a conversation with cooper

me: What's your name?
cooper: name.
me: No, silly, your name is Cooper.
cooper: name.
me: Say Cooper.
cooper: ...
me: hey, say Cooper.
cooper: ...
me: Say Falk
cooper: f%@k
me: oh, eff!

regularity rocks

Well, there's been a bit of "constipation" on the ol' poo front lately (nearly 2 months worth of back up, yowza). But, after a few fiber supplements I'm back and happy to be blogging again. :)

I have much to share, many pics to post and I promise to start dishing details later tonight.

Flying trip to A-town

Late Friday, after enduring 24 hours of excruciating back pain (stress and the way I tense up on the eliptiKILL wreak havoc on my shoulders … yowza!) I decided to get the hell outta’ Dodge. I left the hubs to do “boy stuff,” loaded up Coop and headed to A-town to see my mom.

I hadn’t had any time to hang with just her and Cooper in months, so it was a much-needed reunion. Aside from “my boys,” my mom is my absolute bestie, which makes the long breaks between visits a little hard to handle.

We didn’t do much, which is exactly what we all needed—just puttered around town, checked out garage sales and Good Will (I LOVE the Abilene GW … they always have the best bargains … including a 2009 calendar I’ve been hunting down for a whopping $1.25, who-hoo!), playing in the kiddie pool and mowing the yard (burning those calories in 105-degree temps, yeah, baby!).

Came home early Sunday exhausted (um, did I mention that my mom’s air conditioner was out … hello, Sweat City), but completely recharged.

Thanks for the great visit, Mimi!

just because...

you'd cry, too if this happened to you ...

yep, the hubs did this to our child ... striped lime green and blue shirt, red plaid shorts and mismatched socks ... nice clark, reeeeeal nice. I was so shocked when i picked Coop up from school today that i said, "Please tell me he didn't come to class like that!?" Don'tcha just love daddies. ;)

all you need is love

Today is an amazing day. Today my grandparents celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. Today my grandparents remind me that sometimes all you do really need is love.

Here's to you, Grandma & Grandpa. I'm praying that no matter where life leads, you always find your way back to each other.

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities.”

aww, fun with weeds

chef BOYardee

In homage to the whole "nuthin' says luvin' like somethin' from the oven" notion, my lil' sous chef (emeril in the making!) and I whipped up a couple of batches of chocolate chip cookies to send to my grandparents. I think Coop poured more chunks of chocolate down his little gullet than he actually got in the bowl ... but he was just. so. stinkin'. cute. I couldn't say no. ;)


Coop started chomping on the chips before i could even break out the mixer. That's my guy ... inhaling fist fulls of chocolate!


This was just after a tear fest of epic proportion. who knew that butter wrapper could be so dang tricky!


Look at that face ... he's in aww. Nearly 2 and the lil' man has never seen a mixer in mama's kitchen before ... what can i say, betty crocker I'm not (though i do have her cook book, which may or may not be covered in dust)


totally off the cookie convo, but look at those lashes! plucked those right off his aunt amy's eyes ... i'm so jealous.


one for you ...


12 for me.


apron by grandma. sweet, chocolate-covered cutie by nestle.

p.s. The stand mixer in the pic holds a special place in my heart. It was my grandma's ... she and I used to make cookies together using that same mixer when i was just a little older than Coop.

The Great Giveaway

So, taking a brain break at work, I snuck over to Murry Mayhem’s blog and saw a giveaway announcement for a free photo shoot and well, being paparazzi-style obsessed with pics of the fam, I just had to enter.

Wanna’ temp fate?

Give it a whirl. Details below:

Drama Mama is hosting an AWESOME GIVEAWAY! Her dear friend, Camily, took some gorgeous pictures of the family and now she’s passing on the opportunity for one lucky lady to snag a FREE photo session.

Camily will do a shoot for an individual, children, or a family in the Dallas area. She will shoot on location at the Arboretum, or any of the locations you see on her photography blog (and is open to suggestions if you have another idea). She will spend about an hour with the winner, edit the images and give you a copy of a CD with all the awesome pics.

