just what i needed

so, today kiddos were in school. dropped them off and headed down to see an old friend. wait, a former friend. no, that doesn't work.

a friend i haven't seen in a LONG TIME. there. that's better.

and whoa, it was SO what my little heart and soul needed. i had no agenda all day. so we sipped on some delicious coffee and talked. a lot.

oh, and we loved on her UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY five-month-old.

meet delicious little davy.

yummy, huh?

picked up my kiddos and played outside for a while. came home to find daddy already home. i don't know who was more excited -- kiddos or me. :)

played and played. dinner. bath. bed.

goo is nighty night. and big h and buz are playing some lego batman together. mmm...good times.

don't mind the WAY DARK photos. taken in big h's dungeon of a room at night. just his lamp on. and i have no flash on my camera.

goo pretending big h's lego is a rice krispy treat. no idea.

nightly/daily photo of big h. i will have PLENTY of these in 2009. trust me.

oh friend. i SO hope i can keep this up the entire year. i don't want to be debbie downer and already think that i may not be able to do it.

but i am having so much fun. all of the sudden, this "pressure" to capture their every day. has caused me to see things from different points of view. :) thanks for the suggestion.

goo and i played in her room today with her little people and princesses and crayons. seems belle and cinderella had a pretty exclusive lunch date today. see the princesses in the background? just hoping they would be asked to join? and mulan? she's pretty bold trying to get in on the action.

and they are so cliquish that they put jesse out in the food for the animals. snobs.

such a delicate eater.

goo too.

big h lovin' some ball time with goo.

we do this to her hair every time it gets washed. and she's so over it at this point. but it NEVER gets old for me. seriously? hilarious, right?

BPMD? when i put goo on the potty after bath tonight (which is rare but shouldn't be), and she said in her little inflection, "uh yes, i go tee tee on uh potty." seriously. if there was ONE picture i wish i could've caught...that one would've been it. her face LIT up. thinking maybe next week we'll buy panties. if i can muster enough courage to say 'panties' on a frequent basis. i am so used to undies and skivvies. panties just doesn't flow off the tongue quite as easily.

january 19 2009

big h didn't have school today. originally, i was going to try to call someone who we don't get to see because of school schedules. but honestly, i was lazy. i decided that we would sleep in (giggling at myself right now) and relax this morning and then just play together today.

the sleeping in didn't happen. but it doesn't normally. i just like to say it to make myself giggle. big h came and got in bed with me and we talked legos (instead of watching imagination movers, praise the Lord). it was so fun. he adores the "Lego magazines" that come in the mail. granted, it gets him a bit "i want, i want" but i love listening to him tell me about everything on every page.

about 7, goo woke up and big h wanted her to come in my room and get under the covers too and watch a show together. so we went in and got her and we all snuggled for about thirty minutes. then, we had breakfast and just played for what seemed like forever. i got some laundry done.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

are you still with me?

anyway, we decided that we would get out of the house (i don't do so well being at home all day), head out to a park, play, and then grab lunch. we realized it was a little colder than we had expected, and i didn't bring the right clothes. so we decided we would head to a mcdonalds with an indoor playground and eat lunch there. seems like everyone else in town had the same idea. we went to three mcdonalds without a single parking spot. so we finally decided that maybe this was a gift from God that we didn't actually enter an indoor play area. :) we decided we would get our meal to go and head back home for lunch and naps.

except...

goo fell asleep in the car, and she does not do the lift and lay. please tell me you're not new to the lift and lay. if so, it's where you lift your sleeping child out of the car and lay them somewhere (preferably their crib/bed) still asleep. goo used to be successful with this, and big h ALWAYS was.

no such luck today. so goo and i laid together on the couch for about thirty minutes. just quiet. it was so nice. but i knew. i knew she wouldn't go down.

finally, i got her up and let her play computer games with big h while i took a shower.

and then, because i'm the most fun mom around, we cleaned the rest of the day. it was actually really fun. we vacuumed, cleaned up toys, cleaned out bins in the kitchens, folded clean clothes, washed dirty ones.

anyway, then daddy came home and we had dinner and did baths and put everyone to bed. and now buz is watching 24 while i'm dorking out on the computer. then, we're off to watch the bachelor. because we love us some bachelor.

best part of my day (BPMD): cuddling with big h this morning with his iceberg toes and resting with the goo with the entire house quiet.

big h is at such an awesome age. he obeys. and when he doesn't, he is really sorry for not doing so. he has a HUGE imagination, and i LOVE hearing him play. mostly with legos. and the love he has for goo is indescribable. and the feeling is mutual. and the comments he makes towards her? oh. my. heavens. melts my heart. "goo, you're doing a great job cleaning up. i'm going to go tell mama what a great job you're doing. goo, you sure are cute." oh, and goo replies with "yeah, ah tyoot." (read: yes, i'm cute. she's humble.)


goo thinking that a microphone is a telescope. she's saying, "argh, matey. ahoy."


big h tinkering with said microphone to get it to work. no such luck.


i don't know even know what to say. the girl loves her some accessories.



goo's typical look when she glances your way. she's not real generous with her smiles. you have to work for them.


goo doing some coloring. luckily, this was before she found the markers.


big h hard at work. he does NOT mess around when it comes to coloring super heroes.

to a new beginning

so i stumbled upon a blog several months ago. and lurked.

oh please, like all of you don't do it too.

anyway, i loved that this girl a) took pictures of her breathtaking daughter and b) spoke so highly of all of her family, including her husband.

and one day, i noticed that in one of the pictures her daughter had on some shoes that i had been looking for for goo. so because i'm shy and reserved, i emailed her and asked her what they were.
and she emailed me back.

fast forward to last thursday night when my friend weentrab texted me asking me to go to a kickboxing class. (seriously. stop laughing.)

i felt bad for her because for some reason i got the impression she didn't have anyone to go with. so i asked buz, and he was all for it. funny enough, it was down by my old house.

anyway, i went. and apparently, i didn't get the memo that you wear long pants and some form of dark top to kickbox.

and so aside from being the newbie, i also stood out a *tad* due to my bright yellow t-shirt and baby blue basketball shorts.

good times. always fun to draw attention to myself.

anyway, when i called weentrab to let her know that i was there and was peeking inside the window and was scared that everyone in there was bowing to their sensei, i found myself nervous and anxious. and she said, "we'll be right there."

