ABC's of Me

ABC's Of Me

A - Age: 30 years young

B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: Hmmmm, not really a chore I hate. I just don't like when they all build up, makes it tough to fell like it is being conquered....that's what I hate about chores.
D - Dog's name: No dog at this house
E - Essential start your day item: Shower and snuggle time with little man
F - Favorite color: Pink (bright pink's)
G - Gold or Silver: Platinum
H - Height: 5'7 1/2"
I - Instruments you play: Ummmmm Camdon's saxophone whistle (does that count?)
J - Job title: Slave, AKA Office Manager and Full time single mom
K - Kid(s): 1 Handsome little boy, Camdon.
L - Living arrangements: Currently living back at my mom's with Camdon
M- Mom's name: Karen
N - Nicknames: Mama, Mandy, Manda, AJ, Demanda
O - Overnight hospital stay: A few weeks after I was born I ended up getting pneumonia and dying 3 times so I was in the hospital for that. I was also in the hospital when I gave birth to my son.
P - Pet Peeve: Lying, cheating, laziness
Q - Quote from a movie: "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'" (The Shawshank Redemption)
R - Right or left handed: Right Handed
S - Siblings: 1 brother, 1 sister and 1 half sister
T - Time you wake up: Lately it has been 5:30 AM with Camdon
U - Underwear: What about them? I wear them...do you?
V - Vegetable you dislike: Is a tomato a vegetable? I don't totally hate them though, I can eat them in salsa and what not, but I just can't swallow them whole they gross me out.
W - Ways/Reasons you run late: Camdon slept in, couldn't get motivated, Camdon didn't want to cooperate, Traffic
X - X-rays you've had: Knee's, ankles, fingers, arms...do ultrasounds count as xrays?
Y - Yummy food you make: Homemade Mac-n-cheese....SCRUMPTIOUS!
Z - Zoo animals you like: Elephants, Giraffes, Monkeys, Bears, Lions

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to http://www.mycharmingkids.net" to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Yesterday, I most certainly did not laugh hysterically at my child when he feel at the beach running from a tiny wave, sliding into the "mud". I would also never run from my child who needed a hug after getting up from said muddy sand so that I wouldn't become dirty either. NOPE never would I do that.

Also, I didn't let my child run to the neighbors tree last night in just a Pull Up and shirt, so he could put a band aid on the "boo boo" tree. That would just be plan silly, now wouldn't it?

I am not that mother that drives thru a fast food place to get her son dinner because she just didn't feel like cooking. Oh no, I would have made a homecooked meal after working 9+ hours.

Oh and I am not that mother that says "if you don't eat all your dinner you can't have dessert" and then goes and gives him dessert at a BBQ. I always stick to my guns and let my child learn his lesson no matter where we are, I just wouldn't give in.

While I am not fessing up to any of these things, I guess I can add that I would never brib my child to poop on the potty. I would never buy him something at a store and then tell him that he can only have it if he poops on the potty. I just would never do that....NOT ME!

Here's to a better week!

Funny Boy...

Oh My Gosh! Camdon was on a roll of funny things tonight and I had to type them up so I never forgot them.

First he apparently decided that since the sun hasn't come out lately it must be winter, because he put on the winter hat we use for dress up/snow people building in the winter.

He was then playing with a cardboard box. I asked what he was going to put it in the box and he told me he was going to put "stuff in there". So he went a grabbed a book and placed it in there. Camdon then proceeded to walk over to the side door, stopped and this is the conversation we had:

Camdon: I am going to put this in the garage.

Me: You are going to put that in the garage?

Camdon: Yup

Me: Buddy, we don't have a garage.

Camdon: Why?

Really, what am I suppose to say to that? Where does he come up with these things? He makes me laugh.

This was the most recent thing this evening that he did to make me just shake my head and laugh.

During one of the nasty ice storms we had this past winter, a huge section of the tree in the neighbors yard split off.

Ever since the tree split Camdon has been telling us that the tree has a "boo boo". Today he was looking out the back window and told us, grandma and I, that the tree "has a boo boo and needs a bandaid". I responded with "that is going to be one big bandaid, not sure they sell them that big buddy".

After Grandma got back from doing her errands, she told Camdon she had something for him....it was a box of Winnie the Pooh and Friends bandaids. Camdon's first comment was that the tree needed a bandaid......UHHHHHH sorry budy but the tree isn't ours and Mr Ed (the neighbor who is a mean neighbor) probably wouldn't like us in his yard. Well Camdon didn't let that stop him, he kept saying the tree needed a bandaid so Grandma went outside with him to the tree.

Putting the bandaid on the tree (yes he is pantless, but he had on a Pull Up)

The tree with it's new bandaid on, hopefully it helps heal it. :-)

Nice job buddy...good choice putting Tigger on the tree.

