• Work on photography contracts
• Sew fleece pockets for my prefolds
• Edit photos
• Blog
• Read blogs
• Clean my house
• Read the stack of magazines I never seem to get to
• Mess with the design on my blog (I can never make up my mind. I like the simple structure of this one, but it’s not pretty. See? I’ll be working on that soon.)
• Eat ice cream

Last night, I actually planned on going to bed early, but drank a can of Diet A&W Cream Soda without thinking it has caffeine in it. Duh! 12:30am rolled around and I was still WIDE AWAKE.

Getting caught up on sleep means I will have to put aside all those things I want to do for one night, and decide to go to bed early instead. And then, I will have to force myself to shut the books earlier each night. I hate a half-done to-do list, but I guess that has become just one side effect of being a mommy that I will have to live with. I am trying to see that as something positive and plan around it. You know, extend my deadlines, give myself permission to leave things unfinished for a while, etc. The most important thing I need to do is prioritize.

I think I am going to start using a to-do list again. I used to do it in college and it really helped me. I loved the satisfaction of crossing something off and it kept me from getting too sidetracked. I can always add new items to the bottom of the list and continue to work through them as best I can. I’ll probably just use the one in Gmail since it allows you to assign priorities. That way, if something urgent comes up, I can easily add it to the top of my list so it gets done on time.

Sometimes I wish I had a little more discipline when it comes to getting enough sleep. I sure would feel a lot better if I wasn’t so tired! It’s just hard to put sleep in front of other tasks. Sometimes I feel like going to bed early makes me lazy, especially when there are things that need to get done. Then again, I would rather have a full measure of patience for my toddler and a sink full of dishes — than have a sparkling house and be cranky all the time.

This morning, we went to the forest preserve where we got engaged five years ago to take some family photos for this year’s Christmas card. I can’t believe I just typed that sentence. Kim is getting her Christmas card ready and it’s not 6 days before Christmas? This can’t be! Oh but it is, because I am going to be reviewing Hallmark.com’s new photo cards (which you will love), and since I do not have a new baby to stick on a new birth announcement (which is what I am specifically reviewing), I am going to order Christmas cards instead. I suppose Christmas cards are a little like birth announcements for Jesus in a way…

You are probably wondering about the bird on my head.

It was really windy this morning, and I knew that, which is why I sprayed my whole head with this amazing finishing spray that I love and cannot afford. I am making this little trial bottle last a very long time. They should have put the side effects on the bottle: “May cause an entire section of your hair to move, rather than individual strands.” Or how about this one, “May cause birds to land on your head when you are trying to take a Christmas card photo.”

Um, yeah, it’s not a bird. It’s my bangs. Isn’t that EMBARRASSING or what?

My mom and I went for a walk with Micah in downtown Lake Geneva just the other day. We got coffee at Caribou, window shopped, let Micah loose in the park area by the lake and again in a gazebo near the Riviera. (Unfortunately, this was the spot where Micah fell and face planted right onto his little yellow car, leaving a welt on his cheek that was a perfect impression of the wheel.) We found a path we’ve never seen before that was framed by yellow flowers and at least a dozen Monarch butterflies. I have never seen so many in one spot.  They were joined by fuzzy bumble bees and they were all flower hopping.

As we were leaving, we noticed tons of sirens going off and police cars speeding by. The highway was blocked off just behind the spot where we merged. We were wondering what was going on until we watched the news after lunch. Apparently, there was a bank robbery in Pell Lake, and they had been blocking all the roads in an attempt to catch the guy. I don’t know if they ever did. Yikes.

All of his incisors have at least broken through, so the only teeth remaining are the 2nd year molars. That means teething is almost over!!

Eric recently did some computer work for an old coworker, and as payment, he gave us a beautiful bunk bed, which we plan on using for Micah once he is old enough. (He’ll sleep on the bottom first, of course.) When Eric was picking up the bed, his coworker also threw in a large road rug. I’m so jealous of my little man Micah; I always wanted one of these when I was a kid. Well, it is never too late…. I have been playing cars on this thing with my little dude and I am probably having more fun that he is!

I have been taking advantage of the way Micah seems to absorb everything right now by teaching him skills that are very important for little kids, like crawling under the bed. We had a blast playing peek-a-boo last night. He would crawl under his bed, giggle and play underneath for a few minutes, then pop out of one of the sides and yell, “boo!” I also taught him how to blow dandelion seeds into the neighbor’s yard yesterday.

First he blew on it like a plate of hot food, then he proceeded to rip it from the stem and crush it between his tiny fists. That’s what he does to pretty much anything he encounters. Imagine my panic when he picked up a catepillar at my parents’ house this weekend. Don’t worry, I saved the catepillar, but for a second there I thought I was going to be washing a fuzzy mess off Micah’s palm. Do catepillars bite if you squeeze them?

