What am I doing Wednesday

Due to a knife injury I am unable to type a lot (I love to maintain an air of mystery). So, this will be brief.

What am I watching?
We got the first season of Heroes on DVD. We have only seen the first two episodes but I love it.

What am I reading?
I finally finished Martha and a review will come soon. Now, I am reading Waiting, The True Confessions of a Waitress by Debra Ginsburg. After my browsing session at Half Price Books, I discovered a love for the social science section. Therefore, you will probably start seeing a theme in what I am reading.

What am I clicking?
Lil Sugar is a fun little blog I came across. It has interesting posts on mommy and kid stuff.

What am I listening to?
I heard Private Conversations by Lyle Lovett the other day in a store and was reminded how much I love this song. I have a little something special for Lyle. I once had the opportunity to meet him while organizing a Bonfire Relief Concert at the Association of Former Students. He is a very nice person, I can see why Julia fell for him - hair and all. The link is a little strange, but J will absolutely love it!

Family Guy

Jessie has decided to enter the blogging world. He just couldn't stay away from all the fun I am having. Since he is my husband I feel obligated to share his blog with everyone, even though I am not happy about the pictures of me. They are far from flattering since they are taken from his cell phone. Regardless, you can find him at The Family Guy.

Last Week in Review

I am a little late with my week in review because I was at an Oscar party last night. Better late than never, here is my last week in review.

What was Good

• A big box of brand new kid clothes delivered to my house. It was from Old Navy's 40% baby and kids' sale. I ended up taking about half of them back, but seeing so many new, cute outfits had me on cloud nine.
• A nice birthday evening for Jessie. Yummy fajitas followed by a good game with his parents made for a fun night.
• An incredible dinner on Saturday night for our annual Anniversary/Jessie Birthday/Valentines celebration. I had filet mignon, a loaded baked potato and a fabulous cake dessert. What a treat! To top it off, we were without children.
• Winning lots of quarter bets at the aforementioned Oscar party.
• Being able to work out after a week off. No, I don't really enjoy exercising. I enjoy being able to drop the kids off in the kids center and watch Oprah while I walk on the treadmill.
• An opportunity to take Ashley to a birthday party by myself. We don't get to spend a lot of time just the two of us.
• Making the decision to fly to our upcoming vacation destination. This has eased my mind tremendously. Spending 14 hours in a car with two kids didn't exactly scream fun to me.
• Another possible mini vacation to plan.
• The chance to spend a couple of hours browsing Half Price books. Nothing relaxes me more than spending time in a book store, especially when it is a cheap book store.

What was Bad

• Landen was feeling better but still managed to be very frustrating on several occasions. Terrible Two's are in full force around here and I ran out of patience when Ashley was two. So, I am in big trouble.
• Ashley being terrified of Chuck E Cheese at the birthday party on Saturday. She loves that place but is scared to death of costumed characters. When Chuck came out for the big birthday show, Ashley was curled up in my lap. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time am a little embarrassed my child is the only one afraid. She gets this irrational fear thing from me. My mother and I were once kicked out of a haunted house when I was little because E.T. came out. Yes, you read that correctly. It was not a vampire or a witch; it was the costumed character, E.T. How sad is that?
• Lots of things on my "to do" list that are not getting done. I have been working on decorating Landen's room forever and I can't seem to finish. I am very frustrated. Now I have these two vacations, a birthday party to plan and Easter looming. I just don't see the list getting any shorter.

What am I doing Wednesday

I can't believe it is already Wednesday again. Here is what I am doing this week......

What am I watching?

I am still trying to make it through my 13 episodes of Jon and Kate Plus 8 (I watched 2, how pathetic is that?). I also saw Gone Baby Gone this week. It is very disturbing on so many levels, but a well made movie.

What am I reading?

Martha's Homekeeping Handbook is still gracing my nightstand. I wasn't kidding when I said Martha's book was huge. Hopefully, I will finish it soon so I can move on to something else. I did get my All You magazine today, so I will be reading that tonight.

What am I clicking?

I am all about shoes this week for some reason. I got an advertisement for a new site that is from the same company of Gap and Old Navy. It is PiperLime. They have free shipping and free returns, both of which make me giggly just thinking about. I also got an email that it is BOGO time (buy one get one half off) at Payless. With two kids who seem to grow out of their shoes daily, it is nice to have some good online places to shop.

What am I listening to?

