{1 PM} & New Blog Address

 

This is how I spent 1PM (which just so happens to be naptime) yesterday.

Working on my new blog.

lylelife.com

 

(Click here to check it out.)

It's also how I spent 1PM the day before that and the day before that.

And for that matter 1AM as well.

 

I still have lots of kinks to work out, so bear with me....

but check there for updates going forward.

 

And if anyone tries to tell you WordPress is so much easier -

please call them a Big Fat Liar, on my behalf.

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{Extraordinary}

 

 

As I was going through Hayden's backpack this evening,

I ran across these three books he had checked out from the

library this week.

 

Since it's fairly uncommon to see I've never seen him

reading in his free time, I decided to ask him about them.

 

***

 

Me: Hayden, do you really intend to read all

of these books between now and next Monday?

 

Hayden: Oh no! I just like to look at the covers and the

thick books are the best for playing the drums on.

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The {Challenge}

My challenge: To have the go-to house for all the neighborhood kids to play.

...

 

Today seven boys playing water gun fights, kicking a ball, and playing tag.

 

And later, if I have it my way,

this will be the same house these boys bring their

lovely homecoming dates, study partners, and best friends to spend their free time.

 

 

 

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{Black and White}

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{Verse} Versus

As the boys get older, they seem to lose their little boy-isms,

little by little each day. For this reason, I have stopped correcting them

when they say words wrong.

 

These days it's just so far and few between that they mispronounce something or use a word incorrectly, that now it's just better to let it slide, and let serve as a reminder that they are still little boys...little boys that don't know everything, even though they would have you believe they do.

 

One of those boy-isms is the way Hayden and Davis add an 's' plus and apostrophe 's' to the word mine.

"That's mines's!" they'll shout about a toy or snack or whatnot.

 

Another, is the way they misuse the word "versus."

Hayden and Davis "verse" each other constantly.

Whether it's in a made up game of pirates, or a game of basketball, they use this word all the time. And now that they are getting older, they are starting to show more interest in college sports as well.

 

Who are the Aggies versing today?

 

So when I saw this topic, I couldn't help but think of them.

 

Fall baseball is in full swing now and Davis is on a Great Team.

The team is amazing and has been playing together for three seasons. Last season, they finished second in the playoffs. It feels good to be on a winning team for a change.

Just to give you an idea, we've been in PSA for three years now, and just found out last week that they even had playoffs.

 

I can't say Davis adds a whole lot of value but being with better players is definitely improving his game. It's so fun to watch that I actually look forward to the evening practices...just sitting back, relaxing, watching him play, and enjoying this cooler air that has rolled in these last few weeks.

 

So here is a thirty second highlight clip of his last game.

On this particular day, the Giants were "versing" the Giants.

 

And as Davis says at the end of the video,

"It's not about winning. It's about having fun."

(But for the record, we won...15-1, no less)

 

 

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{Size}

 

This was the growth guessing game that was written
on the dry erase board for Nathan's birth.

 

It's become a tradition to guess the
weight, height. and time of birth during the labor process

to help pass the time, and bring into play
my favorite thing ever - a competition.

 

Not to gloat, but I totally ROCKED my guesses,
coming in at FIRST PLACE!

 

Nathan was born at 7:01pm, weighing 6 lbs 2 ounces,
 and was 19 inches long.
 

Granted, I could have stalled my  "pushing" to secure the win,
but note that I was right on the money on the weight
and only 1/4 of an inch off on the height.

 

That's less than a CENTIMETER people!

 

I think you could say, by the fourth time around,

I was pretty good at making these sorts of predictions.

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{Two More Minutes}

 

We've adopted a new strategy in the Lyle household and if you have seen me in the last month, its likely you have heard me raving about our Best Parenting Tool EVER.

 

Also, it's our only Parenting Tool I can think of.

 

It's called the Time Timer.

 

It is technically for toddlers to help them understand the concept of time (time out for 2 minutes, we'll go to the park in 20 minutes, etc.) and when I bought it, that's what I thought I would use it for.

 

But then I realized that while Blake has no idea of the concept of 1 minute vs. 30 minutes, the older boys probably didn't either. Also, as they get older, I realize that it's just common courtesy to give them upfront expectations regarding the daily plans.

 

Think about it...even as adults we get annoyed if we are busy doing something and someone walks up and says "Stop what you are doing. Put on your shoes. We are leaving. NOW!"

 

The night before the first day of school this year, I had a light bulb moment and decided to use it for the bigger boys. Each morning, during the breakfast/cartoons/getting dressed routine, Jeff sets the timer for 45 Minutes.