The value of the photo shoot AND photo CD is $250!

And just for fun, there's a second drawing for a free blog makeover done by Drama Mama!

To enter, click here ! Once you get to DM's Post, just follow her instructions!

She will use the random generator thingy to pick a winner on Wednesday night. And the winners will be posted on Thursday!

beads, beads, beads

the hubs just walked in from a 5-day business trip that just happened to conveniently fall during Mardi Gras ... aww, such a rough life. ;)

at least he wasn't too, um, tired and overworked to remember a lil' souvenir for coop ...

guess what??!!

My dear ol' dad's been telling me for months that I needed a makeover. Yes, I know, it sounds a bit harsh to tell your eldest child that she could use a serious overhaul. And yes, I agree that any good dad worth his weight in handmade greeting cards should love his daughter despite outdated appearances.

But, after giving it some serious thought, I've decided the old man is right. It's time. It's waaaay time to makeover ...

my blog!

(Ha! And you probably thought I was gonna' say I was back on my hot mama mission ... Pftt!)

Coop's pic in the current header is more than a year old now and as he changes every single day, it's false advertising to keep it up. ;)

So, at any moment, you should see a fresh look for Pardon Our Poo. Same genius, witty, inspired entries, of course (um, that's what I tell myself), just a fantabulous new 'do. YAY!

Thanks, as always, to Lindsay at Designs By Splat ... she knocked another one outta' the park!

And hey Pops, since this was your idea, I'm having Lindsay send ya' the bill. ;)

little reminders

At 9:12 last night, my cell made that familiar little jingle that meant I had new e-mail. Imagining the message would be something truly exciting — like SPAM — I debated whether or not I should check it. SPAM could always wait until morning (much like its canned meat namesake, SPAM never goes bad) and I would curse myself if I woke the (finally) sleeping tot tucked beneath my arm just to find out I was the instant winner of a lifetime supply of cheese.

Desperate to silence the painfully loud Elmo DVD, I decided to grab the remote and phone in one smooth, swift motion.

And I’m so glad I did.

With Elmo on mute (you can only hear about his friend Dorothy the goldfish so many times before seriously considering permanent ear plugs), the phone in hand and Coop still peacefully asleep, I was ready to read the adjective-laden details of my cheese winnings.

But the message wasn’t about cheese. Or some other equally sad little “contest.” It was an unexpected message from a friend.

Subject line: hi!

Message:
… just wanted to check with you and see if everything's okay....i noticed your blogging has slowed down some (mine has drastically come to a halt, too!), and just wanted to check in with you and make sure everything is going okay …

AWW! Touched. Touched. Touched.

Ever have those days where you feel like you’ve become the absolute worst version of yourself and you have no idea how to come back? That’s been me. For awhile now … but that’s for a separate post.

I have no words to describe how that simple e-mail made me feel, but to the sender, please know that you lifted my heart last night … a little reminder that joy and peace and happiness are always around the bend.

Here are a few more little reminders that I just had to share …


Mimi and Coopie during her visit a couple of weeks ago ... just after she found out her recurrent cancer scare was just that ... a scare! Blessings, blessings, blessings!


Coopie and Keri swirl around the "dance floor" ... no doubt giving her "new guy" a little jealous twinge. ;)


Wow, Mimi's got "great" aim ...


Aww, my lil' niece Monti (aka Montana). Love her! Love this pic! Miss her to pieces.

last night

7:30 pm: Me to the hubs, "Wake me up when it's time to go to bed."

Ugh, exhaustion is my middle name.

what a day

Today is a day that will forever remain engrained in the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens. Today is one that marks the beginning of change for our country. And while millions of people were captivated earlier by the powerful images of the swearing-in of President-elect Barack Obama, I was doing a little swearing of my own …

as I rinsed out the four towels, four T-shirts and a half dozen washcloths that were the unsuspecting victims of Cooper’s sudden stomach flu the night before.

as I took him to the doctor and was told that his sinus infection (green gook oozed from his poor lil’ eyes) was HIGHLY contagious.

as I shelled out a whopping $50 for the tiniest bottle of eye drops I’ve ever seen.

