Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Oh M'Goodness!!!
Okay, so I had a pretty embarrassing day. Wanna hear about it? Sure you do! Andy and I just found the video we made of Landon's birth. It was in the garage, covered in dust and dirt. The tape was torn and hanging out of the top of the cassette. A mess. I couldn't let that precious footage of my baby's entrance into the world remain dirty and unwatched so, I decided to take it to a video production company ASAP to have the tape fixed and transfer everything onto a DVD. I had Andy drop the video off at the video store earlier this week and it was ready this afternoon as promised--No problem--It only cost $30 for the repair and the duplication (and the guy gave me five extra copies for free!) I was pretty happy with the deal and went straight home, anxious to watch my little lost treasure!....The DVD footage had so many details I had forgotten about and while I was watching the beginning, I was thinking our video guy must have been highly entertained by our clever anecdotes and playful banter while he was making the transfer. It showed Andy and I putting together baby furniture and talking about what it was going to be like to have a little one around (Interesting)...It showed us going to the annual Greek Festival that got my contractions going. My whole family was there. (Very fun)....It showed us counting the hours and centimeters in the hospital room when I finally did go into labor later that night (priceless)...Things started going downhill (quickly) when I saw myself pop up onto the screen swelled up like a blimp, huffing and puffing away, large and in charge like some crazy sumo wrestler...To top the whole thing off there were several straight MINUTES of head on, unapologetic shots of Landon's (a-hem!)"entryway" and trust me, you guys, IT WAS NOT PRETTY (There was a broken tailbone and a scary tear involved). The more I watched, the more horrified I became, remembering all of the people I had encouraged to watch the video when they came to see the baby at the hospital. I remember proudly letting everyone and their brother watch Landon being born. I had never seen it myself, of COURSE (didn't want to at that point), but my husband assured me that it was perfectly discreet, absolutely tasteful. Ummmm, no. There was nothing discreet or tasteful about it and I am not a modest person. UGH! And then it hit me...My poor, POOR video guy! Ha ha ha! Maybe he didn't recognize me, you say? Wrong! When I waltzed into that office this afternoon with Landon (the star of the show) in tow, the guy immediately said, "Hey! I've got your DVDs all ready for you!" without even having to ask who I was. Great. I'm sure there were lover-ly images flashing in his head at that moment. You're thinking he might not have actually watched the video while transferring it? Uhh, wrong again! While I was paying him, he was a little Chatty Cathy, recounting all of the things he remembered from the footage...Greek Festival, silly dialogue, even reminding me about a part where I was telling an embarrassing pregnancy story about a "happy trail"--(mid-push mind you). Super. I am fully humiliated. And I already promised this guy future business. Bah! I should call him back and see if he's blind after watching that tape (I might even have to "up" my contact prescription after seeing it!)...And what in the world am I going to do with FIVE EXTRA COPIES of this thing? Maybe I should offer one to my Father-in-law, one to my brother, and a couple to my sister's fiance since they all seemed to enjoy watching it so much the first time! (High pitched scream here)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
A Great Work of Art...
Introducing "DINOSAUR" by Nancy
And you can say you saw it here first at the Pfaffl House! Look for it next at The Louvre! (applause, applause!)
And you can say you saw it here first at the Pfaffl House! Look for it next at The Louvre! (applause, applause!)
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
This is the set of Sweet Heart beads that's hanging on our fireplace 
Landon worked so hard on Valentines for his little buddies!
Here is the finished product!
And here are Landon and Daddy delivering them to the kids in the neighborhood
Landon reading his Valentine's mail
(And stashing his Valentine's money from Aidan, Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Laura in his cash register)
THIS is the dessert Landon told me he was going to bake for me for Valentine's Day ;o)
And then he did! Mmm Mmm! Deee-LISH!
Yup--Just like the picture in the recipe book!!
This is the giant cookie we bought for Daddy
Here's Landon surprising Daddy at his office with his giant cookie and a card (oh and some trashy coupons--Shh!)
This is the flower pot Landon and I put together for my mom
Landon and my mom exchanging Valentine's gifts
Landon loving his new teddy bearLater, Andy surprised me by bringing home food from my favorite restaurant. (Then he flipped through the coupon book I gave to him, showing me about ten reasons why I should have read the entire thing before buying it...maybe I'll put an expiration date on them...like TOMORROW!!!)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
An E-Mail My Friend Sent Me Today (Ha Ha Ha!)
Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 11 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the
last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think
that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to si de.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the
level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
< BR>L esson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it wit h your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!
Do this 11 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the
last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and
be productive)
Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think
that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 7
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 8
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to si de.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 9
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 10
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the
level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
< BR>L esson 11
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it wit h your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Another Thought on Lent
Today, I did pretty well with my Lenten promises! I even sat in Baskin Robbins and watched everyone else eat ice cream without touching one bite myself! (Oh, and later, Landon handed me his half eaten "Brown Cow" popsicle and ran off to play and I didn't even sneak one nibble!) (I did come dangerously close to deciding to change what I was giving up, though--Shhh!)I also said another Rosary tonight (yay me!) and I wanted to sit down and post a few Lent-related thoughts before they felt less significant than they do right now.
