"It's a Kuh-mergency!"

Around this house, we hear that a LOT!  Not (just) because Nathaniel tends to be a little (lot) dramatic or because he lives, breathes, sleeps, eats, and bleeds firefighter, but also because he has emergency services in his blood.  Literally.  He comes from a long line of emergency service workers.  His great-grandfather was a founding member of the Massasauga Search and Rescue Team.  My Mom and Dad (his grandparents) joined the team years before Nate was even a twinkle in our eye and searched many a swamp, forest, and field for missing people of all ages.  Nathaniel has two older brothers who are active members in the fire department and his grandparents (my parents again) were EMTs for a local ambulance corp for more than a decade.  As if that's not enough to secure his destiny, his father spent many years of his own in the fire service and has been a 9-1-1 Police Dispatcher for almost 24 years!  So, needless to say he's definitely been exposed to the public safety environment.  Despite exposure to dinosaurs, construction vehicles, trains, monsters, knights, cowboys, and various other boyish treats...Nathaniel stuck to FIRETRUCKS like a magnet to metal.

If this kid doesn't grow up to be a firefighter, I will be a monkey's uncle.  (Whatever that actually means...)

It's funny to see how Nate can turn anything into a firefighter/fire truck/fire service reference.

For example, I could say "I really like blueberry muffins" and he'd say "You know who else really likes blueberry muffins?  Firefighters!"  Or I could say, "the sky sure looks grey today" and Nate would say "Smoke from a FIRE is grey, too!"  Ok, so he probably wouldn't say that because I'm not sure he knows the color grey, but he often surprises me, so we'll pretend he does.  Regardless, you get the point, no?

Anyway, Nathaniel soaks up all things fire fighting.  He knows the equipment, the gear, the lingo.  It's fabulous to watch, actually!  He knows the difference between a pike pole and a pick axe.  He can differentiate between an aerial platform truck and a pumper truck.  He can even tell you under what circumstances a ladder truck would be used and when and why firefighters use SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) masks.  He's turned safety goggles, a doctor's stethoscope, even a travel coffee mug into a breathing mask for many "emergencies"!  He'll be the first to tell you that "Fire is very dangerous.  That is why we must work together as a team to put the fire out and rescue people in trouble".  He talks about fire trucks 24/7.  Avery is "our fire dog".  My car is "our fire car" that we take to emergencies.  And he calls our house, "the fire station".  He'll stand at the window and if he thinks someone comes too close to our house he'll yell "Hey, you!  Get away from our fire house!".  When people ask his name it's not uncommon to hear him say "I'm Firefighter Dave Smith".

He can sing the tunes to many fire fighter songs, makes the sound of a fire siren so believably that I've mistaken his antics for a real fire truck going by, and tells anyone and everyone who will listen that he's "a firefighter".  With a peacock strut and proud grin, he tells everyone how he fights fires, saves people from burning buildings and rescues injured people at the scene of an accident.

He wears one of his two fire fighter uniforms wherever we go.  Grocery store, mall, to see his beloved Brie, you name it...he wears his turn out gear (complete with a Nomex hood, helmet, and fire boots).  He wears his Finding Nemo backpack as an air tank and drags around a variety of tools and equipment to help him fight fires wherever he is.  This past winter, he surprised us by taking off his snow pants when he'd come inside and situating them with his boots like a firefighter does so all he had to do was step into his boots and pull his pants up to be ready to go.  Genius, I tell you!

We spend hours watching fire truck videos on YouTube, viewing Lots and Lots of Firetrucks on DVD, and reading all about fire trucks, fire equipment, and fire fighting techniques.  If it's possible for a 4-year-old to be passionate about something, this is it.  He even meticulously hangs his fire gear up at night so it's ready for a fire whenever he should be called.

Considering my biggest fear, I find it ironic that of all the things he was exposed to as a baby, fire is the one thing he took to.  Perhaps it's my own exposure therapy in play.  Hmmm...now that sounds like a real kuh-mergency!  Quick, someone call me a firefighter!

Time Capsule

In the process of this move from our first house, I'm saddened by the changes the new owners are planning to make upon closing.  The house will be for the buyer's 80-something-year-old mother so some renovations were talked about for the flooring and particularly for the bathroom to make it accessible for an elderly woman and her walker.

The thought that the new owners will come in and rip out our bathroom breaks my heart.  The bathroom is the one room we've done the most work to.  We completely gutted it 5 years ago, rebuilt it by hand from the studs, and I love it.  I even laid my first ceramic tile floor in that bathroom.

Thankyouverymuch!

It's the first project we tackled together and it's 100% OURS.

We took a hideous 1950s Italian bathroom (with gold fixtures, yellow walls, flamingos painted on the shower doors and gold marbled shell shaped sink) from this:

To this:

Dave mentioned something the other night that I had almost forgotten.  When we remodeled the bathroom in 2005 we put a time capsule in the wall behind the new drywall for someone to find in generations to come.  In a small container we placed coins from 2005, photos, a note with our story, and some other trinkets of the time.

Together with a newspaper from March 19th of that year, we lovingly boarded it up behind the drywall of our new bathroom with visions of someone in a far away time uncovering our history.   Little did we know at the time that it might be discovered just a few years later.

The thought seriously pains me.  All that hard work, all the investment, all that time, and effort, and love.  Gone.  They'll rip out our new bathtub that we picked out specifically big enough for two (much smaller, pre-kids people) to bathe in.  They'll get rid of our beautiful cherry vanity and mirror that we (literally!) bought before we were even planning to remodel and built the entire design of the bathroom around.  All the little things we loved about this house the new owners may throw aside without a second thought.

I have flashbacks of this when it comes to having to say goodbye to this house.  For all the good reasons why we're leaving, it sure won't be easy.  I'm just sayin'....