I love…

Sand babies and saggy diaper butt after a fun swim….

I love watermelon faces…

And kisses from my sissie by the pool….

And freckles, sun tan lines, sweet tea, the smell of sunscreen, hot dogs and s’mores, grass between my toes and a little baby running around in his diaper all day.

And I must say, summer is way more fun when you can stay home and enjoy it instead of being inside at your J-O-B. Yay for teachers and stay-at-home-mamas and grandmas who get to enjoy it! I think everyone should get summer vacation…

One night we teamed up for a game of Trivial Pursuit. I was on a team with Eric’s dad, Christie was with Grandma, and Aunt Cathy, Joe and Eric all played on a third team. Neal and I couldn’t seem to catch a break for most of the game. We got all the hard questions. No really, we did. Christie and Grandma had just about every question covered between them. Rarely was there a question they did not know. Eric’s team had a slow start, but ended up getting quite a few good runs and when we called the game before it was finished, they were the winners. It was just going on for too long. Who knew Trivial Pursuit Jr. could be so hard…

Anyway… for the past few summers, we’ve all (meaning me, Eric, and his entire immediate family) drove down across to the land of the buckeyes to visit my in-laws: more specifically my father-in-law’s siblings and mom. We usually all pile into their family van, but each year it’s gotten a little tighter as my family Micah requires more and more supplies. This year, however, we had plenty of space. Eric’s brother had to work and his mom elected not to come since she won’t go without bringing her beloved German Shepherd. No offense to Molly, but she is a big pain in the butt. She sheds all over the car and can’t leave her mommy’s side. We wouldn’t have been able to leave her in the car because it was so hot outside, so it would have been hard to go anywhere. She looks like a German Shepherd, but she acts like a little princess puppy.

She’s also got a naughty streak in her. Her nickname is “stinky.” One time, “it” (another nickname) ate Christie’s sub while she was in the bathroom and we’ve never let her down for it. So yes, Molly is a special dog, which means, it was a good thing she didn’t come. Unfortunately that meant Eric’s mom couldn’t come either.

The upside to not bringing Princess Molly was that we didn’t have to stay in a Motel 6 (the only inexpensive hotel that will let you bring in your pooch.) I have nothing against Motel 6. I hate Motel 6! The last time we stayed at one, I sat on the toilet to pee (big mistake) and when I got up the seat started to come with me. It was really sticky. While we were there, these little children kept knocking on our door to beg for things like plastic silverware, napkins and lighters… for their grandmother. It took a couple weeks for the smoke smell to come out of Micah’s pack and play when we got home. Lesson learned: you get what you pay for. Then again, I wasn’t paying, so I can’t complain too much.

This time, I got to pick the hotel. How did Eric’s dad know it was my birthday? It wasn’t, but it felt like it! I chose Spring Hill Suites by Marriott in Florence by the airport. It was a huge room, with two queen size beds, a sofa bed, two flat screen TVs, a desk, two bathrooms, a mini fridge and a sweet desk. It also had free breakfast and free internet. It even had ARTWORK. Compared to Motel 6, it was like staying in the Whitehouse. And wouldn’t you know, the toilet seat did not stick to my rear.

It was raining pretty steadily all morning, but it didn’t get crazy until after snack time when all of  a sudden it just started downpouring outside. It was the kind of rain that soaks you to your skivies when all you’re trying to do is run from the front door of the grocery store to your car. If you have to put groceries in the trunk, you can count on looking like you jumped in a pool by the time you get into the driver’s seat. I’m so glad I was inside… Anyway, when the rain started crashing into the pavement outside, I half-yelled in a high pitched voice I reserve for the three-and-under set, “Oh my! It’s raining cats and dogs!” And don’t you know, they started barking and meow-ing out the window. Did I encourage it and join in? Of course, I did. Some guy went outside to check the mail (why on earth didn’t he wait 15 minutes?) and I couldn’t help but wonder if he heard the “OOOOOOO WOOF WOOF MEOOOOWWWW WOOOOOOO WOOOO WUF WUF MEOOOOW” coming from our patio door. He never made eye contact, but then again, if I went out to check the mail and I heard screaching cats and dogs, I’d try not to look, too.

The rain stopped, but we’ve been playing inside anyway. It’s still sticky outside and I’m not a fan. Chasing each other around, hide and seek (even if they don’t quite get the concept), the hokey-pokey, and lots of sippy-cup refills have been on the menu. I can’t help but imagine what it will be like when Micah’s older and we have another rug bug getting into stuff. It’s probably a good thing we live in a house and not an apartment where noise levels are an issue.