Adventures of Shopping With Little Tots II

Shopping with little tots by your side I must say has gotten a little bit easier since my first post about this very subject two years ago. Obviously, my kids are a tad bit older and are physically stronger with more bodily control. I don't worry about seeing flailing kids on the floor after being told, "No!". However, little funny things that my kids say in public never ceases to end at their ripe ages of 4, 5, and 8.

Two weeks ago, I took all my kids to the mall. Right before we were exiting the JC Penney store walking through the middle of an aisle near the Women's clothing area where many women were shopping, Tyler exclaims loudly, "Ewww...Daddy! Something stinks over here! I think someone farted!"

I smiled and kept walking (holding back my desire to laugh really loud) as I saw four women turn and smile in our direction. I made the mistake of ignoring Tyler's remark and then he yelled again and again much louder, "Someone farted, Daddy! Someone farted, Daddy! It stinks over here!"

I finally stopped walking at that moment, turned to him and said with a wide smile, "I heard you...you don't need to yell that out loud." Then I couldn't help but let my laughter out. The scene was sooooo funny and the looks on the women's faces were priceless. It was obvious that they thought Tyler was cute and what he said was funny. Once I burst out in laughter, some of the women around started laughing. Needless to say, Fartville is alive and well at the mall!

We just need a 5 year old to narrate it for us and exclaim loudly what is already in our thoughts as we walk through the stinky aisles. I've actually contemplated many times documenting all the the funny things my kids say and writing a book about it. After all, the laughter that they create is something I really enjoy and would love to share the stories with their own kids one day.

With Christmas Day looming around the corner, there's lots of shopping going on, and when you have your kids in tow for some of it, you can't help but look back at some of those moments you had with them in the store and laugh about it. The other day at the urgency of my kids to get specific Christmas decorations for the front yard, I took all of them with me to Wal-Mart to let them pick out what they wanted. Let me just say that when all is dark and quiet in your villa, you can reminisce in the joy of not having to take 3 little munchkins to WallyWorld to get the Christmas decorations they wanted...only to come home and put together the inflatable snow man and two trees that light up in your yard to find out you're missing parts for both...this after you heard non-stop requests at WallyWorld , in the van on the way home, and while your putting your decorations together. PHEW!!!! Now I can breathe!

Tullville definitely provides lots of funny moments and life here is certainly not dull. And yes, Santa had to go back to WallyWorld to replace both the snow man and the two trees that are nicely shining bright in my front yard at this moment. Now it's time to go shopping again, back to Fartville, and maybe this time...my son won't smell anything stinky!

Only A Year Older

Well, where do I begin? It's been a long time since I've had a post on this site and I apologize for taking so long to come back. I went on a year long hiatus from writing on my blog but I'm finally back. I served as a piano player/wedding singer at a wedding last weekend and to my surprise while I was there, I learned from a wedding coordinator that her husband would always talk about my blog and she asked me if I was still writing. I felt bad when I said no and that it had been a year. It was that conversation that helped me realize that I needed to get back to this. It was encouraging to hear that my blog had made an impact on somebody. After all, I started it to reach out to other single parents and possibly connect with others that have experienced similar stories such as mine. I was encouraged to hear about the affects it's had on married couples. Writing definitely helped me in the healing process from the rough year I had in 2008. In the last year, my music writing pretty much took over the place of my blog. Writing music has pretty much been my hobby at night for many nights while my kids sleep. I love sitting down at a piano and making up songs from the heart. Some parents have wine at night when their kids go to sleep. The piano is my wine. It helps me wind down from the long work day followed by the kids homework, cooking, cleaning, baths, and bedtime.

The kids are doing well despite having me as Mr. Mom & Dad. One of these days, I hope my kids can look at someone much better looking than I cooking great meals in the kitchen and cleaning around the house but I'm in no hurry. Trust me...it took me a long time just to be able to say that. It took me a long time just to go on a date after my divorce. The idea of dating as a single again after being married for almost a decade seemed very weird. For me, I felt much like Tom Hanks in the movie, "Sleepless in Seattle". Remember how he asks his best friend for advice on dating again. Well, that was me! It felt very surreal and awkward. You don't ever plan on your life to take drastic curve balls ending the dream you were living. When dreams are crushed, it can take much out of you. I thank God that I had his love, faithfulness, and some great friends and family to help me rise from the ashes...so to speak. :)

Although Cinderella hasn't found her shoes at my doorstep yet, I'm pretty content and happy with the life that God has given me. It's not easy being a single parent, but God does provide and give me everything I need to make everything work. I was very proud of CJ today as he brought home a straight A report card. My pocket book didn't even flinch to reward him with the Lego set of his choice. Oh yeah, speaking of Legos...CJ put a 1400 piece lego set together in one day. I think he's destined to be an engineer or something with the way he likes to create things, build things, take things apart, and put them back together. Tyler is still his charismatic self although he can be very shy as well. This future Captain America wants to get the bad guys and put them in jail while Madison wants to use her Rapunzel powers to save her brothers after getting wounded by Darth Vader. There's never a dull moment in my house. Lots of laughter, music, singing, dancing, wrestling, Star Wars Jedi battles, and imagination can be found here. Until next time...adios todo el mundo!