Freaked out at the Zoo

The Catholic schools all had half days this past Friday, so I thought perfect day to visit our zoo before it goes bankrupt and they release all their animals into the streets of Gulf Breeze. Along with yor ticket into the zoo they give you a bag of kibble to feed the animals( ie: goats, ducks, horses and giraffes). We picked the best day to go, there was NO ONE there and the animals were all close to the cages. I spent a lot of time filming the lion and leopard who were about 3 feet away from me and no one else around. Emma apparently thinks that metal cages aren't reinforced enough b/c she completely lost it the longer we stood there watching the big cats. She was near hysterical, throwing the kibble pellets at me and crying and the lion was just laying there sunning himself. She wanted to just move on and visit the train, so we finally did. And wow the excitement didn't stop there. They have free roaming African gazelle like water buffalo( at least 6 feet tall) and one was stuck between the fence and our train. He bolted and jumped into the water surrounding gorilla island. He managed to get himself entangled in the wires preventing the gorillas from escaping, busted thru the wires with his horns and made his way up onto gorilla island where he thoroughly freaked out the silver back male and the young female. The silver back then chased the gazelle thing across the island swinging his arms and yelling. If Emma wasn't scared before, this pushed her over the edge. I think we won't be able to visit a zoo for quite some time.

Snake Lingo

Conversation with Mom and Emma Thursday Morning before school

Mom: Emma, yesterday I saw a black snake in our butterfly bush right outside the kitchen window!

Emma: Were you scared Mom?
Mom: I saw him turned around, grabbed Adeline and ran the other direction.
Emma: Mom did he see you?
Mom: I think so because he stopped and was looking at me.
Emma: Mom, was he melgmerizing you?

Mom: Was he what?

Emma: You know like from the Jungle Book when the snake had swirly eyes at Moglie, he melgmerized him.

Reece a Roar 4th birthday party

Tuesday was the official party for Reece and he had fun with all his little friends from Preschool.

We played Musical Chairs, Pin the head on the Dinosaur, unwrap the parcel and then let them whack a Stegosaurus Pinata. The only problem with the pinata was that it was too well made, or else the kids weren't strong enough. At last Rick gave it a hard whack and broke the rope that held it up, and then if you could picture a shark feeding frenzy those kids fell upon that wounded stegosaurus like a mob and tore his head off and ripped his guts out. The guts of course being ring pops candy necklaces and mini dino's. But still, I've never seen a pack of three year olds turn into velaciraptors so quickly. Please excuse the remedial job on the dino cake, but I tried. It was a great party and Reece had a wonderful time.

UGG these boots don't fit

These boots are ridonkulous on her and I guess for that matter on me too. These are my yardwork, so snakes can't take my foot off boots. When I said I was running to get the camera this girl stayed there posing with this smile b/c she knew just how funny she looked.

What happens in Pensacola stays in Pensacola

My birthday started out normal enough......

Didn't ask for his Predator Impression on my birthday

but somehow got it anyhow

What's that old saying? " You can't pick your sister-in-laws or what they give you for your birthday "

I'm serious I was the only one drinking on my birthday

Bet he didn't think I'd be posting these gems on my blog now did he?

Keepin bookclub Alive

The Other Queen Philippa Gregory
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For all those interested in starting a new book with me, here is my suggestion. We've managed to keep the bookclub alive that Katie P. and Heather P. invited me to join more than 3 years ago. So, anyone who wants to jump on board we'll do an online cross continental bookclub via blogging or emailing. Becky had read the Other Boelyn Sister and said it was great. This is his next novel and I read about it in our paper. I'm going to get the book tomorrow. If you are interested go get a copy and join me.

South of the Border

No, we did not visit South Carolina's infamous roadside attraction. Brownie troop 540 became temporary Latino ladies during our September meeting. We are studying Girl Scouts from Around the World and I chose China last month and Me-hi-co this month. A parent always volunteers to bring snack and drink for each month, so lo and behold what shows up this month for Mexican meeting..... NACHOS, Cinnamon Crisps and MARGARITAS. Ooooh too bad they were virgin. What a fun meeting right? We made headbands with tissue paper flowers and then wore skirts and dresses to dance to the traditional mexican trumpet music. Only, of course as everything does with 10 seven year old girls in a large room and wild trumpeting music on a too loud CD. They go nuts, start flinging themselves thru the air, running around the gym b/c boys from after care are " spying on them" and then while the parents stream in to gather up the psycho brownies proceed to try feats of strength to lift one another up in ballet poses until people are landing on their heads on the cement. I love my job.

" Mom, can I live here?"

The kids both started gymnastics 3 weeks ago at Pensacola Junior college and needless to say from the title, THEY LOVE IT! For Reece this is a bit of a shocker as he usually is too shy to participate in group settings. I guess that's why approaching 4, really is the best time to get them into activities. At 3 when Emma was in ballet with Grace Peck, she could've cared less about dancing. She just wanted to fool around with Gracie and then get to wear the fancy dress at the recital in May( which crazy enough she still fits in to.) So I think 4 is the perfect age for starting sports and other kid to kid contact. Reece's class is called Tiny Tumblers and they have the kids hold onto one anothers shoulders to enter and exit the gym, like one tiny conga line. Very Cute! Emma actually got to do the balance beam this past week and was nervous, but she loves getting to use the big girl equipment. This place is awesome and I wish we had started here sooner. Fun, non-competitive and on their level.