that "we'll" made it clear to me that weentrab was not, in fact, coming alone. sweet. this meant i had an out.

nope. i wanted to stay. and so i did. and weentrab introduced me to all THREE of her other friends. one of whom i had heard about, one whom i had met before (who i thought was way fun), and one whom i had never met. when she introduced me to the girl i had never met, i realized it was the girl i had emailed about the girls' shoes.

small. freaking. world.

and again, in an effort to constantly bring attention to myself, i said, "oh! nice to meet you. i sent you an email about your daughter's shoes one time."

remember that part in dirty dancing where baby says, "i carried a watermelon" when she meets patrick swayze? great. now you know how i felt when i met her.




anyway, we have since exchanged emails, and i could just eat her up. and she is on a quest to put a picture of her children on her blog everyday as well as something she's thankful for everyday.


and i am inspired and encouraged to do the same.


but since i didn't decide to do that until this evening, yesterday's pictures will have to do.


as for something i'm thankful for, buz and i started doing this several years ago. my mentor in grad school gave me the suggestion to (as we're going to sleep at night) tell each other the best part of our day and one thing we want to pray for. we've been doing this since well before goo was born. and wow...talk about how to end the day great. some days, the best part of my day seems small but is always big in my eyes. and some days, they are big things.


today? best part of my day (or BPMD) was when we were all ready for church and getting ready to walk out the door. goo had put her princess dress on over her church clothes. sunday is one day that i feel that it's important to look our best. i was not about to let her wear that to church. i said, "goo. we're ready to go. can you take your dress off yourself or do you want mama to do it?"


she took it off and then went and told buz, "i did it ah-self!"


huge milestone.


as for the pictures, we had a wonderful day yesterday. buz and big h got donuts and went to home depot. goo and i slept in. we had a great morning just getting little things done. we went outside in the afternoon and had a ball.

normally, i'm not a "whack out your images" kind of gal. but i was playing with my computer and liked this one of big h. clearly, it's not a vintage photo, but for some reason i loved it.





in this one, goo just kept throwing leaves and saying, "i yub ball." (read: i love fall.)



don't you just want to eat him up? no idea why he's so pale.

and goo getting to bounce with buz.

(and for the love of all that's good...why are my posts spaced all weird? ugh, that kills the OCD in me.)

sweet kennedy

kathy, one of my good buddies from back home, just had a baby about a month ago. i've known "kathy" for so long. and we've decided that we have no idea how/when we met. we're just glad we did. we never lived in the same city. but our hometown was the same, so we'd get together when we were both home. then, after grad school, i lived with my parents when i was looking for a job. and kathy and i reconnected. it was wonderful. we spent so much quality time together.

then, we both moved to dallas. but hardly ever saw each other. she was busy with her job and friends. and i was busy with my job and falling head over heels in love with buz.

about six years ago, kathy told me she was seeing someone. they have an amazing story.

they got married. and began trying to have a baby. after several years, they were finally pregnant and overjoyed with God's miracles.

and about five weeks ago, big h and i got to go to the hospital and meet this little punkin'. and oh my. she is a punkin. beautiful. and very, very loved.

so i went to their house about two weeks ago and loved on sweet kennedy, hung out with kathy and mark, stepped in dog doo, and hopefully captured a little bit of their life right now.

kathy and mark, hope you enjoy your little sneak peak. i had such a ball. she is beautiful.




seriously...can you get enough of this chair? i love it.

punkin' herself. just getting an early january tan. hey, it's texas.

mama gettin' some lovin'.

wanna hear a mama bear roar?

then bite the crud out of her baby cub(ette)'s finger at the mall play area.


um, yeah. again, i promise i don't believe in the whole "jinxing myself" thing. but seriously. no sooner had i picked up my little people...


i picked up big h first. always fun. he gives great hugs. we then went across the hall to pick up goose. she was excited. big hugs. and then i went to grab her vinyl mat and sleeping mat. and she started whining. no idea. thought nothing of it. started getting the rest of her things (including the kitchen sink) ready and one of the teachers informed me that "our friend" (meaning goo) had displayed some "temper behavior."


and so it has happened. the first time in the history of the wisner kids that i have had what i call a negative teacher report. bummer. she said they talked to her several times about using her words and being sweet to her friends.


oh. my. word.


one of a mom's worst fears.


then, she would not let me put her down. not to get her bag or mat or other mat. not to get big h's bag or his mat. nothing. so i let big h stay with his teachers for a minute while she and i went to the car to load up all of the stuff. came back inside and got big h and her mat. and talked to the teachers for a minute more. they said that several of the children are going through a tough time right now. middle of the year. 2 1/2-year-olds being just that. so that reassured me. a little.


we got in the car. and all of the sudden, she said from the back, "i am happy now, mama."


good to know.


went to a mall with some friends from school (since it was cold outside), and she was just whiny and sad. wouldn't play. every so often she would play on one thing. but then she would come and sit with me and whimper. i ran into bath and body works really quickly, and when i came back, goo was sitting on my friend's lap and my friend was rocking her.


finally, towards the end of our playtime, i heard goo yelling, "NO PUSH. NO PUSH."


i looked over and saw a little boy trying to push her off a little 2-foot slide. i watched her and was so proud of her using her words. i decided i would watch from my seat and see how she handled it. he pushed her again, and she repeated herself. he finally pushed her one more time, and she almost fell off. this time, she yelled so loudly, "NO PUSHING, BOY! NO PUSHING!"


and then it happened.


the little punk BIT HER.


bit the crap out of her finger. punctured the skin in two places and it started bleeding.


i just held her. the mom came and got the boy and sheepishly said "sorry" and walked off.


while i was holding goo and loving on her, i saw that there were three mommies who had seen it more up close than me. i asked them if goo had instigated any of it. i told them it wouldn't hurt my feelings but i really needed their honesty. one of them laughed saying, "she really did great just saying don't push." the other two agreed and said the only thing she did was tell him not to push.


the mom left in a hurry.


you know...i don't have much of a backbone. until you mess with my family.


luckily, my friend is a nurse. so i asked her what i should do about the bite. she said to take her home, wash it with soap and water, cover it in neosporin, and put a band aid on it for the night.


i knew buz was going to be getting home really late tonight. so the three of us went home, got in our jammies, fixed leftover pizza, doctored up goo's "wound," watched a movie on the couch under blankies, and hit the hay.


wasn't i just talking about what a marvelous day this was?


my poor goo.


hopefully tomorrow we'll stay in.