I have never been a huge Matchbox 20 fan but I love one of their newer songs, How Far We Have Come. Every time I hear it I want to run around and get lots of things accomplished. Make sure you understand that clarification - it makes me WANT to get things done, things don't actually get done.

32 Things About Jessie

Today is J's 32nd birthday. I realized that I have known him since he was 23 and I was 22. That is so weird to think about. We have both come so far. To honor him I thought I would share 32 things about him that are special, unique or just something you might not know.

1. No one can eat cereal like Jessie. He once won a cereal eating contest in college by eating 16 bowls of Cocoa Puffs. Even to this day he can eat bowl after bowl. I have never understood it.
2. He has an interesting habit of leaving cabinet doors open. I always know where he has been in the house because the doors leave a trail. Sometimes I mention it to him, other times I just close them. To be fair, I have a habit of leaving caps off of things, which drives him equally crazy.
3. He is very ambitious, motivated and a hard worker. He inspires me.
4. He reads my gossip magazines. He claims it is so we will have something to talk about but I know he just reads them because he likes them.
5. He is the smartest person I know.
6. He would sacrifice anything for a good cookies and cream milkshake.
7. He is a wonderful father.
8. Notting Hill is his favorite movie; however, he loves all kinds of movie. He will sit the longest period of time while watching a movie.
9. He is my best friend.
10. Even though he was raised with all boys and has no clue what it means to be a girl, he is very understanding of little A and me being girly. Reading princess books and letting little A do his hair are common occurrences. He also pretends to appreciate my pedicures.
11. Loves going to the lake and wakeboarding. His boat was lovingly called "Jer" (Jennifer's engagement ring) because he bought it instead of buying me a ring. Eventually, I got the ring, but the boat is obviously very important to him.
12. Can play "8 Days of the Week" by the Beatles on the guitar very well, but nothing else.
13. Will try anything, even "apple water" in Mexico.
14. Can't tell a lie or keep a secret.
15. A clown was his go to Halloween costume as a child.
16. Has played every sport imaginable but excelled at football. He always regrets not playing in college.
17. Is extremely supportive of my choices. He has never pressured me to work or stay at home. He just tells me to do what makes me happy and means it.
18. Comes up with lots of invention ideas, probably at least two or three a week. I think he was Thomas Edison in a previous life. I think his "mint dispenser" is my favorite.
19. He has a better eye for decoration and design than me. I usually don't shop for home stuff without him.
20. He is always making me laugh and laughs at my corny jokes.
21. He understands the importance of us each doing things on our own and together.
22. He will watch the same shows I do. Right now I am trying to get him interested in Gossip Girl. So, he is watching the reruns with me even though I don't think he likes it.
23. He dances with me and the kids.
24. He has eclectic music taste like me, so it is always fun to compare our music finds.
25. He loves root beer.
26. Once told me that all he needs to live is "hugs and snacks."
27. Always tells me how beautiful I look even when I know I don't.
28. Is a big time pack rat but tries to change for me since I hate clutter.
29. Can not sit still, he must always be working on something.
30. Loves golf.
31. Will do anything silly to make the kids laugh, and gives them lots of hugs and kisses.
32. Is my true love.

Happy Birthday Hubby! May we each keep growing with each other and getting better with age!

Week In Review

What was Good

• Landen still sleeping in until 8 or 8:30, I LOVE it!
• A fairly easy transition to a big boy bed (knock on wood).
• A nice Valentine's Day with the family
• A night out with just J and me on Saturday night. It was for a school related dinner but still a great opportunity for an adults only event with free food.
• A "stress-free" weekend since J had his test on Friday.
• Yummy chocolates in the mail from MiMi (my mom) for Valentine's.

What was Bad

• A sick child. So, we were stuck at home all week.
• L being extremely irritable with his sickness.
• Me being extremely irritable with his sickness.
• Hearing the chocolates that Mimi sent calling me to eat them. I have been so good on my diet and the chocolates are evil.
• Feeling really old at the school dinner. Most of J's fellow students are around 22, so I feel like the old lady crashing the party. It was really cute to see some newly engaged couples talk about their upcoming weddings with such excitement. I remember those days. Young and in love and having no clue what lies ahead!

I give today a "B"

A New Blogger

My old time BFF, Kristen, has joined the blogging world. Kristen and I have known each other since second grade and lived together four years during college. I tell everyone, she doesn't really count as a friend, she is family. She also credits me as her blog inspiration, so for that flattery she gets her own little free publicity section here. Check her out at Livin' The Duffey Life.