Every year in preparation for Easter, we hear the story of the Passion of Christ--We listen to the little play at Mass on Good Friday and we even have Mel Gibson's movie. All of it gives a pretty good picture of what happened when Jesus was crucified, but tonight I felt it from a mother's perspective, imagining what Mary must have felt while it was all happeneing, and it was horrible! JUST IMAGINE (especially those of you with little boys) what it would be like to watch helplessly as your child (at any age--even 33) is tortured and killed!! Imagine that she agreed to go through with the whole thing in the beginning knowing she'd have to live through that!! I don't think I could have done it...It makes me sick to even think about it...and it certainly sheds a new light on all of the things I've half-listened to and half-understood in my life as a cradle Catholic. I'm sorry to be so depressing, but, as Catholics, we have a deep devotion to Mary and maybe this is a good refresher on WHY. The devotions I read with my rosary (a thought for each little prayer) were all about the Passion tonight and the reality struck me out of nowhere. Just thought I'd mention it since I promised to blog all of my Lenten experiences for you! Any thoughts? :o)
Every year in preparation for Easter, we hear the story of the Passion of Christ--We listen to the little play at Mass on Good Friday and we even have Mel Gibson's movie. All of it gives a pretty good picture of what happened when Jesus was crucified, but tonight I felt it from a mother's perspective, imagining what Mary must have felt while it was all happeneing, and it was horrible! JUST IMAGINE (especially those of you with little boys) what it would be like to watch helplessly as your child (at any age--even 33) is tortured and killed!! Imagine that she agreed to go through with the whole thing in the beginning knowing she'd have to live through that!! I don't think I could have done it...It makes me sick to even think about it...and it certainly sheds a new light on all of the things I've half-listened to and half-understood in my life as a cradle Catholic. I'm sorry to be so depressing, but, as Catholics, we have a deep devotion to Mary and maybe this is a good refresher on WHY. The devotions I read with my rosary (a thought for each little prayer) were all about the Passion tonight and the reality struck me out of nowhere. Just thought I'd mention it since I promised to blog all of my Lenten experiences for you! Any thoughts? :o)
Not The Big Bang I Was Hoping For
Well, the Pfaffls officially made it to Ash Wednesday Mass last night (whew!)....but we made the mistake of bringing the munchkin with us. I hate using the word "mistake" because Andy and I both really do love taking Landon to Mass with us (but you'll see why I used that term in a moment...). We both think it's good to expose him to our Sunday routine...and I also hate it when Andy and I have to "take shifts" watching Landon on Sundays--We either end up going to church alone or not at all (the latter being the most common outcome lately)...So, anyways, the three of us (and diaper supplies and a bag full of toys and books--ha ha!) made our way into church ON TIME last night. I can't really tell you what happened after that, except that the kids who were in the cry room were making faces at Landon through the window...that Landon's little Chick Hicks race car kept falling to the concrete floor, echoing a loud crash each time (during the quietest times of the service, no less)...Oh, I can also proudly report to you that my darling son announced he "had poop" loudly just before communion--That was super exciting for everyone. As it turns out, there was no poop, but there was a big production getting him out to the car in the rain to find that out. Let's see what else I got out of Mass...Hmm--well, Landon (who was thrilled to be getting ashes on his forehead, even though he didn't know what ashes were) was very solemn while he was getting the cross put on his head. He was so quiet while he stood in front of the deacon and had this sweet "I am important" look on his face....that is until he saw ME walking behind him back to our seats with black ashes smeared on my head. He thought I was doing some silly thing just for his amusement and just cracked up. He kept saying (in an "outdoor voice" so that he could be sure that I would hear him over the music, if you know what I mean), "You have black stuff all over your head!! Mom! There's black stuff on you! (giggle fit and frantic pointing here)" I can also tell you that the man who gave me my host at Communion had a gross dirty Band-Aid on his finger...Being the annoying germ-o-phobe that I am, I almost wanted to say, "No thank you" to the communion and keep going, but I dutifully put it in my mouth, chewed and swallowed, content only after realizing that Andy had carried Landon up to take Communion (leaving him "hand-less") and he got the Band-Aid put directly in his mouth --heh heh heh!
So, in closing, I made it to Mass. I was totally distracted, but it somehow still felt good to be there and to be meeting my goals, you know? I made it to Mass. On a Wednesday, no less. With energetic pre-schooler in tow (and he was as good and quiet and still as any pre-schooler could be expected to be, poor thing). After we got home, Landon fell asleep (we were hoping this would happen an hour earlier...). He woke up after a little bit and said in his raspy little sleepy voice, "Mommy? I'm sorry I was loud in church." He was so sad and disappointed in himself! I took his little face in my hands and I said, "Look at my eyes." He looked at me with his chin quivering and tears in his eyes and I told him, "You were just exactly what I wanted you to be, okay? You were perfect." He smiled and said, "Okay." and then hugged me and went back to sleep...and I said a Rosary and went to bed, too.