(as i was finishing up writing this, i checked in on sweet kelly who is having her little baby today. and read some sad news. please be praying for her, her husband, and her family. this is one incredible woman of God. i don't know her from adam, and she doesn't know me. but i have seen the Lord do amazing things in her life. she needs our prayers.)

He is good

sometimes, i have those days where i just can't believe how God has blessed me. little 'ol me.

and i'm overwhelmed at the hugeness of it all. (for the record, i'm sure there is a better and more correct word for it, but i'm going with hugeness for now. because it just feels right.)

i feel like lately i have been in constant conversation with Him, and He continues to tell me in so many ways how much He loves me. oh man, i can't get enough of it. and the blessings all around me? they are plentiful.

both kids are at school. great morning. great drop off. great week this week.

this morning, i wore a long-sleeve t-shirt and a short-sleeve sweater with a big beaded necklace. i won't lie -- i worked it this morning. i have a tendency to do that on the two half days that i have the day to myself. big h told me as we were leaving to get in the car, "mama, you really yook beautiful in your vest thing. and that spiderman necklace is super cool."

(no, i did NOT wear a true spiderman necklace. though i would have had he asked me to. i'm smitten like that. the beads on my necklace have little black lines all over them. observant little man.)

everyday on the way to school, we talk to Jesus about our day and ask Him anything we want to ask Him and tell Him anything we want to tell Him. and this morning? big h said, "...and Jesus. thank you for this glllllllooooooorrrrrrious weather we're having this morning!"

i was sure it was going to be followed by a big hallelujah and some hand raising.

and goo has two favorite songs she likes to sing -- itsy bitsy spider and hokey pokey.

mental note -- must record for all to hear.

and no time now. but stay tuned...i went to kickboxing last night. and surely you know by now i am not a kickboxer. but i rocked it. (those of you who went...please don't comment otherwise.)

anyway. giving this week a big Amen to God for providing such joy for our little family. here's to a great weekend for all of you!

bandwagon?

so it seems that there are bloggers posting their new years' resolutions.

and one thing i'm going to admit right now. to all of you.

is i read a lot of blogs. which is actually one thing i'm vowing not to do anymore.

honestly, if you're reading this, and i read your blog and you know it, you have nothing to worry about.

not that any of you would really "worry" about that.

am i still talking?

but one thing that is really wasting my time these days is reading and feeling obligated to comment on blogs. of people that i have no invested interest in. silly, really.

so i'm taking them off my google reader. my desire is to read blogs that encourage me, inspire me, or make me laugh a lot.

so tonight, i'm offering you some blogs that i read consistently. a gift, really.

and before i do so, i do have one little thing i'm going to try. a little bit of history. when big h was two-ish, i went through a VERY tough time. (similar to what i'm going through right now with goo.) and everyday when buz would call, all i could tell him was why big h was crying or what tantrum he threw and where. and finally, it wore buz down. and he said (in a very kind way), "when you call me at work, could you tell me at least one good thing about your day or maybe don't call me at work?"

at first, i was very, very angry with him. (understatement) but when i started thinking about it, it made a lot of sense. and so i worked on that. and you know what? i was amazed how i was starting to look at things differently. i really wanted to focus on positive things so i could have neat things to tell buz when he got home.

so i've decided to start that back up again. because if i'm going to be honest here, this two-year-old business is for the birds. FOR. THE. BIRDS. i so thought i figured it out with big h. but no such luck. it has hit me like a ton of bricks.

and on this blog, i'm going to make sure i post something positive with every post. because i need the Lord to know that i can be joyful in the midst of trials.

there.

i've put it out there.

ok, anyway. back to the blogs.

oh wait. the reason i'm not blogging on the football game. honestly, i just can't. don't get me wrong -- i've got school spirit. i'm a sooner born and sooner bred. but sometimes my heart can't take the losses. or hear about ut talk about their whatever 45-35 win again. sorry, amy. some of your fans cannot let things go. (deep breath.) see? this is why i don't talk football on the blog.

right. blogs. stay on task, janet.

some of these are obvious, and i know a ton of you read them. some of these are old friends. some are new friends. some feed my reality tv need. some make me laugh. i don't even know some of them. some love Jesus and inspire me spiritually.

baby bangs

please. if you don't read amanda's blog, you should. such a gorgeous heart. a passion for Jesus and a true love for her family. and she's freaking hilarious. and she owns (owned) some of big h's shortalls. my small claim to fame.

big mama

she have been the first blog i read of someone i didn't know. until i realized i knew her. her sister is one of my best friends. big mama, you make me laugh. you loves Jesus and ain't afraid to admit it. and you're so stinking funny.

boomama

forever, i thought she was my brother's neighbor. he lives in the "south" and his neighbor has one five-year-old son named alex. c'mon. ok, so it was a long shot. turns out they live close to each other. just not next door. this girl loves to shop, eat fried chicken, and talk about her Savior.

a kiss, a hug, and a squeeze

the first comment i ever got from someone i didn't know. still don't know how she found my little site. but i am so glad she did. she has the cutest children and spouse. wait. i'm not saying her spouse is cute. wait. that came out wrong, too. she and her spouse are a cute couple. there. better. and she posts the best verses on the day that i really need them. we even met up when she was here with her husband for work. and i adore her. and she even met up with me in children's' place after goo had a diarrhea diaper explosion. yep...i love cleaning up poop the first time i meet someone.

chrys and mike's world

long story, which i won't go into. but she knew me when i was in high school. or was it college? well, before i knew buz. when i was in my hometown. and she somehow knows everyone i know. i don't know how but she does. and she ADORES her family. adores them. and is hard core about teaching them the Word of God. i love it. and go ahead and say hello and congratulations because she just announced some freaking awesome news.

it's almost naptime

don't know how i "got" to her. bigmama? boomama? no idea. but i heart her so much. and her honesty. and her humor. and that she has FOUR kids. and is still funny. and her devotionals are always perfectly timed for my life. God is good.