A Big Boy Bed

Little man moved into his "big boy bed" today. During nap he insisted on sleeping in the twin bed we have his room. Since he showed such interest we went ahead and converted his crib into a toddler bed. I must admit I was not ready for this. We actually moved Ashley into the toddler bed when she was only 18 months old, but L is way more active and accident prone. I was trying to keep him as contained as possible but he wouldn't have it. He has been climbing out of his crib for days now. Kids just have their own timetable. He is just getting too big for his britches.





A Big Question

I am adding another new series. On Fridays I will be asking a question to my readers. It can be anything. So, if anyone else has a question they want to throw out there for a future week, please feel free. In fact, I would love to have lots of questions about all sorts of subjects (G rated of course) so we can all share our own perspectives with each other. With all of that buildup here is this week's Big Question of the Week.......


We will be traveling to Eastern Tennessee next month from Dallas. Does anyone have any suggestions for things to do or see along the way?

Happy Valentine's Day to Me!

What a great Valentine's Day. I found out the new season of So You Think You Can Dance starts on May 22!!!! This is probably my favorite show of all time (along with several other favorite shows of all time). I even got to see the Live tour back in November, along with all the other pre-teens in the metroplex.

To top off my good news, J took a study break (big test tomorrow) and we all enjoyed a fine meal a la Corner Bakery. Before, we dug into our gourmet dishes I toasted all of us with "To my favorite Valentines." All of our plastic glasses then met in the middle as we let out a resounding "Cheers!" Even little man lifted his glass up. Who needs fancy gifts, flowers, and romance? I have all the love I need... right here...with my ham on pretzel and little people dancing in a booth.

Here's to hoping your Valentine's was as sweet as mine.

***Yes I do have two sweet little Valentines, but one chose to not be in the picture. He is still sick and wanted to look his best before a picture.

What am I doing Wednesday?

Valentines, Valentines and more Valentines. We started the week decorating some Valentine's Day cookies and I have spent all day making 60 chocolate chip cookie dough truffles for the kids' 6 teachers. Tonight, I have spent the entire night making 37 little goodie bags for the kids' party tomorrow. To top all of this fun off, I have had a sick child and am not feeling so great myself. When will the fun end?

What am I watching this week?

This past week has brought us the end of the writer's strike - Hallelujah!!!! Finally, I can reclaim some of my pre-strike, nightly vegetative state. In the meantime, if you are still not watching Lost, I just don't know what to say. I am also watching Jon and Kate Plus 8. Ok, to be honest I haven't had time to watch it, but I do have 13 new episodes saved on my DVR. I love this show because no matter how much I feel overwhelmed, at least I know I don't have 8 kids.

What am I reading this week?

I am reading Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. Never mind that the lady is a previous incarcerated criminal and probably has not cleaned her own home in several decades, she can write one mean book. I swear this thing is bigger than one of J's medical textbooks. After I am done, there is no doubt my homekeeping abilities will be on par with Martha's, or at least I can pretend.

What am I clicking this week?

Continuing on with my celebrity clicks, I highly recommend TMZ.com if you are as obsessed with celebrity news as I am. There is no other place that gives you more up to date celebrity news. They are always the first to break the big stuff.

What am I listening to this week?

I can not get enough of Apologize by One Republic. I know this song has been out forever but after a particular scene in Gossip Girl (one of my favorite scenes of all time) it quickly shot up to one of my favorites. They overplay it on the radio, but every time I hear it, I just have to listen.

More About Me

You are probably wondering where my new series "What am I doing?" is this week. Do not worry, I decided to move it to Wednesdays. I figure, I don't even know what I am doing at the beginning of the week. So, you can be on the look out for that tomorrow.

While waiting on that tasty post, my wonderful friend over at Life's Journeys emailed me one of these little surveys today. I just love these things and figured instead of emailing it to everyone, I can just answer all the questions here.