Mass. No meat. Rosary...I'm doing pretty good so far in spite of being a mom (and apparently having a bad case of ADD)--hee hee hee!
So, in closing, I made it to Mass. I was totally distracted, but it somehow still felt good to be there and to be meeting my goals, you know? I made it to Mass. On a Wednesday, no less. With energetic pre-schooler in tow (and he was as good and quiet and still as any pre-schooler could be expected to be, poor thing). After we got home, Landon fell asleep (we were hoping this would happen an hour earlier...). He woke up after a little bit and said in his raspy little sleepy voice, "Mommy? I'm sorry I was loud in church." He was so sad and disappointed in himself! I took his little face in my hands and I said, "Look at my eyes." He looked at me with his chin quivering and tears in his eyes and I told him, "You were just exactly what I wanted you to be, okay? You were perfect." He smiled and said, "Okay." and then hugged me and went back to sleep...and I said a Rosary and went to bed, too.
Mass. No meat. Rosary...I'm doing pretty good so far in spite of being a mom (and apparently having a bad case of ADD)--hee hee hee!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Lent
Ash Wednesday: Joel 2:12-18
"Start (or continue) a spiritual journal today. Set down spiritual goals that you hope will accompany your concrete penances to return to the Lord."
Today is Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the beginning of the Lenten season, and I am planning on honoring the Catholic Church's traditions and teachings this year as much as possible. A lot of people have been asking me what exactly the Catholic Church has it's members do during Lent so I am going to include links to information throughout this post.
Most people give something up for Lent...but I'm thinking that this year I am going to try to DO positive things more than trying not to do one negative thing. I am going to use these forty days to really clean up my life, re-prioritize, and get back to doing what really counts. I want to try to work on the following things:
1. Make it to church for Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation & try to make it to Stations of the Cross on fridays
2. Abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all fridays throughout Lent
3. Be more patient with my husband
4. Spend more quality time with my son
5. Start going back to my yoga/pilates class and walking
6. Go to all of my doctors and my dentist for check-ups (UGH! My least favorite
promise!!) and then plan our next baby (my scariest promise!!)
7. Give ten percent of our income to our church, friends/family in need, and to
charities
8. Watch what I say about others and try to be more positive
9. Pray more often. I want to say a rosary every day if I can!
10. Eat better (including giving up desserts--Eeek!), start to take my vitamins again
Lent is such a good opportunity to start fresh and clean with life.
The sacrifices are difficult, but they always help me to get to the root of my faith and to remember what really matters in life. Every year I feel like the changes I make will "stick", and even though I get closer and closer each year to where I want to be, I am still so far off from my goal. I know that most of the things I am planning on doing are things that I am SUPPOSED to do, being Catholic and all, but they are things that I don't always do during Lent and I'm making a point to do them this year. I'm planning on blogging mostly about Lent for the next forty days, documenting the changes that take place in my life, talking about things I am learning and venting about the things I'm struggling with. I'd love to hear from those of you who are observing Lent this year, too! What are all of you planning doing for Lent, if anything?
"Start (or continue) a spiritual journal today. Set down spiritual goals that you hope will accompany your concrete penances to return to the Lord."
Today is Ash Wednesday, the day that marks the beginning of the Lenten season, and I am planning on honoring the Catholic Church's traditions and teachings this year as much as possible. A lot of people have been asking me what exactly the Catholic Church has it's members do during Lent so I am going to include links to information throughout this post.
Most people give something up for Lent...but I'm thinking that this year I am going to try to DO positive things more than trying not to do one negative thing. I am going to use these forty days to really clean up my life, re-prioritize, and get back to doing what really counts. I want to try to work on the following things:
1. Make it to church for Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation & try to make it to Stations of the Cross on fridays
2. Abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all fridays throughout Lent
3. Be more patient with my husband
4. Spend more quality time with my son
5. Start going back to my yoga/pilates class and walking
6. Go to all of my doctors and my dentist for check-ups (UGH! My least favorite
promise!!) and then plan our next baby (my scariest promise!!)
7. Give ten percent of our income to our church, friends/family in need, and to
charities
8. Watch what I say about others and try to be more positive
9. Pray more often. I want to say a rosary every day if I can!
10. Eat better (including giving up desserts--Eeek!), start to take my vitamins again
Lent is such a good opportunity to start fresh and clean with life.
The sacrifices are difficult, but they always help me to get to the root of my faith and to remember what really matters in life. Every year I feel like the changes I make will "stick", and even though I get closer and closer each year to where I want to be, I am still so far off from my goal. I know that most of the things I am planning on doing are things that I am SUPPOSED to do, being Catholic and all, but they are things that I don't always do during Lent and I'm making a point to do them this year. I'm planning on blogging mostly about Lent for the next forty days, documenting the changes that take place in my life, talking about things I am learning and venting about the things I'm struggling with. I'd love to hear from those of you who are observing Lent this year, too! What are all of you planning doing for Lent, if anything?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