I love the creative mind Camdon has. I am proud of the love he has in his heart. I am delighted by the humor that he has, even though he isn't trying to be funny. He cracks me up and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Thanks buddy for being just you!

Sunday, Sancastles, Salt and Sprinkles

What do the 4 of them have in common?

That was how Camdon and I spent our Sunday morning at the Beach looking at the Sandcastle display, playing in the Salty water before it started to Sprinkle. We had such a good time checking out the Sandcastle display, then digging in the sand and playing in the Salty water.

Each year, Hampton Beach has an Annual Sandcastle Competition. This year it was the 9th Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition. The whole thing kicked off on June 13th and ran until today, June 28th. This evening they will be knocking down all the displays "of security and safety issues.....2o tons of sand can hurt if it were to fall on someone".

It is amazing what the artists can do with 10 tons of sand and 21 hours in 3 days. I wouldn't have the patience that these people have to have, the steady hand that is much needed to create these art pieces and the mindset to come up with the designs.
A GAME

Garden Delight

Dueling Grannies

Captain M...Arrrghk

Blossom (Camdon kept calling it a banana)

Whispering Oak

Rock Star

Platypus Tours

I can't wait for next years competition, which will be held June 11-24, 2010.

So after we were done checking out the masterpieces, we went down to the water and checked it out.Cheese!

We then decided we would go to the playground on the beach......


That was a birthday cake according to Camdon.



Now it was time to build our own masterpieces and play down at the water again....

Our Masterpieces!

He wanted me to dig him a hole to stand in.

Going to put his feet in.

We stand by each other all the time.
Running from the waves.....and right after this he tripped and slid on his belly.

I am truly a lucky mama to have such a great little guy. We have so much fun together no matter what we are doing. I love sharing this world with him and exploring things together. What a active morning we had....and all of the above happened within a 90 minute period.....PHEW!

Aloha Friday

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that Hawaiians take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Therefore, I’ll focus on what we have planned for the weekend and end by asking a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

This weekend, Camdon and I are pretty busy (which is how I like it lately).

Starting off today, I worked for a few hours this morning from home while Camdon played and watched a movie. We went outside shortly after that to get some fresh air before the rain decided to show again. Camdon went down for a late nap and I was hoping to go to the playground after he wakes up, but now that it is raining that is not happening....OH WELL! I am now thinking maybe we can go to the mall and he can play at the play place there or just go to a store to get him out of the house.....we shall see how he is when he gets up.


Tomorrow, Saturday June 27th:

I am thinking of hitting a few yard sales and possibly the estate sale down the street from the house (weather permitting). In the afternoon we have a BBQ to attend. My friend Kristen, was diagnosed with MS shortly after she had her first child (a little over 2 years ago) and her father was diagnosed about 9 years ago. This year we, Camdon and I, participated in the MS Walk to help raise money in hopes of eventually finding a cure for this debilitating disease. Every year Kristen and family host a BBQ at their house during the summer to say Thank You for walking, collecting money, supporting us. Unfortunately tomorrow is suppose to rain as well, so I don't know what is going to happen.


Sunday, June 28th:

Well we were suppose to attend a "Buttons & Bows" party, but it got cancelled. I really wanted to go to see what this company is all about and was super excited to see the deals you could get. Oh well maybe they will have a new date soon. So I think we are now going to head over to the beach and see the sand castle exhibit they have going on....this weekend is the last weekend, but with our luck it will be finished due to all the rain we have going on. Whatever we do it will be fun.

So now my question......What is your favorite way to pamper yourself?

I like to go and have a pedicure. I have had 1 massage in my life, right before I gave birth, and I LOVED that as well.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your response below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Wordless Wednesday/Wednesday's Walk

Well on our way...

