Our Busy Week

I have my husband back! After a long semester, Karl has graduated and is actually at home every night. It's been so weird to have someone else here. I'm so proud of him for staying motivated and getting his masters. To review - here is the last week and a half.

Last week: My parents came into town so I took the week off. Saturday we went to a Diamondbacks game…and took Carson. It was interesting, but surprisingly not horrible thanks to the friendly people in the row behind us. They entertained Carson and thought he was cute. All I could think about was making sure he didn’t kick the people in front of us (I counted 3 times). Needless to say, I didn’t see a whole lot of the “game” but the atmosphere was still fun. My parents thoroughly enjoyed it. We all thought it was pretty neat when half way through the game they opened the stadium ceiling.

Wednesday was Barack Obama night (as I mentioned in my phone post). Here are the details on that night. The drama of the events listed below is greatly increased by the fact that it was well over 100 degrees outside and we were standing in sweaty crowds on top of black asphalt.
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Leave the house and drive to a park and ride for the light rail.
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM Wait in line at the park and ride as there are more people there/already on the car than can fit into the light rail.
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM Ride the light rail to the stadium (standing room only), and not really “to the stadium” – more like closeish to the stadium.
4:00 PM – 4:20 PM Get off the light rail and walk 20 minutes to the stadium.
4:20 PM – 5:26 PM Wait in line outside the stadium, sweat (that is all I did that hour)
5:26 PM We’ve made it through!!! Now we’ll go relax
5:28 PM Oh…we have a lot more walking to do…and lines to wait in. Yeah.
5:28 PM – 5:50 PM Walk up a small hill (which is a huge hill in my boiling brain), push our way through lame crowds who think it is a good idea to stand and talk in the middle of the walk way.
5:50 PM – 6:30 PM Make it to our seat section…realize our seats are still in the sun…sit on the dirty ground, in the shade, in the walk way outside our seating section. Hear Alice Cooper playing faintly in the background.
6:30 PM Take our seats and then wait another hour and a half for Obama. At least I’m in the shade! No complaints.

Obama gave a really good speech. He talked a lot about how success is not measured by material items, how our body of work is never complete, and challenged the students to contribute to society. Some of you probably watched it on TV. I agreed with pretty much everything he said. Putting our political difference aside, I can’t help but celebrate the progress of America. I gain such joy from observing human triumph. How amazing it must be to be the first African American president. The stadium was packed. The flashes going from cameras when Obama took the stage was a show in and of itself. We saw his limo pull up (pictured below) and I loved seeing all the security on the top of the stadium.

Thursday was Karl’s graduation. We got there early and had great seats. It was so cool to see him “hooded.” After graduation we all went to RA, Karl’s favorite sushi place. We had a great time and enjoyed being with all the family…and got great sushi. Below are two pics after the ceremony. FAMILY - I know you got better/more pictures than I did and I want them. Most of mine turned out awful.

Friday, my sister Jackie and her family came in. We had a party at Karl’s parents’ house that night. We had great food and fun outside games. Once it got dark the boys set up white sheets and projectors outside and we had a Guitar Hero jam session. I kept waiting for the cops to show up – but apparently the neighbors like hearing amateurs sing “Jessie’s Girl” at 10 pm. Carson got to stay up way too late, but he was so happy to be running around outside. The video below is Carson and Cordell (his cousin) dancing to the Guitar Hero music. Cordell is so cute at the end. I know the video is kind of bad, but it's still cute.

Saturday night we went to Pizzeria Bianco. I had heard about this restaurant on Martha Stewart and on top 10 US pizza places on the Food Network. Warning - if you want to go, read the story below. Also, Martha Stewart just ran an 8 page spread on this restaurant in her May 2009 magazine, so I bet the crowd is even worse.

I had to go to extreme lengths to get the reservation (the other option is waiting in line for two hours or showing up 3 hours before opening to get in first round). They only take 3 reservations a day and start taking phone calls at 4 pm. You have to have a party of at least 6 to make a reservation. The first time I tried (on April 15th) I called at 4:15 and they had already taken their 3 reservations and were full through May 15th. They told me to try again the next day. So the next day I just hit call/end over and over, starting at 3:55, until they answered. Since our party was 9, the only reservation slot allowed is the 5 pm. They don’t sit incomplete parties and we couldn’t be late. They also called me a week before the reservation to confirm I still wanted it. It was ridiculous. But it was really nice when they opened the doors at 5 pm and called my name. We were able to walk right past the huge line that was outside their door and go right in. Very VIP. So…the food – it was pretty good pizza. Unlike anything I’d had before. The owner makes homemade mozzarella cheese (it was good) and grows his own herbs out front. I really loved the salads/appetizers we ordered. That was actually my favorite part. Prices aren’t too bad, but it isn’t Dominoes cheap.

While the family was here, we were also able to celebrate Cordell’s second birthday (my sister’s son). He and Carson loved playing together. Well, at least Carson liked following him around and copying everything he did. Here are them having some fun.

Carson developments – he now knows when he has gone poop…I know gross. But I’m excited because that means we're one step closer to potty training. I think awareness is probably the first step. He’ll be playing and then look up at me and just say “poop” very mater-of-factly.

His new favorite thing to say though is “help me.” If I give him a time out or make him sit in his crib to get control, he’ll just sit in there saying help me over and over. It is so hard to keep a straight face.

