower on a chilly morning. He was also the cause of Big Pop getting verrrry sickish after agreeing to ride the Mystery Mine. Big Pop was lying horizontal on a bench for a few hours...

Bo-Diddly loved the train, ducks and 50's cars...most of which Mimi rode with him b/c Mommy simply did not fit:) The 50's cars were voted most popular ride b/c we all took a ride, most of us multiple trips:)

Bo-Diddly's favorite toy during the trip was the electronic safe inside the closet at the hotel. Needless to say, he ran straight there everytime we got back into the room.
LeLe & Tyrone on the Lumberjack Lifts.

Cute family picture by the River Battle, which we didn't ride. It was a little too chilly for us, but we did squirt some people who didn't know any better!
Tyrone talked Mimi into riding the rampage on Thursday---talk about soaked. This was around 7pm, closing time. Did I mention we were all starving so they had to sit thru dinner soaking wet?? Tyrone says next time they're taking their ponchos.

Our last stop was the A&W on the way home...check out those ice cream cones!!! Good times...

Yep, it still snows in April....but we don't live in Boone...so these are from March

Bo-Diddly decided to walk around the house like a cowboy for a few hours...trying out his new snow boots. His swagger was oooohhh so cute and Tyrone laughed hysterically.

This captured Bo-Diddly's general attitude about the snow. He HATED it. Ok, he might have smiled once when brother slid him down the hill but the second they got to the bottom of the hill....the screaming started over. He was perfectly content to watch brother, Mimi & Le-Le out the window.

Tyrone FINALLY got to use his snowman kit that Mimi & Pop bought us for Christmas a few years back. Bo-Diddly tried to tear it down but we blocked him. Please notice the (very) retro "Kitty Club" tobaggan that Mimi is sporting. Yep, I do believe that was mine (and prolly a hand-me-down even then....)

And finally...the famous snowcream family photo. Give me your opinions on the reactions that you see...shock, amusement, cluelessness...? BLew took the pic and was in on our surprise---instead of "Say cheese....say E---'s pregnant!" Notice Tyrone is busy studying facial reactions while I giggle. What a great way to announce we have another Lewie baby on the way--loved it!

I'm a Slacker

OK, I'm doing the thing everyone else does on their blog. I'm posting the "I'm a slacker" post with a few old pictures--in hopes that I'll be forgiven b/c the pics are so darn cute. I promise to do better and catch up up through March...soon! Besides, I just finished my National Boards for teaching portfolio this month so I DID have a good excuse:)

This is Bo-Diddly teaching his Daddy how to tie his shoes..."See Da-Da, you just knot them real good and even Mommy can't get them undone."

I was just typing away at the computer (probably blogging since I am so diligent in updating) and Bo-Diddly was hovering as usual...next thing I knew he was tuckered out on the floor beside me. I thought it was so cute, I had to take some pics. Enjoy:)
I'll be back to fill you in on the rest of the last 2 months soon....or maybe later. Tyrone did start baseball season this week....haha.

The ascent has begun...

Bo-Diddly has figured out that reaching up gets you things...like water in the face from the fridge...

and climbing up gets you a really cool jungle gym right in Mom's very own kitchen....

(and of course a cute photo...)

And growing up makes Mommy a tish bit sad...but still in love with her baby:)

I haven't had time to post many of our adventures lately--but we've had a few. Bo-Diddly still has a mysterious allergy rash (likely food) that bought him a trip to the ER a few weeks ago. He's started saying a few words..."lilillir" is his favorite=milk, water, Aunt Lele & his favorite bear (Giggles). But he does say real words too--the latest is "car", which I'm sure Aunt Amby is proud. Choo-Choo (woo woo) is for Pop. I love it when he says a new word because his reaction is that it's sunddenly magic that people understand him. As you can see, still no major hair on the head. More than before and very blond, but still a baldy. He's definitely a daddy's boy and loves watching basketball on Tv with daddy--"ball, ball!" he says. He has learned the head shake and the nod (yep is pretty funny b/c he can only do it with his mouth open). Needless to say, the "no" head shake gets waaaaaaaaay more practice.

Tyrone's latest news is his struggles with division. I can't blame him because the vocabulary they use in the 3rd grade is waaaay advanced from what I remember. They actually asked for the quotient, divisor, dividend,etc. in one problem (I will disclose here that I snuck into the other room to Google those terms before I assumed my role as teacher to Tyrone last night..haha). Seriously...quotient?? These kids are still picking their noses and trying to skip their daily baths.... Anyway, I told T that if he didn't "get" this math, he was going to fall behind in math. He got upset thinking he was going to fail 3rd grade (yes, I did have a heart and tell him that wouldnt happen--even in the thros of homework anguish). So here's the funny--we were sitting by the tub while Bo-Diddly took a bath and T started drumming around on the sink, toilet and his legs and he said--"When I get in high school, I'm gonna be a drummer...well....if I make it to high school." I thought I would crack up!

