Wednesday, February 23, 2011

New Endeavors and our love of them

We are embarking on new endeavors in the house of The Dill-io.

Our kids signed up for tee ball.

The older kid has done organized sports/classes before but it's the little guy's first go round with team sports.

He is absolutely, completely, irrevocably in love with the idea of PLAYING tee ball.
So much in love with it that when we went to buy him new tennis shoes for the season (cleats are optional) he was totally pumped about his new shoes.
Ran around and around the shoe department showing us (the oblivious and dense parents, apparently) how fast he could go.
He's fast-like lightning.
Trust me, total 3 yr old blur.
And he moves his arms back and forth like an Olympic sprinter during his speed demonstrations.
It's cute, entertaining and heart warming all at the same time. I hope I always remember how handsome he looks running like that.

And just when I thought the whole evolution couldn't get any cuter--Jet Pilot stumbled upon this scene earlier this evening....




Those are his new tennis shoes for tee ball in that box.
That he is sleeping with.
Because he loves them so much, and because he loves tee ball so much.

Even though he hasn't played one second of an official tee ball season game/practice.

Isn't he the cutest thing ever??

I think so.
It's going to be a great tee ball season.

Side-note: I have no idea where his pajama shirt went, he had it on when he smooched me goodnight before bed but as of an hour later...it has gone MIA. Lol.
Kids are funny.
And lovable.

They are especially loving towards their new tennis shoes.

As you can tell.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

And the winner of the MyBlogSpark and Big G Cereals Giveaway is Comment #1:



Congrats!! The winner has been contacted and has 24 hours to respond!!  THANKS everyone for entering and please continue to do so!!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Boys

My mothering skills are constantly getting a workout. The things I find myself saying on a daily basis continue to amaze me.

Like right now, we were driving to my mom's house and suddenly I hear "Eeeewwww you're gross, don't do that."

After closer inspection I catch myself saying:

"Son, please do not blow your nose in your hand and show your sister...that's inappropriate and ungentlemanly."

**sigh**

And then there will be two boys doing this type of behavior...it's going to be hilarious.
Totally.
Hilarious.

At least I have to keep telling myself that...lol.

But seriously his hand?? Mucus??
That's just gross.



How different men and women are

I think it kind of goes without saying that my husband is all man.  Jet Pilot, dude, big truck driver, luvs Amuricah, etc..
And for the most part I feel like we are pretty similar in a lot of ways.

But we are not.
Men are wired different than women.
WAY. DIFFERENT.

Things that bother me don't even phase him, (he is exponentially better at compartmentalizing things than I am) and things I think are completely random and crazy--the norm to this guy.

For example:
On our Macbook we have both our email accounts set to feed to the Mail app, so we can both read and check emails without having to log into Gmail, Yahoo. etc.  Its convenient and nice, and sometimes accidentally I will start to skim his emails instead of mine purely because I clicked on the wrong folder.

I was almost all the way through one of his work/flight emails when it finally dawned on me this email was not mine.

Most of it was blah blah blah Pilot stuff words I don't know because they pertain to airplanes and Jets and whatever.   But then I spied this last line and I started to laugh.
HARD.

Because it was in that sentence that I realized how completely OPPOSITE the dynamics of men and women really are.
It read:

"Ask questions BEFORE the brief.

Don't suck and you'll do fine.

V/R

(Insert random word Pumpkin, Roller, Faucet, AYCE, etc..--Class Leader Jet Pilot's call sign)"

Don't suck??  Haha!!  No pressure, these guys just have some of the hardest jobs on the PLANET...and don't suck.  

I think the really funny part is that all the other Jet Pilot dudes in my husband's class also got this email and they just took it all in stride.  LOL.  

Its a good thing the Good Lord has wired our brains differently to interact with our same sex like this.  Because what I think is random and crazy, is normal and routine for the husband.


P.S.  And my husband LOVES his job...go figure....I guess as long as he doesn't suck it will be all be okay right??

P.P.S.  I am sure when my husband reads this post he is just going to walk away shaking his head at me.  LOL.  Wiring=different.  That is all.

Monday, February 14, 2011

MyBlogSpark and Big G Cereals Review and Giveaway




Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet I never seem to remember about it until its almost lunchtime. Well MyBlogSpark and Big G cereals wants all of you to stay healthy and have fun! That's why Big G cereals has started a new promotion.



Started back in November, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of Big G cereals including Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese’s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.).

After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/


 I received two boxes of cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms, and four movie cash certificates values up to $12 each! Plus get this: the movie cash certificates don't expire until Oct. 31, 2011! These actually made great gifts for some dear friends as a family movie night out for the holidays.  I don't normally buy sweet cereals myself but my kids love 'em. So with two big boxes it's easy to entice with breakfast!