 

If the kids are completely ready by the time the timer goes off (the red disappears), they earn their electronics privilege after school. Originally the plan was that they would lose their privileges if they were not finished in time, but Jeff came up with the brilliant idea to flip around the sentence and make it more about positive reinforcement instead of negative consequences. It's really the same thing, but it's all in the way you say the sentence.

 

Anyway, this has been a life changer in our house.

 

Before the Time Timer, you would hear Jeff and I barking out orders to Brush Your Teeth! Put Your Shoes On! from every room in the house. I'd say on an average morning, we'd say it around 1,897 times.

 

But Now!

 

Now we don't have to say anything except noting that the timer is starting.

It's so much better and happier in our house because of this one simple clock and incentive.

 

If I do happen to see that they are struggling staying focused, I just ask one of the boys to confirm how much time is left since I pretend that I am "racing the clock" as well.

 

So far, so good. We are at 100% success and they are both riding the bus to school now, meaning they are walking out the door about 40 minutes earlier than last year.

 

I highly recommend it.

Buy one here.

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{Tiny} Boy

This boy caused me to get another "Needs Improvement" stamp today.

I'll spare you the details but just know that it involved poop and Hobby Lobby.

That sentence doesn't really do it justice.

Poop Everywhere!

Inside his outfit.
Outside his outfit.
From his shoulder blades to his toes.
On my hands.
On my yet to be purchased scrapbook paper.
On the carseat.
On my Diet Coke.
EVERYWHERE!

Well look at that. I guess I didn't spare you the details after all.

But, you know how all kids have a Diaper Incident that will forever be remembered.

This was Nathan's Diaper Incident...and he might have even out-pooped his brothers as far as his inopportune timing went.

See, isn't this blog riveting these days?

Yesterday was a detailed account of my trip to Walmart. Today is all about poop. Check back tomorrow and I will give you a minute by minute account of how I do laundry and have never once sorted clothes into groups.

At the very least this blog should make you feel better about your own parenting skills. Pin It Now!

{Oops}

 

So, as it turns out, you should never go to Walmart during naptime.

 

Not even if your new, naive, stay at home logic tells you

 that it will "wear him out" and he will take a really good nap when he gets home.

 

Not even if you think chicken nuggets and a fancy Suburban

of shopping carts will win him over.

 

Don't be fooled by the picture above.

 

Less than five minutes before that picture was taken, Blake was

literally flopping on the ground behind the cart. I could have buckled him

in but I knew that he would not like that and he when he doesn't like something,

he will let the world know.

 

So I stopped and regrouped.

Just then, Elmo happened to call on my iphone and

so I let Blake take the call.

 

I got everything under control but  this lady must

have been following behind me for the whole dragging incident

because just as I got him sitting in the seat and happy, she walked by me

and said "Bless Your Heart."

 

Read that sentence again.

 

She didn't just think "Bless Your Heart."

or mumble "Bless Your Heart."

 

She wheeled her cart up next to me.

Stopped.

Looked me in the eyes.

And Said "Bless Your Heart" with a subtle tilt of her head

and knowing nod.

 

I am sure she was trying to make me feel better. I guess?

But I couldn't help but take it as a big, fat,

"Needs Improvement"

stamp on my goals I posted the other day.

 

To make matters worse, I ran into an old co-worker while I was there. 

I was erroneously assuming that everyone I know works, therefore no one would

recognize me at Walmart. I was wearing black yoga pants, hair in a messy bun,

no make up and looking like the definition of a worn out mom.

 

Oops.

 

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{Younger Me}

So I spent a good thirty minutes looking through a box of old pictures and

between the clear aging that has happened over the last 10 years

and the numerous sets of "BEFORE" diet pictures that made me wish I was

my before weight circa 2001, 2003, 2005, etc.

this whole topic was just depressing.

 

Looking at this baby picture, I *think* maybe one

kid might just look like me. Maybe?

 

Young Love. Yes, really young.

 

Homecoming, 1997 - Man I wish I still had that dress and go go boots. 

They would be perfect for the bachelorette weekend in Weird Austin.

 

 

Wedding, 1999 with my guest that traveled the farthest, Andrea

 

 

Honeymoon

 

Honeymoon Cruise

 

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Who Needs To {Flirt}...

...when you look this good?

 

 

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The "If You're This Tall, It's Mandatory You Ride" {Sign}

at "Universal Orlando Resort" July 2012

 

 

And by the way, those line attendants at

"Universal Orlando Resort " take their jobs VERY seriously.