1. What is your occupation? Technically, I am a public relations account executive, a law firm recruiter, a real estate agent and an elementary school teacher. Officially, I am a mother.
2. What color are your socks right now? White
3. What are you listening to right now? J watching the news.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Fat free chocolate pudding.
5. Can you drive a stick shift? No way.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? This is such a tricky little question. I feel like I could fit into so many colors. I think I will go with Pink. I am warm and fuzzy, girly, sensitive, sweet, generally happy and just glow. Of course these descriptions are all self-proclaimed, none have been proven. Can you tell I have way too much time to think??
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? BFF Ashley
8. How old are you today? 31
9. Favorite drink? Iced Tea with Sweet and Low or a Dr. Pepper
10. What is your favorite sport to watch? I like Ice Dancing, Pair Figure Skating, national cheerleading competitions and ballroom dancing. I guess you can just call me a true "sports nut."
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? I have highlighted it in a previous life when we had more of an income. I love it highlighted and can't wait to start again; however, by then I might be so old that I will just have to do a full color to hide all the gray.
12. Pets? A fish named FiFi
13. What is your favorite Food? Where do I start? Hamburgers, pizza, pasta, cheese, chocolate, cupcakes, cookies, marshmallows......
14. Last movie you watched? Juno
15. Favorite Day of the year? Christmas Eve
16. What do you do to vent anger? Yell at my husband (isn't that what everyone does??)
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? I loved paper dolls and books. I was a nerd. As I got older I also went through a Nintendo phase. I would play Super Mario, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune and John Madden's Football. You could say I was a diverse child.
18. What is your favorite season? Fall
19. Hugs or kisses? Hugs
20. Cherry or Blueberry? Cherry
21. When was the last time you cried? Last Tuesday after we had the Mardi Gras Mayhem (see post below).
22. What is on the floor of your closet? A few shoes and a laundry basket. I keep it as limited as possible. I hate clutter.
23. Favorite smells? I love the smell of a clean baby. I also melt at the scent of something sweet baking in the oven.
24. Who inspires you? My kids inspire me to constantly be a better person.
25. What are you afraid of? The question should be "What am I NOT afraid of?"
26. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Cheese with mustard, onions, pickles and maybe a tomato.
27. Dream car? Lexus SUV, GX470 in silver with GPS and two DVD players.
28. Favorite cat breed? I hate cats. No offense to cat lovers. I am allergic to them and as a child we had a cat named Cinnamon who was seriously evil. She ruined any hope of me liking cats.
29. Number of keys on your key ring? 2
30. How many years at your current job? I have been a stay-at-homer for almost 5 years. That is a scary thought. I have done this longer than I have any other job.
31. Favorite day of the week? Any day I have help with the kids.
32. How many states have you lived in? 2 - Texas for most of my life and briefly in Colorado as a child. I just realized the number of states I live in correspond with the number of keys on my key ring, is that eerie or what!!!???
33. Do you think you're funny? Of course. Doesn't everyone think they are funny? I think the problem comes in when other people don't think you are funny.

Now, I want to hear more about you. You can either blog the questions or email me. I look forward to reading everyone's answers.

Week in Review

Thank you to all who commented on my "favorite housecleaning items" post. I love reading your suggestions and can't wait to try them. Even though the moment has passed you are still encouraged to go back and leave me your favorite cleaning item. Now onto our week in review.

What was good this week.......

• Landen sleeping in until about 8 or 8:30 (yes, he still goes to bed at 7:00) and taking a two hour nap.
• A pending end to the writer's strike.
• Another great episode of Lost.
• Lots of magazines in the mail.
• A new trip to plan and look forward to in March.
• Some really great weather days.
• A wonderful dinner with our good friends, the H's, on Saturday night. They just recently moved back to our great land after living far, far away for many years. It was so great to have them back and have all of our kids play together.
• A great dinner Friday night with good friends and good Mexican food, what more could you ask for?
• The kids having a great time at a Chuck E. Cheese playdate with their friend Morgan. Landen has not stopped chanting "Chucky, Chucky, Chucky" since Saturday. He loves that big rat.
• A really great birthday party today for our friend, Ian, who turned three. It was at Kiddin' Around Playcare and was a perfect party place. The kids had free rein of the entire place while I got to sit and actually talk to other adults.
• A yummy meal at Dickey's tonight, topped off with a Dr. Pepper, after being so good on my diet all week.

What was bad....