Happiness is...

...a visit from the Scoops guy!

Oh how I love the ice cream truck that drives by in the summer.  The clang, clang, clang of his bell makes me giddy.  Unfortunately (?) I have Nate trained to run when he hears the ringing.

Ring, Ring, Ring

Nate gasps and looks at me with excitement in his eyes.

I yell, "Let's go!", as I scoop up Alex.

We grab and run - usually without shoes.

Although, today it was without shoes or PJs.  (Nate had only his boxers on and Alex was sporting nothing more than a diaper, but oh well.)

We can't afford to miss a summer evening out on the front step dripping in ice cream stickiness.  It's much too good.

And much too fun.

And sinful.

And delicious!  

And oh, what a mess....

What a glorious mess!

A mess that we will build memories in.

A mess that's 100% washable...

...and 110% unforgettable!

This is one mess and memory I will miss when we move away from a neighborhood that sports a Scoops ice cream truck.

10 on 10 : June 2010

Today's 10 photos in 10 hours were taken with Heidi's "It's The Little Things Thursday" in mind.  I used today as a way to focus my attentions on the little things throughout my day that perk me up.  The little puffs of wind beneath my wings that get me through and fill my sails.

My morning cup 'o Joe.  Love me my coffee!

A text from a friend to remind me of how lucky I am!

A beautiful flower on my desk at work, generously planted by a friend who knows if left to my own devices, I would have killed the poor thing already.

A smile on a boy I love more than air.

A treasure hunt in the mind of a wildly imaginative 4-year-old.

A chance to go "Guy Guy" on the grass with this precious babe.

A patch of blue skies among the clouds

Learning new big boy tricks, compliments of his "sister", Jayden.

A camera thief's self-portrait

A comfort dinner of PB & J at 10:00 at night after you realize you never actually ATE anything when you fed the kids dinner earlier.

Check out more fabulous 10 on 10 captures here.

Simple Woman's Daybook...June 9, 2010

FOR TODAY...June 8 9, 2010

Outside my window...rain.  It's cold and miserable today.  Not your typical June day, but definitely a typical Rochester day.

I am thinking...about anything and everything, as I usually do.  My mind is constantly racing with things left undone, projects to start, questions to get answered, important matters to take care of, deadlines looming, etc.

I am thankful for...loving friends who remind me to keep my perspective positive and help me focus on all the blessings in my life even when the clouds take over!!  Thank you all!  I really am very lucky!

From the kitchen...cupcakes!  I promised Tiffany I would help out with her next volunteer date at the Ronald McDonald House and then I made dinner plans with Heidi and Joey and the kids.  So, in an effort to NOT drop the ball for a change, I told her I'd contribute to the meal.  So last night at 10 PM I was making cupcakes.  I still have to frost them but that's the easy part. 

I am wearing...the same boring stuff I always wear.  I so wish I could be cute and hip like my friend Leah, or look adorable like Becky Brown.  My sister got all the cute, fashionable genes I guess.  I'll have to learn to accept my frumpy tendencies.

I am remembering...to pack my camera so I can participate in tomorrow's 10 on 10.  I'm doing it "It's the Little Things Thursday" style!  Should be interesting!

I am creating...my own rules.  I totally missed posting this on the normal day (Tuesday) so I am finishing it up today and posting it on my usual Wordless Wednesday just to mix things up a little!

I am going...to see Mercedes tomorrow after many many months of just talking about it.  I do miss our therapy sessions!

I am reading...mortgage contracts, insurance policies, pre-k registration applications.

I am hoping...to get a closing date soon so I can secure plans for the next month or two.  I'm also hoping to find the time to figure out why my iPhoto library is "unreadable" and why the back up service I paid $$ for isn't backing up.  Yeah, wonderful.

I am hearing...Avery chewing on her rawhide.  It's a fabulous sound.  Dave is watching some reunion show about Caddyshack.  Which, for the record, I've never seen.

Pondering these words...When it rains it pours!  It is so true.  No matter what, it seems everything always comes at once.  You can sit idle for months at a time and then everything falls at the same time.

Around the house...chaos.  Boxes are everywhere - both packed and empty.  Piles - to give away, to throw away, to sell. 

On my mind...my mother-in-law.  She fell on Sunday and broker her femur where it connects to her hip.  She's having surgery today to repair it and there's only a 15% chance it will even help.  Dave has been up to see her at the hospital a couple times and she "looks horrible".  She's in a lot of pain and is looking at a few weeks in the hospital and 8 weeks of rehab after surgery.  At 80 that's a long road.  Dave isn't very good at expressing his feelings but I know it's bothering him because he's cranky and short tempered.  I wish he'd open up about it and realize it's ok to be worried or upset or whatever. 

Noticing that...this daybook has been pretty depressing overall :)  Can you feel the stress?!?

One of my favorite things...snuggling up in bed at the end of a long day.  I may have said this previously, but I really look forward to it.  There's nothing quite like hitting the hay, snuggled up against my warm husband, knowing a long, usually hectic day is over and I can finally rest and rejuvenate.  

A few plans for the rest of the week: Mercedes is visiting tomorrow night, Melon Bean with Tiffany on Friday, packing and laundry over the weekend.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This boy makes me happy.  His smile is infectious and his personality is engaging.

Check out more daybook entries here.  

"Wordless" Wednesday - Happy Birthday Wishes!

Happy Birthday to a sweet boy who turns 3 (!) today!  It seems like just yesterday when I was driving in the dark at mach speed to the hospital from two counties away to meet this precious boy!  Happy birthday, Shawnee!  You are a lucky boy to have such a fantastic Mama and she is one lucky Mama to have you!  We love you!