 

Don't for one second think they are just

Disney World Cast Member wannabes.

 

Sure, some of them are. But not the experts that work in the height restriction line.

 

{I heard that} this one kid that was like a quarter of an inch too short for

a ride and tried to roll up his socks to boost his heel just enough.

 

Did it work?

{I heard} It didn't.

 

There's a reason that these employees got a bachelor's degree in Theater Arts

and it's not just to dress up and run around the park in Harry Potter costumes.

 

It's to control heathens from getting on a ride that they are

too short to ride, if only by a quarter of an inch.

 

Hair will be combed flat and heels will be forced to the ground

to ensure The Safety Of All!

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Here's the {Scoop} on Nathan

He's almost seven months old and we just found out that he LOVES to swing.

He wants to crawl so bad but can only rock back and forth.

That's not usually a problem since he typically has three older brothers at his beck and call.

He has a pretty loud "call" to beckon them with too.

On the bright side, only one out of three of the brothers takes toys away from him and demands a "bite" of his baby food each morning.

He has the cutest little bottom tooth that the pediatrician told me I should be "brushing" now. Right.

He can sit up but if you start to count out loud, the pressure gets to him and he falls over almost immediately.

He's laid back and easy going and he doesn't know that other boys his age are not forced to sit through karate practices, baseball games, and knife presentations. Shhh. Don't tell him that.

He sleeps from 7-7 and belly laughs when you tickle him. He brothers are taking it easy on him and haven't thrown any balls at his face yet.

He almost didn't get to go to Disney World with us because when I went to pack his birth certificate for the plane ride, I realized I never ordered it. Did you know that you have to fill out that paperwork with every single kid? Oops.

Rest assured, he has an official birth certificate now.

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{Guilty Pleasure}

Long drawn out trips to Walmart are my guilty pleasure -

and if it's my lucky day, it may even include a free knife

if I sit through a terrible wood/metal/tomato cutting presentation.

 

 

Poor Nate.

He has no idea what's in store for him in the coming days.

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{Summer Loving}

We celebrated our thirteenth anniversary last month.

I'm not sure if it's because this date night was a much needed break from the kids after EIGHT LONG days with them at Disney World (and "Universal Orlando Resort"), but this dinner will go down in history as one of the best dinners of all time.

Except I think I really disappointed Jeff when I didn't order what he wanted me to order. You'd think after thirteen years, he would know that he orders his dinner, I order mine and then we do a "bite for a bite."

If only it was 1950, Jeff would have had his way and gotten to pick my entree in addition to his... but then I wouldn't have gotten to enjoy my melt in your mouth fillet, lobster mac and cheese and cheesecake.

Delish!

Capital Grill, August 2012

I'd marry a second husband today if it meant I could celebrate with an anniversary dinner like that twice a year (and if he was willing to let me order my own food). Pin It Now!

{Labor} & Goals

It's ironic that this labor day was the first official day of my "retirement".

Either that or the first day of the hardest job ever, depending on which camp you fall into.

I'm still undecided.

But I do know that I am ready for what this next chapter brings. In honor of the first day of my new career, I've decided to adapt my corporate goals to my stay at home goals. The wording may seem a little strong, but that's what 10 years of editing my goals with a little known trick called "right click - find synonym" will do for you.

It has worked so far through four different jobs so there is no reason for me to think that with a little editing, they can't apply to my stay at home job as well.

If you are lucky, maybe I will have Jeff evaluate me at year end and do a performance appraisal. Don't get your hopes up though, because if it is anything like the corporate world, I will end up writing my own year end appraisal.

If that's the case, here's a SPOILER ALERT - I will probably end up rated very highly.

  

********

 

Goal Statement: Demonstrate leadership and teamwork and improve overall satisfaction communication of the team family as well as managing extracurricular activities.

Goal Indicators:

1. Assume ownership role of 2012 profit family planning process including coordination of profit planning process health care checks, practice schedules, daily chores, communication with Executive Management Jeff, routine errands, and payment of bills.

 

2. Meet at least  bi-weekly daily with each Direct Report kid to discuss open issues and provide feedback. Each associate kid should be given the option to discuss progress on goals and be given constructive feedback on progress. (Note: to engage the associates kids in contributing to this process, they are expected to come prepared to discuss specific feedback needs.)

 

3. Increase communication between myself and my peers/direct reports Jeff by offering recognition and feedback when deserved as well as scheduling routine date nights.

 

4. Implement learnings from IDP program and 360 feedback Pinterest and continue to enroll in company sponsored as well as outside training classes try new recipes and keep the house maintained.