Reece Hobbs Parrish turns 4

Wow Reece, even though you are still my little guy, you are now 4! September 10 will go down in history as the day a boy finally came into the family. Not since your Dad, has a boy become the single male species bearing the Parrish name. He was King Richard and you really are Prince Reece. With your sweet disposition, quiet demeanor and reserved presence, when that smile sneaks across your face, it steals our hearts. Your agility astounds us as you gallop around the house to get from one room to another, walking is too slow and you must have it preplanned in your head to enter each room with a somersault. You give yourself just enough space to do that forward roll and then jump to your feet. Will your hair ever remain flat on your head or will you forever have that rooster tail that you wake up with? It doesn't matter if I fix your hair, it is back sticking straight up later that morning from somersaults and flips. Whenever I think back to your birth it's hard not to think about Hurricane Ivan simultaneously. You were born 5 days before it hit and I just remember having Daddy build you that little wooden box so I could put your 7 lb tiny baby frame underneath to protect from the fear of losing our roof. I was so sweaty then, afterwards carrying around a tiny baby full of heat while trying to find a cool place in a house with no air conditioning. Giving up after 3 days of misery and leaving for Orlando for the next 2 weeks. It's funny how such a horrible experience came on the heels of one of the happiest experiences of my life. There really is something to be said about a Mommy's boy. That phrase always exudes negative connotations, but when it is your little boy and he asks for those extra kisses at bedtime and one more hug( not a Daddy hug) a Mommy hug, then I think it's a wonderful phrase and I hope it stays that way through his life.

Why does it always happen at night?

I have to follow in Jenn's footsteps and repeat her heading. However, unlike her blog which involved a beeping sound in the night, mine was a barfing sound at night. Yep, that's right, Reece had the stomach flu last night. Poor little guy, he had just gotten a new pair of Halloween pajamas and they glow in the dark. He was proudly sporting them, when he proceeded to toss his cookies in our driveway. Needless to say, he and I were up all night running back and forth to the bathroom, changing bedding and listening for either sister to come down with the same ailment. Now I'm Lysoling everything, and even putting bleach on my hands. It just figures these things always happen when Rick is away. I think the minute he walks through the door, I will squeeze the kids and pug until they puke or poop on him. He doesn't get to miss out on all the fun!

Show me the money!

While I made dinner the other night, Emma and Reece were unusually quiet in the other room. I thought a ferocious game of Super friends or Littlest Pet Shop was going on. About 30 minutes later Emma called Rick and I in there. For the past half hour Emma had been cleaning the entire playroom. She is prone to doing this sometimes, I guess out of guilt, when she sees how much other work, I do around the house. But, I don't think guilt was the driving force that night. After proclaiming how beautiful the playroom was, she asked " what are you going to give me?" And Rick said A GREAT BIG HUG! And Emma shouted " I didn't do all this for a hug, I want Money!" And there you go, she has figured out at 7 what makes the world go round.

"Dad, my school is the other direction"

Those were the words Reece uttered as we pulled out of the Target parking lot after having to make a brief stop to get shoes for him. As we were driving to his first day of Tuesday/ Thursday preschool at St. Paul's Lutheran, I decided to grab the handbook they gave me at the Open House and just check on the shoe rules. Sure enough, he was in flip flops and the only other pair of shoes in the minivan were crocs. There in bold print Absolutely no flip flops and crocs are strongly discouraged! So, just so his happy demeanor could continue, we stopped into target quickly to grab a pair of little closed toes shoes and socks. Rick then took a right out of the parking lot to go towards Emma's school, when Reece who can barely see out of the windows in the backseat, spoke very matter of factly that his school was the other direction. Very true. I think he has Rick's sense of an inner GPS unit. Apparently once you hit 35 though, the GPS goes on the fritz.

Reece was so excited getting out the car and then seeing his friend Jake( that he met last week) just topped it off. However, once inside the classroom, he realized today was the day he stayed and we left. Then he stuck to my leg like a pair of underwear in the dryer without Cling Free. I tried to coax him over to the pirate castle, Nope, the play dough, Nope, the computer, no no and no. FINALLY, he saw the puzzle with sound effects and I could quietly kiss his cheek(receiving a smile from him) and slip away mostly unnoticed. Like every good mother or maybe over-protective mother, I left the building and then tromped through the wet grass and shrubs to stand outside the window like a stalker and observe him from there. I don't know what I was expecting to see, my little guy crying wanting me to come back and take me home for another year of playtime with mommy? But, no he was smiling and totally happy being in school. So, I choked back the tears, and got in the car, drove to Coffee Bucks( which Rick now calls 5bucks) and cried while ordering my raspberry Mocha. Then, I cried a little at home, couldn't wait for the three hours to fly by and got a huge smile and running hug, when I picked him up. He said he loved school and played with a girl and a boy. I guess growing up isn't so hard on him, but it's torture on mother's.