life in progress

seriously? where did i "find" her? no idea. but are we real life friends? she is hilarious. and has two children the same age as mine. she kinda makes me feel like we're neighbors and that i could go knock on her door for some sugar and to ask if my kids could come over to play. but alas, she doesn't live in texas. rats. she is honest and loves talking about what God is doing in her life.

lots of scotts

such a neat woman. such incredible insight and honesty. and she has triplets. hello. not to mention she was a sorority sister of my sister-in-law. claim to fame? oh, and she loves Jesus.

snot and kisses

was probably the second commenter ever that i didn't know. and let me tell you -- i ADORE janelle. what a beautiful personality. that girl loves her children and her spouse. and she always offers the best comments, when i'm down or really chipper. God's blessed her with an awesome gift.

beanish and other languages i'm learning

no idea how she "found" me but so glad she did. she shares real struggles but loves telling fun stories of her daughter, the "bean." i started reading her during a difficult time for the bean, and i loved the godly way she handled it.

blogaroni and dees

way fun story. R and her husband J were in our newlywed class at church. and buz and i loved them instantly but didn't really get to know them. because they moved away. and buz and i were the first couple in the class to get pregnant. but she lives "close" to me. and i am determined to spend a day with her and her beautiful daughters this year. determined. look out R, i'm coming for you. oh, and i love that you love Jesus.

colored with memories

kerry knows two of my closest friends and actually lives in the "same" area i do. and somehow we have never met. but we've emailed back and forth a ton. and i love reading the stories of her and her daughters. her love for the Lord is so evident. kerry...want to hang out sometime in 2009? :)

pioneer woman

you read her, right? no? are you living under a rock? i love her honesty. and like everyone else, i think it's fun to read about motherhood that's so different from my life. oh, and because i'm dorky, i find it necessary to inform you that her sister was one of my buddies in elementary school and high school. i slept over at her house a lot in junior high. her brother mike goes to my church at home. and her dad was my orthopedist when i had to have back surgery when i was 9. see how dorky i am?

the hall family

a buddy of mine from high school. pure. can't think of a better word for her. and we just got reconnected through our blogs. which is way fun. this girl has had a passionate heart for Christ since i met her.

home on the range

buddy from junior high and high school. we were in the same Christian youth group, and i looked up to her for her faith. never met her husband. never met her children. but so wish to sometime soon. she adores her sons and home girl cooked quite a feast for christmas. oh my heavens.

i hate green beans

the ONLY reason i still watch the bachelor. this girl is freaking hilarious. i have been reading her blog forever. and buz watches the bachelor with me only because he loves to think about what she's going to write.

ro family life

the wife of one my very best friends from high school. she is a rock star photographer and graphic designer. she actually designed the program for our rehearsal dinner. they have two adorable boys. they are in full-time ministry loving on college kids and sharing the Gospel.

rocks in my dryer

she is so stinking funny. honesty, people. and she's organized. and she does those fun, little WFMW things. i love those. i've never done one before, but i love them. i loved watching God do awesome things through her when she blogged for compassion.

the flying mum

sunni adores her growing family. i'll be vain really quickly -- her daughter is the best dressed daughter out there. and has the cutest face you've ever seen. they do so much awesome work in their church. head over there and give some well wishes -- they are having a baby soon.

lpm blog

i really don't need to say anything, right? she's beth moore. she exudes Jesus-ness. period. and she loves hair and loves to shop. :)

the one about us

another blogger that i didn't know but met in person anyway. loves the Lord and her family. bless her heart, jenny hasn't slept in i don't know how long. so if you want to provide some well wishes her way too, she would love it. and her kids are super, super cute.

the willis word

i worked with erica at kamp FOURTEEN years ago. this girl has such a deep love for her husband and her kiddos (who are growing from two to three). we've never lived in the same city but have stayed in touch all these years. congratulate her on her latest news. she and her husband are full-time ministry also working with college students.

these are the days

so, where in the world do i start? first of all, i want to fly her out to babysit my kids. you think i'm kidding. yeah, i'm not kidding. but more than that, i want to hang out with her. she just graduated with her masters in social work. i have my masters in social work. see? love her. she loves her family. she loves her friends. she loves Sonic. and oh. my. word. she loves Jesus. jenna, please, PLEASE come visit.

totally rad

met her through a mutual friend when i was INSANELY pregnant. literally, i was 3 weeks from delivering big h. we met at my pal's daughter's first birthday. and i'll be honest. for being thirty-six weeks pregnant, i felt way cute. had on my favorite maternity outfit. met her. thought, "wow. what a cute girl." and then, we kept running into each other at mutual friends' kids' birthday parties. and every time i would see her, i would tell buz, "she's cute. i want to be friends with her." and now? we're pals. and i adore her. and can't wait to get to know her even better. she has a gorgeous spirit. and a quick story. when i was down and out with goo last year...wait. it was last january that i was having difficulty with goo. does anyone else find that ironic? anyway. i was having a tough time. goo was waking up a lot. and was very grumpy. one random day, sarah called and told me she was coming over to bring us dinner. and dinner, she BROUGHT. tortilla soup, quesadillas for the kids, and brownies for dessert. just because she read that we were having a hard time. see what i mean about having a gorgeous spirit? yeah.

wade whereabouts

i met her in a hotel room at a hotel for a MOPS convention. and we sat and talked one night. and i loved her. and her husband sings at our church. and my husband now loves hanging out with her husband. go look at her. don't you just want to eat her up? she's just so cute. and she loves jesus. oh, and they're adopting from Africa. super awesome.

waiting

weentrab. my dear weentrab. please tell me you've heard me talk about my pal. i met her when i worked at an adoption agency and i worked at a hospital before her first and my first were born. and then we took a photography class together. which was the worst class ever. but i can't think of anyone else i would've rather taken it with. and now she's a freaking rock star, known by millions (ok, not sure millions, but LOTS AND LOTS of people) for her amazing talent. and has taught me all things photography. for which i am forever indebted. and she recently adopted. ultra cool story. love you so much, weentrab. sad we don't hang out as often.

and OH MY GOODNESS, i am so tired. i need to go to bed. in my "resolution" to talk about wonderful parts of my day, i will post some pictures and say that today, my kids were both sweet when we went over to a friend's house.

don't be mistaken. that is GOO in the cape and spiderman mask. she's all girl.

my handsome son who needs a haircut in the worst way. even he knows it.


first of all, let's talk about how goo is almost smiling in this. and also, that i let big h hold my brand new camera while i went down the slide and he took this all by himself. talent. and why did i feel the need to wave? it's not a movie camera.

what buz brought home last night. i heart this man. who knew of my coffee addiction?


both of my kids. and look! they're BOTH SMILING! even goo.

hallelujah.

ahhh...much better

first of all, wanted to let you know that the Lord provided an awesome day for us today. so thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes.

today could have been touch and go. seeing as how it was the first day back to school. not for goo, but for big h. and i'll be honest. i was sad.