• I will be honest most of the week was pretty rough. Landen had his injury and to top it off was extremely grouchy all week. I think his big, back molars are on the move again. Everything was a struggle. At one point, I was at a store and fighting him to sit down in a cart when an older lady actually walked up to us and started yelling at Landen to "Sit down in the cart, stop being so hard on your mommy." She must have thought I looked so desperate that I needed some help. I actually did feel pretty desperate but I am never so desperate I want random people yelling at my kid. Regardless, I found myself on the edge all week and not at my best in dealing with the kids. Frustration brings out the worst in me and no one knows how to push that button better than my kids.
• My spellchecker on my blogger not working. I pride myself on being a good speller, but I am not that good. So, ignore any mistakes. If it makes you feel better print out a copy of my posts and use your red marker to correct them. That's what I do when I read other people's blogs (just kidding.....maybe).
• Not being able to sleep. I am so glad Landen has been sleeping in because I have not been able to fall asleep each night until after 1:00 am.

Fossil

It is not every day you get to see a fossil up close and personal, so I felt quite honored when I had the opportunity to view one recently.

You may be asking yourself how a simple little bottle could be classified as a fossil. Oh, what little you know! Landen has been off the bottle since last May. That would be approximately 8 months ago for you non-math types. We found this bottle a mere few days ago. It was hiding in the back corner under the twin bed in Landen's room. We never use the bed, so there has never been any reason for me to move it. Also, remember that Landen got off the bottle 8 months ago but that doesn't mean that is how old the bottle is. It could be MUCH, MUCH older. So, in case you were ever curious as to what happens to formula after it has been sitting out for a long time, here is your answer.

Mardi Gras Mayhem

We really like to celebrate things in a big way around here so Fat Tuesday was no exception. The kids' school had a Mardi Gras pancake dinner and since it was our weekly neighbor dinner night we decided it would be a fun thing to do. Knowing I had yummy pancakes waiting for me, I ate super light all day.

As we arrived, Jessie and the kids got their food right away while I bustled about getting our table reserved, filling drinks and other little mealtime necessities. My time finally came and as I sniffed in the fine aromas of freshly flipped pancakes I noticed that the person in front of me had taken the last ones. So, I waited. And I waited some more. I stood patiently eyeing the little discs of fluffiness knowing they would soon be mine. The wait continued. Then there was a little more waiting. Finally, they were ready! I eagerly grabbed two delightful pancakes and even added some strawberries and whipped topping. My stomach roared with anticipation. I sat down and poured the silky syrup on top. My fork melted into the cake and I took one heavenly bite. Just as the tastiness hits my tongue, I hear a scream.

Is it my mind screaming in ecstasy as I finally get to eat something of substance? I turn my head scanning the crowd for the culprit. It is then I spot him. My son. The one who just got his splint off of his finger. The one who was just in the ER a mere three weeks ago. This time it is his face covered in blood. In fact, all I see on his face is blood and Jessie running out of the room with him. I panic and run after him. In the bathroom blood is literally squirting out from above his eye. I lose it. The mere thought of watching him go through all that pain and suffering again makes me go ballistic. I couldn't focus on anything and I felt like the room was spinning.

Thankfully, I had all my wonderful neighbors there. They stood by me and offered to watch Ashley while we took Landen to the doctor. With the ER trauma so fresh in my mind, I decided we would try a different place. I called A Cute Kids Urgent Care and they said they would probably be able to help him. We walked right in and less than 30 minutes later we walked out. That place is a true miracle! Tell everyone about it! Click on the link above and check it out if you live nearby. We were done so quickly that the neighbors were still at the pancake dinner. To make a long story short, I guess my title for this blog is right on the money. Thank goodness, someone is going to be a doctor around here. Here is a picture of our new "boo-boo." Luckily, this time we didn't have to get stitches, the doctor used the skin glue. In case you were worried, I did get to eat pancakes. I was so determined to have pancakes I microwaved some frozen ones at home. Needless to say, they weren't the same.

FYI - I didn't mention it in the story above because I didn't see it happen, but this injury happened when Landen was running towards Jessie and tripped. He happened to land on the corner of a metal chair. He is really lucky like that and obviously has inherited my clumsy gene.

A few of my favorite things.....

Happy Monday! As I have been knee deep in heavy cleaning these past few days, I thought it might be a good time to share some of my favorite "household" items. Maybe favorite isn't the right word, essential, might be more appropriate.

1. Kaboom Never Scrub toilet cleaner

When I first heard about this item, I thought for sure it was too good to be true but I had a coupon. Now, several months later I don't know how I live without it. I swear this is the best housecleaning item I own. I have not had to scrub my toilet bowl since I have owned it - for real! Any of you living with a man will know what a valuable asset this is. I have even considered building a shrine to pay daily homage it, that is how much I love it.