And lastly...I am greatly enjoying the minivan. LOVE LOVE LOVE the room. I have said it once before and will say it again... even with the shot to the ole ego, I can't believe I did make the switch sooner. Besides, I can always put on my shades and pretend...

In Honor of the Minivan...

Apparently I'm not the only one that took a hit to the ego with the purchase of a minivan...
Check out this funny video..."It's Hard to Be Cool (In a Minivan)"...haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2tt1cg1h_I

Lil Helper

What an adorable little helper Bo-Diddly is:) He loves the Dustbuster--although he should because he is the #1 reason why it is constantly in my hand. Or maybe he's like his mommy and just loves the Dustbuster in general. Definitely my favorite gadget. He did manage to get some dustbunnies for me from under the bookshelf. I'm training him early! Hmmmm or so I thought... Last night I was putting away laundry and didn't realize Tyrone left the bathroom door open---but Bo-Diddly did! He decided to start his teenage pranks early and TP'd the inside of the house...he tried to escape...but alas, mommy followed the trail! (some of the pics are pretty blurry b/c I was laughing so hard, but you get the idea....

He even stopped to show off in front of brother in the recliner...And finally runs to hide behind the side table:)

Boys! Gotta love 'em:)

My next couple of Mommy badges...

Badge #4: Hmmm...you look at this nice family picture and imagine a typical Sunday morning (Christmas Sunday even). And look at that mommy--what a nice sure grip she has on her baby boy. She must be a most excellent and capable Mommy. One who always packs the diaper bag just right, never forgets baby's milk and ensures that he is always within eyesight. Well it was this very Christmas Sunday that baby Bo-Diddly decided he didnt want to take his morning nap, so being the best mommy ever--his mommy decided to slip out of church and take him on a short drive to put him to sleep. What a great idea!! Asleep in an instant. As Mommy was unstrapping him from his carseat, she thought it would be a good idea to put the car key in the diaper bag (to make SURE the keys were not locked inside--good idea Mommy.). Bo-Diddly stirs and begins waking up, so QUICK!--Mommy shuts the door to run around and hop inside to calm him back to sleep....only....the keys were inside...and the doors were...definitely NOT unlocked. So to make this ever-growing long story short, I earned my 4th or so Mommy badge by having to run inside to get BLew(daddy) and Meems(grandma). We had to call 911 with the meek request that they not turn on the sirens (just FYI--they can't do that because of some stupid protocol---geez people leave me a little pride here). The big fire truck swept in (after what felt like at least an hour) and popped the lock in 30 seconds flat. Long story short--I have learned my lesson about the keys (I know, I know--you are thinking things like this never happen to you---but do you know where your keys are this very instant...better yet, do you know where your KIDS are???). Oh yes, and I also learned that it takes 5 firemen to free up a 1 yr old and calm the hysterical craziness of a VERY capable young mommy:) Sorry Bo-Diddly...love you.

Badge #5: Ok you can probably already see the boo-boo on Bo-Diddly's head so we'll just jump right into this badge story. Only 2 short days after earning badge #4, I thought it would be a good idea to allow Bo-Diddly and Tyrone to jump on the bed....haha JUST KIDDING. Seriously, the day before Christmas Eve, Bo-Diddly decided to ruin the upcoming Christmas festivity photos by gashing his head open enough to require a stitch or 2. He was running from his brother and hit his head on my footboard (YES, he was on the floor, not the bed). Fortunately for everyone's sanity after the eventful Sunday, it did not bleed a lot because a slight "pump-knot" came up, but it was still a nasty gash. I have always been a pretty calm person when crisis occurs, but some kind of hormone or something has messed with that part of my brain since becoming a mommy. The drama-filled portion of this story is that BLew was gone with the *new/hot/hip/ultracool MINIVAN*that has Bo-Diddly's carseat in it (or at least I thought I had no carseat at the time...I did not think past my nose to realize the truck with a carseat was parked in the cul-de-sac...but let's get back to the story). BLew rushed home like batman in the batmobile,er--minivan, and zipped us to the doctor's office where we were infamously referred to as "the laceration." Bo-Diddly was very scared and screamed the entire time the doc stitched him up, but as soon as we could pick him up...he was all "oooooo's & Dada's."

So the excitement of earning my latest badges overshadowed the grand festivities of Christmas, but I am thankful to God that he kept us safe and well despite the little roadblocks that reminded me that I am not an invincible Mommy and He is in control.