Win it: I have the exact same gift pack I received to giveaway to one lucky reader. This giveaway will begin on February 14th and end on February 21st. It is open to the US and Canada. The winner will be chosen via random.org and notified by email. They will then have 48 hrs to respond before another winner is chosen.

Mandatory Entry: Just leave a comment on this post
Additional Entries (leave a comment for each):
  • Follow The Dill-io
  • Tweet this giveaway using the Re-tweet widget
  • Subscribe to The Dill-io
  • Follow me on Twitter 
  • Grab my button and tell me where it is
Remember: Please leave a way to contact you in your comment. also, Please be sure to complete the mandatory entry or all other entries are void. And yes I do check. GOOD LUCK!


Disclosure: General Mills provided me with information and giveaway items (e.g. movie cash certificates, cereal, etc.) through MyBlogSpark at no charge in exchange for sharing this information. The ideas and opinions expressed are my own. I was not paid nor compensated in any other way.

Green Ostrich Utensil Set Review



As a wannabe crunchy family we try to live green as much as we can.  We reuse and recycle, we   always have reusable shopping bags in the van for shopping trips and use eco-friendly/homemade cleaning supplies, and detergent.  However, there is always room for improvement.  Ideally I would like for our family to make the switch to all bamboo products for our plates, utensils, mixing bowls-bamboo is more sustainable and a natural product.  Not to mention extremely durable and able to stand the test of time--and here is this house, THAT'S A MUST. 


So you can imagine how pumped I was when Green Ostrich asked me to review their To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set.  The set includes a bamboo fork, spoon, knife, and a set of chopsticks in a handy little carrying case.  All of the utensils are dishwasher safe, stain resistant, and heat resistant.  LOVE LOVE LOVE THE DISHWASHER SAFE PART!

We have all used this set at one time or another recently.  Usually everyone fights over who gets the chopsticks when we eat go eat sushi/Chinese as a family.  Yes, I have a 1st grader that uses chopsticks better than I do--its a total embarrassment but whatever.  I am a work in progress.  The utensils rock because even Clyde can use them without any problems and he is usually the one who still wants to use toddler/baby silverware.


Besides using these at work or school, the Utensil Set would be great for camping and picnics.  The set has made a permanent home in our glove compartment for out of town trips, or fast food in the car that needs utensils.

I think these are a great product and would not mind converting my whole family to a set like this!  
Green Details:
- Carrying case is made out of recycled PET plastic (plastic tea, juice, soda, and water bottles)
- Bamboo is 100% biodegradable and eco-friendly
- Each utensil is made of a single sheet of bamboo so there is no glue used in the manufacturing of them
- The utensils are sealed with a natural, vegan, food-safe sealant made of Potassium Permanganate (a water-soluble salt often used as a disinfectant), Acetic Acid (an organic, relatively weak acid found universally in food, water, and soil), Heptane (most frequently used as oil repellant, distilled from the resin of the Jeffery Pine and the fruit of the Petroleum Nut Tree), and Ethanol (sugar-based and the most commonly used form of alcohol)
- They contain no BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, arsenic, mercury, or chromium

Buy It

You can buy your own To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set from Green Ostrich for only $12.12

THANKS GREEN OSTRICH FOR THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TRY YOUR PRODUCTS!!

Realignment CHECK.

The earth has realigned itself and the stars are all in correct orbit.

My husband is home.

A little worse for the wear but not as bad as I thought.  He finished Jet Pilot training stuff out in the wilderness and now he is home.

In time for Valentine's Day and Bonnie's Birthday.  YAY!

We are all so glad he is back, the littles missed him and I know I was feeling like something was missing while he was gone.
(Not to mention the 38942 things that "almost" broke while he was gone--had me stressing about telling my husband we needed a new this or that.  Not counting the printer because we both knew that was on its way to expiring.)

Welcome Home Darling and Happy Valentine's Day!!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

As I sit

here at the Food Court on base what do I spy with my little eye....but this...



a man wearing a purse. In our house we call them "murses".

I seriously look forward to being old and being able to wear whatever the heck I wanna.

And between me and you this guy was working it.

Keeping it classy

Sometimes there are no words.



This is one of those times.

Sooo.
Embarrassing.
Seriously.

I have officially graduated to become THAT neighbor.
Not only are we the FNG on the block but I have also made us the eyesore neighbor in one fell swoop.

This is the result of getting trash days confused because of the move and not putting it out last week like I was supposed to.

I am blushing from the pure mortification of it all. Lol.

Do I get a pass because my husband is out of town??

No, ok well then I will step up my game.

I would like to think that this will be the last time an incident like this will happen; but I will bet all the tea in China that it WILL.

It really is a bit much, that much garbage?? Really??

**sigh**


Honey, hurry home...

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Boys

Clyde is growing.
How can I tell??

Because he wants to nap--ALOT. And at random times/places in our new house.

