Retro Post: The One With Pay Phone Confusion

"Mommy, what is this?"

That is an exact quote from Tucker. We were outside the zoo waiting for our friends when he noticed the mystery machine, AKA pay phone. He was genuinely confused about why you would even use that kind of phone. The follow up question to "what is this" was,

"Mommy, why would you use that when you have a phone in your purse?"

Exactly.

Beauty, From The Inside Out.

Dr. Pepper: A bubbly, sweet, curious wonder of 23 magnificent flavors. A token, crimson tube with sparkles, better yet, the infamous jumbo tube. Difficult to find in health and beauty sections of the store, but somehow Target always comes through, just when you think you'll never find a jumbo tube again. A sweet, and obviously tasty, shine for your parched lips. My daughter LOVES the jumbo tube of Dr. Pepper chapstick, not only for the beauty it brings her on the outside, but also for the tasty snack it provides for her insides. Now that's what I call beauty, from the inside out.

(brought to you exclusively by Bonnie Bell)

First Bank Account

Yesterday, Tucker opened his first bank account! What a big boy. It was a happy and sad day for me. I'm glad to be able to share the wealth of information I have on being frugal and hopefully teach him how to be responsible with spending and saving money. However, it felt a little bit like dropping him off at preschool for the first time. Watching my 4 pound 2 ounce baby turn into a kid, no longer the baby or toddler who needs me like he used to. (Maybe this is the part where I take my own advice and start enjoying Addie more instead of wondering why she is always hanging on my legs, crying endlessly) Either way, Tucker...big dude.

So we emptied his 2 piggy banks that were filled with coins, with the exception of three $1.00 bills, and headed to the bank. Matt and I made bets on how much it would be worth. I said $57.00 and Matt said $73.00.

We get to the bank and the people are all very sweet to Tucker, asking him questions about what he is saving his money for, etc. They also let us go behind the counter to see the coin machine work its magic counting the 30 or so pounds of coins. When all was said and done, that kid has almost as much in savings as we do. See below....

If you don't think you are reading that correctly...let me make it clear for you....

TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY DOLLARS AND FORTY SIX CENTS.

I'm FAMOUS...according to Addie

Addie just saw a picture of Ellen DeGeneres in a magazine and said, "Mommy". How do you suggest I break the news to Matt that he is married to a gay woman in her 50's?

Retro Post: Tillamook, Oregon--January 30, 2010

I have never been to Tillamook, but I love everything about it. The ice cream, cheese and delicious yogurt they make is amazing, so I knew there would be much to love if we visited the city and factory. And for all of you Tucker, Addie & Associates Fans out there who are not lucky enough to be from the Great Pacific Northwest, it's pronounced TILL-uh-mook (mook rhymes with book). Gotta love all the Native American influence here that makes all non-natives easy to pick out of a crowd. Which makes me think that I should do a post that is only about all the unique names and quirks that I love about the Northwest. Man, it feels good to be home. Where else can you wear ankle socks with keens and not be stared at? (not that I do that, but I could!) FOCUS...back to the great coast city of Tillamook. Oh, maybe that's a Northwest thing...let me know from my Other Coast friends if this is true for you too... Here we don't really say we are going to the beach, we say we are going to the coast. Or maybe that's just my family? Ok, it's official, no matter which coast you are from you can weigh in on this one. What do you call where the ocean meets the shore?

Addie wasn't tall enough to be a cow and neither of the kids were tall enough to be the farmer...so this is our "face in the hole" picture. Oddly enough, with all the people and families at the dairy, no one offered to take our family picture. I always think that's weird when people aren't that friendly.

After watching the factory workers make the tasty Tillamook cheese, we went back to the restaurant area and tried some of the ice cream...just a Quality Control service that Tucker, Addie & Associates were happy to provide to the Tillamook Dairy. Notice that Addie has a cone in one hand and a spoon in the other hand!

Then we found our way to where the ocean meets the shore, whatever you call that. Oceanside, Oregon was our final stop on this adventure. We saw the water, felt the rain and loved the colors of the sand. What a beautiful way to see the Oregon coast, in the rain...just as it should be.

So Many Things I Haven't Blogged

I have so many things to blog about. I am so terribly behind. I'm going to do my best to keep up and then throw in a "Retro Blog" when I can. Maybe that's what I'll call them just so you know that it's old news that still might make you giggle, either with me or at me, which ever you choose. So here is the current news in Tucker and Addie's world.

Yesterday I needed out of the house so badly, that I told the kids that we were going to Fred Meyer to buy flowers that they would get to plant. They were so excited! We went out, bought our flowers, little kid shovels and watering cans. This picture doesn't accurately depict the chaos, crying and tears that went along with pouring water down their legs instead of watering the plants. Or the fact that each delicate little flower pot was dumped over and refilled with dirt more times than Mother Nature would like to know. Either way, I got a few great pictures and the kids were beyond proud of themselves for potting these little flowers...that will probably die soon due to being covered in dirt and over watered.

...And Again...And Again...

Foot stuck on the lion cub statue at the zoo...This is the sweet action shot of him trying to escape before the picture was taken. I would also like to take this opportunity to nominate myself for Mother of the Year as witnessed by all the fellow-zoo-goers. I SAW you looking at me while my son was pinned to the lion statue. You were staring at me, giving me stink-eye, and whispering to your friends. I SAW you. So instead of letting you talk about me and letting you think I didn't notice, I'll just nominate myself....here it goes.

I nominate myself for Mother of the Year for allowing my son to stay stuck, whether in private or public, so that I can take a picture of him. I will, in my defense, say that he is NEVER in real danger. Although I think he does panic that he might actually be permanently stuck. Feel free to second my nomination, or nominate yourself, if you are so inclined.
The very next morning, he pushed his elbow through the slats on the chair. I could not get him to smile. Maybe the days of getting him to look like he is at Disneyland, instead of being stuck, are over...but don't think that's going to stop me from continuing to document this unprecedented amount of "MOMMY, I'M STUCK!!" events.

...and just for the record, this is a recent photo, he just loves his Xmas jammies. So yes, he still looks like an elf in February.