Monday, February 20, 2012

Flew The Coop

The Prairie Daddy left town for business for, well, too long for The Prairie Kid and I. Since we had a four day weekend we decided to fly the coop and head to Billings for a Mommy/Son getaway weekend.

We had such a great time.

I learned some new things about my kid. One is that he can eat with chopsticks. How did I not know this? Was he practicing behind my back?

We were eating seaweed salad. My child is obsessed with seaweed.

We went to the zoo. It was great fun.

Another thing I learned about The Prairie Kid is that he can speak turkey. He had a lengthy conversation with this turkey.
No joke, it sounded like my son was actually speaking turkey. It was crazy. I laughed and laughed in awe and amazement. Then I ended up hearing my son speak turkey for the rest of the trip. He even got a stuffed turkey at the zoo and named him Mr. Gobbles. They talk turkey all of the time now. Mr. Gobbles even sat at the side of the game board and watched us play LIFE today.

Back to the trip. They laid fruit along the sides of the window for this hungry griz and we got to see him up CLOSE and personal.


Not only did we go to the zoo, we also swam, ordered room service, watched cable, lounged around, shopped and got Taco Bell and sushi. We even got to have dinner with some friends that were also in town. And we went to Costco, which is one of the favorites of The Turkey-Talking Prairie Kid. And we found seaweed snacks at Costco! For 1/3 of the price of the ones on Amazon. I have a very happy turkey-talking, seaweed obsessed six year-old.

We blasted the radio and sang and danced on the drive. And he played "drums" on sticks so loud I am surprised I can still hear.

We made great memories and I am one happy, blessed, fulfilled, smitten mom. Who couldn't love that face? Especially knowing he speaks turkey?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Heart

I wasn't sure how Valentine's Day would go this year. The Prairie Daddy left town yesterday morning for ultrasounding cattle and he'll be gone for almost 2 weeks. I wasn't really looking forward to having Valentine's without him but I figured The Prairie Kid and I would do something fun. I asked him if he would be my "date" and he said yes.

It turned out to be a fantastic day! : )

It started off with a special heart-shaped banana caramel pancake breakfast with The Prairie Kid. While we were getting ready to go The Prairie Daddy called and told us to look in the back of a filing cabinet drawer in the office. Lo and behold, there were two cards and a wrapped box of chocolates!

We had a sweet time together driving to school/work. And while I was at work a delivery came for me...flowers!!! Prairie Daddy, you have swept me off my feet!

My "date" and I went to the movie store and then came home. After homework we sat down to a dinner of crab, shrimp, avocados and Caesar salad. It was heavenly.

Isn't my date cute???

Then he got a couple more presents

Look! Seaweed! (He was excited!)


We topped the day off with Happy Feet. Oh, and some chocolate mousse. : )

Saturday, February 11, 2012

What A Hoot

There are not very many things I love in this world more than getting to surprise and treat someone. This last week my friend gave perfect opportunity for these treasured activities...she had a birthday. : )

We surprised her with a dinner party at my home. It was so much fun to decorate and prepare and think of her all throughout the week. She is a wonderful lady and I am blessed to be friends with her and work with her on the Moms Together leadership team. We've been friends for 8 or 9 years now. We worked together at the Meeteetse Rec District years ago. We've shared many laughs and many tears together. We've gone through 4 pregnancies and births together (she has 3 beautiful boys). We've gone on day-long road trips, horseback rides, shopping adventures, and a couple over-nighters to Billings for Beth Moore and also the Lipizzaner stallions. We've both opened our homes to kids in need of "temporary parents" and a place to live.

And we both love the Lord more than anything.

Happy Birthday, Friend! It was so much fun celebrating with you!

The theme was owls.



Her husband was in on the surprise and helped us pull it off without a hitch. It was great!


We had a fun dinner
She is an avid reader and we figured she'll need another birthday party next week because she will have finished reading up these new books already!

The birthday girl's youngest cutie and another friend
None of us objected to having her favorite dessert...creme brulee

We laughed our hearts out and had a great time celebrating our dear friend.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Giggling Mom

The other day I received a Facebook message from the mom of a girl in The Prairie Kid's class. She was letting me know that her daughter told her that my son LOVES something from her daughter's lunch.

The Prairie Daddy and I were thinking, "huh, maybe he's not eating much of his own lunch because he's eating from everyone else's lunch." So we decided we'd better ask him about it.

In the car this morning I asked The Prairie Kid, "So, do you ever eat anything out of your friends' lunches?" He had a horribly sheepish look on his face..."no...except I really like these things out of (aforementioned little girl's name here) lunch. They're really good and I want you to get them for my lunch."

"Well, we'll talk about that but do you eat from anyone else's lunch?" (I looked back to see his little face panicked and red with embarrassment). "Oh, honey, what's wrong? Did you think you were going to be in trouble?" (Huge release of breath and tears now pouring out) "You're not in trouble! I am just curious! Take a deep breath, it's okay, you're not in trouble." (Deep breath, sigh of relief). "I don't eat anything from anyone else's lunch."

We then talked about how he doesn't always like what's in his lunch and how some kids get pop and lots of junk food. We talked about healthy lunches and growing brains and lifetime habits.

Now for what makes this story...

What is this tantalizing food that my son cannot stop eating out of a little girl's lunch? Is it soda pop? Candy? Chips? Cookies?

Why no, it is Kim Nori...a Korean seaweed snack!



This mom thinks it is pretty darn cute and funny that her six year-old son got "caught" sneaking seaweed from a classmate's lunch. : )