(and screech goes the record player.)

i know. i was really sad to have my little man head back to school. and no, it wasn't because i was going to be stuck at home with goo. i promise. but i really enjoyed being with big h over the holiday. we have really gotten to that point where we really enjoy each other. i rarely have to discipline him, and when i do, it's over heart issues, not clear right and wrong. i wouldn't dare say we're pals. because i am not here to be pals with him. but wow. the relationship we have now is so incredible. i love it. love him.

but don't think the thought that i was going to be home alone with home girl wasn't terrifying. because it was. but last night, as i was drifting off to sleep at a much later time than i had hoped, i just prayed for peace and smooth transitions. and if a smooth transition wasn't on tap for today, then let me be ok with it. and just move on.

but amazingly enough, it was an awesome day. big h woke up at a normal time, and we watched our customary imagination movers (dumbest show ever) in bed together. then, he did all of his morning chores (not really chores, but things to accomplish to start the day -- clothes on, jammies in the closet, make his bed, brush teeth, etc.). and goo still wasn't asleep. i decided it would be best to just get her out of bed, straight into the car to school. which is what we did. which is also why she got an eggo muffin top and some orange juice for breakfast in the car. but she was happy, with some suh-weet bed head. when we got to school, she wanted to be held, which was so ideal. and she didn't request to carry ALL EIGHTY-FIVE of her precious belongings inside. which was also ideal. she got to say hi to her teacher, and we dropped big h off. we got back in the car with no sadness.

headed to 7/11 for a cup of coffee. don't judge. i wanted a cup of coffee. but our coffee pot at home broke. WAY SAD. and it's kind of low on the priority list. and i would've stopped at starbucks. but i wanted to have extra money this month for, you know, groceries and electricity. i'm so frugal.

my 7/11 coffee? there's a reason it's $1.22. period.

anyway, we got home and played and played and played. mostly with playmobils and dollhouses. but when i needed to change her diaper, she just automatically laid down. which she has, um, NEVER done. and then i had a pink sweater and jeans ready for her to wear. fully prepared for a fit. and perhaps some clothing wrestling. always a good time.

and she pointed at the clothes and said, "uh pink wetter. i wear it."

come again? what in the free world? i can't tell you how much high-fiving was going on. lots and lots of it.

then, we had lunch and watched a max and ruby. i put her to bed, and she slept until i had to get her out of her bed to go pick up big h. i'm sure it was a little like groundhog day for her. getting woken up from sleep both times just to get in the car to head to school.

the afternoon was uneventful. which, by the way, is an awesome thing lately.

and then. get this?

she got in the bath. voluntarily.

didn't hurt that dad made a trail of bath toys leading up to the bathtub. he's always trying to show me up. darn him.

and then i put her bed. with NO cuh-yi-ing.

can i get an amen?

and so...

(here is my poor excuse for a segue.)

here is what has been on my mind for several weeks. feel free to feel sorry for me. it's sad that sometimes i can't get this kind of stuff off my mind.

and even worse? i talk to buz about it at night.

what, you ask?

kids' shows and their ridiculousness. that's not a word? well, it is today.

if you don't have children or if you have children but have never let them watch television, you can go about your normal business.

when big h was little, sometimes the only thing that would calm him down, like EVER, was baby einstein. that julie clark is a genius. pure genius.

those were the only shows he ever watched. until he was about eighteen months old. and someone told us about the wiggles. i'm not going to lie. i totally heart the wiggles. still. big h and i would sit in "big room" (i.e. living room) together and sing songs. actually, no, we wouldn't. because he wouldn't let me. "NO SING! NO SING!" but i imagined in my most beautiful of dreams that we would sing together. but we did love to be together. and watch all of their songs and talk of dorothy the dinosaur and wags the dog and everyone else.

they became a part of our family for a long time. big h learned his colors by their shirt colors.

during that time, he and i also got to watch thomas the train. he had a slight obsession. but it wasn't a great show. because, honestly, i would've like to have knocked thomas around a time or two with all of his poor choices. and somehow he came out on top in the end. every. time. and don't get me started on sir topham hatt. seriously? all he did was eat jelly donuts while all of his trains were bumping into each other and forgetting passengers and running through barber shops. and all he had to say was "you have caused confusion and delay?" really? that's all you can muster up?

so when big h started talking and having interest in more shows, we would always say no, followed by "we're not going to watch that show. it doesn't teach us good lessons."

that line has helped me so much over the last three and a half years. he still tells me that so-and-so watches whatever show but he doesn't want to because it doesn't teach us good lessons.

this kid? i love him.

so as we've tuned in to more shows, i've noticed some things. and there are days i can't get them off my mind.

so allow me. and please know. these are my opinions. and i am in no way trying to hurt anyone's feelings. just getting some things out of my head.

wonder pets
seriously. this show. i L-O-V-E this show. i think it might be the best show out there. they are always helping each other. and singing. oh, how i love the singing. i think i might actually watch it even if big h and goo weren't here. for the record, ming ming is my favorite. and goo's.

dora the explorer
oh my heavens. my daughter loves dora. and i'll be honest, i cannot stand dora. first of all, let's talk about her fashion sense. orange and pink? and white shoes? and really? the backpack?

and every time i watch dora with goo, i think of the saturday night live skit. it's a bit "after hours," so please don't watch it with your children. and forgive my current sense of humor. it's been a rough one around here the last couple of days.