 

********

 

Goal Statement: Provide leadership, guidance and financial homework consulting to the Region Budget Function Hayden and Davis for the ongoing Building our Business "Straight A" initiative.

Goal Indicators:

1. Bring consistency in message, processes and responsibilities to all 5 regions 4 kids.

2. Prioritize and focus on issues that will help the Regions kids obtain their goals.

3. Provide ad hoc support to other areas as needed (i.e. special projects, vocabulary parade, book report, etc.).

 

4. Assure proper monitoring by tracking key financial metrics daily notebook and reading journal.

 

********

 

Goal Statement: Support the Profit Planning Potty Training process for Blake, as well as improvements to the schedule including additional reporting regular nap times. Become Make Blake more self sufficient in the BPC Profit Planning system.

 

Goal Indicators:

1.     Learn to identify key reports rewards to encourage good behavior and provide sufficient guidance to Data Owners Blake as they he submit their 2011 budgets by store potty trains in November 2012.

 

2.     Lead team effort ensuring all critical issues temper tantrums experienced in 2011 are addressed prior to the 2012 Christmas season.

 

********

 

Goal Statement: Support the goal of optimizing profitability of core businesses Nathan learning to crawl and sit up. 

Goal Indicators:

1. Provide support to stores, districts and regions Nathan throughout the year on profit plan and operating statement issues muscle building and stimulation.

 

2. Enhance the planning, operational and financial analysis playtime on the ground by providing recommended changes to the his crawling methodology.

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{Fear} of the irrational kind

This year, during the summer Olympics, it was fun to see that the games finally sort of resonated with the kids. We tuned in whenever possible and Hayden would often ask who was winning the medal count. He knows Michael Phelps is a big shot, and Blake would even cheer every time he saw it turned out...except he mistakenly though Serena Williams was playing in every sport.

"Go Nina!" He would shout if he walked by and saw the Olympics on.

 

Anyway, during one of the diving competitions, the diver did a near perfect quadruple double twist back dive or something of the likes and completed it near perfect. As the scores flashed across the screen, Hayden spoke up.

“Wow! How does he do that?”

We all just sorted of nodded as if it was a rhetorical question and then Hayden continued.

“WOW! There is NO WAY I could do that!”

Finally one of us chimed in and noted that these divers practice for years to pull something like that off. Before we could finish, Hayden interrupted.

"No. I don't mean the dive. I mean how do they go into the water like that without wearing goggles? That would hurt so bad!"

Indeed, it would, Hayden. Also, can you imagine how many times they got swimmers ear?That's why I never pursued Olympic Diving.

****

Somewhat related: Once this summer when we were at the swimming pool, Hayden did an average dive off the side of the pool. It was nothing special, but I used the opportunity to pump him up and tell him how proud I was that he could dive now since I had never seen him do it before.

I mentioned nothing about the Olympics. He swam to the side, pulled off his goggles (of course!), looked up at me and said, "Look mom. I really don’t want to go to the Olympics. Okay? I just want to be an actor."

“Um. Well, okay,” I said slowly, equally as confused about his acting ambitions as his tone indicating he was devastating me by dropping out of Olympic training.

“What kind of actor do you want to be?” I asked, the natural next question.

“Pretty much just Spiderman…but MAYBE Indiana Jones too – it just depends,” he replied.

Of course it does.

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{Before}

Hi! I’m back!

Here is my best attempt to try to summarize all that has happened before this post.

1.      We had a magical trip to Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.

Not Universal.

Not Orlando.

Universal Orlando Resort, thankyouverymuch.

Don’t think you can shorten the name and not get corrected by Hayden within thenext four seconds. We loved every minute of it though… Except those couple of minutes when it started pouring down rain.

 

2.      Blake threw a water bottle at me causing me to drop my iPhone in the bathtub rendering my phone camera broken and blurry.

 

3.      We celebrated our 13^th anniversary. Wow! Who’d have thought we’d last this long? Just kidding. I knew we would last, but if you told me 13 years ago what our family picture would look like (me, Jeff, and four mini-Jeffs) I would have laughed in your face.

 

4.      I replaced my iphone, and no, not with the latest and greatest one.

 

5.      I dropped my iphone and broke the screen approximately 43 hours after that.

 

6.      I replaced my screen on my iphone.

 

7.      Nathan turned six months old and just when I think he is not growing as fast as the others, I run across a picture of him from acouple of months ago and am shocked by all his changes. He is thisclose to sitting up. He doesn’t crawl yet, but gets wherever he needs to by scooting and rolling all over the place.

