Part 2 of Advertising

I just wanted to add that Zoe still isn't saying many words.  Yet, today, she has carted that Geico ad all over the house saying, " Ge-coo, Ge-coo".  I am going to have to throw it away when she goes to bed.

Advertising and a Five-Year-Old

We got some junk mail the other day and apparently a piece out of the envelope did not make it from the front door to the recycle bin. It fell out and slid under the edge of the bureau that sits in our entryway.

Yesterday evening, DJ and I were sitting on the couch talking when we heard Zoe making her "curious noise". I was just about to get up and investigate-because, usually, curious noise = something Zoe shouldn't have- when we heard Noah say, " Umm... I'm thinking that's the money you could have saved with Geico."

DJ and I shot a puzzled look at each other and peered around to see what they were talking about..... Noah was right: (cue music- " I always feel that, somebody's watching meeeee....")

I Love the Resolution on My Camera

The resolution on my camera is awesome! When I take one of the photos from my previous post and crop it, this is what I get: (click on the picture to see an enlarged version that does the detail justice)

Just Wanted to Share Some Pictures

All I can say is, WHAT AN AWESOME WEEKEND!! The weather was incredible and will carry into the first few days of this week.

I was playing around with my camera and got a picture of some tulips in my flowerbed...



... and a great shot of the hostas using my macro setting:






DJ wanted a shot of his motorcycle:

...and two shots of Zoe on the one he is selling:

We're sorry to see this weekend go, but are looking forward to many more like it!

I'm a Stalker!!

When we first got to New Jersey, we were fresh off a plane from overseas and missing all the good food of home. We were disheartened to find that there were no Sonics in the northeast. The closest one to us, was in southern Virginia and so ( since we had no kids and therefore, no schedule) we drove 7 hours away to Virginia one Saturday just to eat at Sonic.


The year I was pregnant with Zoe, a Sonic popped up in Pennsylvania about two hours away. We started going on weekend excursions about once a month, but it was still quite a drive. Last winter, one popped up on the NJ shore, about 40 minutes away and we were so excited. We go there quite a bit too, but it is still a hike and we have to plan around it. Well... after eight years in this state... my wait has finally come to an end. They are putting up a Sonic 13.7 miles from my house. I know this because I actually set my odometer and measured the distance from my driveway to the location. Unhealthy behavior? Probably.

This is where the "stalker" comes in. Since I found out about this a little over a month ago, I go out of my way to pass the location frequently to check on progress. It takes everything I have not to wheel in and tell them to "Hurry it up, already!!" I think I might just stopy by one day and sit in a stall.. when a construction worker asks me what I am doing, I will tell him waiting for my cherry vanilla dr pepper.. get to making it!! The excitement is like waiting for Christmas morning! From what I have read, it is supposed to open in May, but I don't know when in May.


This morning, it was chilly and raining, so I took Zoe to Mount Laurel to Ocean N Motion which is an indoor play place geared toward small children. I had to pass the Sonic on the way and was happy to see that they actually had stalls up and bricks on the building.. it is starting to look like a Sonic! On the way home, I couldn't miss the opportunity to snap a picture. Don't mind the poor quality, I had my point-and-shoot, was driving 40 mph and, as you can see, it was raining. But... I can look past all that and see the awesome gem just waiting for the day that I wheel in and say, " I'd like a route 44 cherry vanilla dr pepper, please." Until that day......

Glimpse into the Future (Conversation with Zoe)

Is this what my life is going to be like with teenagers:

Noah cruising around driving Miss Zoe while she talks on the phone?




"Bubba, GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! The boys will think I'm taken!!"

"Oops.. had to answer another call! Hi, Parker??"

"The nerve! He hung up on me! I'm calling Tyler! Keep driving, Bubba!"

"Oh, hi Mom! I wasn't using up all my minutes, I swear!"

"Come home?? Cracker please!! I got places to go!!"

Spring Break

Monday was a beautiful, sunny day, but windy and cold. I took the kids to the new Wacky World playground on McGuire and Noah promptly disappeared. He had gone and shut himself up in the van and refused to come out because "he was cold". I kept using the remote to open the van door because a cop kept driving through and I was waiting for him to say something to me thinking I locked my kid in the car. I was wondering how I was going to explain to him that my kid put himself in there and refused to come out! Luckily, he never said anything. Although, Noah kept closing the door and I kept opening it again. It was a fun little power struggle.

Tuesday and Wednesday were a complete WASH! Wednesday was the Family Fun Fest on base at the Field House. I took the kids since it was indoors and they were driving me nuts at home. We had to park quite a distance away and walk in the cold, driving rain. I had an umbrella, but you wouldn't know it, because all three of us were completely soaked when we got inside. We stayed about an hour and a half, Noah played on the bouncy castle and then we went home. Shortly after getting home, I went to take the garbage out and it was SLEETING! Ugh...

Thursday was absolutely beautiful- sunny and in the 60's. We met some friends at Smithville Park and the kids played on the playground and then we walked the trail through the woods. On the way home, we stopped at Rita's and had water ice and gelatis.

Friday, we met some other friends at the John Mann park on Fort Dix. The kids played on the playground a bit and my friend's husband was off work for the day because he is getting ready to deploy. He took Noah and their little girl (who is Noah's age) to play on the miniature golf course. Zoe even played.. and had a blast!! Then, Noah and Lexi went and played in the batting cages ( Noah actually hit two out of ten softballs) and then they rode the go karts.

During our Smithville outing, I got an awesome picture of Zoe that I wanted to share. It is my new favorite of her, because it completely encompasses her curious spirit. We had walked out on a pier overlooking Smithville lake and then walked back off it and were headed down the trail. I looked back to see what was holding Zoe up...

(you can click on the photo to see it enlarged)

Star Wars- The Musical???

As I've mentioned many times before, Noah is a funny little man with many quirks.  I never know what to expect out of his mouth next.

Noah is obsessed with Star Wars.  He is constantly acting out battle scenes, quoting dialogue and imagining new scenes.  The other day, he was running around playing with a Clone Trooper

I was listening to his sound effects as he pretended to shoot at other characters and blow things up.  All boy.  Or at least that is what I was thinking.. until... he came up to me and said, " Mommy!  Guess what my Clone Trooper just did!?"

Expecting to hear that he killed, tortured or maimed someone, I asked, "What?".  The response was hilarious and completely unexpected ( I can't make this stuff up!!):  "  He just sang 'Mama Mia' ... the WHOLE SONG!!"

Big Brothers Rock!

When Zoe wakes up in the mornings, I always give her milk in her cup. She has to drink this first before having her breakfast.. it must be like her morning coffee.

This morning, she woke up while I was trying to get Noah ready for school. He was all dressed and ready to go and I was frantically searching for his jacket before the bus arrived. It was time for the bus, I was digging through the closet and Zoe started throwing a fit because she was done with her milk and wanted breakfast. I kept telling her, " I know, I know, sweetie, but I have to get Noah on the bus first."

Still digging, I could hear her in the kitchen teetering dangerously close to full-blown tantrum, when suddenly, she got quiet. A few seconds later, Noah appeared and said, " Don't worry, Mommy, I fed Zoe her breakfast." What a sweetie... but WHAT can he reach to give her??

(if you can't make it out.. those are jelly beans! She was a very happy little girl!)