SNL - TV Funhouse - Maraka - NBC - Saturday Night Live

go diego go
i enjoy diego. and i like baby jaguar. i do find it funny that he appears to be a school-aged kid who works at a makeshift tree house where a computer can function.

and i would love it if my camera talked to me. on second thought, maybe not.

max and ruby
i have a love-hate relationship with max and ruby. i love it because i love the theme song. and i think max is a pretty cute bunny. but really? where are max and ruby's parents? and why are they allowed to walk to grandma's alone? and would you just die if ruby was your big sister? or even your babysitter? and how frustrated would you be with max? he only says one word per episode. and the trouble he causes all the time. oh my. but you can't help but love him. he's so cute.

charlie and lola
again...where are their parents? but again...one of my favorite shows. last summer, when big h and goo went to visit my brother and family, somehow all of the children were either napping or playing in another room. and my brother and i? still finished the show. it's freaking awesome.

mickey mouse clubhouse
not much to say about the age old classic. but his voice? well, i can't take it for very long.

wow wow wubbzy
i adore this show. i couldn't tell you what in the world these "creatures" are other than robots. but i love them. i love the song. i love that they always help each other. i love that they always apologize when they hurt each other's feelings. i love it.

yo gabba gabba
oh my. we've only seen one episode of this. but i think i was the one with nightmares that night. and the guy on there? how skinny is he?

backyardigans
we don't watch this anymore. but i used to love it. those friends could groove. i mean, really groove. and we bought a ton of the songs on iTunes. and i love listening to them. in case you were wondering, my favorite song was boinga.

imagination movers
i have adequately documented my opinion on this show. if you like it, more power to you. i am so annoyed with it every morning. but it buys me thirty minutes of GOLD cuddle time with my 5-year-old. and so it continues.

little einsteins
i cannot find fault with this show. i love it. neither of my kids really wants to watch it much. which makes me sad. i love it. i do have to say that my least favorite is annie. really? is her voice that great? leo is great. such a leader. june. well, i think buz has a crush on june. and quincy is the coolest cat and can play every instrument on the planet. again. julie clark and her brilliance.

johnny and the sprites
oh. my. really? the sprites? whose names are those of kitchen spices? we have watched one or two of these. and then i had to put my foot down. i couldn't handle it.

dan zanes house party
oh. my. is he on something?

captain carlos
love him. love that his sister is the one who tempts him with bad food choices. us girls. we are bad influences. but thank you, carlos for subtly teaching my kiddo which foods are junk foods.

the doodlebops
oh. my. i can't discuss this. we have never watched this. ever.

jojo's circus
jojo is the cutest little clown girl around. weird that her pet lion only makes squeaking noises. but i'll overlook it. and i LOVE when jojo does yoga.

and so, that concludes janet's summary of toddler shows. clearly, i have no life. it's ok. at least i've admitted it, right?

again, thanks for the prayers and advice re: goo. God so knew i needed a nice day with her. and a nice day, i got.

goo...

because this is my online diary of sorts, i feel the need to "get out" some things about my sweet, angelic daughter.

who has been a *tad* less sweet and angelic these days.

just to remind her in a couple of years.

(deep breath)

goo did not have a nap today. mistake #1 on mama's part. it was cold and rainy. all day. in fact, it's still cold and rainy. and i'll be honest, i LOVE cold and rainy days. but more with buz, a blanket, some hot cocoa, and a good chic movie.

i think goo would've rather jumped on the trampoline.

and last time i checked, i think it's bad to jump on a trampoline when there is ice on it. am i right?

she didn't wake up until 915. NINE FIFTEEN, PEOPLE. so i knew nap time would be a little off. the only thing on our agenda was to get my dad a birthday present (which is tomorrow). i asked big h what we should get papa, and he replied just as serious as anything, "legos. because he's got some in his closet, but he must not be allowed to open them. so we need to get him something he can play with."

and so off to US Toy we went. and got legos and hats for big h and goo.

but i kid you not. none of my discipline strategies worked today. none. and what's weird. i can vividly remember this all with big h. and still -- some days i have no hope that goo will be a happily functioning member of society. some days i feel that she will be sad everyday. every. day. because i believe 85% of her day today was spent whining and whimpering and saying no to everything. and clothing choice disapproval. and breakfast choice disapproval. and getting in the car choice disapproval.

(another deep breath)

and to end the day. she would NOT sit in the bathtub. seriously. so we essentially gave her a standing sponge bath and didn't bother washing her hair. she cried so hard the entire bath. got out and cried so hard in my arms with a towel around her. and then i sang to her in her room once she had her jammies on. (i know...the singing might've had something to do with her tears at that point.) and when i put her down, she cried. i knew she would. and then i heard from the other room:

i uh NOT stop cuh-yi-ing! i uh NOT stop cuh-yi-ing!

i uh NOT happy. i uh NOT happy.

oh my. seriously. is this what i have to look forward to?

so, friends? especially those who knew me when big h was this age? he was like this, right? it will get better, right?

because to paraphrase my pal life in progress, apparently is impossible for me to birth unopinionated children.

what is it called, wordless wednesday?

try whatever adjective works for thursday.

have i mentioned how in love with my rad husband i am?

christmas and new year recap

apparently, i have a lot to fill you in on.

because accountability does a body good.

or milk.

or whatever.

anyway.

so let's see. where did i last leave off? all of my goodies. um, yeah, the christmas cookies i MADE FROM SCRATCH? yeah, they rocked the casbah. i was so impressed. they were so delicious. seriously. big h and i rolled the dough, used flour with a ROLLING PIN. (never mind the fact that i wasn't even sure we had one. sad. my mom would be so disappointed.) baked them to perfection. iced them. sprinkled them. and just marveled at our work. we're humble like that.

we headed to the christmas eve service. where both of my children cried as they walked into their classrooms. because they were different. with different teachers.

and here is where i would like to give my kiddos props. week in and week out, they go to church where they kind of don't know anyone (even though we've been going there since before they were born). and have a great time. and adapt. and adjust.

high five, big h and goo. you're my heroes.

we set out the cookies for santa.

christmas morning brought fun and surprises. big h is a *tad* obsessed with batman. and basically santa and everyone else brought batman paraphernalia ad nauseum.

goo went more with a wonder pet theme. however, she did get one of these. and i'm pleased to inform you that it was less than $700.

and then, my two children got to open the window to the backyard. and see their present from my in-laws.

um, yeah. my kids almost passed out.

such a fun time. my parents came over that afternoon just to play for a while. we put our kids to bed, and buz and i watched a movie and snuggled.