 

8.      Mica accused me of having a favorite kid – which makes me second guess myself every time I take a picture.

 

9.      I made spaghetti with meat sauce and went to prepare Hayden for this around 4pm. He moaned and whined, and attempted ton egotiate. “Can we have spaghetti –O’s instead?” he asked, with emphasis on spaghetti, so I’d know he was willing to meet me halfway. When I refused and sternly said, “No! Spaghetti is what we are having for dinner”, he quipped back, “Ugh! I don’t like fancy food.”

 

10.  Davis started baseball and since the Rangers weren’t playing in the fall – he joined the ranks of the Giants. Coincidentally,the kids on the Giants all happen to be GIANT. So much so that I had to ask another mom if this was in fact a first grade league, fearing that I had accidentally signed him up for Hayden’s age bracket on accident. Crazier things have happened, but it was a first grade league with Very Large Kids.

 

11.  Hayden tested and received his brown belt inkarate. Or Tae Kwon Do. Or Martial Arts. Or whatever the kids are calling it these days. I didn’t get to attend the test due to a conflict, but Jeff, who has never done a karate kick in his life didn’t think Hayden actually deserved it. Fortunately for Hayden, Master Drew did think he deserved it.

12. Hayden and Davis started school. Davis got the teacher that I always wanted Hayden to have in first grade, but he never got. Hayden got placed under a brand new teacher, named Mr. Downs. I think until this year, Hayden had no idea that boys could be teachers becuase he walked out of the classroom on Meet-The-Teacher night, and said, "Well that was just weird!" I explained to him that boys can be teachers too, and successfully hid the fact that I was weirded out by the whole exchange as well - but for different reason. Hayden's new teacher looks to be - I don't know - four, maybe five years older than Hayden. But all is well because this is week 2 and Hayden has exclaimed that this is going to be The Easiest Year Ever! Which I feel a little uneasy about.

13.  Oh, and then I went and quit my job.

Which is exciting.

And scary.

And freeing.

….all wrapped into one giant unemployed ball.

On one hand I feel like I’ve just been promoted to the “hardest job in the world”,and on the other hand, my pinterest to-do list seems to be growing at a faster rate than I can cross things off. Who am I kidding, I haven't crossed anything off the list yet.

 

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Blog a Day!

I know. I know. I've said I'd do this before and failed miserably.

But this time...This Time is different - for a whole variety of reasons so check back frequently because I am about to do a blog a day that may or may not relate to the word of the day. I make no promises. If you want to join in, link up and let me know.

I have plenty of stories that have happened over the last month and a half and as soon as I can decipher my notes in my notebook app, I'll be happy to share them.

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Dad

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Back

100 Summer Things Update:

#82

Feed the ducks at a local park or pond.

Check.

During this visit to the pond, one Mama duck
went from having three ducks at her side to only having two ducks at her side.

 I was the crazy lady that basically issued an Amber Alert for the missing duck.
I searched and searched and seached the pond and asked everyone nearby
if they had seen the missing duckling.

I stopped short of hiring a detective,
but I was sad leaving the pond that day know there was a missing baby (duck) on the loose.

We also lost Hayden's dog tag on that visit, which cause a lot of
additional drama and extra trips around the poind.

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History

Me and My GrandDad, 1982

Blake and His GrandDad, 2012

Blake knows his GrandDad is a special guy.

You can see it in his eyes when GrandDad walks in the door.

He BEAMS with excitement, and I'm sure it's only partially

because he knows that a cup of marshmallows is only minutes away.

But he has no idea that his GrandDad's main goal as a grandparent is to

make memories that will last a lifetime. He'll figure that out as the years go by.

Marshmallows today...glass elevators, bow and arrows, basball games,

and unwritten adventures tomorrow.

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Appreciate

I appreciate still getting to dress this sweet, sweet boy.

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Summer

He's afraid to get anywhere near the pool,

but he shows no fear splishing and splashing and

dunking himself in our bathtub.

I'll never understand the logic of a toddler.

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Ingredients

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

baked for Jeff and Amy's Birthday Bash

Four things to note

1. I forgot to take pictures of the process.

2. But don't fret because it really wasn't

as good as Jeff and I had hoped for.

3. The "Birthday Bash" consisted of 7 adults and 6 kids

and pre-made Jimmy John's sandwiches (Jeff's current fave).

4. Here is the recipe in case you don't believe me. 

Recipe.

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved 

1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained 

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

2. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

3. Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator. Pin It Now!