I have been hitting that 3rd trimester happy nappy time so after school and tidying the house the other day I laid down on the couch to doze while the kids were playing ever so sweetly in their rooms. I woke up after an indiscriminate amount of time later to this...



Yes, he is actually sleeping on TOP of me. A little sleeping heater.
Because that's super comfortable for a pregnant lady.

And this...




He is sleeping on the couch sitting up, he WAS laying down but when Bonnie busted through the door from playing outside I guess she startled him.
Haha.
Or something like that.

When gravity started to take it's toll he was like a kamikaze airplane--he just crashed into the couch.

Face first.

Insert me giggling hysterically while watching this.
I was too slow to capture all this on video with my phone but it was super cute. Maybe next time I will be quicker.

In the meantime, he continues to grow...and grow. By the time his dad gets home I am sure he will look bigger, skinnier, more like his dad, etc. And it makes me a little bit sad, I don't want him to grow more. He is in that cute I am a little man but still kind of a toddler phase. Pretty soon the toddler phase will drop off completely from his description...and it makes me a little choked up.
Good thing I am growing another little boy from scratch as I write.

Because I love little boys. Especially when they look as handsome as their Jet Pilot daddy.


Friday, February 4, 2011

So it's raining


Why is it whenever husbands are gone that things start to go haywire? It's a cruel law of nature somewhere that says wives must be thisclose to completely losing their mind while their Jet Pilot is gone.

And isn't it funny how the second he walks through the door that the earth suddenly realigns itself and all is well with the world.

As of this moment, I am feeling like the earth will never realign itself and I am destined to be on the brink of crazy, for like-EVER.

But I know that feeling is fleeting.

It will go away with something as easy as an overpriced iced coffee from Starbucks, yet the motivation to lift this dreariness eludes me.
Ugh.
Yes I am completely whining, I don't want to whine. I want to be tough and together and polished.
It's nice to have wants...now to just bring them into fruition.

Oh and yes the printer died a harsh death this morning and I am distraught over it. Already 2 weeks with out printing coupons and I may have to go another few weeks before it get replaced.

Bummer.
Total Bummer.
Our grocery budget is hating me right now...I am hating me right now, I saved 8% on my bill this last week. Pitiful. Just plain pitiful.

Here's hoping the sun will come out tomorrow!!






My view is going to be completely obstructed soon..lol. And I have til late May to grow this piece out.
But it's awesome.
I love being pregnant.

PS Ignore the nasty mismatched sock pile that needs attention on my love seat. I will get to it. Eventually.
Or we will just pair socks up from the ever multiplying pile as we need them, til the pile diminishes.

And then the vicious laundry cycle will repeat itself.

**sigh**

Clyde and his sniffer

So my son is funny, like really funny.
Each kid has things that set them off..things they like, they hate or whatever.

Clyde's thing is smells. He is a TOTAL sniffer. Of. Everything.

His absolute favorite phrase is "What's dat smell?"

He likes good smells-brownies, homemade laundry soap, and man cologne. He doesn't like bad smells--at all.
His favorite worst smell is feet. He is extremely vocal about not so fresh feet, particularly mine.
Yes I have foot odor issues especially at the end of a day wearing tennis shoes and running errands. What can I say-it's the way I was made. And pregnancy hormones don't help foot smell issues either. In my defense.

Lately he has taken to vocalizing his dislike and while I don't want my son to put anyone down or hurt feelings, I AM impressed with his vocabulary.
In his words "Mah Mah your feet smell BERRY DIS-dusting, and berry unfesh.".

Translation: Mom your feet smell very disgusting and very unfresh.

Disgusting and unfresh. Big words for a three year old-homeschool is working. I taught him those words.

Just sayin.

And the force is strong with this one. He has a great sniffer. And it's funny. Very funny. I hope I always remember these moments, cuz they are the ones that reconfirm Motherhood is my niche. And that I am blessed. So blessed.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Please oh Please oh please

I am literally begging the washer to hang in there and not kick the bucket.  There is some random flashing error about the motor not turning and there is not a thing in the world I could do to fix it.  I dont think there is anything Jet Pilot could do to fix it.
And we REALLY REALLY REALLY dont want to have to buy a new washer.    Totally not on the list of things I wanna do right now.
So me being me and the ultra tech nerd I am NOT, I did the only thing I knew how--hard reset.  Turned it off, unplugged the cord and turned it back on.  I hope that fixes it.  But I know our washer is probably a little angry at us for moving it soo many damn times.  4 times in 6 years to be exact.

So if you are reading this, please say a prayer to the washer gods that the LG Front Loader just hangs in there and was just getting a kink or two out from the move.

Please Almighty Father let that just be it, please.

Because my Jet Pilot is away with work right now and will not be returning for some time, so I am holding down the fort in the mean time.  And between me and you I don't have a good feeling about this.  AT ALL.