then, friday we headed out to my parents' house to wait for my brother and his family to arrive from alabama. my son ADORES his cousins. he could. not. wait. for their arrival. he and goo spent the night at nana and papa's with all of the cousins and my brother and his wife. and buz and i headed home to pack and spend the night at our house.

alone.

without any children.

in our own house.

alone.

dude. it was so quiet.

we packed and went straight to sleep. and didn't wake up the entire night. oh my.

i took the longest shower the next morning. and we stopped at starbucks on the way back to my parents' house. so much fun to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and one hour of uninterrupted conversation with my spouse. poor buz didn't know what hit him. i talked the entire. hour. :)

then, the whole gang headed to our first destination. put our stuff away and headed straight for the water park. in december. do you know how fun it is to put on a swimsuit in december? i just reminded myself that i was going to have a great time with my family. and fun, we had. we wore ourselves out.

had some pizza for dinner. we so thought we would put goo down, put the other four kids in one of the hotel rooms with nana, and the four of us grownups would head downstairs for a nightcap.

except goo decided to cry bloody murder and proceeded to crawl out of her pack and play.

good times.

so instead, we all watched star wars the clone wars in that little hotel room. being parents changes things, huh?

the next day, we headed to destination #2. dropped our stuff off in our room and headed straight for the ice. luckily, buz had prepared me that goo might not have much fun at the ice exhibit. yeah, he was right. you wear these huge parkas and walk through this freezing tour of ice sculptures. it's awesome. totally up my alley. apparently, not up goo's. she cried the entire time.

good times.

but big h loved it. there was even a slide made out of ice, and buz, my brother, my nephew, big h, my dad, and i all did the slide, and it was so much fun.

we finished and sat down to have some hot chocolate. and big h spilled his. and burned his tongue. bless his heart.

had dinner and let the kiddos run around the hotel conference center, where no one was. so much fun to play duck duck goose with my little nieces and nephew.

and goo and i slept in a bed together. oh my. i am so not ready for her to grow up. and definitely not ready for her to be in a big girl bed. we'll keep her in the crib for as long as possible.

and then, it was time for them to drive back to alabama. and big h cried a lot. he loves the heck out of those cousins.

and now it's new years eve. we had some friends over for dinner. put our kids in jammies. and they were gone by 10. goo was asleep in about 6.2 seconds. big h was maybe 10 minutes, which is huge.

and buz and i are about ready to watch a movie and then turn over to the new york ball. i know. we live on the edge.

but there is nowhere i'd rather be. than hearing the faint sound of sleeping children down the hall. and cuddling with my best buddy, ringing in 2009.

praying for a wonderful new year to each and every one of you.

updated: since i started, buz has since fallen asleep. guess i'll watch a movie by myself. :)

i have this problem. i have always had this problem. i do one big night (or day) of preparation or shopping for a certain event. i get *almost* everything done. i only have a *little* left to do. and somehow that *little* left ends up killing me.

buz and i went Christmas shopping two weeks ago. we knocked it all out. or so we thought.

somehow i keep thinking of things i forgot.

oops. gift for my niece.

oops. gift for buz...even though we're not supposed to be getting each other anything. except, he always gets me something. even when we make this rule. jerk. not really. he's quite fabulous, actually.

oops. gift for my dad. well, his birthday is the week after christmas. "i thought we said we were doing one big gift?"

oops. all of the ingredients for sugar cookies from scratch.

(and screech goes the record player.)

yep. i said from scratch.

seriously. what am i smoking?

the holiday spirit. not only that. but i'm going to make the icing too. and use different food colors.

oh, and i made sweets today.

AND i made a pot roast this week.

AND i let big h and goo play with playdoh today.

i know. i am not EVEN kidding.

next thing you know i'll be wanting to drink wine, drink diet coke, and take long bubble baths.

ok...not going that far.

um, the pot roast? first one i've made. ever. and buz went for seconds. i'll take that as a compliment.

the sweets i made? were supposed to be for goo's birthday party. yeah, in JULY. oops. i decided to go with white chocolate instead. and i had every intention of using red and green sugar sprinkles and multi-colored sprinkles. but the chocolate dried while i was blinking.

but they're cute. and EASY. go me.

and the FROM SCRATCH cookie dough i made is chilling in the fridge tonight. thanks, jenny. man, if i had a dollar for every time someone asked me if i just wanted to use the already made stuff...well, i would be about five bucks richer. seems that no one is a believer in my culinary skill. i'll show them.

oh, and never mind the fact that we have no one (other than santa) to give any of these treats to. i'm already preparing for a *bit* of a sugar high from both of my children.

we headed to the mall with some friends today to get last minute things.

and OH. MY. WORD.

have i mentioned that my daughter knows how to throw herself one mighty tantrum? i got to do the walk of shame through the halls of the mall while my friend took big h and her children to a store to look around. goo and i just loved on each other. and when she calmed down, she looked at me so matter-of-factly and said, "i crying. so youd. i sad."

understatement, sister.

big h is BEYOND excited about christmas. we have an advent calendar, and he cannot wait to get a treat every night and share one thing he's thankful for. and fun for buz and me? it's usually something along the lines of "i yuv my stister."

and as far as what we're doing...well, we are going to kick it this year.

my in-laws got my kiddos a trampoline this year. big h and goo are going to need to breathe into a paper bag. trust me.

and my parents are taking my family and brother's family to two different places to spend the night this weekend.

um, yeah.

and so. i'm off to hit the hay. and wake up to a christmas eve with my kiddos. perhaps some flavored coffee and some coloring. and jammies.

night night all.

as promised

big h making his entrance.


entrance from janet wisner on Vimeo.

santa claus is coming to town

santa claus is coming to town from janet wisner on Vimeo.

we three kings

we three kings from janet wisner on Vimeo.

signing in for my weekly update

i'm kinda like SNL.

only not as funny. and this isn't tv.

so really, i'm not like SNL at all.

just got done with my marathon list-make-a-thon.

i heart lists. they make my heart happy. really, really happy.

one of the items on this list is to start working on my christmas card list.

dear Jesus. be with me as i work on my christmas card list.

today, it was seventy-four degrees, and i was sweating coming out of church. tomorrow, the high is 38. texas, make up your mind.

last night, i took a shower before i went to bed. as i was preparing to wash my hair and enjoy my herbal essence experience, i dropped a dollop of shampoo RIGHT into my eye. and proceeded to imagine what ninety-five needles must look like INSIDE my eye ball. i even called buz into the bathroom to read the fine print. and his response was, "well, if it's meant to go in your hair, surely they know there's a chance some of it may go in your eye."

