CAMDEN-ISMS

In honor of Camden's 5th birthday (as of 7:46am), here are his latest funnies......

As we were discussing his birth this morning he said, "I bet your tummy was really big when I was in there. I sure can imagine how that must of felt." No son you really can't!!

As I was trying to get him bed the other night, at 10pm he said, "When I have kids I'm never going to make them go to bed." Get back to me on that one when you have kids and are counting down the minutes until bedtime!!

As we were walking through the toy aisle in the store the other day and he asked if I would buy him something and I said no he said, "Please mom, I'm seduced by the fun." First of all good usage of the word and secondly where did you learn that word?

As we were finishing up supper last night, "Can I have some more food? I'm like Shaggy and Scooby. My tummy is never full." And so it begins.

As he was examining the billfold that Grandma and Grandpa brought him from TN and seeing there was a dollar in it, "I'm going to buy me a wife with that!" Probably going to take a lot more than a dollar!!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!! Thanks for making us laugh!

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO

The last three hours of my time have been spent making frosting, coloring it, and decorating a Spiderman cake for Camden's birthday tomorrow. I'm by no means an expert cake decorator but I enjoy making cakes for my kids. This cake turned out reasonably well and I finished it before midnight so end of story right??

After I decorate my cakes I put them in the oven (if I'm not going to be using it!). That way they don't dry out and I don't have to cover them with anything. I told Sam that I was putting it in there and he said, "That's definitely the safest place for a cake in this house." I believe that was a sarcastic comment on my refusal to cook much during the summer. Oh who am I kidding....I don't cook too much anytime!! Anyway, I tucked the cake all safe and sound in the oven, thinking about how excited Camden would be to see it in the morning, and then moved onto my next task. Sam and I were discussing the fact that Camden asked if he could have cake for breakfast. Usually we let our kids eat cake the morning of their birthday. (Judge if you want to but birthdays only come once a year!!) We both agreed that it would be nice for him to have some cake for breakfast, however, that meant I had to mix up cupcakes because this cake is for his party. So, you can probably see where this story is going, I turn the oven on to preheat and begin mixing up the cupcakes not even remembering that barely 5 minutes earlier I put the cake in the oven. (Sam also didn't realize what was happening since he made no move to stop me.) When the timer dinged to tell me the oven was heated, a switch went off in my brain, "NO!!" I started screaming for Sam (he had gone to bed). He thought I cut off my finger (because so often you use a knife when baking cupcakes). I retrieved the cake and surveyed the damage. The frosting got pretty hard because most of the shortening melted out of it. It is definitely not perfect but it is salvageable for looks. It probably will not be edible but I just don't have time to bake and decorate another one so if you come to Camden's party, take a picture of the cake but if I were you I would eat a cupcake.

(Before on the left. After on the right.)

I'VE SEEN INTO THE FUTURE

This morning as Camden was eating breakfast, he stood up on the chair and said, "I have an announcement. Since it is so close to my birthday how about we just say I am 5." We laughed at him and his dramatics and jokingly said no, no, no. Behind the laughs as I turned away, tears quickly filled my eyes and my heart screamed NO. He doesn't understand how every year older he gets means that it is that much harder for me to pull him on my lap and cuddle with him. He doesn't understand that this is his last year before school, the last year that I will have him mostly to myself before I hand him over to other people who will lead him through most of his waking hours. He doesn't understand that with every birthday he gets closer to the time when he leaves his mom for another woman who will fill his heart.

I absolutely lose it every time I watch the scene in Father of the Bride where Steve Martin is playing basketball with his daughter and in one shot she is big and then in the next shot she is little. When Camden made his big announcement this morning, in my mind's eye I actually had the reverse experience. (I really did....I'm not just saying that for dramatic blogging....It was weird!) I pictured him growing up into the man I hope he will one day become. I could actually see him sitting at our table as a teen and as an adult. It took me a few blinks and shakes of my head to remember that for now he is still mine to love and cuddle and nurture.

For once reality was much better than the dream!!

MY KIND OF CAMPING

Grilling, bike riding, smores, an outdoor movie and..........dad and kids in the tent outside and mom in her own bed!! That's my kind of camping!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

SUMMER OF MY DISCONTENT

Vague unease, unclear goals and unidentified passions have been the themes with me this summer. Haven't been able to pinpoint the causes other than discontentment with the way the country is headed politically and lack of any idea of where the 2nd half of my life will take me. Doesn't exactly make for good blogging......

Will be back soon......I hope!!

(Not to fear....the kids are having a great summer though!!)

HAPPY 4TH!!

From our firecrackers to yours!!