Camdon is well on his way in the potty training world. I am so proud of my little guy! It is such a great thing to watch him get so excited and proud of himself every time he pee's in the potty. It is such an accomplishment for a 3 year old (heck it is an accomplishment for a single mom of a boy) to learn to pee standing up.
Camdon is regularly going pee in the potty, we are still working on the pooping part (they say most kids are scared to sit and poop, which is the case in this house). He is staying dry in his Pull Ups for the day (I always said I would never use Pull Ups, but I have to say I am glad I am and probably wouldn't of if I didn't have 2 Target bags full of them). We are completely done with diapers (only babies use them ya know, hahaha) and the little undies (cars, sports themed, plain white ones and another theme'd kind...they were a gift) are washed and in his drawer ready to be used. We tried them when he first started the potty training "thing" but stopped because I didn't want to keep doing laundry with all the accidents at first. Since Camdon is staying dry so much I may start to reintroduce them in hopes that it helps him to continue to be accident free. I can't believe my baby is going to be wearing big boy undies soon.
Camdon IS going pee in the potty, but he still hasn't gotten the sense of when he has to go. He isn't asking to go on a regular basis and when he does ask he needs to go NOW that minute. I have said all along that this is a work in progress, slow and steady wins the race. We are getting there and we will keep chugging along. Just like the little train going up the hill, Camdon and I have to keep saying "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" and one day he is going to look at me and say "I did it" just like he does now when he pee's in the potty.
I was so proud of my son tonight. After I picked him up from daycare, we went to Target to return the box of diapers I had and picked up some stickers for his sticker chart. We then went to McD's since he wanted "chicken" (I wanted Panera but he wasn't going for the pbj sandwich) and then off to the softball game for the guys at my office. Once we got to the softball game I kept asking him if he needed to go potty and he kept saying NO. I figured that by the time we got home he would be soaked.....and was pleasantly surprised that he was COMPLETELY DRY! He went from 4pm until 7:30 pm.....YIPPEE!
Last night was another stand on the top of the world and yell to everyone moment.....I had Camdon go potty before he went to bed, 8pm, and when he woke up at 6 am this morning he was bone dry.......YA! I had him go before he got dressed and he was like a never ending water fall....but after he finished, he was so proud of him (and so was I). I can't wait to see what tomorrow morning holds for us....hopefully another proud boy (and Mama).

What a weekend...

With the way my week was going at work, I honestly didn't think it could get any worse....and once I walked out the doors Friday afternoon it only went up from there. I started off by going to Panera and having my first official meal in a restaurant by myself. I have never done that and since I was hungry and had time to waste why not eat while sitting down and not in the car. I then went to the mall to find a chocolate bunny from Lindt since Camdon pooped on the potty and the bunny I told him he could have melted the day before.....NO LUCK getting a rabbit not during the Easter season. I stopped in Target while at the mall and picked up some diapers (which I am going to return now since we are doing so well on the potty, more to come shortly), pull ups (man those are so expensive), 2 New Release movies for $10 each (super excited) and some shampoo/conditioner. I picked up Cam from his sitter early and decided since he did so well on the potty I would take him to his first movie at the theater, we went and saw UP. I was ecstatic when the girl asked how old he was and told me that under 4 is free....go me for only paying $5.50 to get into the movie for the 2 of us. We went to Chunky's and got popcorn for Camdon, dinner and dessert while watching the movie.

Waiting patiently for the movie to begin. He kept saying "Okay, movie over" and I had to keep telling him it hadn't started yet.

Content with his popcorn.

Sharing dinner with Teddy. He had chicken nuggets, chips and milk. The movie started shortly after he finished eating his dinner, but the popcorn wasn't too far away.

Camdon loved the movie....I think he enjoyed the fact that he could sit in the big comfy old car chairs, stand up, walk over to my side of the table, sit on my lap and lay back in the chair...all while watching a movie on this HUGE screen. It was great...can't wait to do it again. After the movie ended we went home and had a tub before going to bed.

Saturday was another great day. Unfortunately we have been getting so much rain lately and scheduled to get another 6 days worth of rain....so I took advantage of Saturday morning being clear from rain. It has been my goal this year to do a lot of different things with Camdon since he is getting a little bit bigger and one of those things was to go strawberry picking.

Heading to find some strawberries.

Finding a good strawberry.

Going to the next row to get some more strawberries.

Camdon did well at first picking strawberries....we had lots of white and green strawberries in our bucket but we had fun so that is all that mattered.

On our way back from Strawberry picking we hit a couple yard sales (well we hit one and drove by another) and I got 2 games for $3 and a bag of My Little Ponies for the sitters daughter for $1. We got home shortly after and Camdon rode on his jeep for a bit, we had lunch and he took a short nap. When he woke up he declared he wanted to "go feed the cows". So off to the petting farm we went.

Feeding the goat.

Feeding the sheep (this is the mean sheep who pushed the other out of the way) ....

and was eager to eat whatever Camdon would give him....

and just stick his head out far enough to eat from the bowl.

On our way back home the clouds were rolling in and we had to stop at Walmart to pick up some things I could find at Target. We got home, I grilled up some chicken. I ended up cutting up the strawberries and putting them in the freezer so we can use them whenever a craving comes about.

Sunday morning started off with strawberry pancakes...YUMMY! It was a pretty yucky day with all the rain so we stayed indoors all day and in our jammies. I have to say that with all the stuff we have been doing this weekend we have still been able to work on the potty training. Just today, Camdon earned 7 stickers....GO CAMDON! I had asked him a few weeks ago if he wanted a sticker chart like at school and he said no.....but today he asked me for one so I drew one up for him and hopefully it helps him out.

Phew what a weekend....and next weekend isn't any quieter with all the bbq's we have to go to and such. What a great way to spend the summer....with friends and family doing things and keeping busy. Memories will be made and photos will be shared.