We went camping over Memorial Day weekend. It rained pretty much the whole time which meant it wasn’t the greatest trip. Carson loves being outside, but we were constantly having to bring him in to dry off/warm up. He got really frustrated with all the “no’s” (I don’t blame him). He also didn’t sleep well because it was cold. I spent several hours each night trying to get him to go back to sleep – as he is screaming “no” at 2 am. Sorry other campers. So he was really cranky the whole trip, throwing tantrums every 10 minutes (not literally, but it felt like it). Lesson learned – to take Carson camping it has to be nice weather or we have to wait till he is a little older. He loved the outdoors so much though I can tell that someday we’ll have a happy little camper. He also loved riding Kari and Garret’s 4-wheeler. All he wanted to do was either go “outside” or go for a “ride”. He was a big helper building the fire. Whenever the boys would be working on the fire, Carson would find little sticks or bark and throw them in. He would try to help stack the logs too. It made me a little nervous but he was really good at staying back from the fire. He would point to it and say “hot” and then try to blow on it (like we do his dinner when it is too hot). We left the night before we had planned because Karl and I couldn’t do another night of 2 am parties with Carson. He slept 12 hours that night at home. He was so tired.

So we have had a busy week and a half and I'm really looking forward to doing absolutely nothing this weekend! And in closing - sometimes he has so much energy it is exhausting to watch.

I meant Obama.

Well...we just heard Barack Ooma speak at the ASU commencement. Very inspiring. More to come later. This is my first blog post by phone...fancy.

It was Carson, in the dining room, with the ink pen

As I walked down the stairs, I listened for the comforting sounds of my child playing. It was quiet…too quiet. I turned the corner, expecting to catch the culprit red handed. To my surprise, the assumed criminal was quietly reading a book. It all seemed a little suspicious. Perhaps I had been too quick to judge his character. I decided to throw away my assumptions and start anew, trusting in the honesty and nonmischieviousness of the boy. It would be hours later when I discovered the true meaning of his innocent reading.

Hours later: After I put him to bed, I sat down at the table to finish my to do list. Oh what joy! Carson had left me a present…and added to my “to dos”. New things to do: 1) wash place mats since they are now covered in Carson’s artistic interpretations (done with ink that probably won’t wash out), 2) wash my cup as Carson interpreted onto that as well (FYI – I’ve already checked this one off my to do list…and no, it didn’t come off), 3) start a new to do list as I can’t even read my list…due to Carson’s artistic interpretations. I can only blame myself…I had gone upstairs to put on my PJ’s and had left my chair pushed out with an open pen on the table. Carson had to be pretty quick to climb up the chair, practically empty the pen’s ink on all viable surfaces, then go into the living room, put a book in his lap, and look innocently up at me as I came back down the stairs. I’m onto to you now little boy…game on.



We had my company picnic this weekend. It was pretty fun and luckily not too hot. Carson loved all the fun bouncy castles, cookies, squirt guns, etc. Here he is with his cookie.

He was obsessed with the water gun below (even though his face doesn't show it).

He was totally tuckered out when we left. He was resting his head on Karl's arm as we walked to the car. Too cute.

I know you’ve all been dying to hear how I was “honored” for getting the 9th highest score on my CPA exam, in Arizona, in 2008. The ASCPA invited the top ten to a luncheon. We chatted, ate lunch, and all received plaques. It was actually pretty fun. The only downer was that they had each of us introduce ourselves and then say our four test scores. I had been so proud of my scores but when I’m in a room with 9 other people, 8 of which scored higher than me, my scores did’t sound so great anymore. I just had to keep telling myself my feelings of embarrassment for not getting 99’s was ridiculous. So besides that, it was fun.

Carson just finished up his two weeks of swimming lessons. He hated the first three days and whined the whole time. The teacher had her 5 year old son get in with Carson for the rest of the lessons and then he loved them. He would copy everything her son would do. Carson floated on his back all by himself (for a few seconds) and could “monkey walk” all along the edge of the pool – the whole time making monkey sounds. He would even hold his breath and go under water to get toys. So overall, it was really great. I wish he hadn’t been so whiny at first, but like a normal 2 year old he wanted to play, not float on his back.

I’ve been a single mom pretty much the last month. Karl has been spending every night on campus in order to stay on top of his assignments. I can’t even count the number of ten page papers he’s had to write. Like 8 probably…no fun. But I’m so proud of him for staying motivated and getting it done. His last day of classes was yesterday. Now he’s just working on some final projects. He’ll be pretty much done on Friday! Then next week we go see Obama and he’ll walk and get his diploma. So exciting. He’ll finally be done with his masters.

We have definitely hit the terrible twos. I’ve had a few embarrassing grocery store moments…no more details will be provided on those. It is a growing period for me as a parent. I’m learning to be even more patient and am having to do a lot of reading to figure out the best methods for dealing with things like tantrums and hitting. Oh how Carson loves the “go limp” method. He uses this the most often and we end up dragging him around or just leaving him till he decides to get up. Problem is, I would expect a child to go “Oh no, my mom is leaving me.” Carson goes “Yes, my mom is leaving me, now I am FREEEE!” We’re still working out the kinks. Luckily, the year of 2 is also wonderful and sweet as communication increases and Carson likes to show more affection. Without that balance, I think I would go crazy.

IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH: SYTYCD premieres Thursday, May 21st. That is "So You Think You Can Dance" for non diehards. I look forward to the summer every year just for this show. I love it so much. I tried to find a clip to give everyone a taste of the goodness...but it took too long. So search it and enjoy.