For the first time in almost 2 years, Mister actually made the trip back to Arkansas with me and Little. It's such a different experience when he goes with me. I get to relax a little more since there is a second set of eyes and arms to watch and hold and change diapers, staying at the in-laws' house is different (I adore my in-laws, I'm very fortunate to have a husband whose parents are open and loving and happy to see their daughter-in-law but c'mon, of course it's different when Mister's not there), I actually got a night "off" to go eat dinner with a friend sans Little and stay out til *gasp* 9! I got to stay longer at each place and see more of the people I miss when I'm home in Kentucky, I got to meet friends' babies (ok toddlers) for the first time, and got in a wreck and had my car broken into and let my chiropractor blow up balloons inside my face. It was a good time. ******Wait what???????? Did she just say a car wreck, theft, and balloons inside her face?!! Yes, yes, and yes.
No one was hurt, Andrew didn't even wake up, I barely even felt it. Just some paint transfer, a few holes, and the bumper became disconnected from the side panel of my car. I wasn't even mad. I didn't care, really. It's just a car. Had she broken my camera, now that would have been a different story, lol. The poor girl was only 17 and scared out of her mind. She nearly started crying when she saw the car seat and realized she could have hurt a child. Then when I told her I'd just call my husband who was a cop and right down the road she almost fainted. So hopefully - lesson learned and she'll be a little more careful.
The second was overnight the night before we were going home and the third I will write more about in a later blog. With the break in, Mister noticed it when he went to pack the car. Thieves got us gooooood - like a grand in stolen items. Which, unfortunately is the same amount as our deductable. Essentially everything expensive that we owned except for 2 of our cell phones and my camera. So we won't be replacing anything. Awesome. They got away with Mister's iPod, Oakleys, handcuffs (no, not his government ones, his hinge cuffs that he bought himself bc they are meaner and more uncomfortable than the govt issue ones),
cellphone, my Garmin, some cds (shockingly they left behind my gLee cd) one of Little's diaper bags (which I'm guessing they just grabbed to stuff their haul into) which happened to have his Leapster Leap Pad in it.
A Leap Pad is a toddler's iPad, basically. It was a gift from my super cool in-laws I mentioned above. They bought it for him after Jiffy, his OT, used an iPad with him once for finger isolation exercise. So.....now I just have to hope they read this and think "Man, we should get him a new one for Christmas. I heard that there is a new Leap Pad 2 out now so the original Leap Pad is only $79.00! What a bargain!"
*that's just shameful, Katherine.......heehee
The first order of business, though, during our trip to The Rock was The Muscular Dystrophy Association's Show of Strength 2012 (formerly known as the MDA Labor Day Telethon). It aired on Sept. 2nd and Fox Studios in Little Rock was gracious enough to let us all gather in one of their rooms and have a watch party. So thank you, Fox!
My little MDA star
flexing
The famjam
I won! (so they were just free fries from Wendy's, but hey! I still won!)
Little's certificate for raising $300 for MDA
Making a muscle with the gals from MDA Little Rock - Erica, me (duh), my mom, Little, Catherine, and Phyllis
The next day we went a few houses down from my where I grew up in North Little Rock to thank the fire fighters at NLRFD station 9 for their part in Fill the Boot for MDA 2012.
They were a little embarrassed to make a muscle. I think they forgot it was MDA's motto. I found it funny.
Little loves fire trucks. This was his 1st time to get to see one up close.
Cute, right? This will be one of the pictures I print off and take back with a plate of cookies next month.
We took Little to the Museum of Discovery in Little Rock. It was really cool. Lots of scientific stuff for kids to do (and parents - we might have had more fun than he did). I totally felt like Sid the Science Kid. We all decided to try out the "pull your own weight" challenge. Even Andrew got in on it. And don't try to figure out that tattoo - it's not even close to finished yet.
Sister
I had to do it twice. Mom was so zoomed in the first time that you couldn't tell I was in the air so I had to pull up again for a second shot. I was sore the next day bc I am a weakling. I start at the Y on Monday. WOOT!
My mother's face. Priceless.
Getting centered on a bed of nails
They even have a room that reenacts the tornadoes that hit the central Arkansas area back in January 1999. I recommend taking your kids to this discovery center if you are in the area - it was really cool.
Then it was off to NWA for time with the in-laws and friends. Little had a blast with Sadie,
the chickens, (now the rooster is another story - I want to murder it and eat it for dinner)
the toys and the dirt,
and his Pops and Didi. Ok, maybe Pops had more fun torturing him than he had receiving it.......
We also got to spend time with friends.
This was at Cooper's 3rd birthday party
with Jake
the chaos that ensued with the Gibsons, Sollers, and Dodds
sweet Mila
Getting smooched by Maddie Beth
doing everything his Gigi does
swimming with Nathan, Kyle, and Mitchell
I also got a chance to swing by Atlas Apparel in Fort Smith and place the order for our new Little's League tees. They should be ready soon so I will pick them up when I am in Arkansas again in a few weeks for the Journey concert I am going to with my sister.
This is the oppossum that moved into our garage when we got back home to Kentucky. Jiffy is convinced it hopped on to the undercarriage of my car somewhere in Arkansas and clung on for dear life til we arrived back home. Probably picked it up in Bald knob since we didn't drive through anywhere called Opossum Gulch that I'm aware of.
This week's Little's League stars: Emily and Gracie!