But, it’s all relative. I was doin’ what mama’s do and I love that — despite the ooze and the tears and the yuck — that I got to spend such a momentous day with my little guy … even if we both napped through it all.

Vegas, Baby!

Who-hoo, I'm headed to Vegas!!! OK, it's a work trip. And, OK, I’m gonna’ miss my boys like crazy (I haven’t been away from Coop for more than a weekend and that was Once. A year and a half ago … ack!). But, I gotta’ tell ya’ I’m so stinkin’ excited …

Me. Sin City. For 5 days??!! (Oh, how I *heart* my black jack, lol)

Will post details when I get back (along with house pics .. Mom, I promise!)

Fingers are crossed that I come back with a truck load of winnings and two boys all in one piece (I just finished a “Daddy Cheat Sheet” for the hubs).

mama got a pick-me-up

Big o’ honkin’ hugs to Alicia over at Murry Mayhem! I’ve never met this fellow blog mama, but she just gifted me with the “Your Blog Is Fabulous” award. This unexpected mid-day treat has totally boosted my spirits — a lift I was in desperate need of after a particularly trying “mama drama” morning (click here for backstory).

Thank you, thank you, thank you Alicia! My mellow was totally marshed, but now it’s back to full and fluffy! ;)

Now, on to keeping the good kharma train on the right track …

There are rules to receiving this award, and here they are:
1. You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous blogs in a post.
2. You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.
3. You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post.

Instructions:
1. On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.
2. When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well.
3. To add the award to your post, simply right-click, save image, then "add image" in your post as a picture so your winners can save it.
4. To add it to your sidebar, add the "picture" gadget.
5. Also, don't forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by emailing them or leaving a comment on their blog.

Always one to follow the rules, here are my addictions and a list of blogs that rock!

My Five Fabulous Addictions:
1. Well, it goes without saying, but I gotta’ say it anyway: My Boys—the hubs and Cooper freakin’ rock my world!
2. Target (happy or sad, good day or bad, Target keeps sane — that’s totally normal, right?)
3. One Tree Hill—I know, I know, soooo lame (especially since I’m on the very sharp edge of 30-ack!), but I love this damn show
4. Haribo gummy bears — chowing down on a handful as I type this!
5. words — writing them, reading them, decorating with them — I just freakin’ luuuuuve me some words ;)

I pass this award on to my 5 Fabulous Blog Buddies:
1. Courtney at That’s What She Said
2. Devon at Devon J. Imagery
3. Hayley at The Six 3
4. Angie at The Buster Bunch
5. Kathy at Parent Talk Today

bet'cha say "awwww" ;)

house wars

Just created a new blog!!! Check it out here. Huge thanks to Lindsay at Splat Designs for the super-fast, super-great graphics. ;)

cuteness - it's in the genes

Aww! Just saw that my mom had posted these two precious pics of Coop and my favorite lil' bundle of nieceness, Montana (I call her Monti).

Think that cute lil' smile has gotta' be in the blood. ;)

5

Things are busy, busy at our house right now. The hubs and I are both working side jobs to help pad the Falk Family House Fund (FFHF) and, when we’re not, we’re chasing after Coop, laughing at him, playing with him, convincing him to keep his fingers out of his nose (and ours!).

In fact, we’re both so focused on getting “house ready” and keeping up with Coop that today hasn’t even really registered on our radar.

Today is our fifth anniversary. Aww. :)

There will be no candlelight dinner (we’re not candlelight dinner people), no weekend getaway (every extra dollar goes in the FFHF), no gift exchange (unless a quick kiss counts).

Instead, we will spend the day house hunting with our realtor and, in all honesty, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our past than looking toward our future.

Happy Anniversary, Hubs … You make me crazy, you keep me sane, you steal my breath, you keep me breathing.