and so for the rest of the night, i tried so hard not to be pitiful. but i really wanted to talk about how MY EYE HURT ALREADY.

i woke up for church this morning and thought and thought about how i would explain to my friends at church that no, buz does NOT beat me. yep. swollen shut. with lots and lots of eye goo.

hello nasty. nice to meet you.

did i mention i really wanted to talk about how badly my eye hurt but refrained? i'm such a martyr.

came home and played outside for a long time because i might have mentioned that it was SEVENTY-FOUR degrees outside. in december. christmastime, people.

put goo down for the worst part of my day and hers. and probably buz's too. her nap. homegirl doesn't seem to want to go down for a nap these days. seems she thinks she's going to miss something.

but big h and i headed out to a deli to pick up a fresh salad for my buddy who just had her first baby on friday. oh, and she just happens to be our babysitter's stepmom. try to figure that one out.

we picked up a salad for her and headed to the hospital to catch a glimpse of her little punkin. she reads this blog, so i have to make sure to be COMPLETELY honest when i say that big h was a rockstar. he came and sat and ate cheetos and commented more than once or six times how cute this little gal was. and he might have commented on all of her appendages and how cute they were and how cute her face was and how cute her black hair was. i love hanging out with this kiddo.

we left and got the text from buz (who, btw, does NOT text) saying that big h and i could pick up dinner and go pick out ornaments for the four of us.

we went to four different places and only came up with one for big h and one for daddy. he and daddy have a date to pick out ornaments for the girls sometime soon.

buz's ornament is a replica of this...

this is big h's ornament.

i love my boys.

watched goo pitch one of her bigger fits tonight as we asked her to get into the bath and actually get clean.

again, there is a reason i didn't have a blog when big was two.

oh. my. word.

the tantrums that the wisners know how to throw. we are serious business.

she was asleep tonight within 6.3 seconds.

big h had his christmas program on thursday and friday. he kicked butt. yes, i'm biased. i'm allowed to be. he had a speaking part that he'd been working on for weeks.

"i hear something."

broadway, here he comes.

and he sang both songs with gusto. he's destined for fame, really. will post video tomorrow, ms. wiz.

this week is their last week of school before the holiday. goo has a breakfast on friday for parents and family to come to. for fifteen minutes. can you imagine the goodbyes that morning?

and on saturday, we're going to bathe them (well, probably big h -- goo's bath will depend on the alignment of the stars), put them in their holiday jammies, drive through starbucks for some hot cocoa, and go look at christmas lights. buz and i do this every december 20 -- the night we got engaged. we don't usually bring the kiddos. but our fabulous babysitter already had social plans. the nerve. should be fun. i think they'll have a great time.

oh, and my mom and i are going to the symphony on tuesday night for a little holiday cheer. because we're fancy like that.

and that concludes this wisner weekly recap. stay tuned for video from big h's christmas program.

definitely in the spirit

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

misc as usual

seems i can't get a handle on the whole "blogging on a regular basis thing."

buz is nighty-night. i am up way past my bedtime. but tomorrow is school for big h AND the goo. and i'm thinking about what i'm going to do tomorrow with my five free hours. take a nap on the couch? take a shower? pair buz's unmatched socks? maybe wander the gap? the sky's the limit, really.

let's see. what's been going on in the life with the wisners? had dinner with four fun friends. totally rad, franklin five, sugar, and amy (also referred to in our house as sarah's fun friend) for tamales and gingersnap lattes. i gotta be honest. i don't do girls' night outs very often. but every time i do, i feel so refreshed. granted, i didn't have to eat a tv dinner tonight -- that could be part of it. and i didn't have to give either kiddo a bath. but it was awesome to be with great friends and relax.

and i promised them i would post a video or two of my little man. the kid is freaking hilarious. i realize i am 100% biased. but c'mon. this spanish thing? kills you, right? i love this little guy. or "big guy" as he has corrected me since turning five.



spanish food song from janet wisner on Vimeo.




um. san diego. not going to lie. when you go to a photography workshop, prepared to learn from some of the people you admire most in "the industry," it really SUCKS when your camera breaks. your baby. your gateway to hopefully some awesome images. i told buz i SO didn't want to be known as "the girl whose camera broke." thankfully, most girls didn't even know about it. but again, in all honesty, it kind of yanked the rug out from under me. i actually ended up learning more about my character than i did photography. which was great. i used to always tell my dad that i wish God would stop "building my character." that's what he used to say when something disappointing happened to me growing up. "He's just building your character." but here i am.

my roommate? freaking rocked. and sarah? i might have even told her that i was ready to kick it roommate-style. and she didn't disown me. that's positive. met her right as i got off the plane. we took a cab together back to our hotel and hung out the rest of the day. we had a great week together. she was even able to laugh off my "choice words" when the camera died its horrible death. and still remained my friend. she's an amazing photographer who loves Jesus with everything she is. and i'm pretty sure we're going to be friends for a long time. meaghan, sure do think you're cool.

buz? yeah, he ROCKED it while i was gone. shocker. the guy is amazing. uh-mazing. and i think he had a great time. buz, you're the man.

fall janet? she's here. for now, at least. and seriously. she's so pleasant. i just love her to pieces. what constitutes fall janet, you might ask? fleece. keens. corduroy. cozy blankets at night. the lack of the a/c running. totally void of sweat.

so, hi fall janet. nice to have you here.

every so often, i try to think of words i don't use often and decide that i will work diligently to use them as often as possible. in 1999, it was millennium. buz will tell you i didn't fare too well. 2006 it was fantastic (pronounced fun-TAHS-tic with a bit of a british twist). again. not so much. while i was in san diego, i decided that my new word will be stunning. don't get me wrong. i'm trying. but it's such an extreme word. not many things can really warrant stunning, you know? but i'm really putting out an effort. what's your word?

anything else? OH! i got a cute, little award from a "friend" of mine. she's real cute. seriously. you should go over and say hello. tell her janet sent you. thanks, dude. i love my award. (and i realize that i think i've gotten some cute blog things/buttons, etc. but i forgot about them. and clearly, my blog hasn't been top on priority list lately. sorry, friends.)