2. Swiffer Sweeper Wet

With mainly hardwood floors and tile in my house, I would have lost an arm with all the mopping I would have done without this. I have owned this for a long time and it continues to serve me well, especially with two little animals (sorry, I mean kids) that manage to make messes I never thought possible. So, instead of hauling the mop, bucket and water around I just whip out my littler swiffer stick and wet pads, do a quick sweep and I am no longer stuck to that glob of unknown sticky stuff on the floor.

3. Lysol Disinfectant Wipes

I will admit it, I am super cheap, at least when it comes to household shopping. So, this item was a hard one for me to buy initially. I thought I could just as easily wipe something down with my Lysol disinfectant spray and a paper towel. Oh how wrong I was. Again, a coupon encouraged me to venture into new territory with this gem. Of course it comes in super handy when I need to wipe the kids table down quickly or wipe the bathroom down before people come over, but it was a certain incident that really sealed the deal. Let's just say it involved a little boy, a bathroom, a missed potty and some MAJOR bacterial issues. A story for another time.

4. Dirt Devil Hand Vacuum

I think most people have a handheld vacuum but I can not have a "favorite" post and leave it out. Honestly, I don't think I would have survived these past five years without it. My dirt devil has never gone hungry, it has had a steady diet of cheerios and goldfish since we brought it home. I will also admit that I don't even know how to use a dust pan. I sweep then vacuum my little piles. It is such a feeling of accomplishment to see all that dirt sucked up in one little swoop.

5. Coffee Maker (any model)

If you are a fellow mom, enough said.

Now it is your turn - let me know what a favorite is of yours. I can use all the help I can get around here!

Something New

The following is a new feature, "What am I doing?" I will share what I am reading, watching, listening to and clicking on for the upcoming week. Please use this information wisely.

What am I clicking this week?

My friend Amanda over at Those Dandy Dillards shared a favorite site of hers and I thought it was such a great idea I am going to do the same. Her first one on Google Reader is a must have, so make sure and read it. As for my click it is very useless. If you don't know, I am obsessed with celebrity gossip. At one point before our starving student days I subscribed to US Weekly, Star and People each week. I just get US now, so to keep up with all the news I read several sites to keep me informed. One of my favorites is Celebrity Baby Blog. It has really great posts about celebrity moms and moms to be. They have great interviews, pictures and info on must have baby products.

What am I reading this week?

Nothing. It is a little sad but I haven't gotten into a book lately. I still have my First magazine to read and hopefully more will start coming in the next week. I do have some things on my nightstand but have been too busy to start any of them. Hopefully next week I will have something better for you.

What am I watching this week?

Another new episode of Lost comes on Thursday, but other than that the schedule is bare. This writer's strike is killing me. I have even stopped watching Days of our Lives because the scab writers are writing off my favorite couple. I read today that a resolution is coming soon, please let it be true!!!

What am I listening to this week?

Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield. This song has been the most requested song lately by Jessie's little girl around here. I am not joking, she loves this song and asks for it by name every time we get in the car.

Let's Dance!

I am sorry I have been absent from posting these past few days. I have had the premiere of Lost (which was incredible), my monthly deep clean and Sunday School teaching preparation. I promise I will be back in the swing of things soon. In the meantime, here are some pics to tide you over. Jessie took Ashley to the Daddy Daughter Sweetheart Dance tonight. It is the first year she has been old enough to attend. Ashley has been eagerly anticipating it all week.

Before the dance Ashley got to pick out the restaurant for dinner and she chose Jason's Deli. Obviously we Dickens live large. I wanted Jason's Deli too, so I invited myself and Landen to accompany them. Once the duo got their boogie shoes on, they headed to the ball where Jessie said the first thing Ashley did was exclaim - "LET'S DANCE!" and pulled her dancing partner out on the floor. They continued to cut some rug for the next two hours straight. Jessie informed me they didn't stop except for a brief cookie break. It makes me sad I wasn't there to see it all but Jessie assured me that Ashley was thinking about me. At one point she said "I wish Mommy were here to see all of this." I sure wish I were too. I guess there is always the mother and son dance one day.....

Here are the pink flowers Ashley received before she left.

A good looking pair of dancers.

The Dancing Queen showing off her moves